Questions about Shobogenzo, chapter 14

Dear Sensei,
thank you so much that you are supporting my working on introductions and commentaries on some chapters of the Shobogenzo. I really hope that your answers will be valuable for other users of your Blog too.

These are my questions about chapter 14, The Sutra of Mountains and Water (Sansuigyo).
What is the meaning of:


Dear Dr Yudo J. Seggelke.

Thank you very much for your questions, and I would like to write my answers under your questions directly.

Gudo Wafu Nishijima

Q1
“Because they (the mountains and water) are in the state before the kalpa of emptiness, they are vigorous activity in the present”
Para 175, page 167, 3.th line from the top.

A1
“Because they (the mountains and water) are in the state before the kalpa of emptiness, they are vigorous activity in the present”means "Because the mountains and the rivers are manifesting themselves as the same as the nature in the eternal past, therefore they are realizing their vigorous activities just at the present moment."

Q2
“Master Kai of Taiyo-zan mountain preaches to the assembly, “The Blue Mountains are constantly walking. The Stone Woman bears children by night””
Para 176, page 167, 6.th line from the bottom

A2
I interpret that Buddhist Masters in the old age, even though they did not know the scientific knowledge in the modern age at all, some of them intuitively had some feeling that the earth was moving constantly, and even a rock could change into sand.

Q3
“The moment of forward walking does not oppose backward walking. We call this virtue the mountains flowing and we call it the flowing mountain”
Para 176, page 169, 4.th line from the top

A4
The both walkings forward and backward are separately done at each present moment, and so the walking forward and the walking backward can never be done oppositely at one moment. Therefore we call such a kind of situation, sometimes that a mountain is flowing, and sometimes a flowing mountain.


I hope my questions are not too much in detail and with best wishes
Yudo J. Seggelke


I think that your questions are never too much in detail, therefore I have enjoyed your questions
so much.
Gudo Wafu Nishijima