Juki

The great Way singly transmitted by the Buddhas and Ancestors is prediction. Those who have not studied under the Buddhas and Ancestors have not even dreamt of it. The time of this prediction is such that it is bestowed even upon those who have not yet aroused the mind of bodhi. It is bestowed upon those without buddha-nature and upon those with buddha-nature. It is bestowed upon those with a body and upon those without a body. It is bestowed upon all Buddhas. All Buddhas uphold and maintain the prediction of all Buddhas. One must not study thinking that becoming a Buddha occurs after receiving prediction, nor study thinking that receiving prediction occurs after becoming a Buddha. At the time of prediction, there is becoming a Buddha; at the time of prediction, there is practice. Therefore, there is prediction for all Buddhas, and there is prediction for the Buddha beyond Buddha. There is prediction for the self; there is prediction for body and mind.

When one is thoroughly learned and accomplished in prediction, one is thoroughly learned and accomplished in the Buddha Way. There is prediction before the body, and there is prediction after the body. There is prediction known by the self, and there is prediction not known by the self. There is prediction that makes others know, and there is prediction that does not make others know. You should clearly understand that prediction actualizes the self. Prediction is precisely the actualized self. Therefore, the direct transmission from Buddha to Buddha, Ancestor to Ancestor, is nothing other than prediction. Furthermore, there is not a single dharma that is not prediction.

How much more so the mountains, rivers, and great earth, or Mount Sumeru and the vast ocean! There is not a single person, not half a person, who is not included. Prediction investigated in this way is a single phrase uttered, a single phrase heard. It is a single phrase not understood, a single phrase grasped. It is practiced, it is expressed. It instructs in stepping back, it instructs in stepping forward.

Now, attaining the sitting and donning the robe—this would not be actualized if it were not the attainment of prediction since ancient times. Because of reverent acceptance with palms joined, actualization is prediction. The Buddha said, "Although there are many kinds of prediction, briefly summarized there are eight types." That is to say, in the ninth chapter of the Yingluo Jing, there are eight kinds of prediction. First, known to oneself, unknown to others. "Known to oneself, unknown to others" means because one has aroused the mind and made vows oneself but has not yet widely reached others, has not yet attained the four fearlessnesses, and has not yet attained skillful means.

Second, known to all people, unknown to oneself. "Known to all people, unknown to oneself" means because one's arousing of the mind is vast and great, and one has attained fearlessness and skillful means. Third, known to both oneself and all people. "Known to both" means because one abides at the seventh bhumi, has fearlessness and skillful means, and has attained the contemplation of emptiness. Fourth, unknown to both oneself and all people.

"Unknown to both" means because one has not yet entered the seventh bhumi and has not yet attained the practice of non-attachment. Fifth, perceived by those nearby, not perceived by those afar. "Not perceived by those afar" refers to Maitreya. Because his faculties are fully endowed, he does not abandon the Tathagata's practice of non-attachment. Sixth, perceived by those afar, not perceived by those nearby. "Not perceived by those nearby" refers to this person who is not yet able to expound the practices of the sages; this is Shiziying. Seventh, perceived by both.

"Perceived by both near and far" means because although his faculties are fully endowed, he does not abandon the practice of non-attachment; this is the Gentle and Compliant Bodhisattva. Eighth, perceived by neither. "Perceived by neither near nor far" means because he has not yet attained skillful means and is not able to fully know the tathagatagarbha; this is the Equal Practice Bodhisattva. Another sutra also says: "Those known nearby" receive prediction from the present Buddha, like Maitreya and others.

"Those known afar" do not receive prediction from the present Buddha but receive it from the future Buddha. As when the Buddha said to the Evil Mara, "Maitreya will give you prediction." "Those known by both near and far" receive prediction from both the present and future Buddhas. "Those unknown by both near and far" receive prediction from neither the present nor future Buddhas. Such is prediction. Therefore, do not make the practical assumption that there can be no prediction unless this stinking skin-bag's spirit is recognized and measured. Do not say that prediction cannot easily be bestowed upon the face of an unawakened person.

It is commonly thought and studied that prediction should be bestowed when practice is complete and the decision to become a Buddha is made, but the Buddha Way is not like that. Sometimes hearing a single phrase from a wise teacher, or sometimes hearing a single phrase from a sutra scroll, is precisely receiving prediction. This is because it is the original practice of all Buddhas, because it is the good root of all plants.

If one were to speak of prediction, all who receive it would be ultimate people. Know that a single speck of dust is still unsurpassed, a single speck of dust is still beyond. How could prediction not be a single speck of dust? How could prediction not be a single dharma? How could prediction not be all dharmas? How could prediction not be practice and verification? How could prediction not be the Buddhas and Ancestors? How could prediction not be effort and pursuit of the Way? How could prediction not be great awakening and great delusion? Prediction is "Our school will reach you, greatly flourishing in the world." Prediction is "You are thus, I am thus." Prediction is this proclamation; prediction is "Why necessarily?" Prediction is the breaking into a smile; prediction is birth, death, coming, and going. Prediction is the entire realm of the ten directions; prediction is "throughout the whole world, never hidden."

Master Gensha, while attending Master Seppo, was walking along when Seppo pointed to the ground before them and said, "This patch of land is just right for building a seamless pagoda." Gensha asked, "How high should it be?" Seppo then looked up and down.

Gensha said, "The blessings and rewards of humans and gods are certainly not absent, but as for you, Master, receiving the prediction on Vulture Peak—you haven’t even dreamt of it yet." Seppo said, "What do you say?" Gensha replied, "Seven or eight feet." Now, when Gensha says, "You haven’t even dreamt of receiving the prediction on Vulture Peak," he does not mean that Seppo lacks the prediction from Vulture Peak, nor does he mean that Seppo possesses it. He is simply saying, "You haven’t even dreamt of receiving the prediction on Vulture Peak." The prediction on Vulture Peak is a matter of high vision.

"I have the Treasury of the True Dharma Eye, the wondrous mind of nirvana, which I entrust to Mahakashyapa." Know this: when Seigen received the prediction from Sekito, his fellow practitioner Mahakashyapa also received Seigen’s prediction, and Seigen likewise received Shakyamuni’s prediction.

Thus, it is clear that in the face-to-face transmission between each buddha and each ancestor, the entrustment of the Treasury of the True Dharma Eye is present. Therefore, when Sokei already gave the prediction to Seigen, and Seigen received the prediction from the Sixth Ancestor, this Seigen is the one who maintains and confirms the prediction. At this time, the Sixth Ancestor and all the ancestors’ practice of inquiry honestly proceeded based on Seigen’s prediction. This is what is called "clearly on the tip of every blade of grass, clearly the mind of the buddhas and ancestors." If so, then which buddha or ancestor is not among the hundred grasses?

And which blade of grass is not you and me? Do not think that the utterly foolish one must necessarily know or see the dharma fully endowed within oneself. It is not so. The dharma that one knows is not necessarily what one possesses. What one possesses is not necessarily what one sees or knows. Therefore, do not doubt and cling, thinking that if something does not correspond to your present knowledge, perception, thought, or measure, it cannot be within yourself.

Moreover, the prediction on Vulture Peak is Shakyamuni Buddha’s prediction. This prediction is Shakyamuni Buddha’s own prediction given to Shakyamuni Buddha. If the prediction were not yet matched, there would be no principle for giving a prediction. The essential point is that when there is already a prediction, giving a prediction is unobstructed; when there is no prediction, giving a prediction does not involve any surplus dharma. Without deficiency and without surplus—this is the principle of each buddha and ancestor giving prediction to each buddha and ancestor.

Therefore, an ancient buddha said, "Throughout past and present, raising the whisk points east and west; the great meaning is profound and subtle—how could it be easy to inquire into? If there were no master’s instruction in this principle, with what insight would one speak of profound discourse?" Now, in inquiring into Gensha’s essential point, in measuring the height of the seamless pagoda, there must be an expression of "how high." It is not five hundred yojanas, nor eighty thousand yojanas. Therefore, one does not avoid looking up and down.

It is just that although the blessings and rewards of humans and gods are certainly not absent, looking up and down at the height of the seamless pagoda is not Shakyamuni Buddha’s prediction. To receive Shakyamuni Buddha’s prediction is to express "seven or eight feet." To examine the true Shakyamuni Buddha’s prediction, one must examine it through the expression "seven or eight feet." Therefore, setting aside for a moment whether the expression "seven or eight feet" is right or wrong, the prediction must surely be Seppo’s prediction and must be Gensha’s prediction. Moreover, one must raise the prediction and express the height of the seamless pagoda.

To express the Buddha-dharma by raising something that is not the prediction would not be a true expression. If one truly grasps, hears, and expresses oneself as oneself, there will surely be a koan where the prediction manifests fully. In the immediate presence of the prediction, the effort of practicing together with the prediction arrives. For the sake of fully realizing the prediction, so many buddhas and ancestors have appeared and attained true awakening. The power of practicing the prediction pushes out all buddhas.

Therefore, it is said, "Only because of this one great matter do they appear in the world." The essential point is that in the ultimate sense, it is not oneself; it is necessarily not oneself that receives the prediction. Therefore, each buddha receives the prediction of each buddha. Generally speaking, the prediction is given by raising one hand, by raising both hands, by raising a thousand hands and eyes; one is given the prediction. Sometimes it is given by raising an udumbara flower, sometimes by holding up a golden robe—all these are not forced actions; they are the functioning of the prediction. There is a prediction received from within; there is a prediction received from without. The principle of inquiring into within and without is to practice inquiry with the prediction. The study of the Way through the prediction is like a single iron bar across ten thousand miles. The solitary sitting of the prediction is ten thousand years in a single thought.

An ancient Buddha said, "Through succession, one attains Buddhahood; through successive turning, one receives the prediction." The so-called attainment of Buddhahood necessarily involves succession. It is the succession of even the slightest moment that constitutes attaining Buddhahood. This is the successive turning of receiving the prediction. Turning in succession is turning attained through turning; succession in turning is succession attained through succession. It is like the act of creating in sequence. This sequential creation is an enactment. That enactment is not the creation of a body confined to limits, nor the creation of an environment confined to limits.

It is not a creation measured by dimensions, nor is it the creation of mind. One should thoroughly investigate, entirely entrusting to the principle of successive turning, both the creation of an environment and the non-creation of an environment. One should thoroughly investigate, entirely entrusting to the principle of successive turning, both creation and non-creation. Now, the manifestation of all Buddhas and all Ancestors is turned in succession through enactment.

The Ancestral Teacher's coming from the West is turned in succession through enactment. How much more so is carrying water and shouldering firewood—these have come through successive turning. It is the successive turning of "this very mind is Buddha" manifesting in this life. The parinirvana of "this very mind is Buddha" is not about marveling at one parinirvana or two parinirvanas; one must accomplish parinirvana for as many parinirvanas as there are, accomplish the Way for as many accomplishments of the Way as there are, perfect the marks for as many marks as there are.

This is precisely "through succession, one attains Buddhahood"; it is "through succession, one attains parinirvana" and so on. It is "through succession, one receives the prediction"; it is "through succession, one attains successive turning." Successive turning is not originally existent; it is simply the thorough penetration in all directions. Now, to see each other face-to-face in every face among the faces of Buddhas and Ancestors, to meet face-to-face in every face, is succession.

Where the successive turning of the Buddha's prediction and the Ancestor's prediction turns and avoids, there is no gap.

The ancient Buddha says, "I now, having attended the Buddha, hear of the matter of the conferral of the prediction and its adornment, and of receiving the assurance in successive turnings; body and mind are everywhere joyful." What is said is that the matter of the conferral of the prediction and its adornment is necessarily "I now, having attended the Buddha, hear." That "I now, having attended the Buddha, hear" reaches to "receiving the assurance in successive turnings" means that body and mind are everywhere joyful.

"Reaching successive turnings" must be "I now." It must not pertain to past, present, or future, self or other; it must be "having attended the Buddha." It is not hearing from another. It is not delusion or enlightenment, not sentient beings, not grasses, trees, or lands; it must be "having attended the Buddha." It is the matter of the conferral of the prediction and its adornment; it is receiving the assurance in successive turnings. The principle of successive turnings does not abide for even a moment in a single corner. It proceeds with body and mind everywhere joyful.

The joy that is "reaching successive turnings to receive the assurance" necessarily participates together with the body in universal participation, and participates together with the mind in universal participation. Furthermore, because the body necessarily pervades the mind and the mind necessarily pervades the body, it is called "body and mind everywhere." This is precisely the entire world and all directions, the entire body and the entire mind. This is precisely the one distinct path of joy. That joy, in making sleep and wakefulness manifestly joyful and in making delusion and enlightenment joyful, is intimate with each, yet unstained by each. Therefore, "turning successively to receive the assurance" is the matter of the conferral of the prediction and its adornment.

The Buddha Shakyamuni, through the Bodhisattva Medicine King, addressed the eighty thousand great beings: "Medicine King, do you see in this great assembly the innumerable gods, dragon kings, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-humans, as well as monks and nuns, laymen and laywomen, those seeking the voice-hearer vehicle, those seeking the pratyekabuddha vehicle, and those seeking the Buddha Way? All such kinds, in the presence of the Buddha, hearing but a single verse or phrase of the wonderful Lotus Sutra, or even giving rise to a single thought of rejoicing upon hearing it—to all of these I shall give a prediction.

They shall attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi." Therefore, the present innumerable assembly, whether heavenly kings, dragon kings, the fourfold assembly, or the eightfold retinue, though their seeking and understanding differ, who could fail to hear a single phrase or verse of the wonderful Dharma? How could you not cause even a single thought of rejoicing in another teaching? "All such kinds" means these are the kinds of the Lotus.

"In the presence of the Buddha" means within the Buddha. Even if there is mistaken recognition among the myriad forms of humans and non-humans, or sowing seeds among the hundred grasses, it must be "all such kinds." "All such kinds" is "I shall give a prediction to all." The head and tail of "I shall give a prediction to all" being correct is precisely "they shall attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi."

The Buddha Shakyamuni declared to the Medicine King, "Moreover, after the Tathagata's parinirvana, if there is a person who hears the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, even if only a single verse or a single phrase, and for even a single thought-moment rejoices upon hearing it, I too shall confer upon them the prediction of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi." Now, when we speak of "after the Tathagata's parinirvana," to what time or season does this arrival refer? Is it the forty-nine years, or is it within the eighty years? Let us provisionally say it is within the eighty years.

As for "if there is a person who hears the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, even if only a single verse or a single phrase, and for even a single thought-moment rejoices upon hearing it," is this hearing a matter for the wise or for the unwise? Is it hearing mistakenly, or hearing without mistake? If we speak for the sake of others, it must be the hearing of "if there is a person." Do not further make distinctions among various categories such as wise and unwise.

It should be said that hearing the Lotus Sutra, even if it is the profound, immeasurable wisdom of all buddhas, in hearing it is always a single phrase; in hearing it is always a single verse; in hearing it is always a single thought-moment of rejoicing. At this time, "I too shall confer upon them the prediction of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi" must be so. There is "also conferring the prediction," and there is "all conferring the prediction." Do not leave it entirely to a careless Zhang San who misses the point; one must participate together in the meticulous effort. "If there is a person who hears" must be the verse, the phrase, the rejoicing.

There is no leisure to pile head upon head regarding skin, flesh, bones, and marrow. To see the conferring of the prediction of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi is my vow already fulfilled; it must be just this skin-bag; the hopes of beings are also satisfied; it would be just this "if there is a person who hears." There is the prediction conferred upon the thought of a pine branch; there is the prediction conferred upon the thought of an udumbara flower.

There is the prediction conferred upon the thought of a blink; there is the prediction conferred upon the thought of a broken face; there are traces of turning and conferring the straw sandals. All of this must be "This Dharma is not within the realm of conceptual discrimination." There is the prediction "My body is this"; there is the prediction "Your body is this." This principle truly confers the prediction upon past, present, and future. Because it is the past, present, and future within the conferring of the prediction, it manifests and completes itself in self-conferring prediction and manifests and completes itself in other-conferring prediction.

Vimalakirti addresses Maitreya, saying, "Maitreya, the World-Honored One has bestowed upon you a prediction, declaring that in one lifetime you shall attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. By means of which lifetime do you receive this prediction? Is it a past lifetime? A future lifetime? Or a present lifetime? If it is a past lifetime, that past lifetime has already perished. If it is a future lifetime, that future lifetime has not yet arrived. If it is a present lifetime, the present lifetime does not abide.

As the Buddha has said, 'O bhikshu, your immediate present moment is simultaneously arising, aging, and perishing.' If you say the prediction is received by means of the unborn, the unborn is precisely the true state. Within the true state, there is neither receiving a prediction nor attaining anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. How then does Maitreya receive the prediction of one lifetime? Is it received from the suchness of arising, or from the suchness of perishing? If it is received by means of the suchness of arising, suchness has no arising. If it is received by means of the suchness of perishing, suchness has no perishing.

All sentient beings are suchness, all dharmas are also suchness, all sages and worthies are also suchness, and so too is Maitreya. If Maitreya receives a prediction, then all sentient beings should also receive a prediction. Why is this? Because suchness is non-dual and undifferentiated. If Maitreya attains anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, then all sentient beings should also attain it. Why is this? Because all sentient beings are precisely the mark of bodhi." Vimalakirti's exposition is not negated by the Tathagata. Yet, Maitreya's receiving of the prediction is already determined. Therefore, all sentient beings receiving the prediction should likewise be determined.

If sentient beings do not receive the determination, then Maitreya cannot receive the prediction. Since all sentient beings are precisely the mark of bodhi, it is bodhi that receives the prediction from bodhi. Receiving the prediction is the wisdom-life of the buddhas born today. Thus, because all sentient beings awaken the mind together with Maitreya, they receive the prediction together and shall accomplish the Way together.

However, Vimalakirti's statement that "within the true state, there is also no receiving of a prediction" seems not to recognize that the true state is precisely the bestowal of prediction, just as it seems not to recognize that the true state is precisely bodhi. He also speaks of "the past lifetime having already perished, the future lifetime not yet arrived, the present lifetime having no abiding." The past is not necessarily already perished, the future is not necessarily not yet arrived, and the present is not necessarily without abiding.

Even if one studies the unborn, the not-yet-arrived, and the already-perished as past, future, and present, one must still express the principle that the not-yet-arrived is precisely the past, present, and future. Therefore, there is a principle by which both arising and perishing receive the prediction; there is a principle by which both arising and perishing attain bodhi. When all sentient beings receive the prediction, Maitreya also receives the prediction. For a moment, ask Vimalakirti: is Maitreya the same as sentient beings or different? Try to express it.

Since it is said that if Maitreya receives the prediction, then all sentient beings also receive it, if you say Maitreya is not sentient beings, then sentient beings are not sentient beings, and Maitreya would not be Maitreya either. What then? At just such a time, one would also not be Vimalakirti. If one is not Vimalakirti, then this exposition would be of no use. Therefore, it should be said: when the bestowal of prediction brings forth all sentient beings, all sentient beings and Maitreya exist. The bestowal of prediction should rightly bring forth all.

This is the twenty-first transmission of the Shobogenzo.

On the twenty-fifth day of the fourth month in early summer, the third year of Ninji (1242), this was recorded at Kannon Dōri Kōshō Hōrin-ji; on the twentieth day of the first month in the second year of Kangen (1244), it was transcribed while residing in the attendant monks' quarters at Esshū Kippō-ji.