Two kinds of Buddhist practices. The first one is the individual practice seeking for dharma, truth. The second, I'm going to say, indoctrination of teaching the Dhamma. Do you understand the indoctrination of Dhamma? I don't know if this term is appropriate or not, anyway. In other words, the Buddhist practice is purged for individual improvement in individual progress in their life.

[01:09]

On the other hand, the second Buddhist practice must benefit others, helping others. So from this point, broadly speaking, Buddhist practice is not only for individual purposes. But simultaneously, the practice for individual purposes must be backed by, anyway, helping others, benefiting others' life. This is very important. So from this point, practice, the practice in Buddhism is, in a turn, common human actions, but very refined practice.

[02:10]

Very refined practice. That's why I told, I have so far explained Buddhist faith and also Bodhichitta. Refined practice. The refined practice is a human action, a very deep human action coming from coming from realization of artic thoughts so this is a Buddhist practice in order to seek for the Dharma anyway we have to keep

[03:28]

define human actions. Define human actions. It's nothing more than human action. So for this, refined practice is a state of human action that you have to always create newly from moment to moment, the past, present, future, Anyway, your life must be, what to say, going in new ways, newly, refreshing. Your life must be refreshed. Refreshed, do you understand? Refreshed. We call maybe, well, fitness mind. Fitness mind. When you start to practice Buddhism or whatever you realize you realize you are beginner at that time anyway day by day you feel refreshing you feel your life refresh refreshingly because you really pay attention to your life every day and learn something new but when

[04:55]

your practice is progressing very naturally most people are stalking the progress in your practice so very naturally arrogance and boast you know haughty air comes up in your practice so right in the middle of progress in the practice in the practice still you have to be a beginner's mind because you have to your practice must be refreshing every moment every day day by day and also when you get old thing actually you can realize that your life has been or your life is making you mature, you know.

[06:00]

So very naturally, the old people are very proud of his life in comparison with other young people's life. And very naturally, they criticize the young person. But in this case, even though in the realm of maturity of the practice, you have to be refreshed in the practice. So that is refined practice, refined practice. So-called practice, the practice is going on in the realm of Buddha anyway. So the practice you do is not the something you do. The practice you do is something you are drawn in by.

[07:03]

Something more than your effort. So, but anyway, you do. By your effort, you start to do something. But right in the middle of the practice you believe you are doing, and anyway, you have to realize something more than that so that is you must be let go of the idea of I do my practice my air force that means constantly you become refreshing very natural that is called Buddhist practice the outstanding Zen master who was the one of the disciple of Vassal Zen master. His name was Kisu. He was asked by the monk and saying, what is the Buddha?

[08:11]

The Kisu Zen master says, are you ready to believe and my teaching, whatever I teach you. So monk says, of course, I believe in your teaching, and I follow your teaching exactly because you're a teacher anyway. And then he kisses him, master, are you sure? So once more again, he pushed, he checked again. And he checked him once more again. He said, yes, of course. And then he said, you are Buddha. So that is the first step of the practice you have to do. You have to take it into account. And also, that is the end.

[09:15]

That is the goal of the practice. So from the beginning to end, anyway, you have to practice in the realm of the Buddha. The Buddha means... Buddha means, anyway, I told you in reference with faith. The faith is the spiritual life which you have to, anyway, see deeply into the ultimate source of existence, foundation of existence. What is the foundation of existence? What is the ultimate, ultimate source of existence? This is not the truth, not the idea, perception or concept of the truth, or it is not the concept of God you believe, you know.

[10:17]

This is the absolute, or the truth, which is nothing but conglomeration, conglomeration? Conglomeration. Hmm? Conglomeration. Conglomeration, or aggregate, of countless number of conditioned factors. So what is it? You don't know what it is. But it's there, it's real, it's there. So cold, if you see, if you realize, it is temporarily cold. Anyway, the truth, ultimate source. But, if you try to understand, through your sixth senses, you don't know, because it is nothing but, not more than, the conglomeration, or aggregates, of countless number of predictions elements. What is it? What is the conglomeration of conditional elements?

[11:22]

That is nothing but functions, movement. You know the air. Let's imagine the air in this room sealed perfectly. And molecules of air oscillating. You know the actual speed of 500 miles a second. Do you know this? I might have said it anyway. Molecules of air. You don't know. So you don't know finally, you don't know why air exists in this room. Just like this. Just as it is. You don't know. But we can. Our intellectual sense can reach, you know, through the scientific understanding how molecules move, how many molecules there are. And then you say at the speed of 500 miles a second.

[12:22]

But this is the idea. How molecules, you know, the moves, at the speed of 500 miles a second, we don't know. Because it's too fast. Same applies to a diamond. Molecules of diamond. Why the diamond exists like this? which is the symbol of the hottest beings in this world. We don't know why, but it's there. So finally, even though we can research how many molecules some diamond has, but we don't know how to communicate with each other and relate with each other and create a certain form of being, so-called diamond. Right now, right here, we don't know. So that is called functioning.

[13:27]

Process of the ultimate source. And then trees, what is the trees? Trees, the ultimate source of the trees is nothing but what? Function. conglomeration of conditioned elements. So many kinds of conditioned elements. So trees have a certain reason why trees exist as trees because trees have their own conditioned elements which are completely different from the the conditioned elements of the birds and human beings, the lakes and the waters. So, this is what temporally we call trees, birds, frogs, anyway, lakes, mountains.

[14:30]

So, from this point, ultimate source is exactly total dynamic working which there is no space no room for you to pin down intellectually or emotionally what? whatever it is nothing that's why your daily life your daily life is what? your daily life is are completely absolutely backed by this ultimate source which none of them is not given to you what it is but only you can know is you are the mark of your life so called Baal, Teem, Kargilis itself that is the daily life

[15:42]

So how can we reach, how can we reach the ultimate source? How can we practice on the basis of, you know, ultimate source? So all we have to do is to do something in the realm of the monks. So prokaryote, buds, trees, spring, winter, six, seven. And then, never mind. Our practice must be backed by art itself. For this, spring must be anyway refreshing. Three-pronged was autumn, winter, well, summer. Any kind of feeling of the human beings, anyway. That is spring itself. Spring is what? So our same apply to our practice.

[16:48]

Gassho? Zazen? Well, who do Zazen? You do Zazen. But in the realm of Zazen, you do, it must be backed by, it must be backed by artificial means of refreshing, continuity. Refresh for life, anyway. That is anyway freedom. Buddha practice, Buddha gassho, Buddha zazen, Buddha eating, Buddha sitting. That's why the Kisu Zen masters said to the question given by the monk, what is a Buddha? So Buddha is not outside. Buddha is anyway cake.

[17:50]

Buddha is a sick. Sickness is anyway Buddha. Buddha is sick. If you accept Buddha's sickness, now right in the middle of sickness, you can find a freedom. You can find refreshing, what to say, refreshing aliveness, refreshed aliveness of human life beyond hard or easiness, hardness or easiness or sickness or not sickness so when you see the sickness you can just face sickness as it is and devote yourself to take care of it so that is called Buddha practice So, individualized first, it is individual practice seeking for the dharma.

[18:55]

So your practice must be, anyway, constantly moving toward the truth. Experiencing jeopardy. So for this, anyway, As long as you practice, you practice, there must be a certain progress in the practice. What is the progress in the practice? Progress in the practice is not the better. Situation in the practice, day by day, you can accept. The real meaning of the progress in the practice is use, refresh, emulate, without leaving any trace, just a bird, a leaf, flying in the sky. Concentrate, refresh, without leaving any trace of your progress in the practice.

[20:02]

That is, anyway, progress. Progress, very naturally, there is a progress. But if you attach to the progress, it's not progress. Because your life is limited by a frame of the progress. So you stop. Your life is a stop, making mature. So constantly you must be progressing. For this, you must be refreshing without leaving any trace of refreshing in the progress. It's pretty easy in the progress. But if you think it, it's pretty hard. You don't understand it. So, that's why the Dogen Zenji says in his Shobo Genzon, you can see the Buddha going a step further when you have reached the Buddha.

[21:05]

when you reach the buddha means certain path when you become a first grade child when you become first grade you know well you can reach a certain stage that is anyway buddha for first grade child so wherever you may be in the first grade or in the second grade Or in the past, at the stage of the past, at the stage of present, at the stage of future, wherever you may go, there is always a certain purpose. So called Buddha, anyway. Because it works, at those days, anyway, at that time. So you are Buddha. But if you reach, if you reach, if you reach, Anyway, stay in the state of Buddha.

[22:09]

Anyway, you should see the Buddha going a step further. Anyway, we have to go more. Means refresh. You have to be refreshed constantly. So go step, go beyond. Go beyond doesn't mean to go, keep away from reality. You are present. so you are in the dualistic world you are in the sickness but you can go beyond means you can beat depression in sickness so that is that is that's why Dogen then says you can see Buddha going a step further when you have reached the Buddha and also He said, you shouldn't believe that you try to understand quickly the practice.

[23:17]

Transact and negotiate carefully with it a hundred and thousand times as if you try to cut a hard thing in two. You shouldn't think that you would understand it quickly if there is a teacher for you. This is a very, very important point. You shouldn't believe that you try to understand quickly the practice. Means if you practice doesn't immediately you say, I understand practice. If I always practice, explain the practice, Not your practice, Buddhist practice, you say. Through the lectures and through the study of the Buddhism, you say, I understand. But that understanding is, well, premature.

[24:22]

So... That's why Dogen then says you shouldn't believe that, you try to understand quickly the practice. But I don't mean you shouldn't understand, but you should understand. But even though you understand the practice, what it is, but it's not perfect, mature. So, To understand the practice means to transact and negotiate with the practice hundred and thousand times day by day. Becoming refreshed, refreshing every day. That is hundred and thousand times. Negotiating with the practice means each time. If you always believe a prophecy is to have a better life, but you have a question, why we have to practice forever, a thousand times, a hundred times?

[25:38]

That time, well, your life is now refreshing, because your life is immediately a certain frame of better life you have believed, or you have feel good. You have felt good. But it's not the refresh, refresh, decline, you know. So that's why transact and negotiate, I don't know this term is important anyway. Time is appropriate or not, but I can try, I say, transact and negotiate. with practice again and again, carefully, thousand hundred times in your daily life, in your life. As if you try to cut hard things in two, it's very hard and also you must be careful. You have to concentrate on to cut, on cutting the heart.

[26:47]

You should think that you would understand it quickly if there is a teacher for you. Then, immediately you think, I need a school, I need a teacher. If I have a teacher, I understand this quickly. But, that is, it must be, that is the point we have to be careful. So very naturally, if you have a teacher and study and practice Buddhism, you're really proud of yourself. But at that time, very naturally, you put down the others who don't have teachers and property. So anyway, even though you have a chance to study and practice Buddhism under the guidance of a teacher, you have to do same things as others anyway important point is to become to make your life refreshing day by day well under all the circumstances whether you have a teacher or you don't have a teacher that's not a depression that is teaching of Buddhism so that is called to practice as a Buddha

[28:13]

because this is a characteristic quality of the artist's thoughts constantly. And also Dogen Zenji said very interesting few points about the practice. First point, a great story manifests if you practice Anyway, we have to attain enlightenment anyway. But that enlightenment or satori is not the satori you will have to reach because you don't have a satori now. It's not satori. So you have to have a great satori means... Anyway, your practice must be carried on and on in the realm of bliss. You have to attain Satori.

[29:17]

So, Big Satori. Big Satori. That means, Big Satori means anywhere in the practice, your practice must be refreshing, new. New. Newed. Anewed. Constantly. That is called a Great Satori Manifest. If you attain enlightenment, you must be new, anewed. free from the tori you have reached that is called a great satori manifest secondly it says no enlightenment when you are in the way most people when most people reach at the stage of well the the way is called satori and understanding was teaching Very naturally, that is the aim, that is the goal of the spiritual life.

[30:22]

That is called the happiness of life. But I don't think so. Happiness is constantly anew every day. So from this point, no enlightenment when you are in the way means No happiness. When you are in the happiness, that time it is called real happiness. So same applies to our practice. If you feel, if you see the progress in the practice, anyway, there must be no progress. When you are in, up to the stage of progress in the practice, comes into inflection. That is called freedom, liberation. The third point is that not to be deceived by Satori when you reflect on it.

[31:26]

When you reflect on the Satori, your experience, anyway, you shouldn't be deceived by. Deceived means you go astray. You go astray. You lose the sight of yourself. you are carried away by the story enlightenment you are carried away by happiness or sickness or whatever so when you reflect upon yourself anyway you shouldn't be deceived by any kind of stages which you have reached and finally the fourth Anyway, finally, he said, no need of satori and no room for devils and angels to sneak in. That is called refreshing or giving a smile. No room.

[32:27]

No need of satori. No need of satori means completely beyond. You need the satori or you don't need the satori. If I say, just sit. You stay. Well, don't worry about Satori. I don't mean this. Don't worry about Satori means completely beyond. You must be refreshed from Satori, need of Satori or no need of Satori. So, it means you have to take a trip in proper way, very naturally you can experience, you know. Seeing the Satori, seeing the scenery and not seeing the scenery. since there are no synonyms sometimes. That is the point. There is no need of satori. Completely you have to refresh. Just practice day by day. Becoming refreshed. And then at that time, no room for devils and angels to sneak in.

[33:32]

That is so-called freedom, liberation. This is a daily life, not the Buddha's ascension. It is a daily life. For instance, I read articles of experience of Marathon race, which is one of the famous Marathon runners. A news reporter asked him about his practice and how to reach the goal of marathon race. So he explains and such and such. And also the news reporter asked him, what is your physical condition?

[34:36]

before the, before a day marathon race starts, you know. So, she, she explains her, you know, she explains the, his physical condition and mental conditions. And finally, Mr. Porter asked him, did you sleep well last night, you know. And he said, no, I couldn't. So he said, every time when I have a big marathon race, the day before, I couldn't sleep. That means, I always tell you, your practice must be refreshing. I knew. That means, in other words, better condition. you must be better conditions whatever you do giving a lecture or doing zazen walking on the street you must be better conditions best conditions not better best conditions if you want to participate in a marathon race particularly your physical and mental condition must be in the best conditions so physically mentally sleep

[36:10]

but he said every time when he had the marathon race the day before he couldn't sleep that means it's bad best condition no way it's not best condition but under not best condition he always win so from this point okay from this point oh you must be bad best condition okay you try to I have best conditions whatever you do but the concept of the best condition you believe is not perfect best condition okay so obviously if you feel I am now best condition at that time I want to ask you are you sure maybe first time you say yes it is the second time I continue ask you are you sure Well, a little bit, your eyes become blur and shake, wobble.

[37:21]

Finally, you don't know what is your condition now. For instance, I told you, if you give a lecture, you know, in the beginning of my experience in San Francisco, The day before, not the day, one moment in the night, you know, at the dinner time before I gave lectures, I couldn't eat a meal anyway. So that means always lecture ideas. But nevertheless, under such conditions, I had to prepare for the lectures as best as I can anyway. Prepare. Then they spun up to the stage of a platform in the Dendo and Budo Hall.

[38:24]

It was sure that my condition was bad. Because I was already a lecture artist. I couldn't help anyone. Me not. But anyway, All I have to do is under the condition of a lecture, that is, I have to do my best. I have to do my best to give a lecture. And also, why don't you pay attention to the preparation for the lecture? Is it perfect? If I say yes, well, right after giving a lecture, I don't feel perfect. And sometimes I don't feel the... I don't feel the perfectly preparing for the lectures. So, I feel... I don't feel good from my preparation for the lectures.

[39:31]

But when I do it, well, pretty good. So, I always tell you, pay attention. Anyways, see deeply into The reality you are present in, nothing to pin down. Is it the best or is it not best? All these questions come up. Two questions come up. Yes it is. But on the other hand, no. But in the reality your life must be going on where? In the reality. That reality is really vast. Because it is, reality is a state of existence becoming one with the ultimate thoughts. So that's why our practice must be constantly anew. Every day. That is called Shikantala.

[40:35]

Shikantala with the whole heartness. Just sit down. Just sit. That is our practice according to the Dogen's ideas. He used a difficult term. Honshō Myōshū. Honshō means original realization. Myōshū means sudden wondrous practice. Sudden wondrous practice means a practice which is going on right in the middle of reality which you can't pin down what it is. But it's that practice is worthless. Completely beyond, it is that practice is going on under the best condition or under the not best conditions. Completely off. Just do it. At that time, that is called worthless practice. And then when you do, when you

[41:37]

have a wondrous practice and very natural original realization the door of original realization opens of itself you cannot try to open of the realizations original realizations so all you have to do is practically you must be refreshing just do it and right in the middle of reality but on the other hand your consciousness always pick up two excessive ideas, best conditions, not best conditions, all of them. But do your best to take care of this excessive, two excessive ideas. But you cannot poke your head into them constantly. After doing your best to deal with these two excessive ideas and leave it alone, then do it. That's good for you.

[42:42]

This is the individual practice. Individual practice in the practice. Seeking for the truth, truth constantly. The second, the indoctrination of the practice. You know, indoctrination of the practice. So, I don't know, I use indoctrination. Usually we use the term to educate or sometimes to teach or sometimes to propagate, propagate the teaching to our sentient beings. But in Sanskrit, we say paripaka, P-A-R-I-P-A-K-A, paripaka.

[43:50]

This means to cook well, or to digest, or to make mature. or to manage well. This is to teach, to propagate our teaching to others. So it's very interesting, to cook well. To cook well means anyway we have to understand the Buddhist teaching not according to your sense. To cook well means Anyway, not according to the recipes. Of course, you should follow the recipe, but you have to pay attention to the realities, you know. Sometimes you cannot follow the recipe. If you exactly cook something exactly according to the recipes, you cannot make a certain dish, you know.

[45:00]

Perfect. So you have to Use your intuition and experience and also paying attention to the dishes which is going on from moment to moment. So sometimes you have to turn on and turn off the flames of the gas, you know. Immediately. Not according to the recipe. So that is to cook well. Your teaching must be cooked well, not according to your recipes or others' recipes. Anyway, cook well. So that means through your reality of your life, anyway, through your body and mind. Second, then he says, paripatta means to digest. The food which you have cooked well and then you can benefit people.

[46:06]

Then you can give, you can make the people enjoy eating the meals. That time that meals is, meals are perfectly digested and become blood and become, anyway, food turn into the blood turn into the energy so very naturally people appreciate but there is no gap between food and energy from where the energy come they don't know but they appreciate it so that is digest very naturally you can teach you can change and To make mature. I call it maturity always. Not putting stuff into your head. Knowing something. Knowing something right, you know.

[47:10]

But anyway, mature. To make your life mature means, anyway, beyond uselessness or usefulness. Of course, you have to do something useful, but you cannot do all this like this. Sometimes, even though it is useless, you have to do it. So look at your dress and shirt, you know. You have lots of buttons, which are not necessary. Just a decoration. So why do you use lots of buttons? Buttons and colors and everything. It's useless. Or usually, very reasonably, why don't you use the buttons just two or three? That's enough. Or why do you have colors, you know?

[48:14]

That is extra. But it's inefficient. It's useless in a sense. According to your common sense, through the promise which people have made, you know, through the promise, through the customs, then shirt must be, must have colors, you know, must have colors. So then, actually you don't have any questions. But strictly speaking, why do you need a color? You know, please, a Christian priest with no colors. So, if you look at your life, you cannot do everything useful. So, that is completely beyond usefulness or uselessness.

[49:18]

Then you have to take You have to do your best to take care of your life. That is the best way to make your life mature. And to manage well. Anyway, you should manage everything well. Confining the confusion to the minimum. Anyway, whatever. Under certain circumstances, you are sick. Right in the middle of sickness, you should confine the trophy to the minimum. And then just take care of sickness refreshing your life. That is so-called high parka. Then you can teach. You can teach. So to teach, to propagate, Buddha's teaching is not to give somebody certain knowledge just like a school or you can put a certain label on the person you'd you have to have yet you know you the Buddha's teaching so I'll give you a teaching it's not a teaching you have to digest anyway you have to cook well anyway teachings

[50:49]

If you don't have a... if you don't feel good then to teach. Anyway, you have to correct that Buddha's teaching well. Through the words, through the teaching, through the speaking, anyway, through your daily life. Then, anyway, that is teaching. Then when you teach, after teaching, you feel many things. So always Two excessive ideas come up. Good or not good. But real teaching is anyway cook well and digest very well. Then make your life mature. Make your teaching and understanding mature. Then you can manage anything which has happened in your daily life. Manage well. that is called paripara the so-called indoctrination I don't know how do you understand indoctrination indoctrinate means to to give to inspire to give for teaching to the people

[52:15]

and to mold people to a certain frame, don't you? That is indoctrinate, don't you think so? No? I don't know. But it's not real teaching. According to Dawkins' understanding, a buddhistic understanding, nothing to a certain frame. You are an immature person. Anyway, everybody is already mature person. So deal with the people as a good. Because that is the ultimate, characteristic ultimate nature. So, how do we do? Anyway, we should cook well, as best as we can, and digest it. and also mature, and mind dwells.

[53:18]

Everything. That is a teaching. So Dogen then says, in Bendoa, question number 17, he said, when the Buddha Dharma is they are unusually quick in understanding and realization. She said the Buddha Dharma. Buddha Dharma means, anyway, correct teaching must be taught. Correct teaching must be given to everybody. First of all, what is the object of teaching? you are trying to teach. It is a person. So at that time, the person as an object of your teaching is not an immature person in comparison with you.

[54:32]

It is not a purpose of education in Buddhism. So you have to deal with everybody as a group. You have to deal with the rooms and dirtiness and clearness. When you clean the rooms, then it says the room is dirty. Then we should. But you don't like dirtiness in comparison with clearness. But this is not a Buddhistic way. Dirtiness is... Dirtiness is... our current events produced by conditioned elements. So did you... it is something you have to hate or you have to compare it with queerness or queerness? No, it is the same thing.

[55:34]

Queerness is something produced by conditioned elements. If so, if you see the dirtiness in your room, just clean, just clean. That is a practice in the Buddhist, in the monastic life. So Dogen then says, Dogen then uses a particular term. This is a courtesy or manner. This is a manner in the realm of the Buddhist world. So, we have a manner, not in the realm of Buddha's world, in the realm of human desires, in the human world, comparing something with others. And then you are bad, you are created dirty, clean.

[56:36]

So very naturally when it is clean, it's not necessary to clean. But in monastery, in the monastery, clear or clean or dirty, and beyond the clear or dirty anyway, you have to clean anyway. When it is dirty, of course, you have to clean. But it is, that practice never comes from comparative with cleanness. Just to clean. Dirtiness is also another Buddha's face. Creaminess is another Buddha's face. That's why trees, birds, human beings are not different. But when you see the bird, you have to take care of the bird as it is. You can't mix up between the Buddha and human beings and the trees. Of course, you can talk with a bird.

[57:40]

But even though you cannot have a chance to talk with a bird, and even though you don't understand the conversation between you and the bird, it doesn't matter. Don't worry about it. Anyway, deal with the bird. That's a bird. So this is a Buddhist practice that is called digest. Cook well. And manage well. And then at a time, you can make your life mature, you can make others' life mature. That is called propagate teaching. So that's why Zazen is your Zazen. Your practice in the earth, Zazen in the practice. But it's not practice in your practice, but continuously practice in others' practice. So, the natural English saying, just the same.

[58:44]

In the same, you must be refreshing constantly. Your zazen, your gassho, must be refreshing constantly, newly. That is called practice. It's quite a different form of school. But this is a basic teaching of Buddhism. If you study Buddhism very carefully, you will come to this point, very naturally. But many people in the Buddhist history, they didn't pay attention to this. They knew, they knew we are going, we have to practice in the realm of Buddha. But practically, they don't do it. So practically you say, we are not one. So you should polish yourself and do practice. So very naturally you have to chant Ramana Tathagata constantly, pushing yourself.

[59:52]

And also you have to attain enlightenment. However, if you don't attain enlightenment, you are not Buddha. This is very common in the history of Buddhism. But from the Dogon's viewpoint, whatever happens under all circumstances, you have to practice under the any way conditioning of the Buddha. Any way you have to do. This is Buddha's practice. You have to practice Buddha's practice. That is Shikantara. If you don't practice, you always create some problem, even under the beautiful flag of religion and God in the Buddha. Look at the human world. Israel, PLO, there is a lot of fighting among the different human races.

[60:59]

It is a huge human war coming from discrimination of the religions. Under the beautiful flag of the religions, God is beautiful. We are fighting, killing each other. So, that's why Dogen Zenki has to constantly emphasize this. That's why Dogen Zenki finally says, when you let go of wondrous practice, original realization opens, blooms its own door, its own life. When you let go of original enlightenment and wondrous practice, in a way, it blooms its own life.

[62:08]

While you, anyway, take hold of wondrous practice, you miss the chance to open the door of original realization. Because original realization is not something you try, but not something you should ignore. You have to do. What? Anyway, you must be refreshing right in the middle of wondrous practice. The wondrous practice must be refreshing day by day. That is called freedom from refreshing, the wondrous practice. That time your original realization opens in you. This is the same situation of the bird's life, tree's life, wind's life, spring's life. Then this situation of the human life, tree's life, Support his life and also other's life. Teaching somebody.

[63:11]

But usually we don't do that. We are very stubborn, ignorant. But basically we are not ignorant. If you really realize the ignorance, you can be good. Take care of the question. Last night when you were talking about the I needing to fulfill its purpose, the only way it can recognize itself is when it's practicing. I was wondering what the purpose of a human being would be to recognize itself as a human Meaning is, would it be only through Zazen and practice that we're fulfilling it?

[64:19]

No. Not only Zazen. Through whatever occupation you follow, you can realize. Art is also human life. But, important point is whether you realize art is good or not. Okay? Important point is how realization of ultimate source is working in your daily life or not. Okay? That is the point. For this. But something is anyway only one. Because in the other realm, art, poetry, business, you can learn. Human life. Still there is a human influence by which we are always tumbling over. Process comes, success and failure.

[65:21]

That's why people are constantly confused and suffering. But nevertheless, it is not only confusion and suffering. Right in the middle of suffering and confusion, still people are Buddha. That's why people try to find the peace and balance. That's why finally they out-bumped their head against her leg or not. Then they try to change her life, turn into another direction. So very naturally they are seeking for the truth. Is that the ultimate purpose of being human? To know the truth? Is that the ultimate purpose of human life? Well sure it is. Ultimate purpose. for human life. That is a spiritual life. Because spiritual life, I told you means, spiritual life is liberation.

[66:24]

Liberation is not to be liberated from the human world which ignorance is filled with. But liberation is to be liberated from you, from others, from liberation itself. This is the real liberation speech of life. But usually we don't hear like this. The ultimate purpose of religion is to liberate human life. Then very naturally they are stuck in liberation. And then finally, under the beautiful flag of revelation, they are fighting. This is the human realm now. Do you understand? Or Israel and PLO, it's really ignorance comes up, fighting each other. They realize the revelation through their belief.

[67:28]

Even PLO, even Israel people, anyway, they find the revelation. But, why cannot they? live in peace and harmony. Because they are already blind under the beautiful flag of the revelations. They have believed. It's not revelations. So Buddhism always comes emphasizing, of course, purpose of religious life, spiritual life is to experience revelation. But it's not. Final goal. Final goal is to be free from revelation itself. Now that time, It is called real liberation. So, through any kind of occupation, art, poetry, business, your life, household, wife, whatever it is, you can realize liberation. But I don't know how much you can be liberated from you, from the liberations.

[68:39]

Because we don't have enough time to look at the freedom of revelation. Because you have to do many things immediately. Even though you are standing straight, anyway many things try to bark at you. And you think, what? I am free from revelation now, but we don't. We cannot have enough free space. So very natural criticism comes up. Frozen cold comes up, then the next moment the people push you to do something newly, okay? If you become a freedom, very naturally people push you to do something masterpiece more, more, more. So you don't have enough space to be free from masterpiece. You are completely carried away by But that's why there is a development, so-called crazy artist.

[69:45]

But it is not, you know. So I don't mean that Zazen is... If I emphasize Zazen is best, will you say, oh, that's a selfish trick, you know? Do you think so? Maybe some of you believe that. So that's kind of his trick. If you think so, that's all right. I don't care. Because it's not my business. Your business. If you think so, well, go away to do something else you like. If you don't believe it's not my business, well, you should follow.

[70:52]

Even though wherever you feel boredom and excitement in any way, you should follow. In the Zen, I think you can see your consciousness functioning. Your consciousness always keeps catching up. You're doing what is going on from moment to moment. Your consciousness tries to catch up. Do you understand your consciousness? That's why it makes you confused. Shikantaza means don't catch up.

[71:59]

Well, if you see the opponent catching up, let it go anyway. Don't fight with it. All you have to do is, you are right on, right in the middle, so for Zazen itself, just concentrate. Just take care of breath. But the minute you think to take care of breath is, or to open the door of the original enlightenment. It's already a conscious trip. Your conscious trip. Let's rest your conscious trip. That's a good chance for you to rest. You turn off the trip. You cannot push your consciousness off and take a trip. Let's rest. Resting in the motel.

[73:00]

Stay in the motel. Even though you don't like it, anyway, if you want to continue to take a trip, rest in the motel. And in the motel, there is a limitation of running wild for the consciousness. So very naturally, well, consciousness feels bored and becomes still. So that's the thing. Pretty good. So, if you see the delusion, the imagination, in the realm of the Zen, so called on Tao, anyway, let the delusion, the imagination, do the Zen with you. It's very rustic, that previous experience. Now, here's a different kind. Someone says experience of boredom is important.

[74:06]

Of course, it is. Not important. You should, anyway, accept totally, bottom, beyond it is important or it is not important. We often discuss about it. The good experience, all right, it's important. Should I pay attention to it? Should I awake to it? Well, that is already a discussion. It's not you already slip off out of the shikuntala. So whatever it is, in my bottom, anything, well, let it go. One last practice, let it go. Just do it. Let your consciousness constantly clear. Your consciousness can see a lot of flashing light, I told you. Just like the intersection of a street.

[75:07]

If you see the red flashing light, you know, you should stop it anyway. If you see something with your eyes during the zazen, anyway stop it and move on instantly. So, well, blink your eyes first, and then make your visions clear. Anyway, that's good, right? Sometimes the yellow flashing light, sometimes green. But anyway, all we have to do is just continue to do it. Continue to do it means that if you stop at the intersection of the street, well, it is something you can do it. Stop is also doing something. That is a human activity. So when you have to stop, stop it. That is a human activity. It's not stop. So even though you don't do anything, it is doing.

[76:12]

It is something you can do. That is called nothing to do. But when you do something, it is doing something. But doing something is exactly nothing to do. So that's why we say doing something is In a way, nothing to do. Nothing to do is to do something anyway. Dynamism is in stillness. Stillness is in dynamism, we say so. It's contradicted by any real state of reality though present. We have to be alive in this realm of reality. But it's very simple practice. That's why we need anyway refreshing, not refreshing.

[77:15]

We need a refine, polish our consciousness. Nature quality of consciousness. Anyway train your consciousness. Not brainwash. Buddhism let your brain free. I don't have any right to give you brainwash because of your brain. None of my business. One time a long time ago I read about a school of Buddhism They felt that since they were enlightened, there was no reason to make an effort trying to get enlightened.

[78:18]

So they would just do fishing in a stream. Other Buddhists didn't like them very much, didn't like the idea. You don't need a special effort to do that then? Well, the teacher of this school, didn't think that you needed a special effort to do zazen because enlightenment was with them. So they didn't make any effort. But they were monks. But they didn't do anything. They took a vacation all the time. I always feel like taking a vacation. Why do anything? He's a lucky boy. If you can live in that way, in peace and harmony, he's a lucky boy. But, in other words, I don't think it is a real Buddhist way of life. Well, for instance, one of the Buddhist teachers always says, you should do something, you do something, okay?

[79:27]

Zazen by your will, by your effort, by your initiativeness, okay? So, I don't want to come to Zendo and do Zazen with you. Because if I come, you always do Zazen for me. So he doesn't come. So you always stay at his home. I don't know what he does. Finally people don't come and finally it's broken. Everything messed up. Idealistically it's beautiful. Don't be kidding. Idealistical understanding. People are very easily deceived by idealistical understanding. But factually Completely you have to beyond. It's not necessary to have extra effort to do that because you are enlightenment.

[80:37]

You should beyond it. Or you should have particular effort to attain enlightenment. You should go beyond. Then what to do? You have to do. Just do it. For instance, when you are a college student, you are already a college student. So, you have, strictly speaking, you have a great capability to be a student, you know, freshman, etc. So, you can learn by yourself. It's not necessary to go to school. You can have a great capability enough to learn and lots of knowledge through the books, through the discussions, through the talk between the peoples, and it's this. But, well, if you are a student, first of all, you have to go to school, so you don't need a particular effort to go to school.

[81:51]

Or, you should need a particular effort to go to school. But if you think so, you really hate the school. So finally, if you are a student, then you have to be beyond unique or you don't need it. Just to go to school and study. The people are that person I don't know. According to the Buddha's eyes, he is not yet liberated from original enlightenment. If you see the original enlightenment in you, you must be free from original enlightenment.

[82:54]

You must be present in wondrous practice day by day refreshing your life. then the natural doors of original enlightenment appear. It grows.

[83:08]

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