In the chapter twenty-five of the Lotus Sutra, the word, the Aniruddhati, the Bodhisattva Infinite thought rose up from his seat, and bearing his right shoulder and folding his hands toward the Buddha, spoke the word Aniruddhati. For what reason is the Bodhisattva Varukiteshvara named the God of the cries of the world? The Buddha answered, the Bodhisattva Infinite thought, good son, if there be countless, hundred, thousand,

[01:13]

million courtesan living beings, suffering from pain and distress, who hear of this Bodhisattva God of the cries of the world, and with all their mind call upon his name, the Bodhisattva God of the cries of the world, will instantly regard their cries, and all of them will be delivered. An interesting point is, Buddha answered to Bodhisattva named Infinite thought, Infinite mind.

[02:15]

The conversation goes between Buddhas and Bodhisattvas named Infinite, Infinite mind or Infinite thought. This is a very interesting point, because Buddha talks with not usual particular person, particular creature, Infinite Bodhisattva, named Infinite Bodhisattva. This is very interesting, so in other words, you have to talk with yourself, not particular person, you have to continue to talk with you as Infinite mind, with Infinite mind.

[03:28]

In other words, you have to open up to whatever situation you may be, whatever your spirit, your mind talks to you. Under all circumstances, you have to open up to all circumstances anyway. Sometimes spirit tells you something good, sometimes spirit gives you something bad, neutral, and up and down many things. But under all circumstances anyway, you have to open up yourself to Infinite. You can't lay on up, but lay under troubles and distress.

[04:41]

Burden. Because the consciousness or unconsciousness, human beings inspire for something Infinite, something more than form of creature, form of you, you can see, you can hear, you can understand. In any way, consciousness or unconsciousness, we inspire, we aspirate for something more than your perception, your understanding, your seeing, your hearing. So, from this, that is called seeking for the truth. That's why we are practicing.

[05:54]

But as Infinite, the truth or the ultimate discipline of existence is pretty vague because it's too big, too vast. So, it's too vast to know. That's why there is no other way than to know, to understand the truth through each form, each individual life, personal life, form of trees, form of gassho, form of practice, through these kinds of forms. We have to learn the forms and also something more than form. For this, you have to continually open up yourself.

[06:57]

Otherwise, you just learn the forms. You can see through your intellectual understanding. That's it. So, that's why in this chapter, first of all, the Buddha, he talked with the Bodhisattva Infinite. So, this is very interesting point. And also, next, I want to say, With all their mind, call upon his name. The Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva will instantly regard their cries and all of them will be delivered. At this time, I want to tell you, I want to say something about to call upon with all their mind, with all their mind,

[08:04]

without this effort, this kind of effort, with all their mind, it's very difficult to practice spiritual life. If you just chant the name of Avalokiteshvara, just chant the name of Avalokiteshvara, whatever, whatever kind of Buddha, it is just like croaking frog in the spring rice field. But, as long as you are a human being who seeks for the truth, open up yourself constantly to all circumstances.

[09:07]

You have to chant the name of Amitabha, name of Buddha, name of Avalokiteshvara, with sincere heart, with true heart, with, anyway, simple-minded devotion, etc. We say, chant whole-heartedness. So, without effort, so-called whole-heartedness, or all their mind, there is no sense of spiritual life. So, this is very important for us. There are lots of questions, several questions in this statement, but I want to say tonight the meaning of all their mind. I don't think that you think it is hard word or phrase, because it's pretty easy to understand.

[10:16]

With all their mind, to do something, to take care of your task, with all your mind, everyone understands very much. That means, maybe you have to do something as hard as you can, or with all your mighty, or with single-minded devotion, or for your life, or as if your life is completely dependent on. That is the meaning of, to do something with all your effort, all your mind.

[11:20]

In Japanese we say, Isshin. Isshin means one mind. One mind. So, one mind is a little different from all their mind, if you say all their mind in English. It is quite different from meaning of Isshin, one mind, because one mind is very profound. Anyway, first of all, in general, I think the meaning of doing something with all your mind is, to do as hard as you can. When you do that thing, you should do that thing as hard as you can. When you clean your room, you should clean your room as hard as you can. When you study at the school, you should study as hard as you can.

[12:29]

But everyone can do this way. But, if you understand like this, it seems to me that meaning of to do something with all your mind means that, as a means of kind of degree, how much your mental state is participating very closely in something. Or, it means, hint, what your mental state gives you.

[13:44]

What kind of, how much the suggestions, how much suggestions the experience of, no, excuse me, the mental state, mental state of your concentration or doing best in the gifts, Is that clear? Kind of a mental hint, mental degree, how much you can concentrate on, or hint, what kind of hint you can get from the mental state of doing something as hard as you can. Is that clear? Do you understand? If I say, do something as hard as you can, that means nothing but degree. Degree, how much you are infatuated with.

[14:49]

In other words, how much you are crazy about. This is not a good word, but strictly speaking, not strictly, directly speaking, how much are you crazy about that hint. But it's pretty difficult when, what is the partition, what is the limitation of craziness, infatuation, or what is the limitation of the total concentration? We don't know. From where, from this and from that, this is called maybe doing something as hard as you can. Then next, from that and after this, maybe this is what is called infatuation. I don't know. It's pretty hard to say. What is the limitation?

[15:50]

So, in other words, the first 15 minutes, that is called maybe infatuation. Then after the last 15 minutes, that is called, well, doing your best to do something as hard as you can. Something like this. But strictly speaking, it's pretty hard from where. From where we can call it infatuation or from where we can call it the concentration, etc. It's pretty hard to say. But if you understand in general, maybe to do something as hard as you can is so-called meaning of the single-minded effort or devotion. If you believe in that way, well, it is nothing but a degree, mental degree, mental hint.

[17:01]

How much you are crazy about. Under the favorable condition, maybe you can feel good. But under unfavorable condition, it's not good. Because if you go over, go beyond, you know, limitation of infatuation, etc., you become over-infatuated. Do you understand? That is called crazy. If you become crazy, that is called blindness. Blindness. Your mind didn't work. But you are very serious. You are very serious in doing something completely. That's why people respect you, but I don't think it is real concentration. Real effort.

[18:02]

So, this is the one point. And the second, maybe we believe to do something with all the mind means to have a full commitment. Or to do something with full concentration. To do something with improbability, improbable mind. You try to correct your noisy mind into one and focus on one thing and accomplish one thing. At that time, it is called concentration. Concentration. But concentration, if you practice concentration or if you practice mindfulness, whatever you say,

[19:07]

you know, it's not so easy for us to practice concentration or mindfulness. Because if you try to have full concentration or perfect concentration, the more you try to have, the more you miss the point. You don't know what total concentration is. Perfect concentration is. That's why sometimes Zen teacher says, Don't think of it. Don't think. So, throw away good and bad right and wrong. Just concentrate on your breathing. So, you try to not think, but the more you try not to think, the more you think of it. It's pretty hard to concentrate on breathing without thinking. It's kind of, it's kind of, but it's kind of a practice of twisting two strings into a rope.

[20:30]

Always concentrating on you and Zazen and try to concentrate on one thing and try to twist, you know, two strings into one rope. Then you can get a wonderful rope, you know, twisted each other perfectly. Next moment, that rope is untwisted under certain circumstances. That is a characteristic of twisted rope you have made. That means, that means, it is kind of, that means the meaning of concentration you are practicing is nothing but a mental state. Mental hint. Mental state of how much you can participate in, how much you can devote yourself to do something.

[21:39]

Nothing but mental state. Mental hint. Mental degree. But a mental degree and mental state are always changing under a certain circumstance. Never stay in one as a one. It is not the religious stories, religious point. So religious point, if you want to practice religion, religious life, anyway, a single-minded devotion must be identical with your body and mind. In other words, not separate. A single-minded devotion is not something separate from your mind, from your body. That, but it must be one with your body and mind.

[22:46]

Absolute, but perfectly one. In Buddhism, particularly Dogen Lins mentions, the mind transmitted authentically is that one mind is all Dharma. All Dharma is one mind. A mind transmitted authentically from generation to generation is that one mind is all beings. All beings are one mind. This is the meaning of the mind. We say, ishin, one mind.

[23:51]

So to do something with one mind doesn't mean talking about a certain mental state, mental degree, mental suggestion. You can experience, you can feel good or bad right or wrong. It's not. So one mind is all sentient beings. All sentient beings is one mind. That is the mind we have to transmit from generation to generation. That in turn makes you confused, but practically you can do, everyone can do. For instance, I think the, if you shake a hand with somebody,

[24:59]

in the Minneapolis, I went to the Newman Center. I was invited by the Newman Center Christian Church, Catholic Church. After service, the minister said to everyone to shake a hand to the next person. Do you know that? So everyone after the service, we always shake a hand to the next person. Regardless of whether I know or not. And saying a peace. That's interesting. So, shaking hand. This is one mind, simple mind. Anyway, shaking hand. So, how to use shaking hand?

[26:00]

All you have to do is, anyway, shake a hand with your single-hearted devotion. How to do, how can you do, how can you shake a hand with single-minded devotion? You have to devote yourself completely, you have to participate in, anyway, you have to move in the deep course of practice, which is called shaking hand. That's it, you know. Is that all we have to do? Just a shaking hand? Okay? Why is it we have to say peace? What do you mean peace?

[27:01]

So one mind, you have to shake hand with one mind simultaneously. You have to know, you have to know universe. Universe. Universe means you have to be one with your partner, and also church, church, and the whole circumstance, and the whole universe, trees, birds, skies, clouds, snows, all things must be there. That's the peace. That's it. Peace means through the shaking hand, you have to shake hand with one mind simultaneously. One mind is from one mind. One mind is not to bring you to shake hand, but simultaneously one mind should be in the universe, should be universe, universal. So what you should do now? You have to learn the form of shaking hand, you can do with one mind, circle all their mind.

[28:14]

But on the other hand, you have to learn something more than form of shaking hand, what you can do with one mind. What do you mean one mind? One mind is not your mind. One mind must be universal mind. That's why we say peace. And then, where is the peace? Peace is very big, vast, we don't know what is the peace. But only we can know is through the one form of shaking hand, what you can do with one mind. That's it. So that's why shaking hand with one mind. If you do, if you shake hand with one mind, it is very naturally, anyway, universe, flower of the universe bloom. Regardless of whether you know or not. That's what our practice is. Daily routine is very important.

[29:24]

Good morning. Good night. Gassho and Ba Each form is very important for us. In the Buddhist Zen history, Daiye Soko Zenji who was noted for creating the Koan Zen, teaching, guiding the people with Koan system. His name is Daiye Soko. Who lived 12th century or so. He criticized very strongly.

[30:26]

Moksho Zen means just sitting without using the Koan system, Koan method. In the history, historically, that kind of Zen practice, it belongs to Soro Zen. But historically, we think in that way. That is Soro Zen. Then Daiye Soko criticized that Moksho Zen practiced sitting without using Koan method. Just sitting. Just sitting. Moku means silent. Silence. Sho means illumination. In English we say, just sitting. But I don't want to explain this meaning. What I want to tell is why did Daiye Soko criticize just sitting form of Zen.

[31:37]

Of course, practically, we just sit. So according to the Koan, the Zen practice using the Koan, I don't think it is good because just sitting. Nothing there. But if you practice Zazen using the Koan, you can create lots of Rinzai-type, Rinzai-like spirit. Very vital, active spirit. Because you have to pass the Koan in life. So you can create lots of energies, lots of intentions, lots of vitality you can be infatuated with. In comparison with this kind of practice, of course, Moksho Zen is very boring. I understand this. But at those days, and also nowadays, people misunderstand Moksho Zen.

[32:50]

Moksho Zen means just sitting. I don't think just sitting. Just sitting. Through just sitting, of course, practically we do just sitting. But I mentioned before, just shaking hands. Is that all? Just shaking hands? That's all you have to do? Practically you just shaking hands. That's it. Nothing else. But it's not good enough. You have to understand. You have to understand the quality of shaking hands. Regardless of whatever kind of experience you have through the shaking hands with one's mind, still you have to understand why you have to do this. Why? Or what do you mean by this?

[33:58]

Why we can create a peaceful world through the simple form of shaking hands? Why? We have to think of it. Because even though you don't think, practically we say, shaking hands, simultaneously, peace, we say so. The shaking hands is not merely a form of shaking hands, simultaneously it's peace. That means the universe. Oneness of universe. Same applies to the just sitting. Just sitting is not learning the form of just sitting. Of course practically you just sit. But there is something more than just sitting. You have to just sit. You have to learn something universal. Through the just sitting. That's it.

[35:03]

That is most important. In your everyday life, kindness, compassion, what do you mean kindness? Kind and compassion. Kind and compassion means just to pick up a person, a hitchhiker on the freeways, anywhere. It is an expression of kind. Of course it's kind. Kind. If you want to be kind to somebody, you should just pick up somebody anywhere on the freeways. Is that all? Why do you have to do this? Just picking up somebody on the freeways means to express kindness or compassion.

[36:07]

What do you mean? You can't always pick up somebody blindly. Of course simply practically we just pick up somebody and help somebody. This is true. But on the other hand, you have to understand what do you mean by help? What is the meaning of help? What is the meaning of kindness? What is the meaning of compassion? You want to express. Because the kindness you always express is not always kind to anybody. Sometimes it becomes kind, sometimes it's not. Sometimes absolutely not. So what do you mean kind? What do you mean by kindness? So even though you don't understand the kindness, meaning of the kindness, you have to learn the meaning of kindness.

[37:20]

Compassion. On the other hand, kindness is very big, very vast. So you don't know what it is. But even though you don't know what it is, like a universe, but you have to do it. How do you do it? Just be kind with one mind. That's it. But blindly? No, you cannot do it. So that's why without becoming blind, you have to understand the meaning of the kindness, compassion. So that is Dogen Zenji mentions what a mind transmits authentically is that one mind is all sentient beings. All sentient beings is one mind. According to our Sankyaka Sutra, what is all, all is one. Form. In Minneapolis, most of the Zen students don't like the form, Japanese form.

[38:37]

But I understand that. But to the minimum, we have to learn the form. Because without form, there is no chance to express. No chance to learn. Kindness, the human beings, meaning of the all sentient beings, you never know. If you want to know the truth, and the universe, and the peace, and the harmony, whatever kind of things you want to learn, you have to learn them through each form. Shaking hands, good morning, this is the form. Through this form, you have to learn the form, meaning of the form, simultaneously you have to learn the universe. Okay? Because, even though unconsciously you're shaking hands with each other, it's not directly you're shaking hands.

[39:48]

Unconsciously, you want to have a peaceful relationship between. Even though you say automatically, you say. In the deep mind, in the bottom of your mind, you always expect something more than form of shaking hands, form of you, form of your personality. Something more than that. From now on, pay attention to your behavior, your practice, your form, what you can do in your everyday. Why do you wash your face? Why do you wash your hands after using the toilet? It is not only learning the form of washing hands. If you believe in that way, you cannot find the form, because it's small.

[40:53]

It's small world. You always try to know the small world, what you have never known before. That's why if I bring the Japanese form, you say, I don't know what it is. You say so. Sure, it's natural. But Dogen Zenji mentions, the ancestors mention, the Buddha mentions constantly, anyway, through the form, you have to learn the form. But, the most important point is, something more than form. Because form cannot be avoided. This is a differentiation. Karate students, all of you, all are different. I have to learn the different person, different personality, different problems, different pleasures, different feelings, I have to learn.

[41:57]

But I have to learn the different form, through the different form, different feelings, I have to learn the universe. I have to learn what the peace is, what the peace is, what harmony is, what the Buddha means. Where is the Buddha? So, constantly we have to learn this one. Well, unconsciously or consciously, everyone wants to do this, but you don't pay attention every day, that's why you don't know it. But even though you don't know this, Buddha constantly expresses his compassion over all sentient beings. Open the gate. That's why you have to continue to talk about this. But, somebody don't understand. No matter how long, they say, they mention about this.

[43:00]

But Buddha's compassion is always open to everyone, regardless of whether you understand or not. He has to come. And also, you have to constantly open up to all circumstances. That's why the Bodhisattva's infinite thought, infinite mind, asks the Buddha, why, what, for what reason is the Bodhisattva Amarokiteshvara named Amarokiteshvara anyway? So Buddha talks, Buddha answers to this person, not particular person, but infinite thought, Bodhisattva. We have to listen to, ourselves and others, who are we? Who are others?

[44:01]

Others are, actually others are. Karagiri is Karagiri, of course. But Karagiri must be learned, must learn something more than Karagiri, so-called form. That is more than form, that is infinite Bodhisattva. I must be infinite Bodhisattva. You must be infinite Bodhisattva, constantly. How do you do this? You have to open up constantly, under all circumstances. Otherwise, you can't have eyes, you can't have ears, to listen. That compassion, Buddha's compassion. This is the meaning of, with all your mind, call upon his name, Amarokiteshvara, Bodhisattva,

[45:05]

anywhere else, all sentient beings. So, Shikantaram, we use Shikantaram. It's not, it's not merely, as hard as you can. Or, Shikantaram, Shikantaram doesn't mean, concentration. No. Shikantaram doesn't mean, not merely, wholeheartedness. Which means, psychological, deeply psychological, deeply psychological suggestions. From which, from that state, what kind of experience you can have? What kind of feeling do you have?

[46:07]

It's not talking about psychological path. Something more than that. This is called Shikantaram, Shikantaram, wholeheartedness. That is, must be one mind. That one mind must be universe, all sentient beings. That one mind must... Do you have some questions? Yes. Why then do we hear so much about concentration,

[47:09]

in the literature and from our teachers also? Yes, concentration, actually we do. We have a concentration. But, I mean, concentration is not talking about mental state. But if you use a concentration, we are naturally cheated by the term so-called concentration. The concentration is nothing but mental state. Do you understand? Is that clear? What do you mean by concentration? If you use a concentration, how do you understand it? For me, it's kind of a mental state, mental degree. But actually we do concentration, surely. But I don't mean you shouldn't concentrate on breathing.

[48:13]

Well, you should concentrate on breathing. But, I always say, concentrate with one mind. You concentrate on your breath with one mind, but simultaneously it is not all. You have to learn. Through the concentration on the breathing with one mind is to learn all sentient beings, all beings. That is concentration. How do you learn this? Total concentration. That means not leaving any trace of concentration, we say. Sometimes. Don't leave any trace of concentrating on. I am concentrating. I mentioned, obviously, if you eat the pizza at the pizza hut, you know,

[49:15]

then if you eat always pizza every day, you don't think, you don't appreciate that pizza. Once a month or once or two months, if you have pizza, you really appreciate how wonderful pizza is. After training sessions in Qatar, and go to the pizza hut and eat the pizza. You appreciate that kind of how wonderful it is, eating pizza. During the eating pizza, can't you always think, wonderful pizza, wonderful, can't you? Sure, you can. But that is concentration. I say, next, you say, don't think of it, just eat. So concentrate on eating. Someone says, how do you like it? Don't say anything, just concentrate.

[50:18]

But that is still leaving the trace of concentration. That is a really sticky concentration. So, still you have to, through and through, you have to learn something universal, something more than the YouTube, pizza as in the form of eating, form of concentration. How do you do this? It's not so easy. Just in the world, just sitting, just eat, just sleep, we can think of. But practically, we just sleep. Of course, that's it. Nothing else. That's why you have to learn why you have to just sit. Do you understand? Everyone do this. Yes, you learn the Buddha's teaching every day.

[51:21]

But practically, what are you doing every day? What are you doing? Do you practice something fantastic such as Buddha? I don't think so. What do you do? Every day, you do the same thing. Get up in the morning, wash your face, have breakfast, and yawning before going to bed, and hesitation before get up. Same things you repeat. Same things. Of course, every day, nothing else. You have to just do it. Just do it. That's it. But why you have to do this? Regardless of whether you think of it deeply or not, finally, everyone come to that point, come to reach that point. Just do it. That's it.

[52:22]

But that's why we have to think why we have to do this. Because through this simple form, we want to know something more than that. Because there is nothing else except just do it simply. That's it. Nothing fancy. That's good. But on the other hand, there is actually universe there. Trees, birds, skies, moons, another planets, all sentient beings. Whole universe. In Buddhism, universe is not universe you think. Universe is, in Japanese, means the one billion worlds, three billion worlds. That is called universe. Can you imagine how big it is? One world is including this earth and another planets which you have never seen before.

[53:26]

And also space and time and clouds and stars, many things. And then one billion. That is a universe. You have to learn that there are one billion worlds exist even though you don't know. You can exist with stability, et cetera. How can you exist with confidence? Because one billion worlds support your life. It's exactly reality. That's why we want to know. Unconsciously or consciously, we want to know that point. But we don't know what it is. Problem is there is only one thing.

[54:26]

Just doing. Except just doing, there is nothing else. Every day. But there is a universe there. And also we notice this one. That's why we want to know how to be one with this universe. And living in peace and harmony. How do we learn? Only through the simple form. When you get up in the morning, just get up in the morning. Through that simple form, we have to learn this huge universe. Through the kashyap, we have to learn that one. How do you learn? Constantly we should open up. We cannot beat up constantly. You are, you know, bad boy, good boy. And you cannot lay on constantly a burden. Otherwise, you cannot learn anything.

[55:27]

That's why Shikantala is very important. Just sitting. Just sitting constantly. Because nothing else. If you deny it this way, you have to deny the Buddha's teaching, the teaching of Abhidharma, the teaching of the Avasantaka Sutras, the teaching of Vinaya teachings. You have to deny everything. When I was at the monastery, Shikantala, he always pointed out the form of kashyap. Monthly, daily. Sometimes he corrected, sometimes he criticized.

[56:37]

Criticized, sometimes scolded. But I didn't understand why he had to say, always pointing out the form of kashyap. I didn't understand this. But no other way. No escape. So I just did it. I just did it, you know. This morning, I mentioned the third tension. Since there are people living in the cold weather, and people living in the cold weather, these three, you know, there is no other way. No excuse.

[57:39]

Snows, cold weather. But inside, burning. Do you understand? Inside, burning. Nobody likes, nobody likes that the snow is cold weather. I don't like people asking, do you like it? I say, yes. They say, no. Sometimes, I don't know. Sometimes, no excuse. So in many ways, I can say. But whatever I say, it doesn't hit the mark, you know. Because inside, burning. Cold weather, snow. Below zero. Twenty below zero. Windchill, you know. Pretty cold. Never left. Seven years old, eighty years old people, still there. Why do they live? Do you understand their feeling?

[58:41]

No way to escape. Just like getting up in the morning. Just like washing your face. That situation is exactly being on the top of the hundred feet high pole. No escape. If you go farther, you could be suicide. If you stay there, your life doesn't work. If you go back, no way to go back. What do you do? That is, people always, people in the cold weather feel very quiet, very patient. But never left. They have to live. But in this kind of weather, you always feel you always happy, you know. You don't see any big emergency case. It's very emergency. More than emergency. No excuse.

[59:43]

Being on the top of the hundred feet high pole. How do you make your life alive? You understand? This is the situation of the people living in the cold weather. You can't always stay in the house. You have to work. Even though the car doesn't work, you have to drive. I'm scared to drive the car. That's the cold. But no excuse. You have to drive. So obviously, being on the hundred feet high pole, then you have to move. Very scared. But in a sense, it's very good practice. Very good practice. Because you have to look at yourself. Cold weather, always they take you back to yourself. What are you doing? Do you like yourself? Do you like what you are doing?

[60:46]

You have to come back to yourself and be there and move. That's interesting. But if you live in that way, this kind of weather, it's pretty happy, you know? Almost your mind is going out. Do you understand? I don't mean that the people living in this kind of weather is bad. I don't think so. Pretty good. What I want to tell is, please appreciate this. How do you appreciate? Do something anyway with warm mind. That's pretty good for you. But if you live in this kind of weather, it's very free to complain. Because you're always going out, you know? Looking around, always. It's okay.

[61:52]

Because that is a kind of characteristic of human being. But you cannot live in that way in your whole life. You become crazy. You become crazy. You become crazy.

[62:24]

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