expression
the eye is blind if the mind is absent
Proverb meaning that without mental attention, one cannot truly see or understand what is before one's eyes. Classical expression, rarely used in everyday conversation.
「心焉に在らざれば視れども見えず」という言葉は、集中力の大切さを教えている。
The saying 'the eye is blind if the mind is absent' teaches the importance of concentration.
A modern colloquial expression with a similar meaning: 'looking but not really seeing.'
From the Chinese classic 'Da Xue' (The Great Learning), later adopted into Japanese as a proverb. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is conventionally associated with Confucian teachings on mindfulness.