I'm very much honored to have a chance to talk on a Shingi at this Tokubetsu Sesshin. It's really nice to share practice with some old friends and some new friends. This is my fourth tokubetsu session. Probably I'm the only person who participated in four tokubetsu sessions besides Yoshinami-san. And through this practice at Tokubetsu Sesshin in the past, I studied many things and also I met many friends.

[01:13]

So I really appreciate this opportunity. This time I'm going to talk on Eihei Shingi. Because, probably, I and Taigen, who is one of the disciples of Tenshin-san, he lived in Kyoto for, I think, about two years. And he came to Kyoto to practice and work on translation with me. And he visited my temple. I lived in a small temple in a small farming village near Kyoto. It takes about one hour from Kyoto by train. He visited, Taigen-san visited twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

[02:19]

And at Shorinji, I practiced mainly with foreigners. Foreigners means non-Japanese people in Japan. So, usually we have several people at Shorinji. And in the morning, We worked on Bendowa, the translation of Bendowa, for three hours from 9 to 12. And in the afternoon, Taigen-san and me worked on Ehe Shingi for two or three hours. Since Taigen-san studied Chinese, so she's better at Chinese more than Japanese, so we decided to work on something written in Chinese. And we thought Ehe Shingi wasn't translated, and there wasn't good translation of Ehe Shingi at that time, so we decided to work on Ehe Shingi.

[03:36]

And before that, I have been working on Bendowa. So in the case of Bendowa, I made first draft, English draft. I translate from Japanese original text to English. My English is really Japanese. It's not real English. But we work together. wrote sentence by sentence on the whiteboard, and I tried to explain word by word. And we tried to, based on my own draft, we worked, you know, tried to improve English. So in the case of Bendowa, this is Bendowa, my translation of Bendowa.

[04:38]

Not my, but our translation of Bendowa. Bendowa and my teacher, Uchiyama Kosho-roshi's commentary, or teisho, on Bendowa. And in the afternoon, only me and Taigen-san worked on Ehe Shingi. In the case of Eihei Shingi, since he read Chinese, he looked up almost all Chinese characters and made his translation. And based on his draft, we worked together. So in this translation, I think you have the handout of this copy. This is an excerpt from our translation. So, Taigen-san made a first draft and we discussed the meaning and we tried to find out the best English.

[05:42]

There's no best, but better English. So, these two, Bendowa and Ehei-shinhi, are the kind of result or fruit of working together. from Japanese side and American side. And this Bendowa was published from Kyoto Soto Zen Center a few years ago. And Ehe Shingi, our translation of Ehe Shingi will be published hopefully in coming fall from SUNY State University of New York Press. Since I only have three lectures, as you know, it's really impossible to talk on whole Ehe Shingi.

[06:45]

It's also not possible to talk even one section, one chapter or volume of Ehe Shingi. So I have been thinking, how can I present this? And my intention is Today, I'm going to talk on each. Maybe before that, I should say that Ehe Shinggi consists of six independent writings by Dogen Zenji. And each writing has different aspects of monastic practice. So today I'm going to talk on each one of the writings briefly. And last two lectures, I'm going to talk on the part of chi-ji-shin-gi.

[07:54]

Chi-ji-shin-gi is a standard for temple administrators. The part I chose is part of cunning, cunning the director of the monastery. Since we don't have much time, I start to talk on each writings or sections of a shingri. The first one, the first section of Eishin is Tenzo Kyokun or instruction to the Tenzo. I think everyone knows who, what Tenzo is. Tenzo is a person who is in charge of preparation of food or meals in the monastery.

[08:56]

And second one is Bendo Ho. in our translation, model for engaging the Way. In this section, Dogen Zenji describes how we practice in the Sōdo. Within Sōdo, monks sleep, sit, practice Zazen, and eat. And in the Bendoho, he described how to use, how to wash our face in the morning, and how to walk in the Sodo, and how to sleep in the Sodo. And the third section is Fushoku Hanpo. Fushoku Hanpo is the Dharma for taking food. This is a description of the rituals when we eat food in the sodo, when we sit, you know, on the tan, or a platform.

[10:10]

And the fourth section is regulations for the study hall, you know, in the big monasteries. there is another building or hall like Sōdō. The structure of the inside of the shuryō is almost the same with Sōdō. Instead, in the Sōdō, Monju Shuri was enshrined in the center, but in the case of shuryō, Kanzeon Bosatsu or Avalokiteshvara is enshrined. And in the shuryo, or study hall, people study sutras or Buddhist texts, or they take a rest. And shuryo shingi, regulations for the study hall, is how the collection of manners people should keep in mind.

[11:21]

to practice, study, and together with other people. And the fifth part is Taidaiko Gogejariho. In English, the Dharma, when meeting senior instructors of five summer practice period. In Buddhism, traditionally, after being ordained, people who practiced five years, or five practice periods, they had one practice period in the summer. And when a person practiced more than five years, or five practice periods, they were called ajari, or chara, that means teacher. So people who practice more than five years and less than five years is kind of a distinction.

[12:30]

And so beginners should respect the Dharma. In order to respect the Dharma, people should respect the person who who have been practicing and who embody the Dharma. And so when we meet with so-called seniors or teachers, students must have a certain form to express their respect not only as a person or individual, but as embodiment of Dharma. And in this section, Dogen-tenji picked up 62 points. A beginning student must keep in mind when they meet with teachers,

[13:37]

And the last one, sixth section, is chi-ji shing-gi, as I said. Chi-ji shing-gi is a regulation or standard for the people who take charge of different functions in the monastery. Traditionally, there are six officials, or main officials. And there are, of course, many other functions. And those six, this is a regulation, not only regulation, in the case of Dogen Zenjutsu Shingi. But Dogenzen described what kind of frame of mind, what kind of mental attitude the person should keep in mind toward the work, toward the job, and toward the people who practice in the monastery together.

[14:48]

Those are six sections of Ehe Shingi. And as a kind of introduction, For Eihei Shingi, especially in Tenzo Kyokun, I think Dogen Zenji tried to not explain, but express the sameness of practice of Zazen and day-to-day activities in the case of Tenzo cooking. preparation of means. In the very beginning of Tenzo Kyokun, the very first sentence of Tenzo Kyokun is as follows. If you have handout, this is the first page. It says, from the beginning, in Buddha's family,

[15:59]

There have been six temple administrators. They are all Buddha's children. And together, they carry out Buddha's work. So Buddha's family means this sangha, or community of practitioners. So we are in Buddha's family. We are, all of us, are Buddha's children. Not only temple administrators, but all practitioners, all members of the community are Buddha's children. Buddha's children means bodhisattva. Actually not only Buddhists, not only practitioners in the monasteries, not only Buddhist, but all beings are Buddha's children.

[17:02]

As Buddha said in the Lotus Sutra, you know, these three worlds or three realms are my domain, my house, and all beings in these three worlds are my children. That is what Buddha said. So all beings in the whole universe are Buddha's children. And Buddhist means we receive ordination or precept. And we make Buddha's teaching as a guideline. We take, accept Buddha's teaching, in this case precept, as our guideline. So we make commitment to follow Buddha's teaching. So, when we receive precepts, we are all Buddha's children.

[18:05]

And together, we carry out Buddha's work. So we are in the Buddha's family, and we are Buddha's children, and we carry out Buddha's work. So what temple administrators, in this case, in the case of Tenzo Kyokun, Tenzo, the cook, is Buddha's work. So this is a kind of a family business. And what is a family business for Buddhists, for Buddha's children? I think this is a very important point. What is Buddha's work? In the original word is Butsu-ji. Butsu means Buddha, and ji means work, or event, or affairs, or activities. And as I said, when me and Taigen-san, myself, were working on this translation,

[19:19]

I was also working on Bendowa. And in Bendowa, Dogen Zenji also used the word butsu-ji, or Buddha's work. Bendowa is written in the second writings of Dogen Zenji. And in Bendowa, he In the first part of Bendowa, he described the virtue of Zazen, virtue of our Zazen. And in that part, that part is very famous. The part is taken out from Bendowa and we recite. At Minneapolis, we recite this part called Jijuyo Zanmai at noon service during Sesshin. So this is a very famous and also important part of Bendowa, in which Dogen Zenji describes what our Zazen is, actually.

[20:29]

And within the description of Zazen, he used this word, butsu-ji, or Buddha's work. So I think this is very important to understand the meaning of day-to-day activities in the monastery in terms of Buddha's work or our practice. Zazen is the most important part of our practice. Zazen is not only a part of, only one part of our practice, but dazen should be the center or the foundation or basis of our whole practice. So we should understand what our dazen is. What is practice of dazen. And what is the meaning of day-to-day activities.

[21:34]

What's the connection or relationship between sitting practice in the Sodo or Zendo and practices in the outside of the Zendo? I'm sorry. In Bendowa, Dogen Zenji says as follows. He said, moreover, although both mind and object appear and disappear within stillness, because this takes place in the realm of self-receiving and self-employing. Self-receiving and self-employing is a translation for jijuyu. Ji means self, and ju means to receive or to accept. probably accept it better word in English.

[22:41]

And yu means to use or to put it into work. So Dogen Zenji called his practice of Zazen Jijuyu Zanmai, Samadhi of Jijuyu. So in our Zazen, we really accept this body, and mind, and this whole world. Our mind, our body, and this whole world, we accept it as myself, as the self. So in Jijuyu Zanmai, there is no separation between self and others. In the case of Jijuyu, Ji includes all beings. Ji has self, is really connected with all beings in the whole universe.

[23:42]

And in Nowa Zazen, we put our whole body and mind on the basis or ground of dynamic, perfect interpenetration of all beings. We are living right in the network of life, We cannot live by ourselves individually. We cannot live without water, without air, without food, without help from other people. Because as human beings, we are born at a very immature stage. For almost a few years, we couldn't to take care of ourselves. So we have to be taken care of by other people. So we rely on other people.

[24:46]

So physically, also mentally, we are in the relationship with other beings. And that is the reality of life. And yet, when we grow up, we think, I am a person. I am an independent person. And I'm subject. And these things, or people and things, are object. And those are kind of materials I can use to fulfill my desire, my aspiration, or my ambition. So separation allows between self and others. And yet, in Jijuyo Zanmai, we should accept, of course, this body and mind, this self, and also all beings that are really living together as the self.

[25:51]

And we try to live out this whole universal self. That is our vow as a Bodhisattva. and our Zazen allows us to put our whole body and mind on that ground. That is awakening. So Dogen Zenji called his Zazen, Jijuyo Zanmai. Without moving a speck of dust or destroying a single form, extensive Buddha work extensive Buddha work and profound, subtle Buddha influence are carried out. This Buddha work is the same word Dogen Zen used in Tenzo Kyoko, the family work of Buddha's family. So, what we do in our Zazen

[26:58]

And what we do in our day-to-day activity is all Buddha's work. It's Buddha's influence. Buddha's influence is a translation for Bukke. Bukke means transformation or teaching activity. Buddha's influence to all beings and make them Buddha's children. Allow them to practice and follow Buddha's way of life. And thus, I don't have much time, so I quote another sentence in Bendowa. I said, therefore, even if only one person, one person, sit for a short time, because this zazen is one with all existence,

[28:01]

and completely permeates all time. So in our zazen, zazen allows us to be the basis of the reality in which all beings are living together in an interconnected way. And all time, all time means past, present and future. So we are connected with a whole space and whole time. This whole space and whole time from the beginningless beginning to the endless end is one time and one space. Then we let go of thought. We separate time right now, time between past and present, and present and future.

[29:04]

And yet, there is no such separation in reality. You know, present has no time, actually no length. If there is some length, we can still separate, cut it into two. past and present and future. So present is really zero, nothing, empty. And yet this empty present time, whole past from the beginningless beginning and whole future to the endless end is reflected. So this present time, present moment is only reality. And this is really connected with whole time and whole space.

[30:08]

That is what we are, where we sit on in our Zazen. and it said, it performs everlasting, it performs, it means our Zazen, it performs everlasting Buddha guidance within the inexhaustible Dharma world in the past, present, and the future. So this Zazen, our Zazen, carry out everlasting Buddha Guidance. Buddha Guidance is a translation of Butsu, Kedo, or Ji. Kedo means to transforming or teaching. And Ji is matter or work.

[31:12]

I think Butsu, Ji, or Buddha's work is an abbreviation for Butsu, Kedo, or Ji. And what is Butsu, Kedo, or Ji? And according to Lotus Sutra, Buddha was born, or Buddha appeared in this world for only one great matter. Great matter is Ichidaiji, so same ji. Butsuichidaiji, Buddha's one great matter, or great thing. This Ichidaiji is connection with Daiji in Sanmotsu. in which Narasaki Roshi talked. This is one great matter. And this one great matter is, according to Lotus Sutra, is Buddha appeared in this world in order to open the our eyes, open our eyes to the Buddha's darshan.

[32:26]

Open and show the Buddha darshan and comprehend or understand or insight. The word is go or satoru, the Buddha darshan. And also new, Buddha appeared in this world in order to allow us to enter into Buddha's, Buddha darshana. Darshana means insight or wisdom. And Buddha's wisdom is a wisdom to see the reality of all beings, or shoho jitso. Jitso means real. So is form. So real form of all beings. That is Buddha's work. Buddha appeared into this world in order to show all beings, all sentient beings, not only sentient, but all living beings, to open our eyes, enable us to open our eyes to the reality of all beings.

[33:40]

That is Buddha's business. That is the work, Buddha's work. you know, we have to carry on through in our practice in the zendo and also each and every activities in the outside of the zendo. So both are really the same. I go back to the Tenzo Kyokun. After the first sentence he said, Among them, among those six administrators, the Tenzo, chief cook, has the job of taking care of the preparation of food for the community. This is a definition of Tenzo's job. And we continue. The Zenren Shingi says, for serving the community, there is a Tenzo.

[34:46]

Zenren Shingi is a Shingi, Shingi is regulation of monasteries, written, compiled in China. And Dogen Zenji's Shingi is based on this Zenren Shingi. And since ancient times, Masters with ways-seeking mind, lofty people who had awakened their hearts, were appointed to this job. After all, isn't this the single color of diligently engaging in the way? If you do not have the mind of the way, then all of this, this hard work, is meaningless. and not beneficial. The Zen teaching says, you must put to work the mind of the way, offering appropriate variety in the food served, so that the community can feel satisfied and at ease.

[35:58]

So in the Tenzo's work, we have to put our way mind or way mind or dōshin in Japanese. Dō means way and shin is mind. Way mind or dōshin is a translation for bodhicitta. Bodhi means awakening. So awakening mind or awakened mind. So this dōshin or way mind or bodhis mind is really important, really essential. in order to work in the kitchen. Without this body-mind, body-mind is the mind, it's also translated into English as way-seeking mind. The mind which seeks the way, which seeks the truth or reality. So we have aspiration to awaken to the reality inside of ourselves.

[37:02]

And Buddha works from outside to help us to awake to that reality. Buddha doesn't only mean the statue, but when we sit facing the wall, the wall is Buddha. When we're cutting vegetables, the vegetables are Buddha. When we're washing rice, water and rice are all Buddha. The situation is Buddha. The things happening, you know, in front of our eyes is Buddha. That is Genjo. And Genjo is koan. Genjo means present. Gen means present. And jo means evolution, achieving, becoming. So things happening in front of ourselves right now, right here, is Genjo. And this Genjo is koan. Koan is reality. or truth, and yet this koan is not only the truth, or the truth or reality is a question.

[38:14]

The reality always asking us who we are, what are you doing? Are you really awakening to the reality or not? And we have to answer through our activity, through our practice, whether we awaken to the reality or not. So, moment by moment, we have to examine ourselves whether we awaken, we really awaken and really based, living based on that reality. Reality means impermanence and egolessness and interconnectedness, or dependent origination. So way-mind, or dōshin, is most essential. And he continued, in ancient times, such people as Guishan and Donshan

[39:20]

Guishan is a founder of Ijo school in Chinese Zen, one of the five schools. And Dongshan is Touzan, the founder of Soto school in Chinese Zen. So Guishan and Dongshan filled this position. Formerly, various great ancestors have worked at this job, not only Guishan Donshan, or Isan, or Tozan, many eminent masters or ancestors have been working as Tenzo. So, it's very important to us, for us to study how those ancient people worked in this case, Tenzo. That is a kind of a model for us to follow.

[40:25]

So within ourselves, way-mind or doshin is essential. And in order to put our doshin body-mind, we have to study the model of ancient people. These two points are really essential in the practice in the community. And in that section of Kannon in Chiji Shingi, Dogen Zen discussed about this point, these two points, body, mind, and contemplating or reviewing or following ancients. So Doshin, and the second point is in Japanese called Keiko. came to review, or think, or contemplate, and call me ancient.

[41:28]

And it's also important what ancient means here. So I discussed about these two points when I talk on Chi-Zhi-Shin-Gi next two lectures. So I am getting it right now. Maybe I don't have enough time to talk on next point in Tenzo Kyoko. In this handout, page 32, this is a very fast section of Ben Doho, the model for engaging the way. Mainly, Bendoho is a description of procedures and manners that we should follow in the practice in Sodo or Zendo.

[42:41]

But in the very beginning of Bendoho, he, Dogen Zenji, It says very important, very spiritually important point, essential point when we practice in the Sodo. So I try to introduce this part. This is a spiritual or mental attitude we should keep when we practice in the Zendo or Sodo. All Buddhas and all ancestors are within the way and engage it. Without the way, they would not engage it. The Dharma exist and they appear. They mean Buddha ancestors. Without the Dharma, they do not appear.

[43:43]

Ben means to engage in or to put our whole energy into the way, into one thing. So, wholehearted effort or diligence. And do is way, and we translate ho in this case model, but ho is dharma. So in the very first sentence, he's talking about Venn, engaging or putting our whole energy into the way, into one thing. That is Samadhi. So Venn means to really put our whole beings into what we are doing right now, right here. We should be 100% right now and right here. That is mindfulness.

[44:52]

Often our mind, our body is here, but our mind is somewhere else. And yet when we practice in zazen, we should come back to this posture and breathing and zazen and letting go of thought. And in the case of day-to-day activities, we should really encounter with what we are doing. In the case of Tenzo, when we cut the vegetables, we 100% cut the vegetables. When our mind goes somewhere else, we should come back. So what we are doing is the same as our posture in the Zen. So when we are aware that our mind goes somewhere else, we come back. And just be attentive, be mindful of what we are doing. That is samadhi in our day-to-day practice.

[45:57]

And Dharma. Dharma But this Dharma is reality itself. So the meaning of the title is the model for engaging the Way. But we could interpret, understand this title as engaging or practicing the Do or Ho. Do is Way and Ho is Dharma. Way of Dharma. Dharma and Way is one. We are living actually inside of the Way. We never get out of the Way. So our practice is not a method to get into the Way from outside. But we are practicing within the Way. within the Dharma.

[47:08]

So, there is no way to go. So, we are right now, right here, and we don't need to go anywhere else. Just be here. Just try to be here. And yet, we almost always go somewhere else. You know, we think about something we did in the past, or something we want to do, we want to be, somewhere else in this moment, or we are thinking about something, you know, we may receive in the future. But reality is only this moment. So we put our whole energy into what we are doing right now, right here. And Dogen Zenji are just to practice in the Sodo is this practice. Since we are already in the way and already in the Dharma, we have to live out in the way we can manifest the way and the Dharma.

[48:24]

That means the reality of all beings, of ourselves. that, you know, we are really connected to each other. We are living together with everyone, all beings. And our Dazen is, how can I say, allows us to really actually be it or carry it out in the purest form. And in our day-to-day life, we have to really try to carry out the things, each and every thing. We have to do so many different things. There are so many things to take care of. And many of them seem nothing to do with Dharma, or practice, or Zazen.

[49:25]

I'm at home, I have to take care of my children. And it seems, you know, because I have to take care of my children, I cannot practice more. Before I get married, I really put my whole energy into practice 24 hours a day. But right now, I cannot. So I feel, you know, babysitting. is something separate from my practice. But when I think in that way, I'm really far out from the way. Really. Although I am still in the way, I'm out of the way. So I have to come back to what I am doing right now and right here. When I'm taking care of children, I have to be 100% with my children. And I think that is my practice.

[50:32]

That is our zazen in our day-to-day life. So, when we are in the sodo or zendo, we have to be 100% in the sodo or in the zendo. That is samadhi. So, Dogen Zen continues. Therefore, when the assembly is sitting, sit together with them. As the assembly gradually lies down, you also lie down in activity and stillness. Stillness means sitting in Zazen. or sleeping, at one with the community. At one with the community is a translation for daishu ichinyo, which is really together with all beings.

[51:40]

In the case of the monastery, daishu means all members. And this community should be really one reality. there shouldn't be any separation. That is the meaning of Wagoshu, or that means Sangha. Sangha means the people or community in harmony. Throughout death and rebirth, do not separate from the monastery. This is taken from Joshu's saying, if you don't depart or leave the monastery in your whole life, even if you don't speak anything, you are not

[52:48]

I forget the word. What's the word for people who cannot speak? Dhamma, yeah. No one could call you dhamma, even if you don't speak anything. If you stay in the monastery for a whole life, even if you say anything, you don't say anything, people or Buddha doesn't call you a dhamma. In the case, in the Joshu's saying, it said, don't apart from monastery for whole life, wa issho, one life. But Dogen Zen here makes this little change. It says shisho instead of issho. Shisho means life and death. So not only this lifetime, but life after life. We shouldn't be apart from the monastery.

[53:59]

And in that comment of the Joshu's saying in Shobo Genzo Gyoji, Dogen then said, this whole world, whole universe is one monastery. So there is no way to be apart from the monastery. That means all beings in this whole universe is a Sangha, a member of the Sangha. So there is no way we can get out of the Sangha. So we should really commit ourselves to be an active member of the Sangha. And when we are in the monastery, in this community, we should think of how this whole community can most vividly work, practice. And that is the point we have to aim at in our, you know, each and every activities.

[55:02]

And, it said, standing out has no benefit. Being different from others is not our conduct. Standing out means to be apart from the group. The Japanese expression is batsu-gun. Batsu-gun means to get out of the group of people. Gun means a flock. A flock of sheep. And, you know, someone wants to get out of the group. So, they get out. And this attitude is not good according to Dogen Zen's practice. He said, we should practice in the Sangha. And even in the Sangha, even when we practice in the Sangha, we try to somehow try to get out of the... not outside, but we try to get above the other people.

[56:11]

That means, you know, we start to compete. We want to practice more than other members, other people. And we want to study more, and we want to become enlightened. more than others. So we easily start to compete with others. And we want to, above the flock, get out of the, you know, sangha. And I want to, we want to be, you know, number one. And this attitude is really against Buddha's practice. You know, the practice in monastery is just one complete practice. You know, the monastery, or in Japanese, the word is shourin. Dogen Zen used the word shourin. Shourin means a forest. In the forest, you know, there are big trees, and small trees, and grasses, or beautiful flowers, or weeds, or, you know, pretty birds, or earthworms.

[57:25]

there are all different living creatures together. That is the idea of forest, or I mean soaring, or monastery. So it's kind of different from the connotation of the English word monastery. I think monastery came from mono, meaning to be alone. But soaring, It is a kind of an ecological system in which all different living beings practice together. So the soaring or forest as a whole is important. It's not a matter of competition, whether my enlightenment is greater than others or things like that. or anything. So we really practice with all beings.

[58:28]

And Dogen Zen said, this is, this practice, this is the Buddha ancestors' skin, flesh, bones, and marrow. This practice to be with all members, in the case of monastery, to really practice with all members, all people. And, not only in this monastery, our community, you know, we live together with really all beings, with, you know, birds, or flowers, or clouds, or rain, ocean, or mountains. Those are all members of the Sangha. And to really awaken to that reality, we are living together with all beings. And actually aim at how we can live together, how we can open ourselves to all beings.

[59:34]

This is the point of our practice. So Dogen then said, this practice is the Buddha ancestors' skin, flesh, bones and marrow. I think you know what this means. This is from the story of Dharma transmission between Bodhidharma and second ancestors. And also, one's own body and mind dropped off. This is Datsuraku Shinjin. Dogen Zen called his Zen, Shinjin Datsuraku. And here he used the word, expression, Datsuraku Shinjin. The order is opposite. Body and mind dropped off. Shinjin Datsuraku is dropping off body and mind. So, when we practice in that way,

[60:34]

That way means to live together with all beings, practice together with all people in the Sangha. In order to do so, we have to let go of our own personal ideas or preferences. And we have to listen to others. And that is Datsuraku Shinjin. We don't grasp this body and mind, but open our hands and see and listen what other people are doing or thinking or saying. That is Datsuraku Shinjin in our day-to-day life. So we keep practicing with this Datsuraku Shinjin. body and mind dropped off.

[61:38]

So we keep our hand, keep opening our hand. Don't grasp this small body and small mind and our, you know, limited thought. And he said, therefore engaging the way, this means bendo, is the practice enlightenment. before the empty kalpa. Empty kalpa means before beginningless beginning. That means eternity. So this practice is practice enlightenment. Practice and enlightenment are really one, together. There is no separation. As much as we practice, Enlightenment is manifested within this practice. Enlightenment here means the reality of all beings.

[62:46]

Awakening to the reality of all beings. And we actualize the awakening moment by moment. This practice, this practice of enlightenment, Before the empty corpus, that means before our judgment, our separation by our intellection. Also, he said, so, do not be concerned with your actualization. Genjou ni kakawaru koto nakare. Actualization is a translation for Genjou in Genjou Kouhan. We don't need to be concerned with your actualization, because that actualization is already there in our practice of letting go.

[63:48]

And it is the koan before judgment. I don't think judgment is a good translation, but I don't have a better word. This practice is a koan before judgment. Judgment is a translation for chincho. Chincho is omen or omen of separation or human judgment. So, do not wait for Great Realization. Great Realization is a translation for Daigo, Great Enlightenment. So, do not wait for Great Realization, because Great Realization is already there in our day-to-day practice, in the Sodo, and also outside of the Sodo.

[64:52]

basic teaching of Dogen Zenji about the practice in the Sodo. So, when we carry out, we practice following Bendoho, we should really keep this point in mind. Or even if we follow the form, we are doing something different from what Dogen Zenji urges us to do. I'm sorry, I have a long way to go, but I don't have time. Page 55, next page. The Dharma for Taking Meals. This section is a description how we eat yuso ryoki and how we receive food and eat food. I don't have time to talk sentence by sentence, but in the very first paragraph of this section, Fushoku Hanpo, he also talked about a very important point regarding the Dharma.

[66:20]

And he said, I'll read only the first sentence. As Sutra says, if you can remain the same with food, all dharmas also remain the same. If all dharmas are the same, then also with food you will remain the same. So we should have the same attitude toward dharma. So there is no good dharma and bad dharma. Dharma means, for example, delusion and enlightenment. or samsara and nirvana, or hard time and good time. We make such distinction or dichotomy. But we should see any situation, anything equally, without distinction or discrimination. then there is no distinction or discrimination between good food, good delicious food, and not good, nothing special, ordinary, coarse food.

[67:37]

So we should receive any kind of food as a gift or donation or offering from Buddha. Buddha means from nature. Nature includes people who prepare the meal. So we should really, through eating, we should really appreciate the system of life, system of nature. that brings the food in front of our mouth. So eating, having meat, is a really great opportunity to express our gratefulness to the reality of all beings. I should go to the next.

[68:47]

Next section is Regulations for the Shuryo or Monk Study Hall of Kichijo-san Eheiji Temple. So this is a regulation in the Shuryo or Study Hall. I also read only the first paragraph. The Koran in the study hall should respect the precepts of the Buddhas and ancestors, follow the instructions for the department of the large and small vikus. Large and small vikus means Hinayana and Mahayana. That means the Vinaya and also Mahayana precepts. And match the pure standard of Baijuan, Baijuan is Hyakujo, Hyakujo Shingi.

[69:50]

So we should follow the Vinaya and Mahayana precept and Hyakujo Shingi. The Zen Ren Shingi says, all matters, whether large or small, should be in accordance with regulations. Regulation means Shingi. Therefore, you should study the Brahmanic Sutra, the Jewel Ornament Sutra, and also the Sutra of the Three Thousand Departments. So, even in the study hall, where we don't practice Dazen, but where we study Buddha's teachings, Also, take a rest. We have to be mindful about how we have to be attentive at this moment by studying those regulations and precepts.

[71:07]

So regulation and precept are not merely the correction of what we should or what we shouldn't. But regulation and precept are actually the koan. Koan means expression of reality and also a question from the reality to us. What are you doing now? Where are you now? who you are. And not only in sitting practice, but in every activity in our day-to-day life, we have to answer. If we try to avoid to answer the question from the reality, that is one of the ways we answer. So there is no way to escape from the question from reality. Really, that is the core.

[72:10]

So we have to be really attentive, mindful, in each and every moment, in each and every situation. And that means we have to really care for other people. In the case of Shuryo Shingi, in the Shuryo, people study together. So we should be really careful not to disturb other people. So there is a way how to practice and study together without disturbing others and also without being disturbed by others. And that is what Dogen Zenji wants to show us in this section. And the fifth one is, as I said, Taidaikoho. This is a kind of a collection of manners or etiquette.

[73:22]

Page 105. And probably, you know, we modern people don't like this kind of etiquette. This is, in a sense, based on discrimination. between, you know, junior people and senior people. So, we don't like this kind of discrimination. And yet, in the very final, last sentence, he said, truly, it is the ultimate summit of the Mahayana. It means, these decorum, or manas, is the ultimate summit of the Mahayana. So we should think or understand those manners, not merely as the regulations or order from the top or above.

[74:22]

But we should learn how to live together. Each person is different. there are experienced people, and there are beginning people. And if we make those manners or regulations just to, how can I say, put everything in order, in order to make it easy to govern, like in a society, or some company, or like an army, We lose the sight of the point Dogenzen tried to show us. That is, those are the ultimate summit of the Mahayana. So we have to understand what is the ultimate summit of the Mahayana when we understand and practice these regulations.

[75:29]

Well, I think the last one is Chiji Shingi, but I'm going to continue to talk on Chiji Shingi, so today I don't want to get into Chiji Shingi. Any questions? Please. Zen Nen Shingi and Hyakujo Shingi? No, different. Hyakujo Shingi, traditionally, Hyakujo Shingi was considered as the oldest Shingi in the history of Zen, compiled by the master Hyakujo Ekai, but it was lost. during the end of Tan dynasty, there was a lot of social disorder.

[76:39]

And the regulations in the monastery was, you know, so the person, the master whose name was Choro Sosaku, compiled Zenren Shingi in the beginning of 11th century, 1003. And Hyakujo Shingi, if Hyakujo Shingi was compiled by the master Hyakujo, it was compiled in the 9th century. So there are about 200 years between those two Shingis. And it seems at the time of Dogen Zenji, Zenren Shingi was already lost. So Dogen Zenji's Shingi, Ehe Shingi, was based on Zenren Shingi. Thank you for listening.

[77:44]

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