In a famous old story, Shenxiu wrote that, in our practice, we must constantly clean and polish the body-mind to keep all free of dust. To that, Huineng responded that there’s never a place for dust to gather … Thus, Master Dogen wrote in the Fukanzazengi:Furthermore, the whole body far transcends dust and dirt: who…

Today, on SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO, we talk trash … Iwan ya zentai harukani jinnai o izu, tareka hosshiki no shudan o shinzen. Furthermore, the whole body far transcends dust and dirt: who could believe in the means of sweeping and polishing? [Nishijima] Indeed, the whole body is free from dust. Who could believe in a…

Dogen Zenji wrote … Shûjô jizai, nanzo kufû o tsuiyasan. The vehicle for the fundamental exists naturally: where is the need to expend effort (for seeking the truth)? [Nishijima] The true vehicle is self-sufficient. What need is there [for] special effort? [SZTP] .

As a young man, these were Dogen’s questions: Since we all already are ‘Buddha-nature’ , why do we need to practice? How are we ‘originally enlightened’ if we don’t feel so? Tazunuru ni sore, dô moto enzû, ikadeka shushô o karan, Now, when we pursue the truth, the truth originally is all around: why rely…

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