Archives: Shobogenzo

谿聲山色

keisei-sanshiki

The Voices of the River-Valley and the Form of the Mountains

Kei means “river-valley,” sei means “sound” or “voice,” san means “mountain,” and shiki means “form” or “color.” So keisei-sanshiki means voices of river-valleys and forms of mountains – that is, Nature. In Buddhism, this world is the truth itself, so Nature is a face of the truth. Nature is the material side of the real world, so it is always speaking the truth, and manifesting the law of the Universe every day. This is why it has been said since ancient time that sounds of rivers are the preaching of Gautama Buddha and forms of mountains are the body of Gautama Buddha. In this chapter, Master Dogen preached to us the meaning of Nature in Buddhism.

畫餠

gabyo

A Picture of Rice Cake

Ga means a picture, a painting, or a drawing, and byo means rice cake. Therefore gabyo means a rice cake painted in a picture. Needless to say, a picture of rice cake cannot satisfy an appetite. Therefore, in Buddhism, painted rice cakes have frequently been used as a symbol of something serving no useful purpose. Notably, they were used as a symbol for abstract theories and concepts, which are useless to realize Buddhism. But Master Dogen’s interpretation about painted rice cakes differed from this usual interpretation. He felt that a painted rice cake represents one half of the Universe-the conceptual or mental side of Reality. Therefore we can say that even though abstract theories and words have sometimes misled people who are studying Buddhism, if there were no theories or words it would be impossible to understand Buddhism systematically or to explain Buddhist philosophy to others. In this chapter Master Dogen explained the real meaning of painted rice cakes in Buddhism: painted rice cakes-theories and concepts-cannot satisfy hunger, but they can be utilized to understand and explain the Truth. Further, Master Dogen insists that all existence has both a physical, material side and a conceptual, mental side, and that these two aspects are inseparable in Reality. Thus without a picture of rice cake-that is, the concept “rice cake”-we can never find the real existence of rice cakes.

都機

tsuki

The Moon

Tsuki means “the moon”; in this chapter Master Dogen uses the moon as a symbol to explain the relationship between an abstract concept and a concrete entity. The moon existed yesterday, it exists today, and it will exist tomorrow. We can say that at one moment in time the moon is a unique and independent entity. At the same time, there is the abstract concept “the moon.” The concept “the moon” is an abstraction of the concrete moon which exists at one moment; that is the moon yesterday, the moon today, the moon tomorrow. Although the unique, concrete moon is the origin of the abstract concept “the moon,” we are prone to discuss philosophical problems only in terms of abstract concepts, forgetting concrete facts, and creating a division between thinking and perception. Buddhist philosophy synthesizes the two factors, and here Master Dogen explains the mutual relationship between thinking and sensory perception comparing the abstract concept “the moon,” with the concrete moon. Secondly, Master Dogen uses the relationship between moon and cloud to explain the relationship between subject and object. Buddhist theory says that reality is oneness between subject and object here and now. Master Dogen explains this using the example of the moon and a cloud that surrounds the moon.

全機

zenki

All Functions

Zen means “all” or “total” and ki means “functions,” so zenki means “all functions” or “the total function.” From the Buddhist standpoint, we can say that this world is the realization of all functions. Master Dogen explained this state of the world, quoting the words of Master Engo Kokugon that life is the realization of all functions and death is the realization of all functions.

授記

juki

Affirmation

Ju means to give, and ki means affirmation, so juki means affirmation. Buddhist sutras contain many descriptions of Gautama Buddha giving his disciples affirmation that they would attain the truth, but few Buddhist scholars concerned themselves with the meaning of these affirmations. Master Dogen, however, saw the great significance of these affirmations in Buddhist philosophy. In this chapter he explained the meaning of affirmation and taught us why Buddhist sutras so often described affirmations of attaining the truth.

有時

uji

Existence-Time

U means “existence” and ji means “time,” so uji means “existent time,” or “existence-time.” In this chapter Master Dogen teaches us the meaning of time in Buddhism. As Master Dogen explains in other chapters, Buddhism is realism. Therefore, the view of time in Buddhism is always very realistic. Specifically, time is always related with existence and existence is always related with momentary time. So in reality, the past and the future are not existent time; the present moment is the only existent time – the point at which existence and time come together. Also, time is always related with action here and now. Action can only be realized in time, and time can only be realized in action. Thus, the view of time in Buddhism reminds us of existentialism in modern philosophy. It is very important to understand the Buddhist view of time in order to grasp the true meaning of Buddhism.

古鏡

kokyo

The Eternal Mirror

Ko means “ancient” or “eternal” and kyo means “mirror,” so kokyo means “the eternal mirror.” And what “the eternal mirror” means is the question. In this chapter Master Dogen quoted Master Seppo Gison’s words “When a foreigner comes in front of the mirror, the mirror reflects the foreigner.” From these words we can understand the eternal mirror as a symbol of some human mental faculty. The eternal mirror suggests the importance of reflection, so we can suppose that the eternal mirror is a symbol of the intuitional faculty. In Buddhist philosophy, the intuition is called prajna, or real wisdom. Real wisdom in Buddhism means our human intuitional faculty on which all our decisions are based. Buddhism esteems this real wisdom more than reason or sense-perception. Our real wisdom is the basis for our decisions, and our decisions decide our life, so we can say that our real wisdom decides the course of our life. For this reason, it is very natural for Master Dogen to explain the eternal mirror. At the same time, we must find another meaning of the eternal mirror, because Master Dogen also quoted other words of Master Seppo Gison, “Every monkey has the eternal mirror on its back.” Therefore we can think that the eternal mirror means not only human real wisdom, but also some intuitional faculty of animals. So we must widen the meaning of the eternal mirror, and understand it as a symbol of the intuitional faculty which both human beings and animals have. Furthermore Master Seppo Gison said, “When the world is ten feet wide, the eternal mirror is ten feet wide. When the world is one foot wide, the eternal mirror is one foot wide.” These words suggest the eternal mirror is the world itself. So we can say that the eternal mirror is not only a symbol of an individual faculty but is also something universal. From ancient times Buddhists have discussed the eternal mirror. In this chapter Master Dogen explains the meaning of the eternal mirror in Buddhism, quoting the words of ancient Buddhist masters.

觀音

kannon

Avalokitesvara

Kannon is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese name of the Bodhisattva called Avalokitesvara in Sanskrit. Avalokitesvara is described in the Lotus Sutra as someone who always comes to this world to save a man or woman who cries for help. Kannon literally means “Regarder of Sounds,” and this expresses the character of Avalokitesvara who always responds to the cries for help of living beings in this world. Thus, Avalokitesvara is usually thought of as a symbol of compassion. But Master Dogen understood Avalokitesvara as a symbol of a life force that is more fundamental to living beings than compassion. So in this chapter he explained the true meaning of Avalokitesvara, quoting a famous conversation about Avalokitesvara between Master Ungan Donjo and Master Dogo Enchi.

恁麼

inmo

It

Inmo is a colloquial word in Chinese, and it means “it,” “that,” or “what.” We usually use the words “it,” “that,” or “what” to indicate something that we do not need to explain. Therefore Buddhist philosophers in China used the word inmo to suggest something ineffable. At the same time, one of the aims of studying Buddhism is to realize reality, and according to Buddhist philosophy, reality is something ineffable. So the word inmo was used to indicate the truth, or reality, which in Buddhist philosophy is originally ineffable. In this chapter Master Dogen explained the meaning of inmo, quoting the words of Master Ungo Doyo, Master Samghanandi, Master Daikan Eno, Master Sekito Kisen, and others.

行持　上&下

gyoji

[Pure] Conduct and Observance [of Precepts] – Parts 1 & 2

Gyo means deeds, actions, or conduct; and ji means observance of precepts. So gyoji means “Pure Conduct and Observance of Precepts.” In short, we can say that Buddhism is a religion of action. Gautama Buddha recognized the importance of action in our life, and he established an ultimate philosophy dependent on action. In sum, the solution to all problems relies upon the philosophy of action and therefore Master Dogen esteemed action highly. In this chapter he quoted many examples of pure conduct and observance of precepts by Buddhas and patriarchs. The contents of this chapter are thus very concrete, and encourage us in practicing our Buddhist life and observing the Buddhist precepts.