Good afternoon, everyone. At the end of the morning lecture, I talked about an interpretation of Buddha's saying from Dharmapada about two sets of teachings. Teaching for the people in the world and teaching for people beyond the world. And one set of teaching is about doing good and go to heaven. Otherwise, you go to hell. This is kind of moralistic teaching. And another set of teaching is go to nirvana. To do so, we need to go beyond such distinction or discrimination between good and bad. probably that was not what Shakyamuni Buddha meant.

[01:41]

But I think that was the message Mahāyāna people hear from the system of monastic institutions and also the teaching system in Abhidharma. You know, I think Buddha taught either to the monks or to the lay people. He gave teachings, offered teachings, depending upon the person's problems or difficulties. But, you know, it's not a problem, but, you know, what Buddha taught. was collected and maintained by monks. So I think it's natural, you know, Buddha's teachings for monks are mainly collected.

[02:43]

Of course in Parinikaya there are some Buddha's teachings of Shakyamuni for lay people. But anyway, that was what I think Mahāyāna people hear from the condition of those monks, sangha, who they focus on, you know, studying Dharma and philosophical discussion. and make interpretations and, you know, practice meditation and going beyond good and bad. And they didn't, I mean, Mahayana people didn't like that kind of teaching or system. That was the point Mahayana people criticized the condition of monk-sangha in that age. means around the first century of the Common Era.

[03:49]

And first, some of the early Mahayana sutras, you know, Mahayana Buddhists are like a protestant. They said, So, in the early Mahayana Sutras, mainly the thing is the negation of such discrimination. The problem is, one side is discrimination, another side, going to Nirvana, we need to go beyond discrimination. But these two become discrimination, duality. duality between duality and non-duality. And if we think duality is not good, and non-duality or beyond duality is better, then this is reality, duality.

[04:53]

That is the main point the early Mahayana Buddhist Mahayana sutras wanted to say. So they are One of the main points of their teaching is nirvana and samsara are one. Samsara is duality, the realm of duality, and nirvana is the world of non-duality. But these two, or worldly and beyond-worldly dharma, should be one. How can we go beyond such discrimination, beyond discrimination and non-discrimination. That is, I think, the point of early Mahayana teaching. In the case of the Prajna Paramita Sutras, that is not one particular sutra, but a collection of many sutras, says,

[05:58]

point to go beyond this duality by the concept or insight of emptiness. There is no such fixed two realms. That's why samsara and nirvana can be one. And another Mahayana sutras such as Vimalakirti sutras Vimalakirti Sutra is a very interesting sutra. Vimalakirti is the name of the lay person. And this person was a very rich millionaire. And yet he has a very deep insight of Prajna. And he, basically what he did in that sutra is criticizing those great disciples of Buddha.

[07:09]

For example, about Mahakasyapa. You know, Mahakasyapa was one of the ten great disciples of Buddha, and Mahakasyapa put emphasis on very strict practice. Even after Shakyamuni Buddha accepted the donation of land and established a monastery, a Buddhist monastery, Mahakasyapa didn't want to live in the monastery. So he kept living in the forest. So he was famous for very strict practice. And according to the Vimalakirti Sutra, Mahakasyapa likes to eat only eat food he gained only by begging.

[08:13]

and he liked begging in the poor area in the town. So, Mahakasyapa didn't go to Vimalakirti's house. But Vimalakirti criticized at that point, you make discrimination. You make discrimination between poor and rich, and poor food and delicious food. This is kind of opposite. opposite discrimination from our common discrimination. Rich is better, delicious food is better than, you know, plain food. That is our common discrimination. But if we think this is better than that, you know, wealthy life and rich food, then that is another discrimination.

[09:17]

That is how, you know, Vimalakirti criticized Mahakasyapa. And one chapter of the Vimalakirti Sutra, Vimalakirti asked the Bodhisattvas how we can enter the Dharma gate of non-duality, oneness. Then there are many Bodhisattvas, and each Bodhisattva picked up certain duality, like arising and perishing. And going beyond duality is going beyond such discrimination between arising and perishing. And more than 20 Bodhisattvas said that same kind of things. what are duality and how they go beyond such duality.

[10:21]

But finally, Manjushri was the leader of bodhisattvas. Manjushri said to all those bodhisattvas, by saying such a thing, you made another duality. duality between duality and non-duality. And, in fact, Monji Shiri said, in order to enter the Dharma gate of non-duality, you should not use any language, any words. To say something is to make a distinction or discrimination. So in order to enter the reality of non-duality, we should keep our mouth shut. And let go of... You know, that is what Manjushri said.

[11:31]

He said, If you say anything, you enter the duality. That is what Manjushri said. Then Manjushri asked Vimalakirti, how do you enter non-duality? Then Vimalakirti kept silence. He didn't say anything. Then Manjushri praised Vimalakirti that his silence is most eloquent. eloquently express non-duality. So in order to enter the Dharma gate of non-duality, we have to stop saying anything. That is a basic message from Mahayana teachings. And it continues to Zen teachings. In many of Zen stories, when someone asks, You know, often they kept silence.

[12:37]

Or even the story about the transmission between Shakyamuni to Mahakasyapa, Buddha said nothing. And Mahakasyapa smiled. Within saying nothing and just watching the flower, and Mahakasyapa smiled without saying anything, you know, Dharma is transmitted. This means silence is the only possible way to transmit this Dharma of non-reality. So that is the main point of criticism from Mahayana Buddhists to those people in the monk sangha. They think they are beyond world and beyond non-duality. And they thought they could enter nirvana by practicing in that way.

[13:40]

But that is the way they create duality. But that is what mainly Mahayana sutras point out. But the Lotus Sutra might be made, produced, after those two Prajnaparamita and Vimalakirti Sutras. I think. Because, you know, they mainly criticized the monks' sangha. And they called Shravaka And there is another name called Pratyekabuddha. Shravaka literally means people who hear the voice. In this case, hear the voice of Buddha. That means Buddha's disciples. So monks in the big sangha are called Shravaka.

[14:49]

And they thought there is another group of people who are called Pratyekabuddha. Pratyekabuddha is like a hermit. You know, people who practice by themselves in the mountains or forest without having a teacher and experience the same awakening. So they have awakening. That is what is called Pratyekabuddha. And Pratyekabuddha means alone. means, doesn't belong to the Sangha or group. And Pratikabuddha doesn't teach. So practice by themselves, have experience awakening by themselves, and just enjoy the revelation and die. And actually that was the condition of Shakyamuni Buddha before he made a resolution to teach.

[15:58]

Shakyamuni Buddha had a kind of hesitation to teach because the truth or reality he discovered was too deep and difficult to understand. So he said it might be simply tiring to teach. No one could understand. But somehow the Brahman came and asked him three times. And he made this decision to stand up from his sitting under the Bodhi tree and walk to the Deer Park and started to teach. So before he made such a decision, he was Pratyekabuddha and he wanted to end his life as a Pratyekabuddha.

[17:04]

It might be easier for him. But those Mahayana sutras called those people in the Big Sangha and also Pratyekabuddhas as two vehicles. And those two vehicles are, from Mahayana point of view, Hinayana. Hina means small or smaller. So they called those people Hinayana. And they call themselves Mahayana, or big or large people. It means we embrace a larger group of people. But these monks are excluded. That's a problem. We like discrimination. so much. So that was a problem for the people or group who made the Lotus Sutra.

[18:10]

People who made the Lotus Sutra thought those shuravakas and the pratyekabuddhas should be included. So those early earlier than Rota Sutra, those Mahayana Sutras are called Bekkyo. Bek means separate or different. Means they separate Mahayana from Hinayana. And Mahayana, another name of Mahayana is Bodhisattvayana. So they thought that Bodhisattva Yana is larger than Hinayana. And Mahayana teaching is to become Buddha. The goal is to become Buddha. In the early story of Shakyamuni's life, not only after he was born, but since he allowed bodhicitta as when he was Sumedha, he took bodhisattva practice for more than 500 lifetimes.

[19:30]

In that story, that bodhisattva, was only one. No other people could be a bodhisattva. But those Mahayana people thought, if we allow bodhicitta, all of us are bodhisattvas. And sooner or later, we'll become Buddha. So, for Mahayana Buddhists, the goal is not to enter nirvana. but the goal is to become Buddha. And in order to become Buddha, as Sumedha made a decision, he stayed in Samsara to work with people. Unfortunately, you know, there are more people in Samsara than in Nirvana.

[20:34]

This is something to do with our vow. We often recite four bodhisattva vows. The first one is, beings are numberless. We vow to save them, or free them. The meaning of this vow is, we vow to save all living beings. And this word, save, is a translation of Do in Japanese or Chinese. Do means to cross over. Cross over means there is a river between this shore of Sansara and the other shore of Nirvana. There is a river. And to save or free means Bodhisattva works on this river. and help people within samsara to cross over this river and enter nirvana.

[21:40]

This is what this vow, being sun numberless, we vow to save them means. And in this case, save them all. All living beings. That means, unless all living beings enter nirvana, We, as a bodhisattva, don't enter nirvana. So this vow means, I will be the last person to enter nirvana. So this is a very strange vow. You know, if we are all bodhisattvas, no one is in the atasha world. Everyone said, you should go first. I will stay. You should go. So, actually, the other shore is empty. No one is there. So this is a very strange vow.

[22:41]

Almost nonsense. But this, you know, strange or paradoxical vow. And this is a very important point of Bodhisattva vows. So, bodhisattva is a kind of very paradoxical being. That means, you know, bodhisattvas always stay in samsara and practice with all beings. And if all bodhisattvas practice in the same attitude, then we can find nirvana right there. There is no competition. And actually that means there is no such river. There is no such boundary. That means nirvana and samsara are one.

[23:46]

depending upon our attitude. Our attitude means if we take bodhisattva vows and try to, how can I say, help others, to be helpful for others, then within this attitude, you know, we see, we discover nirvana right there. We don't need to cross over the river. That is, in my understanding, that is the meaning of this first of the Four Bodhisattva Vows. And I wrote this in my book, Living by Vows. So, what the Lotus Sutra people, the group of people who made the Lotus Sutra wanted to say is, Even Mahayana sutras such as Prajnaparamita or Vimalakirti made discrimination, exclude the Shravakas.

[25:00]

So, in the Lotus Sutra it says we should include Shravaka or Pratyekabuddha. or so-called Hinayana teaching. And that is mainly, that point is said in the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra. That is tactfulness in this translation. Or tactfulness is another Another translation for the same word is skillful means. The Sanskrit word is upaya. And the Japanese word is houben. Ho and Ben.

[26:15]

So the title of the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra is Ho-Ben-Hon. So I'd like to talk about the outline. I cannot talk about the entire chapter. It's pretty long. So I'd like to talk about outline of what is said in this chapter, Hōben Hon, and this is the most important, at least one of the most important chapters in the Lotus Sutra. As I said, this is the second chapter. The first chapter is called Jō Hon, that means introduction. And within the first chapter, Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, didn't say anything. That is like a Vimalakirti.

[27:24]

He gave some Dharma discourse. And that teaching was called Immeasurable Meanings. And after he gave that speech, he entered Samadhi. That means he started to sit and close his mouth. But something special happened at that time. There was some curly hair on his forehead. From there, he emitted the light. and he illuminates the world in the east. I don't know why east. But it said when Shakyamuni Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree, he tried to find the best place to sit and somehow he found sit facing the east was the best.

[28:32]

So he sat towards the east. That's why he could see the morning stars. I don't know if that is true or not. Anyway, not only when he was sitting under the Bodhi tree, but when he had some kind of gathering and he gave a dharma talk, He always, not always, I'm not sure always or not, but he usually sit facing east. And people, audience, sitting facing the west in India. But in China, it's changed. You know, almost all temple buildings were built in China, built towards the south. So Buddha Hall is built towards, facing the south.

[29:40]

So Buddha is always facing the south. And so usually persons who give Dharma discourse also face the south. That's a kind of a cultural difference. Why I'm talking about this? Anyway, Buddha emitted the light from his forehead and illuminated the world in the East. And because of this light, everything became clear. And people saw all living beings. within not only six realms, but according to Tendai teaching, ten realms. Ten realms means six realms, and realms of Shuravaka, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva, and Buddha makes ten.

[30:43]

So not only six, but ten realms. Everything becomes really clear within Buddha's samadhi. So, Bodhisattvas, people, thought this is something unusual. And they wanted to know the meaning of this unusual happening. Then people asked Manjushri. Manjushri is a Bodhisattva as a symbol of wisdom. And Manjushri said, had the same kind of eyes, experienced the same kind of phenomena. Buddha, certain Buddha, in the past did the same thing, and after that, that Buddha expound the absolute Dharma, or great Dharma. That is the Lotus Teaching, Lotus Sutra.

[31:49]

So, basically what Moenji Shuri said was Shakyamuni was going to expound the Lotus Sutra. That is what is said in the first chapter. So, Buddha was sitting without saying anything. So people were waiting. You know, Buddha And that is the beginning of the second chapter of Ho-Ben-Hon. In this chapter, Shariputra, Shariputra was one of the ten greatest disciples of Buddha. Shariputra asked Shakyamuni, please expand, teach the Lotus Sutra or the absolute truth or reality. But that is the beginning of this chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

[33:05]

And the very first sentence of the second chapter is as follows. At that time, the World Honored One, rising quietly and clearly, from contemplation or samadhi addressed Shariputra. So Buddha said, Shariputra, the wisdom of Buddhas is very profound and infinite. Their wisdom school is difficult to understand and difficult to enter. so that the Shravakas and the Pratyekabuddhas cannot apprehend it. So Buddha said, you cannot understand to Shaliputra, because Shaliputra was Shravaka. This is very interesting.

[34:12]

You know, Shariputra was one of the greatest disciples, but Buddha said, you don't understand. And this is a kind of a same situation, or situation or condition, Shakyamuni Buddha had under the Bodhi tree. He thought, you know, the truth or reality He awakened too, what he experienced is too deep and subtle, so no one could understand. If I try to teach, I simply become tired. So I wish to enjoy this liberation and lie quietly. That was his first thought after he experienced awakening. But as I said, Brahmman came and asked him to teach and Shakyamuni rejected twice.

[35:18]

I don't want to. But third time, according to certain version of this story, I think in Parivinaya, where Gurahuma asked Shakyamuni to take Shakyamuni to somewhere. There is a pond in which lotus are growing. So from the very beginning of Buddhist history, you know, this lotus flower is used as a symbol of Dharma. And what Buddha observed in the lotus pond is, you know, lotus grow from the muddy water. And some lotus cannot reach the surface of the muddy water.

[36:27]

But some lotus could go to reach the surface. but also some lotus could grow beyond the surface and bloom a very beautiful flower. So, from the very beginning, this is an image of a Dharma flower or Buddha's teaching. you know, grow from the muddy water, but go beyond the muddy water and bloom the beautiful flower. So, even within this image, you know, the muddy water is like a worldly dharma. And yet, we could go beyond worldly dharma and bloom

[37:34]

the Dharma flower. So this is really an image of the Dharma. And, you know, after the Oryo Kimi, Ino chants the... what do you call it in English? In Japanese we call it the Shosekai Bon. You know, in Chinese Zen monasteries, in the Oryoku-myu, they didn't chant this verse. So, according to Dogen, the first Japanese Zen master who went to China and transmit Rinzai Zen and founded the first Japanese Zen monastery named Kekninji, was the person who started to chant this verse.

[38:45]

Could you chant that verse? That is the image of this. So this is the image of the lotus as a Dharma flower which doesn't leave the muddy water. came out of muddy water and go beyond the muddy water. So this is how, you know, this worldly, or Rokika and Rokottara can be integrated. And yet go beyond. It go beyond and yet it doesn't leave. It stay in the muddy water.

[39:49]

And yet go beyond the muddy water. and bloom the beautiful flowers. That is the image of the Lotus Sutra. And another thing about the Dogenzenji and the Lotus Sutra is, you know, also during Oryou Kimi-Iru, we chant ten names of Buddha, like Avalokiteshvara, Vairochana Buddha, Pure Dharma You know, the name of that chant is called Jūbutsu Myō. That means Ten Names of Buddha. But strange thing is there are eleven. Have you ever counted? There are eleven. And Dōgen Zenji added one. And that one is... Daijin Myoha Ringa Kin in Japanese.

[40:57]

That means Mahayana Sutra of... how do you say? Here. Yes. That was Dogen's addition. So Dogen made this 11 names of Buddha. So for Dogen, this image of lotus flower came from the Lotus Sutra was very important. Here we are. When Shariputra asked Buddha, please expound the Dharma, this absolute Dharma, Buddha had a hesitation and rejected. You know, even I say something, you don't understand. And he continued, Shariputra, essentially speaking, the Buddha has altogether fulfilled the infinite, boundless, unprecedented law.

[42:14]

In this translation, Dharma is translated as law. I don't like this translation, so let me use Dharma. So boundless unprecedented dharma. Enough Shariputra. There is no need to say any more. That means keep silent. Wherefore, because the dharma which the Buddha has perfected is a chief unprecedented dharma and difficult to understand. Only a Buddha, only a Buddha together with a Buddha can fathom the reality of all existence. So, only Buddha together with Buddha, that means no Shravaka, not only no Shravaka, but no human beings could understand and see this reality of all beings.

[43:18]

Only Buddha can see. And that reality is named the reality of all existence. This is one of the most important words in the Lotus Sutra. shōhō jissō shō means various or many or all and hō is dharma

[44:28]

In this case, this dharma means beings or existence. And jitsu means truth, true or genuine, or actual or real. And so usually translated as a form. But to translate this so as a form, I think, is confusion. So I translate this expression as true reality, true reality of all beings, instead of true form. Because there is another, how can I say, this same word is appeared in ten suchness. And after Buddha Shakyamuni said, this shoho-jiso, true reality of all beings, can be, in this translation, used as a fathom.

[45:38]

The word in this Chinese translation used is gu-jin. yui-butsu, you-butsu, or only buddhas together with buddha, guu-jin, shoho-jisho, nai-no-guu-jin, and this guu means to make it clear, so clearly seeing, and jin is completely, without leaving anything, Fathom could mean such a deep, perfect, complete understanding. I think fathom means to measure, right? To understand. Also fathom could mean to understand.

[46:43]

Understand. Okay, then fathom is okay. Anyway, so he, Shakyamuni, mentioned this word. true reality of all beings. And he continues in this translation. Please. Could you say something about only a Buddha together with a Buddha? Why is it that only a Buddha together with a Buddha can understand the true reality of all beings? I think last time We have Genzoe here. We studied that first clause of Shobo Genzoe entitled Yoibutsu Yobutsu. Only Buddha together with Buddha. It's a very interesting expression. That only Buddha together with Buddha means only Buddha, no human beings, or no Shurapaka in the context of the Lotus Sutra.

[47:49]

But Dogen interprets this in a very different way. Dogen says, Yoibutsu is one Buddha, the name of one Buddha. Or, Yobutsu is another Buddha. Or, two names of one Buddha. Yoibutsu means only Buddha. It means, for example, when we practice, or sitting with many people, I'm alone. I'm really alone, only Buddha. But we cannot be alone. Even when we sit in the Zen Dojo without any other people, still we are sitting together with all beings. So, two sides of our practice is only Buddha and together Buddha.

[48:54]

Yui-butsu and Yō-butsu. I think Dōgen used to interpret this expression in this way in, I think, Shōbō-genzō, Shōhō-jissō, you know. He wrote another chapter of our first clause of Shō, Shōbō-genzō, entitled Shōhō-jissō, True Reality of All Beings. Well, is this the answer to your question? And this translation says, Shōhōji, so true reality of all beings, have ten suchness. Jū, nyō, ze. Jū is ten. Nyō is such. or like, and ze is this, so like this. And usually this word, nyoze, is translated as suchness or thusness.

[50:00]

So that means all beings have ten suchness. And Kumāra Jīva, the translator of this sutra from Sanskrit to Chinese, listed those ten suchness. And those are so, shō, tai, riki, sa, in, nen, So, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

[51:03]

And the sound pronunciation is so, sho, tai, riki, sa, in, en, or this together we pronounce as innen, but alone this is en. And ka, ho, and this one is hon, matsu, ku, So is form. So, same Chinese characters. That's why I translate this first suchness as form. But this is not a form. This includes all ten. That's why to translate this so as form is confusion.

[52:08]

And Sho is nature. Tai is body or substance. And Riki is strength or energy. And Sa is a function. Function. And I think these first five suchness is the uniqueness of each and every being. Each being has its own unique form, nature, body, energy, and function. So we are different. But all those beings, individual beings, can exist only within relation with others.

[53:15]

That is what next four suchness means. In is cause. And in is conditions. Ka is result. or the literal meaning of this car, Chinese character car, is food. And ho is, in this translation, translated as recompense. Recompense. Recompense? That means... Thank you. I'll talk. You know, I think... I'm going to talk.

[54:17]

I think 6 and 8 is a relation within time. in its cause. Often, to explain this, the example of a plant is used. For example, like a seed. The seed of a certain plant is a cause, and a flower or fruit is a result. So, cause and result. And in condition and whole recompense is a relation of this being within space.

[55:28]

Means, in order to sprout A seed of a plant needs some conditions, such as humidity, or sunlight, or certain temperature. Those are called conditions. An important thing to understand the meaning of conditions in Buddhism is all those things like humidity or sunlight or temperature give a positive influence to support this seed to grow. But not only those things to positively or actively support the seed, but all other things, all other kind of negative things that didn't happen. For example, if a seed is planted on the ground, if a bird came and ate, then this cannot grow.

[56:44]

So, all the birds who didn't come to eat the seeds, support the seeds to grow. Right? That means all the birds in this world support this growth if no one came to eat this seed. And not only birds, but all things that didn't disturb this seed to grow in a negative way support this seed to grow. So that means this entire world, everything within this entire world or within this network of interdependent origination, which gives a positive support and also which doesn't disturb this seed to grow, support this seed to grow.

[57:56]

So this condition means nearly everything. Everything within this world helps a seed to grow. And, you know, this plant gradually grows larger and larger and finally becomes mature. And this plant can bloom flowers and bear fruits. and grooming flowers or bear fruit for this plant itself is to continue this life, to produce the next generation. That is, for this plant itself, this is a kind of a meaning or a goal of doing, what this plant is doing.

[59:00]

But when the plant becomes really mature and blooms flowers, not only to continue this personal or individual life, But somehow this plant can offer nectar to the insect or butterflies. Or when they bear fruits, animals can come to eat. So when it's matured, this plant has something to offer to other beings. When this plant is not mature, they need support from other beings. But when it becomes mature, we have something to offer.

[60:07]

So receiving offerings and give offerings. And this give offering is called a recompensus. That makes sense. You know, the Lotus Sutra's teaching is not simply about the plants. Not about the plants. I use the example of plants, but this is a process of bodhisattva practice. When we allow bodhicitta and start to study and practice Buddhist teachings, we need support from all different people. Teaching from teachers or help from co-practitioners. But if we gradually grow and mature, then little by little we can offer something.

[61:13]

to others. So, this second four suchness means we can exist, not only human beings, but all beings can exist only within this interconnection or relation within time and space. We are connected with all beings within this network of interdependent origination. Without this relation, nothing can exist. Only one moment. Even one moment. I think that is the meaning And in the case of bodhisattva practice, recompense means when we mature as a bodhisattva, we become Buddha. Then, Buddha is not the goal.

[62:19]

To become Buddha is not the goal. But to become a Buddha is a starting point to teach, to offer Dharma. So to, you know, our as a bodhisattva, our goal is to understand the Dharma and practice as a bodhisattva. But when we become fully matured, then somehow we are called teachers. People come, like a butterfly or a bee comes to get nectar. If we have Dharma, people come. and we can offer. That is what recompense means. This is like often we learn how to drive a car. We study how to... the structure of the car and how to drive it.

[63:25]

And we learn, we study the meaning of each and every traffic signal, traffic sign. And we start to And then we can get a license. To get a license is, in a sense, a goal of this process of studying. But when we get the license, we become a driver. That is not the end of the story. But that is the beginning of the next phase of practice to be a good driver and also when we are a driver we can offer a ride to other people. That is what recompense means. Does it make sense? Those are nine suchnesses. That means everything has these nine suchness as it is-ness.

[64:26]

And the important thing is the final one, the one with long name, Honmatsu Kukyo-to. In this translation, it translates as, such a complete fundamental whole, Does this make sense? Such a complete, fundamental whole. Whole is W-H-O, whole. Another possible translation is the absolute identity. Absolute identity of their beginning and end. Beginning means the first one. And end means ninth. And absolute identity means these nine are not nine independent factors, but these are one.

[65:34]

That means this is one whole. There is no such separation. and there is no such separation within each being as form or nature or body or so on. This is one thing. And including the connection with other beings, this is one thing. So no separation. This is the expression of the interconnected interconnectedness or interdependent origination in the Lotus Sutra. And another famous symbol of interdependent origination appeared in the Kegonkyo or what is Kegonkyo in English?

[66:42]

Flower Ornament Sutra is Indra's Neck. I think Indra's Neck is more well-known. And Indra's Neck in the Flower Ornament Sutra and Soho Jisho in the Lotus Sutra I think saying the same thing. That is interconnectedness of all beings. This is the reality. So within this, nothing is excluded. So it's not possible to make such a distinction or discrimination between worldly dharma and beyond worldly dharma, or lay people and monks, or samsara and nirvana. This is simply one reality. That is the first thing Buddha said.

[67:51]

And Buddha said, you don't understand this. To Shariputra. When I first studied the Lotus Sutra, I had a question. This is a very kind of understandable teaching. Why only Buddha together with Buddha can penetrate this reality? No human beings can. Even Shariputra. That was my question. Does the Lotus Sutra say no human beings? The Sutra explicitly says no human beings. Only Buddha together with Buddha means only Buddha, no human beings. But later it says something different. But I think we can understand the principle of this teaching.

[69:05]

But because we are part of it, we cannot see this, observe this as an object. We cannot be an observer. We are right within it. That's why we cannot see. And we cannot see the, how can I say, this interconnectedness as a whole. Because we are part of it. Anyway, this is the first thing Buddha said to Shariputra. Don't ask me. It's not meaningful. But same as the not Indra, but Brahman. He continued, Shaliputra continued to ask three times. So this second chapter of the Lotus Sutra is kind of imitating the biography of Shakyamuni Buddha.

[70:16]

You know, what Shariputra is doing is the same as what Brahman did. Asking Buddha two or three times, even though it's difficult to fathom or understand, still Shariputra keeps asking three times. And after that, Buddha gave it up. means he accepted Shariputra's request. So he started to talk. But before he started to talk, you know, 5,000 people left the assembly. That means they didn't believe there was such a teaching. and those are Shravakas and they thought they have already achieved the nirvana taught by Buddha.

[71:20]

But what Buddha started to teach is that nirvana is not valid. So basically what the Lotus Sutra is saying is, not saying but doing, is that this sutra cancelled the nirvana of Shravakas. It said 500 people were arahats when Shakyamuni died. Arahat means they are going to enter nirvana. And the program for the Lotus Sutra, or for the people who made the Lotus Sutra, they wanted to say all people, all beings become Buddha. But the problem is those 500 arhats, they already entered nirvana. They are not within samsara. And they cannot come back. After entering nirvana, they cannot come back to samsara.

[72:23]

So, what those people did was ask those, you know, arahants to come back, return to samsara, and cancel their nirvana. They said, I'm sorry, that is not real nirvana. But you need to continue to practice to become Buddha. That is how, you know, the Lotus Sutra includes those Shravakas. And that kind of teaching Shakyamuni gave to Shravaka is a tactful means or a skillful means. That means that is not a true teaching. And it's already 4.30.

[73:41]

And within this chapter of the Lotus Sutra, skillful means, Buddha continued to teach that my dharma is only for bodhisattvas. And in this case, Bodhisattva includes Shravakas. That means Shravakas are also Bodhisattvas. And Buddha is going to give the prediction that Shaliputra will become Buddha. So that means Shaliputra returns from Nirvana and continues to practice as a Bodhisattva. And not only Shaliputra, but all disciples, Mahakasyapa and all other great disciples of Buddha should continue to practice.

[74:49]

And they are voice at us. That is how Lota Sutra includes those suravakas. Otherwise, you know, even the Rota Sutra says one vehicle, one vehicle except Shravaka vehicles. That doesn't make sense. So, in order to include Shravaka, the Sutra asks all those great disciples to return to samsara and continue to practice. Then Shakyamuni gave all those arahats to give a prediction that they are going to become Buddha. That is the main topic of almost half of the Lotus Sutra from 2nd to 13th. First, Buddha gave a prediction to Shariputra

[75:56]

Second, to four great disciples, such as Mahakasyapa, Mahakacayama, and Shubhuti, those people. And then he gave a prediction for 1,200 arahats, vashravakas. Then more, including who are not arahat yet. Then after that, finally in the 13th chapter, Buddha gave a prediction to become Buddha to Mahāpajāpati and Yasodhāra, the bhikkhunis. So that is the main theme of the first half of the Lotus Sutra. That means Buddha's real, actual, true teaching is one vehicle, or ekāyāna, and only for bodhisattvas.

[77:08]

That means there is no such people called Śrīla Bhāgavata or Pratyekabuddha, but they are all bodhisattvas. is the main topic, main theme of the Heart of the Lotus Sutra. And another meaning of this expression, skillful means, is that not only those shravakas or monks who practice as a Buddha's disciples, but lay people also can achieve or complete the way. Towards the end of this chapter, it said, you know, all Buddhas in the past

[78:15]

present and future, all use this skillful means. And about the skillful means in the past Buddhas, this sutra says such as, after the extinction of Buddha, means after Buddha died, those who worshipped their relics and built many courtesies of sort of stupas. So this refers to the lay people who built the stupa for Shakyamuni's relics. With gold, silver, and crystal, with a moonstone and a gate, with jasper and You know, this is too long a list of beautiful things. But let me skip that two-wordy things.

[79:24]

That's a problem of Indian sutras. Anyway, all those people raised us for Buddha's shrine and even children. even children in their prey, not seriously, in their prey who gathered sand for a Buddha's stupor. All such beings as these have attained the Buddha way. So not only those great disciples called Shuravaka, But, you know, those lay people who took care of, who built and took care of, took care of stupas, said, noticed, they achieved the Buddha way. And it continues.

[80:26]

not only people who built, but it continues, or those who, with the precious seven, with brass, red and white copper, with wax, red and tin, let me skip all those, have adorned and made Buddha's images, so the people who made Buddha statues, or painting the Buddha. You know, in the history, in the beginning of Buddhist history, they didn't, no one didn't make Buddha statues. But in the stupas, after, probably after about 200 years, 200 years after Buddha's death, they started to produce Buddha's sculptures, sculpture of Buddha. and they enshrine Buddha statue in the stupas, and they worship the sculpture.

[81:34]

And that kind of practice, instead of studying Dharma, like Abhidharma, or practicing meditation like monks did in the monastery, lay people's practice, such as you know, building stupas, and offer the Buddha statues, or paintings, and offering the flowers, incense, to those statues, and also make offering of music, or chanting, you know, that is what we do today, and also our practice, our zazen can be offering, and our gassho can be offering, and our prostration offering. All those practices, the sutra says, people practice all those kinds of devotional practices instead of monks' monastic practices.

[82:48]

they also achieved or complete the Buddha Way. So, that is the first skillful means. Skillful means, means. You know, to create a monastic system and allow some monks to practice in the monastery is a skillful means. And also, allow lay people to build a shrine or a stupa and allow them to make offerings. That is also a skillful means. Please. Is it only people who think they're Buddhists or does it include people who enact these values of caring for other people? That's a good question.

[83:54]

I think the answer is yes and no. If we say yes, there might be some problems, and if we say no, create another problem. So, I have no answer. But the ultimate truth, at least according to Dogen, according to Dogen, even the trees, rivers, mountains, rivers, everything is included. So, whether Buddhist or not Buddhist, all human beings are included. But it doesn't say in the Lotus Sutra. I have a question about skillful means. I hear that people use it in all different ways and I've heard one explanation that skillful means can only be applied by the Buddha because nobody else can actually see

[85:10]

I think there are many different levels of skillful means. Skillful means to achieve or complete the Buddha way, I think could be offered only by Buddhas. If I invent something and say this is a skillful means to achieve the Buddha way, then I don't think it's correct. But I could use some skillful means, for example, to stop children doing something unwholesome. That can be skillful means. So I think it's up to the levels of what skillful means mean. That is Dogen's expression of this, you know, interconnectedness.

[86:39]

And, you know, last May we had a genzo-e at Sanshin-ji, and we studied the sound of a valley stream and the colors of mountains. Not only the colors of mountains or the sound of a valley stream, Dogen said, everything is expanding dharma. So, because everything is expanding dharma, everything can be Buddha. I think, actually, everything, really, everything without any exception, except in dharma. The dharma of interconnectedness, the dharma of impermanence, and dharma of no-self. If there is one thing that doesn't express this truth, then this is not the truth.

[87:53]

Thank you. I was wondering, at first the Buddha said that nobody could understand this teaching and then like you said, later on he said something else and more and more people could possibly be part of the Buddha way. Did the Buddha change his mind or was that part of the story? I think part of the skillful means, but... I think this is an aging problem. I know what I want to say, but words don't come out. And forget. What did I want to say? I'm sorry, I forget.

[89:03]

But basically what is said is, you know, everything is interconnected, therefore everything is expanding the reality of interconnectedness. In that sense, everything is Bodhisattva. Everything offers this true reality of all beings. Please? Can I ask from this morning? Sure. Still I stuck with those... Jataka? Jataka. Jataka. Jataka. And it said it's a fiction story. So every month we do full moon ceremony. First things we homage to the seven buddhas before buddha. So those seven buddhas are fiction. We are homage to those seven buddhas. What about other Buddhas such as Amitābha or Vairochana?

[90:15]

Are they fiction or real? You know, the seven Buddhas in the past were kind of produced or created before all those other Buddhas in Mahāyāna. Even in the Parinikaya, those seven Buddhas in the past appeared. So it's the oldest kind of fictitious Buddha. But that means, because that reality, or Dharma, Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, discovered, is eternal truth. And what Buddha said while he was alive, I didn't create the truth, but I discovered it. The truth was hidden, you know, like an abandoned castle in the forest.

[91:19]

No one knew there was such a thing, but Buddha rediscovered it. That means, not only Shakyamuni, but before Shakyamuni, there must be someone who discovered the same reality. That was the origin of the idea of past Buddhas. Shakyamuni cannot be the first person. There must be many other people who discovered the same reality. But it's also said that there's only one Buddha in one eon. So the past Buddhas would have been in the past eons. Yeah, that's a different idea. Originally, you know, Indian Buddhists thought Buddha is only one within one Buddha land, within one universe. So only Shakyamuni was Buddha.

[92:23]

And no Buddha at all until Maitreya appeared. Many kalpas later. That is the, I think, original idea. But later, you know, Buddhists are so much creative people. First they invented, or found, seven Buddhas, I mean six Buddhas, because seven is the Abhishakamuni, six Buddhas in the past. And the Mahayana Buddhists kind of created numberless Buddhas. So they are very creative people. Roshi, it seems there's so much fluidity in the teaching and yet this idea that if you go to Nirvana you can't return.

[93:30]

Why is that so prohibitive and why is that so? But I think Mahayana Buddhists didn't like that idea of nirvana. So they also invented another kind of nirvana for bodhisattva. Before Mahayana, Buddhists thought there are two kinds of nirvana. Do you know? First kind is nirvana Shakyamuni entered when he became Buddha. under the Bodhi tree. So even he was alive 40 years more, he was in nirvana. But this nirvana is with body. And in Japanese this is called Uyo Nehan. Uyo Nehan. Nehan is nirvana. Uyo means there is something extra still there.

[94:34]

And that something extra is Buddha's body. So even though Buddha was in nirvana, he had some pain when he was sick, or he had some sadness, of course. But that is called nirvana. But the second kind of nirvana is called parinirvana. That means, when Buddha passed away, Buddha entered a great nirvana, an absolute nirvana, without a body. So there are two kinds of nirvana. But Mahayana Buddhists invented a third kind of nirvana. And this third kind of nirvana is nirvana for bodhisattvas. And this nirvana is called moju shonehan.

[95:36]

Nehan is nirvana. Mojusho means no abiding. No abiding nirvana. That means bodhisattva does not stay in samsara because of wisdom and does not enter nirvana because of compassion. So bodhisattva has no abiding. And this practice without abiding, that means without attachment to neither samsara nor nirvana. So this is freedom, liberated way of life. It's called nirvana of no abiding or no dwelling. So, in that sense, you know, if we really practice following Go-Satva vows, we are in nirvana.

[96:46]

Or, I said, even though all Go-Satvas are working within samsara, within this shore, But if we practice as a bodhisattva, then we can find nirvana within this samsara. And that is what is called no-abiding nirvana. Is time okay? It's almost five. Maybe better to stop. So tomorrow morning I'm going to talk about Dogen Zenji and Lotus Sutra.

[97:31]

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