Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘In Buddhism the absolute beauty of human nature is called Buddha. Dogen explained that Buddha is called Bukkojo in Japanese. Butsu is Buddha. Kojo is to advance. Bukkojo means we have to advance toward Buddha forever, and also that Buddha is omnipresent, right under our step. Bukkojo doesn’t mean there is a substance called Buddha which we are to aim at. Buddha is not some stage to reach. Buddha is the huge expanse of the world showing right under your step.

Buddha’s world exists every time you walk. To taste this world, this truth, with body and mind means when you bow, just bow. When you chant, just chant, with your whole body and mind. When you do gassho, do gassho with whole body and mind. Leave nothing behind your gassho, your bow, your chanting of the sutra, your walking down the street. Just walk, with calmness, with dignified spirit.

But it is not so easy to do. When you do gassho, or zazen, there is something you expect in your mind. It means you have left something behind you which is called dregs at the bottom of the barrel.’ (From Wind Bell Vol X no. 1)

Studying for the talk on the precepts for the Hebden Bridge group, I went back to this old Wind Bell, and Katagiri’s lectures from Tassajara around 1970.