Shobogenzo Shoaku-Makusa 12: Masters of Our Own Fate.

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Master Dogen continues his discussion of 'doing good, not committing wrongs' by looking at the koan case of Master Dorin...


In general, the Buddha-Dharma is [always] the same, whether it is being heard for the first time under a [good] counselor, or whether it is being experienced in the state which is the ultimate effect. This is called 'correct in the beginning, correct at the end', called 'the wonderful cause and the wonderful effect', and called 'the Buddhist cause and the Buddhist effect'.


Some Zen teachers considered that the Buddhist teachings were just a direction to the truth, 'a finger pointing at the moon', and of secondary importance to the the 'moon' (practice-realisation) itself. But Master Dogen looks at this holistically here - the cause and the effect cannot be separated out in our real experience, so correct teaching about practice is essential to correct understanding and correct practice itself. The cause and effect are simultaneous when looked at from the perspective of all things happening instantaneously from moment to moment.


Cause-and-effect in Buddhism is beyond discussion of [theories] such as different maturation or equal streams; this being so, without Buddhist causes, we cannot experience the Buddhist effect. Because Dorin speaks this truth, he possesses the BuddhaDharma.


These two theories of cause-and-effect represent the views that (1) good results bring good actions and bad follows bad (a moral view), and (2) the subjective materialistic view that rather all actions result in equal results... Master Dogen indicates that the Buddhist view is different to these. The view he's talking about is the instantaneous view mentioned above, which observes that the outcome is only determined by our actions right now, the only time we can ever act or refrain from wrong action...


Even if wrong upon wrong pervade the whole Universe, and even if wrongs have swallowed the whole Dharma again and again, there is still salvation and liberation in not committing. Because the many kinds of right are right at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end, “good doing” has realized nature, form, body, energy, and so on, as they are.


... therefore we are always free of any bad situation or past wrongdoing or inclination due to our freedom to act, or refrain from wrong action, now. Buddhism does not take a deterministic view of personal karma or cause-and-effect, as has sometimes been suggested. Practicing zazen alligns us to this instantaneous view of our actions and how they need not be in automatic reaction to thoughts, feelings, memories, learned behaviours, likes/ dislikes....

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