Good afternoon. Good afternoon. This morning, I talked on the original story of Nangak's polishing time. In order to understand what Nangak is trying to teach Baso, I also talked a little bit about the Diamond Sutra. Now I start to talk on Dogen's comment on this story. In order to read Dogen's comment, you need to forget everything I said. Empty your mind. And read what Dogen said with a fresh mind.

[01:03]

Before talking on Dogen's comment in Dazenshin, I would like to briefly introduce how Dogen linked this story in his writings before Dazenshin. It's kind of interesting. This is next to the original story of Moensen's polishing time. I quote one, two, three, or four Dogen's writings regarding this polishing time. The first one is from so-called 300 koans, entitled Shobo Genzo.

[02:07]

Dogen made a collection of 300 koans when he was young, about 35 or 36 years old. He just collected the koans, and he didn't write any comment on them. But still, he began to write his own story. In these 300 koans, there is a slight difference from the original koans. In Chinese, Dogen put four or eight characters into the story, and tried to make the story completely different. It says,

[03:14]

Koshu, or Honcho, Kosei, Baso, Daijaku, Zenji, received transmission from Nangaku. His Dharma name is Doizu. Practiced under Nangaku and intimately received the mind-seeds. This is his insertion. He put this word, intimately received the mind-seed, from the section in transmission of Dharma lamp of section of Baso. So in the original story, this is not there. But now he put this, intimately received the mind-seed, here. That is a kind of a magic.

[04:16]

He was superior to other disciples, and Baso lived at Denbo-in and practiced Dazen every day. And the rest of the story is the same. The difference is, in the original story, this conversation between Nangaku and Baso was the first encounter. When Baso was sitting by himself, Nangaku visited. So that was their first meeting. But according to this, Nangaku transmitted mind-seed intimately, before this meeting. That means Baso already received Nangaku's mind-seed.

[05:20]

That is almost like a transmission. So, according to Dogen, this is not Nangaku's instruction or admonition to teach Baso, because Baso's practice is somewhat incomplete. That is the point. This is a kind of a preparation of Dazen-shi for Dogen. And the rest of the story is the same. And around the same time, when I think he was 35 to 36, he commented on this story in Shobo Genzo Zuimonki, in his answer to a question from someone, one of his students. Let me read the question, and Dogen's answer.

[06:25]

The question is, How do you feel about the following view? Upon hearing that one's own self is the Buddhadharma, one's own self is Buddhadharma, and that it is futile to seek anything outside of oneself, as is often said in Zen. Even Dogen said, to study Buddha way is to study the self. So we should not seek anything from outside. And a student were to believe this deeply, give up practice and study, and spend his whole life doing good and bad according to his personality. So Buddhadharma is in the self. So why do we have to study from others?

[07:30]

Why do we have to practice in order to make change, change the self? So why do we have to practice? And because we already have Buddha nature, we can do whatever we want to do. What's wrong with it? That's the question. And Dogen's reply is as follows. In this view, the person's words and reality are contradictory. Giving up practice and abandoning study because of the futility of seeking anything outwardly sounds as though something is being sought after by the act of giving up. This is not non-seeking. So he's pointing that by the action of giving up practice and study,

[08:40]

the person is still seeking something. And he continued. Just realize that practice and study themselves are the Buddhadharma. So he said, practice and study are Buddhadharma. So if the Buddhadharma is the self, practice and study is the self, not the self which wants to do anything I want to do. It's not the self, according to Dogen. The self is practice and study. Without seeking anything, refrain from engaging in worldly affairs or evil things, even if you have the mind to do so. Do not think of or hate the boredom or the practice of the way.

[09:41]

Just practice wholeheartedly. Practice without even seeking after the completion of the way or the attainment of the result. This attitude is in accordance with the principle of non-seeking. So the true meaning of non-seeking is just study, just practice, just follow the way, without expecting anything, any reward, anything in return. That is his answer. And he quoted this story and said, through Nangaku's polishing a tile to make a mirror, he was admonishing vassals seeking to become a Buddha.

[10:43]

So the point of Nangaku's teaching is we should not seek to become Buddha. Still, he did not restrain vassals from seeking the Zen. Nangaku did not say to vassals not to practice the Zen. But he said, just practice the Zen without expecting anything in return. And the next few sentences are very important in Dogen's teaching. He said, Sitting itself is non-doing. Sitting itself is non-doing. It is nothing but the true form of the Self. Apart from sitting, there is nothing to see as the Buddha Dharma.

[11:48]

You know, he said, Sitting itself is the practice of the Buddha. Sitting itself is non-doing. It is nothing but the true form of the Self. He said, sitting is the true form of the Self. Apart from sitting, there is nothing to see as the Buddha Dharma. So, according to Dogen, the point of this story is expectation. You know, sitting is not an easy thing. And it takes time. As I said, it's boring. Sleepy, painful, and cold sometimes, and sometimes hot. So it's not an easy thing. And when we make an effort to do something not easy, we have something we want.

[12:53]

Rinzai Zen Master, whose name is Morinaga Soko Roshi, he died several years ago, I think. All usual actions we do in our daily lives, and samadhi, are a little bit different. And that is, the difference is like, for example, when a child playing at a sandbox, shoveling sand into a bucket, he's praying, the kid is praying. If someone asks the kid, do you want to pray? He says no. Maybe. Because it's fun for the child.

[14:02]

But when we do the same thing, shoveling sand into a bucket or something, as a job, this action itself is not the purpose. What I really want is, you know, money. Because this is work. So if someone asks me if you want to pray, and if still I'm praying, there's no reason to say no. So this action, this activity, itself is not a purpose. But we have something different that we want. And because we think this is the method or way we get that one, we do this one, even though it is hard and not interesting. So when we do this, we don't really actually enjoy it.

[15:05]

You know, that's the difference, he said, I mean, Morinaga Roshi said, that's the difference between our ordinary activity, human activity, and Samadhi. In the case of Samadhi, you know, there's no different purpose. But doing it itself is the purpose. So we enjoy it. But even when we sit, we don't enjoy it. We are seeking something else. We kind of, how can I say, try to be patient in order to get that one, even though this is not enjoyable. Because of that thing, I want, I practice at this moment. That's it. That's the difference

[16:09]

between our usual action, you know, the starting point, and goal, and purpose, and method. So what we do is not really what we want. But in order to get something we want, we have to do this. So this is a necessity. But according to Dogen, Zazen is not like that. Zazen is itself Samadhi. So, you know, we need to enjoy Zazen. There's nowhere to go. Just be here. That is our practice. So this sitting practice is itself Buddha's practice. It's not human practice in order to become Buddha.

[17:09]

And this sitting is really non-doing. We do nothing but sitting. And in this sitting, in this posture, you know, we just sit, and we do really nothing. We don't control anything. Just sit. That is the meaning of non-doing. So this is not human action in order to get something we want. Human action is usually we are hunters. We hunt something we want. And there's some object we want. We cannot... It's very difficult for us to have motivation to do something, especially if it is difficult. But according to Dogen, we need to pray, like a kid praying in a sandbox.

[18:13]

We need to pray in the zen-do by just sitting. And the next quotation from Dogen's writing is Shobo Genzo Kokyo. Kokyo means ancient mirror. In this chapter of Shobo Genzo, Dogen Zenji rewrote this story in Japanese. The original story is in Chinese, but because he rewrote the story in Japanese, it's kind of clear how he read this story. That's why I translated this section. He says, One time ago,

[19:16]

five Kosei baso studied under Nangaku Nangaku intimately transmitted the mind seal to Baso. So again, he said, Nangaku intimately transmitted the mind seal to Baso. So this conversation is after this transmission is done. And, Dogen said, this was the beginning of the beginning of Baso's polishing time. Baso practiced Zazen at Denbo-in for ten and some years. So this means after Nangaku, I mean Baso received intimate transmission

[20:18]

from Nangaku, he started to practice Zazen at Denbo-in. So, when this conversation was taking place, Baso was already transmitted the Dharma, true Dharma. So this is not a demolition from a teacher to a student, actually. They both know the true nature of Zazen and true Dharma. Baso practiced Zazen at Denbo-in for ten years, ten and some years. Imagine, how was it like how was it like sitting alone in such a hermitage in a raining night. He never stopped sitting even when his cold seat was covered

[21:20]

with snow. There's nothing like this in the original story. Actually, Dogen's addition. So he's, according to this writing, Dogen thinks Baso, after Baso received Dharma transmission, he practiced Zazen by himself. For ten years, for ten or more years. He never stopped sitting and Nangak once visited Baso's hermitage. Baso stood attending by him. Nangak said, what are you doing these days? So he, Nangak knew Baso very well. Nangak is asking, what are you doing these days? And Baso said,

[22:22]

lately I am just sitting. This just sitting is Dogen's word, Shikantaza. He said, I'm just doing Shikantaza. And Nangak said, what does Zazen aim at? What does Zazen aim at? Baso said, Zazen aim at becoming Buddha. Nangak immediately picked up a tile and polished on a rock by Baso's hermitage. Baso saw it and asked, Master, what are you doing? This part is the same. Nangak said, polishing a tile. Baso said, what is polishing a tile good for? Nangak said, I am making a mirror. Baso said,

[23:24]

how can you make a mirror by polishing a tile? Nangak said, how can you become a Buddha by Zazen? Here, the conversation is the same. And he quoted only this much and Dogen made his own comments. Since ancient times, for several hundred years, many people thought that Nangak admonished Baso. It is not necessarily true. The great sage's action is far apart from the realm of commoners. So, Dogen tried to interpret this story from a very different angle. If the great sage did not have the dharma of polishing a tile, how can he have

[24:25]

a skillful means for others? The power to teach others is the bones and marrow of Buddha's ancestors. Dogen said, polishing a tile, Nangak's polishing a tile is a kind of skillful means to express the dharma. So, polishing a tile, Nangak didn't mean polishing a tile is nonsense. The original story sounds like that. But he said, polishing a tile is self-practice. Even if that is fabricated, still it is furniture of Buddha's house. Only the furniture and utensils have been transmitted

[25:27]

at the house of Buddha. So, Dogen is saying, this polishing a tile is furniture and utensils transmitted within Buddha's house. Furthermore, Nangak taught Baso straightforwardly. We can see that the virtue that has been correctly transmitted by Buddha's ancestors is direct pointing. We should truly know that when polishing a tile becomes a mirror, Baso becomes Buddha. So, when a tile becomes, when polishing a tile becomes a mirror, Dogen thinks it's possible. Polishing a tile becomes a mirror. And when polishing a tile

[26:29]

becomes a mirror, Baso becomes Buddha. Baso is a tile and Buddha is a mirror. And when Baso becomes Buddha, Baso immediately becomes Baso. To be Buddha means to be Baso. To be Buddha means to be the Self. And, when Baso becomes Baso, I'm sorry, when Baso becomes Baso, Zazen immediately becomes Zazen. When Zazen becomes Zazen, Baso becomes Baso. And that is how Baso becomes Buddha. That is how a tile becomes a mirror. So, within this sitting, Baso becomes

[27:29]

a Buddha. And within this sitting, a tile becomes a mirror. But still, Baso is Baso. Tile is tile. Mirror is mirror. Buddha is Buddha. Still, Baso is Buddha. But Baso becomes Buddha. And a tile becomes a mirror. Therefore, making a mirror by polishing a tile has been maintained. Within bones and marrow of ancient Buddhas. Therefore, there is an old mirror made of a tile. There is an old mirror or ancient mirror made of a tile. When we polish this mirror from the beginning, there is no defilement. So, we

[28:30]

can polish a mirror even though there is no dust. This is a fact. The sixth ancestor Huinan said in the poem of the fifth ancestor asked his disciples to write a verse. one of them was a headman. He wrote a poem something like This body is a bright mirror. But don't let dust align on the mirror. So, we should polish the mirror because take the mirror sweep the dust away.

[29:32]

We should keep the mirror clean always. But Huinan wrote that a bright mirror has no dust at all from the beginning. This is a fact. Huinan Dogen said later he said We don't polish a tile because there is dust on it. We don't polish a tile because there is dust on it. This is a tile and there is no dust on it. We just polish a tile which is nothing other than a tile. This is human

[30:33]

body and mind. And he said there is no dust on it but still we polish it. Hereby, the virtue of making a mirror is actualized when we simply polish a tile, polishing this body and mind. That is a correction of all different causes and conditions. Often, or almost always, we are deluded. Our soul is self-centered. Still, we should polish it. Polish a tile. And this polishing tile is itself making a mirror. So, our practice of polishing a tile is not making

[31:33]

this person into something else but when we polish a tile, this polishing tile itself is making a mirror. So, polishing this body and mind by sitting and letting go and being free from our ego-centered self, this polishing itself is making a mirror. And he said this is practice of Buddha's ancestors. This polishing a tile is practice of Buddha's ancestors. If it is not possible to make a mirror by polishing a tile, it must not be possible to make a mirror by polishing a mirror. Who can

[32:36]

see that? Within this making, there is becoming Buddha and becoming mirror. So, within this practice, Buddha is there. Within polishing a tile, mirror is already there. That is what Dogen meant, our practice and enlightenment is one. Within this practice, using this body and mind that is very self-centered, still this practice of letting go of self-centeredness is making a mirror. There is no mirror beside this. I just read this quotation.

[33:36]

Someone may question, when polishing the old mirror by mistake, do we make the mirror into a tile? It might be possible. We may make a mirror into a tile by polishing energy, if we make a mistake. As I said in the morning, if we polish a tile with three poisonous minds, even the mirror becomes a tile. The condition of the time of polishing cannot be measured by other times. And yet, since Nangaku's saying is the expression of thoughts should be expressed, ultimately this is nothing but polishing a tile, making a mirror.

[34:37]

So polishing a tile and making a mirror is the same thing. People today also should try to make a mirror by polishing a tile. Certainly it will become a mirror. So he encourages us to polish a tile. So the meaning of polishing a tile is completely different from the meaning of polishing a tile in the original story. It means nonsense. If a tile does not become a mirror, a human being cannot be a Buddha. If we disparage a tile as a lamp of mud, human beings are also disparaged as a lamp of mud. If human beings have a mind, a tile has a mind.

[35:40]

Who knows that there is a mirror that reflects a tile when a tile comes? Also who knows that there is a mirror that reflects a mirror when a mirror comes? So this is another comment by Dogen on this story. So it's very clear that he understands the meaning of polishing a tile in a completely different way from the original story. Now I start to talk on Dogen's comment in Zazenshin. Zen Master

[36:46]

Daiyaku Page 3 The Last Paragraph Daji or Basodonitsu or in Chinese Mazudaoji of Kozei Jansui While studying with Zen Master Daiei, Dogen Daifui Nangaku Ejo or Nanyue Hoiran in Nangaku Nangaku is the name of the mountain this is the Zen Master lived always practiced Zazen after intimately receiving the Mind Su So again here he said Dogen and Baso was practicing Zazen after receiving the Mind Su In Zuimonki

[37:48]

as I introduced Dogen said in this story Nangaku admonished Baso's expectation to become Buddha. He didn't restrict Baso to practice Zazen because Zazen is a Buddha's practice but in Zazenshin it's kind of different Those two people Nangaku and Baso together are expressing the true meaning of Zazen It's not a teacher admonish or teach giving instruction to the student but two masters two people who really penetrate

[38:49]

the deep meaning of Zazen together express the true meaning of Zazen So that's why I said we need to forget everything I said in the morning You know to read Dogen's writing like this is like there's a painting which can be seen young man or old lady together When we see one way the complete painting is a young lady but when we see another way the complete painting is an old woman When I read Dogen's writing

[39:50]

like this I feel like to see such a painting The same painting can be seen from completely different way and may have completely different meaning The final point of studying this writing Dogen's comment on this story is whether that Nangaku and Baso or the person who made this story I don't think this is true story actual conversation but someone made this story and it's very interesting The intention of the person who made this story and Dogen's interpretation are basically same or different There's no answer

[40:52]

So we have to create our own way of viewing this story by studying the original story and Dogen's comment To study this way is a kind of creation So we need to create our own version of polishing a tile To just memorize the original story or just memorize Fat Dogen's saying is not enough That is not Fat Dogen on us But we need to read the story and create our own version of our own practice So reading Shobo Genza is almost a creation

[41:53]

So each time I read Shobo Genza my interpretation or my understanding can be different and actually have been changing and what I'm talking now is just a new version and maybe it might be an old version tomorrow So don't cling to what I'm talking now OK? Everything is changing OK, let's start to read his comments Once Nangaku visited Basho and asked Great Wori What do you aim at in practicing

[42:58]

Zazen? What do you aim at in practicing Zazen? And Dogen's comment Let me first read Dogen's comment We should quietly ponder and penetrate this question Is there an aim which might be superior to Zazen? Is there a way we should aim at beyond the framework of Zazen that has not yet accomplished? Should we not aim at anything at all just in the moment of practicing Zazen? What kind of aim is being actualized? We should diligently inquire in detail Do not stuck in loving a curved dragon

[43:58]

We should go forward and love the real dragon We should study that both the curved dragon and the real dragon have the power of forming clouds and rain Neither value the remote nor disparage fatigues remote Be accustomed and intimate with the remote Neither disparage fatigues close nor value the close Be accustomed and intimate with the close Do not take the eyes lightly nor attach too much nor attach too much weight to the eyes Do not put too much

[44:58]

weight to the ear nor take the ears too lightly Make both the ears and eyes sharp and clear It's very interesting What does he mean? What is the connection with the Nangaku's question? What are you doing? What are you aiming at in Zazen? And what Dogen is saying is very difficult and it didn't make sense at all for a long time As I said, I studied Dogen University and I have been practicing Zazen according to Dogen's teaching for 30 years Still, until recently this kind of writing

[45:58]

didn't make sense at all But somehow I couldn't stop sitting Not because of my understanding of Dogen but because my trust to my teacher or my teacher's teacher They had been practicing and I wanted to live like them That's why I didn't stop sitting But I have to be very patient to sit with this kind of Dogen's teaching I couldn't really understand what this really means Only recently it began to make sense Here we need to understand

[47:00]

what this one word means In my translation that word means aim at Aim at is in Japanese Zu Zu means to aim at or to intend When we do something we have some intention some purpose something we want to achieve That is the meaning of this word Zu But another meaning of this Chinese character Zu is design or illustration drawing or painting

[48:02]

That means expression expression of something So Dogen is playing with words between these two meanings of this one word In the original story Nangaku questions, what do you want? What's the purpose? What do you aim at? What are you aiming at? In this action of sitting Basho's answer is, of course, becoming Buddha That is our intention That is what we aim at in the practice of Zen But here

[49:07]

Dogen interprets this Zu as illustration or expression of what we are aiming at That is Buddhahood or another word samadhi of formlessness formless samadhi That is what we are aiming at And he said this sitting is illustration or design or expression of this formless samadhi Make sense? So this Zu does not mean aim at But, you know it's very difficult to translate the same word

[50:09]

into two different English words So I keep aim here but please read this aim as illustration or expression That means our sitting using this body and mind at this moment is something close That is what he is saying later And the formless samadhi or nirvana or enlightenment or Buddhahood is something remote Or this sitting is curved dragon And the formless samadhi is a real dragon In the original story what Nangaku is admonishing is

[51:09]

don't cling to this form, formless sitting or this curved dragon But we should aim at the formless samadhi, formless Buddha So don't cling to this formless sitting That is what Nangaku or the person who made that story is trying to say We should go beyond this form using this body like polishing a tile Polishing a tile doesn't make a formless Buddha But here Dogen is saying this sitting or polishing a tile is expression of formless samadhi Since we are human beings

[52:10]

we cannot live without this body and without this mind This sitting using body and mind is the only way we can express a formless samadhi So, in order to actualize manifest this formless samadhi we have to use this body and this mind That is what Dogen meant using this word illustration or expression That's it I think then this Dogen comment I think hopefully makes sense He said We should quietly ponder and penetrate this question

[53:10]

So this is not a simple question according to Dogen But He said Is there an aim in expression which might be superior to the other That means the expression of formless samadhi beside this sitting or not Or is there a way we should aim at beyond the framework of Zazen that has not yet accomplished Is there some kind of sort of formless samadhi beside this sitting using this body and mind polishing a tile or not Should we not aim at anything at all So Do we need to aim at

[54:12]

or do we need to express if this body and mind is already formless If form is emptiness and emptiness is form Do we need to erase or eliminate this form in order to see emptiness Yes That is not true This form is itself emptiness So just be form is expression of emptiness So this form is form of emptiness But this form is form of formless samadhi So what else we have to aim at Just aim at this posture Just aim at letting go Just aim at polishing tile That is itself formless samadhi

[55:14]

So what else shall we aim at Just in the moment of sitting in Zazen So think like when we sit in Zazen Not when we think Or not when we observe someone is sitting Or not when we are thinking about Zazen, when we don't sit But right within sitting That means we let go of thought That means we don't think Not when we don't think Or when we think of not thinking Just in the moment of sitting Zazen What kind of aim is being actualized What kind of aim is being actualized What is expressed when we really actually sitting

[56:17]

and letting go of whatever coming up in our mind Is this in my case, is shouhaku Why it's not something beyond shouhaku When I think of for example, what I should talk tomorrow Because this is my responsibility This kind of thinking is shouhaku thinking in order to achieve something But when I let go of thought Thought is just coming up and go away I don't grasp Then, is this shouhaku or is this the subject which is thinking is shouhaku or not It's actually not And yet, it's shouhaku

[57:17]

So, yes and no This means This is What Dogen is talking next Do not start in loving a curved dragon So, this sitting using this body and mind using this form this posture is curved dragon and we should go forward and love the real dragon So, we should not start and cling to this curved dragon and go forward and love the real dragon true dragon That is formless samadhi That is Buddha But Dogen says We should study that both the curved dragon

[58:19]

and the real dragon have the power of forming clouds and rain Usually, or in common sense curved dragon doesn't make any good And real dragon has the power to form clouds and make rain And this analogy of curved dragon and real dragon came from a story in Chinese classic In that story, there is an aristocrat who loved dragon He collected many curved dragon So, the real dragon since the person loved even the miniature dragon If the true dragon

[59:21]

beat him, he must be happy, very happy So, the real dragon appeared in the window of his house Then, the person had fear and fainted That is the story That means curved dragon is a miniature of true or real dragon And this is valueless At least, it has no true value And Dogen used this analogy in Fukanza Zen too Usually, in Zen literature This analogy true dragon and curved dragon is used as we should love the true dragon We should not stack and

[60:21]

collect the curved dragon that is a miniature just a form So, we need to really love the true dragon That is the common usage of this analogy But here, Dogen said not only true dragon but also this curved dragon That is our Zen in which our mind is very busy The thought coming up is very kind of egocentric and difficult for us to focus So, we often feel in our Zen our mind is busier than usual And that is true It is not true

[61:23]

But because when we sit in a quiet place we hear the noise made inside of ourselves When we are outside of Zendo and doing different things the outside is much noisier So, we don't hear the noise made inside of ourselves But when we come to a quiet place like Zendo because there is no noise from outside, we start to hear the noise from inside That's why we feel our mind is busier than the rest of time But, that is a good sign So, don't worry about it To see our mind is busy is the starting point of practice How busy we are

[62:25]

In our daily life we don't know how busy our mind is Because we sit quietly we find or we start to listen to the noise from inside And noise is not something meaningless Unless someone hits the bell the bell doesn't make sound So, when there is a sound or noise, there is some cause Without any cause there is no noise Anyway So, even though this Zazen, our Zazen in which often our mind is busy or sleepy or painful or bored We don't feel

[63:27]

this is Buddha's practice We don't feel this is enlightenment This is a curved dragon But still according to, at least according to Dogen Zazen has the same power of forming clouds and make rain This rain is Dharma rain Cloud is also the analogy of Buddha's compassion which makes rain and nurture all the plants So, clouds and rain is the analogy of Buddha's teaching So, even our Zazen that is curved dragon has power

[64:28]

to form the clouds and rain that is Buddha's action Buddha's activity So, neither value the remote the remote means true dragon or timeless Tamarin So, he said neither value the remote nor disparage perfect remote We do either we put too much emphasis on the remote or too much emphasis on something concrete But he said we should not too much emphasis on neither side Neither value the remote

[65:34]

nor disparage perfect remote Be accustomed and intimate with the remote Neither disparage perfect cloth nor value the cloth Be accustomed and intimate with the cloth So, we need to be intimate with our own practice using our own body and mind What is a curved dragon? It has form and yet this form formal practice is the expression of the remote something formless or Dharmakaya and do not take the eyes

[66:37]

lightly nor attach too much weight to the eyes and do not put too much weight to the ears nor take the ears too lightly Eyes can see only inside of our eyes but we can hear you know a repetition something happened far away So to eyes and ear is same as remote and cloth So make both the ears and eyes sharp and clear So we have to keep our eyes and ears sharp and clear to really listen and see clearly what is going on This is our Zazen

[67:38]

to make our ears and eyes sharp and clear in order not to overlook something close or something remote which is study pose and we have to practice using this limited and outrageous body and mind and almost deluded Still sitting practice using deluded body and mind is still the illustration or manifestation or expression of formless samadhi or buddhahood No No one but Dogen can comment like this only on this simple question

[68:39]

and it's really amazing Baso said I am aiming at becoming Buddha Let me read his comment wrong comment Sorry We should clarify and penetrate these words It's really simple words according to Dogen It's a very deep words How does becoming Buddha means We don't question We just say I am aiming at becoming Buddha So Baso was aiming at becoming Buddha and we don't think what becoming Buddha means

[69:41]

but Dogen asked us to question what this means what this becoming Buddha means and does becoming Buddha mean that we are unable to become Buddha by Buddha If we are aiming at becoming Buddha How is it possible? Is it possible by the power of Buddha or can we become Buddha by my personal power or does becoming Buddha means that we make Buddha into a Buddha That means if our card dragon our Zazen manifest that Buddha

[70:45]

or formless Samadhi then we create the Buddha We make a Buddha into a Buddha by this simple sitting So in a sense Buddha makes us Buddha and we make Buddha Both ways Without our practice Buddha or formless Samadhi doesn't appear doesn't really exist Buddha died 2500 years ago Unless without our practice like now like here Buddha's teaching means nothing So in that sense our practice creates Buddha Because of our practice Buddha is manifesting his eternal life

[71:50]

right now, right here So we can say both ways Buddha enables us to become Buddha And we not we, but our practice enables Buddha to manifest itself or thus becoming Buddha means the manifestation of one face or two faces of Buddha One face or two faces means How can I say Buddha as individual like Shakyamuni Buddha Amitabha Buddha Mason Master Buddha There are numerous Buddhas And our practice

[72:52]

manifests one Buddha or another He is aiming at becoming Buddha That is what Vasso said Is aiming at becoming Buddha dropping off body and mind or is it aiming at becoming Buddha dropped off Aiming at becoming Buddha Buddha is formless So aiming at becoming Buddha means aiming at becoming formless And that is the meaning of dropping off body and mind And dropping off body and mind is our Zazen Like Dogen's teacher Myojo said Zazen is dropping off body and mind And Dogen asked

[73:52]

What is dropping off body and mind? Myojo said Dropping off body and mind is Zazen So this Zazen and dropping off body and mind is same as curved dragon and weird dragon So this aiming at becoming Buddha is dropping off body and mind And this dropping off body and mind should be dropped off Do you understand? Otherwise this is not dropping off body and mind If I'm thinking I'm dropping off body and mind It's not dropping off body and mind Right? Dropping off body and mind should be dropped off That is the meaning of to study the Self

[74:52]

to forget the Self And Femme Batho says Aiming at becoming Buddha does he mean that even though there are ten thousand methods for Dharma gate to becoming Buddha Becoming Buddha continues to be entangled with this aiming This aiming This illustration or this expression That is this formal Zazen So there are many sitting is not only way Zazen is not only practice to manifest this formless Samadhi There are many other practices and that is ok but Dogen is asking

[75:55]

Femme Batho says Aiming at becoming Buddha does he mean that even though there are ten thousand methods of Dharma gate to becoming Buddha Becoming Buddha continues to be entangled with this Zazen Entangled What entangled means in English The original word Dogen used is Kato Kato is Do you know Kuzu? A plant? Kuzu Kuzu It's a kind of vine Katsu is Kuzu and To is Wisteria Both are vine so intertwine each other and we don't know which is which Often this expression

[76:59]

Kato or entanglement is used to refer to our delusion or our making karma based on delusion We cannot stop Kato So one bad karma is entangled with another karma and we cannot stop this growing But Dogen used this same expression as the way the Dharma has been transmitted from teacher to student Teacher's vine and student's vine entangle each other There's no clear separation So my teacher's practice and my practice is kind of

[78:01]

the same practice but my teacher's practice is his practice not mine and my practice is my own not my teacher's Still, my practice is a continuation of my teacher's practice and his practice is kind of entangled with his teacher's practice and this vine goes back to Shakyamuni Buddha This is how the Dharma has been transmitted and this vine growth of vine one after another is like my Zazen and my teacher's Zazen and his teacher's Zazen

[79:01]

Dogen's Zazen and Bodhidharma's Zazen and Shakyamuni Buddha's Zazen those are all entangled not only sitting, Zazen practice but all activities all practices in Buddhism is entangled with each other that means interconnected with each other and seems one life vein but that is what we call Kekchi Nyaku when we receive Dharma transmission or we receive precept we receive the lineage chart and within the lineage chart we see the red red line that is called Kekchi Nyaku or blood line or blood vein and that is how this Dharma has been transmitted

[80:04]

and so what he is saying here is my sitting is my sitting but this sitting is intertwined with my teacher's sitting or any other people's sitting not only sitting but any other practice all connected and express the Buddha nature or Buddhahood that is interconnected origination so even though my practice is my personal practice still this is really connected with all Buddhas and all ancestors and all other people we should know

[81:08]

Baso is saying that Zazen is without fail aiming at becoming Buddha if we don't aim at becoming Buddha Zazen is not Buddhist practice so we have in the original story Nangaku admonished not to sit or sit becoming a Buddha but here Dogen said we should aim at becoming Buddha and he said Zazen is always the aiming of becoming Buddha and again this aiming is illustration or expression of in this case becoming Buddha I put a hyphen becoming and Buddha here it means becoming Buddha

[82:08]

is the name of a Buddha often, sometimes Dogen used the word like this Sa-Butsu literally means becoming Buddha but this Sa-Butsu is the name of one Buddha and another expression he uses Ryo-Butsu Ryo-Butsu Iji Iji means forms and Ryo means practice so Ryo-Butsu means practice Buddha's decorum or Buddha's form Ryo-Butsu is one name of one of the chapters of Shobo Genzo and within that chapter he used the word Ryo-Butsu as a name of Buddha our practice is Buddha

[83:08]

not this person but this person's practice is Buddha that is Ryo-Butsu so here becoming Buddha is a name of Buddha so this Zazen our Zazen as a curved dragon is expression or illustration or painting of the Buddha whose name is becoming Buddha and the aiming may be prior to becoming Buddha again this aiming is illustration can be before becoming Buddha or it may be after becoming Buddha and it may be just

[84:13]

at the very moment of becoming Buddha that means always whether depend without regarding whether our mind is busy or sleepy or painful, whatever condition we try to upright sitting keep our eyes open that means not sleep and letting go of whatever coming up in our mind no matter what condition is that is the illustration of becoming Buddha so our practice in whatever condition by the intention or aiming at the upright posture awakening

[85:14]

and letting go is always the illustration of becoming Buddha we should inquire as to how many instances of becoming Buddha does one aiming and turning one aiming one sitting so we are really connected with all Buddhas and ancestors and all practitioners at this moment so our practice is not really the personal activity but we practice together with all Buddhas and ancestors and all bodhisattvas and all living beings and

[86:15]

this entanglement further entwines with entanglement so my practice entangles with all other people and each one of us, each one of you practice is also connected with other people you know time and space and at this time the entanglement that each and every instances of entire becoming Buddha entire becoming Buddha means absolute Buddha Dharmakaya of Buddha and each one of us practice is manifestation or each instances of one entanglement are

[87:17]

without exception precisely the entire becoming Buddha each and every one of them is the aiming each one of our practice that is becoming Buddha is the manifestation or painting we cannot avoid any single instance of aiming we cannot avoid it as a bodhisattva we have to be a part of entanglement of this interdependent origination we should be a part of network of all living beings we have no other way to live and

[88:19]

our zazen allows us to wake up to that reality we are connected with all beings not only buddhas and ancestors or buddhist practitioners but all not only people but all beings are connected with this being but in our thinking we cut off that kind of entanglement and I think I am independent I can live without other people's help I have to be an independent person but it's a kind of illusion as a reality no matter how independent we are in a conventional way

[89:19]

we are still connected with all beings and our zazen manifests that entanglement or interdependent origination when we try to avoid a single instance of aim we lose body and life so we should not try to do that or otherwise we lose our life but again he said when we lose body and life it is an instance of entanglement of the aiming that means no matter how hard I try to avoid being a part of interdependent origination still we are there and our zazen

[90:22]

allows us to be really there we don't have much time Nangak then picked up a tile and started to polish it on a rock Baso eventually asked master what are you doing this is also very simple statement what are you doing but Dogen's comment is very unique truly who could fail to see that he is polishing a tile very simple action but he said who can see it as polishing a tile who can see it

[91:24]

as polishing a tile who can see the true deep meaning of polishing a tile nevertheless the tile polishing has always been questioned in this manner so what are you doing is not a simple question but this is the way we investigate inquire or study this zazen what are you doing so in our practice we should always keep asking what am I doing what is this what is zazen or not only zazen what is our life just keep asking what are you doing what am I doing is the way we deepen our understanding

[92:25]

we deepen our awakening to the reality so we should keep asking what are you doing what am I doing what is this so this is not a simple question according to Dogen master what are you doing means master what you are doing is this questioning this entanglement or this formless samadhi what are you doing this doing what again twisted indeed as not a question but as exclamation what are you doing

[93:28]

that means what you are doing is fat you are doing fat doing fat in this case this fat is not a question but in zen literature often use this word like a fat or dust or like this is used to refer to the reality before naming which cannot be defined so fat are you doing is not a question but this is you are doing fat you are doing fat so you are practicing this reality before naming the reality which cannot be named or defined

[94:30]

or grasped that means formless so doing fat refers to doing something formless so actually this what are you doing according to Dogen what are you doing is the statement point out the formless samadhi what are you doing is the precise expression of formless samadhi something we cannot grasp something we cannot measure this doing fat is always the tide polishing tide polishing is our practice our practice is doing fat doing something we cannot name that means something formless

[95:32]

in this land and other world though people are diverse the tide polishing has never ceased in the original story tide polishing is something nonsense something that doesn't make sense but here Dogen is saying fat buddhas and ancestors have been practicing and transmitting this tide polishing sitting with body and mind human body and mind and there is an essential meaning in it we should be completely certain that not only do we not fix our own view as our own view

[96:32]

but also there is essential meaning to study in the ten thousand activities we should know that although we see buddha, we do not know or understand buddha though we see water, we don't know the water although we see mountains we don't see the mountains if we hastily assume that there is no further path to penetrate the things before us that is not buddhist study so, you know we encounter something we create some kind of a concept and we think this is mountain this is river this is human being that is buddha

[97:34]

there is delusion there is enlightenment and this is a notebook this is a rope you know we create those concepts and when we put the thing into certain door of concept or we think now I understand this thing this is a notebook and this is a person so, when we make separation or discrimination, we think we understand what is this this is different from this and this is different from that and that is ok not it is not a matter of ok or not ok that is how we live

[98:36]

within our brain and once we fix certain concept we caught up with concept and we think buddha is buddha enlightenment is enlightenment deluded human beings are deluded and this concept becomes fixed but what Dogen is saying here is we should inquire further what are you doing what is this is this really human beings is this really deluded is that really buddha or is it just a form or is he really enlightened or is that just a tree or is it something else so what Dogen is saying

[99:39]

here is we should see the reality not reality outside of ourselves but also reality inside of ourselves too just some other way of viewing the same thing as I said we do Dogen's writing like a painting which can be seen young lady or old lady it is not only it is not only about Dogen's writing but our life too our life can be expression of buddha's enlightenment our life can be manifestation of satsang make pain create pain create suffering we suffer

[100:39]

create suffer and we can say as a karmic self sometimes we feel being together with this person seems like hell seems giving each other only pain and we can really we can create such a situation or often we do or that's fine there are so many problems and suffering in this society but that is not only way to view this world this is one way to view this reality and there is another way to view the same reality because

[101:44]

we are connected all beings all people are connected we fight each other we can fight each other we make problems each other we can also create nirvana by offering something by helping each other by supporting each other we create completely a different world so whether this world become like hell or the realm of hungry ghost then we are only trying to get things from the world then our world become the realm of hungry ghost and we can be like animals

[102:47]

or human beings animals are happy when their stomach is full and human beings cannot we human beings need something more than food that is fame and wealth right animals are happy when their stomach is full they sleep they have no desire to murder enough and they start to do something, only thing they are hungry but we human beings still want to get more even when we have almost too much nutrition too much food we want more we want to assure the food for tomorrow or ten years later or even after our death that's the difference

[103:49]

between animals and human beings anyway Dogen is trying to say here we should see the reality from different angles from all different possibilities our reality is not fixed that is another meaning of no form or another meaning of empty you know this is a time but still this can be a mirror you know this is a deluded human being but still using this deluded body and mind we can express Buddhahood we can express selflessness we can express you know their interdependent origination

[104:51]

well we are what we are doing so Master what are you doing? it's not a simple question but this is our practice so we should keep asking what are you doing? what am I doing? you know our action can mean more than one thing I mean for example when I was in Massachusetts of course we have been working for establishing in a Zen community

[105:56]

and we bought a land in the woods we didn't have well we didn't have house anyway we bought our woods our small land in the woods and first thing we did is cut the trees and dig out the stumps and dug a well and we made we have built a small house and Zen door and we made a vegetable garden and we have small shallow well now this is for the sake of Dharma but because of this practice I killed many living beings so with this Buddhist practice we are killing it's killing but still this is for the sake of Dharma this is only one example

[107:03]

but many things almost everything we do in our very lives can mean more than one so even if we do things with good motivation to help someone it can be harmful to others so we have to be always very careful very alert to see one action from different angles so our practice is not so simple sometimes we have certain fantastic experience and I become an enlightened person and I have no problem anymore our practice is not so simple

[108:07]

at least according to Dogen even we are practicing Buddha Dharma our Buddhist practice still we can be harmful so what we need is as a Bodhisattva practice what we need is dependence and of course vow is important, taking Bodhisattva vows but within those four vows within each line of those four vows there is a basic contradiction sentient beings are numberless we have to save them save them means save them all if sentient beings are numberless, how can we save them all? there is no time if we understand this

[109:08]

contradiction we see the incompleteness of our practice, no matter how hard we practice we cannot fulfill these vows that awakening to the incompleteness of our practice makes us practice dependence and dependence is not simply saying I'm sorry, I made such and such mistakes that is a part of dependence to try not to make the same mistake but the repentance in Mahayana Buddhism has much deeper meaning but you know not only when we do

[110:09]

bad things in doing good things we may create bad karma do you understand what I mean? I mean especially when we do something good for example to help others or to give something to someone it's kind of difficult to see or to make dependence because I feel I'm doing good things and the person who receives my help says thank you and people around us praise us so it's really difficult

[111:10]

to make repentance when we do good things but still by doing good things it's possible that arrogance is growing when I think I am a good person because I did such and such good things to help so many people that is a bodhisattva that is bad karma that makes us arrogant and this kind of bad karma is really difficult to repent because everyone is happy why do I have to make dependence? but in Buddhism there are two kinds of dependence

[112:10]

one is dependence as zhi that is when we did some mistakes we actually say I'm sorry I made such and such mistake I try not to make the same mistake this is one dependence about something about misdeed but another form of dependence is sitting sitting sitting in zazen and seeing the reality of all beings is dependence our zazen is dependence in which we awaken to the incompleteness of our practice so we don't need to say I'm sorry but which allow and encourage me

[113:13]

to practice more and make us free from bad karma created by good things good actions what am I talking? I think it's time to stop talking I have to make repentance I talk too much I really appreciate your patience we have one more lecture tomorrow afternoon tomorrow morning I'm going to talk on the section of one sees, doesn't see and tomorrow afternoon I continue to talk on this because Taitaku-san said we'll have people who are not here now are there any questions?

[114:14]

or comments? no questions Zu? A? is that also an archery term? thank you that's an important point Zu Zu is used as like in archery just as a bullseye that's the center of what we should aim so Uchamoroshi interpreted this Zu or aiming at and said our Zazen is hitting the bullseye of what? what is this reality of our life? so Zu can be a target

[115:16]

can be also a target which we have to hit in archery but according to some of my readings sometimes you aim without looking at the target pardon me? according to my reading in some of the Japanese forms of archery you assume your form and you aim without looking at the target I think our Zazen is the same we just aim at our posture not aim at the target then target is here make sense? yes so we just keep our posture, upright posture and keep our eyes open that means awakening not sleep and breathe deeply and smoothly from our abdomen

[116:16]

and let go of whatever coming out from our mind this is just what we do we do nothing else and when we aim at this posture like Japanese archery actually that is the target and when we actually really do it we hit the bird mark and bird's eye of our life not target something outside ah my favorite kanji dictionary looked up polish two words ma which is to grind which is what also taku also to polish

[117:17]

taku and ma together as compound means like polishing a diamond or polishing this diamond yes question or comment ok thank you very much for listening thank you may your intention equally penetrate everything and place

[118:09]

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