Archives: Shobogenzo

如來全身

nyorai-zenshin

The Whole Body of the Tathagata

Nyorai represents the Chinese translation of the Sanskrit word tathagata, which means a person who has arrived at the truth. Sometimes, as in this case, nyorai means Gautama Buddha himself. Zenshin means “the whole body.” In this chapter, Master Dogen teaches that Buddhist sutras are Gautama Buddha’s whole body, using the word “sutras” to express the real form of the Universe. Thus Master Dogen insists that the Universe is Gautama Buddha’s whole body.

優曇華

udonge

The Udumbara Flower

Udonge means the flower of a type of fig tree called udumbara in Sanskrit. The udumbara tree (Ficus glomerata) is a large tropical tree of the mulberry family (Moraceae). Its flowers grow around the fruit, so they look like peel rather than flowers. Because of this, people in ancient India considered the udumbara to be flowerless. Consequently, they used the udumbara flower as a symbol of something that rarely happens; for example, the realization of the Buddhist truth. In a Buddhist sutra called Daibonten-o-monbutsu-ketsugi-kyo (The Sutra of Questions and Answers between Mahabrahman and the Buddha) there is a story that one day Gautama Buddha showed an udumbara flower to an audience. No-one could understand the meaning of Gautama Buddha’s suggestion other than Master Mahakasyapa, who smiled. In Chinese Buddhism this story symbolized the transmission of the truth. So Master Dogen used udumbara flowers to explain the meaning of the transmission. Because Daibonten-o-monbutsu-ketsugi-kyo was said to have been written in China, it was criticized by some Buddhists as not expressing Gautama Buddha’s true intention. Master Dogen, however, insisted in Shobogenzo, chapter 74, Tenborin, that even if a Buddhist sutra was produced in China, after its words have been discussed by Buddhist masters it becomes a Buddhist sutra which expresses the true intention of Gautama Buddha; we need not worry whether or not it was written in India.

發菩提心

hotsu-mujoshin

Establishment of the Will to the Supreme

Hotsu means “to establish,” mujo means “supreme,” and shin means “mind” or “will.” Hotsu-mujoshin means the establishment of the will to the supreme truth. In the original sentences of this chapter we do not find the words hotsu-mujoshin; but the words hotsu-bodaishin, which mean “the establishment of the bodhi-mind,” appear many times. Therefore, the title Hotsu-mujoshin may have been selected to distinguish this chapter from the next chapter, Hotsu-bodaishin. Furthermore, the two chapters end with exactly the same words: “Preached to the assembly at Kippo temple in the Yoshida district of Esshu on the 14th day of the 2nd lunar month in the 2nd year of Kangen [1244].” We need to consider how the two chapters are related. Dr. Fumio Masutani has suggested that Hotsu-mujoshin was preached for lay people who were working on the construction of Daibutsu-ji temple (later called Eihei-ji temple), and that Hotsu-bodaishin was preached on the same day for monks. Unfortunately, there is no evidence to prove this theory conclusively, but the content of the two chapters does lend it some support. Both hotsu-mujoshin and hotsu-bodaishin mean the will to pursue the Buddhist truth, which can never be pursued for any purpose other than the truth itself. Master Dogen highly esteemed this attitude in studying Buddhism, and he explains the importance of establishing the will to the truth in these two chapters.

祖師西來意

soshi-sairai-no-i

The Ancestral Master’s Intention in Coming from the West

So means “ancestor” or “patriarch” and shi means “master”; thus soshi means “ancestral masters,” or “the ancestral Master.” The word sometimes, as in this case, indicates Master Bodhidharma. Sai means “west” and rai means “come.” I (pronounced not as in white but as in green) means “intention” or “aim.” So Soshi-sairai-no-i means Master Bodhidharma’s intention in coming from the west. It is said that in the sixth century Master Bodhidharma went from India (the west) to China (the east) to spread Buddhism, and that this event marked the transmission of true Buddhism to China. Master Bodhidharma was then called the first Patriarch in China and so Chinese Buddhists thought it very important to discuss Master Bodhidharma’s intention in coming from the west. In this chapter, Master Dogen picks up a famous discussion between Master Kyogen Chikan and his disciple to explain the real meaning of Master Bodhidharma’s intention in coming from the west.

龍吟

ryugin

The Moaning of Dragons

Ryu means “dragons,” and gin means “sing,” “chant,” or “moan.” Dragons, of course, are not living animals, but are mythical animals. So it would be very strange for dragons to sing or moan; in short, it is impossible for dragons to sing or moan. But in ancient China people used the word ryugin, “the moaning of dragons” or “the whispers of dragons,” as a symbol of something mystical in nature or in the Universe — for example, in the expression koboku ryugin. Koboku means “withered trees”; the words conjure an image of a lonely, desolate landscape of withered trees, where we feel we can hear something that is not a sound. This concept later entered into Buddhist explanations. The moaning of dragons is not a sound but something which cannot be heard with the ears alone; that is, quietness, nature, the Universe, or reality. Buddhism is not simple mysticism, and so we should not readily believe in the existence of something mystical. At the same time, we should not limit reality to the area of sensory perception. On this basis, Master Dogen explains the meaning of ryugin or “the moaning of dragons” in this chapter.

三十七品菩提分法

sanjushichi-bon-bodai-bunbo

The Thirty-seven Auxiliary Bodhi Methods

Sanjushichi means “thirty-seven.” Bon means “kinds.” Bodai represents the Sanskrit bodhi, which means “the truth.” Bunbo means “auxiliary methods.” So Sanjushichibon Bodai Bunbo means “the thirty-seven kinds of auxiliary methods [for realizing] the truth.” Generally speaking, Buddhist study is divided into Hinayana Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. And the thirty-seven methods are usually said to belong to Hinayana Buddhism, because they are discussed in the Abhidharma-mahavibhasa-sastra, which is a fundamental sutra of Hinayana Buddhism. In Japan, and especially among Mahayana Buddhist masters, it was very rare for Buddhist monks to discuss these teachings. But Master Dogen has his own view of Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism. According to him, there is only one Buddhism, which Gautama Buddha taught. So although there are distinctions between Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism, the distinctions are due to the different ages in which the two kinds of Buddhism were taught. Therefore Master Dogen does not like to discriminate between the two Buddhist streams. In this chapter Master Dogen explains the thirty-seven methods as Buddhist practice which is not divided into Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism, and which is based on practicing Zazen.

家常

kajo

Everyday Life

Ka means “house” or “home,” and jo means “usual” or “everyday.” So kajo means “everyday” or “everyday life.” People are often prone to think that religious matters should be different from daily life, being more sacred than and superior to daily life. But according to Buddhist theory, Buddhist life is nothing other than our daily life. Without daily life there can never be Buddhism. In China it was said that wearing clothes and eating meals are just Buddhism. In this chapter, Master Dogen explains the meaning of kajo, everyday life, on the basis of Buddhism.

眼睛

ganzei

Eyes

Ganzei, which means “eyeballs” or “eyes,” symbolizes the viewpoint of Gautama Buddha, that is, the Buddhist viewpoint. In this chapter, Master Dogen explains the meaning of the word ganzei, which appears frequently in Shobogenzo, quoting Master Tendo Nyojo, Master Ungan Donjo, Master Tozan Ryokai, and other Buddhist masters.

遍參

hensan

Thorough Exploration

Hen means “everywhere” or “widely,” and san means “to visit,” or “to study through experience.” Originally hensan described the custom Buddhist monks used to have of traveling around in order to meet excellent masters with whom they could be satisfied. But according to Master Dogen, hensan, or “thorough exploration,” is accomplished not by traveling around, but by a Buddhist monk’s thorough exploration of the Buddhist state under one true master. In this chapter, Master Dogen explains the true meaning of hensan.

見佛

kenbutsu

Meeting Buddha

Ken means “look at,” “meet,” or “realize the state of,” and butsu means “Buddha” or “buddhas.” Therefore kenbutsu means “meeting Buddha” or “meeting buddhas.” In order to meet buddhas it is necessary first to become buddha, because buddhas can be seen only by buddhas. In this chapter, Master Dogen explained the real situation of meeting buddhas and the true meaning of meeting buddhas.