Buddhism is the explanation of the great way of Buddhas and Patriarchs. Buddhas, the great way of Buddhas and Patriarchs is life, is life. This life is the very essence of life on which our lives, our living is based.

[01:03]

This very essence of life is called life force, life force. The life force is transparent emancipation and manifest complete according to Dogen's explanation. Transparent emancipation and manifest completeness, this is life force.

[02:15]

In other words, the transparent emancipation and manifest completeness is the contents of life force, life force. In terms of our delusion, I mentioned the other day, life force is like a bottomless bucket. The moment you see it, you can't stand before it. But in terms of life force itself, the life force is

[03:26]

something which it has nothing prejudice. The life force is something without prejudice as if it was very pure water, pure water. And yet, it is obviously present, obviously present, manifestly present there, now and here. This is life force. In other words, it is being itself, being itself. In terms of the delusion, our delusion, life force looks like a bottomless bucket, which means foggy, which means foggy.

[04:51]

Well, you should know this, you should know this. But don't give up, don't give up halfway. If you give up looking at the life force, which seems bottomless bucket, you know, you are completely crazy. Don't give up. Through and through, you should penetrate into the bottomless bucket. At that time, it is really, it turned into, it's turned into life force itself as if it was pure water. And also, it is there, it is here and now. Not something foggy. Very clear, this is life force.

[05:55]

Then, I think it is, philosophically speaking, Dogen says, it is, it is identical with, identical with time itself, essence of time itself. Sometimes, Dogen says, it is identical with Buddha itself, okay? It is called Buddha. But this, the very essence of life, or the contents of life force, transparent emancipation and manifest completeness, it's not something which you feel cold from them, from it.

[07:07]

Such as, as if it was dead tree or rock. It's pretty warm. Now, Ho-Kyo-Zan-Mai, the sutra called Ho-Kyo-Zan-Mai, it says, when you, no, excuse me, the meaning of things is inexpressible in words, but they are hints to the searching spirit. When you dichotomize, you fall into a hole. When you oppose things, you are full of uncertainty. Getting near it or being far from it, both are wrong.

[08:13]

It is like a great ball of fire. That's why I mentioned, in terms of delusion, the life force itself is a bottomless bucket, okay? If you try to dichotomize, you fall into a hole, which means you are crazy, you will be crazy. When you oppose this, you are full of uncertainty, upset, completely you become upset. Getting near it or being far from it, both are wrong. It is like a great ball of fire. If you try to get near to it,

[09:16]

you are burned to death. You are burned to death. If you try to be far from it, you will be absolutely frozen to death, okay? This is life force you have. Be careful, okay? Be careful. Be careful. In other words, life force is something which enables you to bring about life itself in your daily life.

[10:26]

So, I would like to tell you, life force is something cold and also pretty warm. Pretty warm. Life force is cold and warm. If you try to get near to it, you are burned to death. To be burned to death is to make your life alive, okay? Make your life alive completely without being agitated by, what shall I do? Shall I go to the right? Shall I go to the left? After studying I Ching, I Ching says, why don't you go to the east? Don't stay in the United States.

[11:31]

Please go to the east. East, where is east? Low east, maybe Japan. No, no, no. Not Japan. Tibet? No, I don't like Tibet. Well, maybe India. Let's go to India. So, wherever you may go, okay? Whatever you want to study, that's all right. That's all right. You study many things. But the important point, how many knowledge of the Buddhism? Yes, I know. I know the Buddhism. What do you know? Yes, I know the Buddha nature. What Buddha nature? Can you explain? Yes, you can explain. But even though you can't explain what Buddha nature is like,

[12:36]

you cannot manifest. You cannot be free from Buddha nature itself. You are completely tied up by the Buddha nature. Enlightenment. And then, at last, it says, help! It is called delusion. It is called storehouse of the Buddha nature. Delusion. So, called Buddha nature. Huge. That's storehouse of the delusion. So, called Buddha nature. If you want to know Buddha nature, you should get the big storehouse of the delusion. That's all right, delusion. But transparent delusion. Transparent delusion. Transparent delusion. It is real Buddha nature. It means you are free from the Buddha. So, to be burnt to the death,

[13:41]

the moment you get near to it, it is called life force, which enables you, your life, alive. Right now, right here. Then, on the other hand, you try to chase after what Buddha nature is, what Buddha nature is, through the practice of Zazen. I'm sorry, Buddha nature is always run out from you. Far from you. You have experienced this. Then you always say, wait a minute. Please, wait a minute. Where is enlightenment? Where is Buddha nature? The more you chase after Buddha nature, or Buddha, or enlightenment,

[14:44]

Buddha nature is far from your life, completely. It is called to be frozen. Frozen to death. It means you will be completely upset. Upset. It is called sickness of Zen. Sickness of Zen. There are three kinds of sickness of Zen. One is when you touch, when you touch completely to the enlightenment. Yes. I got it. Got it. It is called sickness. Sickness of Zen. Then, second is,

[15:47]

you try to chase after continually, the enlightenment, or Buddha nature. Okay. It is called also sickness of Zen. Then after that, what is the purpose of life? You have a doubt. What is the purpose of life? What is the purpose of Zen practice? You don't know that. You are completely upset. Well, let's throw out everything. Stop everything. Then, do as I like. Then, when you want to dance, let's go dance. When you want to drink wine, let's go to the bar to drink beer. It is also the sickness of Zen. Sickness. Sickness. Sickness of Zen.

[16:50]

Then after that, your eyes open just a little bit. Wow. There is something more than that. Then at that time, may I sit with you? May I join your group and sit? Oh yes, please. Then you start to sit. Nevertheless, the sickness of Zen doesn't disappear. Still, you chase after the enlightenment. You repeat the same way. You know how deep, how deep ignorance is, right? Wherever you may be, same, it is true. Then, through and through,

[17:54]

you have to contemplate what life force is. Okay? What life force is. Life force is completely free. Transparent emancipation. Emancipation. And also manifest completeness. Right there. Right here. So if you understand this, it enables you, your life, alive, to be alive vividly. If you ignore it, you will be frozen to death. Then, Dogen says in the next paragraph, this dynamic working readily brings about life

[18:56]

and readily brings about death. At the very time this dynamic working is thus realized, it is not necessarily large. It is not necessarily small. It is not limitless. It is not limited. It is not long or far, short or near. Once present life exists within this dynamic working, this dynamic working exists within this present life. This dynamic working is expressed by the Japanese word, kikan. Kikan. Ki is function. Ki is function. Kan is the machine.

[20:05]

Machine which produces energy of function. Energy of function. This is kan. So ki-kan. Ki is function. Ki is function. Kan is a machine, which produces energy of function. So, in this translation, he translated this dynamic working. In other words, I think this dynamic work, working is this very life of the present. Dogen says,

[21:07]

nikon no kakkei. Nikon is nowness. Nowness. Kakkei means this very life. This very vivified life. Kakkei. Vivified living. Living life. So, the living life in nikon is in nowness. In nowness. Dogen says, these mountains and rivers of the present are the actual realization of the way of the old Buddhas. Each abiding in its own dharma state

[22:12]

possesses universal virtue because they are the state prior to the culprits of emptiness. They are this very life of the present because... No, excuse me. Because they are the state prior to the culprits of emptiness, they are this very life of the present. Because they are the self, they are the self before germinating of any subtle sign, they are complete freedom in realization.

[23:18]

From this statement, the kikan, dynamic working, is the self before germinating of any subtle sign. Any subtle sign. Before germinating of any subtle sign. This is the kikan, dynamic working. In other words, this is the life which is vivified. When you realize, you are called Buddha. In terms of life force itself, it is called Buddha itself.

[24:20]

Then when you realize this life force itself, you are called Buddha. You are called Buddha. So, life force. You understand how big, how huge your life force is. Also, this life force, which is vivified, readily brings about life. This life is your life in daily life. It brings about life, your life. It readily brings about death. Brings about life, brings about death.

[25:24]

So your life and your death are based on completely a huge size of the scale, beyond conception of your knowledge. But this life force exists. Also, your life is based on this. At the very time this dynamic working is thus realized, realized it is not necessarily large, it is not necessarily small, it is not limitless, it is not limited. It is not long or far, short or near. We cannot, there is no word to explain it.

[26:34]

That's why we just call it Buddha. Then I said, Shakyamuni Buddha, not I said, Shakyamuni Buddha said, you are Buddha. This Buddha says, Buddha means, refers to life force itself, on which your lives, your lives are based on, based. Regardless of whether you like or dislike. That's why I said, practice is not chasing after to escape. First important point is that practice is present. In other words, you are present in practice itself. In the practice itself. In other words, you are present in your existence itself.

[27:39]

First, okay? First. But you forget first. And then you always try to find something. It looks like a person who tried to figure out his head. Your head is always here. But it's not easy. That's why we need practice. It's not easy. Even though you don't understand, you should believe in your head is here, okay? First. And take care of your head. Take care of your hands. Take care of your body, okay? Eyes, legs. That's first important. You have to do right now, right here. And then learn through this. Through this, you should learn what the head is, okay?

[28:44]

What the hand is. But usually, if you go to the Rinzai, Rinzai Zen master give a koan. You should solve this question. This koan is usually used by people which enable you to bring about some question, okay? Concerning your life force. What life force? What enlightenment? What Buddha nature? Say something. Zen master always say something. Say. Right now, say something. If you go to the psychiatrist, psychiatrist is very kind, okay? Very kind, soft. Do you have some problem? Shut your mind, okay?

[29:50]

Don't shut your mind before me, okay? Please, open your mind and say, okay? Say what you are thinking, what you have. Say all to me. What you have. Very gentle. But if you go to the Zen Rinzai, say something. Say. Right now, say. Like a swine. And then one of the students came to the Tathagata who practiced under the Zen master, Rinzai Zen master. The Rinzai Zen master always say something, you know, without explaining. Say something. Say something about what truth is. Then he was completely upset. Then at last he said, I thought Buddhism is very kind, considerate

[30:55]

to not only human beings, but also all sentient beings. But your Buddhism, you are not kind. You always scare me. You always scare me. Kindness, kindness you think is very soft, like a psychiatrist. Do you have a question? Well, don't worry about it. You want something to eat? Okay. Please. You want to be alone? Oh, yes. Please come to my home. I have some way of remedy. So called screaming, primary screaming. Please come to my home.

[31:57]

So let you be alone. One week or two weeks, as you like. I don't understand. Why is it you have to go there? Go to the Tathagata, and Tanga-ryo, sit there. It is very good primary screaming. It is very good primary screaming. You are now Sesshin. You are completely a person who was tested. Okay? Who was tested by the Sassen, Sesshin. So called primary screaming. You always scream. I am tired. I am tired. How strong delusions. And the primary scream,

[32:59]

the doctor who takes care of primary screaming is still very kind. Because please, be alone. Okay? Don't bring anything. Just be there. Just be there. Many things happen. Then he said, that purpose enables you to be great gratitude, grateful for your delusions, suffering. Okay? But Zen don't say that. Okay? Please, sit. Okay, please sit. What is gratitude? No, what is grateful? Grateful for what? Suffering? It's pretty hard.

[34:01]

When you are grateful for the suffering, it looks like, it is as if you looked very beautiful imagination of Amitabha Buddha with a beautiful bodhisattva, 25 bodhisattvas. Hey, come on. Come on here. But you are not satisfactory. Okay? At last, you will be not satisfactory. Zen Buddhism always, okay, that's alright. Please sit. Continually, Buddhism tells you, please sit. Please sit. So make your head always cool. No excitement, so called being grateful for something, or hating something,

[35:06]

or loving something. Buddhism always makes you cool. Please sit. Please sit. That's why, you can't, that's why it's pretty hard. You can't stand before the Buddhism. Before Buddhism. Buddhism is life itself. Life force itself. Okay? And from this point, you should keep in mind how huge life force is. You can't, you can't reach it. You can't reach it. Okay? Then, why Buddhism tells you, please sit. Please sit. Okay, okay. Please sit. Buddhism leads you to be present right in the, right in the huge life force. Okay? Not small. Not small. Right?

[36:06]

Huge. That's why it always says, please sit. Please sit. That's why Dogen says, at the very time, this dynamic working is thus realized, it is not necessarily large. It is not necessarily small. It is not limitless. It is not limited. It is not long or far, or short or near. The Zen master, or Buddha, or many patriarchs, have made every possible effort to transmit this life force itself from one to another. One to one. This is called Dharma transmission. Okay? Dharma transmission. It's not so easy.

[37:09]

You understand intellectually, intellectually, in any way. But after understanding this life force itself, intellectually, there is some question. Because emotionally, it's pretty hard to understand what life force is. Okay? The ignorance has two kinds, two aspects of delusions. One is intellectual aspect. Second is emotional aspect of delusion. By intellectual aspect of ignorance, you can understand what life force is itself through the practice of Zazen. Then you can explain what life force is,

[38:12]

like me. Okay? Like me. Then you are, by listening to the lecture, you are, wow, how wonderful it is. And then you respect me, but it has nothing to do with, okay, with the Buddha itself. Because Buddha is more than that. I am still, maybe sometimes it is called bodhisattva. It is called, yes, it is called bodhisattva. But try to ask to yourself, again and again, are you sure? Are you sure complete Buddha or bodhisattva? By understanding the life force itself or truth, or emptiness and so on, intellectually, intellectually, you are.

[39:18]

You understand, you believe yourself who is, who would seem enlightened man. But, after understanding the truth or life force itself intellectually, true practice starts at this point. That is why Buddhists and patriarchs have made every possible effort to continually practice from ancient to up to now. Up to now. Then, the Zen masters, Buddhists and patriarchs would like to experience the life force itself.

[40:24]

Intellectually, you know, which is being, which is free from intellectual state of mind, intellectual state of, emotional state of being. That's why if you want to transmit life force from one to another, it's not so easy. In the Zen story, when a monk asked, asked a Zen master ah,

[41:28]

hmm, Baso. Baso Zen master. This monk had studied so much Buddhism, so he had lots of knowledge. In his mind, he wanted, he wanted to test Zen master to see if he was really Zen master or not. Then he asked Baso Zen master, what is Buddha? What is Buddha? At that time, Baso said, am I headache now? No, no. I'm get tired now, so I don't, I cannot explain about it now. Then he left. But this monk

[42:36]

didn't understand what he said in that way and left. Then he tried to go to see his disciple named Chizo who was the position of Seido, the same position of me, as me, as I, Seido. And this monk asked this Chizo, what is Buddha? And this Chizo says, did you go, did you see, did you see the Baso Zen master? He said, oh yes, I did. Oh, he didn't, he didn't explain about it, anything at all? He said, he didn't. And also Chizo says, I'm a headache now.

[43:38]

I couldn't, I can't explain it. Then he left again. And said, right before he left, he said, why don't you go to see the, my brother, Dharma brother, called, named Hyakujo Zen master. The Hyakujo Zen master was very famous. Then he went to see the Hyakujo Zen master and asked the same question, what is Buddha? And Hyakujo Zen master, did you see the Baso Zen master? He said, oh yes, yes. He didn't explain anything at all? He didn't. I'm sorry. Then after that,

[44:40]

you came here? No, before I came here, I come here, I met, I saw, I saw Chizo and asked the same question. Hyakujo said, did you, did he explain about it? No, he didn't. I'm sorry. And Hyakujo says, oh, Chizo, Chizo has white hair in his head, hasn't he? And, you know, I'm sorry, he, I'm sorry, this story is, he went back to the

[45:45]

Baso Zen master, okay? Baso Zen master. And then Baso Zen master says in that way, then Baso Zen master says, Chizo, Chizo has white hair on his head, hasn't he? Hyakujo at that time, he was a little younger than Chizo. Hyakujo has, Hyakujo has black hair on his head, hasn't he? That's all. That is, that is question concerning what place, what's the relation between the two? White hair and black hair. It's really nonsense if you think in common sense.

[46:46]

But actually, Zen master know, know so well, how huge life force is. Even though he explain all day what life force is like or what existence itself is like. It's huge. In other words, bottomless bucket you can't reach. But, but existence itself or life force itself make your life alive. Right now, right here. This is life force itself. This is Buddha. This is Buddha itself. Buddha nature. That's why he said, Chizo has, Chizo has white hair on his head, hasn't he? Nothing special there. There is nothing special.

[47:53]

Because existence itself make your life alive. OK? But usually we try to chase after what Buddha has. What Buddha has. Squeezing. Squeezing Zen master. Squeezing monks. Hey, say something, eh? But psychiatrist very gentle and kind, so squeeze very gently. Why don't you say something, eh? But Rinzai Zen master say something, eh? But sorrow school don't use both. Nothing. Chizo has white hair, hasn't he? Hyakujo has. Black hair on his head, hasn't he? That's all. It means nothing special.

[48:58]

Please sit. Please sit. And sit, please sit is to be present vividly. OK? To be present vividly right now, right here. In the realm of existence itself, in the realm of life force itself. And then life start to work at that time. OK? Start to work. Start to work. Otherwise your life doesn't make sense. Even though you have lots of knowledge, you can't. That's why Zen master says sorro Zen looks like very foggy and sometimes very strict to the form of Zazen straight posture. You don't understand this point. But that is

[49:59]

very important. When I was in my temple as I mentioned yesterday, my temple was very poor. Very poor. You know. We had 10 cents a day. If you include property I got 30 cents a day. But I couldn't eat the property. So I had to eat something always you know. I had to live on 10 cents a day. Let's imagine what kind of stuff you can buy.

[50:59]

Candy bar you can get. Candy bar is doesn't make your hunger satisfactory. Satisfactory. Particularly in winter. Very miserable life. Oh my goodness. I asked to myself why did you become Zen priest? You did something wrong. I asked to myself always you did something wrong don't you? I said oh yes I did something wrong. Because in winter you know the temple is little far from the village. 10 minutes

[52:00]

by walk in the winter heavy snows. Nobody can come up to the temple. Only my master and me. And except the rat in the ceiling that's all. How dreadful. How dreadful life between master and I was. Then sometimes there was nothing to eat. Then I asked my teacher what shall I make for dinner? He said let's find something. Let's find something. Let's find. But I know already

[53:02]

there is nothing. But he said he knows there was nothing to eat. But he said let's find something. Then I said my emotional problems was gradually coming up you know. But I said calm calm calm please calm. Then I asked my teacher Teacher, I'm sorry we don't have nothing to eat. Oh that's the first question. Oh Try to check the people

[54:05]

coming up from the village to the temple. From the window. And then emotional problem coming up here. But anyway first I pat my head please calm. Then I went to check the people to see whether coming up or not. Open the door and look at it. But nobody come. Heavy snow nobody come. Then then my emotional coming up here. Then I said

[55:09]

to my teacher I'm sorry nobody come. He said oh and he said he said someone someone is someone would be due to you know that due to come up to the temple carrying some food if you wait just little bit just for a while you know in the village country my master lived there for 40 years so he knows everything. When

[56:12]

food what kind of stuff when food comes up to the temple carrying what he knows. Then he expected someone to come up but at that time I'm sorry heavy snow so nobody come. Then I said nobody come. He said oh let's make a soup. Let's make a soup. Yes you know the Zen temple we make miso and soya sauce by ourselves. So we have plenty of miso and soya sauce even though you eat them all year

[57:14]

we have plenty of miso and soya sauce for two years at least even though there is nothing to eat miso and soya sauce. Then my teacher says let's make a soup. At last my anger coming out here. Because I was pretty young that 20s age pretty young I'm always hungry. Let's imagine this situation let's see then he used me so much you know let's make a soup

[58:18]

so but anyway I made every possible effort to make my head calm then fixed miso soup. And look at the soup there is nothing just a soup. I teared. I'm hungry very hungry hungry ghost. Nevertheless nevertheless however however I angered my master hatred hindrance cannot reach my master's word my master's word pretty huge.

[59:14]

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