Good morning, everyone. Yesterday I introduced one section of Earth Tanipata. This is very old teaching in Buddhism. And in this section, Buddha taught the cause, the basic cause of argument and quarrels. tears and anguish, arrogance and pride, and grudge and insult, those things we have in this world. And in this section, Buddha said the basic cause of these problems is action of contact. And so if this compound of, here it said mind and object, or self and all beings as subject and object, if one of them is not there, there's no contact.

[01:22]

So we can be free from those problems. That is basic idea. And some people left society and lived in a cave or forest or mountains. That is one of the way to avoid contact. And another way is to stop thinking. to not try to think anything. That is the second way. But both doesn't work so well, I guess, especially in the Mahayana Buddhism. One of the points of criticism from Mahayana point of view to the Early Buddhism is, you know, priests or monks lived in the forest or monasteries, and they tried to avoid the contact with people in the society.

[02:26]

That means monks didn't work in the society to teach and help others. That is one of the points of Mahayana Buddhism. So to avoid contact or to, when we meet with people, not only people, people and the situation or condition, it's very natural, something happens in our mind. So we cannot stop thinking in that way. So how can we, how can I say, avoid this problem with this contact? That is the main point in our practice, our teaching of Mahayana. And, for example, in Nagarjuna's writings,

[03:32]

This is a translation of Majamika Karika. And in this very, in the introduction of this writing, Nagarjuna says, before this introduction, I pay homage to the fully awakened one. the supreme teacher who has taught the doctrine of relational origination, this is interdependent origination, and the blissful succession of all phenomenal thought constructions, So one of the major point of Nagarjuna's writing is to cease, to stop or destroy the construction constructed by preliminary thought.

[04:40]

This phenomenal thought or thought construction is Keron in Japanese or Chinese. Keron means idle argument. But this is a kind of view. And Nagarjuna tried to do using the logic. is to kind of deconstruct any logical statement to show us the reality before forming any view. So Nagarjuna's way is kind of very logical way, using logic to show us the, how can I say, the reality of interdependent origination that is not so logical or beyond logic.

[05:47]

So this is also a kind of a way how to be free from this problem we have when we meet or contact with other things. I think that is one of the very essential point in Buddhism from Shakyamuni Buddha to at least to Dogen. And another thing, for example, in Chinese Zen, Rinzai. Rinzai is a founder of Rinzai Zen. The record of Rinzai is my favorite Zen literature, besides Shobo Genzo. I like Rinzai. He's very simple. And basic teaching of Rinzai, I think, is the same thing. For example, In the beginning of Part II, instructing the group, he says, this is very kind of a famous koan in Rinzai, Rinzai tradition.

[07:03]

In this translation, it is called Four Procedures, Procedures. Rinzai said, at times one takes away the person but does not take away the environment. At times one takes away the environment but does not take away the person. At times, one takes away both the person and the environment. and at times one takes away neither the person nor the environment." So, you know, he's also talking about the way how this person, the self, can relate or connect with things or environment or ten-milliard dharmas without

[08:14]

creating the problem. The problem is like and dislike, or preference is attachment or detachment, or chasing after and escaping, or greed and hatred. How can we meet with all things, people and things, in that sense, without three poisonous minds? And his basic teaching is don't seek anything outside. And next section he says, Rinzai says, When students today fail to make progress, where is the fault? The fault lies in the fact that they don't have faith in themselves.

[09:20]

So Rinzai says we need to have faith in ourselves. If you don't have faith in yourself, then you will be forever in a hurry. trying to keep up with everything around you. You'll be twisted and turned by whatever environment you are in, and you can never move freely. But if you can just stop this mind that goes rushing around moment by moment looking for something, then you will be no different from the patriarchs and buddhas, or ancestors and buddhas. So, what he is saying, don't seek anything outside. in order to show we need a faith in ourselves.

[10:22]

That is the basic teaching of Rinzai. And in order to show this, he used something like shouting or hitting. It's kind of very direct, dynamic, and in a sense, violent way. And I think what Dogen is doing here is same thing, same thing as Buddha said and Nagarjuna trying to do using logic and Rinzai did using shouting and hitting. He trying to avoid the poison caused by this contact between self and mediated things by examining our view, how our view is distorted, and whether there is a fixed foundation in our view or not.

[11:24]

And he said, no. So when we take a close look at the view and the things outside, then we can be liberated from our own view. That is a way, in Dogen's teaching, how can I say, we can liberate from the problems caused by this contact by checking out, by figuring out how our view is created and how our view is distorted. And Nagarjuna did it in a very logical way, but Dogen is doing kind of a very poetical way. So I think when we just read this strange writing, we are simply overwhelmed and it doesn't make any sense.

[12:35]

So we usually often just throw this away. But if we find the thread of teaching from Buddha through Mahayana Buddhism and Zen tradition, now we can see what he's doing and what's the meaning of this strange writing to us. What Dogen want to ask is not just to read this and make one understanding or theory or philosophy based on Buddha's teaching. I mean, not Buddha, but Dogen's teaching, Dogen's writings. If we do that, we completely miss the point because we create another problem. another system of view. So, when we read this, we have to apply what he is saying in our life, in our relationship with the self and all many other things.

[13:47]

Anyway, This morning I start from the middle of page 14. One, two, three, fourth paragraph. The Buddha has said, all things are ultimately liberated. They have no abode. We don't know where this quote is from. Maybe, I don't know. Because scholars don't know, I don't know. Anyway, it's not so difficult to find this kind of statement in any Mahaprajna sutras. All things are ultimately liberated. They have no abode.

[14:53]

Nothing is fixed. Everything is coming and going, arising, stay for a while, changing, and disappear. This is the reality of impermanence. So everything is changing, everything is moving, everything is working. Nothing fixed. Everything is free from self-nature. As I said yesterday, you know, baby is liberated from babyhood. Because a baby has a power or life force which negates babyhood. Baby can grow and become a boy or girl or a teenager and finally become an old person and disappear. So each thing, each and everything has power to negate itself.

[15:55]

That's why everything can be can change. Things can come into being and living out of being and stay for a while within, you know, walking or changing. So there's no foundation. But as Fat Dogen said in the previous section, So this is a kind of a conclusion from his discussion. But in the next sentence, he mentioned the opposite side, not the opposite, but the point we should be careful not to lose it. That is, we should realize that Although they are liberated without any bonds, all things are abiding in their own particular state.

[17:06]

However, when humans look at water, they have the one. Maybe I should talk this second sentence first. So he's saying, although everything is liberated, so a baby is not a baby, but still baby is dwelling in a dharma position of a baby at this moment. So everything is always changing, nothing stays at one place forever, but still at this moment a baby is a baby. you know, a child is a child, teenager is a teenager, and middle-aged person like me is just like this. You know, each moment, it's abiding its own dharma position. That means we have to be there, and we have to be, to practice.

[18:08]

You know, a baby is practicing as a baby. This morning, you know, Elizabeth I went up to the third floor and started to crawl. That's her practice. That's the way she is kind of negating the baby food and to go. And what we do in our daily lives as practice is the same thing. Practice is the manifestation of our life force at this moment. But through this practice, we negate this stage. And this practice allows us to grow and to go next stage. So it's a kind of a strange thing. We are completely right now, right here, and we take care of things that I have to take care of at this moment.

[19:10]

That means for now my responsibility is to speak about Dogen in English, so I don't like it. It's very difficult, but somehow I try to do. And by speaking, talking in this way, I find something new, and I experience something new, and which allows me to grow and to do something else. So what we do is really completely at this moment, but what we are doing at this moment as a function of this Dharma position, that allows us to go somewhere else. That is life. That is life force. So simply walking or moving or changing is, as Uchida Moro said, that is half of the reality.

[20:13]

Impermanence is half of the reality, not the entire reality. But another side is everything is always abiding peacefully in its own dharma position. So actually nothing is arise, nothing is changing, and nothing is, you know, perishing. Everything is always there at this moment. It's kind of a strange thing. You know, that is why this is called wanderer's dharma. You know, we cannot grasp by thinking, so we don't grasp and we open our hand. That is our practice in the Zen. Just open our hand and leave everything or entrust everything in this moment. and this body, condition of this body and this mind. And in the community life, we try to play a role that is entrusted to this person at this moment.

[21:24]

So there is both sides, and in the heart circle, these two sides are expressed as form is emptiness, and emptiness is form. There's nothing called form, but that is the meaning of emptiness. But emptiness is nothing other than form, this form, form as, you know, shohaku at this moment. you know, as a, well, I have to go faster. So although everything is liberated from itself, but still, everything is just as it is. So we have to take care of this Dharma position. however when humans look at water they have the one they have the one way that sees it only as flowing without rest you know this is a kind of a you know common view for human beings you know water is running

[22:41]

or flowing in the stream or river. That is the most common image or understanding of water. But Dogen said, this flow takes many forms of which the human view is but one. So our idea of water, that water is running from high place to lower place, is only one way of viewing the water. And there are many ways that water moves. And water flows over the earth. That is how we see commonly. And it flows across the sky. That cloud is a form of the water. It flows up. Water goes up from the ocean.

[23:45]

Water go up to the sky. And it flows down as rain or snow. So water is circling. It's not simply flowing from a high place to lower place. And water flows around, bends, and into deep abysses. This is just an example of the shape of the river. It mounts up to form clouds. It descends to form pools. The Wenzhou says, the tower of water ascending to heaven becomes rain and dew. Descending to earth becomes rivers and streams.

[24:47]

This is a kind of a Chinese classic. but I don't know who this person is and what this writing about, and I don't think it's important. So I try not to explain about this book, For us, this book or this person is saying is kind of a common sense. But in thousands of years ago, this is a kind of unusual view, I think. And Dogen is making comments on this thing. Such is said even in the secular world. It would be shameful indeed if those who call themselves descendants of the Buddhas and ancestors were more stupid than the secular."

[25:57]

I don't want to say anything about this. This person, because, you know, lay people are much, much more intellectual than Buddhist priests these days. But at Dogen's time, Buddhist priests is only, not only, but people who had educated. Buddhist monks or priests and scholars and high class people those people are only people who were educated and who could read and write this passage says that although the way of water is unknown to water So water doesn't know where the water is going.

[27:00]

Water actually functions as water. Although the way of water is not unknown to water, water actually functions as water. So whether knowing or not knowing, water is just water. So what he's saying here is our actual function, our actual activity, actual practice is more important than whether we know it or not. That means our view. This is a very important point in Dogen. He used the expression like a Gyo butsu. Gyo means practice or action or activity.

[28:12]

Butsu means Buddha. And there is a section of Shobo Genzo titled Gyo Butsu Igi. Igi means forms or decorum, the way Buddhas do. And a common way of reading this is practicing Buddha's Igi, Buddha's decorum. So we should practice how Buddha did. This is a common way of reading this sentence. please. Oh, gee, gee, like in Kansas and gee, he is like a forms or models. And he means dignified, dignified, dignified model or forms.

[29:18]

But Dogen, Zenji, read this as gyobutsu, one word, and igi, one word. So here again he destroyed or ignored the grammar, Chinese grammar. And he said, this gyobutsu, practice Buddha, is the name of the Buddha. Gyobutsu is a name of the Buddha. So his interpretation of this sentence is a dignified form of practice Buddha, or Gyobutsu. And that is, you know, how can I say, how he explained or offered the meaning of our day-to-day activities in the Zen-Do or Dharma Hall or wherever.

[30:22]

You know, each form, according to Dogen, each form is a form or a dignified form of gyo-butsu, So, gyobutsu is a name of Buddha. And that means our action as Buddha, our activity as Buddha in the zendo or Buddha hall or kitchen or dining room is the Buddha, actually. And the name of that Buddha is gyobutsu. I think this is a strange way of thinking. But I think that expresses the deep meaning of our each and every action, activities, as a manifestation of Buddhadharma.

[31:23]

You know, in the biography of Shakyamuni Buddha, it said, when Buddha was born, he stood up right away and walked seven steps. And it said, on each step of baby Buddha, the lotus flower bloomed. And Gyobuchi, the same idea. When we do things as a practice or a form of gyobutsu, the lotus flower, the dharma flower, blooms in each step. That is, according to Dogen, that is the meaning of our formal practice. Some people don't like this. Some people like it. Actually, I don't like it. I don't like foam. But I like this idea.

[32:33]

Well, for me, zazen is not a form. I'm sorry. Well, so what he's saying here is to know or not to know is not a primarily important thing, but to do, to practice, to work is more important. To know or not to know is not primarily important, but actually function, work, or do something is more important. He continues. Ascending to heaven, it becomes rain and dew, we should realize that water climbs to the very highest heavens in the highest quarters and becomes rain undue.

[33:53]

We know this. Rain undue is of various kinds in accordance with the various world. not in accordance with the various world. Here, it means in accordance with the various world means in accordance of, how can I say, the condition or situation or environment or circumstance of each person, like heavenly beings or hungry ghosts or fishes. or human beings or, you know, the form of rain and dew or water is different, you know, between tropical place and North Pole or anywhere. Somewhere it's very dry, somewhere it's very wet. So the form or condition is really various different.

[34:55]

but water goes everywhere. And to say that there are places to which water does not reach is a teaching of the Hinayana Shravaka, or the false teaching of the non-Buddhists. I don't want to talk about this. It's said that in the Abhidharma Kosha, it's said there is someplace water doesn't go. But it's not important here, I think. And water extends into flames. It extends into thought. reasoning and discrimination it extends into awareness and the buddha nature so here he's talking about not water in the nature but water as buddha nature or buddha dharma

[36:01]

Thought, reasoning and discrimination is the way our psychology, our mind functions as ordinary beings. And awareness here is the translation of kakuchi. Kakuchi is awareness or awakening, Buddha's awakening. So how we conditioned human beings to see things and how Buddha awakened beings, awakened one, see things are different. But water is both ways. Even in our discriminative way of thinking, water is there. Even in Buddha's awakening, water is there. Even in the Buddha nature, water is there, because water is Buddha nature. And descending to earth, it becomes rivers and streams.

[37:13]

I think I don't need to talk about this. we should realize that when water descends to Earth, it becomes rivers and streams, and that the essence of rivers and streams becomes sages. This is an interesting statement. When water goes down to Earth, down to Earth, it becomes rivers and streams. This is of course, this is a matter of course. But he said, and that the essence of rivers and streams become sages. Sages means a... Yeah, teachers, but how can I say? You know, it said there are 52 steps of bodhisattvas from beginning to the end, right before becoming Buddha.

[38:22]

And last 10 steps or 10 stages of bodhisattva is, I think, is bodhisattvas within that last ten stages. So it's very, it's not Buddha, but it's kind of a high-class bodhisattvas. Sorry, I don't think I understood. Were you saying that sages are the last ten stages? Yeah. People before that was called wise men or ken, please. In that sentence, do you think there's a reason it says the essence of reverse is being become, but instead of are? YOKU KENJIN TO NARU. Yeah, it becomes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

[39:25]

You know, water works, streams. And as Dogen said in the Genjo Koan, the wind of Buddha's family makes the water into a cheese. So when we see the water and practice as water, water becomes sages. I don't like the word sages. It means, you know, in another Dogen's expression, Buddhas and ancestors. Please? We're becoming sages or we're creating sages? Does that really not matter? Water becomes sages. Not this person. I think. And... Again, this is a problem. The foolish common folks. The foolish common folk like us think that water is always in rivers, streams, and seas.

[40:32]

But this is not so. Water makes rivers and seas within water. In our common sense, we think water is in the river, or in the lake, or in the ocean, or in the bowls, or it comes out when we remove the taps. Of course, that is our common sense. But he says, where the water goes, that becomes river. Where the water stays, that become a lake. Where the water, big amount of water stay, it become ocean. So there's no such things called ocean or river or lake. and this movement of water. So water is first, not those conditions.

[41:36]

Those conditions are just a condition of one Dharma position of this movement of water. So, you know, this kind of concept of river, lake, ocean. or pond is not fixed. But those become ocean, river or pond as a movement or action or practice of the water. So water is first on those conditions or names or concept of those condition is second. But we usually think, these are the first. And water is something contained with those things. And therefore, water is in places that are not rivers and seas.

[42:42]

It is just that when water descends to us, it works as rivers and seas. So water goes everywhere. And then water gets together and runs from the mountain towards the ocean. It becomes a river. Same as our life force. You know, to be a lecturer right now in my case is not the first, but somehow in the stream or flow of my life force as one dharma position of this moment, I'm a lecturer, I'm a teacher, so I try to teach, but I'm not a teacher actually. I'm a teacher only when I'm teaching. When I'm at home with my family, I'm not a teacher. If I try to teach, you know, they get angry.

[43:44]

Even, you know, they don't listen. And I try not to teach. Of course, I don't teach my children about Dogen. Anyway, so to be a teacher or to be a Buddhist priest is only kind of a condition of the water flowing, water of my life. But often we think, I'm a teacher, you know, I'm a Buddhist priest. Or I'm a husband or I'm a father of something. We kind of fixed who this is depending upon the concept or kind of a condition. And we think that is more real thing than this water. That is what Nagarjuna called mind construction.

[44:49]

So the water is a real thing. The movement of water is a real thing. But the condition of each moment, like a river or a lake or an ocean or rain or dew, there are so many different conditions of water. But we grasp each condition as those things, and we think those things really exist. But what Nagarjuna and Dogen are saying is that is simply a construction of our mind. That is just a concept. So therefore, water is in places that are not rivers and seas. It is just that when water descends to us, it works as rivers and seas.

[45:54]

And moreover, we should not study that when water has become rivers and seas, there is then no world and no Buddha land within water. incalculable Buddha land, Buddha lands are realized even within a single drop of water. So Buddha land is everywhere, even in example you, Dogen, used in Genjo Koan, that is this tiny being which appears and stays even less than a second and disappears. But within this tiny drop of dew, this eternity or boundless moonlight is completely reflected.

[47:03]

And consequently, it is not that water exists within the Buddha land, nor that the Buddha land exists within water. The existence of water has nothing whatever to do with the three times or the dharma realm This means the water Dogen is talking about is not conditioned. it's conditioned. You know, water, in each moment, water is conditioned. But this, you know, flowing water is not conditioned. Nothing, he said, nothing to do with the three times. Three times means past, present, and future. And the Dharma realms here means the each place.

[48:12]

or time and space. So the flowing of water, movement of water, is not limited within certain time and certain place or space. But each and every place, each and every moment is where water exists and where the Buddha land is constructed or created. So we cannot say, please, Yes. How can I say? Both form is emptiness and emptiness is form.

[49:17]

Water contains both. It's not the side of emptiness. And it's not the side of form. But this water, as Dogen said about mountains, form and emptiness is two virtues of the water, I think. Does it make sense? So we can say water exists within the Buddha land, because water is itself the land. And nevertheless, though it is like this, it is the koan of the actualization of water.

[50:20]

you know, this actualization is translation of genjo. So what he's saying here is this is the genjo koan of the water in flow from the beginningless past to the endless future. you know, moment by moment, but stay or dwells in each dharma position in each moment and create the dharma world or Buddha's land in each moment. That is what Dogen discussed in Kenjo Koan. in each moment of changing or movement, the reality of all beings is manifested.

[51:28]

So, Shōbō Genzō Genjō Kōan and this Sansui-kyō is really closely connected, or this Sansui-kyō is, how can I say, in a sense, more commentary of Genjō Kōan. Genjo Kōan is such a short writing, but I think he tried to expound or express more about Genjo Kōan, and he uses the example of mountains and rivers. as one aspect, not aspect, but one example of genjo and koan. Genjo is right now, at this present moment, and koan is beyond time and space, or timeless reality.

[52:36]

So this moment and eternity is both there as an intersection of our life of this moment. And wherever the Buddhas and ancestors are, water is always there. Wherever water is, there the Buddhas and ancestors always appear. This appear is also a translation of genjo. And in the very first sentence of this writing, he said, the mountains and the waters of this present is expression of old Buddha.

[53:47]

This expression is also genjo. So I'm not sure the expression is a good enough translation. Maybe I said at that time, but genjo is really important. one of the key words of Dogen, so we need expression somehow which doesn't convey the same power, I think. Please. I don't think they quite understand Genjo. Okay. I know it's the word. Okay. Genjo is a part of the name of the very first school of Shogo Genjo, Genjo Koan.

[54:50]

Akutari Dogen used this arm. Pronunciation is the same. Gen means appear, as a verb. Appear. Gen zero, yes. As an adjective, this means a present. Possible meaning is real or true. Or actual, maybe actual is better. And jo means to become. Or to accomplish or achievement, to complete. And this genjo is Dogen's favorite expression.

[56:08]

And the meaning, I think, is present becoming. You know, this means moment by moment things becoming something, as I think Buddha said in the Stanipata, becoming and disintegration or disappear. This moment by moment becoming something and change to next stage. This kind of happening, the things happening at this moment, the actual reality of this moment, is genjo. And Uchimuroshi kind of paraphrased this genjo as present moment, becoming present moment. And koan, I think you know the word koan.

[57:16]

Koan is a koan in koan stories. It seems this word is used in China as a public document in the government office. In China, all the government document is issued by the emperor, with the name of the emperor. And when something is issued by the name of the emperor, it has absolute power, absolute authority. No one could argue about it. No one can question about it. From that meaning, koan become the expression of absolute truth. by many Chinese Zen masters. That is one of the meanings of koan in Zen literature, the expression of absolute reality with absolute authority.

[58:28]

So we have to study it. We have to learn and master it and try to live and take action based on that authority or teaching with that authority. That is the meaning of koan. And Dogen, I said, Dogen used this Chinese character instead of this one. This character itself means paper or actually the desk. This part means wood. And this part, an, means to place. So something made of wood and put something on. And that is a desk. So an means a desk or the document that is placed on the desk.

[59:37]

Also, this an means to think. That is what we do at the desk. So the desk or a document is a production of our thinking. So, basically have those three connotations. But this side means hand. And this side is the same as this, to place hand on something. And this means, this kanji is used as a part of amma, that means massage. You know, when we do massage, we place our hand on the place where the patient has a problem. and try to heal or give a treatment.

[60:41]

And so this arm has a connotation of do something to solve the problem, to make the situation better. So Dogen's, one of Dogen's disciples, who made the oldest commentary of Shobo Genzo, interpret this word koan with this kanji. And so this koan, in this sense, this koan means a public work, the way public officers should work. Not, you know, public officers should work for the sake of the public, not for the sake of this individual person. So in that sense, this koan in Dogen's writing is not simply, that is one meaning, but this is not simply absolute truth or reality with absolute authority.

[61:53]

But this koan means something we have to do. using our body or hands to help others or to make the situation better. So in this case, this koan is also a function work. So this is a manifestation of total reality or universal and eternal reality at this moment within time and space and function to be one with all beings. Okay. So, what Hidogen is saying is, wherever the Buddhas and ancestors are, water is always there.

[63:05]

And wherever water is there, the Buddhas' ancestors always appear. That is the genjo, or manifestation of Buddhas and ancestors. within our practice at this moment. In this way, then, the idea that water does not climb up is to be found neither in Buddhist nor non-Buddhist writings. You know, we know this as a common sense, but maybe Dogen time this is not a common sense. The way of water penetrates everywhere, above and below, vertically and horizontally. Right before this session started, I read news through internet, news from a Japanese newspaper.

[64:20]

I found one news that, I don't know where, but some Japanese scientist find that inside of the earth, below the Earth. There are five times as much water in there as the ocean water. We cannot imagine water in such a hot place, but somehow water is stored inside the Earth. We don't know what is the condition of that water. But anyway, so water in the ocean or on the surface of the Earth is a very tiny part of the entire water. So in that sense, this Earth is sometimes called a planet of water.

[65:29]

But not only this earth, but 70% of this body, our bodies, is also water. So this analogy of water as Buddha nature, I think it's very literal. So water is everywhere. So water is everywhere, above and below, vertically and horizontally. Still, he said, still in the sutras it is said that fire and wind go up, while earth and water go down. These fire, wind, earth and water are called the four great elements, washi, dai. And it said, These are not real actual fire, wind, or earth and water, but these are elements of everything.

[66:39]

For example, in the case of our body, the heat is a fire element, and wind is movement. is wind element in the case of our body, and bones are earth element, and blood is water element. Anyway, there's one sutra which said, fire and wind element go up, and earth and water element go down. So he found there is some contradiction between what is said in the sutra and what Dogen said right now. So he tried to make kind of an interpretation. But this up and down, in the sutra bears some study.

[67:40]

We have to study something about this up and down, or up and down. The study of the up and down of the way of the Buddha. So we need to study fear is up and fear is down in the Buddha way. And in the way of the Buddha, Where earth and water go is considered down. But down here does not mean some place to which earth and water go. He's saying the same thing. Do you understand? Wherever earth and water goes in the Buddha Dharma, it is called down. So if water goes to heaven or sky, sky is down. So there's no fixed, how can I say, thing we discuss about up and down, or go this way or that way, within our, I think, within our mind.

[68:53]

somehow we are making an axle and this is the original point. Without this original point, do you call this original point? What do you call this? Origin. Origin. If there is no origin on the axle, horizontal and vertical, there's no way to decide, fit it up, fit it down. So there must be some fixed point, the origin to measure or to decide fair anything. locate. But what Dogen is questioning is whether such an origin is really there. But this is also a kind of our mind construction. The idea that there's some fixed immovable or absolute origin to measure the things.

[70:12]

not only space but also value. When we make a value judgment, we also based on certain kind of origin and access. Usually, we think this is something we want to do, and this is something we don't want to do, and this is something we don't want but we should do, or something that we don't want to do and wish not to do. So we categorize those things based on fear is our origin. That is a way we make judgment. But problem for human beings is this origin is always moving. All is changing.

[71:14]

So what he's saying here is there's no such origin and the way to measure it, measure the movement of water. It's prior to such a way to measure or grasp by using our interaction. or any kind of way of thinking. That thinking is also a part of this movement. We cannot put this timeless, spaceless movement within my thinking. It's opposite. Our thought is a part of this movement. So we cannot contain this entire movement into my thought. I think it's a very obvious thing, but we try to do, and we think we do.

[72:23]

I think that is a basic delusion according to Dogen. So what we have to see is, you know, this origin and the way system of measuring things is part of our life force. But we cannot measure this life force with using this measurement. So we don't need to, you know, take or eliminate this system of measurement, but we need to know that this is part of this universal flow. We cannot contain this movement within our system of value. I think that all Buddha, Nagarjuna, Rinzai and Dogen is saying.

[73:31]

So we need to free from our measurement, our way of doing things and attachment to my measure, to our measures. That's the way we can avoid the poisonous contact between self and middle dharmas. That makes our life more peaceful, more harmonious, more, how can I say, compassionate and flexible. Yeah, I was Where fire and wind go is up. So where the earth and water go is down. Where fire and wind go is up. So actually everywhere is up and everywhere is down.

[74:33]

Because no origin to our viewer to observe this movement. Everywhere is everywhere. That's all we can say. So while the dharma realm has no necessary connection with up and down or the four directions, simply on the basis of the function, basis of the function of the four, five, or six elements, We provisionally set up dharma realm and directions. So based on the function of the four elements means, as I said, fire, wind, earth, and water. And five is plus kuushiki, plus one, space.

[75:40]

And six is another one, consciousness. those makes four elements is used in the early, since early Indian Buddhism. And five elements, the one space or emptiness is added, I think, in Mahayana Buddhism. And the last one, Sikhi or consciousness, is added in Vajrayana Buddhism and make it a sixth element, sixth great element. Anyway, based on those functions of those elements, As a kind of expedient, we make the origin and access and try to measure fear, something is, and how it is, and whether it's good or bad. So every judgment or value judgment is really tentative things, not absolute things.

[76:49]

That is what he is saying. Would you say that consciousness is also one through five in a way? Pardon me? That if you die, that consciousness is also one through five, kind of containing it? One through five. That's all right. It's six elements of containing one through five. Is that your question? does consciousness contain other five? You mean? I don't know. I don't know. I'm sorry. Well, so it is not that the heaven of non-consciousness conception, heaven of non-conception is the highest heaven of the three worlds.

[77:54]

Three worlds is world of desire, world of material or form, and world of no form. And world of no form means world of meditation or samadhi, and the highest highest layer of this samadhi is called the heaven of non-conception. This is the name of the kind of samadhi Shakyamuni Buddha first studied with his Indian teacher whose name is Aramakarama. Aramakarama, yes. Anyway, is above. It is not that. The heaven of non-conception is above. And the Avikihel, Avikihel is the lowest place of this Indian Buddhist cosmology.

[78:59]

The most difficult, painful place in the world is called Avikihel. is below. So he says, the highest heaven is not up and the lowest hell is not down. But adhikki is the entire dharma realm. And heaven of non-conception is the entire dharma realm. So each condition of our life is in six realms. within transmigration, in which we are transmigrating, is entire world, entire Darmarielum. So, you know, it seems that Dogen doesn't really believe that, you know, the theory of transmigration within the six realms from past life to present life to present life to next life.

[80:05]

I think he's saying that the six realms are right now within our life at this moment. And we are always transmigrating within six realms. And in whatever condition, that condition is entire dharma realm at this moment. Five minutes more. Let me read a little more, one more paragraph. Nevertheless, when dragons and fish see water as a palace, just as when humans see palaces, they do not view it as flows. He returned to the analogy of water and dragon or fish, heavenly beings, hungry ghosts, and humans.

[81:11]

So for dragons and fish, the water is their palace, as we think this kind of building is our dwellings. And if some onlooker were to explain to them that their palace was flowing water, they would surely be just as amazed. As we are now, to hear it said the mountain froze. I think so. Because, you know, that is completely against their perception. So Dogen knows, you know, mountain's flow is against our perception. Still, there would undoubtedly be some dragons and fish who would accept such an explanation of the railings, stairs, and columns of palaces and pavilions."

[82:24]

So he's saying there must be some fish or dragon who could see or who could accept such teaching. And he's asking to his student, you should see that the mountain works. We should calmly consider over and over the reason for this. So we should think of, really, thoroughly think about this strange thing. By thoroughly thinking, we are liberated from our thinking. So this kind of studying or reading Dogen's writing is a kind of, I think, same as koan practice with the teacher. Whatever you say, the teacher says no. And we have to try repeatedly many times.

[83:29]

Unless we get tired to think more and give up thinking. So we do this, you know, using thinking. This is called, in Zen, this is called, you know, taking the wedge out using the wedge. Do you know this expression, wedge? When we split wood, we, you know, use a wedge, you know, hit into a wedge. And, you know, sometimes, not sometimes, but it couldn't get out and it couldn't go further. Then we used another wedge. to make the space larger, bigger, then we can take that bridge out. So we use our thinking in order to be liberated from our thinking.

[84:32]

If our study is not liberated from these confines, we have not freed ourselves from the body and mind of the Komona. We have not fully comprehended the land of the Buddhas and the ancestors. We have not fully comprehended the land of the Komona. We have not fully comprehended the palace of the Komona. So by being liberated from our fixed or ready-made way of thinking created by our karma, including our education or the process of learning languages or concepts, we don't really see the reality of our life. That is what he is saying. So we have to go through it. I think I have time to finish. I continue this afternoon.

[85:38]

Thank you.

[85:39]

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