Good afternoon. This morning I only talk on one sentence, 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 that ourselves and others means our practice and Buddha ancestors. So this practice, the virtue of this continuous practice supports both ourselves and Buddha ancestors in a great way. We support Buddha Ancestors. I don't know if support is not a good word, but we keep or maintain Buddha Ancestors' way in this world through our practice.

[01:03]

And Buddha Ancestors are the example and the 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 with what Dogen Zen said in this Yuzanmai as the function of our Dogen. When we sit in that right posture, this entire universe becomes a world of enlightenment and all beings. you know, manifest their own enlightenment. And that universal enlightenment takes that person, puts it in.

[02:13]

And that function of Dazen, you know, penetrates, permeates the whole world, through all living beings. And what he's saying is here, not only Dazhen, but our practice, including all our physical, in our daily lives, not only in Dazhen, influence the entire world, even though we don't know that, we don't see that. You know, these things cannot come into our perception or conception. Please. Virtue and merit are the two different translations of one same word.

[03:22]

The original word for both virtue and merit is kudoku. Kuu is effort, effort we do, we make. And also as a result of our efforts for work, you know, there is some made, some good things accomplished. And toku is virtue. This toku is a part of the Lao Tzu do-toku-kyo, the virtue toku of the way. That toku, that is a virtue and also it could mean characteristic.

[04:28]

And in Genjo Koan, Dogen Zenjutsu, this was Kudoku, such an expression of the Kudoku of the ocean. or many numberless kudokus. And in that case, that is considered as characteristic of teachers. And kudoku is a word Bodhidharma used in his conversation with the emperor who was a Buddhist. The emperor asked him, I visit so many temples and I produce so many Buddhist monks. What is the merit of this doing?

[05:35]

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

[06:37]

It produced nothing. So, it can be virtue or merit, depending upon the context. So, you know, although the rain is good for nothing, Dogen Renji here says there's a virtue It can be merit. And it's a great merit, boundless merit. And it's not good for this person to die out. Karma. Let's see.

[07:54]

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 in good things. So that is a kind of a merit. So now Dogen Zenji discuss about the virtue and merit of this Goji. So we have to be ready. He's talking about merit or virtue, but he is at the same time saying no virtue and no merit. The essential point is that, the essential point is this kudoku, this virtue or merit is that in the entire earth and throughout the heavens, in the ten directions, all beings receive the merit, this merit is the same word, kudoku, of our continuous practice.

[09:20]

Although neither our 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 merit we'd like to receive, it's a kind of market value. We want to get market value, some personal or conventional value. And in that sense, our development practice has no value. But, you know, because our Dazen, or our practice at Georgi, is trying to awake to the reality of all beings, that the way all beings

[10:32]

And our practice is kind of to keep that, you know, relation, interconnectedness in a healthy way. In that sense, our practice really benefits the entire network of the nation. That doesn't make this person great or valuable or important or famous. These are two different kinds of values or merits or virtues. We always, or almost always, try to get some merit for this path. But Saragiroshi Tensakuya said that it is good for nothing to this path.

[11:36]

But it has great merit to all living beings. Yes. Yes. But still we do. It's a kind of a, it's a kind of a, how can I say, recognition that we decide after each chanting, recognition to make sure that is what we do. I mean, not only chanting, but after this thing, or after doing something, we chant the kriyeko, or what is kriyeko, the merit of this, meditate, everything, and our third granddaughter being Stuart.

[12:40]

So, you know the word? Okay, general record. 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 a, it's not, how can I say? our decision. But that is the nature of this activity or this practice. Okay. Please. Mm-hmm. I think that is what Dogen thinks next sentence.

[13:49]

Therefore, because of the Buddha's and ancestors' 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 and what kind of attitude we should maintain when we practice from his teacher. And we go back to Dogen Dengi, our Bodhidharma from Buddha. And, you know, as it is showed in the Ketanakorinya's paper, that the mini-Buddha is from the empty circle. So, you know, we can practice, really we can practice because of our ancestors, without our ancestors practicing.

[14:55]

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 you can practice. And as I said the day before yesterday, I think, that is not only one direction, but also because of our own continuous practice, the continuous practice of all Buddhas is actualized, and the great way of Buddhas is penetrated. Without our practice at this moment, Buddha's practice is already gone, already over.

[16:03]

Because we continue to practice, even though we are not so American people, our practice, according to Buddha's and ancestors' teachings, keeps Buddha's and ancestors' lives 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, because of our continuous practice, there is the virtue of the circle of the way. So if one part is missing, this circle becomes incomplete. So no matter how tiny we are, no matter how big our practice might be, this practice with our body and mind is really important.

[17:16]

You know, I don't know about Suzuki Roshi's lineage, but in my lineage, Tawapit Kodo Roshi's lineage, people in the lineage, in the lineage chart, is not all great people. I mean, they are not all great. Vajruchamalos spoke about Kavakiroshi's teacher. Kavakiroshi's original teacher was a great person, but he was old. When Kavakiroshi was ordained, Kavakiroshi received Dharma transmission. He was an elder Dharma brother. and had a problem with this person. This person is a teacher from whom he received transmission.

[18:25]

This is a fact Uchiyama Roshi said. I never met Sawa Hiroshi. I heard from Uchiyama Roshi that this person, Sawa Hiroshi, elder Dharma brother and transmission teacher, was a very greedy person. He saved a lot of money. by doing, you know, many works. And after he became the temple priest, he succeeded their church and his future temple, his church. And once they had, I mean, that temple was burned. And when they had the fire, as a kind of a responsible priest, the first thing she had to take out was already the Buddha statue, of course.

[19:29]

But first she 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 she growed as much as possible and go back to the tree, the money bag disappeared. That kind of person. And so that temple was burned out. And the members of the temple didn't really like that person. So they want South Pierce to be free of that temple. So they asked this person to retire.

[20:32]

and if this person is tired, the members would help rebuild the temple. And they also ask how kiosks are in different places, because the temple members ask Satyaj 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 Satyaj out. And that was the reason Savajyosi made his mind not to have tantra his entire lifetime. Tantra can be the object of greed. I think that was when Savajyosi was about 40 years old. After that, he never had his own temple. Monastery, he was always struggling with that.

[21:46]

Actually, yes. He didn't, you know, pout. But he just left, I think. Anyway, that was the reason. he, Sawakiroshi, became homeless, made a decision to be homeless. And so Utsayamorichi once asked Sawakiroshi, if your teacher was such a person, find some to take that person out of the Ringen church. But that is not good. It's to be there in order to keep, you know, face to face transmission. So at least in my lineage, at least one such a person. And I feel kind of relieved to have such a person in my lineage.

[22:50]

I really like it. You know, I feel safe, you know. No, I try not to be, wow, I'm that positive. 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 brothers and ancestors have maintained. So, you know, we don't need to feel small. We are not worthy to succeed, no matter how small we are, how weak we are. So our practice is very important to keep this circle continuous.

[24:01]

And because of this, each and every one of Buddha and ancestors dwells as a Buddha, goes beyond Buddha, upholds Buddha mind, and completes Buddhahood without interruption. These are kind of a Dogen unique expression. Dwellers of the Buddha is Butsu-ju, and Kipta-shi, and Bupi. shi, busshin, shi, butsujo, shite.

[25:10]

Butsu is all buddha. And ju means to dwell, wadi, stay. Hi is hi in hishiryo, that means not. So Buddha knows, and he uses this as a verb. By putting 詞, 詞 is a form of する. So ぶつじゅう する, [...] ぶつじゅう する. In Japanese, a strange language, we can make a verb from any noun by putting する. 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.

[26:12]

Buddha not. Do Buddha not. and Buddha mind or heart, and Buddha joy is accomplishment or complete. Usually expressed on showing is joy that will become or complete Buddhahood or become Buddha. So because of our continuous practice, Buddhas and ancestors, that means including our own practice, we dwell in Buddha way, or we stay or dwell as a Buddha. Or Guppi is negate Buddha, not Buddha. That means go beyond Buddha. We negate or negate the Buddha in order to work in the world, so-called samsara.

[27:19]

That is bodhisattva. Bodhisattva is the people who make their mind not to become Buddha. No. Especially Bodhisattvas like Avalokiteshvara or Manjushri. They are Bodhisattvas because of their vow to work in this world. They make vow not to become Buddha because They want to work with all these people in this world. So that is what this means. And Buddha do Buddha mind and do this kind of strange work, butsu-jo. to say in English.

[28:23]

Anyway, Buddha works in different ways. This is what it means. Buddha stays as a Buddha. And also Buddha negates the Buddha-hood and works together with all beings, devoted beings, in different ways. And the symbol of that function of Buddha is like Amitabha. Abhayokiteshvara, Manjushri, or Samantabhadra, or Jidobosaku, all those are the symbol of Buddha's function, going and getting out of the Buddhahood. And because of the continuous practice, there are the sun, the moon, and the 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 air and shore. And A and SHO is the obligation of A, HO, and HO, and SHO, BO, same kanji. And this HO is reward or retribution as a result of certain karma. And shobo means our body and mind as a result of the karma we made before.

[30:30]

And eho 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 a karma. You know, in the sixth realm, 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 its reality are both the retribution or result of the karma. That is the basic thought or idea of transmigration.

[31:35]

And so in Buddhism we call this body and mind as show-born, and environment as a whole. So this is created by our karma, this realm, this subsofality, this realm is part of our karma. Shobo 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 eho, the environment. and body and mind as a show of all.

[32:37]

Because of the continuous practice, there are the four great elements. Four great elements are chi, sui, ka, fu. Earth, fire, earth, water, fire, and wind. Those are four great elements which makes everything. and five aggregates. That is, I think, we know what they are. 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 a change. Even it's a tiny, you know, change. But still, you know, even how tiny it is, you know, no matter how tiny it is, it's still the tiny change. That change is the change of the entire world. So, we need to try to make even a tiny change in a healthy way. Then that will influence the entire world. The way we can change our way of life, the direction of our life, our personal attitude to communicate or practice or work together with other people, The entire world is really changing, even a little bit.

[34:49]

So it's not a matter of how much, but it's a matter of quality. And he said, although the continuous practice is not something worldly people learn, Nevertheless, it is the true place to return for all people. This is not something ordinary people love. It is an expression from Sexto Kisen's poem of a grass roof hermitage. In that poem, Sexto said he built a grass roof hermitage on the

[36:00]

big stone, big rock. That was why she was called Pek To. Pek To means rock head. Pek is rock and To is head. So she built her hamlet on the big rock. And it's a tiny, tiny, you know, hut. Hutted with, you know, grass. 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 a part of his poem about his life in that hermitage. So Dogen says this continuous justice is not, I think here, worldly people being part of ourselves, it's not people outside of this building.

[37:14]

But, you know, part of our service is for the people. We want to do something to fulfill our desire. And on that basis, you know, this place is not something we can love. Actually, I don't love our practice. My practice, if I practice because of my love to practice, that's a problem. If I practice because I like it, that's a problem. You know, still, you know, night before session, I still feel, you know, not comfortable. I did anti-discrimination 200 times, at least 10 times a year for 20 years. And after I came to this country in 1993, I at least had, I don't know how many, at least 10 times a year.

[38:24]

So I may have 300 sessions. But still, you know, the day before the session starts, 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 fine. Talking in English is really difficult for me. So until I start to talk, you know, my heart beats very quickly. But somehow this is my practice, so I do. And the thing is the same, or this kind of practice is the same. If you practice this kind of activity, because you like it, we have to check it. There might be some problem.

[39:28]

This is not something we can love, I think. Please? Well, if we practice, even though, you know, if we dislike it, it's another problem. So what I want to say, it's not a matter of like and dislike. But this, as she said, this is our true place to return. But while we practice, we cannot escape. This is our place where we finally or ultimately going back. Please. I feel very released. like a heavenly being.

[40:32]

This is a problem I couldn't continue to practice for so long. But this is a kind of way, I think. And I think it's a very natural thing. The word, to replace, to return, is a kind of important word. Fat dog is . This is true or real or genuine.

[41:39]

And the key is to become or go back, or, you know, this key is, key A. Take refuge. Key and A. A means to rely on or depend on. So kye 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. And in Shobo Genzo Kie Sanbo, taking refuge in three treasures, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, Dogen quote from some Buddhist text, and that quote says, why we take refuge in three treasures.

[43:00]

Because those three treasures are not literally 吉祥 but the word is 吉祥 吉祥 Hikkyo means ultimately or after all, at the conclusion, finally. 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 wander here and there. But if those three treasures are betrayed, finally we go back as a refuge, refuge or shelter.

[44:15]

So he had those three treasures, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as a kind of a part of a particular religion called Buddhism. But Buddha is not only Shakyamuni, but all beings who awaken to that Dharma, the reality of life. And Dharma is the reality of life itself. And Sangha is the people who try to live following that reality of life. So in that sense, you know, this entire universe, it wants its treasures. You know, Buddha as a dharmakaya, and dharma is the company of 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 first of three diffuses,

[45:27]

And there are three kinds of three creatures. First one is Ittai Sambho. Ittai literally means one body. But that is an ultimate or absolute three creatures. That is Dharmakaya as this entire universe is Buddha. and the reality of all beings in this universe is Dharma, and all beings in this universe is Sangha. And the second one sometimes is called genzen sampo, that is a manifest, manifesting sampo of the three genzas. That is Buddha at Shakyamuni, as a manifestation of the universal reality. And the three genzas could become Buddha.

[46:31]

So they think they are Buddha. But somehow Buddha still remains in this world. And they started to make Buddha statues or paintings. And those statues and paintings are kind of Buddha. And we made prostrations to those statues. But those statues, they are just statues. The general statues are just dolls. They were dolls for children. But that is Buddha. That's why he made the prostration. That is a kind of a device to keep the Buddha image concrete for us.

[47:38]

So that wooden staff is not a Buddha, but that is a kind of a help for us to keep reminding that Buddha look like Buddha and Buddha and other Zaryas. And we make a cross-relation to those statues. But those statues are not really Buddha. That is really Buddha. In a sense that, you know, we are people who made Buddha. are clearly the state-issued Buddha, and they make Buddha statues as their practice, as their expression of their faith in Buddha. So, when, you know, the Buddha statue was really made with their true deep faith, as an expression of their mind, then the result of their work or practice is very good.

[48:50]

Therefore, it's kind of a subtle point. We are not Buddha for we can burn him. As, you know, Thangkatena did. He burned the Buddha statue. He said, well, we can do it. That's the function of Buddha, to help living beings. But, you know, that's how Pai, you know, venerates Buddha. And shrine Buddha statue and make prostration or bow to Buddha statue. That is how, you know, Buddha can fade in life. Dharma at the Jyotishambho is a scripture or sutra that is just a copy of the Buddha's teaching, a copy of the reality of all beings, but still he venerates those sutras, because that is one of the three precepts.

[50:14]

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. There we go. So we should be very, very, even, you know, the printed matter. But that is Dharma. And our Sangha is not a group of, you know, changes. There are, you know, different kinds of teachings. I'm not sure about you, but I'm sure I am incomplete. What he is saying here is gyoji, the continuous practice is the true faith.

[51:28]

We need to return, that means we need to take refuge, we need to venerate. We don't need to worship, but we need to devote ourselves in order to become ourselves. Because of the continuous practice of all Buddhas, In the past, present, and future, all Buddhas, in the past, present, and future, are actualized. It was actualized, but this is, maybe I don't need to write it, it is Genjo. Genjo in Genjo koan. So, our continuous practice, Genjo, the Buddha, Buddha and ancestors.

[52:31]

I think you know that person, Ben Joe. I don't know him. Genjō is a part of the title Genjō-kōan, that is the first chapter of Shōbō Genjō and the most important writing in Dōgen's teaching. So Genjō is a very topic of that important writing, Genjō-kōan. And here Dogen says, this practice, this continued practice, genjo, All Buddhas. This practice to actualize or genjo all Buddhas in the past, present, and future.

[53:38]

So here this Buddha is famous koan, in genjo koan. That means ultimate reality, ultimate truth. Our actual practice, our activity, actually manifest as koan or as 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 Iktai Sambo, or Absolute Retreater. That is the Dhammakaya. But dharmakaya sounds like something beyond this world, or something we cannot see.

[54:41]

Dharmakaya is something we cannot see. But what Dogen is saying is, our practice actualizes all Buddhas. And not only that, in another chapter of Shobo Genjo, titled Jogutsu Iji, he said, this practice is Buddha. A common way of reading this expression, Jo is practice, and Butsu is Buddha, and Igi is in some translation the column or form, dignified the column, dignified form, that is each and every activity.

[55:55]

And common way of reading this is practice the Igi or the column of Buddha. But in Shōbōgenzo Jōbutsu Igi, he read this as Jōbutsu Igi of Jōbutsu, or Jōbutsu Igi. Jōbutsu is the name of Buddha. Jōbutsu, practice Buddha. Practice is Buddha. This activity is Buddha, it's self-Buddha. So, each and everything we do, as a practice, is a recorandum of Jyot. Our Jyot, our practice, is Buddha. This is the name of the Buddha. Jyot, 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.

[57:03]

That is Dogen's idea. Kind of strange idea. Not so many people think of that idea. But it's really, I think, it's really wonderful. You know, if we take our service as an individual, then it is like a sign for the Buddha nature. There's nothing like a Buddha inside of ourselves. And then we try to do something good. We try to do something for the Dharma. I found, when I take a close look at myself, there's 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.

[58:06]

This is to help us, you know, the world. But still deep in my mind, I find I want that. This, you know, ego-centeredness is still there. for me, not really for others, for the time, but for the work. It's really for me. And in order to feel kind of safe, I need to go back to the building. So when we really look into ourselves, you know, it's difficult to find something like Buddha, something like Buddha nature. But Dogen is telling us that's okay. Even if we have ego-centered motivation, still, it's okay.

[59:08]

But try to practice. And practice is Buddha. I think it's really a great relief for us, athletes for me. You know, this morning I said that we, you know, when we practice, we practice for a certain period of time, we need a kind of a tendering, where I cannot do anything, because my desire or aspiration is a hindrance to practice. So with my personal power, or effort, or will, we cannot do anything. But when we keep sitting together, we're in front of that dead end, and we find a good compassion, that people just say, it's okay.

[60:12]

That's good practice. So we try to keep our service, you know, not like a sage or a grave, but almost hold them up and call them, take like a smelly bag. or a water bottle. It's a kind of a good evaluation. But water buffalo works in the muddy water to, you know, grow food for all the people.

[61:12]

So water buffalo is a kind of a symbol of bodhisattva who are still, you know, karmic attribution, karmic consciousness, karmic self, but still working for other people. in our muddy water. That is the kind of image of Bodhisattva in kind of event. So, what I want to say is, you know, if I try to remove my egocentricity with my practice, with my will power, it's not possible because that, you know, that desire is my power. And that my power is a problem. So with my personal power, I cannot do anything in front of this, you know, deadness.

[62:17]

Then I think that is a place we found, you know, to hear the voice from Buddha. That's okay. That's good practice. 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, you know. Then ego is just a small, humbly thing. It's like a baby, you know, childish. You know, they just scream when they are not happy at all. And they won't have family. That's all. They won't have candy. And they don't get anything good. They just scream. That's all. And we don't need to follow that scream. But we need to take out the baby and carry it with us.

[63:21]

So that's how we nurture, you know, this baby. But, in a sense, in our time, in our service, we always want to be satisfied, want to be taken care of, want to be something, some kind of toy. But that is okay. If we try to kill that baby, then we kill ourselves. So we try to, you know, take care of that baby and keep practicing. I think that is part of going to practice. Become much other person, yes. Yes, much other person is a person who can take care of the baby and we can find a joy in taking care of others, not only in being taken care of.

[64:33]

So that's a kind of, you know, that's a small opposition, small difference. But this small difference is really a big difference in our practice or in our way of life. I continue. He continued to talk about, discuss about the virtue or merit of yogi or continuous practice. Sometimes the virtue of the continuous practice is not hidden. Sometimes it's not hidden. Therefore, we allow awakening mind, body-mind, and practice.

[65:36]

Sometimes we feel the virtue of practice, the virtue of continuous practice. Often we allow the body-mind to see some good example that is the continuous one with living. sometimes, or more often, the virtue is not revealed. Therefore, we do not feel, hear, or are aware of it. 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? for mankind.

[66:38]

What is the merit of this thing? What is the meaning? especially when I was young. So many questions. And, you know, the phrases that I practiced were so tiny. You know, anti-Jewish, anti-Jewish, small phrase, small template. And only 30 people practiced together. And in Massachusetts, I did it together with two other, you know, Darnold brothers. together in about 20,000 months, four times. And we just make it more and more active. 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.

[67:48]

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, but no one knows what we are doing. No one appreciates. That's very difficult for young people. So I really appreciate young people practicing this kind of practice. Yeah, I think that is true. And sometimes I say, you know, this practice is okay, dog and dog without hitting is perfect, but I'm not worthy to do this. I'm not worthy person to be here. You know, so there are so many complicated, you know, different kinds of questions or doubts or whatever come up.

[68:52]

And there are so many good reasons to lean. 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 our trust or our faith. But Dogen thinks we should study the point that although this virtue is not revealed, it is not hidden. Since it is never defined by the dichotomy of being hidden, and being revealed, or existing or not existing.

[69:55]

So the virtue of this practice, continuous practice, is never hidden, but we don't see it. That's the problem. The problem is not in the practice, but the problem is in here. It's different. So, I've been studying, but I think practice is a word. It's not that the virtue of practice is always here. Even though I don't think, I don't appreciate it, A little more. I mean because I have been through many such problems and doubts and difficulties and in my 20th I had certain problems, certain questions and in my 30th I had another different kind of problem.

[71:05]

and the questions. And in my 40 years, you know, there are different kinds. And by having, you know, going through these different kinds of problems, I'm seeing those problems or doubts from inside because fortunately I could continue to practice in 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. Anyway, it's okay, you know. My problem I had in my 20s is gone, and I don't really remember what was the problem. So I'm pretty sure, you know, in my sixties, I'm, you know, struggling with, it's not a problem anymore.

[72:11]

It's a kind of a thing. But it's not a big deal. But we need to be honest and sincere and practice with these problems. That is a very important and nutritious practice. If we have some difficulty, to work with this difficulty and to suffer. Then, when you get out of that, go through that problem, then you can give some advice to other people who have the same problem. So, Ujjayi Maharaj sometimes says, you know, our problem, or our delusion, to start a business.

[73:22]

The money, original money to start the business at the Bodhisattva. Then we had a problem. the more we have, you know, money to do business. But I mean, unless I had the experience of certain problems, I cannot really give advice to people who are in the same kind of problems. So, after problems or questions or hard things, hard times, it's really important. It becomes a part of ourselves and it can be a source of our ability to help others. So we should be grateful to have problems, to have questions.

[74:26]

Once we go through, then become my reader. We are giving more time. You know, Kriya, she said, it is never defined by the dichotomy of being hidden and being revealed, or existing or not existing. This is about this gen-jo. When Dogen discussed gen-jo koan, this gen-jo is never hidden, and yet never... and it is never hidden, always revealed. That is ginger. Next sentence is a little difficult and I need to explain, so I'm going to talk next time, tomorrow morning.

[75:40]

Any questions, please? uh well i'm not I don't know much about the so-called journey art. I'm not an artist. Well, yeah, 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, egolessness, and no attachment.

[76:49]

That's all I know. I don't know when people will start to make this kind of calligraphy. I'm not sure. Maybe the Ten Oak Peeling picture might be the original one. I'm not sure. Hmm. Yeah, that's fine. But love, love can change into attachment. That's a problem.

[77:54]

To have love is okay. You know, I hope you have. But love is okay. But when it becomes attachment, that's a problem. And love and attachment, they are two names of one thing, I think. So I just said it's a problem. I didn't say it's wrong or bad. We don't have to follow that. And we don't have to watch it. Uh-huh.

[79:10]

Thank you. Your outcome is? You know, as our own faculty, we need to take care of the babies, the eagles. And, you know, in one of the stories in Gyojin, I have been claiming the water buffalo for 20 years.

[80:38]

You know, so as our own practice, we need to educate this ego not to go out and destroy other people's field. What is our practice? We need to make effort in order 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 pick up. that is the cause of this difficult condition. And sometimes we can say, depending upon the situation, if you are a teacher and your students have a problem, then teacher can say something, or parents can say something to children. But sometimes it's kind of difficult to say, you know, you are wrong. Sometimes we have to think.

[81:39]

But we must be very careful to talk to other folks. One of the precepts is to not discuss other folks. The precepts. 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 fault is a part of our thunder. So it's not that part of the fault, but the problem which we share as a fundament. If we've got a problem within the thunder. Did this answer to your question? In Japanese society or community, people say, because people are close to that person, have to say, because that person's action is a kind of a responsibility of people.

[83:18]

in the family or in the sangha or in the community. So, in the Japanese community, people say more. People from outside doesn't say as much. But people inside have to say the same thing. Because that is... We have to take care of any mistakes done by the family members. It's too late if it's done. Before it's done, you need to be careful. Okay.

[84:34]

In Shakyamuni Buddha's Sangha? I don't know. When we read that 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, if the Sangha member violates four major precepts, the first four of the ten precepts that we receive, if they violate those four precepts, they have to leave. So there are some kind of penalties. And certain death crucial mistakes, they have to stay alone for certain period of time. And no one can talk to that person.

[86:11]

So there are some penalties. In Japan because we don't receive jiraya. But in Soto school, we have a kind of a place or a committee where, you know, 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 Gendo. Thank you.

[87:00]

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