is Sesshin. We are going to study Shobo Genzo Zazen Shin. As I think you know, Zazen is the center of our practice, at least the center of Dogen's teaching. So, when Dogen came back and went back to Japan from China. First, he wrote the manual of Zazen practice entitled in Japanese, Fukan Zazen-gi, or the Universal Recommendation of Zazen. And he rewrote this Fukan Zazen-gi at least twice. The final version Of course there are many different translations, many English translations.

[01:18]

And not only Fukan Zazengi, he wrote many writings about Zazen practice. Bendowa is the second. Bendowa, or the Wholehearted Practice of the Way, is the second writing of Dogen. He also described how his Zazen practice is like. And he named his Zazen as Jijuyu Zanmai. This Jijuyu Zanmai is also recited And this Shobo Genzo Zazenshin is one of the writings of Dogen in which he discussed the quality of his

[02:35]

Zazen Shin. I think you know about Zazen. But Zazen is sitting. And Zen is meditation. It came from Sanskrit word dhyana. So Zazen is sitting meditation. And Shin here means acupuncture needle. Now, today's acupuncture needle is iron. They use iron needle. But in the ancient time, they used bamboo. They made a needle from bamboo. So this can be very thin. So this acupuncture needle is a kind of instrument to heal some sickness. So my translation of this title, Zazen Shin, is acupuncture needle of Zazen.

[03:53]

So Zazen is a needle to heal our sickness. And what is our sickness? I think it's very clear. What is our sickness? Somehow we are poisoned. And the Buddha said, you know, we are shot with an arrow with the poison of three poisonous mines. That is greed, anger or hatred, and ignorance. ignorance of impermanence and egolessness. Because of this ignorance of impermanence and egolessness and interdependent coordination, we think this being, this person, is most important.

[05:04]

And to make this person powerful, important, healthy. This becomes the kind of a purpose of life. And if we make, if we are successful, then we feel we are happy. And if not, we feel we are miserable, like being in hell. And no condition stays forever. So we transmigrate. That is samsara. So, Buddha's teaching is often called medicine. And this acupuncture needle is the same thing, to heal the sickness caused by those three poisonous minds.

[06:06]

That is the basic meaning of this title, Zazen Shin. Zazen is an acupuncture needle to heal the sickness caused by three poisonous mines. And it's very difficult to heal. It's very deep. And another, one more meaning of this Zazen Shin is even though Buddha's teaching So, Buddhist practice and, of course, our zazen is part of Buddhist practice. Somehow, even when we practice Buddha's teaching, or even when we practice zazen, somehow this zazen can be a cause of poison. Our Zazen is also done by our three poisonous minds.

[07:18]

It can be. Really. If we have, you know, it depends upon our motivation. Why we practice. If we practice for the sake of making this person important, stronger, more powerful, or more enlightened, or more... whatever. Whatever something we want. Then our practice is motivated by our greed. I want to get this one or that one. It's not the money or power, but something else. We want to.

[08:19]

And we practice in order to get that one. If we practice in this way, our practice is generated by greed. If we practice in order to escape from our present, current condition, then our practice is motivated by hatred or anger toward the present condition of ourselves. So, our dharma is often, I don't know, about other people, But at least in my case, in the first, at least five, first ten years, my practice was motivated by greed and also anger or hatred.

[09:26]

I didn't like who I was. That's why I practiced. I want to make our life, my life, more important or meaningful in order to do so, I really practiced. I really devoted my entire life to practice, at least for ten years. And without this greed and anger or hatred, I couldn't practice. We call this way-seeking mind. But our seeking mind can be very deeply influenced by Three Poisonous Minds. And to see that kind of a contradiction, in order to practice to be free from Three Poisonous Minds, we need Three Poisonous Minds.

[10:30]

This is a really basic contradiction. And when we you know, practice certain... Then we found that our motivation itself is the point. Then, you know, often we have a doubt about our practice. And often we stop. We quit practice. We feel it doesn't work. But I think that is the most important kind of a core for us, how we can go through that difficulty. It's like, you know, when we are sitting on a cushion, we are trying to take the cushion away from which I'm sitting.

[11:32]

So it's very difficult. It's very important. It's really important. If we practice based on three poisonous minds, our practice of Dharzen, not only sitting, but our entire practice, is part of samsara. And we suffer. Because no condition lasts forever. Sometimes we feel You know, I had certain good experience. And I feel I'm getting better. I feel I'm enlightened. But such condition doesn't last forever. You know, we create transcendence. We transmigrate within different conditions, even in our present. And we find, you know,

[12:39]

that we are still within samsara. Then how we can be free from this samsara? Within our Buddhist practice, within our Zazen practice, I think that is the sickness Bogen Zenji is discussing here. And how we can heal or cure this sickness. I think this is the main point of this writing. In my case, I first read my teacher's book when I was 17 years old. And somehow I wanted to be his student.

[13:43]

I knew nothing about Buddhism or Zen. But somehow I wanted to live like him. And because I knew nothing about Buddhism or Zen or Dogen's teaching, first I went to Komazawa University to study Buddhism and Dogen's teaching. I was ordained when I was 22. Before that, I started to really practice Zazen when I was 19. And when I was 20, I first sat five-day Sesshin at Akan Taiji, where Ucha Maroshi lived. The Sesshin Atantaya is something very unique. One period of dazen of 15 minutes.

[14:49]

And we had 10 minutes kihin. And we wake up at 4 in the morning. And we sat two periods before breakfast. We sat 5 periods in a row, from 7 in the morning till noon. And we had lunch and short break again. And we sat from 1 to 6, 5 periods in a row. And we had supper and short breaks. About 20 minutes. And we sat again from 7 to 9, another 2 periods. 14th Piyaraja Day. We had no service, no lecture, no work Piyaraja Day.

[15:52]

Nothing. I was 20 years old. And that was my first Sushin. And it was in January. January in Kyoto was very cold. It was cold and painful for the first two years for me to sit in this posture and to have pain. It was very painful and it was sleepy. While I was in Tokyo, I went to school. I read books until midnight. or even early morning, and sleep until noon. So, when I went to Sesshin, I had a jet lag. Very sleepy. So sleepy, painful, cold. Really difficult experience to me. But somehow I felt this is where I should be.

[17:15]

Not in a call of zendo, but sitting on the cushion. I didn't understand why. Still I didn't know much knowledge or understanding about Buddhism or Zen. I was 20 years old. But somehow I felt this is the place I returned. I should return. I felt like, since my birth to that time, I felt I was in a dream. And during that session, even though it's not an easy practice, I felt I first woke up from my dream. I didn't know why. I didn't understand what it is. So, after that, somehow, this sitting practice became the most important thing in my life.

[18:27]

And since then, I have been practicing more than 30 years. It's still the most important thing. At Tankaiji we had that kind of Sesshin ten times a year. I practiced at Tankaiji for five years. Uchiyama Roshi retired in 1975 and he sent three of his disciples to this country and I was one of them. And I lived in Massachusetts for five years. And we practiced in the same way. So we had a five-day session each month. I mean, twelve times a year. You know, to have a five-day session each month means every three weeks I have a session.

[19:36]

You know, from four in the morning till nine in the evening for five days. And I had to go back to Japan because my body was half broken. It was too much work. But I continued to practice in this way until 1992. So I practiced really just sitting. for more than 20 years. So I had more than 200 sessions. So Dazen is my life. I lived within Dazen. I lived between sessions. So, you know, Zazen is the most important thing in my life.

[20:42]

So, it's the most important thing to understand what is Zazen. To understand what I'm doing. What is my life? So, since I was 20 years old, I have been studying Buddha's teachings and Dogen's teachings. in order to study what I'm doing. And, honestly speaking, Dogen's teaching is very difficult. Until recently, many of his writings didn't make sense at all to me. But, in 1993, I came to America again. And I practiced at the Miyazato Aben meditation center, established by Katagiri Roshi.

[21:45]

So I followed Katagiri Roshi's style instead of Uchiyama Roshi's style. But I have to give lectures. It's very difficult. You know, just sitting is more, in a sense, more easier. Somehow, just sitting and giving a lecture is kind of contradictory. In order to give a lecture, I have to think. Unfortunately. And zazen should not be thinking. In our zazen, we have to let go of any kind of thinking. Even thinking about Dharma. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to prepare before Sesshin. So, I had to prepare a lecture regarding Sesshin.

[22:49]

So, to be a teacher in this kind of practice is very difficult. Please, please have compassion for the teachers. It was really difficult for me. But it was very helpful for me, too, because I have to explain everything in English. And during Sesshin, I tried... because I didn't think... I didn't want to think about something else. I decided to give lectures from Dogen's writings about Zazen. Then I can think about Zazen. This is where I think of not thinking. Anyway, so after 1993, almost 8 years, I have been practicing in this way.

[23:50]

giving a lecture becomes part of my practice. Though it's hard, but it's very helpful for me to make my understanding clear. When I think in Japanese, somehow I feel I understand it. But when I have to explain in English, I have to really clearly understand otherwise I cannot speak. And because English is not my native language, I have to say black or white. When I speak in Japanese, I can make any kind of grey zone. Even though I don't really understand, somehow I can say something. But in English, I cannot.

[25:06]

Because I don't have so much vocabulary. So I have been trying to make my understanding clear. And also, my work on translation requires a specific meaning in each word Dogen used. And it's very difficult. Because Dogen, not only Dogen, but in Zen, in general, many Zen masters used one word in more than one meaning. at the same time, within the same, within one sentence, or in one writing. So this is my karma. I don't know if this is good karma or bad karma.

[26:08]

But somehow I try to enjoy it. And I hope you enjoy it too. In this writing, Shobo Genzo Zazenshin, Dogen Zenji discussed from, quote, three, two kind of a core story. The first one is, Yakusans think of not thinking. How do you think of not thinking, beyond thinking, in my translation? And the second part, is Dogen's comment on the story of Nangaku's polishing atari. And the third part is Dogen's comment on a poem written by Wanshi Shougaku, entitled Zazenshin.

[27:12]

So this title, Zazenshin, came from the title of Wanshi's poem, Zazen-shin. And finally, those are three main sections of this writing. And finally, Dogen wrote a poem entitled Zazen-shin by himself. So basically, this writing has three parts. And all of them are very interesting. and important to understand the nature of Dogen's Zazen. And I think since 1996 I have been giving lectures on this writing, but I never, I could never finish.

[28:13]

Once I gave seven lectures on the first part during one session. And I couldn't go to the second section. So this time I'd like to start from the second section. So I briefly review what Domen said in the first part section. In the beginning, he caught, as I said, Yakusan's question and answer with his student. The monk asked, what is thinking in steadfast, immobile sitting? What do you think exactly? Then Yakusan said, I think of not thinking. Think of not thinking. Then the monk asked again, how do you think? of not thinking.

[29:15]

And Yakusan said, beyond thinking, or in Japanese, hi shiryo. And Dogen's comment on this. This koan is quoted in Afkanda Zen, too. So this is very important. When I start to talk about this koan, it takes more than one hour. So, it will pass. But the important point here is, after he commented on this koan, he said, Fat is a sickness for Darwin. And I think that is most important in this first section. to understand what is the problem for Dogon, what is the sickness caused by them.

[30:23]

And he said, nevertheless, if you have this page 2, the second paragraph from the bottom, Nevertheless, these days, some careless, stupid people say, this is very dogmatic. Careless, stupid people. He's not a gentle person. Practice Zazen and do not be concerned with anything else in your mind. This is the tranquil state. enlightenment. He said, this view is beneath even the views of Hinayana scholars. It is inferior to the teachings of human and heavenly beings.

[31:27]

Those who hold this view cannot be called the students of the Buddhadharma. In recent Great Song China, there are many practitioners like this. How sad that the way of the ancestors has fallen into ruin. So, Dogen is very strong to this kind of understanding of Zazen. Practice Zazen and do not be concerned with anything else in your mind. This is the tranquil state of enlightenment. This is, according to Dogen, this is one sickness. It sounds like, you know, just sitting. But according to Dogen, this is not just sitting. He said this is sickness. I think this means, you know, we don't need to care about anything.

[32:34]

Just sit in a quiet place and be peaceful. And according to Dogen, that is not just sitting. based on Buddhadharma or based on Buddha's teaching. Our practice is not simply enjoying peacefulness or quietness. That is one point. And second sickness is... Others insist that the practice of Zazen is important for beginners but is not necessarily the practice for Buddhas and ancestors. Walking is Zen. Sitting is Zen. Therefore, whether speaking or being silent, whether acting, standing still, the body of the self is always at ease.

[33:38]

do not be concerned with the present practice of the Zen. Many of the descendants of Rinzai hold this sort of view. They say so because they have not correctly received the true life of the Dharma. What is a beginner's mind? What is not a beginner's mind? What do you mean when you say beginner's? So, according to Dogen, this is the second kind of sickness. That is, in order to attain certain kind of enlightenment, or enlightenment experience, we need the practice of Dazen. But once we attain so-called enlightenment, then Dazen is not important anymore. And he said, many of Rinzai practitioners at Togen time were like that.

[34:45]

Zazen is a method or a means or a step or a ladder to attain enlightenment or something, some particular experience. If you get it, then you don't need to practice Zazen anymore. That is the second kind of sickness according to Dogen. And I think those two attitudes towards Zazen, I think, was what Dogen found in the process of his searching the way. He said, when he studied and practiced at Mount Hiei, when he was a teenager, he had a question. That, you know, in the Buddhist teaching it said all beings, all people have so-called Dharma nature or Buddha nature.

[35:56]

So, everything is OK as it is. Then, five Buddhas and ancestors had to practice. That was Dogen's original question. And this means, you know, everything is OK as it is. So, why we have to go through such a difficult, painful, cold, sleepy practice? I think it's a very natural question. So, our practice is not, you know, just thinking everything is OK as it is. If it's so, Buddha didn't need to leave his palace and become a beggar. And, after he left Mount Hiei, he started to practice Zen.

[37:04]

And first, he practiced with Rinzai Zen. And I think that is what he is mentioning here. I think not authentic genuine Rinzai Zen, but it's a kind of a mistaken attitude, misguided attitude within Rinzai Zen, that to have certain experience, so-called tension, is a goal of their practice. But through Rinzai Zen, the experience of Kensho is a starting point of their practice. So this is not genuine Rinzai practice, but many, I think according to Dogen, many of Rinzai practitioners practice in that way. And those two, the first one is often called Buzi Zen.

[38:07]

Buddhism, nothing is matter. Everything is OK, kind of Zen. And second is, you know, we need enlightenment. We practice in order to get something, some fancy experience. Then, if we get such an experience, everything becomes OK. We have no problem at all after that experience. We've become a so-called enlightened person. Those two are basic sicknesses, according to Dogen. So, he tried to offer an acupuncture needle, a treatment, to become healed such an attitude.

[39:11]

And our, as I said, our motivation, or so-called motivation, or aspiration, or way-seeking mind can be influenced either everything is OK, nothing is matter, or I need to practice in order to attain something. These two are two ways of manifestation, or symptoms, of three poisonous minds. I think. And this chapter of Shogo Genzo, in order to offer Akibanguchan music, I think that is the point of Dogen in this chapter.

[40:17]

So now I start to talk on the second section. In this second section, Dogen comments on the story between about Nangaku and Baso. Nangaku Ejo was a disciple of the Sixth Ancestor Huinan. And Baso was Nangaku's Baso Doritsu. He was a really great Zen master in early Zen in China. And this story is very interesting and very important. Rogenzenji quote each sentence from the Koan story and put his comment on it.

[41:27]

So the story is not very clear. And especially this section, It's really difficult to understand. This is one of the typical dogmas. Unless we really understand the original story, we really don't understand what the dogma is talking about in one sentence. So, this morning I'd like to talk on the original story. Actually, Dogen quote only half of the original story. I think that is one of the reasons difficult to understand. What is the point of this story? And what is the point of Dogen's twist? Dogen often twists the original meaning of the original story or expression.

[42:35]

And in order to understand the original, we don't understand Robin's twist. So this morning, I'd like to talk on the original story of this court. The original story of this koan appeared in Keitokuden Toroku, or the Record of Transmission of Love. This is a collection of, it said, 1,700 koans. That means this is a kind of a collection of biographies of 1,700 Zen masters.

[43:39]

And, as I said, Dogen quoted only half of the story. But, I'd like to talk on the entire story. I think that's helpful for us to understand what's the point of this story. And, I think, in order to understand this story, we have to go back to Mahayana teaching, in the Mahayana Sutra. particularly in the Diamond Sutra. So I'm going to talk on the Diamond Sutra too. Anyway, page 2 of this handout. So in this story, Mangaku Ejo is a teacher.

[44:45]

And Baso Doritsu was a student. Let me call them in Japanese pronunciation, Nangaku and Baso. According to his biography, Baso's biography, Baso was born in Shichun, that is a western part of China. And he was... he became a novice monk when he was very young. And he practiced in Shuiting. And he was... he received a full Vinaya, a precept, when he was about 30 years old. And he moved to central China and met this teacher, Nangaku.

[45:51]

And this is the story when Baso received Nangaku's instruction for the first time. That is the situation or the background of this story. But actually Dogen changed the situation. I'm going to talk about it later. So, during Kaigen in Japanese, or Kaiwan in Chinese era, that is between 713 to 741, there was a monk named Doi. those is Baso's personal name. He lived at Denbo-in, or Chang-fa Yuan in Chinese.

[46:57]

This name of the temple is also important. And practice doesn't every day. I don't think this is a historical story. I think this is made-up story by someone. Everything has meaning. And this name of the temple, Denbo-in, is Temple of Dharma Transmission. I think this is the theme of this story, Dharma Transmission. But anyway, Baso... So Baso was about 30 years old. And he practiced at this temple. and really focused on Zazen, sitting every day. The master, Nangaku, knew that the monk was a vessel of Dharma and visited him.

[48:03]

So Nangaku heard of this young monk sitting by himself every day. Somehow he found he was really an excellent person. So, Nangaku visited this young monk. And Nangaku asked, virtuous warrior, what do you aim at in doing Zazen? What do you want in Zazen? How do you practice? Then Baso said, I am aiming at becoming a Buddha. I'm practicing to become a Buddha. Then, at that time, Nangak picked up a tile. In this case, tile means... What is tile in English?

[49:06]

Roof tile. Yes, roof tile. And this is not a new tile, you know. Chinese buildings are built with wood so often they have fire or earthquake and within the history there are many times temple buildings were burned or destroyed and roof tiles are scattered around and some broken roof tiles So, this tile means something valueless. Something made of mud. But, Nangaku picked up a tile and began to polish it against a rock in front of the hermitage.

[50:12]

So, Nangak started to polish a tile. Baso asked, Master, what are you doing? What are you doing? Nangak said, I am polishing a tile to make it a mirror. So, Nangak said, I'm polishing a tile in order to make it into a mirror. Mirror is an analogy or a symbol of Buddha's enlightenment. You know, the perfect mirror of wisdom. The great perfect mirror of wisdom. That is the wisdom of Buddha. So, that means the broken tile is this.

[51:16]

person, this person's body and mind, that is a collection of karmas. This is like a broken tile. It's good for nothing. And practice razen, or practice practicing, is like polishing this tile, in order to make it into Buddha. So, this means we practice in order to become a Buddha. I think this is a very common understanding of our practice. You know, we are very human beings. And we want to become a Buddha. And our practice is a path leading us from samsara, or delusion, to nirvana, or enlightenment, or buddhahood.

[52:23]

So, you know, this is a very common, usual understanding of Buddhist practice. But somehow it's funny here. I mean, first Nangaku is pointing that no matter how hard we polish the tile, tile doesn't become a mirror. That is the point of this story. So, Nangak said, I'm polishing a tile to make it a mirror. I'm practicing Zazen in order to become Buddha. Baso said, how can you make a mirror by polishing a tile? a natural question. If we really, sincerely practice, we should have this question to ourselves.

[53:31]

How can you make a mirror by polishing a tile? Then, Nangak said, how can you become a Buddha by doing the Zen? This means your Zazen doesn't make you a Buddha. That means your Zazen is nonsense. Good for nothing. So this is Nangaku's admonition or kind of a criticism against Basho's practice of just singing. Then, Baso said, what is the right thing to do? What is the right thing to do? If garden is not a method or path through which we can reach Buddhahood, what else should we do?

[54:35]

Then, Nangak said, suppose that a person is riding a cart A cart pulled by a cow or an ox. When the cart does not move, when the cart does not move, which is right? To hit the cart, or to hit the cow? So the cart is pulled by a cow. And when the cow cart doesn't move, and when you are on the cart, which is the right thing to do, hitting the cow or hitting the cat. Of course, hitting the cat doesn't make sense. And so this means sitting in this posture, in this form, according to Nangaku, is like hitting the cow. This means we need to hit the cow.

[55:40]

And in this analogies. Card means our body. Something which I hold. And the card is a symbol of our mind, or Buddha mind. So, Nangaku is saying we need to hit the mind, not hit the body. So, Nangaku, when the card does not move, which is right to hit the card or to hit the card. Then, Baso did not reply. He couldn't say anything. And, Nangaku continues. Do you study sitting meditation or sitting Buddha? Do you study or do you practice sitting meditation with Zazen, sitting Zen?

[56:46]

or sitting Buddha, the Buddha. If you study sitting Zen, Zen is neither sitting nor lying down. Zen or meditation has nothing to do with the form of sitting or lying down. How do you sit? And if you study sitting Buddha, Buddha has not a fixed form. Buddha has no fixed form. Buddha is formless. So to study Buddha with this sitting form is nonsense. Because Buddha has no fixed form. And within The non-abiding dharma.

[57:47]

This expression, non-abiding dharma, came out of the Diamond Sutra. I'm going to talk on the Diamond Sutra to explain what this non-abiding dharma means. And you should... So, within non-abiding dharma simply means we cannot choose, pick up, one from other. There is no fixed form. So, you should neither accept nor reject. If you do sitting Buddha, you kill the Buddha. So, that means you don't sit. Don't sit. Because Buddha is timeless. But if we think this sitting is sitting Buddha, then you cling to this form.

[58:52]

Or you are searching something formless within this fixed form. So, that doesn't make sense. If you cling to the sitting form, you will never reach the principle So, Mangaku's teaching is, don't cling to the sitting pole. And, upon hearing this instruction, Baso felt like drinking daigo. Daigo is a fermented milk. It is used as an analogy of Buddha's teaching. or a sweet view. Dogen quote until this part, but the original story continues and says, Baso made a prostration and asked, How can I enter the formless samadhi?

[60:08]

Samadhi or formlessness. So, you know, this Zazen has form. So, and Baso, and Mangaku admonished, don't to cling to or don't to search Buddha or Zen that is formless. Then, so Baso asked, how can I enter? the samadhi of formlessness. I think this is a very natural question. And this formless samadhi, or musou zanmai, is, I think, the basic teaching in Diamond Sutra. So after I finish this story, I talk on Diamond Sutra. Then we can understand the meaning of

[61:11]

Nangaku's teaching to Baso. Nangaku said, you are studying the Dharma Gate of mind-ground. It is like planting seeds. So your practice for studying is like planting seeds. And mind expanding the Dharma essence. Nangaku's teaching is like the rain from the heaven. Since your necessary conditions get together, that means Vassal's practice and Nangaku's teaching getting together, you will see the way. Vassal asked again, the way has neither color nor form. How can I see it?

[62:13]

So now Vassal started to understand something. The dharma eye, the dharma eye of the mind ground can see the way. So our eye, that is part of our body, cannot see something formless. We can see things which have color and form or shape. That is Rupa, the object of our eyes. But we cannot see the way, or that is formless. Then how we can see the formless way? And Nangak says, the Dharma eye can see. Dharma eye of the mind ground. So this mind ground is one of the most important expression here. What is mind ground?

[63:16]

Or a dharma eye of mind ground which can see the way or reality or dharma or Buddha that is formless. This is the point of this story actually. How we can see something formless. We cannot see something formless with our eyes. Baso asked, are we arising and perishing? He said, are we arising and perishing within the way? Does the way arise or does the way perish? That means, is it impermanent or is it Within the cause and condition, something appears, something disappears. The things we experience is always arising and perishing.

[64:23]

Arising, stay for a while, changing, and disappear. That is cause and condition. And the formless way, or formless dharma, or formless Buddha is beyond this arising and perishing. What is this mind ground of Dharmai? And what is this Dharma which has no form? This is the point of this story. And Nangak said, Trying to see the way on the basis of arising and perishing, gathering and scattering is not the way. So we should see, we should find the way which is beyond arising and perishing, gathering and scattering.

[65:37]

The point is, is there such a thing which doesn't arise and which doesn't perish? You know, in the Heart Sutra, it says, all dharmas are marked with emptiness. There's no arising and no perishing. Doesn't appear nor disappear. What is this? And Rangak made a kind of a poem. He said, listen to my verse. The mind ground has various seeds. Mind ground has various seeds. Seeds of Buddhahood. And when they have rained, all seeds sprout.

[66:41]

So within the mind ground, the seeds are already planted. The seed of Prajna is already planted. And when they have rain, that means Buddha's teaching, or your teacher's teaching, then all seeds sprout. And the flower of Samadhi has no form. The flower of Samadhi This Samadhi, that is from the Samadhi. This Samadhi has no form. And this no-form Samadhi is the flower, came from the seeds, planted within the mind ground. And so, how can it be perish or arise? So this seed, and stem flower and fruits has no perishing and no arising above this.

[67:55]

Baso was unable to open realization and his mind was transcendent. He attended and served Nangaku for ten years. Day by day, Gassho deepened his understanding of the profound secret. So, after this encounter, Gassho became Nangaku's student and practiced together with Nangaku for ten years. because of Dharmarama. And in the Baso section, in the very beginning of Baso section, it said, during the Kaigen era of Tan dynasty, Baso learned meditation at Denbo-in on Mount Ko-wa-hen and met Master Nangaku Ejo.

[69:06]

Though there were nine co-practitioners. Only this teacher, Baso, intimately received the Mind-Seeing. So, after this conversation, Baso started to practice Nangaku, and he practiced there for ten years, and he, only him, said, him, intimately received the mind seal. This is the original story. And, in order to understand the point of this story, Nangak is kind of giving a caution to Baso's practice, who was sitting every day That's the meaning of this Nangakutsu, I know.

[70:11]

It's kind of a criticism or admonition to a young practitioner who was really focusing on sitting practice. And from the story it's clear that Nangaku wanted to teach Vassal was formless practice, formless samadhi, which is nothing to do with form. And this idea of formless samadhi, formless in Japanese is mu-so. Mu is no. So is form. So no-form zanmai wa samadhi. No-form samadhi. This idea of no-form samadhi came out of the Diamond Sutra.

[71:15]

Diamond Sutra is one of the groups of Prajnaparamita Sutras. There are many. Prajnaparamita Sutra is a collection of many sutras. It's not only one sutra. Diamond Sutra, or Kongo Anya Kyo, is one of the oldest sutras made in India. So this is one of the earliest Mahayana sutras. And I found only one translation. This translation is done by who? By a person whose name is Red Pine.

[72:24]

Do you know him? I'm not sure whether this translation has already been published or not. I Michael Wenger, given this copy, Red Pine, gave a workshop at the South African Zen Center. He talked on this translation of Diamond Sutra. I'm not sure whether this has already been published or not. So, I'm not sure whether it's right to quote this translation. But I couldn't find another translation, already published. So, please keep in mind, this is secret. Because this is very early Mahayana Sutra, even within the

[73:29]

Parajana Paramita, although this is a Paramita Sutra, this sutra doesn't use the expression emptiness. The word or expression emptiness, or shunyata, is not used or created when this Diamond Sutra was made. So they try to express the idea of emptiness without using the word emptiness. So it's very interesting. Anyway, what this sutra is saying is about In the very beginning of this sutra, Shibuti, or Shibodai in Japanese, who is one of the ten greatest disciples of Buddha, asked a question to Buddha.

[74:49]

Shibuti's question was, If a good son or daughter should set forth on the Bodhisattva path, that means Bodhisattva practice, how should they dwell? How should they practice? And how should they control their thought? The following, the rest of this sutra is Buddha's answer to this question. That means, how bodhisattvas, how bodhisattvas have to practice, what kind of attitude we should have toward our own practice.

[75:54]

Then, first of all, Buddha said, The Buddha said to him, Shibuti, those who would now thus set forth on the Bodhisattva path should give rise to the thought. However, many beings there are in whatever realms of being that might exist, whether They are born from an egg, were born from a womb, born from the water, were born from the air, material or not material, conscious or not conscious, or neither conscious nor not conscious. That means everything exists or not exists. In whatever conceivable realm of being one,

[76:59]

one might conceive of being in the realm of complete nirvana. I shall liberate them all. So, as a Bodhisattva, we should take a vow to save all beings. That's what we chant when we chant the four Bodhisattva vows. We chant it after this lecture. So, save all beings is the main thing, the first thing a Bodhisattva should keep in mind. I shall liberate them all. And yet, and though, this is Buddha's saying, and though, I thus liberate countless beings, numberless beings, all sentient beings.

[78:10]

Not a single being is liberated. This is what is Buddha. It's not me. It's not me, but Buddha. Even we have saved all living beings, there's no single being which is saved. This is the main point of this sutra, teaching of this sutra. We should save all beings, but if we think there are some beings which can be saved, then we are mistaken. Even a single being can be liberated. And why not?

[79:14]

Why not? This is a very good question. Why not? Surely, a bodhisattva who forms the idea of a being cannot be called a bodhisattva. So, if we have some idea that there are living beings which can be saved, it is not a bodhisattva. And finally, shivuti, they cannot be called bodhisattvas who form the idea of a self. or the idea of a being, or who form the idea of a life, or the idea of a soul. Those are one, two, three, four, five ideas.

[80:16]

Idea of a being, a self, the third one is also a being, so four. Idea of self, being, life, soul. And this translation is from Sanskrit, but in Chinese translation from Sanskrit, this idea is form. So in Chinese Diamond Sutra, the expression used is the form of being, form of self. form of being, form of life, form of soul. So if we see those forms and try to save those beings with those forms, then that kind of practice is basically based on delusion.

[81:27]

or ignorance of non-self, or nothing is substantial, or emptiness. So, then how we have to practice? And in Prajnaparamita Sutra, the main thing is Prajnaparamita is most essential within That's six parameters. There are six parameters. And the prajna parameter, or wisdom, is the sixth, the last one. And next he says, Buddha said, moreover, shivuti, when both sattva give a gift, give a gift is his translation of dharma parameter. giving or offering.

[82:29]

When Bodhisattvas give a gift, they should not be attached to a thing. So when a Bodhisattva practices the Dharma parameter, that means the parameter of giving or offering, we should not We should not be attached to a thing. A thing means a thing to be given. Because there is no such thing called this person as self, the form of a self, a form of person who is given. and the thing which is given. You know, in the middle chant, we chant, you know, in the very first verse, we chant three wheels.

[83:44]

That is the English translation. The original verse in Chinese is Three wheels should be empty and quiet. These three wheels, I mean, the third wheel, means the person who is offering, and the person who receives the offering, and the thing which is given. Maybe that is not literally translated, but I think one translation is being free from self-clinging. Anyway, so we have to practice giving or dharma without attachment to this person or to

[84:57]

That's possible for that thing to be given. That is called emptiness of three beings. And that is the way we practice Dharana Paramita. So, in order to practice Dharana Paramita, we need wisdom. of Prajnaparamita which sees the emptiness of self and other people and the thing. So, that is the point. That is the practice of giving or dana without being attached to anything. ourselves or other people and the thing, the stuff.

[86:02]

In the case of our meal, the food, in the case of eating, or Oryōki meal, we are receiver. And food is the gift. And the server, or Tenzo, or the farmers who grow The fools give up and we should see the emptiness of all beings. So there is no attachment. So no attachment of any form, self, other and thing. That is only samadhi. Practice without attachment to any particular form. That is formless samadhi. And when they give a gift, Buddha said, they should not be attached to anything at all.

[87:11]

They should not be attached to a sight. In this case, this sight means a color or a shape. When they give a gift, the shape of the thing. Nor should they be attached to a sound, a smell, a taste, a touch, or a dharma. That means any object. We should practice giving or offering without attaching to any thought. These six are six objects, but those are called four. Chinese translation. Thus, Shibuti, fearless bodhisattvas, should give a gift without being attached to the idea of an object. And why?

[88:15]

Shibuti, the body of merit of those bodhisattvas who give a gift without being attached is not easy to measure. What do you think, Shibuti? Is the space to the East easy to measure? He discussed about the vast space. And what he is saying is, when we give something for certain particular person, and we often, when we try to do something good for someone, we attach to that person. Who is that person? And whether that person can be worth to be helped.

[89:16]

Or if my help can be appreciated or not. or whether this gift can be really helpful or not. So we value. We value the person. And if we think this person is, for example, like my child, without any question, without any hesitation, you know, I help. But if this person is something I don't know, if this is a stranger, I start to think whether this person wants to be helped. Or if my action of helping can be really helpful to this person or not. And even if I have a good heart, somehow our heart is limited.

[90:21]

And if my gift is appreciated, By that person, I become happy. But when the person doesn't appreciate my gift, he becomes, you know, he becomes angry. That is because our action over our gift is influenced by three poisonous minds. We expect something, even when we try to help others. We attach... to who this person is, and what this gift is. And what Buddha is saying here is, without being attached to certain person or certain thing, and the merit of this person's action, just do it.

[91:25]

But, according to this Diamond Sutra, that is the practice of Bodhisattva, without attachment to anything, just offer. That is the practice of Dharana Paramita. And not only Dharana Paramita. In this Sutra, Dharana Paramita is only discussed We should apply this attitude in our practice of zazen. Zazen is a fixed parameter. Sixth is prajna parameter. When we apply this attitude of no attachment to our own sitting, that is samadhi of formlessness. We don't attach to this form. and we don't attach any reward or any result, but just sit.

[92:43]

That is what Doge meant, just shikan taza, just sit, without practice sitting, without attachment to the form. And that is what Nanda is talking about. But in Dogen's comment on this story, he twisted the meaning of each sentence, actually. Each and every sentence. But I think still, Dogen is expressing the same attitude with what Nangaku is saying, for a more kind of a deeper and more concrete attitude toward our practice of sitting. In the case of Zazenshin, Dogen discusses about sitting. But we should practice Zazen like this Diamond Sutra talking about giving without any attachment.

[93:57]

According to certain understanding of this story, some think we read this story carelessly, some like Nangaku is talking, teaching Baso not to practice. But that is not the case. But I think Nangaku recommended him to practice without attachment to the practice. So we should sit without attachment to sitting. And that is just sitting, or shikantara. Otherwise, you know, as when we make offering, we have some attachment to that person or to him. So, when we sit in this posture, somehow We have some attachment to this posture, or to this person, or to the result which we expect.

[95:13]

But we should be really free from those attachments. Attachment means a free poisonous mind. When we think this thing is something valuable, We want to get it. That is greed. When we encounter something we don't like, or we don't value, we try to stay away. But even if we try to stay away, they come somehow. And we become angry. Or we hate it. And because of this greed and hatred or anger, We chase after something we want, and we try to escape from something we don't like. And this chasing after and escaping from creates samsara.

[96:15]

Sometimes we are so successful and happy like we feel we are heavenly beings. And sometimes, even in our zazen, we feel we are attracted held well. You know, not sometimes, but often. You know, as far as we are practicing based on those three present minds, the basis is ignorance. Ignorance of emptiness of all beings. of emptiness of all beings, we attach something. This person, that person, and this thing. But when we really see the emptiness of all beings, that means nothing arises, nothing finishes.

[97:19]

But later, in Prajnaparamita Sutra, that is expressed with the word emptiness, vashinyata, no attachment, or the wisdom which sees impermanence, vigorousness, and interdependent origination. If we practice based on that wisdom, called prajna, we see that there's nothing to attach ourselves. That is the first dogma called just sitting, in the case of sitting practice. So we should apply this attitude not only sitting, but, you know, the first parameter is giving, and second is

[98:24]

in what is called keeping precepts. We should keep precepts, maintain precepts, without attachment to the precepts. And without attachment, the merit of keeping precepts, without attachment to, without hatred or anger to the people who don't maintain precepts, including this person. We cannot maintain all the precepts, actually. General said, after my ordination, in ordination ceremony, we receive precepts. And within ordination ceremony, the teacher recite each of the precepts, and students will receive, need to say, yes, yes, I keep it.

[99:31]

And after my ordination ceremony, Uchiyama Roshi said, that is a first violation of the precept of not telling a lie. I think that is true. You know, to see that is a kind of a freedom. from the attachment to the precept, or attachment to our good deeds. Of course, to be free from good deeds, we can do bad things. We should be free from bad things too. But more important point is being freedom, being free from our good deeds, not attached to our good actions. When we attack to our good action, you know, we think we are good people and they are bad people.

[100:38]

You know, there is separation between people who keep the precept and people who don't keep the precept. And we think we are good people, they are bad people. We are going to heaven and they are going to hell. You know, this is the practice of keeping precepts. So to keep precepts means not to attach our own precepts. And the third parameter is patience. If we think, you know, you make me trouble, but I, because I'm a bodhisattva, I am patient. If we try to practice patience in this way, that means attachment to that person and this person's good practice, then we can be patient at a certain degree, but somehow we will say, we cannot stand anymore.

[101:59]

That is not a parameter of patience. and making effort, diligent effort. If we attach our effort to reach a certain goal, then if we have to die before we reach the goal, then our diligent effort doesn't make sense. and we are sad and disappointed and we feel malpractice is nonsense for me. So we have to make diligent effort without, how can I say, the attachment to reaching the goal.

[103:07]

Practice at this moment. Our diligent effort at each step. We are already in the goal. That is what Dogen said. He used the expression, practice and enlightenment are one. When we practice, we are already there. Buddhahood is already there. Enlightenment is already there. within our present effort, Buddha's wisdom is manifested. And our fifth one is Dhyana Paramita or Samadhi or sitting meditation. So our practice should be the practice of Paramita which should be done without attachment to any form.

[104:11]

And this any form includes this sitting form. But as Buddha said, Buddha recommended bodhisattvas to practice giving or offering. Buddha didn't say we should not sit. We should sit. but we should not attach ourselves to a form of sitting. Practice without attachment to the practice. That is the most difficult thing. And that is what Mangaka taught to Vassa. Dogen, I think, wanted to express Ten more minutes.

[105:14]

I think that is the meaning of the original story of polishing time. Any questions? This term, mind crowns, is that Reoccurring to Storkhouse consciousness, or is it meaning something else? It can be... It can be a higher consciousness. But it might be different. It's quite different. That means... This mind, another interpretation, another possible interpretation is this mind is not consciousness.

[106:20]

This mind in mind ground is not consciousness. But this is so-called Buddha nature. Our consciousness is part of our mind, I mean, psychology. But this mind ground is not kind of a psychology. But Uchiyama Roshi expressed the same thing as reality of life. Not a mind, but life. And, you know, Suzuki Roshi used the expression, Zen mind. And in the book of Zen Mind, it says this mind includes self and others. Usually, our psychology doesn't include others or objects.

[107:24]

So, in Uchiyamuro-shi's expression, this mind, or mind ground, is our life. Life includes our consciousness or psychology, but it's not really the same with our psychology. It's much deeper and broader. It includes everything. So we should practice non-attachment for years and years. So it must take a lot of caring to practice non-attachment for years and years. A lot of caring. To care not to practice non-attachment. So what's the source of the caring? Caring. Wanting to be there. Caring about it. Oh, desire. Desire. That's it about that. I think I... I said about, you know, our body-mind or aspiration.

[108:37]

You know, this kind of teaching or practice of non-attachment is really important. And that is how we should practice. But it's almost impossible to practice in this way. for many of us, at least for me. I knew we should practice, we should sit without attachment even to our sitting practice. My teacher's teacher was Sawaki Kodoroshi and his most important and well-known teaching was Zazen is good for nothing. And I knew that expression since I really started to practice, or even before I started to practice.

[109:43]

When I... right after I read my teacher's Ucham Roshi book, I started to read Saot Roshi's book too. So, even when I knew this expression, Zazen is good for nothing, And I wanted to practice this good for nothing. But this is a point. I wanted to practice which is good for nothing. This is desire. To practice something good for nothing is really kind of a paradox. It's a basic paradox. In Buddhist practice, we need desire, or motivation, or aspiration, or even called body-mind, or within-mind.

[110:45]

And we know our goal is no attachment. But without attachment to that goal, Are you saying that at some point that way-seeking mind drops away? I think so. And, you know, as I said, I really devoted on this practice, which is good for nothing, and I thought I was practicing Shikantaza, just sitting without any expectation to any result. I completely devoted my entire life to that practice for ten years, for the first ten years. The first five years I practiced at Antaiji, the second five years I practiced in Massachusetts.

[111:52]

And because my body was half broken, I had to go back to Japan, and I couldn't practice in that way. And I was in trouble. And I felt now I'm good for nothing. Because I couldn't practice in that way. And I tried to find why I have this problem I have. If it doesn't, it's good for nothing. It's fine, it's a matter if I don't practice. And I found that I practiced in that way. I practiced just sitting. Because that practice makes me happy. Or allow me to feel that my life is better than something else.

[112:54]

What other people do. And I thought this is the best way of practice. as a Buddha's disciple or Dogen's student, or my teacher's student. So I really wanted to be a good student and a good Buddhist. So I tried to always go to Sendok first. And I wanted to study more than others. And I thought that is how I should practice. And I really practiced in that way. But then, because of my physical condition, I couldn't practice in that way. I felt, you know, my life is not good anymore. I tried to find out this kind of despair or disappointment.

[113:59]

And I found that the real basic thing which supported my practice, my that kind of practice, hard practice for 10 years, is self-satisfaction. I didn't expect any reward from outside, but I thought, I want to be a good student of Buddha. I wanted to be how can I say, good Buddhist. And this practice has supported me to feel that I'm a good person, good Buddhist, I'm a good practitioner. And I found basically that practice is based on arrogance. I could practice in that way because I was young and strong. And I found that is not what Dogen meant or Sawakiroshi meant.

[115:11]

And at that time, my body was half broken. I had no place to live. I had no job. I had no work. So I did takuhatsu and tried to treatment to heal my body, but during tako-hatsu I need to hang my back, my neck. That is the place I have pain. So, my chiropractor, kind of chiropractor, said, as long as you practice tako-hatsu, your neck will not be better. So, I had to give up doing takahatsu. So I couldn't do anything really, really. And in such a condition, I didn't have a sanga. I had no place to sit with other people.

[116:15]

I lived in my brother's apartment by myself. Somehow, I found myself on the cushion. I had no reason to sit. I had so many good reasons not to sit. And no one expected me to sit. And no one watched me. But somehow I found myself on my cushion. I have no desire at all to sit. And there's no reason, no good reason to sit. But somehow I was there. Somehow I felt peacefulness in the world. And first I found that is what Satyoshi said. This zazen is good for nothing. It doesn't need to be good for something.

[117:16]

But just see, that's enough. I think that is a time I really become free from my we seek in mind. My aspiration or my desire to practice. So, you know, I think this is really a difficult thing. As I said, it's being free from our aspiration. As I said, it's like taking out a cushion on which I'm sitting. But I think when we practice long time, we face this problem. And somehow, if we stop practicing, then there's no way to go through it. But somehow we have to keep practicing with these difficult problems.

[118:20]

Actually, this is a kind of a dead end. In order to do anything with my my own willpower, my own strength. So, finally, I have to really give up everything and just sit. Then, at least I found that just sitting is not actually done or motivated by my willpower. But actually, from the very beginning, even though I thought I practiced because of my wish or desire. Even that desire came from Buddha. So I think that means we should find the deeper, it's not a motivation, but I think according to Shakyamuni's work, this is a life force.

[119:24]

It doesn't come from here. but it comes from the bottom of our life force. And I think that is my ground. Does it make sense? I talked too long. Thank you very much for your patience. So, this afternoon, I will start to talk on Logan's comment on this story of Persian tide. remain in our intention.

[120:01]

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