Hello dear 'leafers
Sometimes Dogen is, for me, an inpenetrable wall of words and ideas, streams of apparent nonsense and contradiction (although I suspect the fault is mine rather than his!). Other times I find passages of unbelievable beauty and inspiration. Last night was one of those times and I would like to share part of the beginning of fascicle 31, Gyōji - Continuous Practice. This translation is from Francis Cook in 'How to Raise an Ox'.
"In the great way of the Buddha ancestors there is always supreme continuous practice that is the way without beginning or end. Arousing the thought of enlightenment, practice, enlightenment and nirvana have not the slightest break, but are a continuous practice that goes on forever. Therefore, this continuous practice is neither one’s own effort nor someone else’s effort; it is pure, continuous practice that transcends the opposition of self and others.
The merit of this continuous practice upholds oneself and others because, due to one’s own effort, all worlds in the universe all the way up to the heavenly abodes immediately share in its benefits. Therefore, because of the continuous practice of all the Buddhas and ancestors, our own continuous practice becomes a reality and the way of the Buddhas is opened for us. Because of our own continuous practice, the continuous practice of all the Buddhas and ancestors is manifested and the way of all the Buddhas is opened…
Because of this continuous practice, there are sun, moon and stars. Because of this continuous practice, there are the earth and sky, and the heart within and the body without, the four elements and the five skandhas. Continuous practice is not something ordinary people are fond of, but nevertheless, it is the true refuge for everyone."
Gassho
Kokuu
#sattoday
Sometimes Dogen is, for me, an inpenetrable wall of words and ideas, streams of apparent nonsense and contradiction (although I suspect the fault is mine rather than his!). Other times I find passages of unbelievable beauty and inspiration. Last night was one of those times and I would like to share part of the beginning of fascicle 31, Gyōji - Continuous Practice. This translation is from Francis Cook in 'How to Raise an Ox'.
"In the great way of the Buddha ancestors there is always supreme continuous practice that is the way without beginning or end. Arousing the thought of enlightenment, practice, enlightenment and nirvana have not the slightest break, but are a continuous practice that goes on forever. Therefore, this continuous practice is neither one’s own effort nor someone else’s effort; it is pure, continuous practice that transcends the opposition of self and others.
The merit of this continuous practice upholds oneself and others because, due to one’s own effort, all worlds in the universe all the way up to the heavenly abodes immediately share in its benefits. Therefore, because of the continuous practice of all the Buddhas and ancestors, our own continuous practice becomes a reality and the way of the Buddhas is opened for us. Because of our own continuous practice, the continuous practice of all the Buddhas and ancestors is manifested and the way of all the Buddhas is opened…
Because of this continuous practice, there are sun, moon and stars. Because of this continuous practice, there are the earth and sky, and the heart within and the body without, the four elements and the five skandhas. Continuous practice is not something ordinary people are fond of, but nevertheless, it is the true refuge for everyone."
Gassho
Kokuu
#sattoday
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