As you know, the subject of my talk is the transformation and the Buddha mind. I don't know, I'm afraid if the subject of my talk is applied to another good problem to explain the academic study of population or pollution or something like that which we are confronting the troubles in this world. But I can tell you is I will be able to explain about something, some spiritual way of life,

[01:11]

spiritual aspect of life, how to live in this world according to the Buddhist viewpoint. I think spiritual way of life is very important point which we must take into account in our daily life. Even though there are many good system of society which will bring the human being into happiness. Unless the human mind doesn't change, how to live in better condition, better way, spiritually, it is nonsense for human being to accept the highest system of society.

[02:25]

Even though there are many good academic study of science, politically, economically or such and such. Anyway, strictly speaking, the important point is that any kind of problem must return to human mind which you have. So, in other words, how to behave in our daily life regardless of whether the system of society is, what kind of system of society is going on. The important point is how to have spiritual attitude in life.

[03:30]

This is important, very important. Then, tonight, I would like to discuss about the transformation according to the Buddhist viewpoint. I think transformation means the same thing as the principle of change which is taught by Buddhism. Change or transcendence, something like that. I think change or conditioned elements, I think transformation is a very important point which we have to consider. How to accept this conception of transformation spiritually.

[04:39]

I think this is important. In Buddhism, the Buddha explained about the various phases of human life or this world according to the four states of all phenomena. The birth, birth and being, and change, and death. The birth is, as you know, the birth is a human being was born in this world.

[05:40]

Being is, in other words, a stationary state of human being. A stationary being of all sentient beings. This is being. And change is, according to Buddhism, everything is change. Everything is changing. The existence of all beings is based on the principle of change. This is death. Death is an event. An event that human beings, each human being, each man must confront. This is the reality. According to birth and death, the problem of birth and death, I would like to explain about transformation. But there is still some problem.

[06:47]

What is transformation? Transformation. In other words, what is change? What is the concept of transformation? The concept of transformation, the concept of change is that something changes from one to another, one to another. For instance, the paper. If the paper is burning, you know, the white paper is burning. This white paper is burning. After that, in the process of burning, this white paper will change, will turn.

[07:57]

Turn it into another color. This is brown, a little bit brown like this. And then, if you keep burning this white paper, I think you will find the white paper to complete burning. It is ash, it is ash. Then, to this extent, the change is that something turns, something turns, something switches over to something. Switches over from one to another, one to another. But ash, even the paper and the ash are completely not different things.

[09:01]

Because in the domain of the concept of transformation, change, even though there are completely different things between paper and ash, ashes, we always expect something, something, something which doesn't change behind it, behind it. I think this is the self, what would you say, self-existence. So behind the paper and ashes, we expect the self-existence which never changes, whatever happens, whatever happens.

[10:06]

Then, when you recognize the conception of self-existence behind the materials, paper and ashes, at that time the conception of change comes to existence, comes to being, comes to being. But, you know, in order to recognize the conception of change, we have to recognize, we have to recognize the self-existence behind the paper and ashes, which never change, never be changed, in how situation it may be.

[11:18]

But to the contrary, the self-existence itself never change, whatever happens, never change, never change. So, from the viewpoint, the reality, that the paper turned into ashes, means that we have to recognize there are two kinds of self-existence, you know, the one self-existence is the paper itself possess, and the other one, the ashes possess, ashes itself possess. So, there are two kinds of self-existence.

[12:25]

If there are two kinds of self-existence behind the paper and ashes, now what the paper turn into ashes means the one self-existence make room for another self-existence. Don't you think so? But self-existence itself does never change. The self-existence should be one, should be one, not two, not three. Not two, not three, because self-existence is self-exist alone, without being tossed by any kind of things. This is self-existence, which everything possesses. But then, from this point, if something, if a thing possesses a self-existence,

[13:38]

you know, it's pretty difficult, it is impossible to change. It is impossible to something change, something change from one to another, one to another. If something possesses the fixed idea as self-existence, you know, the figures, figures regarded as paper and ashes comes from self-existence. But self-existence as mentioned before doesn't change. Whatever happens, whatever happens, self-existence is self-existence forever. So if we recognize, if we cling to this self-existence which everything possesses,

[14:54]

it is impossible, it is impossible to recognize that something changes, something changes. Then, in Buddhism, we have to deny, we have to deny the recognition of self-existence, which all beings possess. That's why the Nagyarjuna says, Existing things are emptiness due to non-self-existence of things.

[16:07]

Due to non-existence of things. Existing things without self-existence is emptiness. Emptiness. So, all what things exist in this world is emptiness because of non-self-existence of things. This is the Buddhist idea. And then, existing things without self-existence is emptiness. So, strictly speaking, to tell the truth, there is nothing to recognize something as fixed ideals, self-existence, even as paper, even as ashes.

[17:11]

Then, if everything is based on the principle of emptiness or the law of change, how should we behave in this world as human activities, human life? In order to live our life in a better condition, under a better condition. So, according to the emptiness, according to the nothingness or emptiness,

[18:33]

what is the conception of birth? In Buddhism, birth is explained by, this is Japanese, Hong Kong. The birth is something like this. The Hong means originally there is nothing to be. Originally there is nothing to be. The Kong means present. Uk means being. Uk means being. So, birth means something exists. Although there has been nothing to be.

[19:40]

Nothing to be. Nothing to be. This is birth. And what is death? What is death? Death means... Yeah. Death means... Anyway, something returns to the original home, after it was complete to do something. For instance, death is after you have been complete to be in this world.

[20:53]

You know, death comes. But this death means... Uk means being. Ik means finish. Kong means to return. Muk means nothing. Nothing means original home. So, the birth means not result. Not result, something exists. Something is existing. Birth means to something is becoming. Something is becoming. Because originally there is nothing to be.

[22:01]

There is nothing to be. Because there is nothing to clean. To clean. Because everything is emptiness. Then, there is nothing but the dynamic state of life. State of life. Which is becoming. Which is going on. Which is going on. This is birth. Birth is not the result which you were born in this world. The birth is not the result that this dictionary exists in this world. The birth means something which is going on in dynamic motion.

[23:03]

This is birth. So, from this point, to live in this world means to do something for becoming. For becoming. Not for making something. Not for making something. This is birth. So, becoming. Not making. Not making. To do something for making is something. Something which in the dictionary exists now. Here. But even this dictionary exists in the state of its own. Which is going on in dynamic motion. This is the birth which this dictionary possess.

[24:10]

Do you understand? The conception of becoming is very dynamic. The existence. Not a certain aspect of the life. Life. Which you can pick up. This is something. This is a dictionary. This is my birth. My existence. Becoming is always going on. I kept in dynamic motion. This is birth. This is birth. That's why the Buddha says, means everything is going on in dynamic motion. Death is. Oh, excuse me.

[25:21]

This. Becoming. The conception of becoming. Meaning. Means. In plain speaking. To do something. To put something into practice. Right now, right here. Right now, right here. This is sanskara in Sanskrit. Sanskrit. Sanskrit means to practice. To practice. Something. Dynamically. In dynamic motion. This is practice. We call it yo. Yo means. Literal meaning is conduct. A deed. If you say in Sanskrit, Sanskrit. Sanskrit means to do something.

[26:23]

To do something. On the stage of now and here. This is becoming. This is becoming. Uh. Uh. And death. Is. Uh. You know. You have to completely become nothingness. Nothingness. Completely become nothingness. Means you have to. You have to return to. Your original home. As regarded as nothingness. Regarded as nothing. This is nothingness.

[27:24]

Uh. So. From this point. The death is not. A certain event. After the birth. After the birth. So Dogen Zen says. Birth is. Birth is. Zen kigen. In Japanese. Means. The full element. Full function. Full function of birth. Birth is full function of birth. Even the death. Is full function of the death. Full function of. Death. Uh. Means. Death is not. Death is not. To come. To come up to you. After the birth. The birth is. Also. Birth is also. On the stage of. On the stage of. Full function. Full function. Of your life. Your life. This is death.

[28:30]

Death means. The fight. To return. To original home. Original home. So. Even though. In the domain of the death. You have to become. Completely death. Completely death. Uh. Uh. The. From this point. From this point. Uh. The. Transformation. Uh. Something is. Uh. Changing. Uh. What. Something is. Changing. Is. Uh. The. Let. The man. Uh. What.

[29:31]

Something. Changed. Uh. Enable man. Uh. To get. Taste of. To get. Taste of. Uh. Human life. Itself. Itself. Through. The practice. Of. The. Man's. Life. As. Becoming. As. The. Practice. Of. Becoming. As. The. Practice. Of. Becoming. Not. Not. As. The. Practice. For. Making. As. The. Practice. For. Becoming. Uh. Means. In. This. Moment. You have. Become. Yourself. Next. Moment. You have. To. Become. Yourself. Uh. This. Attitude. This. Attitude. The. Uh. This. Attitude. Uh. Is. Based. On. Uh. Based. On. The. The. Principle. Of. Transformation.

[30:32]

That. Everything. Changes. Everything. Changes. Then. Uh. That. Time. This is. The. Uh. Gyo. Sanskara. Sanskara. Uh. Then. Uh. I think. Important. Point. Is. The. Sanskara. The conception of sanskara. Uh. Uh. Which means. Uh. To put. Concrete. Form. Into. Uh. No. The. The sanskara is very important conception. Uh. In order to understanding. The. Attitude. Attitude. Human life for becoming.

[31:33]

For becoming. Not. For making. Um. So. This. Uh. Sanskara. Practice. Uh. Practice means. As mentioned before. Uh. To become. To become. On the stage of moment. After moment. On the stage of. Moment. After moment. The. In this domain of the sanskara practice or the attitude of human life include the existence and non-existence. Mostly we are always thinking of something within the function of discrimination, the existence and non-existence.

[32:38]

But if you stay in the domain of existence and non-existence, you cannot understand what the transformation is, what the change is. When you put the attitude of life into the practice as sanskara, as the full element of your practice, full function of your life, at that time, this is buddha nature, buddha mind. Buddha. When you look around modern society, there are many you will find, you will notice that there are many troubles.

[34:04]

Because human beings are always threatened by something. This something is delusion, which human beings possess. So human beings are always threatened by delusions or one-handed delusions. Then I think in our day, we can wear a beautiful dress, we can make up, we can have a beautiful make-up with some materials.

[35:11]

But primitive people, for primitive people, it is not necessary to make every effort to have make-up or to wear a beautiful dress. In modern life, the good development of civilization enables man to have a beautiful make-up, to wear a beautiful dress. I don't know, it is very difficult to point out whether it is good or which is good, which is bad. Anyway, strictly speaking, the civilization, modern civilization, I can't say, I can't tell you, I can't tell you that modern civilization drives human beings into a tiny box.

[36:22]

Tiny box, you know. That's why there are some who want to go to the countryside, rural states, places, escaping from the urban life, city life. The countrymen want to go up to the city life, city. In Japan, many young people are coming up to the city life, Tokyo and Kyoto. It seems to me that they are very crazy. But this is a real fact. Then, on the other hand, the people, the urban people, urban people want to go to the countryside in order to breathe the fresh air and want to step over the grass or soil.

[37:39]

Escaping from the city life. This is a real fact in Japan, which is happening, which happens. I think, I can understand, I can feel, I can enter into the feeling of the modern people. Who they have to do, they cannot help doing in that way. I think this situation is a kind of struggle, kind of struggle. All human beings who drive themselves into a corner, into a corner, into a tiny box,

[38:58]

they cannot move an inch, even an inch. So, someone wants to wear a beautiful dress, someone doesn't want to wear a beautiful dress. So, someone follows the principle of nudism. Barefoot, bare head, bare dress, bare body, no dress. I think it's pretty good, it seems pretty good, but it is, it is still, it is still a struggle. Struggle of human beings who drive themselves into a corner, into a corner. Because they are always thinking of something through the way of thinking, based on the modern civilization.

[40:09]

So, I don't want the city life, I like a country, something like that. Of course, of course, we have to breathe, we have to breathe deeply, the fresh air, fresh air in nature, in nature. As you want, as you want. Anyway, everybody should breathe fresh air in nature, fresh air of nature. In Buddhism, it is called non-thinking, non-thinking, no mind, no mind, no mind. The non-thinking is, no mind is, is, what would you say?

[41:18]

Dogen then says, gan no bijogu, gan no bijogu, gan means eyes, no means horizontal, horizontal. Bi means north, jogu means vertical. The non-thinking or no mind means the reality of something which eyes is horizontal, eyes is in horizontal, nose is in vertical. It means, anyway, human beings must be in natural, must be natural. Human beings must breathe fresh air of nature, deeply, deeply. This is non-thinking, non-thinking according to Buddhism.

[42:24]

But the, unfortunately, the people in our day are very difficult to breathe fresh air of nature, you know, deeply. Because they are always wandering through the way of thinking based on modern civilization. I don't know whether modern civilization is good or bad. The, whether the modern civilization is good or bad depends on how human beings live in this world on the stage of moment after moment. Today and tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.

[43:34]

That's why you look around, the surroundings around you, you know. Everybody is struggling, everybody is suffering. But on the other hand, the society of United States gives a very good system of society, you know. If you want something, if you want, if you want, let yourself support. Because you don't have any job, you don't have anything to work. Social security will give you money, you know. It's pretty good, so the whole system of society is complete for people in modern, in our day. But why is it we have to suffer? We have to suffer. Even under the complete system of society, even under the complete system of civilization, modern civilization, why is it we have to suffer?

[44:56]

Then, I think, important point, how to live, how to behave in this world. Regardless of the idea, whatever civilization is going on. So for this, we have to make every effort to breathe fresh air of nature. As much as you want, you want to do. And we have to have invasion, new invasion. We have to, new invasion, how to cause by donation.

[45:58]

Strictly speaking, the priest must chant sutra for nothing, for nothing. That's why the people must donate for nothing. This is important, this is important, but mostly human beings always do something. Human beings are always tossed by modern civilization. You chant sutra for me, you perform wedding service for me, then I will give some donation. Thank you very much. But this is still in the domain of modern civilization, modern civilization. In other words, it is still in the domain of, you know, the attitude of life which human beings are always threatened by something.

[47:06]

This something is delusion, delusion. If you give something to me, so I have to give something to you. This is a kind of delusion. So in order to breathe fresh air of nature, you have to do something for nothing, the other must do something for nothing. Then you have to just accept it, you have to just give it, that's all. This is our attitude of life. Regardless of the idea of what kind of civilization is going on. So a transformation, this is Buddha mind, this is Buddha mind, this is sanskara, this is our practice. This is practice of human beings.

[48:09]

You know. So we have to at any cost, we have to at any cost breathe fresh air of nature and discover new life, new way of life. Wherever you may go, in the city life, in the country life, that's okay. It's okay. This is spiritual attitude, attitude of life. This attitude is based on the transformation, you know. This attitude of life is based on the Buddha mind. Of course, this attitude doesn't ignore the academic approach, approach to learn how to develop, how to promote the better way of life.

[49:17]

It should be, it should be. But before doing this, what is important point? What is important things? There are many kinds of things. Red, black, blue, white colors. But they are not different things. They are all identical basically, the same things, you know, as color. Academic approach to learn how to live, this is alright. Academic approach to learn how to understand human beings, this is alright. Academic approach to learn what Buddhism is alright, that's alright.

[50:23]

But important point is how to accept, how to deal with it. You have to deal with the academic approach to learn how to develop, how to develop better way of life. For nothing, for nothing. For nothing means you have to devote yourself to do something with all-haveness. This is first important attitude in life. So when you confront the red color, you have to accept just red color. But while you are threatened by delusion, you always expect another colors, blue color from the red color.

[51:34]

Red color. This is something wrong. Red color is red color. You cannot expect another colors from red colors. You have to expect red color from red. This is right. So from this point, you have to do something for nothing. It means you breathe, you breathe fresh air of nature as much as possible. As much effort as you can and discover new way of life wherever you may be, in city, in countries. This is very important attitude of life.

[52:38]

I think I'd better to stop talking. I'm afraid of my subject, what I have talked, spoken. Haven't suited your expectation. What you are trying to approach, trying to learn approach, how to live in this world. All I have to do as a Buddhist priest has been to tell you how to behave spiritually.

[53:55]

How to behave, how to teach the human attitude on the stage of moment after moment. Whatever, in how situation you may be, this is what I want to tell you. So the transformation, transformation is not, doesn't mean that you change from one to another. First of all you have to, you have to change, you have to change your mind, your mind, your attitude. The way of understanding, understanding. This is Buddha mind, this is Buddha mind.

[55:01]

So Buddha mind is to settle yourself on the self with dignity, with tranquility. Wherever you may be, in how situation you may be, this is Buddha mind. On the other hand we have to make an effort to promote, to promote human life in better conditions, better condition. Through the various ways, academic way, spiritual way or anything else. But strictly speaking the question is always to return to yourself, to your spiritual aspect of life. Be yourself, yourself. Self is important, self is important. How to live in this world.

[56:05]

Okay, do you have any questions? Okay, anything else, please ask me. Did you understand what I said? Very difficult. I don't quite understand what you mean when you say to breathe fresh air, the fresh air of nature. Do you mean that one should go out into nature or that one can't breathe the fresh air of nature in Berkeley? Fresh air exists everywhere.

[57:09]

I mean fresh air is not fresh air what you think. Fresh air means freedom, freedom in how situation you may be. In other words you become master in how situation you may be. This is fresh air. Even though you go out of the city life and stay in the countryside and breathe the fresh air. But in your mind it's pretty difficult to stay for a long time in the countryside. Your mind is always expecting another life, city life. You have to stay in the countryside, in the domain of dualism, countryside or city life.

[58:23]

So I see what you mean, in other words it's a completely symbolic thing, the idea of breathing the fresh air. What you mean is really just finding essentially something in whatever you are, finding out what it is and taking it in. In other words you don't have to go out of the city to breathe the fresh air, even if it's a sunny day. Of course please, please go to the countryside and breathe the fresh air. This is important, that's all right, this is important. But the human being is always threatened by something. This something is delusions, delusions, always threatened. So I don't want this, I don't like this, I don't like that.

[59:26]

Well what then do you think is our responsibility to try to make our environment more livable? Should we simply put up with the pollution of our environment by overcrowding? Or should we, in other words, try to concentrate on bearing and being patient with these difficulties? Or should we exert ourselves to try to... Yeah, I mean, I don't ignore the promotion, promoting, to promote the better way of human life. So we have, from this point we have to consider how to do, how to deal with the pollution.

[60:43]

The problem of pollution, problem of population, something like that. But on the other hand, there is still something you cannot do anything at all. You know, maybe you can get out of the city life, but maybe I can't get out of the city life. What shall I do? So I have to, for this point, I have to bear, I have to bear, I have to be patient. In order to, even though I have to die by taking the pollution, it can't help. That's why I said whatever happens, whatever happens, who lives, who lives in this world?

[61:47]

Non-pollution doesn't, non-pollution doesn't live. Pollution doesn't live in your life. The population, the problem of population doesn't live for your life. Your life lives, your life must be alive, must be alive for your life. So of course, of course we have to consider, we have to study how to deal with the problem of pollution. Through the way of scientific understanding, scientific study approach, this is important. But on the other hand, we have to recognize there is someone who cannot, who cannot move an inch from intersections, intersections of time and space.

[62:54]

City life. Okay? I, I, I don't know whether I disagree or not, but what I'm saying is, what I want to say is that, you say that we need to deal with the problem of pollution by scientific means, but frankly I feel that scientific means, although yes it has to be scientific on some level, I think that what's necessary is actually not purely a scientific change, but a change of the attitudes of the, of those that are largely responsible for the pollution. In fact all of us in certain sense. In other words, I think that we don't need science to tell us that there is smog in the air or that there is pollution in the rivers, but in order to halt this tremendous increase of this, something needs to be done with the, with the, the moralities and so on that are involved that make people just do this indiscriminately. In other words I'm saying that maybe science will find a way, but people are not even going to want to apply science to it unless their attitudes change basically, because they don't care.

[64:01]

But if you ignore the science way of, scientific way of life, I think it's pretty difficult to live in this world for a human being. I'm not saying ignore it, I'm just merely saying that scientists can go on advocating this and that all they want, but no one will listen to them unless they really want to. Yeah, on the other hand, I think, yes, I can understand what you feel, what you feel. In a sense, the scientific way of life creates more troubles, creates more pollution, you know. This is the real truth. But even though we have to, we have to, we have to, you know, consider, we have to consider how to deal with this problem.

[65:03]

Through the practice of discussion, this discussion is always, always the scientific way of life. So we are discussing in every man to agree with the effort that human beings make every effort not to make lots of pollution, you know. Not make lots of causes of pollution. Then, I think we need, in a sense, scientific way of life. But the other hand, scientific way of life might create, might create more troubles, problems.

[66:09]

At that time, that's why we have to, we have to, we need, we need, what would you say, we need a spiritual way of life. Asking that human being, each other, asking themselves, asking themselves how to do in order to live in a better way. This is way of the human life based on cooperation or something like that. Peaceful, peacefulness, harmonious way of life. Perhaps what we should do is use science as a way of understanding life rather than use it as a way of life.

[67:15]

Perhaps what we should do is use science as an understanding of life rather than as a way of life. I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean. That one, use science for understanding. My understanding? For us to use science as an understanding for life rather than use it as a way of life. Well, maybe use science to understand life rather than to live it, to have science beginning and end of life. Science, I don't know, I'm trying. Maybe what you're saying is that we use science to give ourselves all kinds of material comforts. And this is sort of like living science as a way of life. Like we have electric dishwashers and aqua peels and things like this. Whereas this is not, that's not, maybe that's the wrong purpose for science.

[68:18]

In other words, maybe we should use science to give us an appreciation of what things are. And to understand these things but not to increase our comfort, just our physical comfort. In other words, we should make science our religion. Should make? We should not make science our religion. Oh. We should not make science? I don't think so. Strictly speaking, civilization itself is not something wrong. Where is something wrong? Where is something wrong? Are you asking? Where is something wrong? I feel that it's a spiritual problem that people are largely interested in their physical comfort and well-being. And that's what they regard as happiness. And I think that this is where their religious attitude needs to change.

[69:21]

And this is one thing that's very appealing about Buddhism, for example. Is that it's not just a physical comfort. It's sort of what you're saying. A kind of inner sense of freedom. An inner sense of being. And I think that if this were much more prevalent as a philosophy. You see, in America, the big philosophy is to have money. And as much money as you can. And there's a big automobile. And this is my car. But strictly speaking, as mentioned before, the primitive people lived in the cave. For them, it was not necessary to have makeup or to wear a beautiful dress. But do you think they were happy? I don't know. I don't know what is happy.

[70:22]

In modern life, modern people wear a beautiful dress. Or drive a car. Or get lots of money. What is happy? It is very difficult to point out what is too happy or happy to be happy. Strictly speaking, you know. I don't think anyone would argue that a person is happier now with more material comforts. I think that what they would argue is that they have another religion besides happiness. And that is comfort. Purely comfort. Even the sacred comfort. And laziness. It's almost a religion. How does Buddhism recognize good and evil?

[71:34]

Good and evil? Good and evil. Do you determine what is good and evil? You mean good and bad? Something like that. I see. Do you make those distinctions? Oh, yes. Distinction. If you find what is good and evil, does your philosophy impel you to do something about it? You mean... Good and evil. Oh, yes. How do you go about it? But this evil, you know, in Buddhism... Not in Buddhism, anyway. The evil is not something like evil, but you have to have a fixed idea. The fixed idea means it never changes.

[72:39]

I think some religions tell us that human beings possess original sin. This original sin never changes. But the evil is not something like that. Of course, in Buddhism, we explain about ignorance. It seems like a sin. But this ignorance is not something which never changes. It is still free from being itself. Being in itself. This is ignorance. So from this point, if you behave well, if you do behave well,

[73:42]

maybe you will be able to be born in heaven. But even though you will be able to be born in heaven, it doesn't mean you can remain for a long time in heaven. You know, some time comes, some time happens to come, when you have to fall down into the hell. This is ignorance. So, for instance, through the religious life, you can find some enlightenment. I get enlightenment. But enlightenment doesn't exist.

[74:43]

Enlightenment is not something which never changes. If you live a lazy life, you always lose the enlightenment. In other words, you have to always, you have to, you have to happen to fall down into the hell. So even evil, or in Buddhism, evil, good and bad, the nature of good and bad,

[75:23]

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