Is it real?

Much of Buddha Shakyamuni’s teaching is about looking inward, taking refuge, and investigating for ourselves the state of reality, or things as they/it are. Many people, often times in passing when finding out i’m a Buddhist priest, tell me they love Buddhism because it’s so scientific, rational, or more “real” than some other religions. Sometimes they even mention that Buddhism is so great because it isn’t a religion, but just a philosophy, or way of life.

I take this to mean that such folks don’t believe in things that can’t be seen. Often times folks with these same opinions and views come to an introduction to the temple and sit zazen and chant sutras with me. I’ve found that people may enjoy the period of zazen, but when we chant sutras in English there is some confusion. The sutras mention Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Deva gods, beings in the 6 realms of birth and death, etc. When faced with deities and non-historical Buddhas like Amida, Ashuku, Fukujoju, hosho, Dainichi, and pure lands; these folks seem very puzzled. Often, there is a little push back against these beings, or teachings when encountered. “Well, Buddha never taught this in his time, right?” or “Those beings came later from folk beliefs, right?” Sometimes people will be a little more generous with their comments and ask, “well, those deities are just metaphors right? like, examples on how we should live, or embody the Dharma?”

Both of these views are true…ish. Both views are examples of one sided views though, not really a “middle way.”

I’ve been very fond of Fudo Myo-o my whole life. Well, since coming to Buddhism at least. Fudo Myo-ou is the Japanese reading of Acalanātha Vidyaraja, or in English the Immovable Wisdom King. This deity is the wrathful manifestation of the Buddha Dainichi Nyorai or Maha Vairocana Buddha, the cosmic Buddha. Fudo is depicted with snarling fangs, and fierce eyes. His body, a manifestation of his compassionate vows is blue/black and surrounded by fire. This fire is the fire that burns up the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance. In the left hand Fudo holds a rope with which to bind up delusions and in the right hand, Fudo holds a “devil subduing sword” (Kurikara) or “Sword of Dharma” (Hoken) that cuts away desires. The rock Fudo sits on, usually in full lotus posture represents his immovable will to stay in place, practicing, and serving all beings.

The Sutras say Fudo has no fixed abode, abiding in the heart of all beings. Why do we need a wrathful fierce form of the Cosmic Buddha? Because the middle way includes all aspects, soft and fierce. Fudo looks angry, but his fierce expression and weapons are used as tools to ease suffering and guide those who are most stubborn and wicked toward their own Buddha nature. Fudo is a protector, a compassionate destroyer of suffering and ignorance.

I suffer from deep anxiety and fear. This is not a shock to those who know me, but often times comes as a surprise to those who find out for the first time. “A zen priest with panic disorder and anxiety?” Yes. Most people don’t come to Buddhism because life is exactly how they had hoped it would be. In my profession, I don’t think I have ever had someone come to the temple because they want to learn zazen and Dharma because “life is going smooth and exactly as planned.”

For me, Fudo Myo-o is very real. Fudo is an example to embody, a way to find protection within my own heart, a visual example to manifest fearlessness, and convert the 3 poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance in my heart that manifest through my actions of body, speech, and mind. Fudo inspires me to hold to the precepts in the same way Fudo holds to the rope that binds desires. Fudo helps me to acknowledge my past hurtful actions and repent. This sounds like i’m speaking metaphorically, but I’m not. Fudo resides in the heart/minds of all beings in the same way that Hakuin says:

“All beings by nature are Buddha,

as ice by nature is water;

apart from water there is no ice,

apart from beings no Buddha.”

the unconditioned nature of everything is Buddha and the vast cosmos is the Dharma body Dainichi Nyorai. Interconnected nature means that we return to the one. The way to realize this is to answer the koan, “where does the one return to.”

The question of whether these Buddhas and deities are real, or not real is rooted in an attachment to likes and dislikes. This is a subtle way of being attached to “jiriki” my own efforts and “tariki” the effort of an “outside” Buddha. “I cannot see any deities out here in the world and Buddas like Amida, Yakushi, etc aren’t historical and therefore made up” This would then lead to thinking like “If these deities don’t exist, then the pure lands don’t exist either.” Therefore, my own efforts are all that can be measured thus my practice is to enlighten myself by myself.

Is this what Dogen means when he says:

“To carry yourself forward and experience myriad things is delusion. That myriad things come forth and experience themselves is awakening.”

This is a Tariki expression to me. I feel that this line in Genjo Koan really puts a real and unreal question in perspective. Fudo Myo-o may not be able to be seen outside of artistic expressions and only experienced within the heart of practitioners of Dharma, but that is to actualize the vow of Fudo as Fudo. Bringing Fudo into the world as real. This may be just semantics to some, but to me it is a very real activity.

The middle way doesn’t cling to self effort, nor other effort, but allows both to exist without preferences. If there is no eternal self, how is it that one can use only self effort? if all is an expression of the one, then how is it that anything other than the one awakens itself? It awakens itself through the conditioned “self effort” of beings.

So, is it real?

It’s not real, but it’s not not real.