Good morning, everyone. Yesterday afternoon, I talked in English in just three sentences, but in Japanese also one sentence. I'm going to talk from the second sentence. As I said, I think the first two pages are kind of an introduction of those collections of stories. And this part, I think, is the only difficult part to understand in this writing of Jyoti, I think.

[01:05]

Actually, it's not so difficult. Not like Buddha nature, or Bussho, or Ueshi, or Taimanin, or mountains and water sutra. But there are two, basically two sentences, very difficult to translate. So anyway, I try to talk following this introduction. Maybe takes one more, two more days. And I'm going to start to talk on the story. So Dogen said, in the great way of Buddhas and ancestors, there is always unsurpassable continuous practice, which is the way like a circle without interruption.

[02:15]

Between the allowing of awakening mind, practice, awakening, and nirvana, there is no slightest break. Continuous practice is the circle of the way. I think that is what I spoke yesterday. And next, Dogen says, Therefore, this continuous practice is not activities that are forced to do by us, by ourselves or by others. It is the continuous practice that has never been defiled. This is one sentence in Japanese. So he said, our practice is not something being forced by ourselves.

[03:24]

for certain, you know, purpose or reason or this is not a practice we should do because we are forced to do by some other people. Here, basically, other means Buddhas and ancestors. So it's not a matter of someone forced to do something or even ourselves. I think that means this is a natural, natural function of our life to see the way, to see who we are, to really understand who we are. And that is the most healthy way of life, wholesome way of life. Dogen Seibin, I think, Shobo genzo yui butuyo, only Buddha, together with Buddha.

[04:31]

That phrase also came from the Lotus Sutra. All living beings, it's natural for all living beings to try to find who we are, who are, who are part of the Self. And yet he said that only that true self, true nature of the self can be seen only by Buddha, together with Buddha. Our human way of seeing things cannot see the true way who we are really. So in the Lotus Sutra it says, the reason why all Buddhas appear to this world is only one great cause, one great matter, that is to show all living beings, the Lotus Sutra says, the Buddha's insight.

[05:50]

So it's not human insight, but Buddha's insight. And what Buddha tried to show us is the true form of all beings. Because true form is no form. But we usually don't see true form as no form. We grasp some kind of form. I think this is me. And I'm Japanese, I'm a Buddhist, so I have to behave like a Buddhist. Because I'm a teacher, I have to do something that teachers do. That is how we do it. That's why I'm here now. I'm talking something like Dogen is saying. This is human insight or a way of thinking. So first we have to grasp what this person needs.

[06:59]

And in this case, I'm a Zen teacher, a Buddhist teacher, so I have to talk something about Zen. That is what I think you expect me to do. That's why you are here. And because I think that is part of my responsibility, so I am here. I try to do my best. This is part of human beings, human way of thinking. But from Buddha's view, there's no such thing called shohaka. There's no such thing called Buddhist. There's no such thing called teacher or student. Because the true form of all things is no form. There's nothing. Then there's something. That is the point of the void or emptiness of the center of the circle.

[08:07]

But we don't see the circle or the emptiness of being, but we can only see the surroundings, the being. Anyway, so our practice is not to attain something. In human way of doing things, you know, we are in having condition. present condition and somehow we don't like this but we feel there is something lacking so we need to go somewhere to get something else then the lacking can be healed and we become better we can be satisfied that is you know German way of doing things

[09:16]

If we don't have some kind of goal or some kind of profit, it's very difficult to find a motivation to do. That's why when we go to school, we try to work hard to get some degree or some knowledge, some understanding we don't have yet. But our practice is, you know, in a sense, we study what Buddha taught, we study what, you know, Dogen wrote, and I'm talking what I understand. So, in a sense, in one fight, we kind of, you know, accumulate the knowledge, then starting understanding.

[10:18]

But the ultimate goal of our practice is to forget all of this. We flee from the knowledge we accumulate. That is the goal of our practice, our study. We see the reality of all things that have no form. kind of strange things, I think. Not usual human activity. So that kind of practice doesn't come from our human desire from here. But I think it's much deeper place. Somehow we allow body-mind to see deeper reality. than our conventional way of doing things, or viewing things.

[11:24]

So this activity called practice, or continuous practice in Dogon's expression, does not come from our desire Therefore, it's not something we have to do as a responsibility or duty reinforced by someone else. But this is the way our life naturally grows, as Mendon said, the seed of the nature planted and grown in the summer. and harvested in the fall and stored in the winter and next year the seed is planted again and grow and repeat the same seed. This is a very natural process of life.

[12:31]

And according to Dogen, our practice is the same, how we can grow our Buddha nature. So this is the way you would make the top of the design? Yes. This is the fire protection? Yes. And this is the protection? Yes. So what do you think is the best way to make the top of the design? It's very easy to make. You can do other aspects. Yes, Dogen said, without discriminating mind or thinking mind, we cannot allow the body-mind. But he said the body-mind is not discriminating mind. But discriminating mind or thinking mind, then I think this is not a healthy way of life.

[13:37]

This is kind of discriminating mind. And this discrimination or thinking, this is not right, so we should go do something else. That is, in a sense, part of the deeper life, but it's not the Buddha nature or body-mind itself. But we need to use, you know, even our disciplinary mind in order to nurture that seed for the nature. I think that is what Dogen said. I don't think so. Same thing. That means even though we try to do something, we think it seems good for me. That's why we start to practice. But from the deeper point of view, or that point of view, that is not really my choice.

[14:46]

or my desire that could make me start to serve the Way or start to practice. I think that is what he is saying here. So our practice is not being forced by our desire or other people's other duties or responsibilities, but we something deeper than our thinking mind, push our thinking mind to start to practice and grow and continue to practice. It doesn't make sense, and I still read it. Are you familiar with the phrase which says, frankly, beyond all human beings? Beyond all human beings. Beyond all human beings.

[15:50]

Yeah, I didn't know that. But it appears in Kandavendi. KANZA TENJI. THAT ORIGINAL WORD, SUMMON AGENCY. SUMMON AGENCY. THE WORD, MAYBE NOT, BUT I'M NOT SURE, BUT THAT IS PROBABLY Nying is human, perfect. And jo is sentiment. This jo is the same as the expression mei jo, deluded sentient being.

[16:55]

So our practice for the energy which allow us to practice does not come from human energy or human sentiment, but comes deeper than that. I think that is up to you. Would it work forward? It's not that way. It's not that way. Forward? No. No, no, no. I don't think so. Please. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I think that is also the life energy.

[18:05]

When we become healthy, we try to do healthy work in order to keep our life healthy. That is also the natural life force. So it's not our desire. I'm not sure the point of your question. I think to become healthy is the purpose or goal of our practice. There is no reason to continue after we get healthy. That is what I said. But practice, continuous practice according to Dogen is not such a practice or therapy, treatment, but we should keep going.

[19:08]

Well, once we get healthy, we try to help other people to get healthy and to keep a healthy way of life together. I think that is how we keep going as a Sangha. And that is what I think we are doing here. I hope. Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. So to be healthy is a natural condition.

[20:25]

It's not some particular fantastic state of mind or some superhuman state or condition. To be, that's being natural, healthy. So to be sick is something special. But to be healthy is a natural thing. Yeah, she's a student in the Samra. I think so. Yes. Of course, he was writing for the people in the future, like us.

[21:29]

Yes. Hmm. [...] Hmm? I think the same thing. Buddha's compassion for Buddha's mind, our healthy life force, asked us to open the door and we tried to get out of the prison.

[22:34]

I don't think so. Human beings depend on this reality. I think so, you know, even before Schumann didn't take this planet from there. This sentence? Okay, I'll do it. Any other question, immediate question? I don't know how to say, but something, you know,

[24:02]

Well, I first sat five-day session at Antalya when I was, I think, 20. It was very difficult. And then after, when I finished the session, I thought that was the last session for me. But somehow I returned, even though I didn't want. And when I finished school and started to practice Atantaiji with Uchamaroji, somehow my teacher asked me to study English. And I didn't want. But somehow I couldn't say no.

[25:07]

That year, you know, determined my life. That's why I'm here. So it did not come from my desire, but somehow she tried to convince me it's a right thing to do, even though I didn't know why. But somehow I said yes. I don't think it comes from my desire or my idea what is good or what is not good. But somehow, from deeper than my thinking, I couldn't say no. So I don't really speak what this is. But if I say I speak something, I can explain what that is from here.

[26:10]

I can make some explanation. But that is not from here, but from here. So it's very difficult to talk about it. That's why I think Chinese people show injustice to us. From there. And that is what we are talking about and we are trying to awaken to. And we are dogging the items. But the other thing, that energy, that reality is beyond our thinking or beyond ground we can discuss. That's why we need to practice, I think. We need to sit in the Vendor. And I think because we share the same practice, you know, even though I cannot explain, I think we have some, we share some understanding what I'm talking about, what Dogen is writing about.

[27:19]

I'm sorry. Yeah, I think that is why our philosophy always says Zazen is good for nothing. And not only Zazen, but our practice is really good for nothing. Good for nothing. I really like this expression. An English expression. Good for nothing. You know, it's good. But not for something else. But it's good as it is. We don't need to be good for something.

[28:23]

It's good. Period. For nothing. And this nothing is, you know, the center of the faculty. So this is good for something. And that is nothing. And please. I'm sorry, I didn't really understand.

[29:24]

Could you say it again? Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. All right. I think so. You know, we, in order to practice, we make effort like cultivating the ground. But, you know, without the causes and conditions of support from entire world, you know, the seeds cannot grow.

[30:29]

Right. Yeah. Yeah, I think I understand what you're saying. Uchimura Sho always often says, you know, rose blooms rose flower and violet blooms violet flower. And we don't know whether we are rose or violet. Just we bloom our flower. I mean, he said he compared himself with his teacher, Taotiros. Taotiros was a really great person, really strong. And Uchamurashi was physically very weak and gentle and a very well-educated intellectual person.

[31:40]

So Uchamurashi often said Papirochi was like a rose and he was like a violet. Tiny thing. But for a violet to be a violet is enough. We don't need to become a violet, we don't need to become a rose. So we don't know whether we are rose or violet or a much smaller thing. But our purpose is just to bloom our own flower. And there's no way to compare the value which is more important, violet or rose. Of course, you know, in the human conventional world, rose has more value, more beautiful, and we can sell rose. Rose can be sellable, has some market value. And virus doesn't. But it doesn't matter.

[32:44]

I mean, the first time I hear the English expression, good for nothing, was when I We lived in Massachusetts because we didn't have financial support from anywhere. We had to do some odd jobs. And the first job we found was blueberry picking. Picking blueberries. You know, when you pick blueberries, it's really beautiful. Blueberries are really beautiful. And especially in the morning, the blueberry in the morning dew, nearly like a jewel.

[33:54]

But very, very, very work. You know, the very, you know, raw bush. And in order to pick them, we use the, what do you call it? Scoop, scoop. So it's very hard for my back. Anyway, there are certain portions of the blueberry field, they are the other kind of berries, which are not edible. And they're called dog berries. And those are blueberry and those dog berries are mixed. And, you know, blueberry picking is not a job for, you know, for real worker. You know, high school students come to, you know, get some money.

[35:01]

So they don't care so much to pick either blueberry or dogberry. So the owner of the farm always shouting, don't pick those good-for-nothing berries. That was the first time I hear this English expression, good-for-nothing. And I liked it. You know, blueberry has some market value because it's edible. But dogberry doesn't have market value. So it's kind of different in human world. as a mother's body. But as a living being, you know, brotherly and brotherly have no difference at all. They are good or not good. Only it is in our mind.

[36:06]

Only in human life. They are the same. They just, you know, grow. They don't know what they are. Whether they are, you know, blueberry or dogberry, they don't know. Just grow. Just live. And I thought that was enough. And I like blueberry, but I like the dogberries too. It's beautiful. Just not middle. So I thought, we are like a dog bed. There's no market value. Good for nothing. And that's enough. I don't think we need to be good for something else. We are good, that's all. That's enough. Just live and just do as much as possible, being me, being myself.

[37:11]

I think that is enough. We don't need to compete with other people to make this person have more market value. And our Zazen is the same. We just be ourself. We don't practice to make this person get more market value. Just be as we are, that's all. And that is my understanding of this expression. Zazen is good for nothing. It's good as it is. So it doesn't need to be good for something else. So I started to talk about blueberries. all right

[38:25]

Thank you. Oh, he's dead. Oh, he's just tired. Yes. Is this my question?

[39:57]

I think it's a very difficult question for each one of us. You know, as Dogen said, the virtue of Dazen sometimes is not revealed. Sometimes it's revealed, sometimes it's not revealed. So more often we see why we have to do this. You know, there are many better things to do outside of the Zendo, and that is true. So I think we need a kind of a fence. So I think Zen practice or Buddhist practice is not a therapy. This is a religion. I don't like the word religion. I mean English word religion. And the Japanese word for religion is different from English word religion. You know, in Japanese we use shu-kyo has the translation of the English word religion.

[41:12]

Religion means to tie again with God. That is the meaning of the English word religion. But the meaning of this word shu-kyo is different. Shu means truth or essence. Like a shoe in... Well, basically, this shoe is like a shoe in Soto Shoe, or Rinzai Shoe. In that case, this shoe could mean a school or a temple. But this shoe, the original meaning of shoe is truth or reality or essence. And kyo is teaching. So the meaning of shūkyo means teaching about the truth or reality, what Buddha awakened to. So shūkyo means Buddhism, but religion means Christianity.

[42:17]

So it's different. But as a, you know, meaning in the dictionary, religion and shūkyo are one thing. equivalent, but it's different. So when I say shūkyō, it's not a technique, or like a treatment in a hospital, but this is the truth, the reality or truth. And we need a teaching because we cannot see, we don't really understand the truth without teaching of Tama. So then as far as we really see the essence or truth, we need to believe it. Or we need to have a trust or faith in that teaching. And when we practice, we really see the truth or essence Buddha or other teachers taught is really true.

[43:27]

Until then we need a trust, otherwise we don't see what that teaching is about. So in order to practice what we don't really understand yet, we need a trust and faith. In Buddhism or Japanese, faith or belief is sin. You know, this part means human beings. And this part means words or language, talking. So to believe or trust in Chinese or Japanese means to trust a person's words. You know, a person's words, people's words, sometimes it's trustworthy, sometimes not.

[44:32]

So we have to doubt or question whether this is true or not. But when, you know, about something we can't really know, we can't really judge, we need to trust. And this thought, in Buddhism there are two kinds of faith or trust. One is called the jyōshin. Gyo Shin. In modern Japanese we use the opposite order, Shinko. Shinko means belief or having faith. I come to look up, to respect. So we trust or believe because we respect this teacher, the person who teach this teaching.

[45:37]

because we don't really see and really understand what the teacher is saying, but because we trust this person, we try to follow and practice. And another kind of Shin or faith is Shin-ge. Ge means understanding. And in Buddhist texts, they put the emphasis on this kind of sin, faith. Because, for example, Shindan was the founder of Japanese Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism. And his teacher was Ho Nen. And Shindan said, I don't know whether Nembutsu, Nembutsu is a practice in Pure Land Buddhism, something Nama Amida Buddha.

[46:45]

And Shindong said, I don't know whether the something of Nembutsu, practice of Nembutsu is a cause to go to Peru or go to Pure Land. I don't know. But this is only thing I can do following my teacher's teaching. So I just do this because my trust to my teacher. And I don't care whether this leads to terror or violence. That kind of faith. I don't have such a faith. In the case of Dogen, we need to take faith. because we don't feel the result yet. But when we read what the dog is saying, even though we don't feel the water yet, but somehow I think we have a trust because he's wise.

[47:54]

Not only is he wise, but he's an example of life. And in my case, even though I didn't really understand what the dog means, You know, it takes a very long time to be mature as a young practitioner, both, you know, just for practice and understanding. So, at least the past 10 years, I really didn't understand what that meant and what Doge was talking about. But somehow I couldn't stop practicing because my trust in my teacher and my teacher's teacher. and this tradition from Dogen or Buddha. So, actually, for me, that faith or trust is really important.

[49:00]

Otherwise, I couldn't really practice, but it was really good for nothing. Yeah, that's the part I'm going to talk next. Do you want to say something? Yes. Yes, this is one of the very important words in Dogon speaking. So, let me talk about the sentence. Okay, please. Seven. J. J is understanding. When we hear someone's teaching or when we read something, we try to think and try to understand.

[50:05]

So this J is a kind of intellectual understanding. So we need, of course, intellectual understanding in religion. That's why this is my van's director. It's an ordinary Japanese sentence. It's a bit not so long sentence. Kono iu ii. Izu kara no. Uo ii ni.

[51:10]

Arazu. Kano. Koi ni arazu wa fujou wa ren na no joji nari. Kono yuue ni is therefore, because of this, kono yuue ni because of this, mizu kara is the self, izu kara, ji in kanji. And go means to be strong or to do something by force.

[52:13]

And e is action, activity. So go means activity, it is force to do, to some power. Alabi is not power. And ta is other, or others. And go is same word, ni aras. So this gyoji, continuous practice, is not some activity being forced by ourselves and also by others. And so it is for those who have not ever defied or tainted.

[53:17]

Zen itself means to die, and na-o means to make something dirty. And in modern Japanese, the order is reversed, but in Osu-ken means pollution. So never polluted. And I need to talk about this never defiled. Do I keep next sound? Oh, really?

[54:24]

Okay. Over this sentence? Okay. Therefore, because of this, Mizukara is self, and Goi is action which is being forced by this self. And Arab is not. And ta is other, go is same thing, activity is forced by something, go activity is forced by other, and not, it is not. And fuzo is not ever, that means never. Never polluted or defiled or stained. Painted. Continuous practice.

[55:26]

Okay? Yeah, this kanji is to die. Stained. Yes. Yes. Good question. I don't know. Well... In some way we are forced, I mean we are pushed or kind of supported by the Buddha's compassion, Buddha's mind, Buddha nature.

[56:57]

But when the word being forced is used, there is a kind of separation. I don't want to do this, but somehow I was pushed to do this. So there is some resistance in the place of self-deed practice, there is also some resistance. So, this kind of... Do you have some idea? So it's very. Thank you.

[58:33]

I think it's a very good question. And I think by studying and practicing, studying Dogen, not only Dogen, but Buddha's teachings, and practice for your own, I think you can make that point clear. Especially, you know, after I started five days of natantizing, you know, one period was 14 minutes and 15 minutes, and I just keep skipping. Somehow, At least one time, once as a sin, I reached a point that I couldn't, I cannot continue this with my willpower. You know, I'm so exhausted, my physically and mentally, and I have no energy to continue this.

[59:42]

You know, we have five days every month. So that means every three weeks I have these 15. And I think it was a very important experience to me. That, not me, but something, you know, deeper than me keeps me hitting the bendo. Last time I talked, there was a lecture on Buddha-neta, Shobo Gendo Buddha-neta, and I was called, someone asked me about Eko Hensho. Eko Hensho, I think Marta. What does Eko Hensho mean? Eko Hensho is the expression Dogen Venge used in Kanda Venge. And the usual translation is something like, turn the light inward and illuminate the self.

[60:50]

So I think you are all familiar with this expression, but that English translation is not so literal. Dogon's original sentencing. Peko Kensho no Taiho. Tai ho. De means to turn.

[61:54]

And ko is light. And hen is return. And sho is illumination. Taiho is backward, backward step. So backward step of eko hensho, turning the light and return to the nature. and we translate this as and illuminate the space. And I think the meaning is okay, but that translation doesn't convey the original image of this expression in Chinese. This is a very kind of a common expression in Chinese. And when I

[62:58]

What I translated for the first time when I was in Massachusetts, some person from China did that. So I asked her, what does this mean? And he said, as a modern Chinese, eko henshou means when someone is dying, right before dying, right before dying, the person's face becomes red. And he said, that is eko henshou. and according to chinese dictionary echo hensho one of the means of echo hensho is second limb you know second limb that means saying we do something and we we exhaust we are exhausted and we don't have energy anymore but somehow the uh then we exhaust this second limb flow and somehow we

[64:06]

can continue. And The original, I think, meaning of Eikō Henshō is the scenery from the sunset, you know, on the east side of the hill. The sunset is very clear soon, around 4 in the afternoon. So the sun is already set. There's no sun anymore. But at that time, the sky became very bright. Pretty beautiful. So many different colors. That is the expression Eko Henshounin. The sun is set, but the sun already disappeared, eliminated the world.

[65:10]

And it was very bright and beautiful. That is the Mata-nin, the scenery. of this expression. And this means, you know, that is the time between daytime and night. In the daytime, we walk In order to work, we have to make a choice and think and do things according to our thinking. But when the sun sets, that's the time to go back home. That gives time for me to return to home. And you don't need to work anymore. But it's still not dark completely. You know, dark or night means no discrimination.

[66:11]

And we sleep. And between, you know, this working time and sleeping time, or life and death, you know, there's one moment which is most beautiful, most bright. And that is what this eco-hensho means. And during the scene, you know, my energy is almost completely exhausted. And I don't think I can continue this. I can't believe. But somehow, you know, I couldn't escape. So I returned to the cushion. But somehow I could. It's not my power. You know, with my mental and physical power, it's already exhausted, not there. But still, so that means the sign is already set.

[67:18]

But somehow, They are some energies that come from vipādā-māi-vīrupāḍa, or Māi-cittāpā. And that power enables me to keep skipping even though I'm in such a difficult condition. And to experience this is very important. It's not my power, but something much deeper allows me to do this. St. Paul said in the Bible, not me, but Christ living in me is doing this. Same thing. Not me, but it's me. Nothing, no one else could do this for me, but it's not me.

[68:24]

Not me, but it's me. My body, my work, my life is doing this, but it's not me. very kind of a difficult point to explain. But I think not only in the event, but if you, you know, play some sport, I think you will experience it. Not only sport, but any kind of work. What are some of your experiences Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Hmm?

[69:29]

Hmm? Hmm? Yeah, when we see, you know, that painting or music or whatever came from larger than this person, this individual person, then we feel, you know, we are moved. That those are good art. So I think the same thing. I think we are much larger than I think we think. There are very subtle points, and how to express this using words is really difficult.

[70:52]

But, so we need experience. And I think we share that some kind of experience to our practice. So I think we can share something. That's why, you know, leaving it open is what is meaningful to me. Yeah. That's what I'm supposed to do. Okay, this expression, defiled, came from a Koan story. That is a conversation between Shuinan, or Eno, the sixth ancestor, and one of his main disciples, whose name was Nangaku Ejo. Nangaku and another disciple, Seigen, are two major disciples of the sixth ancestor.

[72:01]

And then the Nangaku The student first visited the sixth ancestor. The ancestor asked him a question. Where are you from? Where are you from? It's a very common question when you meet someone coming for the first time. And Ejo replied, I came from Saki Mountain, near Saki, Jemma, Sandi. This is a very common answer to such a question. I thought I came from a certain place. Then Shuinan said after again, he tried to say in English, In original Chinese, they say, .

[73:10]

is what? . and in was house, and that is come. What thing, how come? And the usual translation of this expression, what is it that does come? I'm not sure whether the meaning is the same or not. What thing, how come? And it's the expression, What are you? What thing that is coming like this?

[74:13]

That means what you really are, not who you are, what you really are. And why such person, such thing come like this? is not a common question. And Dogen simply used this expression not as a question, but as a statement. What thing, how come, is not a question in dogma, dogma's writing. This is a statement. What thing, something which cannot be defined, has come in that way. That is what is happening in the Vendô, or in our life. So we can only say what things have come to express what we are doing in our life.

[75:18]

But here, in the conversation, it's a question. And Ejo couldn't answer anything. He couldn't even understand the meaning of this question. It's not really a question. So he practiced with the ancestor for eight years. And after eight years of practice, Ejo first understood the meaning of this question. What thing? How come? And Ejo visited his teacher and said, when I first came to meet you, you gave me this question and I first understood what you meant. And so the ancestor asked him, what is your understanding? Then Ejo said,

[76:24]

Seppuji Ichimotsu Soku Fuchu Seppuji Ichimotsu-soku-fuchu. This is a very famous, very known expression in Zen. Seppu-dichimotsu-soku-fuchu. This means, seppu is to discuss or expound or explain. Ji, in this case, means to show, to point. and each mode is one thing, one thing would be this thing, one thing. And if we try to explain and point out that one thing, that thing, then soku means is itself, or inedited, nothing like that.

[77:43]

Fuchu is not, chu means center or middle or within. But in this case, this means to hit, to hit the mark. So when, if we try to express or express and point out what this sumabu, this fat thing, Then we hit the mark. That is Peugeot's question, I mean answer. Then his ancestor asked again, if so, that means there is no way to explain, no way to discuss about it. That is the same as that inside of the circle. Then Shri Nana asked again, if so, if so, do we need to show Karyana?

[78:56]

Do we need practice and enlightenment or not? And this is what Dogen Zenji quoted in the Skanda Zenji also. In the very beginning of the Skanda Zenji, he said, the way, in my translation, the way is complete and universal. How can we distinguish practice from enlightenment? How can we distinguish practice and enlightenment is what the ancestors said. If we know there's nothing, there's no discrimination between practice, enlightenment or delusion, awakening or samsara, nirvana, there's no way to discuss. There's no distinction between those two. Then do we need practice?

[79:57]

And do we need to attain enlightenment? That was Sri Ramakrishna. And then Ejo said, I cannot say there is no practice under enlightenment. There is practice under enlightenment. But this practice under enlightenment cannot be defined. Cannot be or should not be defined. This is the origin of this expression, practice enlightenment without defilement. And then Shuinam said, this defilement, this thing, this practice without defilement is something which has been transmitted from Buddha to ancestors. And Sina said, I am that, and you are that.

[81:09]

That means there's no way to say what you are. That's one thing already. So that means we need to practice, and we need to realization or realization. But those two cannot be defiled. Defiled means we defile our practice or our activity with three points of mind. Grief, anger or hatred, and ignorance. Reading no pray is no pray. Reading no pray is a different expression. That is more short. Maybe I don't need to write. Do you read Chinese?

[82:11]

Mushuwa Seki means really no, show, both show and Seki means praise of like, you know, cow or cart or car. But different expression, but same idea. So, you know, When we have something, some practice or some activity, usually we have motivation and purpose and starting point and goal. And we do something because, as I said, because we feel there's something lacking here and there's something desirable there. So we try to go there to get that thing. But this activity is inspired by our greed to get something we want.

[83:17]

Or sometimes we do something because we don't like who we are or we don't think it's not a good thing, good place to be. So because of hatred or anger, about who we are or where we are. Then we try to escape from this place and to go to a better place. So often the motivation of our activity is to get something we want or to escape from something we don't want. Of course, as a human being, it's a very natural thing. But according to Buddhist teaching, just breathe to get something. And this anger or hatred, I don't like this, is a defilement. And that is a source of kansara. That's a source of suffering. And nirvana means to be free from those three poisonous minds.

[84:25]

So practice without three poisonous minds, no greed, no hatred or anger, and without ignorance. Ignorance of, you know, the self or ego, greediness. That is a practice without defilement. And that is what Buddhas and Ancestors have been transmuting. And that is what Dogen asks us to do. It's very difficult. It's almost, you know, in the common Buddhist teaching, that is a goal. We cannot practice in that way. That's why we want to practice. So there's a basic contradiction here. If we can practice in that way, we don't need to practice. Because we cannot do that, we need to practice. But if we practice with this kind of greed and anger, this is still, you know, within ourselves.

[85:35]

This is really a basic contradiction in our practice, in any Buddhist practice. We call this desire to get something called enlightenment or nirvana or anger because of this suffering or hatred. And we try to escape from the union and try to live in the urban. That desire is again to live. That desire. So we need desire or greed or anger in order to practice. But as far as we practice based on that, you know, greed and anger or hatred, then our practice is still within samsara. We create samsara sometimes which is happy, which is a great practice. But more often, it still feels, you know, difficult, too difficult.

[86:40]

and we stop. So that kind of practice is still defiled in our three-pointed mind. If we stop doing that, then we can do Dogen Aja PD. But because we cannot do it, we want to practice. So this is really the fundamental problem here. The reason I want to do is the reason I cannot do it. It's like, you know, we are sitting on the cushion and trying to take the cushion out of which we are sitting. And I think when we practice for a certain period of time, we have to face this problem.

[87:43]

The desire, or so-called, wasted mind, is an obstacle to really practice. And when we face this problem, there's nowhere to go. We have to keep facing this problem. And come out please. Yeah, he's saying that is continuous practice. That is the practice which actualized Buddha's ancestors' great way.

[88:48]

So he asked us to practice with such an attitude, without defilement. And our problem is we cannot do that. So far, it is a real koan for us. Please. Chapter 22. Yeah, I have that expression. Yes, there it is. So we cannot go anywhere. There is no way to escape. So we have to keep sitting facing this contradiction. Please. No. Yeah, include all our activity. Actually, not only practice, you know, as she said, you know, alerting mind, practice, awakening and entering nirvana, all are practice.

[89:49]

Yeah. That is the factor I have been talking, that the energy or force deeper or larger than my idea, my thought, my desire. That is a second wind. So if then we practice not from here, but from that energy, Then that is what Dogen thinks. We don't practice to make this person more valuable or more wise or more healthy or whatever. But we just practice. That is what Dogen meant when he used the expression Shikantada.

[90:54]

That's it. And that is 5 kilos of medicine because Dazhen is good for nothing. So that kind of practice. And then we eat that meat. Then we cook that food. That is our Dogen practice. Yeah, we'll do it. And when we let go of that thought or emotion or whatever, it comes back and leave everything to the deeper, larger practice.

[92:03]

That is our practice of letting go of thought. Letting go of thought means letting go of more ego. So this is a very important point in our practice if we try to practice following Dogen's teachings. So if we try to practice in order to make this person better or more valuable, then that kind of practice will be defined by our desires. But without this desire, we cannot practice. So somehow we need to start to practice. And within the process of practice with other people, somehow... Often in Japan, the last week's breakfast is explained or expressed like washing potatoes in the bucket in the water.

[93:13]

You know, all of that.

[93:15]

@Transcribed_UNK
@Text_v005
@Score_81.31