Your concentrate presence are doing a wonderful conference. From the night of time, this conference never stopped, beyond noise and silence, beyond speaking or silence, beginningless, without hesitation and without sticking. It is peaceful joy for me to share the calm, tranquil light of the Dharma with all of you. This in itself is our boundless, infinite life, here and now, and forever.

[01:04]

Moment after moment, life after life, when the posture and the mind of Zazen are right, Zazen itself, this posture and mind, fill, penetrate the room, the space, the entire universe. Exactly that reveals the true, natural nature of the original self. If Zazen, this shikkan, governs, guides our daily life, our body, speech and mind, our

[02:14]

muscles, movements, feeling, action, it becomes the life of the self which is connected naturally, unconsciously, with the infinite universe, all times and all beings. These last two phrases I took from a commentary of Sawaki Roshi on Shodokan. It was a verse carrying the sword of wisdom, sharp, polished with the flame of the diamond. If somebody asks me, what is your religion?

[03:16]

I will answer, the power of wisdom itself. It seems to me, in this phrase, or better, experience or reality, we can find the roots of Shingi and regulations and the transmission of the Dharma as one. It is Shakyamuni Buddha's way of being, mind, attitude, vivid, fulfilled, everyday life way. In a certain way, we can say, this life guided by Shikantaza is the presence of all Buddhas

[04:25]

here and now, all Dharmas here and now. The Dharma is received, maintained and transmitted in that way. So, when we dedicate the merits of our practice to the Buddhas, all beings, the stars, the whole earth, it means exactly now, here and now. And from present time to present time, moment after moment, life after life, we share our original nature, the beginningless confluence with the original nature of all beings, establishing

[05:39]

a deep trace of peace and freedom in the midst of delusion and suffering, which we experience as emptiness in the same time, here and now. Maybe this is called, or can be called, the roots of changing our karma, our twisted karma, without thinking of ourself or our burden. In this session, one main theme, or the main theme, is Chingyam, regulations and transmission of the Dharma. In his first talks, I felt Maesumi Roshi gave us a deep perspective and opening into the

[06:46]

deep spirit of this matter. To become really intimate with these things and becoming able to create a living and vivid way of freedom, we must first dig down to the roots and the fundamental source. We must learn how to do this, but we must initially have the mind and the heart to do it. Many times it happens that we do not understand the deep and timeless rules of universal life. Universal life, which includes being born and dying. We try to understand life, but we make limited categories.

[07:54]

We try to understand death, but we cannot, nobody can. So we imagine something. It is not a problem of understanding by concepts, one or another. It is a problem of being in life, one with life, and in dying, one with dying. For both, we need some practice. It is one practice. To me, it seems to practice the way is exactly this practice, how to be with life, how to be with youth, old age, illness, how to be with dying in a unified way. The present moment is connected with the infinite time.

[09:04]

In the Shinji Shobugenzo, there is a short story about a monk who is followed or pursued by a tiger. He is running very fast, but finally the path is a blind alley. It comes to a kind of canyon. No way to go out. So he just sees some roots hanging down, and he takes the roots and is hanging. But not so strong roots. Begins to... Will not last a long time. So suddenly he sees some ripe fruits, some small kind of... Deer? Deer? Berries? Berries? And unconsciously he takes two and puts in his mouth. How wonderful it tastes.

[10:10]

How to have this attitude? Practice is how to have this attitude. We cannot understand by imagination, but how to face things is a problem. In fact, we grow up from childhood times with the seeds of beginningless, complicated karma. We grow up by illusion, by delusion, into delusion. Conditioned, following limited desires and narrow understanding. Separating ourselves from the great life. This is our true mess, our true problem. And sometimes it becomes a complete bankrupt, completely finished. Sawaki Roshi said,

[11:17]

Our true humiliation is that we turn ourselves away from the entire universe. Thinking that we can manage it by our fabricated ideas. But each action, intention, finds its echo in the entire universe. However hidden it may be done. This is also the reason why the practice and realization of all Buddhas is actualized, regenerated. Even if only one person is doing two dozen, all have practice. It gives new energy, power and resolution to the practice of the way of all beings. On the other hand, bad action, bad intention, is a shame for all Buddhas of all times and all beings.

[12:29]

So if from moment to moment we take care of our action and intention, without looking for something special, we are saving all beings, including ourselves. I think if we miss the point of right practice, and we always again and again have to adjust our practice, we stray apart from this big life. And even if we are intelligent and skillful, our life becomes filled with frustration and suffering. If we fall down, sometimes it's hard.

[13:40]

But if we recognize our straying apart, instead of giving the responsibility to someone else or to an outside God, we can repent and readjust. In the most inner mountains, most inner heart of ourselves, we can become one again. It's strange to see or to feel something which has never really been separated becomes one again. From a usual human standpoint, we cannot see this reality. So we have at least once to die in Zazen, to give up, to open the hands, to drop off body and mind.

[14:51]

And then again and again, naturally, then there is no more blind alley. How do we do this? Many times we hear the expression, there is formal practice and there is informal practice or situation. Does formal mean something rigid or military? Does informal mean lazy and without observation and reflection? Some people say only Zazen but no other form.

[15:59]

I think we must go beyond this kind of extreme side or limited seeing. It is certainly a reaction to an experience of too much rigid form or lifeless way of a dead fish that we feel sometimes like that. But when we observe our teachers, we remark that they have a way of being, walking, doing things, listening or talking, which is melted into their body and mind, a strong, faithful, gentle and impressive way of life. That is at least what attracted myself to the teacher's personality, master's personality.

[17:10]

It is something from inside, body and mind together, completely melted. And I thought from what this comes, from what source, some special understanding or some special capacity. But they always said, please, continue practice, go deeper into practice, open your hands of thought, open your hands. And somehow I feel this is the way, that is the transmission itself, this way of being, of being with our life, in our life. Maybe Shakyamuni Buddha had a very deep way of being, not just of thinking but deep thinking and being. That is what we need to become really satisfied and fulfilled.

[18:16]

If we make from these things kind of dead fish and just some outside, artificial, nice looking style, it's not enough, it's no good. So the true importance is, I think, what we eat, how much we eat, how we digest it. And the things we do finally, we should do in a very good way, but very naturally. We should practice, we should have a practice in which we can really completely give our confidence and strength without being, feeling strange to it or have too much hesitation. My master sometimes said, you should sit and practice as all Berlin is your Zafu, or all United States is your Zafu, just with complete confidence.

[19:31]

If we have no confidence, it means our connection with right thing is not completely made. But in each of us there is a source of confidence, I think. It is something natural and we must find this natural way and then go on. So I think the way we do, the attitude of body and mind, the rule, is both expression of ourself and harmonizing with this other beyond personal ideas. And it is to give up the attachment to personal ideas and harmonize just with buddhahood. To illustrate this, I want to pick up just a very common and basic thing what we hear all day in our practice.

[20:37]

For instance, the sound of the han, the wood. We use various sounds in our daily Gyoji and the sound itself, I think, is a rule, the sound itself. It is not just a sign to call somewhere to go to Zendo or to work or somewhere. The sound itself is a rule and so it depends how it is done. It becomes an expression of absolute truth. You cannot get them back into the wood or the hammer or the empty sky. We can put them back. So each phenomenon, each action, we should carefully concentrate, not hardly concentrate, but carefully concentrate. To practice this action, this Gyoji, means we ourself become merged into it and we ourself become expression of this absolute truth moment by moment.

[21:55]

When you sit concentrated in Zazen or just you walk silently in posture and breathing, concentrate, breathe, breathe, forget yourself. So we hear without hearing. We see without seeing. No ear, no eye, no nose. The ear does not try to catch the sound. The eye does not try to catch the form or color. The mind does not try to catch some understanding or enlightenment. And then, Shoji Jidai Mujo Shinsobuko. The great matter of life and death.

[23:03]

The sound of the Han, the roll down of the Han. Time passes, time passes. We cannot even decide if it is short or long, slow or quick. We can't grasp it. We are aware of it, we are aware, we are it. So, Sawaki Roshi said, in our true place where we are really alone with oneself, with ourself, there is no human being. Not even the moo of a cow is to hear there. And the snow falls in complete silence. If we contemplate, observe our life, our practice,

[24:17]

the world around us with this eye, this eye of practice, we should be able to find out how to harmonize, adapt or sometimes change the transmitted rules and regulations into a vivid and energyful present action of present existence. Existence. When we are like that, aware and present, we can respond to the needs of people or society. I think Keizan Zenji had very much this mind. A very direct, concrete compassion. So he created a way to respond to the needs of people and to open.

[25:25]

What would he create, realizing the needs of our modern civilization? Or in other words, what do we create in our circumstances? What is necessary? What is the need? Up to now, I feel that the most strongest need for people around me or in my society is to find a way that gives back or that gives confidence in a true value beyond materialistic and illusionary satisfaction. Therefore, to open this practice and to deepen this practice, for me, seems most important. The transmission of the Dharma over the centuries and how it was done is so rich,

[26:39]

has so various expressions. It is such a big treasure. But still more, the real treasure is the mind who can use it at will without confusion. In the Mill Sutra, we chant, desiring the natural order or condition of mind. We should be free from greed, hate and delusion. What means natural order of mind or natural condition of mind? Does it make sense to desire this mind? Maybe natural wants to express that we should not desire a special condition or ecstasy or higher condition

[27:47]

from which we look on the poor worldly human beings. Maybe it means a condition which is in harmony with the fundamental universe of love. This condition is Gyoji itself, ceaseless practice. It is not something which violates us as human beings or transforms us into something strange, kind of super-man, super-woman, super-ego. Gyoji includes shojin also, right effort. But this effort does not mean the usual case, teeth hard together and shoulders in tension.

[28:48]

Rather it means to sit with relaxed shoulders and patience in the midst of whatever our life is. There is the expression of fire lotus. It is said that the fire lotus flower is the most beautiful one, but its life is not easy. It is not self-destruction nor self-sacrifice. It is not easy but it is beautiful life, fulfilled life. We don't destroy the form, not stick to some special condition, not even samadhi. So our deepest, most pure desire is pulling us forward without limit.

[30:00]

If we feel sad or suffering or frustration because we cannot realize our desires, and then we think, I must cut down desires and destroy them, we can't become happy or really deeply fulfilled. But if our desires are limited by ideas, objects and limited personal satisfaction, it becomes twisted karma with all kind of complication. But if we do not attach too much to those limits, the desire is transformed and becomes itself the power of practice, strong energy. Then we can be awakened and be creative and understand

[31:14]

and just go beyond gati, gati parasam, gati bodhisattva. Thank you. That's almost what I wanted to talk. I'm sorry that I cannot speak so freely in English, so I wrote down a lot of things. But in English it's more so I must work, I must put it from German to English, so it's a little more work. At this occasion I would like to express my gratitude to all of you

[32:18]

and to your generous mind and attitude. I appreciate it deeply. I really enjoyed staying with you, but I have to leave tomorrow. I especially want to thank the abbot of Gwingal Temple and Maizumi Roshi and headquarters Yoshinami-san and all Japanese friends and all friends here, all participants. So I take this opportunity. And please, if you have any questions or if you want to say anything to this ayin, please, I want to ask you to do this. Give me some answers. Thank you.

[33:47]

I really appreciate and thank all the participants and those who are joining us for this session. I'm very sure that you enjoyed it. You expressed quite nicely the real spirit of our young friend, father. His dharma taught us very well. And I have the opportunity to make a few mistakes with him. I'm here to express my heart quite nicely. Give me your precise expression. Very well done. I'm also in touch with him. And the whole nature of the relations that we carry with him, which is of the same kind,

[34:51]

I'm serious. I'm serious that we perform the good habits. And I also believe that people can touch like that and see some facts, some actual facts. And how can facts play in the sound of not human voice, but the voice of our Creator. And also how we are able to listen and adapt to that nature. Which was the title of your talk. Very well done. I think you very well expressed the, you know, essential tenet of so-called school.

[35:53]

But don't be upset. You shouldn't forget that. Because we need to mention our traditional nature, such as so-called Zen. We need to cherish it. But no matter what kind of dharma, no matter the way of dharma, we have to build on this place. So I wanted to express my impression. And I think all of us, even in the same way, your honest and sarcastic, great spirit, I think, Thank you. The tradition of Zen,

[37:06]

Would you say, is there a way that we could practice Azen that would be, I mean, certainly there is a way that we could practice Azen that would be in accord with, I talked about it this morning, contiguous practice, now and forever. Is there a way that we could practice Azen that would not be in accord with this? In other words, Azen that is incorrect, Azen that is improper in terms of what you're saying. So how would you instruct us the way to, specifically as we sit, how would we sit to enter into this world that you speak of, and how would we avoid sitting? Is there a way that we would not want to sit? Yeah. I think many times we sit in improper way and improper condition, but we have to realize

[38:13]

ourselves this incorrectness. But it's not a kind of judgment upon ourselves about good or not good. But first, when we begin to sit down in Azen and we turn our vision inside, just become one with the backbone and touch very much the sky, like that, and push very much really into the Zafu and become some kind of mountain, and then always renew this attitude. Just renew this attitude and keep a very energyful atmosphere in the Sodo. I think it's most important. I feel that many times the Sodo, when we enter the Sodo, we must feel the practice. There is sitting. This we must feel. Then by ourselves, our attitude changes.

[39:14]

When we enter the Sodo, we should feel that there is Buddha sitting even as any other person, and that should change our way of walking, of going to wake up. And if we can continue this without special idea or without the idea, today I want to do it right or perfect, just to keep this mind, then it becomes very good. And if everybody agrees to have this strong posture and to care for this atmosphere, then it's very easy for everybody to do. So it's to agree about how we take the posture in the Dojo, on what points we put very strong

[40:15]

emphasis, and everybody agrees, and then we can create this very strong atmosphere. I think that's it. Thank you.

[40:37]

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