Every verbal expression Dogen makes in his Shobo Kenzo is very beautiful, no politically, no useless verbal expression. Every sentence is very short, simple, in simplicity. Also, every expression, short expression, verbal expression, is left nothing unsaid. And even one sentence is very beautiful. But the verbal expression in my translation is really clumsy.

[01:15]

I have to apologize to, first of all, Dogen-senji and you for my clumsy verbal expression. But anyway, I have to, I cannot escape from, talk something about Dogen's teachings. I hope you will allow me to concentrate, to focus on expanding the key point, what Dogen-senji wants to tell us, at any cost. This is my best effort. If you should be endowed with a chance to study Japanese, you would get taste of Dogen's original text.

[02:31]

Now, from Japanese, in English please, from Japanese. The four Dogen-senji, The word Gyoji is always used, only when a life force manifests in itself in dynamic situation, Dogen uses Gyoji. So, the other words, Gyoji is used only when the present manifests in itself in dynamic situation.

[03:55]

Without any idealistic conception. This is Gyoji. So, Gyoji is very pure. Gyoji is pure conception. But this pure conception does not enable human mind to reduce, reduce, reduce, in minimum space, like this, suppress you. It doesn't mean that. For instance, if you try to practice movement, practice your life, which is going on moment of moment, your mind is very tension, in the state of intention, tension.

[05:08]

Seriously. In other words, it looks like suppression of the self. So, it looks like, I was working at a big company that produced a diesel engine. But this engine didn't have a magnet, fire magnet. Just the engine start to work, work out only by suppression, suppression, compression. Piston, the head, two bubbles here. Bubble, not bubble, valves. Here's a pump spreading the heavy oil, not gasoline, heavy oil.

[06:13]

And the piston goes in minimum, then compression. It has a compression completely. Compression? Then at that time, without... ...is completely explored. Boom! This is diesel engine. I built up engine, many parts, and start to work. If you try to practice, if you try to practice your life moment after moment like a diesel engine, you know, any time, someday, your life will be explored. Boom! Like this. Then this explosion sometimes will be helpful for you, but sometimes will not helpful for you.

[07:19]

Because when it is not helpful for you, you will become crazy. Boom! That's explosion. And then when it is even slightly helpful for you, it is called enlightenment. It is called kensho, kensho. It is called kensho. I got enlightenment. Then Zen Master give you a satisfaction. But Dogen didn't say anything about such an explosion. Very still, very stillness. So that's why human being is very apt to be curious of explore, of exploring himself in his life.

[08:29]

That's why Maharishi said, don't worry. Be happy. Do your best. Very relaxed. Don't worry. Do your best. Be happy. It means don't be interested. Don't be attracted by the explosion. Explosion. Even though, of course, through the practice you will realize, you will experience some explosion. That time you will be very happy. That's all right. Explosion must be still within yourself. Also, because explosion, in other words, enlightenment or kensho, in the true meaning, is always still.

[09:31]

In other words, it is gyoji. It is gyoji. In other words, it is Buddha. It's Buddha. Buddha is very stillness. Because you can't reach, you cannot reach, you cannot poke your head into the drop which is called enlightenment, which is called kensho, which is called explosion. What's happening in it? You can't. Maybe sometimes very vice perfume coming from the skunk. Sometimes very nice sweet perfume. Very sweet perfume is enlightenment. The experience of enlightenment. The vice perfume is sort of crazy.

[10:35]

Psychosis. So, the gyoji, the living present, is not something which you will have to experience. Experience it with strong tension. Strong tension. If you try to do in that way, it is sure you will experience many things, good or bad. But even though whatever kind of experience you go through, you get taste.

[11:39]

It is not true enlightenment, Buddha vision. It is not the life force itself. Because gyoji or life force or enlightenment are all used for only when they manifest themselves in dynamic situation. You cannot reach. Then, if you try to understand it idealistically, maybe it is called emptiness. Logically or idealistically, the gyoji or enlightenment or Buddha is called the emptiness.

[12:46]

Emptiness. So, yesterday I mentioned, as Dogen Zen says, gyoji by which I am actualized at the nowness of its manifestation is not quite understood. But, no matter under what conditions it is brought into being, for one's understanding of gyoji is a product of his imagination which is extra. Gyoji is not defiled by any conceptions, any idealistic ground of understanding.

[13:52]

Gyoji is not defiled by appearance or disappearance, emergence or extinction. Gyoji is just there. Enlightenment is just there. Life force is just there. Very stainless. Logically speaking, it is called emptiness. So, emptiness is a sort of space. Let's imagine a huge space. But, space is not a trap. Space is not a sort of trap by which enabled man to take himself into hell or into heaven.

[14:57]

Not a trap. Space is, in other words, what would you call, space is, or emptiness is a huge expanse of generosity. Generosity in which everything is involved in peace. This is emptiness. So, if you understand emptiness or space only in your small extension, you know, emptiness, at that time, emptiness, it may be the meaning of nothing.

[16:01]

There is something in vain, being in vain. So, you completely lose your spirit to do anything at all. Then you are lost. You are completely at a loss, at a loss what to do. But, emptiness is not the world of your own. Emptiness or space must be there, must be there as regarded as the expanse, the huge expanse of generosity. Generosity in which everything can exist in peace, in harmony.

[17:08]

This is space. So, you can't catch what space is, you can't grasp what emptiness is. The moment you grasp what emptiness is, it is completely in vain. It is brought into being as regarded as the emptiness created by your imagination. This is emptiness. So, such emptiness enables man to be upset, worse and worse. So, let's imagine, you should know carefully what space, what emptiness is. Also, this space or the emptiness is always alive.

[18:15]

For instance, one of Japanese sculptors said in a book, I forgot the name of the book. He said, the change through the space, change through the space is something which cannot be arrested, but only guided. And also, movement through the space is something that cannot be confined, but only directed. This is very interesting. The, what would you say, the change through the space is something which cannot be arrested, but only guided.

[19:31]

You know, whatever kind of house you built in Kasaha, let's imagine this zendo. I think this zendo consists of many structures, many forms, consisting of the board or beam, many things. Even this board, stick, this board, beam, if you put this beam here, if you look at, the moment you look at this beam, well, this is just wood. It looks like a form. It looks like a form. It doesn't make sense. But why you put here? Why you put here? When you put here, the moment when you put this beam here, this beam is starting to work, to work out.

[20:45]

Through the space, this space. Through this space. So, from this point, only form, only form, form alone doesn't exist apart from the space. Apart from the space. You know, apart from, apart from the students, wazafu, and the window, and the wall, and all circumstances, it doesn't work. The form alone doesn't exist. The form, when the form is working, working out, the form, as a word, must be, must be alive in space, in circumstances. Which is called tasahara. At that time, that building is very useful for you.

[21:54]

And also, you are very moved by the form, the building, all form. Let's imagine Katsura Rikyu Palace, very old building in Japan, which is called Katsura Rikyu. Very old style of a palace. You will see the picture of this palace in a book. Garden, including garden. From this point, even a human being, katagi, is maybe sort of form. Wearing robe, wearing robe, shaving head, and he has some name, katagi. Everything is sort of form.

[22:55]

But when those forms start to arrive, start to be alive, they must be, they must be working through the space. In other words, circumstances. Then circumstances, many kinds, a variety of circumstances, you know, educate me. Sometimes many circumstances make me strong, sometimes make me weak. So, in other words, this katagi alone doesn't exist, apart from the circumstances. So if I want to live, I want to live vividly, I cannot help ignoring, I cannot help ignoring the circumstances about me.

[24:03]

Because circumstances is the absolute place through which the katagi with many forms start to work. Then, he says, change through the space is something which cannot be arrested, but only guided. The katagi with many forms are constantly changing through the space, circumstances. And then I cannot grasp what they are, what is it. That circumstance is good for you? No, I don't think so. Sometimes I collapse completely.

[25:08]

No, I give a lecture, you didn't show any sign of being attracted by my talk. So I collapse. Something like that. The I, katagi, with many forms, is always changing through the space, circumstances, including you, and Tathagata, and Zen Dojo, creeks, trees, everything. And then, I cannot put any definite ideas, that circumstance is good or bad. Because, sometimes, for you, circumstances in Tathagata is very helpful. But in a few months, circumstances in Tathagata will be not good.

[26:19]

So you want to get out. See? But you must, regardless of whether you like or dislike, your life, with many forms, must be changing. You cannot get away from changing, because you are alive. You are alive. Through the space, through the circumstances, in Buddhism, through the emptiness. Then this emptiness cannot be understood through your head, good or bad. You can't. Then that's why the change through the space is something which cannot be arrested, but only guided. Then, many years later, you practice Zazen here.

[27:26]

Sometimes you think that the circumstances in Tathagata are completely not good. Because circumstances in Tathagata is sort of isolation from the society. So you make all complaints. The other day, I heard your complaint. What's the relation between Tathagata and city life? But that's okay. You practice now. Whatever you feel, that's alright. Then ten years later, and then you give up completely. After leaving the Tathagata, you give up completely, practice Zazen. That's alright. That's alright. Whatever you do, your life is your life. I cannot take responsibility for your activity. So all you have to do is to take responsibility for your own activity.

[28:32]

That's all. So that's alright. That's alright. Please relax. Please relax. Then, ten years later, you will feel something through the practice of Zazen. Well, Zazen is maybe good. Zazen is maybe good. But at that time, I didn't think Zazen was good. But now, maybe Zazen is good. Then someone asks you, what is good? What is helpful for you? You don't understand. But anyway, Zazen, the practice of Zazen guides you. It guides you in a certain direction.

[29:34]

Well, don't go this way. Come on. Don't go this way. That's all. But your mind sometimes, no, I don't like. But sometimes, well, I am very curious. May I practice Zazen just once? Okay, come on. This is a guide. The space, always change through the space. Change through the space. You are always changing through the space, circumstances. Whatever you feel, bad, good, whatever you feel, bad, good,

[30:12]

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