‘We don’t practice to attain enlightenment, just as we don’t eat or breathe to be alive. Because we’re alive, we breathe. Because we’re alive, we eat. Because we’re enlightened, we do zazen. Dogen says that zazen is a manifestation of the enlightened state. We practice and recognize everything we do as a manifestation of the […]
‘You think that you can only establish true practice after you attain enlightenment, but it is not so. True practice is established in delusion, in frustration. If you make some mistake, that is where to establish your practice. There is no other place for you to establish your practice.’ (Not Always So) As in other realms, […]
‘Ordinary people are out working so they carry on their daily lives without thinking that their own unreal thoughts are unreal. But try doing a little zazen and you will realize how full of unreal thoughts humans are. Such unnecessary useless thinking!’ (Talks on the Ten Ox-Herding Pictures) Reading this again, it might sound a little […]
The zen master Kassan Zenne was asked by a monk, “What is the Way?” Kassan said, “The sun floods the eye; not a fleck of cloud for ten thousand miles.” The monk said, “I do not understand.” Kassan said, “In the clear water, the wandering fish deludes itself.” Where does the fish think it is? […]
‘Meditating for personal salvation does not generate great wisdom. In fact, the static power of worldly wisdom generated through samadhi cannot match the dynamic wisdom needed to respond appropriately to the needs of sentient beings.’ (There is no Suffering)
‘If you already have no attachments, how could you have any disgust?’ (Tenzokyokun) Another gem from Dogen that I always enjoy reading, although this time around, I reflected that it is a pretty big ‘if’ at the beginning.
WordPress helpfully tallies up how many posts I have published, and this one will be the thousandth! I thought perhaps I would bring forth again the very first post, from almost three years ago, which I was moved to quote during my recent talk in San Rafael. ‘What moments are not sutras?’ – Dogen, Shobogenzo Kembutsu I […]
