The other day, I explained the island of Higiniana, which is a source of life in the world, human life in the human world. According to psychological viewpoint in Buddhism, they try to set up the eight consciousnesses in order to explain what human life and world are like. The other day,

[01:13]

I mentioned just the sum of meaning of the eight consciousnesses. The eight consciousnesses consist of the first five corresponding to the five sense perceptions. The sight consciousness, or hearing consciousness, smell consciousness, taste consciousness, or touch consciousness. And the sixth is the conscious mind. And the seventh is manas consciousness. And eighth

[02:19]

is alaya consciousness. The seventh and the eighth consciousnesses are different aspects of the subconscious mind. Particularly, the eighth consciousness, alaya Higiniana, alaya consciousness, is really the fundamental consciousness, or the source of the seven consciousnesses. The other day, I mentioned the ultimate designation of alaya consciousness, which is called Vipaka Viginiana,

[03:31]

Vipaka Consciousness. Vipaka Consciousness is the one of subconscious mind when seen in its aspect as the producer of the effects of human karma. Do you understand? From this point, I said that all beings are the existence regarded as the result of a beginningless past produced by

[04:46]

the human karmic life. This is one of different aspects of alaya Viginiana, a source of the seven consciousnesses. It's also human life and the human world. From this point, I think, I'm afraid that some of you have misunderstood. Human life and the human world are based on a sort of destiny, which nobody touches.

[06:04]

Which is intractable, intractable. I think in Buddhism, even the human life and the human world, when seen in its aspect as the producer of the effects of one's karmic life, is not based on the idea of conception of destiny, which we think usually of it.

[07:16]

In other words, human life is individual. Individuals are not the human beings, which are molded to a certain lifetime, a life type. If a human being were based on a certain phrase, if a human being were based on a certain frame, which they molded themselves to a certain type,

[08:45]

their own, the human plans and human efforts would have been in vain. And also, humanity would be without hope. So, from the viewpoint of life, in the viewpoint of life, human life, according to Buddhism, human beings must be completely free from themselves.

[09:58]

So, even a vipaka vijñāna, even a human being based on the basis of the vipaka vijñāna, when seen in its aspect as the producer of the effects of one's karmic life, must be characteristic of of the moral, the neutral nature, neutral result, that is neither good nor bad, neither good nor bad.

[11:36]

It is called the ejuku-muki in Japanese. It means when a good or evil cause produces a neutral result that is, I mentioned before, neither good nor evil. The neutral result is termed ejuku-muki. So, the human being as a result, seen and regarded as a result, produced from human karmic life, must be characteristic of neutral nature. But it could be possible for them to let them, to let them to reach

[12:55]

the healthy, intelligent, meaningful, meaning, meaningful life, based on the particular conception of freedom. The, for instance, if I were a certain type of person which is called katagiri, like my name, katagiri is, the conception of the name katagiri implies to mold a person to a certain lifetime, you know.

[14:08]

So, someone, I was, when I was, when I am called by someone katagiri, I say yes. Then someone ask, when I was, when I am asked by someone, are you Zen priest? I have to take the answer, yes. Yes, I am Zen priest. Then this Zen priest, the conception of Zen priest coming from the name of katagiri, is molded to a certain type of Zen priest. So, you are Zen priest who belongs to Zen center. Of course, it doesn't matter for me, you know.

[15:22]

Wherever, wherever I belong, wherever I belong to, belong to, Zen center, or Japanese temple, or American temple. But when you, when you say katagiri, I think you, you think a certain type of katagiri life. On the basis of a certain type of character which katagiri possesses. Then, that's why there is a lot of, number of criticism. When you see, when you see a person named katagiri, or he is katagiri, or he is not a good priest, or such and such.

[16:24]

You know. So, by the criticism, by the criticism, I always, I always moving to the right, to the left, away. Sometimes people are, people say, people are, people speak, when the people speak well of a person named katagiri, he is denied in hearing this compliment. But, if, if I were a person who is molded himself into a certain type, life type,

[17:42]

see, it would be very difficult to figure out human hope, human effort for improvement or progress. Now, wherever I am, as long as life, called katagiri, induces in this world, life must be going on ahead. This is life. This is life. Whatever kind of lifetime allotted to me, strictly speaking, life in itself must, must be going on ahead.

[18:52]

Without ceasing, even for a moment. So, the, you know, the, there is, there is a famous swordmanship named Miyamoto Musashi, in Japan, noir. As he was, he was fighting at a certain place, many people, a number of people gave the, what would you call, the talismans.

[19:56]

Talismans which will protect him from the evil, coming from the shrine and Buddhist temple. He, for one week or two weeks, he stayed at home, concentrating on research. Researching, researching the circumstances of the place where he worked, he worked, fight. Then he accepted, received the talismans, a number of talismans given by the people who were considerate to a person named Miyamoto Musashi.

[21:07]

A swordmanship, he was willing to accept. But, when the time came of, he left his house and visited, just stopped at the shrine. Before he went to the place where he worked, fight. Ah, bowing, bowing with me, then at that time, he burned out, he burned out all talismans.

[22:14]

Then he started to leave, he started to go to the destiny, where he worked, fight. You know, the, as long as we are human beings, all of us are interested in eating, or talismans, or fortune-tellers. It is true, fortune-tellers, or Ichin, think themselves are not something wrong. If you want, if you take interest in, what will, what would happen in the future, it is alright to receive. But important point is, don't stay, don't stay with a talisman, even for a moment.

[23:25]

You should figure out the time for rightness when you throw away, you know. Any kind of, you know, talismans, any kind of protection, given by God, given by Buddha. And then, all he had to do was, just to do his best. So, as long as we are based on the human being, considered as a lizard, we think in its aspect, it produces all the effects of human chronic life. It is very natural that you take interest in researching Ichin, or fortune-tellers, or talismans.

[24:38]

That's alright. But if you are old, what you have to do, just to receive the talismans, and stay the weekend, your life never be going on, a hit. Attachment to the, any kind of things, the talismans, the protection, God's protection, the Buddha's protection, Zazen's protection, Zazen implies to stay with it, which is called the chair of Buddha, or God, or Zazen. If you want to do Zazen, it is alright, it is alright if you, it is alright that you, it is alright to expect something from Zazen.

[25:56]

But you should remember, you should keep in mind that, you have to release the absolute time for rightness, when you have to throw away any expectation. From your Zazen, from God, from Ichin, from talismans, and at last, all you have to do is, just to do your best, that's all. Of course it's not so easy, but you cannot help, you cannot explain in that way, there is nothing else. That's why, in Miyamoto Musashi, for himself, fully, fully comes.

[27:14]

Even a, even a stupid person, whoever they are, you should keep in mind, there is a huge storehouse. Whether it can help receive anything, whoever, anytime, this is wonderful, this is wonderful. The moment when you, when it receives anything, any person, at any time, at any time, everything turns into neutral result, neutral morality, completely free, completely free.

[28:31]

You can't, there is no amount of discussion, you are stupid, you are clever, or you are wise, you are freedom, you are outcasters, you are runaways. You are American, or you are Japanese, the moment you are, you are stored in the big, huge storehouse. The Japanese, and the Americans, whoever you are, are completely equal. That's wonderful. This is called, this is called zoshiki, in Sanskrit, araya, araya vijñāna.

[29:47]

So, araya vijñāna is characteristic of receiving anything, whoever, which is cannot help turning into equality, which exists in peace, is at peace. So, from this point, the human being lies in, lies in the social araya vijñāna, where it cannot help, which, where it is reduced to accept anybody, anything, in equal, in equality, at peace, at rest.

[31:04]

Why we have to suffer? Suffering in itself is not suffering, the pain in itself is not suffering. The pain as a result, in itself, is not pain. When you attach, when you perfume pain, when you perfume pain, regarded as pain, conceptual pain, with attachment, perfuming is attachment. The moment you come into contact with certain conditions and certain circumstances,

[32:19]

the seed in the araya vijñāna starts to work immediately. A concern relating, related with seven consciousnesses, seven consciousnesses. The seventh consciousness is the source of six consciousnesses. The seventh consciousness, called manas consciousness, is the root of attachment. Attachment. Which is different, what's the difference between the usual mind, the sixth, the conscious mind, and manas consciousness?

[33:28]

The manas consciousness difference is that manas consciousness is always functioning. Whatever you do, wherever you may go, even during sleeping, like a stream of rivers. And also araya vijñāna is the object of the four clinging, of the seven consciousnesses, consciousnesses. Well that's why, when you are confronted with certain conditions and circumstances,

[34:35]

the seed with no particular nature, neither good nor bad, starts to work. Related with seven consciousnesses. Which is characteristic with root of four clinging. That's why it's pretty hard to get rid of the many thoughts. Many thoughts running through your head, even in zazen. The seventh consciousness always pushes your mind to create many thoughts.

[35:46]

It's pretty hard to get rid of it. And also the six consciousnesses try to unconsciously attach to it. Because the six consciousnesses are a sort of result, produced by the circumstances or conditions which you have brought up. Saying education, language, weather, land, family, school, religious life and so on.

[37:09]

But even the, no excuse me, the seven consciousnesses enable human being to roll the field of samsara, samsara, karmic life. But as I mentioned before, even the seven consciousnesses as a result, produced by human karmic life, are completely based on no type of nature, neither good nor bad.

[38:43]

Okay, this is very important point. It doesn't mean, it doesn't mean you should ignore. You should ignore to do anything as you like. Broadly speaking, the human being lies in the source of freedom, source of freedom, where they are completely vivified, wherever they are. This is basic understanding of human life according to Buddhism. Otherwise you cannot figure out your own life, toward the direction of future.

[39:45]

If you are molded, if you are molded to a certain frame, I think you will be reduced to stick in the mud, and cannot figure out what to do. It looks like human life is like the water with transparent nature. Not white, not black, not yellow.

[40:52]

If you put the color only into the water, which is called Katagi, which is called conception of Japanese, which is called American, which is called Zen Buddhism, which is called Christianity, then the water immediately turns into a certain type of nature. White, black, yellow. Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism, I Ching, fortune teller. But strictly speaking, the nature of human being is completely like a water, with transparent nature, moral nature, neither good nor bad. The color is like conditions and circumstances around you.

[42:05]

If you come to the Zen center in Tassajara, when it was the first time to visit Tassajara, what did you feel? How did you feel? I think you felt funny, because all students follow the Japanese way, bowing on the floor, what did you do? Chanting the sutra in Japanese, eating the Japanese food, what are you doing? Why are you doing it? This is circumstances, conditions. Then what you said, what are you doing? It's so funny, strange, you feel strange,

[43:12]

but it is, it means to put a certain type of color into the water. It's water. And then you stick it, you stick to, you stick to this, the color. This is Zen Buddhism, this is Japanese food, this is Japanese traditional way of bow, world of Buddha. What do you mean by bow? Consciously you try, you stick to a certain type of color, Japanese food, Zen Buddhism, bow. But bow, even bow, even Japanese food, even Zen Buddhism,

[44:17]

even Christianity, in themselves are based on completely neutral, neutral nature. Neither good nor bad. Just conditions, just conditions or circumstances which is called many kind of color, make you create, make you create attachment, attachment. Then attachment make you suffer, make you suffer. So you yourself is not, you yourself doesn't, doesn't make you suffer. You yourself and the result, produced from your karmic prize, doesn't make you, doesn't make you suffer or pain. The moment you pour a certain kind of color into the water,

[45:22]

source of human nature, with nature of transparent water, there is no conception of explanation, right or any kind. It's make you suffer, it's make you pain, it's make you have some doubt, it's make you hesitate to do something. It's make you produce a, prevent from doing, doing your best, to carry out your responsibility, your duty. It's painful.

[46:23]

So you should remember the advice that the human being and all sentient beings are vivified, living vividly in the domain of huge storehouse, where it is reduced to accept anything. We'll turn anything into a become neutral nature, like a water. That's why then, when you do that, then the master says, just sit without expecting anything. Expectation is like a pouring a certain kind of color into your water.

[47:28]

As long as human being, physically and spiritually, you are a person, as a result produced from your karmic life, since beginningless past anyway. That's why you are sometimes despair, discouraged, doing something. It is magic. But the, again and again, the aim which you have to be direct and focus on, is directed to the huge world, big world,

[48:38]

where it is reduced to receive anything, and turn anything into transparent nature. Good or bad. So, do Zazen, and find many thoughts coming in your head. It's said always, don't repulse, don't pursue. Just sit in the big world of huge storehouse. That's why Shakyamuni Buddha, Kshatriya,

[49:55]

For example, Shakyamuni Buddha explained his discipline of one and the same essence. That is to say, the essence of it is deliverance. Deliverance. Deliverance is a state of human life, who settle, oint himself in the domain of huge storehouse. The final aim being absence of passion.

[50:59]

So you should be careful, you should be careful to take care of circumstances, conditions. So as not to create new seed, new seed. New seed which will produce its own appropriate manifestation at some future time. These circumstances at present, conditions at present, are very important for us. How you should take care of. That's why you always have questions. How can I do? What can I do? What should I do? You find many thoughts in Zazen and leave you in confusion.

[52:09]

Then what should I do? But all you have to do is just do Zazen. Just do your best to do Zazen. Keeping the world with transparent nature, without falling in any kind of color into your own world. This is the final aim being absence of passion. The annihilation knowledge of the all-knowing, the all-effort which we have to do is focus on set yourself, set yourself on the road which is going towards deliverance,

[53:15]

towards storehouse where there is always transparent nature. This is Bodhisattva's practice.

[53:34]

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