Yesterday afternoon I talked about the story of the child who left his father's house and wandered here and there in another country. And this story, the meaning of this story is important to understand our practice of Dazen. In Fukanza Zengi, as we recite Fukanza Zengi, in Fukanza Zengi, Dogen Zenji quotes two phrases from that story in the Lotus Sutra. The first one is, there is no reason to take a meaningless trip to the dusty places of other countries.

[01:06]

This refers to the trip of the child when he left his father's home. So Dogen is saying, stay at home. Stay in your father's home. And that is our Zazen. And the second one is in the very end of Kanzazenji. The treasure house will open of itself and you will be able to use it at will. This is what the child said when the father finally spoke to the public that this person is my child and I give all my wealth to this person. In that story, the child said, without expectation, the treasure-house opened of itself.

[02:11]

That is the child's saying. And this is Father Dogen's quote here. So, our Zazen is a practice, you know, already the Father's will is completely given. more wondering here and there to get something, or to lose something, or to complain we don't get anything. So I think this is an important point to understand the nature of our practice according to Dogen's teachings. And finally, the end of this introduction to Gyoji, Dogen just said. Thus the continuous practice is the Dharma that is not to be neglected even for an instant.

[03:15]

So this is his conclusion of this introduction of this writing. And I don't think I need to talk about this. So I started to talk on the story. And this is already the fifth day, so more than half of this session is over. But I just finished the introduction. But I think we can go much faster from now. So the first example of Gyoji is, of course, Shakyamuni Buddha. The compassionate father, the great master, Shakyamuni Buddha, practiced continuously in the deep mountains since his Buddha age of 19 years old.

[04:21]

When he was 30 years old, he continuously practiced together and simultaneously with the great earth and sentient beings, and accomplished the way. Until he became 80 years of Buddha age, he continued to practice on mountains, in forests, or at monasteries. In these two sentences, Dogen mentioned Shakyamuni Buddha's arousing body-mind when he was 19, He left his palace and practiced in the deep mountains. And when he was 30, he attained the way. And he said, me and all, you know, mountain and rivers and great earth and all beings, attain the way together with me.

[05:24]

And that was not the end of the story, but after that he almost 50 years he practiced. And that practice is not to attain something, of course, because he was already Buddha. And the model of our practice, according to Dogen, is this, you know, one practice. There is no separation between before he attained enlightenment since Buddha was 19. He just did one piece of practice. That was the basic idea of Dogen's continuous practice. And he never returned to the royal palace

[06:31]

and his father's palace. As I said before, he returned to Kapilavastu to visit his family, but he didn't stay at his father's palace. He stayed at a forest or a fair somewhere, and his father complained about it. So he never returned to the royal palace. He never possessed the wealth of the nation. He maintained a single cotton monk's robe to wear." Which means okesa. Actually, a single cotton monk's robe is not really true. He has three sets, and I don't believe for 50 years he wears only one. So, this is not really true. This is a literature. a single cotton man's robe to wear for his entire lifetime without changing it.

[07:38]

I don't believe this. He never changed a single ball while he was in the world. This might be true. We used the wooden bowl, but my Oryōki, except the first, the largest one, I still use the one I was given when I was ordained in 1970. So, more than 30 years. The biggest one, because I used it for Takahatsu, and not good for eating, so I changed it and I bought a new one.

[08:39]

And the old one I used only for takoyaki. But when my son was two years old, he broke it completely. So I glued it and I reused it, but at that time But those wooden balls can be used for our lifetime. And he never stayed alone, even for one single hour or one single day. So he was always together with his disciples or lay students. And he did not reject offerings served to him by human and heavenly beings. So he received offerings to allow people doing good deeds.

[09:53]

He patiently endured the insult from non-Buddhists. So there are, in the story of Buddha, there are some incidents he was insulted, or blamed, or even attacked. After all, his entire teaching activities are nothing other than his continuous practice. So even his teachings is practice. So our goal of practice is not attain the way or enlightenment. But that is a starting point as a practice, as a teacher. So there's no rest there, or no gap between practice for seeking the way and practice to transmit or teach seeking the way. It's one practice.

[10:55]

And the Buddha's The Koran, including washing his robes or begging his food, is nothing other than his continuous practice. This washing his robes can be translated like washing his robes or begging his food. It can be translated like begging his food, wearing a pure or undefiled robe. But another possibility is washing his robe. I translate it in this way because he mentioned about robe, the okesa, and bowl. And these two are activities using those two things. So everything he did after he left his palace was a continuous practice.

[12:06]

That was the point of Dogon here. I don't think I need to talk about Buddha's life more in detail. But if you are interested in studying more about Buddha's life, there are many books on Buddha's life. But if you want to study in detail, I recommend this book, Gautama Buddha. It's a big Buddha. I mean, big book. It's a big Buddha, too. by Japanese Buddhist scholar Hajime Nakamura. He was one of the greatest Buddhist scholars in Japan in 20th century. And this was translated by someone else, but I think this is the best book. Gotama Buddha by Hajime Nakamura and published from Kosei.

[13:13]

Hosei is a Japanese publisher. So, I go to the next one. Please. Ananda's function. He was the attendant. He took care of you know, in his very self. And when he became, he was appointed to be attendant, Ananda asked Buddha that he should be always together with Buddha when Buddha gives discourses. So Ananda was always together with Buddha, I think, last 20 years. of Buddha's life.

[14:14]

And Ananda memorized everything Buddha taught. And after Buddha's death, he recited what he heard, and that became the Buddha Sutra. Oh! I'm not sure. Maybe Ananda did. I'm not sure whether Buddha really washed his robes by himself or not. I don't know. The word Dogen used is butsuji. Butsu is, of course, Buddha.

[15:27]

Ju is life or longevity. You know, the title of one of the chapters in the Lotus Sutra is Butsu, Ju, Ryo, Hon. And Butsu, Ju, Ryo, Hon is the chapter. So, butsu-juryo, I think it's translated into English as a span of Buddha's life, or something like that. So, jyu means life, or lifespan. And ryo is amount. And it means eternity. In the Lotus Sutra, this chapter of the Lotus Sutra, it says, Buddha attained enlightenment, you know, beginning is beginning. And the Buddha who was born in India was a kind of a manifestation of that eternal life of Buddha.

[16:34]

That is the basic idea of the Nirmanakaya. Gyo-Butsu-Ii-Gi. [...] Gyo- for our homes, for the African world. Okay.

[17:39]

Well, I don't understand the point of your question. There's a collection of Dogen writings entitled Shobo Gendo. Yes. Not all of that book. He selected some chapters of Shobo Genzo and added another different independent arrapins and made that book. But there are two or three complete translations of Shobo Genzo, all done by Japanese translators, and they are not good. I never had any good reputation. It's not really disappeared.

[19:11]

It's stored in the temple. Not disappeared. People knew it's there. But not widely studied. Who? Ryokan? Ah, that is not true. I'm not sure whether Ryokan read Shobo Genzo or not. But in one of Ryokan's poems, he said, I read the Eihei Roku, Record of Eihei. And scholars think this might be Eihei Kōroku, or might be Shobo Genzo, or might be a smaller version of Eihei Kōroku. So, it's not true that Ryokan found Shobo Genzo. But, you know, Ryokan practiced at a monastery named En-tsu-ji in Okayama.

[20:17]

And when his teacher died, Ryokan left the temple. And after his teacher, another priest became the abbot of that temple. And that person, whose name was Gento Sokuchu, later became the abbot of Eheiji. And that person published Shobo Genzo for the first time. That was 1816. So about the same time of Ryokan, Shobo Genzo was published, finally, for the first time. So people know there is Shobo Gendo. So it's not disappeared. Okay? Please. Which character?

[21:19]

Kanji? Where is it? Oh, before this. Where is it? Which one? Oh, the first character is beautiful. Yes, and this is older version, older style of kanji, form of kanji.

[22:22]

Same kanji. After the World War II in Japan, Japanese government made the kanji simplified. In China, they did the same thing, but in different forms. So two different simplified forms of kanji, and it makes confusion. Even when I work on translation of Dogen, Shobo Gendo, I use the latest version. There are many different versions. Recently, so-called scholars of Komatsu University may collect all the versions and make the so-called

[23:28]

So cold. Yes. Most reliable version. And I use that version. You mean the... They still exist. But I haven't seen it. But it's photocopied and published. So we can read it. Bookstore in Tokyo. Various temples. No. No. They are still the treasure of each temple. Yes, there are many.

[24:37]

You know, like Kūkai. Kūkai is a founder of Japanese Shingon-shū, Shingon school, or Japanese Vajrayana school. His writing is also very difficult, like Dōgen. That means he devotes his entire life to teach people. I think that is the meaning. So I go to the next one. The Mahakasyapa. The eighth ancestor, the venerable Mahākāśāpa, was the legitimate successor of Śākyamuni.

[25:48]

You may think this is strange. Eighth ancestor, usually he is the first ancestor. And so some people scholars think this is a mistake, type of mistake. must be the first ancestor. But some scholars think Dogen intentionally chose the eighth, because Shakyamuni was not the first person. Shakyamuni was the seventh of the first seven Buddhas. So from the Vibhashibutsu, Mahakasyapa was the eighth ancestor. So I don't know whether this is Dogen's mistake or someone else's mistake when they copied or he intentionally writes Mahakasyapa as the eighth ancestor. Please. You mean six Buddhas before Shakyamuni?

[26:51]

I'm not sure, but it's very old. Even in Pali, I think they have those seven Buddhas in the past. So I don't know when it really originated. So those are in Pali for Sanskrit too. I don't think so. Throughout his lifetime, he single-mindedly practiced twelve dutas. Dutas is a kind of a special kind of practice in Indian Buddhist tradition, without being negligent.

[28:02]

So, entire his life, Mahakasyapa practiced those twelve dutas. and Dogen lists those 12. The 12 Dutas are as follows. Dogen quotes this from 13 Sutra. First, he never accepted. I put him as a subject, but it's not in the original. This is not particularly about Mahakasyapa, but in the sutras it says anyone who practices this practice, Buddha. He never accepted invitation from people, begged for food every day. He did not eat the remains of the monk's daily meal. This means people who practiced Duta didn't stay in the monastery.

[29:08]

They lived in the forest or somewhere else by themselves or together with a few small number of people. Even after Buddha founded the monastery, some people stay, you know, outside the monastery, and it seems Buddha allowed them to do so. And Mahakasyapa was the most, how can I say, he liked that kind of practice. Ascetic. Maybe ascetic is a good word. But it's not ascetic dogma and Shakyamuni Buddha abandoned. This is still middle path. Mahakasyapa.

[30:18]

Mahakasyapa was Buddha's disciple. Buddha's place? Well, Mahakasyapa was not considered to be the second Buddha, but he was the leader of the Sangha after Buddha's death. In Zen tradition, Ananda was Mahakasyapa's dharma successor. So, when people practiced this dhūta, they didn't stay in the monastery, but they lived alone and did takahatsu, or begging food for themselves. Yes, before noon.

[31:27]

It should be before noon. And he stayed in mountains and never stayed at people's house, in countries, prefectures, or villages. So they didn't stay in a building. Three, he did not beg for robes from people. Nor did he take them if they were offered. So they didn't receive the robes from lay people. But he took the clothes of dead bodies mended them and wore them. Not only dead bodies, but any clothes, abandoned. There are, for many reasons, clothes abandoned. And they pick up those clothes and wash them and dye them and sew them together. That is the origin of Okesha.

[32:31]

And after the monastery was established, lay people, lay supporters, made offerings. Sometimes lay people offered new clothes, and monks could make the orchestra using the new clothes. But these people who practiced Zuta never received such offerings from lay people. material on the street. What do you call it? Junkyard. Somewhere like that. And four, he stayed in fields and beneath trees. This is the same as not living in a building. Five, he ate one meal a day. Another name of this is Sunkha-sunnai.

[33:36]

I don't know this Sanskrit and Pali word. And sixth is, he did not lie down day and night. He slept sitting and did kinhin or walking meditation. Another name of this is Sunnai-sasha-kyu. Anyway, the person who practiced Jodha didn't sleep lying down. He keeps sitting and they sleep. And seven, he owned only three loaves, never had other loaves, and did not sleep in bedding. So they didn't have, you know, a sleeping bag. And eight, he stayed in a cemetery and did not live in a Buddhist temple. So they didn't live in a monastery, but they stayed in a cemetery.

[34:36]

Cemetery is like a zendo to practice meditation. Yeah, I believe so. I think so. I think some people in India still do that. And it says, staying under the trees is the most comfortable place in India. It's cool. Not too hot. And the cemetery, according to many sutras, is actually the place for meditation. As it says here, he stayed in a morass cemetery and did not live in a Buddhist temple. He did not stay where people lived. He watched dead bodies or skeletons and practiced Zazen to seek the way.

[35:43]

So cemetery is a place where they practice meditation, watching the process of dead body decaying to see the impermanence and also there is no self. just our body and mind, just a collection of those things. And they are not so clean. So in that way, through watching that process of collection of five skandhas dispersed, that person becomes released from attachment to our lives. I think that was one of the important practices in early Buddhism. And nine, he stayed at seclusion and did not want to see people.

[36:48]

So this is the difference from Buddha. Also, he did not sleep among others. And he fasted. ate nuts or fruits, then ate rice. After that, he did not eat fruits or nuts. I don't know what this means. But anyway, they eat only once a day, before noon. And 10, he first ate... 11, he desired to live only outdoors. He did not live under a tree or in a house. This is a kind of a contradiction from before. I don't know what this means. And twelfth, he did not eat meat or dairy products and not apply hemp oil on his body.

[37:49]

So these are twelfth Jeta practice. And Mahakasyapa continued to practice this kind of practice his entire life. And the rest of this section is Dogen's comment. These are called twelve yugas. Throughout his life, Venerable Mahakasyapa never regressed and never changed his lifestyle. Even after he correctly transmitted the true Dharma I treasured from the Tathagata, he never regressed these yotas' practice. Once the Buddha said, you are already aged. Why don't you eat sangha food? That means eat at the sangha. Monks went to takahata or begging and receive food and come back to the monastery and share with other people.

[39:05]

So, if people are aged, they can stay in the monastery and share the food other monks receive from the begging. But Mahakasyapa rejected it. Venerable Mahakasyapa said, if I had not met with the appearance of Tathagata in this world, I would have been a Pratyekabuddha, living in mountains or forests all my life. Fortunately, I had met the appearance of the Tathagata, and I have been moistened with the sweet dew of Dharma. And yet, I will not eat Sangha food. So he rejected. Pratekabuddha is one of the two or three deities.

[40:07]

Srilavaka, Pratekabuddha, and Bodhisattva. And Pratyekabuddha literally means dokkaku, that means dokkaku or engaku. Engaku means a person who attains enlightenment or awakening by seeing any interdependent origination or dependent origination. That particularly refers to the twelve links of dependent origination. himself, not studying or practicing with a teacher. So he practiced, Pratyekabuddha practiced by himself and awakened by himself and didn't teach, just stayed there and enjoyed that, you know, liberation and died without teaching.

[41:09]

So, if Buddha didn't stand up from his seat under the voluntary and started to teach, he was the Pratyekabuddha. So, Mahakasyapa mentioned that if he didn't meet with Shakyamuni, he would be one of the Pratyekabuddhas. But now, fortunately, he could meet with Buddha, so he could be his disciple. But Mahakasyapa said, still I don't want to eat Sangha meal. So, please, You mean the reason why Dogen put this story in this writing?

[42:17]

I think because he tried to show the continuous practice. And I think this is kind of an interesting point. You know, Buddha stood up and started to teach, but Mahakasyapa stayed, in a sense. But he was not a prateka buddha. I read another story of Mahakasyapa from a different book. So I talk about that point later. Please. Yes. He got his teacher. He got his teacher whom he can really trust and rely on.

[43:21]

I'm not sure whether he needed it, but he said it was fortunate. I'm not sure why. I'm sorry. It's too old. The story is too old, and there's no certain evidence to make judgment. They keep practicing. Yeah, that is the point. That is Dogen's point. Anyway, Mahakasyapa didn't accept Buddha's suggestion. And Kathatagata praised him.

[44:25]

So thus Buddha praised Mahakasyapa about his wish to practice in that way. And another story. Because of the continuous practice of Gyuta, Mahakasyapa's body was emaciated. When the assembly monks saw him, it seemed that people despised him. Because he was very old, and because of the difficult lifestyle, he didn't look well. or great, or respectable. Then, at that time, the Tathāgata courteously called Mahākāśyapa and offered half of the Buddha's seat to him. This is the famous saying, offer a half a seat.

[45:29]

And in Zen monastery, Shuso was called Hafasin, because the abbot asked Shuso to give then Dogen built the Dharma Hall, or Sangha Hall.

[46:45]

Ejo was appointed as the first shuso of that monastery, and Dogen gave his hosu, or fist, to Ejo and asked to give a Dharma talk. So, the shuso was much higher, or important, I'm not sure in this country. Anyway, so this means Maha Kasyapa is really respected even by Buddha. Venerable Kasyapa sat on the Tathagata's seat. We should know that Maha Kasyapa was the senior in the Buddha's assembly. And that is true. We cannot cite all the examples of his continuous practice in his lifetime.

[47:54]

So, his entire life is just one continuous practice. Nothing else. And, I'd like to introduce two stories about Mahakasyapa from this book. If you are interested in reading about the Buddha's disciples, this is a very good book. The title is, Great Disciples of the Buddha. By... I cannot read this person's name. It's Pali. Jnana-ponika-tera, and Hela-nuspeka. It's published from, I think, England. So even in the Pali tradition, Mahakasyapa was a really important student or disciple of Buddha.

[48:58]

And sometimes Buddha asked Mahakasyapa to come to the monastery, even though he didn't live in the monastery. Buddha invited Mahakasyapa to the monastery and asked him to give lecture. There are several stories about Mahakasyapa here, but I chose one or two. On still a third occasion, so this is a third example, when Mahakasyapa would ask Mahakasyapa to give a lecture. On still a third occasion, the Buddha asked Mahakasyapa to instruct the monks. And Kasyapa again expressed his reluctance.

[50:00]

He didn't want to. For the same reason as before. For the same reason, the monks were not really interested in talking. That is what Dogen is saying. Mahakasyapa looks not so great. It seems that this time too, the Buddha did not urge Kasyapa to change his mind. But he himself spoke of the reasons for their conduct. So he made excuse, I mean, Buddha makes excuse to Mahakasyapa about his disciple's behavior to Mahakasyapa. Very interesting, I think. So following Buddha's excuse to Mahakasyapa.

[51:00]

Formerly, Kashapa, there were elders of the order who were forest dwellers. So Mahakashapa was a forest dweller. And before, there are many more forest dwellers. Living on alms food, wearing rug robes, using only the set of three robes, having few wants and being contented, living secluded and aloof from society, energetic, and they praised and encouraged such a way of life. So, Buddha praised those people who practiced yoga. When such elders visited a monastery, they were gladly welcomed. and honored as being dedicated to the practice of the Dharma.

[52:04]

Dharma is a Dharmic party. Then, the younger monks would also strive to emulate them in their way of life. And this would be of great benefit to them for a long time. So he talks about a coma time. And now, but nowadays, this is Buddha. Buddha is complaining about his students. It is kind of interesting. Very interesting to me. But nowadays, kashata, those who are honored when visiting a monastery, are not monks of astral, A-U-S-T-E-R-E, and earnest life. But those who are well-known and popular and are unprimed, provided with the credit of a monk.

[53:13]

These are welcomed and honored, and the younger monks try to emulate them, which will bring them harm for a long time. One will be right in saying that such monks are harmed and overpowered by what does harm to a monk's life. This is a very interesting statement. This is by Buddha. This is caused by Buddha's, you know, Buddha accepted the monastery from a rich person and he started to practice at the monastery. And because Buddha was a great teacher, many people came and many lay people supported the monastery. And this is the result.

[54:16]

And still, you know, Buddha prayed to people who didn't come, didn't stay at the monastery. I think this is the same point as Dogen said in the Dream Monkey, whether to sit by himself in a small hermitage or even under a body tree, under a tree, or to found his own monastery. And the next one is also the same point, I think. On another occasion, Kasyapa asked the Buddha, So, in this case, Mahakasyapa asked to Buddha, What is the reason that formerly there were fewer rules? So, before a monastery was established, they had fewer rules, fewer precepts. But more monks were established in the knowledge of Arhatship.

[55:21]

So, more people attained the Way. While now, there are more rules, but fewer monks are established in the knowledge of arahatship. This was Mahakasyapa's question. I think it's a very interesting question. Almost Mahakasyapa is criticizing Buddha. You are wrong. You made a mistake. because Buddha was the person who established this system and made rules. Then Buddha said, so it happened, Kasyapa. So he agreed. When beings deteriorate and the true Dharma vanishes, then there are more rules and fewer arahants, enlightened people.

[56:25]

There will be, however, no vanishing of the true dharma until asam dharma arises in the world. But when asam dharma arises in the world, then the true dharma vanishes. But kashapa, it is not a cataclysm of the four elements, earth, water, fire and air, that makes the true Dharma disappear. Nor is the reason for its disappearance similar to the overloading of a ship that causes it to sink. Overloading. It is rather the presence of five detrimental attitudes that cause the obscuration and disappearance of a true Dharma. These are the five.

[57:36]

It is the lack of respect and regard for the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha. It's kind of strange thing. Buddha is saying that his students, about his students, lack of respect and regard for the Buddha, the Dharma and Sangha. The training is in practice and meditative concentration on the part of monks and nuns and male and female lay devotees. But so long as there is respect and regard for those five things, the true Dharma will remain free of obscuration and will not disappear. Please. Last part.

[58:37]

These are the five. It is the lack of respect and regard for the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, the training, and meditative concentration. I think this is meditation. And on the part of monks and nuns and male and female lay devotees. So regard for the three treasures and practice and meditation. In this book, it says, training. Training. So, here, you know, Buddha is saying, practice, you know, the refuge, taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, those three pleasures, and practice Meditation is part of the practice, but I think Doge is saying the same thing.

[60:00]

So, then I talked about, you know, Dogen talked about whether staying at a small hermitage or building a monastery. Fr. Suzuki had the same problem. And I said, Buddha has the same problem. And that is what I meant. This is what I meant. Actually, from the Buddha's time, Actually, the origin is when Buddha stand up from his seat under the Bodhi tree. This problem is, you know, there. To keep the practice pure and strong. or to share the Dharma with as many people as possible. I think so.

[61:34]

That's why Buddha allowed those people like Mahakasyapa to practice in that way. So I think both are important to keep the practice pure and strong and share the Dharma with many people. Both are important. But it's very difficult to do it at the same place. So it's nice to have different kinds of places. In some places, a small number of practitioners really focus on training or practice, and some people make the Dharma accessible for larger societies. I think both are important, and these two are not really contradictory. Both two help each other. I can go to the next person.

[62:47]

Section 3 is the 10th Ancestor, Parishubha. Parishubha is a Sanskrit name. The 10th Ancestor, Venerable Parishubha or Harishubha in Japanese. If you chant the names of ancestors in Japanese, you may remember this name. Harishibada Yoshio. Never put his side on the floor to lie down throughout his lifetime. Do you think it's true? I don't know. Yeah, I think he was a baby. It's not possible. So, at least, it's not true. Yes, he did. Although he engaged in the way when he was already 80 years old, he swiftly received the single transmission of the Great Dharma.

[64:02]

Because he did not spend any time wastefully, He singularly transmitted the true eyes of ultimate awakening after only three years of diligent effort. He was 83 years old. The Venerable one spent 60 years in his mother's womb. And when he left her womb, his hair was already white. This is from India. Not made in China story. This is made in India story. Dogen picked up this story from the journal of Genjo, the Chinese translation for Genjo, who went to India.

[65:05]

to study Buddhism in the 7th century. He wrote a journal of his travel to India. This story about this person who stayed in Mother's Womb for 60 years. Because he vowed not to lie down like a corpse He said, to lie down and throw it like a cup. He was called Venerable Said. Also, in the dark, his hands emit radiant light, so that he could take a sutra of Dharma to read. So, his hands were like a flashlight, and he could read sutras in the night. These were mysterious features he had since his birth.

[66:12]

I guess so. The venerable side, abandoned family, and dyed his robe. Dyed his robe is an expression to become a monk. When he was almost 80 years old, a young man in the town said to him, foolish man, you are aged and thin-eyed. How shallow is your wisdom? You know, home leavers or monks have two kinds of activities or practice. One is practicing meditation. So if you can become a monk, you have to practice Dazen. The other is reciting sutra. In order to recite sutra in India, you have to memorize everything. So it's not really leading. Now you are feeble and senile. How can you make a progress?

[67:15]

Why do you meaninglessly enter into the clean stream, only to make it muddy? You will just wastefully make your stomach full. It means you are good for nothing. It's very severe. But at that time, upon hearing people insulting him, Venerable sighed thanks to those people and bowed to himself. Unless I penetrate the principle of the three baskets of scriptures, those are the sutra, commentary of sutras, and the Vinaya, or precepts. Cut off the desires of the triple world. Attain the six divine powers. I think you know those six divine powers. And endowed with eight kinds of liberation, I will never put my side on the floor.

[68:24]

It takes some time to discuss the eight kinds of liberation. That means various kinds of liberation attained through various kinds of meditation. Since then, without wasting even a day, he practiced hin-hin, or walking meditation, silent sitting meditation and contemplation while standing still. In the daytime, he studied principal teachings, and in the night, he practiced quiet meditation. After having practiced in this manner for three years, he penetrated the three baskets of scriptures, cut off the desire of the three worlds, and attained the threefold bright wisdom. This threefold bright wisdom, three of the six divine powers.

[69:34]

People of the time respected him and called him Venerable Saïd. Therefore, the Venerable Saïd stayed in his mother's womb for 60 years before he coming out of the womb. He must have made diligent effort even in the womb. So his continuous practice started in his mother's womb. And after being born, when he became almost 80 years old, he first sought to leave home and studied away. After 140 years since his conception, although he was a truly exceptionally eminent person, He was a doddering old man, even more than anyone else.

[70:39]

He was aged in the womb, and he was aged after being born. That is funny. However, he was never concerned with people's disparagement, because His aspiration, based on his vows, was firm, firm enough and never regressed. Within only three years, his engagement of the Way was accomplished. Who could loosen one's desire to become equal when one sees the wise? This is Dogen talking to us. When we hear about an eminent person like him, how can we not wish to be the same as those people?

[71:47]

That is a kind of aspiration. So Dogen encourages his students to practice like him. Do not regret even if you are aged and totally. It is difficult to make a judgment about this life. Is this a life or not a life? Are we aged or not aged? So don't grasp how old we are. to make a fixed concept about age. I think that is what he is saying. Four views of the four different kinds of living beings based on their karmic conditions are not the same. Various beings have various views.

[72:50]

Simply focus your aspiration on the practice. and make a diligent effort in engaging the way. So in whatever condition or whatever place we are, we should do our best. We should study as if we see life and death within our engaging the way. So we see life and death within this way of practice. the case that we engage the way within life and death. So this is, I think, what Dogen is saying. He said interdependent origination is Gyoji, but Gyoji does not come from interdependent origination. That means conditions. Whatever condition we are, there is some possibility These days, when they reach 50, 60, 70, or 80 years old, people try to step aside and get in the way.

[74:06]

This is extremely foolish. I'm the youngest in this group. I'm still in 50, so I have no excuse. Even though we are aware of how many years we have been living since our birth, That is an activity of human sentiment. This is not the way we study the way. Do not be concerned whether you are in the prime of life or in your adulthood. You should single-mindedly study and engage the way. We should be equal with the vulnerable side. Our body will be a cloth of earth in a graveyard.

[75:07]

Do not meaninglessly hold it as dear. Have no special regard for it. If we do not ferry and free ourselves with singular determination, who would pity us? When the ownerless corpse is vainly scattered all over the wild field, we should truly contemplate on it, as if we put our eyes on it." So he mentioned, our life is impermanent, so we may die anytime. If we don't practice and free ourselves from this, you know, samsara, no one can practice for us. So we should make determination and practice in whatever situation or condition we are in.

[76:15]

Maybe I made a typo. If we do not say... Oh, I think it's... It's ferry, I think. Ferry ourselves to the other shore. So it's a tightness, I'm sorry. You mean this person? This person is the 10th generation ancestor, so 10 generations after Buddha.

[77:24]

10th generation, maybe 200 or 300 years after Buddha's death. I think 14th ancestor was Nagarjuna. 14th ancestor was Nagarjuna, and Nagarjuna lived in the 2nd century Common Era. So, maybe around 2,000 years ago, and about 2,200 years ago. Well, I think this is a good place to stop. Any questions? Okay, thank you for listening. I'm dying inside.

[78:30]

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