#Soto zen quotes on mind full#

This chapter describes the conditions that need to come together to make spiritual practice possible. I think all of these are good possibilities. Randy: How does Buddha’s nature manifest or realize itself? Ken: Okay, anybody else? Susan, then Randy. Student: What is actualized when you have faith supported by interest, dedication and capacity? And then the other one is kind of different but-when is our one opportunity? Same as the above waka, I don’t feel he was seriously regretful for appreciating the beauty of the seasons as objects.I’d like to consider the question: what is the question that the precious human birth or the precious human body or the precious human existence is an answer to? Anybody give thought to that one? In this waka, he simply changed “mind-moon” to the beauty of spring, autumn, and winter. That I have appreciated them as the objects

#Soto zen quotes on mind full#

the full moon of this night,ĭōgen expresses the same meaning in another waka: I if I could expect to see the autumn again, I think Dogen’s last waka composed a few weeks before his death shows this: It is like returning to delusion from great realization, in the same way as he discusses in Shobogenzo Daigo (Great Realization). In this case, “being deluded in the darkness,” is not really negative. The other is to understand this poem as a reflection of Dōgen’s own appreciation of the beautiful moon as an object of his mind, as many waka poets compose their poems. Most commentators interpret this waka with this meaning. Or, we can see the poem as a description of Dōgen’s regret for himself, when he did not see the moon including subject and object. We can interpret this waka in two ways: one is an admonishment to other people who only see the moon as an object of their mind. Dōgen says this way of viewing the moon is delusion in darkness. It entertains our mind, and we feel joy or sadness depending upon the condition of our mind. We commonly appreciate the moon in the sky as the object of our eyes. “ Iro (色)” is shape and color, but this kanji can also means “form” as in “form and emptiness” in the Heart Sutra. “Great” in this case means absolute, before separation between the subject (sense organs) and object of sense organs. In this mind, all things (both subjects and objects) are included. Oozora (大空) is literally the great sky but it also can mean great “emptiness”.

“The mind that has been authentically transmitted is ‘one mind is all dharmas all dharmas are one mind.’ For this reason an ancient said, ‘When we understand the mind, there is not an inch of soil on the great earth.’ We should know that when we understand the mind, the entire sky is struck down and the whole earth is ripped apart.” In Shobogenzo Sokushinzebutsu (The Mind Is Itself Buddha), Dōgen said: This is what “alone and completely round” means. The moon light swallows all things and there is nothing outside of the moon. Its light swallows the myriad phenomenal things.

“The mind-moon is alone and completely round. What is “the mind” here? Dōgen quotes Zen Master Panshan Baoji’s saying in Shobogenzo Tsuki (the Moon): “The moon of the mind” ( Kokoro no tsuki) is the key phrase of this waka.