As an inspiration for our practice, Kanho Chris offers a reflection on Eihei Dōgen's teachings and insights on reality and time.
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Dear Sangha,
Today, I would like to share some reflections on the teachings of our great ancestor. Zen master Eihei Dōgen. Particularly, I want to scrape the surface of his insights on reality and time. Dōgen's teachings are like a deep well from which we can continue to draw wisdom and inspiration for our practice. Also, we can also get lost on this journey. Between Dogen's language and wording and his many references and quotes of ancient Chinese scripture, we sometimes end up scratching our heads, quite unsure what to think.
Most of you are quite familiar with Dogen Zenji, or Eihei Dōgen (1200-1253). He was a Japanese Buddhist monk and the founder of the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan. He is best known for his work Shōbōgenzō (Treasury of the True Dharma Eye), a collection of fascicles or essays that explore various aspects of Buddhist practice and philosophy. Dōgen's teachings are characterized by their poetic depth and philosophical rigor, offering profound insights into the nature of reality and the essence of time. And what could be a better starting point than the beginning of the two essays Uji, Time-Being, and genjokoan?
GENJOKOAN
One of Dōgen's most famous fascicles is Genjōkōan (Actualizing the Fundamental Point), in which he addresses the nature of reality. He begins by stating:
"To study the Buddha Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad things. When actualized by myriad things, your body and mind as well as the bodies and minds of others drop away. No trace of realization remains, and this no-trace continues endlessly."
Dōgen invites us to see that reality is not something separate from us; it is intimately intertwined with our own experience. To truly understand reality, we must turn inward and study the self. This study, however, is not a mere intellectual exercise but a direct, experiential investigation. When we deeply investigate the self, we realize its empty nature. In forgetting the self, we become one with the myriad things, the one hundred gresses, the ten thousand dharmas, which make up our world. In Genjōkōan, Dōgen addresses the dynamic and interdependent nature of reality. One of his key insights is that each moment is a complete expression of reality. He writes:
"When one side is illuminated, the other is dark."
This statement reflects the interplay of various aspects of reality. Dōgen suggests that time is not a linear progression of moments but rather an intricate dance where each moment is both complete in itself and interconnected with all other moments. The present moment contains within it the essence of past and future, revealing the seamless nature of time.
This realization is not static but dynamic and ever-present. It is a continuous unfolding, a moment-by-moment actualization of the fundamental point of existence. In this way, Dōgen teaches us that reality is fluid, interdependent, and ever-changing. Dōgen further elaborates on the concept of "being-time" (uji) in other parts of his teachings, but its essence is present in Genjōkōan. He asserts that time and existence are not separate; instead, they are one and the same. To exist is to be time, and to be time is to exist. This perspective challenges our conventional understanding of time as a sequence of distinct moments passing by.
TIME: UJI (BEING-TIME)
An ancient buddha [Yaoshan] said:
For the time being, stand on top of the highest peak.
For the time being, proceed along the bottom of the deepest ocean.
For the time being, three heads and eight arms [of a fighting demon].
For the time being, an eight- or sixteen-foot body [of the Buddha].
For the time being, a staff or whisk.
For the time being, a pillar or lantern.
For the time being, the children of [common families] Zhang and Li.
For the time being, the earth and sky.
For the time being here means time itself is being, and all being is time. A golden sixteen-foot body is time; because it is time, there is the radiant illumination of time. Study it as the twelve hours of the present. Three heads and eight arms is time; because it is time, it is not separate from the twelve hours of the present.
Even though you do not measure the hours of the day as long or short, far or near, you still call it twelve hours. Because the signs of time’s coming and going are obvious, people do not doubt it. Although they do not doubt it, they do not understand it.
Dōgen's exploration of time is perhaps most famously articulated in his fascicle Uji (Being-Time). In Uji, Dōgen introduces the concept of "uji," which can be translated as "being-time." This essay encapsulates the idea that time and existence are not separate entities but are inherently interconnected. Here, he presents a radical rethinking of time, suggesting that time and being are not separate entities but are deeply interconnected:
"Time itself is being, and all being is time. A golden sixteen-foot body is time; because it is time, there is the radiance of time. We should learn that because it is time, it is not separate from time."
This statement suggests that every moment of time is a complete manifestation of existence. Time is not something that flows independently of beings; rather, every being is a manifestation of time. Each moment is a full expression of reality, embodying the totality of existence. In Dōgen's view, every moment is complete in itself. And each moment is a manifestation of being-time. This means that our existence is not something that unfolds in time but is time itself. Past, present, and future are not linear segments but are all part of the present moment's complete reality.
This teaching challenges our conventional understanding of time as a sequence of events. Instead, Dōgen invites us to see time as the dynamic unfolding of being. Each moment is whole and contains all moments within it. By fully immersing ourselves in each moment, we actualize our true nature and realize the timeless essence of our being.
Non-Linear Time
One of Dōgen’s most radical departures from conventional thought is his rejection of the linear conception of time. In the modern world, we often think of time as a straight line moving from the past through the present to the future. Dōgen, however, presents a different view:
"The way the self arrays itself is the form of the entire world. See each thing in this entire world as a moment of time."
I'll repeat this point, because it doesn't fit so well into our cause and effect thinking: According to Dōgen, each thing, each being, and each moment is an embodiment of time. This perspective invites us to see that time is not a series of disconnected points but a dynamic, interdependent reality. Every moment contains within it all other moments, past, present, and future. In this view, each moment is both unique and complete in itself and also being intrinsically linked to every other moment. This means that our actions in the present moment resonate throughout time, affecting the past and future. This interconnectedness challenges us to live each moment fully, recognizing that it is a complete expression of our being.
Dōgen emphasizes the interdependence of all moments in his teaching. Real existence is only this exact moment, all moments of being-time are the whole of time, and all existent things and all existent phenomena are time.
BEYOND SPACE AND TIME
The distance from here to there is no longer concrete. A meditator walks on the top of a high mountain and swims deep in the ocean, not only becoming an awakened one but also identifying with a fighting spirit. A person who bows becomes one with the person who is bowed to.
Sizes become free of sizes. The depth of a dewdrop is the height of the moon. The entire world is found in a minute particle. Extremely large becomes extremely small, and vice versa. Here is another view of reality distinct from our usual way of seeing.
It is not that duality stops existing or functioning; the small is still small and the large is still large. The body remains the body and the mind remains the mind. Without discerning the differences between things, we could not conduct even the simplest task of our daily lives. And yet, in meditation the distinctions seem to dissolve and lose their usual significance. Dogen calls this kind of nondualistic experience nirvana, which exists at each moment of meditation.
Dogen is perhaps the only Zen master in the ancient world who elucidated in detail the paradox of time. For him, time is not separate from existence: time is being.
Certainly, there is the passage of time marked by the movement of the sun or the clock that always manifests in one direction, from the past, to the present, to the future. On the other hand, in some cases we feel that time flies, and in other cases it moves slowly or almost stands still.
In meditation, according to Dogen, time is multidirectional: Yester#day flows into today, and today flows into yesterday; today flows into tomorrow, and tomorrow flows into today. Today also flows into today. Time flies, yet it does not fly away. This moment, which is inclusive of all times, is timeless.
Further, time is not apart from the one who experiences it: time is the self.21 Time flows in “I,” and “I” makes the time flow. It is selfless “I” that makes time full and complete.
Practice: Embracing Reality and Time
How can we bring Dōgen's teachings into our practice? Here are a few reflections:
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Zazen (Seated Meditation): In zazen, we sit and simply be. We allow ourselves to experience the fullness of each moment, letting go of attachments to past and future. This practice helps us embody Dōgen's teaching of being-time, where each moment of sitting is complete and whole.
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Mindfulness in Daily Life: As we go about our daily activities, we can bring mindful awareness to each task, no matter how mundane. By fully engaging in what we are doing, we can experience the interconnectedness of all things and the fluid nature of reality.
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Embracing Impermanence: Dōgen's teachings remind us that everything is constantly changing. By embracing impermanence, we can let go of clinging and aversion, opening ourselves to the flow of life with grace and equanimity.
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Deep Inquiry: Just as Dōgen encourages us to study the self, we can engage in deep inquiry into our own nature. Who or what are we beyond our thoughts and feelings? What is the true nature of our existence? This inquiry can lead us to profound insight and transformation.
Dōgen's teachings on reality and time are not merely philosophical concepts; they are invitations to a lived experience of awakening. By deeply engaging with these teachings, we can transform our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. We can come to see that we are not separate from reality but are an integral part of its continuous unfolding. Each moment is an opportunity to actualize our true nature and realize the boundless, timeless essence of our being.
