UJI Part Twenty-Five | Uji’s Practice

“In such a manner, coming to training, going on in training, training until you arrive, and training beyond arriving are, at all times, ‘just for the time being, just for a while’.” 

Training is practice without a definitive endpoint. When we come to training, we step onto the path with a beginner's mind, open and receptive to the teachings. This initial step is a surrender to uji, an essential encounter with the present-infinite. Each moment of engagement with our practice is vital, whether we feel progress or stagnation. This is going on in training, the ardor that quickens our daily dedication and perseverance.

When we feel we have reached a point of understanding or realization, it is crucial to recognize this as "training until you arrive." Even at this stage, our practice is not complete. Arriving is not a destination but the moment actualizing the profound nature of our being. This realization encourages us to recognize our insights without becoming attached to them, understanding that they, too, are temporary and transient.

Dōgen's teaching of "training beyond arriving" urges us to transcend any notion of finality in our practice. True awakening is a process that continually unfolds. It is not confined to a single moment of enlightenment but is a dynamic, ongoing engagement. This recognition empowers us to approach each moment with a fresh, open mind, ready to learn and grow continuously.

We are reminded to embrace the present moment expressed through all of these—coming to training, going on in training, training until you arrive, and training beyond arriving. Each is "just for the time being, just for a while"; uji.

In this way, this teaching becomes a living, breathing guide, urging us to embrace uji. Each step of our practice, each moment of training, is a complete expression of uji. This is it. You are the One. Make it happen!