Treasury of the True Dharma Eye Read online

  “A vast, beautiful translation of the master work of the Japanese genius Dogen Zenji. English-speaking practitioners will be indebted to Kaz Tanahashi and his associates for this truly magnificent teaching, an indispensable contribution to Zen letters.”

  —Peter Matthiessen (Muryo Roshi)

  “At long last! A discerning, poetic, and, intimate rendering of Dogen’s true expression of the dharma. Dogen’s devotees have long awaited Tanahashi’s complete translation of the Shobogenzo into a contemporary and deeply profound version. Those new to the wisdom of this great teacher as well as those who treasure him will delight in the extraordinary work by our foremost translator and interpreter of Dogen’s masterpiece.”

  —Pat Enkyo O’Hara, Abbot, Village Zendo, New York, New York

  “Kaz Tanahashi, a renowned translator of Dogen and noted artist, has put together an outstanding team of co-translators to create a complete rendering of Dogen’s magnum opus, the Shobo Genzo. This publication, which will be in great demand by all scholars, students, and practitioners of Zen Buddhism and Eastern thought more generally, is both accurate and accessible in following the original text literally while capturing the spirit of Dogen’s poetic genius. Although there are numerous versions of the work available in English, this new edition is sure to be the one turned to and cited consistently by knowledgeable readers.”

  —Steven Heine, Professor of Religious Studies and Director of Asian Studies, Florida International University, author of Zen Skin, Zen Marrow and Opening a Mountain: Koans of the Zen Masters

  “Reading over Treasury of the True Dharma Eye: Zen Master Dogen’s Shobo Genzo, I am astonished first by the incredible range and variety of Dogen’s writings, and second by the immense task that has been done to translate this major text. With the possible exception of Hakuin’s complete writings, there is nothing in Japanese Zen to equal the immense breadth and depth of Dogen’s work, which ranges from direct instructions in simple language to the most complex and profound teachings that use words to go far beyond words. I am convinced that Zen students will find this text especially valuable to contemplate, study, and absorb over the entire course of their lifetimes.”

  —Stephen Addiss, author of The Art of Zen

  ABOUT THE BOOK

  Treasury of the True Dharma Eye (Shobo Genzo, in Japanese) is a monumental work, considered to be one of the profoundest expressions of Zen wisdom ever put on paper, and also the most outstanding literary and philosophical work of Japan. It is a collection of essays by Eihei Dogen (1200–1253), founder of Zen’s Soto school.

  Kazuaki Tanahashi and a team of translators that represent a Who’s Who of American Zen have produced a translation of the great work that combines accuracy with a deep understanding of Dogen’s voice and literary gifts. This eBook includes a wealth of materials to aid understanding, including maps, lineage charts, a bibliography, and an exhaustive glossary of names and terms—and, as a bonus, the most renowned of all Dogen’s essays, “Recommending Zazen to All People.”

  KAZUAKI TANAHASHI, a Japanese-trained calligrapher, is the pioneer of the genre of “one stroke painting” as well as the creator of multicolor enso (Zen circles). His brushwork has been shown in solo exhibitions in galleries, museums, and universities all over the world. Tanahashi has edited several books of Dogen’s writings and is also the author of Brush Mind.

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  CONTRIBUTORS

  ASSOCIATE EDITOR

  Peter Levitt

  TRANSLATORS

  Robert Aitken

  Steve Allen

  Reb Anderson

  Chozen Jan Bays

  Hogen Bays

  Edward Brown

  Gyokuko Carlson

  Kyogen Carlson

  Linda Ruth Cutts

  Andy Ferguson

  Norman Fischer

  Gaelyn Godwin

  Natalie Goldberg

  Joan Halifax

  Paul Haller

  Blanche Hartman

  Arnold Kotler

  Taigen Dan Leighton

  Peter Levitt

  John Daido Loori

  Susan Moon

  Wendy Egyoku Nakao

  Josho Pat Phelan

  Lewis Richmond

  David Schneider

  Jean Selkirk

  Alan Senauke

  Kazuaki Tanahashi

  Katherine Thanas

  Mel Weitsman

  Dan Welch

  Michael Wenger

  Philip Whalen

  TREASURY of the

  TRUE DHARMA EYE

  Zen Master Dogen’s Shobo Genzo

  EDITED BY

  Kazuaki Tanahashi

  SHAMBHALA

  BOSTON & LONDON • 2012

  SHAMBHALA PUBLICATIONS, INC.

  Horticultural Hall

  300 Massachusetts Avenue

  Boston, Massachusetts 02115

  www.shambhala.com

  © 2010 by the San Francisco Zen Center

  The enso design on the book cover is by Shunryu Suzuki and is reproduced by permission of San Francisco Zen Center.

  The Credits section constitutes a continuation of this copyright page.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Dogen, 1200–1253.

  [Shobo genzo. English]

  Treasury of the true dharma eye: Zen master Dogen’s Shobo genzo / edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi.

  p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references and index.

  eISBN 978-0-8348-2836-0

  ISBN 978-1-59030-474-7 (hardcover: alk. paper)

  1. Sotoshu—Doctrines—Early works to 1800.

  I. Tanahashi, Kazuaki, 1933– II. Title

  BQ9449.D654S5313 2010

  294.3′85—dc22

  2010015405

  With deep respect and gratitude to Zen masters Shunryu Suzuki, Taizan Maezumi, and Dainin Katagiri, who pioneered the practice and teaching of Dogen Zen in North America

  ON THE GREAT ROAD OF BUDDHA ancestors there is always unsurpassable practice, continuous and sustained. It forms the circle of the way and is never cut off. Between aspiration, practice, enlightenment, and nirvana, there is not a moment’s gap; continuous practice is the circle of the way.

  —DOGEN,

  “Continuous Practice”

  WHEN EVEN FOR A MOMENT you sit upright in samadhi expressing the buddha mudra in the three activities, the whole world of phenomena becomes the buddha’s mudra and the entire sky turns into enlightenment.

  —DOGEN,

  “On the Endeavor of the Way”

  CONTENTS

  VOLUME ONE

  Preface and Acknowledgments

  Notes to the Reader

  Editor’s Introduction

  Texts in Relation to Dogen’s Life and Translation Credits

  WANDERING PERIOD, 1227–1233

  1. On the Endeavor of the Way

  KOSHO MONASTERY PERIOD, 1233–1243

  2. Manifestation of Great Prajna

  3. Actualizing the Fundamental Point

  4. One Bright Pearl

  5. Regulations for the Auxiliary Cloud Hall at the Kannondori Kosho Gokoku Monastery

  6. The Mind Itself Is Buddha

  7. Cleansing

  8. Washing the Face

  9. Receiving the Marrow by Bowing

&nbsp
; 10. Valley Sounds, Mountain Colors

  11. Refrain from Unwholesome Action

  12. The Time Being

  13. Power of the Robe

  14. Transmitting the Robe

  15. Mountains and Waters Sutra

  16. Buddha Ancestors

  17. Document of Heritage

  18. Dharma Blossoms Turn Dharma Blossoms

  19. Ungraspable Mind

  20. Ungraspable Mind, Later Version

  21. Old Mirror

  22. Reading a Sutra

  23. Buddha Nature

  24. Awesome Presence of Active Buddhas

  25. The Buddhas’ Teaching

  26. Miracles

  27. Great Enlightenment

  28. The Point of Zazen

  29. Going Beyond Buddha

  30. Thusness

  31a. Continuous Practice, Part One

  31b. Continuous Practice, Part Two

  32. Ocean Mudra Samadhi

  33. Confirmation

  34. Avalokiteshvara

  35. Arhat

  36. Cypress Tree

  37. Radiant Light

  38. Body-and-Mind Study of the Way

  39. Within a Dream Expressing the Dream

  40. Expressions

  41. Painting of a Rice Cake

  42. Undivided Activity

  43. The Moon

  44. Flowers in the Sky

  45. Old Buddha Mind

  46. The Bodhisattva’s Four Methods of Guidance

  47. Twining Vines

  VOLUME TWO

  MONASTERY CONSTRUCTION PERIOD, 1243–1245

  48. Three Realms Are Inseparable from Mind

  49. Speaking of Mind, Speaking of Essence

  50. The Buddha Way

  51. The Reality of All Things

  52. Intimate Language

  53. Buddha Sutras

  54. Insentient Beings Speak Dharma

  55. Dharma Nature

  56. Dharani

  57. Face-to-Face Transmission

  58. Rules for Zazen

  59. Plum Blossoms

  60. Ten Directions

  61. Seeing the Buddha

  62. All-Inclusive Study

  63. Eyeball

  64. Everyday Activity

  65. Dragon Song

  66. Spring and Autumn

  67. The Meaning of Bodhidharma’s Coming from India

  68. Udumbara Blossom

  69. Arousing the Aspiration for the Unsurpassable

  70. Arousing the Aspiration for Enlightenment

  71. Tathagata’s Entire Body

  72. King of Samadhis

  73. Thirty-seven Wings of Enlightenment

  74. Turning the Dharma Wheel

  75. Self-Realization Samadhi

  76. Great Practice

  DAIBUTSU MONASTERY PERIOD, 1245–1246

  77. Space

  78. Eating Bowl

  79. Practice Period

  80. Seeing Others’ Minds

  81. King Wants the Saindhava

  EIHEI MONASTERY PERIOD, 1246–1253

  82. Instructions on Kitchen Work

  83. Leaving the Household

  84. Eight Awakenings of Great Beings

  FASCICLES NOT DATED BY DOGEN

  85. Karma in the Three Periods

  86. Four Horses

  87. Virtue of Home Leaving

  88. Making Offerings to Buddhas

  89. Taking Refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha

  90. Identifying with Cause and Effect

  91. Monk of the Fourth-Stage Meditation

  92. Only a Buddha and a Buddha

  93. Birth and Death

  94. Heart of the Way

  95. Receiving the Precepts

  96. One Hundred Eight Gates of Realizing Dharma

  Afterword · Michael Wenger

  Appendixes

  1. Recommending Zazen to All People · Dogen

  2. Dogen’s Life and Teaching · Keizan Jokin

  3. Dogen’s Editions of the Book

  4. Lineage of Chinese Zen Ancestors

  5. Maps Related to the Text

  6. Eihei-ji Presumed Original Layout

  7. Monks’ Hall

  8. Time System

  Glossary

  Selected Bibliography

  E-mail Sign-Up

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  This book contains Chinese and Japanese characters. If you encounter difficulty displaying these characters, please set your e-reader to publisher defaults (if available) or to an alternate font.

  VOLUME ONE

  PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  IT IS MY GREAT pleasure to present the lifework of Zen Master Eihei Dogen (1200–1253), an extraordinary meditator, thinker, visionary, teacher, poet, writer, scholar, leader of a spiritual community, and reformer of Buddhism in Japan. We translate the original Japanese title, Shobo Genzo, as “Treasury of the True Dharma Eye.” The “eye” here indicates the understanding as well as the experience of reality through meditative endeavor.

  Dogen offers a practical, profound, and comprehensive teaching on meditation, presented in a series of sections known as fascicles. The word “fascicle,” literally a bundle of pages, refers to a section of a written work that is an installment of a larger work. (In the present edition, we refer to the fascicles sometimes as “essays” and sometimes as “texts.” Also, for convenience, we refer to the work consistently by its English translation in the introductory comments and notes.)

  We present the most comprehensive collection of the Treasury of the True Dharma Eye texts. Our basic original text is Kozen’s ninety-five-fascicle edition, published in the seventeenth century. In addition, we have included “One Hundred Eight Gates of Realizing Dharma,” from Giun’s twelve-fascicle version, a thirteenth-century copy not known by Kozen. The inclusion of this fascicle brings our version to ninety-six fascicles.

  Dogen’s poetic and perplexing essays reveal startling visions and thoughts, often paradoxical and impenetrable. You might call Dogen a thirteenth-century postexistentialist. He sees the world of impermanence, and yet his voice is always active and high-spirited. He challenges us with an urgent question: how do we live each moment fully and meaningfully? He makes us feel not confined and tiny, but free and enormous.

  Since Dogen is one of the greatest writers in Zen Buddhism throughout time and space, this book serves as an overall guide to the history, literature, philosophy, and practice of Zen. As he is also one of the most extensive elucidators of Buddhist scriptures, this book summarizes how he, as an East Asian Buddhist of ancient times, viewed and explained the dharma to his students. Dogen is primarily regarded as the founder of Japan’s Soto Zen School where he established forms and procedures for Zen meditation. Today his way of practice is spreading throughout the Western world. You may be surprised how much of the movement in the meditation hall as taught by Dogen in the thirteenth century is practiced in a Zen center in your own city almost seven hundred years later.