Shobogenzo Maka-hannya-haramitsu 3: Found in Space!

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Master Dogen continues his reworking of, and commentary upon, the traditional prajna-paramita literature with another passage from the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra... 

 

The God Indra asks the venerable monk Subhuti, “Virtuous One! When bodhi sattva-mahasattvas want to research the profound prajna-paramita, how should they research it?”

Subhuti replies, “Kausika! When bodhisattva-mahasattvas want to research the profound prajna-paramita, they should research it as space.”. So researching prajna is space itself. Space is the research of prajna.

The God Indra subsequently addresses the Buddha, “World-Honored One! When good sons and good daughters receive and retain, read and recite, think reasonably about, and expound to others this profound prajna-paramita that you have preached, how should I guard it? My only desire, World-Honored One, is that you will show me compassion and teach me.” 

Then the venerable monk Subhuti says to the God Indra, “Kausika! Do you see something which you must guard, or not?” The God Indra says, “No, Virtuous One, I do not see anything here that I must guard.” Subhuti says, “Kausika! When good sons and good daughters abide in the profound prajna paramita as thus preached, they are just guarding it. When good sons and good daughters abide in the profound prajna-paramita as thus preached, they never stray. Remember, even if all human and nonhuman beings were looking for an opportunity to harm them, in the end it would be impossible. Kausika! If you want to guard the bodhisattvas who abide in the profound prajna paramita as thus preached, it is no different from wanting to guard space.” 

 

In the most direct sense, in the sense of our own practice of zazen, this story refers to such time in the practice of 'dropping off body and mind' when we're just sitting calmly and clearly having 'dropped off' thoughts that suggest to us that there is an 'inside' of us as opposed an 'outside', or a 'me' as opposed 'other' - at this time we experience directly that there are just things coming and going - thoughts, feelings, perceptions etc - in clear, open, unhindered space.  

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