One temple, so many temples

Dogen wrote:

..... Buddha said to Ananda, "Make Nanda an officer."

Ananda conveyed the Buddha's word to Nanda. Nanda said, "What is an officer?"

Ananda said, "That's a position of responsibility in a temple."

Nanda said, "What kind of work is it?"

Ananda said, "After the monks go out to do their begging, you sweep the garden, sprinkle the water on the grounds, collect firewood, remove cow dung, clean up, see that nothing is stolen, and close the gates and doors for the sangha. In the evening you open up the gates and clean the toilets."


This is an excerpt from "Enlightenment Unfolds -The Essential Teachings of Zen Master Dogen" * edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi and published by Shambhala Publications Inc. It is part of the chapter "Guidelines for Officers of the Eihei Monastery" on page 211.


Although this short excerpt may seem out of context presented as it is, those words really spoke to me, it is why I chose to share them with you. (I would still recommand reading the whole text which is offering much more.)

As I have been away from the zendo for some times now, I first saw my home as the temple, but realized that family and circle of friends, body and mind, my whole life and altogether the whole world, could become the temple to care for in this simple and non 'attention seeking' way.

Having let these lines sink in my heart after reading them again and again, they now often rise up at unexpected times to remind me that some 'watering' may be needed, or maintenance of the fire, that cleaning and clearing up is an ever ending job in every situation, or just that 'closing the gates' or opening them when it is appropriate is an essential practice in one's life.

A reminder also that there is no "Being" without a function, as vice versa...



* Excerpt from the back cover :

"Enlightenment Unfolds contains works written by Dogen throuhout his life, presented in chronological order, beginning with the journal from his study in China; providing a substantial selection from his masterword, Treasure of the True Dharma Eye; and concluding with his spare but eloquent death poem"

"A number of the selections appear here in English for the first time."

"Tanahashi has brought together his own translations of Dogen with those of some of the most respected Zen teachers and writers of our own day, including Reb Anderson, Edward Espe Brown, Norman Fisher, Gil Fronsdal, Blanche Hartman, Jane Hirshfield, Taigen Daniel Leighton, Alan Senauke, Katherine Thanas, Mel Weitsman, and Michael Wenger."


Hoping that this information will give you a taste for the book.
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