The other day, in San Francisco, I found some joke on the blackboard. I don't know who wrote. As you know, we are making a Buddhist law, Rakusu, by hand. At that time, we recommend students to chant the name of Buddha and take refuge in the Buddha. In each stage, if you want to make Rakusu, you have to chant the name in each stage and take refuge.

[01:00]

The joke says, must I chant the name of Buddha or no? It says, or no. Because there is the season of Buddha. There is a season of Buddha. That's great. There is a whole universe. The universe is enveloped by the seasons of Buddha. So it's not necessary to chant the name of Buddha in every stage. A few days ago, a few days later, someone came to my office and asked something.

[02:08]

Some of us are making Rakusu by hand. One of the students said, she said, Chanting the name of Buddha in every stage is a sort of magic. Sort of magic. I don't understand what magic means. So I asked her what magic means. She said, oh, it's not, it's not, it doesn't mean in, it doesn't, I don't mean, I don't mean it is, it is the meaning of the word magic in popular sense, popular sense anyway. For Japanese, magic is really something fun, you know. Like a magician, like something, something happens.

[03:14]

Something happens by magician, you know, on a stage. Anyway, regardless of the meaning, regardless of whether the word magic means in good sense or in bad sense, magic is magic anyway. If you see, if you try to understand something in terms of the result, the only result, everything is sort of magic. Everything is sort of magic, even Zazen, even Zazen, even the practice of Zazen, even your life too. If you try to understand only the result of your life, your practice, whatever you do, everything is sort of magic.

[04:34]

I think so. Do you think so? So someone says, oh, life is game, a sort of game. That's right. In terms of the idea of understanding your life, in viewpoint of only result, your life is, your life is a sort of game. Buddhism doesn't try to understand the result, whatever you do. Result means to understand something in terms of its result, means to try to criticize, to criticize the, for instance, a plant or vegetables on the garden.

[05:46]

If you try to criticize the result of the vegetables or plant or any other plant which grow, which grow on the ground, on the garden, you can't criticize in all direction. The important point is we have to take care of the ground, garden. This is first important. So the attention, scrupulous attention must be directed to garden itself, not plant.

[06:55]

As a result, so whatever kind of plants grow, you have to accept it anyway. Because already there is a result, some result, which is called tomato, which is called tomato as a fruit, which grows on the garden. Whatever kind of fruits they grow, grows on the garden, we have to accept it. Because you, you try to concentrate on taking good care of garden itself. So if you want to criticize something, you have to criticize the ground.

[08:05]

Whether you are taking care of is good or bad. Our scrupulous attention must be directed to the ground itself, garden itself. This is very important. Then as one of the students says, making Lakshmi chanting the name of Buddha is a sort of magic. Because she always sees something as a result. In Buddhism, when you cognize something, Buddhism follower is some idea of category,

[09:11]

which is called the substance, form and function. Buddhism has three kinds of ideas, substance, form and function. If you want to cognize something, so three kinds of ideas, substance, form and function. Substance is very important for us to understand everything as it is. The substance is, I think substance anyway.

[10:14]

The other day I mentioned, as long as something exists, it has surely a certain form and its substance. I mentioned before the form is something more than the configuration, superficial configuration. I think it is the principle by which something exists as it is. This is form I mentioned. The principle by which something exists is I think the idea of substance.

[11:20]

Substance. In other words, the principle by which something exists as it is means that everything can exist relating with, can exist in harmony and order. Order. So substance means the harmony and order which it possesses in underlying essence.

[12:31]

From this point, everything must exist. Everything exists as it is, regardless of the idea of whether you understand or not. This is substance. This is substance. Substance is characteristic of the meaning of harmony or order that lets everything exist in peace. So everything has form and substance in order to exist in harmony and order.

[13:34]

This is substance and form. But in Buddhism, substance must be emptiness. Form is no form. Function is no creation. This is the emphasis, the Buddhistic emphasis. When you try to explain the existence of all sentient beings based on the idea of substance and form and function, substance must be emptiness and form must be no form.

[14:35]

Function must be no creation. We call those three revelations, in Japanese, san-gedatman. San-gedat means emancipation, three emancipations. If you go to a Zen monastery, you will find the gate of a monastery divided into three. The gate is divided into three. One, two, three. It is designed for the explanation of three emancipations. Emptiness or no form and no creation.

[15:42]

I think what is emptiness? Emptiness. I think... The true meaning of emptiness is... The true meaning of emptiness cannot be put some name on the emptiness itself. If you put some name on the emptiness itself, it is not emptiness. You know, one of the theses written by Nagyarjuna, he discussed about emptiness or no mind.

[17:07]

He explains about emptiness or no mind in this thesis. No mind, you cannot say the emptiness can exist or cannot exist. The emptiness is beyond the popular sense anyway. For instance, if emptiness is something like that... No, excuse me. For instance, Nagyarjuna took the example of a mirror, a beautiful mirror.

[18:14]

The emptiness is a sort of mirror, a pure mirror. So emptiness, a pure mirror itself doesn't accept the emptiness itself too. One of the students asked him, if you stand in front of a mirror, does the mirror accept your figure? Nagyarjuna says, because you stand, you are in front of a mirror, that's why the mirror accepts your figure. Even though you don't stand, you are not in front of the mirror.

[19:27]

The mirror always accepts everything. A pure mirror has a substance, its own substance, which is always accepting, accepting everything. Regardless of whether you stand in front of a mirror. This is the emptiness. So emptiness is always emptiness, regardless of the idea of whether you understand or not. A pure mirror is always a pure mirror. A pure mirror always accepts everything. Even though you are not in front of a mirror.

[20:32]

This is a mirror. This is a characteristic of a mirror. This is the meaning of emptiness. At that time, a mirror doesn't have a certain form, which is called a mirror, which is called a pure mirror. A mirror is always free in that way. Then, this is such understanding, the substance, the meaning of substance or form, based on emptiness or no form, is easier to understand. But when emptiness functions, how or when, where, substance or form functions, works,

[21:50]

this is very difficult to understand. No creation, the function itself must be no creation. In other words, I think this is freedom, revelation. It seems easier to understand if you explain in a word. But actually it's pretty difficult to understand it. So I want to take an example, for instance, the subject of space. Plainly speaking, you know so well one of the famous poems, haiku, composed by Bashō.

[23:10]

The old pond, the frog, the plants jump into the sound of water. Let's consider this poem. Let's imagine there would be three kinds. Of existence, old pond, frog, and water sound. This poem consists of 17 words. 17 words. But you can understand, you feel something more than, you know, the 15 words.

[24:17]

Explanation are in the 15 words, 17 words. The old pond, or frog, and water sound. If you try to understand this poem through just 17 words, it's real nonsense. It doesn't make sense. Old pond, frog, sound of water. That's all. But in terms of viewpoint, your viewpoint, in the three dimensions anyway, you have to consider more than the 17 words.

[25:19]

In other words, you have to consider the space which occurs, which occurs in the area, in the area of pond, or frog, or some water sound. The space between those, among those, among frog, or old pond, or water sound, there is some space, you know. This space, this space is working greatly, you know. What enable a man to understand something more than 17 words, you know. 17 words. I think, it seems to me that through the words, I can feel some sound.

[26:28]

Boom, boom, you know. Through the words, water sound. It seems to me that I can feel some quietness around old pond. Very stillness. Nobody there. Just only frog exists. Also, this frog is always vivid, living vividly. Also, old pond doesn't expect the existence of frog. Frog doesn't expect the old pond. Old pond doesn't say, wait a minute, I'm not ready for accepting you.

[27:32]

Please wait a minute. Now, basho is coming now, so please wait until basho come here. Frog doesn't expect, it doesn't say to the pond, just wait a minute. I'm not ready for jumping into the water. It doesn't say. Now, old pond has its own substance, which make it exist in harmony and order, completely. Frog too. And also, frog doesn't disturb the pond, the substance of the pond, which make it exist vividly in harmony and order.

[28:33]

Basho. And then, the frog jump into the old pond. At that time, the old pond start to work. Frog start to work in some place. I don't know where it is. Anyway, start. Both of them start to work. Not in the domain of its own substance, which is called, this is my substance. This is my existence. Beyond. Beyond something, the substance, which is called, this is I. This is frog. This is old pond. Now, old pond start to work in space.

[29:39]

In space. Now, frog start to work in space. As soon as, as soon as, when frog jump into the water, at that time, water start work, work, in space. At that time, some sound goes out. Boom. Kaboom. You know, there is, space is very important. I think, space is, space is, I think, space is universal medium, through which life is always moving constantly, moving in constant transformation.

[30:43]

And this is space, you know. Now, also, what is space? Space is, space implies a great principle of, great principle that everything change. Everything change. You know, the old pond start to work. Now, frog start to work. Not in the domain of his selfishness, you know. This is my substance, you know. Of course, substance, substance is something that, that could make everything live in harmony and order. But if you stick to the, if you stick to the substance, what you have, what pond has, what frog has, it is not substance.

[31:49]

Because such a substance couldn't, couldn't make everything, couldn't make pond live in harmony and order. Because pond try to stick to his own substance. So that's why pond said, pond must say to the frog, wait a minute, you know. I'm not ready for acceptance, accepting you. Or, please wait, before, until, until basho arrive here. If pond stick to his own substance, he has to say that. This is my substance. But, the, when substance works,

[32:56]

works in harmony and order, the substance itself must forget itself. Which is called substance. For this, substance must work in space. Space enable, space make substance. Or in other words, space make pond, goes beyond his own idea. I am pond, or I am frog. Then space is, space include everything, you know. And also space is the place where the life is moving or changing constantly. This is space.

[34:00]

This is space. And also, change is something that couldn't be, couldn't be arrested, but only guided, but only guided. You cannot arrest, you couldn't arrest the vivid function of all pond, vivid function of frog. And also, the movement through the space is something that couldn't be confined,

[35:02]

but only directed, directed. In a space, the something, the movement through space created by frog and all the pond and the sound, I could be directed, could direct to you something, you know. Give suggestion something. What it is, what frog, what frog, what the, what frog or what is all the pond, what is frog, what is water sound. And also, what is circumstances surrounded by all the pond or frog and water sound. But you can, you can something, you can feel something, you know.

[36:10]

Then, when you listen to this poem, all the pond, frog jump into and water sound, you can feel something, wow. That's all, you know. This is space, you know. There is very important point. As mentioned before, the space is, space is the universal medium through which the life is moving in constant, constant transformation anyway. In other words, space is oneness with the, with oneness of change, no, oneness with life, which is moving in constant transformation.

[37:16]

This is space. And also, space implies the principle of change. Change is something that you couldn't be arrested, but only guided. In other words, when you listen, when you listen to this poem, which is living in space, this poem complete the incomplete what you have, because you feel better, you know. Oh, yes, I understand what is stillness. I understand what is poor. So, the space is, space implies change, which life moves in constant transformation.

[38:22]

Also, change is something that couldn't be arrested, but also guided. It's always change, is always to give some suggestion. To all sentient beings. And also, the space is the place which everything moves, starts to work vividly. So, this movement through the space is something that you couldn't, that couldn't be confined, but only directed. This is space. This is the function of space. For instance, you try to look at Japanese architect. If you go to Japan, you should see Katsura Rikyu.

[39:34]

This is very, very wonderful architect. Very old architect, the building. It is very wonderful. It's something tells you. Through the function of space, function of form, what building has. Now, also complete, the incomplete, what you have. I think such is the space, such is the form. But, the... I took the example, I took the space, subject of space as an example, in order to explain the Buddhist practice. Why is it important? Why is it important to make a lot of space?

[40:40]

It's not a practice chanting the name of Buddha in every stitch. It's not Buddhist, Buddhism tells us that it is not necessary to create something. Create something. It is not necessary to expect some reward from the result. If you try to expect something from the result, you may say, oh, it is a sort of magic. It means, unconsciously, you are always expecting something from the result. But... it's not necessary to expect something from the result. As mentioned before, the important point is to take good care of your garden,

[41:42]

if you want to grow something, some vegetable. So, the function, according to the Buddhism, the function must be no creation. No creation is very important. Buddhism... You know, the... the emptiness... No, excuse me. In Buddhism... In... In Buddhist terminology, we use the word, we. We means the existence or being.

[42:45]

Being. The... The Basho poet, Basho says, if you want to compose a poem, you don't push yourself to try to create something, try to make a poem. The moment when you are confronted with the vivid presence of existence, if you want to compose some poem, all you have to do is just to be in. Just to be in.

[43:47]

Ah... Just to be in is very important, you know. The moment after moment, try to, I try to think the fountain of water, which is springing out from the earth, you know. The moment after moment, the water is always becoming, you know, and some place, you know, in the big world, it doesn't expect its own result. As long as water is always springing out from the earth, constantly,

[44:58]

His life is, his life implies always to be in, moment after moment. Not, his life is not to, the purpose of his life is not to create something, not to create something, but only to be in, to be in. In Buddhism, to be in is very important, to be in is very important, not to create something. If you try to create, not to produce something, if you try to produce something through some experience, you have to expect something, you know, through the making lakusu, you know.

[46:05]

Then you say, you may say, oh, it's sort of magic. So you have to ask yourself, must I chant the name of Buddha or no? Because there is the season of Buddha. The universe is enveloped by completely seasons of Buddha. It is not necessary to chant the name of Buddha. So, this question implies too that you try to unconsciously expect something from the result. What some principle possesses, you know, everything is enveloped by Buddha.

[47:11]

Season of Buddha, so it's not necessary. But Buddha means, Buddha means that, Buddha means to become, to become in moment after moment. To become yourself as you are, moment after moment. Strictly speaking, it's not necessary to analyze who you are as who you as a result are. So all you have to do is you to become, moment after moment, to become yourself as you are. This is no creation, no creation. So I think the activity, movement, movement through the practice of becoming in moment after moment

[48:35]

is something that couldn't be confined but only directed. It is Buddhist practice, it is practice, it is your actions, religious actions, religious deeds which is moving, acting, which is functioning in space, in space. So you don't know what, you don't know what kind of practice is. You don't know what is the use of your practice, your practice. The frog doesn't know what is the use of his own practice, such as jumping into.

[49:45]

A pond doesn't know exactly what is the use of his own function. All pond has to do is to become pond, to become himself as pond is. Just a pond, you know. Frog is, all frog has to do is to become frog as he is. Then frog who has become himself as he is jumps into all pond. Now all pond who is becoming himself pond as he is, accepting frog. Then some water, the water which is becoming water as he is, accepting frog and water, frog and all pond, in all circumstances.

[51:11]

Then sound exists, sound arises, water sound arises, which implies complete stillness, complete stillness. So this space, in terms of the Buddhist practice, the space is called the Buddha space. Gyo practice or shugyo, shugyo means, shug means refined, refined. Gyo means action or deed, which means refined action, refined deed, this is practice.

[52:19]

So this practice is the place, the place where life is moving in constant transformation. And always this change is giving some suggestion to you, that couldn't be confined but only directed. This refined action, which is called usually practice, is always giving some suggestion to you. You cannot change, you cannot arrest it, you couldn't arrest the practice self, what practice is, what refined practice is.

[53:34]

But always this practice is always giving some suggestion that couldn't be arrested but only guided. This practice, refined action always guides you, refined action complete, incomplete what you have. This is practice, in other words this is space, space, among forms, among forms. As long as, even though you are a human being, you have a certain form, which is called human being, which is called katage, I have some form. Mentally and spiritually, physically and spiritually. So, the other day, you know, the Zen practice, in the Zen monastic life,

[55:00]

Zen master doesn't tell you anything. If you become a disciple of Zen master, he keeps silence and watch you carefully, moment after moment. Zen master knows clearly so well what you are doing. Even though he is sleeping, he knows so well. Even though he takes a nap, like a cat, you know, cats always like this, just opening half, opening his eyes, just in half, and sleep.

[56:03]

The moment when he listens to the slightest sound, he always opens wide, like this, big eyes. Zen master always knows so well what you are doing. But he doesn't tell you, you should do this, you shouldn't do this. Because you know already what you have to do. In other words, as long as you are in the temple, under a certain master, there are many things to do. Picking up grass, cleaning the temple, inside of the temple, or cleaning outside, sweeping the ground, yard, front yard and back yard. Washing the clothes, fixing the meal.

[57:09]

On the other hand, what you are expecting is to study something. But he doesn't tell you, he doesn't tell you, you should study. He always, you shouldn't study. You should do picking up grass, you should clean the house. And also, when the zen master, they spread out his leg, in order to put his socks on his feet. Disciple quickly puts his socks on his foot, before he asks him. Disciple must, this is the disciple's responsibility, duty.

[58:17]

In the Chopo Genzo, Dogen Zenji describes Jinzu, the super power, in other words, super power. In technical term, it is called Jinzu Riki. Dogen Zenji explains some zen masters. Zen master waked up from his nap. Then he called one of his disciples. One of his disciples entered into the zen master's room. Zen master says, I was dreaming something funny, a few minutes ago. This disciple asked, what kind of dream you dreamed?

[59:24]

So, at that time, zen master didn't answer to this question. I don't need you, you should get out of this room. Then he called another disciple. And he said the same things. I dreamed something funny, a few minutes ago. The moment when he said, this disciple, it's also you did. Then he returned to his room, and I took the small basket for washing his face. Filling the water, and brought it to his zen master. Then the master without saying, washed his face.

[60:29]

This is the power of super power, Dogen Zenji describes. When the zen master spread out his feet, to try to put his socks on his feet, disciple quickly to catch it. Disciple quickly put the socks on his feet. Someone asked me, why is it he put the socks on his feet by himself? He should do by himself, someone asked me. But, there is still some question created by your head. If you expect something as a result,

[61:38]

something through your experience in terms of result, it's nonsense. Why we have to put the socks on his foot? He is adult. He is older than I. He is not sick man. His brain is clear. His brain is working clearly. He is not mad. He is not crazy. Why is it they have to put the socks on his foot? It's nonsense. But, this is disciple duty. He has to quickly put the socks on his foot. This practice is very important. It means, disciple must become disciple as he is.

[62:43]

Moment after moment, as a disciple, don't create, don't discriminate. There is no discrimination. All he has to do is to plunge into some place where he can be himself as he is. That's all. So, he has to do something quickly. He quickly puts the socks on his foot. The moment when the master puts straight down his legs. Maybe you ask me, it's something a training. It's something training what you are broken in. I don't think so. It is still some question

[63:46]

which is created by your brain. Your brain is always expecting something from the result which you have done. But, it's not the training. It's not something training by what you are broken in. Like a dog, like a cat. It's not something like that. Your practice is always the practice by which you become yourself as you are. In other words, it is to be in, to be in. Like a flood, like an old pond, like a water.

[64:47]

The sound of water. You can feel something. You can get something more than 17 words. You can get something more than the practice, your practice. You can get something more than result, what you have done. If you practice in that way, you know, you can, you can, I'm sure you can, you can make calm. You can stand up firmly with instability. Whenever you are confronted with whatever,

[65:54]

you stand up firmly. If you always criticize, why is it? It is nonsense to put socks on his feet, you know. If you practice in that way, you are always suffering, you know, from something, even the slightest, small details. What you are confronted with, you are always suffering. What shall I do? You are completely at loss what to do. If you practice in that way again and again, you can quickly stand up firmly with dignified, dignity, dignified being,

[67:00]

dignified being like a big mountain. Because, you know, this practice is very fundamental practice. As mentioned the other day, even a painter, even a carpenter, a carpenter must practice. A carpenter needs, a painter needs fundamental practice, which means to draw straight line again and again, or curved line again and again, not three times, not only three times or four times. You have to, you have to do in that way again and again for many years. If you practice in that way,

[68:07]

you can draw, you can draw, you can draw your paint as you like, freely. If you ignore this fundamental practice, you cannot draw the paint, the pictures what you, what you would like to. The carpenter needs, the practice needs the fundamental practice. Sharpen the plane always, for two years or three years. This is, this is fundamental practice for him. This is very important. The purpose of carpenter is to build a house. This is his purpose. This is his duty.

[69:08]

If he wants to become carpenter, why is it the carpenter must, must do, must sharpen plane for two years, three years? It's nonsense. But this is very important. Like this, like carpenter, like painter, all of us try to seek for the fundamental way of life, the spiritual way of life, fundamental spiritual way of life. If you want to seek for it, you have to, you need fundamental practice. Fundamental practice is to be in moment after moment, to become yourself as you are. If you then must stretch out your leg,

[70:10]

all you have to do is quickly to put socks on his foot. That's all. This is fundamental practice. In that time, the principle of change could direct you, could give some suggestion to you, what to do. The movement through the space is giving some suggestion to you, what to do, in which direction you should go. This practice is very important. One of the Archbishop of Eheji, named Kitano Zenji, he said he had been long,

[71:12]

he had been long to be in his bed. In his bed he ate, or he washed his he had to do, he had to do pee, he had to pee in his bed. His disciple always took care of his pee or dung. And always during while his disciple is taking care of his pee and dung, this abbot is always reading the book in his bed. One day the disciple made a complaint because he didn't move, just lying on his bed like this.

[72:15]

It was pretty difficult to take care of dung. So his disciple wanted his master to turn the other side, but he didn't do that. Then the disciple made a complaint, why he didn't do that? Then master says, all you have to do is to take care of my dung, that's all. All I have to do is to read the book. It's nonsense, you know. If a disciple were, if I were a disciple, his disciple, you know, I would, I would hit his head. What's the matter? What's the matter? But this practice is very important anyway.

[73:26]

It's pretty hard for you. Not the result, you know. Not the result. The important point is not the result, what the disciple had taken care of, dung or pee. He has become himself as he is in the domain of taking care of pee or dung, that's all. This is Buddhist practice. Not Buddhist practice. This is human practice. Humanistic practice. Humanistic practice. Otherwise you don't understand what human being. So if you understand the practice in that way,

[74:28]

you shouldn't say that making raghusu, chanting the name of Buddha in every stitch, it's sort of magic. It's not magic. You become yourself one moment, as you are, the domain of Buddha itself. That's enough. Thank you.

[75:09]

@Text_v004
@Score_JJ