The man who lives in solitude is respectfully worshipped by Indra and all the gods. This is why you should leave your own and other communities to live alone in seclusion, pondering the extinction of the origin of suffering. Tonight, I would like to the statement, this is why you should leave your own and other communities to live alone in seclusion, pondering the extinction of the origin of suffering. The subject is, why is it we have to experience selfishness? We have to experience selfishness, and why does the practice of selfishness enable man

[01:11]

to get to the peacefulness, or enlightenment, or tranquility? In order to understand how important the practice of selfishness is, I try to read the Shobo Genzo, one of the chapters of the Genjo Koan, or the chapter of birth and death, which occurs in the Soto Approach to Zen, translated by Professor Masnab.

[02:15]

Particularly, the Genjo Koan is a crystallization of the main point, how important selfishness is. The experience of selfishness is for us. Selfishness. I'm sorry. Selflessness. That's right. Selflessness. Selflessness. That's all of it. I'm sorry. In Genjo Koan, the first paragraph of Genjo Koan,

[03:33]

it says, The Buddha way is beyond being and non-being. Therefore, we have life and death. The ignorance and enlightenment, people and Buddhas. However, flowers fall with our attachment, and weeds grow with our detachment. When all things are Buddhist phenomena, we have enlightenment and ignorance.

[04:37]

Studies, life and death, Buddhas and people. In other words, when all things are concerned with ourselves, there are various phenomena, as enlightenment, ignorance, good and bad, life and death, Buddhas and people. When all things are with ourselves, when all things are not concerned with ourselves, there are no ignorance, no enlightenment, no Buddhas, no people. No life, no death. I think you understand this meaning.

[05:40]

When all things are simply not concerned with the self, there is no problem. There is no problem. But when you think, when you think, I suffer now. The problem is that your suffering is concerned with yourself. That time you think, this is my suffering. On the contrary, when everything is not simply concerned with the self, there is no problem, no Buddhas, no people. When Buddhism is not concerned with yourself,

[06:44]

it is not necessary to contemplate what Buddha is. Besides, it is not necessary to contemplate who you are. You are now thinking of yourself, who you are, because you are plunging into the Buddhist world, plunging into Buddhism. That is why Buddhism creates trouble for you. Who I am, what is Buddha? Buddhism itself creates trouble to you, and also Buddhism saves yourself from your problem.

[07:49]

Who you are, what suffering is, what Buddha is. Then what you are suffering, what you are suffering, this suffering, this suffering is what you are concerned, what you are attached to, what you are concerned with yourself, with the suffering. That time you make all this suffering. Next question. I think the other day, a few months ago, I think I told you, there was one of the ladies in my village who had the character of a freak,

[09:04]

who was very freak, fickle, very fickle and unchangeable, like a wizard. One day I called her to come to my temple and advised her who she was. Then I said, the human being has to change, has to be changeable, according to the human's character, according to not only human character, but according to the weather. She said, oh, I don't know exactly how changeable human mind is. That's very strange. But for her, fickle character is not simply concerned with herself.

[10:23]

So she didn't know, she didn't know how changeable the human mind is. So, oh, I don't know exactly what it is because I have never experienced it. The same is to be said to all of you, all of you. Even enlightenment, even the experience of enlightenment. You say, if you experience enlightenment through Zazen, if you experience the like of enlightenment through taking a drug, people advise you, the drug is not so good, please quit, give up drinking and taking a drug. But for him, taking a drug is not concerned with himself. How bad a drug is for him, he doesn't know that.

[11:32]

When you are aware of how bad taking a drug is, I think it is, it is possible, it is possible to give up easily. Give up taking a drug easily. But if you don't know, you don't matter, you don't care. You don't care how good it is, how bad it is. Just your curiosity, just your curiosity impairs you to take a drug. Your curiosity says, oh, that's none of your business. Even the people advise you, please don't take a drug. You say, oh, that's none of your business. Then, Dogen then says, when all things are Buddhist phenomena,

[12:42]

Buddhist phenomena is your own life, your own life, our lives. When all are Buddhist phenomena, there is enlightenment and ignorance. Life and death, the Buddhas and peoples. When all things are without self, without self, you know, no drug, how bad a drug is, how good a drug is, how good practice Zazen is, how bad practice Zazen is. We have no ignorance, no enlightenment, no Buddhas, no peoples, no life and death. The next sentence says, the Buddha way is beyond being and non-being.

[13:52]

Therefore, we have life and death. The Buddhist way is beyond the good and bad, the Buddha and people, birth and death. Therefore, we have life and death. So, when you think there are many problems of life and death, ignorance and enlightenment, Buddhas and peoples, they are not ones of proper understanding, proper understanding of the Buddhist world. All what you understand as a subject of birth and death,

[14:54]

ignorance and enlightenment, such and such, they are your understanding in the domain of human speculation. The Buddhist way is beyond such a subject, beyond such a subject of the good and bad, birth and death, life and death, enlightenment and people. That's it. Now, how we should understand the phenomena of human beings, the Dogen then says, however, nevertheless,

[15:55]

nevertheless, there is nothing but the broadening, broadening understanding of this world. In the state that the flowers fall with our attachment and weeds grow with our detachment, you know, even though you don't like, you don't like flowers falling, regardless of your ideas, flowers fall down. Weeds grow, regardless of your ideas. Then this is, this is our attitude, this is the Buddhist attitude.

[16:59]

If you are, if you are aware of yourself as Buddhist, this is the main point of, main point of how to live in this world. This is very simple, very simple. But actually it is not simple. Then Buddha explains, analyzes what human being is, what suffering is, why flowers fall down into the ground, regardless of the ideas. Then, I think, in order to make you understand, make the selflessness,

[18:04]

the practice, make the practice of selflessness understand better, we have to consider the subject of the good and bad, good and bad, according to the Buddhism. Particularly in Shobo Genzo Dogen Zen, he explains about this problem, good and bad. His thought is very different from our common sense, concerned with the idea of good and bad. I think the, in Keitoku Dento Roku, these are the stories.

[19:32]

The, that, the Hakkyoi, Hakkyoi and the Choka Zen Master, Zen Master named Choka, who was sitting meditation on the top of the trees always. Then people called him Choka, like a nestle, bird's nestle. The Hakkyoi one day asked the Zen Master named Choka Zenji, what is the Buddhist teaching, what is Buddhist teaching? Then the Zen Master says, don't do, don't do evil deeds, make effort to do good deeds.

[20:52]

It makes you, it makes you pure, your mind. This is Buddhist teaching, this is Buddhist teaching. Hakkyoi says, or that's a very simple, simple principle, he thought. Then he asked him, he asked the Zen Master, because he studied Buddhism for many years, so he knew, he knew so well what Buddhism was. So he doesn't, he didn't satisfy such a principle, such a simple principle. Don't do the evil, evil deeds, make effort, good deeds, effort to do good deeds. This makes your, makes your mind clear.

[22:00]

This is Buddhist teaching. Then he asked the Zen Master, Zen Master, even a child of three years knows so well about these principles. Don't do that, don't do the bad behavior, please do good deeds. Even a child of three years knows so well about it. Why is it you have to, you have to put the stress on these principles? Hmm? Not only the Hakkyoi, all of us, all of us understand the good and bad, understand the good and bad, enlightenment and ignorance,

[23:05]

and Buddhas and peoples, life and death. Life and death. Then Dogen Zenji explains this Zen Master's answer. Don't do bad deeds, do and make effort to do good deeds. Dogen Zenji says the subject of evil deeds, what I am about to speak, will be dealt with the nature of evil, nature of evil, among the natures of good, evil and neutral. And in this world, not only the nature of good and bad, but also one more thing, it is the nature of neutral, nature of neutral.

[24:11]

What you cannot, it is impossible to explain, to define, to define which is which, which is which, good and bad. This is the nature of neutrals, nature of neutrals. The nature is called in Chinese. It doesn't need any letters. It is called substantial things, substance, substance, substance. Dogen explains about three types of moral qualities.

[25:55]

One is the nature of the bad. The second is the nature of good. The third is the nature of neutral. This is, Mu is nothing. Mu is nothing. He is to explain, to explain. I think this nature, this nature is, this nature is characteristic of unadulterated, unadulterated one. And this nature, this nature, this nature also is beyond, beyond the idea of good and bad and neutrals.

[27:08]

Then Dogen then says the nature, the nature is characteristic of the element of non-work, non-work. This is non-work, non-work. So in Buddhism, the good, the ideas, notions, notions of good and bad and neutral is characteristic of something beyond the idea of good and bad and neutral, what you think usually in our daily life. Then Dogen, then he explains about this nature, nature regarded as non-birth, non-birth. And also he said the nature of good and neutral is also non-birth.

[28:17]

Non-birth and non-flowing, non-flowing. Non-flowing is the opposite to the... The asrava, asrava. Asrava means, which means the phenomenon of human being, human being. In other words, samsara, samsara. The asrava, asrava is something which oozes and all flows out of the mind and spoils generally the upward career of Buddhist life.

[29:31]

Then this nature, the nature of good and bad and neutral is something beyond, something beyond the oozings and all flows out of our mind. This is non-flow, non-flowing, non-flowing. In this point, in Buddhism, the idea of good and bad is completely beyond the common sense, common sense what you think. The nature of good and neutral is also non-birth, non-flowing. Non-flowing and the true nature of all things in underlying essence.

[30:44]

But the problem is, nevertheless there are many problems, many problems which we recognize, which we must recognize the good and bad, subject of good and bad. Then he said, and yet there are various problems of their own. How do these natures of good and bad and neutral would be possible in our daily life? The evil deeds differ from this and that world.

[32:01]

The evil deeds differ from this and that world. The preceding evil deeds and the following evil deeds are different. And the same is to be said in the heaven and human world. Besides, between the worldly and the buddhist affairs, the viewpoint of good and bad and neutral is completely far different, completely far different. Why is that complicated? Why is that the idea of good and bad is complicated in our daily life?

[33:13]

Then Dogen says, good is a good and bad are time, good and bad are time. Good and bad are time, good and bad are time. Time is not good and bad, time is not good and bad. Time is not good and bad. Good and bad are the dharma, all beings, good and bad are all beings.

[34:15]

Dharma is not good and bad, dharma is not good and bad. In the modern world, I think the good and the bad come into being. According to the time and place, time means the conditioned origination. Conditioned origination. In other words, simply speaking, the conditioned origination is conditioned. Then the cognition of good and bad depends on the time, depends on the circumstance and place.

[35:32]

Time and place. By the time and place, according to the recognition, recognition of the good and bad is very different, very different. I think, you know, the... I think, you know...

[37:04]

You know, there is a great man named Hitler, Hitler, it is all right, Hitler, you know, in Germany, in Germany. I think, you know, even though many people regard him as a very bad person, you know, but even though he is, he is. He is, you know, one of the great men who has been left in our histories, you know. Because everybody knows so well, everybody knows so well. You know, the Stalins, Stalin Russian, was a very good person who was successful in the establishment of the Russian countries, according to his principles.

[38:34]

In those days, he was one of the great men, great men who was left in human histories. But now Stalin was not a great man, great man. His principle, his principle is not right. In those days, many people, many people believed in him. His principle was completely right. So all Russian people followed. But now, the situation, when the situation changed, the situation is changed, what is left? You know, the idea of good and bad depends on, depends on the time and place, time and place.

[39:52]

But important thing is not, is that time and place is, time and place is not bad and good. Your circumstances, circumstances and the situation of your life is not bad, is not good. Good and bad just appears, just appears under the situation, under the time. Then he says, good and bad are time, good and bad are time. But time is not good and bad, but most people misunderstood, have misunderstood. What impairs you to do so?

[40:58]

The circumstance of the United States is very bad, in a sense it is right. But strictly speaking, there is a problem, there is a problem. Of course, of course, good and bad is produced under the situation of the United States. Of your circumstances, of your families, it is in a sense right. It looks like right, but it is your circumstances and the circumstances for society is not bad, is not good. Time is not good and bad. Good and bad are dharma, dharma is not good and bad.

[42:04]

So the problem of good and bad is always within ourselves. Then, how should we know? How should we know who decides? Who decides, who decides good and bad? Dogen then says, if you listen to practice and experience bodily Buddhist teachings in an attempt to learn the surpassing wisdom,

[43:06]

you will find it entirely profound, far off and subtle. But if you start to learn Buddhism, I think you will find Buddhism entirely profound and far off and subtle. But if you listen to the surpassing wisdom according to a venerable person, a sutra and analects, in the beginning you regard the teachings as the prohibition of evil deeds. I think if you start to learn Buddhism, everything what you have done is not good.

[44:09]

So at every moment when you listen to the Buddhist teachings, you regard Buddhist teachings as a prohibition of evil deeds. You ask yourself, what is good, what is bad? I think this is pretty good, this is pretty good. Then Dogen then says, if you don't think so, you are not right, right teachings of Buddha. I think, you know, if you don't start, if you don't, if you wouldn't, if you wouldn't start to learn Buddhism,

[45:21]

it may be not necessary, not necessary to contemplate what is good, what is bad. So you take it into your head that everything what you have done is good. And people criticize you. When people criticize you, oh, it is a bad thing. Then you say, I'm sorry, this is human life. But next moment you do the bad deeds. Even though you do bad deeds, many often you don't notice, you don't take notice of your deeds, evil deeds. Like a thief, if you are not aware of your evil deeds, you know,

[46:29]

the idea of evil, the idea of evil doesn't come into existence. Because you are not completely aware of what bad, what evil is. If a thief doesn't recognize his misconduct, his misconduct sits loose, sits loose in his conscience, in his conscience. Like one of the ladies, what I said, who lived in my village, what is good, what is bad. This is my business, you said.

[47:37]

This is my business, the thief said. But when you start, if you start to learn Buddhism, everything what you have done is not so good. Then you are completely upset, what is good, what is bad. But for the Buddhists and Dogons, or the Buddhists in terms of Buddha, if you don't think so, if you don't think so, then such and such teachings are not right teachings. Now they are not right teachings of Buddha, but ones of devils, ones of devils.

[48:41]

It is devil's teaching. If you don't think, if you don't think so, are listening to the teachings regarded as the prohibition of evil deeds, you should believe, you should believe they are right teachings. You should believe they are right teachings. I think from this point, religion is not making something at random. It is not to make something at random.

[49:45]

It is not to make something done at random. Religion, the practice of religion is, in a sense, is very straight. If you read the Lotus Sutra, in Chapter 3, the Shakyamuni Buddha explains about the various phases of human life. In order to make human understand better what it is. Let us suppose the following case, Sariputra.

[50:54]

In a certain village, town, province, kingdom, or capital, there was a certain housekeeper, old-aged, decrepit, very advanced in years, rich, wealthy, or opulent. He had a great house, high, spacious, built a long time ago, and old. Inhabited by some 2, 3, 4, or 500 living there. The house, there is a house in which many 500 people or so live there. The house, and also the house had one door.

[51:59]

And all of a sudden, the whole house was from every side put in conflagration by a massive fire. It is suddenly burning. Let us suppose that the man had many little boys, say 5 or 10 or even 20, and that he himself had come out of the house. The dear father was concentrated on how to save them from the burning house. Then, the man, Sariputra, you know, it says, the man started to make the following reflection.

[53:11]

I myself am able to come out from the burning house through the doors quickly and safely without being touched or scorched by that great massive fire. But my children, those young boys are staying in the burning house, playing, amusing, and diverting themselves with all sorts of sports. They do not perceive, nor know, nor understand, nor mind that the house is on fire. And do not, do not get afraid, do not get afraid. Most people do not get afraid, even though they live in a burning house. This is a common situation with human life.

[54:16]

Good and bad are produced by time and place. In the world, many people kill the person, but nobody knows how bad evil deeds they do. In the world, killing a person is common sense for them. Otherwise, it is impossible to kill. What is good and what is bad? Then sometimes, they know, they want to look at the father standing out of the doors, out of the burning house. This father is Buddhist, this father is truth, this father is the Buddha's teaching. We are interested in the Buddha's teaching, always.

[55:19]

Sometimes I look up, I glance, I glance up to the Buddhism. Oh, that's nice, that's all. Nobody doesn't want, nobody doesn't get inside, get into the doors. Nobody goes out of the burning house. Just look at the door, just look at the Buddhism. Oh, how it is, how good Buddhism is, that's all. And they do not perceive, nor know, no understanding, no mind that the house is on fire. And do not get afraid. The problem is that they take it into their head that their life is right. Their life is properly their own life.

[56:23]

Those scorched by that great mass of fire and affected with such mass of pain, they do not mind the pain, nor do they conceive the idea of escaping. The man, Shaliputra, is strong. The man is very strong. He has strong muscles. He has powerful arms, powerful arms. Like a superman. And he makes this reflection, I am strong. I am strong and have powerful arms. Why let me gather, why let me gather all my little boys and take them to my beast to effect their escape from the house?

[57:29]

I think this is, you know, there are many choices. Western philosophy, Oriental philosophy, Buddhism, Christianity. The lessons are delivered by Mrs, what's her name? Charles Severs. And he offers many things. And through this experience, Mrs. Charles Severs' lessons, you know, you can feel, oh, my mind is very calm.

[58:34]

I know, understand, I understand now what emptiness is, what form is emptiness. I think this understanding is done only through your sixth sense. Sixth sense. Six senses are very important. Everybody can, everybody can feel, perceive such a tranquility, such an understanding through the tranquility, what Buddhism is, through just six senses. The man is strong, has powerful arms, and he makes this reflection, I am strong and have powerful arms.

[59:48]

I am so strong that I can, I can take the little boys from the burning house. But a second, a second reflection he did, then presented, presented itself to his mind. This house has but one opening, one opening, just one door. This door is very narrow. All around the house, it's set to stone fire. The second reflection then presented itself to his mind. This house has but one opening.

[60:51]

The door is shut. And those boys, fickle, unsteady, and childlike as they are, well at least to be feared. Run, hither and thither, and come to grief and disaster in this mass of fire. Therefore I will warn them. I think the, it is important point to express the door is just one, and shut, this door is shut. And those boys, fickle, unsteady, and childlike as they are, well at least to be feared.

[61:56]

Run, hither and thither. Religion is not formalities. The important thing is content for formality. You will find the various, various rituals. So, if you think ritual is just formality, it is in vain. The problem is within yourself, whether it is useful or not. Then, anyway, from this point, whatever happens, we have to walk by our foot.

[63:02]

Then this further thought, second reflection, presented itself, even a little my sons had to walk by them, by their foot, out of burning house. You know, even though there are lots of mass of religious ritual, ritual means like this father's strong arm. Ritual itself doesn't save you from the suffering. To save yourself from suffering is within yourself.

[64:05]

It means to walk by your foot. The other day I read the Christian statement, New Testament. I found a very interesting statement in the Bible. I will read you, okay? Matthew, chapter 19. And behold, one came up to him saying, Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? And he said to him, why do you ask me about what is good?

[65:14]

And one there is who is good. Just one, just one. I don't know what it is. Anyway, Jesus Christ said, one there is who is good. If you enter life, keep the commandments. Now why do you ask me about, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? And he said to him, why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you enter life, keep the commandments. And that was over. That was over. That young?

[66:28]

All these I have observed. What do I still lack? You know, it looks like the stories, what your cousin Zen stories. The Buddha's teaching is, you know, to not teach, not do. Don't do the bad evil deed. Make effort to do good deed. But all these I have done, I have observed. What do I still lack? Now Hakyoi said, even a child of three years knows so well about it. I have done all things. What do I still lack? Now Jesus said to him, if you would be perfect, if you would be perfect and go,

[67:37]

sell what you possess and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven and come, follow me. That's trouble. And next statement he said, now statement is very important. When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Buddhism says, if you want to study Buddhism, please forget yourself. That's terrible. How can I forget myself? So you think it's impossible here. It's really impossible to forget myself. As long as I live, I exist in this world, now here.

[68:42]

How can I forget? If you think so, you have to went away with the feeling, with the sorrowful feeling, like this young man. You know, judging from this story, religion is not to make something done at random. Religion is not formality. If you want to, because the religion is always taking care of the subject of human life, life force, not the surface, not the problem which happens in the surface of the world. Religion is always taking care of

[69:51]

the fundamental problem of life force. Then Jesus said, if you want to enter the life force, you try to go back and sell all things, that's the problem. We are always, you know, I have many things, and Buddha says, forget yourself. Buddha says to give many things to poor person. I did, I have done. All what you, all things I have. You know, I have, I have observed all things what you advised us, without changing of your, our own life.

[70:54]

Then, as Dogen says, as Dogen says, you know, the, to say, or what you, what you listen, what you can listen to prohibition of evil deed, evil deed, is to say, the, your own wisdom telling you. I think the prohibition, prohibition of evil deeds,

[72:24]

evil deed doesn't come into existence according to human thought. What you think, the, what you can listen, what you can listen to the prohibition of evil deeds, it's not done, it's not done by the human thought. This can only be done subject, subject, to listening to the surpassing wisdom expressed in words. The practice of prohibition of evil deeds is done when you, when you can have a chance to listen to the Buddha's teaching. Then,

[73:26]

then Dogen then says, to say what you regard the Buddha's teachings as the prohibition of evil deeds is to say what the surpassing wisdom is speaking to you. These words are in the wisdom because of ones expressed in the world of wisdom. To explain and to listen to the surpassing teachings impairs you to understand in that way. In that way, to long for the forbidding evil deeds and to practice it. You can, you can reach the, reach the level

[74:28]

in which evil deed are, evil deed is no longer formed in continuing to practice it and you can't display your ability of practice, Buddha's practice. Anyway, even though you are, you are fear, you fear, you fear other Buddha's teaching, when you listen to Buddha's teaching, you should listen to the Buddha's teaching. I experienced, I experienced in my college students, always,

[75:28]

I didn't really like, I didn't really like Buddha's teaching. I didn't really like listening to the Buddha's teaching because Buddha's teaching always impairs you to the, the opposite of my expectation. They always, Buddha's teaching made me be upset. But it was still my understanding, my understanding Buddha's teaching. I think the Avalokiteshvara says, if you recite the name of Buddha, the recitation of Buddha's, Buddha's name saves you from your suffering.

[76:31]

Strictly speaking, from the viewpoint of modern, our days, it is real nonsense, you know. It's like an advertisement of religion. Like Soka Gakkai, you should believe, if you believe in my religion, you can make, you can, the good chance to make a lot of money will be given to you. And many people are interested in believing in Soka Gakkai. You know, the other day, in the Youth Soul Parade, was performed by Ming Ong, Ming Ong, many people. And Soka Gakkai itself is not wrong, it's not wrong. It is also religion. The problem is always facing the person who believes.

[77:41]

Religion. Someone asked me the message, whether shallow selflessness is good or bad. I don't know exactly what it is. Even though I said it is bad, you believe in shallow selflessness, it's pretty good. If you find your mind calm, it is pretty good. It's none of my business. That's pretty good. But always, what is good, what is bad? You know, even though the conduct which people believe in Soka Gakkai,

[78:45]

shouting the Nam-myoho-renge, like mad, is also good, it's also good. The person who takes a drug to go around and around in the Hallowish Nation, is pretty good. Because it's none of my business. The problem is always himself, within himself. It depends on what he is doing. It depends on what he is doing. If he is not aware of himself, what he is doing, and the drug is not so bad for him, then he says, it's none of my business.

[79:51]

It's none of your business. So, the same is to say, the judgment of whether the message of shallow selflessness is good or bad. I can't say anything at all. Where is the judgment of good or bad? Where is the judgment of the recitation of Buddha's name? Where is the judgment of the practice of Zazen? You have to continue to ask, where is good and bad? What is good and bad? Nevertheless, even though you don't know,

[80:56]

you don't know where is good and bad, what is good and bad, you should express the decision to continue to practice Zazen. At that time, it is good. It is good. It is the prohibition of evil deeds. Even for a moment when you can put your hands together, this is the real prohibition of evil deeds. Because it is impossible to hit others. While you keep your palms together like this, you can't. While you can keep reciting Buddha's name, no delusions appear in your mind.

[82:00]

Just Buddha's name is appearing over and over again. That's all. Then, when you express the decision to continue to practice Zazen, or to recite the name of Buddha, it is really a religious practice. Therein are the judgments of good and bad. So, that's why Dogenzin says,

[83:05]

the surpassing wisdom, the surpassing teachings impel you to understand that way, to long for the prohibition of evil deeds, and to practice it. Surpassing wisdom. Wisdom impels you to do so. Not you impel yourself to do Zazen. When you think you spur yourself to practice Zazen, you always must think that practicing Zazen is nonsense nowadays, because I can't get enlightenment. I can't understand what a human being is. Then, you are starting to wonder.

[84:19]

You are wondering. In an attempt to find better conditions through another practicing, Shakyamuni Buddha's teaching is very good. I don't mean that Shakyamuni Buddha's teaching is not bad. It is pretty good. But if you understand, even if you are in a state of stress, in an attempt to find another better condition than this, practicing what you are doing now, it is impossible to find it. You cannot find your life in a better condition.

[85:21]

If you don't find the truth in your life now, here, you will not find any place else. Any place else. Wherever you find good things, Western philosophies, Western Oriental philosophies, I Ching, fortune-tellers, you cannot find. You cannot find. It makes you just left, makes you leave. It leads to leave you, the imbued man, the word man, that's all. The important thing is that you must express the decision to continue to practice.

[86:33]

Just one thing. So, at the occasion of the Shakyamuni Buddha's teaching, the Zazen follows just one form. Just one form. Just one form. This one form is characteristic of the same seated figure of Buddha, as a Buddha. And you have to take care, we have to take care of many things which are bubbling up the bottom of your mind. Now, this is pretty difficult, rather than the Charles Silver's lessons. I think, anyway, the important thing is that you must express the decision to continue just one thing.

[87:48]

Whatever happens around you, as long as you are wandering here and there, it is really impossible to find the truth. Because if you follow in that way, you are always looking at something from the viewpoint of Lukkason. You think always whether this religion, the practice of Zazen, is suitable to me or not. And then, if you think that this practice of Zazen is pretty good for me, then you will stop. At that time, it is impossible to find what the truth is.

[88:50]

You don't care what kind of person you are. If you want to know what the truth is, because this truth is taking care of the life force which human beings possess in underlying essence, it is not simple, it is not easy. If you want to know the truth, you don't care what kind of person you are. You have to first go plunge into the truth, the domain of the truth, and express the decision to continue to do so. At that time, you will understand what it is, what you are, who you are.

[89:55]

Then, if you read, if you read the Shopokinzo, entitled Jinjo Koan and Birth-Death, I think you will understand better. Why we have to forget the selfishness. Thank you very much.

[91:29]

Thank you very much.

[91:38]

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