The body remains the body and the mind remains the mind. It is not that duality stops existing or functioning the small is still small and the large is still large. Here is another view of reality distinct from our usual way of seeing. Extremely large becomes extremely small, and vice versa. The entire world is found in a minute particle. The depth of a dewdrop is the height of the moon. A person who bows becomes one with the person who is bowed to. A meditator walks on the top of a high mountain and swims deep in the ocean, not only becoming an awakened one but also identifying with a fighting spirit. The distance from here to there is no longer concrete. Dogen describes such an experience of his own at the climactic moment of his study as “dropping away body and mind.” Beyond Space and Time If we go further, we may experience a dissolving of the notion of the self. Only when we become transparent and let all things speak for themselves can their voices be heard and their true forms appear.Īs we calm down and move away from the usual mode of physical and mental activities, we often have a good idea or even, at times, an extraordinary insight during meditation. Then, we are no longer confined by our self-centered worldview and a dominating sense of possessions. While our thinking is often limited to the notion of “I,” which is occupied by “my” body, “my” mind, and “my” situation, Dogen teaches that we can become selfless in meditation. The subject becomes not apart from the object. If we were to summarize Dogen’s teaching in one word, it might be “nonseparation.” In meditation, the body experiences itself as not separate from the mind. What, then, do we experience? How do we recognize our deep experience and apply it to our daily lives? These are some of the questions Dogen addresses. What we think we experience in meditation may be different from what we actually experience. He simply speaks of the magnificence of meditation and asserts that we can experience luminosity as soon as we start to meditate. Dogen, however, seems to show no interest in these specific issues. We may feel that we have had a bad meditation. Often we are troubled with physical pain and sleepiness our mind may be scattered, and our daily concerns continue to preoccupy us. Being in spring, we hear the sound of a valley stream or become a plum blossom swirling in the wind.ĭogen’s poetic descriptions may seem contrary to our usual meditation experience. Its field can be as vast as springtime, which encompasses all of its flowers, birds, and mountain colors. Its state (samadhi) can be like an ocean that is serene and yet dynamic. Meditation (zazen) can be restful and enjoyable, according to Dogen.
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