Therefore, excuse me, those you should keep away, excuse me, if you seek joy and peace in the serenity and truth-worthy of non-doing, non-doing is nothing to do, okay? Non-doing means uncreated state of being, which is called dynamic working, silence. But it's silence, still, tranquility, but it's working, dynamism. This is non-doing, Sanskrit. You should keep away, keep away from disturbances and dwell along in the quiet place. As I told you before, it doesn't mean to keep away from anywhere in busy world, human world. Wherever you may go, anyway, sound is always there. That is, if you seek for while you are seeking for the quiet place, you'll never find a quiet place.

[01:06]

If you give up, you can find quiet place. So, monks, there is a very interesting story. The monk tried to find the quiet place, and because city life, he doesn't like the city life, because it's noise. So he found in the heart of the mountain. In the heart of the mountain, still, there are the birds, and the trees, and the winds, and the streams, and so, still making noise. So he doesn't like there, so finally he found the top of the mountain, and there is nothing there. So he got up and climbed the mountain, and sit on the top of the mountain. Unfortunately, top of the mountain, nothing there. So, wind directly comes, hits the monks, hits the trees, making more noise. So, finally, he came back to the city again.

[02:07]

We do all that. It's not a story. It's really all of us. All of us. Therefore, casting away attachment, those who dwell in quiet place are praised and respected, bought by Sakulendra, chief of the gods, and by celestial beings. Anyway, if you continue to do it, I told you before, anyway, you get somebody who helps you. That somebody is not your friend, not only your friend, your parents, your teachers, but something more than the people. Anyway, you don't know. You don't know what it is, but anyway, more than human help, there is a lot of help. Believe it. I experienced anyway. Anyway, it is true.

[03:11]

Well, maybe we think that is mysterious. I don't think it's mysterious. Mysterious means, mysterious means something which is not real. But in Buddhism, mystery is mysterious, but it works in your daily life. It's really true. So, it's not mysterious. Buddhism is mysterious. Of course, it is mysterious. But it's not mysterious, because it works in your daily life. If I use the term gods, or divinity, it's completely blowing your mind. So do I. I don't want to use that big term. But sometimes we have to use term, because no way to explain. That's why I use term. Those are the...

[04:17]

So, you get lots of help. Therefore, testing away attachment to yourself and others. Yourself and others means... Yourself means five scandals. Five scandals. Form, feeling, perception, consciousness, impulsive consciousness. Five scandals. Five aggregates. Your body, your body and mind consist of the five aggregates. That is your body. So we believe five aggregates are something we should constantly depend on. So, this kind of me. Oh, I love this kind of me. Of course, I love this kind of me. But this... I love this kind of me... Sorry. Maybe if I die, I immediately... My body is... Rotten. Rotten. If I got up, if I airplane, anyway, no one knows who he is.

[05:27]

No one knows. Anyway. So, this body is, of course, I like myself best in this world. I really first, I really want to be compassionate to this guy, rather than to you. Do you understand? Yes, it is. I like it very much. But I have to say, unfortunately, I cannot like myself best for long. Sooner or later, I have to give up. So, what? Karage? Oh, yes, karage. Why don't you do something for others? Forget. Karage is... If you think karage is... If you like yourself best in this world, look at everybody. Everybody likes himself also best in this world. Why don't you show yourself? So, nothing to hold with each other.

[06:30]

So, and they keep away, casting away the attachment, attachment to yourself, and others means, others means objects, your objects. Objects are also grasped objects with strong attachment. Of course, we have a desire, as long as you have a desire, desire creates attachment, of course. But anyway, confine attachment to the minimum. That's why, when Buddha says, rest desire. Therefore, casting away attachment to yourself and others, dwell alone in quiet place, and sever the source of suffering. This is the best way to cut off the source of human suffering.

[07:34]

Source of human suffering is, I told you before, ignorance. Ignorance is not something wrong. This is basic energy, vitality. You want to have. Now what? Completely beyond your will and the volition, you really be there. You really be there. You really want and you really live. So that is a very basic vitality. Vitality or vitality or wealth. The moving towards truth and attachment, grasping. This is ignorance. That's why we can seek for the truth forever. We can practice Bodhisattva forever. But if you misuse this, that's a big problem. Big problem. So ignorance is just a piece of paper, back and forth, with two aspects.

[08:35]

It really depends on how to use it. If you misuse, it immediately shows the back. If you use it in a proper way, it shows the front. The whole. Very tricky. Not tricky. It's very sensitive. Very delicate. So, the testing away, attachment to yourself and others, dwell alone in a quiet place and shiver the source of suffering. Those who desire, we don't understand. The other day I met Rinzai Ma. Two days ago. I'm not criticizing. This is very usual. He said, if you just do the thing, shikantava, you can't,

[09:37]

shikantava is really this. You can't, anyway, you cannot know what the shikantava is. Just sitting is. He said, that's what we need. Anyway, koan to guide you. Well, maybe so. But this is, if you use koan or something particular, whatever, well, om, or thinking of the beautiful statement given by Buddha, or whatever. Whatever you bring into your zazen, that is just ornaments. But if you bring anything, if it's private, it's not a real zazen. That is a part-time zazen. You have to do a full-time zazen. In order to have a full-time zazen,

[10:39]

anyway, you cannot bring anything at all. Even the mentally, even the materialistic stuff. Just be one with it. That's we are. That's why we want to have lots of ornaments, to decorate, you are satisfied, to decorate, to satisfy your desire and success. But I don't think so. If you do it, you are spoiled. So, just sitting is not to spoil you. It's very hard. It's very strict practice. In a sense, it's not strict practice. It's just sitting. That's why, where is the point? Point A is really with you. It's really with you. Well, even though I continue to tell you like this, teaching the Buddha's teachings, well, if you don't accept it, if you don't accept, if you don't practice it,

[11:40]

it doesn't make sense. Do you understand? So, Shikantada, it really depends on your choice, whether Shikantada is alive, whether you can animate Shikantada or not. Those who desire in company, company of other people, other people suffer from their relationship with them. This is also same meaning as I told you before. Those who desire the company of other people suffer from their relationship with them. Other people means, anyway, objects. Objects you encounter, and anyway, you are stuck there. Anyway, if you do it, you suffer a lot from them. Just as those who desire the company of other people

[12:46]

suffer from their relationship with them, just as a tree will be broken and die when many birds roost in it. The bondage of worldly environment will drown you in suffering, just as an old elephant drowns in the mud because he is unable to get out by himself. This is a very good example for us. We should taste it again and again. This is not an example. This is a very simple story. It's very understandable easily. But you should taste again and again because we do always like this. If you really see your object and try to deal with your object as you please,

[13:51]

usually we try to create circumstances and we try to deal with the circumstances as you please. That time, you become big elephant in the mud. You become a big tree. You become a tree with lots of birds. Finally, trees are broken. So, of course, it's okay sometimes to deal with the circumstances as you please, but you can't do constantly because circumstances, you know, is just a speck of dust. Of the world, of the circumstances, total picture of the circumstances, there are other aspects of circumstances you cannot know.

[14:55]

If you want to, the important point is to deal with the total picture of circumstances, understandable or not understandable, you should accept this. You should deal with the circumstances not always as you please. Sometimes you don't please, but that's okay. Anyway, get up in the morning. Well, recently I am busy. Well, not so busy, but busy. I make myself busy anyway. Get up in the morning, even though I'm tired. Anyway, get up. Anyway, get up. That is very nice, but I don't feel good sometimes. So, I get up and pour the cold water. It makes me awake. Awaken me up. That's pretty nice. So, get up, cold water, and do something. After that, then I feel completely different.

[15:56]

Perfect. Completely different. So, even though you don't please, okay, anyway, do it. Do it. If you have to do, do it. To liberate oneself from complicated environment is called detachment. That's why enjoying serenity and tranquility is simultaneously you can experience detachment. Okay? Detachment. Is that clear? For instance, if you do Zazen, okay, if you do Zazen and totally, all you have to do is be one with Zazen, basically keeping the balance. With full concentration,

[16:58]

simultaneously something wrong, which is called thought, ideas, disappear. By themselves. By themselves. But if you try to kick them out, then you get more trouble. More trouble. So, all you have to do is, anyway, enjoy serenity and tranquility. That's why I told you, anyway, concentrate on breath. Be one with breath. Be one with Zazen. That's all you have to do. If you do that, well, you can keep, anyway, your body and mind kept perfectly in balance, very naturally, something wrong, anyway, disappear. That's why it means, that's why the environment to liberate oneself from complicated environment is called detachment. That's what detachment is. How to experience detachment.

[17:59]

Detachment is not to some experience after kicking away attachment. You can't do it. Anyway, in order to experience detachment, all you have to do is to enjoy, to be present, right in the middle of serenity and tranquility. In Zazen, in gassho, in eating meals, and chanting, walking, and studying, that's all we have to do. That's time, very natural. Anyway, you can experience detachment. Next. This is very simple. I have to finish. Exerting...

[19:05]

This translation is not good. Exerting meticulous effort. What do you think? Meticulous effort? It's not good. Do you think it's good, Tana? Meticulous effort. Meticulous effort. I want to use precise, precise effort. If you want particular term before effort, we call it shojin. Shojin in Japanese. Sho of shojin is precise. Be precise. To be precise. Very clear and to... Everything is clear. Very clear. Just like pure white rice. Pure white rice. It becomes blue. Blue is white. Do you understand? Can you see? It is true.

[20:05]

Look at snow in Minneapolis. Snow is completely white. At that time, you cannot see the white. It's blue. Beautiful. Very beautiful. You can experience in San Francisco. Unfortunately for you. That is sho. Sho of shojin. And jin is proceed, proceed toward. Forward. To go forward. To go forward means not to go back. Thank you. Not go back. Anyway, shojin, effort. What shojin is to go forward with perfect purification. Perfect purification. So, purification is not to exist in celestial being.

[21:13]

Celestial part. Heaven. Heavenly being. You cannot be a celestial being. Anyway, purification is to awaken. To awaken everything. To awaken everything but you are not completely tossed away by. Something you have awakened. Still you awaken everything but they are present with you in peace and harmony without disturbing your practice, your life. This is, anyway, purification. In other words, completely full awareness and all things and nevertheless there is a freedom. Completely free. That is purification. That is shojin. Shojin effort. Buddhist effort. That's why Dogen expressed Buddhist effort like the saying,

[22:16]

Take one step forward from the top of the pole 100 feet high. Can you imagine? Top of the pole. 100 feet high. It means every moment is no excuse. No excuse. Anyway, that is gassho. The chanting. All aspects of human life is something just on the top of the 100 feet high pole. And nevertheless, you cannot stay there. Anyway, take one step forward from the top of the pole. Ha. It is going. It is going. You can do it. You can do it. That is effort with purification. Maitreya Nagarjuna said exerting meticulous effort. No. I don't know that. Maybe precisely better. Don't you think so?

[23:17]

Exerting myself. That's why I collected here. Exerting myself. He says meticulously and unceasingly in various beneficial practices is called meticulous effort. So exerting oneself precisely and unceasingly in various beneficial practices. This is not good translation. Not beneficial. This is good Dharma. Originally it says good Dharma. Good Dharma. Dharma is the perfect good. Supreme good. Because Dharma is a state of being before you create. Before you create. It means your life is perfectly silent. Silent. Just silent. Your nature or the nature of your life is silent. Completely nothing to put a certain label on.

[24:20]

You are like good or bad, right or wrong. Nothing. Silent. That is called Dharma. But this silence has a lot of terms. I told you that's why it is dynamic working. Dynamic working. And this dynamic working as a Dharma really supports, upholds your life. Silence really supports, helps your life. It's really true. That is the original nature of your life. So, that's why it says, originally it says, it's in various good Dharma. Not beneficial practice. If you say beneficial practice, that is something you can choose. You can choose. You can choose by your actual pleasure. So, exerting oneself precisely and unceasingly in various good Dharma is called, anyway,

[25:27]

precise effort. And sho of shojin is not defile. Not defile. Sho is purification. That's why not defile. Not defile is, if you become perfectly pure, there is something which is called bluish. But that bluish is not blue. It's not real blue. It's very white. But it's real white. It's not real white. It's bluish. But bluish is not real blue. It's white. You understand? So, whatever you do, if you become perfect, you can be free from perfection. That's why we chant the sutra, no perfection, no imperfection. You say always, you chant every morning. But you don't understand. So, if you do something perfect, at that time, very naturally, you can be free from ideal perfection.

[26:30]

That's why that is white. But if white becomes perfectly white, it's bluish. But it's not bluish. It's very white. It's not real white. Perfect white is free from white. At that time, it becomes bluish. But bluish is not something extra. Not adding to the white. It comes up from the white itself. This is the relationship with phenomena and truth. Truth. It's very simultaneously working, dynamism. That's why if you see the snow, beautiful. You can, I can explain how to do it. In my dendo, in front of the dendo, whole lake there. Whole lake is frozen. Snow. No trees. Background. White ground. Beautiful. Bluish. Very bluish.

[27:32]

So, sho of shojin is not defiled. Nothing. Nothing to defile. Shin, proceed forward, means do not regret. Regret. Not withdraw. To go forward is not regret. Just like writing on the tool. Writing on the tool. If you write on the top of the tool, the stool, not tool, stool. You cannot move forward, backward, to the left, to the right. But you have to go. But you are there, and your life is on top of the tool, the stool. That is not regret. Not regret. Not regret. On the top of the stool, you can walk.

[28:44]

You can walk. Now, on the top of the pole, 100 feet high, that is not stamina. It is not the regret, but you can do. You can do something free. You can walk. That is, take one step forward. The Buddha says, if you exert precise effort, nothing will be difficult to accomplish. Therefore, you should make an effort to practice carefully. For when water flows constantly against a big rock, even a small amount of water will eventually dig out a large hole. This is very true. So, each moment, if you do the Zen, anyway, even for a moment, you become Buddha. In that, you should do the Zen, just like such a Zen should be done.

[29:45]

If you do the Zen, even for a moment, you become Buddha. If you do it constantly, anyway, you can make a big hole. You know it. But if one who practices becomes lost, it will be impossible to accomplish anything. It is like trying to start a fire by rubbing two sticks together. If you stop rubbing before the wood gets hot, you can't start a fire. This is what is meant by precise effort. Precise effort is constantly you have to make, day after day. How? Anyway, with less desire, with satisfaction. When you encounter, let's say, getting one diamond, you penetrate it through and through.

[30:50]

And encountering one practice, you practice it through and through. This is, anyway, the best way to experience less desire. And also, when you see the Zen, through and through with all the people you don't want, they, they are leaving from your Zen. All we have to do, if you do that, anyway, you can make a hole, a big hole. This is the Zen made by a great Buddha, which is called Shikantala. Of course, Shikantala is a Zen, but you cannot get to the mouth. Whatever it is, that's okay. It's all right. But you should practice under the guidance of a teacher. Sometimes, teachers pick you up from far off the ocean. This is possible.

[31:56]

But, on the other hand, teacher is not compassionate. Teacher is cold. And just put yourself anywhere right in the middle of the fall. Where? Nothing to hit the mouth. But this is very good for us. Because this is the essence, problem of life and death. Sooner or later, you, everyone, have to meet. Just like an 80th boy says. You live a day, just a day. How can you get this idea? You live a day perfectly. Because you don't know tomorrow. That's why they come and die. How can you die there? It's not so easy for us. That's why from day after day, anywhere from day after day,

[33:04]

we have to practice this. Zazen, Shikantala, is just like anywhere in life and death. Directly connected with this essential problem of life and death. That's why, when you are a teacher, you put yourself right in the middle of a big fall. It's subtle. That's why you need practice and guidance from the teacher. Because the teacher, from time to time, to you, to picking up, don't suffer.

[33:35]

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