Dogen Sangha Blog

  by Gudo NISHIJIMA

Japanese / German

Sunday, February 7, 2010

[27] Examination of Doctorines (30 verses)

MMK (27) Examination of Doctrines (30 verses)

1. Sect Future, Sect Past, Sect Secular,

And Sect Reality, are the doctrines.

They are Belief in Eternity, Belief in the Creator,

Belief in Prophets, and Believers in some kinds of doctrines.


2. I think that miscellaneous kinds of Doctrines will not be maintained.

How is it impossible for another Doctrine will not come as the decisive criteria at all?

The reason, why I say so, comes from the fact that the age of disappearance has begun
too fast already,

And it is absolutely decisive for us to live in the Western End of the World exactly.


3. Sect Future, Sect Past, and Sect Secular,

Are not manifesting themselves actually in front of us already.

Sect Future, Sect Past, and Sect Secular, should be manifesting themselves already in
front of us.

But actually speaking, such kinds of examples, which should appear exactly, have never
appear itself yet at all.


4. If it is actually true that the so-called Soul really exists in this world,

It might be much more possible for our sense perception to find the so-called Soul
exactly.

In Sect Future, they are relying upon Soul, which can have ability to flee from our sense
limitation.

But it is perfectly unclear for such a kind of Soul to exist actually, or not.


5. Perception does never escape.

But what is called the Individual Soul creates the harvest.

Perhaps Perception might be the same as the Individual Soul.

And so what is called the Individual Soul does never exist at all.


6. Perception is perfectly different from the Individual Soul.

Something, which can cover other things, can also have ability to make others wet.

Because everything can get its name and characteristics,

Everything can get its characteristics in future.


7. In another case leaving from the sense perception again,

The Individual Soul does never manifest itself.

Because, being to be understandable, is perfectly different from acceptable,

And so just at the different case, there is a possibility that something can never be
acceptable at all.


8. Following this way, even the different method does not leave perception.

It is not always perception is just Reality.

The Individual Soul does never really exist different from perception.

There is nothing other than This Reality at this place, which is the Absolute Reliability
in The Universe.


9. The Party, which hasn’t been born, the Party in the Past, and the Party for the Secular
Society,

Those concrete parties haven’t appeared actually yet.

Because they have relied upon birth, and so they have been born just in front of us
already.

The different example does never exist as a concrete one at all.


10. Because the World has always possibility to be different,

There is possibility for the World even to receive serious refusal actually.

The world always has its possibility to become the objects of such kinds of refusal.

And in such a situation being possible to get the Birth, is just the possibility to come
back to Death.


11. Relying upon Action, to cut something is not always a benevolence at all.

Even though what is done is perfectly different from what has been planned,

Their attitude for them to do the same work again, can be recognized as if it were
different work.

Similarly the first fruits are usually attached so much.


12. God Visnu is never vigor of Dynamic Beauty.

Because at that place some kinds of Vice attach to the place.

What has been done also, has existed as the Individual Soul.

The co-existence of such miscellaneous things and phenomena, are not always
recognizable at all.


13. Relying upon those methods, people, who look at the process, are,

Sometimes people, who believe in Visnu, who they are, and sometimes people, who do
not believe in Visnu, who they are.
.

It is said that a person, who believe in Visnu, and a person, who does not believe in
Visnu, are the same.

The fact, which exists here, as it is, does never come only for passing.


14. Relying upon traveling, what is it impossible for us to arrive at?

What will exist clearly, might exist already for us to look at Dharma.

Not have I arrived at yet, is the Real Existence of Ourselves at these Real Situations in
the Concrete Facts at this place.

What have gone, or what has gone a little ahead, are all the same in their situations.


15. When Reality is God, and Reality are Human Beings,

Similarly Eternity exists like this.

What hasn’t been born, might be God.

Because the Eternity is never be born at all.


16. When what are different from God, might be Human Beings,

What is not Eternal One, can exist as Idea.

When what is different from God, might belong to human beings,

The Relation between Cause and Effect, does never appear at all.


17. When the Paradise perhaps were only one place,

It might be one Part of the Total, and it might belong to Human Beings.

There were both the Two Possibilities, that the One is just that the Paradise is not
Eternal, and the Other one is the Paradise is just Eternal.

And those two Ideas can never attached to any Fact at all.


18. Both Something Not Eternal, and Something Eternal,

When miscellaneous occurrences manifest themselves in the two kinds together,

What have been accomplished are not as eternal joy,

But they are never what are eternal at all.


19. From where have I come for whom, or for what?

Where shall I go for whom, or for what?

From what kind of purpose shall I work from the endlessly past age until now?

The so-called Aimless Wandering might be as if it were nothing to exist as Reality.


20. The existence of the Eternity does not exist really at all.

Where can we find the Existence of Having Limitations anywhere at all?

The Eternity and the Non-Eternity are only the Model of Duality.

What Have Been Concealed might be manifestation of the sufficiently
concealed Expressions.


21. When we have the limitation of Time, the Area of Freedom might become open.

Even though it is impossible for us to know the reason, it might be possible for us to
expect the Perfectly Different Area of the World exactly.

Just in That Situations, the Fact to have the limited term, are the very Happy Situations.

Therefore it is impossible for us to know the reason, why there is any kind of
possibility to experience the Very Happy World actually.


22. The Stream of Miscellaneous Things and Phenomena, are the Simple Facts of this
World in front of us,

Therefore it is very similar to the one stream of light, which is researched as if it were
a line of the stream.

Therefore it seems to be very different, but at the same time it seems to be very similar
to each other.

And so the things and phenomena, which are not so similar, are also actually to be
Loved without distinction.


23. Before being to be revered,

It is impossible for me to be revered and go ahead at all.

Miscellaneous Things and Phenomena are producing the Miscellaneous Things and
Phenomena as This World without fail.

There the Intermediate Space can exist making a kind of limited Space like the End.


24. Before the time, when the circumstances have not been prepared lovely yet,

I do never like to prepare the preparation well ahead.

When the five kinds of aggregates are just manifesting themselves clearly as the
World,

The Space of the Universe will have possibility to exist as the Boundless Space in
Reality.


25. When the similarity of the End is just the one point, which belongs to one point of the
whole line.

Such a kind of one place in the line, might be similar to the point, which exists
everywhere through the line.

Perhaps what seems to be similar to the Truth, might be different from the Truth
Actually,

And the Concrete Fact ourselves at the Real Point, might be never complicated at all.


26. Why is it possible for them to get a so lot of money with such a kind of job?

The two arms might work as well as more than two arms.

Even in future we should never approach to the works of two arms.

Usually The Real Situations of The World, is just This Fact in front of
ourselves, which is not bound by anything at all.


27. When our Perceptional Function is just identified into One,

How is it necessary for us to approach Names?

We should never necessary to approach only One Spot.

It is absolutely impossible for only one concrete fact manifests itself alone.


28. To have the End is just the same as to produce the End positively.

In that case, the accomplishment of preparations, includes the two kinds of factors,
Those are the preparation and accomplishment.

In the situations of accomplishment, having an End, is never pleasurable condition.

The situation, which does not having any Eternity might be the Most Hopeful
Situation.


29. There also the Whole Situations of All Existences are the problems again.

Leaving from the balanced state of the Autonomic Nervous System, and leaving from
the Eternity, there is a only fact just Going on.

Where, belonging to what, to whom among many, or from whom,

Persons, who are seen, might be many.


30. All People, who are related with the reverence, might be belong to the people, who have
Belief in Morals,

The True Righteousness might have been moved to the wrong place for it.

The pitiful situations for people, have been accepted to them as they are.

But I offer the Whole-Hearted Admire for Gautama Buddha, who accepted those
Many kinds of Doctrines as pitiable.




[After ending the translation]

After ending the translation, I think that Gautama Buddha has found the ultimate Truth in the human history about in the fifth or fourth Century AD.

And his ultimate conclusion is just Buddhist Realism.

But his Buddhist Realism has been too much difficult, and so it has been necessary for Human Being to understand it for about 25 Centuries.

I think that Buddhism can never be Religion, but it is just the ultimate philosophy of Human Beings. Because Buddhism does not include anything, which we should believe in as belief, but Buddhism is perfectly clear in its philosophical system.

And so I think that we, Human Beings, have arrived at the Truth itself just at the beginning of the 21st Century for the first time.

The End.

36 Comments:

Blogger jundo cohen said...

Congratulations on finishing this translation, Roshi.

Gassho, Jundo

11:08 AM, February 10, 2010  
Blogger Uku said...

Dear Nishijima sensei,

Thank you very much for your clear and profound translations. I agree that Buddhism has a lot ot offer for us human beings because it urge us to rely on action itself, relying on Gautama Buddha's example: without action there is no action at all; without practicing zazen there's no practice of zazen at all.

Thank you very much.

With best regards,
Markus

6:25 PM, February 10, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Jundo Cohen San,

I feel very happy and relaxed because of finishing my translating MMK from the original text into English at last.



Dear Ven. Uku San,

I agree with your idea completely.

12:29 PM, February 11, 2010  
Blogger Harry said...

Dear Roshi,

Thanks to you, and well done on your translation.

You wrote:

"Because Buddhism does not include anything, which we should believe in as belief, but Buddhism is perfectly clear in its philosophical system."

This seems very true as things which I used to accept as true and certain about Buddhism have started to become less fixed and less certain through actually practicing it.

How nice to be able to challenge the assumptions of such unreliable 'certainty'!

Of course, a problem might be (and I think this happens in Buddhism) that people will swing to an extremem and adopt 'non-religious' iconoclasm as a sort of value or belief instead of religion. This reminds me of those atheists who seem to simply replace a belief in God with a belief in the non-existence of God.

Regards,

Harry.

8:02 PM, February 11, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Harry San.

I agree with your idea, but at the same time I think that God might be the Universe, and the Universe might be God.


Dear Ven. 雪よう San,

I have enjoyed your poem very much.

2:42 PM, February 12, 2010  
Blogger Unknown said...

Dear Nishijima,


I´m from Brasil and I´ve just started my daily zazen practice. I first heard about Zen in Brad Warner´s web site and then saw some of your lectures on youtube. Those lectures were very valuable and gave me a reason to start zazen. I´m doing a 2 times a day, 20 min duration routine. But sometimes I get so mentally stressed, tired and LAZY and want badly to stop. And I stop. And then start all over again, from the begining.


Do you think it is possible for a begginer to evolve and keep the motivation without the guidance of a present zen teacher???


My best regards,
Gustavo

6:26 AM, February 16, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Gustavo San,

In the case of Zazen, it is necessary for everyone to have a Teacher. Therefore I would like to become everyone's teacher.

Zazen is never consideration or perception.

Therefore you should never consider anything, or should never perceive anything in Zazen at all.

In Zazen you should keep your spine staight virtically.

Therefore Zazen is just traiing of body and mind.

Zazen is just practice of body and mind.

1:30 PM, February 16, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Gustavo San,

In the case of Zazen, it is necessary for everyone to have a Teacher. Therefore I would like to become everyone's teacher.

Zazen is never consideration or perception.

Therefore you should never consider anything, or should never perceive anything in Zazen at all.

In Zazen you should keep your spine staight virtically.

Therefore Zazen is just traiing of body and mind.

Zazen is just practice of body and mind.

1:30 PM, February 16, 2010  
Blogger Unknown said...

Dear Nishijima,

Thank you very much. Your aid has been very valuable.


My best regards,
Gustavo

10:00 PM, February 17, 2010  
Blogger Jiryu02 said...

Dear Nishijima,

I had an interesting thought due to your addition at the end of the translation.

"Whenever one pursues the authentic problem of life honestly, sincerely, and with the correct skepticism, Buddhism is found."

When I think of this I think of how my current understanding of Buddhism differs from when I first encountered it. At first I was really confused about the precepts, the four noble truths, and the eightfold path. I even disagreed with the bold use of the word "suffering".

However, when I study Zen, I often hear these very simple reductions to Buddhism such as "Buddhism is just realizing the inherent harmony of ordinary life".

Can Buddhism be explained without the very misleading nature of its core tenets?

Also, do you think there might have been people who have discovered Buddhism elsewhere before Gautama Buddha? Can Buddhism be re-discovered by someone without that individual knowing of it?

Thank you Nishijima,
I have enjoyed your translations

1:34 PM, February 18, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Jiryu02 San,

I agree with the idea that to pursue the authentic problem of life honestly is Buddhism itself.

But at the same time to study the precepts, the four noble truths, and the eightfold paths are also the very important Buddhist study.

However I have a small doubt in too much exaggerated "suffering."

But I also believe that "Buddhism is just realizing the inherent harmony of ordinary life."

At the same time I think that Buddhism can be explained very clearly,relying upon the scientific theory of the autonomic nervous system too.

However I do never think that before Gautama Buddha has found his philosophy, someone different has found the same philosophy before Gautama Buddha at all. And at the same time I can never suppose that someone exists who has found the same philosophy as Buddhism indeppendently other than Gautama Buddha.

I do not think that there was someone, who has understood the same philosophy as Buddism other than Gautama Buddha before or after him.

5:14 PM, February 18, 2010  
Blogger Ran K. said...

Dear Sensei,

- You repeatedly state that Buddhism is not e religion, but a philosophy.

- As to clarify the meaning of such statement it seems to me necessary to know or understand what a religion is.

So - with regard to that question, - and also not with regard to that question, - could you clarify your view of this concept - "religion", - you use?

It may be somewhat unclear.

So far,
Best wishes,
Ran Kennedy.

2:39 AM, February 20, 2010  
Blogger Ran K. said...

(Also - by the way - if you say no one has understood Buddhist philosophy as Gautama Buddha did either before or after him, that would include Christ.

(And also the Holy Spirit which has also lived down here for three years.))

2:40 AM, February 20, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Ran Kennedy San,

In the case of phlosophy, it usually insists its conclusion without doubt, but in the case of religion, it has usually parts, which can not be understood, and so in the case of religion, it has usually parts, which can not understand absolutely. Therefore in the case of religion, it has always some part, which can not be understood, and so in the case of religion, it is necessary for us to have some parts, which should believe in, but in the case of philosophy, generally speaking, we should usually understand everything without fail.


Dear Ven. Ran Kennedy San,

I suppose that Jesus Christ didn't know Gautama Buddha.

1:19 PM, February 20, 2010  
Blogger Ran K. said...

I do believe they must have been acquainted, - though not here on Earth.

In case they did not coordinate their actions we might question their thoroughness.

7:27 PM, February 20, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Ran K San,

I think that Gautama Buddha was Human Being, and Jesus Christ was also Human Being. Therefore it is both perfectly impossible for Gautama Buddha and Jesus Christ to live other than on the Earth.

Both Gautama Buddha and Jesus Christ were Human Beings, and so they can never coordinate together actually.

12:53 PM, February 21, 2010  
Blogger Ran K. said...

Such a pity.

7:47 PM, February 21, 2010  
Blogger Jiryu02 said...

Dear Nishijima,

About your idea on the autonomic nervous system, is there any scientific study you can reference to support your view?

I too think that the benefits of zazen require a scientific explanation. However, do you think that the balancing of the autonomic nervous system is special to shinkantaza or do you think any meditation practice can have an effect?

9:43 AM, February 24, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Jiryu02 San,

I have studied the theory of psychiatry by reading an American psychiatrist called Karl Menninger's books, for example, by his books, The Human Mind, Love and Hate, A man against himself, and so forth.

I think that there are so many kinds of Human Action, which are so useful for making the autonomic nervous system balanced. For example, almost all kinds of professional works, playing sports, efforts of producing fine arts, and so forth.

But I would like to ask you not to think that any kinds of meditation, can be the balanced autonomic nervous system. Meditation is a kind of consideration, and so meditation can never be the balanced state of the autonomic nervous system at all.

Shikantaza can never be meditation, but Shikantaza is just Action, or just to sit..

2:38 PM, February 24, 2010  
Blogger Luis Jinyu Lista - Rev. Yao Xin Shakya said...

I just wanted to thank you and to congratulate you for finishing this HUGE work you just did!

Thank you roshi!

Luis "Jinyu" Lista
(a simple student of James Jundo Cohen)

8:47 AM, March 03, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Der Ven. Dreamingbird San,

Thank you very much for your opinion to Ven. James Cohen, but recently I have begun to think that he is not a Buddhist Realist, but he is a beautiful Romantist. And so I should be cearful for me to think that he is just a Buddhist Realist.

3:24 PM, March 03, 2010  
Blogger Luis Jinyu Lista - Rev. Yao Xin Shakya said...

Dear Roshi,
Thank you for answering to my felicitations. But I just wanted to thank you for your work.
I just said who I'm (Luis "Jinyu" Lista) because I though it was very rude to write to you only under a nickname (because as a student of Jundo sensei you are like our grandpa in the dharma, and I'm not used to talk to people I respect under a false identity).

All this to say, I just wanted to congratulate and thank you not receive any warning or consideration about my beloved master.

Thank you anyway,

Sincerely,

Luis "Jinyu" Lista

10:55 PM, March 03, 2010  
Blogger Unknown said...

Dear Nishijima,

How did you get in touch with zazen?




My best regards,
Gustavo

11:57 AM, March 06, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Luis "Jinyu" Lista San,

I am very sorry, but I do not like to say anything about Mr.James Cohen San at all.


Dear Ven. Gustavo San,

In my Zazen, I am always diligent to keep my spine straight vertically.

1:20 PM, March 06, 2010  
Blogger Luis Jinyu Lista - Rev. Yao Xin Shakya said...

Dear sensei,
there is no problem at all!
Thanks to taking the time to answer these comments and Thank you again for the Big work you did and do!

Gassho,
Luis "Jinyu" Lista

10:07 AM, March 07, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Luis "Jinyu" Lista San,

Thank you very much for your kindness.

12:10 PM, March 07, 2010  
Blogger Lauren said...

Dear Nishijima Sensei,

I am wondering about my vow to "save living beings" from Chodai Kesa no Ge.

How do you understand this as a practical matter?

For example, what do I do (or, what should I do) to save a salary man in my office if he has no interest in Buddhism. I understand that I can follow the eight fold path and be kind to him, but how does this *save* him?

This word in English "save" has so much meaning in the Christian tradition, I find it difficult to understand clearly.

Regards,
-Lauren Crane

9:16 AM, March 12, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Lauren Crane San,

Thank you very much for your question.

In Buddhism to save others suggests to make others keeping his or her autonomic nervous system balanced.

We, Human Beings, have the autonomic nervous system, which is perfectly different from cerebrospinal nervous system.

The autonomic nervous system can work automatically.

The autonomic nervous system is divided into two parts, that is, the sympapathetic nervous system, and the parasympathetic nervous system.

And when the sympathetic nervous system is stronger, the tension is too much strong, and so the state is unhappy.

And when the parasympathetic nervous system stronger, our human condition is too much dull.

Therefore if our autonomic nervous is not balanced, everyone can never be happy.


Dear Ven. Adrien San,

Gautama Buddha's teaching does never intend to be mindful, but it insists to keep the balnced autonomic nervous system.

To be mindful suggests having the stronger sympathetic nervous system, but the stronger sympathetic nervous system can never be the Buddhist state.

In Buddhist state we should keep our autonomic nervous system balanced every moment.

In other words our sympathetic nervous system should always be balanced.

8:57 PM, March 12, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. PaulC San,

Thank you very much for your opinion, which is related with Hegelian Dialectic.

But I think that when we are thinking the Dialectic in Buddhsm, it is necessary for us to think about Buddhist Dialectic itsef.

In the case of Hegelian Dialectic, it insists the three dimentions, but in the case of Buddhist Dialectic it insists the four dimentions, that is, Idealism, Materialism, Philosophy of Action, and Reality.

Therefore in the case of Hegelian Dialectic it belongs to only intellectual consideration, but in the case of Buddhist Dialectic it belong to Buddhist Realism.

1:29 PM, March 15, 2010  
Blogger Ran K. said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

1:33 AM, March 16, 2010  
Blogger Ran K. said...

Even if he Dhyana Paramita is not about mindfulness, - I wonder if the Prajna Paramita is not.

It may be that mindfulness is just the same as action.

There is some story about Master Dogen with regard to that – but I will not quote it here. (Probably you know it. I’m just not bringing it because it would be too long.)

- Even if the Dhyana Paramita is different from Christianity I suspect the Prajna Paramita which may be just action may not be.

However if you say just action people may get the impression that you mean careless action. As if this to mean it doesn’t matter what action it is. It seems to me such misunderstanding should be avoided.

There is one sentence in Bendowa I have recently wondered as for the meaning of: “[Zazen] should not be discussed as the balanced state of dhyāna in the six pāramitās and the three kinds of training.”.

But I suppose it should be considered in relation to the question there put and not independent of it.


(by the way - it was not so clear to me whether the Prajna Paramita merely refers to [determination by] intuition or does also include spontaneous action as a result of which. Hereby I have assumed the latter. It seems one of the possibilities must be unequivocally true. Only one I mean.)

So far,
Ran.

1:53 AM, March 16, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Ran K. San and other all members, who have interest in the the word "mindfulness" in Shobogenzo 73 Sanjushichi-Bon-Bodai-Bunpo.

First of all, I would like to express my own translation, which is permissible for me as the translation of the Four States of Consciousness, just now.

"No. 1. I intuitively reflect that Body is not pure.

No. 2. I intuitively reflect that perception is painful.

No. 3. I intuitively reflect that mind is flimsy.

No. 4. I intuitively reflect that The Dharma does not have Self."


Therefore it is necessary for us to think that the four intuitive reflections can never be considerations at all, but they are all intuitive reflections. And so we should never interprete that all intuitive reflections are considerations at all.

And because such a situation we should think that the usage of the word "mindful, or mindfulness" must be perfectly wrong.

9:36 PM, March 16, 2010  
Blogger Ran K. said...

I thought if I would have a blog it would be called “This universe out here”. - But I don’t as yet have anything to write.

6:52 AM, March 17, 2010  
Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Ven. Ran K. and Ven. Bradley,

I am afraid that almost all people were stupid, because they do not know Reality.

10:33 AM, March 17, 2010  
Blogger Ran K. said...

Shlomo Kalo had once said to me: He who is not enlightened does not know anything. He who is enlightened knows everything.

It sounded quite strange and I didn't even listen because I didn't think I would understand what he was talking about. However, - after my thoughts expressed here on January 20th (9:01 pm, - under “[24} Examination of The Supreme Truth (verses 40)”) it seems it does make sense.


I think if I want to study Shobogenzo Sanjushichi-Bon-Bodai-Bunpo it might take me a very long time.

4:46 AM, March 18, 2010  
Blogger Ran K. said...

Since I've mentioned here Kalo a few times I'd like to say that I've suffered a lot at the ugliness and repellents of his teaching. Though some can be enthusiastic about his books I can find some of them unbearable.

3:50 AM, March 28, 2010  

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