Concluding Thoughts (Herreid)


"The real way circulates everywhere; how could it require practice or enlightenment? The essential teaching is fully available; how could effort be necessary? Furthermore, the entire mirror is free of dust; why take steps to polish it? Nothing is separate from this very place; why journey away?

And yet, if you miss the mark even by a strand of hair, you are as distant as heaven from earth. If the slightest discrimination occurs, you will be lost in confusion. You could be proud of your understanding and have abundant realization, or acquire outstanding wisdom and attain the way by clarifying the mind. Still, if you are wandering about in your head, you may miss the vital path of letting your body leap (907)."

The first paragraph of this passage articulates so well the fundamental questions that we have been discussing in regards to Buddhism. It is paradoxical, that the simplest things are the most challenging, that one must re-learn how to coexist with time, and with one's body and mind. I really love the last sentence in this passage, because I have frequently gotten lost in my head, especially with all the time spent indoors and online recently. Dōgen is the perfect antidote: he has a knack for bringing us back to this world. We have wondered about his methods in class, such as his use of humor, his tendency to surprise us, how he reorients us from our preconceptions..the list goes on and on. When reading Dōgen, it feels like you are having a conversation with him, that he is addressing you rather than simply giving a lecture. It feels personal and immediate, and always compassionate. The closeness that his style achieves is quite striking, given that he is writing to us from almost a thousand years ago. Like a dish prepared with care from a loved one, Dōgen provides warmth and sustenance, something to be savored for a long while after. With Dōgen there is connection and engagement, and the encouragement to fully be. Thank you all for your insights in class and on the blog, what a great way to become acquainted with Dōgen!

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