And I'm thinking, I'm not sure yet, but thinking to study Shobo Genzo Uji in November, Genzo retreat. So if you are interested in Uji, please come to Bloomington. So today, I don't talk on Shobo Genzo Uji. But first, I'd like to introduce some ideas about time. that I know. Some are in Buddhism, some are not in Buddhism. And I, if I have time, I try to point out why Dogen wrote Uji. Why Uji, or time, the clear insight about time is important for Dogen. Well, first of all, there are many different ideas on time.

[01:03]

And, of course, the most familiar idea about time is the time we use as a kind of a conventional system. Like, you know, today, is February something. And now it's 7.35 in the evening. And this day of, you know, we are most familiar is kind of a fiction. And it's very important to understand that time is a fiction. You know, I think in January 2000, so four years ago, I went to Alaska, encouraged Alaska to lead one week session from here.

[02:10]

And right before the airplane landed to the airport, they announced a time in Alaska. And I found there was a one-hour time difference between San Francisco and Alaska. Somehow, at that time, I had a question. My question was, what time was it or is it at North Pole? Do you understand the question? You know, time is, at least conventional time, is based on which part of the Earth we are. And, you know, at the North Pole and also South Pole, you know, there's no time. Right?

[03:13]

So I thought, if a Santa Claus really lives right on the North Pole, if he has a house on the North Pole, at the center of the house he has no time. You know, and The rest of his house, he has 24 hours. Right? It's really interesting. And strange. Why such a thing happens? You know, but that is really true. You know, in the history, someone first reached the North Pole. And in the history said the person did the no-skull certain day, certain time. But what time did they use? Maybe so. But anyway, we need to use some convention.

[04:16]

So the time as a system is man-made. It's fictitious. It's not really there. Even if we leave a baby right on the North Pole, the baby will grow. Even though there is no time, still, a baby will grow. So, first I think we need especially to understand what is Dogen discussing about time. We need to forget or we need to see that time, the idea of time we usually have is a fiction. It's not real time. So only even on the North Pole, there's time. Time flows. And that is the second idea of time we are familiar with.

[05:22]

That is, time always flows from past through present to the future. This is the second kind of time or idea about time we have. And this is a very common idea. And there is one Buddhist school. They think time flows from past through present to the future. But the past is already gone. And the future has not yet come. So, only present moment is reality. No past, no future, only this moment. The school was called Kyoryobu.

[06:25]

I forget the Sanskrit name. But in Kyoryobu, they think time flows from past through present to the future. and only this moment is reality, really exists. And even though we are familiar with this idea, but when we conventionally talk about time, this present moment has certain length, extinction. But actually, the present moment has no extinction, no rings. If there are even the slightest rings, we can still cut into two, and one is still already in the past, and another part is still in the future.

[07:27]

So, precisely speaking, this time, this present moment, has no time, no extinction, no length. It's zero. So, there's nothing. And, you know, so it's kind of strange things. Past is already gone and the future has not yet come, so they are not real reality. But this present moment is zero. No length. It's kind of strange thing. But that is one idea about time and present moment. And a third idea about time is time flows not from past, from the past, but some people thought time flows from the future.

[08:32]

Time flows from future to the present and go to the past. This idea was from one of the Buddhist schools, an early Buddhist school called Setsuissai Ubu in Japanese. I think in Sanskrit, Sarvāstivādan or something. They thought everything really exists. And three times, past, present, and future are also really exist. So there are the things that they categorize the beings or things or existence into 75 entities. Those are called dharmas or elements. And they say those 75 elements really exist always.

[09:39]

And the Dharma, the things in the future come to the present and just go to the past. So time flows from future to the present and to the past. So this is exactly the opposite. And I think this is really kind of a strange idea, at least not familiar with us. But that is one theory about time. And you know, this is not only Buddhist, but In Japan, when we discuss about Dogen's Uji, often discussion on time by St. Augustine is referred to.

[10:46]

You know St. Augustine, right? In his confessions, One section in his confession, St. Augustine discusses about time. And one phrase he says in this translation, it says, When time is measured, where does it come from? Where does it come from? By what route does it pass? And where does it go? It must come out of the future, pass by the present, and go into the past. So it comes from what as yet does not exist.

[11:53]

So future does not yet exist, but time came from future. So time came from what as yet does not exist. And passes through that which lacks extension, that is present moment. and goes into that which is now non-existent. So clearly he thinks time flows from the future through the present and goes to the past. So it's very interesting, you know, one of the Buddhist school and Christian theologists. thought in the same way. So it's nice to think of this possibility or this way of seeing time.

[12:57]

We almost always think time flies from past to the present and present to the future. But that is only one way of seeing time. There is another possibility. And next one is another idea of time. And this is the idea of one of the most important Mahayana Buddhist teacher, whose name was Nagarjuna. The most important writing of Nagarjuna is Majjhamika Karika. and one of the sections of his Majamika Karika is Examination of Time. It's a kind of a very short section but Ryuj or Nagarjuna was very clear

[14:13]

about time. Let me read one verse. It says, if it is assumed that time exists depending upon an existent, this means that time is not an independent entity, time doesn't really exist. But time is caused, in a sense, or we can recognize time because things are changing. If nothing would change, we don't really see the time. So time depends on the existence of beings or impermanence. Because things are changing, because things are impermanent, we see the change.

[15:20]

And we see how that was changed in comparing with the past and present. And we are thinking about how it will change in the future. So time is our recognition of impermanence. So time does not really exist independent from beings. So time is depending on beings. That is the very basis of Buddhist idea of time. And he said, if we did assume that time exists depending upon an existent, how can there be time without an existent? So time doesn't exist without existent.

[16:22]

Then, no existent whatsoever is found to exist. That means, as it's said in the Heart Sutra, there are only five skandhas are there. Only five skandhas. And even those five skandhas are empty. So actually there are no beings. If there is no being, there is no time. So being is empty. That means time is also empty. So there is no time. Nagarjuna's conclusion about time is, where can time be? Where can time be? Of course, nowhere. So, he's very clear. There's no time.

[17:26]

Then, what is going on? So, time is still a question. And we need to find, then, what is time? Actually, so this is a fourth, to me, fourth idea of time. There is no such thing. And fifth, next one, is time, because time is our recognition. we recognize time using our mind or consciousness. So time is created in our mind. And, again, this is... St. Augustine's discussion is very clear about this. What is by now? What is by now evident and clear is that neither future nor past exist.

[18:39]

And it is inexact language to speak of three times. So in a sense, St. Augustine agreed with Nagarjuna. There are no three times. Past, present, and future. Perhaps it would be exact to say, St. Augustine said, there are three times. A present of things past, a present of things present, a present of things to come. Do you understand? So only this present moment is reality. Future has not yet come. Past is already gone. So they are not reality. Only this present moment is reality. So both past and future are only in this present moment.

[19:47]

And he continues. In the soul, soul, in the soul there are these three aspects of time. So these three times are actually three aspects of this present moment. In the soul, there are these three aspects of time, and I do not see them anywhere else, only at this present moment. And the present, considering the past, the present, this moment, considering the past, is the memory. So past is actually in our memory. The present considering the present is immediate awareness of this moment.

[20:58]

To me, this is like Buddhist. And the present considering the future is expectation. So future is within our mind of this present moment. as our hope, our expectation. And past exists in our mind at this present moment as a memory. So, to me, this is our fifth idea about time. Time is in our mind. It's not outside of ourselves. And these five There are more, but these five are, to me, important ideas of time to understand what Dogen is discussing about in Shobo Genzo Uji.

[22:04]

And there's another kind of time, or another idea of time. That is, you know, those five, all think time is movement. Time, you know, flies from past through present to the future, or from future to the present to the past. But there's another kind of, not the idea, that time which doesn't move. Have you ever thought that time which doesn't move, which doesn't flow, which doesn't fly? And that time which doesn't move is eternity. Eternity is not a long period of time, but eternity doesn't move.

[23:10]

and eternity is time. And actually, the title, name of the section where St. Augustine discusses about time is Time and Eternity. Time and Eternity. So when we think of time, we need to think of eternity. What is eternity? Of course, in Christianity, it's clear. God is eternity. And we are all living within time. Time and space. And in Buddhism, Buddhism doesn't think there's something eternity. Everything is impermanent. But still, there's time which doesn't move in Buddhism.

[24:13]

And that is also very important to understand Dogen. You know, the thing, anything cannot be permanent, cannot be eternal. I mean, in this case, anything means any conditioned things. anything created by the collection of causes and conditions. Everything is always changing. And that kind of a power of impermanence is our life force. So actually there's nothing eternal in Buddhism. But still there's something which is beyond time, beyond time and beyond space.

[25:17]

Do you know what it is? That is nirvana. Nirvana is beyond time and beyond space. But nirvana is not a being. Then what is nirvana? And it's also important What is the relationship between time and nirvana, or in this case, in Buddhist terms, time and eternity? Where can we find eternity? That is, the time which doesn't move. And that is what Dogen Zenji wants to point out in Shobo Genzo Uji. Everything is moving, everything is changing, so everything is impermanent. Where can we find eternity? I think that is the main point of Shobo Gendo Uji. And... Well, because we don't have much time... So I start to talk on Dogonland time.

[26:31]

In Shobo Genzo, not Shobo Genzo, but in Bendowa, Dogen Zenji write about his practice of Zazen. And one part of his description of Zazen, he said something like this. He said, therefore, Even if only one person sits for a short time, because this zazen is one with all existence and completely permeates all time, it performs everlasting Buddha guidance. within the inexhaustible dharma world, in the past, present, and future.

[27:39]

Zazen is equally the same practice and the same enlightenment for both the person sitting and for all dharmas. I think you are very familiar with this saying. So he said, even if only one person sits for a short time, this short time means time within the flow from future and from past through present and future. This is also a time in a conventional system, man-made system of time. We sit from In Bloomington, we sit from 5 to 7, to a 15-minute period. So this is 13 times, and 13 legs, and 15 minutes is not a long time. But he said, even if one person sits for a short time, this zazen is one with all beings in this entire

[28:51]

space and all time in the past, future and present. So, in our Zazen, in our Jijyu Zanmai actually, in our Jijyu Zanmai, we are one with entire time, past, present and future, within this present moment. And we are one with all beings within this entire space. So here are two kinds of time Dogen is discussing. One is the short time we sit, certain day, certain time, certain year. And another time is when we sit facing the wall and you know, keep our eyes open and letting go of whatever is coming up from our mind, then really we are one with entire time and entire space.

[30:06]

It's kind of a strange thing. But if... If we don't believe this, I don't like the word believe. But if this doesn't mean anything, this doesn't make sense to us. There's no meaning in our practice following Dogen Zenji's teachings. We practice, at least I have been practicing this Zazen following Dogen Zenji's teachings. Because even though at least first 20 years, this kind of thing didn't make any sense to me, but somehow it's important. So it's not understanding, but it's kind of a faith or trust, not only Dogen Zenji's writings, but also my teacher's teaching.

[31:11]

and also my teacher's practice. So here Dogenzenji is talking about two different times. One is a time of sitting in our daily lives. That is, within a stream of time, a certain period, a certain extinction or length, and it's not too long. But within this short time, entire space and time is included. And this, you know, this time, this present moment is going, you know, from past, present to the future. And yet, each moment, we are one with entire time and entire space.

[32:19]

To me, it's a really amazing idea of time. I introduced five ideas of time, but I think those five ideas are all included in Dogen's teaching or insight of time, really. So Dogen then doesn't negate, not negate, but ignore. the conventional idea, our system, or man-made, kind of a fabrication of time. But we use those times. And yet, you know, in each moment, within that conventional time, we experience, you know, eternity. within a really short period of time, even if there's no lens.

[33:26]

As I said, the present moment has no lens. So it's zero. It's empty. But still, this empty present moment, the entire past, from the beginningless beginning, to the entire future, to the endless end, is reflected, or included, It's a really amazing image or idea of time. And that happens within our Jijyu Zanmai. So in Jijyu Zanmai, the nature of time is kind of transformed. But still, that is moment by moment. And another writing Dogen discussed about time and being.

[34:28]

In Uji is, I think as you know, being time. That means being and time is one thing. There is no being without time and there is no time without being. So Uji means this body and mind. Each one of us are Uji. This combination of being and time is our self. And in Shobo Genzo Genjo Kohan, in the first, very first section, until, in my translation, until the section 8, he discusses about self and media dharmas. And he discussed about delusion and enlightenment. He said, you know, conveying ourselves toward all dharmas, all beings, and carry out practice enlightenment is delusion.

[35:35]

But all mere dharmas came toward us and carried out practice enlightenment through this person's body and mind is enlightenment. So he is discussing about delusion and enlightenment within the context of relationship between self and all nirdharmas. And he said, if we think this person is a subject, and all mere dharmas are objects, and in order to see, or find, or awaken to the reality of all beings, that is kind of a common understanding, or a common sense of Buddhist practice. But he said that kind of practice is delusion, or basic

[36:40]

The structure of such practice is delusion, because there is a separation between subject and object. But actually this body and mind are five skandhas, and this is really a part of the Myriad Dharmas. We are inside. We cannot get outside and see the Myriad Dharmas as objects. We are there. When in the Heart Sutra, it said, Avalokiteshvara, when deeply practicing the Prajnaparamita, clearly see the five skandhas are empty. In this sentence, important point is to see that Avalokiteshvara is five skandhas. That means five skandhas clearly see the emptiness of five skandhas.

[37:43]

And five skandhas mean this body and mind. So this body and mind. Five skandhas mean lupa or material and other four are elements of our psychology. So five skandhas mean our body and mind. And Prajna Paramita is this five skandhas. See the emptiness of five skandhas. It's not a matter of this person sees the truth or reality of emptiness of five skandhas. If we think or understand in that way, we are still within delusion. We don't really understand Buddha's teaching. So Prajna Paramita or wisdom is not one way of viewing things using our mind, our intellection. But at least according to Dogen, you know, this sitting, upright sitting, and letting go forever, coming up from our mind, this sitting is itself wisdom.

[38:58]

Because within this sitting, these five skandhas, this body and mind, clearly see the emptiness of five skandhas. It means five skandhas become five skandhas. That's all. There's no observer, and nothing which is observed. We are really one thing. And this is the way, as Dogen said, within our zazen, we are one with all beings, and one with all time. And in the Genjo Koan, next he discusses about time, using the analogy of firewood and ash. This is about time. So in Genjo Koan, Doge Zen discusses about actually being and time. And I think Dogenzen thought the description of Genjoko-wan is not enough to show the reality of time.

[40:08]

That's why I think he wrote Shogogenzo Uji, to show us the reality of time. Of course, being time, being and time. And another point why Dogen Zenji needs to write Shobo Genzo Uji is his understanding or insight of Buddha nature. In Shobo Genzo Buddha nature, Dogen Zenji said, how did he say? Okay, I remember. He quoted a sentence from the Mahaparinirvana Sutra that said, if you want to see the Buddha nature, you have to see the time and conditions.

[41:20]

And when time comes, appropriate time comes, Buddha nature appears. Otherwise, you cannot see Buddha nature. But Dogen Zenji interprets this sentence from the Nirvana Sutra. He says, time is always here. So it's not a matter, you know, in the future, certain light, time is coming. And when the time has come, then we can see the Buddha nature. That is a common understanding of the sentence. But Dogen says, time is always alive. is always alive at this moment. And the next, in the later section of Buddha Nature, Doge Zen said, impermanence is Buddha Nature.

[42:34]

This is also, if you study the Buddhist theory of Buddha Nature, this is an amazing thing. almost opposite. Of course, this impermanence is Buddha nature was originally said by the sixth ancestor, Huinan. But Dogen Zenji really likes this expression. Impermanence is Buddha nature. But this is really against the original Buddhist theory of Buddha nature. Original idea of Buddha nature is, you know, as Mahayana Buddhists, Mahayana Buddhists are called bodhisattva, need Buddha nature. Before Mahayana, they didn't need Buddha nature.

[43:40]

You know why? Because Buddha was only one. No one thought anyone else could become Buddha. You know, after Shakyamuni Buddha died, until the next Buddha, Maitreya, appeared, there is no Buddha in this world. That means no one can become Buddha. So there's no necessity, not necessary to discuss whether we can become Buddha or not. The answer is very clear, no. No one can become Buddha, and that's okay. But because Mahayana Buddhists started to think, you know, we are all Buddha's children. Bodhisattva means all the children of Buddha to me. All living beings can become Buddha, sooner or later. And, you know, as a Bodhisattva, we take a vow to attain Buddhahood.

[44:50]

But still, and we start to practice, but still we are so much deluded. Our delusion is so deep. Even our aspiration to practice came out of our delusion or our egocentric mind to make this person better. So it's really difficult to find something like Buddha within ourselves. But still, if we don't have a trust or faith that even though we are still very deluded, Still, we are Buddha's children. So if we practice in this way for a long time, there's a possibility that all beings can become Buddha. So Buddha nature is only necessary in Mahayana Buddhism.

[45:54]

Because without such trust or faith, even though we are still very immature as Buddha's children, still, if we practice, continue to practice almost forever, then it's possible to become Buddha. We need this kind of trust. Because of this kind of trust, we can practice. even though we are so weak and so self-centered and so much problems. So for us bodhisattvas, buddha nature is really necessary. And the idea of the theory of buddha nature or so-called Tathagatagarbha is buddha nature is something hidden. It's there. And it hidden means that Buddha nature is something like a diamond.

[47:01]

And yet, in the case of deluded living beings, the diamond is still covered with rock and dirt. So, first of all, we need to find the Buddha nature, even though it's covered with rock and dirt. Our practice is to take the dust and rocks out and polish the diamond. Then the beauty of the diamond is revealed. That is the attainment of enlightenment. And this is the basic theory of Buddha nature. And within this theory, it said whether it's still hidden within the rock, within deluded human beings. And the condition, you know, in the case of Buddha, the diamond is really beautifully polished and becomes really beautiful.

[48:14]

and illuminate the entire world and help all beings. You know, these two conditions of Buddha nature are the same. Even if it is hidden inside of these deluded beings. So, nothing different, nothing changed. In that sense, Buddha nature is permanent. That is the basic idea or theory of Buddha nature in Mahayana Buddhism. So this theory is really kind of problematic. If there are only five skandhas, what is Buddha nature? And everything is impermanent, but Buddha nature doesn't change. So it looks like permanent. What is this? So there's a discussion whether Buddha nature really is a proper or correct Buddhist teaching or not.

[49:23]

And that is why, you know, there's a famous koan about dog's Buddha nature, whether dog has Buddha nature or not. So the Six Ancestors and Dogen's idea of impermanence is itself Buddha nature. It's kind of opposite idea. There's no such thing as hidden. But in the very beginning of the Shobogenzo Buddha nature, He quoted another sentence from the Nirvana Sutra that said, all sentient beings, without exception, have Buddha nature. He mistakenly read in a different way, on purpose. He said, all living beings and entire beings are Buddha nature.

[50:29]

That means buddhanature is not something hidden within deluded beings. But the way all beings are is itself buddhanature. And it's always revealed. So our practice is not a matter of to find buddhanature and to take that away and polish the diamond. You know, In Rinzai tradition, they use the word Kensho. Kensho means seeing nature. And seeing nature is actually seeing Buddha nature. That's why Dogen Zenji didn't like Kensho practice. Kensho, or Buddha nature, is always revealed. and it cannot be the object of this person's seeing.

[51:32]

That's why Bogen doesn't like the word Kensho. In one section of Sho Bogen, he even said, you know, the expression Kensho appeared in the Platform Sutra. So Dogen said, because this expression, Kensho, appeared in the Platform Sutra, this should not be Huinan. This was a made-up thing. So I think at this point, Dogen is really strict, almost too born. Anyway, So, according to Dogen, buddhanature is impermanence. The movement of impermanence or changing evolution of beings is itself buddhanature.

[52:39]

That's why, I think, Dogen really had to think and also teach clearly fat is time. Fat is time means fat is impermanence. how impermanence or things are changing. You know, this way of transforming or evolution is the evolution or movement of Buddha nature. So, it's really important to understand not only to understand Dogen's teaching, but if we practice According to Dogen Zen's teaching, it's very important to see what we are doing. We are practicing Zazen based on Dogen's teaching.

[53:42]

But our Zazen, or Dogen's Zazen, is very simple, doing nothing. No technique. Just sit upright and keep our eyes open. That means not sleep. And breathe through our nose, deeply from abdomen. And just let go of whatever thought coming up. That's all we do. It's really simple. No technique. But this simple practice is not easy practice. It's a very difficult thing. One of the difficulties we have when we practice this simple practice, simple sitting practice, is we don't really understand the meaning of this sitting practice without doing anything.

[54:46]

So that To really understand what we are doing, I think to study not only Dogen's, but also Buddhism in general, what the Buddha taught. And what is the point of Buddha's teaching within our life, within our practice, within our daily activity, is really important. So, studying means, of course, intellectual understanding. I think this is really important in the case of Dōgen's teaching. And also we need faith or trust to the tradition. But in Dōgen's teaching or writing, again, it's really difficult. You know, to really deeply understand what Dougen is saying, only reading a translation is really impossible.

[56:04]

That's why I'd like to share my understanding and my practice with people who practice in this country. I was born in Japan and educated and trained in Japan, so I have some understanding. Of course, my understanding is still going on, so I'm changing, and this is important, I think. But I'd like to share, you know, really profound insight of Dogen. And also, his using the word, language, is really almost magical. He's a magician. So, by reading only English translation, it's not possible to what he really wants to say. So, that is what I'd like to do in Bloomington.

[57:08]

So, if you are interested in, please come to Bloomington. I think it's time to stop talking. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you.

[57:30]

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