Treasury of the True Dharma Eye

by Zen Master Dogen

  Although there are originally no flowers, there are flowers such as peach, apricot, plum, and willow. So we say that a plum tree did not blossom yesterday, but blossoms in spring.

  Thus, when the time comes, flowers open. This is the moment of flowers, the arrival of flowers. At this very moment of flowers arriving, there is no other way. Plum and willow flowers unfailingly bloom on plum and willow trees. You see the flowers and know plum and willow trees. You understand flowers by looking at plum and willow trees. Peach and apricot flowers have never bloomed on plum and willow trees. Plum and willow flowers bloom on plum and willow trees. Peach and apricot flowers bloom on peach and apricot trees. Flowers in the sky bloom in the sky in just this way. They do not bloom on other grasses or trees.

  Seeing the colors of flowers in the sky, you fathom the limitlessness of fruit in the sky. Seeing the opening and falling of flowers in the sky, study the spring and autumn of flowers in the sky. The spring of flowers in the sky and the spring of other flowers should be the same. Just as there are a variety of flowers in the sky, there should be a variety of springtimes. This being so, there are springs and autumns in the past and present.

  Those who assume that flowers in the sky are not real and other flowers are real have not seen or heard the Buddha’s teaching. To hear the words that the sky originally had no flowers and assume that the flowers in the sky that did not exist do exist now is a lesser view based on shallow thinking. Step forward and think deeply.

  An ancestor [Huike] said, “Flowers are beyond birth.”

  When this teaching is realized, flowers are beyond birth, beyond death; flowers are beyond flowers, the sky is beyond the sky. Do not be confused about the before and after of flowers. Do not get into a theoretical discussion of whether flowers exist or not.

  Flowers always appear to be dyed by colors, but colors are not necessarily flowers. Times [seasons] also have colors, such as blue, yellow, red, white, and so on. Spring draws flowers, and flowers draw spring.

  Zhang Zhuo, who had an outstanding literary capacity, was a lay student of Shishuang. He wrote a poem on his realization:

  Radiant light serenely illuminates the sands of the Ganges.

  The ordinary and sages, beings with spirits, are equally my home.

  A single moment is beyond birth, actualizing the undivided.

  A subtle movement of the six sense roots shelters the clouds.

  Removing delusions increases sickness.

  Going toward true thusness is also wrong.

  Follow the worldly conditions with no hindrance.

  Nirvana and birth-and-death are both flowers in the sky.

  Radiant light serenely illuminates the sands of the Ganges. This radiant light renews actualizing the monks’ hall, buddha hall, kitchen, and monastery gate. The sands of the Ganges are radiant light actualized, actualizing radiant light.

  The ordinary and sages, beings with spirits, are equally my home. It is not that the difference among the ordinary and sages, as well as beings with spirits, does not exist. Just do not slander them because of their differences.

  A single moment is beyond birth, actualizing the undivided. Moment after moment is a single moment. It is beyond birth. It completely actualizes all things. Thus, it is expressed as a single moment is beyond birth.

  A subtle movement of the six sense roots shelters the clouds. The six sense roots—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—are not merely two or three, but three and three [in a great variety] before and after. Their movement is like that of Mount Sumeru, the earth, the six sense roots, and like a subtle movement. As their movement is like that of Mount Sumeru, their no-movement is also that of Mount Sumeru. It forms clouds, it forms water.

  Removing delusions increases sickness. It is not that there has been no sickness. There is buddha sickness, ancestor sickness [desire to be a buddha and ancestor]. Removing such sickness with wisdom adds sickness, increases sickness. At the very moment of removing sickness, there is delusion. Removing sickness and having delusion are simultaneous and beyond simultaneous. Delusion always comes with a way to remove it.

  Going toward true thusness is also wrong. To go against true thusness is a mistake. To go toward true thusness is a mistake. True thusness is going against and going toward. There is true thusness in going against it and in going toward it. Who knows that such a mistake is also true thusness?

  Follow the worldly conditions with no hindrance. The worldly conditions follow the worldly conditions. Following and further following are worldly conditions. This is called no hindrance. Hindrance and no hindrance are covered by the eye that sees through.

  Nirvana and birth-and-death are both flowers in the sky. What is called nirvana is unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. It is the abode of buddha ancestors and their followers. Birth-and-death is a true human body. Although both nirvana and birth-and-death are the way of buddha ancestors and their followers, they are flowers in the sky. The root, stem, branches, leaves, blossoms, fruit, light, and colors of flowers in the sky are all open blossoms of flowers in the sky. Flowers in the sky are bound to bear fruit in the sky, dropping seeds in the sky.

  Because the three realms we see and hear now are the opening of five-petal flowers in the sky, it is not like the three realms seeing the three realms. This is the reality of all things, the flower of all things. Furthermore, study that all things that cannot be measured are equally flowers in the sky, fruit in the sky, which are not different from plum, willow, peach, and apricot.

  Lingxun, who would later become the abbot at Mount Furong, Fu Region of Song China, asked Guizong, Zen Master Zhizhen of the Guizong Monastery, upon first studying with him, “What is the buddha?”

  Guizong said, “If I answer you, would you believe it?”

  Lingxun said, “How should I not believe your truthful words?”

  Guizong said, “You are it.”

  Lingxun said, “How should I maintain it?”

  Guizong replied, “If you have a spot of obscurity, flowers in the sky will scatter.”

  This statement by Guizong, If you have a spot of obscurity, flowers in the sky will scatter is an expression by a buddha who maintains [buddhahood]. Thus, know that the scattering of obscurity and flowers [in the sky] actualizes all buddhas. The flowers and fruit of the eyes in the sky are maintained by all buddhas. Guizong actualizes the eyes by obscurity. He actualizes flowers in the sky in the eyes. He actualizes the eyes in flowers in the sky.

  Flowers in the sky are in the eye, while a bit of obscurity scatters. One eye is in the sky, while all obscurity scatters. Thus, obscurity is totally actualized. The eye is totally actualized. The sky is totally actualized. The flowers are totally actualized. Scattering is one thousand eyes. There are eyes wherever the body reaches.

  When and where there is one eye, there are flowers in the sky, there are flowers in the eye. The flowers in one eye are called flowers in the sky. The expression of the flowers in the eye needs to be clarified.

  This being so, Langya, Great Master Guangzhao of Mount Langya said:

  How splendid! Buddhas in the ten directions are originally flowers in the eye. If you want to know the flowers in the eye, they are originally buddhas in the ten directions. If you want to know buddhas in the ten directions, they are not flowers in the eye. If you want to know flowers in the eye, they are not buddhas in the ten directions.

  If you clarify this, the faults belong to the buddhas in the ten directions. If you have not clarified this, shravakas dance and pratyeka-buddhas dress up.

  Know that it is not that the buddhas in the ten directions are not real, but that they are originally flowers in the eye. The buddhas in the ten directions abide in the eye. Other than being in the eye, there is no abode for the buddhas.

  Flowers in the eye are neither nonexistent nor existent, neither illusory nor real; they are just buddhas in the ten directions.

  If you want to know the buddhas in the ten directions, they are not flowers in the eye. If you want t
o know flowers in the eye, they don’t seem to be the buddhas in the ten directions.

  This being so, both grasping clearly and not grasping clearly are flowers in the eye, the buddhas in the ten directions. Want to know and they are not both actualize How splendid!

  The teaching of flowers in the sky and flowers on the earth expressed by buddhas and ancestors is as wondrous as this.

  Commentators on sutras and treatises may have heard of flowers in the sky, but the life vein [tradition] of flowers on the earth is not seen or heard by those who are not buddha ancestors. There is an expression by a buddha ancestor who was familiar with the life vein of flowers on the earth:

  Shimen, Zen Master Huiche of Mount Shimen, Great Song, was a venerated heir of Liangshan. Once a monk asked him, “What is the treasure inside the mountain?” The point of this question is just like asking, “What is the buddha?” or “What is the way?”

  Shimen replied, “Flowers in the sky emerge from the earth. The whole nation has no way to buy them.”

  This statement cannot be seen as secondary to other statements. People everywhere usually discuss flowers in the sky as illusory flowers and speak of flowers in the sky as being born in the sky and perishing in the sky. There have not been people who understand flowers that emerge from the sky. How can they know flowers that emerge from the earth? Shimen alone understood it.

  Emerge from the earth means from the earth in the beginning, middle, and end. Emerge means to open. Flowers in the sky emerge from the entire earth, open blossoms, emerging from the entire earth.

  The whole nation has no way to buy them means that it is not that the whole nation does not buy them; it is just that there is no way to buy them.

  There are flowers in the sky that emerge from the earth. There is the entire earth that emerges from the flowers and opens. Thus, know that flowers in the sky emerge and open both the earth and the sky.

  Presented to the assembly of the Kannondori Kosho Horin Monastery on the tenth day, the third month, the first year of the Kangen Era [1243].

  45

  OLD BUDDHA MIND

  THE ANCESTRAL TEACHING was transmitted by forty ancestors from the Seven Original Buddhas to Huineng of Caoxi. There were forty ancestors from Huineng to the Seven Original Buddhas.

  Because the Seven Original Buddhas had the power of going upward and going downward, the dharma reached Huineng and it reached the Seven Original Buddhas. Because Huineng had the power of going upward and going downward, the dharma has been authentically transmitted from the Seven Original Buddhas and from Huineng to buddhas of later times.

  Buddhas are not only before and after. At the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, there were buddhas in the ten directions. At the time of Qingyuan, there was Nanyue. At the time of Nanyue, there was Qingyuan. Or, at the time of Shitou, there was Mazu of Jianxi. They did not obstruct each other, although it is not that they did not interact with each other. Study thoroughly that there has been such manifestations as these.

  As these forty buddha ancestors are old buddhas, they have bodies and minds. They have illumination and land with a timeless past and something that never existed in the past. Having something that never existed in the past and having a timeless past are equally the manifestation of old buddhas.

  To study the way of old buddhas is to realize the way of old buddhas—generations and generations of old buddhas. What we call old buddhas are old of new and old, but they leap beyond old and new. They are directly old and new.

  Rujing, my late master, said, “I have encountered Old Buddha Hongzhi.”

  From this I guess that there is an old buddha in the house of Tiantong, and there is Tiantong in the house of an old buddha.

  Keqin, Zen Master Yuanwu, said, “I bow to Caoxi [Huineng], true Old Buddha.”

  Know that we should bow to the thirty-third-generation ancestor from Shakyamuni Buddha [Huineng], as Old Buddha. Because Keqin had an old buddha’s splendid illumination, he made such a bow upon encountering the old buddha. Thus, chew on the head and tail of Huineng and grab hold of the nose of an old buddha. One who grabs hold of this is an old buddha.

  Sushan said, “On top of Dayu Peak there is an old buddha shining light that reaches here.”

  Know that Sushan had already encountered the old buddha. Do not look anywhere else. Where the old buddha can be found is on top of Dayu Peak. One who is not an old buddha does not know where the old buddha is. One who knows where the old buddha can be found is an old buddha.

  Xuefeng said, “Zhaozhou, Old Buddha.”

  Know that although Zhaozhou was an old buddha, if Xuefeng had not been given the ability to be an old buddha, he would not have mastered the craft of meeting the old buddha. The practice right now is to study with an old buddha, which is benefited by the old buddha who practices silence responding to questions.

  Old Man Xuefeng is still well. The teaching style of an old buddha and the awesome presence of an old buddha cannot be imitated and equaled by one who is not an old buddha. This being so, study the wholesomeness of the beginning, middle, and end of Zhaozhou and experience the timelessness of the old buddha.

  Huizhong, National Teacher Dazheng of the Guangzhai Monastery in Xijing, was a dharma heir of Huineng. He was equally revered by emperors of humans and devas. It was rare to see or hear of a master like him in China. Not only was he the dharma teacher to four emperors, but one of them pulled his cart into the imperial court. Further, he was invited to Indra’s palace and went up to heaven to expound the dharma to Indra in the assembly of devas.

  Huizhong was once asked by a monk, “What is the mind of an old buddha?”

  He replied, “Walls, tiles, and pebbles.”

  The monk’s question was no different from asking, “What is this?” or “What is that?” This was expressed by the question, which became an expression of realization throughout the past and present.

  Thus, myriad trees and a hundred grasses with blooming flowers are an expression of an old buddha. This is an old buddha’s expression, an old buddha’s question. The Nine Mountains and Eight Seas that emerge in the world are the moon face and sun face of an old buddha—the skin, flesh, bones, and marrow of an old buddha.

  Further, there must be an active buddha with old mind, a realizing buddha with old mind, becoming buddha of old mind, becoming mind of buddha oldness, as old mind is the mind of oldness. Because mind buddha is always old, old mind is a chair, bamboo, and wood.

  [It is as Xuansha said,] “Even if we look in the entire world for a single person who understands buddha dharma, it is impossible to find one.” “Reverend, what do you call it?”

  At this very moment of causation and in the empty space of the dusty world there is nothing other than old mind. To maintain old mind and to maintain an old buddha are like maintaining two heads on one face or painting two heads on one body.

  Huizhong said, Walls, tiles, and pebbles. This statement shows that there is an expression stepping toward walls, tiles, and pebbles. This is walls, tiles, and pebbles. It is a straight way of expression. There is also an expression by walls, tiles, and pebbles that steps backward within walls, tiles, and pebbles. Where these expressions emerge and complete, a cliff of one thousand rocks and myriad rocks stands; walls all over the earth and all over heaven stand; there is one or half a piece of tile; or there is a large or small tip of a pebble. This is not only mind, but a body, as well as their environs.

  This being so, ask, “What are walls, tiles, and pebbles?”

  In response, say, “Old buddha mind.”

  Then, investigate further: What are so-called walls? What are called walls? What shape are they? Study thoroughly in this way.

  Does making cause walls to appear? Do walls cause making to appear? Are walls made or not? Are they sentient or insentient? Do they or do they not emerge right here?

  Even if they appear in the deva realm or human realm, in this or another world, while you investigate thoroughly, old buddha mind is walls, tiles, and pebbles. Old bu
ddha mind and walls, tiles, and pebbles have not been separated even by a particle.

  Jianyuan, Zen Master Zhongxing, was asked by a monk, “What is the mind of old buddha?”

  Jianyuan said, “The entire world falls apart.”

  The monk asked further, “What happens when the entire world falls apart?”

  Jianyuan said, “I would rather not have my body.”

  The so-called worlds are all buddha worlds of the ten directions. There is not a world that is not a buddha world. Study the entire world and how it falls apart. Do not study it in the self. Because you don’t study it in the self, the very moment of falling apart is one path, two, three, four, or five paths—thus, inexhaustible paths.

  Each path is I would rather not have my body. My body is I would rather not have. Value the now, and don’t let yourself fail to be old buddha mind.

  Indeed, old buddha mind stands like a wall before the Seven Original Buddhas. It sprouted after the Seven Original Buddhas. Old buddha mind blossoms before all buddhas. It bears fruit after all buddhas. Old buddha mind drops away before old buddha mind.

  Presented to the assembly at the Rokuharamitsu Temple [in Kyoto] on the twenty-ninth day, the fourth month of the Kangen Era [1243].

  46

  THE BODHISATTVA’S FOUR METHODS OF GUIDANCE

  THE BODHISATTVA’S four methods of guidance are giving, kind speech, beneficial action, and identity action.

  “Giving” means nongreed. Nongreed means not to covet. Not to covet means not to curry favor. Even if you govern the Four Continents, you should always convey the authentic path with nongreed. It is like giving away unneeded belongings to someone you don’t know, offering flowers blooming on a distant mountain to the Tathagata, or, again, offering treasures you had in your former life to sentient beings. Whether it is of teaching or of material, each gift has its value and is worth giving. Even if the gift is not your own, there is no reason to abstain from giving. The question is not whether the gift is valuable but whether there is genuine merit.