… on whether you have the determination or not: it has nothing “It simply depends to do with being a householder or a monastic. … Song China, I never heard it said that present-day rulers and their “In Great ministers, gentry and commoners, men and women, had not fixed their hearts on the Way of the [Indian and Chinese Chan] Ancestors. Both those in the military and those in civil service were intent on seeking training in meditation and studying the Way. Among those who were intent, many undoubtedly illumined that which is the foundation of their hearts and minds.” In the Dogen mentioned two women who appear in stories who were Bendowa by their genuine faith and The first is a who came to understand “rescued trust.” “woman what the Great Way is due to her playfully dressing up in a in a previous monk’s robe In the story she is depicted as an arhat. The other, in a story from Song dynasty life.” China, is a faithful laywoman who awakened upon seeing an ignorant old monk, to whom she had brought food daily, just dumbly sitting. As Dogen stated clearly in the the requirements for practice and Bendowa, awakening are great determination, great faith and an awakened teacher. No one is excluded from possessing either faith or determination. Training, including centrally the practice of zazen, is also absolutely necessary for awakening. When Dogen wrote that [Indian and Chinese Chan] Ancestors have said in “The their it comes to realizing the Buddha Dharma, make no distinction teaching, ‘When between male and female, or between the exalted and the he transmitted lowly,’”
… “It simply depends on whether you have the determination or not: it has nothing to do with being a householder or a monastic. … “In Great Song China, I never heard it said that present-day rulers and their ministers, gentry and commoners, men and women, had not fixed their hearts on the Way of the [Indian and Chinese Chan] Ancestors. Both those in the military and those in civil service were intent on seeking training in meditation and studying the Way. Among those who were intent, many undoubtedly illumined that which is the foundation of their hearts and minds.” In the Bendowa Dogen mentioned two women who appear in stories who were “rescued by their genuine faith and trust.” The first is a “woman who came to understand what the Great Way is due to her playfully dressing up in a monk’s robe in a previous life.” In the story she is depicted as an arhat. The other, in a story from Song dynasty China, is a faithful laywoman who awakened upon seeing an ignorant old monk, to whom she had brought food daily, just dumbly sitting. As Dogen stated clearly in the Bendowa, the requirements for practice and awakening are great determination, great faith and an awakened teacher. No one is excluded from possessing either faith or determination. Training, including centrally the practice of zazen, is also absolutely necessary for awakening. When Dogen wrote that “The [Indian and Chinese Chan] Ancestors have said in their teaching, ‘When it comes to realizing the Buddha Dharma, make no distinction between male and female, or between the exalted and the lowly,’” he transmitted