The Koan of Our Life.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:GNU_Free_Documentation_License,_version_1.2 Image by Georges Seguin, creative commons license. Master Dogen's approach to Buddhism has spawned a whole branch of study and scholarship, and maybe that's unavoidable, because ultimately he tried to capture in words and ideas what is difficult to explain: The essence of our life experienced directly in zazen, and in our life generally. Actually, his words are an expression of his realisation, which among other things dissolve the distinction between 'the map' or theory and 'the territory' or practice-realisation. Zen has traditionally (for cultural reasons, and institutional ones, but also for practical ones) acted as gatekeeper to the negation of concepts and ideas about who and what we are, and what the essence of Buddhism is, and that's valid to some extent - because our life isn't an idea nor a concept nor an ideology: It's not 'Dharma', nor 'budd...