( Dogen’s Instructions for the Cook – XVI)
A chant heard daily in Zen temples is the “Sandokai“, the “Merging of Relative and Absolute“, by Sekito Kisen, the 8th Zen Ancestor in China.
They are “not one, not two“, meaning neither the same, yet intimately not different at all …
But do not move with it as darkness.
Darkness is light:Do not see it as light.
Light and darkness are not one, nottwo,
Like the foot before and the footbehind in walking.
Each thing has its own being,
Which is not different from its placeand function.
The relative fits the absolute as abox and its lid.
The absolute meets the relative
Like two arrow points that touch highin the air.
Hearing this, simply perceive theSource!
Make no criterion!
If you do not see the Way,
You do not see It even as you walk onIt.
Harmonizing andpurifying yourself in this manner, do not lose either the one eye [oftranscendent wisdom] or the two eyes [of discriminating consciousness]. Liftinga single piece of vegetable, make [yourself into] a six-foot body [i.e. abuddha] and ask that six-foot body to prepare a single piece of vegetable.Those are [the cook's] spiritual penetrations and magical transformations, hisbuddha-work and benefiting of living beings.
Having prepared[everything] so that the preparations are finished, and cooked [everything] sothat the cooking is done, look to "that side" and put things away on"this side". ** When the drum sounds or the bell rings, join theassembly [of monks in training] and attend the convocation [to hear the abbot'steachings]. "Morning and evening, seek and attend", without beingremiss even once.
** [NOTE from Prof. Foulk: A double-entendre. On the literal level, the meaning is simply that the cook should look all around and put things away where they belong. Figuratively, he is advised to look "there" (nahen -- the realm of the highest truth), while putting things to rest "here" (shahen -- the wordly realm)].
From: Tenzo Kyokun - Instructions for the Cook by Eihei Dogen - Translated by Griffith Foulk
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