Good morning!
In Zen Communities all over the world, December 8th is celebrated after a week in
Rohatsu (Last Month) Sesshin (Touching or Embracing Heart) to commemorate the
Buddha (Awakened) Gotama and his awakening in the Dharma of Dependent
Origination – that is, that all dharmas (phenomena) are dependently originated on
causes and conditions. This means that all phenomena are dependently ceased. Thus,
the Buddha could solve the ultimate problems of birth and death in samsara
(flowing, constant becoming) suffering. He opened the gate of the ambrosia of
immortality (amrita).
This was described in the legend of his going out of the four city gates and
encountering a sick person, an old person, a dead person, and a person striving in
steadfastness. He renounced his royal household life to become a mendicant striver
at the age of 29. After six years of hard striving with fasting, etc., he learned that
mortification was not conducive to awakening, and he accepted some gruel from a
young girl, regaining the strength to sit in solid meditation. He determined never to
leave his seat unless he attained unsurpassed awakening (bodhi) in unconditioned
peace (nirvana).
Deeply immersed in his seated samadhi (concentration), stilling karma conditioning
and staying in nirvana (no wind of karmas blowing us up and down), he achieved
those things as the day was dawning: a complete release from defilements, starting
with the triple poisons of thirst, anger, and delusion. This was the epoch-making
achievement for all living beings to be able to still karmas and see the Dharma of all
dharmas, becoming and living the awakened life in the Awakened Way.
This has been transmitted face-to-face and heart-to-heart down to us through our
ancestors. Though he said that there is neither Zen Sect nor Soto School, but only one
Awakened Way, Dogen, regarded as the founder of the Soto School in Japan, left us
the Universal Recommendation for Right Zazen. This is not a simple manual of
Zazen, but his instructions and cautions for the Right Way of it, as in his Zazen-shin
(Zazen Lancet), wherein he quotes Nangaku’s comments on polishing a potsherd to
make a mirror, cautioning his striving student, Daijaku.
The essential message is: “Learn the right form (usually mistranslated as “Never
grope for an elephant” against the grammar: “never” goes with the second sentence
only), and never doubt the true dragon.” The right form is Zazen form (referred to
there as the Buddh-seal), which is not just for relaxation or health, but for
Buddhahood (the true dragon: not a dragon form, but function). As related by
Nangaku: “Learning (the True) Zazen is learning Buddha; Sitting Buddha is killing
the Buddha; Buddha is without definite forms; Attachment to the sitting form does
not reach its truth.”
“In learning (the True) Zazen, Zen is neither sitting nor lying.” The True Zazen is hon
shō (original verification: 本証) myōshū (exquisite cultivation: 妙修), like a mirror
being a potsherd, not a potsherd (human design) becoming a mirror (Buddhahood)
to reflect reality and appear as a potsherd (human, etc.). The Buddha or Dharma
nature is sunnyatā (Pali, śūnyatā, Sanskrit, zero-ness), wherefrom all forms appear
and whereto all phenomena return. Nirvana is beyond karma ken and kinetics in
birth and death, samsara and suffering, before mental fabrication, fear, etc.
12/7/14
