The Essential Art of Zazen

Dogen, the transmitter of the Soto Zen lineage to Japan, entered the following koan to express and explore shikantaza:

Once when the great master Yueshan was sitting, a monk said, “Thinking in mountain-still sitting is what?”

The master responded, “Thinking is not-thinking.”

The monk said, “Not-thinking is how thinking.”

The master responded, “Thinking ‘no’.”

Above is The Healing Point of Zazen’s preface and prime topic. In what follows, Dogen illuminates numerous facets of the above koan, playfully demonstrating what zazen. Rather than pointing to a passive just-sitting-silent-illumination approach (as most modern interpreters one-sidedly insist), Dogen emphasizes multifaceted verification, also known as self-enjoyment samadhi.

When all is said and done, Dogen seems intent on telling the whole truth – and having fun doing it. This is also known as kensho-ing. Here’s how his commentary begins:

Verifying that such are the words (the above koan) of the great master, we study mountain-still sitting, we participate in the correct transmission of mountain-still sitting.

How can one verify the words of the master?

Certainly Dogen is not suggesting that we verify the words as being historically authentic (i.e., that they really are Yueshan’s words), because this would have little power for living out liberation.

Then what does Dogen mean?

Take up the line as koan and you’ll find yourself participating in the buddha way. How? The Harada-Yasutani koan system has the same koan (although not presented with exactly the same words):

Who is the master hearing that sound?

In Healing Point context the koan might be stated like this: Who is the master hearing such words? Respond fittingly to this koan and you will be mountain-still sitting. To hear who is the master is to verify the words and study together with Yueshan, Dogen and all the great teachers, entangling your eyebrows with theirs, as Mumon put it.

So who is the master hearing such words?

This is the investigation of mountain-still sitting transmitted in the way of the buddha.