Rock 1-Toe 0: But Gensha Wins The Match

DHS 148



"If you really understand yourself,
everything else
nothing but your life.
That's where the place of no yin and yang is.
...
See. Dogen Zenji says here,
'If one examines the ten thousand dharmas
with a deluded body and mind
one will suppose that one's mind and nature are permanent.
But if one practices intimately and returns to the true self
it will be clear that the ten thousand dharmas are without self.'
Always somehow this is the key.
We are so much caught up by the self, see.
Always I, mine, me.
I have a problem
I have a pain
I have a friction
I am unhappy.
Return to the true self intimately and see
ten thousand dharmas are without self.
Then what happens?
Ten thousand dharmas become your life
and that's what true self is.
Gensha says,
'The world in the ten directions—
nothing but one bright jewel.'
Chosa says, 'Ten thousand dharmas—
the world in the ten directions
is nothing but the true body.
The true human body,
that's what all ten directions are.'
What kind of awareness is that?

Gensha's ten directions are nothing but
one bright jewel.
When you really see your life
with that wisdom
everything is nothing but your life.
...

Later when Seppo was getting old
there were 1500 monks.
Being one of those hundreds of monks
what can you do?
So two years [Gensha] was there;
then he decided to go some place else.
Maybe he was thinking
'There are too many monks staying here.
Maybe it's not so great.
Better go and study somewhere else.'

Anyway, he leaves and on the way
he runs into a sharp rock and hurts his toe.
What happens?
This body and mind
body, made of four elements
which are empty,
and if it's empty
where does this pain come from?
Those who will attain in such a clear way
are a little different.
If we bang into something,
'Ouch!' that's all
or maybe we just complain
'Who put this here!'
Banging into stone,
'God damn dumb rock!!!'
Isn't it?
His reflection is something different, see.
Where does that pain come from?
Having body
empty
having nothing
where does that pain come from?
Being nothing
how come it's so painful?
Then he attained realization.
Isn't it marvelous?

To explain is easy.
You figure it out, see."

Teaching of the Great Mountain
Zen Talks By Taizen Maezumi