Treasury of the True Dharma Eye

by Zen Master Dogen

  There is the aspiration for enlightenment, bits and pieces of straightforward mind, the mind of ancient buddhas, everyday mind, and the inseparable-from-the-three-realms mind. Sometimes you study the way by casting off the mind. Sometimes you study the way by taking up the mind. Either way, study the way with thinking and study the way not-thinking.

  To authentically inherit and transmit the brocade robe, to say, “You have attained my marrow,” to make three bows and return to the original place, or to pound rice and receive the robe—this is studying mind with mind.

  Shaving the head and wearing the robe is itself turning the mind and illuminating the mind. Leaving the castle and entering the mountains is leaving one mind and entering one mind. To directly enter the mountains is to think not-thinking. To leave the world behind is beyond thinking.

  Those who have rolled up this matter into wide-open eyeballs are two or three bushels. Those who have tampered with it by karma-consciousness are thousands and millions of pieces.

  When you study the way in this manner, having merit, the result may come of itself; having the result, merit may not arrive. You will secretly borrow the nostrils of buddha ancestors and have them exhale; taking up the hoof of a donkey, you will have it imprint the seal of enlightenment. These are authentic examples of the ancient tradition.

  Now, mountains, rivers, earth, the sun, the moon, and stars are mind. At just this moment, what is it that appears directly in front of you? “Mountains, rivers, and earth” do not merely mean the mountains, rivers, and earth where you are standing. There are various kinds of mountains, such as Great Sumeru and Small Sumeru; some mountains extend widely, some rise up steeply. A billion worlds and innumerable lands can be found in a mountain. There are mountains suspended in form; there are mountains suspended in emptiness.

  There are also many kinds of waters: heavenly rivers, earthly rivers, and the four great rivers. There are lakes without heat; in the Great Northern Continent there are four Anavatapta Lakes, there are oceans and rivers. There are oceans and pools.

  Earth is not necessarily ground, and ground is not necessarily earth. There is earth-ground, there is mind-ground, there is treasure-ground. Although the varieties are innumerable, it is not that there is no earth, but without doubt there is a world where emptiness is earth.

  The sun, the moon, and stars as seen by humans and by devas are not the same, and the views of them by various beings differ widely. Views about one mind differ as well. Yet these views are nothing but mind. Is it inside or outside? Does it come or go? Is there more of it at birth or not? Is there less of it at death or not? How do we understand this birth and death, and views of birth and death?

  All this is merely a moment or two of mind. A moment or two of mind is a moment of mountains, rivers, and earth, or two moments of mountains, rivers, and earth. Because mountains, rivers, earth, and so forth neither exist nor do not exist, they are not large or small, not attainable or unattainable, not knowable or unknowable, not penetrable or impenetrable. They neither change with realization, nor change without realization. Just wholeheartedly accept with trust that to study the way with mind is this mountains-rivers-and-earth mind itself thoroughly engaged in studying the way.

  This trust and acceptance is neither large nor small, neither existent nor nonexistent. To study in this manner—understanding that home is no home, abandoning home, and entering the homeless life—is not measurable as large or small, near or far. It is beyond beginning or end, beyond ascending or descending. Unrolling the matter, it is seven or eight feet. Responding immediately, it benefits the self and others. All this is nothing but the study of the way.

  Because the study of the way is like this, walls, tiles, and pebbles are mind. Other than this there are no three realms inseparable from mind, and no universe inseparable from mind. Mind is walls, tiles, and pebbles, put together before the Xiantong Era [860–873] and taken apart after the Xiantong Era, splattered with mud and soaking wet. Binding the self with no rope, mind has the power to attract a pearl, and the ability to be a pearl in water. Some days the pearl is melted. Sometimes it is crushed. There are times when this pearl is reduced to extremely fine powder. Mind does not converse with bare pillars or rub shoulders with hanging lanterns. In this manner the mind studies the way running barefoot—who can get a glimpse of it? The mind studies the way turning somersaults—all things tumble over with it. At this time a wall crumbling away allows you to study the ten directions, and the gateless gate allows you to study the four quarters.

  The aspiration for enlightenment can occur within birth-and-death, within nirvana. It can also occur without concern for birth-and-death and nirvana. It does not depend upon the place where it occurs, nor is it hindered by the place where it occurs.

  Conditions do not arouse it, and knowledge does not arouse it. The aspiration for enlightenment arouses itself. This arousing is the aspiration for enlightenment. The aspiration for enlightenment is neither existent nor nonexistent, neither wholesome nor unwholesome nor neutral. It is not the result of past actions. Even beings in the blissful realms can arouse it. The aspiration for enlightenment arises just at the time of arising; it is not limited by conditions.

  At the very moment when the aspiration for enlightenment is aroused, the entire world of phenomena arouses the aspiration for enlightenment. Although the aspiration for enlightenment seems to create conditions, it actually does not encounter conditions. The aspiration for enlightenment and conditions together hold out a single hand—a single hand held out freely, a single hand held out in the midst of all being. Thus, the aspiration for enlightenment is aroused even in the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, animals, and fighting spirits.

  “Bits and pieces of straightforward mind” means all the bits and pieces moment after moment are straightforward mind. Not only one or two pieces, but all bits and pieces. The lotus leaf is completely round, round as a mirror. The tip of the water chestnut is extremely sharp, sharp as a gimlet.

  Although straightforward mind resembles a mirror, it is bits and pieces. Even if it resembles a gimlet, it is bits and pieces.

  As for the mind of ancient buddhas, a monk once asked Huizhong, National Teacher Dazheng, “What is the mind of ancient buddhas?”

  Huizhong said, “Walls, tiles, and pebbles.”

  Thus, know that the mind of the ancient buddhas is not merely walls, tiles, and pebbles; and that walls, tiles, and pebbles are not merely called the mind of the ancient buddhas. The mind of the ancient buddhas is studied in this way.

  “Everyday mind” means to maintain everyday mind in this world or in any world. Yesterday goes forth from this moment, and today comes forth from this place. While going the boundless sky goes, and while coming the entire earth comes. This is everyday mind.

  Everyday mind opens the gate of the inner chamber. Because thousands of gates and myriads of doors open and close all at once, it is everyday mind. Now, this boundless sky and entire earth are like unrecognized words, a voice from the deep. Words are all-inclusive, mind is all-inclusive, things are all-inclusive.

  Although there is birth and death in each moment of this life of birth and death, the body after the final body is never known. Even though you do not know it, if you arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, you will move forward on the way of enlightenment. The moment is already here. Do not doubt it in the least. Even if you should doubt it, this is nothing but everyday mind.

  To study the way with body means to study the way with your own body. It is the study of the way using this lump of red flesh. The body comes forth from the study of the way. Everything that comes forth from the study of the way is the true human body.

  The entire world of the ten directions is nothing but the true human body. The coming and going of birth and death is the true human body.

  To turn this body around, abandoning the ten unwholesome actions, keeping the eight precepts, taking refuge in the three treasures, and leaving home and entering the homeless life, is the true st
udy of the way. For this reason it is called the true human body. Those who follow this must not be like outsiders who hold the view of spontaneous enlightenment.

  Baizhang, Zen Master Dazhi, said, “If you are attached to the view that original purity and original emancipation are buddha, or to Zen practice, you are a follower of the outsiders’ way of spontaneous enlightenment.”

  This teaching is not the broken furniture of an abandoned house, but the collected efforts and accumulated virtue of studying the way. The body suddenly leaps up, transparently clear in eight facets. It drops away, while entwined around a tree like wisteria.

  Baizhang’s words are nothing but manifesting this body, awakening beings, and expounding the dharma; manifesting another’s body, awakening beings, and expounding the dharma; beyond manifesting this body, awakening beings, and expounding the dharma; beyond manifesting another’s body, awakening beings, and expounding the dharma. Then again, his words are beyond expounding the dharma.

  Thus, at the moment of dropping away the body, there is a voice that stops all sound. At the moment of renouncing worldly life, the arm is cut off and the marrow is attained. Even if you begin to study the way before the eon of the King of Emptiness, still your practice as a descendant of yourself is endless.

  “The entire world of the ten directions” means that all ten directions are the entire world. East, west, south, north, the four midpoints, up, and down are the ten directions. Consider the moment when front and back, vertical and horizontal, are thoroughly reached. To consider means to understand and to resolve that this human body, undivided by self and others, is the entire world of the ten directions. This is to hear what has never been heard, because directions are all-inclusive and all worlds are alike.

  “The human body” means the four great elements and the five skandhas. However, none of these elements or objects are fully understood by ordinary people; only sages thoroughly master them.

  Now, penetrate the ten directions within one particle of dust, but do not confine them to one particle of dust. Construct a monks’ hall and a buddha hall within a single particle of dust, and construct the entire world in the monks’ hall and the buddha hall. In this way the human body is constructed, and such construction comes from the human body. This is the meaning of “The entire world of the ten directions is the true human body.” Do not follow the mistaken views of spontaneous or natural enlightenment.

  Because it is not in the realm of the measurable, the true human body is not broad or narrow. The entire world of the ten directions is eighty-four thousand dharma-expounding skandhas, eighty-four thousand samadhis, and eighty-four thousand dharanis.

  Because the eighty-four thousand dharma-expounding skandhas are turning the dharma wheel, the moment the dharma wheel is turned, the true human body covers the whole universe and extends throughout all time. It is not that the true human body is unlimited; the true human body is just the true human body. At this moment it is you, at this moment it is I, that is the true human body, the entire world of the ten directions. Study the way without missing these points.

  Even if you were to renounce the body or accept the body for three great eons, for thirteen great eons, or for innumerable eons, by all means this is the moment to study the way, to study the way backward and forward.

  To bow all the way to the floor and to bow standing is awesome presence in motion and stillness. Painting a decayed tree and polishing a brick of dead ash continue without stopping. Even though calendar days are short and urgent, study of the way in this manner is profound and deep.

  Although the life of those who have abandoned home and entered the homeless realm may appear bleak and lonely, it should not be confused with that of worldly woodcutters. Even if home leavers are continually active, their life is not the same as that of farmers. In the study of the true human body, do not get caught up in discussions of delusion or enlightenment, good or bad. Do not stay in the realm of wrong or right, true or false.

  “Coming and going of birth and death is the true human body” means that even though birth-and-death is where ordinary people drift about, it is where great sages are liberated. Merely going beyond the ordinary and surpassing the sage is not the true human body. Although there are two or seven kinds of birth and death, when they are thoroughly mastered they are not to be feared, as each one of them is nothing but birth and death. How is this so? Not abandoning birth, you see death. Not abandoning death, you see birth. Birth does not hinder death. Death does not hinder birth.

  Neither birth nor death is known by ordinary people. Birth is like a cypress tree. Death is like an iron person. Even if a cypress tree were to hinder a cypress tree, birth is never hindered by death. Accordingly, birth and death are the study of the way. Birth is not like one sheet of cloth; death is not like two rolls of cloth. Death is not the opposite of birth; birth does not precede death.

  Keqin, Zen Master Yuanwu, said:

  Birth is the emergence of undivided activity.

  Death is the emergence of undivided activity.

  Filling up the great empty sky,

  straightforward mind is always bits and pieces.

  Quietly pursue and examine these words. Although Keqin said this, he did not understand that birth-and-death further overflows undivided activity.

  When you study coming and going, in coming there is birth-and-death, in going there is birth-and-death. In birth there is coming and going, in death there is coming and going. Coming and going are to fly in and fly out with the entire world of the ten directions as two or three wings, and to walk forward and backward with the entire world of the ten directions as three or five feet.

  With birth and death as its head and tail, the entire world of the ten directions, the true human body, freely turns the body and flaps the brain. When turning the body and flapping the brain, it is the size of a penny, it is inside a particle of dust. It is the vast, flat earth, it is a sheer eight-thousand-foot cliff. Where there is a sheer eight-thousand-foot cliff, there is the vast, flat earth. In this way, the true human body is manifested as the Southern and Northern Continents. To examine this is the study of the way.

  The true human body is the bones and marrow of the realm beyond consciousness and unconsciousness. Just raising this up is the study of the way.

  This was taught to the assembly of the Horin Monastery on the ninth day, the ninth month, the third year of the Ninji Era [1242].

  39

  WITHIN A DREAM EXPRESSING THE DREAM

  THE PATH of all buddhas and ancestors arises before the first forms emerge; it cannot be spoken of using conventional views. This being so, in the realm of buddha ancestors there is the active power of buddhas going beyond buddhas. Since this realm is not a matter of the passage of time, their lives are neither long nor short, neither quick nor slow. This cannot be judged in an ordinary manner. Thus, the dharma wheel has been set to turn since before the first sign of forms emerged. The great merit needs no reward, and becomes the guidepost for all ages. Within a dream this is the dream you express. Because awakening is seen within awakening, the dream is expressed within a dream.

  The place where the dream is expressed within a dream is the land and the assembly of buddha ancestors. The buddhas’ lands and their assemblies, the ancestors’ way and their seats, are awakening throughout awakening, and express the dream within a dream. When you meet such speech and expressions, do not regard them as other than the buddhas’ assembly; it is buddha turning the dharma wheel. This dharma wheel encompasses all the ten directions and the eight facets of a clear crystal, and so the great oceans, Mount Sumeru, the lands, and all buddhas are actualized. This is the dream expressed within a dream, prior to all dreams.

  Every dewdrop manifested in every realm is a dream. This dream is the glowing clarity of the hundred grasses. What requires questioning is this very point. What is confusing is this very point. At this time, there are dream grasses, grasses within, expressive grasses, and so on. When we study this, then roots, s
tems, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits, as well as radiance and color, are all the great dream. Do not mistake them as merely dreamy.

  However, those who do not wish to study buddha dharma believe that expressing the dream within a dream means speaking of unreal dream grass as real, like piling delusion upon delusion. But this is not true. When you say, “Within confusion is just confusion,” still you should follow the path in the vast sky known as “delusion throughout delusion.” You should endeavor to investigate just this thoroughly.

  The expressing of the dream within a dream is all buddhas. All buddhas are wind and rain, water and fire. We respectfully maintain these names of buddhas, and also pay homage to those names of other buddhas. To express the dream within a dream is the ancient buddhas; it is to ride in this treasure boat and directly arrive in the practice place. Directly arriving in the practice place is riding in this treasure boat. Meandering dreams and direct dreams, holding and letting go, all freely flow like gusting breezes.

  The dharma wheel is just like this; turning the great dharma-wheel-world is immeasurable and boundless. It turns even within a single particle, ebbing and flowing ceaselessly within the particle. Accordingly, whenever such a dharma is turned, even an antagonist nods and smiles. Wherever such a dharma is turned, it freely circulates like the flowing breezes.