SOTO ZEN JOURNAL DHARMA EYE News of Soto Zen Buddhism: Teachings and Practice

Greeting p1 Kenzen Yamamoto

Some Thoughts on the 50th Anniversary of Soto Zen Buddhism in Europe –Soto Zen in Europe, its past, present and future– p3 Yusho Sasaki

Now, Here, the Self –Living Our Lives with the Teaching of Cooperation as a Beacon– p5 Hosho Kurata

Visiting Top American Companies with Rev. Issho Fujita p14 Kimiko Bokura-Shafé

Lecture on the Chapter of Shobogenzo Ikka-myoju p18 Shohaku Okumura

Bringing Forth the Mind of Bodhi (Hotsu bodai shin) p32 Carl Bielefeldt

My footnotes on Zazen (12) p40 Issho Fujita Number 39

March 2017 A Greeting If we untie the strings binding the history of Soto Zen teaching activities outside Japan, we see that these activities began in Hawaii and Rev. Kenzen Yamamoto Director of Education and South America with Japanese immigrants as Dissemination Division the target. Since then, the scope of these teach- Sotoshu Shumucho ing activities has expanded considerably, par- ticularly in North America and Europe. While On this occasion of writing a greeting to overcoming various diculties, the pioneers the readers of Dharma Eye, I hope that all of who taught in those countries remained com- you are doing well. I would like to express my mitted with their passion of imbuing the people heartfelt gratitude for your warm support. in a convincing way with the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha and the Two Founders. I am Kenzen Yamamoto. I was appointed as Inheriting their spirit, there are now 125 priests the Director of the Division of Education and currently active as Kokusaifukyoshi (who dissemi- Dissemination on October 21st of last year. nates the Soto Zen teachings outside Japan. He is is an undeserved honor as I have always or she is appointed by the Head Priest of been a person of shallow learning and ability. Sotoshu) in places around the world and there Taking on this responsibility of teaching and now as many as 52 Special Temples (Soto Zen education, which is the basis of Soto Zen Bud- temples located outside Japan and ocially dhism, is a sobering thought. Yet, while aware registered with Sotoshu). e branches and of my responsibility, I have taken on this task. leaves of Soto Zen have undergone great growth.

Looking back, it was about forty years ago is year in Europe, it is fty years since that I rst engaged in the international teach- Rev. Taisen Deshimaru, who was appointed as ing activities of Soto Zen. During this period the rst Director of the Soto Zen Administra- of time, I have walked together with the vari- tive Oce of Europe (currently, the Soto Zen ous transitions that have taken place for the Buddhism Europe Oce), went by himself to international teaching activities of Soto Zen, France to begin Soto Zen teaching activities rst while on the sta at the Sotoshu Shumu- there. Many Europeans were drawn to the cho (Administrative Headquarters of Soto Zen practice of shikantaza which he taught and Buddhism in Japan) and after leaving that posi- which has subsequently been handed down to tion as a member of the council for interna- local Soto priests. From May 12 to 14, com- tional teaching activities. In order to make memorative events for the 50th anniversary of good use of that experience so that the interna- Soto Zen Buddhism in Europe will be held in tional teaching activities of Soto Zen can con- France at Zendonien (La Gendronnière). tinue to develop from now on, I have renewed is year is also mark the 20th anniversary my resolution to be even more diligent. for the founding of the Soto Zen Buddhism International Center located in San Francisco. 1 In April 1997, the Soto Zen Education Center Regarding the Soto Zen Text Project, we was established at Zenshuji in Los Angeles with have nally entered the last phase of the edito- Rev. Shohaku Okumura (presently Koku- rial work for the English translation of Denko- saifuyoshi in North America) as its rst director. roku. We plan to publish this book in the Later, this oce was renamed as the Soto Zen autumn of this year. As for the Shobogenzo Buddhism International Center. Presently, this translation, we expect that work will be com- oce has the objective of expanding Soto Zen pleted sometime next year. I feel strongly that teachings around the world by meeting the both of these books will be used as bene cial needs of local sites, creating teaching opportu- texts for people practicing at places outside nities and educational materials, convening Japan. study workshops, as well as developing various projects. In November of this year, we plan to Finally, I pray that there will be further convene a commemorative event to mark the development of Soto Zen teaching activities 20th anniversary of Soto Zen Buddhism Inter- outside Japan. I conclude my greeting by national Center at Tokyo Grand Hotel. asking for your continued cooperation and love for the Dharma. Moreover, next year will be the 115th anni- Gassho versaries of teaching activities of Soto Zen in Hawaii and South America. Five years hence in 2022, we will have the 100th anniversary of teaching activities of Soto Zen in North America. Teaching activities in North America began with the people who had emigrated from Japan. While on the one hand there is the history of the Japanese American temples which ful lled the role of providing a spiritual bastion for these people, from the 1960s onwards, Zen centers in America and Europe were formed where sangha members practiced Soto Zen that centered on zazen. Following along with this history, we come to the present-day state of Soto Zen teaching activi- ties outside Japan. ere are now considerable expectations for the “Tempyozan Zendo Proj- ect.” While creating a link between you, and to create the next generation of Soto Zen, I think this is the way we should steadily proceed.

2 Some thoughts on the 50th anniversary under Rev. Kodo Sawaki’s tutelage, came to of Soto Zen Buddhism in Europe France on his own in 1967 to engage in –Soto Zen in Europe, its past, dissemination of Soto Zen Buddhism. In those present and future– days, the vestige of hippie culture was still going and Europe was very open to cultural dierences. Also, it is not dicult to imagine Rev. Yusho Sasaki Director of Soto Zen Buddhism that the many young people who were disap- Europe Office pointed in politics after the French revolution of May, 1968 were attracted by Zen as the e year 2017 is the 50th anniversary of Zen’s emphasis on non-verbal spiritual and Soto Zen Buddhism in Europe. To commemo- pragmatic practice must have had a certain rate this, the events will be held from 12th to mystical appeal as an antithesis to dogmatic 14th of May. e rst day and a half will be a Christianity. Meanwhile, Rev. Deshimaru, was symposium about the past, present, and the 53 years old, the majority of disciples were in future of Soto Zen in Europe; in the afternoon their 20’s, and it can be assumed that the vigor- of the second day, the sanghas and zazen ous Zen was practiced in high spirits. e groups from all over the Europe will gather, result of this f lourished rapidly. Only two years and set up the stands respectively to introduce after his arrival in Europe, e European Zen their own activities like an expo; on the last Association (currently e International Zen day, the ceremony for 50th anniversary of Soto Association) was created. At that point, there Zen Buddhism in Europe will be held with all were already 38 groups and 13,000 members. the participants. It is hoped to be, though it In 1982, by the year Rev. Deshimaru died, it is sounds rather grand, an overall representation said they had 110 dojos (Zen centers) and of the fruits of Soto Zen Buddhism’s dissemi- 200,000 or even 300,000 members. nation of the past 50 years. I hope that the par- ticipants will express not only formal aspects of 35 years have passed since then, the f irst Zen practice, but also the joy of meeting the generation of Rev. Deshimaru’s disciples have way of Zen. aged into their 60’s and 70’s. Now Buddhism in general has a lot of followers and has become Today, associated with this event, I would a major force. is is not limited to Soto Zen like to describe a little about the past, present, Buddhism but includes Chinese, Taiwanese, and future of Soto Zen Buddhism in Europe, Tibetan, and Korean Buddhism, they have which is also the theme of the symposium for members and followers which as same form as the 50th anniversary. in Japan. ere is also Vipassana meditation of the eravada school. Furthermore, ich Look back over the past, the history of Soto Nhat Hanh’s Vietnamese Buddhism based in Zen Buddhism dissemination in Europe France; thus a variety of groups are active in started when Rev. Taisen Deshimaru, who was Europe. 3 As for Soto Zen Buddhism, some 400 open days and cultural events. Within these priests reside in Europe and most of the major sanghas, their dissemination has shown the cities have the sangha, and each of them acts spread, not only zazen but they are now search- actively. As a matter of convenience, we called ing for a new European approach that appeals sangha, but there are two groups: One group is to the general public. While organizing sesshin considered as a “special temple” (temples located as their core to sustain their economy, and outside of Japan and o cially registered with become more integrated into the local society. Sotoshu) and they practice residentially in ey potentially develop similar to temples in non-urban settings. ere are 12 sanghas as Japan. such with around 100 priests in Europe. e second group is an urban “dojo” where typi- On the other hand, in Zazen-kai based sang- cally, the leaders and their supporting members has, priests will likely continue working in sustain its nance, hold Zazen-kai (zazen class), regular jobs and at the same time, steadily and open their Zendo to sit zazen before and devote part of their income and spare time to after work, and organize sesshin during week- Zazen-kai and its organization. In Christian ends. e vast majority of priests belong to the culture, charity work is a very important part latter group of sanghas, thus, they have regular of their social activities. Likewise, priests of employment and family commitments and these Zazen-kai are keen to get involved in dedicate time to Zazen-kai where possible. In social activities. In Japan lately we often hear other words, it is very similar to the Zazen-kai the word, “Engaged Buddhism.” ey also held by temples in Japan. So their principle engage themselves in social work, organize activities are, to sit zazen during sesshin, do Zazen-kai in prisons, concern themselves with gyohatsu (although oryoki is simplied to just rescue work for immigrants and refugees. is one bowl), study texts, and attend lectures by is perceived to be the living practice of Bud- the founders. In Europe, this kind of urban- dhism. erefore, in Europe where temples do style lay practice of Zen is the main stream. not exist in the Japanese sense of the word, Under such circumstances, naturally, no ceremo- Buddhism and its practice may naturally evolve nies are necessary for the parishioners and in dierent from Japan. Such that, in the followers. Funerals are non-existent; there are future, there will possibly be dierent needs only zazen and study with fellow practitioners. from Japan for priest qualication and ceremo- nies. As the current style of priesthood in Japan When we look in to the history of large is dierent of that of Chinese Tang and Song sangha, as a group of non-Christians, it has not Dynasty, there should be no reason why Euro- been so easy for them to become accepted by pean priesthood will unfold diversely from that their local communities. But 50 years of their of Japan. at being the case, it is critical to eort has made it possible to develop an inter- make sure of what it means to teach about Zen. action with the locals. Nowadays, many people who do not practice zazen come and visit their e only thing I expect is that along with 4 expanding of Zen in Europe, the temporal Now, Here, the Self inf luences of changing Japanese culture and –Living Our Lives with the customs that are embedded in the current Teaching of Cooperation as a Beacon– expression of Zen, will be gradually watered Rev. Hosho Kurata down and be replaced by new inf luence with Sotoshu Specially Dispatched Teacher Rindoji, Toyama, Japan getting mixture of European culture. What is most important then is that the timeless essence of Zen transmitted from Buddha and Empty Nest Zendo California, U.S.A our two founders must stay rm at its core. In September 24, 2016. that respect, luckily, Soto Zen in Europe has started out from Shikantaza as its base. As a Good morning, everyone. My name is tree, it is still young. And yet, it has spread its Hosho Kurata. I have come from Japan. I serve roots steadily in these 50 years. So it must be as the resident priest of a temple called Rindoji going in the right direction. It is hoped that the which is located in Toyama Prefecture. It is very progress of Soto Zen in Europe continues to be moving for me to be able to meet you and to watched over with kind attention and care. see the form of your zazen. All of you, as well as I, have chosen Buddhism as the way to live your lives. Even more precisely, we have come together within the Soto Zen teaching and are diligently walking the Way of Buddha. Since the Soto Zen teaching is certainly our unshake- able foundation and the teaching which clearly awakens us to a sense of ful llment in our lives, it gives us the courage to act steadfastly. Today, I have a certain role in coming here. You have all received a handout and on this piece of paper there is a photo of the Sotoshu’s Head Priest, Fukuyama Taiho Zenji. I have come here with a message from Fukuyama Zenji, a message which is based on a Soto Zen teaching for the contemporary world.

Message om the Head Priest of Sotoshu in 2016

We are now being asked about our way of life by the many challenges facing us.

5 Five years have passed since the Great East others by “Aspire together, Stand together, and Japan Earthquake, the great tsunami, and the Walk together.” accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company’s In this ephemeral human life, let us Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and receive the teachings of the Buddha and the yet there remain many people who are in the Two Founders by quietly sitting in front of our midst of much sadness and anxiety. In addi- ancestors with an upright posture, regulating tion, the grave problems of climate change and the breath, and harmonizing the mind. e disaster, war, con ict, terrorist activities, pov- great kindness and great compassion of zazen erty, discrimination, suicide, and bullying are will become the power of “Cooperation” by spreading. itself. Looking squarely at this reality, we hope Each day, let us practice the bodhisattva’s for the fulllment of a society in which people vow to be compassionate to others and learn to are compassionate to each other and where live together with others. there is no con ict, a society that does not rely on nuclear energy, and a society which is I take refuge in Shakyamuni Buddha. mutually-energizing and which values life, all I take refuge in Koso Joyo Daishi Dogen Zenji. of which is based on the pillars of our eorts to I take refuge in Taiso Josai Daishi Keizan Zenji. “respect human rights, establish peace, and conserve the environment” and on the teach- Fukuyama Taiho ings of “do not kill and do not allow others to Head Priest of the Sotoshu kill.” In e Meaning of Practice and Verica- tion, there is the teaching, “e ocean does not Now, I would like to proceed with my talk, reject any water; this is Cooperation. It is speaking about the Head Priest’s words. because of this that water collects and becomes Before I begin, I see that some of you have an ocean.” “Cooperation” is this aspect of the tension in your shoulders, so please feel free to Ocean not rejecting any water. is is a way of relax and smile. living in which we can accept the sadness and suering of each person and where we support each other by experiencing the sadness and suering of others as if it were our own. is is a way of living that is harmonious because we do not build fences in the space between us and all other people and things. is year, let us study the wisdom of “Co- operation” found in the teaching of e Bodhisattva’s Four All-Embracing Methods and proceed with the vow to bring comfort to 6 In the Head Priest’s message, he mentions repeated “ank you, thank you,” many times the Great East Japan Earthquake which took and while she slowly returned on the path she place ve years ago. I’m sure you are all aware had come, she looked back at me several times. of this event. I think you were able to see cover- Many things f lashed through my mind as I age of it on CNN and other news sources. watched her walking away. is Great East Which brought serious damage, and approxi- Japan Earthquake snatched away the ordinary, mately 20,000 people passed away. everyday lives of many, many people. People I went to volunteer at a place called Wa- important to others – parents and children, tanoha, which is in the city of Ishinomaki, grandchildren, friends – were swept away in an Iwate Prefecture. is was a place that experi- instant without so much as even being able to enced tremendous damage during this disaster. say “Goodbye.” Even if someone were to ask I was at the mouth of the river, a place heavily me, “Priest, why did this happen?” I wouldn’t damaged by the tsunami. ere was a big be able to give a satisfying answer. If I were to bridge at this plaza called Mangoku Bridge. say something, I could only say “is is the e area next to the foot of this bridge was absurdity of life.” Watching this old woman as empty because everything had been swept away she walked away, I was struck once again by in the tsunami. And it became a community this irrational, absurd aspect of our lives. Nev- place for people living in temporary housing. I ertheless, there is one thing we must grasp was at a place facing the river mouth helping to within this reality of life. Shakyamuni Buddha set up an altar for the memorial service to be taught that all things are impermanent. “is held in honor of those people who had died in world is impermanent. Nothing stays in the the disaster. same condition even for an instant. It is con- An old woman who appeared to be in her stantly changing and never stops.” Everything 80’s approached me from the foot of the in this world is always like a f lowing river and bridge. She was walking very slowly and when even the moment now is changing. Within this she reached me she said, ongoing change, we assume that we will be able “Priest, won’t you please chant a sutra for to live tomorrow just as we are living today. We me?” think that we will be able to meet each other I asked her, “Did someone in your family tomorrow in the same way we meet each other die in the tsunami?” today. Nevertheless, within this principle of She said, “Priest, all of my grandchildren constant change, it isn’t possible for anyone to and great-grandchildren were taken away in know what will happen tomorrow. It is a fact the tsunami. Why is it that an old person like that there is no certain guarantee. me is still here? Why was it that the young died? It would have been better for me to die, Now, what do you think we can liken our but there’s no one to blame. I beg you, Priest, existence, this life here, to? please chant a sutra.” If we were to replace or change our life with After of fering a sutra, the old woman something else that is this “tick, tick, tick…” it 7 would be “time.” Dogen Zenji, the founder of “nikon.” Dogen Zenji taught, “Even if you Eiheiji, taught that “Time itself is being and all think of the past, present and future millions of being is time.” e time that we have lived times, all times is this very moment, right until now is our life itself and the time we think now.” Our lives are a succession of this point we will live from now on is also our life itself. called “now.” e point between the past and “tick, tick …” one minute, one hour, twenty- now is a continuation of now, now, now four hours, this all represents our life. A watch becomes just now. And then there is a continu- is a mechanism and so the hands go around ation of now, now, now which becomes tomor- and around returning to where they started. row, the day after tomorrow, one year later, ve However, the time of our lives never returns to years later, and ten years later. e important the beginning. e present moment “now” part of our teaching is that “Within this life which has passed will never return again. ere that is an always changing existence, one in is no time we can call “again.” e teaching of which we don’t know what will happen, we Shakyamuni Buddha that “this world is imper- must, while mutually respecting each other’s manent” teaches us that everything is changing. lives, live cherishing the present moment, cher- And yet, we forget that within everything, “I” is ishing nikon.” is is our teaching. It is pre- also included. In other words, we cannot say cisely because our lives are impermanent that that this condition which is constantly chang- we are asked how we should live, how can we ing has nothing to do with me. e Buddha is live valuing this present moment which is strongly stating that each one of us is constantly “Now, here, the self.” changing; that our existence is impermanent. All people love themselves. If we really look Is there anyone in this place who will not into this thoroughly, the self is what we love the die? Please raise your hand if you think you will most. is is why when things don’t go the way not die. Rest assured that wherever I’ve gone we want them to or when we are inconve- and asked this question, not once has anyone nienced in some way, we are unable to see the raised their hand. It is 100% certain that we other person’s point of view because we want to will die. ere are only two things about our protect the self we love the most. Sometimes, lives that we do not know. What are those two we become aggressive. It can happen when things? We don’t know “when” and “how” we facing another person that we say some words, will die. In other words, we are living our lives feelings or an attitude which cut into another without knowing when and in what way we person’s heart; this is like a sharp knife that we will die. thrust at another person. Furthermore, the So, what, then, is for certain? other person does not remain silent. at at is the moment now. You are living person also thrusts out a sharp knife to protect now, aren’t you? ere is no other absolute the self which he or she loves so much. Conse- truth in our lives than this time “now.” In Bud- quently, people with sharp knives can surely dhism, we have a special word for this moment, harm each other causing irreparable injury. 8 is is the nature of conict within the world awakening (satori). He taught that zazen itself in which we live. Everything from a small, is the practice of a Buddha. In short, the sitting ordinary quarrel all the way to war is like this. posture itself is the same form as that of Nevertheless, as long as we only protect the self Shakyamuni Buddha when he was sitting. Fur- we love and to the extent that we throw our- thermore, zazen is not something done only for selves into conict, we will never know true you. He taught that in zazen we must not peace of mind. For this reason, the way of forget all sentient beings. Keizan Zenji taught living which we must seek is not one where we that we send the merit from zazen to all people. think only of ourselves and continue to point a By sitting rmly in zazen as you are now prac- knife at others, a way of living where we live ticing, the merit of this zazen practice will with our backs to one another. It is important appear in your everyday lives. You will be free that we live in such a way that we hope for each of expectations that you will receive something other’s happiness, where we are able to mutu- is return for what you’ve done as well as from ally exert ourselves to ensure that this happens. gain and loss. is is to practice wholeheartedly In his message, the Head Priest speaks about for the benet of other people. is is the prac- the actual practice of this way of living. is tice of benetting others which Dogen Zenji teaching is called “cooperation (doji).” is is a taught as “ e vow to save all beings before way of living in which each person is aware of saving ourselves.” As a signpost for the practice the sadness and diculties of other people, one of benetting others, Dogen Zenji taught the in which we are able to support each in times of four methods of a bodhisattva: similar struggles and grief. It is a way of living First, Generosity (Fuse) : by empathizing that is harmonious and does not build fences with other people, we happily give material as between all other people and things. Buddhism well as spiritual things to others. is built on the two big pillars of compassion Second, Kind speech (Aigo) : by empathiz- and wisdom. Buddhism is, as indicated by the ing with other people, we speak to them with Chinese characters used to write this word in warm, aectionate words. Chinese and Japanese is the teaching of becom- ird, Benecial deeds (Rigyo) : by empa- ing “Buddha.” But this is something that thizing with other people, we do actions for the cannot be understood without practice. Even if benet of other people. we intellectually understand the meaning of Forth, Cooperation (Doji ) : by empathizing compassion and wisdom, this is nothing more with other people, we are able to live acknowl- than something learned from a book. What is edging each without building fences between this practice? It is the zazen which you are prac- each other. ticing now, as well as actions that benet e fourth method is cooperation. Coop- others. Dogen Zenji taught “shikantaza” which eration is not a teaching the Dogen Zenji is simply to sit single-mindedly without doing created. Rather this is a teaching which arose anything and without trying to do something; through Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment. it is even to throw away the mind which seeks It expresses the way relationships between self 9 and others should be. e awakening of other. And within that relationship, he awak- Shakyamuni Buddha is the way things are in ened to the way the relationship between self fact, in reality. In concrete terms, Shakyamuni and other should be. Shakyamuni Buddha Buddha taught about the way things are with taught in various ways with words about the the principle of causality. is principle of cau- relationship between self and others. One sality is the most fundamental teaching of Bud- example among these appears in the Dhamma- dhism. It is a teaching which expresses this pada, important truth: “All tremble at violence; all fear death. Put- “When this exists, that exists. ting oneself in the place of another, one should When this is born, that is born. not kill nor cause another to kill. All tremble When this does not exist, that does not exist. at violence; life is dear to all. Putting oneself When this disappears, that disappears.” in the place of another, one should not kill nor Put simply, this expresses the nature of rela- cause another to kill.” tionships. When thinking of this teaching of “You must not kill nor must you cause causality, try thinking of the gears inside a another to kill” are truly extreme words. e watch. e relationship is similar: when one violence of the words refer to all compulsive, gear wheel moves, the other gear wheels move. destructive energy including murder, injury, When one gear wheel stops, the other gear cruelty, damage, war, causing injury to body wheels stop. Shakyamuni Buddha taught that and mind, and killing another person. I am “all things in this world exist in relationship to afraid of this kind of violence; it is really horri- each other like the mesh of a net. For this fying. How about you people? You are afraid of reason, our existence appears and disappears in it, too, right? is is why all people can empa- relationship with all other phenomena as well thize with this teaching of Shakyamuni as with other people, things, and events.” He Buddha, “All beings tremble at violence.” And taught that the way everything in the whole that life is dear. It is not only human beings world is the fact of existence. Shakyamuni that are afraid of violence. On our way into this Buddha directly realized that within this teach- building, we saw some dogs outside. I’m sure ing he himself was allowed to live within this that those dogs are also afraid of violence. It is truth. And furthermore, he realized that all precisely for this reason that Shakyamuni other things that exist in the same way as he Buddha taught that human beings as well as did. is truth of causality which Shakyamuni other living beings must “put yourself in the Buddha awakened to was a view of the world place of another; you must not kill nor must that all things exist in relationship to each other you cause another to kill.” is is an important and that regardless of whether one realizes this teaching in which Shakyamuni Buddha and or not the relationship between self and other is Buddhism takes the clear position of rejecting that “self and other are one.” is is to say that all violence and warfare. At the same time, the the relationship between self and other is one way we as individuals must relate with others is where they certainly exist connected to each expressed in the clear words “think of the other 10 as yourself.” e way to understand this is that plistic, shortsighted, and unable to grasp com- while I am I and the other person is the other plex situations. And yet, there is surely some- person relates each other in which I and the thing that they have in common. What is it? other person are able to put ourselves in the e people who commit such acts certainly place of the other such that we can experience have something in common and that is “they the joys and sadness of each other. And while are unable to see other people.” For such doing this, each existence can mutually be of people, “others do not exist.” In short, they can help to the other. In this way, Shakyamuni only see things through the small peephole of Buddha clearly taught the way a relationship “me”; this is where there is an extremely self- between yourself and another person should centered thought of “only me.” ey merely be. is is “cooperation,” a relationship of thrust their own beliefs and claims, their living where fences are not built up between desires, anger and emotions onto other people each other. without being able to empathize with other people or to reect on other people’s suerings. Other people have their lives and their families; they are wholeheartedly living their lives here, right now. ese people are certainly lacking in the power of imagination to concern other people. “To put yourself in the place of another person” means in terms of specic actions that you must imagine yourself as the subject. “How would I feel if I was going to be killed?” “How would I feel if someone who is impor- tant to me was severely wounded?” “What sort In our lives now, various problems con- of feelings would I have if these kinds of things tinue to arise around us. In particular, terrorist happened to me?” activities have recently been often occurring. It For me, it would be terrible. I would be may well be that these actions are committed angry. I would not be able to bear such things. by people with conviction based on their So, by using your imagination and thinking of beliefs. It may be that they are dissatised with things from the other person’s point of view, we society and that they have their ideas and prin- should never do to others those things which ciples. Nevertheless, as I’ve just explained, it is we would not want done to us, whether it absolutely impossible according to the Bud- simply be something unpleasant or something dhist teaching to permit indiscriminate harmful. And then, not stopping and not violence that disregards the life of someone doing those kinds of things, but rather doing to else. It appears that various incidents in which others what we would be grateful to have done another’s life was treated like dirt could only to ourselves. We must make an eort to live have been committed by people who are sim- such that we can in a proactive manner do 11 things to others that make them happy. “Do him. No matter how old a person may be, or not do things that others despise; do things whether a person is young, we certainly all live that make people happy” – this is simple our lives lled with sadness, worries, hopes, expression, isn’t it? We even teach this to chil- and happiness. All of you here came to sit dren. And yet, I think the starting point of put- today embracing all sorts of things in your ting into practice the teachings of Shakyamuni everyday lives, earnestly facing these things, Buddha, Dogen Zenji and Keizan Zenji with and living as if your whole life depends on it. regard to bene tting others, all begins with this e true meaning of living in harmony is to teaching. To put this teaching of “cooperation” understand each other, to steadfastly face that into simple words, it would be “to live in har- truth of another person, to be able to under- mony with each other.” Are you live in har- stand the diculties, concerns, joys and hopes mony with each other? What is the mean of that another person is carrying. But you people this “to live in harmony with each other”? might think, “It’s ne to say that, but each person is dierent.” at’s certainly true. e My home town in Japan, I teach the martial environment of the situations we are put in, art of Shorinji Kempo to children. At one time, I the feelings, the personalities are all dierent. was going to teach this martial art at a childcare is is true even for people in our families who institution where about fifty children were we see every day, or even for our best friends. living apart from their parents. One day after Each and every person is a dierent human practice was nished and I was about to return being. It only stands to reason that everyone is home, a seven-year-old boy called out to me, dierent. erefore, it is impossible to know “Teacher, come again, okay?” and understand everything. is is dicult, “Sure. I’ll come again next week.” that is certain. A person has actually said to me, When I said this, the young boy looked “To understand each other in every way, that is straight at me. idealistic. In reality, it’s not that easy. I under- “Teacher, is your mother alive?” stand what you are saying, but it’s not really “My mother is dead. She’s no longer alive,” possible.” Is that how you really feel? Is it really I said. acceptable to leave things as they are by ratio- e boy looked me in the eyes and said, nalizing the situation and saying “It’s hopeless, “Oh, I see. But Teacher, I have a mother.” it can’t be helped?” If we leave things as they I think this young boy probably wanted to are, then no matter how long we live like two tell me “I’m not living with my mother now, train tracks running parallel with each other, but I really do have a mother.” At that time, I our lives will never intersect. Are we going to thought here is this small boy who is enduring live our lives resigned to giving up and holding the pain of living away from the tenderness of onto the idea “that nothing can be done” or “I his mother; that all sorts of things were packed understand but there’s nothing I can do about into his small body. I’m not saying that he was it” or “It’s dicult, so I give up” or “I’m busy unfortunate so that you will sympathize with and don’t have time, so I’m not going to even 12 try.” To live our lives not thinking more deeply cultures are di erent, they all exist and are about it, that’s not the way to live, certainly related to each other like the mesh of a net. not. Even within this condition, we mustn’t is is the principle of causality. Our lives are give up. You and I are di erent, “your feelings, certainly linked together. at thread which your hopes, your joys, your sadness,” while connects us is compassion. To acknowledge making the e ort to understand each other, I each other and while supporting each other to think this is the true meaning and happiness of live by practicing “cooperation” is the way to living in harmony. resolve the challenges we are facing. I’m con- For example, those important people you dent that this will undoubtedly be the pillar for practice with, what ideas do they have, what are realizing peace in the world. Each of us by our- their hopes, how are they living each day, do selves is very small. But if we don’t rst start you understand these things? To make the e ort from ourselves, there will be no change. If lots to understand these things you must not forget of small amounts of power are gathered that rst you must understand their hopes for together, it will become a truly great power. happiness, you must come together to support is is the way of living “now, here, the self.” each other, you must make the e ort to take Together, let us realize the way of living that is each other’s hand, walking together, within the “cooperation,” one where each and every lives of these people. It is important to do the person is overowing with compassion. very best you can within the situation that you’ve been put into. If there is even one person In conclusion, I am very happy to have had who understands me, one person who warmly the opportunity to meet you. I am full of grati- supports me, if there is even one such person, it tude. ank you very much. gives me courage. en, we can go on living. “Why doesn’t anyone understand me?” It isn’t good to only wait quietly hoping that someone will understand you. First, we must conduct ourselves in a positive manner by accepting the other person and trying to understand him or her.

I’m coming to the end of my talk. As the Head Priest mentioned in his message, there is a mountain of serious problems surrounding us which must be resolved. I am well aware that it is no easy matter to nd the methods by which to solve these problems. As I just said, we must not answer by saying “It’s dicult, so it’s hope- less.” Even if countries, peoples, religions and 13 Visiting Top American ently president of Wisdom Labs) to see if he Companies with would introduce us to various companies. To Rev. Issho Fujita my surprise, it was decided that lectures would Kimiko Bokura-Shafé be given at various world-famous companies Executive Director of the Mindful including Salesforce, Facebook, and Starbucks. Leadership Institute In addition, I was able to take Issho-san to a workshop given by Search Inside Yourself While living near California’s Silicon Leadership Institute, a leader in the mindful- Valley, I go back and forth between America ness eld. With only a little bit of preparation, and Japan teaching business-oriented mindful- ve workshops were set up to be held within ness. Until now, my main task has been to approximately a week’s time. Unable to hide bring the contents of mindfulness, which has our surprise at this good response from Silicon arisen in America, to Japan. However, I’ve been Valley, Issho-san and I began our workshop interested in having the opportunity to feel tour. mindfulness by way of Japanese culture. I’ve always wanted to help with the interchange of Very Exciting Workshops at World-class Com- wisdom in both directions. And then, quite out panies and the Reasons Why of the blue, I was honored to be asked by Rev. Issho Fujita, Director of the Soto Zen Bud- Issho-san and Rev. Ikki Nambara, from dhism International Center (from here on, Soto Zen Buddhism International Center, with all due respect, I refer to him as “Issho- came to my home in Santa Cruz, CA. We held san”). “I’m going soon to San Francisco. Is our rst workshop there, a casual gathering of there any chance of teaching some people in some of my friends and acquaintances. irty Silicon Valley?” he asked. I wasn’t sure if I could people participated and Issho-san taught us be a big help, but I agreed to assist him. And about “practice.” While actually moving his then, I was able to see with my own eyes that body, his manner encouraged us to be able to Issho-san’s wealth of knowledge, and the inter- feel openness in somatic sensation. While the est and enthusiasm of the people in Silicon participants came from various backgrounds Valley to study mindfulness and Zen. including scholars, business people, engineers, teachers, and waiters, the workshop was very To start with, we decided that I would give lively and even after it was nished, there were a workshop in my home, mainly by bringing many questions for Issho-san. e discussion together some of my friends and acquain- about zazen, neural science, neutrinos, and so tances. en, I thought that with this opportu- forth continued on late into the night. nity I would take Issho-san to visit some com- panies in Silicon Valley. inking this would be Next, we went to Salesforce.com, a com- next to impossible, I contacted Dr. Rich Fer- pany which prides itself in being the world nandez (formerly worked in Google and pres- leader in productivity for customer relation- 14 ship management. is company is led by from around the world. In one corner, there is CEO Marc Benio who advocates for well- what seems to be an amusement park. In other being and mindfulness to the 20,000 employ- words, the atmosphere is that of a typical IT ees around the world. e company is pres- (information technology) company in Silicon ently building a skyscraper in San Francisco Valley which is exceedingly successful. Never- which will be their corporate headquarters. e theless, the logo of Sun Microsystems, a com- design includes a meditation room on each pany which no longer exists, but which previ- oor of this building. e one-hour workshop ously occupied the site, had been intentionally which Issho-san led was sponsored by an orga- left on the windows of the meeting rooms. nization within the company called Employee Apparently, these logos had been left that way Engagement Programs. e 150 seats which so that no one would forget the teaching of had been set up in preparation for the work- impermanence. shop were completely lled. Moreover, a pro- e sixty chairs which had been set up for fessional camera team was at the venue to lm the workshop were insucient. Rev. Ito, from the workshop so that employees around the Soto Zen Buddhism International Center, and world would be able to view the workshop at a I hurriedly brought more chairs so that about later date. Inside, I felt nervous. “Is this really 100 participants were drawn to Issho-san’s going to have such a big impact?” I thought. lecture. I found it moving that the listeners But I got over with a poker face to have Issho- were so concentrated they sat without stirring a san would relaxed. muscle. Interviewing several people who partici- pated, I found that most of them were new to meditation and Buddhism, however their interest and adoration are high. ey said they denitely wanted to put into practice Issho-san’s teaching of “paying attention to the body and being mindful of the present moment.”

Following this, I brought Issho-san,

Workshop in the writer’s house Nambara-san and Ito-san to a program designed to train teachers of mindfulness. is workshop was sponsored by Search Inside After one day’s interval, we went to Face- Yourself Leadership Institute, a company pro- book Inc., which needless to say is the world’s vides mindfulness program which occurred in largest SNS (social networking service) provid- Google. Eighty people from around the world ing company. At their oce building, employ- participated including a Japanese Rinzai priest ees can eat free, organic lunches and cuisine who is a friend of mine. It was in order to have 15 these Japanese people who are involved with Work is for my personal growth; work is not Buddhism see this workshop for themselves, for the purpose of giving myself up to it which is connected with my wish for “exchange between the wisdom of both directions, East e number of participants at each work- and West” and mindfulness as we know it shop exceeded our expectations and this spoke today. to their high level of interest and motivation. Underlying this, we could clearly see a funda- Subsequently, we went to Seattle for a mental attitude which is that these people workshop held at Starbucks. ere, for three undertake their work for the purpose of their hours, about forty people enjoyed Issho-san’s own personal growth and development. e lecture and body movement workshop, includ- opportunity for personal development is high ing Mr. Cory, Co-founder of Wisdom Labs. on their list of priorities, so many people who at we were given three hours of their time participated in these workshops managed to during business hours at a busy company like attend even though they are extremely busy Starbucks shows that there is considerable with their work. interest. Isn’t it the case, then, that precisely because in this corporate culture employees take Where does this sort of enthusiasm come responsibility for their own personal develop- from? I made inquiries of workshop partici- ment and that this independence is cultivated, pants, including Mr. Cory, as well as people I there is a connection between corporate perfor- met at Google and the other companies, and mance and the fact that these companies attract summarized their opinions. excellent personnel and encourage friendly competition between them?

It isn’t the case that people study because they have the time and means to do so, but because they are driven by the need to do it

Following each of Issho-san’s workshops, he was barraged by questions such as “How and in what way can I continue to actually do this?” and “What sort of methods are there in a stressful workplace?” ere is what we could call the receptacle of the company’s meditation Facebook Inc. room, but this interest must not simply end with participating in a workshop. At each com- pany we visited, it was apparent that from this starting point, people have self-reliance such 16 that they want to create better habits for them- the trip more than anyone thereby showing us selves. People who meditate on their own or the way of living “here and now.” those who participate in meditation retreats are How were the people who learned so much more common in America than we nd in this time from Issho-san aected? And what Japan. leap forward will Issho-san make as a result of Why is this? In America, where output and this experience? I would to express my heartfelt achievement is assessed, rst-class personnel gratitude for being able to be part of this work- compete furiously by aiming at high results. In shop tour. addition, they need time to connect with the world through the internet and SNS, which means they have the habit of rotating at high speed in their heads throughout the day and night. So that the number of people is increas- ing who are unable to stop thinking them- selves. When this happens, eciency and the quality of output decreases and furthermore, people can ruin their health. In short, it is nec- essary to nd a new approach so that well- being and the quality of people’s lives are not traded o for company results.

California is a place where Zen became established early on and with this foundation many people nd hope in the eectiveness of mindfulness, something which has become clear through recent scienti c research and through neuroscience. e cover of Time magazine on Feb. 3, 2014 titled e Mindful- ness Revolution brought attention to this phe- nomenon and eorts to broaden it are increas- ing. It was truly possible to catch a glimpse of this with Issho-san’s workshop tour.

Regardless of the unexpectedly hard sched- ule, Issho-san taught about the essence of zazen with light and witty English and through appli- cation of bodywork. In the workshops as well as while we were traveling, Issho-san enjoyed 17 「尽十方世界是一顆明珠、汝作麼生会」。(尽 The 7th Chapter of Shobogenzo Ikka-myoju (One Bright Jewel) 十方世界是一顆明珠、汝作麼生か会せる。) Lecture (5) e next day, the master asked the same monk, “ e entire ten-direction world is one bright Rev. Shohaku Okumura Sanshinji, Indiana, U.S.A. jewel. How do you understand it?” (Edited by Rev. Shoryu Bradley) 僧曰、「尽十方世界是一顆明珠、用会用作麼」。 （尽十方世界是一顆明珠、会を用いて作麼。） 【2】尽十方世界是一箇明珠 e monk said, “ e entire ten-direction world ( e Entire Ten-direction World Is One Bright is one bright jewel. What is the use of under- Jewel) standing it?” 師曰、「知汝向黒山鬼窟裏作活計」。（知りぬ、 In this section we read about the exchange 汝黒山鬼窟裏に向かって活計を作すことを。） between Xuansha and a monk concerning the e Master said, “I know that you are making one bright jewel. a livelihood inside a demon’s cave in the black mountain.” [text] （7） つひにみちをえてのち、人にしめすにいはく、 “ e entire ten-direction world is one 「尽十方世界是一箇明珠」 bright jewel” was Xuansha’s teaching to his After having attained the Way, he (Xuansha) assembly. It seems he used this expression often instructed people, saying, “ e entire ten- and it became so well known that all of his direction world is one bright jewel.” disciples were familiar with this teaching. e monk in the story was perhaps a visitor to the （8） assembly that heard it and asked what it meant. ときに、僧問、「承和尚有言、盡十方世界是一 顆明珠、学人如何會得」。(承るに和尚言へる Since this conversation is very simple and こと有り、尽十方世界是一顆明珠と。学人如何 there’s no explanation provided, we must inter- 会得せん。) pret it by ourselves. Since there are many pos- Once a monk asked, “I have heard that you sible interpretations, we are free to choose said that the entire ten-direction world is one whatever understanding we think most reason- bright jewel. How can this student (I) under- able. I believe basically there are two ways to stand it?” interpret it. One possibility is that this monk 師曰、「盡十方世界是一顆明珠、用會作麼」。 did not really understand what Xuansha (尽十方世界是一顆明珠、会を用いて作麼。) meant, and another is that the monk com- e master said, “ e entire ten-direction pletely understood and was playing with Xuan- world is one bright jewel. What is the use of sha when he made his response. understanding it?” 師、師来日却問其僧(来日却つて其の僧に問う)、 First I’ll talk about Xuansha’s teaching and 18 this conversation based on the framework Dogen’s Shobogenzo is not an academic understanding that the bright jewel represents work that should be used to introduce the noumenon hidden within human beings. Xuahsha’s teaching objectively. e account of According to this framework, the jewel is origi- Xuansha and his sayings is a kind of ction nally bright and free of any impurity, but in a Dogen uses as a means to express his own human being it becomes covered with dust (i.e. insight of the Dharma. If we expect what karmic consciousness). Yet Xuansha found that Dogen describes here to accord with the this bright jewel is one with the entire ten- historical Xuansha who lived in tenth century direction world and pervades every place and China, that is a mistake. Dogen is creating his every being. is is the basic teaching of the own image of the one bright jewel using three sutras I introduced previously, the Lanka. - Xuansha’s saying. vatara Sutra, the Sutra of Complete Enlighten- ment and the Śurangama. Sutra. Probably First Interpretation: the Monk Didn’t Under- Xuansha’s understanding was based on this stand teaching. In this view, the permanent transparent jewel without delement is hidden within us. Previously in this fascicle Dogen wrote of Since it is transparent, the jewel becomes any Xuansha’s life up until he attained the Way, possible color, depending upon karmic causes basing it on the biography included in the and conditions. Whether it appears black, red, Jingde chuandenglu (Record of Transmission of white, or any other color, whether beautiful or Lamp). Dogen translated the biography from ugly, deled or non-deled, the jewel itself Chinese to Japanese, and yet, as I mentioned in always keeps its transparency and never lecture (3), he intentionally omitted one sen- become deled. e dust that covers the jewel tence. e deleted sentence is: “Xuansha clari- is our karmic way of discriminative thinking ed the mind-ground by reading the and judgment making based on our prefer- Śurangama. Sutra.” “Mind ground” refers to the ences. And our intellectual understanding is Tathagata-garbha, Buddha nature, One-Mind, the function of this dust. or Mind-nature. As I discussed in lecture (2), Dogen did not appreciate the theory of e monk asked how he could understand “mind-nature” as noumenon mentioned in the this bright jewel using his intellectual thinking, Śurangama. Sutra. “Mind-nature” had been thinking that was itself nothing other than considered to be the bright jewel in the Zen dust. But the jewel was beyond his condi- tradition since Guifeng Zongmi. e reason tioned, judging mind. It is hidden by exactly Dogen deletes the sentence is, I think, that he this kind of discriminating thinking. In fact wants to cut o the connection between according to this interpretation, the jewel is the Xuansha’s saying about the bright jewel and the real subject of seeing, hearing and thinking, mind-nature theory of the Śurangama. Sutra. rather than the monk.

19 Xuansha’s answer is very natural, “ is Second Interpretation: the Monk Did Under- bright jewel is one with the entire ten-direction stand world, what is the use of understanding?” Intel- Another possible interpretation is as lectual understanding is the dust that covers follows. e monk already had the same awak- the jewel and prevents us from seeing the jewel ening as Xuansha and knew what the teaching directly. How can we use intellectual under- meant before he asked the question. His ques- standing to really see this true subject that tion was really asking why, if this bright jewel is hears, sees and experiences all things? e one with the ten-direction world and beyond monk didn’t understand what Xuansha tried to intellectual understanding, did Xuansha need point out to his students, so he was still think- to say such a thing using words? Such instruc- ing about the jewel and asked how he could tion would just cause more intellectual under- understand it. Xuansha essentially told him to standing to arise in his students. If the bright stop thinking and truly awaken to this bright jewel was really beyond discrimination and jewel. ere’s no way to grasp this jewel with understanding, what’s the use of saying such a thinking. What is the use of understanding? thing? To say “one bright jewel is the entire But this monk didn’t understand and still tried ten-direction world” is already extra. Why did to comprehend Xuansha’s saying with concep- Xuansha have to say such a thing, and how tual thinking. With his intellectual under- could one comprehend it without a mistaken standing, the monk comprehended that this understanding? Such an understanding is bright jewel could not be understood. But that already a deviation from this reality, isn’t it? was still just his intellectual understanding. To is monk asked the question to examine truly see the bright jewel that is one with the Xuansha’s intention. To say such a thing was entire ten-direction world, the monk needed to already to bring this reality beyond discrimina- get out of the pit of thinking. tion into discrimination. Why did Xuansha do Because Xuansha knew this monk hadn’t such a stupid thing? at was the meaning of awakened to the real point of his teaching, the the monk’s question in this interpretation. next day he asked the monk, “How do you understand it?” en the monk just repeated en Xuansha said, “ e entire ten- what Xuansha had said the previous day. Xuan- direction world is one bright jewel, what is the sha found that this monk was merely thinking use of understanding it?” that the mind-nature was beyond thinking. “Use of understanding it” is 用會作麼(yu e at’s why Xuansha said this monk was still somo). Yu is “to use” and e is “understanding” within a demon’s cave in the black mountain, and somo is “what.” Usually this is read “what is the realm of delusive karmic thinking devoid of the use of understanding?” But in this second the light of wisdom. is is the rst possible interpretation this somo or “what” is not an interpretation: the monk had not penetrated in interrogative but a noun which refers to ‘thus- the least what Xuansha was pointing out. ness,’ the reality beyond discrimination. is is a statement, not a question. Xuansha did not 20 ask the monk what the use of understanding used understanding or words, letters, and might be. We can read the phrase as “using language, within non-discrimination. Language understanding for the sake of what (thusness).” and the reality beyond language completely is means that Xuansha used understanding interpenetrated each other. is is the second for the sake of pointing to this reality beyond possible interpretation of this conversation. discrimination for his students, allowing them to awaken to the reality. As a teacher Xuansha In Dogen’s comments he understands this had to communicate and share his insight or conversation in a way close to the second inter- awakening with his students. erefore as a pretation. According to Dogen, however, even skillful means he used these words and his the monk’s rst saying is not a question. is understanding as an oering. Xuansha was conversation between Xuansha and the monk saying that his phrase was a skillful means is not a question and an answer exchange, allowing him to share that reality with his rather both express their understanding of the students. In this interpretation Xuansha and Dharma together. Actually what Dogen writes the monk were on the same level and kind of here is not about a teaching of Xuansha’s that joking with each other in order to make sure he repeats to a monk who doesn’t see the real- they were both on the same page. ity. According to Dogen, both of them under- stood that the reality is beyond thinking, and e next day Xuansha asked the monk, yet they nonetheless discussed how to express “ e entire ten-direction world is one bright and show this reality using words. is is typi- jewel. How do you understand it?” Xuansha cal of Dogen’s creative way of reading tradi- asked exactly the same question as the monk tional teachings. asked the day before. en the monk repeated Xuansha’s answer. Both the monk and Xuansha Ten-direction world knew that they were using words and under- [text] standing to share this reality beyond thinking, （9） discrimination, and language. いま道取する「尽十方世界是一顆明珠」、はじ And nally Xuansha says, “I know that you めて玄沙にあり。 are making a livelihood inside a demon’s cave e utterance “ e entire ten-direction world in the black mountain.” In this case this “black is one bright jewel” was articulated by Xuansha mountain” is not a metaphor for delusion, but for the rst time. this complete black or darkness is a metaphor その宗旨は、尽十方世界は、広大にあらず、微 for non-discrimination, and “making a liveli- 小にあらず、方円にあらず、中正にあらず、活 hood” means “using discrimination or under- 潑潑にあらず、露廻廻にあらず、さらに生死去 standing.” Xuansha actually praised the monk 来にあらざるゆゑに生死去来なり。 and said that the monk was vigorously living e essential meaning of this saying is that the and freely using discrimination within the real- ten-direction world is neither vast nor tiny, ity of beyond discrimination. Both of them neither square nor round. It is not centered and 21 not straight. It is not vigorous like a sh jump- world” commonly refers to this entire dharma ing and not clearly revealed. Also, because it is world. When we hear this expression, we com- not the coming and going of life-and-death, it monly imagine our huge universe as boundless is the coming and going of life-and-death. space. But Dogen says that this ten-direction 恁麼のゆゑに、昔日曾此去にして、而今従此来 world is neither vast nor tiny. is means that なり。 there’s no way to measure the size of it. is us, yesterday has gone from here and the idea came from expressions found in Ma- present moment comes from here. hayana Sutras. For example, in the Vimalakirti 究辨するに、たれか片片なりと見徹するあらん、 Sutra, we read, たれか兀兀なりと撿挙するあらん。 Having completely penetrated it, who would “e bodhisattva who lives in the incon- thoroughly see it as each and every piece and ceivable liberation can put the king of who can investigate and hold it as the immov- mountains, Sumeru, which is so high, so able stillness? great, so noble, and so vast, into a mustard seed. He can perform this feat without Here Dogen begins to comment on this enlarging the mustard seed and without conversation between Xuansha and the monk shrinking Mount Sumeru…..Furthermore, in detail phrase by phrase. the bodhisattva who lives in the inconceiv- able liberation can pour into a single pore e utterance “ e entire ten-direction world of his skin all the waters of the four great is one bright jewel” was articulated by Xuan- oceans,…..”1 sha for the rst time. e universe has no size because there is no Dogen praises Xuansha for coining this way to measure its entirety. When we measure expression of Dharma. For him, to express the the size of something in our daily lives, we use Dharma using a unique expression (dotoku) for example the length of our ngers, hands, that has never been used by former ancestors is arms, or feet; that is, we compare the thing to be really important. Dogen begins his discussion measured with something we can see and are by explaining what “the ten-direction world” is familiar with. Since things like hands and like. ngers dier in size from person to person, people began long ago creating devises like ...the ten-direction world is neither vast nor rulers to measure things using some unit tiny,… common to the human world, ensuring that the measurements were precise and shareable with Measuring space other people. But how can we measure this e ten-directions are east, west, south, entire universe? Because no part of our bodies north, halfway between each of these, plus are usable to measure the size of the universe, downwards and upwards. “e ten-direction we may try to use a more suitable unit like the 22 light year. But the universe is getting bigger this before. To me it was a very interesting and bigger. I don’t think it is possible for us tiny question. en I considered an imaginary situ- parts of the universe to know exactly how big it ation: if Santa Claus lives exactly at the North is if the universe is expanding faster than the Pole, at the center of his house there’s no time, speed of light. ere is no way to measure it but within the rooms of his house he must have even using light years. 24 dierent time zones. I think logically speak- Since there is no way to measure it, we ing this is true. Each time he takes a step, he cannot say whether this ten-direction world is has to adjust his watch. big or small. And actually this expression “ten- Direction is the same as time in this way. I direction world” itself is ctitious. When we went to Anchorage in January to lead a sesshin. hear this expression we think there are objec- ere I found that the sun rises from the south, tively ten directions, but this is not true, as I stays in the south for several hours, and then will explain below. sets in the south. I looked in an English dictionary and a Japanese dictionary to check Measuring Time the denition of “north.” In both of them the Once I f lew from San Francisco to Anchor- denition of “north” was “the left hand side age, Alaska. When I arrived in Anchorage I when we face the direction the sun rises.” If heard an announcement saying there was a one Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, from which hour time dierence between San Francisco direction does the sun rise? For him all direc- and Anchorage. I adjusted my watch. At that tions are south; there’s no east and no west. time, a question arose in my mind: “What time When we look upon the planet earth from the is it at the North Pole?” And I realized that North Pole, the entire planet is south of us. At there’s no time on the North Pole. the North Pole there are only three directions: south, up and down. So we can see that “the We imagine longitudinal lines connecting ten-direction-world” is just a concept that the north pole and the south pole on the makes sense in a relative way on most parts of surface of the planet Earth. With them we the planet earth. But there’s no such thing that divide the 360 degrees of the Earth’s equator really exists outside of our conceptual domain. into 24 sections of 15 degrees each, and we determine the time within a particular section Another example illustrates this: some according to how far it is from the prime astronomers have been living at the Interna- meridian at Greenwich, England. When it is 3 tional Space Station for quite sometime, but is p.m. in San Francisco, in Anchorage it is 2 p.m. there south, north, west or east on that space We follow this system of time without ques- station? is also shows that the expression tioning it. However, at the North Pole what “the ten-direction world” is valid only on the time is it? at was my question. And I realized earth, and even here it doesn’t apply to two there is no time there, and that this is true of points on the planet. So there’s actually no such the South Pole as well. I had never thought of thing as “the ten-directions.” To me this shows 23 how important it is to be free from our habitual tious. at means our way of living is also cti- and conceptual way of thinking. ere is a well tious. known Zen verse that says: To understand this is really important in “When we are in delusion, the triple world order to grasp what Dogen is saying here. is like [an impenetrable] fortress. ere’s no such actual ten-direction world that When we are in realization, the ten direc- exists objectively. is is something that tions are empty. instead reveals our way of thinking, our way of ere is neither east nor west. viewing things, and our belief within the con- Where are north or south?” ventional world. And this conventional world is created by our mind. As long as we live In Shobogenzo Komyo (Radiant Light), within human society, we must agree to follow Dogen speaks about this expression appearing this conventional or ctitious system. And yet in the Introduction of the Lotus Sutra: “the as a reality there’s no actual twenty-four hours Buddha emitted a beam of light, illuminating in a day. We may measure time using a day, a the eighteen thousand worlds in the east....” He week, a year, a century or a millennium, but writes: these are all man-made. No such things as these existed before human beings appeared on this When we see or hear the expression, “illu- planet. ere’s no such measurement outside of minating the East,” it is contrary to our the human mind. Measurement is performed study of the buddha way to imagine it is as only by us human beings. if one piece of white silk were extending to the East. e entire ten-direction world is Our picture of the world is also condi- only the East. e East is called the entire tioned by the place we were born, our educa- ten-direction world. tion, and many other elements of our lives. And yet, without conventions and a certain We think the twenty-four hours of a day picture of the world, we cannot think at all. really exist, and we live following our estab- However the reality beyond our thinking is lished system of time. But that system is also truly unreachable by our thinking, so we simply a man-made fabrication. Time is not a cannot encounter this reality by thinking. real thing; it’s a conventional product of the When Dogen says, “it is neither vast nor tiny,” human mind. And yet we usually think the this means our measurement is unusable in twenty-four hours of a day really exist. I wake truly understanding this ten-direction world. It up at 4:30 a.m. ve days a week to practice is not a matter of being enlightened or deluded. zazen that begins at 5:10 a.m. And I need to do If we think the world we create in our minds certain things at a certain time each day, each really exists as it is, then we are truly deluded. month, and each year. My life is ruled by this system of time, but actually this time is cti- …, neither square nor round. 24 We have an image that the ten-direction bolic of the vigorous activity of living beings; world is like a sphere, but how can we know living beings energetically move from place to the shape of this universe? It is commonly place and are continually changing. “Com- believed that this universe is expanding, pletely exposed (露廻廻)” means never hidden becoming bigger and bigger. And yet, what is and never covered, being always exposed and the shape of this universe? We don’t really revealed. ese are two well-known Zen expres- know because we cannot reach the edge of this sions, but here Dogen negates them. He says universe, and we cannot leave this universe and we cannot say that our life is vigorous like a sh view it from the outside. ere’s no way we can jumping, and we cannot say whether the ten- judge the shape of the universe as round or direction world is always completely revealed or square. not. is means nothing can be said.

It is not centered and not straight. Also, because it is not the coming and going of life-and-death, it is the coming and going of is is a dicult sentence. e phrases life-and-death. “neither large nor small,” “neither square nor round” are clear. But the word used in the “ e coming and going of life and death” above sentence is chu sei (中正). Chu is “middle” refers to our life. We are born, live for a while, or “center,” and sei is “right,” “correct” or and then we die. We come into this world, stay “straightforward.” Large/small and round/square in this world for a time, and then leave this consist of opposites, and the words have dier- world. is is a common way of viewing our ent meanings. ese can be pairs, but chu and life. In Buddhism, this is considered transmi- sei are not opposites and do not constitute a gration within samsara; we are born into the pair. I don’t really understand what this means. world, live for a while, and then die, only to be But the opposite of chu would mean “lacking reborn somewhere else as another being, any edge or center,” and sei is in opposition lifetime after lifetime. is is the meaning of with “incorrect,” “curved,” “crooked,” or coming and going within life and death. “twisted.” So this sentence is saying we cannot And yet Dogen says this is not the coming judge whether the ten-direction world is and going of life and death. en immediately twisted or straight; there’s no way to say any- after saying this, he says precisely because this is thing. is is what “beyond our thinking” not the coming and going of life and death, it means. is the coming and going of life-and-death.

It is not vigorous like a sh jumping and not Elements come together in a certain way to clearly revealed. form a person, stay in this condition for a while, go through changes under to the inu- ese two are well-known Zen expressions. ence of other elements, and nally disperse. “Vigorous like a sh jumping (活潑潑)” is sym- is is due to the emptiness of the ve aggre- 25 gates. Because of emptiness, within this process nor round, therefore it can be big or small, nothing is actually born and nothing dies. round or square. ese two views express two ere is and at the same time there is not the sides of reality – one is emptiness, another is coming and going of life-and-death, precisely form. Viewed from the perspective of empti- because of the emptiness of all things. ness there are no such things as big or small, middle, round or square. But from another is logic, “because this is not A, this is A,” point of view, the view using our intellect, comes from ancient teachings such as the Dia- reason, and discriminating mind, we can say mond Sutra. We nd the same kind of rhetoric something is big compared to something there. It says for example: smaller. e rst of these two sides refers to the actual reality beyond thinking, and the other *Buddha dharma is not Buddha dharma, there- side refers to the copy of this reality created in fore it is called Buddha dharma. our minds. *A world system is not a world system, there- fore it is called a world system. According to the framework of the bright *All living beings are not all living beings, jewel found in the Śurangama Sutra, the therefore they are called all living beings. picture of the world or the copy of reality *All dharmas (things) are not all dharmas, created in our thinking mind is delusion. It therefore they are called all dharmas. should be negated and we must directly see this true reality or bright jewel in. order to awaken. at is the meaning of this practice and realiza- According to traditional commentaries, this tion. But what Dogen is saying in his commen- kind of contradictory statement should be taty does not follow such simple logic. He said applied to everything Dogen mentions in these rather that both sides are the entirety of the sentences. It is neither vast nor tiny, therefore it jewel. Because the dust is also part of reality, he is vast and also tiny. Because it is neither square didn’t say we must wipe it away; dust is delu- nor round, it can be square or round. And sion only when we are deceived by it. because it is not centered, it is centered. Wher- ever we are can be the center of the universe In Buddhist philosophy, this is the distinc- since the universe is innitely large, having tion between the ultimate reality and the con- therefore no particular place that is its absolute ventional reality. e conventional or relative center. Every place, in other words, can be the truth created in our mind is not negated. center. Nagarjuna said in Mulamadhyamakakarika,

is is Dogen’s unique rhetoric based on e teaching of the Dharma by the various the insight of prajna, the wisdom that sees Buddhas is based on the two truths; emptiness. is means “the ten-direction namely, the relative (worldly) truth and the world” is neither big nor small, neither square absolute (supreme) truth. ose who do 26 not know the distinction between the two seeing both sides, both are negated and truths cannot understand the profound armed at the same time. is is kind of a nature of the Buddha’s teaching. Without crazy thing from our habitual way of thinking. relying on everyday common practices (i.e., But according to Dogen, this is the way to see relative truths), the absolute truth cannot the true reality of all beings. be expressed. Without approaching the absolute truth, nirvana cannot be attained.2 Dogen is saying the same thing here about the ten-direction world. ere’s no such thing In his commentary Dogen says the same as the ten directions; they are ctitious as I said thing he said when he interpreted this famous above. But it is also true that we are living in the saying in the Diamond Sutra: ctitious, conventional world. If we ignore this fact, we lose the reality of our life as human In general, all forms are void and illusive. beings in human society. Our lives become To see all forms (諸相) as no-form (非相) is ctitious again in another way. But if we think to see the Tathagata (凡所有相，皆是虛妄。 the conventional world is the only one absolute 若見諸相非相，則見如來。). reality, then we lose the true reality beyond con- ventions. When we see both, these two sides In this case to see all form is negated. It says negate each other and also support each other. if we negate all forms and see no form then we can see the Tathagata. e Tathagata in this is is what we actually do in our zazen. In case is not a person, but reality itself. If we see zazen it is obvious that all thoughts are illusions forms, that is delusion created in our minds since they come up almost randomly as we sit and we cannot see the Tathagata. But if we quietly before a wall, but when we grasp them negate or become free from all forms such as as reality they become delusion. All dierent big or small and square or round, then we can kinds of thoughts come and go in zazen, but it see the true reality of emptiness; that is the is our practice to release our grasping and let go Tathagata. of them. is means we don’t believe some thoughts are true and other thoughts are false. In one fascicle of the Shobogenzo, Kenbutsu We don’t interact with thoughts, and we don’t (Seeing Buddha), Dogen reads this very simple make judgments based on thoughts. oughts statement in a dierent way. He reads this sen- are just coming and going, or in a sense the tence as, “to see all forms (諸相) and no-form (非 mind is “idling,” just as when we put a car into 相) is to see the Tathagata.” is tiny diver- neutral gear and the motor still runs although gence makes a great dierence. Commonly the car doesn’t move. Our brain is still func- seeing all forms is negated as delusion, but tioning and the function of our brain is to pro- Dogen does not negate either side. He says we duce thoughts. oughts are being produced need to see both all forms and no-form at the but we don’t grasp them; we just let go. We same time. en we see the Tathagata. By don’t take any action based on those thoughts. 27 oughts are coming up from our karmic con- present moment comes from here. sciousness formed from our past experiences. When we let go and don’t take any action based is sentence is about space and time. Time on those thoughts, we are free from karma, is a very important part of Dogen’s teaching. even if it is for just one moment – the next He discusses the nature of time in Shobogenzo moment we might “shift out of neutral gear.” Uji (Being-time). U is “being” and ji is “time.” en we continue the business of karmic con- Dogen basically says in the fascicle that being sciousness and take action. Both are there. Our and time are one thing; Uji (Being-time) is one thoughts are not really negated and eliminated; word. Being is time and time is being. they’re instead coming and going freely. Our common understanding of time is that Seeing no-form is our zazen itself. Within it f lows from the past through the present to this no-form of zazen all forms are coming and the future. Dogen says this is also a ction going. All ctitious forms are there but we are because the present moment is the only real not deceived by those forms and we don’t make reality. e past is no longer with us because it karma based on those karmic thoughts. Within has already gone, and the future is not with us our zazen both are there. To me, this is what because it has not yet come. So time doesn’t Dogen meant when he said, “ ink of not- really f low. Time is only this moment. ere thinking, and how do you think of not- are no such things as the past and the future as thinking? Beyond-thinking.” inking (思量) actual existents. Past and future are man-made and not thinking (不思量) negate each other. concepts created by our minds. Due to our But within zazen both are included. Our zazen memories of the past we think the past actually is not a method to see this reality, but this real- exists, and due to our hopes, plans and expecta- ity is happening within our zazen, or our zazen tions, we think the future exists although it has itself is this reality – including both sides. Our not yet come. We think of it as if it were some- zazen is not a method to improve our way of where waiting for us. Obviously both of these viewing things. But our zazen is itself the consist merely of fantasies, memories and beyond-thinking (非思量) that includes both dreams, even though they are important to us. thinking and not-thinking, or all forms and As reality, only this present moment exists. no-form. Our zazen is really a simple practice; just sit and do nothing. But within this simple And yet when we look closely at this pres- practice, the essential teaching of Buddhism is ent moment, this moment has no length. If it actualized. And yet when we start to think has even the slightest length we can still cut it about what this essential teaching is, we miss it. into two parts, and one half is already in the When we let go of thought, this reality that past and another half is still in the future. So includes both sides is already there. actually there’s no such thing as the present moment. e past and the future are not here us, yesterday has gone from here and the and the present moment is zero, simply a 28 border between the past and the future without asked, any length. en what is time? Time disap- pears. Time only exists in our way of thinking; “Why do you not have an attendant or lay time as a f low is a product of our mind. worker do this?” Because we remember things from the past and e tenzo said, “Others are not me.” because we study history, we think things hap- Dogen said, “Esteemed sir, you are truly pened in the past. Of course conventionally we dedicated. e sun is so hot. Why are you know we did such and such a thing in the past, doing this now?” and at this time I’m now doing what I’m doing e tenzo said, “What time should I wait as a part of a sequence of events from the past for?” up to now. Because I have been studying and e tenzo monk told Dogen that only here, practicing Dogen’s teaching, I now must now and the self exist as reality. is person, discuss my understanding of what he wrote. this moment, this place, and this work, are one. is is my karma. But these things all actually And yet, when we take a closer look, this one- exist only in my thinking. e actual reality is ness disappears; it becomes zero. To me it is simply that I’m here now, writing about this interesting that when this oneness becomes strange teaching of Dogen’s. zero, it becomes one with all time, all space, and all beings. ere is no past, no future and no present. And yet because there’s no such particular time is is also what Dogen writes when he called the present, this moment is connected describes his zazen as Jijuyu Zanmai in Ben- with the entirety of the past and the entirety of dowa. He says this short period of zazen is one the future. e entirety of time from the with all beings throughout all time. So we can beginning-less beginning to the endless end is say that one equals zero and zero equals innity one single moment if we don’t measure it with (1=0=∞). at is my formula for this reality. some unit such as a day, a week, a year, etc. e at means in our mind we create this cti- rst moment of the big bang to the end of the tious f low of time and we create histories or universe is simply one unsegmented moment. stories, thinking they are actual reality. But e entire range of time is one seamless when we examine them closely we see they do moment. Yet we make a separation when we not actually exist. e only reality is right now, say “yesterday,” “today,” or “tomorrow” in right here, this one particular person doing this creating the story of our lives with our minds. one particular thing. When in turn we take a closer look at this person, this place and this In Tenzo Kyokun (Instructions for the moment, they become zero. In this becoming Tenzo), Dogen introduces his conversation zero, the entire seamless reality throughout with an old tenzo monk at Tientong monastery. time and space is revealed. is is a very strange e tenzo monk was drying mushrooms in the idea, but this is what Dogen says not only about hot sun after lunch. When Dogen met him, he zazen but about the entire reality of our life. 29 In his writing “the ten-direction world” but this is the same expression Dogen Zenji refers to this entirety of seamless time and space uses in Fukanzazengi. e original word is in which everything is connected. is gotsu-gotsu (兀兀). 兀 is an interesting Chinese moment comes from “here,” the entirety of character. It origins perhaps are connected to time and space in which all things are happen- the shape of mountains, such as those you can ing interdependently. is means nothing is see in the Western United States. In the desert outside of this seamless time and space, every- there is perhaps a huge rock as big as a moun- thing is included and the past and present are tain. 兀 is suggestive of the shape of such a truly connected. is is one seamless moment rock. ere’s no change in the rock or its envi- and one limitless place that are connected with ronment throughout the year because it is the entirety of space. Everything is connected located in the desert where there is no water throughout time and space. Everything comes and no vegetation. So nothing grows in the and everything goes within this ten-direction spring, there is no greenery in the summer, and world although the ten-direction world does there are no fall colors in autumn. All the not really exist. seasons are the same and the rock never moves. It is an extremely stable rock made of just one Having completely penetrated it, who would piece. is is part of the expression used in thoroughly see it as each and every piece and Fukanzazengi that is translated as “immovable who can check and hold it as the immovable sitting” (gotsu-za, 兀坐). So our sitting is as stillness? immovable and stable as such a huge rock. is expression “gotsu-gotsu” is the opposite of “each “Each and every piece” is to see each and and every piece.” In the case of “each and every every thing interconnected within the network piece”, each thing is dierent and continually of interdependent origination, or Indra’s Net, changing. But “gotsu-gotsu” refers to one piece, both within space and within time. Each and so there’s no discrimination, no separation, no every being is interconnected in space and individuality and no change. is opposition time. From the perspective of “to view all again shows both sides of reality; everything is forms,” each and every thing is unique and independent, and yet at the same time every- independent. Who I am today is dierent from thing is one immovable piece. is is of course who I was yesterday; I’m independent from very contradictory. But these two views are not who I was. I’m also not you, and you are not two separate things. If we think they are sepa- me, so I am an individual person that is dier- rate, we create more discrimination and illusion. ent from other people. is is what “each and every piece” means here. is refers to “all An example I often use to illustrate this forms” (諸相), where each form is dierent. reality is that of a hand and ve ngers. A hand And yet the next phrase, “hold it as immov- is a collection of ve-ngers and yet at the same able stillness,” shows another side of reality. time it is just one hand. e collection of ve “Immovable stillness,” is a strange expression, ngers and the single hand are exactly the same 30 thing. When we see it as ve ngers, each times think if we negate individuality we unite nger is dierent, having its own name, its own with something called “oneness,” the “one shape, and its own way of functioning. e hand” as a kind of concept beyond our experi- thumb and little nger are dierent, for ence. And that is probably what in Western instance. Each nger of a hand is dierent just philosophy is called “noumenon.” But in Bud- as each person in this world is dierent. And dhism if we create a distinction between the yet when we see the collection of ngers as a ve ngers as phenomena and the one hand as whole and call it a hand, dierence or individu- noumenon, treating the two sides as two sepa- ality disappears. In that case it is simply one rate things, that is a problem. According to hand like the one piece of rock. is doesn’t Dogen if we consider the bright jewel to be mean that the ve ngers have disappeared – some permanent thing hidden inside things the ve ngers are still there – but those ve (noumenon) and our thinking or viewing ngers lose their individuality or separation so things to be dust (phenomena) that hides the there is simply one hand. ese are actually not jewel, then we create this kind of separation two sides of one reality but two ways of viewing and become dualistic. is is the point of one reality. ese two ways of viewing things Dogen’s writing these kinds of strange things. are called absolute truth and conventional Basically the reality he tries to show us is very truth. As I said, these two truths are not half simple – it is one hand and also ve ngers at and half of one reality or two sides of one real- the same time. But somehow within our minds ity, but they are two ways of seeing one reality. we create all dierent kinds of philosophical ese two views exist only within our minds; possibilities or theories and we lose sight of this they are not actually “out there” existing objec- reality. What Dogen wants us to do is to return tively. e reality is just this, here and now, and to this simple reality instead of chasing after all this reality can be called “one hand” and it also these dierent ways of thinking and grasping. at the same time can be called “ ve ngers.” at’s all.

Sometimes it is useful to see reality as made up of individual things, calling it a collection of 1 See e Holly Teaching of Vimalakirti: A Ma- ve ngers, so to speak. Sometimes it is useful hayana Sutra (translation by Robert urmon) to see things from a broader, more unitary per- p.52-53. spective. We can say a human being is a collec- tion of many cells, or we can say it is simply 2 Nagarjuna: A translation of his Mulamadhya- made up of f lesh and bones, for example. ere makakarika with an Introductory Essay (by Ken- are many way of viewing things, but reality is neth Inada, State University of New York at just one reality. And this one reality ultimately Bualo), p. 146. has no name. But an important point is that we some- 31 Treasury of the True Dharma Eye sūtras and scholastic commentaries, Dōgen Book 4 here treats the expression “hotsu bodai shin” in Bringing Forth the Mind of Bodhi the traditional terms of the bodhisattva’s aspira- Hotsu bodai shin tion to achieve the unsurpassed, perfect awak- ening of a buddha ( ; “arousing Translated by bodhi-cittotpāda Carl Bielefeldt the thought of bodhi”). In the process, he ignores the more innovative interpretations of Introduction the bodhi-citta as an inherent buddha mind and rejects the more radical claims that bringing is fascicle, book 4 of the twelve-fascicle forth this mind is equivalent to the ultimate Shōbōgenzō, occurs as number 70 in the vulgate awakening. edition and as number 34 in the sixty-fascicle is translation is based on the text pre- redaction. According to a colophon on some pared by the Soto Zen Text Project for its forth- manuscripts, it was composed in the spring of coming complete English version of the 1244, at Kippōji, Dōgen’s monastery in Echi- Shōbōgenzō. Due to considerations of space, it zen province. is colophon is identical with lacks the full annotation provided in that that of another fascicle entitled Hotsu bodai version. Passages in italics translate text given shin that is found as number 63 in the seventy- in Chinese in Dōgen’s original. ve-fascicle redaction. is latter work, occurs as number 69 in the vulgate Shōbōgenzō under Bringing Forth the Mind of Bodhi the title Hotsu mujō shin, the title given it in the sixty-fascicle collection, where it occurs as book Broadly speaking, there are three types of 63. Although some have taken the two colo- “mind”: phons at face value and assumed that both texts First is the mind of citta, called here [in were in fact composed on the same day, given China] “the mind of thinking”; second is that their contents and style are completely the mind of hrdaya, called here “the mind dierent, it seems more likely that, like most of of grasses and trees”; third is the mind of the other texts of the twelve-fascicle vrddha called here “the mind of accumu- Shōbōgenzō, our text here was composed at a lated essentials.”1 later date, and that, at some point in its history, the present colophon was added from the Among these, it is always the thinking earlier text. mind that is used to give rise to the mind of Unlike the earlier text, which deals with the bodhi. “Bodhi” represents the pronunciation metaphysics of the mind of bodhi and its of Sindhu [i.e., India]; here [in Chinese transla- expression in religious acts, the present work tion, it is called “the way.”2 Citta represents the emphasizes the bodhisattva’s seless aspiration pronunciation of Sindhu; here it is called “the to save all sentient beings from suering. Rely- thinking mind.” If it is not this thinking mind, ing almost entirely on proof texts from the it cannot give rise to the mind of bodhi. It is 32 not that we take this thinking mind as itself the who merely deliver living beings, who merely mind of bodhi; it is by means of this thinking benet living beings; it depends on the aspira- mind that we bring forth the mind of bodhi. tion of the bodhisattva. In short, the mind of To bring forth the mind of bodhi means bodhi means working constantly through the making a vow and engaging in the e ort to three types of karma [of body, speech, and deliver all living beings before we ourselves are mind] at how to cause all living beings to bring delivered. ough our status may be lowly, forth the mind of bodhi and lead them to the once we bring forth this mind, we are already way of the buddha. Frivolously providing them the teachers of all living beings. is mind is with worldly pleasures is not considered ben- not something present from the beginning, not eting living beings. is bringing forth the something that arises suddenly; it is not one, mind, this practice and verication, far tran- not many; it is not spontaneous, not xed; it is scend the boundaries of delusion and under- not something within our bodies, nor are our standing. ey surpass the three realms [of bodies within the mind. is mind does not desire, form, and formlessness] and excell in all extend throughout the dharma realm; it is not ways; they are not something the śrāvakas and before, it is not after; it is not existent, it is not pratyeka-buddhas can reach. nonexistent; it is not something with its own e Bodhisattva Kāśyapa said in a verse nature, it is not something with another’s praising the Buddha Śākyamuni, nature, not something with a shared nature, Bringing forth the mind and the ultimate not something with a nature lacking cause. — the two are without distinction; Nevertheless, where there is the interaction of But of the two states of mind, the former feeling and response, the mind of bodhi is mind is the more dicult. brought forth. It is not something bestowed by First to deliver others before one is deliv- the buddhas and bodhisattvas, not something ered oneself — we bring about ourselves. Because the mind is For this, I pay obeisance to the initial brought forth in the interaction of feeling and bringing forth of the mind. response, it is not spontaneous.3 Once it is initially brought forth, one has is bringing forth the mind of bodhi become a teacher to devas and humans; occurs mostly among humans of the southern Surpassing the śrāvakas and pratyeka- continent. ere are a few instances under the buddhas. eight inopportune circumstances but not Bringing forth the mind like this goes many. After bringing forth the mind of bodhi, beyond the three realms; one practices for three asamkhyeya kalpas and And thus it can be called the highest one hundred great kalpas.4 After practicing for unsurpassed.5 incalculable kalpas, one becomes a buddha; or, “Bringing forth the mind” means to bring after practicing for incalculable kalpas and rst forth the mind [that aspires] “rst to deliver delivering living beings, one does not in the others before one is delivered oneself.” is is end oneself become a buddha: there are those called “initially bringing forth the mind of 33 bodhi.” After bringing forth this mind, in stones, sand or pebbles is itself to take up the meeting many buddhas and making o erings mind of bodhi; to study “the water spray, foam to them, to see the buddhas, hear their dhar- or mirage” is to bear the mind of bodhi on your mas, and further bring forth the mind of bodhi own back. erefore, to give away countries and is “adding frost to snow.” cities, wives and children, the seven treasures, “e ultimate” means bodhi, the fruit of males and females, my heads and my eyes, my buddhahood. When we compare anuttara- marrow and my brains, the esh of my bodies, my samyak-sambodhi and initially bringing forth hands and feet — this is all the noisy hubbub of the mind of bodhi, while they may be like the the mind of bodhi, the lively apping of the re at the end of a kalpa and a rey, when we mind of bodhi.7 bring forth the mind that “ rst delivers others e present citta, the mind of thinking, is before one is delivered oneself,” “the two are with- not close by, is not far o , is not our own, is not out distinction.” another’s; yet when this mind is turned toward I always have this thought: the principle of “ rst to deliver others before one How can I cause living beings is delivered oneself,” without falling back from To enter the unsurpassed path it, it is the bringing forth of the mind of bodhi. And quickly achieve a buddha body? 6 erefore, when the grass and trees, tiles and is is itself the lifespan of a tathāgata: the pebbles, gold and silver, and precious treasures buddhas’ bringing forth the mind, practicing, to which all living beings are attached as their and verifying the fruit are all like this. possessions are given over to the mind of “Beneting living beings” means causing bodhi, is this not also bringing forth the mind living beings to bring forth the mind “ rst to of bodhi? deliver others before one is delivered oneself.” Yet Because neither the mind nor the dharmas we should not think that we will become bud- [occur] of themselves, another, both, or with- dhas on the strength of our causing [beings] to out cause, after this mind of bodhi has been bring forth the mind “ rst to deliver others brought forth for a single ksana, the myriad before one is delivered oneself.” Even though the dharmas all become supporting conditions.8 merit that would enable us to become buddhas More generally, both bringing forth the mind may have ripened and become complete, we and attaining the way occur according to aris- turn it around and dedicate it to the buddha- ing and cessation in a ksana. If there were not hood and attainment of the way of living arising and cessation in a ksana, the evil of the beings. previous ksana would not depart; and if the evil is mind is not ours, not another’s, not of the previous ksana did not depart, the good coming from elsewhere; yet after we bring of the subsequent ksana would not arise. It is forth this mind, when we take up the whole the Tathāgata alone who clearly knows the size earth, it turns entirely to gold, when we stir up of this ksana. “In one ksana of thought, he can the great oceans, they turn immediately to say a word; in one ksana of speech, he can explain ambrosia. ereafter, to take hold of earth, a letter” — this too is only the Tathāgata; the 34 other two vehicles [of śrāvaka and pratyeka- this way, without any intention, pulled along buddha] cannot do it.9 by our karma, our f lowing through birth and Generally speaking, during one snap of a death never pauses for a single ksanas. With the strong man’s ngers, there are sixty-ve ksanas; body and mind thus f lowing through birth and and though the ve aggregates are arising and death, we should bring forth the mind of bodhi ceasing [during this time], the common person [that aspires] “ rst to deliver others before one is never senses them. Above the duration of a delivered oneself. ” Even though we may begrudge tat-ksanas [equal to 120 ksanas], even the the body and mind on the path that brings common person can recognize it. In the course forth the mind of bodhi, through birth, old of one day and one night, there are 6,499,980 age, sickness, and death, they are in the end not ksanas,10 during which the ve aggregates are our own. all arising and ceasing. Nevertheless, common On the fact that the lifetime of living people never sense them; and, because they do beings passes swiftly, arising and ceasing with- not sense them, they do not bring forth the out surcease: mind of bodhi. ose who do not know the When the World-Honored One was in the buddha dharma, who do not believe in the world, there was a bhiksu who came to the buddha dharma, do not believe in the principle Buddha; prostrating himself at his feet, of the arising and ceasing of ksanas. then standing back to one side, he ose who clearly understand the treasury addressed the World-Honored One, saying, of the true dharma eye, the wondrous mind of “How swift is the arising and ceasing of nirvāna, necessarily believe in the principle of the lifetime of living beings?” the arising and ceasing of ksanas. Although it e Buddha said, “I can explain it, but appears that, having encountered the teachings you would not understand.” of the Tathāgata, we clearly understand [the e bhiksu said, “Is there some example principle], we only know it from the tat-ksanas that would show it?” and above, and simply believe that the prin- e Buddha said, ciple must be true. Our failure to clarify all the ere is, and I shall tell you. Suppose there dharmas preached by the World-Honored One are four accomplished archers, each hold- is like our failure to know the duration of a ing a bow and arrow, standing together ksanas. Students, do not irresponsibly become back to back and about to shoot in the four arrogant. We not only do not know the directions. ere is a swift fellow who extremely small, we also do not know the comes to them and says, “You may now all extremely large; yet, when we rely on the power shoot your arrows at the same time, and I of the way of the Tathāgata, living beings also can catch them all, without any falling to see the three chiliocosms. In short, our going the ground.” What do you think? Is he from this existence to the intermediate state, swift or not? and from the intermediate state to our next exis- e bhiksu said to the Buddha, “Swift tence, is all movement from ksanas to ksanas. In indeed, World-Honored One.” 35 e Buddha said, awakened the mind of bodhi?” e speed of that man does not match that We can clearly see from this, the fact that of a yakśa [spirit] that walks on the earth; the study of the way by the buddhas and ances- the speed of a yakśa that walks on the earth tors has always given priority to awakening the does not match that of a yakśa that ies mind of bodhi. is is the constant norm of through the sky; the speed of the yakśa that the buddhas and ancestors. “To awaken” means ies through the sky does not match the “to understand clearly.” is is not the great speed of those in the heavens of the four awakening: though one may have suddenly deva kings; the speed of those devas does veried the ten stages [of the bodhisttva path], not match the speed of the twin wheels of one is still a bodhisattva. e twenty-eight sun and moon; the speed of the twin orbs of ancestors of the Western Heavens and the six sun and moon does not match the speed of ancestors of the Land of Tang, as well as the Jianxing Tianzi, who pull the chariot of great ancestral masters — these are bodhisatt- the orbs of sun and moon. ese devas vas, not buddhas, not śrāvakas or pratyeka- increase in speed, yet the arising and ceas- buddhas. Among those who study nowadays, ing of a lifetime are faster than they are. there is not a single person who has clearly e ksanas ow on, without ever recognized that they are bodhisattvas, not pausing.11 śrāvakas. Arbitrarily calling themselves “patch- Such is the speed of the ow of the ksanas robed monks” or “the patch-robed,” since they arising and ceasing. From moment to moment, do not know that truth, they are in rank confu- the practitioner must not forget this principle. sion. How deplorable that, in this late season, Yet, while being at this speed of the ow of the the way of the ancestors has so declined. arising and ceasing of ksanas, for those who Such being the case, whether we are a bring forth a single thought of “rst delivering householder or a renunciate, whether in a others before one is delivered oneself, ” a long, long heaven or among humans, whether in suering life immediately appears before them. e bud- or in bliss, we should quickly bring forth the dhas of the three times and the ten directions, mind that seeks “rst to deliver others before one together with the seven buddhas, the world- is delivered oneself. ” Regardless of whether the honored ones, as well as the twenty-eight ances- realm of living beings is nite or innite, we tors of the Western Heavens and six ancestors bring forth the mind that seeks rst to deliver all of the Eastern Earth, down to the ancestral living beings; precisely this is the mind of bodhi. masters who have transmitted the Buddha’s When the Bodhisattva, in his nal life as “treasury of the true dharma eye, the marvelous heir apparent, is about to descend to mind of nirvāna” — all have maintained the Jambudvīpa, in his nal teaching to the devas mind of bodhi. One who has yet to bring forth of the Tusita Heaven, he said, “ e mind of the mind of bodhi is not an ancestral master. bodhi is a gateway to the illumination of the In the one hundred twenty questions of the dharma because it does not cut o the the three Chanyuan qinggui, it is said, “Have you treasures.”12 It is clear from this that our not 36 cutting o the three treasures is due to the dharma, we are likely to deny cause and e ect, power of the mind of bodhi. After we have to deny liberation, to deny the three treasures, brought forth the mind of bodhi, we should to deny the dharmas of the three times. Vainly rmly protect it and not turn back from it. addicted to the ve desires in the present, we e Buddha said, lose the merit for bodhi on the road ahead. Or Why does the bodhisattva protect one thing the Deva Māra-pāpīyā, and the like, in order to — i.e., the mind of bodhi? e obstruct the practitioner, may assume the bodhisattva-mahāsattva always strives to appearance of a buddha or appear in the guise protect the mind of bodhi, just as a worldly of parents, teachers, relatives, devas, and the person protects an only child; or, again, as like; and, drawing near, they will seduce the a person blind in one eye protects the other bodhisattva, saying, “ e way to buddhahood is eye; or as a traveler in a vast wilderness long, with protracted suering, painful in the protects his guide. e bodhisattvas’ protec- extreme. Better rst to liberate yourself from tion of the mind of bodhi is like this. birth and death, and then deliver living Because they protect the mind of bodhi like beings.” Hearing such persuasion, the practi- this, they attain anuttara-samyak sambo- tioner turns back from the mind of bodhi, dhi. Because they attain anuttara samyak- turns back from the practice of the bodhisattva. sambodhi, they are endowed with perma- But we should know that such talk is the talk of nence, bliss, self, and purity, the unsur- Māra. Bodhisattvas must recognize this and passed great parinirvāna. erefore, the not go along with it; they should never turn bodhisattva protects one thing.13 back from their vow “rst to deliver others before one is delivered oneself.” Such, clearly, are the words of Buddha on [Talk] that would have us turn back from protecting the mind of bodhi. e reason that the vow “rst to deliver others before one is deliv- we protect it and do not turn back from it is, as ered oneself”, we should recognize as the talk of is regularly said in the secular world, “ere are Māra, we should recognize as the talk of alien three things that are born but do not reach ways, we should recognize as the talk of bad maturity: sh eggs, the fruit of the āmra [i.e., friends. Never go along with it. mango], and the bodhisattva who has brought ere are four types of Māra: (1) Māra as forth the mind.” Since there are many who fall mental aictions; (2) Māra as the ve back from it, we have long feared that we too aggregates; (3) Māra as death; and (4) might fall back; and for this reason, we protect Māra as deva. the mind of bodhi. Māra as mental aictions refers to the one When, as beginners, bodhisattvas turn back hundred eight mental aictions, further from the mind of bodhi, it is mostly due to divided into the eighty-four thousand their failure to meet a true teacher. When we mental aictions. do not meet a true teacher, we do not hear the Māra as the ve aggregates refers to these true dharma; when we do not hear the true mental aictions combining as the causes 37 and conditions that produce this body. e of wisdom; therefore, they are called “mur- four primary elements and the forms derers.” produced by the four primary elements — Question: Since the one Māra as the ve form and eye faculty, and the rest — are aggregates includes the other three types, called “the form aggregate.” e combina- why distinguish them as four? tion of the sensations of the hundred eight Answer: In reality, they are one Māra; mental aictions is called “the sensation because we distinguish their meanings, we aggregate.” Our countless, large and small have four.14 perceptions, separate and combined, are e preceding is the work of the ancestral called “the perception aggregate.” e master Nāgārjuna. Practitioners should know it mental states of craving, anger,and the and diligently study it. Do not be foolishly like, arising from pleasant and unpleasant deceived by Māra and turn back from the mind thoughts, the dharmas associated and not of bodhi. is is protecting the mind of bodhi. associated [with the mind] are called the “formations aggregate.” By the combina- Treasury of the True Dharma Eye tion of the six sense organs and six sense Bringing Forth the Mind of Bodhi objects, there arise the six consciousnesses; Number 4 the incalculable, limitless states of mind ofthese six consciousnesses, separate and Presented to the assembly at the Yoshimine combined,are called “the consciousness Shōja, Yoshida district, province of Etsu, aggregate.” Fourteenth day, second month of kinoe-tatsu, Māra as death: because of the causes and the second year of Kangen [24 March 1244] conditions of impermanence, the lifespan of the continuing ve aggregates is broken Copied this from his [i.e., Dōgen’s] draft, down, and the three factors of conscious- ninth day, fourth month of kinoto-u, ness, warmth and life all depart; therefore, the seventh year of Kenchō [16 May 1255]. Ejō it is called “the Māra of death.” Māra as deva, lord of the realm of desire. Notes Because he is deeply attached to worldly pleasures and relies on gaining, he 1. “ e mind of citta”: ese denitions are produces false views and detests the way to borrowed from a passage in the Mohe zhiguan, nirvāna of all the wise men and sages. is by Zhiyi (538-597), identifying the Sanskrit is called “Māra as deva.” terms rendered by the Chinese xin (“mind”). “Māra” is a word of Sindhu; in Qin [i.e., Some scholars suggest that Sanskrit for the China], it means “the one who takes life.” third term should be reconstructed as vrddha Although Māra as death actually takes the (“expanded,” “developed”). e three terms are life, the others also create the causes and also introduced in the Shōbōgenzō shinjin conditions for taking life and take the life gakudō. 38 2. “‘Bodhi’ represents the pronunciation of 8. “Ksana”: I.e., a “moment,” an “instant.” Sindhu; here, it is called ‘the way’”: is and Dōgen uses the transliteration of the Sanskrit the following sentence translate Zhiyi’s Chi- term, which he will discuss below. nese in the Mohe zhiguan. e term “dao” (“the way”) was often used in Chinese translation for 9. “In one ksana of thought”: Quoting the Sanskrit “bodhi.” Mahāvibhāsā (Apidamo da piposha lun)

3. “ e interaction of feeling and response”: A 10. “In the course of one day and one night, xed expression for the communication there are 6,499,980 ksana”: A Japanese render- between a devotee and a deity; here, again, ing of a sentence in the Mahāvibhāsā. e Dōgen is relying on the Mohe zhiguan. number oku, here should be read as 100,000 (śata-sahasra, not 1,000,000), as is clear from 4. “ e southern continent”: I.e., our continent, the calculation of a day and night (ahorātra) south of Mt. Sumeru in Buddhist geography. given by the Apidamo da piposha lun at “ e eight inopportune circumstances”: Eight T.1545:27.701b8-12 conditions under which it is said to be dicult to encounter Buddhism; Sanskrit astāksana. 11. “When the World-Honored One was in the “ ree asamkhyeya kalpas and one hundred world”: Again, quoting the Mahāvibhāsā (Apidamo great kalpas”: A traditional calculation of the da piposha lun). length of the bodhisattva path. “Jianxing Tianzi”: e original Sanskrit here has not be identied. In Hindu mythology, the 5. “Bringing forth the mind and the ultimate”: chariot of the sun typically is pulled by seven I.e., the beginning and the culmination of the horses; that of the moon, by ten horses. bodhisattva path. e passage is a quotation from the Nirvāna Sūtra. 12. “ e Bodhisattva, in his nal life as heir apparent”: I.e., the Bodhisattva Jyotipāla, who 6. “I always have this thought”: Quoting a verse would be reborn in his next life as Siddhārtha by the Buddha Śākyamuni in the Lotus Sūtra. and become the Buddha Śākyamuni. His words here represent number 82 in the list of 108 7. “ e water spray, foam or mirage”: From a “gateways to the illumination of the dharma,” verse in the Lotus Sūtra: which Dōgen discusses in his Shōbōgenzō is world is entirely unstable, ippyakuhachi hōmyō mon. Like water spray, foam or mirage. “Countries and cities”: A list based on a pas- 13. “ e Buddha said”: Quoting the Nirvāna sage in the Lotus Sūtra, in which the Buddha Sūtra. Śākyamuni speaks of the oerings he made when he was born as kings in his incalculable 14. “ ere are four types of Māra”: Quoting the previous lives. Dazhidu lun. 39 My Footnotes on Zazen (12) can only say, “Please do so as you wish.” How- Breathing Softly ever, it is necessary to make it clear that it is Through the Nose (1) absolutely not all right to call what they are Rev. Issho Fujita doing “zazen.” If zazen ends up as a way of Director, Soto Zen Buddhism breathing, then this ruins zazen. International Center If we look at Dogen Zenji’s Fukanzazengi Isn’t it the case that many people think of (“Universally Recommended Instructions for zazen as some kind of “breathing method”? For Zazen”), we see there are only a few words deal- instance, it seems there are many people who ing with the breath – “breathe softly through do zazen with the understanding that zazen is the nose” – and that’s all. is is indeed terse. It the practice of a method of “breathing with the is so plain it feels anticlimactic. Looking at this tanden (the area of the abdomen below the simple wording, we can clearly see that zazen is navel).” I have actually met person who told fundamentally a dierent act than the complex, me, “I practice zazen in order to build up my methodical practice of a “breathing method.” It tanden.” is man seems to be proud of his is instructive to compare what I’ve just said by bellies which swell out like a raccoon dog due looking at a book with complicated description to his training of the lower abdominal area. He of what are called “breathing method.” In such said things like, “No matter how much zazen a book, there are detailed descriptions in step- you do, it won’t be any good because you don’t by-step order of how to breathe. ere are “the have a ‘zazen-belly’ like mine. Let me show your breathing method to rmly ground yourself,” belly. Harrumph…you still have a long ways to “the breathing method to be connected with go.” I’ve also received the instruction that when the center of the earth,” “the breathing method inhaling and exhaling, breathing should always of being one with the universe,” “the breathing be done by putting force into the tanden. method of moving the stomach,” “the breath- However, my present understanding of ing method of building up the hara (lower zazen is that it is not possible in any sense to abdomen),” “the breathing method of purify- return it to a sort of breathing method. is is ing the mind,” and on and on. Since these are to say that zazen extends far beyond the methods, it is desirable for each method to be category of “a breathing method” and that clearly formalized so anyone can do it the way essentially zazen must not be considered within it is written if he or she simply practices the such a framework. To express this in a more method faithfully in order that they can general way, trying to apprehend zazen within correctly accomplish the objective of any the “bracket” of a certain xed method or tech- certain method. You could even go so far as to nique is nothing other than “trivializing zazen.” say that the best thing about this approach is If someone says that he or she is sitting in zazen that these methods are so clearly dened there in order to train the tanden, I have no objection is absolutely no room for one’s personal inter- because that is what this person wishes to do. I pretation. 40 is brief passage, “breathe softly through teeth and the jaw will bend, an increase in cavi- the nose,” indicates a standpoint that is exactly ties and periodontal disease, snoring is more the opposite of pursuing a methodological likely to occur, an increase in the possibility of approach to breathing. Rather than a way of obstruction of the sense of taste as well as the articially regulating the breath, it is a straight- sense of smell, and the cheeks will become forward representation of the nature of the f labby In other words, the habit of breathing breath when sitting in zazen. It is, of course, with the mouth is not good for your health. So, not a way of using the breath to achieve some it is certainly the case that it is usually better to kind of prescribed objective. “Breathe softly breathe with the nose. Nevertheless, isn’t there through the nose” is not saying “Make an eort a more armative necessity for breathing with to breathe in an articial manner.” To the con- the nose particularly when sitting in zazen? trary, we must understand that this is a sugges- tion to go in the direction of “Sit in a way that ere have been some times when I could the breath moves naturally toward that way.” not avoid breathing with my mouth when is is to say that breathing softly through the sitting in zazen because my nose was terribly nose is the natural way to breathe and so we stued up due to having a cold or to hay fever. must return to that condition. is is not to But it has always been the case that compared concoct a special type of breathing nor is the to breathing with the nose, it has been very breath of “breathing softly through the nose” dicult to sit in zazen when I had to breathe one which is utilized to achieve something. It is with my mouth. I found it physically exhaust- “just breathing softly through the nose.” ing and I also felt it was dicult to settle down mentally. I clearly felt that it is unnatural to “Breathing with the nose” is to take the breathe with the mouth when sitting in zazen. breath in and out through the nose when It “doesn’t t” to breathe with the mouth when sitting in zazen. Air moves in and out through sitting in zazen. For those of you who want to the nostrils. In the Fukanzazengi, it says, “Rest know the reason for “breathing with the nose,” the tip of your tongue against the front of the try sitting in zazen for about 30 minutes mouth, with teeth together and lips shut.” It breathing all the time with the mouth. I’m sure only stands to reason that since the mouth is you will be able to experience the dierence. closed the result is to breathe with the nose. It Breathing with the mouth, when it is natural to must have clear reason when we are sitting in breathe with the nose, is an example of falling zazen to breathe with the nose and not with the into a stupid mistake without being aware of it. mouth. However, until now, I have never heard is is putting up with something that any sort of clear explanation for this reason. shouldn’t be used this way instead of doing it Generally speaking, many reasons have been the proper way which would be all together pointed out for the bad inf luence on one’s more comfortable. (And not only this because health of breathing with the mouth such as: a it often happens that in fact the side eects are weakened immune system, have an irregular harmful). 41 Before, I practiced aikido, at last after such spicuous so that it grates on the ears (and eyes). a long time, with young people without con- When breathing with the mouth, the eort sider my age. Surprising myself by how well I you make to inhale and exhale inevitably gives could move, I joyfully continued saying “I can the sensation of panting sounds which does not still keep on doing this.” While I had no par- go away. is is not the quiet, delicate breath ticular external injuries or bruises, from next we want in zazen. Breathing with the mouth day ferocious pain would begin to arise in my gives the impression of breathing as if in “crisis left knee. Since then, this would lead to the mode.” Zazen is for us denitely a matter of misery to interfered with sit in seiza or zazen studying the nature of “normality” or for some years. Recently, I spoke about this “everyday-ness” and so it is natural that normal matter with a seitai (Japanese healing method) breathing is to breathe with the nose. teacher . Who said, “Probably what happened is that an aikido move which usually is done One other thing is that for some reason or with the lower back is now, with advancing age, other breathing with the mouth gives the sensa- performed by the knee because the lower back tion of “breathing by lip.” e sensation has become less responsive. e result is that around the mouth of air going in and out is too there is a pain in the knee because the burden is conspicuous and the rened sensation of air too great for the knee.” “ at explains every- penetrating deeply into the body is elusive. is thing,” I thought. is is another example is not even close to “breathing softly” (the way similar to breathing with mouth. in which this rened sense is picked up of the intake of air gradually passing through and So, I did notice the diculty of sitting in lling the whole body and the condition where zazen when breathing with the mouth. is the exhalation of air slowly leaves the body); matter of meeting the requirements of “softly and rather the only kind of breath “moves through” as it is written in Fukanzazengi is roughly” (a way where air moving in and out of really dicult to do by breathing with the the oral cavity is coarsely perceived as a rough mouth. ere is an old commentary on this sensation). In the original Japanese language, word “softly” which says that it means “as if the character for “penetrate” as in “penetrate hiding and going away.” is is to say the everywhere” is used in the phrase breathing breath while sitting in zazen must be so quiet “through” the nose. In other words, since the and delicate to the extent we lose sight of it if meaning is “to circulate everywhere,” the breath we don’t pay very close attention. Air coming can be felt to ow smoothly throughout the into the body or air leaving the body, we can whole body. In this manner, breathing softly sense it in very subtle way. It is to this degree must be breathing with the nose. “Breathing that the boundary of in and out the movement with the nose” and “softly through” belong of the inconspicuous breath is quietly arising. together in an inseparable relationship. It is not In the case of breathing with the mouth, how- possible to “breathe softly” through the mouth. ever, rather than being soft, the breath is con- (To be continued) 42 NEWS

August 31－September 21, 2016 Dharma talks by Sotoshu Specially Dispatched Teacher were held at eight places in Brazil and one place in Paraguay.

September 7－9, 2016 North America Soto Zen Conference and Workshop were held at Zenshuji in Los Angeles, U.S.A.

September 18－25, 2016 Dharma talks by Sotoshu Specially Dispatched Teacher were held at six places in North America.

October 14－16, 2016 Europe Soto Zen Conference and Workshop were held at Zendonien in Blois, France.

October 15－16, 2016 Hawaii Soto Zen Workshop was held at Taishoji in Hawaii, U.S.A.

November 9－22, 2016 Dharma talks by Sotoshu Specially Dispatched Baika Teacher were held at four places in France, one place in Italy and one place in Nederland.

November 19, 2016 Hawaii Minister’s Autumn Meeting was held at Park Shire Waikiki in Hawaii, U.S.A.

December 14, 2016 South America Soto Zen Conference was held at Busshinji in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

January 27－February 8, 2017 Baika classes by Sotoshu Specially Dispatched Baika Teacher were held at four places in Hawaii.

February 25, 2017 Hawaii Minister’s Spring Meeting was held at Shoboji in Hawaii, U.S.A.

43 SOTO ZEN JOURNAL is published semiannually by the Soto Zen Buddhism International Center Issho Fujita, Editor Please address all inquiries or comments to: Soto Zen Buddhism International Center 1691 Laguna Street, San Francisco, CA 94115 Phone: 415-567-7686 Fax: 415-567-0200