I've mentioned very often that there is no sign of defect in the practice of Zazen. According to Dogen's practice. But strictly speaking, this is not only Dogen's idea, but also this is the Shakyamuni Buddha's idea. This is a very important point which we have to take into account carefully.

[01:14]

I don't think you are very familiar with such an idea, no sign of defect, whatever you do. It's pretty hard for us to believe. Not only American people, but also even Japanese. It's pretty hard to believe. No sign of defect. But if you start to study Buddhism, and read whatever kind of sutra, scriptures you read, you will find very often technical terms which imply negative aspects in life.

[02:29]

Very negative. For instance, emptiness, or neutral, morally neutral, or suffering, or mood, nothingness. Emancipation. Even emancipation, the word emancipation implies negative aspects in life. So if you read, if you study Buddhism, you're always faced, confronted with negative aspects in life. Always. Nothingness. Mood. Sometimes it makes students pensive and discouraged.

[03:31]

Many Buddhist scholars in Europe misunderstood Buddhism because Buddhism was a sort of nihilism, a principle of nihilism. But recently, gradually, even Western Buddhist scholars understand gradually what Buddhism is like. Christmas Humphreys, Lise David, many English Buddhist scholars accept Buddhism, which enables man to live in this world in a positive way.

[04:43]

Through understanding of the negative aspects in life, which Buddhism puts emphasis on. So they translate, for instance, nirvana, the word nirvana is not a negative aspect in life. Nirvana. They understand the word nirvana, which enables man to live positively. So they translate it into English, perfect wisdom. Perfect wisdom. I think this is pretty good. Perfect wisdom. But so far, we misunderstood the word nirvana, which implies a completely negative aspect of life.

[05:49]

I think, I really understand, I feel, I really feel into Shakyamuni Buddha's feelings. How difficult his effort to teach Buddhism to Indian people was made. Because at that time, in India, they disseminated prejudice, prejudice, ideas.

[07:20]

Prejudice of fatalism, principle of no effort, no responsibility of human actions, and so on. Then, those principles always created a personal or social problem in India. So, at any cost, Shakyamuni Buddha wanted to get rid of such a personal or social problem, created by such a prejudice, ideas, fatalism, no effort, and so on.

[08:27]

Then, even before Shakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, as mentioned before, there was the practice of emancipation, revelation, which Brahmanism put emphasis on. After Shakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, he also accepted such an orthodox tradition of Aryan culture, based on emancipation,

[09:55]

which is called Gidatsu in Japanese, emancipation, or freedom, or liberation. But what Shakyamuni Buddha emphasized particularly on this is a little different from Brahmanism, the principle of Brahmanism. The principle of Brahmanism is that there is a subscription, a says,

[10:57]

there is a true practice which must be rich in contents and reasonable. There is a true practice which must be rich in its contents and reasonable. The second sentence is, wholeheartedly keep away from entanglement, greed,

[12:03]

and attain the nothingness. and attain the nothingness. The third sentence is, tranquility, a sacred wisdom, and enlightenment should be turned into Nirvana. According to the first sentence, there is a true practice which must be rich in its contents and reasonable. In India, people are very interested in three points. One is karma, what is the subject of karma.

[13:07]

Second is altar. Altar is, altar in Sanskrit, ummm, altar is distinctive features of substance. Did you understand? Distinctive features of substance which enable man to live a worthy living in life. In other words, which help human life. This is altar. Briefly speaking, altar is sincerity,

[14:09]

sincerity, or transparent sincerity. This is altar. Karma is a matter which you have known so well. One is karma, second is altar, third is moksha, moksha is emancipation, moksha is emancipation, no, no, excuse me, dharma. Third is dharma. Dharma, it has many meanings of its own, but in this case, dharma is order in life, order in life, or law, law of human being, law of human world, law of the nature. So briefly speaking, the dharma is order,

[15:10]

is order which the human being must obey if they want to live in their lives as human being. It means to enjoy, to enjoy your life, to enjoy yourself to live in this world. Thank you. What was meant by rich in contents? What you just said, in what way is that rich in contents? What are the contents of that practice? The substance, substance of,

[16:11]

substance, it is substance which help human life, which encourage human life. Like what, for example? The, for instance, for instance, rules, rules, order, the many forms, many kinds of forms, which you follow. For instance, when you pull off your shoes in front of the gate, please pull off your shoes and pray in order. And if you get up early morning, please wash your face. This is very simple order.

[17:16]

When you wear the cloth, please don't wear the cloth, you know, like this. Please, wear the cloth neatly. This is substance of human life. According, the substance is rules and order. Okay? When you cut the vegetable, when you work in the kitchen, please keep silence. When you, when necessary requires to speak, okay, please, but don't chat. Don't chat. Don't

[18:18]

spend waste time by chatting. This is substance. Okay? This is our turn. So, from this point, we have lots of rules and orders in Tathagata. So, they must be, they are, they must be a substance of your life, of your life, which encourage you to live in this world. This is substance, out. Oh yes, there are many the same things. Oh yes.

[19:19]

Yes. But, you are not the adult baby. Okay? So, please, use your brains and make a choice. What is right? What is good? What is bad? Okay? Hmm? Teacher? What? Oh, useless conversation. Yes. Useless conversation sometimes is not, itself is not the, okay? I don't mean, I don't mean that useless chatting itself is something wrong.

[20:21]

useless chat must be used according to time and place. Okay? For instance, when you do that, and during do that, and when you chat, this is completely useless chat. Okay? Please, use. Yes. There is better place or time whenever you should use unnecessary chat. Okay? So, it depends on individual practice. Okay? That's why you please use your brain. You started off by saying that Zazen has no effect Can you somehow connect all of this that you've been saying to that? Because I didn't understand

[21:27]

the last time you talked about it. Anyway, during this session, I will explain. But, briefly speaking, for instance, there is, here is Buddhism, which you are very interested in. See? But, the Buddhism, when you're attached to Buddhism so much, you say, ah, Buddhism, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. And then nobody pays attention to you. At that time, what do you think about? What do you think about yourself? How poor you are. How poor I am. But you think, ah, how wonderful Buddhism. Buddhism, Buddhism is wonderful. But nobody pays attention to you. So, it means, while you're attached to Buddhism, you know,

[22:28]

according to your idea, this is Buddhism. It is not real Buddhism. Okay? When Buddhism is alive in true sense, you have to forget Buddhism. In other words, concretely speaking, everybody has some idea. Okay? Everybody has some idea. In terms of Buddha's eyes, any idea is right, truth. Okay? Any idea is right. Your idea is truth. My idea is truth. Okay? But, when you, when I attach to my truth, it is not truth. It is not truth. So, in Buddhism, that truth is

[23:29]

temporary, tentative idea, so-called truth. So-called truth. In other words, this idea of truth is mine. Okay? Mine. Not you. Not you. That's why I always emphasize on Buddhism. How wonderful Buddhism is. That's why you put practice day in and day out. But, nobody pays attention. I don't like to think. So, while I attach to Buddhism, it is truth. It is truth. But, that truth is tentative idea, so-called truth, so-called mine. Okay? Mine. In order to let this truth become universal, okay? Universal. Open to everybody.

[24:30]

You have to spend. You have to spend lots of time. Okay? To penetrate into everybody. Don't rush into. Like a wild pig. If you, if you go all this, make a bump on your head. So you have to, so you have to need time. In other words, it takes, it takes you long. It takes long. It takes long to penetrate into everybody. In order to let it universal. Be universal. Okay? That's why I have some idea. Okay? I have some idea.

[25:32]

So, I have many session. No, no. I don't like. The same, same applies to our daily life. Okay? We have lots of ideas. But this is true. But we have to spend lots of time in order to let it become universal. Okay? Universal. Open not to you. Open to everybody. Okay? For this, we have, sometimes we have to discuss it in public. What do you think about this? You like it? No, I don't like it. How about you? No, I don't like it. What shall I do? This is, this is union? Not union. But United Nation.

[26:35]

This is United Nation. Okay? What shall I do? Do you like a session, three times session? No, I don't like it. What do you think? Yes? I like it. Then discuss. This is very important. So, you bring, what you, to say what you bring it into public is to spend, to take wrong. To, to let it universal, become universal. Open to everybody. Okay? In other words, truth is not for, not yours. Okay? Not yours. Truth is, must be for everybody. Okay? So your idea, if your idea is truth, you have to take wrong. Okay?

[27:38]

For instance, if you want money, if you want money, don't spend at random. Please deposit. Please deposit money in bank. Okay? In bank. For certain time. So you will get the interest. This is just the example. But the same is, the same applies to your daily life. So for this, if you are, some idea, this is truth. Yes, this is truth. In terms of Buddha, this is complete truth. Then next, you have to forget this truth. Discussing it in public. Okay? Taking wrong. Spending number of time. Spending a lot of time. Okay? Polishing it.

[28:40]

Polishing it. Okay? It means no sign. It means no sign of effect. Okay? With this, if your idea, don't catch your tail. Even though you try to catch your tail, tail is follow your body. Not your head. Just end of your body. So your head is always taking out tail. But at the same time, tail is go around with you. So, please forget. Tail is truth. Or your head is truth. If so, you must forget the presence of your head. You must forget the presence of your tail.

[29:42]

Okay? Then, that time, in order to in order to let it let whole body including head and tail become universal impoverished. Oh yes, this is film. This is film. Yes, he is wonderful man. But while you are attached to your catching your head, this is truth. This is right. It is not right. It's not right. You need lots of time to polish this truth. If it is truth. Okay? Ah, this is negative aspect in life. Okay? Ah, anyway. During session,

[30:44]

I will explain more.

[30:46]

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