SO TO ZEN - Shasta Abbey

The Key to the Doctrines 77to believe that all mankind is inherently endowed with thisnature. In the S‡t‡ School this nature is named honsh‡ no anjin,i.e., the peaceful mind of original (inherent) enlightenment.Since we are in a state of enlightenment from the outset, serenereflection meditation cannot be regarded as a means to achieveenlightenment.The Sh‡b‡genz‡, written by Great Master D‡gen, is avirtual treasury of ideas about meditation. According to it,serene reflection meditation is not a way leading to enlightenment,but a religious practice carried on in a state of enlightenment.This Zazen differs from the meditation practiced by theBuddha before his enlightenment. It corresponds rather to thejijuy‰ zammai (meditation which is enjoyed by oneself)practiced after the enlightenment of the Buddha. This is a kindof meditation in which one fully experiences the bliss ofenlightenment by oneself. Meditation itself, we may say, isBuddhahood. As meditation is the practice of the Buddha, thosewho engage in this practice are Buddhas. Serene reflectionmeditation which is based upon the peaceful state of mind thatarises from original enlightenment is also termed ÒWonderfulTraining.Ó We view this ÒWonderful TrainingÓ and enlightenmentas one and the same thing, declaring: ÒTraining andenlightenment are one.ÓD‡gen says of this in ÒBend‡wa,Ó ÒIt is heretical to believethat training and enlightenment are separable for, in