Let's return to the apparent contradictions
in Dogen's verse.
As all things are buddha-dharma,
there is delusion and realization, practice,
and birth and death, and there are buddhas
and sentient beings.
As the myriad things are
without an abiding self, there is no delusion,
no realization, no buddha, no sentient
being, no birth and death.
The buddha way is, basically,
leaping clear of the many of the one; thus
there are birth and death, delusion and
realization, sentient beings and buddhas.
Yet in attachment blossoms
fall, and in aversion weeds spread.
So if you're listeing to this course so you can dot
every i, try a different approach. You can look at things
in a variety of ways, depending on the perspective you
bring to your situation.
As all things are buddha-dharma,
there is delusion and realization, practice,
and birth and death, and there are buddhas and
sentient beings.
If you come with the perspective of enlightenment,
then maybe — from an enlightened perspective
— all things are buddhadharma. As everything has Buddha
nature, everything is just as it is, everything is
particular.
Do you have concepts like birth and
death, delusion and enlightenment...
Do you apply these concepts? "That's
being a buddha; that's being deluded..."
As the myriad things are without
an abiding self, there is no delusion, no realization,
no buddha, no sentient being, no birth and death.
As there’s no self, there’s no discrimination.
There is no basis for making distinctions.
The buddha way is, basically, leaping
clear of the many of the one; thus there are
birth and death, delusion and realization, sentient
beings and buddhas.
As Buddhdharma is leaping clear of the one and the
many, you can find the particular in the empty.
Yet in attachment blossoms fall,
and in aversion weeds spread.
No matter what you think, no matter what perspective
you bring, things happen — blossoms fall, weeds spread...
Do you find yourself considering which
of these perspectives is "right"? Do
you think they're a progression?
How might you practice
with this?
In the sections of Genjo Koan that
follow, Dogen looks at each of these in greater depth.
