Nomon Tim asks: what is practice? Is it the everyday tea and rice (or the bagels and coffee of our 21st century practice context) of the Buddha's ancestors, or is it something else? Is this it?

The sangha is invited to continue exploring these questions as part of practice.

Stream audio:

Tim's Talk Notes:

Tea and Rice: Dōgen's Teachings on Everyday Practice

It's wonderful to be here tonight with you. Thank you for coming. We'll take next Thursday off for the holidays.

Then the next in person event is the New Year's Eve ceremony. Please do sign up for that so we know how to set up the zendo at Cedarwood. And I'm not sure I put "bring cushions" on the website but please do.

And then the first Thursday of the year, January 2nd, we can meet. And until then we just continue our practice. Day by day. Moment by moment. Everyday Zen.

Dōgen was also interested in practicing with these everyday matters. Here's the opening of his fascicle from the Shogogenzo Kajō or "Everyday Activity"

In the domain of buddha ancestors, drinking tea and eating rice are everyday activity. Drinking tea and eating rice have been transmitted for a long time and are present right now. Thus, the buddha ancestors’ vital activity of drinking tea and eating rice comes to us.

Practice is everyday everything. Drinking tea and eating rice is so normal and truly everyday in Japanese life. It's a bit too bad that to us it sounds little bit "Japanese" meaning special or other than our everyday. Maybe we should retranslate this as:

In the domain of buddha ancestors, eating a bagel and drinking coffee are everyday activity. Drinking tea and eating rice have been transmitted for a long time and are present right now. Thus, the buddha ancestors’ vital activity of eating a bagel and drinking coffee comes to us.

Has a different feel to it doesn't it?

I find myself wanting to say next, "how do we infuse mindfulness and deep awareness into every moment of the day?" that would seem to be what this is saying we should "do." I remember long ago Norman saying one of the things he got curious about early in his practice was the feelings in his hands as he went through his day - that this starting becoming really fascinating to him. And the hands are miraculous aren't they? All they can do and feel and change in our situation.

But maybe it's more like re-membering the depth of every moment of existence. Rediscovering the wonder of everything. Nothing we're making happen at all. Not "a practice to do" but a reality to feel and know in our bones.

And Dōgen goes on with a Zen koan to stir us up a little and help us not take this topic as just a cliche.

Priest Daokai, who would later become abbot of Mount Dayang, asked Touzi [Toe-dz-i], “It is said that the thoughts and words of buddha ancestors are everyday tea and rice. Besides this, are there any words or phrases for teaching?”

Touzi said, “Tell me, when the emperor issues a decree in his territory, does he depend upon [ancient] Emperors Yu, Tang,Yao, or Shun?”

As Daokai was about to open his mouth, Touzi covered it with his whisk. “While you were thinking, you’ve already received thirty blows.”

Daokai was then awakened. He bowed deeply and began to leave.

Touzi said, “Wait, reverend.”

Daokai did not turn around, and Touzi said, “Have you reached the ground of no-doubt?”

Daokai covered his ears with his hands and left.

So Daokai is the student and Touzi is the teacher.

Daoki opens this dialog by stepping forward to ask question of his teacher, “It is said that the thoughts and words of buddha ancestors are everyday tea and rice. Besides this, are there any words or phrases for teaching?”

I know that our practice is everyday, every moment practice, but...what else is there? Is that really it? Is there anything else?

Maybe implying that he's not feeling complete, or satisfied by everyday practice.

I've been reading the in depth Sōtō Zen ritual manuals lately. They are truly awesome and overwhelming. First this person gets up, and turning to the right makes this kind of bow, then entering the south door of the hall with her right foot passing over the threshold, approaches the altar and makes that kind of bow. I'm not kidding you - it's an intense thicket of details. Our form is SOOO simplified in comparison - and we've simplified it even more being here at BUF. We won't go that far but it'll get a bit richer in our new space for sure.

Anyway that's the kind of stuff you do and talk about with your fellow monks at a Zen training monastery. The details of everyday practice are physical and specific and detailed. That's the everyday tea and rice of our training. There is very little time for study or discussion of the Dharma like we'd think of in our time and place.

Even in the ceremonies where the Dharma is brought up aparently for discussion, like the shuso ceremony - maybe you were here for one of ours with Raizelah or Desiree or Hannah - where the students ask a question and the shuso responds. In the Japanese original those questions and answers are all scripted in advance. The words themselves are part of the form. Everyday tea and rice.

So here's a monk not being so sure this is enough for him. "Besides this, are there any teachings?"

And the teacher responds in weird Zen story fashion with a puzzling question, “Tell me, when the emperor issues a decree in his territory, does he depend upon [ancient] Emperors Yu, Tang,Yao, or Shun?”

It turns out these names Emperors Yu, Tang,Yao, or Shun are mythical emporers of the ancient past. So when the current emporer makes a decision, does he depend on someone else's advice? Does she look to some idealized perfect source? Or does she just decided as best she can in that moment? Maybe she decided Wednesday eh?

Then this little play:

As Daokai was about to open his mouth, Touzi covered it with his whisk. “While you were thinking, you’ve already received thirty blows.”

The teacher sees the student trying to figure out a great answer. Maybe he's staring off into to space and his face tenses as he tries, tries, tries. But it's not about trying. The teacher intervenes with a physical gesture - covering his mouth with his ceremonial fly whisk - have you seen Chris and I with ours? A way of staying "no point saying that - I can already see that you're off before you even open your mouth!"

And a Zen statement that if I were Dōgen I would criticize him for - does this really need to be said? “While you were thinking, you’ve already received thirty blows.”

This is a hard part of Zen literature this use of physical punishment as a teaching - even when it seems to be a metaphor only. Touzi doesn't hit him, he says that Daoki effectively already has been corrected. You've already received 30 blows.

I was reading my colleague Domyo Burke from Portland on this bit and appreciate what she said:

Traditionally, a student receives blows when she or he does something wrong. On the other hand, in Zen we talk about aspiring to be a student “worthy of being beaten.” As we talked about a couple weeks ago, if you’re not making mistakes, you’re not really trying! So Daokai should not slink away in shame… his question is sincere, and Touzi isn’t just pointing out his error, he’s trying to point to something fresh and new for Daokai to experience.

These physical interruptions of verbal dialogues (common in koan stories) may seem rather random or inscrutable or insulting, but think of how a physical act can bring you back into your body, into your own direct experience. You’re arguing your point but then your friend comes over and gives you a hug. You’re getting all anxious about something but someone puts a cup of tea in your hands and gently instructs you to take a sip.

(from https://zenstudiespodcast.com/everyday-activity-dogen-kajo/)

This is from her wonderful Zen Studies Podcast which I do recommend.

By the way the expression everyday rice and tea is "kajo sahan" and I imagine the way it's repeated in the original sounds a like more like poetry or music. kajo sahan.....kajo sahan.....kajo sahan.....

Here's Dōgen's comment on this koan story he brought up:

From this, clearly understand that the thoughts and words of buddha ancestors are their everyday tea and rice. Ordinary coarse tea and plain rice are buddhas’ thoughts, ancestors’ phrases. Because buddha ancestors prepare tea and rice, tea and rice maintain buddha ancestors. Accordingly, they need no powers other than this tea and rice, and they have no need to use powers as buddha ancestors.

Investigate and study the expression Does he depend upon Emperors Yu, Tang,Yao, or Shun? Leap over the summit of the question "Besides this, are there any words or phrases for teaching?" Try to see whether leaping is possible or not.

Ordinary coarse tea and plain rice - the Dharma is in the ordinatry.

And is our understanding our own or do we depend on the great teachers, or emporers, of the past - or even of the present?

The answer isn't yes or no he says. It's leaping over the question. Maybe you took Raizelah's Genjo Koan class and remember her demonstrations of leaping clear!

Don't think practice is just everyday activity - that'd be too pat. And don't try to make it all special like an ancient emporer - that's reaching for something special somewhere else. It's leaping clear of ordinary and special.

Here's my friend Domyo again:

For myself, I found that wrestling with the language and imagery in Dogen’s “Kajo” helped me notice how I tend to vacillate between two mind-sets.

In the first, I think, “I’ve got this. My life, such as it is, is a pretty good blend of conscious effort and just taking care of my everyday activities. I try to be attentive most of the time, and this all I can (or should) expect.”

The second mind-set says, “I’ve just gotten lulled into thinking I’m practicing, but I’m actually on autopilot and letting the precious moments of my life slip away. I regard much of each day as ‘homely fare’ and feel disconnected from my deepest aspirations. I need to turn up the heat on my practice by engaging with Dharma-with-a-capital-D.”

My life and practice feel most vital and true when I’m not caught in either of these mind-sets – neither thinking my ordinary every life is it, nor thinking something’s lacking. Instead, it feels like eating rice and drinking tea in the manner of the Buddhas is something done right here, right now, with fresh humility.

Discussion question for triads:

what helps when you feel like your ordinary life isn't enough?

what helps you recommit to investigating your life more deeply and not living on autopilot?