Enlightenment and clarity of the mind occur only in response to the
sustained effort of study and practice. Endeavoring in the way ripens
the conditions of your practice. It is not that the sound of the bamboo
is sharp or the color of the blossoms is vivid. Although the sound of
the bamboo is wondrous, it is heard at the moment when it’s hit by a
pebble. Although the color of the blossoms is beautiful, they do not
open by themselves but unfold in the light of springtime. Studying the
way is like this. You attain the way when conditions come together.
Attributed to Dōgen