In Dogen’s view zazen is a method of prodding the cart. It addresses the physical side first. And when the physical body is right, the mind naturally follows suit. He doesn’t deny the existence of the component of “prodding the horse” in zazen, though. He says, “There should be fist beating fist and should be horse beating horse.” And though this sounds like a single-sentence treatment for a madefor-TV movie in which Mr. Ed wails on Francis the Talking Mule, it actually refers to taking real action here and now, or just doing it, as the sneaker ad used to put it.
