Dogen's Shobogenzo - Komyo (光明)
Kotishka
Veteran
Dear all,
If I could summarise my last months, maybe years, I could say I've enjoyed quite a sensual and samsaric existence. For the past days I have managed to return to my meditation practice (twice a day, 30 minutes), sitting zazen. I still study / listen to Thai Forest Tradition monks and mingle it with Science and Western philosophy.
I have also started re-reading Dogen and last night after listening to Ajahn Punnadhammo's video on the Formless Realms I found the following video about the chapter Komyo from Dogen's magnus opus.
I followed Brad Warner's simplified reading while also reading Gudo Nishijima's (who by the way was Brad's teacher) and found myself quite lost. The only grasp I got from this text was that we are all Buddha's, we are all one, if you allow me this expression. This light within, isn't just a potential, it is our true nature. Many times I've spoken of violence being in our nature, but this is just a potential. This light, or so I understood, is something that goes beyond. However, I tend to attach to it values like kindness and goodness, which I sometimes think it is a very dualistic interpretation.
Anyway, I will link the video here.
Peace!
Comments
I hope you enjoyed returning to your practice, sometimes after a while away it can bring unexpected results to come back and see what has changed.
Sensuality I see as just something that exists on the boundary between the body and the mind, as long as you don’t pay it heed it is harmless.
If you ever find the light within, let me know. I rather think it is a figure of speech only.
Over the years I've listened or read a few things from Brad and connected fairly well with him. I was in other traditions at the time and have had some sort of reluctance to engage with Zen, not sure why. Anyway, I recently have watched a few videos of his and I find myself resonating with him, he's a bit older than me but he has that rebellious gen X energy that I relate to. I think if I grew my hair out and stopped shaving regularly we'd look pretty similar. I'm thinking of diving more seriously into the Zen side of things.
just sit,
just be.
the light
conscious,
is u-inverse
mind is,
nature,
heart of zen
the light
and mind is
aware.
this aware
is begining and end
of vast mind.
the vast mind is u-niverse
a bang or a fart is
the whole word
in light and consciousness
but no word is zen
just sit.
I'm reminded of this quote by D. T. Suzuki
“Zen always aims at grasping the central fact of life, which can never be brought to the dissecting table of the intellect”
Maybe this is what has kept me away from Zen, I like the philosophy of Buddhism.
Now that this is brought to mind. I can remember many years ago having a conversation with a zennie on here about certain corners of Zen that do delve more into the philosophy aspect of it all.
I have found a 5 hour podcast about this chapter done by Brad if anyone else wishes to join my quest. It is split in 5 parts. The first part is him reading a paraphrased version for those unfamiliar. It includes a commentary of the paraphrased version and why he thought it would be useful.
Good sittings to you all!
https://podcasts.apple.com/cl/search?term=brad warner komyo
Thanks for this, didn't realize or think to look that he has a podcast. Going to add it into my rotation.
I did get around to listening to his series on Shobogenzo. I didn't study it so I couldn't really retell much of it, much of it was newer sort of information. I listen while working so my relation is pretty casual. I make up for it in volume, a few hours every day and eventually stuff starts to soak in.
The main thing I did take away though was Brad himself and his approach to teaching Zen. I've kind of shied away from that path over the years as it always sort of struck me as being too clever by half in all the ways it would kind of play word games in an attempt to shock you out of "it" instead of just speaking plainly. Brad's approach was more plain spoken and honest. I think I need to read some of his books, I'll probably try emailing him and see if I can't get a suggestion on where to start. Also thinking of dropping by treeleaf to see what's up there.
Have a good time all the time!
Thank you for sharing. I will need to re-read Kōmyō today. But there is a feeling left behind. Brad recently spoke of another concept, which goes by the name “primordial ignorance.” It speaks of how our senses can also be terribly misleading—yet this system is the one we rely on as the main gate to Reality, with all its various subsystems, categories, and dimensions.
In Kōmyō, I remember feeling this brightness inherent to our nature in this realm. It is so difficult to put into words. Concepts arise, and the more I study them, the more they become neat little labels—against a growing abyss, which inevitably deepens as one gains knowledge, and hopefully wisdom as well.
What is your time zone? Maybe come and sit with us!
(European sitters)
Chasing the ox...!
US central
Doing Komyo now and I'm more engaged with this one. I'm interested in how Dogen and Zen interpret anatta. My initial understand is the Tibetan Madhyamika interpretation and the Two Truths. This seems different I think what Tibetans might call Yogacara? Its also similar to Advaita Vedanta.
More Zenith teachings for those interested...
https://www.fabriziomusacchio.com/weekend_stories/told/2025/2025-08-03-zen_states_of_mind_overview/