Good morning, everyone. Yesterday afternoon I started talk on the paragraph 13, page 7, but I couldn't finish, so let me start from paragraph 13. This is the most difficult paragraph and I don't think I understand what he is saying. But anyway, I try to talk what I am thinking. Anyway, let me read the paragraph again. Leaving the gate, immediately there are grasses. Entering the gate, immediately there are grasses. Within 10,000 miles, there is no single inch of grass. The one word, enter, and the one word, leave, are useless either at this place or at that place.

[01:14]

The present grasping does not wait for the letting go. But this is a dream, a phantom, and a flower in the sky. Who would hold this mistake and make another mistake, saying that this is a dream, a phantom, a flower in the sky? Stepping forward is a mistake. Stepping back is also a mistake. Taking one step is a mistake. Taking two steps is also a mistake. Therefore, one mistake after another mistake. Whatever we say is a mistake. Because the separation is as great as that between heaven and earth, the ultimate way is not difficult.

[02:19]

we should conclude that dignified conduct is conducting dignity and the essence of the great way is boundless. Do you understand? When I don't understand what Fat Dogen is saying, I return to the material or word he is using. So now, in this paragraph, we use three materials. One is this koan about the gate and grasses. the Donshans. And the second is Shinjinmei or Shinshinming. That is the English translation of Shinjinmei.

[03:24]

Faith, mind, something. Shinjinmei means writing or poem. Anyway, this is a long poem by the third ancestor, Sosan. And this strange expression, mistake after mistake, those are three things. And unless we understand the exact meaning of those three materials, I don't think we understand what Dogen is trying to say here. So I have been studying those three things, these three means. But still I don't understand what Dogen is saying. But anyway, I start to talk with this koan again. I just... yesterday I just introduced the main case.

[04:26]

That is, Donshan said to the assembly, Donshan is Tozan Ryokai. In Japanese, he was the founder of Chinese Sotozen tradition. He said to the assembly, it's the beginning of autumn, the end of summer, and you brethren will go some to the east, some west. You must go where there is not an inch of grass. for 10,000 miles. This is a bandi musun saw. Then no one

[05:36]

No one made any comment to this saying of Tozan. So Tozan said again. He also said, but where there is not an inch of grass for 10,000 miles, how can you go? How can you go? So Tozan is also asking how. How can you go to the place? There is no grass, no inch of grass in 10,000 miles. Then, Sekisho. His Chinese pronunciation is Shi-Shuang. Tozan's dharma cousin said, go out the gate.

[06:41]

Immediately there is grass. Go out is shutsumon. In Shobo Genzo, Doge says, benze. When we take one step out of the gate of the monastery. Then, there are grass. Then, later, Taiyo Kyogen, or in Chinese, Da Yang, said, I would say even Not going out the gate. Still the grass is boundless. So even within the gate. So this is fushitsu-mon.

[07:44]

But Dogen said, nyu-mon. And Dayan said, kusa-man-man. So Dogen said something a little different than Dayan. Not exact quote. It is entering, exiting, going out of the gate and entering the gate. This is a main case of this koan story. This appears in the Book of Serenity. case number 89. And, to understand this koan, trying to point to us, I'd like to introduce the introduction by the person, the master who made this Shoryo-Roku, or Book of Solemnity, whose name was Bansho-Gyoshu.

[08:58]

In the introduction, Bansho said, move, move and you bury your body 10,000 feet deep. If you move, you bury your body 10,000 feet deep. Don't move and sprouts grow right where you are. Move might be interpreted as a moving of body. But this, according to the commentary, Japanese commentary, this move is movement of our mind. When our mind moves, we bury our body or ourselves in the 10,000 feet deep. Means, 10,000 feet deep means hell. sansara. And don't move, and sprouts grow right where you are.

[10:06]

In this translation it says sprouts, but I think originally it means roots. Roots grow. That means we cannot move. So if our mind moves, we create sansara, and our life becomes suffering. And yet, if we, if our mind doesn't move. That means no thinking. Then we cannot move. Because we cannot make any decision if we don't think and make a choice whether which is better to go, which way we should go. If we don't think and make some, you know, dualistic comparison, we cannot make choice. So, we have to stay in the same place forever. We cannot move. That is what don't move means. And, you must cast off bodies... I'm sorry.

[11:11]

You must cast off both sides. We have to let go of both sides. Moving and not moving. We have to cast both. and let the middle go. Let the middle go. What is the middle of moving or thinking and not thinking? What is this middle? How can we let the middle go? How can we go the middle path between thinking or discrimination and non-discrimination or duality and non-duality? How can we find the middle path and how we can walk freely? Instead of making our life sansara or making ourselves stuck in one place of non-thinking, how can we move and live freely on the middle path between thinking and non-thinking?

[12:22]

or discrimination and non-discrimination or duality and non-duality. Then, you must buy some sandals. You must buy some sandals and travel somewhere before you will really attain realization. I don't like this translation. because in the original it doesn't say realization. You will hit something. You will attain, but the text doesn't say what you will attain. So, you will attain not something fixed like a realization, but how can we walk freely through on this middle path. So, in order to find the middle path, We need to buy some pairs of sandals. That means we need to travel.

[13:25]

Some more travel means to practice. And to travel to find true teacher. And under the guidance of true teacher you have to practice and study. So this is a starting point of practice, our practice. How can we go through the middle way between thinking and not thinking? Then, please. So, how can we go through the middle way, but also let go of the middle? Yeah, let the middle go. Absolute let go, relative let go, letting go. Right. So, we need to be free to move. So, we need to be free from those three. Even we need to be free from the middle path in order to walk on the middle path. Because middle is not a certain fixed point.

[14:33]

Middle is always changing. And, once she's versed on this main case, is as follows. Grass is boundless so wherever we go we see grasses. Grasses means thinking and duality and difference. Grass is boundless whether inside the gate or outside the gate. And this inside and outside the gate can be, you know, temple gate, but also can be inside of ourselves and outside. How to, in interacting with things outside of ourselves and how we, you know, practice

[15:36]

inside ourselves. Both inside and outside ourselves, there are many glasses. So, glass boundless. Inside the gate, outside the gate, you see by yourself. That means you have to check those glasses by yourself. You know, we cannot grasp the glasses as a concept. But we have to meet each and every grasses whenever we encounter. We have to check them out in order to become free from those grasses. So, inside the gate, outside the gate, you see by yourself. To see foot in the forest of thorns, I'm sorry, to set foot in the forest of Thon is easy.

[16:38]

The forest of Thon is the forest of samsara. Thon. Thon. Thorns. The forest of thorns. To walk in the forest of thorns is easy. To turn the body outside the luminous screen is hard or difficult. Do you understand? To turn the body outside the luminous screen is hard. This luminous screen is non-duality. Oneness or we can say nirvana or enlightenment beyond duality. So, to live freely.

[17:41]

This term, the body, means to live freely. Instead of, you know, stuck in one place with no thinking, we have to freely move and practice within non-thinking. How can we do that? It's more difficult than walk through within samsara. And the verse continued, look, look, how many kinds, how many kinds of grasses, how many kinds of grasses we see. For a while, going along with the old tree, with the same emaciation, emaciation? In the cold. Emaciation. Emaciation.

[18:42]

Emaciation. In the winter, all the plants are Emaciation. Thank you. Wizard. That is North Discrimination. And, the last line is, about to follow the spring wind into the scars of the burning. That means, after spring comes, you know, all the plants or grasses sprouts again. That means through the winter of emaciation or non-thinking, you know, new life force grows. You know, new grasses grow.

[19:46]

Please. Yes, new growth, delusion. Bodhisattva's delusion, growth. That is our practice. So this is the meaning of this koan. So here, these two grasses is duality, or difference. And no grass. The place without any inch of grass in 10,000 miles is no discrimination, no thinking. Or we can say, you know, this is that place. And this is this place. The expression Dogen uses in Geobuji. This place and that place. Please. Would it be accurate to say that

[20:49]

outside the gate is the world, is samsara. Inside the gate is non-duality? I don't think so. Both those together are samsara. And the place without grass is beyond duality I thought that that's what the two commentaries outside the gate there you can't get away from the grants there's always grants and the other person said inside the gate there's always grants too yes so in other words you can't escape from the world of duality right yes So, either inside the gate or outside the gate, that is a world of duality. What's the difference between inside the gate and outside the gate?

[21:57]

What's the sense of leaving the monastery or walking out of the gate or entering the gate? In this paragraph, Dogen said, step forward and step backward. going out and coming in. So that's what Step Backward referred to. Yes. And there's grass there too. Yes. So, this is two sides. This one and this one is two sides. So, according to that, leaving the gate or being outside the gate is the world of activity and inside the gate is the world of stillness, is the world of zazen? I think so. Still, we find glasses. That is our actual practice.

[23:00]

Then, where is this non-duality? Where is this, that place? Where is this? Is the, I think, point. Please. especially hearing the way you're framing it, but as long as you think there's a gate, there are grasses. Yeah, that is what Fat Dogen said. Going out and entering is not useful in that paragraph. Either way, we find grass. Anyway, this is Fat, this quorum about grass. is saying, so when Logan Wright leaving the gate, immediately there are grasses. Entering the gate, immediately there are grasses. And within 10,000 miles, there is no single inch of grass. The first two refer to this place, and the third means that place.

[24:09]

beyond duality. This is our practice, whether step forward or stepping back. This is our practice. Then, where can we find this, that place, the place without no grass, without any grass? That is this, is the point of this story, I mean koan story. And let me talk about the Shinjinmei. The expression Dogen used in the third sentence, grasping and letting go, and a dream, a phantom, and a flower in the sky. And in the sentence of, because the separation is as great as that between heaven and earth, the ultimate way is no difficult.

[25:12]

This is also a quote from the Shinjinmei. And another one is the final sentence, the last sentence of this paragraph. The essence of the great way is boundless, is also a quote from Shinjinmei. So let me talk about meaning of this expression in Shinjin way. I found two English translations of Shinjinmei. One is by D.T. Suzuki, and another is by his name, Andy Ferguson.

[26:14]

But I like D.T. Suzuki's translation better. Anyway... The expression Dogen quote in the third sentence is from Shinjin Mei in the D.T. Suzuki's translation. This translation is appeared in the book and titled, Manual of Zen Buddhism. And D.T. Suzuki put a number on each verse, each section. And this appears in section 20. Let me first write in Chinese. 名称 弱 乱 Go-mu Go-mu-ko-to Is-sai-ni-hen Mo-ji-kan

[27:54]

Mu Gen Ku Ge Mu Gen Ku Ge Ka Lo Ha Sok The first line in D.T. Suzuki's translation is The ignorant cherished the idea of rest and unrest. Jap is rest, and lang literally means destruction, but he translated it as unrest.

[29:09]

Rest means nirvana, and unrest is samsara. So, deluded people create the separation or discrimination between samsara and nirvana. The wise are go. Go means realization or satori. But the people or person who has satori and here, in British translators, the wise. The wise are... No, I'm sorry. Be enlightened. Be enlightened. Have no mu, have no like and dislike. So, enlightened person has no such discrimination. No ko is like, or is dislike, or hate, hate.

[30:16]

So, there is people make a discrimination between samsara and nirvana. But enlightened people or persons have no like and dislike. So, no discrimination. All forms of dualism, isai means all, forms of ni, ni hen, ni is two, hen is size, two size, means duality, two sides. All forms of dualism are controlled by the ignorant themselves. All forms of duality were created by, made by, deluded people.

[31:19]

They are like unto visions. They are like unto visions and flowers in the air. MUGEN KUGE. DT translates MUGEN as a vision. and kūge as a flower in the air. Flower in the air is the English word, cataract. You know, when we have a sickness, disease in the eyes, cataract, something like a flower can be seen, even though it's not there. That is what this kūge, flower in the sky, means. So it's an illusion.

[32:24]

Wait, could you say that line again in English? Which one? The last one that has the flower in the air. They are. They are like Antu visions and flowers in the air. They're like Antu? Like UNTO? UNTO. OK. They are like two visions and flowers in the air. I translate in Shobo Genzo as a dream, phantom, and flower in the sky or flower in the air. Sky? This expression, Kuge, is interesting and important in Dogen's teaching also. Anyway, then finally, gain and loss. No, this one. Why should we trouble ourselves to take hold of them, to take hold of these visions and flowers in the sky, in the air?

[33:43]

Haasoku means to take hold or grasp or grab catch it grasp it how can we make trouble to catch those dualistic ideas or either side of duality and Next one is tokushitsu. Toku is gain and shi is lose. And ze is right. Hi is not right or wrong. So, gain and loss, right and wrong. These are one or two examples of duality. Tokushitsu zehi. Away with them once for all.

[34:47]

Away from them once for all is a translation of Ichi-ji-ho-kyaku. Ichi means... Ichi means one, and ji is time. At once. Ho-kyaku. Here, D.T. Suzuki said, away from them. But this hōkyaku, another translation of hōkyaku is cast off or let go. Let go. So basically this part of Shinjinmei is saying is duality are made by deluded person or made by delusion. And enlightened person has no such duality of like and dislike.

[35:52]

So all forms of duality are mainly made by these deluded people. And they are like a dream, phantom, and a flower in the sky. That is illusion. So, why we take a trouble to grasp this side or that side? or make choice which is better. Is this better or is that better? So, we should, at once, we should let go of all gain and loss, and right and wrong. I think the meaning is very simple and very clear. But this is a problem.

[36:57]

At least for Dogen. And not only Dogen, but at least the person who made that koan. I mean, within this, you know, there is a duality. Do you see? Deluded person and enlightened person. And duality and non-duality. That is duality. Duality between duality and non-duality is a duality. And if we think this is enlightenment and this is delusion, so we have to grasp this and escape from that. That is duality. So within this expression, there is duality. How can we go beyond this reality is the point, you know, this koan and also Dogen is trying to teach us.

[38:02]

How can we go beyond duality between duality and non-duality? How can we go beyond that? Or how can we integrate duality and non-duality? within one action, each and every activity in our daily lives. Basically, that is the point of Dogen. And the expression of... Next expression from Shinjinmei Dogen used in the sentence Because the separation is as great as that between heaven and earth, the ultimate way is not difficult. This is from the very beginning of Shinjinmei. Here is beginning.

[39:06]

In Chinese, it's said, Shidou Bunan. Yuiken Kenjaku. Ken. Jaku. Tan, Maku, Zou, Ai, Tou, Nen, Mei, Haku, Go, Ri, Hi, Ko, Ri, U,

[40:17]

In D.T. Suzuki's translation, the first one, Shido Bunan, is the perfect way. No difficulty. Shido, perfect way or supreme way. Shi is the highest, the highest way, supreme way. Mu is no. Nai is difficult. So, supreme way has no difficulty. Only, Yui is only. Ken is dislike.

[41:22]

Dislike. Kenjaku is except that it refuses to make preferences. So, Kenjaku is preferences. To make choice and pick up one. one of them. That's what this kenjaku means. But, so, what this sentence means is the supreme or highest or unsurpassable way is not difficult. Only it refuses or dislikes discrimination and picking one, picking and choosing. You know, do you see the contradiction within this sentence. Dislike or refuse picking and choosing is picking and choosing. Right? That is a problem. If we dislike picking and choosing and we like no picking and choosing, that means no discrimination, then we are making choosing.

[42:35]

We like no discrimination. We don't like discrimination. That means we don't like samsara. We love nirvana. So how we can go to nirvana? That is the problem. At least according to Dogen's point of view, in the expression of Shinjinmei, that is a problem I think Dogen had. And second, next line is, only femme freed from hate and love. Tada is only. Maku is not. Only without hatred and love. Only without hatred and love. It reveals itself free and without disguise.

[43:40]

It means this unsurpassable way reveals itself free, free and without disguise. Literally this tone means very clear without any destruction and Meihaku is bright and white. It's really obvious. There's no question or no problem. But a tenth of an inch is difference. This is Go-Ri-Mo-Sa-Re-Ba. Go-Ri means slightest difference and Sa is difference. So, if there is even a slightest difference, ten, chi, ten is heaven, chi is earth, ken is far away, and kaku is separate.

[44:49]

So, a tenth of an inch is difference. And heaven and earth are set apart. So even there is a slightest deviation or difference, we are far from this supreme way, like, you know, between earth and heaven. This is, you know, a very simple message from Zen. So we have to see this non-duality, the reality without any discrimination or separation. That is a very strong and simple message from Zen. And we think this is basic teaching of Zen. And that is true.

[45:51]

But this is a problem. because within these both teachings there are still duality very clearly so I think later ages in Zen they try to fix or integrate this duality between duality and non-duality And there are two methods, I think, that were kind of created. I think one is Rinzai method. That is like in the teaching of ten-oaks-heeding picture. I think you are familiar with this teaching, ten jyugyusu or ten ox feet feeding picture.

[46:54]

Harding, sorry. Thank you. That is, seeing non-duality or oneness is first thing we have to accomplish. Then, At the next stage, we have to become free from that non-duality and return to the marketplace. That is one method to integrate these two. First, when we are deluded, we create duality. We live in a dualistic way. And we make our life sansara. So, first, we have to discover oneness beyond any duality. But if you stay there, that is a problem. That is a sickness of emptiness.

[47:57]

So, we have to return to this place from that place. So, this is a method. First, go there. And next, return there. return to this place. This is one method to, you know, kind of fix this duality between duality and non-duality. So this is a kind of a stage. First we have to become free from duality and discover oneness, non-duality. And then as a In Rinzai tradition, it is called a practice after enlightenment. That is, we see the duality and live freely within duality or dualistic world, this world, within this marketplace. That is, I think, Rinzai method.

[49:00]

And another way, I think, is This is my thinking, so you don't need to believe it. In the case of Dogen, this is not a stage. First, you have to go beyond duality and see oneness or non-duality. And we return to the world of duality in order to help others. But Dogen, in Dogen's teaching, both are From the very beginning of our practice, both are there. And in each moment, in the process of our practice, we see, we need to see both at the same time. That is my understanding of basic teaching of Dogen. Instead of first we become free from duality and return to reality.

[50:03]

From the very beginning we have to see both. That is why, I think, you know, very well-known statement from the Diamond Sutra. That is a ken sho sto. Mu sto is ken nyo rai. Not move, but he.

[51:10]

He, ken, nyorai. Kei is to see. Shoso is all forms. and he is not form is to see sen ken, to see Tathagata. Nyōra is Tathagata. And, of course, you know, common way of reading this very short sentence is to see all forms as not form or no form is to see Tathagata. That means All forms are delusion or illusion. Like a dream, phantom, and flowers in the sky. So we should see all those forms are no form.

[52:23]

That means empty. Emptiness. So when we See all forms are no form. That means we are not deceived by the form we see. Then we see Tathagata. In this case, this Tathagata does not mean the Buddha as a person. But Tathagata means reality of all beings. How the way things are. The way things really are. But Dogen read this in a little bit different way. This is his, you know, common, usual practice. I think it's his hobby. He read this to see all forms and no forms. So, and to see all forms and no forms is to see Tathagata.

[53:30]

This means we have to see both sides. The form and no form. That is to see Tathagata. So, the common understanding of the statement in the Diamond Sutra and Dogen's interpretation are a little different. The difference is in the case of Diamond Sutra. Shoso is negated. because this is illusion, this is a phantom. So we see, we should avoid being deceived by such phantoms because that is a cause of suffering, cause of samsara. So we have to see emptiness or no form of all beings. Then we can see Tathagata. We can see the true reality. So our common way of viewing things is negated.

[54:33]

And we have to see emptiness or no form. Then we are enlightened. But what Dogen wants to say is to see both form and no form, both sides. This one reality from both sides. That is what I have been talking, you know. These five skandhas as shohaku, as a karmic person. And yet, at the same time, there is no such thing as shohaku. At the same time. It's not a matter of I have to negate this karmic side of shohaku. And see the emptiness of these five skandhas. But we have to see both. At the same time. And this is the same thing as I introduced what Dogen Zenji said in the Shobogen Makuhari Haramitsu.

[55:35]

In the Heart Sutra, Makuhari Haramitsu is kind of a Dogen's comment on the Heart Sutra. In the Heart Sutra, it says five senses are empty. Then Dogen Zen said, these five skandhas are five examples of prajna. You know, our common understanding of the Heart Sutra is five skandhas are empty, so we should not cling to those five skandhas. That is the teaching we understand from the Heart Sutra. But, Saint Dogen Zenji said, five skandhas are five examples or fivefold of prajna. That means we have to, you know, become familiar with five skandhas. And we have to take care of five skandhas. We have to value the form of five skandhas.

[56:36]

Five skandhas include things happening within our mind. you know, lupa and sensation, perception, formation, and consciousness. That is how we create, you know, duality. So, duality is created by five skandhas. And because five skandhas are prajna, those dualistic ideas or thinking are also one function of prajna. So, we should not just, you know, negate or eliminate those dualistic thinking. And yet, if we are deceived by those dualistic thinking produced by five skandhas, then we are completely deluded. So, five skandhas create samsara and nirvana.

[57:37]

Our five skandhas are themselves the true reality of all beings, our prajna. And this prajna creates delusion or illusion. So fat. So fat is our right way, our middle path as our life. How can we live without being deceived by five skandhas and taking care of five skandhas and see the true reality of five skandhas? So, in the case of Dogen Zen's teaching, to see the emptiness of five skandhas, and to see five skandhas as our reality of life, are both there. It seems to me, when you do a genzo-e, you're presenting Dogen's teaching, and every fascicle you present, ends up with this teaching of simultaneously.

[58:42]

Yes. You should bring that picture of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law with every time you do a genzo. Yeah, I think so. I made a mistake. I didn't bring it. Yeah, I think that is, you know, very unique, not unique, but very most essential point of Dogen's teaching. To not seeing our practice as a stage, stages, we are deluded. So, first we have to become free from our delusion. And yet, we need to come back to the market place that is the world of delusion to help others. This is, I think, Rinzai way of practice. And, you know, there's nothing wrong with this method. But Dogen Zen's method, not a method, is different. Both sides should be always together at the same time. So there's no, you know, stages or from starting point and goals.

[59:50]

But always entire Dharma is always revealing in each moment in whatever condition we are. Coming to Nirvana through the five skandhas, is that desirable? If we think it's desirable, we create duality. But Father Dogen said it's already there. We are already living in Nirvana. And yet at the same time we create samsara. So how can our practice, how can we find Nirvana within samsara? And this is Also, about our bodhisattva vows, I also always talk about bodhisattva vows.

[60:53]

The first of the four bodhisattva vows, that is, living beings are numberless. We vow to save them. This vow is a strange vow, I think. This means living beings or sentient beings or any beings. And the original word for save or free is DO. DO. SHUJO, MUHEN, SEIGAN, DO. The final word is DO. And this Do literally means to ferry or cross over. Cross over means to ferry people across over this river.

[62:01]

And this side is called this shore. And another side is called the other shore. Or Shigan. And Higan. And this shore is Sansara. And the other shore is Nirvana. And here is a big river between Sansara and Nirvana. And for this door or save or free means to help living beings to cross over this river and enter nirvana, enter the other shore, from leaving this shore and let them enter in the other shore.

[63:08]

This is the literal meaning of this vow. And this muhen is numberless. So, living beings are numberless. We vow to help them to ferry, to cross over this river. So, bodhisattva, work or practice of bodhisattva is to help people or beings cross over this river and help them to enter nirvana. But the tricky point is beings are numberless. That means there's no end to this work. And this vow means We, the bodhisattva, never enter nirvana until all other beings enter nirvana.

[64:16]

That means, this vow means, I will be the last person to enter nirvana. You know, this is literal. meaning, actual meaning of this vow. And I'm sorry, but you have already taken that vow. So, you cannot enter nirvana until all other beings have entered nirvana. So, we will be the last person. And that makes another strange idea. Right? If we are all bodhisattvas, no one is there. All bodhisattvas are working between this shore and other shore. So, there's no one is there. So, there's no time we can enter nirvana. This is really strange thing. And yet, this is very important point of bodhisattva practice.

[65:19]

You know, nirvana is empty. All people, all bodhisattvas are working this shore or between this shore and other shore to help others. That means there is no such other shore and there is no such river. But both samsara and nirvana where we are now. So unless we find nirvana within samsara, within where we are right now, right here, there's no such place called samsara. I mean, I'm sorry, nirvana. So nirvana and samsara are one. It's a very basic teaching of Mahayana Buddhism. In Mahayana Buddhism, the nirvana for Bodhisattva is called Mujushonehan.

[66:31]

Mujushonehan Neham. Neham is Nirvana. And Mu is no. And Ju is to stay or to dwell or to abide and so is place. So, Nirvana without a place of staying or abiding. You know, you may be familiar with the expression no abiding. That is the name of nirvana for bodhisattva. That means bodhisattva doesn't stay in samsara because of wisdom. And bodhisattva does not enter nirvana because of compassion. So bodhisattva has no place to stay.

[67:40]

Bodhisattva needs to move on or keep working. And that is nirvana. Well, that is my very basic understanding of Dogen's position within the history of Zen. And, we need to go back to Gyobu Tsuigi. Oh, and another thing in this paragraph is a mistake. expression is shou shaku juu shaku shaku juu

[68:57]

Shaku. This is a kind of a common expression in Zen literature. Sho is like a whiz. Shaku is mistake. Mistake. Shu is like to get or stick. And shaku is another mistake. So, with one mistake, get another mistake, is the literal meaning of this expression. Sho shaku ju shaku. And Dogenzen used this expression several places in Shobo Genzo. And he used this in a literal meaning, I mean, a positive meaning.

[70:02]

But before talking about Dogen's positive meaning, we have to understand the original meaning of this expression. According to the dictionary, I looked up all the dictionaries I have to find the original meaning of this expression. The first meaning seems, you know, when we make one mistake, we try to fix that mistake, and then that makes another mistake, and the problem becomes bigger and bigger. That is, it seems that is the original meaning of this expression. You know, one mistake, another mistake. So, the situation becomes worse and worse. And this is the way we live in samsara.

[71:06]

You know, there are twelve links of causation. From one mistake, try to fix that mistake. We try to make another mistake and try to fix that. Then we make another mistake and try to fix it. And yet, that was a mistake. So our condition become worse and worse. That is, seems that is the first, our original meaning of this expectation. And the second meaning of this expression according to a dictionary is, for example, a skillful craftsman. A skillful craftsman makes some mistakes, but if that craftsman is very skillful, the craftsman can take advantage of this mistake to create something new or to make it better.

[72:18]

So mistake is... How can I say? If we have enough skill, we can use the mistake as a way to create something new. something better. That is the second meaning of this expression. And the third meaning, that is, I think the meaning Dogenzen uses, is the same as... What is the expression? Kattou. Are you familiar with the word kattou? There is one chapter of Shobo Genzo entitled Katto.

[73:28]

And Katsu means... What is Katsu? That is Kuzu. Do you know kuzu? Kuzu is a plant that makes problems in the South. It was imported from Japan. Kuzu. K-U-D-Z-U. K-U-D-Z-U. Z-E-U. No, D-Z-U. D? Yes. Oh, really? In Japanese, this is kuzu. You know, vine. Very, very strong vine. It's, you know, vine grow so high and it's entwine the big tree and kill the tree.

[74:37]

So that is a problem people have in the south. So this is a vine. And to is wisteria. Wisteria. That is another kind of vine. So katsu and to both means vines. And this is usually translated as entanglement. And this is often used as a in relation with human relationship. Then me and someone has some twisted karma. We have some entanglement. And yet we cannot separate. Somehow we have to be together. And yet there is so much entanglement. So we cannot cut off and separate.

[75:38]

This kind of, you know, difficulty or conflict within human relations is called kattō. Like, you know, father and son or mother-in-law and son's wife often have that kind of kattō or entanglement. Right. That is how Dogen Zenji used this word, katto. So, katto has usually used in a negative meaning. But, Dogen Zenji in Shobo Genzo Katto, he used this expression in a very positive way as a continuation of Dharma. You know, Dharma was transmitted from Buddha to Mahakasyapa and Mahakasyapa to Ananda and go through China and Japan and to Dogenzenji and to us.

[76:50]

Buddha's practice and verification and his life is entwined with Mahakasyapa's and we cannot say which is the end of Buddha's and which is the beginning of Mahakasyapa's. And the same thing between Mahakasyapa and Ananda. So, all same Dharma continues even though the people are different. You know, that is entwining of dharma through teacher and student. That is how this expression kato, kato entwined with kato. So, everything is kato. All is the same dharma from Shakyamuni to

[77:55]

Dogen, or from us, or to us. This is what this kato, entwined kato, means in Dogen Zen's uses. Please. Yes. Even though Buddha and Mahakasyapa are different people, you know, they I think that is what Dogen said. You know, as a gyobutsu, this is continuation. But each person are different, independent people. But as a gyobutsu, this is, you know, one lifespan of practicing Buddha. From Shakyamuni to us. Is it also not just Shakyamuni to Mahakasyapa, but all people with all people?

[79:01]

Everyone, not just... I think so. As a reality of all beings, as a network of interdependent origination, not only people, but all beings are entwined or interconnected with each other. So Kato is another expression of interconnected. or interconnectedness, or connection, connectedness. And Dogen Zenji used this shoushaku, juushaku in the same way. Both are the same thing. One mistake, another mistake. So, in this case, this is not a mistake. But Dogen Zenji used... Dogen, maybe not Dogen, but Zen people used this negative word, mistake. to I think express, how can I say, the nature or reality of no self-nature, nothing fixed.

[80:08]

So in a sense, what I am doing is a mistake. as long as whatever we say is a mistake about this reality of emptiness. If we say it's there, that's a mistake. And if we say nothing is there, that's a mistake. Duality is a mistake. Non-duality is also a mistake, if we cling to it. So, and yet our practice is to express both within our day-to-day actual activities. So from one side, this action is a mistake. From another side, if we try to fix this mistake and do something else, from another side, this is also a mistake. So mistake after mistake, whatever we do, whatever we try to do, is a mistake.

[81:12]

one side or from another side you know please and then he goes on he goes on the translation says whatever we say is a mistake but presumably that doesn't mean not to say anything is also a mistake yeah that is what Dogen is saying is that yeah in the End of this Gyobu Tsuigi, Dogen Zenji quote, Seppo, Gensha, and Engo's sayings about all Buddhas expanding Dharma in the fire, in the flame. And at the last line of Engo's comment on this koan, it said, Vimalakirti is defeated. by Seppo and Gensha.

[82:19]

And in Dogenzen's comment, he said, Bimara killed him. And no, not Bimara killed him. He, Yuimakitsu, and he, Yuimakitsu, are both defeated. So saying something is all a mistake. But if we keep silence, that is another mistake. Yeah. So, whatever we do, whatever we say is a mistake. And if we don't say anything, that is also a mistake. And yet we cannot live without saying anything or without, you know, stopping saying anything. So, our life is, whatever we do, if we choose not to do anything, anything, all are mistakes. Do you get what this means? grammatically or emotionally connected? So whatever we say, because the separation is as great as, et cetera, et cetera.

[83:24]

Are they drawing grammatically on that statement that whatever we do, the separation of what and what? Well, it's already 11.30, so let me talk. return to Dogen's writings in this paragraph in the afternoon. This morning I just talked about, you know, the meanings of those three materials Dogen used to write, to compose this paragraph, and how he, you know, how can I say, put these parts together. And what he wants to say is something I still don't really clearly understand. So I would like to share my tentative understanding. Thank you.

[84:21]

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