The Zen Master's Dance - 3 - How To Read Dogen (p. 12 to end of 'How to Read Dogen')

[Kaisui]

Probably I should stop here and not do the next paragraph with garbage juices …
Gassho, Nikolas
Sat/Lah

In addition to what Jundo said, I thought your use of garbage juice was wonderful because it provoked a physical reaction in me, thus helping me to feel and appreciate your imagery in many dimensions

Here is mine... I already chose the flea (something unappealing) as one aspect, and now after what I have learned from Nikolas's post I am glad I did this and I will go over it and check I included something at least a little gross

--
We know from our day-to-day experience that we are not fleas or cats, and fleas on cats are not us, and fleas are not cats, and cats with fleas are not us, and cats are not fleas, and certainly none of us are the whole earth, or the atmosphere around the earth or the whole universe. And yet, in another way, Dōgen teaches us that we are all of those things. A flea is just a little flea, but it is also a cat, and it is also you and me. The tiny flea holds the entire earth's atmosphere within it it, and the whole universe and all of time. The vast atmosphere of the earth hungrily sucks blood from a cat through its proboscis, its millions of gas molecules walk and talk the Dharma, and they are other faces of you and me. Meanwhile, the flea grows sparser and sparser as it stretches all the way out to outer space, and it too is other faces of you and me, and we are other faces of the flea. It is not merely that our ordinary eyes see this, that we see the flea as a mirage shimmering in the atmosphere, or as our reflection in the mirror, but that indeed the whole vast atmosphere and the whole universe truly is within each flea that scurries between the furs on a cat, and each gas molecule of the atmosphere is contained also within the cat that is bitten and blood-sucked by the fleas, and within you and me. The little flea, though small enough to fit between our fingers and hide in the cats fur, is also huge, limitless, as expansive as the atmosphere and the entire universe. The universe is all encompassing, like the atmosphere hugging the earth like a huge blanket of varying denseness and sparseness, the universe is encompassing and hugging us just as we are encompassing and hugging the earth and the whole universe. (If this is hard to get your mind around, it is fine to approach it in a poetic sense until, on the zazen cushion, one can actually realize such truths.)

When we snuggle with our cat and feel a flea jumping up from its furs, we too are merged with the flea and we bound with elastic stored energy. In snuggling with our cat we bound as the flea and we contract and expand as the varied elements of the atmosphere reacting to different conditions. We bite the fleas as the fleas bite the cats, and the atmosphere bites us and the universe bites the fleas, all of these are contained in the simple actions of fleas biting cats. Each molecule in the atmosphere in each atom of the flea and each atom of the universe glitters as a unique and precious jewel, each unique and whole unto itself, yet each is also the all. That is the kind of world vision that Dōgen is usually expressing.
--

Gassho,
Charity
sat/lah

[Jundo]

We know from our day-to-day experience that we are not fleas or cats, and fleas on cats are not us, and fleas are not cats, and cats with fleas are not us,

Lovely.

[Kokuu]

In our ordinary experience of life, a tree is not a piece of toast, and neither a tree nor a piece of toast are you or me. A is not B, and neither one is C nor D. However, for Mahayana teachers like Dōgen, trees are trees and also pieces of toast. We climb the toast and satisfy our hunger with trees. Both trees and toast are endlessly preaching the dharma, expressing the totality of the entire universe, just as each of us is endlessly expressing the entire universe, trees expressing trees, humans expressing trees and toast expressing trees. All things flow into and out of each other, trees are in all things, toast is in all things and, correspondingly, all things are in trees and in toast.

In eating toast, we swallow the toast and the trees, the mountains and rivers, the whole sky and the entire universe. Sometimes we eat the toast and sometimes the toast eats us. In climbing trees, we climb the mountains and sky, and the totality of existence.

Bowing to the universe, we bow to the trees and bow to the toast. The universe bows to the universe, trees bow to trees and toast bows to toast. There is nothing which is not trees and nothing which is not toast. And yet, toast is clearly toast and trees are just trees. If we try to grill a tree or build a ship from toast, we show ourselves to be fools rather than followers of the tathagatha.


Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Jundo]

[Kokuu]

https://d13n9ry8xcpemi.cloudfront.ne...2b7ef5_400.jpg

[rj]

Once again, not sure if I am hitting the mark in these assignments, or even close to it, but here it goes...
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In our ordinary experience of life, a painter is not the trunk of an old elephant, and neither the painter nor the old elephant's trunk are you and me. A is not B and neither is C nor D. However, for Mahayana teachers like Dogen a painting is a painting and also an old elephant's trunk.

The painter creates from colors that portray the artist's perception of reality. Each shade being mixed and matched by the painter's views and experiences; experiences shared with other beings, human, and otherwise, anywhere in the world. The elephant, old with age, has used his trunk to perceive his own reality... touching, feeling, sensing pleasure and dangers throughout its life... and these at times also shared with other beings, wherever he is in the world.

As the old elephant uses his trunk to eat, drink, and fulfill its purpose in life, so does the painting fulfill its own purpose as the artist uses it to push us to think and appreciate the final product and life in general. Both utilizing elements from all around them to create perfection, in their own way, whether sticks and dirt, or clouds and flowers... Each one unique and whole into itself, yet each is also the all.

---

st/rj

[Jundo]

Which is the painting elephant, which is the elephant painting?

Gassho, J

STLah

[Amelia]

"[I]n our ordinary experience of life, a flower is not a cell phone, and neither a flower nor a cell phone are you or me. A is not B, and neither one is C nor D. However, for Mahayana teachers like Dōgen, flowers are flowers and also cell phones. Small flip phones hold giant flowers within, as well as the whole world and all of time. Flowers quench our thirst, flowers walk and preach the Dharma, and flowers are also other faces of you and me. It is not merely that our ordinary eyes might see a nearby flower reflected on the liquid inside a cup, or painted on its side, or reflected like a kaleidoscope in each poured drop, but that the flower and the whole universe is truly poured and held in every cell phone to be seen, and is contained in the cell phone itself. The cell phone, though held in our hands, is also huge, boundless, as big as a mountain and the whole universe. The whole universe is just a great vessel which is also the vessel in our hands—a vessel that cradles our hands as we cradle it. (If this is hard to get your mind around, it is fine to approach it in a poetic sense until, on the zazen cushion, one can actually realize such truths.)

When we use our cell phones, as it enters our eyes and we hear it in our ears and it merges with our body, we too enter the cell phone, are seen by and merge with it. Likewise, using our cell phone we enter the flowers and the whole universe. The cell phone uses us as we use the cell phone, and the flower/universe drinks us as we drink the flower/universe—all in the simple action of using a cell phone. The cell phone calls all time and space as you call on the cell phone; the flower pours the universe as the universe moves with your hands when picking it up. Each cell phone, each inch of the flower or atom of the universe glitters as a unique and precious jewel, each unique and whole unto itself, yet each is also the all. That is the kind of world vision that Dōgen is usually expressing."

Gassho
Sat, lah

[KathyW]

[I]n our ordinary experience of life, a Mars rover is not a sea urchin, and neither a Mars rover nor a sea urchin are you or me. A is not B, and neither one is C nor D. However, for Mahayana teachers like Dōgen, Mars rovers are Mars rovers and also sea urchins. Tiny sea urchins hold great Mars rovers within, as well as the whole world and all of time. Mars rovers are attached to the bottom of the ocean, sea urchins walk and preach the Dharma, and Mars rovers and sea urchins are also other faces of you and me. It is not merely that our ordinary eyes might never see a Mars rover attached to the bottom of the ocean, or a sea urchin walking on Mars, but that the Mars rover and the whole universe is truly contained in the sea urchin itself. The sea urchin is also huge, boundless, as big as a Mars rover and the whole universe. The whole universe is just a great sea urchin which is also the sea urchin on the surface of Mars—a sea urchin that walks on Mars as Mars walks on it. (If this is hard to get your mind around, it is fine to approach it in a poetic sense until, on the zazen cushion, one can actually realize such truths.)

When the sea urchin walks on Mars, it merges with Mars. When we see the sea urchin on Mars, it merges with us just as we are merged with the sea urchin. Likewise, in seeing the sea urchin we enter the Mars rover and the whole universe. The sea urchin sees and merges with us as we see and merge with it, and the Mars rover/universe merges with us as we merge with the Mars rover/universe—all in the simple action of seeing a sea urchin walking on Mars. The sea urchin travels all time and space as you see the sea urchin; the Mars rover sees the universe as the universe moves with your eyes when seeing a sea urchin. Each cell of the sea urchin, each inch of the Mars rover or atom of the universe glitters as a unique and precious jewel, each unique and whole unto itself, yet each is also the all. That is the kind of world vision that Dōgen is usually expressing.

Gassho,
Kathy

Sat today

[Jundo]

Sea Urchin-Inspired Crawler To Explore Mars

https://www.eeworldonline.com/photos-of-the-day-sea-urchin-inspired-device-for-mars-exploration/

Gassho, J

STLah

[Risho]

I am a bit behind due to life, including dirty diapers, which is no other than mountains and cups of tea - here goes!

[I]n our ordinary experience of life, a dirty diaper is not a slice of pizza, and neither a dirty diaper nor a slice of pizza are you or me. A is not B, and neither one is C nor D. However, for Mahayana teachers like Dōgen, dirty diapers are dirty diapers and also slices of pizza. Tiny pizza boxes hold very full dirty diapers within, as well as the whole world and all of time. Dirty diapers keep us clean and healthy, dirty diapers walk and preach the Dharma, and dirty diapers are also other faces of you and me. It is not merely that our ordinary eyes might see (or smell!) a nearby dirty diaper reflected on the shiny cheese topping a slice of pizza pie, or painted on its box, or reflected like a kaleidoscope in each poured drop of sauce or greasy pepporoni, but that the dirty diaper and the whole universe is truly put on top and held in every ingredient of pizza to be tasted, and is contained in the pizza itself. The slice of pizza, though held in our hands, is also huge, boundless, as big as a dirty diaper and the whole universe. The whole universe is just a great vessel which is also the vessel in our hands—a vessel that cradles our hands as we cradle it. (If this is hard to get your mind around, it is fine to approach it in a poetic sense until, on the zazen cushion, one can actually realize such truths.)

When we eat pizza, as it enters our mouth and we taste it on our tongue and it merges with our body, we too enter the pizza, are tasted by and merge with it. Likewise, in eating pizza we enter the dirty diaper and the whole universe. The pizza swallows us as we swallow the pizza, and the dirty diaper/universe eats us as we eat the dirty diapers/universe—all in the simple action of eating a slice of pizza. The pizza bakes all time and space as you bake pizza; the dirty diaper absorbs the universe as the universe absorbs with your baby's tooshy when eating a slice of pizza. Each piece of cheese, each inch of the dirty diaper or atom of the universe glitters as a unique and precious jewel, each unique and whole unto itself, yet each is also the all. That is the kind of world vision that Dōgen is usually expressing.

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

[Jundo]

[Risho]

hahahaha



risho
-stlah

[Shade]

In our ordinary experience of life, a kitchen sink is not a tree, and neither a tree nor a kitchen sink are you or me. A is not B, and neither one is C nor D. However, for Mahayana teachers like Dōgen, trees are trees and also kitchen sinks. Kitchen sinks hold great trees within, as well as the whole world and all of time. Kitchen sinks quench our thirst, kitchen sinks walk and preach the Dharma, and kitchen sinks are also other faces of you and me. It is not merely that our ordinary eyes might see a nearby kitchen sink reflected on the dewdrops of a tree, but that the kitchen sink and the whole universe is truly held and is contained in the tree itself. The kitchen sink, which is big enough for our hands and dirty dishes, is also huge, boundless, as big as a tree and the whole universe. The whole universe is just a great vessel which is also the vessel in our hands—a vessel that cradles our hands as we cradle it.

When we breathe a tree, as it enters our lungs and it merges with our body, we too enter the tree, are breathed by and merge with it. Likewise, in breathing a tree we recognize kitchen sinks and the whole universe. The tree breathes us as we breathe the tree, and the kitchen sink/universe breathes us as we breathe the kitchen sink/universe—all in the simple action of breathing. The tree breathes all time and space as you breathe the tree; the kitchen sink pours the universe as the universe moves with your hands when washing dishes in the kitchen sink. Each leaf of a tree, each inch of the kitchen sink or atom of the universe glitters as a unique and precious jewel, each unique and whole unto itself, yet each is also the all. That is the kind of world vision that Dōgen is usually expressing.

Gassho,

Shade

ST

[Jundo]