I vow to taste the truth of the Tautogitus' words. Good morning. This week is Suzuki Roshi's 100th birthday, and Suzuki Roshi is the founder of this temple, and our teacher, Sojin Mel Weitzman Roshi's teacher, and there's a big three-day shin dig going on at San Francisco Zen Center.

[01:20]

Suzuki Roshi's son, Huizu, is giving the talk today at San Francisco Zen Center. And there are various other things going on there which are listed on the bulletin board. So it might be fun to go over there and see what's happening. So here at the Berkeley Zen Center for tea today we're going to have a birthday cake with candles and sing happy birthday to Suzuki Roshi to honor him. And Sojin Roshi told me this morning that he was ordained on Suzuki Roshi's birthday. So, happy birthday. This is the second week of practice period and during this time is when we all get to stretch a little bit.

[02:33]

And when we stretch, we grow. So I wanted to put a little bit of a plug in for practice period. This is the time where we come together once a year and practice together as one body. So I hope it hasn't been too difficult. It should be a tiny bit difficult. But when it does get difficult, when you start to feel harried and tired because you've committed to possibly more than you can actually do, or your commitment is something where you're stretching, so it's gonna, you're gonna feel it. Just come anyway. When the class gets boring, which it may, Buddhism can be so boring, just come anyway and be bored.

[03:38]

And as Sojourner Roshi has said before, just enjoy your boredom. If you do have to miss those, sometimes, you know, things happen and nobody expects anyone to come here when things happen. So just write a little note or mention it to somebody. Oh gosh, can't make the blah-de-blah. You know, my mom's ill or whatever. So just let somebody know and then that way you're not really missing because you're accounted for. So the schedule for me is not so difficult because I do sit here quite a bit and attend most of the events because I'm a resident here and have a practice position, so I have to be here quite a bit. I get to be here quite a bit. So the stretch for me is giving these talks. I just came here to Sitsazen many years ago.

[04:51]

I didn't know about the talks. So, careful. Get out while you can. So for a practice period each year, Sogen Roshi gives the head student, that would be me, a case or a koan for study and to express their understanding through. So that's what I'm going to do today. I'm going to introduce the case that Sogen Roshi has given me and express my understanding, hopefully. So specifically what he's given me is Deng Shan's enlightenment poem. Deng Shan is one of our Chinese ancestors.

[05:54]

In Japanese, his name is Tozan. And his given name is Liang Jie. So he lived in a province in China called Zhejiang, whose borders fall on the East China Sea south of the Yangtze or Yangtze River in the year 807 to 18, excuse me, 869. So this was the declining time of the Tang Dynasty in China. But Chan Buddhism just took off like a rocket So it flourished and established its legitimacy there in Chinese society. Today I'm mostly going to read the case to you and give you a little bit of an interpretation.

[07:01]

And then later on, In the practice period I'll give another talk and give you some more. But I just want to get into the case today because actually it's quite interesting. I don't really know yet what I'm talking about. So I've been studying the case and groping around in the dark and I have to say This is a wonderful practice for me. It's really... Well, I'm going to read you a story about tung shan, and the story will explain why this is a wonderful practice for me to be groping around in the dark like this. This is called Only Partial Agreement. There aren't many stories about Dengxian. There's a lot more about a lot of other Zen Masters, but there are a few, and this is one of them.

[08:10]

Chan Master Dengxian Liangjie attained enlightenment under the guidance of Master Nanshuan. On the anniversary of the death of Dengxian's former teacher, Master Yunyan, Dengxian laid offerings on the altar as a commemoration. A novice monk asked, what teaching did you obtain from your former teacher? Dengxian answered, even though I was his disciple, he didn't give me any instruction. Then why do you still revere and make offerings to him? How do I dare show him disrespect? Dengxian contemplated, But you have attained enlightenment under the supervision of Master Nanshuan," said the novice. I don't understand why you still make offerings to Yunyan." Gently, Dengxian explained, I don't venerate either his ethics or his Dharma.

[09:16]

I simply respect him for not disclosing everything to me. Because of this, I think he was kinder to me than my parents. The novice continued, since you make offerings to him, you must agree to his method of Chan. Dengshan replied, I partially agree. Why don't you agree completely, asked the novice, because if I do, I will disappoint him. And here's a bit of commentary on that. Master Dongshan Liangjie became enlightened when he saw his reflection in the water right after his teacher Yunyun had passed away. His enlightenment verse was as follows. So this is one translation and I'm going to share a couple more with you today or next time I give a talk.

[10:19]

Guard against searching in other places. Otherwise, you will become even further estranged from yourself. Today, when I strolled along the water, I found myself mirrored in it. The reflection was me, but I was not the reflection. Due to self-attained realization, my mind is in harmony with my teachers. Although Tungshan's enlightenment took place after the death of his teacher, he did not forget the favors he had received and made offerings on the anniversary of his teacher's death. He was grateful to the teacher for not having revealed everything to him and for giving him the opportunity to attain enlightenment on his own. If one is completely dependent on one's teachers, one will become lost. On the other hand, one should not

[11:22]

becomes so independent that one refuses guidance. Something I've been a little guilty of at times. For without the finger pointing at the moon, how can one see it? Thus the real meaning of Deng Xian's partial agreement with the teachers should only serve as a guide to the student during the learning process. So I was hearing Meili Scott's voice in my head. Meili used to say, Meili used to practice here, and she died three years ago this month. She used to say, stick to the process, stick to the process over and over again, stick to the process. So this is my process I'm sharing with you. I figure I have heard about approaching a thousand talks in this sendo.

[12:31]

Could be a thousand or more. But I can't say it helped me give this talk. I mean, I guess it did, but ultimately I have to bring it up within myself. So little by little I'll keep looking into this case and see if I can share my understanding with you. A friend of mine says, preach the gospel all the time, use words if you have to. So today I have to. And now I'm going to get in the case by reading first the circumstances.

[13:36]

The master's name was Liang Jing. He was from Huiji and his family name was Yu. Once as a child, when reading the Heart Sutra with his tutor, he reached the place where it said, there is no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind. And he suddenly felt his face with his hand and asked his teacher, but I have eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and the rest. Why does the scripture say that they do not exist? His teacher was amazed and realizing that he was unusual, said, I am not your teacher. And sent him to Zen master Ling Mo on Mount Wuxie, where he took the robe and shaved his head. When he was 20, he went to Mount Sung, that's where Shaolin Temple is, where he took the complete precepts. He was his mother's favorite child.

[14:41]

Since his elder brother had died, his younger brother was poor and his father was dead. But once he yearned for, thanks mom, But once he yearned for the teaching of emptiness, he left his old mother for good, vowing, I will not return to my native place and pay respects to my mother before I acquire the Dharma. With this vow, he left his native place. Eventually, he completed his study and later went to live on Mount Dong. Since his mother was alone and had no one else to depend on, she looked for him every day, finally wandering around with some beggars. When she heard that her son was on Mount Tung, she yearned to go and see him. But Tung Shan avoided her, barring the entrance to the room so she could not enter. It was because he did not want to meet her. Consequently, his mother died of grief outside his room.

[15:46]

After she died, Dengshan went personally and took the small amount of rice she had collected as a baker and he mixed it with the community's morning rice gruel. By offering it to the whole community of monks, he made a funerary offering to assist her on her journey to future enlightenment. Not long after, she told Dengshan in a dream, because you firmly maintained your resolve and did not meet me, I severed the delusive feelings of love and attachment. As a result of the power of these good roots, I was reborn in the realm of the satisfied celestials. We should all be so lucky. When I was studying this passage here, my mom called. and left a message on my machine because I was screening calls because I was studying.

[16:49]

And so I just didn't call her back just so I could get into it a little more. See how that... Because I wanted her to be reborn in the realm of the Satisfied Celestials. Okay. So this is the case. This is quite a bit to read here, but I'll try to break it up with a little humor. The master set out on pilgrimage, and going first to visit Nanshuan, he arrived when preparations were underway for Matsu's memorial banquet.

[17:52]

Nanshuan, also Nansen, Japanese, posed the following question for the assembly, saying, tomorrow we will pay homage to Matsu. Do you think he will return or not? No one offered a reply, so the master came forward and said, he will come as soon as his companion is present. Nanshuan said, this fellow, though young, is suitable for being cut and polished. The master, when I'm saying the master, we're talking about Dengxiang here. Heshang, do not crush what is good into something mean. Next, the Master made a visit to Guishan and said to him, I have recently heard that the national teacher, Jung of Nanyang, maintained the doctrine that non-sentient beings expound the Dharma. I have not yet comprehended the subtleties of this teaching. Guishan said, Can you, Acharya, remember the details of what you heard?

[18:57]

Yes, I can, said the Master. Then why don't you try to repeat it for me, said Guishan. The master began. A monk asked, Hui Jung, what sort of thing is the mind of the ancient Buddhas? The national teacher replied, it's wall and tile rubble. Wall and tile rubble? Isn't that something non-sentient, asked the monk. It is, replied the national teacher. The monk said, and yet it can expound the Dharma? It is constantly expounding it, radiantly expounding it, expounding it without ceasing, replied the National Teacher. The monk asked, then why haven't I heard it? The National Teacher said, you yourself haven't heard it, but this can't hinder those who are able to hear it. What sort of person acquires such hearing, asked the monk. All the sages have acquired such hearing, replied the National Teacher. The monk asked, can you hear it, Hsiang?

[20:02]

No, I can't, replied the national teacher. The monk said, if you haven't heard it, how do you know that non-sentient beings expound the Dharma? The national teacher said, fortunately, I haven't heard it. If I had, I would be the same as the sages, and you, therefore, would not hear the Dharma that I teach. I hope you're following this. In that case, ordinary people would have no part in it, said the monk. I teach for ordinary people, not sages, replied the national teacher. What happens after ordinary people hear you, asked the monk. Then they are no longer ordinary people, said the national teacher. The monk asked, according to which sutra does it say that non-sentient beings expound the Dharma? Clearly, you shouldn't suggest that it's not part of the sutras. Haven't you seen it in the Avatamsaka Sutra? It says, The earth expounds Dharma, living beings expound it.

[21:07]

Throughout the three times, everything expounds it." The Master thus completed his narration. Guishan said, that teaching also exists here. However, one seldom encounters someone capable of understanding it. Dengshan said, I still don't understand it clearly. Would the Master please comment? Guishan raised his fly whisk. saying, do you understand? No, I don't. Please, Hsiang, explain, replied Tungshan. Guishan said, it could never be explained to you by means of the mouth of one born of mother and father. Tungshan asked, does the master have any contemporaries in the way who might clarify this problem for me? From here, go to Yuxian of Liling, where you will find some linked caves. Living in those caves is a man of the Wei, Yunyan. If you are able to push aside the grass and gaze into the wind, then you will find him worthy of your respect, said Guishan.

[22:16]

Just what sort of man is he, asked Dengshan. Guishan replied, once he said to this old monk, What should I do if I wish to follow the master? This old monk replied, you must immediately cut off your defilements. He said, then will I come up to the master's expectation? This old monk replied, you will get absolutely no answer as long as I am here. So, Do non-sentient beings preach the Dharma? I'm not sure about that. What this made me think of was I was at my friend's house one day

[23:20]

And she had just purchased a vine to grow on a fence in her backyard. And she said, oh, here's that vine I was telling you about. Isn't it lovely? I said, oh, yeah, I think that'll work nicely there. And she had placed the vine about 18 inches away from the fence. And when I went back the next week, she still hadn't planted the vine. But somehow the vine had reached out and grabbed onto the fence. Now, without something for the vine to prop itself up on, it's just a jumble, kind of, you know, rolling around on the ground. I don't know if the fence needs the vine to be a fence.

[24:29]

I don't know if the vine necessarily needs the fence to be a vine. And I don't know if the fence needs the vine to be a fence. I think there is this way when we practice that there's this seed, you know, and we water it and it just reaches out for the Dharma. I've been contemplating. Dengshan accordingly took leave of Guishan and proceeded directly to Yunyan's.

[25:43]

Making reference to his previous encounter with Guishan, he immediately asked what sort of person was able to hear the Dharma expounded by non-sentient beings. Yunyan said, non-sentient beings are able to hear it. Can you hear it, Heshang? asked Dengshan. Yuen Yuen replied, if I could hear it, then you would not be able to hear the Dharma that I teach. Why can't I hear it, asked Tung Shan. Yuen Yuen raised his fly whisk and said, can you hear it yet? Tung Shan replied, no, I can't. Yuen Yuen said, You can't even hear it when I expound the Dharma. How do you expect to hear when a non-sentient being expounds the Dharma?" Dungsan asked, in which sutra is it taught that non-sentient beings expound the Dharma?

[26:48]

Yen-yen replied, Haven't you seen it? In the Amitabha Sutra it says, water birds, tree groves, all without exception recite the Buddha's name, recite the Dharma. Reflecting on this, Tungshan composed the following gatha. How amazing, how amazing, hard to comprehend that non-sentient beings expound the Dharma. It simply cannot be heard with the ear, but when sound is heard with the eye, then it is understood. Our friend. Deng Shan said to Yun Yan, I have some habits that are not yet eradicated. Yun Yan said, what have you been doing?

[27:50]

Deng Shan replied, I have not concerned myself with the Four Noble Truths, meaning he stopped striving. Yunyan said, are you joyful yet? Dengxian said, it would be untrue to say that I am not joyful. It is as though I have grasped a bright pearl in a pile of shit. Dengxian asked Yunyan, when I wish to meet you, what shall I do? Make an inquiry with the Chamberlain, replied Yunyan. Dengxian said, I am inquiring right now. What does he say to you, asked Yunyan. Just before leaving, Dengshan asked, if after many years, someone should ask if I am able to portray the master's likeness, how should I respond? After remaining quiet for a while, Yunyan said, just this one is.

[28:58]

Dengshan was lost in thought. Yunyan said, Jie Acharya, having assumed the burden of this great matter, you must be very cautious. Dengshan remained dubious about what Yunyan had said. Later, as he was crossing a stream, he saw his reflected image and experienced a great awakening to the meaning of the previous exchange. He composed the following gatha. So I'm going to read to you another version of this poem that was written by Suzuki Roshi for Bill Kwong Roshi when he was the shuso many years ago now. Do not try to see the out, excuse me, do not try to see the objective world You, which is given as an object to see, is quite different from you yourself.

[30:10]

I am going my own way, and I meet myself, which includes everything I meet. I am not something which I can see as an object. When you understand self, which includes everything, you have your true way. So this first line, I was trying to memorize it, but I had it written on a little card and I would keep it in my pocket.

[31:33]

I work full time, so I don't have enormous amounts of time to study. I would take it out and read it and then, you know, somebody would come towards me and I would be thinking, do not try to see the objective world. You, which is given as an object to see, is quite different from you yourself. So there is a way that we can grab onto things outside of ourselves for our answer, for our own experience. I see this in myself, and I see it in other people. I'm not sure why we do that.

[32:35]

But it could be something as simple as, wow, isn't that a great cup of coffee? And we say, yeah, it's great. You're right. Absolutely right, right, right, right. When actually, you might be thinking something else. or we might be very busy. I find that I'm very busy, though most of my busyness is around here, between work and here. But there is a way we can keep very busy so we're not often even aware of our experience or spending time with what's going on inside ourselves and how we think and feel or experience the world or the Dharma as it's presenting itself or expressing itself through perhaps non-sentient beings or sentient beings.

[33:52]

So in giving this talk, which is my stretch, there's, you know, I could have just copied any one of a number of people who've gotten up here and given a talk before, but that wouldn't be my way. It wouldn't be my truth. And so, There's not much to rely on but what's coming from in here. And it's important to have an awareness of that. Probably every moment would be good. But that can be hard. And that's the way we find our own feet.

[35:00]

and find our practice. And everybody's practice is different. And everybody expresses the Dharma in a different way. My way is, which is a little different than the way that we're talking about here, is how I take care of things, which is really what I learned from Sojin Roshi, how to be with objects. how to take care of the next thing, take care of what's in front of me, and not say so much.

[36:22]

So that's what we call the mistake on purpose, right? Because you have to say something. I'm not sure what time it is because I forgot. It's 3 minutes till 11. Okay. Are there any questions? Laurie. heart sutra. I mean, I have some kind of that image of saying, can you hear it? And saying, no, I can't hear it. It's so great. I mean, I feel that I can, I just feel like that is this huge gift that's coming down through the centuries of his saying.

[37:25]

I don't, how can you say no eyes, no ears? You know, I don't hear this lecture of the non-sentient beings. Anyway, I just really enjoyed your retelling. Thank you. Moffitt. I just want to thank you for presenting this Koan story in its fullness, because I think some of us over the years have heard one section of this in the story.

[38:30]

It's coming from the interaction with this teacher, and that, from what you said, it seems this interaction, and a lot of effort, actually, striving for me, but this interaction precipitates me, what he sees. And, So I wanted to thank you for giving us the different versions of the stories. And I know how you feel, it's so difficult. But, you know, it's really okay. And one thing to think of, I just thought the list in the There are several times where someone raises the risk and I just flashed on the Buddha with the Buddha bar of love.

[39:41]

With Mahakasyapa, yeah. Thank you, Moffat. Who was that that raised? Oh. How did you do that? The person that comes to you at work while you're trying to do some studying, it appears that they see the appearances of you. The appearance of you. And what you're talking about is this other you. No interruption. I'd be lost if I felt interrupted by people.

[40:49]

I think Linda and then Ken and Linda, Sherry, did you have a Was that your hand? You know, nodding out like a sort of a non-Symphian being, but probably I wasn't completely non-Symphian. So, there's a line in the stories you were telling that I really like. I wanted to say that too. I've heard it before. It was the question, are you joyful yet? without taking it as a sort of responsibility to be joyful.

[41:58]

Are you joyful yet? Is it sort of lying? How do you take it? How do I take that particular line in the story? Are you? Am I? I think what that means is have you let go? Are you joyful yet? What they did was they said, they were in the form of rabbis with rabbis' beards and the tails of birds.

[43:06]

And they sat on the shoulder and they said, lighten up. Right on. Linda, lighten up. You're so worried about everything. You just have a minute of lightheartedness. What a blessing. So anyway, I like that. I enjoy it. Yeah. I don't know. I don't want to keep people too long. What does the timekeeper say? So... I think it was Sherry or Ken, and then Marianne. I just wondered how you felt not calling your mother back, if that opened anything up for you.

[44:09]

Well, my mom is an unusual person. Not many mothers would come to their daughter's shuso entering ceremony. After that ceremony, I went to her house and she opened the door and bowed to me. So she sent me an email. When she didn't hear, she sent an email. And the email said, oh, Andrea, don't worry about your talk. Just think kind thoughts and the words will come to you." And she signed off saying, stay focused. So she's okay with it. I don't think she would have died of grief, you know.

[45:14]

She's an unusual person, kind of surprisingly. Ken and then Miriam and then we're gonna go eat cake. This is me, but I am not it, or... Were those in different stages, or was that one thing commenting on the... You know, I wish I could... Maybe we could go over it afterwards, because I'm not sure what line you're talking about.

[46:18]

I'm sorry. I'm not sure. The you which you see as an object is not you yourself. Is that the line? And what was the question about it? That line is from his Enlightenment poem. So that's the same thing as the poem where he seizes? Yes. Okay, so it's just a different translation. Yes, yes. Sorry. It might be good later, you said you had some other translations. Okay, thank you. Please! That's not the usual translation.

[47:19]

It's not really a translation, exactly. It's an interpretation. Ligurian interpretation. It's not a verbatim translation. So you read the other translations, and they sort of say something a little different. So he wanted to get the point over, rather than just his understanding. Well, of this story, the part that I can relate to the most, which I think other people have too, is the mother. Yeah, I think that letting love flow through you and having compassion for your mom is the same.

[48:33]

I think you can too. I agree with you. Thank you for that. Beings are numberless.

[48:53]

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