Good evening, everyone, can you hear me? Okay, I want to speak tonight about song. And energy specifically by energy. Referring to your part of me to. Transcendent practice of. Energy gives me as a vitality. So, like the rest of the world, our. Song is still in recovery from the pandemic. Doing fairly well, but, um. Yeah, we have to acknowledge that. We're here and. Where's that? No, I'm not lying. And this is pretty well for that. We had a ceremony yesterday here. Uh, some of you would be. Passive by the hungry ghosts and.

[01:08]

And to commemorate wonderful people who asked him last year. And we're continuing with our practice and practice. And, uh, let's go here. So, part of the practice of some of the. Is developing energy. Developing enthusiasm spirit. I'm telling this happens in various ways. It's part of. A practice of just physically. Being present and upright, allowing. Our energy and spirit to arise. This is something we do together. So, that is about mutual support.

[02:10]

So, just sitting here together. In various ways. We feel. And we're encouraged by each other. And our practice includes that we support and encourage each other and. We're seeing support and encouragement from each other. This is apart from. You know, our evaluations are critical judgments. Ourselves and each other, and that was good. And that was a bad. That's all irrelevant. Of course, I'm walking by and there's that. But it's not the point, it's not what our practice is really about. So, this is if you actually talked about. Constantly losing our balance against the background of perfect balance. So, and in connection, we saw what.

[03:16]

We get some sense of that background. So, these are trends and practices. I support each other. Maria or. Is 1, 6 or 10. Counting them. And it connects with. Other consented practices. But 1st, just to say that part of the practice of. Energy is to. With everything and to pay attention to what's happening. To realize it when we feel. Some loss of energy. Part of the practice of energy is to notice that. And then. It's awesome as the practice.

[04:19]

You can feel where to your eyes. We can. When we're feeling. No, we can't. These are things that. Raise our energy. And we're feeling. Over excited. And what the line is. Something more. Come along. Settle. Lowering our body. And this is a healthy practice. It's not about some particular. Technique, it's about just being aware. So part of. How. This practice for enthusiasm works is where the primary consistency for it, which is called shunting your patients. How do we. Be patient. And. Difficulties in the world.

[05:23]

And the difficulties in. With each other and with our friends, family, neighbors and difficulties in our own body. Patients with some discomfort in our shoulders, hips, our moves, how do we just be present with that patient and in the midst of. Concern about. A lack of energy or lack of. Just staying with it. And. Tolerate the difficulty. And notice our interest of. Fundamentally, this. And what and allow that to. Be present. So. There are 6 or 10 transcendent practices like this, and they all go into each other. So these are active practices.

[06:25]

Patients is not passive. Pay attention. Being aware of noticing when. Our energy is. Lower, where I want to do it excited or. Never, I just notice it. What's. What's going on. Everybody in line and in our sense of the world around us as well. How do we do patient. And it sounds like a rating. to allow energy to arise, to respond to whatever situation is in front of us, to do that from our center of balance. Another one of the first of the transcendent practices is generosity. So, Sangha is about being generous with each other, being kind, giving to each other and

[07:36]

to ourself, noticing kindness, noticing our own possibilities for caring and kindness to ourself and to others, appreciating others, appreciating ourself. This generosity, you know, is relevant in terms of Sangha, in terms of how do we support Sangha. Some of us are currently working on our Ancient Dragon Year-End Letter fundraising. So, working on this letter, which you will all see, summarizing the current situation in the year 2022. And so, how do we respond to that generosity, part of dharma and part of the generosity

[08:36]

is just being generous and supporting Sangha financially. But also supporting Sangha just by your presence or by taking on some position like Adam is today as leader or Gary is as technic. So, we take on roles to support each other. How do we give to Sangha? And how do we give to Sangha in the widest sense? To, you know, a particular Sangha and to correct it the same way here, but also Maha Sangha, to all the different communities that we are interconnected with. So, each of us has a variety of additional Sanghas through people and groups that we

[09:38]

are connected with. Through our sense of this generosity. All of this, this generosity helps support our own enthusiasm. When we shut down and don't care about caring and giving kindness to others as well as to ourselves, our energy drops. How do we allow patience and tolerance to support our energy as a group and each of us and each other? So, in the song of the Grant Scott, who just chanted, which is about the space of practice, the space of the center, the space of Sangha, there are many lines that are more important.

[10:41]

I'm just talking about that, that Karen should tell one about it, the ancestors, where I originally, you know, thinking about one line of energy, focused on much support. But generally, I don't know, I can't tell for, I can't tell who are doing it, whether it's a parish or not. So, we need to sustain this Sangha. I want to feel pretty good that we are dealing with transitions, that we are, we have a lot of really good caring people. Helpful people like Sangha. And new people coming. So, Nick, Daryl, Karen, Nancy, whatever the others are there. And thank you, the Dogang Seminar, I think for the first time. Anyway, how do we support each other? How do we welcome new people?

[11:44]

And then I can't stop wondering whether it's a parish or not, perishable or not, the original master is present. And that line, it really doesn't actually involve a lot, initially, when I translated this, it takes a lot, actually, a lot. So, it's by Chito, who also, the Sangha card, the eight different Sanghas, but this original master, you know, at first, I thought, well, maybe it's a Shantung Buddha, maybe it is, but also, I think this refers to the Dogang, the fundamental Buddha that is all of us, and that each of us is an expression of the whole body of the phenomenal world. As Buddha, the whole, everything, everything we've ever thought or said or heard or acted

[12:57]

with is a reflection of this Dharma body, this fundamental reality, this original master. And we don't necessarily realize that, and it's, I mean, obviously, it is, of course, there's also original, colloquial outcomes of that, but fundamentally, there's a wholeness to this world, to this reality, to this cosmos. So, we have a, our first Lohatsa Sashi in December, purchased by the Lohatsa Sashi since 2019, a sign of our cover of Mahabharata. So, for the government, we'll be reading this, and we'll be talking about,

[14:03]

what I think of, by Kaur and Edjo, they'll give us a cycle, but it's an expression of something the government would have expressed, the Samadhi of the treasury of radiance. Radiance is not light as opposed to dark. David Reagan has asked me about this often. It's not about just light, it's not about just dark, it's like this original master is present, something fundamental. He is present from each of our seats, and we may not realize it, but we are present from each of our seats. And we may not know how to express it, but this is the source, actually, the source of energy. But now, it's really fundamental to our acceptance and provision. This text that we will be talking about, Lohatsa Sashi in December,

[15:12]

we won't get to all of it, it's a long text, but it's fundamental, and it goes back to the Flower Island Sutra, the Yama Tathagata Sutra, or Banyan Buddhism, what came out of it in China, but didn't go to Japan, and it's kind of in the background, except there's a quote from a teacher actually, and she was talking about it a lot now, and won't be all there. And we have a Friday evening monthly reading group meeting, which is coming Friday, the first Friday of the month, so everyone's welcome. It's at seven o'clock, and we just read it around, and anyway, it's a very massive sutra. But this is the background teaching, it's what they're saying.

[16:19]

And the similarity of the treasury of radiance really comes out of it, and again, it's kind of the background, except there's a Sutra about her in China, at Dongshan, where it's said to be the sixth ancestor of the Banyan school. Anyway, this teaching is about the way in which Buddha is here. Not necessarily Shakyamuni Buddha, which is in Hiroshi, or Darwin's engine, but just the Buddha that is on the machine. And our practice of Soset, and sustaining that practice of Soset, is about learning to trust that, learning to allow this original Buddha to be present in our lives.

[17:29]

And this fundamental Buddha is also about Sangha, very much so. How do we do this together? How do we support each other? How do we support our own and each other's energy and enthusiasm? You know, when you do this practice regularly for a while, for years or decades, there are times that it feels kind of dull and boring, when one finds oneself on a plateau in practice. That's one of the challenges. How do we sustain our energy and enthusiasm? About caring. About caring about our lives, about caring about the world, about caring about each other. And, you know, sometimes that takes a little work.

[18:40]

How do we be patient when we feel dull or bored or whatever? So, this practice is not about reaching some, you know, super, being a super mental state. Shidzo Sekita, our deputy, who wrote the Dhamma for Great Success, says in the Hanu-Nibbida, the same as merging with, I'm supposed to say, merging with oneness. It's still not enlightenment. We have to express this energy, this kindness, this enthusiasm, in our lives and the world. And whatever way our lives function, that's what this practice is about. How do we share our energy? How do we, and how do we receive the energy of others? This is what Sangha is about.

[19:46]

We support each other in specific ways as well as we need to do. So, just to close, I want to talk about how Sangha is open to the world, open to everything in the world. And this is very challenging. You know, each of us is in a different place in our lives and sometimes we must dig into our own antichristic karma. We come into it with it and we kind to ourselves. But also, we don't use the practice and our experience and awaiting as a kind of escape, as a kind of spiritual bypass. This is what's called, how do we know this was going on in the world?

[20:47]

So, my friend and mentor, Joanna Mason, talks about Sangha as an iron of insanity. How do we, in a world where there's a lot of insanity, but there's a lot of craziness, we don't know that. How do we stay open to kindness and generosity in our community and with all the other communities? So, what I'm going to say now is it's not about politics at all. It's about precepts, it's about showing it's about benefiting all the beings. It's about how do we support each other. So, I have to say something. I need to say something for myself, but for everyone about the situation in Gaza now, whether it's genocide or ethnic cleansing right now. And this is not to in any way

[21:59]

support or the horrible attacks that Hamas did on Israel, but the reaction of the Israeli government, sponsored by the United States government, we have to say, the weapons, the international support. In Gaza now, there are children killed every 10 minutes. What's happening there, it's just horrible. Almost all the other countries in the world, the United Nations had called for a ceasefire, and that call was vetoed by the United States. So, I'm contacting my colleagues, President and Senators, and we're all welcome to do that if you wish. To support, to inspire. There now are calls for that and demonstrations,

[23:10]

and civil disobedience in cities all around the world. So, again, you know, I'm talking about this in a couple of bits, but how do we take care of our energy, and our enthusiasm for life, and for caring, and for supporting, for benefiting all humans. I've already answered enough, but what's happening there, it's really horrible. Hospitals are being bombed by the Israeli government. And this is an echo of something that happened to us. We talk about this as Israel's 9-11. I remember our 9-11 in New York, and initially, you know, the country came together, and then decided on a policy of revenge. So, we invaded Iraq, which had nothing to do with 9-11,

[24:17]

and that destabilized the whole region. That led to what's happening there. So, again, I mention this to encourage not only 9-11 senators, and looking at what's happening, responding as best we can. So, caring for energy, caring for our vitality, caring for kindness and patience, means being willing to discuss these things, which now, in this country, around the world, people are being punished and losing their jobs for even mentioning the genocide. That's not anti-Semitism. Anyway, I could say a lot more about this,

[25:21]

but maybe I'll stop now, and again, remind us that showing that energy is about mutual support, about caring for each other and ourselves, about being upright together, and this is something we'll continue. So, I didn't want to talk too long, and maybe I'll just stop. I think you should, hearing any comments, responses, about our talents, and how we take care of them. So, thank you all very much for the comments, responses. Yes, Lee. Thank you for a wonderful talk. It was very energizing for me. I know what

[26:38]

intent it is. Yeah, I've been directing a lot of my energy lately towards the sangha, and I really have felt that just reflected back at me by everyone here in this wonderful way. I see how enthusiastic everyone that shows up is, and it's been really wonderful for me, I think. To echo your sentiment, I think we're doing really well right now. I think we're really thriving. You know, this past calendar year in particular, I think it's been wonderful for us. So many new people, and I feel that energy bubbling up in our sangha, just, you know, in the process of exploding out. It makes me hopeful, and excited, and happy for the Dharma. I think we're just getting started. What are the comments or responses?

[27:44]

And, you know, being an island senator, it's important that we can talk together. We don't have to be alone. I appreciated your talk about the sangha being a group of God. But I also wanted to talk about the situation in Gaza, and share your horror at the death of the migrants. But I have to disagree with you when one's referred to what's going on there. It's genocide, ethnic cleansing. The Jews now have a pretty good idea of where genocide is, and have no interest in exterminating the Palestinian people. This isn't like the extermination of Jews during World War II,

[28:54]

or Gypsies, or gay people, or the Black Bats in Rwanda. Maybe 15 or 20,000 people have died in Gaza so far. That's a horrible thing. If Jews wanted to commit genocide, they have the ability to do that, and we have not. So I think it's better to look at the violence and the death, and to perhaps disagree strongly with what the Israelis are doing. But I think it obscures thinking about the situation, to call it genocide and ethnic cleansing. Thank you, Douglas. And we can agree to disagree. And I hear you. And I might be the only Jewish person in the room. And I think this is important, as we think about this, as a country, as a people, as a world,

[29:55]

to separate Jewish people and anti-Semitism from opposition to what the Israeli government does. So, you know, this is a Dharma talk. I don't want to get too much into, you know, policy stuff. But it's actually part of what we are facing now in the world. And how do we look at what's happening in terms of being open to cruelty? There are hospitals being bombed, they're threatening with bombing. So, you know, war is horrible. All war is horrible. But in modern times, as it were, civilians are more victims. And

[31:05]

the international law defines killing civilians as war crime. And I don't know, I don't think the Israeli people necessarily want to do, as a whole, want to do genocide. But people in their government have basically said that, I don't want to say genocide, but meeting people in their government, maybe not in those rooms. On a personal note, this is about five years since the massacre, largest massacre of Jews in the United States, at the Tree of Life, in Pittsburgh. And I grew up a few blocks from

[32:09]

there and it's by Mexico. I went to Hebrew school, and I think studying Hebrew helped me do translations of Dogan and Hongsha, and studying Chinese characters because I was used to a non-English, non-Arabic lettering system. Anyway, I had a high school class in that camp. And there's this phrase, not in our name, and I think there's been demonstrations around the world, actually, by Jewish people saying that simulating or attacking civilians in Gaza is not proportional to the promised territory. And I also, you know, I sympathize with Israelis who remember that not all cops will care about trying to protect civil liberties.

[33:16]

So it's difficult. It's difficult. I appreciate that. Douglas, thank you for expressing what you want. And, you know, what these wars, genocide, I don't know, whatever definitions, there are legal definitions for those things, but I think what's happening in Gaza now is terrible. And attacking Gaza and civilians is not going to help people. I'm trying not to talk about this in such a point, but how do we see it in terms of protection, in terms of not killing, in terms of benefiting all the world? Patience. Patience. Thank you. Well, I, you know, thanks. I've just been mulling it over. Well, I wasn't quite ready to speak yet either, but I am now. I think that we are,

[34:23]

what I'm really noticing is the power of language and the power of the words that we use. And I think that especially when things are so tense and polarized and there's so much unrest, the words that we use, maybe we should choose some very careful. And I was thinking about, you know, not holding to fixed views and doubt with insight. How can we use our, how can we, how can we speak maybe in such a way that the words that we use can promote peace and not divide further? Thank you. Yes, and yes, how do we, how do we support negotiation, discussion, and words that are inflammatory? I was just thinking, you quoted the Metta Sutta, and Taimi and I have been discussing

[35:30]

doing a Metta, kind of, Metta, you know, Metta Sutta service on, I think, the 17th of December, but every six weeks or so, that might be oriented towards peace and appropriate caring and response to the difficulty in the world. At the same time, there's so much difficulty. There's also so much love. And the people, I think all of us have broken hearts about this situation, about so many situations, that, you know, it's just not a good idea to give humans weapons. We are, we have very poor impulse control. And, you know, it's, you know, people have sat a little while before they've constructed a lot of this stuff. The world might be a better place, but now we live with what we have. And, you know, I think our Sombra has the strength that we have,

[36:37]

you know, we've sold the peace trains, we've gone to demonstrations, you know, but I think we've developed this warm, caring heart. And I think about the energy rising, you know, we now have energy to actually elevate Buddha on the altar. It took us a year to get that going. We actually have a couple pieces of artwork on the walls, which is a great effort to raise one tier and found they are the Dragon Gate. And I want to thank Brian Taylor, who actually installed these pieces at my request, and Taigen's request. But, you know, slowly, you know, I think, wow, you know, if everybody moved as carefully and slowly as the ancient dragon, the world might be a little kinder. But it's not. And we do our vows together. But I do think that there's something about, you know, in our dedications when we chant,

[37:38]

and when we sit on our cushions and so on, we dedicate any merit, we dedicate our effort to the well-being, to peace pervading the world. And, you know, I thank everyone for your energy and encouragement around this, because we all knew it, the world we exist. Thank you for bringing forward this issue, even though I know it's such a hard thing to touch or to turn away from. Yes, turn away. And there is a massive fire for sure. Early. As you were saying, you know, we have just been afraid of these assault rifles, easily available, people who were disturbed using them in such horrible ways. Anyway, so it's a dangerous world. And yet, I also want to more, and so what you said,

[38:45]

it's so many people all over the world wanting and trying to express love and kindness and caring. This is true. This is also true. So, is there someone else who wants to add something? Yes. So, I think you touched on something really important when you specified that talking about the policies of Israel should not be conflated with the opinions and actions of Jewish people on the whole. It's exactly the same sort of mistake to say, like, to talk about, like, American Republicans and use the word Christians for them. Like, it's the whole, like, square rectangle thing. All squares are rectangles. No rectangles are, you know, not all rectangles are squares. So, like any government,

[39:50]

the people that are in it are the people that want power. And the people that want power are the people that want to hold on to power. And people that want to hold on to power will do so. So, that's something that I really appreciated. And a lot of all the people who want power, and all the billionaires who want more and more and more. Not to stereotype all billionaires, but I'm sure there are people who care about them. I love them like squares. Yeah, yeah. Thank you. I wonder if there's anyone online. I don't think I know everyone online. And I don't know if it's people's first time here, but maybe it's

[40:54]

anyone who's new, Jewish, where you are. John, you're in Chicago, right? Yeah, I'm outside of Chicago in Wheeling. Yeah. Nick Brown is a person. Yes, welcome, welcome. Nick, where are you from? I'm from Hampshire. I'm not sure if anyone will know. It's a small town. I'm about like an hour from Chicago. I came in person maybe a month or two ago, but had just been a little busy. So, coming back online now. Thank you. Great. You're very welcome. Yeah, wonderful talk. So, thank you. Welcome. You know, it's interesting thing is I feel very strongly about supporting autistic online sangha. Mark has talked eloquently about this, because he's here down in New Mexico.

[41:57]

It's probably the furthest way personal, though. Elliot, where are you now? Are you in California or Chicago? I am currently in New Hampshire. Oh, great. I spent some wonderful time in my own childhood in New Hampshire. So, yes, any of you online have anything you would like to add to this discussion? Okay, well, we will continue trying to be an island of sanity and support each other. Be kind and generous and caring and alert.

[42:50]

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