Bendowa [3]

Overview
Dogen now very kindly uses a very modern-seeming device - Frequently Asked Questions.

Text

1: I have heard of the superior merits of zazen. But an ordinary person
will have doubts and say there are many gates in Buddhism. Why do you urge only
zazen?
A: Because it is the right gate to Buddhism - this is my answer to
him.
2: Why is it the only right gate?
A: The great teacher Sakyamuni
handed down this unexcelled method of enlightenment. And the Tathagatas of the
past, present, and future were similarly enlightened by zazen. They, too,
transmitted it as the right gate. The patriarchs in India and China were also
enlightened by zazen. For this reason, I now indicate the right gate for human
beings and heaven.

Interpretation
Dogen's claim that zazen is the only way to realise enlightenment is quite radical and controversial. The Pali Canon teaches that the path of Buddhism is an Eightfold Path:

Right View
Right Intention
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration

Zazen only covers the last two or maybe three of these. Why does Dogen emphasise a 'Onefold Path'? Also there were (and are) schools with similar claims about their own methods - in Rinzai Zen, satori by koan practice (but still supported by zazen) is the gate to Buddhism and in Pure Land Buddhism chanting the name of Amida Buddha is the gate. Dogen here validates zazen as the only method of realisation by invoking the authority of the lineage of patriarchs back to Shakyamuni Buddha, claiming that zazen was the method of realisation for them all. But it isn't that he says the other aspects of the path are not necessary, - elsewhere he talks of the importance of the precepts, and of following a disciplines monk's life, and he uses koans in his writings - it's just that he gives zazen paramount importance.

Bendowa [2]

Text

On awakening of the desire to seek the way, I visited Buddhist masters in
all parts of the country. Finally I met Zenko (Myozen, disciple of Eisai) at
Kennin temple. The nine years that If served as his follower passed quickly.
From him I heard about the Rinzai style. Zenko, as the leading disciple of
Eisai, truly transmitted the highest Buddhism. Other disciples could not compare
with him. I also went to China, visited Zen masters of both Cheh-chiang
(Chekiang, formerly divided into east and west), and heard about the styles of
the five schools. Finally I studied with Zen master Ju-sting (Nyojo) on Ta-p'ein
(Taihaku) peak. In this was I completed the valuable training for my life. After
that at the beginning of the Shotei period (1227), I returned to Japan. Because
I had the idea of spreading the Law and saving all beings, I was like a man
carrying a heavy burden. Then I thought of abandoning this idea of spreading the
Law and wait for a more propitious time. I wandered here and there for some time
sincerely trying to teach the style of the former Zen master. There are true
trainees who deliberately shun fame and profit and concentrate on the search for
the way. But unfortunately they are misled by false masters, so real
understanding is veiled and the trainees uselessly become drunk with self-
madness and drown for long years in the world of delusion. How can the right
seed of wisdom sprout and the chance for enlightenment be grasped? I am now
wandering here and there like a cloud or water grass - what mountain or river
shall I visit? Because I sympathize with such seekers, I went to China, saw the
form and style of the monasteries, and received the essence of the Zen teaching.
Gathering and recording all this, I am leaving it for the trainees so that they
may be helped toward knowing the essence of Buddhism.

Interpretation
This is a straightforward summary of Dogen's personal quest to understand true Buddhism and spread it in Japan.

Text

Isn't this the core of Zen? Buddha Sakyamuni transmitted the right law to
Mahakasyapa on Grdhrakuta Mountain, and a long line of patriarchs handed it down
to Bodhidharma. And Bodhidharma went to China and transmitted the right law to
Hui-k'o (Eka).

This started the transmission of Zen
Buddhism to the East. Transmitted thus in its essential purity, it came down by
a natural route to the Sixth Patriarch, Hui-neng. At this time true Buddhism was
transmitted to China, and it expressed a meaning free from trivialities. The
Sixth Patriarch had two outstanding disciples- Nan-yueh Huai-jang and
Ch'ing-yuan Hsing-ssu. Together they transmitted the Buddha seal; they were
leaders of man and heaven. These two schools spread, and five styles of Zen
appeared. They were the schools of Fa-yen, Wei-yang, Ts'ao-tung, Yun-men, and
Lin-chi. In present-day China only the Lin-chi (Rinzai) school is flourishing.
Although the five schools differ, they are all based on the single seal of the
Buddha Mind. From the later Han period to the present in China, the scriptures
of the other teachings were propagated, but it was impossible to determine which
was best. With the coming of Bodhidharma from India the root of the conflict was
abruptly cut, and pure Buddhism spread. We must also try to do the same in our
country. All the Buddhas and patriarchs who transmitted Buddhism considered
sitting and practicing self-joyous meditation the true way of enlightenment. The
enlightened ones in both the East and West followed this style. This is because
the masters and their disciples correctly transmitted this superior method from
person to person and received the uncorrupted truth.

Interpretation
Dogen is describing the transmission of awakening from Shakyamuni Buddha to his present day and the history of the Zen schools. He also describes 'self-joyous' meditation as the way of enlightenment.

Bendowa [1]

Overview
The Bendowa is the first section of the Shobogenzo and is an introduction and summary of the rest of the work. The title can be translated as 'A Talk about Pursuing the Truth'. The first part of Bendowa is called Jijiyuzammai (self-joyous meditation).

Text

The various Buddhas and Tathagatas have a most enlightened way of realizing superior wisdom and transmitting the supreme law. When transmitted from Buddha to Buddha, its mark is self-joyous meditation. To enter this meditation naturally, right sitting is the true gate. Though each man has Buddha-nature in abundance, he cannot make it appear without practice or live it without enlightenment. If you let it go, it fills your hand; it transcends the one and many. If you talk about it, it fills your mouth; it is beyond measurement by height and width. All Buddhas eternally have their abode here without becoming attached to one-sided recognition. All beings are working here without attachment to sides in each recognition. The devices and training that I teach now manifest all things in original enlightenment and express unity in action. And when you thoroughly understand, why cling to such trifles as these?

Interpretation
The true understanding of Buddhism has been spread from one buddha to another by a method of meditation characterised by joy which is not dependent on external conditions. Sitting in the correct way is neccessary.

Though each man has Buddha-nature in abundance, he cannot make it appear without practice or live it without enlightenment.
Everyone has Buddha-nature, but Buddhist practice is required to make it appear.

If you let it go, it fills your hand
Even when we do not pursue it or try to understand it, it is intimate to existence.

it transcends the one and many
It is limited to neither oneness nor multiplicity.
This non-dualism of the ordinary and enlightened perspectives (or relative and absolute or samsara and nirvana) comes up again and again in the Shobogenzo and other Mahayana Buddhist texts, for example in the Heart Sutra, the expression 'Form is emptiness, emptiness is form'. Even though this understanding emerged out of the Pali Canon, sometimes earlier forms of Buddhism taught in a dualistic manner with a clear distinction between Buddhas and ordinary beings, pure and impure, practice and attainment etc - treating each of these as if it had independent existence. This is dharma from the perspective of samsara. Mahayana Buddhism attempts to indicate something beyond this.

it is beyond measurement by height and width.
It is the reality that lies beyond definition and measurement - beyond conceptual and linguistic convention.

All Buddhas eternally have their abode here without becoming attached to one-sided recognition.
One-sided recognition is understanding of reality only in terms of either conventional (relative)description or only in terms of absolute reality ('oneness' or 'emptiness'), both of these are incomplete, dualistic understanding. True understanding of Buddhism includes both of these and allows freedom to move between these two perspectives and beyond all dualities.

And when you thoroughly understand, why cling to such trifles as these?
Dogen is teaching the means to enlightenment but when enlightenment is attained, we will have such a perspective that his teachings will seem too trivial to be attached to. When liberation is attained we can go beyond even Buddhism itself.

Introduction

With this blog I intend to go through the Shobogenzo analysing the text in detail. I'm not an authority on Dogen or Buddhism nor do I know Japanese, although I am a practicing Zen Buddhist. The real purpose of this blog is to further my own understanding. Hopefully this will be useful for other students of Dogen and I would really appreciate any feedback.

The Shobogenzo is a long and, at times, difficult text. While much of it is relatively conventional there are sections (such as the Genjokoan), which consist of sometimes paradoxical style of poetic philosophy which is difficult to make sense of without reference to Buddhist texts which may now be obscure.

Let me be clear. I don't think that the deep meaning of Buddhism can be grasped with the intellect, however it can be indicated. If we can't even see the finger clearly, how will we find the moon it points to?