Kasaya, or Okesa, had been called the robe of revelation. So, Robe of Liberation, or in Japanese, Gedapuku, in the first line of the Dasa Kesa, or Robe Chant, Daisai Gedapuku. This Gedapuku means Robe of Liberation. This is one of the many names of this robe, Okesa or Kashaya. Kesa in Japanese pronunciation is a transliteration of Sanskrit word Kashaya. So I use in this translation the word Kashaya. And all is Japanese way to call something in a kind of an honorific way. We put all on almost everything.

[01:07]

You know, we say, you know, water is omizu. Niu is water, but we say omizu. And cha is tea, but we say ocha. And there are so many things. Chopstick is hashi, but we say ohashi. We put almost everything on o, beginning of the name. This law of reservation, or dotappuku, can liberate us from all the hindrances, such as karmic hindrances, hindrances of delusional desires, and hindrances of retribution.

[02:09]

These are called hindrances or obstacles. Those are permanent hindrances, permanent actions. When we do certain actions, mistaken actions, It becomes hindrance to practice or to study or to be the student of Buddha and to wear the okesa. But this okesa has power or kudoku. Kudoku is virtue, merit or power. This otessa has the power to allow us to be liberated from the mistaken action we have done. And hinduism of voluptuous desires, or in Japanese, bonno, we have 108 bonnos.

[03:14]

You know, at the end of the year, New Year's Eve, we ring the bell, the Jewish temple bell, 108 times because we pray to illuminate all those 508 desires or delusive desires. And it said this kasaya or kashaya has a power or function or virtue or merit that help us to be liberated from those delusive desires. The most basic delusive desires are so-called three, four, nine, green desires. anger or hatred and ignorance. And kingdoms of retribution, because of the twisted karma in the past and how our way of life is influenced from that karma and that obstacle,

[04:39]

Even though we want to practice or we want to be students somehow, we don't have a chance to meet with any good teachers or those things. These are called clean hindrances or yasri hindrances. that this Kessaya has power to change or liberate us from those kind of hindrances. But if we think about myself, if we can meet the Kessaya, then it's not hindrance. So how can we meet the Kessaya or the Okesa Even though that orchestra has the power to liberate us from those hindrances, what happens if they cannot make orchestra

[05:46]

But it's more to me a serious question. I mean, even though I have been wearing orchestra for more than 30 years, sometimes I feel I never meet orchestra. Or sometimes I feel I lost orchestra. But still, how can I say? I'm trying to put on my Kessaya Okasa, you know, almost every day. And because of I think the power of this role, somehow I can return to that, you know, network of interdependent origination. So if I have to only rely on my willpower, my desire to practice, and my aspiration, you know, it's really difficult to continue to practice.

[07:00]

But this or means the network of interdependent donation because of the power or help from so many people and so many beings, I can continue to practice even though I have so many hindrances and we have so many difficulties in our daily life, to continue studying Dharma and practice the Dharma. So this, as I said yesterday, it doesn't necessarily mean this one piece of growth, but this is a symbol of this change. entire network of interdependent ordination that help us to live, to exist, to live, and to live in a most healthy way.

[08:06]

When a dragon gets a single strand of kashaya, It can be released from the free kind of heat. The dragon has three difficulties. One is very dry heat. The dragon lived in the ocean. And the dragon has a tower. Then the dragon had water. But then it was very hot and dry. The dragon has a problem. And another one is there's a kind of a big bird that eats dragons. So dragons are the food for the bird named Garuda. Garuda is a big bird.

[09:15]

And I forget the American, but dragon. Dragon is mentioned later, so I talk about what dragon really means. Then it appears later. So I don't talk much about dragon. Dragon can be released from their travel difficulties. Then dragon has its every strand of gashafil, strand of gashina. And when an ox touches Kashaya in its single home, its past wrongdoings disappear of themselves. This kind of a story, it's appeared in a commentary of the Lotus Sutra, but I can't find it. But there are many, you know, smaller kind of stories, so we don't need to find particular force of this example.

[10:26]

And when all Buddhas attain the Way, when Buddhas attain the Way, that means awakening, they all without exception wear kashaya. All Buddhas wear kashaya when they attain awakening. So we should know that receiving and maintaining kashaya is the most venerable and unsurpassable virtue. you know, then we see Buddha statues, all Buddhas wearing a okesa. But if we think in a historically, you know, okesa was invented after, you know, Buddha asked Ananda to make a design. We are not sure whether when Shakyamuni Buddha attained the way under the Bodhi tree, what kind of glory did he wear. So, you know, this is about faith.

[11:37]

So it's too much kind of, you know, local and intellectual, we know the point. But, you know, I'm very kind of a skeptical person, so I have so many questions. Anyway, and next paragraph. Dogen says, truly, although we regret that we have been born, that we have been born in the remote land, and for Japanese people, Japan is really remote from India, where Buddha was born. So somehow, Japanese people have kind of a, what's the word, inferiority complex toward the Chinese people that is closer to India.

[12:49]

But actually, at the time of Dogen Zenji, Dogen Zenji was the oldest Buddha from India. That was 13th century. And at the time of Dogen, they thought they lived in the very degenerative age of the last dharma. Last dharma is one of the three ages. This morning, Orson asked a question, but it said, first 500 years after Buddha's death, the first hundred years was called Age of True Dharma. And in this period, Buddha's teaching and people who practice, study and practice Buddha's teaching, and people who attain the awakening, all three are there.

[13:56]

But next 500 years, teaching and people who practice were there, but no one attained enlightenment or awakening. And the third age was called Last Dharma. That means only Buddha's teaching remained, no actual practice, and no one attained enlightenment. And in Japan, people believed that this age of Last Dharma began in the year 1052. That was the way how to come to the number of the year after the death are various.

[14:59]

So I don't have time to explain the numbers. But people believe that they lived in the last Dharma. So no matter how hard we practice Dharma to work, you cannot get any enlightenment. That was a very kind of a common idea of Japanese Buddhist in that time. But Dogen Renzi was the kind of original person who was against that idea. But here, as using the common idea of his kami, Dogen Renzi, they were in the age of last Dharma. But Dogen's point is even though we lived in that degenerative age, still we could encounter with this Buddha's role.

[16:06]

So we should be really happy about that. So he said, we can rejoice that we have encountered the Dharma, Buddha's teaching, and also not only Buddha's teaching, but we are still living within the network of interdependent organizations. So if we practice, there is no way that we cannot say there is no enlightenment or awakening possible. That is one of the most important points of his teaching, that practice and enlightenment are one. it has nothing to do with the quality of age. But when we practice wholeheartedly, enlightenment is already there.

[17:10]

So this practice of enlightenment one is his teaching that even our age is degenerating. Still, if we practice wholeheartedly, awakening is already there. So the point is whether we practice or not. We don't need to worry about the, you know, those three ages. And which other lineages have an authentic translation of both the Lord Dharma and... Both the Lord Dharma, I think, is not a good English. Originally, I said both the robe and dharma. So I have to fix this sentence.

[18:17]

So he was really happy that he could meet with this lineage, this tradition, through Nyozo Zenji when he went to China. So this is his expression of his gratitude that he received the lineage of genuine dharma from his teacher, Tendonyojo Zenji. Upon encountering this rogue dharma, Who do not venerate and make offering to eat? Venerate and make offering is a translation of . Ku and gyō both mean to respect, venerate.

[19:39]

And ku-yō is, I translate this as offering, but this has some explanation, I think. Ku means to offer. And yō is nurture. And this word, kuyo, is kind of an important word in any tradition of Buddhism. And it's a very kind of kuyo. And one of the kind of categories of kuyo, there are three. And one is offering material, not only material, but offering something to Buddha, Dharma, or Sangha.

[20:43]

For example, we offer incense. We offer the candle. We offer the flower. Those are kind of a kuyo. And that is first kind of Kuyo. And second kind of Kuyo is praising the virtue of three treasures, Duda, Dharma, and Sangha. So this is a Kuyo offering unnaturally by using words or speech so you know all the Buddhist texts is a kind of quill to offer to make offering to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha so almost all Buddhist texts in the very beginning this is what is the word

[21:56]

dedicated to Buddha or to Dharma or Sangha or to a particular person for the so-called particular thing. chanting we do during the services, morning service, evening service, and evening service, those service is also a kind of a quill, apparently, by reciting and praising Buddha's teaching. And the virtue or merit of this practice of chanting and praising Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha is dedicated to all beings. That is the meaning of the service.

[23:02]

That is the meaning of the echo of education. So morning service, not only morning, but any kind of service. There are many services or ceremonies, but those are all kind of offering and nurturing the Dharma. And this merit or virtue is dedicated to three treasures, basically. So it's not for the sake of receiving some merit to ourselves, but the fact we say, you know, after all the chanting and echo, we say, all Buddhas, throughout space and time, or... ten directions, three times and ten directions, and all being bodhisattvas, nahasattvas, and Mahaprajnaparamita, that we chant this, we practice this, and we offer our practice to all Buddhas and bodhisattvas and all dying.

[24:23]

So this is the second kind of kriyo. And the third thing is practice. Not braiding, you know, chanting is a kind of braiding through treasures. But then, you know, we practice them. And then we practice something. There are many different kinds of practice or activities. For the sake of Dharma, not only Dharma, for the sake of free treasure, all kinds of will are offering. Even our practice is offering to the free treasures. And of course, you know, we received some merit, but this merit that helped us to continue to practice and to continue to grow and mature within the Buddha way is also kind of offering.

[25:32]

And within the first kind of Kuyo to offer materials, of course, you know, making donations to the Buddha and to the Dharma means making donation, like writing a text or printing a text or publishing a text is a kind of Kuyo. So, you know, in Buddhist country, they people often make donation to publish Buddhist sutra. I think any Chinese people do, you know, and distribute the Buddhist text to the public. That is kriyo to the dharma. and make donation for the temples or sangha is also a Kuyo with three treasures.

[26:44]

And either ordain monk. traditionally don't have any materials to offer. So their practice is practice and their life, their way of life, and also their body and mind is offering to the Three Treasures. So when we encounter the three pleasures, because of our gratitude, we have not had to, but we cannot avoid to wish to make some donation or contribution to the Dharma. as repaying the kindness of Buddhas and ancestors and all people who, you know, sustain and continue, maintain the Buddha Dharma and allow us to participate to that movement.

[27:54]

So even if we have to discard bodily lives as numberless at the sand of Ganges River every day, we should make offerings to it. That means our life can be offering, and this time today we have to kill ourselves. But if we do things, spend our time and energy to for the sake of dharma or for the sake of free treasures, then this is a kind of a, you know, discard our body and life. And there are many stories about bodhisattva, you know, give up their body lives, you know. especially from the Ninja-Ataka stories. Later, during, not quote, not refer to one story, not one, at least two.

[29:12]

Yeah, one is okay. So I talk about that story later. So we should take a vow to meet with it, respectfully receive it, venerate it, and make offerings to it life after life, generation after generation. So this is our vow as a bodhisattva because of the appreciation of this teaching and practice and tradition, we try to make some contribution. And, you know, depending upon who we are, our tendency, capability, and interest, and parent, they might be different.

[30:26]

But, you know, as a Bodhisattva, we have to take four vows that we chant after this lecture. Those are called general vows. All Bodhisattva have to practice to fulfill those four vows. But those four vows is really endless. They have no time to complete, completely fulfill those vows. And this takes more than many lifetimes. But within this lifetime, using this particular body and mind condition, each of us has something we can do and we want to do. And my teacher Uchiyama Ueshi said his vow, kind of a personal vow, is to

[31:33]

like a text of the Zen that can be understandable to modern people. That means that in Japan, Buddhist texts are still Chinese. We never really didn't translate Chinese Buddhist texts into Japanese. But we invented the way to read Chinese as Japanese. It's not really a translation. So we use Chinese words or Chinese expressions. It's not really Japanese. But we think those are Japanese. You know, like is . is Chinese. But somehow we say in Japanese. And we think we understand what it is. But it's not Japanese, actually. And even the Buddha is not Japanese.

[32:42]

Even Dharma or Ho is not Japanese. Monks or priests is so, that is not Japanese. That's somehow because we have been using those Buddhist terms, Chinese Buddhist terms, for more than 1,000 years. We think those are Japanese. Anyway, so he wanted to write a text of Zen practice as a Buddha Dharma in the way modern Japanese can really understand. and he would like to produce a real or determined practitioner of Vazen. He said that was his vow in his lifetime. And as his disciple, I succeeded his vow.

[33:45]

And to me, to translate the text he wrote into English and share the teaching, keep teaching with American people, because I live in America, and practice together with American, practice together with American people, became my goal. And even though I'm not such a capable person, but still, I have been continuing, you know, working on this. And I'm still working on it. So, you know, this is the way I have been trying to offer or doing Kuyo to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. And yet, through this activity, I have been, how can I say, supported by so many people.

[34:54]

So this is really a kind of not one direction activity. I offer something, but because of my practice, my activity of offering something, I receive often and supported by so many people. So it's, again, it's a matter of supporting, being supported by all beings within the network of interdependent ordination. So by offering something, we receive offerings from others. That is what interdependent ordination means. We support each other. we expect, you know, something, we expect that we will receive offering or support from other people we offer.

[36:03]

That is a problem. Or if we do something in order to receive some return, that is not a vow. That is a kind of trade. So we should be careful about that point. As a motivation, our aspiration, making offerings. But as a result, we offer each other. So we offer and we receive. But that is how this Buddha Dharma has been transmitted. through many years and through many countries. Although we moved more than 10,000 miles from the country where the Buddha was born, it is difficult for us to go there such a long distance across mountains and oceans.

[37:15]

Because of the influences of our good karma in the past, we are not blocked by the mountains and oceans, and we are not rejected, though we are ignorant. So he expressed his joy or rejoice or delight that he could meet, encounter with dharma, this teaching and this practice, even though he was born in a remote country and lived in a degenerate age. And I also have the same feeling. In Japan, especially northern Japan, Buddhism is, in a sense, dying. And today, Japanese society is so much materialistic, they don't care about spirituality so much.

[38:21]

There aren't so many good teachers. I don't know why, but somehow I could need a very good living example even though I didn't know what the Dharma was. I first read my teacher's book when I was 17 years old. I knew nothing about Zen or Buddhism, but somehow when I read his book, I wanted to become his disciple because, pardon me, No. The book was first published. The title in Japanese was Ziko, that means self. And I'm sorry that it's not yet translated into English. Yeah. I need more time. Actually, that book,

[39:24]

made a very decisive influence to my way of life. When I was a high school student, I knew nothing about Zen or Buddhism, but somehow it was very attractive to me. And I was almost sucked in that way, and I wanted to live like him. That was all my karma. I don't know. I'm very, very fortunate or lucky. I don't think this is because of my virtue or my choice, that somehow I was sucked into that way. I'm really, you know, I keep forgetting one word. I'm trying to think. Do you mean like destiny?

[40:32]

Destiny? No. I forget. I remember sometimes. Not lucky or fortunate, but it plays away. So to encounter with this kind of routine is really, I think, rare. So we have to really appreciate our good fortune. Having worked with this true Dharma, we persistently study and practice it every day and night. We receive and maintain this kashaya, and we always respectfully protect and maintain it. Well, I think I have to go like this. So we have to go ahead and take care of our orchestra.

[41:37]

I have to go fast. And he said, this is not because of our effort or because of our choice. But he said, how could this be the effect of practicing the virtue under the guidance of only one or two Buddhas? who must have practiced all the various virtues under the guidance of Buddha's numerous other sons of the Ganges River. That means in our past lives, This is kind of a Buddhist idea, so if you don't want to believe it, you don't need to. But in our past lives, we have been practicing with so many Buddhas, with so many teachers, life after life, as Shakyamuni Buddha practiced as a Bodhisattva, life after life.

[42:49]

Otherwise, there's no reason we could encounter this teaching or this dharma. So even if it is ourself, even though that is done by ourselves, we should validate and rejoice in it, that our encounter with karma and our chance to practice with teachers and also with co-practitioners, we have to really, even though this is my life, I have to validate this life. You know, now she's taught teaching about our clothing, robe. And in Fushikohan Po she teaches about our bowl.

[43:52]

She thinks these are ours. But these are not really ours. But these allow us to be Buddhist children or Buddha's child. So it's to be really grateful, you know, You know, this particular orchestra was sung by my wife and sangha members. So this is a gift from many people. And now, you know, as a convention, this is mine. And no one complain about that, I think. But still, this is not mine. And not only that, because, you know, this is a gift from many people's willingness or aspiration to make clear to the three pleasures.

[45:07]

You know, I am really covered by a free treasure. So even though this is my robe, I need to generate this robe. You know, you have Oryoku. The Oryoku I have been using is given from my teacher when I was old age. The Oryoku, except the Buddha bowl, the first big bowl, The order is more than 30 years old. It's still there, and still I need to receive offering. So I think it's really fortunate that we can wear the robe we can venerate. And we can use the bowls, we can venerate and receive the food. When we receive food, we venerate.

[46:10]

This gratitude for this, you know, causes and conditions that we can somehow encounter with such a kind of a boundless teaching. we should humbly repay the profound debt of kindness to the ancestral masters for their translation of Dharma. Not only ancestral masters, but all people, and not only people, but all beings. You know, what a air, you know, all flowers, trees, all made often to keep this network of interdependent origination. So we should be really grateful toward all of these.

[47:17]

And then we live in that attitude and try to, you know, repay the great kindness of all beings. This world is a place to make offerings instead of to take something to me, for me, to make this person happy. That is the difference of what kind of quality of life. Usually, because of that education in modern society, You know, I think, at least in Japanese society, when I was a teenager, you know, I was expected to study hard, work hard, and go to a good school, and get a good job, and make, you know, a bit of money to make our desire fulfilled, to get satisfaction.

[48:29]

But this is kind of a taking by accomplishing things, by working hard. This is, you know, the final goal is to make this person happy, to fulfill this person's desire. And I felt when I was a teenager, I felt the entire Japanese society is one huge machine. And the school is a factory to produce the part of that machine. And if we work hard to be a good part, then we can be, you know, how can I say, get more income and spend a good life. But sooner or later we need to leave this machine or when the part doesn't work anymore, the part is just thrown away or replaced with other parts.

[49:43]

So we are really like a part of the machine. And I couldn't find any meaning to live in that way. So I wanted to escape. And that's why, you know, I started to start the way. And that was the time I read my teacher's book, and I found he had the same question, same problems, and he tried to find the answer to his original question, how is the meaning of life? how we can be truly in life. And he dedicated his life to find the answer. And after he found the answer, that was, of course, in his case, Zen practice, he continued to practice and share the practice with people who are looking for the way.

[50:50]

to me, you know, because I read many books on religions. I knew many, you know, spiritual teachers did in such a way that Richelieu was the first actual teacher, actual person I encountered. I think that was why I stuck to his way of life. Do you have something to say? This is a long story, but make it short. I had a friend, a classmate at my high school, and he knew someone who practiced with Uchiyama Roshiyama, Sawaki Roshiyama, and Taiji. So during the summer vacation, he went to Taiji, and he, my friend, had the same question as I had.

[51:57]

And that was the year which Amuro published his first book. So Sawakiri was still alive. That was 1965. I was 17 years old. So Uchiyama gave a copy of the book to my friend. And when he returned home, he allowed me to read the book. That's how I encountered his book. And somehow I wanted to become his student. I didn't know what it means. My platonite and myself wanted to visit Daichi to do a session. 70 years old. But fortunately, we couldn't go. At that time, maybe, you know, I had no desire.

[53:03]

But fortunately, I couldn't. And that was the fall of 1965. And in December of that year, Sakiroshi died. So fortunately or unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to meet Sakiroshi. And next year in February, that friend had some pain on his stomach, and he had surgery, and he died. In six years, he had cancer. That was really kind of a decisive experience to me. I really find in permanence the importance of living this moment.

[54:04]

This friend is a very talented person, very good person, and smart. And yet, when he died, I found that there was no reason. He had to die, and I wanted to die. Of course, there's a cause, but not a reason. So I thought, you know, that means I have to die any time. And I cannot complain, because he already died. And that means, that teaching taught me that I have to live moment by moment in a, how can I say, most fulfilled way. Fulfilled way or free.

[55:08]

Without, otherwise I need to regret. You know, if I wanted to, something I really want to do in the future, and I do something else. Then I have to die before I get that time, that time, occasion. But still I have to accept that death. That was what I thought when I was 17. So I have to make decision what I really want to do. And because I couldn't find any meaning to live in that kind of world, living as a part of money-making machine, I left that kind of world. In a sense, I escaped. And, you know, that was, you know, second half of 60s.

[56:11]

During that time, so many people, even in this country, kind of escaped from that kind of money-making machine. And in this case, those people are called hickies. So I'm kind of a same dog. I'm talking. Oh, anyway, we have to... repay the profound debt of kindness to the people who maintain that tradition or lineage or teaching and practice, the way of life. Otherwise, it's so difficult. I have to find this kind of life taught by Buddha or Dogen or my teacher. I think it took me my entire life. And when I found it, it's too late.

[57:14]

But because of, you know, because of this, you know, people have been transmuting, continuing this way of life, even as a small guinea, small, how can I say, within a small community. Because of that, I could find there is such a positive way to live, being free from self-attachment, not to for the sake of fulfilling my personal desire, living the way of life, being together with all beings. to live in such a way, especially how we have such an idea. I don't know how we can live in such a way. But because of the concrete kind of a tradition, somehow I could just

[58:16]

join or participate to that kind of wave. And I was really, really, actually really fortunate about that opportunity. So my activity or my vow is how can we, can I, repay that kindness, that kindness to the tradition and for my teacher and all the people who have been supporting my practice. Well, I'm still in the introduction. So the virtue of this Buddha robe and Buddha dharma cannot be clarified or known by anyone but an ancestral master who has succeeded to the Buddha's true dharma.

[59:31]

So Buddha's dharma has been succeeded transmitted by ancestors, or I think it's opposite. People who have been succeeded that tradition are called ancestors. But we should really respect and appreciate both people's life and practice. And Dogen's wish is even as 100,000 million generations later, We should appreciate this authentic transmission as the authentic transmission. That means we should not change, twist, but we should in the way we receive from the Buddha. This must be the Buddha Dharma, the verified efficacy. It should be always miraculous.

[60:32]

Here he continued to tell us that we should validate the tradition or people who have been transmitting this tradition. And we need to make some contribution, participate to that movement and make certain contribution. In this paragraph, he referred to a kind of a story about mixing water and milk. This is from the Mahayana Parinirvana Sutra. In that sutra, there's a story about a kind of a degenerate age. You know, the Dharma It's kind of diluted, watered down.

[61:45]

The story is a farmer got milk with a cow. And then the farmer sell the milk to someone. In order to get more income, put some water to get more money. And that person sell to the next person and put some water. And that person brought the milk to the city and add more water. And one person was trying to buy milk for some kind of party to prepare some delicious food. But the person could not find any milk other than that. very thin water milk.

[62:50]

So the person bought that milk and cooked, but it doesn't taste like milk. But Narasimha said, still the milk mixture or milk and water is better than something bitter. still it's still there's some still some milk and the sutra is saying in degenerative age you know when people put more water to the dharma and make kind of a dharma and practice but still water is permissible This mixture of water and milk is okay, even though it's weak and thin. But we cannot use another thing, like he said, something different from milk.

[64:04]

That is... Uchimura Shio-kun said Sawakiroshi was a really great teacher. And he was a really strong person. He was always scolding his students. And all people respect this person, Sawakiroshi. And people called Sawakiroshi as the last real Zen master. And Uchida Moroshi was very gentle and physically very weak person. He had T.D., so he was very weak. So he was not really like a traditional stereotype Zen master. So Uchida Moroshi always said, he, Sadokiroshi was like a rose flower. a beautiful flower, but he said it was like a violet, a violet flower, a tiny flower.

[65:23]

And the violet has no marketplace, so no one really appreciates the violet. The violet is small and has no marketplace, still it's pretty. And if we make judgment as a kind of a yardstick or marketplace, you know, the road is variable and the violet has no value. That's to for a violet to bloom the flower of violet is enough. We don't need to compare violet with roads. that violet should bloom real violet flower. If violet want to kind of pretend to be rose, even violet cannot bloom its own flower.

[66:27]

So, and I think I'm smaller than Uchiyama Roshi, so I'm smaller than violet. It seems getting smaller and smaller. But still, flower is flower. I don't need to compare with myself, with my teacher, or my, you know, grandfather, or with Dogen Zenji, or with Shakyamuni Buddha, or Bodhidharma. But my practice is to really bloom the flower of myself. So even though I am a kind of a mixture of a lot of water and little milk, But that is who I am, so I have to practice, accept that condition, and keep practice. And the people who practice with me have to drink that water, watering you.

[67:35]

But, you know, those people might be much greater than me. And Uche Morish, I really respect that point of Uche Morish. He respected and valued young people like us. And he always said, you might be greater than me. If we practice wholeheartedly for many years, that means you are still not so good. So I think there are hope or possibility, but really any young people, because of the possibility. So even in this age, we don't have such a great teacher like Buddha or Dogen.

[68:37]

But still, we have so many teachers. And it's really fortunate to encounter those teachers who have been trying to transmit this tradition. So you should be really grateful for that. Let me go to page 8. Paragraph 8. The Tathagata Shakyamuni entrusted the two dharma eye treasury, unsurpassable awakening to Mahakasyapa.

[69:38]

And Mahakasyapa received it together with the kashaya or okesa, authentically transmitted from Kashyapa Buddha. Kashyapa Buddha is from the very early stage of Buddhist history, even before the first division, separation of Buddhist Sangha into two kinds of schools called Theravada and Vajrasamhita. There is a kind of a belief that Buddha Sakyamuni was not the first Buddha. And Sakyamuni Buddha himself said he didn't create anything new. But what he awakened to is like an old castle, hidden and forgotten within the forest.

[70:50]

And Shakyamuni was the person who rediscovered that castle. That's all. So Buddhism or Buddhist teaching is not Shakyamuni's personal creation or production, but he awakened to the reality same reality as many of his so-called predecessors already found. And Buddhist thought there are six Buddhas before Shakyamuni. And including Shakyamuni, there are seven Buddhas in the past. And this Kasaya Buddha I'm sorry. Kashyapa Buddha was the sixth.

[71:53]

You know, when we recite our lineage, we start from Vidasivutsu Daiyosho. Vidasivu Buddha, or Vipasha, Vipassi Buddha, is one of, well, first of the sevens. Vidasivutsu Shikibutsu and Shakyamuni Buddha. Those are seven Buddhas in the past. And it said, here it said, you know, Shakyamuni Buddha received his okesa from Kasaka Buddha. You know, we don't know how long the past from the last Buddha to Shakyamuni, Amitāyapa Buddha and Shakyamuni. Instead, in the time of Nipashi Buddha, people lived in the 80,000 years.

[72:57]

People's longevity was 80,000 years. And the longevity gets shorter and shorter. And at the time of Shakyamuni, we only live at most 100 years. So getting, you know, shrink and shrink. And so the body in the past, in the time of past Buddhas might be much bigger than our body, but somehow getting smaller and smaller. So, and as a history, you know, this okesa was invented created by Shakyamuni and he was a disciple of Ananda. How could an orchestra transmit from Kasapavuddha to Shakyamuni? And how could he, you know, put on an orchestra, couldn't he attend enlightenment before it was made?

[73:57]

This is a very interesting question. And I think Dogen Zenji had the same question. And he asked to Yojo Zenji, you know, it's the Shakyamuni Buddha received the transmission from Kassapa Buddha. And was it true? And, you know, Kassapa Buddha was already gone before, you know, Shakyamuni was born. how such transmission was possibly for very kind of a political person. And they were then teaching that you should be in it. You should have faith in it. So I think it means if we think in a logical way, it's a kind of nonsense, a perfect nonsense.

[75:00]

So here, I think, this is my interpretation, that here, this okesa transmitted from Kashyapa Buddha, or even from Vipassi Buddha, for six or seven Buddhas, is, you know, this okesa as a network of interdependent orientation, or the reality of all beings. or Shoho Jisto in Japanese, and in Mahayana Sutra, it's the reality of all beings, or Shoho Jisto is the teacher of all Buddhas. So all Buddhas awaken to the reality of all beings, and that is Dharma. And this dharma is called kashaya or okesa. And that was transmitted from all the Buddhas of the past.

[76:14]

So I don't think we need to believe that a piece of clothes or fabric has been transmitted so many years. Well, so finally, in the last sentence of the instruction, he said, the method of washing the kashaya and the method of receiving and maintaining the kashaya cannot be known without studying in the innermost room of the tradition of the face-to-face transmission from a legitimate master to a legitimate disciple." So we don't really understand what kashaya means. Of course, Dogen then talks about this particular style of clothing,

[77:19]

And this is a tradition from Shakyamuni Buddha. within the Buddhist community. But this is not simply a piece of fabric. But this is a symbol of the reality of all beings. That is really Oketa. That is Kashaya. And the important point is that reality of all beings And also, this okesa is free from attachment, free from desire, free from craving, and it has no value. Later, Dogen then discussed why okesa had no value. It has a virtue, but no market value. I think that means very precious, but prices.

[78:24]

We cannot measure that value.

[78:28]

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