The 10,000 Grasses

The morning dew on the tips of the ten thousand grasses reveals the truth of all the myriad forms of this great earth. Zen Master Dogen

Each thing, each tip of grass, each dewdrop, each and every thing throughout the whole phenomenal universe contains the totality of the universe. That’s the truth of the myriad forms of this great earth. Copied from this article on Dogen’s Mountains and Rivers Suttra, commentary by the late John Daido Loori, Roshi. Bless him.

The photograph shows the West Allan Valley looking north(ish) towards the monastery. Lovely day today. It is nearly the end of a week-long retreat in the monastery with lots of guests. The merit of this post is offered to all those in extremity, in particular those preparing for surgery. The morning dew reveals the truth, the third position beyond the opposites. In the article refered to as the ‘third thing’. There is always the third thing.

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4 thoughts on “The 10,000 Grasses”

  1. I value a couple of books I have by John Daido Loori – one is Mountain Record of Zen Talks in which he explores Dogen’s work. I think he makes Dogen more accessible than some other commentators! I highly recommed this book and also Invoking Reality.

  2. Hi Rev Mugo, I was watching the procession of giant clouds down here in Cornwall this weekend and recalled doing the same at the back of the monastery.
    Best wishes, Barry.

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