I continue to talk on a story of Nangak's Polishing Natal. Page, I think, page six. In this story, one day Nangaku, the teacher, visited Vaso and asked, the friend Vaso was sitting, Nangaku asked, what are you doing? Nangak said, and Basso said, I'm intent or aiming at becoming Buddha. Then Nangak started to polish a tile on a rock.

[01:11]

Then Basso asked, what I do? And Nangak said, I'm polishing a tile to making it into a mirror. And the pastor asked, how can you make a mirror by polishing time? That is a story. And I think page six, this is about Nangaku, the saint, polishing to make a mirror. polishing to make a mirror. So Nangaku is saying, I'm polishing a tile to make it into a mirror. And Dogen's comment is, we should clearly understand

[02:23]

the meaning of this utterance. The meaning of this utterance. It's a very simple word. What is the meaning in here? But Dogen tried to dig out the very deep meaning. Certainly, there is a truth in pushing to make a mirror. Manifestation of reality is in there. It cannot be an empty expedient. Although a pile is a pile and a mirror is a mirror, in practice we penetrate the truth of polishing. We should know that. There are many examples that express the reality. Both the ancient mirror and the bright mirror are made into mirrors by the tide polishing.

[03:33]

Without knowing that all mirrors have came into being from tide polishing, Buddha ancestors never expressed dharma using words. Buddha ancestors never opened their mouth, and we would never see or hear the exhalation of Buddha ancestors. So in the original story, You know, polishing a title is something meaningless. Waste of time. Waste of energy. Okamura? Yes. When you say empty expedience, does that mean like meaningless? Does it mean should not? Empty expedience. It's a meaningless kind of a, how can I say, fabrication.

[04:39]

So he said, Dogen is saying here, polishing a tile and making it into a mirror is possible. Not only possible, but all Buddhas and ancestors have been doing is polishing a tile and making a mirror. So certainly there is a truth in polishing to make a mirror. This polishing at time to make a mirror is, according to Dogen, is manifestation of reality. That is translation of Genjo Koan. You know, in Genjo Koan, Dogen said, Within a small drop of dew, the vast moon is reflected. That is the Dogen's description of enlightenment.

[05:54]

When a person is at enlightenment, it's like a vast moonlight reflects itself on a drop of dew. A drop of dew is similar to a kiss of time. or dirt, or dust, or karmas, or collection of all different causes and conditions. And often, or almost always, we are so much self-centered, so small, so ego-centered. Steve, the vast moon is deflected and Dogen said that is manifestation of reality. Reality manifests or deflects on this small drop of dew or a piece of tile.

[06:57]

Then we practice. So manifestation of reality or genjō kōan is there. There means within this sitting. It cannot be an empty experience, so this zazen is not an empty or meaningless fabrication or form. Also, polishing a tile and making a mirror is not a meaningless experience or application. That is real practice. Although a tile is a tile and a mirror is a mirror, In practice, we penetrate the truth of polishing.

[08:03]

We should know that there are many examples that express the reality. Both the ancient mirror and the bright mirror are made into mirror by the tile polishing. So he said, tile is tile, and mirror is mirror. But in practice, in our usual way of thinking, that means logic, A, something called A should be always A, and something B should be always B. Otherwise, we cannot use words, or we cannot make a meaningful sentence. But if S is always A and B is always B, how a baby can be an adult?

[09:05]

How we can change, how we express the change is very important. everything changing, that is reality, everything is impermanent. How we can express the reality of impermanence, that is always changing, using a word which a concept should be always the same. You know, a tile is always a tile. Tile cannot be a mirror. And mirror should be always a mirror. Mirror cannot be a time. But how can we make a time into a mirror? How this change is possible? How a baby become a boy or a girl?

[10:09]

because a baby has a life force. Life force means energy to change. A baby has energy, a life, because a baby has the energy to grow. The baby has energy to change, to grow, to negate. A baby has energy or power to negate baby food. Otherwise, the baby has to be always baby, forever. But living is always changing. Changing means negating itself and becoming something new, something different. How we can express this process of everlasting, always changing?

[11:22]

Using common logic, A should be always A, B should be always B, it's not possible to express this in permanent reality. But somehow, in practice, he said, in practice means action, activity. Within practice, this change is manifested or possible. You know, this is water, and water is not me, right? But when I drink, water become me. So this action of drinking makes something which is not me, makes into me. Now that order is part of myself.

[12:32]

So action or activity or practice is important thing. It's not a matter of A should be always A, B should be always B. But time can Tile is always tile. Mirror is always mirror. But the reality of tile can be a mirror, actually, by polishing. So this practice of polishing is important. When we sit in Zazen, we have to use this body. This mind is a collection of all experiences I have as a seed within our consciousness. somehow we have to use this body which is not so strong or often we have pain or some problems so we have to somehow find a way how to use this body in order to express the way or the dharma or

[14:07]

only thing we can use to express dharma, to think about dharma, to understand dharma, and to express dharma. It's using our time, you know, collection of all different kind of karma, all resources we have to study, practice, and express the dharma. So actually, our bad karma, I mean, bad or some mistake, action, can be a source of dharma. If we see clearly that is a mistake. Because of mistake, we stop. and we understand how to avoid that mistake.

[15:11]

Then we can show other people, especially younger people, how to avoid the same mistake. So my mistake can be a source of teaching or instruction to transmit to others. So, nothing is meaningless. Even though our araya consciousness is full of meaningless things, meaningless things, still that can be used as an expression of dharma. If we are free from our ego clinging That means letting go of thought. So here Dogen says, our karmic self is karmic self, and the dharma is the dharma.

[16:19]

So this person does not become a Buddha. But this person's body and mind can be used as an expression of gudang, of the dharma. Within practice, in this case not only sitting, but also now I'm talking using four vocabularies of my English. And I hope you understand what I'm saying. But somehow I'm trying. Because of my karma, my English is not exactly the same as your English. But still I'm trying to do my best. And if you understand even one word, That is the way my karma is used for the sake of dharma.

[17:28]

I'm happy if that happens. So Dogen is saying it's very different from the original story, but Dogen is saying, you know, we need to penetrate the truth of volition, volition this time. We should know that there are many examples, and examples of ancient mirror or bright mirror. The mirrors appeared in different koan stories. I think ancient mirror is mentioned by Seppo, a Chinese Zen master, and Meikyo is maybe his sixth ancestor, Huina, or I think Umon, for many other people use this analogy of bright mirror.

[18:34]

Both ancient mirror and bright mirror is a symbol or analogy of Buddha's enlightenment, perfect enlightenment or awakening. great perfect mirror enlightenment. But those mirrors, that means Buddha's enlightenment or awakening, is also came from the polishing time. That means Buddha's practice. Buddha used his own body and mind to awake and to become Buddha. He used nothing else, actually. So we have the same body and mind. So Buddha had time, and we have time. No difference. Of course it's different. But our practice, through the practice, you know, our time can function as a mirror.

[19:45]

Without knowing that all miras have come into being from Thaila Purshing. All miras, that means all Buddhas, or Buddhas enlightenment came from Thaila Purshing. If we don't understand this, that all Buddha's, or Buddha's enlightenment, came from a time, Buddha's ancestors never expressed dharma using words, using words, using our head, using words we studied from the society. You know, this is attack. And Buddha ancestors never opened their mouth, means if we don't like the type, we cannot use the word. The basic function of word or concept is separation.

[20:57]

And what the Buddhas and ancestors tried to show us is a reality beyond separation. So we need words, we need concept in order to express and point out the reality beyond concept. We cannot use anything else. That's all we have to, we have. If we don't use words because reality is beyond words, then there's no way to transmit dharma or express dharma. So all Buddhas and ancestors used words. And they could use words because they had a time. That means this karmic body and mind.

[21:59]

But other ancestors are not a kind of a superman, but an ordinary human being. And next is Basso said, how can tile polishing make a mirror? How can tile polishing make a mirror? Although, Dogen's comment, although truly the Iron Man of tidal polishing does not borrow the strength from others, tidal polishing is not making a mirror. Since making a mirror is nothing other than polishing itself, it must be immediate. It's kind of difficult logic to follow.

[23:03]

The Ironman of tidal polishing is really a determined practitioner. And a really determined practitioner, when they practice, they don't follow anything from other people, but we need to use this body and this mind. It's our own life. We cannot use anything else. And the polishing is not making a mirror means the tidal polishing is tidal polishing. and it's not making a mirror. This is kind of a difficult logic here. But it is like when, for example, in the Heart Sutra it said, form is emptiness, and emptiness is form.

[24:18]

And in the Shobo Genzo Makahani Haramutsu, or Mahaprajna Paramita, that is Dogen's comment, a kind of a comment on the Heart Sutra, he said, form is form. Form is nothing but form. Emptiness is nothing other than emptiness. And I think we say form is emptiness. There are two things, and by putting is or be between those two, we say those two are one. So there are two different concepts, and we try to make those two concepts into one thing. That is how we use words. Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form. But Van Dogen said, emptiness is emptiness and form is form.

[25:26]

That means if form is really empty, we don't need to say form is emptiness. Can we just say form? Emptiness is already there because form is empty. Or can we say emptiness? Form is already there. If form is really emptiness and emptiness is really form, we don't need to say form is emptiness and emptiness is form. But form is form and emptiness is emptiness. That's enough. So he is kind of a, how can I say, go back to before logic. before saying, if these two are really one thing, we don't need to say those two are one, because that is one, without saying.

[26:33]

So here, Dogen, you know, what Dogen wants to say is that polishing tile, tile polishing is making a mirror. But if tile polishing is really making a mirror, You don't need to say, I'm polishing a tile in order to make a mirror. But tile polishing is itself making a mirror. At the same time, it's not two separate things. I'm trying to make those two things into one using a sentence. That's why he said, since making a mirror is nothing other than polishing itself, it must be immediate. Like now, there's no time to say polishing a pile is making a mirror. It's too slow. When we say polishing a pile is making a mirror, it's too slow, too separate.

[27:43]

So we don't need to say if polishing a tile is really making a mirror. We don't need to say polishing a tile is making a mirror. There are no two concepts or two words within our practice. Simply just polishing a tile, making a mirror is there. We don't need to say, now I'm polishing a tile, and this is making a mirror. What we do is just polishing. And making a mirror is already there. That is a kind of unique logic of Dogen. Very unique. He kind of challenged to our common logic in order to show the reality of right now, right here, at this immediate moment.

[28:54]

We think it's too late. And Nangak said, how can Zazen make a Buddha? Venerable [...] Dogen's comment is very short. Clearly, we can see that there is a truth that Zazen does not wait for becoming Buddha. This is the same logic. Zazen does not wait for becoming Buddha. Here, becoming Buddha is a name of Buddha. Becoming is not a verb here.

[30:00]

Sabotsu is one name, name of a Buddha. So Zazen does not wait for such a Buddha because Zazen itself is Buddha. Zazen doesn't need to wait kind of a label that this is Zazen, or this is Buddha. But when we sit and just polish, or just sit there, just sit, becoming Buddha, Buddha whose name is become, is there. So it's very immediate. No separation. The essential principle that becoming Buddha has nothing to do with the Zen. It is never hidden. This principle is never hidden. That means becoming Buddha and the Zen has nothing to do, both are no didactic.

[31:10]

Something to do means this and that. has kind of a relation. But since becoming Buddha and Zazen is one thing, there's no relation. That is a point. But when we think using a concept, Zazen, and becoming Buddha, we have to make these two into one. But when the Zen is really becoming Buddha, you know, becoming Buddha and the Zen has nothing to do with each other. Both are there. One thing. Then, Basho said, how is it right? How is it right? In the original story, that means, what can I do if we cannot become Buddha through the Zen?

[32:21]

That is good thing, right thing to do. But Dogen's interpretation is completely different. This utterance, seems resemble to be a question simply about this place. It is also an inquiry as to the lightness of that place. For example, think of the time when two intimate friends meet each other. I'm his intimate friend means he is my intimate friend. Within, how is it right? Both this place and that place appear at once. This place and that place means.

[33:27]

This means our zazen, using this type. And this is a so-called curved dragon. And that place is real dragon, or really formless samadhi. This morning, I didn't have time to explain Sho and Hen. or G and D, something concrete, like now, like here, within time and space, and something universal, without any particular position, time, or action. Those are two things. In common usage.

[34:32]

But what Dogen trying to say here is this place and that place is same thing. Or within a curved dragon, two dragons appear, manifestly. So how is it right or what shall I do? What is the right thing to do? It sounds like we are asking what I should do using this body and mind right now, right here. But Dogen said this question, how is it right, is expressing both Right now, right here, our zazen, using this body and mind, and the formless samadhi, the formless dharma, or dharmakaya.

[35:38]

He's saying, within this expression, how is it like? Those two are... simultaneously manifested. So, this is not actually, this is not a question, according to Dogen. How is asking, and right, soku ze is to be right, is to inquiring how, why, so what. This inquiring, asking, questioning is manifestation of that place. That means formless padarma. By questioning, by inquiring, by investigation, investigating what is this, what I'm doing, what is this body and mind. This means no grasping with certain

[36:46]

kind of concept or exhibition. But we keep asking how. That is our jazen. Keep asking how is letting go of our thought. You know, thought is there, but we don't grasp. Keep opening. Within this sitting, keep our hands open and asking why, what, how. within this questioning for now, for here, and trying to do our best, you know, Buddha nature, eternal Buddha nature, our vast moonlight is deflected. So within our practice of questioning or searching the truth, truth is manifested. I can't read in such a way when I read only the original story.

[37:59]

It's really kind of a strange person. Why he had to read that story in this way? I really understand what makes me puzzled for many years. And next, Nangak said, suppose that a person is riding a cart. If the cart does not move, fit it right to hit the cart or to hit the cow? Of course, in our common way of thinking, When a cart is pulled by a cow and it's time to move, to hit the cow is OK. It's the right thing to do.

[39:00]

But to hit a cart is meaningless, nonsense. And that is what's meant in the original story. So Nangaku is saying, you should hit the cow, not the cart. But kart means form, or body, and kar is mind, or something formless. But Dogen is also, again, questioning. What is kar? What is kar? How is it? Now, when we say, if the kart does not move, how is the kart moving? And how is the curse not moving? For example, is waters flowing, the curse moving? Is waters not flowing, the curse moving?

[40:07]

We should say that flowing is waters not moving. water's moving can be not flowing. Therefore, when we investigate the utterance, if the cart does not move, we should understand that there is not moving and also there is never not moving. Because both are times, the utterance, if not moving, does not simply refer to not going. Nangaku said, fit is right to hit the cart or to hit the cow. So there is both hitting the cart and hitting the cow. Should hitting the cart and hitting the cow be equal or not be equal?

[41:11]

Even though there is no dharma of hitting the cart in the world or among ordinary human beings, we should know that there is the dharma of hitting the cart in the Buddha way. This is the essential point in our study and practice. Though we study that there is a dharma of hitting the cart, it is not one and the same with hitting the cow. We should carefully investigate this point in detail. Even though there is a dharma of hitting the cart in the ordinary world, we should inquire further and study through practice. the hitting the cow in the Buddha way. Do we hit the water buffalo?

[42:15]

Do we hit the iron cow? Do we hit the clay ox? Should we hit with a whip? Should we hit with the entire world? Should we hit with the entire mind? Should we vigorously hit the marrow? Should we hit with a fist? There should be the fist hitting fist, and the cow hitting the cow. What does it mean? It's really interesting. So first he finds out the question, after he's not going. You know, when we are riding a cart and the cart doesn't move, that is a problem for us. Then we start some face with certain situation and we don't know how to go further.

[43:23]

So then we have a problem. We are in trouble. Then in such a situation, what we should do. That is what Mahatma Gandhi is asking. But Dogen is asking, what is not going? And what is not not going? And so here, Both not going, going, not going, and not not going, none of them are something negative. Going and not going are kind of two sides of one thing, as he tried to say using the analogy of water. with other common sense, you know, the water flows from high place to low place.

[44:34]

So water is always flowing. But Dogen is asking, that is water's, how can I say, unchanging nature. So as far as water is flowing, water doesn't change. or the changing or flowing or movement is the nature, unchanging nature of water. So the flowing or moving, changing is unchanging nature of the water. That means, you know, as living beings we are always changing. from baby food to child food and to be a teenager and young adult and middle-aged person and old-age person.

[45:37]

This is, you know, we are changing, but this is unchanging kind of a life for nature as human beings. Without any exception, all human beings are born as a child or baby and constantly changing, both body and mind. There's nothing which doesn't change. So changing is unchanging nature of each being. So what is the card that doesn't go? And what the card is going means? Both are reality of our life.

[46:40]

We are always changing, always moving. Both our body and mind are constantly changing. But somehow we think there's something which doesn't change. And 50 years ago, I was a baby. And 50 years later, I'm a middle-aged person. But I think even when I was a baby, I was I. And now I'm also I. And we think, or we assume, there's something which doesn't change. And this something which doesn't change is changing. But otherwise, we cannot say something is changing. But if changing, this becomes something else. So if there's nothing which is common, We cannot say, you know, this change and become that.

[47:46]

These two are different things. Because there are some similarities or something common. We think, you know, a baby Shohaku become a boy Shohaku. And boy Shohaku become middle-aged Shohaku. So we think... There's something that doesn't change. Otherwise, our words don't make any sense. But that is a problem in Buddhism. You know, that's something which doesn't change, even though both our body and mind change. What is that? That is ultimate. And Buddha talk, there's no such thing. You know, things which exist are only five skandhas. Five skandhas mean body and mind.

[48:47]

The first one, rupa, is body, and other four are function of our mind. So Buddha thought only five skandhas are there. And those five skandhas are getting together or scattering and always changing. And there's no such thing that doesn't change. That is Buddha's teaching of anatma, or no-self. And it's really difficult to explain or to understand or to even discuss. Then we have to use words and concepts. We cannot express this simple change from baby to a child and child to teenager.

[49:55]

if there is something which does not change. But Buddha said there is no such thing, so we have to give up. So what is really going and what is really not going? What is changing and what is not changing? If everything is impermanent, So actually, Dogen does not explain, but he is asking us, and he, how can I say, try to break our common way of thinking, our logical common way of thinking using concept. So when we did this kind of writing, we are positive.

[51:00]

and we're confused, and we think this is nonsense. But what Dogen is trying to do is to destroy our common way of viewing things and common way of thinking, understanding, or conceptualization. So he's not building some system of philosophy. but he's trying to destroy any system of thinking. So don't worry about it. But what we should see is actually in the Zen, we do the same thing. We actually, by letting go of our thought, we destroy our system of value. or a habit of thinking.

[52:05]

And we see the reality with very fresh eyes. So if we try to find Dogen's logic or Dogen's philosophy in here, kind of hopeless. What he is trying to do is, as I said, destroying our habit of thinking using concept and showing us or urging us to see the reality before discrimination, before thinking. before judgment. So we should, when we sit, we don't need to, but when we think or when we study this kind of writing, we should examine our way of thinking.

[53:21]

Our thought is a nature of concept or language or words or logic. So the utterance, if not moving, this saying, if not moving, does not simply refer not to going. But, you know, because as the water's flowing, it's water's unchanging nature, the card doesn't move. or in our zazen we don't move. Our immobility sitting is actually moving. You know, everything is changing. Even sitting in this posture without moving, our body is changing, our mind is also changing.

[54:25]

You know, nothing stops in our zazen. Everything is functioning. Our heart is beating, our stomach is digesting what we ate, and we are breathing, and blood is running around, circulating our body. Nothing stops functioning. So there's no reason only our head stops functioning. And functions of hybrids produce thought. So don't worry about thinking. But if we think, that is not zazen. Anyway, Landak said, which is right to hit the card or to hit the card? And as a common sense, of course, hit the cow doesn't make any sense.

[55:33]

So we should hit the cow doesn't make sense. So we should hit the cow. But Robin again questioned this common sense. Should there be both hitting the cow and hitting the cart? As I said, cow is mind, and cat is body. And hitting the cow is studying or practicing with our mind, and hitting the cat is practicing with our body. One of the chapters of Shobo Genzo is shin-jin-gaku-do. studying their way with body and mind. So studying with body is hitting the cart.

[56:37]

Actually we, you know, sit in zazen and we make prostrations and we do gassho and we do, you know, use oryoki in certain form. That is studying with body. So we are hitting the cart and studying something like this, or letting go of thoughts is studying with mind. But in that chapter, studying the way with body and mind, He says, body and mind don't mean this body and this mind. But he said, the true body of a monk is this entire ten direction world.

[57:41]

This is our body. and the mind itself is Buddha, or three worlds is only simply one mind. That is the mind we use when we study the way. Actually, our body and our mind is a body of entire ten directions. and our mind is the entire three worlds. That means our practice is not simply our personal activity, but when we sit, we sit together with the entire universe, with all living beings, because everything is connected actually. So, hitting the cart in one practice and hitting the cow.

[58:48]

It's not one and another, but in one practice we hit both. Should hitting the cart and hitting the cow be equal or not be equal? We can say either. Either is OK. Even though there is no dharma of hitting the cart in the world, as a common world, hitting the cart is nonsense, or among ordinary human beings, we should know that there is a dharma of hitting the cart in the Buddha way, that is, practice with the body, sitting with our body, but we're hitting the cart. This is the essential point in our study and practice. This is, he said, this is the essential point. Using, studying the way, using both body and mind, you know, usually, not usually, but in many religions,

[60:09]

mind or spirit or soul is something pure or underprivileged. But our body or this flesh is a source of delusion or source of desire, source of food. So, for example, in Hinduism, Atman, the soul, is something pure, but this Atman is imprisoned within this body. So the ultimate purpose of Hindu practice is to release the Atman from the body, because the body is a source of defilement. But in Buddhism, particularly in dogma Buddhism, or teaching or practice, this body is very important.

[61:19]

Our practice does not release our mind or spirit or our soul from this body, but we practice both body and mind. and both body and mind expressed through reality. Without body we cannot practice. So body is really important. We need to take care of body. Though we study that there is a dharma of hitting the cart, it's not one and the same as hitting the cow. We should carefully investigate this point in detail. Even though there is a dharma of hitting the cart in the ordinary world, we should inquire further and study through practice the hitting the cow in the Buddha way. What is hitting the cow?

[62:21]

in the Buddha way. Hitting the cow is also important. What is cow? There are many cows or ox in Zen stories. One is Walter Wafano. At least two Zen masters mentioned Walter Wafano. I think one is Christian, Guishan said, after my death, in the next life, I will be born as a water buffalo at a farming house at the foot of the mountain where he lived. And he asked a question to his student. And he said, and on the cow, on the body of the cow or ox or water buffalo said, this is monk Grisham.

[63:29]

And Grisham asked to his tumor, what is this? Is this a water buffalo or monk Grisham? That means whether this is a karmic body, or the ancestor, or great-great-master, faculty. This question is the same as that of our Zafen, whether this is time-polishing or making a mirror. This is the same question. So here, water buffalo is the reality of our life. And I don't cower. I don't cower. I think it's the worst. I started it with sector, but it's like a mosquito tried to things that I don't cower.

[64:40]

That means it's not possible. I couldn't understand. So this iron card is a symbol of the Dharma. And next one is ox, clay ox. I think this is said by a kind of a hermit whose name was Yin Zhang. Yin means to hidden, hidden mountain. And he said, long time ago, I saw a clay ox running into the water. And clay ox, ox made of mud, go into the water to disappear.

[65:50]

And that is the expression of his, how can I say, eagerness, selfishness, or emptyness. Even though this is like a mud ox or clay ox, then we sit, you know, this occur, and only the water, Dharma water there. So all these buffalo, cow or ox is a symbol of Dharma or practice. So we should, Dogen is saying, we should inquire what are these cows and how we can hit those cows or ox. And now he's asking how to hit.

[66:53]

Should we hit with a whip? Should we hit with the entire word? Should we hit with the entire mind? Should we vigorously hit the marrow? Should we hit with a fist? There should be a fist hitting fist. That means this body is practising using this body, and mind is practising using the mind. In our practice we use both body and mind, but we say we use body and mind after this we. There is something else beside body and mind. So body and mind use body and mind to hit the body and mind. Actually that is what we are actually doing.

[68:00]

But it doesn't completely make any sense to say it in such a way. and Basso did not reply. In the original story, he couldn't say anything. He had nothing to say. He gave up. But according to Dogen, in our arrogance, we should not stumble on this no replying. There is throwing a tie away and putting a jewel in. I think this means within this no-reply, within this silence. There is turning the head and changing the face. This no-reply cannot be taken away. So, again he's saying this no-reply

[69:07]

is expression, massive expression of the reality itself. Both, you know, curved dragon and two dragon manifest is in this silence with no reply. You know, both two things are they are at once at the same time and really one thing how do we say how to express you know whatever we say cause problems or misunderstand so actually keep silent can be most active expression of this reality, like just sitting.

[70:11]

So Dogen is saying we should not consider that Basso didn't understand what Nangako is saying. But even Nangako's saying is something extra. or deep silence, the most precise, exact expression of this strange reality, or wondrous reality, which is beyond thinking or beyond language. And nangaku also instructed, your studying zazen is studying sitting Buddha. In the original story, it said, if you study zazen, or no, no, not if, but do you study zazen or sitting meditation, or do you study sitting Buddha?

[71:24]

But Dogen read this sentence as, your studying zazen is studying sitting Buddha. inquire into these words and understand the essential function of the ancestral tradition. Without knowing fully studying the Zen, now we are clear that it is studying sitting Buddha. Other than the true descendants who have transmitted the authentic Dharma, Who can utter that studying sitting Zen is studying sitting Buddha? Who should truly know that a beginner's Zen is the first Zen? The first Zen is the first sitting Buddha.

[72:27]

So he wrote this sentence as studying zazen and practicing zazen is practicing buddha. That is the same as polishing a tile is making a mirror. This means we should study that through this sentence, reading this sentence, we should understand that studying Zazen or practice Zazen is studying, sitting Buddha, practice Buddha. So our Zazen is Buddha, sitting Zazen is sitting Buddha. And he says, Other than the true descendants who have transmitted authentic dharma, we can adopt studying Zen is studying Buddha.

[73:41]

For our practice of Zazen is our practice of Buddha. To ignore Zazen is to curse Zazen. And our first zazen is first sitting Buddha. So a tile is a tile. Mirror is a mirror. But our first polishing a tile is our first making a mirror. Suzuki Roshi put emphasis on this beginner's mind, beginner's sitting. And beginning line is important because our first sitting is our first sitting Buddha. Although we think, you know, my first serving is terribly painful, I still remember. And, you know, our mind is not organized, very busy.

[74:53]

And I don't feel anything special. And yet that first sitting is first sitting Buddha. I think this is really amazing teaching. You know, we think we are at the starting point in common Buddhist teaching. After we allow body-mind aspiration, we have to practice step by step for fifty-two steps. and said it takes more than forever to reach the goal. You know, that is a common idea of practice. But he said, our first sitting as a beginner is first sitting Buddha.

[75:59]

So at the starting point, we are already the goal. Again, kind of a nonsense. But if we think deeply, it's really a powerful teaching. We are already there. We are practicing within Buddhahood. We are already within Buddhahood. We are already using the reality, true reality, but we don't see it. And when we see that we don't see it, we see it. That means... I'm sorry. That is too much. And then we see that our illusion is illusion.

[77:07]

That is the thing, the reality. To see our delusion as delusion, that is reality over life. Because somehow we need illusion or delusion to live as a human being. So our practice does not eliminate our illusion or delusion. I think our ability to have illusion or delusion is very important. Otherwise, like seeing a movie that is an illusion, or reading a story or a novel or a poem, those are illusions. We can enjoy illusion. That's okay. We can enjoy it. Enjoy reading novels or watching movies.

[78:12]

And it can be very educational and can help us. If we know that is illusion, that is not reality, we can enjoy illusion. That is no problem. But when we grasp illusion as reality, that is a problem. So to see illusion as illusion is awakening. And that is first awakening. And we can awake to that reality even when we are a beginner. So our goal is not really to eliminate all illusion, but our practice is seeing illusion or delusion as delusion at this moment.

[79:17]

Let's see. Expressing the Zen, Nangak said, If we study the Zen, Zen is neither sitting nor lying down. In the original story, this is a negation, Nangaku's negation of a form, formal practice. But Logan says, now Nangaku is saying that the Zen is the Zen, neither sitting nor lying down. After we have singularly transmitted the truth that zazen is zazen and zazen is neither sitting nor lying down, infinite sitting and lying down are ourselves. Why should we question whether we are intimate or not intimate with the life being?

[80:34]

How can we discuss delusion and realization? Who seeks after the virtue of wisdom and cutting off attachment? So we should see that Zen is not, or Zazen, is neither sitting nor lying down. And Dogen Zenji quotes this phrase in Fukanda Zenki. zazen has nothing to do with sitting while I'm down. That phrase comes from here. So in our practice of zazen, we should see that zazen has nothing to do with sitting while I'm down. Zazen is sitting. It's a kind of a strange thing There are so many strange things.

[81:41]

But the truth of the Zen, the real reality of the Zen is not this sitting poem. This sitting poem is one instance or example of the Zen. In Vendoa, Dogen said, when we sit in this posture even for a short time, we have become one with the entire universe and entire time, past, present and future. And every entire universe becomes enlightened. So this sitting allows us to be released from the form of sitting or lying down.

[82:50]

And then we really penetrate this reality without going to this sitting form. Then, you know, not only sitting, but eating, or maybe prostration, or just walking, or whatever we do in our daily life is part of our zazen. That's what he's saying. Then, after we have singularly transmitted the truth that zazen is zazen, neither sitting or lying down, Infinite means each and every. Sitting and lying down are our self. Whatever we are doing, wherever we go, we are there. What does that mean? There. And why should we question whether we are intimate or not intimate with the life being, this life being, life form?

[84:04]

Actually, we cannot be not intimate because we are really life forces itself. Even though we don't see, even though we understand it, even if we don't practice, even if we are living with so much delusion, still we are life itself. We never escape. We never get out of it. We are always there. But at the same time, we are almost always somewhere else. That is a problem. So we have to return. I'd like to finish this story. Two and a half more pages, I have to be in hurry.

[85:07]

Nangak said, if you study sitting Buddha, Buddha is not a fixed form. Buddha is not a fixed form. The way to articulate the meaning is verse. The reason why sitting Buddha seems like one Buddha or two Buddhas is that he, or Buddha, adorns himself with no fixed form. In saying Buddha is not a fixed form, Nangak is describing the Buddha's form. Because he is a Buddha with no fixed form, to be a sitting Buddha is unavoidable.

[86:13]

Therefore, zazen is the adornment of the Buddha with no fixed form. If studying zazen is sitting Buddha, Within non-abiding Dharma, who can accept or reject whether it is Buddha or not Buddha? Because acceptance and rejection have been dropped off in advance, the Zen is sitting Buddha. In the original story, Nangaku is trying to show birth to the formless, formless samadhi. Since everything is empty, there is no form, so we should not cling to any form. So we should go beyond any form.

[87:19]

to the Buddha and put also in the Diamond Sutra it said Buddha has no fixed form. So the idea of this story came from the Diamond Sutra. Buddha has no fixed form. But Dogen now trying to, how can I say, pull it back and said, without form of this sitting, something formless or something beyond form cannot be manifested. Only within form, something formless can be actualized. You know, this formless or moose soul is part of the verse we chant in the morning, in the long chant, filled with the fact.

[88:30]

The power beyond form and emptiness. This translation is not kind of literal. The literal and original expression is muso fukuden e. Muso means no form. So, you know, okesa, our robe has form. This is a form. But we call this a robe of formlessness. So this form expresses something almost. Fuku, then, in that translation, this fuku is kind of lost, and far beyond all emptiness.

[89:37]

This emptiness is something external. Actually, it's just saying the law of virtuous field or the law which has no form and the field of virtue or happiness, actually. By the way, so what he's saying is in order to practice and actualize or express something formless or formless dharma, formless reality, we need form. And if we cling to the form, it's just a clinging to the form.

[90:43]

But if practice form without cringing, then this form is the expression of formlessness. So, dogmatic emphasis on form as a kind of a common image of Zen is something formless, being free, free from everything. But Dogen put emphasis on form, sitting form, not only sitting, but walking, or eating, or making prostrations, or almost doing everything. He described what kind of form we should take. And so often American practitioner don't like this folk.

[91:47]

You know, many American practitioner say, we don't like Japanese formality. And I need to, I don't like, I don't like formality. But it's not Japanese. This is Dogen. Dogen's formality. And according to Dogen, this formality or form is an expression of formlessness. So it's very natural, at least to me. I don't like formality. But Because, you know, we cannot deal with that body that is form. Somehow we have to use this form, this body, and in order to express something is formless, in order to express our heart, we need to express with our body.

[92:59]

For example, love is something formless. Love has no form, no particular form. But love has to be expressed with certain form, certain action, or certain word, with a kind of speech. Without action, that is a form, using dysphoria, love cannot be expressed. No matter how much love we have, if we don't act to express that love, that love has no meaning. Buddha nature or formless reality is the same. That's why Dogen emphasis in formal practice. So if we clinging to this form, then we lose the point of our practice.

[94:11]

But we need to practice without clinging to the form. As it said in the Diamond Sutra, we should practice giving or offering or dharma parameter without clinging to any object. Person giving, person receiving, and the thing which is given. But the Diamond Sutta said we should practice giving. The sutta doesn't say we should, because reality is formless, we should not practice giving. But we should practice giving. But if we practice giving with clinging or attaching to the thing or the person or this person's action, then this giving cannot be around.

[95:22]

This is just a give-and-take or a trading. That is not tanagata. So if we cling to our formality and practice forms, That is not parameter. But we do things without clinging, and it's very difficult. Then we do something, we cling it. Well, without clinging, we cannot do it. In Japanese monastic practice, first we have to learn form. We cannot allow to question learning. We have to do what is said.

[96:27]

There's no argument. We have to just follow the form. But after a certain period of time, we are requested to be free from the form. We learn. Depending upon the situation, in each situation, we cannot do the same thing. So in each situation, each moment, we need to create a new form. But this creation, in order to create new form at this moment, we need to be free from what we learned. And yet, what we learned becomes a kind of a resource to create something new. Well, that is what Dogen is saying in the next section.

[97:37]

So this sitting, form, formless sitting is an expression of formless Buddha. And this sitting is a kind of adornment or a mark of Buddha, which has no form. And next, Nandak said, if you practice sitting Buddha, that is nothing other than killing Buddha. So in the original story he said, so we should not practice something formal, because Buddha is not something formal. You cannot attain Buddhahood within formal practice. But here Dogen interpreted almost opposite.

[98:41]

This means that when we further investigate sitting Buddha, we find it has the virtue of killing Buddha. So killing Buddha is a virtue of sitting Buddha. The expression killing Buddha is originally used by the Master Rinzai. He said, when you encounter Buddha, you should kill the Buddha. So killing Buddha means being free from Buddha, not clinging to Buddha. So Dogen says this killing Buddha is a virtue of sitting Buddha. So within sitting, because we let go of thought, we don't cling to any Buddha. We are really free from, we should be really free from anything, even the sitting pole.

[99:45]

And he said, this is killing Buddha. We are free from even Buddha. The very time of practicing sitting Buddha is killing Buddha. So when we sit, we kill the Buddha. Passing further, we find the 32 marks and the radiance of the killing Buddha. He is always sitting Buddha. So the adornment or forms of killing Buddha is sitting Buddha, our zazen. Although the word killing Buddha Killing has the same meaning as that used by ordinary human beings. It does not have the same meaning. Also, we should investigate what form the sitting Buddha, that is, killing Buddha, has.

[100:48]

holding up the fact that a virtue of Buddha is killing Buddha. We should investigate whether we have killed our human self or have not yet killed our human self. Not only Buddha, we have killed our human self, that means our karmic self. have we killed it or not, in other words, are we really free from our karma or not? And the last one. If you attach yourself to the sitting form, you will never reach the principle of zazen. So in the original story, Nangaku is saying, you should not attach yourself to the sitting form.

[102:06]

And Dogen says, to attach to the sitting form means to let go of the sitting form. And to hold up the sitting form. Hold up means keep the sitting form. So we should keep our sitting without attachment. That is what Dogi meant when he said, just sit. Just sit means hold, keep this form. without attachment to this form. The truth here is that when we are already practicing sitting Buddha, it is not possible to practice non-attachment to the sitting form.

[103:12]

Since it is not possible to be non-attached even if you are exactly attached to the sitting form and sit in perfect posture, you will never reach the principle of the Zen. This is not something negative. Doesn't reach the principle is something positive, in Dogen's comment. That means we are always in the process. We will never be in the goal. We are always questioning and practicing and searching the truth. That is our practice. As a bodhisattva, we practice bodhisattva practice in the realm of desire.

[104:29]

That means this world within ourselves. Because of our bodhisattva vow, Our Bodhisattva vow is, you know, sentient beings are numberless, we vow to save them. And this vow means we don't ditch the other shore until we fulfill this vow. That means Bodhisattva should be the last person who across this river. So if we are bodhisattva, we should stay here. We cannot go there. It's a kind of strange thing. No one is there. Everyone is here if we are bodhisattva. And this is the place we practise.

[105:35]

So this not reaching the principle is not reaching the nirvana. But we practice right now, right here, within our desire, within our delusion, embracing our delusion and sit. and help each other, support each other. But in practicing in that way, I think we are trying to create nirvana within this shore, not going to that shore. I think we are trying to construct nirvana on this shore, together with all beings.

[106:41]

And it takes more than forever, but somehow we are doing. So we never reach the principle of chasm. And Dogen said that is okay. Such effort is called dropping off polyamory. If we think that unless we reach the principle, our practice is meaningless, we are clinging to the goal. But just keep practicing without even expecting to reach the goal, to reach the principle of the Zen, is dropping your story and mind. This path does not exist in those who have never sat. That means we need to cling to or we need to attach ourselves to this form.

[107:44]

This path exists at the time of sitting. In the person sitting, in the sitting Buddha and in studying sitting Buddha. So within our practice, this sitting Buddha appears. The ordinary person's activity of sitting and lying down is not sitting Buddha. Although the activity of a human sitting naturally resembles sitting Buddha and Buddha's sitting, it is the activity of a person becoming Buddha and a becoming Buddha person. Although they are the becoming Buddha person, not all human beings are becoming Buddha. Buddha is not all human beings.

[108:48]

Because all Buddhas are not all human beings. Human beings are not necessarily Buddhas. And Buddhas are not necessarily human. Seeking Buddha is also like this. This is a question. Whether Are we all Buddha or not? Without practice, without arousing body-mind, without taking vows or not. And I think we can say both yes and no. And at least according to Dogen, And here, when he talked about zarven, he said, only in this practice, only when we practice.

[109:53]

So if we give based on our own ego-centred desire, that is our usual way of life, that's new to Buddha. But when we aspire to study Buddha and to practice Buddha and try to manifest Buddha through our practice, then this practice is Buddha. So this is a kind of a tricky point. And if we say yes, then we create a problem. If we say no, it also, I think, creates a problem. So that, I think, is my question. Well, I think it's time to stop there. Any question or comment?

[110:59]

He punched, was he really old? Dogen, sometimes this expression suffers ancient Buddha. It's ancient, it's cold, old, ancient. And Dogen, I don't remember where, but Dogen said this ancient means eternal. Nothing to do with new and old. That's ancient or core. And I don't know whether English or other ancient carry this meaning, if it can. This thing for, I think, when you get right down to it, he's talking about practice realization, right?

[112:19]

And, I've often wondered, um, how have the Stogians practiced real human beings compared to, uh, each other? In, in, like, the six ancestors, is it the same thing? Like, uh, they, uh, they know that, uh, but honestly, It's up to how to read. It's up to how to read that with six, three, nine, N-O's, same, and Dogen's, same. You can say, again, you can say yes and no. Yeah. Read. Write me up. Yeah. Bright mirror is, you know, mirror is just dust.

[113:23]

So there's expression that when Chinese appear, the mirror reflect Chinese, then barbarian appear. The mirror reflects the barbarian. So, a bright mirror means a black window, which sees the reality as it is. So, no clouds, no dust. Clear. I have a question. I think it's true. If a human lover is a part of a community part in the ordinary world, is there a family part in the ordinary world?

[114:30]

Because there is no family part in the world or among ordinary human beings. Uh, it's something, something you stick. Uh, let me do it. Uh, what is it? Quick page. Uh, quick A. Quick A. Oh. Here I said, .

[115:57]

So even though there is a dharma of . So even if there is a dharma of eating cow, in the... Did this say eating cow? That's my mistake. It should be cow, and so on. Thank you. Have you in the hall? Yeah, it's a hall. I think it's seventh.

[117:04]

Even though there is a dharma of staying, yeah, this is a cow in the ordinary way. This is inquire further and study. Yeah, thank you. What about line 7 or 2? 7. Line 2 is the counter. What about line 4, turning the cart and moving away? That's a card. Thank you. Any other question or comment? I really appreciate your patience. It's a long talk.

[118:06]

Okay. Please. Page 10. Page 10. If you would not give that to the plan, you will never realize the purgation and the booted nonsense that's that or what it is. I'm basing that on me. Page 10? Uh-huh. Page 9? If you attach yourself to form, or you know, if you attach to form, you will never, could you read that as you will never realize the truth of zazen, or sabukusum, or that free zazen? No. Or the principle of formlessness. No form. Reality of no form. Or emptiness. Yes. Michelle.

[119:21]

Michelle. Michelle. Yeah. But literally I would say, never reach with that principle, or D. D? D, that is principle. And it's kind of difficult for me to talk. eight hours in two days. But I really enjoy it. I hope you enjoy it. I really hope to come and share, practice and teaching again to this group. I hope so. Thank you very much for your time and practice and teaching and for being here with us this week.

[120:29]

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