Good afternoon. This morning I only talked in one sentence. It's kind of too slow, so I try to go faster. Next sentence. The virtue of this continuous practice sustains ourselves and others. I think, again, ourselves and others means our practice, and Buddha ancestors. So this practice, this virtue of this continuous practice, supports both ourselves and Buddha ancestors' great ways. We support Buddha ancestors, or support, I don't know, maybe support is not a good word, We keep or maintain Buddha's ancestors' way in this world through our practice.

[01:03]

And Buddha's ancestors, as an example and as a teaching, sustain or support our practice. And the essential point is that In the entire Earth, and throughout the Heaven, in the ten directions, all beings receive the merit of our continuous practice. This is the same as what Rogen Zenji said in Jijutsu Zanmai, as the function of our Zazen. When we sit in the upright posture, this entire universe becomes world of enlightenment, and all beings manifest their own enlightenment. And that universal enlightenment helps that person with sickness.

[02:13]

And that function of Daizen penetrates with all worlds. to all living beings. And such a system is here, not only in Japan, but our practice, including all our activities in our daily life, not only in Japan, but in the whole world, even though we always say we don't know that. Those things cannot come into our perception or conception. Please. Okay. Virtue and merit are the two different translations of one same word.

[03:21]

The original word for virtue and merit is KUDOKU. KU is an effort, an effort we do, we make. And also, as a result of our effort or work, you know, there is some merit, some good thing is accomplished. And, toku is virtue. This toku is a part of the, you know, the Lao-tzu's ro-toku-kyo, the virtue, toku of the way. That's toku. That is virtue, and also it could be characteristic.

[04:28]

And in Genjo Koan, Dogen Zen Jutsu, this was kudoku, such an expression of the kudoku of the ocean. or many number of kudoku. And usually, in that case, that is made as characteristic feature. And this kudoku is the word Bodhidharma used in his conversation with the Emperor Wu, or Wu Pei. The emperor asked him, I built so many temples and I produced so many Buddhist monks. What is the merit of this doing?

[05:37]

Bodhidharma said, no kudoku. No kudoku. This is the word. So, in that case, that kudoku is merit. There is no merit at all. And, when Sawakiroshi said, Dazein is good for nothing, this means, this mukudoku, no merit. We cannot expect any merit to be received by this effort. Sawakiroshi, no. Sawakiroshi never used a kind of a traditional expression. He always created his own very colloquial, almost grand expression. And he said it's nanimo nakanai.

[06:39]

It produces nothing. Yes. So, this can be a virtue or a merit, depending upon the context. So, you know, although Dazein is good for nothing, Dogen Zenji here says that it's a virtue or it can be a merit. And it's a great merit, boundless merit. And it's not good for this person, the dyer. But... Karma. Let's see.

[07:55]

That is possible, you know, by practicing good things, good deeds, you know, we can create a good karma that has the power to change the way of life. And that may result good thing. So that is a kind of a merit. So, now Dogen Zenji discusses about the virtue or merit of this Gyojin. So we have to see the lady. She is talking about merit or virtue, but she is at the same time saying, virtue or no merit. The essential point is that, the essential point is this kudofu, this virtue or merit is that, in the entire earth and throughout the heaven, in the ten directions,

[09:09]

All beings receive the merit, this merit is the same word, kudoku, of our continuous practice. Although neither others nor ourselves know it, that is the way it is. So even though we don't know it, that is the way. whether we know or not, we receive, not only us, but all living beings receive the merit of our continuous practice. And in the case of, you know, merit we'd like to receive is a kind of, you know, like a market value. We want to get a market value, some arsenal or conventional value. And in that sense, our Zazen, our practice, has no value.

[10:15]

But, you know, because our Zazen, or our practice at Gyoji, is trying to awake to the reality of all beings, that's the way all beings are. And our practice is kind of to keep that relationship interconnected in a healthy way. In that sense, our practice really benefits this entire network of interdependent origination. make this person great, or valuable, or important, or famous. These are two different kinds of values, or merits, or virtues.

[11:18]

We always, or almost always, try to get some merit for this person. But Saratoglossi said that it is good for nothing to despair. But it has great merit to all living beings. Yes. But still, we do. It's a kind of a... It's a kind of a, how can I say, recognition that we, you know, decide after each chanting. It's a recognition to make sure that is what we do. I mean, not only chanting, but after Sesshin, or after doing something, we chant the

[12:27]

Fueko, or... what is Fueko in English? The merit of this... penetrate everything and... our self and all things... So, you know, you know the words? OK. General Fueko. So, that is a kind of a... to make sure that our activity is not for... this person, or this group, but for all beings. So, it's not our decision, but that is the nature of this activity, or this practice. I think that is what Dogen is saying in the next sentence.

[13:49]

Therefore, because of the Buddha's and Ancestor's continuous practice, our continuous practice is actualized. Because of my teacher's practice, I can practice. I know how to practice because of my teacher's example. And my teacher learned how to practice. That kind of attitude we should maintain when we practice from his teacher. Go back to Dogen Zenji, our Bodhidharma, that's from the Buddha. And, you know, as it is shown in the Kechime-Akoha Ryu paper, that means Buddha is from this empty circle. So, you know, we can practice, really we can practice, because of our ancestors, Buddhas and ancestors' practice.

[14:56]

Otherwise, we have no idea what to do, even though we have some, you know, aspiration to search through way of life. So, we should really be grateful to those people who continue and maintain this practice. That is really why we can practice. And as I said the day before yesterday, I think. But that is not only one direction, but also because of our own continuous practice. The continuous practice of all Buddhas is excellent. And the great way of Buddhas is penetrating. Without our practice at this moment, Buddha's practice is already gone, already over.

[16:02]

Because we continue to practice, even though we are not so enlightened people, still our practice, according to Buddha's and ancestors' teachings, keeps Buddha's and ancestors' life in this world. from now, from present moment, to the next generation. So, we are part of Buddha's life. Our practice is really part of Buddha's life. So, Dogen continues, If one part is missing, this circle becomes incomplete. So, no matter how tiny we are, no matter how weak our practice might be, still this practice with our body and mind is really important.

[17:16]

I don't know about Suzuki Roshi's lineage, but in my lineage, Sawaki Kodo Roshi's lineage, you know, the people in the lineage, in the lineage chart, is not all great people. And they are not all sages. And, once Uchiyama Roshi talked about Sawakiroshi's teacher. Sawakiroshi's original teacher was a great person. But he was old, since Sawakiroshi was old. Sawakiroshi received Dharma transmission with his elder Dharma brother. And Sawakiroshi had a problem with this person. This person is Sawakiroshi's teacher, from whom he received transmission.

[18:25]

This is Uchiyama Roshi's temple. I never met Sawaki Roshi. I heard from Uchiyama Roshi that this person, Sawaki Roshi's elder brother, more brother, and transmission teacher, was very greedy person. He saved a lot of money. while doing work. And after he became the temple priest, he succeeded their circulation, his teacher's temple, Kyushu. And once, they had... the temple was burned. And then they had a fire, as a kind of responsibility of a priest, The first thing he had to take out was already the Buddha statue, of course.

[19:29]

But first he brought out the money bag, and hung it on a tree, branch of a tree, and go back to take out the Buddha. And after he, you know, got as much as possible and go back to the tree, the money bag disappeared. That kind of person. And so that temple was burned down. And the members of the temple didn't really like that person. So they want Sawakyoshi to be the priest of that temple. So they asked this person to retire.

[20:32]

And if this person retired, the members would help rebuild the temple. And they also asked Sawakyoshi to be in different places. But because the temple members asked, Sawakyoshi came back. and worked to reconstruct the temple. And after that reconstruction was completed, I don't know what happened, but somehow this person tried to kick Sartre out. And that was the reason Sartre made his mind not to have a temple his entire life. that the temple can be the object of greed. I think that was when Sawakyoji was about 40 years old. After that, he never had his own temple, his own monastery.

[21:36]

He was always plagued with that greed. Actually, yes. Well, he didn't, you know, fought, but he just left, I think. Anyway, that was the reason. He, Sawaki Roshi, became homeless, made the decision to be homeless. And so, Uchiyama Orochi once asked Sawaki Roshi, if your teacher was such a person, to take that person out of the lineage chart. But Sakyong says that is not good. It's to be there in order to keep the, you know, face-to-face transmission. So at least in my lineage, at least one such a person.

[22:41]

And I feel kind of relieved. You have such a power in my English. I really like it. You know, I feel safe. I try not to be worse than that person. So, maybe not only that person, but in our lineage there might be such a people, such people. But including those people, you know, this Dharma, the great way of Buddha, the ancestors have maintained. So, you know, we don't need to feel small. We are not worried to exceed it, no matter how small we are, how weak we are. So, our practice is very important to keep this circle continuous.

[24:04]

Because of this, each and every one of Buddhas and ancestors dress as a Buddha. goes beyond Buddha, upholds Buddha-mind, and completes Buddhahood without interruption. These are kind of Dogen's unique expressions. The rest of the Buddha is Butsuju. And we keep the Shi. And Buppi. Shi. Busshin. Shi. Butsujo.

[25:07]

Shite. Butsu is all Buddha. And, ju means to dwell, or live, stay. Hi is hi in hishi-ryo. That means not. So, Buddha not. And, he uses this as a verb. By putting shi, shi is a form of suru. So, butsu-ju-suru, butpi-suru. In Japanese, a strange language. We can make a verb from any noun by putting it through. For example, you know, 電話 is telephone. 電話する means make a phone call. So, it's kind of a convenient language. So, whatever can be a verb. So, this is a very strange verb, ぶっぴする.

[26:11]

ぶだ, not. Do Buddha not. And, Busshin, Buddha mind, or heart. And, Buddha, Jō, is accomplishment, or complete. Usually expressed in Shōin is Jō, Butsu, that means become, or complete, Buddhahood, or become Buddha. And, So, because of our continuous practice, Buddhas and Ancestors, including our own practice, we dwell in Buddha way, or we dwell as a Buddha. Or, BUDDHI is negate Buddhism, not Buddha. That means, go beyond Buddha. we negate or negate the Buddha in order to work with the world.

[27:16]

So called samsara. That is Bodhisattva. Bodhisattva is the people who make their mind not to become Buddha. Especially those Bodhisattvas like Avalokiteshvara or Manjushri. are bodhisattvas because of their vows to work in this world. They make vows not to become buddhas because they want to work with all the people in this world. So that is what this means, what this means. do Buddhamind, and do, this is a Chinese word, butujo.

[28:19]

I don't know how to say it in English. Anyway, so Buddha works in different ways. This is what it means. Buddha stays as a Buddha. And also Buddha negates the Buddhahood and works together with all beings, deluded beings, in different ways. And the symbol of that function of Buddha is like Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Vahmanjushri, or Sarvabhadra. All those are the symbols of Buddha's function, going and getting out of the Buddhahood. And because of the continuous practice, there are the sun, the moon, and stars,

[29:27]

Because of the continuous practice, there is the Great Earth and the Empty Space. Because of the continuous practice, there is the Self and its environment. Self and its environment is the relation of E and Sho. And EI and SHO is the abbreviation of EI HO and SHO BO, same kanji. And this HO is reward or retribution as a result of certain karma. And SHO BO means our body and mind as a result of the karma we made before.

[30:30]

And a whole is our environment, this world we are born into. That is also the result of our karma. So both ourselves and the world in which we are born is the result of our karma. you know, the six realms, the beings who are born in either, you know, hell or the realm of hungry ghosts, or asura, or human beings, or heavenly beings, all those beings and realms are both retribution or result of the karma. That is the best thought or idea of transmigration.

[31:35]

And so we call this body and mind as shobo and environment as eho. Both are, so this is Created by our karma, this land, this society, this world, is part of our karma. And, you know, shogon is personal karma, but eho is a kind of a common karma we share with people living together. So, here donge means both self, shobo, and echo, the environment. And body and mind are the shobo.

[32:37]

Because of the continuous practice, there are the four great elements. Four great elements are chi, sui, ka, fu. Earth, fire, water, fire, and wind. Those are four great elements which make everything. And five aggregates. Those are all how can I say, sustained by our continuous practice. Maybe we don't agree with this. But I think this is true. You know, depending upon what kind of activity we do, we are involved.

[33:45]

You know, our, this entire life becomes some change. Even if it's a tiny change, but still, no matter how tiny it is, if there is a tiny change, that change is the change of the entire world. So we need to try to make even a tiny change in the healthy way. then that means difference in the entire world. The way, can we change our way of life, the direction of our life, or our personal attitude to communicate or practice or work together with other people, the entire world will really change in a little bit.

[34:48]

So it's not a matter of, you know, how much, but it's a matter of quality. And he said, although the continuous practice is not something worldly people love, nevertheless, it is the true place to return for all people. This is not something ordinary people love. It's an expression from Sekitō Kisen's poem of Grassroots Hamlet, So An Ka.

[35:49]

a poem Sekito said. He built a brass roof hermitage on the big stone, big rock. That was why he was called Sekito. Sekito means rock head. Sek is rock and to is head. So he built his hermitage on this big rock. And it's a tiny, tiny hat. And he said, this is not fair. He said, I don't live where wildling people live. I don't love what wildling people love. That is part of his poem. about his life in that vantage.

[36:55]

So, Dogen says, this continuous structure is not... I think here, worldly people, being part of ourselves, is not the first time of this building. Part of our service is worldly people. We want to fulfill our desires. On that basis, this place is not something we can love. Actually, I don't love my practice. If I practice because of my love to practice, that's a problem. If we practice, because I like it, that's a problem. You know, still, you know, night before session, I still feel, you know, not comfortable.

[38:03]

You know, I did, you know, anti-decide session 200 times. At least 10 times a year for 20 years. And after I came to this country, 1993, I at least have, I don't know how many, but at least ten times a year. So I may have 300 sessions. But still, you know, the day before sessions start, I don't feel comfortable. If I could, I want to escape. Really. Honestly. But I cannot escape, so I try to do. And this kind of talk is the same. Talking in English is really difficult for me. So, until I start to talk, you know, my heart beats very quickly.

[39:06]

But somehow this is my practice, so I do. I'm teaching the same, or this kind of practice the same. If you practice this kind of activity because you like it, we have to check it. There might be some problem. This is not something we can laugh, I think. Well, if we practice, even though, you know, if we dislike it, it's another problem. So what I want to say is, it's not a matter of like and dislike. But this, as he said, this is a true place to return.

[40:09]

That's why we practice. We cannot escape. This is a place where we finally, or ultimately, go in birth. I feel very released. Like a heavenly being. If this is a problem, I couldn't continue to practice for so long. But this is a kind of, you know, wave, I think. And I think it's a very natural thing. The word, true place to return, is a kind of important word. The first dog I used is Zikki.

[41:25]

Zikki is true, or real, or genuine. And the key is to return, or go back, or You know, this ki is ki in ki-e. Take refuge. Ki and e. E means to rely on or depend on. So ki-e means go back and rely on. So when we take refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, we return to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as our refuge. And this jikki means the place we should return, true place, truly we should return.

[42:35]

And in Shobo Genzo Kiesanbo, taking refuge in three treasures, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, Dogen quotes from some Buddhist texts. That quote says, why we take refuge in three treasures. And the text says, because those three treasures are not literally, but the word is shikkyo. Hikkyo. He. Hikkyo means ultimately or after all, at the conclusion, finally.

[43:36]

So the text says, we take refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha because those three treasures are the place where we finally going back. That means sometimes we get out of it and wonder here and there. But you see those three treasures are the place finally we go back as a refuge, refuge or shelter. So, here those three treasures stand in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha as a kind of a part of a particular religion called Buddhism. But Buddha is not only Shakyamuni, but all Buddha, all beings who awaken to that Dharma, the reality of life.

[44:46]

is the reality of this life itself. And Sangha is the people who try to live following that reality of life. So in that sense, this entire universe is one treasure, the Dharmakaya. Dharma is this universe itself, and Sangha is all beings in this universe. Those are three treasures. Then, you know, we receive the precepts. We chant the verse of Three Refuges. And there are three kinds of Three Precepts. First one is Ittai Sambho. Ittai literally means one body. But maybe in English it's not that good. That is the ultimate or absolute Three Precepts. That is Dharmakaya. This entire universe is Buddha.

[45:51]

And the reality of all beings in this universe is Dharma. And all beings in this universe is Sangha. And the second one, the second kind, is called Jenten Sambo, that is the manifest Manifesting some of what we treasure, that is, Buddha at Sakyamuni, as a manifestation of the universal reality. And after that, he decided to become Buddha. So, he became a Buddha. But somehow, Buddha still remained in the world. And they started to make Buddha statues or paintings. And those statues and paintings are a kind of a Buddha.

[46:54]

And we make prostration to those statues. But those statues are just a statue. In general, statues are just dolls. They are dolls for children. But that is Buddha. That's why we need prostration. That's a kind of a device to keep the Buddha image concrete for us. So that wooden statue is not a Buddha. But that is a kind of a help for us to keep in mind what Buddha looks like. Buddha and Bodhisattva, and other guardians.

[47:59]

And we make prostration to those statues. But those statues are not really Buddha. But it's really a Buddha. In the sense that, you know, the people who made Buddha are really, I mean, if you take, if you Buddha, they made Buddha statue as their practice, as their expression of their faith in Buddha. So, then, you know, the Buddha statue was really made with If they are to give place as their practice, expression in their mind, then the result of their work or practice is very good. So, in this kind of subtle point, they are not Buddha. So, it is a burn, you know, as Tangaten did in school.

[49:03]

He burned the Buddha statue. what we can do it. That's the function of Buddha, to help living beings. But, how far we, you know, venerate Buddha, and shrine Buddha statues, That is how, you know, Buddha can change the world. And Dharma, as Jyotish Sambho, is a scripture, a sutra, that is just a copy of the Buddha's teachings, a copy of the reality of all beings, that still regenerates

[50:07]

Because that is one of the three treasures. Traditionally, in Japan, we try not to put our sutras on the floor. We are taught to put our sutras on the table, not on the floor, where we walk. So we should be very, very lenient. That is Dharma. And our Sangha is not a group of angels. There are, you know, different kinds of people. They need to take refuge in this Sangha. But that is a group of very incomplete people. I'm not sure about you,

[51:09]

I'm sure I am incomplete, or I guess. So, what he is saying here is Gyoji. The continuous practice is the true place. We need to return. That means we need to take refuge. We need to venerate. We don't need to worship. We need to devote ourselves in order to become ourselves. Next sentence. Because of the continuous practice of all Buddhas in the past, present, and future, all Buddhas in the past, Present and future are actualized.

[52:11]

He used the word actualized. This is, maybe I don't need to write it. This is Genjo. Genjo in Genjo-ko. So our continuous practice, Genjo, the Buddha. Buddha and ancestors. I think you know that expression, Genjo. Genjo is a part of the title Genjo Koan. That is the first chapter of Shobo Genjo, and it's most important writing in Dogen's teaching. So Genjo is a very topic of that important writing, Genjo Koan.

[53:16]

And here, Dogen says, This practice, this continued practice, Genjo all Buddhas. This practice actualizes or Genjo all Buddhas in the past, present, and future. So here, this Buddha is same as koan in Genjo koan. That means ultimate reality. I think that is true. Our actual practice, our activity, actualizes, manifests that koan, or that Buddha. So, in that case, this Buddha is not a person who was born in India 2,500 years ago, but this is a Buddha as a Ikkai Sambo, or Absolute Freedom, that means Dharmakaya.

[54:29]

But Dharmakaya sounds like something beyond this world, or something we cannot see. Dharmakaya is something we cannot see. What Dogen is saying is, our practice actualizes all Buddhas. And not only that, in another chapter of Shogun Genzo, titled Jōbutsu-iji, he says, his practice, his practice is Buddha. I don't know this Jōbutsu-iji. A common way of reading this expression, Ryo, Butsu, Igi.

[55:38]

Ryo is practice, and Butsu is Buddha. And Igi is in some translations, decorum, or form. Dignified decorum, dignified form. That is, each and every activity. A common way of reading this is, practice the Iiji, or the column of Buddha. But in Shobo Genzo Gyobutsu Iiji, he reads it as Gyobutsu. Iiji of Gyobutsu, or Gyobutsu Iiji. Gyobutsu, the name of Buddha. Practice Buddha. Practice is Buddha. This is, this activity is Buddha, is self-Buddha. So, each and everything we do as a practice is a decorum of Jōbutsu.

[56:44]

Our Jō, our practice is Buddha. This is the name of the Buddha. Jō, or practice, is the name of a Buddha. So it's not a matter of whether this person is Buddha or not. But this practice is Buddha. That is Shogun's idea. A kind of strange idea. Not so many people think of such a strange idea. But it's really, I think, it's really wonderful. You know, if we take our as an individual, very difficult to find so-called Buddha nature. There's nothing like a Buddha inside of ourselves. Then we try to do something good, or we try to do something for the Dharma.

[57:44]

Then I find, then I take a close look at myself, just do something I want. This is what I want to do. Even though this is for other people, or this is for the sake of Dharma, this is to help, you know, the world, but still deep in my mind, I think, I want, I want that. This, you know, ego-centeredness, it's still there. For me, not really for others. Really, for me. And in order to feel kind of a... So when we look up, really look into ourselves, you know, it's so difficult to find something like Buddha.

[58:53]

Something like Buddha nature. But Dogen is telling us, that's OK. Even if we have a lot of motivation still, it's OK. But try to practice. And that practice is Buddha. I think it's merely to release that, at least for me. You know, this morning I said, You know, when we practice, we practice for a certain period of time, we need a kind of a gathering, where I can do anything, because my desire or aspiration is a hindrance to practice. So, with my personal power,

[59:57]

We cannot do anything. But can we keep sitting together in front of that bed and find a bit of compassion? At that stage, it's okay. But keep practicing. I think so. So, we try to keep our service, you know, not like a sage, or great energy person, but almost all the master, you know, call themselves like a snail, you know, skinback, or a water buffalo, or, you know. It's a kind of a good evaluation.

[61:01]

But water buffalo is a It works in the muddy water to grow food for all the people. So the water buffalo is a kind of a symbol of Bodhisattvas who are still in a karmic attribution, karmic consciousness, karmic state, but still working for other people. That is a kind of image of Bodhisattva. So, what I want to say is, you know, if I try to remove my egocentricity with my practice, with my willpower, it's not possible, because that desire It's my power.

[62:06]

And my power is a problem. So with my personal power, I cannot do anything in front of this residence. Then, I think that is the place we found, you know, what here, the voice from Buddha. That's OK. And we see, you know, We see that how small we are, our ego is. And then we see how tiny, small our ego is. Ego is not so harmful thing. It's like a baby, not healthy. They just scream when they are not happy. That's all. And they won't have family. That's all. They won't have candy. And they don't get anything good.

[63:09]

They just scream. That's all. And we don't need to follow that scream. But we need to take care of the baby as parents do. So that's how we nurture this baby. We always want to be satisfied. We want to be taken care of. We want to be some kind of toy. But that is OK. If we try to kill that baby, then we kill ourselves. So we try to take care of that baby and keep practicing. I think that is part of building trust. Become matured person, yes.

[64:16]

Yes, matured person is a person who can take care of others, and who can find a joy in taking care of others, not only in being taken care of. So that's a kind of, that's a small opposition, small difference. But this small difference is really a big difference. That's in our way of life. He continued to talk about, discuss about the virtue or merit of Gyoji, or continuous practice.

[65:18]

Sometimes, the virtue of the continuous practice is not hidden. Sometimes, it's not hidden. Therefore, we allow awakening mind, body mind, and practice. Sometimes we see the virtue of practice, the virtue of continuous practice. Often we analyze the body-mind, we see some good examples, that is continuous practice. sometimes, or more often, the virtue is not revealed. Therefore, we do not see, hear, or are aware of it.

[66:22]

Even after we start the practice, the virtue of this practice is not revealed often. So we question, what is this? Why I need to do this? So many times. What is the merit of this thing? What is the meaning? Especially when I was young. So many questions. And, you know, the places where I practiced were so tiny. Amtai was a small place, small temple, and only 30 people practiced there. In Massachusetts, I lived together with two other German brothers. So three Japanese men lived together in our private land. For a time, we just did bowling practice.

[67:29]

And it seemed, you know, since there are so many good things and important things outside of this tiny world, so I think it was very natural, you know, to ask what I'm doing here. I mean, whether it's a meaningful thing to do or not. There are so many problems outside, and also so many good things outside. No one knows what we are doing. No one appreciates it. It's very difficult, especially for young people. So I really appreciate young people practicing this kind of practice. Yeah. I think that is good. I said, you know, this practice is OK.

[68:36]

Dogenzo and Buddha's teaching is perfect, but I'm not worthy to be here. I'm not a worthy person to be here. So there are so many complicated, you know, different kinds of questions, doubts, or whatever come up. And there are so many good reasons to leave. So to stay here at the monastery, at that place, It's really difficult. So, more often, the virtue or merit of continuous practice is hidden, not revealed. So, that's why we need a trust or a faith. But, Dogen is saying, we should study the point that although this virtue is not revealed, it is not hidden.

[69:39]

Since it is never defiled by the dichotomy of being hidden and being revealed, or existing or not existing, so the virtue of this practice Continuous practice is never hidden, but we don't see it. That's a problem. So the problem is not in the practice, but the problem is in here, this part. So, what he's saying, he's just studying, but I think practice is a lot. It's trust that the virtual practice is always here. I don't see it. I don't appreciate it. A little more.

[70:45]

Because I have been through many problems and doubts and difficulties. In my twenties, I had certain problems, certain questions. And in my thirties, I had another different kind of problems and questions. And in my forties, there are different kinds. And by going through these different kinds of problems and seeing those problems or doubts from inside, Fortunately, I could continue to practice my 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, and now I'm 50 years. Yeah, I found, you know, not much, not a big problem, that I have a problem.

[71:46]

Anyway, it's okay, you know. My problem I had in my 20s, Thank you. It's gone. I don't really remember what was the problem. So I'm pretty sure, you know, in my 60s, what I'm, you know, struggling with is not a problem anymore. It's kind of a failure. But it's not a big matter. It's a big deal. But we need to be honest. and sincerely practice with this problem, that is a very important and nutritious practice. If we have some difficulty to work with this difficulty and to suffer, then you

[72:49]

get out of that, go through that problem, then you can give some advice to other people who have the same problem. So, Uchiyama sometimes says, you know, our problems, or our delusions, are funds to fund to start a business. The money, original money to start the business at the Bodhisattva. The more we have that problem, the more we have, you know, money to do business. That means, unless we have, I had the experience of certain problems, I cannot really give advice. to people who are in the same kind of problem.

[73:54]

So after problems or questions or those hard things, hard times, really important things, it becomes our part of ourselves. And this can be a source of our ability to help others. So we should be grateful to have problems, to have questions. Once we go through it, then it becomes my wisdom. You know, here he said, it is never defied by the dichotomy of being hidden and being revealed, or existing or not existing.

[75:00]

This is about this genjo. When Dogen discussed genjo koan, this genjo is never hidden, and yet never As he said, never hidden, always revealed. That is kingdom. Next sentence is a little difficult and I need to explain, so I'm going to talk next time, tomorrow morning. I don't know much about so-called Zen art.

[76:16]

I'm not an artist. Well, this is a symbol of the circle of the way, as originally Chuan Tzu said. The emptiness or void of the inside or center of the circle is a symbol of emptiness, or egolessness, and no attachment. That's all I know. I don't know when people started to make this kind of calligraphy. I'm not sure. Maybe the ten-oaks healing picture might be the original one. I'm not sure. Yeah, that's fine.

[77:49]

But love can change into attachment. That's a problem. To have love is OK. No, I don't give up. But love is okay. But when it becomes attachment, that's a problem. And love and attachment, they are two names of one thing. So I just said it's a problem. I didn't say it's wrong or bad. You have some... You know, as our own practice, we need to take care of the baby.

[80:23]

the ego. And, you know, in one of the stories in Gyoji, I have been, someone there must have said, I have been taming the water buffalo for 20 years. So, as our own practice, we need to educate this ego, not to go out and destroy other people's, you know, field. That is our practice. We need to make an effort to do so. But when we have a problem with other people's ego, that's a more complicated situation. Sometimes, of course, we have to speak up. We have to speak up because of difficult conditions. And sometimes we cannot say, depending on the situation, If you are a teacher, and your students have a problem, then teachers can say something, or parents can say something to children.

[81:32]

But sometimes it's kind of difficult to say, you know, you are wrong. But sometimes we have to say it. But it must be, we must be very careful to talk to other folks, one of the, one of the We should not discuss other people's faults. That's basic. But this doesn't mean, I think, doesn't mean we should be silent about other people's faults. But I think that means other people's faults is a part of our Sangha. So it's not that person's fault. The problem of... If it's not a problem, it's not a problem. Is that the answer to your question? In Japanese society or community, people say it.

[83:04]

And people close to that person have to say it. Because that person's action is kind of a responsibility of people in the family or in the sangha or in the community. So, in Japanese community, people say more. People from outside don't care. It's kind of frightening. But people inside have to stay, and cannot leave inside. Because that is a space, like a family, someone in a family, in a home, that's a... So we have to take care of any mistakes done by the family members. If it's done, before it's done, we need to be careful.

[84:09]

in Shakyamuni Buddha's Sangha? I don't know. When we read the story, sometimes when someone comes and asks him to be ordained, he just says, welcome. That's all. So, I'm not sure. But, in the Vinaya, it says, if the Sangha member violate four major precepts, the first core of the Ten Precepts that we received. If they violate those four precepts, they have to leave. So there are some, you know, kind of generalities. And a certain list of crucial mistakes, they have to stay alone for a certain period of time. And no one can talk with that person.

[86:10]

So there are some penalties. In Japan, because we don't receive denial, but in shoto school, we have a kind of a place or a committee where a priest or the temple has a problem. and no one could make a judgment or resolve the problem, they go to that committee, like a court. Well, I think it's time to go back to Sendoh. Thank you. you

[87:03]

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