SHUSHOGI
The Significance of Cultivation and Verification
Chapter I
General Introduction
Clarifying birth and death is the cause and condition of the most important matter
for Buddhists. Since Buddha is in life and death, neither birth nor death exists.
If only we regard birth and death as nirvana, we find nothing desirable in nirvana,
we find nothing disgusting in birth and death. We should exhaustively investigate
birth and death as the cause and condition of the most important matter. (1)
Hard is it to receive a human body, rare is it to meet the Buddha-dharma. By virtue
of previous merits, we not only have received human bodies difficult to receive, but
also have met the Buddha-dharma rarely met. We are in the best lives among
various births and deaths and in the most blessed lives. We should not leave our
dew-like lives to the mercy of the wind of impermanence treating carelessly the
most blessed bodies. (2)
The impermanent is unreliable. We do not know on which blade of grass of a road
our dew-like lives will fall. Our bodies are already not our own. Life shifts in light
and shadow, and can hardly be retained even a moment. Where has that rosy face
gone? No trace of it can be found. When closely contemplated, the past can hardly be
retrieved. When the impermanent overtakes us suddenly, neither kings, ministers,
friends, servants, wife, children nor treasures can save us. Alone we pass away to the
other world. The things that follow us are only our own action of good and evil. (3)
We should not band together with those evil-doing wrong-viewing fellows who, in
this world of ours, do not know the law of cause and effect, who do not clarify
retributions for actions, who do not know the three times, who do not distinguish
the good from the evil. The law of cause and effect is always distinct and impartial.
The one who creates evil goes down, and the one who cultivates good goes up. There
is not the slightest discrepancy in this. If the law of cause and effect could be
nullified and become ineffective, there would not have been births of all the buddhas
and the visits of successors. (4)
There are Three Times in retribution for good and evil retribution in this birth,
retribution in the next birth, retribution in the further births. These are called the
“Three Times.” We must learn and realize the law of retributions for actions in the
Three Times from the very beginning to practice the path of buddhas and successors.
Otherwise, most of us will erroneously fall into wrong view. Not only well we fall into
wrong views, but also we will fall into wretched destinies and undergo long suffering.
(5)
We should know that our bodies in this life have neither second nor third. How
regrettable it is to fall vainly into wrong views and futilely receive the evil karma.
One can never avoid receiving the retribution for evil deeds by regarding the
committed evils as not evil or by willfully thinking that there will be no retribution
for evil. (6)
Chapter II
Extinguishing Sins through Repentance
Buddhas and successors being so merciful, made the great gate open. This was to
let all living beings enter it for verification. Who, among human beings or celestial
beings, would hesitate to go through it? Even though the retribution for the evil
deeds of the Three Times will be received without fail, repentance replaces a heavy
retribution with a lighter one and extinguishes and purifies sins. (7)
Therefore, we should with full sincerity repent our deeds before the Buddha.
In doing so, the meritorious power of repentance in front of the Buddha helps us
to become purified. This merit skillfully increases unhindered pure faith and
striving. When once pure faith is realized, both oneself and others are equally
transformed. The benefit is shared with sentient beings and insentient beings. (8)
The general import is: May all the buddhas and successors who have attained
the goal on the Buddha’s path take mercy of the meritorious Dharma gate pervading
and penetrating the inexhaustible dharma worlds. Buddhas and successors in their
past were like us. We in our future will be buddhas and successors. (9)
All the wrong karmas made by me
Were created from beginningless
attachment, aversion and delusion,
Born of the body, mouth and mind.
I now repent all of them wholeheartedly.
If we repent in this way, we shall surely receive the profound help of buddhas
and successors. Openly confess to the Buddha with the entire heart, mind and body.
The power of confession will make the roots of sin melt away (10)
Chapter III
Ordination through Taking Vows
Next, we should profoundly revere the Three Treasures: Buddha, Dharma and
Sangha. Throughout changes of lives and bodies we should aspire to serve and revere
the Three Treasures. The transmission from West to East, from buddhas to
successors, lie in reverence of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
Living beings with little luck and meager merit cannot even hear the name of the
Three Treasures. Much less, can they take refuge in them? Never in dreadful
emergency vainly take refuge in mountain gods, fierce gods or the like or in heretical
shrines. We can never be freed from the multitude of sufferings in these refuges.
Swiftly take refuge in the Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and not
only become freed from the multitude of sufferings, but also attain awakening. (12)
Taking refuge in the Three Treasure is folding the hands, lowering the head,
reciting the following genuinely and with totally pure faith, whether in the
presence of the Tathagata or after his decease:
I take refuge in the Buddha.
I take refuge in the Dharma.
I take refuge in the Sangha.
I take refuge in the Buddha, because he is the great teacher. I take refuge in the
Dharma, because it is the supreme medicine. I take refuge in the Sangha, because it
is the excellent friend. Becoming a disciple of the Buddha must necessarily be
through taking refuge in the Three Refuges. Whatever vow we may take, we must
take the Three Refuges first and then the other vows. Therefore, through the Three
Refuges, ordination is achieved. (13)
This merit of taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha is always matured
through responsive inspiration. Even celestial beings, human beings, hell beings,
devilish beings and beasts without fail take refuge in the Three Treasures, whenever
they obtain responsive inspiration. Once refuge is established, it is ever strengthened,
life after life, place after place, and always accumulates merits, and results in the
unsurpassed right complete awakening. Know that the merit of the Three Refuges is
the most valuable, supreme, profound and wondrous. This is already verified by the
buddhas. All living beings should believe in this. (14)
Next in accordance, we should take the Threefold Pure Vows:
First, vow to embrace all the disciplines.
Second, vow to embrace all the virtues.
Third, vow to embrace all living beings.
Next in accordance, we should receive the Ten Grave Precepts:
First, no killing of living beings.
Second, no stealing.
Third, no adultery.
Fourth, no falsehood.
Fifth, no intoxicants.
Sixth, no reproach of faults.
Seventh, no praise of oneself and no censure of others.
Eighth, no begrudging of dharmas and goods.
Ninth, no anger.
Tenth, no defaming of the Three Treasures (15)
These foregoing Three Refuges, Three Pure Vows and Ten Grave Precepts are held by
all the buddhas. To be ordained is to verify the unsurpassed right complete
awakening, the adamant indestructible attainment of the Buddhahood, which is
verified by all buddhas in three times. Would anyone who is wise enough not joyfully
aspire for it? The Buddha Bhagavat has demonstrated for all living beings that once
ordained, all living beings enter into the rank of buddhas, the rank being equal to
that of the Great Awakened One, and that they are in truth the Buddha’s children.
(16)
All buddhas are always firmly established therein and there are no traces of
perception left in any direction. all living beings permanently live therein and there
appear no directions in any perception. At this time, earth, grass, trees, fences, walls,
bricks and pebbles in the dharma world in ten directions do the Buddha’s work. All
those who depend on the benefit of wind and water arisen therein manifest their
exquisite wondrous teaching. This is unconditioned merit. This is uncreated merit.
This is the generating of awakening mind. (17)
Chapter IV
Aspiration in Benefiting Living Beings
To generate awakening mind is to aspire and live to save all sentient beings before
one’s own salvation. Whether laymen or renunciants, whether celestial or human,
whether in distress or in comfort, we immediately generate the mind of saving others
before oneself. (18)
When this mind is generated, no matter how poor in appearance, one is already a
leading teacher of all living beings. Even a girl of seven years of age can be a leading
teacher of the Four Assemblies and a benevolent parent of living beings. There
should be no argument about male or female. This is the subtlest law of the Buddha
Way. (19)
After having generated the awakening mind, even in transmigration in Six Paths or
Four Births, all the causes and conditions of the transmigration turn out to be the as
piration for the practice of awakening. Therefore, even having spent the time vainly
up to now, we must immediately generate the aspiration before this life expires. Even
if the merit for becoming Buddha is matured and perfected, we transfer the merit to
living beings for their becoming buddhas and attaining the Way. There are those
who practice for immeasurable eons to save living beings, never becoming buddhas
themselves, but only saving and benefiting living beings. (20)
In benefiting living beings, there are four pieces of hannya:
One, Giving.
Two, Loving speech.
Three, Beneficial actions.
Four, Sameness.
These are the aspirations for the practice of awakening beings. Giving means no
coveting. There is a reason not to prevent one from giving things not personally
owned. The lightness of a thing does not matter. Aim at substantial efficacy of it.
Therefore, we should give the dharma even in the form of a single phrase or a single
verse. This will become a good seed in this life and other. We should give goods even
in the form of a single penny or a single blade of grass. This will germinate a good
root in this world and other. Dharmas are also goods; goods are also dharmas.
We just share our abilities without coveting rewards from others. To launch a ship
and to build a bridge are also the perfection of giving. Managing livelihood and
engaging in industries in their origins are nothing but giving. (21)
Loving speech means first developing a compassionate heart in seeing living being,
to give them words of loving kindness. To speak with the embracing heart,
compassionately regarding living beings as babies, is loving speech. Praise the
virtuous; commiserate the virtueless. Loving speech is fundamental to make enemies
yield and princes reconcile. To hear loving speech in presence gladdens the face and
pleases the heart. To hear loving speech in absence engraves the liver and engraves
the soul. We must learn that loving speech has the power to revolve the universe. (22)
Beneficial deeds mean contriving skillful means to benefit living beings, high and
low. When we see a turtle in distress or a sparrow in sickness, we are moved solely to
help them without seeking their requital. The simple-minded may think that when
other’s interest comes first, self-interest is omitted. It is not so. Beneficial deeds are
one dharma, which universally benefits oneself and others. (23)
Sameness means no alienation from oneself and others. For instance, the human
Tathagata identified himself with human beings. There must be reason for
identifying oneself with others after identifying others with oneself. The relation of
oneself and others is limitless according to occasions. It is the sameness for the sea
not to refrain from accepting and for this reason water smoothly gather together to
make the sea. (24)
In aspiring for the practice of awakening mind, we must quietly contemplate these
reasons and never carelessly neglect them. We should bow and revere the beneficial
merit in saving and embracing all living beings. (25)
Chapter V
Practice in Gratitude
This generation of awakening mind is mostly aspired by human bodies in Nan’
enbu. With these causes and conditions we were born in this Shaba-land because
of our actions. Why should we not rejoice at seeing Shakyamuni Buddha? (26)
Quietly consider that we could not surrender our bodies and lives for the true
Dharma, however earnestly we might wish to, had the right Dharma not been
propagated. We should appreciate ourselves of today who have met the right
Dharma. Don’t you see what a Buddha has said: When you happen to see a master
who preaches the unsurpassed awakening, you should not notice his birth, not see
his appearance, not mind his faults, not consider his actions, but should bow and
revere the master three times a day and arouse no distress of mind because of
respect for hannya. (27)
Seeing the Buddha and listening to the Dharma is due to the merciful grace of the
practice of each of the buddhas and successors. If not for the individual transmission
among the buddhas and successors, how could it have been brought about until
today? We should requite the grace of even a single phrase. We should requite the
grace of even a single Dharma. How much more should we requite the great grace
of the unparalleled great Dharma of Shobogenzo. Even a sparrow in sickness did not
forget the grace and ably requited with the rings of Sambu. Even a turtle in distress
did not forget the grace and ably requited with the seal of Yofu. Even animals
requited grace, how can it be possible that human beings can not know grace? (28)
There are no other ways in requital, but only our daily practice can properly be the
right way of requital. This means that we should not waste our daily lives and that
we should practice not to spend them selfishly. (29)
Light and shadow pass swifter than an arrow. Body and life are more fragile than
a dewdrop. By what skillful means can we regain the day already passed? A hundred
years of a vain life are regrettable days and months, deplorable forms and frames.
Even though the days and months of one hundred years have been spent as a slave
running around after voices and colors, if one realizes the real practice of one day out
of them, not only does one realize the practice of one hundred years of one life, but
also will realize the saving of one hundred years of another life. The body and life of
this one day is the valuable body and life and precious form and frame. Cherish the
body and mind which realize this practice personally, and respect them personally.
Through our practice, the Buddhas’ practice is realized and the Buddhas’ great path
is reached. Therefore, practice of one day is the seed of buddhas and is the practice
of buddhas. (30)
The Buddha here referred to is Shakyamuni Buddha. Shakyamuni Buddha is
indeed “the mind being Buddha. When all the buddhas in the past, present and
future alike become buddhas, they inevitably become Shakyamuni Buddha. This is
“the mind being Buddha.” Deliberately investigate who is “the mind being Buddha”
and then you will requite the Buddha’s grace genuinely. (31)
Note: This work is unique in many ways. It is composed of sentences from Dogen’s major work, Shobogenzo. it was first compiled to serve as the Soto School Bible, then utilized as the Buddhist Bible among other schools, and further can be a Bible for any religion. (quotation from the beginning of the Introduction, 1. General to this work in the Limitless Life, Dogen’s World by Rosan Osamu Yoshida, published by Missouri Zen Center, 1999.)