In this put up, I’ll proceed my latest Dōgen translations with quick feedback. This is Part 2 of Eihei koroku V8.14. As I’ve been engaged on this dharma discourse (hogō) it has occurred to me that when you had been searching for only one writing of Dōgen that expressed his view of the trail for homeowners, you wouldn’t should look past this one. The emphasis is on discovering a true instructor and awakening.
In this pith abstract of Zen path for his main donor and higher class buddies, Dōgen says nothing about zazen. He says nothing in regards to the apply that the Post Meiji Sōtō Orthodoxy claims that he advocated – shikantaza. Now when you had a likelihood to precise to a group of rich people who may simply be prepared to construct you a monastery within the mountains, wouldn’t you give them the straight scoop about what you thought was most necessary in regards to the buddhadharma?
In my view, that’s simply what Dōgen did. This passage, like all of Eihei koroku V8.14, doesn’t, nevertheless, harmonize nicely with our instances and far of the pablum that’s spewed now by well-meaning however uninformed Sōtō people in regards to the coronary heart of Dōgen.
This hogō, by the best way, is typically fairly dense, nevertheless it additionally strikes straight to the purpose. Dōgen’s shining confidence that homeowners can plumb the depths of the buddhadharma illuminates the whole hogō.
I’ve discovered that this specific part doesn’t invite a lot of commentary or rationalization, so I’ll current the interpretation after which zip my lip.
Dōgen begins this part off by following up on the final sentence in Part 1, “An authentic teacher influences the expression of the power of compassion” and goes on to offer some indications of a false instructor. Dōgen then turns once more to the virtues of working with a true instructor.
Translation
If you get near a false instructor, the outcomes won’t be like this. If you dutifully, blindly comply with the confused thoughts of a false instructor, it will likely be like watching a tree stump, ready for a rabbit; like greedy a rock, pondering it’s a treasured gem. You will fall into a ghost cave and wander destitute into a demon’s pit. If you meet a true instructor, resolve to apply inquiry, be decided to have perception into the nice matter, completely drop by what’s been your previous nest. Who says that diligent apply (功夫, J. kufū) isn’t but this very event?
