if you clear your mind of all worldly thoughts, even fire will feel cool
A Zen proverb meaning that mental detachment can overcome physical discomfort. Often cited to express the power of a focused, undisturbed mind.
See also: 心頭滅却
The saying 'If you clear your mind of all worldly thoughts, even fire will feel cool' originates from Zen teachings.
When the heat is about to get to me, I tell myself, 'Clear your mind, and even fire feels cool.'
A shorter noun form of the same concept, often used in the phrase 心頭滅却すれば火もまた涼し. The full expression is more common as a proverb.
Standard kanji form of the proverb.
Variant using 亦 for また; less common in modern writing.
A well-known Zen Buddhist saying, attributed to the monk Kaisen Jōki (快川紹喜), who is said to have recited it while remaining calm as he was burned alive during the Siege of Odawara in 1590. The phrase encapsulates the Zen ideal of transcending physical suffering through mental discipline.