Treasury of the True Dharma Eye

by Zen Master Dogen

  life stream, forthright: 直命脈 [jiki myōmyaku].

  life vein: 命脈 [myōmyaku]. Life stream. Continuous transmission of dharma through buddha ancestors.

  life vein, tip of the: 命脈一尖 [myōmyaku issen].

  lifetime, details of a: 一化の始終 [ikke no shijū], literally, from beginning to end of one transformation (guidance).

  life’s study of the great matter: See great matter.

  lifetimes, many: 累生 [ruishō].

  light to shine within, turn the: See turn the light to shine within.

  light, radiate: 放光 [hōkō].

  light, soften the: 和光 [wakō]. Reduce the radiance of enlightenment and mingle with the ordinary.

  Lingdao: See Caoxi Lingdao.

  lingering trace: See also wind and stream.

  Lingnan: 嶺南 [Reinan]. South of the Nanling Mountains, which divide China into north and south. Worker Lu (later, Sixth Ancestor Huineng) came from Xin Region (Guangdong) in this area.

  linguistics: 依主隣近 [eshu ringon], literally, modifier, the modified, the neighbor, and the close. A way of classifying a compound noun and an alternative expression.

  Lingxun: See Furong Lingxun.

  Lingyou: See Guishan Lingyou.

  Lingyun Zhiqin: 靈雲志勤 [Reiun Shigon]. Ca. ninth century, China. Studied with Guishan Lingyou, Guiyang School. After practicing for thirty years, had realization upon seeing peach blossoms. Taught at Mount Lingyun, Fu Region (Fujian).

  Linji School: 臨濟宗 [Rinzai Shū]. One of the Five Schools of Chinese Zen Buddhism. Regards Linji Yixuan as founder. In the eleventh century. Chiming Chuyuan’s heirs, Huanglong Huinan and Yangqi Fanghui, became founders of the two sects of this school, Huanglong Order and Yangqi Order. The former spread first. but the latter became dominant in China in the twelfth century. A Japanese form of Linji School is the Rinzai School.

  Linji Yixuan: 臨濟義玄 [Rinzai Gigen]. d. 867, China. Dharma heir of Huangbo Xiyun, Nanyue Line. Taught at Linji Monastery, Zhen Region (Hebei). Known for his shouting and dynamic teaching. Regarded as founder of Linji School, one of the Five Schools of Chinese Zen. His posthumous name is Great Master Huizhao 慧照大 師 [Eshō Daishi].

  Linji’s shout: 臨濟の擧喝 [Rinzai no kokatsu].

  lion, combatting: 師子奮迅 [shishi funjin].

  lion roar: 師子吼 [shishi ku].

  lips, smack: 鼓兩片皮をこととす [kuryōhempi wo koto-to-su], literally, busy moving two skins of the drum (lips).

  list of the names of the participants according to their dharma ordination seniority: 戒臘牌 [kairō hai], literally, dharma age plaque.

  Liu Chongjing: 劉崇景 [Ryū Sōkei]. Ca. eighth century, China. Nation’s Chief General under Emperor Dai of Tang Dynasty.

  Liu, Old Man: 劉氏翁 [Ryū Shi Ō]. Ca. ninth–tenth century, China. Planted pine trees at the monastery of Dongshan Shiqian, Mount Dong, Rui Region (Jiangxi).

  livelihood, pure: 淨命 [jōmyō].

  livelihood, right: 正命 [shōmyō]. True life. See also path, eightfold noble.

  Living beings all are buddha nature. See also buddha nature.

  logic, beyond: 理會およひかたし [rie oyobi gatashi], literally, logical understanding cannot reach.

  logical thought, phrases of: 念慮の語句 [nenryo no goku].

  long for the ancient way: 慕古(す) [bōko(-su)]. Long for the authentic teaching.

  Long Nail Brāhman: See Brāhman, Dīrghanakha. long river: 長河 [chōga].

  Longshan: See Tanzhou Longshan.

  Longtan Chongxin: 龍潭崇信 [Ryūtan Sōshin]. Ca. eighth–ninth century, China. Dharma heir of Tanhuang Daowu, Qingyuan Line. Lived in a hut in Longtan, Feng Region (Hunan). Deshan Xuanjian’s teacher.

  Longya Judun: 龍牙居遁 [Ryūge Kodon]. 835–923, China. Dharma heir of Dongshan Liangjie, Caodong School. After studying with Cuiwei and Deshan, joined Dongshan’s community and received dharma transmission. Taught at Miaoji Monastery, Mount Longya, Tan Region (Hunan). His posthumous name is Great Master Zengkong 證空大師 [Shōkū Daishi].

  look into deeply: 看看 [kankan], literally, see and see.

  look into this: 試擧看 [shi kokan], literally, try to bring up seeing.

  look through a bamboo pipe at a corner of the sky: 一隅ノ管見 [ichigū no kanken].

  Lord Wen: See Han Yu.

  lose one’s life: 喪身失命 [sōshin shitsumyō]. To become free from one’s limited self.

  lotus blossom: 蓮華 [renge].

  Lotus Samādhi Repentance, Method of the: 法華懺法 [Hokke Sembō]. Treatise written by Nanyue Huisi on lotus samādhi, a method to experience reality by contemplating the teaching of the Lotus Sūtra.

  Lotus School: 法華宗 [Hokke Shū]. Tiantai School, 天台宗 [Tendai Shū]. Established by Zhiyi at Mount Tiantai, Tai Region (Zhejiang), China, in the sixth century. Based on Zhiyi’s classification of the entire canon. Central to this school are the Lotus Sūtra and the meditation practices of shamatha (Skt., ceasing of wavering mind) and vipashyanā (insight).

  Lotus Sūtra: Skt., Saddharma Pundarīka, “Sūtra of Wondrous Dharma Blossoms,” 妙法蓮華經 [Myō Hōrenge Kyō], 妙法華經 [Myō Hokke Kyō]. Dharma Blossom Sūtra, 法華經 [Hokke Kyō]. (The Sanskrit title does not include “Sūtra.”) Full of parables and poetic imagery, this scripture is one of the most revered in the Mahāyāna canon. Other sūtras are considered provisional teachings, as opposed to the “complete” or supreme teaching of the Lotus. Unique to this sūtra are the teachings of One Vehicle, and of Buddha’s enlightenment from the beginningless past.

  Lotus Sūtra, assembly described by the: 法華會 [Hokke’e].

  lower one leg: 垂一足 [sui issoku].

  luminous: 昭昭靈靈 [shōshō ryōryō], literally, bright bright mysterious mysterious.

  Luohan Guichen: See Dizang Guichen.

  lute, song, and wine: 琴詩酒 [kin shi shu].

  Madhya: 摩提國 [Madai Koku]. An ancient kingdom of India. Details unknown.

  Magadha: 摩竭陀國 [Makada], literally, country of Magadha; 摩竭 [Makatsu]. An ancient kingdom of northeastern India, currently southern Bihār, bordering Nepal. Buddhagayā (present-day Bodhgaya), where Shākyamuni Buddha was enlightened, is located in this region, and much of his dharma discourses, later recorded in scriptures, took place on Vulture Peak near its capital city, Rājagriha. The Buddha’s pari-nirvāna took place in Kushinagara in this country.

  Mahā Abhijñā Jñanā Abhibhū Buddha: 大通智勝佛 [Daitsū Chishō Butsu]. King whose sixteen children left the household. He expounded the teaching of the Lotus Sūtra upon entering nirvāna.

  Mahā Pari-nirvāna Sūtra: Skt. 大般涅槃經 [Dai Hatsu Nehan Gyō], 涅槃經 [Nehan Gyō]. 大經 [Dai Kyō], literally, great sūtra. A Mahāyāna scripture, regarded as describing the last discourse of the Buddha, a major source of teachings about buddha nature. Most of the Sanskrit version is lost.

  Mahā Prajñā Pāramitā Heart Sūtra: Skt. 摩訶般若波羅蜜多心經 [Maka Hannya Haramitta Shin Gyō]. Brief Mahāyāna sūtra. Excerpt of Mahā Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra. Seventh-century Chinese translation by Xuanzang is most common in East Asia. A longer version is recited in Tibet and Mongolia.

  Mahā Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra: Skt. 大般若波羅蜜經 [Dai Hannya Haramitsu Kyō]. Comprehensive collection of Prajñā Pāramitā scriptures, some of which are among the earliest Mahāyāna texts, formed around first century B.C.E. A seventh-century Chinese translation by Xuanzang contains 600 fascicles—largest of all Buddhist scriptures.

  Mahā Sangha Precepts: See Great Sangha Precepts.

  Mahākarunā Bodhisattva: Skt. 大悲菩薩 [Daihi Bosatsu], literally, Great Compassion Bodhisattva. One of the former lives of Shākyamuni Buddha.

  Mahākāshyapa: Skt. Transliteration: 摩訶迦葉 [Makakashō], 迦葉 [Kashō]; 迦葉波 [Kashōha]. 迦葉大士 [Kashō Daishi], literally, great person Kāshyapa. 迦葉尊者 [Kashō Sonja], literally, venerable person K�
�shyapa. A senior disciple of Shākyamuni Buddha who engaged in rigorous ascetic practice. Regarded as the First Ancestor of the Zen School.

  Mahānāman: Skt. 摩訶摩南 [Makamanan], 摩訶男 [Makanan], 摩男 [Manan]. One of the five monks who practiced with the Buddha after he left the palace. Elder brother of Aniruddha. A grandson of King Simhahanu. Later, he returned to be a lay practitioner and became King of Kapilavastu while the Buddha was alive.

  Mahāprabhā: Skt. 大光明 [Daikōmyō]. A slate roofer who was one of the former lives of Shākyamuni Buddha.

  mahāsattva: Skt. Transliteration: 摩訶薩 [makasatsu]. Translation: 大士 [daishi], literally, great person. Honorary way of referring to a bodhisattva. Often used as “bodhisattva mahāsattvas.”

  Mahāyāna. See also Vehicles, Three.

  Mahāyāna, Meaning of the: 大乗義章 [Dajō Gisho]. An extensive, elucidating text of the Mahāyāna teaching by Huiyuan of Sui Dynasty.

  mahoraga. See also guardians, eight types of.

  maintain: 保任(す) [honin(-su)], literally, keep and undertake. Fully present, enact, confirm. 奉覲(す) [bugon(-su)], literally, respectfully see. See in veneration. 奉覲承事 [bugon shōji], literally, respectfully see and uphold. 護念 [gonen], literally, protect with mindfulness.

  Maitreya: 彌勒 [Miroku]. Maitreya Bodhisattva. Maitreya Tathāgata, 彌勒 如來 [Miroku Nyorai]. Venerable Buddha Maitreya, 彌勒尊佛 [Miroku Sombutsu]. The future Buddha. Predicted to come down from Tushita Heaven to the Continent of Jambudvīpa 5,670,000,000 years in the future as the next Buddha and awaken those who missed the teaching of Shākyamuni Buddha.

  make: 施爲 [sei], literally, conduct a deed, activities. 造作 [zōsa]. By intention, create.

  Making Offerings to Buddhas: 供養諸佛 [Kuyō Shobutsu]. Eighty-eighth fascicle of this book.

  Malaya, Mount: 摩黎山 [Mari Sen], also摩羅耶山 [Maraya Sen]. Known as a place in the ancient kingdom of Dravida in southern India where incense from white chandana trees was produced.

  māndāra blossoms: Skt., māndāra, 曼陀羅華 [mandara ge]. Also, great māndāra blossoms, 摩訶曼陀羅華 [maka mandara ge]. Flowers of the heavenly world with colors and fragrance that make people joyous. The plant has many leaves, giving people shade and comfort.

  manifest: 示現 [shigen], literally, show and appear.

  Manifestation of Great Prajñā: 摩訶般若波羅蜜 [Maka Hannya Haramitsu]. Second fascicle of this book.

  mañjūshaka blossoms: Skt. 曼殊沙華 [manjusha ge]. Also, great mañjūshaka blossoms: 摩訶曼殊沙華 [maka manjusha ge]. Soft white blossoms, which are rained down by heavenly beings and free the viewers from wrong actions.

  Mañjushrī: 文殊 [Monju]. Mañjushrī Bodhisattva, 文殊師利菩薩 [Monjushiri Bosatsu]. Mañjushrī Buddha, 文殊師利佛 [Monjushiri Butsu]. Bodhisattva of wisdom, whose figure is often enshrined as the Sacred Monk in the center of the monks’ hall in a Zen monastery.

  mantra: Skt. 眞言 [shingon], literally, true word. 呪 [ju], magical spell. Indicates a dhāranī, especially a short one. Regarded as having a specific psycho-spiritual effect. A mantra is Sanskrit-based, but its sound is often unlike any known word.

  Mantra School: 眞言宗 [Shingon Shū]. Esoteric Buddhist teaching which was widely practiced but not organized as a school in China. It was brought to Japan in 806 by Kūkai, who soon established the Shingon School. Mantra (J. shingon, “true word”) indicates the expression of dharma in mystical syllables. The Shingon School, along with the Tendai School, was influential before and during Dōgen’s time.

  mark on top of missing the mark, miss the: 錯錯 [shaku shaku].

  mark, hit the: 的當 [tekitō].

  mark, not hit the: 即不中 [soku fuchū], literally, just not hitting.

  mark, off the: 蹉跎 [sada], literally, stumble.

  mark, right on the: 正的 [shōteki].

  marketplace, confiscate goods from the: 攙奪行市 [zandatsu kōshi].

  marks, missing of one hundred: 百不當 [hyaku futō], literally, not hit one hundred.

  marks, thirty-two: 三十二(相) [sanjūni (sō)]. Extraordinary physical characteristics of the Tathāgata as described in sūtras. They include a golden body, full cheeks like a lion’s, a hair tuft on the forehead, and a raised area on top of the head.

  marrow, attain the: 得髓 [tokuzui]. See also skin, flesh, bones, and marrow.

  marrow, you have attained my: Bodhidharma’s words to his students. Skin, flesh, bones, marrow—each represents the essence of teaching.

  master: 宗匠 [sō-shō], literally, craft person of the essential teaching. 通徹 す [tsūtetsu-su], literally, be thoroughly familiar.了達す [ryōtatsu-su], literally, complete arriving.

  master, ancient: 古先 [kosen], literally, ancient and early one. 古徳 [kotoku], literally old virtuous one.

  master, guiding: 導師 [dōshi].

  master, thoroughly: 通達(す) [tsūdatsu(-su)]. Fully explore, fully experience.

  master, true: 眞善知識 [shin zenchishiki], literally, true good knower.

  master and disciple: 師資 [shishi].

  masteries, eight: 八達 [hattatsu]. Experiencing feely.

  mat: 草座 [sōza], literally, grass seat.

  mat, thick: 坐蓐 [zaniku].

  Mātanga: 摩騰迦 [Matōgya], Kāshyapamātanga, 迦葉摩騰迦 [Kashōmatōgya]. Monk from central India. Arrived in Luoyang, the capital of Han Dynasty, in the tenth year of the Yongping Era (67 C.E.) with Dharmaratna. Translated the Forty-two-Chapter Sūtra. This marked the official introduction of buddha dharma into China.

  match: 相委 [sōi], literally, mutually entrust.

  material: 物 [motsu]. Thing, an object.

  material, pure: 淨財 [jōzai].

  materials to study:

  matter, great: 大事 [daiji]. Most essential issue in understanding dharma.

  matter, heart of the: 理 [ri].

  matter, life’s quest of the great: 一生參學の大事 [isshō sangaku no daiji].

  matter, single essential: 一大事 [ichidaiji], literally, single great matter. 唯一大 事 [yiitsu daiji], literally, only one great matter. 一大事因縁 [ichi daiji innen], literally, a great matter of causes and conditions. Essential mat-ter; matter of grave importance. According to Buddhist teaching, all events are results of prior causes and conditions, and they themselves serve as causes and conditions for future events.

  matters, three: 三法 [sambō]. What is essential to sustain one’s body and mind: consciousness, warmth, and life.

  mature: 熟脱 [jukudatsu], literally, ripen and get off.

  mature, not yet: 未便 [miben], literally, not yet favorable.

  matures of itself: 自然成 [jinen jō], literally, naturally become.

  maturing, heterogeneous: 異熟 [ijuku], literally, ripen differently. Wholesome and unwholesome cause brings forth a neutral effect.

  Maudgalyayana: 目犍連 [Mokkenren]. 目連 [Mokuren]. One of the ten major disciples of the Buddha. Born to a Brāhman family near Rājagraha. Together with his close friend Shāriputra, he became a student of the Buddha. Known for his mastery of miraculous powers.

  may I ask how you are: 不審 [fushin], literally, (I do) not know details (about you).

  Mayu Baoche: 麻谷寶徹 [Mayoku Hōtetsu]. Ca. eighth–ninth century, China. Dharma heir of Mazu Daoyi, Nanyue Line. Taught at Mount Mayu, Pu Region (Shanxi).

  Mazu Daoyi: 馬祖道一 [Baso Dōitsu]. 709–788, China. Dharma heir of Nanyue Huairang, Nanyue Line. Taught at Kaiyuan Monastery, Zhongling (Jiangxi). Along with Shitou Xiqian, considered one of the two great jewels of Zen in his time. Had 139 enlightened disciples and made the Nanyue Line of the Southern School flourish. Initiated the Zen tradition of “recorded sayings,” collections of informal dialogues and lectures. Also called Jiangxi, 江西 [Kōsei]. His posthumous name is Zen Master Daji, 大寂禪師 [Daijaku Zenji].

  meal offering: 齋 [sai]. A midday meal hosted by a donor to home leavers.

&nb
sp; meal time, morning: 粥時 [shuku ji], literally, gruel time.

  meal, satisfied with each: 粥足飯足 [shuku soku han soku], literally, satisfied with gruel (morning meal) and satisfied with cooked rice (midday meal).

  meals: 齋粥 [saishuku], literally, gruel and cooked rice. Morning and midday meals. Traditionally, only two meals were served in a Zen monastery, in the morning and at noon.

  meaning: こころ [kokoro], literally, mind. 宗趣 [shūshu], literally, source reason. 形段 [gyōdan], literally, shape and steps.

  meaning behind: 句裏 [kuri], literally, deep inside the phrase.

  Meaning of Bodhidharma’s Coming from India, The: 祖師西來意 [Soshi Sairai I]. Sixty-seventh fascicle of this book.

  meaning, essential: 大意 [taii], literally, large intention. Fundamental meaning.

  means, skillful: 善巧 [zengyō], literally, good and skillful. 善巧方便 [zengyō hōben], literally, good and skillful method.

  measure: 測度 [shikitaku], literally, measure degrees.

  measure, beyond: 過量 [karyō], literally, pass the measure.

  meditation, first stage of: 初禪 [shozen]. See also meditation, four stages of.

  meditation, four stages of: 四禪定 [shi zenjō], 四靜慮 [shijōryo]. (1) Having joy and ease by becoming free from desire. (2) Having joy and ease through samādhi. (3) Having ease of body by abandoning joy. (4) Free from joy and suffering.

  meditation, learning. See also learn to do concentration.

  meditation, pāramitā of: See also six pāramitās.

  meditation, walking: See walking meditation.

  meditation, Zen: 禪定 [zenjō], literally, Zen samādhi.

  meditation posture: 跏趺 [kafu], literally, crossed legs.

  meet even one person, not: 不逢一人 [fuhō ichinin].

  melodic sūtra chanting, do: 諷經す [fugin-su].

  mendicant: 乞兒 [koji], literally, begging child.

  mental activity: See activity, mental.

  merge in realization: 證入 [shōnyū], literally, enter realization.

  merge with realization: 契心證會 [kaishin shōe], literally, merge minds and realize understanding.

  merging, beyond: 不回互 [fuego]. Going beyond merging in complete merging of realization.