Good morning, everyone. Once a year I come to San Francisco Zen Center to read a seven-day Genzo-e. I think this is the sixth Genzo-e at this building. Does it work? Can you hear? Higher. Hello. Okay. I'm very happy I can visit this place and share practice and Dharma with people in this Sangha again. During this Genzo-e, we are going to study one of the chapters of Shobo Genzo entitled in Japanese,

[01:07]

Gyo-Butsu-Igi. And the English translation I use for now is Dignified Conduct of Practiced Buddha. The usual way of reading this Japanese title, Gyo-Butsu-Igi, means Gyo is practice and Butsu is Buddha. And Igi is dignified form or conduct or behavior, the way doing things. So, practicing Buddha's dignified form or conduct or behavior. But Dogen Zenji read this phrase in a different way. He read this as a dignified conduct of practiced Buddha.

[02:08]

In this case, this Gyo-Butsu is a name of a Buddha. So this is a Buddha whose name is practiced. That means our practice is Buddha. Buddha is not a human being. But our practice is Buddha. And what is this Buddha whose name was practiced behave or express its Buddhahood is our practice using our both body and mind. And this particular chapter of Shobo Genzo is an origin of the idea in Soto Zen tradition that is Igi-Soku-Butpo. Igi is a dignified conduct. It is itself Buddha Dharma.

[03:10]

This is a very important kind of a phrase in Soto Zen tradition. When you visit some Soto Zen practice center, first thing you are taught is how to enter the hall and how to do Gassho and how to make prostration and how to chant sutras, how to sit and how to use Oryoki and how to eat. All those forms are very important in Soto Zen tradition. But I think some people like that kind of practice and some people don't. And I didn't like it. So, you know, this Dogen Zenji wrote in this particular chapter of Shobo Genzo

[04:20]

is an original idea of this kind of formal practice. Practice with formality. And yet, you know, this idea or practice sometimes or often becomes just a mannerism or formalism without genuine spirit or understanding. But the problem is Dogen Zenji's writing is very difficult. So even Soto Zen priest cannot understand what Dogen is really saying without deep practice and also sufficient understanding and special study.

[05:24]

But Dogen Zenji really teaches about our practice using our body and mind. So we have to study and understand what Dogen really meant when he encouraged his disciples to do those formalities. That is the point of our study this week. But this morning, I'd like to talk about this particular word, Iiji. That is dignified conduct. This word Iiji, of course, came from Chinese. And as a Chinese word, this was used even before Buddhism was introduced to China from India.

[06:29]

And this Iiji means, you know, manners and forms or decorums people have to follow if they want to be a good member of the community. Especially in the Chinese court, there are so many manners and forms people have to follow. So that is the original word of Iiji. So this word Iiji, from the very beginning, has a connection with formalism or mannerism. So I'd like to find what is the meaning of this word Iiji in a Buddhist context. And I checked Dogen Zenji's writings, how he used this word Iiji.

[07:43]

And I found one phrase within Eihei Koroku. Eihei Koroku is a record of Dogen Zenji's formal Dharma discourses. It's a big book. It's a collection of more than 500 Dharma discourses of Dogen he gave within more than 20 years. Anyway, here Dogen Zenji not used, but quote a story in which this word Iiji in a Buddhist context, I think, is used. And this is a story from the very beginning of Buddhism in India, right after Shakyamuni Buddha started to teach. This story is about Shaliputra and Mahamangalana.

[08:50]

Those two most important disciples of Buddha, Shaliputra and Mahamangalana, or in Japanese we call him Mokuren. These two people were born on the same day in the closed villages. And they were very good friends. And they are from a very good family. And when they were, I think they were teenagers, they together went to a city named Lazagraha for the occasion of a certain festival. And they had a very good time.

[09:53]

They saw the plays or shows or so many exciting things. And the festival lasted three days. And the story said first two days they really enjoyed and excited. But on the first day Shaliputra said, you know, this is too much. And now we need to find a way to be, in the English translation you see as deliverance or liberation. That means liberation from the karmic life. And Mahamangalana agreed with it. And to do so they thought they need to leave home. So they left home and became way seekers or spiritual practitioners.

[11:00]

And first they became disciples of one of the six major spiritual teachers at the time of Buddha whose name was Sanja. And because they are very brilliant people, soon they understood everything this teacher taught. And they asked, do you have more things to teach? And Sanja said, no. So now you can be the teacher in my community. But they felt something is lacking. So they left the teacher and started to travel all over Japan. No, India. To find a true teacher.

[12:02]

But they couldn't find the teachers better than themselves. And they went back to the city, Rajagraha. At that time Buddha attained, Shakyamuni attained Buddhahood. And first taught five monks. Those five monks used to be Buddha's, Shakyamuni's friends. Practiced together, practiced asceticism together. But because Shakyamuni found ascetic practice is not meaningful, so he quit and he ate some food and sat under the Bodhi tree by himself. At that time those five monks thought Shakyamuni quit practice. So they left.

[13:03]

Anyway, after Shakyamuni attained Buddhahood or so-called enlightenment, he thought those five people were the appropriate good people to first teach. So, Shakyamuni stood up from the seat under the Bodhi tree and walked to the deer field and started to teach those five monks. When Shakyamuni approached to those five monks at the deer park, first they saw Shakyamuni coming from far away. They discussed with themselves that, you know,

[14:09]

that person was cook, stop, quit practice. So we should not greet him. We should not give him the seat or something like that. But when Shakyamuni approached and got closer to them, somehow they naturally, you know, bowed to him and behaved like his disciples. Anyway, so Shakyamuni started to practice and teach with those five monks and after a while those five monks really understood Buddha awakened too. That was the very starting point of the history of Buddhism. You know, Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha and Buddha's teaching and Sangha or community of those five monks are there.

[15:11]

Those are three so-called three treasures in Buddhism. That is the actual starting point of the history of Buddhism. And after a while, the king of that kingdom, Bimbisara, I think, offered a property to the Buddhist Sangha and made, established a first Buddhist monastery near the city of Rajagraha. And Buddha and his disciples, I think at that time they had more than five, but they walked on the street of the city holding a begging bowl or Oryoki to beg for food.

[16:16]

At that time, Shariputra and Mahamoggalana were still looking for a teacher. And one day, when Shariputra was walking on the street, he saw a monk. That is the starting point of this story. If you have this book, this Dharma Discourse is number 381 and page 333 of this text. Dogen started like this. Buddha Dharma is not something that can be understood depending on brilliance and keen wisdom. Moreover, it cannot be patiently sustained by those who are without brilliance or keen wisdom.

[17:30]

So, wisdom is necessary, but it's not enough. If those with keen wisdom were vessels of the way, Shariputra could not have attained the first fruit, stream entry. Stream entry is the first stage of awakening in the early Buddhist teaching. By attending to the expound by Ashwajit. This Ashwajit is the name of the monk Shariputra saw on the street. And he quoted this story. Once seeing Ashwajit, Ashwajit is a Sanskrit name of this person. In Pali, his name is Assaji. Anyway. Once seeing Ashwajit's dignified presence and refined elegance,

[18:39]

Shariputra asked him, Who is your teacher? Who disciple are you? This dignified presence and refined elegance is a translation of Iji. Actually, Iji Shoujo. So, this is the original usage of this word Iji. That means, Shariputra, when he was walking on the street, this monk Assaji or Ashwajit is walking on the street also, holding Oryoki, begging food. And that is this dignified presence in this translation or dignified conduct. So, this person, this monk didn't do anything particular. He was just walking on the street, holding Oryoki. Let me read that story first.

[19:44]

Ashwajit saw, you know, Shariputra had some inspiration when he saw the monk just walking on the street with his dignified conduct or presence. So, he wanted to talk with this monk. But because the monk was begging, he thought it's not appropriate to disturb him while he was begging. So, he walked behind that monk until he stopped begging and started to eat. Then, Shariputra asked this question, Who is your teacher? Whose disciple are you? Then, Ashwajit replied, Prince Siddhartha abandoned birth, old age, sickness and death.

[20:52]

Those are four sufferings. Left home to practice the way and attained supreme perfect awakening, anuttara samyak sambodhi. He is my teacher. Then, Shariputra asked again, What dharma does your teacher expound? What dharma? What is your teacher's teaching? He answered, I am like a young child having only studied the precept for a short time. How could I express the ultimate truth of the supreme meaning of what he widely expounds? This person, Ashwajit, was one of the five monks first Buddha taught

[21:58]

and also attained same awakening with Buddha. But, he said, he, Ashwajit said, he didn't practice so long. So, he couldn't explain what Buddha taught fully. Then, Shariputra said, Then, explain the essential points in simplified form. So, just tell me the essence of his teaching. Then, Ashwajit said, All phenomena arise according to conditions. His teaching expounds the causes and conditions of phenomena.

[23:00]

These phenomena and conditions can be exhausted. My teacher expounds it like this. So, this is the essence of Buddha's teaching according to this person's understanding. Having heard this, Shariputra attained the first fruit of stream entry. So, by hearing this very simplified explanation of Buddha's teaching, Shariputra attained the first rank named stream entry. Then, when Ashwajit had gone out that morning, so, before he started to go to takuhatsu or begging,

[24:06]

the Buddha had told him, The one you will meet today will be a bright person. You should expound the Dharma in simplified form. So, in this story, Shakyamuni already knew that this person will meet this Shariputra. Even before the person went to takuhatsu. So, Ashwajit expounded in condensed form three of the four noble truths. So, what Ashwajit said was first three of the four noble truths. That all dharmas arise from conditions is the truth of suffering.

[25:08]

So, first noble truth. And, his dharma expounding causes and conditions is the truth of the combination of conditions leading to suffering. This is the second noble truth. That is the cause of suffering. And, third. That dharmas together with conditions are exhausted is the truth of the cessation of suffering. So, Ashwajit said first three of the four noble truths. And, then Shariputra somehow attained the rank of stream entry. So, Shariputra was very happy. And, he, it said, after hearing this, Shariputra returned to where he was staying.

[26:19]

So, he was very happy. And, so he wanted to, this experience to his friend, Magarana. So, he went back to where, the place he stayed. Then, Magarana first allows to meet him. And, then said, You have attained sweet dew. I want to taste it as well. So, before they started to talk, before Shariputra said anything about his experience with Ashwajit, then Magarana saw Shariputra coming towards him. He saw, he knew that something happened to Shariputra. So, Magarana said, You have attained sweet dew.

[27:21]

And, I want to taste it with you. Shariputra then explained what he had heard. Magarana heard this and also attained the first fruit. So, even before they met Shakyamuni Buddha, they attained the first fruit of the awakening. So, they are very brilliant people. Anyway, this is a quote of the story. Shakyamuni and Dogen Zenji comment, You should all know that Ashwajit saved Shariputra, which is testimony to the Buddha Dharma. The point is clear that within the Buddha Dharma,

[28:24]

wisdom and wide learning are not of primary importance. He said, wisdom and wide learning are not of primary importance. That means, the point of this story is this monk Ashwajit's dignified presence in this story or dignified conduct. The way he walks on the street while he was doing takahatsu or begging. This is the original idea of Dogen Zenji's teaching of Igi or dignified conduct. In this story, the form is like a container and contents.

[29:33]

What is inside? What is happening? If something happens inside, his behavior, his conduct, his way of doing things, or even his appearance becomes changed and something becomes dignified. That is what this means. What happened is this very simplified expression of Buddha's teachings. Suffering, cause of suffering, and cessation of suffering. This monk attained the revelation. That means he found a cessation of suffering and he was practicing. The fourth Noble Truth is practice. Practice of the Eightfold Noble Path.

[30:36]

What Ashwajit was doing, actually doing, walking on the street, holding Oryoki, was his practice. Because of his awakening, because of his revelation, his conduct, his way of doing things, his behavior became changed. This is the same with Shariputra. When Magarana saw Shariputra came back, he found something changed. But that change is not simply something inside of Shariputra, some way of thinking. But even his way of doing things, his behavior, his presence has changed. And not only Shariputra and Ashwajit, you know,

[31:46]

from Buddha's approach to five monks, somehow those five monks felt something different within that person, I mean, Shakyamuni Buddha. So, if something happened inside of ourselves, that, you know, come out outside, outwardly, that is original idea of this Dogen Zen's teaching of Eiji, or dignified conduct. So, dignified conduct is an expression of inner awakening. If these two things get together, you know, if we just, you know, learn the forms, then the form without contents, or container without contents is empty form.

[32:52]

And that is something I didn't like. And, I will... And within Soto Den tradition, after Dogen Zenji, Dogen Zenji lived in the 13th century, that is about 800 years ago. Within this history, long history, somehow not many people really understood the point of Dogen Zen's teaching about, you know, formal practice, expression of inner awakening or liberation outwardly using our, you know, body, speech, and mind.

[33:55]

Because then the formal practice became just a formal practice, just formality. And my teacher, Uchiyama Kosho Roshi, didn't like, you know, that kind of practice. So he really focused on Zazen practice, sitting practice. And we did nothing but sitting, almost nothing but sitting at Antai-ji. My teacher really focused on sitting practice without almost any formalities. We didn't have morning service. We didn't have noon service. We didn't have evening service. We never had service.

[34:58]

And we had no ceremonies except ordination or tokuto ceremony. So I was really fortunate to practice in that way. But my Uchiyama Roshi practiced a real kind of extreme. I mean, we sat for 15 minutes, one period, 15 minutes. And during five-day session, we had five-day session almost every month, except February and August. Because it's too cold in February and too hot in August in Japan. During those five-day session, we sat 14 period a day for five days.

[36:04]

We had nothing but sitting, besides three meals a day, three meals and very short break after each meal. And only occasions we did chanting was when we went out for takuhatsu or begging. We did few times a month. So what I practiced at Antai-ji was really just sitting. And he also, Uchiyama Roshi, didn't like formality. So, for example, you know, one of the meaning of iiji, or dignified dikuramu, is about the clothing or robes. You know, last night, Branch-san apologized with apology

[37:09]

because she wore raps, but other priests wore okesa. That is something about this word, iiji, idea of iiji. What kind of clothes or robes we should wear is very important. But Uchiyama Roshi didn't like that idea. So whenever we visited him with wearing koromo, not okesa, but koromo and raps, he always said, take it out, take it off. And he, besides when he practiced zazen and when he gave dharma talk, he almost never wore koromo. He was just putting kimono.

[38:12]

And when never people, priests visited him, first thing he said was, take off the koromo and be a kimono. So he didn't like this idea of dignified conduct, or iiji. And that is the point I liked him. But I have to say that he didn't like form, but his way of doing things, his behavior, his way of talking with people, has dignity and beauty and very gentle. It's not formal. But his presence has dignity.

[39:18]

So we must be very careful about this point. Dignity and forms should be together. Then it can be practiced. But without form, there can be a dignity and compassion and practice of identity action. I think that is a very important point when we study this way, I mean formality. In Sotozen tradition, first, as I said before, first thing we are taught is how to do things, the forms. And that is a kind of a preparation to study what Buddha taught about our liberation of suffering.

[40:29]

And when we are liberated, we do things in certain ways. Our awakening to the reality of all beings requests us to behave in certain ways. So dignified conduct is not really, how can I say, prescribed manners in certain texts. But because, you know, at the time of Dogen Zenji, Zen Buddhism is something very new. So Dogen Zenji had to introduce how Zen Buddhists in Chinese Zen monasteries practiced. And so he wrote about how to do things. But unfortunately his descendants, because of their respect to Dogen Zenji,

[41:36]

they tried to do everything as Dogen Zenji wrote. That is the reason, you know, Dogen Zenji's tradition continues until today. But there can be something very important that is missed. It is easily missed. You know, when we put too much emphasis on forms or manners, what is the inside? And the inside is, as in this story, Buddha's teaching about Four Noble Truths. How can we be liberated from suffering to the soul? How can we practice using this body and mind? I think that is the essential point of what Dogen Zenji wrote in this chapter of Gyo-Butsu-Iki.

[42:38]

This is what I have to say this morning. Any questions? No questions, good. Please. Pardon me? Bob? I'm sorry, I don't understand. He didn't hear the word form. Form. Oh, I'm sorry. Form. Formality. Please. Suffering, the First Noble Truth, and impermanence.

[43:46]

The connection or relationship between suffering and impermanence. Well... Ah... When we like something, or when we love something, we want to be together with this thing forever. But because of impermanence, sometimes we have to say goodbye. This is a cause of suffering. One of the sufferings. That is to separate with something we like.

[44:51]

Or another kind of suffering or pain we experience is we have to be together with something we don't like. But somehow, because of impermanence, things are changing. We cannot control it. Impermanence means we cannot control. So sometimes we have to separate with whom we love. And sometimes we have to be together with something we don't want, we don't like. That is, I think, the relationship between suffering or pain or sadness or dissatisfactory weakness of our life and impermanence. We have a tendency to grasp and keep it with me. We grasp things and keep it with me. But as reality, things are going, we cannot grasp anything.

[45:56]

So that is one of the causes of suffering we experience. Okay? Please. Do you think that the forms can teach dignity? Pardon me? Do you think that the forms can teach dignity? Forms can teach dignity? I think so. As I said, at that time our practice was really just sitting. So I had no knowledge and experience about formal practice. But after U Chan-no retired, I practiced at the Yoji for six months.

[47:05]

In order to be qualified as a teacher, in order to come to this country, in order to get visa from United States, I needed to get qualified as a teacher there. So I practiced there at the Yoji. The Yoji practice was really different from Antais practice. Everything is formal. From wake up until go to bed, even during sleeping, there is a certain form to sleep. So 24 hours, everything we do within 24 hours is formal. And I didn't like it. So, you know, before that we practiced, we sat nine hours, nine period a day, daily, beside five-day session.

[48:06]

So, you know, we really focused on sitting. But when I started to practice at that monastery, they sat one period in the morning and one or two periods in the evenings. But evenings were often cancelled to study forms, or to do some rehearsal of ceremonies. So I was not really happy there. But I think that was... I think Buddha's birthday, that is April 8th. We had, after morning zazen, during the morning service, we did a ceremony, memorial ceremony for Buddha's birthday. The abbot of that monastery, Narasaki Ikkoroshi,

[49:13]

you know, I had no appreciation to that kind of practice, but his presence and his way of doing the ceremony was really one expression of what he has inside. So it's not, to me, you know, that kind of formal practice is kind of a show. But at that time, in the early morning memorial service, that was before Narasaki Roshi became a famous teacher, after he became the god of Eheiji. So at that time we didn't have many monks. So with a small number of monks, Narasaki Roshi did the ceremony. And his conduct or behavior was really, you know, taught me

[50:17]

this is a genuine practice, even though I didn't like it. So I think our forms can teach the Dharma, I think. What do you observe about our relationship to forms in this country, those of us who are adopting sotas in practice? Well, that is a very interesting and important question. You know, those traditional forms from Japan is something foreign to American people, so many of American people have, I think, difficulty. When I taught at Minnesota Zen Meditation Center,

[51:18]

Minnesota Zen Meditation Center was founded by Katagiri Dainin Roshi, and Katagiri Roshi's practice and Zuyoji's practice are kind of similar, because Katagiri Roshi, Narasaki Ikko Roshi and Tsugen Roshi share the same teacher, Hashimoto Eko Roshi. So Katagiri Roshi's style of practice is pretty formal. And I went there three years after Katagiri Roshi's death, and before I accepted the position, I decided I would continue Katagiri Roshi's style of practice, that is a formal practice. But I, of course, talked about my teacher's practice without formality.

[52:23]

Some of the members of that center said they like Katagiri Roshi's style of practice better, so why don't we eliminate those formalities? Then I asked the person, if we reduce formality, do you think people will sit more? And the person said, no. So, you know, less formality and less Zazen. It doesn't make sense to me. I mean, formality itself is not evil, but whether it makes it a genuine practice or not is based on our attitude. So, you know, those forms for American people seem like Japanese forms,

[53:30]

but actually those are not Japanese. Those are introduced by Dogen Zen from China. So those are not really Japanese. Of course, some of the forms became Japanese, changed, transformed into Japanese culture. But basically that is not Japanese or Chinese or American or Indian, this is Buddhist. I think that is important. And one of the things Dogen Zen said is when we discussed about whether certain practice is appropriate or not, Dogen Zen said we should think whether if Japanese people think this is not suitable

[54:32]

because this is not Japanese, but this is Chinese, then we miss the point. We should think whether this is Buddhist or not. So, you need patience. Patience. And, you know, in a certain period of time, it becomes American, sooner or later. Part of your culture, part of your life. OK? Please. It was about, like, I got my attention that this monk that was passing with a bowl explained the three noble truths. And then it sort of came to me that maybe that's what the practice kind of happens and it's really beautiful and it's life-expressing. And that is what, you know, this monk was doing by walking on the street.

[55:33]

Yeah. So, it doesn't need to be discussed. It is something to do, to be done. That is another point of Dogen Zenji's Gyo-Butsu-Iki. It should be done. It's not a theory or a philosophy. It's an activity using this, you know, body, speech, or mouth and mind. Please. It's OK? Please. I'm not sure, but I think it's his karmic problem. It was his karma.

[56:37]

And that was my karma. I mean, Dogen Zenji put emphasis on formal practice. That was his karma. I mean, he was from an aristocrat family in the Japanese court. One of the most important things for the aristocrats in the imperial court was studying those forms and carrying out the ceremonies. So that was how he was growing up. And my family was a merchant in Osaka for six generations. So I have no such background. That's why I don't like, you know, something formal. I think.

[57:41]

Please. Do you think that Uchiyama Roshi was sort of rebelling against forms because they were taken to extremes at that time in Japanese culture? I think so. OK. Thank you very much.

[58:00]

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