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1. One Day Seems Like 1000 Years
2. Ace / One
5. Wisdom and Insight of the Buddha
8. Happy Buddha
11. Buddha Heart / Mind of Buddha
12. Seeing one’s Nature and becoming a Buddha
13. The Buddha Realm / Buddhahood
16. Buddha Way
17. The Buddha is in Each Sentient Being
18. Working Together as One / Cooperation
19. Drinking the water of a well: One should never forget who dug it
20. Amitabha Buddha
21. The farts of others stink, but one’s own smells sweet
22. The one who retreats 50 paces mocks the one to retreats 100
24. Hearing a Hundred Times is Not as Good as Seeing Once
25. Words Have Enormous Weight: One Word Worth Nine Caldrons
26. Human Nature
27. Even The 100-Foot Bamboo Can Grow One More Foot
28. One Justice Can Overpower 100 Evils
29. The Nature of Enlightenment in One's Mind
30. Kensho Jobutsu - Enlightenment - Path to Buddha
31. Meet the Buddha, Kill the Buddha
32. Kindness and Forgiving Nature
33. To Know Hardship, One Must Experience It
34. We are not born with knowledge, how does one achieve maturity?
35. Listen to Both Sides and be Enlightened, Listen to One Side and be in the Dark
37. Merciful Heart / The Light from a Buddha Mind
38. Mother Nature
41. Nature
42. Nature in Balance / Balanced Nature
43. The Nature of Martial Arts
44. Mantra to Buddha / Nembutsu
45. No one knows a son better than the father
46. One Direction
48. One Heart / One Mind / Heart and Soul
50. One Love
51. One Mind / Unity
52. One who walks by the river may end up with wet feet
53. One
55. One Who Does Not Do Bad Things, Worries Not of Knocks at His Door
56. One who is drenched in rain does not fear drops of dew
58. Self Awareness Becomes a Buddha
60. The Strong One
61. Tathata / Ultimate Nature of All Things
62. The Chosen One
63. A Journey of 1000 Miles Feels Like One
64. When Three People Gather, One Becomes a Teacher
66. True Religion / Buddha Truth
67. Trust No One / Trust No Man
68. There is one single thread binding my Way together
69. Work Together with One Mind
一日千秋 is a Japanese and Chinese proverb about missing someone.
一日千秋 is often used to express how hard it is to wait for someone's return or to be away from someone.
Some will translate this as “one day feels like a very long time” or “waiting for someone (something) is hard.”
You might see this romanized as a single word, Ichijitsusenshuu, or as “Ichijitsu Senshuu” from Japanese.
If you break down the characters one-by-one, we get:
一 = one/a
日 = day/sun (can also represent time or date)
千 = 1000/thousand
秋 = autumn/fall
Together, 千秋 can mean “autumn comes thousand times” (or 1000 years). It can also be read as 1000 periods of time.
However, it relays the idea of heartache as you wait for someone you miss.
幺 means one, as used on a dice or in a card game.
Thus, in that context, it means Ace.
幺 can also be the surname “Yao” in both Chinese and Japanese.
Note: Rarely if ever used in Korean.
幺 can sometimes be written these ways:
Ka-Chou-Fuu-Getsu
花鳥風月 is the Japanese Kanji proverb for “Beauties of Nature.”
The dictionary definition is “the traditional themes of natural beauty in Japanese aesthetics.”
The Kanji each represents an element of nature that constitutes beauty in traditional Japanese art and culture.
The Kanji breakdown:
花 = ka = flower (also pronounced “hana”)
鳥 = chou = bird (also pronounced “tori”).
風 = fuu = wind (also pronounced “kaze”).
月 = getsu = moon (also pronounced “tsuki”)
Buddha of Joyful Light
佛心 means the Buddha's mind, Buddha-heart, or the spiritually enlightened heart/mind.
The Buddha Heart is detached from good and evil and other such constructs. The Buddha Heart has mercy, compassion, and loving-kindness for all sentient life, the good, the wicked, and all in between.
The heart and mind (心) are the same concepts in the ancient Orient, so you can use heart and mind interchangeably in this context.
見性成佛 is a universal phrase that suggests that one may see one's nature and accomplish Buddhahood.
見性 suggests penetrating deep inside oneself to see one's “Original finally
Mind.”
成佛 refers to a sentient being who dispenses with illusions and delusions
through ascetic practice, is enlightened to the truth, and becomes a Buddha.
This is used by Mahayana, Chan, and Zen Buddhists in China, Korea, and Japan.
You will also see this with the last character written as 仏 in Japanese. In the religious context, 佛 is commonly used to mean Buddha. If you want the other version, see Kenshō Jōbutsu 見性成仏
佛 is the essence of the Buddha or Buddhism.
Depending on the context, this word and character can be used to refer to the religion and lifestyle of Buddhism, or in some cases, the Buddha himself.
It is interesting to note that this word is separate from all others in the Chinese language. The sound of “fo” has only this meaning. 佛 is in contrast to many sounds in the Chinese language, which can have one of four tones, and more than 20 possible characters and meanings. This language anomaly shows how significantly Buddhism has affected China since ancient times.
More about Buddhism
佛 is also used with the same meaning in Korean Hanja.
It's used in the very religious context of Buddhism in Japan. It should be noted that there are two forms of this Kanji in use in Japan - this is the more formal/ancient version, but it's rarely seen outside of religious artwork and may not be recognized by all Japanese people.
It also acts as a suffix or first syllable for many Buddhist-related words in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
See our Buddhism & Zen page
See Also: Bodhisattva | Enlightenment
Hotoke
仏 is the single Japanese Kanji that can mean Buddha or Buddhism.
This Kanji was a shorthand way to write 佛 (Buddha) in Chinese (popular around the 13th century). Somehow, this became the version of this Chinese character that was absorbed into Japanese and thus became part of standard Kanji. Centuries later, this character is not recognized in China (except for those from China with a background in Chinese literature or language).
仏 is also a rare or derivative Korean Hanja form - but I doubt you will find any Korean that knows that.
佛道 is “The way of Buddha, leading to Buddhahood” or the way to becoming a bodhi and enlightened.
Known in Japanese as Butsudō, in Mandarin Chinese as Fódào, and in Korean as Buldo or 불도.
佛は衆生の中に在り is “Butsu wa shujo no naka ni ari” and means that the Buddha (potential for Buddhahood) exists in all beings in the universe.
So yes, your dog has the potential to be a Buddha (but only in a future reincarnation as a human). But all things, from the tiny cricket to the humpback whale have Buddha nature within them. If one takes the time to look and contemplate, one will see the Buddha in all things.
In Japan, sometimes the Buddha character is written 仏 instead of 佛, so you might see the whole phrase written as 仏は衆生の中に在り.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
This proverb suggests that one should always be grateful to those who helped one succeed.
And remember your ancestors and those that came before you whose sacrifices made your present life better.
Some Chinese will separate the intended meaning from this proverb and translate this as “Don't forget the people who once helped you.” In Modern China, this idiom is virtually never used to refer to an actual well.
Note: This can be pronounced in Korean but it's not a commonly used phrase.
This title can mean the Buddha of the Western paradise.
But it's more a chant that means “May the lord Buddha preserve us!” or “Merciful Buddha!.”
阿彌陀佛 is also a translation to Chinese, Japanese, and Korean for “Amitâbha Buddha.”
Asian Buddhists will often greet and say goodbye to each other with this phrase/chant/title.
The pot calls the kettle black
五十步笑百步 is a Chinese proverb that means the one who retreats 50 paces mocks the one who retreats 100 paces.
During the Warring States Period of what is now China (475 - 221 B.C.), the King of Wei was in love with war. He often fought with other kingdoms just for spite or fun.
One day, the King of Wei asked the philosopher Mencius, “I love my people, and all say I do the best for them. I move the people from famine-stricken areas to places of plenty and transport grains from rich areas to the poor. Nobody goes hungry in my kingdom, and I treat my people far better than other kings. But why does the population of my kingdom not increase, and why does the population of other kingdoms not decrease?”
Mencius answered, “Since you love war, I will make this example: When going to war, and the drums beat to start the attack, some soldiers flee for their lives in fear. Some run 100 paces in retreat, and others run 50 steps. Then the ones who retreated 50 paces laugh and taunt those who retreated 100 paces, calling them cowards mortally afraid of death. Do you think this is reasonable?
The King of Wei answered, “Of course not! Those who run 50 paces are just as timid as those who run 100 paces.”
Mencius then said, “You are a king who treats his subjects better than other kings treat their people, but you are so fond of war that your people suffer from great losses in battle. Therefore, your population does not grow. While other kings allow their people to starve to death, you send your people to die in war. Is there any difference?”
This famous conversation led to the six-character proverb shown here. It serves as a warning to avoid hypocrisy. It goes hand-in-hand with the western phrase, “The pot calls the kettle black,” or the Biblical phrase, “Before trying to remove a splinter from your neighbor's eye, first remove the plank from your own eye.”
一日一善 is a Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja phrase that suggests doing a good deed each day or doing one good turn a day.
It literally reads, “One Day, One Good (Deed).”
百聞不如一見 is a Chinese proverb that means “Seeing once is better than hearing one hundred times” which is similar to the idea of “Seeing is believing.”
You can also get the idea, “Seeing for oneself is better than hearing from many others.”
If you break it down directly, you get “100 hears/listens (is) not as-good (as) one sight.”
一言九鼎 is an ancient Chinese proverb used in modern times to talk of profound or powerful words.
The literal meaning is “one word [worth] nine [sacred] tripods.” The tripod is a highly-prized three-legged (sometimes four-legged) metal pot or kettle of ancient China. They are often made of bronze, and the Emperor would have large ones gilded in gold. See the image to the right for an example.
人性 is a title that is the essence of what it means to act and be human.
These two characters refer to the way we are as people.
人性 is also sometimes translated as human personality, human instinct, humanity, or humanism.
The first character literally means human or people.
The second character means nature. It can also mean property, quality, attribute, or essence. It can even be a modifier like “-ity” or “-ness,” which is why this word is also translated as “humanity.”
一正压百邪 is an ancient Chinese proverb and idiom that means “One Justice Can Overpower a Hundred Evils.”
While this proverb is famous in China, it has been around so long that its origins have been forgotten.
It could be something that Confucius or one of his disciples said, but no one can say for sure.
見性成仏 or Kenshō Jōbutsu is the initial enlightenment that leads to self-awareness, becoming Buddha, and the path to enter Nirvana.
Kenshō Jōbutsu is a complex concept in Japanese Buddhism. 見性成仏 is probably better translated as “Seeing one’s nature and becoming a Buddha.”
See Also: Buddhism | Enlightenment | Initial Enlightenment
This controversial Buddhist koan means “On encountering Buddha, you should kill him.”
This is the short concise Japanese version of an original statement by ninth-century Chinese Buddhist monk Linji Yixuan, “If You Meet The Buddha On The Road, Kill Him.”
This takes some explaining... The concept here is that if you think you have seen, experienced, or achieved true enlightenment, the chances that you really have are so slim that you should kill or dismiss that idea.
Another suggestion is that one's path to becoming a Buddha is one's own, and one should not get caught up in religious fervor, and avoid “showing off” that they are a Buddhist.
Helpful references for this concept:
Lion's Roar addresses "If You Meet The Buddha On The Road, Kill Him"
Kill the Buddha
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
仁恕 is a word in Chinese and Japanese that means something like benevolence with magnanimity or kindness with a forgiving nature.
If this describes you, then you are the type of person that I would like to call my friend.
This may not be the most common word in daily use, but it's old enough that it transcended cultures from China to Japan in the 5th century when Japan lacked a written language and absorbed Chinese characters and words into their language.
Note: 仁恕 is not commonly used in Korean.
不當和尚不知頭冷 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as: [One who has] not been a monk [does] not know [the feeling of a] cold head.
I need to explain that a Chinese Buddhist monk always has a shaved head, and thus a cold head in winter.
Figuratively, this means: One cannot know the true meaning of hardship until one has experienced it oneself.
This is an idiom in Chinese, so the figurative meaning is what people perceive when they hear or read this phrase. Just as in English, when someone says, "The grass is always greener," one will think about the idea of jealousy, rather than the quality of one’s lawn.
This figuratively means “Without a teacher, how can we learn/mature?”
人非生而知之者熟能無惑 is a philosophic pondering by Han Yu, a Tang Dynasty essayist, and philosopher (618-907 A.D.). This is a Chinese proverb that can be translated as “Knowledge is not innate to man, how can we overcome doubt?” or, “We are not born with knowledge, how does one achieve maturity?.”
This infers that we need the guidance of a teacher if we wish to learn, mature, and become better.
兼聽則明偏聽則暗 is an ancient Chinese proverb about getting all the information from all sides so that you truly understand a situation.
Wei Zheng
A man named Wei Zheng lived between 580-643 AD. He was a noble and wise historian and minister in the court of the early Tang Dynasty. The emperor once asked him, “What should an emperor do to understand the real-world situation, and what makes an emperor out-of-touch with reality?”
Wei Zheng replied, “Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened; listen to only one side and you will be left in the dark.”
Then Wei Zheng went on to cite examples of leaders in history that were victorious after heeding both sides of the story, and other leaders that met their doom because they believed one-sided stories which often came from flattering lips.
Please note that there is an unwritten rule when the same character appears twice in the same phrase, the calligrapher will alter the appearance so that no two characters are exactly alike in the same piece. This calligraphy has two repeating characters that will be written differently than they appear here.
戀心 literally means “loving heart.” It can also be translated as “one's love” or “awakening of love.”
戀心 is used exclusively for love between boyfriends and girlfriends or husband and wife.
Breaking down the meaning of each Kanji, the first means love, affection, or tender passion. The second Kanji means heart, mind, or soul (most will read it as the heart).
See Also: Compassion | Love
心光 can mean the light from a Buddha's mind or “merciful heart.”
This would especially be the light emanating from Amitābha.
Note that the character 心 can mean mind or heart. 光 means light or brightness - but in this context can suggest a glow of mercy or compassion.
This can also be a Japanese surname that is romanized as Shinkou or Shinko.
大自然 is the simple way to express “mother nature” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
This can also be translated as “the great nature” or “all of nature.”
南無阿彌陀佛 is how to express “The Compassionate Amitabha Buddha” (especially for the Pure Land Buddhist Sect).
Some will translate as “Homage to Amitâbha Buddha” or “I seek refuge in the Amitâbha Buddha.”
This is valid in Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
Sometimes modern Japanese use a different version of the 4th and last Kanji, but the version shown here is the most universal.
This is used to pay homage to Amitabha Buddha.
See Also: Bodhisattva | Buddhism | Nirvana
南無釋迦牟尼佛 is a Buddhist chant or prayer of respect to the Shakyamuni Buddha.
Some will translate this as the Buddhist vow.
The first two characters, 南無, are sometimes translated as “amen”; others will translate it as “belief in” or “homage to.”
To expand on this, 南無 can also mean “taking of refuge in” while representing devotion or conviction. 南無 as with most religious concepts or words, different people or denominations will have varying definitions.
The natural world
自然 is the simple way to express nature in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
This can also be translated as “the natural world.”
In Japanese and Korean, this term is sometimes used to signify spontaneity or a spontaneous act.
In the context of Taoism or Daoism, this is a key concept that literally means “of its own” or “by itself” and thus naturally, natural, spontaneously, freely, or in the course of events.
Also known as known as ziran or tzu-jan
生態平衡 is a title about the way and balance of nature.
The first two characters mean nature or the way of life.
The second two characters mean balance or balanced.
Note: We have two versions of this title on our website. This is the one we recommend, as it is a little more natural (no pun intended).
自然界の均衡 is a verbose way to say “nature in balance” in Japanese.
The first three Kanji have the meaning of “the natural world” or “the natural kingdom” (kind of like the animal kingdom but including plants and all things biological).
The third character is a Hiragana that acts to connect the two ideas here.
The last two Kanji mean equilibrium or balance.
念佛 is used primarily in Japanese, where it is romanized as nenbutsu.
The meaning is to pray to Buddha, chant the name of Buddha, or repeat the name of Buddha. This can be an audible or inaudible chant.
知子莫若父 can be translated as “No one knows a son better than his father.”
This idiom is based on the idea that after spending many years together, family members know everything about each other. Better than anyone else, a father knows the qualities and shortcomings of his son.
If you are looking for something about “father and son,” this is probably the best selection.
While this is the original proverb (very old), others have been composed about various combinations of mothers, sons, daughters, and fathers. Let me know if you need a custom version.
一世代 is a way to write “One Direction” in Chinese, referring to the British-Irish boy band.
They are commonly referred to as “1D” in Japan and China (no Chinese characters for that).
This title does not exactly mean “one direction.” It's closer to “one generation,” “one era,” or “one world.”
ワンダイレクション is a way to write “One Direction” in Japanese Katakana, referring to the British-Irish boy band.
They are commonly referred to as “1D” in Japan and China (no Japanese Kanji for that).
This title sounds like “One Direction” using Japanese sounds. Unlike Japanese Kanji words, this does not have any meaning, just pronunciation.
Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
天下一家 is a proverb that can also be translated as “The whole world is one family.”
It is used to mean that all humans are related by decree of Heaven.
The first two characters can be translated as “the world,” “the whole country,” “descended from heaven,” “earth under heaven,” “the public,” or “the ruling power.”
The second two characters can mean “one family,” “a household,” “one's folks,” “a house” or “a home.” Usually, this is read as “a family.”
Note: This proverb can be understood in Japanese, though not commonly used.
一心 literally reads as “one heart” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
Colloquially or figuratively, it means: wholeheartedly; heart and soul; of one mind; wholeheartedness; one's whole heart; with the whole mind or heart; one mind in heart.
I'm not kidding, all of those came right from the dictionary for this one title.
In Buddhism, this can refer to the bhūtatathatā, or the whole of things; the universe as one mind, or a spiritual unity.
In Japanese, this can be the female given name, Hitomi.
和合 means to blend, unite, or be of one mind.
和合 is usually used as a Buddhist term. It can also be defined as harmony, concord, agreement, unity, union, and harmonize/harmonization.
常在河邊走哪能不濕鞋 is an old Chinese proverb that is sometimes compared to the English saying “Shit Happens.”
It's a reflection that there are risks in life, and you should not be surprised when things don't go your way.
A secondary translation might be, “When walking by a river, often one cannot avoid wet shoes.”
The number one
一 is “one” or “1” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
People keep searching for “one” but I'm not sure what you want. This would be a strange selection for a wall scroll, so please don't order it. Post a request on our forum if you want a phrase with “one” in it that you can't find on our site.
The “one” character is really simple, it's just one stroke. Two is two strokes and three is three strokes, from four and above, the characters get more complicated.
In some ways, the “one” character is too simple, it could be a stray mark, or added to a banking document. Therefore, the following banking anti-fraud character for “one” has developed over the last 1500 years in China and Japan:
白天不做亏心事夜半敲门不吃惊 literally translates as: [If one does] not do bad things in the daytime, one need not be alarmed at knocks on the door in the middle of the night.
The meaning is something like, “A quiet conscience sleeps in thunder.” Basically, the message is, “don't commit crimes and you won't be jumpy every time the doorbell rings (so don't do anything wrong and your life will have fewer worries and you can sleep at night).”
百聞不如一見 is a proverb that means “Better to see something once rather than hear about it one hundred times” or “Telling me about something 100 times is not as good as seeing it once.”
In English, we have the similar proverb of “Seeing is believing” but this has a bit of the “A picture paints a thousand words” meaning too.
Sometimes it's simply more prudent to verify with your own eyes.
百聞は一見に如かず is the Japanese version of an ancient Chinese proverb that means “Seeing once is better than hearing one hundred times.”
It is the rough equivalent of “seeing is believing,” “one eye-witness is better than many hearsays,” or “a picture is worth a thousand words.”
Sometimes it's simply more prudent to verify with your own eyes.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
See Also: Hearing a Hundred Times is Not as Good as Seeing Once
自性覚れば即ち是れ佛なり is a Zen quote that means “If one realizes one's own nature, one becomes a Buddha.”
The inference here is that if you understand who you really are, and become truly aware of yourself and your original nature, you are well on your way to becoming a liberated person (a Buddha).
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
釋迦牟尼 is a transliteration of “Shakyamuni” or “Sakyamuni” in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean.
The perceived meaning of the name is roughly translated as “Sage of the Sakyas.”
This same Buddha is also known as “Siddhartha Gautama,” “Gotama Buddha,” “Tathagata,” or simply, “The Supreme Buddha.”
Shakyamuni is the legendary man and prince who eventually established the Buddhist religion.
Note: Occasionally Romanized as “Siddhattha Gotama.”
This combination of characters is sometimes seen and used in South Korea and Japan as well (with the same meaning).
Note: 釋迦牟尼 came from the Sanskrit शाक्यमुनि and can also be romanized with diuretics as Śākyamuni.
釈迦 is the way to write Shakyamuni in Japanese.
It's just two Kanji, the first is a simplified version of the one used in Chinese for Shakyamuni, and the second one is identical to the Chinese.
This refers to the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama, 563 BCE-483 BCE) also known as Sakyamuni and Gautama Buddha.
This has a very good meaning in Japanese but is an odd selection for a wall scroll. It appears here more for reference.
真如 comes from the Sanskrit and Pali word often romanized as “tathata” or “tathatā.” Originally written, “तथता.”
It's a Buddhist term often translated as “thusness” or “suchness,” but this does not explain it.
A better explanation may be “the ultimate nature of all things” or “ultimate truth.” However, this gives it too strong of a feeling. This concept is sometimes described as being in awe of the simple nature of something - like a blade of grass blowing in the wind or ripples on water. It is what it is supposed to be, these things follow their nature. Amazing in their mundane simplicity.
Every sect of Buddhism will have a slightly different flavor or explanation, so don't get fixated on one definition.
Notes: Sometimes Buddhists use the word dharmatā, a synonym to tathatā.
In Japan, this can also be the female given name Mayuki, or the surname Majo.
選ばれし者 is a Japanese title that means “The chosen one” but can also refer to “The select few” or “the chosen ones.”
The last character clarifies that the “one” refers to a person or persons (male or female).
This can also be written 撰ばれし者 or 択ばれし者 with the same pronunciation and meaning. The one shown above is the most common way to write it.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
千里も一里 is a Japanese proverb that states “A journey of a thousand miles feels like only one mile.” It is understood that in the proverb, this applies when going to see the one you love.
Note that the “mile” or 里 used in this proverb is an old Chinese “li” (pronounced “ri” in Japanese). It's not actually a mile, as the measurement is really closer to 500 meters (it would take 3 of these to get close to a western mile). Still, 1000里 (333 miles) is a long way.
三人行必有我师 means “when three people meet, one becomes the teacher.”
This famous Chinese philosophy suggests that when people come together, they can always learn from each other.
One person must be the teacher and others learn. And in turn, the others become the teachers of the knowledge they possess.
It is important to remember that we all have something to teach, and we all have something to learn as well.
歳月人を待たず is a Japanese idiom “Saigetsu hito o matazu” which means “Time waits for no one.”
Another way to put it is, “Time and tide stay for no man.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
The way of the truth
無法信任 is the kind of thing you expect to hear in a spy movie.
“Trust no one, 007!”
The first two characters express the idea of “no way” or “cannot.”
The last two characters mean “trust.”
The characters must go in this order due to Chinese grammar issues and in order to sound natural.
Note: This is not an ancient Chinese phrase by any means. It's just that we received a lot of requests for this phrase.
This is as close as you can get to the phrase “trust no man,” though technically, no gender is specified.
誰も信じるな is as close as you can get to the phrase “trust no man” in Japanese, though no gender is specified.
The first two characters mean everyone or anyone but change to “no one” with the addition of a negative verb.
The third through fifth characters express the idea of believing in, placing trust in, confiding in, or having faith in.
The last character makes the sentence negative (without the last character, this would mean “trust everyone,” with that last character, it's “trust no one”).
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
吾道一以貫之 is a phrase from the Analects of Confucius that translates as “My Way has one thread that runs through it.”
Other translations include:
My Way is penetrated by a single thread.
There is one single thread binding my Way together.
My Way is run through with a unifying thread.
My Way is Consistent.
And sometimes poetic license is taken, and it is translated as:
My Way is the only one; I'll treasure it and stick to it with humility until the end.
After this was said, some 2500+ years ago, another disciple of Confucius clarified the meaning by stating, “Our master's Way is to be loyal and have a sense of reciprocity.”
In Japanese, this is purported to be romanized as “Waga michi ichi wo motte kore wo tsuranuku,” though some will argue the true pronunciation.
Note: Sometimes written 吾道以一貫之 instead of 吾道一以貫之 with no difference in meaning.
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The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
One Day Seems Like 1000 Years | 一日千秋 | ichi jitsu sen shuu ichijitsusenshuu ichi jitsu sen shu | yí rì qiān qiū yi2 ri4 qian1 qiu1 yi ri qian qiu yiriqianqiu | i jih ch`ien ch`iu ijihchienchiu i jih chien chiu |
Ace One | 幺 | yao | yāo / yao1 / yao | |
Beauty of Nature | 花鳥風月 | ka chou fuu getsu kachoufuugetsu ka cho fu getsu | ||
Best Number One | 一番 | ichi ban / ichiban | ||
Wisdom and Insight of the Buddha | 佛知見 佛知见 | bucchiken / buchiken | fó zhī jiàn fo2 zhi1 jian4 fo zhi jian fozhijian | fo chih chien fochihchien |
The Aura of Buddha | 佛光 | bukkou / buko | fó guāng / fo2 guang1 / fo guang / foguang | fo kuang / fokuang |
The Eye of the Buddha | 佛眼 佛眼 / 仏眼 | butsugen / butsugen | wǔ yǎn / wu3 yan3 / wu yan / wuyan | wu yen / wuyen |
Happy Buddha | 歡喜光佛 欢喜光佛 | kan gi kou butsu kangikoubutsu kan gi ko butsu | huān xǐ guāng fó huan1 xi3 guang1 fo2 huan xi guang fo huanxiguangfo | huan hsi kuang fo huanhsikuangfo |
Buddha Seeking | 勤求 | gongu | qín qiú / qin2 qiu2 / qin qiu / qinqiu | ch`in ch`iu / chinchiu / chin chiu |
Buddha Dharma Sangha | 佛法僧 | buppō sō / buppōsō / bupō sō | fó fǎ sēng fo2 fa3 seng1 fo fa seng fofaseng | |
Buddha Heart Mind of Buddha | 佛心 | busshin / bushin | fó xīn / fo2 xin1 / fo xin / foxin | fo hsin / fohsin |
Seeing one’s Nature and becoming a Buddha | 見性成佛 见性成佛 | ken shou jou butsu kenshoujoubutsu ken sho jo butsu | jiàn xìng chéng fó jian4 xing4 cheng2 fo2 jian xing cheng fo jianxingchengfo | chien hsing ch`eng fo chienhsingchengfo chien hsing cheng fo |
The Buddha Realm Buddhahood | 佛境 | bukkyou / bukyo | fó jìng / fo2 jing4 / fo jing / fojing | fo ching / foching |
Buddhism Buddha | 佛 | hotoke | fó / fo2 / fo | |
Buddha Buddhism | 仏 / 佛 仏 | hotoke / butsu | ||
Buddha Way | 佛道 | butsudō | fó dào / fo2 dao4 / fo dao / fodao | fo tao / fotao |
The Buddha is in Each Sentient Being | 佛は衆生の中に在り | butsu wa shujou no naka ni ari butsuwashujounonakaniari butsu wa shujo no naka ni ari | ||
Working Together as One Cooperation | 同心協力 同心协力 | tóng xīn xié lì tong2 xin1 xie2 li4 tong xin xie li tongxinxieli | t`ung hsin hsieh li tunghsinhsiehli tung hsin hsieh li |
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Drinking the water of a well: One should never forget who dug it | 吃水不忘掘井人 | chī shuǐ bú wàng jué jǐng rén chi1 shui3 bu2 wang4 jue2 jing3 ren2 chi shui bu wang jue jing ren chishuibuwangjuejingren | ch`ih shui pu wang chüeh ching jen chih shui pu wang chüeh ching jen |
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Amitabha Buddha | 阿彌陀佛 阿弥陀佛 | amida butsu amidabutsu | ē mí tuó fó e1 mi2 tuo2 fo2 e mi tuo fo emituofo | o mi t`o fo omitofo o mi to fo |
The farts of others stink, but one’s own smells sweet | 別人屁臭自家香 别人屁臭自家香 | bié rén pì chòu zì jiā xiāng bie2 ren2 pi4 chou4 zi4 jia1 xiang1 bie ren pi chou zi jia xiang bierenpichouzijiaxiang | pieh jen p`i ch`ou tzu chia hsiang pieh jen pi chou tzu chia hsiang |
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The one who retreats 50 paces mocks the one to retreats 100 | 五十步笑百步 | wù shí bù xiào bǎi bù wu4 shi2 bu4 xiao4 bai3 bu4 wu shi bu xiao bai bu wushibuxiaobaibu | wu shih pu hsiao pai pu wushihpuhsiaopaipu |
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One Good Deed Each Day | 一日一善 | ichi nichi ichi zen ichinichiichizen | yī rì yī shàn yi1 ri4 yi1 shan4 yi ri yi shan yiriyishan | i jih i shan ijihishan |
Hearing a Hundred Times is Not as Good as Seeing Once | 百聞不如一見 百闻不如一见 | bǎi wén bù rú yī jiàn bai3 wen2 bu4 ru2 yi1 jian4 bai wen bu ru yi jian baiwenburuyijian | pai wen pu ju i chien paiwenpujuichien |
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Words Have Enormous Weight: One Word Worth Nine Caldrons | 一言九鼎 | yī yán jiǔ dǐng yi1 yan2 jiu3 ding3 yi yan jiu ding yiyanjiuding | i yen chiu ting iyenchiuting |
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Human Nature | 人性 | rén xìng / ren2 xing4 / ren xing / renxing | jen hsing / jenhsing | |
Even The 100-Foot Bamboo Can Grow One More Foot | 百尺竿頭更進一步 百尺竿头更进一步 | bǎi chǐ gān tóu gèng jìng yī bù bai3 chi3 gan1 tou2 geng4 jing4 yi1 bu4 bai chi gan tou geng jing yi bu baichigantougengjingyibu | pai ch`ih kan t`ou keng ching i pu pai chih kan tou keng ching i pu |
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One Justice Can Overpower 100 Evils | 一正壓百邪 一正压百邪 | yī zhèng yā bǎi xié yi1 zheng4 ya1 bai3 xie2 yi zheng ya bai xie yizhengyabaixie | i cheng ya pai hsieh ichengyapaihsieh |
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The Nature of Enlightenment in One's Mind | 覺性 觉性 | kakushou / kakusho | jué xìng / jue2 xing4 / jue xing / juexing | chüeh hsing / chüehhsing |
Kensho Jobutsu - Enlightenment - Path to Buddha | 見性成佛 見性成仏 | ken shou jou butsu kenshoujoubutsu ken sho jo butsu | ||
Meet the Buddha, Kill the Buddha | 佛に逢っては佛を殺す | butsu ni atte wa butsu o korosu | ||
Kindness and Forgiving Nature | 仁恕 | jinjo | rén shù / ren2 shu4 / ren shu / renshu | jen shu / jenshu |
To Know Hardship, One Must Experience It | 不當和尚不知頭冷 不当和尚不知头冷 | bù dāng hé shàng bù zhī tóu lěng bu4 dang1 he2 shang4 bu4 zhi1 tou2 leng3 bu dang he shang bu zhi tou leng | pu tang ho shang pu chih t`ou leng pu tang ho shang pu chih tou leng |
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We are not born with knowledge, how does one achieve maturity? | 人非生而知之者熟能無惑 | rén fēi shēng ér zhī zhī zhě shú néng wú huò ren2 fei1 sheng1 er2 zhi1 zhi1 zhe3 shu2 neng2 wu2 huo4 ren fei sheng er zhi zhi zhe shu neng wu huo | jen fei sheng erh chih chih che shu neng wu huo | |
Listen to Both Sides and be Enlightened, Listen to One Side and be in the Dark | 兼聽則明偏聽則暗 兼听则明偏听则暗 | jiān tīng zé míng, piān tīng zé àn jian1 ting1 ze2 ming2, pian1 ting1 ze2 an4 jian ting ze ming, pian ting ze an | chien t`ing tse ming, p`ien t`ing tse an chien ting tse ming, pien ting tse an |
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Loving Heart One’s Love | 戀心 恋心 | koi gokoro / koigokoro | ||
Merciful Heart The Light from a Buddha Mind | 心光 | shin kou / shinkou / shin ko | xīn guāng xin1 guang1 xin guang xinguang | hsin kuang hsinkuang |
Mother Nature | 大自然 | dai shi zen daishizen | dà zì rán da4 zi4 ran2 da zi ran daziran | ta tzu jan tatzujan |
Namo Amitabha Buddha | 南無阿彌陀佛 南无阿弥陀佛 | na mu a mi da butsu namuamidabutsu | nā mó ē mí tuó fó na1 mo2 e1 mi2 tuo2 fo2 na mo e mi tuo fo namoemituofo | na mo o mi t`o fo namoomitofo na mo o mi to fo |
Namo Shakyamuni Buddha | 南無釋迦牟尼佛 南无释迦牟尼佛 | namu shakamuni butsu namushakamunibutsu | nán wú shì jiā móu ní fó nan2 wu2 shi4 jia1 mou2 ni2 fo2 nan wu shi jia mou ni fo nanwushijiamounifo | nan wu shih chia mou ni fo nanwushihchiamounifo |
Nature | 自然 | shi zen / shizen | zì rán / zi4 ran2 / zi ran / ziran | tzu jan / tzujan |
Nature in Balance Balanced Nature | 自然平衡 | zì rán píng héng zi4 ran2 ping2 heng2 zi ran ping heng ziranpingheng | tzu jan p`ing heng tzujanpingheng tzu jan ping heng |
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Nature in Balance Balanced Nature | 生態平衡 生态平衡 | shēng tài píng héng sheng1 tai4 ping2 heng2 sheng tai ping heng shengtaipingheng | sheng t`ai p`ing heng shengtaipingheng sheng tai ping heng |
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Nature in Balance Balanced Nature | 自然界の均衡 | shizenkai no kinkou shizenkainokinkou shizenkai no kinko | ||
Nature in Balance Balanced Nature | 自然の調和 | shizen no cho wa shizennochowa | ||
The Nature of Martial Arts | 自然武道 | shi zen bu do shizenbudo | zì rán wǔ dào zi4 ran2 wu3 dao4 zi ran wu dao ziranwudao | tzu jan wu tao tzujanwutao |
Mantra to Buddha Nembutsu | 念佛 | nenbutsu | niàn fó / nian4 fo2 / nian fo / nianfo | nien fo / nienfo |
No one knows a son better than the father | 知子莫若父 | zhī zǐ mò ruò fù zhi1 zi3 mo4 ruo4 fu4 zhi zi mo ruo fu zhizimoruofu | chih tzu mo jo fu chihtzumojofu |
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One Direction | 一世代 | yí shì dài yi1 shi4 dai4 yi shi dai yishidai | i shih tai ishihtai |
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One Direction | ワンダイレクション | wan dairekushon wandairekushon | ||
One Family Under Heaven | 天下一家 | tenka ikka / tenkaikka / tenka ika | tiān xià yī jiā tian1 xia4 yi1 jia1 tian xia yi jia tianxiayijia | t`ien hsia i chia tienhsiaichia tien hsia i chia |
One Heart One Mind Heart and Soul | 一心 | isshin / ishin | yī shì dài yi1 shi4 dai4 yi shi dai yishidai | i shih tai ishihtai |
One Key Opens One Lock | 一把鑰匙開一把鎖 一把钥匙开一把锁 | yī bǎ yào shi kāi yī bǎ suǒ yi1 ba3 yao4 shi5 kai1 yi1 ba3 suo3 yi ba yao shi kai yi ba suo yibayaoshikaiyibasuo | i pa yao shih k`ai i pa so ipayaoshihkaiipaso i pa yao shih kai i pa so |
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One Love | 一份愛 一份爱 | yí fèn ài yi2 fen4 ai4 yi fen ai yifenai | i fen ai ifenai |
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One Love | 一つの愛 | hito tsu no ai hitotsunoai | ||
One Mind Unity | 和合 | wagou / wago wago / wago | hé hé / he2 he2 / he he / hehe | ho ho / hoho |
One who walks by the river may end up with wet feet | 常在河邊走哪能不濕鞋 常在河边走哪能不湿鞋 | cháng zài hé biān zǒu nǎ néng bù shī xié chang2 zai4 he2 bian1 zou3 na3 neng2 bu4 shi1 xie2 chang zai he bian zou na neng bu shi xie | ch`ang tsai ho pien tsou na neng pu shih hsieh chang tsai ho pien tsou na neng pu shih hsieh |
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One | 一 | ichi | yī / yi1 / yi | i |
Proud Of One’s Name | 行不更名坐不改姓 | xíng bù gēng míng zuò bù gǎi xìng xing2 bu4 geng1 ming2 zuo4 bu4 gai3 xing4 xing bu geng ming zuo bu gai xing | hsing pu keng ming tso pu kai hsing | |
One Who Does Not Do Bad Things, Worries Not of Knocks at His Door | 白天不做虧心事夜半敲門不吃驚 白天不做亏心事夜半敲门不吃惊 | bái tiān bú zuò kuī xīn shì yè bàn qiāo mén bù chī jīng bai2 tian1 bu2 zuo4 kui1 xin1 shi4 ye4 ban4 qiao1 men2 bu4 chi1 jing1 bai tian bu zuo kui xin shi ye ban qiao men bu chi jing | pai t`ien pu tso k`uei hsin shih yeh pan ch`iao men pu ch`ih ching pai tien pu tso kuei hsin shih yeh pan chiao men pu chih ching |
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One who is drenched in rain does not fear drops of dew | 被雨淋過的人不怕露水 被雨淋过的人不怕露水 | bèi yǔ lín guò de rén bù pà lù shuǐ bei4 yu3 lin2 guo4 de ren2 bu4 pa4 lu4 shui3 bei yu lin guo de ren bu pa lu shui | pei yü lin kuo te jen pu p`a lu shui pei yü lin kuo te jen pu pa lu shui |
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Seeing is Believing | 百聞不如一見 百闻不如一见 | bǎi wén bù rú yí jiàn bai3 wen2 bu4 ru2 yi2 jian4 bai wen bu ru yi jian baiwenburuyijian | pai wen pu ju i chien paiwenpujuichien |
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Seeing is Believing | 百聞は一見に如かず | hyakubun wa ikken ni shikazu hyakubunwaikkennishikazu hyakubun wa iken ni shikazu | ||
Self Awareness Becomes a Buddha | 自性覚れば即ち是れ佛なり | Jishou satore ba sunawachi kore butsu nari Jisho satore ba sunawachi kore butsu nari | ||
Shakyamuni The Buddha | 釋迦牟尼 释迦牟尼 | sha ka mu ni shakamuni | shì jiā móu ní shi4 jia1 mou2 ni2 shi jia mou ni shijiamouni | shih chia mou ni shihchiamouni |
Shakyamuni The Buddha | 釈迦 | sha ka / shaka | shì jiā / shi4 jia1 / shi jia / shijia | shih chia / shihchia |
The Strong One | 強いもの | tsuyoi mono tsuyoimono | ||
Tathata Ultimate Nature of All Things | 真如 | shinnyo | zhēn rú / zhen1 ru2 / zhen ru / zhenru | chen ju / chenju |
The Chosen One | 選ばれし者 | erabareshimono | ||
A Journey of 1000 Miles Feels Like One | 千里も一里 | sen ri mo ichi ri senrimoichiri | ||
When Three People Gather, One Becomes a Teacher | 三人行必有我師 三人行必有我师 | sān rén xíng bì yǒu wǒ shī san1 ren2 xing2 bi4 you3 wo3 shi1 san ren xing bi you wo shi sanrenxingbiyouwoshi | san jen hsing pi yu wo shih sanjenhsingpiyuwoshih |
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Time Waits For No One | 歳月人を待たず | sai getsu hito o ma ta zu saigetsuhitoomatazu | ||
True Religion Buddha Truth | 實道 实道 | jitsu dou / jitsudou / jitsu do | shí dào / shi2 dao4 / shi dao / shidao | shih tao / shihtao |
Trust No One Trust No Man | 無法信任 无法信任 | wú fǎ xìn rèn wu2 fa3 xin4 ren4 wu fa xin ren wufaxinren | wu fa hsin jen wufahsinjen |
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Trust No One Trust No Man | 誰も信じるな | dare mo shin ji ru na daremoshinjiruna | ||
There is one single thread binding my Way together | 吾道一以貫之 吾道一以贯之 | ware dou tsurayuki waredoutsurayuki ware do tsurayuki | wú dào yī yǐ guàn zhī wu2 dao4 yi1 yi3 guan4 zhi1 wu dao yi yi guan zhi wudaoyiyiguanzhi | wu tao i i kuan chih wutaoiikuanchih |
Work Together with One Mind | 一味同心 | ichi mi dou shin ichimidoushin ichi mi do shin | ||
Work Together with One Heart | 齊心協力 齐心协力 | qí xīn xié lì qi2 xin1 xie2 li4 qi xin xie li qixinxieli | ch`i hsin hsieh li chihsinhsiehli chi hsin hsieh li |
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Solidarity Working Together as One | 一致団結 | icchidanketsu ichidanketsu | ||
In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line. In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese. |
Successful Chinese Character and Japanese Kanji calligraphy searches within the last few hours...
All of our calligraphy wall scrolls are handmade.
When the calligrapher finishes creating your artwork, it is taken to my art mounting workshop in Beijing where a wall scroll is made by hand from a combination of silk, rice paper, and wood.
After we create your wall scroll, it takes at least two weeks for air mail delivery from Beijing to you.
Allow a few weeks for delivery. Rush service speeds it up by a week or two for $10!
When you select your calligraphy, you'll be taken to another page where you can choose various custom options.
The wall scroll that Sandy is holding in this picture is a "large size"
single-character wall scroll.
We also offer custom wall scrolls in small, medium, and an even-larger jumbo size.
Professional calligraphers are getting to be hard to find these days.
Instead of drawing characters by hand, the new generation in China merely type roman letters into their computer keyboards and pick the character that they want from a list that pops up.
There is some fear that true Chinese calligraphy may become a lost art in the coming years. Many art institutes in China are now promoting calligraphy programs in hopes of keeping this unique form
of art alive.
Even with the teachings of a top-ranked calligrapher in China, my calligraphy will never be good enough to sell. I will leave that to the experts.
The same calligrapher who gave me those lessons also attracted a crowd of thousands and a TV crew as he created characters over 6-feet high. He happens to be ranked as one of the top 100 calligraphers in all of China. He is also one of very few that would actually attempt such a feat.
Check out my lists of Japanese Kanji Calligraphy Wall Scrolls and Old Korean Hanja Calligraphy Wall Scrolls.