The Dharma Body

On the “dharma body,” from Case 100 of Dogen’s Mana Shobogenzo (Koun Franz; July 21, 2026): Yunmen was once asked by a monastic, “What does it mean to go beyond the dharma body?” Yunmen said, “It is not difficult to tell you about going beyond it. But how do you understand the dharma body itself?” The monastic said, “Master, please show me an example.” Yunmen said, “I will give you an example. But first, how do you understand the dharma body itself?” The monastic said, “It’s just as it is.” Yunmen said, “This is what you have learned in the monastics’ hall. Let me ask you, does the dharma body eat rice?” The monastic could not respond. —from The True Dharma Eye: Zen Master Dogen’s Three Hundred Koans, by John Daido Loori and Kazuaki Tanahashi You can support Thousand Harbours Zen and learn more about our practice by visiting thousandharbourszen.com; talks are also available on the Thousand Harbours Zen podcast. Post-production by Togan Rivera.