February 1972 talk, Serial No. 00195

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KR-00195

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no day on tape, tape stopped early ; succesfully imported in a later batch

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Tofu is tofu on a board just for a couple of hours, okay. You can take away from the water from the tofu. Dehydrate? Yeah, that's right. Not complete. And then you smash the tofu and put many vegetables. Cut it in pieces. Carrot or gobo and sesame, black sesame. Anything else as you like. And then you make that tofu round, make a ball with the tofu. Not round,

[01:06]

a little bit flat. And then you should fry it with oil, okay. This is gammodoki. Gammodoki. Also this name is very interesting, gammodoki. It is, the gun is a bird. What do you call gun in English? A wild goose. A wild goose. Gun is a wild goose. And modoki is in Japanese, very interesting. Modoki is a looks like. Looks like. Gammodoki is not complete. Like. Looks like. So gammodoki is a, that stuff looks like a wild goose. Wild goose name is very interesting. But they are always

[02:14]

eating the vegetable. But even though they cannot escape from themselves as a human being, they are interested in some meat. Then they try to put the name. Bird, that's very interesting. Then he called, they called gammodoki. Looks like a wild goose. They eat and they satisfy themselves. Uh-huh. This is wild goose. It is very humorous. In a sense, I would like to give for great sympathy with the Zen priest. But anyway, the humans, they don't, they don't practice. They

[03:18]

don't, they don't have a food trip with a very strict, rigid spirit. They have, also they try to play with a food trip, you know. Well, gammodoki. Let's put the name on it. Gammodoki. It's very interesting. But from the Dogen's Buddhism, it's pretty hard to feel such a humorous, very rigid, strict. Just do it. Just do it. Oh. I'm sorry. Where am I?

[04:21]

Would you say more about the difference between the humor of Rinzai and the strictness of Suda? Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. Just my feeling. So that's all right. Don't measure Rinzai. Uh, priest and Soda priest, according to my definition. Okay? Don't worry about it. Because even Rinzai priest are very different each other. So you have to face the individual. Okay? If you go to the Rinzai in New York, that priest is different. Even the Soda priest, there are many

[06:26]

different, different, many the Soda priest, different, many type of priest, Soda priest. That's all right. Sometimes you will find Soda priest who is very humorous. Sometimes you will find the Rinzai priest who is very rigid. That's all right. I'm sorry. I'm sorry to stir up your calm mind, dear Rinzai-shi. Bendo of Shobo Genzo.

[08:01]

Dogen then says, because when, when even just one person at one time sits in the Zen, he becomes imperceptibly one with each and all of the myriad things and permeates completely all time. So that within the limitless universe, throughout past, future and present, he is performing the eternal and ceaseless work of guiding beings to enlightenment. It is for each and everything's one and the same, undifferentiated practice and

[09:21]

undifferentiated realization. Only this is not limited to the practice of sitting alone. The sound that issues from the striking of emptiness is an endless and wondrous voice that resounds before and after the fall of the hammer. And this is not all the practice of or comprehended. When even one person at one time sits in the Zen, he becomes imperceptibly one with each and all of the myriad things and permeates

[10:29]

completely all time. So that within the limitless universe, throughout past, future and present, he is performing the eternal and ceaseless work of guiding beings to enlightenment. This is a huge word. In the moment when you sit here, as mentioned the other day, this moment involves

[11:39]

many things in time and in space. And also, this moment is always emptied by the vertical, horizontal relation with myriad moments, myriad numbers, numerous thousands of all-sentient beings. This is moment. Then the moment has completely no form, which is called moment or nowness, no, nothing.

[12:44]

And in this moment, we sit. It is the place where we sit. And then sometimes I use the word pure situation, the purest situation. I think moment is corresponding to the purest situation in life. In the purest situation in life, each activity in your life is always emptied, emptied by vertical, horizontal relation with many things. This is real truth. From this point, I hope you will understand, even though you sit in a small world, which is called moment,

[14:04]

but this moment is, you will understand, how big, how huge this moment is spreading, spreading in time and in space. Because you can't get out, you can't get out. Before you are aware of what's happening, you are already related with many things, vertically, horizontally. Also, to say what you cannot see, what you cannot hear, is to say that each activity in life is always moment, moment, moment, empty, empty, completely empty. But this emptiness enables you, enables each activity to work to all universes.

[15:19]

Okay? This is huge. Buddha says in that way, Dogen says in that way. I don't think that Buddha and Dogen mentioned in that way after experience of taking drug. I don't think so. That's why that experience has been transmitted from Buddha, from one to another, up to now. If Buddha and patriots and Dogen took a drug and mentioned, Buddhism wouldn't have been transmitted. Yes, this is truth. Then, Dogen then says,

[16:34]

Your zazen becomes one with each and all the mediate things and permeates completely all time so that within the limitless universe, limitless universe throughout past, future and present also, he is performing the eternal and ceaseless work of guiding beings to enlightenment. Guiding beings to enlightenment is not to try to have some effort. In order to save, in order to guide all sentient beings to enlightenment. I don't think so. Because in original grounds, before you try to make effort to guide everything to enlightenment, everything is already enlightenment.

[17:52]

That's why we can relate with all things. So, next sentence, he says, For each and everything, one and the same, undifferentiated practice and undifferentiated realization. So, how can you relate with all sentient beings? Before you are aware of what you are doing, you already have related with all sentient beings on the basis of undifferentiated practice and undifferentiated enlightenment. Only this is not limited to the practice of sitting alone.

[19:02]

So, from this point, your practice is not done by you, which is called Bop, which is called Katagiri. Because if you say, I am practicing, I am doing zazen. At that time, there is something which is called Katagiri. This Katagiri is not empty. But strictly speaking, Katagiri who does zazen must be empty. At that time, this is real zazen. You don't know who does zazen. Okay? Then, only this is not limited to the practice of sitting alone. So, at that time, when you sit zazen, this zazen is not done by you.

[20:02]

Any form, not by any form. Who is doing? Nevertheless, the sound that issues from the striking of emptiness is an endless and wondrous voice that resounds before and after the fall of the ham. This is a very interesting point. Okay? As I mentioned always, zazen is completely to get nothing. To get nothing. Because when you do zazen, you or zazen both are completely empty by vertical and horizontal relation with all sentient beings. If not so, you are completely upset by you who is thinking of yourself and zazen in what you are doing.

[21:18]

Don't you think so? You are always upset. What's up with zazen? So, this is very interesting. So, whatever you do, you or activities or it's their object, all things are empty moment after moment. Nevertheless, you have to strike this emptiness. At that time, this sound issues from the emptiness. This is very interesting. But usually we try to hit something, not empty. Because you are always thinking who does zazen.

[22:25]

The moment when you say who does zazen, at that time there is always something here. Who does zazen? Who does zazen? Yes, Katagiri. Yes, Katagiri. Katagiri is here. Then, at that time, Katagiri strikes the bell which is called Katagiri. No, strikes the bell which is called zazen with a stick which is called Katagiri. Then, boom! But this bell is which is called zazen. Which is called zazen in which Katagiri is doing. Katagiri actualize. Then, there is two things. There are two things. Then, I always hit it, strike it.

[23:31]

Why don't you? More strictly, rigidly. You are a lazy man? No. You are a lazy man? No. Very good practitioner. Very good spirit of Zen Buddhist. Yes! Then, I think I can get some sound. One, one, one. But this sound is echoing in a small world which is called Katagiri. That's all. That's why this sound also makes me confused. What? What sound? Enlightenment. Yes, that's right. Enlightenment. Next moment, hit the bell. Different sound. Oh, not... What's the matter with Katagiri? You already got enlightenment. But next moment, delusions coming up.

[24:34]

But that sound is always echoing in a small world. Very small world. Because there are many things. Katagiri. The zazen. Who is... Who does zazen? Zazen... By whom? By whom is... By whom? No, no, I don't know. I'm sorry. Who does zazen? And then what zazen? What is zazen? There are many things. It's pretty hard at that time. Always hitting. Something there. But... Strictly speaking, we have to throw them away. But when you try to throw away...

[25:41]

Try to throw away something, it means that there is something. Which has some form. Katagiri, or zazen, or bell, or stick. Already there. But strictly speaking, there is... Originally there is nothing. There is nothing. Because all sentient beings are, moment after moment, empty. Completely empty. Completely empty. Then the moment when everything is, moment after moment, empty. This... Everything. It's always... This sound. The sound from this everything is echoing. Echoing.

[26:44]

It means to echo. To echo to universe. To penetrate whole universe is to have complete liberation. Complete liberation. So zazen is... That's why I always say, zazen is nonsense. Really nonsense. But don't misunderstand. What do you mean by nonsense? The conception of nonsense is, nonsense is to be in vain. You know, useless. Completely useless. But it doesn't mean that in Buddhism. The nonsense is empty. Nonsense is egolessness. Nonsense is to throw away anything. And then just plunge into. Plunge into

[27:44]

a pure, the purest situation. Purest situation. At that time, the sound from your life is echoing to all over. Time and space. It is called freedom. It is called freedom. This is the real truth. That's why the sound that issues from the striking of emptiness. So, always emptiness. Even though you try to hit something, nothing there. Zazen never shows something. Like I mentioned before, as if mercury of the thermometer is going up. When you come to get, attain closer enlightenment, Wow! Then,

[28:45]

next moment when you get up, when you attain enlightenment, completely mercury of thermometer is up. Is up. Next moment, below zero. Zazen is not something like that. There is nothing. No sign of reaction. Reaction. At that time, Zazen is free and you are free. Freedom, true meaning of freedom should be so. At that time, the sound from your activity from your activity is all over the world. But it doesn't mean, OK, if I say in that way, well, if so,

[29:46]

each activity, if each activity relate with all sentient beings. So, I pick up this stick here. So, the stick in Japan at my temple maybe is lifting up. I don't think so. I don't think so. But our head would like to think, maybe so. That's a fantasy. That's a fantasy. That's a product of imagination which you create in your brain. And that's very wonderful. Religious bliss, you know. Pick up. Wow. The same stick in Japan at my temple is

[30:48]

going up. Wow. So, at that time you feel, wow. I can move all over the world. That's a Soka Gakkai. Spirit of Soka Gakkai. Soka Gakkai offers very strong spirit. Conquering Japan already finished. They finished conquering Japan. Next, America. Next, Europe. Next, South, South, Middle, Asia. Next, Russia. No, Russia. Not Russia. They said, Russia is not human being. I'm sorry. But it's not my idea.

[31:50]

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