Sever the edge between before and after

During the 17th century, Takuan Soho (1573-1645), a practicing Buddhist Japanese monk, wrote a series of treatises in which he used his position as a Zen master to explain eloquently and simply the most important principles of Buddhist philosophy.

The Unfettered Mind

There is a saying, “Sever the edge between before and after.” Not ridding the mind of previous moments, allowing traces of the present mind to remain—both are bad.

This means one should cut right through the interval between previous and present. Its significance is in cutting off the edge between before and after, between now and then. It means not detaining the mind.