Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Wild Fox Zen

Home
Buddhist
Genjokoan 8: Inadvertently Nosing Around the Self

Genjokoan 8: Inadvertently Nosing Around the Self

Last updated on: May 8, 2009 at 4:28 pm by Dosho Port

Genjokoan 8: Inadvertently Nosing Around the Self 2009-05-08T16:28:00-06:00 Dosho Port

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

First a clarification about how people in different cultures construct the self. Except for the modern individual self (a recent development in human history), most cultures have encouraged the construction a self based on one’s role and relationship with a group or community, much more than the modern emphasis on individuality in the “me” world now playing at a theatre near you.

The focus on the individual seems to be contagious. A person I supervise who grew up in Africa came to me once and said, “I always give up my breaks because I am African and we always sacrifice for the community. But today I have a headache and today I am American so I don’t care what others need, MUST HAVE MY BREAK!”

But I don’t mean to suggest that the group self is any more enlightened than the individual self. Anybody who has spent time in a Japanese monastery will probably agree that the group self is just another way of doing self with a range of advantages (not so “all about me” and a palable sense togetherness) and disadvantages (“the nail that stands up gets pounded down”).

So in Dogen’s statement, “To study the Buddha Way is to study the self,” the “self” here isn’t limited to the group self or the individual self.

Second, if we want to study the Buddha Way and tentatively take it on faith that the way to do this is to study the self, then we best be really clear about what this self is. Group self or individual self (as well big Self and little self) fall short of conveying Dogen’s meaning. There is no one size in self.

Whatever the definition, of course, self must be verified, it must be realized in order for it to have power, to make gold from dirt, to make sweet cream from muddy water.

How can the self be realized? Through wholehearted participation in the study of fixed sitting.

To aid this study, the other day I brought up this passage of Dogen defining self,

All the worlds in the ten directions are the radiance of the self. The self means the nose before your father and mother were born. The nose inadvertently in the hand of the self is called “all the ten directions.” Thus when the self appears, it is the truth unfolding.

Last night in the study group, we worked through these lines and the following reflections come from that conversation.

The self that feels small when meeting Lake Superior or the star-filled night sky is not the self that Dogen points to. It is a self separate from all worlds in the ten directions but in awe of them. A sweet moment, nevertheless.

“All the worlds…” is “You are not it but in truth it is you.” Dogen shows us the flip from upside down to rightside up that’s necessary for living Zen. It’s also called the mysterious pivot or the 10,000 dharmas advancing and practicing/verifying through the self. Koan Zen stresses this point and those doing shikantaza Zen often realize it as well … although more often it’s inadvertent and unappreciated and not culled out.

What we study is the radiance of all worlds. So Katagiri Roshi would say, “How sublime human life is!” However, this might sound kinda woo-woo so you gotta wonder were we find it. Right in our very nostrils.

The self means the nose before your father and mother were born.

Katagiri Roshi, like most Japanese, would point to his nose when saying, “This fellow, Katagiri” just like most Americans point to their chests or hearts when gesturing “I.”

So the nose represents the essence of the self – what can be pointed to. Back in 1929, before my mom and dad were born, where was this nose that I now can grasp? Maybe there was the potential for this nose or consciousness that led to this nose or the karma that led to this nose but it certainly can’t be seen or grasped or located.

The nose inadvertently in the hand of the self is called “all the ten directions.”

GS zinged this one last night. It’s about doing. It’s like the movement of Great Compassion groping at night for a pillow.

Thus when the self appears, it is the truth unfolding.

Which self? Aka, genjokoan.

Reflection and Comments (practice period participants post here):
– Inadvertently try this one at home. Take up “The nose inadvertently in the hand of the self is called all the ten directions.”
– Play
– What does your study reveal?

Uncategorized

Previous Post

May 7, 2009

Is It Okay For Zen Practitioners To Have Emotions?

Next Post

May 10, 2009 A Year of Blogging

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 August 2021 June 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 August 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 December 2016 October 2016 June 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 August 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How did Saul first offend God as king?

Select your answer to see how you score.

He took the Ark He defeated the Philistines He built an idol He offered sacrifices himself