Good morning, everyone. Yesterday, I finished about the half of this chapter of Shobo Genzo Shobo Jisso in this handout, page 13. Until here, Dogen Zenji discussed the meaning of Shobo Jisso, the expression that appeared in the Lotus Sutra. Shobo Jisso is the true reality of all beings. And he examined the deep meaning of this expression from many different aspects. And it was very, I think it's very meaningful still for us, you know, at this modern time.

[01:02]

And it's also very inspirational. It's very difficult to read. But it's a kind of fun to, you know, study what Dogen meant and to think within our experience of practice. But after this point, he somehow changed the style of writing. And it's not difficult. What he's saying is very clear and straightforward. But it's not so meaningful, at least to me. It's important to study why Dogen wrote in this way and what Dogen wrote was true or not.

[02:05]

But I'm not so interested in this part of Dogen. But anyway, I'll read it. Page 13, paragraph 28. Let me read. Well, this is a long paragraph. Nevertheless, these days, thoughtless people in Song China do not know where we should settle down, do not see where the treasure is and consider the expression true reality. We need a space between true and reality. True reality as if it is a vain fabrication.

[03:17]

And further, they study the words and phrases of Lao Tzu and Chuan Tzu. They say that these are the equal with a great way of Buddha ancestor. Also, they say that the three teachings, Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism, are identical. Or they say that these three teachings are like the three legs of a tripod kettle and if one of them is missing, the kettle will be overturned. This is outrageous foolishness that cannot be compared with anything. We should not think that people who utter such words have heard of Buddhadharma.

[04:22]

That is the reason Buddhadharma originated in India. Shakyamuni Buddha lived for 80 years and expounded Dharma for 50 years. He ceaselessly taught human beings and heavenly beings. He transformed all living beings and enabled them to enter the Buddha way. Since then, the 28 ancestors had authentically transmitted the Dharma. This is the prime of Dharma. This Dharma is subtle, wondrous and most venerable. Various non-Buddhist and celestial demons, Deva Mara, have all been capitulated. Nevertheless, human and heavenly beings have completed Buddhahood and become ancestors.

[05:31]

I'm sorry, numberless human and heavenly beings have completed Buddhahood and become ancestors. Nevertheless, they never said that there was something lacking, unless they investigated Confucianism and Daoism in China. If these three teachings are definitely identical, when Buddhadharma appeared in India, Confucianism and Daoism must appear at the same time there. But Buddhadharma is that in the heaven and under the heaven, I alone am the honoured one. We should ponder about the events of that time. Do not forget it and do not make a mistake. The saying, these three teachings are identical, is inferior to the babbling of small children.

[06:38]

Those who say so are the people who destroy Buddhadharma. Only this sort of people are numerous. Some of them act as if they are the guiding teachers of human and heavenly beings, or some of them become teachers of the emperors. It is a time of decline and fall of the Buddhadharma in Great Song, China. My late master, the ancient Buddha, deeply cautioned regarding this condition. This kind of people are the seeds of two vehicles unknown Buddhists. Two or three hundred years have already passed while this sort of people have been occupying Buddhist monasteries

[07:43]

without even knowing that there is the teaching of true reality. Upon studying the true Dharma of Buddha's ancestors, those people simply say that we should depart from transmigration within the cycle of birth and death. While majority of people do not even know that what is it to study the true Dharma of Buddha's ancestors. They think that studying the Dharma teaching is simply a part of training to be qualified as a resident monk of a temple. How pitiful that the way of ancestors have been abolished. Venerable masters who have the way have been deploring this condition. Do not listen to the words uttered by those kind of people.

[08:50]

We should feel pity to those people. So he is criticizing some people in Zen tradition or Buddhist tradition in Song, China. Then he visited. Here, what Dogen is discussing is about the idea of three teachings in China. Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism are identical. And Dogen Zenji didn't like that idea. So... It's very clear that he is not a ecumenical person. He is very picky.

[09:54]

But in order to understand why Chinese people have that idea, those three teachings are identical, we need to study the historical, social background of Song dynasty Zen. That is, maybe it's interesting to survey the entire history of Chinese Zen from Bodhidharma to Dogen's time to understand that condition. This is a book written by John McRae. He is a friend of mine. The title is Seeing Through Zen. And I have been working on translation of this book into Japanese. Translating to Japanese from English is much easier.

[11:01]

John McRae. This is a book about the history of Chinese Zen from the time of Bodhidharma and Song dynasty. So, the history of Chinese Zen started in the 6th century. And he divided the period into four phases. It's a simplified chart of the phases of Chinese Chan or Zen. And he said the first phase is Proto-Chan, Proto-Chan or Zen. He said it's from 500 to 600 CE.

[12:10]

And the second phase is Early Chan. This is from 600 to 900. And the third is Middle. Middle Chan. That is 750 to 1000. And the fourth is Song dynasty. Chan. And Song dynasty Chan is divided into two.

[13:12]

One is Northern. Northern Song. That is 960 to 1127. And second is Southern. Song dynasty. It is 1127 to 1269. These are the four phases between the time of Bodhidharma, very beginning of Zen, and the time of Dogen. So, about 700 years. Proto-Chan referred to Bodhidharma

[14:15]

and his disciples and followers. He said Bodhidharma came to China from 527. And Eka or Huike received transmission from Bodhidharma according to the history made up later. And second Early Chan is activities of fifth, fourth and fifth ancestors. That is Daoshin or Doshin in Japanese. Let me use Japanese pronunciation. Doshin, fourth is Doshin, fifth is Konin. And their school is called Tozan. Tozan or East Mountain School.

[15:24]

East Mountain. School. And from Doshin and Konin, there are two eminent disciples, that is Jinshu and Eno. So, Jinshu is 606 to 706, and Eno or Huinan is 638 to 713. So, this is 6th century. This is 7th century. And as you know,

[16:25]

Jinshu's lineage became Northern School of Zen. And Eno's lineage became Southern Chan. That is about the Early Chan. John said it continued until 900, because their Southern or Northern School continued. Even Southern School Zen became popular. And this 750, 8th century, is the time after Eno, there are two disciples, Nangaku Ejo and Seigen Gyoshi. And from Nangaku's lineage,

[17:30]

Baso or Maazu, Maazu is 709 to 88. And Sekito, Baso's contemporary in our lineage is Sekito, lives 710 to 90. So, from Baso and Sekito's lineage, there are many eminent Zen masters. And this time is called Golden Age of Zen. Zen masters such as, in our lineage, Sekito, Yakusan, Igen, Ungan Donjo, Tozan Ryokai, Ungo Doyo,

[18:31]

those people appeared in this time. And in Baso's lineage, Baso, Hyakujo, Obaku, Rinzai, all those people appeared in this period. So, this period is traditionally called Golden Age of Zen. But scholars like John McRae think that is not really true. And that image of Golden Age is created by the people in Song China. So, Golden Age is just an image. And it's not really true. Real reality of Tong Dynasty Zen. Anyway, this is Tong Dynasty. And Tong Dynasty disappeared, I think, in 907.

[19:34]

One dynasty disappeared means one complete system of society didn't work. So, fell apart. So, in entire China, they had a very social disorder, confusion. And between 907 to 960, about 50 years, China had five small, very short dynasties appearing and disappearing. That means there's no stable political power to govern China. So, during these 50 years, China was a total confusion, Chinese society. And China was again reunited by Song Dynasty.

[20:39]

That is 960. And the difference between Tong or Toh. In Japanese, we pronounce as Toh. But in China, Tong or Tan, I'm not sure. It's a very strong dynasty. It lasted about 300 years. And at that time of Tong Dynasty, China is most developed country in the world. At that time, you know, in Europe, nothing happened. So, China was really strong. And it has, you know, communication with India and all Asian countries. But Song Dynasty was relatively weak.

[21:44]

Because, you know, in China, Song was united entire China. But in north side of Song, there was another big country named Qing. This is not Chinese. This is, I think, Manchuria. And behind Qing, there is another nation called Mongol. And this year, 1227, Song was invaded by Qing. And Song, China, lost half of the country. And the capital is moved to the south. But this period is called Southern Song.

[22:51]

This is Northern Song. And in 1227, you know, entire China was, you know, conquered by Mongol. And, you know, Mongol means Genghis Khan's descendants. And after 1279, China was governed by Mongol for, I think, 300 years. Anyway, so the society, Chinese society in Song Dynasty didn't have a stable and strong enough government. Because of, you know, always, you know, Manchuria or Mongol are coming, trying to come down to the south.

[23:56]

So they had to fight. And somehow, they are stronger than Chinese. So in Song Dynasty, Chinese society, the people were, how can I say, asked to support the emperor, to protect their country. So they became very much nationalistic. Everything should support the government or emperor. Otherwise, they lost the country. So everything was, not everything, but even the religions. Of course, Confucianism is not simply a religion. It's also a principle of governing the entire China.

[25:02]

So this is not really simply a spiritual teaching. And Taoism, Taoism and Buddhism are those three. Usually, Taoism and Buddhism are not part of the government, but outsiders. But sometimes government or emperor take refuge in Buddhism or Taoism. When emperor support Taoism, Buddhism get down. When emperor support Buddhism, Taoism went down. That is kind of a movement. So Taoism and Buddhism are kind of competitive with each other. But in Song Dynasty China, all those three are requested to support the emperor or government.

[26:11]

And all Buddhist, not all, but Buddhist monasteries were also supported by the government. So Buddhism and government try to support each other. To be supported by the government or emperor means to be controlled, of course. That is the basic situation of Song Dynasty China for Buddhists. So the important Buddhist or Zen monasteries were supported by the government. And the abbot of those official monasteries were appointed by the emperor.

[27:16]

There is a story about one of the Chinese Soto Zen master in our lineage whose name was Fuyō Dōkai. Fuyō Dōkai was very eminent Zen master. And he was asked to be the abbot of one of the largest monasteries in the capital. But Fuyō Dōkai didn't want to be the abbot of a big monastery. So he kind of rejected. To reject what is as requested by the emperor means this person has to die. So the person from the emperor, the messenger, visited Fuyō Dōkai and said, If there is a reason to reject such as he is sick, then there is an excuse.

[28:21]

So the messenger asked Fuyō Dōkai, are you sick? Fuyō Dōkai said, no. So he was punished and he was exiled. And that's why he went to a countryside named Fuyō. And he started to practice where he was exiled. That is Mount Fuyō. And because of that rejection, Fuyō Dōkai became more popular. So many people gathered to practice with Fuyō Dōkai. And Fuyō Dōkai is the Dharma grandfather of Wanshi and Shinketsu Seiryō, or Choro Seiryō, who is in our lineage. So the Buddhist monks in Song China in the Buddhist order then occupied almost all the important monasteries.

[29:35]

Then it was an establishment within the Buddhist order. So Buddhist monasteries or Zen monasteries are not outside of the control of the Chinese government. That is a very basic reason, you know, those Chinese people had to say Zen and, not Zen, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism are one. Otherwise they had a problem, a social problem. So this idea, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism are one, is not a philosophical or spiritual idea, but it's a social ideology. To kind of protect Buddhism from the social problems.

[30:38]

So I think Dōgen's criticism against that kind of idea of identity of three teachings does not really hit the main point. So I don't think his criticism is so profound, very superficial. But, you know, his criticism is kind of important and interesting. Because Dōgen was only one, you know, there are several Zen masters, Japanese Zen masters, who went to China to practice Zen and came back to Japan and transmit Zen. And especially when Song dynasty China was conquered by the Mongols, many Chinese Zen masters came to Japan and established Zen monasteries, such as Rangke Dōryū or Mugaku Sōgen.

[31:52]

And Rangke was the founder of Kenchō-ji in Kamakura. And Mugaku Sōgen was the founder of Engaku-ji in Kamakura. Those are still big Zen monasteries, Rinzai Zen monasteries in Kamakura. But all those, both, please. Well, I'm wondering, Dōgen's criticism, part of the reason for the government's support of all these Zen monasteries is that, as I understand it from the play, that part of the function of this support was the signification of all the lands they conquered to bring everyone under one rule. So there wasn't so much support of Buddhism as a government way of controlling all the alpine districts that were conquered and brought under. Well, Dōgen said, those Chinese people said, those three teachings are three legs of a triple kettle.

[32:53]

But this kettle means Chinese society or Chinese government. It's not really something spiritual or religious. But those three teachings or religions are important to support the government. So it's not this idea of those three are one or identical. That means, you know, those three are spiritually the same. But those three are important to keep the Chinese society and government. So it's a political idea. Please. Dōgen Zenji, I assume, wrote this for a very small Japanese audience. Would they have had any real sense of this? Did this come over to Japan, this idea of the three? Was he addressing something that would be contemporary in Japanese society?

[33:57]

That is another point, very interesting. Many scholars are studying to find why Dōgen made this criticism and that influence. That is the sequence of Dōgen's criticism. And there are many different, you know, theories. And it's interesting, but not so interesting to me. That is not the main point I'm studying Dōgen. So I know some. And maybe I'm going to talk about some of them. Why Dōgen made this sequence of his criticism. Please. In a way, the way he writes it, he's inviting us not to dwell on it. Because he thinks it's so obvious. Whereas the other things take so long to read. And this, he's just saying, this is, it's like, he's sort of inviting us just to look at it and move on.

[35:02]

Yeah. I don't think this is so important as a practitioner. But if we study the history of Sōtō Zen as a part of Japanese society, I think this is important. And one of the sequences from Dōgen's criticism against this idea of identity of three teachings had some influence later in the Tokugawa era. Before that, what I started to talk is, you know, some Japanese Zen masters went to China and transmitted Chinese Zen. And some Chinese Zen masters came to Japan. But all of them did not criticize this idea. This idea was criticized only by Dōgen.

[36:06]

So, this is one of the uniqueness of Dōgen. Confucianism had a big influence in Japan as well. Oh, yes. You know, especially in the Tokugawa era, Confucianism and Song Dynasty, the same. So-called Neo-Confucianism is the basic principle or ideology of Song Dynasty society. And that was imported to Japan, actually, by Zen monks. And in Tokugawa era especially, the Neo-Confucianism, such as Shōshi or Ōyōme's philosophy, became the very basic principle to govern Japanese society. And again, in Tokugawa era, in Japanese society, Buddhism was again protected and controlled,

[37:16]

supported and controlled by Tokugawa government. So, Japanese Buddhists during Tokugawa era also have to say those three. In Japan, there is no Daoism. But, so, Buddhism, Shinto Buddhism and Confucianism are one. Actually, there are some Buddhists who said that idea. Shinto, Confucianism and Buddhism are one. Some of them said that three precepts, I mean five precepts for lay Buddhists and five virtues in Confucianism are one. Do you know five virtues in Confucianism? That is, let's see. 准義礼 慈安心

[38:40]

I think 准義 is translated as benevolence. 義 is justice. 礼, what is 礼? Courtesy or politeness. Or, how can I say? Courtesy. And 慈, good manner. Yes. And 慈 is wisdom. And 信 is trust. Those are the five virtues, five most important virtues in Confucianism. What about filial piety? Pardon me? Filial piety, 孔, is another thing. Anyway. And some Buddhists said, 慈 is wisdom. And 信 is trust. So what was the first one? Benevolence. Benevolence.

[39:54]

And some Buddhists said those five virtues and five precepts in Buddhism for lay people, that is, not killing, not stealing, not doing sexual misconduct, and not telling a lie. And that is the fifth. Intoxicate. Those five precepts and these five virtues are basically the same. That is what Buddhists say to show that Buddhism is not against Confucianism. That is a kind of problem Buddhism has always had in Chinese society.

[41:02]

Because in Buddhism, you know, give up the family responsibilities and become a monk. To give up not only family responsibilities, but also Buddhist monks were exempt to paying tax and to be a soldier. So Buddhism was sometimes, especially when the government had a financial problem, the first thing people started to complain is, we have too many Buddhist monks. And that was true. Some emperors really supported Buddhism and too much money was spent for Buddhism or sometimes for Taoism. And they created a financial problem of the government.

[42:06]

That was the main reason. Sometimes in China, there was a very severe, what we call, oppression of Buddhism. And, well, that is why the core reason of this idea of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism are one. So it's not, people who had such an idea is not thinking, not really comparing the Buddhist teaching and Confucian teaching and Taoist teaching. Study, you know, compare and study those three teachings and these three are really the same thing. But in order to be in a kind of good standing part of Chinese society, Buddhists have to say, you know,

[43:17]

Buddhism doesn't negate or destroy Chinese system of value. Anyway, I start to read sentence by sentence. Paragraph 28. Nevertheless, these days, faultless people in Song China do not know where we should settle down, do not see where the treasure is, and consider the expression to reality as if it is a vain fabrication. And further, they study the words and phrases of Lao Tzu and Chuan Tzu.

[44:18]

And they think, you know, Buddhism and the teaching of Lao Tzu or Chuan Tzu, Taoist teaching, are the same. Nevertheless means, in the previous paragraph, Dogen said, all Buddhas and ancestors are awakening to this true reality of all beings. And also this sutra as the reality of all beings. All those ancestors belong to this sutra and awaken to this reality of all beings. But this nevertheless means, but many of Chinese Buddhists in Song China didn't understand that.

[45:18]

And they said, you know, Buddhism and Taoism and also Confucianism are one. That doesn't make sense. That is Dogen's point. I think so. But somehow he didn't write here. Actually, I like Chuan Tzu. Before I became Dogen's student, I think I was a student of Chuan Tzu. But when I was a teenager, I really loved Chuan Tzu. I read Lao Tzu, but Lao Tzu was not so attractive to me. Very kind of quiet. But Chuan Tzu is funny. Very interesting. Especially I like the story in the very beginning of Chuan Tzu.

[46:24]

The story of big bird. Big bird, you know, from the high sky. And the earth is only, seems just blue. And there are, you know, tiny birds, you know, flying between small twigs. Actually, as I said, I wanted to escape from the society. So I wanted to be like the bird. The big bird. Yeah. That's very interesting. Yes. It's very interesting. But after I started to study Dogen, I found the difference between Chuan Tzu and Dogen. That is, that big bird sees the absolute, maybe, absolute reality beyond any discrimination.

[47:29]

It's just blue. But that blue bird, you know, look down those small birds flying between, you know, twigs. So this big bird had no kind of interaction with people in the society. Just left the discrimination or world dichotomy. Or people working in a daily, day-to-day basis to, you know, make money or to support their family. So there's no compassion. But according to, not only Dogen, but in Buddhism, you know, bodhisattva go beyond dichotomy and discrimination.

[48:30]

But bodhisattva should come back to, you know, this day-to-day lives or the marketplace. I found that is the difference between Chuan Tzu and Dogen. Anyway. So those people say that these are the equal with the great way of Buddha ancestors. And Dogen didn't agree with it. Also they say that the three teachings, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism are identical. Or they say that these three teachings are like the three legs of a tripod kettle. And if one of them is missing, the kettle will be overturned. So this tripod kettle is not something like spiritual or religious, but this is Chinese government or Chinese society.

[49:39]

This is outrageous foolishness. That cannot be compared with anything. So his criticism is from the point of reality of all beings, in which everything is connected within entire time and space. But this idea is only within society at that time. We should not think that people who utter such words have heard of Buddha Dharma. That is the reason Buddha Dharma originated in India. Shakyamuni Buddha lived for 80 years and he expanded Dharma for 50 years. So he attained the Buddha-Fuda around 30 years old. And he ceaselessly taught human beings and heavenly beings.

[50:44]

He transformed all living beings and enabled them to enter the Buddha way. Since then, the 28 ancestors had authentically transmitted the Dharma. This refers to Shakyamuni to Bodhidharma. The 28th generation, the Dharma was transmitted according to Zen tradition. This is the prime of Dharma. This Dharma is subtle, wondrous, and most venerable. Various non-Buddhists and the celestial demons have all been capitulated. Nevertheless, human and heavenly beings have completed... I'm sorry. Nonetheless, human and heavenly beings have completed Buddhahood.

[51:50]

Excuse me. That sentence, have been capitulated, have capitulated would make more sense. Oh. It means surrendered. Yes. So not passive. So, have all capitulated. OK, thank you. Thank you. Then, numerous human and heavenly beings have completed Buddhahood and become ancestors. This is what Dogen said before in this writing, that all bodhisattvas became Buddha billions of times. That means in each and every action as a practice is a complete manifestation of Buddha nature. Nevertheless, they never said that there was something lacking,

[52:57]

unless they investigated Confucianism and Daoism in China. This means Buddhist people in India didn't think, because they didn't have Confucianism or Daoism, they are something lacking. Please. I don't know when you wrote this question, but can you go back a second to the various non-Buddhists and celestial demons? What are those non-Buddhists? Buddhist people. All people who are not Buddhist. That's right. At that time, were there Christians and were there more groups? What does it mean that they passed off and went away? This has nothing to do with that kind of real history. This is only within the Buddhist teachings or sutras. I'm sorry. This is not about the reality of social or worldly reality.

[54:05]

This is only within the Buddhist kind of theology. What's a non-Buddhist, if not in Buddhist terms? Non-Buddhist means people who didn't become Buddhist students, didn't follow what the Buddha taught. Actually, they didn't capitulate. You know, there are many other religious people. So this is simply... Buddhism is a very small part of Indian religions. So this is not historically true.

[55:06]

This is not true. You don't need to believe this. I don't believe this. I don't believe this. He said, if these three teachings are definitely identical, when Buddha Dharma appeared in India, Confucianism and Daoism must appear at the same time there. This doesn't make sense to me. But Buddha Dharma is that in the heaven and under the heaven, I alone am the honored one. This is what Shakyamuni said when he was born. That means Buddha was only one honored one.

[56:08]

So Buddhism doesn't need Daoism or Confucianism. It's complete. That is what Phat Dogen wanted to say. So we should ponder about the event of that time, that means when Buddha was born. Do not forget it, and do not make a mistake. So Phat Dogen wanted to say, Buddhists should think that Buddhism is a complete teaching. We don't need something else. I'm not sure if this is true or not. So we have to really think. What Phat Dogen is saying here is really true or not. I don't think it's true. So I don't need to... I mean, we don't need to believe everything Dogen wrote. In his historical situation or condition,

[57:12]

this might be something he had to say. But I don't think we need to believe everything he said or he wrote. At least there is something which doesn't make sense at all to us or to me. Please. I don't understand. He said you don't believe it's true that Buddhism is not complete in itself. No. Dogen said as Buddhists we should believe or think that Buddhism is a complete teaching. We don't need something else to support Buddhism. I think that is true. We should. But this criticism against other people in other traditions, Dogen's criticism, is not something we have to accept from Dogen. Especially I think today in this country,

[58:15]

there are all different kinds of spiritual traditions. Only within Buddhism, all different Buddhist traditions from Asia came to this country now. And we interact with all those traditions. I feel I am very fortunate to be here. In Japan, when I studied Buddhism and Dogen's teaching in Japan at Komazawa University, what I was taught is this tradition, Shakyamuni Buddha, Mahayana Buddhism, and Chinese Zen, and Dogen's teaching as a Soto Zen tradition, is the mainstream and most superior tradition.

[59:16]

And all others are lower or fake. I think that doesn't work at all anymore. And I don't think we need that kind of attitude toward other religious or spiritual traditions. I think I am Dogen's student, and I'm practicing and following his teaching, but I don't think my way of life, my practice is only the correct or right or highest way of life or practice. Even within Buddhism, there are many different traditions, and each tradition has its own style and approach to the absolute reality.

[60:26]

So we can share our wisdom. It's a very good thing. And not only Buddhism, but Buddhism and Christianity and other religions are now in one kind of marketplace. And we have to communicate with each other. So if we think Buddhism is only a true religion, then we have a problem. Please. Are Buddhist universities in Japan today still being taught in that kind of fundamentalist manner? No. Today's Buddhist scholars, at least at Komazawa University, are very critical against that kind of tradition. Oh, he said, the saying, these three teachings are identical, is inferior to the babbling of small children.

[61:31]

This means complete nonsense. When he criticized something, he used very strong words. I don't like it. Those who say so are the people who destroy Buddhadharma. And only this sort of people are numerous, he said, in Song Dynasty China. Some of them act as if they are the guiding teachers of human and heavenly beings, or some of them become teachers of the emperor. Those are so-called Chinese Zen masters who were the avatars of the main Zen monasteries when Dogen visited China. Within his writings, we found that Dogen Zenji, when Dogen went to China,

[62:37]

he encountered very sincere and eminent practitioners, and Dogen was really influenced or inspired by those people. But those people are all kind of not famous, not well-known practitioners, such as the old Tendo he met in the very beginning of his visit in China, and another Tendo who was drying mushrooms, and one monk from Sichuan who was very poor, so he was wearing a paper robe because he didn't have money to buy clothing. And someone asked him, why don't you go back home and get new clothing and come back? But the person said, I don't want to do that,

[63:40]

because that is just a waste of time. And another monk who was from a very high-class family, wealthy family, became a monk, but he wore very shabby clothing. And Dogen asked that person, you are from a very wealthy family, why your clothing is so shabby? Then that person said, because I became a monk, so to be free from the desire to have possessions is an obstacle to practice Dharma. So those are the very good examples for Dogen as Zen Buddhist practitioners. But about their famous, well-known Zen masters at his time, except his teacher, Nyojo,

[64:41]

he didn't praise anything about those abbots. And one of the criticisms Dogen, I think, talked with Nyojo was those abbots didn't practice in a monk's hall with training monks. What those abbots were doing was to socialize with high government officials, or rich people, or eminent scholars, or those lay people. You know, the big official Zen monastery at that time was a really big kind of institution supported by the government. So it's like the abbot of that kind of institution is like the president of the university today.

[65:44]

So I think those abbots are busy to do something with the government and other people in the high society. So they didn't really practice with training monks. One of the points of Dogen's criticism. Anyway, so, It is a time of decline and fall of the Buddha Dharma in Great Song, China. My late master, the ancient Buddha, deeply cautioned regarding this condition. According to Dogen, his teacher, Tendo Nyojo, was only one exception. And traditionally, in Soto Zen tradition, because people never doubted what Dogen wrote,

[66:50]

so I think people used to think that was true. But today, scholars start to question whether what Dogen wrote about his teacher is really true or not. I'm not a scholar, so I don't know that detail. In order to really find out if it's true or not, we have to study all other Zen masters and the organizational structure of Zen monasteries in Song, China. Otherwise we cannot say anything is true. So I cannot say anything. But I think it is true. So there is some question whether what Dogen wrote about his teacher is really true in the history or not.

[67:55]

Anyway, that means if Tendo Nyojo was really such an exceptional Zen master in Song, China or not, if so, why he could become the abbot of such a big monastery? And when we read the recorded sayings of Nyojo made in China, we couldn't find what Dogen wrote about his teacher. So, I'm not sure. It might be a fiction. I mean, the image of Tendo Nyojo was a fiction made by Dogen. Anyway, he continues, This kind of people are the seed of two vehicles of unknown Buddhism. It's not good. Two or three hundred years have already passed

[69:03]

while this sort of people have been occupying Buddhist monasteries without even knowing that there is the teaching of true reality. So those people didn't know this true reality of all beings. Upon studying the true Dharma of Buddha's ancestors, those people simply say that we should depart from transmigration within the cycle of birth and death. So, according to Dogen, they are teaching us we should leave the transmigration with life and death. So, that means they don't teach we need to go back to life and death and work together with all beings within samsara.

[70:07]

They put emphasis on leaving life and death. They don't teach coming back to life and death. A majority of people do not even know that what is it to study the true Dharma of Buddha's ancestors. They think that studying the Dharma, studying the Dharma teaching is simply a part of training to be qualified as a resident monk of a temple. This is interesting. This is a kind of a reality of Japanese Buddhism. You know, Japanese Buddhist priests study Buddhism and go through some Buddhist monastic training

[71:10]

to be qualified as a temple priest. And many of them, or more than 90% of Japanese Buddhist priests are the sons of Buddhist priests. So, they become a Buddhist priest or a temple priest as a kind of a family obligation. That is not necessarily bad. That is why Japanese Buddhist temples can be maintained. If Japanese Buddhists didn't create that kind of system Buddhist priests have family and sons take over the temple I think Japanese Buddhism would die out sooner. So, I'm not sure it's good or bad. And I don't need to say good or bad. But that is a reality.

[72:11]

That means, because of that, many Buddhist priests are not really interested in Buddhism. They are, I think many of them, almost all of them are very sincere persons because they accept their kind of a family obligation and sincerely work as a Buddhist priest. But their basic motivation is not for the sake of Dharma but kind of a family or social obligation. Dogen saw the same thing in Song, China. And I think when one religion becomes a kind of a part of establishment as an institution in one society I think in some part we cannot avoid these kinds of things

[73:15]

because we have to maintain and protect the temples. To maintain the temples we need people even if those people are not really interested in Dharma. To maintain the temple and our tradition or culture we need people. And even they are not so spiritual those people who are willing to work on that even that is not really 100% spiritual but cultural it's important. And it has some meaning, some meaning and function in the society or culture. And also, you know, that kind of system can support small number of very sincere spiritual practitioners. That is another point. So we cannot say those people should be, you know, get out of the temples.

[74:21]

If they get out of the temple no one maintain, take care of the temples. But I think the important point is to support a small number of very sincere spiritual practitioners. Well, how pitiful that the way of ancestors have been abolished. Venerable masters who have the way have been deploring this condition. Do not listen to the words uttered by those kind of people. We should feel pity to those people. So, this is Dogen's criticism. And he, next section, he introduced a few exceptions.

[75:28]

Zen master Yuan Wu, or En Guo, said coming and going within life and death is a true and genuine human body. This Yuan Wu, or En Guo, is the person. He quoted this expression, coming and going within life and death is a true and genuine human body, before in this writing. But this person, En Guo, his Dharma name is Kokugon, is a person who compiled, or who made the commentary on the one hundred verses, on one hundred koans by Secho Juken and made the Blue Cliff Record, or Hikigandoku. So, he is an important person in Song dynasty then.

[76:32]

And so, he is a Rinzai Zen master. And this person is a teacher of Da Hui, or Dai Ye, who is a Zen master who criticizes Soto style of Zen as a silent, illumination, evil Zen. And En Guo is his master. But somehow, Dogen Zenji respected this person, En Guo. And En Guo is one of the several Zen masters Dogen called with the kind of title, Kobutsu.

[77:34]

It means ancient Buddha. He used this title, ancient Buddha, only people who really respected, such as his own teacher, Tenbo Nyojo, and Joshu, and Wanshi. And this person, En Guo, is one of them. And he said, this saying, coming and going within life and death is the true and genuine human body, is an expression of true reality of all beings. And upholding this utterance, we should know that our self is and in fact our self is. So, we should study what our self is. Our self is this true human body that is coming and going within life and death.

[78:47]

So, En Guo didn't say we have to leave, escape from life and death. That is the point. So, we should, we are coming and going, being born and living and dying within life and death. This is our human, true human body. So, we have to accept and take a vow to practice and go through this process of life and death as a bodhisattva practice. Our practice is not escaping from life and death. I think that is the point of Dogen. And another person is Changsha, or in Japanese pronunciation, Chosha. This person, Chosha, is... Chosa or Chosha, was Baso's disciple.

[79:54]

Baso or Mao had many disciples, and Chosha is one of them. And this person said, the entire ten direction world is the true and genuine human body. The entire ten direction world is within the radiant light of the self. Dogen Zenji liked this expression also very much. And he used this expression in Shobo Genzo Shinjin Gakudo, or studying the way with body and mind. And he said, we should study the way with our entire body and entire mind, but this body doesn't mean only these five skandhas, but the true human body is the ten direction world.

[80:59]

So, this body, this person, and the ten direction world are one thing. That is what Dogen wanted to say as the true reality of all beings. So, his point is, enlightenment and delusion is within the relationship between the self and ten myriad dharmas. It's not a matter of within ourselves there is some kind of... some part which creates all delusions, and then we take out that part like a cancer. And if we take that part out, then we completely become enlightened, and we have no delusion and create no problems anymore. That kind of idea is what Dogen criticized.

[82:02]

And even about the Buddha nature, the common idea of Buddha nature is that Buddha nature is something hidden in ourselves. And our practice is to discover that hidden Buddha nature. So, Buddha nature is like a diamond covered with rock and dirt. First we have to discover that there is a diamond covered by the rock and dirt. First we have to discover it and take the dirt and rock and polish that diamond. Then diamond becomes beautiful. That is to become an enlightened person. But Dogen Zenji, in Shobo Gendo Buddha Nature, he criticized that idea. And he said, Buddha nature is not something like a hidden diamond.

[83:06]

But he said, entire being is Buddha nature. According to him, nothing is hidden. Everything is completely revealed. But we don't see. So, from Dogen's point of view, that within ourselves there is something like a diamond or a seed of delusion, and we have to do something inside of ourselves without relationship with others, is the problem. For him, enlightenment and delusion is within relationship between self and all other things. That is what he wrote in Genjo Koan. So that is the basic difference between Dogen's idea and kind of a common idea about Zen or Zen practice or Buddha nature. Do you have something?

[84:07]

I'm just wondering if, you know, Dogen's understanding of the teaching is very gradual and very radical. And dynamic. And I'm wondering if the reason why he criticizes other teachings or other teachers who don't have that same kind of teaching, I'm wondering if it's because he worries or he's afraid that that kind of teaching will not continue, that people might get confused. I think so. I think that is the main reason, especially for his disciples. So for a naive student, a foolish person, it can seem to be very helpful what Dogen is saying in those things. It can seem very helpful. I think so. His teaching is very helpful, very profound and very dynamic. And it's not esoteric at all.

[85:13]

It's actual day-to-day life. We appreciate the ordinary, the profoundity and the broad boundlessness of each and every ordinary thing we do every day. And yet, in some tradition of Zen, enlightenment is something very special. Only special kind of people can attain. And I think that is another point of Dogen's criticism. Let me finish another few sentences. Elders in the various districts of the Great Song China today do not even know that such utterances express the truth that should be studied,

[86:17]

much less they actually study it. If it is brought up, they must simply brush with shame without saying anything. I'm not sure it's true or not. And another exception is his own teacher, Nyojo. My great master, the ancient Buddha, said, Today, elders in various districts, elders mean the avatars, masters, have no insight that illuminates the ancient and the present. They never had any understanding of the principle of the Buddha Dharma. Although the entire ten-direction world is upheld and expressed in such a way, how are they able to understand? Out there, it is as if they have never heard of it. This is Nyojo's saying about his contemporary Zen masters.

[87:24]

This is the kind of thing that you say you can't find a record of Nyojo. Right, right. We can find this kind of saying of Nyojo only in Dogen's writing. And another sentence. After I heard of this utterance, I questioned many elders in the various districts. So, after he heard Nyojo's saying, he visited different districts and talked with many Zen masters. But those who have heard of this teaching of the true reality of all beings were really rare. So, Dogen found Nyojo's saying was really true. And how pitiful that these elders have been desecrating monastic offices in vain.

[88:28]

This is a very strong statement. Maybe, you know, some Americans and practitioners visited Japanese monasteries. They found the same thing. You know, the abbot of the monastery didn't often come to the Zendo. They are busy. And what they are usually talking is, mainly they teach to the lay people. What they teach is not like what Dogen is saying, but kind of a moralistic teaching within Japanese society. So, if Americans and students hear that kind of teaching, then their teaching has nothing to do with Dogen's teaching. And I think that is true. I'm sorry, but that is true. But there is a reason.

[89:31]

That means those abbots don't know what Dogen taught. But that is a kind of a duty as a head of an institution who has the members who need that kind of teaching. Maybe. But people like Dogen said that is demons' activity. Honestly speaking, that is one of the reasons I didn't want to be a temple priest in Japan. So I'm happy to be in America. Please. I'm not sure.

[90:40]

I hope not. So this is a mystery. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Thank you.

[91:01]

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