Japan – Discovering Zen Words – Today’s Best Word is “直心是道場 The dojo is in a straight heart”
Zen is hard. And Zen words? Even harder.
So I go ahead and make up my own meanings—and I like them just fine.I like to think that Master Huineng, Dōgen, Ikkyū, and Ryōkan would nod gently and say, “That’s fine. That’s fine. Let it be, my friend.”
Today is “Jikishin kore dojo" It means “If you have an honest heart, you can become a dojo anywhere"
The Dojo of a Straightforward Heart
Long ago in ancient India, there lived a young seeker named Kōgon Dōji. He lived in the bustling city of Vaiśālī, where the constant noise and chaos made it hard for him to focus on his spiritual practice. Tired of the clamor, he decided to leave the city in search of a quiet and peaceful place where he could meditate in earnest.
As he made his way to the city gates, he passed by a lone monk entering the city. Surprised, Kōgon asked him, “Where are you going, sir?”
The monk replied, “To the dojo, of course.”
This puzzled Kōgon. A dojo? In this noisy place?
“And where is that dojo, exactly?” he asked.
The monk smiled and said simply, “The dojo is found in a heart that is straight and true. Do you understand?”
In that moment, Kōgon Dōji realized his mistake. It wasn’t the noise outside that was the problem—it was the noise within. The monk, it turns out, was none other than the great Vimalakīrti, a wise lay practitioner known for seeing through pretenses and pointing directly to the heart of things.
“Straight heart, straight path,” he seemed to say.
What Vimalakīrti taught Kōgon that day is something worth carrying into our own lives: The place of practice—the dojo—is not out there somewhere in the mountains or behind a sliding paper door. It’s in the attitude you bring, the sincerity of your heart. If your heart is clear and honest, anywhere can be a place of growth. Blaming your environment is often just a polite excuse. If you truly want to practice, you don’t need to leave the city. You don’t even need to leave your desk.
Have an honest heart
Fast forward a couple thousand years.
Most of us don’t live in ancient India, or even anywhere near a temple. We live in office buildings, classrooms, storefronts, and hospitals. We spend our days surrounded by emails, deadlines, meetings, and fluorescent lights. And still, we have the same thoughts as Kōgon: This place is too noisy. I can’t focus. I can’t grow here. I need to leave.
We grumble. We look for new jobs, new cities, new lives. We believe somewhere out there, there’s a place where we’ll finally be understood, finally be happy, finally get some peace and quiet. But I’ve got news for you—if your heart is restless, it doesn’t matter where you go. You’ll bring the noise with you.
The problem isn’t always the place. Often, it’s our mindset.
The real question is: Have we been working with a straightforward heart? Have we been honest in our efforts, present in our moments, open to what is right in front of us?
Maybe the next time you’re ready to throw up your hands and walk out of your own modern-day Vaiśālī, you’ll remember this: Jikishin kore dōjō—“A straightforward heart is the dojo.”
You don’t need to escape to find clarity. You need only to return to what is simple and true in yourself. Start there. The rest will follow.