Shobogenzo and Realism
When I have begun to read Shobogenzo for the first time I was 16 tears old. And at that time I was thinking that Buddhism maight be a kind of idealism, because at that time religions usually belonged to some kinds of idealism. Therefore I thought that even if it is not idealism, Buddhism might be a kind of nihilism.
But actually I have read Shobogenzo in Japanese again and again about for 30 years, I was very surprised that the fundamental philosophical thoughts of Shobogenzo could never be idealism, or nihilism, but it was just Realism.
Having got the idea that Shobogenzo is an philosophy of Realism, I could find the reason why Gautam Buddha insisted that if we are sincerely wanting to get the true meaning of Buddhism, it is necessary for us to think about all kinds of philosophical problems totally on the basis of Four Kinds of the Noble Truth. At that time reading Master Dogen's interpretation, I have had much doubt whether it is inevitable for us, if we want to understand the meaning of Buddhism, is it actually necessary for us to utilize four kinds different philosophies to use, or not? Such a kind of doubt has occured in my mind so strongly.
But after having read Shobogenzo so many times, I have gradually begun to understand the necessity for us to think about all philosophical problems on the basis of The Four Noble Truth, or the Theories of The Four Philosophies, if we want to consider any kind of philosophical problem on the basis of Realism.
Noticing such facts, I always admire and revere Gautama Buddha's genius, and at the same time I always feel enormus thanks to Master Dogen's efforts, which have clarified the important relations between Gautama Buddha's Realism and The method of Four Noble Truth.
But actually I have read Shobogenzo in Japanese again and again about for 30 years, I was very surprised that the fundamental philosophical thoughts of Shobogenzo could never be idealism, or nihilism, but it was just Realism.
Having got the idea that Shobogenzo is an philosophy of Realism, I could find the reason why Gautam Buddha insisted that if we are sincerely wanting to get the true meaning of Buddhism, it is necessary for us to think about all kinds of philosophical problems totally on the basis of Four Kinds of the Noble Truth. At that time reading Master Dogen's interpretation, I have had much doubt whether it is inevitable for us, if we want to understand the meaning of Buddhism, is it actually necessary for us to utilize four kinds different philosophies to use, or not? Such a kind of doubt has occured in my mind so strongly.
But after having read Shobogenzo so many times, I have gradually begun to understand the necessity for us to think about all philosophical problems on the basis of The Four Noble Truth, or the Theories of The Four Philosophies, if we want to consider any kind of philosophical problem on the basis of Realism.
Noticing such facts, I always admire and revere Gautama Buddha's genius, and at the same time I always feel enormus thanks to Master Dogen's efforts, which have clarified the important relations between Gautama Buddha's Realism and The method of Four Noble Truth.
posted by GUDO NISHIJIMA | 11:36 AM
10 Comments:
Dear Roshi,
Your own personal journey towards the truth seems to have had many stages of consideration and inquiry.
Master Dogen also was not content with the widely accepted teachings he had available to him and so he undertook a dangerous journey to China in pursuit of the truth. He found the truth through exhausting the extent of the teachings available to him.
In Zazen it seems to me that maybe we can use our own simple ideas and beliefs to directly realise and express the truth of what we are.
It seems that this need to inquire is a very fundamental human quality.
What is your view of Zazen as a type on enquiry activity?
Thanks & Regards,
Hanrei.
Dear Harry San,
Thank you very much for your inquiry.
In your comments, I agree with your first, and second paragraphs completely, that I have pursued the Truth throughout my life, and Master Dogen also pursued the Truth as far as possible that he has realized the Truth absolutely.
But in the third paragraph I have a little different idea other than your opinion. Because you said that in Zazen we use our own simple ideas and beliefs, but I think that in Zazen such a mental efforts does not exist at all.
In Zazen we stretch our own spine straight vertically, however, it is never consideration, or perception, but it is just our Action to stretch the spine straight vertically.
In other words Zazen can never be explained as any kind of consideration, or perception, but it is just Action.
I think that in Euro-American Civilization the tendency to separate the area of Action from the area of thinking or feeling, is very rare, but in Buddhist philosophy it is a very important point to separate the area of Action from the area of thinking and feeling.
Therefore in Zazen we are making our efforts not to think anything, or perceive anything, but just we are make our efforts to keep our posture regular absolutely.
Therefore I think that any efforts of inquiry in Zazen is useless, and it is important that we are avoiding thinking and feeling. In other words we should make our efforts to make our posture authentic, and just to sit is Zazen.
And so I think that in Zazen there is no enquiry activity at all.
Dear Roshi,
Thank-you very much for your detailed reply.
I agree that Zazen should not be considered a mental effort in the same way that we generally consider such effort. But I cannot ignore some passages of Shobogenzo which suggest to me that Master Dogen may have considered Zazen as a type of inquiry that was different to "the driving movement of the mind, will, consciousness" (which we are clearly instructed to "stop" in Fukan-zazengi of course).
I thought possibly he was suggesting a type of inquiry more fundamental than the "driving movement of the mind, will, consciousness".
In Shobogenzo Zanmai-o-Zanmai Master Dogen seems to encourage us to investigate "sitting" from many different perspectives:
"Just in the moment of sitting, investigate whether the Universe is vertical, and whether it is horizontal. Just in the moment of sitting, what is sitting itself? Is it a somersault? Is it a state of vigorous activity? Is it thinking? Is it beyond thinking? Is it doing something? Is it not doing anything? Is it siting inside of sitting? Is it sitting inside of the body-mind? Is it sitting that is free of "the inside of sitting", "the inside of the body-mind", and so on? There should be investigations of thousands and tens of thousands of points like these."
After indicating that there is sitting which is free of body and mind where "practice and understanding are in mutual accord", Master Dogen instructs that we should "maintain and rely upon this awareness, thought, reflection. Investigate this mind, will, consciousness."
This is what makes me suspect that Master Dogen considered Zazen a type of inquiry albeit not the sort of inquiry dictated by the "driving movement of the mind, will, consciousness" which he advises us to stop in Fukan-zazengi, but the "mind, will, consciousness" of the action of Zazen.
Regards,
Harry.
Dear Harry San,
Thank you very much for your sincere opinion. But I am a little difficult for me to identify my interpretations to yours.
I wonder that when we have erased the driving movement of the mind, will, consciousness, then what kind of considerations can be maintained in our body and mind at that time.
The translation of Zanmai-O-Zamai, which you have refered to in your comments, might have some mistakes as follows.
The Japanese words "Sankyu subeshi," or "You should experience actually," means not "to investgate," but "to experience actually."
Therefore several questions, which follow after "You should experience actually," suggest, not consideration, but actual practice itself.
And so the words "practice and understand are in mutual accord," do not mean the mixture of practice and understanding, but it suggests co-existence of practice and understanding in the same philosophical sistem together.
So I insist that Master Dogen does never affirm the existence of consideration in Zazen at all.
Dear Roshi,
Thank-you very much for your clarification of the text and for your explanation of it.
The "Sankyu subeshi" statement now seems to make more sense beside the quote said to be from Sakyamuni Buddha in this chapter where he says that the lotus posture regulates a distracted mind. Master Dogen seems to agree with this idea completely in your translation.
Thanks & Regards,
Harry.
Roshi,
Thank you for being open to questions.
I have a question if you don't mind. I have read in your work so many times that the essence of Zazen is to keep the spine straight. Anytime we notice that we are lost in thought we should simply stretch our spine. My question pertains to where we place our attention before we notice that we are lost in thought.
Should we attempt to focus on the position of the spine every moment that we can or should we not hold our attention anywhere in particular and only return to the spine when we notice we are lost in thought?
I appreciate any feedback that you can give.
Deep Bows,
Chip
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dear Harry San,
Thank you very much for your very clear understanding.
Dear Chip San,
Thank you very much for your very important question. During Zazen I concentrate my efforts to keep my posture regularly. Therefore when I am practicing Zazen, I make my efforts to keep my porsture authentically true, therefore I am always careful whether my posture is not bad, or not, totally.
And so I usually think that Zazen is never consideration, or perception, but it is just an Action.
I think that by practicing Zazen, we can experience Action itself, and then we can enter the Universe of Action actually.
Roshi,
Thank you very much for your response. That was extremely helpful. I have always had difficulty with what we are actually supposed to be focusing on during shikantaza. Many put it forth as an "open awareness", but your description of actually concentrating on the physical posture every second makes much more sense.
You are doing the world a great favor by relaying your teachings through your blog.
Warm regards,
Chip
Dear Chip San,
Thank you very much!
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