Dogen Sangha Blog

  by Gudo NISHIJIMA

Japanese / German

Friday, August 31, 2007

Another question about posture.

Dear master Gudo,

What you say about sitting in full or half lotus makes sense to me
I have always sat in half lotus without trouble, maybe because I started
when I was young and flexible. When I try full lotus one knee is always
much higher than the other, because there is some abnormal curvature in my spine.
However I wonder whether insisting
on only those postures discourages people from doing meditation at all,
I think that even using a bench or a chair is better than nothing. Then
working on flexibility etc. toward sitting properly. Do you agree?

Andrew

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

My Membership

Dear Master Gudo Nishijima !!
Thank you for let me join Dogen-Sangha-International. I am really lucky for joining this Sangha and I have been enjoying the teachings on Dogen Sangha Blog and look forward for more teachings and instructions from you.


Best regards,

Torsten

Chapter INMO, IT

Dear Sensei,

thank you very much for your explanation about “Flowers In Space”, Kuge. That helps me much.
Now I want to ask: What are the main principles and what is the meaning of the chapter 29, Inmo, or “IT” and in German “ETWAS” oder “ES”. I have the impression that this chapter is very important in Buddhism and that there is not much very similar to this in the Western culture.

Thank you so much and with best wishes
Yudo Juergen


Dear Ven Yudo Juergen,

Thank you very much your important question on Inmo. Inmo is a Chinese common word, which is used in their daily life, and the word is a common demonstrative pronoun, which means "it", or "that."
And in Chinese Buddhism they use the word Inmo as a symbolical word, which suggests Reality itself. But at the same time if they use the word "Reality" directly, the word is a abstract simple word, therefore it is impossible for them to express the so profound and so complicated situations of Reality exactly.
In such a meaning in Chinese Buddhism, people sometimes use the Inmo to express the complicated and profound contents of Reality. And avoiding usage of the word Reality, Chinese Buddhists expect to express much more profound meaning of Reality by utilizing Inmo.

Gudo Wafu Nishijima

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Important principles in Shobogenzo (1) Bendowa

11] (This kind of number suggests the page number of my Shobogenzo in Japanese. The following is the same.)


1) When the buddha-tathågatas, have received the excellent one-to-one transmission of the splendid Dharma, experiencing the supreme bodhi, they possess a subtle method which is supreme and without intention. The reason this [method] is transmitted only from buddha to buddha, without deviation, is that the samådhi of receiving and using the self is its standard.
(The samadhi of receiving and using the self)

The samadhi is a Sanskrit word, which means the balanced state, and fortunately we human beings have found the true meaning of samadhi in 20th Century. The samdhi suggests the balanced state of the autonomic nervous system, and the autonomic nervous system is divided into the two parts, that is, the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system. And the parasympathetic nervous system is related with human sensuous perception, and so it is described as receiving the self, and the sympathetic nervous system is related with the human consideration, and so it is described as using the self.
Therefore we can think that samadhi is the balanced state between the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system, which is the fundamental state of human body and mind. And Master Dogen describes the state as a subtle method which is supreme and without intention.
Gautama Buddha has found that the balance of the autonomic nervous system is the fundamental basis of human body and mind, and so he recommends us to practice Zazen as the fundamental basis of Human civilization.


2) For enjoyment of this samådhi, the practice of [Za]zen, in the erect sitting posture, has been established as the authentic gate.

(The practice of Zazen)

And for enjoying the balanced state, to practice Zazen has been maintaied as the fundamental practic of Buddhism for thousands of years.


3) This Dharma is abundantly present in each human being, but if we do not practice it, it does not manifest itself, and if we do not experience it, it cannot be realized.

(The practice of Zazen is action)

The practice of Zazen can never be consideration, nor ever be sensuous perception, but Zazen is just action itself. In the western civilisation, I think, it is very rare for us to have the philosophy of action, but in the case of Buddhism, the main part of philosophy is just the philosophy of action. Therefore if we want to study Buddhism, we should study Buddhism on the basis of philosophy of action.
In the western societies they have the practice, which is called meditation, and many people understand that Zazen is also a kind of meditation. But this interpretation might be very wrong idea. If the meditation includes a kind of thinking, the meditation is completely different from Zazen.
Zazen is just our efforts not to think and not to feel. I think that this idea may be very strange in the western civilization, but in Shobogenzo, for example in Shobogenzo (27) Zazenshin, Master Dogen described the theory so precisely.
In Zazen we concentrate our efforts to have us enter in the regulated posture solely, and sit in our action. This philosophy is the just fundamental basis of Buddhism, and so many Buddhists
practice Zazen so diligently.


4) The effort in pursuing the truth that I am now teaching makes the myriad dharmas real in experience; it enacts the oneness of reality on the path of liberation.

(Realizing Reality)

The aim of Buddhist study is just to realize that the whole Universe is just Reality, therefore in other words to realize that we are just living in Reality.
Gautama Buddha's teachings are that we, human beings, are just living in the real world, or Reality. We, human beings, have been taught that we are just living in the world of idea (Idealism), or the world of mater (Materialism.) for more than thousands of years.
Unfortunately, however, we, Human beings,have loved Idealism, or Materialism, solely for thousands of years, and so almost all people think Realism light, and we have been refused to believe in Reality for thousands of years at least.
However, nowadays, we, human beings, are going to meet an Age of Realism at last, and so we should offer so sincere thanks, to Gautama Buddha, Master Nagarjuna, Bodhidharma, Master Dogen, and so forth wholeheartedly. And we should be careful that Realism can never means Materialism.

14]

5) At last I visited Zen Master Nyojo of Dai-byaku-ho mountain, and there I was able to complete the great task of a lifetime of practice.

(Meeting the True Master)

When Master Dogen 23 years old, he could not find any reliable Buddhist Master in Japan, and so he has to go to China to study true Buddhism. At that time it was very dangerous for a wooden-built ship to navigate the East China Sea. But it was necessary for Master Dogen to go to China to study Buddhism. When he visited China, for the first two years, even though he visited many Buddhist temples, they almost all belong to Rinzai Sect, and so he could not be satisfied at all.
However, he could get a chance to meet Master Tendo Nyojo in Tendo-zan Keitoku-ji on the 1st, May, in 1225. And then he studied Buddhism under Master Tendo Nyojo, and he got the total Buddhist philosophy from Mater Tendo Nyojo himself.

17]

6) After the ancestral Master came from the west, he directly cut to the source of the confusion, and spread the unadulterated Buddha-Dharma.

(The value of Master Bodidharma's efforts)

In the original sentence "the ancestral Master" means Master Bodhidharma, who introduced the practice of Zazen into China at the begining of the 6th Century for the first time. Before that time even though Buddhist Sutras had been introduced into China so many since the 1st Centry, the practice of Zazen wasn't introduced yet. However, in the case of practicing Zazen, Zazen is never verbal instruction, but it is just the actual practice. Therefore in such a situation Chinese people haden't notiticed the real practice of Zazen since the 1st Century to the beginning of the 6th Century at all. And in such a situation even though there were several kinds of Buddhist intellectual theories, which were studied in China for several Centries, they were completely studies of Buddhism on the basis of theories without the practice of Zazen, and so the Chinese Buddhist theories have been confused enormously at that time, and it was impossible for Chinese people to touch the real Buddhism at all then.
Therefore in such a situation Master Bodhidharma's navigation to China had so valuable importance for Chinese Buddhism, and furthermore it has had so enormous value for the world civilization later.

20]

7) If a human being, even for a single moment, manifests the Buddha's posture in the three forms of conduct, while [that person] sits up straight in samådhi, the entire world of Dharma assumes the Buddha's posture and the whole of space becomes the state of realization.

(A human conduct can change the Universe at once)

In Idealistic philosophy the subject and the object are separate, and in Materialistic philosophy the subject and the object are also separate. Therefore both in Idealism and Materialism, the subject and the object are usually independent with each other. (By the way "the three forms of conduct mean the traditional Buddhist concepts of body, mouth(speach), and mind.)
But in the case of Philosophy of Action, the subject and the object can never be separate, therefore Master Dogen said that "If a human being, even for a single moment, manifests the Buddha's posture in the three forms of conduct, while [that person] sits up straight in samådhi, the entire world of Dharma assumes the Buddha's posture and the whole of space becomes the state of realization."
And when we like to understand Buddhism, it is very important for us to notice the excellency of Buddhism, and so if we want to throw away the two interectual philosophies of Idealism and Materialism, it is evitable for us to accept what Master Dogen proclaimes here without fail.


8) [The state] is not dimmed by the views of these individuals themselves, however, because the state in the quietness, without intentional activity, is direct experience.

(The absolute difference of Action from Consideration or Perception)

The former part of the sentence means that "The reason, why [the state] should not be dimned by the practioner's views of recognition or perception, comes from that [the state of Zazen] is no intentional activity in quietness, and it is just the direct experience."
Therefore we should think that the state of Zazen can never be consideration or perception, but it is just the regular posture in the quietness, without intentional activity, therefore it is just direct experience.


9) The standard state of real experience, when activated, allows no idle moment. Zazen, even if it is only one human being sitting for one moment, thus enters into mystical co-operation with all dharmas, and completely pene-trates all times; and it therefore performs, within the limitless Universe, the eternal work of the Buddha's guiding influence in the past, future, and present. For everyone it is completely the same practice and the same expe-rience.

(The identification between a practitioner and the Universe)

When we are practicing Zazen, we have entered into the state, which is perfectly the same as the state of the Universe itself. Therefore even in the case of only one person's practice, the practice is perfectly common with the Rule of the Universe at every moment. And in such a situation all people, who are practicing Zazen at the same moment, can practice Zazen at the perfectly same situation through the world.


10) The practice is not confined to the sitting itself; it strikes space and resonates, [like] ringing that continues before and after a bell.

(Continuity of influece from Zazen)

The influence of practicing Zazen is never limited inside the time of practicing Zazen, but it pervades before and after practicing Zazen like the sound of a bell, which is similar to striking a bell.

26](2)

11) The Great Master Shakyamuni exactly transmitted, as the authentic tradi-tion, this subtle method of grasping the state of truth, and the tathågatas of the three times all attained the truth through Zazen. Thus the fact that [Zazen] is the authentic gate has been transmitted and received.

(The reliable proof is just historical facts)

The question has proceeded before the answer is "Why do you see it as the only authentic gate?" However, Master Dogen does not like to show the reason theoretically. Therefore he shows only historical facts in the Past. As a Realist, Master Dogen does not like to show the evidence theoretically. Therefore he wants to show proofs on the earth historically.


12) Reading sutras and reciting the names of buddhas, however, may nat-urally become the causes and conditions of enlightenment. But as for just idly sitting without doing anything, how can that be the means of getting enlightenment?"
I say: If you now think that the samådhi of the buddhas, the supreme and great Dharma, is idle sitting without doing anything, you are a person who insults the Great Vehicle. [Such] delusion is so deep that it is like being in the ocean and saying there is no water. [In Zazen] we are already seated, sta-bly and thankfully, in the buddhas' samådhi of receiving and using the self. Is this not the accomplishment of vast and great virtue?

27]

13) Reading sutras and reciting the names of buddhas, however, may nat-urally become the causes and conditions of enlightenment. But as for just idly sitting without doing anything, how can that be the means of getting enlightenment?"
I say: If you now think that the samådhi of the buddhas, the supreme and great Dharma, is idle sitting without doing anything, you are a person who insults the Great Vehicle. [Such] delusion is so deep that it is like being in the ocean and saying there is no water. [In Zazen] we are already seated, sta-bly and thankfully, in the buddhas' samådhi of receiving and using the self. Is this not the accomplishment of vast and great virtue?

(Consideration and perception are not important as Action)

We, human beings, usually have common tendency for us to revere our mental consideration or sensuous perception much more than Action, because we, human beings, have been educated with such
tendencies for thousands of years because of so excellent intellectual civilization of Ancient Greek Age.
But a Realist Master Dogen can not rely upon so excellent Idealism or Materialism in the Ancient Greek Age. Therefore in his case the simple fact just sitting in the balance of the autonomic nervous system is much more reliable than reading sutras or reciting the names of buddhas.


13) As a general rule, when right belief emerges in our mind, we should do training and learn in practice. Otherwise, we should rest for a while. Regret the fact if you will, but from ancient times the Dharma has been dry.

(Without belief in Zazen, we should never practice Zazen)

Master Dogen has so stern and exact belief in Zazen, or Buddhism, therefore he does not permit everyone to practice Zazen without sincere belief in it, at all. Therefore we should never practice Zazen for getting fame or profit at all.

32]

14) Remember, among Buddhists we do not argue about superiority and inferiority of philosophies, or choose between shallowness and profundity in the Dharma; we need only know whether the practice is genuine or arti-ficial.

(Whether the kind of practice is authentic, or not, is the most important)

In Buddhism it is not necessary for us to think about the theory in only one philosophical viewpoint. Because the most important problem in Buddhism, is whether we believe in Idealism, or not, and whether we believe in Materialism, or not. In other words if we believe in Idealism, we can never be Buddhists. And if we believe in Materialism, we can never be Buddhists. This theory is not so clear yet even in our own Buddhist societies today, but in Mulamadhyamaka-karika (MMK) by Nagarjuna, he insists this point in the 1st Verse of the 1st Chapter of MMK. He clearly insists that the subjective philosophy, that is, Idealism, can never Buddhism, and at the same time he ploclaimes that the objective philosophy, that is, Materialism, can never be Buddhism.
This suggests that relying upon Master Nagarjuna's Buddhist thoughts, without denying both Idealism and Materialism, the central opoint of Buddhism, that is, Philosophy of Action, can never be established at all.
Without negating both Idealism and Materialism together, the fundamental Buddhist philosophy of
Phylosophy of Action can never be established, and if it is impossible for us to establish the Philosophy of Action, we can never insist Buddhist Philosophy at all.


15) When we solely sit in Zazen, on the other hand, relying now on exactly the same pos-ture as the Buddha, and letting go of the myriad things, then we go beyond the areas of delusion, realization, emotion, and consideration, and we are not concerned with the ways of the common and the sacred. At once we are roaming outside the [intellectual] frame, receiving and using the great state of bodhi.

(The real situation in Zazen)

Zazen is just Action, and so it is not consideration or perception, but it is just our Action, that we are keeping the same posture as Gautama Buddha, forgetting everything, and we are just doing Zazen. Then we can transcend the separation between delusion and enlightenment, having no separation between the ordinary and the sacred, and we have begun wandering in the perfect freedom, receiving and utilizing the Great Truth.

37]

16) [Someone] asks, "Among the three kinds of training there is training in the balanced state, and among the six påramitås there is the dhyåna påramitå, both of which all bodhisattvas learn from the outset and all bod-hisattvas practice, regardless of whether they are clever or stupid. The Zazen [that you are discussing] now is surely [only] one of these. Why do you say that the Tathågata's right Dharma is concentrated in this [practice of Zazen]?"
I say: The question arises because this right-Dharma-eye treasury, the supreme and great method, which is the one great matter of the Tathågata, has been called the "Zen Sect." Remember that this title "Zen Sect" was established in China and the east; it is not heard in India. When the Great Master Bodhidharma first stayed at Shaolin temple in the Sung-shan mountains, and faced the wall for nine years, monks and laymen were still ignorant of the Buddha's right Dharma, so they called [Master Bodhidharma] a Bråhman who made a religion of Zazen. Thereafter, the patriarchs of successive generations all constantly devoted themselves to Zazen. Stupid secular people who saw this, not knowing the reality, talked at random of a Zazen Sect. Nowadays, dropping the word "Za," they talk of just the Zen Sect.

(Zen is just an abbreviation of Zazen)

The word Zen is just an abbreviation of Zazen, but recently so many Buddhists utilize the word Zen, as if there were an independent cocept called Zen really exists. And they are discussing the
problem of Zen so many times, as if there were such kind of problem really, but relying upon the fact that the word Zen is only the abbreviation of Zazen, and so it is completely impossible for us to discuss Zen independently, completely separated from Zazen.


17) Just remember that this [transmission of Zazen] is the whole truth of the Buddha's Dharma; nothing can be compared with it.

(We should never confuse Zen as if it is the same as Zazen at all)

Zen is a kind of fantastic image of concept, which does never really exist on the earth. Therefore we should be very careful in thinking Zen.

40]

18) [Someone] asks, "Why, in discussing entry into the state of experience, do Buddhists recommend us to practice the balanced state of dhyåna solely by sitting, which is [only] one of the four forms of conduct?"
I say: It is difficult to calculate all the ways that buddhas have successively practiced since ancient times to enter the state of real experience. If we want to find a reason, we should remember that what Buddhists practice is reason in itself. We should not look for [a reason] besides this. But an ancestral master has praised [sitting] by saying, "Sitting in Zazen is the peaceful and joyful gate of Dharma." So in conclusion the reason may be that, of the four forms of conduct, [sitting is the most] peaceful and joyful.

(The selection of the form of sitting might come from sitting is being peaceful and joyful.)

In Buddhism we have idea that the forms of human Action are four kinds, that is, walking, standing, sitting, and lying. And Master Dogen says that it is impossible for him to find the reason, why Gautama Buddha has selected the form of sitting, and he supposes that the reason why Gautama Buddha selects the form of sitting as the posture of the practice might be that sitting is rather peaceful and joyful. And Master Dogen insists that we should not look for another reason other than them.

41]

19) The thought that practice and experience are not one thing is just the idea of non-Buddhists. In the Buddha-Dharma practice and experience are com-pletely the same. [Practice] now is also practice in the state of experience; therefore, a beginner's pursuit of the truth is just the whole body of the orig-inal state of experience. This is why [the Buddhist patriarchs] teach, in the practical cautions they have handed down to us, not to expect any experi-ence outside of practice. And the reason may be that [practice itself] is the directly accessible original state of experience. Because practice is just experi-ence, the experience is endless; and because experience is practice, the prac-tice has no beginning. This is how both the Tathågata Íåkyamuni and the Venerable Patriarch Mahåkåßyapa were received and used by the practice that exists in the state of experience.

(Both practice and experience are completely one, and they can never be separate)

In intellectual philosophy people usually think that the concept practice and the concept experience are separate, but in the philosophy of Action, it is impossible for us to separate Action into two parts of practice and experience. The concepts, practice and experience, can be separate, but in Action, the concepts, practice and experience, can never be separate into two, and Action must always exist only one without any separation.
Therefore in Buddhism we should never forget the perfect oneness of Action between practice and experience. So even now it is just the practice, which is perfectly fused into experience, and then it is impossible for a practice even by a beginner never to be not the total enlightenment itself. Practice is always just enlightenment, and so the enlightenment can never have end, and practice is just enlightenment, the practice of the enlightenment does not have any beginning.
In short, if we continue practice of Zazen everyday, we can never lose the enlightenment at all.

20) Remember that even in the state of attainment of the truth, we should practice.

(Our Zazen exists always in enlightenment)

Therefore we should think that we are always sitting in Zazen just being enlightened.

45]

21) Therefore we should just hasten to understand the principle that the mental eternal. Even if we passed our whole life in idle sitting, what could we expect to gain? The doc-trine I have expressed like this is truly in accord with the truth of the bud-dhas and the patriarchs, is it not?"
I say: The view expressed now is absolutely not the Buddha's Dharma; it is the view of the non-Buddhist Senika.

(The enlightenment can never be intellectual understanding)

In intellectual philosophy people usually think that the enlightenment in Buddhism might be also a kind of intellectual understanding inevitably. This idea is completely wrong. Buddhism can never belong to any kind of intellectual philosophy, and so the buddhist enlightenment can never belong to a kind of intellectual understanding, but it is just physical and mental state of body and mind.
Therefore if we think that Buddhist enlightenment is just a kind of intellectual understanding, such idea is completely wrong in Buddhism. Therefore Master Dogen insists that a person, who has such a kind of wrong understanding belong to the same thinker as a person, who is called non-Buddhist Senika in the Age of Gautama Buddha.


22) If we equate the present wrong view that mind is eternal but forms perish with the splendid Dharma of the buddhas, thinking that we have escaped life and death when we are promoting the original cause of life and death, are we not being stupid? That would be most pitiful. Knowing that this [wrong view] is just the wrong view of non-Buddhists, we should not touch it with our ears.

(The idea, that mind is eternal but forms perish, can never be Buddhism)

In idealistic philosophy people usually believe that forms must perish, but mind is eternal, however, that kind of idea is completely wrong in Buddhism. If we think that such a wrong idea is just the same as Gautama Buddha's teachings, even though we are making the real cause of worrying
about life and death, we become stupidly satisfied with being deluded by such a wrong idea other than Buddhism. Therefore we should think that such a kind of stupid and wrong idea is just non-
Buddhist idea. We should never have such wrong idea touch our ears at all.


23) Nevertheless, I cannot help wanting to save you from this wrong view and it is only compas-sionate [for me] now [to try]. So remember, in the Buddha-Dharma, because the body and mind are originally one reality, the saying that essence and form are not two has been understood equally in the Western Heavens and the Eastern Lands, and we should never dare to go against it. Further, in the lineages that discuss eternal existence, the myriad dharmas are all eternal existence: body and mind are not divided. And in the lineages that discuss extinction, all dharmas are extinction: essence and form are not divided.

(In Buddhism essence and form can never be divided into two parts at all)

In Buddhism the body and mind are originally one reality, therefore essence and form are believed in India and in the Eastern Lands like China absolutely. Therefore we should never go against the
principle.
And futhermore when we discuss eternity in a division, everything belongs to eternity, therefore it is impossible for us to divide anything sometimes eternal, sometimes extinguish, and when we discuss extinction, we should think the problem on the basis of extinction, it is not permissible for us to divide anything, sometimes eternal, and sometimes extinguish.


24) The principle that body and mind are one reality is being constantly spoken by the Buddha-Dharma. So how could it be, on the contrary, that while this body appears and disappears, the mind independently leaves the body and does not appear or disappear? If there is a time when [body and mind] are one reality, and another time when they are not one reality, then it might naturally follow that the Buddha's preach-ing has been false.

(The oneness between body and mind is just the eternal principle in Buddhism)

Buddhism always believe in the oneness between body and mind. Therefore it is completely impossible for us to insist that when the body vanishes, the mind can only survive alone.

51]

25) Keeping the precepts, and pure conduct, are the standard of the Zen lineages and the usual habit of Buddhist patriarchs.

(Keeping the precepts, and pure conduct, are inevitable criteria of Buddhism)

The reason, why we, Buddhists, practice Zazen everyday, is, having the autonomic nervous system balanced everyday, we want to keep ourselves in the state of self-regulation to be able to follow morals in our daily life. Therefore we can say that the reason, why we practice Zazen everyday, is that by keeping the autonomic nervous system balanced every moment, we want to maintain our self-regulating ability to follow morals in our daily life.
In spiritual religions there are usually common tendency that it is the most important matter for human beings to be faithful in God, and it is not so important for human beings to follow morals.
But in Buddhism, we think that God is the Universe, and the Universe is God, and so we Buddhists revere following morals so much in our daily life, because morals are the Rule of the Universe, and so morals are orders of God.

52]

26) [Someone] asks, "Should this practice also be undertaken by lay men and lay women, or is it performed only by people who have left home?"
I say: An ancestral master has been heard to say that, with respect to under-standing of the Buddha-Dharma, we must not choose between men and women, high or low.

(Not only priests or nuns, but both laymen and laywomen should practice Zazen everyday)

Buddhism, or Zazen, does never exist only for Buddhist priets and nuns, but Buddhism, or Zazen, exists for all human beings. It is very important for everyone to have his or her autonomic nervous system balnced. Because when we can keep our autonomic nervous system balanced, we can be
true human beings, and when our sympathetic nervous system a little stronger, we are prone to be a little too much spiritual, and when our parasympathetic nervous system a little stronger, we are prone to be a little too much material.


27) [Someone] asks, "People who leave home get free of all involvements at once, so they have no hindrances in practicing Zazen and pursuing the truth. How can a busy lay person devotedly do training and be at one with the unintentional state of Buddhist truth?"
I say: In general, the Buddhist Patriarch, overfilled with pity, left open a wide and great gate of compassion so that all living beings could experience and enter [the state of truth]; what human being or god could not want to enter?

(Even laymen and laywomen should practice Zazen everyday)

Even in the case of laymen or laywomen, if they do not practice Zazen everyday, they can have someday to have stable days for being balanced, but they have someday to have unstable days, when they can not practice Zazen actually. And in such situations their daily life must be someday balanced, and someday unbalanced, and so their daily life can never be stable constantly at all. Therefore if we want to become happy by practicing Zazen, it is necessary for us to practice Zazen everyday.
Of course in the case of laymen and laywomen, it is usually very busy for them to work for their secular jobs, therefore if we do not want to give up practicing Zazen everyday, even in the case of secular people, we should manage our daily life to become able to practice Zazen everyday.


28) This [practice-and-experience] rests only upon whether or not the will is present; it does not relate to whether the body stays at home or leaves home. Moreover, any person who profoundly discerns the superi-ority or inferiority of things will naturally have belief. Still more, those who think that worldly affairs hinder the Buddha-Dharma only know that there is no Buddha-Dharma in the world; they do not know that there are no worldly dharmas in the state of Buddha.

(Getting the Truth does not rely upon whether a practioner is a monk or nun at all)

Master Dogen bravely says that whether a mon or a woman will get the Truth, or not, just relies upon whether he or she has the will to the Truth, or not, and there is no mutual relation between getting the Truth, or not, and whether he or she is a monk or a nun, at all. And furthermore he says that "Moreover, any person who profoundly discerns the superi-ority or inferiority of things will naturally have belief."
And relating with such a problem Master Dogen proclaims that secular societies do not really exist at all. Because the secular societies are only human supposition, which has been produced by human mental ability. And at the same time the secular societies are only sensuous stimuli, which have accidentally occurred in human sensuous organs. In other words we, Buddhists, do never believe in the real existence of continuous thoughts, therefore it is difficult for us to believe in the real existence of constant thoughts. At the same time it is impossible for us to suppose the continuous existence of sensuous stimuli in our sensuous organs. and so it is also impossible for us to affirm the real existence of sensuous stimuli at all.
Therefore we have to think that the Real World can exist only just at the present moment.
In such a meaning it is impossible for us to believe in the continuous thoughts and all, and it is also impossible for us to insist the continuous existence of this world at all.
In short, we can say that we are just living at the present moment, and so the world is also only momentary at the present moment. Therefore we have to think that the secular societies, which we think, do not exist continuously, and the secular societies, which we perceive, do not exists continuously.


29) In the great Kingdom of Sung, the present generation of kings and ministers, officials and common-ers, men and women, all apply their mind to the Patriarch's truth, without exception. Both the military and literary classes are resolved to practice [Za]zen and to learn the truth. Those who resolve it will, in many cases, un-doubtedly clarify the mental state. Thus, it can naturally be inferred that worldly affairs do not hinder the Buddha-Dharma.

(Worldly affairs do not have any power to hinder the Buddhist Rules in the Universe at all)

People usually think that worldly affairs can have power to change the Buddhist Rules in the Universe actually, but such a kind of recognition might be wrong completely. Because what is realized just at the present moment is the Real Facts on the earth themselves, and such a kind of facts can never be worldly affairs at all.

56]

30) [Someone] asks, "Even in the present corrupt world in this latter age, is it still possible to realize the state of real experience when we perform this practice?"
I say: Philosophers have occupied themselves with such concepts and forms, but in the real teaching of the Great Vehicle, without discriminating between "right," "imitative," and "latter" Dharma, we say that all those who practice attain the state of truth.

(The theory of three kinds of degenerated ages might be apology for lazy, weak Buddhists)

In only theoretical Buddhism, people insist the existence of the three kinds of different ages, "right," "imitative," and "latter", and they insist that it is perfectly impossible for people in "latter" to realize the Truth by Zazen, but Master Dogen insists that such a vulgar theory just has come from people, who belong to only theoretical and enormously lazy Buddhists actually.

57]

31) The Zen Master says, "Relying upon what words were you able to enter?"
Soku says, "I once asked Seiho: Just what is the student that is I? Seiho said: The children of fire come looking for fire."
Hogen says, "Nice words. But I am afraid that you may not have understood."
Soku says, "The children of fire belong to fire. [So] I understood that their being fire yet looking for fire represented my being myself yet looking for myself."
The Zen Master says, "I have become sure that you did not understand. If the Buddha-Dharma were like that, it could never have been transmitted until today." At this Soku became embarrassed and distressed, and he stood up [to leave]. [But] on the road he thought, "The Zen Master is [respected] throughout the country [as] a good counselor, and he is a great guiding master to five hun-dred people. There must surely have been some merit in his criticism of my wrongness."
[Soku] goes back to the Zen Master to confess and to prostrate himself in apology. Then he asks, "Just what is the student that is I?" The Zen Master says, "The children of fire come looking for fire." Under the influence of these words, Soku grandly realized the Buddha-Dharma. Clearly, the Buddha-Dharma is never known with the intellectual under-standing that we ourselves are just buddha. If the intellectual understand-ing that we ourselves are just buddha were the Buddha-Dharma, the Zen Master could not have guided [Soku] by using the former words, and he would not have admonished [Soku] as he did.

(We should notice the difference between intellectual world and actual World)

The story indicates the absolute difference between the intellectual area and actual area. Soku has understood that it is just enlightenment for a person to understand the meaning of the words "The children of fire come looking for fire." intellectually, and so he has be thinking that he has got the enlightenment many years ago.
But Master Hogen has supposed that such a kind of misunderstanding exists in Soku's mind, and so Master Hogen doubtes whether Soku has got enlightened, or not. After listening to Soku's explanations, Master Hogen has clearly noticed that Soku has understood the meaning of the words just intellectually. Therefore Master Hogen has criticised that Soku hasn't realized the true meaning of the words.
But Soku has had so strong self-confidence in his understaning the words. Therefore, having so strong anger, he has been going to leave the temple. On the way, however, Soku has reflected that
Mster Hogen has been a so famous Buddhist Master in China at that time. So Soku has wanted to ask the same question to Master again once more.
And the most important difference between Soku's former time and the latter time, is the absolute difference in the former intellectual attitude and the latter so sincere actual attitudes. Therefore when he has hear Master Hogen's real words "The children of fire come looking for fire.", Soku has actually understand the true meaning of the words "The children of fire come looking for fire."
And generally speaking Buddhism has always so important dimensional difference between intellectual basis and actual basis, and I think that almost all other philosophies in the world other than Buddhism, does never have such a kind of valuable dimensional difference at all.

61]

32) I say: We should know that these people of the past and present who clari-fied the mind on seeing forms and who realized the truth on hearing sounds, were all without intellectual doubt in pursuing the truth, and just in the moment of the present there was no second person.

(It is important having no doubt in the Truth, and having no separation in our own personality)

Just before the quotation, Master Dogen insists that there are some examples, which has not rely upon Zazen, when a practitioner has got the Truth. And he proclaims that there are two important conditions, when we realize the Truth. The one is that we should never have any kind of doubt in the real existence of the Truth itself. And the second one is that we should never have the separation of our personality.
In short if we have any doubt about the real existence of the Truth, we can never arrive at the Realization. And in the second case when we have the unbalanced autonomic nervous system, it is always inevitable for us to have the consciousness, which has been separated between the physical Ego and the spiritual Ego. And in kinds of those cases we can never experience of Reality at all.

62]

33) Just because our country is not a nation of benevolence or wisdom and the people are dull-witted, do not think that it is impossible for us to grasp the Buddha-Dharma. Still more, all human beings have the right seeds of prajnya in abundance. It may simply be that few of us have ex-perienced the real state directly, and so we are immature in receiving and using it.

(It is not necessary for Japanese people to give up getting the Truth)

Master Dogen thinks that even though Japanese people at that time are not so benevolent or clever, and are dull-witted, but it is not necessary for us to think that Japanese people will be impossible to grasp the Truth. Because Master Dogen thinks that all human beings are full of the intuitive ability so sufficiently, and in the case of Japanese people, it has been rather rare for them to meet Reality directly, and haven't experienced yet the the balanced state of the autonimic nervous system yet.

68]

34) [Within] the frontiers of the spread of that teaching, what place could not be a Buddha-land? Therefore, when we want to disseminate the truth of the Buddhist patriarchs, it is not always necessary to select a [particular] place or to wait for [favorable] circumstances. Shall we just con-sider today to be the starting point?

([Within] the frontiers of the spread of that teaching, what place could not be a Buddha-land?)

Master Dogen proclaims that every place, where the teaching Buddhism pervades in the world, must
be the place of a Buddha-land. Therefore it is not necessary for us selecting the place or waiting a chance for preading Buddhism for spreading Buddhism at all. And we should think that "The present moment is just the time for us beginning it."
And I feel much interest in his last words. Because in Buddhism there is no time, which really exists, other than the present moment. Therefore we have to think that we can begin everything just at the present moment, and we can never begin anything at any time other than the present moment.

(End: Bendowa)

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Sitting Alternatives.

Master Gudo,

I know that traditionally that one needs to be in the Full Lotus or Half Lotus in order to technicallt be doing Zazen. Are there any exceptions?

I think that I tired a little to aggresively to get into the half-lotus and as a result have severly strained the Lateral Collateral Ligament in my right knee. Even the Burmese postition hurts. What about chair sitting or a seiza bench?

Thank you in advance.

Al


Dear Al San

Thank you very much for your questions, and unfortunately to the first question whether we can select another posture other than the Full Lotus Posture or Half Lotus Posture, my answers are negative.
Because the Full Lotus Posture or Half Lotus Posture have been used since when Gautama Buddha has
begun the practice of Zazen, and such kinds of methods haven't been changed for about 2,500 years
in Buddhist Societies at all. Therefore if we want to change the method of practice, it suggests that we want to change the Gautama Buddha'practice itself, and so it suggests that we want to change the Buddhist teachings themselves. Therefore it is completely impossible for me to avoid the method of Half Lotus Posture or Full Lotus Posture.
During it is painful for us to utilize Full Lotus Posture, it is necessary for us to use the method of Half Lotus Posture. And we should change the right and left legs when it is necessary. Because we can think that the reason why Gautama Buddha decided that Half Lotus Posture was also the authentic posture in Zazen, came from Gautama Buddha's very kind benevolence.
But at the same time Buddhism can never be a kind of asceticism, and so we should make our efforts to prepare the conditions and methods of practicing Zazen easier, as far as possible.
For example if the room, which is used for Zazen, is wooden-floored, we must use mat, carpet, and so forth, and we should guard our feet, legs, knees, and so forth carefully.
In the case of Western people, their legs are usually much longer than Eastern people, and so generally speaking, the Western people should usually use thicker and higher Zafus, or cussions for Zazen, than the case of the Eastern people.
If it is difficult for us to find such a thick and high Zafu, we can use a blanket, which is being folded many times in stead of a big Zafu.
It was very big benevolence of Gautama Buddha, that he had presented us the very excellent method to make our autonomic nervous system balanced in a few moments, and so it is our duty that we make the conditions of Zazen easier as far as possible.
But at the same time it is also necessary for us to pass some kind of painful process to get the Truth, and so it is necessary for us to experience such efforts in our daily practice too.

Even though in Soto Sect recently they sometimes recommend for secular practioners to use chairs for Zazen, but I think that such a kind of idea might be serious rebellion against Gautama Buddhas' teachings.

In the case of utilizing seiza chair, I think that the practitioner will avoid the suppresing their legs with the weight of their body, and so the effects of Zazen might be decreased.

Gudo Wafu Nishijima

Monday, August 20, 2007

Questions

Sensei:

1. Is there anything in the Tao Te Ching which constridicts Buddhist philosophy?

2. If one sits zazen properly, by following your instructions, and reads masters such as Dogen, does one still have to have a personal master in order to reach enlightenment.

Buddhism and Self Loathing.

Dear Nishijima Roshi,

From what I have read on the internet, on various forums, it seems that many people have interpreted Buddha's teaching as a subtle (and in many cases a not-so-subtle) form of self loathing.

You know, people often state that we should in some way counteract or even destroy our 'Demon Ego' etc. Is this a correct interpretation of what the Buddha proposed?

Should we adopt the Buddhist precepts with this view of our human self?

Maybe I have it all wrong; but it seems to me that this might well represent just another recipe for human dissatisfaction.

Wishing you good health.

Regards,

Harry,
Ireland.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Free will?

Dear Master Nishijima,


Some Neuroscientists in Germany (Gerhard Roth, Wolf Singer) say that we have no freedom of choice or free will, that the brain has decided how to act some time before we think that “WE” will exactly do that. They say that the common sense view of thinking that “WE” have chosen, is a trick of the brain or something like that, and that most things in the brain work unconsciously.

Many scientists refer to the experiment of Benjamin Libet.

In your Book A heart to heart chat with old Master Gudo you said that our actions in the present are free yet fully bound by the past, and while fully bound by the past yet we are free.

If what the scientists say is true, then if we would stand on a razor edge and would decide to fall on the left side instead of the right side, this decision would be determined/bound by the past and my brain, not by “ME”, although I might think that it was me who had chosen.

Q.1) What do you think about what the scientists say?

Q.2) How can we be free and at the same time bound? Is this only possible during Zazen or a state like that when we act?

Q.3) Is it only possible for people who practice Zazen to be free?

Best wishes,

Markus

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Our translation of Shobogenzo

Recently I have found that my joint translator of Shobogenzo Mr Mike Cross has very unsatisfactory feeling to his position as a joint translator with me, and so I would like to explain my opinion about it to solve his unsatisfactory situations as far as possible.

The reason, why he feels so strong unsatisfactory feeling to his position, comes from his idea that even though he has accomplished the translation of Shobogenzo by himself alone, but I do not have the same opinion as him at all. However, thinking about the real situation of the joint translation, it is impossible for me to have the same idea as he, and so I think that it is necessary for me to explain about my opoinion about it, and we have to need to have the common idea together in conclusion.

Mr Mike Cross(M.C.)'s insistence is that the accomplishment of the last translation has been done only by himself, and so after my death, if he would insist that the translation has been done only by M.C. himself, it is possible for him to eraze my name from the names of translators. Of course he only alluded to his such intention in his email to me, but my translation of Shobogenzo into modern Japanese and into English were my main work throughout my life, and so I would like for me to maintain the translation of Shobogenzo in modern Japanese and in English as my life work for ever.

Therefore, I would like to explain my real situations of the translating Shobogenzo into modern Japanese and into English actually for recognizing my efforts for about 22 years, which were used for the translation of Shobogenzo from the old Japanese into the modern japanese, and from the modern Japanese into English.

I have begun to read Shobogenzo, which was written by Master Dogen in 13 Century, for the first time in 1938. But, even though it was written in Japanese, it was so difficult for me to understand it for the first time. However, reading it again and again, I have begun to understand it gradually, and so when I have understood the total meaning of it, I wrote my first book, which is called "Bukkyo - Dai San no Sekai-kan, or Buddhism - the third view of the world." And I have introduced the outline of Shobogenzo by Master Dogen as my first book of Buddhism.

Then I have begun to translate Shobogenzo, which was written in Japanese of the medieval age, into the modern Japanese. I guess that many people feel strange that it was necessary for me to translate the Japanese in the medieval age into the modern Japanese because I am just a native speaker of Japanese, but actually speaking the Japanese in the medieval age was so different from the modern Japanese, and so if I want to make Shobogenzo understandable for modern Japanese people, it was necessary for us to translate Shobogenzo, which was written in Japanese of the medieval age into the modern Japanese inevitably. So I have translated the total Shobogenzo into the modern Japanese first, and I have published "Gendaigoyaku Shobogenzo, or Shobogenzo in the modern Japanese" first. The book includes the 13 volumes in cluding the original text of Shobogenzo, comments for difficult words, and Shobogenzo in the modern Japanese, and an index. It was necessary for me to complish and publish it for 16 years. At that time I was the head of a section in Japan Security Finance Company, and so I was rather busy. Therefore it was necessary for me to stop smoking, drinking, playing golf and mar-jongg, travelling and so forth, to write the draft of the book everyday. After finishing the dinner at the 7 o'clock everyday, I worked for writing the draft of translated Shobogenzo into modern Japanese for 3 hours everyday, and on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, I worked for writing the draft almost everyday. And after becoming the consultant of Ida Industry Corporation since 1975, even during the daytime I could work for Shobogenzo, when there was no meeting in Ida company.

It was necessary for me to spend 16 years to accomplish "The modern Japanized Shobogenzo," and then I have begun to translate Shobogenzo into English. At that time I have become the counselor of Ida Company already, and so usually I could work for translating Shobogenzo even for a daytime
in the company for about 5 hours when there was no meeting, and at night I could work for the English translation also for 3 hours at home. And after 6 years efforts I have accomplishe my English translation by myself first. Therefore it was necessary for me to accomplish my English translation for 16 years + 6 years = 22 years.

Then it was necessary for me to find a native speaker of English, who could help me to rewriting
my tongue-tied English into his fluent English. And fortunately I found Mr Jeffery Bailey, who wanted to help me for rewriting my English draft. And his rewriting has progressed about two third of them, and just at that time M.C. has appeared into my English class of Shobogenzo.

And I suppose that there might be very heated arguments between Mr Bailey and M.C. And unfortunately Mr Bailey has decided to come back to USA suddenly. Mr Bailey was my first student from abroad, and he was very helpful for me to manage my English class. Therefore I felt very regretable for me to lose him from my English class, but it was impossible for me to listen to the situations in detail at that time.

After that M.C. has begun his rewriting. Before that time I have made 3 copies of my draft of Shobogenzo in English, and I kept one of them, and I passed the one copy to Mr Bailey, and later M.C. has received one. But after Mr Bailey has come back to US, even though M.C. attended my English lecture at every occasion, he didn't have any question about the meaning of Shobogenzo at all. And about 3 or 4 yeras later he suddenly showed me his rewritten draft of Shobogenzo suddenly.

Reading his draft I was much surprised that his rewritten draft was so beautiful, so exact, and so sharp. Therefore there was no necessity for me to correct his draft almost at all. So I accepted his excellent draft as it is, then our translation of Shobogenzou has been accomplished.

However, recently I have begun to notice the existence of danger, that there might be some possibility in future that my name as the main translator of Shobogenzo might be erazed artificially after my death. And if such an unfair process would be done after my death, it might be perfectly impossible for me to explain the real situations, which have occurred on the earth actually, at all. And at the same time my stupid efforts, which have been done spending more than 22 years, or one tourth of my life, would be erased completely. Therefore even though my suspicion seemes to be too much sensitive nowadays, but I sincerely hope that such a kind of unfair happening should never occur on the earth at all.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Flowers in Space (Kuge)

Dear Ven Juelgen Seggelke,

I am very sorry that it seems that I couldn't find your important questions so long time, and so I would like to apologize to you for my cearless mistakes so much. And my answers for your questions are as follows.

Gudo Wafu Nishijima


Dear Sensei,

recently you were explaining sexual greed in the meaning of Dogen´s chapter “Flowers in Space” (Kuge). So I have questions about this chapter:

Q1
There is the word akasha in Sanskrit, which means space as the material element or substance,
and there is the word shunyata which means “emptiness” or balanced state in your interpretation. Both meanings are really very different. What is the meaning of “ku” in the chapter of “Kuge”?

(Gudo) The Sanskrit word "akasha" means the physical space, which we discuss in physics, but in the case of "shunyata" is the balanced state of body and mind, which occurs in the human autonomic nervous system.

Q2
What is your interpretation of:” For example, the time and place that blue lotus flowers open and spread are in the midst of fire and the time of fire. And all sparks and flames exist at the place and at the time that blue lotus flowers open and spread” ?
Para 19, Page 10, 7.th line from the top

(Gudo) For example the time and place are the two fundametal categories of reality, and so when we think about the real existence of blue lotus flowers, it is inevitable for us to recognize them just at the present moment of the hot summer and just at the hot place on the surface of a pond. Therefore in other examples even fire of spark, or fire of flame, manifest themselves in a hot place and at a hot time, it is also at a similar time and at a similar space, when and where the blue lotus flowers, manifest themselves. Without the real time and the real place, which are similar to the real time and at the real space, when and where the real blue lotus flowers exist, it is perfectly impossible for us to recognize an appearance of spark, or vigorous activity of a piece of spark at all. We should know that even in a piece of spark there are hundreds and thousunds of blue lotus flowers are spreading in the sky and on the ground. They are spreading in the past and they are spreading at the present moment. The facts that when we experience fire at the present moment and at the real place, are just the same as for us to experience real blue lotus flowers actually. We should experience exactly the real time and the real place of concrete blue lotus flowers without fail.

Q3
“Nevertheless, when the common and stupid hear the Tathagata´s words that ´What is seen by the clouded eyes is flowers in space´, they imagine that ´clouded eyes´ means the upset eyes of ordinary beings”
Para 26, Page 11, 3.th line from the bottom

Thank you so much for your help,

Yudo J. Seggelke

(Gudo) The quotation, which you have actually quoted, sugests that usually people think that Kuge, that is, just intellectual consideration, and sense perception, are called fowers in the sky, and they are wrong. But Master Dogen's interpretation is that by practicing Zazen, or Shobogenzo Nehanmyoshin, we can notice that the true meaning of intellectual consideration and sense perception, and so it is very important for us to recognize the true meaning of intellectual consideration and sense perception reling upon the practice of Zazen too.

Dear Dr Juergen Seggelke,

I used some kinds of explanatoty words in my interpretation, and so if there are still some sentences, which are not clear yet, I hope that you will ask to me the meaning further.

Gudo Wafu Nishijima

Monday, August 6, 2007

The Sutra of Mountains and Water

Dear Sensei,

thank you so much for your clear explanation and interpretation of the chapter Sansui gyô.
With best wishes

Yudo J. Seggelke

Master Nishijima,

I have a few questions that I have been meaning to ask a teacher for quite some while, so I was wondering if you could answer them for me:

1) Why do the sutras (both Theravada and Mahayana) seem to talk about rebirth so much, while Master Dogen seemed to reject this idea?

2) When practicing zazen, I sometimes become too concerned about whether or not my posture is correct and I adjust and move around too much. What would you recommend?

3) In your view, can a teacher make a mistake in giving the Dharma Transmission to a student? Can someone who has realized the Buddhist Truth become out of balance and lose it?

Thank you very much Master Nishijima

-Christopher


Dear Christopher San

Thank you very much for your sincere questions, and my answers to them are as follows.

1) Why do the sutras (both Theravada and Mahayana) seem to talk about rebirth so much, while Master Dogen seemed to reject this idea?

(Gudo's opinion) I think that human beings are sometimes very weak, and so they sometimes hope to
live forever, and such a childish hope sometimes changes their belief.

2) When practicing zazen, I sometimes become too concerned about whether or not my posture is correct and I adjust and move around too much. What would you recommend?

(Gudo's opinion) I think that it is very important whether our posture in Zazen, is correct, or not. And so it is very preferable habit for us to check whether our posture in Zazen, is good, or not. Threfore it is very valuable for us to correct our posture during Zazen, but at the same time, after our whole body and mind have remembered their regular feeling of whole body and mind in Zazen, it is just our efforts to maintain the posture blindly.

3) In your view, can a teacher make a mistake in giving the Dharma Transmission to a student? Can someone who has realized the Buddhist Truth become out of balance and lose it?

(Gudo's opinion) I think that there might be several times to make my mistakes in giving Dharma to them, and especially in my case I have sometimes given my Dharma for encouraging my students before they haven't matured yet.

Thank you very much Christopher San.

Gudo Wafu Nishijima

Sunday, August 5, 2007

What is the physical ego?

Dear Master Nishijima,


You have said, that there is a physical and an mental ego,

Q1.) Can you describe the physical ego a bit deeper. How does it come into existence, can you give examples? What is the difference to the mental ego?

Q2.) Is for example the concentrating on the breath helping to create the physical ego, or the mental ego, and therfore is it better not to concentrate on the breath?

Q3.) Do the 5 Skhandas help to describe the physical ego?

Q4.) Is the theory of the 5 Skhandas similar to the Twelvefold Chain of Codependent origination?

Q5.) Do you prefer one theory of the above more as the other?


Thank you very much!

Best wishes,
Markus

Dear Master Nishijima,


You have said, that there is a physical and an mental ego,


Dear Markus San,

Thank you very much for your questions, and my answers are as follows.


Q1.) Can you describe the physical ego a bit deeper. How does it come into existence, can you give examples? What is the difference to the mental ego?

A1.) I think that there may be two kinds of ego, and the one occurs when the sympathetic nervous system is stronger, and at that time people are prone to be spiritual, a little arrogant, very diligent to work, criticizing to others, being a little hypocritical, and so forth.
But in the case of a little stronger parasympathetic nervous system, people are prone to be materialistic, being a little lazy, a little week to the physical attraction, like to sleep, like to eat, and so forth.
Therefore I think that the case of mental ego is the former expression of the a little stronger sympathetic nervous system.

Q2.) Is for example the concentrating on the breath helping to create the physical ego, or the mental ego, and therfore is it better not to concentrate on the breath?

A2.) I think that the concentrating on the breath does not have any meaning in Buddhism at all. I think that the concentrating on the breath is also as a kind of consideration, and so the concentrating on the breath also disturb Zazen.

Q3.) Do the 5 Skhandas help to describe the physical ego?

A3.) The 5 Skhandas includes both physical side and mental side, and so the 5 Skhandas are the total description of both mind and body.

Q4.) Is the theory of the 5 Skhandas similar to the Twelvefold Chain of Codependent origination?

A4.) The meaning of words "Codependent origination" are difficult for me to understand, but if it means that the origination has been codependent, Buddhism does not have such an idea at all, and so I can never agree such a strange idea at all.
Therefore I think that the theory of the 5 Skhandas does never have such a strange interpretation at all.

Q5.) Do you prefer one theory of the above more as the other?

A5.) The Truth is just only one, and so to find such an only one Truth is just the human duty.


Thank you very much!

Best wishes,
Markus


Thank you very much for your so precise questions.

Best wishes
Gudo Wafu Nishijima

Students & Teachers.

Dear Nishijima Roshi,


Dear Harry San,

Thank you very much for your sincere questions, and I would like to write my answer just under your each question.


What is your view of venerating a living guru, such as in Tibetan guru yoga practice, where the lama/guru is visualised by his followers as a perfected being/Buddha?

(Gudo's answer 1.) Unfortunately I do not know about Tibetan Buddhism almost at all, and so I would like to ask you to have your questions to other Masters other than I.

What do you feel consitutes a healthy respect for one's teacher, and how should a teacher respect his student?

(Gudo's answer 2.) I think that all Buddhist students should show their respects to their Masters, and all Buddhist Masters should revere their students too.

Also, if I may, is there a point where an organised Sangha becomes counterprodutive to the teaching and study of Zen?

(Gudo's answer 3.) I think that if there were any Buddhist organization, which does not know the True Buddhism, it might be inevitable for them to become counterproductive to the teaching and study of the Truth.


Many thanks for your blog and other writings.

Wishing you good health,

Harry,
Ireland.


Many thanks for your sincere questions to the Buddhist Truth.

Gudo Wafu Nishijima

Saturday, August 4, 2007

Conflict management

Dear Master Gudo Wafu Nishijima,

thank you for all your realistic answers and your patience! Today my questions are as follows.


Dear Dr Siegfried Hohlfeld,

Thank you very much for your important questions, and I would like to write my answers just under your questions.


Q.1: Do you think too,that courage is very important in Buddhism?

A.1: Yes, I think that courage is very important even in Buddhism. Because without courage it is completely impossible for everyone to do anything at all.

Q.2: Isn´t it most important to be aware of the ego ?

A.2: Even though we are aware of the ego, I think that there is nothing to esteem. Because the mental ego occurs, when the sympathetic nervous system is stronger, and the physical ego occurs, when the parasympathetic nervous system is stronger. Therefore we can think that the mental ego, and the physical ego are both simple facts at the present moment, and so I think that there is no
value whether we are aware of them, or not. And the important point for us is to eraze both the mental ego and the physical ego at the present moment.Therefore the most important job for us is to keep the autonomic nervous balanced to eraze both the mental ego and the physical ego at the present moment.

Q.3: Aren´t we in danger most the time to pretend wisdom theoretically - although Reality
is very practical?

A.3: Yes, I agree with your idea.

Q.4: Which are the rules for peaceful solutions of conflict in Buddhism?

A.4: Without keeping the balanced state of the autonomic nervous system, there might be no peaceful solution in human societies at all.


Thank you for your answers and energy!Best wishes!

siegfried hohlfeld


Thank you very much for your sharp questions on Buddhist problems so much.

Gudo Wafu Nishijima

Friday, August 3, 2007

Dogen Sangha convulsed with sibling rivalry.

Old Doctor Freud knew a thing or two.

Only those who remain umoved are neither patients nor disciples.

See for yourself, which are you?

The platformed disciple is dust on the diamond. The master is diamond in the dust.

In Gudo, all kalpas, sentient and unsentient beings are undivided.

Gassho

Chinnamastananda

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Questions about Shobogenzo, chapter 14

Dear Sensei,
thank you so much that you are supporting my working on introductions and commentaries on some chapters of the Shobogenzo. I really hope that your answers will be valuable for other users of your Blog too.

These are my questions about chapter 14, The Sutra of Mountains and Water (Sansuigyo).
What is the meaning of:


Dear Dr Yudo J. Seggelke.

Thank you very much for your questions, and I would like to write my answers under your questions directly.

Gudo Wafu Nishijima

Q1
“Because they (the mountains and water) are in the state before the kalpa of emptiness, they are vigorous activity in the present”
Para 175, page 167, 3.th line from the top.

A1
“Because they (the mountains and water) are in the state before the kalpa of emptiness, they are vigorous activity in the present”means "Because the mountains and the rivers are manifesting themselves as the same as the nature in the eternal past, therefore they are realizing their vigorous activities just at the present moment."

Q2
“Master Kai of Taiyo-zan mountain preaches to the assembly, “The Blue Mountains are constantly walking. The Stone Woman bears children by night””
Para 176, page 167, 6.th line from the bottom

A2
I interpret that Buddhist Masters in the old age, even though they did not know the scientific knowledge in the modern age at all, some of them intuitively had some feeling that the earth was moving constantly, and even a rock could change into sand.

Q3
“The moment of forward walking does not oppose backward walking. We call this virtue the mountains flowing and we call it the flowing mountain”
Para 176, page 169, 4.th line from the top

A4
The both walkings forward and backward are separately done at each present moment, and so the walking forward and the walking backward can never be done oppositely at one moment. Therefore we call such a kind of situation, sometimes that a mountain is flowing, and sometimes a flowing mountain.


I hope my questions are not too much in detail and with best wishes
Yudo J. Seggelke


I think that your questions are never too much in detail, therefore I have enjoyed your questions
so much.
Gudo Wafu Nishijima

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Dear Leaders of Dogen Sangha

Please let us know what you have learnt by just sitting and listening to Dogen´s teachings.
It´s now time to act without hesitation. Let us know your personal opinion to Master Gudo
Wafu Nishijima´s decision for Brad Warner and tell us about your opinion on Master Gudo
Wafu Nishijima´s life-work on Dogen,Nagarjuna and his results for a future realistic Buddhism.
All your effort for this Sangha, all respect for Gudo !

Sincerly
Siegfried Hohlfeld

Dear Dr Siegfried Hohlfeld,

Thank you very much for your serious questions. The reason, why I have selected Brad Warner as my successor in Dogen Sangha International, comes from that I think that USA is the centrally civilized country through the world today, but at the same time even in my case it is very difficult for me to grasp the so developed civilizations in USA, and so it is necessary for me to select a person, who has ability to understand USA civilization as far as possible. Because of such reason I selected Brad Warner as my successor in Dogen Sangha International.

Relating of my own life, I have become 87 years old already, but I am even now keeping still so many important Buddhist knowledge, which I have to tell to all people on the earth before my death, if it is possible. Because of accomplishment for such a purpose I will continue Dogen Sangha Blog as far as possible until my death. In my case I have studied Buddhism for more 70 years everyday, and have practiced Zazen 2 times a day for more than 65 years already, and so I would like to tell all people, who are sicere to study Buddhism, what I know on it totally relying Dogen Sangha Blog as far as possible.

Looking at the world situations today, I think that the most serious situations of human civilization may be the so blind belief in the two wrong philosophies of idealism, and materialism. Of course I revere so much the two excellent philosophies of idealism and materialism, which have guided human civilizations for thousands of years, but I recognize that the time, when we, human beings, should notice the wrongness of idealism and materialism, has arrived at actually in 21st Century at last.
Now a days by practicing Zazen we can experience the balanced state of the autonomic nervous system, and then we can have the time when there is no consideration and no sense perception actually. In other words we can experience the time of action, which does not have any consideration, or sense perception.
And so by such an experience we can enter into the area of action, and we can notice the clear existence of action, which is completely different from ideas or sense perception. Then we can enter into a new area of Reality, and it is the beginning of Buddhist Realism in 21st Century.

Now if we look at the real situations of the world today, even though we do not recognize them so clearly, we can notice some kinds of so enormous progress in our daily life.
For example among the 7, 8, or 9 powerful countries in the world, the presidents of them have become to have their international meetings several times a year already, and they discuss so many important problems, which have so seriously valuable meaning among them, and those international decisions among them, works actually later in the real international relations of many countries in the world today. Therefore I suppose that even though such a small kind of meeting among several presidents of the powerful countries today seems to be a kind of very small baby as the official cabinet of the immatured World State.
At the same time even today there are so many national flags are standing in the central street of New York City. And looking at such a concret scenery I sometimes feel that a miniature parliament of the World State has been established already in New York.
In another viewpoint we can suppose the establishment of World Districts in the World, for example, North American district, South American district, European district, Asian district, Islamic district, African district, and so forth.
And thinking such situations I suppose that there is possibility that the World State will be established in several centuries actually, and at that time I think that it is also necessary for human beings to establish the two factors, the one is the strongest power, and the other might be the utimate Truth.