One of the marvelous experiences of Zen practice-enlightenment is discovering what he means when Mumon says in case 1 of the Mumonkan:

“You will see Joshu face to face, traveling hand in hand with the successive ancestors, your eyebrows entangling with theirs, seeing with the same eyes, hearing with the same ears.”

During my recent vacation I was able to spend a little more time than usual with one of my favorite, and most helpful teachers. Not my “flesh and blood” teacher — he is on the East Coast for the holidays — nevertheless it is a teacher that is certainly just as alive and present.

Zen Master Eihei Dogen.

In a recent discussion someone advised me that Dogen is dead. While I am not sure how this person meant it in this case, I have heard this a number of times over the years, as if it somehow dismisses the relevance of Dogen’s teaching, usually by junior students, but sometimes by seniors, and twice by a Soto master—and yet, I am not at all convinced. Quite the contrary.

Of course I understand that, despite the standard Buddhist teaching on the illusory nature of both birth and death, there are times when “dead” is simply a practical term–sure, Dogen died in the 13th century, as did all the Zen ancestors back to Shakyamuni Buddha. But using this term in the “practical” sense is one thing, using it as if it renders Dogen (or any of the great masters) irrelevant, is another. Not only due to the fact that such “generalizing” is itself irrelevant, but that also demonstrates irreverence.

When I get this “argument” whimsically thrown in my face, it feels just the same as if someone belittles a member of my own family or a good friend. In the quarter century I have been studying with Dogen, he has been a compassionate and reliable guide—even more so than some of my “flesh and blood” teachers.

Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, what do you make of it? Am I off the wall here, or what? I find Dogen’s expression in Shobogenzo, Gyoji, to exactly express my own attitude of gratitude that I feel for the teachings of the Buddhas and Zen ancestors:

What we need to reflect on is that, even if a thousand myriad First Ancestors came from the West, if the Second Ancestor had not been doing his ceaseless practice, we today would be unable to learn how to put the Great Matter to rest. Today, now that we have been able to encounter and hear the True Dharma, we should, beyond doubt, gratefully repay our indebtedness to the Ancestors…

Most people could not have tolerated such a secluded life, nevertheless Isan transformed it into the Buddha’s Way and explored Its innermost purpose. Today, we are able to learn of his expressions of the Way and Its purpose because of the ceaseless practice that he did. Even though we may not be listening with a casual attitude, we still need to recognize our indebtedness to his strenuous efforts in ceaseless practice. When we hear about what he did and imagine the hardships he faced, how can those of us today who are heartfelt trainees possibly fail to feel pity for him? Due to the transformative power derived from Isan’s ceaseless practice of the Way, the winds cease their howling, the world remains intact, the palaces and dwelling places of the celestial community are tranquil, and the homelands of human beings are preserved. Though we may not be direct descendants of Isan, he will be our Ancestor in spirit.
Shobogenzo, Gyoji, Hubert Nearman

With this sense of gratitude, I make the following post with my deepest thanks for all that the Buddhas and Ancestors did, do, and will do:

With deepest respect.

The Buddhas and Ancestors manifest before our very eyes whenever we respectfully serve the Buddhas and Ancestors by bringing Them up through our presenting of Their story. They are not limited simply to some past, present, or future time, for They have undoubtedly gone beyond even ‘going beyond Buddha’.Ancestor, we bow in respect as we meet That One face-to-face. Having made evident the spiritual virtues of a Buddha or an Ancestor and held them aloft, we take our abode in them and uphold them, embodying them that we may realize the Truth in them.

The Seven Buddhas:
The Great Monk Bibashi Buddha, called herein ‘the One Who Universally Proclaims the Dharma’
The Great Monk Shiki Buddha, called herein ‘the Fire’
The Great Monk Bishafu Buddha, called herein ‘the All Compassionate One’
The Great Monk Kuruson Buddha, called herein ‘the Hermit of Gold’
The Great Monk Kunagonmuni Buddha, called herein ‘the Golden Sage’
The Great Monk Kash? Buddha, called herein ‘the Allabsorbing Light’
The Great Monk Shakyamuni Buddha, called herein ‘the Thoroughly Patient and Still One’

The Indian Ancestors:
1. The Great Monk Makakash?
2. The Great Monk Ananda
3. The Great Monk Sh?nawashu
4. The Great Monk Ubakikuta
5. The Great Monk Daitaka
6. The Great Monk Mishaka
7. The Great Monk Bashumitsu
8. The Great Monk Butsudanandai
9. The Great Monk Fudamitta
10. The Great Monk Barishiba
11. The Great Monk Funayasha
12. The Great Monk Ashvaghoãa
13. The Great Monk Kabimora
14. The Great Monk N?g?rjuna also called Lung-shu, Lung-sheng, or Lung-meng
15. The Great Monk Kanadaiba
16. The Great Monk Ragorata
17. The Great Monk S?gyanandai
18. The Great Monk Kayashata
19. The Great Monk Kumorata
20. The Great Monk Shayata
21. The Great Monk Vasubandhu
22. The Great Monk Manura
23. The Great Monk Kakurokuna
24. The Great Monk Shishibodai
25. The Great Monk Bashashita
26. The Great Monk Funyomitta
27. The Great Monk Hannyatara
28. The Great Monk Bodhidharma

The Chinese Ancestors:
The Great Monk Eka
The Great Monk Kanchi S?san
The Great Monk Daii D?shin
The Great Monk Daiman K?nin
The Great Monk Daikan En?
The Great Monk Seigen Gy?shi
The Great Monk Sekit? Kisen
The Great Monk Yakusan Igen
The Great Monk Ungan Donj?
The Great Monk T?zan Ry?kai
The Great Monk Ungo D?y?
The Great Monk D?an D?hi
The Great Monk D?an Kanshi
The Great Monk Ry?zan Enkan
The Great Monk Daiy? Ky?gen
The Great Monk T?su Gisei
The Great Monk Fuy? D?kai
The Great Monk Tanka Shijun
The Great Monk Ch?ro Seiry?
The Great Monk Tend? S?kaku
The Great Monk Setch? Chikan
The Great Monk Tend? Nyoj? of the twenty-third generation in China

During the summer retreat in the first year of the Chinese Pao-ch’ing era (1225) in Great Sung China, whilst I, D?gen, was training and serving under my late Master, the venerable Buddha, Great Monk Tend? Nyoj?, I came to know, through and through, the significance of making a full venerative bow to these Buddhas and Ancestors and of receiving Them upon my head. It was what each Buddha realized on His own, just as all Buddhas have done.

Delivered to the assembly from a manuscript on the third day of the first month in the second year of the Ninji era (February 15, 1241) at Kannond?ri in K?sh?h?rin-ji Temple, Uji Province, Yamashiro Prefecture, Japan.

I copied this whilst in the chaplain’s quarters at Kipp?-ji Temple, Echizen Province, on the fourteenth day of the fifth month of the second year of the Kangen era (May 20, 1244).  Ej?  Shobogenzo, Busso, Hubert Nearman

This kind of reverence can be felt and experienced here and now as they are transmitted to us in the words and deeds of the Buddhas and Zen ancestors. The World-honored One set an excellent example for all of us:

The World-honored One then personally erected Kasho Buddha’s stupa. From its square base, which was bordered on all four sides with a railing, there arose two circular terraces, with ornamental tusk-like structures coming out from the base at its four corners. From the top, there arose a tall pole adorned with banners and ringed with parasols. The Buddha said, “This is how a stupa should be constructed.” Once the setting up of the stupa was finished, the World-honored One Himself made prostrations to it out of respect for the past Buddha. The monks then asked the Buddha. “World-honored One, may we too make prostrations to Him?”

The Buddha responded, “You may.” He then composed the following poem:

Even hundreds of thousands of gold coins
Brought here as people’s offering of alms
Do not equal the respect of someone of good heart
Bowing before a Buddha’s stupa.

Shobogenzo, Kuyo Shobutsu, Hubert Nearman

I fully agree with the Buddhas and Zen ancestors regarding the true nature of life and death. If someone seems to be truly (rather than practically) “dead”, it has nothing to do with them–it has to do with us. If anyone has not yet testified to the truth that Mumon has expounded about tangling eyebrows with all the great masters, I strongly encourage you to check it out. This is the only way to truly achieve certainty about what and who the Buddhas and Zen Ancestors are. In Dogen’s words:

The term ‘all Buddhas’ means Shakyamuni Buddha: Shakyamuni Buddha is synonymous with one’s very mind being Buddha. At that very moment when all the Buddhas of past, present, and future have become, do become, and will become Buddha, without fail, They become Shakyamuni Buddha. This is what “Your very mind is Buddha” means.
Shobogenzo, Soku Shin Ze Butsu, Hubert Nearman

Beings are numberless, I vow to save them
Greed, hatred, and delusion arise endlessly, I vow to abandon them
Dharma-gates are countless, I vow to wake to them
Buddhas Way is unsurpassed, I vow to embody it fully

Peace,
Ted