"Myoan Shakuhachi can not be likened to the playing of an ordinary
wind instrument.
   Such thing as a fixed way of playing does not exist.
   What I can say is, plainly, that I am only concerned with directing
my blowing towards my own Self - with a gentle mind.
   People who trifle with skill of playing and "play well" - who
exercise exceedingly only to impress the listener - the way that
such egocentric persons perform represents the worst of human
attitudes that I can think of.
   There are people who can produce changing sounds depending on
technical skill, but as for the shakuhachi practice of the Myoan
Temple, I believe that the ideal way of Zen Shakuhachi is to let
one's true Mind listen to the sounds and to cultivate one's own Self
in accordance with those sounds.
   I can not easily express this in words but to practice Shakuhachi
Zen is indeed a way of mental training and self-cultivation that
does not depend on an egocentric approach but on having an open
mind.
   The accumulation of this daily practice will, eventually, bring
about a realization of the true Self of one's own Human Nature.
It is, in any case, wrong to act against Nature.
   I am devoting myself every day to follow Nature and not to be
mistaken about the Way."

	Expressed by Yoshimura Fuan Soushin Iiemoto, 
	head of the Myoan Zen Temple 
	Taizan-ha Shakuhachi School, Kyoto, in 1977.
	Private communication, 1977. Trsl. by T.O.
	(http://www.torstenolafsson.dk/tomyooanshak.htm)