Ango - Rev. Taigu Turlur

Ango - Rev. Taigu Turlur
Rev. Taigu talks about Ango, a special 100 day Practice Period.
This is the text quoted in the following talk. It was given at the beginning of Ango, the summer practice. I strongly recommended the reading of the book itself. Amazing translations and real inspiring collection that give a perfect glimpse of Dogen's genius.

Formal Talk on the First Day of the Practice Period, recorded by Ejo, 1245, Echizen.

(...) On the first day of the summer period he ascended the teaching seat, held up a whisk, drew a circle in the air, and said,"our practice period~peacefully dwelling~goes beyond this".
He drew another circle and said,"Peacefully dwelling is to study this thoroughly. So it is taught that the Buddha who is the King of the Empty Eon received this life vein, becoming a buddha,becoming an ancestor. The fist and the staff embody this point. They transmit Dharma and transmit the robe.
"During each summer practice period, make each moment the top of your head. Don't regard this as a beginning. Don't regard this as going beyond. Even if you see it as a beginning, kick it away. Even if you se it as going beyond, stomp on it. Then you are not bound by beginning or going beyond. How is it?"
Dogen took up the whisk, drew a circle and said: "Dwell peacefully in this nest".

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