We will have 6 short sections this week ... 5-5 to 5-11 ...

http://global.sotozen-net.or.jp/common_ ... 05-05.html

I often believe that I can hear Master Dogen, between the lines in these short talks, dealing with real "human to human" issues in the monastery. A lack of donors and hard economic times, rough food and no money to fix the roof (he was pretty dependent on one wealthy donor in those days) .... offer a talk on Poverty as a Virtue. Quarreling monks getting hot under the collar about doctrine, or who has the best seat in the Zendo ... offer a talk on not fighting. Someone feeling a bit guilty about leaving mom or dad or a good career, thinking about heading back home ... offer a talk about the Virtue of the Way and sticking it out.

For all the high, moralistic tone of many of these talks ... we cannot separate the great Enlightened Master Dogen from the Temple Head and General of the Troops who was just trying to keep up morale and hold his monastery from falling apart. (In other words, both "Dogens" can be heard in these words).

If he had had more lay folks around, and been concerned with their practice more (instead of hungry and grumpy monks hanging out in tight quarters, in a monastery isolated in the deep snowy boondocks), I do not think he would have phrased things quite the same (and when he was speaking to lay folks ... he did precisely that).

Just a thought.

Anyway ... I particularly like 5-7, about not quarreling about Buddhism, or anything else. (and don't argue with me on that point!) :twisted:

Gassho, Jundo

PS - An interesting document I stumbled on today, a translation of fundraising letter that Master Dogen mailed out in 1235 ... Somebody had to pay the rent ...

http://www.sofii.org/active%20site/Memb ... Basic.html

And some interesting information on Dogen's main sponsor in his creation of Eiheiji ... Lord Hatano Yoshishige ... and monk complaints over living conditions at Eiheiji ... read pages 30 and 31 here ...

http://books.google.com/books?id=BnLOFw ... ge&f=false