Well, recently several people have asked me to talk about the current climate of our society. and the problems that go along with it. And I remember when we had the election fiasco, presidential election fiasco, I gave a talk of the State of the Union. And then when we had 9-11, I gave a talk about the State of the Union. And I may have given one more, but I'm pretty outspoken. So I think today I'll give some kind of State of the Union talk, but I don't want to complain. I'm not gonna give a plaintiff talk. I want to talk about what our attitude is, or what kind of attitude is beneficial for us.

[01:30]

I think if I complain, it won't help because we all understand by now, I think, what's going on. When I was riding over this morning on my bike, a word popped into my head. Evo-revolution. Evo-revolution. What does that mean? Well, evolution is the way things unfold in a linear way. We tend to think of life as unfolding in a linear way. It goes from here to there and just goes that way. It comes from somewhere and goes that way. But revolution is what goes around comes around. So there's this wheel on which our life is continually revolving.

[02:34]

And so both things are going on at the same time, evolution and revolution. Evolution means that new forms are constantly being created, given the existence of the old forms. On the foundation of the old forms, new forms are continually arising. And so we think of that as progress, progression on a linear level. And so we look at society as progressing, and making new forms and new this and that. But on the other hand, there's the revolution. So we think that, or when we see that the progress that we make is always undermined. Everything that we do is undermined in some way.

[03:39]

So, there's progress and then there's degeneration. Then there's progress and then there's degeneration. So the wheel of progress and degeneration is continuous. All of the gains that are made in society in a period of time are all undermined by the anti-forces. And then the cycle comes back up again to where progress is made again. Everybody thinks, oh, society is gaining, everybody's being happy, and then it goes back. So this is called the law of circularity in Buddhism, that all the gains that are made destroyed, and then the games are made again.

[04:43]

And every generation has to go through this cycle. You know, I saw the cycle in the 30s. I saw the cycle in the 40s. I saw the cycle in the 50s, the 60s, the 70s, the 80s, the 90s. You know, it's always the same. always the same. And we think that there are gains for society, and then someone grabs it and destroys it. So these two forces are continually competing with each other, endlessly. There are, you know, seem to be, Progress, there seems to be progress.

[05:45]

It's interesting, someone was talking to me about the difference between Europeans and Americans. In America, there's a lot of individual The idea is that each individual can make their own way independently. So there's a lot of feeling of independence. Whereas in the European model is developed more on the idea of dependence. People depend on each other more. So independence means you have to collect as much as you can in order to support yourself or in order to satisfy yourself. and you don't share so much. So this drives us in a certain way. But the European model is more sharing with each other, and it's not so important to have so much. The important thing is to have more time.

[06:53]

So the more we drive ourselves, the less time we have. And so their quality of life doesn't really improve, even though the standard of life does. So-called standard of life keeps improving, even though it doesn't. Because the more improvements we have, the more docile we become, the more immobile we become. So our improvements are mostly geared toward making us more and more immobile. and then we become unhealthy because we're more immobile. All these helpful things are not helpful at all. They undermine us. So to actually be able to take 40 day vacations without feeling guilty every year. not having so much money or so many goods that captivate us, to actually have the freedom to move around and be more mobile and get our pleasures from movement rather than from immobility.

[08:17]

rather than taking in so much through our mind, through our eyes and ears, to actually move out. So, we're really captivated, the society is captivated by the machines that make us immobile. less mobile. And we have to keep supporting that, even if it means sucking all the energy out of the world to do it. And so we create a lot of resentment. So we have a problem. We have lots of problems, but we have the problem of our society, the problem of war, environment, environmental degradation, preemptive wars to conquer other nations, and the list goes on and on.

[09:24]

So, how do we deal with this problem? There's a story, a short little episode, about a Zen master, Yakusan, and a monk. Yakusan was a Chinese, Yue Shan, Chinese teacher in the ninth century China. And the monk came to Yakusan, he said, I have a problem for you to solve for me. that I'd like you to solve for me." And Yakusan looked at him and he said, come by tonight and I'll solve your problem. So that night, they had a assembly of all the monks in the monastery. And Yakusan said, is there anyone here who has a problem to be solved?

[10:27]

And the monk came forward. Yaksan got off his seat and he took the monk by the collar and he said, this monk has a problem. And then he left and went back to his room. That's one way of dealing with a problem. This is the most fundamental way of dealing with a problem. no one can solve your problem for you. On the other hand, we have Maitreya Buddha. In Buddhist cosmology, so to speak, there's a Maitreya Buddha, who is the future Buddha, Buddha who will appear in the next millennium from some distant past. It's all figured out as to when that's gonna be, but it's a long time in the future.

[11:32]

I don't know if the world will last that long for Maitreya, but Maitreya succeeds Shakyamuni. So he's sitting in the Tushita heaven, waiting to come down, or wherever the Tushita heaven is, to appear. So maitri means love or kindness. This is the Buddha that's going to bring in the era of loving kindness. and unite the world in loving kindness. So this is, Maitreya makes a big part in Buddhist longing for something. So, you know, Buddhism is actually a religion, and a lot of people don't think so, which is a messianic religion, just like Christianity or Judaism.

[12:39]

there's a savior who will come and save the world. And he's called Maitreya. So it's just very, very similar to all of the messianic longings in every religion. So, People are, Maitreya comes out of the longing for people to have someone save us. Because there'd been so much destruction and suffering in the world, how will people deal with that? When you're really faced with it, how will you deal with it? It's easy to talk about, but when you're faced with it, it's difficult. So the Buddhists are waiting for Maitreya to appear.

[13:43]

But who is Maitreya? There's a book that came out one time about 10 years ago. It was called What to Do Until the Messiah Comes. I think it was a Jewish book. It wasn't a Christian book. Well, there's the second coming, right? That's right, so Jesus has appeared, he's gonna come again. But Maitreya hasn't arrived yet. But in Buddhism, if you understand Buddhism correctly, you can see Shakyamuni, all these Buddhas as outside of yourself, or you can see them as aspects of your own personality or persona. So where there's a Maitreya within each person, just like there's a Shakyamuni Buddha within each person, just like there's Manjushri, Samantabhadra within each person. Samantabhadra is your effort to practice, the personification of practice.

[14:53]

Manjushri is your personification of wisdom. We just had our Bodhisattva ceremony where we invoked the names of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of our own mind. What do we bow to when we bow to Buddha? We're bowing to the Buddha of our own mind. We're bowing to Manjushri of our own mind. We're bowing to the Samantabhadra of our own mind. It's not something out there. Maitreya is inside. So Maitreya is our longing to save the world. So we have this Bodhisattva vows, which are vows to save the world. And this is Maitreya,

[16:00]

feeling of Maitreya, which is being invoked whenever we say the four vows. So Maitreya is not going to appear out of heaven or some fall down out of the sky. Maitreya will come out of everyone's desire to create unity. But Yakusan's answer was pretty good. His response was pretty good. What's your problem? We have a problem. We have lots of problems. But when we look at what is our problem, we can look at our problems on various levels.

[17:06]

We can look at the symptom, we can look at the causes, but deep down, what is the real problem? What is the basic problem? So this is what yaksan is getting to. What is your real problem? Not what is the problem that you think you have. If you follow the problem that you think you have all the way to its core, then you will understand the real problem. So this is Zen practice, how to deal with your real problem. When I was studying with my teacher, Suzuki Roshi, one of his favorite sayings was, the problem you have now is the problem you will always have. Everybody was very disappointed. But your problem is your treasure.

[18:10]

Problem, there are no problems. But there really are no problems. When you get down to the bottom of it, there are no problems. But each problem, even though there's no problems, there are no problems. The problem is the opportunity. If you see the problem as an opportunity, then it's no longer a problem. So, I remember him saying, when a student comes and you connect with the student as a teacher, then you send the student away. Goodbye. He didn't mean that you should go away. But he meant, you have to deal with your own problem. Sometimes, you know, some teachers like to keep their students very close. Some teachers don't like to do that.

[19:16]

They like to keep the students at a distance, which doesn't mean disconnected. Some students you have to be, you know, very gentle with and nurturing. But good students, you send them out to deal with their problem. Whenever I would come back to Suzuki Roshi with a problem, he would talk about it, but then he never answered my problem. He always gave me something else. And then he would say, you came to me with a problem, and I just gave you another problem. I'm so sorry." And then he would laugh. So, you know, that's how I knew he was a good teacher. So, we have these problems.

[20:21]

And on the one hand, we have to deal with We have to deal with the problems out there, but we also have to deal with the problem here. And the problem out there is no different than the problem here. And when we know how to deal with the problem here, we'll know how to deal with the problem there. So that's why, you know, it's like I've talked about this before. When you shake a stick at the dog, the dog follows the end of the stick. And then you can lead the dog anywhere you want with the stick, which is called the American public. But when you shake a stick at the lion, the lion goes for the person. It ignores the stick. So how do you get to the heart of the problem? And how do you get to the heart of the problem with yourself?

[21:24]

Not being fooled by circumstances or stuff on the surface. So our attitude has to come out of that. So that's why our practice, is really important. If we get to the bottom of our practice, if we know how to get to the bottom of our practice, then we'll know how to deal with the circumstances that are really hard to deal with, impossible circumstances almost, almost insurmountable circumstances. There are more problems arising in the world than anybody can possibly take care of. And the problems are becoming compounded. It's like a bomb that has all these little particles and each one of these particles becomes a problem in itself. So how do we take care of all that? Every time you open the newspaper, more problems coming out of the already existing problems.

[22:29]

And there are not enough people to track all the problems. much less do something about them. And the old problems just get buried and not resolved. If you read something, some really ugly thing in the newspaper that's there for two or three days, then something else takes its place, and the memory just gets lost. But the thing doesn't get lost. Just keeps piling up, piling up, piling up. So we have a big problem and nobody knows how to solve it. Some people know how to solve it but it doesn't work because the momentum is too great. So the momentum is like turning a huge ship around in the middle of the ocean.

[23:32]

Bigger than that, like trying to turn the iceberg around in the middle of the ocean. So, progress? Circularity, you know, we're coming to a place where it's gotta get worse before it gets better, unless people work really hard to make it not happen. if it continues the way it's going, it will wake people up. I don't want to complain, but there are two ways that I know of to actually deal with our helplessness. One is to educate people, to educate yourself, and to educate people, and to register people to vote.

[24:41]

So revolution has two meanings. One is something comes around to its beginning, and the other is revolt. The best way to revolt is to vote. It's right there, you know. We have the tool, the tool's right there. Half the people in the country don't vote, that can vote. We just throw it away, the tool. But even though we do vote, it doesn't always count. That's a problem, another problem. So I think those are the two things that will, the only two things that will really make a difference. I'm not gonna tell you how to vote. Or how to educate people. But if we educate ourselves and know what's going on,

[25:47]

then we can educate, you know, talk to other people about it. But the problem is, everybody around us already knows. But a lot of people are going to other states to register people. Perfectly lawful thing to do. Register people to vote. Single mothers. And single women who are not mothers are the biggest, one of the biggest block of potential voters who don't vote. And young people. It's really important. But to educate people, to be able to see that if it doesn't, if the momentum doesn't stop, it'll be disastrous.

[26:51]

All of our civil liberties, you know, are being undermined, as you all know. and it will get worse. You can put people in jail for no reason and keep them there forever and they just disappear. That's actually happening. They just disappear. You don't have to have a reason. So the other thing is that, you know, people feel very frustrated.

[28:04]

What can we do? Those are some things that one can do. But given the circularity, you know, that as much as we do good, the bad takes over and then the good starts again. So how do you have optimism given that? Well, I think we have to understand the dual nature and accept it. At the same time, you know that, hopefully, we know that we're working for the benefit of everyone and not just for our own benefit. That's fundamental. if we know that we're working for the benefit of everyone and not just for our own benefit, then we know that you just do it without worrying about the result because that's what you have to do.

[29:09]

That's pure activity. Pure activity is to just do the work that you have to do without being attached to the result. As soon as you get attached to the result, then it starts to smell. So Zen practice is pure activity. Just do the thing for the sake of the thing, even though there may be some purpose, of course, but without being attached to the purpose. So you have the freedom within the activity. And when things don't go the way you want them to, you don't get crushed by it. And when things do go the way you want them to, you don't get elated by it. So you're always in a settled place.

[30:13]

And you work out of that settled place. That's called practicing Zazen all the time. Wherever you are, in any activity, you're always practicing Zazen. So what does practicing Zazen mean? It means that you're practicing Zazen with everything in the world, because everything else in the world is practicing Zazen. That's the basic practice of the universe, is Zazen. practice in harmony with things. And you have a settled place. You come from that settled place. And you don't lose your mind when things don't go your way. That you don't get on this teeter-totter. But you're always at the center.

[31:17]

And when you're at the center, your samadhi shines in all directions and influences people and helps people, connects with people, connects with the universe. So for us, the most important thing is to always know where we are, always be grounded in our samadhi, in our zazen. And then when we meet these circumstances, because we have no special idea, we have the right attitude, and that right attitude will let us know what to do. So do you have a question or would you like to?

[32:22]

bring up at some point. Laurie? Sometimes I amuse myself by kind of trying to think about the nation like a person, like a person practicing maybe. So it's got some good attributes and some bad attributes. In a certain way, the practice is just to start where you are and keep doing the good things, try to stop doing the bad things. and some things that are kind of evil, and so the good and evil is there. But when I think about this, I think, well, but wait, first we would have to stop. I mean, before we could be a person practicing, somehow it's like I feel like there'd have to be some stopping. You kind of have to stop and then take a step or something. It wouldn't be great if everybody just sat down for a minute, took a few deep breaths, and then decided how to start again.

[33:43]

And all the selfish people would think about what they're doing. But usually that happens after some awful thing. Yes, after some awful thing. Yeah, there has to be some major event to have that, to allow that to happen. Or even the way we come to practice. Yeah, often we have a major event in our life that brings us to practice, even though it may not be some sudden thing. Right. Yeah. Year after year, I notice that my good friend doesn't vote and doesn't register to vote. And when the election discussions come up, he stays silent. And I keep thinking that one day he'll wake up and register to vote.

[34:47]

But I'm not sure shiny samadhi is influencing Well, you know, it's like not voting may be kind of hinny on a practice. I don't, you know, no concern about the world because, you know, there are no, even though there are no, as it says in the Diamond Sutra, even though there are no such things as sentient beings, we have to save them anyway. But the Hinayana way is there are no sentient beings, but I can save myself. Yeah, so it's a little bit selfish. Maybe impress your friend with the fact that it's a little bit selfish. Even though he doesn't have to do it for himself, he can do it for other people.

[35:48]

I'm way in the back, somebody. I don't have my glasses on, so I can't really tell who, and you're way down there, and I can't see your face. Okay. Stand up, please. I'm going to be the monk who, quote, has the problem, and I'm going to say I have it, I know it's mine. But I'm really interested in naming it and seeing how you deal with what I think is a similar problem. And it is, I know the problem is not out there, My problem is finding that middle place on the fulcrum between equanimity, which can be confused with inaction, and urgency, which can be confused with thoughtless action. So I'm looking in the middle, trying to find a place where my Zen practice lets me keep my trust in the unborn, keep my faith that things as they are are just as they are.

[36:51]

At the same time, frees me to act with extreme urgency in a time when that's called for. So I'm looking for that place. And in my practice, I go back and forth. I don't stay here. Well, you know, ambivalence, when it slows down, becomes calmness. So I think you're on the right track. Seems like you're on the right track. And it's not always easy to know exactly what to do, you know. But there'll come a moment when you're actually faced, and then you'll know what to do. If I keep practicing and keep the equanimity, then I know when I'm on the right track. Right, so as soon as you feel you're getting caught up in your anxiety or whatever, that's the time to notice and to say, is this necessary?

[38:00]

Not necessary. Yeah. It seems to me that a lot of this election is based upon fear. Yes. And it's as if we're taking our individual fear and making a collective fear. Fear of terrorism, fear of all kinds of things. If you think this is so, I heard you just say yes. How can we wake up the country to look at this collective fear and that this is not the thing that should be driving our policies? Well, yes, since it's 1984, it's like convincing people that the opposite of what is true is true. Doublespeak, it's called. It's total doublespeak.

[39:04]

Orwell wrote the book for the Republican Party and they're following it to the letter. I don't want to talk about politics, but it's true. They're just following it to the letter. Doublespeak. So to unconvince people is really hard. But the thing to be feared is not something out there, but something much closer called our government. Because using fear as a weapon against us, it's terrible.

[40:09]

When I hear all these alerts and blah, blah, blah, it just makes me laugh. Nobody wants to harm us more than we want to harm ourself. Yeah. But fear itself. Right. Yeah. That's right. I agree. Yeah. Zazen, how are they practicing Zazen? I didn't, well, how are they practicing? I didn't quote you right. Yeah, I say everything is practicing Zazen, right? How is someone who doesn't know anything about Zazen practicing Zazen?

[41:16]

Because Zazen is the basic activity of the universe, and everyone is involved in the basic activity of the universe, which means activity and non-activity. So everyone is, we're all connected in that space which is beyond or beneath the basic activity which is not involved in thinking or doing something. We're all involved in it. When we go to sleep, it's inaction, so to speak. So all of our activity is based on total stillness. So we all meet in that total stillness.

[42:19]

And whether we're active, and don't pay any attention to that our basic nature, our true nature, it's still there, whether we're aware of it or not. So we see that all beings are an aspect of Buddha nature. Buddha nature expresses itself through all these beings. But Buddha nature has no special shape or form. But that's what we all are. And so we're all one piece. And we're all practicing Zazen as one being. And so if you have your fist, this is the one thing. And these are the many things. But this is where we all meet. And this is where we have our differences. But we're all practicing this at the same time. whether we're aware of it or not.

[43:22]

So that's why we feel this oneness with all beings. And when you realize that, actually realize that, then you can find that peace in yourself. Or that peace of yourself. Somebody, yeah. Yeah, we don't forget, but we don't usually talk about Maitreya, right? I think that that's an interesting observation. In Buddhism, there are two sides, so to speak.

[44:30]

One is called self-power, the other is called other power. So the Pure Land School, which probably started in India somewhere, but was developed in China and further developed in Japan. with Honin and Shinran and so forth. And that became the other power school in Buddhism, which was developed, started around the same, which Shinran developed around the same time as Dogen developed the Soto school in Japan. And because of the age of Mapo where it was impossible, people felt it was impossible to continue to practice or to continue to have salvation through practice, they developed the Nembutsu school, chanting the name of Buddha without having to practice. Chanting the name was enough. So that's called calling on Amida, Amitabha.

[45:34]

kind of supplication or connecting with the Buddha outside of yourself, whereas Zen practice is always dealing with the problem within yourself, not depending on some other, something outside to save you. So Maitreya kind of belongs to, in a way, to other power, so to speak. But other and self are not different. When you understand it thoroughly, the other power and self power are not different. They're just two sides of one thing. So we can talk about Buddha and so forth without losing the fact that our effort is here, not in supplication. So we bring the whole cosmology together and realize it's right here. So self-power seems to be a characteristic of the Zen school, but actually it becomes, if you don't understand it, it sounds egotistical.

[46:47]

You know, I don't need anybody else, I can do it all by myself, right? That sounds very egotistical, but that's not what self-power is. Self-power means that you're not, you make the effort to practice rather than depending on something outside. And so, you know, you're independent, but at the same time, totally dependent. If you realize that, being independent means being totally dependent on everything. At the same time, that's self-power. Everything is yourself. But if you only think that, if you isolate yourself and say self-power, that's egotistical. But if you realize that the whole universe is yourself, then you realize what self-power is. It's when you lose yourself that you have self-power.

[47:55]

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