One could say that Zen meditation is world transformation, or is world transformation. I was going to say world transforming, but that would be like Zen meditation is this one thing and then world transforming is something it does. It's more like it is world transforming. It's not just about the practitioner doing the practice and transforming herself by the practitioner's practice, although it is that. The practitioner's practice is the transformation of others, just like the Buddha's practice

[01:44]

is the transformation of others. When beings are transformed, that's Buddha. And that's hard to understand. And there are some teachings about how that is so, but it's almost like it's the other way around, that how that's so is the practice. It's not exactly that we have this explanation to explain, but rather the explanation is just saying the way things are, and then the practice is in accord with that. So I've said before that each of us includes all other beings, so if my practice includes

[02:54]

all other beings, so my transformation includes all other beings, and also I'm included in all other beings, so again, my practice is included in your practice, in your life. And that's hard to understand and believe, but I'm putting that out there for you to contemplate that your life includes other lives, and your life is included in other lives, therefore your practice is the practice of others. But again, people often think, well, I'm practicing here and it's going pretty well for me, but what about the other beings all over the world? How does what I'm doing here relate to all the other beings in the world, in the universe?

[04:06]

Well, they're the same thing. The Buddha enjoys doing Buddha's practice, and Buddha's practice is other people enjoying their practice, Buddha's practice is other people enjoying practice, and Buddha enjoys that. So self-fulfillment for the Buddhas is other fulfillment. And sometimes people have an easy time understanding that, like you see someone who is self-fulfilled, and you feel totally fulfilled by their fulfillment. So easy for parents or grandparents, when they see the child fulfilled, they feel fulfilled

[05:13]

and nobody's particularly surprised by that, but it's like that, that when other people are fulfilled, that's your fulfillment. And you are fulfilled by that, that's like real, most excellent fulfillment. But then people we don't even know, we can't even see them, and it's harder for us to understand how it works. So I'm putting that out too for the meditation this year, of looking at practice as world transformation. And actually, other people who are not being fulfilled, their lack of fulfillment is also

[06:24]

other people's lack of fulfillment. So if someone's not fulfilled, everybody's included in their not-fulfillment. And their not-fulfillment pervades everybody. Even though Buddha understands that the people who are not fulfilled are actually realizing the Buddha way together with the Buddha, but they don't realize it. And their not realizing it affects everybody. And Buddha's realization that they are attaining the way with the Buddha affects everybody, too. Q. Would you like to end a little bit early tonight? A. Yes, at least one minute. Just so I can say, he ended one minute early because he was in pain.

[07:34]

He couldn't take it anymore. He just gave up. Q. What you say is the same when someone is in pain and exhausted. The same is when someone is fulfilled. We experience that pain. We would feel, as a community, better if we were able to get some rest and take care of the pain in her legs. A. Really? Really? Wow. You people are so something. But we had a good day, didn't we? Even though I'm a wimp. No, even though I'm not a wimp.

[08:41]

Really? Oh, great. We are embracing our wimpiness. Well, maybe I'll just take my screws and go. Anything else today? Everybody is fulfilled. I just have one thing to say. I'm interested in the word of speaking with people who maybe have different realities, and I think I'd rather change that language to different narratives, rather than thinking.

[09:46]

So I just wanted to check with you about that before I went today. Different narratives, fine. To see that we may have different narratives rather than we have different realities. Yeah, and also you can say different worlds. We have different worlds. Because narratives are worlds. Right, because I kind of want to take the reality out of that languaging. Oh, thank you. Give it to me now. Other people have different worlds, different stories, and a big part of this is attending and respecting their difference. Yeah. Thank you, I feel fulfilled now. Okay, well, maybe that's it then. Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you. May our intention equally extend to every being and place.

[11:00]

With the true merit of Buddha's way, beings are numberless. I vow to save them. Delusions are inexhaustible. I vow to end them. Dharma gates are boundless. I vow to enter them. Buddha's way is unsurpassable. I vow to become it. Thank you, Oscar.

[11:48]

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