Case 73 never ends, and so we arise to Case 74, Hogen's Substance and Name ...
The word "Dharma" can be confusing to folks because it carries a couple of rather different meanings in Buddhist lingo. One is something like "phenomena", which means the things and events which happen in the universe and all reality. Each is a "dharma." One is the Buddha's Teachings about how those phenomena, the universe and reality works (for example, in the phrase "We study Buddha Dharma" or "practice the Dharma"). In the Koan, the use of "dharmas" is probably the former meaning of things, events, phenomena.
So, a monk asks Hogen, "I've heard it said in a sutra that all dharmas arise from a nondwelling base. What is this non-dwelling base?"
As Shishin Wick points out, sometimes we call this "non-dwelling base" as "Emptiness", although the monk seems to make the mistake of trying to stick a label on it, and turn it into some frozen and fixed thing.
Hogen responds to the monk, saying that "form arises before substance. Name occurs before naming." It is a tricky statement, but I take it to mean something like "all the things and events of the universe somehow are present in the wonderful potential of Emptiness before they actually seem to happen, and before they then have a name and interpretation stuck on them by our mind."
Shishin relates a conversation from the Vimalakirti Sutra that seems to express aspects of the Buddha's traditional Teaching on "Dependent Origination". In the conversation, it is described how the body (a Dharma phenomena of form) is arising from our craving/desire, which comes from our inner discrimination and inverted thinking, which all arises from the "Non-abiding" sourceless source. Shishin points out that this "non-abiding" sourceless source is also what we might sometimes call "Emptiness" (it is a "sourceless source," because we should avoid to think of it as a fixed thing). It is not nihilism either, as in "nicht nada zero," because this "non-abiding" Emptiness is also some wondrous, fertile potential and home for all things.
The Preface to the Assembly seems to describe some "Traceless" without a speck of dust and free of appearances, which is nonetheless the source of all myriad dharmas and ten-thousand virtues (myriad things) of the world. When we leap from the top of a hundred-foot pole (i.e., awaken as this) we too are this and fill the ten directions (everywhere) of the world.
The Appreciatory Verse seems to describe this beyond traces and words (footprints and communications), rootless and colorless like the pure wind, which nonetheless is the whole earth, all the ages of time, all the shapes of things, all nations and the smallest speck of dust. Realize this and you too are like great Bodhisattvas and Buddhas.
Yamada Roshi commented ...
Yamada Roshi's comments on the Appreciatory Verse are also quite lovely ...
Gassho, J
SatToday
The word "Dharma" can be confusing to folks because it carries a couple of rather different meanings in Buddhist lingo. One is something like "phenomena", which means the things and events which happen in the universe and all reality. Each is a "dharma." One is the Buddha's Teachings about how those phenomena, the universe and reality works (for example, in the phrase "We study Buddha Dharma" or "practice the Dharma"). In the Koan, the use of "dharmas" is probably the former meaning of things, events, phenomena.
So, a monk asks Hogen, "I've heard it said in a sutra that all dharmas arise from a nondwelling base. What is this non-dwelling base?"
As Shishin Wick points out, sometimes we call this "non-dwelling base" as "Emptiness", although the monk seems to make the mistake of trying to stick a label on it, and turn it into some frozen and fixed thing.
Hogen responds to the monk, saying that "form arises before substance. Name occurs before naming." It is a tricky statement, but I take it to mean something like "all the things and events of the universe somehow are present in the wonderful potential of Emptiness before they actually seem to happen, and before they then have a name and interpretation stuck on them by our mind."
Shishin relates a conversation from the Vimalakirti Sutra that seems to express aspects of the Buddha's traditional Teaching on "Dependent Origination". In the conversation, it is described how the body (a Dharma phenomena of form) is arising from our craving/desire, which comes from our inner discrimination and inverted thinking, which all arises from the "Non-abiding" sourceless source. Shishin points out that this "non-abiding" sourceless source is also what we might sometimes call "Emptiness" (it is a "sourceless source," because we should avoid to think of it as a fixed thing). It is not nihilism either, as in "nicht nada zero," because this "non-abiding" Emptiness is also some wondrous, fertile potential and home for all things.
The Preface to the Assembly seems to describe some "Traceless" without a speck of dust and free of appearances, which is nonetheless the source of all myriad dharmas and ten-thousand virtues (myriad things) of the world. When we leap from the top of a hundred-foot pole (i.e., awaken as this) we too are this and fill the ten directions (everywhere) of the world.
The Appreciatory Verse seems to describe this beyond traces and words (footprints and communications), rootless and colorless like the pure wind, which nonetheless is the whole earth, all the ages of time, all the shapes of things, all nations and the smallest speck of dust. Realize this and you too are like great Bodhisattvas and Buddhas.
Yamada Roshi commented ...
There is also the saying “actual form as no form” (jissô-musô). If we speak in order about the matters here, we can say that Mu [Emptiness] is true form. Although there is not a single thing, the phenomenal world extends out clearly.
Although the phenomenal world extends out clearly, the content is completely empty. ... Life possesses limitless capabilities. But nevertheless I cannot show or produce life for perusal. I can only show my body, which has form or color. That is the element of form. But life is empty. We should not however assume that they are two different things. When we say “form is emptiness,” we are apt to think that there are two different things that somehow equal each other, as if joined with an equal sign. But they are truly one and the same. This is our true reality.
...
[A] monk came to call on this Hôgen Oshô and posed the following question: “I hear that a sutra says, 'From the basis of non-abiding all dharmas are established.'” ... In the present case, “all dharmas” means all phenomena. The “basis of non-abiding” (mujûhon) means that there is no place where it abides. This is the basis. This is the same as the matter of mind I mentioned above, or the matter of life. There is nothing at all. It means that there is no place where mind abides. You can say the same thing about life. This is known as “non-abiding.” ... Masaharu Taniguchi, the founder of the religious organization Seichô-No-Ie, says that all things arise out of nothing. If we say it like that, you might think there are two things: nothingness and that which arises from it. But that is not the case. All things have two aspects. From one standpoint they are empty, and from another standpoint they have form. But because that is difficult to understand, for the sake of explanation he says that all things arise from nothing. [JUNDO NOTE: The "nothingness" here is certainly not "nothing" in the nihilistic sense, but "Emptiness"]
...
Hôgen said, “Form arises from what has no substance yet; name comes from what has no name yet.” ... To say “from what has no substance yet” means emptiness. ... I would prefer to say, “form is no other than no-substance, name is no other than no-name.” Everything has a name, but actually there is nothing you can attach a name to, because it is empty. It is attaching a name to where there is nothing. Your original self is empty and has no name. For the sake of convenience we attach a name, such as my name Yamada Kyôzô. But my true essence is empty ...
... [O]ur true nature is empty and cannot be named. It is for the sake of convenience that we attach a name. I would like you all to realize this empty self. In the saying “form is emptiness, emptiness is form” we find the essence of Buddhism. Most people do not concretely grasp this world of emptiness. Although they might think they can do it intellectually, they do not grasp it concretely. There is no other way than to experience the pain in your legs from sitting and to eliminate your false self.
Although the phenomenal world extends out clearly, the content is completely empty. ... Life possesses limitless capabilities. But nevertheless I cannot show or produce life for perusal. I can only show my body, which has form or color. That is the element of form. But life is empty. We should not however assume that they are two different things. When we say “form is emptiness,” we are apt to think that there are two different things that somehow equal each other, as if joined with an equal sign. But they are truly one and the same. This is our true reality.
...
[A] monk came to call on this Hôgen Oshô and posed the following question: “I hear that a sutra says, 'From the basis of non-abiding all dharmas are established.'” ... In the present case, “all dharmas” means all phenomena. The “basis of non-abiding” (mujûhon) means that there is no place where it abides. This is the basis. This is the same as the matter of mind I mentioned above, or the matter of life. There is nothing at all. It means that there is no place where mind abides. You can say the same thing about life. This is known as “non-abiding.” ... Masaharu Taniguchi, the founder of the religious organization Seichô-No-Ie, says that all things arise out of nothing. If we say it like that, you might think there are two things: nothingness and that which arises from it. But that is not the case. All things have two aspects. From one standpoint they are empty, and from another standpoint they have form. But because that is difficult to understand, for the sake of explanation he says that all things arise from nothing. [JUNDO NOTE: The "nothingness" here is certainly not "nothing" in the nihilistic sense, but "Emptiness"]
...
Hôgen said, “Form arises from what has no substance yet; name comes from what has no name yet.” ... To say “from what has no substance yet” means emptiness. ... I would prefer to say, “form is no other than no-substance, name is no other than no-name.” Everything has a name, but actually there is nothing you can attach a name to, because it is empty. It is attaching a name to where there is nothing. Your original self is empty and has no name. For the sake of convenience we attach a name, such as my name Yamada Kyôzô. But my true essence is empty ...
... [O]ur true nature is empty and cannot be named. It is for the sake of convenience that we attach a name. I would like you all to realize this empty self. In the saying “form is emptiness, emptiness is form” we find the essence of Buddhism. Most people do not concretely grasp this world of emptiness. Although they might think they can do it intellectually, they do not grasp it concretely. There is no other way than to experience the pain in your legs from sitting and to eliminate your false self.
The words “no traces, no tiding” reveal the world of not a single thing, the world of emptiness. When the poem says, “the white clouds have no roots” it’s talking about phenomena, which means that they are essentially empty. Just like white clouds, they scatter in the wind. The pure wind blows freshly, a gentle breeze that you can feel on your skin. But the wind has no color. To say that it has no color means that it is empty. ... It is holding the earth in the midst of emptiness. It is truly amazing. It might seem that because there is nothing holding it, the earth would fall down, but it does not. What is holding it then? Emptiness is holding it. This is how the poet sees things. ... When you realize satori you also clarify and realize this. What do you realize? You realize that there is only this moment now. There is only this moment. That is the thousand ancient depths. The rest is just intellectualizing. The second line about “models of ten thousand phenomena” is the aspect of space. It means all phenomena in the worlds in the ten directions. It is the rule that sees to their aspect. It arises from the “basis of non-abiding.” Where does it come from? ...
... If the gate of the tower is opened, Each head is [Bodhisattva] Maitreya. It means that, everywhere and at all times, it is perfect and complete. ... It means to truly realize and grasp your own true self, the true universe. Then you realize that “each head is Maitreya.” You realize that there is nothing missing.
http://www.sanbo-zen.org/shoyoroku_74.pdf
... If the gate of the tower is opened, Each head is [Bodhisattva] Maitreya. It means that, everywhere and at all times, it is perfect and complete. ... It means to truly realize and grasp your own true self, the true universe. Then you realize that “each head is Maitreya.” You realize that there is nothing missing.
http://www.sanbo-zen.org/shoyoroku_74.pdf
SatToday
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