I start paragraph 18, page 11. Let me read a few pages. Some people say that Buddha appears only in the realm of human beings. and they think that buddhas never appear in the other directions or other realms. If it is right, they say, is everywhere buddhas are residing the human realm. This is a saying of a human buddha. I alone am the venerable one. There must be heavenly buddhas and also buddhas in the buddha realm. If you say that buddhas appear only in the human realm, you have not yet entered the innermost chamber of the buddha ancestor.

[01:13]

An ancestor said, Having received the transmission of the true Dharma at the place of Kasyapa Buddha, went to Tsushita Heaven to teach the heavenly beings in Tsushita, and he still resides there now. We should truly understand that Shakyamuni Buddha in the human realm had spread the teaching of the manifestation of entering nirvana while Shakyamuni Buddha in the heavenly realm still resides and teaches heavenly beings. Students should know that there are thousands of changes and ten thousand of transformations in the sayings, practices, and expounding of Shakyamuni in the human realm.

[02:22]

These are emitting radiant light and manifesting auspicious signs within only one corner of the human realm. It is stupid to know that Shakyamuni in the heavenly realm I'm sorry, it is not to know that Shakyamuni in the heavenly realm teaches more than thousands of styles or ten thousand dharma gates. The essential teaching of the great way that has been authentically transmitted from Buddha to Buddha, that goes beyond extinction and drops off what is beginningless and endless. has been authentically transmitted only within the Buddha way. This is the virtue that other people do not know and have not yet heard.

[03:26]

In the places where Practice Buddha teaches, there are living beings that do not belong to the four types of birth. There must be places that do not belong to the heavenly realm. human realm, Dharma world, and so on. When you look at the dignified conduct of practice Buddha, do not use the eyes of heavenly beings or human beings. Do not use the heavenly and human sentiments. Do not try to measure dignified conduct with them. Even those in the ten stages of the sage and three stages of the wise have not yet known or clarified it, much less can human or heavenly beings fathom them.

[04:27]

Since human measurement is short and small, human wisdom is also short and small. Since our lifespan is short, our thinking is also short. How is it possible to measure the dignified conduct or practice Buddha with human sentiment? Excuse me. In the few paragraphs I talked this morning, Dogen Zenji kind of challenged our common understanding of life and death. And here he also again changing our common idea of what Buddha is. And it's kind of strange to me.

[05:32]

Anyway, First, he said, some people say that Buddha appear only in the realm of human beings and they think that Buddha never appear in the other directions or other realms. Of course, we think Buddha is Shakyamuni, a human being. It's a kind of a manifestation of formless dharmakaya in the form of human beings. But we never, I think, we never think of there are buddhas in the form of dogs or cats or snakes or birds. We only think buddhas are human beings and buddhas appear only in the human world. I think that is true. You know, almost all Buddha statues are shapes of human beings.

[06:37]

I think this, as far as I know, Dogen Zenji is only one person who has such a question. And he said, if it is like they say, or we think, is everywhere Buddhas are resizing the human realm. That means, does dog practice, does dog, can be a dog practice Buddha? Or a cat, or anything else. And there's no, there's no rule that dogs cannot be a Buddha. Or a cat cannot be a Buddha. Or trees. Five trees are not Buddha, cannot be Buddha. Why only human beings can be Buddha? And he said, this is the saying of a human Buddha.

[07:40]

I alone am the Venerable One. Human Buddha means this is what Buddha Shakyamuni said when he was born. But according to Dogen Zenji, this is a kind of an arrogant saying, I'm only venerable one. But if we say only human beings can be a Buddha, this is also saying only human beings can be enlightened. And this is very kind of a popular word, human-centered way of viewing things. And I think what Dogen is saying is that is not good. But no one else, I think as far as I know, no one else but Dogen Zenji said such a thing. So he's very kind of a, how can I say, liberated from even human point of view.

[08:46]

Human-centered way of viewing things. You know, even today we think You know, we are human beings, are owners of this planet. And we can use everything on this planet as we want to make us happy or satisfied. We, you know, we are really still really in a human center. But I think what Dougen is saying is we should become free from that kind of consciousness. We are the center of the world. We are the owner of the world. Not only self-centered, but also human-centered. Yes. Do animals and plants have a choice other than to be Buddha? I mean, it seems like they just are, you know, without even... like they all are.

[09:48]

Yes. To me, I don't know. Maybe so. I'm not sure. They are always making choice, probably. I don't know. I don't want to make such a decision. So he is saying there must be heavenly Buddhas and also Buddhas in the Buddha realm. That is a matter of course. In the Tendai teaching, it says, you know, there are ten Dharma realms. First six are six realms of samsara. And next, the realm of Shravaka, the Buddha's disciples, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva, and Buddha. All together, ten realms. And in Tendai teaching, within those, each of those ten, other ten, other nine are included.

[10:59]

That makes one hundred realms. That means even in the hell, Buddhas are there. And even in the realm of hungry ghosts, Buddha is there. So, you know, Buddha is everywhere. So, and yet we cannot imagine, you know, what is the shape of Buddha in the realm of, you know, animal or tree or something else. It's beyond our imagination. But it might be very simple just as there. Please. I understand that it's only in the human realm that Yeah, that is a common sense among Buddhist community.

[12:04]

You know, only human beings can be a Buddha. But Dogen is challenging about that idea. Is that different from, or how is it different from the Shinto idea that everything is animated by some spirit? maybe shared some common ground. You know, Dogen Zen said all beings are Buddha nature. That might be the same, you know, idea and came from the same ground. So everything, all beings in this universe are have dignity and it should be, how can I say, respected.

[13:07]

Nothing is valueless and nothing is the object of our desire to fulfill my desire. We have to live together with respect with all beings. So, if you say that Buddha appeared only in the human realm, you have not yet entered the innermost chamber of the Buddha ancestor. So, we have to be really careful about that human-centered way of viewing things. And, next thing he quoted is interesting but strange to me. An ancestor said, Shakyamuni Buddha, having received the transmission of the true Dharma at the place of Kashyapa Buddha, went to Tushita heaven to teach the heavenly beings in Tushita, and he still resides there now.

[14:22]

Well, you know, When we chant the names of our lineage, we start Pivasibutsu Dayosho. And the 6th is Kasyapa Buddha, Kasyobutsu Dayosho. And 7th is Shakyamunibutsu Dayosho. So, Shakyamunibutsu received Dharma transmission from Kasyapa Buddha. That is a common idea in Zen tradition. And Yet, this saying said, after receiving transmissions from Kashyapa Buddha, Shakyamuni went to Tushita Heaven, and he is still there. So, when he was here in this world, but Dogen Zen's interpretation, and we don't know who said this statement. We can't find this statement in anywhere.

[15:31]

Some commentary said this might be said by Tendo Nyojo Zenji, but we couldn't find such a statement in Nyojo's record of Nyojo's saying or Dogen's record about his teacher's saying. So we don't know who said this. Anyway, Dogen's comment on this saying is, we should truly understand that Shakyamuni Buddha, in the human realm, had spread the teaching of the manifestation of entering nirvana. So, in the human realm, about 2,500 years ago, in India, he entered nirvana. As the Nirvana Sutra said, while Shakyamuni in the heavenly realm still resides and teaches heavenly beings.

[16:33]

So, Shakyamuni Buddha was in two places. One Shakyamuni Buddha was born in this world and taught for about 40 years after he became Buddha and entered nirvana. But another Shakyamuni Buddha was staying in Tsushita Heaven. What this means... I don't really understand. Anyway... He went to Tsushita Heaven after entering Nirvana? Yes, so he returned to Tsushita Heaven. And one commentary said this is not about the Shakyamuni Buddha as an individual person. but he's talking about the lifespan of a practicing Buddha. As a practicing Buddha, you know, the person in the Twisted Heaven now, staying in Twisted Heaven, is my prayer.

[17:43]

And that is the continuation of Buddha's lifespan. So some commentator said, this refers to Maitreya. But I'm not sure. Please. Can you explain what Tsushita Heaven is? Is it a commonly used term? Yeah. It's kind of a common, well-known place. Tsushita Heaven is a part of the Indian Buddhist cosmology. you know, beyond this world there are layers of heavens. The heavens in the realm of the world of desire and the world of Shikikai Rupa, or material, and the world of non-material, or Arupa world.

[18:46]

There are three layers of the heavenly realms. And Tsushita heaven is a part of the heaven within the realm of desire. Before Shakyamuni Buddha was born into this world, he stayed at this place, Tushita Heaven. And, excuse me, after Shakyamuni left Tushita Heaven, now Maitreya Bodhisattva is there and waiting there until the time he was going to be born to this world. That is a common kind of story in Buddhism. So, my prayer will be the next Buddha coming to this world.

[19:51]

That is the idea. Please. Didn't Buddha three times, I believe, say not to get focused on metaphysics? These cosmologies came from the Indian mythology. And the Indian Buddhists accept those, you know, myths and pantheons of gods. And they consider those Indian gods as the guardian gods of Dharma. Yes. Anyway, Dogen says, students should know that there are thousands of changes and ten thousands of transformations in the sayings, practices, and expounding of Shakyamuni in the human realm.

[21:01]

So, he taught the Dharma in many different ways, using many different skillful means. And these are emitting radiant light and manifesting auspicious signs within only one corner of the human realm. So, what the Buddha taught in the human realm is only one tiny part of this world or this universe. And it is stupid not to know that Shakyamuni in the heavenly realm teaches more than thousands of styles or 10,000 dharma gates. That means the human Buddha Shakyamuni taught was only for human beings. But Shakyamuni staying at Tsushita Heaven teaches to the heavenly beings.

[22:04]

It might be very different from the teaching for human beings. I don't really understand what he's saying. And I don't know whether what he's saying is right, true or not. But what he wants to say is his next sentence. The essential teaching of the Great Way that has been authentically transmitted from Buddha to Buddha. that goes beyond extinction and drop off, that is meaningless and endless, has been authentically transmitted only within the Buddha way. This is what he said. We should first go beyond extinction.

[23:06]

This is Chōetsu. Danzetsu. And Datsuraku. Mushimushūfu. Chōetsu, Dan, Zetsu, Datsu, Raku, Mu, Shi, Mushu. Chō and Etsu both mean transcend or to go beyond.

[24:15]

And, uh, dan is to cut. And, zetsu is, uh, discontinue. And, datsuraku is a famous word that means dropping off. And, mu is no, she is beginning. and no shu is end and according to some commentaries there is some shuwa bogenzo has been transmitted as a hand copy This might be miscopied. And some monks scholars, such as Menzan, thought this may not be zetsu, but this means zoku.

[25:21]

The shape of the character is pretty similar. And in this case, if this is zoku, Zoku means continuation, to continue. So, the meaning is opposite. If we transcend or go beyond, Danzetsu means extinction, extinction. So, we should go beyond extinction. And also, we should drop off. Mushu-mushu means to be eternal. There is no beginning and no end. There is no extinction. So, if the hanji is this one, this and this is opposite.

[26:28]

And we should go beyond extinction and we should drop off What is the word? Eternity. Everlasting, ever-continuing thing. Please. Is Dan Zetsu the third noble truth? The third noble truth? Extinction? No, that is Metsu, not Zetsu. Metsu means to cease or to vanish. And death can mean the same meaning, but death is never used to show the third noble truth. So, Danzetsu is, you know, extinction. And Mushimushu is eternal, everlasting. So, if this kanji, Dogen Zen uses this kanji, this means we should go beyond extinction.

[27:37]

It means Buddha entered nirvana and disappeared or extinct. And Buddha is permanent or eternal. We should go beyond the idea that Buddha disappeared or extinct when he entered nirvana. And we should drop off our idea that Buddha is permanent or eternal as a dharma body. We should become free from both ideas. And if Dogen Zenji used this kanji Instead of zetsu, this dan and zoku is opposite. That means, within this, there is opposition.

[28:37]

So, we should go beyond... So, in this case, dan is cutting off or... What is the word? Discontinuation or extinction. And zoku is continuation. So, we should go beyond discontinuation and continuation. So, within this one word, this pair is included. In that case, we should go beyond the idea of the Buddha's body or Buddha's life continue and discontinue. And also we should drop off the idea of, you know, Buddha's life is eternal. We should become free from both ideas. You know, this is kind of a famous, not a famous, but a common idea.

[29:44]

We should become free from danken. Danken and Joken. Ken, both Ken means view. And that is Danken in English translation. Do you know? Joken is eternalism. And Danken is nihilism, or the view that things are extinct. Things disappear, cease to be. And Buddha said this is one extreme, and this is another extreme. Does someone know the English translation of these two views?

[30:51]

That is negated by Buddha. Eternalism and nihilism. So, this is nihilism and this is eternalism. So, Nogen is saying the same thing. And we should become free from both. Buddha is eternal. And also Buddha, you know, one Buddha dies and next Buddha appears. I mean, this is the way, I think, this is the way Dogen wants us to see the life of Gyo-Butsu or practice Buddha. It is neither, you know, permanent or eternal in our human idea.

[31:56]

And it's not individual, you know, person by person thing. So this means, you know, as I wrote, you know, we are living within the flow of time. conventional time free flows from past through present to the future and here is a time that doesn't flow and I said you know this moment or each moment is a gateway between this time, this conventional time, to the time that doesn't flow. This is the eternal life of Shakyamuni. That is what I said, the Dharma body. But if we think Buddha's life is eternal in this idea of time,

[33:05]

our common idea of time, then that is a mistake. But Buddha's eternal life is manifested only moment by moment. If we think, you know, This continuation and continuation is happening within this common idea of time. Then we misunderstand what Buddha is. But Buddha's eternal life doesn't mean he lived forever in terms of this idea of time. Does it make sense? Good. Thank you. Please. Are other Buddhists in the same realm?

[34:10]

I am not sure. His, Dogen's, idea is very kind of unique, but I'm not sure if other Buddhist teachers say the same thing or not. But Dogen thought that there were other Buddhists with Buddha, Shakyamuni's Shakyamuni Buddha? Pardon me? Is this application just for Shakyamuni Buddha, or is it other Buddhas also? Dogen is talking about the Gyo-butsu practice Buddha. He is discussing about practice Buddha. And even when he is called, you know, this Buddha with the name of Shakyamuni, This refers to practice Buddha. That means our practice. So he's not talking about Buddhist mythology. Oh, thank you. At least in this writing.

[35:20]

So this is Buddha's lifespan, moment by moment. And at the same time, it's eternal life that is always there. It doesn't flow, it doesn't change. But it manifests only within moment by moment. Excuse me. And he said, this is a virtue that other people do not know and have not yet heard. So this is his very unique idea. In the places where practice Buddha teaches, there are living beings that do not belong to the four types of birth. This is what he discussed. in the previous paragraph. And there must be places that do not belong to the heavenly realm, human realm, Dharma world and so on.

[36:41]

There must be many other places even we don't know the names. When you look at the dignified conduct of practice Buddha, Do not use the eyes of heavenly beings or human beings. Do not use the heavenly and human sentiments. This is what he wanted to say when he discussed about life and death and about our idea of Buddha. We see things and think things and grasp things with this human sentiment. our eyes of human beings. So, that is how we can do. That is the only thing we can do. But he said we should be free from it. So, you know, in the section I talked this morning, he said we should doubt and question what is life, what is death, and what is Buddha.

[37:52]

But when we question or inquire, we should not think and view things based on our human karmic way of viewing things. So, it's really difficult thing. How can we inquire without using our human point of view? That is only way we can see. So, what he is saying is There is another way of viewing things. That is the way we see within letting go of thought. That is our Zen. Excuse me. Do not try to measure dignified conduct with human point of view, with Zen. Even those in the ten stages of the sage and three stages of the wise have not yet known or clarified it.

[39:03]

Much less can human or heavenly beings follow them. These ten stages or three stages is referred to you know, according to Mahayana teaching, from the starting point of bodhisattva practice, when we are as bodhicitta, until the goal, that is buddhahood, there are 52 stages. And these 10 stages of sage and 3 stages of wise refer to upper stages within these 52 stages. If you want to find exactly where they are, you can look up some Buddhist texts, but I don't think I have time to talk about that today, because

[40:05]

We have a long way to go. But this, that means, this idea of stages from starting point to the goal, that is Buddhahood, is made by human beings who have never been to the goal. You know, it is said the final stage, the tenth stage of bodhisattvas, and it is said among the human beings, Nagarjuna, only Nagarjuna, went to the seventh stage of final ten stages. So we are much below there. And yet we discuss about these stages as if we are seeing the map that, you know, this is, according to Dogen, this is really strange thing. We are discussing how to go there where we never been there. So would it be accurate, do you think, to say that these are all various encouragements from Dogon not to be small-minded, to recognize that our universe is so vast, and that it's foolish to think we understand much less than we do?

[41:33]

to commandeer some aspect of it. Yeah, we think, you know, the way we think, the way we view things is absolutely right way of viewing things. And we don't know the limitation of our way of viewing things. So it's very anti-arrogant. Anti-arrogant, yeah. Against arrogance. Yes, even though sometimes he's saying sound arrogant. But he is saying that we should be humble. That we cannot see the absolute reality. We can only see from human point of view. So we should let go of our grasping of the human point of view. Especially since human wisdom is short and small. Yes. Since human measurement is short and small, human wisdom is also short and small.

[42:40]

So we should see the limitation of our ability. We cannot see this world from outside objectively. But we are very tiny part of this world and we have to see this world from inside. So we have to... we cannot be arrogant and we cannot say we know everything, we see everything. We cannot see without taking position within this world. So our view is limited. Since our lifespan is short, Our thinking is also short. How is it possible to measure the dignified conduct of a practiced Buddha with human sentiment? He said, the dignified conduct of a human Buddha, a practiced Buddha, has no such limitation because we let go of our self-cleansing.

[43:50]

Next paragraph. Therefore, do not accept the lineage that simply takes the human realms to be buddhadharma and that narrowly takes human dharma to be the buddhadharma. As Buddha's children, They are simply living beings born according to the karmic retributions. So, what he is saying is that we should not, how can I say, grasp our understanding about Buddha dharma and say this is dharma. With our human sentiment, human point of view. Human point of view means... I think the characteristics of human way of viewing things is whether it's

[45:09]

benefit this person or not. Or whether what I can get from this. What is the reward I can receive from this. How I can use this to make this person happy or satisfied. That is human point of view. So we Dogen said we should not use Buddhadharma as a kind of a method to satisfy our human-centered desires. That is Bodhisattva practice. We try to find the best thing for both self and others. We try to live together With all beings, fat is the best thing to do for all beings, not only for this person.

[46:18]

That is bodhisattva practice or bodhisattva way of doing things. But human view is fat is good for me, always for me. But we often use Buddha Dharma to satisfy our mind's desire to be happy. That is a problem. If we practice, study and practice Buddha Dharma with such an attitude, Dogen said, they have not yet listened to the Dharma with their body and mind. They don't have a body and mind that have practiced the way. They are not born following the Dharma. They do not perish following the Dharma. They do not see following the Dharma. They do not hear following the Dharma.

[47:22]

They do not walk, stand still, sit or lie down following the Dharma. So, his statement is very strong. He repeated the same thing so many times. Excuse me. This group of people have not yet received the benefit of the Dharma. Practicing Buddha is not attached to original enlightenment, is not attached to gradual enlightenment, is not without enlightenment, is not with enlightenment. This is a description of the above principle. So, whatever word we use, if we think of Buddha's teaching, for the sake of this person, or for the sake of only human beings, then whatever word we use, like awakening, or awareness, or enlightenment,

[48:31]

or whatever, that is limited only within human system of value. He continued the same thing. Such concept as having thought or unen and being without thought, unen or munen, Mu same nen. Unen, U is being, Mu is no being. And then, here is thought. So, unen is our usual way of thinking, using our mind.

[49:35]

And munen is no thought. And, commonly, in Buddhism, we think The goal of our meditation practice is to eliminate thought. So, munen is enlightenment. So, munen is a good thing and unen is a busy mind. Or, having awakening. That is, u-kaku. and Mu Kaku. Kaku is one of the Chinese characters that can be translated as enlightenment. The literal meaning of Kaku is awakening.

[50:37]

That is, like, you know, while we are sleeping, we dream. And dream is not a real thing. But when we wake up, we see the real thing. That is one meaning of enlightenment. That is kaku. So, mukaku is good thing and usually mukaku is not good. We are still deluded and dreaming. But sometimes mukaku is used beyond mukaku, beyond awakening. Then, we are completely awake. You know, we have no such things called awakening. That is called mukaku. So, depending upon the context, mukaku and ukaku is used either positive or negative way. For gradual enlightenment, or original enlightenment, these are also the expressions used in Buddhist texts.

[51:48]

Gradual enlightenment is shikaku, and original enlightenment is hongaku. These two specific terms are used in the text named Awakening of Faith in Mahayana. But all those words or terms or concepts used in the Buddhist texts, if we understand and grasp those things for the sake of, for the benefit of this human being, this self or only human, then, he said, that is just a human, how can I say, view. Those terms which are thought by the common people of these days, common Buddhist people, are solely the thoughts of the common people. They are not what has been transmitted from a Buddha to another, from a Buddha to another Buddha.

[52:55]

When we make it a concept and use it for the sake of this person's understanding or discussion, then we miss the real thing as a practiced Buddha. Please. So, would it be accurate to say that if we hold on to these ideas, then that's common people? Yeah. If we let go of these ideas, then that's Buddha? Let go and just do. Practice it. Instead of just keeping those concepts and play with those concepts within the discussion and the argument. That is what have been doing, you know, Buddhist scholars at the time of Dogen. But we have to do it. And in doing, do it means practice Buddha. In doing it, You know, we don't need such concept, those concepts, because those are actually done, actually actualized.

[54:02]

Does it make sense? I'm trying to understand the difference between common people and Buddha. Yeah, in here, common people means people who are living for the sake of that person's benefit. You're living for the sake of that person's benefit. Yes. Yes. Not two different groups of people. But whether we practice it or not. Yes. That's why he's saying. So having thought of unen of the common people and having thought of the Buddhas are extremely different from each other.

[55:07]

Do not compare them. That means Buddha's thought is how to help people and our thought is how to benefit this person. The original enlightenment sought by the common people and the original enlightenment verified by the Buddhas are as far apart from each other as heaven and earth. These are beyond comparison. This expression apart, far apart from each other as heaven and earth is also from Shinjinmei, but here he used in a common usage, common meaning, that is, you know, very different. So he sometimes used without twisting the meaning.

[56:08]

The discussions among the Buddhist sattvas in the ten stages of the sage and the three stages of the wise are still different from the way of all Buddhas. How is it possible for the common people who vainly count the grains of sand to fathom it? This refers to Buddhist scholars only memorizing the number You know, as I said this morning, when we study Buddhist teachings, first we memorize those Dharma members, Dharma numbers. Like, you know, Eightfold Noble Path, Four Noble Truths, those things. And it's like, you know, calculating amount of... This is often said, you know, this is... Memorizing all those things is like a... calculating the amount of money at the bank, you know, by the worker at the bank.

[57:22]

You know, those are just a number. Nothing belongs to themselves. So, to memorize all those concepts has nothing to do with real Buddha Dharma. So, those people are called people who mainly count the grains of sand. And yet, there are many people who consider the mistaken views of the common people and non-Buddhists as the realm of all Buddhas. we must be careful what buddhadharma really means and what is it how we can practice instead of make it a concept. All buddhas have said that the unwholesome roots of such people are deep and heavy.

[58:36]

This is also a quote from the Lotus Sutra. And they are to be pitied. Although the unwholesome roots of those people have no particular beginning, their burden are deep and heavy. You know, we don't really know why we think in this way as a human being. How we can, why we can be so much human-centered or self-centered. We don't know, but somehow that is the way we think, we view things. We don't know when it starts. We are not taught, and yet, kind of a naturally or as a karmic nature, We think in that way. So, I think Dogen included himself as a human being.

[59:40]

And for a while, they should let go of their deep and heavy burdens. So, we should let go of this heavy burden. It's very difficult for us to be free from this, you know, self-centeredness. But, for a while we should let go. That is our practice. Put on their eyes and carefully look. Even if they grasp such burdens, and invest themselves, it is not something that happens for the first time. I don't really understand what this means. So, I cannot say anything. I'll try to understand next time.

[60:43]

But anyway, what he's saying is we should let go of our human-centered or ego-centered way of viewing things when we really study Buddhadharma and practice Dharma. Please. So, I had a question about benefit myself. So... I think we should say benefit only myself. Even if we injure others. So there's a natural way that we want to benefit ourselves. I want to benefit myself. When I'm hungry, I want to eat. That's natural. When I need to use the bathroom, I want to go to the bathroom. That's a benefit to myself. Is there something wrong with that? I don't think so. I think the problem is that is the meaning of our life. That is the goal of our life.

[61:47]

That is the reason to be. To benefit ourselves. If we think, you know, to satisfy our desire, I think need and desire are different. You know, when we are hungry, we need food. But we don't need, you know, how can I say, chocolate or fancy food. So I think necessity and desire more than necessity should be, how can I say, make distinction. You know, so to live we need some necessity. We need some water. We need some food. We need some clothing. But if we think my goal of my life is to have to eat the fancy food every day and to wear expensive luxurious garment every day.

[63:06]

and so on, and have fame and wealth, even as a kind of a result of competing and fighting with others. I want to desire, fulfill my desire, and if that is the goal of our life, I think that is a problem. So this is very narrow. What you're describing is very narrow. Maybe Govind is saying to be wider, a much wider idea, rather than to benefit myself is wrong or bad. This is a very common idea that we have, is, oh, if I'm benefiting myself, that's bad. Oh, that's a bad thing. Stop doing that. But I think we get on the trip. Well, not only Dogen, but in Buddhism in general, or at least in Mahābodhisattva practice, it benefits both self and others.

[64:27]

Yeah, I think you said earlier, benefiting yourself at the expense of others. I think that's different than just benefiting yourself. It's benefiting yourself and harming others in order to benefit yourself. That's what you said earlier in the conversation. Yes, that's the point. When he's, like, this is what I'm going on, what he's saying is that to see things in terms, or see enlightenment, or non-enlightenment, in terms of evaluating rather than freedom, then you get into worrying about how to benefit yourself and others in general.

[65:36]

how that works, and you lose the freedom of not getting into all that thinking about it, and instead doing the practice Buddha stuff, which is more in this realm of freeing our mind from doing this. Yeah, that is the way we liberate ourselves from self-clinging. by letting go, opening the hand. I think. Well, next. We have some more time. Good. Now he started to talk about this again, this dignified conduct of practicing Buddha as a revelation. Now, the dignified conduct of practice Buddha is free from any obstruction.

[66:45]

It is beyond any obstruction because being obstructed by Buddha is this interesting. It has been penetrating the vital path of being covered with mud and soaked in water. This expression, being covered with mud and soaked in water, is a kind of a common expression in Zen literature. Da Dei Tai Sui The day is mud, and sui is water.

[67:50]

And here, ga is translated as to be covered. And tai is soaked, so we become very completely wet and covered with mud. This is an image of For example, the water buffalo working in the rice paddies in China. You know, it's really hard work, working in the muddy water and covered with dirt or mud and soaked in the water. You know, Dogen Zenji used this image of water buffalo in Tendo Kyokun. But that is a kind of a symbol of Bodhisattva practice. And this expression, I think, appeared in the second case of Blue Cliff Record.

[69:02]

So, this practice dignified conduct, or practice Buddha, is a practice like a water buffalo working in the rice paddy. It's a really hard work, and it's not a neat work. You know. And not many people want to do this, this kind of work. But this is the work for the Bodhisattva. And some Chinese Zen masters like, who is that? I-san, Rei-yu said, when I die, I will be born as a water buffalo at a farming family at the foot of the mountain. So, Bodhisattva vow is to work like a water buffalo in the muddy water.

[70:21]

So, in this sentence, the dignified conduct or practice of Buddha is free from any obstruction. Free from any obstruction is Muge. This ge is the same ge in keige, he used before, that is obstructed. So, there is no obstruction in this practice of practice buddha or gyōbutsu. Excuse me. And it said, it is beyond any obstruction because being obstructed by Buddha.

[71:29]

He said, you know, this Gyo-Butsu is obstructed by Buddha. So, there is obstruction. It's kind of strange thing to say. But, Here, when he said he is obstructed by Buddha means protected by Buddha or become really one with Buddha. He used the same expression in Fukanza Zen, being obstructed by the Zen. It has been penetrating the vital path of being covered with mud and soaked in water, means vital path of the Bodhisattva. So, in the heavenly realm, or that is, that place, above, practice Buddha transforms heavenly beings, and in the human realm, this place,

[72:36]

Practice Buddha transforms human beings. Practice Buddha has the virtue of opening a flower and the virtue of the world arising. This is the expression, same expression he used before. When a plum blossom blooms, the world, entire world, wake up and spring is there. So, Practice Buddha has that, excuse me, that power to bring the spring by, even though the Practice Buddha is tiny, a flower. When it blooms, you know, other flowers follow this first flower. this entire world will become a spring. There has been no gap between them at all.

[73:44]

Between them means the flower and the world. You know, this is the same as when we sit even for a short time, this entire world becomes spring. This entire world becomes world of enlightenment in Jeju Zanmai. You know, the person's practice or action and the world in which the person is living or doing is exactly the one thing. That is very basic point of Dogen in this writing. So, the dignified conduct has dignity because this is one with all beings in this entire time and space. For this reason, there is complete dropping off of self and others. And there is, this is, dropping off, separation between self and others, self and the world.

[74:54]

This is what Dogen said in Genjo-Koan. and there is incomparable surpassing within coming and going. This surpassing is not a matter of comparison more than other people, but because the person and the world is one thing, this person's action is this entire world's action. So when a tiny plum blossom is blooming, the entire world is blooming. That is his idea of dignity, dignified conduct. Even though we are so small, tiny, and even the Buddhist Sangha is small and tiny, but when we practice with this attitude, our practice is

[76:00]

you know, making echo with entire world. Please. I think if I kind of, I mean, it's not like Ten Commandments or something like that. Ten Commandments. I mean, it's not a set number of rules of how to act. No, no. And what I'm trying to get is, in Uchiyama, where she had the wonderful phrase of opening the hand, What I've just been reading is very poetic and very nice, but it is the dialogue of, I've forgotten, Zazenji, and I assume they're the same work. It's thinking, having thoughts, unen, is that the same unen? And then not thinking, unen. And then how do you think? Not thinking, not thinking.

[77:01]

But is that what is being implied by that when he says people should let go of their heavy burdens? Yeah. Yeah. Basically what he's writing here, or discussing in this writing, is based on his Zazen practice. So he said not only in Zazen, sitting in Zazendo, But in all the activities we do with the same attitude. It's the same like a small flower blooming in the world. Blooming together with all beings in the world. Yes. Yes. I think we can finish this paragraph.

[78:07]

I still don't understand this surpassing thing. It's not a matter of comparing with others, but unsurpassing is beyond any comparison. So, this practice, you know, of letting go of thought, there's no competition with others. I just do it. And this is unsurpassable. Does it make sense? And next line is, next two lines, the expression is also again from the Lotus Sutra. Practice Buddha is instantaneously going to Tushita heaven.

[79:11]

Instantaneously coming from Tushita heaven. Instantaneously Tushita heaven itself. Practice Buddha is instantaneously going to Sukhavati. Sukhavati means peace and joy or Anraku, pure land. instantaneously coming from Tsukiyabati Pure Land, instantaneously Tsukiyabati Pure Land itself. It is instantaneous and complete dropping off of Tsushita, instantaneous and complete dropping off of Tsukiyabati Pure Land. It is instantaneously crushing both Tsukiyabati and Tsushita into hundred pieces. instantaneously grasping and letting go of Sukhavati and Tushita. It is swallowing up them all in one single gulp.

[80:14]

Do you like this? There is an expression that Feng people accept and maintain this teaching in the Lotus Sutra. In one place, such people can instantaneously go to Tushita Heaven. And Tushita Heaven is a heaven where Maitreya Bodhisattva is staying now. And of course, you know, Sukhavati is the name of the Pure Land created by Amitabha Buddha. These two a kind of popular places people want to go after dying. Seriously. I mean, in medieval Japan, there are such, of course, still, you know, faith in Pure Land Buddhism.

[81:22]

is still very popular, the most popular form of Buddhism in Japan. But faith in Maitreya Buddha, I mean Bodhisattva still, and being born in Twister Heaven was also pretty popular at the time of Dogen. So these two are places people wish to go after their death. to practice. Those are the good places to practice. This world is a worst place to practice because we are in the age of final dharma. That is degenerate. There is no way to practice and no way to attain enlightenment. So their wish is to be born in the Tushita heaven and practice with Maitreya Buddha or practice with Amitabha Buddha.

[82:25]

So Pure Land and Tsushita Heaven is like a practice center. So it's not like a paradise. They can practice there. But here, what Dogen is saying is when we practice with this attitude, we are instantaneously going to Tsushita Heaven or Scavati Pure Land. It is here. We don't need to wait until we die to go there. When we practice, those Tushita Heaven or Pure Land, Buddha's Pure Land are here. That is what it said. Instantaneously going to Tushita heaven and coming from Tushita heaven.

[83:26]

So, coming from, we go and return and just be right now, right here. And instantaneously Tushita heaven itself. So, Tushita heaven is in our practice. We don't need to wait until we die. And same thing is about Sukhavati. Pure Land. So, it is instantaneous and complete dropping off of Tsushita Heaven and Scavati Pure Land. We need to drop off. That means our kind of, you know, this is not a genuine faith in Pure Land, but some common idea among common people about this faith in Pure Land Buddhism is to, you know, chant Nam-myam-da-butsu.

[84:31]

Nam-myam-da-butsu means, I take refuge in Amitabha Buddha. It's like buying a ticket to go to the Pure Land. So, if we practice in that way, that is not Buddha's practice at all. But, you know, when we practice Zazen, if we think we can get some good result, that is the same thing. So, we need to drop off Tushita Heaven or Pure Land. And, we should crush both Sukhavati and Tushita. That means we need to be free from, you know, going there, but it should be here, right now, right here, with this body and mind. So, it should be crushed into a hundred pieces.

[85:35]

Instantaneously grasping and letting go. Grasping and letting go. Not only Tsushita Heaven and Pure Land, but our idea of enlightenment or practice. Then, Practice Buddha or Gyobutsu appeared. And finally he said, our practice or dignified conduct of Practice Buddha is swallowing up them all in one single gulp. So, nothing outside. Everything is swallowed. Swallowed up means become one. I think this is a good place to stop talking. Any questions? Please.

[86:40]

The teaching of Jesus and where he stands. Do not ask where you will find the kingdom of heaven, for the kingdom of heaven is within you. Yes, yes. Yes, I have similar questions. You said that in the sacrifice, and the pure land, are these the equivalent of the common person wanting personal benefits? And if that's the case, why do we want to swallow them inside of ourselves? Swallow means, you know, become free from that kind of desire or idea that if we do this good thing, we can be there. We can get that ticket to go there. That is kind of a self-centered idea about religious practice. Right.

[87:47]

I got that part, but the swallowing part I'm not understanding. I mean, if you swallow it, that means it's inside of you. So that means you incorporated it with yourself. It seems to me like you still want it. Swallow that is just heaven and pure land. Yeah. So it's inside of ourselves. It's okay to have it inside of us, but it's not okay to grasp for it. Is there a difference? Yes. Yeah, grasp and become one is different, yes. What's the difference? Become one means we don't need to grasp. It's here. It's me. It's not my position, but these five scanners. Oh, the five skandhas. They're the Nirvana thing. That brings up another question I have, sorry, from an earlier paragraph. Practice Buddha goes to heaven, and he's teaching the heavenly games.

[88:54]

The teaching before we went over the other day was that we were teaching the people on this plane We were teaching about how we shouldn't let the miscandles give them some scars, instead to give them Nirvana. Is that what Buddhist, practice Buddhist teaching to the heavenly beings? I'm not sure. I'm not sure if I understand your question or not. What is the point of your question? We were talking about the river yesterday and we want to get over the river to the other shore. And I was wondering if the other shore is heaven. That shore is nirvana. Heaven is still in this shore. Heaven is in this shore. So this shore. OK. Thank you very much. OK.

[89:55]

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