audience. The merit of even that insincere wearing of the propelled her in monk’s robe future lives to become a nun, and then an arhat. Dogen also tells this part of the story in the Dogen continues the story here, relating how she, now a nun, visited Bendowa. still attractive women in their homes to persuade them to take ordination as a nun. By telling this story, Dogen added great support to his argument that home leaving produces much merit; but he also added support to the idea of women leaving home attaining the Way. Given the context provided by theses other passages in the what Shukke kudoku, can we make of the two in the sacred writings there is talk of becoming a lines “Although buddha in a female body (nyoshin that too is not an authentic transmission. jōbutsu), What the buddhas and [Chan] ancestors authentically transmit (busso is shōden suru) becoming a buddha as a home-leaver (shukke jōbutsu).” First, the two lines are not clearly related linearly. Is Dogen saying that nuns like his own successful disciple Ryonen may and do become buddhas, because they are not really in the body of a woman? Dogen in this and some other essays shows himself to be at odds—shockingly-- with Song dynasty Chan in the matter of recognizing awakening in lay people. Perhaps he means to say that lay women, like the dragon girl, must change their bodies before becoming buddhas, but not nuns. Or perhaps the passage is about the dragon girl story in the In other Lotus Sutra. essays Dogen expresses his reverence for the even saying that it Junikanon Lotus Sutra, is the only sutra that expresses the truth; all others are (hoben). “skillful means” However, the subitist interpretation of the story may not have seemed right to Dogen once he focused on monastic training. Perhaps he merely wanted to express that
audience. The merit of even that insincere wearing of the monk’s robe propelled her in future lives to become a nun, and then an arhat. Dogen also tells this part of the story in the Bendowa. Dogen continues the story here, relating how she, now a nun, visited still attractive women in their homes to persuade them to take ordination as a nun. By telling this story, Dogen added great support to his argument that home leaving produces much merit; but he also added support to the idea of women leaving home attaining the Way. Given the context provided by theses other passages in the Shukke kudoku, what can we make of the two lines “Although in the sacred writings there is talk of becoming a buddha in a female body (nyoshin jōbutsu), that too is not an authentic transmission. What the buddhas and [Chan] ancestors authentically transmit (busso shōden suru) is becoming a buddha as a home-leaver (shukke jōbutsu).” First, the two lines are not clearly related linearly. Is Dogen saying that nuns like his own successful disciple Ryonen may and do become buddhas, because they are not really in the body of a woman? Dogen in this and some other essays shows himself to be at odds—shockingly-- with Song dynasty Chan in the matter of recognizing awakening in lay people. Perhaps he means to say that lay women, like the dragon girl, must change their bodies before becoming buddhas, but not nuns. Or perhaps the passage is about the dragon girl story in the Lotus Sutra. In other Junikanon essays Dogen expresses his reverence for the Lotus Sutra, even saying that it is the only sutra that expresses the truth; all others are “skillful means” (hoben). However, the subitist interpretation of the story may not have seemed right to Dogen once he focused on monastic training. Perhaps he merely wanted to express that