The other day I described the word practice in English which is translated from Japanese shugyo, shugyo is the deed or action, a general word of Japanese practice, shugyo, if you put the word shugyo, shug, shug means refine, [...]

[01:10]

the general word, the deed or action which is called gyo, includes both good deed and bad deed, but when you say shugyo, using the word shu before gyo, this is the refined, refined practice, refined action, refined deed, then we translate the shugyo into English, the practice, just practice, I don't know exactly how deep meaning the practice, the word practice has, anyway in Japanese, shugyo is the refined practice, refined practice,

[02:23]

or if you use the technical words of Zen Buddhism, undefied practice, undefied practice, shugyo means undefied practice, so this is very important, very important practice. In Zuimonji, by Dogen, by Kong Ejo, Dogen's disciple, one day Kong Ejo, Dogen's disciple, asked him how our practice should be done. In order to practice, should we practice with mind or with the body?

[03:41]

This is a question, this is a question. The Master said, Master Dogen, Dogen said on another day, in what way can we attain enlightenment by mind or body? In what way can we attain enlightenment by mind or body? Those who are founded on scriptures say, mind and body are the same thing, and we can master, we can master Buddhism by way of the body. Because mind and body are one and the same.

[04:51]

Among them, there is a lack of definite information as to mastering Buddhism by way of the body. However, our Zen schools make it a doctrine to attain enlightenment by both ways. If they try to master Buddhism only by way of the mind, they will not be able to attain enlightenment after thousands and thousands of years of effort. When they come to stop the activity of the mind and give up knowledge and opinion, they will attain enlightenment. Reverend Lin Yun was spiritually awakened when he looked at the peach blossoms,

[06:10]

as was Reverend Haiyan En, when he heard a kick of a stone hitting a bamboo tree trunk. These masters attained enlightenment by way of the body. Therefore, give up thoughts, knowledge, and opinions altogether, and devote yourself to practicing Zazen. Then you will take heartily to Buddhism. So it may safely be said that the way to enlightenment runs through the body. This is why I hold that you should devote yourself to Zazen practice. What Dogen then wants to tell us is that other schools put the emphasis

[07:36]

on the practice with the body. But as Dogen then says, because adding something before the emphasis, we have to put the practice with the body. This is pretty good. But because, something adds after this statement, but because, this because and but is something like an excuse or explanation. Because, as Dogen then says, because mind and body are one and the same. And Dogen then says,

[08:45]

nobody says that our practice should be done by our body, that's all. Nobody says that. As the school says, you have to practice with your body. Because body and mind are one and the same. Something adds, something puts. Something is put after the statement. You have to practice with your body. But Dogen then wants to tell us, you know, practice, all we have to do is to practice with body. That's all. That's enough. No excuse, no because, no but.

[09:48]

No but. No explanation, no explanation that mind and body are one, mind and body are one and the same. It's not necessary. This is a very important point. The other day in Los Altos, I explained about how funny Buddhism is. Because Buddhism, since Shakyamuni Buddha, even in those days, Shakyamuni Buddha didn't put stress on some principle. All he had to do was to tell us, it is the self, it is the self to trust on. To trust on.

[10:52]

To trust on the truth. You trust on yourself. You study yourself. You have to do for yourself. Being aware of yourself. There is no particular principle. But for the twenty five hundred years, hundred years, anyway Buddhism transferred from India, through the Tibet, Korea and China to Japan. I don't know why. I don't know why the Buddhism transfer, Buddhism is handed down from generation to generation.

[11:56]

Other schools, other religions, have very different principles. You have to do something like this, according to the principle of religion. But Buddhism, Buddha didn't tell us, didn't tell us to put different stress on a certain principle. What you have to take into account. Then after my lecture one of the ladies asked me, Sensei, Buddha's experience about the eightfold truth, eightfold truth, right view, right think, right understanding, right effort, something like that. Eightfold truth.

[13:05]

Sensei, what do you mean right? What do you mean right? The Buddha explains the eightfold truth. You have to do good things. You have to do good things. What do you mean right? Sensei, it seems to me that the eightfold truth is something like the principle of Christianity. What do you mean? So I didn't answer this question. This is a good question. Number one, of course we can explain, according to Buddhism, the central philosophy of Buddhism, you can explain what right means. This right is not the idea,

[14:14]

according to the human speculation, right and wrong. But I don't want to explain what right is. But nobody says, you should do good deeds, that's all, that's enough. Whatever the meaning of right is. All you have to do is to do good things, to do right things. For instance, if you think it's something, if you think some activity, if you think that this activity is right,

[15:18]

then you should do it. You should do it. Of course you have eagerness, very strong eagerness, very strong ignorance. Not only you, everybody has. Everybody has very strong eagerness, very strong eagerness. But, I want to tell you, not I, I want, I want to tell you, not I, but this is the Buddhism, the Buddha wants to tell us. All you have to do is, to carry out doing something, when you think right, when you think right, that's enough. No but, no because. It is not necessary to put the excuse, such as saying but, because.

[16:23]

But this right, because, this right is not ideal, according to the common sense human speculation, good and bad. It is not necessary. You know some, a prince, a king, an emperor in China, asked the Zen master, what is the Buddha's teaching? What is the Buddha's teaching? I think you know this story. What is the Buddha's teaching? The Zen master says, don't do bad things, do good things. Do good things. The emperor studied, the emperor studied for a long time, by himself. So, do good things,

[17:26]

do not bad things, is a very simple principle. But this emperor expects a very deep, profound, meaningful principle, what Buddhism has. So he asked the Zen master, what is the Buddha's teaching? The Zen master says, do not do bad things, do good things. That's all. So the emperor says, how come? It's funny. So he says, such a principle, you know, even a child of three years, three years old, knows so well such a simple, simple principle. Do not do bad things, do good things. It is very simple. So he said, even a child of three years old,

[18:28]

knows so well, knows so well about it. Then the master says, even though the three years, a child of three years old, knows about it, the adult doesn't put it into practice. How come? At that time, this emperor didn't answer this question. Even though, the child of three years old, knows so well about it. Do not do bad things, do good things. But the adult, the adult didn't put it into practice. How come? And wherever you are,

[19:31]

wherever you are, the very profound, very strong, very strong illness you have, whoever, whoever must stand up on the earth, when you fall down on the earth, on the earth. So anyway, as long as your life endures, in this world, you have to always stand strictly on the earth. It means, you know, you think always, this is right, this is my own way, you know, you think always. But unfortunately, according to you, the illness, sometimes it is, it's a life view,

[20:33]

life view of point, which emerges from your experience, based on the illness, or illness. But your effort is your effort. So your effort makes you stand up strictly on the earth. This is pretty good. But unfortunately, unfortunately, you happen to fall down on the earth. Nobody knows when you, you have to fall down on the earth. But at that time, you have to stand up, you have to stand up, you have to get up from the earth. The earth means not to the, you know, the certain principles. The earth is

[21:36]

the earth where, on which everybody stands firmly, strictly. As long as you have to get up from the earth, from your life, from your ignorance, from your ignorance, forever, I think you have to, you have to make, make effort to stand up, to get up from the earth. From the earth means your ignorance, your ignorance. The ignorance, ignorance itself is not ignorance. Just you think,

[22:36]

my ignorance is not so good. But ignorance itself is not so good, not so bad. Then, according to the rightful truth taught by Buddha, the principle of right, right is not the principle, not the principle given by, given by some, given by religion, given by Buddha, given by God. This right, this right is coming up this right coming out from, coming out from your deep experience of religion,

[23:38]

deep experience of your practice. The more you practice, the more your practice is deepening, getting deep. At that time, at that time, the more you need, you need some principle, right, some principle, some principle for your life. So this principle is not the merely principle given by, given by the Buddha or God, a certain religion, which will be, which will control human life. The principle doesn't exist before human being, the existence of human being. In Buddhism,

[24:39]

even Buddha, the idea of Buddha or Amitabha is not, is not the absolute. It should emerge, emerge from the deep experience of your practice, religious practice. This is very important. Then, the right, the answer, according to the, according to the one already questions, what does, what does, what does eightfold truth mean? It looks like Christian, Christianity. But you said, Kathy Sensei said that the Buddha didn't put stress on a certain principle, but here is, here is a certain principle, eightfold path, eightfold truth. What does,

[25:42]

what does right mean? She thinks always there's something principle here, you know. Here is principle and we look at this principle and you, she thinks, she thinks we have to follow this principle. At that time it's, it's really principle. It's really principle that human being follow this. In Buddhism even principle, even, even, even though, even though Buddha teaches many principles, emptiness or four noble truth or eightfold path, eightfold truth or twelve causations, many things, but it is, they are not merely principles. When you,

[26:46]

when you, when you practice, when the practice is deepened, at that time you can accept, you can accept these. You can accept them as principle, as principle. Now when you, when the practice is deepened you need, you need the principle, you need the principle. So practice is, practice is principles. Practice itself is identical with the principle itself. So, as Togen then says, of course mind and body is one and same. Then, with our mind, only with

[27:46]

our mind, it is alright, it is alright to practice only with our mind. Togen says, you don't understand, you cannot ever understand what, what your life is, what Buddhism is. If you try to understand with your mind, of course the mind and body is same and one, but concretely how should we practice? Can you distinguish between two? I am now practicing with my mind. Next moment you think, oh, I am practicing with my body. Next moment, oh, I am practicing with my mind. Next moment, oh, I am practicing with my body. It's really

[28:46]

impossible. Concretely, how should we practice? How should we practice? Whoever you are, whoever you are, all you have to do is to practice with body, that's enough. That's enough. Whatever you are, however, whatever the deep, strong ignorance or ignorance you have, as long as you stand up, you stand up on the earth, you have to remain, you have to manage to stand up on your earth, on the earth. This earth based on your ignorance or eagerness. Then, that's why I said, as before said, if you think you should do something, you should do something

[29:46]

and carry out. When you think it is right, it is right. That's enough. Of course, in the side of another viewpoint, probably your practice may not, may not be right. That's okay. When you are aware of, it is aware that it is not right, you should correct, you should correct your activities. Then, Dogen then says, when they come to stop the activity, our Zen schools makes it the doctrine to attain enlightenment by both ways. If they try to master Buddhism only by way of the mind,

[30:47]

they will not be able to attain enlightenment after thousands and thousands of years of effort. You will not be able to attain enlightenment after thousands and thousands of years of effort.

[31:07]

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