Treasury of the True Dharma Eye

by Zen Master Dogen

  You may not notice that you study the green mountains, using numerous worlds of phenomena as your standards. Clearly examine the green mountains’ walking and your own walking. Examine walking backward and backward walking, and investigate the fact that walking forward and backward has never stopped since the very moment before form arose, since the time of the King of the Empty Eon.

  If walking had stopped, buddha ancestors would not have appeared. If walking ends, the buddha dharma cannot reach the present. Walking forward does not cease; walking backward does not cease. Walking forward does not obstruct walking backward. Walking backward does not obstruct walking forward. This is called the mountains’ flow and the flowing mountains.

  Green mountains thoroughly practice walking and eastern mountains thoroughly practice traveling on water. Accordingly, these activities are a mountain’s practice. Keeping its own form, without changing body and mind, a mountain always practices in every place.

  Don’t slander by saying that a green mountain cannot walk and an eastern mountain cannot travel on water. When your understanding is shallow, you doubt the phrase Green mountains are always walking. When your learning is immature, you are shocked by the words “flowing mountains.” Without fully understanding even the words “flowing water,” you drown in small views and narrow understanding.

  Yet, the characteristics of mountains manifest their form and life force. There is walking, there is flowing, and there is a moment when a mountain gives birth to a mountain child. Because mountains are buddha ancestors, buddha ancestors appear in this way.

  Even if you have an eye to see mountains as grass, trees, earth, rocks, or walls, do not be confused or swayed by it; this is not complete realization. Even if there is a moment when you view mountains as the seven treasures’ splendor, this is not returning to the source. Even if you understand mountains as the realm where all buddhas practice, this understanding is not something to be attached to. Even if you have the highest understanding of mountains as all buddhas’ wondrous characteristics, the truth is not only this. These are conditioned views. This is not the understanding of buddha ancestors, but merely looking through a bamboo pipe at a corner of the sky.

  Turning circumstances and turning mind is rejected by the great sage. Speaking of mind and speaking of essence is not agreeable to buddha ancestors. Seeing into mind and seeing into essence is the activity of people outside the way. Confined words and phrases do not lead to liberation. There is something free from all of these views. That is: Green mountains are always walking, and Eastern mountains travel on water. Study this in detail.

  A stone woman gives birth to a child at night means that the moment when a barren woman gives birth to a child is called night.

  There are male stones, female stones, and nonmale, nonfemale stones. Placed in the sky and in the earth, they are called heavenly stones and earthly stones. These are explained in the ordinary world, but not many people know about it.

  Understand the meaning of gives birth to a child. At the moment of giving birth to a child, is the mother separate from the child? Study not only that you become a mother when your child is born, but also that you become a child. This is to actualize giving birth in practice-realization. Study and investigate this thoroughly.

  Yunmen, Great Master Kuangzhen, said, “Eastern mountains travel on water.”

  The meaning of these words brought forth that all mountains are eastern mountains, and all eastern mountains travel on water. Because of this, Nine Mountains, Mount Sumeru, and other mountains appear and have practice-realization. These are called eastern mountains. However, could Yunmen penetrate the skin, flesh, bones, and marrow of the eastern mountains and their vital practice-realization?

  Now, in Great Song China there are careless fellows who form groups; they cannot be set straight by the few true masters. They say that the statement “Eastern mountains travel on water,” or Nanquan’s story of a sickle, is illogical; what they mean is that any words having to do with logical thought are not buddha ancestors’ Zen words, and that only illogical stories are buddha ancestors’ expressions. In this way they consider Huangbo’s striking with a staff and Linji’s shout as beyond logic and unconcerned with thought; they regard these as words of great enlightenment that precede the arising of form.

  They say, “Ancient masters used expedient phrases, which are beyond understanding, to slash entangled vines.” Those who say this have never seen a true master, and they have no eye of understanding. They are immature, foolish fellows not even worth discussing. In China these two or three hundred years, there have been many groups of demons and six types of heretical thinkers. What a pity! The great road of buddha ancestors is crumbling. People who hold this view are not even as good as shravakas of the Lesser Vehicles and are more foolish than those outside the way. They are neither laypeople nor monks, neither human nor heavenly beings. They are more stupid than animals that learn the buddha way.

  The illogical stories mentioned by those bald-headed fellows are only illogical for them, not for buddha ancestors. Even though they do not understand, they should not neglect studying the buddha ancestors’ path of understanding. Even if it is beyond understanding in the end, their present understanding is off the mark.

  I have personally seen and heard many people like this in Song China. How sad that they do not know about the phrases of logical thought, or penetrating logical thought in phrases! When I laughed at them in China, they had no response and remained silent. Their idea about illogical words is only a distorted view. Even if there is no teacher to show them the original truth, their belief in spontaneous enlightenment is a view of those outside the way.

  Know that eastern mountains travel on water is the bones and marrow of the buddha ancestors. All waters appear at the foot of the eastern mountains. Accordingly, all mountains ride on clouds and walk in the sky. All mountains are the tops of the heads of all waters. Walking beyond and walking within are both done on water. All mountains walk with their toes on waters and make them splash. Thus, in walking there are seven vertical paths and eight horizontal paths. This is practice-realization.

  Water is neither strong nor weak, neither wet nor dry, neither moving nor still, neither cold nor hot, neither existent nor nonexistent, neither deluded nor enlightened. When water solidifies, it is harder than a diamond. Who can crack it? When water melts, it is softer than milk. Who can destroy it? Do not doubt that these are the characteristics water manifests. Reflect on the moment when you see water of the ten directions as water of the ten directions.

  This is not merely studying the moment when human and heavenly beings see water; this is studying the moment when water sees water. Because water practices and realizes water, water expresses water. Actualize the path where self encounters self. Go forward and backward, leaping beyond the vital path where other fathoms other.

  Not all beings see mountains and waters in the same way. Some beings see water as a jeweled ornament, but they do not regard jeweled ornaments as water. What in the human realm corresponds to their water? We only see their jeweled ornaments as water.

  Some beings see water as wondrous blossoms, but they do not use blossoms as water. Hungry ghosts see water as raging fire or pus and blood. Dragons and fish see water as a palace or a pavilion. Some beings see water as the seven treasures or a wish-granting jewel. Some beings see water as a forest or a wall. Some see it as the dharma nature of pure liberation, the true human body, or the form of the body and the essence of mind. Human beings see water as water. Water is seen as dead or alive depending on [the seer’s] causes and conditions.

  Thus, the views of all beings are not the same. Question this matter now. Are there many ways to see one thing, or is it a mistake to see many forms as one thing? Pursue this beyond the limit of pursuit. Accordingly, endeavors in practice-realization of the way are not limited to one or two kinds. The thoroughly actualized realm has one thousand kinds and ten thousand ways.

  When we think about the mean
ing of this, it seems that there is water for various beings but there is no original water—there is no water common to all types of beings. But water for these various kinds of beings does not depend on mind or body, does not arise from actions, does not depend on self or other. Water’s freedom depends only on water.

  In this way, water is not just earth, water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness. Water is not blue, yellow, red, white, or black. Water is not form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or mind. But water as earth, water, fire, wind, and space actualizes itself.

  This being so, it is difficult to say who has created this land and palace right now or how such things have been created. To say that the world is resting on the wheel of space or on the wheel of wind is not the truth of the self or the truth of others. Such a statement is based only on a small view of assumptions. People speak this way because they think that it is impossible for things to exist without having a place to rest.

  The Buddha said, “All things are ultimately unbound. There is nowhere that they permanently abide.”

  Know that even though all things are unbound and not tied to anything, they abide in their own condition. However, when most human beings see water, they only see that it flows unceasingly. This is a limited human view; there are actually many kinds of flowing. Water flows on the earth, in the sky, upward, and downward. It flows around a single curve or into many bottomless abysses. When it rises it becomes clouds. When it descends it forms abysses.

  Wenzi said, “The path of water is such that when it rises to the sky, it becomes raindrops; when it falls to the ground, it becomes rivers.”

  Even a secular person can speak this way. You who call yourselves descendants of buddha ancestors should feel ashamed of being more ignorant than an ordinary person. The path of water is not noticed by water, but is actualized by water. It is not unnoticed by water, but is actualized by water.

  When it rises to the sky, it becomes raindrops means that water rises to the heavens and skies and forms raindrops. Raindrops vary according to the different worlds. To say that there are places water does not reach is the teaching of the shravakas in the Lesser Vehicles or the mistaken teaching of people outside the way. Water exists inside fire and inside mind, thought, and discernment. Water also reaches inside realization of buddha nature.

  When it falls to the ground, it becomes rivers means that when water reaches the ground it turns into rivers. The essence of the rivers becomes a wise person.

  Ordinary fools and mediocre people nowadays think that water is always in rivers or oceans, but this is not so. There are rivers and oceans within water. Thus, even where there is not a river or an ocean, there is water. It is just that when water falls down to the ground, it manifests the characteristics of rivers and oceans.

  Also, do not think that where water forms rivers or oceans there is no world and there is no buddha land. Even in a drop of water innumerable buddha lands appear. Accordingly, it is not that there is only water in the buddha land or a buddha land in water.

  Where water abides is not concerned with the past, future, present, or the worlds of phenomena. Yet, water is the fundamental point actualized. Where buddha ancestors reach, water never fails to reach. Where water reaches, buddha ancestors never fail to be present. Thus, buddha ancestors always take up water and make it their body and mind, make it their thought.

  In this way, the words “Water does not rise” are not found in scriptures inside or outside [of buddha dharma]. The path of water runs upward, downward, and in all directions.

  However, one buddha sutra does say, “Fire and air go upward, earth and water go downward.” This upward and downward require examination. Examine this from the point of view of the buddha way. Although you use the word downward to describe the direction earth and water go, earth and water do not actually go downward. In the same way, the direction fire and air go is called upward.

  The world of phenomena is not limited by up, down, or the cardinal directions. They are tentatively designated according to the directions in which four great elements, five great elements, or six great elements go. The Heaven of No Thought should not be regarded as upward nor should Avichi Hell be regarded as downward. The Avichi Hell is the entire world of phenomena; the Heaven of No Thought is the entire world of phenomena.

  Now, when dragons and fish see water as a palace, it may be like human beings seeing a palace. They may not think it flows. If an outsider tells them, “What you see as a palace is running water,” the dragons and fish may be astonished, just as we are when we hear the words Mountains flow. Nevertheless, there may be some dragons and fish who understand that the railings and pillars of palaces and pavilions are flowing water.

  Quietly reflect and ponder the meaning of this. If you do not learn to penetrate your superficial views, you will not be free from the body and mind of an ordinary person. Then you will not thoroughly experience the land of buddha ancestors, or even the land or the palace of ordinary people.

  At this time, human beings deeply know that what is in the ocean and the river is water, but do not know what dragons and fish see and use as water. Do not foolishly suppose that what we see as water is used as water by all other beings. You who study with buddhas should not be limited to human views when you see water. Go further and study water in the buddha way. Study how you view the water used by buddha ancestors. Study whether there is water or no water in the house of buddha ancestors.

  Mountains have been the abode of great sages from the limitless past to the limitless present. Wise people and sages all have mountains as their inner chamber, as their body and mind. Because of wise people and sages, mountains are actualized.

  You may think that in mountains many wise people and great sages are assembled. But after entering the mountains, not a single person meets another. There is just the vital activity of the mountains. There is no trace of anyone having entered the mountains.

  When you see mountains from the ordinary world, and when you meet mountains while in mountains, the mountains’ head and eye are viewed quite differently. Your idea or view of mountains not flowing is not the same as the view of dragons and fish. Human and heavenly beings have attained a position concerning their own worlds that other beings may doubt or may not have the capacity to doubt.

  Do not remain bewildered and skeptical when you hear the words Mountains flow; but study these words with buddha ancestors. When you take up one view, you see mountains flowing, and when you take up another view, mountains are not flowing. One time mountains are flowing, another time they are not flowing. If you do not fully understand this, you do not understand the true dharma wheel of the Tathagata.

  An ancient buddha said, “If you do not wish to incur the cause for Unceasing Hell, do not slander the true dharma wheel of the Tathagata.” Carve these words on your skin, flesh, bones, and marrow; on your body, mind, and environs; on emptiness and on form. They are already carved on trees and rocks, on fields and villages.

  Although mountains belong to the nation, mountains belong to people who love them. When mountains love their master, such a virtuous sage or wise person enters the mountains. Since mountains belong to the sages and wise people living there, trees and rocks become abundant and birds and animals are inspired. This is so because the sages and wise people extend their virtue.

  Know for a fact that mountains are fond of wise people and sages. Rulers have visited mountains to pay homage to wise people or to ask for instructions from great sages. These have been excellent precedences in the past and present. At such times these rulers treat the sages as teachers, disregarding the protocol of the usual world. The imperial power has no authority over the wise people in the mountains. Mountains are apart from the human world. At the time the Yellow Emperor visited Mount Kongdong to pay homage to Guangcheng, he walked on his knees, touched his forehead to the ground, and asked for instruction.

  When Shakyamuni Buddha left his father’s palace and entered the mountains, his father, the king, did not r
esent the mountains, nor was he suspicious of those who taught the prince in the mountains. The twelve years of Shakyamuni Buddha’s practice of the way were mostly spent in the mountains, and his opening of the way occurred in the mountains. Thus, even his father, a wheel-turning king, did not wield authority in the mountains.

  Know that mountains are not the realm of human beings or the realm of heavenly beings. Do not view mountains from the standard of human thought. If you do not judge mountains’ flowing by the human understanding of flowing, you will not doubt mountains’ flowing and not flowing.

  On the other hand, from ancient times wise people and sages have often lived on water. When they live on water, they catch fish, catch human beings, and catch the way. These were all ancient ways of being on water, following wind and streams. Furthermore, there is catching the self, catching catching, being caught by catching, and being caught by the way.

  Priest Decheng abruptly left Mount Yao and lived on the river. There he produced a successor, the wise sage of the Huating River [Jiashan Shanhui]. Is this not catching a fish, catching a person, catching water, or catching the self? The disciple seeing Decheng is Decheng. Decheng guiding his disciple is meeting a [true] person.

  It is not only that there is water in the world, but there is a world in water. It is not merely in water. There is a world of sentient beings in clouds. There is a world of sentient beings in the air. There is a world of sentient beings in fire. There is a world of sentient beings on earth. There is a world of sentient beings in the world of phenomena. There is a world of sentient beings in a blade of grass. There is a world of sentient beings in one staff.