Dogen's comments, next, knowing without relating to affairs, illuminating without reflecting upon environments. Knowing without relating to affairs. First, knowing is not perception. Perception has its limits. Knowing is not of recognition. Recognition is that which is produced by, produced, excuse me, that which is produced. Accordingly, knowing is not relating to affairs, knowing is not relating to affairs.

[01:03]

Not relating to affairs is knowing. It shouldn't be considered as universal knowing, nor be restricted in the narrow sense of self-awareness. Not relating to affairs means coming as brightness, I hit the brightness. Coming as darkness, I hit the darkness. Setting in, tearing the skin produced by mother. This is a commentary on knowing without relating to affairs. Let me read once more again. Knowing without relating to affairs. Knowing is not perception. Perception has its limits.

[02:08]

Knowing is not of recognition. Recognition is that which is produced. Accordingly, knowing is not relating to affairs. Not relating to affairs is knowing. It shouldn't be considered as universal knowing, nor be restricted in the narrow sense of self-awareness. Not relating to affairs means coming as brightness, I hit the brightness. Coming as darkness, I hit the darkness. Setting in, tearing the skin produced by mother. Okay.

[03:11]

And also next is the illuminating without reflecting upon environments. This illumination is not of shining, nor of spiritual shining. Not reflecting upon environments is considered as illumination. Excuse me. Not reflecting upon environments is, yes, considered as illumination, which there are no environments connected with illumination because environments are illumination.

[04:14]

Not reflecting upon means nothing in the universe that is hidden. Breaking the barrier which no head sticks out. Sublimity, wondrousness, merging and not merging. This is commentary. So, anyway, knowing without relating to affairs, knowing is not perception. I think this is, you can see what knowing is, what wisdom we see. What is knowing? Dogen mentions here, knowing is not perception. Not perception, not usual sense of perception because perception has its own limits.

[05:21]

So, perception has its limit. So, knowing is not of recognition by means of having an object. And then we believe we can see something, we know something. But it's not, knowing doesn't mean that. So, knowing is not of recognition. Recognition means understanding or recognize, recognition or knowing in the usual sense. So, knowing is not of recognition. Recognition is that which is produced because recognition is something produced. It is something produced, means already dualistic.

[06:28]

So, that is recognition, function of recognition, characteristic of recognition. Recognition is constantly produced something as an object. Without object, recognition doesn't work. So, that is recognition. So, that's why Dogen mentions recognition is that which is produced. So, accordingly, knowing is not relating to affairs. So, real meaning of knowing is exactly identical with not relating to affairs. Means if you are related, if you are related to your object, that means already your recognition or perceptions work. When they work, what attitude are you taking toward life?

[07:36]

Means you want to know, or you try to know. Because object is there, very clearly. So, you try to get it. This is very natural, you do it. So, you already relate it. You relate, you are related to your object. But real knowing is not relating, not related to your object. It means not try to see, not try to know. So, not relating to means to be allowed to see. If you put yourself in appropriate place, then you can see it.

[08:37]

You are allowed to see, even though you don't want. So, this I mentioned yesterday too, this point. That is called not relating to, or not reflecting upon environments. This is relative life anyway. So, that's why Dogen then mentions accordingly, real meaning of knowing. Knowing is not relating to, not relating to affairs. So, simultaneously. And not relating to affairs is knowing. So, he repeats the same thing. The first sentence is, knowing is not relating to affairs. Then reversed, he says not knowing, not relating to affairs is knowing.

[09:42]

Because it is just like Prajnaparamita, form is emptiness. Emptiness is form, because if we say form is emptiness, immediately we separate it. Form and emptiness. If you separate it, subject and object are not the same. Even though you say form is emptiness, it's separate. If you separate two, two doesn't come together. So, that's why next Prajnaparamita has to say emptiness is form. If we say just form is emptiness, where is emptiness? We start to look for emptiness inside of form, or outside of form, or between. We try to, but it is not.

[10:45]

Exactly, emptiness is form, simultaneously. So, we have to say so, like that. Emptiness is form. At that time, emptiness is not something particular apart from form. Form is emptiness. For instance, A is B. If you say A is B, A never becomes one with B. So, if you say B is A, it's impossible to say so. But if A and B are the same, you have to say A is B, B is A. Do you understand? That is Dogen Zenji, and we constantly say it like this. For instance, casting off, dropping off body and mind, we say. By practice, we can drop off our body and mind. That is English.

[11:51]

It's dropping off body and mind. It means body and mind comes first. Do you? Then, by practice, body and mind drops off. But we have to say in a reversed way. It means dropping off is body and mind. So, dropping off is body and mind. But first, by practice, we say body and mind is dropped off. Or reversed. Because dropping body and mind and also enlightenment are not different. So, body and mind is enlightenment. If so, enlightenment must be alive in your body and mind anytime, anywhere.

[12:54]

What is this? That is. What is your life? Life is exactly drop off, freedom. So, enlightenment is always working every day. That's why Dogon Zenji constantly says Buddha transmits Buddha. Bamboo transmits bamboo. Something like that. Buddha works. Buddha. Something like that. So, always Dogon Zenji uses the words like that. Immediate. So, same applies to here too. So, not relating to our fears is knowing. Accordingly, knowing is not relating to our fears. Not relating to our fears is knowing. It shouldn't be considered as universal knowing.

[14:01]

Nor being restricted in the narrow sense of self-awareness. Okay. Okay. In the first, he says real knowing is not perception nor recognition. So, from this point, real meaning of knowing is complete beyond the knowing in the usual sense. It is not the process of knowing something by means of having an object and perceiving them. Or, knowing is not the procedure of knowing something by means of analyzing and separating, decodemizing objects.

[15:23]

And, arraying them in the cultural system. This is not real meaning of knowing. So, complete beyond the usual sense of knowing, we believe. So, what is this? Knowing is that you try to know. No. But, real knowing is that you are allowed to know if you put yourself in a proper, right place. Then, that is what is called, next, what is called accordingly, knowing is not relating to. Okay. Not relating to. So, you have to give up.

[16:28]

You have to hold up, anyway. You have to throw yourself. If you let go of many things, then many things are felt in your hand. Look at the dimensions in the Bendoa. Let go of, and many things are felt in your hand. Mediate, mediate things in your hand. What we do, we do always something reversed. We try to get first. Means, I want to know. I try to know. Try to see. So, always, you always, it seems to me that you always confine yourself into a small shell. But, real knowing is, you have to let go of yourself.

[17:33]

Then, many things are, mediate, mediate dharmas are felt in your hand. And, mediate, mediate words coming up from your mouth, from your body, anyway. I read the Bendoa in the beginning, I think, Dogon Jinja mentions in that way. That is not relating to. Then, you can experience that which you are allowed to know. So, accordingly, knowing is not relating to our fears, not relating to our fears is knowing. That is, put yourself in a proper place and are allowed to know, is real knowing.

[18:38]

So, next he says, it shouldn't be considered as universal knowing, nor be restricted in the narrow sense of self-awareness. So, from this point, the Dogon Jinja mentions are denying, they are correcting our usual understanding of knowing externally. Externally, means we always have an external object, and then we experience perceptions, knowing, recognition, etc. But, religious life is, we try to see inside. Then, we can have some object, inside object, internal object.

[19:42]

So, internal object is individual internal and also universal internal object. So, that is called universal, universal. He corrects our understanding. Real knowing is not a process and procedure of knowing something by means of having the internal object, and analyzing them and perceive them and understanding them. No, it's not. So, that's why he says, not universal knowing and also not self-awareness. Well, this is, next he says, not relating to a fear means, coming at the brightness, I hit the brightness, coming at the darkness, I hit the darkness.

[21:02]

Setting and tearing the skin produced by the mother. In the beginning, coming at the brightness, I hit the brightness, coming at the darkness, I hit the darkness. It comes from the record of Rinji, Rinzai Zen Master. Translated by Sasaki Ruth. Sasaki Ruth. Ruth Sasaki. You can find that idiom, not idiom, phrase. Coming as brightness, I hit, I forgot the page, what page it is. Tomorrow maybe I can tell. Coming at the brightness, I hit the brightness, coming at the darkness, I hit the darkness. I will explain later. But that means, that means, anyway, that means you have to live vividly whatever you are encounter with.

[22:09]

Whenever. When the darkness comes, you have to exactly hit the darkness, exactly. Well, when you do gassho, you have to exactly hit the gassho, right there. That is, so called simple speaking, that is the meaning of this phrase. Coming at the brightness, I hit the brightness, coming at the darkness, I hit the darkness. Dogen-senji mentioned in Shobo Genzo, he says, when you see, when you see, oh there, I forgot. When you attain, when you attain one, you have to penetrate one, one dharma. If you, in the Genzo koan, Dogen-senji mentions, when you encounter, no, when you have one dharma, you should penetrate it.

[23:27]

When you, yeah, when you encounter one practice, um, what is now? One dharma. When you encounter one dharma, you have to practice it. Follow it. That's maybe a little different. Well, I don't remember exactly in English anyway. So you can read in the Genzo koan. So it's the same thing. Coming at the brightness, I hit the brightness. Coming at the darkness, I hit the darkness. And that is what, sitting in, tearing the skin produced by the mother. Skin means this body, five scandals.

[24:29]

Skin, muscle, bone, and marrow. Anyway, tearing down, tearing down that skin completely. Produced by the mother. Anyway, sit down there. Otherwise, you cannot hit the Buddha's eyes. That is real noise. It means you have to exactly put yourself in the proper place. Completely throw yourself. That's why Dogen-senji says, you throw yourself to the Buddha's house. And then, I think, without using any strength and power. Something comes from Buddha's side. In the Shojo no Maki, there is life and death. You can read that point in Shobo Genzo, life and death. It's very interesting. You have to throw yourself into the Buddha's house. Then, something comes from Buddha's Buddha.

[25:34]

Without using any effort, any strength. That means you are allowed to know. So, this is, I think I have to explain a little bit about this one. Let me explain the process of religious experience in general. According to Dogen's commentary, in terms of the usual knowing, recognition, or usual sense of knowledge. This is the so-called world surrounded by ego consciousness.

[26:42]

Let me say it like this. Ego consciousness. This is the ego consciousness. This is the world we live in. So, in terms of usual sense of recognition, or knowing, or perception. The world you can see is that which is surrounded by ego consciousness. Ego consciousness means the self comes first. You always see, you yourself comes first. See the world first in terms of your viewpoint. That's why the world is what? The world is your world. Buddhist mentions always in that way. That is called ego consciousness. The world is surrounded by ego consciousness.

[27:44]

But Dogen then says, it is in that realm of the human world surrounded by ego consciousness. You cannot understand the real meaning of knowing. You cannot see. You cannot have a real meaning of outlook on the human world, human society, human life. So, what is this? Is there any other world beyond ego consciousness? Yes, there is. This is the world unknown by ego consciousness. This is unknown. But most people cannot experience. That's why it is kind of mysterious, we say. So, if you look at your world, your life, and very naturally you can see the world A.

[28:50]

That is the world surrounded by ego consciousness. Then if you practice again and again, and deepen your life, very naturally you can see the world, you can see the world which is not good enough. So, very naturally you have lots of doubts. What is the world? What is human life? Then very naturally you can see another world, the unknown. Even though you cannot see, you can imagine. You can imagine another world, unknown, by ego consciousness. We can imagine. But we don't experience that world, so-called B, anyway. So, how we should experience this B?

[29:53]

That's why we have to. I say this is A. In the world A, you always come first and try to see, try to know. This is typical attitude. But B, if you want to know the B world, you should forget that system. So, you have to put yourself in a certain appropriate place. Then you are allowed to know. Where is the appropriate place? What is the process? That is called faith. That is called faith. Belief. Usually we say belief, faith, or belief. Then, if you put yourself in the realm of so-called faith and belief,

[31:13]

but still faith and belief is vague. So, very naturally in Buddhism, we can see a certain imagination of the deities, kind of unpowerful, something like that. Avalokiteshvara and God, many deities there. And the powers, natural power of nature, universe, power of universe, we can see. If you don't want to have certain particular deities created by religion, you can see the power of universe, power of nature, something like that. Which is a completely unknown world by ego consciousness. So, all you have to do is respect the power of nature, power of universe. As American Indians do, in that way, very straightforward, towards the power of nature, power of universe.

[32:17]

And then, you can see. In other words, rely on the Sinskul, and the Shindong founder of the Sinskul Pure Land School emphasizes that we have to completely rely on Amitabha Buddha. Rely on means you have to completely throw yourself to the power of Amitabha. Amitabha means longevity, longevity we say. Longevity of Buddha's life. Or, we say the light of longevity of Buddha's life. This is the meaning of Amitabha. So, we don't know what Amitabha is, but Amitabha means light. The longevity of Buddha's life, or light of, or illumination of longevity.

[33:27]

Longevity? Longevity of Buddha's life. So, if you completely throw yourself, means to rely on this Amitabha, means you have to, day by day, you have to be mindful of this Buddha. You have to put yourself always in the Buddha's world, like this, every day. That is what HA, chant, practice, chant the name of Amitabha, being mindful. Mindfulness, practice of mindfulness, concentrate with Amitabha Buddha. Then, you are allowed to know. To know the unknowable world. That is religious experience. Religious experience. Then, through this religious experience, very naturally you can see something unknowable.

[34:31]

Which is called, whatever you say, Amitabha's world, or Avalokiteshvara's world, or Kingdom of God, you can say. This is a B. B, by what? By means of your wisdom. So, here is the wisdom. Wisdom is really main spring, main spring, to know, to put yourself in appropriate place. Wisdom is main spring for you to experience religious life. Then, here is, this is wisdom. Wisdom. But, let's say, this is the usual experience, process of religious experience.

[35:44]

If you want to have religious experience, you always have to stand up to this place, in the B world. Relying on Buddhist life, the Amitabha Buddha's power of nature, anyway. But, there is a problem. The more you rely on the power of universe, power of nature, power of whole world, that time, the more you can see very strongly, A world, ego consciousness, ego conscious world, coming up, constantly. The more you practice hard, straightforwardly, sincerely, that A comes first, comes constantly to your life. Then, naturally, but, basically, you can't escape from this place.

[36:50]

So, you have to constantly standing here. The more seriously, more seriously you standing this world, the more seriously you can see this world. Then, finally we say, we are seen. Very sinful. Can you imagine? Seen. S-I-N. Seen. We are very sinful. This is not denying, not negative, but very naturally you can see this world, human world, A world, surrounded by ego consciousness. So, that's why naturally, Shinran, founder of Pure Land School says, we are very sinful. Very sinful. Very strong sin in the bottom of human life.

[37:55]

Into the, you know, the craving, the human desires, constantly. Then, the more he can see that, you know, the human desires, by what he is sinking into the bottom, it's on, of it's on. Then, the more he has to have strong religious practice. This is, he has to rely on, more strongly, Buddha's power. This is constantly. Very naturally. But, the more he does, he realizes the A and B world. Remember this one, this is very important. A, including A and B world, is what?

[38:57]

Still mundane. Still mundane. So, in Buddhism, it is, truth is divided into two, okay? Mundane truth. Super mundane truth. Okay. So, usually, religious experience is described by this mundane sense. But, it seems to be very close. Real truth, but no. It's still mundane. Because, still you can know. Spiritual, inside spiritual object. In spiritual object, you can have spiritual object. Inside of individual life, or inside of the universe. Still you can. Well, even though you don't know what the object of inside of the universe,

[40:01]

you don't know what it is, but you unconsciously, you imagine, you create imagination of inside, power of universe. Inside, that is what? Divinity. Okay. You know? Well, we say, power of universe. Very natural. So, you create a certain image, a present idea of the power, inside power. The power of inside universe. So, still you have an object of inside. So, still, that knowing is not real knowing. It is still knowing in the mundane world. Both A and B. Both mundane. That's very interesting point. Okay? But, usually, people always talking about mundane truth.

[41:06]

That's it. You mean, it's not universal knowledge? No. That's why it's not universal. But, if you practice harder and harder, you can see the Amitabha Buddha, you can see the divinity of the world, divinity or god, whatever you say, Buddha. Okay? But, that Buddha, ideal of Buddha, you can see very deeply, it's still skeptical. So, finally, you can feel what is real Buddha. Real Buddha is something more than. So, you can see. This is something. So, you can see the image of the Amitabha, image of the power of the universe, but still, the more you practice again and again,

[42:10]

you can still have some doubt. What is Amitabha? What is the power of the universe? What is it? So, finally, real meaning of power of the universe, real meaning of Buddha or Avalokiteshvara, whatever you say, is something more than Amitabha you have believed. You have seen. Something more than. Okay? This means complete beyond, beyond universal knowledge. So, beyond something more than your wisdom you have believed. Okay? Now, that is called, I don't know, how can I call? This is called Dharma. We say Dharma. Temporarily, let me say Dharma. This is a seed.

[43:11]

All right? According to the Avasthantika Sutra, we say the kind Samadhi, ocean sea of Samadhi. Ocean sea of Samadhi. When we are teaching about ocean sea of Samadhi, in the Shobha Gita, it is a very interesting point. But ocean sea of Samadhi is not Dogen's term. It comes from Avasthantika Sutra. But its understanding is quite different from Avasthantika Sutra. So that is Dogen's point. A very important point. So, next. If you see something, a real meaning of Amitabha's power of universe, but you don't know what it is, you don't know what it is, but the more you practice harder and harder, seriously, then you can get out from this mundane world.

[44:15]

You can see it. Just a little glimpse. Glimpse something. That is sea world. Sea world is something which makes it possible for A and B to be possible. To exist. Exactly. It is what? I don't know. It is power or nature or energy? I don't know. Buddhism says this is called Dharma. Temporary. Let me say temporary Dharma. If you see even a little bit of Dharma, then you are really curious of it. Naturally, you can depend on it. Naturally. By your power. You are pulled in by this Dharma. Sea. If you see this one, naturally you can see.

[45:17]

Very naturally. You are standing here. This is your standing position. The more you practice something, then you can see this world. Here are the eyes. Here are the eyes. You can see. You can see this world, but you are standing here. You can see this world. But as long as you stand up here, this world is still imagination. You glimpse. You constantly see the light through the darkness. You don't know how to reach. So this is very common. That's why Christianity or whatever it is, always people talk about the truth, and you are looking at this one. Imagination of the truth. So that's why it's mundane truth.

[46:20]

Mundane truth. It's not bad, but it's not real good. It's good, but it's not super good. So, because you are standing here, and also you can look at this one. Looking at this one. But if you look at this one, even slightly, it really helps out. So, very naturally, you are drawn in by this world. Very naturally. Then you can continue practice. This is very natural. And then, Dogen's way is quite different. Let me say next. Then, Dogen's first, anyway, according to usual process of relative experience, probably Dogen's also has went through this process. A and B.

[47:22]

But, finally, Dogen's, anyway, Dogen's are free from this mundane process. Mundane world. Then he can see, the moment when he can see this world, so-called C, then he stands up here. Completely, he stands up here. Then, because he can see that A and B are reflected in the C world, so-called ocean. Our Santika Sutra says, myriad, myriad dharmas are completely reflected in the ocean, and they become in samadhi. Means, they are very settled down in peace and harmony in the ocean. Okay? That's called C world. Dharma world.

[48:24]

So, that's why he can see this world, see all things reflected in this world. But this world is very pure, and very working together, and when all things are reflected in this ocean, this world completely digests everything. Okay? So, if you see, if you see the A and B world reflected in the C, you can see the form of the world, A and B, so-called form of myriad, myriad dharmas in the world of C. It's a reflection of the form. But that reflection of the form is digested and dissolved

[49:28]

into this world. Very natural. But, Dogen Zenji is free from this position and he moves to this position simultaneously and stands up here. And then, he sees very deeply with his body and mind a form of myriad, myriad dharmas reflected in this world. And that form becomes very pure. Very pure. Bright. Very pure and bright because it's not usual form. It's coming from A and B, but it's a form, but it's not usual form. Because the usual form comes to this place, immediately form becomes dissolved, digested by power of this world,

[50:29]

so-called dharma. So, it's form, but it's not form. So, very naturally, that form is very pure. And then, Dogen Zenji, anyway, sees this form with his whole body and mind, not intellectual, not wisdom, not usual sense of perception and recognition, not self-awareness. Anyway, he completely sees all forms, internally and externally, even a form of wisdom, even a form of self-awareness can be seen in this world. So, all are digested, just like a stomach. If you eat the food, naturally digested, and the forms are dissolved, simultaneously. So, if he can see the form, very naturally, he receives that form. But that form

[51:31]

is not different from this form, the form in the A and B world, because this A and B, C, are not separated. It's completely connected. See this, alright? Connected. So, temporarily I separate it, but they are connected, very closely. That's why, if Dogen Zenji sees the form, many myriad forms, reflected in the world of C, then this is simultaneously formed in the world of A and B. So, very naturally, he accepts this form. But, when he accepts those forms, how do we deal with the form? Then, Dogen constantly stands up

[52:33]

in this world, so-called Samadhi. Because the ocean is Samadhi, constantly Samadhi. So, Dogen stands up in the world of C, so-called Samadhi. Immediately, all forms become purified, dissolved, by what? By Samadhi. By means, by virtue of Samadhi, all forms are completely digested. Then, those forms are digested by C. Then, he can come up again in the world of A and B. Then live, carrying those forms. This is called Gassho, eating meals. So, in this world, there is nothing to have as an object,

[53:37]

inside or outside. That's why it is not related to anything. If you have even a certain object, internally or externally, it is not real Dharma's world. You never know. So, I said, this world is that which you are allowed to know. But still, the world which you are allowed to know is not a perfect world. So, you have to be free from this mundane truth. Then, come down here. At that time, the world you are allowed to know is exactly not ideal. It's really working. Because you can see, you can stand up constantly here. What do you mean?

[54:38]

Standing here means Samadhi, constant Samadhi. That is the appropriate place you can stand up. So, basically, you cannot move away from that one. Because ocean-sea Samadhi, the whole world is reflected in these oceans naturally. No one can do anything. Before you understand, or before you don't understand, the world is already working in this world-sea, reflecting constantly, digested. So, very naturally, we have to stand up here. But if you stand up, who stands up? You stand up. And who deals with what? You deal with this world and B world. But first of all, you have to stand up here, so-called, in the realm of Samadhi.

[55:39]

Really concentrate. Really concentrate. You really devote. When coming as brightness, you hit the brightness. This is exactly when you see, when you encounter one Dharma, you have to penetrate. That is Samadhi, attitude. Then, you can come back. A and B once more again. That is everyday life. Exactly. That is still our, that is so-called, self-delusion. You know? Complain. We all feel it. Complain, it means still people are, or I am, still I don't understand it,

[56:42]

I cannot stand up. This is our self-delusion, constant self-delusion. If you think so, in other words, I cannot do anything because I am very hard. How can you do? How can you go ahead? Instead of saying so, instead of thinking in a passive way, why don't you think in a positive way and do it. Take one step forward first. But if you say, most people don't believe in that way, or including me or you, I cannot understand, I cannot do in that way. It's impossible. This is already you are going back. How can you go ahead? But world is completely taking care of you, going ahead constantly. You cannot go back anyway. So all you have to do is instead take a step,

[57:42]

take one step ahead anyway, instead of going backward. That is so-called self-delusion, self-complaining. That is one of the three poisons we say, greed, anger, and we say self-delusion or ignorance. Most people always say so, I don't understand, I am not good, I am not a good student, I am not a Buddhist, exactly. But that is self-delusion, exactly. Basically, we are already living here. So why don't you anyway do it? This is called Buddha nature. Read Buddha nature in Dogen's, by Dogen's. Dogen mentions this world, not this world, it's very pure.

[58:44]

That's why it's a little difficult to understand it, but it's really true. If you cannot stand up here, how can you bring the peace to your life, to other's life? If you stand up here, always you struggle, spiritual struggle there. Where? Even though you can glimpse this world, okay? So even Shindong, Shindong's life is very dramatic, very dramatic. What the Fu are very popular among the many people, Japanese people, very interesting because his life is very dramatic because he is standing here, mundane world, purifying his life constantly, by religious practice this world, that's why even though he says I am sinful person, but most sinful person

[59:47]

can be saved by Amitabha Buddha naturally. Even though you don't pray, you are originally saved because Shindong can see this world, glimpse anywhere, constantly see the light through the darkness. So very naturally, a world is separate. So world is this, a world is dirty. You say Gojoku means five kinds of dirtiness, you know, filled in the a world, human world. So very separate. So very naturally, you have to separate this one and then depends on something, you have to jump over to the Amitabha Buddha very strongly, that is faith, belief. Then you can really see

[60:47]

power of Amitabha, power of universe, which you don't know what it is. But the more you believe the power of universe, finally still there is some confusion, you don't know what it is. You have some doubt about the belief that you, the belief in the power of universe. Then you can see what the real meaning of the power of universe is. Then you can see this world as a light, light. Then, Shindong and Yuju people constantly see this world. But for Shindong, Shindong has a very strong serious intention, seeking for living in peace and harmony,

[61:49]

standing here and gripping this world constantly. That's why his life is very traumatic and also very religious. But Dogen's way is not traumatic. He always stands up in Samadhi, always Samadhi. He always stands up in Samadhi, that's why he is non-traumatic and non-humanistic. That's why if you read the Chobokan, you feel, what's that? Very far away from us. But it is the best way, best way. It is real Buddha way because Buddha mentions we are Buddha. Why don't you stand up in the Buddha's world first? Whatever happens, anyway stand up and practice, live in the Buddha's world. Don't escape. You cannot escape.

[62:49]

That's why Dogen then says wherever you may go, in the Buddha's world, always. So constantly you have to stand up. But people don't know how to stand up, how to practice this. That's why Dogen's way is quite difficult teaching and also people don't pay attention to it. Because very super mundane world. But it's not far from us. It's very close. We don't know how to practice. How to pass them across, walk together, we don't know how. Because usually we do this one. We believe this is a religious life. Are you saying that if we just wake up we don't need the religious process? I don't mean you don't need.

[63:52]

More or less, that's why even Dogen probably could pass through this process. But most people stop here and talk about the religious life. Do you understand? For instance, I believe, for instance, I believe in Avalokiteshvara. What's that? So every day I chant. My family is very very serious Shinsuku followers, Pure Land followers. So my parents are constantly chanting the name of Amitabha every day. Even during the working they chant. My father, my mother, every day. So that sound of the Amitabha

[64:54]

penetrates my life. So I also very naturally chant and very deeply I feel that Amitabha. But still I don't know what Amitabha is. But usually people don't want to get out from this one because it's comfortable. So it's not necessary to talk about more. It's not necessary to see something more than that. So usually people religious, usual religious life stops here. They can go this way but that is just a glimpse. Just a glimpse through the darkness. That's it. They never stand up here. Actually that's why we always argue with one truth. Do you understand? Arguing one truth and one truth is no longer one truth.

[65:56]

Because in terms of mundane world they are talking about truth. So concentrate truth coming up different ideas. But if you come here and stand up here truth it becomes very quiet. Just practice there. Because stand up place itself is samadhi. That's it. So what is it? Practically speaking coming as a brightness you hit the brightness. That's it. Gassho. Jigassho. Then this is a form. But form is not form. Exactly form is dissolved. By what? Samadhi. Samadhi is what? Characteristic of this world. Kind samadhi. Ocean-filled samadhi. Exactly. So do it. Means stand up here.

[66:59]

Then form appears next. Dissolved. All of a sudden. Even though you don't know how it is you don't know how it is dissolved and how it is digested. We don't know. We don't know. That's why Dogen Zen says in the Genjo Koan. Not Genjo Koan. Oh yes. Genjo Koan. This is very interesting point. You should remember this point. I think Genjo Koan I think this one according to this page 43 but in the I think according to the journal of Eastern Buddhists Genjo Koan

[68:02]

129 page 39 139 volume 5 volume 5 OK. It says If a person practices and realizes the Buddha way when he attains one Dharma he permeates freely that one Dharma when he encounters one practice he practices that one practice OK. That is exactly same meaning as coming as brightness you hit the one brightness. Next. Since here is where the place exists since the way is all-pervading that is a place you have to be when you you exist this is this one. What is a place?

[69:06]

You have to anyway hit to that. When you see the brightness you have to hit the brightness. That is a place you can communicate exactly. Then he said when the since here is that is this is where the place exists and since the way is all-pervading this is this world is completely all-pervading to A and B anyway connected. The reason we are unable to know its total knowable limits is simply because the process of knowing is one that lives and practices simultaneously with the Buddhist ultimate illumination. We don't know how this sea digests. A and B

[70:08]

reflected in this world we don't know how but simultaneously it does. Simultaneously means you are practicing simultaneously with the Buddha here says Dharma's ultimate combinations. Simultaneously you do it because the limitation you cannot here says the reason we are unable to know its total knowable limits you don't know the limits how molecules create in the world the presence the presence of water as it really is you don't know how molecules work no how molecules create the real reality which water is present right now right here in a certain way

[71:09]

we don't know but we know we can know a little bit by mathematics and physics and that but actually we don't know because if you know if you become one how do you know limitation you know there is something in you how do you know how do you know you how do you how the eyes knows eyes no we don't know if you become one how the eyes contact contact lens how contact lens knows eyes no if contact lens if there is a gap between the contact lens and the eyes contact you contact contact lens will disturb your life you know but if they become one how do we know we don't know we don't know

[72:09]

that it's knowable limitation limits we don't know because it's wellness so that's why Dogen then says the reason we are unable to know is total knowable limit is simply because this the process of knowing is one oneness that oneness means living together simultaneously with the whole universe okay that's why we don't know if you live with the mountains mountain teaches you his it's life but we don't know what is a life mountains life so all you have to do is just to climb the mountains constantly okay this is me here do you have questions hey if Shenda was a bee and he could

[73:09]

feed bees he had gone to the bees and he said that once you feed bees they will pull you in why didn't he get pulled in to do this work why did he stay and leave I don't know why this is his way okay he didn't pull him well pull maybe he didn't pull him but still he doesn't know how to do it he pulled he pulled that word into his life that's why he anyway believed anyone is saved already even though you are anyway evil person whoever the worst person can be saved already that's why he knows he says but still he is standing here that's why he doesn't

[74:10]

know how to live here so in other words constantly he reflect upon himself very seriously he reflect means he watching himself constantly okay but Dogen Dogen doesn't reflect doesn't watch person anyway he just he doesn't watch he just put himself in this samadhi first and he will put him constantly that's why it is a practice okay practice comes first instead of faith but then from that practice faith come up okay whereas in the shinran he always mentions faith first and then practice so little difference you know very subtle difference between

[75:10]

okay but he also anyway knows this word that's why it is a buddhism part of a buddhism but I don't know it is a little you know questionable but I am not criticizing anything but in terms of general buddhism if you return to the buddha's way what is the real buddha's way what is the buddhism real buddhism so very naturally I think we have to come back to this word this is a pre general pre the original teaching of buddha oh of course reflect but I don't mean ignoring reflection he reflect that's why he mentions in the Gyojin no Maki I think

[76:10]

he constantly talking about the ancestor's life Joshu's life and et cetera yes it is a way because he can see the boss exactly he can see the boss that's why according to the circumstances he has to go this way he has to go that way constantly freely you have to go so you cannot say I should be always harder harder you cannot say so so you cannot say always I have to be allowed to know you cannot say so always boss you have to go boss freely this is your call think of it little different reflection coming up

[77:11]

not reflection not reflection practice it's real practice but if you stand up here you can reflect constantly reflect because it's separate separate yes very natural spiritual gap there spiritual gap no no no spiritual gap that's why constantly we are Buddha we are Buddha that's why if you read Buddha nature naturally you can know what is Buddha nature he always talking about this word Buddha nature you have to stand up here very natural

[78:13]

but A and B is not A and B we can see in the usual sense for him A and B is nothing but the Buddha's word because the A and B comes from this one so A and B are Buddha's word that's why this is human human nature that's why when you see you have to see the boss you know the boss means the flags the signals you know so you cannot see if you stand up here you cannot see you cannot have any particular form I should do this or I shouldn't do that no you cannot say obviously you have to be in samadhi constantly open yourself and then you have to go

[79:14]

free you know you don't have to say nothing no nothing to say that is that's why he says not relating to affairs so that is constantly you have to put the real place pure place you see to be to be allowed to know but here if you put put yourself to a certain proper place to be allowed to know No, it's still the practice in the give and take, you know. If I put there maybe something I can get, consciously or unconsciously, there is the give and take there. Do you understand?

[80:04]

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