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Within a Dream Expressing the Dream
夢中説夢
Eihei Dogen Zenji’s Shobogenzo Muchu Setsumu
translated by Kazuaki Tanahashi and Taigen Dan Leighton
The path of all buddhas and ancestors arises before the first forms emerge; it cannot be spoken of using
conventional views. This being so, in the realm of buddha ancestors there is the active power of buddhas
going beyond buddhas. Since this realm is not a matter of the passage of time, their lives are neither long
nor short, neither quick nor slow. This cannot be judged in an ordinary manner. Thus, the dharma wheel
has been set to turn since before the first sign of forms emerged. The great merit needs no reward, and
becomes the guidepost for all ages. Within a dream this is the dream you express. Because awakening is
seen within awakening, the dream is expressed within a dream.
The place where the dream is expressed within a dream is the land and the assembly of buddha
ancestors. The buddhas’ lands and their assemblies, the ancestors’ way and their seats, are awakening
throughout awakening, and express the dream within a dream. When you meet such speech and
expressions, do not regard them as other than the buddhas’ assembly; it is buddha turning the dharma
wheel. This dharma wheel encompasses all the ten directions and the eight facets of a clear crystal, and so
the great oceans, Mt. Sumeru, the lands, and all buddhas are actualized. This is the dream expressed
within a dream, prior to all dreams.
Every dewdrop manifested in every realm is a dream. This dream is the glowing clarity of the hundred
grasses. What requires questioning is this very point. What is confusing is this very point. At this time,
there are dream grasses, grasses within, expressive grasses, and so on. When we study this, then roots,
stems, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits, as well as radiance and color are all the great dream. Do not
mistake them as merely dreamy.
However, those who do not wish to study buddha dharma believe that expressing the dream within a
dream means speaking of unreal dream grass as real, like piling delusion upon delusion. But this is not
true. When you say, “Within confusion is just confusion, “still you should follow the path in the vast sky
known as “delusion throughout delusion.” You should endeavor to investigate just this thoroughly.
The expressing of the dream within a dream is all buddhas. All buddhas are wind and rain, water and
fire. We respectfully maintain these names of buddhas, and also pay homage to those names of other
buddhas. To express the dream within a dream is the ancient buddhas; it is to ride in this treasure boat and
directly arrive in the practice place. Directly arriving in the practice place is riding in this treasure boat.
Meandering dreams and direct dreams, holding and letting go, all freely flow like gusting breezes.
The dharma wheel is just like this; turning the great dharma-wheel-world is immeasurable and
boundless. It turns even within a single particle, ebbing and flowing ceaselessly within the particle.
Accordingly, whenever such a dharma is turned, even an antagonist nods and smiles. Wherever such a
dharma is turned, it freely circulates like the flowing breezes.
Thus, the endless turning of dharma traverses the entire land. In the all-embracing world, cause and
effect are not ignored, and all buddhas are unsurpassable. Know that being present in all situations, the
guiding way of all buddhas in the amassing of expressions of dharma is boundlessly transforming. Do not
search for the limits of dharma in the past and future.
All things leave and all things arrive right here. This being so, one plants twining vines and gets
entangled in twining vines. This is the characteristic of unsurpassable enlightenment. Just as
enlightenment is limitless, sentient beings are limitless and unsurpassable. Just as cages and snares are
limitless, emancipation from them is limitless. The actualization of the fundamental point is: “I grant you
thirty blows.” This is the actualization of expressing the dream within a dream.
