Monday, January 31, 2011

Study Hall - Shobogenzo

"Without practice, the buddha way cannot be attained. Without study, it remains remote...
At the very moment the aspiration for enlightenment is aroused, the entire world of phenomena arouses the aspiration for enlightenment. Although the aspiration for enlightenment seems to create conditions, it actually does not encounter conditions. The aspiration for enlightenment and conditions together hold out a single hand - a single hand held out freely, a single hand held out in the midst of all being...
Now, penetrate the ten directions within one particle of dust, but do not confine them to one particle of dust. Construct a monk's hall and a buddha hall within a single particle of dust, and construct the entire world in the monk's hall and the buddha hall. In this way the human body is constructed, and such construction comes from the human body. This is the meaning of 'The entire world of the ten directions is the true human body'...
To bow all the way to the floor and to bow standing is awesome presence in motion and stillness. Painting a decayed tree and polishing a brick of dead ash continue without stopping. Even though calendar days are short and urgent, study of the way in this manner is profound and deep" - 'Body-and-Mind Study of the Way', 'Shinjin Gakudo'.

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