never forget the beginner's mind; don't lose your original humility
A proverb urging one to retain the modesty and earnestness of a beginner, even after gaining experience or success.
My teacher often said, 'Never forget the beginner's mind.'
Even after achieving success, I want to cherish the spirit of not forgetting one's original humility.
Standard kanji spelling for this proverb.
Alternate spelling using 可 for べ; less common.
From Zeami’s Noh treatise 『花鏡』, which teaches that one should preserve the初心 associated with each stage of artistic development.