We start page 11, paragraph 23. Let me read a few pages. The entire great earth is the gate of revelation, but people are not willing to enter even though they are drugged. Therefore, we should know that even though the entire earth and the entire world is the gate, it is not easy to exit and enter. There aren't many who have exited and entered.

[01:06]

Even when they are drugged, they do not enter, they do not exit. When they are not drugged, 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 get in and out of the gate, 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. Opening the gate of the expedient means is itself revealing the true and genuine reality.

[02:14]

Revealing the true and genuine reality is entire time and the beginning, the middle, and the end are cut off. The principle of the very opening itself of the gate of expedient means is that the gate of the expedient means is open in the ten-direction world. At this very moment, if we truly see the entire ten-direction world, there are sceneries we have never seen. Holding one piece or two pieces, three pieces or four pieces of the ten-direction world, we enable each one of them to open the gate of the expedient means. Because of this,

[03:18]

Although it seems as if they are one and the same opening the gate of expedient means, it seems that various entire ten-direction worlds, gaining the small portion of the opening the gate of expedient means, make that portion their manifesting faces. Such a circumstance is caused by the power of belonging to this sutra. Revealing the true and genuine reality is hearing and circulating the words and phrases of the true reality of all beings within the entire world. It is accomplishing the way within the entire world.

[04:22]

It is enabling the entire person to see and understand the principle that the true reality is all beings, and enabling the entire being to actualize the principle that the true reality is all beings. We hold the true reality of all beings and study it. I'm sorry. Thirteen. Therefore, the unsurpassable awakening of the forty Buddhas and the forty ancestors belongs to this sutra. It is belonging to this sutra and is this sutra's belonging. The round cushion for the Zen and the sleeping stick that are nothing other than the unsurpassable awakening are all belonging to this sutra.

[05:38]

Picking up a flower and breaking into smile Both are belonging to this sutra. These are this sutra's belongings. Opening the gate of expedient means is itself revealing the true reality. we start the Seppo's saying, this saying, the entire great earth is the gate of liberation but people are not willing to enter even though they are drugged. This saying by Seppo Washufen is quoted because in the last sentence of the previous

[06:45]

paragraph, he said, even though this gate of expedient means is manifesting itself as the entire ten-direction world, so this gate of expedient means, or upaya, opens itself as the entire ten-direction world. That means this entire world is the gate of expedient means. That means, wherever we are, we are right in the gate. And that is the gateway we can enter the true reality of all beings. Because we are all beings. Wherever we are, whenever, you know, we are right at the gate. But, Senpo said, You know, the ten great... I'm sorry, the entire great earth is a great gate of revelation.

[07:56]

Gate of revelation and gate of expedient means is the same thing. Gate of expedient means the concrete condition or situation for each one of us to enter the to the reality of all beings. So, this entire world is a gate of liberation. But Seppo said... Seppo is a Chinese Zen master. He was the disciple of Tokusan and a teacher of Unmon. Unmon. Anyway, Seppo is a person who once practiced with a Tozan, Don Shan, the founder of the Chinese Soto school.

[09:04]

And Seppo was not a Tenzo, but a person who is in charge of washing rice. When Seppo was washing rice, cleaning the rice, Tozan stopped at where he was working and asked, do you select the rice from the dust or do you take the dust out from the rice? Then Seppo said, I take them both at once. Then the abbot said, if you take both out of the assembly for the people in the community to eat, then the seppo actually turned the entire container of rice and dirt away.

[10:13]

That was the story. And Nonsha said, you will find some other teacher. That means, you are not my student. That person. And he, when he became the disciple of Tokusan, Tokusan was very famous for his kind of violent sort of teaching. He used a stick and always saying, if you say something, I'll hit you. If you don't say something, I'll hit you. That kind of person. Anyway, later, Seppo became really a great Zen master. And he said, this is one of the sayings of Seppo. Even though this entire world is a gate of liberation, no one comes in. No one. But people are not willing to enter even though they are dragged.

[11:23]

Even, you know, their master, you know, take the hand of that person and come in. They don't want to come in. That means they don't want to be liberated. I don't know. We should ask to ourselves somehow, you know. Liberation is not so comfortable place, I think. We have to be, you know, good boy or good girl. I mean, as Buddha said in the Sutta, in the Sutta Nipārtha, in the nirvana, not only suffering, but also pleasure ceases to exist. But we want to have pleasure. We want to be free from suffering, but we want to keep the pleasure. But pleasure and suffering are always together. So, you know, nirvana is not such a place like a paradise or heaven where all of our desires are fulfilled.

[12:41]

Everything we want is there. But Nirvana is like a Sesshin, a practice center. We have to be serious or sincere and become free from our desire to be satisfied. It's not an easy thing and it's not fun, I think. So not many people want to get into teacher saying once, Buddha is someone who sees all of the suffering of all of the beings, all of the time. Bob Thurman once said, in response to something I asked him, well, Buddha is someone who sees all of the suffering of all of the beings, all of the time. And I want to, you know, so I can understand that. Well, then Dogen made his own comment on this thing and how can we enter this gate of liberation or gate of experience means.

[14:04]

And Dogen, first Dogen agreed with Seppo and said, therefore we should know that even though the entire earth and the entire world, wherever we are, is the gate. It is not easy to exit and enter. It's there, but it's difficult because of our motivation, because of our aspiration. There aren't many, so there aren't many people who get in and get out. Even when they are drugged, they do not enter, they do not exit. That means when someone, you know, encourages and asks to come in, they don't come in, and they don't get out, they don't go through this gate.

[15:16]

And even when they are not drugged, that means they can make their own choice, of course they don't enter. They do not exit. And those who try to take forward steps and try to enter, When the person has an aspiration to enter and try to, so many people don't have the desire to get into, but even if there are some people who really want to get into the gate, so they try to take a forward step and enter, we will make mistakes. With intention? Yes. And those who try to take backward steps will stagnate, means stay there.

[16:28]

These two expressions, forward steps and backward steps, are shinpo. and Taiho. As a common usage of these two words, simple forward steps or going forward has a positive meaning. That means we develop or improve, go forward, to study and master something. And Taiho is backward step or backsliding or withdraw. So this usually, commonly, this has a negative meaning and this has positive meaning.

[17:36]

But in, for example, in Fukanza Zengi, recommendation of Zazen, universal recommendation of Zazen, of Kanzazen-gi, Togen Zenji used this word in a positive meaning. That is, Eko Hensho no Taiho. No Taiho. Are you familiar with this expression, Eko Hensho? E-Ko-Hen-Sho. In English translation of Fukanza Zengi, this is often translated as turning the light inward and illuminating the self.

[18:38]

This is Eko Hensho. And Dogen said, we should study the backward step of Eko Hensho. So our zazen is not a forward step, but a backward step to study this Eko Hensho. Our zazen is to study this backward step of Eko Hensho. And this Chinese expression, Eko Hensho, you know, the English translation, turn the light inward and illuminate the self, is not mistaken, but it's not a literal translation. Eko, E means to turn. Ko is light. And hen is return.

[19:43]

And shō. Shō is illumination. Shō. Okay. Illumination. And then I translated off Kansa Zengi. I looked up dictionary, Chinese dictionary. Basically, this Eko Hensho has three meanings, I think. The original meaning of this expression is this is a scenery of the time of sunset. You know, when the sun is set to the west before it's getting dark. the sky, the entire sky becomes really bright.

[20:47]

That is what this Ekohensho means. That means the sun is already gone. So there is no source of the light. And yet, at that time, the entire sky becomes really beautiful and bright. That is right before darkness. That is the meaning of this Ekohensho. After sunset, the entire world becomes really bright. That is the first meaning. And the second meaning is It seems this is a common meaning of Eko Hensho in modern Chinese. That is, when a person is dying, right before a person is dying, the person's face becomes, for a short time, very bright.

[21:59]

That is called Eko Hensho. So, final kind of expression of life force. So, the person's life is almost gone. And yet, at the final moment, the person's face becomes really bright. That is the second meaning of Eko Hensho. Is there any English expression for that? Okay? And the third meaning of eco-hensho is second wind. You know, when we do some exercise, we become really tired and we find we have no energy anymore. Then, somehow, the second wind comes up and we find another, more energy to continue.

[23:01]

That is third meaning of echo-hensho. And to me it's interesting and very meaningful to use this expression in our zazen. Please. Did you say that's modern Chinese? Did Dogen have those three meanings? Did he have those in his vocabulary? I am not sure. Probably in Chinese language, not only in the modern Chinese, but from the ancient times, Ekohensho has that meaning. But this means the self is already gone. The sun is already gone. And it's right before getting dark, or right before the person is completely dead. The entire sky becomes really beautiful.

[24:02]

face become bright. That means it's not our personal energy. Individual energy is already gone. During Sesshin, I think, at least I feel, often feel this way, you know, I have no energy anymore. I can't continue this. You know, especially second, third day of Sesshin, I thought, I've had enough. I can't continue this Sesshin. I have no energy at all, both body and mind. So I have to give up. But somehow, next morning, I feel that very fresh, energy, and I feel this energy or life force is not from my personal willpower, but somehow the life force, which is larger than me, is working and allows me to continue to sit.

[25:18]

So it's not my willpower or my physical power, but somehow some power that is larger than me, allow me to continue to practice. So, I think this, to study the backward step of Eko Hensho has really deep meaning. As an English translation, to turn the light inward and illuminated self. It's not a mistake. That is, in the context of Fukanza Zen, it means we are always going forward, trying to go outside and get something to achieve. We want to practice even Zazen to achieve some kind of

[26:21]

something like enlightenment or awakening or something better, something desirable. So we go out, go forward. But Dogen then said, you know, going forward to looking for something good is not our practice, especially in our Dazen. We should turn this light, which is trying to illuminate something outside, turn inward. and illuminate who this is. Please. I think I had two questions. One is, in English, return means like you return something to the department store. You give it back. So return the illumination means, in English, it might have the connotation not just turn, but to return it, give it back to, give it back to the self.

[27:29]

In Chinese, does hen mean return to give it back? So, it really belongs to the self and it went away. Now you're going to give it back. You're going to return it. I think so. I mean, when I lived in Massachusetts, I live at Valley Zendo. Our zendo is on the east side of the hill. And, you know, western Massachusetts is very hilly, so there are many hills. And so, because that building is on the east side, the sun sets very early, around 3 o'clock. So the sky is still bright and around 5 o'clock the sun is really behind the hills.

[28:40]

The hills in the east of the buildings, I mean east of our place, become really beautiful, really bright. And that, you know, that he was in the east side, east of where we lived. You know, return the light and make the sky more bright. That is my image. You know, the sun which is already gone, his turn is illuminating the sky and these mountains. And this mountain is illuminated by the sun which is already gone. And this mountain also illuminates, turns the light received from that sun to the sky. That is my image of, you know, the sun which is already gone illuminates the entire world.

[29:49]

And this world, which is illuminated by that sun, returns the light. And together makes this world really beautiful. And this is light before darkness. I think this is an important point also. That means during daytime, we are working. When we are working, we have some, you know, we need to make decisions. what I should do, which is the best way, what is most meaningful. But in the darkness means, you know, no discrimination. That means we just sit. And no discrimination at all. This is absolute reality. This is kind of expedient or conventional reality. And right between, you know, discrimination and non-discrimination.

[30:51]

There is one moment which is very quiet, calm, and yet very bright. And I think that is Awazazen. Awazazen is really kind of a border between this, you know, our day-to-day life, our day-time life, in which we have to make all different kinds of decisions based on discrimination. But, you know, in modern times, you know, evening is not the time of resting. But in the ancient times, you know, they don't have light. So it's really dark and they don't have They couldn't do anything, any work. So, just be quiet and rest.

[31:53]

And we cannot distinguish anything in this complete darkness. So, we just rest. That is, you know, no discrimination. And right between discrimination and non-discrimination, there is a very bright, beautiful, And yet, it's not completely dark. I think, to me, that is what we experience in our zazen. If we are lucky. Please. Is it the same thing between sleep and waking up? You know when you are asleep and you wake up? Sleep and wake up? Yeah, morning Dazein is like that.

[32:55]

Did I answer to your question? Well, so Shinko and Taiho. But here I think he He commented both ways as a negative thing. Simple means to go. I wanted to get into that gate. So I tried to practice to be liberated, to attain liberation. Then Dogen said, that person will make mistakes. And those who try to take backwards steps means that sometimes we hesitate to get in. We think, that is not my thing. That is not something I want.

[33:58]

It looks beautiful, but I don't want. It seems so difficult and boring. You know, before we start the five-day session, I feel that way often. This is not something I want. But somehow I have to. You know, I have to because I live in the temple. There's no way to escape. And because I am the teacher, if I escape, sit. So I have to stay. And once we started to sit, you know, it's there. There's no hesitation. The world of Dazen really opened. So we are 100% there. So that kind of hesitation really disappeared.

[35:01]

And once we started to sit, it's peaceful. and quiet, and very calm, so it's okay. But before that, before entering that gate, it's really difficult. Now I have been practicing almost 40 years. Still now, after 40 years, still, you know, I have kind of a hesitation, right before the Five-Day Session. Anyway, so if we hesitate, to jump into that practice. Then Dogen said, who try to take backwards steps will stagnate. That means we can't move, we can't go ahead. So try to go ahead using our willpower, intention, or aspiration, we make mistakes.

[36:04]

But if we don't have that intention, we stagnate. So what to do? How we can enter the gate? Is it a problem to make mistakes? Whether it is a problem or not, I don't know. I mean... He's still been saying that it's a problem. So what he says, those who try to take forward steps, and enter will make mistakes. Is he saying you shouldn't do that or that's... That's a good question and Dogen doesn't answer. So we have to think, please. The other day when you drew the line a bit and we're talking about past, present and future and you make mistakes but you become aware and you're conscious of them and then you move forward. I find that that somehow is at odds with this. about making mistakes. Yeah, I understand.

[37:07]

Well, it's up to how we interpret these mistakes. Please. I think the flavor of these mistakes is similar to the idea that Dogen writes, that if we don't have a teacher, we shouldn't even start practicing, because if we're off by a little bit at first, in the end we'll wind up really far. That might be one interpretation. Yeah, because he doesn't explain, we can interpret as we want. Please. In that sentence, when it says, those who try, it means what characters try? Is it, would it be a mistake if you take a forward step? Is it the trying that's the problem? Well, let's see. Shinpo no mono ayamari no beshi. shinpo no mono and taiho no mono. I'm sorry, the word try to is my addition.

[38:12]

Literal translation is those who take forward step and those who take backward step. So, try not is not in the original. Is it connected with the word liberation, that people who are doing this to be liberated are doing this for, quote, the wrong reason? Wrong reason. You know, to get something, to be better. Yeah, that is another interpretation. Please. We're not going forward and not stepping back. Pardon? Without going forward? Without going forward and not stepping back. How? How is it possible? That is a famous one in the Polycon.

[39:12]

There is a story like that. And the answer was that he gets in without stepping forward and without going back. Like now, right here. Just being here. Without moving. That's a good idea. That is what we do. Now it doesn't please later. We're moving the game. We'll get to that. Yeah. Well, because Dogen just expressed and don't explain, so we can interpret in whatever way we want and it's okay. That is the way we study this kind of writings. We can, you know, interpret in different ways and our understanding is getting deeper and deeper.

[40:19]

That is one of the way we study this kind of writing. My interpretation is, what Dogen is saying here is, I think, you know, in Genjo-Koan, he said about enlightenment, or realization and delusion. Carrying ourselves towards all beings and carry out practice enlightenment is delusion. And all beings come towards us and carry out practice enlightenment through this person is enlightenment or realization or the word is satori.

[41:21]

This means If we try to carry ourselves and to try to get into that gate, then, according to Dogen, we lose it. We make a mistake. But, you know, this is what Dogen said, next, after what can we do? Dogen said, when grabbing the people and trying to make them getting in and out of the gate, they are getting far and far. That is, when we carry ourselves into the gate of liberation or gate of expedient means, then we lose it. But, when grabbing the gate, the gate of liberation, and trying to put it into that person, I think this means all beings come toward us and allow us to carry out practice enlightenment.

[42:37]

So, our practice, based on our personal desire or aspiration, or even we call it Bodhicitta. If we try to take ourselves toward all beings and try to check out and find the true reality of all beings, then that is like we are kind of measuring things, observing things, and measuring things, and try to... what is the real reality of each and every being. We are kind of an observer, and we measure it. As far as we are practicing with this attitude, taking ourselves towards all beings, this attitude itself is based on

[43:39]

delusion. That is what Dogen is saying in Genjo-Kohan. Because there is a separation between this person as subject and reality of all beings as object. And somehow I want to get the kind of device called prajna or wisdom to see the true reality of all beings. This structure is the same as, you know, subject, object, and some kind of interaction between subject and object. That's why Dogen said this practice is based on this idea. A person who is looking for a reality is looked for, and there's some kind of practice, so-called practice, this idea, this idea of this structure itself, based on delusion.

[44:46]

But when all beings come toward us, that means we have to surrender. It's not me that is searching the truth, but when we open our hand and let him go, then all beings We are part of this entire network of interdependent origination. Dharma fills us. In Dendora, he also said, when we open our hand, the Dharma fills the hand. But when we try to grasp it, we lose it. This is the same thing. So, as far as we are trying to get into that gate, we cannot never get into. And so, you know, this is a strange thing to grab the gate and put it into the person. But this is Dogen's expression, that all dharmas come towards the self.

[45:50]

In that case, there's no separation between self and all dharmas. Because, you know, self is, from the very beginning, part of this all dharmas. We are living together within internet, network of interdependent origination. So we are, from the very beginning, connected to each other and living together. And that is nothing other than true reality. Isn't that also what happens during Zazen? If you sit down, shut up, be quiet, be calm, it will reveal itself. That is what the fat dog meant. In Genjo-kun, he is actually writing about our Zazen practice. That's what gets you to the fourth day. Right. Yes. Yeah. We lost our personal willpower. And yet we find the power of this entire network working within me.

[46:57]

I think that is what Togenzen said, dropping of body and mind. It's not my personal body and my personal mind, but this is within this network of all beings. I think that is what he is saying here. That is my interpretation. If you don't agree, that is fine. Any questions? Okay. Let me go to the next paragraph. We are still less than half of this writing, but until page 13, he is discussing about this true reality of all beings, so we have to be really carefully read

[48:05]

But after the middle of page 13, he kind of, his style of writing is changed very radically. I mean, he started to complain about other people. And that part, you know, his writing or his words is very straightforward. So we don't need to take so much time to discuss what he is going to say after page 13. So if we finish, we can go until page 13, then it's almost done. And the very final part of this Chatter, Shoho Jiso, he writes about his own personal experience with his teacher, Tengo Nyojo, and it was really beautiful and very impressive.

[49:21]

This Chatter is famous, not famous, famous, popular, but because of that part of final part of this writing about his own experience with Nyojo. Not many people are interested in this part. Because, you know, he used so much expression from the Lotus Sutra, and he just twisted the meanings. So it's not so interesting, unless we really carefully, you know, check out the meanings of each and every, you know, word and expressions in the Lotus Sutra and how he twisted the meaning. It takes very lot of time. But if we really carefully read these sentences, it's really interesting, at least to me.

[50:28]

We can see how he think how his mind or brain works. Anyway. Everywhere he's saying this sutra, he's referring to the Lotus Sutra? Yes and no. He's also referring to Shobo Jisso. Yes, Shobo Jisso is itself the sutra. Okay. Paragraph 25. Opening the gate of the expedient means is itself revealing the true and genuine reality. He's still making comment on the quote from the 10th chapter of the Lotus Sutra, that is, the unsurpassable awakening of all bodhisattvas entirely belongs to this sutra.

[51:44]

And in this quote, of course, this sutra means the Lotus Sutra, but he I mean Dogen used this sutra, not necessarily the Lotus Sutra as a written scripture, but referred to the reality as it is, is this sutra. And this sutra opens the gate of expedient means and reveals the true and genuine reality. This quote means that this sutra opens the gate of the expedient means in order to allow us to see the true and genuine reality. So this gate of expedient means and true reality is

[52:53]

like a method and the result we want using that method. So same as a cause and result or means and ends. But what Faddogen wants to say here in this sentence is opening the gate of the expedient means is itself revealing the true and genuine reality. That means there is no such, you know, relation as a cause and result or means and purpose or ends. But revealing, no, opening the gate of ex-present means is itself revealing the true and genuine reality. So these are not two separate things, but really one thing. That is what Dōgen wants to say.

[53:58]

This is the same as, you know, practice and enlightenment are one. Usually we think practice is a method to attain enlightenment. And expedient means is an expedient means to see that true reality. But he said this expedient means or Hōgen is itself true reality. There is no truth. No separation between these two. And revealing the true and genuine reality is entire time. That means the reality is always here, right now, right here, right in front of our eyes. Or we are actually living in, right within this reality. So it's all the time, entire time. There's no time it is hidden. And the beginning, the middle, and the end are cut off.

[55:06]

That means, you know, this is always. But in each moment, it is before and after is cut off. This is same as Dogen said in Genjo Koan. when he talks about firewood and ash. Firewood is firewood. Firewood stays in the dharma position of firewood. And ash stays in the dharma position of ash. And there is a before and after. And yet this before and after is cut off. That means the moment of firewood is just And the moment of ash is just an ash. This is what this saidan or cut-off means. So each moment, each position is an absolute moment. That is shochugo, saidan, or beginning, middle, and end are cut-off.

[56:12]

So it's moment by moment, each moment. And the principle of the very opening itself of the gate of expedient means is that this opening, this gate, is that the gate of the expedient means is open in the ten-direction world. That means this ten-direction world is this gate of expedient means to allow us to liberate from our self-clinging and making our life suffering, and make ourselves transmigrate within the six realms of samsara. Yes? Maybe, I don't know if it's possible to make this distinction,

[57:16]

But why does he say that's the principle of the opening of the gate? What does he mean, the principle? Why couldn't he say the manifestation of the very opening itself of the gate of expedient means is that the gate of the expedient means is open in the ten-direction world? Why is it principle? Maybe principle is not necessary here. But Dogen used this word, dōri, and this dōri is really difficult was to translate into English. He often used this one. Yes. So is that like principle like in the Sando Kai when they talk about principle? Principle and matters. Anyway, ultimate reality and concrete matters or D and G. Phenomena, yes.

[58:19]

The word Dogen uses here is Do-Ri. Do is Wei or Dao, and Ri is the same as the principle in Ri and Ji. Phenomena is In Sandokai, phenomena is ji, and the principle is ri. So this is the same word. And this is the principle of the way. But do-ri is not particularly a Buddhist or Zen term. This is a very common word, not only in Japanese, but I think in Chinese also. Sometimes, this is a very vague word, so we can translate it in many different ways.

[59:27]

Ri is principle. Do is way. Principle way. Way of principle. Principle of the way. Question? And many people use, not only dōgen, but many people use this word, dōri, in many different ways. So sometimes it's better not to translate this. I translate because it's there, the word is there. I try to translate, make a a literal translation, as literal as possible. Because this is still a working draft, I'd like to work with a native English speaker who can really make this into real English.

[60:35]

This is not yet real English. So here are the principles. The principle or the very opening itself of the gate of expedient means. I think here, this word principle is not necessary. That means this opening, the gate itself. Anyway, this means that this gate is open within this ten-direction world, this entire ten-direction world. So this is not a particular place. This entire ten-direction world is itself the gate. You know, that is what Seppo said.

[61:35]

At this very moment, at this moment, that means Any moment we are, like now, like here, at this very moment, if we truly see the entire ten-direction world, there are sceneries we have never seen. Do you understand? Do you want to say something? I think we can see the world the same. But we can see, how can I say, with very fresh eyes. That means when we see everything around us,

[62:39]

as based on the structure of me and them, and what is a desirable relationship between me and those things. Something is desirable, something is not desirable, something is beautiful, so I want to make this my possession, or I don't like these things, I want to stay away. That is how we usually see things. What is useful for me to satisfy my desire, whether this can be useful or not useful, or valuable or not valuable, or present or not present. and we start to chase after something we want and escape from something we don't want.

[63:41]

This is the first cause of transmigration within samsara. Whether we are successful or not successful, we have to always chase, always run after something or from something. really samsara. But when we see, you know, this entire ten direction world as a network of interdependent origination, and I'm simply part of it, and me and everything are living together, and I'm not the center of the world, And those things are not the materials I can use to make this person happy. Of course, we still have that kind of desire, but we let go. Then we can see things with very fresh eyes.

[64:49]

I think that's the time each and everything starts to reveal as it is, as they are. don't see things, you know, meaningful or useful for me or not, then this thing is nama rupa to me. But when we let go of this nama rupa, then this thing starts to reveal the real reality of itself. I think that is what Dogen is saying. And not only things outside of ourselves, But, you know, we also always thinking, you know, what this person is, whether this person is good enough. And sometimes, you know, we want to, I don't want this person, I don't like this, so I want to make it better.

[65:52]

You know, this is, usually we see ourselves. But if we see, you know, everything, all dharmas, including this person, this five skandhas, as a real reality. Nothing is lacking. It's neither useful nor useless. Neither valuable nor valueless. But these are just as things as they are. Then we can see this world, including this self, from very different ways. And I think Awa doesn't allow us to see in that way. Please. I find this sentence really beautiful. At this very moment, if we truly see the entire ten-direction world, there are sceneries we have never seen. I don't know... At face value, it's pretty obvious, right?

[66:59]

Like you said, we're just this one person from this one position that we can't possibly see. But the expression, there are sceneries we have never seen, strikes me as very positive. And I think, probably not always, but he often seems to be very positive and encouraging sometimes. I think so. The idea of sceneries we have never seen, to me, I have this association with those sceneries. So I don't know if that's I don't know if it's a translation or if it's a correct thing from Dover. I think it's sort of like the movies, you know, sceneries we have never seen, you know, beautiful things like that. To have this idea of something beautiful that you've never seen, something that will be beautiful, that's beautiful. And I'm not sure, just now when you were talking about what we haven't seen, there's also many things, things we don't want to see. So maybe, I don't know if I would call those things sceneries. Well, the word, expression, dōgei use, and I translate it, scenarios, is yōsu.

[68:10]

Yōsu. What is the English word for yosu? Yosu is... Yosu is the way things are. The way things are. So it could be both positive and negative. It can be either or both. The way things are. Maybe realities. Realities? Realities or actualities? Circumstances. Circumstances. Circumstances. Yōsu. I use this word, scenarios, because this is the expression which Yama Roshi uses.

[69:18]

He uses the expression, scenarios of life. Please. He's implying we have seen it before, but now we're looking at it like, I mean, if I were to see this with new eyes, because one time I took a four-year-old girl around the block where I work, and I decided, well, I'm just going to let her, I'm not going to control her, I'm going to let her control everything. And everything, every step was amazing. She brought joy into every object. And I had seen that object a thousand times, but I tried to look at it through her eyes, and I saw, wow, you know, suspend all of your judgments, and you see things with new eyes that you'd seen a thousand times before. I have one experience at Green Gulch several years ago.

[70:21]

I think that was in the spring. You know, there are flower gardens in Green Gorge. And during some meeting or something, I took a walk in a flower garden. And those flowers, you know, blooming there, almost all of them are foreign to me. That means I didn't know the names of the flowers. Then I was in Japan. When I see flowers, I know the names of the flowers. I have some memories about the flowers. And I know, for example, some poems about the flowers. So when I see a flower, I start to associate with my memory and knowledge and feelings I had in the past.

[71:25]

So, not really seeing the flower itself, but by seeing the flower I start to play with my memory and thinking. I go into my mind. But I don't really see that flower itself. But at that time, I felt, because I knew nothing about those flowers, I could really see the shape and colors and beauty of the flowers. I had no concept, idea, association, memory, or whatever. So I was like a four-year-old girl. It's really amazing. It's different. I think that is... To me, that is a completely fresh scenery, even though these are not special flowers. Maybe it's a similar thing, I don't know.

[72:49]

Probably so. You know, someone said, when I speak Japanese and I speak in English, one person said, my personality is completely different. You know, when I speak in Japanese, I can make any gray zone. But when I speak in English, I have to say black or white. Because my vocabulary is poor. So I have to be very straightforward and clear when I talk in English. But when I talk in Japanese I make everything as a kind of vague. And yet it sounds like meaningful. So it's nice to speak in some foreign language. At least when I studied Shobo Genzo and tried to translate into English, even though in Japanese I think I understand, but when I tried to find an English equivalent, I found that I don't really understand.

[74:08]

I have some feeling and vague idea, but I don't really know what this word really means. There are so many such vague things in our mind. So to face something which is really falling is a kind of a shock. And I have to struggle with this. But this is really hard but good practice to see things with very fresh eyes. Well, here we are. This is kind of strange. He said this entire world, and he said one piece or two pieces, three or four pieces of this entire world.

[75:09]

So there are many pieces of this entire world. I'm not sure. I don't know why. Maybe it's just a variation. I don't think there's some special meaning. Mai is used to account something flat like a paper or a plate. And the ko is the word to count something. But here I don't think he makes distinction with these two. But I think this means when we sit in the Zen, in this entire world becomes the world of the Zen.

[76:14]

Now we are studying Dogen. our Ten Direction World becomes the world of studying Dogen. And when we take a walk outside, you know, the Ten Direction World of walking is open. So in each moment, depending upon what we do, you know, we see a very fresh scenery. But when we are living only within our mind, we cannot see different scenarios. We are caught up, who I am, what I should do, what I can expect next. If we think in that way, we don't really see each and everything. kind of a concept.

[77:20]

For me, cherry blossom has some concept. And when we see cherry blossom, I don't really see the cherry blossom. I'm just grasping that object as a cherry blossom, as a concept. I don't really see each and every flower. and see the color and vitality of each and every flower. But I just see, you know, this is spring, April, the time of cherry blossom blooming, and they are blooming, and beautiful, that's all. That is very different from really seeing as a flesh and being, as a living being. as a part of impermanence and this is really only reality. So it is like a Buddha.

[78:23]

So when we see, not only cherry blossoms, anything, when we see like, we can see, we can encounter, see and encounter with this only once within our lifetime. is important point, important things in tea ceremony. Ichigo ichie. That means, you know, we have tea ceremony with other people, but this particular gathering is only once. Not only in our lifetime, but from Big Bang. This particular meeting, particular encountering is only once. So it's so precious. And we may have, or of course we cannot have the same gathering with the same people, with the same condition or situation. So this is really only one time thing.

[79:27]

Then, you know, even though it's just an ordinary meeting, it's really precious. That kind of way to meet with each and every being. And every meeting is like that. Yes. Pardon? I think so. So, holding one piece or two pieces, three pieces or four pieces of the ten-direction world. we enable each one of them to open the gate of the expedient means. So in whatever condition or encountering, this particular encountering is really the gate of liberation, the gate of expedient means to see the

[80:32]

true reality of all beings. The next one is a little difficult. Because of this, although it seems as if they are one and the same, opening the gate of expedient means, each time, each opportunity, it seems that various, entire ten-direction world, Gaining the small portion of the opening, the gate of expedient means, make that portion their manifesting faces. Manifesting is Genjo. So each and every thing, really manifesting means happening, revealing, right now, right here, is, you know, this part of gate of revelation. or expedient means of this ten directions.

[81:38]

So there is no exception. So we are always right there at the gate of liberation or gate of expedient means. We can live with that kind of attitude or way as an awakening in each moment, not only sitting in the Zen. Such a circumstance is caused by the power of belonging to this sutra. So we are belonging to this sutra of, you know, the network of interdependent origination. or the true reality of all beings. Because we are already part of that reality, we can, if we are mindful, we can have that, you know, kind of very fresh encountering in each moment with each and everything we meet.

[82:51]

Next paragraph. Revealing the true and genuine reality is hearing and circulating the words and phrases of the true reality of all beings within the entire world. Here he started to discuss about communication, about this true reality. So when we hear the experience or hear the expression of this true reality, you know, not only just hearing, we also circulate. That means our practice, our activity, our speaking, has become the expression of this true reality. That's how this wind of true reality, you know, circulates within our life. And no matter how our power of communication is small and limited, still it is accomplishing the way within the entire world.

[84:10]

Even if I speak using this very poor English vocabulary, still if what I'm saying is from this true reality of all beings, Poor English is circulating these entire ten directions. It is unabling the entire person to see and understand the principle that the true reality is all beings. and enabling the entire being to actualize the principle that the true reality is all beings, not only the people, but also each and every being. Both people are subject and object, a person and things around the person. Both become the expression of this true reality of all beings, because true reality is all beings.

[85:24]

Here, Dogen says, or said, Jisso Shobo. You know, the title is Shobo Jisso, but here Dogen wrote Jisso Shobo. He changed the order and tried to say all beings as true reality. Both people and things. around that person. We don't have much time, but let me... The next paragraph is not difficult, so let me finish the next paragraph. Therefore, the unsurpassable awakening of the forty Buddhas and the forty ancestors all belong to this sutra. These forty buddhas and forty ancestors are from Shakyamuni to the sixth ancestor, Huinan.

[86:32]

In, I think, Shisho, or Menju, he said, you know, from Shakyamuni to the sixth ancestor, Huinan, are forty buddhas. and also 40 ancestors. So they are both Buddhas and ancestors. So he is talking about this lineage or tradition. All of them belong to this sutra, in this reality of all beings. It is belonging to this sutra, not the Lotus Sutra, but the sutra of this reality. And this sutra's belonging Belonging means part of this sutra. The round cushion for the Zen, the Zafu, and sleeping stick. Do you know sleeping stick? It is called... sounds like Kyosaku, looks like Kyosaku, but it's not Kyosaku.

[87:37]

Yeah, there is a stick to support our chin when we sleep in the sitting posture. I never used that kind of thing. But when Uchiyama Roshi was first ordained, first three years he practiced at a temple with Sawaki Roshi's students. They had one week session without lying down. During between midnight and two in the morning, they didn't use kyo-saku. That means they could sleep. And when they sleep on the cushion, they use this stick, sleep stick. So, I never use it, and I don't want to. But this is a kind of a tool for practice Zazen.

[88:39]

Anyway, that means our practice of Zazen, Zazen practice, are nothing other than the unsurpassable awakening, and all belonging to this sutra, this sutra of the reality of all beings. And picking up a flower and breaking into a smile, this is about Buddha's dharma transmission from Shakyamuni to Mahakasyapa. Picking a flower and Buddha picked up a flower and Mahakasyapa smiles. This is Dharma transmission. Both are belonging to this sutra. And these are this sutra's belongings. He just changed the order. His final statement is, opening the gate of expedient means is itself revealing the true reality.

[89:48]

He repeats the same thing he said in the first sentence of paragraph 25. I reach the goal. Any questions? Zoku. Zoku. Please. I'm wondering, why is there writing this? Are there other teachers that are saying that you need to do something else besides expedient means? He's saying that's enough or something.

[90:51]

Is he trying to expound some teaching that other teachers are denying? Or is he saying somebody's incorrect or something like that? Yes, that is what he's going to write after this talk. So that's always our thing. We're going to scare people into saying that you're a Taoist. Yeah. Yeah. Please. This is a fresh encountering. I've never spoken to this, but I had an experience I've come to after a rather intense sitting meditation where absolutely everything, trees, flowers, plants, people, driving a car, was absolutely new and fresh. It was unlike any experience I've ever had. But eventually, after an hour, I got asked to pick some people up in town. It started to wear off. And it was really great.

[91:52]

I just have a hard time imagining that one could exist in that. Although, is that what this implies? It just seems kind of like a fairytale. Very good. Well, sometimes it feels very powerful impression and influence. And that kind of powerful experience doesn't last forever. It stops. Things become ordinary. And almost all the time things are ordinary. Like eating meals, food. And washing bowls, like Joshu said, if you finish eating breakfast, we should clean up, wash the bowls. That is kind of our daily routine, and nothing looks like fresh.

[92:53]

But I think not only in our daily life, Even in our Zazen, sometimes we feel I'm doing the same thing every day, every morning. Nothing is fresh, nothing is new. But still I think what Dogen is saying is not our feeling, not our... thinking, not our judgment or evaluation, but each meeting, each experience is new, fresh, and taking place within the entire ten directions, even though we don't feel in that way. Sometimes we feel, and we think that is a special experience, and sometimes we feel this is an enlightenment experience.

[93:56]

But I don't think that kind of special experience is so important. But to appreciate each and every kind of ordinary day-to-day things is, even if we don't feel so, is fresh and precious. And it is taking place within this entire network of interdependent ordination. Is the answer to your question? It's not an experience because that's so grasped. It becomes another form of experience. Yeah, if we think grasp this is an enlightenment experience, and then We want to experience the same experience again, and we chase after, and this creates samsara, another kind of samsara. So, we should open our hands.

[94:58]

Okay, thank you very much.

[95:02]

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