Powerful Guide to Zen Practice: Translation of the Shodoka

　　 There is the leisurely one,

　　 Walking the Tao, beyond philosophy,

　　 Not avoiding fantasy, not seeking truth.

　　 The real nature of ignorance is the Buddha-nature itself;

　　 The empty delusory body is the very body of the Dharma.

　　 When the Dharma body awakens completely,

　　 There is nothing at all.

　　 The source of our self-nature

　　 Is the Buddha of innocent truth.

　　 Mental and physical reactions come and go

　　 Like clouds in the empty sky;

　　 Greed, hatred, and ignorance appear and disappear

　　 Like bubbles on the surface of the sea.

　　 When we realize actuality,

　　 There is no distinction between mind and thing

　　 And the path to hell instantly vanishes.

　　 If this is a lie to fool the world,

　　 My tongue may be cut out forever.

　　 Once we awaken to the Tathagata-Zen,

　　 The six noble deeds and the ten thousand good actions

　　 Are already complete within us.

　　 In our dream we see the six levels of illusion clearly;

　　 After we awaken the whole universe is empty.

　　 No bad fortune, no good fortune, no loss, no gain;

　　 Never seek such things in eternal serenity.

　　 For years the dusty mirror has gone uncleaned,

　　 Now let us polish it completely, once and for all.

　　 Who has no-thought

　　 Who is not-born

　　 If we are truly not-born,

　　 We are not un-born either.

　　 Ask a robot if this is not so.

　　 How can we realize ourselves

　　 By virtuous deeds or by seeking the Buddha

　　 Release your hold on earth, water, fire, wind;

　　 Drink and eat as you wish in eternal serenity.

　　 All things are transient and completely empty;

　　 This is the great enlightenment of the Tathagata.

　　 Transience, emptiness, and enlightenment--

　　 These are the ultimate truths of Buddhism;

　　 Keeping and teaching them is true Sangha devotion.

　　 If you don”t agree, please ask me about it.

　　 Cut out directly the root of it all,--

　　 This is the very point of the Buddha-seal.

　　 I can”t respond to any concern about leaves and branches.

　　 People do not recognize the Mani jewel.

　　 Living intimately within the Tathagata-garbha,

　　 It operates our sight, hearing, smell, taste, sensation, awareness;

　　 And all of these are empty, yet not empty.

　　 The rays shining from this perfect Mani jewel

　　 Have the form of no form at all.

　　 Clarify the five eyes and develop the five powers;

　　 This is not intellectual work,-just realize, just know.

　　 It is not difficult to see images in a mirror,

　　 But who can take hold of the moon in the water

　　 Always working alone, always walking alone,

　　 The enlightened one walks the free way of Nirvana

　　 With melody that is old and clear in spirit

　　 And natura11y elegant in style,

　　 But with body that is tough and bony,

　　 Passing unnoticed in the world.

　　 We know that Shakya”s sons and daughters

　　 Are poor in body, but not in the Tao.

　　 In their poverty, they always wear ragged clothing,

　　 But they have the jewel of no price treasured within.

　　 This jewel of no price can never be used up

　　 Though they spend it freely to help people they meet.

　　 Dharmakaya, Sambogakaya, Nirmanakaya,

　　 And the four kinds of wisdom

　　 Are all contained within.

　　 The eight kinds of emancipation and the six universal powers

　　 Are all impressed on the ground of their mind.

　　 The best student goes directly to the ultimate,

　　 The others are very learned but their faith is uncertain.

　　 Remove the dirty garments from your own mind;

　　 Why should you show off your outward striving

　　 Some may slander, some may abuse;

　　 They try to set fire to the heavens with a torch

　　 And end by merely tiring themselves out.

　　 I hear their scandal as though it were ambrosial truth;

　　 Immediately everything melts

　　 And I enter the…

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