Shobogenzo Shoaku-Makusa: Not Doing Wrongs

In this chapter of Shobogenzo that I'll look at for a bit, Master Dogen begins by examining this traditional Buddhist verse:

Don't do wrong, do right;

Then our minds become pure naturally;

This is the teaching of the buddhas.

 

So, this chapter is about Master Dogen's view of Buddhist conduct and morality.

It's an important point, because it seems an aspect of the human condition is that we sometimes just don't know what to do, or what the right thing to do is, or how we should be or act in the world.

We may have a lot of ideas of what the right thing to do is, and have heard different ideas about it from the media, or we may have values that we've inherited from family or society about what 'right' is. We may even have conflicting ideas about it that cause us confusion, uncertainty and angst.

Master Dogen's view of right conduct is that it is not based on ideas, nor ideals, of what 'right' is but can be directly understood via the practice of 'dropping off' ideas in zazen practice. Buddhism has a positive view of human nature in this way and observes that, when we're dropping off wrong ideas, right will tend to happen, or is already happening, and then we allign ourselves with our natural 'rightness', which is a real state of conduct and of being and not an idea.

Buddhism of course has the Precepts which are its guidelines in reasonable, non-harmful conduct, but the real matter of our conduct is not defined by even those ideas - it is substantially our actual conduct in the present moment that is the central matter. Buddhist morality then is very direct and practical and defined by our actions in the present moment, by acting according with what's happening here and now, as opposed to lofty, abstract or intellectual ideals about morality.

More to come on Shobogenzo Shoaku-Makusa.