I am very happy to be with you this time. Can you hear me? I am a little bit sore throat. I can't get enough voice. But I'll try to get. Anyway, I am very happy to be with you to practice Zen Buddhism here. This time, we are studying and practice one of Shobo Genzo, Hachidai Ningyaku, the Eight Awareness of Enlightened Person.

[01:07]

I don't want to explain so much about the background of Nirvana Sutra, but briefly speaking, there are two kinds of Nirvana Sutra. One is Nirvana Sutra in Hinayana, which explains about the Buddha's death. And the other is Nirvana Sutra in Mahayana, which tries to find the eternity through the Buddha's death. That is Nirvana Sutra in Mahayana Buddhism. And also, the Buddha told his disciples as the last words about the Eight Awareness of the Enlightened Person.

[02:33]

In February, in monastery, we have a custom of chanting the Nirvana Sutra for 15 days, from February 1st to 15th. Dogen Zenji also wrote the Eight Awareness of the Enlightened Person in the last chapter of Shobo Genzo. Quoting exactly eight kinds of enlightened person's qualities, which is called Hachidai Ningyaku, from Nirvana Sutra exactly.

[03:37]

So, Dogen also feels the Eight Awareness of the Enlightened Person, how important it is. That's why he wrote the Hachidai Ningyaku in the last chapter of Shobo Genzo. As you know pretty well, each chapter of Shobo Genzo has a particular term, Shobo Genzo, before they add it to each title of the chapter. So, Hachidai Ningyaku is the title, but before Hachidai Ningyaku, Dogen added Shobo Genzo to the title, Shobo Genzo Hachidai Ningyaku.

[04:44]

So, the understanding of Shobo Genzo is also very important for us, because the meaning of Shobo Genzo is exactly identical with the meaning of each Eight Awareness of the Enlightened Person. So, tonight, I would like to concentrate on explaining an explanation on the meaning of Shobo Genzo. Usually, Shobo Genzo is translated as the storage of the right Dhamma eye. The storage of the right Dhamma eye.

[05:46]

Sho is right. Bo of Shobo is Dhamma. Gen is eye. Zo is storage. In the first paragraph of Bendowa, there is a wonderful explanation of the Shobo Genzo. First, I will read the first chapter of Bendowa in order to understand the meaning of Shobo Genzo. For transmitting the wondrous Dhamma from one to another without alteration, and realizing supreme and complete awakening,

[07:07]

that it is only transmitted without deviation from Buddha to Buddha is due to the GGU Samadhi, which is its touchstone. To disport oneself freely in this Samadhi, the right entrance is proper sitting in Zazen. This Dhamma is amply present in every person, but unless one practices, it is not manifested. Unless there is realization, it is not attained. It is not the question of one or many. Let loose of it, and it fills your hands. It is not bounded vertically or horizontally.

[08:13]

Speak it, and it fills your mouth. Looking at the notes given by Professor Abe, I would like to explain one by one. Buddha Tathagata all have wonderful means. All Buddhas and Tathagatas should have wondrous means, which means wonderful, skillful experience method. Even though you have good ideas, or even though you understand teachings of Buddhism about emptiness, or about wisdom, about compassion,

[09:27]

without skillful experience method, the idea of wisdom and compassion are just like a dead tree. You cannot make them alive. Because, of course, everyone who practices, who is interested in Zen Buddhism, has deeply the compassion extending to all sentient beings, not only human beings, but also to trees, birds, pebbles, all things. But as you know pretty well, or as you have experienced very much, how difficult it is to actualize wisdom or compassion in your daily living.

[10:32]

Even though you understand pretty well compassion, or friendliness, or kindness, or help, sometimes help, kindness, or friendliness, compassion, don't work in your daily living. Because circumstances around you and circumstances created by you and others are constantly changing. There is absolutely no particular same pattern, which is called a certain pattern of living in a certain circumstance. Nothing. Every day is completely different. All circumstances are different. So, that's why you cannot use your compassion, you cannot use the same compassion to everybody, or to same circumstances, even though you think circumstances are same, but actually they are not.

[12:03]

So, that's why you try to help human beings, sometimes they don't accept your help. Reality will be reversed. Fact will be reversed. People will really get angry with you. So, Buddha, anyway, all Buddhas and Patriarchs have perfect, wonderful means, skillful, expedient methods. Perfectly. According to ordinary person, according to human consciousness, you immediately judge and criticize. That time you create a certain idea, it is right, it is wrong. Of course it is. The other day, in Minneapolis, I went to the Chevrolet dealer to buy a new car, anyway.

[13:25]

Because, unfortunately, my dad's son and I bought here, completely dead. So, I had to buy a new car or used car. But that car is not my own, that car is for my own and also for my wife and kids, and kids is really problem for us, don't you think so? Particularly teenagers. My son is 17. So, he really wants to have a brand new car. I don't want, but anyway, finally I accept it. But I don't know what will happen after buying brand new car.

[14:31]

Maybe we would have to eat nothing. Maybe I have to eat, yeah, always. Just like goldfish, drinking wine and drinking. That's it. So, anyway, finally I found Chevrolet and Malibu, that's nice car. I have never ride such a car, so I will be king next time. When I decide what car I want, I have to ask kids, I have to ask parents, what kind of option do you want? Radio, or air condition, or power brake, or power steering, etc.

[15:39]

Lots of things I have never heard before. So, I was very confused. Everybody has a different idea. So, my wife don't want to have a radio. But kids really want. So, I tried to choose a certain color, sort of light green, or maybe silver, etc. So, kids said, no, I don't want. So, sort of brown, red, dark red. So, I decided anyway, I accepted his ideas. But finally I accepted my wife's ideas anyway, no radio. So, kids, my son was not happy, you know. Then, instead of setting up a radio, I asked the Chevrolet dealer to put a power brake.

[16:50]

Then, one of my students who helped me asked me, why do you want a power brake? At that time, I didn't have any reason. I didn't have any reason. I didn't have any reason. I just put the power brake. But unfortunately, it was too late. So, anyway, I already said my car anyway has a power brake. But according to the common sense, according to the human consciousness speculation, it was a complete mistake. Maybe so, I don't know. But from the Buddha's eye, it's not a mistake. It's a perfect expedient method. Because that mistake is very helpful for me.

[17:52]

I understand pretty well what the power brake is. So, next time, I can deal with the power brake pretty well. Actually, it's not necessary to have a power brake, even though in the snow. But anyway, I didn't know why I asked the dealer to put the power brake. But anyway, I did it. So, according to human consciousness, it was anyway a mistake. My mistake. But actually, Buddha's eye, it's not a mistake. It's perfect. It's a perfect Buddha's expedient method. So, I can accept very much, smoothly, other Buddha's expedient method. So, for a while, you can confuse a little bit. To the right, to the left. Oh, I made a mistake. But it's not a big mistake. It's a perfect method through which you can learn how important and what is the meaning of the power brake.

[19:01]

So, next time, I can see. I can take one step. How to take one step in the next moment. That's great. So, broadly speaking, in the Buddha's world, anyway, everyone must be anyway Buddha. From this point, everyone has skillful, wonderful skillful expedient methods. So, after careful consideration, anyway, you should decide. Even though it is not good result, that's okay. It's not good result, evil result. Even though it's good result or even though it's evil result, all are anyway nothing but wonderful Buddha's skillful method, expedient method. So, Buddha, Tathagatas all have wonderful means.

[20:07]

Which is unexcelled and free from human agency. That's wonderful, skillful expedient method is something unexcelled, because that skillful expedient method is something beyond human speculation. According to human speculation, you can judge it. If you judge it, it is good or bad, right or wrong. As you know pretty well, several years ago, one of Vietnamese monks burned his body in order to save Vietnamese people, in order to save all sentient beings. At that time, you know pretty well what happened in newspapers, magazines.

[21:13]

Some people are respecting him so much, some people are criticizing him so much. Well, whatever you say, your criticism, your judgment doesn't hit the mark. Because his way to burning, burn his body to save all sentient beings is completely expedient method which Buddha has. So, wonderful means, wonderful methods, as Buddha's skillful expedient method must be unexcelled and free from human agency. Human agency means, he translates the term, we, in Japanese, M-U-I, in Sanskrit, Sanskrita.

[22:21]

It means unmade state of being, or uncreated state of being. So, Professor Abe, anyway, translated as free from human agency, anyway, free from human speculation. That is Buddha's wonderful expedient method. Why does it, why does Buddha has skillful method, skillful expedient method? Which is going beyond human speculation because Buddha has to transmit the wondrous Dharma from one to another without alteration and realizing supreme and complete awakening.

[23:27]

Because he has to transmit the wondrous Dharma, wondrous Dharma. Wondrous Dharma is very clear state of being which no one can act perversely to it. No one can go out of it, no one can distort it, no one can revolve in opposite direction through it. No one can revolve in opposite direction through it means when you ride on a car, you have to be in the car.

[24:33]

Anyway, you have to do same things with a car. You cannot go out of it. Even though you want to go to in opposite direction, you cannot go. Anyway, car is going this way, you cannot go that way. Anyway, you should go with a car. By human consciousness always going, through human consciousness always lead you to go in opposite direction. That is what is called human problem. For instance, if you sit that day every day, actually, anyway, all your body and mind must be sitting here. That is very simple problem, very simple problem. When you sit, sit down. When you go to the hotel, you may go to hotel.

[25:35]

But actually your consciousness doesn't go to the hotel. Sometimes you want to stay in the Zen. So going with the consciousness drives you to go in opposite direction. When you sit down, you are, your body and mind must sit right now, right here, that's all. But your mind goes to Europe, Japan, East Asia, sometimes paradise, sometimes craziness, and sometimes trance. Anything. So that is anyway what is called human problem. So, the wondrous dharma is completely, completely a definite clear state of being. No one can go out of it. No one can act perversely to it.

[26:42]

No one can distort it. This is original nature of your life. If you want to exist in this world as a human being, anyway you should accept. You should accept your life as a Buddhist life, which means you should express the deepest appreciation for your existence, whatever you feel from your life. Anyway, from the beginning to end, you should express continually, day after day, the deepest appreciation for your existence. Because this is original life. And also, if you accept this life in that way, that you can realize your life how sublime, how valuable it is.

[27:46]

If you realize it, you can't keep it in your own realm. You have to transmit it to somebody, to people in future generations. This is your responsibility, anyway, as a human being. If you are human, you have to transmit your life, how sublime it is, how valuable it is, to people around you, to people in future generations, in many ways, at any cost. That is great responsibility we, as a human being, should take. That is one good start, one good start. So whatever you do, not only human life, washing your face. That's why he wrote Shobo Genzo, one of the chapters of the Shobo Genzo, Senjo.

[28:49]

Senjo means clean. Clean and pure. Purity. Anyway, clean. So, nothing to waste. All human aspects, all aspects of human life must be transmitted to future generations. To people in the present and also future generations. That is our responsibility we have to take. So, that's why the Buddha has to have one plus skillful experience method because he has to transmit his teaching, his life, to the people in the present and also people in the future, in the past.

[29:51]

Future generations. That's why the Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. After that, he suffered from the issue whether he should stay there or he should leave his seat for teaching the people, teaching his life to people. It is said that Buddha sat for 21 days more after attaining his attainment, attaining enlightenment.

[30:53]

So, after three weeks, it is said that he decided to go to the cities and towns and villages and teach his life, his Buddha Dharma to all sentient beings. Then, because he has already wisdom, compassion through attaining enlightenment, but if he keeps wisdom and compassion in his own heart without expressing them to all sentient beings, all he has to do is to wait his death. That's all. So, instead of waiting for his death without doing anything, he decided to go to the town, village, city and seeing the people to teach.

[31:57]

Then, finally, he has lots of skillful experience method to teach wisdom and compassion. Then, gradually, compassion, wisdom as Buddha's teaching is getting transmitted to one by one, just like lighting the candle one by one. Then still, Buddha's teaching is transmitted up to now. So, at any cost, we have to transmit the wondrous Dharma from one to another without alteration, without alteration. Anyway, without alteration means you have to educate somebody who would become exactly same as teacher's behavior, teacher's daily living, teacher's teaching,

[33:21]

teacher's personality, teacher's character, etc. You don't believe that it is really true. I was living with my master at the temple, and I practiced writing the calligraphy every day with a brush, as you know, Japanese brush. We had a custom to nap in daytime after lunch, because particularly in summer, it was very hot. So, my master took a nap, but instead of taking a nap, I practiced calligraphy. And also, I always had a chance to look at his calligraphy. He was writing calligraphy, so always I look at it.

[34:22]

But I have never had a chance to learn calligraphy from the teacher. He didn't teach me anything at all. He just told me, you should practice calligraphy. But he was a great calligrapher, but he didn't teach me. So I just practiced by myself and looked at his way of calligraphy. I learned, anyway, a feeling of his calligraphy. Just look at it. Finally, anyway, somebody told me, your calligraphy is exactly the same as your teacher's calligraphy. I was very surprised. Did you think so? It is true. If you sit in Zazen, okay, if you sit in Zazen, your look is getting better. Believe me. Yes, it is. Your look, your total picture of your life is getting beautiful.

[35:24]

Anyway. Even though you have lots of wrinkles on your face, the more you get old, wrinkles become very beautiful. Make your life beautiful, anyway. So, even though you don't want to enlighten it, through Zazen. Zazen leads you to attain enlightenment sooner or later. At that time, don't be surprised. You can see real enlightenment. But now you are seeking enlightenment which is not real, so you are very interested in. That's a fake enlightenment.

[36:26]

If you see the real enlightenment, maybe you would be surprised. Maybe you would be confused and upset. Well, this is also pretty good. So, if you are presently right in the middle of Zazen, your whole body and mind becomes Zazen, anyway. If you always get angry every day, of course, it is very natural that your looks become angry. Angry. So, circumstances are very important for you. And also your friends, your teacher, and many things visibly and invisibly around you are very important. So, anyway, everything, very important things, completely beyond human speculation, must be transmitted without alteration.

[37:34]

You don't realize. But anyway, it is exactly transmitted to you without alteration. This is the real meaning of human life. That's why, in your family life, look at the kids. Kids are very sensitive to learn. Even the two or three years old boys, girls, learn quickly what the parents do. You don't teach them how to behave, how to fight, or how to be kind, or how to be compassionate to people. But anyway, kids learn very quickly from your behavior, from your doing, from your attitude, from your smile, from your standing posture. So standing posture is not standing posture you can think. Standing posture is anyone want to stand, want to stand. Which is transmitted directly without alteration.

[38:39]

That's why when you stand up, stand up, when you gassho, anyway, you gassho. Gassho. So, that's why Dogen then says, transmitting the wondrous diamond from one to another without alteration. This is not technical, technique, it is not technique. It's really something beyond human speculation. But it is always present with your behavior, attitude, and posture, physical, mental posture, whatever you do. Always there. And realizing supreme and complete awakening. And also this wondrous diamond transmitted from one to another without alteration is that which we realize.

[39:50]

It has supreme and complete awakening. Sooner or later. Anyway, it proves, it proves. So then you don't believe Shikantaza. Because Shikantaza is ridiculous. Because you are not get used of Shikantaza without expecting anything at all. Even religion, look at religion, religion gives lots of stuff. Not material stuff, but also spiritual stuff, lots of stuff. That's why we get used of receiving lots of material or spiritual stuff. If religion don't give any spiritual stuff or material stuff, you don't satisfy. So, that's why sometimes you feel boredom in Zazen.

[40:55]

But if you continue to do Zazen, okay? Zazen is not the Zazen you think. It is anyway wondrous diamond. Wondrous diamond leads you to touch the core of human life. Which is completely useless according to the human speculation. It's useless. Ridiculous. Well, ridiculous, useless means, useless means, not useless. Uselessness is very useful because it leads you to see directly what human life is, what the core of human life is. In other words, human life is a life which is present of being located at the intersection of time and space. What is a time? Time is constantly changing. Nothing to hold in your hand, nothing to hanging around.

[42:03]

Anyway, time is completely leaving nothing behind you. That's why we cannot stand up there. Just sit down without doing anything, just sit down breathing. What do you mean? What do you mean? It's very ridiculous. But this is real significance of time. In which your life is exactly present, nothing. That's why if you look at the human history, for century after century human beings try to create something particular, extra, because they cannot stand up. Right in the middle of time stream. There are three things human beings create.

[43:04]

One is researching the beginning of world. Second is the end of the world. The third is the merits of human life, merits of activities and merits of human culture. Merits of deepening, enriching of the human personality, human life. Totally speaking, that is human culture. Then if you create human culture, researching the beginning of the world, the end of the human world, then we can make promise when you die. There is paradise after death. Then you can die in peace. But if I don't give any promise, when you die, just die.

[44:06]

How can you die? It's not so easy. But this death is exactly real death. Death is life, same. So, talking about Buddhism, Dōgen always emphasizes total picture of Buddhism mentioned by Buddha without putting a certain label on it. Such as Zen Buddhism, or Sinsuku, or Tibetan Buddhism, or Japanese Buddhism, or Indian Buddhism. Anyway, he tries to present for us, present us total picture of Buddhism which is universal. So, anyway, even though you think Zazen is useless for your life,

[45:14]

for five years, even though you study Zazen, you practice Zazen, still you don't satisfy. Well, that's okay. That's alright. Anyway, continue to practice Zazen. Because that Zazen is Zazen, which you can realize sooner or later. It, not as a Zazen conceptualized, but as a supreme and complete awakening. You really awaken to real picture of human life. How to behave, how to take attitude toward human life, human faces. Human life such as washing face, having a breakfast, walking on the street, walking in the office, go to bed, anyway.

[46:23]

You can learn, you can awaken. So, next, Dogen Zen says that it is only transmitted without deviation from Buddha to Buddha is due to the DGU Samadhi. So, wondrous Dharma, what is a wondrous Dharma? A wondrous Dharma should have its own condition, inevitable condition, through which it is transmitted. That is DGU Samadhi as a touchstone. Touchstone. DGU Samadhi is, according to the notes, it says, DGU means that an awakened one receives and uses the joy of awakening in himself.

[47:29]

DGU Samadhi thus refers to the Samadhi in which this is realized and sustained. It is said, Shakyamuni was immersed in the joy of enlightenment following his attainment. The self-enjoyment of one's awakening is DGU and is distinguished from Taji-Yu, the activity that has others receive and use the joy of their awakening. Self-enjoyment is not a state of being, not a state of losing the sight of the self with rapt attention, when you see or hear or do something favorable.

[48:35]

DGU is anyway to be free, to get and to attain freedom. Nevertheless, you cannot be bounded by a frame of freedom. That is DGU Samadhi. So, this wondrous Dharma must have the inevitable condition as a touchstone, which is called DGU Samadhi. This Samadhi is something transmitted without deviation from Buddha to Buddha.

[49:46]

That is anyway the meaning of Sho of Shobo Genzo. Sho means right. Right means to transmit without deviation from Dharma to Dharma about what? DGU Samadhi. DGU Samadhi means wondrous Dharma. Wondrous Dharma means anyway how sublime, how valuable human life is. It is complete beyond human speculation. You don't understand, but it is always present in your daily living. So, Zazen is not Zazen you think. Zazen is anyway Zazen as wondrous Dharma, which is called DGU Samadhi. Through the DGU Samadhi, you can learn Zazen as wondrous Dharma.

[50:55]

So, DGU Samadhi is sort of one practice Samadhi. Totally complete absorption into Zazen itself. This is DGU Samadhi. Nevertheless, DGU Samadhi is complete absorption into Zazen without leaving its own trace. This is DGU, self-enjoyment. DGU Samadhi. For instance, when you ride an airplane, you don't know you are moving. You are very quiet. Because you are exactly one with the airplane, which is moving constantly. Only when you see something objectively through the window, you can know something is moving. Oh, clouds are moving. Something like that.

[51:58]

Then immediately you see yourself or airplane or airplane moving. But this is still airplane or you are seeing objectively. But if you see yourself directly, you are very calm. Because you are completely one with the airplane. No gap between airplane and you. So, that is DGU Samadhi. So, that is completely DGU Samadhi is any wondrous Dharma transmitted without deviation from Buddha to Buddha. That is the meaning of right. Shobo. Of Shobo Genzo. Right. Etymologically point of view in Japanese consists of two parts. One is just one. The other part is to stop.

[53:02]

To dwell in. To dwell in. Right means to dwell in one. To dwell in one. Nothing to see objectively. This is right. Or Shobo of Shobo Genzo. How can you know? This is anyway something you can transmit without deviation from Buddha to Buddha. That is anyway right. Right. When you do Zazen, anyway Zazen is anyway right. Dharma. You don't understand, but if you become one with Zazen, you don't know. You don't know what you are doing. But this is anyway DGU Samadhi and something right you do. Dharma of Shobo of Shobo Genzo is anyway Dharma.

[54:13]

Or in this case Wondrous Dharma. Wondrous Dharma in this case DGU Samadhi which is a touchstone. The etymologically speaking Dharma of Shobo Genzo consists of two parts. One is water. The other one is to remove. Water means keeping even or horizontal. Water is characterized by keeping something exactly even and horizontal. So water means keeping even, exactly, always, whatever it is.

[55:20]

And to leave, the other part of the Dharma ball is to remove. To remove is not to move something from one to another. When you keep exactly even or balanced, if your body and mind is kept in balance perfectly, very naturally there is nothing wrong. So something wrong is removed simultaneously. For instance, if you sit very straight in proper way, sitting is okay like this, but if you stand up, somebody tipping forward or leaning to the left or to the right,

[56:25]

you cannot sit down or you cannot stand up like this for 10 minutes or for 15 minutes, you get trouble. Because this is not balance. This is not the state of keeping even or balance. So your body or your mind, your posture, your posture of walking, posture of sitting, posture of sleeping in bed, posture of chanting or gassho, whatever you do, your body and mind must be kept in balance perfectly. At that time you can remove very naturally something wrong. But you say you don't believe yet. Because you have still something wrong. I have too. I have still something wrong here, sure. But this is not something wrong. This is a very great proof. I am anywhere present in a wonderful Dharma, wondrous Dharma.

[57:30]

So it means it is a great proof I am alive. So I can accept very naturally. So that is a bow of Shobo Genzo, which is called Dhamma. In Sanskrit, Dhamma means to uphold or to sustain. To sustain something. Always there is something to uphold to maintain your life. What is that? This is perfect balance, perfect balance. Mistake or not mistake, all are anyway perfect balance. But if sometimes a mistake is not perfect balance because you create a lot of trouble around mistake. That's why mistake cannot become perfect balance.

[58:34]

Mistake cannot penetrate into your life. Suggesting how to take one step in the next moment. That is anyway Shobo, meaning of Shobo. Give me a little more time. Touchdown, Dogen Genzo.

[59:29]

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