Midterm Question #3
What is Dogen’s intention in Genjo Koan when he says, “Here is the place. Here the way unfolds”?
Dogen’s intention is always to shake up our ideas about practice. I think a lot of his students were long-term practitioners with ideas and concepts about what it meant to practice the Buddha Way. As a skillful teacher he is, Dogen brings forth the dharma in such a way that it inspires us to practice, while at the same time, keeps us from turning the dharma into some “thing” to know, understand or grasp. Repeatedly Dogen is reminding us to practice and realize the dharma as an experience, not as a knowing, and to stop trying to gain some “thing” that is different than what is already here.
In the Fukanzazengi Dogen instructs us not to “go off to dusty realms”. His intention is to bring us back to right here, right now. This is where practice-realization occurs; in the midst of our experience of whatever is going on. Dogen keeps bringing us back to non-dualism of this is good practice, this is bad practice, this is enlightenment and this is delusion. We don’t need to create some special state of mind, or special way of being, or even set up special circumstances to bring forth the something called “realization”. Dogen repeatedly wants to remind us that this is realization and that this is Buddha.
I occupy a body that is disabled. There are limitations to the amount of energy I have to function, and there are limits to the amount of sitting practice my body can take. For a long time, I would look at my teachers and mentors, or look at other senior people and think, “If I could practice like them, I might “get it”. Or, “I can’t possibly experience enlightenment because I can’t physically do all the things I am “suppose” to do”. Dogen is breaking up that thought with seven simple words.
Can I let go of my view that something has to change for me to “really practice”? Can I stop thinking my enlightenment resides in my teacher’s practice, or in that other priests practice, and simply allow my practice to be what it is? The perfect expression of Buddha’s Way in this body with this mind, and living with these causes and conditions. Dogen is pointing me towards the enactment of practice as realization.
It is of interest to me as I unpack Dogen’s expression of Dharma, that he really does say pretty much the same thing over and over. Get rid of the idea that anything is separate including the dharma, including enlightenment, including delusion. Look at what is happening and let that expression be all that is necessary. Dogen does his best to shake up our ideas. This includes our ideas about what he is saying. There is nothing special here, which of course makes his teachings very special. Zazen practices Zazen; practice is realization; expound the dharma of this moment simply by letting go and allowing this moment to expound itself. We don’t need to find some special state, special practice, or special place. It’s all already here, practicing itself. I am starting to see the answer to Dogen’s question that sent him to China. He asked, “If we already have Buddha-Nature (or even are Buddha-Nature), then why do we have to practice?” He answers, “Because that’s what Buddha’s do. They practice.”