Why Practice?

[Shui_Di]

Hi everyone, I found this in shobogenzo

....................
""A practice that is not separate from being spiritually awake already exists. It is our good fortune to have had this wondrous practice Transmitted to us individually, and to diligently pursue it with the attitude of mind which first awakened in us the desire to seek the Truth is, in itself, to arrive at that original, spiritually awakened state which is our innate, 'uncreated' Foundation. Be aware that the Buddhas and Ancestors repeatedly taught that we must not be slack in our training and practice, so that we do not stain or tarnish our innate enlightenment, which is inseparable from our practice. If you let go of any thought of 'I am doing a marvelous practice, your innate enlightenment will fill your hands to overflowing. If you purge yourself of any thought of 'being enlightened', this wondrous practice will operate throughout your whole being."

..................

My comment:
Practice and awakening is not dual. That is why we sit diligently for "nothing"

Gassho, Mujo

[Jundo]

Hi everyone, I found this in shobogenzo

....................
""A practice that is not separate from being spiritually awake already exists. It is our good fortune to have had this wondrous practice Transmitted to us individually, and to diligently pursue it with the attitude of mind which first awakened in us the desire to seek the Truth is, in itself, to arrive at that original, spiritually awakened state which is our innate, 'uncreated' Foundation. Be aware that the Buddhas and Ancestors repeatedly taught that we must not be slack in our training and practice, so that we do not stain or tarnish our innate enlightenment, which is inseparable from our practice. If you let go of any thought of 'I am doing a marvelous practice, your innate enlightenment will fill your hands to overflowing. If you purge yourself of any thought of 'being enlightened', this wondrous practice will operate throughout your whole being."

..................

My comment:
Practice and awakening is not dual. That is why we sit diligently for "nothing"

Gassho, Mujo

That is from the Bendowa, but the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives translation. I often suggest a little caution with their translations, as they tend to embellish a bit and go for biblical feel in their writings.

Here is the Tanahashi version ...

Practice just here is not apart from realization. Fortunately, each one
of us has individually inherited this wondrous practice; each
beginner’s endeavor of the way brings forth original realization in the
realm of the unconstructed. Know that in order not to divide this
realization, which is inseparable from practice, buddha ancestors
always caution you not to be lax in your practice. Release this
wondrous practice and original realization fills your hands. Liberate
original realization and wondrous practice is upheld throughout your
body.

And Nishijima version ...

The practice that is never separate from experience exists already: having fortunately
received the one-to-one transmission of a share of the subtle practice, we
who are beginners in pursuing the truth directly possess, in the state without
intention, a share of original experience. Remember, in order to prevent
us from tainting the experience that is never separate from practice, the
Buddhist patriarchs have repeatedly taught us not to be lax in practice. When
we forget the subtle practice, original experience has filled our hands; when
the body leaves original experience behind, the subtle practice is operating
throughout the body.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Shui_Di]

Thank you Jundo Roshi.

I feel that Nishijima Roshi's translation is easier for me to understand, for a limited English that I have. I think I will get the Nishijima translation one.

Gassho, Mujo

[Jundo]

PS - I checked Soto Zen Text Project to see there version. Often the best way to read Dogen is to take 2 or 3 translations, and "triangulate" his likely intent.

There being a practice already inseparable from verification, and we fortunately
having been uniquely transmitted one share of wondrous practice, our
beginner’s pursuit of the way attains one share of original verification at
the ground of the unconditioned.

We should know that, in order to avoid defiling the verification inseparable
from practice, the buddhas and ancestors repeatedly teach us not
to relax our practice. When we cast aside wondrous practice, original
verification fills our hands; when the body escapes from original verification,
wondrous practice occurs in the body throughout.

I would summarize this way ...

There is a wonderful practice where practice is enlightenment realized, and we have been fortunate to encounter this. Even as a beginner's practice, it is already enlightenment originally, even though the beginner does not realize so.

But, we have to bring this fact to life by living accordingly, not hiding it [by greed anger ignorance] that defiles the fact. Stop talking about practice, stop talking about enlightenment ... Just DO IT! and it fills everything.

Something like that.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Shui_Di]

Hi Jundo Roshi

I love this phrase:

"Stop talking about practice, stop talking about enlightenment ... Just DO IT! and it fills everything."

( -)
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Gassho, Mujo