解説書によると、ブッダは「無我」を説いたとされる。我が無いとは、どういう意味?
別のスタイルで表現すると、こんなかんじになる。
長沙ちょうしゃ景岑けいしん禅師に、ある僧とふ。「いかにしてか山河大地を転じて自己に帰せしめん」。師いはく、「いかにしてか自己を転じて山河大地に帰せしめん」。
––– 正法眼蔵第二十五「渓声山色」
僧は「自己」を疑わない。疑いの対象は自己以外のものだ。疑いの解消は自己への帰着という形をとることになる。懐疑というやりかたは、安全な場所を確保してからやるもの。それを僧はあっさり師に見破られたというわけだ。
Gautama Buddha is said to have given a teaching of anātman, which denies the existence of ‘self’. What does it mean?
Putting the teaching in a Zen way of formulation, it will be transformed like:
Once a monk asked Changsha, a Zen master of Jingcen, “How should I turn mountains, rivers, and the earth into myself?” Changsha said, “How should you turn yourself into mountains, rivers, and the earth?”
–––Valley Sounds, Mountain Colors. Ch.25 Shobogenzo
The monk could doubt everything but his self. Resolving his doubt follows the form in which it gets a place within his realm of self. That is to say, doubt is possible only if some secure place is at hand. Master Changsha broke the monk’s security in a second.
To Yoshi: I have included Dogen’s quote from this post in my blog on ‘Zen and the five elements’ (https://elementaljapan.com/2017/10/07/zen-and-the-five-elements/), as well as putting a link to your blog site in the post. I hope that this gives more people the opportunity to read to your insightful and thought-provoking commentary. Thank-you, Jann
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Thank you, Jann! Your reference to my blog really encourages me. I’m inspired by your investigation into elements, which could have far deeper implication than most of modern people have thought.
Yoshi
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The more I delve into the elemental nature of Japan the deeper the lessons and implications become I feel. It is a journey where the connections I’ve made and experiences I’ve had are ones I never would have imagined. Your blog has added another dimension to that journey, one which I am grateful for. Thank-you Yoshi.
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