Weekend Stories
I enjoy going exploring on weekends (mostly). Here is a collection of stories and photos I gather along the way. All posts are CC BY-NC-SA licensed unless otherwise stated. Feel free to share, remix, and adapt the content as long as you give appropriate credit and distribute your contributions under the same license.
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Sokushin zebutsu: Mind itself is Buddha
The phrase sokushin zebutsu (即心是仏) — ‘mind itself is Buddha’ — is one of the most iconic statements in East Asian Zen thought. Originally attributed to Chinese Chán masters such as Mazu Daoyi, it encapsulates a radical immediacy: the very mind one possesses here and now is none other than Buddha. In Dōgen Zenji’s teaching, this expression is not merely affirmed but critically reinterpreted. Dōgen emphasizes that understanding ‘mind itself is Buddha’ demands rigorous clarification: it is not an endorsement of complacency, conceptual identification, or static existence. Instead, it points to the dynamic, ever-unfolding nature of practice-realization.
Shinjin datsuraku: The radical shedding of body and mind in Dōgen’s Zen
Dōgen Zenji’s radical approach to Buddhist practice and realization is vividly captured by the phrase shinjin datsuraku (身心脫落) — ‘dropping off body and mind’. Attributed to Dōgen’s awakening under the Chinese Chán master Tendō Nyojō, this expression encapsulates a profound experiential insight central to Dōgen’s Zen: the total release of attachment to both corporeal existence and mental constructs. Understanding shinjin datsuraku is essential to grasping Dōgen’s redefinition of practice, selfhood, and liberation.
Genjō Kōan: Manifestation of reality in Dōgen’s thought
Among the many fascicles of Dōgen Zenji’s Shōbōgenzō, Genjō Kōan (現成公案) holds a particularly central place. Written early in Dōgen’s career, it succinctly captures the essence of his teaching: that the complete manifestation of reality (genjō) is nothing other than the unfolding of everyday life when seen without delusion. In this text, Dōgen articulates key insights on practice-enlightenment, non-duality, impermanence, and the dynamic relationship between self and world.
Shushō ittō: Practice-enlightenment in Dōgen’s Zen
Among the many profound contributions that Dōgen Zenji made to Buddhist philosophy, the concept of ‘practice-enlightenment’ (shushō ittō, 修輯一等) stands as one of the most revolutionary and defining. This principle radically reframes the traditional Buddhist relationship between practice (shushō) and enlightenment (satori or bodhi), asserting that the two are not separate stages but an indivisible unity. Understanding practice-enlightenment is essential to grasping Dōgen’s vision of the Buddhist path and the impact he has left on Zen thought.
Bendōwa: The heart of Dōgen’s Zen
Bendōwa (談道和), often translated as ‘Negotiating the Way’ or ‘On the Endeavor of the Way’, is one of Dōgen Zenji’s earliest and most foundational works. Written shortly after his return from China in 1231, it serves both as a manifesto for his understanding of Zen practice and as a defense of zazen (seated meditation) as the central expression of Buddhist realization. Through a series of short essays and question-and-answer exchanges, Dōgen outlines key themes that will underpin his later teachings, such as practice-enlightenment, the universality of Buddha-nature, and the immediacy of awakening.
Dōgen Zenji and his significance for Zen Buddhism
Dōgen Zenji (1200–1253) stands as one of the most profound and transformative figures in Japanese Buddhism. At a time when Buddhism in Japan had become heavily ritualized and often entangled with political power, Dōgen sought to return to the pure, experiential heart of the Buddhist path. Dissatisfied with the formalism he found within the established sects, he traveled to China in search of authentic teaching, eventually receiving Dharma transmission from the esteemed Chán master Rujing. Upon his return, Dōgen established a new foundation for Zen practice in Japan, centered around ‘just sitting’ (shikantaza) and the inseparability of practice and realization. The significance of Dōgen’s life and teachings for Zen Buddhism cannot be overstated. He introduced a deeply philosophical and existential dimension to Zen, exploring the nature of time, being, and the immediacy of awakening with unmatched subtlety. Through his writings, especially the Shōbōgenzō, Dōgen articulated a vision of Buddhism that emphasizes direct experience, rigorous practice, and the realization that the path and the goal are one and the same. His influence not only shaped the Sōtō Zen tradition but continues to inspire contemporary Buddhist thought and practice worldwide.
Time and timelessness in Zen
Time, for most of us, is something linear. It ticks forward in steady increments, separating past, present, and future. We plan, remember, and worry according to this unfolding sequence. But Zen offers a radically different view. Rather than seeing time as something external that we move through, Zen invites us to experience time as something that arises with our very being. Time is not ‘out there’ — it is ‘this’, here and now. In this post, we explore how Zen, particularly through the teachings of Eihei Dōgen and the practice of zazen, reconfigures our understanding of time. We’ll look at the distinction between conventional clock-time and the timeless immediacy of the present, the meaning of Dōgen’s concept of uji (‘being-time’), and the implications of Zen’s temporal view for practice and life.
The student-teacher relationship in Zen
The relationship between student and teacher in Zen Buddhism is not merely instructional; it is transformative. Unlike conventional forms of religious education or academic mentorship, the Zen student-teacher bond centers on the direct transmission of insight, often beyond words or formal doctrine. The teacher does not function as a distant authority imparting knowledge, but as a mirror, guide, and provocation. Their role is to accompany the student to the edge of self, to challenge pretense, and to foster awakening through encounter. This unique relationship forms the backbone of Zen training and is enshrined in the tradition’s ideal of ‘mind-to-mind transmission’ (Japanese: ishin denshin, Chinese: yixin chuanxin 意心传心), believed to trace back to the Buddha’s silent transmission to Mahākāśyapa. From this mythic origin onward, Zen has emphasized that true understanding is not found in scripture alone, but in the shared silence, tension, and realization between teacher and student.
The role of kōans in Zen
Kōan practice is one of the most distinctive features of Zen Buddhism, particularly within the Rinzai tradition. Often misunderstood or romanticized as mysterious riddles or paradoxes, kōans are in fact a rigorous and deeply structured form of meditative inquiry. Their purpose is not to test logic, nor to offer cryptic knowledge, but to catalyze a break from conceptual thinking and provoke a direct encounter with reality. In this sense, they are not puzzles to be solved but catalysts for awakening.
Zen: Presence as practice
Zen does not begin with doctrines, rituals, or lofty goals. It begins right here, in this breath, this step, this cup of tea. At the heart of Zen is an unwavering emphasis on the now — the direct, unmediated encounter with life as it unfolds. It is not about preparing for a better future, accumulating merit, or escaping the world. It is about fully inhabiting this moment, because this moment is all there is. This teaching, while seemingly simple, carries profound implications. It is not a call to hedonism or passivity, but to wakefulness — to see clearly, feel deeply, and act precisely. Zen says: do not postpone your life. Enlightenment is not a distant peak to be reached someday; it is the immediacy of being present, without grasping, without fleeing.