{"id":557,"date":"2021-03-14T15:05:29","date_gmt":"2021-03-14T15:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shobogenzo.net\/?page_id=557"},"modified":"2021-03-16T13:06:48","modified_gmt":"2021-03-16T13:06:48","slug":"book-3-intros","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.shobogenzo.net\/index.php\/text-1\/chapter-introductions\/book-3-toc\/book-3-intros\/","title":{"rendered":"Book 3 Introductions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

[42] TSUKI \u90fd\u6a5f
The Moon<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tsuki means \u201cthe moon\u201d;\nin this chapter Master Dogen uses the moon as a symbol to explain the\nrelationship between an abstract concept and a concrete entity. The moon\nexisted yesterday, it exists today, and it will exist tomorrow. We can say that\nat one moment in time the moon is a unique and independent entity. At the same\ntime, there is the abstract concept \u201cthe moon.\u201d The concept \u201cthe moon\u201d is an\nabstraction of the concrete moon which exists at one moment; that is the moon\nyesterday, the moon today, the moon tomorrow. Although the unique, concrete\nmoon is the origin of the abstract concept \u201cthe moon,\u201d we are prone to discuss\nphilosophical problems only in terms of abstract concepts, forgetting concrete\nfacts, and creating a division between thinking and perception. Buddhist\nphilosophy synthesizes the two factors, and here Master Dogen explains the\nmutual relationship between thinking and sensory perception comparing the\nabstract concept \u201cthe moon,\u201d with the concrete moon. Secondly, Master Dogen\nuses the relationship between moon and cloud to explain the relationship\nbetween subject and object. Buddhist theory says that reality is oneness\nbetween subject and object here and now. Master Dogen explains this using the\nexample of the moon and a cloud that surrounds the moon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[43] KUGE \u7a7a\u83ef
Flowers in Space<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ku means \u201cthe sky,\u201d or \u201cspace,\u201d\nand ge means \u201cflowers.\u201d What are flowers in space? Master Dogen uses the words \u201cflowers\nin space\u201d to express all phenomena in this world. According to the ideas of the\nGerman philosopher Immanuel Kant, we cannot be sure whether things really exist\nin this world, but we can be sure that there are phenomena which we can\nperceive with our senses. Therefore, for him, phenomena are not necessarily\nidentified with reality although they do actually appear in this world. He\nrefused to discuss the metaphysical problem of \u201creal existence\u201d and based his\nphilosophy on human reason. The same idea was present in ancient Buddhism.\nMaster Dogen thought that this skeptical attitude was important in considering\nthe meaning of our life, and so in this chapter he explains the meaning of \u201cflowers\nin space,\u201d which in Buddhism expresses real phenomena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[44] KOBUSSHIN \u53e4\u4ecf\u5fc3
The Mind of Eternal Buddhas<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ko means \u201cold\u201d or \u201ceternal,\u201d\nbutsu means \u201cbuddha\u201d and shin means \u201cmind.\u201d So kobusshin means \u201cthe mind of\neternal buddhas.\u201d In this chapter, Master Dogen cites examples of the mind of\neternal Buddhas, quoting Master Tendo Nyojo, Master Engo Kokugon, Master Sozan\nKonin, and Master Seppo Gison. Then he explains a story about National Master\nDaisho (Master Nan-yo Echu) and his disciple that suggests the oneness of the\nmind of eternal Buddhas and miscellaneous concrete things. At the end of the\nchapter he quotes Master Zengen Chuko\u2019s words on the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[45] BODAISATTA-SHISHOBO \u83e9\u63d0\u85a9\u6469\u57f5\u56db\u6442\u6cd5
Four Elements of a Bodhisattva\u2019s Social Relations<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bodaisatta means \u201cbodhisattva,\u201d\na person who is pursuing the Buddhist truth; shi means \u201cfour\u201d; and shobo means \u201celements\nof social relations\u201d or \u201cmethods for social relations.\u201d The four are dana, free\ngiving; priya-akhyana, kind speech; artha-carya, helpful conduct; and\nsamana-arthata, identity of purpose, or cooperation. Buddhism puts great value\non our actual conduct. For this reason, our conduct in relating to each other\nis a very important part of Buddhist life. In this chapter Master Dogen\npreaches that these four ways of behaving are the essence of Buddhist life. He\nexplains the real meaning of Buddhism in terms of social relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[46] KATTO \u845b\u85e4
The Complicated<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Katsu means \u201carrowroot\u201d\nand to means \u201cwisteria.\u201d Arrowroot and wisteria, being vines, are unable to\nstand by themselves but grow by entwining with other plants. Because of this,\nin China and Japan, arrowroot and wisteria are used as a symbol of something\nthat is very complicated. Buddhist philosophy strives to describe what reality\nis. Because reality cannot be adequately expressed with words, it is sometimes\ndescribed as \u201cthe ineffable.\u201d Here, Master Dogen uses the word katto, the complicated,\nto suggest reality, which is very direct, but complicated. He felt that the\nwords \u201cthe complicated\u201d express the nature of reality rather well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[47] SANGAI-YUISHIN \u4e09\u754c\u552f\u5fc3
The Triple World is Only the Mind<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

San means \u201cthree\u201d and kai\nmeans \u201cworld.\u201d So sangai means \u201cthe three worlds,\u201d or \u201cthe triple world.\u201d\nTraditionally, Buddhist theory looks at the world as the amalgamation of three\nworlds: the world of thinking, the world of feeling, and the world of action.\nIn traditional Buddhist terminology these three worlds are called the worlds of\nvolition, matter, and non-matter. The phrase \u201cthe three worlds,\u201d or \u201cthe triple\nworld,\u201d is often used to mean this world here and now, the whole world, the\nreal world, which includes the world of thinking, the world of feeling, and the\nworld of action. Yui means \u201conly,\u201d \u201csolely,\u201d or \u201calone,\u201d and shin means \u201cmind.\u201d\nSo sangai-yuishin means \u201cthe triple world is only the mind\u201d or \u201cthe triple\nworld is the mind alone.\u201d The phrase \u201cthe triple world is only the mind\u201d is\noften interpreted as an idealistic insistence that the whole world is produced\nby our mind. Historically, many Buddhist monks thought that this was the case.\nMaster Dogen did not agree; he insisted that in Buddhism, the phrase \u201cthe\ntriple world is only the mind\u201d means something far more real. This phrase\nrefers to the teaching that reality exists in the contact between subject and\nobject. From this viewpoint, when we say that the world is only the mind, we\nalso need to say that the mind is only the world, to express the fact that the\nrelationship is a mutual one. In this chapter, Master Dogen explains the\nmeaning of the phrase \u201cthe triple world is only the mind\u201d from the Buddhist\nviewpoint, criticizing idealistic interpretations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[48] SESSHIN-SESSHO \u8aac\u5fc3\u8aac\u6027
Expounding the Mind & Expounding the Nature<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Setsu means \u201cteach,\u201d \u201cexplain,\u201d\nor \u201cexpound.\u201d Shin means \u201cmind,\u201d and sho means \u201cthe essence,\u201d or \u201cthe nature.\u201d\nSo sesshin means \u201cexpounding the mind\u201d and sessho means \u201cexpounding the nature.\u201d\nSome Chinese Buddhist monks asserted that expounding the mind and expounding\nthe nature belong within the sphere of intellectual effort, and so to make such\neffort to explain the mind and essence is not only unnecessary but also\ndetrimental to attainment of the Buddhist truth. They believed that the\nBuddhist truth could never embrace intellectual understanding. Master Dogen had\na different opinion. He thought that the concepts sesshin and sessho in\nBuddhist thought refer to something much more real. He understood\nsesshin-sessho as the manifestation of the mind and the manifestation of the\nnature in the real world. Master Dogen saw no reason to deny the concepts\nsesshin and sessho; instead he used them to explain the fundamental theory of\nBuddhism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[49] BUTSUDO \u4ecf\u9053
The Buddhist Truth<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Butsu means \u201cBuddha\u201d and\ndo originally means \u201cway,\u201d but also \u201cmorals\u201d and \u201cthe truth.\u201d So butsudo means \u201cthe\nBuddha\u2019s truth\u201d or \u201cthe Buddhist truth.\u201d The concept of \u201cthe Buddhist truth\u201d is\ncentral to Master Dogen\u2019s theory, and it is helpful to examine the meaning from\neach of the four phases of Buddhist philosophy. In the first (subjective)\nphase, the Buddhist truth is embodied in the Buddhist philosophical system. In\nthe second (objective) phase, the Buddhist truth is the external world, or\nnature. In the third phase (based on action), the Buddhist truth is ethical or\nmoral conduct in everyday life; that is, everyday life as we live it. In the\nultimate phase, the Buddhist truth is ineffable, the complicated; the state in\nZazen, or reality itself. In this chapter, however, Master Dogen does not try\nto explain these meanings of \u201cthe Buddhist truth\u201d; he simply asserts that there\nis only one Buddhism — that which was established by Gautama Buddha. Based on\nhis assertion, although there are several Buddhist sects, we do not need to use\nthe titles that these sects have been given. Master Dogen insists that the\ntitle \u201cthe Buddha\u2019s truth\u201d or \u201cBuddhism\u201d is sufficient, and that it is wrong to\nuse such titles as the Unmon Sect, the Hogen Sect, the Igyo Sect, the Rinzai\nSect, and the Soto Sect. We usually think of Master Dogen as belonging to the\nSoto Sect, but he himself did not approve of the use of even the title \u201cSoto\nSect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[50] SHOHO-JISSO \u8af8\u6cd5\u5b9f\u76f8
All Dharmas are Real Form<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sho expresses plurality;\nit means \u201call,\u201d \u201cvarious,\u201d or \u201cmany.\u201d Ho means \u201cdharmas,\u201d both physical things\nand mental phenomena. Jitsu means \u201creal.\u201d So means form. The Lotus Sutra teaches\nthe most important and fundamental theory in Buddhism: that \u201call things and\nphenomena are real form.\u201d Because Buddhism is a philosophy of realism, its\nviewpoint is different from idealism and materialism. The idealist sees only\nphenomena, which cannot be confirmed to be substantially real. Idealists thus\ndoubt that phenomena are real form. The materialist looks at the detail,\nbreaking things into parts, thus losing the meaning and value that is included\nin the whole. Buddhism says that reality is all things and phenomena existing\nhere and now and reveres them as real substance: reality itself. This teaching\nis found in the Lotus Sutra, expressed with the words \u201call dharmas are real\nform.\u201d In this chapter, Master Dogen explains the meaning of the Lotus Sutra\u2019s\nteaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[51] MITSUGO \u5bc6\u8a9e
Secret Talk<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mitsu means \u201csecret,\u201d or \u201cmystical,\u201d in the sense of not apparent to the senses or the intellect, but experienced directly or immediately \u2013 as if two things are touching. Go means \u201cwords\u201d or \u201ctalk.\u201d So mitsugo means \u201csecret talk,\u201d that is, something communicated directly without sound. In Buddhism it is said that there is secret talk that can be recognized and understood even though it has no sound. So \u201csecret talk\u201d suggests the existence of intuitive perception. It is a fact that we can sometimes discover meaning, or secrets, without receiving any external stimuli, but we need not see the fact as particularly mystical. An analogy that helps to understand such facts is the sympathetic resonance of tuning forks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[52] BUKKYO \u4ecf\u7d4c
The Buddhist Sutras<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Butsu means \u201cBuddha\u201d or \u201cBuddhist,\u201d\nand kyo means \u201csutra\u201d or \u201cscripture.\u201d So bukkyo means Buddhist sutras.\nShobogenzo chapter 24 is also called Bukkyo, but in that chapter, kyo is a\ndifferent word, meaning \u201cteaching.\u201d In Buddhism, there are fundamentally two\nways that are useful in pursuing the truth. One is practicing Zazen, and the\nother is reading sutras. But some people emphasize the value of practicing\nZazen so strongly that they are blind to the value of reading Buddhist sutras,\nand so they deny the value of reading them. They insist that Buddhism is not\nphilosophical theories, and therefore that to attain the truth we need only\npractice Zazen, and that reading Buddhist sutras is useless or even detrimental\nto pursuing the truth. But Master Dogen did not think so. He esteemed the value\nof reading sutras, and he thought that it was necessary to read Buddhist sutras\nin order to attain the truth. Therefore he recorded the true meaning of reading\nBuddhist sutras in this chapter. Furthermore, in Master Dogen\u2019s thought,\nBuddhist sutras are not only Buddhist scriptures, but they are also the\nUniverse itself, which shows us and teaches us the true meaning of our life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[53] MUJO-SEPPO \u7121\u60c5\u8aac\u6cd5
The Non-Emotional Preaches the Dharma<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mujo means the non-emotional and Seppo means to preach the Dharma. Originally, mujo means inanimate or insentient things, so mujo-seppo means inanimate things preach the Dharma. But Master Dogen\u2019s usage of the word mujo was wider than the usual usage, as if the words cover the whole of nature \u2013 human beings as well as mountains, rivers, and so on. Master Dogen insisted that even inanimate things can preach the Dharma, and at the same time he insisted that human beings can preach the Dharma when they are not emotional. He insisted that any thing that is not emotional can preach the Dharma \u2013 a viewpoint that profoundly expresses the true nature of Buddhist preaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[54] HOSSHO \u6cd5\u6027
The Dharma-nature<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ho means Dharma, that is\nthe Buddha\u2019s teaching, or the Universe itself. Sho means essence, or nature. So\nhossho means the Dharma-nature, or the essence of the Universe. Needless to\nsay, we are living in the Universe. Therefore what the Universe means is one of\nthe most important philosophical problems in our life. Some people insist that\nthe Universe is something spiritual. Others insist that the Universe is\nsomething material. But from the Buddhist standpoint, the Universe is neither\nspiritual nor material, but something real. It is, however, very difficult to\nexpress the Universe as something real using words, because reality usually\ntranscends explanation with words. Master Dogen undertook this difficult task,\nin order to express the nature of the Universe, in this chapter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[55] DARANI \u9640\u7f85\u5c3c
Dharani<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Chinese characters\npronounced da-ra-ni represent the Sanskrit dharani, which originally means a\nspell or incantation that is believed to have mystical omnipotence. But Master\nDogen\u2019s interpretation was more concrete, and especially he esteemed the value\nof prostrations as dharani. In this chapter he explains the meaning of\nprostrations as dharani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[56] SENMEN \u6d17\u9762
Washing the Face<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sen means to wash, and\nmen means the face. Idealistic religions generally revere only the spiritual\nside of the world; everyday activities such as eating meals, getting dressed,\nwashing the face, and taking a bath are not considered to be religious\npractices. Buddhism, however, is a religion based on the real world; these\neveryday activities are important religious practices without which there can\nbe no Buddhist life. This is why, when a Chinese Buddhist master was asked by\nhis disciple, \u201cWhat is the fundamental principle of Buddhism?\u201d the master\nanswered \u201cWearing clothes and eating meals.\u201d Master Dogen put the greatest\nvalue on the practice of washing the face. In this chapter he explains the Buddhist\nmeaning in the daily activities of taking a bath and washing the face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[57] MENJU \u9762\u6388
The Face-to-Face Transmission<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Men means face, and ju\nmeans transmission. Menju means the transmission of the Dharma from a master to\na disciple face to face. In Buddhism, what is transmitted from a master to a\ndisciple is not only abstract theory, but also something real, including actual\nconduct, physical health, and intuitional wisdom. Therefore the transmission of\nthis real something cannot be actualized solely through explanations with\nwords, or simply by passing on some manuscript. For this reason, the Dharma\nthat Gautama Buddha taught has been transmitted in person from master to\ndisciple since the days of Gautama Buddha. Without this personal contact, the\nBuddhist Dharma cannot be transmitted. In this chapter, Master Dogen praises\nthe transmission of the Buddhist Dharma and explains its importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[58] ZAZENGI \u5750\u7985\u5100
The Standard Method of Zazen<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gi means a form, or a\nstandard of behavior. Therefore Zazengi means the standard method of Zazen.\nMaster Dogen wrote several treatises about Zazen. First he wrote Fukan-zazengi,\n(The Universal Guide to the Standard Method of Zazen), in 1227, just after\ncoming back from China. In Shobogenzo he wrote Bendowa (A Talk about Pursuing\nthe Truth), Zazenshin (A Needle for Zazen), Zanmai-o-zanmai (The Samadhi That\nIs King of Samadhis), and this chapter, Zazengi. Fukan-zazengi was the first\ntext Master Dogen wrote, and thus it was the first proclamation of his belief\nin Zazen. Bendowa was an introduction to Zazen written in an easy style and\nformat to help us understand the fundamental theories of Zazen. Zazenshin\ncontains a guiding poem on Zazen, and Master Dogen\u2019s interpretation of it. The\nreason Master Dogen used poetry to interpret the meaning of Zazen is that it is\ndifficult to interpret the philosophical meaning of Zazen in prose, because the\nultimate meaning of Zazen is something that cannot be explained with words.\nMaster Dogen felt that it was appropriate to suggest the ultimate philosophical\nmeaning of Zazen in poetry. But in this chapter, Zazengi, Master Dogen\nexplained only the formal method of practicing Zazen. The existence of this\nchapter indicates how highly Master Dogen revered the formal standard of Zazen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[59] BAIKE \u6885\u83ef
Plum Blossoms<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Baike means plum blossoms. Master Dogen loved plum blossoms very much and we can find many descriptions and poems about plum blossoms in his works. Master Tendo Nyojo, Master Dogen\u2019s master, also loved plum blossoms and so we can also find many poems about plum blossoms in his works. Plum blossoms may have been a great pleasure to Buddhist monks living in mountain temples when there were few consolations to relieve the hardship of winter \u2013 because plum blossoms bloom at the very beginning of spring, when there are no other flowers, and plum blossoms are both pretty and fragrant. In this chapter, Master Dogen described the real situation of nature, quoting Master Tendo Nyojo\u2019s poems and preachings on plum blossoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[60] JUPPO \u5341\u65b9
The Ten Directions<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ju means \u201cten\u201d and ho\nmeans \u201cdirection,\u201d so Juppo means \u201cthe ten directions.\u201d The ten directions are\neast, west, south, north, northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest, and\nupward and downward. These represent all directions, the whole of space, or the\nwhole world. In Buddhist philosophy the meaning of space is frequently\ndiscussed. In these discussions, the word juppo, \u201cthe ten directions,\u201d is often\nused as a concrete expression of space. In this chapter, Master Dogen picks up\nthe word juppo, and uses it to discuss real space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[61] KENBUTSU \u898b\u4ecf
Meeting Buddha<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ken means \u201clook at,\u201d \u201cmeet,\u201d\nor \u201crealize the state of,\u201d and butsu means \u201cBuddha\u201d or \u201cbuddhas.\u201d Therefore\nkenbutsu means \u201cmeeting Buddha\u201d or \u201cmeeting buddhas.\u201d In order to meet buddhas\nit is necessary first to become buddha, because buddhas can be seen only by\nbuddhas. In this chapter, Master Dogen explained the real situation of meeting\nbuddhas and the true meaning of meeting buddhas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[62] HENSAN \u904d\u53c3
Thorough Exploration<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hen means \u201ceverywhere\u201d or\n\u201cwidely,\u201d and san means \u201cto visit,\u201d or \u201cto study through experience.\u201d\nOriginally hensan described the custom Buddhist monks used to have of traveling\naround in order to meet excellent masters with whom they could be satisfied.\nBut according to Master Dogen, hensan, or \u201cthorough exploration,\u201d is\naccomplished not by traveling around, but by a Buddhist monk\u2019s thorough\nexploration of the Buddhist state under one true master. In this chapter,\nMaster Dogen explains the true meaning of hensan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[63] GANZEI \u773c\u775b
Eyes<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ganzei, which means \u201ceyeballs\u201d\nor \u201ceyes,\u201d symbolizes the viewpoint of Gautama Buddha, that is, the Buddhist\nviewpoint. In this chapter, Master Dogen explains the meaning of the word\nganzei, which appears frequently in Shobogenzo, quoting Master Tendo Nyojo,\nMaster Ungan Donjo, Master Tozan Ryokai, and other Buddhist masters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[64] KAJO \u5bb6\u5e38
Everyday Life<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ka means \u201chouse\u201d or \u201chome,\u201d\nand jo means \u201cusual\u201d or \u201ceveryday.\u201d So kajo means \u201ceveryday\u201d or \u201ceveryday life.\u201d\nPeople are often prone to think that religious matters should be different from\ndaily life, being more sacred than and superior to daily life. But according to\nBuddhist theory, Buddhist life is nothing other than our daily life. Without\ndaily life there can never be Buddhism. In China it was said that wearing\nclothes and eating meals are just Buddhism. In this chapter, Master Dogen\nexplains the meaning of kajo, everyday life, on the basis of Buddhism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[65] RYUGIN \u9f8d\u541f
The Moaning of Dragons<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ryu means \u201cdragons,\u201d and gin means \u201csing,\u201d \u201cchant,\u201d or \u201cmoan.\u201d 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, \u201cthe moaning of dragons\u201d or \u201cthe whispers of dragons,\u201d as a symbol of something mystical in nature or in the Universe \u2013 for example, in the expression koboku ryugin. Koboku means \u201cwithered trees\u201d; 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 \u201cthe moaning of dragons\u201d in this chapter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[66] SHUNJU \u6625\u79cb
Spring and Autumn<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shun means \u201cspring\u201d and\nju, which is a corruption of shu, means \u201cautumn.\u201d Shunju, spring and autumn,\nexpresses the seasons. In this chapter Master Dogen describes the Buddhist\nattitude towards cold and heat. First Master Dogen quotes a famous conversation\non this subject between Master Tozan Ryokai and a monk. Then he discusses the\ncomments of some ancient masters in order to explain the true meaning of the\nstory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[67] SOSHI-SAIRAI-NO-I \u7956\u5e2b\u897f\u6765\u610f
The Ancestral Master\u2019s Intention in Coming from the West<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So means \u201cancestor\u201d or \u201cpatriarch\u201d\nand shi means \u201cmaster\u201d; thus soshi means \u201cancestral masters,\u201d or \u201cthe ancestral\nMaster.\u201d The word sometimes, as in this case, indicates Master Bodhidharma. Sai\nmeans \u201cwest\u201d and rai means \u201ccome.\u201d I (pronounced not as in white but as in\ngreen) means \u201cintention\u201d or \u201caim.\u201d So Soshi-sairai-no-i means Master\nBodhidharma\u2019s intention in coming from the west. It is said that in the sixth\ncentury Master Bodhidharma went from India (the west) to China (the east) to\nspread Buddhism, and that this event marked the transmission of true Buddhism\nto China. Master Bodhidharma was then called the first Patriarch in China and\nso Chinese Buddhists thought it very important to discuss Master Bodhidharma\u2019s\nintention in coming from the west. In this chapter, Master Dogen picks up a\nfamous discussion between Master Kyogen Chikan and his disciple to explain the real\nmeaning of Master Bodhidharma\u2019s intention in coming from the west.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[68] UDONGE \u512a\u66c7\u83ef
The Udumbara Flower<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Udonge means the flower\nof a type of fig tree called udumbara in Sanskrit. The udumbara tree (Ficus\nglomerata) is a large tropical tree of the mulberry family (Moraceae). Its\nflowers grow around the fruit, so they look like peel rather than flowers.\nBecause of this, people in ancient India considered the udumbara to be\nflowerless. Consequently, they used the udumbara flower as a symbol of\nsomething that rarely happens; for example, the realization of the Buddhist\ntruth. In a Buddhist sutra called Daibonten-o-monbutsu-ketsugi-kyo (The Sutra\nof Questions and Answers between Mahabrahman and the Buddha) there is a story\nthat one day Gautama Buddha showed an udumbara flower to an audience. No-one could\nunderstand the meaning of Gautama Buddha\u2019s suggestion other than Master\nMahakasyapa, who smiled. In Chinese Buddhism this story symbolized the\ntransmission of the truth. So Master Dogen used udumbara flowers to explain the\nmeaning of the transmission. Because Daibonten-o-monbutsu-ketsugi-kyo was said\nto have been written in China, it was criticized by some Buddhists as not\nexpressing Gautama Buddha\u2019s true intention. Master Dogen, however, insisted in\nShobogenzo, chapter 74, Tenborin, that even if a Buddhist sutra was produced in\nChina, after its words have been discussed by Buddhist masters it becomes a\nBuddhist sutra which expresses the true intention of Gautama Buddha; we need\nnot worry whether or not it was written in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[69] HOTSU-MUJOSHIN \u767a\u7121\u4e0a\u5fc3
Establishment of the Will to the Supreme<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hotsu means \u201cto\nestablish,\u201d mujo means \u201csupreme,\u201d and shin means \u201cmind\u201d or \u201cwill.\u201d\nHotsu-mujoshin means the establishment of the will to the supreme truth. In the\noriginal sentences of this chapter we do not find the words hotsu-mujoshin; but\nthe words hotsu-bodaishin, which mean \u201cthe establishment of the bodhi-mind,\u201d\nappear many times. Therefore, the title Hotsu-mujoshin may have been selected\nto distinguish this chapter from the next chapter, Hotsu-bodaishin.\nFurthermore, the two chapters end with exactly the same words: \u201cPreached to the\nassembly at Kippo temple in the Yoshida district of Esshu on the 14th day of\nthe 2nd lunar month in the 2nd year of Kangen [1244].\u201d We need to consider how\nthe two chapters are related. Dr. Fumio Masutani has suggested that\nHotsu-mujoshin was preached for lay people who were working on the construction\nof Daibutsu-ji temple (later called Eihei-ji temple), and that Hotsu-bodaishin\nwas preached on the same day for monks. Unfortunately, there is no evidence to\nprove this theory conclusively, but the content of the two chapters does lend\nit some support. Both hotsu-mujoshin and hotsu-bodaishin mean the will to\npursue the Buddhist truth, which can never be pursued for any purpose other\nthan the truth itself. Master Dogen highly esteemed this attitude in studying\nBuddhism, and he explains the importance of establishing the will to the truth\nin these two chapters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[70] HOTSU-BODAISHIN \u767a\u83e9\u63d0\u5fc3
Establishment of the Bodhi-mind<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is supposed that this\nchapter and the previous chapter originally had the same title, i.e.,\nHotsu-bodaishin, \u201cEstablishment of the Bodhi-mind,\u201d but that the title of the\nprevious chapter was changed to Hotsu-mujoshin, \u201cEstablishment of the Will to\nthe Supreme,\u201d for the purpose of distinction. Dr. Fumio Masutani believes that\nthe former chapter was a sermon for lay people and this chapter was a sermon\ngiven on the same day to monks and nuns. Whatever Master Dogen\u2019s intention was,\none point is that this chapter includes a presentation of the \u201cThe Theory of\nthe Momentary Appearance and Disappearance of the Universe.\u201d In Buddhist\ntheory, action is esteemed highly; when we consider the meaning of life, we can\nconsider that our life is just a series of moments of action. Why do we say\nthat our life is momentary? Because once we have done an act we can never\nreturn to the past to undo it. At the same time, we can never perform an act\nuntil its time comes to the present. So an act is always done just at the moment\nof the present. Furthermore, the moment of the present is cut off from the\nmoment immediately before it and the moment immediately after it, because we\ncan never act in the past and we can never act in the future. According to\nBuddhist theory, then, our life is momentary, and the whole Universe appears\nand disappears at every moment. This theory, also known as \u201cThe Theory of\nInstantaneousness,\u201d is important in resolving the conflict between human\nfreedom and the law of cause and effect; that is, free will versus determinism.\nIn this chapter, Master Dogen clearly explains the theory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[71] NYORAI-ZENSHIN \u5982\u6765\u5168\u8eab
The Whole Body of the Tathagata<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Nyorai represents the\nChinese translation of the Sanskrit word tathagata, which means a person who\nhas arrived at the truth. Sometimes, as in this case, nyorai means Gautama\nBuddha himself. Zenshin means \u201cthe whole body.\u201d In this chapter, Master Dogen\nteaches that Buddhist sutras are Gautama Buddha\u2019s whole body, using the word \u201csutras\u201d\nto express the real form of the Universe. Thus Master Dogen insists that the\nUniverse is Gautama Buddha\u2019s whole body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[72] ZANMAI-O-ZANMAI \u4e09\u6627\u738b\u4e09\u6627
The Samadhi That Is King of Samadhis<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Zanmai is the Japanese\npronunciation of the phonetic rendering in Chinese of the Sanskrit word \u201csamadhi,\u201d\nwhich means the state in Zazen; that is, the balanced state of body and mind. O\nmeans \u201cking.\u201d We can consider that there are many kinds of samadhi in our daily\nlives. However, according to Buddhist theory the most important and best\nsamadhi is just the samadhi that we can experience in Zazen. Therefore, we call\nthe state in Zazen \u201cthe king of samadhis.\u201d In this chapter, Master Dogen\nexplains what Zazen is, and so he chose the title Zanmai-o-zanmai, The Samadhi\nThat Is King of Samadhis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[42] TSUKI \u90fd\u6a5f The Moon Tsuki means \u201cthe moon\u201d; 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 … <\/p>\n

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