Dogen’s teaching of the microcircle of the way is one’s experience of practice-enlightenment in each moment of meditation. The macrocircle of the way is one’s meditation together with all awakened ones throughout space and time. For Dogen, “Nirvana” is a nondual experience in meditation. “Intimacy” means nonseparation. As Dogen explains, continuous practice is essential for an awakened life.
On the great road of buddha ancestors there is always unsurpassable practice, continuous and sustained. It forms the circle of the way and is never cut off. Between aspiration, practice, enlightenment, and nirvana, there is not a moment’s gap; continuous practice is the circle of the way. This being so, continuous practice is undivided, not forced by you or others. The power of this continuous practice confirms you as well as others. It means your practice affects the entire earth and the entire sky in the ten directions. Although not noticed by others or by yourself, it is so.
Accordingly, by the continuous practice of all buddhas and ancestors, your practice is actualized and your great road opens up. By your continuous practice, the continuous practice of all buddhas is actualized and the great road of all buddhas opens up. Your continuous practice creates the circle of the way.
There is practice-enlightenment, which encompasses limited and unlimited life.
One time, Huineng, Old Buddha of Caoxi, asked a monk, “Do you depend upon practice and enlightenment?”
The monk replied, “It’s not that there is no practice and no enlightenment. It’s just that it’s not possible to divide them.”
This being so, know that the undividedness of practice and enlightenment is itself the buddha ancestors. It is the thunderstorm of the buddha ancestors’ samadhi.
Endeavors in practice-realization of the way are not limited to one or two kinds. The thoroughly actualized realm has one thousand kinds and ten thousand ways.
The teaching of birth and death, body and mind, as the circle of the way is actualized at once. Thoroughly practicing, thoroughly clarifying, is not forced. It is just like recognizing the shadow of deluded thought and turning the light to shine within. The clarity of clarity beyond clarity prevails in the activity of buddhas. This is totally surrendering to practice.
In awakening there are aspiration, practice, enlightenment, and nirvana. Within the dream there are aspiration, practice, enlightenment, and nirvana. Every awakening within a dream is the genuine form, without regard to large or small, superior or inferior.
Intimacy renews intimacy. Because the teaching of practice-enlightenment is the way of buddha ancestors, it is intimacy that penetrates buddha ancestors. Thus intimacy penetrates intimacy.
In a circular form the blossom is full.
In transmission of the robe there is an ancient voice.
Miraculous blossoms, thousands and myriads of petals.
Fruit will naturally emerge.
Do not be concerned with who is wise and who is stupid. Do not discriminate the sharp from the dull. To practice wholeheartedly is the true endeavor of the way. Practice-realization is not defiled with specialness; it is a matter for every day.
Sitting in the meditation posture is a forthright body, a forthright mind, a forthright body-mind, a forthright buddha ancestor, a forthright practice-realization, a forthright top of the head, and a forthright life stream.
Who says the fan and the mirror are both incomplete?
This evening we all see the whole circle.
In the ocean of a billion worlds, no moment can be measured.
The begging bowl’s mouth faces the heavens.