A Staff for the Mind

Kokoro no Tsue

Shodo Harada

Calligraphy collection Sogenji, Volume Three 2003 Table of Contents

Spring General 66. First, I went following the sweet grasses; 87. All ten thousand things reveal great radiance 69 Now I return chasing falling leaves home 1 88. Purple-gold light illumines the mountains and rivers 72 67. Against the green river, 89. To make up with diligence for his inability 75 The birds are even whiter 7 90. Be master wherever you go 78 68. In a vase, a single plum bough 10 91. Then wherever you are, things are as they truly are 79 69. Old bamboo produces new shoots 13 92. Sun-faced Buddha, Moon-faced Buddha 82 70. The singing of quail, The fragrance of hundreds of blossoms 16 93. Crouch under the high heavens, tiptoe over the deep earth 86 94. Once the two swords have crossed points Summer Retreat is no longer possible 89 95. The juniper tree in the front garden 93 71. The white clouds embrace mysterious rocks 21 96. In all the heavens and earth, only one person 98 72. A thousand grasses weep tears of dew 24 97. Everyday mind is the Path 100 73. A lone pine sighs in the breeze 25 98. The old pine is talking prajna wisdom 104 74. Bamboo shadows sweep the stairs, yet not a mote of dust is stirred 29 99. A thousand-year-old peach pit 107 75. Moonbeams pierce the bottom of the pool, 100. Go straight! 109 yet leave no trace in the water 30 101. Above it extends beyond the milky way 76. Clouds scud along, water brims boundless 33 Below it reaches the Yellow Springs 111 77. I sing of the blue mountains that fill my eyes 38 102. Before three and three Behind three and three 114 Autumn 103. In the pot, sun and moon shine eternally 117 78. Under an autumn sky on an empty plain, not a traveler in sight 41 104. The sea is vast and the hundred rivers flow toward it 120 79. A running stream, the cold mountain path 45 80. Deep in the clouds, the old temple bell 47 81. The moon is in the blue sky, The water is in the bottle 49

Winter 82. The moon is setting in the frosty sky It’s almost midnight. 53 83. With whom can I share these winter images caught in the still pond? 55 84. My bamboo hat is weighed down with Wu mountain snow 58 85. They haul snow to fill the old well 61 86. Beyond the balustrade, the mountains are deep and the waters cold 64 Romanized Japanese Titles

Spring General 66. Hajime hØsØ ni shitagatte sari, 1 87. Banbutsu kØki o shØzu 69 Mata rakka o Øte kaeru 1 88. Shikon kØj¨ senga o terasu 72 67. KØ midori ni shite tori iyoiyo shiroku 4 89. Gon o motte setsu o oginau 75 68. Heiri isshi no ume 5 90. Zuisho ni shu to naru 78 69. Ky¨chiku shinjun o shØzu 7 91. Rissho mina shin nari 79 70. Shako naku tokoro hyakka kanbashi 8 92. Nichimen butsu, gachimen butsu 82 93. KØten ni segukumari kØchi ni nukiashi su 86 Summer 94. RyØjin hokosaki o majiete sakuru o mochiizu 89 71. Hakuun y¨seki o idaku 21 95. Teizen no hakujushi 93 72. Tsuyu ni naku senpan no kusa 24 96. Kenkon tada ichinin 98 73. Kaze ni ginzu ichiyØ no matsu 25 97. HeijØshin kore dØ 100 74. Chikuei kai o haratte chiri dØzezu 29 98. KoshØ hannya o danzu 104 75. Tsuki tantei o ugatte mizu ni ato nashi 30 99. Sennen no tokaku 107 76. Kumo sensen mizu manman 33 100. Maku jikko 109 77. Manmoku seizan (o ginga shi) 38 101. Kami shØkan ni tØri, shimo kØsen ni tessu 111 102. san san go san san 114 Autumn 103. Koch¨ jitsu getsu nagashi 117 78. Sh¨ten kØya kØjin tayu 41 104. Umi hiroku shite hyakusen chØsu 120 79. Ryusui kanzan no michi 45 80. Jin’un koji no kane 47 81. Tsuki wa seiten ni ari mizu wa heiri ni ari 49

Winter 82. SØten tsuki ochite yoru masa ni nakaba naran to su 53 83. Dare to tomo ni ka chØtan kage o terashite samuki 55 84. Kasa wa omoshi goten no yuki 58 85. Yuki o ninatte kosei o uzumu 61 86. Kanzen yama fukaku shite mizu samushi 64 Table of

春 無季節 66. 始随芳草去 又逐落花回 1 87. 萬物光輝生 69 67. 江碧鳥愈白 7 88. 紫金光聚照山河 72 68. 瓶裏一枝梅 10 89. 将勤補拙 75 69. 舊竹生新筍 13 90. 随處作主 78 70. 鷓鴣啼處百花香 16 91. 立處皆心 79 92. 日面佛月面佛 82 93. 高天跼厚地蹐 86 夏 94. 両刃交鋒不須避 89 71. 白雲抱幽石 21 95. 庭前柏樹子 93 72. 泣露千般草 24 96. 乾坤只一人 98 73. 吟風一様松 25 97. 平常心是道 100 74. 竹影掃 塵不動 29 98. 古松談般若 104 75. 月穿潭底水無痕 30 99. 千年桃核 107 76. 雲冉冉水漫々 33 100. 驀直去 109 101. 上透霄漢 下徹黄泉 111 77. 満目青山 38 102. 前三三後三三 114 103. 壺中日月長 117 104. 海濶百川朝 120 秋 78. 秋天曠野行人絶 41 79. 流水寒山路 45 80. 深雲古寺鐘 47 81. 月在青天水在瓶裏 49

冬 82. 霜天月落夜将半 53 83. 誰共澄潭照影寒 55 84. 笠重呉天雪 58 85. 坦雪填古井 61 86. 檻前山深水寒 64 First, I went following The Chinese Record of the Transmission both moving, is the Buddha nature in the sweet grasses; of the Lamp, a famous compilation the tail or in the head?” that includes the history of the Tang Now I return chasing He responded, “A worm cut into Dynasty, describes the exquisite area falling leaves home two--which half is the true worm?” from which Chosha Keijin came. In the same way that he was asked, This place of incomparable scenery, he answered immediately, “You say Chosha, is located in the Hunan area that a worm is divided into two and of China, on the southeast shore of it is moving, but where is the Buddha Lake Dotei. It is often referred to as Nature?” one of the most famous scenic spots Hajime hØsØ ni shitagatte in all of China. The person of training answered, sari, “Don’t answer so casually and In the Chosha district Keijin founded Mata rakka o Øte kaeru vaguely! When one has true wisdom, the temple of Rokunji (Deer Park), as soon as he answers, there must be where he lived for a time. Although he the energy of the heaven’s essence in was the founder and first head priest of that answer.” Rokunji, he later disappeared. No one was able to locate him as he wandered To this the master replied, “Of freely, following his karmic affiliations course! The whole of my answer is and teaching those he encountered the energy of the heavens. What it along the way. says in the is that in all the eight directions infinitely there is For the rest of his life he continually nothing that is moving, yet that whole moved from place to place, doing so unmoving universe is in every second with a huge and free state of mind. transforming, manifesting as the What he did in his life is not recorded, elements of wind, water, earth, and only that he did it freely. Yet even in fire, and in that, our five senses begin the small amount of information we to function, and then all things are have about him it can be seen that he done. So the whole world is the state First, I went following was simple and unadorned, yet huge of mind of the Buddha, and there is no and abundant. He wrote poems like birth or death, creation or destruction, the sweet grasses; the one at the beginning of this text, left or right, moving or not moving, with beautiful words that are easy to Now I return chasing no such words as those, even from the remember and reflect a deeply poetic beginning. It is clearly written!” falling leaves home mind. Then he gave his famous words: This Chosha Keijin Zenji lived during the same era as Rinzai, Tokusan, and Those who study the Way, Hajime hØsØ ni shitagatte Tozan. They all lived during the most Do not know the real. flourishing era of Zen in the Tang Because from the first they sari, dynasty. Chosha was the disciple of recognize Nansen Fugan Zenji, who was in turn Only the perceiving mind. Mata rakka o Øte kaeru a disciple of Master Baso Doitsu, who That which from the had been transmitted to by Joshu. beginningless beginning Chosha’s brother disciple was Riko Has been the source of birth 始随芳草去 Taifu, who also received transmission and death, from Nansen. This is that which stupid men 又逐落花回 Chosha was deeply familiar with Call the original body. scholastic works such as the Flower People of training, don’t rely only on Garland . Nansen’s your knowledge and neglect to realize This verse is from the works of was transmitted to him, and his where that knowledge originates the priest Chosha Keijin, whose own poems were deep. He lived an from! To think that only what you posthumous name was Shoken Daishi. abundant life, full and free. understand or see or hear or think or The 36th case of the Blue Cliff Record feel or taste is the truth and to rely on tells about him. Once he was asked, “If you cut a worm into two pieces, and they are that as all that exists is the source of 66 delusion. You have to know the source 1 of all of these things, or you will always so rough, like a big ferocious tiger!” in a place of great beauty when we In the Kannon Sutra it is said that the fall into delusion. We all mistakenly From that time on Chosha was known are old--well, it doesn’t always work has come into this severe take our own ego and its perception as “Jin (from Keijin) Big Tiger,” because out that way. Even if we do realize and challenging world to play, to be as the source. This is a huge error. This he would always act so immediately this goal, we don’t know how our with the phenomena. This doesn’t is the source of delusion; people think and fiercely. It is rare to meet up with bodies will be, whether or not we’ll mean to dwell in the viciousness of this for their entire lives and never one like this Chosha Keijin. be healthy and free of pain. We may life but to change our way of seeing clarify the true source of what sees and be suffering with a body in pain. What things so that we might know the joy One day, probably during the time hears and smells and tastes and feels. happened to the time for play we have of bringing all beings out of suffering. when he was at Rokunji, he went These are Chosha’s famous words. been waiting for? We have to wonder Then, our play is liberating others; for a long walk, wandering in the about this. likewise, suffering becomes our play, When his master, Nansen, died, mountains. When he came back to and working becomes our play. In this Chosha was asked, “Where has the mountain gate, the story goes that The play of Chosha isn’t like the play blood-bathed world where we shave Nansen gone?” the head monk was waiting there. The of young people today who think our bones in the efforts to liberate monk asked him, “Master, where have they should enjoy themselves while He answered, “He is born as the others, this also is play. you been? There are many disciples they are young, nor is it only being donkey of the east house and the gathered here for training--where have happy ourselves, thinking that there Chosha Keijin said he had gone “to horse of the west house.” you been--just wandering around?” are infinite sources of happiness. It play” without thinking about the The questioner responded, “What isn’t like that. It makes us melancholy word. He was clearly expressing his The head monk was correct to criticize does that mean?” to continue that way, and we need a own way of living. the wandering master. One has to true goal beyond that. We have to Chosha said, “Where is the donkey, have this kind of functioning, or you But when the head monk heard the have a goal and put our life on the line where is the horse? Don’t you know? cannot protect a dojo. phrase he didn’t get it or didn’t agree for it, but at the same time, in every If you want to get on it, get on it; if with it and asked, “You said you went Chosha responded, “I went to the moment of fulfilling that goal, we you want to get down off it, get down to play, but tell me clearly, where did back mountain to play a little.” We need to be playful--not only valuing off it.” you go to play? need to look clearly at the word play reaching the goal one day, but also Spontaneously he spat out the truth, to see what it really means here. finding fulfillment in each and every But Chosha didn’t say anything clearly, unequivocally. When someone came Chosha said, “First, I went following moment. How to make this world only answered vaguely that he was in to ask the fundamental truth of the the sweet grasses.” To play is not to be the best, how to live this life the the mountains playing, so the monk , he would answer clearly, irresponsible. There has to be a goal in best, how to make humankind the had to inquire further. When Chosha anything extra or any hesitation. our life, or we can’t live. Each of us has best--all are important. At the same had to give an answer, this poem was a goal, to achieve this or that, to build time, experiencing the essence of our born of his mouth: Another time, he was asked about the a house, to make a home, or to live in journey is as important as the securing state of mind of breaking through. He a place of great scenery--we all have our goal. We must know not just the would always answer with excellent deep wishes. Many have missions. form of realizing our goals but the First, I went following the sweet words of light and truth. And that People have different plans and values essence in realizing them as well. grasses; huge sharp functioning would always in their lives, and the meaning of life Now I return chasing falling be without attachment--in an instant. When this is seen as important, then is expressed through them. But when leaves home our religious mind comes into the One lovely night he was talking with goals are achieved, what do you do? picture. Living in the world today, full Master Kyozan of the Igyo sect, with At this point, we can work toward a of contradictions and miseries, and yet whom he often spent time. Kyozan When I left, those flowers were all new goal, but when this is fulfilled, finding it to be heaven on earth--this pointed to the moon in the sky and blooming. The cherry and the peach what then? Here is where we have to is the world of religion. To be able to said, as if talking to himself, “Everyone flowers were so beautiful, and while I see the meaning of the word play. We live in this world which is like hell and thinks about This, but no one uses it.” was looking at them they pulled me need to have a goal, but if we aren’t find it to be like heaven, to be able to He was referring to True Nature. right into the deep mountains, and acting playfully within each and every actually live this, is the true worth of then the clover and the dandelions Chosha said, “Perfect! So use it!” second of realizing the goal, while in religion. This is to be fully awakened were blooming and the butterflies were the very midst of living and struggling, within the phenomena of being born Kyozan countered, “No I want YOU to dancing, and while looking at them, I if we think we have to wait until later and dying. While having desires, within use it!” He had used it immediately. arrived home again. In each and every to play, then we aren’t realizing the those desires we remain unmoved. No moment’s world and encounter we Chosha stood up suddenly and kicked true value of life. So many people in matter the catastrophe, destruction, find the meaning of life. Kyozan so hard he fell over! It was the world live that way, and it makes or hideous situation we find ourselves done as if to say, “I don’t use it in such them very melancholy. in, we can be in it with a serene, full, This is not about finding the meaning a halfhearted way as you do. You have and taut mind. only when we eventually realize We work when young, hoping to to use it totally, like that!” our goal, but about finding joy no make enough money to be able to live Rinzai compares it to being “in the matter where we are, no matter what Kyozan said, “That’s true, but you are middle of town but still on the Way.” difficult or miserable circumstances we 3 find ourselves in. Knowing it as our irresponsible, but it is better than actuality of being alive. This is what doing what you are doing.” In the Our lives cannot be lived in a facile, Chosha Keijin is saying here. In each words “autumn dewdrops glisten on casual, vague way. We have to keep and every moment, right here, right the lotuses” we have that place where our sight on our very own footsteps now, we visit our true value; we must all playing and color are also let go of, and live fully and thoroughly in each live wholly and totally in each instant. the world of where everything second, without being moved around is let go of completely. This is the of living the life by anything. Then, in each and every of the Buddha. Our training should moment we will find deep wonder be like this. We do training and talk First, I went following the sweet and amazement and joy, and the value about , but if we drown in the grasses; of life will be clear. We must hold this struggle we’ll be in hell. Without being Now I return chasing falling kind of life precious. attached to a Buddha’s state of mind, leaves home if we work on each and every single period of practice, then it becomes First, I went following the sweet grasses; joyful play and we aren’t waiting for This is the world where each and Now I return chasing falling some satori to happen some time far every moment is joyful and the point leaves home away. Instead, everything we do is of being alive. Yet we can’t just adapt done with the mind of the Buddha. ourselves vaguely to each moment’s experience, or there will be no true joy In this eternal life we find our true We too must be able to speak like this in our hearts. We have to experience play; in the truth of being alive we about the value of our own life. play. When Chosha gave this poem, this place of no other, no self, and not the monk was still not satisfied with one bit of anything in the heavens and this answer. Rather he said, “Fine, earth, like our true . We have to but what are you so happy about, live in this way every single day--and wandering around like this?” His then each day is truthful and playful, implication was that Chosha was a and there every day is a day in a life of miserable and irresponsible teacher. meaning. The monk was doing his job well, It isn’t about enduring pain every day making sure Chosha was not being of our lives and looking forward to careless but was instead watching something else that will come along, his footsteps. People who work from later and far away, but for each and Monday to Friday often think that they every moment to be true, to be our have only the weekend to be happy. goal, to have a deep worth, to be After five days of suffering through our complete. These are the great words work, we try to make up for that with of Chosha Keijin, and there the monk two days of being happy--what kind was quieted. of life is this? It leaves us looking here Chosha was always telling this monk to and there to figure out where else we not take his eye off his footsteps, and should go and wondering what else so he could not reply a single word to we can do to be happy. A life lived like Chosha. And even years later Setcho that can only be melancholy. This is said these were truly the words of the point being made. Buddha and an important teaching for The monk said he understood. how to live our lives. Master Setcho Nonetheless, we have another verse saw the state of mind of Master that Chosha added, and which we Chosha and thanked him deeply. have already written about: “Autumn dewdrops glisten on the lotuses.” First, I went following the sweet When the great lotus leaf becomes grasses; wilted and dead in the autumn, it Now I return chasing falling is beat upon by the autumn rain, leaves home presenting a chill, bleak scenery. “You may think I am sick and

5 Against the green river, These phrases are found in the wife, Yokihi, famous for her beauty. The birds are even whiter work of Toho, a Chinese poet of the But they weren’t successful in their Tang dynasty. When these words escape. As a young man, Emperor were written, Chuan was the official Genso had done an excellent job of capital of China. The city of Seito was ruling the country, but whether he got considered to be the second capital, tired of politics, or lost his passion for and it was here that the Kinko river it, in his later years the governing of flowed. Its waters were very blue, his country became very chaotic. Toho sparkling like green jewels. This lived his life surrounded by this chaos. flowing blue and green seemed to Emperor Shukuso took over after KØ midori ni shite tori iyoiyo reach from the eternal past through Emperor Genso, and the country shiroku to the infinite future; it was abundant was revived. At the time, Zen was and never-ending. centered in Kosei with Master Baso This river’s water flowed like infinite and in Konan with Sekito. This was time; yet in every instant it was also for Zen an era of great flourishing. changing, never touching the same National Teacher Echu Kokushi, who bank twice. In this one instant there had received transmission from the is a white bird, whose brilliant white Sixth Patriarch, taught both Shukuso can be seen against the great blue of and his son Daiso. When we consider the river. the influence that Echu Kokushi had on both of these leaders, we can see Seito is surrounded by mountains, and what an extensive influence Zen had in springtime the mountains are so on the Tang Dynasty. green that they appear blue against the clear blue sky. Within that deep Toho the poet was imbued with great green of the mountains bright red integrity. During the Tang, people flowers grow in such profusion that suffered greatly from the political they appear to be on fire. upheavals. They were taxed heavily, and their sons were conscripted to In his poem, Toho is saying, here I am Against the green serve in the army. Toho wrote his in Seito, the second capital of China. poetry to express the pain he saw river, It is fully spring, this year’s spring among people in society and his anger like all springs. I see all of those who at the evil that was going on. One of The birds are even have journeyed here, and I become his famous poems recounts the lives melancholy. How many years have of people who were no longer there; whiter I resided in Seito? Again, I dream of describing the weeds and ruins where returning to Choan. I came to Seito they had lived and how the winds blew for a short time but have never been through those weeds. He wrote of the able to return home. When will I ever KØ midori ni shite tori transience and that be able to return to Choan? iyoiyo shiroku he had experienced. Understanding In China, Toho is the poet sage of this suffering himself, he expressed greatest fame, considered a master it for everyone. But he also knew a of poetry even today, but he wasn’t perspective that was above all of this recognized as a master until forty suffering, and he presented that for 江碧鳥愈白 years after his death in the middle everyone as well. of the Tang dynasty. Toho was born When the capital of Choan fell, Toho, Against the green river, in 712 under the reign of Emperor at the age of forty-eight, headed for Genso, who was overthrown in a The birds are even whiter Seiko. He stayed there three years and famous coup d’état. For the fifty-nine made many friends. With the help of These lines form a couplet with: years of his life, Toho was truly in the these people, he experienced not only midst of it all, tasting deeply the bitter pain but also the karmic connections flavors of the era. On the blue mountains, of those he met and the joy of nature. The flowers look ready to burst When the coup occurred, Emperor From this he could know the round, into flame. Genso fled the capital along with his huge mind of Great Nature. This 67 7 poem expresses this state of mind. And if it is seen like this, then every In a vase, a single plum moment, right now, we are in Choan. bough Being in Seiko is also being in Choan. Against the green river, We can receive it like this. Every day is the birds are even whiter lived with our whole body and being; we seriously and whole-heartedly live this life that can’t be done over. This The world of nature and the world of today, which will never come again, humans and of what humans make this right now, which will not return, are all impermanent. They are always is lived with our integrity. It won’t be flowing, always moving, always in here again; we can never meet the Heiri isshi no ume flux. Nothing stays the same. The same person the same way twice. river flows, and in one instant the birds alight, then fly away leaving no In his last years Toho was like the trace. Changes in the seasons bring Buddha, who by the river’s side lay change to the colors of the mountains down beneath the Sala tree and and especially to the colors of their died in the midst of his travels. Toho flowers. Without our ability to catch lived simply his whole life. But he the moment, flowers are fallen and had the warmth of a well-ripened gone. person and wasn’t moved around by circumstances he encountered. His All things are transient, and everything huge and abundant mind drew many is emptiness. In the mirror of our people to him. Buddha Nature everything is reflected, everything is a shadow. This is because In this way the words of his poem the world that is reflected has no teach us truth, and in this way the actuality. The moment when it is all Zen phrases give life to the truth for reflected is, in fact, from the origin a all people. moment of emptiness. It is without birth and without death. Each and every moment in which we are alive is all there is, but there is no actuality to that--everything outside and inside of us is always changing. When we see this, all of the changing becomes a matter of course and we are no longer caught on everything being temporary. We are serene inside. In a vase, When we see the world with this quiet state of mind, then the flowing waters a single plum bough in front of our eyes, the waters of the Kinko river, are the eternal now. White birds that cross this river are, in their one instant, eternal. We do not live in Heiri isshi no ume some concept of the eternal. In each instant this eternity exists, and we live in that. This is our eternal life. Knowing this, we can’t take lightly what we see 瓶裏一枝梅 with our eyes or hear with our ears. Each and every encounter is one opportunity, one chance; what we see The author of this phrase from the is the truth. Those who are traveling Zenrin Kushu collection of Zen sayings are never always on a journey. With is unknown. It’s a couplet with: this mind, in every single moment of On the rack, a three-foot sword NOW we are safely in our own home. 68 9 10 The words describe a huge, splendid When asked about the state of mind sword and a fine plum branch in a vase. of Daruma Daishi in coming from A sword, which takes away someone’s India to China, without the slightest life, and a plum bough, which brings interfering thought, Rinzai would give us great relief and quiet as we slowly a great shout. look at it, are truly opposites. Because Rinzai was always doing While the sword on display is the a great shout, his disciples as well choice of the samurai and a life-taking held this expression important for weapon, that old tree’s branch, manifesting their clear mind. At some the single plum bough, is truly the point the jikijitsu of the East and strong, fresh manifestation of new life the jikijitsu of the West zendo met; coming into being. And the power of because they were the leaders, the the ancient plum tree’s bough in the teachers of the zendo, they perhaps vase gives even more weight to the had a moment of consideration, but strength of the fine sword. But we that aside, they simultaneously gave have to wonder, what meaning could a great shout. there be to these words, anyway? One monk asked about this, “The two It is written in the Records of Rinzai that heads of the gave great shouts in his dojo, during the Tang Dynasty, simultaneously, so which was the host when the monks of the East and West and which was the guest?” zendos met, the head monks of each Rinzai Zenji was always strictly teaching zendo simultaneously gave a great about the relationship of guest and shout. host, that the guest is the host, the In ancient China there were so true master with no speck of ego many people doing training in the remaining. This relationship between Zen dojos that they could not all fit guest and master is important in all inside one building, no matter how of our interactions in society as well. great it was. As a result, there would We are all equal, so it should not be of be an East zendo and a West zendo, any concern who is master and who is with five hundred monks in each guest, but on some occasions and at one doing training and supporting some times this sits well with us, and each other in their diligent efforts; sometimes it doesn’t. for each zendo there was a jikijitsu, If we invite someone and prepare for a person of responsibility who would them, we are the host and they are teach those training there. Rinzai Zenji the guest. The host or master is also was always giving a great shout to sometimes the guest when invited manifest humans’ great truth. This is by someone else. Today I am invited, so commonly known about him that tomorrow I invite them back and if you say “Rinzai,” the great shout of become the master. It is the same for “Katsu” naturally comes to mind. conversing; one person can’t always When someone would ask him, be doing the talking. Sometimes I “What is the Buddha?” he would talk, sometimes I listen. Being able express a great shouted “Katsu!!” as to function with this kind of freedom, a manifestation of the answer. No without being caught on position cumbersome verbal explanation was but instead able to see clearly and offered; rather, immediately on the correctly what is appropriate for the spot, he would present this actuality time and place, is what gives birth to a of the Buddha. society of harmony. “What was the intention of For Rinzai there was special emphasis in coming to China?” on the four positions of guest and host and the four relationships between “Katsu!” person and surroundings. 11 Old bamboo produces In China, bamboo, plum, orchid, and flavorful, with no bitterness new shoots and chrysanthemum are called the whatsoever. You can even eat them four friends, often painted together raw with soy sauce. in pictures, elegant and manifesting When you find a swell, you pull away purity and the mind of the sage. leaves until you can see the head of Because of this they are often carved a shoot. If you look carefully at the into drawers and tables and used angle at which the bamboo shoot as designs on kimonos. Another is growing, you can then insert your frequently seen combination is that digging tool in that same direction. of bamboo and plum and pine, This enables you to dig the shoot Ky¨chiku shinjun o shØzu emblematic of congratulations, of out in one slash, without cutting into celebration. it. This is because the direction from Bamboo always comes through the which the shoot slants also indicates cold winter without losing its green where it is attached to its parent color. Of course this is also true of the root. The shoots grow from the older pine, but bamboo actually grows in bamboo’s roots. In the same manner, the quiet chill of winter, staying strong the plum blossom blooms forth from and cultivating its essence. Because its parent branch on the tree. of this, it represents that which Old and new bamboo are one; they perseveres in difficult circumstances share one very subtle world. There’s without changing its state of being. no greater value in life than thinking of Because its form manifests this, it is one’s descendants. When the Buddha considered felicitous. wrote in the Lotus Sutra about this Just as bamboo and pine keep their state of mind, it was expressed in the green richness in the severest of story about Choja Guji and the children winters and embody perseverance as who would not leave the burning well, so too does the plum blossom house. This teaching of the transience blooming in the snow. Even in the of all things was a manifestation of the snowiest season, regardless of how Buddha’s expedient means. thin and fragile it appears, bamboo In this story Choja represents the can hold a heavy load of snow. Buddha, and the children that will not Old bamboo produces In the spring the bamboo shoots are leave the burning home are all sentient new shoots a sign of vivid new life. The many beings. The children are trapped varieties of bamboo have been in the world of form, represented considered a delicacy of spring eating by the burning house. Choja uses by the Japanese. There are probably expedient means to get the children Ky¨chiku shinjun o few nationalities that are so attached out of the house, telling them there to seasonal foods. In the spring, were various animal carts outside. The shØzu bamboo shoots are considered most carts represent the various vehicles delicious, while in autumn it is the of awakening to the true teaching, pine mushrooms. awakening by hearing the truth and awakening by experiencing the truth. It takes great effort and time to dig 舊竹生新筍 bamboo shoots, and if you don’t know In the Lotus Sutra, it tells us that, after how to do it right you might end up hearing this story, those assembled These words are from the seventh cutting into and damaging the shoot. practiced industriously and were able to realize freedom from the suffering volume of the teishos of Daito Kokushi, First, you have to go to the bamboo of the three worlds. In another part of the Kaian Kokugo. They are part of a grove early in the morning and look the Lotus Sutra, the great gratitude to couplet: under leaves that have piled up on the Buddha is related, along with how Old bamboo produces new the ground. The key is to see a bit of Kasho Sonja brought in Choja Guji to shoots, a swelling, or a bump in the piles. The express this gratitude. New blossoms grow out on old bamboo shoots that are still nearly branches. underground are very small, tender, One of Choja’s children, when very 69 13 small, became lost, and while Choja did everything possible, the child The singing of quail, could not be found. Choja thought The fragrance of hundreds only about this child. One day in front of blossoms of his house he saw a young beggar and realized with intuitive direct perception that this was indeed his lost son. He first tried calling the young man to come to the house, but because Shako naku tokoro hyakka of fear the beggar refused, going kanbashi further and further away. Choja tried a variety of expedient means, as did the Buddha, giving tailored teachings. Finally Choja told the beggar who he was. The son was then able to realize that he had been born and raised in this very house. The Buddha, in the same way, to liberate all beings from suffering, used every method and mode to share this wisdom. This is well expressed in the story of Choja. One after the other, the Buddha’s teachings liberated people from the suffering of the three worlds. But that still wasn’t sufficient to liberate everyone. Finally without any expedient means he taught the The singing of quail, actual truth. He taught that we do not have to go through ascetic practices; The fragrance of that if we open our mind’s eye we deeply see that we are all Buddhas hundreds of from the origin. Every single one is endowed and complete. blossoms If we open our Buddha eye, we are seeing with the very eye of Buddha. Shako naku tokoro When we open this eye that sees everything, then even if we do not cut hyakka kanbashi away every desire, we can become a Buddha while still having desires. The Buddha gave this wonderful teaching of the Dharma. The mind that is 鷓鴣啼處百花香 seeking and the mind which is guiding join and share one subtle world. This verse is from the 24th case of the Mumonkan, “Fuketsu’s Speech and Silence.” Fuketsu received transmission from Nanin Egyo Zenji, who followed Koke Zensho, who in turn received his transmission from Rinzai. Fuketsu was born in the year 896 and died in the year 973. This descendant of Rinzai

70 15 16 kept alive the master’s teaching and doctrine but also a straightforward It is also put this way in the introduction: understanding. This is the paradox: spread it widely. practice. At the time he lived, more “When we enter it is ri, when we leave embracing the essence of satori, but than four hundred years before it is bi.” We “enter” when we turn our not lingering so we don’t get stuck in These words of Fuketsu Ensho Zenji Daruma Daishi came to China, Zen awareness within. Our eyes put aside the world of ri. are part of this couplet: was being splendidly taught. their seeing, our ears their hearing, The monk asks, “Both speaking and our other senses as well put aside The monk asked Fuketsu, “Both and silence are concerned with the their functioning and go within. This In my thoughts always, Konan speech and silence are faulty in being relativity of ri and bi. How can we is called ri. in the third month, either ri or bi. How can we escape be free and non-transgressing?” How The singing of quail, the these faults?” He was trying to defeat We lose all touch with the externals can we function in this contradictory fragrance of hundreds of Fuketsu with his difficult question, as but are free within. Said another way, world without being caught in either blossoms. was a common practice of the time. “In all the heavens and earth, only one discrimination or equality, in either person.” It is this state of mind. The ri or bi? Can we actually realize true This was the same question Jo Hosshi essence of this is having no concern freedom without being caught in had asked when writing about truth’s Kyozan of the Igyo school prophesied whatsoever with what is going on either words or silence? The monk was source, the creation of the universe. that Fuketsu would be the one who in the external world. If we look at not trying to ask some philosophical All names and all forms are separate would spread the teachings of the it from the point of view of Rinzai’s question. He was asking Master from division; they are all together in Rinzai sect, and this prophesy came four relationships between person Fuketsu how one can express a deep oneness. The whole universe holds all true. During Fuketsu’s time, the Rinzai and surroundings, this is the place experience of Zen. This is what this forms, but each and every one is settled line flourished. of taking away the surroundings but addresses. in this great vessel of the universe. leaving the person. Fuketsu was once asked by a monk, Taking this as a philosophical question, Put another way, all things are settled “Both speech and silence are faulty The opposite of this is the awareness there isn’t a way to express an answer. in awareness. This is ri, that which is in being ri or bi. How can we escape that is concerned with the external. No matter what words we try, as the separated from all things. That vessel these faults?” The earliest source for When all of our senses and awareness Diamond Sutra says, “The mountain which is separated from all forms works these words is in the writings of Jo take in the phenomenal world, this is not a mountain yet it is called a in relationship to karmic affiliation. The Hosshi, who expressed Zen prior even is the world of bi. We melt into the mountain.” I am not me but I am earth, the moon, the sun, all planets, all to Daruma Daishi. flowers, we melt into the moon, we called me. The world is not the world the rivers and mountains on the earth, become another’s words, and we do yet it is the world. This is how we can Jo Hosshi was of the four great all the living plants, animals, and every so completely. Bi is the place where the explain it in words, but this isn’t the translators of the line of great other thing that exists everywhere person is taken away and everything essence of the situation. The essence translators under Kumarajiva. Jo Hosshi are all within the great vessel of this becomes the surroundings. has been lost when it is put so. is said to have incurred the displeasure universe. Each and every one of these of the Shin ruler, Yo Ko, who ordered things is the great universe. The monk is asking Fuketsu about the It’s also been called the absolute him to kill himself. He asked for and world in which there is neither person contradictory self. We can only know It follows, then, that the one small was given a week to live, and during nor surroundings, about the source this self which is contradictory from flower in the garden manifests this that week he wrote his great treatise. of our awareness. This is the root of experience, but put to words it is still whole universe; one ant, or the crying Then he easily and openly received his the universe where there is no self, only debating in a rational way. The voice of one cicada, it too manifests death. His last words before he was no other, and not one single speck of oriental version of calling it “” is also the whole universe. The universe is full executed were: anything. conceptual and abstract and does not with the voice of the cicada; each and go beyond the world of philosophy. every thing in existence is equal. Each If we take in these words we shatter But one who has experienced this will The four great elements and every thing that is manifested is the world of ri and are in the world of not fall into the relative and the mental From the first have been bi. bi, of phenomena. But if we use no but will freely use its actual essence. masterless; words at all, then we have expression. While all things in existence are That is not a philosophical expression. The five accumulations of We may be in the world of ri, but as individual, from the origin they are all This is what Master Fuketsu Ensho shadows long as we remain in that world of one at the source. The whole expanse Zenji expressed in the very marrow In their origin are empty, no discrimination we can’t bring that of the universe is in all things, and every with his answer, which derives from a experience to anyone. Laying one’s head down thing manifests the whole expanse song that anyone in China would have On the naked blade of a sword without contradiction. The question Speaking, we are in the world of been familiar with. Is not one whit different the monk was asking is mysterious discrimination. Silent, we cannot From cutting through the and subtle; from where to where is the guide anyone to the world of spring breeze. universe’s expanse? And from where nondiscrimination. Speaking, we The singing of quail, to where is the phenomena of each are caught in bi and lose ri, our the The fragrance of hundreds of individual existence? true source. But if we stay with only blossoms Jo Hossi was rare among people of the source, we can’t guide others to training in having not only clear 17 blossoms the scene too. He was saying, “I am not falling into In the most profound teachings of bi or ri, into words or silence.” He was flower arrangement, the vase is a The birds are singing. The fragrant speaking this truth. But only someone flower, the water is a flower, the flowers can be smelled, but the quail who is completely alive and awake will flowers being arranged are of course cannot be seen. The birds are melted understand it. flowers, the board on which the vase into the flowers, but within this world sits is a flower, the alcove in which it Some might say, “But he used words, they are also present. The flowers, sits is a flower, the flower cutters are didn’t he? He used someone else’s hundreds of them, are everywhere in a flower, that which puts them in the phenomenal experience, so isn’t he full bloom. Is this bi? vase is a flower--there is nothing that falling into bi?” This is the dualistic To express this unforgettable scenery is is not a flower. This deep, profound observation that will be brought up bi, of course. But when Master Fuketsu teaching is the same as Fuketsu’s state here. melts completely within this scenery of mind. and becomes completely one with it, Arranging just one flower in a vase is there is ONLY this spring scenery and In my thoughts always, Konan to become that flower in the vase. Our no longer any more Master Fuketsu. in the third month, small self melts into the flower, into He’s become the spring scenery and The singing of quail, The the vase, into the alcove, and into the become the birds. He has become fragrance of hundreds of world of those who see this. Intuitively Toho, but there’s no longer any poet blossoms we become the state of mind of the Toho there. flower completely and give that life. Toho has no face left in this. There is The same is true in the world of These lines are from a well-known only the spring scenery, only the many dance. The audience is the dance, the song of the Tang dynasty, by the people for whom it has become their stage is the dance, and the dancer is poet Toho, about the spring scenery world. There is no longer any need completely the dance. All of one’s of Konan. Konan is in Koshu, on the for a special awareness about it. This senses and all the people within the south bank of Dotei Lake, and is said is beyond the world of speech and whole space are dance, or it isn’t true to have the most beautiful scenery silence and is freely manifesting bi and dance. in all of China. It’s also said that in ri. This is the free functioning of Master spring the flowers bloom as far as Fuketsu, and it is this that we have to It’s not about the ability or need to the eye can see--against the white realize. demonstrate good form or even clouds the peach blossoms seem to about trying to look good. It’s dancing extend endlessly. March in Konan is without ego. If the ego intrudes, bi considered the most beautiful month The singing of quail, and ri again separate and we fall into in all of China. It’s the best time to The fragrance of hundreds of dualistic thinking. This mind without hear the song of the quail, a medium- blossoms ego is what Master Fuketsu was sized bird with a grid of white spots on expressing in repeating again and its back. The song of the Chinese quail again, is likened to that of the meadowlark of The monk came with a difficult rational Japan, and the March of China’s lunar question. Fuketsu answered without calendar parallels Japan’s April. At this falling into a rational trap--not ignoring In my thoughts always, Konan time Konan is filled with flowers, and the question, without acknowledging in the third month, while you can’t see the birds, their any difficulty. Rather, he melted The singing of quail, The song is everywhere, arising from completely within the scenery of this fragrance of hundreds of within all the flowers. song that anyone in China knows well blossoms. and with its expression went beyond Thus, in his song Toho says is saying ri and bi. that this exquisite spring scenery is We want to taste the flavor of this always held in his heart, never fading. Here we have to taste the sharpness of world completely and fully. Many people, when this season the manifestation of Fuketsu’s radiant comes, hum or sing his song: mind. We can’t just work from a rational understanding of this poem. We have to repeat it deeply so many The singing of quail, times that we can become one with The fragrance of hundreds of

19 The white clouds embrace When Kanzan was hungry, he would mysterious rocks go down to the temple to collect Man, living in the dust the leftovers his friend Jittoku left for is like a bug trapped in a bowl. him in a bamboo container. When All day he scrabbles round and Kanzan was through eating, he and round, Jittoku would have long conversations, but never escapes the bowl that every word deep and profound and holds him. in accordance with the Dharma. An The immortals are beyond his official overheard them and began reach, recording everything the pair said. He his craving has no end, Hakuun y¨seki o idaku went to Priest Bukkan and asked to be introduced to Kanzan. But when while months and years flow by Kanzan and Jittoku saw Priest Bukkan like a river and the official approaching, they until in an instant he has grown said that they had no need for the old. over-kindness of Priest Bukkan and ran hand-in-hand into the mountains. They hid and were never seen again. Kanzan asks those in society, How long-lasting are the things you have Many searched in the area where gathered around you? What have you Kanzan had most often been seen, but obtained that will protect you from all they found were poems written on death? Nothing you have endures. the rocks. These works by Kanzan were copied, collected, and became known Humans are born. Without exception as the songs of Cold Mountain. all die. What in that life is there to be most grateful for--money? being alive? work? possessions? fame? family? Towering cliffs were the home alcohol? truth? Or is it the Buddha or I chose the ability to believe in something? bird trails beyond human tracks Or enlightenment or or a better The white clouds what does my yard contain birth? the white clouds embrace embrace mysterious mysterious rocks When we feel well and energetic, we rocks every year I’ve lived here fear nothing. We think we can do I’ve seen the seasons change anything. But when we encounter a problem we can’t solve, we turn either all you owners of tripods and to religion or to therapy. We think that bells if we are psychoanalyzed all of our Hakuun y¨seki o idaku what good are empty names problems will be resolved. But they can’t and they won’t be solved this way. Kanzan had chosen to live where the 白雲抱幽石 peaks of the tallest mountains pierce While we are still carrying around a the sky. Here no people would come, small self, there is no true resolution only the birds that flew through the possible. As long as we continue In the Tang Dynasty in China, two air. In this place of full, spacious, and looking outside, there can’t be true eccentrics, Kanzan and Jittoku, lived open living, all that could be seen resolution to the challenge of ego, on a mountain named . One were the white clouds passing, the the small self. Psychoanalysis is a big day the priest Bukkan of Tendai huge rock faces, peaks poking into business and a means both for earning Mountain’s temple, Kokuseiji, noticed the sky, and birds passing by. He money and for one’s work to two strangers wandering around the couldn’t remember how long he had society. That’s fine. Because so many area. He brought home one of the men lived there. The winter came, then look outside themselves for solutions, and named him Jittoku. Jittoku did the spring, but he couldn’t remember the numbers of therapists, social many chores and helped out around how many times the cycle had been workers, and lawyers are increasing in the temple, while his friend Kanzan repeated. There was no need for the today’s society. continued to live in the mountains. possessions of society or for any fame Those who turn to religion always think 71 or recognition. 21 that there will be something there to people were always on their own, help them out, something for which always alone--practicing alone, A thousand grasses weep they can be enormously grateful. moving alone, walking alone. It wasn’t tears of dew This is the state of mind of those who as watered-down as being in a group are scraping the very bottom. They while trying to sort out their own always think some wonderful miracle clutter. can happen, that a sickness which a doctor can’t cure will be cured, that business will suddenly boom or At times like this I lie down in a household will become peaceful my hut. or some wonderful thing will occur. Cherries shine with crimson Tsuyu ni naku senpan no Many people think that to pray and fire; kusa having something wonderful happen willows trail their slender to them is what religion provides. A lot boughs. of religions key on this hope, making The morning sun pops from the use of an unhappy circumstance in the jaws of blue peaks; worst possible version of what religion bright clouds are washed in is. green pond. Who ever thought I would leave This may be fine for people who are the dusty world interested in a momentary or short- term positive emotional excursion, and come bounding up but a person on the path, whose vow the southern slope of Cold includes the liberation of all people Mountain. in society, can’t be satisfied with the No desires to dislike, no Buddha kind of conceptual game that involves Nature to have a preference for, no worshiping idols, gods, and Buddhas. ignorance to be awakened from, and That true way of God and Buddha, no Buddha to live in accordance with. that which is equal, available, and No hell to be afraid of and no heaven within all people, is unmoved no to vow to enter and choose. All the ten matter what occurs. This is what has thousand things are our footfalls, and to be received. True satisfaction won’t there we are settled. It is this state of come from a superficial religion. For mind. A thousand grasses one who’s wandering and searching We are not living for a tomorrow, nor for a true spiritual home, it has to looking all the time at yesterday’s weep tears of dew be that which is equal, full, and problems. Right here, right now, in unchanging in all beings; it has to be this very moment, we find the endless the world of actually awakening to this time from the beginningless past, the Tsuyu ni naku senpan clear mind. endless time of the infinite future, and We take this true absolute awakening, the infinite space into which it opens, no kusa this singularly clear state of mind, and and we drink it down. Without this for a short while we give it the name great wonder and joy, where is there of Zen. “Those who see the Dharma value in having been born at all? see me; those who see me see the 泣露千般草 Dharma.” This is what the Buddha taught. The white clouds embrace mysterious rocks The Dharma and Buddha are one and A thousand grasses weep tears the same; they are not two. This is the At least once, we have to taste this of dew mind in which there is nothing left to state of mind beyond even living A lone pinte sighs in the breeze be named God or Buddha, only one and dying, in which there is not one obstruction whatsoever. great vivid and alive life of awe and Tsuyu ni naku senpan no kusa wonder. Kaze ni ginzu ichiyo no matsu Originally in the world of religion 72 23 24 a thousand grasses weep tears of violence, murders, crimes, thefts, of dew suicides, typhoons, tidal waves, a lone pine tree sighs in the earthquakes, fires, and car accidents. breeze. Is our culture really evolving, or is it Now it is that, staying from the going backward? It is hard to say, path, amid so much confusion. you ask your shadow, what way There are five destructive tendencies A lone pine sighs in from here. in this era: the breeze The path of Kanzan is, very mysteriously, not of the world---no Confusion from deep delusion vehicles travel along it; no carts Confusion about the values of or horses or people come and go; life there are no footprints or traces of Kaze ni ginzu ichiyØ no Confusion about our being habitation. matsu Confusion about our instincts The valleys take so many twists and Confusion about our way of turns, I can’t remember how many living there have been and from what direction I came. There have been so many mountain ridges, I’ve lost count These five reveal the murkiness of the of them all. The thick, dense grasses era, the extent to which our world are crying with the dew that has is sullied. People are attacking and fallen; the pines are singing with the clashing with each other in a way that winds that blow through them. never ends. Even if one or two saints Here in these mountains, if I miss a were to manifest themselves among turn or become confused, the me us, or even if a great percentage of that has a form only has to turn in the humanity awakened, it’s impossible to A lone pine sighs in direction of the shadow of myself and stop the degeneration of an era when ask, “What path are you traveling?” we reach this point. We can see this the breeze today. Truly we are living in a world of In this way Kanzan sings of his world. deeply deluded actions. His Cold Mountain is the mountain in the Mind of each of us--people The second destructive tendency Kaze ni ginzu ichiyØ no and vehicles and horses cannot pass is our confusion about the value there. of life, the value of being human. matsu Today we are so focused on enjoying Ridge after ridge, mountains continue ourselves, following fashion, living for endlessly. This scenery is the state of momentary pleasure, and pursuing mind where I have become one with our self-interests that our life sense, 吟風一様松 the heavens and earth. If we look our social sense, is obscured. at our lives, we see that there are many things we have to think about. The third tendency is to assume Forgetting all of those and melting that humans are animals. This is a These lines are also from the works of into the endless mountain is to know shortsighted and limited point of Kanzan. the state of mind where we forget view that negates humans’ true ourselves altogether. Here there is no value, which is solemn and dignified. Wonderful, this road to Cold good or evil, no failure or success, Humanism is one attempt at resolving Mountain-- no resentment or pride, no sadness this tendency. yet there’s no sign of horse or or happiness. This is the world of The fourth, confusion about our carriage. absolute MU. instincts, is an inability to distinguish In winding valleys too tortuous It says in the sutras that our era is one between our healthy desires and to climb, of diluted teaching of the Dharma. our attached, unhealthy ones. We’re on crags piled who knows how We can see this clearly in our daily born with a strong instinct to protect high, lives. Through the media we hear ourselves and to keep our species alive by reproducing. We have a 73 25 deep, natural desire to do this. But if and into the world of Kanzan. It’s like Buddha. In all the three worlds we that instinct is distorted, it becomes the thin thread of a spider’s web in should not mislead people.” an attachment. And what happens the story by Akutagawa Ryunosuke. The monk said, “Then I am not going when attachment intensifies? Will we Akutagawa was terrified that the thin anywhere.” become like cats and dogs who only thread would break as he climbed function this way? it and drop him back into hell; yet Joshu replied, “Go, go! You have to while kicking with his dirty shoes at realize deeply that mind of satori. Confusion about how we make our the devils who were trying to pull him Don’t be attached to delusion. The living is the final tendency. In order back, he kicked so hard that he himself living Zen is not stopped by either to be able to eat we do whatever we broke the thread. Kanzan’s poems are ignorant beings or Buddhas.” have to--prostitution, lying, gambling, this thin thread of wisdom. blackmailing--with no concern for the means involved. This delusion Kanzan is not simplistically disdaining This world is Kanzan’s song. destroys our ideas of what is correct the dirt of the world and writing only and appropriate. of the high world where the birds fly. If we list our tendencies like this we can see clearly that we are in the era of A thousand grasses weep tears the decay of the Dharma. We live in a of dew panic to satisfy our hungers as quickly as possible. From morning to night, Diving into this world where everything waking and sleeping, looking right, is equal, we can become this state of looking left, we see only disharmony, mind of clarity and ease, smack dab in unaligned living, constantly wearing the middle of those grasses. We know at our nerves. We despise each other, the absolute mu where we can’t see insult each other, fight each other, left or right. If we remain stuck in that steal from each other, kill each other. world of blood, angry beings, and Are we not smack in the middle of the decaying Dharma, we can’t discover era of decay, in which everyone is an true wisdom; the world will continue angry being? decaying, and infinite numbers of people will continue to be murdered. Is this how it is to be? Is there no other For this great suffering, the tears of way to live? Rather than remaining in dew are being wept. this world of blood, angry beings, and decaying Dharma, if we can awaken to the deep wisdom inside us, the A lone pine sighs in the breeze state of mind of Kanzan, we can bring The great wind that blows through that wisdom to life. No matter how everything isn’t only for our own hideous the world in which we find pleasure. Nor is it the wind of an ourselves is, we do not need to be all-consuming hell that agitates and caught in it. We can find the courage disturbs all we see. The world of within. Kanzan isn’t a world of saving only But as Kanzan tells us, it’s not so oneself. If that’s what we think, we’re simple to deeply understand that this wrong about Kanzan’s world. We have world of frantic noise, murderers, and to look deeply within and inquire. thieves, as it is, is the land of lotuses. One day a monk came to speak to Even while we are a slave to our egos, Joshu. Joshu asked him, “Where are not knowing what evil this bag of shit you going?” that we are will do next, at the same The monk answered, “I think I will go time this very body is the body of the learn in Yureki in Shoho.” Buddha. While caught and driven by ego, to dive headlong into the world Joshu continued, “From the ancient of Buddha is not a casual act. times it has been said that one should not reside where there is Buddha nor A thin, fragile thread of wisdom is should one linger where there is no inviting us to crawl up, out of hell 27 Bamboo shadows sweep Moonbeams pierce the the stairs, bottom of the pool, yet not a mote of dust is yet leave no trace in the stirred water

Chikuei kai o haratte chiri Tsuki tantei o ugatte mizu ni dØzezu ato nashi

Moonbeams pierce the bottom of the pool, yet leave no trace in Bamboo shadows the water sweep the stairs, yet not a mote of Tsuki tantei o ugatte dust is stirred mizu ni ato nashi 月穿潭底水無痕 Chikuei kai o haratte chiri dØzezu No sound no flowers Always rain and earth Teaches repeatedly of today 竹影掃 塵不動 In spring the hundred flowers bloom, In the summer the breezes These lines can be found in the fifth blow, section of the Kaian Kokugo. In the autumn the big round The poet Santoka writes that in nature, moon shines brilliantly in the scenery of the four seasons, we And in winter the snow glistens have a wordless sutra: and covers the mountains and earth. 74 75 29 30 The infinite emptiness of this immense in thirty cells. While sitting in their handcuffed hands raised in gassho, he universe has no beginning or end. The cells all day long, looking deeply and received them with tears in his eyes. natural way of all things existing is the intimately at the time they had left to Next Jack was given the name of teaching of the truth of no death. live, they came to the realization that Dainin. When his rakusu, with the they wanted to live a life of confession words “Honor the Buddha and love all and become ordained. With the help people,” was put on his neck, he bent Bamboo shadows sweep the of Priest Kobutsu Malone, they were his big body over and hugged me. stairs, able to receive ordination, taking the Even though my head reached only yet not a mote of dust is stirred precepts. When I first saw them, even to his shoulder, I felt as if I had a new, Moonbeams pierce the bottom though they were large in build and great big child. The ceremony ended of the pool, accompanied on both sides by guards, with an offering of the four vows, and yet leave no trace in the water they seemed to be kind young men. both men were both given a shikishi With their hearts full of gratitude, their with the words: hands in gassho, and huge smiles on When the shadow of the bamboo their faces, these young men bowed sweeps across the stairs, not a single their heads meticulously. It was Bamboo shadows sweep the bit of dust moves. The moon’s light difficult to think of them as fearsome stairs, pierces through to the bottom of the murderers. yet not a mote of dust is stirred pool, yet not the slightest scratch can Moonbeams pierce the bottom be seen in the water. After a short silence Jack asked me, “What do you think of this place?” of the pool, In our world there is joy and sadness, yet leave no trace in the water love and hate, good and bad people. I replied, “The air here is very All manner of feelings arise side-by- intense.” side. One who can live amid these “That is right. Concentration is As I gave them the shikishi, I told them complexities and not be buffeted by everything here. In every single to consider them as the Mind of the their winds and waves is a person of second we are being given life. Every Buddha and prostrate to them. After true wisdom. single day is the last day.” we took a photograph, Kobutsu had a private conversation with each of The Buddha, who himself realized “To see every day as the last day is the men. Then it was time for them this deep wisdom, said, “The good satori. At my temple, even though to return to their cells. As we parted, renounce everything. The virtuous there are thirty people of training Dainin offered these words for my do not prattle on about yearning for working together, it is difficult to disciples: “Go Straight!” They looked pleasures. The wise show no elation realize and continue this fullness of back again and again and, wrapped in or melancholy when touched by concentration.” gratitude, returned to their cells. happiness or sorrow.” These words can be found in verse 83 of the He said, “I have no time. If I had not The moon of the . been sentenced to die, I would not floats always in the air. “If the pure have been able to realize this. I am water of clear mind in an ignorant The Buddha teaches us to have a mind grateful for the chance to do zazen. person is realized, the moon of like a mirror and not be caught by the I read books, but there is no book Buddha Nature is always there, alive.” ego. The mind with which we were greater than the truth of this one This is how it is written in the Flower born can receive everything exactly present instant.” Garland Sutra. No matter how stupid as it is, but because of ego’s clutter, a person is, no matter how evil, there because of attachments to our views, Using the shelves of the visiting room is no other truth than to clarify the we aren’t able to remain in this mind as our altar, we prepared for the mind. With the mind clarified, we of clarity. It has to be said that this precepts ceremony. Damien and Jack, awaken in truth. society and its people are very sick. accompanied by guards, were brought in. They made their confession and I had the karmic affiliation to be able chanted the Sankikai and the Ten to visit the death row of the Arkansas Precepts. Finally they were presented State Prison in America. We met there with rakusus. First a rakusu was given with two prisoners who had been to Damien, who became Koson Zenji. condemned to death, Jack Jones, The words on the back of his rakusu thirty-six years old, and Damien were “Great efforts will, without fail, Echols, twenty-six years old. They lived bring great light.” Listening carefully on death row with thirty-eight others to the meaning of the words, with his 31 within the universe, there is one this actuality. Taking the stone lantern Clouds scud along, treasure. It is hidden in the mountain from the garden, he puts it in front water brims boundless form.” of the hondo; then taking the great mountain gate, he puts it in the Within this huge universe, lantern. with eternal time piercing through infinite space, there is one treasure. Do you understand? It’s a very precious jewel, the most If you do, then you know precious of all. This treasure is in Jo Hosshi’s words from your own the mountain form, the form of the experience. If you don’t, you’ve only human body. Thus, the most precious Kumo sensen read words and experienced nothing. mizu manman jewel in the whole universe is within our physical body. A lantern is small; the hondo is huge. You can put the lantern in the Unmon Daishi was not the first hondo, but to put the mountain gate to use these words. Jo Hosshi wrote inside the lantern--that’s something them in his great treatise. “Between else altogether. It’s easy to put a small heaven and earth, within the universe, thing inside a larger one, but putting there is one treasure. It is hidden in the a large thing inside something small; mountain form.” now that requires a huge mind, In the whole universe, what’s unencumbered by human mentation the most important thing? Einstein or dualistic thinking. If we are fooled said that in this universe there are by those, then we have no true infinite miracles. But among all the center. miracles, he said, the greatest is that Rinzai Zenji said it this way: humans can understand, can know. “In this five-foot lump of red flesh The most important thing can be there is a true person of no rank. It found within our physical body, and is always coming and going, in and understanding that is the purpose out of our orifices.” Within the red- of our birth. No matter how much blooded body of each of us there is a money we make, we can’t take it Buddha. Because it is a Buddha, it has with us when we die. Neither do we no rank, and there is nothing about it retain high rank, regardless of our to be thankful for. Because it is free, it Clouds scud along, attachment to it. These things are but is not confined to the body; it extends the stuff of dreams that have meaning water brims boundless in all of the ten directions. only while we are alive. Yet, from the endless past to the infinite future, there’s a jewel that never decays. It Oh! Great all embracing Mind! Kumo sensen resides in our minds. This is what Jo It is impossible to measure the Hosshi wrote. height of the heavens, mizu manman Unmon Daishi took Jo Hosshi’s yet the Mind is above the words and used them. He began by heavens. saying that Buddha Nature exists It is impossible to measure the within our physical body. That same thickness of the earth, 雲冉冉水漫々 body contains the entire universe, that yet the Mind is below the great life energy; that is our original earth. nature. The knowledge of this comes The sun and the moon shine This summer-like, crisp, clean verse is easily, but Unmon Daishi took it a step with a great radiance, from the Blue Cliff Record. It is from further: “You take the lantern, entering yet the Mind is the source of Setcho Zenji’s poem on case 62, the Buddha hall, and take the temple that radiance. “Unmon’s One Treasure” gate, placing it above the lantern!” The three great worlds are Unmon Daishi said to the Adding on to Jo Hosshi’s clarified monks, “Between heaven and earth, teaching, Unmon Daishi uses what is The mind is outside of the three right before his eyes to demonstrate great worlds. 76 Is this the Great Round Bright 33 Clear Mirror, is this the Great birth to great compassion. This is what that offers compassion without ever That one person has to be awakened Functioning? Unmon Daishi is talking about. being asked, deeply touching all in each of us, and that is exactly what beings. If our mind opens to this, we Unmon is doing in this case. The Mind is embracing the Humans are born with a can know the treasure hidden in the Great Mirror and spreading wisdom prior to experience and prior around the Great Functioning. mountain form. We will know this to knowledge and teaching. It’s our Clouds scud along, Within the Mind, the four deep compassion. endowment from birth. “Unless we water brims boundless seasons open in their become the mind of a baby we cannot When Unmon says, “Between heaven sequence, enter heaven.” Newborn babies know and earth, within the universe, there Within the Mind the sun and how to drink their mother’s milk, is one treasure. It is hidden in the “Between heaven and earth, within the moon move. without reading about it in a book or mountain form,” it sounds as if he is the universe, there is one treasure. It All of the ten thousand things hearing explanations from someone just repeating the words of Jo Hosshi. is hidden in the mountain form.” This exist within the great Mind. else. Without being taught by anyone, But without getting snagged on awakening is exactly as big as “Clouds Oh! Great all embracing Mind! they naturally suck the milk and spit words, he continues, “You take the scud along, water brims boundless.” out what they don’t want. No one lantern, entering the Buddha hall, and In the sky the clouds flow by, one taught our eyes to see or our noses take the temple gate, placing it above after the next; we can see the water This is how Zenji described it. to smell. We didn’t need to learn how the lantern!” Unmon displays the truth flowing in front of our eyes. Can we Within our Mind the heavens are to feel hot and cold. Although what is to all. understand this scenery? spread out and the earth is contained. seen and what sees are not separate, To this Setcho Zenji comments, “Look! Within our Mind the seasons change we can perceive differences and from Look!” All of you! What does Jo Hosshi from spring to summer, fall, and that perception we can move and act. Clouds scud along, mean when he tells us there is a treasure winter. In our Mind the flowers bloom Once our ego is fixed and we act in water brims boundless here in the universe? No matter how and the trees grow leaves that turn accordance with our ego’s preferences, much dualistic thinking you attempt, colors and fall away. All things are our actions can be meaningless or it comes to nothing! LOOK LOOK! born and ripen within our Mind: have meaning. But such distinctions This abundant world of clouds, full of How about it! Where is the connection cucumbers, pumpkins, tomatoes, are based on knowledge and not on water gathered from all places, is the between what Jo Hosshi is saying and cabbage, daikon. We aren’t separate our original wisdom. The wisdom we state of mind of “You take the lantern, what Unmon is saying? To crush any from the world; it’s all reflected in the have from the beginning knows no entering the Buddha hall, and take mental understanding, Unmon said, mirror of Mind. The outside world difference between self and other. the temple gate, placing it above the “You take the lantern, entering the and the inside world are one. When From this rises infinite compassion. lantern!” Does everyone understand we see a sad person we feel sadness, Buddha hall, and take the temple the actuality of this? The mirror doesn’t need gate, placing it above the lantern!” if we meet a suffering person we feel “This bright moon! You have to that suffering and respond; without to make any effort to reflect what How about it? Where is that lantern? comes before it; it doesn’t think about Where is that Buddha hall? Look Look! see it for yourselves!” The brilliant being told how to respond, from our moon illuminates the white flowers; deepest nature we know that we aren’t whether or not to reflect. The potential Open your eyes widely and see not for functioning this freely exists within with your mental understanding but receiving that moon they shine pure separated from another’s pain. Only white. The white moonlight and the when we use the mind dualistically do each of us. We are all endowed with with your whole body! compassion that enables us to relate white flowers meld to shine together we feel separation. By not separating Unmon says it like this because he to society, to respond to the great as one. Which is the moon and which ourselves from living, we respond to wants us to awaken fully to our Buddha pain of those who are sick and poor are the flowers? the pain of the inside and outside Nature, not getting caught on notions and confused. worlds in exactly the same way. In the about it. He wants us to know this Is the lantern shining the hondo or same way that we attend to a stone in There’s also the compassion state of mind, to see it directly, from is the hondo shining the lantern? It our shoe without pondering about it, that sees how things come into being morning till night, surging through becomes impossible to tell which is the we respond when seeing the suffering and fall away in accordance with our being and pouring out to fill the object and which is the subject, which of another. Because we have infinite karmic connections. We can be sick heavens and earth, shining brilliantly. is seeing and which is being seen. Am compassion and this wonderful thing and poor without being caught on This isn’t something that one single I the moon or is the moon me? Am called Buddha Nature, we don’t sickness and poverty. We don’t need to person can hold on to, or use to attack I the white flowers or are the white need to protect our position or fame. be suffering and miserable! When we others and hold over them. It’s not flowers me? With this huge mind there Without seeking a thing, we act. clearly know this truth, we are freed about living in a tiny ego world. Rather isn’t the slightest separation. Can you understand this? To be given the opportunity from our own pain and delusion. it’s about forgetting our selves and diving into this world, making society to understand the Dharma is the There is also the compassion our body and allowing the universe greatest treasure of our life. In our that is free of any person or suffering, Clouds scud along, to be our life energy, continuing this physical body there is no object to free of karmic affiliation--a compassion water brims boundless functioning whether we are waking or be thankful for, but without being that shines huge and bright like the sleeping. Is even one person like that? instructed by anyone we can give sun. This is the infinite clear character 35 Huge clouds come forth and then I sing of the blue fade, one after another without end, mountains that and their water fills the whole universe fill my eyes without ever stopping. We have to know directly this mind where we become the flow of the clouds, where we become the water’s flow. For one who has realized this mind, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Wherever something needs to be done, we immediately respond without being Manmoku seizan asked. If there’s just one person like (o ginga shi) this, the world will be brought back to life and revived.

I sing of the blue mountains that fill my eyes

Manmoku seizan (o ginga shi) 満目青山

This is from a poem by a disciple of Hogen Buneki Zenji, the Tendai master Tokusho Zenji.

77 37 38 Hogen Buneki Zenji was ordained at is also an answer.” of the Tendai sect. He was there for a flowing in the valleys. Everything in the age of seven. Early he trained as long time and, even though he had the universe is me, and that is the With these words Buneki suddenly a scholar and focused on Confucian not received permission to teach, he promised land, the eternal truth in understood. and preceptual works, excelling at believed himself to be enlightened. the one instant of the present. The literature and poetry. He gained stature As Buneki was about to set off on his Because Tokusho thought that he had eternal is the present, the present for his thesis, but he cast it aside one journey, Jizo pointed at a nearby rock already realized the truth deeply, he is the eternal, and in this way we day after being deeply touched by and said, “You said that all things are felt that he did not need to do see God and know the truth. This is something. Leaving everything, he within our own consciousness. If you anymore. One day when Hogen was what is meant by seeing the truth in embarked on a pilgrimage as a monk. say that all existence is in accordance on the high seat giving a , ourselves. In this way we find in with our awareness, then is this rock a monk asked, “What is the one drop our own true mind. Rather than being Later he did sanzen with Enryo inside your mind or outside your of water of Sogen?” He was asking limited to a small self, beyond time Zenji of Chokei-in, but though he mind?” about the essence of the teaching and space we become the universe, trained there, he couldn’t open his of the Dharma that flowed from the becoming the sun’s shining and the mind completely. Enryo then sent Buneki said immediately, “This is only temple, Sogen, of the Sixth Patriarch mountains soaring and the autumn’s him to train with Master Chiho of in our mind.” and on down through Seigen Gyoshi wind blowing. Seiiko. While Buneki was en route Jizo sighed and said, “Here you are and Sekito Kisen. the road became impassable due to It’s zazen that allows us this state of going on a journey and you have to treacherous weather so he laid over Hogen without hesitating said, “THIS mind. It’s not the sitting of zazen that’s carry along this heavy rock! What a at Jizo-in for a while. The master there is the one drop of Sogen.” the goal, but becoming this clear huge terrible thing!” was Jizo Keichin, who when he saw mind. The monk who had come forth didn’t Buneki understood that this was not Buneki understood but had no clue understand and returned to his seat. a common monk. As he talked with how to answer. He decided to stay But Tokusho, who was standing in him he saw that Buneki was deeply with Jizo and continue doing sanzen the back of the room, upon hearing versed in the theories and practice of with him, undergoing his deep Hogen’s words suddenly realized solipsism and other disciplines. interrogation. deep awakening. In tears and with As they spoke one day about Jo During that time Jizo brought into their enormous gratitude, he offered Hosshi’s words, “The heavens, earth, discussion many questions about the incense in the direction of Master and I are of one root, all of the ten Flower Garden Sutra. But no matter Hogen and wrote a poem. thousand things and I are the same.” how Buneki answered, he always Jizo Keichin asked Buneki, “Are you said, “You still don’t understand the This mountain of Tendai, and all the things in existence the Dharma.” same or different?” When Buneki Matters of society are nowhere Buneki asked Jizo to please teach him, said they were different, Jizo Keichin to be found here from his deep compassion. spread two fingers and said, “There. The whole universe, all within They are already separated.” Buneki Jizo replied, “You have to bring the me understood and said, “The same!” Jizo Dharma from your own belly and not All of the ten thousand things Keichin again put out two fingers to rely on someone else. Then you will are my body. say that they were separated again. truly understand how all the teachings are within you.” Buneki could not respond to this clearly He sent this poem to Master Hogen, and pondered it deeply. Because the Upon hearing these words, Buneki and Hogen in great joy gave him weather now was clear and the road became covered with sweat and, like transmission, saying that he should no longer impassable, Jizo Keichin a barrel whose bottom has dropped teach broadly. Hogen recognized asked, “Buneki--the weather is good. away, felt all of his confusion and the great essence of awakening Where are you headed now?” doubt disappear. In this way he was in Tokusho’s poem and said that completely awakened and received He answered, “I am not going he would be known for his great the transmission of the Dharma. anywhere in particular, if not the east teaching. Confirming and approving Later known as Master Hogen, he then the west. I will go freely this way, him, he said, “You are going to taught many famous teachers and freely that way.” function even more than me.” was himself a famous teacher at the Jizo said, “For a Zen monk, in temples of Shoroji and Seiryoji. The heavens and earth, as they are, pilgrimage, how is it?” are my body; all of the world in all of When Master Hogen was at Seiryoji, the ten directions is me. The universe “I don’t know.” five hundred monks came to train with is me; I become the sun and its shine, him. Among them was Tokusho, who “What don’t you know? That become the mountains, standing would become the National Teacher tall and green, become the rivers, 39 Under an autumn sky The horseman can be seen far in and taught the Dharma. At that time on an empty plain, not a the distance. The white reeds of this Buddhism was perceived as a means area can be seen spreading in every for gathering merit, and the emperor traveler in sight direction, but if I look toward the asked Daruma Daishi how much merit capital city I can’t see it and I wonder he could expect to gain from all of his when I’ll be able to return there. It work. Of course, after having bragged seems so far away. But the water of the about all of the ways in which he Yellow River flows towards the capital, followed the Buddha, he expected my hometown, without stopping. The to hear that he would receive a great huge autumn sky can be seen in every deal of merit. But Daruma Daishi said Sh¨ten kØya kØjin tayu direction, but there isn’t one single honestly, “No merit.” This was an person or even a shadow of a person answer of deep essence. anywhere. If we do things to gather merit, we The soldier who is the guard in this far- erase all merit by leaving behind the away place is thinking of his family, his notion of wanting that merit. All we homeland, his home, his friends, his gain is the heaviness that is the source brothers and sisters, though he can’t of our pain. We have to do away with see them. His duty and loneliness are all of that and while doing something well expressed in Shusei’s poem--he is good not be self-conscious of it. alone under the huge sky, watching Emperor Ryo, while doing good things the flow of the river, and suddenly for many people, was still aware of the in the distance there is someone on a merit of having done them. This was horse headed toward the capital. Who his mistake. is this lucky person? There isn’t any Changing the direction of the way the soldier could know him. But questioning he asked, “What is the he’s so envious. Like that person, he highest truth of the Dharma?” longs to experience a day of returning Under an autumn sky to the capital. The emperor had studied the works of Fudaishi and Priest Hosshi and It’s said that 1400 years ago Priest Shomyo. They taught that in on an empty plain, Daruma Daishi, known in India as Buddhism there’s a way of deepening Bodhidharma, journeyed from India not a traveler in sight oneself and of liberating others. In this to China. China then was divided into way of the mysterious non-two, one two countries known as Ryo and Gi. clarifies the truth ceaselessly while When Daruma Daishi reached China at the same time thinking of society Sh¨ten kØya kØjin tayu after three years of traveling and many and helping many people. To do bitter experiences, he was received by one’s own deepening while helping the emperor of Ryo. 秋天曠野行人絶 others is the essence of the Buddha’s It had been prophesied that a living awakening. Because this truth of the This line is from the Tang dynasty poet Bodhisattva would come from India. non-two is the most important thing, Jo Shorei. Known professionally as Ryo, who was so committed to the emperor had studied it thoroughly Shusei Ko, he wrote many poems that Buddhism that he was known as the and taught it. That day he had worn became popular. Shusei wrote about Emperor of Buddhist Mind, wanted his kesa over his official clothing and his homeland, and this poem is about to make sure that Daruma Daishi was taught the people in his offices that the feelings of a soldier in the national welcomed properly. He told all of the politics and Buddhism are not two, army for his country and his home. people of the country to come forth that things and the mind are not two, to welcome him. Daruma Daishi was that life and belief are not two, that more than 150 years old when he ordained and non-ordained are not Under an autumn sky on an arrived and the emperor was 57, at the two. It was from this point of view that empty plain, not a traveler in height of his most rational thinking. he asked, “What is the highest truth?” sight The emperor had been industrious But Daruma Daishi responded, “Only A horseman comes from the about building temples, recruiting emptiness, no holiness.” He was east. Who could that be? monks, and copying sutras. He actually completely uninterested in any such 78 wore a kesa over his official clothing high truth as holiness. There is no such 41 truth to be thankful for. Any awareness the words he heard. Though Daruma All the people could not bring This is what the poet wrote, but it’s of something as holy is already one Daishi had answered simply and him back. not about a capital city far far away. step removed from the primary. He clearly, the difference in their states Now, so many years have gone This very place at this very moment was saying this clearly. of mind was too great. The emperor by, is our hometown, our home country, could not grasp those words. For and our whole world. When we There was a vast difference between Still Bodhidharma fills your Daruma it was evident that the experience the life energy that fills the state of mind of the emperor mind--in vain. conversation was going nowhere, the universe, then everywhere we are and that of Daruma Daishi. Daruma Stop thinking of him! so he left and went northeast to the is home, and wherever we are is our responded from that place of A gentle breeze pervades the country of Gi. Buddha Nature and Daruma. There is emptiness without holiness, that universe. nothing but Daruma in all we see, and mind which touches nothing and Though the people had hoped to hear hear, and feel. is touched by nothing; the crossing his teachings, Daruma went to the The master looks around: to China had taken him three years, mountains. He saw no one. Shortly “Is the patriarch there? but he didn’t keep grasping after after he left, the emperor called in --Yes! Bring him to me, it. When the emperor asked if there Shiko, who was also known as Ho And he can wash my feet.” was something to be gained from Shosho, and told him what happened. studying the Dharma, something to Shiko responded that the emperor had be thankful for, he was asking from his let go of a very important person. The If we seek out Daruma Daishi, outside own experience, but Daruma Daishi emperor was very sorry and started of ourselves he’ll never be found. ignored it. He took everything away to go after Daruma, but Shiko said, Kensho isn’t about looking at our true from the emperor. “Stop! Stop! Even if the entire country nature and being thankful for it; that’s a goes after him, he won’t come back Finally the emperor asked, “You’re huge misunderstanding. Rather, every here.” the one who received the teaching of day we eat and shit and from morning the Buddha, aren’t you someone to The emperor had asked about the to night shine as brightly as we can. be thankful for? You say that there is greatest truth, but he saw it only from Kensho isn’t something over there; if no holiness, but what about you and an external point of view. While the it isn’t present in every moment of our your teaching?” This was something original Daruma was right in front functioning, then whose functioning is the emperor had had to ask. of him, instead of deeply seeing this it? If we aren’t looking at it like that, it’s Dharma treasure, he focused on the all conceptual. Daruma Daishi answered, “I don’t external and missed the essence. The know.” In every moment we are this vivid highest teaching was there in front life energy that sees, that hears, that He threw it all away completely. of him and is directly here in front of feels--there is no Daruma apart from He wasn’t simply contradicting us. Daruma never came or went from that. He tells us not to think about the emperor. In every answer he India. He is every day together with it. We wonder who we should ask was speaking the truth. But in any all of us, waking and sleeping and and what kind of training we should truth there are different levels of functioning completely. We realize do. Throw away such a beggarly understanding, in how a mind this. attitude. Everywhere you go, and in interprets the essence of it, and Setcho Zenji wrote a poem about this everything you do, Daruma will be ultimately in how it’s received. No encounter: clearly present. All day long this truth matter how kindly it’s taught it might is completely revealed, in our ears as not be received in the same way. hearing, in our eyes as seeing, never We identify ourselves by our names, The holy teaching? ceasing, just as it is. This isn’t a concept but these are only tags added later, “Emptiness!” about someone named Daruma; for as are our ideas and knowledge. Ideas What is the secret here? each and every one of us, right here and thoughts all come after we are Again, “Who stands before and right now is the perfectly fulfilled born. Before birth there was no such me?” place. Everywhere, brilliance and light thing. That clear mind is the primary; “No knowing!” soar forth. The wind that blows across emptiness, not holiness, is clearly Inevitable, the thorns and the whole world cleans everything. what there is. Once we begin carrying briars springing up; around ideas of society and helping Secretly, by night, he crossed Under an autumn sky on an others, it’s not the truth, no matter the river. empty plain, not a traveler in what people say. That’s why Daruma sight Daishi answered, “I don’t know.” A horseman comes from the Finally the emperor could not believe east. Who could that be? 43 A running stream, the alongside it. Untraveled by people, it fragrance. Maido Soshin Zenji said, cold mountain path climbs upward, twisting deep into the “Do you smell that fragrant olive mountains. From somewhere far away flower?” a temple bell can be barely heard, “Yes, I smell it well.” eternally ringing, singing the deep serenity of that state of mind of the Maido Soshin Zenji then said, “I have deep mountains. nothing to hide from you!” Daito Kokushi says, “All Buddhas are Upon hearing this one sentence, Kozan completely awakened to the deepest Koku had a deep realization. What is it Ryusui kanzan no michi truth.” What sutra is this? Only the that sees? What is it that hears? What rain and the earth and the days that is it that smells? follow one right after another. Now! Another time a monk said, “I am still Now! Here! Here! In each and every very unripe at training. Please tell me moment, all the heavens and earth are the path to satori.” one sutra! Gensha Shibi Zenji was the master Spring has one hundred flowers. In to whom the question was posed. the summer there’s the breeze; in the Gensha cupped his ear and said, “How fall, the moon; and in the winter, the about it? Can you hear the sound of snow. These are the endlessly taught that babbling brook running through Dharma. the valley?” One monk said, “All of the Buddhas “Yes, I can hear it.” come forth from here, what is this?” Gensha said, “Right there! That is your Master Shusan Seinen answered, entrance. Go in from there!” “Your voice is too loud, people will laugh at you! How can you be smack All day and all night we do “Mu.” As in the middle of the sutras and then it’s written in the Mumonkan, “In all A running stream, the ask about them?” the twenty-four hours of the day, work intently at it. Do not attempt nihilistic The monk replied, “Then how should cold mountain path or dualistic interpretations.” Standing, it be received?” sitting, sleeping, and waking we Shusan said, “Don’t spoil it! The place continue with that Mu. Even a person where it isn’t spoiled, that is what you who is usually full of thoughts and take.” ideas and opinions can cut all of it Ryusui kanzan no michi away, every last bit of it. While doing Master Shusan instructed the monk this great cleansing, the ability arises this way. to know the place beyond all of our 流水寒山路 Kozan Koku was also called Kotei Ten. previous conditioning and knowledge. He did sanzen with Maido Soshin We realize this place where we can’t Zenji. know what to think or do or how to This verse can be found in the fourth figure anything out. Thinking is no section of the Kaian Kokugo, Hakuin One day Soshin Zenji asked Kozan longer a possibility. Zen is not about Zenji’s work on the writings of Daito Koku, “You know well the part of thinking about what something is; Kokushi. Confucius’ Analects where he says, `I Zen is the experience itself. am hiding nothing from you.’ This is exactly the same as in the path of Zen. In the deepening of the mind state, A running stream, the cold How do you interpret those words?” we use Mu to touch this purity of mountain path mind. But this isn’t about a notion Kozan Koku answered, “No, I don’t Deep in the clouds, the old of nothing. If we carry along an idea know.” This is the only answer he temple bell about what Mu is or how it should be could possibly have given. done, it can’t become that real Mu. As they talked they were walking in Only when we drop the idea that we The steep path up the mountain of the mountains together, and the air can hold on to even a thought of Mu Kanzan follows the stream, climbing was permeated with a wonderful can we reach the actual state of mind 79 45 When a dog barks, we only hear and see and hear from there. That is Deep in the clouds, the “bow-wow.” If a sparrow chirps, we the Buddha Dharma, and to manifest old temple bell hear only the “cheep-cheep.” This that we have the sutras. Instead of pure state of mind is what we return trying to mentally understand them, to. This isn’t something that we can when we can become them in this very be taught by someone or learn in moment, that life energy becomes the school or read about in a book. Only whole universe. The ears of this very that which is holding on to nothing moment become the sounds of the at all can perceive with the very same whole universe; the eyes of this very state of mind with which we are born. moment become the scenery of the Jin’un koji no kane When suddenly we pierce this barrier, whole universe. we astonish heaven and shake the This is where the clear truth of the earth. We know the place where we Buddha Dharma is manifested. see with the same eyes as the Buddha and the Patriarchs and hear with the very same ears. This is the touching of the root of Mu, and when we have experienced it we know why Joshu said “Mu,” not from mental understanding but because we have become his very state of mind. The generations of Patriarchs, Daruma Daishi, the Sixth Patriarch, Hyakujo, and Rinzai all have the same ears and eyes, and with them we hear and see and can understand. Completely seeing with the eyes of the Buddha and Daruma Daishi, we can know what is meant by,

A running stream, the cold Deep in the clouds, mountain path Deep in the clouds, the old the old temple bell temple bell

We can taste fully this deep state of Jin’un koji no kane mind. If we understand Mu, then we are asked to stop the ringing of the 深雲古寺鐘 temple bell on the far mountain. And we know immediately what to do. At of forgetting ourselves completely and the beginning of each sutra it always forgetting anything we see or hear. says, “Thus have I heard . . .” Anan Nothing that we see or hear remains Sonja heard the Buddha’s words and in our mind. There is nothing to hold began his retelling of them in this on to and nothing to seek externally. way. The others who had heard the There is only the world that comes; Buddha speak checked the words and matching perfectly to it, we become confirmed that there were no mistakes. the hearing of what is there to be Then what Anan remembered was heard and the seeing of what is there edited. Sutras are not words and to be seen. phrases but that same state of mind of the Buddha. We must become that 80 47 Pointing his finger at the heavens, he reflected as they are. People without The moon is in the blue asked, “What is there? The moon is in pure experience, no matter how great sky, the blue sky!” Pointing a finger at the their ideas and thoughts are, can’t The water is in the bottle earth, he asked, “What is there? The give them life. Here Mumon Ekai water is in the bottle.” Zenji says, “Concentrate yourself into this Mu, with your 360 bones and But as always, everyone is looking at 84,000 pores, making your whole the phenomena and neglecting the body one great inquiry.” To the base actuality. The more we think in terms of awareness, tear down the walls of things to be thankful for, the more and remove the layers of decoration. we think of ourselves as splendid and Tsuki wa seiten ni ari mizu It’s not about becoming something deserving. Everyone prays so thankfully but about razing all of the mental wa heiri ni ari to some golden Buddha, but where is constructs that attempt to understand such a thing? and make order of things. Shave all Our truth is not the Buddha’s form! It of that away! “In all the twenty-four is our originally clear mind, this firm hours of the day, work intently at it. sturdiness with which we were born, Don’t attempt nihilistic or dualistic which can’t be spoken about and can’t interpretations.” It’s impossible to be decorated. attempt some logical understanding by proposing a self and an other. It Yet we always pour sweet tea over the doesn’t function that way. statue of the Buddha on his birthday. How can we pour tea over a thing that This is the place of becoming has no form and yet fills everything? precisely With his whisk Daito hit the table loudly. He pounded it as if to say, The moon is in the blue sky, “Don’t look away from IT!” The water is in the bottle The Buddha said, “In all the heavens Here there is no blue sky and no and the earth, only one person.” bottle, no moon and no water. This Where is there any meaning in those state of mind is what we have to taste The moon is in the words? There’s no such thing as a god thoroughly. in the heavens to save people and or Is the light me, or am I the light? A blue sky, a devil on earth to punish people. Yet poet has written that “the moon is me people interpret these words in that and I am the moon. Sitting until no The water is in the way. But what difference does the difference can be told, the moon of bottle interpretation make? There’s still no autumn.” Of course this can’t be just truth of the Buddha or of the Buddha a pat explanation. If there is even one Dharma there! lingering bit of mental understanding, Tsuki wa seiten ni ari Humans’ true nature, the pure it’s not the true moon or the true mizu wa heiri ni ari mind with which we are born, isn’t water in the bottle. something that can be produced by When the Buddha said, “In all the training. From birth we are endowed heavens and the earth, only one with a clear bright mind. The moon person,” pointing a finger to the sky 月在青天水在瓶裏 can be reflected there exactly as it and a finger to the earth, his meaning is, and that reflection is the original was not in his gestures. But the more This verse is also from the fourth truth. But people always add in we explain the further away we get. section of the Kaian Kokugo. Daito aspects of their own ego; rather than When we hold on to not one thing Kokushi gave a teaching on the experiencing the moon, they start and say nothing, then we can receive Buddha’s birthday. With one hand trying to explain it and attempting to the moon and the bottle clearly. mentally understand it. pointing to the heavens and one Day and night work intently at it: finger pointing to the earth, he We can’t create this pure mind by “muuuu, muuuuu, muuuuuu.” In our announced that there is only One. training, but unless we remove the mind we undergo a great cleaning. dust of decoration, things can’t be 81 If that cleaning reaches everywhere, 49 then everything in all of nature is me, and the heavens and earth and I are one, complete. To have the clarity of this seeing is called opening the eye of Buddha wisdom. The Lotus Sutra tell us, “A Buddha appears in this world to open the treasury of truth, to indicate its meaning, to cause sentient beings to see into it with the eye of wisdom and to cause sentient beings to enter it and abide in it.” This wisdom eye sees beyond all rational ideas and concepts. For all beings to be able to open this eye of the highest quality, the Buddha came into this world.

The moon is in the blue sky, The water is in the bottle.

51 The moon is setting in the extinguishing the light? There’s no seam here. If I look for my body it frosty sky This is from the 40th case of the Blue can’t be found, and there isn’t even a It’s almost midnight. Cliff Records. In this case Setcho Zenji single cat in sight. The wind doesn’t has added this poem: stir. This is the kind of midnight being described in these lines. Water fills Hearing, seeing, understanding, the pond to the brim. There’s a slight knowing, reflection of the mountain, but it’s not Each of these is not separate. possible to tell what’s the mountain and what’s the pond, what’s the tree SØten tsuki ochite For him mountains and rivers do not appear in a mirror. and what’s the forest. No seam can be Yoru masa ni nakaba naran The moon is setting in the frosty seen. The surface of the water and the to su sky mountain are only one. The tree and It’s almost midnight. forest are one. There is no distinction between perceiver and perceived. All With whom can I share these are melted in round oneness. This winter images is what the Priest Setcho Juken is caught in the still pond? singing. In China during the Tang dynasty “Hearing, seeing, understanding, Nansen received Baso Doitsu Zenji’s knowing, each of these is not . Nansen was a separate.” This isn’t something to brother disciple of Hyakujo and the grasp mentally or conceptually. With teacher of Joshu, who it was said would The moon is setting the whole of our body-being we see surpass even his teacher. Nansen was the actuality, we hear the actuality, famous for the words, “Everyday mind in the frosty sky without notions about what the name is the Path.” As a matter of course in of the flower is or what’s causing the our everyday lives we all see and hear It’s almost midnight. sounds we hear. When we see, we and talk. We laugh and cry and get see with our whole body, becoming a angry. That is our everyday way of single seeing eye. When we hear, our being, and it’s also the path to satori. SØten tsuki ochite entire body is our ear. This is our way That way of being, as it is, is Zen. of becoming one with what we are But it’s true only if we are free from Yoru masa ni nakaba seeing and hearing. Then, “For him stagnancy and ego clutter. naran to su mountains and rivers do not appear One day while Nansen was cutting in a mirror.” weeds a monk from far away came There is no longer any twofold along and asked, “What is the Path of 霜天月落夜将半 relationship between what is seen Nansen?” and what is doing the seeing. We Because Nansen was famous, the monk perceive with our whole body and wanted to ask about his teaching. The moon is setting in the become completely one with what frosty sky we are perceiving. This is the actuality Nansen thrust out the tool he was It’s almost midnight. of being alive. If we try and add a using to cut the grass and said he had bought it for thirty cents. The monk With whom can I share these mental understanding it creates a was astonished. He had asked for the winter images gap between subject and object. When nothing is inserted between truth, and he had received the price of caught in the still pond? that which is seeing and that which is the master’s cutting tool. being seen, we perceive the actuality The monk said, “I’m not asking about Soten tsuki ochite of life’s energy. your tools but about the truth of the Yoru masani nakaba naran to On a chill winter night when the frost Path.” su is falling and the moon has already Master Nansen said, “I have used it, Dare to tomoni ka set, everything becomes darker and Chotan kage wo terashite and it cuts well!” Ignoring the monk, darker. Is it me becoming the darkness and he went back to work. samuki or the darkness becoming me and 82 53 awaken to and uncover? When our those who’ve only heard about it. mind lights nowhere, when it is alive With whom can I share The words of Jo Hosshi express truth. and vivid, that bright clear living mind these winter images But only looking at them intellectually is what acts and functions. Where we caught in the still pond? isn’t the same thing as knowing the get caught is on our ideas about this. experience for oneself. We have to For the monk it was a great answer to know the experience of losing our own receive. body and letting go of our thinking to Along with Nansen’s monks, the know what it means to be one with philosopher Riko Taifu also did sanzen the flower and not see it as a dream. with the master. But he couldn’t drop If we don’t, then we can’t say we are Dare to tomo ni ka his mental baggage. Once he told one with all beings completely. ChØtan kage o terashite Nansen that he’d read something The actuality of being one with heaven samuki interesting in the works of Jo Hosshi: and earth and knowing we are of “The heavens, earth, and I are of one the same root can’t be divided into root, all of the ten thousand things subjective and objective. It’s not about and I are the same.” He told Nansen, understanding this. But when the eyes “What a mysterious, excellent thing Jo that see the world and the world that Hosshi has said! Don’t you think it’s is seen become completely one and superb?” Riko Taifu was quite satisfied the same, then for the first time we with himself. He proclaimed, “He is know the true essence of life. one with the heavens and earth and of the same root. The mountains and “The moon is me and I am the moon. rivers and cows and horses are all the Sitting until no difference can be told, same. There is nothing more than this the moon of autumn.” When we in Zen’s satori either!” become clear to this point, we know the source of our true original mind. With whom Nansen looked at the flower in front “The heavens, earth, and I are of one of him, a chrysanthemum, and said, can I share these root.” “People of the world today look at this winter images flower see it as if in a dream.” To merely say that we are one with the heavens and earth is far removed Do those who look at the flower really from the actual expression of clear caught in the still see it as one with all things? Can they original mind. “For him mountains see it as it is, without adding their pond? and rivers do not appear in a mirror.” own ideas about it, like tacking on the In these words there’s no idea about wonderful words of Jo Hosshi? Why do reflecting or being reflected. Only you want to be satisfied with playing Dare to tomo ni ka pure shining in bright oneness. This with ideas? Nansen responded firmly has to be experienced, or no matter with a stinging rebuke. ChØtan kage o terashite how skillfully you explain it it won’t be samuki Here Setcho Zenji adds a couplet, realized. Dogen Zenji said it as, “Hearing it as it For those who sufficiently have is, without thinking about it, our ears it just as it is, the drop of water from the 誰共澄潭照影寒 For those who don’t, Rosan’s eaves.” And Daito Kokushi said, “If we rain, Sekko’s tides see it with our ears and hear it with This monk had thought that there is our eyes it is beyond doubting, the some special thing in this everyday rain dropping from the eaves.” mind that is the Dharma. He had Rosan is known for its beauty in the thought that in our everyday life rain, and the tides from the Sekko, there’s something hidden that we which are so strong and rise so high, need to discover and have awakened are exquisite. Anyone who beholds it in us. He was very unripe. For Nansen, is deeply moved. But there is still a vast his life was Zen. What else is there to distance between those who’ve been there and seen it for themselves and 83 55 We don’t see with our eyes or hear from degenerating into something My bamboo hat is with our ears but do both with our that will cause people to suffer, we weighed down with Wu whole body. We hear with the raindrop must know the real experience. mountain snow from the eaves and become that drop Tonight, forgetting time, forgetting totally. This is why Setcho said, your body, sit until you merge with the heavens and earth. Do zazen to Hearing, seeing, understanding, this point and taste the flavor of this knowing, living actuality. Each of these is not separate. For him mountains and rivers Kasa wa omoshi goten no do not appear in a mirror. yuki The moon is setting in the frosty sky It’s almost midnight. With whom can I share these winter images caught in the still pond?

We can see with our ears and hear with our eyes, we can taste with our nose and smell with our mouth. In a very real way our senses aren’t separate. The mountains and rivers that are reflected aren’t just the reflections of real mountains and rivers. There are only Rivers! There are only Mountains! In this deep profound mind there My bamboo hat is is no mental concept of hearing or seeing. Eternal time is expressed here weighed down with in the world of nature, deep in the mountains, in the quiet serenity of Wu mountain snow. the water that’s so deep the bottom can’t be seen. This is true stillness. Beyond any sound our body is pierced Kasa wa omoshi through by the cold winter air with which it has become one. goten no yuki Earlier the moon had shown this view, but now the moon is gone and the scenery obscured by blackness. There is nothing to see and no one to be 笠重呉天雪 seeing. There are no more thoughts, no self-conscious awareness. We have This line is from the seventh section dissolved into this world of oneness of the Kaian Kokugo and is also found and converge with it. in the second volume of the Shami Kumo Sho. It is part of a couplet: When we know this serenity we can say, “The heavens, earth, and I are of one root.” But how many have realized My bamboo hat is weighed this true experience? Anyone can play down with Wu mountain snow with the Buddha’s words or memorize My shoes are scented with the Patriarchs’ words and repeat flowers from fields in Ch’u them, but can we manifest that state of mind? In order to keep Buddhism 84 57 58 During a severe winter in the country Emperor Hanazono was training with will it be? We weren’t born to live a of Wu, the bamboo hats become heavy Daito Kokushi when he clarified the life of confusion and melancholy. We from the weight of snow. Without one great matter, the true source of can’t be that irresponsible. Every day speaking, one person walks down the all being. Daito Kokushi confirmed we have to live with responsibility and snowy road. During springtime in the his awakening and shared the great serve people in society. country of Ch’u, the straw sandals joy. Hanazono’s gratitude was so If we’ve truly resolved this question we carry the scent of myriad flowers. For immense he vowed to become a know where we go when we die. How monks and people of training, while beacon for all in society, helping to about it? When you die, where do you traveling on pilgrimage, there are spread the Dharma and becoming a go? Tell me now! Tosotsu was shrewd good and bad times along the path. refuge for all people. He vowed to do and kind in encouraging a living, this without ceasing and recorded his It was Daito Kokushi who taught inventive, and creative effort. This is great wonder and joy. that people of training should always the value of our being born, and in go in one straight line without He expressed the same joy in his this we can find our true joy. stopping. Wearing straw sandals and final poem. The subject of it was his an appropriate robe to reflect the practice of twenty years. He had not season, carrying bowls for eating, lightly attempted a year or two of a sutra book, with kesa for special practice but had done sanzen every ceremonies, the person of training day, never missing a chance. Finally has everything necessary and seeks he met with spring, encountering his the truth. Sometimes there’s food, true nature and seeing with the eyes and when there’s not, we put eating and ears of the Patriarchs. He came to aside. Sometimes there’s shelter, and know this great joy with the eyes of when there isn’t, we sleep in the fields. the buddha and the ears of Daruma. Doing a pilgrimage around Shikoku, Within that joy he could live each like the roots of weeds, we open to day without holding on to or seeking the deep and profound marrow of the anything. He lived every single day in truth. This is the goal of our zazen. this huge abundant state of mind. We are born into this world to realize Yet when Emperor Hanazono was kensho. To realize our true nature, our training he wrote that no matter what true source. This is wholly the goal of the weather was, no matter what’s training. There’s nothing but this to occurring nearby, you must continue; pay attention to and nothing but this doing sanzen and practicing with no in which to take refuge. concern for your surroundings. The teaching of the Buddha is to realize Daruma Daishi journeyed from far kensho, nothing else. to reach China. “To see directly into the true mind and become Buddha”- In the same way, Master Tosotsu says -to directly perceive our true nature that anyone can look good doing and experience satori and become ascetic training, but it’s meaningless Buddha--for him there was no if you can’t manifest that true mind meaning in anything else. The many of this very moment beyond dualism thousand sutras exist only to bring and experience and thoughts and each and every person to awakening. ideas. Can you express that place with Words can only be fingers pointing to not one speck of duality? Everyone the moon; they aren’t the truth itself. responds, “How can we express something that isn’t there?” But one In days past, Japan’s emperor was as who has truly died and been reborn deeply respected as a god. Among can easily and abundantly express the many generations of emperors that. there was one named Hanazono, who founded Myoshinji. He did sanzen When we actually return to our source, with Daito Kokushi and with Kanzan we resolve the matter of life and death Muso Daishi. From this he had a deep on the spot. There’s no need to wait awakening, realizing the marrow of until our physical death to know this. truth of the Dharma. When the light leaves our eyes, how 59 They haul snow to fill the The mystic peak of Myobucho is teaching. If Tokuun never came down old well written of in the Flower Garland Sutra. off Myobocho, where is this other Zenzai Doji decides to visit fifty-three mountain? wise Zen monks, beginning with Tokuun never, for one second, left Tokuun Zenji. For an entire week he Myobucho. For the sake of liberating tries gaining access to Tokuun. Finally all beings he came down off the he is able to see him. The Myobucho mountain of form called Myobucho, referred to here is the highest peak of but everyplace he went was still that a mountain, representing awakened state of mind of Myobucho, the state mind, that absolute place where not a of being of not having extraneous Yuki o ninatte kosei o uzumu speck of anything lingers. Here there’s thoughts. The ongoing continuation no self or other, not a trace of a person of clear mind moments was all there or an animal or an insect. This is the was. This is the meaning of his never world of our zazen, where there is having left the mountain. Whether no self, no speck of anything in the eating, shitting, or bathing, he heavens and earth. This is the state of remained in that place of continuous mind where we lose track of our body, clear mind moments. In the midst of the zendo, and of this very world. of this awakened mind, he liberated This Myobucho is the source of the others. wisdom of Manjusri. Zenzai Doji thought that he had Zenzai Doji calls on fifty-three wise met Tokuun on a different peak, but people of Zen training, going first Tokuun met him right on the peak of to Shoraku Kokui, where Myobucho Myobucho. This mind of continuous and Tokuun Zenji are. He has heard They haul snow to clear mind moments is the satori that Tokuun Zenji has never once of everyday life. If we leave that come down from the highest peak fill the old well everyday world, we fall into the realm of Myobucho, his state of mind of of nihilism. We can’t throw away our enlightenment. He resides only at the life in the actual world and abandon summit of satori. Of course Zenzai Yuki o ninatte kosei o the liberation of all beings. If we think Doji can’t meet with Tokuun. Within there’s a separate world from the peak this mind of no self and no other, uzumu of Myobucho, we create a falsehood. where there’s not one single fleck of Our everyday life must be the same anything in the heavens and earth to as Tokuun’s stay on Myobucho, never be concerned with, there’s no way to coming down. This is how it must be. 坦雪填古井 encounter someone who is sought. Where could he be found? Honen Shonin said you should repeat the Buddha’s name in the midst of all Another version of this verse is, “They However, while Zenzai didn’t meet your life, not just now and then and haul snow to fill up the river.” The Tokuun on Myobucho, he did meet between working. This is truly the Shoyo Roku, one of the records of the him on an entirely different mountain. world of ceaseless clear mind. Patriarchs, includes this as part of its For the sake of Zenzai Doji, Tokuun 77th case. The words express a world rolled all of the past, present, and of making wasted efforts, of doing future into one moment. This moment The lazy Tokuun came down work with no possibility of fruition, of is where all of the Buddhas have their many times liberating all sentient beings. truth, the source of all wisdom. In the From the summit of the mystic Flower Garland Sutra it is described as peak. the eye of seeing clearly the truth in The lazy Tokuun came down Engaging foolish wise men, all worlds. many times together From the summit of the mystic This is a very strange story indeed! Filling the well with snow. peak. It relates that Tokuun Zenji was on Engaging foolish wise men, Myobucho and never came down. He together could not be seen, yet Zenzai Doji was Filling the well with snow. able to encounter him for one mind moment on another peak and hear his 85 61 Hakuin Zenji wrote these lines about probably fall immediately from the fifth of the : the peak of enlightenment into Beyond the balustrade, the deepest hell.” the mountains are deep This is what Joshu answered, and that and the waters cold 1. The Apparent within the Real is the Myobucho’s answer exactly 2. The Real within the Apparent as it is. Joshu expressed Myobucho splendidly. 3. The coming from within the Real 4. The arrival at Mutual Integration 5. Unity Attained Kanzen yama fukaku shite mizu samushi

A broken-down priest comes off the mountain and with another stupid foolish priest puts snow in a well. Of course, no matter how much snow they put into the well, it doesn’t fill up. Anybody knows that. But ours is a world of ignorant people. To leave our seamless world of oneness, going into the world of discriminating thought and liberating confused and deluded people, would seem as useless as putting snow down a well. Nevertheless, it must be done. If it isn’t, it’s not the Buddha Dharma. Beyond the “Sentient beings are numberless, I vow to liberate them.” This is our balustrade, training. the mountains are This state of mind has to be deeply realized or it’s not the Buddha deep and the waters Dharma. There can be no Dharma essence without satori, but if we carry cold that satori around with us, it’s not the Buddha Dharma. Once we awaken and realize satori, we have to throw Kanzen yama fukaku it away, and like a simple fool, dive shite mizu samushi into the middle of society. We must be exactly like Tokuun on the peak, never leaving that place where not a speck of anything can light. While 檻前山深水寒 maintaining this mind, we must enter into society and manifest it, or the Buddha Dharma will be destroyed and The line is from Setcho Zenji’s poem there will be no liberation of people in on the second case of the Blue Cliff the world. Record, “The Great Way Knows No Difficulties.” The line preceding it is: “At the edge of heaven the sun rises Once a monk asked Joshu, and the moon sets.” The sun rises “What is Myobucho?” from the east, and the moon sinks Joshu replied that he would not into the west. The rooster crows at the answer that. break of dawn, and every four years “Why won’t you answer?” there is a leap year. “If I answer you, you will 86 63 64 Things as they are is the way of nature; difficulties, if we refrain from picking Joshu had quickly and easily cut the without thinking, nature functions. and choosing. Only when freed from Have you not seen the idle man monk off. With nothing extra, this is the Great hate and love, it reveals itself fully and of Tao What is the Great Way and what does Way, the way of the heavens and earth without disguise.” who has nothing to learn and it mean to say it’s not difficult? The that no one can alter. People are born, Joshu cherished these words and nothing to do, more you speak about it, the more grow old, and die. This is our way. We taught them often. The Great Way is Who neither discards wandering confused you’ll be. receive morning and evening whether that path which all beings must travel. thoughts nor seeks the truth? we’re rich or poor, stupid or smart; Everyday mind is the path. Our eyes The real nature of ignorance is regardless of circumstance, we all are horizontal above our nose, which Buddha-nature; At the edge of heaven the sun receive the Great Way. is vertical. The sun rises in the east and The illusory empty body is the rises and the moon sets, People represent only a small sets in the west. The rooster crows at Dharma body. Beyond the balustrade, the percentage of the Great Way, and so dawn and every four years there’s a After realizing the Dharma mountains are deep and the we live in accordance with it. These leap year. There’s no Path apart from body, there is not a thing; waters cold are things we can’t change. this and nothing difficult about it. The Original self-nature is the innate orders of the heavens are the natural Buddha. way. Living in accordance with them In ancient times the family of Layman At the edge of heaven the sun is the Path. Pang worked with the question of “The rises and the moon sets, Great Way knows no difficulties, if we The mind with which we are born is These words are from the Song of Beyond the balustrade, the Enlightenment of the Fourth Patriarch, refrain from picking and choosing.” mountains are deep and the called our human character. Living explained at length how in accordance with that mind is the Yoka Daishi. They describe being in waters cold the very midst of the Great Way. difficult it is to live in accordance with Path. The Path isn’t difficult unless we the Great Way. His wife responded by begin adding on our likes and dislikes asking, “What is difficult about that? All beings share the blessings of the and ideas about how things should be A tenth of an inch’s difference, Everyone in the world is a Buddha!” sun’s light and warmth, yet we are done. Because we have preferences And heaven and earth are set Then his daughter added, “There all different. When we do zazen in and stand apart, we make it hard. apart is nothing difficult or easy about it. the temple in the mountains, we see Why are our eyes horizontal? Why When you encounter food you eat it the river flowing outside the window. is our nose vertical? When we add and when you meet up with tea you In the deep shadows of the hills the on ideas and thoughts about things, Joshu said, “People have to cut away drink it! That’s all there is to it!” water looks so cold. Does the water we get caught on each and every all of their aversions and preferences, The entire family each expressed this look cold because it is so deep in the one of them. If we can just accept then it reveals itself fully, but I am not in a different way, but their answers mountains, or are the mountains deep things as they are, it’s easy to receive in that either.” all embraced the Great Way. Just as because the water is so cold? If we them simply. When “my feelings” Setcho has written, “At the edge of look closely at it we have to ask why. get involved, then liking and disliking A monk got snagged on these words heaven the sun rises and the moon Though it’s called the Great Way, each enter the picture. and said, “If you are not in that place sets.” and every thing has its own particular where it is revealed clearly, then The sun doesn’t rise or set because without that to rely on, what do you essence. we will it to. When we want rain to In just this way the sun rises in the rely on and protect?” He was caught east, the moon sets in the west. The The flowers blooming in the garden fall, the sun keeps right on shining; in dualistic thinking. rooster crows at dawn and every four are many colors--yellow, red, white, when we want a sunny day, it seems years there’s a leap year. Without and purple. Some have many petals, it almost always rains. When thoughts “If you ask me that, I don’t know exception, we all receive the grace others have few, all blooming at of gain or loss enter the picture, our either!” of things exactly as they are. The different times. While we might say, Path becomes unclear and we’re lost. Joshu didn’t give a great shout or hit mountain is a mountain and the water “At the edge of heaven, the sun rises When we receive things exactly as the monk with a stick. He was not is water. From the point of view of “At and the moon sets,” if we look closely they come, it’s fine if it’s clear and fine moved around at all by his question. the edge of heaven the sun rises and we see that each and every thing is if it’s cloudy. Fuji is a mountain. When the moon sets,” everything is clearly different. Yet while each is different, we add ideas and feelings to that we The monk persisted, “If you don’t equal and the same. As Layman Pang’s all partake equally of this world from become confused. We stop feeling the know, then why do you say those wife said, “It is easy!” Still, “Beyond which they can’t be separated. necessity of satori. words?” the balustrade, the mountains are Joshu said, “I understand well what you Master Joshu worked with the words deep and the waters cold.” Each “the Great Way knows no difficulties” are saying. Your reasoning is correct. and every thing is also different in its for his entire life. They are from the But the shallow understanding that own way, and those qualities must be verse On Believing in Mind written comes from correct reasoning is of considered. If we add in any idea of a by Sansho Kanchi Zenji, which no use whatsoever. Go prostrate over small “I,” it’s not the Great Way. We begins, “The Great Way knows no there someplace and then go home.” have to realize this place beyond any 65 addition of ego and dualistic thinking. And that is what Layman Pang is saying is difficult. Whether it is easy or difficult, each day we eat meals and become the meals, we read sutras and become the sutras, we do zazen and become the zazen, we work and become the work completely. We become the very teaching. When we meet joy we become joy and when we meet suffering we become that suffering. When we meet sickness we become sickness and when we meet a catastrophe we become that catastrophe completely. If we don’t become each moment and each thing completely, the path can’t be fully traveled. The actualization of this, the experience of it, is Zen.

67 about it?” In front of everyone he held and rivers and the whole world, where All ten thousand things out the staff and asked this. do they go?” We have to just once let reveal great radiance go of all of our ideas and thoughts We live in a world full of dualism. and self-conscious awareness. They We can’t live if we separate ourselves do not disappear, but we can stop from our thinking. Doing so would giving them attention and holding make us ignorant. But because of the on to them. If we can just once let go, knowledge we’ve gathered, we think then we become the very thing itself, of things as good and bad and judge seeing not from a deluded point of them accordingly. That’s why we’re view but encountering the actuality always at odds with each another. directly. This eye has to be opened. Banbutsu kØki o shØzu Because our horizons are narrow When it is we can know the state of and we get caught on how we’d like mind of a newborn baby, and from things to be, we’re unable to see the there we can receive the whole world. whole picture. Saying that we act with Then everything we see and hear and integrity, we’re in fact caught in our think is fresh and new and all of it is narrow way of seeing. truth. Saying that it’s for the sake of God, On the morning of December 12, we take the lives of others. It’s hard having let go of all self-awareness, to cut the roots of thoughts when the Buddha saw the morning star and we continue to pour energy into became it completely. He exclaimed, them. Like ghosts and phantoms “How wondrous! How wondrous! All that get caught on trees and grasses beings are endowed from the origin as they pass through them, there with this clear mind to which I have All ten thousand are phantoms that feed on our just awakened.” thoughts and sycophants that live things reveal great on our ideas. Despite the fine things How wondrous! All of the ten radiance these phantoms proclaim, they’re thousand things are the Buddha’s life only conceited appreciations of our and all of them shine radiantly! All of own extraneous ideas and opinions. us have this wisdom from the origin. Instead of being caught by these, we Not through training but from the Banbutsu kØki o shØzu have to realize that mind which never beginning we are all endowed with moves and never changes. This truth this state of mind, which is not the must be experienced. Then our lives slightest bit different from that mind 萬物光輝生 and society must be rebuilt from the of the Buddha! When we receive this bottom up, or we can’t say we are world as it is, without any ego filtering, living a life of truth. that is our original mind exactly as it is. The source of this line isn’t clear, but How wondrous! the Buddha’s awakening is the source “This staff becomes a dragon and From the time of our birth we have of the state of mind it expresses. The swallows down the whole universe!” gathered knowledge and preconceived words convey the essence of the Unmon is not saying something notions. Because we can’t let go of actual experience. meaningless. He’s saying that just once we have to cut away all of our them we get caught on form and gird One day Unmon Bunen Zenji held up small-minded ideas and opinions and our own position. Because we can’t his staff before a gathered assembly attachments and open our eyes to let go of our education and learning, and said, “This staff becomes a that which unites all living beings, we can’t see. Although we never lose dragon and swallows down the whole that thing which never changes. Then our original nature, we aren’t able to universe. All the mountains and rivers no part of humankind can be left out, use it. and the whole world. Where do they not a single person. In realizing this In order to use this true nature we have go? This staff becomes a dragon and mind in all of us, we give birth to true to do this great cleaning. Then, in our swallows down the whole universe! humans. eyes it will be seeing, in our ears it will All of the mountains and rivers and be hearing, in our mouth it will eating, the whole earth are swallowed down While all 5,048 sutras teach this, for in our hands it will be grasping, and completely. Where can we be? How Unmon it was all said in, “This staff becomes a dragon and swallows down in our feet it will be walking. Our true 87 the whole universe! All the mountains original nature, unhampered by our 69 ego, will see the world exactly as it is. Purple-gold light illu- “All ten thousand things reveal great mines the mountains and radiance.” Only when we know this rivers experience can we say this. Each thing’s reflection of the sun’s light is insignificant compared to the truth of experiencing this. When we hold on to our problems, no matter how bright the sunlight is, we will still sink into darkness. Shikon kØj¨ senga o terasu But if we realize this place, even if we are in a dark world, everywhere light will shine through the darkness and illuminate each and every thing. Everything we are aware of, we will love. All of the ten thousand things, all of phenomena, will be in our heart, and we will love them all from the deepest place in our mind. As it says in the Lotus Sutra, “In all the three Purple-gold light worlds everyone is my child, and all the three Worlds are my home.” illumines When we are empty of ego, we can the mountains love everything we see. When we are not caught on a small self, we have and rivers the wisdom to see the whole world and love all of it. That is our original nature, our purest actual way of being. All of these qualities are the Buddha. Shikon kØj¨ When we can live like this, every Senga o terasu person we touch and each thing we encounter is true and fresh and newly born. Will we know this great wonder and live it every day, or will we 紫金光聚照山河 continue to suffer? It’s very important for each of us to realize this. This verse is also from the fourth section of the Kaian Kokugo. It is a couplet with “In heaven above and in the world below, spirit abounds.” The purple-gold light is the radiance that shines forth from the body of the Buddha, illuminating all of the mountains and rivers. This golden violet light of truth shines on everything in this world. The awakening of the Buddha, just as it is, awakens all humans, casting a glow over everyone. This is the way it’s taught. The sutras tell of a huge dark field,

88 71 72 without a trace of light. There are paradox and the relative. This is the thought countless plants there, but because it’s essence of Buddhism, expressed in Like the shadow that never so dark the field can’t be plowed or Vimalakirti’s silence. This deepest leaves one tended. The plants growing there are wisdom can be known only from Happiness follows a pure pitiful and melancholy, each thinking experience and from letting go of thought. it’s alone. everything. Suddenly a very advanced person Our attachment to being a me has to arrives. In his hand he carries a burning be ripped out completely, and then One person’s awakening illuminates branch that illuminates the entire field. we become one with this whole world. the whole world and brings light to The plants that have been low and This is the marrow of Buddhism. If all people. My awakening is not mine isolated in the darkness stand tall in we speak about it, we are making a alone but that of every being the light, and each one is astonished judgment, and that is already dualistic to see that it’s in the midst of many and relative. Even the Buddha can’t others. They all give great cries of joy put it into words. and start hugging one another. It has to be beyond mental This field is life, and the darkness is not understanding. This means not knowing the light of real wisdom. A silence but receiving and accepting plant in the darkness can’t know other everything that comes. plants or be farmed. Born and dying alone, unable to make a contribution, of course it’s lonely. The advanced Purple-gold light illumines the person who comes with the burning mountains and rivers branch is the Buddha bearing the light In heaven above and in the of wisdom. He shines it on life, and world below, spirit abounds. those who are illuminated by it are astonished and full of joy. No matter how many tens of thousands of This wisdom is what we have to people are living in the same country, awaken to, and when it is revealed we if they can’t see each other, each one understand the words of the Buddha: lives alone. The light of true wisdom “How wondrous! How wondrous! All helps us to see each other and live beings are endowed from the origin harmoniously. with the bright clear wisdom to which I have just awakened.” All beings in the whole world, without exception, Purple-gold light illumines the are in the Buddha Sea. If one person mountains and rivers awakens to this, then everything in In heaven above and in the existence, all of the trees and grasses world below, spirit abounds. and all beings, becomes Buddha. In this way just one Buddha’s awakening becomes the true awakening of all The wisdom of the Buddha brings beings. great joy. The value of harmony Are we to be fortunate in this world, among humankind and the wisdom of or unhappy? the Buddha’s teaching are expressed in these words. The Buddha asked everyone around We are what we think him, all the disciples and , Having become what we to visit the ailing Vimalakirti, but no thought, one wanted to go because they were Like the wheel that follows the afraid of Vimalakirti’s severity. Finally cart-pulling ox, Manjusri went. Vimalakirti’s truth is Sorrow follows an evil thought. the teaching of the mystery of the non-two. It’s not just the wisdom of We are what we think, the relative, but a wisdom beyond Having become what we 73 the three of them were all still young his Dharma, but clearly he was deeply To make up with dili- monks, they made a pilgrimage enlightened. gence for his inability all over China. At one point, they When Tei Joza was training with Rinzai, decided they wanted to learn directly he asked Rinzai, “What is the body of from Rinzai and taste his severe way, the Buddha Dharma.” Rinzai grabbed so they journeyed together to meet Tei Joza by the lapels and punched this master. him. Rinzai was of a slight build and Tei As they neared Rinzai’s temple, a very Joza was a very large man, but Rinzai large monk came towards them. They still attacked Tei Joza and splendidly told him where they were going, and showed his Dharma. Tei Joza fell over Gon o motte setsu o oginau he said, “How unfortunate! Rinzai has and almost passed out. just died.” When Tei Joza was barely able to They were crestfallen. Although they sit up, one of his seniors said, “Tei had lived in the same age as Rinzai, Joza, prostrate! The koan is over.” It they hadn’t been able to meet and is the custom in Zen to bow both train with him. They wouldn’t be able before and after a koan. Tei Joza to hear his Dharma directly or touch somehow managed to prostrate, the deep flavor of his character. Since and immediately he was deeply the monk was of the assembly of enlightened. His enlightenment Rinzai, they asked if he would share experience was similar to that of one of Rinzai’s Dharma teachings. Rinzai, who had been given sixty blows three times in a row by Master Obaku. To make up with The monk said, “In this five-foot lump Rinzai had asked Master Obaku three of red flesh there is a true person of no times what was the ultimate point of diligence for his rank. It is always coming and going, in the Buddha’s teaching and was hit and out of our orifices. If you have not inability each time. Convinced that he had no seen him, see him now!” karmic affiliation with Master Obaku, This was a core teaching of Rinzai, Rinzai went down off the mountain Gon o motte setsu o and the monk expressed it with great and met with Master Taegu. He asked oginau energy and power. Ganto spat out him what his mistake had been with his tongue in astonishment. Seppo Master Obaku. What had he done screamed, “That Rinzai is a great thief!” wrong? Kinzan responded, “Why are you so Master Taegu said without hesitation, caught on a person of no rank? There 将勤補拙 “How kind Obaku is!” is no such thing as that either! You don’t need any such explanation!” As he spoke, Rinzai understood for the This verse is from the 32nd case of first time that the ultimate teaching Hearing this the monk grabbed Kinzan the Blue Cliff Record, “Tei Joza Stands of the Buddha can’t be found in a and said, “Then how about this, this Still.” Rinzai appears in this case, and rational explanation. The ultimate true person of no rank? HOW about this verse is from the lines that Engo fulcrum of Buddhism is the source of it?! Speak!!” Kinzan gasped and added to Setcho’s words. our life energy, and it can’t be said turned pale and looked as if he was with words. That is why Obaku had hit No human is perfect; it’s human to going to faint. behave unskillfully. Once we know him so many times. Obaku was asking, where our faults lie, it’s up to us to Ganto and Seppo hurriedly apologized “Do you get it? Do you get it? How look at them, work on them, and for Kinzan, saying he was young and about this? Do you get it now?” didn’t yet know much about training. make up for them. To make up for our When Rinzai grabbed Tei Joza’s lapels Finally the monk loosened his grip, weaknesses, we have to make bone- he was saying to him as well, “Do you saying, “If these two senior brothers breaking efforts. This is the creative get it? Do you still not understand?” way of a person of Zen. of yours were not here I’d have killed you!!” As long as we rely on explanations Tokusan’s Dharma was transmitted and mental habits, we can’t know The monk was Tei Joza, and this is the to Seppo, Ganto, and Kinzan. When the true origin of the universe. With only case in which he appears. We narrow thoughts, we become blind, don’t know how he later expressed 89 deaf, and dumb. We hear the words 75 but can’t find the source. With WHAT “Tei Joza!!!! Why don’t you will we get the truth? These blows prostrate?” Be master wherever you were one of the ways in which Rinzai go Here his everyday practice came to could teach Tei Joza through a living life without a thought of being added process. to it. He worked diligently, using his “You have to PROSTRATE!” he was practice to shave the ego away and told by a brother monk, and since then shave it away again. In the dojo he had done prostrations countless we do things secretly that no one else times before, with that cautioning wants to do, such as cleaning the he immediately prostrated, and for toilet and polishing the floor. In this the first time he knew clearly beyond way we purify our mind, working on Zuisho ni shu to naru rational understanding and judgment. the places where we know we are The realization came forth of itself, unripe and undeveloped. from the pure functioning of Tei Joza. Because he had practiced thoroughly, He was astonished. Tei Joza could prostrate naturally, The sutras tell of Jo Kyo Bodhisattva, without even thinking, and through who didn’t chant sutras or practice this a new life was born. This didn’t zazen but every single day prostrated happen from a conceptual practice or to every person he met and said, “I from putting society aside, but from have nothing against you. I see in having done his practice every day, for you a true Buddha.” Some people all beings. When we have deepened hated that so much they threw in mind, we can prostrate and realize stones at him or hit him with a stick. true awakening, making up with Still he continued to say the same diligence for our inability. thing, again and again. It says in the We are all full of ego. For all of society Be master wherever Lotus Sutra that this was one of the we have to shave it away again and Buddha’s past lives. you go again, and then we can know that In another sutra it tells of a young man satori is not an explanation or a who every morning when he washed concept. his face vowed to all the Buddhas in Zuisho ni shu to naru the ten directions. The Buddha saw this and asked him why he did that. The young man said he had learned it from his parents. 随處作主 The Buddha said, “You are doing such a good thing, you should know the This is the most famous verse of the meaning of it. I will tell you. Bowing Records of Rinzai. If we stay in our true to the east is expressing gratitude for center, then no matter where we go, the grace of your parents; to the south anything we do is truth. This is what is for your teachers; to the west is for the couplet tells us. But it also begs your siblings, spouse, and children; the question. Where is this mastery and to the north is for all of your and center? It can’t be the ego and friends and the people close to you. its hardened views--those are desires, Looking up is a to the truth things on which we become stuck. We of the whole universe, and looking can’t call that our true master, or we down is a prostration to all of the confuse everything. people who are ignored and stepped on. Thanks to them as well, today we Once Rinzai Zenji said to his students. are given life and can prostrate. For “You of the Path, if I was to say what is the people who are suffering the most most important, it is confidence.” He we feel deep sorrow, and therefore we didn’t mean the limited confidence of bow to them.” This is how the Buddha the ego. That confidence depends on taught him. 90 77 78 body. This is what’s most important. infinite. It can be manifested as an Then wherever you are, The true Dharma has no form, yet it impoverished person or a sage, as a things are as they truly manifests in all of the ten directions. good person or an evil one. The one are who drives that vehicle is the true The truth which pierces through the master, the only one in the whole periods of past, present, and future universe, in all the ten directions. doesn’t change. This is the truth of There’s nothing other than this person not holding on to anything; no self of the Path who relies on nothing. and no other. From here all of the ten thousand things are born. This As it says in the sutras, if we live and is the source of the universe. We work in accordance with things as Rissho mina shin nari have to awaken to this place of true they are, it’s like the moon that’s belief and refuge, or we can’t know reflected in every body of water. true confidence. Otherwise, we will That person of the Path who relies be confident only when things are on nothing is manifested in all forms going the way we want them. We lose and is the source of everything that’s confidence when they aren’t. The path manifested. of Zen is not limited in that way. We always look around at each other’s faults and switch our attention from Be master wherever you go thing to thing. We have to make use Then wherever you are, things of our surroundings rather than being are as they truly are. used by them. Instead of looking at Then wherever you others, we should look at ourselves. are, Instead of being an angry guest, one Rinzai Zenji says we lack confidence who’s used by others, we can be things are as they because we’re used by our the master. It’s often said that one surroundings. We have to use our who doesn’t need life doesn’t need truly are surroundings rather than be used money or fame either. A person like by them. Surroundings and states of that can use whatever comes along, mind are like any vehicle: in order to no matter how difficult it is. When we Rissho mina shin nari function they require someone able to completely become whatever comes use them. Even when we have realized along, we are not moved around by it. the Buddha’s great state of mind, it’s Why is that? Because there’s nothing still only an environment. There has to to be moved around by. If one notion 立處皆心 be a master of it who is able to use it. intrudes there, our mind becomes We must become the state of mind of divided. As Rinzai says, no matter the Buddha, but once we have, that how deep our state of mind, with one which comes forth from that state of superfluous idea the devil of delusion an external position, and when that mind is not yet the actual base for our comes forth and even a Bodhisattva position is gone, it’ll go as well. This functioning. becomes a devil’s vehicle. This is how isn’t the way of a person of Zen or of it is if we look outside ourselves for the one who would “Be master wherever A Bodhisattva manifests as an truth. This has to be stopped. you go.” That confidence arises when environment of compassion. But the mind which believes and the mind no matter how compassionate So often we are eager to have others which is believed in are one. The the Bodhisattva is, that which is think we are correct; we want approval Buddha said to Ananda, “Be a refuge manifested is still only the vehicle. or want people to think us good unto yourself, take the Dharma as your Satori that comes from the true pure and kind. Though things are always refuge. Be your own guiding light, mind, because it comes forth from changing, we easily become stuck in make the Dharma that guiding light.” something, is also a vehicle. Even if our wanting them to be one way rather Don’t look to others for guidance and state of mind is separated from time than another. We can’t allow our refuge. The self and the Dharma are and space and we call it nirvana, even mind to be divided. No matter how one and the same. The world and the if it is completely free of mind, body, difficult the waters, we must jump self are one and the same. The body and person, as long as it’s something right in. Then we can know this place is the Dharma and the Dharma is the that’s come forth, it’s still a vehicle. of confident functioning. We know it The manifestations of this vehicle are completely right here and now and 91 79 know what it means to be that person of the Path who relies on nothing. Sun-faced Buddha Moon-faced Buddha Originally there’s no satori or ignorance, no enlightened person or ignorant person. The man of the Path has learned to lean on nothing. If we can put our root firmly into that, we can know the mind expressed this way: Nichimen butsu, gachimen Be master wherever you go butsu Then wherever you are, things are as they truly are

Sun-faced Buddha Moon-faced Buddha

Nichimen butsu, Gachimen butsu

日面佛月面佛

The verse is from Baso Doitsu Zenji. The Dharma was transmitted from Rokuso Eno Zenji to Nangaku Ejo Zenji and then to Baso Doitsu. He was born in 709 and died in 788, and the wind of today’s Zen was born of him. Baso Doitsu spoke these lines near the end of his life. They build on the fundamental view of the Sixth Patriarch but then take it one further, actualizing it within everyday life. Baso Doitsu Zenji gave life and depth to the Zen of China. He was truly one who lived the words that great functioning isn’t limited by the rules. 92 81 82 He’s been described as glaring with something like sickness is no problem! of “in all the heavens and earth, only In the Edo period there was a priest huge eyes as fearsome as a tiger and one person.” This is true not only of named Sengai from Hakata who He had prophesied that he would die walking like an ox. He had 139 disciples people but also of flowers, animals, made very simple but very expressive and now, liberated beyond life and in sanzen and 84 deeply awakened and the birds. All living things are “in paintings. When he was on his death, he was saying, “The sufferings disciples to whom he transmitted his all the heavens and earth, only one.” deathbed his disciples asked for his of sickness? I give no attention to Dharma. Th Baso Doitsu Zenji, also But only humans can realize this, and last words. He said, “I don’t want to something like that!” At the end of his known as Badaishi, had great merit. this is where the dignified value of die! I don’t want to die!” His disciples life he expressed the truth beyond life His Dharma was transmitted to Chizo humans lies. Though we are humans, were astounded. Their great master and death precisely; it could only have Seito Zenji, Nansen Fugan Zenji, and if we don’t awaken to this state of couldn’t be saying that! Everyone been said in these words: “Sun-faced Hyakujo Ekai Zenji, great masters of mind we can’t say we have realized, would laugh! So they asked him to Buddha, Moon-faced Buddha.” the Zen world. “In all the heavens and all the earth say something more appropriate. The Later Hakuin said that those who knew there is only one person.” Those who priest said, “Really really!” Hyakujo Ekai Zenji brought the Zen of the sound of the one hand clapping do not awaken to this live a pathetic the Sixth Patriarch and of Baso Doitsu If someone who has not awakened could know “Sun-faced Buddha, life of delusion, mistaking ego for the Zenji even further into the actuality of were to say, “I don’t want to die,” we Moon-faced Buddha.” deepest true value. everyday life. It was he who established could understand it, but these words the various rules and regulations that We do zazen, we do sanzen, and we Badaishi’s words, “Sun-faced Buddha, coming from a master are hard to we follow in the Zen dojo. From where present ourselves as people of training, Moon-faced Buddha,” express that fathom. But Sengai was not moved to place footwear to how to perform but if we can’t see where we go at mind that unites all beings. We must around by that; he had no need to the various ceremonies, Hyakujo Zenji death, we are pathetic. awaken to that. Then we will have look good for his disciples. Looking meticulously aligned all of our rules no need for our own personal pain, good for society has no meaning Master Tosotsu Juetsu said, “Leave no and observances. Thanks to him our insecurity, and misery; we’ll need only whatsoever. stone unturned to explore profundity, dojos function smoothly. that truth which unites all beings. simply see into your true nature. Now, The famous poet Masaoka Shiki wrote When the local official, representing After Hyakujo Zenji had completed his I want to ask you, just at this moment, on his deathbed, all of the people in society, came to training, he returned to Baso Doitsu’s where is your true nature? If you have visit Badaishi, he was told, “Sun-faced temple and was greeted with such realized it, you are free from life and Buddha, Moon-faced Buddha.” Did he a great shout that he was unable to death. But tell me, when your eyesight The gourd flower blooms receive these words in an enlightened hear anything for three days. This is deserts you at the last moment, will The mucous gathers, way or a deluded way? Did he see how strong and energetic Baso Doitsu you be free from life and death? When Is this where I become a with enlightened eyes, or did he only Zenji was. the four elements separate, where will Buddha? see Badaishi’s physically weakened you go?” About one month before his death, body and feel pity for him? Was he in Baso Doitsu Zenji was walking in the Master Tosotsu Juetsu Zenji put these that state of mind where you can’t be The gourd grows in the summer. mountains, when he came to a fairly questions to his monks. If you have moved about? Whatever his state of In June, on the verge of death, wide-open space. Pointing to it he not actually experienced the “Sun- mind was, Badaishi took it all away. Masaoka Shiki spoke the words of said, “Bury my bones right here.” The faced Buddha, Moon-faced Buddha” Everything that humans hold on to, the season. If the mucus didn’t stop, next day he was bedridden. of Badaishi, you won’t be able to good and bad, happy and sad, has to he was finished. Even if he tried with understand. Even if you’ve trained for The day before his death, the local be thrown away or we can’t know the everything he had to fight against many years, if you can’t realize this official responsible for the temple mind of Badaishi. Even if we present dying, he’d still be physically miserable state of mind, your training has been came to visit him and asked, “How are the appearance of a person of training, and psychologically wretched. Instead, wasted. It has no meaning. you feeling?” it will be obvious at the end of our life he looked directly at that which was This isn’t about someone else. No one if we haven’t practiced to this point. dying. Baso Doitsu Zenji answered, “Sun- can live forever. The end will come for If we’re still attached to the physical faced Buddha, Moon-faced Buddha.” each and every one of us, whether body and emotions, we won’t be able The gourd flower blooms Sun-faced Buddha and Moon-faced we’re enlightened or not. When the to hide that insecurity. The mind of The mucous gathers, Buddha are names in the sutra of Buddha was born he said, “In all the Badaishi is not a place we can reach Is this where I become a the three thousand Buddhas. The heavens and earth, only one person.” through mental understanding. Buddha? Sun-faced Buddha is 1,800 years old, We have to see clearly that at the Badaishi could tell what the officer’s and the Moon-faced Buddha is one moment we are born, when we give state of mind was, whether it was day and one night old. Baso Doitsu that great birth cry, we are holding splendid or narrow, but whatever This is the way he could look at it was answering that he was both a on to nothing at all. There is only that it was, he took it away from him without getting caught on himself. He long-lived Buddha and a short-lived great cry, as it is. This is true not only completely. This is Badaishi’s true was in terrible pain, but while being Buddha. When there are Buddhas of the Buddha but of everyone. We place, manifested in “Sun-faced in the middle of that pain he looked who live1,800 years and Buddhas are all born with this state of mind Buddha, Moon-faced Buddha.” directly at it without getting stuck on who live only one day and one night, 83 it. Right in the midst of dying, he was to it, or the experience isn’t possible. not caught on dying. He truly lived But the experience is possible, and Crouch under the high the path of haiku with deepest faith we can realize eternal life. When we heavens, tiptoe over the and determination. experience this, we know that true deep earth compassion is not an explanation but Yamaoka Tesshu was another who an actuality. wrote much about Buddhism. Miserable and suffering terribly, he sat Badaishi is not saying “Sun-faced zazen. He wrote about sitting zazen in Buddha, Moon-faced Buddha” from physical misery, and at dawn seeing a place of misery and suffering. He’s the crow fly away. In the same way, expressing the One Truth of many Yamaoka Tesshu also left at dawn. He thousands of millions of years. KØten ni segukumari kØchi realized the state of mind that comes ni nukiashi su This has nothing to do with whether and goes nowhere and then expressed we are good or bad, or with who has his deepest truth. power in this world, or with who is Our zazen can’t be done casually or praised and who is criticized. Whether superficially. People suffer great pain it’s 1,800 years or one day and night at death. We have to pierce beyond is irrelevant. From the ancient times our physical and mental suffering and through the infinite future, deluded or see what it is that is actually suffering, enlightened, Badaishi pierced it all. We and then pierce through that as well. have to realize this truth, and for doing We have to realize what’s real and so we make strong, diligent efforts in Crouch under the actual, or zazen isn’t of any value. It our training. The truth isn’t for other can’t be merely the hobby of a person people; in fact it’s not for a purpose high heavens, with plenty of free time. at all. But while we’re still stuck in our tiptoe over the deep own shell we can’t possibly know this. Myokonin of the Pure Land Sect said Only when we’ve broken through can that at death he would not become earth we say this. a Buddha, a Buddha would become him, Namu Amida Butsu. He also said, “My death has been taken away from KØten ni segukumari me by Amida. My death is over, the funeral is finished, and the joy after kØchi ni nukiashi su that, Namu Amida Butsu. While I am chanting, the problem of dying has been taken away. Amida took it away and the funeral is over. Everyday I wake up and think, I am alive another 高天跼厚地蹐 day! I have gained another day! Full of gratitude and wonder, I am not asking This poem is from the work of ShiKyo for something, only thankful, Namu from China. People say that the Amida Butsu.” This state of mind of heavens are high and because we live profound belief is the state of mind under such an elevated sky, we have of Zen. to be able to stand up tall and walk Finally arriving, we see that death big. But in doing so we often become is the same as . We pierce careless and shortsighted. We say the through the question of life and death earth is thick, but if we don’t tread or our practice is of no value. If we just lightly and mindfully we might trip and do zazen, sitting and examining our fall. Because the world is so confused, thinking, we won’t awaken. We have we can’t lose focus. People don’t like to pierce the question of living and to be told this, but for precisely that dying and of time and space, and in reason we frequently make mistakes. that we must grasp the One Truth. We As a Zen phrase, these words refer to can’t receive this from someone else. our daily attention to our behavior. We have to offer everything we are 93 85 86 As Mumon Ekai writes in the preface of Zen. to the koan of Joshu’s Mu, with Though we can realize this, if we allow all of our 360 bones and all of our our essence to dissipate, we lose it. We 84,000 pores we have to employ must continue until it is second nature every ounce of energy in this great and useful in our everyday life. matter of Mu. We have to put our whole body and being into this Mu and become it completely. We can’t Crouch under the high heavens, live our lives superficially. No matter tiptoe over the deep earth. what circumstance we find ourselves in, we have to become completely immersed. If we don’t, we lose sight These words refer to the experience of what matters. and all of the roads leading to it. Then In all of the twenty-four hours of the we take that experience and give it life day, we put everything into focusing through our continuous clear mind on Mu. This doesn’t mean we become moments. It can’t be put to use in blind, but because we are always daily life through reasoning. We have concentrating we become one with to continually work with it, creatively each thing we do. It’s as if we have a and inventively. red-hot iron ball caught in our throat, which we can’t swallow and we can’t spit out. With our whole body and being we throw ourselves into what we are doing, and it becomes clear that there’s no value at all to any idea about good and bad or gain and loss. Going beyond any dualism, our body and being and the universe become one. This essence is what enables us to realize the place where we let go of all of our conditioning and preconceived notions, all of our mental understanding and intellectual knowledge. No reasoning or mentation reaches us. Our body and mind resonate with this deep essence until we and the heavens meld into one. We become like a person who has seen a dream that he’s unable to share. Unless we free ourselves from any notion of good or bad, there’s no true master in our lives. We can’t resolve this just by wondering whether or not we’ll be happy tomorrow. What’s most important is how we relate to the life energy of right here, right now. When this essence is strong, everything we see and touch is the one truth--not an explanation but the thing itself. With that clear wisdom, everything we touch is fresh and true. This is the actual experience of Zen, the manifestation of the living energy 87 Hakuin Zenji’s teacher, Dokyo Etan These five ranks enable us to take Once the two swords have Zenji, said the Patriarchs provided the our experience of the equal and the crossed points five ranks in order to clarify the wisdom differentiated, to take the Buddha Retreat is no longer pos- of people of practice. From the four Dharma’s infinite manifestation, and sible great wisdoms they offered these five use it for all humankind. While living ranks. The four great wisdoms are: this way, we come to know:

The Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom Once the two swords have The Universal Nature Wisdom crossed points The Profound Observing Wisdom Retreat is no longer possible RyØjin hokosaki o majiete The Perfecting of Action Wisdom The master swordsman sakuru o mochiizu Is like the lotus blooming in the As we first undertake the practice of fire Zen, realizing satori is the central goal of training. But when our training Such a man has in and of ripens, we’re able to touch the himself deep source of our mind. Then the A heaven soaring spirit four great wisdoms can pierce our When we’ve reached this level, we’re Once the two swords collective unconscious and lay open smack dab in the middle of actuality. the dark source of the ego. In doing Each person we encounter helps refine have crossed points so they brightly illuminate our mind’s our wisdom, teaching us how best we true source. When we’ve realized this can function. Retreat is no longer essence, we know its reality even in the world of discrimination in which we Two adepts meet with their swords possible live and work. But we have to look at drawn. They’re both at the razor’s it closely, or we become confused. We edge; if either allows the slightest have to continue making great effort, gap, death will result. This essence RyØjin hokosaki o working diligently, or that which we is necessary not only for martial majiete have realized will remain unclarified artists but for humans in all of our and unripened. If wisdom is not well relationships, business and social. Sakuru o mochiizu polished, we won’t be able to polish Without it, we can’t meet equally. the wisdom of others--we won’t be The meeting of the adepts, allowing able to teach. For this purpose the five not a single gap, is like the single ranks were taught. lotus that blooms in the fire. Its whole 両刃交鋒不須避 being is taut and full, with no room for This teaching originated with Master the slightest gap, or it will burn and Sekito Kisen, Master Yakusan Igen, perish. At the same time, within this, These lines are from a poem that and Master Ungan. Tozan Ryokai then the great brightness of heaven shines; continues: wrote a poem to capture the essence without this actuality, our functioning of each rank. Many people of training becomes dull. have used his poems to deepen their The master swordsman own experience while polishing Yamaoka Tesshu trained with Yuri Is like the lotus blooming in their wisdom. This is the Zen way of Tekisui of Sogenji. Yamaoka Tesshu the fire teaching and ripening wisdom. lived during the period in which the Such a man has in and of Meiji era began and was the greatest himself These five ranks are: swordsman of that time. He followed A heaven soaring spirit the path of kendo and realized the 1. The Apparent within the Real way of the sword and Zen as One. Even without drawing his sword, 2. The Real within the Apparent These lines were written by Tozan through the energy that surged from 3. The coming from within the his pores, he lived through this difficult Ryokai Zenji about the fourth of Real the five ranks, Arrival at Mutual time. Daily he did zazen and polished 4. The arrival at Mutual Integration. his sword. Integration 5. Unity Attained One day he had a match with another 94 top swordsman, Asari Matashiru 89 Yoshiaki. His opponent was a great realized that it was very important to said, “Sensei, please forgive me!” master, and there wasn’t a gap. remain unaffected by the gains and “Why!” Yamaoka Tesshu was large and losses of business. If you think about powerful. His opponent was small gain, you get excited, and if you think “I have been doing matches with and, from Tesshu’s point of view, about loss, you become tight and you for many years, but I have never not very advanced. But for whatever tense. It’s not possible to succeed in encountered this before. This is my reason, he couldn’t win. The form of a business this way. It’s important first experience of this: I can’t stand in his opponent loomed so large in front to keep your mind clear and always front of you.” of him that he couldn’t move. remember the larger picture, without “Is that so? You feel it too?” an attachment to what comes and He realized that it wasn’t a problem of goes. Tesshu felt that this also must be Immediately Tesshu went to see Asari technique, so he decided that he had true for swordsmanship. He decided Matashiru Yoshiaki and asked for a to work on it from a different level. He to live in this way, with no concern for match. went to see Master Yuri Tekisui, with gain and loss. whom he had been doing sanzen Asari Matashiru Yoshiaki was happy since his youth. He told his teacher to see him. He could tell from the about his challenge, and Tekisui Zenji Once the two swords have way Yamaoka Tesshu wore his gear gave him this poem as his koan: crossed points and moved how truly taut and sharp Retreat is no longer possible he was. He said, “You are completely different from before.” He then gave Once the two swords have The master swordsman Is like the lotus blooming in the him the profound rank of the One crossed points Sword Line. This was on the thirtieth Retreat is no longer possible fire Such a man has in and of day of March in the thirteenth year of The master swordsman the Meiji period. Is like the lotus blooming in himself the fire A heaven soaring spirit The Sixth Patriarch said that the zen of zazen is to add no external thoughts Such a man has in and of He wrote in his diary that he shouldn’t to any experience, and samadhi is to himself lose sight of this way of seeing. For be unmoved by anything from within. A heaven soaring spirit years he worked on the koan. Finally This state of mind is manifested in his karmic affiliations had ripened and Tesshu felt this koan very deeply and “Once the two swords have crossed he was able to apply his realizations worked on it industriously for three points, retreat is no longer possible.” about Hirumana Senzo to the way of years. But every time he did sanzen, In order to focus and concentrate this the sword. he was hit by Tekisui, who said each way, we purify our mind and gather it time, “You don’t think you are going He realized there was no opponent to a single point. From here that kind to understand a koan like this with facing him and no self holding the of functioning is born. a state of mind like that, do you?” sword. The sword was held by that We carry around many memories and No matter what answer he brought, which extended throughout the whole much anger, joy, and sadness, and he was hit. When he was eating, he universe. While continuing to train his these intrude into all we do. Because would think of his chopsticks as two students in swordsmanship during the of this, people of the path look with swords. He woke his wife up in the day, at night he did zazen, working on at each thing they do as it if is the middle of the night and asked her to refining that full taut state of mind. last thing they will ever do. Those hold a sword and act as his opponent. On the twenty-ninth day of March, as following the path of archery, for His wife, afraid for his sanity, wanted he sit in zazen, he suddenly realized example, think that their next arrow him to stop doing zazen. But nothing that clear state of mind. In what felt is the last they will shoot. The person could stop him. like a single breath, the heavens and of tea sees the tea being served is a Each time he went to sanzen, his earth were still; there was nothing unique opportunity, the last tea of teacher hit him without reserve. His to hold on to; nothing to seek. He their whole life. In this way, people fellow swordsmen offered to return realized the night had ended and it clarify their state of mind. the blows for him, but Tesshu said, was morning. He’d been sitting with “Did you really think I’m going to get his sword as if facing an opponent, killed by that priest?” but the large shadow of his small opponent was no longer there. Hirumana Senzo, a great figure of the time, was fond of saying how much He called his top student. Facing him, he had given. Hearing him, Tesshu holding his wooden stick, the student 91 absolute, true, substantial body of Buddha Dharma, but did he intend to The juniper tree in the truth. But by Joshu’s time, Buddhism do that? Did he think he was going front garden was more than a philosophical search to save the Chinese? If he did, then for the truth. It was about how to hold Daruma was still unripe. His Dharma our mind in everyday life. would have been lukewarm. When the sun comes up and shines its light How should our mind be? How should on all things, does it have an intention it be used? How do we take care of it? to do that? If it did, then every day, What’s the best and most truthful way it would wonder why no one ever to live? How do we not get caught in thanked it. This is a huge process ideas of a small self while remaining whereby all of the ten thousand things Teizen no hakujushi clear and unconfused? How do we are given light. But we aren’t like the work creatively on our state of mind? sun. Because we don’t let go of self- Who can teach us the best way to be awareness, we aren’t free of suffering. human? These were the questions If there had been intention, Daruma people were asking at the time. Daishi couldn’t have saved himself, During the Sixth Patriarch’s time, this but if he had no intention, there was was the direction in which practice was no reason for him to have made the moving. By the time the transmission journey. Certainly he did not travel reached Joshu, functioning in everyday so far to spend nine years looking at life had become the focus of people’s the wall of a cave. He could’ve done questions. How do we clarify our mind that in India. He didn’t have to travel twenty-four hours a day? How do we to China to do that. Was there intent express true Mind? How should we in Daruma’s coming to China or not? use this clarified mind? This was the Why did he go so far, anyway? place from which people of practice The juniper tree in In our everyday life, no matter how worked. honorably we act, no matter how the front garden The monk who asked Joshu about splendid what we do seems, if we Daruma Daishi’s intention in coming act with self-conscious awareness our to China was familiar with this way actions will become confused. Teizen no hakujushi of working on everyday mind. When Christ said it clearly: “Don’t let the 1,500 years ago, Daruma Daishi right hand know what the left hand crossed the Bengal Bay by ship, sailing is doing.” If we know we’re giving, through great storms all the way it’s no longer true giving. Likewise, 庭前柏樹子 around the peninsula of Malay and Lao-tzu said that sages don’t think of on to China, it was a huge adventure. trying to liberating people. People just What was his intention in going so far? In the Tang Dynasty there was a call on the sage, and the light is spread Why did he do that? From this view, famous named Joshu. naturally. This is not because anyone the monk inquired of Daruma Daishi, A monk asked him, “What was is thinking it should be done like this asking about his mind as a means of Bodhidharma’s intention in going to or like that, but because it spreads looking at how one’s mind should be. China?” naturally. And people naturally feel Joshu answered, “The juniper tree in Rinzai Zenji answered the same gratitude for this, as they do for the the front garden.” question by saying that if Daruma light and warmth of the sun. Daishi had had the slightest bit of In Buddhism, if we have an idea of What did Daruma Daishi travel from intention, he couldn’t have saved even having done something, or of having India to do? What was his state of himself. If he had had the smallest self- made great efforts, we suffer from it. mind at that time? At the time of conscious awareness of wanting to Only when we work from morning Joshu, it was common for monks save someone, that would have been until night without the idea of having to ask such questions: What’s the an egoistic thought, and even now he worked at all can we become a person ultimate truth of the Dharma? What would not be liberated. But if there’s of abundant mind. When we do zazen is the Buddha? What is the actuality of no intention, why would he come? the Buddha? all day without thinking about having Was there intention or not? Of course done it, that is living zazen. It’s not In India the Buddha represented an he came and taught the true correct about how long we have sat or how 95 93 many years we’ve practiced. Thinking In contrast to individual intentions as they are, are our Buddha Nature. its energy, providing shade, creating like that only brings suffering. of people trying to understand and This insufficient physical body is our the oxygen we need to breathe. The make sense of something, what about Buddha Nature. Our everyday way of juniper tree in the front garden is one The Vimalakirti Sutra says that there’s the all-embracing, eternal intention being alive is the way of the Buddha, with the heavens and earth. a way of arriving without having of existing? Why do we exist? Why and the state of mind of the Buddha thought about arriving. There is a Hundreds of years later, the founder of do we manifest this form? Is it only is expressed in our every action and way of leaving without ever having Myoshinji, Muso Daishi, commented coincidental? In what direction are state of mind. Yet we can’t know this if thought about leaving. This is our on Joshu’s answer: “In the koan of the we evolving? What’s the goal in that we remain caught in our own position natural way of being. When we think juniper tree in the garden there is a evolution? and our own dualistic ideas. in terms of what must be done, those terrible thief!” This koan will truly steal thoughts are a burden. The monk’s You might think that all humans are on When we entrust completely to the away all of your extraneous thinking question addressed humans’ most a journey toward becoming Buddhas, Buddha, letting go of our thoughts and needless ideas. It will take them basic way of being. that we’re all moving toward some and attachments and becoming part all right out from under you. When kind of fulfillment. We might say that of the natural flow, this is the state you have no thinking left, when you To this query Joshu answered, “The the universe itself is Buddha, that the of mind of Zen. We entrust to the have no ego clutter left, then Daruma juniper tree in the front garden.” universe itself is the existence of all Buddha, and there we find the peace Daishi’s intention will come forth The monk responded, “I’m asking things. of mind that’s described in Pure Land clearly. about the state of mind of Daruma teachings. Every day we think thoughts and When Daruma Daishi reached China, Daishi. Please don’t answer me by focus on our own ego and desires. Ikkyu Zenji also said it: he and the Emperor of Ryo had an talking about the surroundings, I’m We create our own ideas of good and exchange of questions and answers in not asking about something external bad, thinking in terms of what’s good which the differences in the levels of like that.” A baby’s mind more and more and bad for us, what profits us. We becomes full of knowledge, understanding became clear. Daruma And Joshu said, “I am not talking often label anyone who goes against Becoming further and further Daishi then crossed the Yangtze River about the surroundings.” those notions as bad. When people away from Buddha, and for nine years sat facing the wall are doing what we like, we get along of a cave. His form was like that of a The monk asked again, “Why did How sad! well, but when they don’t, the illusion juniper deep in the mountains. Bodhidharma come to China?” of harmony immediately disappears. We suffer because we protect and For nine years, he was just sitting, not Joshu replied, “The juniper tree in the Then conflicts and struggles begin, defend our attachments and desires. giving talks, not translating texts. Yet front garden.” becoming so ugly we can’t imagine We suffer because we divide our he had a greater influence on Chinese anything worse anywhere else in the awareness into two. We suffer because Joshu was in fact expressing his truest Buddhism than any other person ever. whole world. Because we are each we become more calculating and state of mind. Was there intention He not only liberated many people so full of our own wishes and so dependent on our rational mind. in Daruma Daishi? Or was there no in his own time, but even today he determined to fulfill them, we become We have to remember the truth of, intention? gives birth to our zazen with his huge more and more calculating and more “Unless we become the mind of a influence. He’s still being born within If there was, it was the mind of and more manipulative, cultivating baby we cannot enter heaven.” our zazen. We need to experience his empty-mindedness and the will of superfluous thoughts and decreasing way of being. Sitting without small willlessness. This is very subtle, yet a the essence of our true mind. We intentions, our zazen matches the way tree expresses it naturally. People are become able to accept less and less. What was the intention of of the heavens and earth. called legs with thinking, but trees are Bodhidharma? When Joshu said, “The juniper tree truly legs that don’t think. Through our training and zazen we in the front garden,” he was not The juniper tree in the front garden sweep away our attachments. People Can a juniper--or the oak or cherry proclaiming a rehearsed idea but who practice the arts and play sports, or plum tree--have intention or not? entrusting to the whole universe. He those who perform noh and kabuki, do Does it intend to provide shade? Of was not inserting the least bit of an “I,” Having thrown away all distractions the same. They practice, crushing their course plants don’t have intention not adding the tiniest bit of restriction. and needless thinking, having become desires and ego mechanisms, until in the way that humans do, but He entrusted completely, with a huge one with the will of the universe, they give life to the fullest potential of then why do they bring forth such magnanimous mind. We can feel this Daruma Daishi’s state of mind is like their talent. This is how people of the beautiful flowers? Why do they exude fullness in “The juniper tree in the that of a breathing wooden statue. arts create masterpieces. such a beautiful fragrance? Why are front garden.” When Joshu said, “The juniper tree in they so lovely in form? It seems as if the front garden,” he was throwing All of our ideas of beauty and ugliness, It’s not about extinguishing our there must be some deep, profound away every bit of his small self. The of wanting this but not that, of desires. We don’t always have to intention there. How can we look at tree, in front of our eyes, has stood good and bad, prevent the mind of be in a state of satori to be a good the individuality of each and every for a hundred or more years. Every the Buddha from being expressed. person. If we remain unattached to thing? Is there intention in this day, whether it’s raining or sunny, in Standing, sitting, waking, sleeping, in everyday desires, if we can be free of universe or not? the heat of summer and in the cold every action, in every movement, the the ego filter, then those desires, just of winter, it continues manifesting 95 Buddha can be expressed in us. We have to clarify this completely. In all the heavens and earth, only one person “The juniper tree in the front garden.” This is our clarified and purified human state of mind, our daily actuality.

Kenkon tada ichinin

In all the heavens and earth, only one person

Kenkon tada ichinin 乾坤只一人

The source of this phrase isn’t clear. When the Buddha was born he took three steps and raised one hand to the sky and pointed the other to the earth and said, “In all the heavens and earth, only one person.” He didn’t mean, “I am wonderful and there is something wrong with you.” A newborn baby can’t walk or speak. Yet the Buddha expressed these words with his whole life. A baby gives its birth cry of “WAAAAAA” with every ounce of its strength. This is our expression of “In all the heavens and earth, only one person.” 96 97 98 There is no absolute power in the compassionate understanding. For heavens that can make a slave out of this life and all beings we must know Everyday mind is the Path our being. But because people want this empathy. to rely on some absolute, they try to hold on to a God, and in doing so they dilute their own essence. There is no devil who weakens human beings. We always want to blame failings on someone else. But whose fault is it? Everyone wants to make what is inconvenient for them HeijØshin kore dØ be the fault of someone else. This is foolish. There is no such thing as a bad person. It’s indulgent to form an idea of a bad person when we have a huge mind that can accept and receive everything. We’re a true master, not slaves. We have the truth within and don’t need to rely on someone else. In this way these words express humans’ values. All the Buddha’s sutras are about becoming free and expressing compassion and wisdom. Awakening to a mind that gives life to this compassion and wisdom is what is Everyday mind is the most important for all of us. That’s what the Buddha taught his whole life. Path He said that on behalf of everyone we take responsibility with our wisdom and compassion, and this great Mind is our true essence. HeijØshin kore dØ When the Buddha realized satori, he said, “How wondrous! How wondrous! All beings are endowed 平常心是道 from the origin with this same clear bright mind to which I have just awakened.” Although it took him six These are often thought to be the years of hard training to realize it, he words of Nansen. In fact they’re the saw that we are all endowed with this words of his teacher, Baso Doitsu very same state of mind. Everything Zenji. Baso, Nansen, and Joshu all in existence has Buddha Nature. All expressed the Chinese wind of Zen. the trees, grasses, mountains, rivers, In India, Buddhism had the flavor of animals, and flowers are Buddhas. philosophy, teaching of emptiness “In all the heavens and earth, only and seeing truth as an absolute higher one person” is about seeing all beings power. In China, the teachings were as Buddhas. It’s the expression of the brought into the everyday world. Buddha’s enlightenment that was Using our body, having all varieties made on behalf of all people. of thoughts, we live our daily life and at the same time offer our life to the We have to make these words our Buddha. Through our way of living own and awaken to them. We each day, our way of being in society, have to accept the responsibility of we clarify the teaching of the Buddha treating all beings in the world with 97 99 100 and work inventively and intuitively to Joshu asked, “What is the Path?” give it a name. If it’s something you experience and understanding, prior clarify our mind. This is the Path. think you know, then it’s a moral idea. to rational understanding, and prior Nansen replied with Baso Doitsu’s If we think we know, that’s dualistic, to dualism. We’ll know what’s most Those who have realized deep words, “Everyday mind is the Path.” but if we think we don’t know, then important, that place all humans can awakening know how to live each This Path can’t be known through no matter how good our actions are, rely on. day. But how do we go about it? conceptual thinking. If Baso’s words there is no merit. If we don’t know, we What’s the best possible way to live Finally Nansen said, “When you have are not actualized in our daily work, all become like dogs and cats. our life so that it has value for all for reached the true Way beyond doubt, we have is a limp notion about what beings? These questions were worked If we say we know, then our words you will find it is as vast and boundless they mean. We remain a hardened on creatively by those masters who are deluded and confused, a mere as outer space. How can it be talked lump of ego, mistakenly thinking that followed Baso Doitsu Zenji. repetition of something we’ve heard about on a level of right and wrong?” everything we do and think is our elsewhere. If we say we don’t know, Our mind is truly expansive, no tangled It was Joshu who asked Nansen, path. Why did the Buddha train six we are being unethical. The ethical place to get caught. Free of doubts, “What is the Path of Nansen?” years? Why did the ancients spend path is something that all people must not held prisoner by knowledge and ten or twenty or thirty years training? When Nansen responded by walk together in harmony. There is information, our mind is as vast as the They were shaving away ego, and holding out the tool he was using to good, bad, and that which simply huge blue autumn sky, no clouds in then shaving it more, until finally they cut the grass, he was living the answer occurs. If we do not make something sight. This is the state of mind like a awakened to the hugeness of mind, to Joshu’s question. good or bad, then it’s just what great mirror that only reflects exactly in which the heavens and earth are occurs. The actions of dogs and cats what comes before it. If we can realize Nansen expressed everyday mind fulfilled and all people are embraced. just occur; it’s only humans who look this kind of purity, there’s no room for in all he did, and Joshu received This state of mind was still far away at animals’ behavior in terms of good good and bad. That beautiful mind this teaching directly from Nansen. for Joshu when he asked, “What’s and bad. When humans act without becomes our everyday mind. Nansen lived in such a way that the Path of Nansen?” When he didn’t being awakened, no matter how everything he did, every footstep and Our original mind is like that of a understand Nansen’s answers, he splendid or horrible their actions are, every hand motion, expressed this newborn baby. When we live in that continued, “If everyday mind is the they just occur and don’t come from a ripened mind. naturally clear mind, just as it is, that’s path, how can you understand what place of true depth. the Path. But when mind is filled with Nansen had no spare time for the essence of this everyday mind is?” Often we hear of people who without ideas and prejudices, perceptions playing with thoughts. Instead, in Nansen replied, “If you look for it and knowing end up having gone along about economics, politics, and social the midst of daily life, while working try to reach it, it’s no longer everyday with something their company or issues, how can we see clearly? What and functioning, he expressed the mind but becomes something special. institution was wrongly doing, and does it mean when we say “everyday teaching of the Buddha and taught In trying to understand it, we make it this is sad for those involved. When we mind”? When people kill, steal, his students the way of the Mind. special and bring in dualism, and it’s look at what’s going on carefully and or get drunk, they’re trapped in a Joshu wholeheartedly asked, “What is no longer everyday mind.” with discernment, for the first time we whirlpool of deep desire. That is not the Path?” know what it is we should be doing. our everyday mind. If we could all live Joshu still didn’t get it. “But if we don’t from a place of ordinary, everyday Nansen answered, “The path? It’s try to understand what the everyday “Everyday mind is the Path.” This is in mind, we would have no need for right there, outside the fence.” is, how can we understand it? Isn’t it fact the most purified level of being. religion and education and laws. because people do not understand Children, still lacking life experience, “I’m not asking about such a small the everyday mind that they struggle aren’t able to understand this. Only Our mind is a cesspool of ego. We path, I’m asking about the huge Path and suffer from the ego’s view?” In someone with experience, who’s have many dark places that need of the heavens.” this way Joshu aggressively continued made efforts for all of humankind, cleaning out, or we have no resolution “Oh! You’re asking about the Great asking. can practice this way of resolving to these problems. No matter what Path? That big road out front? It goes things. To receive other people and we find, we have to clear it away. Nansen borrowed the words of Baso, all the way to Tokyo!” act in accordance with the will of the Only with this kind of cleaning can but he wasn’t doing so casually. heavens, we offer our body and being. we come to know that blue sky of In this way he responded to Because he had abundant practice in Not everyone can do this, but this is everyday mind. It’s difficult to do, yet conceptual questions and expressed shaving his ego and piercing through our true nature, something we have this mind is humans’ truest source, the essence of mind. Sometimes he his various layers, he was able truly to from the origin. and we have to believe in it. Even with would say, “Go home and drink tea!” say, “Everyday mind is the Path.” In all of the crises and conflicts in today’s of “Wash your bowls!” By pointing to speaking this way to Joshu, Nansen Everyday mind has no fixed form. world of actuality, we must believe things having to do with eating and was being very kind, like a sweet There are no hard and fast rules saying in this mind--we must believe in that sleeping and working, the practical old grandmother, offering his own it has to be like this or that. If we let go which goes beyond suffering. Then things of everyday life, he taught experience. of our ego and its habitual behavior, if we can know the flowers of spring, the Joshu the Buddha Dharma. Without we drop our demanding self-centered Nansen continued by explaining that cool breeze of summer, the autumn this training, Joshu as we know him ideas, we’ll know the deep wisdom you can’t know what the Path is or moon, and the winter’s snow. If we would not have been born. that is always there, prior to our 101 aren’t concerned with outcomes, then every season is always the best. This is how Mumon Ekai has described The old pine is talking this great huge mind that can receive prajna wisdom everything, knowing that all ideas and thoughts are only the phenomena of a brief moment. We must engage our true nature and not chase around after ideas. Then no matter what’s KoshØ hannya o danzu encountered, we find refuge within. When we are not concerned with anything at all, this moment is always the best time and season. If we encounter a crisis or catastrophe, that’s fine; when we die, that’s okay too. Instead of seeing things as good or bad, we know that that is how it is. When we reach the end of our life, we can’t keep on living just because we aren’t yet ready to die. We must realize this deepest source, not to prevent physical death, but that we might live a life in which dying is only one of many things that come along. We have to know this huge mind from The old pine which we are born, in which we live, and to which we return. This is the is talking truth of “Everyday mind is the Path.” prajna wisdom KoshØ hannya o danzu 古松談般若

This line forms a couplet with, “The mysterious bird is singing the truth.” It is from the Ninten Ganmoku, which portrays the flow of China’s Zen through the Rinzai, Soto, Igyo, Hogen, and Unmon schools. The poet Sotoba wrote these lines:

The mountain--Buddha’s body. The torrent--his preaching. Last night, 84,000 poems. How, how make them understand? Practicing at a mountain temple,

98 103 104 Sotoba sat all night in deep samadhi. state of mind where we are the world in our hands it will be grasping, and The valley’s streams resonated, and the world is us. in our feet it will be walking.” That sarasarasarasara, but he could not tell which is hearing, that which is seeing, The wind blowing through the pines if he was the sound of the stream’s is not the slightest bit separated from is the Buddha’s teaching. As the trees flow or if the sound of the stream’s anything. To realize this true self we bend and moan, that sound is the flow was him. Had he become the open our wisdom eye. Humans are very teaching of the Buddha. We stream and was he flowing there? He born into this world in order to open don’t think about receiving it but tasted clearly the flavor of becoming this eye in the same way that plants with our whole being we become totally one with this world around are born into this world in order to it. Sotoba is relating the experience him. bring forth flowers. of awakening, and we have to know Normally we see our body and the this in our deepest mind. In the Lotus When we live in accordance with the relative world as separate; we live a life Sutra it says, “A Buddha appears in the great way of nature and open our apart. When our world and our body world to open the treasury of truth, to wisdom eye, then, meld, we experience the awakening indicate its meaning, to cause sentient of the Buddha. We join with this world beings to see into it, to cause sentient The old pine is talking prajna of material things, and become a beings to enter it and abide in it.” wisdom perfect whole. In this way it’s said that the Buddha The mysterious bird is singing came into this world so that all beings Our zazen can’t be for playing around the truth might be able to open that same eye with our own thoughts. This world is of wisdom and live from there. filled with problems; our bodies are Everything in existence is teaching imperfect too. But putting it all aside Before his enlightenment, the prajna wisdom, and the truth is and becoming one with this world, Buddha studied with two sages, expressed everywhere. completely and totally, is what has to Ararakarama and Utaramaputara. be tasted. Because he wanted to go beyond their We can’t do zazen only to forget our teaching of not thinking, he went to body and let go of our thoughts. “Last night 84,000 poems”: listening the mountains in order to deepen Realizing emptiness is not the goal. to the river’s song, we become its further. He deepened and deepened Having realized emptiness, we then verses. Daito Kokushi said, “If we see that absolute Mu of not thinking have to become a truly dignified, it with our ears and hear it with our anything at all--not even thinking quality person. No matter what we eyes it is beyond doubting, the rain about not thinking. Then, in one encounter, it arises from our wisdom dropping from the eaves.” At the moment, on the eighth of December, and polishes our wisdom, enabling beginning we heard the raindrops he realized that absolute Mu when the bright light of the Buddha Dharma dualistically, dripping as they fell. he saw the morning star. Until then to shine brightly and illuminate Then the raindrop became me, and I he had known an absolute Mu that everything. In becoming this world we became the raindrop as we merged. was completely focused into a single discover our true worth. I’m the raindrop and falling--drip, point. This mind then exploded and drip, drip. This mind of seeing with became the heavens and earth; as the our ears and hearing with our eyes whole universe this energy merged, is beyond any doubt. The dualistic becoming the mountains, the rivers, world has disappeared completely; the trees, the grasses, the animals, the our entire body is one with the whole birds, the sun. All of the ten thousand world. things expressed the radiance of his life energy completely. When we The willow is the subtle form of experience this, that which is seeing Kannon and that which is being seen are The wind blowing through the one and the same; they may appear pines is the Buddha teaching separate, but they are one. We realize through the pines the truth of an absolute infinite great The sun rises, and we can make out self. We are the world and the world is the mountain scenery. In all directions, us, and there is no “me” to suffer. the light brings forth the forms--this is As Rinzai Zenji has said, “In our eyes truly Kannon Bodhisattva appearing. it will be seeing, in our ears it will be One after the next, as the mountains hearing, in our mouth it will eating, appear they’re our body. This is the 105 your state of mind at the place of Issan Master Joshu expressed this state of A thousand-year-old Reiyu, I think, but if you see the rope as mind in his Verse of the Twelve Hours: peach pit a Buddha, what will you call it?” Priest Keicho no Bei answered, The cock crows, 2 am! “Seeing from the Buddha’s eye is I get up and sadly look once the same as being a sentient being.” more upon this broken down He was saying that if we think we body, are seeing as a Buddha, then we are I have no hakama or singlet, only deluded sentient beings--that only the kesa has a little of its any such response is wrong-headed form Sennen no tokaku reasoning, an imitation of debate, The underwear has no crotch and not useful for liberating people. left; Priest Bei responded to the question the pants have no opening. by saying that if there is even one bit of dualism remaining, there’s still My head is topped with 3 or 5 attachment to the view of a Buddha scoops of ash. and no understanding of Zen in that. Originally the discipline is to The priest was still moved around by save others. Roshiku’s words. He gave a standard Who would have thought that response, but he had not yet seen it instead I would become such a through. fool as this? Roshiku replied, “A thousand-year-old peach pit.” Getting up today, I’m once again A thousand-year-old A peach pit that has been around for drowning in this cheap suit of a a thousand years will not sprout, no body. The poem called the Verse of peach pit matter how much you cultivate it. the Twelve Hours was written at the Most people recognize this. But apart oxhour, or twelfth hour. It presents from the world of words and phrases, the cry of pain at waking in the Sennen no tokaku if we agree with the response of Priest morning and thinking that once Bei, “Seeing from the Buddha’s eye is again I am going to have to be in this the same as being a sentient being,” inconvenient body. My hakama and we are saying it’s the same thing as koromo are worn out, and my kesa has being a deluded being. little shape left to it. My pants are so 千年桃核 torn there is no hole for the legs. I have Daito Kokushi recognized that this so much dandruff it looks as if I have response was unfinished. Had he spoonfuls of ash on my head. I was This is from the sixth section of the been in Priest Bei’s place, he would planning to do training and liberate Kaian Kokugo, “Eshuku Mondo.” have slapped that Roshiku. all beings! Who could have imagined Priest Bei from Kicho was known as Kei But Daito Kokushi is Daito Kokushi. He that I would turn into such a mess! Chofu and also had a name meaning knew the state of mind of a thousand- Joshu is saying about himself, “What a “one who was of seven teachers.” He year-old peach pit that will never stupid fool!” This state of mind has to received the Dharma transmission of sprout. He recognized that Roshiku be tasted, or we’ll think of Buddhism as Issan no Reiyu. After training with had seen clearly the mind of Priest Bei some convenient doctrine that we can Issan no Reiyu, he returned to the and then spit out a greater truth. use according to how we feel about it. temple where he had been raised and It’ll become nothing more than a tool became abbot there. One day a man This is where you want to say, “Work with it for thirty more years!” But if for manipulating situations. Buddhism named Roshiku came to visit Priest is not a tool to be used by a handful Bei. It’s not clear whether he had this thousand-year-old peach pit isn’t there, Buddhism can’t stand. This is a of people. A thousand-year-old peach come from training with Nansen or pit! We have to open our eyes wide Baso, but he asked Priest Bei, “People profoundly deep, thousand-year-old secret. Maybe it appears to be useless, and see the marrow of the Buddha look at a rope, and ten out of ten Dharma and make it clear. people will call it a snake. You worked but the essence of it has to be seen.

99 107 place our feet, that is the dojo. Every I’ll go and check her out.” The next Go straight! single place we are is Manjusri’s dojo. morning he went to her teashop at It isn’t necessary to climb Mount Godai the crossroads and asked her the to see him. He might be seen riding a way to Mount Godai. Just as she had golden lion in the clouds, but even so, answered all the monks, she said, “Go it’s still nothing more than a dream, a straight!” Her response to Joshu was hallucination. When you see from the exactly the same as her response to awakened eye of Zen, you’ll be able to everyone else. see this clearly. Thus, Joshu dropped But Joshu went back and said to the idea of going to Mount Godai. one and all, “I saw through that old Maku jikko Because his temple was near Mount woman today!” Godai, almost everyone traveling to But what did he see? Did he see her the temple would visit the mountain as enlightened or ignorant? Was she first. There was a teashop at the just bullying people? Or was she stuck crossroads, placed for the convenience in good and bad? This is the central of travelers. It was run by an eccentric question of the koan. old woman who was as vicious as they come. When people stopped at the In the death row of the state teashop and asked where the path to penitentiary of Arkansas in the Mount Godai was, she would say, “Go United States, Dainin is awaiting his straight!” execution, every day doing zazen. In accordance with his wishes he was Having been told that, they would given the precepts and a rakusu, and go straight. But as soon as they had for his crimes he offered himself to the taken a few steps, she would say, path of the Buddha. With gratitude “He appears to be a fine monk, but and wonder, he expressed himself by Go straight! just look at him going off in that saying to me as we parted, “Please direction!” She would talk behind give your disciples this message. Don’t their backs as they left. What did she be confused! Go Straight!” actually mean when she told them to Maku jikko go straight? Whether they came from He sent this message, saying that for the west or from the east, she would him, this was the only truth. In society, tell them to go straight. She would say he made choices and wondered that when anyone asked the way to whether to go right or left. People are 驀直去 Mount Godai, and she would say the always saying that this or that is better, same thing if anyone asked her which or that it’s not like this or that. “He way to go in life. “Go straight!” appears to be a fine monk, but just look at him going off in that direction!” For This line is from the 31st case of the Someone should have asked her, Dainin there is no longer any choice Mumonkan. “Joshu Interrogates the “Which way is straight?” People to make; only going straight. We’ve Old Grandmother.” Near Joshu’s know that they should go straight, got to see this, we or risk missing the temple there was the mountain of but instead they want to rely on message the old woman gave to the Godai. It’s said that from ancient times someone. They want an idea on which monks and what Joshu saw so clearly. there had been a temple of Manjusri they can depend, or an environment on the mountain, and that a living where they might be safe. That’s not Manjusri resided there. For those in straight. It’s as she said, “He appears the Zen line the altar in the zendo of to be a fine monk, but just look at him Manjusri symbolizes the zendo. going off in that direction! He’s doing When Joshu was young, he set out to it again!” This is how it is. visit Mount Godai, but mid-journey So many monks had this happen to he met a senior student who told him them that they finally got together that the place of Manjusri wasn’t just and complained to Joshu about this on Mount Godai but everywhere-- immeasurably tiresome grandmother. everywhere we walk, wherever we Joshu answered, “Wait. For all of you, 100 109 If someone takes the scripture of the Above it extends beyond Diamond Cutter Sutra into society, No self and no others; how could the milky way and if this someone is looked down there be near or far? Below it reaches the upon and insulted by others, and if I urge you to stop going through Yellow Springs this person had great faults in past lectures; lives and is still being criticized and How could that be compared to insulted in this life as a result of those seeking the real directly? faults, the wicked actions of former The nature of adamantine wisdom lives will now be extinguished. is devoid of a single particle of This is the type of writing that’s dust; Kami shØkan ni tØri, shimo found in the Diamond Cutter Sutra. “I have heard” through “I faithfully kØsen ni tessu If we wonder why Setcho Zenji was accept” moved by this, we have to see that the Are all just artificial names. teaching isn’t in words but only in the mind that is taught. When we know this direct perception ourselves, we Above all else, you should practice find the true essence of Zen. zazen tirelessly and experience that Above it extends place where the true Dharma has no It’s said here that if we read the form while extending into the ten Diamond Cutter Sutra sincerely, we beyond the milky directions. You have to experience the will understand the true Buddha truth of prajna and clarify it by piercing Nature. When we awaken deeply and way through your body and thoughts and for the first time understand the void becoming one with the heavens and Below it reaches the and know prajna wisdom, then for earth. When you experience the place the first time we’ll be able to hold this where there is no speck of anything Yellow Springs state of mind. This isn’t written as an in the heavens and earth, then you’ll advertisement for the power of the experience the truth that words and Diamond Cutter Sutra. It’s written to phrases can’t touch. This is the actual provide the experience of awakening truth of the Diamond Cutter Sutra. Kami shØkan ni tØri, that deep eye that can see through Shimo kØsen ni tessu any notion of good and bad and Setcho Zenji versified, catastrophe, knowing these deeply as only phenomena. When our mind is open to that which relies on none of The clear jewel is in my palm; these, that is the truth of Zen. Whoever has accomplishment 上透霄漢 下徹黄泉 will be rewarded with it. Baso Doitsu Zenji’s Dharma was transmitted to Layman Pang. Once Layman Pang went to hear a talk on This verse is from the 97th case Each and every person has this bright the Diamond Cutter Sutra. When it of the Blue Cliff Record, “The clear jewel, but because it’s so bright was over, he approached the lecturer Diamond Cutter Scripture’s Scornful and full of light we don’t realize that and asked if he might ask a question. Revilement.” Throughout the Blue we have it. Those who have awakened The lecturer said, “Of course, Cliff Record, Setcho added poems to to having the jewel know the whole anything.” the cases, and then Engo Zenji added universe within their own mind and poetic comments to those poems. This Layman Pang asked, “Since there is no know this true master as promised. case quotes the Diamond Cutter Sutra, sign of self and no sign of others, who You often hear this pure mind “If one is scornfully reviled by others, would you have lecture? Who would compared to a clear bright jewel, this person has done wicked acts in you have listen?” an excellent sword, or a mirror. In a previous ages which should bring him mirror there is nothing, no clouds, no The lecturer had no reply; instead he down into evil ways, but because of stain, no self, only transparency; that said, “I just interpret the meaning the scorn and vilification by others in which comes before it becomes the according to what it says on the the present age, the wicked action of actuality of what is in the mirror. If a page. I do not know how to answer former ages is thereby extinguished.” horse comes before a mirror, then a the question.” The layman then said The passage is used as a koan. horse is reflected. in verse, 101 111 So what kind of jewel is reflected This is how Eisai Zenji described it. To in that mirror? Vertically it extends realize this huge mind and live in it Before three and three through the three realms of time, and is our zazen. If we can deeply know Behind three and three horizontally it extends through the this, then we can let go of everything ten directions. This mind with which outside and be caught on nothing we’ve all been born shines from the within. Then no matter what praise or top of the heavens to the bottom of criticism we receive, we aren’t moved the hells. Where in the mind can such around by it. Our zazen must be like a jewel be found, with no form and this. no shape yet shining brightly and revealed in every direction? Zen san san go san san When we don’t give any attention whatsoever to ideas of good or bad, this is the “za” of “zazen.” Thus the Sixth Patriarch taught. Our zazen has to be like the mirror that accepts everything yet has no ideas or thoughts about it. The point of zazen isn’t to sit without moving for as long as possible or to command the mind to not do this or do that. The point of zazen is to be open and revealed in all Before three and of the ten directions and not stagnate. Accepting everything, we don’t get three caught on anything. Within, we aren’t Behind three and concerned with anything whatsoever; we cling to nothing. Instead of always three thinking this or that, we put the whole universe into our bellies and aren’t stopped by anything. This is how our zazen must be. Zen san san go san san

Oh! Great all embracing Mind! It is impossible to measure the height of the heavens, 前三三後三三 yet the Mind is above the heavens. This poem is from the 35th case of the It is impossible to measure the Blue Cliff Record, “Manjusri’s Before thickness of the earth, Three and Three, Behind three and yet the Mind is below the earth. Three.” Issan no Reiyu and Kyozan The sun and the moon shine with Ejaku began the Igyo sect, and Master a great radiance, Kyozan was followed by Bunki Zenji. yet the Mind is the source of that One day Mujaku Bunki Zenji had radiance. a dream while playing on Mount Within the Mind, the four seasons Godai. open in their sequence, In this dream he met Manjusri Within the Mind the sun and the Bodhisattva and went to stay at moon move. his temple on the mountain. The All of the ten thousand things exist mondo of this case took place there, within that great Mind. and Mujaku Bunki later used it as Oh! Great all embracing Mind! a guide for training his students. Manjusri is famous for his wisdom 102 113 114 of the undifferentiated. This isn’t the a younger man went along with good and bad, yes and no, right and wisdom of dualism, relative view, or them. Surreptitiously, Mujaku asked wrong. Often we don’t understand mental understanding, but what’s the young man, “That old man said, what someone is saying or what we prior to everything. Thus, Manjusri `Before three and three, behind three need to do to make things clear. represents the wisdom that precedes and three.’ How many are really Sometimes we forget our differences any dualism. here?” and work together, shoulder-to- shoulder. We need to learn to speak as Mujaku had been told that he could The young man called out Mujaku’s one humankind. find a living Manjusri on Mount name, and he answered, “Yes?” Godai. Because he wanted to have a We shouldn’t get angry at the mistakes The young man responded, “How Dharma encounter with Manjusri, he of another. Instead, it’s important to many is this?” This was not your usual climbed the mountain. As nightfall review our own behavior. Everything young man. approached, he hadn’t met anyone changes so quickly we can hardly bear like Manjusri. It was almost dark when Mujaku then asked, “What temple is to look. In our daily lives, where can an old man came along leading a cow. this, anyway?” we stop and rest? Because our lives Mujaku explained very meticulously are so busy we can’t slow down. We As he asked, he looked up to point why he had come there to meet just have to forge ahead. We can look at the temple’s gate, and suddenly Manjusri Bodhisattva. The old man at it like the flight of an airplane: the there was no more old man, no more took him to a temple. greater its speed, the more stable temple, no more young man--there its seats need to be. In the same There the old man showed him a cup, was nothing at all. way, the more we use our mind to a very precious and rare cup used Mujaku stayed on Mount Godai and process discriminating information for drinks that were so fragrant and trained there a long time, living in a and address the circumstances of the indescribable, his eyes and his tongue place known as the Diamond Sutra world, the more we need to swallow would melt if he tasted them. At that Cave. He realized that the old man he it all down. time this mondo took place. had encountered there, was, in fact, We have to forget ourselves, living big, The old man asked, “From where have the living Manjusri. as with our zazen. Letting it all go, we you come?” This koan is a mondo between embrace everything that comes our Mujaku answered, “I have come from the wisdom of the discriminative, way. Whether we’re hated or hating, the south.” represented by Mujaku, and resentful or being resented, acting the wisdom of equality or for profit or loss, we have to put it all “Oh. How is the Buddhism in the nondiscrimination, represented by behind us and cut away everything in south these days?” Manjusri. our mind. “There are a few people who are “There are a few people who are obeying the precepts, but it is only obeying the precepts” and “There are about that.” Before three and three 300 or 500 monks” are answers from Behind three and three “How many monks are there?” the world of discrimination. Then the walls of discrimination are torn down “There are 300 or 500 monks. And by Manjusri as he answers from the how is the Buddha Dharma here?” Drinking down all of humankind in wisdom of the root source, “Dragons one gulp, we can savor that sublime The old man answered, “Dragons and and snakes are all mixed up together, piquancy of each and every person’s snakes are all mixed up together, the the gold and the sand are all mixed individual absolute value. gold and the sand are all mixed up, up, and those who are enlightened and those who are enlightened and and ignorant are all mixed up together ignorant are all mixed up together too.” Because one was talking in the too.” world of discriminative wisdom and the other was talking in the world of “How many are there?” source root wisdom, there’s no way “Before three and three, behind three they could understand one another. and three.” This is how he answered. Their exchange could be seen as nothing more than weird conversation, Mujaku asked to stay for one night, but we have to know that there are but he wasn’t allowed to do so. He different ways of approaching it. thanked the old man warmly. As the old man saw Mujaku to the gate, In the world there are problems of 115 medicine was given from that jar, with from an enchanted land. I am not a In the pot, sun and moon excellent results. person of this world, I am from the shine eternally world of hermits and sages. Because Everyone in town trusted the man and I made a mistake, I was sent down to his medicine implicitly. But no one Earth. Now I have been forgiven and knew where he lived. In the evening can return to the world of gods and people would see him closing the heavenly beings. It’s time for me to shop, but no one ever saw where he return here now. I saw your heart of went. He would wait until no one was good will, and I wanted to show you looking and then hide himself in the a little corner of this heavenly realm, large jar that held all the medicine. but this isn’t a place you can stay. Let’s Koch¨ jitsu getsu nagashi Finally, one of the town’s officials, who drink a cup of sake together and then lived nearby, noticed this. say farewell.” The next day, the official went to the The official drank the sake and felt a old man’s store and greeted him with little woozy. When his head cleared, great respect. He gave the old man he found he was back in his office. He sake and rich foods. The old man thought he had been gone only a few realized immediately that the official hours, but it had been several days. knew his secret and asked him why he had come. In the pot, sun and moon shine eternally. The official said, “You are one of great good will. I will return tomorrow He knew that the world in the pot was In the pot, sun and morning. Please ask me again then.” beyond time and space, an absolute world within our mind. The old man understood and said, moon shine eternally “You want to go into this big jar, don’t Eisai Zenji wrote of this hugeness: you? Well, if you do want to do that, I will help you. Hold my kimono and Koch¨ jitsu getsu close your eyes, and then you can Oh! Great all embracing Mind! come with me.” It is impossible to measure the nagashi height of the heavens, The official did as he was told, and yet the Mind is above the suddenly his body seemed lighter. The heavens. old man then told him he could open It is impossible to measure the 壺中日月長 his eyes. thickness of the earth, When he opened his eyes, it was as if yet the Mind is below the he were seeing a different world! How earth. This poem is from the sixth section of huge and spacious everything was! He The sun and the moon shine the Records of Master Kido. Among saw an enormous house and a great with a great radiance the ancient Chinese writings there’s garden filled with flowers and trees yet the Mind is the source of one called Gokan no sho in which we with ripened fruit. In the lake many that radiance. find the Hojitsu Hen, and in that we fish were swimming, and the many Within the Mind, the four find the Shicho Boden. This story is rooms of the house were all filled with seasons open in their sequence, from there. treasures. It was such a rare and special Within the Mind the sun and There was an old man in a small town state of mind that he forgot about the the moon move . who operated a pharmacy whose passing of time. Although he had All of the ten thousand things medicines always worked quite well. always been chased by his work and exist within that great Mind. In the store there was a big jar of by time, it all seemed like a lie and was Oh! Great all embracing Mind! medicine, and that medicine would forgotten. work for people with a headache, He wondered how this could be. The astronaut Russell Schweickart or a stomachache, or a backache, Because the old pharmacist could described a moment during a space or a cold. No matter who came and read his thoughts, he answered walk when he was able to just be no matter what their problem was, without prompting, “I am a person there. He said, “Those two or three 103 minutes, I remember so well. It was 117 not the usual view from the narrowly we can’t know this precious place. framed window of the spaceship.” Because the mirror of our pure mind that we’ve been endowed with He said that there was nothing to The sea is vast and the since birth is immeasurably huge, limit his view, only huge and infinite hundred rivers flow an infinite universe can be reflected dark space. He was traveling across toward it there. Everything from the eternal past this space at the rate of 17,000 miles through the limitless future can also per hour, and this universe was totally be held there, and in that way we are silent. This great speed and huge infinite. silence were such a new experience, that he heard a voice asking, “Why To realize the source of this true mind are you here? Are you the best person and not be moved by anything is for this? Do you have superior ability zazen. We can realize this absolute Umi hiroku shite hyakusen or have you worked so hard that power within our own mind. chØsu you were chosen by God to have this precious experience on behalf of everyone?” He said that he knew the answer to all of those questions was “no.” Then why was he there? “As I thought about this, suddenly the earth, a deep blue spinning globe, came into The sea is vast and view way below. At that moment I the hundred rivers suddenly understand. I am one person representing humankind who has flow toward it been given the job of touching the universe directly.” Realizing this, he looked deeply at the earth. “I am one of the people of that planet. They are Umi hiroku shite all human, just like me, but they are hyakusen chØsu not me. We take this knowledge for the people that are to come after. Without thinking more I was deeply humbled. I felt the huge responsibility. I was a small part of the whole life of the 海濶百川朝 earth. I had the responsibility to take this experience to everyone on earth. Thanks to that, my relationship to the These words come from the fifth life of the whole planet has changed section of the Kaian Kokugo. completely. This very precious change In a deep and wide-open ocean, no happened because of my experience matter how much water is added, it of being in the universe.” never feels as if there’s too much. He was one of the astronauts who In explaining the “MAKA!” or flew Apollo 9, and he experienced “GREAT!” of the Heart Sutra, Hakuin this state of mind when as he was Zenji added a footnote about the on his mission into space. We can’t Indian belief that at the center of the become aware of something that universe there’s a great mountain has never existed. Anyone who is called Sumeru, or Shumisen. At born comes to this life with the same points east, west, north, and south mind. But we get overwhelmed with are various countries. We live in the the static of our ego and the weight southern country, called Embushu. of our small self. At least once, our There’s one sun and one moon above tangled ideas and ponderous mental it. It’s a small world. The Himalayas, activity have to be swept away, or 104 119 120 soaring high to the North of India, opinions make our minds small and were probably thought of as the tight; harmony makes our mind huge center of the universe. If a thousand of and open.” these worlds were gathered together, In doing zazen, we realize this mind. they would make a medium world. “The sea is vast and the hundred rivers And when a thousand medium worlds flow toward it.” We drink down the are gathered, that makes a great waters of all the rivers and still don’t world. And if a thousand of these great think of it as a lot. It’s this kind of Mind worlds are gathered together, they we all need to have. are called a thousand great worlds. If three of these are gathered, that is the three thousand great worlds. These three thousand great worlds as one unit are considered one Buddha Land. In one Buddha Land there is one Buddha. In each small world there is one Mount Sumeru, so in three thousand great worlds there are 3 million Mount Sumerus. However, from the point of view of Maka, the Great, these three thousand are only a bubble on the surface. Together, they are no more than a single drop of dew on one of the unusually fragile and thin autumn hairs of a rabbit. They say that in one mosquito’s eyelash there lives a whole universe of bacteria. Our tiny Embushu land is no larger than one of tiny things. But our mind is as huge as the Buddha Land. Einstein said that the greatest miracle in the universe is that we can understand. When seen this way, we realize we can hold the entire universe in our mind, in the same way that a drop of dew is held on a leaf. Our mind is so huge, so enormous, that it can drink down everything. All truths can be brought into awareness. It is truly inconceivable! Kant said that in our mind there is an amazing element of integrity that exists in the motion of a hand or a single footstep. When we swallow each thing down we don’t miss the next one; we function totally, aware of every single thing. We have the potential to function and express ourselves in small, subtle ways. But when we make everything small by squeezing it into a narrow frame of ego, we can’t see with this expansiveness. “Limited narrow

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