Case 69 never ends, and so we question Case 70, Shinzan Questions the Nature of Life ...
The central metaphor of the Koan is that a "bamboo" shoot is not yet mature as a grown bamboo, and until maturity there is an obstacle to the sheath of the bamboo being used in the making of bamboo rope. Yet, all is unborn as well, and there are no obstacles from the start. Bamboo is just bamboo all along, young or old. Nonetheless, there are obstacles and differences.
In Master Dogen's Teachings of 'Practice-Enlightenment', one progresses down the road, gathering experience and mastery, yet each step is the whole thing, complete unto itself with no place to go, no progress and no goal.
This is not our usual way of approaching life and thinking about "getting somewhere".
It is a bit like saying that one is "Buddha" already when a mess of a human being before undertaking Practice, "Buddha" when first starting practice or a few years in, "Buddha" when well seasoned 30 years down the road, Buddha when someday finally becoming a perfect Buddha. In other words, the mess and the "newish fellow" and the fellow 30 years down the road are all "Buddha", but hopefully the latter fellow is 30 years more seasoned at living and acting as "Buddha"!
Or, one might say that in climbing the mountain of Shikantaza, the bottom of the mountain is Buddha, the top of the mountain is Buddha, and the point is not just to finish the hike or get to the top. Rather, the point of the hike is the hiking, and eventually the realization that all steps top to bottom are Buddha all along. Also, we are Buddha when we stay on the Path or fall in the mud (or off the cliff!), yet perhaps with experience we get better at falling less! Ultimately, although there is "no place to fall" that is not Buddha and even the mud holes and brambles are just Buddha through and through, nonetheless best to avoid the mud, poison ivy and cliff drops!
(In fact we realize that we are just the mountain all along, and as we walk the mountain thus the mountain has been climbing us, and all is just mountain mountaining mountain, climb climbing without top or bottom to measure. Nonetheless, we keep walking so as to bring the mountain climbing to life!)
In this way, we do make "progress" step by step up the mountain, yet each step by step is itself the "finish line" and total arrival.
This from Master Dogen's Shobogenzo Gyoji:
On the great road of buddhas and ancestors there is always unsurpassable practice,
continuous and sustained. It forms the circle of the way and is never cut off. Between
aspiration [to begin], practice, enlightenment, and nirvana, there is not a moment’s gap; continuous
practice is the circle of the way.
Also, Shobogenzo Hotsubodaishin
Shakyamuni Buddha said, “When the morning star appeared, I attained the way
simultaneously with all sentient beings and the great earth.” Thus, aspiration [to begin], practice,
enlightenment, and nirvana must be the simultaneity of aspiration, practice, enlightenment,
and nirvana with all sentient beings
There is the sense in today's Koan that, perhaps, neither the perspective of Shinzan or Shuzan is truly wrong, but that one or the other way of seeing the Path is lacking. There is no growth, and yet there is. And each step and stage is just what it is, much as the monastery kitchen is just the kitchen, the rectory just the rectory, the toilets just the toilets, the sacred Zendo just the Zendo ... yet each and all is just thoroughly the monastery at once. Each and all thoroughly the Sacred Monastery through and through, without separation or distinction. Nonetheless, one does not cook in the Zendo or pee in the kitchen.
As to the elephant/river image in the Preface, this may refer to a passage from the Nirvana Sutra and implies that even one of some attainment (hearing the elephant) still needs to deal with the rough currents and turns of life and Practice. One may hear that "the nature of life is unborn" and free of obstacles from the start, yet still have to deal with life's obstacles on the road of Practice.
Wick Roshi relates the story of the soldier who looked for his lost sword in the river by marking the side of the boat, thus looking in all the wrong places.
Through this Practice, have you gotten better over the months and years at making progress with no progress to attain?
Gassho, J
SatToday
The central metaphor of the Koan is that a "bamboo" shoot is not yet mature as a grown bamboo, and until maturity there is an obstacle to the sheath of the bamboo being used in the making of bamboo rope. Yet, all is unborn as well, and there are no obstacles from the start. Bamboo is just bamboo all along, young or old. Nonetheless, there are obstacles and differences.
In Master Dogen's Teachings of 'Practice-Enlightenment', one progresses down the road, gathering experience and mastery, yet each step is the whole thing, complete unto itself with no place to go, no progress and no goal.
This is not our usual way of approaching life and thinking about "getting somewhere".
It is a bit like saying that one is "Buddha" already when a mess of a human being before undertaking Practice, "Buddha" when first starting practice or a few years in, "Buddha" when well seasoned 30 years down the road, Buddha when someday finally becoming a perfect Buddha. In other words, the mess and the "newish fellow" and the fellow 30 years down the road are all "Buddha", but hopefully the latter fellow is 30 years more seasoned at living and acting as "Buddha"!
Or, one might say that in climbing the mountain of Shikantaza, the bottom of the mountain is Buddha, the top of the mountain is Buddha, and the point is not just to finish the hike or get to the top. Rather, the point of the hike is the hiking, and eventually the realization that all steps top to bottom are Buddha all along. Also, we are Buddha when we stay on the Path or fall in the mud (or off the cliff!), yet perhaps with experience we get better at falling less! Ultimately, although there is "no place to fall" that is not Buddha and even the mud holes and brambles are just Buddha through and through, nonetheless best to avoid the mud, poison ivy and cliff drops!
(In fact we realize that we are just the mountain all along, and as we walk the mountain thus the mountain has been climbing us, and all is just mountain mountaining mountain, climb climbing without top or bottom to measure. Nonetheless, we keep walking so as to bring the mountain climbing to life!) In this way, we do make "progress" step by step up the mountain, yet each step by step is itself the "finish line" and total arrival.
This from Master Dogen's Shobogenzo Gyoji:
On the great road of buddhas and ancestors there is always unsurpassable practice,
continuous and sustained. It forms the circle of the way and is never cut off. Between
aspiration [to begin], practice, enlightenment, and nirvana, there is not a moment’s gap; continuous
practice is the circle of the way.
Also, Shobogenzo Hotsubodaishin
Shakyamuni Buddha said, “When the morning star appeared, I attained the way
simultaneously with all sentient beings and the great earth.” Thus, aspiration [to begin], practice,
enlightenment, and nirvana must be the simultaneity of aspiration, practice, enlightenment,
and nirvana with all sentient beings
There is the sense in today's Koan that, perhaps, neither the perspective of Shinzan or Shuzan is truly wrong, but that one or the other way of seeing the Path is lacking. There is no growth, and yet there is. And each step and stage is just what it is, much as the monastery kitchen is just the kitchen, the rectory just the rectory, the toilets just the toilets, the sacred Zendo just the Zendo ... yet each and all is just thoroughly the monastery at once. Each and all thoroughly the Sacred Monastery through and through, without separation or distinction. Nonetheless, one does not cook in the Zendo or pee in the kitchen.
As to the elephant/river image in the Preface, this may refer to a passage from the Nirvana Sutra and implies that even one of some attainment (hearing the elephant) still needs to deal with the rough currents and turns of life and Practice. One may hear that "the nature of life is unborn" and free of obstacles from the start, yet still have to deal with life's obstacles on the road of Practice.
Wick Roshi relates the story of the soldier who looked for his lost sword in the river by marking the side of the boat, thus looking in all the wrong places.
Through this Practice, have you gotten better over the months and years at making progress with no progress to attain?
Gassho, J
SatToday
I would have to admit to falling off the wagon occasionally. I mean, I don't have the most consistent zazen practice, but I do my best to live up to the precepts (12 steps
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