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Sandokai
Harmonious Song of Difference and Sameness
of Sekito Kisen Daiosho
The mind of the great sage of India
is intimately communicated from west to east.
While human faculties are sharp or dull,
The Way has no northern or southern ancestors.
The spiritual source shines clear in the light;
the branching streams flow on in the dark.
Grasping at things is surely delusion;
according with sameness is still not enlightenment.
All the objects of the senses
interact and yet do not.
Interacting brings involvement.
Otherwise, each keeps its place.
Sights vary in quality and form,
sounds differ as pleasing or harsh.
Refined and common speech come together in the dark,
clear and murky phrases are distinguished in the light.
The four elements return to their natures
just as a child turns to its mother.
Fire heats, wind moves,
water wets, earth is solid.
Eye and sights, ear and sounds,
nose and smells, tongue and tastes;
Thus with each and every thing,
depending on these roots, the leaves spread forth.
Trunk and branches share the essence;
revered and common, each has its speech.
In the light there is darkness,
but don't take it as darkness;
In the dark there is light,
but don't see it as light.
Light and darkness oppose one another
like front and back foot in walking.
Each of the myriad things has its merit,
expressed according to function and place.
Phenomena exist; box and lid fit.
Principle responds; arrow points meet.
Hearing the words, understand the meaning;
don't set up standards of your own.
If you don't understand the Way right before you,
how will you know the path as you walk?
Progress is not a matter of far or near,
but if you are confused, mountains and rivers block your way.
I respectfully urge your who study the mystery,
do not pass your days and nights in vain.
is intimately communicated from west to east.
While human faculties are sharp or dull,
The Way has no northern or southern ancestors.
The spiritual source shines clear in the light;
the branching streams flow on in the dark.
Grasping at things is surely delusion;
according with sameness is still not enlightenment.
All the objects of the senses
interact and yet do not.
Interacting brings involvement.
Otherwise, each keeps its place.
Sights vary in quality and form,
sounds differ as pleasing or harsh.
Refined and common speech come together in the dark,
clear and murky phrases are distinguished in the light.
The four elements return to their natures
just as a child turns to its mother.
Fire heats, wind moves,
water wets, earth is solid.
Eye and sights, ear and sounds,
nose and smells, tongue and tastes;
Thus with each and every thing,
depending on these roots, the leaves spread forth.
Trunk and branches share the essence;
revered and common, each has its speech.
In the light there is darkness,
but don't take it as darkness;
In the dark there is light,
but don't see it as light.
Light and darkness oppose one another
like front and back foot in walking.
Each of the myriad things has its merit,
expressed according to function and place.
Phenomena exist; box and lid fit.
Principle responds; arrow points meet.
Hearing the words, understand the meaning;
don't set up standards of your own.
If you don't understand the Way right before you,
how will you know the path as you walk?
Progress is not a matter of far or near,
but if you are confused, mountains and rivers block your way.
I respectfully urge your who study the mystery,
do not pass your days and nights in vain.
SANDOKAI
In medieval Japanese;
capitalized syllables are approximately twice as long but are not accentuated.
chikudo DAI SEN no SHIN TO ZAI mitsu ni AI fusu NIN KON
ni riDON ari DO ni NAM boku no so nashi REI GEN MYO ni
KO KET tari shiha AN ni ruCHU su ji o SHU suru mo moto
kore maYOI ri ni kaNO mo mata satori ni arazu MON MON IS
SAI no KYO ego to fu ego to eshite sarani AI wataru
shikara zareba ku RAI ni YOTte JU su shiki moto shitsu
ZO o kotoni shi SHO moto RAKku o koto ni su AN wa JO CHU
no koto ni kaNAI MEI wa SEI daku no ku o wakatsu shiDAI
no SHO onozu kara fukusu kono sono haha o uru ga gotoshi
hi wa NESshi kaze wa DO YO mizu wa uru OI chi wa KEN go
manako wa iro mimi wa ON JO hana wa ka shita wa KAN so
shi kamo ichi ichi no HO ni OI te ne ni YOTte haBUN pusu
HOM matsu sube karaku SHU ni kisu beshi SON pi sono go o
mochi u MEI CHU ni atATte AN ari AN SO o MOTte Okoto
nakare AN CHU ni atATte MEI ari MEI SO o MOTte miru koto
naka re MEI AN ono ono AI TAI shite hisu runi ZEN go no
ayumi no gotoshi BAM motsu onozu kara KO ari masani YO
to sho to o YU beshi jiSON sureba KAN GAI GAS shi ri O
zureba SEN po saSO koto o ukete wa sube karaku SHU o esu
beshi mizu kara kiku o RIS suru koto nakare soku moku DO
o ese ZUNba ashi o hakobu mo izu KUN zo michi o shiRAN
ayumi o susu mureba GON NON ni arazu ma YOte SEN ga no
KO heDA TSU SHIN de SAN GEN no hito ni Mosu KO IN muna
shiku wataru koto nakare
If ever was a revelation of an awakened Mind of the nature of the Universe and its essence, this was to me one of them as it was revealed to the Zen Master Sekito Kisen Daiosho. Within this one Sutra was revealed the very nature of the 'Duality' of Nature and its merging of differences. Hundreds of years old but still as valid as any quantum physics discovery. I used to enjoy chanting this Sutra during the evening in the Zendo at green Gulch Zen Center, in Marin County California when I was a student there and I had my own 'mini Satoris' while uraveling its meaning. I have shared it here with my readers as with myself to keep me reminded of it whenever i miss the target while walking in the darkness of this present age of decadence and destruction ; where even the Gods have taken a leave of absence.
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