DreamMaking

Dogen, Shobogenzo, "Muchu Setsumu" 

. . .To express a dream within a dream is the 

ancient buddhas.

It is to ride in this treasure boat and directly 

arrive in the practice place.

There are inner dreams.

Dream expressions.

Expressions of dreams.

And dreams inside.

Without being within a dream, there is no 

expression of dreams.

Without expressing dreams, there is no being 

with a dream.

Without expressing dreams, there are no 

Buddhas.

Without being within a dream, Buddhas do not 

emerge and turn the wondrous dharma wheel.

Here is the encounter of a buddha with a Buddha 

[in Buddhahood]:

The mystery of mysteries.

The wonder of mysteries.

The awakening of awakenings.

The headtop above the head.

The daily activity of buddha ancestors.

. . . A thing of suchness expresses the dream 

within a dream.

A person of suchness expresses the dream within 

a dream.

A person of no suchness expresses the dream 

within a dream.

The manifesting body is the expression of the 

dream within a dream.

The expression of dreams and of myriad aspects 

of dharma are the expression of the dream 

within the dream.

Taking hold and letting go are the expressions 

of the dream within a dream.

Directly pointing to is expressing the dream.

Hitting the mark is expressing the dream.

When you take hold or let go you need to 

study the common balancing scale [of the 

steelyard].

When you attain balanced equilibrium you will 

see the balance point.

Achieving balance does not depend on the

objects being weighed, the balancing scale, or on 

the activity of weighing but just hangs on 

emptiness.

Thus deeply consider, that without attaining 

balance you do not experience solidity.

Just hanging on its own in emptiness, the 

expression of the dream within a dream allows 

objects to float free in emptiness.

Within emptiness, stable balance is manifested.

Stable balance is the great way of the balance 

scale.

While suspending emptiness and suspending 

objects, whether as emptiness or as forms, 

expression of the dream within a dream 

joins settled balancing.

There is no liberation other than expression of 

the dream within a dream.

Thus the inexhaustibility of turning the head 

and pivoting the brain [actualizing freedom] is

just your awakening of the dream within a 

dream, identifying with and actualizing the 

dream within a dream.