The Zen Master's Dance - 15 - Genjo Koan (middle of p. 59 to Bottom of p. 62)

[Jundo]

Dear All,

I feel that today's readings will certainly be worth your TIME!

We will read (seeming to progress forward) from the bottom p. 59 (the passage about the boat), ending toward the bottom of p. 62 (stopping just before "Our enlightenment is like the moon reflected in the water.")

I suspect very much (although I have seen many Dogen historians say so) that Dogen wrote the Genjo Koan to a lay student who had recently known some death close by. Thus, in Dogen's way, he is teaching that life and death are not just what seems to meet the eye. We usually think that birth is followed by life, then death comes and (to the traditional Buddhist) birth may then come again. Looking at other writings by Dogen in which he seems to be very traditional in outlook about "rebirth," I don't feel that Dogen really meant to reject that traditional view here. That is not his meaning in saying, "do not think of returning to birth after death." Rather, I think he meaning is something closer to saying "let each time be its own time, life time the time of life, death time the time of death."

Your assignment today is to really shake up your ordinary view of (1) relative motion and activity and (2) sequential time. You will do it by replacing the nouns in the following passages by Dogen other activities that usually seems to depend on an actor doing acts in relative motion and in sequential time. Please do BOTH of the following assignments. Dogen's passages are:

(1)

When you sail in a boat and look out at the shore, you might feel that the shore is moving. But when you turn your eyes toward the boat, you may then feel that the boat is moving. In the same way, if you observe the myriad things of the world with confused ideas of body and mind you might assume that your mind and nature are enduring and stand separate from things. But when you intimately
practice and turn within, it will become clear that nothing at all has a fixed, individual self.

Take a different activity you regularly do in your life involving motion, and substitute it [my substitutions in BOLDFACE]. For example, if skate boarding:

When you skate on your board and look out at the curb, you might feel that the curb is moving. But when you turn your eyes toward the board, you may then feel that the board is moving. In the same way, if you observe the myriad things of the world with confused ideas of body and mind you might assume that your mind and nature are enduring and stand separate from things. But when you intimately practice and turn within, it will become clear that nothing at all has a fixed, individual self.

You pick a like moving activity that you do, and replace the above BOLDFACE words only.

(2)

Here are Dogen's original passages teaching us new ways to experience sequential time:

Firewood turns to ash and it does not turn to firewood again. But do not think that the ash is the future and the firewood is past. Rather, ash is wholly ash with nothing remaining, and the firewood is just firewood with nothing more. You should understand that firewood abides in the phenomenal expression and wholeness of firewood, which fully includes its own past and future yet is independent of all past and
future. Ash abides in the phenomenal expression and wholeness of ash, which fully includes its own past and future too.

Just as firewood does not turn to firewood again after it is ash, do not think of returning to birth after death.

Thus, it is an established rule in Buddhist teachings to deny that birth turns into death. Therefore, birth is understood as no-birth, for in the time of birth there is no other moment with which to compare it. It is an unshakable teaching in Buddha’s preaching that death does not turn into birth. Therefore, death is understood as no-death when there is no other moment with which to compare it.

Birth is a situation complete in this moment. Death is a situation complete in this moment. They are the same as winter and spring. We do not say that winter becomes spring, nor do we say that spring becomes summer.

Now, take an action that you cherish doing in your life which occurs in sequential time (e.g., gardening, bread baking, diaper changing, painting pictures, fixing car motors etc. etc.), and replace "birth and death" with that other activity. For example, if I were to take book reading, I might try this:

Page 59 turns to Page 60 and it does not turn to Page 59 again. But do not think that the Page 60 is the future and Page 59 is past. Rather, Page 60 is wholly Page with nothing remaining, and that Page 59 is just Page 59 with nothing more. You should understand that Page 59 abides in the phenomenal expression and wholeness of Page 59, which fully includes its own past and future yet is independent of all past and future. Page 60 abides in the phenomenal expression and wholeness of Page 60, which fully includes its own past and future too.

Just as Page 59 does not turn to Page 59 again after it is Page 60, do not think of returning to birth after death.

Thus, it is an established rule in Buddhist teachings to deny that Page 59 turns into Page 60. Therefore, Page 59 is understood as no-Page 59, for in the time of Page 59 there is no other page with which to compare it. It is an unshakable teaching in Buddha’s preaching that Page 60 does not turn into Page 59 or Page 61. Therefore, Page 60 is understood as no-Page 60 when there is no other moment with which to compare it.

Page 59 is a situation complete in this moment. Page 60 is a situation complete in this moment. They are the same as winter and spring. We do not say that winter becomes spring, nor do we say that spring becomes summer.

You do the same with a time sequential activity your cherish, but replacing BOLDFACE words only.

Let's see what you come up with.

As always, please post your creations before looking at what other people have posted.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Bion]

Here goes nothing:

¨When you mix a song and look out at the console, you might feel that the buttons are moving. But when you turn your eyes toward the fingers, you may then feel that the fingers are moving. In the same way, if you observe the myriad things of the world with confused ideas of body and mind you might assume that your mind and nature are enduring and stand separate from things. But when you intimately practice and turn within, it will become clear that nothing at all has a fixed, individual self.¨

and second one:

¨Leaves turn to tea and they do not turn to leaves again. But do not think that the tea is the future and leaves are the past. Rather, tea is wholly tea with nothing remaining, and that leaves are just leaves with nothing more. You should understand that leaves abide in the phenomenal expression and wholeness of a leaf, which fully includes its own past and future yet is independent of all past and future. Tea abides in the phenomenal expression and wholeness of the tea, which fully includes its own past and future too.

Just as leaves do not turn to leaves again after they are tea, do not think of returning to birth after death.

Thus, it is an established rule in Buddhist teachings to deny that leaves turns into tea. Therefore, leaves is understood as no-leaves, for in the time of leaves there is no other leaf with which to compare it. It is an unshakable teaching in Buddha’s preaching that tea does not turn into leaves or plant. Therefore, tea is understood as no-tea when there is no other moment with which to compare it.

Leaves is a situation complete in this moment. Tea is a situation complete in this moment. They are the same as winter and spring. We do not say that winter becomes spring, nor do we say that spring becomes summer.¨

🙏🏼 Sat Today

[Jundo]

I would probably say that 'tea does not turn into leaves or pee' rather than 'leaves or plant,' but good.

[Bion]

I would probably say that 'tea does not turn into leaves or pee' rather than 'leaves or plant,' but good.

Oooh.. My initial thought was water.. But pee sure is a more poignant image[emoji1]

[emoji1374] Sat Today

[Ugrok]

Hello !

I don't see the point of this teaching. How does this ton of thinking about the nature of time help relieve suffering ?

Gassho,
Uggy
sat today, lah

[Bion]

The Zen Master's Dance - 15 - Genjo Koan (middle of p. 59 to Bottom of p. 62)

Hello !

I don't see the point of this teaching. How does this ton of thinking about the nature of time help relieve suffering ?

Gassho,
Uggy
sat today, lah

Understanding the nature of things is understanding the nature of suffering. Understanding it, we can move away from creating it. Suffering is nothing but us reacting to regular things.

[emoji1374] Sat Today

[Jundo]

Hello !

I don't see the point of this teaching. How does this ton of thinking about the nature of time help relieve suffering ?

Gassho,
Uggy
sat today, lah

Hi Uggy,

First, this is not to just think about, but rather, the images and ideas should give one a way to FEEL a new sense of time.

Why is that freeing?

Most of us feel as if we are prisoners of unrelenting time, which steals away our youth and health, then those we love by death, then our own lives, as it march ahead, on and on, dragging us along.

However, by this new feeling, on can realize radically that this moment is just this moment, to be cherished as it is without thought of before or after. Even the moment of old age, the moment of sickness, the moments of dying and loss ... just its own moment with nothing to compare.

We also feel like separate characters acting in life, doing our thing while the rest of the world passes by. It is as if we are looking out from our own eyes as spectators on a world drifting away from us. But Dogen's image of the boat helps us realize a more profound interconnection ... interidentity ... in which your actions turn the world as the world turns you in a single great dance.

In other sections of Shobogenzo, Dogen present further fluid images of time, in which time also flows from future into present into past, and also in which each moment contains each other moment and all time ... another sense of the interidentity of all things.

In that interidentity and dropping of our separation, friction, alienation and loneliness ... there is wholeness, flowing, freedom.

It is not an intellectual idea, but Dogen's overturning of our usual way of thinking and speaking about about time's direction, and about the self/other divide, through his unusual wordplay is thus a tool for us to think ... and feel ... about time and separation in new ways.

Gassho, J

STLah

Sorry to run long.

[Tairin]

Exercise 1

When you ride up an escalator and look out at the shopping mall, you might feel that the shopping mall is moving. But when you turn your eyes toward the escalator , you may then feel that the escalator is moving. In the same way, if you observe the myriad things of the world with confused ideas of body and mind you might assume that your mind and nature are enduring and stand separate from things. But when you intimately practice and turn within, it will become clear that nothing at all has a fixed, individual self.

Exercise 2

Caterpillar turns to a butterfly and it does not turn to a caterpillar again. But do not think that the butterfly is the future and caterpillar is past. Rather, a butterfly is wholly a butterfly with nothing remaining, and that caterpillar is just a caterpillar with nothing more. You should understand that a caterpillar abides in the phenomenal expression and wholeness of a caterpillar , which fully includes its own past and future yet is independent of all past and future. A butterfly abides in the phenomenal expression and wholeness of a butterfly, which fully includes its own past and future too.

Just as a caterpillar does not turn to a caterpillar again after it is a butterfly, do not think of returning to birth after death.

Thus, it is an established rule in Buddhist teachings to deny that a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. Therefore, a caterpillar is understood as no-caterpillar, for in the time of a caterpillar there is no other moment with which to compare it. It is an unshakable teaching in Buddha’s preaching that a butterfly does not turn into a caterpillar or anything else. Therefore, a butterfly is understood as no-butterfly when there is no other moment with which to compare it.

Being a caterpillar is a situation complete in this moment. Being a butterfly is a situation complete in this moment. They are the same as winter and spring. We do not say that winter becomes spring, nor do we say that spring becomes summer.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Ugrok]

Hi Uggy,

First, this is not to just think about, but rather, the images and ideas should give one a way to FEEL a new sense of time.

Why is that freeing?

Most of us feel as if we are prisoners of unrelenting time, which steals away our youth and health, then those we love by death, then our own lives, as it march ahead, on and on, dragging us along.

However, by this new feeling, on can realize radically that this moment is just this moment, to be cherished as it is without thought of before or after. Even the moment of old age, the moment of sickness, the moments of dying and loss ... just its own moment with nothing to compare.

We also feel like separate characters acting in life, doing our thing while the rest of the world passes by. It is as if we are looking out from our own eyes as spectators on a world drifting away from us. But Dogen's image of the boat helps us realize a more profound interconnection ... interidentity ... in which your actions turn the world as the world turns you in a single great dance.

In other sections of Shobogenzo, Dogen present further fluid images of time, in which time also flows from future into present into past, and also in which each moment contains each other moment and all time ... another sense of the interidentity of all things.

In that interidentity and dropping of our separation, friction, alienation and loneliness ... there is wholeness, flowing, freedom.

It is not an intellectual idea, but Dogen's overturning of our usual way of thinking and speaking about about time's direction, and about the self/other divide, through his unusual wordplay is thus a tool for us to think ... and feel ... about time and separation in new ways.

Gassho, J

STLah

Sorry to run long.

Thank you for the answer.

Gassho,

Uggy,
Sat Today,
LAH

[Jundo]

[Tairin]

Nice photoshopping skills Jundo


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Jundo]

Nice photoshopping skills Jundo

Google skills

[Eamonn]

1.When you ride your bike and look out at the trees, you might feel that the trees are moving. But when you turn your eyes toward the bike, you may then feel that the bike is moving. In the same way, if you observe the myriad things of the world with confused ideas of body and mind you might assume that your mind and nature are enduring and stand separate from things. But when you intimately practice and turn within, it will become clear that nothing at all has a fixed, individual self.

2.Cream turns to butter and it does not turn to cream again. But do not think that the butter is the future and cream is past. Rather, butter is wholly butter with nothing remaining, and that cream is just cream with nothing more. You should understand that cream abides in the phenomenal expression and wholeness of cream, which fully includes its own past and future yet is independent of all past and future. Butter abides in the phenomenal expression and wholeness of butter, which fully includes its own past and future too.

Just as cream does not turn to cream again after it is butter, do not think of returning to birth after death.

Thus, it is an established rule in Buddhist teachings to deny that cream turns into butter. Therefore, cream is understood as no-cream, for in the time of cream there is no other moment with which to compare it. It is an unshakable teaching in Buddha’s preaching that butter does not turn into cream. Therefore, butter is understood as no-butter when there is no other moment with which to compare it.

Cream is a situation complete in this moment. Butter is a situation complete in this moment. They are the same as winter and spring. We do not say that winter becomes spring, nor do we say that spring becomes summer.

Gassho

Sat Today

Eamonn

[Jundo]

dlt hams.jpg

[Kaisui]

Thank you for the encouragement to participate in this one, Jundo. I have missed a few and it is good to come back

When you are on the train and look out at another train next to you, or at the scenery, you might feel that the other train, or the scenery, is moving. But when you turn your eyes toward the train you are on, you may then feel that your train is moving. In the same way, if you observe the myriad things of the world with confused ideas of body and mind you might assume that your mind and nature are enduring and stand separate from things. But when you intimately practice and turn within, it will become clear that nothing at all has a fixed, individual self.


I've been making seed crackers lately, not biscuits/cookies as such, but this seemed to sound better...

Cookie dough turns to cookies and it does not turn to cookie dough again. But do not think that the baked cookies are the future and the cookie dough is past. Rather, cookies are wholly cookies with nothing remaining, and cookie dough is just cookie dough with nothing more. You should understand that cookie dough abides in the phenomenal expression and wholeness of cookie dough, which fully includes its own past and future yet is independent of all past and future. Cookies abide in the phenomenal expression and wholeness of cookies, which fully includes its own past and future too.

Just as cookie dough does not turn to cookie dough again after it is baked into cookies, do not think of returning to birth after death.

Thus, it is an established rule in Buddhist teachings to deny that cookie dough turns into cookies. Therefore, cookie dough is understood as no-dough, for in the time of cookie dough there is no other thing with which to compare it. It is an unshakable teaching in Buddha’s preaching that baked cookies do not turn into dough (or poop). Therefore, cookies are understood as no-cookies when there is no other thing with which to compare them.

Cookie dough is a situation complete in this moment. Baked cookies are a situation complete in this moment. They are the same as winter and spring. We do not say that winter becomes spring, nor do we say that spring becomes summer.

Gassho,
Kaisui
sat&lah