Mountains and Waters Sutra

By Daishin Eric McCabe

Mt. Equity Zendo

This is a reading from Zen Master Dogen written in the year 1240.

“Mountains and Waters Sutra”

“Mountains and waters right now are the actualization of the ancient awakened way.  Each, abiding in its phenomenal expression, realizes completeness.  Because mountains and waters have been active since before the Empty Eon, they are alive at this moment.  Because they have been the self since before form arose they are emancipation-realization.” (unquote)

We usually think of the sutras as the actual words of the Buddha.  But here, by naming this the Mountains and Waters Sutra, Dogen is saying that the sutras are not limited to the words of an enlightened person, but the actual physical mountains and waters themselves as they are here and now.  These mountains are the sutras.  They are our sacred texts.  They are the foundation for any words that can be considered holy.

Moreover, the mountains and waters Zen Master Dogen is talking about are not simply objects of beauty or reverence, but are in fact our True Self.  “...since before form arose” means that since before creation we are with, in, and inseparable from these mountains and waters, from this Loyalsock State Forest. 

The healing of our planet and our own psyches begins every time we make a concerted effort like we are doing today to see ourselves in the mountains and to see the mountains as a part of ourself.

This is how I understand the teaching, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

May we not forget the sacred teachings of the mountains and waters, especially at this time at Loyalsock State Forest.