This week, Rev. Taigu talks about ANGO, a special 100 day Practice Period, as we will begin at Treeleaf in a few days …
He writes:
This is the text quoted in the following talk. It was given at thebeginning of Ango, the summer practice. I strongly recommand thereading of the book itself. Amazing translations and real inspiringcollection that give a perfect glimpse of Dogen’s genius.
Formal Talk on the First Day of the Practice Period, recorded by Ejo, 1245, Echizen.
(…) Onthe first day of the summer period he ascended the teaching seat, heldup a whisk, drew a circle in the air, and said,”our practiceperiod~peacefully dwelling~goes beyond this”.
He drew another circleand said,”Peacefully dwelling is to study this thoroughly. So it istaught that the Buddha who is the King of the Empty Eon received thislife vein, becoming a buddha,becoming an ancestor. The fist and thestaff embody this point. They transmit Dharma and transmit the robe.
“Duringeach summer practice period, make each moment the top of your head.Don’t regard this as a beginning. Don’t regard this as going beyond.Even if you see it as a beginning, kick it away. Even if you se it asgoing beyond, stomp on it. Then you are not bound by beginning or goingbeyond. How is it?”
Dogen took up the whisk, drew a circle and said: “Dwell peacefully in this nest”.
He drew another circleand said,”Peacefully dwelling is to study this thoroughly. So it istaught that the Buddha who is the King of the Empty Eon received thislife vein, becoming a buddha,becoming an ancestor. The fist and thestaff embody this point. They transmit Dharma and transmit the robe.
“Duringeach summer practice period, make each moment the top of your head.Don’t regard this as a beginning. Don’t regard this as going beyond.Even if you see it as a beginning, kick it away. Even if you se it asgoing beyond, stomp on it. Then you are not bound by beginning or goingbeyond. How is it?”
Dogen took up the whisk, drew a circle and said: “Dwell peacefully in this nest”.
(translated by Kazuaki Tanahashi in Enlightenment Unfolds)
(remember: recording ends soon after the beginning bells;
a sitting time of 20 to 35 minutes is recommended)
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