This week, Roshi continued our exploration of Dogen’s Zuimonki. He reminded us that this text is much less formal than the Shobogenzo. Much of the Zuimonki was recorded by Ejo, who began as a colleague of Dogen and later became his student.

Our discussion focused on the beginning of Book 3, where an accomplished nun poses an intriguing question:

“Even lay women practice and study the Buddha-Dharma. As for nuns, even though we have some faults, I feel there is no reason to say that we go against the Buddha-Dharma. What do you think?”

Dogen responds that this understanding is incomplete. He explains that lay women may attain the Way through sincere householder practice when it is undertaken with the proper intention. However, a nun cannot attain realization unless she embodies the mind of “one who has left home.”

Roshi encouraged us to examine this statement carefully. At first glance, it seems paradoxical. How can a layperson achieve awakening while living an ordinary life, yet a monastic cannot achieve the same realization unless they fully commit themselves to the monastic path? It almost appears that the lay path is easier and more direct.

Dogen anticipates this misunderstanding and clarifies his point. A layperson who practices with the dedication and sincerity of a monastic can certainly realize the Way. Conversely, a monastic who lacks that same intensity and commitment is unlikely to progress. There is no special magic in simply being a monastic.

Rather, monastic life is a tremendous gift because it provides conditions that reduce distractions and allow one to focus more fully on practice. If a layperson can practice deeply amid the demands and distractions of everyday life, it demonstrates remarkable determination and character. A monastic, however, who merely goes through the motions while neglecting genuine practice wastes a rare opportunity. This is the “double fault” Dogen refers to: not only failing to practice sincerely, but also squandering the favorable conditions that monastic life provides.

Dogen’s warning to the nuns is clear: do not become attached to robes, titles, or the status associated with being a monastic. Such attachment is simply another manifestation of ego.

Roshi noted that this warning remains relevant today. In the West, some teachers become attached to the status and recognition that come with being a spiritual teacher. He cautioned students to be discerning, as teachings rooted in attachment to status are rarely authentic.

This led Roshi to an important question: What makes a practitioner authentic?

His answer centered on karma. The essential question is: What karma are we creating each day? This question lies at the heart of Buddhist practice.

Roshi invited us to reflect on why someone who has encountered the Dharma might still fail to take practice seriously. The reason, he suggested, is that they do not truly trust that the karma they create matters.

To illustrate this, he offered a simple example. Why do we help someone in need? If we do so because we calculate that others will see us as a “good person,” we have missed the point. We are merely performing an action while remaining trapped in self-centered thinking. On the other hand, when we act out of a genuine understanding of reality and interconnectedness, wholesome karma is created. Such actions ripple outward, benefiting countless beings in ways we may never see.

Put simply, actions motivated by false or self-serving intentions have little transformative power. Actions arising from genuine understanding and compassion touch everyone, everywhere, across time.

Many people lack confidence in this truth of universal karma. As a result, they approach practice half-heartedly. Over time, they become frustrated because they see little change in themselves. Yet it is precisely this ego-driven calculation that contaminates their practice. They continue circling around the same patterns, like a dog chasing its tail.

The remedy, Roshi emphasized, is faith in karma.

Roshi wrapped up by highlighting the simplicity of Dogen’s message. In the long run, whether one follows the monastic path or the lay path is not the central issue. What truly matters is our faith in the Dharma and in karma. That faith shapes every decision we make and every action we take.