The Zen Master's Dance - 2 - How To Read Dogen (to p. 12)

[KathyW]

[Dōgen says:] There is the (great treasure) in the "(wise leader)” of the "(great city)" which is a “(great treasure).” There is the (great treasure) that is the “(desolated, fearful place),” whose breadth is “five hundred yojanas.” There is a (dangerous road) by (the great city), whereby (the city vanishes) is (the great treasure) and (the great treasure) is (the city vanishes). There is the (great city) in (the desolated, fearful place), which is (the great treasure). (The great city) is (free from the evil road), and the (wise leader) is on (passable and impassable parts). (The Leader realizes) a (great treasure), and (“Do not turn back”) opens (a great city) for the (city vanishes). The (great city) does (vanish) with the (wise leader), and the (wise leader) does (not vanish) with (the great city). When the (wise leader) experiences this state of (desolation and fear), he also enters into the state of (comfort and ease). [. . .] This “(wise leader),” “(great treasure),” “(desolation and fear),” and “(comfort and ease)” are not limited to (the great city); They are simply “non-thinking.”

Gassho,
Kathy

Sat today

[Jundo]

[Dōgen says:] There is the (great treasure) in the "(wise leader)” of the "(great city)" which is a “(great treasure).” There is the (great treasure) that is the “(desolated, fearful place),” whose breadth is “five hundred yojanas.” There is a (dangerous road) by (the great city), whereby (the city vanishes) is (the great treasure) and (the great treasure) is (the city vanishes). There is the (great city) in (the desolated, fearful place), which is (the great treasure). (The great city) is (free from the evil road), and the (wise leader) is on (passable and impassable parts). (The Leader realizes) a (great treasure), and (“Do not turn back”) opens (a great city) for the (city vanishes). The (great city) does (vanish) with the (wise leader), and the (wise leader) does (not vanish) with (the great city). When the (wise leader) experiences this state of (desolation and fear), he also enters into the state of (comfort and ease). [. . .] This “(wise leader),” “(great treasure),” “(desolation and fear),” and “(comfort and ease)” are not limited to (the great city); They are simply “non-thinking.”

Gassho,
Kathy

Sat today

https://youtu.be/UypeE3zTwBs

[Jundo]

This is a good time to mention that it does matter what element is placed near what element, for the musical and aesthetic effect. It is kind of like stringing beads in which the sequence of beads is important, and one does not want to create too much of a clash or lack of balance, but rather, wishes to create an interesting and powerful contrast and effect. It would be possible to string together, for example, in a way that did not sound good or failed to convey wisdom. For example:

There is a desolate, fearful place that is the dark place and an evil road, and the “desolate road” is “dark place”.

Maybe nice for a Heavy Metal song, but too dark for Dogen. I don't think that Dogen would say that, because it is just too much unrelenting darkness without relief.

So, one point in reading Dogen is to get an ear for the powerful, liberating feeling in how he strings the beads together. Let's keep our eyes and ears open for that as we read Dogen in the coming pages.

Dogen did not want an ugly necklace and chain of beads ...



Gassho, J

STLah

Ugly beads ...

[KathyW]

I didn't know that Zen was so much fun! I really enjoyed all of the posted video's, particularly Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Torme's scat and Theo Crocker et al. mixing rap and jazz.

I really resonated with Jundo's choice of "Give Up the Funk" in response to my post - in my youth I was a Parliament fan when they were do-wop ("I Wanna Testify") as well as when they were Funkadelic, but had pretty much forgotten them. I was great to revisit.

George Clinton rising out of the space ship reminds me of the woman rising out of the eye ball in the Busby Berkeley "Dames" video, but less disturbing.

Sorry to go on so long.

Gassho,
Kathy

Sat/Lah

[Jundo]

I really resonated with Jundo's choice of "Give Up the Funk" in response to my post - in my youth I was a Parliament fan when they were do-wop ("I Wanna Testify") as well as when they were Funkadelic, but had pretty much forgotten them.

Would love to see some photos of you back then! ...

Gassho, J

STLah

[KathyW]

Sorry - I don't think I have any - destroyed the evidence I was a lot younger and a lot skinnier then. And I dressed funny.

Gassho,
Kathy

Sat/LAH

[Kokuu]

The very heart of our practice is a priceless jewel sewn into our everyday garments. Everyday garments are none other than a priceless jewel. The priceless jewel is also rivers, mountains, trees, fences and tiles. Nanyue shining a tile to make a mirror is the priceless jewel, and Buddha holding up a flower is just a priceless jewel sewn into everyday garments.

Even when we live without knowing the priceless jewel is sewn into our garments, it is always like this. All of the buddha ancestors of the ten directions and three times realised it, and no amount of cloud can cover the sky.

Each day in Ango from beginning to end is the priceless jewel sewn into everyday garments, and there is no difference in Ango or not in Ango. Those who differentiate case aside heaven and earth and are fools who do not realise that the jewel is sewn into every garment and non-garment. The whole earth and six realms are none other than this.

Sitting upright, with eyes horizontal and nose vertical, there is no way for the priceless jewel not to be realised. It has always been like this and understood by all of the children of the Buddha. Examine this matter thoroughly.

Birth and death are just a priceless jewel sewn into everyday garments, the sixteen precepts are just a priceless jewel sewn into everyday garments. This truth should be realised by all. The priceless jewel is never apart from birth and death, and there is no way to separate the priceless jewel from the sixteen precepts.

Those who attain this matter do not make light of it, and those who realise the priceless jewel sewn into everyday garments are no different to all of the buddha ancestors and bodhisattvas and the total attainment of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. It is the realisation of the whole world here and now, and coming face-to-face with Shakyamuni Buddha. This state is the treasury of the true dharma eye and the priceless jewel meeting with itself.


Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Jundo]

Each day in Ango from beginning to end is the priceless jewel sewn into everyday garments, and there is no difference in Ango or not in Ango.

Lovely. I could not find an Ango, but let us dance to a Zen Tango ...

https://youtu.be/3qyilk063B0

Gassho, J

STLah

[Gregor]

You wear a ragged cloak with empty pockets, wandering this lifetime believing you are penniless unable to satisfy your needs and wants easily. Living under this perception life is mired with unsatisfactoryness and struggle.

All the while you are unaware of the treasure you carry with you always. Sown inside the lining of your garment is a priceless jewel.

This jewel is your buddha nature, your true treasure. By rediscovering yourself, you will find it. Knowing yourself you come to realize the wealth of you have always carried. But to know yourself you must forget yourself.

[Jundo]

You wear a ragged cloak with empty pockets, wandering this lifetime believing you are penniless unable to satisfy your needs and wants easily. Living under this perception life is mired with unsatisfactoryness and struggle.

All the while you are unaware of the treasure you carry with you always. Sown inside the lining of your garment is a priceless jewel.

This jewel is your buddha nature, your true treasure. By rediscovering yourself, you will find it. Knowing yourself you come to realize the wealth of you have always carried. But to know yourself you must forget yourself.

No, try again. The point is to sound like Dogen and get his style. Look at some of my comments on what some other folks have written.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Gregor]

No, try again. The point is to sound like Dogen and get his style. Look at some of my comments on what some other folks have written.

Gassho, J

STLah

I was trying for a Miles goes electric fusion thing, obviously no clue what I'm doing will have to read more Dogen I suppose



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[Jundo]

I was trying for a Miles goes electric fusion thing, obviously no clue what I'm doing will have to read more Dogen I suppose



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Read the OP again, and just track his style of grammar and wording from the Dogen "Lotus Sutra" riffing sample in the book, and the example provided in the OP.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Gregor]

Take two:

Upright Sitting turns the dharma wheel as non-thinking, thinking nonnthinking reveals the hidden jewel.

Tattered robes contain the treasure of true nature, this ruby.

Within the garment, hidden from view rests the buddha who is within all things and all things within him the intimate friend.

[emoji2369]

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[Jundo]

Take two:

Upright Sitting turns the dharma wheel as non-thinking, thinking nonnthinking reveals the hidden jewel.

Tattered robes contain the treasure of true nature, this ruby.

Within the garment, hidden from view rests the buddha who is within all things and all things within him the intimate friend.

[emoji2369]

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Short, but that's pretty much the feeling. Thank you, Gregor.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Chikyou]

"(Every being) comes into this world asleep, as if in a drunken stupor, although the jewel of enlightenment is within us. The jewel is within us, though in our stupor, we do not know it.

We wander, unknowing, lost, full of suffering, blind to the fact that our salvation lies within us. We seek salvation, we seek solutions. We look outside of ourselves for relief from our suffering. We search high and low, we search in far away places. We are grateful for the smallest respite; we believe that is all we will attain.

One day, we awaken. We find the jewel! We realize that we have had the solution all along, for it has always been within us. Our salvation is right here! It is always here!"

I'm not sure how well I captured Dogen's wordplay (I suspect not very well) as this is my first encounter with his writing style. I am quite enthralled with this passage and am off to find and read the rest of the Lotus sutra (and the rest of this thread!)

Gassho,
SatLah

-Kelly