XXIV: Squaring Up.

Shobogenzo Bussho continues:

Do not associate the words “buddha-nature is not big and not small. . .” with those of the common person or the two vehicles. To have thought, one-sidedly and stubbornly, that the buddha-nature must be wide and great, is to have been harboring a wrong idea. We should consider, as we hear it now, the truth which is restricted just in the moment of the present by the expression “Beyond big and beyond small.” For we are able to utilize [this] hearing as consideration.

Master Dogen asks us to utilise hearing the expression "Beyond big and beyond small": he seems to ask us to examine it from the point of view of considering it intellectually (as opposed to just letting the words come and go as a momentary event) as an example of how we might restrict the truth which is originally not restricted by our thinking: The "beyond big and beyond small" referred to is actually not a matter of intellectual consideration but is realised in 'dropping off' inherently limited relative values such as 'big' and 'small'.

Now let us listen to the poem preached by the Venerable One, in which he says, “My body manifests the roundness of the moon,/ By this means demonstrating the physique of the buddhas.” Because his “manifestation of a body” has already “by concrete means demonstrated the physique of the buddhas,” it is “the roundness of the moon.” So we should learn all length, shortness, squareness, and roundness as this “manifestation of a body.”

This suggests the undivided state of practice where there is no entity or aspect which manifests separately. Even so, things still manifest with diverse qualities ('length, shortness, squareness, roundness...')

Those who have become more and more unfamiliar with “body” and with its “manifestation” are not only ignorant of “the roundness of the moon,” but are also other than “the physique of the buddhas.” Stupid people think that what the Venerable One calls “the roundness of the moon” is the manifestation of a fantastically transformed body. This is the wrong idea of types who have not received the transmission of the Buddha’s truth. At what place and at what moment might there be another manifestation of a different body? Remember, at this time the Venerable One is simply seated upon his high seat. The manner in which his body manifests itself is just the same as in the case of any person seated here now.

Master Dogen denies a fantastical or magical interpretation of this story and emphasises the manifestation of real things as realised in zazen.

This body is just “the roundness of the moon” manifesting itself. “The body manifesting itself” is beyond square and round, beyond existence and nonexistence, beyond invisibility and visibility, and beyond the eighty four thousand skandhas: it is just the body manifesting itself.

This totally-inclusive-of-everything body of ours is ungraspable and constantly manifesting in the present as every aspect of existence.

Regards,

Harry.

Bussho XXIII: Enter Nāgārjuna.

Shobogenzo Bussho continues with this story and commentary:

[42] The fourteenth patriarch, the Venerable Ryūju, called Nāgārjuna in Sanskrit, and called either Ryūju, Ryūshō, or Ryūmō in Chinese, is a man from western India, and he goes to southern India. Most people of that nation believe in karma for happiness. The Venerable One preaches for them the subtle Dharma.

Those who hear him say to each other, “The most important thing in the human world is that people possess karma for happiness. Yet he talks idly of the buddha-nature. Who can see such a thing?”

The Venerable One says, “If you want to realize the buddha-nature, you must first get rid of selfish pride.”

The people say, “Is the buddha-nature big or is it small?”

The Venerable One says, “The buddha-nature is not big and not small, it is not wide and not narrow, it is without happiness and without rewards, it does not die and it is not born.”

When they hear these excellent principles, they all turn from their original mind. Then the Venerable One, from his seat, manifests his free body, which seems like the perfect circle of a full moon. All those gathered only hear the sound of Dharma; they do not see the master’s form. In that assembly is a rich man’s son, Kāṇadeva.

He says to the assembly, “Do you know what this form is or not?”

Those in the assembly say, “The present [form] is something our eyes have never before seen, our ears have never before heard, our minds have never before known, and our bodies have never before experienced.”

Kāṇadeva says, “Here the Venerable One is manifesting the form of the buddha-nature to show it to us. How do we know this? It may be presumed that the formless state of samādhi in shape resembles the full moon. The meaning of the buddha-nature is evident and it is transparently clear.”

After these words, the circle disappears at once, and [the master] is sitting on his seat.

Then he preaches the following verse:

[My] body manifests the roundness of the moon,
By this means demonstrating the physique of the buddhas.
The preaching of Dharma has no set form.
The real function is beyond sounds and sights.

Master Dogen's commentary begins...

[45] Remember, the true real function is beyond the momentary manifestation of sounds and sights, and the real preaching of Dharma has no set form. The Venerable One has preached the buddha-nature for others far and wide, innumerable times, and now we have quoted just one such example.

The 'real function', as can be realised in direct practice, is not a matter of involving ourselves with the senses or perfecting some ideal posture or principle.

“If you want to realize the buddha-nature, you must first get rid of selfish pride.” We should intuit and affirm the point of this preaching without fail. It is not that there is no realization; realization is just “getting rid of selfish pride.”

This cautions against the pursuit of practice for gain, or to attain favourable attributes of mind, or 'better karma', better rebirths for ourselves etc etc. Realisation is 'dropping off' realisation and, when it's affirmed sincerely, it is not hindered by any perception of personal want, need or personal gain.

“Selfishness” is not of only one kind. “Pride” too has many varieties. Methods of “getting rid” also may be of myriad diversity, but they are all “realization of the buddha-nature,” which we should learn as realization through the eyeballs and seeing with the eyes.

Master Dogen recognises that 'selfishness', 'pride' and 'getting rid' of them may be a more complex situation than we might like to think- If it were simple and obvious it would be easy for everyone to do- and he recognises that there are many means of 'getting rid of': his standard is not merely one preferred method but the substantial 'getting rid of' itself, or the real/realising conduct-result.

To contrast Nāgārjuna's last statement "The real function is beyond sounds and sights", Master Dogen affirms that our real human eyes, and their seeing in practice, are the 'realisation of the buddha-nature' itself when we enact it directly. He often contrasts and balances potentially vague negative statements with practical affirmative alternatives which emphasise real life and our own actions/conduct.

Regards,

Harry.

Bussho XXII: "That Without Constancy".

Shobogenzo Bussho continues:

“Buddha” is a bit of body, and “nature” is a bit of action. On this basis, the Sixth Patriarch says “That without constancy is the buddha-nature.”

A buddha is a 'body' who acts as a buddha does to substantially realise/express buddha-nature. Realising buddha-nature is substantially not actualising an enduring 'thing' or 'fixed state', but is rather a momentary matter of an individual's conduct in the present moment.

“The constant” is the unchanging. The meaning of “the unchanging” is as follows: even though we turn it into the separating subject and transform it into the separated object, because it is not necessarily connected with the traces of leaving and coming, it is “the constant.”

...Even so, existence has a constancy by nature which allows for all eventualities and for all things to come and go.

In sum, “that without constancy” of grass, trees, and forests is just the buddha-nature. And “that without constancy” of the body-and-mind of a human being is the buddha-nature itself.

This suggests the view of these objects realised as how they actually exist in direct practice.

National lands and mountains and rivers are “that without constancy” because they are the buddha-nature.

Master Dogen does not philosophically negate or deny the existence of separate real things; he affirms them as existing and being of the nature of "that without constancy".

The truth of anuttara samyaksambodhi, because it is the buddha-nature, is “that without constancy.” The great state of parinirvāna, because it is “that without constancy,” is the buddha-nature.

His view of the ultimate attainment of Buddhism is that it is of the same nature as every real thing; it is not separate or 'cut-off' from real existence, nor is it 'not-existence'.

The various people of small views of the two vehicles, together with scholars of the Tripi ṭaka who teach sutras and commentaries and the like, might be astonished, doubting, and afraid at these words of the Sixth Patriarch. If they are astonished or doubting, they are demons and non-Buddhists.

Master Dogen does not adhere to the view that Buddhist realisation is an end to existence, or that it is the cessation of existence or some sort of disappearing act. This was, and still is, a popular belief in Buddhism.

Regards,

Harry.

Bussho XXI: The Long and Short of it.

Shobogenzo Bussho continues:

[38] The Sixth Patriarch preaches to disciple Gyōshō, “That without constancy is the buddha-nature. That which has constancy is the mind that divides all dharmas into good and bad.” “That without constancy” expressed by the Sixth Patriarch is beyond the supposition of non-Buddhists, the two vehicles, and the like. Founding patriarchs and latest offshoots among non-Buddhists and the two vehicles are without constancy, though they cannot perfectly realize it.

Master Dogen is critical of a view of "that without constancy" which is not based in directly practicing-realising it.

Thus, when “that without constancy” itself preaches, practices, and experiences “that without constancy,” all may be “that without constancy.”

This suggests a mutual state of accord where the individual realises and expresses his/her being "that without constancy" and thus realises everything as of the same nature.

If people can now be saved by the manifestation of our own body, we manifest at once our own body and preach for them the Dharma.

Master Dogen presents this practice-state of mutual accord as our own, real body. He often refers to doing this as 'preaching' or expressing the truth for other beings.

This is the buddha-nature. Further, it may be sometimes the manifestation of a long Dharma body and sometimes the manifestation of a short Dharma body.

This suggests diverse, individual things expressing the same Dharma or truth in separate circumstances across time. It suggests that the buddha-nature may be expressed regardless of our circumstances and capacities.

Everyday saints are “that without constancy” and everyday commoners are “that without constancy.” The idea that everyday commoners and saints cannot be the buddha-nature may be a stupid view of small thinking and a narrow view of the intellect.

Master Dogen challenges the sort of religious thinking that might see the buddha-nature as the preserve of special, holy people. Everyone is already "that without constancy" and the substantial matter is that we realise and express this in our own practice of it.

Regards,

Harry.

Bussho XX: 'Powerless Dimwits'.

Shobogenzo Bussho continues with a strident criticism and discussion of these words of the Sixth ancestor:

“People have south and north, but the buddha-nature is without south and north.”

...At this time, if the Sixth Patriarch were a person of the fact, he would strive to consider these words “being without the buddha-nature.” Setting aside for a while the “being without” of “having and being without,” he should ask, “Just what is the buddha-nature?”

Master Dogen here seems to suggest that the Sixth Patriarch, and/or any 'person of the fact', should try a bit harder!

He should inquire, “What concrete thing is the buddha-nature?”

The Sixth ancestor's statement suggests that the buddha-nature is some state that is apart from 'south' and 'north', or the real world. To counterbalance this viewpoint, Master Dogen suggests that 'he' should investigate the buddha-nature as real substance.

People today also, when they have heard of the buddha-nature, do not ask further, “What is the buddha-nature?” They seem only to discuss the meaning of the buddha-nature’s existence, nonexistence, and so on. This is too hasty. In sum, the “being without” that belongs to various denials of existence should be studied under the “being without” of “being without the buddha-nature.”

This is still quite a popular trend in Buddhism it seems; to just philosophically negate separate things as all just 'emptiness' or 'buddha-nature' or 'one-ness', but Master Dogen suggests that the matter should be investigated in a more substantial way, a more substantial 'being without' than just philosophical positions.

We should sift through two times and three times, for long ages, the Sixth Patriarch’s words, “People have south and north, but the buddha-nature is without south and north.” Power may be present just in the sieve.

This suggests that there may be merit in the act of considering this phrase, in the act of questioning it and investigating it, even though it is presented here as currently lacking.

We should quietly take up and let go of the Sixth Patriarch’s words “People have south and north, but the buddha-nature is without south and north.”

'Quietly take up' suggests thinking about the words in a philosophical sense while 'letting go' suggests investigating the matter via the 'dropping-off-thoughts' or 'non-thinking' of zazen.

Stupid people think, “The human world has south and north because it is hindered by physical substance, whereas the buddha-nature, being void and dissolute, is beyond discussion of south and north.” Those who guess that the Sixth Patriarch said this may be powerless dimwits. Casting aside this wrong understanding, we should directly proceed with diligent practice.

Master Dogen cautions against getting caught up in the view which represents buddha-nature as some spiritual 'essence' or 'true nature' that is different to physical matter.

Regards,

Harry.

Bussho XIX: North/ South Divide?

Shobogenzo Bussho continues on with a criticism and discussion of a phrase from the Sixth Ancestor:

[35] The Sixth Patriarch says, “People have south and north, but the buddha-nature is without south and north.” We should take this expression and make effort to get inside the words.

As he often does, Master Dogen encourages us to realise the actual substance of the meaning of the words in our own practice, not just to take somebody else's word for it (somebody like me!!!), or to blindly accept someone else's interpretation or 'spin' on it, for example. Some people seem a little too interested in putting a 'spin' on Master Dogen's words for various reasons using his words in a spurious and out-of-context manner (which is forgivable up to a point I suppose... we all like a bit of false certainty, don't we?), but, Dogen's own standard, as was the Buddha's standard, is that we should confirm things for our self in our own efforts and practice.

We should reflect on the words “south and north” with naked mind. The words of the Sixth Patriarch’s expression of the truth have meaning in them: they include a point of view that “People become buddha, but the buddha-nature cannot become buddha”—does the Sixth Patriarch recognize this or not?

Master Dogen affirms that words and meaning are important, and he asks us to consider the very nature of language and meaning from the 'place' where such things commence; that is, the 'naked mind', or the inclusive, present situation, as seen clearly in stable sitting practice. He interprets the Sixth Ancestor's words as presenting the questionable view that there is an aspect of us (the thinking facility which makes and maintains the values 'south' and 'north') which is 'cut off' from being realised as the buddha-nature.

In Zen tradition, there is a common view that words/teachings are an inferior, or secondary, aspect of practice/realisation, but Master Dogen saw them as the very stuff of realisation itself; he didn't see it in a dualistic way. He saw words which directly expressed the truth, and which directly cause us to realise the truth, as the truth itself. ***His intention, of course, was not to present such words as his own as some dry, disembodied doctrine of "the truth" to be dubiously dissected and lorded over people in a dogmatic way as part of some tired sectarian or counter-sectarian game***... his view of language is much more instantaneous, direct and realistic than that (besides being more interesting!): it is based in the direct, clear understanding of the present situation of existence in that, when it is clearly realised in practice/effort, all things express it and can be used to express it.

Receiving a fraction of the superlative power of restriction present in the expression of the truth “being without the buddha-nature,” as expressed by the Fourth Patriarch and the Fifth Patriarch, Kāśyapa Buddha and Śākyamuni Buddha and other buddhas possess the ability, in becoming buddha and in preaching Dharma, to express “totally having the buddha-nature.”

Master Dogen counters the 'cut off' view contained in the words of the Sixth Ancestor by pointing out that the 'restriction' of such thinking is a necessary aspect of practicing-realising and 'totally having' the 'being without' state of buddhas and ancestors. All things, even our own 'limited' thinking is employed in the practice of realising a buddha. In fact it is an essential part of it.

How could the “having” of “totally having” not receive the Dharma from the “being without” in which there is no “being without”? So the words “being without the buddha-nature” can be heard coming from the distant rooms of the Fourth Patriarch and the Fifth Patriarch.

In order to 'have' this 'not having' there must be something to 'not have' i.e. meaningful thoughts such as 'south' and 'north'.

Master Dogen is expressing the view of thinking and meaning as it is realised in direct practice, and as it is employed to directly express the truth of realisation, or the real, completely-inclusive-of-every-thing (including 'north' and 'south') situation.

Regards,

Harry.

Ugly Sew & Sew...