Reading the Genjokoan

So we've been looking at the Genjokoan over the past few weeks, using Taizan Maezumi Roshi's commentary in On Zen Practice. I've mentioned translation a couple of times, so thought I'd share a link that compares eight translations of the Genjokoan, line by line. It's part of The Zen Site, which has all sorts of awesome resources (including some material quite critical of Zen, too, which makes interesting and thought-provoking reading).

8 English Translations of Genjokoan

Check out the following for example (taken from the excerpt we looked at tonight)... brace yourself for reams of text...!

Tanahashi, et al.

This being so, it is an established way in buddha-dharma to deny that birth turns into death. Accordingly, birth is understood as no-birth. It is an unshakable teaching in the Buddha's discourse that death does not turn into birth. Accordingly, death is understood as no-death. Birth is an expression complete this moment. Death is an expression complete this moment. They are like winter and spring. You do not call winter the beginning of spring, nor summer the end of spring.

Waddell & Abe

Buddhists do not speak of life becoming death. They speak of being "unborn." Since it is a confirmed Buddhist teaching that death does not become life, Buddhists speak of being "undying." Life is a stage of time, and death is a stage of time. It is like winter and spring. Buddhists do not suppose that winter passes into spring or speak of spring passing into summer.

Jaffe

This is the established way of the Buddha-dharma. For this reason it is called unborn. Death does not become life. This is the established buddha-turning of the dharma wheel. For this reason it is called undying. Life is its own time. Death is its own time. For example, it is like winter and spring. We don't think that winter becomes spring. We don't say that spring becomes summer.

Nishijima

And it is Buddhist teaching as established in the preaching of Gautama Buddha that death does not turn into life. This is why we speak of "no disappearance." Life is an instantaneous situation, and death is also an instantaneous situation. It is the same, for example, with winter and spring. We do not think that winter becomes spring, and we do not say that spring becomes summer.

Cook

Thus, it is the fixed teaching of the Buddha Dharma that life does not become death, and therefore we call it "nonlife." It is the fixed sermon of the Buddha that death does not become life, and therefore we call it "nondeath." Life is situated in one time and death is situated in one time. For instance, it is like winter and spring. We do not think that winter becomes spring or that spring becomes summer.

Cleary

This being the case, not saying that life becomes death is an established custom in Buddhism—therefore it is called unborn. That death does not become life is an established teaching of the Buddha; therefore we say imperishable. Life is an individual temporal state, death is an individual temporal state. It is like winter and spring—we don't think winter becomes spring, we don't say spring becomes summer.

Nishiyama & Stevens

Similarly, when human beings die, they cannot return to life; but in Buddhist teaching we never say that life changes into death. This is an established teaching of the Buddhist Dharma. We call it "non-becoming." Likewise, death cannot change into life. This is another principle of Buddha's Law. This is called "non-destruction." Life and death have absolute existence, like the relationship of winter and spring. But do not think of winter changing into spring or spring to summer.

Masunaha

So not to say that life becomes death is a natural standpoint of Buddhism. So this is called no-life. To say that death does not become life is the fixed sermon of the Buddha. So this is called no-death. Life is a position of time, and death is a position of time … just like winter and spring. You must not believe that winter becomes spring—nor can you say that spring becomes summer.

I've always found it interesting to see where translators disagree with each other - often these have been the sections that were least clear for me, so I've often wondered how much of the trouble I've had is with Dogen, or with his translators? I don't envy them their job, though...!

For some reason, this is the first image returned searching for "Genjokoan"!