I vow to take the truth of the Advaita as it works. Morning. I don't know about a perfect, profound dharma, but... Well, it should be. It is. We turned it down yesterday. How's that? How's that? Okay? I'm not so sure. It's okay. Well, today is a very auspicious day. It's summer, first day of summer.

[01:01]

It's Father's Day. It's the last day of Sashin, so to speak. It's the day we have the Shuso Hosen ceremony. So, big event. So all these things going on in one day. And the last day of practice period. [...] Raul came over this morning and he said, big day for you, happy Father's Day or something like that. And I said, oh yeah, Father's Day. So I called up my son this morning.

[02:06]

in his apartment in Walnut Creek. And I said, what are you doing? He says, sleeping. Happy Father's Day. He said that. He said that, yeah. He knows. I said, well, what are you gonna do today? I told him, I said, I'm Mr. Sheen, he said, I know. What are you gonna do today? Well, tonight I'm going to Karate. So he's gonna drop by around seven o'clock and go to Karate. So we have a little window together. But I never cared much for holidays. I never thought much about Mother's Day or Father's Day or Christmas or New Year's. Holidays have never meant a lot to me. And of course, I wasn't brought up in a religious home, so I never observed the Sabbath.

[03:25]

And I just thought, This is my punishment, sitting sasheen is my punishment for never having observed the satsang. So, I was There's several things I want to talk about. I kind of want to tie up the loose ends here today. But someone, many people actually have been talking about composure. It's become a subject. So I did a little research. I know what composure means, and so do you. But I did a little research on the meaning of composure, meanings of composure. It comes from pose to place. That word pose has accumulated many sub-meanings, you know, posing like Arnold Schwarzenegger, you know.

[04:42]

But it really means position, to place. And so it's together, to put something together. You compose a musical piece. It's called composition or composing, putting something together that works. And so it also has a kind of sub meaning is posture. So from pose is posture. And then I got down this wonderful word called aplomb, which I thought I understood, but then I realized, what does aplomb mean? I didn't know what that means. It means a plumb line, a plumb line, a vertical plumb line. We should have aplomb, right?

[05:44]

So-and-so has aplomb, means they sit up straight, or they stand up straight, or they're straightforward, or they're, you know, it's a perfect definition of zazen. To sit with aplomb is zazen. That's wonderful. It also means a kind of grace. Yeah, it also means a kind of gracefulness, yeah. Give me an example. That's great. We should change the name to Aplomb Mountain. We have our Shusho, Aplomb Blossom. Aplomb Blossom. So, it also means secure, some kind of integrity. It really means integrity, actually. integrated. When things are integrated, they're composed.

[06:47]

So integrated and integrity arises out of integration. And balanced, poised. Calm is another quality of composure. Settledness, restraint. Collectedness, organized. Cooled off. Cooled off. Cooled off is actually a definition of nirvana. If you read the books, nirvana says put out the fire. But it really means cooled off. To put out the fire is to be cold, right? but actually to regulate the fire so that it's not too hot or too cold, I think is nirvana.

[07:52]

And Suzuki Roshi always used to talk about regulating the lamp. You know, you shouldn't be a smoky lamp. We always had these kerosene lamps at Tassajara, and if you turn them up a little too high, then they smoke out, you know, and the glass gets all black. So we always had to make sure that we, especially the Aladdin lamps, because you think the Aladdin lamps are these high class kerosene lamps that are quite wonderful, give off a lot of light, but if you turn it up and you turn away and you think that it's okay, but then it keeps increasing, so you have to be very careful. So knowing just how to regulate the lamp so it's not too hot, not too cold, not too bright, not too dim. I think this is more like nirvana. It's like more normal, not something extraordinary.

[08:57]

To be cold is extraordinary. To be hot is extraordinary. But to be temperate is to be normal. And why wouldn't one want to be normal? Buddha always says, my dharma is about the norm. He says, it's not about some extreme. It's about the norm, which is kind of boring, right? Like zazen. to regulate. And so practice is always regulating, continually regulating, because we're always getting too hot, we're always getting too cold. And in a way, you can call this the middle way. The middle way has several definitions. One definition of middle way is the middle between extremes. That's kind of like the lamp. The other definition of middle way is between existence and non-existence.

[10:02]

Between is and is not. Between all dualities. The middle way, which is reality. non-duality is actually middle way. So, cooled off is nirvana. So, nirvana is composure. And when we sit in zazen with aplomb, we have a composure, which is not seeking after anything. not being pushed around by anything, not attaching to anything, no aversion to anything. And this is nirvana. Sorry, that simple. Anyway, this is one definition of nirvana.

[11:08]

So, then equanimity. poise, which is aplomb, actually, equilibrium, level-headedness, well-balanced, self-controlled, well-regulated, malicious, no, mind, it's just a joke, self-possession, self-restraint, self-possession, Presence of mind, confidence, assurance, patience, all those qualities are qualities of composure. And soberness. The other thing I want to talk about is our shuso ceremony.

[12:18]

What do we do in the shuso ceremony? Sometimes, you know, shuso ceremony is called dharma combat. And then everybody thinks, well, get out their sticks and stones, you know. But actually, we like to call it dharma dialogue, which is kind of tame, you know. But dialogue is not quite right, and combat's not quite right. Basically, we bring up the dharma together. If there is a combat, what wins is the dharma, not the questioner or the questionee. It's not a matter of who's winning. It's a matter of, letting the dharma come forth. So we ask a question which is, you know, a question that, you're questioning the shuso about the dharma.

[13:28]

You're not questioning the shuso about what they did last Tuesday or how they're feeling today or, you know, stuff like that. It's like a dharma question. What is, how is, which makes it harder for you to think of something. So it's not, you know, it looks like the questioners are sitting down there questioning the shuso, and the shuso has to come up with something. And so that's their responsibility. But it's also your responsibility to ask a decent question. Yeah. May we use the library during our rest period? Well, you know, the Seshin is over after lunch. No, the Seshin is over at 3.30. Yes. The shuso ceremony is at 4.30. So? So, you have that window, but don't stray away.

[14:33]

Thank you. Yeah. A Dharma question sometimes is something about Buddhism, but it's also something about reality. So you don't have to rely on Buddhism. You don't have to get something from a book to match the, but that's okay to do that. I think that's okay to do that. because it focuses on dharma. And so, I give you permission to look up something juicy. But go ahead, that's good. It's good. One of the things is that the shuso may not have studied a lot of Dharma, I mean, a lot of Buddhism.

[15:36]

So you ask a Buddhist question, they don't know quite what that is, but the shuso should be able to answer the question even if they haven't heard of that particular thing, because you should be able to deal with any question. But if you know your bottom line. So what the test is of the shuso is not how much they know. It's really not about how much they know. It's about where they go to bring up a response. So it's not a matter of answering questions. It's a matter of responding to a question. Even though you get an answer to a question, so what? What are you going to do with the answer? Oh, now I know. It's the dialogue between the shuso and the questioner and the electricity that goes back and forth.

[16:47]

where they are, you know, so the shuso has to bring up something from here, not from here. We want an answer from here. And then often the shuso will get stuck because people will cleverly want an answer, and then the shuso thinks, oh, I really love that person. I wanna help them out and give them a real explanation. But as soon as Jesus starts explaining things, it's over. So it's not a matter of explaining, it's a matter of responding. And the answer may sound crazy or whatever, you know, but there's something right about it if it comes from the right place. I mean, it is right. So, sometimes a person will say, well, the shusod didn't really give me an explanation.

[17:57]

That's good, that's okay. What did you get? What did you get? So, it's this directness, directness. And you can ask the question, and she'll still respond, and then you may have another, not another question, but a question about the response, and then another response. But that should be it. Not kind of go on and on and on, well, yeah, yeah, yeah. Or, if that happens, the shuso should say, boom. That's a good response. Just, you know, if you are, you know, just yakety yakety yakking, boom. I don't want to tell everybody how to do this, but I think it's better if I do.

[19:06]

because it gets us on board as to what's really happening here. So, you know, it's been a lot of questions and it takes time, you know. So, it's good if this event kind of brings out a lot of energy. But if it doesn't bring out a lot of energy, then she's just going on and on and on. Everybody's tired. So keep the energy going. I think that's really an important part. And the energy will create a deeper response. She so has to dig, you know. So, Suso has to go into this event with a totally empty mind, not thinking anything.

[20:22]

What's gonna be my answer? Can't do that. That's a totally empty mind. And then, look straight at the questioner and give a response. And let the question elicit the response. So it's not premeditated or anything like that. So it may be the wrong response. That's okay. Or maybe not. It may be okay. So then, you know, shuso, dragons and elephants, give me your questions, boom. Then ask a question, and then respond.

[21:24]

Sometimes when the shuso will get nervous, and as soon as they give an answer, they go boom. and because they're nervous. So, Truso has to be careful not to cut people off too soon. Just give space, and then give space for another response or another part of the question. And if that's not coming, boom, or if it does come, then boom. So you have to have some patience, patience and subtleness, composure. The real test of composure. So all these things are part of the, you know, what's coming forth. Not just answering the questions that are composure, settledness, compassion, wisdom, bringing out your fundamental self.

[22:31]

Not so much, had very little to do with what you know. Do you have any questions about anything that I was talking about this morning? Yeah. Blanche Hartman sometimes, or often actually, asks us, she's so, what is it, like, have you completely exposed yourself yet? Could you talk about that? Is that something that you see as part of the issues? Any other questions? The plumb, I wanted to say too that plumb bob, not only is it straight, it points to the center.

[23:47]

Right, it points to the center, that's right. And anything will work. It doesn't have to be a plumb bob, it could be anything. Yes. It always points to the center. As long as it points to the center, that's exactly right. So it just has to come out of the center. And the staff actually is a plumbed staff, but it's curved. It's not straight, but it has its aplomb. How do you find the aplomb of the bent staff? You know, Vaike and I sometimes joke about a Tazahara with its work period or summer and somebody's leaving, sometimes it works so well, they start saying, oh, thank you very much for giving this wonderful place together.

[24:55]

You know, but actually, that's exactly how I feel right now about Berkeley Center. When I was practicing the procession yesterday, with the temple officers and so forth, I was just thinking, gosh, this place is in such good hands. Yeah. That's a good point, you know. There are times during, this Sashin has been a very powerful event, actually. And there are times like in the afternoon, or you know, dinner time or something, and the light is coming in the window, and just looking at everybody just brings up some kind of unspeakable feeling, you know? Yeah, I understand what you're saying.

[25:58]

And all this activity during the work period, it's like, I got the feeling of Santa's workshop. Yeah. Yeah. Great activity. Yeah. Linda? Just a little question about where our questions come from. Yeah. I mean, I guess you would say the same thing as you said about her response, that they come from down deep But I was wondering about, I have some vagueness about personal and dharma questions.

[27:08]

You know, maybe they should fuse, but I want to give a little hint. Yeah, dharma question is very personal to you. I think if you answer a Dharma question in an impersonal way, it's not a real response. So when someone asks you a Dharma question, this is where all the koans come from. The student asks the Master a Dharma question and the Master gives him something very personal. So you can't answer the question, it doesn't make sense to answer the question in an explanatory way. You answer the Dharma question from a very personal place.

[28:08]

And we ask it from a personal place? Well, what does it mean to you? So if you're just asking a question, it doesn't mean anything to you. So what? So, on top of having to ask the question, you have to ask the question that has meaning for you. Yeah. Did you want to say something, Russ? Usually. Usually. The Ashistha ceremony has always been a really wonderful time, just to be here. It's kind of a reified atmosphere and this energy and charm that you're talking about. And I also think about our practice here, and then we go out in the world, and I'm not quite sure of my question, but it's about the intimacy and that connection that we have in this ancient form of call and response in the Zen-do.

[29:14]

It doesn't quite translate out in the world. So you go to a store and say, I want a quart of milk, and there's the response. And then there's the other the exchange and all that. Can you say, is there anything that you can say about how we can, what we can learn from the experience of Sashin and the ceremony and how we can be real and authentic in the world? Yes, I think what comes up for me is intimacy. You don't ask the clerk for milk, you go get it yourself, right? But you take it to the checkout counter, right? So that's a moment of intimacy. And how do you, that's where your connection is. Your connection is also with the milk. How do you take it out of the,

[30:17]

How are you connecting with that bottle of milk or whatever carton? How are you interplaying with that? How do you relate to that? When you pick out vegetables, which ones do you get? You just pick some or just look at them or you get the worst one or you get the one. There's a kind of connection there. There's an intimacy. There's an intimacy with whatever you're handling. There's an intimacy with whoever you're dealing with. So this is a certain kind of intimacy, but when you're out in the grocery store, it's a different kind of intimacy. But it's intimacy that's the key, I think. Because you're intimate with yourself, you can be intimate with whatever you meet. Because whatever you meet is yourself. What one sees often in a group Get going already, right?

[31:28]

Get out of here! That's Ken. It's a cabbage on my pillow. I never saw a cabbage. Anyway, who knows? You just do what you can. Robert. Yeah, we can't understand it.

[32:38]

That's right. It has to be beyond our understanding. That's why, you know, anything that direct is beyond our understanding. asked you something about offering the question, and your guideline was, be sincere. And so I think that's really a good rule of thumb. You know, like, be sincere. Yeah. Yeah, I think so. When you say just finding the right light in the right or whatever you want to call it, yeah. And say in a conversation that is, you're told by the other person, too hot.

[33:47]

And then you say too cold to the other one. I mean, going by your shout, which was hot, there's no right. So you go back and forth, but then one person may keep trying to master the other one to, maybe it's an Oxford question, trying to get the hot one down to cool so that the cool one can deal with the hot. So I'm not, how do you, I mean, if you're doing it with yourself, it's okay, but when you're doing it with somebody else or the society, it's really difficult. Well, staying cool is good. Sometimes, you know, regulation, you know. I don't know, if somebody tells you you're too hot-headed, try being cool, see what happens. Take advice. Good to take advice.

[34:51]

Because if we're too, if we're hot, someone says cool down, and we don't like it, that means that we're out of control. But aren't you trying, isn't that other person, why should the other person do this? Nobody can control you but yourself. Right. Unless you've given them permission. Where I live on the ashram, we have this saying, that is kind of, Lois, you're reminding me of it. It's, do you want to be right, or do you want to be in a relationship? Yeah, that's good. We work a lot with feedback, receiving feedback, giving feedback skillfully, and using each other's mirrors.

[35:54]

And the advice is often, it's not that the person is right, So in terms of intimacy, this has helped me a lot to watch how much I want to be right, but also find the place where I really want to be in a relationship. Yeah. Always wanting to be right makes separation. It seems like it's the same principle as the the Dharma dialogue where you have two people and it's not about, I'm gonna ask a clever question or I'm gonna give it, it's let's see what we can make together and then we both have it. We both have something, yeah. That's right, I think that's good. Not to get back to the sentimental point, but this probably is my last chance to say thank you to everyone.

[37:00]

Yeah. my first session here at the center, a multi-day session, and it has been really amazing, and I want to thank each and every one of you for your patience and your sincerity. Thank you. I just wanted to say something about, you know, in Japan they've stylized this kind of ceremony, you know, over centuries. So it's been, it's pretty much stylized. And the questioners have sort of stopped questions and the Shuso has studied So that the questioners ask the question, they match kind of, you know, the question with the answer. Kind of like capping phrases in a way, but not necessarily, but that is part of the style.

[38:10]

And, but it's called Dharma combat and they, you know, really punch it out, but, This is also matching. It's like asking a question and matching the question with the response. So in that sense, it's bringing up the dharma and letting the dharma be the winner so that the question matches the response. the response matches the question, but not necessarily in the way you want it to, or the logical way, or from our usual idea of logic. So sometimes it'll look funny, but it's a response, and then you think about it later, and you say, yeah, that's right. So that's why I don't like to call it answer, but response, so that

[39:13]

Things meet. But we don't have very much time here, but I wanted to say, if anybody else wants to say something about how this whole thing felt or feels or something like that, express something. Well, when Buddha was asked a question, and the answer was yes, he remained silent. OK, it's time. So you have a little while to think of a question, if you haven't thought of one already. You're moving too fast for me anyway. What's that again? You said you can say something about how you felt or something. Yes. I said you're moving too fast for me at any rate. I understand.

[40:17]

If somebody has something at the top of their... I fell in love with Berkeley Zen Center all over again.

[40:26]

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