1969, Serial No. 00023

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KR-00023
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Dhammata in Sanskrit is one of the words translated into English, no, into Japanese or Chinese. When you translate the truth or dhammata, we have several original words. If you translate them in Sanskrit into Chinese or Japanese, it is termed shokou jissou or jissai or jissou, the truth.

[01:16]

But, generally speaking, the word dhammata, which is called shokou jissou in Japanese, is used very often. Then, I use the word dhammata to explain the truth, shokou jissou. As has been said yesterday, dhammata means, dhammata is termed in Japanese shokou jissou, shokou is all beings, jissou is the truth, jissou is the forms or figures, in other words, generally speaking, it is the reality.

[02:41]

Reality. So, all beings should be based on the real fact of reality, real reality. Reality means, from the viewpoint of Japanese, jissai, this is the truth. Jissai is the word which you get into the organ of six senses. The moment when you get in the fourth stage in the explanation of the twelve chains of causation, then the moment when you are born in your mother's womb, in the first stage,

[03:57]

that tiny body and mind regard as the first conception of baby, this is the fourth stage of twelve causations, which is called the fourth stage. Fourth. Next stage, this tiny body and mind develop the first stage of the organs of six senses. Then, jissai, according to Buddhism, includes the truth and the organs of six senses,

[05:10]

in other words, the various phases of human life, which emerges from the six organs, six senses. Then, in this point, the truth doesn't exist apart from the six senses, or the various phases of beings. The dhammata taught by Shakyamuni Buddha is much bigger, much bigger stage, rather than the smaller stage of human speculation, which is used in our daily life.

[06:23]

Then, from this point, the dhammata should exist, regardless of whether Shakyamuni Buddha was born in this world or not, this is the truth, truth should exist. Regardless of whether Shakyamuni Buddha existed in this world or not. So, what I'm speaking, it is called Dhammakaya Buddha. Dhammakaya Buddha. Then, in Buddhism, very often, it is said, all things, everything is teacher.

[07:32]

Parents, teachers, nations, all society should be teachers. Or Buddha, for us, but this truth, this dhammata, has essential functions, are the full functions of its own. Dhammata itself has the true nature of functions, true nature of function, the nature of function. Nevertheless, it doesn't reveal, it doesn't reveal by itself.

[08:45]

This dhammata should be revealed through our body or all beings. All beings. In other words, we should give a complete form to dhammata. This is the life situation, this is life situation, this is our practice. And through our practice, dhammata should be revealed. Then, Dogen Zenji says, each of us should have possessed the Buddha, the nature of Buddhahood. But, it is impossible to reveal it, unless you practice, you will not practice,

[10:04]

or you will practice, unless you will practice. Then, every moment when you practice, the dhammata should be erased, and dhammata should be revealed, within the world of our practice. So, in the Satyama Pundalika Sutra, Shaliputra asks Buddha about the question, about the subject,

[11:20]

about the subject of the emancipation, which Buddha taught. The emancipation is really the sole object to be free from. Suffering, pleasures, delusions, certain signs. Then, Shaliputra asks Buddha, what is, why is it the emancipation is the best, the only one, only the sole object, to be free from suffering, pleasures, delusions, and so on.

[12:28]

Then, the second time, first, in the first time, he asked, but Shakyamuni Buddha didn't answer. The second time, he did in the same way. The third time, the Shakyamuni Buddha, I think, he is answering to his questions. The Sutra says, the moment when he made his mind to explain about it, Sutra says, I am going to speak. Now, it happened that five thousand proud monks, nuns, and lay

[13:45]

devotees of both sexes in the congregation rose from their seats, and after saluting with their lowered feet, went to leave the assembly. Owing to the principle of good which the laity implied, they imagined having attained what they had not, and having understood what they had not, therefore, thinking themselves aggrieved, they went to leave the assembly, to which the Lord, by his silence, showed assent. Well upon the Lord addressed the Venerable Shaliputra,

[14:47]

My congregation, Shaliputra, has been cleared from the chaff, free from the trash, it is firmly established in the strength of faith. It is good, Shaliputra, that those proud ones are gone away. Now, I am going to expound the matter. Shaliputra, very well, Lord, replied the Venerable Shaliputra. The Lord then began and said, Even though the five hundred people in the congregation went to leave the assembly, it is the most important thing that Shakyamuni Buddha, by his silence, showed assent.

[15:56]

Then our practice should be so. Even though there is one person, even though there are five hundred, one thousand million students in the Tathagata, our practice should be going on in the same way. Because the Buddha Dhammata is not something which is tossed by any kind of circumstances, whatever happens. Even though the Buddha is born now here, even though the Buddha doesn't exist in this world

[17:13]

now, our practice, as Dhammata, should be going on in the same way. Whatever happens. Even though you can go to the moon, our practice is the same. Even though all kinds of human beings fight with themselves, with each other, our practice should be going on in the same way. In Japan, during the Second World War, after the Second World War, the attitude of monastic life had been going on in the same way.

[18:28]

When you get up early in the morning, wash your face and sit in meditation, clean the house, fixing the meal, chanting sutra before meal, all the same, all were going on in the same way. Probably, those days when the Bodhisattva went to China, I think there were many things, many events which happened around Bodhidharma's circumstances. In the beginning, probably he might expect something, as a hope, sometimes fears.

[19:47]

At last he gave up everything and sat in meditation, without being tossed by circumstances. Then, what the Buddha, the Lord said, the Buddha said, Ah, what the Buddha said, it is good. Now, it is good, Shariputra, that those proud ones have gone away. Now I am going to expand the matter. But, Shariputra doesn't ignore the existence of proud people, or ignorant people.

[20:58]

Our practice should be based on firmly, firmly being established in the strength of the mind. Without being tossed by any circumstances. That's why the Lord says, it is good, that those proud ones have gone away. Now, I am going to expand the matter, Shariputra. It is but now and then, Shariputra, that the Tathagata preaches such discourse on the Lord as this.

[22:15]

Just as, but now and then, is seen the blossom of the Romulus fig tree, Shariputra, so does the Tathagata, but now and then, preach such discourse on the Lord. Believe me, Shariputra, I speak what is real, I speak what is truthful. I speak what is right. It is difficult to understand the exposition of the mystery of the Tathagata, Shariputra, for in elucidating the laws, Shariputra, I use hundred thousand of various skillful means, such as different interpretations, indications, explanations, illustrations.

[23:20]

It is not by reasoning, Shariputra, that the law is to be found. It is beyond the pale of reasoning and must be learned from the Tathagata. It is far from easy to understand that our practice should be going on in the same way, whatever happens. However, the ages, ages happen, ages change. What kind of bond exists in this world?

[24:25]

Then, our mind is below the atmosphere, looking forward, seeing the imagination of the Dhammata, what are the Enlightenment, or what practice is, what truth is, what is real. When you, while you are chasing for what Enlightenment is, what truth is, it is not so easy to understand what truth is, because at that time what you are chasing for

[25:42]

is to recognize a certain conception, what there exists, a substantial entity of the truth or Dhammata without being aware of existing, just in the middle of Dhammata. It is like a person who is chasing for their own head. Where is my head? My head always exists on top of your body.

[26:53]

But sometimes we are chasing for your head, your purse, your money, where is money? But your money is always in your sleeves. Where is money? Reverend Suzuki, Roshi always forget. Roshi is apt to forget something. He made a rule, he said to me, he made a rule to put the hat on his head, because he always forget. He always leave the hat, his own hat, wherever he goes.

[28:00]

When he went to Los Alos, he left his own hat in Los Alos. He didn't know where his hat was. In my case, sometimes I have been looking for my hat without being aware of holding it in my sleeve. Where is my hat? And I always ask the person, do you know where my hat is?

[29:03]

For a while I was aware of where it is, where it was. It is attitude of life, when you are lost to your mind, when you are absence of your mind, when you are chasing for your head, your hat, you don't know where your head, your hat are. Then, the Dhammata taught by Buddha is not so easy to understand, because people chase for

[30:15]

something without being aware of existence, right in the middle of Dhammata. It is not logical thesis, a logical way of thinking. It is not by reasoning, Shaliputra, that law is to be found. It is beyond the pale of reasoning, and must be learned from the Tathagata. Whatever happens, as has mentioned before, our practice should be going on in the same way.

[31:23]

It means, you should learn your practice is learned from the Tathagata, just going on, just going on. This is the Dhammata. Then, purpose of life, wrongness, each of us, members of human being, is to have this soul object, which he should keep,

[32:29]

to show all creatures the side of Tathagata's knowledge, to open the eyes of all creatures for the side of Tathagata's knowledge. There is no second vehicle, there is no third vehicle. The vehicle in which you ride on is the Buddha's world. For long journey of human being, during the long journey of human being, human life,

[33:53]

the feeling of peevishness, feeling of complain, bubbling up very often in everyday life, particularly when you stay in very quiet place, where it is easier to contemplate yourself, like Tathagata, like then monastic life, you think peevishness, complains are bubbling up always. Always practice, always truth, you think this is second vehicle, these are second vehicle, third vehicle.

[35:06]

In the world of Dhammata there is no second vehicle, third vehicle. First, there is nothing but only soul vehicle, it is the objective which human being should keep, through whole life, in order to show all creatures the side of Tathagata's knowledge. This is our practice, this is human life, human life should be so.

[36:13]

In this point, any kind of events around your life should show all creatures the side of Tathagata's knowledge. When you put your hands together, which is called Gassho, Gassho is not merely formalities, which means to pay homage to Buddha, Gassho is not merely the practice when you think, in order to promote your character, your human being, in order to enrich the content of your character.

[37:30]

Gassho should be the practice, to show all creatures the side of Tathagata's knowledge, because Zazen should be so, the attitude even when you walk on the street, even when you take a step ahead, this attitude should show all creatures the side of Tathagata's knowledge. The other day, someone asked me, in the four vows, in the verses of the four vows,

[38:50]

it says, I vow to put an end all delusions, she said, it is nonsense, it is nonsense to put an end to delusions, I agreed with her, when you think, when you think it is nonsense, it is nonsense to put an end, your practice is just a practice, your practice is like formalities, like a practice to make your character's personality enrich or improve,

[40:01]

because it is impossible to understand, as long as you recognize something like delusions, to put an end to delusions, and then you practice, so your practice is down, your practice is down a toast pie, to put an end to your delusions. The Zen master named Reverend Eiko Hashimoto,

[41:16]

he was also one of famous outstanding Zen master, as well as Reverend Kodo Sawaki, who was the teacher of Reverend Kosho Uchiyama, who is the head of Antaiji Temple in Kyoto, Reverend Hashimoto, through and through, showed all creators, the side of Tathagata's knowledge,

[42:25]

whenever, wherever, whatever he did, then, to spread the Buddhism, to teach the Buddha's teaching, it is not to spread Buddhism, it is not to spread Buddhism by means of mass communication, something like that. In United States, all American people, mostly not all, most people think, those who are interested,

[43:34]

those who are practicing actually, Zen Buddhism, should be crazy. If they are actually practicing Zen Buddhism, all people will criticize them, how crazy he is, but in their mind, he is very interesting in Buddhism, but he cannot, he cannot practice actually, because he fears, he fears the others' criticism,

[44:40]

he fears to lose his job, he fears to lose his own position, as members of society, I think it is true, I think it is all right. In Japan, monks, once or twice a month, practice begging, to receive the money, some rice and any kind of food,

[45:51]

every time when we start, start to leave the monastery, then, Reverend Hashimoto said to us, your robe, your hat, your straw sandals, your clothes, your face, your body, should show all beings, all human beings, aside of account of knowledge, dress neatly,

[47:09]

don't lose, don't lose your robe, tie to your strings of your robe, when you walk on the street, keep straightening your back head, don't look backward and forward, rightward, leftward, just look straightly, when you chant the sutra, walking on the street,

[48:17]

you should recite the sutras with whole-mindedness, because recitation of sutras, should show, should open the eyes of all creation, for the sight of Tathagata's knowledge, then, to teach the Buddhism, Buddha's teaching, you can do wherever, whenever, however, whatever you do, when you find yourself, yourself, in this attitude of stability,

[49:31]

or impermeable composure, in this way, that time of practice, is real practice. Of course, as long as we are members of human beings, with karma, sometimes you want to say, you want to express peevishness and complain, but if you, if you trust them, it is impossible to understand, what is truth,

[50:39]

what is dhammata, what is practice, what is human life, then, Buddha says, Shariputra, do I teach creators the law, this law is dhammata, this law is, to teach the Buddha's teaching, whenever, whatever, wherever, however you may, you may do, put your hands together, should show, should open all creator's eyes, for the sight of Tathagata's knowledge, there is no second vehicle,

[51:43]

there is no peevishness, no complain, no vehicle of peevishness, no vehicle of complain, this is the truth, this is the nature of the law, this is the nature of the law, nature of the law is, the big world, including, including the oceans, including the human beings, who belongs to six worlds, the world, by which

[52:49]

human being is carried, the oceans, the oceans, by which all human being and vehicle, Bodhisattva's practice, should be carried on, should be carried on, this is the nature of the law, Sariputra, universally in the world, in all directions,

[53:52]

Sariputra, Dambatta is not something mysterious, of course it is not so easy to understand what Dambatta is, what the truth is, but it is not something mysterious, it is not something to get through astrology, through the way of astrology, through the way of Ichi, even though your hands, your face is telling something for your future, of course

[55:32]

some peevishness make you make your life make you go and see the fortune tellers, what should I do? I think it is alright, but don't believe it, don't trust it, if you trust it now all you are confused, because we don't know what happens, what will happen in a few minutes ahead, maybe by the talk

[56:32]

maybe you can you can trust the fortune tellers talk and you find yourself to live to live your life to live your life with happiness I think it seems to me that they are they are people who got many things more than more than necessary now when there were

[57:35]

lack of food right after the second world war in Japan in Fukui prefecture near the Ehenji monastery after second world war many people were crazy about getting getting a lot of things more than necessary unfortunately they had to most people most people passed away by the big earth most people including lots of materials more than necessary including money

[58:36]

food people lots of things more than necessary wealth powers honors have been gone the moment when the big earth happened I think it is alright to to be curiosity to get the curiosity in order to understand

[59:36]

your life in future toward the direction of the future through the fortune tellers it is alright but don't trust don't believe even though your hands of course of course through the principle of astrology or fortune tellers our hands telling something for your future this is real truth but even this the lines shown on your palm doesn't stay

[60:37]

even a moment even the lines shown on the palm always changing don't worry about it so this line should be created by your life by your moment by your effort then that's why I think United States not only United States in Japan at the present there are lots of choice to do something fortune tellers, astrologers

[61:38]

new religions lots of new religions Soka Gakkai Soka Gakkai tell you to make you happy to make you get lots of money if you believe it I think it is alright but it seems to me in Buddhism Buddha's teaching that's the second vehicle third vehicle you should contemplate what soul vehicle is soul vehicle is to show the all creator inside of whatever whenever however you may do you should settle yourself

[62:46]

in the self own self in this world in the world of Dhammata this is important this is our practice Dhammata itself should have full functions full elements of functions full elements of functions full elements of functions

[63:19]

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