We start page 11, paragraph 23. Let me read a few pages. ,, The entire great earth is the gate of revelation, but people are not willing to enter even though they are drugged. Therefore, we should know that even though the entire earth and the entire world is the gate, it is not easy to exit and enter. There aren't many who have exited and entered.

[01:06]

Even when they are drugged, they do not enter, they do not exit. When they are not drugged, they do not enter, they do not exit. Those who try to take forward steps and enter will make mistakes. Those who try to take backward steps will stagnate. What can we do? When grabbing the people and trying to make them get in and out of the gate, they are getting far and far. When grabbing the gate and trying to put it into the people, there is a possibility to get in and get out. Opening the gate of the expedient means is itself revealing the true and genuine reality.

[02:15]

Revealing the true and genuine reality is entire time. and the beginning, the middle, and the end are cut off. The principle of the very opening itself of the gate of expedient means is that the gate of the expedient means is open in the ten direction world. At this very moment, If we truly see the entire Ten Direction world, there are scenarios we have never seen. Holding one piece or two pieces, three pieces or four pieces of the Ten Direction world, we enable each one of them to open the gate of the expedient means. Because of this,

[03:19]

Although it seems as if they are one and the same opening the gate of expedient means, it seems that various entire ten-direction worlds gaining the small portion of the opening the gate of expedient means make that portion their manifesting faces. Such a circumstance is caused by the power of belonging to this sutra. Revealing the true and genuine reality is hearing and circulating the words and phrases of the true reality of all beings within the entire world. It is accomplishing the way within the entire world.

[04:22]

It is enabling the entire person to see and understand the principle that the true reality is all beings, and enabling the entire being to actualize the principle that the true reality is all beings. We hold the true reality of all beings and study it. I'm sorry. Thirteen. Therefore, the unsurpassable awakening of the forty Buddhas and the forty ancestors belongs to this sutra. It is belonging to this sutra and is this sutra's belonging. The round cushion for the Zen and the sleeping stick that are nothing other than the unsurpassable awakening are all belonging to this sutra.

[05:38]

Picking up a flower and breaking into smile Both are belonging to this sutra. These are this sutra's belongings. Opening the gate of expedient means is itself revealing the true reality. So we start the Set-Po's saying, this saying, the entire great earth is the gate of liberation, but people are not willing to enter even though they are drugged. This saying by Set-Po Wah Shu Feng is quoted because in the

[06:42]

last sentence of the previous paragraph, he said, even though this gate of expedient means is manifesting itself as the entire ten-direction world, so this gate of expedient means, or upaya, opens itself as the entire ten-direction world. That means this entire world is the gate of expectant means. That means wherever we are, we are right in the gate, and that is the gateway we can enter the true reality of all beings, because we are all beings. Wherever we are, whenever we are right at the gate, But Serpo said that the entire great earth is the great gate of liberation.

[07:56]

The gate of liberation and the gate of expedient means is the same thing. The gate of expedient means the concrete condition or situation or for each one of us to enter the true reality of all beings. So this entire world is a gate of liberation. But Seppō said, Seppō is a Chinese Zen master. He was the disciple of Tokusan, and a teacher of unmon. Unmon? I think so. Anyway, Seppo is a person who once practiced with a tozan, Dongshan, the founder of a Chinese soto school.

[09:04]

And Seppo was not that Tengzo, but a person who is in charge of washing rice. And when Seppo was washing rice, cleaning the rice, Tozan, the abbot, stopped by at where he was working and asked, do you select the rice from the dust or do you take the dust out from the rice. Then Seppo said, I take them both at once. Then Abbott said, if take both out for the assembly for the community, people in the community eat. Then Seppo actually turned the

[10:07]

entire container of rice and that away. That was the story. And Moshe said, you will find some other teacher. That means you are not my student. That person. And when he became the disciple of Tok San, Tok San was very famous for his kind of violent method of teaching. He used a stick and always saying, if we say something, I'll hit you. If we don't say something, I'll hit you. That kind of person. Anyway, later Seppo became really a great Zen master. And he said, this is one of the sayings of Seppo. Even though This entire world is a gate of liberation.

[11:11]

No one come in. But people are not willing to enter even though they are drugged. Even, you know, they must take the hand of that person and come in. They don't want to come in. That means they don't want to be liberated. I don't know. We should ask to ourselves somehow, you know. Diversion is not so comfortable place, I think. We have to be, you know, good boy or good girl. I mean, as Buddha said in the Sutta, in the Suttanipata, in the Nirvana, not only suffering but also pleasure cease to exist. But we want to have pleasure.

[12:14]

We want to be free from suffering, but we want to keep the pleasure. But pleasure and suffering are always together. So, you know, Nirvana is not such a place like a paradise. or heaven where all of our desires are fulfilled, everything we want are there. But nirvana is like a session, a practice center. We have to be serious or sincere and become free from our desire to be You know, to be satisfied, it's not easy thing and it's not a fun, I think. So not many people want to get in. I remember a teacher saying once, Buddha is someone who sees all of the suffering, all of the being, all of the time.

[13:22]

Bob Thurman once said, in response to something I asked him, but Buddha is someone who sees all of the suffering of all of the beings, all of the time. And I went, you know, so I can understand that. Right. Then Dogen made his own comment on this thing and how can we enter this gate of revelation or gate of the expedient means. And Dogen, first Dogen agreed with Thepo and said, therefore we should know that even though The entire Earth and entire world, wherever we are, is the gate. It is not easy to exit and enter.

[14:32]

It's there, but it's difficult because of our motivation, because our aspiration. There aren't many, so there aren't many people who get in and get out. Even when they are drugged, they do not enter, they do not exit. That means when someone, you know, encourage and ask to come in, they don't come in and they don't get out, they don't go through this gate. And even when they are not dragged, that means they can make their own choice, of course they don't enter. They do not exit. And those who try to take forward steps and try to enter, when the person has aspiration,

[15:49]

to enter and try to. So many people don't have desire to get into, but even if there are some people who really want to get into the gate, so they try to take forward step and enter, we'll make mistakes. Would it answer? Mm-hmm. Answer inquiring that? Yes. And those who try to take backward steps will stagnate, means stay there. These two expressions, forward steps and backward steps, are shinpo and taiho. As a common usage of these two words, simple forward steps or going forward has a positive meaning.

[17:09]

That means we develop or improve, go forward to study and master something. And Taiho is backward step or backsliding. or withdraw. So this usually, commonly, this has a negative meaning, and this has positive meaning. But in, for example, in Fukanzazengi, the recommendation of the Zen, universal recommendation of the Zen, of Fukanzazengi, Dogen Zenji used this word in a positive meaning. That is eko henshō no tai hō. No tai hō.

[18:13]

Eko, are you familiar with this expression, eko henshō? E ko Henshou. In English translation of Fukanzazengi, this is often translated somehow as turning the light inward and illuminating the self. This is Eko Henshou. And Dogen said we should study backward step of Eko Henshou. So our zazen is not forward step, but backward step to study this eko hensho. Our zazen is to study this backward step of eko hensho.

[19:14]

And this Chinese expression, eko hensho, the English translation, turn the light inward and illuminate the self, is not are mistaken, but it's not a literal translation. Eko, E means to turn. Ko is light. And hen is return. And sho, sho is illumination. Sure, OK. Illumination. And when I translated of Kanzazengi, I looked up dictionary, Chinese dictionary. And basically, this has three meanings, I think.

[20:21]

The original meaning of this expression is this is a scenario of the time of sunset. Sun is set to the west before it's getting dark. The entire sky becomes really bright. That is what this echo henshou means. That means the sun is already gone. So there's no source of the light. And yet, at that time, the entire sky becomes really beautiful and bright. That is light before darkness. That is the meaning of this eko henshou.

[21:22]

After sunset, the entire world becomes really bright. That is the first meaning. And the second meaning, it seems this is a common meaning of eko henshou in modern Chinese. That is when a person is dying, right before person is dying the person's face become for a short time very bright that is called a cohen show so final kind of a expression of life life force so the person's life is almost gone and yet finally at the final uh moment, the person's face becomes really bright. That is the second meaning of eko henshō.

[22:29]

Is there any English expression for that? No? Okay. And the third meaning of eko henshō is second wind. you know, when we do some exercise, we become really tired and we find we have no energy anymore. Then somehow the second wind come up and we find another, more energy to continue. That is a further meaning of eko-hensho. And it's, to me, it's interesting and very meaningful to use this expression in our Zazen. Please. Did you say that's modern Chinese? Did Dogen have those three meanings? Did he have those in his vocabulary? I am not sure.

[23:30]

Probably in Chinese language, not only in the modern Chinese, but from the ancient times, Ekohensho had that meaning. But this means the self is already gone. The sun is already gone. And it's right before getting dark or right before the person is completely dead. The entire sky becomes really beautiful and the face becomes bright. That means it's not our personal energy. Individual energy is already gone. During Sesshin, I think, at least I often feel this way, you know, I have no energy anymore. I can't continue this. You know, especially second, third day of Sesshin, I thought, is that enough?

[24:37]

I can't, you know, continue this Sesshin. I have no energy at all. both body and mind, so I have to give up. But somehow, next morning, I feel the very fresh energy, and I feel this energy or life force is not from my personal willpower, but somehow the life force, which is larger than me, is working and allow me to continue to sit. So it's not my willpower or my physical power, but somehow some power that is larger than me allows me to continue to practice. So I think this, to study the backward step of

[25:45]

has really deep meaning. As an English translation, to turn the light inward and illuminate the self is not mistaken. That is, in the context of Kansazen, it means we are always going forward, trying to outside and get something. to achieve, we want to practice even the Zen to achieve some kind of something like enlightenment or awakening or something better, something desirable. So we go out, go forward. But Dogen then said, you know, going forward to looking for something good, is not our practice, especially in our Dazen. We should turn this light, which is trying to illuminate something outside, turn inward and illuminate who this is.

[26:58]

Please. I think I had two questions. One is, in English, return means Like you return something to the department store, you give it back. So return the illumination means, in English, it might have the connotation not just to turn, but to return it, give it back to, give it back to the self, isn't it? Chinese does hand me return to give it back. It really belongs to the self, and it went away. Now you're going to give it back. You're going to return it. I think so. I mean, when I lived in Massachusetts, I lived at the Valley's Endo. Our agenda is on the east side of the hill.

[28:01]

And, you know, western Massachusetts is very hilly, so there are many hills. And so because that building is in the east side, the sun set very early, around three o'clock. sun set. So the sky is still bright. And around five o'clock, the sun is really, you know, behind the hills. You know, the other hills in the east of the buildings, I mean east of our place, become really beautiful. really bright. And that, you know, that he was in the east side, east of where we lived, you know, returned the light and makes the sky more bright.

[29:13]

That is my image. You know, the sun, which is already gone, is illuminating the sky and these mountains. And this mountain is illuminated by the sun which is already gone. And this mountain also illuminates, turns the light received from that sun to the sky. That is my image of, you know, the sun which is already gone illuminating the entire world. And this world, which is illuminated by that sun, returns the light and together makes this world really beautiful. And this is light before darkness. I think this is an important point also. That means during daytime, we are working. When we are working, we have some, you know, we need to make decision.

[30:16]

that I should do which is the best way, you know, that is most meaningful. But in the darkness means, you know, no discrimination. That means we just sit. And no discrimination at all. This is absolute reality. This is kind of expedient or conventional reality. And light between you know, discrimination and non-discrimination, there is one moment which is very quiet, calm, and yet very bright. And I think that is Awazazein. Awazazein is really kind of a border between this, you know, our day-to-day lives, our daytime life, in which we have to make all different kind of decisions based on discrimination.

[31:29]

But, you know, in modern times, you know, evening is not the time of resting. But in the ancient times, you know, they don't have light. So it's really dark. And they don't have they couldn't do any work. So just be quiet and rest. And we cannot see, we cannot distinguish anything in this complete darkness. So we just rest. That is, you know, no discrimination. And right between discrimination and non-discrimination, there is a very bright beautiful, and yet it's not completely dark. I think, to me, that is what we experience in our zazen, if we are lucky.

[32:39]

Please. Is it the same thing we can see by waking up? Between what? You know, when you are asleep and you wake up. Sleep and wake up. Yeah, mornings are things like that. Did I answer your question? We're so simple under Taiho. But here I think he commented both ways as a negative thing. Simpo means to go. I wanted to get into that gate, so I tried to practice to be liberated, to attain liberation. Then Dogen said, that person will make mistakes. And those who try to take backward steps means that sometimes we hesitate to get in.

[33:52]

We think, that is not my thing. That is not something I want. It looks beautiful, but I don't want. It seems so difficult and boring. You know, before we start five-day session, I feel that way often. This is not something I want, but somehow I have to. You know, I have to because I live in the temple. There's no way to escape. And because I am the teacher, if I escape, no one will see it. So I have to stay. And once we start to sit, you know, it's there. There's no, it's with no hesitation. The world of Zazen really opened.

[34:53]

So we are 100% there. So that kind of, you know, hesitation really disappeared. And once we started to sit peacefully, and quiet and very calm, so it's okay. But before that, before enter that gate, it's really difficult. You know, I have been practicing almost 40 years. Still now, after 40 years, still, you know, I have kind of hesitation, like before Five-Day Sesshin. Anyway, so if we hesitate to jump into that practice, then Dogen said, if we try to take backward steps, we will stagnate. That means we cannot move, we cannot go ahead. So try to go ahead using our willpower, intention or aspiration

[36:02]

we make mistakes. But if we don't have that intention, we stagnate. So what to do? How we can enter the gate? Is it a problem to make mistakes though? Whether it's a problem or not, I don't know. I mean... Is Dogen saying that it's a problem? So when he says, Those who try to take forward steps and enter will make mistakes. Is he saying you shouldn't do that, or that's... That's a good question, and Dogen doesn't answer. So we have to think, please. The other day when you drew the line, and we're talking about past, present, and future, and you make mistakes, but you become aware and you're conscious of them, and then you move forward. I find that that somehow is at odds with this, about making mistakes.

[37:05]

Yeah, I think that's why I was asked. Yeah, I understand. Ferit, up to how we interpret this word, mistakes. Please. I think the flavor of this, mistakes, is similar to that of the Dogen Rites, that if we don't have a teacher, we shouldn't even start practicing, because if we're off by a little bit at first, in the end we'll wind up really far away. That might be one interpretation. Yeah. Because he doesn't explain, we can interpret as we want. Please. In that sense, kindness is those who try. What character is trying? Would it be a mistake if you take a four-step? Is it the trying that's the problem? Well, let's see. I'm sorry, the word try to is my addition.

[38:12]

Literal translation is those who take forward step and those who take backward step. So try not is not in the original. Is there something connected with liberation, that people who are doing this to be liberated are doing this for, quote, the wrong reason? Wrong reason. You know, to get something, to be better. Yeah, that is another interpretation. Please. Without stepping forward, without going forward, and not stepping back. Pardon? Without going forward? Without going forward and not stepping back. How? How is it possible? That is the famous one in the Polygon. There's a story like that.

[39:14]

And the answer was that he gets in without stepping forward and without going back. Right now, right here. Just being here without moving. That's a good idea. That is what we do in our zazen. Please? Later, here in the Word, it talks about moving the gate. First you move it. We'll get to that in a minute. Yeah. Well, because Bogan just expressed and don't explain, so we can interpret in whatever way we want, and it's okay. That is the way we study this kind of writings. We can interpret in different ways, and our understanding is getting deeper and deeper.

[40:20]

That is one of the ways we studied this kind of writing. And my interpretation is this, what Dogen is saying here is, I think, you know, in Genjo Koan, he said about enlightenment or realization and delusion. That carrying ourselves toward all beings and carry out practice enlightenment is delusion. And all beings come towards us and carry out practice enlightenment through this person is enlightenment or realization, or the word is satori.

[41:22]

This means if we try to carry ourselves and to try to get into that gate, then according to Dogen, we lose it. We make a mistake. But, you know, Dogen said, after, what can we do? Dogen said, when grabbing the people and trying to make them getting in and out of the gate, they are getting far and far. That is, when we carrying ourselves into the gate of liberation or gate of expedient means, then we lose it. But then grabbing the gate, the gate of liberation, and trying to put it into that person, I think this means all beings come toward us and allow us to carry out practice enlightenment.

[42:37]

So our practice based on our personal desire or aspiration, or even we call it bodhicitta, if we try to take ourselves toward all beings and try to check out and find the true reality of all beings, then That is like we are kind of measuring things, observing things and measuring things and try to what is the real reality of each and every being. We are kind of an observer and we measure it. As far as we are practicing with this attitude, taking ourselves toward all beings, this attitude itself is based on delusion.

[43:40]

That is what Dogen is saying in Denjo Koan. Because there is a separation between this person as subject and reality of all beings as object. And somehow I want to get the kind of device called prajna or wisdom to see the true reality of all beings. This structure is the same as subject-object and some kind of interaction between subject-object. That's why Dogen said, This practice is based on this idea, such person who is looking for a reality which is looked for, and there's some kind of practice, so-called practice. This idea of this structure itself is based on delusion.

[44:46]

But when all beings come toward us, That means we have to surrender. It's not me that is citing the truth, but when we open our hand and letting go, then all beings, we are part of this entire network of interdependent origination. Dharma feels us. In Vendôa, he also said, when we open our hand, the Dharma feels the hand. But when we try to grasp it, we lose it. This is the same thing. So as far as we're trying to get into that gate, we cannot never get into. And so this is a strange thing, to grab the gate and put it into the person. But this is Dogen's expression that all dharmas come towards the self.

[45:50]

In that case, there's no separation between self and all dharmas because self is, from the very beginning, part of this all dharmas. We are living together within a network of interdependent origination. So we are, from the very beginning, connected to each other and living together And that is nothing other than true reality. Isn't that also what happens during zazen? If you sit down, shut up, be quiet, be calm, it will reveal itself. That is what Dogen meant. She, in Genzoku-an, she is actually writing about our zazen practice. Gets you to the fourth day of the sushin. Yes. Yeah, we lost our personal willpower. And yet we find the power of this entire network working within me.

[46:58]

I think that is what Dogen said, dropping of body and mind. It's not my personal body and my personal mind, but this is within this network of all beings. I think that is what he is saying here. That is my interpretation. If you don't agree, that is fine. Any question? Okay. Let me go to next paragraph. We are still less than half of this writing, but until page 13, he is discussing about this true reality of all beings.

[48:03]

So we have to really carefully read But after the middle of page 13, his style of writing changed very radically. I mean, he started to complain about other people. And that part, his writing or his words, it's very straightforward. So we don't need to take so much time to discuss what he is going to say after page 13. So if we finish, we can go on to page 13, then it's almost done. And the very final part of this

[49:05]

chapter he writes about his own personal experience with his teacher. It was really beautiful and very impressive. And that is this chapter is famous, not famous, famous, popular, but because of that part of final part of this writing about his own experience with Nyojo. Not many people are interested in this part because he used so much expression from the Lotus Sutra and he just twisted the meanings. So it's not so interesting unless we really carefully check out the meanings of each and every, you know, word and expressions in the Lotus Sutra and how he twisted the meaning.

[50:14]

It takes very lot of time. But if we really carefully read these sentences, it's really interesting, at least to me. We can see how he thinks how his mind or brain works. Can you wait? Every word he's saying, this sutra, he's referring to the Lotus Sutra? Yes and no. He's also referring to Showa Jitso. Yeah, Showa Jitso is itself the sutra. Okay, paragraph 25. Opening the gate of expedient means is itself revealing the true and genuine reality.

[51:15]

He's still making comment on the quote from 10th chapter of the Lotus Sutra, that is, the unsurpassable awakening of all bodhisattvas entirely belongs to this sutra. And in this quote, of course, this sutra means the Lotus Sutra, but he, I mean, Dogen used this sutra, not necessarily the Lotus Sutra as a written scripture that refer to the reality as it is, is this sutra. And this sutra opens the gate of expedient means and reveals the true and genuine reality. This quote means that this sutra opens the gate of the expedient means in order to allow us to see the true and genuine reality.

[52:45]

So this gate of expedient means and true reality is like a method and the result we want using that method. So same as a cause and result or means and ends. But what Bogen want to say here in this sentence is Opening the gate of the expedient means is itself revealing the true and genuine reality. That means there's no such relation as a cause and result or means and purpose or ends. But revealing, no, opening the gate of the expedient means is itself revealing the true and genuine reality.

[53:48]

So these are not two separate things, but really one thing. That is what Dogen wants to say. This is the same as, you know, practice and enlightenment are one. Usually we think practice is a method to attain enlightenment. And expedient means is an expedient means to see that true reality. But he said this expedient means, or hoben, is itself true reality. There's no separation between these two. And revealing the true and genuine reality is entire time, that means The reality is always here, right now, right here, right in front of our eyes, or we are actually living in, right within this reality. So it, all the time, entire time, there's no time it is hidden.

[54:56]

And the beginning, the middle, and the end are cut off. That means This is always, but in each moment, before and after is cut off. This is same as Dogen said in Genjo Koan, as he talks about firewood and ash. Firewood is firewood. Firewood states the dharma position of firewood, and ash states the dharma position of ash. And there is a before and after. And yet, this before and after is cut off. That means that moment of firewood is just a firewood, and moment of ash is just a ash. This is what this saidan or cut off means. So each moment, each position is absolute moment.

[56:02]

That is Shochugosaitan, or beginning, middle, and end are cut off. So it's moment by moment, each moment. And the principle of the very opening itself of the gate of expedient means is that this opening, this gate, is that the gate of the expedient means is open in the ten-direction world. That means this ten-direction world is this gate of expedient means to allow us to liberate from our self-clinging. and making our life suffering and make our selves transmigrate within six realms of samsara.

[57:08]

Yes. Maybe, I don't know if it's possible to make this distinction, but why does he say that's the principle? of the opening of the gate. What does he mean, the principle? Why couldn't he say the manifestation of the very opening itself of the gate of expedient means, that the gate of the expedient means is open in the ten-direction world? Why is it principle? Maybe principle is not necessary here, but Dogen used this word, dori, and this dori is a really difficult word to translate into English. He often used this word, yes. So is that like principles like in the Sandokai when they talk about... Principle and... Principle. And matters. Anyway, ultimate reality and concrete matters or... D and G. Phenomena.

[58:14]

Phenomena, yes. Phenomena. You know, principle, of course, but I'm going to meet my Garab point. Right, right. The word Dogen used here is Dori. Dori is Wei or Dao, and Ri is same Ri as a principle in Ri and Ji. Phenomena is, in Sandokai, phenomena is Ji. And the principle is 理. So this 理, same word. And this is principle of the way. But 道理 is not particularly Buddhist or Zen term. But this is a very common word, not only in Japanese, but I think in Chinese also. Please.

[59:15]

Could it be chance that it is essence? Sometimes this is a very vague word, so we can translate into many different ways. What's the 理? 理 is principle. 理 is principle. 道 is way. Principle way. Principle way, way of principle, or principle of the way. Question? Many people use not only Dōgen, but many people use this word Dōri in many different ways. So sometimes it's better not translate this. I translate because it's there, the word is there. I try to translate, make a literal translation, as literal as possible.

[60:18]

because this is still a working draft. I'd like to work with a native English speaker who can really make this into real English. This is not yet real English. So here, principle, let's see. 解法文文の正当解の通り the principle or the very opening itself of the gate of expedient means. I think here this word principle is not necessary. That means this opening the gate itself. Anyway, this means that this gate is open within this ten-direction world, this entire ten-direction world. So this is not a particular place. this entire tender action world is itself the gate.

[61:25]

You know, that is what Seppo said. I'm sorry. At this very moment, at this moment, that means any moment we are right now, right here, at this very moment, If we truly see the entire ten-direction world, there are sceneries we have never seen. Do you understand? Do you want to say something? I think we can see the world is the same, but we can see, how can I say, with very fresh eyes.

[62:29]

That means when we see everything around us as based on the structure of me and them, and is a desirable relationship between me and those things. Something is desirable, something not desirable, something is beautiful, so I want to make this my position, or I don't like these things, so I want to stay away. That is how we usually see things. what is useful for me to satisfy my desire, whether this can be useful or not useful, or valuable or not valuable, or present or not present. And we start to, you know, chase after something we want and escape from something we don't want.

[63:41]

This is the, you know, first cause of transmigration within samsara. Whether we are successful or not successful, we have to always chasing, always running after something or from something. That is really samsara. But when we see, you know, this entire ten direction world, as a network of interdependent origination, and I'm simply part of it, and me and everything are living together, and I'm not the center of the world, and those things are not the materials I can use to make this person happy. Of course, we still have that kind of desire, but we let go. Then we can see

[64:43]

things with very fresh eyes. That is, I think, that the time each and every thing start to reveal as it is, as they are. When I don't see things, you know, meaningful or useful for me or not, then this thing is nama rupa to me. But when we let go of this nama rupa, then this thing starts to reveal the real reality of itself. I think that's what Dogen is saying. And not only things outside of ourselves, but we're also always thinking what this person is, whether this person is good enough. And sometimes we want to, I don't want this person, I don't like this, so I want to make it better.

[65:52]

Usually we see ourselves, but if we see everything, all dharmas, including this person, these five skandhas, as a reality, nothing is lacking. It's neither useful nor useless, neither valuable nor valueless, but these are just as things as they are. Then we can see this world, including this self, from very different ways. And I think our zazen allows us to see in that way. Please. I find this center truly beautiful. Because at this very moment, we truly see the entire ten-direction world. There are sceneries we have never seen. I don't know.

[66:56]

At face value, it's pretty obvious, right? Because you can't, like you said, there's one person from this one position that you can't possibly see. But the expression that our scenery is we have never seen, starts to be very positive. And Logan always, I think, well, maybe not always, but he often seems to be very positive. I assume so. The idea of sceneries we have never seen, to me, I have this association with the word sceneries. So I don't know if it's the translation or if it's a poetic thing, but I think sort of like the meaning of sceneries we have never seen. I have this idea of something beautiful, if never seen, something that will be revealed. It's beautiful. And I'm not sure just now when we're talking about what we haven't seen is also made. things we don't want to see. So maybe, I don't know how to call those things, sceneries.

[68:01]

Well, the word, expression Dogen use, and I translate it, sceneries, is your food. Yosu. What is English word for yosu? Yosu is the way things are. The way things are. So it could be both positive and negative. It can be either or both. the way things are. Realities. Realities. Actualities.

[69:02]

Circumstances. Circumstances. I use this word, scenarios, because this is the expression Uchida Morose uses. He uses the expression, scenarios of life. Please. He's implying we haven't seen it before, but now we're looking at it like, I mean, if I were to see this with new eyes, one time I took a four-year-old girl around the block where I work, and I decided, well, I'm just going to let her, I'm not going to let her fall. And everything, every step, was amazing. She brought joy into every object. And I had seen that object a thousand times. But I tried to look at it through her eyes, and I thought, God, you know, suspends all your judgments, and you see things through your eyes.

[70:11]

But you've seen it a thousand times before. I have one experience at Green Gorge several years ago. I think that was in the spring. You know, there are flower gardens in Green Gulch. And during some meeting or something, I took a walk in a flower garden. And those flowers, you know, blooming there, almost all of them are foreign to me. That means I didn't know the names of the flowers. When I was in Japan, when I see flowers, I know the names of the flowers. I know I have some memories about the flowers. And I know, for example, some poems about the flowers.

[71:13]

So when I see a flower, I start to associate with my memory and knowledge and feeling I had in the past. So when not really seeing the flower itself, but by seeing the flower, I start to play with my memory and thinking. I go into my mind. But I don't really see that flower itself. But at that time, I felt because I knew nothing about those flowers, I could really see that shape and the colors and beauty of the flowers. I had no concept, idea, association, memory, or whatever. So I was like a four-year-old girl. It's really amazing. It's different. I think that is, to me, that is a completely fresh scenery, even though these are not special flowers.

[72:26]

Please. Maybe similarly, one time a Japanese person said that Suzuki Roshi, when he spoke the Dharma in Japanese, not so interesting, but in English, It's very powerful. Maybe it's a similar kind of... Probably so. You know, someone said, when I speak Japanese and I speak in English, one person said, my personality is completely different. You know, when I speak in Japanese, I can make any gray zone. But when I speak in English, I have to say black or white because... My vocabulary is poor. So I have to be very straightforward and clear when I talk in English. But when I talk in Japanese, I make everything as a kind of vague.

[73:31]

And yet, it sounds like meaningful. So it's nice to speak in some foreign language. Actually, when I study Shobo Genzo and try to translate into English, even though in Japanese I think I understand, but when I try to find an English equivalent, I found that I don't really understand. I have some feeling and vague idea, but I don't really know what this word really means. There are so many such, you know, vague things in our mind. So to face something which is really foreign is a kind of a shock, and yet it's very... And I have to struggle with this, but I have to... But this is really...

[74:37]

hard but good practice to see things with very fresh eyes. Well, here we are. This is kind of strange. He said, this entire world And he said, one piece or two pieces, three or four pieces of this entire world. So there are many pieces of this entire world. Why do you use different campuses? I'm not sure. I don't know why. Maybe just a... I don't think there's some special meaning. My is a word to use to account something flat like a paper or a plate.

[75:47]

And the ko is a word to count as something, you know, yeah. But here I don't think he make distinction with these two. But I think this means when we sit in the Zen, this entire world becomes the world of the Zen. When we, you know, now we are studying Dogen, our ten-direction world becomes the world of studying Dogen. And when we take a walk outside, you know, the ten-direction direction world of walking is open. So in each moment, depending upon what we do, you know, we see a very fresh scenery. But when we are, you know, living only within our mind, we cannot see, you know, that different sceneries.

[76:57]

We are caught up who I am, what I should do, what I can expect next. If we think in that way, you know, we don't really see each and everything. But everything is kind of a concept. You know, like for me, cherry blossom has some concept. And when we see cherry blossom, I don't really see the cherry blossom. I'm just grasping that object as a cherry blossom, as a concept. I don't really see each and every flower and see the color and vitality of each and every flower. But I just see this is a spring. April, the time of cherry blossom blooming, and they are blooming, and beautiful, that's all.

[78:02]

That is very different from really seeing as a flesh and being, as a living being, as a part of impermanence, and this is really only reality. so it is like a buddha so when we see not only cherry blossoms any anything when we see like uh we can see we can encounter see and encounter encounter with this only once within our lifetime that is what uh is important point important things in peace around peace ceremony Ichigo Ichie, that means, you know, we have tea ceremony with other people, but this particular gathering is only once, not only in our lifetime, but from Big Bang.

[79:07]

This particular meeting, particular encountering is only once. So it's so precious. And we may have, or of course we cannot have the same gathering with the same people, with the same condition or situation. So this is really only one time thing. Then, you know, even though it's just an ordinary meeting, it's really precious, that kind of way to meet with each and every being. And every meeting is like that? Yes. Pardon? I think so. So, holding one piece or two pieces, three pieces or four pieces of the ten-direction world, we enable each one of them to open the gate of expedient means.

[80:11]

So in whatever you know, condition or encountering. This particular encountering is really the gate of liberation, the gate of expedient means to see the true reality of all beings. The next one is a little difficult. Because of this, although it seems as if they are one and the same opening the gate of expedient means, each time, each opportunity, it seems that various entire ten-direction world gaining the small portion of the opening the gate of expedient means make that portion their manifesting faces.

[81:13]

Manifesting is genjo. So each and every thing, really manifesting means happening, revealing, right now, right here, is this part of gate of revelation or expedient means. of this ten directions. So there's no exception. So we are always right there at the gate of liberation or gate of expedient means. And we can live with that kind of attitude or where as an awakening in each moment, not only sitting in the Zen, such a circumstance is caused by the power of belonging to this sutra.

[82:19]

So we are belonging to this sutra of the network of interdependent origination. or the true reality of all beings. Because we are already part of that reality, if we are mindful, we can have that kind of very fresh encountering in each moment with each and everything we meet. Next paragraph. Revealing the true and genuine reality is hearing and circulating the words and phrases of the true reality of all beings within the entire world. Here he starts to discuss about communication, about this true reality.

[83:22]

So when we hear the experience or hear the expression of this true reality, you know, not only just hearing, we also circulate. That means our practice, our activity, our speaking is become the expression of this true reality, that how this wind of true reality, you know, circulate within our life. And no matter how our power of communication is small and limited, still, it is accomplishing the way within the entire world. Even if I speak using this very poor English vocabulary, still, if what I'm saying is from this true reality of all beings, my

[84:26]

for English is circulating this entire ten directions. It is enabling the entire person to see and understand the principle that the true reality is all beings, and enabling the entire being to actualize the principle that the true reality is all beings, not only the people, but also each and every being, both people or subject and object, or person and things around the person, both become the expression of this true reality of all beings, because true reality is all beings. Here, Dogen says, or said,

[85:30]

You know, the title is Shōhō Jissō, but here Dōgen writes Jissō Shōhō. He changed the order and tried to see all beings as true reality. Both people and things around a person. We don't have much time, but let me, the next paragraph is not difficult, so let me finish next paragraph. Therefore, the unsurpassable awakening of the 40 Buddhas and the 40 ancestors all belongs to this sutra. These 40 Buddhas and 40 ancestors are from Shakyamuni to the sixth ancestor, Huinan. In, I think, Shishō or Menjū, he said, you know, from Shakyamuni to the sixth ancestor, Huinan, are 40 Buddhas and also 40 ancestors.

[86:50]

So they are both Buddhas and ancestors. So he is talking about this lineage or tradition. all of them belongs to this sutra, in this reality of all beings. It is belonging to this sutra, not the lotus sutra, but sutra of this reality. And this sutra's belonging, belonging means part of this sutra. The round cushion for the Zen, the zafu, and sleeping stick, do you know sleeping stick? It is called, it sounds like kyōsaku, looks like kyōsaku, but it's not kyōsaku. There is a stick to support our chin when we sleep in the sitting posture. I never used that kind of thing. But when Uchida Moroshi was first ordained, first three years he practiced at a temple,

[87:59]

with Sawaki Roshi's student, they had one-week session without lying down. Between midnight and 2 in the morning, they didn't use kyosaku. That means they could sleep. And when they sleep on the cushion, they used this stick. So I never used it, and I don't want to, but this is a kind of a tool for practice of the Zen. Anyway, that means our practice of the Zen, the Zen practice, are nothing other than the unsurpassable awakening and all belonging to this sutra, this sutra of reality of all beings. And picking up a flower and breaking into smile, this is about Buddha's dharma transmission from Shakyamuni to Mahakasyapa.

[89:12]

Picking a flower, Buddha picked up a flower and Mahakasyapa smiles. This dharma transmission, both are belonging to this sutra. And these are this sutra's belongings. He just changed the order. And the final statement is, opening the gate of expedient means is itself revealing the true reality. He repeats the same thing he said in the first sentence of paragraph 25. I reach the goal. Any question? Please. Zoku.

[90:16]

Zoku. Please. Like, why is David writing this? Like, is there... Are there other teachers that are saying that we need to do something else besides these expedient names to be in a true reality? He's saying that's enough or something. Is he trying to expound some teaching that other teachers are denying, or is he saying somebody's incorrect or something like that? Yes, that is what he's going to write after this book. So that series is arcane. You can't scare people. Yeah. Yeah. Please. This is a fresh encountering. I haven't spoken to Jessica. I had an experience sitting meditation where absolutely everything, trees, flowers, plants, people, driving a car, was absolutely new and fresh.

[91:38]

It wasn't like any experience I've ever had. But eventually, after an hour, I got asked to pick some people up in town. It started to wear off. And it was really great. But I just have a hard time imagining that one could exist in that. Although, is that what this implies? It just seems kind of like a fairy tale. Imagine it. Well, sometimes it feels very powerful impression and influence. And that kind of powerful experience doesn't last forever. It stops. Things become ordinary. And almost all the time things are ordinary, like eating meals, food, and washing bowls, like Joshua said. If you finish eating breakfast, we should clean up, wash the bowls.

[92:44]

That is kind of a daily routine, and nothing looks like fresh. But I think that not only in our daily life, but even in our Zazen, I'm doing the same thing every day, every morning. Nothing is fresh, nothing is new. But still, I think what Dogen is saying is not our feeling, not our thinking, not our judgment or evaluation, but each meeting, each experience is new, fresh, and What can I say? Taking place within entire ten directions, even though we don't feel in that way.

[93:45]

Sometimes we feel, and we think that is a special experience, and sometimes we feel this is enlightenment experience. I don't think that kind of special experience is so important. But to appreciate each and every kind of ordinary day-to-day things, even if we don't feel so, is fresh and precious. And it is taking place within this entire network of interdependent origination. Is that the answer to your question? It's not an experience because that's so grasped. Right. Yeah, if we think grasp this is enlightenment experience, and then we want to experience same experience again, and we chase after and this creates samsara, another kind of samsara.

[94:55]

So we should open our hand. Thank you very much.

[95:02]

@Transcribed_UNK
@Text_v005
@Score_89.78