74 BUDDHADHARMA: THE PRACTITIONER'S QUARTERLY
discernment is delusion. True commitment to one’s role has no room
for thoughts like these.
Zen Master Dogen says in Instructions to the Kitchen Super-
visor: “When making a soup with ordinary greens, do not be carried
away by feelings of dislike toward them nor regard them lightly;
neither jump for joy simply because you have been given ingredients
of superior quality to make a special dish.” He reprimanded those
who would scorn a simple vegetable soup and make a full effort
only for a special feast, that is, those whose speech and attitude
depend on the people or materials involved. In the last part of the
text, concerning the Three Minds, he wrote, “Magnanimous Mind
is like a mountain, stable and impartial. Exemplifying the ocean, it is
tolerant and views everything from the broadest perspective. Having
a Magnanimous Mind means being without prejudice and refus-
ing to take sides.” To do anything that Buddhist practice requires,
happily and with concentrated devotion, without entertaining likes
or dislikes—whether it involves cleaning shit-sticks, performing an
abbess’s duties, making a simple vegetable soup, or preparing a great
feast—this can be called Magnanimous Mind.A BROCADE CANNOT BE WOVEN IN ONE COLOR
It was the day of the tea ceremony during which a jar containing a
year’s supply of tea is opened. I decided to hang a scroll on which
was written a poem by Sumita Oyama, who introduced Santoka
Taneda (1882–1940), the famous haiku poet and priest, to the world.
The poem read, “One persimmon remaining on the tree, snow on
the distant mountains.”
On entering this room, a guest reverently inspected the scroll and
then inquired, “How do you read the second line?” The characters
in that line were unaligned and one was missing. The entire workThe merciful world of the Buddha embraces all people
exactly as they are. It is a world in which people who swear
they will never be deluded, but who will soon fall into
bewilderment, are generously embraced as they are.