How do you practice without attaching to realistic aspect of human life or the fantastic, fantastic aspect of human life? And then, all he has to do is, he just took to take a hole and took a deep, deep glance. And also, the, what do you mean, just to take a hole and to dig, and to dig, and dig the ground. It is a pretty easy practice, or it is a hard practice, okay? Well, he explains, he explains, he really shows how to practice without attaching to

[01:07]

realistical, realistical idea or fascinating idea, but actually he practiced in his past, in the past, under the guidance of Oba Zen Master, who had given lots of blows, 30 blows and so forth. Why did you have, why did you have that practice? If you just take the hole and dig the ground, it's very easy, this is for your future, but why did you have such a hard practice? So, that is, the Oba really wants to make sure of his understanding, what is real practice, what is the practice in realization, it is a hard practice or an easy practice. If you say hard practice, 30 blows is not hard practice, probably Oba Zen Master gives more

[02:13]

blows. If you say it means I say it is easy practice, well, Oba Zen Master gives more blows. So, what is the practice in realization? This is very important. Well, to the point, the pine tree is really practice in realization. You cannot expect anything at all from the future, from the generation in the future. How can you expect something from a generation in the future? You cannot. Just see the generation in the future. How about making the presence of a scenery of the temple beautiful? Can you expect something from this realistical aspect of human life?

[03:14]

You cannot either. And then finally, you cannot expect anything at all, all you have to do is just take a hole and dig the ground. But this is completely beyond easy practice or hard practice. That's why Obaku gave two blows, sometimes Obaku parried his head. And then when Obaku asked, why did you? Why did you practice in the past under the guidance of Obaku Zen Master? And then he took a hole again and dig the ground. This is nothing too common, but it is hard practice or easy practice. Beyond hard or easy. Then all you have to do is just do it, just do it.

[04:19]

Buddhism is really focusing on such a practice, such a practice. You shouldn't forget the huge expanse of immensity which is called Buddha's world. Always looking at the huge world. And then you cannot completely tossed away by this huge expanse of immensity which is called Buddha's world. Pay attention to reality in which you are present. What are you doing? This is also important. And also finally, you cannot expect anything from God. Immensity from immensity or from reality. You cannot expect anything at all. And then all you have to do is just do it. Just do it is a manifestation of dynamic working.

[05:36]

Appears, it appears in the many forms. Sometimes hard practice, sometimes easy practice. You cannot say so. So that's why the in-center, in the center of two circles. It is reversed Manji, reversed Suvastika, Suvastika. Suvastika. Suvastika. Vastika means the auspicious ocean and the cloud. Auspicious ocean and cloud.

[06:49]

It means the Buddha's virtue is really as deep as the ocean. And also Buddha's benefit is really as immense as clouds. So Vastika is a symbol of good luck, Buddha's virtue and benefit. It is the symbol of Buddha body involved to mediate virtues. Many years ago, when I became a monk, I read the book, at that time I knew a little bit about Vastika, but I don't know exactly it is true or not. In Iran, the primitive people in Iran used this sign, just like an X, just like an X.

[07:58]

This is just my memory, so I don't know if it is true or not. Many years ago I read, the previous primitive people in Iran used the sign of this for worshipping the sun. Worshipping the sun. Because this sign refers to the winding rays of the sunlight. Winding. At that time, the sun was considered as the source of all living beings are produced. So this sign handed down to India while they were looking for a sign of worshipping the Brahman. Then in India, in the later ages, the sign was very mystical and was turned this sign on the tree.

[09:14]

At that time, this was just a cross. I don't know when Indian people used this carved Vastika, I don't know. But in ancient times, anyway, this sign, just a cross, is a sign for worshipping the holiness. Brahman. Brahman. In Shoyoroku, a book of the equanimity, moral case 77, there is a little story about this Vastika.

[10:17]

For instance, a monk asked the master Gyozan, Gyozan, your reverence, do you know a word? The master answered, according to the circumstances, according to the circumstances, the monk went around clockwise and said, what is this word? Then the master drew a cross on the ground. He drew the cross, just a cross, on the ground, which was a big symbol of holiness. This is the word, letters for holiness. The master drew a cross on the ground. The monk went around the counterclockwise and said, what is this word?

[11:19]

The master transformed this cross into Subhasuddhika. That's it. Subhasuddhika, I don't know when did Buddhism use this Subhasuddhika. I don't know exactly. But in the Koan, you can see the term Subhasuddhika here, in the book of equanimity. Anyway, Subhasuddhika is the symbol of the virtue and benefit. This verse, Subhasuddhika, is our practice.

[12:21]

That center, Subhasuddhika, in the center of the two circles, teaches us how the practice should be. That is, equanimity, equanimity. The verse, Subhasuddhika, is the symbol of equanimity, practice of equanimity. By how should, how should the practice in realization should be, when you try to put it into action in your daily living. So, what this is, that's why you have to practice under the guidance of teacher, and teacher try to, well, polish your eagerness. That's why we need the practice under the guidance of teacher. In many ways, he does. Without this, the practice of eagerness under the guidance of teacher, you cannot understand the practice in realization.

[13:43]

That's why Rinzai Zen master had to practice under the guidance of Obaku in the past. In many ways, hard practice, easy practice, awful practice. Then, that's why he can take hold and dig the ground in the present, and also he can walk toward future. Thanks to the practice in the past. Okay, the second paragraph, the twice second paragraph says, This black circle forms the great way that all living beings and the Buddha are the one undivided whole, all in the same and one Buddha nature.

[14:51]

This red circle refers to the manifestation of all things in the triple world. In other words, this is phenomenon. The black and red circle implies that the source of spirit is distinctly clear. The offshoot falls into darkness. It comes from Sandokai, Buddhism, Sandokai. The source of spirit is distinctly clear. The offshoot flows into darkness. The source of spirit is the immensity, immensity of the truth. Offshoot is phenomenon, human life. Human life flows into darkness. If you attach to the offshoot, well, your life is really flowing into darkness.

[15:57]

The source of spirit, if you attach to just the source of spirit, which is distinctly clear, that time you create confusion. So, you cannot attach to either one of them. The black circle and red circle must be one. Then, in the center of two circles, there must be two meanings of practice. Practice in realization. This is the practice of egolessness. Plunging into the Buddhist teachings. Plunging into teacher's suggestions. This, so, the explanation of Subhāsiddhika, this reversed Subhāsiddhika, signifies that mind and knowledge are defined by renouncing all conditional affairs, all being against the world, means completely against phenomenal world, worldly affairs.

[17:10]

You have lots of preconceptions. Preconceptions, your ideas. I think in that way. You think in that way. So, I don't like you. I don't accept you. This is, if you practice in that way, you cannot practice in realization. So, you should throw away your ideas first. Then, just follow the Buddhist teachings. So, mind and knowledge are defined by renouncing all conditional affairs, all being against the world. For example, the same applies to the Buddha Shakyamuni, who defines the mind and knowledge in the mountain by leaving the castle, by being against the kindness of his parents, and by renouncing the world.

[18:11]

Although all are in the same and one Buddha nature, it simply cannot be attained without this kind of practice. That's why I told you the other day, sometimes we say a priest is also a human. Of course, priest is also human. But you cannot emphasize always the one-sided idea, which is called priest is also human. If you say so, you cannot be, you cannot complete priest life. You must aim at the Buddhist world, which is huge, immense. Or look at the human world, even the boss of a company. What does he think?

[19:14]

He thinks that just his own life, which is called human? No, I don't think so. The boss of the company always creates new stuff for helping a human being. How can I create new things for helping all sentient beings? Every day, day after day, he thinks. Without this, without this practice, he cannot maintain his position as a boss of the company. That's why in Japan, we had a discussion, parent discussion, between the boss of a company and the priest. Priest asked the boss, Your job is very hard, isn't it? The boss said, How come? The priest said, You are always thinking of new stuff, creating and producing new stuff.

[20:17]

If you don't think of new stuff always, other companies will beat you. Then you will have a bumper. Then the boss said, Well, it is true. But you are more harder than I. Your practice is harder than mine. Yes, it is. Well, priest's practice is how to save all sentient beings. How to save all sentient beings? This is exactly the same as the boss, boss of the company, creating new stuff day after day for help all sentient beings. How about priest's life? Priest's life also has to think day after day how to save all sentient beings. Now, this is not only the thinking of your own life. If you say the priest is human, you cannot maintain the position of priest's life.

[21:26]

That's why you cannot constitute a realistic way of life. This is I. I am thinking, therefore I exist. This is very realistic. Well, it is all right. I don't mean you should ignore your own life. It is very important because you do all this, whatever you do. That's why you pay attention to realistic way of life. But on the other hand, you shouldn't forget huge, immense, immensely, huge expanse of immensity which is called the Buddha's world. In which all sentient beings are existent already, suffering, suffering. How can you save? How can you help those people? You have to think. For this, sometimes you are not human. You are Buddha anyway. If you become a Buddha, well, of course, you have to suffer. Day after day, you have to suffer how to save all sentient beings.

[22:32]

Then how can you? How can you practice in order to save all sentient beings? Well, you have to practice under the guidance of the teacher, cutting off the eagerness. Eagerness always happens. If you don't pay attention to it, immediately it grows very easily. So, at any cost, we have to practice. We have to have the practice of cutting off the eagerness. It says, the five precepts like this, symbol of the eagerness. So, without this reversed simsulika, you cannot practice in realization, mentioned by Buddha or Dogen. That's why here, Banjin also said, although all are in the same and one Buddha nature, it simply cannot be attained without practice. Then the next,

[23:47]

let me read the next figure. Here are two circles, and in the center of the two circles, there is a black circle. And on the right side, it says Vibhashi Buddha Bodhi, Shikhi Buddha Bodhi, Bhishapu Buddha Bodhi, Kusum Buddha Bodhi, Kunugam Buddha Bodhi, Kasha Buddha Bodhi. That is, six Buddhas in the past, except Shakyamuni Buddha Bodhi. So, explanation says, by Banjin, this figure signifies the ultimate stage of nirvana, which enables one to complete the result of the practical practice.

[24:53]

Well, by the practice of cutting off egolessness, you can experience the same and one Buddha nature. The complete black in the center of two circles signifies the unity of the unity of human world and Buddhist world. So, the next page, as started before, this is the figure that all are in the same and one Buddha nature and oneness of the souls, oneness of the souls and its offshoot. The two circles means oneness of the soul, the being and its offshoot,

[26:06]

truth and phenomena, the ideal and reality, differentiation and equality, whatever you say, oneness of differentiation and equality, the Buddha and all sentient beings. Next, the experience of the one, the one undivided whole of the living and the Buddha, of the completion of all actions and of the perfection of full fruition depends on the all the nature as it was, all the nature as it was. It means by the practice of the cutting off the egolessness and you can realize, you can realize the unity of the human world and Buddhist world.

[27:08]

But even though you experience the Buddhist world, you are not something different from you, from you, you are, as you are. You are you, still you are you, which is called attain enlightenment, to realize the Buddha nature is to realize something which you have already, not to realize something which you don't have. So to realize the Buddha nature you have, that's why after enlightenment still you realize, you realize the Buddha nature as it was. So Karagiri is still Karagiri. Nothing different.

[28:09]

But there is still different, full realization, full awareness of Buddha nature. That's a different point. So that's why it says the experience of one undivided whole of the living and the Buddha, of the completion of all actions and of the perfection of full fruition, whatever you say, depends on the all the nature as it was. That's why my teacher says, why don't you ask me if you want to study? If you don't ask, how can I pick up your Buddha nature? Even though I teach you some aspect of Buddhism, but I don't have anything to give you, because you have already. So listening Buddha's teaching is sort of pouring the water,

[29:12]

extra water into the empty pump, I told you before, and then move the handle of the water pump, and then you can get the fresh water from the ground. What is this ground? This is you. Ground of your life. You can get fresh water. To listen to Buddha's teaching or to do the Zen is really pour the extra water into the empty pump. That's all. You have to pour constantly. And then move the handle of the water pump. This is the practice of cutting off the ego. Cutting off ego. Do you have some question? Go on. Experience of the one...

[30:19]

The last part... The old nature as it was... Well, old nature as it was means from the beginning, you have all the Buddha nature. That's why it says old Buddha nature. As it was. Before enlightenment or after enlightenment, Buddha nature is Buddha nature. But in the time process we can say that it's the old Buddha nature as it was. But Buddha nature is exactly the same. Thank you. Thank you.

[31:21]

Thank you. Thank you. Completely different. I will explain. It's completely different. Today's lecture, what I want to tell you is... Sometimes you should practice.

[32:46]

But you don't want to. Because if you practice in your life, it's not necessary you become a priest. Because everybody can do. It's about patience. OK. Patience is not to bear what you can bear. It is not patience. Because everyone can do that. Why is it we have to emphasize you should practice patience? Because there are very difficult things which you cannot bear. That's why you have to. Buddha and Patriarch will emphasize you should practice patience. Not emphasis of patience is...

[33:50]

pay attention to the practice what you can bear. That is the real meaning of patience. So practice is not always favorable for you. If you do practice, if you have practice, always which is favorable for you. Well, I don't know it is good or bad. Well, if you look at the American Buddhism, several Zen masters there, including me, don't believe they are great Zen masters. Because they are very favorable for you. There are still great Zen teachers which are not favorable for you.

[34:57]

In the human world, look at that. Someday, probably those Zen masters kick you out immediately. Funny American Zen Buddhism, please get out. Probably they say. But at that time, don't get out. Don't get out. Well, stay there and practice anyway. That is very good practice for you. That is the diverse. Super silly. Stay there. You are, in a sense, you are lucky.

[35:57]

Lots of food, lots of clothes, money, Sahara, drink out, Zen Zen and sleep. Perfect. Perfect. Very perfect. Nothing to suffer. In a sense. What is the suffering you have? Your suffering is really coming from egoistic sense. Too much freedom. Too much freedom in a sense. I don't want to criticize you. No, I don't. Buddha always destroy any other life, lifestyle. Don't. Buddha's criticism is, I told you on Sunday, last Sunday. Buddha's criticism is, please pay attention again. Your lifestyle is okay, but please pay attention to, again,

[37:04]

in a different angle. Because your lifestyle is not real meaning of lifestyle, human life. This is very good. That is a very important what priest has to do every day. So, American life is okay. I don't want to criticize, because I am also in the United States. But pay attention again. Is it okay or is it not okay? Because you have to save all sense of being. If you don't think this in that way, you cannot become a boss of a company after giving up a priest life. Whatever you make of, you cannot be a boss of a company. A priest life is a huge company.

[38:08]

You have to run, okay? Managing, arranging, huge company. Saving all sense of being. Who are changing always. Desiring many things. Creating suffering, lots of things. What you don't expect before. How can you save? There are different, completely different sufferings you don't have. That time when you face those sufferings, how can you save? You cannot save. That's why your present life is okay. Your present life is your present life. Pay attention again, please. There is always Buddhist criticism. If you study Buddhist scriptures,

[39:09]

Dogma is okay. You believe. But you don't believe real meaning of Buddhism. That is Buddhist criticism. Christian people ask me, Can you believe in God? Yes, I can believe in God. But it's not important. I believe in God, you believe in God, that's okay. But pay attention. God you believe is not real meaning. It makes sense or not. You should pay attention again. If you don't pay attention to your belief of the God, in the God, you are very big troublemakers. I don't think it's necessary to have a particular pattern of a Buddhist priest.

[40:38]

Molding your life into the Buddhist scriptures, mentioned by Buddhas and Shakyamuni Buddhas, or Patriarchs. That's all right. For instance, why don't you look at the precepts? Whatever kind of precepts you pick up, your life is exactly fit into the precepts. I was very often criticized by many, not many, a few people in Minneapolis. You are not right teachers. It's not necessary to have a certain preconception, teacher must be, should be, such and such. But it's not necessary to have, well, that's why this is okay, you don't say so.

[41:48]

This type of life is okay, you don't say so. You have to pay attention, pay attention again anyway. Are you all right? You cannot put down Buddhist teaching into human life. Buddhist teaching is Buddhist teaching, because this leads you to create a great image of human life. Without this, you cannot keep your Buddhist priest life. Buddhist teaching is Buddhist teaching, even though it is not fit to your life, you should keep it, you should keep it. It's very hard to keep that Buddhist teaching. But this is very good medicine for you, to lead you to pay attention to your life.

[42:51]

But in Japan, if you go to Japan, ask Buddhism, some aspect of Buddhism, they always say, priest is also human, that's all. How can you say that? That's why Buddhism is going down, melting. In that life, that Buddhism is really jellyfish, jellyfish, melting in the sun. Well, your life is not okay as a priest, but your life as a priest is one not necessary to destroy. Again, day after day, all you have to do is to move toward great ideal of Buddhist,

[43:56]

human life, great image of human life, which is called Buddha. Even though you don't like, you should practice, this is practice. You should practice what you don't like. Some teachers say, get out, that's okay, stay there. If you want to practice under the guidance of the teacher, anyway, stay there. Accepting the physical suffering, that's okay.

[44:25]

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