So Dogon says, the practice of Buddha's teaching is always done by receiving the essential instructions of a master, not by following your own ideas. Okay. that this footnote is pointing to.

[04:33]

us. Students were there, he was there, but he wasn't really teaching anything.

[06:49]

He was just being present. And my painting teacher was like that, Clifford Still, when I was in my 20s. In the early 50s, I had studied with Clifford Still, who was this wonderful abstract expressionist painter.

[07:50]

And he never criticized anything. He never said anything about your paintings. He just came and talked to you, and just wanted to go around, and talked about this and that. But he was this powerful teacher. And all the students were working like crazy, producing all his paintings. So anyway, the practice of Buddhist teaching is always done by receiving the essential instructions of a master, not by following your own ideas. In fact, Buddha's teaching cannot be obtained by having ideas or by not having ideas. I think, literally, it probably says mind. Buddha's teaching cannot be obtained through mind or through no mind.

[08:57]

but it's ideas maybe. But to say mine, a little closer, and no mind. Only when the mind of pure practice coincides with the way, will body and mind become. So purity doesn't mean that there is something pure.

[10:48]

Actually, it says. There is a class of people who set up the idea of purity and then they become attached to the idea of purity and get way off the mark. Only when the mind of pure practice coincides with the way, this is non-discriminating mind, non-dualistic mind.

[12:24]

Only when this mind of pure practice coincides with the way, will body and mind become. Body and mind are not two things, even though we say this is body and this is mind. Only then will the body and mind be calm. So calmness is an interesting word here. Calmness sometimes is translated as tranquility. more settledness.

[13:32]

To be settled. You know, we say in Zazen, to settle the self on the self. To settle the self on the self. To have calmness of mind. I can see how in Suzuki Ueshiba, she must have studied this a lot. an aspect of equanimity. So, where one is not falling into one side or another, there is balance and equanimity. Equanimity means that the mind is not thrown by one side or another.

[14:42]

It's always, even though It moves on a balance point. It's never turned over. Then he says, if body and mind are not yet calm, mind are not at ease, thorns grow on the path of realization." That's a very literal translation. Another way of saying that is, when body and mind are not at ease, they become obstacles to enlightenment. So, Dogen is presenting this first paragraph

[15:46]

So? And he says, so that pure practice and the way coincide or harmonize, how should we proceed? In order for this to happen, how should we proceed? Proceed, he tells us, proceed with the mind which neither grasps nor rejects. The mind unconcerned with name, There's a difference between accepting and rejecting.

[18:34]

discriminating on the basis of preference. For instance, when we get some, when we're served some breakfast we may like the cereal and we may not like it. So we're always confronted with this problem of choice, which is a big subject, actually.

[20:34]

A big subject in Buddhism and Zen. Many wonderful koans about preference and choice. There are even long poems about it. So. until finally you find something.

[21:38]

And when you can let those two doors of the gate open freely, open and close freely, that's a non-dualistic mind. Pure mind. Pure practice. There's no obstacle. And there's no good or bad. That's the hardest thing. But one thought of preference and we're already gone over it. It's hard. So he says, Dogen says, so that pure practice in a way coincide or harmonize, how should we proceed?

[23:52]

Proceed with a mind that neither grasps nor rejects. The mind unconcerned with name and game. All the time we hear, we practice for the benefit of others, right? That's a little bit of a strange statement for him to make. But, later on, he says that practice is for the benefit of others.

[25:08]

But, as we say over and over again, It's just for the sake of practice. When we come to practice, we're doing something for ourselves. Almost every one of us, when we come to practice, we're doing something for ourselves. We want something. And then when our practice matures, Are we getting anywhere?

[27:37]

I don't see any land inside. As soon as you want something out of it, it stops working.

[28:50]

As soon as you want something out of it, it stops working. Peace.

[30:00]

not pure practice. As soon as you have expectation, it's not pure practice. Although we do have expectation, it's hard to help from the expectation. But we shouldn't be attached That's up for us. But if we become attached to this desire, that we do something for something else, then it's no longer pure practice. Then we're just caught by ego. So then he says, people in the

[32:08]

They practice what others praise and admire, even though they know it is not in accord with the way. what others fail to understand. You should try to.

[34:02]

Dharma is not practiced for one's own sake, and even less for the sake of fame and profit. Just for the sake of Buddha Dharma, you should practice it. something. comparative values

[36:36]

But that's not, that's the realm of comparative values. Something is worth a thousand dollars, something else is worth five bucks. In Buddhadharma realm, each thing is totally has its own value which cannot be compared to anything else. Each one of us has absolute value which cannot be compared to the value of any other of us. ignore the world of comparative values.

[38:57]

This way we can really see into the nature of everything. We can see into the nature of each person. And so much of our... The purpose of practice is to see things as it is.

[41:23]

That's a plural and singular sentence. It's my mistake. We can find our ease. We can find our stillness. Yes? I want to ask about fear in that regard. I know it's sort of a code not to talk about enlightenment experiences. I think there should be a club to talk about them, because it would be useful for me.

[42:28]

But I'd like to say in an experience that I had that lasted for a long time that I have a lot of fear left about seeing things as they are. When I see things as they are, I can't help but accept because there is the reality of you and I at this moment is complete. I mean, there's nothing to not accept here. I don't know Why? That I find it very terrifying to be here in this room, to really know that in this whole universe that I am here, it's like being in a dream space, and I have to go from here up there and out to the car, and there's no other way to go but step by step. Sometimes it's beautiful to be in touch with that kind of eternity, and other times I find reality very, very, very frightening. And I, I mean there are lots of aspects of that fear that I wonder, do you ever talk about how really scary it is to see, to really see that we are actually in this room and can't go anywhere else in this room except step by step.

[43:46]

I mean it's, I find it staggering. Well, that's what we practice. To not be staggered. When you have some fear, just be with the fear. Sometimes, that's right, realization can lead to a kind of fear, because realization And we like to think of ourselves as continuing forever. So we have this kind of problem of, is it really going to be all over?

[44:50]

It's our problem. Is it really going to be all over? Let's stop the fear. I'll just say one thing more. I've actually found the transiency extremely beautiful. I find the fact that actually it's never over. I just might not be here beautiful. What I find fearful is to see a reality and then, I mean, to see it and live it for a long time and then to go about my life to because I can't drive a car in reality, the way people drive cars. And I mean, the fear for me is kind of an undoing of my mind of having two realities going on. sometimes feeling that there's this over here, which is a big experience, and that's reality.

[46:14]

I can't tell you, don't be afraid. But you might ask, who is frightened? compassion and sympathy for sentient beings are neither for their own sake nor for the Insects and animals nurture their offspring, exhausting themselves in painful labors, yet in the end have no reward when their offspring are grown.

[49:38]

In this way, the compassion of small creatures for their offspring naturally resembles We don't think, I am working for others. That's the difference. It's hard not to expect something from your children.

[50:48]

Something. I've been born for 20 years of heartache. It's the next thing. But it's good not to expect Thank you.

[52:04]

I can't hear you. Wouldn't it be different with Daniel? I always have a good feeling about, I don't have a bad feeling about people that are not here. It's just, I have a good feeling for people that never come. I have a good feeling that people are here. Because before you said about love, that love is really impersonal in a way.

[54:07]

There's some impersonal quality. And now Dogen's talking about the love of a parent for a child. And they seem like two different things. So in the early part of this segment here, it talks about if your mind and body are not

[55:51]

So I value that Zazen as compared to other kinds of Zazen. improving your thoughts, you should do that. But even though you do that, there's nothing you can compare it to. It sounds though like, you know, I should somehow avert my mind from What you do is, you sit up right and put my attention on my breath.

[58:01]

You don't, you may not think you're looking for a result. But, This is sloppy Zazen and this is good Zazen.

[59:16]

woke up, and you said, I'm going to sit up straight. That's the important thing. And then you put your effort into that. And therefore, you are present. Totally present. Without. Discriminating. I mean, on a daily basis. You can't either, because of the airplane. On a daily basis, I make an effort, and I'm aware that it's not So there's always a sense of... I never make the absolute best effort I can possibly make. But that's enlightenment.

[60:48]

It's knowing exactly where you're at. That's pretty good. And always keep that in mind. the thought of all Buddhas for sentient beings. The inconceivable or subtle dharma of all Buddhas is not compassion alone, but compassion is the basis of the various teachings or gates that appear universally

[61:55]

So, he says that the Dharma of all Buddhas, although the Dharma is all Buddhas, is compassion. It's not just compassion. Buddhas. Why not follow their lead? Students or practitioners, do not practice Buddha Dharma for your own sake.

[63:16]

Do not practice Buddha Dharma for to attain miraculous effects. And when Buddhism came from India to China, But those powers won't last long.

[65:19]

Watch out and be careful. I don't think he's just talking about people of his time.

[67:55]

Some of the powers from sitting a long time in Zazen, it's not so magical, but in this world where people are so scattered, someone who's intensely concentrated is kind of an anomaly and does have a lot of personal power. around people who have practiced a long time, you see that all the time. Temptations. They're tempted. You know? Well, that's true. Things irritate them. Yeah.

[69:07]

And they tracked a lot of people through their powers, and whether they used their powers for personal gain. And we've seen that happen. So what has to be... That's why

[71:08]

I did not practice Buddhism. Disappointed.

[73:51]

I'm getting real disappointed here. I paid my money and I want my enlightenment. I'm sober. The thing that is so interesting to me over and over again is something you said sort of to Kathy. And that is, enlightenment isn't necessarily what we think it is. So that woman could have been enlightened, she just didn't feel happy. Well, she wasn't getting any money's worth, so she wasn't happy.

[76:01]

But I mean, happiness isn't necessarily an indication of enlightenment. Well, I think happiness is an indication of enlightenment, but our idea of happiness is not the same happiness. Happiness. You know, what is it that you really mean indicates enlightenment and happiness the way we think about it or peacefulness? Is it possible to be enlightened or be aware of your enlightenment and not necessarily feel so good?

[77:17]

So much. Enjoy.

[79:31]

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