The dichotomy we have been working with in Dogen’s Uji is time and timelessness. Another way of naming this duality is linear, sequential time and ‘being-time’. “Being-time” drops the moment … Continue reading Does Time fly by?
Tag: Dogen
Setting the self out in array
From Uji or Being-Time by Dogen, a fascicle in the Shobogenzo: We set the self out in array and make that the whole world. We must see all the various … Continue reading Setting the self out in array
The Self is Time
I am teaching a class on the Buddhist sense of Time. It feels like working with Time could be a complete avenue to awakening. We know that one of our … Continue reading The Self is Time
Cubist Enlightenment
Several years ago in the practice leaders study group, we were questioning what to study. Ken Ford said, “Let’s study enlightenment!” We all laughed and balked. Balked because it’s a … Continue reading Cubist Enlightenment
The Circle of the Way
Clouds in Water just finished a sesshin at Hokyoji Zen Community in Southeastern Minnesota. I have been coming to this land and this place for at least 35 years. This … Continue reading The Circle of the Way
The Smile of Composure
The third ancestor, Sencan’s famous quote from “Affirming Faith in Mind” : The Great Way is without difficulty; Just avoid picking and choosing. Just don’t love and hate And you’ll … Continue reading The Smile of Composure
The absolute in the relative and the relative in the absolute
How do we understand non-duality or oneness without destroying the uniqueness of particular things? How do we understand non-duality or oneness without holding on and solidifying particular things? In the … Continue reading The absolute in the relative and the relative in the absolute
Dongshan’s Five Ranks
There is some disagreements over the 5 Ranks of Dongshan within the Soto School. Some people say that it is too much of a developmental step-ladder and loses the “nowness” … Continue reading Dongshan’s Five Ranks
Awakened Awareness
It seems that we get sidetracked in practice in many ways. Buddha said that he was the “awakened one.” Thich Nhat Hanh calls it mindfulness in every moment. Katagiri Roshi … Continue reading Awakened Awareness
Dropping off body and mind
“To be verified by all things is to let the body and mind of the self and the body and mind of others drop off.” — Genjokoan, Dogen “Dropping off … Continue reading Dropping off body and mind
A continuous line of immediacy
Dogen is like a twentieth century cubist. He tries to show the “whole” by showing every possible angle. He tries to show the “whole” by contradicting all the views. If … Continue reading A continuous line of immediacy
Dana or Generosity or Giving
It is interesting what comes first. The first practice is dana, giving, or generosity in the fundamental structure of Buddhist spiritual life as represented by the Paramitas. (The Great Perfections). … Continue reading Dana or Generosity or Giving
The emancipation of suchness
From Dogen, Bussho fascicle, Shobogenzo: Although with mu-buddha-nature (no- Buddha-nature) you may have to grope your way along, there is a touchstone — What. There is a temporal condition — You. … Continue reading The emancipation of suchness
To Do
As I have been talking about non-doing (the non-doing beyond non-doing), my dharma brother, Ken Ford, came up to me and said he found this passage in Shobogenzo that was … Continue reading To Do
The Two Truths
The two truths, the absolute and relative truths, which we speak of in Buddhist pedagogy, are a linguistic skilfull means to help teach, actually, the opposite. We want to be … Continue reading The Two Truths
We knowingly transgress
In Joshu’s koan: “Does a dog have buddha nature?”, my version of one of the questions is “Since everything is mu-buddha-nature (emptiness or suchness), why do we even have this … Continue reading We knowingly transgress
“Entire being is the buddha-nature”
In the beginning of Dogen’s Bussho fascicle of the Shobogenzo, he quotes a famous passage from the Nirvana Sutra (ch. 27). All sentient beings without exception have the Buddha-nature. In … Continue reading “Entire being is the buddha-nature”