Dogen Sangha Blog

  by Gudo NISHIJIMA

Japanese / German

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

[21] Examination of Coexistence and Universal Existence (21 verses)

MMK (21) Examination of Coexistence and Universal Existence (21 verses)

1. Without existence and without being together, the both Coexistence and Universal Existence do not really exist.

Universal Existence exists always relying upon Coexistence.

Either being single or being together, the both do not really exist.

Coexistence inevitably relies upon Universal Existence.


2. How is it possible for a name to exist always in future?

Universal Existence can manifest itself even without Coexistence.

If there were no existence of both birth and death,

Universal Existence does never exist without birth.


3. Even though Universal Existence is just relying upon Coexistence,

How is it possible for both Coexistence and Universal Existence to exist together like
this even in future?

Even though birth and death do not appear like this,

Because of that the modern situations of Human Society is recognized like that.


4. How is it actually possible for name to exist without fail in future?

When it is belonging to Coexistence, the Universal Existence does not exist at all.

But if it is only for the name of Coexistence, it might be to exist even in future.

And so it is very difficult for us to know when they have actually happened exactly.


5. Coexistence is just relying upon Universal Existence actually.

Therefore how is it possible for Coexistence and Universal Existence to exist at the
same time even in future?

The birth and the death do never appear at the same time actually.

Even though it is possible for birth and death to be recognized as if they were at once.


6. Even though they are the same articles or the different articles, both are able to be
things accomplished.

And even in the case where there is no different article, the situations are the same as the
former case.

But in a case, that one thing and another thing are existing separately, it seems to be only
for the two cases as they exist.

How is it possible for them to be recognized as accomplished articles actually?


7. Coexistence does not exist at the any concrete residences at all.

And Coexistence does not exist at the any non-concrete residences at all.

Universal Existence does not exist in concrete existence.

But the Universal Existence does not belong to non-residence at all.


8. Both Coexistence and Universal Existence are,

Without their Existences they are never recognized at all.

Both the Coexistence and the Universal Existence are similarly,

If they do not have their existences, they are not recognized.


9. Both in the case of Coexistence and Universal Existence similarly,

If the balance of the autonomic nervous system does not manifest itself,

In the case of both Coexistence and Universal Existence similarly,

The unbalanced autonomic nervous system does not manifest itself.


10. When Coexistence and Universal Existence are perfectly the same,

What is called “not one,” does appear.

And when Coexistence and Universal Existence are perfectly the same,

What is called “can never be different” does not appear.


11. When Coexistence is seen there as it is clearly,

Universal Existence might exist clearly there as it is.

When Coexistence is also seen there as it is clearly,

It is very troublesome for Universal Existence to exist also there.


12. Being left from existence, existence does never be born.

Without being from non-existence, existence does never be born at all.

Without leaving non-existence, non-existence will be born.

Non-existence can not be born, leaving from existence.


13. Anything subjective, does never be born as existence,

And anything objective, does never be born as existence at all.

Neither anything subjective, nor anything objective, similarly,

Relying upon what kind of reason, is it possible for anyone to be born again and

again?


14. Even though the existences are approaching to get a teacher,

Whether it is eternal or extinctive can be seen with eyes.

Because the Real Existence can be seen as what has been born,

Even what hasn’t been looked at yet, can be seen also existing there as it is.


15. Even though the existences are approaching to get a teacher,

The situations have never been broken, nor been eternal forever.

Appearance, disappearance, and continuity,

Because relying upon result and relation of cause and effect, the existence is real.


16. Appearance, disappearance, and continuity,

Relying upon result and reason, the existence really exists there.

By passing through, relying upon the birth, which does never occur once more again,

Then the cutting the reason might be done presumably.


17. Belonging to the real existence, and relying upon subjective existence,

There is no concrete situation for the non-concrete existence to be bound by abstract
conditions at all.

In the time when we are staying in the serene state of the balanced autonomic nervous
system.

Relying upon the tranquility, even the existence itself will continue its no stopping
state further.


18. The ultimate ends are not always stopped,

And Existences are usually restraint by the most former top.

Even at the latest End, there is no situation, where any kind of hindrance does not
exist,

And Existences are usually restraint by the most former top.


19. When everything has been stopped, or at the latest end,

Then the earliest one at that time is born.

All kinds of stopping must be supposed to exist only one,

And so the simple fact of going on at the present moment can exist.


20. If the situation there, is not stopped actually,

The real situation of flying might be stopped.

And if the whole situations are stopped then,

Relying upon them, or relying upon miscellaneous things and phenomena, Birth will
be realized.


21. Following like this, relying upon the three kinds of time, past, present, and future, or
relying upon the time itself,

The talks about continuity of being born and the continuity of cause and effect, has
ended in talks.

Even in the three kinds of times, they do not really exist,

And so how is it possible for such a kind of stopping continuity of birth and continuity
of cause and effect?

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Roshi,

please can you tell me your reason and view of buddhism on "fighting with our fears/cowardice"? I talk about our daily fears of many things. Do you have some fears of something and do you fight it? Like Konfucius said: "To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice." or like Dále Carnegie said: "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage." I feel that I would be very happy if I fight with my daily fears every day of my life. Maybe desire for fighting my fears is reason for my love for old movies with brave samurais (like Musashi Miyamoto. His master was Takuan Soho, like you know for sure). Told your Master, Kodo Sawaki something about it? What you think about that all? About fighting fears, deeds, etc. Thank you very much for your answer I really appreciate it.

4:47 AM, December 03, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Roshi,

please can you tell me your reason and view of buddhism on "fighting with our fears/cowardice"? I talk about our daily fears of many things. Do you have some fears of something and do you fight it? Like Konfucius said: "To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice." or like Dále Carnegie said: "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage." I feel that I would be very happy if I fight with my daily fears every day of my life. Maybe desire for fighting my fears is reason for my love for old movies with brave samurais (like Musashi Miyamoto. His master was Takuan Soho, like you know for sure). Told your Master, Kodo Sawaki something about it? What you think about that all? About fighting fears, deeds, etc. Thank you very much for your answer I really appreciate it.

4:47 AM, December 03, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Roshi,

please can you tell me your reason and view of buddhism on "fighting with our fears/cowardice"? I talk about our daily fears of many things. Do you have some fears of something and do you fight it? Like Konfucius said: "To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice." or like Dále Carnegie said: "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage." I feel that I would be very happy if I fight with my daily fears every day of my life. Maybe desire for fighting my fears is reason for my love for old movies with brave samurais (like Musashi Miyamoto. His master was Takuan Soho, like you know for sure). Told your Master, Kodo Sawaki something about it? What you think about that all? About fighting fears, deeds, etc. Thank you very much for your answer I really appreciate it.

4:47 AM, December 03, 2009  
Blogger Jiryu02 said...

(I've written this on the previous post by mistake)

Dear Nishijima,

Was there anything written by Nargarjuna about possesion?

I ask this because I want to attempt to understand this common notion using his logic in the MMK:

1. To say someone owns something is to attatch that object with one's identity.

2. What quality within the object or the person changes because of declared ownership?

3. It is a matter of mental consideration to say there is such a quality known as possession because the link is arbitrary.

4. It is also false to say one doesn't own anything at all.

I assume his own justification would be longer as he examines the assumtion of self and object. But is this the correct way to understand this?

Also, in this post, what is meant by Inclusive Grasp?

Finally, if there is any scientific discoveries on the foundations of the universe, do you beleive that it would be consistent with zen philosophy?

I ask this because it is my understanding that the truth must be complete. Otherwise we could not call it the truth. Therefore if there are any gaps in time or space, existence would be impossible. I have no doubt that the universe is intimitely interconnected.

But with these numerous new theories from the theoretical physics community, it may acceptable that anything may be possible. Of coarse none of these are verified.

9:06 AM, December 03, 2009  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Bom San,

The reason why we feel our fears or cowardice, comes from our stronger parasympathetic nervous system.

When our parasympathetic nervous sytem is stronger than our sympathetic nervous system, we are prone to be fearful, or a cowerdice.

Therefore Konfucius insists our necessity of Action. And Dale Carnegie taught us the importance of our Action. And this fact suggests that Dale Carnegie knows the value of Action.

And so we can think that the central point of Buddhism is the philosophy of Action itself.


Dear Ven. Bom San,

Buddhism teaches that our fears or cowardice comes from the situation of our autonomic nervous system, which is a little stronger in our parasympathetic nervous system.

Therefore if we want to throw away our fears or cowardice, it is necessary for us to make our autonomic nervous system balanced. And so since the ancient time we, Human Beings, were dilligent to practice Zazen everyday to keep our autonomic nervous system balanced.

And if we are always keeping our autonomic nervous system balanced, it is completely impossible for us to feel fear at all.

Therefore it is true that Dale Carnegie
insisted that "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage."

Therefore Master Kodo Sawaki recommended us to practice Zazen so much, and I was also saved from all hindrances of my daily life by practicing Zazen everyday.


Dear Ven. Jiryu02 San,

I do not remember that Master Nagarjuna has wrote something about possesion.

What you have written in 1, 2, 3, 4, are your opinion, and so it is necessary for ourselves to examine them exactly.

The Inclusive Grasp is just our intuitive decision, which is much more relieble than our consideration or perception relying upon our Buddhist Conclusion.

Our Belief in the Universe is just our ultimate Belief, therefore it is perfectly impossible for us to find any kind of gap between time and space at all.

2:17 PM, December 03, 2009  

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