Louie Wing on Dogen and the Question

Louie Wing on Dogen and the Question
For Dogen, the apparent contradiction between ‘original’ enlightenment and ‘acquired’ enlightenment became the barrier to and eventually the catalyst of his own great awakening. Resolving this conflict became the central focus of his spiritual quest. It was through his personal resolution of the seeming contradiction between the doctrine of original enlightenment and the need for spiritual practice that allowed him to—in his own words from Shobogenzo, Bendowa—‘complete the task of a lifetime.’

What happened in Dogen’s case was like this: A monk fell asleep in the meditation hall. Tendo Nyojo, Dogen’s teacher, shouted at the sleeping monk, ‘True Zazen demands that we cast off body and mind. Why are you sleeping!’ These were the turning words that opened Dogen’s heart. He went to Tendo Nyojo’s room, burned incense and made bows. Tendo Nyojo asked, ‘Why are you doing this?’ Dogen said, ‘Body and mind are cast off!’ Tendo Nyojo replied, ‘Body and mind are cast off, cast off are Body and mind.’ Dogen said, do not affirm me lightly teacher.’ Tendo Nyojo said, ‘I do not.’ Dogen said, ‘What is not affirmed lightly?’ Tendo Nyojo said, ‘Casting off is cast off.’ This is how Tendo Nyojo testified to Dogen’s great enlightenment.

After such a powerful experience, it is only natural that the non-dual nature of practice and enlightenment became such a central theme in Dogen’s teaching. By ‘non-dual’ I mean, empty of duality, I do not mean that practice and enlightenment are one, as is propagated by some. Practice and enlightenment in Zen are two aspects of one reality. It is important to understand that though they always go together, they each maintain their distinctive aspects.

Dogen’s earliest teachings are full of wonderful expressions that convey this principle. The very first paragraph of his very first teaching, Fukanzazengi, is constructed of four lines—each variations of this fundamental truth.

"Now, when we research it, the truth originally is all around: why should we rely upon practice and experience? The real vehicle exists naturally: why should we put forth great effort? Furthermore, the whole body far transcends dust and dirt: who could believe in the means of sweeping and polishing? In general, we do not stray from the right state: of what use, then, are the tip-toes of training?"
Gudo Nishijima & Mike Cross

Learned audience, this is not simply a series of rhetorical statements, but an expression of spiritual realization, urging us to deep contemplation. Dogen is not saying, ‘the truth is all around: we do not need to rely upon practice, put forth great effort, etc.’ Rather, he is saying, ‘the truth is all around: why do we need to practice, who could believe in the means, of what use, and so on.’ His statements are neither rhetorical, nor are they conventional questions wanting answers. Master Dogen is indicating, at once, the revelation of a spiritual truth and giving an indication of the appropriate attitude for Zen practitioners to employ in their efforts.

Learned audience, Dogen taught what all the true Buddhas and Zen ancestors taught; enlightenment is the essence of authentic practice, practice is the function of authentic enlightenment. The duality of practice and enlightenment is actualized and transcended, not eradicated or annihilated. Dogen frequently uses the term ‘Zazen’ in reference to the non-dual nature of practice and enlightenment, not just as a reference to sitting meditation.

~From The Flatbed Sutra of Louie Wing

by Ted Biringer

Dogen On Enlightenment and Practice

Recently, a "certified" Soto Zen teacher told me that according to Dogen, "practice is enlightenment itself." I suggested that if one were to "qualify" that statement by expanding it to include, "enlightenment is practice," it might be an acceptable position.

I said that in my experience, whenever Dogen could be read as saying "practice is enlightenment," he qualified it by implying the "nondual" nature (which does not mean "synonomous" or "equivalent"). The Heart Sutra would be meaningless if it stated, "form is emptiness" without the inclusion of "emptiness is form." Yet, the teacher would not accept that.

Although he refused to give me any kind of explanation that might lead one to that notion, he may be right (although I don't think so).

I may be wrong (as I often am) although I do offer a partial explanation of my understanding, and how I came to it:

For Dogen, enlightenment without practice is not authentic enlightenment (and vice versa). True enlightenment is activated only coincident with true practice, and true practice is itself the activation of enlightenment.

This has always been the truth in Buddhism, and its teaching has always been susceptible to misunderstanding. The confusion between "sudden" (or, original enlightenment) and "gradual" (or, acquired enlightenment) has been the most visible and persistent manifestation of this argument in the Zen tradition.

His biographers tell us that for Dogen, it was the apparent contradiction of this doctrine that became the barrier to, and eventually the catalyst of his own great experience of enlightenment. It was through his personal resolution of the seeming contradiction between the doctrine of "original" enlightenment and the need for spiritual "practice" that allowed him to, in his words, "complete the task of a lifetime."

The term "non-dual" means, "empty of duality", it does not mean that practice and enlightenment are "one." Practice and enlightenment in Buddhism (hence Dogen) are two aspects of one reality.

The very first paragraph of the very first teaching he is purported to have written on his return from China is constructed of four variations of the question that drove him throughout his quest.

"Now, when we research it, the truth originally is all around: why should we rely upon practice and experience? The real vehicle exists naturally: why should we put forth great effort? Furthermore, the whole body far transcends dust and dirt: who could believe in the means of sweeping and polishing? In general, we do not stray from the right state: of what use, then, are the tip-toes of training?"
Fukan-Zazengi, Gudo Nishijima & Mike Cross, Appendix, v1, Shobogenzo, p.279

This is not simply a series of rhetorical statements, but an expression of spiritual realization, which calls us to a deep contemplation, much like koan-introspection. Keeping in mind his creative use of interogatives, Dogen is not neccesarily saying, "the truth is all around: we do not need to rely upon practice, put forth great effort, etc." Rather, he may be saying (and I think he is saying), "the truth is all around: why do we need to practice, who could believe in the means, of what use, etc.?" Hence, it is not rhetorical, nor is it a "question" which requires an "answer" in the conventional sense. It is the revelation of a spiritual truth.

As professor Hee-Jin Kim points out in his landmark book, "a characteristic of Dogen’s thought was that he used a number of interrogatives in the Sung colloquial language in order to express his profound metaphysical ideas such as shimo or somo (what, how, why) and other related expressions...
...[T]hese interrogatives, along with the idea of emptiness and nonthinkning, are significant in indicating that zazen for Dogen was ultimately the expression of an eternal quest for the meaning of existence, which was paradoxically enough, meaningless—it was living the meaning of ultimate meaninglessness. This is Zen.
Hee-Jin Kim, Eihei Dogen Mystical Realist, p.63 (see also; p.134-140)

Dogen realized and taught that enlightenment is the actualization of authentic practice, practice is the actualization of authentic enlightenment.

The duality of practice and enlightenment is transcended not annihilated. Dogen frequently and explicitly included the standard Mahayana teaching on nonduality for this dynamic when he used the term "Zazen" to indicate the non-dual actualization of practice and enlightenment.

Ted Biringer

Flatbed Sutra

Dogen, Buddhahood, and the recent poll

The results of the latest poll from this website seem interesting enough to serve as a post that might lead to a little discussion.
The poll asked:

"That we will realize Buddhahood..."

A. Must not be doubted. ..............resulting in.........25% of the votes
B. Is what the Buddha taught. ................................25%
C. Is a foregone conclusion..................................... 25%
D. All of the above. ..................................................0%
E. None of the above. .............................................25%

This poll was constructed from a quote of Master Dogen's.... His "answer" (at least in the passage in question) is the only one that recieved 0%

"You must not doubt that you will inevitably realize Buddhahood, for it is a foregone conclusion. It is precisely what the Buddha gave voice to."
~Dogen - Shobogenzo, Kuyō Shobutsu, Rev. Hubert Nearman

Any ideas? Comments?
Thank you!
Ted Biringer
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