In the
Mahayana there is also a method for regulating breath, which is knowing that one breath is long, another breath is short. The breath reaches the
tanden and comes up from the tanden. Although exhale and inhale differ both of them occur depending on the tanden. Impermanence is easy
to clarify, and regulating the mind is easy to accomplish.
My late teacher Tiantong [Rujing] said, “Breath enters and reaches the
tanden, and yet there is no place from which it comes. Therefore it is neither long nor short. Breath emerges from the tanden, and yet there is
nowhere it goes. Therefore it is neither short nor long.”
My late teacher said it like that. Suppose someone were to ask Eihei,
“Master, how do you regulate your breath?”
I would simply say to him: Although it is not the great vehicle, it differs from the lesser vehicle. Although it is not the lesser vehicle, it differs
from the great vehicle.
Suppose that person inquired again, “Ultimately, what is it?”
I would say to him: Exhale and inhale are neither long nor short.
Someone asked Baizhang, “The Yogacara Sutra and the Jewel
Necklace Sutra contain the Mahayana precepts. Why don’t you practice
according to them?”
Baizhang said, “What I take as essential is not limited to the greater or
lesser vehicles, and does not differ from the greater or lesser vehicles. I
condense and combine the extensive scope [of regulations] to establish
standards for appropriate conduct.”
Baizhang said it this way, but Eihei is certainly not like this. It is not
the case that it is not limited to the great or small vehicles, or not different from the great or small vehicles. What is this small vehicle? The affairs
of the donkey are not complete. What is this great vehicle? The affairs of
the horse have already arrived. Not the extensive scope means the
extremely great is the same as the small. Not condensed means the
extremely small is the same as the great. I do not combine, but gallop
over and drop away great and small. Already having accomplished this,
how shall we go beyond?
After a pause Dogen said: When healthy and energetic we do zazen
without falling asleep. When hungry we eat rice, and know we are fully
satisfied.