2930

正法眼蔵随聞記　一

侍者　懐奘　編

1-1

示に云く、

はづべくんば、明眼の人をはづべし。

予、在宋の時、天童浄和尚、侍者に請ずるに云く、外国人たりといへども、元子器量人なり、と云て、これを請ず。

予、堅く是れを辞す。其故は、和国にきこえんためも、学道の稽古のためも、大切なれども、衆中に具眼の人ありて、外国人として、大叢林の侍者たらんこと、国に人なきが如しと、難ずることあらん、尤も、はづべし、といいて、書状をもて、此旨を伸しかば、浄和尚、国を重くし、人をはづることを許して、更に請ぜざりしなり。

1-2

示に云、

 

31

SHŌBŌGENZŌ ZUIMONKI, BOOK 1

Compiled by the attendant Ejō

1-1

[Dōgen] instructed:

If you must heed someone, you should heed those with clear eyes.

When I was in Song China, Preceptor Jing¹⁹ of Tiantong invited me to be his personal attendant,²⁰ saying, “Although Venerable Gen is a foreigner, he is a man of ability.”

I firmly declined. The reason for this was that, although it was an important opportunity to become well known in Japan and also for my own practice of the Way, there might have been certain people endowed with clear eyes who would have thought that appointing a foreigner as the abbot’s attendant in such a great monastery meant that [Rujing thought] there were no capable people in his country. I had to be very careful about this. I wrote what I thought to the abbot in a letter. Preceptor Jing understood my respect for his country and my concern about such people’s feelings, and he did not ask me again.²¹

1-2

[Dōgen] instructed:

Someone said, “I am sick. I am not a vessel²² [of the Dharma]. I cannot endure the practice of the Way. I wish to listen [only] to the essentials of the Dharma gates,²³ to live alone retiring from the world, to indulge myself, and to tend to my sickness until the end of this lifetime.”

 

32

有人の云、我病者也、非器也、学道にたへず。法門の最要をききて、独住隠居して、性をやしなひ、病をたすけて、一生を終ん、と云うに、

示云、

先聖必しも金骨にあらず、古人豈皆上器ならんや。滅後を思へば、幾ばくならず。在世を考るに、人皆な俊なるに非ず。善人もあり、悪人もあり。比丘衆の中に、不可思議の悪行するもあり、最下品の器量もあり。然れども、卑下して、道心ををこさず、非器なりといつて、学道せざるなし。

今生もし学道修行せずは、何れの生にか、器量の物となり、不病の者とならん。只、身命をかへりみず、発心修行する、学道の最要なり。

1-3

示に云、

学道の人、衣食を貪ることなかれ。人に皆、食分あり、命分あり、非分の食命を求むとも来るべからず。況んや学仏道の人には、施主の供養あり。 常乞食に比すべからず。常住物これあり。私の営にも非ず。菓蓏・乞食・信心施の三種の食、皆是れ清浄食也。其の余の、田・商・仕・工の四種は、皆、不浄邪命の食なり。出家人の食分に非ず。

 

33

[Dōgen] instructed:

Sages of the past did not necessarily have golden bones; not all of the ancients were superior vessels [of the Dharma].²⁴ If we consider [the period] after [Shakyamuni’s] death, not such a long time has passed. Thinking of [the people] when [Shakyamuni] was in the world, not everyone was endowed with natural talent. There were good people as well as bad people. Among the monks, there were some who did incredibly evil things, while others had the lowest of capabilities. However, none of them demeaned themselves by failing to arouse the mind of awakening; none avoided studying the Way, thinking they were not vessels [of the Dharma].²⁵

If you do not study and practice the Way in this present lifetime, in which lifetime will you become a person of [exceptional] capability or a person without sickness? Simply, do not be concerned with your corporeal life, arouse the mind of awakening, and practice. This is what is most essential in studying the Way.

1-3

[Dōgen] instructed:

Students of the Way, do not be greedy for food and clothing.²⁶ Each person has an allotted share of food and life. Even if you seek after more than your share, it will never come [to you]. Moreover, for those who study the Buddha Way, there are offerings from benefactors. This cannot be compared with daily begging.²⁷ There are provisions that belong to the monastery. These are not [the result] of personal activity. Fruits and berries [from the wild], food received through begging, and offerings from faithful believers are the three kinds of pure food. The four occupations of farming, commerce, military service, and craftsmanship all [result in] food of impure wrong livelihood.²⁸ These are not the types of food for [monks] who have left home.

34

昔一人の僧ありき。死して冥界に行きしに、閻王の云、此人、命分未尽、帰すべし、と云しに、有る冥官の云、命分ありといへども、食分既に尽ぬ、王の云、荷葉を食せしむべし、と。然より蘇りて後は、人中の食物、食することを得ず、只荷葉を食して残命をたもつ。

然れば、出家人は、学仏の力によりて、食分も尽くべからず。白毫の一相、二十年の遺恩、歴劫に受用すとも、尽くべきに非ず。行道を専にし、衣食を求むべきにあらざるなり。

身躰血肉だにも、よくもてば、心も随て好くなると、医法等に見ること多し。況や学道の人、持戒梵行にして、仏祖の行履に、まかせて、身儀をおさむれば、心地も、随て整なり。

学道の人、言を出さんとせん時は、三度顧て、自利利他の為に、利あるべければ、是を言ふべし。利なからん時は、止べし。如是、一度には、しがたし。心に懸て漸々に習べき也。

1-4

雑話の次、示に云、

35

In ancient times there was a certain monk. When he [the monk] died and went to the underworld, King Yama said, “This person’s allotted life has not yet been exhausted. Let him return.” One of the officers of the world of the dead then said, “Although he has allotted life remaining, his allotted food has already been consumed.” The king said, “Then let him eat lotus leaves.” After the monk was brought back to life, he could not eat ordinary food in the human realm, and he maintained his remaining life eating only lotus leaves.²⁹

Therefore, because of the power of studying the Buddha Way, the food allotted to home-leavers will not be exhausted. The single whorl of white hair [on the forehead of the Buddha] and the blessing of the Buddha leaving us twenty years of his life will never be exhausted, even if we continue to receive it for numberless eons.³⁰ Devote yourself only to the practice of the Way, and do not seek after food and clothing.

We often read in books on medicine that only when the body, blood, and flesh are well maintained will the mind also be healthy. All the more will people who practice the Way, keep the precepts, uphold the pure practices,³¹ and entrust themselves to the activities of the buddhas and ancestors have their minds likewise harmonized.

Students of the Way, when you want to say something, reflect on it three times. If it is beneficial to both yourself and others, then say it. If it is not beneficial, remain silent. This is difficult to achieve immediately. Keep this in mind and gradually put it into practice.

1-4

On one occasion [when Dōgen was speaking] on miscellaneous topics, he instructed:

Students of the Way, do not be concerned about food and clothing.

36

学道の人、衣食に労することなかれ。

此国は、辺地小国なりといへども、昔も今も、顕密二道に、名を得、後代にも人に知れたる人いまだ一人も、衣食に饒なりと云ことを聞かず。皆な貧を忍び、他事をわすれて、一向、その道を好む時、其の名をも得也。況や学道の人は、世度を捨て、わしらず。何としてか饒なるべき。

大宋国の叢林には、末代なりといへども、学道の人、千万人の中に、或は遠方より来り、或は郷土より出で来るも、多分皆貧なり。しかれども愁とせず、只悟道の未だしきことを愁て、或は楼上、若は閣下に、考妣を喪せるが如くにして、道を思ふなり。

親り見しは、西川の僧、遠方より来し故に、所持物なし。纔に墨二三箇の、直、両三百、此の国の両三十に、あたれるをもて、唐土の紙の、下品なるは、きはめて弱を買取り、或は襖或は袴に作て着れば、起居に壊るるをとして、あさましきをも、顧りみず、愁ず。人、自郷里にかへりて、道具装束せよ、と言を聞て、郷里遠方なり。路次の間に光陰を虚くして、学道の時を失ん、ことを愁て、更に寒を愁ずして、学道せしなり。然れば、大国には、よき人も出来るなり。

伝え聞く、雪峰山開山の時は、寺貧にして或は絶烟、或は緑豆飯をむして、食して日を送て学道せしかども、一千五百人の僧、常に絶えざりけり。昔の人もかくのごとし、今も又如此なるべし。

 

37

Although this country is small and remote [from the Buddha’s country], among those who are famous in the ways of the exoteric and esoteric teachings³² and are known to later generations, whether in the past and present, I have never heard of even one among them who had abundant food and clothing. All of them became well known because they endured poverty, were not concerned about other things, and devoted themselves completely to this Way. Moreover, people studying the Way abandon their occupations in society and never seek after [fame and profit]. How could they possibly become wealthy?

Although we are in the final age [of Dharma], in the monasteries in great Song China, there are thousands and thousands of people who are studying the Way. There are some who have come from remote districts or left their home provinces. Most of them are poor. However, they never worry about [food and clothing]. Their only concern is that they have not yet attained realization of the Way. Whether sitting in a lofty tower or in a magnificent hall, they think of the Way [with the seriousness] of having lost their father and mother.

I personally met a monk from Sichuan who had no possessions because he had come from a remote district.³³ All he had was two or three pieces of ink stick. They cost about two or three hundred wen in China, which is about twenty or thirty mon in this country. He sold them, bought some low-quality Chinese paper that was very fragile, made an upper and lower robe with it, and put them on. Although when he stood up or sat down, his robe tore and made strange noises, he never paid any attention to it and was not bothered. Someone said to him, “You should go back to your hometown and bring some personal belongings and clothing.” He replied, “My hometown is far away. I do not want to waste time on the road and lose time [I could spend] practicing the Way.” He practiced the Way without any concern for the cold. This is why many good monks have appeared in China.

I have heard that at the time of the founding of the monastery on Mt. Xuefeng, the temple was so poor they sometimes [had no food to cook such that] no smoke came out [of the kitchen chimney], and sometimes they had to eat weedy legumes steamed with rice.³⁴ They lived such a poor life while practicing the Way, yet they always had fifteen hundred monks. People in ancient times practiced in such a way. Today we should also be like this.

 

38

僧の損ずる事は、多く富家よりをこれり。如来在世に、調達が嫉妬を起ししことも、日に五百車の供養より起れり。只、自を損ずることのみに非ず。又他をしても悪を作さしめし因縁なり。真の学道の人、なにとしてか富家なるべき。直饒浄信の供養も、多くつもらば、恩の思を作して、報を思ふべし。

此国の人は、又我がために、利を思ひて、施を至す。笑て向へる者に、能くあたる、定れる道理也。他の心に随んとせば、是学道の礙なるべし。只飢を忍び、寒を忍びて、一向に学道すべき也。

1-5

一日、示云、

古人云、聞くべし、見るべし。又云、へずんば、見るべし、みずんば、きくべし。言は、きかんよりは、見るべし。見んよりは、ふべし。いまだへずんば、見るべし。いまだみずんば、聞べしと也。

又、云、

学道の用心、本執を放下すべし。身の威儀を改むれば、心も随て転ずる也。先律儀の戒行を守らば、心も随て改るべき也。宋土には、俗人等の、常の習に、父母の孝養の為に、宗廟にして、各集会して、泣まねをするほどに、終には実に泣なり。学道の人も、はじめ道心なくとも、只強て道を好み学せば、終には真の道心も、をこるべきなり。

 

39

The degeneration of monks is often caused by lives of wealth. In the time of the Tathāgata, Devadatta became jealous once he began receiving daily offerings of five hundred cartloads of provisions [from King Ajātaśatru].³⁵ Not only was wealth harmful to him, but it caused other people to commit evil deeds as well. How can people who truly study the Way become wealthy? Even if a person makes an offering with pure faith, if the offering is especially large, we see it as a debt of kindness and want to repay it.

Also, people in this country make donations expecting some profit for themselves. It is an unchanging principle that people give more to those who approach with a flattering smile. If we do the same in order to curry favor with others, it will surely become an obstacle to our practice of the Way. Just endure hunger, bear the cold, and devote yourselves completely to the practice of the Way.

1-5

One day [Dōgen] instructed:

An ancient said, “You must listen; you must see.” He also said, “If you have not experienced, you must look. If you have not seen, you must listen.” He meant that we should see rather than listen, and that we should experience rather than see. If we have not experienced, we should see. If we have not seen, we should listen.

[Dōgen] also said:

When practicing the Way, we must be cautious of our deep-rooted attachments and cast them aside. If you change your physical behavior, your mind will change as well.³⁶ First of all, if you maintain activities according to the precepts based on moral codes and forms, then your mind will also be transformed.³⁷ In Song China, there is a custom among laypeople. They gather at their ancestral shrine and pretend to cry in order to demonstrate their filial piety toward their fathers and mothers. Eventually, they actually do cry. Students of the Way should do the same. Even if you do not have the mind of awakening in the beginning, if you compel yourself to choose to practice the Buddha Way wholeheartedly, eventually you will arouse the true mind of awakening.³⁸

 

40

初心の学道の人は、只、衆に随て、行道すべき也。修行の心故実等を、学し知らんと、思ふことなかれ。用心故実等も、只一人、山にも入り、市にも隠れて、行ぜん時、錯なく、よく知りたらば、よしと云ふ事也。衆に随て行ぜば、道を得べきなり。譬ば舟に乗りて行には、故実を知らず、ゆく様を知らざれども、よき船師にまかせて行けば、知りたるも、知ざるも、彼岸に到るが如し。善知識に随て、衆と共に行て、私なければ、自然に道人なり。

学道の人、若し悟を得ても、今は至極と思て、行道を罷ことなかれ。道は無窮なり。さとりても、猶行道すべし。良遂座主、麻谷に参し、因縁を思ふべし。

1-6

示云、

学道の人は後日を待て、行道せんと思ふことなかれ。只今日今時を過ごさずして、日々時々を勤むべき也。爰に、ある在家人、長病あり。去年の春の比、相契て云く、当時の病、療治して、妻子を捨て、寺の辺に庵室を構へて、一月両度の布薩に逢、日々の行道、法門談義を見聞して、随分に戒行を守りて、生涯を送らんと云しに、其後、種々に療治すれば、少しき減気在りしかども、又増気在りて、日月空く過して、今年正月より、俄に大事になりて、苦痛次第に責る呈に、思ひきりて日比支度する庵室の具足、運びて造る呈の隙もなく、苦痛逼呈に、先づ人の庵室を借りて移り居て、纔に一両月に死去しぬ。前夜菩薩戒受、三宝に帰して、臨終よくて終りたれば、在家にて狂乱して、妻子に愛を発して、死なんよりは、尋常なれども、去年思よりたりし時、在家を離て寺に近づきて、僧に馴れて一年行道して終りたらば勝れたらましと、存るにつけても、仏道修行は、後日を待つまじきと、覚るなり。

 

41

Beginners in the Way should simply practice [the Way] following the other members of the sangha. Do not seek to study in order to gain [extensive] knowledge of the essential points and ancient practices.³⁹ When you enter the mountains alone or seclude yourself in a city to practice, it is good to understand the essential points and ancient practices without misinterpretation. If you practice following other practitioners, you will be able to attain the Way. For example, when it comes to sailing a ship, if you do not know the ancient practices [of sailing], or even if you do not know how to steer or how the boat sails, if you entrust everything to good sailors, whether you understand or not, you will reach the other shore. Only if you follow a good teacher⁴⁰ and practice with fellow practitioners without harboring personal views will you naturally become a person of the Way.

Students of the Way! Even if you have attained realization, do not think that you have reached the pinnacle and stop practicing. The Way is infinite. Even if you have attained realization, continue to practice the Way. Remember the story of Liangsui who visited Zen Master Magu.⁴¹

1-6

[Dōgen] instructed:

Students of the Way! We should not think that we will practice the Way on another day. Do not just spend this day or moment in vain; simply practice diligently day by day, moment by moment. A certain layperson had been sick for a long time. In the spring of last year, he pledged himself to me, saying, “As soon as I have recovered from the sickness I have now, I will renounce my wife and children and build a hermitage near the temple. I will join the repentance ceremony⁴² both times each month. I will practice daily and listen to your lectures on the Dharma. I would like to spend as much of the rest of my life as possible keeping the precepts.” After that, he received various medical treatments and recovered a little bit. But then he relapsed and spent his days in vain. In January of this year, his condition suddenly became critical, and he suffered from increasing pain. Because he did not have enough time to bring the furnishings he had been preparing, nor to build the hermitage, he borrowed someone else’s hut to stay in temporarily. Within a month or so, however, he died. The night before [he died], he received the bodhisattva precepts and took refuge in the Three Treasures.⁴³ He was peaceful on his deathbed. It was better than staying at home and dying in a frenzy, clinging to the bonds of affection for his wife and children. However, I think it would have been better for him if he had left home last year when he had first made up his mind, had lived close to this temple, had become familiar with the sangha, and had ended his life practicing the Way. Considering this case, I feel that we must not defer the practice of the Buddha Way to another day.

 

42

身の病者なれば、病を治して後に、好く修行せんと思はば、無道心の致す処也。四大和合の身、誰か病なからん。古人必しも、金骨に非ず。只、志の到りなれば、他事を忘れて行ずる也。大事身に来れば、小事は覚えぬ也。仏道を大事と思て、一生に窮と思ふて、日々時々を空く過さじと思ふべき也。

古人の云、光陰莫虚度。若此の病を治んと営む呈に除ずして、増気して、苦痛弥逼る時は、痛の軽かりし時、行道せでと思ふなり。然れば痛を受けては、重くならざる前にと思ひ、重くなりては、死せざる前きにと思ふべき也。病を治するに除をるもあり。治するに増ずるもあり。又治ざるに除くもあり、治せざれば増ずるもあり。これ能々思ひ入るべき也。

又行道の居所等を支度し、衣鉢等を調へて、後に行んと思ふことなかれ。貧窮の人、世をわしらざれ。衣鉢の資具乏して、死期日々に近づくは、具足を待て、処を待ちて行道せんと、思ふ呈に、一生空く過すべきをや。只衣鉢等なくんば、在家も仏道は、行ずるぞかしと思ふて、行ずべき也。また衣鉢等は、ただあるべき僧躰の荘なり。実の仏道は、其もよらず、得来らば、あるに任すべし。あながちに求ことなかれ。ありぬべきをもたじと思ふべからず。わざと死せんと思て、治せざるも、亦外道の見也。仏道には、命を惜むことなかれ。命を惜まざることなかれ、と云也。より来らば、灸治一所瀉薬一種なんど、用いんことは、行道の礙ともならず。行道を指置て、病を先とし、後に修行せんと思ふは礙也。

 

43

If we think that because we are physically sick we will practice better only after we have recovered from sickness, it only shows that we lack the mind of awakening. Because this body is a collection of the four gross elements,⁴⁴ who will not become sick? The ancients did not necessarily have golden bones. Only because their aspiration was sufficiently strong could they practice, setting other things aside. We forget trivial matters when an important matter comes up. We must consider the Buddha Way to be the vital matter and be determined to investigate it thoroughly in this lifetime, not wasting even a single day or hour.

An ancient once said, “Do not spend your days and nights in vain.”⁴⁵ If we receive medical treatments to heal a sickness, but instead of getting better the pain gradually increases, we may think that we should have practiced while the pain was still not so bad. However, when we are in pain, we should be determined [to practice] before our condition becomes critical. And when our condition has become critical, we should resolve to practice before we die. When we are sick and receive treatment, sometimes the illness passes, and sometimes it gets worse. Sometimes we recover without having any treatment, and sometimes we get worse even though we are being treated. Take this into careful consideration.

44

1-7

示云、

海中に龍門と云処あり。浪頻に作也。諸の魚、波の処を過ぐれば、必ず龍と成る也。故に龍門と云也。今は云く、彼処、浪も、他処に異ならず。水も同く、しははゆき水也。然れども、定れる不思議にて、魚此処を渡れば、必ず龍と成る也。魚の鱗も改まらず、身も同身ながら、忽に龍と成る也。衲子の儀式も、是をもて知べし。処も他所に似れども、叢林に入れば、必ず仏となり、祖となるなり。食も人と同く（喫し、衣も人と同じく）服し、飢を除き、寒を禦ぐことも、同じけれども、只頭を円にし、衣を方にして、斎粥等にすれば、忽に衲子となる也。成仏作祖も、遠く求むべからず。只叢林に入ると、入ざると也。龍門を過ると、過ざると也。

 

45

Also, we should not think that we will practice only after shelter has been arranged and robes, bowls, and so forth have been obtained.⁴⁶ If we are living in poverty, we should not run around [to make such preparations]. While waiting until robes, bowls, and other things have been obtained, can we prevent death from approaching? If we wait until furnishings are ready and our shelter has been prepared before beginning to practice, we could spend our entire lifetimes in vain. Even if we do not have robes, bowls, and so on, we should practice with the resolution that even a layperson can practice the Buddha Way. Anyway, robes, bowls, and other things are simply the ornaments of monkhood. The genuine Buddha Way does not depend on such things. If they are available, we should have them, but do not deliberately seek after them. [At the same time,] we should not consider rejecting them when we can get them. It is a non-Buddhist view to refuse medical treatments because of a desire to die intentionally. In the Buddha Way it is said, “We should not begrudge our lives; we should not fail to take care of our lives.”⁴⁷ When offered, moxibustion⁴⁸ or purgatives will not obstruct our practice of the Way. It is a hindrance to think that we must put aside our practice of the Way and put primary importance on curing our sickness, planning to practice only after we have recovered.

1-7

[Dōgen] instructed:

In the ocean there is a place called the Dragon Gate.⁴⁹ [Here] waves constantly billow. Once they have passed through the waves at this place, all fish without exception become dragons. Therefore, this place is called the Dragon Gate. Now I say, at this place the waves are not different from those in any other place, and the water is also ordinary saltwater. However, mysteriously enough, when fish pass through this place, they become dragons without fail. Although their scales do not change and their bodies stay the same, they suddenly become dragons. We should know that the way of patch-robed monks is also like this. Although it is similar to other places, if we enter a monastery, without fail we will become buddhas and ancestors. We eat meals and wear clothes just like other people; we satisfy our hunger and ward off the cold just like other people. Still, if we simply shave our heads and reveal its roundness, wear a square robe,⁵⁰ and eat gruel for breakfast and rice for lunch, we immediately become patch-robed monks. Becoming a buddha or an ancestor should not be sought elsewhere far away. [Becoming a buddha or an ancestor] depends only on whether or not we enter a monastery; [becoming a dragon] depends only on whether or not fish pass through the Dragon Gate.

46

又、云、俗の云、我れ金を売れども、人の買こと無れば也。仏祖の道も如是。道を惜むに非ず。常に与ども人の得ざる也。道を得ることは、根の利鈍には依らず。人々皆法を悟るべき也。只精進と懈怠とによりて、得道の遅速あり。進怠の不同は、志の到ると到ざると也。志の到ざることは、無常を思はざるに依なり。念々に死去す。畢竟暫くも止らず。暫くも存ぜる間、時光を虚すごすこと無れ。

倉の鼠、食に飢ゑ、田を耕す牛の、草に飽ず、と云意は、財の中に有れども、必ずしも食に飽かず。草の中に栖めども、草に飢る。人も如是。仏道の中にありながら、道に合ざるもの也。希求の心止ざれば、一生安楽ならざる也。

道者の行は、善行悪行、皆、をもはくあり。人のはかる処に非ず。昔、恵心僧都、一日庭前に、草を食する鹿を、人をして打ちをはしむ。時に人あり、問云、師、慈悲なきに似たり。 草を惜で畜生を悩す、僧都云、我れ若是を打ずんば、此鹿、人に馴て悪人に近づかん時、必ず殺されん。此故に打つ也。鹿を打は、慈悲なきに似れども、内心の道理、慈悲余れること如是。

47

Also, there is a saying in the lay world, “Although I sell gold, no one buys it.” The Way of the buddhas and ancestors is also like this. It is not that they are stingy with the Way; rather, they always offer it, but people do not accept it. Attaining the Way does not depend on whether our faculties are sharp or dull. Every one of us can realize the Dharma. Depending upon whether we are diligent or lazy, there is slowness or quickness in attaining the Way. The difference between being diligent or lazy is caused by whether our aspiration is firmly established or not. Lack of firm aspiration is caused by not considering impermanence.⁵¹ We die moment by moment. Ultimately speaking, we do not stay [alive] even for a little while. While you are alive, do not spend your time in vain.

There is a saying, “A mouse in a [sealed] granary is starved for food. An ox plowing a field does not satisfy its hunger with grass.” This means that even though it is living in the midst of abundance, [the mouse] does not necessarily eat its fill; even though it lives in the midst of grass, [the ox] is hungry for grass. People are also like this. Even though we are in the midst of the Buddha Way, we do not live in peace and joy throughout our lifetime.

48

1-8

一日、示云、

人法門を問ふ、或は修行の方法を問ことあらば、衲子須実以是答。若は他の非器を顧み、或は初心未入の人、意得べからずとて、方便不実を以て、答べからず。菩薩戒の意は、直饒小乗の器、小乗道を問とも、只、大乗を以て、答べき也。如来一期の化儀も、爾前方便の権教は、実に無益也。只、最後実教のみ、実の益ある也。然れば他の得不得をば論ぜず、只、実を以て答べき也。

若し此中の人（これ）を見ば、実徳を以て、是をうる事を得べし。仮徳を以て、是をうる事を得べし。 外相仮徳を以て是れを見るべからず。

 

49

All the deeds of people of the Way, whether these actions seem good or bad, derive from deep consideration. These actions cannot be fathomed by ordinary people. Long ago, the Director of Monks Eshin⁵² once had someone hit a deer that was eating grass in his garden to drive it away. At the time, someone said to him, “Master, it seems you do not have compassion. You begrudged the grass and tormented the animal.” The director of monks replied, “If I did not hit it, the deer would eventually become accustomed to human beings. And when it came near an evil person, it would surely be killed. This is why I had it hit.” Although it seems he did not have compassion and had the deer hit, deep in his heart he was filled with compassion in this way.

1-8

One day [Dōgen] instructed:

When someone asks about the Dharma gates⁵³ or methods of practice, patch-robed monks should without fail answer with the genuine teachings. Even if you believe that the questioner is not a vessel [of the Dharma], or is a beginner who has not yet entered [the Dharma], and that therefore the person is not capable of grasping the meaning [of your words], do not answer with expedient means that are not genuine. In the spirit of the bodhisattva precepts, even if a vessel of the Hīnayāna⁵⁴ asks about the Hīnayāna way, we should reply with [the heart] of the Mahāyāna. Among the teaching activities of the Tathāgata during his lifetime, the provisional teachings as an expedient means [, which he expounded before he began to teach the genuine teachings,] are not truly beneficial. Only the final, genuine teaching is truly beneficial.⁵⁵ Therefore, without being concerned with whether the questioner is capable of grasping it or not, we should answer only with the genuine teachings.

 

50

昔、孔子に一人有つて来帰す。孔問て云、汝、何を以てか来て我に帰する。彼の俗云、君子参内の時、是を見しに、顒々として威勢あり。依て是に帰す。孔子、弟子をして、乗物・装束・金銀・財物等を取り出て是を与き。汝、我に帰するに非ず。

又、云、

宇治の関白殿、有時、鼎殿に到て火を焼く処を見る。鼎殿見て云く、何者ぞ左右なく御所の鼎殿へ入るは、と云て、をい出されて後、さきの悪き衣服を、脱改て、顒々として取り装束して出給。時に、前の鼎殿、遥みて恐れ入てにげぬ。時に殿下装束を竿に掛られて、拝せられけり。人、是を問ふ。我、人に貴びらるるも、我徳に非ず。只、此の装束の故也。愚なる者の人を貴ぶこと如是。経教の文字等を貴ことも又如是。

古人云、言満天下無口過、行満天下亡怨悪。是則言ふべき処を言、行べき処を行ふ故也。至徳要道の言行也。世間の言行は私然を以計らい思ふ。恐らくは過のみあらん事を。衲子の言行、先証是定れり。私曲を存ずべからず。仏祖行来れる道也。

学道の人、各自己身を顧るべし。身を顧ると云は、身心何か様に持べきぞと顧べし。然るに衲子は則ち是釈子也。如来の風儀を慣べき也。身口意の威儀、皆な千仏行じ来れる作法あり。各其儀に随べし。俗猶、服、法に応じ、言、道に随べし、と云へり。 一切私を用るべからず。

51

When a person within [the Dharma] sees [the genuine teachings], he can attain this [teaching] with genuine virtue. [Those outside the Dharma] can attain it [only] with superficial virtue. We should not assess [things] based on external superficial characteristics.⁵⁶

In ancient times, a person visited Confucius to become his student. Confucius asked him, “Why do you want to be my disciple?” This worldly person replied, “Virtuous Worthy One, when I saw you going to court, you looked very dignified and powerful. Therefore, I want to become your student.” Confucius then asked [another] disciple to bring his cart, garment, gold, silver, and other treasures and gave them to the [worldly] person. [Confucius] said, “It is not me that you respect.”

[Dōgen] also said:

The emperor’s chief advisor of Uji⁵⁷ once came to the bathhouse [in the imperial court] and watched the person who was in charge of stoking the fire. The bathhouse worker saw him and said, “Who are you? Why have you come into the court bathhouse without permission?” [The chief advisor] was forced to leave. Then, he took off the shabby clothes he was wearing and changed into magnificent attire. When he appeared [again] dressed up, the worker in charge of the fire saw him from a distance, became frightened, and ran away. Then, the chief advisor put his court dress on the top of a bamboo pole and paid homage to it. Someone asked what he was doing. He replied, “I am respected by others not because of my virtue but because of my clothing.” Foolish people respect others in this way. The words and phrases in the teachings of the Buddhist scriptures are venerated in the same way.

An ancient said, “The words [of a statesman] spread all over the land, but there is not a fault on his tongue. The actions [of a statesman] govern the whole country, but there is no one who bears a grudge against him.”⁵⁸ This is because [the statesman] said what should be said and carried out what should be carried out. These are the “words and actions of ultimate virtue and the essence of the Way.”⁵⁹ In the mundane world, most people think and make judgments based on their self-centered evaluations. I am afraid there might be nothing but mistakes [in them]. The [proper] speech and deeds of patch-robed monks have been established by our predecessors. We should never hold on to our self-centered views. This is the Way the buddhas and ancestors have practiced.

52

1-9

示云、

当世学道する人、多分法を聞時、先好く領解する由を知られんと思て、答の言の好らん様を思ふほどに、聞くことは耳を過す也。詮ずる処、道心なく、吾我を存ずる故也。只須先づ我を忘れ、人の言はん事を好く聞て、後に静に案じて、難もあり不審もあらば、逐も難じ、心得たらば、逐て帰すべし。当座に領する由を呈せんとする、法を好も聞ざる也。

53

Students of the Way, each one of us should reflect on our own self. To reflect on our self means to examine how we behave with our own body and mind. Patch-robed monks are already the children of Shakyamuni. We must follow the lifestyle of the Tathāgata. There are codes of dignified conduct regarding the manner of body, speech, and thought⁶⁰ that have been carried out by a thousand buddhas. All of us should follow them. Even in the lay world, it is said, “Our clothes should be in accordance with the law; our speech should correspond with the Way.”⁶¹ We [monks] must never follow our own [ego-centered] self.

1-9

[Dōgen] instructed:

Nowadays, when those who study the Way listen to the Dharma, more than anything, they want to [give others] the impression that they understand it correctly, and thus they think about how they can reply with marvelous words. This is why what they hear goes in one ear and out the other. After all, this happens because they do not have the mind of awakening and their [ego-centered] self remains. We should simply forget our self and listen carefully to what the speaker says, then ponder it quietly later. After that, if we find faults or anything questionable, we may make a criticism on another occasion. And if we agree with [the teaching], we should return to the teacher and offer our understanding. When we try to present our understanding immediately, we are not carefully listening to the Dharma.

54

1-10

示云、

唐の太宗の時、異国より千里馬を献ず。帝是を得て喜ばずして、自思はく、直饒千里の馬なりとも、独り騎て千里に行くとも、従ふ臣下なくんば、其詮なきなり。因、魏徴を召てこれを問。徴云く、帝の心と同じ。依て彼の馬に金帛を負せて還しむ。

今は云、帝猶身の用ならぬ物をば持ずして是を還。況衲子、衣鉢の外の物、決定して無用なるか。無用の物是を貯て何かせん。俗猶一道を専にする者は、田苑荘園等を持る事を要とせず。只一切の国土の人を、百姓眷属とす。

地相法橋、子息に遺嘱するに、只道を専にはげむべし、と云へり。況や仏子は万事を捨て、専一事をたしなむべし。是、用心なり。

1-11

示云、

学道の人、参師聞法の時、能々窮て聞、重て聞て決定すべし。問べきを問はず、言ふべきを言はずして過しなば、我損なるべし。師は必ず弟子の問ふを待て発言する也。心得たる事をも、幾度も問て決定すべき也。師も弟子に能々心得たるかと問て、云ひ聞かすべき也。

55

1-10

[Dōgen] instructed:

During the reign of Taizong of the Tang dynasty, a horse that could travel thousands of miles was presented from a foreign country.⁶² The emperor was not delighted by this gift. He thought to himself, “Even if I can travel thousands of miles on this excellent horse, it is useless if no retainers follow me.” Then he summoned Wei Zheng and asked his opinion about this.⁶³ Wei Zheng replied, “I agree with you.” Because of this, [the emperor] returned the horse with a load of gold and silk on its back.

Now I say, even the emperor did not keep what was not useful to him and returned it. Furthermore, for us patch-robed monks, besides robes and a bowl, there is absolutely nothing that is useful. Why is it that we store up useless things? Even in the mundane world, those who completely devote themselves to a certain path do not think it necessary to possess property such as rice fields or manors. [Such people] consider everyone in the whole country to be their own people or family.

In his will to his son, the Dharma Bridge⁶⁴ Chisō said, “You must exclusively concentrate your efforts on the Way.” Needless to say, as children of the Buddha we should give up all other affairs and wholeheartedly devote ourselves to one thing. We must keep this in mind.

1-11

[Dōgen] instructed:

Students of the Way, when we practice with a certain teacher and listen to the Dharma, we should listen thoroughly again and again until we have attained a definitive understanding. If we spend time without asking what should be asked, or without saying what should be said, it will be our own loss. Teachers give responses to their disciples only when they are asked questions. We should ask again and again to make sure that we have a definitive understanding even about the things we have already understood. Teachers also should ask their disciples whether they have completely understood or not and give them thorough instructions.

56

1-12

示云、

道者の用心、常の人に殊なる事有り。故建仁寺の僧正在世の時、寺絶食す。有る時、一人の檀那、請じて、絹一疋施す。僧正悦て自取て懐中して、人にも持せずして、寺に返て知事に与て云く、明旦の浄粥等に作さるべし。

然に俗人のもとより、所望して云、恥がましき事有て、絹二三疋入る事あり。少々にてもあらば、給るべきよしを申す。僧正則ち先の絹を取り返して則ち与へぬ。時に此の知事の僧も、衆僧も、思ひの外に不審す。後に僧正自云く、各僻事にぞ思はるらん。然れども、我れ思くは、衆僧面々仏道の志ありて集れり。一日絶食して餓死すとも苦かるべからず。俗の世に交はれるが、指当て事闕らん苦悩を助たらんは、各々の為にも、一日の食を去て、人の苦を息たらんは、利益勝れたるべし。道者の案じ入れたる事如是。

1-13

示云、

57

1-12

[Dōgen] instructed:

On some important points, the mental attitude of a person of the Way is different from that of common people. Once while the late superintendent of monks⁶⁵ of Kennin-ji was still alive, the temple ran out of food. At the time, a patron⁶⁶ invited the superintendent of monks [to his home] and offered him a bolt of silk. The superintendent of monks rejoiced, tucked it under his kimono, and carried it back to the temple by himself, without having his attendant take it for him. He gave the silk to the temple officer in charge and told him to use it to pay for the next morning’s gruel, and so forth.

However, a certain layman made a request saying, “An unfortunate thing has happened, and I need two or three bolts of silk. If you have even a small amount, could you kindly let me have it?” The superintendent of monks immediately took back the silk [from the temple officer] and gave it [to the layman]. At the time, the officer and other monks in his assembly were puzzled by this unexpected action. Later the superintendent of monks himself said, “You may think what I did was unreasonable. However, I think that all you monks have gathered together here because of your aspiration for the Buddha Way. None of us would mind even if we run out of food or even starve to death. It is more beneficial to help people living in the lay world who are suffering right now from a lack of something they need. Even for ourselves, it is better to give up one day’s food and help others’ suffering.” Thus is the deep consideration of a person of the Way.

1-13

[Dōgen] instructed:

 

58

仏々祖々、皆本は凡夫也。凡夫の時は、必ず悪業もあり、悪心もあり、鈍もあり、癡もあり。然ども皆改ためて、知識に従がひ、教行に依しかば、皆仏祖と成りし也。今の人も然るべし。我が身、をろかなれば、鈍なれば、と卑下する事なかれ。今生に発心せずんば、何の時をか待べき。好むには必ず得べき也。

1-14

示云、

俗の帝道の故実を言に云、虚襟に非れば、忠言を入れず。言は、己見を存ぜずして、忠臣の言に随て、道理に任せて帝道を行也。

衲子の学道の故実も、又如是なるべし。若し己見を存ぜば、師の言ば耳に入らざる也。師の言ば耳に入ざれば、師の法を得ざるなり。

又只法門の異見を忘るるのみに非ず、又世事を返して、飢寒等を忘て、一向に身心を清めて聞時、親く聞にてある也。如是聞時、道理も不審も明めらるる也。真実の得道と云も、従来の身心を放下して、只直下に他に随ひ行けば、即ち実の道人にてある也。是れ第一の故実也。

正法眼蔵随聞記　一　終

 

59

All the buddhas and ancestors were originally ordinary people. While they were ordinary people they certainly did bad things and had evil thoughts. Some of them might have been dull-witted or even fools. However, since they followed their teachers, relied on [the Buddha’s] teaching and practice, and transformed themselves, they all became buddhas and ancestors. Today’s people should also do the same. We should not disparage ourselves, thinking we are foolish or dull-witted. If we do not arouse the mind [of awakening] in this present lifetime, when can we expect to? If we are fond of [the Way], we will surely attain it.

1-14

[Dōgen] instructed:

In the lay world, there is a proverb about the way of the emperor: “Unless one’s mind is empty, it is impossible to accept loyal advice.” This saying means that without holding personal views, [the emperor] should follow the opinions of loyal ministers and carry out the way of the sovereign according to how things ought to be.

The attitude of patch-robed monks practicing the Way should be the same. If we hold on to our personal views, the words of our teacher will not enter our ears. If we do not listen to our teacher’s words, we cannot attain our teacher’s Dharma.

We should forget not only different views on the Dharma gates but worldly affairs, hunger, and cold as well. When we listen completely purified in body and mind, we can hear intimately. When we listen in this way, we will be able to clarify the truth and resolve our questions. True attainment of the Way is casting aside body and mind and following our teacher straightforwardly. If we maintain this attitude, we will be true people of the Way. This is the primary truth.

The End of the First Book of Shōbōgenzō Zuimonki