I'm going to explain several passages which are selected from the chapter of Gyoji of Shobo Genzo. In this session, I would like to explain several passages which are very important in order to understand what our practice is. Tozan Zen Master says, the attainable depth of practice can be elucidated and the impossible

[01:10]

elucidation can be practiced. This is the way of the practice mentioned by the patriarch. That statement indicates the way that the practice penetrates our verbal explanation and our verbal explanation opens into the practice. Accordingly, you can always practice whenever you describe the way. Tozan Zen Master says, the attainable depth of practice can be elucidated and the impossible elucidation can be practiced. This is the way of the practice mentioned by the patriarch.

[02:11]

That statement indicates the way that the practice penetrates our verbal explanation and our verbal explanation opens into the practice. Accordingly, you can always practice whenever you describe the way. It is traditionally said that Shakyamuni Buddha at his birth sang our verse after walking several steps in four directions and says, I alone am honored in heaven and

[03:16]

on earth. The world is full of sufferings and I am saving all sentient beings from this suffering. I alone am honored in heaven and on earth. This is the point I want to explain. I alone am honored in heaven and on earth. It doesn't mean, it is not the emphasis on egoism. It doesn't refer to the infatuation, infatuation that Shakyamuni Buddha tried to take excessive

[04:23]

pride in himself, which was born, who was born in this world. It refers to the truth, how valuable a human being, a man is, as long as he is born, he was born in this world, not only Shakyamuni Buddha. Each verse, alone is honored in heaven and on earth. Buddha wanted to tell us in that way. If so, that statement doesn't mean the strong emphasis on the infatuation that each

[05:27]

verse tried to take excessive pride of ourselves, based on selfishness. If you read Lotus Sutra, there is some questions saying, why is it Shakyamuni Buddha was born in this world? Sutra says, Buddha was born in this world in order to convince human beings of the great problem, great matter of birth and death, for the relief of human sufferings.

[06:34]

This is the purpose of the Buddha's birth. Even Dogen, when even Dogen came back from China, Dogen also says in the same way as Shakyamuni Buddha, As soon as I arrived, I vowed to spread the Dharma for the salvation of all beings.

[07:49]

It was like carrying heavy burden upon my shoulders. In spite of death, to wait the time when the Buddha Dharma might be uplifted, are liberating my desire for its spread. I am temporarily attempting to follow the manner of prior masters, drifting from place to place like a cloud or water plant. As soon as Dogen arrived at Japan, he vowed to spread the Dharma for the salvation of all beings. I mention very often the purpose of Buddhism is not to stuff up a number of knowledge into your head.

[09:13]

In order to cultivate your head, the purpose of Buddhism is to be free from your head, your body, yourself. It is what is called emancipation, freedom, and liberation. In this respect, there is only one way to be free from human suffering. It is the way of salvation or emancipation or complete liberation.

[10:20]

There is no better way to be free from yourself. The salvation or emancipation or to be free from yourself is not to take a new form, a new form of your thought in life, throwing away all the form and all the form of your thought in life. If it is possible for us to be free from

[11:31]

taking a new form of our thought, throwing away an old form of our thought, that is called philosophy, dialectic way of understanding. Mentioned by Hegel, if you study the western philosophy, you can understand what the dialectic way of understanding is. Falling back upon the dialectic principle, you have to always chase after a new form of your thought, throwing away old form. For this, you have to fight, struggle for your life.

[12:31]

This is a sort of limitation which dialectic principle possesses in itself. But even though you can get a new form of thought, like a new religion, newly religion, in Japan there are many newly religion, even though you can get a new form of thought, which would seem again as relief. In Buddhism, it is not the complete liberation.

[13:42]

It is also a part of suffering. In Buddhism, there are three categories of suffering. One is suffering, second is pleasure, and third is indifference. In other words, neutral nature of suffering, which doesn't belong to the suffering or pleasure. It is called Upekshaya in Sanskrit. So in Buddhism, suffering is of course suffering, but pleasure is suffering. That's interesting. Pleasure is suffering. So you should know this point first, and then you should get the pleasure.

[14:42]

But if you ignore this point, you discourage your life. So you should know the truth that the pleasure is also a part of suffering. And also, indifference, which is based on the neutral nature, that doesn't belong to the one-sided idea, pleasure or suffering, is also suffering. For instance, you get the new form of thought. In order to cultivate human civilization, there is also suffering, throwing away the old form of civilization.

[15:45]

In Buddhism, there is also suffering. For instance, did you see the movie of modern time, Charlie Chaplin? I saw Charlie Chaplin when I was a college student. I was very impressed by Charlie Chaplin. He worked at the big companies as a laborer.

[16:50]

Day in, day out, he had to stand up. He had to keep standing in front of the bed compare. Bed compare? Compare belt. Compare belt. Then holding the what? Wrench. Holding a wrench. Then on the belt, many a part of the, a piece of a machine. This machine, part of the machine. So many part of the machine froze, moment after moment. He just stand holding the wrench and just tied up the nuts like this.

[18:01]

All day, all day. So he couldn't stop. Because as long as bed compare, compare belt. Compare belt. As long as compare belt stop, he has to move continually like this. Then in the movie, suddenly the bed compare stopped. Doesn't work. Then nevertheless, he couldn't stop. And then he looked around, what's wrong? Like this. And then one lady comes and they bite him. Then he tried to ask her, what's the matter?

[19:04]

Nevertheless, he couldn't stop like this. He tied up lady's hip with a wrench. Then he, one day he discovered very wonderful machine, eating machine. So it's not necessary to use a hand. Big machine. So he sit. He sit on the chair, food, carry the machine, put it on the table. This machine has two hands. He put the bottom, machine start to work.

[20:08]

Then he just, all he has to do was just open the mouth. Then he open the mouth, the hands comes up to his mouth. He just open, ah, like this. Like this. But unfortunately that machine doesn't work. Then, now it doesn't work. The out of order. Then immediately this machine start to work very fast. So, he got the, he got the, his mouth was full. Full with the food. I think that movie was great suggestion for us.

[21:13]

I was very impressed by Terry Chapman, how great he was. I thought he was really Buddhist. Even though in order to develop the human civilization and get a new form of life, it is also suffering. It is also suffering. To be liberated, to be free from ourselves is not to get a new form of our thought or of our life. But in that monastery we have a particular way of eating.

[22:18]

Using the Oryoki. That way was, has been handed down from generation to generation. In a sense, it was very old fashioned. Ah, I think, there is, there is not the manner of, a way of eating using a new form or old form. It doesn't matter. How important a new form of eating, a way of eating is, how important an old form of eating is.

[23:32]

When you meet, when you encounter old form of your life, that time you must be free from therein, free from yourself therein. Before you criticize it is old form or it is new form. So liberation means how much you bear contentment in mind. Moment after moment, this is liberation, complete liberation. Before you describe between old form or new form. Ah, this is emancipation, what Buddhism put emphasis on.

[24:54]

Ah, from this point, ah, to teach in the world is also to practice. Ah, many Zen students in United States don't want to study Buddhism. Don't want to explain Buddhism in the world. Because they have had already a number of knowledge stuffed out, number of knowledge with his head. So they don't want to explain. But according to Tosan Zen Master, the unattainable depths of practice can be elucidated

[26:08]

and the impossible elucidation can be practiced. This is the way of practice mentioned by the patriarch. That statement indicates the way that practice penetrates our verbal explanation and our verbal explanation opens into the practice. When you explain, describe, when you describe what spring is, ah, to explain, to describe what spring is in the world is to know the real reality what spring is,

[27:20]

vivified moment after moment. Through the verbal explanation on the spring, never meant to lead, to lead to understand the real reality what the spring is, vivified moment after moment. This is verbal explanation of spring. So from this point to verbal explanation of spring is to practice spring. The practice of spring has. The verbal explanation spring has is the practice, actual practice which spring possesses.

[28:28]

The practice which spring possesses is the spring which includes not only spring, but also summer, autumn, winter. So verbal explanation of spring, it must be described by the spring, include total picture of spring including summer, autumn, winter. That time you can understand what spring is which is vivified. Then you say spring, you say wow, then the spring you are completely impressed, attracted by the presence of spring. Dogen called this total picture of spring which is vivified,

[29:40]

ah, the all-encompassing of practice, all-encompassing practice. So when you say spring, when you try to describe spring, you cannot get out the rest of the spring, the rest of the year, called summer, autumn, winter. So you have to, when you describe spring, you have to describe spring, summer, autumn, winter. That time you can show, you can represent, you can represent total picture of spring which is vivified. . Ah, the Shariputra in Buddha's life,

[30:49]

there was famous great disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha named Shariputra and Mokkenren. It is said that Shariputra and Mokkenren had been practiced under the Mahavira, Mahavira which was founder of Sanjaya, Sanjaya school, one of six philosophical school in India. The, it is said Mahavira was really man of, what would you call, he has, he had the nature of introvert, introvert.

[31:52]

He was very quiet still. The Shakyamuni Buddha in history, historian always tried to ignore the existence of Sanjaya school because they regard Sanjaya or the six philosophies, philosophical schools in old India as the heritage. But on the other, to the contrary, to comment the statement, to the contrary, the Shakyamuni Buddha was given great influence by Mahavira.

[33:00]

Even the Mahavira didn't describe the metaphysical problem, what would happen, what would happen after death, something like that. He didn't explain about this. Then Shakyamuni Buddha also, even Shakyamuni Buddha also didn't describe about this point because it is matter of metaphysical basis. Metaphysical basis, man put his head into the fantastic world, which you cannot solve problem.

[34:05]

As if, as if there was a man, there was a man who was shooted by an arrow, who tried to research who shoot him, what kind of poison that arrow has, before he tried to pull it out. Anyway, Mahavira had, it is said Mahavira had the nature of introvert.

[35:08]

Then Shariputra and Mukyamana had studied under him. So Mahavira was very philosophical, very rational, very logical. That's why it is said Shariputra and Mukyamana were very logical and philosophical person. Even though you try to have dharma fight, like Shishusemini, they didn't answer our questions. They tried to answer to all questions you make, in terms of philosophical and logical level basis.

[36:19]

And nevertheless, he never mistake. They never mistake, it is said. I think according to the historical record of Tendren and Shariputra, I believe that they were very sharp, smart. That the Shariputra and Mukyamana were very impressed by Meshul, a big priest named Meshul, who had the practice of begging on the street one day.

[37:34]

They were completely impressed by the figure of Meshul, who was begging in the street. Then Shariputra and Mukyamana really convinced themselves of the truth of this world, the human world. Then they became priests. So at that time, the actual practice of begging is identical with teaching

[38:41]

through his body, through his whole body. So you have to teach, you have to describe not only with your mouth, with your ears, with your eyes, with your hands. In that monastery, when you chant the sutra, you should chant the sutra with your ears. Someone asked me, how can I chant with my ears? According to the common sense, it's impossible. But actually, practically speaking, it is possible. But in common sense, it's impossible. The actual practice, you can't chant with your ears.

[39:47]

And also, if you read Zen stories, you know so well, Kyogen Zen Master and Reiyu Zen Master attained enlightenment the moment when Kyogen Zen Master looked at the beautiful flower, blooming flower of Prana. Or listening to the sound. When the rock, when the stone hits the bamboo tree, you attain enlightenment. Sound always shows what practice is.

[40:59]

When I was in Sokochi Temple, after the official ceremony, one of our Japanese people, one of our people came up to me and bowed deeply with Gassho. In that time, I performed Buddhist ceremony and preached, talked. Then one of our people came up to me and bowed deeply with Gassho. So I thought, wow, I think he was impressed by my talk. But he didn't, he wasn't. He said, your Gassho is, I was very impressed by your Gassho. I was very impressed by your Gassho.

[42:13]

In a sense, I was discouraged. In a sense, I was very amazed. I have never noticed Buddhist point. All I had to do was just to do Gassho when I had to do. That's all. As Hashimoto Zen Master taught me, that's all. So anyway, you can teach. You can teach not with your mouth. Not only by your talk, by a verbal explanation, but also by hand, by thought, by walk, by sitting, by walking on the street, by sleeping.

[43:26]

As mentioned before, the famous Zen Master Sawakiro, named Sawakiroshi, when he said the Zen by himself, a child came up to his temple and looked at him. Sitting in the Zen Master. And he peeped at Zen Master. What are you doing? And she didn't say anything at all. And he came back to her home and said, That priest became Buddha. The priest became Buddha. Zen Master didn't explain about how great he is.

[44:33]

He didn't. You can teach. You can always practice whenever you describe the way. You can always describe the way whenever you practice. The chanting, the zazen, the eating, the show, the bow. That's why the Zen Master says, The unattainable depths of practice can be elucidated. Shakyamuni Buddha and the patriarchs describe the principle of Buddha's teaching called emptiness.

[45:39]

Say, if you describe emptiness, just one word, emptiness is elucidated. It is opening into the practice, into the practice of truth, what the human world is. One word represents the truth, the practice of truth. Through this verbal explanation, so-called emptiness, this is actual practice. But most of the time, for many people, they are completely confused by emptiness. Strictly speaking, emptiness, the purpose of emptiness,

[46:43]

it never gets rid of attachment. But on the other hand, to the contrary to this truth, many people are confused because by touching. Many people touch to the emptiness and confused. The component factor of blame is the unconsciousness or consciousness based on the dialectic basis. When you say, when you describe, when the teacher describes emptiness, well, what is emptiness? Emptiness is, so you try to get to the emptiness with so-called a new form of thought. I don't think so. So I don't have the emptiness, so I want to get the new form of emptiness, so-called emptiness.

[47:54]

But emptiness is practice itself. In the realm of the actual practice, there is harmonious, total picture of harmony for human beings, what birth a new form or old form exists without contradictory. This is practice. It's why the unattainable depths of practice can be elucidated and the impossible elucidation can be practiced. So, if you listen to the principle of emptiness,

[49:03]

you try to put it into practice in zazen, means throwing away any thought, and to become, to concentrate on zazen itself. This is emptiness. Emptiness is not to get a new form, so-called emptiness.

[49:30]

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