The Denkoroku: The Record of the Transmission of Light was written by the Master Keizan Zenji starting in the first lunar month of 1300. The purpose of The Denkoroku: The Record of the Transmission of Light was to commemorate and remember the line of ancestors in the Zen Buddhist tradition all the way back to Shakyamuni Buddha who had received the transmission of the teachings directly from the previous patriarch and experienced enlightenment.
Keizan Zenji
Born in Fukui Prefecture in 1267, Master Zenji entered a monastery – Eiheiji – and learned from Koun Ejyo and Tettsu Gikai. He became one of the greatest of the Soto Zen Ancestors and became Chief Abbot of Shogakuji in 1321 shortly thereafter renaming the temple Shogaku-zan Sojiji which later was made one of the two primary temples in Japan for the Soto Zen Church.
Zenji wrote many works including the Sankon-Zazen-Setsu, Denkoroku and most of the religious ceremonies used in the Soto Zen Tradition.
Denkoroku
The Denkoroku records the moment when the Way was transmitted from teacher to disciple for each of the fifty two patriarchs. In each story, there is a narrative of the moment the student received the Way, short biographical information and a set of verses summarizing that particular Patriarch’s teaching.
Saint Eihei Dogen, The Fifty First Ancestor
“Dogen trained under Tendo Nyojyo. Once, during late night meditation, Nyojyo told the assembly, ‘To practice meditation is indeed to drop off body and mind!’ Upon hearing this, Dogen suddenly had a great awakening to his TRUE SELF; he arose immediately, went to the abbot’s quarters and offered incense. Nyojyo asked him, ‘Why are you making an incense offering?’ Dogen replied, ‘Body and mind have dropped off.’ Nyojyo said, ‘Body and mind have dropped off the dropping-off of body and mind.’ Dogen said, ‘This is a transitory ability; Reverend Priest, pray do not give me your Seal arbitrarily.’ Nyojyo said, ‘I am not giving you my Seal arbitrarily.’ Dogen said, ‘What is THAT which does not give the Seal arbitrarily?’ Nyojyo replied, ‘THAT which drops off mind and body.’ Dogen bowed in respect. Nyojyo said, ‘The dropping off has dropped off.’ Nyojyo’s jiisha, Kobyo (C. Huang p’ing) of Fukushu (C. Fu-chou), then said, ‘For a foreigner to find such a state is truly no trifling matter.’ Nyojyo said, ‘Among those here, how many are up to a thump on the head? Having let go and dropped off body and mind, he is mild mannered, yet how the thunder roars!’” Denkoroku: The Record of the Transmission of Light.
Eiheii Dogen’s name means ‘The Foundation of the Way’ and was born in 1200 as a ninth generation descendant of Emperor Murakami. Zen Master Dogen was credited for writing the Shobogenzo-Zuimonki and Moon in a Dewdrop. Both texts are deeply studied by Soto Zen Buddhists today and Dogen is considered one of the greatest Masters in the Zen line, along with Bodaidaruma and Makakashyo.
“The bright, shining, pure PLACE
has neither inside nor outside
So how can there possibly be
Any body or mind to drop off?”
Keizan Zenji summarizes the teaching of Eihei Dogen
Sources: The Denkoroku: The Record of the Transmission of Light – Keizan Zenji, Shasta Abbey Buddhist Monastery
 |
