This is the precept retreat, or in Japanese I call this Zenkaie. Zen is, of course, Zen. Zen in the Zen, and kai means precept, and e means gathering, same e in genzo e. So this is a gathering to study Zen and kai. Zen and kai are two things, but this is sometimes used as a compound one word, That means Zen and Kai are one thing. There is an expression in Soto Zen that is Zen, Kai, Ichi, Nyo.

[01:06]

Zen and Kai are one, thusness. So we study... or the precept transmitted within the Zen tradition. So this is, and in our case, especially tradition of Dogen Zenji. And in Dogen Zenji tradition, we study and understand the precept we receive based on Dogen Zenji's comment on these 16 precepts entitled in Japanese, Kyoju Kaimon. And that is one of the handouts I think we have. My English translation is Comments on Teaching and Conferring the Bodhisattva Precepts That Have Been Authentically Transmitted by Buddhas and Ancestors.

[02:15]

It's a long title. But this is a very short writing, but this teaching of Dogen about that precept to receive. So during this retreat, I focus on talking on Dogen's comment. in this short writing. And the second handout is the ten major precepts from the Brahma Net Sutra. The main part of this Dogen's comments is about his insight about these ten major precepts. So in order to understand what Dogen is talking about, we need to understand what is the meaning of those ten major precepts from the Brahmanet Sutra. So this is the second handout.

[03:19]

And the third one I think we have is Bodhidharma's comments on the one-mind precept. Although it is said Bodhidharma's comment, I'm pretty sure it's not written by Dogen, I mean Bodhidharma. And I'm not sure who wrote this and where this comes from. At least from the 17th century in Soto Zen tradition, this is studied as an important comment or text of our understanding of those precepts. This is a very short comment on those ten major precepts. So those are the three texts we used this time. The reason why I give lectures on the precepts before the precepts ceremony is in the Brahman … now from last April we have been studying the Brahman Sutra,

[04:35]

And that Brahmanet Sutra is a very basic sutra in which Mahayana precept or bodhisattva precept is mentioned. And in that sutra it is said, you know, Buddhist teacher need to give the precept whoever wish to receive the precept and also understand the meaning of the precept. So when we have a precept receiving ceremony or jukkai, the teacher has to give explanation of what that precept means. So that is kind of my responsibility to give or offer my understanding of the precept. Receiving the precept is a very important thing, especially for the people who receive the precept.

[05:50]

It can be like the second birthday, the recipient receives a new name, bodhisattva name or dharma name, and the meaning of this name, bodhisattva, means a person who lives being led by vow, not by karma. So our life force, as a bodhisattva, is our vow. So we need to understand what is our life. That means what is our vow, or our vow means bodhisattva vows. So for the recipient, this is a very important time, but not only for the recipient, but who have already received the precept. listening to that teaching about the precept is a meaningful opportunity to renew, including myself, renew our vow.

[07:09]

And also for the people who have not yet received, this is a chance to study this kind of a strange precept. You may understand that these are strange precepts. So that is what we are going to study during this retreat. And because we have the precept receiving ceremony on Monday, so I can give only four lectures. And I usually give 10 lectures to cover the entire 16 precepts. But this time I try to finish the entire text, so I need to be a little bit in a hurry. Do you have something to say? I just don't have a copy of the Bodhidharma. I have two of them. Before I start to talk on the texts, whenever I talk on the precepts, I start with the very well-known verse from Dhammapada, and I think it's very important, so this time again I start to talk on this very important and well-known verse from Dhammapada.

[08:49]

I think all of you already know what is Dhammapada. I'm sorry. Dhammapada is a collection of short verses, and it's considered to be one of the oldest scriptures in Buddhist history. And the verse I'd like to introduce is as follows. It said, do not thought is evil. And do thought is good. Keep your mind pure. This is the teaching of Buddha. I think you already know this verse. Let me read it again. Do what is evil.

[09:54]

I'm sorry. My mind doesn't work. Do not what is evil. Do what is good. Keep your mind pure. This is the teaching of Buddha. In Chinese translation, this verse is as follows. Sho. Mak. Star. Shoes. Zen. Bu. Jyo. Ji. Jyo. Go. I. Ze. Sho. Butsu. Hyo. SHOAKU MAKUSA SHUZEN BUGYO JIJOGOI

[11:09]

You know, this English translation of Dhammapada is a translation from Pali, Pali Dhammapada, and this is a Chinese translation. If there is a same, for example, in this case, verse, are there in both Pali and Chinese translation, that means this verse was already existing when the first division of Buddhist Sangha happened. That is about 100 years after Buddha's death. That means this birth is very old. The tradition which went to China and which transmitted within the Theravada tradition, that division happened.

[12:29]

Before that division happened, this birth is already there. And to me this is really important teaching, to understand Dogen's comments on these precepts we receive. And within this very short verse, and it's very clear, nothing difficult, Shoak means all, akku is evil or bad, or some American people don't like to use those words, use something like wholesome or beneficial. And makku is not, and sa is make or do. So do not make or do not do everything for accruing bad, evil, unwholesome.

[13:37]

And shu-zen means all good. Zen is good. And bu, what is bu? Bu is like respectfully. And gyo is sem-gyo in shu-gyo, that is practice. Respectfully practice everything good or beneficial or wholesome. And ji-jo-go-ji is self. And jo is pure or purify. And go means its. And i is thought or mind. So keep one's mind pure and defiled. And zesho-bukkyo is shobutsu means all Buddhas. This is all Buddhas' teaching.

[14:39]

This is all Buddhas' teaching. So do not anything unwholesome and do or practice everything wholesome. and keep your mind pure, undefiled. This is the teaching of all Buddhas. And in Chinese tradition, this verse is called 七仏通戒戒. shichi, butsu, su, kai, ge means verse or poem, shichi butsu means seven buddhas, and su means common, and kai is a

[15:44]

teachings or admonitions. So this means this is the birth of Buddha's teachings of all seven Buddhas. Seven Buddhas means seven Buddhas in the past. That is what all Buddhas mean. All Buddhas refer to seven Buddhas. Anyway, this means this teaching is the essential teaching of all Buddhas. And within this short verse, there are two sets of teachings. The first two lines, of course, mean good and bad, and we should avoid evil or bad or mistaken deeds, and we should practice everything good. So there is a distinction between good and bad.

[16:49]

And the third line, keep your mind pure, means go beyond good and bad. This verse is in Dhammapada, number 183. But there is another verse that is 126, about these two sets of teachings. Verse 126 says, Some people are born on this earth. Those who do evil are reborn in hell.

[17:56]

The righteous go to heaven, but those who are pure reach nirvana. So there are three kinds of people. We are all born on this earth, and there are three kinds of people. If someone or some people do evil or bad or unwholesome, they will be born in hell. And if we practice good, then we can be born in the heaven. That is one set of teaching. If you do bad thing, you will be in hell. And if you do good thing, you will be born in hell within the six realms of samsara. You know, there are six, one, two, three, four, five, six, from hell to heaven.

[19:02]

If we do good things, we can be born in heaven. And if we do bad things, we will be born in hell or somewhere between hell and heaven. depending upon our actions. So this is about cause and result, causality, cause and result. So if you want to be born in the heaven, you have to do good things. otherwise you will be in the hell. That is one set of teachings. And this verse says, but those who are pure reach nirvana. So this is sansara. And if we keep our mind pure, we go nirvana.

[20:07]

That is another set of teaching. So if you do bad things, you will be born in hell. If you go do good things, you will be born in heaven, and you can enjoy your life, and your desires will be completely fulfilled. But these are still all within samsara. It doesn't last forever. Any condition does not last forever. So we have to transmigrate. We have to go through changes. But the Buddha said, if we keep our mind pure, that means going beyond good and bad. If we are living within the... wearing of good and bad, we continue to transmigrate within samsara. But if we become free from distinction or discrimination between good and bad, then we can go to nirvana.

[21:16]

So there are two sets of teachings. One is based on discrimination between good and bad, and we should choose good things. and we should avoid bad things. And another set of teachings is we should go beyond this good and bad, and then we can enter nirvana. So what is nirvana? Is nirvana permanent then? There's no change within nirvana? I don't know. I've never been there. Just checking. So, fatwa di nirvana is an important point. That is what we are going to study. And we can find many examples of this kind of teaching.

[22:18]

This is about morality or ethics. We need to be a good person and do good things. We should avoid evil things. and going beyond that discrimination between good and bad. And traditional understanding in Buddhist history is this set of teaching about morality, good and bad, is given for laypeople. And purify one's mind and go beyond good and bad was given to monks. That means lay people stay at home and live in the world, so they have to do good things or bad things. They have to make a choice. In order to make a choice, they have to make discrimination.

[23:22]

What is good? What is bad? And they should do good things and avoid bad things, then they can be born in the heaven. But that is not the path of the monks. For monks, they have to go beyond good and bad. and keep their mind pure, then monks can enter nirvana. So nirvana is only possible for monks who can go beyond good and bad. As far as we are living in the realms of good and bad, We try, not try, but we have to keep transmigrating within samsara, whether we are born in a good part of samsara or a difficult part of samsara. That is the teaching. And yet when we hear this expression, going beyond good and bad,

[24:30]

or become free from discrimination between good and bad. Or if we are careless, we think we can do bad things because we don't need to think about good or bad. But that is not what this means, going beyond good and bad means. Because to go beyond good and bad, Buddha requests or expects monks to accept 250 precepts. That means a much stricter moral cause than lay people. So going beyond good and bad, never means we can do bad, bad things. But going beyond good and bad means we should do good things and we should avoid evil or wholesome actions.

[25:34]

Still, we need to become free from discrimination. Often when we think we are good person, doing good things, we become, you know, arrogant. And when we meet with some people who don't keep the precept, we think they are bad people. You know, this is a discrimination. And this is a problem caused by this discrimination. We judge people. We are good, they are bad. But going beyond good and bad means we need to become free from that kind of attachment to our good deeds. And also, when we meet someone who made mistakes or unwholesome things, we need to be free from anger or hatred against those people So going beyond good and bad in Buddhist teaching never means we have license to do anything we want.

[26:46]

But we need to be flow free from our attachment toward our good deed. So just do good things without attachment and without expectation from our good deed. And also we should always have compassion toward people who fail to do good things. That is what going beyond good and bad means. So we have to be very clear about that. So in the early Buddhism, you know, this kind of a frame works very well. But in the case of Mahayana Buddhism, this is a problem. I mean, in the early Buddhism, the distinction between lay people or householder and monks are very clear.

[27:59]

And if people want to enter Nirvana, they have to become a monk. There's no question about that. But in the case of Mahayana Buddhism, this distinction is not so clear, or there's no such distinction. That means either householders or laypeople and monks are called bodhisattvas. There's no distinction. That means, bodhisattva means all living beings are children of Buddha. Then this distinction becomes a question or a problem. If one group of people have to keep transmigrating within samsara and another Buddha's children only can go to heaven, that is a problem. Because we are both lay people and monks are Buddha's children, our destination is the Buddhahood, to become Buddha.

[29:08]

And because we are all Buddha's children, if we continue to practice, all of us, all living beings become Buddha. that is the very basic teaching of Mahayana Buddhism, then this distinction becomes a problem. So how we can integrate these two is the point of very important teaching in Mahayana Buddhism. These two in Sanskrit, this one is called Raukika. Raukika. And entering nirvana is called Raukautara.

[30:09]

Let's see. This Rokika in Chinese, in Japanese, is called Seken Ho. Seken means world, so dharma of the world, within the human world. is good and bad and transmigration. And is also the word. And in Chinese, the second. Dharma of means to exit or get out. And sometimes this loka uttara or loka uttara or shuseken is translated into English as a kind of a strange English, supra world.

[31:33]

Supra world? Something like supra. Supra. Or beyond the world. So there are two sets of teachings or dharma. One is the dharma within the world and another is dharma going beyond the world. Here in this dharma of rōkika, there is good and bad, and we should avoid bad and we should practice good. And in rōkottara or rōkauttara, there's no such distinction. We need to go beyond such a distinction. I think this, you know, how can I say, distinction, is within the history of Buddhist history, I mean history of Buddhist philosophy.

[32:34]

Later, this side is called ultimate truth, and this side is called conventional truth. And in Chinese Zen, this side is called 理 . And this side is called G. D literally means principle or ultimate truth or reality, and G is a concrete or conventional reality or truth. And how can we integrate these two, and how can we also make distinction between these two, how these two are interconnected each other, how the relationship between these two is one of the very important points of entire Buddhist teachings.

[33:42]

And if we clearly understand that, you know, this point, I think when you read, you know, a collection of koan stories in Zen tradition. Almost all of them, not all of them, but many of them are about this point. How can we go beyond discrimination? And yet, how can we avoid evil and practice good? What are the relations between these two sides is the very important point of Buddhist philosophy and Zen teaching and practice. So when we study about the precept, we study about this point. That means in Dogen Zenji's words, how can we just do good?

[34:44]

Actually, Dogen Zenji wrote a chapter of Shobo Genzo entitled Shouaku Makusa, or Do Not Evil. So we have to just do good things without expecting the desirable result. Just do it. That is what Dogen Zen meant when he used the expression shikan, not only in Zazen. He called his Zazen shikan tada, just sitting. but not only that in practice but also in our day-to-day activities, we just do good things without expectation of some reward from this good thing. That is even though there is a distinction between good and evil and we should do good.

[35:49]

still two good things without any attachment, any expectation. Just do it. That is the way, not only Dogen, but kind of Zen way of integrating these two. These two are there, and yet there's no such distinction between these two. Both are there within this one action. That is, in my understanding, that's the main point of practice of precepts in Zen tradition, or at least Dogen Zenjutsu tradition. OK, now I start to talk on the text. of this Kyōjū Kaimon, Dogen Zenji's comment on these sixteen precepts.

[36:56]

In Dogen Zenji tradition, named Sōtō Zen in Japan, we receive sixteen precepts. Sixteen means three diffuses. and three-fold pure precepts and ten major precepts. And this is Dogen's comment on those 16 precepts. We only receive 16. And there's no distinction between monks or priests and laypeople. Both laypeople and monks or priests receive the same 16 precepts. That is the only precept we receive. So there's no distinction between lay practitioner and monks or priests in terms of the precept.

[38:03]

And We consider this Dogen's comment, but actually this is not written by Dogen himself. But it says, whenever they have a precept receiving ceremony or a jukai ceremony, Dogen Zenji made explanation about these precepts. And one time in the precept or jukai ceremony, traditionally there are at least two teachers. One is called kaishi, precept master or preceptor, and the second is called kyōjyoshi. Kyo-ju-shi. Kyo means teaching, and ju, what is ju, is giving or offering.

[39:14]

Anyway, this word kyo-ju is used in modern Japanese as a professor or teacher. Anyway, this kyo-ju-shi is a person who assists the preceptor and gives an explanation of the meanings of the preceptor. And one time, of course, in Dogen Zenjutsu Sangha, Dogen was the preceptor. And his major disciple, Ejo, was a kyojushi, or what is the English word for this? Like a preceptor, explaining teacher. At that time, Ejo wrote down the point of Dogen's teaching, and that is this writing. So this is actually written by Ejo. But because Ejo wrote down the essence of Dogen Zen teaching, commonly we consider this Dogen's comment on the precept.

[40:29]

And originally this was written in Chinese, but Keizan Jokin, Kezan was the fourth generation from Dogen. Dogen's dharma heir is Ejo, and Ejo's heir is Gikan. and Keizan was Gikai's disciple, and Keizan established Sojiji. Sojiji is one of the two major monasteries in Soto Zen tradition. So Dogen is called founding ancestor, and Keizan was, what is Taiso? I don't know, another founding ancestor. Because actually there are two major monasteries, Eheji and Sojiji.

[41:37]

Actually the Sotozen temples came from Keizan's tradition. Sojiji is much more. Anyway, Ketan is a very important ancestor in our lineage. And when he gives the precept to his female lay student, her name was Sikyu, not Sikyu, Ekyu. She is a lay woman student of Keizan. Keizan wrote this text in Japanese, translated into Japanese. and give this person.

[42:38]

And this has been transmitted to his ,, and he also give this writing to his student. So there are two versions of this . and we can see both, and both are not different actually. So in our tradition, when we study the meaning of the precept we receive, we study this text as a fundamental text. And of course there are many commentaries on this text, Commentaries are more difficult than the original, or more complicated. Anyway, so during this retreat I focus on this text.

[43:52]

In page one, the first section is a kind of introduction. And Dogen Zenji, let me call this Dogen's writing, Dogen Zenji says these precepts are, in the first sentence it said, the great precepts of the Buddhas. So this is called Buddha's precept. Let me read the introduction. The great precepts of the Buddhas have been protected and maintained by Buddhas. Buddhas conferred upon Buddhas and ancestors transmitted to ancestors. Transmission of dharma transcends past, present, and future.

[44:58]

The identity of teachers and students' verification is continuous from ancient times to the present. Our great teacher Shakyamuni Buddha conferred them upon Mahakasyapa. Mahakasyapa transmitted them to Ananda. In the same way, these precepts have been legitimately conferred from teacher to disciple for fifty-four generations, the transmission reaching to the present abbot of this monastery. Now I confer these precepts in order to sincerely express my deep gratitude to the Buddhas and ancestors and make them most essential teachings for human and heavenly beings forever. This is because the life wisdom of the Buddhas and ancestors continues through transmitting these precepts.

[46:07]

So this precept is called Buddha's precept. In Japanese it's called bukkai. And Dogen said, this Buddha's precept has been transmitted from Shakyamuni to Mahakasyapa, Mahakasyapa to Ananda, until this text says 54 generations. 54 means Kaizen. So this precept has been transmitted until Kaizen. Dogen was, I think, 50 or 51. Anyway, so... Usually we think precept is a kind of a collection of regulations or rules. That means a collection of we should do and we should not do, prohibition.

[47:14]

And of course these precepts are kind of a prohibition or restoration. But Dogen says these precepts are the dharma which has been transmitted from Buddha to Ananda. I think you know the story about dharma transmission from Shakyamuni to Mahakasyapa. One day at the Vulture Peak, Shakyamuni, a Buddha, sat on his seat. So all people in the assembly expected the Buddha is going to give some lectures But on that occasion, Buddha didn't say anything. But he just picked up a flower and just watched it.

[48:17]

without saying anything. Then within, I don't know how many monks were there, only one person, Mahakasyapa, smiled. Then at that time Buddha said, you know, I have this dharma named Shobo Genzo. Well, this is a long name, so I don't like it. True dharma. is on that occasion when Mahakasyapa smiled, when Buddha just watched the flower is transmitted to him. This story, of course, is made up in Zen tradition in order to show that dharma that has been transmitted only within Zen tradition is called bussin.

[49:24]

Sin is mind or heart. And bussin is the opposition of butsu-go, Go means Buddha's words. That means Buddha's another disciple, Ananda, was his personal attendant for many years, more than twenty years. And Ananda was very good at memorizing everything. So he memorized everything Buddha said. all Buddha's words were memorized by Ananda. And after Buddha's death, Ananda recited what he remembered, and those became Buddhist sutras. So Buddhist sutras came from Ananda's memory of Buddha's words.

[50:30]

So Buddha's words had been transmitted through Ananda and written down and recorded within the sutras. But in Zen tradition, besides this transmission of Buddha's word within the sutras, Buddha's heart was directly transmitted to Mahakasyapa without using any words. That is the beginning of this story of Buddha picked up a flower and Mahakasyapa smiled. Without using any language or words, Dharma was transmitted. from Buddha to Mahakasyapa. And this Buddha mind has been transmitted in Zen tradition. That was what people who made up this story wanted to say.

[51:35]

So this is another example of two sets of teachings. By using words, we have to make distinction, discrimination. What is true, what is false, what is good, what is bad, what Buddha taught, what Buddha didn't taught, what Buddha negated, what Buddha affirmed. But within transmission of this Buddha's mind or heart, there is no such discrimination. Just the dharma to which Buddha awakened to is directly transmitted to Mahakasyapa without using any language, any concept or words. That is the meaning. That means absolute truth is transmitted without using words. But his teachings, Buddha's teachings using words, were memorized and recorded through Ananda as a form of sutras.

[52:45]

That is the meaning. Anyway, what Dogen Zenji is saying here is that this precept is transmitted from Buddha to Mahakasyapa. That means these sixteen precepts are not made up by studying and interpreting what is written in the suttas. But when we awaken to the same reality or truth Buddha awakened to, then those, again, precept is about the discrimination, good and bad. So this is an integration between good and bad. and beyond good and bad. But what he is saying is, when we awaken to the same reality Buddha awakened to, before Buddha started to explain what this is, what this means, we have to avoid certain things.

[53:56]

And we have to do certain things. And when we express using words, about this dharma requires us to do and not to do, it becomes this 16th precept. That is what this means. So in this comment, Dogen Zenji understands the precept from the absolute truth or reality. But of course, good and bad is integrated or included within this absolute truth. So this is one of the examples, you know, relative truth or conventional truth and absolute truth are integrated and show us how we can practice including both.

[55:03]

So what this introduction is basically saying is these precepts, 16 precepts, are the expression of this ultimate truth and a guideline of our day-to-day activities based on that truth. In the third sentence it says, transmission of dharma, transcend past, present and future. Transcend past, present and future means transcend time and space. This is also important.

[56:13]

When we study Dogen's idea or insight about time and space, well, it takes forever to talk about it. If you want to really study Dogen's teaching about time and space, please read Shobo Genzo Uji. Uji is being-time. And in that chapter of Shobo Genzo, he said, being is itself time, and time is itself being. So being and time is really one thing. But usually we think there is a stream of time which flows from past to future through present. And we are living within this time. I was born in 1948, and now I'm 61 years old, and I have been living within this flow of time.

[57:19]

and I can, you know, write down what I did when I was 10 or 12 or 20 or 30, 40. That is our common understanding of time. But Dogen said this is not, he didn't negate this, but he said this is not the only way we can see the time, understand the time. For example, in Genjo Koan, he used the analogy of firewood and ash. to show his understanding of time and changing or impermanence. When firewood is burned, it becomes ash. So we think in this present moment it is burning,

[58:29]

by this condition of being burned, fire would become ash. And we think that fire is before and ash is after, of course. And that is not a long view. But he said this is not only view, only understanding. But he said, you know, at the time, at the moment of firewood, this is only firewood. Firewood stays or dwells within the dharma position of firewood. And there's no after. He said, there is before and after. That means before firewood was living tree. When a living tree is cut off and dried, it becomes firewood.

[59:34]

So there is a past. And when firewood is burned, it becomes ash. So there is a future. But he said, the past and the future are cut off. Cut off means, in translation, side-down. Thay means border, and dan is to cut off. That means there's no such border, you know, between past and present, and present and future. That means past has already gone, so it's not there anymore. And the future has not yet come, so there's no such things called future. Only truth, only real reality is this present moment that is firewood.

[60:39]

So firewood is just firewood. The time firewood used to be a living tree is already gone, so it's not there. It's cut off. And the time firewood become ash has not yet come, so it's not there at all. Only this present moment is reality, so firewood is just firewood. Nothing else. And an important point is this present moment has no rings. That means this is zero. So in this kind of a diagram, this is just a border between past and future. And only thing are there is this past and the future. Present doesn't really exist.

[61:42]

But a few minutes ago I said, present moment is only reality. Past and the future are not there. Which is true. I think both are true. So time is a strange thing. But what Togen said is, time is this being. at this moment. And this past, present and future and this flow of time is created in our mind to understand the changes. Time does not really exist without this person, without the person who are being actually being unchanging. So the time comes from this being. And another thing, for example, Dogen said in Vendoa, when he described about his zazen as jizyu zammai, he said, when one person, any person, sitting in zazen,

[63:00]

even for a short period of time. He said, the Zen is one with all beings in the entire space and all time. So it seems in Dogen's writing there are three kinds of time. One is the time we usually consider as a linear flow from past to future. But it seems he thinks of time that doesn't flow, that doesn't move. That is called eternity. This is not permanent. Permanent and eternity should be different. Eternity means from my understanding, I'm not sure it's true, right or not, from the moment of Big Bang until, I don't know the name, but at the end of this universe, this is one seamless moment.

[64:22]

we make, you know, kind of a segment using ops, using certain, you know, yardstick, like a second minute, one day or seven, one week or one year or one century to make it easy to understand and think and grasp, but there's no such things actually what is the word, behind, not behind, but beyond human beings. So until human beings started to think and observe and make that kind of segment, Time is just one moment, and even now when we are making that kind of discrimination, still time itself has no such separation.

[65:29]

So this is one moment, and this time doesn't flow. And I think this idea came from the Lotus Sutra, the eternal life of Buddha, So this eternal life of Buddha does not mean something called Buddha's life continues within this flow. That's why I want to make clear distinction between permanence and eternity. Anyway, Dogen said in Vendôa, in our daily lives, we sit for a certain period of time. Here we sit fifty minutes a period. That is a very short time. And yet, moment by moment, you know, we sit really only this moment.

[66:33]

And this moment is not the continuation of the past or continuation to the future. So past and future are cut off. Just only this moment without any links. I think what Dogen said is, then we become zero, actually. We become one with eternity. So this becoming zero is just be right now, right here, only this moment, only this body and mind. That is what we do in our dazen, by letting go. By letting go of thought, we let go of the story we create in our mind. Then we are just only this moment, which has no length. And this is a kind of a, what is the word, gateway toward eternity. So it seems, when I have been studying Dogen for many years,

[67:35]

In my understanding, in Dogen's teaching there are three kinds of times, and those three kinds of times are not really three different times, but this is only one time. And when we practice zazen and letting go, just be right now, right here, these three become really one thing. That is what samadhi means, no separation. And what he's saying here, is, he says, transmission of dharma transcends past, present and future. So this comment on the precept is about dharma transmission. It's the same thing. When we receive transmission from teacher, And then in that transmission, teacher and student are really one thing, like Shakyamuni Buddha and Mahakasyapa, or Bodhidharma and Huiko or Eka.

[68:52]

you know, generation after generation, the same thing happens. But this dharma transmission transcends past, present and future. So this means Dogen Zenji is saying, receiving the precept is the same thing with our Dazen practice. That means one moment within this flow of time and this only one moment, absolute moment, absolute present moment and eternity become merely one thing. And within receiving this precept, same thing can be said. So this is I think to me this is very surprising or amazing teaching. We usually think in receiving precepts we receive certain rules, and I take a vow to following and keeping these rules, then I can be a good so-called Buddhist.

[70:07]

But according to Dogen, the meaning of receiving precepts is not such a thing. But receiving precepts means receiving this reality, and this reality means Entire space is one seamless space and entire time is one seamless moment. And each moment we are really living out this seamless moment and seamless space at this present moment, moment by moment. That's why Dogen is saying in this text, it's kind of beyond our understanding if we understand to receive the precept means to receive the rules.

[71:28]

Anyway, then, A few sentences after that it said, in the same way these precepts have been legitimately conferred from teacher to disciple for fifty-four generations, so the dharma which has been transmitted from teacher to disciple, teacher to disciple, is this reality. And this reality cannot be written. So there's no such particular dharma or teaching that can be transmitted from one teacher to his disciple. Actually, I didn't receive anything from my teacher. But what is transmitted is this reality. And actually, without receiving such a thing, we are already living there from the very beginning. So what we study from teacher is to, how can I say, in a sense,

[72:40]

allow that study or practice, allow us to awaken to that reality in which we are already living from our birth. That is what has been transmitted. And in Vendova this thing is called myoho. Nyokho is wondrous dharma. Wondrous means beyond our thinking, beyond our understanding. And this transmission has been reaching to this precept teacher. And next sentence, now I confer these precepts in order to sincerely express my deep gratitude to the Buddhas and ancestors.

[73:42]

So in my case, I studied and I practiced following my teacher's teaching and examples. And even though I didn't receive anything, When I received transmission, I didn't really understand what he was saying and what my teacher was teaching. But somehow I received when I was 26. And much later, I gradually started to understand. When I give the precept, I really, how can I say, feel gratitude to my teacher and his teacher and this tradition from the Buddha. So I'd like to share and transmit to the next generation.

[74:47]

So, you know, a certain, you know, community, Buddhist community, receiving the precept is almost like a kind of a initiation, ceremony of initiation, become a member of the Sangha. But I don't think that is the meaning of giving or receiving this precept. So I I think when I give this precept, I always say, I'm a person between recipient and Buddha. And recipient becomes Buddha's disciple or student, not my disciple or member of my group. So I didn't, I don't, you know, request any commitment from the recipient of this precept.

[75:55]

So this is, to me, this is a really important thing. You know, precept is not the, you know, how can I say, sixteen rules, written rules, but this is actually our life we have already received. And yet we make a commitment to keep awakening to that life, that reality, and living based on that reality. So I confer these precepts in order to sincerely express my deep gratitude to the Buddhas and ancestors. This is because life wisdom of Buddha, life wisdom is a-myoho. He said life wisdom.

[77:10]

Actually, order is wisdom. Life. So Buddha's life is wisdom, or Buddha's wisdom is the life we are living. We can say either way. And when he discussed, not discussed, when he commented on the precept of not killing, he said, our bodhisattva practice is to transmit this wisdom life. And this precept of not killing is about not killing this wisdom life. How can we continue and nurture this wisdom life? It's about the first precept, not killing. I wanted to finish the repentance this morning, but it's not possible.

[78:26]

But let me read the section of repentance. The bottom of page one, respectfully in the testimonial of the Buddhas and ancestors, we should take refuge in the three treasures, receive the precept, and repent of your misdeeds. Wholeheartedly recite the following verse of repentance. I have made countless bad karma in the past. All of them were caused by being less greed, anger, and ignorance. Born of my body, speech, and thought, now I make complete repentance of all. In the testimonial of the Buddhas and ancestors, you have already been cleansed of your karma or body, speech and thought and have become completely immaculate.

[79:34]

This is done by the power of repentance. So when we receive the preset, first thing we need to do is make repentance. Repentance means we have been doing many things that might be harmful to ourselves and others, that is not healthy. or keep the condition of this wisdom life healthy. That means even though we are one with all beings in the entire space and entire time, we don't know that, we don't awake to that reality and think, I am the center of the world. I am most important, and all other beings are the kind of resource or material I can use to make me happy.

[80:35]

That is for ego-centered or self-centered means, to use others as an object or material I can use to make me happy. That is so-called unfolesome or evil or bad or actions against this reality, against this life wisdom, life wisdom or wisdom life. Actually, almost everything I did, I have been doing, is based on my egocentricity. So when we receive the precept for the first time, I make repentance and try to change the direction of our life, not to fulfill my personal ego-centered desire, but to live together with all beings.

[81:38]

That is the direction we need to go. So this practice of repentance within precept ceremony is we make commitment to change the direction of our life, not to fulfill my personal ego-centered desire, but to share this wisdom life to all beings. So this is the meaning of practice of repentance. But the next day I forgot. So we have to renew this vow every day. or even each moment, every moment. So repentance needs to be continued to practice as often as possible. And, you know, here we have a rikusatsu ceremony once a month, but certain, some monasteries or Zen centers, they chant the

[82:53]

a verse of repentance every morning. I think at MZMC they did. I think that was Katagiri Roshi's teaching. That means we need to make repentance every morning. That means, you know, even if I vow to change the direction, next day I return to my selfishness. So each day I have to make this vow. and make sure which direction we need to go. This is the meaning of practice of dependence within the then we receive the precept. And because of this practice of repentance, it is said, in the testimonial of the Buddhas and ancestors. In the testimonial of Buddhas and ancestors means

[83:56]

During the dukkhai or precept receiving ceremony, first thing the preceptor I do is chanting the names of Buddhas and invited all Buddhas and ancestors as a testimonial. In the case of receiving Vinaya precept, there are three preceptors and seven witnesses. But in the case otherwise, that receiving the Vinaya precept doesn't become official. But in the case of Bodhisattva precept, the testimonials are all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and ancestors. So in the beginning of this ceremony, we invite all Buddhas, ancestors and bodhisattvas so they are together with us. So we make this repentance in the testimonial of the Buddhas and ancestors.

[85:04]

and you have already been cleansed of your karma of body, speech and thought." And he said, "...have become completely immaculate." That means we've become refreshed. This is done by the power of repentance. This is not done by the power of my effort. This is not the result of my practice using my will power, but this is done by the power of repentance. This is an important point. Sometimes, at least in Japanese Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism is called a religion of other power, and Zen is considered to be the religion or practice of self-power. But at least in Dogen Zen teaching, our practice is never self-power practice.

[86:14]

This practice of repentance is like cleaning our karma. But this cleaning is not done by my willpower, by my effort, but this is done by the power of repentance, power of practice. But next moment we are defiled again, so we continue to practice So this, this birth of repentance is, is allow us to change, to change the direction of our life from self-centered way to the way, you know, living together with all beings or bodhisattva way toward Buddhahood. And yet we need to continue to practice this repentance because we are always, even though we make commitment to go that direction, often we found we are going somewhere else.

[87:28]

We divert from that direction and whenever we find I'm going somewhere else, I try to return to that direction. So this awareness of, you know, I'm going somewhere else is repentance and return to the direction we need to go. So to me this is like the same thing we do in our Dazen. You know, when we sit with this upright posture and try not to sleep, try not to think, but we always deviate this Dazen. We start to think or we start to sleep or we start doing something. And whenever we found we are doing something else besides just sitting, we return to just sitting at this moment.

[88:35]

This return to just sitting is repentance in our daily lives. So this is one meaning of the practice of repentance. But there is another meaning of repentance and I don't have time to talk. So tomorrow morning I start from there. That means there is another verse of repentance from the Mahayana teaching. Okay, now 10.30. If you have any questions, please. Please. Okay.

[90:08]

Okay. This is what Uchiyama Roshi wrote in the book Opening the Hand of Thought. Dogen Zenji called our zazen just sitting. This just sitting or shikantaza means we do nothing but sitting. But we want to do something. And we think to do something is a good thing. To do nothing is not good. But in our zazen, when we sit on the cushion facing the wall, we may take a vow or make a vow to just sit without doing anything else.

[91:20]

So when we start to think that is something else, whether this thinking is about dharma or about Buddha's teaching or about some kind of truth, Whatever thinking deviates from just sitting. Even thinking about the Zen is not the Zen. If I think I have to return, then that is not the Zen. So we cannot return to just sitting by thinking. Because thinking I have to return is itself against just sitting. So this just sitting, you know, within this zazen practice, we keep, we sit this upright posture and we hold our hands in hokkai-join or cosmic mudra.

[92:29]

This, you know, posture is really important. You know, Dogen Zenji described the posture. And we keep our eyes open In some tradition in Buddhism, they sit closing their eyes. I think in Vipassana, often they close their eyes. But in Zen tradition, we keep our eyes open. The reason for this is when we close our eyes, we often are easy to fall into sleep or have a kind of a dream. So to keep our eyes open means we keep awakening, not sleep. And yet we don't focus on anything, but just keep our eyes open, half open actually. And, you know,

[93:34]

and whatever thought comes up we just let go let go means we don't how can i say become how can I say, become subject and object. In Nagasazen, there's no object. Of course, again, there are in certain many tradition of Buddhist meditation, there's some object in sitting practice. Some tradition uses koan, or counting breath, or watching breath, visualization or some kind of mantra, you know, those become objects. Actually, the teaching is become one with those objects. But when we have objects, it's difficult to become one. And our practice is, you know, just be one.

[94:37]

So we don't use any that kind of object or method or technique. So there's no object in our Dazen. So I don't want to call this practice as meditation. When we meditate, and meditation is done with our mind, and there's some object to meditate, but in our practice there's no such object to meditate. So we don't really do meditation. Dogen Zenji more often used the word tazza, meaning sitting, instead of zen. Zen is meditation. But he called his practice sitting. Even so, there's no subject and no object. When there's no object, there's no subject. There's no separation between subject and object. But as you know from your experiences, more than enough,

[95:41]

you know, when thoughts come up, those thoughts become objects, and we start to interact with those objects, then our mind separates into two pieces, the thought which is seeing and the thought which is seeing. This separation is a problem, and our zazen needs to really become one, one seamless body, mind, time and space. So whatever thought happening and then we found there's separation and I'm interacting something with certain thought, we stop it and let go and return to this posture or breathing or keep our awakening, not sleeping. Then we start to interact with our thought. something is distorted.

[96:45]

Often our body is distorted in some way. Or when we are sleepy, thoughts come up as a dream, as a kind of dream. So when thinking or dreaming is happening, there's something distorted in our sitting. you know, posture or breathing or awakening or grasping or chasing after our thought. So return to just sitting means stop it and just sit. And if there is some distortion in our body or some, how can I say, disharmony in our breathing, we correct it. That is, to me, what returning to the Zen means. Thank you very much.

[97:49]

And we do the same thing in our daily practice, daily activities. And these precepts are the point we need to awake, aware. If we do something against these precepts, that means there's some problem or something not healthy happening in our mind or in the way we think or we do. So we return to that direction as a bodhisattva. Okay, please. What's the sign you mentioned? Dogen, sometimes Jews, a word we say, how do you spell it? What was it? Taza? Taza. In kanji, shikan taza is Literally, this kanji means to hit.

[98:58]

But in this expression, this kanji has no meaning. But this kanji just strengthens the next word. So this means really just sit. And shikan means just. This is tada. Kada means just, really only this. And kan means, kan is like a, what is kan? Like a control or concern. So simply, actually, in our zazen, there's no concern or control. So we don't translate this. So we say just sitting. Shi means tada, or tada and shi are equivalent, would you say?

[100:03]

Shi means tada. Tada is a common Japanese word, only. Just. Okay. Please. I have a question about repentance and then Buddhism. I know in In places, in temples where they practice the Vinaya, they have a ceremony, and the monks should, my understanding is that they should, if they've gone against one of the precepts, they should say that to the community. And I was wondering, in temples that practice that, with 16 precepts, when you have a pusatsu ceremony, do people... say, is it done in the same way as it's done when they practice? Like, I broke such and such a precept, or I did that. Actually not. How does that go? Ryaku husatsu means simplified husatsu.

[101:05]

Husatsu is uposatha. It came from the uposatha practice in Indian Sangha about the Vinaya Precept. So the tradition came from that practice. But in... Japanese soto-zen practice, we have ryaku-fusatsu twice a month, and not ryaku-fatsu, just fusatsu, or daifusatsu, larger fusatsu, I think once a year or so. But in our tradition, we recite Dogen Zenjiru Kyoju Kaimon, And we don't really, how can I say, speak up our mistakes. But this is a kind of a ceremony.

[102:06]

And so when I was a training monk in a Japanese monastery, I didn't like this. I didn't find any meaning in this ceremony. It seems like a show. But to me it's important to renew our vows. So it's different from the kind of uposatha or husatsu in Vinaya tradition. Please. If we live in accord with the precepts, how can we escape the self-centered way of living? Isn't that ultimately driven by the desire to escape, even from that? That's the point of this precept. That means it's not possible to keep this precept.

[103:08]

When I received the precept from my teacher after the ceremony, he said, during the precept-receiving ceremony, the preceptor recites each of the ten major precepts and asks, do you keep this well? And we have to say, yes. And my Uchamrosi said, then you said, yes, then you are given the third, fourth precept. Fourth precept, that means no false speech. That is the first violation of the precept. And in the Mahayana precept, the precept of not killing is not killing even any form of life, even a mosquito or a plant. Then how can we live without killing?

[104:13]

We cannot. So actually, it's really not possible. Even though we vow to do so, And we say, I will. Still, I think it's not possible to completely be in accord with these precepts. So these precepts are the direction we should go. And yet we actually almost always we are deviated. We do something against these precepts. So, you know, taking precept means taking vow. So what my teacher wanted to say when he said that is the first violation, he said, taking vow or taking precept and repentance needs to be always together. That means there's no way or no time we can be arrogant. I keep all the precepts, therefore I'm a good person or I'm an enlightened person.

[105:19]

There's no time we can say such a thing. So this taking precept, receiving precept, in a sense, makes our way of life humble. We cannot say, I'm a right person. This means... For example, if we accept the rules that we should not kill any human beings, maybe we can do that. We can live without killing human beings. But if we should not kill any form of life, then we cannot live. Even if we ideally try to not kill any form of life, we need to stop eating. That means to kill this person.

[106:20]

That is another kind of killing. So these precepts are really, in a sense, impossible to keep. And that is an important point. Do you understand what I mean? Yes. We need to always be humble. I can never say I'm the right person. I keep all the precepts. but I have to always make repentance and humble, and yet try to, how can I say, even one step forward toward that direction. So that is the meaning of our practice when we receive the bodhisattva precept. So we cannot use this precept to judge ourselves and to judge others. This is the kind of direction we vow to go.

[107:27]

And there's no time. Same as for bodhisattva vows. Living beings are numberless. I vow to save them or free them. If living beings are numberless, there's no time we can save them all. And yet we try to one by one. It's never possible. That is our practice. That's why our practice is really endless. And our practice is moment by moment. There's no goal. And I say, now I have achieved the entire Bodhisattva path. So in our practice, there's no graduation. Does this make sense? I can't say her actual name. That's fine. I said these are the strange precepts. Precepts.

[108:33]

In continuing Felix's question, my difficulty is if each of us receives the precepts and we are going to save all sentient beings, this is the most important, but it is my biggest job to do that. So this is the person that I really need to take care of if I have to save everyone. So how can, in some way, I can understand Philip saying there's some self-centered aspect of this because if I start to run and take care of everyone else and not keep myself well maintained, then I definitely cannot go. Of course, you are one of us, all living beings. So first you have to take care of yourself to take care of others. And to take care of yourself means to practice and free from self-centeredness. But if I am, as you say, at one with everything, why is, so I can see the self-centeredness, why is just not taking care of me taking care of everyone?

[109:39]

This is not as if occulting. When you say so, you already make distinction between you and our others, I think. Why me or why others? Why not both at the same time? Well, that's what I'm saying. It is. So if I just, you know, so I can understand the self-centered aspect of it, because in some ways I'm the most important, and then I need to forget about that at the same time. So it's... What is it? You're going. I'm sorry, there's no answer. Thank you. So we're almost right back on the fourth. We have to take care of ourselves in order to take care of others. But if we only take care of ourselves, we are selfish. But if we only take care of others, we may forget ourselves. That might be a problem.

[110:42]

Okay. Anything else? Please. I'm just wondering if, maybe not today, but at some point in your lectures, are you going to talk a little bit about the and how that is understood and stuff like that? OK.

[111:02]

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