First of all, I want to recommend you to read the King of Samaritans, Samaritans again and again. Can you hear me? This is a very good form. This is very helpful for you to understand the meaning of Shikantada mentioned by Rogen. Again and again, read quietly the King of Samaritans, Samaritans. You can taste something from this. Shikantadengi consists of introduction, main subject, and conclusion, three parts.

[01:22]

This introduction also consists of eight sections. Eight sections. Today, I would like to study with you first two sections. First section, the way is basically perfect and all-pervading. How could it be contingent upon practice and realization? The dharma vehicle is free and untrammeled. What need is there for man's concentrated effort?

[02:27]

This is first section. Indeed, the whole, whole body is far beyond the world's dust. Who could believe in the means to brush it clean? It is never apart from one right where one is. What is the use of going off here and there to practice? This is second section. In the first and second sections, Rogen emphasized the four crucial points in the practice of zazen.

[03:35]

The one point is the way is basically perfect and all-pervading. How could it be contingent upon practice and realization? This is one point. The second, the dharma vehicle is free and untrammeled. What need is there for man's concentrated effort? This is second point. Third, indeed, the whole body is far beyond the world's dust. Who could believe in a means to brush it clean? This is third. It is never apart from one right where one is. What is the use of going off here and there to practice? This is fourth point.

[04:36]

These four crucial points in the practice of zazen are what we have to aim at. If you want to practice zazen, these four crucial points are necessary for us to understand. But actually it's very difficult to understand. But always Rogen offers first something which is most important. But usually we don't understand. For instance, in the Genjo Koan, if you study Genjo Koan, first of all he said, when all dharmas are buddhadharma,

[05:48]

there are delusions, enlightenment, enlightened ones, ordinary persons, life and death, delusions, enlightenment, etc. But we don't understand this. First of all, he offers something which is most important. But the title is Genjo Koan. That means Genjo is phenomenal world we live in, human life. The Koan is truth. Genjo Koan means a unity of phenomenal world and the truth. Then immediately he says, when all dharmas are buddhadharma, there are many beings. Life and death, good or bad, right or wrong, man and woman, babies and boys, girl and boy,

[06:54]

life, Buddha and ordinary persons. But we don't understand this. Instead of explaining the meaning of the phenomenal world and truth, philosophically, psychologically, or instead of explaining what human life is, philosophically or psychologically, he offers real reality to you immediately. Here they are. Reality is what state of being, what is present from moment to moment, complete beyond your affective preferences. So this is reality in life. So he offers directly to you this.

[07:58]

We don't understand. But usually we want to understand why we have to accept reality in life without researching, analyzing, synthesizing, philosophically, psychologically. This is the point we are curious of. We want to analyze and synthesize. But he doesn't. So immediately he offers reality to you without explaining philosophically, psychologically. But this is very important because this is practical point. You have to completely accept. For instance, if you become sick, you go to the doctor and get the medicine. All you have to do is take a medicine. Take a medicine. But we don't want to take a medicine.

[08:59]

But actually you take a medicine. But according to the relation with your life, you usually don't take medicine. Instead of taking medicine directly, actually you first analyze what this medicine is. Do you understand? This is very common, very common. But actually you cannot take care of life like this because life is, well, reality. Your life is vast. Your life is vast, which is called reality, completely beyond your analysis. So all you have to do is to take this reality as a whole, first. And then in the process of learning this reality, and then if you have a time or if you are interested in,

[10:04]

you can research, you can study what reality is. This is Buddhist philosophy, psychology, and Buddhist teachings. And this is verbal explanation of reality in life. But reality is completely beyond your analysis. It is something you have to completely accept. Reality in dance, reality in singing, reality in swimming in the ocean, well, how can you explain it? First, you want to research reality in swimming in the ocean, right in the middle of swimming in the ocean. Are you interested in analyzing reality in swimming? If you do so, your body is sinking into it. Well, I don't think it is right. But I don't mean that you should ignore analysis of swimming.

[11:10]

It's important. But first of all, there is something urgent you have to do. Urgent. This is, anyway, ambulance. The Buddhist teaching is very ambulance, okay? You should take it. The Buddhist teaching, anyway, take you to the, anyway, hospital. Immediately. So, that's why, in Fukan Zu Zengi, first of all, he said four crucial points. We don't understand, okay? So, So, the way is basically perfect and all-pervading. How could it be contingent upon practice and realization? The way is basically perfect and all-pervading.

[12:24]

It means, Zazen must be the way, okay? Zazen is the way. Originally, we say do, Do is the way. Moto is origin. The origin of the way. Zazen is the origin of the way. The origin of the way are not two things, okay? If I say the origin of the way, you believe here is the origin, not the other. You see the way. I don't think this is real meaning. The origin of the way means the way itself. Way itself. So, Zazen is, anyway, the way itself. Yesterday I told you the way is a state of being that all sentient beings

[13:30]

are existent in peace and harmony simultaneously. This is the way. The heaven and earth and I are in one and the same root. Ah, you can experience this. You can realize this. But even though you cannot realize this, your life is right there. So, that's why Dogen Rin says Zazen must be done there, okay? In the way, in the sphere of the way. In the sphere of the way. In which all sentient beings are in one and the same root. This is Zazen. So, if you do Zazen, that Zazen is not personal Zazen you can see.

[14:34]

That Zazen is Zazen which is operating constantly, interconnected, interpenetrated with all sentient beings. Where? In the way. It is called the way. So, it's just like Zazen. If you sit down, and according to the instruction mentioned by Buddha, if you sit down correctly, that is really the left beautiful flower of life force bloom. Not in the sphere of, in personal sphere. In the universe. In the universe. This is the future feature of Zazen, and quality of Zazen. So, even though little boy, little girl, don't understand the meaning of Zazen, but if they see the future of Zazen,

[15:39]

in many ways, they are impressed very much. So, that's why the way is basically, anyway, Zazen itself. Zazen must be practiced there. Also, if you do Zazen, not in personal narrow view of the world, but in the sphere of the way, which all beings are interconnected, interpenetrated, at that time, Zazen, in the way, is perfect. And all pervading. All pervading. It means it's perfect. That's why it is beautiful. But you don't know.

[16:40]

No one can explain why it is beautiful. But it is beautiful. Blooming flower. If you look at this, a beauty is analyzed. A little beauty, or little size of beauty, or big size of beauty, this is human speculation. Immediately you analyze. But whatever you think, the beauty is beauty. Even though small, even though big, even though little size, beauty is beauty. So, perfect and all pervading, this beauty of life force blooming constantly, affecting everybody. Even a tiny flower blooms in the heart of the mountains, it is beautiful. It is beautiful. Completely beyond human speculation. But you say, poor, poor flower, why don't you bloom in the beautiful garden?

[17:42]

Everybody takes care of you in best way. But that is human speculation. Tiny flowers, life of tiny flowers, is just blooming wherever it is. So, this life of tiny flowers is absolutely not different from life of Himalaya mountains. Himalaya mountains, big, and gorgeous beauty. But no difference between. So that is perfect and all pervading. Ah, yesterday I told you about labor and wages. Okay? If you want to work, if you want to get the job,

[18:47]

you may first negotiate with the company. If you decide, you may take that job. That is first stage you have to go through. Second stage, you should completely forget. Put aside the idea of wages. If you have time work, well, forget how much you can get money. An hour. All you have to do is to take your pure sense of labor, which is called work. This is the way. If you see the task, all you have to do is to take best care of task without comparing with wages

[19:49]

or, you know, broadly speaking, expectations, expectation. But I don't mean you should ignore expectation or wages because you cannot support yourself if you ignore. So you should take care of this. But if you take care of that, well, next, you must be free from what idea of wages comparing with your task. So all you have to do is to take best care of task in the pure sense. At that time, this is nothing in the way. This is the task. This is the task, which is identical with the way itself. So naturally, you can let the beautiful flow of task itself bloom there. And then to bloom is sort of what to call

[20:52]

scenery, as you can see, or virtuous quality. Virtuous quality, when you take best care of task as it really is, well, that task, anyway, give forth a wonderful fragrance, which is called virtuous quality. That virtuous quality of task is what is called wages. Very naturally you can get. And also you can support your life. And also you can live your life worth living very naturally. This is the, anyway, virtuous quality of task. If you really do your best to take care of this, instead of analyzing, synthesizing by wages and etc. So that is the zazen. The way is basically perfect

[21:54]

and all-pervading. First of all, we have to take care of zazen like this. Like this. But usually we don't. If you do zazen, you take a job, you take the zazen by the hours. Don't you think so? Or sometimes you take a zazen by years. Two years. Three years. Or sometimes if you are very curious, you can take the zazen by moment. But if you do this, you will be crazy. But anyway, usually we take, we have zazen by hours or few minutes and seconds or minutes or hours

[22:56]

or days. But at that time, very naturally you can expect something extra instead of zazen itself. So in a sense, I told you before, that means that you really sell zazen by piece. By the piece. This part of my body is zazen. This part, the left side, is for enlightenment. On that side, upper part of your body is delusion. So you don't like delusion, so you really want to cut off your neck. But actually you cannot do this. That's why finally you don't know what to do. So you always, we do always sell your body and mind by piece, by the piece. Don't you think so? Some person always says,

[24:00]

I used to do zazen very seriously for 7 years, 10 years and get the certification of enlightenment from a Zen master. Well, it doesn't, it has nothing to do with reality in life where you are present right now like this. No. Because everyday is changing. The certification, certificate of enlightenment is just a piece of paper. It has nothing to do with reality in your life. Anyway, zazen must be going in the sphere of reality in life which is constantly changing, completely beyond human speculation, good or bad, right or wrong. There is nothing to compare with wages, delusion, enlightenment, whatever. All you have to do is let the beautiful flower of life bloom there. That is zazen

[25:01]

as purest form of your doing. So, sometimes people try to bring a piece of paper in zazen time with a pencil. If you get good ideas, you take a note and put it aside under the cushion. You sit down and immediately in the next moment you take a note. Is this also not real zazen? Don't you think so? This is a part-time job. Part-time job. But we do always part-time job in the sense that psychologically or physically we do. Sitting always your body and mind by pieces. Here is a calendar, here is a stinking calendar. Here is a wonderful

[26:02]

Zen masters. Even though right in the middle of sitting I hold good zazen. Oh, this is... I become Zen master. I don't... It's just a speck of dust. It is not real zazen. It is not real zazen. So... The way is basically perfect and all-pervading. How could it be contingent upon practice and realization? That's why how could it be contingent upon practice and realization? Well, practice and realization. I do zazen and next moment you won't like to attain enlightenment. So, already your doings is divided into zazen,

[27:02]

enlightenment, delusions. That means to sell your body and mind by pieces. But this is not real zazen. Because you sell the zazen by pieces for enlightenment, practice, Buddha, delusions, all. So, you can't take care of zazen as a whole. So, finally you can't bloom the flowers of zazen you do. Because you cut the pieces zazen. So, you immediately kill the life of zazen. That is not real zazen. So, even though you can see right in the middle of zazen you can see the practice. That is just a flickering light

[28:03]

running through your head. That's all. If you don't meddle with it, it disappears sooner or later. Next moment blue light comes up which is called enlightenment. But that enlightenment is also just a flickering light running through before you. If you don't meddle with it, it disappears. But if you meddle with it, well, it becomes a monster. Ghost. Sometimes beautiful Buddha. Sometimes beautiful Avalokiteshvara. But a beautiful Avalokiteshvara is not always beautiful. If you are really about to obsessed with the Avalokiteshvara, Avalokiteshvara is really big trouble. Trouble maker for you. So, when you see the beautiful Avalokiteshvara, you must be free from Avalokiteshvara.

[29:05]

That is the final goal we have to do. If you see practice, you must be free from practice. There is no reason to be stuck there. You can put it aside, and all you have to do is continually to let the beautiful flow right forth, right in the middle of the way. Oneness of all sentient beings. Interconnected, interpenetrated. Constantly, from moment to moment. That time, that is real. So, that is whatever you see, the practice and realization, or diligence, or Buddha, or life and death, whatever kind of light, flickering light. They are completely

[30:06]

fixed. something in flux, in flux. It is not something fixed. You can't depend on. Nothing to depend on. Dogen then says, although in realization, the mind of the Zen practice and its objects both arise and disappear within the stillness of Samadhi, you know pretty well. Within the stillness of Samadhi, of the Zen, you can see subject, practitioner, you can see object, the Zen. But there is

[31:06]

completely nothing to depend on. Because they are nothing but flickering light. What's sooner or later would disappear. Even though you won't hang on. So, that's why Dogen then says, although in realization, in the way, in realization, in reality, in reality, in doing the Zen, you can see your mind, delusions, enlightenment, subject, object, many things. Sometimes appears, sometimes disappears. Within the stillness of Samadhi, since it occurs within the sphere of self-joyousness, self-joyousness, did you you, it doesn't disturb a single mote of dust, nor

[32:06]

infringe upon single phenomenon. That means, sitting the Zen, sitting your Zen, your Zen. But when it appears, next moment, it disappears. But usually, we hang on this, and then judge it. If you hang on, they treat it as bad Zazen. And but-doesn't is also nothing but perfectly nice, which would disappear sooner or later in the next moment, but we hang on again. So, always hang on. So, if you judge but-doesn't, you hang on this, and then but-doesn't is getting worse and worse. Finally, well, you don't want to do that anymore.

[33:09]

So, you shouldn't hang on. So, all you have to do is just put them aside. So, it doesn't disturb. If you don't meddle with those flickering lights, and whatever kind of colors appear flickering in front of your zazen, right in the middle of stillness of samadhi, it doesn't bother you. So, that means continually to let the beautiful flower of life force bloom, which is called zazen. Also, Dogenzin says, when even just one person at one time sits in zazen, he becomes imperceptibly one with each and all of the myriad things, and permeates completely all time. How could it be contingent upon practice and realization?

[34:25]

Practice is not usual human action. Practice is a refined action, refined action. Refined action means, in Buddhism, to try to tune in to a dial of oneness with all beings interconnected dynamically, that is, a pure sense of practice, pure sense of practice. Without setting your body and mind by peace for practice, enlightenment, delusion, ordinary person, life and death, good or bad, right or wrong. That is practice, meaning of practice.

[35:26]

So, practice is not usual human action. Usual human action is limited by a certain category, good or bad, right or wrong. But refined practice is completely beyond category of good or bad, right or wrong. This is refined practice. That's why you have to try to tune in to the dial of all beings. Your zazen is not yours. Your zazen is universal rhythm of all beings. Personally, all you have to do is just to bloom, concentrate. That is practice. And, the enlightenment is, realization is a virtuous quality of the practice.

[36:30]

Manifests itself in the sphere of body and mind. That is realization. When you really take care of practice in the pure sense. That time, practice you do, manifests itself as a quality, a virtuous quality. Frequency, coming from each pores. Each pore. That is realization. So, what is real practice and realization? So, all you do, that is zazen, which is perfect and all-pervading. It's just like a single sheet of paper with its back and front, which is called practice. Enlightenment, good or bad, right or wrong. So, when you use front of a piece of paper, front, just the front appears.

[37:39]

Front is something you should use. But, the back completely is hidden. Not appear in the surface. All you have to do is to use the front. But, even though you use just the front, that front is not merely front. You use whole piece of paper. That is, anyway, practice is going on in the way. So, Dogen then says, practice is whole world. The self is whole world. If you see your practice, that practice is the whole world. Occupying whole world. That means, don't sell your body and mind by piece.

[38:40]

For enlightenment, delusion, natural expectation. All you have to do is just to take care of the practice as it really is. That time, practice becomes completely universe. The universal practice means to leave no words. To leave no words of what is called practice. Opposite to enlightenment itself. Because your body and mind are completely one with practice. Just practice is one. So, that time, beautiful flower of life force blooming is what? If you see it from the angle of practice, it is temporarily called practice. So, that is using the front piece of paper. But intellectually, we see, I use just the front.

[39:42]

But actually, you cannot use just the front. Using the front is to use a whole piece of paper. This is sudden. This is real practice. If you see this, if you use the back, which is called enlightenment, or realization, realization, anyway, occupies whole world. That time, there is no idea of the realization. Publicated by consciousness. Okay, this is the first point. First point. First crucial point you have to aim at if you do the thing. Okay. The second crucial point is the Dharma vehicle is free and untrammeled.

[40:48]

What need is there for man's concentrated effort? The Dharma vehicle is synonymous, synonym. It's a synonym with previous words, the way, the way. So, the way must be something which operates from moment to moment, which is called vehicle, vehicle. Vehicle is something you can get a ride. And carries you, takes you to a certain destination. So all you have to do is anyway to get a ride. What kind of ride you should take? That is the way, the way. But the way is not ideal. In other words, truth or reality. In dance, in having a breakfast, whatever it is,

[41:52]

the way, the reality in dance, ballet, playing music, are completely something which operates. It must be vehicle. You can take a ride. At that time, that reality is very naturally operating. Operating. Then this vehicle must be open not only to a certain particular person, but this vehicle must be open to everybody. That's why this is the Dharma vehicle. Dharma vehicle, vehicle. So, if this vehicle is used for everybody, without discrimination, at that time this vehicle is the best, best one vehicle. And, or the most respectful vehicle, open to everybody.

[42:58]

That is called the Dharma vehicle, Dharma vehicle. The Dharma vehicle. So, Zazen is the most respectful vehicle. Or the Dharma is the best vehicle which everyone can take a ride. This is Zazen. And this Dharma vehicle, the function of the operation of vehicle, must be free and untrammeled. Untrammeled. The Dharma vehicle must be characterized by free and untrammeled. Usually, we feel free and untrammeled if there is nothing to interrupt around our life.

[44:13]

In order to get free, we try to do interconnected, interpenetrated with all sentient beings. Because heaven and earth and I, all are one, and are the same root, in the sphere of the Way, or the Supreme Vehicle. So, if you want to be free and untrammeled, first of all, with our best, we have to take care of our objects as they really are. Not hunting them by our affective preferences. Because your objects are not objects seen from individual telescope.

[45:20]

The objects are completely whole universe. Exactly universe. Life. Then all we have to do is be one with it and take good care of it as it really is. Particularly under unstable level conditions, when you don't feel good, it's very difficult to handle the thing as it really is. Don't you think so? Or even the beautiful flowers. You don't want to handle beautiful flower as it really is. But beautiful flower is completely beautiful flower beyond your affective preferences. But usually we always handle our object by our affective preferences.

[46:22]

This is the problem for us. So, if you want to be free anyway, and untrammeled, we should respect our objects as a universe. OK? Universe. Universal entity. For this, we have to practice the Ego-less-ness. All we have to do is, anyway, to handle your thousand in the pure sense. Not selling your body and mind by the piece, for enlightenment, delusion itself. That is to take care of the thing as it really is, before you handle it by your emotions. Or feelings. The thing is not something you can handle by your feelings. If you handle that thing like this, or life itself like this,

[47:23]

or reality like this, in life like this, very difficult to live in peace and harmony. There is no freedom. No matter how long you do your best, you cannot get freedom. So all you have to do is, anyway, to take care of life as it really is. Not by your feelings and emotions. I don't mean you should ignore your feelings and emotions, because you have already feelings and emotions. That's why I have to tell you, don't handle everything by your feelings and emotions, because you have them already. Don't you think so? Don't handle them by your feelings and emotions, doesn't mean you should throw them away. If you don't have, it's not necessary to tell you. Okay? You can't throw them away. So you have all this.

[48:25]

That's why you handle them, but don't be bogged down by them. Be free from. This is final goal. If you feel feelings, some feelings from the event, that's your feeling. So you should learn something. How stinky you are. Well, it's really natural. If you smell all this fish, your body and mind are completely fishy smell. How fishy you are. So that is your feelings and emotions. Emotions and feelings always we create. So feelings and emotions are just like a fishy smell. Lots of smells. Finally, it's complicated. Compounds. Compounds of smells. You don't know what kind of smell you smell from your thoughts and feelings. Finally, you don't know what to do. So,

[49:26]

but that's why you can't handle anything by your feelings. That is real life. But take care that feelings and emotions. Through what you should learn something. How stinky, how fishy smell you have. Okay. So, freedom. And also, Dogen Zen says, Dharma vehicle is free and unpromoted. What need is there for man's concentrated effort? Well, that means what is real effort?

[50:29]

What is true effort? The true effort must emancipate effort. You believe. If you really take care of your concentration with your best effort. Okay. The best effort drives you to be one with the concentration. At that time, what is there? Left. In the sphere of perfect concentration. Can you find something you can conceptualize? No. You think so? No concentration, no word. If you really become one with concentration. Okay. With your best effort. At that time, there is no word. What is called best effort or what is called concentration. So, at that time, it is temporally called effort.

[51:35]

Okay. Effort. In the chapter of Total Dynamic Working in Kyopo Genzo, Dogen Zen says, In culmination of its quest, the great way of Buddha and Patriarch is the emancipation and realization. Emancipation is that effort must be free from concept of effort. While there is a left, there is a left something like concept. Something fabricated by consciousness which is called concentration. It is not real effort.

[52:38]

Effort itself must be free from your concept, your analysis, your synthesis. Completely free. Delusion must be free from your concept. So from this point, delusion itself has its own wonderful great power to let you be free from. But usually we don't believe. If you see the delusion, you really hang on and cut the pieces. Try to keep away. The more you do this, the delusion becomes a sort of amoeba. Do you know the amoeba? If you cut pieces, it grows again. Don't you think so? It's really. That's why we are very difficult. No matter how long you try to cut off the delusion like this, it's impossible forever. So please believe.

[53:42]

Delusion itself has great wonderful power to let you be free. Because delusion, you believe, is a kind of a concept. You believe. You create. So you always hang on delusion. That delusion is not real delusion. You hang on just a concept of delusion. I have delusion. So I is completely different from delusion. But delusion is you. You are delusion. But we believe I have delusion. Separate. I do the then. That term, I do the then, I is here. But this I don't do the then because this I is I separate from doing the then.

[54:45]

From the sentence. Do you understand? Nagyarajan always explain like this. It's very interesting. If you are interested, please read. The Madhyamaka Shastra. It's very difficult to understand but it's very interesting. He always explain about the human concept you always create. About whatever. Delusion, enlightenment, or the absolute, or God, or Buddha, whatever it is. We believe concept. Nothing but concept. Through the words. I do the then. So I do the then. What is I? This I is a concept. Separate from doing the then. So this I don't do the then. But you believe I do the then. Actually this I don't do the then and do the then. But it's impossible. Something doesn't do the then, does the then.

[55:49]

Can you believe? No. No way. So from this point, subject doesn't come into existence. If the subject doesn't come into existence, how can object come into existence? Which is called the then. No way. Because no subject. Do you understand? You always look at the then. I do the then. Always that the then is seen from you. That is a concept, trap. Trap. We create always by concept. We always believe this. Well, someday we would like to study the Madhyamaka chapter. In the office we studied at this time. That's very interesting. But very complicated.

[56:51]

So when I read the Madhyamaka chapter, I didn't understand absolutely nothing. But I had to study it. So again and again I read it. Finally, it made me headache. So I sort of screamed. I really wanted to scream. So I confessed. Before my teacher, I still didn't understand the Madhyamaka chapter. What shall I do? So he said, don't worry. Not only you. Most of people don't understand. So I felt relief. So now I understand just a little bit. That's why I want to recommend you to read it. First of all, don't be confused. Even though you don't understand, just read it.

[57:54]

Okay? Well, because there are many things you don't understand. Not only the Buddhism. About your life. How much do you understand your life? You read all this in your life. You learn lots of life. But still you don't. But you believe the life what you have understood. This is ridiculous. You should accept life. What you have understood or you don't understand. But at that time, this is really the best way to learn. Life as a whole. So we are always falling into the trap. Fabricated by consciousness. This is very common. So the delusion has its own wonderful power to let you be free.

[58:56]

And also water, zazen, gassho, concentration, breath. Even if you do it. If you take better care of the breath and concentration. Concentration has its own wonderful power to let you be free. So very naturally you will be one with concentration. At that time, no water. Then you say, what is concentration? Then you say, what is right effort? Right effort. So that's why Dogen Zen says, the great way of Buddha's emancipation is unrealization. If you have perfect concentration, free from concentration, at that time, well that concentration is this effort. And also this concentration gives forth wonderful fragrance. Which is called virtuous quality.

[60:01]

By which your personality, your life is deepened. Very naturally. That is what is called realization. Realization. In Sun Tzu Cho, Sutra of Mountain and Water, Dogen Zen says, just like this. I don't want to translate all of this. Let me explain this. For instance, if you climb the mountain. If you climb the mountain, in the mountain there is nobody. And then you are just alone. You are only one person. If you are present, alone, in the heart of the mountain, very naturally you feel yourself alone. But while you are stuck in the idea of aloneness,

[61:05]

you consciously or unconsciously hang on the idea of aloneness. So finally you start to talk with yourself. Are you okay? Don't you feel great? This is wonderful world, isn't it? Don't you feel scared? I don't care. Then maybe something happens. Oh, what's that? You talk. You talk to yourself. But that means the first stage. When you feel alone in the heart of the mountain, completely isolated. Nothing. But there are many things. Trees, birds, wind, lots of things. But you feel completely alone. That time when you very naturally, even not consciously, unconsciously, you start to talk with you. Wonderful, isn't it? But that is still delusion.

[62:12]

You are hanging on the idea of aloneness because you still feel uncomfortable. Because you are alone. But still continually be present there and continually tasting the total picture of nature, mountain. Finally, you become one with the mountain. At that time, very naturally it will stop talking with you. And then you can start to talk with the mountain next. Because mountain, anyway, joins your life. So far, you join the mountain. Which makes your life alone. That's why you don't feel comfortable consciously or unconsciously. That's why you try to come back, you look at yourself very naturally.

[63:13]

But if you become one with mountains, because mountains open its heart to you. So mountains start to talk with you. So very naturally you want to talk with the mountains. So there is completely wonderful self-joyousness with the mountains, aloneness. At that time there is no idea of aloneness because you become one with the mountains. So if I say you become one with the mountains, sentence there. So always subject, object, other words, logical separation. But actually there is no separation. You are mountains means you are exactly mountains itself. So there is a wonderful dynamic communication communication between you and the mountains. A complete wonderful situation.

[64:16]

That is called right effort. Real effort. Real effort. So real effort is not something you try, you try to create. So, that's why... Let me finish anyway. Fifteen minutes more please. First, please remember first crucial point, the second crucial point, remember this. Then first, he said, indeed the whole body is far beyond the world's dust. Who could believe in a means to brush it clean. Indeed the whole body means just like a synonym with the previous term,

[65:25]

the way and also the dharma vehicle. Way and dharma vehicle are total picture of the operation, full operation. When the full operation is exercised in your daily living, there is no room to insert any concept in it. Because it is just dynamical working. So at that time that is called the whole body. The whole picture of the operation between you and the mountain. At that time this whole body, total dynamic operation is complete far beyond the world's dust. No dust. Because you become one with mountain. Even though there is no dust,

[66:27]

dust means hard work or easy work, practice or enlightenment, sweat, hungry, whatever it is. No dust. Even though you feel hungry, it doesn't bother you. Because you really communicate with all mountain life. So at that time there is no dust. But I told you before, within the stillness of samadhi, still you can see the flickering light. Beauty or ugly, ugliness or enlightenment or delusion, less of flickering light. But those are something appearing, disappearing naturally. If you don't meddle with them, all you have to do is just to take your mountain as it really is.

[67:27]

That means continually you will be present in the mountain. At that time mountain in a way becomes one. So at that time there is no dust. You try to sweat away, sweat away. Hard work, well, very naturally it disappears. Because it doesn't bother you. The hard work becomes easy work, easy work for you. If you really understand mountain's life, mountain's talk toward you, it's very wonderful. Hard work is wonderful, easy work is wonderful. Sweat is wonderful life. When a windy day or rainy day, which happens in the mountains, whatever happens, everything becomes beautiful. No dust.

[68:28]

Because you make real effort, real effort, without leaving any trace, any trace, which is called effort. So that is, the whole body is far beyond the world's dust. Who could believe in a means to brush it clean? Completely, who do it? Who becomes one with the mountain? I, if I hang on, I, well, you feel alone, alone. But if you don't hang on completely, you become one, there is no, no I. Who feels lonesome? So, who feels? The Dogon then says,

[69:30]

that a person attaining anusara sambhori, means the oneness with all sentient beings, interconnected, interpenetrated, that is anusara sambhori, perfect supreme enlightenment. A person attaining, well, oneness, with heaven and earth, is called a Buddha. A Buddha. The Buddha's anusara sambhori is called anusara sambhori. That means, OK, when you become a person who enjoys yourself becoming one with the mountain, OK, that, that person is called great mountaineer. OK, mountaineer, which is called no tricks.

[70:33]

OK, well, he doesn't, he never, he never be conscious of great or not great. All he has done is, just to continually be present in the mountain, communicating with the mountain. That's all he has done. But finally, anyway, someone called, you are great mountaineer. This is called Buddha. But the Buddha's great mountaineer don't leave any trace of concept, which is called great mountaineer. He doesn't care. All he wants to do is, just to continue to be present with the mountain. So no trace of Buddha. That great person, mountaineer, is called a great mountaineer.

[71:35]

OK, do you understand? When you do that then, while there is, if you say something, I am good spirit of a student, it's really stinking. Now we are. When you completely forget, and just become one with Zazen day by day, that time, well, there is real effort. Real effort to lead you to attain enlightenment, which is called Buddha. So very naturally, oh, everyone, you realize, oh, I am maybe a person who commands lots of respect from the people. Very naturally. But even though many people respect you, you don't care. You don't care. You don't leave any trace of great person or not great person,

[72:37]

or good spirit of Zen student or not. All you want to do, really, from the heart, is just to continue to do Zazen. OK? To blow life force of life force at the flower of life force, continuing to blow. So, that is, that is good spirit of Zen student. OK? Well, I told you yesterday, if you want to be good driver, please forget it. Put aside the concept, I am, whether you are good driver or not. OK? Because you must be alive. You must be alive. You must be present in reality. In drive. OK? In drive, constantly. Reality in drive is a bit beyond speculation. You just be there and drive. But when you drive,

[73:39]

well, from moment to moment, open your heart and take care of the drive in a pure sense, well, you can let the beautiful flower of life force as a driver bloom. OK? At that time, that is temporarily called good driver. Good driver. But you don't, there is no room to hang on the concept of good driver because you continually open your eyes. You cannot sleep. You completely open your eyes and drive carefully. OK? So, completely leaving the no trace, continually, OK? No trace of a good driver or bad driver. Just be present and drive. At that time, this is samadhi. OK? Samadhi. Did you use samadhi? Samadhi of self-joyousness. But not just self-joyousness, not egoistic joyousness. That samadhi of self-joyousness

[74:40]

makes everything be present in peace, in harmony. Other scars and also all situations, environments of freeways, and weather, and where everything comes together into driver. OK? At that time, it is called good driver. It is called good driver. So, good driver is really becoming one with your scars, your body, and other scars, and whole situation of the freeways, and weather, and velocity, and your emotion too. If you want, if you don't feel good while you are driving, and driving is very rough, well, so, that is temporarily called good driver. But real good driver is always leaving no trace of return. No name. That is called good driver. So, if you read Prajnaparamita,

[75:42]

there is always contradictory explanation. Bodhisattva is bodhisattva, but bodhisattva is not bodhisattva. This is called real bodhisattva. You don't understand, but you do always. OK? You do always. If you don't do, there is no way to deepen the human life. There is no way to understand your life and others' life. There is no way to be one with all sentient beings. Interconnected. OK? Interpenetrated. So, you do always. But you don't realize. But you are always there. That's fine. Anyway, let's realize that point. You are always there. That's the point. You are not particular person, stupid or not stupid. It doesn't matter. You are always in the Buddhist world. You are Buddhist. So, who could live in the means to brush it clean?

[76:50]

What you think good doesn't, you and doesn't, are already that. In a sense, it is really a wasting time. If you, while you think, I am doing good doesn't, and hang on, at that time, it's really wasting time. Do you think so? Because you cut the piece. Beautiful flowers, your body and the mind, selling for, you know, enlightenment, or delusion, etc. Good doesn't, or bad doesn't. If you see the good doesn't, anyway, don't hang on. All you have to do is, just bloom, constantly. Because there is no doubt. You are deluded man, or you are Buddhist man, enlightened man, there is no idea. Fourth point is,

[77:54]

it is never apart from one right to where one is, what is the use of going here and there to practice. But if you do this, then that such a doesn't, or such a reality, in dance, ballet, whatever you do, it's not a place far from your daily living. You can handle, a real doesn't is, anyway, something, in the place, what you are, right now, right here. You can do it. It is open to everybody. It's not a particular place. When you do gassho, there is, there is a place, what you are, to let the flow of life was bloomed there. That's why always, that's why he said, it is never apart from one right, one, right where one is,

[78:56]

right now, right here. This is a great place, great opportunity, you can let the beautiful flow of life was bloomed, in zazen, in gassho, in having breakfast, etc. And what is the use of going off here and there to practice? Why? Why is there some other place to go to practice? Is there any other place to go to attain enlightenment? No way. So finally, what I want to tell you is, very simply, keep your mouth shut. Just do it. Just do zazen the way you have to do zazen, or with your best. That's all. Very simple. But you don't believe it is simple. That's why, for twenty-five hundred years, Buddha's teachings continually expanded.

[80:00]

Bodhidharma says, vastness, nothing holy. It looks like, keep your mouth shut. Just do it. No holiness, no delusion. Just do it. But just do it, doesn't mean just do by yourself. Just do it, and at that time, just do it to make everything be present in peace and harmony. If you feel something wrong, by just doing, it is something wrong. Do you understand? So at that time, a little bit, be careful. Be a little bit careful. Yes. If there is no problem, just continue doing. So, this is four crucial points, if you want to do zazen. So, according to Buddha's teachings, which is called ten lives, or,

[81:02]

well, the yoga, many kinds of meditations, many kinds, and many kinds of meditations, suggest you many kinds of techniques, how to climb the mountain, how to attain enlightenment. It makes you find. So, it is pretty easy for you to believe that meditation is wonderful, but it is very hard, in a sense, because you unconsciously forget to climb the mountain, by playing with wonderful boots, and rope, and clothes, and how wonderful it is, technique, which is called technique, or, philosophical ideas, psychological ideas, analysis of your mind, what kind of mind, the stage, psychological stage, you can reach,

[82:02]

through the zazen, how many years, OK? Analyze. That's fine. But, it is nothing but, nothing but that. That's all. No freedom. Because, endlessly, you have to get the technique. If you reach a certain stage, you have to reach another stage. In order to reach another stage, you need another new technique. Don't you think so? So, look at the human world. Constantly, endlessly, the people give you lots of techniques, in order to appeal, appeal to you. Do you understand? But, zazen, is no technique. To the minimum, you have to learn how to do that. This is zazen. If you understand how much, how much you can make money an hour, in any way, negotiate. OK? With the teachers, zazen.

[83:03]

And if you take a zazen, ah, yes sir, let's do it. You feel my zazen, and just do it, with your best. Not with a blind mind, OK? With the best, open-mindedness. This is the best way, in order to be free, and intramural. And also, this is the basic human practice. Whatever you do, this is a really basic practice. Well, probably you don't still understand, but that's all right. If you get, if you spend your life for five years, more, ten years, more, maybe you can get free, a little bit. OK? And, but it's not necessary, ah, for me to know,

[84:05]

how much you understand, or not. But, what I want to tell you is, in a way, take medicine. I give medicine. It really depends on you, whether you take a medicine or not. If you don't take a medicine, it's very difficult to be free from human life. OK? Anyway, take medicine. But I don't want you to make blind. That's why there are lots of, ah, mao, ah, majama kachastra. I will give you lots of texts, Buddhist texts, but, if you are interested, if you are interested in analyzing, synthesizing, what the zazen is, you can learn a lot. OK? But that is the second zazen. OK? So first, anyway, see the doctor, and take a medicine, and drink the medicine. OK? That's all. Do you have a question? If it's not a mountain,

[85:16]

there's no mountain. No mountain? There's no mountain. What can you take instead of a mountain? Ah, what can you take instead of a mountain? Instead of a mountain? Universe. Take the universe. Wherever. Huh? Wherever. Wherever you are. Wherever one is. Wherever you are. If there is no mountain, where there is no mountaineer, take the universe. But at that time, the universe is also no place, no frame. So finally, all you have to do is nothing to take. Just be there. This is absolute fact. Well, I read the stories of a man who lived at the Green Gorge, who is living there. What's the name? Oh, his name. Do you remember? Do you remember that? I hear you laughing.

[86:18]

Oh, yeah. He is a very interesting person, experiencing the wilderness, being alone, lonesome. Exactly. So, well, if you want to learn mountains, and if you want to learn the wilderness, well, you cannot always talk about the wilderness and the mountains, looking at the mountains in a little distance. While you look at the mountains in a little distance, you can always experience, talk about the mountains. But if you become a mountain, become one with the mountains, there is no word. Do you think so? No word. For instance, if you understand really human suffering, for instance, if you really want, if you really understand

[87:19]

what is a human life, what is the truth, or whatever you pick up, suffering, or pleasure, whatever, well, you don't want to explain, or even though you try to explain, there is no word we find. But at that time, if you really, really understand of the pain, or suffering, and enlightenment, or human life, for instance, the nuns and monks killed the cats, do you know that, this story? Joginjin said, well, the nuns and monks asked whether the cats are of Buddha nature or not. If you understand really Buddha nature, you cannot say anything. But anyway, then, Master is not a straightforward man, very crooked man,

[88:21]

always pushes you to say something. It's really hard for the usual person. So nuns and monks did in that way, say something about Buddha nature, but actually no one knows. So everyone kept silent. Then finally he cut the cat. But, Joginjin said, well, actually, no one, who answered to their questions, completely silent. But silence is also explanation of Buddha nature, don't you think so? Who is Karage? I know Karage, who I am. But no matter how long I explain, that explanation doesn't touch me, okay? Well, I cut the pieces, always, and look at, oh, this is Karage, and this is Karage, always like this. But if I understand who I am, how stinky I am,

[89:21]

if I understand real stinkiness, I cannot say anything. Even though you say how stinky you are, but I...

[89:29]

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