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Dogen & Ecology
CITATIONS from DOGEN ZENJI'S Bodaisatta Shishobo (菩提薩埵四摂法)
BODHISATTVA'S FOUR METHODS OF GUIDANCE
from Moon in a Dewdrop, ed. by Kazuaki Tanahashi
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THE BODHISATTVA'S four methods of guidance are giving, kind
speech, beneficial action, and identity-action.
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When you leave the way to the way, you attain the way. At the
time of attaining the way, the way is always left to the way.
When treasure is left just as treasure, treasure becomes giving.
You give yourself to yourself and others to others.
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"Kind speech" means that when you see sentient beings you
arouse
the mind of compassion and offer words of loving care.
[...] You should know that kind speech arises from kind mind,
and kind mind from the seed of compassionate mind. You should
ponder the fact that kind speech is not just praising the merit
of others, it has the power to turn the destiny of a nation.
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"Beneficial action" is skillfully to benefit all classes of
sentient beings, that is to care about their distant and near
future, and to help them by using skillful means. In ancient
times, someone helped a caged tortoise, another took care of
an injured sparrow. They did not expect a reward, they were
moved to do so only for the sake of beneficial action.
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"Identity-action" means nondifference. It is nondifference from
self, nondifference from others. For example, in the human
world the Tathagata took the form of a human being. From
this we know that he did the same in other realms. [...]
With a gentle expression, practice identity-action for all people.
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Each of these four methods of guidance include all four.
Thus there are sixteen methods of guiding sentient beings.
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