I continue to talk on the story of Nangak's polishing time. Page 6. In this story, one day, Nangaku, the teacher, visited Baso and asked when Baso was sitting. Nangaku asked, what are you doing? And Baso said, I am intending or aiming at becoming a Buddha. Then Nangak started to polish a tile on a rock.

[01:11]

Then Vaso asked, what are you doing? And Nangak said, I am polishing a tile to make by polishing time. That is the story, and I think page 6, this is about Nangaku, the saying, polishing to make a mirror. Polishing to make a mirror. So Nangaku is saying, I'm pushing a time to make it into a mirror. And Dogen's comment is... We should clearly understand the meaning of this atlas.

[02:26]

Very simple word. What is the meaning in here? But Dogen tried to dig out the really deep meaning. Certainly, there is a truth in pushing to make a mirror. Manifestation of reality is in there. It cannot be an empty experience. Although a tile is a tile and a mirror is a mirror, in practice we penetrate the truth of polishing. We should know that there are many examples that express the reality. Both the ancient mirror and the bright mirror are made into mirrors by the tile polishing.

[03:33]

Without knowing that all mirrors have came into being from tile polishing, Buddha ancestors never expressed Dharma, expressed Dharma using words. Buddha ancestors never open their mouth and we would never see or hear the exhalation of Buddha ancestors. So in the original story, you know, polishing a tile is something meaningless. Waste of time. Waste of energy. When you say empty experience, does that mean like meaningless? Does it mean shinraku? Empty experience. It's a meaningless kind of fabrication.

[04:38]

So he said, Nogen is saying here, punishing, atai, and making it into a mirror is possible. It's not only possible, but all Buddhas and ancestors have been doing it for a short time, and making a mirror. So, certainly, there is a truth in pushing to make a mirror. This pushing A time to make a mirror is, according to Dōgen, is manifestation of reality. That is translation of Genjō Kohan. In Genjō Kohan, Dōgen said, within a small drop of dew, a vast moon is reflected. That is Dōgen's description of enlightenment.

[05:53]

a person at an enlightenment. It's like a vast moonlight reflecting itself on a drop of dew. A drop of dew is the same as a piece of tile that is made of dirt, or dust, or karmas, or a collection of all different causes and conditions. We are so much self-centered, so small, so ego-centered. Still, the vast moon is reflected, and that is manifestation of reality. Reality manifests or reflects on this small drop of dew, or a piece of time.

[06:57]

when we practice. So, manifestation of reality, or Genjo Koan, is there. There means it is within this sitting. It cannot be an empty experience. So, this Zazen is not an empty or meaningless fabrication or form. Also, polishing a tile and making a mirror is not a meaningless experiment or fabrication. That is real practice. Although a tile is a tile and a mirror is a mirror, in practice, we penetrate the truth of polishing.

[08:02]

We should know that there are many examples that express the reality. Both the ancient mirror and the bright mirror are made into mirror by the tile polishing. So he said, tile is tile, and mirror is mirror. But in practice, You know, in our usual way of thinking, that means logic, something called A should be always A, and something B should be always B. Otherwise we cannot use words, or we cannot make a meaningful sentence. But if A is always A and B is always B, how a baby can be an adult?

[09:05]

How we can change? How we express that change is very important? Everything is changing. That is reality. Everything is impermanent. How we can express the reality of impermanence? impermanent, that is always changing, using a word which a concept should be always the same. A tile is always a tile. A tile cannot be a mirror. A mirror should be always a mirror. A mirror cannot be a tile. But how can we make a tie into a mirror. How this change is possible. How a baby becomes a boy or a girl.

[10:09]

Because a baby has a life, life force. Life force means energy to change. A baby has an energy, a life. Because a baby has an energy to grow, the baby has an energy to change, to grow, to negate. A baby has an energy or power to negate babyhood. Otherwise, baby has to be always baby, forever. But baby is always changing. Changing means negating itself and becoming something new, something different. How we can express this process of everlasting, always changing?

[11:22]

Using common logic, A should be always A, B should be always B, it's not possible to express this inter-impermanent reality. But somehow, in practice, he said, in practice, practice means action, activity. Within practice, this change is manifest or possible. You know, this is water, and water is not me. But when I drink, water becomes me. So this action of drinking makes something which is not me, makes into me. Now that water is out of myself.

[12:32]

So action or activity or practice is important thing. It's not a matter of A should be always A, B should be always B. But time is always time and mirror is always mirror. But reality of time can be... by polishing. So this practice of polishing is important. You know, when we sit in Zazen, we have to use this body and this mind. This mind is a collection of... experiences I have as a seed within an higher consciousness. Somehow we have to use this body which is not so strong.

[13:44]

Often we have pain or some problems, so we have to somehow or only thing we can use to express dharma, to think about dharma, to understand dharma, and to express dharma. It's using our time, you know, a collection of all different kinds of karma, all resources we have to study, practice, and express dharma. So actually our bad karma, I mean, bad, some mistake, action, can be a source of dharma.

[14:50]

If we see clearly that is a mistake. Because of mistake we start avoid that mistake. Then we can show other people, especially the younger people, how to avoid the same mistake. So my mistake can be a source of teaching or instruction to transmit to others. So nothing is meaningless. Even though our arya consciousness is full of meaningless things, still that can be used as an expression of Dharma if we are free from our ego-clinging.

[16:03]

That means letting go of thought. Here, Dogen says, our karmic self is karmic self, and Buddhadharma is Buddhadharma. So, this person does not become a Buddha. But this person's body and mind can be used as an expression of Buddhadharma. within practice. In this case, not only sitting, but also now I'm talking using poor vocabulary of my English. I hope you understand what I'm saying. But somehow I'm trying. Because of my karma, my English is not exactly the same as your English.

[17:06]

But still, you know, Still I'm trying to do my best. And if you understand even one word, that's fine. And that is the way my karma is used for the sake of Dharma. So, Dogen is saying, it's really different from the original story, but Dogen is saying, you know, we need to penetrate the truth of polishing, polishing this tile. We should know that there are many examples, I mean, examples of ancient mirror or bright mirror. the mirrors appeared in different Koan stories.

[18:12]

I think ancient mirror is mentioned by Seppo, a Chinese Zen master, and Meikyo is maybe Sixth Ancestor, Huenan, or I think Umon, or many other people use this analogy of bright mirror. Both ancient mirror and bright mirror is a symbol or analogy of Buddha's enlightenment, perfect enlightenment or awakening. Great, perfect mirror enlightenment. But those mirrors, that means Buddha's enlightenment or awakening, also came from the polishing time. That means Buddha's practice. Buddha used his own body and mind to awaken and to become Buddha.

[19:16]

He used nothing else, actually. So we have the same body and mind. So Buddha had time. our practice, through the practice, our Thay can function as a mirror. Without knowing that all mirrors have come into being from Thay's position, all Buddhas, or Buddha's enlightenment, came from tile polishing. If we don't understand this, that all Buddhas or Buddhas' enlightenment came from polishing a tile, Buddha's ancestors never expressed Dharma using words.

[20:24]

Using words means using our head, our brain. Using the words we studied, from the society. You know, this is a type, I know. And Buddha ancestors never opened their mouths. If we don't like the type, we cannot use the word. Because the basic function of word or concept is separation. the Buddha's ancestors tried to show us is a reality beyond separation. So we need words. We need concepts in order to express and point out the reality beyond concepts. We cannot use anything else.

[21:27]

That's all we have to do. we have. And, if we don't use words, because reality is beyond words, then there is no way to transmit Dharma, or express Dharma. So, all Buddhas and ancestors used words. And they could use words because they had a palate, this karmic body and mind. Buddha and the ancestors are not the kind of superman, but ordinary human beings. And next is Baso said, How can tile polishing make a mirror? How can tile polishing make a mirror? Although

[22:30]

Dogen's comment, although truly the iron man of tile polishing does not borrow the strength from others, tile polishing is not making a mirror. Since making a mirror is nothing other than polishing itself, it must be immediate. It's kind of a difficult logic to follow. The Iron Man or Taira Porsche is really a determined practitioner. And a really determined practitioner, when they practice, they don't borrow anything from other people. It's our own life.

[23:37]

We cannot use anything else. And the polishing is not making a mirror. It means that tile polishing is tile polishing. And it's not making a mirror. This is kind of a difficult logic. But it is like when, for example, in the Heart Sutra, it is said, form is emptiness, and emptiness is form. And in the Shobo Genzo Makahanya Haramitsu, or Mahaprajna Paramita, that is Dogen's comment, Form is form. Form is nothing but form.

[24:41]

Emptiness is nothing other than emptiness. When we say form is emptiness, there are two things. And by putting ease or be between those two, we say those two are one. So, there are two different concepts, and we try to make those two concepts into one thing. That is how we use words. Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form. But Frank Dorgan said, emptiness is emptiness, and form is form. That means, if form is really emptiness, we don't need to say form is emptiness. When we just say form, emptiness is always there, because form is empty.

[25:44]

Or when we say emptiness, form is already there. If form is really emptiness and emptiness is really form, we don't need to say form is emptiness and emptiness is form. That's enough. So he is kind of a... how can I say... Go back to before logic. Before thing. If these two are really one thing, we don't need to say those two are one. Because that is one. Without thing. So here Dogen, you know, what Dogen wants to say is that polishing tile, tile polishing is making a mirror.

[26:45]

But if tile polishing is really making a mirror, you don't need to say, I'm polishing a tile in order to make a mirror. But tile polishing is itself making a mirror. At the same time, it's not two separate things. and try to make those two things into one using a sentence. That's why he said, since making a mirror is nothing other than polishing itself, it must be immediate. Immediate. Like now. There's no time to say polishing a tile is making a mirror. So, when we say, polishing a tile is making a mirror, it's too slow, too separate. So, we don't need to say, if polishing a tile is really making a mirror, we don't need to say, polishing a tile is making a mirror.

[27:55]

There's no two concepts, or two words, I mean, within our practice. When we just simply, just polishing a tile, making a mirror is there. We don't need to say, now I am polishing a tile, and this is making a mirror. What we do is just polishing, and making a mirror is already there. That is a kind of unique logic of Doge. Very unique. He kind of challenged our common logic in order to show the reality of right now, right here, at this immediate moment. We think it's too late.

[29:00]

And Mangak said, How can Zazen make a Buddha?" When Nangak's father said, How can tile polishing make a mirror? Nangak said, How can Zazen make a Buddha? Dogen's comment is very short. Clearly, we can see that There is a truth that Zazen does not wait for becoming Buddha. This is the same logic. Zazen does not wait for becoming Buddha. Here, becoming Buddha is a name of Buddha. Becoming is not a verb here. Sabutsu is one name, name of a Buddha. So, Zazen does not wait for such a Buddha.

[30:07]

because Zazen itself is Buddha. It doesn't need to wait a kind of a label that this is Zazen or this is Buddha. But when we sit and just polish, or just sit there, just sit, becoming Buddha, and Buddha, whose name is becoming, is there. So it's really immediate. No separation. The essential principle that becoming Buddha has nothing to do with Zazen. It is never hidden. This principle is never hidden. That means becoming Buddha and Zazen have nothing to... both are no... Something to do means this and that has kind of a relation.

[31:19]

But since becoming Buddha and Zazen is one thing, there is no relation. That is the point. But when we think using a concept, Zazen and becoming Buddha, We have to make these two into one. But then Zazen is really becoming Buddha. Becoming Buddha and Zazen has nothing to do with each other. Both are there. One thing. Then Basil said, how is it right How is it right? In the original story, that means, what can I do? If we cannot become Buddha through Zazen.

[32:21]

That is a good thing, a right thing to do. But Dogen's interpretation is completely different. Misadherence. seems resembled to be a question simply about this place. It is also an inquiry as to the likeness of that place. For example, think of the time when two intimate friends meet each other. I'm his intimate friend means he is my intimate friend. Within, how is it right? Both this place and that place appear at once. This place and that place means.

[33:27]

This means our Zazen. using this tile. And this is a so-called curved dragon. And that place is real dragon, or really formless samadhi. This morning I didn't have time to explain shou and hen, or ji and ri. something concrete, like now, like here, within time and space, and something universal, like any particular position, time, action. Those are two things. I mean, in a common

[34:30]

usage. But Dogen is trying to say here is this place and that place is the same thing. Or within a curved dragon, a true dragon appears or manifests. So how is it right or what shall I do? What is the right thing to do? It sounds like we are asking what I should do using this body and mind right now, right here. But Dogen said, this question, how is it right, is expressing both right now, right here, our Dazen, using this body and mind. and the formless Samadhi, the formless Dharma, or Dharmakaya.

[35:38]

He is saying, within this expression, how is it right? Those two are simultaneously manifested. So, This is not actually, this is not a question, according to Dogen. How is asking, and right, sokuze is to be right, is to inquiring how, why, and so what. This inquiring, asking, questioning, is manifestation of that place. That means formless dharma. By questioning, by inquiring, by investigation, investigating, what is this? What am I doing? What is this body and mind?

[36:40]

This means no grasping with certain kind of concept or definition. But we keep asking how. That is our zazen. Keep asking how is getting over thought. Thought is there but we don't grasp. Keep opening. Within this sitting, keep our hands open and asking why, what, how. Within this questioning, for now, for here, and trying to do our best, you know, Buddha nature, eternal Buddha nature, our vast moonlight is reflected. So within our practice of questioning or searching the truth, truth is manifested. I can't read in such a way when I read only the original story.

[37:59]

It's really kind of a strange person. Why he had to read that story in this way? I really understand it. That makes me puzzled for many years. Next, Nangak said, suppose that a person is riding a cart. If the cart does not move, which is right, to hit the cart or to hit the cow? Of course, in our common way of thinking, a cart is pulled by a cow and it doesn't move. To hit the cow is OK. It's the right thing to do.

[39:00]

But to hit the cat is meaningless. Nonsense. And that is Fat Men in the original story. So Nangaku is saying, you should hit the cat, not the cat. Cat means form or body. And cow is mind. or something homeless. But Dogen is also, again, questioning. What is karma? What is karma? How is it? Now, when we say, if the cart does not move, how is the cart moving? And how is the cart not moving? For example, Is waters flowing? The cards moving?

[40:01]

Is waters not flowing? The cards moving? We should say that flowing is waters not moving. Waters moving can be not flowing. Therefore, When we investigate the utterance, if the card does not move, we should understand that there is not moving and also there is never not moving, because both are times. The utterance, if not moving, does not simply refer to not going. Nangak said, Which is right? To hit the cart or to hit the cow? Should there be both hitting the cart and hitting the cow?

[41:04]

Should hitting the cart and hitting the cow be equal or not be equal? Even though there is no dharma of hitting the cart in the world or among ordinary human beings, we should know that there is the dharma of hitting the card in the Buddha way. This is the essential point in our study and practice. Though we study that there is the dharma of hitting the card, it is not one and same with hitting a card. We should carefully investigate this point in detail. Even though there is a dharma of hitting the cow in the ordinary world, we should inquire further and study through practice the hitting the cow in the Buddha way.

[42:11]

Do we hit the water buffalo? Do we hit the iron cow? Do we hit the clay ox? Should we hit with a whip? Should we hit with the entire world? Should we hit with the entire mind? Should we vigorously hit the marrow? Should we hit with a fist? There should be the fist hitting fist and the cow hitting the cow. What does it mean? So first he tried to question, how is it not going? Then we are riding a cart and then the cart doesn't move. That is a problem for us.

[43:14]

Then we start some place with a certain situation and we don't know how to go further. So then we have a problem. We are in trouble. Then, in such a situation, what we should do? Seems that Fatima is not asking. But Doreen is asking. Fat is not going. And Fat is not not going. And so here, both not going, going, not going, and not going. None of them are something negative. Going and not going are kind of two sides of one thing, as he tried to say using the analogy of water.

[44:21]

There are common sense, you know, water flows from high place to low place. So water is always flowing. But Dogen is asking, that is water's, how can I say, unchanging nature. So as far as water is flowing, water doesn't change. or the changing, or flowing, or movement, is the nature, unchanging nature of water. So the flowing, or moving, changing, is unchanged nature of the water. That means, you know, as living beings, we are always changing. from baby food to child food and to be a teenager and young adult and middle-aged person and old-aged person.

[45:37]

This is, you know, we are changing. But this is unchanging kind of a life or nature as human beings. Without any exception, All human beings are born as a child or baby and constantly changing both body and mind. There's nothing which doesn't change. So changing is unchanging nature of each being. So, the fact is the curve doesn't go up. And the fact the curve is going means both are reality of our life.

[46:40]

We are always changing, always moving. Both our body and mind are constantly changing. But somehow we think There's something which doesn't change. Fifty years ago I was a baby, and fifty years later I'm a middle-aged person. But I think even when I was a baby, I was I. And now I'm also I. And we think, or we assume, there's something which doesn't change. And this something which doesn't change is changing. Otherwise, we cannot say something is changing. If changing, this becomes something else. So, if there is nothing which is common, we cannot say this changes and becomes that.

[47:46]

These two are different things. Because there is some similarity or something common. We think, you know, a baby shouhaku becomes a boy shouhaku. And a boy shouhaku becomes a middle-aged shouhaku. So we think that something doesn't change. Otherwise, our words don't make any sense. But that is a problem in Buddhism. something which doesn't change, even though both our body and mind change. What is that? That is Atman. And Buddha thought there is no such thing. Things which exist are only five skandhas. Five skandhas mean body and mind.

[48:47]

The first one, rupa, is body, and other four are function of our mind. So Buddha taught only five skandhas are here. And those five skandhas are getting together or scattering and change, always changing. And there's no such thing that doesn't change. That is Buddha's teaching of anatomy. or no self. And it's really difficult to explain or to understand or to even discuss things. We have to use words and concepts. We cannot express this simple change from

[49:51]

a baby to a child, and a child to a teenager, if there is something which does not change. But Buddha said, there is no such thing. So we have to give up. So, what is really going? And what is really not going? What is changing? and the heart is not changing, if everything is impermanent. So, actually, Dogen does not explain, but he is asking us, and he, I can say, tries to break our common way of thinking, our logical common way of thinking using concept.

[50:52]

So, when we read this kind of writings, we are puzzled, we are confused, and we think this is nonsense. But what Dogen is trying to do is to destroy our common way of viewing things, and common way of thinking, understanding. or conceptualization. So, he's not building some system of philosophy, but he's trying to destroy any system of thinking. So, don't worry about it. But what we should see is, you know, actually in the Zen, we do the same thing. We actually, by letting go of our thoughts, we destroy our system of values, our habit of thinking.

[52:05]

And we see the reality with very fresh eyes. So if we try to find Dogen's logic or Dogen's philosophy in here, it's kind of hopeless. What he is trying to do is, as I said, destroying our habit of thinking using concepts. showing us or urging us to see the reality before discrimination, before thinking, before judgment. So we should, when we sit, we don't need to, but when we think or when we study this kind of writing, we should examine

[53:18]

our way of thinking. Our thought is the nature of concept, or language, or words, or logic. So, the utterance, if not moving, this saying, if not moving, does not simply refer not to going. But, you know, because the water is flowing, it's water's unchanging nature, the cat doesn't move. Or, you know, it's as if we don't move. Our removal is sitting. It's actually moving. You know. Everything is changing. Even sitting in this posture, Without moving, our body is changing, our mind is also changing.

[54:25]

Nothing stops in our zazen. Everything is functioning. Our heart is beating, our stomach is digesting what we ate, and we are breathing. The blood is running around, circulating our body. Nothing stops functioning. So there is no reason only our head stops functioning. And functioning of the head produces thought. So don't worry about thinking. But if we think, that doesn't help. Nangaku said, which is right, to hit the card or to hit the cow? And, as a common sense, of course, to hit the cow doesn't make any sense.

[55:33]

So we should hit the... I mean, to hit the card doesn't make sense. So we should hit the cow. But Dogen again questioned this common sense. Should there be both hitting the calf and hitting the cow? As I said, cow is mind and calf is body. And hitting the cow is studying or practicing with our mind. And hitting the calf is practicing with our body. The chapter of Shobo Genzo is Shin, Jin, Gaku, Do. Studying the way with body and mind. So studying with body is hitting the card.

[56:37]

Actually, we sit in Zazen, and we make prostration, and we do Gassho, and we use Oryoki in certain form, that is studying with body. So we are hitting the card. And studying something like this, or letting go of thought, is studying with mind. But in that chapter, studying the way with body and mind, He says, he doesn't... body and mind doesn't mean this body and this mind. But he said... but he said... he said, the true body of a monk is this entire ten direction world.

[57:41]

This is our body. And... and the mind itself is Buddha. Or a free world is nothing, is only simply one mind. That is the mind we use when we study the way. Actually, our body and our mind is a body of entire ten directions. And our mind is an entire free world. That means our practice is not simply our personal activity. But when we sit, we sit together with the entire universe, with all living beings. Because everything is connected actually. So, hitting the card is one practice.

[58:46]

And hitting the crown, Not one and another, but in one practice we hit both. Should hitting the cat and hitting the cow be equal or not be equal? We can say either. Either is OK. Even though there is no dharma of hitting the cat in the world, As a common word, hitting the cart is nonsense. Or among ordinary human beings, we should know that there is a dharma of hitting the cart in the Buddha way. That is practice with body, sitting with our body. That is hitting the cart. This is the essential point in our study and practice. This is, he said, this is the essential point.

[59:49]

using, studying the way, using both body and mind. You know, usually, not usually, but in many religions, mind or spirit or soul is something pure or unfurling. but our body, or this flesh, is a source of delusion, a source of desire, a source of sin. So, for example, in Hinduism, Atman, the soul, is something pure, but this Atman is imprisoned within this body. So, the ultimate purpose of

[60:51]

Hindu practice is to release the Atman from the body. Because the body is a source of defilement. But in Buddhism, particularly in Dogen's Buddhism, or teaching, or practice, this body is very important. Our practice is not release our mind or spirit or a soul from this body. But we practice both body and mind. And both body and mind express the true reality. So without body we cannot practice. So body is really important. We need to take care of body. Though we study that there is a dharma of hitting the cow, it's not one and the same as hitting the cow.

[62:02]

We should carefully investigate this point in detail. Even though there is a dharma of hitting the cow in the ordinary world, we should inquire further and study through practice the hitting the cow in the Buddha way. What is hitting the cow in the Buddha way? Hitting the cow is okay, but hitting the cow is also important. What is cow? There are many cows, or ox, in Zen stories. One is a water buffalo. At least two Zen masters mentioned water buffalo. I think one is Gwishin. which I said, after my death, in the next life, I will be born as a water buffalo at a farming house at the foot of the mountain.

[63:10]

Yeah, he did. And he asked a question to his student, and he said, on the cow, on the body of the cow, or ox, or water buffalo, it said, this is monk Gwishin. And Gwishin asked to his student, what is this? Is this a water buffalo or the monk Gwishin? That means this is a karmic body or the ancestor, or great Zen master. What is this? This question is the same as that of our Zen friend, whether this is time polishing or making a mirror. This is the same question. So, here Water Buffalo is the reality of life.

[64:17]

Iron cow. Iron cow. I think it's used. I studied with secto, but it's like a mosquito trying to sting an iron cow. That means it's not possible. I couldn't understand. It hurts. So this iron cow is symbol of the Dharma. And next one is ox. Cray ox. I think this is said by a kind of a hermit. whose name was Yin Zang.

[65:22]

Yin means hidden, hidden mountain. And he said, long time ago, I saw a clay ox running into the water. When clay ox, ox made of mud, go into the water, disappear. And that is the expression of his, how can I say, eagerness, selflessness, or emptiness. Even though this is like a mad ox, or a cray ox, when we sit to suffer, and only the water, the dharma water is there. So all these buffalo, cow, or ox is a symbol of Dharma, or practice.

[66:33]

So we should, Dogen is saying, we should inquire about these cows and how we can hit those cows or ox. And now he's asking how to hit. Should we hit with a whip? Should we hit with the entire word? Should we hit with the entire mind? Should we vigorously hit the marrow? Should we hit with a fist? There should be a fist hitting fist. That means this body is practicing using this body. And mind is practicing using the mind. In our practice we use both body and mind. But we say we use body and mind.

[67:39]

What is this we? We are something else beside body and mind. So body and mind use body and mind to hit the body and mind. Actually, that is what we are actually doing. But it doesn't completely make any sense to say it in such a way. And next, Basho. Basho did not refrain. In the original story, he couldn't say anything. He had nothing to say. He gave up. But according to Dogen, he said, in our arrogance, we should not stumble on this no reply. There is throwing a tile away and putting a jewel in.

[68:46]

I think this means within this no reply, within this silence. There is turning the head and changing the face. This no-reply cannot be taken away. So, again he is saying, this no-reply is expression, birth of expression of the reality itself. Both, you know, curved dragon and two dragons manifest with this silence. with no reply those two things are they are at once at the same time nearly one thing how do we say? how do we express? however we say cause problems or misunderstand so actually

[69:59]

keep silent can be the most active expression of this reality, like just sitting. So, Dogen is saying we should not consider that Baso didn't understand what Nangaku is saying. But, Even Mangaka's saying is something extra. So, keep silence is the most precise, exact expression of this strange reality. Or wondrous reality, which is beyond thinking or beyond language. And Nangaku also instructed, you are studying Zazen is studying sitting Buddha.

[71:10]

In the original story, it said, if you study Zazen, or... no, no, not if, but... Do you study Zazen or sitting meditation, or do you study sitting Buddha? But Dogen read this sentence as, you are studying Zazen is studying sitting Buddha. Inquire into these words and understand the essential function of the ancestral tradition. Without knowing fully studying Zazen, now we are clear that it is studying sitting Buddha. Other than the true descendants who have transmitted the authentic Dharma, who can utter that studying sitting Zen is studying sitting Buddha, who should truly know that a beginner's Zen is the first Zen.

[72:21]

The first Zen is the first sitting Buddha. So Nogen read this sentence as studying Zazen, and practicing Zazen is practicing Buddha. That is the same as pushing a pile is making a mirror. This means we should study that through this sentence, reading this sentence, we should understand that studying Zazen or practice Zazen is study sitting Buddha. So our Zazen is Buddha. Sitting Zazen is sitting Buddha. And this is

[73:26]

Other than the true descendants who have transmitted that authentic Dharma, who can utter the studying Zen, is studying Buddha. So our practice of Zazen is our practice of Buddha. And his beginner's Zazen is first Zazen. And our first Zazen first sitting Buddha. So, the time is a time. The mirror is a mirror. But our first polishing, the time, is our first making a mirror. Suzuki Roshi depends on this beginner's mind. Beginner's sitting. Beginning mind is important. because our first sitting is our first sitting buddha.

[74:33]

Although we think my first satsang is terribly painful, I still remember. And our mind is not organized, very busy. I don't feel anything special. And yet, that first sitting is first sitting Buddha. I think this is really amazing teaching. You know, we think we are at the starting point in common Buddhist teaching. After we allow body-mind or aspiration, we have to practice step by step for 52 steps.

[75:37]

And he said it takes more than forever to reach the goal. That is a common idea of practice. But he said, our first sitting as a beginner, It's a first sitting Buddha. So, at the starting point, we are already the goal. It's really kind of a nonsense. But, if we think deeply, it's really a powerful teaching. We are already there. We are practicing within Buddhahood. We are already within Buddha Land. We are already within the reality, true reality.

[76:39]

But we don't see it. And when we see that we don't see it, we see it. That means... I'm sorry. And when we see that our illusion is illusion, that is seeing the reality. To see our delusion as delusion, that is reality of our life. Because somehow we need illusion or delusion to live as a human being. So our practice does not eliminate our illusion or delusion. I think our ability to have illusion or delusion is very important. Otherwise, like seeing a movie, that is an illusion.

[77:48]

Or reading a story, or novel, or poem. Those are illusions. We can enjoy illusion. And that's OK. We can enjoy it. Enjoy reading novels or watching movies. And it can be very educational. And it can help us if we know that is illusion. That is not reality. We can enjoy illusion. That is no problem. But when we grasp illusion as reality, that is a problem. So to see illusion as illusion is awakening. And that is first awakening.

[78:52]

And we can awake to that reality. even when we are a beginner. So, our goal is not really to eliminate all illusion, but our practice is seeing illusion or delusion as delusion at this moment. Let's see. Expressing Zazen, Nangak said, if we study Zazen, Zen is neither sitting nor lying down. In the original story, this is Nangak's negation of a form, formal practice. But Dogen says, now Nangak is saying that Zazen is Zazen.

[79:57]

neither sitting nor lying down. After we have singularly transmitted the truth that Zazen is Zazen and Zazen is neither sitting nor lying down, he said, infinite sitting and lying down are ourselves. Why should we question whether we are intimate or not intimate with the life being. How can we discuss delusion and realization? Who seeks after the virtue of wisdom and cutting off attachment? So we should see that Zen is neither sitting nor lying down. And Dogen Zenji quotes this phrase in Fukanza Zenki, Zazen has nothing to do with sitting or lying down.

[81:09]

That phrase comes from here. So, in our practice of Zazen, we should see that Zazen has nothing to do with sitting or lying down. Zazen is sitting. It's a kind of strange thing. There are so many strange things. But the truth of the Zen, the real reality of the Zen, is not this sitting poem. This sitting poem is one instance or example of that. In Vendova, Dogen said, when we sit in this posture, even for a short time, we become one with the entire universe and entire time, past, present, and future.

[82:27]

and the entire universe becomes enlightened. So, this sitting allows us to be released from the form of sitting or lying down. And when we really penetrate this reality, We don't cling to this sitting form. Then, you know, not only sitting, but eating, or making prostration, or just walking, or whatever we do in our daily lives, is part of our Zazen. That is what he is saying. Then, after we have singularly transmitted the truth that Zazen is Zazen, neither sitting nor lying down.

[83:34]

Infinite means each and every. Sitting and lying down are ourselves. Whatever we are doing, wherever we go, we are there. But Zazen is there. Why should we question whether we are intimate or not intimate with a life being? This life being is a life force. Actually, we are not... we cannot be not intimate because we are really a life force itself. Even though we don't see, even though we understand it, even if we don't practice, We are living with so much delusion. Still, we are alive. We never escape.

[84:35]

We never get out of it. We are always there. But at the same time, we are almost always somewhere else. That is the problem. So we have to return. two and a half more pages I have to do in a hurry. Mangak said, if you study sitting Buddha, Buddha is not a fixed form. Buddha is not a fixed form. The way to articulate the meaning is thus. The reason why sitting Buddha seems like one Buddha or two Buddhas is that he or Buddha adorns himself with no fixed form.

[85:45]

In saying Buddha is not a fixed form, Nangak is describing the Buddha's form. Because he is a Buddha, with no fixed form, to be a sitting Buddha is unavoidable. Therefore, the Zen is the adornment of the Buddha with no fixed form. If studying the Zen is sitting Buddha, within non-abiding Dharma, who can accept or reject whether it is Buddha or not Buddha. Because acceptance and rejection have been dropped off in advance, Zazen is sitting Buddha.

[86:50]

In the original story, Nangaku is trying to show Baso is the formless, Formless Samadhi. Since everything is empty, there is no form. So we should not cling to any form. So we should go beyond any form to be a Buddha. Also in the Diamond Sutra, it says the Buddha has no fixed form. So the idea of this story came from the Diamond Sutra. Buddha has no fixed form. But Dogen, now trying to, I can say, to bring it back and said, without form of this sitting, something formless, or something beyond form,

[88:01]

cannot be manifested. Only within form, something formless can be actualized. You know, this formless, or more so, is part of the verse we chant in the morning, in the robe chant, a field of fundamental facts. far beyond form and emptiness. This translation is not kind of literal. The literal and original expression is musou fukuden e. Musou means no form. So, you know, okesa, our globe has form. This is a form. But we call this a law of formlessness.

[89:09]

So this form expresses something formless. Fuku then, in that translation, this fuku is kind of lost. and far beyond form and emptiness. This emptiness is something excellent. Actually, just say, the law of virtuous field or the muscle of kuden ye, the law which has no form, and the field of fuku. What is fuku? Virtue or happiness.

[90:11]

By the way, so what he's saying is in order to practice and actualize or express something formless or formless dharma, formless reality, We need form. And if we cling to the form, it's just like clinging to the form. But if we practice form without clinging, then this form is the expression of formalism. So, don't emphasize on form. as a kind of a common image of Zen is something formless, being free, free from everything. But, you know, Dogen put emphasis on form, sitting form, not only sitting, but walking, or eating, or making prostration, or almost doing everything.

[91:30]

he described the kind of form we should take. So, often, American practitioners don't like this form. Many American practitioners say, we don't like Japanese formality. I don't like formality. But this is not Japanese. This is Dogen. Dogen's formality. And according to Dogen, this formality or form is an expression of formlessness. So it's very natural, at least to me. I don't like formality. But... because we can't live with that body that is form.

[92:40]

Somehow we have to use this form, this body, and in order to express something that is formless, in order to express our heart, we need to express with our body. For example, love is something formless. Love has no form, no particular form. But love has to be expressed with a certain form, a certain action, or a certain word, or with a kind of speech. Without action, that is a form, using this volume, Love cannot be expressed. No matter how much love we have, if we don't act to express that love, that love has no meaning.

[93:47]

Buddha nature or formless reality is the same. That's why Dogen put emphasis in formal practice. So if we are clinging to this form, then we lose the point of our practice. But we need to practice without clinging to the form. As it is said in the Diamond Sutra, we should practice giving, or offering, or dharma paramita, without clinging to any object. person giving, person receiving, and that thing which is given. But the Diamond Sutra says we should practice giving. The Sutra doesn't say because reality is formless, we should not practice giving.

[94:59]

but we should practice giving. But if we practice giving with clinging or attaching to the thing or the person or this person's action, then this giving cannot be paramita. This is just a give and take or trading. That is not a parameter. So, if we cling to our formality and practice forms, that is not a parameter. But we do things without clinging, and it's very difficult. When we do something, we cling. Without clinging, we cannot do it. So, in Japanese monastic practice, first we have to learn forms.

[96:16]

We cannot allow to question why we have to do what is said. There's no argument. We have to just follow the form. But after a certain period of time, we are requested to be free from the form. We learn. Depending upon the situation, in each situation, we cannot do the same thing. So, in each situation, each moment, we need to create a new form. But this creation, in order to create a new form at this moment, we need to be free from what we learned. And yet, what we learned becomes a kind of resource to create something new.

[97:25]

So, well, that is what Dogen is saying in the next section. So this sitting form, formal sitting, is an expression of formless Buddha. And this sitting is kind of an adornment or mark of Buddha, which has no form. And next, Mangak said, if you practice sitting Buddha, that is nothing other than killing Buddha. So, in the original saying, he said, so we should not practice something formal, because Buddha is not something formal.

[98:32]

attain Buddhahood within formal practice. But here, Dogen interprets almost oppositely. This means that when we further investigate sitting Buddha, we find it has the virtue of killing Buddha. So killing Buddha is a virtue of sitting Buddha. The expression killing Buddha is originally used by Zen Master Rinzai. He said, when you encounter Buddha, you should kill the Buddha. So, killing Buddha means being free from Buddha, not clinging to Buddha. So, Dogen says, this killing Buddha is a virtue of sitting Buddha. So, within sitting, because we let go of thought.

[99:35]

We don't cling to any Buddha. We are nearly free from... we should be nearly free from anything, even a sitting pose. And he said, this is killing Buddha. We are free from even Buddha. The very time of practicing sitting Buddha is killing Buddha. So when we sit, we kill the Buddha. Passing further, we find the 32 marks and the radiance of the killing Buddha. He is always sitting Buddha. So the adornment of or forms of killing Buddha is sitting Buddha. Our Zazen. Although the word Killing Buddha has the same meaning as that used by ordinary human beings, it does not have the same meaning.

[100:49]

Also, we should investigate what form does Sitting Buddha, that is, Killing Buddha has, holding up the fact that Our virtue of Buddha is killing Buddha. We should investigate whether we have killed our human self or have not yet killed our human self. Not only Buddha, we have to kill our human self. That means our karmic self. Have we killed it or not in our Zazen? That means are we really free from our karma or not. And the last one. If you attach yourself to the sitting form, you will never reach the principle of Zazen.

[101:55]

So in the original story, Nangaku is saying, you should not attach yourself to the sitting form. And Dogen said, to attach to the sitting form means to let go of the sitting form. And to hold up the sitting form. So, we should keep this sitting form without attachment. That is what Patogen meant when he said, just sit. Just sit means hold, keep this form without attachment. The truth here is that when we are already practicing sitting Buddha, it is not possible to practice non-attachment to the sitting form.

[103:12]

Since it is not possible to be non-attached, even if you are exactly attached to the sitting form and sit in perfect posture, You will never reach the principle of Zazen. This is not something negative. Doesn't reach the principle is something positive in Dogen's comment. That means we are always in the process. We never be in the goal. We are always questioning, and practicing, and searching the truth. This is our practice. As a Bodhisattva, we practice Bodhichitta.

[104:18]

All Bodhisattvas practice in the Realm of Desire, that means this world, within samsara, because of our vow, bodhisattva vow. Bodhisattva vow is sentient beings' memories, we vow to save them. And this vow means we don't reach the other shore unless we Until we feel, feel this valve, that means Bodhisattva should be the last person who will cross this river. So, if we are Bodhisattva, we should stay here. We cannot go there. It's a kind of strange thing.

[105:18]

No one is there. Everyone is here if we are Don't suffer. This is the place we practice. So this is not reaching the principle. It's not reaching the nirvana. But we practice right now, right here, within our desire, within our delusion. Embracing our delusion. And sit. And help each other, support each other. In practicing in that way, I think we are trying to create nirvana within this show.

[106:24]

not going to that shore, but I think we are trying to construct a nirvana on this shore, together with all beings. And it takes more than forever, but somehow we are doing it. So we never reach the principle Such effort is called dropping off body and mind. If we think unless we reach the principle our practice is meaningless, we are free to the goal. But just keep practicing without even expecting to reach the goal, to reach the principle of the Zen, is dropping off body and mind.

[107:27]

This path does not exist in those who have never sat. That means we need to cling to or we need to attach ourselves to this form. This path exists at the time of sitting, in the person sitting, in the sitting Buddha, and in studying sitting Buddha. within our practice, this sitting Buddha appearance. The ordinary person's activity of sitting and lying down is not sitting Buddha. Although the activity of a human sitting naturally resembles sitting Buddha and Buddha's sitting, It is the activity of a person becoming Buddha and a becoming Buddha person.

[108:35]

Although they are the becoming Buddha person, not all human beings are becoming Buddha. Buddha is not all human beings because all Buddhas are not all human beings. Human beings are not necessarily Buddha. And buddhas are not necessarily human. Sitting buddha is also like this. This is a question whether are we all buddha or not, without practice, without arousing body-mind, without taking vows or not. And I think we can say both yes and no. And at least according to Dogen, here, when he talked about Zazen, he said, only in this practice, only when we practice.

[109:53]

So if we live based on our own ego-centered desire. That is our future way of life. That is not Buddha. But when we aspire to study Buddha, and to practice Buddha, and try to manifest Buddha through our practice, then this practice is Buddha. So this is a kind of a tricky point. And if we say yes, then we create a problem. If we say no, also I think we create a problem. So far, I think this is my question. Dogen sometimes uses expressions such as ancient Buddha.

[111:29]

This ancient is ko, or old, ancient. Dogens, I don't remember where, but Dogens said this ancient means eternal. Nothing to do with new and old. That is ancient, or ko. And I don't know whether English or ancient carry this meaning. If it can, good. This week, I think when you get right down to it, he's talking about practice realization. And I've often wondered, how does Dogen's practice realization It's up to how to read.

[112:53]

It's up to how to interpret Huenan Eno's sen and Dogen's sen. You can say, I mean, you can say yes or no. So what is it right there? Is that the present? Right there? Bright mirror is a mirror without dust. So there's an expression that when Chinese appear, the mirror deflects Chinese. It's barbarian. Barbarian appear, the mirror deflects the barbarian. So bright mirror means but as wisdom, which sees the reality as it is.

[113:55]

So, no crowds, no dust in Korea. Another question from page 8. Is there a Dharma hidden in the ordinary world? Is there a Dharma hidden in the ordinary world? It appears that there is no Dharma hidden in the ordinary world or among ordinary human beings. It is something, some mistake? Uh, let me read it. Which page?

[115:00]

Page 8. Page 8. It's a game. It's a game. So, even though there is a dharma of hitting a cow, so even if there is a dharma of hitting a cow,

[116:18]

Is this said, cow? That's my mistake. It should be cow. I'm sorry. Thank you. Tagyu no hou, yeah. I think it's seven. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Even though there is a dilemma of hitting, this is power in the ordinary world. We should inquire further and study. Yeah, thank you. Can you go to line 7 or 2? Line 2 is the Kata. No. Line 2 is the cart.

[117:38]

What about line 4? That's the cart. Okay, the cow is in line 7. The cow and the woman are in line 7. Any other questions or comments? I really appreciate your patience. It's a long talk. Please. Page 10. Page 10. If you attach yourself to the form, you will never realize the Kriyayoga and the Buddhist concept. Is that a way to do it? I'm basing that on Lee.

[118:43]

Page 10? Which line? If you attach yourself to form, you know, if you attach to form, you will never, could you read that as you will never realize the truth of Zazen or Southern Su? Is that true Zazen? Yeah. Or the principle of formlessness. No form. Reality of no form. Or emptiness. But literally said, never reach that principle. Or D. D? That is principle. It's kind of difficult for me to talk eight hours in two days.

[119:53]

But I really enjoy it. I hope you enjoy it. I really hope to come and share practice and teaching again. It is good. I hope so. Thank you very much for your time and practice and teaching and for being here with us.

[120:28]

@Text_v004
@Score_JJ