I've been talking about everyday mind, everydayness, everyday mindness. This is so important. so simple and so exact and so difficult to realize the degree to which this, we can say this, describes every state of mind of Buddhism. Maybe it's even a peculiar or unique

[01:02]

a characteristic of Zen Buddhist way of description or emphasis. Many of you have moral questions and political questions about what you're doing, where you're going, where this practice goes, where our society is going. And even problems like, someone mentioned to me, I thought this was quite interesting, I repeated it after lecture yesterday, a question. Someone who was coming to Session, I don't know if the person is here or not, but someone who was coming to Session was dropped off by a friend who said, who had, I don't know exactly, but maybe the friend had some uneasy feeling. And so the person coming to Sashin said, you have some uneasy feeling dropping me off here at Sashin for a week to meditate. And his friend said, yes, it's a form of escapism.

[02:28]

I thought his... Then he made a response, which I think is quite good. He said, Would you have felt better if I had gone to Reno for a week? And his friend said, Yes. He could understand that as a vacation or something, but he couldn't understand sitting for seven days from 3.30 in the morning as a vacation. Of course, we know our secret is a vacation. But I thought that was very interesting. His friend could understand him going to Mexico or to Reno for one week. That was just a break, but to waste your time in escapism for one week. That's interesting. But I think we all feel that at some time. Maybe the morality of a concern for other people brought us to look at ourselves and brought us to start practicing. And then we say, but here we are.

[03:53]

and not helping anyone. We can say, well, to live by your inner light or your own light is okay or a good example, and even you can say that to live by your conscience in the end is the strongest statement you can make, how to live by your in the most direct way we could describe as Zen practice. Can you hear me in the back okay? But still I think we have some problem with it. I hope, actually, it's a real struggle for you, realistic struggle for you. Should I be doing this or should I be doing something else? And some of you, I know, have talked with me about strong political concerns, and recently I got a letter from somebody I know quite well, but who has very deep connections with political left.

[05:27]

most radical side of political left. And Leder had some kind of threatening overtone. Not from him, but as he understood the situation, there was going to be this revolution. And Zen Center was okay when we were friendly to the left, but if we were friendly to conservative people, we would probably be in danger. I have bullet proof. Handed down. This person who wrote me might be right, maybe. If he thinks so, it is what he says is right, I'm sure. But right or wrong, still, if we're practicing Buddhism, you can't abandon some person for some political reasons.

[06:56]

If anything else, the person who you might abandon for political reasons is the very person who should be on the cushion. They have to have some chance for change. So as you know, I mentioned a while ago, Suzuki Roshi said Buddha was a social reformer. not by – he didn't say exactly these words, but he did say social reformer – but what he meant and the implication of his lecture was not by making plans for the future, or some figure out the way society should be, but by being open to the many causes, the many opportunities, the causation from ten directions, not just simple causation from the past.

[08:03]

So this is a real problem. Where is our society going? Where are we going by practicing? And there's a famous Zen story about this, which raises this question. Joshu, who I've spoken about so often, is asked by a monk, a very good question, he said, everything leads to the one. Everything leads to one. Oneness, the Absolute. Everything leads to the One. But where does the One go? And Joshu says immediately, when I was in the province of Sei, I made a hempen rope. It weighed seven pounds. When I was in the province of Se, I made a hempen rope. It weighed seven pounds. This is also what we can call everyday mindness. Or like a seppo, people asked, whenever people asked,

[09:42]

excuse me, wherever people came, he would say, have you been here before? And whatever they said, yes I have or no I haven't, he said, go have a cup of tea. And you know the story. Some work leader or head monk said, what do you mean by this question? You always say it and you always make this statement, go have a cup and Joshi said, Sephos, work leader, said, yes, go have a cup of tea. You may mean one with the many causations, one with the multitude of causes. In the past in the province of Se, he made a rope. Now, you could say, I don't know actually the actual character in Chinese. Maybe it doesn't mean a Buddhist rope, but just means some cloth. But let's say it means a Buddhist rope, or some particular thing. At least it means something particular.

[11:08]

a kind of, a particular kind of thing. So let's say a Buddhist wrote. But he doesn't say it leads to being ordained. Maybe it leads to being ordained or being a Buddhist. But he then removes that by saying very specifically, it weighed seven pounds. This has nothing to do with ordination or Buddhism. It weighed seven pounds. It weighed one million pounds. with the whole world. So this kind of, let me say, let me talk about recognition. The four vows are what I would call the four vows of recognition. By recognition we mean we see something again that's familiar or we recognize a new government. It's something new but old problem or something like that. And it's very much like the old woman, the

[12:39]

verse for the number two rank, as I've said. An old woman sees her face in the mirror. Maybe, as I said, in those days they didn't have mirrors, so she would be quite startled to see her face. An old woman sees her face in the mirror and doesn't know who it is. So, she recognizes and doesn't recognize. familiar and yet a different thing. This is the sense of recognition. And also, it's more than just understanding a problem or analyzing a problem, because it has a very positive feeling about it, you know, like he so-and-so received some recognition. It means something positive. Or it has the sense of solution in it, a solution. So the four noble truths of Buddhism are a recognition in a sense. There's the problem of suffering and there's the way to end suffering. This is what I mean by recognition. So when you completely understand the problem of suffering and the way to end suffering, your teacher will recognize you. And how not to cause more suffering.

[14:08]

your teacher will recognize you. But there are many problems, contemporary problems right now that we see the problem. But a recognition of the problem would be, we see the problem but what to do about it? And there are many kinds of political answers, what to do about it, etc. Most people just see the problem or hide from the problem. And some people can't stand a problem without a solution, so they take any old system and adopt it as a solution. In Buddhism, I think we would say, let's try to find something that hasn't been thought of before. Same old problem, but let's try something. Let's do something new. This is that sense of mutual development. Everything is changing. So, this story of Joshu, where does it go to seven pounds? The monk says, where does it go to seven pounds? In the province of Seia, I give it to seven. But it means that the road is always changing. Seven pounds is always changing.

[15:38]

The commentary says, Joshua's answer is like a fire. Joshua is like a fire fanned by the wind, or like a sword point. He is like raging torrent passing a sword point. This also has the same connotation of cloud passes the moon, not knowing where it is. or bridge flows and the river stands still. The ability to see things from many, many points of view simultaneously. Where is the cloud? Over our head? Over that building? Under the moon? Over the airplane? From our point of view, cloud is passing overhead. From our point of view, society is going a certain way. From another point of view, society is passing under the moon. So society is always changing.

[17:03]

And it may be necessary to be involved in that change. But Buddhism says the main thing you have to do is what Joshu means by seven pounds, hempen rope. That is first. Anything else is second. So I'm trying to suggest to you what he means by this. So, going back to talking about recognition. So we can say there is transmission from Buddha, Sempo and Dogen and Tsukiyoshi to us and not just to me or to some particular good student, actually to everybody. And the same way, that would let me call vertical transmission. And there's also what I'm calling today horizontal transmission, is that the recognitions we make about this situation of our common suffering, other people will recognize our recognitions, or people who share the same recognitions will have some

[18:35]

Mutual support. So people, we will find, if we are practicing coherently, consistently, without making excuses, with sincerity, as I said, sincerity is the main guide. Reason is not the guide to the great ocean of practice. or Zazen or rules or Buddhism, but the only guide you can have is sincerity, which will carry you to these many recognitions that without sincerity you couldn't get to. So if we are practicing this way, more and more people who have the same recognitions will come here and will leave here. It's a kind of horizontal transmission. So there may be many solutions, but Joshu answers when he says, where does it go? Joshu says, I was in the province, when I was in the province, let's say, I made a hempen rope. It weighed seven pounds.

[20:04]

A feeling here is that we are in a very deep feeling how everything changes. You know, I said we don't have just form and emptiness, maybe we have bearing and presence. Or bearing means form, bearing, how you get your bearing, where you're going, what you're doing, what your dignity is, how you carry your burden, how you carry yourself. Bearing has all these meanings. So bearing is very human, not mechanical or philosophical. We're not mechanical beings. The world is not mechanical. So bearing is the accurate feeling for form. How everything is changing. Tsukiyoshi tried to say, find some words to express it. He used dynamic change and various words. But it means everything is what Buddha points out. Everything has its independent spirit or intention and everything independently is developed. Nothing stays still. But that independence is like

[21:39]

As I said again, Einstein points out, I think, that objects, you can't say there's space and objects in it. That objects and space are one continuum, one definition. You can't say space unless there's objects, you can't say objects unless there's space. So although everything is developing independently, simultaneously Though our minds can't grasp it, it's not independent. So, Joshua is saying, be one with this dynamic change. First of all, anything else you may do, that may be very good, but be first one with this dynamic change. World of what Suzuki called, Suzuki Roshi called, counteraction. Everything is always in countering or in acting, acting on each other, on everything. So it means to get on the horse. You may try to make some get-on change itself, ride change itself. You may say, you know, what is the difference between watching a horse race or a horse? And you say, a horse should go here, so you build fences trying to make a road for the horse. Or you emphasize road, or you emphasize fences,

[23:13]

It's pretty nearly the same thing. But you may finish your road where society is supposed to go, and a horse long ago has found open meadow or gone over the fence. You don't even know the horse isn't there. That's one problem with our society right now. A horse left a long time ago. They're all looking for the horse where it's going. So, everybody's looking around, who's riding the horse? So, that's why people come here. Are you riding the horse? No. What horse? We don't know. I don't know if you're riding the horse or not. If you're riding the horse, you won't know. And if you don't know, you might not, too.

[24:16]

As Dogen said, from boat it looks like the shore is moving. So you don't know, are you on a boat or on the shore? But if you have to do something, it's better to be on the horse, says Buddhism and Joshu, than building fences. Horse has its own fences or rules. Joshu means heated Joshu's very free, easy answer is not Buddhist practice or some rules. Hempen robe has its own rules, seven pounds. So each thing has its own bearing or own going. So we understand Uman when he answered this, that prince who offered him a temple. He said, there is no other path but what's in front of you. You should come to this place where there's nothing to attain. It means exactly identical with what you are doing. It means primary consciousness, not secondary consciousness, which is full of thoughts of past and future.

[25:43]

who you are and what's good for the future and what's good for you and what's good for someone else. None of that, just primary consciousness. You may experience primary consciousness in Zazen occasionally, one with your presence, counting or breathing, whatever. no disturbance. But the world, many, where does the one lead to? The world disturbs you. But when you're just one with what you're doing, that primary consciousness continues. As I said, in the evening you do evening things, morning, morning things. And when you really know that, you can accomplish a tremendous amount, because On each moment there's a wealth of opportunities, which if you have some hasty mind, or you're running along beside the horse, or you're mending fences, you don't see the horse, you don't see the opportunities. So it also means not just many opportunities, but the recognition of what to do instantaneously on each moment.

[27:10]

Joshu, knowing what to do, like lightning flash. No hesitation. Commentary says, he doesn't hesitate. It doesn't mean he answers before you finish speaking. It means when something happens, the process of response without hesitation starts. It may take five minutes or one year, there are different lengths for every response, or one lifetime, to do zazen for one lifetime, or many lifetimes. So joshu means get on this horse. Or it's like they use in the commentary, they talk about it as a current. It may be important to control the valve or dig the channel. But no matter how important it is to control the valve or dig the channel, if someone isn't swimming, if water isn't there, it doesn't mean anything.

[28:40]

and water is you, is primary consciousness, not straying from your exactness. When you know this, many recognitions flow in from all directions, from past to future, future to past. The future is also calling us. There is transmission from the future to us. Dogen says, Time runs from future to past. That's quite true. Knowing how things are going exactly. If you know how things are going exactly, are one with how things are going exactly, it means first you should be one with your breathing and mind and activity, and that extends everywhere. Then, when you do something, when it becomes your opportunity to do something, you do it with fullness of time and space. So, Joseph didn't give an answer, some transcendent answer beyond time and space. He gave something very bound by time and space,

[30:11]

in the province of say at a particular place at a particular time a particular thing was done have go have a cup of tea one particular thing after another occurs if you can penetrate these particular things you find ease in your mind and body You know it reaches everywhere. It includes everything. You know there's completely no other alternative action. Most fullest way of acting is, get on the horse. Then, if it goes over the fence, you'll be with it. And horse knows where to go. Horse and rider know where to go. Someone asked,

[31:36]

Is there Buddhism in the deep mountain? What is mountain? Sage, or Buddhist teacher, whatever the person was, it's an old story, answer. Large and small rocks, large and small rocks always changing. One rock is the top of the mountain. One rock is the bottom of the mountain. If you're there, it's the same. You're always on top of the mountain. Right now, you're each on top of the mountain. Unique rock. If you move it, take a beautiful rock on top of the mountain, it's not top of the mountain. just where it is, just where everything is, it's top of the mountain. So our buddhist wisdom that is emphasized in

[33:05]

this transmission is not just some ancient story from the past or some ancient teaching or old robe that has been passed along. Your recognition must come both from your teacher and from the lineage and from your contemporary situation spontaneously recognized by who aren't Buddhist or know any lineage. So there's horizontal recognition and vertical recognition. And when those two meet, you have a person who knows what to do, how to take care of them, how to help them. who is always presented with a wealth of opportunity, and knowing how to take the opportunity, over and over again, each moment. There isn't time to figure out what you should do tomorrow. Right now, there is something to do which figures out what you should do tomorrow.

[34:36]

Anyway, so this is context of Joshu's story of Joshu and Empon, Ro, and Sepon. You just have a cup of tea, nothing else. But everything's changing, so the next moment you're doing something else. If you go work on the farm this afternoon, as if time and space stopped, great crystal sky, forever you work with clarity. No thought. And earth and plants will respond to your touch. Many swimmers, many horses will respond to your touch. And you... Transmission means the ability to receive. So you will respond to the many touches

[36:16]

from the earth, from the plants, from people, from horses and swimmers, from the shining eyes of the skull, from withered branch that never dries up I think it's a good story about the ocean. Let me say it again. There's a statement in Buddhism. Even if you know ocean is very big, he said the ocean won't accept a corpse in Buddhism. If a body dies in the ocean, I guess it floats to the surface, maybe? Anyway, ocean rejects corpses, some statement in Buddhism.

[37:26]

And ocean is where all streams flow to. And ocean is... So it's always drying up, but always something is flowing to it. That is what ocean is. And you can't see the bottom. Ocean is so vast you can't see the bottom. So the statement is, even if you dry up the ocean, you can't find the bottom. This is a very good statement, a very good way of expressing it. Even if you dry up the ocean, you can't find the bottom. Bottom is not something you can locate. Taking the ocean away, there's no bottom. Bottom of the ocean is not apart from the ocean. Same exact statement as you can't define space separate from objects and objects separate from space. You can't define hempen robe separate from everything. And only way, hasty mind will cause nothing but trouble no matter how well-intentioned. But mind which can stay with the changes of the hempen robe of exactly seven pounds

[38:57]

we'll find out, we'll be connected to everything. So we say, another expression in Buddhism, beating the drum in the South country, dancing in the North country. Beating the drum in the South country, someone will dance in the North country, To understand this truth and act on it is first, Joshi says. Be one with everything in how it goes, how your body goes, what your karma has presented to you just now. If you say, I don't like what my karma has presented to me just now, I want something else. At what point are you going to decide? Aha, well this is good. This is what my karma is presented to. This one I liked, last one I didn't like. That's not an understanding of karma. The bottom of the ocean you can't get rid of. Your karma you can't get rid of. Space can't get rid of time. Time can't get rid of space.

[40:26]

So at some point you recognize your karma on this moment and accept it and take take it where it goes go with it where it takes you As Dogen says, again, to try to understand manifold dharmas by using yourself is delusion. That's being choosy about your karma. This day, this situation I don't like, I'm going to try that one. At some point you say, this situation is me. manifold dharmas reveal you, that is enlightenment. And he says, in another context but it means the same here, and this no trace continues endlessly. This no trace continues endlessly means everyday life, which is so exact there's no trace.

[41:59]

No secondary consciousness. Your possessions, you travel so light. You don't have possessions which separate you from others. You travel so light. You only have things which join you to others. Things that someone has given you or wants you to have. This is actually radical understanding of life. If you accept it, you don't have to cut away, drop away so many things that are only stuck to you by your anxiety and suffering.

[43:09]

and putting all these suitcases down. Everything happens within you, and you cover everything, as Seppo said, cover heaven and go have a cup of tea. This rope from the province of Sey weighs seven pounds. How else can you get on a horse? to let go of everything, let go of life, let go of your attachment to each moment, because you know next moment is parallel development. It includes everything. So this great ocean of our life, of our friendliness, of our compassion, of our human world,

[44:49]

of time and space, of Buddhism, of vast ocean, near the ocean, and sky. You can realize these things. As Dogen says, bird does not fly by knowing the extent of the vast sky. he just by his sincerity flies. So, only guide to this practice is your sincerity. As I said in Sashi, if you study Buddhism long enough, you come to some point where you recognize what Tozan meant on the third rank or second rank of his explanation what he meant, not some philosophical understanding. You know what he meant, why he did it. Like Tsukiyoshi says, you know, shadow good. Everyone wants to be the good horse, which when you... You may be the best horse, you don't have to even raise the whip. The horse knows what to do. Second best, the horse sees the shadow of the whip.

[46:22]

worst horse, you have to hit it really hard. Sikhi Rishi says everyone wants to be the best horse, but Buddha has most sympathy for the worst horse. That's like Sikhi Rishi taking the vegetables, I told you about that, the old vegetables in the grocery store, and the shopkeeper would No, no, don't take that. Why are you taking that one? He always wanted to take the old vegetable, and leaving better vegetable for someone else. Then he, when he was young, someone told him, when he was first trying this out, you should do this because if you do that, the merit, good merit, is accumulated by you. So then he thought, Well, I should take the best vegetable then so they get the merit. Anyway, you always have this problem, you know, which way to go. By your sincerity you can find out. So, shadow of quip means to know the sutra.

[47:49]

why it was written. So you know what Tozan meant, not what this rank means. You know why he would write it, why he would... How can I say? You know because there's no other choice. If he wanted to express it, This is the way he must express it. So you feel, my gosh, how did he ever realize this? It took me so many years and so many lucky chances, or quirks, as I say. Did he have same lucky chances and same quirks? Because you can't get to this point by reasoning. Bird can't fly by understanding the sky. How did the bird reach all the points, how did the bird reach in its migration? In Buddhism we say, only way is by your sincerity. By Tozan's sincerity he came to this point, absolute sincerity, utter sincerity.

[49:11]

So by your practice, by your sincerity, the sincerity of your practice, Joshu means hempen rope, seven pounds. Very sincere approach to everything, to life. So I tell you about these things to get you used to it, to get used to the many recognitions that will come from your practice, the many opportunities which will come to you from your practice. And how to understand and not to be confused by it.

[50:31]

you'll find the many opportunities are not just your opportunities, but flow for everyone. And if you take, take it. Many more opportunities. Each moment produces new past, present, and future. As Nagarjuna says, and Dogon. Firewood is firewood, ashes are ashes. Firewood has its own past, present, and future. Ashes has its own past, present, and future. This deep understanding of change, of time, of causation, will also give you deep peace of mind. and body. If you have the courage of your own sensitivity, if you have the courage

[52:32]

of Joshua's Hampton Road. If you can willingly give up secondary consciousness As your definition, it will occur as your definition. It will seem like some moral problem, but if you understand Joseph, you can do it. Like fire and by the wind, without any hesitation, without holding back, relative and absolute, exactly one on every activity. Emptiness, not separate from what you do.

[54:03]

It's not different from you, as I always say, it's not different from you. You are different each moment. Don't leave yourself behind. radical change, pervasive deep change. Allow this to happen and our society and you and your friends will find much more realistic way to live.

[55:21]

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