The moon reflected in a mind clear as still water even the waves, breaking are reflecting its light.
*Dogen
I call Dogen, who lived in Japan in the 1200s, the Elvis Presley of Zen Buddhism. The King of Zen Buddhism. Likely, most Zen Buddhists would agree - really, likely all. Below Buddha himself, just below on Soto Zen Mt. Rushmore, is Dogen's image. Research some, and you will see why.
I would rate this as likely the biggest misunderstanding among potential meditators and many who do the practice - or try (possibly, all anyone can do is try, including all the Dogens out there) - "Meditation is clearing the mind of thoughts. I'm to sit with a blank mind. That's samadhi. That's meditation." No, it is not. It is impossible. What is wrong with thoughts, anyway?
Dogen steps forth and says...
The moon [symbol of spiritual awakening, wakefulness] reflected in a mind [heart, heart-mind, spirit] clear as still water
Every meditator likely has these times. Relaxed. Calm. You feel like, "Wow! I could sit here forever!" Truth shines there. Love, peace, joy, ... One may think, "Nirvana!" "Bliss!" "I'm enlightened!" Of course, thinking such thoughts is thinking, is thoughts - see? No escape - see?
*Some claim to go into a thoughtless state: if so, and I doubt it, that is not meditation or beyond it. That is a blank void state. Deep, dreamless sleep is not meditation. In a void state, no light shining. No need to go there, even if you could. "States" change, the "moon" does not. The "moon" is not a void; it is a fullness, and that is why it reflects on whatever moves.
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Dogen, then, may surprise many still water chasers -
even the waves, breaking are reflecting its light.
All phenomena, including thoughts, even a million of them, reflect the same moon as the still pond. The moon is mirrored in the sewer and the sauna equally. Spirit is equally at the church and the brothel and the ice cream parlor. That is a challenge to our ego - right? We may want the moon only at places that fit our idea of God, righteousness, goodness, decency, or enlightenment. "Well, I'm wanting to think only holy thoughts." Well, good luck with that!
So, Dogen is saying that enlightenment - or whatever – has nothing to do with getting rid of thoughts, even a boisterous torrent of them running through your neural superhighways during your whole meditation time. Even thoughts you consider wrong, bad, or evil.
The key is your relationship to thoughts. Watch, gently. Let the river flow with whatever flows with it. Keep sitting on the bank and paying attention. If you jump into the river to drown thoughts, you empower them. Just seeing or seeing and letting go, either. No aggression. No judging good or bad, right or wrong. Watching does not mean you cannot let go of thoughts, but do not push them away. If you are being mean to your thoughts, you are being mean to yourself.
Every thought is the dance of Life - the river. Thought is thought like your big toe is a big toe. Your big toe reflects the moon, regardless of how dirty, sweaty, and stinky. All of you does, even when dirty, sweaty, and stinky. Your birth certificate and used toilet paper are mirrors of one light. Wonderful!
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Entrust yourself to your meditation, whatever it appears to be. Give yourself to it, and it will give itself to you.
Ryokan -
To find the Buddhist Law [i.e., teaching, wisdom, truth; reality], drift east and west, come and go, Entrusting yourself to the waves.
*John Stevens. One Robe, One Bowl: The Zen Poetry of Ryokan.
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(C) brian k. wilcox, 2025
Dogen's poem at Glasgow Zen Group, https://glasgowzengroup.com/dogens-zazen-poem/ . John Frasier. "Dogen's Zazen poem."
