Dogen Zenji next tries to explain the life force, taking a powerful example. Life seems a man to get on a ship. She is steered by a sail manipulated by him. He rows her with a pole, but she lets him get on.

[01:04]

He cannot be recognized without her. His invocation makes her become what she is. It is at just this moment what you have to examine carefully. Only this moment occupies the world of the ship. The heaven, water, shore also completely apply themselves to the movement of her own. You cause to happen your life by yourself. You make your life become chock full of life force.

[02:10]

In times of going on the ship, your body and mind, all being, all beings about you melt into her own world. And also the whole being of the world, world and universe. You are in your own life. Your life is on you. The life seems a man to get on a ship. I think as mentioned last night, the life force of itself is life.

[03:18]

Life that is not at all disturbed by the outfits of any kind or any amount of measurement. Any amount of measurement. Any amount of argument. And she is steered by herself, manipulated by him. Then each of us are living in the domain of life force, which is not at all disturbed by any kind of things, anything.

[04:40]

This is our life, our lives. Then he rows her with a pole, but she lets him get on. He cannot be recognized without her. His invocation makes her become what she is. The important point is that the race, no, the

[05:46]

race is at the stage of the present. When you live in Tazahara, wherever you may live. As long as you are in Tazahara, your life is like a boat, like a ship. At the stage of the moment when you live in Tazahara. Then Tazahara is, Tazahara is seen from your life force.

[07:07]

Life force. In other words, Tazahara is like a ship. Because Tazahara is the same thing as your life force itself. Then as long as you ride on, get on, on the ship called Tazahara, you have to rely upon the ship. You have to put life into the practice, into the practice of Zazen in Tazahara.

[08:31]

At that time, Tazahara is completely identical with your life. But as I said yesterday, it is really impossible to have a relationship with anything else. Whatever it is. In a plain surface. In plain surface, the relationship between I and Tazahara is completely drilled.

[09:43]

Someone said, I said to someone who visited who had visited to Tazahara, at Tazahara once. Then, how wonderful Tazahara was. He said, yes, how wonderful Tazahara, I agree with you. But he said, what is wonderful for Tazahara is just a hot spring. Just a hot spring. Nothing more.

[10:59]

The hot spring is wonderful for him. Nothing else. If I see Tazahara, if I meet Tazahara, in terms of a plain surface, the relationship between two is not much valuable. Not much of value, valuable things. But in my case, not only me, but also all of you.

[12:06]

You have a deep relationship with Tazahara. But Tazahara itself has just a hot spring and nature, beautiful nature, that's all. But for you, Tazahara has a deeper relation with Tazahara, existence of Tazahara. In other words, you can have a relation with Tazahara in three dimensions. You can accept Tazahara from a three-dimensional viewpoint. At that time, Tazahara is a very good place to practice Zen Buddhism.

[13:21]

Zen Buddhism. Then, up to the stage of the present, practicing Zazen and Tazahara, you will recognize that there are many things through your head. Which are advancing your thoughts, coming from the past and going towards the future, direction of the future. You know,

[14:25]

your past was based on some experience of study of Zen Buddhism. Such experience has been continuing up to now. Such experience impelled you to be in Tazahara. At this point, at the stage of the present, which has the slightest length of time, your past completely exists.

[15:36]

Your past is absorbed into the present. The slightest length of time is called present. Then, in the future, your thoughts are creating something by practicing Zazen. You are thinking that you will want to enhance yourself, your character, personality. This is your future.

[16:38]

Which is created, which is creating, which is being created by the thoughts. Even these thoughts are absorbed into the slightest length of time, which is called present. Because even your head, as mentioned before, is a very valuable part of your life force. Because your life force possesses your head. Your head doesn't have your life force.

[17:50]

Life force has absolutely your head. That's why many things which advance in thought are very valuable for you. From this point, all that you perceive in Tazahara, your friend, beauty of nature, sun of river, stars, moons, the sun, the rule of Tazahara, are very valuable for you.

[18:57]

Because even though you accept, you perceive all of them which exist in Tazahara through your intellect senses, through your head. Tazahara holds the whole being of Tazahara, which you perceive, which advances in thought. Tazahara has close relationship with your life force. Because all of them are like a heaven, water, shore, a thing from the boat, from the ship on which you get, you are getting.

[20:23]

So you have to accept all of things. But it doesn't mean to accept blindly. Don't misunderstand. Some religion says you must be frustrated. In front of the absolute, without inserting into any ideas,

[21:32]

you have to stand up completely by yourself and become yourself alone. You live alone, you stand alone in front of the absolute. Then you have to change your life in past, present and future. In terms of the world of the absolute, they say the blessed are the believers of this religion.

[22:38]

Believers of the absolute. In other words, how happy those who believe in the absolute are. From this point the happiness is given to only those who can believe. And try to change their life coming from past, going towards the direction of future. If so, what you stand alone completely without inserting into any idea means just to deny yourself.

[24:00]

If you can do in that way, your life is like a base on which it is possible to put anything. Dung or flowers or everything into it. Because the base doesn't say anything at all. Whatever you put into it, dung or flowers or whatever. What you are absolutely frustrated in front of the absolute, Buddha or God or anything else,

[25:23]

is to become like a base. But actually you cannot do, you cannot become in that way. It's impossible. Because you have a head based on the life force. Then you have to make a choice. Choice of what you need. But the question is how to make a choice. This is important. Even dung is a part of your life force.

[26:37]

From this point you have to accept it. But your head doesn't accept it. I don't want that dung. Then you are angry with it. You hate dung. I don't want that. Kick it out. But don't forget, don't forget that even dung is a part of your life force. Seeing from your life force, seeing from the boat, ship. Like a shore, like water, tree, heaven, sky, many things. Nevertheless you have to make a choice of whether you need it or not.

[27:46]

Because as long as you have a head based on life force, you have to make a choice. Then the important point is how to make a choice. How to accept, how to deal with, how to handle it at the stage of the present. Right now, right here. If you kick it out with anger, dung is not a part of your life force. Completely dung exists, completely in dualism. But even dung must be a part of your life force.

[29:00]

In Shobo Genjo Koan, Dogen Zen says, Buddha is beyond being and non-being. Therefore there are Buddha and ordinary person, enlightenment and delusion. This is important, even delusion is a part of your life force. In terms of the viewpoint of Buddha's eyes. In terms of the viewpoint of life force's eyes. Nevertheless, Dogen Zen says, Flowers fall with our attachment.

[30:09]

And weeds grow with our detachment. If you hate ignorance, if you hate delusion, you grow your hate, what you hate. Ignorance grows when you hate it. That's why he said, weeds grow with our detachment. Flowers fall with attachment. Even dung is a very vulnerable part of our life force.

[31:19]

Then you have to take care of it, even though you don't like it. When you make a choice, when you think how to deal, how to handle it, you have to take care of it carefully. Then if you don't want, please put it aside carefully. Don't kick it out. This is very important. From this point, if you...

[32:23]

If you want to commit a crime, some law I drive you to be put in the jail. Policeman catch you. You have to be in the jail. But from the viewpoint of life force, of course you have to be in the jail. But you are not really a prisoner. You are not really a prisoner.

[33:36]

You are still alive. You are still you who is living in the domain of your life force. But unfortunately your head created something bad. Then you have to be in the jail. Because if you stay with others, continuing to do something bad, you will continue to disturb others constantly. Then, even for a while,

[34:46]

you have to be in the jail and see how you feel. Now see into the depth of your life. See what your life force is. To be in the jail is to give you a great chance to reflect upon yourself. Then one of Japanese men who was the boss of a newspaper, one of the big newspapers,

[35:51]

was in jail right after the Second World War. He was never scared. He was never frightened. Even when he was in the jail, at that time nobody knew. Nobody knew who was in the jail. When they would die, this man continued to practice Zazen in the jail. Many people were attracted. Many people were impressed by his attitude,

[36:57]

just doing Zazen day after day. So the punishment, like being in jail, is not to give, is not to be in jail as a prisoner. In terms of the viewpoint of the law,

[37:58]

of course you are a prisoner. Strictly speaking, even the law cannot judge our life force. Nothing judges our life force. Nothing punishes our life force. But unfortunately, through the mistake, you happen to create something bad.

[39:00]

It looks like a dog in statements. The flowers fall with attachment. The weeds grow with our detachment. The ignorance grows when we hate ignorance. Our head is subject to making mistakes in that way very often. As long as you make a mistake, you must be in the jail.

[40:03]

But you are not still. You are still the life force. You are still the person based on life force. So to be in the jail is to take a rest for a while in the jail in order to make you reflect upon yourself. To be in the jail is not to punish yourself. This is a very important point. So as long as you have hate, you have to make a choice of what you need.

[41:08]

Whatever kind of things you hate, don't handle them blindly or carelessly because they are a part of your life force. Then only this moment occupies the world of ship. The heaven, water, shore also completely apply themselves to the moment of her own.

[42:21]

Everything is absorbed into your life force. Everything is absorbed into your life force. Into the slightest length of time which is called present, which is called ship on which you are getting. Then you cause to happen your life by yourself. Means what is to live? What is the purpose of life? The purpose of life is to live.

[43:29]

All you have to do is to live. That's all. Nothing more. The truth to live is to live. To live is the truth of your life. Then Dogen Zen says, you let your life become a chock full of life force. In other words, your life is filled with life force. In terms of going on the ship, your body and mind all being about you melt into her own world.

[44:35]

And also the whole being of world and universe too. You are in your own life. Your life is on you. Before the lecture, someone came to me and asked me, why did you have lecture tonight? If you don't want lecture, if you hate the lecture, how about stop giving the lecture? This is very kind for me.

[45:39]

But I said I have to do. And he said, you hate the lecture, students also hate the lecture. I think it is true. Of course. I hate the lecture and you hate the lectures. Nevertheless, I have to give a lecture. You know, Bukko Kokushi, the natural teacher, this is Zen master, was asked by general, samurai,

[46:46]

Tokimune. His name is Tokimune. He was a very great samurai. Overcoming the great difficulty for Japan. Because he confronted, Japan confronted the difficulties by the Mongolian invaders. That time, Tokimune asked him, the worst enemy of my life is cowardice.

[47:55]

How can I get rid of it? Bukko Kokushi said, cut off the source of when the cowardice comes. How can this be done? Bukko Kokushi said, shut out. Shut out of your thoughts. Before that, he said, where does cowardice come from? No, I think, you know,

[49:16]

Tokimune asked him, the worst enemy of my life is cowardice. Where does this cowardice come from? Bukko Kokushi is from Tokimune. It comes from Tokimune. How can I get rid of? Bukko Kokushi cut off the source when the cowardice comes. How can this be done? Shut out your thoughts.

[50:20]

How can I shut out my thoughts? How can my thoughts be shut out of my consciousness? He said, do Zazen. Do Zazen. And see, do Zazen and see into the depth of your life. And see how you feel when you throw away the cherished self known as Tokimune.

[51:26]

But Tokimune said, I'm sorry, I don't have... I'm sorry it's very difficult to spare time to sit in meditation because I have to deal with many worldly affairs. Bukko Kokushi said, whatever kind of worldly affairs you are engaged in, pick them up as an occasion for a reflection upon yourself, an inner reflection, for your inner reflection. Then when I received

[52:46]

a definite report about Mongolian invaders coming over the sea of Tsukushi in Japan, he appeared in front of Bukko Kokushi and said, the biggest event of my life is here now. Bukko Kokushi said, how would you face it? That time, Tokimune said, Katsu! This Katsu is very good. You know, you hate lectures?

[53:46]

I hate lectures. Where does it come from? When you say Katsu, you can't be here. When I say Katsu, I can't be here. Then I have to give lectures. You have to listen to the lectures. I'm sorry for you but this can be helped because your life is always going on. Your life force is going on including lectures, the beauty of nature, rivers, even a dunk. You should take care of many things about you. Then, next paragraph,

[54:49]

Togenzenji proved this, his statement by quoting the ancient patriarchs' experience concerning the Engo Zen Master who was an outstanding Zen Master and composed the Blue Cliff Record, one of the famous Zen books. The Engo Zen Master says, Shoya Zen Kigen, Shia Zen Kigen in Japanese.

[55:50]

Shoya means life. Zen Kigen is Zen is the whole. Ki is the function, the occasion, itself. Gen is the manifestation. Zen Kigen is the whole being and function of life. Shoya, ya means, ya is not not the meaning of is in English. Ya is

[56:59]

I think the meaning is to be identical with. Be identical with. Ya is so the show, the birth, life. Life is identical with the whole being of its function. Zen Kigen. So ya is strictly speaking is not to be identical with. Ya is no room to insert word, a word because

[57:59]

life completely is equal to the whole being.

[58:07]

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