Present: Kobun (K) · Mary Kate (MK) · Carmelia · Gert · Charlotte · Ruth · Joan Koboshi · Nina · Barbara (B) · June · Ann · George (G) · Babette (Btte) · Edie · Glenna (Gl) · Angie (Ang)
Feb. 24, 1975. Glenna's.
K: Depending on your wish, we begin to see into Dōgen Zenji's material, which is very old. (tea is served)
Thirteenth century — what's happening in music? (to George)
G: Well, it's a period in Europe of great concentration on church music, and a development of...singing is an important thing. And gradually, from the east, because of the crusades, new instruments, and the kind of music they found in contact with Arabic people in Spain, Africa and the mid-East.
K: Singing with instrument?
G: Some, but more singing by itself.
B: You're talking about groups.
G: Umhum, and in secular music there's a great deal of music and poetry being sung by...they're mostly love songs in some of the romantic languages. There's a large repertory of this music which became widely known in the 13th century.
K: Dōgen Zenji's existence was early 13th century. 13541 he passed away, and Japan was very revolutional time. We can... (looks at a Japanese scroll hanging on the wall) ...that kind of very...second from below (which shows warriors fighting fiercely in the waters of a river). From Kyoto to Kamakura is capitol moving, and very beginning of Kamakura period is...how do you say?...transition of the ruler of Japan from Kuge to Bushi. Kuge is nobles, warriors.2 This one (on the scroll) is Uji River,3 exactly how Dōgen Zenji experienced this.
Ge: Very violent period?4
K: Yes. In autobiography of him tells Kamo River, the river which cut through center of Kyoto, never be clear because of tainted with blood and dirt. The poem I introduced last time was Chinese poem when he was living in Ugi for few years. For two years he stayed in Ugi. That Ugi, that place this river exist (pointing to scroll). 13th century. 12th and 13th century very changing time in Europe, too.
What I started to think is, when we look into old writings, to feel how that time was is very important. To see background of written material is very important. Even though whatever written material tells truth in very universal, still we have to see what kind of condition brought this writing. If we ignore this with present concept, we easily criticize, we pull old things into present time and criticize it with present mind. We have to be careful how new it was in old time.
Especially this Dōgen Zenji material is one of those which causes many misunderstanding, and lots of unfitting criticisms because of his particular way of form of life, present man cannot deal with, cannot feel how he was feeling. For example, he became monk, he was thirteen, and until deathday he has never known woman, so very particular because his life was like very direct, straight, with something. In his material almost no discussion about woman. That is difficult for woman to study his material. He spoke in this way: "To consider, to deeply consider about gratitude, grateful love, is to throw away grateful love. Throw it away." It's very interesting way to express gratitude, love...to free it from one's attachment is to keep it.
We have many materials which can be expanded study how we can (lost) concern to it. Study the way which he meant, which he introduced people.
Another example is, because he lived in very monastic life surrounded by young and old monks and few nuns, still we see many visitors to his place. Many materials, Shōbōgenzō, and short talk are written and given to some particular people. It's like letter — not only his direct disciples, but very rare visitors, people who live far place from him. And later on those materials were all corrected and nowadays we can see to whom this teaching was given. Who kept Dōgen's materials. Pretty much clear.
My feeling is a little...this kind of image I have...little chicken turn to thunderbird, and he never appeared in the city, always in the very high mountain. Only people who go up to the high mountain, they could see the thunderbird. Snow time and summertime, different forms. Dōgen's figure, my feeling toward him is like this. It's very difficult to meet...somewhat...even nowadays, if you go to mountain, you can see this thunderbird.
I have real difficulty which material I should pick up and introduce. Last time got into men-ju. Men-ju probably meeting with Nyojō.
To begin with this basic, central subject which practice of meditation5 contains in it, is probably best way. Men is face.6 Ju is hand...how do you say?...direct accept, giving and acceptance. Ju...when you say kyo-ju, professor in this country. Kyo is teaching, or to teach, ju is hand down. Kyo-ju. Without having separation, body to body, face to face, mind to mind, eye to eye, hand to hand, directly you hand something down to another existence.
So this relate with your sitting meditation. Unless you do it, you cannot understand it. By just understanding or imagination or reading you cannot experience it. You actually do, by your body, and understand the understandings by your own experience. Surprising thing is, or not, real understanding is not like you have supposed or imagined. When you go to take a journey, you experience this. Actual foreign country is more than you are supposing. Very same as you...same as where you are, but very different from where you are, too. You feel dizzy because of sameness and so much difference. Many nowadays practice meditation having great ambition to be enlightened. When it happened, people are surprised. "I didn't imagine. It's nothing special." To one who strive hard and reach to the final destination, he has to find everyone is already there.
Men-ju is very important. Sound like two men, two existence meet and have complete meeting. But very important point of men-ju is when you are one of two and receive something, what is is is very important point to think. Acceptance is not just acceptance. It is acceptance of self, his self through acceptance of others. So that who is giving, handing down is not someone else. Actually, when you give something to somebody, you are...complete trust exist as if you are him or her, you hand it down. So that what it is, giving, is, you are receiving it through other's body as you receive it. Same way when you receive something from others, actually you are giving it to him who is same as you.
SKIPPED7
MK: Do you mean that as a teacher gives to students, that is the same as the teacher giving to himself through the student?
K: Yes. It can be said, maybe teacher or student doesn't exist as teacher or student. Just something is going on.
MK: Something is given,8 something is received from both sides. It's the same experience for either one.
Gert: You mean there's no one to give and on one to receive. Something is just going on.
K: Amazing thing is, this something which is supposed to move, one to another, doesn't keep same form. That is very big subject. A is not B. This is very important point. Like when you teach someone how to cook with same recipe, and you completely instruction and practice together, but the guest know, looks same, this is not mother's work...daughter's work. This kind of (lost) particularity appear. We cannot ignore this. This is how Dharma is transmitted from generation to generation and still it is not same as before. And yet, A doesn't say it is different. It is same. And B say it is same as A. When you go to market and pick some squash you feel little hesitation which one you pick up. Looks same, but when you look closely, all squash are little different.
Men-ju. Shōbōgenzō, men-ju text, first text go Chinese style he starts: "The time Shakyamuni Buddha the land of Southeast, West land (looks up), India. In the meeting of Gridhakūta mountain9 among one hundred times of ten thousand beings. (lost) is holding up uddumbara blossom and blinks his eyes. That time, that moment, Mahakashyapa, honorable one..."
Hagan — hagan is the usual stone face change...how do you say?...destroyed, change its form and become smiling face; silly face become completely changed face. Gan is face, ha is transformed.
"Transformed appearance and smile. Shakyamuni Buddha said, 'My existence right Dharma.'" Genzo is Shobo genzo, "the treasure house of true Dharma. Wondrous mind of Nirvana..." "is given and belonged" — no — "given and possessed, given to Mahakashyapa and belongs to Mahakashyapa". Fuzoko10 is give and it stays with someone. Very short sentence.
Dōgen picked up this original idea of transmission of Dharma and discuss about men-ju. Very delicate meeting. This nen ge shun moku hagan mix11 special thing when you play music, is very present mind, when your friend listen to it, "Ah, that is fantastic." Sure same present, very present moment, two in one place you experience this. (he turns pages in book, back to front)
Sentence continue: "This is the very basic way, basic discipline of shobo genzo, true Dharma eye, treasure, treasure house." Shōbōgenzō, this word itself come from this basic original occasion, Shōbōgenzō (Nehan-myōshin), and the title of Dōgen material is also Shōbōgenzō. We'll study what this Shōbōgenzō is. You just remember what this Shōbōgenzō is. True Dharma, eye, treasure house. Maybe you can just remember, Dharma.
"This is thus, basic discipline of Shōbōgenzō which is face transmission by Buddha-Buddha Patriarch-Patriarch!" He always use this: Butsu-butsu so-so. Usually Buddha-Patriarch and Buddha-Patriarch. It's compound. In order to say Buddha-Patriarch, Buddha Patriarch he change word order: Buddha-Buddha, Patriarch-Patriarch. Maybe you can say mother-daughter, mother-daughter, or somewhat this compound is truth, absolute, many and relative, many is in one word, expressed in one compound.
"Buddha as correct transmission now reach to Mahakashyapa; twenty eight handing down since Mahakashyapa come Bodhidharma, honorable one. Bodhidharma coming down by himself to Shintung Koku12 is always calling China. Men-ju, face transmission with Fugaku Daishi, Great Master of universal awakening, Eka,13 honorable one. Fifth transmission comes Daiku Ind this is way of So kei Mountain.14 Ten and seven transmission, seventeenth transmission is senshi." Is when master dies, you say senshi, previous master. When he arriving, you say honshi, basic present master. (lost) "Late master great Sung land Keigen prefecture, Tai Haku Mountain.15 Bring incense, did bow late master, ancient Buddha the first time see Dharma. At that time, at the very time, to Dōgen, finger transmission, face transmission, finger transmitting, face transmitting, saying Buddha-Buddha Patriarch-Patriarch, face, Dharma gate of Buddha-Buddha, Patriarch-Patriarch,16 face transmission if realized." (turns page)
"This is that, the lifting blossom in Gridhakuta Mountain; this is that, the obtaining meadow of Su Mountain;17 this is that, handing robe down at yellow blossom, yellow plum. This is that, the face transmission of Tozan.18 This is the face transmission of eye treasure house of Buddha Patriarch." (turns page)
"Only inside of this cabin other people has never seen and heard even in dream the truth of face transmission, is Buddha Patriarch face (turns page back and forth). Because of this actually at the meeting of Kashyapa Buddha it is, it is face transmitted and accepted, observed. Now unless it is from Buddha's face, even it is face transmission it is not the way of all Buddhas."
It is strange way to...Did you get some sense? (laughter) Strange. Go on and on in that way.
Gl: Always before I've thought of Dōgen as an older mature man. He's 25?
K: Men-ju was written before he went in Eiheiji. He stayed in little temple. When he was forty three years old, this year he wrote so many things: "Shōbōgenzō moon. Shōbōgenzō sky, blossom, empty blossom. Shōbōgenzō ancient Buddha mind. Shōbōgenzō four embracing Dharmas. Shōbōgenzō struggle. Shōbōgenzō three worlds only many.19 Shōbōgenzō teaching of no sentient. Shōbōgenzō face transmission — this one. Shōbōgenzō Dharma nature. Shōbōgenzō plum blossom. Shōbōgenzō meeting Buddha, seeing Buddha. Shōbōgenzō universal visiting, universal encounter. Shōbōgenzō zazen G (lost)." Zazen G?20 Probably you have translation of this — Professor Ab e21 translated this. (he shows a copy of Eastern Buddhist) "Shōbōgenzō Dragon Song. Shōbōgenzō Daharani.22"
The volumes he wrote in the Kyoto...what do you call some disease in Kyoto, some very strange, like blister?
Ang: Boils? Hives?
Ge: Poison oak!
Btte: Impitego.23
K: In the city of Kyoto people are still fighting, and many sickness. It's very fast change of horizontal, very critical change, these years. Almost all whole life he was staring at such situation. One thing, his father was one of the governors and smashed by political movement and he had no way to...kind of purged. He had some responsibility, and whole family expected him to grow up and straightened by his family. His course of life changed in very different way.
B: Kobun, it's 11:30.
K: Ok. Concentrating on this meeting of Uechin24 and young Dōgen, I'd like to introduce some more materials. How he thought of Buddha way and how he expressed it. Whenever question appear please stop me and let's discuss.
Ju Ching is written above in cursive by the later hand (MARGINALIA, K1-012) — the note-taker's guess at the name of Dōgen's Chinese master, corrected to the annotator's spelling of Rujing (Nyojō). The typescript reading is kept in the text.