Finally, I would like to discuss what kind of role lay believers had in the Eihei-ji community.
To clarify the difference between Kosyo-ji and Eiheiji, I have listed Dogen's sermons for laypeople. First, please look at the Dogen's biography again. I have combined the relationship between Dogen and the laity in the second column from the right. There were many kinds of writings, sermons, and repentance meetings for the laity at both Kosho-ji and Eihei-ji. That is, Dogen had much interest in laypeople, even in Eihei-ji. However, I can show you a little difference in Dogen's attitude toward them.
<Go to the reference page (Hondout no.3)> The first list is sermons and discourses for lay disciples.
A and C are volumes of the Shobogenzo.
B and D are individual sermons (法語, dharma talk) recorded in the Eihei-koroku.I would like to assert that all of there were composed at Kosyo-ji in Kyoto. After Dogen moved to Echizen, there were no sermons to describe Buddhist doctrine explicitly for the laity.
This shows us Dogen's shift to the 'doctrine only for clergy' (出家主義). In fact, the contents of the Shobogenzo show us that Dogen did have such an attitude. However, I would like to say again, that we can find another attitude reflected in his other writings.
The second list shows his other attitude.
As the list of titles shows, these are no sermons preached directly to lay people, but to tell the monks how to treat lay people.
That is, in this list, the laity was treated just as patrons or donors for the monastery.We can see this kind of sermon from both Kosho-ji and Eihei-ji. The first article of list, the Tenzokyokun was written in Koshoji. Dogen solicited contributions for the constructon monks' hall in Kyoto. Therefore, I can say that Dogen's attitude toward lay people did not change.
I want to suggest that Dogen just stopped teaching the Buddhist doctrine to lay people after moving to Echizen. That is, at Eiheiji, Dogen treated lay people just as financial supporters. He was relying on their offerings.
The clearest example of this is in the chapter on the tenzo (monastery cook) in Chiji-shingi :Begging for food was like a case of the Way on this occasion. Deeply understand that meals in the assembly of temples of the buddha ancestors are the supreme food.
In the first sentence of this quotation, Dogen denies getting any food by begging (托鉢, takuhatsu). As you know, begging is a traditional and ritualistic way for Buddhist monks to get food. But Dogen refused to practice it. Instead, he emphasized the superiority of offerings.
The phrase 'meals in the assembly' (僧中食, so-chu-jiki) means 'the meals that are offered' or 'donated food'. Dogen says, these are 'the supreme food'.Of course, he prepares to return the favor to the laity. The kannnin chapter in the Chijisingi shows this:
Therefore, [we can see that] to venerate and extend compassionate heart to donors and patrons was the teaching and decree of the World-Honored Tathagata [Shakyamuni]. Although experiencing the great result [of buddhahood] is possible from small causes, this is only within the blessing field of the three jewels.
These sentences say that if donors make a donation (or offering) with a clear mind, they will get a great result, i.e. to be respected by monks or to attain the same level of buddhahood as monks.
This logic is definitely close to a laity-controlled kenmitsu system.
This is the reason I mentioned that Dogen's economic system at Eihei-ji resembles the kenmitsu Buddhist monastic system at the beginning of this talk.
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