Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Dogen's Cosmology - Dogen's Perspective

Dogen's Cosmology - The Gateway to Dogen's Perspective
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He who knows but a single mote of dust knows the whole world: he who fully comprehends one thing comprehends all the myriad things that comprise the universe. He who fails to comprehend all the myriad things will not comprehend even one of them. When someone has fully trained himself in this principle of comprehending and has reached full comprehension, he will not only see the myriad things that comprise the universe but will also see each one of them. This is why the person who studies one mote of dust will undoubtedly be studying the whole universe.
Shobogenzo, Shoaku Makusa, Hubert Nearman
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Dogen’s cosmology (as well as all the Zen masters) is one of unceasing creation in which nothing remains fixed. It is one in which the self, the world, and all the myriad things and beings participate in mutual interdependent actualization. In Dogen’s universe, the one is the one and does not interfere with the many or the particular; a dust mote is as significant as a Buddha. All things are participants in a dance of simultaneous interpenetration and non-obstruction, in which each thing at once creates the whole and creates itself. Advancing with an infinite variety of possibilities, at every instance the whole universe is totally refreshed, sparklingly new, only to be immediately cast off as the next instance of the whole universe is exerted in its place, to be cast off too in the next instance.
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In such a cosmology seeing the world “as it is” can only be done on the fly, can only be done by being the world as it is. In Buddhism (thus Dogen), those that awaken to the truth of being the world as it is, are called Buddhas, and Buddhas are the only ones that can truly see the world as it is. Until we ourselves are Buddhas, Dogen advises us to learn what the Buddhas say about their experience of the world as it is. To give what they say the benefit of the doubt, to put it into practice, and to verify it for ourselves. Constructing a conceptual image of the “world as it is” can never lead to seeing the world as it is, even if that image is built from words of Buddhas. Again, if we want to see the world as it is, Dogen advises learning what those who know the world as it is (Buddhas) say it is, putting what they say it is into practice, and verifying what they say it is in personal experience.
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So, just what do the Buddhas say about their experience of the world as it is? What does the universe consist of? How is it fashioned? Are there actual things or beings that inhabit it, if so what are they and how do they relate to each other? What is it that we human beings experience as a “self” which we sense as being “myself?”
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According to Dogen, they say that the universe is fashioned by human beings who arrange it with bits and pieces of their experience. This universe is inhabited by a welter of things and beings which are instances of existence-time that do not obstruct or hinder each other’s existence. The “self” experienced by human beings as “myself” is fashioned in the exact same way the universe is fashioned, and this “self” is also an instance of existence-time. To be more precise, here is how Dogen puts it:
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Since we human beings are continually arranging the bits and pieces of what we experience in order to fashion ‘a whole universe’, we must take care to look upon this welter of living beings and physical objects as ‘sometime’ things. Things do not go about hindering each other’s existence any more than moments of time get in each other’s way. As a consequence, the intention to train arises at the same time in different beings, and this same intention may also arise at different times. And the same applies to training and practice, as well as to realizing the Way. In a similar manner, we are continually arranging bits and pieces of what we experience in order to fashion them into what we call ‘a self ’, which we treat as ‘myself ’: this is the same as the principle of ‘we ourselves are just for a time’.
Shobogenzo, Uji, Rev. Hubert Nearman
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As someone that viewed the world from a perspective wherein each of us is the fashioner of a universe and a self, we can understand Dogen’s vigilant insistence on the ultimate significance of each individual’s activity. From the position that momentary instances of existence-time form the fabric of the universe and the self, we can see the reason of his constant urgency for sincerity, effort, thoroughness, and precision. From Dogen’s point of view, time is literally of the essence, and each thought, word, and act, no matter how seemingly insignificant, has an ultimate effect on our reality here (existence) and now (time).
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Therefore, I would like to propose this suggestion: getting a grasp on the structure of Dogen’s cosmology is the most effective way to improve our ability to understand his symbolism, thus accessing his vast storehouse of wisdom on the nature of life and death, delusion and enlightenment, mind, Buddha nature, existence, time, and fulfilling our obligation to save all the many beings.
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How to do this?
Active, sincere, wholehearted practice, study and verification. Try supplamenting your current practice routine with a careful, intensive daily study of Shobogenzo. Make a commitment to listen closely to everything Dogen has to say, before reaching a conclusion as to the merit of his instruction. This may take a half dozen or more close readings, but what better do you have to do?
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A Final Note: Despite the evident popularity of trying to decipher Shobogenzo word by word, Dogen did not write in a secret code--he wanted people to be able to understand it. It is far easier (and much more effective) to get the "big picture" by letting him finish what he has to say before jumping to your own conclusions. Besides, carefully reading the whole Shobogenzo half dozen times, or even ten dozen times will not require near as much effort as trying to twist it into our own conceptual images.
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Peace,
Ted

4 comments:

Harry said...

Ted,

"It is far easier (and much more effective) to get the "big picture" by letting him finish what he has to say before jumping to your own conclusions."

Doesn't 'jumping to [our] own conclusions' seem inevitable to you, Ted?

'Jumping to our own conclusions' is, of course, part of the big picture. I wonder how many of us make the right sort of sincere effort to realise this though, and how many mistake their own 'getting' for the 'big picture'?

Regards,

Harry.

Ted Biringer said...

Hi Harry,

Thank you for your comments.

I should have been more careful with my choice of words here.

The 'big picture' I was speaking of is Dogen's cosmology or worldview - that is his, his realization of the Buddha Dharma as expressed in Shobogenzo.

The reason for my suggestion is based on my experience with other students that, a). give up reading Shobogenzo after trying a few fascicles and finding it too difficult, or b). reading the usual half dozen or so popular fascicles and concluding they are familiar with Dogen, or c). simply taking somebody else's opinion as accurate without verifying it in practice.

I agree that jumping to our own conclusions is part of our own big picture (if that is what you mean), and by becoming aware of the fact, we can successfuly improve our ability to avoid becoming attached to any final conclusions, that is to allow the universe to be fully exerted, cast off, exerted, cast off... in the ever advancing actualization of the whole universe...

Thanks again.

Peace,
Ted

Dave said...

Ted,
Thanks for an interesting posting. I have a related question to which you may know the answer.
Robert Anton Wilson often credited Dogen with the koan-like question, "Who is the master who makes the grass green?"
Now on the one hand, this seems to fit with the content of your posting, that Dogen was saying we create ourselves and our universes from the bits and pieces of our perceptions.
However, a) Soto zen emphasises sitting not the koan as a way towards enlightenment; b) Bob Wilson refers to Dogen as 18th Century which is about 500 years too late; and c) any and all mentions of Dogen and this "grass green" question lead back to Wilson; he appears to be the source of the statement.
Much as I enjoy RAW's writing, is he wrong to attribute this statement to Dogen?

Apologies for the long question; hope you can help.

Thanks
Dave

Ted Biringer said...

Hi Dave,

Thank you for your comments.

I am not familiar with Robert Anton Wilson, or with the actual source of the koan.

At the same time, I would not be surprised if the original inspiration for the koan did come from Dogen. The "real form of all thoughts and things" is one of his most frequent assertions. And he often uses examples that include "grasses" and "single blade of grass" in reference to the nature of our mind (true self) and the manifestation of the universe (genjokoan). For a couple examples:

"That which is ungraspable within the great earth with its mountains and rivers exists there by Its very nature. That which is ungraspable in grasses and trees, wind and water, accordingly, is Mind."
Shobogenzo, Shin Fukatoku, Hubert Nearman

"When the hundreds of thoughts and things sprout up like grass blades before your eyes in such a bewildering way that they impede your sight, do not be dismayed that you cannot discern even a single thought or a single object. They are simply what is manifesting in this thought and what is manifesting in that thing."
Shobogenzo, Gyobutsu Iigi, Hubert Nearman

"When people have eyes before which a mountain is manifesting as grass and trees, earth and stones, or walls and fences, they do not doubt what they see nor are they disturbed by it, and it is not the whole of what is manifesting."
Shobogenzo, Sansuikyo, Hubert Nearman

Sorry I cannot be more precise... I hope this is helpful.

Thanks again!

Peace,
Ted