{"id":537,"date":"2021-03-13T17:57:03","date_gmt":"2021-03-13T17:57:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shobogenzo.net\/?page_id=537"},"modified":"2021-03-16T12:37:43","modified_gmt":"2021-03-16T12:37:43","slug":"book-2-introductions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.shobogenzo.net\/index.php\/text-1\/chapter-introductions\/book-2-toc\/book-2-introductions\/","title":{"rendered":"Book 2 Introductions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

[22] BUSSHO \u4ecf\u6027
The Buddha-nature<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Butsu means Buddha and sho means\nnature, so bussho means Buddha-nature. The Chinese characters read in Japanese\nas bussho represent the meaning of the Sanskrit word buddhata<\/em>, or\nBuddha-nature; this was usually understood as the potential we have to attain\nthe truth, or as something which we have inherently and which grows naturally\nday by day. But Master Dogen was not satisfied by such interpretations. In his\nview, the Buddha-nature is neither a potential nor a natural attribute, but a\nstate or condition of body and mind at a present moment. Therefore, he saw the\nBuddha-nature neither as something that we might realize in the future, nor as\nsomething that we have inherently in our body and mind. From this standpoint,\nMaster Dogen affirmed and at the same time denied the proposition \u201cWe all have\nthe Buddha-nature.\u201d He also affirmed and at the same time denied the\nproposition \u201cWe all don\u2019t have the Buddha-nature.\u201d At first sight, these views\nappear contradictory, but through his dialectic explanation of the\nBuddha-nature in this chapter, Master Dogen succeeded in interpreting the\nconcept of the Buddha-nature from the standpoint of action or reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[23] GYOBUTSU-YUIGI \u884c\u4ecf\u5a01\u5100
The Dignified Behavior of Acting Buddha<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gyo means to practice or to act, butsu\nmeans buddha, yui means dignity or dignified, and gi means ceremony, formal\nattitude, or behavior. Therefore Gyobutsu-yuigi means the dignified behavior of\nacting buddha. Buddhism can be called a religion of action. Buddhism esteems\naction very highly, because action is our existence itself, and without acting\nwe have no existence. Gautama Buddha\u2019s historical mission was to find the truth\nof action, by which he could synthesize idealistic Brahmanism and the\nmaterialistic theories of the six non-Buddhist teachers. In this chapter Master\nDogen explained the dignity that usually accompanies buddhas in action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[24] BUKKYO \u4ecf\u6559
The Buddha\u2019s Teaching<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Butsu means Buddha or Buddhist, and kyo\nmeans teaching or teachings. Bukkyo is usually translated as Buddhism, but in\nthis chapter Master Dogen emphasized the importance of the theoretical side of\nBuddhism. For this reason it is better here to translate bukkyo as \u201cBuddha\u2019s\nteaching\u201d in order to distinguish between the peculiar usage of the word in\nthis chapter and the usual usage. Some Buddhist sects, wanting to emphasize the\nvalue of practice in Buddhism, insist on the importance of a transmission which\nis beyond and separate from theoretical teachings. They say we need not rely on\nany verbal explanation of Buddhism. But Master Dogen saw that this theory\nitself was mistaken. Of course, practice is very important in Buddhism, but\nMaster Dogen considered that both practice and theory are important. If we deny\nthe importance of the theoretical side of Buddhism, we lose the method to\ntransmit Buddhism to others. In this chapter Master Dogen explained the role of\nBuddhist theory and insisted that we should not forget the importance of\ntheoretical Buddhist teachings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[25] JINZU \u795e\u901a
Mystical Power<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Jin means mystical and zu, which is a\ncorruption of tsu, means ability or power, so jinzu means mystical power. It is\nsaid in Buddhism that a person who has attained the truth may have certain\nkinds of mystical power, but many Buddhists invented fantastic exaggerations of\nthese powers. Master Dogen did not affirm such exaggerations. He affirmed the\nexistence of Buddhist mystical powers, which we can get when we become buddhas,\nbut he thought that in the case of Buddhist mystical powers, mystical means not\nsupernatural but real. Master Dogen thought that Buddhist mystical powers are\nthe abilities we use in our usual life. When asked what Buddhist mystical\npowers are, an old Chinese Buddhist replied, \u201cFetching water and carrying\nfirewood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[26] DAIGO \u5927\u609f
Great Realization<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dai means great and go means\nrealization, so daigo means great realization. Many Buddhist scholars, for\nexample Dr. Daisetsu Suzuki, have translated go as \u201cenlightenment.\u201d But the\nmeaning of the word \u201cenlightenment\u201d is ambiguous and the word has for many years\nbeen a stumbling block to the understanding of Buddhism. So it may be better to\ntranslate go as realization. The meaning of realization in Master Dogen\u2019s\ntheory is also difficult to understand. Anyway, it is clear that realization is\nnot only intellectual understanding, but a more concrete realization of facts\nin reality. So we can say that realization in Master Dogen\u2019s theory is\nrealization in real life. We can study his thoughts on realization in this\nchapter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[27] ZAZENSHIN \u5750\u7985\u7bb4
A Needle for Zazen<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shin means a bamboo needle that was\nused for acupuncture in ancient China. So shin means a method of healing body\nand mind, and the word came to be used for a maxim that has the power to cure a\nhuman being of physical and mental discomfort. Subsequently, the word shin was\nused to describe short verses useful in teaching the important points of a\nmethod of training. In this chapter Master Dogen first explained the true meaning\nof Zazen, quoting and commenting on a famous exchange between Master Nangaku\nand Master Baso. Then he praised a Zazenshin by Master Wanshi Shokaku, and\nfinally, he wrote his own Zazenshin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[28] BUTSU-KOJO-NO-JI \u4ecf\u5411\u4e0a\u4e8b
The Matter of the Ascendant State of Buddha<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Butsu means \u201cbuddha,\u201d kojo means \u201cascend,\u201d\nor \u201cbe beyond,\u201d and ji means \u201cmatter,\u201d so butsu-kojo-no-ji means \u201cthe matter\nbeyond buddha\u201d or \u201cthe matter of the ascendant state of buddha.\u201d These words\ndescribe a buddha continuing Buddhist practice after attaining the truth.\nAttainment of the truth is the practitioner\u2019s recognition that he or she has\nbeen buddha since the eternal past. Therefore even though buddhas have attained\nthe truth, they do not distinctly change their thought, their physical\ncondition, their life, and their practice of Zazen, after having attained the\ntruth. They just continue with their lives, practicing Zazen each day. Buddhas\nlike this are called \u201cbeyond buddha\u201d or \u201cascendant buddhas\u201d because they are\nbuddhas who do not look like buddhas, and who continue the same usual Buddhist\nlife as the life which they had before their enlightenment. Master Dogen\nrevered these ascendant buddhas very much. Ascendant buddhas like these are\nactual buddhas, and we cannot find buddhas other than they in this world. So in\nthis chapter, Master Dogen explained the matter of ascendant buddhas, quoting\nthe words of many masters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[29] INMO \u6041\u9ebc
It<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Inmo is a colloquial word in Chinese,\nand it means \u201cit,\u201d \u201cthat,\u201d or \u201cwhat.\u201d We usually use the words \u201cit,\u201d \u201cthat,\u201d or\n\u201cwhat\u201d to indicate something that we do not need to explain. Therefore Buddhist\nphilosophers in China used the word inmo to suggest something ineffable. At the\nsame time, one of the aims of studying Buddhism is to realize reality, and\naccording to Buddhist philosophy, reality is something ineffable. So the word\ninmo was used to indicate the truth, or reality, which in Buddhist philosophy\nis originally ineffable. In this chapter Master Dogen explained the meaning of\ninmo, quoting the words of Master Ungo Doyo, Master Samghanandi, Master Daikan\nEno, Master Sekito Kisen, and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[30] GYOJI \u884c\u6301 ( \u4e0a\/\u4e0b )
[Pure] Conduct and Observance [of Precepts] – Parts 1 & 2<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gyo means deeds, actions, or conduct;\nand ji means observance of precepts. So gyoji means \u201cPure Conduct and\nObservance of Precepts.\u201d In short, we can say that Buddhism is a religion of\naction. Gautama Buddha recognized the importance of action in our life, and he\nestablished an ultimate philosophy dependent on action. In sum, the solution to\nall problems relies upon the philosophy of action and therefore Master Dogen\nesteemed action highly. In this chapter he quoted many examples of pure conduct\nand observance of precepts by Buddhas and patriarchs. The contents of this\nchapter are thus very concrete, and encourage us in practicing our Buddhist\nlife and observing the Buddhist precepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[31] KAI-IN-ZANMAI \u6d77\u5370\u4e09\u6627
Samadhi, State Like the Sea<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kai means \u201csea\u201d and in (a translation\nof the Sanskrit word mudra<\/em>) means \u201cseal\u201d or \u201cstamp.\u201d Zanmai (a\nphonetic representation of the Sanskrit word samadhi<\/em>) means the\nstate in Zazen. So kai-in-zanmai means \u201csea-stamp samadhi\u201d or \u201csamadhi as a\nstate like the sea.\u201d These words appear frequently in the Garland Sutra. Master\nDogen explains that the words describe the state in Zazen, or the mutual\ninterrelation between subject and object here and now. In this chapter Master\nDogen expounds on samadhi as a state like the sea, quoting from the Vimalakirti\nSutra, the Lotus Sutra, and from a conversation between Master Sozan Honjaku\nand his disciple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[32] JUKI \u6388\u8a18
Affirmation<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ju means to give, and ki means\naffirmation, so juki means affirmation. Buddhist sutras contain many\ndescriptions of Gautama Buddha giving his disciples affirmation that they would\nattain the truth, but few Buddhist scholars concerned themselves with the\nmeaning of these affirmations. Master Dogen, however, saw the great\nsignificance of these affirmations in Buddhist philosophy. In this chapter he\nexplained the meaning of affirmation and taught us why Buddhist sutras so often\ndescribed affirmations of attaining the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[33] KANNON \u89b3\u97f3
Avalokitesvara<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kannon is the Japanese pronunciation of\nthe Chinese name of the Bodhisattva called Avalokitesvara<\/em> in\nSanskrit. Avalokitesvara is described in the Lotus Sutra as someone who always\ncomes to this world to save a man or woman who cries for help. Kannon literally\nmeans \u201cRegarder of Sounds,\u201d and this expresses the character of Avalokitesvara\nwho always responds to the cries for help of living beings in this world. Thus,\nAvalokitesvara is usually thought of as a symbol of compassion. But Master\nDogen understood Avalokitesvara as a symbol of a life force that is more\nfundamental to living beings than compassion. So in this chapter he explained\nthe true meaning of Avalokitesvara, quoting a famous conversation about\nAvalokitesvara between Master Ungan Donjo and Master Dogo Enchi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[34] ARAKAN \u963f\u7f85\u6f22
The Arhat<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Arakan represents the sound of the\nSanskrit word arhan or arhat, which means a person who is worthy of veneration.\nArhathood is also the ultimate state of the Sravaka, or rigoristic Buddhist.\nThe Sravaka belongs to Hinayana Buddhism, and so Mahayana Buddhists usually did\nnot value arhathood. But Master Dogen did not share this opinion. According to\nMaster Dogen, there cannot be any difference between Hinayana Buddhism and\nMahayana Buddhism, because he believed that there is only one Buddhism, which\nhas been transmitted from Gautama Buddha to us. He thought that the difference\nbetween Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism was a difference produced by\nthe difference between ages, and so we should not affirm the existence of more\nthan one Buddhism. From this basis he explained the supreme value of the arhat\nin this chapter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[35] HAKUJUSHI \u6822\u6a39\u5b50
Cedar Trees<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The koan, or story, of Hakujushi, \u201cThe\nCedar Trees,\u201d is very famous both in China and in Japan. Although many\nBuddhists have presented their interpretations of the story, most of them are\nunsatisfactory. In this chapter, Master Dogen gives his own interpretation.\nFirst he describes Master Joshu\u2019s character, then he interprets the story. In\nthe story a monk asks Master Joshu Jushin what was Master Bodhidharma\u2019s\nintention in coming to China from the west. Master Joshu says \u201cThe cedar trees\nin the garden.\u201d His intention is \u201cIt was just reality\u201d or \u201cIt was just Dharma.\u201d\nBut the monk understood him to mean that cedar trees are just objective things.\nSo he asked the Master for another answer. But the Master again insisted that\ncedar trees in the garden are just reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[36] KOMYO \u5149\u660e
Brightness<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Komyo means luminosity, light, or\nbrightness. Such light has been revered in Buddhism since ancient times, and\nhas both a physical and a mental or spiritual side. Generally speaking,\nidealistic people believe in spiritual light whereas materialistic people only\nbelieve in physical light, but according to Buddhist theory, brightness has\nboth a physical side and a mental side. In this chapter Master Dogen explained\nthis brightness. He explained that the Universe is our own brightness, that the\nUniverse is just brightness, that our behavior in the Universe is brightness,\nand that there is nothing other than brightness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[37] SHINJIN-GAKUDO \u8eab\u5fc3\u5b66\u9053
Learning the Truth with Body and Mind<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shinjin means \u201cbody and mind,\u201d and\ngakudo means \u201clearning the truth,\u201d so shinjin-gakudo means \u201cLearning the Truth\nwith Body and Mind.\u201d Generally speaking, people usually think that they can\narrive at the truth through intellectual reasoning. In Buddhism, however, it is\ntaught that the truth can be attained not by the intellect alone, but through\naction. Therefore learning the truth in Buddhism includes both physical pursuit\nof the truth and mental pursuit of the truth. This is why Master Dogen called\nthe Buddhist pursuit of the truth \u201clearning the truth with body and mind.\u201d In\nthis chapter he explained learning the truth with body and learning the truth\nwith mind, and at the same time, he explained that the two ways of pursuing the\ntruth are always combined in the oneness of action. So we can say that the\ndivision of learning the truth into two ways is only a method of explaining the\nBuddhist pursuit of the truth through action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[38] MUCHU-SETSUMU \u5922\u4e2d\u8aac\u5922
Preaching a Dream in a Dream<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mu means \u201cdream,\u201d chu means \u201cin,\u201d and\nsetsu means \u201cpreach.\u201d So muchu-setsumu means \u201cpreaching a dream in a dream.\u201d In\nBuddhist philosophy there is an idea that our life is a kind of dream, because\nin everyday life we cannot recognize our life itself. In other words, our\nactual life is just a moment here and now, and we cannot grasp such a moment.\nWe are living at every moment of the present, and every moment cannot be\nexpressed with words. So we can say that we are living in something like a\ndream. At the same time, to preach Buddhist theory is a kind of preaching a\ndream, and furthermore to live our life is also a kind of preaching, telling,\nor manifesting a dream. So Master Dogen compared our life to preaching a dream\nin a dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[39] DOTOKU \u9053\u5f97
Expressing the Truth<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Do means \u201cto speak\u201d and toku means \u201cto\nbe able,\u201d so do-toku literally means \u201cbeing able to say something.\u201d But over\ntime the meaning of do-toku changed to \u201cexpressing the truth\u201d or \u201can expression\nof the truth.\u201d In this chapter, Master Dogen explained the meaning of do-toku,\nor expressing the truth, from his standpoint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[40] GABYO \u753b\u9905
A Picture of Rice Cake<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ga means a picture, a painting, or a\ndrawing, and byo means rice cake. Therefore gabyo means a rice cake painted in\na picture. Needless to say, a picture of rice cake cannot satisfy an appetite.\nTherefore, in Buddhism, painted rice cakes have frequently been used as a\nsymbol of something serving no useful purpose. Notably, they were used as a\nsymbol for abstract theories and concepts, which are useless to realize\nBuddhism. But Master Dogen\u2019s interpretation about painted rice cakes differed\nfrom this usual interpretation. He felt that a painted rice cake represents one\nhalf of the Universe-the conceptual or mental side of Reality. Therefore we can\nsay that even though abstract theories and words have sometimes misled people\nwho are studying Buddhism, if there were no theories or words it would be\nimpossible to understand Buddhism systematically or to explain Buddhist\nphilosophy to others. In this chapter Master Dogen explained the real meaning of\npainted rice cakes in Buddhism: painted rice cakes-theories and concepts-cannot\nsatisfy hunger, but they can be utilized to understand and explain the Truth.\nFurther, Master Dogen insists that all existence has both a physical, material\nside and a conceptual, mental side, and that these two aspects are inseparable\nin Reality. Thus without a picture of rice cake-that is, the concept \u201crice cake\u201d-we\ncan never find the real existence of rice cakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[41] ZENKI \u5168\u6a5f
All Functions<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Zen means \u201call\u201d or \u201ctotal\u201d and ki means\n\u201cfunctions,\u201d so zenki means \u201call functions\u201d or \u201cthe total function.\u201d From the\nBuddhist standpoint, we can say that this world is the realization of all\nfunctions. Master Dogen explained this state of the world, quoting the words of\nMaster Engo Kokugon that life is the realization of all functions and death is\nthe realization of all functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[22] BUSSHO \u4ecf\u6027 The Buddha-nature Butsu means Buddha and sho means nature, so bussho means Buddha-nature. The Chinese characters read in Japanese as bussho represent the meaning of the Sanskrit word buddhata, or Buddha-nature; this was usually understood as the potential we have to attain the truth, or as something which we have inherently and which … <\/p>\n

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