We have encountered several “simultaneously true” perspectives of Master Dogen which vanquish suffering (and in coming sections of Genjo Koan and Shobogenzo, we will encounter countless more)…
… the separate, abiding ‘self‘ is, is not, absolutely is just-as-it-is, etc.etc. …
By these simultaneous perspectives, and others, we find no grounds to resist in life. But still, notes Master Dogen …
Though all this may be true, flowers fall even if we love them,
and weeds grow even if we hate them,
and that is all.
and weeds grow even if we hate them,
and that is all.
Life is a time to laugh, time to weep, to everything a season. Each in its own time, says the old book.
And All is One, adds the Zen teacher. Through a many-layered view of things, each time holds all others, is-not and just-is too: Beyond tears and smiles, in abiding Peace, a tear rolls down Master Dogen’s cheek. Old Buddhas smile and Old Buddhas cry.
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As all things are buddha-dharma (Jundo: “Dharma” = “Phenomena”), there are delusion, realization, practice, birth and death, buddhas and sentient beings. As 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, in essence, is leaping clear of abundance and lack; thus there are birth and death, delusion and realization, sentient beings and buddhas. Yet in attachment blossoms fall, and in aversion weeds spread. [Aitken & Tanahashi]
When all things and phenomena exist as Buddhist teachings, then there are
delusion and realization, practice and experience, life and death, buddhas and ordinary people. When millions of things and phenomena are all separate from ourselves, there are no delusion and no enlightenment, no buddhas and no ordinary people, no life and no death. Buddhism is originally transcendent over abundance and scarcity, and so [in reality] there is life and death, there is delusion and realization, there are people and buddhas. Though all this may be true, flowers fall even if we love them, and weeds grow even if we hate them, and that is all. [Nishijima]
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