Dosho, Dogen, Rujing and History

[Shokai]

It would appear that Dosho was unable to get anywhere with his Shikantaza until he started pondering "Mu." I sometimes get the same feeling from Aitken Roshi's writing.

gassho, Shokai
stlah

[Heiso]

Hi Heiso,

The historical background is basically true, but Dosho puts a certain twist on the story, and leaves out a few facts, that I would contend. Yes, the part about Buddhism being under siege by modernism and Christian missionaries in Japan, and their developing a system basically of ethics for laypeople in response, is all true. It was felt that most lay people in Japan in the late 19th century would have no interest in Zazen practice, so Soto-shu thought about making a chanting practice resembling Pure Land Buddhism, and finally published a cut and paste book of Dogen (the Shushogi) that is basically Dogen with all the Zazen cut out. That is all true.

However, it is incorrect to say that most in Soto-shu ever rejected "Koans." No, Dogen's writings (even the Shushogi) are wall to wall Koans, even with regard to ethics. What was rejected by most (not all) in Soto Zen was "Koan Introspection Zazen," which is Zazen focused on a Koan or Koan phrase. Yes, the Soto-shu felt that most ordinary Japanese would not take up a Zazen practice, that is true. But, it was felt by most in Soto-shu, the Zazen that most average Japanese people would struggle with was mostly Shikantaza (and the Rinzai folks came to the very same conclusion about their Koan Introspection Zazen, and also made a mostly ethical and arts path for lay people, rather than a Zazen path, for like reasons.)

The emphasis on "awakening" was never lost, even if it was felt that most Japanese lay people could not undertake an intensive practice.

There were several "back to basics" opposition groups to this watered down Zen (which, by the way, still largely exists in Japan, where 98% of Buddhism is centered on temples as places for funerals for family ancestors, not Zazen or most other Buddhist practices). Dosho makes it sound like the main resistance to these changes came from Harada Daiun Roshi and Yasutani Hakuun Roshi, who advocated Koan Introspection Zazen, and who are the source of all the mixed Soto-Rinzai lineages in America and elsewhere in the west today. In fact, theirs was a very small minority movement within Soto-shu in Japan, and largely remains so. Most Soto Zen folks who advocated a "return to Zazen" even for lay folks emphasized Shikantaza, such as Homeless Kodo Sawaki (whom he briefly mentions), not Koan Introspection.

In any case, that was and is the situation in Japan. The Americas and Europe are very different. Apart from Japanese families who practice Soto Zen as their family tradition inherited from Japan, the vast majority of teachers and students are convert Zennies much more interested in Zazen, serious lay practice and Buddhist teachings. So, Dosho wants to say that the only "serious" Zen practice is that advocated by the Harada-Yasutani Koan Introspection people that he likes, but it is not true. People like Kodo Sawaki advocated a serious Shikantaza practice for lay folks, and it is very much alive and powerful too, and centered on awakening and authentic practice-realization in this life.

On a separate matter, Dosho Port also left another important fact out of a different recent essay. It bothers me when he does. He wanted to make it sound as if Dogen took the title of his writings, Shobogenzo, from a book written by Dahui, the great inventor of Koan Introspection Zazen, which was also called "Shobogenzo." Dosho wrote this:



It is amazing to me that Dosho leave out one important fact. I wrote about it elsewhere:



So, Dosho maybe left a few important points out.

Gassho, J

stlah

Thank you for such a comprehensive reply, Jundo. I had a feeling some of the facts may have been presented to defend a certain point of view.

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

[Anchi]

[Shonin Risa Bear]

Who knows if the udon I had for dinner was udon or something else sold to my grocer as udon? Neither of us knows much about imports with that squiggly writing on them. But it sure was good stuff.

gassho
ds sat/lah, I think.

[Tairin]

Who knows if the udon I had for dinner was udon or something else sold to my grocer as udon? Neither of us knows much about imports with that squiggly writing on them. But it sure was good stuff.

gassho
ds sat/lah, I think.

Tairin
Sat today and lah