T2582 Shōbōgenzō The True Dharma-Eye Treasury, Volume II

Chapter 36: Kōmyō - Brightness

[Chapter Thirty-six]

Kōmyō

Brightness

Translator's Note: Kōmyō means luminosity, light, or brightness. Such light has been re vered in Buddhism since ancient times, and has both a physical and a mental or spiritual side. Generally speaking, idealistic people believe in spiritual light whereas materialistic people only believe in physical light, but according to Buddhist theory, brightness has both a physical side and a mental side. In this chapter Master Dōgen explained this brightness. He explained that the universe is our own brightness, that the universe is just brightness, that our behavior in the universe is brightness, and that there is nothing other than brightness.

[121] Great Master Chōsha Shōken1 of Konan2 in the great kingdom of Song, in formal preaching in the Dharma hall, preaches to the assembly: The whole universe in ten directions is the eye of a śramaṇa. The whole universe in ten directions is the everyday speech of a śramaṇa.

The whole universe in ten directions is the whole body of a śramaṇa. The whole universe in ten directions is the brightness of the self. The whole universe in ten directions exists within the brightness of the self.

In the whole universe in ten directions there is no one who is not themselves.

3

Learning in practice of the Buddha's truth must always be done in earnest; it should not be "more and more distant, further and further re moved. " [But]

the past masters who have learned brightness through such effort are rare. The Chinese emperor Kōmyō of the Later Han dynasty4 —whose name during

his reign was Sō and whose posthumous name was Emperor Kensō—was 293

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the fourth son of Emperor Kōbu. During the reign of Emperor Kōmyō, in the tenth year of the Eihei era,

5 [Kāśyapa-]Mātaṅga6 and Jiku-hōran (Ch.

Zhufalan)7 first introduced the Buddha's teaching into the Han kingdom. Before altars for the burning of sutras, they defeated a false group of Daoists and demonstrated the mystical power of the buddhas.

8 Thereafter, in the

Futsū era during the reign of Emperor Bu of the Liang dynasty, 9 the First Pa triarch10 personally journeyed from India to Kōshū11 district on the South [China] Sea. He was the rightful heir to the authentic transmission of the right-Dharma-eye treasury, and the twenty-eighth generation Dharma descendant of Śākyamuni Buddha. At that time he hung his traveling staff at Shōrinji on Shōshitsuhō Peak in the Sūzan Mountains. He authentically transmitted the Dharma to the Second Patriarch, Zen Master Taiso.

12 This was the direct

experience of the Buddhist patriarchs' brightness. Before this, no one had seen or heard of the brightness of the Buddhist pa triarchs. How could any have known their own brightness? Even if they came across that brightness, fetching it via the brain, they did not learn it in experience with their own eyes. Therefore, they did not clarify whether the brightness is long or short, square or round; and they did not clarify whether the brightness is winding or unwinding, focusing in or radiating out. Be cause they hated to meet with the brightness, the brightness became "more and more distant and further and further removed" from the brightness. This alienation—although it is itself brightness—is restricted by alienation.

13 Stinking skinbags who are

"more and more distant and further and further removed" hold the following views and opinions: "The Buddha's light and the brightness of the self must be red, white, blue, and gold, like light from a fire or light on water, like the light of a pearl or the light of a jewel, like the light of dragons and gods, like the light of the sun and moon.

" Although they "sometimes follow good counselors and sometimes follow the sutras, " when they hear the spoken teaching

on brightness they think that [brightness] might be like the light of a firefly. This is never learning in practice through the eyes and the brain. From the Han through the Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties14 to the present, there have been very many such streams. Do not learn from literary Dharma teachers. And do not listen to the outlandish explanations of Zen masters. [126] The aforementioned "brightness of the Buddhist patriarchs" is the whole universe in ten directions; it is the whole of buddhas and the whole 294

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of patriarchs; it is buddhas alone, together with buddhas; it is the Buddha's state of brightness and the bright state of buddha. Buddhist patriarchs see Buddhist patriarchs as the brightness. Practicing and experiencing this brightness, they become buddha, sit as buddha, and experience buddha. For this reason, there is the expression that "This light illuminates the eighteen thousand buddha lands of the East. "15 This is "the light" in words. 16 "This light"17

is the Buddha's light.

"Illumination of the East" is the East's lumi nance. 18

"The East" is beyond secular doctrines of this place and that place:19 it is the heart of the Dharma doctrine, and the middle of a fist. 20 Even though [the

word "East"] restricts "the East, " it is describing eight pounds of brightness. 21 We should learn in experience the principle that "the East" exists in this land,

"the East" exists in other lands, and "the East" exists in "the East. "

As for the meaning of "eighteen thousand, "22 a "ten thousand"23 is half a fist, and is half of the mind here and now: it is not always a matter of ten units of a thousand, or of myriad myriad hundred myriads and so on. "Buddha

lands" means the inside of the eyes. If, when we see and hear the words "illuminating the East, " we assume and learn that it is as if a line of white silk were extending to the East, that is not learning of the truth. The whole universe in ten directions is nothing other than "the East. " "The East" is called "the

whole universe in ten directions. " On this basis the whole universe in ten directions exists. And the words by which it proclaims itself as the whole universe in ten directions, we hear as the sound of "the eighteen thousand buddha lands.

"

[128] The Tang emperor Kensō24 is the father of the two emperors Bokushō25 and Sensō,

26 and the grandfather of the three emperors Keisō, 27

Bunsō,

28 and Busō.

29 At his devout request, the Buddha's relics are brought into the palace for the service of offerings and in the night, the story goes, they radiate light. The emperor is overjoyed. Early next morning all his retainers present let ters of congratulation saying, "It is the response of the sacred to His Majesty's sacred virtue.

" But there is one retainer, Kan Yu Bunkō30 —

his pen-name is Taishi—who in the past has studied in the back row of the orders of Bud dhist patriarchs. Only Bunkō fails to write a letter of congratulation. Em peror Kensō asks him, "All my retainers have presented letters of congratulation. Why have you not written a letter of congratulation?" Bunkō answers,

"Your humble servant has seen it written in Buddhist texts 295

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that the Buddha's light is not blue, yellow, red, or white. The present [light] was just the light that is guarded by dragon-gods.

" The emperor asks,

"What

is the Buddha's light?" Bunkō does not answer.

31 This Bunkō, though a lay man, has the spirit of a stout fellow. His talent might be said to turn the heavens and spin the earth. Study like this is the starting point in learning the state of truth. Study that is not like this is not in the state of truth. Even if our lecturing on sutras causes heavenly flowers to fall, if we have not arrived at this truth, it is vain effort. Even if we are [only a bodhisattva in] the ten sacred stages or the three clever stages, if we can retain the long tongue32 in the same mouth as Bunkō, that is establishment of the will and practice-and-experience. Nevertheless, Kan Bunkō, there is still something in the Buddhist texts that you have not seen or heard. How have you un derstood these words that "The Buddha's light is not blue, yellow, red, or white"? If you have the ability to understand, when you look at blue, yellow, red, and white, that they are not the Buddha's light, then further, when you look at the Buddha's light, you must never see it as blue, yellow, red, or white. If Emperor Kensō were a Buddhist patriarch, he would pursue such a line of questioning. In summary, the brightness that is utterly clear is the hundred weeds.

33 The brightness of the hundred weeds is, already, their roots, stems, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruits, light, and color—it is never some thing added on or taken away. There is the brightness of the five worlds, 34 and the

brightness of the six worlds:35 perhaps "this is just the place where the ineffable exists.

" [The expression] that explains light and explains brightness might be: "How is it that mountains, rivers, and the earth suddenly appear?"36 [132] We must painstakingly learn in practice the words spoken by Chōsha that "The whole universe in ten directions is the brightness of the self. " We

must learn the self that is brightness, as the whole universe in ten direc tions. Living-and-dying, going-and-coming, are the going-and-coming of the brightness. Transcendence of the common and transcendence of the sacred are the indigo and vermilion of the brightness. Becoming buddha and be coming a patriarch are the black and gold of the brightness. Practice and ex perience are not nonexistent: they are the brightness being tainted. 37 Grass, trees, fences,

and walls; skin, flesh, bones, and marrow: these are the red and white of the brightness. Smoke, mist, water, and stone; the way of birds, the hidden paths: these are the turning cycle of the brightness. To see and hear the brightness 296

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of the self is proof of having directly encountered buddha; it is proof of having met buddha.

"The whole universe in ten directions" is "the concrete self, "38

and "the concrete self" is "the whole universe in ten direc tions" —there is no

scope for evasion. If there is a place of escape, it is the vig orous road of getting the body out.

39 The present seven feet of skull and bones is just the form and the image of the whole universe in ten direc tions. The whole universe in ten directions that we practice and experience in Buddhism is the skull and bones, the physical body, the skin, flesh, bones, and marrow. [134] Great Master Daijiun Kyōshin of Unmonzan40 is the thirty-ninth generation descendant of the World-honored Tathāgata. He has suc ceeded to the Dharma of Great Master Shinkaku of Seppō. 41 Though a jun ior in the

Buddha's retinue, he is a hero in the order of the [First] Patriarch. 42 Who

could say that on Unmonzan no brilliant buddha has ever mani fested himself in the world? Once, in formal preaching in the Dharma hall, he preaches to the assembly: "Each human being totally possesses the brightness. When looked for it is invisible, obscured in utter darkness. Just what is this brightness that is present in all people?" The assembled monks make no reply. [Unmon] himself says in their place,

"The monks' hall, the Buddha hall, the kitchen, and the three gates.

"43

[135] The present words of the great master,

"Each human being totally

possesses the brightness,

" do not say that [brightness] will appear in future, do not say that [brightness] was there in the past, and do not say that [brightness] is the realization of some onlooker: they assert that each human being naturally possesses the brightness—and we should clearly hear this and retain it. [Unmon] is bringing together a hundred thousand Unmons, letting them experience the same state, and letting them speak, with a common voice, from one mouth.

"Each human being totally possesses the brightness": Unmon is not dragging [these words] out of himself; the brightness of each human being is gathering itself up and speaking.

"Each human being totally possesses

the brightness" means the whole of humanity natu rally is the brightness. "The brightness" means "each human being.

" [The brightness] gathers hold

of the brightness and makes it into object and sub ject. It may be that the brightness totally possesses each human being!44 The brightness naturally is each human being;45 each human being naturally possesses each human being;46 each moment of brightness naturally pos sesses each moment of 297

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brightness;47 each moment of existence totally possesses each moment of existence;48 and the existence of each moment of totality possesses each moment of totality.

49 So remember,

"the brightness" that "each individual

human being totally possesses" is the realized individ ual human being, and is the individual human being that each individual state of brightness totally possesses. Now let us ask Unmon, What do you mean by "each human being"? What do you mean by "brightness"? Unmon himself has said, "Just what is

this brightness?" This question is brightness in which doubt kills comment. 50

Nonetheless, when words are being spoken like this, each individual human being is an individual state of brightness. The monks in the assembly make no reply. Though they have a hundred thousand expressions of the truth, they speak by means of no reply. This state is the right-Dharma-eye treasury and the fine mind of nirvana, which are authentically transmitted by the Buddhist patriarchs.

[138] Unmon, putting himself in the place [of the assembly], says, "The

monks' hall, the Buddha hall, the kitchen, and the three gates. " The words

expressed now,

"putting himself in the place,

" mean putting himself in

Unmon's place, putting himself in the place of the assembly, putting himself in the place of the brightness, and putting himself in the place of the monks' hall, the Buddha hall, the kitchen, and the three gates. But what does Unmon mean by "The monks' hall, the Buddha hall, the kitchen, and the three gates?" We should not call the assembly, and "each human being" [in it], "the monks'

hall, the Buddha hall, the kitchen, and the three gates. "51 How many monks'

halls, Buddha halls, kitchens, and three gates are there?52 Should we see them as Unmon? Should we see them as the Seven Buddhas? Should we see them as four lots of seven?53 Should we see them as two lots of three?54 Should we see them as a fist? Should we see them as nostrils? Though the aforementioned monks' hall, Buddha hall, kitchen, and three gates are any Buddhist patriarch, they are not immune to "each individual human being. "

Therefore, they are beyond "each individ ual human being. "55 Once they

have become so, there are instances of there being Buddha halls without buddhas,

56 and there are states of being without buddha in which there is no Buddha hall.

57 There are buddhas who have light;58 there are luminant buddhas who are without;59 there is the light of Buddha in being without;60 and there is the light of Buddha that is existence. 61

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[139] "Great Master Shinkaku62 of Seppō preaches to the assembly, 'In

front of the monks' hall, I have met you all. '"63

This is just the time when Seppō's whole body is the eye, it is the moment Seppō glimpses Seppō, and it is the monks' hall meeting the monks' hall. "Referring to this, Hōfuku64 asks Gako, 65 'Let us set aside for a while the front of the monks' hall. At what place are we to meet Bōshūtei Pavilion, 66

or Usekirei Peak?'67 Gako runs back to the abbot's quarters. Hōfuku goes straight into the monks' hall. "

The present "returning to the abbot's quarters" and "going into the monks' hall" are getting the body free as a comment, are the truth of the state of meeting each other, and are the monks' hall having met itself. [141] "Great Master Shino of Jizo-in Temple68 says, 'The cook69 is going

into the kitchen hall.

'"70

This comment is a matter before the Seven Buddhas. ShōbōgenzōKōmyō

Preached to the assembly at Kannondōri kōshōhōrinji, in the fourth period of the third watch71 of the night of the second day of the sixth lunar month, in the third year of Ninji. 72 At the time,

the rain of the wet season fell thick and heavy, drops dripping endlessly under the eaves. "Just

what is this brightness?" The monks in the assembly could not help being pierced by Unmon's words.

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Notes

1 Master Chōsha Keishin (?-868), successor of Master Nansen Fugan. People of the time called him Shin Daichū (Shin, the Big Cat) because he was as sharp and quick as a tiger. 2 In present-day Hunan province. 3 Keitokudentōroku,chapter 10. See also Chapter Sixty (Vol. III), Juppō. 4 The Later (or Eastern) Han dynasty (25-220 C.E.) was founded by Emperor Kōbu. 5 67 C.E.

6 A monk from central India. 7 Also a monk from central India, but the Sanskrit rendition of his name is not known. The arrival of Kāśyapa-Mātaṅga and Jiku-hōran (Zhufalan) was traditionally believed to be the introduction of the theoretical teaching of Buddhism into China from India. 8 The Chinese history book Kojirelates how two stands were erected in the garden of the imperial palace, one on the left for Daoist sutras and one on the right for Buddhist sutras. When the sutras were set on fire, the Daoist sutras burned but the Buddhist sutras did not.

9 The Liang dynasty (502-556) was founded by Emperor Bu (or Wu) in 502. The Futsū era was 520-527.

10 Master Bodhidharma.

11 Guangzhou.

12 Master Taiso Eka. See, for example, Chapter Thirty, Gyōji. 13 "Alienation restricted by alienation" means true alienation or undeniable alienation. Alienation here means not being ourselves. 14 The Han (206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.), Sui (ca. 581-618 C.E.), Tang (618-ca. 907), and Song (960-1279) dynasties.

15 Lotus Sutra, Jo("Introductory"): "This light illuminated the eastern quarter/Of eighteen thousand buddha lands.

" (LS 1.54.)

16 Watō-kō. Watōmeans "words, " "talk,

" "comment,

" "conversation,

" or "story.

" In the

Rinzai sect, comments and stories (so-called kōans), such as those recorded by Master Dōgen in the Shinji-shōbōgenzō,are called watō.See also Chapter Twenty (Vol. I), Kokyō,paragraph 162.

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17 Shikō. Shi,

"this,

" in Master Dōgen's commentaries means the real, the concrete, that which is not abstract. Kōmeans "light. "

18 Shō-tōhō wa tōhō-shō nari.By reversing the order of the elements shō, "illumination,

"

and tōhō,

"east" or "eastern quarter, " Master Dōgen suggested oneness between illumination and place. 19 "Doctrines of this place" means materialistic philosophies (which affirm indulgence in this world) and "doctrines of that place" means idealistic philosophies (which affirm life in the next world). 20 Tōhō,

tion.

"east" or "eastern quarter, " symbolizes a concrete and real place, not an abstrac-21 Kōmyō no hachiryō, "eight pounds of brightness, " means the concrete reality of brightness, not abstract or purely spiritual brightness. 22 Man-hassen,literally, "a ten thousand and eight thousands. " In the Chinese and Japanese system, eighteen thousand is counted as one unit of ten thousand and eight units of one thousand.

23 Master Dōgen discussed the unit of ten thousand—it sounds like an abstraction, but he did not understand it like that. 24 Emperor Kensō reigned 806-821. 25 Emperor Bokushō reigned 821-825. 26 Emperor Sensō reigned 847-860. 27 Emperor Keisō reigned 825-827. 28 Emperor Bunsō reigned 827-841. 29 Emperor Busō reigned 841-846. 30 Kan Yu Bunkō. Kan was his family name, Yu his first name. Bun,lit., "letters,

" was

his posthumous title as a man of letters, and kōis a title of respect for an officer. Kan Yu Bunkō was said to be one of the eight great men of letters during the Tang and Song dynasties.

31 Shinji-shōbōgenzō,pt. 2, no. 73. 32 Chōzetsu,

"long tongue,

" is one of the thirty-two distinguishing features of the Buddha. Figuratively, it symbolizes excellent ability in speaking or, as in this case, in not speaking.

33 Alludes to the saying mei-mei taru hyakusō-tō, The hundred weeds symbolize miscellaneous concrete things. "utterly clear are the hundred weeds. "

34 Godō,the five worlds, are hell, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, and gods. 35 Rokudō,the six worlds, are the five worlds plus the world of angry demons (asuras). 302

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36 A similar expression, by Master Rōya Ekaku, is quoted in Chapter Nine (Vol. I), Keisei-sanshiki. 37 Zenna,

"taintedness,

" means separation. Master Nangaku Ejō described the practice and experience of zazen as "not to be tainted"; that is, not to be separated into means and end. See, for example, Chapter Seven (Vol. I), Senjō. 38 Ze-jiko.In Master Chōsha's words ze, koreis a copula ("is"). Here Master Dōgen uses ze, koreas an adjective ("the concrete"). See also Chapter Six (Vol. I), Sokushin-ze-butsu. 39 Shusshin no katsuro.See Vol. I, Appendix Two, Fukanzazengi. 40 Master Unmon Bun'en (864-949), successor of Master Seppō Gison, and founder of the Unmon sect. Great Master Daijiun Kyōshin is his posthumous title. 41 Master Seppō Gison (822-907). Great Master Shinkaku is his posthumous title. 42 Soseki,

"order of the patriarch,

" usually refers to the lineages descended from the First Patriarch in China, Master Bodhidharma. 43 Shinji-shōbōgenzō,pt. 1, no. 81. 44 Kōmyō jin u jin jin zai.This is a simple reversal of the elements of Master Unmon's words jin jin jin u kōmyō zai.In the following sentence, Master Dōgen uses various permutations of the characters in Master Unmon's words, including the additional characters ji,

"naturally,

" and ze,

"is.

"

45 Kōmyō ji ze jin jin zai.

46 Jin jin ji u jin jin zai.

47 Kō kō ji u kō kō zai.

48 U u jin u u u zai. The character umeans both "to possess" and "existence. "

49 Jin jin u u jin jin zai.

50 Gi-satsu-watō no kōmyō.See note 16. 51 We should not confuse the subjects (monks) and the objects (temple buildings). 52 Subjectively, the temple buildings are different for each person who sees them. Objectively, they are the same. 53 Shi-shichi,

"four sevens,

" that is, twenty-eight, suggests the twenty-eight patriarchs in India up to Master Bodhidharma. 54 Ni-san,

"two threes,

" suggests the six patriarchs in China up to Master Daikan Enō. 55 In other words, because the temple buildings are real—they have the universal objective state of a Buddhist patriarch, and at the same time they are open to different subjective perceptions by each human being—they are beyond the subject. 303

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56 U-butsuden no mubutsu narusuggests, for example, a temple where ceremonies are conducted only for profit. 57 Mu-butsuden no mubutsu narusuggests, for example, the state of Master Reiun Shigon who realized the truth on seeing peach blossoms in the mountains. Mubutsu, "being

without buddha,

" is explained in Chapter Twenty-two, Busshō. 58 U-kō-butsu.

59 Mu-kō-butsu.

60 Mu-butsu-kō.

61 U-butsu-kō.

62 Master Seppō Gison (822-907). Shinkaku is his posthumous name. 63 Traditionally, the Dharma hall (where the master gives formal preaching) is located in front of the monks' hall (where the monks practice zazen). A slightly different version of the quotation is recorded in the Shinji-shōbōgenzō,pt. 3, no. 91, in which, Master Seppō says,

"At Bōshūtei Pavilion I have met you, at Usekirei Peak I have met you, in front of the monks' hall I have met you. " In the Shinji-shōbōgenzōversion, "you" is nanji.In the version quoted in this chapter, "you all" is shonin,literally, "all/many people" or "everyone. " A related quotation also exists in the Keitokudentōroku,chapter 19 (the section on Master Hōfuku Jūten). In the third line of the Keitokudentōrokuquotation, shonin, "everyone,

" is both the subject and object of to meet: "Brothers! I went to Bōshūtei Pavilion and met you, I went to Usekirei Peak and met you. Everyone has met everyone in front of the monks' hall. "

64 Master Hōfuku Jūten (867?-927), successor of Master Seppō. 65 Master Gako Chifu (dates unknown), also a successor of Master Seppō. 66 Bōshūtei, lit.,

place.

"Pavilion That Surveys the Province, " was one of the twenty-three beauty spots on Mount Seppō in Fuzhou province, and therefore a symbol of an ideal 67 Usekirei, lit.,

City.

"Crow's Rock Peak,

" a gently sloping mountain located close to Fuzhou 68 Master Rakan Keichin (867-928), successor of Master Gensha Shibi. Great Master Shino is his posthumous title. 69 Tenzo,one of the six main officers in a temple. 70 Keitokudentōroku,chapter 24. 71 Sankō-shiten.Each night was divided into five kō,or watches, and each watch was divided into five ten.

72 1242.

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Chapter 37: Shinjin-gakudō - Learning the Truth with Body and Mind

[Chapter Thirty-seven]

Shinjin-gakudō

Learning the Truth

with Body and Mind

158b3

Translator's Note: Shinjin means

"body and mind,

"

and gakudō means

"learning the truth,

"

so shinjin-gakudō means

"learning the truth with body

and mind.

" Generally speaking, people usually think that they can arrive at the truth through intellectual reasoning. In Buddhism, however, it is taught that the truth can be attained not by the intellect alone but through action. Therefore learning the truth in Buddhism includes both physical pursuit of the truth and mental pursuit of the truth. This is why Master Dōgen called the Buddhist pursuit of the truth "learning the truth with body and mind. "

In this chapter he explained learning the truth with body and learning the truth with mind, and at the same time, he explained that the two ways of pursuing the truth are always com bined in the oneness of action. So we can say that the division of learn ing the truth into two ways is only a method of explaining the Buddhist pursuit of the truth through action. [143] The Buddha's truth is such that if we intend not to practice the truth we cannot attain it, and if we intend not to learn [the truth] it becomes more and more distant. Zen Master Daie1 of Nangaku said, "Practice-and-experi ence is not nonexistent, but it must not be tainted. "2 If we do not learn the

Buddha's truth, we are bound to fall into the states of non-Buddhists, icchan tikas, 3 and so on. Therefore former buddhas and later buddhas all un failingly practice the Buddha's truth. Provisionally, there are two ways to learn the Buddha's truth: to learn it with the mind, and to learn it with the body. [144] "To learn with the mind" is to learn with all the kinds of mind that there are.

"All the kinds of mind" means the mind [called] citta, 4 the mind

[called] hṛdaya,

5 the mind [called] vṛddha,

6 and so on. Further, after we have

established—through sympathetic communication of the truth7 —the bodhimind, we take refuge in the great truth of the Buddhist patriarchs and learn 305

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the concrete actions that are the establishment of the bodhi-mind. Even if the real bodhi-mind has not yet arisen in us, we should imitate the methods of the Buddhist patriarchs who established the bodhi-mind before us. This is the establishment of the bodhi-mind, it is the naked mind moment by mo ment, it is the mind of eternal buddhas, it is the normal mind, and it is the triple world as the one mind. There is learning of the truth through casting aside these kinds of mind, and there is learning of the truth through taking them up. In such instances, the truth is learned through thinking, and the truth is learned through not thinking. In some instances, a robe of golden brocade is authentically transmitted and a robe of golden brocade is re ceived. 8

In other instances, there is "You have got my marrow" and there is standing in place after making three prostrations.

9 Or there is the learning of the mind

with the mind10 in pounding of rice and transmission of the robe. 11 To shave

one's head and dye one's clothes are just to convert one's mind and to enlighten one's mind. To scale the city walls and go into the mountains12 is to leave one mind and enter another mind. That the moun tains are being entered is "thinking the concrete state of not thinking. "13 That the world is

being abandoned is "non-thinking.

"14 To be amassing this state as an eye is

a matter of two or three bushels.

15 To be playing with this state as karmic

consciousness is a matter of a thousand myriad concrete characteristics. In learning the truth like this—whether acclaim has natu rally accrued to the effective or whether effectiveness has yet to accrue to the acclaimed—secretly to borrow the nostrils of a Buddhist patriarch and let them expel air, or to use the hooves of a horse or a donkey to stamp the seal of real experience, is just a signpost for ten thousand ages.

[148] In brief, mountains, rivers, and the earth, and the sun, moon, and stars are the mind. [But] just at the moment this is so, what state is being actual ized before us? As regards the meaning of "mountains, rivers, and the earth,

" "mountains and rivers" are for example a mountain and water, 16 and

"the earth" is not only this place.

17 Mountains may be of many kinds—there

is the great Sumeru and there are the lesser Sumerus, there are [mountains] that lie horizontally and those that stand vertically, there are those of three thousand worlds and those of countless realms, there are those that depend on matter and those that depend on the immaterial. Rivers also may be of many kinds—there are celestial rivers and earthly riv ers, there are the four 306

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great rivers,

18 there is the Lake of Freedom from Heat,

19 there are the four

Anavatapta Lakes in the northern continent of Uttarakuru, 20 there are oceans

and there are ponds. The earth is not always soil, and soil is not always the earth.

21 There can be ["earth" in] land, there can be ["earth" in] a mental state, and there can be ["earth" in] a treasure site.

22 ["Earth"] is of myriad kinds,

but that does not nullify [the concept] "earth.

" There may be worlds in which

space is seen as earth. There may be differences in the way that the sun, moon, and stars are seen by human beings and gods: the views of all creatures are not the same. Because this is so, what is seen by the mind of oneness23 is uniform. The [mountains, riv ers, and earth, sun, moon, and stars] described above are already the mind—so should we see them as inner or as outer? Should we see them as appear ing or as leaving? At the moment of birth is a bit of something added or not? At death is a speck of something taken away or not? Where are we to place this life and death, and these views of life and death? The past was simply one moment of the mind, then a second moment of the mind. One moment of the mind then a second moment of the mind is one moment of mountains, rivers, and the earth then a second moment of mountains, riv ers, and the earth. Because the mountains, the rivers, the earth, and so on are beyond existence and nonexistence, they are not great or small, they are not attainable or unattainable, they are beyond recognition and nonrecogni tion, they are beyond penetrability and impenetrability, and they do not change with realization and nonrealization. We should definitely believe that when the mind thus described is acquiring by itself the habit of learning the truth, that is called "the mind learning the truth.

" This belief itself is be yond great

and small, existence and nonexistence. Our present learning of the truth, "knowing that a home is not our home, giving up our families, and leaving family life": this is beyond estimation as great or small and is be yond estimation as far or near; it is beyond all the patriarchs from the first to the last and is beyond ascending and descending.

24 We have "development of things"

—of

seven feet or eight feet. We have "devotion to the moment"25 —for ourselves

and for others. The state like this is just learning the truth. [152] Because learning the truth is like this, fences, walls, tiles, and pebbles are the mind. [Learning the truth] is never that "the triple world is solely the mind" or that "the Dharma world is solely the mind"; it is fences, walls, tiles, and pebbles.

"Before the Kantsū years" it is nurtured; "after the Kantsū 307

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years" it is broken.

26 It is dragging through the mud and staying in the water; and it is binding oneself without rope.

27 It has the power to extract a gem;

and it has skill in entering the water.

28 There are days when it is released,

there are times when it disintegrates, and there are times when minutely it fades away.

29 It is not in the same state as outdoor pillars, and it is not on a par with stone lanterns.

30 Because it is like this, in running barefoot we are learning the truth and—who will put in their eyes and look?—in doing a somersault we are learning the truth. Everyone has the state of "just following circumstances, "31 at which moment falling walls allow us to learn the ten directions and the absence of gates allows us to learn the four quarters. 32

[154] "Establishment of the bodhi-mind":33 this is sometimes achieved in life-and-death, sometimes achieved in nirvana, and sometimes achieved in cir cumstances other than life-and-death and nirvana. It does not depend on a place; rather, at a place where the mind is established [the establishment] is unhindered. It neither arises from circumstances nor arises from wisdom; it is the bodhi-mind arising34 and is establishment of the bodhi-mind. 35 Estab lishment of the bodhi-mind is beyond existence and beyond nonexistence; it is beyond good, beyond bad, and beyond indifference; it does not originate from a reward state, and it is not always impossible for gods and sentient be ings to realize. It is simply that, in time with time, we establish the bodhimind. Because [the establishment] is not concerned with circumstances, in the very moment of establishment of the bodhi-mind, the whole Dharma world establishes the bodhi-mind. [The establishment] seems to turn cir cumstances around, but circumstances are not aware of it—[subject and ob ject] are extending one hand together. [At the same time] the establisher is extending his or her own hand, and is going among alien beings. Even in states such as those of hell, hungry ghosts, animals, and asuras, we establish the bodhi-mind. [156] "The naked mind moment by moment:"36 all things in the "momentmoment" state are the naked mind, which is beyond [separation] into one moment and two moments; it is "moment-moment. "

Lotus leaves are roundness on roundness,

37

Their roundness is like a mirror.

38

Spines of water chestnuts are pointedness on pointedness, 39

Their pointedness is like a drill.

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We say that [lotus leaves] are like mirrors, but they are moment, moment. We say that [chestnut spines] are like drills, but they are moment, moment. [157] "The mind of eternal buddhas:"40 long ago a monk asked National Master Daishō,

41 "What is the mind of eternal buddhas?" Then the National Master said,

"Fences, walls, tiles, and pebbles.

" So remember, the mind of

eternal buddhas is beyond fences, walls, tiles, and pebbles; and fences, walls, tiles, and pebbles are not to be called "the mind of eternal buddhas. " This is

how we learn the mind of eternal buddhas.

[158] "The normal mind,

"42 whether in this world or in other worlds,

means the normal mind. Yesterday leaves from this place and today comes from this place. When [yesterday] leaves "the whole sky" leaves, and when [today] comes "the whole earth" comes. This is the normal mind. The normal mind opens and closes within these confines. Because a thousand gates and ten thousand doors at any one time are open or closed, they are normal. 43

The present "whole sky" and "whole earth"44 are like speech that is unfamiliar, like a voice erupting from the ground, [but] the words are in equilibrium, the mind is in equilibrium, and the Dharma is in equilibrium. The living and dying of lifetimes arise and vanish in the moment, but in regard to [lifetimes] before the ultimate body45 we are utterly ignorant. Ignorant though we are, if we establish the mind we will unfailingly progress along the way of bodhi. Already this place is present, and we should have no fur ther doubt. Already there is doubt, but that itself is normal.

[159] "The body learning the truth" means learning the truth with the body, learning the truth with a mass of red flesh. The body derives from learning the truth, and what derives from learning the truth is, in every case, the body. "The whole universe in ten directions is just the real human body. "46 "Livingand-dying, going-and-coming, are the real human body. "47 Using this body to

quit the ten wrongs,

48 to keep the eight precepts,

49 to take refuge in the Three

Treasures, and to give up a family and leave family life: this is real learning of the truth. On this basis, we speak of "the real human body. " Students of later

ages must never be like non-Buddhists of the naturalistic view. [161] Zen Master Daichi of Hyakujō50 says,

"If a person attaches to the

under standing that, being originally pure and originally liberated, we are naturally buddha and naturally one with the Way of Zen, [that person] belongs among the non-Buddhists of naturalism.

"51

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These are not the broken tools of an idler; they are the "accumulated merit and heaped-up virtue"52 of learning the truth. Having sprung free, they are brilliant in all aspects. Having dropped free, they are like wisteria hanging on the trees. Sometimes they "manifest this body to save others and preach for them the Dharma";53 sometimes they manifest another body to save others and preach for them the Dharma; sometimes through nonmanifestation of this body they save others and preach for them the Dharma; sometimes through nonmanifestation of another body they save others and preach for them the Dharma, and so on . . . as far as not preaching for others the Dharma. At the same time, in [Hyakujō's] abandonment of the body there is something that has stopped all sound by raising its voice, 54 and in his throwing away of his life there is something that has got the mar row by cutting the bowels.

55 He develops as his own children and grandchil dren even those who set out to learn the truth before King of Majestic Voice. 56 The words

"the whole universe in ten directions" mean that each of the ten directions is the whole universe. The east, the west, the south, the north, the four diagonals, up and down—these are called "the ten direc tions. " We should consider

the moment when their front, back, length, and breadth are perfectly whole. "Considering" means clearly seeing and ascer taining that "the human body, "

although it is restricted by self and others,

57 is "the whole of the ten directions.

"

We have heard in this [expression] what has never been heard before— because its direction is balanced, and because its sphere58 is balanced. "The

human body" is the four elements and the five ag gregates. Neither the great elements nor the smallest particles can be wholly realized by the common person, but they are mastered in experience by the saints. Further, we should clearly see the ten directions in a single particle. It is not that the ten directions comprise single particles. In some instances a monks' hall and a Buddha hall are constructed in a single particle, and in some instances the whole universe is constructed in a monks' hall and a Buddha hall. On this basis59 [the whole universe] is constructed; and con struction, on this basis, is realized. Such a principle is that "the whole universe in ten directions is the real human body. "

We should not follow the wrong view of naturalism. That which is beyond spatial measurement is not wide or narrow.

"The whole universe in the ten

directions" is the eighty-four thousand aggregates of Dharma preaching, it is the eighty-four thou sand states of samādhi,and it is the eighty-four thousand 310

Chapter Thirty-seven

dhāraṇīs.

60 Because the eighty-four thousand aggregates of Dharma preaching are the turning of the wheel of Dharma, a place where the wheel of Dharma turns is all the world and is all of time. It is not a place without directions or boundaries: it is "the real human body.

" You now and I now are people of

"the real human body" that is "the whole universe in ten directions. " We

learn the truth without overlooking such things. As we continue, moment by moment, to give up the body and receive the body—whether for three great asaṃkheyas of kalpas, for thirteen great asaṃkheyas of kalpas, or for countless great asaṃkheyas of kalpas—the momentary state of learning the truth is always to learn the truth in forward steps and backward steps. 61 To do a prostration and to bow with joined hands are the moving and still forms of dignified behavior. In painting a picture of a withered tree, and in polishing a tile of dead ash, there is not the slightest interval.

62 The passing days are short and

pressed, but learning the truth is profound and eternal. The air of those who have given up their families and left family life may be bleak, but we are not to be confused with woodcutters. The livelihood is a struggle, but we are not the same as peasants. Do not compare us in terms of deludedness or of good and bad. Do not get stuck in the area of wrong and right or true and false. "Living-and-dying, going-and-coming, are the real human body": These words "living-and-dying"63 describe the aimless wandering64 of the common person and at the same time that which was shed by the Great Saint. The effort to transcend the common and transcend the sacred is not simply to be de scribed as "the real human body.

" In this effort there are the two kinds and

the seven kinds [of life-and-death];65 at the same time every kind, when per fectly realized, is totally life-and-death—which, therefore, we need not fear. The reason [we need not fear life-and-death] is that even before we are through with life, we are already meeting death in the present. And even before we are through with death, we are already meeting life in the present. 66 Life does

not hinder death, and death does not hinder life. Neither life nor death is known to the common person. Life may be likened to a cedar tree and death to a man of iron.

67 Cedar trees are restricted by cedar trees, but life is never restricted by death, for which reason it is the learning of the truth. Life is not the primary occurrence, and death is not the secondary one. Death does not oppose life, and life does not depend on death.

[168] Zen Master Engo68 says:

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Life is the manifestation of all functions, Death is the manifestation of all functions. They fill up the whole of space.

The naked mind is always moment by moment. 69

We should quietly consider and examine these words. Although Zen Master Engo has spoken like this, he still does not know that "life-and-death" is beyond "all functions.

" When we learn going-and-coming in practice, there is life-and-death in going, there is life-and-death in coming, there is goingand-coming in life, and there is going-and-coming in death. "Going-and-coming,

" with the whole universe in the ten directions as two wings or three wings, goes flying away and comes flying back, and with the whole universe in the ten directions as three feet or five feet, steps forward and steps back ward. With life-and-death as its head and tail, "the real human body" that is the whole universe in ten directions can turn somersaults and turn around its brain. In turning somersaults and turning around its brain, it is as if the size of a penny, or like the inside of an atom. 70 The flat, level, and even state is walls standing a thousand feet high.

71 And the place where walls stand a thousand feet high is the flat, level, and even state. Thus the real features of the southern continent72 and the northern continent73 exist; examining their [real features], we learn the truth. The bones and marrow of non-thought and non-non-thought exist; resisting this [idea], we solely learn the truth. ShōbōgenzōShinjin-gakudō

Preached to the assembly at Hōrinji on the day of double good fortune74 in the third year of Ninji.

75

312

Notes

1 Master Nangaku Ejō (677-744), successor of Master Daikan Enō. Zen Master Daie is his posthumous title.

2 See, for example, Chapter Seven (Vol. I), Senjō. 3 The Sanskrit icchantikameans one who pursues desires to the end and therefore has no interest in the truth.

4 The Sanskrit cittameans thought, intention, reason, intelligence. See Vol. I, Glossary of Sanskrit Terms.

5 The Sanskrit hṛdayameans the heart (especially as the seat of emotions and mental activity), soul, or mind. The Chinese commentary Makashikantranslates hṛdayaas sōmoku-shin,

"mind of grass and trees.

" Broadly then, hṛdayacan be interpreted as the unconscious or subconscious mind. Ibid. 6 The Sanskrit vṛddhameans grown up, experienced, wise. The Makashikantranslates vṛddhaas shakuji-shōyō-shin,

"experienced and concentrated mind. " Ibid.

7 Kannō-dōkō. Kannōmeans response, dōmeans way, truth, or state of truth, and kō means intercourse, interchange, or intersection. Kannō-dōkōis a traditional phrase that the Japanese-English Buddhist Dictionary(JEBD) translates as "responsive communion, " adding: "The communication between the Buddha and human beings. Moreover in Zen Buddhism, rapport between a Zen master and his disciple characterized by full communication.

"

8 Refers to the transmission between the Buddha and Master Mahākāśyapa. 9 Refers to the transmission between Master Bodhidharma and Master Taiso Eka. 10 I-shin-gaku-shin,lit.,

"with the mind learning the mind, " is a modification of the common phrase i-shin-den-shin,lit., "with the mind transmitting the mind, " which describes

intuitive transmission from mind to mind—as sound is transmitted through the sympathetic resonance of tuning forks. 11 Refers to the transmission between Master Daiman Kōnin and Master Daikan Enō. 12 Refers to the Buddha's leaving home to seek the truth. 13 The words of Master Yakusan Igen, describing zazen. See, for example, Chapter Twenty-seven, Zazenshin.

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14 Also the words of Master Yakusan, describing zazen. Ibid. 15 Kokuis a measure of capacity equivalent to about one hundred and eighty liters. The state of non-thinking in action is not only an abstract matter; it has real content. 16 Sansui,

"mountains and water,

" in general means nature or natural scenery (see Chapter Fourteen [Vol. I], Sansuigyō). Here it means a concrete mountain and real water as opposed to an abstract concept. 17 "The earth" is not only this concrete place but is also a concept that is universally valid.

18 Shidaika,

"four great rivers.

" In Sanskrit they are the Gaṅgā (the Ganges), the Sindhu, the Vaksu, and the Sītā. These rivers were thought by ancient Indians to flow from Anavatapta, a lake inhabited by a dragon king where all fires of suffering are extinguished. 19 Munetsuchi,a synonym for Lake Anavatapta. 20 One of the four great continents imagined by ancient Indians to surround Mount Sumeru, often described as a realm of everlasting happiness. See Vol. I, Glossary of Sanskrit Terms.

21 Chimeans "earth" or (as in this sentence) "the earth, " or "the ground.

" "The Earth"

(capitalized), i.e., planet Earth, is daichi,literally, "Great Earth.

" This sentence simply

points out that the ground is composed of not only soil but also, for example, various forms of rock; and that soil resides not only on the ground but also, for example, in a river or in a hanging plant pot. 22 Chihas various meanings including earth, state, and site. The character chiis present in tochi,

"land,

" in shinchi,

"mental state,

" and in hochi,

"treasure site.

" Hochi,

"treasure site,

" suggests a site for the Three Treasures, that is, the grounds of a Buddhist temple.

23 Isshin,lit.,

"one mind,

" means the whole mind, the undivided mind, the concentrated mind, or the balanced mind. 24 Kōjō-kōge. Kōjō,

"ascending" or "being in the ascendant state, " is explained in Chapter Twenty-eight, Butsu-kōjō-no-ji. Kōge, "descending" or "directing oneself downward, "

suggests the direction of a teacher who, having realized the ascendant state, hands the teaching down to others. 25 Tenji-tōki,

"developing things and devoting oneself to the moment, " is an expression

of sincerity in everyday life that appears in several places in the Shōbōgenzō. 26 Alludes to the words of Master Sozan Kyōnin: "Before the Kantsū years, this humble monk understood matters on the periphery of the Dharma body. After the Kantsū years I understood matters beyond the Dharma body. " (Gotōegen,chapter 13.) Kantsū was the name of the era during the reign of the Tang emperor Isō (860-873). Master Dōgen picked up the quote to suggest that the nature of learning the truth is not fixed but changes with time.

314

Chapter Thirty-seven 27 Suggests endurance and self-restraint in mundane daily behavior. 28 Suggests the ability to realize what is valuable, either through hard work or through subtle means. Gyoku o hiku, "extracting a gem,

" may allude to a story in the Keitokudentōroku,chapter 10: Master Jōshū Jūshin says, "Tonight I have given the answer. Let anyone who understands the question come forward. " A monk steps out and prostrates himself. The master says, "Instead of throwing away a tile and extracting a gem, I have drawn out this clod. " Mizu ni iru,

"entering the water, " alludes to a story in the Daihatsunehangyō,chapter 2: "There was a wise man who, using the power of expediency, entered the water calmly and gradually, and got the pearl. "

29 In other words, as the process of learning the truth continues, self-consciousness of learning the truth is lost. 30 Learning the truth is a matter of action in which subject and object are combined; it is not the state of purely objective things. 31 Zuita-ko. Zuimeans "follow, " tameans "others,

" "the external,

" or "circumstances, "

and ko,lit.,

"gone,

" is emphatic—it suggests that the action described has been performed completely. Zuita-ko, "just following circumstances, " represents a compromising as opposed to a willful attitude. The phrase appears in the following story in the Gotōegen,chapter 4: A monk asks Master Daizui Hōshin, "[They say that] when the holocaust at the end of a kalpais blazing, the great-thousandfold world will be totally destroyed. I wonder whether or not this place will be destroyed. " The master

says,

"It will be destroyed. " The monk says,

"If that is so, should we just follow circumstances?" The master says, "We just follow circumstances. "

32 Master Kankei Shikan said, "In the ten directions there are no falling walls; in the four quarters there are no gates. [Reality] is open, completely naked, bare, utterly clear, and without anything to grasp. " (Gotōegen,chapter 11.) 33 Hotsu-bodaishinis the title of Chapter Seventy (Vol. III), and also the theme of Chapter Sixty-nine (Vol. III), Hotsu-mujōshin;and Chapter Ninety-three (Vol. IV), Doshin.

34 Bodaishin hotsu.

35 Hotsu-bodaishin.

36 Sekishin no henpen,literally, "pieces of the red mind. " Seki,

"red,

" means naked or

bare, as red flesh. Henliterally means "piece, " "bit,

" or "fragment,

" but henpenrepresents the passage of successive moments. 37 Dan-dan,literally, "round-round" or "roundness moment by moment. "

38 In ancient China and Japan, mirrors were made from round plates of highly polished copper.

39 Dan-dan,literally, "pointed-pointed" or "pointedness moment by moment. "

40 Kobusshin.See Chapter Forty-four (Vol. III), Kobusshin. 315

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41 Master Nan'yo Echū (?-775), successor of Master Daikan Enō. National Master Daishō is his title as teacher of the emperor. 42 Byōjōshin,or in modern Japanese pronunciation, heijōshin,means the balanced and constant mind, the everyday mind, or the normal mind. See also Chapter Twentyfive, Jinzū,paragraph 211, and the chapter titled Butsu-kōjō-no-jiin the twenty-eightchapter edition of the Shōbōgenzō. 43 In other words, normality is a momentary state of natural functioning that is common to a large number of agents.

44 Gaiten,

"the whole sky" or "the whole of the heavens, " and gaichi,

"the whole earth,

"

are uncommon expressions (they both appear in this chapter and in Chapter Fortytwo [Vol. III], Tsuki;and gaitenappears in Chapter One [Vol. I], Bendōwa). However, Master Dōgen thought them suitable to describe the normal mind, which is the inclusive buddha-mind, not the mind of the common person. 45 Saigoshin,

"ultimate body,

" means our present life on the earth.

46 The words of Master Chōsha Keishin (?-868). See Chapter Fifty (Vol. III), Shohōjissō. 47 The words of Master Engo Kokugon (1063-1135). Ibid. 48 Jū-aku,the ten wrongs, are 1) killing, 2) stealing, 3) adultery, 4) lying, 5) flattery, 6) abusive language, 7) duplicitous speech, 8) greed, 9) anger, and 10) foolishness. 49 Hachikai,the eight precepts, are: 1) not killing living things, 2) not stealing, 3) not having sexual intercourse, 4) not lying, 5) not drinking alcohol, 6) not wearing decorative clothing or make-up, and not enjoying entertainment, 7) not sleeping on high, luxurious beds, and 8) not eating after midday. These precepts were sometimes kept by laypeople for a period of twenty-four hours. 50 Master Hyakujō Ekai (749-814), successor of Master Baso Dōitsu. Zen Master Daichi is his posthumous title.

51 Kosonshukugoroku,chapter 2.

52 Shakku-ruitoku,a phrase borrowed from the Lotus Sutra. See, for example, LS 2.218-20. 53 Alludes to the famous passage in the Lotus Sutraabout Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. See LS 3.252 and Chapter Thirty-three, Kannon. 54 Master Dōgen not only praised Master Hyakujō's words but also imagined Hyakujō's powerful presence as a speaker when he delivered the words to an audience. 55 Master Hyakujō had realized the truth through painstaking effort. 56 I-on-nō,

"King of Majestic Voice,

" a very old buddha mentioned in the Lotus Sutra, Jōfugyō-bosatsu("Bodhisattva Never Despise") chapter: "In the eternal past, countless, 316

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infinite, inconceivable asaṃkheyakalpas ago, there was a buddha named King of Majestic Voice. . . .

" (LS 3.128.)

57 In other words, although a human body must belong to someone. 58 Kai,as in jin-jūppō-kai,

"the whole universe in the ten directions. "

59 That is, on the basis of unity—through the unity of particles and the universe, and through the unity of the valuable and the material. 60 Aggregates of Dharma preaching, samādhis, and dhāraṇīs all suggest Buddhist realization in action. Dhāraṇīs are explained in Chapter Fifty-five (Vol. III), Darani. 61 In other words, in action—both active and passive. 62 In other words, the effort continues twenty-four hours a day to realize the state in which there are no emotional reactions. 63 Shōji,

"life-and-death,

" is the title of Chapter Ninety-two (Vol. IV). Master Dōgen saw life and death as a momentary state in the present; hence the translation "livingand-dying. "

64 Rūtenrepresents the Sanskrit saṃsāra.See Vol. I, Glossary of Sanskrit Terms. 65 Nishu-shichishu,

"two kinds and seven kinds,

" categorize various forms of wandering in life and death experienced by the common and the sacred respectively. For the common person there are only two kinds: discrimination and change. For sacred beings there are a further five. 66 In short, life and death coexist in the present. 67 Tekkan,

"iron man,

" like koboku,

"withered tree,

" and shikai,

a practitioner who has got free of all emotional worrying. "dead ash,

" represents

68 Master Engo Kokugon (1063-1135), successor of Master Goso Hōen. Master Engo was the compiler of the Hekiganroku (Blue Cliff Record). 69 Quoted in the Engozenjigoroku (Record of the Words of Zen Master Engo Kokugon), chapter 17. See also Chapter Forty-one, Zenki. 70 The actions and thoughts of a real human body, although it is one with the whole universe, are not abstract and general but concrete and exact. 71 Thousand-foot walls suggests difficult problems in daily life. See also Chapter Fortyfour (Vol. III), Kobusshin. 72 Nanshū,

are living.

"southern continent,

" means Jambudvīpa, the world in which human beings 73 Hokushū,

"northern continent,

" means Uttarakuru, a blissful realm north of Mount Sumeru inhabited by celestial beings. See also note 20. 317

Shōbōgenzō Volume II 74 Chōyō no hi, "double yangday, " means the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. Seeing nine as a lucky number, the Chinese sometimes represented the number nine as yang, which represents the bright side of life. 75 1242.

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Chapter 38: Muchū-setsumu - Preaching a Dream in a Dream

[Chapter Thirty-eight]

Muchū-setsumu

161a3

Preaching a Dream in a Dream

Translator's Note: Mu means

"dream,

" chū means

"in,

"

and setsu means

"

preach.

" So muchū-setsumu means

"

preaching a dream in a dream.

" In

Buddhist philosophy there is an idea that our life is a kind of dream, because in everyday life we cannot recognize our life itself. In other words, our actual life is just a moment here and now, and we cannot grasp such a moment. We are living at every moment of the present, and every moment cannot be expressed with words. So we can say that we are living in something like a dream. At the same time, to preach Buddhist theory is a kind of preaching a dream, and furthermore to live our life is also a kind of preaching, telling, or manifesting a dream. So Master Dōgen compared our life to preaching a dream in a dream.

[173] The truth that the buddhas and the patriarchs manifest is prior to the sprouting of creation; therefore it is beyond discussions that arise from old nests. On this basis there exist virtues, such as those in the vicinity of Buddhist patriarchs and those in the ascendant state of buddha, which are not concerned with the times, and whose age and life are therefore neither long-lasting nor short-lived—they may be far beyond the suppositions of the common world. The turning of the wheel of Dharma, again, is a criterion prior to the sprouting of creation; therefore it is a signpost for a thousand ages whose great virtue is beyond praise. This I preach as a dream in a dream. Because it is the realization of experience in experience, it is "the preaching of the dream-state in the dream-state.

"1

[175] This place of "preaching the dream-state in the dream-state" is the realm of Buddhist patriarchs and is the order of Buddhist patriarchs. The Buddha's realm, the Buddha's order, the patriarchs' truth, and the patriarchs' order are experience on the basis of experience and are "preaching of the dream-state in the dream-state.

" Do not think, when you encounter this speech 319

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or this preaching, that it does not belong in the Buddha's order. It is just the Buddha's turning of the wheel of Dharma. Because this wheel of Dharma is the ten directions and eight aspects themselves, the great ocean, Sumeru, national lands, and all dharmas are realized here and now. This [realization] is the "preaching of the dream-state in the dream-state" that is prior to all dreams. The pervasive disclosure of the entire universe is the dream-state. This dream-state is just "the clear-clear hundred things"2 —and it is the very

moment in which we doubt that it is so; it is the very moment of confusion. At this moment, it is to dream things,

3 it is to be in things,

4 it is to preach

things,

5 and so on. When we learn this in practice, roots and stalks, twigs and leaves, flowers and fruit, and light and color are all the great dream-state, which is not to be confused with dreaminess. Yet people who prefer not to learn the Buddha's truth, when they encounter this "preaching a dream in a dream,

" idly suppose that it might mean creating insubstantial dreamy things which do not exist at all; they suppose it might be like adding to delusion in delusion. [But] it is not so. Even when we are adding to delu sion in delusion, we should endeavor just then to learn in practice the path of clarity6 of expression on which the words "delusion upon delusion" are naturally spoken. 7

"Preaching the dream-state in the dream-state" is the buddhas, and the buddhas are wind, rain, water, and fire. They retain the latter names8 and they retain the former name.

9 "Preaching the dream-state in the dream-state" is eternal buddhas, who,

"riding in this precious carriage, arrive directly at the place of truth.

"10 "Direct arrival at a place of the truth is in the riding of this precious carriage.

"

Dreams going awry and dreams coming true,

Holding back and letting go,

We give free play to the elegant ways.

11

The wheel of Dharma at such a moment sometimes turns the vast world of the great wheel of Dharma, unfathomably and boundlessly, and sometimes turns in the smallest particle, operating ceaselessly even inside atoms. The principle here is that in whatever "matter that is it"12 the Dharma [wheel] is turned,

"[even] enemies smile and nod.

"13 And whatever the place, because

the Dharma [wheel] is turned as a "matter that is it, " it sets in motion "the

elegant ways.

" Thus, the whole earth is the instantaneously limitless14 wheel 320

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of Dharma, and all the universe is unambiguous cause-and-effect. To the buddhas, [the whole earth and all the universe] are supreme. Remember, the instruction of the buddhas and the aggregates of Dharma preaching are each limitlessly establishing the teaching and limitlessly abiding in place. Do not look for the limits of their coming and going: "totally relying on this place they go,

" and "totally relying on this place they come. " Thus, the planting

of arrowroot and wisteria, and the entanglement of arrowroot and wis teria, 15

are the nature and form of the supreme truth of bodhi. Just as bodhiis limitless, living beings are limitless and supreme. Restrictions are limit less and at the same time release is limitless.

"The reality of the universe will give you thirty strokes":16 this is realized "preaching of the dream-state in the dream-state. "

So the tree without roots, the land beyond yinand yang,and the valley that does not echo a cry17 are just realized "preaching of the dream-state in the dream-state.

" It is beyond the bounded worlds of human beings and gods, and beyond the suppositions of the common person. Who could doubt that the dream-state is the state of bodhi?—for it does not fall under the jurisdiction of doubt. And who could affirm it?—for it is not sub ject to affirmation. Because this supreme state of bodhiis just the supreme state of bodhi,we call the dream-state the dream-state. There is "centering on dreams, "18 there

is "dream-preaching,

"19 there is "preaching of the dream-state, "20 and there

is "being in the dream-state.

"21 Without being in the dream-state there is no preaching of the dream-state, and without preaching of the dream-state there is no being in the dream-state. Without preaching of the dream-state there are no buddhas, and without being in the dream-state, buddhas can never appear in the world to turn the wondrous wheel of Dharma. This wheel of Dharma is of "buddhas alone, together with buddhas, " and it is "preaching

of the dream-state in the dream-state.

" It is solely in "preaching the dreamstate in the dream-state" that the supreme-bodhi-multi tude of buddhas and patriarchs exists. Still more,

"matters beyond the Dharma body"22 are just "the preaching of the dream-state in the dream-state, " wherein there is homage

to buddhas alone, together with buddhas, and wherein attachment to head and eyes, marrow and brains, body and flesh, or hands and feet is impossible. Because it is not attached to, the state in which "a seller of gold must be a buyer of gold"23 is called "the profound within the profound, " is called "the

fine within the fine,

" is called "experience within experience, " and is called

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"the head being placed on the head.

"24 This state is just the concrete behavior of a Buddhist patriarch. [But] in studying this, [people] simply think that "the head" means the top of a human being. They never think of it as "the top of Vairocana.

"25 How much less could they think of it as in "the clearclear hundred weeds"?26 They do not know the head itself. [182] The phrase "placing the head on the head" has been passed down since ancient times. When stupid people hear it, they think it is a saying that re monstrates against something superfluous. To express that there is no need for something, it is accepted as the usual custom to say, "Why place a head

on a head?" Truly, is this not mistaken? When [the phrase] is realized as what is being preached, there are no differences [in its meaning] whether it applies to the common or to the sacred.

27 Therefore, preaching of a dream in a dream by both the common and the sacred could happen yesterday and can progress today. Remember, when yesterday's preaching of a dream in a dream was preaching of a dream in a dream being recognized as preaching of a dream in a dream; and when today's preaching of a dream in a dream is preaching of a dream in a dream being experienced as preaching of a dream in a dream, that is the happiness of directly meeting Buddha. How lamenta ble it is that although the Buddhist patriarchs' dream, as "the clear-clear hun dred weeds, "

is more conspicuous than a hundred thousand suns and moons, the living blind do not see it. How pitiful it is. In the saying "placing the head on the head,

" "the head" is that of the hundred weeds, 28 is that of the thousand kinds

of things, is that of myriad varieties of things, is that of "the thoroughly realized body,

"29 is that of "the whole world never having been hidden, " is

that of "the whole universe in the ten directions, " is that of "one phrase fitting

the head,

"30 and is "the top of the hundred-foot pole. "31 We should experience

and should investigate that even [the action of] "placing" and [the state of being] on are [the concreteness of] head-head. In sum, "The appearance of

all the buddhas and the buddhas' truth of anuttara samyaksaṃbodhi, relying entirely on this sutra"32 is the preaching of a dream in a dream in which "the head has been placed on the head.

" When "this sutra" it self preaches a dream in a dream, it manifests the buddhas who are the supreme truth of bodhi. That the buddhas who are the truth of bodhigo on to preach "this sutra" is decidedly "the preaching of a dream in a dream. " Dream-causes are not

obscure, and so dream-effects are unambiguous. [Preaching of a dream in a 322

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dream] is just one strike of the clapper making a thousand hits or ten thousand hits, and is a thousand strikes or ten thou sand strikes of the clapper making one hit or half a hit. We should know that because it is like this, there is preaching of a dream in a dream as "mat ters that are it, "33 there is preaching

of a dream in a dream as "people who are it,

"34 there is preaching of a dream

in a dream as matters that are not it,

35 and there is preaching of a dream in a

dream as people who are not it.

36 The truth that is being recognized here is

conspicuously evident: it is that preaching of a dream in a dream, all day long, is just preaching of a dream in a dream. For this reason, an eternal buddha said,

"I now, for you, am preaching a dream in a dream, as the buddhas of the three times also preach a dream in a dream, and as the six ancestral masters also preached a dream in a dream.

"37 We should clearly study these

words. The picking up of a flower and the wink of an eye are just the preaching of a dream in a dream. Doing prostrations and getting the marrow are just the preaching of a dream in a dream. In general, expressing the truth in a single phrase, and not un derstanding38 and not knowing, 39 are all the preaching

of a dream in a dream. Because [preaching a dream in a dream] is "the thousand hands and thousand eyes" that "use limitlessly abundant doings of what,

"40 the virtues of seeing forms, seeing sounds, hearing forms, and hearing sounds are everywhere fulfilled. There is preaching a dream in a dream as manifesta tion of the body. There is preaching a dream in a dream as aggregates of dream-preaching and Dharma preaching. It is preaching a dream in a dream in "holding back and letting go.

"41 Direct direction is the preaching

of a dream, and hitting the target is the preaching of a dream. [In everyday life] whether holding back or letting go, we should learn [the function of] an ordinary weighing scale. When we have learned this, then in all circumstances the weight of things is apparent to our eyes, and preaching of a dream in a dream emerges. We need not discuss pounds and ounces, 42 but unless

we reach the point of balance, balance does not actually exist. When we achieve balance, we see balance. At the point where balance has been achieved, it is not resting upon the object [being weighed], nor upon the scale, nor upon chance circumstances:43 it is hanging in space44 —but if balance

is not achieved, balance cannot be seen. We should investigate this in practice. When we ourselves are as if hanging in space, letting the objects we touch float freely in space, this is preaching a dream in a dream, and inside space 323

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we are bodily manifesting balance. Balance is a weighing scale's great truth, on which hangs space and on which hang objects. To experience balance— whether it is immaterial45 or material—is to be preaching a dream in a dream. There is nothing that is not the liberated state of preaching a dream in a dream. The dream is the whole earth, and the whole earth is balance. Therefore, [even] endless cerebral revolutions are nothing other than the belief, and the devout conduct, which experience the dream from inside the dream. [187] Śākyamuni Buddha said:

The buddhas, bodies golden colored And adorned with a hundred signs of happiness, Hearing Dharma and preaching it for others:46 Their constant existence is a pleasant dream. 47

Further, in dream-action, as kings of nations48 They have forsaken palaces, followers, And the five desires for the superior and fine, To go to a place of the truth. At the foot of a bodhitree,

They have sat upon the lion seat, Pursued the truth for seven days, And attained the wisdom of the buddhas. Having realized the supreme truth They arise and turn the wheel of Dharma, Preaching the Dharma to the four groups49 For thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas. They preach the faultless wonderful Dharma And save countless living beings, After which they naturally enter nirvana Like a lamp going out when its smoke is spent. If [anyone] in future corrupt ages Preaches this paramount Dharma, That person will obtain great benefit Such as the virtues [described] above. 50

[189] Learning in practice the present preaching of the Buddha, we should perfectly realize the Buddhist order of the buddhas. This [preaching] 324

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is not a metaphor.

51 Because the wonderful Dharma of the buddhas is of "buddhas alone, together with buddhas,

" in dreaming and waking alike "all

dharmas" are "real form.

"52 There is establishment of the mind, training, bodhi, and nirvana in the waking state, and there is establishment of the mind, training, bodhi, and nirvana inside the dream state. The dream state and the waking state are each real form; they are beyond greater and smaller and beyond superior and inferior. Nevertheless, seeing and hearing words such as "Further dream ing of becoming the king of a nation. . . . "53 people of the

past and present have misunderstood that, due to the influence of "the preaching of this para mount Dharma, " dreams at night come true. To have understood like this is never to have clarified the Buddha's preaching. The dream state and the waking state originally are oneness, and are real form. The Buddha-Dharma may be a metaphor and at the same time real form. 54 [But this "dreamaction"] in the first place is not a metaphor: "dream-action" is the reality of the Buddha-Dharma. Śākyamuni Buddha, along with all the buddhas and patriarchs, es tablishes the mind and undergoes training, and realizes the balanced and right state of awakening, in the dream-state. That being so, the lifetime teaching of the Buddha's truth to the present sahāworld55 is just "dream-action.

" "Seven days" expresses a length of time for "attaining the buddha-wisdom.

" "Turning the wheel of Dharma" and "saving living beings, "

[however,] have been called "for thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas" —

because the situation in the dream-state is indefinable. The buddhas, bodies golden colored

And adorned with a hundred signs of happiness, Hearing Dharma and preaching it for others: Their constant existence is a pleasant dream. Clearly, here it is verified that "the pleasant dream" is "the buddhas. "

The Tathāgata's truth is present as "constant existence, "56 not only a hundredyear dream. To "preach it for others" is to manifest the body. "To hear Dharma"

is for the eyes to hear sound; it is for the mind to hear sound; it is for one's old nests57 to hear sound; it is, prior to the kalpaof emptiness, to hear sound. The body of the buddhas is golden colored And adorned with a hundred signs of happiness. 325

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"The pleasant dream" being "the body of buddhas" is "Arriving directly at the present and doubting no more. "58 While the principle remains that the Buddha's instruction is unceasing in the waking state, the principle of the actual realization of Buddhist patriarchs is always dream-action in the dreamstate. We should learn it in practice through "no insulting of the Buddha-Dharma. "59 When we are learning in practice "no insulting of the Buddha-Dharma, " the truth now spoken by the Tathāgata is instantly realized. ShōbōgenzōMuchū-setsumu

Preached to the assembly at Kannondōri kōshōhōrinji in the Uji district of Yōshū, 60 on the

twenty-first day of the ninth lunar month in the autumn of the third year of Ninji. 61

326

Notes

1 Muchū-setsumu,as in the chapter title. In this chapter mū, "dream,

" means not only

images seen by a sleeping person but also the state we are describing when we say that life is like a dream. Chūmeans 1) "in" or "inside, " and 2) "the inside of, " "the

center of,

" "the state of,

" or "the reality of. " Setsumeans 1) to preach, or to explain in words, and 2) to manifest or to tell in action or in words. 2 Meimei taru hyakusō,lit., "the clear-clear hundred weeds, " alludes to the traditional saying,

"Clear-clear are the hundred weeds. Clear-clear is the will of the Buddhist patriarchs.

" (See Shinji-shōbōgenzō,pt. 1, no. 88.) Hyakusō, "hundred weeds,

" means

miscellaneous individual concrete things. 3 Musō,

"dreaming things,

" suggests the mental side of reality. 4 Chūsō,

"being in things,

" suggests the material situation of reality. As a verb, chū surumeans to hit the target, or to exist in a finite, concrete state. 5 Sessō,

"preaching things" or "manifesting things, " suggests the reality which, in the state of action, is manifested as concrete things. 6 Tsūshō no ro,lit., a path through to clarity. "path through the sky" or "path through to the [dawn] sky, " means

7 Master Dōgen understood delusion practically as a momentary state that we should clarify by our effort. 8 "Wind, rain, water, and fire. "

9 "The buddhas.

"

10 Lotus Sutra, Hiyu("A Parable"): "Riding in this precious carriage,/We arrive directly at the place of truth. " (LS 1.202.) In the Lotus Sutra, shi-hōjō, "this precious carriage, "

refers to the One Buddha Vehicle. Here it is identified with the preaching of the dreamstate in the dream-state. 11 The words of Master Tendō Nyojō, quoted in the Nyojōoshōgoroku,part 1. 12 Inmoji,

"ineffable something. " See Chapter Twenty-nine, Inmo. 13 The Jōsoseiryōroku(Records of Patriarch Jō of Seiryō) contains the preaching: "Letting go or holding back, we give free play to the elegant ways. On the whole this makes [even] enemies smile and nod. " The Jōsoseiryōroku,like the Nyojōoshōgoroku, is a record of the words of Master Tendō Nyojō. 327

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14 Mutan. Muexpresses absence. Tanmeans end, limit, or origin. Mutan, "limitless,

"

describes freedom or adaptability that can neither be pinned down by the intellect nor totally perceived by the senses.

15 Complicated situations here and now. See Chapter Forty-six (Vol. III), Kattō. 16 17 Master Bokushū, seeing a monk approaching, said, "The real universe will give you

thirty strokes.

" Keitokudentōroku,chapter 12.

Addressing Śakra-devānām-indra, seven wise women cited a tree without roots, a land without yinand yang,and a valley that does not echo a cry as examples of things that are very difficult to find. (Rentōeyō,chapter 1.) The phrases may be interpreted as representations of the reality that defies expression. 18 Chūmusuggests the idealistic function of concentrating upon one's dreams or aiming to realize one's dreams. This and the following three expressions represent different combinations of the characters in the chapter title, mu, chū, setsu, mu. 19 Musetsusuggests the concrete recounting of a dream. 20 Setsumu.In this context, setsusuggests not only preaching with words but also manifestation of what cannot be expressed with words. Musuggests not only dreamimages, but the reality that cannot be expressed with words. 21 Chūmu.

22 Hōsshin-kōjō-jialludes to the words of Master Sozan Kyōnin: "Before the Kantsū years, this humble monk understood matters on the periphery of the Dharma body. After the Kantsū years I understood matters beyond the Dharma body. " (Gotōegen,

chapter 13; see also Chapter Thirty-seven, Shinjin-gakudō,paragraph 152). 23 Kin o uru wa subekaraku kore kin o kau hito naru beshi;in other words, sellers need to put themselves in the place of buyers. The phrase suggests the desirability of a balance between subject and object. Source not traced. 24 Zū-jō-an-zū,literally,

"placing the head on the head.

" As explained in the following

paragraph, this expression was used in China to describe dreamy or superfluous behavior. But Master Dōgen interpreted the words as "the head being in the place of the head,

" that is, as an expression of the state of reality as it is. 25 Biru no chōjō,

"the top of Vairocana,

" appears in the Shinji-shōbōgenzō,pt. 1, no. 26. Vairocana Buddha is the Sun Buddha, the main buddha in the Buddhāvataṃ saka nāmamahāvaipulya-sūtra,the Mahāvairocana-sūtra,the Vajraśekhara-sūtra,and others. The sun illuminates all things and phenomena, so the Sun Buddha can be seen as a symbol of the oneness of the universe. 26 Meimei[taru] hyakusōtō.In this phrase tō, and concreteness. See also note 2.

"head,

" is a suffix indicating individuality

27 Because the common and the sacred are always preaching (manifesting) themselves 328

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as they are, both are always realizing the meaning of "placing the head on the head, "

as the phrase is interpreted by Master Dōgen. 28 Hyakusōtō,lit.,

"hundred weed-heads,

" means hundreds of individual concrete things. Besides its original meaning of "head, " tō,is used 1) as a counter, and 2) as a suffix to indicate that the preceding noun is something individual and concrete. Master Dōgen is describing the dream-state as concrete things being as they are. 29 Tsūshin.See Chapter Thirty-three, Kannon. 30 Ikku-gattō.Master Sensu Tokujō said, "Words in which one phrase fits the head (i.e., words that can be understood intellectually) are a stake to which to tie a donkey for ten thousand kalpas.

" See Shinji-shōbōgenzō,pt. 1, no. 90; Keitokudentōroku,chapter 14.

31 Hyaku-shaku-kan-tō.From the Keitokudentōroku,chapter 10 (the section on Master Chōsha Keishin): "On the top (lit., "head") of a hundred-foot pole a person is not moving./But the ability to enter this state (i.e., a fixed position) is not called true./On top of a hundred-foot pole, we should step forward./The universe in ten directions is the whole body.

"

32 The Diamond Sutra:"All the buddhas, and the buddhas' state of anuttara samyaksaṃbodhi, appear relying entirely on this sutra. " Shikyō,

"this sutra,

" means the

universe itself as a sutra. 33 Inmoji,

"matters that are ineffable, " are the words of Master Ungo Dōyō. See Chapter Twenty-nine, Inmo,paragraph 85. 34 Inmonin,

"people who are the ineffable. " Ibid.

35 Fu-inmoji.In Chapter Twenty-nine, Inmo,paragraph 106, Master Sekitō Kisen uses the term fu-inmo,which means "not it, " "not like that,

" or "beyond ineffability. "

36 Fu-inmonin.

37 The Setchōmyōkakuzenjigoroku(Record of the Words of Zen Master Setchō Myōkaku), chapter 4, contains the following: "The buddhas of the three times are preaching a dream, and the six ancestral masters are preaching a dream. " The six ancestral masters means the six patriarchs in China from Master Bodhidharma to Master Daikan Enō. 38 Fu-e,

Daikan Enō,

1, no. 59.

"not understanding [intellectually], " generally alludes to the words of Master "I do not understand the Buddha-Dharma. " See Shinji-shōbōgenzō,pt. 39 Fushiki,

162.

"not knowing [intellectually], " alludes to the words of Master Bodhidharma. See Chapter Thirty, Gyōji,paragraph 188; Chapter Twenty (Vol. I), Kokyō,paragraph 40 Alludes to Master Ungan Donjō's question to Master Dōgo Enchi: "What does the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion do by using his limitlessly abundant hands and 329

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eyes?" In Master Dōgen's interpretation somo, functions. See Chapter Thirty-three, Kannon. "doings of what,

" means ineffable

41 Hajō-hōgyō,

"holding back and letting go" or "exercising restraint and behaving freely,

" expresses the two fundamental attitudes in everyday life, and by extension everyday life itself. The expression comes from Master Tendō's preaching quoted in paragraph 175.

42 Shuryō,translated in the previous sentence as "weight of things, " are concrete units

of weight. There are twenty-four shuin a ryō,but the weight to which they correspond has changed from age to age.

43 In other words, balance, being dynamic, does not rest on any one thing. We cannot maintain balance by relying upon drugs, for example, or upon a fixed one-sided viewpoint. 44 Kūmeans 1) three-dimensional space, 2) emptiness—the circumstances of the state without emotional thought or feeling, and 3) the immaterial—the abstract as opposed to the material or the concrete.

45 Kū.See previous note.

46 In the preceding section of the Lotus Sutrathe subject is "someone who reads this sutra.

" This line is therefore easily interpreted as indicating the same subject (who not only reads the sutra but also hears it and preaches it to others). Thus the Threefold Lotus Sutra(LSW) has: "[he who reads this sutra is] . . . deep in meditation,/Seeing the universal buddhas./ Golden colored are those buddhas,/Adorned with a hundred blessed signs;/[He who] hears and preaches to others/Ever has good dreams like these./Again he will dream he is a king. . . . " (LSW pp. 235-36.) Master Dōgen's commentary, however, indicates that the subject of this section is the buddhas themselves. 47 Jō-u-ze-kōmu,or ko[no] kōmu tsune[ni] ari,is conventionally interpreted to mean "constantly have this pleasant dream" —thus LSW: "Ever has good dreams like these. "

However, umeans both "to have" and "existence, " and zecan mean "this,

" "concrete,

"

and it can also function as a copula. Therefore this line can be interpreted "[The buddhas] are the constant existence of the concrete pleasant dream-state" or "[The buddhas'] constant existence is itself a pleasant dream. "

48 Yū-musa-koku-ō,as usually read in Japanese, mata yume[muraku] koku-ō to na[rite], means,

"Again, [the dreamer] dreams of becoming the king of a nation" —thus LSW:

"Again he will dream he is a king. . . . " However, sameans both "to become" and "to act,

" and Master Dōgen in his commentary emphasizes that, even in the sutra, musameans not "to dream of becoming. . . " but rather "dream-action.

"

49 Monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. 50 Lotus Sutra, Anrakugyō("Peaceful and Joyful Practice"). LS 2.282. 330

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51 That is to say, the Buddha is not giving a metaphorical account of a dream but is describing the actual behavior of buddhas in the state of dream-action. 52 Alludes to Lotus Sutra, Hōben("Expedient Means"): "Buddhas alone, together with buddhas, are directly able to perfectly realize that all dharmas are real form. " (LS

1.68)

53 Yū-musa-koku-ō.See note 48.

54 The Lotus Sutra(Sutra of the Flower of Dharma), for example, contains many parables or metaphors. In fact the word for parable or metaphor, hiyu,or yufor short, appears in the title of three of the first seven chapters of the Lotus Sutra. But in Chapter Eightyeight (Vol. IV), Kie-sanbō,Master Dōgen praises the Lotus Sutraas follows: "Other sutras and other Dharma are all the subjects and the retinue of the Sutra of the Flower of Dharma.What is preached in the Sutra of the Flower of Dharmais just the truth; what is preached in other sutras always includes an expedient means, which is not the Buddha's fundamental intention. "

55 The world of human beings; the mundane world. 56 Jō-umeans "constant existence" or "eternal existence. "

57 Kyūsōjo-monshō,

"to hear sound through the organ of old nests, " means to let sound

penetrate consciousness that has been conditioned by past habits and experience. 58 Jiki [ni] nyokon[ni] itari[te] sara[ni] utaga[wa] zu.This is the last line of a poem by Master Reiun Shigon. See Chapter Nine (Vol. I), Keisei-sanshiki;Shinji-shōbōgenzō, pt. 2, no. 55.

59 Buppō o bō[suru] koto na[shi]. Bō, bō[suru], "to insult,

" suggests not only verbal

abuse of the Buddha-Dharma but also intellectual or sentimental doubts and explanations. The tenth of the ten pure precepts is fubō-sanbō, "Do not insult the Three

Treasures.

" See Chapter Ninety-four (Vol. IV), Jukai. 60 Corresponds to present-day Kyoto prefecture. 61 1242.

331