Definition
Reading: Genjo Koan / Reading (ZH): Xiànchéng gōng'àn
現成公案 (Genjokoan) is a Zen term that means the real world we live in and everyday activities right before our eyes (such as mountains, rivers, plants, and trees) are themselves the appearance of the truth of Buddhism.
"Gen (現)" means appearing clearly, and "jo (成)" means that various things stand together like brocade and are completed. "Koan (公案)" originally means government rules or official documents. However, these four characters of "Genjokoan" show the meaning that the truth of Buddhism always appears clearly and is completed on every single thing, based on the scriptural teaching that "all phenomena are themselves the truth of Buddhism." That is, mountains, rivers, plants, trees, long things, short things, high things, and low things stay in their own designated places (positions) without interfering with each other, and this equal and unbiased state is the true reality of all phenomena itself. In the Record of the Transmission of the Lamp(景徳伝灯録), it is written as "Genjokoan (見成公案)."
Q&A
- Q: Why is it written as "Genjokoan (見成公案)" in early literature?
- A: Because "Genjokoan (現成公案)" developed philosophically. In the earliest Chan Buddhist text, Record of the Transmission of the Lamp (景徳伝灯録), Buddha-nature was understood as something that manifests within concrete functions. Here, "Genjo (見成)" means that daily function itself is the manifestation of truth, rather than truth being formed as a result of training.
In Shoyoroku by Wansong Xingxiu, the way of self that relies only on the situation appearing right before our eyes right now was defined as "Genjokoan (現成公案)." In other words, there is no need to judge "what on earth is this?" one by one.
In Shobogenzo by Dogen, by defining practice itself as the manifestation of enlightenment, he completely overcame the dualism of purpose and means, and existence and practice. In other words, we do not practice in order to attain enlightenment, but enlightenment appears right here and now. When selfish mind disappears, the world and all things make us exist from the other side.
