[24} Examination of The Supreme Truth (verses 40)
MMK (24) Examination of The Supreme Truth (40 verses)
1. When the balanced state of the autonomic nervous system pervades through the whole Universe,
The appearance of this world does never exist, and disappearance of this world does never exist.
The Four Philosophies, those are, Idealism, Materialism, Philosophy of Action, and Reality itself, are The Supreme Truth.
Because the insistence that such a Truth does never exist in this world, are the wrong human attitudes, which are attaching to their wrong idea without Reason.
2. Knowledge, abandonment,
Action, and results,
Those factors are the Four Sacred Truths,
Leaving from no existence, everything exists really.
3. No existence of the Four Sacred Truths are never recognized,
And no existence of the Four Kinds of Sacred Results does never exist at all.
When Result does not exist at all, the Facts of Result does not also exist.
Therefore it is difficult for the Arrival of Reality to be recognized actually. .
4. When the Buddhist Sangha does not exist, this world does not exist.
And then, they, the eight kinds of people and personalities, are also too.
And the four kinds of Sacred Truths transcend the existence,
Even the Real Universe itself is never recognized at all.
5. If there were nothing in the Universe, and there were nothing in the Buddhist
Organization,
How is it possible for a Person, who has realized the Truth, to exist even in future?
Similarly the three kinds of Buddhist Values, Buddha, Dharma, and Samgha, are just
jewels.
But your insistences are attacking and making Buddhism retreat.
6. The balanced states of the autonomic nervous system are the results in the real world,
And both the Subjective Universe and the real Universe are the results in the real world.
All jobs are secular jobs,
And all occurrences in our daily lives are attacked and evaded by Non-Buddhists.
7. In that situation, what are talked are relying upon the balanced autonomic nervous
system,
But you do not know clearly the ultimate conclusion.
Even though it is true that the serene state of the balanced autonomic nervous system is
just the aim of the balanced autonomic nervous system,
But actually you are totally making your efforts to break down everything without any
exception.
8. In the two kinds of Truths, there is one, which is enjoyed as similar to running.
Which are belonging to Buddha, and the teachings in the Rule of the Universe.
The true guidance in the Universe, that is the Truth,
And it is just the Truth without exception, at the same time it is just the Highest Truth.
9. Those do not belong to the two of the expiration or inhalation,
But the divisions are separated following the Truth and the division,
Those situations of Real Facts are never separated into the two.
However, Gautama Buddha has admonished us to have the hope of an endlessly deep
navel, voice, or personality.
10. What to do something usually have some kind of unreliable characters.
It is rather difficult for us to indicate the perfect Truth.
It is impossible for us to arrive at the highest Truth to arrive at it.
The perfectly arrive at the state of balanced autonomic nervous system is rather
actually impossible for us.
11. When we have to receive a wrong judicial decision,
The state of being in the balanced autonomic nervous system, might be seen as if we
had become perfectly stupid.
There, an animal, which is creeping on the ground like a snake, exists as a bad prize.
And sometimes the wickedness of the snake might be too much bad capture.
12. Just because of such a clear reason, there is a case that a snake's knowledge is too
much excellent as it is.
Therefore it is clear that the existence of such situations belongs to the Saint.
The Rule of the Universe belongs to ourselves, and to the Rule of the Universe.
And so something, which is a soft motion, and not so clear to be found, is difficult to
be found, or recognized clearly.
13. Relying upon the balanced autonomic nervous system, to make the mind more inactive,
The balanced states are much more accomplished into miscellaneous existences.
Worrying about such criticism does never belong to our problems,
And so such problems do never appear into the balanced state of the autonomic
nervous system at all.
14. If everything is bound by the concrete facts totally,
Even the state of the balanced autonomic nervous system must be also bound by the
real facts.
And if everything is not bound by the concrete facts,
Even the state of the balanced autonomic nervous system must not be also bound
at all.
15. Actually you are a man, who is prone to commit many errors, subjectively
or objectively, at this place.
Therefore you must have a tendency to guard yourself in every case.
But even though you were actually riding a horse,
You are just riding as if you were sitting on a dog.
16. When you have left from the subjective ideas, you are belonging to existences,
Then you will notice Real Existences.
Unreasonable Real Truths are existences,
And you will look at the Real Existence in future.
17. What is really accomplished, and what is the cause of the accomplishment, are
originally the same.
What to produce something, is just the Real Efforts of production, a production
is just production, the Real Action itself.
Production is also a kind of suppressive control too,
And the Result is just your torture called production.
18. That is just the very clear Total Occurrence.
The totally balanced autonomic nervous systems, are indicating the situations of
the Present Moment itself.
Those Realities just might be what have been grasped as information.
And so our rather anti-historical tendency might be called the Middle Way.
19. When some kinds of accidental facts are not so understandable,
The Rule of the Universe can never be recognized at all.
Because according to that facts, or according to this facts, everything is lacking the
balanced state of the autonomic nervous system,
The system of the Universe hasn't been recognized at all.
20. When the unbalanced situations of the autonomic nervous system hasn't become
pervaded through the world,
The appearance of an accident does not exist, and the ending of changes does not
exist.
The Four Sacred Truths,
The non-existence of Them are attached by the too much strong prejudice.
21. When the synthetic universal phenomena are not clear,
It is not clear where a serious pain will exist in future?
And unreliable talks really produce very severe pain,
Because even a concrete fact, which does not exist in the subjective image, is
not recognized.
22. The subjective ideas, which we are considering in our brain now,
How they are possible to be considered in our brain again?
Therefore it is impossible for the past and the present will be combined together.
And then the two states of the balanced autonomic nervous system might fight
with each other.
23. The States of Self-Regulation are not related with the subjective existence.
Therefore, the Real State of the Painful Situations can be recognized only by the
pain itself .
Subjective situations are prone to be contradictory.
However the Self-Regulation is always painful against you.
24. Relying upon our own will actually belong to the True Way.
And what kind of reason does such a result occur, is not clear.
Fortunately the symbol of the True Way exists actually,
And so no existence of selfishness can be recognized from the facts.
25. At every time, when Pains are accumulated,
Self-regulation is never recognized at all.
The True Way seems to be the negation of Pain.
And how is it possible for something to be found in future?
26. Relying upon subjective existence is never relying upon perfect knowledge.
At that time, what is included into the concrete facts is what again?
How is it possible for the problem to be included into Reality actually?
Therefore, the subjective existences are perfectly maintained stable.
27. Considerations are just Intuitions.
What are manifested themselves in front of us are just the same as what we are
looking at them.
What are similar to knowledge are never fixed like a harness.
The Four Sacred Truths are like that, and the Four Kinds of Results are also similar
to.
28. What are not grasped relying upon our subjectivity,
That is just the Result, but what is just it is?
What will be well realized, might be what has been realized already.
But in such situations, there might be perhaps subjective existence, has been
realized abundantly already.
29. Without the existence of Result, there is no establishment of the Result.
And there might be no arrival of the Realizing the Truth.
The Buddhist Organizations do not exist, and their real entities do not
exist really.
There it is impossible for the eight kinds of officers, and other personal members
of the Buddhist Organizations do not exists actually.
30. Without leaving the non-existence of the Sacred Truths,
Even the Real Universe can never be recognized.
If He were not existing both in the Universe, or in the Buddhist Organization,
Where shall it be possible for Buddha to exist even in future?
31. Even though the Truth is not confirmed so well yet,
Your Gautama Buddha is compassionate toward you.
Even though you have not arrived at Gautama Buddha's personality well,
You have attached to your own Buddhist Truth preferably.
32. Even a person, who hasn't become to the same state as Gautama
Buddha relying upon his own personality yet,
Such kinds of Enlightenment can be got relying upon what is occupied.
Relying upon keeping the same state of balanced autonomic nervous system as
Gautama Buddha actually,
Such kinds of people will arrive at the Real Truth actually in future..
33. Even the Rule of the Universe, or even Not the Rule of the Universe,
Both those are never produced by Human Beings even in future.
How is it possible for what does not belong to the balanced autonomic nervous
system to be what should be done?
Because it is completely impossible for any subjective idea to be able to produce
any kinds of Something Real at all.
34. Both the Universe and the neglecting the Universe, do not exist.
Because the affirmation of Result is impossible for you to confirm the existence of
Result.
Both the affirmation and the negation of the Universe are just a kind of marks,
Therefore it might be impossible for you to recognize the Result.
35. Both the affirmation and the negation of the Universe are just a kind of marks,
Then they also recognize the Result too.
Just the Universe and the not the Universe are both the miscellaneous phenomena,
And how is it possible for those, which are not the balanced state of the autonomic
nervous system, to be Result.
36. Everything is done as the works actually, which are done in cooperation.
However you are making your efforts to stop all kinds of such secular jobs.
Such kind of very conspicuous synthetic phenomena,
The state of the balanced autonomic nervous system, you are going to stop it.
37. Anything, which has been accomplished, does not exist at all.
There are the states, which have begun to be produced already,
And at that time what we should do carefully to begin with, might not be to produce
a concrete thing directly,
But it might be sure that we should guard our balanced autonomic nervous system
stable.
38. The state, which has not been born, has been kept by our own will,
The possibility for me to stand at the highest lank, can also be realized in future.
Being decorated with miscellaneous colors, and being kept with stabilities,
It might be the common vulgar habits in the secular societies to left the world as the
object for giving up.
39. The problem might belong to the stage of accomplishment, or the stage of
unsuccessful situations.
Pain, a boundary line, and Action itself.
All are pains, or giving up, and then,
Inadequate state of the autonomic nervous system isn’t recognized.
40. A person, who clearly look at the conspicuous and synthetic existing world as the
Real World,
Might be a person, who can look at the things and phenomena as the Real World
really.
To such a kind of person, pain and the synthetic Real World are perfectly as they
are,
And the Self-Regulations and Morals are also perfectly the same as they are.
1. When the balanced state of the autonomic nervous system pervades through the whole Universe,
The appearance of this world does never exist, and disappearance of this world does never exist.
The Four Philosophies, those are, Idealism, Materialism, Philosophy of Action, and Reality itself, are The Supreme Truth.
Because the insistence that such a Truth does never exist in this world, are the wrong human attitudes, which are attaching to their wrong idea without Reason.
2. Knowledge, abandonment,
Action, and results,
Those factors are the Four Sacred Truths,
Leaving from no existence, everything exists really.
3. No existence of the Four Sacred Truths are never recognized,
And no existence of the Four Kinds of Sacred Results does never exist at all.
When Result does not exist at all, the Facts of Result does not also exist.
Therefore it is difficult for the Arrival of Reality to be recognized actually. .
4. When the Buddhist Sangha does not exist, this world does not exist.
And then, they, the eight kinds of people and personalities, are also too.
And the four kinds of Sacred Truths transcend the existence,
Even the Real Universe itself is never recognized at all.
5. If there were nothing in the Universe, and there were nothing in the Buddhist
Organization,
How is it possible for a Person, who has realized the Truth, to exist even in future?
Similarly the three kinds of Buddhist Values, Buddha, Dharma, and Samgha, are just
jewels.
But your insistences are attacking and making Buddhism retreat.
6. The balanced states of the autonomic nervous system are the results in the real world,
And both the Subjective Universe and the real Universe are the results in the real world.
All jobs are secular jobs,
And all occurrences in our daily lives are attacked and evaded by Non-Buddhists.
7. In that situation, what are talked are relying upon the balanced autonomic nervous
system,
But you do not know clearly the ultimate conclusion.
Even though it is true that the serene state of the balanced autonomic nervous system is
just the aim of the balanced autonomic nervous system,
But actually you are totally making your efforts to break down everything without any
exception.
8. In the two kinds of Truths, there is one, which is enjoyed as similar to running.
Which are belonging to Buddha, and the teachings in the Rule of the Universe.
The true guidance in the Universe, that is the Truth,
And it is just the Truth without exception, at the same time it is just the Highest Truth.
9. Those do not belong to the two of the expiration or inhalation,
But the divisions are separated following the Truth and the division,
Those situations of Real Facts are never separated into the two.
However, Gautama Buddha has admonished us to have the hope of an endlessly deep
navel, voice, or personality.
10. What to do something usually have some kind of unreliable characters.
It is rather difficult for us to indicate the perfect Truth.
It is impossible for us to arrive at the highest Truth to arrive at it.
The perfectly arrive at the state of balanced autonomic nervous system is rather
actually impossible for us.
11. When we have to receive a wrong judicial decision,
The state of being in the balanced autonomic nervous system, might be seen as if we
had become perfectly stupid.
There, an animal, which is creeping on the ground like a snake, exists as a bad prize.
And sometimes the wickedness of the snake might be too much bad capture.
12. Just because of such a clear reason, there is a case that a snake's knowledge is too
much excellent as it is.
Therefore it is clear that the existence of such situations belongs to the Saint.
The Rule of the Universe belongs to ourselves, and to the Rule of the Universe.
And so something, which is a soft motion, and not so clear to be found, is difficult to
be found, or recognized clearly.
13. Relying upon the balanced autonomic nervous system, to make the mind more inactive,
The balanced states are much more accomplished into miscellaneous existences.
Worrying about such criticism does never belong to our problems,
And so such problems do never appear into the balanced state of the autonomic
nervous system at all.
14. If everything is bound by the concrete facts totally,
Even the state of the balanced autonomic nervous system must be also bound by the
real facts.
And if everything is not bound by the concrete facts,
Even the state of the balanced autonomic nervous system must not be also bound
at all.
15. Actually you are a man, who is prone to commit many errors, subjectively
or objectively, at this place.
Therefore you must have a tendency to guard yourself in every case.
But even though you were actually riding a horse,
You are just riding as if you were sitting on a dog.
16. When you have left from the subjective ideas, you are belonging to existences,
Then you will notice Real Existences.
Unreasonable Real Truths are existences,
And you will look at the Real Existence in future.
17. What is really accomplished, and what is the cause of the accomplishment, are
originally the same.
What to produce something, is just the Real Efforts of production, a production
is just production, the Real Action itself.
Production is also a kind of suppressive control too,
And the Result is just your torture called production.
18. That is just the very clear Total Occurrence.
The totally balanced autonomic nervous systems, are indicating the situations of
the Present Moment itself.
Those Realities just might be what have been grasped as information.
And so our rather anti-historical tendency might be called the Middle Way.
19. When some kinds of accidental facts are not so understandable,
The Rule of the Universe can never be recognized at all.
Because according to that facts, or according to this facts, everything is lacking the
balanced state of the autonomic nervous system,
The system of the Universe hasn't been recognized at all.
20. When the unbalanced situations of the autonomic nervous system hasn't become
pervaded through the world,
The appearance of an accident does not exist, and the ending of changes does not
exist.
The Four Sacred Truths,
The non-existence of Them are attached by the too much strong prejudice.
21. When the synthetic universal phenomena are not clear,
It is not clear where a serious pain will exist in future?
And unreliable talks really produce very severe pain,
Because even a concrete fact, which does not exist in the subjective image, is
not recognized.
22. The subjective ideas, which we are considering in our brain now,
How they are possible to be considered in our brain again?
Therefore it is impossible for the past and the present will be combined together.
And then the two states of the balanced autonomic nervous system might fight
with each other.
23. The States of Self-Regulation are not related with the subjective existence.
Therefore, the Real State of the Painful Situations can be recognized only by the
pain itself .
Subjective situations are prone to be contradictory.
However the Self-Regulation is always painful against you.
24. Relying upon our own will actually belong to the True Way.
And what kind of reason does such a result occur, is not clear.
Fortunately the symbol of the True Way exists actually,
And so no existence of selfishness can be recognized from the facts.
25. At every time, when Pains are accumulated,
Self-regulation is never recognized at all.
The True Way seems to be the negation of Pain.
And how is it possible for something to be found in future?
26. Relying upon subjective existence is never relying upon perfect knowledge.
At that time, what is included into the concrete facts is what again?
How is it possible for the problem to be included into Reality actually?
Therefore, the subjective existences are perfectly maintained stable.
27. Considerations are just Intuitions.
What are manifested themselves in front of us are just the same as what we are
looking at them.
What are similar to knowledge are never fixed like a harness.
The Four Sacred Truths are like that, and the Four Kinds of Results are also similar
to.
28. What are not grasped relying upon our subjectivity,
That is just the Result, but what is just it is?
What will be well realized, might be what has been realized already.
But in such situations, there might be perhaps subjective existence, has been
realized abundantly already.
29. Without the existence of Result, there is no establishment of the Result.
And there might be no arrival of the Realizing the Truth.
The Buddhist Organizations do not exist, and their real entities do not
exist really.
There it is impossible for the eight kinds of officers, and other personal members
of the Buddhist Organizations do not exists actually.
30. Without leaving the non-existence of the Sacred Truths,
Even the Real Universe can never be recognized.
If He were not existing both in the Universe, or in the Buddhist Organization,
Where shall it be possible for Buddha to exist even in future?
31. Even though the Truth is not confirmed so well yet,
Your Gautama Buddha is compassionate toward you.
Even though you have not arrived at Gautama Buddha's personality well,
You have attached to your own Buddhist Truth preferably.
32. Even a person, who hasn't become to the same state as Gautama
Buddha relying upon his own personality yet,
Such kinds of Enlightenment can be got relying upon what is occupied.
Relying upon keeping the same state of balanced autonomic nervous system as
Gautama Buddha actually,
Such kinds of people will arrive at the Real Truth actually in future..
33. Even the Rule of the Universe, or even Not the Rule of the Universe,
Both those are never produced by Human Beings even in future.
How is it possible for what does not belong to the balanced autonomic nervous
system to be what should be done?
Because it is completely impossible for any subjective idea to be able to produce
any kinds of Something Real at all.
34. Both the Universe and the neglecting the Universe, do not exist.
Because the affirmation of Result is impossible for you to confirm the existence of
Result.
Both the affirmation and the negation of the Universe are just a kind of marks,
Therefore it might be impossible for you to recognize the Result.
35. Both the affirmation and the negation of the Universe are just a kind of marks,
Then they also recognize the Result too.
Just the Universe and the not the Universe are both the miscellaneous phenomena,
And how is it possible for those, which are not the balanced state of the autonomic
nervous system, to be Result.
36. Everything is done as the works actually, which are done in cooperation.
However you are making your efforts to stop all kinds of such secular jobs.
Such kind of very conspicuous synthetic phenomena,
The state of the balanced autonomic nervous system, you are going to stop it.
37. Anything, which has been accomplished, does not exist at all.
There are the states, which have begun to be produced already,
And at that time what we should do carefully to begin with, might not be to produce
a concrete thing directly,
But it might be sure that we should guard our balanced autonomic nervous system
stable.
38. The state, which has not been born, has been kept by our own will,
The possibility for me to stand at the highest lank, can also be realized in future.
Being decorated with miscellaneous colors, and being kept with stabilities,
It might be the common vulgar habits in the secular societies to left the world as the
object for giving up.
39. The problem might belong to the stage of accomplishment, or the stage of
unsuccessful situations.
Pain, a boundary line, and Action itself.
All are pains, or giving up, and then,
Inadequate state of the autonomic nervous system isn’t recognized.
40. A person, who clearly look at the conspicuous and synthetic existing world as the
Real World,
Might be a person, who can look at the things and phenomena as the Real World
really.
To such a kind of person, pain and the synthetic Real World are perfectly as they
are,
And the Self-Regulations and Morals are also perfectly the same as they are.
posted by GUDO NISHIJIMA | 9:22 PM
21 Comments:
Dear Sensei,
I have been wondering regarding certain things about personal biography, - and I thought other people too might be interested:
You were practicing with Sawaki Roshi until 1965, when he died, but you only became a monk on ’73, - on retirement - as I understand.
So what did you do from ’65 to ’73?
Were you just sitting Zazen by yourself, - or have you become a disciple of Master Renpo Niwa earlier than ’73, - or have you become a disciple of another master during that time, - or were you perhaps practicing with some master without having become his disciple?
So far for this one,
Best wishes,
Ran
Dear Ven. Ran K. San,
I have heard Master Kodo Sawaki's lecture on "Fukan-Zazen-Gi" at Daichu-ji Temple in 1915.
But I have begun to read "Shobogenzo" in 1914 already.
And I have begun to practice Zazen everyday in my house since 1915.
And then I have continue my practice of Zazen everyday in my house or temples until today.
Dear Rôshi,
I am trying to understand deeper the meaning of action.
If for example one person pleases me to remember (or to think) about another person and I do it and remember about this person - can we see this as my "action"? If I just remember or think?
Another example. If I want, I can feel some part of my body for some time more attentively as other parts. Is this also a kind of action?
For to be able to sit in Zazen we seemly need 1) an idea of sitting and 2) a perception of our bodys to perform this idea.
So the action of Zazen seems to be identical with this particular interaction of body-perception and mind.
Is this the right way to understand an action?
Thank you very much.
Dear Ven. Ran K. San,
My answer to you, what I wrote the year, must be corrected as you noticed from 1914, and 1915, to 1934, and 1935. I am very sorry for my careless mistakes.
Dear Ven. Honiahaka San,
In Buddhist philosophy we distinguish Action clearly from consideration and perception.
Therefore in Buddhism, we never think that consideration or perception can never be included into Action.
Therefore it is also wrong, if we think that sense perception is a kind of Action.
And so it is impossible for us to think that consideration or perception can be included as Action.
Action should be perfectly independent from consideration, or perception.
Therefore Zazen is perfectly independent from body and mind.
And so Zazen is perfectly dropped out from body and mind.
Dear Sensei,
Thank you for your correction.
But I think even if one practices by himself - at the place where he lives - having to do with a teacher does have some mystical meaning.
I know you don't like to talk about those things.
I first became interested in "Zen" when a karate teacher (Tsutomu Ohshima) spoke about teaching by means of participation. - He used the example of the "Zen" masters who were teaching their disciples by means of sitting [- Zazen] with them.
- So even if one is sitting at home - this seems to me to have some meaning - though not exactly in the same way.
Still I don't know how important this is.
So far,
...
(I wanted to add a few things but I'll let it go. - Tuning forks etc.)
Dear Ven. Ran K. San,
Thank you very much for your miscellaneous theories, but I am keeping some completely diffefernt Buddhist thoughts for about 70 years already, and there is no necessity for me to change my Buddhist thoughts at all.
For example, Master Dogen wrote that "Secretly to practice Zazen alone is much more familier to practice Zazen other than to practice Zazan with much members."
"Hisokani shusu Bodaishin no shitashiki nari."
Therefore we can think that Master Dogen has much revered for us to practice Zazen alone by ourselves.
So I would like to ask you, if you like to study Master Dogen's thoughts, it is necessary for you to study Mater Dogen's own books much more.
Dear Ven. Rôshi Nishijima San,
thank you very much for your explanation about the correct understanding of Action.
Following this, the Action being independent from body and mind seems me to be possible "to achieve" not only "just sitting". (We can do with our body much more than just sit even if sitting is very simple and practical position for meditation.)
So it seems to be possible to achieve the Action if we for example "just stand".
If it is correct, than it seems also at least theoretically possible to achieve the Action for example walking or even doing whatever we are doing every moment.
It would be in my opinion very practical, because one could practices not only sitting, but also doing things, if we would "just doing what we doing".
Is is a correct conclusion?
Thank you very much.
Dear sensei,
Reading doesn't do me much good, so I can not read so much at present.
I thought you know that.
I am quite happy with Dogen's quote, though I suppose there are advantages at both sides.
I did not state that sitting with a teacher [or with a group] is better than sitting alone, - though I suppose it is not meaningless.
But I suppose even if one sits alone - having a teacher or not having a teacher is not meaningless and not the same.
You did not relate to this point at all.
How different or how meaningful this is. Or how important.
Surly you know that one quote does not testify as to what Master Dogen's opinion is.
I couldn’t understand “Hisokani shusu Bodaishin no shitashiki nari”.
I suppose it refers to where is the quote from.
Could you put it in English?
So far,
Same guy (“…” at Jan. 5th, 2010; 7:39 PM.)
Dear Ven. Honiahaka San,
I clearly notice that it is the most important problem for us to understand the meaning of Action clearly for recognizing the meaning of Buddhist Philosophy.
I agree with your idea about Zazen absolutely. Sitting can never be the same as consideration, and sitting can never be the same as perception.
"Just stand", "just sit" both are perfectly Actions themselves.
Action is absolutely different from consideration, or perception.
Action is done absolutely just at the present moment.
It is true that we can act an Action at the every moment.
Your Real Explanation of Action is perfectly True.
It is perfectly correct in conclusion.
Dear Ven. Ran K. San,
I haven't listened that you are not so well in reading, and so I have heard such an important news for the first time.
The meaning of the words "Hisokani shusu, Bodai-Shin no hitashiki nari," means that "When we are just practicing Zazen along secretly, our minds to pursue the Truth are much more strong than usual."
When you are practicing Zazen with many members, it seems to be a kind of festival, but when you are enjoying your lonely pactice of Zazen for example in you private room, the feeling is much more familier than usual.
It is true that the words, which he has quoted is just Master Doge's own words, and never another person's words.
The meaning of the words that "Hisokani shusu, Bodai-shin no shitashiki nari," means that "When we are practicing Zazen actually along, we can feel much more familier to the actual mind for persuing the Truth sincerely."
These words are just Master Dogen's words themselves.
Dear Ven. Rôshi Nishijima San,
the main part of the people thinks that to action belongs also thinking and perception, because they can start to think something and start to feel something due to their own will. This they used to call "action". That is probably one of the ground for appearance of questions about meaning of different kind of Action.
If we look at Buddhist Action, we may notice, that "just sit", "just stand", "just walk".. etc. belong to it, meanwhile "just feel" or "just think" do not belong to it.
And we can notice that the difference is probably in the complete involving of the body. In the Buddhist Action the body seems always to be completely involved.
As body is individual, this seems to be a condition for preserving in the Action the individual (inner man) aspect of it .
A the same time this Action based on the clear (and objective) knowledge of what the person is doing: "just sit", "just walk"... etc.
So, if I have understood you correctly, the Buddhist Action includes both the individuality and objectivity at the same time. That seems to be the difference.
Thank you very much for your help in clearing of these points.
Dear Ven. Honiahaka San,
Thank you very much for your important question. Because in the Euro-American philosophy, we can find the concept Action generally, but it is imposible for us to find the Real Action itself. Therefore if we forget the Real Action, we can never discuss about the Buddhist philosophy at all.
Therefore in Buddhist philosophy we can discuss the Real Action itself, but in Euro-American philosophy we can never discuss Real Action itself.
Generally speaking in Buddhist Philosophy,"thinking" or "feeling" can never belong to Action.
And it might be wrong that if we think that a concept Action is not related with body, but a concept Action is still related with body. Because a concept Action is related with both mind and body. But the Real Action transcend both mind and body totally, and the Real Action is just the Real Action at the present moment itself.
In Buddhism, the concept of Action, and the Real Action is perfectly different.
Therefore we can say that the Real Act in Real Buddhism can never be body and mind, but the Real Act at the present moment itself.
Dear Ven. Rôshi Nishijima San,
thank you very much for your explanation and the indication, that in Buddhism, the concept of Action, and the Real Action is perfectly different.
I understand and follow you also perfectly, that in the European-American philosophic tradition the concept of action includes both the body and mind.
But if we look namely at the understanding of practical realization of action, so we can notice, that there are also the situations in which not a complete body is involved (I am feeling my hand, I am thinking with my head etc.) are usual.
Such kinds of situations are also called "action" in the European-American philosophic tradition.
But who is exactly acting in these cases? Who is "I"? This point in the practical realization of action seems to be able to cause the loss of authentic individuality.
It seems, that the Buddhist practical realization of the Action is different in this point, because it uses the complete body for to entry into the Real Action and does not use some kind of "I" which is separated from body.
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I do not know, if you agree with Rinzai Zenji views on it, but these his words seem to describe the role of individuality ("man"):
"Rinzai Zenji's 4 categories of samadhi are as follows:
1. Man is deprived; circumstances are not deprived.
2. Circumstances are deprived; man is not deprived.
3. Both man and circumstances are deprived.
4. Neither man nor circumstances are deprived.
( http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=91258010 )
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Coming back to the Buddhist Action: if a person uses the complete body and not just an "I" for the Action, it should be possible to transcend the body and mind.
The way to accomplish this situation in Zazen is: "just sit". I we are just (!) sitting, we use the complete body.
If we are sitting and thinking of something for example, we are unable to use the complete body.
So I could interpret your words according to my understanding.
Thank you very much.
Dear Ven. Honiahaka San,
In Buddhism, the concept of Action, and the Real Action itself is perfectly different.
In Buddhism the Action does not includes body and mind. Therefore Master Dogen proclaimed that "Sin Jin Datsu Araku," which suggests that "Body and Mind have droped down in Action."
Therefore we can think that Buddhist Action has perfect independency from Body and mind.
(Reference) I do not know about Rinzai-Sect Theory almost at all, and so I would like to avoid my interpretation of it.
Dear Ven. Rôshi Nishijima San,
I believe to understand your indication, that body and mind have dropped down in Action. Nevertheless I will try to understand it more deeply.
Also personally I am convinced in the great importance of the Real Action for the people.
As Zazen is the way to come to (or into) the Real Action in which body and mind are transcended, people need to be motivated to do Zazen. But first they will ask: what is exactly so special in the Real Action?
If they hear, that "thinking" or "feeling" can never belong to this Action, the will still ask: "why?".
The will ask: why exactly "just sit" is Ok and "just feel" is not OK.
The referring in this point to the ancient authority like Master Dogen can be helpful with particular kind of people and may be in some countries more helpful, than in some others.
But I guess that the main part of people in the world will prefer to use instead their own reason.
"Nothing in the world is distributed as equitably as the reason. For every man is convinced that he had enough of it." (René Descartes)
In order to get such an reasonable explanation I tried to figure out the clear reasons why we can not "achieve" the Real Action, if we for example "just feel" or "just think". And I tried to get it without the referring to the authority of a doctrine or the referring to the direct experience of this Action.
I understand perfectly, that the body and mind are dropped down in the Action. But they are yet not dropped down before it. Exactly in this point of time and in this stage before dropping down the body and mind the automatically happening involving of the complete body due to "just-sit-way" of Zazen seemed to me to may have the principal importance.
Thank you very much for you help.
De Ven.Term Papers San,
Thank you very much for your very kind and important estimations. I have become 90 yeras old, and it is nescessary for me to utilize explain of the fundamental Buddhist Philosophy relying upon my Dogen Sangha Blog. Therefore I would like to express many thanks for your kind praises.
Dear Ven. Honiahaka San,
The meaning of "Action has dropped the concepts of body and mind" sugests that
Real Action at the present time can never include concepts of body and mind at all.
The concept of the Real Action appeared in Buddhist Philosophy in Ancient India,and I think that it might be the central concept of the Ultimate Philosophy of Human Beings at last.
The Reason why the Buddhist Philosophy will maintain the position of the Ultimate Philosophy in the World, might be that it insists that the Buddhist Philosophy is only One Realistic Philosophy in the World.
The reason, why considerations or sense perceptions, can never be considered Action, is that consideration is just the motion of the brain-celles, and sense perception is just excitment of sense stimuli, and so they can never be Real Action.
I think that what Rene Descartes said is an affirmation of Realism.
If it is impossible for us to deny the Idealism and the Materialism, we can never find the Real Action at all.
Therefore Master Dogen taught us, "Just practise Zazen."
Dear Ven. Rôshi Nishijima San,
thank you very much for your kind and valuable explanations.
I believe to understand them. But i understand also, that an understanding can not exchange the praxis.
As about the philosophy, in my personal opinion the philosophy is not the truth itself. It can be only the help on the way to it. As the situation of the people are very different, the help can not be exactly the same. The truth is may be like a kind of center and to this center from all side there are the different ways from each particular human life's situation. Thus, it appears that the ultimate philosophy as such can exist only for certain groups of people with similar situations.
In one video you have told about one book of American author about balance between love and hate. Ma be you still reading books - I would not wonder if you still do sometimes, because you do still so much to show the way to Buddhist philosophy and practice despite of your age! In this case may be you can enjoy also the worldwide very known book "I am that" with dialogues of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj .
It is such a classic already, that it also available for reading online:
http://prahlad.org/gallery/nisargadatta/books/I-am-that-1.html
With best wishes.
Dear Roshi,
Living in Action is so clear and emphatic. Now I know that in the past I don't really use my ears, eyes and smell. Life itself is here and now.
Thank you for your teachings.
Tom
[I have read a little of the above discourse and my comment arose as follows: –]
René Descartes said that in the state of mental consideration, - or actually in the state of perception of what we call the "mind" – we exist.
(He did not notice – it seems – that when thinking we are not conscience of the subject of thinking, and when looking, or trying to look, - at the subject of thinking – we are not thinking. We can only do one at a time, - it seems.)
So – do we also exist in the state of action?
By the way, - by the moment you write your answer this moment will already be gone, so it is not possible to know whether we existed (in it) at all.
Thinking seems to be altogether useless.
Whatever conclusions I have come to in the present moment may be completely untrue by the time I finish writing this sentence.
Further than that: – by the time you finish thinking a thought the facts upon you based it can no longer be known to be true at all.
Everything has to be revised again every second – if we want to know anything.
Regarding perception – Steiner says experience allows us to look at the reality – or see it. I suppose the same may be true of thought – by thinking we acquire the ability to think better in every moment again. The ability to verify. – Or somewhat less than this. Until we have the barrier opened. Or perhaps even then it can not be told whether knowledge exists or not.
Now – what is action?
[] (The system does not allow empty lines at the beginning or at the end. The blog system, - that is.)
Dear Roshi,
in the last time I feel that I don't have got sexual desire too much that I've used to. In the past I have many thoughts, but now I dont. But I feel more freely in that way. Is it right?
Thanks for your answers.
Tom
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