原文:

【6-9】
 示して云く、海中に龍門と云處ありて、洪波しきりにたつなり。諸の魚ども彼の處を過ぬれば、必ず龍となるなり。故に龍門と云なり。いま思ふ、彼の處洪波も他所にことならず、水も同くしわはゆき水なり。然れども定まれる不思議にて、魚ども彼の處を渡れば必ず龍と成る。魚の鱗もあらたまらず、身も同じ身ながら、たちまちに龍となるなり。衲子の儀式も亦かくのごとし。處も他所にことならねども、叢林に入りぬれば必ずしも佛と成り祖となるなり。食も人と同く喫し、衣も同く服し、飢を除き寒を禦(フセ)ぐことも齊しけれども、只髮を剃り袈裟を着して食を齋粥にすれば、忽ちに衲子と成るなり。成佛作祖、遠く求むべきにあらず。只叢林に入と入ざるとは、彼の龍門を過ると過ざるとの別の如し。亦俗の云く、我れ金を賣れども人の買ふなしと。佛祖の道も亦かくのごとし。道を惜むにはあらず、常に與ふれども人の得ざるなり。道を得ることは根の利鈍にはよらず。人人皆法を悟るべきなり。精進と懈怠とによりて得道の遲速あり。進怠の不同は志しの至ると至らざるとなり。志しの至らざることは無常を思はざる故なり。念念に死去す。畢竟じて且くも留まらず、暫く存ぜる間だ、時光を空くすごすことなかれ。古語に云ふ、倉にすむ鼠み食に飢へ、田を耕す牛草に飽かずと。云心は、食の中にありながら食にうえ、草の中に住しながら草に乏し。人もかくのごとし。佛道の中に有りながら道にかなはざるものなり。名利希求の心止まざれば、一生安樂ならざるなり。

【6-10】
 示して云く、道者の行は善行惡行につき皆おもはくあり。凡人の量る所にあらず。昔し慧心僧都、一日庭前に草を食ふ鹿を、人をして打ち追はしむ。時に或る人問て云く、師慈悲なきに似り、草を惜みて畜生を惱ますか。僧都の云く、しかあらず、吾れ若し是を打ち追はずんば此の鹿ついに人になれて、惡人に近づかん時は必ず殺されん。この故にうちおふなりと。これ鹿を打追は、慈悲なきに似たれども内心は慈悲の深き道理、かくのごとし。

Dogen instructed,
In the ocean, there is a place called the Dragon-Gate, where vast waves rise incessantly. Without fail, all fish once having passed through this place become dragons. Thus, the place is called the Dragon-Gate.
The vast waves there are not different from those in any other place, and the water is also ordinary salt water. Despite that, mysteriously enough, when fish cross that place, they all become dragons. Their scales do not change and their bodies stay the same; however, they suddenly become dragons.
The way of Zen monks is also like this. Although it is not a special place, if you enter a sorin (monastery), without fail you will become a buddha or a patriarch. You eat meals and wear clothes as usual; thus you stave off hunger and keep off the cold just the same as other people do. Still, if you shave your head, put on a kesa, and eat gruel for breakfast and rice for lunch, you will immediately become a Zen monk. Do not seek afar to become a buddha or a patriarch. Becoming one who either passes through the Dragon Gate or not depends only on entering a sorin (monastery), just the same as the fish.
There is a saying in the secular world, “I sell gold, but no one will buy it.” The Way of the buddhas and patriarchs is also like this. It is not that they begrudge the Way; even though it is always being offered, no one will accept it. To attain the Way does not depend on whether you are inherently sharp or dull witted. Each one of us can be aware of the dharma. Slowness or quickness in attaining the Way depends on whether you are diligent or indolent. The difference between being diligent or indolent is caused by whether your aspiration is resolute or not. Lack of firm aspiration is caused by being unaware of impermanence. Ultimately speaking, we die moment by moment, not residing for even a little while. While you are alive, do not spend your time in vain.
There is an old saying, “A mouse in a storehouse starves for food. An ox plowing the field never eats his fill of grass.” This means that even though living in the midst of food, the mouse is starving; even though living in the midst of grass, the ox is short of grass. Human beings are also like this. Even though we are in the midst of the Buddha-Way, we are not living in accordance with the Way. Unless we cut off the desire for fame and profit, we cannot live in peace and joy (nirvana) throughout our lifetime.

Dogen instructed,
Whether they seem good or bad, the deeds of a person of the Way, are results of deep consideration. They cannot be fathomed by ordinary people.
A long time ago, Eshin Sozu once had someone beat a deer that was eating grass in the garden and drive it away.
Someone asked him, “You seem to lack compassion. Why did you begrudge the grass to the deer and have it driven away?”
The Sozu replied, “If I did not beat it and drive it away, the deer would eventually become familiar with human beings. And if it ever went near an evil person, it would surely be killed. This is why I drove it away.”
Although he seemed lacking in compassion by beating the deer and driving it away, deep in his heart he had compassion.