Treasury of the True Dharma Eye

by Zen Master Dogen

  When you leave the way to the way, you attain the way. At the time of attaining the way, the way is always left to the way. When treasure is left just as treasure, treasure becomes giving. You give yourself to yourself and others to others. The power of the causal relations of giving reaches to devas, human beings, and even enlightened sages. When giving becomes actual, such causal relations are immediately formed.

  The Buddha said, “When a person who practices giving goes to an assembly, people take notice.” Know that the mind of such a person communicates subtly with others. This being so, give even a phrase or verse of the truth; it will be a wholesome seed for this and other lifetimes. Give your valuables, even a penny or a blade of grass; it will be a wholesome root for this and other lifetimes. The truth can turn into valuables; valuables can turn into the truth. This is all because the giver is willing.

  A king [Emperor Tai of the Tang Dynasty] gave his beard as medicine to cure his retainer’s disease. A child offered sand to Buddha and became King [Ashoka] in a later birth. They were not greedy for reward but only shared what they could. To launch a boat or build a bridge is an act of giving. If you study giving closely, you see that to accept a body and to give up the body are both giving. Making a living and producing things can be nothing other than giving. To leave flowers to the wind, to leave birds to the seasons, are also acts of giving.

  Great King Ashoka was able to offer enough food for hundreds of monks with half a myrobalan fruit. People who practice giving should understand that King Ashoka thus proved the greatness of giving. Not only should you make an effort to give, but also be mindful of every opportunity to give. You are born into this present life because you originally embodied the merit of giving [in the past].

  The Buddha said, “If you are to practice giving to yourself, how much more so to your parents, wife, and children.”

  Thus, know that to give to yourself is a part of giving. To give to your family is also giving. Even when you give a particle of dust, you should rejoice in your own act, because you authentically transmit the merit of all buddhas, and begin to practice an act of a bodhisattva. The mind of a sentient being is difficult to change. Keep on changing the minds of sentient beings, from the moment that you offer one valuable, to the moment that they attain the way. This should be initiated by giving. Thus, giving is the first of the six paramitas [realizations].

  Mind is beyond measure. Things given are beyond measure. And yet, in giving, mind transforms the gift and the gift transforms mind.

  “Kind speech” means that when you see sentient beings, you arouse the heart of compassion and offer words of loving care. It is contrary to cruel or violent speech.

  In the secular world, there is the custom of asking after someone’s health. In the buddha way there is the phrase, “Please treasure yourself” and the respectful address to seniors, “May I ask how you are?” It is kind speech to speak to sentient beings as you would to a baby.

  Praise those with virtue; pity those without it. If kind speech is offered, little by little kind speech expands. Thus, even kind speech that is not ordinarily known or seen comes into being. Be willing to practice it for this entire present life; do not give up, world after world, life after life. Kind speech is the basis for reconciling rulers and subduing enemies. Those who hear kind speech from you have a delighted expression and a joyful mind. Those who hear of your kind speech will be deeply touched; they will always remember it.

  Know that kind speech arises from kind heart, and kind heart from the seed of compassionate heart. Ponder the fact that kind speech is not just praising the merit of others; it has the power to turn the destiny of the nation.

  “Beneficial action” is skillfully to benefit all classes of sentient beings; that is, to care about their distant and near future, and to help them by using skillful means. In ancient times, someone helped a caged tortoise; another took care of a sick sparrow. They did not expect a reward; they were moved to do so only for the sake of beneficial action.

  Foolish people think that if they help others first, their own benefit will be lost, but this is not so. Beneficial action is an act of oneness, benefiting self and others together.

  To greet petitioners, a lord of old stopped three times in the middle of his bath to arrange his hair, and three times left his dinner table. He did this solely with the intention of benefiting others. He did not mind instructing even subjects of other lords. Thus, benefit friend and enemy equally. Benefit self and others alike. If you have this heart, even beneficial action for the sake of grass, trees, wind, and water is spontaneous and unremitting. This being so, make a wholehearted effort to help the ignorant.

  “Identity action” means nondifference. It is nondifference from self, nondifference from others. For example, in the human world the Tathagata took the form of a human being. From this we know that he did the same in other realms. When we know identity action, self and others are one.

  Lute, song, and wine are one with human beings, devas, and spirit beings. Human beings are one with lute, song, and wine. Lute, song, and wine are one with lute, song, and wine. Human beings are one with human beings; devas are one with devas; spirit beings are one with spirit beings. To understand this is to understand identity action.

  “Action” means right form, dignity, correct manner. This means that you cause yourself to be in identity with others after causing others to be in identity with you. However, the relationship of self and others varies limitlessly according to circumstances.

  The Guanzi says, “The ocean does not exclude water; that is why it is large. The mountain does not exclude soil; that is why it is high. A wise lord does not exclude people; that is why he has many subjects.”

  That the ocean does not exclude water is identity action. Water does not exclude the ocean either. This being so, water comes together to form the ocean. Soil piles up to form mountains.

  My understanding is that because the ocean itself does not exclude the ocean, it is the ocean and it is large. Because mountains do not exclude mountains, they are mountains and they are high. Because a wise lord does not weary of people, his people assemble. “People” means the nation. “A wise lord” means ruler of the nation. A ruler is not supposed to weary of people. “Not to weary of people” does not mean to give no reward or punishment. Although a ruler gives reward and punishment, he does not weary of people. In ancient times, when people were less complicated, there was neither legal reward nor punishment in the country. The concept of reward and punishment was different. Even at present, there should be some people who seek the way without expecting a reward. This is beyond the understanding of ignorant people. Because a wise lord understands this, he does not weary of people.

  People form a nation and seek a wise lord, but as they do not completely know the reason why a wise lord is wise, they only hope to be supported by the wise lord. They do not notice that they are the ones who support the wise lord. In this way, the principle of identity action is applied to both a wise lord and all people. This being so, identity action is a vow of bodhisattvas.

  With a gentle expression, practice identity action for all people.

  Each of these four methods of guidance includes all four. Thus, there are sixteen methods of guiding sentient beings.

  Written on the fifth day, the fifth month, the fourth year of the Ninji Era [1243] by Monk Dogen, who transmitted dharma from China.

  47

  TWINING VINES

  AT THE ASSEMBLY on Vulture Peak, only Mahakashyapa, through realization, received Shakyamuni Buddha’s treasury of the true dharma eye, unsurpassable enlightenment. By a direct transmission of authentic realization through twenty-eight generations, it reached venerable Bodhidharma.

  Bodhidharma went to China and entrusted the treasury of the true dharma eye, unsurpassable enlightenment, to Dazu Huike, who would later become Great Master Zhengzong Pujue, and confirmed him as the Second Ancestor. Because the Twenty-eighth Ancestor in India went to China as the first teac
her there, he is also called the First Chinese Ancestor. The Twenty-ninth Ancestor is called the Second Chinese Ancestor. This is the custom in China.

  Bodhidharma once studied with Venerable Prajnatara and through realization directly received the admonitions of the buddha, the bones of the way. In realization he attained the source through the source and made it the root of branches and leaves.

  Although there are a number of sages who try to study by cutting off the root of twining vines [expressions], they do not regard the cutting of twining vines with twining vines as “cutting through” [fully comprehending]. Also, they do not know entangling twining vines by further entangling them. Furthermore, how can they understand inheriting twining vines through twining vines? Those who notice that inheriting dharma is twining vines are rare. There is no one who has learned it, and there is no one who has spoken about it. How is it possible for many to have realized it?

  Rujing, my late master, Old Buddha, said, “Gourd vines entangle with gourd vines.”

  This teaching has never been seen or heard in the various directions of the past and present. Rujing alone spoke it. Gourd vines entangle with gourd vines means that buddha ancestors thoroughly experience buddha ancestors; buddha ancestors merge with buddha ancestors in realization. This is transmitting mind by mind.

  Bodhidharma once said to his students, “The time has come. Can you express your understanding?”

  Then one of the students, Daofu, said, “My present view is that we should neither be attached to letters nor be apart from letters, and allow the way to function freely.”

  Bodhidharma said, “You have attained my skin.”

  The nun Zongchi said, “My view is that it is like the joy of seeing Akshobhya Buddha’s land just once and not again.”

  Bodhidharma said, “You have attained my flesh.”

  Daoyu said, “The four great elements are originally empty, and the five skandhas do not exist. Therefore, I see nothing to be attained.”

  Bodhidharma said, “You have attained my bones.”

  Finally, Huike bowed three times, stood up, and returned to where he was.

  Bodhidharma said, “You have attained my marrow.” Thus, he confirmed Huike as the Second Ancestor and transmitted dharma and the robe to him.

  Investigate these words of Bodhidharma: You have attained my skin . . . flesh . . . bones . . . marrow. These are the ancestor’s words. All four students had attainment and understanding. Each one’s attainment and understanding is skin, flesh, bones, and marrow leaping out of body and mind; skin, flesh, bones, and marrow dropping away body and mind. Do not see or hear the ancestor with a limited understanding of these statements. Otherwise what was spoken and heard will not be fully grasped.

  However, those who have not received authentic transmission think that Bodhidharma’s words skin . . . flesh . . . bones . . . marrow are not equal in depth, and because the views of the four students vary, one may seem to be closer than the others. They think that skin and flesh are not as close as bones and marrow. They think that Huike was acknowledged as attaining the marrow because his view was better than those of the others. People who speak in this way have not yet studied with buddha ancestors and do not have transmission of the ancestor way.

  Know that skin . . . flesh . . . bones . . . marrow do not mean that one understanding is deeper than another. Even if there are superior or inferior views, in Bodhidharma’s words there is only attaining my. It means that neither the phrase You have attained my marrow nor the phrase You have attained my bones is more essential than the other for guiding a person in holding up grass [endeavor] or dropping grass [beyond endeavor]. It is like holding up a flower or transmitting a robe. From the beginning, Bodhidharma’s confirmation of each one was equal. Although his confirmation was equal, the four views were not necessarily equal. However varied the four views are, Bodhidharma’s words are just Bodhidharma’s words. In fact, words and understanding do not necessarily match.

  For example, Bodhidharma said to the four students, You have attained my skin, and so forth. Had he hundreds or thousands of students after Huike, he would have spoken hundreds or thousands of words. There should be no limit. Because he had only four students he spoke of skin . . . flesh . . . bones . . . marrow. But the words not spoken, and yet to be spoken, should be many.

  Know that even to Huike, Bodhidharma could have said, You have attained my skin. Even saying, You have attained my skin, he could have transmitted the treasury of the true dharma eye to Huike as the Second Ancestor. It does not go by the superiority or inferiority of attaining the flesh or attaining the marrow.

  Even to Daofu, Daoyu, or Zongchi, Bodhidharma could have said, You have attained my marrow. Even though they attained the skin, he could have transmitted dharma to them. Bodhidharma’s body-and-mind is Bodhidharma’s skin, flesh, bones, and marrow. It is not that the marrow is close and the skin is far.

  Now, to receive the seal of You have attained my skin by having the eye of studying is to fully attain the ancestor. There is an ancestor whose full body is skin, an ancestor whose full body is flesh, an ancestor whose full body is bones, and an ancestor whose full body is marrow. There is an ancestor whose full body is mind, an ancestor whose full body is body, an ancestor whose full mind is mind. There is an ancestor whose full ancestor is ancestor. And there is an ancestor whose full body is “attaining myself,” “attaining yourself.”

  In this way, when these ancestors appear together and speak to hundreds and thousands of students, they say, You have attained my skin. Even if the ancestors in hundreds and thousands of words indicate skin, flesh, bones, and marrow in this way, people outside will think superficially about skin, flesh, bones, and marrow.

  If there had been six or seven students in Bodhidharma’s community, he would have said, “You have attained my mind,” “You have attained my body,” “You have attained my buddhahood,” “You have attained my eye,” or “You have attained my realization.” This is the moment when you are now an ancestor, and this is the time when you are now Huike.

  Examine thoroughly the meaning of have attained. Know that there is “You have attained me,” “I have attained you,” “[This is] attaining me and you,” and “[This is] attaining you and me.” Upon studying an ancestor’s body-and-mind, if you say that inside and outside are not one or that the entire body is not the full body, you are not in the land where the buddha ancestors appear.

  To attain skin is to attain bones, flesh, and marrow. To attain bones, flesh, and marrow is to attain skin, flesh, and face. It is to understand not only that all the worlds of the ten directions are the true body, but that they are skin, flesh, bones, and marrow. In this way, “You attain my robe,” and “You attain the dharma.”

  Thus, words are bits and pieces leaping out; teacher and disciple practice mutually. What is heard is bits and pieces leaping out; teacher and disciple practice mutually.

  “Teacher and disciple practice mutually” is twining vines of buddha ancestors. “Twining vines of buddha ancestors” is the life stream of skin, flesh, bones, and marrow. Taking up a flower and blinking are twining vines. Breaking into a smile is skin, flesh, bones, and marrow.

  Study further; the seeds of twining vines have the power of dropping away body. Branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit of twining vines do and do not interpenetrate one another. Thus, buddha ancestors appear, and the fundamental point is actualized.

  Zhaozhou, Great Master Zhenji, said to his assembly, “Mahakashyapa transmitted to Ananda. Now say! To whom did Bodhidharma transmit?”

  A monk said, “The Second Ancestor attained his marrow. How about it?”

  Zhaozhou said, “Do not slander the Second Ancestor.” He also said, “If Bodhidharma means ‘Someone who has reached the outside attains the skin, someone who has reached the inside attains the bones,’ then tell me: What does someone who has reached even deeper inside get?”

  The monk said, “What does attaining the marrow mean?”

  Zhaozhou
said, “Just know about skin. There is no marrow to depend upon in my body.”

  The monk said, “What is marrow?”

  Zhaozhou said, “At that place you don’t feel the skin.”

  Thus, know: When you don’t even feel the skin, how can you feel the marrow? When you feel the skin, you can attain the marrow. Thus, study the meaning of At that place you don’t feel the skin.

  A monk asked, What does attaining the marrow mean? Then, Zhaozhou said, Just know the skin. There is no marrow to depend upon in my body. When you know the skin, there is no need to search for the marrow. This is truly attaining the marrow. Being so, the question The Second Ancestor attained his marrow. How about it? appeared.

  When you penetrate the moment of Mahakashyapa transmitting to Ananda, Ananda hides his body in Mahakashyapa, and Mahakashyapa hides his body in Ananda. Thus, at the moment of [teacher and student] meeting for transmission, the practice of exchanging face, skin, flesh, bones, and marrow cannot be avoided. Because of this, Zhaozhou said, Now say! To whom did Bodhidharma transmit?

  When Bodhidharma gives transmission, he is Bodhidharma. When the Second Ancestor attains the marrow, he is Bodhidharma. By studying the meaning of this, buddha dharma has continued to be buddha dharma to this day. If not, buddha dharma would not have reached to this day. Quietly pursue and investigate the meaning of this point for yourself and others.