Dogen Sangha Blog

  by Gudo NISHIJIMA

Japanese / German

Thursday, November 22, 2007

'Bodhi-Mind' & Terminology.

Dear Nishijima Roshi,

I hope you are keeping well.

Can you please comment on the need for the separate terms 'Bodhi-mind' and 'prajna' such as where Dogen Zenji uses the latter term in Maka-Hannya-Haramitsu where he comments that "Reflection is prajna itself".

Are 'prajna' and the 'Bodhi-mind' effectively different states of mind?

Thanks & Best Regards,

Harry.

3 Comments:

Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Harry San,

Thank you very much for your questions, and my answer is as follows.

(Harry San) Can you please comment on the need for the separate terms 'Bodhi-mind' and 'prajna' such as where Dogen Zenji uses the latter term in Maka-Hannya-Haramitsu where he comments that "Reflection is prajna itself".

(Gudo) 'Bodhi-mind' and 'prajna' are completely different words.
'Bodhi-mind' is the will to the Truth, but 'prajna' means intuition. 'Bodhi-mind' is a positive intention to get the Truth, but in the case of 'prajna' is intuition, which occurs when our autonomic nervous system is balanced.
The meaning of "Reflection is prajna itself" means that the reflection, which occurs when our ANS is balanced, is just the intuition, which is necessary for us to decide our conclusion actually.

'Prajna' and the 'Bodhi-mind' are completely different, because 'prajna' is just the intuition, but 'Bodhi-mind' is just the intention to pursue the Truth.

With best wishes

Gudo Wafu Nishijima

1:28 PM, November 23, 2007  
Blogger Harry said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

7:25 PM, November 23, 2007  
Blogger Harry said...

Dear Nishijima Roshi,

On reflection, further questioning seems quite redundant.

Thank you very much.

Harry.

9:54 AM, November 24, 2007  

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