Treasury of the True Dharma Eye

by Zen Master Dogen

  Hearing these words of the Buddha, all monks rejoiced and followed his teaching.

  From this, we clearly know that even King Yama looks for birth in the human world. Those who are already born as humans should quickly shave off their hair, put on three dharma robes, and practice the buddha way. This is a merit of being in the human world more excellent than that in other paths. Therefore, although being born as a human, it is utmost foolishness to greedily pursue the path of worldly, official realms, passing the whole of life in a dream as a servant of kings and ministers, while going toward darkness in the future and having no place to rely upon.

  You have not only received a human body, which is rare to achieve, but you also have encountered buddha dharma, which is rarer to encounter. Quickly abandon all relations, leave the household, and practice the way. You can always encounter kings, ministers, and family members. On the other hand, buddha dharma is as difficult to encounter as an udumbara blossom.

  When impermanence arrives with no time, none of the kings, ministers, intimate friends, servants, family members, or rare treasures can help you. You go to the Yellow Spring [the underworld of the dead] by yourself. The only things that accompany you are wholesome and unwholesome karmas. Also, when you are about to lose your human body, you will probably have a deep desire to maintain your human body. If so, while you have your human body, leave the household as soon as possible. This is indeed the true dharma of all buddhas in the past, present, and future.

  There are four types of practice for home leavers, called the four dependences. They are: sitting under trees for a lifetime, wearing a robe of excrement-cleaning cloths for a lifetime, begging food for a lifetime, and taking medicine made of urine and excrement in case of sickness for a lifetime. If you conduct these practices, you are regarded as a monk. If you don’t, you are not regarded as a monk. Thus, these are the practices of home leavers.

  What has been authentically transmitted until now by buddha ancestors from India and China are these practices of home leavers. If you do not leave the monastery for a lifetime, these four dependences are practiced. Know that contradicting this and creating five dependences [as Devadatta did] is a wrong practice. Who would receive them with trust? Who would have patience to listen to such teaching? What has been authentically transmitted by buddha ancestors [as the four dependences] is the true dharma. Humans who leave the household according to these four dependences are the most auspicious, unsurpassable, and the most venerable.

  Thus, in India, Nanda, Ananda, Devadatta, Aniruddha, Mahanaman, and Bhadrika are all grandchildren of King Simhahanu, noblest of all nobles. They left the household in early times. They are excellent examples for later generations. Now, those who are not nobles should not spare their positions. What positions are spared by those who are not princes? Turning what is most venerable in the Jambudvipa World into what is most venerable in the entire three realms is home leaving. Kings of other small nations and citizens of the nations groundlessly spare what should not be spared, are proud of what they should not be proud of, and remain in what should not be remained in, and so they do not leave the household. Who should not regard them as worthless? Who should not regard them as foolish?

  Venerable Rahula was the son of the Bodhisattva [who became Shakyamuni Buddha] and a grandson of King Shuddhodana. The king wanted to pass on the throne to Rahula. But the World-Honored One encouraged him to leave the household. Thus, know that home leaving is the most venerable dharma. As the World-Honored One’s primary disciple with thorough practice and as the field of benefaction for sentient beings, Rahula still abides in this world, not having entered nirvana.

  Among the ancestors who transmitted the treasury of the true dharma eye in India, there are a number of princes who left the house-hold. Bodhidharma, the First Ancestor of China, was the third prince of the king of the Xiangxi Kingdom. Not regarding kingship as weighty, Bodhidharma transmitted authentic dharma to China.

  Know clearly that home leaving is most precious. While you need to leave the household quickly, how can you wait for tomorrow, leading a life that is not close to the lives of these princes? Your exhalation will not wait for your inhalation. It is wise to leave the household as soon as possible. Also know that the benefaction of your teacher at the time of your home leaving and receiving the precepts equals that of your father and mother.

  The Guidelines for Zen Monasteries says in its first chapter:

  It is taught that all buddhas in the past, present, and future have left the household and attained the way. The twenty-eight ancestors in India and the six early ancestors in China transmitted the buddha mind seal. They all were monks. They strictly observed the pure precepts and were models over the three realms. This being so, those who practice Zen and inquire about the way make the precepts a priority. How can you attain buddhahood and become an ancestor if you do not stay away from fault and prevent wrongdoing?

  Even a monastery of the declining age is a fragrant forest of gardenia bushes that cannot be compared with ordinary trees or grass. Its community is like milk mixed with water. When you use milk, use milk that is mixed with water. Do not use anything else.

  In this way, the authentic transmission of it is taught that all buddhas in the past, present, and future have left the household and attained the way is most precious. There are no buddhas in the past, present, and future who have not left the household. This is the unsurpassable enlightenment of the treasury of the true dharma eye, the wondrous heart of nirvana, authentically transmitted by buddhas and ancestors.

  A day during the summer practice period, the seventh year of the Kencho Era [1255]. [Copied by Ejo.]

  88

  MAKING OFFERINGS TO BUDDHAS

  THE BUDDHA SAID, “Without the past worlds, there would be no past buddhas. Without past buddhas, there would be no leaving home and receiving the precepts.”

  Clearly know that there are always buddhas in the past, present, and future. Do not say that past buddhas had a beginning or did not have a beginning. To fall into such theoretical discussion is not the study of buddha dharma. Instead, to make offerings to past buddhas, leave the household, and follow them is a crucial way to become buddhas.

  You become buddhas by the merit of making offerings to buddhas. How can a sentient being who has not made offerings to even one buddha become a buddha? There is no becoming a buddha without cause.

  According to the Sutra of the Buddha’s Original Practice, the Buddha said to Maudgalyayana:

  In a vision I had of a past life, I was with innumerable, boundless world-honored ones, planting various wholesome roots, and seeking unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. Maudgalyayana, in my vision, I became a wheel-turning king and encountered three billion buddhas. They all had the same name and were called Shakyamuni. I made four types of sufficient offerings to tathagatas and shravakas, and served and venerated them. The four types of sufficient offerings are clothes, food, bedding, and medicine. But at that time those buddhas did not predict: “You will attain unsurpassable, complete enlightenment and become the Knower of the World, the Teacher of Devas, and the Buddha, the World-Honored One.”

  Maudgalyayana, in my vision of a past life, I became a wheel-turning king and encountered eight hundred million buddhas. They all had the same name and were called Dipankara. I made four types of offerings to tathagatas and shravakas, and served and venerated them. The four types of offerings included clothes, food, bedding, medicine, banners, canopies, flowers, and incense. But at that time those Buddhas did not predict: “You will attain unsurpassable, complete enlightenment and become the Knower of the World, the Teacher of Devas, and the Buddha, the World-Honored One.”

  Maudgalyayana, in my vision of a past life, I became a wheel-turning king and encountered three hundred million buddhas. They all had the same name and were called Pusya. I made four types of sufficient offerings to tathagatas and shravakas, and served and venerated them. But at that time those buddhas did not predict: “You will become a buddha
.”

  Other than this, Shakyamuni Buddha in his former lives made offerings to a number of buddhas. A wheel-turning king presides over the Four Worlds. So, he must have had abundant things to offer. A great wheel-turning king must preside over a billion worlds. It is impossible nowadays for ordinary people to fathom the amount of his offerings. Even the Buddha himself would be unable to measure them completely.

  According to “Pure Seeing,” the eighth chapter of the Buddha’s Treasury Sutra, the Buddha said:

  Shariputra, in a vision of a past life, I met three billion buddhas through my search for unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. They were all called Shakyamuni Buddha. I became a wheel-turning king and made sufficient offerings of clothes, food, bedding, and medicine to the buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime. I did this in search of unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. And yet, those buddhas did not predict: “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime.” Why not? Because I had done so with a grasping mind.

  Shariputra, in a past life, I met eight thousand buddhas. They were all called Dipankara. I became a wheel-turning king and made sufficient offerings of clothes, food, bedding, and medicine to the buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime. I did this in search of unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. And yet, those buddhas did not predict: “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime.” Why not? Because I had done so with a grasping mind.

  Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met sixty thousand buddhas. They were all called Prabha. I became a wheel-turning king and made sufficient offerings of clothes, food, bedding, and medicine to the buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime. I did this in search of unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. And yet, those buddhas did not predict: “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime.” Why not? Because I had done so with a grasping mind.

  Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met three hundred million buddhas. They were all called Pusya. I became a wheel-turning king and made sufficient offerings to the buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime. And yet, those buddhas did not predict: “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime.” Why? Because I did my practice with a grasping mind.

  Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met eighteen thousand buddhas. They were all called Parvataraja. The eon was called High Eight. At the place of the eighteen thousand buddhas I shaved my head and practiced for unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. And yet, those buddhas did not predict: “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime.” Why? Because I was doing my practice with a grasping mind.

  Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met five hundred buddhas. They were all called Padmottara. I became a wheel-turning king and offered everything to the buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime. I did this in search of unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. And yet, no buddhas predicted that I would be enlightened, because I did my practice with a grasping mind.

  Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met five hundred buddhas. They were all called Prabhava. I offered everything to them. And yet, none of them gave me a prediction of enlightenment, because I did my practice with a grasping mind.

  Shariputra, in one vision of a past life, I met two thousand buddhas. They were all called Kaundinya. I became a wheel-turning king and offered everything to these buddhas. And yet, none of them predicted that I would be enlightened, because I did my practice with a grasping mind.

  Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met nine thousand buddhas. They were all called Kashyapa. I made four types of offerings to these buddhas and their disciples. And yet, none of them predicted that I would be enlightened, because I did my practice with a grasping mind.

  Shariputra, in a vision I had of a past life, there were no buddhas for myriad eons. Then, for the next five hundred eons there were ninety thousand pratyeka-buddhas. I offered clothes, food, bedding, and medicine to all of them, and venerated and praised them. In the next five hundred eons I made four types of offerings to eighty trillion pratyeka-buddhas, and venerated and praised them.

  Shariputra, after these one thousand eons, there were no more pratyeka-buddhas. I died in the Jambudvipa World and was born in the Brahma Heaven and became King Brahma. For the next five hundred eons, I transmigrated in the Brahma Heaven and was always born as King Brahma, without being born in the Jambudvipa World. After that, I was born in the Jambudvipa World and presided over it. When my life ended, I was born in the Heaven of the Four Deva Kings. After that, I was born in Tushita Heaven and became Indra. I transmigrated in this way for five hundred eons. Then I was born in the Jambudvipa World. After another five hundred eons, I was born in the Brahma Heaven and became King Brahma.

  Shariputra, for the next nine thousand eons, I was always born in deva worlds, except once in the Jambudvipa World. When the eon was exhausted and the world exploded, I was born in Abhasvara Heaven. After the next world was formed, I went back to the Brahma World. I was never born in the human realm in these nine thousand eons. Shariputra, during this time there were no buddhas and pratyeka-buddhas. A number of sentient beings fell into unwholesome paths.

  Shariputra, after more than ten thousand eons, a buddha emerged who was called Universal Protection Tathagata, Worthy of Offering, True Encompassing Knower, Clear Walker, Well Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassable Warrior, Excellent Tamer, Teacher of Humans and Devas, and Buddha, the World-Honored One. I had just finished a life as the Brahma King and was born in the Jambudvipa World to be a wheel-turning king called Heaven Sharer. I was ninety thousand years old in human age. Throughout my time I made offerings of excellent things to the Buddha and nine billion monks. I was in search of unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. But Universal Protection Tathagata did not predict: “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime.” Why not? Because at that time I was not able to understand the reality of all things but only had a mind greedy for attainment.

  Shariputra, in these eons one hundred buddhas with different names emerged. Every time, I became a wheel-turning king and made offerings through my lifetime to the buddha and his disciples of that time, in pursuit of unsurpassable, complete enlightenment. But none of these buddhas predicted, “You will become a buddha in the next lifetime,” because I had a mind greedy for attainment.

  Shariputra, in a vision I had of a past life, I met one thousand Buddhas in the seven hundredth uncountable eon. They were all called Jambunada. I made four types of offerings to them, but none of them predicted that I would be enlightened, because I had a mind greedy for attainment.

  Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met six million two hundred thousand Buddhas in the seven hundred uncountable eons. They were all called Sarvarthadarsha. I became a wheel-turning king and made all types of comfortable offerings to these Buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime, but none of them predicted that I would be enlightened because I had a mind greedy for attainment.

  Shariputra, in one vision I had of a past life, I met eighty-four Buddhas in the seven hundred uncountable eons. They were all called Indra Ketu. I became a wheel-turning king and made all types of splendid offerings to these Buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime, but none of them predicted that I would be enlightened, because I had a mind greedy for attainment.

  Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met fifteen Buddhas in the seven hundredth uncountable eon. They were all called Suryarashmi. I became a wheel-turning king and made all types of comfortable offerings to these Buddhas and their disciples throughout my lifetime, but none of them predicted that I would be enlightened, because I had a mind greedy for attainment.

  Shariputra, in my vision of a past life, I met sixty-two Buddhas in the seven hundredth uncountable eon. They were all called Shanta. I became a wheel-turning king and made all types of splendid offerings to these, but none of them predicted that I would be enlightened, because I had a mind greedy for attainment.

  In this way I transmigrated and saw Dipankara Buddha and attained patience beyon
d birth. Dipankara Buddha predicted, “In the next life after passing uncountable eons, you will become a buddha and be called Shakyamuni Tathagata, Worthy of Offering, True Encompassing Knower, Clear Walker, Well Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassable Warrior, Excellent Tamer, Teacher of Humans and Devas, and Buddha, the World-Honored One.

  From the time of meeting three billion Shakyamuni Buddhas and making offerings to them until the time of meeting Dipankara Buddha, the bodhisattva [former life of Shakyamuni Buddha] always took the form of a wheel-turning king and made offerings to Buddhas. Many wheel-turning kings are said to live more than eighty thousand years. During the lifetimes of eighty or ninety thousand years, he made his splendid offerings. Dipankara Buddha is the same as Lamp-Burning Tathagata. The Sutra of Buddha’s Original Practice and the Buddha’s Treasury Sutra also talk about his meeting three billion Shakyamuni Buddhas.

  [The Abhidharma Kosha Treatise says:]