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awakening through the mental concentration developed in his practice of swordsmanship. I would never deny that incredible powers of concentration are required for this and other arts. The same holds for the art of kyûdô. Focusing our entire spirit on the target requires great powers of concentration. But enlightenment does not result directly from that concentration of spirit. However, if we concentrate our spirit on something without form within us, enlightenment will result. The text speaks in terms of dhyana [concentration of spirit] and prajna [enlightened wisdom]. Nevertheless, as just mentioned, the wisdom of satori cannot appear without the power of concentration of mind. But satori awakening does not result from just any sort of concentration of the spirit. Even a master swordsman like YAMAOKA Tesshû of the Meiji Period had to practice zazen under the guidance of a Zen roshi. Thus we can be perfectly and completely endowed with dhyana and the wisdom of enlightenment. The satori which appears from concentrating our entire spirit on something without form within us is endowed with the wisdom which allows us to see the actual world. And this world does not move in the least, no matter how difficult the circumstances. For example, if we are in a life-and-death situation where death could come at any moment, it does not move at all: "With bright completeness of dhyana and prajna, I never lose my equanimity." That's easy enough to say, but no easy thing to put into practice. Kaisen Oshô of Eirinji Temple said: "Mind and body let go, even fire is cool." It is said that he uttered these words while being burned to death on the temple veranda. This originally came from a Chinese poem with the following lines: "Zazen does not always need mountains and rivers: Mind and body discarded, even fire is cool" (Tojunkaku, 6cCE). This is possible if we are truly endowed with the "bright completeness of dhyana and prajna." But I doubt that even a single person in Japan today is capable of such concentration of spirit. Even though you have the eye of satori, if you do not have the power issuing from concentration of spirit you cannot do it. Likewise, if you only have the power of concentration of spirit and have not yet grasped the truth in the wisdom of satori, you cannot do it either. It is only when both are present that it becomes possible. Some years back, we read how monks and nuns in Vietnam committed self-immolation by pouring gasoline on themselves and setting themselves on fire in protest. Such an act is only possible with the power of zazen. When Yôka Daishi says, "with bright completeness of dhyana and prajna I never lose my equanimity," he is speaking of his own world. If the sun becomes cold, and the moon hot, even a host of demons cannot shatter the truth. It's normal for the sun to be hot and the moon to be cool. The expression here is like saying, "when the river starts flowing upstream." Even in a totally abnormal state where the sun has become cold and the moon hot, and no matter 16
how many demons are present, it's not possible to destroy the true teaching. That means the preaching of the Buddha who taught the true fact. It is not the true teaching simply because the Buddha preached it; it is the true teaching because he was preaching the truth. "Demon" can be understood here as that which robs life, that which confuses our bodies and minds and cuts off the life of virtue. It is said that there are four kinds of demons, all of which act as a hindrance to accomplishing the Way. No matter what evil or demons may appear, they cannot destroy the truth which the Buddha taught. Yôka Daishi is brimming with confidence and conviction when he utters these words. He knows that, no matter what anyone says, this fact is immovable and absolute. The carriage of the elephant moves like a mountain, how can the mantis block the road? The carriage of the elephant means a huge and splendid carriage drawn by elephants. It is the Greater Vehicle. This great carriage moves majestically with the authority of a mountain. You may have seen pictures of the floats at the Gion Festival in Kyoto moving with stately calm through the crowds. This may help you create an image in your mind of what Yôka Daiji is speaking of here. In other words, the teachings of the Greater Vehicle of the Mahayana moves forward with stately majesty, not perturbed by anything. How can a tiny mantis standing on the road block the advance of that enormous and stately vehicle? There is the Chinese fable of the "Axe of the Mantis," referring to how the two forefeet of the mantis resemble an axe. The mantis flails his forefeet aggressively at anything in its path, forgetting its own tininess and puniness. That little mantis is hardly a match for the huge vehicle moving steadily down the road. We can think of the mantis as symbolizing ordinary learning or philosophy or perhaps the teachings of the Small Vehicle. Even if those teachings attempt to disturb the carriage of the elephant (i.e., Mahayana Buddhism) they cannot do so. The great elephant does not loiter on the rabbit's path, great enlightenment is not concerned with details. Earlier in this poem, Yôka Daishi declared: Cut out directly the root of it all-- This is the very point of the Buddha-seal. I can't respond to any concern about leaves and branches. Actually the cases are not few where people get caught up in details and lose sight of the main matter. If we can cut to the root source, those other smaller problems will find solutions on their own. If you want to fell a great tree, you have to cut at the roots. Then the leaves and branches will wither on their own. Nevertheless, many people concern themselves with the leaves and branches, forgetting the trunk. That's not the real way. As 17
Page 2 and 3: ― …………………………
Page 4 and 5: Opening Comments: YAMADA Ryôun Wor
Page 6 and 7: SHÔYÔROKU (Book of Equanimity) CA
Page 8 and 9: of heaven populated by beings witho
Page 10 and 11: To say it clearly and exactly, Kass
Page 12 and 13: palace made of gold, silver and jad
Page 14 and 15: view. However, to cling to the worl
Page 18 and 19: Yôka Daishi says, "The great eleph
Page 20 and 21: intrinsic nature, the true fact. In
Page 22 and 23: Thoughts of Gratitude on the 100 th
Page 24 and 25: Report on the New Zendo Site A. The
Page 26 and 27: Cleaning Action at the New Zendo Si
Page 28 and 29: 0 San’un Zendo Zazenkai Dir. by:
Page 30: Editor’s Note: We wish you, dear

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