Dogen, Joshu, and Huineng revealing How Joyful It Is

How Joyful it is!

Zen Master Joshu was once asked by a monk what the difference was between himself, not yet having awakened, and Joshu who had awakened. Joshu described the differnce by saying, "I use time; you are used by time." A very similar point is illustrated in the story about Huineng (the sixth Zen ancestor in China) and "The monk who recites the Lotus Sutra," which culminates with Huineng's teaching about the difference between "Reciting a sutra, and being recited by a sutra."

Dogen, in Shobogenzo, Hokke-ten-Hokke, takes up the issue at the heart of these teachings and reveals a number of marvelous implications--exclaiming "how joyful" this truth is near the end of his writing:

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How joyful it is! From kalpa to kalpa is the Flower of Dharma, and from noon to night is the Flower of Dharma. Because the Flower of Dharma is from kalpa to kalpa, and because the Flower of Dharma is from noon to night, even though our own body and mind growsstrong and grows weak, it is just the Flower of Dharma itself. The reality that exists “as it is” is “a treasure,” is “brightness,” is “a seat of truth,” is “wide, great, profound, and eternal,” is “profound, great, and everlasting,” is “mind in delusion, the Flower of Dharma turning,” and is “mind in realization, turning the Flower of Dharma,” which is really just the Flower of Dharma turning the Flower of Dharma.

When the mind is in the state of delusion, the Flower of Dharma turns.When the mind is in the state of realization, we turn the Flower of Dharma.If perfect realization can be like this,The Flower of Dharma turns the Flower of Dharma.

~Shobogenzo, Hokke-ten-hokke, Gudo Nishijima and Mike Cross

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Thank you Dogen, I agree!

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Peace,

Ted