Dogen's SHOAKU MAKUSA
THE POET Haku Rakuten (C. Po Chu-i) of the T'ang Dynasty was a lay disciple of Meditation Master Bukko Nyoman... When Rakuten was governor of Hangchow, he trained under Meditation Master Dorin (C. Tao-lin) of Choka (C. Niao-k'o) He once asked Dorin, "Just what is the major intention of the Buddha Dharma?" Dorin replied, "Refrain from all evil whatsoever, uphold and practice all that is good." Rakuten said, "If that's all there is to it, even a child of three knows how to say that!" Dorin said, "Though a three-year-old child can say it, there are old men in their eighties who still cannot put it into practice." Upon hearing the matter put this way, Rakuten then bowed in gratitude
THE POET Haku Rakuten (C. Po Chu-i) of the T'ang Dynasty was a lay disciple of Meditation Master Bukko Nyoman... When Rakuten was governor of Hangchow, he trained under Meditation Master Dorin (C. Tao-lin) of Choka (C. Niao-k'o) He once asked Dorin, "Just what is the major intention of the Buddha Dharma?" Dorin replied, "Refrain from all evil whatsoever, uphold and practice all that is good." Rakuten said, "If that's all there is to it, even a child of three knows how to say that!" Dorin said, "Though a three-year-old child can say it, there are old men in their eighties who still cannot put it into practice." Upon hearing the matter put this way, Rakuten then bowed in gratitude
Dogen
To what shall
I liken the world?
Moonlight, reflected
In dewdrops,
Shaken from a crane's bill.
To what shall
I liken the world?
Moonlight, reflected
In dewdrops,
Shaken from a crane's bill.
Gassho
W