Good morning, everyone. This morning, I start page 9, paragraph 19. Let me read several paragraphs. Shakyamuni Buddha said, The unsurpassable awakening of all bodhisattvas entirely belongs to this sutra. This sutra opens the gate of expedient means and reveals the true and genuine reality. All bodhisattvas mentioned here are all Buddhas.

[01:01]

All Buddhas and bodhisattvas are not different. Neither is elder or younger. Neither is superior or inferior to others. This bodhisattva and that bodhisattva are not two separate persons. They are neither self nor others. They are not individual persons in the past, present, or future. Rather, becoming Buddha is the dharma style of the practice in the path of bodhisattva. Bodhisattvas become Buddhas at the moment of arousing body-mind and become Buddhas at the stage of wondrous awakening.

[02:08]

There are bodhisattvas who have become Buddhas countless hundreds, thousands, and millions of times. Those who say that, after becoming Buddha, bodhisattvas quit the practice and they have nothing to do anymore, are ordinary human beings who do not know the way of Buddha ancestors. Those who are called all bodhisattvas are the original ancestors of all Buddhas. All Buddhas are the original teachers of all bodhisattvas. The unsurpassable awakening of all these Buddhas, whether it was practiced, verified in the past, it is practiced, verified in the present, or it will be practiced, verified in the future,

[03:14]

whether it is practiced, verified before body or after mind, the beginning, the middle, and the end are entirely this sutra. That belongs to, and that is belonged to, are both this sutra. At this very moment, this sutra verifies all bodhisattvas. The sutra is not sentient. The sutra is not non-sentient. The sutra is not doing. The sutra is not non-doing. However, when verifying the awakening, verifying the person, verifying the true reality, and verifying the sutra itself, it opens the gate of expedient means.

[04:20]

The gate of expedient means is the unsurpassable virtue of the fruit of Buddhahood. It is Dharma dwelling in the Dharma position. The forms in the world abide forever. The gate of expedient means is not a temporary capability. It is the study of entire ten-direction world. We hold the true reality of all beings and study it. Even though this gate of expedient means is manifesting itself as the entire ten-direction world, within the entire ten-direction world, unless we are not all bodhisattvas, it is not our environment. Shufen Wasepo said,

[05:24]

The entire great earth is the gate of revelation, but people are not willing to enter, even they are dragged. Therefore, we should know that even though the entire earth and entire world is the gate, it is not easy to exit and enter. There aren't many who have exited and entered. Even when they are dragged, they do not enter, they do not exit. When they are not dragged, they do not enter, they do not exit. Those who try to take forward steps and enter will make mistakes. Those who try to take backward steps will stagnate. What can we do? When grabbing the people and trying to make them getting in and out of the gate,

[06:29]

they are getting far and far. When grabbing the gate and trying to put it into the people, there is a possibility to get in and get out. OK. Here, Rogen Zenji quotes another passage from the Lotus Sutra. That is, Shakyamuni Buddha said, The unsurpassable awakening, this is Anuttara Samyak-sambodhi, of all bodhisattvas, entirely belongs to this sutra. This sutra opens the gate of expedient means and reveals the true and genuine reality. This statement is from

[07:32]

the tenth chapter of the Lotus Sutra, entitled in Japanese, Hōshī, Hōshihon. Hōshī means Dharma teacher. It is interesting what this Dharma teacher means, refers to. It seems this Dharma teacher are not monks, but somehow they teach Dharma. This is a bodhisattva Dharma teacher. I'm going to, Hōshī, Hō, Dharma teacher. Hōn means chapter.

[08:36]

Chapter. Anyway, I'm going to talk about that point today, this morning, later. And here, Rogen Zenji is saying, bodhisattva, in the next paragraph, bodhisattvas and buddhas are identical. Here, he puts emphasis on the identity of cause and result. So, bodhisattva is practicing, practicing as a cause to become Buddha. So, bodhisattva is in a position of cause, and buddhas are in a position of result. When bodhisattva completes the practice, bodhisattva becomes Buddha. Because of the principle of ultimate identity of all ten suchness, cause and result identity,

[09:40]

that means bodhisattvas who are practicing in order to become Buddha, and the Buddha who has completed that practice are identical. That is idea. So, here, Rogen puts emphasis. Our practice as bodhisattva and Anuttara Samyaksa Bodhi, or Buddha, are identical. But in another place, he said, bodhisattvas are not Buddha. He also said, ancestors in our lineage are bodhisattvas and are not Buddha. So, here, he emphasizes the identity of cause and result. But in another place, he said, cause and result should be clearly distinguished. Yes.

[10:43]

Please. Relate to what they're doing, and that's why he distinguishes it. So, if they're Dharma teachers... I'm not talking about Dharma teacher. I'm talking about bodhisattva, the practitioner, and the Buddha. So, I'll talk about Dharma teacher later. So, here, Rogen said, all bodhisattvas mentioned here are all Buddhas. All Buddhas and bodhisattvas are not different. Neither is elder or younger. Neither is superior or inferior to others. So, they are completely identical to each other. And this bodhisattva and that bodhisattva, you know, there are many bodhisattvas, and all those bodhisattvas are not two separate persons. They are neither self nor others.

[11:46]

It means all are manifestation of true reality of all beings. In that sense, you know, all bodhisattvas are not individual persons. And according to the commentary on the Lotus Sutra, this bodhisattva and that bodhisattva refer to bodhisattva in the land of Shakyamuni and bodhisattvas in the land of other Buddhas. Identical. You know, I'm from Japan. I was born and became a Buddhist and ordained and trained in Japan and came to this country. Probably, you know, and you are American, and you study and practice Buddhism in America, so I'm this bodhisattva and you are that bodhisattva.

[12:49]

But we are doing the same thing. There are not individual persons in the past, present or future. Rather, becoming Buddha is the Dharma style or the practice in the past, I'm sorry, in the path of bodhisattva. So, bodhisattva becoming Buddha, that is, you know, within cause and result. But, next sentence he said, bodhisattvas become Buddhas at the moment of arising body-mind and become Buddhas at the stage of wondrous awakenings. There are bodhisattvas who have become Buddhas countless hundreds of thousands of millions of times. This is a kind of strange thing.

[13:54]

A bodhisattva becomes Buddha many times. In a... Pardon? Oh, I'm sorry. I don't understand what he's talking about. You know, it's a kind of interesting thing. As a common understanding, a bodhisattva first arises body-mind. That is the starting point of bodhisattva practice and practice according to Mahayana Buddhist teaching from the starting point of arising body-mind and until the reach to the Buddhahood, there are 52 stages. And, when Dogen said, a bodhisattva becomes Buddha at the moment of arising body-mind,

[14:56]

that is a starting point. And, become Buddhas at the stage of wondrous awakening. This wondrous awakening is a translation of Nyo-Kaku-Chi. Nyo-Kaku-Chi. Chi is a translation of Sanskrit word Bhoomi. That means Bhoomi. That means stage. And, Nyo is wondrous, like a Nyo-Ho, and Kaku is awakening. So, stage of wondrous awakening is 52nd stage, the final stage. Next is Buddhahood. So, what Dogen is saying is, when a bodhisattva arouses body-mind,

[15:59]

at this moment, bodhisattva becomes Buddha. And, from starting point to the goal, it takes, it said, it takes three, Sandhya, three Maha-Sanghika. That is Kalpas. That means longer than forever. So, the bodhisattva continues to practice, going through 52 stages, and finally attains Buddhahood. So, at this final stage, a bodhisattva becomes Buddha. So, between this starting point and the goal, what Dogen said is, millions or billions of times, this bodhisattva becomes Buddha. This is also, you know,

[17:02]

we have to understand, he is talking about, you know, the time flows from past to present, present and present to future, time as a flow, and time as, you know, how can I say, complete moment of each time. So, he is talking about two different ways of viewing this process. One is as a gradual process, another is in each moment, it's complete and perfect. Here, like here, like now, in this, with these five skandhas, this is a perfect manifestation of Buddhahood. This is one way of viewing this process. So, each moment is a perfect moment.

[18:06]

That is the fact bodhisattva becomes Buddha, millions of times. And yet, from another, you know, point, continuously practice from starting point to the goal. We need to keep these two aspects at the same time. And here, Dogen puts emphasis on discussing about practice and enlightenment, and also the reality of all beings. From this point of view. So, we should not confuse these two. And Dogen never forget, I think, these two. And never negate either of them. I mean, later he said,

[19:06]

you know, in one of the twelve volume versions of Shobo Genzo, chapter of Shobo Genzo, entitled Jin Shin Inga, deeply believe in cause and result, or causality. And in that chapter he put emphasis on this side. We should, you know, practice continuously from starting point to the goal. bodhisattvas are bodhisattvas. Even the ancestors or patriarchs are different from Buddha. This is, you know, not one and not two. And, in order to make this point more concrete and clear,

[20:10]

I'd like to introduce another part of this second chapter of the Lotus Sutra. That is a continuation of the final part of the second chapter of Lotus Sutra. That is the chapter of tactfulness. This is a part of the verse. And, first I read this verse and I make comment. This is, well, let me read it. In the past, countless kalpas, innumerable extinct Buddhas, so the sutra is talking about the Buddhas in the past.

[21:11]

In hundreds, thousands, and milliards, whose numbers cannot be counted, all such world-honored ones as these with various reasonings and parables and innumerable tactful powers. Tactful powers is power of expedient or skillful means. Have proclaimed the various dharmas, teachings. But, all these world-honored ones proclaimed the one-vehicle dharma, the dharma of only one vehicle, ekāyāna. And, converting numberless creatures. I don't like the word converting.

[22:14]

Maybe this is teaching or transforming numberless living beings to enter the Buddha way. Moreover, the great holy masters knowing that which all the worlds of gods, men, and other creatures deeply desire in their hearts. In addition, by varying tactfulness, assist in revealing the first principles. So, here is tactfulness or expedient means and the first principle that is absolute or ultimate truth or reality and expedient means or absolute reality and conventional reality.

[23:16]

And, Buddha offered that expedient means in order to show the truth, absolute reality to all beings. So, Buddha gave many different toys to let them come to see the true reality of all beings. That is the main point of this chapter, expedient means. And, if there are any beings who have met the former Buddhas, if, having heard the law or dharma, they have given donations, if they have kept the commandments and being persevering, being assiduous, meditative, and wise. I don't like these English translations,

[24:19]

but these refer to six parameters. Offering, precepts, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom. So, if those people practice six parameters, having kept these various ways of happiness and virtue, such beings as these have already attained the Buddha way. So, those people have already attained the Buddha way. Those who practice six parameters and not only those who practice complete six parameters, but the sutra continues. After the extinction of Buddhas, men with good and soft minds, good and soft. This soft mind is the same as

[25:23]

a flexible mind, Dogen Zenji often mentioned. Men with good and flexible mind for the truth, such living beings as these have all attained the Buddha way. And, continues, after the extinction of Buddhas, those who worshipped their relics, they mean Buddha's relics, and built many courtesies of sorts of stupas, do you know stupas? Stupa is a building to construction to enshrine Buddha's relics. With gold, silver, and crystal, with moon stone and a gate, with jasper and lapis lazuli, all are names of jewels,

[26:24]

clearly and broadly decorated, handsomely displayed on every stupas, or those who built stone shrines of sandalwoods and alloys, eaglewood and other woods, of brick, tiles, and clay, or those who in the wilds raised earth for Buddha's shrines. Even children in their play who gathered sand for a Buddha's stupa, all such beings as these have attained the Buddha way. So, not only the people who practiced six parameters, but those people who built the stupas

[27:26]

to worship Buddha's relics have attained the Buddha way. And not only those, but if men, for the sake of Buddha's, have erected images carved with characteristic signs, they have all attained the Buddha way. So, people who made Buddha statues have attained the Buddha way. Or those who, with the precious seven, with brass, red, and white copper, with wax, lead, and tin, with iron, wood, and clay, or with glue and lacquer, have adorned and made Buddha's images, all such ones as these have attained the Buddha way.

[28:27]

Those who have painted Buddha's images with the hundred blessing-adorned signs, whether done by themselves or by employing others, have all attained the Buddha way. Not only the people who made a sculpture with the image by themselves, but also the people who employ those craftsmen or artists to paint the Buddha images have all attained the Buddha way. And even boys, in their play, who, with lead, wood, or pen, or with the fingernail, have drawn Buddha's images, all such ones as these, gradually accumulating merit and perfecting hearts of great pity,

[29:32]

I think pity is compassion, have attained the Buddha way. Indeed, by influencing the Bodhisattvas, have saved countless creatures. And the sutra continues, If men, to the stupas and shrines, to the precious images and paintings, so stupas are constructed and Buddha statues or images or paintings are decorated, and that is a temple. If men, to the stupas and shrines, to the precious images and paintings, with flowers, incense, flags, and umbrellas, have paid homage with respectful hearts or employed others to perform music,

[30:37]

beat drums, blow horns and conches, pump pipes and flutes, play lutes, harps, guitars, gongs, and cymbals, such mystic sounds as these, all played by way of homage or with joyful hearts, by singing, have extolled the merit of Buddhas, even though in what a low voice. Those too have attained the Buddha way. So people who chant the sutra or play music or to praise the Buddha as an expression of homage to the Buddha. And even anyone who, with a distracted mind,

[31:39]

not a mind in the samadhi, but a distracted mind, that is an ordinary mind, with but a single flower, has paid homage to the painted images. That's what we do. We offer flowers to the Buddha statues or paintings, even with a distracted mind. Shall gradually see countless Buddhas, or those who have offered worship, were it by merely folding the hands, that is, just to gassho, or even raising a hand, or by slightly bending the head, not so polite, but thus paying homage to the images. Gradually see innumerable Buddhas,

[32:41]

attain the supreme way, extensively save countless creatures, and enter the formless nirvana. As when firewood is finished, the fire dies out. As when firewood is finished, the fire dies out. If any, even with a distracted mind, enter a stupa or a temple, and cry, I don't like this word, cry, but this means chant, chant but once, only once, Nama Buddha, Nama Buddha means, I take refuge in Buddha. They have attained the Buddha way. If any from the Buddhas of the past,

[33:48]

whether in existence or already extinct, have heard this law, they have all attained the Buddha way. This is what the Lotus Sutra is saying as a practice. And these practices are kind of different from practices done by monks in the monastery. So these practices, you know, building stupas, and placing Buddha statues, and offering incense, flowers, and play music or chanting, and make prostration to Buddha, to praise the Buddha. This is kind of a different kind of practice from what monks did in the monastery. And this is what originally so-called Mahayana Buddhists practiced at stupas.

[34:53]

And in order to understand the historical background of this kind of practice, I think we need to go back to Shakyamuni Buddha. And this practice is what we are doing at temples right now, together with Dharma studying and meditation. Please. Is the sutra extolling the practices or the mind of devotion that leads to the practices? Yeah, this is a description of devotional practice that is different from monks' practice in the monastery. That is what I'm going to talk about.

[35:54]

When Shakyamuni Buddha died, passed away, Buddha said his funeral should be taken care of by lay people, not by monks. Because monks should focus on studying Dharma and practice for liberation, to attain enlightenment or awakening. So Buddha asked lay people to take care of his funeral. And after the funeral, those lay people, from eight places, divided Buddha's relics into eight pieces. And in each place they are from,

[36:55]

they built a stupa to enshrine Shakyamuni Buddha. So there are eight stupas. And those stupas are taken care of by lay people. So stupas and monasteries are two separate places for Buddhists. Monasteries are for monks. At the monastery, what monks did was, of course, studying Dharma, they compiled the sutras, or Nikaya. And also they continuously had discussions about Buddha's teachings. And they had a debate.

[37:57]

And they made a lofty system of Buddhist doctrine called Abhidharma. You know, Abhidharma texts are really big texts. And it's not written by one person. It's a record of debate done for many centuries. And that is what monks were doing, studying Dharma and making a system of teaching and also meditation for their liberation. That is what had been monks doing. And at the stupas, lay people make kind of a pilgrimage to visit the stupas at different places like Buddha Gaya or Kushinagara

[39:01]

and other important places in Buddha's life. And making pilgrimage to pay homage to the Buddha is one of the practices for lay Buddhists. Sometimes lay Buddhists visited monasteries and participated in monks' practice on certain occasions once or twice a month. And about 100 years after Buddha's death, the very famous emperor, King Ashoka, united almost the entire India and King Ashoka wanted to govern his empire with Dharma. And he divided those eight relics into many more pieces

[40:05]

and built a stupa almost all over India. And those stupas are also taken care of by lay people. Because the property belongs to Buddha treasure and the property belongs to Sangha treasure should be separated. So the property donated to the stupa was taken care of by lay people, not monks. Monks cannot be in charge in the stupas. And this is kind of a theory by modern Buddhist scholars in Japan. The Mahayana Buddhism came out of this tradition, not that tradition. So in the beginning,

[41:06]

because people visited the stupas, there were some people who lived there and took care of the people who visited and explained about Buddha's life, what Buddha did in his past lives. The stories of Buddha in his past lives were collected and became like Jataka talks, that kind of story about Buddha's life. And the biography of Buddha was written in the form of verses. Those literature to praise Buddha was created in this group of people. So the practices the Lotus Sutra describes

[42:16]

is what those people were doing at stupas. Please. What about forest practice? The practice of finding a tree and sitting by the tree. Forest practice is some small number of monks did not like even to practice in the monastery. Like a very typical example is Mahakasyapa. You know, when Buddha accepted a donation of land to create a monastery, so Buddha and monks lived in a monastery. But people like Mahakasyapa rejected to live in the monastery. They continued to live in the forest. And eat certain food, and wear certain clothing. So they continued to practice, continued the original practice style

[43:16]

before Buddha accepted and had a monastery. That tradition became a forest tradition. So there are three different kinds of tradition in Buddhism. And these three continue even within the Mahayana Buddhism. Originally Mahayana Buddhism was created by lay people. But gradually monks joined this movement. And Mahayana people also had monks. And those monks created a monastery. And they created a kind of Mahayana philosophy. Like Yogacara teaching. Very similar with Abhidharma teaching. Those are done by Mahayana, so-called Mahayana monks.

[44:20]

But it seems Dharma teacher, that is the title of the 10th chapter of the Lotus Sutra, is the people who stayed at the stupa and teach something about Buddha to the people who visited the stupas. So Mahayana Buddhism originally came from lay people's movement. And yet later monks or monastic practice is also, how can I say, created in Mahayana Buddhism. So did the philosophy that the monks created come from what the lay people were already doing? Or was it something that the monks just kind of made up? You mean in Mahayana?

[45:22]

Well, the original philosophy of Mahayana is prajnaparamita. That means emptiness. I'm not sure whether it was originally created by lay people or it was created after monks joined. I'm not sure. That history is not clear in India. Please. This may not be the right time for this, but monks left their original tradition to join this Mahayana tradition, which at some point was merely, maybe merely is not fair, but was caretakers. What caused them to leave? What attracted them to... I think from the point of these people

[46:25]

mainly the homage, their practice is praising Buddha. And more like devotional, instead of studying Dharma, like Abhidharma, the philosophical teaching and meditation. But their practice is more devotional. And from their point of view, or their image of what Buddha did, it looks different from what monks are doing. Monks are doing to, you know, create such a lofty philosophical system which those people couldn't understand at all. And those monks live in a monastery, and it seems they didn't do begging anymore. Because they are supported by the lay society.

[47:27]

So the interaction between monks in the monastery and lay people are kind of separate or become weak. And from their point of view, what monks are doing are just for themselves. And only they can enter nirvana. Only the monks can attain Arhathood. No lay people could. And they enter nirvana. And these people cannot. And it seems their practice in the monastery are different from what Buddha has been doing in his past lives because as a Bodhisattva, Buddha helped in many different forms. Even if Buddha was an animal or lay people,

[48:30]

Buddha kept helping others. And also, in his lifetime, as a Shakyamuni Buddha, he traveled all over India to teach not only monks but lay people. So, from their point of view, monks practice only for their own sake of liberation and going to nirvana, where those people cannot go. So, for them to become Arhat and enter nirvana is not a goal. Their goal is to become Buddha. And the idea or image of Bodhisattva was created among these people. That means the goal of Bodhisattva is not Arhathood or entering nirvana, but Bodhisattvas take a vow to become Buddha.

[49:33]

So, this Bodhisattva way to become Buddha together with all beings and to study Abhidharma and practice meditation and enter nirvana seems very different. And those people called this way of practice Hinayana, small people, this practice is only for individual people, but this practice is for all beings. That is the kind of point to separation between Mahayana and so-called Hinayana. OK? I think so, if big mind is liberated mind.

[50:37]

You know, those people are also liberated. So, within Buddhism, this kind of two separate streams are always existing. Even within Mahayana Buddhism, even in China or Japan, some people wanted to live in a forest or mountains in a very quiet place and focus on studying Buddhist teachings and meditation. And some people stay in the city and teach or practice with broader range of people in the society. So, these are two aspects of Buddhism. And sometimes, often, these two are contradicted and quarrel or fighting each other. There are some people like, you know, practice in a quiet place like the Sahara

[51:47]

and some people say we should work in the society. I think both are important. And both should support each other, should not fight each other. And in the case of Dogen's life, it seems, I mean, people think, before Dogen moved to Echiden, when he practiced in Kyoto or capital, he put more emphasis on practicing together with lay people. But after he moved to Eheiji, he focused on practice with small number of monks, dedicated monks, in a quiet place. So, this is a kind of, there is a tension between these two. But this tension is important. And, I mean, I think both are really important.

[52:48]

But the reason why I introduce this section of the Lotus Sutra is, you know, Bodhisattva attains or becomes Buddha many times. You know, even a child, you know, offers a sand. You know, this is like a story of King Ashoka. When he was a kid, he offered a sand to Buddha. And Buddha gave the kid the prediction that he will be, will turn in king. That kind of story also, I think, made within this tradition. So even, you know, a kid offering a sand, or we offer a flower to the Buddha statue or image, or we just chant the sutras or play music to praise or to pay homage to Buddha.

[53:56]

Those, the Lotus Sutra said those have already attained Buddha way. This is about in the future. But later it said, this is what I read, is about in the past. But later, Lotus Sutra said, in the future, Buddha taught, teach the same thing. Therefore, this is Shakyamuni. Shakyamuni said, I teach in the same way. So, Buddhas in the past, future and present are teaching the same thing. You know, all those people could attain the Buddha way. And when we apply the principle of ultimate identity of cause and result, then this is not simply, these practices are not simply the beginning of their bodhisattva practice.

[55:02]

But in each moment they practice, you know, this way, these things. Like offering incense or chanting or offering flower. And even just doing gassho to Buddha or to each other. At this moment, at the very moment of practicing these things, I think Fat Dogen is saying they attain Buddha way. Or Buddha way is accomplished or completed. That means in each practice they become Buddha. But unfortunately, next moment we return to samsara. So, as a bodhisattva, we need to continue to practice endlessly. So, again, there are two ways of viewing this endless continuous practice. One is we are always incomplete.

[56:08]

And from another side, in each moment, if we practice wholeheartedly, that is complete attainment or accomplishment or perfection of Buddha mind. So, these two are, I think, always together. At least in Dogen's teaching. That is what I wanted to say. So, I think... So, bodhisattva become Buddha, you know, billions of times. And yet there is no time bodhisattva can stop practicing. Because now I am in the goal. That is what he said in the last sentence of this paragraph. Those who say that after becoming Buddha, bodhisattvas quit to practice.

[57:11]

And they have nothing to do anymore. So, they can just rest. Ordinary human beings who do not know the way of Buddha ancestors. So, in each moment our practice is complete. And yet we continue to practice this practice endlessly. This is also what it means going beyond Buddha. Next paragraph. Those who are called all bodhisattvas are the original ancestors of all Buddhas. Because, you know, bodhisattva becomes Buddha. So, bodhisattvas are the parents of Buddhas or ancestors of Buddhas. Buddhas are children of bodhisattvas, in a sense.

[58:16]

And, of course, all Buddhas are the original teachers of all bodhisattvas. And this is not difficult to understand. The unsurpassable awakening or anuttara samyak sambodhi of all these Buddhas, whether it was practiced, verified... Practice verified is my translation of shusho. Shusho suru. Suru is like a dew. You know, Japanese is an interesting language. If we put this verb suru to any noun, this noun becomes a verb.

[59:21]

So, in this case, shu is practice and shu is verified. And suru means we do practice and verification. You know, this is like a... For example, telephone in Japanese is denwa. And when we say make a phone call, we say denwa suru. So, any noun can become a verb in Japanese. And this is one of the examples. So, shusho is practice, verification. But do practice verification. So, I translated practiced, verified in the past. Practiced slash verified. This is one word. Shusho is one word.

[60:24]

Compound. That means when we practice, verification is there. Yes. There are three... At least three Chinese characters which is commonly translated into English word enlightenment. Those three, shu is one of them. Other two is kaku. First one is kaku. That means awakening. Awakening is also a position of dreaming. We are commonly not awake. We are in a dream. But when we awake and start to see the real reality, that is one meaning of enlightenment. And second word often translated as enlightenment is go.

[61:28]

The one I said is kaku. It means to awake, wake up. And go is to realize is better translation. To realize something. So, this can be something intellectual. To realize what this is. But I don't like the word enlightenment as a translation of those three Japanese or Buddhist terms. Pardon? This one is verified, yes. One, two, three. And also those three characters are read as satori in Japanese. Satori is satori, enlightenment. But in the case of sho, the sho is a position of shu.

[62:37]

Practice enlightenment as a cause and result. And in the case of kaku, dreaming and awakening. And in the case of go, the opposition of go is mei. Mayoi. Mayoi is like, you know, it looks like an intersection. And when we are at the intersection and we don't know which way we should go. We don't know our destination. We don't know what to do. We don't know which way we should take. That is mayoi. We lost. Mayoi means to be lost. And satori is, now we clearly see, understand which way I should go. That is satori. This go. So each of them has different meaning.

[63:38]

Please. In Sanskrit, buddha, I believe, comes from a root that means wake up. Yes, same as body. Awakening. Awakening. So, in Sanskrit, it's like kaku. Yes. Buddha is like kaku. Yes, buddha is called kakusha. Well, here we are. Oh. So, the unsurpassable awakening, anuttara samyak sambodhi, of all these buddhas, whether it was practiced, verified, in the past, in the present, and in the future. So, all buddhas' awakening, past, present, and future,

[64:45]

whether it is practiced, verified, before body or after mind. This before body and after mind, that means so much, I think. It means together as an entire body and mind, I think. The beginning, the middle, and the end. Entirely this sutra. And, of course, in the quotation from the Lotus Sutra, this sutra referred to the Lotus Sutra. But here, Dogen Zenji used this expression, this sutra, not simply the Lotus Sutra, but this entire network of interdependent origination is this sutra. Or the true reality of all beings is this sutra. So, all buddhas' awakening is awakened to this sutra.

[65:52]

This true reality of all beings. That belongs to, and that belongs to, are both this sutra. So now he introduced the idea of this sutra to refer to this reality of all beings. That belongs to, is, you know, all buddhas' awakening. And that is belonged to, is this sutra itself. So both are, this sutra, this true reality of all beings, and each and every being within this network are both this sutra. At this very moment, this sutra verifies all bodhisattvas. So this entire network of interdependent origination verifies each and every bodhisattva's practice.

[66:56]

So when we practice wholeheartedly using these five skandhas, you know, this entire network of interdependent origination verifies our practice. That is for, you know, during the meal chant, we say, you know, entrust ourselves to the sangha. How verify is used? Verify our understanding. So our understanding is verified by all buddhas. And all buddhas is the same with this sutra. So our understanding is verified by this sutra. Then we practice wholeheartedly. So now he is talking about this sutra.

[68:02]

The sutra is not sentient. The sutra is not non-sentient. And the sutra is not doing. Not doing is ui. This is the word we had before, ui and mui. And mui. I think you know ui and mui. And ii means action or activity. Or another meaning is purpose. And ui means, so I translated, doing. And Dogen negates this. This sutra is not ui. So I said, not doing. And he also said, this sutra is not mui.

[69:07]

Non-doing. And non-doing means not conditioned. Conditioned and not conditioned. So Dogen said, this sutra is neither conditioned nor not conditioned. That also means both. However, when verifying the awakening, verifying the person, verifying the true reality, and verifying the sutra itself, this sutra as an entire reality, verify all these things, and the sutra itself, at that time, it opens the gate of expedient means.

[70:09]

The gate of expedient means. Expedient means is ho-ben. The gate of uttaya is opened. From this entire true reality of all beings, verify each and every bodhisattva's practice, the upaya, the gate of upaya. That means all different kinds of means to awaken to and practice and express this reality. That is all different kinds of practice mentioned in the Lotus Sutra as I introduced today. Building a temple, enshrine a Buddha statue, and pay homage, and offer incense flowers, and all those things, are kind of expedient means.

[71:10]

My question was about that phrase, the gate of expedient means. I guess, instead of answering it, when I first hear it, there's a sort of irony in it that expedient refers to expedient reality, conventional reality, and it doesn't seem like enough. Doesn't there have to be something more to get to true understanding? That is the point. I mean, the Japanese word for upaya or spirit means is ho-ben. Ho is the method, and ben is skillful or convenient. So something we can use, the method is something we can use. And this ho-ben has some kind of negative connotation.

[72:15]

But, you know, for example, there is a Japanese proverb that is saying uso mo ho-ben. Do you know this proverb? Uso mo ho-ben means, telling a lie can be as upaya. So upaya is skillful means. Sometimes, you know, we, you know, tell a lie because of our compassion. So skillful means or expedient means is something which is not really true, but it's helpful to see or reach the truth. That is the connotation of this word ho-ben. So this is kind of, in a sense, even though we should reach the ultimate,

[73:15]

absolute reality or truth, but we cannot because of our delusion and thinking mind. So we need this device. That is skillful means. Please. In the sense that it's not really true, is that kind of the genius of the word gate? Because gate isn't a destination. It's just something you use to get somewhere. That is what Dogen discussed next. He said the entire world is a gate. So what he's saying here is this gate of expedient means is not second-class truth. This is itself absolute truth. So Dogen is kind of challenging the common understanding of this word expression ho-ben or expedient means. Please. So in Zen tradition,

[74:18]

we say a finger pointing at the moon. The finger is expedient means. The moon is ultimate reality. So according to Dogen, there's only a finger. The only thing that's important is the finger. Forget about the moon. Well, I think what he's saying is moon and finger are the same thing. Finger is a part of the moon, I think. That's why Dogen values making a statement or expression using words. For Dogen, you know, if we are really awake and experience the ultimate truth or reality, it should be expressed by words. Otherwise, your experience is still vague.

[75:19]

It's not clear. And Ryokan also said in his poem, you know, finger and moon, if you really see the moon, there's no distinction between finger and moon. There's no moon and no finger. Or there's no moon besides a finger. So this is a kind of a common idea, you know. Moon is absolute reality, and the finger is expedient means. If we want to see the moon directly, but because we cannot, we need someone's teaching or direction or instruction. So we should not see the finger, but see the moon. But Dogen, in a sense, is challenging about this common sense. Finger is not expedient. It is expedient, but this is a manifestation of ultimate reality.

[76:23]

Yes. Would you call it the gate of conventional means? Yes, I think so. The means we can use as a method to see or to awaken to that reality which cannot be expressed using words. But Dogen asked us we should use words, and that is what he's doing when he writes this kind of strange writings. Well, let me finish another, this paragraph. So the gate of expedient means, open. And he said the gate of expedient means is the unsurpassable virtue of the fruit of Buddhahood.

[77:29]

The fruit of Buddhahood is the final goal of Buddhahood, Anuttara Samyaksambodhi. So what he's saying here is expedient means is a virtue of Anuttara Samyaksambodhi. Without expedient means, there's no such thing called Anuttara Samyaksambodhi. Even if it's there, it has nothing to do with us. It's only Buddhas. It is Dharma dwelling in the Dharma position. Dharma dwelling in Dharma position. This is what Dogen also said in Genjo Koan. You know, Dharma dwelling in Dharma position. And there is before and after, and yet before and after is cut off, that Dharma position. And the form in the world means the things coming and going, changing the shape and arising and perishing.

[78:31]

Abide forever means the reality of all these things of coming and going is itself true reality of all beings. In that sense, you know, these forms abide forever or eternally. So the gate of expedient means is not a temporary capability. Temporary capability. Jiryo is the capability or technique that we can use. But it is a study of entire ten-direction world. So expedient means is the way we live, the way we do things in accordance with this true reality of ten-direction world. So we hold the true reality of all beings and study this expedient means

[79:40]

as a bodhisattva. Even though this gate of expedient means is manifesting itself as the entire ten-direction world within the entire ten-direction world. This means, you know, this gate and ten-direction world is exactly the same thing. Unless we are not all bodhisattvas, it is not our environment. That means we don't see it. Unless we allow body-mind and practice and awake and nirvana, you know, this continuous practice... Unless we... Yes, thank you. Unless...

[80:50]

Yes, unless we are not... Unless we are all bodhisattvas. Unless we practice as bodhisattvas, it is not our environment. It's not talking about every person, all, just those who do. Right. Okay, thank you. So, unless we are all bodhisattvas. Okay, any questions? Please. Five thousand monks. I'm still interested in the expedient meaning of the Garuda.

[81:52]

Well, when those five thousand monks left, when Buddha started to talk on this true reality of all beings, Buddha said it's good for them to leave. And I don't think Dogen made any comment on this, those people who left. Please. I often think of that. I have often thought of that. It was magical. But in a sense, that is expedient meaning right there. It takes me from asleep and dreaming, watching, to actually doing zazen.

[83:00]

Yes. So this is one example, a precise example of what we're talking about here. I think so. And also, you know, the fact that we are deluded, we are so selfish, and we feel sick about it, that is an expedient means that helps us to awake. Awareness of our delusion is a help from the reality. This is also the same as the awakening of the reality of suffering. So the truth of suffering is the first noble truth. So to see our delusion, to see, to feel our suffering, not only personal, but all living beings' suffering, is the gate to the liberation. So this is also an expedient means.

[84:01]

I also read this, the gate of expedient means is the unsurpassable virtue of the truth of Buddhahood. Exactly, Buddhahood is not just waking up, but being able to help other people wake up. Yes, yes, yes. Waking ourselves and waking others is a very essential point of bodhisattva practice. Thank you. Okay, thank you. Okay, thank you.

[84:36]

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