Why? Why is it that Bodhidharma said to Emperor Wu, which the principle of Buddhism, the ultimate principle of Buddhism is vast emptiness and nothing holy. This is the most important point in Buddhism. Why is it Bodhidharma said to Emperor Wu? Of course there are many different expressions corresponding to

[01:09]

vast emptiness and nothing holy saying. So called it is no-self, emptiness. Now Jack Wheeler is giving a lecture on the no-self. There are lots of expressions, different expressions representing the meaning of vast emptiness and nothing holy. But it's not so easy to understand what is no-self. You know Buddhism is a very strange religion which insists

[02:16]

on no-self for 25 years. According to the Western way of thinking, I don't think nobody insists on no-self. But for 2,500 years Buddhism always insists on no-self, emptiness, vast emptiness and nothing holy. Even in the modern day, it's really alive. Tonight, let me think about no-self with you. In common sense,

[03:41]

nobody ignores, nobody denies the self you recognize. Even though Buddhism says no-self, there is no doubt that there is the self. There is a self who insists on no-self. No-self. Nobody can ignore. This self is consistent, this self consists of body and mind. And also the formation of the self is really an individual who is affected with one's awakening

[05:11]

movement. So in this respect, you cannot, nobody can ignore this self recognized by common sense. That's why the God says I exist. I am thinking therefore I exist. It is very true. Buddhism's start point of the practice, real practice, begins from this point. I am thinking therefore I exist. Shakyamuni Buddha also says the self is a light for your

[06:26]

life. Also the self is determining a board in which you take refuge. The question that no-self brings forward is how you can comprehend this self recognized by common sense. I am thinking therefore I exist. How you can comprehend this self? And also in common

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sense, the self seems a simple being, a simple being which you could keep its unchangeable form from your birth to death. And also you believe this is the self, real self. I don't think it is right. This self is a sort of immutable being, or fixed idea of being, so-called self. Because the self is what is improved. Rebuilt by education, by learning, by your

[08:53]

knowledge, by your practice. The self is always being improved. But if you believe, if you think the self, your self is completely fixed idea, so-called substantial being, which is permanent, there is no improvement, no improvement. Now to say what you can improve, you can improve the self under better conditions, from today to tomorrow. It means the self is very flexible, who doesn't have any

[10:05]

certain fixed ideas. Anytime, anywhere, you can improve the self. That's wonderful. From this point, why is it you suffer? Let's think more deeply. Do you think that there is something like the immutable self, immutable self behind the self recognized by common sense? What would you call it? I don't know what you would call it anyway. So there are two types, two kinds of self.

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One is immutable self, the other one is improvable self. Improvable self. But if so, the immutable self and improvable self really contradict each other. And also on account of the strong desire of maintaining the self as immutable, as the immutable, you are really reluctant to think deeply how these two kinds of the self are in accord with each other and keep existing. Because you feel scared. The moment

[12:13]

you face immutable self, you really feel scared. Because you feel scared of the destruction of the self. Because that immutable self is pretty vast. It is too vast that you can't get it in your hand. The moment you get it in your hand, the self is like an escape from your hand, like an eel. Because your self is vast, your self is based on the little self which is vast, so it is called

[13:23]

immutable self. Even though you always experience when you get enlightenment, that enlightenment immediately hits you. It means there is something more than the self recognized by your common sense. It is provisionally called immutable self. Okay? Immutable self. Immutable self. Whatever you do, you are always, you cannot help, you cannot help avoid, you cannot help facing this immutable self. So at last, you are completely upset and you feel scared of destroying the self. Because you can't get who the self is. Who is the real self? Who is the real

[14:46]

self? It is pretty hard. Then at last you feel scared. I don't want the Zen. I really don't want. But Buddhism, at that time, Buddhism always enables us to face this no self. Penetrates the depth of the self, who is something more than the self recognized by common sense. So through and through, no self, the idea of no self, or the idea of vast expanse or emptiness, penetrates the depth of the real self. What the self is.

[15:56]

But usually we are always start to move, start to do something in movement, dynamic movement, to get something out of yourself. New things. Taking one step forward, taking one step forward, getting something, getting something, like this. To get something, to get something outside is to, means, implies to get rid of the practical problem which you face. Because you feel scared, scared. You feel scared of seeing practical troubles. You don't have enough room to see what the cause is. You don't have enough room.

[17:06]

So you are really upset. And then you go here and there to get something. But Buddhism always, wait a minute, see the cause, see the cause. That's really hard practice. That's really hard practice. In other words, look at yourself, look at yourself. First sit and look at yourself. It's really hard. That's a problem for Western people, not only Western people, for Japanese too. It's really hard. So we are always, that's why we are always curious of something mysterious, which gives us some great instructions to let you plunge into wonderful world, wonderful world.

[18:23]

I ate some marijuana and something else, lots of things. But Buddhism is nothing, has nothing to give you fantastic, fantastic, very quiet, nothing else. What you can see is to see yourself. That's still, that's really hard. When you are happy, no trouble. When you are trouble, when you have trouble, it is real trouble. So you don't have no room. You don't want to have room to see, to see into the self. No thank you. Because, you know, why is it that the idea of no self or vast expanse or emptiness penetrates the depth of the self, which is something more than the self recognized by common sense?

[19:58]

Because the sufferings originate in misunderstanding the self and sticking at the perverted self. That is cause. But it's not so easy to find this cause. You believe always, oh no, no. I really judge myself to be right. But Buddha says, Patriarch says, no self, no self, vast expanse, nothing holy, nothing to do with nothing holy, emptiness. Again and again they try to tell you, even though you think, I am right, no self, no self, no self. Wow, no thank you. Really no thank you. So do I, no thank you.

[21:10]

How should we comprehend the self in the proper way? In Samut Nikaya, Buddha says, our form is evanescent. Everything which is evanescent is the suffering. All which is the suffering is no self. All which is no self is not mine, not I, nor myself. Thus one should see into a thing as it is with the right wisdom. There are four points. One point is our form is evanescent. The second point is everything which is evanescent is the suffering.

[22:25]

Third point is all that is suffering is no self. Fourth point is all which is no self is not mine, not I, nor myself. Our first point is our form is evanescent. It means that a man consisting of the body and mind has nothing permanent. But there is still some question. You know so well. You know so well. Yes, I know. But the question is how can you know the fact that the subject is a state of influx, who feels evanescent?

[23:40]

How can you know the fact that the subject is this self? That the self is a state of influx, who feels evanescent? In other words, who knows? Who knows the subject who feels evanescent? Do you understand this point? Who knows? What is evanescent? Evanescent. What's that? Oh, you don't understand? Transient. Transient? Or evanescent. You don't know the evanescent? I'm sorry. Fleeting. Oh. Fleeting. Fleeting. It's a pretty difficult word. I'm sorry. Okay.

[24:47]

Transient, anyway. In other words, everything is in a state of flux. Okay? Okay. You know so well. The real subject cannot see the subject itself. Jack also said the subject itself cannot see the subject. In other words, eyes. Your eyes cannot see your eyes.

[26:06]

In other words, your real sleeping cannot see your real sleeping. There is anyone who knows your real sleeping? When you sleep like a rock, you don't know. You don't know the self who sleeps like a rock. But if there is something like the ultimate being of the self which is unable to objectify, in other words, the real subject, which you cannot see. I think you cannot tell definitely exists or not exists.

[27:14]

You cannot explain the real subject who sleeps like a rock exists or not exists. You can't. Just sleeping there. It is really beyond discrimination exists or not exists. Because nothing to be defined. There is nothing to be defined. Because it is really beyond cognition. Okay? Cognition. Just sleeping there. So only what is perceived or cognized or what would you call that? Recognized always comes into question.

[28:31]

What is not perceived is something prior to making an issue of whether you sleep or not. Prior to making an issue of real sleeping there exists. You can't put special ideas exist or not exist into it. No expressions. So I said just sleep there. It is called in Buddhism avyakta, which means making no response or incapable of answering what it is. This is avyakta.

[29:39]

So if there is something like immutable self which you cannot perceive, it is maybe avyakta, making no response. If you have some response from the real sleeping, it is not real sleeping. Okay. So real sleeping has no response. It is avyakta. That's very interesting. And then Shakyamuni Buddha always explains, doesn't explain what avyakta is. Because making no response, Shakyamuni Buddha doesn't touch to it, explaining what it is.

[30:43]

Because it is incapable of answering what it is. Because making no response enables you to avoid the crisis. There is no doubt that the self-recognized body and mind as a whole is really transient. You know so well. The second point is all which is everness, the transient, is suffering. I think there is no suffering. No suffering if our transiency as it is, is understood so well. There is no suffering.

[32:12]

But the intellect knows so well what transiency is. Yes, you know so well. Well, your experience tells that you are immediately against it and take it for permanence. Because transiency is understood through the functioning of your vijnana, vijnana means consciousness. Only within the confines of what is perceived. The fundamental reason is why judgment or cognition or recognition takes a flowing, fluid and dynamic being to be the static one.

[33:57]

This is the fatal indulgence which vijnana, consciousness or judgment are inherent in. This is the function of consciousness. Our question is how do you recognize the flowing, fluid, dynamic being in reality as it is. That's the question. That's why the Buddha says the first practice is to see something as it is.

[35:01]

So called yatha buddha in Sanskrit, to see the suchness, to see something as suchness. As truth, in other words to see something as it is. Now also Shakyamuni Buddha tells us the first practice is right understanding, right understanding, right view. But consciousness is characteristic of seeing something regarded as static being.

[36:04]

Static being. Static being. Not dynamic, fluid, flowing being. On the other hand, the wisdom, in other words the deep insight, in other words the faculty of insight is really fluid, flowing and dynamic. The wisdom is characteristic of fluid, flowing and dynamic being. And also this wisdom knows so well he is fluid, flowing and dynamic being.

[37:06]

He himself knows so well he is dynamic, flowing, fluid being. But consciousness doesn't understand so well. Because consciousness always immediately pick up something from a street, dynamic or fluid, flowing being, pick up. And then says, oh this is my sleep. This is category. This is category.

[38:44]

Of static being, seeing something as a static being. Which is called, Shikijū means the nature of consciousness. Which has what it is so called a board. In other words, consciousness is characteristic of let something stay at the same situation. So it's pretty hard to know, to see something which is transient.

[39:50]

That's why your head knows so well what the transiency is. But experience, your experience tells that you are immediately against it. And take it for the permanent. Because the consciousness always acting to the object. It takes time, it takes time that wisdom see into something which is flowing or fluid and dynamic. It's not something what you can listen to it with your head, with your intellect, with body and mind, with your life itself.

[41:02]

So it takes time. So we always misunderstand, we always take a transiency for permanence. In experiential fact, but in your head, intellect knows so well, yes I know. But in experiential being, you can't, you are immediately against it. So that's why Shakyamuni Buddha says mukhi, mukhi is avyakta, avyakta. Avyakta means that your life is vast, vast.

[42:07]

I mentioned always your life is vast, you can't pick up, you can't judge your life. Within the confines of what is perceived, it's very vast. Then through the life, through the experience, you gradually know something as it is. Then at that time you experience wisdom. Beyond, going beyond the function of consciousness. Then the Shakyamuni Buddha says as a second point, all which transcends is suffering. We are always, our understanding is always perverted.

[43:07]

Because the consciousness, vijnana, is really like that. In addition to the function of the consciousness, we try to add unconsciously so-called craving, attachment. Then the consciousness is very complicated, huge consciousness. Then third point, as third point, Shakyamuni Buddha says all which is the suffering is no-self. You know the mind is not the simple, simple form. You know the mind is very simple.

[44:21]

The moment when you see your mind in the form of a certain being, a craving or anger and so on, you immediately, I don't want anger. But consciousness, your mind doesn't consist of just one single form, so-called anger. In addition to the anger, there are lots of kinds of component factors of the human mind, huge unconscious factors. And then the total aggregation of unconscious component factors start to work. As a whole, it is so-called mind.

[45:24]

So mind is very complicated. So you don't understand so well. You know you are always listening to my lectures, you know. It looks like you are always concentrating on listening to my lecture, but your mind is... What did you say? Your mind sometimes... Oh yes, I Ching said as you said. Or Western, oh yes, some Western philosopher says it's like you. Yeah, that's right. Existentialism says like that. Yeah, that's right. So very complicated, you know. You can't judge, oh this is my mind. It's very, you know, huge, huge. And also, that's the total aggregation of the lots of component factors of the human mind start to work and start to change very slowly.

[46:40]

Not quick, very slowly. Very slowly. Because, for instance, the mind is defined by, well, for example, sort of heredity. Heredity and personality. Personality, what you are inherent in. In addition to the mind, you know, there is still something like a heredity or personality. So mind is defined by those personality or heredity.

[47:41]

And also memories, you know, memory. Memory is very complicated. Memory is created by your actual experience. Memory is always left behind your life, behind you after doing something. When you steal something, you know, some money from others' pockets, you know. This action is left behind your life, you know. I did, so-called I did. So, strictly speaking, it is called memory. Then next moment, when you face certain circumstances, which is good enough to steal, you know, some money from others,

[48:45]

then immediately you want to steal, you know. Oh, yeah, that's it. So memory compels you to do something. More. Before, you are successful in stealing the $1 bill. And second moment, next time, you are very curious of stealing the $5 bill. And next time, $10 bills. Next time, $100 bills. And next time, at last, try to steal into the bank and get money. Oh, yes, this is called karma, you know. The memories. As a karma, everything is left, you know. Everything stays in your life.

[49:47]

Other memories. That memory is very complete. Very strong. It has very strong root. So mind, mind is not simple. Because mind is defined by heredity and personality, which you are inherent in. Here and then. And also memories. Which they all are very slow in movement. Very slow. So it's pretty hard to cut off, sever the mind with eagerness, karmas, memories, heredity and so on. That is called ego. So ego is huge.

[50:49]

That's why we always take, you know, take the self for permanent self. Permanent self. Because mind is, mind changes very slow. And then also, moment after moment, you create some memories and customs. And also the moment when you create some memories and customs, you always create some shadows behind you. So called memory and customs.

[51:56]

It's pretty hard. The other day, the priest came from Japan and visited Zen center. One priest is the chief, president of headquarter of Soro school. He's very tough. The other one is the chief of department of evangelization. I don't know. Can I explain? They are very old men. Then I was completely scolded by them. I don't know why, you know. I am always scolded by someone. Wherever I may go.

[53:03]

I'm sorry for cutting you. And this priest says, Do you think it's funny that young priest is called Roshi? He really blames. He really blames Zen center. Kataki. And Dick Baker Roshi. Both are very young. And Yamada sensei is very funny. Yamada sensei said, You know, you don't know exactly what the Buddhism in United States is like.

[54:06]

American Buddhism is really funny. So, if you are right in the midst of the funny Buddhism, I can't help being funny. They are very angry with him. Are you sure? And they ask him, Do you think it is very... Do you think it is very funny? Do you think really? Do you think it is really positive? Yamada sensei said, No, no, no. You know, of course. I don't think it is right.

[55:11]

Young priest is called Roshi. But the idea of the title, Roshi is very different from Soro and Rinzai. You always have a preconception of Rinzai ideas. Roshi is a man who is enlightened. And get some certificate. Of enlightenment given by Zen Master. But I don't think. In the Soro school, title of Roshi is just, what would you call, very polite usage. Polite usage, showing I am respecting to you. That's all.

[56:13]

That is Roshi. The origin of having this title, long years ago, I went to Los Angeles with Suzuki Roshi and Baker Roshi. And then in airplane, Baker Roshi asked me, You are called sensei. But someone says, Reverend Suzuki, that title is funny for the Buddhist priest. Why don't you get something else? I was really confused. What can I say? I am sensei. I am called sensei. Because everybody calls me sensei. So I don't have no doubt. Baker Roshi over there. Then I said,

[57:15]

Oh, yes. Why don't you use Roshi? And then we started to use the title Roshi. And then, that title is used for me, for Baker Roshi. Then those priests are really angry. Do you think it's funny to call the young priest Roshi? Yes. I don't think it is right. But, you know, in Japan, whoever you are, you are 20 years old, you are 18 years old, you become abbot. Abbot of the temple. Yes, you can. And then people call Hojo-san. Hojo-san. That sense is not funny. Very smooth. They use Hojo-san is very smooth. But Hojo-san is,

[58:18]

Hojo means, strictly speaking, Hojo means one square, that man who lives one square tatami, one square room, coming from Vimalakirti Sutra. Vimalakirti Sutra is great layman who attained enlightenment, educating the Mahayana Bodhisattvas. Let's read Vimalakirti Sutra. In Japan, they don't make a complaint about this title, Hojo-san. People call the young priests, whoever they are, how old they are, people call them Hojo-san. Hojo is just common sense, just, what would you call, no doubt.

[59:18]

Very smoothly they use. Because it is very custom, it is custom. But Roshi is a little bit, is used for the little bit older person, older priest. And then, they feel funny, you know, because they have some preconception and custom. And they come to the United States, before they try to open their mind to listen to what the American Buddhism is like. They are always biting. It's very funny, you know. So I just keep silence. Then they scold me again, you know.

[60:22]

Why did you keep silence? Well, I don't have enough time to poke my head into that conversation. Because they are always biting them like this. So at last I said, I'm sorry. That's all. But they don't look at themselves. Before they try to look at themselves, they blame others. Same problem, same things exist in Japan, but they don't blame. They have no doubt about the title of Hojo-san. The title of Hojo and Roshi

[61:23]

is really the same quality for us. Roshi is really the same quality for us. I was upset in the beginning when you started to call me Hojo-san. Who is Hojo-san? No, the Roshi. Who is Roshi? I was really upset. But now I understand. So it's pretty hard to see the mind. Mind is not a single being form. Huge.

[62:09]

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