Moon in a Dewdrop 0865471851, 9780865471856

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Adpon in a Dewdrop WRITINGS OF

Zen

]SJ[aster

Dogen

Digitized by the Internet Archive in

2012

http://archive.org/details/moonindewdropOOdoge

-"

3

"

J

.

Portrait of

Dogen

\ tewing the Moon

(Hokyo-jt, Fukui Prefecture)

Moon

in

a Dewdrop

WRITINGS OF

Zen Minster Dogen EDITED BY KAZUAKI TANAHASHI

Translated by

Robert Aitken, Reb Anderson,

Norman

Fischer,

Ed Brown,

Arnold Kotler, Daniel Leigh ton,

Lew Richmond, David Schneider, Kazuaki Tanahashi Katherine Thanas, Brian Unger,

Dan

Welch,

Mel Weitsman,

and Philip Whalen

NORTH POINT PRESS SAN FRANCISCO •

198

Copyright

©

1985 by the San Francisco Zen Center

Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Catalogue Card

—86547— 18

—

I

Number: 84-62309

(doth)/o— 86547— 186— X (paper)

850 Talbot Avenue Berkeley, California

94706

Preface

Twenty

essays

from Dogen

and Acknowledgments

s

lifework, Treasury of the True

D karma Eye (Sho-

bogenzo), constitute the main portion of this book. Four important texts originally written as independent works are also included, along with a selection of Dogen's

poems.

Japan's foremost religious thinker and prose writer,

and often paradoxical jects,

each essay

in parts

is

style.

To

clarify the

Dogen

has a unique

sequence of thoughts and sub-

divided into numbered sections. The essays are grouped

with the following emphases: (One) practical instructions, (Two)

works of philosophical

interest, (Three)

works rich in poetic imagery, and

(Four) works that deal with transmission of the teaching.

The poems

are

presented in Part Five.

A glossary of terms,

names, and symbolism related to Dogen's writings

follows the Appendix. Since

Zen

cidator of the

Buddhist texts

Dogen was probably the most systematic elumay be useful in reading other

tradition, the glossary

as well as

Dogen's. The sources of Dogen's quotations are

indicated in the notes whenever possible.

The

translation has been

done

in fortunate circumstances. All

orators have been practicing students at San Francisco affiliates,

my collab-

Zen Center and

its

Green Gulch Farm and Berkeley Zen Center. Many of them have

experienced monastic practice in Tassajara with the late Shunryu Suzukiroshi, founder of

Zen

Center, and have been teachers of

V

Zen meditation.

PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

vi

As

a guest scholar at

Zen Center,

I

shared study and

my

collaboration continuously deepened

this

texts

and

work with them, and

understanding of D5gen's

commentaries.

later

This project was fully supported by the Zen Center community and Zentatsu Baker-roshi,

was done.

me

to

this I

am

I

come

to

who was

abbot during the period

especially grateful to Baker-roshi,

Zen Center

in

when most

who

of the work

originally invited

1977, and whose vision and generosity

made

undertaking possible.

would

like to express gratitude to

mond Sangha

in

Robert Aitken-roshi, leader of Dia-

Honolulu and Maui Zendo,

for

permitting us to revise and

publish the text of "Genjo Koan," which he and

I

originally translated in

1965. That translation was revised by Taizan Maezumi-roshi and Francis

Dojun Cook, whose work has been titled "Actualizing the

enriching

D5gen

Dogen

a helpful

Fundamental Point."

scholarship in the

guide I

for

our new version, en-

thank Maezumi-roshi also for

West by organizing the

International

Conferences.

Some

of the translations have been used as texts for classes in

Gate Study Center. The discussions the revised translations. It has

in these classes have greatly enriched

been encouraging to

my

collaborators and

myself that Dainin Katagiri-roshi used our translations for a tures at

Mountain

series of lec-

Minnesota Zen Meditation Center. "Plum Blossoms" was revised at

Zen Community of

New

York

as a part of their

Zen

practice in the

1982; discussion with Tetsugen Bernard Glassman-sensei,

retreat of

fall

Yuho

Helen Glassman, Muryo Peter Matthiessen, Mitsunen Lou Nordstrom, and

Kosho Ishikawa was extremely pleasant and Although

I

have gone through

many

man and

me

for

stages

of the text

and have been reviewed and worked on by Fischer and David Schneider

worked

some months

in the last stages of revision.

Mel Weits-

Hawken, along with many oth-

have given valuable suggestions for improvement of the earlier

script.

in-

Daniel Leighton helped with the definitions in the glossary.

Carl Bielefeldt, Peter Coyote, and Paul ers,

me.

essay, all parts

Norman

the other collaborators. tensely with

instructive to

worked with one partner on each

Karl Ray and

final stage.

My

Tom

manu-

Cabarga went through the Introduction in

wife, Linda Hess, has been

my

its

joyful tutor in the English

language. Credit for the fine production of the book must be given to the North

Point Press

staff,

including editor

Thomas Christensen and designer David

Preface

and Acknowledgments

Bullen. Kate Gross's copyediting improved the accuracy of the text. Kate

and Carol Christensen proofread the ger and Elaine Maisner chael, Elaine,

assisted

galleys.

At Zen Center, Michael Wen-

throughout the production process. Mi-

and Richard JafFe helped in proofreading. Katherine Haimson

did the major work on the index, which was checked by Graham Leggat;

Kate Moses

at

designed the

North Point provided considerable

maps. Komazawa

assistance. Peter Bailey

University Library in Tokyo provided pho-

tographs. Finally

I

would

like to

thank Gary Snyder. His enthusiasm in supporting

our work, and in suggesting to Jack Shoemaker that North Point Press

might publish

it,

has brought the reader and

all

of us together here —— in the

presence of Dogen. Kazuaki Tanahashi

Contents

Preface and

Acknowledgments

v

Abbreviations, Transliteration, Systems of Counting,

and Capitalization

xi

Introduction

The

3

Life of

Zen Master Dogen

3

Dogen s Teaching

PART ONE:

12

Practical Instructions

Rules for Zazen

Zazen-gi

29

Guidelines for Studying the Bodhisattva's Four

Way

Gakudd

Methods of Guidance

Regulations for the Auxiliary Cloud Hall Instruction for the Tenzo

PART two:

Yojin-shu

3

Bodaisatta Shishd-hd

44

Juundo-shiki

49

Tenzo Kyokun

53

Philosophical Works

Actualizing the Fundamental Point Birth and Death

Shdji

The Time-Being

Uji

Undivided Activity

Body-and-Mind

Genjo Koan

74

84

Zenkt

Study of the

69

Way

Shinjin

Gakudd

87

PART three:

Poetic Imagery

Spring and

Autumn

io8

Shunju

II4

Baika

Plum Blossoms Everyday Activity

The Moon

124

Kajd

129

Tsuki

Painting of a Rice-cake

PART FOUR:

I34

Gabyo

Transmission of the Teaching

On the Endeavor of the Way Only Buddha and Buddha Twining Vines

I43

Bendo-wa

161

Yuibutsu Yobutsu

168

Katto

Face-to-Face Transmission

Buddha Ancestors

Document

97

Sansui-kyo

Mountains and Waters Sutra

Menju

175

184

Busso

of Heritage

All-inclusive Study

186

Shisho

Henzan

Going beyond Buddha

197

'

Bukkojojt

-

203

PART FIVE: Poems Waka Poems Chinese-style

213

216

Poems

APPENDIXES Appendix A: "Reading the Record of Eihei Dogen Appendix B: Chinese

Transliteration:

by Ryokan

Comparative Table

223 225

Appendix C: Maps

231

Appendix D: Lineage Charts of Chinese Zen Masters

234

NOTES

241

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

255

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

257

Abbreviations, Transliteration,

Systems of Counting,

and Capitalization

ABBREVIATIONS *

See Glossary for terms with asterisks

ALZSME

Arrayed Lamps of the Zen School Merged in Essence*

FLMS JRTL RSPR

Five

TTDE

Lamps Merged into Source*

Jingde Record of Transmission of Lamps* Recorded Sayings of Priest Rujing* Treasury of the True

Dharma Eye*

TRANSLITERATION I. Sanskrit:

A simplified form of standard Sanskrit transliteration is used. Simplified form

Standard form

ch

c,

m

m,

m,

n

ch rn

n, n,

ri

ri, r

sh

s,s

th

th, th

xi

n

ABBREVIATIONS, ETC.

xii

The Pinyin System,

2. Chinese:

literation,

is

table of the

the most widely accepted system of trans-

used instead of the older Wade-Giles System.

two systems

The comparative

Appendix B. Symbols that require particular

is in

attention are as follows:

3 Japanese: .

Pinyin

English approximations

c

ts

q

ch

X

sh

The standard form

commonly used

is

used.

Macrons

are

omitted in the terms

in English.

SYSTEMS OF COUNTING 1

.

Dates:

The lunar calendar was

traditionally used in East Asia.

to this system, the first to third

months correspond

other seasons follow in three-month periods.

month 2. Ages:

is

the day of the full

The

According

to spring,

fifteenth

and the

day of the

moon.

This book follows the traditional way of counting age in East Asia,

by which a person

is

one year old

at birth

and gains a year on every

New

Year's Day. 3.

Years: In

Dogen's

text, as

was customary, a partial year

is

counted

as a

full year.

CAPITALIZATION

Any

official titles or posthumous names of Zen masters are capitalized (for example, Great Master Kuangzhen). Lower case is used otherwise (for example, Zen master Benji).

Moon

in

a Dewdrop

See Glossary for terms with asterisks

Introduction

THE

Eihei

LIFE OF

ZEN MASTER DOGEN

The Age of Decline in Buddhism in A.D. 1200 in Kyoto, which had been Japan's im-

Dogen was born

perial capital for over four

hundred

years.

Although the

aristocratic class in

Kyoto, which preserved the elegant and colorful Japanese culture, retained

much of its political and cultural power, established a feudal government in

the rising warrior class had recently

Kamakura. Values were

shifting:

from

the courtiers refinement to the samurai's strength and discipline; from the sophistication of the city to the rough simplicity of the countryside.

Japanese Buddhism, which had been developing for more than six hundred years, had reached the point where magic prayers and ceremonies were sold to the upper classes, and major monasteries had

gaged

in

combat.

Many Buddhists,

seeing

from Shakyamuni's original teaching, called dharma. They attributed calamities such

armed monks who en-

how distant it

these practices were

the age of decline of the

as famines, wars,

and epidemics

to the character of the times. In this desperate situation, belief in

tabha, the Savior

Buddha who promised

Ami-

to lead people to the heavenly Pure

Land, was rapidly spreading. Recitation of Amitabha's name was advocated as

an expedient practice suitable

for the age.

Dogen's father was probably Michichika Koga, the most influential minister in the

imperial court at the turn of the century. His mother was prob3

INTRODUCTION

4

ably a daughter of Motofusa Fujiwara, a former regent at the court.

when he was

lost his father

mother when he was

three years old and his

eight. Confronted as a small child with the stark reality of death,

began

Buddha's teaching, eschewing the high position

to seek

which he was

At thirteen he went

entitled.

to

Dogen D5gen

at court to

Mt. Hiei, the great center of

Buddhist studies, where he was ordained the following year by Koen, head of the Tendai School of Buddhism. After studying scripture extensively,

Dogen found himself confronted by

a compelling question:

Both exoteric and

esoteric teachings explain that a person in essence has true

dharma nature and buddhas

is

originally a

body of "buddha nature."

and future arouse the wish

in the past, present,

for

If so,

why do

all

and seek enlight-

enment?'

Dogen could abbot of Onjo

him an

consider going to China to study with the Eisai, a senior

Tendai

monk who had

restore the Tendai School to

flourishing of

visited Koin,

Monastery, the other center of the Tendai School, and asked

the same question. Instead of giving

Zen

(in

its

ans 'er

Zen

School.

traveled to

former

China

vitality. In

Koin

said he should

Koin sent Dogen

to

way

to

in search of a

China

Eisai

had seen the

Chinese, Chan) Buddhism. Even Mt. liantai, the

head monastery of the Tiantai

(in Japanese,

Zen monastery. Among

into a

He

not find a satisfying answer on Mt. Hiei.

Tendai) School, had been turned

the so-called Five Schools of Zen, the Linji

School, which had carried on the tradition of vigorous dialogues between

master and student, was dominant. the Linji tradition of

On a second visit to China Eisai studied

z^n with Huaichang and ,

in

1

191 Eisai brought this

teaching to Japan, which was the beginning of the Rinzai (Linji; tradition in Japan.

But pressure from the Tendai orthodoxy, who were opposed

teaching Rinzai Zen, eventually influenced Eisai to present

of the four principal practices of Tendai

Mahayana In

1

astery.

2 14

precepts, esoteric rituals, and

Dogen returned

When

disciple

Zen

as

to his

only one

Lotus Sutra study, practice of

Zen meditation.

to study with Eisai at Kennin MonDSgen continued his studies with Eisai 's 15 Myozen gave him dharma transmission, or full to

Kyoto

Eisai died in 12

My5zen. In 122 1

acknowledgment

that the

young monk had mastered the teaching, and

1223 both My5zen and Dogen went

to China.

of his career in his Record of the Baoqing Era:

D5gen reflected on

this

in

phase

The Life of Zen Master Dogen

When

I

was

a child

aroused the wish for enlightenment, pursued the way

I

with various masters in our country, and learned a of causes and

However,

little

about the meaning

did not understand the true source of

name Zen master Senko's [Eisai's room and for the first time heard the Rinzai teaching. Then I accompanied priest Myozen and went to prosperous Song China. Through a voyage of countless miles, entrusting effects.

and form. Later

my

transient

I

I

entered

body

to the billowing waves,

Studies in

Dogen visited

finally

reached Great Song.

China

the major monasteries of southern China, which were located

along the Zhe River in the region

now known as Zhejiang

practice centers the masters followed a

was disappointed with the as the

teachers'

Province. In most

method of using enigmatic questions

called gongan (koans) to guide students.

and behavior

I

Dogen

studied these questions but

tendency to emphasize

illogical phrases

only expression of Zen teaching, ignoring the meaning

of Buddhist scriptures.

He was even offered dharma transmission by one of

the masters but politely refused it? Unable to find a suitable teacher after a

two-year search, bered that a

Dogen considered going back

monk had

spoken of Rujing

as the

to Japan.

who was

of the way. So he went to meet Rujing,

Then he remem-

only authentic practitioner

then sixty-two years old

and abbot of Tiantong Mountain, in the summer of 1225. Later Dogen reflected I first

on

this crucial

offered incense

meeting:

my

and bowed formally to

Tiantong, in his abbot's room on the of Baoqing of Great Song.

He

also

late master, old

first

day, fifth

saw

me

month, of the

for the first time.

buddha first

year

Upon

this

occasion, he transmitted dharma, finger to finger, face to face, and said to

me, "The dharma gate of face-to-face transmission from buddha ancestor to ancestor,

is

to

buddha,

realized now."*

Rujing gave Dogen permission to come to

his quarters for instruction at

any time of day or night, whether in formal or informal robe. Dogen quently asked the

him

fre-

questions and recorded their dialogues in the Record of

Baoqing Era.

Rujing was

a priest of the

Caodong School of Zen. Although he had

inherited the renowned master Daokai's brocade robe, he never wore

any robe with woven patterns.

He forbade his

it

or

students to be intimate with

kings and ministers. Rujing denied the view, conventional in his time, that each of the "Five Schools of Zen" had ing he was transmitting "the great

its

own teaching. He called

way of all

the teach-

buddhas" and even disagreed

INTRODUCTION

6 with those

who called

He

Soon

the

Zen School. Rujing also denied

said the great

Dogen

after

way

arrived

is

not concerned with inside or outside.

on Tiantong Mountain,

ing companion, Myozen, died.

orous program of

the widely held

as "a separate transmission outside the scrip-

Zen teaching

definition of tures."

it

Dogen continued

his teacher

and

travel-

to participate in the rig-

training at Rujing 's monastery. According to the

Zen

Zen

is

"dropping

away body and mind" and that students should not engage

in

such other

Record of the Baoqing

Era Rujing taught

practices as reciting Buddha's

He

repentance. better

known

that studying

name, chanting

holding

sutras, or

rites

of

taught a method of meditation called zhigan dazuo (now

in its Japanese transliteration, shikan taza)

—

a single-minded

sitting meditation wherein one does not try to solve questions or attain realization.

In 1227, the same year he

document of zation."

heritage,

Thus Dogen,

which in his

met Rujing, Dogen received from him the certifies "direct

penetration of merged reali-

own words, completed

great matter.'" In his extensive later writings there to the

moment of his realization:

"I

is

his "life's study of the

only one terse reference

was able to enact

mission by dropping away body and mind, and

I

this face-to-face trans-

have established this trans-

mission in Japan.'"

Early Period of Teaching Returning to Japan in

where he had

first

1227 Dogen stayed at Kennin Monastery

encountered Zen.

He

in

Kyoto,

then wrote a short, carefully pre-

pared proclamation in Chinese called "The Broad Recommendation of Zazen." In this

work he

clarified his intention to concentrate

on teaching Zen

meditation rather than a mixed practice such as Eisai had taught.

The Tendai community continued tice

in its efforts to suppress single-prac-

forms of Buddhism such as the Zen and Pure Land schools. This cam-

paign led to the desecration of the tomb of Honen, the leading master of the Pure Land School, in 1227. It also forced

of Kyoto to one of

its

Dogen

to

move out of the city

suburbs, Fukakusa, in 1230.

Dogen wrote "On the Endeavor of the Way," his elucidate Zen teaching in the Japanese language. In this

In the following year first

attempt to

text

Dogen

expresses his determination to disseminate

pan, though he realizes that the time

may

Zen teaching

not yet be ripe.

in Ja-

The Life of Zen Master Dogen I

came back

to

sentient beings

Japan with the hope of spreading the teaching and saving a heavy burden on my shoulders. However, I will put aside

the intention or having the teaching prevail everywhere until the occasion of a rising tide.

I

think of wandering about like a cloud or a water- weed, study-

ing the wind of the ancient sages.

He further argues

against the

common view

that

Buddhism can be divided

into the periods of the true dharma, the imitative dharma, and the decayed

dharma. All people can attain the way, he

1233 Dogen started writing

are born into. In

True

affirms, regardless of the age they

Dharma Eye (Shobogenzo),

the

his lifework, Treasury of the

first fascicle

being "Perfection of the

Great Wisdom." Also in 1233 D5gen founded a small practice center in Fukakusa called

Kannondon lemple. lay students tiful

Shortly thereafter he completed and gave to one of his

Actualizing the Fundamental Point," one of the most beau-

and profound prose works in the Japanese language. In the following

year he wrote "Guidelines for Studying the

Way

in Chinese, the language

Japanese Buddhists most frequently used for religious writings.

when Dogen was thirty-five, a monk named Ejo came to study Two years older than Dogen, he had already received the seal of

In 1234,

with him.

realization in the

built at later

Dahui

line of Linji

Zen. In I2^s a formal monks' hall was

Kannondon lemple and Ejo was appointed head monk. Two

Dogen wrote

effort to establish

years

"Instruction for the Tenzo [Head Cook]" as part of an

monastic regulations for his temple, renamed Kosho Horin

Monastery. At the same time Ejo completed his Treasury of the True Dharma Eye: Record of Things his

Heard

~

transcriptions of Dogen's informal lectures to

monks. In 1239 an annex to the monks'

hall

was constructed, and Dogen

wrote "Regulations for the Auxiliary Cloud Hall." Seven fascicles of Treasury of the True

Dharma

Eye, including

"The Time-Being and "Mountains and

Waters Sutra," were written in 1240. In the following year Ekan of Hojaku Monastery, Echizen Province,

who had been Ejo s fellow student, became who had been studying with Ekan also

Dogen's disciple. Four other monks joined Dogen's community.

The

year 1242 was a prolific time for Dogen:

Dharma Eye and presented

he wrote seventeen

fascicles of Treasury of the True

most of them

community. One of the fascicles, "Undivided Activity,"

to his

was taught in Kyoto

at the residence of

Manor, Echizen Province.

Lord Yoshishige Hatano of Shibi

INTRODUCTION

' -

.\

V,

^"^

1t

^

Y5TT^

( z,^f?

-

^^

f

^ r

t?o

f

"

f

J

H

s:-^

.

Dogen's manuscript:

Opening of "Mountains

and Waters

Sutra'

(Zenkyil-in, Aich Prefecture) 't

The Life of Zen Master Dogen

Dogen's (

Dharma From a

Discourse at Lord Hatano's Residence

revised and illustrated version of

Kenzei's Biography of Dogen, published in 1806)

9

INTRODUCTION

10

In the Mountains Increasing criticism from the Tendai hierarchy on Mt. Hiei motivated

gen to accept the invitation

of Lord Hatano

in

1243

to

move

his

Do-

commu-

nity to Echizen Province, a place of severely cold winters situated northeast

of Kyoto on the Japan Sea. His students soon started building a full-scale practice center, called Daibutsu Monastery, in a

mountainous area of Shibi

County. In the meantime D5gen gave discourses either in the hermitage at the foot of Yamashi Peak or in Yoshimine Temple, an old monastery. Ej5

edited and copied those talks, which were to the True

The

Dharma

become

fascicles in Treasury of

Eye.

lecture hall of Daibutsu

Monastery was completed in 1244, and

construction of the monks' hall began soon afterwards. In 1246

named Daibutsu, and

calling

it

Eihei-ji. Collections of

fascicles of Treasury of the True

D5gen

re-

monastic regulations

Dharma Eye continued

to appear.

The

last

dated fascicle of the seventy-five-fascicle version of the Treasury was taught in 1246.

,

who came to power as regent of the feudal government in invited Dogen to lecture in Kamakura. Dogen made the long jour1246 ney east in the summer of 1247 and gave Tokiyori lay initiation. In the Tokiyori Hojo,

spring of the following year he returned to Eihei-ji.

There remain no fascicles of Treasury of the True Dharma Eye dated between

1247 and 1253, the year of Dogen's death. But most of the twelve-fascicle version of the text, edited by Ej5 from to Ejo;

we may

these fascicles

1253

to

1255 were recent,

according

therefore infer that they were written during that period. In

Dogen emphasizes monastic

practice in a secluded environ-

ment and monkhood. In 1249

D5gen wrote

master. This painting

is

poem for his portrait, as is customary for a Zen now known as the "Portrait of Dogen Viewing the a

Moon", Fresh, clear spirit covers old

mountain man this autumn. Donkey stares at the sky ceiling; glowing white moon floats. Nothing approaches. Nothing else included. Buoyant,

I

let

myself

go— filled with gruel,

Lively flapping from head to

filled

tail,

Sky above, sky beneath, cloud

self,

water origin.

with

rice.

Eihet-ji

Founded by Dogen in 1244,

rebuilt in the fifteenth century

(Photograph by Tetsuo Kurihara)

INTRODUCTION

12

Dogen became

ill

autumn of 1252.

in the

In the

first

month

of 1253 he

wrote the "Eightfold Awareness of Great People." Quoting the of Shakyamuni

Buddha from

the Parinirvana Brief Admonitions Sutra and

explaining the meaning of the Buddha's admonitions, True Dharma

twenty-two-year work, Treasury of the In the seventh

month

words

last

Dogen was

of 1253

very

Dogen ended

his

Eye.

ill.

Appointing Ej5 abbot

of Eihei Monastery, Dogen gave him a robe he had sewn with his own hands. In the eighth month, at Lord Hatano's request, he went to Kyoto to seek a cure for his disease.

He wrote during the full-moon evening of the fifteenth: In

autumn

even though see

it

how

can

I

with the

On

I

may

again, sleep

moon

this evening?^

the twenty-eighth day of the same

month Dogen passed away

house of his lay student, Kakunen, in the city ot

tiis

at the

birth, Kyoto.

dogen's teaching Concentration in Serenity

Dogen

uses the image of a

state of meditation.

a

He

dewdrop

reflecting

moonlight to describe the

suggests that just as the entire

moon

is

reflected in

dewdrop, a complete awakening of truth can be experienced by the indi-

vidual

human

being.

Zen meditation serenity

—

is

done

— sometimes

sitting upright in a cross-legged position.

that this practice, called zazen,

awakening, but

The model

is

for

described as mindfulness or concentration in

is

Dogen

teaches

not merely a method by which one reaches

itself awakening.

awakening in Zen,

as in other

forms of Buddhism,

is

the

understanding experienced by Shakyamuni Buddha in meditation. In Zen particularly, this understanding

ment but it is

as

called a

is

regarded not as a step-by-step achieve-

an immediate and complete experience.

buddha

One who

an awakened or enlightened person.

experiences

The

illuminating the entire universe symbolizes this enlightenment:

i

full

moon

.

Dogen's Teaching

13

The moon abiding in the midst of serene mind;

billows break into light.*

This

poem by Dogen,

titled

"On Zazen

dynamic

Practice," illustrates the

aspect of concentration in serenity. Moonlight, which appears to be

shimmers on ocean waves that crash against rocks and burst into

still,

droplets.

Millions of bits of light burst, spread, and merge with one another. For

Dogen, meditation practice implies

this sort of mutual

an individual's "light" and the activities of son's practice

practice as a

is

is

part of the practice of

indispensable, as

it

all

permeation between

Although one per-

things.

awakened beings, each individual

all

and completes everyone's

actualizes

activity

buddha.

This meditation

viewed

as a

is

moment

total experience of this "birth" at each lives a

gaged

moment in

as a

engagement

a source of creative

continuation of birth,

segment of

life

after

in

life.

While

life is

moment, meditation

moment. Thus

a

no longer

a person

or takes life passively, but

is

is

fully en-

an active and creative way. Dogen explains this experience by using

the metaphor of a boat: Birth

You

is

just like riding in a boat.

ride in the boat

You raise the sails and row with the oar.

and your riding makes the boat what

Timelessness of a

.

.

it is.^

Moment

Awareness of each

moment

because practice

complete only when a person focuses attention on the

present

Dogen,

is

is

indispensable to the

moment: the very moment of is

experienced from

moment

way of mindfulness,

one's existence.

to

moment;

Time, according

actual experience occurs

only in the present. Past was experienced in the past as the present

and future will be experienced in the future

Time

passes and things

do not

as the present

bered as past in the present

moment and

moment. Each moment

moment

is

future

is

moment.

expected

carries all of time.

aspect of timelessness. In this respect,

This timeless

moment,

remain unchanged. A moment seems

be an extremely small segment of a long span of time. Yet past

present

illustrated

"now

is

to

Thus

a

is

to

remem-

as future in the

moment

has an

eternal.

by reference to spring and summer.

INTRODUCTION

14

A common

view

is

that spring

summer. But

turns into

to

marks the beginning of summer and slowly

one

who

is

awakened, spring

is

just spring;

it is

not expected to turn into anything else. Spring with there

is

all its

numerous aspects

is

When

called flowing.

nothing outside of spring. Study this in

Spring invariably flows through spring. Although flowing flowing occurs throughout spring. Thus, flowing

moment It is

spring flows

detail.

is

itself is

completed

not spring, at just this

of spring.'"

commonly understood

impermanency of

that recognition of the

life

is

the beginning of Buddhist studies. However, awareness of impermanency

is

inseparable from recognition of the timelessness of a

As

usual

cherry blossoms in

moment.

bloom

my native place,

their color

unchanged

spring."

This poem, called "Inconceivable

,

Mind of Nirvana,"

takes

up the theme of

cherry blossoms, which in Japanese poetry typically symbolize the world's transiency.

But Dogen, contrary to our expectations, suggests that some-

thing about the cherry blossoms goes beyond change. In contrast with birth and death,

the tranquility of nirvana teaching, nirvana is

is

is

which constantly appear and disappear,

timeless. Yet according to

Mahayana Buddhist

experienced only in birth and death. Thus timelessness

experienced in momentariness.

Realm of "All is Nonseparate"

Dogen pointed out is,

that time

is

inseparable from being, or existence

from space and matter. "Time

itself is

time."" His discussion of "the time-being"

to

—

that

being," he says; "all being is

is

based on this recognition.

To become familiar with Dogen's concept of the time-being, we may need remind ourselves that all phenomena are in motion, and the motion is

perceived in relation to time. Every motion

speed

is

is

relative.

The impression of

determined by a person's viewpoint. Fast for one person

slow for another. Motion for one person

example, a person

is

may

may be

be stillness for another. For

observed riding in a boat.

The

observer on the shore

"

Dogen's Teaching

may see him moving quickly; ing at

all.

If

two individuals

moving

are

himself in the timelessness of all

experience himself as not

at the

mov-

same speed, they may

ex-

Dogen suggests that one who can "locate"

perience each other as motionless.

all

may

the rider

15

moments will

also discover the stillness of

movements. Similarly, size

an object

relative;

is

is

big or small according to one's

viewpoint. If one becomes free of viewpoints, objects are no longer experi-

enced in terms of comparisons. The timelessness of moments and the

movements

ness of

realm, there

is

still-

further translate to the sizelessness of objects. In this

no concept of whole or

part.

As Dogen puts

it:

There are myriads of forms and hundreds of grasses throughout the entire earth,

and yet each grass and each form

Here, the birth of a person objects at each

at

each

moment

are inseparable or not. There birth.

There

is

is

that

all

the birth of

all

phenomenal

buddha

things are all

buddhas

all

things that arise together with birth

moment nor a thing that is apart nor a mind that is apart from birth."

neither a

neither an object

In this realm of nonduality,

dha-dharma;

is

moment:

Quietly think over whether birth and

from

the entire earth."

itself is

all

things have buddha nature.

nature. In the

same manner,

all

It is also

said

things are bud-

are realization.

Breaking through Barriers

Dogen emphasizes even in the

first

that the state of awakening

moment

is

experienced immediately,

of a beginner's meditation. But this awakening

not necessarily accompanied by recognition

is

intellectual recognition of

it.

is

Intellectual

based on discriminatory concepts: self and other, large and

small good and bad To discriminate is to create distinctions between things .

whereas awakening

The boundary of

is

experience beyond discrimination.

realization

is

ness.

realize

explains:

not distinct, for the realization comes forth

simultaneously with the mastery of buddha-dharma.

what you

Dogen

becomes your knowledge and

is

Do

not suppose that

grasped by your conscious-

Although actualized immediately, the inconceivable may not be is beyond your knowledge.

dis-

tinctly apparent. Its appearance

The is

truth realized by awakened ones, called

dharma or buddha-dharma,

described as "endless, unremitting, unthinkable, unnameable."

The

ex-

INTRODUCTION

i6 perience of this nonduality

ing in

is

the source of

the understanding and teach-

all

Mahayana Buddhism. Buddhist wisdom

realization. Such an experience of the world

is

(prajna)

is

nothing but

this

often expressed by pairs of

negative statements:

The

place, the way,

is

neither large nor small, neither yours nor others'.

place, the way, has not carried over

now.

from the past, and

it is

The

not merely arising

'6

The conventional, discriminating frame of mind this realm. In order to help students

thinking,

Zen masters

is

a barrier to entering

break through the barrier of intellectual

express themselves in

all sorts

of unconventional

ways: enigmatic statements, non sequiturs, repetitions, tautologies, silence, eccentric behavior, even beating the students.

garded

as

Thus the Zen teaching

"not depending on letters," but as direct experience of truth

is

re-

itself.

Dogen's writings follow this Zen tradition, in which a great number of paradoxical expressions and stories have been handed vices.

He comments on

the words of older

down

Zen masters, mostly Chinese.

For him, these words are not illogical or incomprehensible

cannot be understood by the ordinary mind, they

who experiences

teaching de-

as

.

Though

make perfect

they

sense to one

truth in a nondualistic way. Their paradoxes have the logic

of enlightenment.

The

reason Dogen's writing strikes

many

readers as difficult

is

that, al-

though he gives detailed and acute explanations of the paradoxes, he does not necessarily try to explain

them

in a

way

that will satisfy the intellect.

He develops his logic at the same level of insight as the Chinese Zen masters, who were

trying to express a logic beyond normal logic. In fact, Dogen's

writings themselves are set up as barriers for the student to break through.

Anatomy of Nonduality Typical of Dogen's rhetoric

is

the following statement:

An

ancient buddha said, "Mountains are mountains, waters are waters." These words do not mean mountains are mountains; they mean mountains are mountains.'^

To illuminate

this statement,

we may turn

to the parallel rhetoric of

another passage, the opening of "Actualizing the Fundamental Point":

Dogen's Teaching

As

all

things are buddha-dharma, there

is

17

delusion and realization, practice,

birth and death, and there are buddhas and sentient beings.

Here Dogen suggests that observing the the beginning of Buddhist study. is

At

Without noticing the

functional.

lusion or between those

who

are

different aspects of all things

is

this stage, discriminatory observation

difference

between awakening and de-

awakened and those who

are not, a person

cannot arouse the wish for enlightenment.

But according unchanging

to traditional

entity.

Buddhist teaching, there

is

no "self"

as

an

This teaching of "no-self" underlies the second sentence

of "Actualizing the Fundamental Point":

As the myriad things realization,

ironic that

It is

are

without an abiding

self,

there

is

no delusion, no

no buddha, no sentient being, no birth and death.

when one

observes the tremendous difference between

awakening and delusion and seeks awakening, one suddenly comes the teaching, "There

only

is

no delusion, no awakening."

across

A further irony is that

when a person is completely detached from himself does he find himself

and realize what is common to himself and others. "Self" immediately opens into selflessness. This selflessness is

also described as

ing of no-self it is

as

is

called "true self" or "original face." It

"something close" or "what is intimate." Thus, the teach-

not nihilism, not an assertion that nothing exists. Rather

is

awareness of the interdependence of

all

things

—

the reality of things

they are. So the third sentence of "Actualizing the Fundamental Point"

says:

The buddha way

is,

basically, leaping clear of the

many and

the one; thus

there are birth and death, delusion and realization, sentient beings and bud-

dhas.

Now we seem tion."

But we

is

delusion and realiza-

have actually reached a different point.

Dogen's demonstra-

to be back to the

first line,

"There

tion starts with an affirmative statement, then negates that affirmation, and

concludes with a negation of the negative, which

Thus the

first

and the third

step is

is

discrimination, the second

beyond

When Dogen

is

is

a positive statement.

denial of discrimination,

discrimination and denial of

it.

quotes an ancient Zen master's words, "Mountains are

mountains," and remarks, "These words do not mean mountains are mountains," he denies the conventional, dualistic understanding of the

mountain

INTRODUCTION

i8

as a

symbol of enlightenment.

mountains," he suggests that

When

he says, "They

we should

see the

mean mountains

mountains

yond discrimination and denial of discrimination. This

is

as

are

they are, be-

the

meaning of

nonduality.

Here again we

see a three-step demonstration: affirmative, negative,

and

affirmative. This tripartite elucidation of the fundamental Buddhist per-

spective, unlike Hegel's thesis, antithesis,

from a lower to a higher

and each step

is

level; rather,

and synthesis, does not develop

each step

is

given an absolute value,

inclusive of the others.

Emancipation I Realization D5gen's writings are always grounded in practical methodology: concentrate body and mind,

how

to understand

how

and follow monastic

to

rules,

how to view various aspects of life and regulate daily conduct. He repeatedly emphasizes the interpenetration of practice and enlightenment. "Practice" here means ongoing daily activity centered in zazen. "Enlightenment" actualization of

There to seek

is

buddha nature through

a tendency to

view enlightenment

some splendid insight

that this

is

is

practice.

as the goal of

as separate

Zen

from practice and

practice.

Dogen

teaches

One must fully understand the wholeness of practice D5gen describes this understanding as mastery of Bud-

an illusion.

and enlightenment.

dhism or the "true dharma eye."

It is

freedom from a dualistic frame of

mind. Enlightenment

as actualization

of buddha nature through practice

is

Do-

gen's fundamental teaching. All his discourses are intended to help students

"understand" the meaning of this practice-enlightenment But understand.

ing

is

not the

final goal;

The buddha way

is

continuous everyday practice

under everyone's

heel.

Immersed

is

the ultimate goal:

in the way, clearly un-

derstand right on the spot. Immersed in enlightenment, you yourself are

complete. Therefore, even though you arrive at is

only a part of enlightenment. This

is

how

full

it is

understanding,

still this

with practice throughout

the way,

This

is

the practice of nonattachment, freedom from any aim, including

"enlightenment." The fourth sentence of "Actualizing the Fundamental Point" goes: Yet in attachment flowers

fall,

and in aversion weeds spread.

Dogen's Teaching

Although

this statement

may seem

19

unrelated to the previous three, flow-

ers here represent awakening and weeds represent delusion.

Dogen indicates

that even if one fully understands the previous three sentences, experience

of the buddha way

is

not complete unless there

is

nonattachment to practice

and enlightenment.

Dogen

calls this practice

—which means

todatsu is

of nonattachment "emancipation"

usually associated with "letting go,

One

~Japanese

a fish slipping out of the net. This aspect of teaching

dropping away," or "abandoning."

needs to give up everything in order to open oneself to the ultimate

truth.

"Realization,

means coming ing.

Though

coming free

actualization," or "actualizing"

forth

and completing

forth, the

This experience great

is

two movements

is itself

way of

all

is

realization.

^

which

quite different from that of

are inseparable. all

genjo

another aspect of the same teach-

the feeling of dropping away

from attachment he experiences

The

—

~Japanese

Once a person

is

entirely

things without any preconceptions.

D5gen

says:

buddhas, thoroughly practiced,

is

emancipation and

realization.

Emancipation means that in birth you are emancipated from birth, in death emancipated from death. Thus, there

is

detachment from birth-and-

death and penetrating birth-and-death. Such

is

the complete practice of the

you

are

great way. There

is

letting

go of birth-and-death, and

death. Such

is

the thorough practice of the great way.

Realization

is

birth, birth

is

realization.

vitalizing birth-and-

At the time of

realization there

is

nothing but birth totally actualized, nothing but death totally actualized.

Unusual Expression Flowers in spring

summer autumn

cuckoos in

moon snow

in

in winter

serene and coo

The Japanese Nobel Prize

One

novelist Yasunari

in 1968,

Kawabata, in

commented on

this

can, if one chooses, see in Dogen's

seasons no

more than

his acceptance speech for the

poem:

poem about

the beauty of the four

a conventional, ordinary, mediocre stringing together,

INTRODUCTION

20 in a

most awkward form, of representative images from the four seasons. One

poem that is not really a poem at all. And deathbed poem of the priest Ryokan [1758—1831]:

can see

as a

it

What

shall be

my

yet very similar

is

the

legacy?

The blossoms of spring, The cuckoo in the hills, The leaves of autumn. In this

poem,

as in

rather

—

no, to particular effect,

and so they transmit the very essence of Japan.

his poem about

commonest

Dogen's, the commonest of figures and the

of words are strung together without hesitation

•

.

.

Dogen

entitled

the seasons "Innate Reality," and even as he sang of the beauty

of the seasons he was deeply immersed in Zen.

As Kawabata points Japanese poetry.

But

Dogen

out,

his intention

the traditional aesthetic

no aware)

no Memmoku

here uses the most ordinary images of

is

not to express gentle melancholy {mono

mood. As the

title

of the poems, Honrai

("Innate Reality" or "Original Face"), suggests,

Dogen

is

pre-

senting the experience of being free from the conventional attributes of '

things.

In this realm unusual insights arise.

doxical statements of earlier (instead of

come

Zen

Dogen quotes

masters:

plum blossoms open

and para-

plum blossoms open early spring

in early spring");

to the eastern land; the green

startling

mountains

Bodhidharma did not

are always walking; a stone

woman gives birth to a child; a bowl rolls over a pearl. These unusual images way of looKing

upset the conventional

are always other points of

whether one view

is

at things

view and that there

is

and remind us that there no absolute standard

as to

correct or not.

Furthermore, distinctions between the general and the particular, oneness

and differentiation, disappear,

as

Dogen remarks

in his

poem

called

"The Point of Zazen": Realization, neither general nor particular, is

effort

without desire.

Clear water a fish

swims

all

the

way

to the

bottom;

like a fish.

Vast sky transparent throughout; a bird

Dogen example:

also

flies

like a bird."

bends and subverts the usual meanings of words.

He says,

for

*

Dogen's Teaching

21

When you discuss "outside," skin, flesh, bones, and marrow are all outside. When you discuss "inside," skin, flesh, bones, and marrow are all inside While giving

entire

and

Words

essential

and ultimate value equally

to "skin,"

marrow," Dogen uses "inside" and "outside"

and

"bones,

all-inclusive so that neither

word

retains

its

"flesh,"

as if each

were

normal meaning.

that usually carry negative values are used in positive ways in

Dogen's rhetoric. "Lost,

rience of selflessness, as can "hunger," "fatigue,"

and "twining,

"hindrance,

mean complete

missed," and "dead" can

as well as

expe-

and "sleep." "Delusion,"

"blind" and "darkness," can

mean

nonduality. Thus, words carry both their ordinary meanings and the reverse

of those meanings.

ireasury of the True

Dharma Eye

Although Dogen concentrated on training

community grew

larger after his death

a small

number

of monks, his

and he came to be regarded

as the

founder of the Soto School, a Japanese form of the Chinese Caodong School.

At present the Soto School

is

one of the largest Buddhist orders in Japan,

with approximately fourteen thousand temples, fifteen thousand

and

five

million members. Soto and Rinzai are the major

schools in Japan. This very fact

is

ironic, because

priests,

Zen Buddhist

D5gen, following Rujing's

precedent, did not permit his students to identify themselves with any school

—

not even the

Dogen

is

Zen

School.

regarded as one of the reformers of Buddhism during the Ka-

makura Period

(i

185-1 ^^3). The pioneers of Kamakura Buddhism were

not satisfied with the elaborate philosophy and the various practices that

had been established during the Heian Period (792-1 185). Each of these masters sought and eventually selected a single practice powerful enough to

provide a complete experience of Buddhism. Thus,

Honen and Shinran

adopted a Chinese method of reciting Amitabha Buddha's name

as their

entire practice; Nichiren taught recitation of the title of the Lotus Sutra;

and Dogen introduced wholehearted zazen masters,

who

of decline in

practice.

tried to suit their practice to the needs or lay people in an age

Buddhism, Dogen showed no

interest in

simplifying the practice that had been handed nastic

communities

Rujing.

Unlike the other three

for centuries in

China and

compromising or

down by monks finally

of

Zen mo-

transmitted to

him by

INTRODUCTION

22

as a writer lay solely in

Dogen's concern

transmitting the authentic prin-

ciple and practice of Buddhism, which he called "true dharma," to his students as well as to later generations. His understanding of authenticity

was based on the belief that the dharma, originally transmitted by Shakyamuni Buddha to his disciple Mahakashyapa, was inherited by generations of Indian masters through Bodhidharma, and then by Chinese masters until it

Dogen

reached

himself. This belief

Shakyamuni Buddha, without uttering

When

sembly and winked.

Buddha

mind

said, "I

is

a

traced back to the legend that

word, took up a flower in his

as-

Mahakashyapa alone responded by smiling,

have the treasury of the true dharma eye, the inconceivable

of nirvana. This

I

entrust to Mahakashyapa. ""

not found in Indian texts,

it

Although the story

is

was widely cited by Chinese Zen Buddhists to

illustrate the nonscriptural nature of the

Zen

teaching.

Far from denying the validity of Buddhist scriptures,

D5gen understood

them to be true expressions of Buddha's enlightenment. As one

who

thor-

who inherited the teaching of the Dogen effected a unity of what had

oughly studied scripture in Japan and nonscriptural

Dogen

Zen

been

historically

calls this

firms that

teaching "the treasury of the true

essentially the

it is

teachers since

tradition in China,

rival traditions.

same through the

Shakyamuni, yet

cording to circumstances.

it is

dharma eye" and

entire lineage of

af-

Buddhist

expressed in innumerable forms, ac-

An awakened one is a person who breaks through

intellectual or conventional

ways of thinking and directly experiences

unchanging, universal truth. Because

this experience

is

this

obscured by pre-

conceived ideas and realized only in unique and creative expression, an

awakened one cannot stay there.

arrive at

some stable state of consciousness and simply

Thus, the state of an awakened one

is

described as "going

beyond buddha."

Dogen

is

unique both

as a

thinker and as a Buddhist teacher. Like his

predecessors, he presents paradoxical statements; but unlike them, he makes

continuous and systematic

He

efforts to verbalize the process

of his thinking.

demonstrates the extraordinary quality of intuitive logic in Zen tradi-

tion.

Throughout voice.

theme

He

his teaching career,

Dogen hardly changed

the tone of his

simply expanded the variety of topics bearing on the same

— practice-enlightenment

gle truth that was transmitted to

.

His writings

him through

are an unfolding of the sin-

the

buddha

ancestors.

Dogen's Teaching

23

Rediscovery of Dogen's

Although he duced,

now

is

Work

considered one of the greatest thinkers Japan has pro-

Dogen was not

read outside his

years after his death in 1253.

the centuries between

own

school for nearly seven hundred

Even the Soto monks largely forgot him during

1400 and 1800. The

Treasury of the True

major work, was published by the S5t5 School

his

It

for the first

Eye,

time in 1816.

was the Rinzai School that captured the imaginations and patronage

of the ruling classes in the thirteenth century. During the riod

Dharma

(1333—1568) Rinzai was supported by

Muromachi Pe-

the imperial family as well as

by the leaders of the warrior government in Kyoto, and Rinzai powerfully influenced the

main expressions of Japanese

culture: painting, landscape

designs, noh drama, flower arrangement, and tea ceremony. Soto, on the

other hand, had

much

less official

Some Soto masters responded and

strict

recognition and

to public

little

cultural influence.

demand by blending Dogen's pure

teaching with esoteric Buddhist rituals and folk beliefs. In this

way the Soto teaching gained popularity among farmers and riors

No commentary Period.

Some

available. fifth

low-class war-

of the rural districts. to

Dogen's work was written during the Muromachi

of his writings were copied but kept secret and were scarcely

Around 1690, during

the

Edo Period (1600-1868)

abbot of Eihei-ji, Kozen, collected

Treasury of the True

and compiled the

Dharma

the thirty-

the available versions of the

all

Eye, rearranged the text in chronological order,

ninety-five-fascicle version.

In the eighteenth century an attempt was

made to restore the S5to School.

Manzan Dohaku fought against the custom by which one student could receive

dharma transmission from several teachers, and helped to reestablish

the rite of face-to-face transmission by a single teacher as taught by Dogen.

Tenkei opposed Manzan's formalism and wrote a commentary on the sixty fascicles of the Treasury

with daring textual criticism and arbitrary revision,

which was soon regarded

in the Soto School as heretical.

Menzan Zuiho

spent forty-four years searching for the sources of the terms and phrases

found in the ninety-five-fascicle version of the Treasury. In the 1770s one of

Menzan's dharma descendants, Fuzan, made a detailed explication of the text, ied

which was transcribed by

translated Dogen's

tended to be

less

work

his students.

At about the same time Hon-

into Chinese, since a text written in Japanese

respected than one in Chinese, and added his

own com-

INTRODUCTION

24

mentary. Zokai and Roran also wrote commentaries on the Treasury of the

Dharma

True

1816 Kozen's edition of the book was published by

Eye.^' In

Eihei-)i.

Despite this sudden spurt of Soto sectarian scholarship, Dogen's writings

remained obscure for most Soto monks The great poet-monk Ryokan (1758.

183 1)

wrote a

poem about

reading the Record of Eihei Dogen, an abridged

collection of Dogen's lectures,

Now when

I

poems, and other writings:

take the Record of Eihei Dogen and examine

it,

the tone does not harmonize well with usual beliefs.

Nobody For

five

has asked whether

hundred years

just because

For

his eloquence

for ancient

exhausted.

Dogen

been covered with dust

no one has had an eye

whom was all

Longing

it's

a jewel or a pebble.

it is

for

recognizing dharma.

expounded?

times and grieving for the present,

my

heart

is

26

as a thinker

was

first

introduced to /the public by the renowned

philosopher Tetsuro Watsuji. In a series of essays under the

Dogen" (1920— 2 3)27 Watsuji as

attempts to "murder"

miraculous

feats.

Seeing

criticized earlier biographies

Dogen by

attributing to

title

"Monk

by Soto priests

him worldly

merits and

Dogen as a thinker who belongs to humanity rather

than to a school of Buddhism, Watsuji excluded legends and described

Dogen

as a historical figure, discussing his

thoughts in relation to the basic

concepts of Western philosophy.

Another distinguished philosopher of modern Japan, Hajime Tanabe, asserted in 1939^* that he regarded

He

Dogen as

described the Treasury of the True

the

Dharma Eye

first

Japanese philosopher.

as a

supreme achievement

of dialectical thinking.

Dogen was

gradually recognized by scholars of Japanese literature as a

remarkable prose writer. Consequently, the Treasury of the True Dharma Eye, along with the Treasury of the True Dharma Eye: Record of Things Heard, was included in several collections of classical literature in the 1960s and 1970s. '9 In response to growing public interest, four different versions of the entire Treasury in

Western

modern Japanese interest in

translation were published.

Zen has been growing

not until 1958 that the

first

since the 1930s.

But

it

was

English translation of Dogen's writings ap-

peared, in Reiho Masunaga's The Soto Approach

to

Zen." Since that time

Dogen's Teaching

25

translated portions of the Treasury have been published in several other

books, and in 1983 Kosen Nishiyama, John Stevens, and their collaborators

completed a four- volume, ninety-two-fascicle version

As one of the Zen groups

translators of

in the

Dogen

into

(see Bibliography).

modern Japanese,

I first

visited

United States in 1964. At the Zen Center of San Fran-

Dogen was

strictly

practiced, but students were not yet ready to study Dogen's texts.

"Genjo

cisco, led

by Shunryu Suzuki-roshi, zazen

as

taught by

Koan," a portion of the Treasury translated by Robert Aitken and myself 1965,32 was used by Suzuki-roshi and studied in various

in

Zen groups.

In the late 1960s, Dogen's teaching started to spread in other countries as well as in the

centers.

Dogen to

United

At present,

a

States.

number

Monastic practice was initiated in some

of Western students are studying the original

texts. Translators are trying to find

Western

readers,

that the time

is

and scholarly

ripe for

Dogen

work

ways to make Dogen accessible

in the field

to be a part of the

is

increasing.

It

seems

common human heritage. Kazuaki Tanahashi

i

I

PART ONE

Practical Instructions

Rules for

Zazm

ZAZEN-Gl'

Practicing

Do

mat.

Zen

not

is

zazen. For zazen a quiet place

let in drafts

is

suitable.

Lay out a thick

or smoke, rain or dew. Protect and maintain the

place where you settle your body. There are examples from the past of sitting

on

a

diamond

seat*

and

on a

sitting

flat

stone covered with a thick layer of

grass.

Day

warm

or night the place of sitting should not be dark;

in winter

it

should be kept

and cool in summer.

Set aside all involvements

and

let

the myriad things rest? Zazen

thinking of good, not thinking of bad.

It is

is

not

not conscious endeavor. * It

is

not introspection.*

Do not desire to become a buddha;' let sitting* or lying down drop away. Be moderate

in eating

and drinking. Be mindful of the passing of time,

and engage yourself in zazen

Huangmei

as

though saving your head from

fire.

*

the Fifth Ancestor practiced zazen to the exclusion of

activities.

29

On Mt.

all

other

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

30

When sitting zazen,

wear the kashaya* and use a round cushion. The cush-

ion should not be placed

buttocks. In this

the

all

way the crossed

way under the

legs,

but only under the

on the mat and the backbone

legs rest

method used by

is

all

buddha

Sit either in the half-lotus position or in the full-lotus position.

For the

supported with the round cushion. This

the

is

ancestors* for zazen.

full-lotus

thigh.

put the right foot on the

The

left

thigh and the

left foot

on the right

toes should lie along the thighs, not extending beyond. For the

half-lotus position, simply

put the

left foot

on the right thigh.

4 Loosen your robes and arrange

on the

left foot

and the

left

them

in an orderly way. Place the right

hand

hand on the right hand, lightly touching the

With

ends of the thumbs together.

the hands in this position, place

them

next to the body so that the joined thumb-tips are at the navel.

Straighten your body and

sit erect.

Do

not lean to the

left

or right;

do

not bend forward or backward. Your ears should be in line with your shoulders,

and your nose in

line

with your navel.

Rest your tongue against the roof of your mouth, and breathe through

your nose. Lips and teeth should be closed. Eyes should be open, neither too wide, nor too narrow.

Having adjusted body and mind

in this

manner,

take a breath and exhale fully. Sit solidly in

samadhi* and think not-thinking.*

thinking? Nonthinking.* This

Zazen ease

and

is

is

the art of zazen.

not learning to do concentration.

joy. It is

How do you think not-

It is

the

dharma gate* of great

undefiled practice-enlightenment.

month, first year of Kangen [1243] this was taught to the Yoshimine Monastery, Yoshida County, Echizen Province.

In the eleventh

assembly

at

Translated by

Dan Welch and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Quidelines for Studying the "^ay GAKUDO YOJIN-SHU'

You should arouse the thought of enlightenment.

The thought of enlightenment has many names but they all the

refer to

one and

same mind.

Ancestor Nagarjuna said, "The mind that fully sees into the uncertain

world of birth and death

Thus

if

we maintain

is

called the thought of enlightenment.

this

mind,

this

mind can become

the thought of

eniightenment. Indeed,

come

when you understand

into being, ideas of

discontinuity the notion of self does not

name and gain do not

passage of the sunlight, practice the fire.

Reflecting on this ephemeral

Buddha

as

Fearing the swift

though saving your head from

make endeavor

in the

manner of

raising his foot.*

When bird,*

way

life,

arise.

you hear a song of praise sung by a kinnara god* or

let it

be as the evening breeze brushing against your

the beautiful face of

Maoqiang

or Xishi,* let

it

a kalavinka

ears. If

you see

be like the morning dew-

drops coming into your sight. Freedom from the

ties

of sound and form

naturally accords with the essence of the way-seeking mind. If in the past or present,

you hear about students of small learning or

meet people with limited views, often they have 31

fallen into the pit of

fame

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

32

and

profit

How

and have forever missed the buddha way in their life.

regrettable! You should not ignore

Even

What a pity!

this.

you read the sutras of the expedient or complete teaching,* or

if

transmit the scriptures of the exoteric or esoteric schools, without throwing

away name and gain

it

cannot be called arousing the thought of enlighten-

ment.

Some of these people

"The thought of enlightenment

say,

Do

supreme, perfect enlightenment.

is

the

mind

of

not be concerned with the cultivation

of fame or profit."

Some

of

them

say,

"The thought of enlightenment

is

the insight that

each thought contains three thousand realms."*

Some

of

them

'Each thought

Some ing the

of

say,

"The thought of enlightenment

unborn.'

is

them

say,

is

the

dharma

gate,

'*

"The thought of enlightenment

is

the

mind

of enter-

buddha realm."

Such people do not yet know and mistakenly slander the thought of enlightenment. They are remote from the buddha way.

Try to

reflect

on the mind concerned only with your own gain. Does

this

one thought blend with the nature and attributes of the three thousand realms? Does this one thought realize the

There is

is

nothing which could be taken

From

dharma gate of being unborn?

only the deluded thought of greed for as the

name and love of gain. There

thought of enlightenment.

ancient times sages have attained the

Although

as

way and

an expedient teaching they lived ordinary

no distorted thought of fame or

profit.

Not even

realized

dharma.

lives, still

they had

attached to dharma,

how

could they have worldly attachment?

The thought of enlightenment, impermanence. This

sees into as the

mind pointed

thought realms

is

is

to

is

as

was mentioned,

is

the

most fundamental and not ,

mind which

at all the

same

by confused people. The understanding that each

unborn or the insight that each thought contains three thousand

excellent practice after arousing the

thought of enlightenment.

This should not be mistaken. Just forget yourself for

now and

thought of enlightenment. self.

So when a notion of self arises,

a real basis inside or outside your is

practice inwardly

We see

just inherited

this

is

one with the

that the sixty-two views* are based sit

quietly and contemplate

it. Is

on

there

body now? Your body with hair and skin

from your father and mother. From beginning to end a drop

Guidelines for Studying the

of blood or lymph

is

Way

empty. So none of these are the

thought, awareness, and knowledge?

what

ties a lifetime together:

is it

33 self.

What about mind,

Or the breath going

after all?

in

and out, which

None of these are

the self either.

How could you be attached to any of them? Deluded people are attached to them. Enlightened people are

You there

figure there

is

is

self

free of

them.

where there

is

no

self.

You

attach to birth where

no birth. You do not practice the buddha way, which should be

practiced.

You do not cut

off the worldly

mind, which should be cut

off-

Avoiding the true teaching and pursuing the groundless teaching, how could you not be mistaken?

Once you

One

see or

it

without fail.

phrase offered by a loyal servant can have the power to alter the course

of the nation.

One word

people's minds.

who

hear the true teaching, you should practice

given by a buddha ancestor cannot

The unwise

fail

to turn

ruler does not adopt the servant's advice.

One

does not step forward cannot accept the buddha's teaching. If you are

unbending, you cannot stop floating along in birth and death. ate advice

is

If appropri-

not heeded, governing with virtue cannot be realized.

3 In the buddha way, you should always enter enlightenment through practice.

A

worldly teacher says, "Through study one can gain wealth."^ Buddha

says,

"Within

It is

practice there

is

enlightenment."

unheard-of that without studying someone should earn wealth or

that without practicing someone should attain enlightenment tice varies

—

initiated

by

faith or

den or gradual enlightenment*

.

Though prac-

dharma knowledge, with emphasis on sud-

—you

always depend on practice to go be-

yond enlightenment. Though study can be

superficial or profound,

and

students can be sharp or dull, accumulated studying earns wealth. This does not necessarily depend on the king's excellence or inability, nor should

depend on

one's having

without studying,

how

good

or

bad luck.

If

someone were

it

to get wealth

could he transmit the way in which ancient kings,

in times of either order or disorder, ruled the country? If

you were to gain

realization without practice, how could you comprehend the Tathagata's

teaching of delusion and enlightenment?

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

34

You should know

that arousing practice in the midst of delusion,

attain realization before

the raft of discourse

old understanding

made -effort

to

is

you recognize

t^i

tigiej^gy §t$jLkncmdbiat

like

bound up

y_ou finaUy. _cut_ofEj:gur

in the vines_and-serpents is

of word^s. This

is

not

accomplished byjo^r al.lTencompassing

.

Moreover, what practice does not tice;

At

yesterday's dream, and

en by Buddha, but

ha

it.

you

calls forth is

come from outside.

how

enlightenment; your treasure house

How enlightenment functions is through prac-

could actions of mind-ground* go astray? So

if

you turn the eye

of enlightenment and reflect back on the realm of practice, nothing in particular hits the eye, If

and you

you arouse practice

as

just see

wnite clouds for ten thousand miles

though climbing the steps of enlightenment, not

even a speck of dust will support your practice as heaven

is

from earth?

feet;

you will be

as far

from true

Now step back and leap beyond the buddha

land.

This portion was written on the ninth day, third month, second year of

Tempuku

-

[1234}.

4 You should not practice Buddha's teaching with the idea of gain. The practice of Buddha's teaching is always done by receiving the essential instructions of a master, not by following your

own

ideas. In fact,

teaching cannot be attained by having ideas or not having ideas. the

mind

of pure practice coincides with the

calm. If body and

body and mind

mind

way

will

Buddha's

Only when

body and mind be

are not yet calm, they will not be at ease.

are not at ease, thorns

When

grow on the path of realization.

So that pure practice and the way coincide, how should we proceed? Proceed with the mind which neither grasps nor rejects, the mind unconcerned with name or gain. Do not practice buddha-dharma* with the

thought that

it is

to benefit others.

People in the present world, even those practicing the buddha-dharma, have a mind wnich is far apart from the way. They practice what others praise and admire, even though they know it does not accord with the way.

They

reject

and do not practice what others

though they know

it is

the true way.

fail

to honor

and

How painful! You should

praise, even try to quiet

Way

Guidelines for Studying the

35

your mind and investigate whether these attitudes are buddha-dharma or not.

You may be completely ashamed. The eye of the

Clearly,

buddha-dharma

for the sake of

fame and

should practice

it.

is

Isn't it

own

sage illuminates this.

own sake, and even

andjympathy

for sent i^entj^fiijigsf, are neither

sy^gjiQjLi:iiLatlieii^,iLis4ijLStlh£jmmfe of

buddha-dharma.

apparent that insects and animals nurture their offspring, exhausting

themselves with painful labors, yet in the end have no reward offspring are

grown? In

this

way the compassion of small

offspring naturally resembles the thought of all

The inconceivable dharma of compassion

all

buddhas

Students!

dharma

Do

name and

for

to attain blissful reward.

miraculous

effects. Practice

dharma. This

is

their

creatures for their

for sentient beings.

not compassion alone, but

is

Why not follow their lead?

not practice buddha-dharma for your

buddha-dharma

practice

buddhas

when

the basis of the various teachings that appear universally.

is

Already we are children of the buddhas.

Do

Do

gain.

own

sake.

Do

not

not practice buddha-

not practice buddha-dharma to attain

buddha-dharma

solely for the sake of

buddha-

the way.

You should seek a true teacher

A

less

Just for the sake of buddha-dharma you

profit.

All buddhasl compassion for their

not practiced for one's

to practice

teacher of old said, "If the beginning

is

Zen and study

the way,

not right, myriad practices will

be useless."

How

true these words are! Practice of the

guiding master

The the

disciple

wood

is

is is

like

not revealed. Even

But

false

if

extraordinary beauty

is

if

the

wood

How

ings, just as

is

By

its

bent, placed in skilled hands this

you should know that

depending on whether the teacher

in our country

teachers.

the

wood, and the teacher resembles a craftsman. Even

good, without a skilled craftsman

merits immediately appear.

genuine or

way depends on whether

a true teacher or not.

its

splendid

realization

is

true or incompetent.

is

from ancient times, there have not been any true

do we know

this

is

so?

We can guess

we can scoop up stream water and

by studying their say-

find out about its source. In

our country from ancient times, various teachers have written books and instructed their disciples, offering their teaching to

human and

heavenly

beings. Their words are immature, their discourse has not yet ripened.

They

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

36

how could

have not yet reached the peak of study; the state of realization?

they have

come

They only transmitted words and phrases

the chanting of Buddha's name.

close to

or taught

and

count other people's treasure day

They

night, not having half a penny themselves.

Previous teachers are responsible for this.

They taught people

to seek

enlightenment outside mind, 6 or to seek rebirth in another land. Confusion starts

from

Mistaken ideas come from

this.

Though you give good medicine, trolling

its

use

will

it

since ancient times

There are cine.

it

if

this.

you do not teach a method of con-

make one

sicker than taking poison. In our country

seems

though no one has given good medicine.

as

no masters who can control the poisonous

as yet

Because of

this,

it

is difficult to penetrate birth

of medi-

effects

and death.

How can

old age and death be overcome?

All this reason

is

is

the teachers' fault, not at

who are

that those

all

the fault of the disciples.

The

and go out

teachers let people neglect the root*

on the limbs. * Before they establish true understanding, they are absorbed only in their

own

thinking, and they unwittingly cause others to enter a

realm of confusion.

What

stand this confusion.

How sad!

a pity!

How could

Those who

are teachers

students realize what

In this small, remote nation

is

do not yet underright and

buddha-dharma has not

widely. True masters have not yet appeared here. If

you wish

wrong?

yet spread

to study the

unsurpassed buddha way, you have to travel a great distance to

call

on the

masters in Song China, and you have to reflect deeply on the vital road outside thought. Until you have a true teacher,

it is

better not to study.

Regardless of his age or experience, a true teacher

is

simply one

who

apprehended the true teaching and attained the authentic teacher's realization.

pacity

is

He

does not put texts

first

or understanding

first,

has

seal of

but his ca-

outside any framework and his spirit freely penetrates the nodes in

bamboo.* He

is

not concerned with

self- views*

and does not stagnate in

emotional feelings. Thus, practice and understanding are in mutual accord. This

is

a true master.

6

What you should know for practicing Zen. Practicing Zen, studying the way,

should not belittle

and another cut

it

is

or be hasty with

off his fingers.*

the great matter of a lifetime. it.

A master of old

cut off his

You

arm*

These are excellent models from China.

Guidelines for Studying the

Long ago Shakyamuni Buddha abandoned This

is

Way

his

37

home and

country.

left his

an excellent precedent for practicing the way.

People of the present say you should practice what

These words are quite mistaken. They

dha way.

If this alone

is

is

easy to practice.

are not at all in accord

what you regard

as practice,

will be wearisome. If

you find one thing wearisome, you

thing wearisome.

obvious that people

It is

who are

with the bud-

then even lying

down

will find every-

fond of easy practice are

not capable of the way. In fact, the great teacher

dharma spread and

is

now

Shakyamuni practiced with

present in the world because our difficulty

and pain

for

able eons and finally attained this dharma. If the original source

how could

who would like to study the way must not wish for easy practice.

you seek easy practice, you will

or dig

down

is

is difficult.

ground of truth

Even teachers of old who had great

You should know

that the

buddha

and profound.

vast

If the

for certain never reach the

to the place of treasure.

capacity said that practice

way

like this,

the later streams be easy?

Students If

immeasuris

buddha way were

originally easy to practice, then teachers of great

capacity from olden times

would not have

said that practice

understanding

is

Compared with

the people of old, those of today

do not amount

to even

difficult.

this as difficult

and excellent

easiest practice

and

easiest

people nowadays like?

come up

It

does not

it

come up

Vehicles.*

if

practice,

It is

still it

does not amount to even the

understanding of the teachers of old. understanding and easy practice, which

neither a secular teaching nor Buddha's teaching.

to the practice of Paplyas,* the

to the practice of those outside the

We should

and

people of today strive diligently and regard

this teaching of easy

is

difficult

one hair from nine cows. With their small capacity

and shallow knowledge, even

What

is

regard

it

as

Demon

way

King, nor does

or of the

Two

Lesser

the product of ordinary people's extreme

delusion. Even though they try to attain liberation, they find nothing but

endless rounds of suffering.

On is

not

the other hand, difficult,

we can

see that breaking bones or crushing

but to harmonize the mind*

practice of prolonged austerities activities*

Do you

is

most

is

most

difficult.

not difficult, but to harmonize bodily

difficult.

think crushing bones

practice, few of

is

marrow

Again, the

them

is

of value? Although

attained dharma.

Do

many endured such

you think people practicing

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

38

austerities are to be respected?

Although there have been many, few of them

have realized the way, for they

still

Brilliance

deavor*

is

is

have difficulty in harmonizing the mind.

not primary, understanding

not primary, introspection*

is

is

not primary, conscious en-

not primary.

of these, harmonize body-and-mind and enter the

Old man

stillness If

objects.

"

the meaning. Separation between the

is

buddha way.

Shakyamuni said, "Avalokiteshvara* turns the stream inward

and disregards knowing That

Without using any

simply does not

arise.

This

is

two aspects of activity and

harmonizing.

anyone could enter the buddha way by means of brilliance or broad

monk Shenxiu would

knowledge, then the senior

have been the one. If

anyone of ordinary appearance or humble position were excluded from the

buddha way, how could Huineng become the Sixth Ancestor? the

buddha way's transmission

lies

It is clear

that

outside brilliance and broad knowledge.

Search and find out. Reflect and practice.

Being old or decrepit does not exclude you. Being quite young or in your

prime does not exclude you. Although Zhaozhou over sixty, he became a

man

first

studied

when he was

of excellence in the ancestral lineage. Zheng's

daughter had already studied long by the time she was thirteen, and she was outstanding in the monastery. The power of buddha-dharma

depending on whether or not there

on whether or not

it is

is effort,

and

is

revealed

distinguished depending

practiced.

Those who have studied sutras a long time and those been many examples of

who

are

accom-

all

should study at a Zen monastery. There have

this.

Huisi of Nanyue was a very learned man, but

plished in secular texts,

still

is

he practiced with Bodhidharma. Xuanjue of Yongjia was an excellent

scholar,

and

still

he practiced with Dajian.

To understand dharma and ing with a teacher. However, listen to his

attain the

when

way can only be the

result of study-

practicing and inquiring of a teacher,

words without matching them with your previous views.

understand his words in terms of your

own

If you

views, you will not be able to

grasp his teaching.

When

you practice with

and mind,

still

a teacher

and inquire about dharma,

clear

body

the eyes and ears, and just listen and accept the teaching with-

out mixing in any other thoughts Your body and mind will be one a recepta.

cle

ready to be

filled

Nowadays, there

with water. Then you will certainly receive the teaching are foolish people

who memorize

the words of texts or

Guidelines for Studying the

Way

39

accumulate sayings and try to match these words with the teacher's expla-

own views and

nation. In this case they have only their

old words, and have

not yet merged with the teacher's words. For some people their own views are primary; they open a sutra, memorize a

word

visit it

or two, and consider this to be buddha-dharma. Later

when

they

with an awakened teacher or a skilled master and hear the teaching,

agrees with their

own view

they consider the teaching right, and

if it

if

does

not agree with their old fixed standards they consider his words wrong. They

do not know how to abandon

how

their mistaken tendencies, so

could they

ascend and return to the true way? For ages numberless as particles of dust

and sand, they will remain deluded. Students should sis,

know

that the

It is

most

buddha way

pitiable. Is lies

it

not sad?

outside thinking, analy-

prophecy, introspection, knowledge, and wise explanation. If the bud-

dha way were

in these activities,

why would you

not have realized the bud-

dha way by now, since from birth you have perpetually been

midst of

in the

these activities?

Students of the way should not employ thinking, analysis, or any such thing.

Though thinking and

examine them the gate

is

as

you go your

other activities perpetually beset you, clarity will be like a mirror.

mastered only by a teacher

be reached by priests

who

have studied

who

The way

has attained dharma;

if

you

to enter

it

cannot

letters.

This portion was written on the "clear and bright" day,* third month, sec-

ond year of Tempuku [1234.

Those who long

to leave the

world and

practice buddha-dharma should study Zen.

The buddha-dharma excels among

various ways. For that reason people seek

it.

When

the Tathagata dwelt in the world there were neither two teachers

nor two masters. The great master Shakyamuni guided sentient beings solely

by means of

his unsurpassed enlightenment. Ever since

shyapa transmitted the treasury of the true dharma

Mahaka-

eye,* the twenty-eight

generations in India, the six early generations in China, and

all

in the Five Schools* have in direct succession inherited

without any

terruption. Consequently, ever since the

it

the ancestors

Putong Era [520-27} of Liang,

inall

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

40 those

who were

failed to

from monks to kings and retainers

outstanding

pay homage to

never

buddha-dharma. Indeed, those who are able to love

excellence should love excellence.

It

should not be like Minister She's love

dragon.*

for a

In the countries east of China the net of scriptural teacning covers the

oceans and pervades the mountains. Although lacks the heart of the clouds.*

Although

it

it

pervades the mountains

covers the oceans

it

dries out the

it

heart of the waves.* Foolish people are fond of this kind of teaching, just like taking a fish eye

and holding

it

Deluded people take

to be a jewel.

pleasure in this kind of teaching, just like treasuring a pebble from

Yan*

as

an honored jewel.

themselves.

Many

fall

Mt.

into a demon's pit, often destroying

How pitiable!

In a distant country a mistaken teaching easily spreads, and the correct

teaching has difficulty prevailing. Although China has already taken refuge in

Buddha's correct teaching, in our country and Korea Buddha's correct

teaching has not yet spread widely.

Why

is

Korea the name of the correct teaching has

country not even this has happened. The reason

who went

to

China were

is

is

What

is

is

the reason? In

been heard But in our .

that teachers in the past

caught in the net of scriptural teachings. Al-

all

though they transmitted the Buddhist scriptures buddha-dharma.

What

that?

at least

it

seems they forgot the

the benefit of that? In the end

it is

of no use. This

simply because they did not have the key to studying the way.

that they spent a lifetime as

When

you

first

human

beings in useless

enter the gate to study the

teacher's instruction

and practice

as instructed.

It is

a pity

effort.

buddha way,

When

listen to the

you do that there

is

something you should know: Dharma turns you, and you turn dharma.*

When

you turn dharma, you are leading and dharma

is

following.

On

the

when dharma turns you, dharma is leading and you are followBuddha-dharma originally has these two modes, but those who are not

other hand ing.

true heirs have never understood scarcely have heard of

how

to study the way.

it.

it;

unless they are patch-robed

Without knowing

How could

this key,

monks they

you cannot yet judge

you determine the correct from the mis-

taken?

On the other hand,

those practicing

given this key, so they do not

Zen and studying the way are always

make mistakes. Other schools do not do this. Without studying Zen those who seek the way cannot know the true way.

Guidelines for Studying the

Way

41

8 The conduct of Zen monks.

The conduct of Zen monks buddha

has been directly and uniquely transmitted by

ancestors throughout twenty-eight generations in India and six

without the addition of a single hair and without

early generations in China,

the destruction of a single particle.

and dharma has spread

dharma eye

sury of the true

This dharma

is

Thus the robe was transmitted

flourishing in Great China.

is

such that

it

cannot be attained by groping or searching

about. In the realm of seeing, knowledge perishes. taining,

mind

Once

a face

Shaolin.

By

genuine

life.

is

lost at

By bowing

replied,

this

of at-

off* at

marrow* and turning around mind, you acquire

formally and stepping inward* you stumble into

still,

A monk asked Zhaozhou, Beyond

moment

the

Mt. Huangmei.^ Once an arm was cut

the realm of great ease. However, in attaching, no standing

is

At

surpassed.

was

attaining the

Zhaozhou

to Caoxi

in boundless worlds. Presently the Tathagata's trea-

mind and body

there

is

no abiding, no

and no stagnating. "Does a dog have buddha nature or not?"

"Mu.

word mu can you measure anything or grasp anything? There

entirely nothing to hold

on

to.

What is What is conduct? What is birth-and-death? What is buddha-dharma? What are the laws of the world? What, in the end, are mountains, rivers, earth, human beings, animals, and houses? When you observe Please try releasing your hold, and releasing your hold, observe:

body-and-mind?

thoroughly, arise at all.

it

follows that the

two aspects of motion and

Though motion and

People do not realize

stillness

this; those

who

do not

arise,

lose track of

it

stillness

do not

things are not fixed. are

many. You who

study the way will come to awakening in the course of study. Even

you complete the way, you should not

stop. This

is

when

my prayer indeed.

9 You should practice throughout the way. Courageous people who study the way should

what

is

The

first

know what

is

correct

and

incorrect in practice throughout the way.

great tamer of beings, Shakyamuni, sat under the bodhi tree and

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

42

was immediately awakened to the way, the unsurpassed vehicle, when he saw the morning star. This way of enlightenment cannot be reached by shravakas,* pratyekabuddhas,* or beings such as this. Buddhas alone can

be enlightened and buddhas have transmitted to buddhas, ceaselessly.

who

can those

To

is

to illuminate all

under everyone's

on the spot. Immersed fore,

way

practice throughout the

buddha way and

way

heel.

to actualize the limitless realm of the

buddha way. The buddha

in the way, clearly

understand right

in enlightenment, you yourself are complete. There-

of enlightenment. This People nowadays

is

aspects of the

Immersed

even though you arrive at is

who

how

full it is

understanding,

still this is

only a part

with practice throughout the way.

study the way do not understand where the way

leads or ends, so they strongly desire to gain visible results.

make this mistake? a treasure

How

have attained enlightenment not be buddhas?

It is like

Who would not

someone who runs away from his father, leaving

behind and wandering about. Though he

is

the only child of a

wealthy family, he endlessly wanders as a menial in foreign lands. Indeed is

just like this.

it

,

who Those who

Those who study the way seek to be immersed in the way. For those

immersed

are

practice the

who the

in the way, all traces of

buddha way should

trust in the

first

buddha way should

of

enlightenment perish. all trust

in the

buddha way. Those

trust that they are in essence within

buddha way, where there is no delusion, no false thinking, no confusion,

no increase or decrease, and no mistake. To arouse such trust and illuminate the

way

in this

manner, and to practice accordingly, are fundamental in

studying the way.

You do this by sitting, which severs the root of thinking and blocks access to the road of intellectual understanding. ' This is an excellent means to arouse true beginner's mind.

Then you

let

go of delusion and enlightenment. This

let

body and mind drop away and is

the second aspect of studying

the way.

Generally speaking, those are

most

rare. If

who trust that they are within the buddha way

you have correct

trust that

you

are within the

buddha way,

you understand where the great way leads or ends, and you know the original source of delusion and enlightenment. If once, in sitting, you sever the root of thinking, in eight or nine cases out of ten you will immediately attain

understanding of the way.

Guidelines for Studying the

Way

43

lO Immediately hitting the mark.

There are two ways to penetrate body and mind: studying with a master to hear the teaching, and devotedly sitting zazen. Listening to the teaching

opens up your conscious mind, while sitting zazen tice-enlightenment Therefore, .

the

buddha way, you cannot

if

is

concerned with prac-

you neglect either of these when entering

hit the

mark.

Everyone has a body-and-mind. In activity and appearance is

either leading or following, courageous or cowardly.

immediately with

this

body-and-mind

is

to hit the

To

its

realize

is

called "hitting the

buddha

mark. Without chang-

ing your usual body-and-mind, just to follow buddha's realization

"immediate,"

function

is

called

mark."

To follow buddha completely means you do not have your old views. To hit the

mark completely means you have no new Translated by

nest* in which to settle.

Ed Brown and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Bodhisattva's pour Methods of Quidance BODAISATTA SHISHO-HO'

The

bodhisattva's four

eficial action,

methods of guidance

are giving,

kind speech, ben-

and identity-action.^

"Giving" means nongreed. Nongreed means not to covet. Not to covet

means not

to curry favor.

Even

if

you govern the Four Continents,* you

should always convey the correct teaching with nongreed.

unneeded belongings to someone you don't know, to on a distant mountain to the Tathagata, in your former life to sentient beings. terial,

each gift has

own, there the gift

is

is

its

value and

attaining the way, the

way

just as treasure, treasure

others to others.

human

it is

if

the gift

is

is

always

left

to the way.

is

is

ma-

not your

not whether

When

At the time of treasure

is left

becomes giving. You give yourself to yourself and

The power of the

causal relations* of giving reaches to

beings, and even enlightened sages.

said,

you had

merit.

to the way, * you attain the way.

actual, such causal relations are

Buddha

Whether

away

blooming

of teaching or of

worth giving. Even

valuable, but whether there

to give

again, to offer treasures

no reason to keep from giving. The question

When you leave the way

devas,

is

or,

It is

offer flowers

When

giving becomes

immediately formed.

"When a person who practices giving 44

goes to an assembly,

Bodhisattva's Four Methods of Guidance

people take notice."^ You should

know

that the

mind

45

of such a person com-

municates subtly with others. Therefore, give even a phrase or verse of the truth;

will be a

it

valuables, even a this

and other

wholesome seed

penny or

lifetimes.

turn into the truth. This

A king gave his were not greedy

lifetimes.

will be a

it

Give your

wholesome root

for

The

truth can turn into valuables; valuables can

is all

because the giver

willing.

is

beard as medicine to cure his retainer's disease;^ a child

Buddha and became King Ashoka

offered sand to

is

an act of giving.

body and

see that to accept a

in a later birth.'

They

reward but only shared what they could. To launch a

for

boat or build a bridge

a living

and other

for this

a blade of grass;

to give

you study giving

If

up the body

are

closely,

you

both giving. Making

and producing things can be nothing other than giving. To leave

flowers to the wind, to leave birds to the seasons, are also acts of giving.

King Ashoka was half a

able to offer

mango.* People who

enough food

hundreds of monks with

for

practice giving should understand that

King

Ashoka thus proved the greatness of giving. Not only should you make an effort to give,

but also be mindful of every opportunity to give. You are born

into this present

Buddha

life

because of the merit of giving in the past.

you

said, "If

so to your parents, wife,

give to yourself

is

and children." Therefore

a part of giving.

Even when you give

how much more you should know that to

are to practice giving to yourself,

To give

a particle of dust,

to your family

you should

because you correctly transmit the merit of

all

rejoice in

is

also giving.

your

buddhas, and

own

time practice an act of a bodhisattva. The mind of a sentient being cult to change.

from the

first

You should keep on changing

moment

first

Mind

is diffi-

minds of sentient beings,

that they have one particle, to the

attain the way. This should be started

the

the

act,

for the first

by giving. For

moment

that they

this reason giving

is

of the six paramitas. * is

in giving,

beyond measure. Things given

mind

are

beyond measure. Moreover,

transforms the gift and the gift transforms mind.

2

"Kind speech" means that when you see sentient beings you arouse the mind of compassion and offer words of loving care.

It is

contrary to cruel or violent

speech.

In the secular world, there

In

Buddhism

there

is

is

the custom of asking after someone's health.

the phrase "Please treasure yourself" and the respect-

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

46 fill

"May

address to seniors,

by

little

narily

little

known

virtue will grow.

comes

or seen

Kind speech

is

are?" It

kind speech to speak

is

a baby.

virtue; pity those

for this entire present life;

who

how you

ask

you would to

to sentient beings as

Praise those with

I

without

it.

kind speech

If

Thus even kind speech which

You should be willing

into being.

do not give up, world

is

is

offered,

not ordi-

to practice

it

after world, life after life.

the basis for reconciling rulers and subduing enemies. Those

hear kind speech from you have a delighted expression and a joy fill

mind. Those who hear of your kind speech will be deeply touched will never forget

it.

You should know

that kind speech arises

from kind mind, and kind mind

from the seed of compassionate mind. You should ponder the speech

is

they

not just praising the merit of others;

it

kind

fact that

has the power to turn the

destiny of the nation.

3 "Beneficial action" is,

is

skillfully to benefit all classes of sentient beings, that

to care about their distant

skillful

and near future, and to help them by using

means. In ancient times, someone helped a caged tortoise;^ another

took care of an injured sparrow

moved

to

do so only

but this

lost;

self

is

not

so.

if

they help others

Benencial action

first,

their

own

benefit will

an act of oneness, benefiting

is

and others together.

To greet his bath

petitioners, a lord of old three times stooped in the

and arranged

this solely

his hair,

and three times

enemy

left his

equally.

mind, even

You should

Thus you should

benefit self

and others

did not

so,

make

He did

mind

in-

benefit friend

and

you have

this

alike. If

beneficial action for the sake of grasses, trees,

spontaneous and unremitting. This being

middle of

dinner table.®

He

with the intention of benefiting others.

structing even subjects of other lords.

is

a reward; they were

for the sake of beneficial action.

Foolish people think that

be

They did not expect

wind, and water

a wholehearted effort

to help the ignorant.

4 "Identity-action"

means nondifFerence.

•

It is

difference from others. For example, in the

nondifFerence from

self,

non-

human world the Tathagata took

Bodhisattva's Four Methods of Guidance

47

human being. From this we know that he did the same in other realms. When we know identity-action, others and self are one. Lute, song, and wine are one with human being, deva, and spirit being? Human the form of a

being

is

one with

lute, song,

lute, song,

and wine.

with deva;

spirit

and wine. Lute, song, and wine

Human

being

is

being

one with

is

are one with

one with human being; deva

spirit being.

To understand

is

this

one

is

to

understand identity-action. "Action" means right form, dignity, correct manner. This means that

you cause yourself to be

in identity

with others

after causing others to

be in

identity with you. However, the relationship of self and others varies limitlessly

with circumstances.

The Guanzi* large.

says,

"The ocean does not exclude water;

Mountain does not exclude

does not exclude people; that

is

that

is why it is high. many subjects. "^^

earth; that

why he

has

That the ocean does not exclude water

is

identity-action.

is

why

it is

A wise lord

Water does not

exclude the ocean either. This being so, water comes together to form the ocean. Earth piles

up

to

form mountains.

My understanding is that because

the ocean itself does not exclude the ocean,

it is

the ocean, and

it is

large.

Because mountains do not exclude mountains, they are mountains and they are high. Because a wise lord does not ble. "Subjects"

ruler

mean

is

weary of people, his subjects assem-

means nation. "Wise lord" means

ruler of the nation.

A

not supposed to weary of people. "Not to weary of people" does not

to give

no reward or punishment. Although a ruler gives reward and

punishment, he does not weary of people. In ancient times when people were uncomplicated, there was neither legal reward nor punishment in the country.

The concept of reward and punishment was different. Even at pres-

ent, there should be

reward. This

is

some people who seek the way without expecting

a

beyond the understanding of ignorant people. Because a

wise lord understands this, he does not weary of people.

People form a nation and seek a wise lord, but as they do not pletely the reason

by the wise

lord.

why

a wise lord

They do not

is

notice that they are the ones

wise lord. In this way, the principle of identity-action wise lord and

all

know com-

wise, they only hope to be supported

is

who support

the people. This being so, identity-action

is

a

bodhisattvas.

With

the

applied to both a

a gentle expression, practice identity-action for all people.

vow of

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

48

Each of these four methods of guidance includes sixteen

Thus, there are

methods of guiding sentient beings.

This was written on the

by

all four.

Monk Dogen, who

fifth day, fifth

month, fourth year of Ninji [1243

transmitted dharma from China. Translated by

Lew Richmond and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Jlegulations for the Auxiliary

Cloud Hall

JUUNDO-SHIKI^

Those who have way-seeking mind and wish

to

abandon fame and

profit

should enter. Those who are half-hearted and lack sincerity should not enter. If the entry

When

is

a mistake, after

the way-seeking

freedom from fame and heirs of

should

dharma

make

mind

is

aroused inwardly, there

moment

you

the true source, having compassion for

by giving emphasis to the present.

in the hall should blend, like

support the activity of the way. Although or host, 2 later you will be

milk and water,

to

now for some period you are guest

buddha ancestors equally throughout time. There-

you should not forget the feeling of gratitude.

another and to practice what

mind

immediately

are rare. In spite of the long history of our country

The assembly of students

fore

is

to leave.

profit. In the vastness of billions of worlds, true

the present

later generations

some consideration one may be asked

is

rare to practice. This

It is rare is

to

meet one

called the body and

of buddha-dharma; you will certainly become a buddha ancestor.

You have

left

home and birthplace. You depend on clouds* and you The support of you and your practice given by this as-

your

depend on water. *

sembly of students surpasses that which was given by your father and 49

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

50

mother. Your father and mother are temporarily close to you in birth and death, but this assembly of students

lightenment

Do

your companion in the way of en-

is

for all time.

not look for a chance to go out. But

if

necessary,

going out

is

permitted

once a month. People in the past lived in the remote mountains and practiced far affairs,

away

in the forests.

Not only were they

but they also abandoned

all

relationships.

free of nearly all

You should

Now

of their covering brilliance and obscuring traces.* fire

on your head* to be wiped out.

concerning yourself with secular

No

Is it

affairs?

not sad

if

worldly

learn the heart

the time for the

is

you waste

The impermanent

is

this time,

unreliable.

one knows where and when this dew-like existence will drop into the

grass.

Not recognizing impermanence

is

truly regrettable.

4

Do

not read books in the hall, even

Zen

texts,

and do not bring personal

correspondence. In the hall you should endeavor in the principle.

When

mind with

the authentic teaching.

your

facing the bright

way of realizing the

window,* you should illuminate the

Do not waste a moment.

Concentrate in

effort.

You should always inform the be, day or night.

Do

where you

director of the hall

actions affect the discipline of the entire assembly.

moment is

own

not play around according to your

not the end of this

life. It

would be

No

are

going to

impulses; your

one can

tell if this

truly regrettable to die while

indulging in pleasures.

6

Do

not be concerned with the faults of other persons.

faults

with

a hateful

mind. There

is

an old saying that

others' faults, then naturally seniors are venerated

Do

wholesome

actions, but did not tell us to hate those

actions.

if

not see others'

you stop seeing

and juniors

not imitate others' faults; just cultivate virtue.

some

Do

are revered.

Buddha prohibited un-

who practice unwhole-

Regulations for the Auxiliary Cloud Hall

When

carrying out either important matters or

consult with the director of the hall. Those

trifles,

who do

you should always

things without consult-

ing with the director of the hall should leave. If you neglect the formality

of guest and host, you can understand neither the true nor the phenomenal.

8 Inside or near the hall, do not put your heads together and talk loudly.

The

director should prohibit this.

9

Do

not do chanting circumambulation in the hall.

lO

Do not hold or carry beads in the hall. Do not enter or leave with your hands hanging down/

II

Do

not chant the names of buddhas or sutras in the hall. However, this

is

permitted when supporters request sutra chanting on a particular occasion.

12

Do not spit, blow your nose, fact that the

or laugh loudly.

work of the way

is

regret the subtle passage of time

which

is

Then you may have

practice of the way.

You should be sobered by

not yet thoroughly mastered.

the

You should

eating away this opportunity for

the sense of being a fish in a small

puddle.

Those assembled

in the hall should not

paper robes. Those

who understood

the

wear brocade but rather things

way

in the past

were

like

all like tnis.

14

Do

not enter the hall intoxicated with wine. If you do so by accident you

should

Do

make formal

repentance.

Do

not have wine brought into the hall.

not enter the hall smelling of onions.

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

52

Quarreling persons should go out of the their

own work

in the

way but

quarreling and do not stop

it

hall,

because

hinders not only

it

Those who

also that of others.

see such

are equally at fault.

i6 Those who do not follow the admonitions of the

Those who

are

amused by

or in

hall

should be removed.

sympathy with such students

are also at

fault.

1 Do

not show

students.

Do

monks

or lay people around the hall, as this

not speak loudly with guests near the hall.

may disturb the And do not talk

about practice in a self-praising way, in order to get offerings. However, those

who

have a long-standing intention to practice or those

pilgrimage

may be

who

are

on

allowed inside. In such cases you should always consult

the director of the hall beforehand.

'

'

i8 You should

practice zazen in this hall )ust as in the

neglect early

morning zazen

monks' hall.* Never

or the evening practice instruction period.*

19 At meal time, those who drop monk's bowls

or utensils on the floor should

be fined* according to the regulations of the monastery.

20 The admonitions of buddha rules of the

ancestors should always be followed.

The pure

monastery are to be inscribed on your bones and mind.

21

You should wish the

to be serenely

composed

for

your entire

life

and to practice

way nonintentionally.*

These regulations are body and mind of the ancient buddhas. Respect and follow them. This was written on the twenty-fifth day, fourth month,

first

year of

En o

[1239}. Translated by

Reb Anderson and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Instruction for the Jenzo

TENZO KYOKUN

Zen monasteries have disciples

and

all

traditionally

buddha

share

had

six officers*

activities.

Among

who

Buddha's

are all

them, the tenzo*

is

re-

sponsible for preparing meals for the monks. Regulations for Zen Monasteries* states, "In order to

make

reverential offerings to

monks, there

is

a position

called tenzo."

Since ancient times this position has been held by accomplished

who

enlightenment. Ihis tice.

monks

have way-seeking mind, or by senior disciples with an aspiration for is

so because the position requires wholehearted prac-

Those without way-seeking mind will not have good

of their

mind

efforts. Regulations for

carefully to vary the

Zen Monasteries

states,

menus from time

results, in spite

"Use your way-seeking

to time,

and

offer the great

assembly ease and comfort." Long ago, Guishan Lingyou, Dongshan Shouchu, and other great teachers held this position.

A tenzo is

not the same as

an ordinary cook or waiter.

During

my

stay in

Song China,

in spare

monks who had held various positions, and perience. Their words are the bones and

moments

I

they spoke to

questioned senior

me from

have attained the way and have been passed on since olden times. to read Regulations for sponsibilities,

their ex-

marrow of the buddha ancestors who

We

need

Zen Monasteries carefully to understand the tenzo's

and then consider

carefully the

53

re-

words of these senior monks.

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

54

The

work begins

cycle of the tenzo's

noon meal.*

after the

go to the

First

director and assistant director to receive the ingredients for the next day's

morning and noon meals

vegetables, and so on. After you have re-

rice,

ceived these materials, take care of

Baoning Renyong

eyeball." Respect the food as care for all

them

as

your

own

said, "Protect the property of the

though

it

were

for the

eyes.

Zen Master

monastery;

it is

your

emperor. Take the same

food, raw or cooked.

Next, in the kitchen, the

officers carefully discuss

the next day's meal,

considering the tastes, the choice of vegetables, and the kinds of rice-gruel.

"The

Regulations for Zen Monasteries states,

should

These

work

discuss the

first

menu-planning

who

officers

for the

oversee the kitchen

morning and noon meals.

ino*

officers are the director, assistant director, treasurer,

leader.

Soon

after the

menu

room and the study

of the abbot's

is

decided, post

hall.*

it

tenzo, and

on the boards

Then prepare

in front

the gruel for the next

morning.

When

you wash

rice

and prepare vegetables, you must do

own hands and with your own ,

even for a moment. another.

Do

Do

not be

eyes,

making

careflil

sincere effort.

summit of the mountain

fail

of

Do

not be idle

about one thing and careless about

not give away your opportunity even

the ocean of merit; do not

with your

it

ir it is

merely a drop in

to place even a single particle of earth at the

wholesome deeds.

Regulations for Len Monasteries states, "If the six tastes* are not suitable

and is

if

the food lacks the three virtues,* the tenzo's offering to the assembly

not complete."

Watch

when you throw away

for

sand

when you examine the

rice.

Watch

the sand. If you look carefully with your

distracted, naturally the three virtues will be fulfilled

and the

for rice

mind un-

six tastes will

be complete.

Xuefeng was once tenzo at the monastery of Dongshan Liangjie. One day when Xuefeng was washing rice, master Dongshan asked him, "Do you

wash the sand away from the Xuefeng

replied, "I

"What will

rice or the rice

wash both sand and

away from the sand?"

rice

away

the assembly eat?" said Dongshan.

at the

same time."

Xuefeng covered the

rice-

washing bowl.

Dongshan This

is

saia,

how

'You will probably meet a true person some day."^

senior disciples with way-seeking

mind

practiced in olden

Instruction for the Tenzo

times.

How

can

we

55

A

of later generations neglect this practice?

the past said, "For a tenzo, working with the sleeves tied back* ity

is

teacher in

the activ-

of way-seeking mind." Personally examine the rice and sand so that rice

is

not thrown away as

sand. Regulations for Zen Monasteries states, "In preparing food, the tenzo

should personally look at

when pouring away

rice

it

to see that

When

used to strain the rice water.

put into an iron pot, guard people

who

are curious

it is

thoroughly clean."

Do not waste

the rice water. Since olden times a bag has been the proper

amount of

with attention so that

it

do not look

in at

rats

rice

and water

do not touch

it

is

or

it.

After you cook the vegetables for the morning meal, before preparing the rice

and soup

for the

noon meal, assemble the

rice

buckets and other uten-

and make sure they are thoroughly clean. Put what

sils,

place in a high place, and

what belongs

in a

is

suited to a high

low place in a low place. Those

things that are in a high place will be settled there; those that are suited to

be in a low place will be settled there utensils with equal care,

Select chopsticks, spoons,

examine them with

sincerity,

and other

and handle them

skillfully.

After that,

work on the food

for the next day's meals. If you find

any grain

weevils in the rice, remove them. Pick out lentils, bran, sand, and pebbles carefully.

While you

are preparing the rice

and vegetables

in this way, your

assistant should chant a sutra for the guardian spirit of the hearth.

When

preparing the vegetables and the soup ingredients to be cooked,

do not discuss the quantity or quality of these materials which have been obtained from the monastery

officers; just

prepare

them with sincerity. Most

of all you should avoid getting upset or complaining about the quantity of the food materials.

You should

practice in such a

way

that things

mind returns and abides in things,

abide in your mind, and your

come and

all

through

the day and night.

Organize the ingredients start

cooking

after

boiling rice and

closely with clear eyes;

way, put

it

in pots,

boil rice,

bamboo

know

baskets or

morning meal before midnight, and

midnight. After the morning meal, clean the pots

making soup

away from the sink when the

you

for the

for

As tenzo you should not be the noon meal is being washed. Watch

for the next meal.

rice for

do not waste even one

make a fire, and that the water

is

boil

it.

grain.

Wash

it

in the proper

An ancient master said, "When

your own

life."

wooden buckets, and then

set

Put the boiled

them onto

rice into

trays.

While

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

56 the rice

is

You should

boiling, cook the vegetables and soup.

and soup being cooked.

supervise the rice

assistant, other helpers, or the

personally

When you need utensils,

ask the

oven attendant to get them. Recently in some

large monasteries positions like the rice

cook or soup cook have been created,

but this should be the work of the tenzo. There was not a rice cook or a soup

cook in olden days; the tenzo was completely responsible

When

for all cooking.

you prepare food, do not see with ordinary eyes and do not think

with ordinary mind. Take up a blade of grass* and construct a treasure king's land;* enter into a particle of dust and turn the great

dharma wheel.

Do not arouse disdainful mind when you prepare a broth of wild grasses; do mind when you prepare

not arouse joyful

a fine

cream soup. Where there

no discrimination, how can there be distaste? Thus, do not be

is

careless even

when you work with poor materials, and sustain your efforts even when you have excellent materials. Never change your attitude according to the materials. If

you do,

it is

like varying

your

trutl)

when speaking with different

people; then you are not a practitioner of the way.

you encourage yourself with complete

If

monks

ceed

oughness. The way for you to attain this

soup

sincerity,

you

will

want

to ex-

of old in wholeheartedness and ancient practitioners in thor-

for three cents in the

of wild grasses for that

is

by trying to make a

fine

same way that monks of old could make

little. It is difficult

cream

a broth

because the present and olden

times differ as greatly as the distance between heaven and earth; no one

now

can be compared with those of ancient times. However,

if

thoroughly there will be a way to surpass them. If this

not yet clear to

you it

is

is

you practice

because your thoughts run around like a wild horse and your feelings

jump about back and

like a

reflect

monkey

in the forest.

When

the

upon themselves, freedom from

monkey and

all

horse step

discrimination

is

real-

ized naturally.

This

is

the

way

to turn things while being turned

self

harmonious and wholehearted

two

eyes.

This

is

sentient beings.

it

a

lose

one eye,* or

into a sixteen-foot golden

golden body and turn

a miraculous transformation

by things. Keep your-

way and do not

Taking up a green vegetable, turn

bo(dy;4 take a sixteen-foot leaf.

in this

it

into a green vegetable

work of buddha

that benefits

Instruction for the Tenzo

57

4

When the food where

it

has been cooked, examine

should go and

set it there.

it,

then carefully study the place

You should not miss even one

from morning to evening. Each time the drum

is

activity

hit or the bell struck,

follow the assembly in the monastic schedule of morning zazen and evening practice instruction.*

When the

you return to the kitchen, you should shut your eyes and count

number of monks who

number of monks who

are present in the

are in their

own

monks'

aged monks' quarters, in the entry hall,* or out

one

else in the

monastery.

hall.

Also count the

quarters, in the infirmary, in the for the day,

You must count them

and then every-

careflilly. If

you have the

slightest question, ask the officers, the heads of the various halls or their assistants, or the

When

is

settled, calculate the quantities of food

who need one

those

need

this

head monk.

half,

serving of rice, plan for that

full

you will need:

much;

for those

for

who

plan for that much. In the same manner you can also plan for a

serving of one-third, one-fourth, one-half, or two halves. In this way, serv-

ing a half portion to each of two people

the same as serving one average

is

Or if you plan to serve nine-tenths of one portion, you should notice how much is not prepared; or if you keep nine-tenths, how much is pre-

person.

pared.

When feel the

the assembly eats even one grain of rice from Luling,* they will

monk Guishan

in the tenzo,

and when the tenzo serves a grain of

this delicious rice, he will see Guishan's water buffalo' in the heart of the

assembly.

The water buffalo swallows Guishan, and Guishan herds the water

buffalo.

Have you measured

correctly or not?

Have the

counted correctly or not? You should review

others you consulted

this closely

and

clarify

recting the kitchen according to the situation. This kind of practice after effort,

day

after

day

— should

it,

di-

effort

never be neglected.

When a donor visits the monastery and makes a contribution for the noon meai, discuss this donation with the other

officers.

This

is

way of Zen monasteries. In the same manner, you should share

own

all offerings.

duties.

Do

the traditional discuss

how

to

not assume another person's functions or neglect your

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

58

When you

have cooked the noon meal or morning meal according to the

regulations, put the food on trays, put on your kashaya, spread your

bowing

cloth,* face the direction of the monks' hall, offer incense, and do nine

When

bows.

the

bows

fiill

are completed, begin sending out the food.

Prepare the meals day and night in this way without wasting time. If there

and associated

sincerity in your cooking

is

activities,

will be an act of nourishing the sacred body. This

whatever you do

also the

is

way of ease and

joy for the great assembly.

Although we have been studying Buddha's teaching

in

Japan

for a

long

time, no one has yet recorded or taught about the regulations for preparing

food for the monks' community, not to mention the nine bows facing the

monks'

which people

hall,

in our country regard the

country have not even dreamed

in this

cooking in monasteries

as

the manners of animals and birds. If this were so

of.

People

no more developed than

it

would be quite

regret-

How can this be?

table.

During

my

Mt. Tiantong, a

stay at

priest

'named Yong from Qingyuan

One day

Prefecture held the position of tenzo.

after the

noon meal when

I

was walking along the eastern covered walkway to a sub-temple called

Chaoran Hut, he was in the sun.

He had

a

buddha

in front of the

bamboo

stick in his

sun was very hot, scorching the pavement.

bone was bent I

went up

like a

bow and

to the tenzo

his

hall

It

his head.

The

looked very painful; his back-

eyebrows were

and asked,

drying some mushrooms

hand and no hat on

"How long

as

white

as a crane.

have you been a

monk?"

"Sixty-eight years," he replied.

"Why don't you let a helper do

it?"

"Others are not myself."

"Reverend

Sir,

you follow regulations

exactly,

but

as the

sun

is

so hot

why do you work so hard as this?" "Until when should I wait?" So way,

I

I

stopped talking. As

I

was walking further along the covered walk-

thought about how important the tenzo's position

is.

6 In the fifth a ship at

month of the

sixteenth year of Jiading [1223},

Qingyuan. One time while

1

I

was staying on

was talking with the captain, a

monk

Instruction for the Tenzo

about sixty years old came on board.

He

talked to a Japanese merchant and

then bought some mushrooms from Japan.

He was

asked where he came from. "I

am

from Shu

59

invited

I

in western China," he said,

him

to have tea

"and have been away from

my native place for forty years. Now I am sixty-one years old. monasteries in various places. of Guyun Temple at Mt. the

Ayuwang,

community and have been

practice period was over, is

rooms, so

I

I

wanted

made

monks from

priest

have visited

Daoquan became abbot

went to Mt. Ayuwang and entered

when

the

summer

month,* but

I

have nothing good to

offer the

we did not have mushsome mushrooms to offer to the

a noodle soup, but

a special trip here to get

the ten directions."

"When did you

asked him,

"After the

I

there ever since. Last year

make

to

so

I

was appointed tenzo of the monastery. Tomorrow

I

the fifth day of the fifth

community.

I

Some years ago,

and

Ayuwang.

the tenzo of Mt.

leave there?"

noon meal."

"How far is Mt. Ayuwang?" "Thirty-four or thirty-five //* [about twelve miles}."

"When are you going "I will I

Is it

said,

go back

as

back to your monastery?"

soon

as

I

have bought mushrooms."

"Today we met unexpectedly and had a conversation on

this ship.

me offer you a meal,

Reverend

not a good causal relationship? Please

let

Tenzo." "It

is

not possible. If

don't oversee tomorrow's offering,

I

it

will not be

good." "Is there not

Even

if

someone

one tenzo

is

else in the

monastery

who

understands cooking?

missing, will something be lacking?"

my old age. This is the fulfillment of many How can 1 delegate my responsibility to others? Besides,

"I have taken this position in

years of practice. I

did not ask for permission to stay out." I

again asked the tenzo, "Honorable Tenzo,

why

don't you concentrate

on zazen practice and on the study of the ancient masters' words rather than troubling yourself by holding the position of tenzo and just working? there anything

good about

The tenzo laughed

a lot

Is

it?"

and replied, "Good

man from

a foreign country,

you do not yet understand practice or know the meaning of the words of ancient masters."

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

6o

Hearing him respond I

"What

asked him,

The tenzo

come

this way,

words?

are

I

suddenly

What

you penetrate

said, "If

is

this question,

But I did not understand. Then the tenzo

the

ashamed and surprised,

so

how

can you

to be-

fail

a person of understanding.-

this, please

come and

"The sun

do not understand

said, "If you

me at Mt. Ayuwang some time. We will discuss He spoke in this way, and then he stood up and be down. I must hurry." And he left.

see

meaning of words."

said,

felt

practice?"

will soon

month of the same year, I was staying at Mt. Tiantong when Ayuwang came to see me and said, "After the summer practice

In the seventh the tenzo of

period

is

over,

I

am

heard from a fellow

come I

going to

monk

retire as

that

tenzo and return to

you were staying here, so

my I

native place.

thought

I

should

I

to see you."

was moved with

joy. I

served

him

tea

and we talked.

When I referred to

the discussion of words and practice which had taken place on the ship, the

tenzo said, "To study words you must in practice I

asked,

you must know the origin of practice."

"What

The tenzo I

"Nothing

I

said,

asked again,

We

know the origin of words. To endeavor

are

words?"

"One, two,

"What

three, four, five."

practice?"

is

in the entire universe

talked about

many

know a little about words

help of the tenzo.

I

told

is

hidden."

other things, which

I

will not introduce now. If

or understand practice,

it is

because of the great

my late master Myozen about this in detail,

and he

was extremely pleased. I

later

found a verse which Xuedou wrote for a monk:

Through one word, even

if

or seven words, or three times five,

you thoroughly investigate myriad forms

nothing can be depended upon. Night advances, the moon glows and

falls

into the ocean.

The black dragon jewel* you have been searching

What all

the

the tenzo had told

more

me

that the tenzo

for

is

everywhere.^

corresponded with Xuedou's poem. So

was truly a person of the way.

I

knew

Instruction for the Tenzo

By studying

this

two, three, four,

monks of

Fellow

6

poem we know that the words we saw before were one, the words we see now are six, seven, eight, nine, ten

five;

later generations,

from

this

you should understand prac-

and from that you should understand words.

tice

way, you will understand pure one-taste

If

you make

en* beyond words.

effort in this If

you do not

make such an effort, you will be troubled with the poison of five -taste Zen. * Then you will not be

able to prepare the monks' food properly.

8

We

can hear ancient stories and see present examples of

tion of tenzo.

Much

monks

in the posi-

has been written and explained about this.

It is

the

heart of the practice of the way.

Even

if

you become the abbot of a monastery, you should have

mind. Regulations for Zen Monasteries attentively

and

plentifully.

Make

states,

not lacking, just as the World-honored

"Prepare both meals of the day

One offered

life.*

his descendants the gift

The merit of the

light

the smallest portion of the white hair tuft* between his eyes

In this regard,

it

same

certain that the four types of offering* are

of the twenty remaining years of his

ible.

this

how

just tnink about

also states,

is

from even inexhaust-

best to serve the

assembly, and do not worry about limitations. If you have unlimited mind,

you will have limitless happiness." This

the

is

way the abbot

attentively

serves the assembly.

9 In the art of cooking, the essential consideration

is

to have a deeply sincere

and respectful mind regardless of the fineness or coarseness of the materials. Isn't

so, that

it

had washed

by offering to the Tathagata a bowl of water with which she

rice, a

By

various

lives ?^

created

wholesome

woman

obtained inconceivable merit throughout her

offering half a

mango*

to a monastery,

roots as the last act of his

life.

from Buddha prediction of attaining the way and

Even

a large offering to

wnich

is

sincere.

This

is

Buddha,

if insincere, is

As

King Ashoka

a result, he received

realized the great fruit.

not as good as a small one

the right practice for people.

A refined cream soup is not necessarily better than a broth of wild grasses. When

you gather and prepare wild

grasses,

make

it

equal to a fine cream

soup with your true mind, sincere mind, and pure mind. This

is

because

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS

62

when you

you do not notice the

like a furnace.

How much

wild grasses. The

taste of

more

so

when you bring

is

an ancient saying that monks' mouths axe

You should be aware of this. Know

that even wild grasses can

nourish the sacred body and bring forth the buds of the way.

them

low or take

as

forth

way and nourish the sacred body. Fine cream and wild grasses

and not two. There

are equal

cream or the

taste of fine

^reat ocean has only one taste.

the buds of the

buddha-dharma

the undefiled ocean of

serve the assembly

A

this lightly.

Do not regard

guiding master of humans and devas

should be able to benefit others with wild grasses.

Again, do not consider the merits or faults of the monks in the

and do not consider whether they are old or young.

nity,

If

commu-

you cannot even

know what categories you fall into, how can you know about others? If you judge others from your own limited point of view, how can you avoid being mistaken? Although the seniors and those who came after differ in appearance,

all

members of

the

community

had shortcomings yesterday can sacred and

what

is

act correctly today.

you have the

freely

who

Who can know what is

ordinary? Regulations for Zen Monasteries states, "A

whether ordinary or sacred can pass If

are equal. Furthermore, those

monk

through the ten directions.

not dwelling in the realm of right and wrong,"

spirit or

how can this not be the practice of directly entering unsurpassable wisdom? However,

if

are facing

it.

in this

you do not have

this spirit,

The bones-and-marrow of

kind of effort. The monks

you will miss

it

even though you

the ancient masters

who will

is

to be found

hold the position of tenzo in the

future can attain the bones-and-marrow only by

making such an effort.

How

can the rules of reverend ancestor Baizhang* be in vain?

10 After

I

came back

to

Japan

I

stayed for a few years at

Kennin Monastery,

where they had the tenzo's position but did not understand its meaning. Although they used the name tenzo, those who held the position did not have the proper tice, so

how

spirit.

They did not even know

is

a buddha's prac-

it is

a pity that they

that this

could they endeavor in the way? Indeed

have not met a real master and are passing time in vain, violating the practice

of the way.

When

I

saw the

monk who

held the tenzo's position in

Kennin Monastery, he did not personally manage all of the preparations for the morning and noon meals. He used an ignorant, insensitive servant, and

Instruction for the Tenzo

he had him do everything

He

both the important and the unimportant

never checked whether the servant's it

woman

living next door.

down,

work was done

would be shameful or inappropriate

though

He

stayed in his

to

correctly or not, as

do so

like

watching a lie

and months he did not come

buy cooking equipment, or think about menus.

known

tasks.

own room, where he would

chat, read sutras, or chant. For days

close to a pan,

63

How could

buddha activities? Furthermore, he would not even have dreamed of nine bows before sending the meals out. When it he have

comes time regrettable

not

that these are

to train a it is

young monk, he

that he

is

met someone who

a

still

will not

know

anything.

man without way-seeking mind and

has the virtue of the way.

How

that he has

It is just like

returning

empty-handed after entering a treasure mountain or coming back unadorned after reaching the

"'

ocean or jewels. 'y taking up .the-mind,.£idierj2^ stud V the

To

way with

and inherit the brocade robe,* to

correctly transmit

attained

my marrow,"*

and to pound

rice*

dxill^J^^ not-thinking^.

thinj^i^ig^jj^}^

to

make

bows and return

three

and receive the robe

this

Shaving the head and wearing the robe

studying

is

itself

is

say,

"You have

to the original place,

mind with mind.

turning the

mind and

illuminating the mind. Leaving the castle and entering the mountains

is

leaving one mind and entering one mind. To directly enter the mountains is

to think not-thinking.

To

leave the

Those who have

up

tnis

rolled

world behind

is

nonthinking.

matter into wide-open eyeballs are two or

who have tampered with it by karma-consciousness are

three bushels. Those

thousands and millions of pieces?

When you study the way in tnis manner of

having the

itself;

the nostrils of the

result,

buddha

— having —you

merit, the result comes

merit does not arrive ancestors and have

the hoof of a donkey* you will have

it

them

imprint the

will secretly

borrow

exhale; and taking seal of

up

enlightenment.

These are authentic examples of the ancient tradition.

3

Now

mountains,

just this

say

moment, what

mountains,

rivers,

stars are

mind. At

that appears directly in front of you?

When we

rivers, earth, the sun, the is it

and earth

rivers,

we do

moon, and

not merely

mean

the mountains,

and earth where you are standing. There are various kinds of moun-

tains such as Great

some

widely,

rise

Sumeru* and Small Sumeru; some mountains extend

up

steeply.

A

billion worlds

and innumerable lands can

be found in a mountain. There are mountains suspended in form; there are

mountains suspended There are

also

in emptiness.

many

kinds of waters: heavenly rivers, earthly rivers, the

four great rivers. There are lakes without heat; in the Great Northern

tinent the heatless lake Anavatapta

There

are oceans

Earth is

is

not necessarily ground and ground is

mind-ground, there

the varieties are innumerable, is

a

Con-

the source of the four great rivers.

and there are pools.

earth-ground, there

there

is

it is

world where emptiness

is

is

not necessarily earth. There

is

treasure-ground. Although

not that there earth.

is

no earth, but invariably

Body-and-Mind Study of the Way

The

moon, and

sun,

by humans and by devas

stars as seen

same, and the views of various beings

come

or go?

death or not?

How

birth

it

a

Is

more of

there

it

do we understand

are not the

Views about one mind Is it

inside or outside?

at birth or not? Is there less of

this birth

it

at

and death, and views of

and death?

All this is

differ widely.

Yet these views are nothing but mind.

differ as well.

Does

89

is

merely a

moment

moment of mountains,

rivers,

and

exist nor

two of mind.

or

A moment or two of mind

and earth, or two moments of mountains,

rivers,

earth. Because mountains, rivers, earth,

do not

tainable, not

exist,

and so forth neither

they are not large or small, not attainable or unat-

knowable or unknowable, not penetrable or impenetrable.

They neither change with

realization, nor

change without

realization. Just

wholeheartedly accept and trust that to study the way with mind

mind

mountains-rivers-and-earth

itself

is

this

thoroughly engaged in studying

the way.

This trust and acceptance nonexistent.

To study

is

in this

neither large nor small, neither existent nor

manner

— understanding

home, abandoning home, and entering the homeless surable as large or small, near or

far. It is

it

that

—

home

this

is

is

no-

not mea-

beyond beginning or end, beyond

ascending or descending. Broaching the subject,*

Responding immediately,

life

benefits the self

it is

seven or eight

and others. All

this

is

feet.

*

nothing

but the study of the way.

4 Because the study of the way

Other than

this there

universe-mind-only.

is

like this, walls, tiles,

and pebbles

are

mind.

no triple-world-mind-only, and no phenomenal-

is

Mind

is

walls, tiles,

and pebbles, put together before

the Xiantong Era* and taken apart after the Xiantong Era, splattered with

mud and soaking wet. to attract a pearl is

,

Binding the

and the

melted. Sometimes

duced to extremely

ability to be a pearl in water.

it is

fine

self with no-rope,*

crushed. There are times

powder.

Mind

way running

the

way turning somersaults

a wall less

barefoot

who

when

the pearl

this pearl

is

re-

manner the mind

studies

The mind

studies

can get a glimpse of

all

has the power

does not converse with bare pillars

or rub shoulders with hanging lanterns. In this

the

mind

Some days

it?

things tumble over with

it.

At

this

time

crumbling away allows you to study the ten directions, and the gate-

gate allows you to study the four quarters.

PHILOSOPHICAL WORKS

90

The thought of enlightenment can occur within birth-and-death, within nirvana. It

It

can also occur without concern for birth-and-death and nirvana.

does not depend upon the place where

place where

it

occurs, nor

it

occurs.

Conditions do not arouse

and knowledge does not arouse

it,

thought of enlightenment arouses

itself.

This arousing

enlightenment. The thought of enlightenment existent, neither

good nor bad nor

Even beings

fering.

hindered by the

is it

enlightenment

neutral. It

is

is

time of arising;

The

neither existent nor non-

not the result of past suf-

in the blissful realms can arouse

arises just at the

it.

the thought of

is

it is

it.

The thought of

not limited by condi-

tions.

Just

now

the thought of enlightenment

arouses the thought of enlightenment.

enment seems

to create conditions,

it

is

aroused; the entire universe

Although the thought of enlightactually does not encounter condi-

tions.

The thought of enlightenment and conditions together hold out a

single

hand

midst of

all

a single

hand held out

freely, a single

hand held out

Thus the thought of enlightenment

being.

in the

aroused even in

is

the realm of hell, hungry ghosts, animals, and malevolent spirits.

6 "Bits and pieces of straightforward

moment

after

moment

pieces, but all bits

The

and

all

the bits and pieces

mind. Not only one or two

pieces.

lotus leaf

round

The

mind" means

are straightforward

perfectly round,

is

as a mirror.

tip of the water chestnut

is

extremely sharp,

sharp as a gimlet/

Although straightforward mind resembles a mirror,

Though

it

resembles a gimlet,

it is

bits

As for the mind of the ancient buddhas, Dazheng, "What

is

the

mind

and

it is

bits

and

pieces.

pieces.

a monk once asked National Teacher

of the ancient buddhas?"

Body -and- Mind Study of the Way

The master This being not walls, the

91

said, "Walls, tiles, pebbles."^ so,

tiles,

you should know that the mind of the ancient buddhas

and pebbles, and that walls,

tiles,

is

and pebbles are not called

mind of the ancient buddhas. The mind of the ancient buddhas

is

stud-

ied in this way.

8 "Everyday mind" means to maintain an everyday mind in this world or in

any world. Yesterday goes forth from

from

this place.

this

moment, and today comes

With going the boundless sky goes, with coming

earth comes. This

is

forth

the entire

everyday mind.

Everyday mind opens the gate of the inner chamber. * Because thousands of gates and myriads of doors open and close

all at

once,

it is

everyday mind.

Now this boundless sky and entire earth are like unrecognized words, a voice from the deep. Words are all-inclusive, mind

is

all-inclusive, things are all-

inclusive.

Although there

is

and death, the body

do not know

it, if

body*

is

it

of this

life

in the least.

Even

if

of birth

never known. Even though you

you arouse the thought of enlightenment, you

forward on the way of enlightenment. The

doubt

moment

birth and death in each after the final

moment

you should doubt

it,

is

this

will

already here. is

move

Do not

nothing but every-

day mind.

9

To study the way with the body means the study of the

to study the

way with your own

way using this lump of red flesh. The body comes

body.

It is

forth

from the study of the way. Everything which comes forth from the

study of the way

The body.

is

the true

human

body. *

entire world of the ten directions

The coming and going of

To turn

this

is

nothing but the true

birth and death

is

the true

human

human body.

body around, abandoning the ten unwholesome actions,*

keeping the eight precepts,* taking refuge in the three treasures,* and leaving

home and

For this reason

it is

entering the homeless called the true

not be like outsiders

who

life, is

the true study of the way.

human body. Those who follow this must

* hold the view of spontaneous enlightenment.

PHILOSOPHICAL WORKS

92

10

Zen Master Dazhi of Baizhang

said, "If

you attach to the view that original

purity and original emancipation are buddha, or follower of the outsiders'

This teaching

is

Zen

practice,

you

are a

way of spontaneous enlightenment."^

not the broken furniture of an abandoned house, but the

and accumulated virtue of studying the way. The body

collected efforts

suddenly leaps up, transparently clear in eight directions.

entwined around

It

drops away,

* a tree like wisteria.

Baizhang 's words are nothing but manifesting this body, awakening beings,

and expounding the dharma; manifesting another's body, awakening

beings, and expounding the dharma; not manifesting this body, awaken-

ing beings, and expounding the dharma; not manifesting another's body,

awakening beings, and expounding the dharma. Then again, his words are not expounding the dharma.

Thus, stops off

all

moment of dropping away of the body, there is a voice that sound. At the moment of renouncing worldly life, the arm is cut at the

and the marrow

the eon of the

yourself

is

is

attained.

Even

King of Emptiness,*

if

you 'begin to study the way before

still

your practice

as a

descendant of

endless.

II

"The

entire world of the ten directions"

means the ten directions

entire world. East, west, south, north, the four mid-points, up, are the ten directions. Consider the

moment when

front

are the

and down

and back,

vertical

and horizontal are thoroughly mastered. To consider means to understand and to resolve that

this

human

body, undivided by self and others,

entire world of the ten directions. This

because directions are all-inclusive and

is

to hear

all

is

the

what has never been heard,

worlds are alike.

"The human body" means the four great elements* and the dhas.* However, none of these elements and skandhas

is

fully

five

skan-

understood

by ordinary people; only sages thoroughly master them. Now,j)enetrate the ten directions within one particle of dusJL^byt

do not confine them

particle of dust. Construct a

buddha

particle of dust,

hall

and

a

hall

within a single,

and construct the entire world in the monks'

hall

and the

way the human body is constructed, and such construccomes from the human body. This is the meaning of "The entire world

ku_^^l!l!!' In this tion

monks'

to one

Body-and-Mind Study of the Way of the ten directions

the true

is

human

body."

Do

93

not follow the mistaken

views of spontaneous or natural enlightenment.

Because

it is

not in the realm of the measurable, the true

not broad or narrow.

The

human body

entire world of the ten directions

is

is

eighty-four

thousand dharma-expounding skandhas, eighty-four thousand samadhis,

and eighty-four thousand dharams.* Because the eighty-four thousand

dharma-expounding skandhas the

dharma wheel

is

are turning the

turned, the true

and extends throughout

time.

all

human body is this moment it

unlimited; the true

ment

it is

you, at

dharma wheel, the moment

human body covers

not that the true

It is

human

just the true

who

is I,

is

the true

Without missing

entire world of the ten directions.

the whole universe

human body

body. At this

human

is

mo-

body, the

these points

we must

study the way.

Even

if

you were to renounce the body or accept the body

for three great

eons, for thirteen great eons or for innumerable eons, invariably this

is

the

moment to study the way, to study the way backwards and forwards. To bow to the floor and to bow standing is dignified bearing* in motion and

stillness.

Painting a decayed tree* and polishing a brick* of dead ash*

continues without stopping. Even though calendar days are short and urgent, study of the

Although the homeless realm

way

life

manner

who

Even

as that of farmers.

if

Do

profound and deep.

is

have abandoned

may appear bleak and

that of woodcutters.

same

in this

of those

lonely,

it

home and

entered the

should not be confused with

they are continually active, their

life is

not the

not get caught up in discussions of delusion or

enlightenment, good or bad.

Do

not stay in the realm of wrong or right,

true or false.

12

"Coming and going of birth and death even though birth-and-death

is

is

the true

human body" means

where ordinary people

that

drift about, it is

where great sages are liberated. Merely going beyond the ordinary and

sur-

seven kinds of birth and death,

human body. Although there are two or when they are thoroughly mastered they are

not to be feared, as each one of

them

passing the sage

is

this so?

you

Not

is

not the true

is

nothing but birth and death.

abandoning birth, you see death.

see birth. Birth does not hinder death.

Neither birth nor death

is

known

Not abandoning

Death does not hinder

by ordinary people. Birth

How

death,

birth. is

like a

PHILOSOPHICAL WORKS

94 cypress tree.* Death

hinder a cypress

and death is

is

like

an iron man.* Even

tree, birth is

never hindered by death. Accordingly, birth

are the study of the way. Birth

not like two

rolls

cypress tree were to

if a

of cloth. Death

is

not like one sheet of cloth; death

is

not the opposite of birth; birth

is

not

the opposite of death.

Zen Master Yuanwu

said, "Birth

activity. Filling up the great

and

is

undivided

Death

is is

undivided always bits

pieces.

You should quietly pursue and examine ter

activity.

empty sky, straightforward mind

Yuanwu once

said this,

these words.

Although Zen Mas-

he did not understand that birth-and-death fur-

ther overflows undivided activity.

When you study coming and going, in

eoing there

death there

is

is

in

coming there

birth-and-death. In birth there

is

as

birth-and-death,

coming and going,

coming and going. Coming and going

with the entire world of the ten directions

is

is

to fly in

and

fly

in

out

two or three wings, and to

walk forward and backward with the entire world of the ten directions

as

three or five feet.

With

birth

and death

directions, the true

When it is

human

head and

tail,

the entire world of the ten

body, freely turns the body and flaps the brain.

turning the body* and flapping the brain,

inside a particle of dust. It

thousand-foot is

as its

the vast

flat

cliff.

Where

there

earth. In this

the vast

is

is

flat

earth,

true

human body

is

the size of a penny, it is

a sheer eight-

a sheer eight-thousand-foot cliff, there

way the

true

human body

Southern and Northern continents. To examine this

The

it is

the bones and

is

is

manifested as the

the study of the way.

marrow of the realm beyond con-

sciousness and unconsciousness.* Just raising this

up

is

the study of the

way.

On the ninth day,

ninth month, third year of Ninji [1242] this was taught

to the assembly at

Horin Monastery. Translated by

Dan Welch and Kazuaki Tanahashi

PART THREE

Poetic Imagery

Sutra

,aters

SANSUI-KYO

Mountains and waters right now way. Each, abiding in

its

are the actualization of the ancient

phenomenal expression,*

Because mountains and waters have been active since before the

Eon,* they

are alive at this

buddha

realizes completeness.

moment. Because they have been

Empty

the self* since

before form arose they are emancipation-realization.

Because mountains are high and broad, the way of riding the clouds

is

always reached in the mountains; the inconceivable power of soaring in the

wind comes

Priest

freely

from the mountains?

3 Daokai of Mt. Furong said to the assembly, "The green mountains

are always walking; a stone

woman gives

Mountains do not lack the

birth to a child at night."*

qualities of mountains. Therefore they always

abide in ease and always walk.

You should examine

in detail this quality of

the mountains' walking.

Mountains' walking

is

just like

human walking/ 97

Accordingly, do not

POETIC IMAGERY

98

doubt mountains' walking even though

it

walking. The buddha ancestors' words point to walking. This tal

understanding. You

human

does not look the same as is

fundamen-

should penetrate these words.

4 Because green mountains walk, they are permanent/ Although they walk

someone

swiftly than the wind,

more

or understand

it.

in the

mountains does not

realize

"In the mountains" means the blossoming of the entire

world * People outside the mountains do not realize or understand the moun.

tains walking.

Those without eyes

stand, see, or hear this as If it is

to see

mountains cannot

realize,

under-

it is.

you doubt mountains' walking, you do not know your own walking;

know or understand your know your own walking, you should fully know

not that you do not walk, but that you do not

own walking.

Since you do

the green mountains' walking.

Green mountains

are neither sentient nor insentient.

sentient nor insentient/

At

this

You

are neither

moment,, you cannot doubt the green

mountains' walking.

You should study the green mountains, using numerous worlds standards.

your

You should

clearly

also

ward walking* and investigate the has never stopped since the very

If

your

examine the green mountains' walking and

own walking. You should

of the

as

examine walking backward and back-

fact that

moment

walking forward and backward

before form arose, since the time

King of the Empty Eon.*

walking stops, buddha ancestors do not appear. If walking ends, the

buddha-dharma cannot reach the present. Walking forward does not cease; walking backward does not cease. Walking forward does not obstruct walking backward. Walking backward does not obstruct walking forward. This is

called the mountains' flow

and the flowing mountains.

6 Green mountains master walking and eastern mountains master traveling on water. 7 Accordingly, these activities are a mountain's practice. Keeping its

own

form, without changing body and mind, a mountain always prac-

tices in every place.

Mountains and Waters Sutra

99

Don't slander by saying that a green mountain cannot walk and an eastern

mountain cannot

When your understanding is shallow, you mountains are walking." When your learning is

on water.

travel

doubt the phrase, "Green

immature, you are shocked by the words "flowing mountains." Without fially

understanding even the words "flowing water," you drown in small

views and narrow understanding.

Yet the characteristics of mountains manifest their form® and

There

walking, there

is

buddha

flowing, and there

is

mountain

gives birth to a

child. Because

ancestors appear in this

Even

if

you

see

mountains

is

a

way.

it; it is

this is not returning to the source.

be attached

not complete realization. Even

all

buddhas

Even

to.

if

Even

if

you understand mountains

practice, this understanding

conditioned views. This

looking through a

if

is

at a corner

as

not only this. These are

is

of the sky. rejected by the great sage.

and explaining true nature"

ancestors. Seeing into

as the

not something to

not the understanding of buddha ancestors, but

is

bamboo tube

Turning an object and turning the mind'^ Explaining the mind

is

you have the highest understanding of mountains

buddhas' inconceivable qualities, the truth

just

do not

moment when you view mountains as the seven treasures* shining,

realm where

all

moment when a mountain

a

mountains are buddha ancestors,

as grass, trees, earth, rocks, or walls,

take this seriously or worry about there

is

life-force. *

mind and

is

not agreeable to buddha

seeing into true nature"

is

the activity of

people outside the way. Set words and phrases are not the words of liberation.

There is something free from all of these understandings: "Green moun-

and "Eastern mountains

tains are always walking,"

travel

on water." You

should study this in detail.

7

"A stone woman gives birth

when

a barren

woman gives

to a child at night"

birth to a child

is

means that the moment

called "night."*

There are male stones, female stones, and nonmale nonfemale stones."

They

and

are placed in the sky

in the earth

and are called heavenly stones

and earthly stones. These are explained in the ordinary world, but not many people actually

know about

You should understand

moment

it.

the

meaning of giving

of giving birth to a child,

You should study not only

that

is

birth to a child.

At the

the mother separate from the child?

you become

a

mother when your child

is

POETIC IMAGERY

IO

born, but also that you become a child. " This birth in practice-realization.

the actualization of giving

is

You should study and

investigate this thor-

oughly.

8 Great Master Kuangzhen of Yunmen

said, "Eastern

mountains

travel

on

water.'"'

The

reason these words were brought forth

ern mountains, and

all

is

that

eastern mountains travel

all

mountains

are east-

on water. Because of

this,

Nine Mountains,* Mt. Sumeru,* and other mountains appear and have practice-realization These are called "eastern mountains." But could Yun.

men and

marrow of the

penetrate the skin, flesh, bones, and

eastern mountains

their vital practice-realization?

9

Now

in

Great Song China there

cannot be

set straight

illogical;

travel

what they mean

buddha ancestors'

groups; they

on water," or Nanquan's story of

is

stories,

expressions. In this

a sickle,*

words having to do with logical

that any

thought are not buddha ancestors' Zen are

who form

by the few true masters. They say that the statement,

"The eastern mountains is

are careless fellows

and that only

illogical stories

way they consider Huangbo's

staff

and Linji's shout as beyond logic and unconcerned with thought; they regard these as great enlightenments that precede the arising of form.

"Ancient masters used expedient phrases, which are beyond understanding, to slash entangled vines"*: People

who

say this have never seen a true

master and they have no eye of understanding. They are immature, foolish fellows not even worth discussing. In

China these

last

two or three hundred

years, there have been many groups of bald-headed rascals. What a pity! The great road of buddha ancestors is crumbling. People who hold this view

are not even as

good

as listeners of the

Small Vehicles* and are more foolish

than those outside the way. They are neither lay people nor monks, neither

human the

nor heavenly beings. They are more stupid than animals

who

learn

buddha way.

The

illogical stories

logical for you, not for

mentioned by you bald-headed fellows

buddha

ancestors.

are only

il-

Even though you do not under-

stand, you should not neglect studying the

buddha

ancestors' path of un-

derstanding. Even

understanding

is

Mountains and Waters Sutra

lOI

beyond understanding

in the end, your present

if it is

off the

mark.

have personally seen and heard

I

How

sad that they do not

many

know about

people like this in Song China.

the phrases of logical thought, or

penetrating logical thought in the phrases and stories! at

them

about

in China, they

illogical

show you the

words

is

had no response and remained only a distorted view. Even

if

When silent.

there

is

I

laughed

Their idea

no teacher to

original truth, your belief in spontaneous enlightenment

is

heretical.

10

You should know

that "eastern

mountains traveling on water

and marrow of the buddha ancestors. All waters appear eastern mountains. Accordingly,

Above

the sky.

all

waters are

all

all

mountains

ride

is

the bones

at the foot of the

on clouds and walk

in

mountains. Walking beyond and walking

within are both done on water. All mountains walk with their toes on

all

waters and splash there. Thus in walking there are seven paths vertical and eight paths horizontal. * This

is

practice-realization.

II

Water still,

is

neither strong nor weak, neither wet nor dry, neither

moving nor

neither cold nor hot, neither existent nor nonexistent, neither deluded

When water solidifies, it is harder than a diamond. Who When water melts, it is gentler than milk. Who can destroy

nor enlightened.

can crack it?

Do

should as the

it?

not doubt that these are the characteristics water manifests. reflect

on the moment when you

water of the ten directions. This

You

see the water of the ten directions is

not just studying the

moment moment

when human and heavenly beings see water; this is studying the when water sees water. Because water has practice-realization of water, water speaks of water. This is a complete understanding. You should go forward and backward and leap beyond the vital path where other fathoms other.

12 All beings do not see mountains and waters in the same way. see water as a jeweled

'

borne beings

ornament, but they do not regard jeweled ornaments

POETIC IMAGERY

102

as water.

What

their jeweled

ornaments

Some beings soms

as water.

Dragons

human realm corresponds to their water? We only see

in the

as water.

wondrous blossoms, but they do not use blos-

see water as

Hungry ghosts

Some beings

see water as a palace or a pavilion.

Some beings

seven treasures or a wish-granting jewel. or a wall.

Some

see

as

it

pus and blood.

see water as raging fire or

see water as the

see water as a forest

the dharma nature of pure liberation, the true

body, or as the form of body and essence of mind.

human

Water

see water as water.

is

Human

beings

seen as dead or alive depending on causes and

conditions.

Thus the views of

all

many forms suit.

as

beings are not the same.

many ways

matter now. Are there

You should question

to see one thing, or

is it

this

a mistake to see

one thing? You should pursue this beyond the limit of pur-

Accordingly, endeavors in practice-realization of the

way

are not lim-

one or two kinds. The ultimate realm has one thousand kinds and

ited to

ten thousand ways.

When we for various

think about the meaning of this,

beings but there

to all types of beings.

is

for these various

Water

is

arise

is

is

water

no water common

kinds of beings does not

from actions, does not depend on

freedom depends only on water.

self or other. Water's

Therefore, water

seems that there

no original water —— there

But water

depend on mind or body, does not

ness.

it

is

not just earth, water,

fire,

wind, space, or conscious-

not blue, yellow, red, white, or black. Water

is

not forms,

sounds, smells, tastes, touchables, or mind-objects. But water as earth, water,

fire,

wind, and space

For this reason, right

now

resting

or

it is

how such

realizes itself.

difficult to say

who

is

creating this land and palace

things are being created. To say that the world

on the wheel of space or on the wheel of wind

self or the truth of others.

People speak this

Such a statement

way because they think that

without having a place on which to

is

it

is

is

not the truth of the

based only on a small view.

must be impossible

to exist

rest.

13

Buddha

said: "All things are

ultimately liberated. There

is

nowhere that

they abide.

You should know

that even

though

to anything, they abide in their

all

things are liberated and not tied

own phenomenal

expression. However,

— Mountains and Waters Sutra

103

when most huin!1 bdng&^e^W tier they only see that it flows unceasingly. This is a limited human view; there are actually many kiads of flowing. Water flows on the

—

e

j

^- jjL^J^

sjcy^^

and downward.

^ipwarcJi

It

around a single curve - many bottomless abysses.- When — or into ,

.

When it descends

becomes clouds.

—

it

can flow

it rises it

forms abysses.

-

*

14

Wenzi

ihe path

said,

or water

becomes raindrops; when

Even

it falls

is

such that

a secular person can speak this way.

dants of buddha ancestors should

feel

an ordinary person. The path of water

by water.

"When

to the sky,

it rises

to the heavens

it

it

it rises

to the sky.

it

becomes rivers.""

You who call

yourselves descen-

ashamed of being more ignorant than is

not noticed by water, but

not unnoticed by water, but

It is

when

to the ground,

is

realized

is

realized

by water.

becomes raindrops" means that water

rises

and skies everywhere and forms raindrops. Raindrops vary

according to the different worlds. To say that there are places water does not reach

is

the teaching of the listeners of the Small Vehicles or the mistaken

teaching of people outside the way. Water exists inside

fire

and inside mind,

thought, and ideas. Water also exists within the wisdom of realizing bud-

dha nature.

"When

it falls

reaches the

to the ground,

ground

it

becomes

turns into rivers.

it

rivers"

The

means that when water

essence of the rivers becomes

wise people.

Now

ordinary fools and mediocre people think that water

rivers or oceans,

ingly, even

that

but this

where there

when water

falls

not

not a river or an ocean, there

down

always in

Rivers and oceans exist in water. Accord-

is is

so.

is

to the ground,

it

is

water. It

is

just

manifests the characteristics

of rivers and oceans.

Also do not think that where water forms

world and there

buddha lands

is

rivers or oceans there

is

no

no buddha land.* Even in a drop of water innumerable

appear. Therefore

it is

not a question of whether there

is

only

water in the buddha land or a buddha land in water.

The existence of water

is

not concerned with past, future, present, or the

phenomenal world. Yet water

Where buddha ancestors

is

actualization of the fundamental point.

reach, water never fails to appear. Because of this,

buddha ancestors always take up water and make

make

it

their thought.

it

their

body and mind,

POETIC IMAGERY

104

In this way, the words inside or outside of

ward and

"Water does not

rise" are not

found

in scriptures

Buddhism. The path of water runs upward and down-

in all directions.

However, one Buddhist sutra does

and

say, "Fire

air

go upward, earth

and water go downward.'"^ This "upward" and "downward" require examination. You should examine them from the Buddhist point of view.

Although you use the word "downward"

to describe the direction earth

and

water go, earth and water do not actually go downward. In the same way, the direction

and

fire

air

go

is

called

The phenomenal world does not the cardinal directions. It

is

upward. actually exist in terms of up,

elements* go. The Heaven of

ward nor the Avichi Hell*

or

tentatively designated according to the direc-

which the four great elements,*

tions in

down,

five

No Thought*

as

great elements,* or six great

should not be regarded

downward. The Avichi Hell

phenomenal world; the Heaven of

No Thought

is

is

the entire

as

up-

the entire

phenomenal

world.

i6

Now when dragons and fish see water as a palace, seeing a palace.

just like

running water," the dragons and

fish will

They do not think

you see as a palace

is

human beings If an outsider tells them, "What it is

it

flows.

be astonished,

we are when we hear the words, "Mountains flow." Nevertheless, may be some dragons and fish who understand that the columns and

just as

there

pillars of palaces

You should to be free

and pavilions are flowing water.

reflect

from your

and consider the meaning of

this. If

you will not be

you do not learn

from the body and mind of an ordinary person. Then you will not understand the land of

buddha

superficial views,

ancestors, or even the land or the palace of ordinary people.

Now human beings well know as water what in the river, but they

use as water.

Do

is

in the ocean

do not know what dragons and

and what

fish see as

is

water and

not foolishly suppose that what

we see as water is used as You who study with buddhas should not be limhuman views when you are studying water. You should study how

water by ited to

free

all

other beings.

you view the water used by buddha ancestors. You should study whether there is water or no water in the house of buddha ancestors.

.

Mountains and Waters Sutra

i5

1 Mountains have been the abode of great sages from the

Wise people and

limitless present.

chamber,

as their

sages

all

limitless past to the

have mountains as their inner

body and mind. Because of wise people and

sages,

moun-

tains appear.

You may think

that in

mountains many wise people and great sages

are

assembled. But after entering the mountains, not a single person meets another. 20 There

just the activity of the

is

mountains. There

is

no

trace of

anyone having entered the mountains.

When

you

mountains from the ordinary world, and when you meet

see

mountains while in mountains, the mountains' head and eye quite differently. Your idea or view of mountains not flowing as the

view of dragons and

a position concerning their

Human and

fish.

own

is

are

viewed

not the same

heavenly beings have attained

worlds which other beings either doubt or

do not doubt.

You should not

just

remain bewildered and skeptical when you hear the

words, "Mountains flow"; but together with buddha ancestors you should

study these words.

when you

When you take one view you see mountains flowing,

take another view, mountains are not flowing.

tains are flowing, another

understand

this,

time they are not flowing.

If

and

One time mounyou do not

fully

you do not understand the true dharma wheel of the Tatha-

gata.

An

ancient

buddha

said, "If

you do not wish to incur the cause

ceasing Hell,* do not slander the true

You should

dharma wheel of the

for

Un-

Tathagata."^'

carve these words on your skin, flesh, bones, and marrow; on

your body, mind, and environs; on emptiness and on form. They are already carved on trees and rocks, on fields and villages.

i8 Although mountains belong love them.

When mountains

to the nation,

mountains belong

to people

who

love their master, such a virtuous sage or wise

person enters the mountains. Since mountains belong to the sages and wise people living there, trees and rocks become abundant and birds and animals are inspired This .

is

so because the sages

You should know sages.

Many

it

as a fact that

rulers have visited

and wise people extend

mountains

their virtue

are fond of wise people

and

mountains to pay homage to wise people or

POETIC IMAGERY

io6 to ask for instructions in the past

from great sages. These have been important events

and present. At such times these rulers

disregarding the protocol of the usual world.

treat the sages as teachers,

The imperial power

has no

authority over the wise people in the mountains. Mountains are apart from

human

the to

world. At the time the Yellow Emperor visited Mt.

pay homage

to

Guangcheng, he walked on

head to the ground, and asked

When

Shakyamuni Buddha

tains, his father the

who

of those

palace and entered the

moun-

king did not resent the mountains, nor was he suspicious

taught the prince in the mountains. The twelve years of Shain the mountains,

attainment of the way occurred in the mountains. Thus even his

his

father, a

wheel-turning king, did not wield authority in the mountains.

You should know

mountains are not the realm of human beings nor

that

the realm of heavenly beings.

human

fore-

for instruction." left his father's

kyamuni Buddha's practice of the way were mostly spent and

Kongdong

touched his

his knees,

Do

not view mountains from the scale of

human

thought. If you do not judge mountains' flowing by the

understanding of flowing, you will not doubt mountains' flowing and not'

flowing.

19

On

the other hand, from ancient times wise people and sages have often

lived near water.

When

they live near water they catch

fish,

human

catch

beings, and catch the way. For long these have been genuine activities in water.

Furthermore there

is

catching the

self,

catching catching, being caught

by catching, and being caught by the way.

Decheng abruptly

Priest

left

Mt. Yao and lived on the river." There he

produced a successor, the wise sage of the Huating. fish,

Is this

not catching a

catching a person, catching water, or catching the self?

seei ng

Decheng

is

The

disciple

Decheng. Decheng g^^i^icgJii^disci^ltisiLidisdf^

20 It is

It is

not only that there

is

water in the world, but there

not just in water. There

There

is

a

beings in

is

also a

There

is

air.

There

a world of sentient beings

on

of sentient beings in the phenomenal world. There

beings in a blade of grass. * There

is

a world in water.

world of sentient beings in clouds.

world of sentient beings in the

fire.

is

is

a world of sentient

earth. is

There

is

a world

a world of sentient

a world of sentient beings in one

staff.

*

Mountains and Waters Sutra

Wherever there

is

a world of sentient beings, there

You should thoroughly examine

ancestors.

107

the

is

a world of

buddha

meaning of this.

21 Therefore water

To consider water ing." This

Water virtue;

the true dragon's* palace.

is

as only flowing

would be the same

not flowing downward.

to slander water

is

as insisting that

with the word "flow-

water does not flow.

only the true thusness* of water. Water

is

it is

It is

not flowing.

When

water and the not-flowing of

is

water's complete

you investigate the flowing of a handful of mastery of

it, full

all

things

is

immediately

present.

22 There are mountains hidden in treasures. There are mountains hidden

swamps. There den

in

are

mountains hidden

in the sky.

in

There are mountains hid-

mountains. There are mountains hidden in hiddenness. This

is

com-

plete understanding.

An ancient buddha said,

"Mountains

are mountains, waters are waters."

These words do not mean mountains are mountains; they mean mountains are mountains.

Therefore investigate mountains thoroughly.

mountains thoroughly,

this

is

the

When

you investigate

work of the mountains.

Such mountains and waters of themselves become wise persons and sages.

At the hour of the Rat, eighteenth [1240}, this

day, tenth

was taught to the assembly

at

month,

first

year of Ninji

Kannondori Kosho Horin Mon-

astery.

Translated by Arnold Kotler and Kazuaki Tanahashi

spring

and

tumn

SHUNJU'

Great Master

Wuben

or heat* comes,

The master The monk

how

said,

said,

of

Dongshan was once asked by

can

we

"Why

avoid it?"

don't you go where there

"What do you mean by

said,

"When

hot, heat totals the

monk."^

The master

monk, "When cold

a

is

no cold or heat?"

'where there

is

cold, cold finishes the

it is

no cold or heat'?"

monk.

When

it is

This story has often been examined in the past. You should also pursue

it

now. Buddha ancestors have never railed to master this matter, and those

who have mastered

it

are

buddha ancestors. Many buddha ancestors

and China, both past and present, made tion.

To bring

forth this eye

is

in India

this issue the eye of their realiza-

the fundamental point of

buddha

ancestors.

"When cold or heat is to study the moment when cold comes

Therefore, examine in detail the monk's question

how can we avoid it? ihis moment when heat comes. This cold or heat

comes, or the

plete heat

is

cold itself or heat

itself.

— complete

Accordingly,

when

cold or

com-

either comes,

it

comes from the summit of cold or the summit of heat and manifests from the eye of cold itself or heat heat. This eye

is

The venerable

itself.

where there ancestor's

is

This summit

is

where there

is

no cold or

no cold or heat.

words

"When 1

08

it is

cold, cold finishes the

monk.

*

spring

When it is hot,

heat totals the

Even if there is the phrase that

when

it is

and Autumn

monk" are how it is when the moment arrives.

"When it is cold,

cold finishes,"

it is

not necessary

hot heat cancels this phrase. Cold penetrates the root of cold;

heat penetrates the root of heat. Even

cold or heat,

109

it is

like trying to

put a

vital eye of the ancestor school. Heat

if

you

tail is

try millions of times to avoid

where your head is? Cold

the

warm

skin and flesh of

is

my

the late

master.

Zen master

name

Many falls

Kumu

Facheng.

is

of Jingyin

is

an heir of priest Furong. His initiatory

He said:

of you examine this dialogue and say, "This monk's question already

into oneness.* Dongshan's answer brings the matter to differentiation.

The monk understood the meaning of Dongshan's words and entered oneness. Dongshan then entered differentiation." To analyze in such a way is to denigrate the ancient sage and lower yourself. Can't you understand these words?

When tiful,

hear your interpretations the meaning

I

but

If you,

if

is

decorated and seems beau-

your interpretations accumulate over time, they become a disease.

advanced wanderers, want to master

this matter,

you should under-

stand the treasury of the true dharma eye of this ancient ancestor Dongshan.

Other buddha let

me

ancestors'

words

are just the play of water in a hot bowl.

ask you: In the end, what

is

the place of no cold or heat?

Now,

Do you

understand? In the jade pavilion a kingfisher builds a nest.*

In the gold palace ducks are enclosed/

Master

Kumu

is

a descendant of

in the ancestral seat.

Here he

criticizes

the venerable ancestor Great Master ferentiation

and oneness.

Dongshan and

many

a distinguished person

of those

Dongshan

in the

who pay homage narrow house of

to

dif-

buddha-dharma had been transmitted merely

If

through the investigation of differentiation and oneness, how could

it

have

reached this day? Peasants or stray cats

who

never understood the inner chamber of

Dong-

shan, and have not passed the threshold of the buddha-dharma, mistakenly say that

Dongshan guided students with

entiation and oneness. This

tention to

it.

You should

treasury of the true

is

his theory of five ranks* of differ-

an inadequate view. You should not pay

at-

just investigate that the ancient ancestor has the

dharma

eye.

I

POETIC IMAGERY

lO

Zen Master Hongzhi of Mt. Tiantong, Qingyuan Prefecture, priest Danxia. His initiatory name is priest Zhenjue. He said:

When

you take up

respond to will I

this dialogue

my move

I'll

cannot help adding a footnote to In here you see there

you and

I

playing go.

would say a great

I

laugh to see

is

is

tortoise can be picked

is

up

if

you

ago game; who are the two players? it

it is

the meaning of thisr

my move,

wash the

stones.® If

you answer, answer

you

this

way: You

become one. Thus steadying your mind

swallow you up." hat.

Zen Master Yuanwu of Mt.

Jia

tassel

you say that you

s

words, "You do not

f hat means "you" are not yet you." You should not

"I'll

on your

illuminate the

down.

no longer a game.

When

and turning your body, you should examine Hongzhi

neglect the words,

If

means you have a handicap of eight

play go by yourself; the opponents

respond to

just lean

you playing with a fishing pole on the sand

are playing go,

What

this:

no cold or heat.

have a handicap of eight stones,

feet,

You do not

dries out now.

I

Suppose there I

like

swallow you up.^ Only when you penetrate this

you understand the meaning of Dongshan's words.

The great ocean

and

it is

an heir of

is

Mud

within mud.^

1 A jewel within a

Wash your

jewel. Illuminate other,

self.

4 His initiatory name

is

Keqin.

is

an heir of Zen master Fayan of Wuzu.

On this matter he said:

A bowl rolls over a pearl and a pearl rolls over a bowl. Oneness within differentiation; differentiation within oneness. A mountain goat hangs by its horns on a branch and leaves no trace.

A hunting dog runs around in the forest taking empty steps. The words "A bowl the future

rolls

over a pearl" appear before the light and after

they are rarely heard in the past and present. Until

now

it

has

only been said that things do not abide; there are pearls rolling in a bowl.

Right now a mountain goat hangs by around the hunting dog.

its

horns in emptiness.

The forest runs

spring and Autumn

III

Zen Master Mingjue of Zisheng Monastery on Mt. Xuedou, Qingyuan fecture,

is

an heir of Beita Guangzuo. His initiatory name

Once he

xian.

priest

Pre-

Zhong-

said:

Reaching out with your arms*

Oneness and differentiation

The

is

is

climbing the ten-thousand-foot

cliff.

are not necessarily fixed.

old lapis lazuli hall brightly illuminates the moon.

A fierce dog tiptoes up the stairs for nothing/^ Xuedou is a third-generation dharma descendant of Yunmen. He should who has mastered his study. By saying "Reaching out

be called a skin bag*

with your arms

is

climbing the ten-thousand-foot diff," he seems to show

the extraordinary mark, but

not necessarily

monk and Dongshan

between the

down

it is

the arms or not reaching

so.

The matter

discussed

not necessarily limited to reaching

is

down

the arms, or going into the world or

how can it be connected with difXuedou cannot deal with this matter

not going into the world. Furthermore, ferentiation or oneness? It seems that

without the view of differentiation and oneness. The reason he does not grasp this study by the nose

is

because he has not reached the neighborhood

of the venerable ancestor Dongshan and does not see the great house of

buddha-dharma.

He

should take up his sandals* and inquire further.

not mistakenly say that the Dongshan 's buddha-dharma

is

the

five

Do

ranks of

oneness and differentiation.

6

Zen Master Changling, jing,

wrote a

Within

priest

poem on this

is

in

Dong-

matter:

differentiation there

Oneness

Shouzhuo of Tianning Monastery

is

oneness.

differentiation.

Drifting in the

human world hundreds and thousands

of years again and

again you want to depart but cannot. In front of the gate just as before, weeds abound."

Although he touched

it.

talks

about differentiation and oneness, somehow he has

Indeed there

is

something he has touched.

What would you say?

POETIC IMAGERY

112

Priest

name

Fuxing of Dagui, Tan Region, is

Fatai.

The

A

He

is

an heir of Yuanwu. His initiatory

said:

place where there

is

no cold or heat leads to you.

decayed tree* brings forth blossoms once again. laughable to look for the sword where you marked the boat.

It's

Even now you

are in the

midst of cold ash.

These words have some power to crush the fundamental point underfoot while raising

it

overhead.

8 Zhantang, Zen Master Wenzhun, of Letan

said:

When it is hot,

heat prevails; when it is cold, cold prevails. From the beginning cold and heat do not interfere with each other. Moving through the heavens you become well versed in worldly afrairs.

On your honorable head you place the skin of a wild

Now

I

ask,

"What

is

not-interfering?"

boar.

Answer quick, quick.

9

Zen Master Fudeng of Mt. He,

Hu

Region,

Master Fujian, of Taiping. His initiatory name

"Where

there

is

no cold or heat"

is

an heir of Huiqin, Zen

is

is

priest

is

^^o for

fire

when

In this

life

you can avoid cold and heat.

although master Shouxun

cold and cool yourself

is

a

He said:

Dongshan's phrase.

where a number of Zen persons get

This place

it is

Shouxun.

when

lost, it is

hot.

dharma descendant of Zen master Wuzu

Fayan, his words seem like child's talk. However, "In this

life

you can avoid

cold and heat" will bring forth the mature style of a great old master. "In this lite

IS

your whole

life;

"avoiding cold and heat"

is

nothing other than

dropping away body and mind.

lO Various masters of different generations

made

noise in presenting these cap-

ping verses,* but they did not even come close to the neighborhood of

spring

venerable ancestor Dongshan.

and Autumn

The

reason

is

113 that they mistakenly talked

about cooling off and warming up without understanding cold or heat in the everyday activities of

buddha

ancestors. This

is

most

did you learn about cold or heat from the old master? ancestor

Only

moment

way has after

pitiable.

How

What

sad that the

declined.

you understand the meaning of cold and heat permeating the

of cold and heat and activating cold and heat, should you add a

capping verse to explain the words of the venerable ancestor. Otherwise,

you

are not as

good

as those

who know

the understanding of sun and

nothing. Even in the secular world

moon, and how

to abide

with all things, varies

according to sages, learned people, virtuous people, and ignorant people.

Don't think that cold and heat in the buddha way

are the

same

as the cold

or heat that ignorant people talk about. Investigate this directly.

Taught twice

to the

assembly in the deep mountains of Echizen in the

second year of Kangen [1244. At the

Unicorn Sutra^^

is

expounded.

horns a single horn

is

moment

An ancestor said,

of meeting Buddha, the

"Although there

are

many

sufficient.

Translated by Katherine Thanas and Kazuaki Tanahashi

plum Blossoms BAIKA

My late master Tiantong was the thirtieth abbot of Tiantong Jingde Monastery,

renowned Mt. Taibo, Gingyuan Prefecture, Great Song.

He

as-

cended the seat and taught the assembly: Tiantong 's

Old plum all at

first

phrase of mid-winter:^

tree bent

and gnarled

once opens one blossom, two blossoms,

three, four, five blossoms,

uncountable blossoms,

not proud of purity, not proud of fragrance; spreading, becoming spring,

blowing over grass and

trees,

balding the head of a patch-robed monk.

Whirling, changing into wind, wild snow,

falling,

The old plum

all

rain,

over the earth.

tree

is

boundless.

A hard cold rubs the nostrils.' This old plum tree

is

boundless. All at once

its

blossoms open and of

itself the fruit is born. It

forms spring;

it

forms winter.

It

arouses

114

wind and wild

rain. It

is

the

'

Plum Blossom

head of a patch-robed monk;

comes grass and

trees; it

it is

I

the eyeball of an ancient buddha.

becomes pure fragrance.

Its

It

be-

whirling, miraculous

transformation has no limit. Furthermore, the treeness of the great earth,

high sky, bright sun, and clear

plum

tree.

When

derives from the treeness of the old

They have always been entangled, vine with

the old

plum

vine.

suddenly opens, the world of blossoming flow-

tree

At the moment when the world of blossoming

ers* arises.

spring arrives. There

moment

moon

is

flowers arises,

a single blossom that opens five blossoms.

of a single blossom, there are three, four, and

dreds, thousands, myriads, billions of blossoms

—

At

this

blossoms, hun-

five

countless blossoms These .

blossomings are not-being -proud-of one, two, or countless branches of the old or

plum

tree.

An udumbara

flower* and blue lotus blossoms are also one

two branches of the old plum

tree's

blossoms. Blossoming

is

the old

plum

tree's offering.

The old plum

tree

is

within the

human world and

the heavenly world.

The old plum tree manifests both human and heavenly worlds in its treeness. Therefore hundreds and thousands of blossoms are called both

human and

heavenly blossoms. Myriads and billions of blossoms are buddha-ancestor blossoms. In such a is

moment,

shouted; "The ancestor was

"All the

buddhas have appeared in the world"

originally in this land'"'

is

shouted.

2

My

late master, old buddha, ascended the seat and taught the assembly:

When Gautama's eyeball vanishes, plum blossoms

in snow, just one branch,

become thorn bushes,

here, everywhere, right now.

Laughing, spring wind blowing madly.

This

is

the time for

all

human and

heavenly beings to turn towards at-

taining the way, as the old

buddhas dharma wheel

limit of the entire world.

Even clouds,

grass, trees,

and

insects,

do not

fail

rain,

never existed

is

is

turned to the extreme as well as

to receive the benefit of this teaching.

Heaven, earth, and land are vigorously turned by hear words never heard before

is

wind, and water,

to hear these words.

to attain this teaching. This

is

the

dharma wheel. To

this

To

attain

what has

dharma wheel which one

cannot see or hear without having some inconceivable good fortune.

Now

in

Song China, both inside and outside of

its

one hundred and

POETIC IMAGERY

ii6

eighty regions, there are uncountable mountain temples and city temples.

Many monks buddha, are

abide there, but those

who

have not seen

many, and those who have seen him

have heard his words, not to mention those

my

late master, old

are few. Further, even fewer

who

have personally met with

Among

Even fewer have been allowed to enter his chamber.

him face-to-face. these few, how many have been allowed bones, and marrow, the eyeball

My late master, astery.

He would say,

seen and heard this. it

realized original self?

think to myself,

I

"Which

I

mon-

stir

people

have personally

unwholesome

roots of

ac-

my late master even though

chamber whenever

allowed not only I

wished, to take

dharma words, even though

refuge in his venerable form and to listen to the

was someone from a remote country? Although

I

was

foolish

and ignorant,

an excellent causal relationship* which'is not hollow."

When my those

who

late

Why?

master was giving guidance in Song China, there were

could study with

late master, old

buddha, has

Because there

him. Therefore, you these words. this

to join his

Such dogs*

With what fortune was I

to join the monastery, but to enter the

it is

monks

to join the monastery."

impossible for them to abide with

they were from the same country?

I

master?

late

He would chase them out and say, "What can we

They should not be permitted

made

my

"Those who are accustomed to a lax way-seeking mind

do with those who have not

tions

to take refuge in the skin, flesh,

face of

old buddha, did not easily allow

cannot stay in this place."

up.

and

is

him and left

who could

Song China,

no old buddha

who

those

like

my

it is

late

not.

Now

that

my

darker than dark night.

master

—

before or after

study later should think about this upon hearing

Do not think that human and heavenly beings everywhere hear

dharma wheel.

3

The "plum blossoms

in

snow"

is

the appearance of an

udumbara

flower.

Although we repeatedly Tathagata,

and accept

We

take

see the eyeball of the true dharma of our Buddha we do not wink, nor do we smile. Now we correctly transmit that plum blossoms in snow are truly the Tathagata's eyeball.

them up and hold them

as the eye at the

top of the head,* as the

pupil of the eye.

When we room

for

plum blossoms and fully study them, there is no arise. They are already the eyeball of "Alone above and

enter into

doubt to

Plum

below the heavens,

am

I

Blossoms

17

the honored one,"* and again, "most honored in

the dharma- world."

Therefore, heavenly blossoms in heaven, heavenly blossoms in the

human

world, mandara* blossoms raining from heaven, great mandara blossoms,

manjushaka* blossoms, great manjushaka blossoms, and

all

inexhaustible lands in the ten directions are one family of

plum blossoms

in snow. Because they

blossoms of

bloom through the virtue of plum blossoms,

billions

of blossoms are one family of plum blossoms. They should be called young

plum

blossoms. Furthermore, flowers in the sky,* flowers on the earth, and

flowers of samadhi are

the large and small

all

members of plum blossoms'

family.

To form

billions of lands within

blossoms and to bloom in the land

work of plum blossoms. Without the

virtue of

virtue of rain or dew. Life streams issue from that

plum blossoms

are merely

snow

all

plum blossoms

plum

blossoms.

is

there

Do

is

the

no

not think

over Shaolin Monastery of Mt.

Song. They are eyeballs of the Tathagata illuminating overhead and underfoot.

or

Do

Snow

ing.

plum blossoms

not think that Palace.*

The

They

are

merely snow of Snow Mountain

are the eyeballs of old

Gautama's eye of true teach-

eyeballs of the five eyes* are fully manifested in this place.

The

eyeballs of one thousand eyes* are completed in this eye.

4 Indeed, old Gautama's brilliance of body-mind contains not one unillu-

mined

particle of the true suchness* of all things.

human and

ence of views between

Even

if

there

nary and sacred are separate from one another, snow-all-over is

snow-all-over.

The

Without

snow-all-over there

outside-inside of this snow-all-over

is

is

ground

is

earth, earth

old Gautama's eyeball.

no-birth. Because blossoms and

is

a differ-

no earth in the entire world.

Know that blossoms and ground are entirely no-birth. are no-birth,

is

heavenly beings, and the minds of ordi-

Because blossoms

ground

are entirely

no-birth, eyeball is no-birth. "No-birth" means unsurpassed wisdom. To see it

just this

moment

is

"plum blossoms

and blossoms, birth permeating ers entirely outside

The

entire world

and is

cause the entire world

in snow, just

birth. This snow-all-over

means snow cov-

in.

mind-ground; the entire world is

one branch." Ground

is

blossom-heart. Be-

blossom-heart, the entire world

is

plum blossoms.

POETIC IMAGERY

ii8

Because the entire world

is

plum

blossoms, the entire world

is

Gautama's

eyeball.

"Here, everywhere, right now"

is

mountains,

rivers,

and

earth. Every-

land, transmit

moment is realization everywhere of "I am originally in this dharma, and save deluded minds. One blossom opens five

petals; the fruit

matures of itself."^ Although there

thing and every

and proceeding eastward,

this

is

is

the

coming from India

plum blossoms

the everywhere of

right

now.

Realization of this right-now

everywhere right now."

and new branches;

A

is

nothing other than "become thorn bushes

great branch

a small

twig

is

is

the right-now* of old branches

new

the everywhere of old twigs and

twigs. Study this place as everywhere and study everywhere as now.

Being within three,

four, five, or six

blossoms

is

being within countless

blossoms. Blossoms have deep, vast characteristics of inside and reveal high, vast characteristics of outside. This outside-inside

blossom. Because there

is

Gautama. Because This being

it is

so, "I

just

one branch,

it is

five petals are

Buddha

ancestors, six early Chinese ancestors,

They

one stem opening

are all

is

old

is

man

entrusting, heir to heir.

my

is

marrow."* This

enre-

not deeply honored. Five petals

plum blossoms.

Accordingly, there are Seven

tors.*

right-now. This

have the treasury of the true dharma eye;* this

alization everywhere leaves nothing that

open; the

is

Mahakashyapa" and "You have attained

trusted to

no other branches, no

"just one branch" there are

other trees. Every place reached by one branch

the blooming of one

is

ancestors,* twenty-eight Indian

and nineteen

later

Chinese ances-

five petals, five petals in

Studying thoroughly one branch and studying thoroughly

one stem.

five petals is

plum-blossoms-in-snow correctly transmitting, entrusting, and meeting.

Turning body and mind* inside the ceaseless murmuring* of just one branch

moon

clouds and

are one, valleys

However, those five petals'

who

and mountains

means that Bodhidharma brings

Because this line of

five

are distinct.*

have no penetrating eye say,

"

'One blossom opens

forth the five Chinese ancestors.

ancestors cannot be equaled by those

coming

before or after, they are called five petals." This statement criticizing.

ancestors.

Those who say so

What

a pity!

How

are not those

who

can the road of

is

either

not worth

study with buddhas and

five petals in

one blossom be

Plum Blossom

119

who came

limited to the five ancestors? Are those

after the Sixth

Ancestor

not to be mentioned? This does not even attain the level of childish talk!

Never pay attention

to such statements.

6

My late master, and

old buddha, ascended the seat at the beginning of the year

said:

The

first

day of the year

Myriad things

is

auspicious.

are all new.

In prostration the great assembly reflects.

Plum blossoms open Reflecting quietly: Even if future drop

away the body

My

the old gimlets* in the past, present, and

in the ten directions, unless they can say

blossoms open early spring,"

mastered the way?

all

early spring

who can acknowledge them as

late master, old

buddha,

is

those

alone the old

"Plum

who have

buddha of

old buddhas. It

means

that,

accompanied by an opening of plum blossoms, the entire

spring comes forth early.

within causes

plum all

eyeball.

blossoms.

The

One

things to be of the

Myriad things do

entire spring

is

one or two characteristics

spring causes myriad things to be first

day of the

year.

"Auspicious

all

new, and

means true

not merely belong to past, present, and future,

but are both before and after the King of the

Empty Eon.* Because im-

measurable, inexhaustible past, present, and future are entirely new, this

newness drops away newness. Therefore, in prostration the great assembly reflects,

My

because the great assembly which

late master, old

reflects in prostration is just this.

buddha Tiantong, ascended the

seat

and taught the

assembly:

—

One word precisely! The long ages do not move. Willow eyes arouse new twigs. Plum blossoms fill old branches. It is,

means

that the endeavor of the

from beginning to end,

of a thought

is

way throughout

"One word

both before and

after

a

hundred great eons

precisely!" Practice in the

moment

"The long ages do not move."

POETIC IMAGERY

I20

This causes the new twigs to grow thickly and makes the eyeballs clear

and bright. Although they

are

new

nothing but eyes, they are seen

"Myriad things

twigs, they are eyes. Although they are

new

as

twigs. Penetrate this newness as

are all new."

"Plum blossoms

old branches"

fill

means

that

plum blossoms

are old

branches entire and pervade old branches: old branches are nothing but

plum blossoms.

In this

way blossoms and branches merge. Blossoms and

branches are born of the same moment. At once blossoms and branches are filled.

Because blossoms and branches are

dharma. This

up the

is

filled as

one, "I have the true

entrusted to Mahakashyapa." Each face

flower; each

blossom

is filled

is filled

with taking

with breaking into a smile.

8

My late master,

old buddha, ascended the seat and taught the assembly:

Willows

flourish a sash

Plum blossoms wear an armband This armband ing.

is

not a brocade or a jewel

Plum blossoms blooming

is

but

"My marrow

is

plum blossoms bloom-

has attained you.""

9

When King

Prasenajit invited venerable Pindola and offered a

the king said, "I have heard that you saw

buddha

noon meal,

in person. Is that so?"

Pindola answered by raising his eyebrow with his hand.

My late master,

old buddha, said in his poem:

Raising an eyebrow he answers the question.

He saw buddha in person and does not deceive. He still receives offering from the world. Spring

The story buddha

is

lies in

that

or not.

To

plum twigs accompanied by snow and cold."

King see

to raise the eyebrow.

Prasenajit once asked Pindola whether he had seen

buddha Even

if

is

to

become buddha. To become buddha

is

Pindola had realized the fruit of an arhat,*

unless he was a true arhat he could not have seen buddha. Unless he saw

buddha he could not have become buddha. Unless he became buddha he could not have raised the eyebrow.

Know

that venerable Pindola

was

a face-to-face transmission disciple of

"

Plum

Shakyamuni Buddha and, having

Blossoms

121

realized the four fruits* of the way,

awaiting the appearance of another buddha

— how could he

Shakyamuni Buddha? "Seeing Shakyamuni Buddha"

was

not have seen

not just seeing buddha but seeing Shakyamuni Buddha as Shakyamuni Buddha seeing himself. It

has been studied in this way.

met

study, he

a skilled

When King

hand which

opened

Prasenajit

this eye of

raised the eyebrow.

Have the penetrating-buddha-eye which calmly of "seeing buddha in person." This spring

nor in a buddha land, but in

is

lies

meaning

looks into the

neither in the

human world

How do we know this? It is raising

plum twigs.

eyebrows of snow and cold.

10

My late master, The

old buddha, said: original face has no birth and death.

Spring

When cots

—

is

in

plum blossoms and

enters into a painting.

you paint spring, do not paint willows, plums, peaches, or

just paint spring.

To paint willows, plums, peaches,

paint willows, plums, peaches, or apricots. It is

It is

is

no one

in India or

is

to

not yet painting spring.

my

not that spring cannot be painted, but aside from

old buddha, there

apri-

or apricots

late master,

China who has painted spring.

He

alone was a sharp-pointed brush that painted spring.

This "spring ing."

He

He does

lets

spring-in-the-painting because

not use other means, but

lets

it

"enters into a paint-

plum blossoms

spring enter into a painting and into a tree. This

Because

dharma

is

my

late master, old

buddha,

eye, he correctly transmitted

in the ten directions of past, present,

it

is

initiate spring. skillful

means.

clarified the treasury of the true

to

buddha

ancestors

and future. In

this

who

assemble

way he thoroughly

mastered the eyeball and opened up plum blossoms. This was written on the sixth day, eleventh month,

first

year of

Kangen

{1243}, at Yoshimine Monastery, Yoshida County, Echizen Province. three feet deep,

all

Snow

over the earth.

Postscript

If a

doubt

arises

balls, consider

and you think that plum blossoms

are not

Gautama's eye-

whether anything other than plum blossoms may be seen

as

POETIC IMAGERY

122 eyeballs. If

you seek the eyeballs elsewhere, you will not recognize them

even though you are facing them, because meeting

This day

is

not this day of an individual;

now plum blossoms

Realize right

it is

as eyeballs.

not consummated.

is

day of the great house.*

this

Stop seeking any further!

2

My late master,

old buddha, said:

Bright, bright! Clear, clear!

Do

not seek within the shadow of plum blossoms.

Throughout past and present

rain

is

created and clouds are formed

where does

Past and present, solitary and silent

This being blossoms.

so, to

form clouds and to create rain

it

end?"

is

the activity of

plum

The movement of clouds and the movement of rain are a thousand

shades and myriad forms, a thousand merits and myriad characteristics of

plum

blossoms. "Throughout past and present

blossoms are called past and present.

Once Zen master [Wuzu] Fayan

is

plum blossoms; plum

'

said:

North wind mixed with snow shakes the valley forest. Myriad things are hidden, but resentment is not deep. There are only mountain plums which are high-spirited, Spitting out winter's cold heart just before the end of the year.

Therefore, without penetrating the activities of possible to

plum blossoms

it is

im-

know winter's cold heart. Some characteristics of plum blossoms

harmonize with north wind and snow wind, to form snow, to

myriad things

is

formed. Thus

initiate the year,

to be as they are, are all

I

know

that to scatter

and to cause the valley

forest

4 Senior Fu of Taiyuan said, in praise of the

O! In olden days when

I

and

due to the power of plum blossoms.

way of enlightenment:

was not yet awakened,

the sound of a painted horn was the sound of sorrow.

"

Plum

Blossoms

123

Now on my pillow there is no idle dream. Letting go,

Senior

Fu had been

plum blossoms blow

a lecturer before.

Mt. Jia and experienced great

vast

and small.

He was opened up

by the tenzo of

realization, allowing the spring

wind of plum

blossoms to blow vast and small. Translated by

Mel Weitsman and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Revised at Zen

Community

of

New York

Everyday /\cttvity^ KAJO'

In the

domain of buddha ancestors, drinking

activity. is

This having tea and

present right now.

and

rice

Priest

comes

rice has

tea

and eating

rice is

Thus the buddha ancestors'

vital activity

of having tea

to us.

Daokai of Mt. Dayang asked Touzi [Yiqing],

"It

is

thoughts and words of buddha ancestors are everyday tea and this, are there

everyday

been transmitted over many years and

any words or phrases

Touzi said, "Tell me, does he need Emperor

when

Yu

As Dayang was about

to

said that the rice.

Besides

for teaching?"

the emperor issues a decree in his territory,

Tang, Yao, or Shun?"*

open

his

mouth, Touzi covered

"While you were thinking, you've already received

it

with his whisk.

thirty blows. *

Dayang was then awakened He bowed deeply and began .

to leave.

Touzi said, "Wait, reverend." Dayang did not turn around, and Touzi said,

"Have you reached the ground of no doubt?"

Dayang covered

From buddha

this

his ears

you should

with

his

hands and

left

clearly understand that the

thoughts and words of

ancestors are their everyday tea and rice. Ordinary coarse tea and

124

'

12

Everyday Activity

—

plain rice are buddhas' thoughts

and

tors prepare tea

ingly, they need

and

ancestors' words. Because

rice

as

buddha

buddha ances-

maintain buddha ancestors. Accord-

no powers other than

need to use powers

You should

rice, tea

this tea

and

and they have no

rice,

ancestors.

investigate and study the expression

"Does he need Emperor

Yu, Tang, Yao, or Shun?" You should leap over the summit of the question "Besides tea and rice are there any words or phrases for teaching?"

should try to see whether leaping

is

Great Master Wu)i of Shitou Hut, Mt. Nanyue, I

said:

have built a grass hut where no coins are kept.

Having had

"Having had

rice

rice,

I

am

ready for a leisurely nap.*

—words come, words

go, words

come and go

with buddha ancestors' thoughts and words. Not to have filled.

You

possible or not.

rice

naving had rice" and "a leisurely nap"

Yet, the point or

before having rice, while having rice, and after having rice. that having rice lies only in the

domain of "having had

study of four or

five sho*

My late master,

old buddha, taught the assembly:

of

—

filled

not to be

is

actualized

is

To understand

rice"

the mere

is

rice.

4

I

heard that a

zhang

him. For now

Today

monk asked

Baizhang,

said, "Sitting alone

if

say, "Is

let

him

is

someone were

to ask

me, "What

moved —— I'm having

is

an extraordinary thing?"

Do you know what

moved

~4'm having

rice in

alone on Daxiong Peak rice,

and what

is

is

I

would

means? The bowl of

always something extraordi-

more extraordinary

is

to totally sit

is

itself

an

"The bowl of Jingci has

Tiantong."

Each and. every extraordinary activity

having

is

on Daxiong Peak. Being allowed

extcaordinary thing. Even

it

rice in liantong.'"^

In the domain or buddha ancestors there nary: sitting alone

an extraordinary thing?" Bai-

totally sit.

anything extraordinary?

Jingci' has

"What

on Daxiong Peak.* The assembly cannot move

just

having

is

simply haying

rice.

used for having rice

rice.

The monk's bow is

Thus, sitting is

used for

the monk's bowl. Therefore

POETIC IMAGERY

126

"the bowl of Jingci" and

it is is

to

know

To be

Eating rice

rice.

filled is to

Now

what

lacquer. Is

it

is

is

it is

to be filled.

rice in

To know

Tiantong." Being is

filled

to be filled with rice.

continue eating. the monk's bowl?

an immovable rock?

has no nostrils.

"having

One mouth

say

I

Is it

it is

not

wood and

an iron person?*

It is

it is

not black

bottomless.

swallows the empty sky. The empty sky

is

It

re-

ceived with palms together.

My

late master, old

buddha, once taught the assembly

buddha

at the

hall

of Ruiyan Jingtu Monastery of Tai Region:

When hunger comes, have rice. When fatigue comes, sleep. Furnace and bellows,* each covers the entire sky

"When hunger comes

the vital activity of a person

is

A person who has not had rice cannot have hunger. who gets hungry every day

is

someone who has had

who

Since this rice.

has had rice.

is

so, a

person

You should under-

stand this completely.

"When fatigue comes" means that there is fatigue in the midst of fatigue; it

summit of

springs forth complete from the

entire

body

fatigue. Accordingly, the

completely turned immediately by the activity of the entire

is

body.

To sleep" tor eye,

is

to sleep using

buddha eye, dharma eye, wisdom

and pillar-and-lantern*

eye, ances-

eye.

6

My late master,

old buddha, once accepted an invitation and went to Jingci

Monastery of Linan Prefecture from Ruiyan Monastery of Tai Region, cended the

seat

and

Half a year

as-

said:

just

having

rice

and sitting on

Wan

Peak.

This sitting cuts through thousands of layers of misty clouds.

One sudden

clap of roaring thunder.

Spring in the mystic village

The teaching of buddha practice

is

—

apricot blossoms are red.'

ancestors

entirely "having rice

who

transmit the buddha's lifelong

and sitting on

Wan

Peak." To study and

Everyday Activity

127

practice the inheritance of the buddha's ancestral

the vital activity of having rice. "Half a year

You cannot

called having rice.

tell

how many

However sudden the

sitting cuts through.

.

.

.

wisdom

is

sitting

on

to bring forth

Wan

Peak"

is

misty clouds this

layers of

roar of thunder, spring apricot

blossoms are just red. "Mystic village" means red through and through right now. This

having

Wan

rice.

Peak

is

the

name

of a peak that repre-

Ruiyan Monastery.

sents

My

is

late master, old

buddha, once taught the assembly

of Ruiyan Monastery, Qingyuan Prefecture,

buddha

at the

hall

Ming Region:

Inconceivable golden form*

wears a robe and has

bow

So

I

go

to sleep early

rice.

to you;

and wake up

Hah!

late.

Discussing the profound, expounding the inconceivable

What

I

completely avoid

You should immediately means wearing

a robe

Do

I

bow to you" and

This

I

is

endless.

up

a flower.

penetrate this. "Inconceivable golden form" rice.

Wearing

a robe

and having

rice is

Do not wonder who is wearing a robe and having

not say whose inconceivable golden form

Speaking in this way

—

the self-deception of holding

and having

inconceivable golden form. rice.

is

it is.

complete expression. This

have already had

rice.

You have

is

just

the meaning of "So

bowed

to the rice."

because "I completely avoid holding up a flower."

is

8 Priest

Daan, Zen Master Yuanzhi, of Changqing Monastery, Fu Region,

ascended the seat and taught the assembly:

I

have been at Mt. Gui for thirty years and have been eating Mt. Gui's rice

and shitting Mt. Gui's single water buffalo.*

yank

it

back.

this way,

I

When

it

shit. I

When

long

it is it

it

wanders

off the road

and begins grazing,

have been taming

it

for a long time.

whip

I

it.

In

Such an adorable one!

It

trespasses onto other people's rice fields,

I

human speech, and now has transformed into a white ox. All day walking round and round in front of us. Even if we try to drive it

understands

away,

have not studied Guishan's Zen but just see a

does not leave.

'

POETIC IMAGERY

128

Clearly you should accept this teaching. Thirty years of pursuit in the

you bring forth see

There are no other pursuits.

is

having

rice.

this activity of

having

rice, invariably

assembly of buddha ancestors

If

you will be able to

one buffalo.

9 Zhaozhou, Great Master Zhenji, asked a newly arrived monk, "Have you been here before?"

The monk

said, "Yes,

The master

I

have been here."

"Have some

said,

tea."

Again, he asked another monk, "Have you been here before?"

The monk

said,

The master

"No,

said,

I

haven't been here."

"Have some

tea."

The temple director then asked someone who has been

tea,' to

the master,

here,

"Why do you say,

and 'Have some

tea,' to

'Have some

someone who

has not?"

The master said,

said, "Director."

When

the director responded, the master

"Have some tea.""

Zhaozhou's word "here" does not mean the top of the head, the or Zhaozhou. Since "here" leaps off "here," a

and another say, "I

said, "I

have not been here."

have been here,

Therefore

I

It

nostrils,

monk said, "I have been here," means, "What is now?" I only

have not been here."

my late master said: In your picture of the wineshop

Who faces you,

drinking Zhaozhou's tea?"

Thus, the everyday activity of buddha ancestors tea

On

and

is

nothing but having

rice.

the seventeenth day, twelfth

was taught to the assembly

month,

at the foot of

first

year of

Kangen [1243},

this

Yamashi Peak, Echizen Province.

Translated by Arnold Kotler and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Tbe Mpon TSUKi'

The

all

moons

is

or "after, three- three." All

moons

of full actualization are not limited to

of

full actualization

not limited to "before, three-three"*

"before, three-three" or "after, three- three."

Since this as it

is, is

in water.

Shakyamuni Buddha

so,

is

empty

water thusness,

mean

moon

is

the

the "as

it is"

moon

is

the

in water

is

the

moon

is

"Thus" means "as

in water. It

the "as

it is

of empty sky. This

entire earth, the entire universe, all

it is

empty sky

buddha's true

phenomena, and

appearances are empty sky. Hundreds of grasses and myriad forms

appearing "as

moon

it is"

—

are nothing but buddha's true

—

all

each

dharma body, thusness

in water.

The time when necessarily dark.

the

Do

moon

are not

appears

is

not necessarily night. Night

not be limited to the narrow views held by

beings. Even where there

and moon

is

it is."

of buddha's true dharma body. Because

dharma body, the

of the

moon

thusness, thusness within, within thusness. "Thus"

"like something."

Buddha's true dharma body is

forms appear. Thus

"2

Thusness* of "Thus

does not

"Buddha's true dharma body

said,

sky. In response to things,

is

no sun or moon, there

day and night; each

is

129

as it

is.

is

is

not

human

day and night. Sun

POETIC IMAGERY

130

The moon

moon

not one

is

myriads of moons. Even

two moons, that

the

if

or

two moons, not thousands of moons or

moon

merely the moon's view.

is

moon

holds the view of one

itself

It is

or

not necessarily the words

or understanding of the buddha way.

Even is

not

if

last

you

"There was a

say,

from beginning to end, neither

new

do not

What

is

moon

Baoji of Panshan said,

light swallows

the

tonight's

is

nor old, because

Zen master

jects

moon last night,"

moon. Although there inherits

is

moon,

a

is

it is

moon.

"The mind moon

is

alone and

full. Its

myriad forms. Moonlight does not illuminate objects. Ob-

exist.

What

Light and objects both disappear.

said here

is

buddha ancestors and buddha

that

mind moon, because they make moon

which

moon you see tonight

the

nights moon. You should thoroughly study that tonight's moon,

not moon, and there

is

no

their

moon which

is

this?"^

is

heirs always have

mind. There

is

no mind

not mind.

"Alone and full" means nothing lacking. Beyond two or three

called

is

"myriad forms." Myriad forms are moonlight, not merely forms. Accord-

myriad forms." Myriad forms completely swallow

ingly, "Its light swallows

moonlight. Here moonlight swallowing moonlight lows myriad forms." That light swallows the

is

to say, the

moon. Therefore

called "Its light swal-

is

moon swallows the moon, said,

it is

the

moon-

"Moonlight does not

illu-

minate objects. Objects do not exist,"

moment of awakening others with a buddha body, a buddha body comes forth and expounds dharma; at the moment of awakSince this

so, at the

is

ening others with the boundless body, the boundless body manifests and

expounds dharma. This the

moon.

nates

No

is

nothing but turning the dharma wheel within

matter whether the yin

no matter whether the

moon

spirit or the

is

a

fire

yang

spirit' illumi-

jewel or water jewel/

it is

immediately actualized. This

mina

is

the

moon. This moon

is

itself

mind. This

is

penetrating

and comprehending the mind of buddha ancestors and buddha

heirs.

3

An ancient buddha saia, "A single mind is all things.

All things are a single

mind." Thus, mind

is all

things,

all

things are mind. Since

mind

is

the

moon,

The Moon

the

moon

is

the

moon. Since mind which

the all-inclusive world

the all-inclusive

is

Amid the "before and after, which of these

is

31

is all

moon. The

left

and right of the moon. Everyday

entire world in the ten directions

of grasses brilliant in the moon, the

the

moon

The master

The monk

What

is

IS

,

full,

is

the

is

also

up and down, the

moment

is

hundreds

mind of ancestors brilliant in the moon.

4 Shu Region, was once asked by

a

monk,

Both

are the

what then?"

it is full,

four.

what then?"

is

not yet full" and

after

Each of the three or four moons

is

Each of the seven or eight moons

is

it is

full."

moon that a complete moon that a complete

is is

full."

To swallow full

moment

birth and death

activity at this

"Swallow three or

studied here

full.

it is

moon.

entire

said, "Spit out seven or eight.

activity.

not yet "after

is

not yet

is

said, "After

The master moon's

of Mt. Touzi

said,

is

our body, mind, and environs

moon. The coming and going of

the

1

completely moon,

body

three-three" in the myriad years of a

Sun-face Buddha, Moon-face Buddha*

Great Master

is

entire

moon?

not the

are also within the

"When

things

moon;

three or four.

is

actualized.

To

At

spit out

is

tnis

moment,

the

seven or eight.

At

moon which this

is

"not yet

moment,

"after

it

full" is actualized.

When the moon swallows the moon,

that

is

three or four. In swallowing,

moon is brought forth. The moon is swallowing actualized. When the moon spits out the moon, that is seven or eight. In spitting out, the moon is brought forth. The moon is spitting out actualized. the

Thus

there

whole sky are

swallowing, total spitting out. The whole earth and

total

is

spit out.

The whole sky and whole earth

are swallowed. Swal-

low yourself and swallow others. Spit out yourself and

spit out others.

"When you

Shakyamuni Buddha

said to Vajragarbha Bodhisattva,

deep water and

your eyes, the water sways. The eyes of samadhi can

turn

fire

shift

around.

When

the shore moves. It

is

the clouds

fly

the

moon

travels;

when

look at

a boat goes

just like this."*

You should understand and

investigate thoroughly this discourse of

Bud-

POETIC IMAGERY

132

"When the clouds fly the moon travels; when a boat goes the shore moves." Do not study in haste. Do not follow ordinary thinking. But those

dha,

who

see

study

it

and hear Buddha's discourse

Buddha's discourse, round,

as

to bodhi

body and mind, or sarily

round,

full

The Tathagata

is

Buddha's discourse are

full

enlightenment

is

rare. If

you

not limited to

and nirvana. Bodhi and nirvana are not neces-

enlightenment, nor are they body and mind.

when

says that

clouds

boat goes the shore moves. In this

move and

as

way the

moon moves, and when a moon travels when the clouds the

moves when the boat goes. The meaning of these words

the shore

that clouds and

fly

moon

travel at the

beginning or end, no before or

after.

same time, walk together, with no

The boat and

the shore travel at the

same time, walk together, without starting or stopping, without

floating

or turning.

When you study someone's movement, the movement is not merely starting or stopping. The movement that starts or stops is not that person's. Do not take up starting or stopping and regard

The

The

are all like this.

clouds' flying

is

as the person's

movement.

moon's traveling, the boat's going, and the shore's

clouds' flying, the

moving

it

Do

not foolishly be limited by a narrow view.

not concerned with east, west, south, or north.

The

moon's traveling has not ceased day or night from ancient times to the present.

Do not forget this. The boat's going and the shore's moving are not

bound by

past, present, or future, but actualize past, present,

This being

so, "full

and not hungry

just

now'"^

Foolish people think that because clouds run as

is

and future.

possible.

we see the immovable moon

moving, and because a boat goes we see the immovable shore

But

if

they are right,

why

did the Tathagata speak as he did?

human

of buddha-dharma cannot be measured by the narrow views of

heavenly beings. Although in accordance

it is

immeasurable, buddha-dharma

with one's capacity.

over and over?

Who

is

moving.

as

The meaning

is

or

practiced

Who is unable to take up the boat or shore

unable to see through the clouds or

moon immedi-

ately?

You should know

that the Tathagata's words

do not make

a

metaphor of

dharma suchness,* of the moon for dharma suchness, of the boat dharma suchness, of the shore for dharma suchness. You should quietly

clouds for for

examine and penetrate full

this.

One step of the moon

enlightenment. The Tathagata's round,

tion of the

moon. Not moving

full

is

the Tathagata's round,

enlightenment

is

the

mo-

or stopping, not going forward or backward,

The Moon the moon's motion

is

not a metaphor.

133 the actualization of "alone and

It is

full."

You should know

that even

though the moon passes quickly

beginning, middle, or end." Thus, there

month moon. The the

moon. Right

away

is

the

first

and second

offering

is

the

is

first-month

are both the

it is

beyond

moon and

second-

moon.'^ Right practice

moon. Snapping the

sleeves*

is

and walking

moon.

Round and

crescent are not the cycle of

coming and going. The moons

do and do not use coming and going: go freely and grasp firmly coming and going. Creating wind and stream* the

On the sixth day,

first

moons

are as they are.

month, fourth year of Ninji {1243}, written

nondori Kosho Horin Monastery by

at

Kan-

Monk D5gen.

Translated by

Mel Weitsman and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Painting of a Rice-cake* GABYO^

All buddhas are realization;^ thus or things have the

all

things are realization.' Yet no buddhas

same characteristics; none have the same mind. Although

there are no similar characteristics or minds, at the ization

numerous

moment of your actual-

actualizations manifest without hindrance.

ment of your manifestation, numerous manifestations come opposing one another. ^ This

Do

is

At the mo-

forth without

the straightforward teaching of the ancestors.

not use the measure of oneness or difference as the criterion of your

study.

Thus

it is

said,

"To penetrate* one thing

is

to penetrate

myriad

things."

To penetrate one thing does not take away Just as penetration does not limit one thing,

unlimited. To try to

make

it

unlimited

is

its it

inherent characteristics.

does not

a hindrance.

make one thing

When

penetration to be unhindered by penetration, one penetration penetrations. trating

One penetration

is

you allow is

one thing. Penetrating one thing

myriad is

pene-

myriad things.

2

An ancient buddha said, "A painting of a rice-cake does not satisfy hunger.'" Those

in cloud robes

and mist sleeves* who study 134

this statement, as well

Painting of a Rice-cake

and shravakas who come from the ten directions,

as bodhisattvas

name and

135

position; the skin

the ten directions

and

of divine heads or of

flesh

differ in

demon

faces in

sometimes thick, sometimes thin.

differ,

This statement has been studied by ancient buddhas and present buddhas; nevertheless,

has

it

become the mere chatter of seekers

When

huts and under trees.

in grass- roofed

they transmit their teaching, they say, "This

statement means that studying the sutras and commentaries does not nourish true

wisdom." Or they suppose

One Vehicle*

Three Vehicles or the

To think

this

this

it

is

means

that to study the sutras of the

not the way of perfect enlightenment.

statement means that expedient teachings are useless

great mistake. This ing;

it

is

is

a

not the correct transmission of the ancestors' teach-

obscures the words of the buddha ancestors. If you do not understand

one buddha's phrase,

who could acknowledge that you have thoroughly

understood the words of other buddhas?

To say "A painting of "to refrain from

some

all

actions."* It

saying "I

a rice-cake does not satisfy

unwholesome actions and is

am always

like saying

"What

is

like saying

to respectfully practice whole-

is it

intimate with this."*

hunger

that thus comes?"*

You should

investigate

It is like it

in this

way.

There are few of

who have even seen this "painting of a rice-cake," and none

them has thoroughly understood

a few skin bags in the past, they

matter.

Know

it.

had never questioned or investigated

They were unconcerned with

that a painted rice-cake

is

How is this so? When I inquired of

it,

as if it

were someone

this

else's gossip.

your face after your parents were born,*

your face before your parents were born.* Thus, a painted rice-cake, made of rice

flour, is

neither born nor unborn. Since this

is

so, it is the

moment

of realization of the way. This cannot be understood by the limited view that a painted rice-cake

The paints

comes and goes.

for painting rice-cakes are the

same

as those

used for painting

mountains and waters. For painting mountains and waters, blue and red paints are used; for painting rice-cakes, rice flour

is

used.

Thus they

are

painted in the same way, and they are examined in the same way. Accordingly, "painted rice-cakes" spoken of here means that sesame ricecakes, herb rice-cakes,

milk rice-cakes, toasted rice-cakes, millet rice-cakes,

and the like are all actualized in the painting/ Thus, you should understand

POETIC IMAGERY

136 that a painting

is

all-inclusive, a rice-cake

is

all-inclusive, the

rice-cakes actualized right

inclusive. In this way, all

now

dharma is

all-

are nothing but a

painted rice-cake. If it,

you look

for

some other kind of painted

you will never grasp

appear. This being so,

it.

it

you

rice-cake,

A painted rice-cake at once appears and does not mark of old

has no

and has no trace of

or young,

or going. Just here, the land of painted rice-cakes

coming

will never find

is

revealed and

confirmed.

The phrase "does not

satisfy

matter of the twelve hours

4 hunger" means

—

this

hunger

—

not the ordinary

never encounters a painted rice-cake. Even

you were to eat a painted rice-cake,

it

would never put an end

if

to this hunger.

Rice-cakes are not separate from hunger. Rice-cakes are not separate from rice-cakes.

ger

is

Thus, these

a single staff*

activities

maneuvered horizontally and

vertically

through a thou-

A rice-cake is wholeness of body and mind

sand changes and myriad forms. actualized.

and teaching cannot be given away. Hun-

A rice-cake is blue, yellow,

red,

and white as well

as long, short,

square, and round.

When

mountains and waters are painted, blue, green, and red paints are

used, strange rocks and wondrous stones are used, the four jewels and the

seven treasures are used. Rice-cakes are painted in the same manner. a person

is

When

buddha

a

When

painted, the four great elements and the five skandhas are used. is

painted, not only a clay altar or

lump

of earth

is

used,

but the thirty-two marks,* a blade of grass,* and the cultivation of wisdom

As

for incalculable eons are used. scroll in this

way,

all

buddhas

a

buddha has been painted on

are painted

buddhas, and

all

a single

painted buddhas

are actual buddhas.

You should examine

Which

is

a painted

buddha, and examine a painted rice-cake.

the black stone tortoise,*

and which

is

mind? Pursue and

trate this matter, the

which

is

coming and going of

Unsurpassed enlightenment

is

the iron staff?

investigate this in detail.

a painting.

Which

When

birth and death

The

and the empty sky are nothing but a painting.

entire

is

is

form

you pene-

a painting.

phenomenal universe

Painting of a Rice-cake

137

6

An ancient buddha said: Attaining the way

—

a thousand snowflakes disappear.

Painting green mountains

This

is

—

several scrolls appear.

an utterance of great enlightenment, actualized practice in the

endeavor of the way. Accordingly, at the moment of attaining the way green

mountains and white snow

scrolls.

Motion and is

brought

from a painting.

The ten names* and

the three cognitions* are a painting on a scroll.

virtues, the powers, the

real. If

on countless

nothing but a painting. Our endeavor at this moment

stillness are

forth entirely

a scroll. If

are painted

you say

a painting

not

is

real,

then the myriad things are not

buddha-dharma

the myriad things are not real, then

buddha-dharma

is real,

The

methods, and the noble path are also a painting on

a painted rice-cake

is

not

real.

As

is real.

7

Great Master Kuangzhen of

Yunmen

once was asked by a monk,

"What

is

your statement about going beyond buddhas and surpassing the ancestors?"

The master

said,

You should

quietly examine these words.

"A sesame

rice-cake."*

When

this

sesame rice-cake

actualized, an ancient teacher gives expression to going

and surpassing the ancestors. understand hurling

it

Yunmen tors,

's

it.

Thus

An

iron

this expression

back as a sesame rice-cake is

a statement that goes

is

man

is

beyond buddhas

asks this question and students

complete. Opening the matter and

is itself

two or three painted

beyond buddhas

rice-cakes.

and surpasses the ances-

an activity that enters buddhas and enters demons.

8

My late master said,

"A

tall

bamboo and

a plantain appear in a painting."^

This phrase means that things beyond measure are actualized together in a painting.

the

A

tall

months and

bamboo

is

long.

years of the tall

Although

it is

bamboo move

moved by

yin and yang,

yin and yang.

The months

and years of yin and yang are beyond measure. Although the great sages understand yin and yang, they cannot measure inclusive

phenomena,

all-inclusive scale,

it.

Yin and yang

and the all-inclusive way.

are all-

POETIC IMAGERY

138

Yin and yang have nothing

way

or those in the

to

do with views held by those outside the

Two Vehicles. Yin and yang belong

They are the passage of time of the

tall

to the tall

bamboo.

bamboo, and the world of the

tall

bamboo. All buddhas oif the ten directions are the family of the tall bamboo.

Know that the entire heaven and earth are the roots, leaves of the tall

stem, branches, and

bamboo. This makes heaven and earth timeless;

this

makes

the great oceans, Mt. Sumeru, and the worlds of the ten directions inde-

A walking stick and an arched bamboo staff are both old and not

structible. old.

A plantain has earth, and wisdom

water,

fire,

wind, emptiness, mind, consciousness,

as its roots, stems, branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, colors,

forms. Accordingly, the plantain wears the

autumn wind. is

autumn wind and

is

and

torn in the

We know that it is pure and clear and that not a single particle

excluded.

There

is

no muscle in the

eye.

There

is

no pigment in the paints. This

emancipation right here. As emancipation concerned with a discussion of a certain understanding,

make

earth, water,

is

not a matter of time,

and summer

Now,

is

not

moment or instant. Taking up this fire your vital activity; make

wind, and

mind, consciousness, and wisdom your great death.* In activities of the

it is

this

manner, the

house have been passed on with spring, autumn, winter,

as furnishings.

the fluctuations of the

tall

bamboo and the plantain are a painting.

Those who experience great awakening upon hearing the sound of bamboo, whether they are snakes or dragons, are

all

paintings.

Do

not doubt

it

with

the limited view that separates ordinary from sacred.

That bamboo pole long. That pole

is

is

just long.

just short.

This pole

As these

is

of long and short always accord with each other. long,

it

gate the

This pole

is

just

When you paint something

cannot be without painting something short. Thoroughly investi-

meaning of

painting,

human

are actualized

Since this rice-cake. is

just short.

are all paintings, the painted forms

is

this.

Because the entire world and

all

existence appears from a painting, and

phenomena buddha

are a

ancestors

from a painting.

so, there is

9 no remedy for satisfying hunger other than a painted

Without painted hunger you never become

no understanding other than painted

a true person. There

satisfaction. In fact, satisfying

hun-

Painting of a Rice-cake

ger, satisfying

139

no-hunger, not satisfying hunger, and not satisfying no-hun-

ger cannot be attained or spoken of without painted hunger. For some time

study

all

of these as a painted rice-cake.

When you

understand this meaning with your body and mind, you will

thoroughly master the ability to turn things and be turned by things. this

is

not done, the power of the study of the

enact this ability

On

is

way

is

not yet realized.

If

To

to actualize the painting of enlightenment.

the fifth day, eleventh month, third year of Ninji

taught to the assembly

at

[1242]

this

was

Kannondori Kosho Horin Monastery. Translated by

Dan Welch and Kazuaki Tanahashi

PART FOUR

Transmission of the Reaching

.

Qn the Endeavor of the ^ay bendo-wa'

All

buddha

tathagatas,

who

directly transmit inconceivable

actualize supreme, perfect enlightenment, have a

wondrous way, unsur-

passed and unconditioned.* Only buddhas transmit veering

off; self-fulfilling

ticing Zen,

is

Although

samadhi*

dharma and

it

to

buddhas without

standard. Sitting upright, prac-

is its

the authentic gate to the unconfined realm of this samadhi

this inconceivable

dharma

actualized without practice, and

it is

is

abundant

in each person,

it is

not

not experienced without realization.

When you release it, it fills your hand how many? When you speak it, it fills your mouth

could it is

it

be limited to one or

not bounded by length

or width.

Ail buddhas continuously abide in

it,

but do not leave traces of conscious-

ness in their illumination. Sentient beings continuously

but illumination

is

The concentrated endeavor of the way to

come

move about

in

it,

not manifest in their consciousness.^

forth in enlightenment

and

I

am

speaking of allows

all

things

practice, all-inclusivenesss* with de-

tachment. Passing through the barrier and dropping off limitations, could you be hindered by nodes in

bamboo 143

or knots in

wood?*

how

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

144

After the thought of enlightenment arose,

I

began to search

of Kennin Monastery, by

whom I

was trained

for nine years.

Thus

Myozen

about the teaching of the Rinzai School. Priest

a little

dharma,

for

Then I met priest Myozen,

visiting teachers at various places in our country.

learned

I

alone, as a

senior disciple of ancestor Eisai, correctly transmitted the unsurpassable

buddha-dharma; no one can be compared with him. Later

I

went

to Great

Zhe River, and heard

Song China,

visited masters

on both

the teaching of the Five Schools. Finally

Zen master Rujing of Taibo Peak and completed

I

sides of the

studied with

my lire s quest of the great

matter.

Then

at the

beginning of Shaoding Era [1228-33} of Great Song,

I

came

back to Japan with the hope of spreading the teaching and saving sentient beings

—

a heavy

burden on

my

shoulders. However,

I

will put aside the

intention of having the teaching prevail everywhere until the occasion of a rising tide.

I

think of wandering about like a cloud or a water- weed, study-

ing the wind of the ancient sages.

Yet there

may be true students who are not concerned with fame and gain

and who allow their thought of enlightenment to guide them, and they may be confused by incapable teachers and obstructed from the correct understanding. Indulging in

smug

of delusion for a long time.

self-satisfaction, they

would

river can they call

saw and heard in Great Song

my

If

on? Because

like to record the standards of

been transmitted by

sink into the land

How can they nourish the correct seed of prajna*

and have the opportunity to attain the way?

mountain or

may

I

am wandering about, which

I

concerned for them,

is

I

I

personally

profound principle which has

wish to leave

teaching of the buddha's house. This

feel

Zen monasteries which

as well as the

master.

I

for students of the

way the

indeed the essence.

3

Now,

the great master

Shakyamuni entrusted dharma

the assembly on Vulture Peak;

to

Mahakashyapa

at

it

was then correctly transmitted from ances-

tor to ancestor down to venerable

Bodhidharma. Bodhidharma himself went

China and entrusted dharma

Huike;

this

was the

beginning of dharma transmission in the eastern country. In

this

way, by

to

direct transmission,

it

to the great master

reached the Sixth Ancestor, Zen Master Dajian.

Then

On

the

Endeavor of the

the true Buddhist teaching spread in

Way

hma

145

and the teaching that

not

is

concerned with theories took form.

At

two outstanding

that time there were

disciples of the Sixth Ancestor,

Nanyue Huairang and Qingyuan Xingsi. They both buddha's seal,* as masters of

human

equally received the

beings and devas. Their two lineages

spread, and later the rive Gates opened: the Fayan School, the

School, the

Caodong School, the Yunmen School, and the

Guiyang

Linji School.

At

present in Great Song China only the Linji School prospers throughout the country.

But

in spite of their different styles, each of the Five

the single seal of the

Han

In China after the Later

Dynasty, the teachings of Buddhist scrip-

tures were introduced and spread sive teaching as yet.

Houses holds

buddha mind.

all

over the land, but there was no conclu-

When Bodhidharma came from India,

the root of twin-

ing vines* was immediately cut off and the pure, single buddha-dharma spread.

We shouid hope that

it

will be like this in our country.

4

Now, it

all

ancestors and

all

buddhas who uphold buddha-dharma have made

the true path of enlightenment to

self-fulfilling

samadhi

China followed

.

sit

upright practicing in the midst of

Those who attained enlightenment

this way. It

sonally transmitted this excellent

method

as the essence

In the authentic tradition of our teaching,

transmitted, straightforward buddha-dharma unsurpassable.

From

the

and

in India

was done so because teachers and disciples per-

first

it is is

of the teaching.

said that this directly

the unsurpassable of the

time you meet a master, without engaging in

incense offering, bowing, chanting Buddha's name, repentance, or reading scriptures,

you should

just

wholeheartedly

sit,

and thus drop away body and

mind.

When even for a moment you express the buddha's seal in the three actions* by sitting upright buddha's all

seal

in samadhi, the

whole phenomenal world becomes the

and the entire sky turns into enlightenment. Because of

buddha tathagatas

as the original source increase their

dharma

this

bliss

renew their magnificence in the awakening of the way. Furthermore,

and all

beings in the ten directions, and the six realms,* including the three lower realms,* at once obtain pure body and mind, realize the state of great eman-

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

146 cipation,

and manifest the original

correct awakening;

At

face.

this time, all things realize

myriad objects partake of the buddha body; and sitting

upright, a king under the bodhi

boundary of awakening. At

tree,

you immediately leap beyond the

moment you

this

turn the unsurpassably great

dharma wheel and expound the profound wisdom, ultimate and unconditioned.

Because such broad awakening resonates back to you and helps you in-

away body and mind,

conceivably, you will in zazen unmistakably drop

cutting off the various defiled thoughts from the past, and realize essential

buddha-dharma. Thus you will practice places of

raise

up buddha

activity at

innumerable

buddha tathagatas everywhere, cause everyone

to have the

opportunity of ongoing buddhahood,* and vigorously uplift the ongoing

buddha-dharma. Because earth, grass,

who

activity, those

trees, walls, tiles,

receive the benefit of

are inconceivably helped able,

and

and pebbles

all

engage in buddha

wind and water caused by them

by the buddha's guidance, splendid and unthink-

and awaken intimately to themselves. Those who receive these water

fire

benefits spread the buddha's guidance based

Because of endless

this, all those

buddha

tire universe,

who

on original awakening.

with you and speak with you will obtain

live

virtue and will unroll widely inside

and outside of the en-

the endless, unremitting, unthinkable, unnameable buddha-

dharma.

6 All this, however, does not appear within perception, because structedness* in stillness alization

it is

were two things,

as

it

immediate

realization. If practice

ness,

itself,

because realization

mind and

object

nevertheless, because

disturbing

its

activity, the

merge

you

quality or

uncon-

and

re-

appears to an ordinary person, each could be

recognized separately. But what can be met with recognition zation

it is

is

is

not reali-

not reached by a deluded mind. In

in realization

and go beyond enlightenment;

are in the state of self-fulfilling samadhi,

moving

a particle

still-

without

you extend the buddha's great

incomparably profound and subtle teaching.

Grass, trees, and lands which are embraced by this teaching together radiate a great light

and endlessly expound the inconceivable, profound

dharma. Grass,

and walls bring forth the teaching for all beings, com-

mon people as

trees,

well as sages.

And

they in accord extend this dharma for the

On

the

Endeavor of the

Way

147

sake of grass, trees, and walls. Thus, the realm of self-awakening and awak-

ening others invariably holds the mark of realization with nothing lacking,

and realization This being accords with

itself is

manifested without ceasing for a moment. of even one person ax_Qa!^ qqi

sOj ibfizazen all

(^ ii;n-pjefcq3tibly

things and fully resonates throughi aU time.

Thus

in the

past, future^jincl present of the limitless universe this zazenxarries on the

buddha's teaching endlessly. Eadi.mQxiient of zazen

equally wholeness of

is

practice, egyjaU>Lwiioleness of realization

This

not only practice while sitting,

IS

and

tiness: before it

after, its

be limited to this

practice if all

it is

hammer striking emp-

exquisite peal permeates everywhere.

moment? Hundreds

from the original

like a

face; it is

of things

all

impossible to measure.

buddhas of the ten directions,

as

innumerable

How

can

manifest original

Know that even

as the

Ganges, exert their strength and with the buddhas' wisdom

sands of the

try to

the merit of one person's zazen, they will not be able to fully

measure

comprehend

it.

Question i

:

We have now heard that the merit of zazen is lofty and great.

an ignorant person

may

Answer: Because this

Question 2:

is

"There are many gates

for

the front gate for buddha-dharma.

Why do you regard zazen alone as the front gate?

The

great master

Shakyamuni

method of attaining the way, and all

say,

Why do you recommend zazen exclusively?"

buddha-dharma.

Answer.

be doubtful and

But

attain the

way by doing

the front gate. attained the

Not only

tathagatas of the past, future, and present

zazen. For this reason

that,

way by doing

correctly transmitted this splendid

but also

zazen.

all

it

has been transmitted as

ancestors in India and Cnina have

Thus I now teach

this front gate to

human

beings and devas.

Question

3 We

gatas' excellent

understand that you have correctly transmitted the tatha-

method and studied the

tracks of the ancestors. It

is

beyond

the reach of ordinary thoughts. However, reading sutras or chanting dha's

name

or itself

sitting uselessly

must be

a cause of enlightenment.

Bud-

How can zazen,

and doing nothing, be depended upon

just

for attaining en-

lightenment? Answer: If you think that the samadhi of

all

buddhas, their unsurpassable

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

148 great method,

who

no water when you

is

buddhas graciously

ducing great merit?

mind

is still

Now,

sit at

What

and doing nothing, you will be one

Your delusion will be deep

slanders the Great Vehicle.

that there all

just sitting uselessly

is

are in the

like saying

middle of the great ocean. Already

ease in self-fulfilling samadhi. Is this not pro-

a pity that

your eyes are not yet open, that your

intoxicated!

the realm of

all

buddhas

is

inconceivable.

It

cannot be reached by

Much less can those who have no trust, who lack wisdom, know it. Only those who have right trust and great capacity can enter this realm. Those who have no trust will not accept it however much they are taught. Even at the assembly on Vulture Peak, there were those who were " told by Shakyamuni Buddha, "You may leave ir you wish. When right trust arises, you can practice and study. If not, you may wait consciousnesss.

for a

while and regret that you have not received the benefaction of dharma

from the

past.

Also, do you understand the merit attained by the act of reading sutras,

chanting Buddha's name, and so on? the tongue and

making

regard these as the

a

sound

is

It is

hopeless to think that just

moving

meritorious Buddhist activity. If you

buddhas teaching, the

biiddha's teaching will be further

and further away. Actually, the

meaning of studying

sutras

is

that if

you understand and

follow the rules of practice for sudden or gradual realization taught by the

buddha, you will unmistakably attain enlightenment. In studying sutras

you should not expend thoughts for attaining

To

in the vain

wisdom.

try foolishly to reach the

myriad times

is

buddha way by the

just like trying to

go

To look

at letters

physician forgetting

who

chant

all

practice of chanting

to the southern country of

your spear heading towards the north, or to hole.

hope that they will be helpful

but be ignorant of the way of practice

how

Yue with

a square post into a

fit

to prescribe medicine;

what use can

is it

round

just like a

be? People

the time are just like frogs croaking day and night in spring

fields; their effort will

be of no use whatsoever. Even worse off are those who,

deluded by name and gain, cannot give up such practices, because their greed for gain even more?

is

so deep.

What

a pity, indeed!

Just understand that

mind

There were such people in the past. Are there not

when a master who has attained the way with a clear

correctly transmits to a student

who

has

merged himself with

reali-

On

zation, then the inconceivable is

Endeavor of the

the

Way

149

dharma of the Seven Buddhas,

actualized and maintained. This cannot be

in

essence,

its

known by monks who study

words. Therefore stop your doubt, practice zazen under a correct teacher,

and actualize the

self-fulfilling

samadhi of all buddhas.

The Lotus School and the Avatamsaka

Question 4:

School, which have been

transmitted to Japan, are both the ultimate of Mahayana teaching. Fur-

thermore, the teaching of the Mantra School was directly transmitted by

Vairochana Tathagata to Vajrasattva, and

lineage from teacher to disciple

its

has not been disturbed. Ihis teaching explains that "mind everyone's

mind becomes buddha." They

itself is

also advocate the Five

buddha;

Buddhas'

correct enlightenment within one sitting, instead of practice through

eons. It should be regarded as the

supreme buddha-dharma.

aspect of the practice you mention

makes you recommend

So,

many

which good

ignoring the

it,

practice of other schools?

Answer:

You should know

that in the

buddhas house we do not

superiority or inferiority of the teaching; nor do

we concern

discuss

ourselves with

dharma, but only with the genuineness or

the depth or shallowness of th falseness of practice.

There are those who, attracted by

buddha way. And

flow into the

sand, and pebbles, manifest the less

grass, flowers,

mountains, and waters,

there are those

who, grasping

buddhas

In fact, although the bound-

seal.

earth, rocks,

words of the buddha overflow among myriad things, the turning of the

great

dharma wheel

words "Mind

is

itself is

contained inside a single particle. In this sense, the

buddha"

teaching "Sitting itself mirror.

Do

moon

becoming buddha

is

reflected

on water; the

like the reflection in the

By showing

not be concerned with the splendor of the words.

the excellent

ommending that

is

are like the

way of direct transmission by buddha ancestors, the practice of the immediate realization

I

am just

rec-

of wisdom, hoping

you will become true practitioners of the way.

For the transmission of buddha-dharma, the teacher should be a person

who it

has

merged with

would be

realization. Scholars

who count

letters

cannot do

it;

like the blind leading the blind.

Those within the gate of the correct transmission of buddha ancestors venerate an accomplished artisan realization,

who has attained the way and merged with

and entrust him with the upholding of buddha-dharma Be-

cause of this,

.

when

the spirit beings* of the visible and invisible realms

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

10 come

pay homage, or when the arhats

to

realization

come

to inquire about the

who

dharma,

have attained the fruits of

master will not

this

give the means to clarify their mind-ground. This

not

is

known

fail

to

in other

teachings. So the buddha's disciples should study only the buddha's teaching.

we do not originally lack unsurpassed enlight enriched with it always. But because we cannot accept

bu should also know enment, and we are it,

that

and we tend to create groundless views, regarding them

we miss

the great way; our

illusory flowers

You tend

to

bloom

as actual things,

Because of these views,

efforts are fruitless.

in various ways.

imagine inexhaustibly the twelvefold causation of rebirth,*

or twenty-five existences,* or such views as the Three Vehicles, Five Vehicles,

buddha

regard

them

Instead,

existing or not existing. as the correct

sit

But do not take up these views and

way of practicing buddha-dharma.

zazen wholeheartedly, forming the buddha's seal and letting

^ILthiogs^^gCL JCJj^lU^QUj^^

go beyond the boundary of delusion and en-

lightenment, and bei n^apartjfrgm the oaths of ordinary and sacred, immediately wander freely outside ordinary thinking, enriched with great enlightenment. If you do this ,

how can

those

trap or hunting net of worcis. and letters be

Among

Questton

Among

who are concerned withLthe^fish. compared with you?-

the three learnings,* there

the six perfections,* there

these have been studied by

all

is

the learning of samadhi.

is

the perfection of meditation. Both of

the bodhisattvas from the

moment of arousing

the thought of enlightenment, and both are practiced by the clever and dull.

The zazen you

are speaking of

seems to be something like

do you say that the true teaching of the Tathagata

is

this.

contained in

Answer. Your question arises because the treasury of the true

Why

it?

dharma

eye,

the single great matter of the Tathagata, the unsurpassable great dharma,

has been

named

the

Zen

You should know

School.

School" appeared in China and spread eastwards. India.

When

the great master

Bodhidharma was

It

true teaching. So they called

centrated on zazen. Later,

all

word za

sitting

him

monks nor

the

lay people

Brahman who con-

the ancestors of every generation always devoted

themselves to zazen. Foolish lay people the truth, informally called

Zen or in

sitting facing the wall at

Shaolin Monastery, Mt. Song, for nine years, neither

knew the buddha's

name

was not heard

that the

them

who saw them, without knowing

and nowadays

the Zazen School. call it

the

Zen

They have dropped the

School.

On the Endeavor of the Way

The meaning of ancestors.

this teaching

through the discourses of various

clear

is

You should not compare

151

with the meditation of the

this

six per-

fections or the three learnings.

The authenticity of the transmission of this buddha-dharma is unhidden through

Long ago

time.

all

at the

assembly on Vulture Peak the Tathagata

entrusted venerable Mahakashyapa alone with the unsurpassable great teaching, the treasury of the true

dharma eye, the inconceivable mind of nirvana.

This event was witnessed by devas should not doubt

it.

still alive

in the heavenly world;

you

Now the buddha-dharma is to be protected forever by

these devas. Its merit has not decreased.

You should know

that this

is

the entire

cannot be compared with anything

Question 6:

Why, from among

way of buddha-dharma and

the four postures* taught in the

house, do you emphasize sitting,

it

else.

buddhas

recommend Zen meditation, and expound

entry into realization?

Answer.

impossible to

It is

know completely

the methods by which

bud-

all

dhas from the past practiced and entered realization one after another. If

you wonder about the methods of all buddhas, you should know that whatever was used in the

But an ancestor joy. "4

Among

buddhas house

said admiringly,

methods.

are their

"Zazen

is

the

dharma gate of ease and

the four postures, sitting has these qualities. Also,

only the practice of one or two buddhas;

all

it is

not

buddhas and ancestors follow

this way.

Question 7:

Those who have not realized buddha-dharma should practice

zazen and attain realization. But what of those the

buddhas

correct teaching?

Answer. Although

What do

we should not

who have already understood

they expect from zazen?

talk about

dreams

people, or give an oar to a woodcutter, nevertheless

about

—

this.

^

To suppose

IS

will give instruction

-

_

_

that practice

heretical view; in

the present

I

in front of ignorant

and

realization are not

one

is

nothing

but\ .

buddha-dharma they

are inseparaole. Because practice of

moment is practice-realization, * the practice of^be^inner's mind

Itself the entire original realization.

Therefore,

when we

give instructions for practicing,

we

say that

you

should not have any expectation for realization outside of practice, since this is

the immediate original realization. Because this

is

the realization of prac-

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING no boundary in the

tice, there is

realization, there

realization.

Because this

is

the practice of

no beginning in practice.

is

In this way, Shakyamuni Tathagata and venerable Mahakashyapa were

both enriched with practice on realization*; great master Bodhidharma and venerable ancestor Dajian also were turned by practice on realization. tradition of abiding in

Already there

buddha-dharma which

practice

is

The

like this.

is

not apart from realization; fortunately

is

each of us has individually inherited the inconceivable practice. * Beginner's practice

is

individually to attain original realization on the ground of the

You should know

that in order not to defile realization,

inseparable from practice,

buddha ancestors always caution you not

unconstructed.

which

is

you

to be slack in your practice. If

original realization

release the inconceivable practice, the

your hands;

fills

if

realization, the inconceivable practice

Again, places

all

as

I

you become

is

personally saw in Great Song, the

had meditation

halls,

free

from the original

upheld with your whole body.

Zen monasteries

where there were

five

hundred,

in various

six

hundred,

one or two thousand monks, and where the practice of zazen day and night

was encouraged.

who had

When

I

asked the abbots of these monasteries, masters

inherited the seal of

buddha-dharma,

I

was

buddha mind, about the

told that practice

essential

meaning of

and realization are not two different

things.

Therefore,

I

recommend

to students

who

are already studying

teacher, as well as all those distinguished people

who wish

with a

for the truth of

buddha-dharma, to do zazen and endeavor in^the way, depending on the teacning of the buddha ancestors ,jinder_the guidance of a teacher, without distinguishing between beginning or advanced, and without being con-

—

cernea with ordinary or sacred. •

.

Have you not heard

tice

that an ancestor said, "It

and no realization,*

it is

just that they

"Someone who understands the way that practice

is

done

in the

is

not that there

cannot be defiled."

practices the way.'"

is

no prac-

It is also said,

You should know

midst of attaining the way.

Question 8: Various teachers

who went

to

Tang China spread the

scriptural

teaching in Japan in the past, and they introduced the teaching here.

Why

did they ignore a practice such as you have described and introduce only scriptural teaching?

Answer:

The

reason

tice is that the

why

these ancient teachers did not introduce this prac-

time was not yet

ripe.

On Question 9:

the

Did those masters

in ancient times

Answer. If they had understood

Question

10 One

Way

Endeavor of the

it, it

53

understand this teaching?

would have spread.

master said:

Do not grieve over birth and death. birth and death, namely, to

There

know

an immediate way to be free from

is

the principle that the nature of

mind

is

permanent. It

means that because

this

body

already in birth,

is

it is

brought to death,

but the mind-nature will not perish. You should recognize that you have in your body the mind-nature, which the inherent nature. there,

and

is

The body

not fixed.

Mind

is

is

is

not affected by birth and death. This

a temporary form;

permanent;

it

it

and

dies here

is

born

is

does not change through past,

future, or present.

To understand this principle

this

is

into the ocean of nature.

wondrous virtue

go around

same

is

formed

buddha

in birth

into the ocean of nature, you attain

tathagatas.

and death

Even

if

you know

deluded actions from past

as a result of

as all sages.

So when your body ends, you enter

forever.

When you flow

just as all

because your body are not the

from birth and death. Those who recognize

to be free

end birth and death

Those who do not recognize

you

just

Does such

spend your whole

you

this principle will

forever.

Therefore you should hasten to understand that mind-nature If

now,

this

lives,

life

is

permanent.

what can you expect?

leisurely sitting,

a statement as this accord with the path of all

buddhas and ances-

tors?

Answer:

The view you have mentioned

not at

is

is

a soul in one's body,

and

on encountering conditions, To discern aching and itching, or

this soul,

recognizes good and bad, right and wrong. to

know

body

is

pain and pleasure,

is

the buddha's teaching,

He said:

but rather the view of the heretic Senika. There

all

also this soul's capacity.

destroyed the soul comes out and

appears to be dead here, but since there

is

is

However, when the

born in another world. So

birth in another place,

it is

it

per-

manent without dying.

To follow

this

than grasping a

view and regard tile

it

as the

buddha's teaching

or pebble and regarding

it

as gold.

is

more

foolish

Such shameful

ig-

norance cannot be compared to anything. National Teacher Huizhong of

Great Tang criticized this deeply/ To take up the wrong view that mind

permanent and forms perish, while regarding

this as equal to the inconceiv-

able teaching of all buddhas, or to create the causes of birth

wishing to be apart from birth and death

is

is

and death while

this not foolish? It

is

most

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

154 pitiable. Just

to

understand

as the

it

wrong view of

heretics

and do not

listen

it. I

cannot refrain from being sympathetic;

wrong

You should know

view.

said that ]^ody_and

two. This was

mind

that in

let

are nonseparate, nature

known both

in India

me

rescue you from your

buddha-dharma

always being

it is

and characteristics are not

and China. So there

is

mistake. In fact, the teaching about permanence says that

no room

all

for

things are

permanent, without dividing body and mind. The teaching about cessation says that

things cease, without separating nature and characteristics.

all

How can you say body perishes but mind is permanent? Is it not against the Not only

authentic principle?

death

Even

is itself

if

that,

nirvana. Nirvana

is

you should understand that birth-and-

not explained outside of birth-and-death.

you understand that mind

is

permanent apart from the body, and

mistakenly assume that the buddha's wisdom

is

separate from birth-and-

death, this mind of understanding or recognizing

and

is

not permanent.

You should know

Is it

still arises

and perishes

not ephemeral?

that the teaching that

body and mind

are

one

is

always

how can mind alone leave the If body and mind are nonseparate

being explained in the buddha-dharma. Then

body and not cease when the body

ceases?

sometimes and not nonseparate some other times, the buddha's teaching

would be

false.

Again, to think that birth-and-death has to be rejected

the mistake of ignoring buddha-dharma.

You should know

that the so-called

You must

refrain

from

is

this.

"dharma gate of the whole

reality of

mind-nature" in buddha-dharma includes the entire phenomenal world without dividing nature from characteristics or birth from death. Nothing, not even bodhi or nirvana, all

phenomena

taught that

all

are just one

the

you

is

You are already

madmen, who quote Question 1

:

outside of mind-nature. All things and

— nothing

is

excluded or unrelated.

gates are equally one mind, and there

It is is

how Buddhists understand mind-nature. How

differentiate this into

nirvana?

mind

dharma

differentiation. This

is

no can

body and mind, and divide birth-and-death and

the buddha's child.

Do not listen to the tongues of

heretical views.

Should those

who

are entirely

engaged in zazen

strictly follow

the precepts?

Answer: Holding to the precepts and pure actions

is

the rule of the

Zen Gate

and the teaching of buddha ancestors. Even those who have not yet received the precepts or have broken the precepts can

still

receive the benefit of zazen.

"

On Question 12

Is it all

the

Endeavor of the

right for those

who study

Way

155

zazen also to engage in chant-

ing mantras* or in the practice of calm and introspection?

Answer:

When

the teaching,

I

I

was in China and inquired of masters about the essence of

was told that none of the ancestors who correctly transmitted

the buddha's seal in India and China in the past or present had ever engaged in such a

combination of practices. Indeed, without devoting yourself to

one thing you cannot reach the one wisdom.

Question 13

:

Should zazen be practiced by

lay

men and women,

or should

it

be practiced by home-leavers alone? Answer:

The

ancestors say, "In understandip^ buddha-dharma^

women^nobie andcommon people,

Question 14: Home-leavers are free

men and

are not distinguished.

from various involvements and do not

have hindrances in zazen in pursuit of the way.

How can the laity, who are

variously occupied, practice single-mindedly and accord with buddha-

dharma which Answer:

is

unconstructed?

Buddha ancestors, out of their kindness, have opened the wide gate

of compassion in order to

among humans and If

let all sentient

beings enter realization.

Who

heavenly beings cannot enter?

you investigate olden times the examples

are

many. To begin with,

emperors Daizong and Shunzong had many obligations on the throne; nevertheless, they practiced zazen in pursuit of the way,

and penetrated the

great

way of buddha

their

emperors but they practiced zazen, pursued the way, and entered

alization in the great

ancestors. Ministers Li

way of buddha

and Fang both

closely served

ancestors.

rhis just depends on whether you have the willingness or not.

matter whether you are a lay person or home-leaver. Those excellence invariably as a

Jn

It

does not

who can

discern

come to this practice. Those who regard worldly affairs

hindrance tp buddha-dharma only think that there

in the secular world,

re-

is

and do not understand that there

no buddha-dharma is

no secular world

hnrlHha-fihamia. Recently, there was a high

official

was advanced in the ancestors' way.

of Great Song, Minister Feng,

He once wrote a poem concerning him-

self:

I

enjoy zazen between

who

my official duties,

and seldom sleep lying on a bed.

/

16

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING Although I'm

appear to be a minister,

I

known

Buddhist elder throughout the country.

as a

Although he was busy

he attained the way because

in nis official duties,

he had a deep intention towards the buddha way. Considering someone like

him, you should

reflect

on yourself and illuminate the present with the past.

In Song China, kings and ministers, officials and

common

people,

men

and women, kept their intention on the ancestors' way. Both warriors and literary

people aroused the intention to practice Zen and study the way.

Among

those

who aroused

mind-ground. From

this

their intention,

many of them

illuminated their

you know that worldly duties do not hinder the

buddha-dharma. buddha's true teaching

If the

the king the rule

peaceful because

is is

all

is

spread widely in the nation, the rule of

buddhas and devas protect

it

unceasingly. If

peaceful the buddha's teaching gains power.

When Shakyamuni Buddha was alive,

even those

who committed serious

crimes or had mistaken views attained the way. In the assemblies of ancestors,

hunters and woodcutters attained realization.

so for others.

Question

You should

13 Can we

just seek the teaching of

attain realization if

we

Ir it is

so for them,

it is

an authentic master.

practice, even in this last age of

decline?

Answer. In the scriptural schools they explain various names and aspects,

but in the true Mahayana teachings dharma truth, imitation,

the

way by

and decline.* Instead,

is

it is

not divided into periods of

taught that everyone attains

practice. Particularly in this correctly transmitted teaching of

zazen, you are enriched with the treasure of yourself, entering

dharma and

who practice know whether realization is who drink water know whether it is hot or

leaving bondage behind. Those attained or not, just as those cold.

Question

16 Someone

In buddha-dharma

dha" that will be

,

says:

if

you comprehend the meaning of "Mind

sufficient

buddha way. To know

that

buddha-dharma

originally lies in the self

completion of attaining the way. Other than

anyone

else.

the way?

itself is

bud-

without any chanting of sutras or practicing the

this,

is

the

you need not seek from

Why should you be troubled with practicing zazen and pursuing

''

'

On Answer: This statement

who

is

the

Endeavor of the

Way

entirely groundless. If

157

what you say

mind would immediately understand buddha-dharma You should know that buddha-dharma is

everyone

has a .

is

the

true, then

meaning of

to be studied

by

giving up the view of self and other. If the

understanding of "Self

itself

is

buddha" were the attaining of the

way, Shakyamuni Buddha would not have taken the trouble way.

Now

let

me

to explain the

illuminate this explanation with an excellent case of an

old master:

Once

monk

a

Xuanze was

called director

in the assembly of

how long

Fay an. Fayan asked him, "Director Xuanze,

Zen master

have you been in

my

community?"

Xuanze

said, "I

The master

"You

said,

'

I

cannot deceive you,

master Qingfeng [Baizhao ZhiyuanJ,

buddha-dharma

The master Xuanze

said,

stand

1

sir.

When

me

about

I

was studying with Zen

mastered the place of ease and joy in

"With what words did you

"When

said,

said,

don't you ask

.

I

ihat

is

a

enter this understanding?"

asked Qingfeng, 'What

god

dent?', he said, "Ihe fire

Fayan

Why

are a latecomer.

'

buddha-dharma

Xuanze

have been studying with you for three years."

said,

is

here to look for

is

the self of a

Zen

stu-

fire.

good statement. But I'm

afraid

you did not under-

it.

Xuanze said, "The for fire

and

god belongs

to

fire.

So

I

understood that

were like that,

said, "Indeed, it

you did not understand.

would not have been transmitted

Then Xuanze was

distressed

"The master

is

a

looks

buddha-dharma

until now."

and went away. But on

renowned teacher

If

his

way he

back to Fayan, apologized, and

said to

in this country, a great leader

of five hundred monks. His criticism of my fault ought to have

He went

fire

self looks for self."

The master

himself,

fire

said,

"What

is

some point."

the self of a

en

student?"

Fayan

said,

"The

Upon hearing

fire

god

is

here to look for

this statement,

Xuanze had

fire.

a great realization of

buddha-

dharma. In this way, is

we know

that

mere understanding of "Self

itself is

buddha

not knowing buddha-dharma. If the understanding of "Seir itself

dha

is

'

bud-

were buddha-dharma, Fayan would not have given such criticism or

18

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

guidance. You should just inquire about the rules of practice as soon as you

meet the master, single-mindedly practice zazen, and pursue the way, without leaving a half-understanding in your mind. Then the excellent art of

buddha-dharma

Question ij: in the past

will not be in vain.

We have heard that in India and China there have been people

and present who realized the way on hearing the sound of bamboo

being struck, or

who understood

the

mind

seeing the color of blossoms.

Great Master Shakyamuni was awakened to the way when he saw the morn-

and venerable Ananda understood the dharma when a banner-pole

ing

star,

fell

down. Not only

Five Schools, there were

word of speech

but

that,

after the Sixth Ancestor, in

hina among the

many who understood the mind-ground with one Not all of them necessarily did zazen in

or half a phrase.

pursuit of the way, did they?

Answer.

Of those who

alized the

understood the way upon seeing a form, or

way upon hearing

a sound, not one

who

had any intellectual thinking

regarding the endeavor of the way or had any self besides their original

and China by nature

Question i8: People in India

can immediately enter less

wisdom, and

This

is

because

it is

we

it.

is

taught to them they

People in our country from olden times have had

difficult for the right seed

are uncivilized. Is

of prajna to be nourished.

not regrettable? Thus, the

it

monks

in our country are inferior to even the laity in those great countries.

entire nation

is

visible merit

and

zazen, can

Answer:

foolish

sue

Our

and narrow-minded, and we are deeply attached to

are fond of worldly excellence. If such people as

we immediately

realize

we do

buddha-dharma?

What you say is correct. Among people in our own country wisdom

does not prevail yet, and their nature

dharma

self.

are refined. Since they are

when buddha-dharma

in the center of civilization,

re-

is

explained to them,

name and

gain, and

it is

its

rather coarse.

is

Even

nectar becomes poisonous.

difficult for

you to be

free

if

You

the correct easily pur-

from delusion.

However, entering into realization of buddha-dharma does not require the worldly

wisdom

or

humans and

When Buddha was

alive,

by a ball;* someone

else

someone

devas, as a boat for fleeing the world.

realized the four fruits

when he was

hit

understood the great way by wearing a robe in fun/

They were both ignorant people,

like beasts,

they were able to be free from delusion.

A

but with the aid of right trust lay

woman

serving food to an

On the Endeavor of the Way ignorant old

monk, who was

sitting in silence,

159

was enlightened. ' This did

not depend upon wisdom, scripture, words, or speech, but

brought about by right

Now, Shakyamuni Buddha's teaching cosm*

for

it

was only

trust.

has been spread in the trichilio-

about two thousand years. Those countries are not necessarily the

countries of wisdom, and the people are not necessarily sharp and intelli-

gent. However, the Tathagata's true

dharma

in essence has a great incon-

ceivable meritorious power, and spreads in those countries

when

the time

is

ripe.

If

you practice with right

Do

being sharp or dull.

you will attain the way, regardless of

trust,

not think that buddha-dharma cannot be under-

stood in this country because this

is

not a country of wisdom and the people

are foolish. In fact, everyone has in

but

it

rarely hits the

mark and

abundance the correct seed of prajna,

enriches us.

This exchange of questions and answers

may

have been rather confusing; a

number of times sky-flowers were made to bloom. However, ing of zazen in pursuit of the those

way has not been transmitted

since the

mean-

in this country,

who wish to know about it may be regretful. Therefore, for the sake who wish to study, I have recorded some of the essential teachings

of those

of the clear-eyed teachers, which in the practice places I

I

learned in

and the regulations

hma. Besides

this, the rules

in the monasteries are

more than

can mention now. They should not be discussed hastily.

Now our country lies to the east of the dragon ocean,

far

from China. But

the buddha's teaching was transmitted eastward, about the time of emperors

Kimmei and Yomei.*

This

is

the good fortune of our people. Yet the

philosophy and rituals have been entangled, and

real practice

Now if you make torn robes and mended bowl your life, hut near a mossy

cliff or

was missed.

build a grass-roofed

wnite rock, and practice sitting upright, you im-

mediately go beyond buddha and directly master the great matter of your life's

study. This

is

the admonition of

of practice of Rooster-foot. *

Dragon Fang,* the transmitted way

Concerning the method of zazen,

you to the "Broad Recommendation of Zazen

which

I

I

would

refer

wrote during the

Karoku Era [1225—27]. Although the king's edict if

is

needed

we think of the Buddha entrusting

Vulture Peak,

all

for spreading

the

dharma

the kings and ministers

who

dharma in the country,

to kings

and ministers on

have appeared in the trichi-

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

i6o

liocosm are born because of their wish from a previous birth to protect and

guard buddha-dharma. Nevertheless, spreading the way of buddha ancestors does not necessarily

that today

Thus for

I

is

depend upon place or circumstances. Just think

the beginning.

have written this to leave for people of excellence

buddha-dharma and

for true students

who, wandering

who have a wish

like water- weed,

seek the way.

Mid-autumn

day, in the third year of

Kanki [1231}, by Dogen, who has

transmitted dharma from Song China. Translated by

Lew Richmond and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Only Buddha and Buddha YUIBUTSU YOBUTSU

Buddha-dharma cannot be known by

a person. For this reason, since olden

times no ordinary person has realized buddha-dharma; no practitioner of the Lesser Vehicles has mastered buddha-dharma. Because

buddhas alone, master

it is

"Only

said,

a

buddha and

it is

realized

by

buddha can thoroughly

it."^

When you realize buddha-dharma, just as

a

I

expected." Even

if

you think

your expectation. Realization

is

you do not think, "This

is

realization

so, realization invariably differs

from

not like your conception of it. Accordingly,

realization cannot take place as previously conceived.

When you realize bud-

dha-dharma, you do not consider how realization came about. You should reflect

on

this:

What you

think one way or another before realization

is

not

a help for realization.

Although

realization

is

not like any of the thoughts preceding

it,

this

is

not because such thoughts were actually bad and could not be realization. Past thoughts in themselves were already realization.

But

since you were

seeking elsewhere, you thought and said that thoughts cannot be realization.

However,

it is

worth noticing that what you think one way or another

not a help for realization.

Then you

is

are cautious not to be small-minded. If

i6i

1

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

62

realization

came

power of your prior thoughts,

forth by the

it

would not be

trustworthy. Realization does not depend on thoughts, but comes forth far

beyond them;

Know

realization

that then there

is

is

helped only by the power of realization

no delusion, and there

no

is

itself.

realization.

2

When you have unsurpassed wisdom, dha has unsurpassed wisdom,

what

it is

like

on

this

path

it is

buddha.

are called

called unsurpassed

foolish.

is

you

What

it is

like

When a bud-

wisdom. Not

is

to

know

to be unstained.*

To

be unstained does not mean that you try forcefully to exclude intention or discrimination, or that you establish a state of nonintention. Being unstained cannot be intended or discriminated at

Being unstained looks like. Also

like

is

it is

all.

meeting a person and not considering what he wishing

like not

for

more

color or brightness

when

viewing flowers or the moon. Spring has the tone of spring, and autumn has the scene of autumn; there_ is

no escaping

what

it is,

notice that

autumn

spring or

That which self.

So when you want spring or autumn to be different fconi

it.

as

it

it is,

can only be as reflect that it

accumulated

is

is

it is/

Or when you want

to

keep

has no unchanging nature.

without

self,

and no mental activity has

The reason is that not one of the four great elements or the five skandhas

can be understood as self or identified as flowers or

moon

in

though you think

self.

Therefore, the form of the

your mind should not be understood

it is

bt^disliked or longed

self,

for,

i)till,

when you

as

being

clarify tjbatjherejs

then the original face

is

self,

even

nothing to

revealed by your practice

of_theway,

3

A teacher of old said: Although the

entire universe

is

nothing but the dharma body* of the

you should not be hindered by the dharma body.

If

self,

you are hindered by the

dharma body, you will not be able to turn freely, no matter how hard you may try. But there should be a way to be free from hindrance. What, then, is the way for all people to be free from hindrance? If you cannot say clearly how to free all people,

you will soon

lose even the life of the

dharma body and sink

in the ocean of suffering for a long time. If

you

body

are asked in this way,

alive

how can you answer so as

and avoid sinking in the ocean of suffering?

to

keep the dharma

Only Buddha and Buddha

"TRc

In that case, say,

dharma body of the self." the dharma body of the self, words

entire universe

When you say that the entire universe is it. When words cannot

cannot express there

163

is

the

express

it,

should we understand

nothing to be said? Without words, ancient buddhas said some-

is

thing.

There

is

birth in death, and there

death, and birth

is

because dharma

is

wheel, there it is

is

is

death in birth. Death

is

so not because

when Buddha

like this. Therefore,

is

you make

entirely so,

it

turns the

insight such as this and expression such as this.

also like this

This

entirely birth. This

but

dharma

Know

that

when Buddha manifests a body to awaken sentient beings.

called "awareness of no-birth."

is

"Buddha manifests

body and awakens sentient beings" means that

a

awakening sentient beings

is itself

the manifestation of the

buddha body.

In the midst of awakening sentient beings, do not pursue manifestation.

Seeing manifestation, do not look about for awakening.

Understand that in the midst of awakening sentient beings, the buddha-

dharma that

is

is

so because

ings." This principle

way

and actualize

it

the same with manifestation and having the

it is

This

totally experienced. Explain

"Buddha manifests is

this way.

Know

buddha body.

body and awakens sentient be-

a

from the morning of attaining the

clarified in that

until the evening of parinirvana,

it

Buddha

discoursed freely, without

words getting in the way.

4

An ancient buddha said: The entire The entire The entire The entire

human

body.

universe

is

the true

universe

is

the gate of liberation.

universe

is

the eye of Vairochana.

universe

is

the

dharma body of the

self.

"The true human body" meansjour own_tme body. .Know universejs^zo«f~Q^n true body, which If

is

someone asks you why we do not usually notice

within yourself that the entire universe

"The

entire universe

Also,

not at

"The

all

is

the true

entire universe

is

that the enjire

not a tempMorary body.

is

this, say, "Just reflect

human body." Or say, already you know this."

the true

human body

—

the gate of liberation" means that you are

entangled or captivated.

What

is

called "the entire universe"

is

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

164

undivided from the moment, the ages, mind, and words. This limitless and boundless experience

go through

the "entire universe." Even

is

this gate of liberation,

cannot be done.

it

if

you seek to enter or

How is this so? Reflect

on the question raised. If you intend to seek outside what

it is,

nothing will

be attained.

"The

entire universe

a single eye.*

Do

is

the eye of Vairochana"

means

not suppose that a buddha's eye

is

that

buddhas have

like those of

human

beings.

Human beings have two eyes, say

but when you say "a human eye," you don't

"two eyes" or "three eyes." Those who study the teaching should not

understand that "the eye of a buddha," "the eye of dharma," or "the celestial eye" eyes

is is

which

like the

two eyes of human beings. To believe that

lamentable. Understand is

now

that there

is

said that the entire universe

is

not mistaken to say that this eye is

like

human

itself the entire universe.

A buddha may have one thousand eyes* or myriad eyes. is

it is

only a buddha's single eye,

But presently

it is

one of many eyes of a buddha, just

as it

is

not mistaken to understand that a buddha has only one eye.

indeed has

it

the one eye or Vairochana. Therefore,

A

buddha

many kinds

of eyes -— three eyes, one thousand eyes, or eighty-

Do

not be surprised to hear that there are eyes such as

four thousand eyes. these.

Also learn that the entire universe to

know the self is

is

the

dharma body of the

self.

To seek

invariably the wish of living beings. However, those

see the true self are rare.

Only buddhas know the

People outside the way regard what

is

true

who

self.

not the self as the

self.

But what

buddhas call the self is the entire universe. Therefore, there is never an entire universe that

is

not the

self,

with or without our knowing

it.

On this matter

defer to the words of the ancient buddhas.

Long ago

a

monk

asked an old master,

myriads of objects come

The master

replied,

all at

"When

hundreds, thousands, or

once, what should be done?"

"Don't trv to controLthexn

What he means is that in whatever way objects come, do not try to change is the buddha-dharma, not objects at all. Do not

them. Whatever comes

understand the master's reply that

it is

the truth. Even

controlled.

if

as

merely a brilliant admonition, but realize

you^ry

to c omrol_whacxonies,

it

cannot be

Only Buddha and Buddha

165

6

An

ancient

buddha

"The mountains,

said,

and earth are born

rivers,

same moment with each person. All buddhas of the three worlds*

at the

are prac-

ticing together with each person." If

we look

at the

birth does not

mountains,

seem

rivers,

and earth when a person

to be bringing forth additional mountains, rivers,

earth on top of the existing ones. Yet the ancient

How should we understand tnisr

mistaken. it,

you should not ignore

word

is

born, his

is

it.

Even

you do not understand

if

So, be determined to understand

already expounded, you should listen to

and

buddhas word cannot be

it.

Since this

Listen until you under-

it.

stand.

This its

how

is

to understand. Is there anyone

beginning or end

is

ning; nevertheless everyone

who knows what

No one knows either

like? is

birth's

all

its

begin-

knows the extremities

born. Similarly, no one

of the mountains, rivers, and earth, but

his birth in

end or

see this place

and walk

here.

Do

not think with regret that the mountains, rivers, and earth are not born

with you. Understand that the ancient buddha teaches that your birth

is

nonseparate from the mountains, rivers, and earth.

Again,

all

buddhas of the three worlds have already practiced, attained

the way, and completed realization.

How should we understand

that those

examine a buddhas

buddhas

are practicing together

practice.

A buddhas practice is to practice in the same manner as the entire

universe and

buddhas

all

beings. If

it

with us?

is

not practice with

practice. This being so, all buddhas,

ing realization, realize and practice the verse

and

all

all

beings,

it is

not a

from the moment of attain-

way together with

the entire uni-

beings.

You may have doubts about expounded buddhas

First of all,

this.

But the ancient buddhas word was

Do

in order to clarify your confused thinking.

are other than you.

According to

this teaching,

not think that

when

all

buddhas

of the three worlds arouse the thought of enlightenment and practice, they

never exclude our body-and-mind. this

is

to slander the

When we reflect quietly, together with

all

You should understand

To doubt

it

appears that our body-and-mind has practiced

buddhas of the three worlds and has together with them

aroused the thought of enlightenment. future of our body-and-mind,

By what

this.

buddhas of the three worlds.

delusion do

we

we cannot

believe our

When we find the

reflect

on the past and

boundary of self or others.

body-and-mind

is

apart from

all

bud-

1

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

66

dhas of the three worlds? Such delusion

is

groundless.

How then can delu-

sion hinder the arousing of the thought of enlightenment and the practicing

buddhas of the three worlds? Thus, understand that the

of the

way by

way

not a matter of your knowing or not knowing.

A

is

all

teacher of old said,

down; moving about the entirely revealed

A

is

nothing other than chopping

beyond discussion. Mountains,

is

rivers,

and earth

are

body of the dharma king."^

person of the present should study this phrase of the teacher of old.

There is

"Chopping down*

is

a

dharma king who understands

that the

body of the dharma king

not different from chopping down, just as mountains are on earth, and

the earth

When

holding up mountains.

is

you understand, a moment of no-understanding* does not come

and hinder understanding, and understanding does not break no-understanding. Instead, understanding and no-understanding are just like spring

and autumn.

'

However, when you do not understand, the pervasive voice of dharma does not reach your ears; in the midst of the voice your ears dally about. But

when you understand,

the voice has already reached your ears; samadhi has

emerged.

Know

that no-understanding cannot be discerned by a

king's understanding

In the the

dharma

is

just like this.

king's

body the eye

same as the body. There

everything

is

is

is

self;

and the mind

just like the body,

not the slightest gap between

fully revealed. Similarly

dharma

the

you should understand that in

mination and discourse the dharma king's body

is

is

mind and body; illu-

revealed.

8 There has been a saying since olden times: fish's

heart,

Yet those

one knows a

no one except a bird follows a

who

really

fish's

"No one

understand this principle are

heart or a bird's trace

is

except a

fish

knows

a

bird's trace." rare.

To think

that no

know that people who do not know one

mistaken. You should

know one another's heart, unlike another's heart. But when the fish try to go up through the Dragon Gate,* they know one another's intention and have the same heart. Or they share fish

always

Only Buddha and Buddha

the heart of breaking through the fish

hardly

know

Nine Great Bends.* Those who

are not

this.

Again, when a bird or following

167

cannot even imagine

in the sky, beasts

flies

As they do not know

its trace.

this.

However,

do not even dream of finding

that there

such a thing, they

is

a bird can see traces of

hundreds and

thousands of small birds having passed in flocks, or traces of so

may

of large birds having flown south or north. Those traces evident than the carriage tracks

left

many

lines

be even more

on a road or the hoofprints of a horse

seen in the grass. In this way, a bird sees birds' traces.

Buddhas are like this. You may wonder how many lifetimes buddhas have been practicing. Buddhas, large or small, although they are countless,

know

their

own

traces.

You never know

a

buddhas

trace

when you are

all

not a

buddha.

You may wonder why you do not know. The reason is that, while buddhas see these traces

with a buddha's eye, those

a buddha's eye,

and

All

you

who do

not

just notice the

know should

find footprints,

who are

not buddhas do not have

buddha's attributes.

search out the trace of the buddha's path. If

you should investigate whether they

On being investigated,

the buddha's trace

or short, shallow or deep,

is

also

is

are the buddha's.

known; and whether

known. To illuminate your

trace

plished by studying the buddha's trace. Accomplishing this

is

it is is

long

accom-

buddha-

dharma. Translated by

Ed Brown and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Twining \mes^ KATTO

At the assembly on Vulture Peak, only Mahakashyapa, through received

Shakyamuni Buddha's treasury of the true dharma

realization,

eye, unsurpass-

able wisdom. By a direct transmission of correct realization through twenty-

eight generations,

it

reached venerable Bodhidharma.

Bodhidharma went to China and entrusted the treasury of the true dharma eye, unsurpassable

confirmed him in India

went

Ancestor in

as the

to

First

is

to

Dazu, Great Master Zhengzong Pujue, and

Second Ancestor. Because the Twenty-eighth Ancestor

China

hina.

Ancestor. This

The

wisdom,

as the first teacher there,

he

is

also called the First

The Twenty-ninth Ancestor is called the Second Chinese

the custom in China.

Chinese Ancestor once studied with venerable Prajnatara and

through realization directly received the admonitions of the buddha, the bones of the way. In realization he attained the source through the source

and made

it

the root of branches and leaves.

Although there

are a

number of sages who

try to study

by cutting

off the

root of twining vines, they

do not regard the cutting of twining vines with

twining vines

Also they do not

as

cutting.

know twining vines entangled

with twining vines. Furthermore, how can they understand inheriting twini68

Twining Vines

169

who notice that inheriting dharma who has learned it, and there is no How is it possible for many to have realized it?

ing vines through twining vines? Those is

twining vines are

one

rare.

There

who has spoken about it.

is

no one

2

My

"Gourd

old buddha, said,

late master,

vines.

vines entangle with gourd

"2

This teaching has never been seen or heard in the various directions of past and present.

My late master alone spoke it.

"Gourd vines entangle with

gourd vines" means that buddha ancestors master buddha ancestors; buddha

merge with buddha ancestors

ancestors

in realization.

This

is

transmitting

mind by mind.

3

The Twenty-eighth Ancestor once said to his students, "The time has come. Can you

express your understanding?"

Then one of the students, Daofu,

said,

"My present view is that we should

neither be attached to letters nor be apart from letters, and allow the

way

to

function freely."

The

ancestor said, "You have attained

The nun Zongchi

said,

shobhya Buddha's land

The

ancestor said,

Daoyu

is

that

"You have attained

exist.

Therefore

I

it is

like the joy of seeing

Ak-

my

flesh."

are originally

empty and the

five

see nothing to be attained."

ancestor said, "You have attained

Finally to

view

once and not again."*

"The four great elements

said,

skandhas* do not

The

"My

just

my skin."

Huike answered by bowing

my bones."

three times, stood up, and returned

where he was.

The Huike

ancestor said, as the

You should

my skin,

"You have attained

my

marrow." Thus he confirmed

Second Ancestor and transmitted to him dharma and robe/ investigate these words of

flesh,

Bodhidharma: "You have attained

bones, and marrow." These are the ancestor's words. All four

students had attainment and understanding. Each one's attainment and

understanding

mind: skin,

is

flesh,

skin, flesh, bones,

bones, and

and marrow leaping out of body and

marrow dropping away body and mind. You

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

170

should not see or hear the ancestor with a limited understanding of these statements. Otherwise what was spoken and heard will not be fully grasped.

However, those who have not yet received correct transmission think that the ancestor's words "skin, flesh, bones, and

marrow"

are not equal in shal-

lowness and depth, and because the views of the four students vary, one

seem

to be closer than the others.

close as

They think

may

that skin and flesh are not as

bones and marrow. They think that the Second Ancestor was ac-

knowledged

as attaining the

who

of the others. People

marrow because

speak in this

view was better than those

his

way have not yet studied with buddha

ancestors and do not have transmission of the ancestor way.

4

You should know that the ancestor's words do not mean that one understanding

is

"skin, flesh, bones, and

closer than another.

superior or inferior views, in the ancestor self. It

way

there

is

"You have attained

my

bones

is

more

guiding a person in holding up grass, dropping grass. *

up

a flower, * or

like transmitting a robe.

there are

my marrow"

nor

essential than the other

for

it is

marrow"

if

only attaining the

means that neither the phrase "You have attained

the phrase

Even

From

It is like

holding

the beginning, Bodhi-

dharma's confirmation of each one was equal. Although the ancestor's confirmation was equal, the four views were not necessarily equal.

However

varied the four views are, the ancestor's words are just the ancestor's words.

In fact, words and understanding do not necessarily match.

For example, Bodhidharma said to the four students, "You have attained

my skin," and so forth. Had he hundreds or thousands of students after the Second Ancestor, he would have spoken hundreds or thousands of words.

There should be no limit. Because he had only four students he spoke of "skin, flesh, bones,

and marrow." But the words not spoken, and yet to be

spoken, should be many.

You should know "You have attained

that even to the Second Ancestor he could have said,

my

skin."

Even saying, "You have attained

my

skin,"

he could have transmitted the treasury of the true dharma eye to Huike as the Second Ancestor.

It

does not go by the superiority or inferiority of at-

taining the flesh or attaining the marrow.

Even

to Daofu,

Daoyu, or Zongchi he could have said, "You have attained

my marrow." Even though they attained the skin,

he could have transmitted

'

Twining Vines

171

dharma to them The ancestor's body-and-mind is the ancestor .

bones, and marrow.

Now, body

is

body

is

is

is

whose

There

body

full

is

bones, and an ancestor whose full body full

body

whose full mind there

is

is

mind. There

when

is

is

body

is

is far.

an ancestor whose

full

an ancestor whose

full

marrow. There is

is

an ances-

body, an ancestor

an ancestor whose full ancestor

full

skin flesh

skin" by having the eye

flesh, is

—

and the skin

mind, an ancestor whose full body

is

an ancestor whose

In this way,

close

my

"You have attained

to fully attain the ancestor.

skin, an ancestor

whose

And

not that the marrow

to receive the seal of

of studying

tor

It is

is

ancestor.

"attaining myself-yourself

. '

these ancestors appear together and speak to hundreds

and thousands of students they

say,

"You have attained

my

skin."

Even

if

the ancestors in hundreds and thousands of words indicate skin, flesh, bones,

and marrow flesh,

in this way, people outside will think superficially

If there

had been

would have

said,

six or seven students in

"You have attained

body," "You have attained or

"You have attained

my

my

my

Bodhidharma's community he

mind,

'You have attained

You have

buddhahood,

attained

is

the

of "attaining." "I

ing an ancestor's body-and-mind,

buddha

eye,"

if

not the

are

You should

Upon

study-

you say that inside and outside

are not

full

body, you are not in the land where

ancestors appear.

To attain skin and marrow that all

is

my

have attained yourself,"

"attaining myself-yourself," and "attaining yourself-myself."

one or that the entire body

my

moment when "you" time when "you" are now Huike.

realization." This

now an ancestor and this is the You should examine thoroughly the meaning know that there is "You have attained myself,"

the

about skin,

bones, and marrow.

is

is

to attain bones, flesh,

to attain skin, flesh,

and

and marrow. To attain bones, face. It is to

flesh,

understand not only

the worlds of the ten directions are the true body, * but that they

are skin, flesh, bones,

and marrow. In

this way,

you attain robe, you attain

dharma. Thus, words are bits and pieces of leaping out; teacher and disciple practice

mutually.

What

is

heard

is

bits

and pieces leaping out; teacher and

disciple practice mutually.

"Teacher and disciple practice mutually"

is

twining vines of buddha

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

172

ancestors.

"Twining vines of buddha ancestors"

flesh,

bones, and marrow. "Taking up

vines.

"Breaking into a smile

You

is

a flower

the

is

life

stream of skin,

and winking"

skin, flesh, bones,

is

twining

and marrow.

should study further; the seeds of twining vines have the power of

dropping away body. Branches,

leaves, flowers,

and

fruit of

twining vines

do and do not interpenetrate one another. ' Thus, buddha ancestors appear, and the fundamental point

is

actualized.

6 Great Master Zhenji of Zhaozhou taught his assembly, "Mahakashyapa transmitted to Ananda.

A monk

Now say!

To

whom did Bodhidharma transmit?"

"The Second Ancestor attained

said,

his

marrow, how about

that?"

The master

said,

"Do

not slander the Second Ancestor.

He also said,

Bodhidharma means, 'Someone who has reached the outside skin,

someone who has reached the inside

What

attains the

attains the bones,' then tell

who has reached even deeper inside get?" "What does attaining the marrow mean?" "Just know about skin. There is no marrow

me:

does someone

The monk

said,

Zhaozhou

said,

upon

"If

in

The monk said, "What The master

said,

to

depend

•

my body." is

marrow?"

"At that place you don't

feel

the skin.

"

When you don't even feel the skin, how can you When you feel the skin, you can attain the marrow Thus

Then you should know: feel

the marrow?

you should study the meaning

When

monk

or

At

that place you don't feel the skin."

"What does attaining marrow mean?", Zhaozhou know the skin. There is no marrow to depend upon in my body." Where you know the skin, there is no need to search for the marrow. This a

asked,

saia, "Just

is

truly attaining the marrow.

attained his marrow,

Being

how about

so, the

question "The Second Ancestor

that?" appeared.*

When we penetrate the occasion of Mahakashyapa transmitting to Ananda,

Ananda

body

in

hides his body in

Ananda. Therefore,

Mahakashyapa and Mahakashyapa hides

at the

time of meeting

practice of exchanging face, skin, flesh, bones,

avoided. Because of this

dharma transmit?"

Zhaozhou

said,

"Now

his

for transmission, the

and marrow cannot be

say!

To

whom

did Bodhi-

Twining Vines

When Bodhidharma

gives transmission he

Second Ancestor attains the marrow he

meaning of

is

is

Bodhidharma.

When

the

Bodhidharma. By studying the

buddha-dharma continues

this,

to be

buddha-dharma

to this

buddha-dharma has not reached to this day. Quietly pursue

day. If not, then

and investigate the meaning of these words

Zhaozhou

173

said, "If

for yourself

and

for others.

Bodhidharma means, 'Someone who has reached the

who has reached the inside attains the What does someone who has reached even deeper inside

outside attains the skin, someone bones,' then tell

get?"

me:

You should

directly understand the

meaning of "outside" and

"in-

When you discuss "outside," skin, flesh, bones, and marrow are all outside. When you discuss "inside," skin, flesh, bones, and marrow are all side."

inside.

This being

so, these four

and thousands of myriad marrow.

Do

Bodhidharmas altogether mastered hundreds

bits

and pieces beyond skin,

You can

pieces, five pieces.

This teaching of Zhaozhou, an ancient buddha,

is

a buddha's words. It

Yunmen Some careless

not what other masters like Linji, Deshan, Guishan, and

reached or dreamed

of.

How could

of recent times do not even it,

bones, and

not suppose that you cannot go beyond the marrow.

go beyond three

is

flesh,

know

they talk about it

exists. If

it?

you were to

tell

either elders

them about

they would be shocked.

7

Zen Master Mingjue of Xuedou Zhous

—

are ancient

said,

"Zhaozhou and Muzhou

both

buddhas."

The words of Zhaozhou, an

ancient buddha, are realization of buddha-

dharma, intimate words of himself. Great Master Zhenjue of Xuefeng

said,

Zhaozhou

is

an ancient bud-

dha."

The former buddha ancestor admired Zhaozhou as an ancient buddha and buddha ancestor admired Zhaozhou as an ancient buddha. Thus

the latter

we know

that he

who go beyond

is

skin, flesh, bones, as

an ancient buddha beyond buddhas of past and present

themselves. In this

and marrow

is

way the meaning of twining

a standard of

vines of

"You have attained myself,

taught by an ancient buddha. You should study and examine this standard

thoroughly.

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

174

8 It is is

said that the First Ancestor returned to India.

wrong.

What Songyun saw on

been actual. tion? It

is

On

have learned that this

Bodhidharma could not have

How could Songyun have discovered Bodhidharma's destina-

correct to learn

Mt. Xionger

the road as

I

after

and understand that

his ashes

were

laid to rest in

he passed away.

the seventh day, seventh month,

first

year of

Kangen [1239},

this

was

taught at Kannondori Kosho Horin Monastery, Uji County, Yamashiro Province. Translated by

Mel Weitsman and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Face-tO'pace transmission MENJU'

Once Shakyamuni Buddha, on Vulture Peak

in India, in the

midst of a vast

assembly of beings, held up an udumbara flower and winked. Venerable

Mahakashyapa smiled. Then Shakyamuni Buddha said,

dharma

of the true to

eye, the inconceivable

mind of

"I

have the treasury

nirvana. This

I

entrust

Mahakashyapa." This

is

the meaning of transmitting the treasury of the true

face to face

from buddha to buddha, from ancestor to ancestor.

rectly transmitted

dharma eye It

was cor-

by the Seven Buddhas to venerable Mahakashyapa. From

Mahakashyapa there were twenty-eight transmissions up

to

and including

venerable Bodhidharma. Venerable Bodhidharma himself went to China

and gave face-to-face transmission to venerable Huike, Great Master Zhengzong Pujue. There were

five

transmissions through to Great Master Dajian

Huineng of Mt. Caoxi Then .

to

my

late master,

Qingxuan

I first

old

there were seventeen transmissions through

buddha Tiantong of the renowned Mt. Taibo,

Prefecture, Great Song.

offered incense

and bowed formally to

Tiantong, in the abbot's room on the

first

175

my

late master, old

day, fifth

month, of the

buddha first

year

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

176

of Baoqing of Great Song [1225]. this occasion

to

also

saw

me

for the first time.

finger, face to face,

Upon

and said

me, "The dharma gate of face-to-face transmission from buddha to bud-

dha, ancestor to ancestor,

This at

He

he transmitted dharma, finger to

itself is

is

realized now."

holding up a flower on Vulture Peak, or attaining the marrow

Mt. Song. Or

Huangmei,

transmitting the robe at Mt.

it is

Mt. Dong. This

to-face transmission at

the treasury of the eye face to face.

people have not even dreamed of

It

is

buddha

or the face-

ancestors transmitting

occurs only in our teaching. Other

it.

3 Face-to-face transmission means between buddhas' and ancestors' faces; when

Shakyamuni Buddha was it

in the assembly of

Kashyapa Buddha he received

from Kashyapa Buddha and has continued

no buddhas without

face-to-face transmission

There are

this transmission.

from the buddha

face.

Shakyamuni Buddha, by seeing Mahakashyapa, intimately entrusted him with

it.

Ananda or Rahula are not equal to Mahakashyapa, who

intimate entrustment. sit

in

Mahakashyapa's

Nor are all

the great bodhisattvas,

received the

who are unable to

seat.

The World-honored One and Mahakashyapa sat together on the same seat and wore the same robe. This occurred only once

in

Buddha's

life.

Thus

venerable Mahakashyapa received the World-honored One's transmission directly face to face,

mind

to

mind, body

to body,

and eye to

eye.

Mahaka-

shyapa respectfully regarded Shakyamuni Buddha while making offerings

and bowing formally. Thousands of times Mahakashyapa had pounded

his

bones and crushed his body. His face was no longer his own. Thus he

re-

ceived the Tathagata's face by

means of face-to-face transmission.

4

Shakyamuni Buddha saw venerable Mahakashyapa in person. Venerable Mahakashyapa saw venerable Ananda in person, and venerable Ananda bowed formally to venerable Mahakashyapa's transmission. Venerable closely

buddha

Ananda maintained

guided Shanavasa and transmitted

face.

This

is

face-to-face

this face-to-face transmission,

face to face.

When

venerable

Shanavasa respectfully saw venerable Ananda, he was given face-to-face transmission and received face-to-face transmission, just face to face.

Face-to-Face Transmission

Thus, the authentic ancestors of

all

177

generations have continued face-to-

face transmission, disciple seeing teacher,

and teacher seeing

ancestor, a teacher, or disciple cannot be a

buddha

An

disciple.

or an ancestor without

having face-to-face transmission. It is like

pouring water into the ocean and spreading

transmitting the lamp and allowing

it

it

endlessly, or like

to shine forever. In thousands of

millions of transmissions, the trunk and branches are one, breaking an eggshell

by pecking from the inside and outside

In this

at once.

way day and night venerable Mahakashyapa closely attended Shakya-

muni Buddha, and spent buddha

face.

You should

his

whole

life

being intimately illuminated by the

How long this has been happening is beyond comprehension.

quietly and joyously reflect on this.

Thus, venerable Mahakashyapa bowed formally to Shakyamuni Buddha's face.

Shakyamuni Buddha's eyes were

reflected in

Shakyamuni Buddha's

buddha face.

It

until now. This

reflected in his eyes,

eyes.

This

is

the

and

buddha

his eyes

eye; this

were

is

the

has been transmitted face to face without a generation's gap is

face-to-face transmission.

All these authentic heirs are the face-to-face transmission

buddha

them

has received

from the original buddha face. Bowing formally to

this right face-to-face transmission is

bowing

to the Seven

Shakyamuni Buddha, and bowing and making hakashyapa and the

each of

face;

rest of the

Buddhas through

offerings to venerable

Ma-

twenty-eight Indian buddha ancestors.

The face and eyeball of buddha ancestors are like this. To see these buddha ancestors

is

to see

Exactly at this

Shakyamuni Buddha and the others of the Seven Buddhas.

moment buddha ancestors are intimately transmitting to one

another.

A

face-to-face-transmitting

ting buddha.

It is

buddha transmits

to face-to-face-transmit-

transmitted from vine to vine without being cut.

transmitted from eye to eye, with the eye open.

It is

It is

transmitted from face

to face, with the face revealed.

Face-to-face transmission

buddha face. Mind

Body

is

is

is

given and received in the presence of the

taken up, transmitted to

mind and

received by mind.

manifested and transmitted to body. Even in other regions or in

other countries this

is

regarded as the original ancestor. In China and east-

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

178

ward, there

is

face-to-face transmission only within the house of correctly

transmitted buddha ancestors. Thus the correct eye that always sees the

Tathagata anew has been transmitted.

6 At the time of bowing formally

to

Shakyamuni Buddha's face, the

buddha ancestors and the Seven Buddhas one at

But

line.

it is

the same time.

you

are not present side

face-to-face transmission If

you do not

are not a disciple. If

see in just

you do not

among

all

the

buddha

one generation

all

one generation

see in just

fifty-one

by side or

in

ancestors

the masters, all

the disci-

ples, you are not a master. Masters and disciples always see one another when

transmitting and inheriting dharma. This

is

the realization of the way, face-

to-face transmission of the ancestral source.

Thus, masters and disciples

bring forth the luminous face of the Tathagata. Accordingly, this face-to-face transmission tinuing the transmission of Shakyamuni

is

realizing the face

and con-

Buddha through thousands and

thousands of years or hundreds and billions of eons.

When

the World-

honored One, Mahakashyapa, and other members of the fifty-one buddha ancestors,

and the Seven Buddhas, appear, their shadows appear, their light

appears, their bodies appear, and their pears, or a sharpened nose.

minds

appear.

An

invisible leg ap-

Even without knowing one word or understand-

ing half a phrase, the teacher sees the student within himself, and the stu-

dent lowers the top of his head; this

You should venerate However, if

skin*

if

you receive

correct face-to-face transmission.

this face-to-face transmission. If the traces of

were only projected in the

and

is

field

mind

of mind, they would not be of great value.

face-to-face transmission

by exchanging your face,*

you give face-to-face transmission by turning your head, the

is

face

three inches thick and ten feet thin.

This face skin

is

the great round mirror* of

all

buddhas. Because they

have the great round mirror as their face skin, they are unmarred inside and outside.

A great round mirror transmits to a great round mirror.

Those who rightly transmit the correct eye that directly

Buddha

are

sees

Shakyamuni

more intimate with Shakyamuni Buddha than Shakyamuni

Buddha with

himself; with this eye they see and bring forth

numerous past

Face-to-Face Transmission

and future Shakyamuni Buddhas. Therefore, for

179

in order to express reverence

Shakyamuni Buddha, you should profoundly venerate

correct face-to-

face transmission

and with formal bows acknowledge the extreme

meeting with

This

it.

is

face-to-face transmission

that

now

sees the

to

bow

rarity of

formally to the Tathagata and to be given

by the Tathagata. You may wonder

if it is

the self

unchanging practice of correct transmission of the

to-face-transmitting tathagatas.

Whether

the transmission, you should treasure

it

face-

the self or another that sees

it is

and protect

it.

8 It is

taught in the buddha's house that those

who bow formally

to the Eight

Pagodas* are liberated from the hindrances of unwholesome actions and perceive the fruit of the way. These pagodas are the actualization of Shakya-

muni Buddha's way. They were the

Kanyakubja, and sky.

built

where he was born, where he turned

dharma wheel, attained the way, entered

Or

at

parinirvana, at the city of

Amrapali Grove, thus completing the earth and the

they are built by

way of sounds,

phenomena, and forms. The

fruit

of the

smells, tastes, tangibles, mental

way

is

realized

by formally bowing

common practice in India performed by lay people and monks, by devas and human beings who eagerly make offerings to the Eight Pagodas. This

is

a

and prostrations. These pagodas Buddhist scriptures are

are equal to

like this.

one volume of the scriptures.

Even beyond

thirty-seven bodhipakshikas* and attaining the

every birth tice

is

realized

throughout

all

that, the practice of the

fruit

of the

way

in each

and

by allowing the trace of Shakyamuni Buddha's prac-

time to prevail

as the authentic

way everywhere and

to

be clearly expressed in past and present.

You should know

that,

although wind and rain wear them down, the

Eight Pagodas, standing layer upon layer through numerous ers, are

frosts

and flow-

not diminished in their merit, remaining in emptiness and form.

Because of this, even

if

you have delusion and hindrance, when you practice

the controlling power, the moral power, the limbs of enlightenment, and

the noble path, the power of the Eight Pagodas

and

is still

vital in

your practice

realization.

The merit of Shakyamuni Buddha is mission

is

like this.

Even so,

face-to-face trans-

incomparably greater than the Eight Pagodas. The thirty-seven

bodhipakshikas are rooted in the buddha

face, the

buddha mind, the bud-

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

i8o

dha body, the buddha way, the buddha nose, and the buddha tongue. The merit of the Eight Pagodas

While

is

also based

on the buddha

practicing the vital path of penetration, a person

face

and so

forth.

who studies dharma

should day and night think deeply about this and rejoice in quietness.

9 surpasses other countries and our

Now, our country

why

I

say so

way alone

many people who

able. In other places there are not

is

are like us.

unsurpass-

The reason

Although the teaching of the assembly on the Vulture

is this:

Peak has spread in the ten directions,

still

the Chinese masters are the only

authentic heirs of the great master of Shaolin, and only the descendants of the great master of Mt. Caoxi have transmitted this

dharma

face to face

up

to the present.

This

is

a splendid opportunity for

water. * If it? If

If

you do not

you do not cut

off delusion at this

you do not Become a buddha a

riot sit as

buddha-dharma to enter

realize the fruit at this

buddha

at this

at this

into

mud and

moment, when will you

moment, when moment, when

xnoment^ whenjwill you

will

realize

you cut

will you? If

practice as a

off?

it

you do

buddha?

-

Diligently examine this in detail.

10 Shakyamuni Buddha solemnly entrusted and transmitted dharma face to venerable

Mahakashyapa, saying,

dharma

is

eye.

This

entrusted to Mahakashyapa."

At the assembly of Mt. Song, venerable Bodhidharma said Ancestor, "You have attained

From

this

we know

my

transmission.

At the is

rare.

Second

that entrusting face to face the treasury of the true

exact

my marrow"

are this very face-to-face

moment of jumping beyond your ordinary bones

transmission face to face of the buddha ancestors.

face-to-face transmission of great

extremely

to the

marrow.

dharma eye and "You have attained and marrow, there

face to

have the treasury of the true

"I

Transmission

is

awakening along with the mind

never exhausted; there

is

The

seal is

never a lack of

awakening.

Now,

the great

to face, receiving is

way of buddha ancestors

and giving

is

only giving and receiving face

face to face; there

is

nothing excessive and there

nothing lacking. You should faithfully and joyously

own

face

meets someone

who

realize

when your

has received this transmission face to face.

Face-to-Face Transmission

I first

bowed formally

to

my

late master, old

ceived transmission face to face on the year of Baoqing Era of Great

the inner chamber.

I

first

i8i

buddha Tiantong, and

day of the

fifth

month, the

Song [1225], and was thereby allowed

re-

first

to enter

was able to enact this face-to-face transmission by drop-

ping away body and mind, and I have established this transmission in Japan.

On

the twentieth day, tenth month,

first

Kangen [1243

year of

this

was

taught at Yoshimine Monastery, Yoshida County, Echizen Province.

Postscript

Among those who had

not heard or learned about the meaning of such face-

to-face transmission in the ter

buddha way,

Chenggu of Jianfu Monastery

reign of

there was

someone

in the Jingyou Era

called

Zen mas-

[1034 — 38 during the

Emperor Renzong of Great Song. He ascended the

seat

and

said:

is now present. Do you see him? If you Do you see him? Do you see him? If you understand

Yunmen, Great Master Kuangzhen, do, you are the same as this

I.

immediately, you have got

This

is

like

it;

but do not boast.

Huangbo who, when he heard Baizhang

present the story of

Then Baizhang Huangbo said, "I know

great master Mazu's shout, experienced great understanding.

asked him, "Are you great master Mazu's heir or not?" the great master, but in a word, fear

I

will lose

Attention, everyone! Since

master Mazu,

I

haven't seen him. If

I

inherit from him,

I

my descendants. Huangbo

it

was already

said that he

five years after

the death of great

had not seen him. Thus we know that

Huang bo's view was incomplete, lhat is to say, he had only one eye. But I not like that. I know great master Yunmen, and I have seen great master Yunmen. Therefore I am great master Yunmen 's heir.

am

But more than one hundred years have passed since the death of Yunmen. Then how can we say that I have personally seen him? Do you understand this?

dim

Those who have reached eyes will produce

and explain

it.

this state,

I

doubt and slander

will approve. in their

But those who have

mind, so they cannot

Those of you who have not seen, can you get

it

now?

see

Please

take care of yourselves/

Chenggu, admitting that you know great master Yunmen and have seen him, has great master

Yunmen seen you or not?

If great

not seen you, you cannot be great master Yunmen's

master heir.

Yunmen has

Because great

master Yunmen has not seen you, you cannot say that great master

Yunmen

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

l82 has seen you.

Thus we know

that

you and great master Yunmen have not

yet seen each other.

In the past, present, and future of the Seven

Buddhas and

all

buddhas,

which of the buddha ancestors have inherited dharma without teacher and

Chenggu, you should not

disciple seeing each other?

view was incomplete.

How

say that

Huangbo's

how

can you evaluate Huangbo's practice, and

Huangbo

can you evaluate Huangbo's words?

is

an authentic buddha; he

thoroughly knew about inheriting dharma. But you have never dreamed of the

meaning of inheriting dharma. Huangbo inherited dharma from was a re-enactment of the ancestor. Huangbo met and saw

teacher; he

But you have neither seen

teacher.

neither

his

know

your inheritance of dharma

is

known an

self.

No teacher has seen you, truth

that your view

is

How

Huangbo? You cannot

and your eye

is

incomplete,

incomplete.

Chenggu, do you understand that great master Yunmen scendant of Huangbo?

his

You

ancestor.

The

the self nor see the

as a teacher has not yet opened.

a teacher nor

is

a

dharma de-

can you evaluate the words of Baizhang and

evaluate even the words of

Yunmen. The words of

Baizhang and Huangbo are presented by those who are able to study and are evaluated by those

who

have directly experienced dropping.* But you do

not study and you do not experience dropping; you do not understand and

you cannot evaluate

You

say that

it.

Huangbo

[Mazu] although

was

it

Your understanding will inherit after half a

is

did not inherit dharma from great master

less

than

five years since

great master Ma's death.

not worth a laugh. If you are to inherit dharma, you

even after innumerable eons. If not, you will not inherit

it

day or even

after a

moment. You

are a totally ignorant fool

has not yet seen the sun-face moon-face* of the

You

Ma

say that

you

are great master

Yunmen's

it

who

buddha way.

heir although

more than one

hundred years have passed since the death of Yunmen. Have you inherited from

Yunmen

because you have monumental power? You are as hopeless as

a three-year-old child.

Does

this

from Yunmen one thousand years

mean

that

later will

someone who

inherits

dharma

have a power ten times

as great

as yours?

Let

me rescue you now.

Study these words: Baizhang

said,

"Are you great

Huangbo was asked to inherit master Mazu. You should now study the words of this

master Mazu's heir?" This does not mean that

dharma from

great

attacking lion.

By studying

the story of a black tortoise climbing up a tree

Face-to-Face Transmission

backward,* you should investigate the

moving backward. Upon Huangbo's words

Do you

you.

"I fear

dharma

inheriting will lose

way of moving forward and there

is

this

kind of study.

my descendants" cannot be evaluated by

understand what he meant by "my" and "descendants"? You

must examine this is

I

vital

183

in detail; the

meaning

is

already manifested, and nothing

hidden.

But someone heritage of

men.

On

buddha

It is a

think that

called

Wei bo, Zen Master Fuguo, Chenggu

ancestors, listed

mistake. Those

who

Chenggu had mastered

ignorant of the dharma

dharma

as the

heir of

Yun-

study the way later should not naively the way.

the seventh day, sixth month, second year of

Kangen [1244},

this

was

copied at the Attendant's Hall, Yoshimine Monastery, Echizen Province. Ejo

Chenggu, ply,

do

all

if

dharma heritage can be attained through

those

who

literature as

you im-

reach understanding by reading sutras inherit

dharma

from Shakyamuni Buddha?

It is

never so. Understanding by sutras always

requires a correct master's seal of approval.

Your words show that you have not yet read the recorded sayings of Yun-

men. Only those who have seen Yunmen's words have inherited from Yunmen. But you have not yet seen Yunmen with your own yet seen the self with your

own

eyes.

men's eyes; you have not seen the

self

There are many people like you

eyes;

you have not

You have not seen Yunmen with Yunwith Yunmen's

who

eyes.

have not thoroughly studied. You

should continually buy straw sandals,* seeking a correct master to inherit

dharma from.

You should not

Yunmen.

If

you do

say that

you have inherited dharma from great master

you

will enter the stream of those outside the way.

so,

Even Baizhang would be mistaken

if

he talked like you.

Translated by

Reb Anderson and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Buddha

/S^ncestors

BUSSO

Now, at

them

respectfully. It

future, but It is

buddha

actualizing the

it is

who

taking up those

buddha

Their names

are:

them

and look

forth

not limited to the buddhas of past, present and

have maintained the face* and eye* of buddha

ancestors, dwelt in

Vipashyin Buddha

it,

and actualized

{boundless discourse buddha),

Vishvabhu Buddha {gold

to bring

bowing and meeting them, ihey have manifested the

virtue of the

Buddha

means

going beyond buddhas who are going beyond themselves.

ancestors, formally

dha),

is

ancestors

it

in the body.

Shikhin Buddha

{universal compassion buddha),

{fire

bud-

Krakucchanda

wizard buddha), Kanakamuni Buddha {golden sage buddha),

Kashyapa Buddha {drinking

light buddha),

Shakyamuni Buddha

{patience

and silence buddha), Mahakashyapa, Ananda, Shanavasa, Upagupta, Dhritaka, Micchaka, Vasumitra,

Buddhanandi, Buddhamitra, Parshva, Pun-

yayashas, Ashvaghosha, Kapimala, Nagarjuna, Kanadeva, Rahulata,

Sanghariandi, Gayashata, Kumarata, Jayata, Vasubandhu, Manorhita,

Haklenayashas, Simhabhikshu, Basiasita, Punyamitra, Prajnatara, Bo-

dhidharma, Huike, Sengcan, Daoxin, Hongren, Huineng, Xingsi, Xiqian, Weiyan, Tansheng, Liangjie, Daoying, Daopi

guan, Jingxuan, Yiqing, Daokai jian,

,

,

Guanzhi, Yuan-

Zichun, Qingliao, Zhongque, Zhi-

Rujing. 184

Buddha

I

tice

saw

my late master,

period in the

first

old

Ancestors

buddha Tiantong,

185 at the

year of Baoqing of Great

time of summer prac-

Song [1227] and with

formal bow completed receiving these buddha ancestors.

This can only occur between a buddha and a buddha.

On the third day, and taught

at

first

month second year of Ninj

i

[1

24 1 ]

this

was written

Kannondori Kosho Horin Monastery, Uji County, Yamashiro

Province, Japan. Translated by

Lew Richmond and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Document of Heritage^ SHISHO

A buddha inherits dharma only from a buddha/an ancestor inherits dharma only from an ancestor way,

it is

— merging

of realization, direct transmission. In this

the unsurpassable bodhi.

It is

zation without being a buddha, and

without receiving the than a buddha, can

impossible to give the seal of

it is

seal of realization

reali-

impossible to become a buddha

from

a

seal this realization as the

buddha.

Who

else,

other

most venerable, the most

unsurpassable?

When you have the seal of realization from a buddha, you have realization without a teacher, * realization without

buddha

inherits realization

with an ancestor." The meaning of those

who

are not buddhas.

self.

This being

so, it is said,

"A

from a buddha; an ancestor merges realization

How

this principle

then can

it

cannot be understood by

be measured by bodhisattvas

in the ten stages* or even in the stage of enlightenment equal to buddha's?*

How, furthermore, can it be discerned by masters of sutras or treatises? Even if

they explain

it, still

they do not understand

it.

2 Since a

buddha inherits dharma from

by a buddha and

a

buddha; there

is

a

buddha, the buddha way

is

no moment of the way without i86

mastered a

buddha

Document of Heritage

187

and a buddha. For example, rocks inherit from rocks, jewels inherit from jewels.

When

chrysanthemums

inherit

from chrysanthemums and

gives the seal of realization to a pine, the preceding

with the following chrysanthemum and the preceding pine

who do not understand this,

even

one

is

is

one with the

when

they hear the

,

following pine. Those

a pine

chrysanthemum

words "correct transmission from buddha to buddha," have no idea what means; they do not know heritage from buddha to buddha, merged zation of ancestor and ancestor.

it

reali-

What a pity! They appear to be the buddha's

family but they are not the buddha's heirs, nor are they heir-buddhas.*

The

Sixth Ancestor once gave a discourse to the assembly. "There are forty

ancestors from the Seven

Buddhas

and there are

to myself,

forty ancestors

from myself to the Seven Buddhas." This

is

clearly the principle of correct heritage of

Seven Buddhas include those

who

appeared in the

buddha ancestors. The last

eon and those

who

appeared in the present eon. Nevertheless, the continuation of face-to-face transmission of the forty ancestors

the

is

buddha way and the buddha

heri-

tage.

Thus, proceeding from the Sixth Ancestor to the Seven Buddhas

buddha heritage of forty to the Sixth Ancestor

is

ancestors.

the

And going up from

is

no confidence

in

is

the

Buddhas

buddha heritage of forty buddhas.

The buddha way, the ancestor way zation and without

the Seven

buddha ancestors,

is

like this.

there

is

Without merging

reali-

no buddha wisdom and there

buddhas; without ancestors' mastery there

is

no merging

of realization between ancestors.

4

The

"forty ancestors

here represent only recent buddhas. Furthermore, the

mutual heritage* between buddhas and buddhas

is

deep and vast, neither

backing up nor turning away, neither cut off nor stopped. This means that although Shakyamuni Buddha had realized the way before the Seven

Buddhas,^ he

finally inherited

dharma from Kashyapa Bud-

way on

the eighth day of the twelfth

dha. Again, although he realized the

month

in the thirtieth year since his birth,

the Seven Buddhas.

It is realization

it is

of the

realization of the

way before

way simultaneously with

all

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

i88

buddhas shoulder realization of the

In this

way

to shoulder, realization of the

way

there

after all

is

before

buddhas,

all

buddhas.

an understanding that Kashyapa Buddha inherited

dharma from Shakyamuni Buddha. understand the buddha way. are not an heir of the

way

If

If

you do not know

this

you do not

you do not understand the buddha way you

buddha. The buddha's heir means the buddhas child.

Shakyamuni Buddha once caused Ananda

to ask,

"Whose

disciples were all

buddhas of the past?"

Shakyamuni Buddha answered,

The from this is

"All

right form of

all

buddhas, to

buddha way,

buddhas

all

fulfill

at the

is

like this.

the way,

is

are disciples of

the

To

see all

buddhas, to inherit

buddha way of

all

buddhas. In

time of inheriting dharma the document of heritage

always transmitted. Those without dharma heritage are heretics believing

buddha way had not

in spontaneous enlightenment. If the

lished

dharma

tage

is

how

heritage,

For this reason,

is

buddhas of the past

Shakyamuni Buddha."

myself,

when

a

could

it

down

have come

buddha becomes

a

clearly estab-

to the present?

buddha, a document of heri-

given to a buddha-inheriting buddha and this document of heritage

received from a buddha-inheriting buddha.

The meaning of moon, and

stars,

the

document of heritage

is this:

you understand sun,

and inherit dharma; you attain skin,

flesh,

bones, and

marrow, and inherit dharma; you inherit robe or staff, pine branch or whisk,

udumbara

bamboo

flower or brocade robe; you inherit straw sandals or a

staff.

At the time of dharma heritage, the document of the finger or of the tongue.

one of these

is

a

document of

Or

it is

handwritten with

Those who entrust and those who receive

is

manifested.

handwritten with blood oil or

milk. Every

heritage.

dha's heirs. Indeed, whenever

heritage

is

buddha

this heritage are

both the bud-

ancestors are manifested,

dharma

At the time of manifestation innumerable buddha

ancestors arrive without expectation and inherit

Those who inherit dharma

are all

buddha

dharma without seeking.

ancestors.

6 In China, from the time the Twenty-eighth Ancestor principle that there

is

dharma

heritage in the

came from

India, the

buddha way was

correcrly

Document of Heritage

understood. Before that time that was not

known

state not reached

What

it.

it

had never been spoken

who

a pity!

This

of.

by teachers of scriptures or

by the ten stages or three

teachers of dharani*

derstand

in India

89

This

is

a

classes of bodhisattvas; even the

study the meaning of the tripitaka* cannot un-

Although they have received

vessel of the way, they are uselessly entangled

a

human body

out. Because of this

wholeheartedly determine to master

as a

by the net of scriptures; they

do not understand the method of breaking through, cannot

ment of leaping

something

is

treatises.

realize the

you must study the way

in detail,

moand

it.

7

When I

was

in China,

I

had the opportunity to look

at

some documents of

heritage. There were various kinds.

One of those who showed me documents of heritage was Visiting Abbot Weiyi at Mt. Tiantong, a former abbot of Guangfu Monastery. He was a man from Yue, like my late master. So my late master would say, "Ask Abbot Weiyi about the customs of my region."

One day the visiting abbot said, "Old writings worth seeing are treasures How many of them have you seen?"

of mankind. I

have seen just a few."

said, "I

Then he

said, "I

convenience."

He

have a scroll of old writing.

brought

it

to

me.

It

it

will

show

it

to

you

at

your

was a document of heritage of the

Fayan lineage which he had obtained from the master. So

I

articles left

behind by an old

was not what elder Weiyi himself had received.

The document

said,

"The

Ancestor Mahakashyapa was awakened

First

with Shakyamuni Buddha. Shakyamuni Buddha was awakened with Kashyapa Buddha."

Upon between

seeing this,

seen before.

sponded to

moved

I

a correct heir

so

At

that

was firmly convinced that there and a correct

moment

the

heir.

buddha

my wish and helped me,

That was

is

dharma heritage

a teaching

I

had never

ancestors had inconceivably re-

a descendant of theirs.

I

had never been

much.

8

When

elder

Zongyue was

tong, he showed

name

me

a

filling the position

monk on Mt. TianYunmen lineage. The

of head

document of heritage of the

of the teacher of the person receiving the document of heritage and

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

190

some Indian and

the names of side,

name

Chinese ancestors were written side by

all

and below that the name of the person receiving the document. The of the

new

all

the names of the

more than

forty ancestors

Tathagata are joined together with the name of the new

though each of them had given heritage to the

Ananda, and others were lined up I

asked Zongyue, the head

among

Why

is

that so? If

it

from the

heir. It

was

as

new ancestor. Mahakashyapa,

just as in other lineages.

monk, "Reverend, came

directly

there

is

some

difference

names on the document of

the Five Schools in the arrangement of

heritage.

buddha

ancestor was directly connected to those of the

ancestors. Therefore

from India, why

is

there such

a difference?"

Zongyue

said,

"Even

if

there

buddhas of Mt. Yunmen are

is

a vast difference, just understand that

like this. For

what

is

the venerable

revered? He is revered for his way of awakening. For what Yunmen revered? He is revered for his way of awakening." Upon hearing these words, I understood his meaning.

Those who are heads of the large monasteries

But among students,

in Jiangsu

Yunmen, and Dongshan

particularly

great master

'

9 are mostly heirs of the Linji,

is

Shakyamuni

among

those

and Zhenjiang now

lineages.

who

call

themselves de-

scendants of Linji, some intend wrongdoing. Usually those studying in the

community

of a master request a scroll of the master's portrait and a scroll

of his dharma words in order to prepare to meet the standard requirement of

dharma

But these fellows ask the attendants of masters

heritage.

dharma words and portraits, and collect and hide many of them. are old they bribe public officials to get a

for

When they

temple and hold the abbot's seat

without having inherited dharma from the masters whose dharma words

and portraits they obtained. Instead, they inherit dharma from the famous masters of the time or from the masters retainers of the king.

What

who

have given dharma heritage to

They covet fame without regard

to attaining

a pity that there are such crooked habits at this

dharma.

wicked time of

decayed teaching! Not even one of those fellows has ever dreamed of the way of buddha ancestors.

10 In fact, the masters'

dharma words

scripture schools as well as lay

or portraits are also given to lecturers of

men and women. They

are even given to

Document of Heritage

191

workers in the monasteries or to merchants. This

is

evident by the records

of various masters. In

many

monks who

cases,

dharma heritage and ask are distressed

by

this,

are not qualified eagerly desire proof of

for a scroll of calligraphy.

Although

their teachers

they reluctantly take up the brush. In such cases the

teacher does not follow the traditional format, but writes only that the

person has studied with him.

The

way

recent

is

master, he inherits

monks

sitting

that

when

dharma

a person gains

accomplishment under a

from that master as his

dharma

on a long platform,* who have not received

Some

teacher.

from a

a seal

master but have only received guidance in the abbot's room or listened to the formal lectures, constantly refer to what was given by their master after

they become abbots of temples. But most students accept the master as

dharma

teacher only

when

they have broken open the great matter with

him.

II Again, there was a priest named Chuan, a descendant of priest Qingyuan,

Zen Master Fuyan of Longmen. This Chuan, ment of brarian

a librarian, also

had a docu-

At the beginning of Jiading Era [1208—24}, when

heritage.

Chuan was

sick, senior

monk Ryuzen,

a Japanese, took

good

of him. Because Ryuzen worked hard, librarian Chuan, grateful

during his

illness,

saying, "This

is

took out his document of heritage and

a thing not

commonly shown, but I will

let

let

li-

care

for help

Ryuzen

see

it,

you pay homage

to it."

About eight

I

was

first

politely requested of librarian

tage to me. In this tors

autumn

years after that, in the

ding Era [1223}, when

Chuan

document of

that he

heritage, the

from the Seven Buddhas through

and monograms of masters

The name of the new a difference

heir

of the sixteenth year of Jia-

staying at Mt. Tiantong, senior

after Linji

was written

Linji

show

this

Ryuzen

document of

names of the

were lined up, and the names

were written inside a drawn

at the

heri-

forty-five ances-

end under the date. In

was made between the masters before and

circle.

this

way

after Linji.

12

My

late master,

abbot of Mt. Tiantong,

unjustifiably claiming to have received

strictly

dharma

prohibited students from

heritage.

His assembly was

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

192

an ancient buddha's assembly, restoring the monastic tradition.

He himself

did not wear a brocade robe. Although he had received the brocade robe of

Zen master Daokai of Mt. Furong, he did not

it

even during formal

he never wore a brocade robe in his entire lifetime

lecture. In fact,

who were knowledgeable, as well mired him and respected him as a true master. abbot. Those

My

use

late master, old

as those

buddha, often admonished

all

who were

as

an

not, ad-

Buddhists in his

lec-

tures:

Recently, there are a

number of monks who borrow

way, wear robes unsuitably, grow their their distinguished titles registered.

hair,

the

and get by

heritage or

who

I

only

mind and practice the

have seen or heard of the significance of the document of

dharma

or a thousand.

of the ancestor

world by having

What a pity! Who can help them?

regret that so few elders in this world have way-seeking

way. Those

name

in the

heritage are even rarer —— not one person out of a

Thus the ancestor way has

When he said this,

hundred

declined.

the other elders in China did not contradict him.

Thus, when you make sincere

effort in the

document of heritage. To understand

this

is

way, you will understand the

the study of the way.

13

On

the

document of heritage of the

written, followed by the words

my

assembly,"

He

"He

has studied with me,

my

has entered

Linji lineage, the student

s

name

is

rie has joined

room," or "He has had heritage from

me." Then the names of the ancestors of the past

are written in the tradi-

tional sequence.

Also in the Linji School there not given by the this

is

first

is

an oral instruction that the heritage

is

teacher or the last teacher, but by the right teacher;

the principle of direct heritage.

14

One

of the Linji lineage's documents of heritage, which

I

actually saw,

written as follows:

my

Librarian Liaopai, a courageous

man,

Zonggao of Mc. Jing. Zonggao

inherited from

is

disciple.

I

have attended priest

Keqin of Mt.

herited from Fayan of Yangqi. Fayan inherited from

Jia.

Keqin

in-

Shouduan of Haihui.

Shouduan inherited from Fanghui of Yangqi. Fanghui inherited from Chu-

is

Document of Heritage

193

yuan, Ciming. Chuyuan inherited from Shanzhao of Fenyang. Shanzhao inherited from Xingnian of Mt. Shou. Xingnian inherited from Yanzhao of

Fengxue. Yanzhao inherited from Huiyong of Nanyuan. Huiyong inherited

from Cunjiang of Xinghua. Cunjiang

is

the heir of the great ancestor Linji.

This document was given by Deguang, Zen Master Fozhao of Mt. Ayu-

wang, to Wuji Liaopai And when Wuji was the abbot of Mt. Tiantong, .

Chiyu, a junior priest, privately brought to

me.

It

was the twenty-first day of the

it

to Liaoran Hall

first

What a joy it was!

of J lading Era [1224] of Great Song.

by the inconceivable help of buddha ancestors. cense and paying

homage

The reason I requested

to

month So

I

I

saw

It

was only possible

it,

after offering in-

document of heritage was

me

about

it

that Director

Jiguang Hall around the seventh

in

of the previous year.

asked Shiguang,

He said,

"It

is

"Who keeps

later

rendered

I

it?"

in the master abbot's quarters. If

will be able to see it." After

Then

it

it.

to see this

Shiguang personally told

and showed

month, the seventeenth year

I

heard

this,

you request

day and night

my wholehearted request

I

politely,

wanted

you

to see

it.

to the junior priest Chiyu.

The document was written on a mounted piece of white silk. The outside of the scroll was

made of

red brocade; the axis ends were of jade.

It

was

about nine sun* in height and over seven shaku* long. Most people were not allowed to see

it.

thanked Chiyu. Also,

I

incense and thanked him.

now you

Jo, elder. This

is

I

went to

Then he

see

said,

Abbot Wuji immediately, "Few people know about

offered

this,

a fulfillment of your practice in the way."

I

and was

very pleased.

When 27],

I

I

visited

went

to

Mt. Tiantai and Mt. Yadang

Wannian Monastery of

there was priest Yuanzi of

Zhongjian

later in

Baoqing Era [1225-

Pingtian, on Mt. Tiantai.

The abbot

Fu Region, who had succeeded former abbot

after his retirement,

and under

whom

the monastery had pros-

pered.

Upon my the

first

greeting him, Abbot Yuanzi talked about the teaching of

buddha ancestors.

When he mentioned Yangshan's heritage from Great

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

194

Guishan, he

"You haven't seen the document of heritage here

said,

my

in

quarters, have you?" I

replied,

"No, unfortunately

haven't."

I

Abbot Yuanzi got up, took out the document of it

heritage, and, holding

up, said: Following the dharma admonition of buddha ancestors, even to a close disciple or an old attendant monk. But

and stayed there

to see the governor this

dream

a distinguished priest

Mt. Damei appeared, holding up true

as

do

I

I

have not shown this

when I went

occasionally,

had

I

a

to the city

dream. In

who seemed to be Zen master Fachang of a branch of plum blossoms. He said, "If a

man comes who has disembarked from a boat, do not withhold these And he gave me the plum blossoms. Still in the dream I exclaimed,

flowers."

"Why

shouldn't

I

give

him

thirty blows before he leaves the boat?"

before five days had passed, you

disembarked from a boat, and cade that has a design of

was referring

Do you wish

elder.

document of heritage

plum blossoms.

Since you

accordance with the dream

I

Then

Of course you is

have

written on a bro-

must be the one Damei

have taken this document

I

would not withhold

could not help being moved. Although

I

should have requested to

ceive a

to inherit

document of heritage from him,

paid homage to

him with deep

incense attendant ever seen the I

this

meet me,

to

dharma from me?

out.

I

to, in

came

named Faning. He

document of

said to myselr,

respect.

I

it if

so.

re-

only offered incense, bowed, and

At

that time there

said that

it

was the

was present an

first

time he had

heritage.

This event indeed could not have happened without the

inconceivable help of

buddha

country, by what fortune have

once again?" Tears wet

my

ancestors. I

As

a foolish

man from

a

remote

been able to see a document of heritage

At

sleeves.

that time the Vimalaklrti Hall

and

Dashe Hall of Mt. Tiantai were quiet, without anyone around This document of heritage was written on white brocade with a pattern of fallen

one

plum

blossoms.

hiro .* Its axis

Its

ends were

height was over nine sun, and

made

of yellow jade.

The

its

length over

outside of the scroll

was brocade.

On my way back to Tiantong from Mt.

Tiantai,

I

stayed at the entry hall

Husheng Monastery, on Mt. Damei. At that time I had an auspicious dream that the ancestor Damei came up to me and gave me a branch of plum of

blossoms in respect.

full

bloom. This image of the ancestor was worthy of great

The branch was one shaku

tall

and one shaku wide. Aren't these

Document of Heritage

plum blossoms as

as rare as

being awake.

195

an udumbara blossom? This dream was just as

real

have never before told this story to anyone in China or

I

Japan.

16

The document of heritage written in our lineage from Dongshan from that written

Our document

of heritage was originally written in the

Qingyuan wrote

it

it. It

has been said that his blood was

when it was written.

It

mind

of

buddha

in front of the Sixth Ancestor

own

Caoxi with the pure blood taken from his transmitted

different

and other lineages.

in the Linji

ancestors. Great ancestor

is

finger

and then correctly

mixed with Caoxi 's blood

has also been said that the ceremony of harmonizing

blood was done by the First and Second Ancestors. Such statements as "This is

my

"He

heir" or

has studied with

me"

are not written

on our document

of heritage, but only the names of ancestors, including the Seven Buddhas, are written.

Thus, Caoxi 's blood-spirit is graciously harmonized with Qingyuan's pure blood, and Qingyuan's pure blood

own

is

intimately harmonized with Caoxi 's

Only great ancestor Qingyuan

blood.

alization in this way,

Those who know

directly received the seal of re-

and no other ancestors can be compared with him.

this agree that

buddha-dharma has been transmitted only

through Qingyuan.

Postscript

My late master, abbot of Tiantong, said, without

That

fail.

is

to say,

"All

buddhas have dharma heritage

Shakyamuni Buddha inherited dharma from

Kashyapa Buddha. Kashyapa Buddha inherited from Kanakamuni Buddha.

Kanakamuni Buddha cept faithfully that

now. This

Then

I

is

the

said,

inherited

dharma from Krakucchanda Buddha. Ac-

buddhas have inherited from buddhas in

this

way

until

way of studying about buddhas."

"Shakyamuni Buddha came out into the world and attained

the

way after the parinirvana of Kashyapa Buddha. Furthermore, how could

the

buddha of the present eon

What

My

is

the

late

inherit

from the buddha of the previous eon?

meaning of this?"

master said,

schools or the

way of the

"What you mentioned

is

the view of scriptural

ten stages and three classes of bodhisattvas,

which

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

96 is

from the way of direct heritage of buddha ancestors. Our way

different

of transmitting between buddhas and buddhas

is

not like that.

"We understand that Shakyamuni Buddha did inherit dharma from KashAnd we study that Kashyapa Buddha entered parinirvana

yapa Buddha. after

giving dharma heritage to Shakyamuni Buddha. If Shakyamuni Bud-

dha had not inherited dharma from Kashyapa Buddha, as heretics

believe in

who

it

would be the same

Who,

believe in spontaneous enlightenment.

then, could

Shakyamuni Buddha?

"Because of this heritage from buddha to buddha until now, each of the

buddhas

is

a correct heir.

gether, but just inherit

are not lined up, nor are they gathered to-

from each

other.

such as eons or lifetimes. If you say that dharma heritage

from Shakyamuni Buddha,

years old,

Thus we understand.

nothing to do with measurements that are taught in various

"It has

Agama Schools,* started

They

which

is

generations, which

not so old. is

And

rather new.

it

would be only about two thousand

the heritage would range only over forty

But buddha heritage should not be under-

We understand that Shakyamuni Buddha inherited dharma

stood this way.

from Kashyapa Buddha, and Kashyapa Buddha inherited dharma from Sha-

kyamuni Buddha. heritage of

Then,

all

When

buddhas and

for the first time,

of buddha ancestors, but

up

you understand

I I

all

this way,

it is

the true

dharma

ancestors."

not only accepted that there

is

dharma heritage

was able to get out of the old pit

I

had been in

to that time.

On the twenty-seventh day, was written

at

third

month, second year of Ninji [1241]

Kannondori Kosho Horin Monastery by

has transmitted

this

monk Dogen, who

dharma from China. Translated by

Lew Richmond and Kazuaki Tanahashi

All-Inclusive St"dy, HENZAN

The great way of buddha ancestors

is

to penetrate the ultimate realm, soar-

ing with no strings attached or like clouds shooting below your

feet.

world of blossoming flowers arises, *

and

This being

so,

"The

"I

am

always intimate with this."* Accordingly, sweet melon has a sweet stem, bitter

gourd has

its

bitter root.

Sweet melon and

its

stem

are sweet

through

and through. Thus the way has been studied thoroughly.

Great Master Zongyi of Xuansha was called upon by his master Xuefeng,

who said,

"Since you've prepared a traveling bag,

why

don't you go toward

all-inclusive study?"

Xuansha

said,

"Bodnidharma did not come

ond Ancestor did not go

to the eastern land.

The

Sec-

to the western country.

Xuefeng was deeply impressed with this, "All-inclusive study"

means here

truth doesn't do anything.*

to study as cartwheels,*

What degrees 197

can there be?"

where "Sacred

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

198

3

When Zen

Master Dahui of Nanyue

buddha of Caoxi the old buddha

said,

,

went

first

"What

to

is it

meet Huineng, the old that thus

comes?"*

lump

of

mud

presented this

move to the ancient buddha.

"I

understand now.

came here you

instructed me:

Dahui

Then

ail-inclusively studied that

the ancient

Dahui This

said,

is

'What

is it

buddha of Caoxi

"Speaking about

it

and then

for eight years

When I first

that thus comes?'

said,

"What do you understand?"

won't hjrxhe^mark.

the actualization of all-inclusive study, the realization of eight

years.

The old buddha of Caoxi Dahui

said, "It

is

said,

"Does

not that there

is

it

rest

on practice and realization?"

no practice and no

realization,

it is

just

that they cannot be defiled."

Then Caoxi

said, "I

am

you

like this,

are like this,

and

the

all

buddha

ancestors in India are also like this."'

After this Dahui studied ail-inclusively for eight

from beginning to end

To "thus come buddhas and

all

is

it is

more

years;

counting

an all-inclusive study of fifteen years

all-inclusive study.

To open up the

ancestors where "Speaking about

it

hall

and

see all

won't hit the mark

is

all-inclusive study.

Since entering into and seeing the picture* there have been sixty-five

hundred thousand myriad

billions of turning bodies* of all-inclusive study.

Leisurely entering the monastery and leisurely leaving the monastery all-inclusive study. Seeing

Striking

all

the

skin of the face

with the entire eyeball*

way through

is

all-inclusive study.

very thick*

is

all-inclusive study.

is

is

is

not

all-inclusive study.

To understand

that the

4

The meaning of

all-inclusive study" as asserted

that he encouraged

Xuansha

by Xuefeng does not mean

to leave the monastery or

go north or come

south. His expression provoked the all-inclusive study of Xuansha's words

"Bodhidharma did not come

to the eastern land.

The Second Ancestor did

not go to the western country."

Xuansha's words "Bodnidharma did not come to the eastern land" do not confusedly state that Bodhidharma did not

come. But they mean that there

is

come although he

actually did

not an inch of land on earth. This 'Bodhi-

All-inclusive Study

dharma"

the tip of the

is

accompany him,

to

life

vein.* Even

body

his

Even

if

not that ancestor

is

moved by

buddha

face, the ancestor face, it is

to the eastern land.

lie

To reach

to east or west. East-and-west has

"The Second Ancestor did not go

miss his arm.

What

then

to the western country?

there was no need to

buddha

go

dharma's eyeball

is

you need not go to the western

to the western country, he

to the western country.

Wutai

is

Had

or heaven

To go

Gouging out Bodhi-

to the western country or to

Nanyue

not all-inclusive study. If Four Seas and Five

is

it is

not all-inclusive study. To go back and forth

on the Four Seas and Five Lakes

By

would

he not leaped into the

not all-inclusive study. To visit Tiantai or

Lakes* are not penetrated,

to study all-inclusively.

means that

leaped into the eyeball of the blue-eyed one;*

all-inclusive study.

to the eastern land

nothing to do with

meaning of the Second Ancestor's not going

the

is

He

go

blue eyes, he should have gone to the western country.

or to reach

for a

to the western country"

to study ail-inclusively the western country,

country. Should the Second Ancestor

go

the words.

to lose his nostrils.*

The lands do not rands.

is it

to the eastern land, he faces the eastern

the eastern land sees the

Bodhidharma came

the entire eastern land appears

not turned, nor

is

Because Bodhidharma did not come land. 5

if

199

not to allow the Four Seas and Five Lakes

is

treading back and forth you will

make

the road

smooth, the ground beneath your feet will become smooth, but all-inclusive study will be

lost.

Because Xuansha studied all-inclusively the understanding of "The entire

universe of the ten directions

is

the true

human

body," he reached the

understanding of "Bodhidharma did not come to the eastern land. The

Second Ancestor did not go to the western country." All-inclusive study

means

large. If the top of the stone

is

"If the top of a stone

small, the

bottom

is

is

large, the

small.

bottom

is

Without chang-

ing the top of a stone you allow the stone to be large or to be small. To study a

hundred thousand myriad things only

things

is

as a

hundred thousand myriad

not yet all-inclusive study. To turn a hundred thousand myriad

bodies even in half a statement hit the earth

when you

is

all-inclusive study. For example,

hit the earth

is

all-inclusive study.

"To

just

Merely hitting

the earth once, hitting the sky once, or hitting the four quarters and eight directions once

is

not all-inclusive study. But Juzhi's studying with Tian-

long and attaining one finger* finger

is

all-inclusive study.

is

all-inclusive study. Juzhi's raising just

one

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

200

" Shaky amuni

Xuansha taught the assembly,

Buddha and

I

studied to-

gether."

A monk came up and asked, The master boat.

"We

said,

"I

wonder,

who did you two

study with?"

studied with the third son of Xie* on a fishing

"7

Old man Shaky amuni 's study from beginning

man Xuansha.

together with old

to

end

is

itself

studying

Xuansha's study from beginning to end

studying closely together with old

man Shakyamuni. Between

Shakyamuni and old man Xuansha, there plete or incomplete than another. This

is

no one study that

is

the

is

old

is

man

more com-

meaning of all-inclusive study.

Old man Shakyamuni is an ancient buddha because he studied together with old man Xuansha. Old man Xuansha is a descendant because he studied together with old

man Shakyamuni. You

should study ail-inclusively the

meaning of this.

You should understand

these words:

Xie on a fishing boat." This

is

"We

studied with the third son of

to study ail-inclusively in pursuit of the

moment when old man Shakyamuni and old man Xuansha studied

When Xuansha saw the sharing study. When the

same time.

at the

boat, they were

together

third son of Xie on the fishing

third son of Xie saw the bald-

headed fellow on Mt. Xuansha, they were sharing study.

you should allow yourself

Studying together or not studying together

and others to

reflect

on

Old man Xuansha and old man Shakyamuni

this.

studied together, studied ail-inclusively. Together you should study inclusively: If the sell IS

"With whom did

meaning of all-inclusive study does not appear, then studying the

tained, studying the eyeball

catching the

fish

you master

mind

the ocean

is

is

is

not attained; studying the

is

dry,

no bottom is

is

not not

not at-

not attained.

all-inclusive study, all-inclusive study is

fist* is

is

not attained; self hooking self is not attained,

without a hook

remains. "The ocean

Ihe ocean

not complete; studying a true person

is

attained, studying yourself

When

ail-

Xuansha study?"

not attained, studying the self is not complete; studying others

attained, studying others

If

the third son of Xie and

is

visible.

When

is

the

dry" means the entire ocean

dropped away.

man

is

is

dead, no

completely dry.

dry and you cannot see the bottom. Not remaining and com-

pletely remaining

both are the person's mind.

When

the person

is

dead,

20I

All-inclusive Study

the

mind does not remain. When death is taken up, the mind does not know that the entire person is mind, the

remain. This being so, you should entire

mind

way you should

the person. In this

is

investigate thoroughly

from top to bottom.

6

My late master,

buddha of Tiantong, was once asked

old

when accomplished bled.

He ascended

The great road has no road.

priests,

It leaps

my

enters into

bandits, or Linji

elders

from various places, assem-

the seat and said:

has no gate.

It

who were

to give a discourse

s

out from the heads of

nostrils. In this

all

of you.

way we meet

as

troublemakers. Ha! The great house tumbles

spring wind swirls. Astonished, apricot blossoms

This discourse was given

when my

fly

and

late master, old

scatter

The sky

Gautama's

down and

— red/

buddha, was abbot of

Qingliang Monastery in Jiankang Prefecture, when he was visited by the

temple elders from various places. These accomplished priests and

known

master had together.

asked

He had

him

my

late

each other as teacher and disciples or had been students

friends like this in all directions.

for a discourse. Elders

who

They got together and

did not have a teaching phrase were

not his associates and were not included. Only the most venerable priests

were requested to attend.

My late master's all-inclusive study cannot be fully accomplished by everyone. There has not been an ancient buddha like my late master for two or three hundred years in Great Song.

As "The great road has no gate,"

four or five thousand avenues of pleasure quarters,

it is

two or three myriads of

wind-and-string pavilions?

But when the great road anywhere

else.

In the

leaps out

same way

it

it

entering are studies of the way. Those or inhaled the

body through the

sons of all-inclusive study. sive

leaps out

from the head, not from

enters the nostrils.

who

Both leaping out and

have not leaped out of the head

nostrils are not students of the

You should

just

way

or per-

study the meaning of all-inclu-

study with Xuansha.

Long ago the Fourth Ancestor studied with the Third Ancestor years.

This

is

all-inclusive study. Later

Zen master Puyuan of

for nine

Nanquan

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

202 lived in

Chiyang

almost thirty years. This

for

leaving the mountain. Yunyan,

study

when

is

all-inclusive study

Daoyu {Yuanzhi}, and

they were at Mt. Yao for forty years. This

Long ago the Second Ancestor studied

is

Mt. Song

at

without

others engaged in all-inclusive study.

for eight years.

He

studied all-inclusively the skin, flesh, bones, and marrow.

8 All-inclusiA[£-suidy.

is jiisr

single-minded sitting, dropping away body and

At the moment of going mind. ~ -

—

comine

^

here,

body studies

—

there,

you go there^at the moment of ~"

_

you come

-

-

here, inere

no

is

ap. Jus t m_this

way the ,

entire

all-inclusively the great road's entire body.

Stepping over tEe head of Vairochana attain this firmly

is

is

samadhi without

conflict.

To

to step over the head of Vairochana.

The complete practice of all-inclusive study by leaping out

is

gourd leap-

ing out from gourd. For a long time the gourd's head has been the practice place. Its vital force

way

a blade of grass

is is

vines.

Gourd

studies

actualized, ihis

is

the twenty-seventh day, eleventh month,

this

was taught

hut

all-inclusively. In this

all-inclusive study.

On

in a grass-thatched

gourd

first

year of

at the foot of

Kangen [1243

Yamashi Peak, Echizen

Province. Translated by

Mel Weitsman and Kazuaki lanahashi

Cjoing beyond ^uddha^ BUKKOJOJI

Wuben

Reverend ancestor, Great Master Region, Region.

He

is

is

of Mt.

the direct heir of Great Master

Dong (Dongshan), Yun

Wuzhu

of Mt. Yunyan, Tan

He is the thirty-eighth going-beyond ancestor from the Tathagata.

the thirty-eighth ancestor going beyond himself.

Master Dongshan once taught the assembly, "Concerning realizationthrough-the-body2 of going beyond buddha,

I

would

like to talk a little."

A monk said, "What is this talk?" The master

The monk

said,

The master

"When "Do you

said,

said,

"Wait

The words spoken

I

talk

hear

till I

you don't hear

it,

it."

sir?"

don't talk, then you hear

here, "going

it.";

beyond buddha," originally came from

master Dongshan. Other buddha ancestors have studied his words and alized through-the-body going

beyond buddha

is

neither causality nor fruition

However, there

is

realiza-

tion-through-the-body and complete attainment of you don't hear the

moment

If

re-

beyond buddha. You should know that going

it'" at

of talking.

you do not get beyond buddha, you do not

realize

going beyond buddha. Without talking* you do not 203

through-the-body

realize

through-the-

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

204

body going beyond buddha. Going beyond buddha and talking neither reveal each other nor hide each other, neither give to nor take

other. This being so, talking brings forth

When going

beyond buddha

hear" means buddha-going-beyond-buddha

time of talking you do not

you do not

actualized,

is

is

stained* by either hearing or not-hearing.

It is

"You do not

hear.

not heard by the

You should know

hear.

from each

going beyond buddha.

self.

that talking

At the not

is

not concerned with hearing

or not-hearing.

You

are concealed* within not-hearing.

ing. It

like

is

meeting

When you

not thus. that

you

you

are not drilled

This

hearing

is

you

eyes,

It is just

words

The monk if

said,

is

I

talk

"Do you

just like wisteria vines

is

hear

it,

sir?"

the master hears the talking; he

monk

talking and hearing

is

you do not

you don't hear

entangled with talking,

his talking. Instead, the

is

ears,

is

it is

it

mean

hear.

that

entangled with

permeated by talking.

Ihis does not mean that he

is

not asking about the master or

asking whether he should study direct is

to say, he

hearing. Even

if

is

asking whether talking

you can say something about

is

it, it

beyond your speech.

You should examine I

is

by body and mind.

that at the time of talking

hearing as the master talks. That

is

are not shielded*

"When

talking, from beginning to end,

asking

being thus and

Do not try to take this up and regard it as talking. Not-

ancestor's

each other. Talking

a person;

The meaning of "not-hearing"

by the tongue, you are not hindered by the

by the

not talking.

The reverend

are concealed within talk-

and not meeting

you do not hear.

are not hindered

not-hearing.

is

a person

talk

You

clearly the

don't talk, then you hear

it."

words of reverend Dongshan, "Wait

At the moment of talking,

there

is

till

no direct

moment of not-talking. It is not that you unfortunately miss the moment of not-talking and must

hearing. Direct hearing

comes forth

wait for not-talking. Direct hearing servation. It

and

is

body

is

not at the

confined.

It is

moment

at the

is

not merely observing.

It is

true ob-

of direct hearing that talking goes away

not at the time of talking that direct hearing hides

in the eyes of talking

and resounds

like thunder. It

is

just that

its

you do

not hear at the time of talking, you directly hear at the time of not-talking.

This

is

the

meaning of

"I

would

like to talk a little"

through-the-body of going beyond buddha." That the-body direct hearing

at the

is

and "realization-

to realize through-

time of talking. This being

so,

master Dong-

.

Going beyond Buddha

shan said, "Wait

buddha

till I

don't talk, then you hear

not before the Seven Buddhas.

is

205 it."

It is

However, going beyond

the Seven

Buddhas going

beyond.

Reverend ancestor, Great Master Wuben, taught the assembly, "You should

know someone going beyond buddha."

A monk asked, "Who is someone going beyond buddha?" The master said, "Not-buddha."*

Yunmen

Later

interpreted this:

unattainable, therefore he

Baofu

said,

Fayan also

is

"The name

is

unattainable, the form

'not

"Buddha- not."

said, "Provisionally

he

is

called buddha."^

The buddha ancestor going beyond a buddha ancestor shan.

The

reason

is

that

is

reverend

Dong-

though there are many other buddhas and ancestors

they have never dreamed of the words "going beyond buddha." If this

spoken to Deshan or

Linji, they will disregard

feng would get hold of the bodies.

fist*

even

The reverend ancestor's words

ing beyond buddha,

I

would

if

it.

they were to crush and grind their

like to talk a little,"

and "You should know

fully realized

and enlightenment through one, two, three,

merely by practice

four, five eons, or

Only those who study the inconceivable road can

Know that there is someone going beyond buddha. ity

is

Neither Yantou nor Xue-

realization- through- the-body of go-

someone going beyond buddha" cannot be

great eons.

is

This

is

one hundred

realize

it.

the full activ-

of rousing the intention. So you should understand going beyond bud-

dha by taking up an ancient buddha and raising a

fist.

To

see

through this

know someone who goes beyond buddha and someone who goes beyond not-buddha. The words of Dongshan do not mean that you should be someone who goes beyond buddha, or that you should meet someone who goes beyond buddha. He just means that you should know that there is someone who goes beyond buddha. The key to this barrier is not-knowing* someone who goes beyond buddha, and not-knowing someone who goes beyond notis

to

buddha.

Someone who goes beyond buddha in are asked

"What

is

this

way

is

not-buddha.

When you

not-buddha?", you should consider: You do not

not-buddha because he precedes buddha. You do not

call

call

him

him not-buddha

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

2o6

You do not

because he follows buddha.

call

him not-buddha because he

surpasses buddha.

He

is

buddha

not-buddha merely because he IS

is

so called because buddha's face

going-beyond-buddha. "Not-

is

dropped away, buddha's body

and mind are dropped away.

Zen master

Kumu of Jingyin,

Dongjing (whose

an heir of Furong), taught the assembly, "As

buddha,

I

have something to

man

beyond buddha? This

say.

He

who is

kills

the ancestor.

Hell does not have a gate to

let

does not have six sense-organs*

a great

When he meets a buddha he kills

an ancestor he

name is Facheng, know about going beyond

initiatory

Answer now, good students! What is going

has a child

and lacks seven consciousnesses.* buddha.

I

kchantika* a kind of not-

the buddha, and

when he meets

The heavens cannot contain

him

in.

All of you!

this person.

Do you know this man?"

After waiting for a while he said, "If you don't see saindhava*

it's

like

" talking a lot in deep sleep. "Not having

six sense-organs"

become tallow beads, the

can be described as "The eyeballs have

nostrils have

What

has turned into a shit dipper.

is

become bamboo pipes, and the the

meaning of all

skull

this?"*

In this way, the six sense-organs are not there. Because there are no six sense-organs, he has gone through the forge and bellows and has

become

a

He has gone through a great ocean and has become a clay He has gone through the fire and has become a wooden buddha,

metal buddha.

buddha.

"Lacking seven consciousnesses" means this person dipper. *

Although he

meets a buddha, he

a

broken wooden

buddha, he meets the buddha. Because he

kills a

kills

is

the buddha. If he tries to enter the heavens, the

heavens are annihilated. If he goes toward hell, hell will burst immediately. If

he meets face to face, his face breaks into a smile and there

Although he

is

in

deep sleep, he talks a

Understand that the

self.

lot.

know

all

the mountains and the entire land

Jewels and stones are

all

crushed into pieces. You should quietly

4 z^n Master Hongjue of Mt. Yunju went Dongshan

Yunju

no saindhava.

means

this

study and pursue this teaching of Zen Master

shan.

is

said,

said,

"What

"Daoying."

is

Kumu. Do

to study

your name?"

not neglect

it.

with great master Dong-

a

Going beyond Buddha

Dongshan Yunju

"Say something beyond that."

said,

said,

Dongshan

207

"When I say something beyond, I am not called Daoying." "When 1 was with Yunyan we spoke just like this.""^

said,

You should examine in detail the words between

"When

say something beyond,

I

am

I

master and disciple.

this

not called Daoying

is

Daoying's

going beyond. You should understand that in addition to usual Daoying there

is

someone beyond, who

"When I is

is

say something beyond,

I

From

not called Daoying.

am not

called

Daoying

is

the

moment

actualized, he

truly Daoying.

However, you should not say that he is Daoying when he is going beyond.

When he was asked by Dongshan, "Say something beyond that," even if he had replied, "When I say something beyond, I am called Daoying, it would still

be the words of going beyond.

leaps into the top of the head*

own

body, his form

is

Why

and hides

is it

his

so?

own

Daoying immediately

body. * Since he hides his

revealed.

Zen master Benji of Caoshan studied with reverend ancestor Dongshan. Dongshan

said,

Caoshan

Dongshan Caoshan

"What

It is

"Say something beyond that."

said,

again,

Why did

in

going beyond

of

no-name

Thus

is

there

"Why will you not say?"

"No-name

said,

not that there

saying.

your name?"

said, "I will not say."

Dongshan asked Caoshan

is

said, "Benji.

is

Benji."

Dongshan approved

nothing to say in going beyond, but here there

is

no

he not say? Because of no-name Benji. Therefore, saying

is

no-saying. No-saying in going beyond

saying going beyond. Because of this, he is

it."

no-Benji.

No-name drops

is

is

no-name. Benji

Benji no-name.

away. Benji drops away.

6

Zen master

Baoji of Panshan said,

"The

single path of going

beyond

—

thousand sages, no transmission."^^

"The

single path of going

beyond"

is

the utterance of Baoji alone.

He

did not say "buddha going beyond" or "someone going beyond," but he said "the single path of It

means

that even

going beyond."

if

thousands of sages appear

all

together, the single

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

208

path of going beyond

not transmitted.

is

sand sages protect that which

is

derstand in this way. But there

"No

transmission" means a thou-

not transmitted.

You may be

something further to say about

is

do not

not that a thousand sages or a thousand wise people single path of going beyond

able to un-

exist,

this. It is

but that a

not merely the realm of the sages or of the

is

wise.

7

Zen master Guangzuo of Mt. Zhimen was once asked by is

a

monk, "What

going beyond buddha?"

He said, "To carry sun and moon on This means that you of a

This

staff.

carries

is

the end of a staff.""

are completely covered

buddha going beyond.

When

sun and moon, the entire universe

beyond.

It is

means the

moon are

not that the sun and

by the sun and

you penetrate the

dark. This

is

the

moon on

staff.

is

top

staff that

buddha going

"On the end of a staff"

entire staff.

'

8

Zen master Daowu of Tianhuang Monastery Master Wuji of Shitou.

Daowu

asked,

visited the assembly of Great

"What

is

the fu adaroefttal-meafli

in

going beyond, or not,

^Jmddha^dharma?'

—

—

Shitou said, "Not to attain,' not to know.

--^

Daowu

said,

'is

there

-

some turning point*

Shitou said, "The vast sky does not hinder white clouds from flying.""

Now, Shitou

is

huang Monastery

Daowu of TianYaoshan. Daowu once

the second generation from Caoxi Priest .

is

the younger

dharma brother of

asked Shitou about the fundamental meaning of buddha-dharma. This not a question asked by beginners or those just recently started.

is

Daowu

asked this question when he was ready to understand the fundamental meaning

It

he heard

it.

Shitou said, "Not to attain, not to know." Understand that in buddha-

dharma

the fundamental

ultimate

meaning

is

in the first

thought,*

as well as in the

level.

This fundamental meaning

is

not-attaining.*

It is

not that there

aspiration for enlightenment, no practice, or no enlightenment. ply, not-attaining.

is

no

But sim-

Going beyond Buddha

The fundamental meaning

is

not nonexistent or existent, but

not-knowing. Practice-enlightenment

is

is

is

not-knowing, not-attaining.

Again, the fundamental meaning not that there

209

not-attaining, not-knowing.

is

It is

no sacred truth, no practice-enlightenment but simply ,

not-attaining not-knowing.

Daowu

said, "Is there

some turning point

means that when the turning point "Turning point"

ized.

sion

is all

buddhas,

Although there

is

going beyond, or not?"

actualized, going

a provisional expression.

is

all

is

in

The

beyond

is

It

actual-

provisional expres-

ancestors. In saying this, there

is

going beyond.

going beyond, do not neglect not-going-beyond in saying

this.

"The

vast sky does not hinder the white clouds

The

Shitou's words.

from flying." These are

vast sky does not hinder the vast sky. Just as the vast

sky does not hinder the vast sky from flying, white clouds do not hinder

white clouds. White clouds

fly

with no hindrance. White clouds' flying

does not hinder the vast sky's flying.

Not hindering

others

is

not hindering

self.

It is

not that self and others need or have no hindrance.

requires no-hindrance or remains in no-hindrance. This

is

None

of these

the no-hindrance

brought out in the phrase "The vast sky does not hinder the white clouds

from flying."

Right now,

coming

raise the

eyebrow of the eye of study and see through the

forth of buddhas, ancestors, self,

and others. This

is

a case of asking

one question and answering ten. In asking one question and answering ten, the person

ten

is

who asks one question

is

the true person; the person

who answers

the true person.

9

Huang bo said, "Those who have left home should understand things which have

come from

the past. Great master Farong of Niutou, a disciple of the

Fourth Ancestor, explains both vertical and horizontal but does not the key to the barrier of going beyond.

With your own

know

eyes and brain

you

should discern the correct school from the incorrect.""

Huangbo's words "things which have come from the past" mean that which has been correctly transmitted from buddha ancestors. This the treasury of the true

Although

it is

dharma

in yourself,

eye, the inconceivable

you should understand

it.

mind

Although

is

called

of nirvana. it is

in your-

TRANSMISSION OF THE TEACHING

2IO

beyond your understanding. Those who have not received correct

self, it is

buddha-to-buddha transmission have never dreamed of it.

Huangbo,

as the

dharma

heir of Baizhang, exceeds

Baizhang and,

as a

dharma descendant of Mazu, exceeds Mazu. In three or four generations of the ancestor school, there was no one

who could

with Huangbo. Huangbo alone made horns.

it

stand shoulder to shoulder

Niutou did not have two

clear that

Other buddha ancestors had not noticed.

Zen master Farong of Mt. Niutou was

a respected teacher, a disciple of

when compared

the Fourth Ancestor. His discourse, horizontal and vertical,

with that of Indian or Chinese sutra masters and less.

was not

treatise masters,

But regrettably he did not speak of the key

to the barrier of

going

beyond. If

you do not have the key to the barrier of things which have come from

how

the past,

You

are

can you discern correct from incorrect in buddha-dharma?

who

merely someone

studies words and phrases. Therefore, the

knowing, practicing, and realizing of the key is

to the barrier of going

not something ordinary people can accomplish.

deavor, the key

is

Where

there

is

beyond

true en-

realized.

"Going beyond buddha" means that you reach buddha, and going ther,

you continue to see buddha.

buddha.* Therefore

if

beings' seeing buddha,

merely the same

It is

your seeing buddha it is

fur-

not the same as sentient beings' seeing is

merely the same

as sentient

not seeing buddha. If your seeing buddha

as sentient beings' seeing

buddha,

it is

seeing

is

buddha

how can you experience going beyond buddha? You should know that Huang bo's words "going beyond" cannot be

mistakenly;

understood by the careless people of these times. Their dharma discourses cannot reach to that of Farong. Even of Farong, they are merely Farong

s

if their

dharma discourses equaled that

dharma

brothers.

How

can they have

the key to the barrier of going beyond? Other bodhisattvas of ten stages or three classes can never have the key to the barrier of going beyond.

they open and close the barrier of going beyond? This

One who

is

How can

the eye of study.

has the key to the barrier of going beyond goes beyond buddha,

realizing through-the-body, going

On the twenty-third day,

third

beyond buddha.

month, third year of Ninji

[1242

this

was

taught to the assembly at Kannondori Kosho Horin Monastery. Translated by

Mel Weitsman and Kazuaki Tanahashi

PART FIVE

Poems

Poems

\{/aka

Awake

or asleep

in a grass hut,

what

I

pray for

is

to bring others across

before myself.

Although

may I

this ignorant self

never become a

vow

buddha

to bring

others across

because

I

am a monk.

How august! Studying the old words of the Seven

Buddhas

you pass beyond the six realms.

213

POEMS

214

MOUNTAIN SECLUSION I

won't even stop

at the valley's

brook

for fear that

my shadow may

flow into the world.

BOWING FORMALLY

A snowy heron on the snowfield where winter grass

is

unseen

hides itself in its

own

figure.

VIEWING PEACH BLOSSOMS AND REALIZING THE WAY In spring

wind "

peach blossoms begin to come apart.

Doubts do not grow branches and leaves.

ON NONDEPENDENCE OF MIND Water birds going and coming their traces disappear

but they never forget their path.

THE BODY BORN BEFORE THE PARENTS The

village

I

finally reach

deeper than the deep mountains

indeed the capital

where

I

used to

live!

Waka Poems

215

ON THE TREASURY OF THE TRUE DHARMA EYE Waves

recede.

Not even a small

the

wind

ties

up

abandoned boat.

The moon

is

a clear

mark of midnight. Translated by Brian

Unger

and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Poems

Chinese-Style

SECLUSIOKr Evening zazen hours advance. Sleep hasn't come

More and more

I

realize

mountain

forests are

Sounds of the valley brook enter the Outside

this,

ears,

yet.

good

for efforts in the way.

moonlight pierces the

not one further instant of thought.

eyes.

SECLUSION The

ancestor

way came from the west;

Polishing the moon, plowing clouds,

How can worldly

I

ON

first this

it

east.

long for ancient wind.

— thatched hut —

inside.

A PORTRAIT OF MYSELF

lake, for thousands of yards, soaks

Evening quiet:

transmitted

red dusts blow here?

Deep mountain snowy evening

Cold

I

up sky

a fish of brocade scales reaches

way, then that way; arrow notch

splits.

Endless water surface moonlight brilliant.

216

color.

bottom, then goes

.

Chinese-Style Poems

217

SNOW All

my

life false

and

real, right

and wrong tangled.

Playing with the moon, ridiculing wind, listening to birds.

Many

years wasted seeing the

This winter

I

.

.

mountain covered with snow.

suddenly realize snow makes a mountain.

SPRING SNOW NIGHT Snowdrifts like those at Shaolin, in the old days.

Whole

whole earth, whole spring

sky,

Inheriting the robe, attaining the

who would

spare himself standing in

GIVEN TO A ZEN PERSON Mind

itself is

Practice

is

—

new.

marrow

—

to join the ancestors

snow through the night?

WHO REQUESTED

A POEM

buddha.

difficult.

Explanation

is

not

is

not difficult.

difficult.

Not-mind. Not-buddha. Explanation

is difficult.

Practice

FOR ATTENDANT WANG Vast, boundless

What

world

—waxing and waning.

person reaches this realm and understands without delusion?

Iron ox shuts off the Milky

At the summit, Vairochana

Way. follows at your heels.

GIVEN TO A ZEN PERSON Where

the great function turns, entire sky moves.

Penetrate; no trace

Alone

I

on thread road.

sing in the balcony, only

moon

color

dyes clouds. Winter shower moistens burning haze.

POEMS

2l8

SUN REFLECTED Within the sun-face

— HOUR OF THE SHEEP

round moon-face.

eye,

Attaining the sutra covers the eye; eye becomes sutra. Study, mastery

Cloud

ultimately nothing outside.

in the blue sky, water in a

jar.

Translated by David Schneider and Kazuaki Tanahashi

DIRECT MIND SEEING THE MOON, SIXTEENTH NIGHT Contemplate on the sixteenth-night koan.

When body moon tries for fullness, mind moon starts If

you have a

clear idea of

moon,

a

moon will

to fade.

be born.

But how can mid-autumn moon be grasped?

IN RESPONSE Speech and silence

TO INSPECTOR WANG'S POEM

absolutely the same: extremely subtle and profound.

A good remedy was prescribed a long time ago. Piercing the sky, embracing the earth

An immense escarpment glowing

no end to

it.

with mysterious light.

GIVEN TO COURIER NAN

An explosive shout cracks Immediately

the great

empty

sky.

clear self-understanding

Swallow up buddhas and ancestors of the

Without following

past.

others, realize complete penetration.

THE POINT OF ZAZEN, AFTER ZEN MASTER HONGZHI' The hub

of buddhas' activity,

the turning of ancestors' it

hub

moves along with your nonthinking

ana

As

is

it

completed in the realm of nonmerging.

moves along with your nonthinking

Chinese-Style Poems

its

appearance

As

it is

immediate.

completed in the realm of nonmerging

completeness If its

is

219

itself is realization.

appearance

is

immediate

you have no defilement.

When completeness

is

realization

you stay in neither the general nor the particular. If

you have immediacy without defilement

immediacy

is

"dropping away" with no obstacles.

Realization, neither general nor particular, is

effort

without desire.

Clear water a fish

swims

all

the

way

bottom;

to the

like a fish.

Vast sky transparent throughout; a bird flies like a bird.

DURING SECLUSION All that's visible springs from causes intimate to you.

While walking, If

down, the body

sitting, lying

itself is

complete truth.

someone asks the inner meaning of this:

"Inside the treasury of the

dharma eye

a single grain of dust."

UPON LOOKING AT MR. RAN'S LAST WORDS Clearly nothing

is

sacred

— hard

Tested in a raging furnace Let

melts like snow.

it

me ask you, where does

as iron.

it

When the breakers are high,

go?

what kind of moon do you

DEATH Fifty-four years lighting

up the

see?

poem''

sky.

A quivering leap smashes a billion worlds. Hah! Entire body looks for nothing. Living,

I

plunge into Yellow Springs.

Translated by Philip

Whalen and Kazuaki Tanahashi

Appendixes

APPENDIX A

Reading

the

Record of Eihei Dogen Ryokan ( ij^S-iS^i)

On a somber spring evening around midnight, rain

mixed with snow sprinkled on the bamboos

in the garden.

my loneliness but it was quite impossible. My hand reached behind me for the Record of Eihei Dogen. Beneath the open window at my desk, I

wanted

I

offered incense,

to ease

lit

and quietly read.

a lamp,

Body and mind dropping away

is

simply the upright truth.

In one thousand postures, ten thousand appearances, a dragon toys with the jewel.

His understanding beyond conditioned patterns cleans up the current corruptions;

image of

the ancient great master's style reflects the

I

remember the old days when

and

At so 1

lived at

Entsu Monastery

my late teacher lectured on the True Dharma Eye.

that time there I

I

India.

was an occasion

requested permission to read

keenly

felt

After that

that until then

I left:

I

to turn

it,

myself around,

and studied

I

intimately.

went

I

is

there?

devotedly practiced the true dharma eye.

Arriving at the depths and arriving at the vehicle Inside this teaching, there's never any shortcoming.

Thus

I

my own ability.

my teacher and wandered all over.

Between Dogen and myself what relationship Everywhere

it

had depended merely on

thoroughly studied the master of all things.

223

how many times?

APPENDIX A

224

Now when

I

take the Record of Eihei Dogen and examine

it,

the tone does not harmonize well with usual beliefs.

Nobody For

five

has asked whether

hundred years

just because

For

One

a jewel or a pebble.

it is

been covered with dust

no one has had an eye

whom was all

Longing

it's

dharma.

expounded?

his eloquence

for ancient times

for recognizing

and grieving

evening sitting by the lamp

my

for the present,

tears

my heart

is

exhausted.

wouldn't stop,

and soaked into the records of the ancient buddha Eihei. In the

morning the old man next door came

He asked me why I

wanted

the book was

to speak but didn't as

to

my

thatched hut.

damp. I

was deeply embarrassed;

my mind deeply distressed, it was impossible to give an explanation. I dropped my head for a while, then found some words. "Last night's rain leaked in and drenched my bookcase." Translated by Daniel Leighton and Kazuaki Tanahashi

APPENDIX B

Chinese Transliteration:

Comparative Table

WADE-GILES

WADE-GILES

ang

ang

cang

ts

Ceng

tseng

ang tsen

ao

ba

pa

bai

pai

ban

pan

bang

pang

bao

pao

bei

pei

ben

pen

beng

peng

cha

ch'a

chai

ch'ai

chan

ch'an

chang

ch'ang

chao

ch'ao

che

che Chen cheng

chen

cheng

pi

pien piao

pieh

pin

ping

po

pou

chi

ch'ih

chong

ch'ung

chou

ch'ou

chu

chu

chua

ch'ua

chuai

ch'uai

chuan

ch'uan

chuang

ch'uang

chui

ch'ui

ts'a

chun

ch'un

ts'ai

chuo

ch'o

225

APPENDIX B

226 PINYIN

WADE-GILES

PINYIN

WADE-GILES

ci

tzu

gai

kai

cong

ts'ung

gan

lean

cou

ts'ou

gang

kang

cu

ts'u

gao

cuan

ts'uan

ge

cui

ts'ui

gei

cun

ts'un

gen

ken

cuo

ts'o

geng

kang

gong

kung kou ku

ta

dai

tai

dan

tan

dang

tang

dao

tao

de

te

dei

tei

deng

teng

gou

gu

kao ke,

ko

kei

gua

kua

guai

kuai

guan

kuan

guang

kuang 1

gui

kuei

gun

kun

guo

kuo ha

di

dian

tien

diao

tiao

ha

die

tieh

hai

ding

ting

han

diu

till

hang

hang

dong

tung

hao

hao

dou

tou

he

ho

du

tu

hei

hei

duan

tuan

hen

hen

dui

tui

heng

heng

dun

tun

hong

hung

duo

to

hou

hou

hu

hu

hua

hua

e,

en

en

eng

eng

huai

huai

huEfi

huan

er

erh

fa

fa

hui

hui

fan

fan

hun hun

hun

huzing

fane o

iau

fei

fei

fen

ren

feng fo

fou fu

ga

huar*

huo

ji

chi

jia

chia

jian

chien

fou

jiang

Chiang

fu

jiao

chiao

jie

chieh

jin

chin

fo

ka

wese Transliteration

PINYIN

WADE-GILES

227 PINYIN

WADE-GILES

jing

ching

lu

lu

jiong

chiung

luan

luan

jiu

chiu

lun

lun

ju

chii

luo

lo

juan

chiian

lu

lu

jue

chiieh

liian

liian

jun

chiin

liie

liieh

lun

lun, liin

ka

k'a

kai

k

ai

ma

ma

kan

k'an

mai

mai

kang

k'ang

kao

k'ao

ke

ke, k'o

man mang mao

man mang mao

ken

ken keng

me

me

keng

mei

mei

kong

k'ung

kou

k'ou

men meng

men meng

ku

k'u

mi

mi

kua

k'ua

mian

mien

kuai

k'uai

miao

miao

kuan

k'uan

mie

mieh

kuang

k'uang

kui

k'uei

kun

k'un

min ming miu

min ming miu

k'uo la

mo

mo

mou

mou

mu

mu

lai

Ian

na

na

lang

nai

nai

lao

nan

nan

le

nang

nang nao

lei

nao

leng

ne

ne

li

nei

nei

lia

nen

nen

lien

neng

neng

liang

ni

ni

liao

nian

nien

lieh

niang

niang

lin

niao

niao

ling

nie

nieh

liu

nin

nin

long

lung

fling

fling

lou

lou

iu

niu

APPENDIX B

228

PINYIN

PINYIN

WADE-GILES

nong

nung

re

je

nou

ren

jen

nu

reng

jeng

nun

rong

jung jou

nuan

WADE-GILES

jih

no

rou

nil

nil

ru

ju

niie

niieh

man

juan

pa pai

pan

pan

pang

p'ang

pao

p'ao

pei

p'ei

pen

pen peng

peng pi

P'i

in

p len

10

p

e

p leh

lao

p'in

p'ing

po

p'o

pou

p'ou P'u

qi

qia

ch'i

ch

la

qian

ch'ien

qiang

ch'iang

qiao

ch'iao

qie

ch'ieh

qin

ch'in

qing

ch'ing

qiong

ch lung

qiu

ch'iu

qu

chu

rui

jui

run

jun

mo

jo

sa

sa

sai

sai

san

san

sang

sang

sao

sao

se

se

sen

s6n

seng

seng

sha

sha

shai

shai

shan

shan

shang

shang

shao

shao

she

she

shei

shei

shen

shen

sheng

sheng

shi

shih

shou

shou

shu

shu

shua

shua

shuai

shuai

shuan

shuan

shuang

shuang

shui

shui

shun

shun

shuo

shuo

si

ssu, szu

quan

ch'iian

que

ch'iieh

song

sung

qun

ch'iin

sou

sou

ran

su

su

jan

suan

suan

sui

sui

iao

sun

sun

rang

229

Chinese Transliteration

PINYIN

WADE-GILES

suo

so

PINYIN

WADE-GILES

ya

ya

yai

yai

ta

ta

yan

yen

tai

t'ai

yang

yang

tan

tan

yso

yao

tang

t'ang

ye

yeh

yi

i

tao

yin

teng

teng

ti

yi

yin

ying

ying

yong

yung yu

dan

t'ien

you

tiao

t'iao

yu

yii

tie

t'ieh

yuan

yiian

yue

yueh

tong

t'ung

yun

yiin

tou

t'ou

tu

t'u

f 1 n L 111

tuan

t'uan

tui

t'ui

tun

t'un

tuo

t'o

wa

wa

za

tsa

zai

tsai

zan

tsan

zang

tsang

zao

tsao

ze

tse

ZCl

tsei

wai

wai

zen

tsen

wan wang

wan wang

zeng

tseng

zha

cha

wei

wei

zhai

chai

wen weng

wen weng

znan

Chan

zhang

chang

wo

wo wu

wu

1

Zhao

chao

zhe

che

zhei

chei

xi

hsi

zhen

chen

xia

nsia

Zheng

cheng

xian

hsien

_u

zni

chih

xiang

hsiang

zhong

chung

zhou

chou

xiao

hsiao

xie

hsieh

zhu

chu

xin

hsin

zhua

chua

"

xing

hsing

zhuai

chuai

xiong

hsiung

zhuan

chuan

xiu

hsiu

zhuang

chuang

xu

hsii

zhui

chui

xuan

hsiian

zhun

chun

xue

hsiieh

zhuo

cho

xun

hsun

zi

CZU

230

APPENDIX B

PINYIN

WADE-GILES

zong

tsung

«>u

tsou

zu

zuan

tsu

csuan

IN

WADE-GILES

2un

csun

csui

tso

231

Maps

Modern provinces are

indicated

in

boldface.

232

APPENDIX

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.

Notes

Notes 1

Introduction

to

"Kenzei's Biography of Dogen."*

.

5.

TTDE, "Document of Heritage," section 14. TTDE, "Face-to-Face Transmission," section 2. "On the Endeavor of the Way," section 2. TTDE, "Face-to-Face Transmission," section 10.

6.

Frontispiece of this book.

7.

"Anthology of Enlightenment Poems by the Ancestor of Sansho."*

2. 3.

4.

"Anthology of Enlightenment Poems by the Ancestor of Sansho."*

8. 9.

10. 1 1

.

12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

TTDE, "Undivided Activity," section 5. TTDE, "The Time-Being," section 14. "Anthology of Enlightenment Poems by the Ancestor of Sansho."*

TTDE, TTDE, TTDE, TTDE, TTDE, TTDE,

"The Time-Being,"

section

"The Time-Being,"

section 4.

i

"Undivided Activity," section

4.

"Actualizing the Fundamental Point," section 12.

"Actualizing the Fundamental Point," section

1 1

"Mountains and Waters Sutra," section 22.

18.

"Guidelines for Studying the Way," section 9.

19.

TTDE, "Undivided

20.

"Anthology of Enlightenment Poems by the Ancestor of Sansho."*

21.

Yasunari Kawabata, Japan the Beautiful and Myself. Translated by Edward G. Seiden-

22.

TTDE, "The Point of Zazen." TTDE, "Twining Vines," section 6. TTDE, "Face-to-Face Transmission,"

sticker (Tokyo;

23. 24.

Activity," section

i

Kodansha, 1969).

section

241

i

NOTES

242 25.

are included in

The commentaries mentioned above

Shobogenzo Chukai Zensho (Collected

eds.

24-29}

[pp.

Nyoten Jimbo and Bun'ei Ando,

Commentaries of TTDE).

26.

See Appendix, "Reading the Record of Eihei Dogen" by Ryokan.

27.

Tetsuro Watsuji,

"Shamon Dogen" (Monk Dogen) in Nibon Seishin-shi Kenkyu Iwanami Shoten, 1926).

(Studies

of Japanese Spiritual History) (Tokyo: 28.

Hajime Tanabe, Shobogenzo

TTDE) (Tokyo: Iwanami 29.

no Tetsugaku Shikan (Personal

Views on the Philosophy of

Shoten, 1939).

Minoru Nishio and Yaoko Mizino,

dowa and Other Writings),

Hoka (Shobogenzo Ben-

Shobogenzo Bendowa

trans.

14 of Koten Nihon Bungaku Zenshu (Collection of Jap-

vol.

anese Classical Literature) (Tokyo:

Chikuma Shobo,

Minoru Nishio, Genryu

1964).

Kagamishima, Tokugen Sakai and Yaoko Mizuno, commentators, ,

(TTDE, TTDE: Record of Things Heard),

genzo Zuimon-ki

Bungaku

Taikei

vol.

Shobogenzo, Shobo-

81 of Nihon Koten

(Complete Collection of Japanese Classical Literature) (Tokyo: Iwanami

Shoten, 1965). Koshiro Tamaki ed. ,

,

Dogen-shu (Works of Dogen), vol. 2 of Nibon no

Thoughts) (Tokyo: Chikuma Shobo, 1969). Toru Terada and Yaoko

Shiso (Japanese

Mizuno, commentators, Dogen,

vols. 12

and 13 of Nihon

Shiso Taikei

,

(Complete Col-

Works) (Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, 1970 and 1972). vol. 7 of Nihon no Mekho (Notable Books of

lection of Japanese Philosophical

Koshiro Tamaki trans. Dogen: Shobogenzo, ,

Japan) (Tokyo: Chuokoron-sha, 1971). 30.

Soichi

Nakamura, Sojun Nakamura, and Kazuaki Tanahashi,

trans.

,

Zen'yaku Shobo|

genzo (Complete Translation of

1

and 1972). Fumio Masutani,

TTDE)

trans. Gendaigoyaku Shobogenzo (Modern Version of Kadokawa Shoten, 1973-1975). Kazuo Nishijima, trans., Gendaigo-

(Tokyo:

yaku Shobogenzo (Modern Version of 3

1

.

32.

(Tokyo: Seishin Shobo, 1968-1972). Kenchin

Gendaiyaku Shobogenzo (Modern Version of TTDE) (Osaka: Ris5-sha,

Takahashi, trans.

197

TTDE)

TTDE) (Tokyo:

Bukkyo-sha, 1975).

See Bibliography.

A revised

translation

is

included in this book under the

title

"Actualizing the Funda-

mental Point." Notes

. Presented

1.

four

months

after

as a lecture at

to

"Rules for Zazen"

Dogen 's community had moved

\

in the eleventh

month of 1343,

to Echizen Province

from the suburbs

Yoshimine Temple

of Kyoto. Eleventh fascicle of the primary (seventy-five-fascicle) version of the Treasury of the True

nese

—

a

Dharma

Eye. Like all other fascicles of

TTDE,

combination ot Chinese ideographs pronounced

Zazen-gi was written in Japain the Japanese way,

and Jap-

anese phonetics.

Other

"Fukan Zazen-gi," pp. 233-37. Nishiyama and Stepp. 39-40, "The Rule for Zazen." Waddell and Abe, " Dogen s Fukan-

translations: Bielefeldt,

vens, vol.

1

2azengi,"pp. 127-28. 2.

To abide

in the

realm of nonduality where settling oneself

is

not other than settling

all

Hence desiring

to

things. 3.

The

practice of zazen itself

become a buddha a

is

the actualization of

buddha

nature.

would then be separate from already being

buddha. Notes

I.

is

a mistake, since practice

to

"Guiaelines for Studying the

. Written in Chinese

as

Way"

an independent work and taught in the spring of

1224, one year after Dogen moved into Kannondori Temple

(later

Kosho Horin Mon-

i

Notes {pp.

As

astery).

under the

a part of the first publication

title,

"The

First

29-47} by

243 was published

Eihei-ji, this text

in

Way"

Ancestor Eihei's Guidelines for Studying the

1357 (Eihei

Shoso Gakudo Yojin-shu).

Other

2

.

123-38, "Important Aspects of Zazen." Yokoi,

translations: Kennett, pp.

Zen Master Dogen, pp. 48-57, "Points to Watch in Buddhist Training." Nagarj una 's Commentary on the Mahdprajndpdramitd Sutra * chap .23.

3.

Analects * "Lord Weiling."

4.

With

the eye of enlightenment, practice

is

an everyday, ongoing activity which does

not appear to have outstanding or extraordinary attributes. 5.

One should become

free

from the idea that the

state of

enlightenment

is

separate or

apart from practice. 6.

Understanding that enlightenment

is

a distant goal apart

from or different from one's

own experience. 7

.

.

Shurangama Sutra * chap.

8. 9.

When first

10.

6.

Fifteenth day from the spring equinox: one of the seasonal festivals in East Asia.

Huineng, the Sixth Ancestor, saw the Fifth Ancestor

time, he "lost his face," that

is,

Mt. Huangmei

at

for the

shed his worldly identity.

See Glossary, nonthinking.

Notes

to

"Bodmsattva's Four Methods

. "Written in the

1.

astery, shortly before cicle,

which was

fifth

Dogen moved

of Lruidance'

month of 1243, probably

to Echizen Province.

He

likely written for his lay students, in the

at

Kosho Horin Mon-

did not include this

primary version of

fas-

TTDE

probably because the primary version was compiled for trained monks. Included in the

TTDE by Giun. Nishiyama and Stevens,

sixty-fascicle version of

Other 2

3

.

.

4.

translation:

vol. 3, pp.

124-28.

Mahdprajnapdramttd Sutra * chap 469. .

,

Ekottardgama Sutra * chap 24. .

,

According to the

Classified

Materia Medica* Emperor Taizong

nasty cut off his mustache, burned

prescribed by liji

s

it,

and gave

physician. "To cure disease

it

of the Tang Dy-

W, a cure

to his retainer Liji

can also be translated as "to harmonize

mind." 5

.

6.

See Glossary, offering sand.

According to the History of Jin* Kongyu freed

Later he was appointed lord, and

it.

pkied a caged

when he had

tortoise

He then knew he had attained

his position

g

of the Later

injured sparrow. Later the sparrow appeared in his

dream and

a tortoise

came

out.

and bought and

his official seal cast the shape of

through the help of the

tortoise.

7.

According to Requested by Children,^ \angbao

ot

Lxrandmother Xi

a sorcerer,

and

left

Han Dynasty said he

four white rings.

was

a

tended an

messenger

Then Yangbao's family

flourished for four generations. 8.

Minister Zhou's

9

This

anecdote described in the Historical Records. *

poem by Bo Yuetian Northern Window:" is

based on a

called

Who are the three comrades? Lute stopped playing.

Wine

is

raised up.

"Poem

of Three Comrades at

NOTES

244

When The

wine

is

47-69}

[pp.

finished a song

sung.

is

three comrades lead one another

going round and round endlessly.

Guanzi* chap.

10.

20.

Notes I

.

fi

•

was built

"Regulations for the Auxiliary Cloud Hall"

to

1239 when the annex monks' hall juundo) Kosho Horin Monastery. Written in Japanese, while all other monastic

Completed at

in the fourth year of

Dogen did

regulations were to be written in Chinese.

of

fascicle version

2

Guest or

.

TTDE

of

in

in the ninety-five-

host: disciple or master; in this case regular student or director of the hall.

Soto School

.

1.

it

1690.

The formal way of walking in the practice Originally shashu meant to cover the right

3.

not regard this text as a portion

but one of his dharma descendants, Kozen, included

TTDE,

now common

it is

hall

is

to hold the hands in shashu position.

with the

fist

to cover the left

fist

left

hand over the

chest. In the

with the right hand.

Notes

to

"Instruction for the Tenzo"

Written in Chinese

as

an independent work at Kosho Horin Monastery in

the spring of 1237, two years after the official completion of the monastery. Published in

1667 by

Eihei-ji as a part of the Monastic Regulations of

Zen Master Dogen,

the First

Ancestor of the Soto School, Japan * .

Other

translations: Kennett, pp.

175-90, "Instruction

to the Chiet

Look." Yokoi

8-26. Dogen and Uchiyama^ pp. 3-19, "Instructions

Regulations, pp.

for the

Zen

Cook." 2

ALZSME,

.

When

3.

chap. 2

low and one side

"We

.

Hongzhi's Capping Verses * case 9 1

is

a rice field

is

with Guishan, Yangshan said, "One side

high." Guishan said, "Water will even

don't need to depend on water.

place

The high

is

is

it

out.

Yangshan

is

replied,

already even and high; the low

JRTL, chap.

1 1

addressing a tenzo, he mentions a vegetable leaf instead of using a

familiar expression in Zen: "a blade of grass. 5

place

already even and low." Guishan approved him.

Because Dogen

4.

1

Yangshan was plowing

See Glossary, blade of grass.

See Glossary, Guishan's water buffalo.

.

6.

Anthology on Ancestral Eminence * chap. 2.

7.

The

reality of all things

two, three, four,

five;

is

and

manifested in verbal expressions that are represented by one, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

According to Indian legend, Shakyamuni Buddha deliberately shortened

8.

his

one-hun-

dred-year lifespan, entering parinirvana at the age of eighty and offering the unused

twenty years

for the benefit of future students of

9-

Nagarjuna's Commentary on

10.

A nthology on A ncestral Eminence

1 1

See Glossary, Baizhang's ember.

1

2

1

3

.

•

.

See Glossary, senior

Fu 's

dharma. Mahdprajndpdramitd Sutra * chap.

8.

* .

realization

See Glossary, Guishan blowing the unlit firewood.

Notes I.

the

Written and given

months

after

to

"Actualizing the Fundamental Point"

to a lay student,

Dogen

started writing

Koshu Y5,

TDE

in the eighth

beginning with the

month of 1233,

a few

fascicle "Perfection of

.

69-72}

Notes [pp.

Wisdom" {Maka Hannya Haramitsu).

Great

245

In 1252, one year before his death,

Dogen

wrote the colophon of Genjo Kodn, probably after some revision. Dogen used this text as

the opening fascicle of the primary version of

Bokuzan Nishiari, in his lecture

scholar, referred to this essay

given in 1922:

This fascicle tal

TTDE.

famous Soto priest and sectarian

a

is

the skin, flesh, bones, and

teaching of the Founder's lifetime

dharma throughout

his lifetime

is

marrow of the Founder. The fundamen-

expounded

The buddha-

in this fascicle.

revealed in this work.

Dharma Eye

of the Treasury of the True

is

The

ninety-five fascicles

are the offshoots of this fascicle.

{Shobogenzo Keiteki).

Other

translations: JafFe,

Problem of Everyday

Lite.

"Commentary" pp. 14-22. Kennett, pp. 171-75, "The Maezumi and Cook, "The Realization of the Koan," p.

326. Masunaga, Primer, pp. 125—32. Nishiyama and Stevens, Dogen, vol.

1

pp. 1—4.

Tanahashi and Aitken, "Realization of Truth." Waddell and Abe, "Shobogenzo Genjokoan."

As

all

things are inseparable from the Buddha's teaching,

See Glossary,

When

.

.

no-self.

one practices to attain enlightenment

it

goes further and further out of reach,

because practice and enlightenment are not separate.

enment by excluding delusion one

When one tries to attain enlightwhich

enters even further into separation,

is

another

form of delusion.

Same as

realizing

delusion

is

beyond

realization. In this line the nonseparateness of

awakening and

indicated.

In direct realization subject and object include each other. In "darkness" everything

included and there

is

is

no sense of boundaries.

This metaphor comes from Nagarjuna's "Verses on the Foundation of the Middle Way." See Glossary, phenomenal expression.

Moon here is enlightenment, and water is the person. Cf. "On the Endeavor of the Way," section 6: The zazen of even one person at one moment imperceptively things and fully resonates through

all

time.

Thus

accords with

in the past, future,

all

and present

of the limitless universe this zazen carries on the buddha's teaching endlessly. See Glossary, four views on water.

Dusty world and world beyond conditions

refer to the

realm of bondage and the realm

of freedom. Fish and bird refer to those Practice

is

who

practice.

Water and sky

The person is not separate from enlightenment. By enlightenment one is confirmed in one's original Cf.

"On

refer to the

self.

the Endeavor of the Way," section 6:

All this, however, does not appear within perception, because

edness in stillness

two things,

18.

as

it

it is

immediate

realization. If practice

But what can be met with recognition

realization

is

refers to

it is

unconstruct-

and realization were

appears in an ordinary person's view, each could be recognized

separately.

Wind

realm of practice.

not separate from enlightenment.

is

not realization

itself,

because

not reached by a deluded mind.

buddha

nature; fanning refers to practice in pursuit of the

way of

en-

NOTES

246 lightenment. The question

human

in every

being,

why

If

is:

[pp.

buddha

the

nature,

which

is

unchanging,

buddha nature

universal, but

You know

20.

FLMS, chap.

1.

Undated. Not included in the primary or

is

you do not know how

to

"Birth

it is

realized.

and Death"

later version of

TTDE

by Dogen. Kept

known

the treasurehouse of Eihei-ji as a part of the nventy-eight-fascicle version

TTDE."

in

as the

Included in Kozen's ninety-five-fascicle version in 1690.

163-64,

translations: Kennett, pp.

Other

inherent

4.

Notes

"Secret

is

does one need to practice to become a buddha?

19.

that the

72-81}

99. Nishiyama and Stevens, vol.

i,

"Life

and Death." Masunaga, pp. 97Waddell and Abe,

pp. 21-22, "Life and Death.

"

"Birth and Death." 2.

JRTL, chap.

7.

3.

JRTL, chap.

7.

Notes

.

1.

A compound

to

"The Time-Being"

of u (meaning some, being, having, existence) and

common expression uji means sometime, Dogen

interprets

it

literally as

// (time).

A

at

one time," or "for the time being," but

"the time-being,

indicating that time and existence are

inseparable.

Written on the

first

day of early winter (the tenth month), 1240,

Monastery. Twentieth fascicle of the primary version of

at

Kosho Horin

TTDE.

Other translations: Kapleau, pp. 295-99, -'Being-Time." Kennett, pp. 164—71 "The Theory of Time." Masunaga, pp. 81-90. Nishiyama and Stevens, vol. i, pp. 68-72, "Being-time." Waddell, "Being Time," pp. 1 16-29.

No

2.

exact source has been found, but

it

seems to be based on the words of Yaoshan

Weiyan: If

you want

and carry of

first

all

a

to

know human

monk's bowl.

If

endeavors, then purify this noble form, hold a

you

try to escape

from

you should not give up these practices.

jar,

falling into the lower realms,

It is

not easy.

You should stand

on top of the highest peak and go to the bottom of the deepest ocean. This

is

not

an easy practice, but you will have some realization. (JRTL, chap. 28) 3.

ixigen's

4.

When

summary

of ordinary people's view of past and present.

one experiences time without separation of past and present, the entire past

is

experienced at present. 5.

Pine tree and

6.

From

bamboo both

traditionally represent long life or a long span of time.

the viewpoint that time

flies

away, past and future would have to be removed

from the present.

Complete experience cannot be characterized

7-

as existing or

nonexisting because these

designations require an outside viewpoint.

The time-being is not limited to the concepts of existence or nonexistence. The "him in this reply refers to Shakyamuni Buddha and his transmission of the teaching by holding up a flower and winking. See also Glossary, treasury of the true

8.

9

dharma

eye.

10.

ALZSME,

1 1

Mountains and oceans

.

chap. 19. are the buddha's body. Cf.

"Mountains and Waters Sutra,"

sec-

.

Notes [pp.

tion

"Mountains and waters right now

I:

.

82-91}

247

are the actualization of the ancient

buddha

way." 12. 3

1

.

ALZSME,

chap. 12.

This refers to the following story, JRTL, chap. of buddha-dharma?"

A monk said, "What is the meaning

1 1:

The master (Lingyun Zhiqin)

said,

"While the donkey has not

"this

and that" or "one thing and

yet left, the horse has arrived."

"Horse and donkey" another.'"

Dogen

uses

is

Zen expression meaning

a

in this case to

it

something which has not arrived 14.

has not

left

(donkey) and

(horse).

Experiences which are usually viewed as partial, incomplete, or falling short are nevertheless the time-being.

Although they

"completely" what they

are.

Notes 1

mean something which

are not recognized as such, they are "fully

or

"Undivided Activity"

to

Presented as a lecture at the house of Yoshishige Hatano in the city of Kyoto in the

.

month

twelfth

of 1242, while

Twenty-second

Other

fascicle of the

Dogen was

still

primary version of

Nishiyama and Stevens,

translations:

residing at

Koshd Horin Monastery.

TTDE.

vol.

pp. 81-82, "The total activity

1

and death." Waddell and Abe, "Total Dynamic Working," pp. 74-77. As a complete, independent experience, without any reference to other moments, birth

of 2.

life

cannot be conceptualized dualistically. In the midst of undivided activity or total experience, one cannot analytically view the

3.

experience from outside, judging with dualistic standards.

not viewed as permanent or impermanent.

4.

Birth

5

Here, Dogen challenges a conventional view that a person was born, and that the person

.

is

is

apart from his birth.

6.

Recorded Sayings of Zen Master Fuguo

7

Here,

.

less

Dogen presents

and

Yuanwu*

chap.

1

7

the understanding that a person's birth at one

ail-inclusive, yet this does not exclude others' births

inclusive) at the

same moment, or the person's birth

at other

moment

is

bound-

(which are likewise

moments, and

all-

similarly

that the all-inclusive experience in birth does not obstruct the all-inclusive experience in death.

The "world,"

8.

in

which the boundless and all-inclusive experience takes place,

is

beyond

the categories of dualistic standards.

10.

An immediate, vivid activity. An activity beyond conscious decision or control

1 1

Realization cannot be grasped as something fixed or unchanging, and

9.

.

the

1.

moment

.

in

which

it is

Notes

is

not limited to

presently recognized.

to

"Body -and- Mind Study of the Way"

Presented as a lecture at K5sh5 H5rin Monastery, in the ninth

1242. Fourth fascicle of the primary version of

Other translation: Nishiyama and Stevens,

month of

TTDE.

vol.

i

pp. 9-16, "Learning through the

body and mind. 2

.

3.

See Glossary,

Dogen

What

is it

that thus comes?

here admonishes students to practice with

many "wide-open

investigate ordinary consciousness over and over again.

eyeballs,"

and to

NOTES

248 Cf.

4.

FLMS,

chap.

5:

"

'What

92-108}

the phrase that

is

Shanhui) said, 'The lotus leaf

[pp.

5.

JRTL, chap.

6

Tiansheng Extensive Record of Lamps * chap. 9.

7

.

Yuanwu

Notes

to

. Mountains and waters

1.

truth-like?'

The master (Jiashan

"

28.

Recorded Sayings of Zen Master

.

is

perfectly round,

is

*

chap .17.

"Mountains and Waters Sutra" viewed

are

as a sutra, or actual expression

of the Buddha's

enlightenment. Presented as a lecture at Kosho Horin Monastery, in the tenth

TTDE. The

of 1240. Twenty-ninth fascicle of the primary version of script

by Dogen has been kept

Other translations:

at

Zenkyu-in, Toyohashi

19-34. Nishiyamaand

"The Mountain and River Sutra."

"Riding the clouds" and "following the wind" represent the

2.

month manu-

ity Aichi Prefecture.

Bielefeldt, "Shobogenzo-sansuikyo," pp.

Stevens, vol. 2, pp. 163-70,

original

state of

freedom in med-

itation.

Lamps

* chap. 3.

3.

Jiatai Record of the Universal

4.

In the realm of nonduality,

5.

In the realm of wholeness, one's experience goes

6.

Here again experience is

mountains and human beings

are not separate.

beyond the limited span

in meditation of the wholeness of

or time.

mountains and human beings

indicated.

From a nondualistic viewpoint, mountains have inconceivable function beyond stillness

7.

and motion.

'

Form: gyomyo

8.

literally,

forms and names.

Because of the enlightenment that

9.

is

manifested in mountains, buddha ancestors ap-

pear.

10.

This expression usually means to be this case the duality of object

1 1

.

free

from the bondage of object and mind, but

and mind where one

is

not completely free

is

in

suggested.

This means explaining mind and true nature separately. In other cases

Dogen uses this mind is itself an expression of buddha nature. The ultimate understanding of a buddha mind {kenshin and that or buddha nature {kensho ). But in this case Dogen criticizes viewing a buddha mind or buddha nature phrase in the sense that explaining

1

2

.

)

as fixed or substantial.

13.

In China there are legends in

which men became stones and stones became women

{Record of Extraordinary Stories). * 14. 1

5

.

16. 1

7

1

8

.

1

9

.

.

20.

The

teacher and disciple are one

Extensive Record of Yunmen,

upon transmitting dharma.

Zen Master Kuangzhen,* chap,

i

See Glossary, four views on water.

Kjnat Treasure-Heap Sutra * chap. 87 True Scripture for Penetrating the Subtle * .

Suvama Prabhdsottama In the inner

Sutra * chap

.

i

chamber of buddha ancestors there

22.

is no self and others. "Song of the Realization of the Way" by Yongjia Xuanjue. Zhuangzi (Chuangtzu), chap. 4.

23.

See Glossary, Chuanzi Decheng.

2

I

1

.

.

.

Notes

to

"Spring

and Autumn"

Presented as lectures in Echizen Province in

under construction. Thirty-seventh

fascicle of the

1

244 while Daibutsu Monastery was

primary version of

TTDE.

. :

Notes [pp.

Other

109-120}

249

Cook, pp. 151—57, "Spring and

translations:

Nishiyama and Stevens,

Fall."

pp. 33-36, "Spring and fall." Extensive Record of Zen Master Hongzhi * chap 4 vol. 2,

2

.

.

Making no

3.

difference.

.

6^61 is

the Japanese

name

* chap. 26.

Lamps

Jiatai Record of the Universal

4.

for the originally

Chinese game qi played by two people with

wooden board divided

black and white pebble-like markers on a square

into 361

squares.

To swallow you up:

6.

to blind

and defeat "you

away the separation between

or to take

"you" and "me. 7

Extensive Record of

.

Zen Master Hongzhi * chap 4 ,

.

In^o to have nine extra stones to play witn

8.

the separation between the

two players by

9.

Indicates nonduality of the

two

10.

This phrase

1 1

.

12. 1

3

.

14.

is

the

maximum handicap. Dogen

indicates

this device.

players.

based on a line of Chu Anthology*

is

If this vast

water

And

muddy

ir it is

is

Recorded Sayings of Zen Master

clear I

will

I

wash

will

wash the

* chap

Yuanwu

tassel

on

my

hat.

my feet. .

19.

Blue Cliff Record, * case 43, capping verse. Recorded Sayings of Priest Changling * .

Looking

sword indicates the

for the

futility of

seeking the place of no heat or cold

somewhere outside of oneself. Capping

15.

7 toreaded-Pearl

16.

See Glossary, expression complete

Verses of the this

"n School, * chap.

24.

moment.

17.

Threaded-Pearl Capping Verses of the Zen School, * chap. 24.

18.

1 breaded-Pearl

19.

Dogen's respectful way of indicating Dongshan's teaching which expresses the single

Capping

dharma. There 20.

is

m School, * chap.

Verses of the

no such sutra

in the canon.

Qingyuan Xingsi's word, JRTL, chap. Notes

1.

is

largely

fascicle of the

Other Eleventh

primary version of

translations:

month

Blossoms'' after

Dogen had moved

to Echizen

a

copy from China

in the previous year. Fifty-third

TTDE.

Nishiyama and Stevens,

vol. 2, pp.

145—51 "Plum

blossoms.

of the lunar calendar.

3.

RSPR,

4.

See Glossary, five petals.

chap. 2.

5.

RSPR,

6.

See Glossary, five petals.

7.

9.

RSPR, RSPR, RSPR,

10.

Literally, "a

8.

"PI

commentaries of poems from the Recorded Sayings of Priest

Rujing* of which Dogen received

2.

to

5.

. Written in the eleventh month of 1243 soon Province. This essay

24.

chap.

I.

chap.

I.

chap.

i.

chap.

I.

brocade of Shu

and jewel of Benhe

China, Shu, represents high quality. Benhe was a covered a precious uncut jewel in a mountain. did not believe

it

He

.'' The brocade from Western

man

of the

presented

was genuine, and the king had Benhe's

it

Zhou Dynasty who to a

left leg

dis-

king whose jeweler

cut

off.

He presented

NOTES

250 it

to another

presented

it

king

to

who

same reason had Benhe's right

for the

Weu who

King

120-131}

[pp.

had

it

polished and found

centuries a king offered to trade fifteen castles for 11.

Dogen

reversed Bodhidharma's words to Huike,

it

leg cut off. Later he

to be the true jewel. After

it.

"You have attained

my

marrow,

in

order to cut through fixed views. 12. 13. 14. 1

5

•

RSPR, RSPR, RSPR,

chap. 2. chap. 2. chap.

2.

Jianzhong J ingguo Later Record of Lamps * chap 30. ,

16.

FLMS,

1

Presented as a lecture in the twelfth

Notes .

.

chap. 7.

to

"Everyday Activity

month of 1 243

at a

hut near Yamashi Peak, Echizen

Province. Fifty-ninth fascicle of the primary version of

Other vol.

I

,

pp. 107-10, "The everyday

2.

ALZSME,

3.

A portion of "Song

4

.

FLMS

5

.

,

Cook, pp. 205-10, "Everyday

translations:

life

of the

TTDE. Life."

Buddhas and

Nishiyama and Stevens,

Patriarchs."

chap. 28.

of the Grass

Hut" by

Shitou.

chap. 3; Blue Cliff Record, * case 2 6

Rujing was the abbot of Jingci Monastery, then became the abbot of Jingde Monastery, Mt. Tiantong.

9.

RSPR, RSPR, RSPR, RSPR,

10.

JRTL, chap.

6.

7. 8.

1 1

.

12.

chap. 2. chap.

I.

chap.

i.

'

chap.

ALZSME, RSPR,

/

I.

9.

chap. 6.

chap. 2.

Notes 1.

to

"The Moon"

. Instead of using the usual character acters: tsu,

meaning

entire or total;

and

for

ki,

"moon,"

meaning

(jswki),

Dogen

uses the char-

possibility, capacity, function, or

working. This has a similar meaning to "undivided activity" {zenki).

Written in the

first

month

of 1243 at

Undivided Activity" was delivered

Twenty-third

fascicle of the

after

primary

TTDE.

version of

Other

Kosho Horin Monastery, immediately

as a lecture.

translation:

Nishiyama and Stevens,

vol.

i

,

Dp.

83-85, "Complete

fulfill-

ment." 2.

From

the Suvarna Prabhdsottama Sutra,* chap. 24.

"Buddhas to things

Dogen

true

dharma body "

forms appear.

like

empty

It is like the

3.

JRTL, chap.

Since the moonlight

fS

moon in water

interprets the Chinese text in the

4-

The original phrases are usually read

[ 58

way

it is

[

yUnyaku koku)]. Responding (jiyo

suichu getsu)]."

But

translated here.

7. is

not separate from the illuminated objects, there are no objects

outside of the moonlight. 5

.

Other names

for

moon and

6.

Describing sun and moon.

7.

From Blue

"

sun.

jj tiecord* case 54.

Using the image of the moon, buddha nature

in its

.

Notes [pp.

fullness

is

131-148}

251

discussed. "Three or four" or "seven or eight"

mean buddha

nature

is

beyond

measure, not increasing or decreasing.

From

8.

Sutra of Complete Enlightenment,* "Vajragarbha Bodhisattva." Clouds here repre-

sent the one are other

who

images

practices.

for the

The moon

represents enlightenment.

This indicates activity within the realm of nonduality, beyond stillness and motion.

9.

10.

Direct and complete experience at the present

1 1

The original

.

"even

if

2

.

time's passing

month." Dogen indicates here the timelessness of the present moment.

Each phase of the

moon

the entire

is

Notes 1.

moment.

moon also means month. Hence, this line can also be read as month by month is swift, it is beyond the beginning, middle,

character for

or end of every 1

The boat and shore

same things.

to

moon.

"Painting of a Rice-cake"

Presented as a lecture at Kosho Horin Monastery in the eleventh

Twenty-fourth

Other

fascicle of the

translation:

primary version of

Nishiyama and Stevens,

month of 1243.

TTDE.

vol.

i

pp. 86-90, "A painting of a rice

cake." 2.

In order to emphasize the buddhas' direct

buddhas are

all

embodiment of enlightenment, Dogen

says

realization, instead of have realization.

no differentiation between all buddhas and all things.

3.

In the realm of nonduality there

4.

Since the actualization of enlightenment of

is

all

buddhas

is

all-inclusive, there

cannot

be separate actualizations which amass together. 5.

Xiangyan Zhixian's words. JRTL, chap.

6.

Painted rice-cakes, which are usually understood as letters and words useless for zation, are not different

expressions of the

1 1

from mountains and waters, which

buddhas enlightenment

as

reali-

are regarded as actual

explained in "Mountains and Waters

Sutra." 7.

The enlightenment of various buddhas cannot be

separated from verbal expressions of

enlighrenment. 8.

Extensive Record of Yunmen,

Zen Master Kuangzhen* chap.

3.

Also, Blue Cliff Record, *

case 77. 9.

1.

RSPR,

chap.

. essay

I.

to "On the Endeavor of the Way" known writing in Japanese. Completed as an independent harvest moon (htteenth day of the eighth month), 1231, three

Notes

D^gen's

earliest

on the day of the

years after

Dogen came back from China and two

practice center,

Kosho Horin Monastery. According

years before he founded his to

Menzan's "Eliminating

first

Wrong

Views on the Treasury of the True Dharma Eye" (5h6bogenz5 Byakujakuketsu, 1738), the text had been handed down in a courtier's house in Kyoto. Included in Kozen's ninety-five-fascicle version of

Other

TTDE as

its

opening

fascicle.

138-54, "Lecture on Training." Masunaga, pp. 133-61. Nishiyama and Stevens, vol. i, pp. 147-61, "A story of Buddhist practice." translations: Kennett, pp.

Waddell and Abe, "Dogen's Bendowa." 2.

All

buddhas continuously

realize

dharma and

are not attached to intellectual recogni-

tion of their realization. Sentient beings are not apart

from dharma, but

this realization

does not appear in their knowledge. 3.

According to the Lotus Sutra * "Skillful Means": At the Dharma Blossom Assembly on

NOTES

22 Vulture Peak,

five

[pp.

151-172}

thousand arrogant people

left,

saying that they did not need to hear

more of such teaching that was different from the teaching in the Buddha did not stop them and said, "You may leave if you wish." 4

.

5

•

Regulations for Zen Monasteries * chap ,

.

Sikong Benjing's words, JRTL, chap.

8 5

TTDE, "Mind

JRTL, chap.

7

Extensive Record of Zen Master Hongzhi, * chap

•

8.

According to the

9.

The young monks

fruit."

At

moment

hit

him on

the old

By being

a

nun

in a

to give

monk

attained the

first fruit

is

him

the

the

first

of the way, the stage of

hit four times, he attained all the four fruits of the way.

for

subsequent birth

According

monk, hearing

old

them

the back with a ball, saying, "This

According to Nagarjuna's Commentary on Utpala wore a nun's robe

10.

An

talk about the four fruits of the way, asked

fruits.

that

i

•

Storehouse of Various Treasures Sutra * chap. 9:

some young monks

stream-enterer.

Buddha" (Sokushin Zebutsu).

Itself Is

6.

17. Also,

Shakyamuni

past.

the

Mahdprajndpdramitd Sutra,* chap.

1

3

,

nun

fun in one of her former births. Because of that she became at the

time of Kashyapa Buddha.

to the Storehouse of Various Treasures Sutra * chap. 9:

meal to an old and ignorant monk. Afterward, she asked him

A

for a

lay

woman

dharma

offered a

talk, sitting

monk ran away. While woman attained the first fruit of the way. Later, when the woman thanked monk felt ashamed. Ihus, he also attained the first fruit of the way.

upright with her eyes closed. Unable to explain dharma, the old waiting, the

him, the

.

1.

Notes

to

"Only Buddha and Buddha"

Undated. Not included in the primary or additional version of

Dogen. Together with "Birth and Death,"

this- fascicle

manuscript called the "Secret Treasury of the True

was included

Dharma Eye." Kozen

TTDE

by

in an Eihei-ji

included

it

in

the ninety-five-fascicle version.

Other

translation:

Nishiyama and Stevens,

vol. 3, pp. 129-35. "Only a buddha and a buddha can thoroughly master

2.

Q.

3.

Seeing

4-

Zhenzhou Baoshou's words. JRTL, chap.

5

Xingjiao Xiaoshou's words. Record of the

Lotus Sutra * "Skillful Means":

the true suchness of

-

is

all

things."

not self and not a creation of the

Notes 1 .

to

self.

12.

Forests *

chap,

i

"Twining Vims"

Presented as a lecture at K5sho Horin Monastery on the seventh day, seventh month, first

year of

Kangen (1243), nine days

before

eighth fascicle of the primary version of

Other

translation:

Dogen

left for

Echizen Province. Thirty-

TTDE.

Nishiyama and Stevens,

vol.

2

pp. 37-42, "Spiritual entangle-

ment." 2.

RSPR,

3-

Akshobhya

chap. 2. is

S&tra* chap. again. Thus,

regarded as the buddha of the Eastern Land. In the Mahaprajnapdramita

9

Shakyamuni Buddha showed this land to his disciples once but never nun Zongchi's answer to Bodhidharma expresses her understanding of

nonattachment

in the study of the way.

4.

JRTL, chap.

5

Branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit represent the various manifestations of enlightened activity of teachers and disciples, which is independent as well as universal.

-

3.

.

Notes [pp.

6.

Recorded Sayings of Zen Master Zhenji of

7.

Marrow is

is

not apparent. Skin

9.

Zbaozhou* chap,

is

also the entire experience of

Cf.

itself.

"How about

JRTL, chap.

i

When

it

appears, differentiation

buddha-dharma, and

harma

in the

The book

2

way

Dog en

regards

it

as the expression of the

that?" speaks to the unlimited, unnameable truth.

3, in the

note after describing Bodhidharma's death:

When Songyun was on a mission in the Western District [Central Asia}, guang Era [519—

in this

are not separable.

This appears to be an ordinary question, but truth

23

172—199

the entire experience of buddha-dharma.

marrow and skin 8.

.

] during the reign of Emperor Xiaoming of Wei,

Onion Range

in the

Zheng-

he saw Bodhid-

[the Belaturgh Mountains in Turkistan}.

also quotes a story that another

envoy saw Bodhidharma walking along toward

India alone with one shoe in his hand.

Notes 1.

to

"Face-to-Face Transmission"

Presented as a lecture at Yoshimine Temple, Echizen Province, in the tenth

1243.

Fifty-first fascicle

Other

translation:

of the primary version of

Nishiyama and Stevens,

month

of

TTDE. 137-44, "Direct, face-to-face

vol. 2, pp.

transmission. 2

.

Jianzhong Jingguo Later Record of Lamps * chap 2 .

Note I.

to

"Buddha Ancestors"

Presented as a lecture at Kosho Horin Monastery in the

second fascicle of the primary version of

Other

translation:

first

month

of 1241

.

Fifty-

TTDE.

Nishiyama and Stevens,

vol.

1

pp. 100—102, "Buddhas and

Patriarchs.

Notes 1

.

Written

at

to

"Document of Heritage"

Kosho Horin Monastery

of the primary version of

in the third

month of 1241 Thirty-ninth .

fascicle

TTDE. Dogen rewrote this fascicle at least twice. An original

manuscript by Dogen known

as the

"Satomi Family manuscript"

form. Fragments of another manuscript are

owned by

six

exists in a

complete

temples and one private

family.

Other

translation:

Nishiyama and Stevens,

vol. 2, pp.

178-86, "The

seal

of trans-

mission. 2.

Shakyamuni Buddha's enlightenment

1.

Presented as a lecture at a hut near Yamashi Peak, Echizen Province, in the eleventh

Notes

month of 1243. Other

to

is

outside of time.

"All-Inclusive Study"

Fitty-seventh fascicle of the primary version of

translation:

Nishiyama and Stevens,

vol. 2, pp.

TTDE.

94-98, "Direct study under

a master." 2.

JRTL, chap.

18.

3.

JRTL, chap.

5.

4-

In the East Asian

the end of the are

counted

as

way of counting,

first

a partial year

is

counted

as a full year. In this case

eight years and the beginning of the second eight years overlap and

one year together; hence 7

+ 1+ 7=15.

NOTES

254 5

200-219}

[pp.

Because Bodhidharma did not stay in the realm of duality such as east or west, coming

.

and going, he was a great teacher in China. see the equality in diverse forms.

6.

To

7.

ALZSME,

8.

RSPR,

9.

As the buddha way has no gate

1

Presented as a lecture at Kosho Horin Monastery in the third

chap. 23.

chap,

i

Notes .

it

includes

to

translation:

things.

"Going beyond Buddha"

sixth fascicle of the primary version of

Other

all

month of 1 342 Twenty.

TTDE.

Nishiyama and Stevens,

vol. 2, pp. 1-7,

"Continuous develop-

ment beyond Buddha." 2

Mastery of the buddha way through zazen.

.

3.

JRTL, chap.

4.

It is

15.

not concerned with the notion of a process or goal.

In this dialogue

5.

mean

that the

when Dongshan

monk

says,

"When

I

talk

does not understand. However,

you don't hear

Dogen

it," it

interprets the

appears to

words "not

hearing" as the direct experience of realization-through-the-body. 6.

JRTL, chap.

7

Jiatai Record of the

.

Cf.

8.

FLMS,

15.

U niversal Lamps

chap. 14:

Xuedou

*

chap

said, "If

.

5

someone has no

eyeballs,

how can

the eyeballs

be turned into tallow beads?" Cf. Blue Cliff Record, * case 96:

9.

forge.

A

through the

fire."

10.

JRTL, chap.

17.

11.

JRTL, chap.

17.

12.

JRTL, chap.

7.

1

3

.

Zhaozhou

A

wooden buddha cannot go

,

JRTL, chap.

14.

15.

JRTL, chap.

9.

16.

"Niutou"

literally

Zen master but

is

means

Ox

Head. Dogen indicates that Niutou looks

like

an ox or

not a real thing.

Notes .

metal buddha cannot go through the

water.

Yuanwu's Record of Striking the Node, * chap. 2 case 47

14.

1

said, '^A

day buddha cannot go through the

to

Poems

A selection of Japanese thirty-one-syllable poems from the "Anthology of Dogen Zen-

~

ji's Waka" (Dogen Zenji Waka-shu), vol. 2, pp. 411—16 of Dogen Zenji Zemhu modern edition by Doshu Okubo which is based on the Anthology of Enlightenment Poems

by the Ancestor of Sanshd. * 2.

These are poems written in Chinese but usually read with the addition of Japanese grammatical aids and with Japanese pronunciation. All except the two poems indicated by the following notes have been taken from the Extensive Record of Priest Eihei Dogen* chap. 10.

3-

Taken from

4.

The

TTDE, "The

earliest source

Monastery" 1428).

of this

Point of Zazen" (Zazenshin).

poem

(Eihei-ji Sanso

is

the "Recorded Acts of the Three Ancestors of Eihei

Gyogo-ki) by an unknown author before 6ei Era (1394-

Selected Bibliography

Abe, Masao. "Ddgen on Buddha Nature." The Eastern Buddhist 4, no. Bielefeldt, Carl.

i

(1971): 28-71.

"The Fukan Zazen-gi and the Meditation Teachings of the Japanese Zen

Master Dogen." Ph.D.

diss.

University of California, Berkeley, 1980.

"Shobogenzo-sansuikyo." Master's thesis, University of California, Berkeley,

.

1972. Cleary,

Thomas,

trans. Record of Things Heard:

From the Treasury of the Eye of the True Teaching.

Shobogenzo-zuimonki, talks of Zen Master Ddgen, as recorded by Zen Master Ejo. Boulder,

Colo.: Prajna Press, 1980. ,

and

ed.

erhill,

trans. Timeless Spring:

A Soto Zen Anthology. New York and Tokyo:

Cook, Francis Dojun.

How to Raise an

bogenzo, Including Ten

Ox: Zen Practice as Thought in Zen Master Dogen's Sho-

Newly Translated tssays. Los Angeles: Center Publications, 1978.

Deshimaru, laisen. Maitre Dogen: "Shobogenzo," Le

du

Weath-

1980.

Tresor de la Vraie Lot. Paris:

Le Courrier

Livre, 1970.

Dogen, Zen Master, and Uchiyama Kosho. Refining Your Life: From Zen Kitchen ment. Translated

Domoulin, heinrich,

by Thomas Wright. S.J.

A

New York and Tokyo:

to

Enlighten-

Weatherhill, 1983.

History of Zen Buddhism. Translated

by Paul Peachey. Boston:

Beacon Press, 1969. Ekstein, Manfred, trans. Dogen Zenjt

s

Shobogenzo: Die Schatzkammer der Erkenntnis des

Dharma, Ursprungs-Texte des Zen. Vol. Iwamoto, Hidemasa,

i.

Wahren

Zurich: Theseus- Verlag, 1975.

trans. Sydbogenzo-Zuimonki: Wortgetreue Niederschrift der Lehrretchen Worte

Dogen-Zenziz uber der Wahren Buddhismus. Tokyo: Sankibo, 1943. Jaffe,

Paul David. "The Sh6b6genz5 Genjokoan by Eihei Dogen, and Penetrating Inquiries into the

Shobdgenzo Genjokoan:

A Commentary by Yasutani Hakuun." Master's thesis,

University ot California, Santa Barbara, 1979.

Kapleau, Philip, ed. The Three Pillars of Zen: Teaching,

Practice,

and Enlightenment. Boston:

Beacon Press, 1967. Kasulis, T. D. Zen ActionlZen Person. Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii, 1981.

255

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

2^6 Katagiri-roshi, Dainin.

the Bodhisattva's Four

"Commentary on

29;

2

Methods of Guidance (Bo-

Udumbara

daisatta Shishoho) from Shobogenzo, by Dogen-Zenji.

i,

3-

no. 3 (1981):

no. 4 (1982): 8-34.

Kennett, Roshi Jiyu. Zen

Is

Eternal Life. Emeryville, Calif.

Dharma

:

Publishing, 1976.

Hee-jin. Dogen Kigen: Mystical Realist. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1975.

Kim,

Kodera, Takashi James. Dogen's Formative Years in China:

An

Historical Study

and Annotated

Translations of the Hokyo-ki. Boulder, Colo.: Prajna Press, 1980.

Kotani, Shoyu, trans. Rev. Koun

EJd's Shobogenzo

Zuimonki:

An

Introduction to Soto

Zen Bud-

dhism. Kurayoshi, Japan: Published by the translator, 1965.

LaFleur, William R.

,

Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1985.

ed. Dogen Studies.

Maezumi, Taizan Roshi, and Francis Dojun Cook,

revisers.

"Shobogenzo Genjo Koan." Los

Zen Center of Los Angeles, 1977.

Angeles:

Masunaga, Reiho,

trans.

A

Primer of Soto Zen:

A

Translation of Dogen's Shobogenzo Zuimonki.

Honolulu: East-West Center Press, 1971. .

The Soto Approach

to

Layman Buddhist

Zen. Tokyo:

Society Press, 1958.

Matsunaga, Daigen and Alicia Matsunaga. Foundation ofJapanese Buddmsm. 2 geles and Tokyo: Buddhist

vols.

Los An-

Books International, 1974-1976.

Nishiyama, Kosen, and John Stevens. Dogen

Zenji's Shobogenzo

True Law). 4 vols. Sendai, Japan: Daihokkaikaku,

(The Eye and Treasury of the

1975-1983.

Tanahashi, Kazuaki, and Robert Aitken, trans. "Genjo K5an, Realization of Truth: tion of the Shobogenzo, by

D5gen

Zenji.

Diamond Sanga

5, no. 3 (1965):

A por-

1-4.

Waddell, Norman, trans. "Being Time: Dogen's Shobogenzo Uji." The Eastern Buddhist no.

I

(1979):

1

Waddell, Norman, and Masao Abe, I

12

14-29. "Dogen's Bendowa." The Eastern Buddhist

trans.

5, no.

(1971) 124-57. ,

trans.

5, no. 2

trans.

Death.

,

"One Bright

Pearl:

Dogen's Shobogenzo Ikka Myoju." The Eastern Buddhist

(1971): 108-17.

"Dogen's Shobogenzo Zenki: Total Dynamic Working, and Shoji: Birth and

I'h Eastern Buddhist

5, no.

(1972):

i

70-80.

trans.

"Shobogenzo Genjokoan.

trans.

"Dogen's Fukanzazengi and Shobogenzo Zazengi." The Eastern Buddhist

5, no. 2

(1972): 120-40.

"The King of Samadhis Samadhi: Dogen's Shobogenzo Sammai

The Eastern Buddhist 7

,

no.

i

(1974):

1

I

6 Zammai."

18-21.

"Shobogenzo Buddha-nature." The Eastern Buddhist

trans.

112; 9, no.

6

115-28.

no. 2 (1973): trans.

The Eastern Buddhist

8

no. 2 (1975):

94-

(1976): 87-105; 9, no. 2 (1976): 71-87.

Yokoi, Yuho, trans. Eihei-genzenji-shingi: Regulation for a Monastic Life by Eihei Dogen. Tokyo: Sankibo, 1973. trans.

The

First Step to Dogen's Zen: Shdbdgenzo-zuimonkt

with Daizen Victoria. Zen Master Dogen:

.

Tokyo: Sankibo, 1972.

An Introduction with Selected Writings. New

York and Tokyo: Weatherhill, 1976.

JAPANESE tto, Sokuo, ed. Shobogenzo. 3 vols. Tokyo:

Jimba, Nyoten, and Bun'ei Ando,

Iwanami Shoten, 1939-19/13.

Chukai Zensho (Collected Commentaries Shobogenzo). Tokyo: Shobogenzo Chukai Zensho Kanko-kai, 1914. 6kubo' Dosha, ed. Dogen Zenji Zenshu (Complete Work of Zen Master D5gen). 2 vols. _

eds. Shobogenzo

of"

Tokyo: Chikuma Shobo, 1969— 1970.

(

(

Glossary

and Index

Chinese names are shown in Pinyin transliteration, followed by ideograms used in East Asia. Their Japanese transliterations appear in parentheses.

Names

that have entries of their

own

are not followed

by ideograms or Japanese in other references.

Translated

of Chinese texts are followed by their original titles in Pinyin transliteration

titles

and in Chinese characters.

Sanskrit terms are indicated by the abbreviation "Skt."

Italicized foreign

terms are Japanese unless otherwise specified. In accordance with Dogen's

usage, Japanese phonetic letters {kana) are used in a few cases instead of ideograms {kanji).

Abi. See Avichi Hell,

6i

abbot").

quarters.

66, 152, 192

193

room. 54, 175, 191 seat.

190

abiding in the phenomenal expression. abysses.

jUhdiY,

103

acceptance.

89

47 102 bemficial. 44 46

action").

pure.

154

acttvitylactivities

extraordinary. full.

.

See kakkei. 38, 72, 84

125

205

genuine.

106

257

jUi). See phenomenal expression,

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

258

"

actualization.

Gen, to appear, and jo, to complete. Also translated as actualizing,

97 100 133 134

manifestation, or realization.

198

129

full.

genj5kdan. See koan. 72, 82, 103

actualizing the fundamental point.

"Actualizing the Fundamental Point." 7, 16-7, 18,

See

after, three- three.

69-73

before, three-three; after, three-three.

after your parents were

fwbo shosho). Represents momentariness,

bom.

coming and

going. 135

Agama Schools.

agyiima. Early Buddhist schools, or so-called Hinayana schools.

Skt.

196 aggregates. See five skandhas.

agyiima. See aigo. See

Agama Schools.

kind speech.

Atku 6. See Ashoka. air.

72, 104, 106

Akshobhya. See Five Buddhas. 169 aku. See unwholesome actions.

77

all heing(s). 76, a// buddhas.

80,

145, 146

4 35

45, 99, 134,

182 187-8,

165, 166, 178, all

101

{shobutsu).

138

143, 145,

147

148,

151 153

156,

195, 196, 209

buddha tathdgatas. 143

all-inclusiveness.

143

,

all-inclusive study

{kenzari)

i.

.

Visiting and studying with masters in various places. 2.

In D5gen's usage, realizing the entire teaching of the

buddha by penetrating

a single

dharma. "All-inclusive Study. "

all things.

M S

197-202

{shoho). 17, 69,

interdependence

of.

85, 102, 113,

117

1

19,

130 150 154

17

Alone above and below the heavens, dokuson). Birth verse of

I

am the honored one.

(JCenjd

teng"tiiga

Shakyamuni Buddha. According to legend, when he was born

he took seven steps in each of the four directions, raised his right hand and said 1

this.

16-7

Amitdbha. See Five Buddhas.

3,

21

Amitdyus. See Five Buddhas.

Amoghasiddhi See Five Buddhas. .

Amrapdli Grove. «

(Anrae-rin).

A grove in the city of VaishalT, Central India. Known

where Shakyamuni Buddha often went and gave discourses. 179

as a place

an. See koan. Analects.

Lunyu

Rongo). Collected sayings of Confucius, compiled by

his death in

479

his students after

B.C.

Anan. See Ananda. Ananda.

Anan).

A disciple of Shakyamuni

Buddha's teaching. Regarded

as the

Ancestor in the Zen tradition.

158

Anavatapta.

A

freshing. ancestor.

jo).

Buddha.

dharma 172,

heir of

176

Known as

the foremost learner of

Mahakashyapa, the Second Indian

184, 188, 190

lake described in sutras as without scorching heat, but always cool

and

re-

88 Often translated

as patriarch.

Also called buddha ancestor

{busso).

Ances-

Glossary

131 134

125,

259

buddhas who inherit and transmit the dharma.

tors are the succession of

118

and Index

152 155 171

144, 147, 150, 151,

5,

39, 115,

176, 186, 187, 190, 191,

195, 205, 206, 209, 218

145, 196, 209

all.

109

ancient.

authentic.

177

original.

177

reenactment of the.

surpassing the. tracks

1

82

109

school.

137

147

of.

109

ancestral seat.

ango. See practice period,

animals. 41, 90,

100 105

Anrae-rin. See Amrapdli Grove.

(SanshS Doei-shu).

Anthology of Enlightenment Poems by the Ancestor of Sansho.

747 'sansho is another name or DaiDutsu Monastery founded by Dogen. Menzan took most of the poems from Kenzei's Biography Edited by Menzan Zuino and published in

of Dogen.

The

sixty

poems included

.

anthology are written in a combination of

in this

Chinese ideograms and Japanese phonetic

poem

1

letters, in the

form of waka

of thirty-one syllables arranged in groups ot nve, seven,

five,

a Japanese-style

seven,

and seven

syllables.

Anthology on Ancestral Eminence. Zuying-ji.

(Soei-shii).

A collection of Doems by Xue-

dou Zhongxian. An'yd-m. See KoshoHorin Monastery, apparent.

An element of the five

apricot (s).

ranks.

121, 201

blossoms.

126 127

arakan. See arhat. arched bamboo

staff.

who

S

(shippei).

A ceremonial staff used in Zen monasteries. 138 A follower of the buddha's path

arakari) Literally, worthy or venerable.

arhat. Skt.

.

has attained nirvana. Arhatship was the ultimate goal in early (Theravada)

Bud-

dhism. See also four fruits of the way. 120, 150 arm. 86, 199

armband. 120

arm

is

cut off.

If

{dampi). See

Dazu

Huike.

Arrayed Lamps of the Zen School Merged in

(Shumon Rento Eyo). (Kaio arriving. artisan.

Gomyo) of the (). Having

Essence.

Zongmen Liandeng Huiyao

A record of Zen tradition edited by Huiweng Wuming W Linji School. Published in

1

189.

reached, or the full experience of the present

moment. 82

149

arupya-dhdtu See three worlds. .

Asamjmka. See Heaven of No Thought, asamskrita. See uncondittoned. Ascetic Bet. See

ash.

Xuansha

Shibei.

70

AshokalAsoka.

(Aiku O). Third king of Maurya Dynasty in India,

d.

232? B.C. After

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

26o

waging many brutal conquests, he realized the misery of war, and became a great supporter of Buddhism and sent missionaries to foreign lands. A legendary biography

him

of as

It is.

is

found

in the

King Ashoka Sutra.

45

61

129 (Jmshin). » 144 148 151 168,

aspiration for enlightenment assembly. 61, 125, 128, great.

1

.

180 191 203

175,

19

and eight arm.

asura. See three heads

69

attachment. 18,

attaining one finger. Cf. Blue Cliff Record, case 19: Priest Juzhi raised one finger

whenever

asked a question. attaining the marrow. See skin, flesh, bones,

case

a translation

is

and marrow. 41

J5 means becoming or completing. Do (Chinese dao) in this of Skt. bodhi (enlightenment). Basically indicating Shakyamuni

jddd

attaining the way.

Buddha's enlightenment under the bodhi

tree.

44, 45,

53

61,

63

77, 106,

115 137

144, 147, 148, 152, 156, 159, 163 austerities.

37

autumn. 20, 138, lOb colors.

65 162

scene of.

main monks' freely

hall.

Zen monks

are regarded

as,

eating, and sleeping, attached to the

clouds and water, for they

move about

with no permanent abode.

Avalokiteshvara

Kannon), observer of

Skt.

•

world voices; is

A hall for zazen,

jumddV

auxiliary cloud hall.

voices;

widely worshipped and

is

S

'Kanzeon), observer of the

A bodhisattva of compassion,

(Kanjizai), viewer at will.

this deity

sometimes portrayed with one thousand arms and an eye

on each hand. 38 Avatamsaka

School.

(Hozo),

it

Skt.

Huayan

or

flourished during the

Huayen School

Established by Fazang

Tang Dynasty along with the Tiantai School before the

Zen School became dominant in China. Provided a theoretical background for much Zen thought. The teaching is based on the principle in the Avatamsaka Sutra of all things interacting with one another without obstruction. it

became one of the

aversion. 18,

awakening,

Buddhism

in the

As the Kegon School injapan

Nara Period (710-794). 149

69

Avichi Hell. Skt hells.

six schools of

(Abi).

r

(Mugen). The

hell of

unceasing suffering, the worst of

all

104 i

kaku), meaning enlightenment.

2.

{4o),

bringing sentient beings across

the ocean 01 birth and death to the shore of enlightenment. Often translated as saving (sentient beings). 12, 15, broad. correct.

great.

19, 69, 145

146

138 180

original. self-

17

146

146

147

sentient beings.

163

Batzhang ( Bozhang) Huaihai.

-

HyakujS

Ekai).

Daoyi. Founder of Dazhi Shousheng Monastery

749-814. Dharma at

heir of

Mazu

Daxiong Peak (Mt.

1

Glossary

Hong Region

Baizhang),

and Index

).

(Jiangxi

26

Initiator of monastic regulations for

Huangbo Xiyun.

Chinese Zen Buddhism. Teacher of Guishan Lingyou and

62, 92,

125, 181, 182, 183, 210

Baizhang Qinggui. See Baizhang Regulations.

Baizhang Huaihai, which included the the outline

known through

is

Baizhang's ember. Cf.

JRTL, chap.

a later

"It's

earliest

Zen monastic

room and stood by

in Baizhang's

his side.

Guishan poked through the ash and

lost

community. One day he went

Baizhang

said,

but

said,

"There

is

Guishan experienced

to

"Who is it?" Guishan said,

no

if

fire.

realization

there

is

any

fire."

Baizhang stood up

and, digging deeply into the ash, found a small glowing ember. said, "Isn't this fire?"

been

work, Regulations for z.en Monasteries.

Baizhang asked him, "Poke the ash to see

Lingyou.

book compiled by

rules. It has

9:

Guishan Lingyou became tenzo the abbot's

A

(Hyakujd Shingi).

Baizhang Regulations. Baizhang Qinggui

He showed it and

and presented

his under-

standing.

(HakuchS

Baizhao ( Bozhao) Zhiyuan.

ball.

Shien). Ca. ninth century A.D.

Dharma heir

of Gantan Ziguo

(Kantan Shikoku). Founder of Zhuqian Monastery

Mt. Baizhao (Mt. Bi

An Region

Hubei

China.

158

bamboo. 78, 138 pipes

.

206 138

pole.

sound of. 158 tall.

137, 138

tube.

99

banner-pole.

158

Banzan Hoshaku. See Panshan Baoche. See

Baoji.

Mayu Baoche.

Baoen Monastery (Jiangsu). See Baoen Xuanze; Fayan Wenyi. Baoen Monastery (Shanxi). See senior Fu of Taiyuan. Baoen Xuanze.

U

(Hoon Gensoku). Ca. ninth-tenth

Fayan Wenyi Abbot of Baoen Monastery, Jinling Baofu Congzhan.

(Hofuku Juten).

d.

Founded Baofu Monastery, Zhang Region

i

928.

centuries A.D.

(Jiangsu

.

Dharma

(Fujian

heir of

)

Dharma

)

heir of

China.

Xuefeng Yicun.

China, where he always

had more than 700 students. 205 Baofu Monastery. See Baofu Congzhen. Baoji. See

Panshan Baoji.

Baolin Monastery. See Dajian Huineng.

(Honei Nin'yii). Ca. eleventh century A.D. Dharma heir of Yang-

BaoningRenyong. qi

Fanghui, Linji School. Abbot of Baoning Monastery, Jinling

China. 54 Baoqing Era. 176, 181, 185, 193

143 205, 209, 210 Mazu Daoyi.

16, 80, 82,

barrier.

Baso Doitsu. See beads. 5

beard.

45

beasts.

64, 167

Jiangsu

)

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

262

becoming. See twelvefold causation of rebirth. before

and after,

three- three.

See

before, three-three; after, three-three.

zen sansan, go saman). Meaning beyond

before, three-three; after, three- three.

counting. Cf. Blue Cltff Record, case 35:

Manjushn asked Wuzhuo, "Where are you from?" Wuzhuo said, "South." Manjushri said, "How is buddha-dharma maintained in the south?" Wuzhuo said,

"Monks of large

the decayed age hardly follow the precepts.

Manjushn

Then Wuzhuo asked,

"Ordinary and enlightened

live

together, dragons

1

"Before, three-three;

three-three." 129, 131

after,

your parents were bom.

present

"How

and serpents are mixed."

Wuzhuo said, "How large is the assembly?" Manjushn said, before

said,

Wuzhuo said, "Either three hundred or five hundred." "How is buddha-dharma maintained here?" Manjushn said,

the assembly?"

is

moment,

i

fubo misho

izen).

Represents timelessness of the

"S

76, 79, 85, 92, loi, 102, 104

being. 14, extra.

79 living. 164

j

being one with just this, while being free from just this.

being splattered with

mud and getting wet in water.

Beita Guangzuo. See bellows.

See splattered with

rishi).

mud and getting wet in water.

Zhimen Guangzuo.

206

Bencao Gangmu. See Classified Materia Medica. beneficial action.

irigyd.

dhisattva's Four

Benhe.

{sokmki

IP

249

Benji. See

One

' 1

of the bodhisattva's four methods of guidance. See "Bo-

Methods of Guidance"

in the text.

(n. 10)

Caoshan Benji.

Benjing. See Sikong Benjing.

beyond enlightenment. See enlightenment, 3.

Big Dipper. 74 btka. See nostrils, billion worlds.

billows.

See trichiliocosm.

See waves.

binding the self with no-rope.

bind the mind with, a person

W

{mujo jihaku).

is

bound up with

Although there his

own

is

in reality

delusions.

nothing to

89

Binzuru. See Ptndola. bird.

Often represents freedom. 20, 45, 71, 105,

bird's trace.

1

166

167, 217, 219

66

water bird. 214

See btrth

R

and death 13 15 .

19, 20, 33, 70, 84, 85, 93, 94, 97,

b and deathi birth -and-death birth, 2. Life

which

in

viewed

j

Buddhism

is

viewed

i.

The ongoing

99

163, 165, 179

cycle of birth, death, and re-

as suffering. See also twelvefold causation of rebirth.

continuous occurrence of birth and death moment by moment. 3. complete, independent experience in the present moment without reference as a

Birth as

a

to other

moments; death

in the

same manner. 17,

90, 93. 94. 121, 131, 136, 153 causes of.

penetrating.

).

84

19, 33, 36, 41, 50, 69, 74, 84, 89,

.

.

.

Glossary

and Index

263

two or seven kinds "Birth

of. 93 and Death." 74-5

BirulBirushana. See Vairochana. bits

and pieces

{hmperi).

Moment by moment actualizing practice.

79, 87, 90, 94, 171,

173 Biyan-lu. See Blue Cliff Record.

Bi Zuda. See Xuansha

Shibei.

black dragon jewel. HI

(rz w).

A

and valuable jewel found under the chin of a black

rare

dragon, symbolizing buddha-dharma or original

face.

(The image of a black dragon

Zen monastery as a fishlike wooden carving, called ho, which is struck with a mallet before meals.) 60 (jekiuki"). Beyond conceptual thinking. Cf. JRTL, chap. 17: black stone tortoise. A monk asked, "What is the meaning of Bodhidharma coming from the west?" with a jewel

is

represented in the

Longya Judun

—

black tortoise climbing up

blade of grass.

a

1

tree

I

backward. See mosquito climbing an iron bull.

a blade of grass as a sixteen-foot golden body.

sixteen-foot golden

body

Hongzhi's Capping

cf.

the black stone tortoise understands words, then

til

36

(jkkydsd). Cf. Blue Cliff Record, case 4:

Sometimes use

Also,

"Wait

said,

will speak to you.

as a blade of grass. 56, 106, 136,

Sometimes use a

202

Verses, case 4:

The World-honored One was walking with the assembly. He pointed to the ground and said, "You should build a temple here on this spot, fhen Indra stuck a blade of grass into the ground blind.

"I

have built a temple." Everyone smiled.

90

blissful realms.

w

blissful reward,

blood.

and said,

21

33, 188, 195

blood-sptrtt. ig«s

blood vein. See

life force.

blossom. See flower. 20,

69, 102, 112,

1

14, 115

buddha ancestor. 115

158

color of.

heavenly.

117

human and heavenly. 115 blossom-heart.

117

blossoming. See blossoms

world of blossoming flowers

and branches. Buddhas and

ancestors transmitting dharma.

(Hekigan-roku). Compiled by

Blue Cliff Record. Biyan-lu. pointers, notes,

and commentaries. Based on

boat.

13

fishing.

Bodhidharma. iqo

14, 45,

Yuanwu Keqin with

Capping

Verses on

Setch60sh6 Hyakusokujuko). Undated.

dred Cases blue-eyed one.

Priest Xuedou's

70

85, 112, 131,

158 194 215

200

bodai. See bodhi.

bodai bumpo. See thirty-seven bodhipdkshikas

Bodaidaruma. See Bodhidharma. bodaisatta. See bodhisattva.

his

One Hun-

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

264

bodaishin. See thought of enlightenment.

?

bodhi. Skt.

Awakening, enlightenment, or wisdom. 132 154, 186

{bodat).

Bodaidaruma). Ca. fitth-sixth centuries A.D. Brought Zen teach-

Bodhidharma.

ing from India to China. Regarded as the Twenty-eighth Indian Ancestor and the First

Chinese Ancestor. According to legend he

Zongchi, and Daofu are known

172 173

152, 168, 170, 171,

174

F/rs/ Ancestor.

sat facing the wall in

(Henan

Mt. Song

Shaolin Monastery

)

zazen for nine years at

China. Daoyu, Huike, nun

as his students. 20, 22, 38,

81

118,

144

145,

150

174, 175, 180, 184, 197, 198-9, 253(11.9)

195

Twenty -eighth Ancestor. 168, 169, 188 bodhipdkshika See thirty-seven bodhipdkshikas .

Bodhiruchi. See Great Treasure-Heap Sutra. bodhisattva

Skt.

.

{bodaisatta)

A

.

seeker of bodhi whose

life is

dedicated to the

awakening of all sentient beings, who practices the paramitas (perfections) and

become

tined to

vow

a

Bodhisatwa tree.

See Three

Vehicle.

ijhin

i

82

body. 4

.

87,

The

91

177, 178, 184, 198, before the parents.

44-8

Vehicles,

See attaining the way. 41

body I bodies.

bom

des-

47

of.

"Bodhisattva's Four Methods of Lruidance. "

bodhi

is

buddha. 45, 135, 150, 176, 186

,

146

92, 93,

202

i02 105

iio, 131,

2.

Buddha

172, 176,

207, 219

214

130

boundless.

human being. 152 153 163, 171,

material structure and substance of a

.

126, 219

entire.

171

full.

human. 92, 189

166

revealed.

163

temporary. true.

iji

true

human

body

body.

and mind.

18,

91-4, 101—2, 163, iqq

34

38,

41

42, 43,

154, 165, 169, 171, 202, 204, body-mind. confused.

70

wholeness

of.

1

49

70, 71, 75, 85, 98, 103,

206

17

136

"Body-and-Mind Study of the Way." 87-94 bokuraku. See chopping dawn.

Bokushu Domyo. See Muzhou Daoming. bondage. hones.

156

169

170, 172, 173, 176

breaking. 37

of the way. 168 hones

and marrtnv. See skin, flesh,

bones,

and marrow. 52 62

Book of Serenity. See Hongzhi Zhengjue. books. 35, boshd.

50

See evening practice instruction (period).

104

132, 139, 145,

1

.

and Indei

Glossary

265

BoShokoku. See Minister Fang, See leaping up.

botcho.

200

bottom. 20,

bowing. 145, 184,

214

formal bow. 179, 185

178

formally. 41, 176,

bowing

(zagu).

cloth.

bawl.

hou).

(Jjatsuir,

for

Cloth that a

monk spreads on the floor and bows on. 58 An iron or lacquered wooden bowl used by 20, 52, 109, 110 125

Monk's bowl.

meals and begging practice.

a

monk

mended. 159 monk's. 125,

126

wasmng. 54 Bozhang. See Baizhang ( Bozhang) Huaihai. rice

Bozhao. See Baizhao (Bozhao) Zhiyuan.

Brahman. 150 branch(es). breakers. bridge.

115,

1

17,

118

1

19, 138, 168, 172, 177, 188,

214

219

45

Bright Mirror Samddhi. See Dongshan Liangjie. brightness.

bright

162

window

(jneisd).

"Facing the bright window

means being

in the study hall

50

{shuryo).

38

brilliance.

bringing across. See awakening. broacioing the suDject. See unrolling the matter.

the

Zen teaching, written soon

sists

89 (Fukan Zazen-gi). Dogen's

Broad Recommendation of Zazen.

own manuscript, dated 1233,

hinese ideograms. Dogen's

of 756

earliest explanation of

he came back to Japan from China in 1227. Con-

after

still exists.

A re-

vised version was included after his death in the Extensive Record of Priest Eihei uogen. 6, 159 brocade. 51,

120 kinran'e.

brocade robe.

Buddha

broken furniture.

The robe

that

is

said to have been

Mahakashyapa and from Mahakashyapa

to

to

handed from Shakyamuni

Ananda.

5,

88, 188, 192

92

hamokmhaku)

broken wooden dipper.

.

i

.

A

useless thing. 2. In

Dogen's usage, body

and mind dropped away. 206 brook.

214, 216

brush, sharp-pointed.

buddha. Skt.

1

2

{frntsir,

hotoke).

One who has attained complete, perfect awakening, or One of the three treasures. 5, 12 29, 42, 43,

lightenment, and teaches others.

74

56, 69,

150,

79, 87, 104, 115,

151 161

1

164, 165, 167,

18, 120, 121,

175

125

176, 177, 180,

128, 136,

185

137

186, 190,

146, 148, 149,

195 205

209, 213, 217, 218 actual.

136

69

actualized.

actualizing.

admonitions ancient.

69 of.

1

68

16 105

107, 115, 134,

137

163, 164, 165, 173,

192 198

en51,

200, 201

206,

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

266 182

authentic.

children

of.

day.

206

form

of.

house

35

75 75

of.

life of.

75

metal.

206 136

painted. recent

187

.

206

wooden.

fi"""; Hotoke). Gautama. Shakyamuni, the founding teacher of Buddhism.

Buddha.

33 34 figure

buddha

45

40, 44,

61

53,

buddha ancestor.

63, 146, 148, 218 See ancestor.

{busso).

108

104, 107,

1

22 30

113 121 125

109,

160, 169, 170,

domain

of.

land of.

1

41, 49, 52, 53, 87,

88

128 130, 135 138 182 183, 185 187,

126,

7 1-2, 177, 178, 180,

194, lo-s, 196, 198, 199, 203, 205,

188,

155, 193,

209 210

184-5

bmshin). Three bodies of one budc}ha:

i

.

hdjin

kaya

(^djin)

enjoy-

—

manifestation body that appears in the world and acts for the benefit

The buddha body that has these three aspects is also known as the true human

body R

(jhinjitsu

buddha-dharma

72

~

body, or purified body, associated with the fruit of practice. 3. nirmana-

bliss

of beings.

Jmwm —

Skt. dharma-kdya

indescribable body, or absolute aspect of truth. 2. sambhoga-kdya

157

103,

124, 125

Ancestors. "

ment,

100 152 154 189, 190

98, 99,

149,

04

buddha body.

70,

31

129, 132, 158, 159, 163

64

of.

activityl activities.

"Buddha

113

64, 71, 102,

wintniV 130, 163,

(buppo). See

132

109, III,

dharma.

15

179-80

17, 34, 35,

36 38

39, 40, 41,

49

137, 144, 145, 146, 147, 149, 150, 151, 154,

158, 159, 160, 161-4, 167,

173 180

62, 69,

155

156,

195, 210

actualization of the. 7 3 essential

meaning of the.

fundamental meaning two modes

buddha

of.

1

52

158

excellent art of.

of.

208

40 Jmtsugen). See five

eyes.

eyes.

126

164, 167, 177

buddha going beyond. See going beyond buddha. buddha

hall.

buddha

heritage.

58

92, 126 1

87

buddhahood. 146, 171

buddha land.

(Jmkkoku'm

buddha mind.

{bmshin).

buddha all

"

nature.

jj

(Jmkkokudo) See trichiliocosm. .

34 103

121

Mind which is inseparable from the great activity of the universe. i. The capacity for becoming a buddha, which is inherent in

.

sentient beings according to

Mahayana Buddhist teaching.

2.

Dogen

interprets

Mahaparinirvdna Sutra's statement, "All sentient beings have buddha nature," as "All sentient beings, ail things, are actualization

of.

1

buddha nature." (TTDE, "Buddha Nature") 4, 41, 103

81

.

Glossary

and Index

267

huddha-not 2 05 .

Buddha

raising his foot. See raising his foot,

buddha realm. 32 Jmtsuji).

buddha's activity. buddha's child. 188

("

buddha's heir. buddha's house.

•).

(Jmkke).

See also heir-buddha.

Buddhism.

73

144, 149, 151, 179

buddha's mind. 75, 145, 179

mind seal.

buddha's

buddha's seal.

(Jmshium). See buddha's seal. (J?"ts"h.

which cannot be teaching.

145

Same as buddha's mind seal.

altered. 2.

i

.

Buddha's mind of enlightenment

Recognition of the buddha mind and entrustment of the

149, 150, 155

buddha tathdgata. See tathdgata. 145, 146

Buddha

(Jmtmjd See One

Vehicle.

.

buddha way.

Mtswdd

The way of awakened ones which

daido).

This name

38

Vehicle.

Also called the great way of all buddhas

is

is

often used in contrast to scriptural studies. 17,

39, 40, 42, 43, 69, 70, 72,

80

87, 97,

(jhob"tsu no

actualized through each person's practice.

100

18

19, 32, 33, 36, 37,

113, 130, 148, 149, 156,

187 188 Buddhism. 45, 104 age of decline in. 3, 21 Japanese. 3

Mahayana. 16 mastery

1

of.

22

practice of.

reformers

of.

2

single practice form of.

6

Bukka Engo Zenji Goroku. See Recorded Sayings of Zen Master Fuguo Yuanwu. Bukka

Zenjt. See

Bukkan

Yuanwu Keqin.

Zenji. See Tatping Huiqin.

bukke. See buddha's house,

hukkojop. See going beyond buddha.

bukkoku. See buddha land,

bukkokudo. See buddha land.

Bukkoku Bunsu

Zenji. See

Wei bo.

tetsugyu ni noboru. See mosquito climbing

buddha-dharma

buppo. See busshi.

See buddha's

busshin.

.

busshin.

.

heir.

See buddha mind. See buddha body.

busshin' in. See buddha's busshd. See

mind seal.

buddha nature.

Bussho Hotai. See Fuxing Fata bussG.

See ancestor.

butsu. See

buddha.

Butsu. See Buddha. butsudd. See

buddha way.

an

iron bull.

180 182

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

268 buddha

butsugen. See

eyes.

Butsugen Sewn. See Fuyan Qingyuan. hutsuin. See buddha's seal,

See buddha's activity,

butsujt.

butsujo. See

Buddha

Vehicle.

.

Butsuju Myozen.

1

184—1225. Became a

My5an

young. Studied Zen with

Dogen

at

Eisai

Kennin Monastery, Kyoto; and went

Jingde Monastery, Mt. Tiantong.

at

monk of the Tendai

butsu nyorat. See

School, Japan,

and became one of his dharma

4 6, 60,

to

China with Dogen

heirs.

when

Taught

in 1223, but died

144

buddha tathdgata.

Butto Zenji. See Heshan Shouxun.

wmte hair

byakugo. See

tuft.

byakushibutsu. See pratyekabuddha

80

cages.

calculation.

.

75

Caodong School.

One of the

Five Schools of Chinese

Zen Buddhism. Named

after the

founders Dongshan Liangjie and Caoshan Benji. Caoshan's lineage perished soon and

Dongshan's other heir Yunju Daoying's lineage continued. Soto School

form of

this school

In Japan "Caodong

.

(SSzan Honjaku).

Caoshan Benji.

Mt. Cao, Fu Region

at

is

is

a Japanese

sometimes interpreted

aoxi where Huineng taught, and Dongshan.

bination ot

Taught

or "Soto

5,

as a

com-

21, 145

840-901 Dharma heir of Dongshan .

Liangjie.

China. Transmitted and developed

(Jiangxi

Dongshan's teaching of five ranks. Often considered one of the founders of the Caodong School. 207 Caoxi. See Dajian Huineng. capping

verses,

m

carriage tracks. cartwheels. casting.

juko)

.

Commentary

verse

on

a koan.

1

12

167 {honkintd).

Studying with spontaneous freedom. 197

82

catching.

106

cats, stray.

109

causal relationi ship).

serve as causes causality.

m

(j""en

dhist philosophy

all

Literally, (causes

and) conditions. According to Bud-

events are results of prior causes and conditions, and themselves

and conditions

for future events.

44, 59, 6

1

16

203

219 and conditions. 79, 102 and effects. 5

causes.

ceaseless

murmuring.

{gomyaku). Literally, word vein. Complexity of expressions spoken

by buddha ancestors. celestial beings.

Cm.

(je").

1

18

See six realms.

See Changsha Jingcen.

chamber.

116

chanlch'an. See Zen.

Changling Heshang Yulu. See Recorded Sayings of Priest Changling.

Changling Shouzhuo.

ChOrei Shutaku).

1

065-1123. Dharma

heir of

Lingyuan

1

1

and Index

Glossary

Weiqing

)

(Reigen

(Henan

Dongjing

Isei), Linji

China.

.

School.

269

Abbot of Wanshou Monastery

,

1 1

Changlu Zongze. See Regulations for Zen Monasteries. (ChSkei Daian). 793-883.

Changqmg Daan.

Dharma

heir of Baizhang Huaihai.

Succeeded in abbacy of Mt. Dagui from Guishan Lingyou. Later abbot of Changqing Monastery, Fu Region

name

is

)

(Fujian

Zen Master Yuanzhi

China, for twenty years. His posthumous

(Enchi Zenji). 127

quan Puyuan. Taught

Changsha (Hunan

Luyuan Monastery

at

Once he saw Yangshan Huiji and stepped on him Jingcen was

rough

as

63

chant(ing). 36, 55,

circumambulation

145,

147

right away, since

China.

Yangshan remarked

he was called Tiger Cen (Snin Daichu).

as a tiger,

Chanlin Leiju. See Classified Accounts of the Zen 148,

Forests

155 156

5

.

Chanyuan Qinggui. See Regulations for Zen

Monasteries.

Chanzong Son gu Lianzhu Tongji. See Threaded-Pean lapping Chen. See

)

(Chosha Keishin). Ca. ninth century a.d. Dharma heir of Nan-

C hangs ba Jingcen.

Verses of the

Zen

School.

Muzhou Daoming. (Shoko). d. 1045.

Chenggu.

Region

(Jiangxi

)

Yunmen

School.

Abbot of Jianfu Monastery

, Rao

China. Caused controversy by advocating dharma trans-

mission without actual meeting of master and disciple. 181—83 cherry blossoms. chie.

14

See prajnd.

Chtgi. See

Chikyo.

i

tantat School.

An editor of Uassified Accounts of the Zen Forests,

97, 99, 206

child.

mountain.

99

of a wealthy family. 42

Chimon Koso. See Zhimen Guangzuo.

108 121

China. 40, 41, 48, 59,

144, 145, 150,

154

i^^, 158, 168, 175, 177, 189,

195, 196 "Chinese-style Poems. "

216

Chin Sonshuku. See Muzhou Daoming. Chokei Daian. See Changqing Daan. chonei.

See head.

chonei ganzei. See eye at the top of the head,

chonyu. See leaping into.

chopping down.

(bokuraku)

.

Same

as

dropping away. 166

Chorei Osho Goroku. See Recorded Sayings of Priest Changling. Chorei Shutaku. See Changling Shouzhuo.

Choro Sosaku. See Regulations for Zen Monasteries.

Chosan Rishi. See

sons of

Zhang and Li.

Chosha Keishin. See Changsha Jingcen. chosho.

See long platform.

choshutsu. See leaping out.

chrysanthemums. 187

Chuan. 191

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

270

Chuanchu. See Qtngfeng Chuanchu.

Chu

Soji). Collected

Anthology. Chuci

poems of Quyuan

kingdom of Chu. Also

ancient Chinese

Kutsugen),

officer

of the

includes works of his literary followers.

Chuanming. See Jiashan Shanhui.

« «

Chuanzi Decheng.

Yaoshan Weiyan of

(Sensu Tokujo). Ca. eighth-ninth centuries A.D. Studied with

for thirty years

Huating

in

See Chu

)

he turned over the boat and disappeared into the water. io6

School.

name

Ciming. Another

Classified Accounts of the

for

Zen

Shishuang Chuyuan. Forests.

Chanlin Leiju.

(Zenrin

of koans and capping verses edited by Zhijing

Classified

Wu River

China, and taught. After transmitting dhar-

Dalong.

See Touzi

tai),

Under the persecution

Anthology.

Chuyuan. See Linji Ciji.

heirs.

he disguised himself as a boatsman on

(Jiangsu

ma to Jiashan Shanhui, Chuci.

and became one of his

Buddhism by Emperor Wu

Ru

u).

A collection

(ChikyS) and Daotai

(D6-

China. Published in 1307.

Materia Medica. Bencao

Shizhen

Gangmu (Honz6 Komoku). Compiled by Li Ming Dynasty. In thirty-nine chapters 1892 med-

(Ri Jichin) of the

icines are described. clay altar.

136

"clear and bright" day.

39 '

III. 159

cliff'

dinging. See twelvefold causation of rebirth, cloth.

94 Represents freedom of moving about, not having a fixed abode. Often indicates a

cloud.

monk s life.

Also represents the realm of nonduality. 7, 10, 40, 49, 103, 106, 115,

122, 131, 132, 144, 197, 216, 217, 218 126, 127

misty.

riding the. white. 34,

97 208, 209

cloud hall.

«

cloud robes

and mist sleeves.

J).

Also called

sodo.

Monks'

(j^miS kabei)

hall. .

Monk's robe. 134

cloud self. 10

Clouds

and moon

and mountains are distinct. The buddha's original teaching is one but

are one, valleys

ketzan kakuuetsu).

i/wgetsu zedo, it is

enced in myriad ways. 118 cold ash.

(jreika". See

dead ash. 112

cold heart. 122 coldlheat. cold.

(Jzamkc). Represents birth/death. 108,

120, 121

complete cold.

108

complete heat.

108

hard cold.

1

root of.

109

summit

of.

color"). 138,

columns.

104

14

108 162

no,

112, 113

expressed or experi-

(

Glossary

.

271

i The conventional way of viewing birth and death, past (Jkyora coming from somewhere and going somewhere else. 2. In Dogen's

coming and going.

and future,

and Index

as

.

usage, total experience of the continually arising

moment

of now. 80, 83, 93, 94,

131, 133, 136

Commentary on

the

Mahdprajndpdramitd

Sutra. Written

by Nagarjuna,

ca. third

century

A.D. in India. Kumarajiva did an abridged translation of this work in Chinese: Dazhi(Daichido-ron), 100 chapters.

du-lun

62

community.

64

of monks.

companion.

157, 171, 190

50 Identification with those

jihi

compassion.

wisdom and

joy with

them

(jnaitri).

who are suffering (Skt.

karuna) and sharing

35, 49, 155

mind of. 45 compassionate care.

65

See five ranks,

complete.

97, 219

completeness.

and penetration. See santetsu.

complete study

complete teaching. See expedient teachingicomplete teaching.

. State where notion of a

concealed.

concentration. See

161

conception.

conditioned views. conditions

99

90

.

41

conduct. 18, confidence.

204

self has disappeared.

samddhi. 12, 30

187

170

confirmation.

Confucius. Stt Analects. confusion.

realm

42 36

of.

Congshen. See Zhaozhou Congshen.

Congzhan. See Baofu Congzhan. conscious endeavor.

{shiki).

For

(jshin'ishik

Dogen

zazen

is

.

Literally,

mind

{shin),

thought

(/•),

and perception

not to be in the realm of intentional effort towards enlight-

enment. 29, 38

shiki One of the

consciousness.

72 contact.

•

five

skandhas. See also twelvefold causation of rebirth.

See twelvefold causation of rebirth,

controlling power. See fivefold controlling power. corporeality. correct

15

87, 102, 138, 143, 148

manner.

47

coveredlcovering.

See hindrance.

covering brilliance

ment craftsman.

179

See twelvefold causation of rebirth,

and obscuring

in study,

traces.

and leaving no marks. 50

35

craving. See twelvefold causation of rebirth,

cream of the long

river.

crushing marrow. 37

73

{fdkd kaiseki).

Not

displaying one's achieve-

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

272 cuckoos.

19

Cuiwei Wuxue. Touzi Datong's teacher. cun. See sun.

cutting off his arm. See

Dazu

Huike.

36,41 92

Vangshan Huiji,

cutting off his fingers.

in front of his parents, cut off

determination to become a monk. (JRTL, chap.

1

1)

two

fingers to

show

his

36

(Jjakujush". Cf. Hongzhi's Capping Verses, case 47:

cypress tree.

A monk

asked Zhaozhou,

the west?"

Zhaozhou

said,

"What

is

the

"The cypress

meaning of Bodhidharma coming from tree in the yard."

(Also the Gateless Gate, case 37.) 94

Daan. See Changqing Daan. Dabaoji-jing. See Great Treasure-Heap Sutra.

Dachuan

Lamps Mergea

Fuji. See Five

into Source.

Dagui. See Guishan Lingyou.

Dahui. See Nanyue Huairang.

Dahui

line.

7

S

Dahui Zonggao.

tacked Caodong

(Daie Soko).

Zen

1

089-1 163. Dharma

as "silent-illumination

Hang Region

the teaching at Mt. Jing

heir of

Yuanwu Keqin. At-

Zen" and advocated koan Zen. Revived (Zhejiang

)

China, and was

regarded as the restorer of the Linji School. Author of Treasury of the irue not to be confused with Dogen's book of the same

title.

Dharma

His posthumous name

is

Eye,

Zen

Master Dahui (Daie Zenji).

Dawai

Hojo. See

Damei Fachang.

. Monastery

DaiDutsu-ji.

Renamed

Eihei-ji

in Echizen Province,- Japan,

two years

Daibutsu Monastery. 10, 248(11.

founded by Dogen in 1244.

later.

i)

Daichi-ron. See Commentary on the Mahaprajnapdramitd Sutra.

aaicm mmundo. See

not

an inch of land on

earth.

Daien Zenji. See Guishan Lingyou.

Daie Soko. See Dahui Zonggao. Daie Zenji. See Dahui Zonggao; Nanyue Huairang.

Da!

ogen Zenji. See

Fayan Wenyi.

Dathoshaku-kyd. See Great Treasure-Heap Sutra.

Dan Dosmn.

See Dayi Daoxin.

Mazu Mahayana.

Daijaku Zenji. See daijo. See

Daoyi.

Daijo Shikan. See Nanyue Huisi.

Daikan End. See Dajian Huineng.

Daiman Kontn. See Daman Hongren. Daisen Fusai. See Five Lamps Merged in the Source. daishi. See great death.

Daism

Kokusht. See

Nanyang Huizhong.

Daiso. See Emperor Daizong.

Daiso Eka. See Daji. See

Dazu Huike.

Mazu Daoyi.

Dajian Huineng.

g S

Daikan

School. Born in a poor family of

Eno). 638—713. Sixth Chinese Ancestor of the

Xin Region

Guangdong

.

Zen

Sold firewood for

and Index

Glossary

community. After dharma transmission from Hongren the south. Hid in a hunter's house for four years

At age twenty-four he joined

a living.

273

Fifth Ancestor Hongren's

cleaning rice for eight months, he secretly received

and ran from angry senior monks to and then became

a

monk. Taught at Baolin Monastery

Shao Region

Caoxi

(Guangdong). While Hongren's senior student Shenxiu

(Jinshii)

emphasized

gradual enlightenment in Northern China, Huineng emphasized immediate enlight-

enment. As

a teacher, he

produced excellent students

called the "Southern School of

who

transmitted his teaching,

Zen." His posthumous name

is

Zen Master Dajian

(Daikan Zenji). 38, 175, 198 Caoxi. 41

,

195

old Buddha of Caoxi.

198

158

Sixth Ancestor. 38, 144,

Daman

187, 195

(Daiman Konin). 688—761.

Hongren.

Fifth Chinese Ancestor of the

Dharma heir of DayiDaoxin. Taught at Mt. Pingmao later called Mt. Wuzu (Mt. Fifth Ancestor), at Huangmei

School.

). He had two

(Hubei

mous name

is

as establisher of

Dongshan

(East

Moun-

with Dongshan Liang) le

s

Caodong

School.) 184

29

Damei Fachang.

community of Mazu Plum MounThere he founded Husheng

(Daibai H6j6). 752—839. Enlightened in the

Daoyi and became one of his dharma

Ningbo

(Zhejiang

is

)

heirs.

Secluded in Mt. Damei (Great

China, for forty years.

where more than 600 monks practiced. 194

Monastery dampi. See arm

)

Qi Region

(T6zan-shii) contrasted to the contemporary Niutou School. (Not

to be confused

tain),

Zen

outstanding students, Shenxiu and Huineng. His posthu-

Zen Master Daman. Regarded

tain) School

fifth Ancestor.

(Dongshan

cut

off.

Dangjing. See Jingyin Facheng. danken. See nihilism.

Danxia Zkhun. Hongzhi Zhenjue's

teacher.

1

10

dao. See attaining the way.

(D5fuku).

Daofu.

A disciple of Bodhidharma.

Biography unknown. 169, 170

Daokai. See Furong Ddokai.

Daoming. See Muzhou Daoming.

Daoquan. 59 Daotai.

An

Daowu. See

editor of Classified Accounts of the Zen Forests. 1

lanhuang Daowu.

Daoxin. See Dayi Daoxin. Daoyi. See

Mazu Daoyi.

Daoyi ng. See Yunju Daoyi ng. Daoyu.

(D6iku).

A disciple of

Bodhidharma. Biography unknown.

(D6go Enchi). 769-835. An

Daoyu Yuanzhi.

heir of

Yaoshan Weian. 202

darani. See dharant. dark. 21

,

70, 129, 208

darkness. See night.

Datong. See Touzi Datong.

.

datsuraku. See dropping away.

Daxiong Peak.

Dayi Daoxin.

Great Hero Peak. Another name of Mt. Baizhang. (Daii Doshin).

580-651. Fourth Chinese Ancestor of the Zen

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

274

Dharma heir of Jianzhi Sengcan Taught for thirty years at Mt Shuangfeng Qi Region Hubei He had 500 Huangmei students, the first large assembly in Zen Buddhism. Zen Master Dayi is his posthumous School

or

.

.

-

.

West Mountain

name. Fourth Ancestor.

201

209, 210

Dayuan. See Gutshan Lingyou. Dazheng. See Nanyang Huizhong.

Dazht. See Baizhang Huaihai.

Dazhidu-lun See Commentary on .

Mahdprajndpdramitd Sutra.

the

Dazhi Shousheng Monastery. See Baizhang Huaihai.

Dazu

(Daiso Eka). 487-593. Second Chinese Ancestor of the

Huike.

According to JRTS, chap.

when he

3,

visited

Bodhidharma

at

Zen

School.

Shaolin Monastery and

asked for instruction, Bodhidarma would not reply. Finally, while standing in the snow,

Huike cut

off his

arm and gave

it

to

Bodhidharma

as a sign of his sincerity.

received instruction. Later he taught in the northern capital,

posthumous names

are Great

dead ash.

ijhikai

Zenji). 144, 168, 169, 171, 175,

Practice with no-seeking

and death; great

Thus, he

)

(Henan (Shbshii

Second Ancestor. 168, 170, 172, 180, 195, 197, 198, 199,

death. See birth

M

Master Zhengzong Pujue

Zen Master Dazu (Daiso

Daishi) and

Ye

His

Fukaku

184

202

mind. 93

death. 19, 70, 84, 85, 94, 163,

201

"Death Poem." 219 decay

and death. See

twelvefold causation of rebirth. ,

decayed tree

{koboku)

Decheng. See

defilement. degree.

.

-

three periods

(zenna). Separated

if

defiled.

Sitting zazen with no-seeking mind. 93, 112

touanzi Decheng.

dharma See

decline of the

.

by dualistic conception.

87

198

219 {katkyH- See Sacred truth doesn't do anything.

degree of enlightenment equal to buddha's. See ten stages

degree of inconceivable enlightenment. See ten stages

and three classes of bodhisattvas

and three classes

of bodhisattvas.

Deguang. See Zhuoan Deguang. delusion.

{met;

may 01 );

enlightenment. 17,

madoi.

i.

21 33 42

Lack of enlightenment.

69,

93

148,

150

2.

158, 165,

Seen

as

not outside of

179 180

Land of. 144 delusion

Demmyo

and enlightenment.

(jneigo.

Daishi. See Jiashan Shanhui.

demon"). 64, 137 faces.

135

dempo. See dharma transmission

Deng Region. See Xiangyan Zhixian. Denshin Hoyo. See Huangbo Xiyun. Dentd-roku. See Jingde Record of Transmission of Lamps, dependent origination. See twelvefold causation of rebirth.

Deshan Xuanjian.

.

£ (Tokusan Senkan). 780-865. His family name is Zhou Well Diamond Sutra, he was called Zhou Diamond. He tried to defeat Zen by argument, but became a Zen student instead. Dharma heir of Longtan Chongxin versed with the

Glossary

Ryu

) Deva

kings.

dew.

117

Fengyang 1

Hunan

amlMt. De, Wuling

See three worlds,

143

detachment. 19, 84,

^

in

275

China. 173, 205

desire world.

deva.

nS6shm). Taught

and Index

44 47 62 89

See six realms.

{ten).

145, 147,

151

156, 158

80

dewdrop. 12, 71

50

dew-like existence.

{darani .

dharam. Skt.

i.

Magical verses chanted in esoteric Buddhism.

2. in

D5gen's

usage, inconceivable teaching. 93, 189

().

dharma. Skt.

i.

70 71 92

49,

1

Ultimate law,

A

thing,

18,

130

three treasures. 3.

reality, or truth. 2.

things or phenomena.

all

Teaching of truth.

5 15

24,

One

32 37 38

136, 144, 146, 150, 156, 159, 160, 163,

1

of the

39, 41,

66, 169, 171,

176, 182, 188, 196 attaining.

190

benefaction

of.

correct.

148

158

decayed. 7 decline of. 3

expounding skandhas. 93, 149

dharma admonition. 194 dharma bliss. 145 dharma

blossom. See

Dharma

.

and also you

turns you,

dharma body See buddha body

.

turn dharma.

163 164

129

true.

dharma

discourse"). 9,

dharma

eyes.

dharma

gate.

See

210

five eyes.

{homon).

The buddha's

teaching, the gate of truth. 5, 30, 32, 151, 154,

176 dharma

183, 188-92, 19

heritage.

196

dharma-kdya. See buddha body,

dharma

king.

166

dharma knowledge.

dharma

nature.

1

33

02

dharma position. See phenomenal expression. dharma

stage.

dharma

suchness.

dharma

transmission.

See phenomenal expression.

(jmmo hd. See

suchness.

132

dempd Acknowledgment of mastery and entrustment of buddha•

dharma by teacher to disciple. Dogen emphasizes and unchanged throughout

Dharma

turns you,

and also you

all

generations of

turn dharma.

that this transmission remains unique

buddha

ancestors. 4, 5, 23,

(o /e« ga,

ga

144

ten ho). In

TTDE,

"Dharma Blossom Turning Dharma Blossom" (Hokke Ten Hokke), Dogen quotes Huineng's words, "When the mind is deluded, it is turned by the dharma blossom. When the mind is enlightened, it turns the dharma blossom." Then Dogen says, "If you fully practice this, dharma blossom turns dharma blossom." 40

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

276 (Mrin).

cihamia wheel.

of hindrances.

dharma

56,93 105

1

discourse

16, 130, 163,

dharma. The

called the wheel of

is

in ancient India, represented justice

and the crushing

179

words. 190

dhydna. Skt.

jdryo).

dialectical thinking.

24

dialogue. 109,

1

Meditation.

One

of the six paramitas. See also Zen.

10

ii

diamond.

diamond seat

(Jkongdza).

muni Buddha was differentiation.

behavior.

sitting

The name for the seat beneath the bod hi when he attained enlightenment. 29

See five ranks. 20, 109,

dignified bearing.

dignity.

The buddha's

symbol of a monarch

"wheel," a

(igi' iigi).

1

10,

tree

where Shakya-

111 154

Expression of buddha-dharma through a monk's posture and

93

47 (J6san Shin'ei). Ca. ninth century A.D.

Dingshan Shenying.

shan Lingyou. Lived at Mt. Ding, directions. director.

Chu Region M

(Anhui

Dharma

)

heir ot

Kjm-

China. 74

92, 104

50, 51,

52

54, 157

assistant.

temple.

54 128

direct penetration.

6 (Janden). Literally, single-lined or

direct transmission.

unique transmission. Practice of a

one-to-one, face-to-face transmission of dharma. disciple.

50, 51, 52, 54, 157 '

discontinuity discourse.

.

31

166 162

discrimination. 56,

discriminatory consciousness. See seven consciousnesses divine heads. 135 do.

See awakening.

do.

See attaining the way.

document of heritage.

{smsho).

A genealogical record given by a teacher to a disciple as the

proof of dharma transmission. The names of the buddha ancestors and the new heir are written

by the heir and the teacher adds words of approval with his signature and

6

seals.

"Document of Heritage." 186-96 Dofuku. See Daofu. Dogen.

Eihei Dogen. His initiatory

name

Kigen. See Introduction.

is

Dogo Enchi See Daowu Yuanzhi. .

dogs.

{kushi

fierce,

).

People

who do

not understand the way.

41 110

iii,

1

16

i i i

Doiku. See Daoyu. doing zazen sitting upright. doji.

{tanza sanzen).

See identity -act ion.

domain. See inner chamber. 125 Dongjtng. See Changling Shouzhuo.

Dongshan Ltangpe.

T6zan

Rydkai). 807-869.

Became a monk

in childhood, stud-

.

Glossary

ied extensively

China, and

Master

is

277

with teachers including Nanquan and Guishan. Later became dharma

Yunyan Tansheng. He taught

heir of

and Index

at

Mt. Dong, Rui Region .

Wuben

(Gohon

(H6ky6 Zammai)

is

Daishi). His

)

(Jiangxi

considered founder of the Caodong School His posthumous

name is Great

poem "Song or Bright Mirror Samadhi"

an important text in the Soto School. See also

five ranks.

195 203 204-5, 206-7

54, 108, 109, III, 184,

Great Master Wuben. 205

Dongshan

lineage.

Dongshan

School. See

190

Daman Hongren. (T5zan Shusho). 910-990. Dharma heir of

Dongshan Shouchu.

Taught

Mt. Dong, Xiang Region

at

Someone who

donkey.

hoof of a.

is

free

(Hubei

Yunmen Wenyan.

China. 53, 64, 65

from intellectual thinking. 10, 82

88

donkyaku. See swallow, donor.

57

doo.

See entering the chamber.

do

do ni makasu. See leaving the

way

to the

way.

doshin. See way-seeking mind.

An editor of (classified Accounts of the Zen Forests.

Dotai.

77

doubt(s).

181, 214

dragon. Often represents an enlightened person. 104, 105,

1

38

10

true.

(Ryiige), the mountain where Longya Judun lived. Dharma Eye: Record of Things Heard Dogen quotes Longya's words: "You who study the way should first study being in poverty. Only when you study being in poverty and when you are actually in poverty, the way becomes inti-

Dragon Fang. Translation of Longya In the Treasury of the True

mate.

159

Dragon Gate. Rapids midway up the Huang River into dragons.

123

dream(s).

2. State

dropping

earth.

and mind. .

i

.

Stagnant, stuck with narrow views.

freedom beyond delusion and enlightenment. Prac1

19,

6, 42,

1

12, 146, 169, 172, 181,

202

206

216 219 .

See seven

consciousnesses,

166, 204, 216

41

47, 76, 88, 89, 94, 99, 102-4, 106,

166, 179, 218 entire.

15, 77, 85, 90, 129,

mtttng

the.

lump

of.

199

136

219 and joy. 30, 58

whole. 131, ease

dropping,

146

ear consciousness ears.

Literally, place of

(jiatmraku). Perfect

dropped away dust.

pass are said to turn

of nonattachment to body, mind, practice, or enlightenment. 19, 29, 70, 92,

14 body

who

of complete freedom. 182

away

tice

fish

151

ixakmho .

dropping.

where

166

138

114 115 117 118

138,

146 149

165,

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

278 easy understanding.

37

113

Echizen Province. 7, 30,

Edo

45, 50, 54, 57, 61, 62, 75, 80, 150, 216

38

20,

effort(s).

all-encompassing. collected.

sincere.

121, 128, 181, 183, 202

23

Period.

34

92

192

46

wholehearted. eggshell. ego.

See merging.

ego consciousness. See seven consciousnesses. eight difficult situations.

or heardharma: districts. 5. 7.

\

{hachi nansho). Situations

Hell. 2.

i.

where

Realm of hungry ghosts.

Heaven of longevity.

Realm of those with common

6.

3.

it is

difficult to see the

Realm of animals.

Realm of those born

before and after the buddha.

Realm of

sense or eloquence. 8.

buddha

Remotest

4.

the blind, deaf, and

dumb. 64 92

eight directions.

.

"Eightfold Awareness of Ureat People. " 12 eightfold noble path.

(Jjasshddd). i.

Right understanding.

2.

Right thoughts.

3.

Right

speech. 4. Right action. 5. Right livelihood. 6. Right effort. 7. Right mindfulness. 8.

Right concentration. See also

thirty-seven bodhtpdkshifzas.

Eight Oceans SteSumeru.

'

.

jdroku hasshaku).

eight- or sixteen-foot body.

as

being sixteen

feet tall

76 The pagodas which

golden sixteen-foot body.

Eight Pagodas.

\

related to

standing and eight feet

(Jjattd).

Shakyamuni Buddha's

life.

Shakyamuni Buddha tall sitting.

are said to have

Mentioned

in the

is

characterized

76, 77, 78

been built in the eight places

Names

of Great Auspicious Pa-

godas Sutra. 179 eight precepts.

\

(Joakkai). Precepts

observed by lay people on six days of purification in a

Not killing. 2. Not stealing. 3. Not committing sexual misconduct. 4. Not lying. 5. Not drinking. 6. Not decorating one's hair and not seeing or listening to musical performances. 7. Not sleeping on a high, wide bed. 8. Not eating after noon. month:

I.

These are the

eight of the so-called ten Hlnayana precepts for

first

less

.

Later I.

buddha 's teaching. 93

dhdrams. See dharant.

eighty-four thousand eyes

Eihei

.

1

64

Literally, eternal peace

Han

.

Japanese transliteration of "Yongping," an era in the

Dynasty, a.d. 58-76,

Eihei-)i,

named

in 1246.

when Buddhism was

officially

introduced to China.

Formerly called Daibutsu-ji. Monastery in Shibi County,

Echizen Province (present Fukui Prefecture), Japan, founded by Dogen. gen. (The

added to

name of

his

the monastery or mountain where a priest taught

name.) 10,

12

23, 24

Eihei Dogen Osho Koroku. See Extensive Record of Priest Dogen. Eihei

Gen

nuns. 91

.

expressions of the

eighty-four thousand

monks and

{hachimamhism) The number of gates representing the count-

eighty-four thousand.

Zenjt Goroku. See Recorded Sayings of Zen Master Eihei Gen.

Eihet Kaisan Gyojo Kenzei-ki. See Kenzei's Biography of Dogen.

Eihei Koroku. See Extensive Record of Priest Eihei Dogen.

is

2.

Eihei

Do-

traditionally

1

and Index

Glossary

279

Eihei Shingi. See Monastic Regulations of Ewet. Eisai. See Ejo. See

Myoan

Koun

Eisai.

Ejo.

'

7 10

12

Ekan. 7

One

Ekottardgama Sutra.

of the

Agama

sutras, early

Buddhist scriptures. Ekottara means

increasing by one. Independent terms, as well as those classified in groups of two, three,

and so on, up to eleven, are explained. Fifty-one chapters. 173, 201

elders.

tddatm. Freedom from bondage,

emancipation.

datsu). Liberation original.

(-

like a fish escaping the net.

from delusion or suffering. 18, 19, 74, 84,

1

38,

145-6

92

Emon. Nanyue Huisi

s

teacher.

motion. 87

36

emotional feelings. emperor.

124

Emperor Daizong.

(Dais6).

Emperor Shunzong. emperors

An emperor of the Tang Dynasty. On throne 763-780. An emperor of the Tang Dynasty, reigning 805-806.

(Juns6).

155 155

(Kimmei Tenno, Y5mei Tenno). Emperors

Kimmet and Yomei.

when Buddhism was

of the Asuka Period,

first

introduced to Japan. Kimmei's reign

was 539— 571 Y5mei's 585-587. 159

( TJ GyoShun). Legendary emperors of ancient

Emperor Yu, Tang, Yao, or Shun.

.

China. 124, 125 emptiness. all

Skt.

,

shiinyatd. Literally, zeroness or void. Formless, nonseparate nature of

things. 88, 105,

1

10, 138, 147,

179

The four stages in a world cycle are becoming, abiding, decaying, and empty. The buddha who appears in the Empty Eon is called the King of the Empty (Kii O), and is regarded as a symbol of Eon (Ion O) or King of Emptiness kugd

Empty Eon.

the original face. eon.

1

19

91, 97, 98

King of Emptiness. 9 empty en.

steps.

1

10

See causal relation( ship).

Enan. See Linji School. Encht Zenji. See Changqing Daan. encountering.

endeavor").

{shdkeri) 1

concentrated. true.

.

i.

Dualistic opposition. 2. Meeting between teacher and disciple.

19, 137

143

210

"Endeavor of the Way, On the." 6, enemies.

143-60

46

Engaku-kyd. See Sutra of Complete Enlightenment.

Engo Gekisetsu-roku. See Yuanwu's Record of striking the Node.

Engo Kokugon. See Yuanwu Keqin. enlightenment,

i

.

shd meaning original manifestation of buddha nature,

practice. Also translated as realization. 2.

tradition this

is

(jatori; go)

usually associated with sudden awakening.

views are no longer obscuring

reality. 3

.

That which

is

inseparable from

{kaku), Skt. bodhi. In

or

It

occurs

when

Zen

dualistic

sought as a goal separate from

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

280

Dogen emphasizes

practice.

12, 34, 39,

42

64,

71

that one

must go beyond enlightenment

80 93

72, 79,

146

136, 145,

147,

in this sense.

4

150 205 208

208

aspiration for. 53, 63, 64,

Buddha's. 22 cause

147

of.

149

correct.

132

full.

100

81,

great.

137, 150

immersed in. 42 limbs

179

of.

logic of.

16

natural.

92

outside mind.

painting

of.

perfect.

135

seal of.

88

spontaneous.

"eps

36

139

91

,

188, 196

34

of.

supreme, perfect.

symbol

93, loi

,

32

1

of.

42

traces of.

tTue path of.

42

way

50 91

of.

42,

5

tvish for.

/

122 -

17 •

En' Era. 52

E" seki.

See pebble from Mt. Yan.

entangled vines. See twining vines.

100

a particle of dust. Cf.

"On

entering into

the Endeavor of the

turning of the great dharma wheel entering into

water.

mud and water.

entering the homeless

to Question 4:

The

(jiyHdei nyHswi

- Same

as splattered with

mud and wet with

(45d To receive personal instruction in the abbot's room. 116 .

life.

See shukke.

world blossoming. See world of blossoming flowers.

entrusting. 118,

180

entrustment, intimate. entry hall.

65 80

present.

previous. to

(Mnga). Special quarters for those

who

are seeking entry

monastery or staying overnight. 57, 194

environs. 70, 84, eon(5).

176

(jangaryd);

to the

equal

Way, Answer

contained inside a single particle.

180

entering the chamber.

entire

is

105, 131

92,

119 136 149

178, 182,

196 205

187, 195

195

buddha. See

ten stages

and three classes

of bodhisattvas

erroneous way. See heretics.

escarpment.

218

Esho Zenji. See Linji Yixuan.

esotmc Buddhism.

mikky5. The

last

development

in

Mahayana Buddhism, which views

i

Glossary

and Index

281

the universe as a manifestation of Vairochana Buddha.

The

practice

is

based on rituals

involving mudras, mantras, and visualizations of various deities. See also Shingon School; Tendai School.

Buddhist

esoteric

esoteric school.

23

rituals. 4,

32

esoteric teaching.

4

144, 145

essence.

Essential Teaching of Transmission of

Mind. See Huangbo Xiyun. (Jmhd. Receiving personal instruction in the abbot's

evening practice instruction (period).

room. 52, 57 (Maj5

everyday activity.

.

Ka

~ common,

Buddhism. "Everyday Activity. "

1

house, home, family, meaning the buddha's house or

usual,

normal

,

regular. 113, 131

24-8

examining. See sankyu.

iMammen) Exchanging one's face with one's true

exchanging your face. exoteric

•

kmgyd

Buddhism.

.

Esoteric School's

way of

face.

178

referring to the teachings of all

other Buddhist schools. exoteric school.

32

exoteric teaching.

4

161

expectation.

expedient phrases

.

100

expedient practice. 3 expedient teachingi complete teaching.

According to Tiantai understanding,

{gonjitsu).

sutras other than the Lotus Sutra are regarded as provisional teachings.

taught to be the "complete" or supreme teaching,

100

80,

all is

s

i

137, 163

127

complete. gentle.

Lotus

217

explanation. expression.

The

47

provisional.

209

expression complete this moment.

{hitotoki no kurai). Literally,

one time." Dharma position or state of being

each

itself {hoi ) at

"position of

moment which

carries

entire time. 71 Extensive Record of Lamps. See Tiansheng Extensive Record of Lamps. Extensive Record of Priest Eihei Dogen.

Koroku.

called Eihei

A

(Eihei

Dogen Osho Koroku), also and poems compiled

collection of Dogen's lectures, words,

soon after his death by his students Sen'e, Ejo, and Kjitn. Published in 1672. Extensive Record of \unmen,

collected

Zen Master Kuangzhen

(Ummon

g by

his students after his death.

Extensive Record of

.

Yunmen Kuangzhen Chanshi Guanglu

Kyoshin Zenji Koroku). Sayings of Yunmen Wenyan, Three chapters, published

in 1076.

Zen Master Hongzhi. Hongzhi Chanshi Guanglu

Zenji Koroku), compiled by his students after his death. Completed in

(Wanshi 1

132.

extraordinary thing. 125 eye.

m

{gen), i.

True seeing or understanding.

117, 120, 138, 148, ancestor.

126

celestial.

164

166 171

2. Essential

meaning. 24, 54, 81, 105, 108,

176, 183, 184, 204, 216

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

282 178

correct.

dharma. 126 equal 65 .

fish.

40

myriad. 164 of dharma. 164 of studying. 121, 171, 209, 2

1

of the sage. 35 one.

181

penetrating.

1

18, 121

pillar-and-lantern

pupil of the.

164

single.

treasury of the. vital.

126

.

16

1

176

109

wisdom. 126 eye at the top of the head.

Zen

(^chdmi ganzei).

$i

tradition to have a single eye

on top of

(

198

true. 1

19

1

said in

is

1

16

z"'). That which represents true seeing, or understanding; hence

ancestors. 54, entire.

heavenly deity, Maheshvara,

with wisdom.

to understand the principle of nonduality eyeball.

A

his head. It represents the special capacity

buddha

15-17, 120-22, 177, 199, 206 ,

*

wide open. 88 eyebrows.

81

'

120, 121, 209

,

eye consciousness.

See seven

consciousnesses.

irnmmoku) Literally face and eye. Original

face.

.

face, or

buddha

nature,

which

is

inher-

ent in every sentient being. ancestor's.

176, 199

buddha. 176, 177, 179, 199, 206 original buddha.

177

face after your parents were born. See after your parents were born, face before your parents were born. See before your parents were born, face skin. See skin of the face

Pace skin

is three

inches thick

is

very thick.

and ten feet

mmju.

face-to-face transmission.

thin. See skin of the face

is

178

very thick.

See dharma transmission.

Fachang. See Damei Fachang. Facheng. See Jingyin Facheng.

Fanghui. See Linji School. Farong. See Niutou Farong. Fatal. See Fuxing Fatai.

Fayan. See Wuzu Fayan.

Payan

School.

developed

H6gen-shii). later

koan studies. Fayan Wenyi

Payan Wenyi.

One

of the Five Schools of Chinese

Zen Buddhism.

It

than the other schools in the tenth century but soon perished. Initiated is

H6gen

the founder.

Mon'eki). 885-958.

Dharma

(Rakan Keichin). Abbot of Baoen Monastery

heir of

Luohan Guichen

Jinling

Jiangsu

.

Glossary

)

China. Author of

283

many poems and commentaries

including the Ten Admonitions

(Shdmon Jikku-ron). His posthumous name

for the Zen School

(DaihSgen Zenji). Regarded

Great-Fayan

ter

and Index

as

is

Zen Mas-

founder of the Fayan

School. Faying. Editor of Threaded-Pearl flapping Verses of the Zen School.

Fazang. See Avatamsaka School. feeling.

•").

(

One

of the

five

skandhas. See also twelvefold causation of rebirth.

Fengxue Yanzhao. Shoushan Xingnian's teacher. Fengyang. See Deshan Xuanjian. Fifth Ancestor. See fifth

Daman

Hongren.

day of the fifth month. The day of the Dragon-boat Festival in China.

fighting spirits. See six realms. {saigoshin). The state of being free from rebirth. That of an arhat; or in Mahay ana, of a bodhisattva whose enlightenment is equal to buddha. fined. Monks are asked to pay for a small portion of oil for the lamps, when they make careless

final body.

mistakes. 52 fire

on your head to be put out. See saving your headfrom fire. 50

fish.

Same

(jhokhimn).

first thought.

thought of enlightenment.

as

Often represents freedom. 19, 20, 51, 71, 72, 104-6, 166,

fishing pole.

1

216, 219

10 Raising a

(Jzentd).

fist.

200

lOO

fish's heart.

fist

200 205

expresses direct understanding.

gobntm. Mahavairochana, Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitayus (Amitabha), and Amoghasiddhi. Regarded as manifestations of the fivefold wisdom of

Five Buddhas.

Mahavairochana. 149

().

five eyes.

eyes.

Fleshly eyes, heavenly eyes,

tyekabuddhas.

Dharma eyes

fivefold controlling power. 5.

5.

fivefold

Wisdom. See moral power.

fivefola

Wisdom.

wisdom

Wisdom

Heavenly eyes are those of devas.

eyes,

are those of bodhisattvas.

{gokoti).

i

.

Trust 2. Effort. .

dharma

eyes,

and buddha

eyes are those of shravakas and pra-

3.

1

17

Mindfulness. 4. Concentration.

also thirty-seven bodmpdkshikas

{gonfd).

i.

Trust

.

2. Effort.

3.

Mindfulness. 4. Concentration.

See also thirty-seven bodhipdkshikas

wisdom. See Five Buddhas.

Same

Five Gates.

as Five Schools.

five great elements.

145

(^goda". Four great elements (earth, water,

fire,

and

air)

plus space.

104 Five Lakes. Five Lamps

199 Merged in the Source. "Wudeng Huiyuan

of the

five

major records

S

(Daisen Fusai,

en tradition in

or 1

179-1253) of the

(GotdEgen). Abbreviated edition hina. Probably edited bv Linji School.

The

five

Dachuan Puji

books

are:

Jingde

Record of Transmission of Lamps, Tiansheng Extensive Record of Lamps, Jianzhong Jingguo Later Record of Lamps, Arrayed Lamps of the Zen School Mergea in Essence, and J iatai Record of the Universa/ Lamps. Five Mountains.

(Gozan; Gosan). The highest-ranked Zen monasteries in China whose

abbots were appointed by the emperor. Instituted during the reign of Emperor Ning-

zong of Southern Song,

Hang Region

1

195-1225.

(Zhejiang

)

•

2.

i.

Wanshou Monastery

Lingyin Monastery

Mt. Jing Mt. Bei

Hang

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

284 Region (Zhejiang).

3.

Mt. Taibo

Jingde Monastery

Mt. Nan

(Zhejiang). 4. Jingci Monastery 5.

Mt. Ayuwang

Guangli Monastery

Ming Region Hang Region (Zhejiang). Ming Region (Zhejiang).

This system was adopted bv the Rinzai School in japan and Five Mountains were estab-

Kamakura, then

lished in

in

Kyoto.

Based on Bodhidharma's poem, JRTL, chap.

soyd).

five petals.

am

I

3:

originally in this land,

transmit dharma, and save deluded hearts.

One blossom opens The

fruit

five petals.

matures of

itself.

Usually interpreted as Bodhidharma's teaching which was divided into the teachings of the Five Schools of Chinese Zen.

buddha

ancestors. (g/'

five ranks.

1

as representing all

interprets "five petals

,

Dongshan

).

Dogen

18 Liangjie's theory of understanding reality,

two elements: Chinese, zheng

(j

o)

("

and pian

).

Zheng,

which

consists of

literally, correct or

right, can be here translated as real, general, complete, universal,

up-

noumenal, absolute,

or oneness. Pian, literally, eccentric or one-sided, can be interpreted as apparent, special, partial, particular,

theory consists

of: i

phenomenal,

relative, or differentiation.

Pian within zheng.

Zheng within pian.

2.

and pian together. There are

alone. 5. Zheng

Five Schools.

.

(^goke).

The major

schools of

China: The Fayan, Guiyang, Caodong,

3.

Dongshan's original Zheng alone.

later versions of the five ranks.

Zen Buddhism

Yunmen, and

after the late

Linji Schools.

4.

Pian

109,

1 1

Tang Dynasty

Dogen

denies that

these schools offer separate teachings. 4, 5, 39, 144, 158, 190 '

Five Houses. 145 five

skandhas Skt.

M^

.

(goon; goun).

The

five

aggregates of

phenomenal world: form (matter),

in the

consciousness.

What

is

commonly

all

physical and mental elements

feeling, perception, impulses or volition,

seen as a self

is

and

explained as an interdependent com-

bining of these elements, not a fixed entity performing various functions.

12

136,

162 169 five-taste

Zen

(^gomi Zen).

Guifeng Zongmi

Keih6 Shiimitsu),

Fifth Ances-

tor of the

Avatamsaka School, made

people's,

Hinayana, Mahayana, and Supreme-vehicle (Bodhidharma's Zen). Dogen

opposed to such

classifications

five classifications

of Zen: non-Buddhist, ordinary

and uses the word one-taste Zen

khimi Zen)

is

in

the "Instruction for the Tenzo." 61

gojd. Three Vehicles plus

Five Vehicles.

fixed standards.

flapping the brain. See turning the body flesh.

See skin,

Human

Vehicle and

Deva

Vehicle.

150

39

flesh, bones,

andflapping

the brain,

and marrow. 109, 135 169, 170

lump of red. 9 fleshly eyes.

See five

eyes.

Often represents dharma. 19, 22, 44, 45, 138, 149, 162, 172, 179, 194 illusory. 150

flotuer.

raising a. J

81

-. 159

.

flowers in the sky.

filing-

I

•

(Mge - Illusionary

As water.

2.

vision.

117

(Mireki; kyoryaku). Literally, passing

through or contin-

.

.

1

.

.

and Index

Glossary

uous passage. In Dogen's usage, experiencing

moment.

the present

14, 78, 80, 103,

all

285

time

—

—

past, future,

as

having the same harmony and

and present

as

104-6, 107

138

fluctuations.

167

footprints.

Often indicates a monastery. The assembly described

forest.

.

serenity as trees in a

mountain.

wood.

10

1

216

122

valley.

forge.

206

form.

I

(J

.

''). Matter, or material phenomena. One of the five skandhas. 2.

or figure. 15,

70

77,

87

(2o).

Image

97-100, 102, 105 129, 136, 138 153, 158, 162 179,

205, 207 myriad. 60, 77 right.

47, 188

form-being.

former

life.

77

44

formless worlds. See three worlds,

form world. See

three worlds.

forty-two degrees. See ten stages

and three classes

feeling. 3.

of oodhisattvas

shi mnjo).

four applicatiom of mindfulness.

i

.

Mindfulness of body.

Mindfulness of thoughts. 4. Mindfulness of

all

2.

Mindfulness of

things. See also tmrty-seven

bodhipdkshikas

Four Continents.

(jhishiT).

The continents on

the oceans around Mt.

Sumeru according

to

Indian mythology. Represent the entire world. 44

shi jinsoku.

four elements of supernormal power.

enterer. 2. Once-returner. 3. Never-returner. 4.

158

Intention. 2. Effort. 3. Mental

.

shika. The four stages in the progress of an arhat:

four fruits of the way.

121,

i

Wisdom.

activity. 4.

Arhat

who

has no

i.

more need

Streamto study.

252(n.8)

four great elements. See five great elements. 92, 104, 136, 162, 169 four notions. See sixty-two views. four or five sho. See sho.

four postures

(J

sitting,

1

25

gz.).

The

four noble forms of action in everyday

and lying down.

1

shi shdgon)

four right efforts

.

i

.

arisen

good

walking, standing,

To discard wrongdoings that have arisen.

the arising of unarisen wrongdoings.

ment

life:

5

3.

To develop unarisen good

2.

To prevent

actions. 4.

To aug-

actions. See also thirty -seven bodtjipdkshikas

Sh

Four Seas and Five Lakes.

ai Goko). China.

199

Fourth Ancestor. See Dayi Daoxin. four types of offering.

(j

four views on water.

Food, clothes, bedding, and medicine. 61

ijsswi s hi ken).

teacher, says in his It is like

z).

Asvabhava

commentary of Asanga's

(ca.

Treatise on

450 —

n) an Indian Buddhist

Emerging

water whose nature remains the same. But

Mahayana:

as celestial beings,

human

beings, hungry ghosts, and fish do not carry the same effect (from past causations),

they each see water differently. Celestial beings see see

it

as water,

hungry ghosts

see

it

as

it

as jewels,

pus and blood, and

people in the world

fish see it as a palace.

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

286 framework. 36 freedom. 18, 65, 102 frogs.

148

frosts.

179 I 6

fruit

fruition.

114

1

18,

138

172

203

Fu. See senior

Fu

of Taiyuan.

fuho misho izen. See

before

your parents were bom.

fubo shoshd. See after your parents were bom. fuchi. See not -knowing.

Fudeng. See Heshan Shouxun. fue. See not-understanding

Zen

Fue. See Threaded-Pearl Capping Verses of the

School.

merging.

fuego. See

fugo. See not-talking.

Fuguo. See Weibo;

Yuanwu Keqin.

Fuguo Yuanwu Chanshi Yulu. See Recorded Sayings of Zen Master Fuguo Yuanwu. Fujian. See TatptngHmqtn.

Fujiwara, Motofusa. 4

6

Fukakusa.

7

Fukan Zazm-gi. See Broad Recommendation of Zazen. Fuketsu Ensho. Shoushan Xingnian's teacher.

'

full activity. See kakkei. full bows. See nine full boivs. full practice. Sttgujtn.

fumon. See not-hearing.

fundamental point. See koan. 108, 112, 172 funi. See nonduality furnace.

62

219

furnace and bellows.

(robui

i

The practice place where

.

138

furnishings.

Furong Daokai.

(Fuy6 D5kai).

He became dharma heir of Touzi (Hubei

1£

). fiiryu.

) China

Revitalized the

and

Lamps Merged in

fushi. See no-birth, no-death.

fushiki. See not-knowing. fushiryd. See nonthinking.

fiisu.

See no-birth, no-death.

See Minister Feng.

See six

officers.

futo. See not-arriving.

1

18. Studied Taoist sorcery

letters.

5,

when young.

Ying Region community at Lake Furong (Shandong 109, 124, 184, 192, 206

later established a

the Source.

fuse. See giving.

Fu Shoko.

043-1

Caodong School.

furyu monji. See not depending upon Fusai. See Five

1

Yiqing. Taught at Mt. Dayang'

See wind and stream.

fusho fushi.

the master tempers or trains the

126

students. 2. Entire daily activity.

(

.

.

Glossary

and Index

287

Futo-roku. See Jiatai Record of the Universal Lamps, future. 70, 75,

103

121

(BusshS Hotai). Ca. twelfth century a.d.

Fuxing Fatal.

Keqin, Linji School. Abbot of Mt. Dagui China. Zen Master Fuxing (Bussho Zenji)

(Butsugen ) eion).

Fuyan Qingyuan.

became dharma

Lotus Sutra,

Longmen

heir of

1

is

Dharma

Tan Region his

m

heir of

Yuanwu

(Hunan

)

posthumous name. 112

067-1 120. After studying precepts and the

Wuzu

Fay an, Linji School, China. Also called

(RyQmon). Zen Master Fuyan

is

his title given

by the emperor. 191

Fuyd Dokai. See Furong Daokai Fuzan. 23 fuzenna. See nondefiled.

fuzenna no shusho. See undefiled practice and enlightenment, ga. See

self.

gabyo. See painted rice-cake; painting of a rice cake.

Gachimn

Butsu. See Sun-face

gain, idea

of.

Buddha IMoon-face Buddha,

34 Gantan Ziguo. Baizhao Zhiyuan's teacher. Ganto Zenkatsu. See Yantou Quanhuo.

ganzei. See eyeball.

40

gate").

90, III, 147, 15

authentic.

20I, 2o6

143

147

front.

Wumen Guan

Gateless Gate.

(Mumon-kan). One of the best known

koans, along with Blue Cliff Record and Book

Wumen

(Mumon

Huikai

ten ho.

See

Dharma

Gautama. 115, 117,

turns you, 1

*

in 1254.

89

and also you turn dharma.

18, 121

Gautama 's

bandits .201

Gautama's

eyeball vanished.

Enlightenment that

is

free

from enlightenment. See

also eyeball;

away

dropping ge.

collections of

Forty-eight cases, compiled by

Ekai) of the Linji School, China. Published in

1229. First brought to Japan by Kakushin ga

of Serenity.

See hindrance,

gedatsu. See emancipation, gedo. See heretics,

gen.

See

gen.

See actualization,

general. genjo.

eye.

An

element of the

five ranks.

20, 219

See actualization. 19

genjo koan. See actualizing the fundamental point.

"Genjo Koan." 25

Gensha Shibi. See Xuansha gentle melancholy.

gimlet.

Shibei.

20

A term used to indicate a sharp,

giving.

fuse.

One

penetrating Zen master. 89, 1 19 of the six paramitas. Also one of the bodhisattva's four methods of

guidance. See "Bodnisattva's Four Methods of Guidance" in the text. 44, 45 go.

goat,

enlightenment

no

.

no

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

288 gobutsu. See Five Buddhas. gods, realm

64

of.

godai. See five great elements gogen. See five eyes

Gohon Daisht. See Dongshan

Liangjie.

See five ranks,

got.

going beyond. 82

203

going-beyond ancestor.

(Jmkkdoi

going beyond buddha.

buddhahood. Acting attachment to

means

that

it.

freely

Cf.

).

Also translated

as

buddha going beyond; ongoing

and correctly within practice-and-enlightenment without

"Going beyond Buddha," section

you reach buddha, and going

further,

9:

"Going beyond buddha"

you continue

to see

buddha. 137,

159, 184

"Going Beyond Buddha. " 22, 203-10 going beyond enlightenment See enlightenment .

going beyond, unloc/zing the barrier.

,

3.

{kojo kanrei).

gojo. See Five Vehicles. goke. See Five Schools.

gokon. See fivefold controlling power.

Gokuraku Monastery. See Kosho Horin Monastery. gold.

73

Golden Beam SUtra. See Suvarna Prabhdsottama Sutra. golden body.

One

of the thirty-three marks of the Tathagata. '

gomiZen. See gomyaku. See

five-taste

Zen

.

'

ceaseless

murmuring.

gong. See koan.

gongan. See koan. gongo. See words. gonjitsu.

See expedient teachingicomplete teaching.

gonku. See words goon. See five skandhas. gortki.

See fivefold moral power.

goroku. See

Mazu Daoyi.

Gosan. See Five Mountains.

Goso Hoen. See

Wuzu Fayan.

gosshiki. See karma-consciousness

Goto Egen. See Five Lamps Merged in the Source. goun. See five skandhas. gourd.

Growing on twisting

vines, gourds represent the succession of ancestors. 169, 197,

202 government. feudal. 3 warrior. 3, 23 goyo. See five petals.

Gozan. See Five Mountains.

Gozu Hoyu. See Ntutou Farong. Gozu-shu. See Niutou Farong.

I1

1

.

and Index

Glossary

gradual enlightenmentI realization

(jzengo)

•

289

A method of practice or cultivation which leads

step-by-step to enlightenment. 33, 148 grasping. See twelvefold causation of rebirth.

See blade of grass; hundreds of grasses. 15, 46, 71,

grass.

hundreds

99,

1

115

14,

149, 167

214

winter.

grass -being. gratitude.

77

49 {daishi

great death. great

77

129

of.

dharma

wheel. See

- Complete readiness

dharma

for death, thereby

being

free

from death. 138

wheel,

great ease. 4

Great-Fayan. See Fayan Wenyi.

61

great fruit.

great function.

217

Great Guishan. See Guishan Lingyou. great house.

(taike).

greaf matter. See

life's

life's

Assembly, audience of the master's lecture.

study of the great matter.

6

111

122, 201

36, 144, 159, 191

study of the. 6

single.

66,

50

1

Great Northern Continent. See Sumeru. 87 Great Plum Mountain. See Damei Fachang.

Great Song. See Song, great tamer of beings.

4 (Daihoshaku-kyo).

Great Treasure-Heap Sutra. Dabaoji-jing

compiled by Bodhiruchi of the sixth century a.d. The previously translated Chinese texts.

own Great great

translations.

Vehicle.

The

last

first

A

Mahayana

scripture

fifty-nine parts consist of

twenty-six parts consist of Bodhiruchi's

120 chapters.

148

way of all buddhas. See buddha way.

Gridhrakuta See Vulture Peak .

,

ground. 88, 117 beneath your feet. earth-.

of no doubt. treasure-.

gruel.

199

88 124

88

10 54

Guangcheng.

(KSsei).

A

legendary Chinese sorcerer. 106

Guangjiao Monastery. See Shex tan Guixing.

Guangli Monastery. See Five Mountains.

Guangzuo. See Zhimen Guangzuo.

Guanyin Monastery. See Zhaozhou Congshen. Guanzt. B.C.

g""t.

. A book of ancient China, attributed

to

Guanzhong

of the seventh century

47

49

"Guidelines for Studying the Way." 7,

Guijeng Zongmi. See

Guishan blowing

31-43

five-taste Zen.

the unlit firewood. Cf. Classified Accounts of the

Zen

Forests,

chap. 14:

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

290

When

Guishan Lingyou was studying with Baizhang, he was working together

with Baizhang

mountain. Baizhang said, "Fetch some

in the

Baizhang

"Here you

are."

blew on

three times, and gave

it

»

Guishan Ltngyou.

Along with

*S

said,

"What it

(Isan Reiyu).

is

it?"

fire."

Guishan picked up

to Baizhang.

it.

heir of Baizhang Huaihai.

dharma brother Huang bo, he became a renowned Zen master of the j§ Tan Region at Mt. Gui (Mt. Dagui or Great-Guishan

his

)

(Hunan

)

China, and raised excellent students including Yangshan Huiji.

His words are collected in Guis ban's Guiding is

Zen Master Dayuan

of the Guiyang School. 53, 57, 65, Great.

said,

dead branch,

Baizhang acknowledged

771-853. Dharma

Tang Dynasty. Taught

humous name

Guishan

a

(Isan Kyosaku).

Stick

His post-

(Daien Zenji). Regarded as co-founder

127

173, 194, 244(11.3)

64

Guishan's water buffalo Cf. JRTL, chap. 9: .

One day master Guishan taught

the assembly, "After

I

have passed away

I

will

On the left side of the buffalo's chest the characters, "I am a monk of Guishan, will be written. When you call me the monk of Guishan, I will be a water buffalo. When you call me water become a water

buffalo,

I

buffalo at the foot of the mountain.

will be a

monk

of Guishan.

Then how

are

you going to

call

me?" 57

Guixing. See Shexian Guixing.

Guiyang

School,

(Igy6-shu).

i

One

of the Five Schools of Chinese

Zen Buddhism,

de-

veloped earlier than the other schools in the ninth century A.D. and perished in the

Named

tenth century. gujtn.

.

Full,

after

Guishan Lingyou and Yangshan Huiji. 145

thorough practice. Complete mastery of the way. '

Gutei. See Juzhi. -

gyo. See practice; impulses.

gyosoku. See raising nts foot.

Gydzan Ejaku. See Yangshan Huiji.

hacmman shisen. See

eighty-four thousand.

hachi nans ho. See eight difficult situations.

(Kaie Shutan). 1025 — 1072.

Haihui Shouduan. Linji School.

)

Dharma

Abbot of Haihui Monastery, Mt. Boyun

heir of

Yangqi Fanghui,

Shu Region

(Anhui

China.

Haikyu. See Minister Fang. hair,

hair

a

single.

tuft.

41

See white hair

tuft.

Hajun. See Papiyas. hakkai. See eight precepts.

Hakucho Shim. See Baizhao Zhiyuan. Jiakuin Ekaku. See Rinzai hakujushi. See cypress

half

School.

tree.

mango. In the last part of his life King Ashoka, after giving away everything to the Buddhist monks, had only half a mango left to him, which satisfied the entire community. (King Ashoka Sutra, chap. 5)45, 61

hammer. 147 hamokushaku. See broken wooden dipper, hannya. See prajnd. haramitsu. See six pdramitas.

1

.

Glossary

(jkiwgyd

harmonizing body.

be calm and peaceful so ,

it

harmonizing mind.

totonou).

accords with the (jhinsd

undivided nature

its

totonou).

actualized. 37,

is

and Index To

291

adjust or arrange for one's activity to

buddha way. 37 To tame mind, or take care of mind

so that

38

Hashinoku. See Prasenajit. hasshodo. See eightfold noble path, hat.

10

1

Hatano, Yoshishige. 7, 9, 12, 247(11.

i)

hatsunehan. Set parinirvdna hatsuu. See bowl.

hand. See Eight Pagodas. haze.

217

head.

¥1

{chomi). Represents the true self. See also eye at the top of the head. 94, 105, 109,

112,1 14, 201 207 shaving the. 88 ,

178

top of his.

turning your. 178

head monk. 7, 57, 189 hearer.

See shrdvaka.

204

hearing. heat.

See coldIheat.

heaven(s). 103, 112,

heavenly beings. 35, heavenly

115,

1

17,

80

See five

eyes.

lOO,

mental activity 18, 42,

101

105, 106,

115—7 155

eyes.

Heaven of No Thought.

heel(s).

206

138

entire.

{Musdten). 5kt. Asamjnika.

is

The realm of meditation where

all

stopped. 104

217

Hegel. 18

Heian Period. 2 heir.

118, 177, 181, 182, 188, 190, 195

180

authentic. correct.

189, 196

new. 191 heir-buddha.

(jhibwtsu).

Same

as

buddha's heir

bmski~).

Holder of an authentic

dharma transmission. Heiztgan-roku See Blue Cliff Record, .

hell.

90, 206

hemp. See three jin of hemp, hempen. See

bits

and pieces,

hen. See five ranks,

henzan. See all-inclusive study, here

and now. See

heretical view. heretics.

right now.

151 (^gedd). Literally,

to refer to those

tions

who

(those

who

are) outside the way.

Dogen mainly

uses this term

believe in spontaneous enlightenment without receiving instruc-

from an authentic teacher. 154, 188

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

292 heritage. i88,

192

187

correct.

192, 196

direct.

mutual. 187 heron, snowy.

214 (Kazan Shujun).

Heshan Shouxun.

1

080-1 134. Heir of Taiping Huiqin, Mt. He,

School. Restorer of Yizhong Monastery

known

China. Also hibutsu. See

Region

ButtS

Zen Master Fudeng

Linji

(Zhejiang

Zenji). 112

mt-buddha

107

hiddenness.

hiding the body.

and

as

Hu

(zJj

•").

Dropping away body and mind; complete identity of teacher

disciple.

Hiei. See Tendai School, hills.

20 shdjd Lesser Vehicles.

Hinaydna.

.

Literally, small vehicle(s).

A

term invented by early

Mahayanists to describe the conservative form of Buddhism which they

felt

emphasized

self-enlightenment Theravada Buddhism. .

hindrance.

from

"

().

)

e

reality. 2.

i

Covering, covered, sheltered, or overwhelmed

.

—

separation

In Dogen's usage, being completely covered or one with reality.

21

134 179 hiro.

.

Sixty sun. 194

hismryd. See nonthinking. hiso hihiso.

•

See realm beyond consciousness

Historical Records Shiji

(Shiki).

.

from the of the

first

Han

and unconsciousness.

The earliest official

legendary emperor

history ot China, covering the period

Huang (Yellow Emperor) to Emperor Wu

Dynasty. 130 chapters, compiled by Sima Qian

(Butei)

(Shiba Sen) (145?-

86? B.C.). History of Jin. Jinshu

(Shinsho). History of

420) China. Compiled by

West Jin (264-316) and East Jin (316(Tais6) of Tang Dynasty.

order of Emperor Taizong

130 chapters. See skin bag.

hitai.

mtotoki no kurai. See expression complete tnis moment. "0.

. See dharma.

ho.

W

.

See black dragon jewel.

Hoe. See Linji School.

Hofuku Jilten. See Baofu Congzhan. Hogen Mon'eki. See Fayan Wenyi. Hogen-shu. See Fayan School. 001.

See phenomenal expression.

hojtn. See

hop,

buddha body.

Tokiyori.

10

hokei. See lineage.

hoken. See the

many and the one.

hokkai. See phenomenal universe.

Hokyo Zammai. See Dongshan Liangjie. Hokyd-ki. See Record of Baoqing Era. holding up

a flower.

(nenge).

See treasury of the true dharma

eye.

127,

170 176

.

Glossary

holding up grass, dropping grass.

and Index

(jiemd

rakmd

.

293

Realization and emancipation.

hombunnin. See original self.

home

See shukke.

leaver.

lifei realm.

homeless

1

89, 91

55 ,

93

homon. See dharma gate.

Honei Nin'yu. See Baoning Renyong. Honen. 6, 21

Hongdao. See Yaoshan Weiyan. Hongjue. See Yunju Daoying.

Daman Hongren. Cham lot Guanglu. See

Hongren. See

Hongzhi

m Master Hongzhi.

Extensive Record oj

(Wanshi ShSgaku). 1091—1157. Dharma heir or DanxiaZichun

Hongzhi Zhengjue.

(Tanka Shijun), Caodong School. As abbot flourished with as

was

as

i

"

1

Caodong

tradition.

Author of Hongzhi's Capping

or Zongrong Record

name.

at

Mt. Tiantong

(Sh6y6-roku).

Verses

Regarded

Zen Master Hongzhi

honkinto. See cartwheels.

Honko. 23 honrai no memmoku. See original face.

andflapping the

brain.

honshu. See original practice.

Honzo Komoku. See hod.

Classified Materia Medica.

See treasure king.

Hod. Editor of Threaded-Pearl Capping Verses of the Zen School,

200

hook.

Hoon Gensoku. See Baoen Xuanze. hodsetsu.

See treasure king's land.

dharma

horin. See

wheel.

Horin Monastery. See Kosho Horin Monastery. hom(s).

1

10, 113,

210

122

painted.

82

horse.

hoofprints of a.

wtla.

167

56

Horse. See hours of Horse hosshin.

.

hosshii.

bossu. host.

See whisk.

51

See walking backward ana backward walking.

ho ten ga, ga ten ho. See hotoke. See

buddha.

Hotoke. See Buddha. hold.

enlightenment

See snapping the sleeves.

49

hotai.

and Sheep.

See buddha body.

. See aspimtion for

hosshin.

See bowl.

Dharma

turns you,

as leader

which became bases

10 218

honshin kaind. See turning the body

his

monastery

,200 monks in residence. In a period when Zen practice

in decline, he revived the

mination Zen. ity

many

and also you

turn dharma.

is

of "silent-illuot

Book of Seren-

his

posthumous

GLOSSARY AND INDEX

294 hours. See twelve hours.

hours of Horse

and Sheep. Horse

is

the seventh hour of the day. Sheep

is

the eighth hour of the

day. See also twelve hours.

79 Often represents Buddhism,

house.

as in the

buddha's house. 41

,

138

abandoned. 92 narrow. 109

Hozo. See Avatamsaka School.

Huaichang. 4 Huaihai. See Batzhang Huaihai.

Huairang. See Nanyue Huairang.

(Obaku Kiun). Ca. ninth century A.D. Dharma

Huangbo Xiyun.

Huaihai. laught at Mt. Huangbo,

Ning Region

(Jiangxi

heir of

)

Baizhang

China.

Known

kind teaching including beating with stick. Teacher of Linji /ixuan. His teachings

for

are collected in Essential Teaching of Transmission of

Regarded

founder of Japanese

as

Huanglong Huinan. See Linji

Huanglong Order. See Linji

Obaku

Mind

School. 78, 100,

(Denshin Hoyo).

181

182, 209, 210

School.

School.

Daman Hongren.

Huangmei. See

Huating. See Chuanzi Decheng\Jiashan Shanhui. 106

Huayan hub.

SchoolIHuayen School. See

Avatamsaka

School.

218

Hutji. See YangshanHuiji.

Dazu

Huike. See

^

Huike. '

Huinan. See Linji

School.

Hutneng. See Dajtan Huineng.

Huiqin. See TaipingHuiqin.

Nanyue Huisi.

hutst. See

Huitang Zuxin. Teacher of Qingyuan Weixin. Huiwen. Nanyue Huisi's teacher.

Huimng Wuming.

Editor of Arrayed Lamps of the Zen School Merged in Essence.

Huizhao. See Linji Yixuan. Hutzhong. See Nanyang Huizhong.

human").

35

human

beings.

15 human

89, 158

138

existence.

47,

62 100

loi,

).

i.

(JjyakusS). All things.

Hunger

as

opposed to

156

Husheng Monastery. See Davui Fachang. hut(s). grass.

125,213

grass-roofed.

thatched.

135 159

216

77

11 5-7, 129,

132 145

147,

129, 131

satisfaction. 2. In

ultimate truth. 21, 126, i^a, 136, 138 hungry ghosts. 64, 89 102 hunters.

102 104-6,

102

realm. 64,

hundreds of grasses. hunger.

44

40, 41

164 179

Dogen's usage, emptiness or

.

.

Glossary

and Index

295

Hyakujo Ekai. See Baizhang Huaihai. HyakujoShingt. See Baizhang Regulations, hyakusd. See hundreds of grasses. /••

See conscious endeavor.

am always intimate with this. See intimate. 135, 197 / am the honored one. See Alone above and below the heavens, I am the honored one. (jmdai. i Someone who is unable to or who does not wish icchantika. Skt. a buddha. 2. In D5gen's usage, a buddha who goes beyond buddha. 206 I

.

ichijiku.

to

become

See single scroll,

icmjo. See

One

Vehicle,

ichimi Zen. See five-taste Zen.

icmnyo. See wholeness,

34, 103

ideas.

sattva's igi.

One

{ddji).

identity-action.

of the bodhisattva's four methods of guidance. See "Bodhi-

Four Methods of Guidance' in the

text.

44, 46, 47

See dignified bearing,

ignorance. See twelvefold causation of rebirth.

Igyo-shu. See

Guiyang

School,

lhaku. See WeH>o. tigi.

See dignified bearing,

ikkyoso. See blade of grass, illogical phrases. 5 illogical stories.

100

166

illumination. 143, imitative

dharma. See

immediacyI immediate

.

three periods

43

immediate realization.

immo See .

immo

ho.

7

.

84, 2 19