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    Practice-Enlightenment

    Vital to Master Dogen, vital to Soto Practice, as vital as Zazen and, truly, just Zazen in motion all through life ...

    Practice-Enlightenment: We are already enlightened, yet we must manifest this on and off the cushion. It is NOT that "since we’re already enlightened, there’s no need to practice." Rather, since we are already enlightened, we must put that fact into practice, make it appear and shine, or else it is hidden under greed, anger and ignorance. A Buddha cannot help but put such fact into practice.

    Dogen might say that the enlightened know that this world of greed anger and ignorance is ALREADY Buddha, already enlightened, always has been and is right now, but to know that fact one must free oneself of greed anger and ignorance in living. Samsara is Nirvana, but one must manifest a Buddha's acts words and thoughts in our own acts words and thoughts. It is like the parable in the Lotus Sutra, about having a jewel sewn into one's pocket all along, but thinking oneself poor. For those who know, the jewel is present and shines, always has been.

    On the other hand, although this world of greed anger and ignorance is already Buddha, already enlightened, always has been and is right now, the ignorant do not know such fact because they are covered in greed anger and ignorance. Nirvana is Samsara, but most do not know because lost in Samsara, failing to manifest Buddha in their twisted acts words and thoughts. They are the jewel too, as much as the others, but do not know and do not see, thus hiding it further in their excess desire, anger, jealousy and all the rest. The jewel is present and shines, always has been but they do not know or show it.

    When we act with the dignified behavior of a Buddha, we realize that all the trees and stars, all other sentient beings, all the days of ups and down, all the world and the kitchen sink and then some, all of this is also flowing with the dignified behavior of Buddha.

    Nor is this true simply in Zazen on the cushion. Dogen was about the "dignified behavior of a Buddha" in all of our day, from waking to sleeping, cooking to shitting. One the cushion, however, Buddha manifests in the simple act of crossing the legs, not one more thing to say or do.

    Gassho, J

    SatTodayLah
    Last edited by Jundo; 02-20-2023 at 11:53 PM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

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