Yesterday afternoon, I talked on the Lotus Sutra, mainly based on the second chapter, the skillful means, the hope and home. I'd like to continue talking about the Lotus Sutra from chapter 16, because only talking about Chapter 2 is not complete as for the Lotus Sutra. Chapter 16 is about Tathagata's lifespan and the Lotus Sutra says Tathagata's lifespan is infinite, eternal. I couldn't find the same book translation from yesterday at the library.

[01:10]

But this, any translation is okay. No translation is perfect. Anyway, this chapter 16, In this translation, the title of this chapter is Revelation of the Eternal Life of the Tathagata. Here, in the previous section, section 15, is about the bodhisattvas springing up from the ground. That is, you know, there were, at that time, there were many bodhisattvas, buddhas and bodhisattvas came to Buddha, Shakyamuni's buddha land. And one of the bodhisattvas asked Shakyamuni, if Shakyamuni needs some assistant to teach, because he didn't have so many bodhisattvas in his life, buddha land.

[02:23]

So the bodhisattva from the other buddha land asked if Shakyamuni needed some help. But Shakyamuni said, I don't need that help, because there are enough bodhisattvas in this land, in this Saha world, where Shakyamuni was a buddha. Then, you know, numberless bodhisattvas come up And those bodhisattvas looked much older than Buddha. So someone said, you know, those... And Shakyamuni said, those are my disciples. I have been teaching and training them. But a bodhisattva asked, you know, those bodhisattvas look much older than you. If Shakyamuni was born in Kapilavastu and practiced and attained Buddhahood, and he taught for 49 years, you know, but those Bodhisattvas are much older than 49.

[03:41]

So, it looks like, you know, the sons are much older than the father. How is such a thing possible? That was a question, and this chapter is the answer to that question. You know, Buddha was... Shakyamuni Buddha didn't live so long. He lived only 80 years. But there are so many bodhisattvas, and Shakyamuni said he trained all those bodhisattvas. It's kind of a strange thing. So, the answer is in this chapter 16. And what Shakyamuni said is, then the world-honored one, Shakyamuni, perceiving that the Bodhisattvas, thrice without ceasing, repeated their request to explain this question, addressed them saying,

[04:50]

Then, all of you attentively to the secret, mysterious, and supernaturally pervading power of the Tathagata. So, Tathagata has a supernatural power. And, he said, all the world of gods, men, and asuras, consider Now, has Shakyamuni Buddha come forth from the palace of Shakyakulam? So, Shakyamuni Buddha was born as a prince of King Suddhodana, and when he was young, he left his father's palace. That is what this meant. Now, has Shakyamuni Buddha come forth from the palace of the Shakyakulam? and seated at the training place of enlightenment.

[05:55]

I don't like this translation. This training place is not really a training place. As I said yesterday, this is dojo. That means place of the way or awakening. So this is not a training place. And Buddha was not training there. He was just sitting. So this is a place of enlightenment. Not far from the city of Gaia, under the Bodhi tree near from Buddha Gaia, he attained awakening. He has attained perfect enlightenment. This is how we study when we read Buddha's biography. this sutra is like Dogen, or Dogen is like this sutra. It's always a but, or however, and yet.

[06:59]

But, Buddha said, but my good sons, since I veritably became Buddha, there have passed infinite, boundless, hundreds of thousands of, millions [...] born at Kapilavastu and passed away in Kushinagara and lived for 18 years, was not actually... this is the life of Nirmanakaya, Shakyamuni as Nirmanakaya. But this is not his actual life span.

[08:05]

His life span is much larger. It's infinite or eternal. And a little later, still Buddha is talking, good sons, during this time, this life span, during this time, before he was born as a Gotama, during this time, I have ever spoken of myself as the Buddha Burning Light and other Buddhas. Do you know Buddha Burning Light? This is the Buddha, Deepankara Buddha. This is the Buddha who gave prediction to Sumedha. So, you know, the story, you know, Shakyamuni was first allowed bodhicitta when his name was Sumedha.

[09:07]

he met this Buddha, Pīpaṅkāra. Pīpaṅkāra in Chinese or Japanese is Nen Tō. Nen Tō Butsu. And Nen is burning, and Tō is a light or a lamp or a flame. So this burning light referred to Nentobutsu or Pipankara. To me this is really interesting. You know, Pipankara was Shakyamuni. And Shakyamuni gave a prediction that Sumedha become Shakyamuni. So Sumedha was also Shakyamuni. So both Buddha and Bodhisattva are Shakyamuni. So this is Uyibutsu Yobutsu.

[10:11]

Only Buddha together with Buddha. So Buddha gives the prediction to the Buddha. But this Buddha was Bodhisattva. So this is a very interesting point of this story. And it's very important to understand what Phat Dogen talks about in Shobo Genzo Yobutsu to understand this point. So everything is happening within the eternal life of Shakyamuni as a Dharmakaya. So Nirvanakaya's life is very short, only 80 years. And Sambhogakaya's life is much larger. or longer, more than 500 lifetimes. But both are taking place within Eternal Buddha, Shakyamuni, as Dharmakaya.

[11:20]

And according to Tendai teaching, Tendai-chi's teaching, both three kayas, three bodies are one. That is another important point when we understand the shinsha family. In Japanese we say, san, shin, soku, itsu. San is three, shin is bodies, and soku is itself, one. So three bodies are one. Nirvanakaya, Sambhogakaya and Dharmakaya are really one thing, one reality. And one thing important, when we study Dogen, he is talking about everything, almost everything within this framework.

[12:27]

That means not only Shakyamuni as a Nirvanakaya or Shakyamuni as a Sambhogakaya, but even our life, our birth, our arriving bodhicitta, practice, awakening and dying, entering Nirvana, are also happening, taking place within Buddha's Shakyamuni's Dharmakaya. Everything happening in this world, in this universe, is happening within Buddha's eternal life. That is mainly what this Lotus Sutra is saying. And from this kind of a perspective, beyond human perspective, how Buddha sees the world, And this world is called three or triple world, that is, burning house of samsara, where we think this is a place where all people experience suffering.

[13:44]

And a little later, in the same page, it said, Whether speaking of himself or speaking of others, whether indicating himself or indicating others, and whether indicating his own affairs or the affairs of others, whatever he says is all real. So he never speak falsehood and not empty air. We are four because the Tathagata, the Dharmakaya Tathagata, the Tathagata knows and sees the characters of the triple world as it really is. We are living

[14:50]

We think we are living within the triple world, within samsara, and we are born there, and we live and experience sufferings and dying. But that is how it looks like when we see the triple world from Buddha's view. Tathagata knows and sees the character of the triple world as it really is. To him, to him, there is neither birth nor death, neither birth nor death, or going away or coming forth, neither living nor dead, neither reality nor unreality. neither thus nor otherwise. Unlike the way the triple world beholds the triple world, the Tathagata clearly sees such things as these without mistake.

[16:01]

So this is how Buddha sees the triple world. Triple world means our life. From our human point of view, we are born in certain time, within flow of time, from past to the future, and now we are present. We are born certain time in the past, and now, in my case, I was 64 years old, and sooner or later I will die. So birth and death, and we think our lifespan is the period of time between birth and death. But from Buddha's perspective, there's no birth and no death, no coming forth, no withdrawing.

[17:07]

I think we are familiar with this logic, based on the teaching of emptiness. That means everything is empty. All five skandhas are empty. When I talk about emptiness, I always use the example of a bubble as an emptiness. You know, a bubble is air packed in the water. It appears at the bottom of the water, and being a bubble, reach the surface, it disappears. That is the same as our life. But is there such a thing called a bubble?

[18:12]

You know, only things there are is air and water. Where is bubble? So bubble is just a name of the condition or happening. the air is packed in the water. So, we can say there bubble is born and bubble died from our perspective. But actually nothing is born and nothing is dying. That is what emptiness means. And, you know, not only the bubble, but the clouds are the same. The relation is opposite. Clouds are the water floating in the air. But there's no such thing as a cloud.

[19:13]

It's only air and water, the relation between air and water, the condition. And we temporarily call this is a bubble, and that is clouds. And this is shouhaku. You know, shouhaku, or human beings, are billions of times more complicated than the bubble. Not only two things, but billions of elements are making this body and mind. So it's more complicated, but basically the same. There's no such thing as called shouhaku. This is a collection of five skandhas. That's all. And each of five skandhas are empty. So shohaku is empty. So we cannot say shohaku was born here, and shohaku died there, and shohaku is existing and living here.

[20:15]

From human perspective, we do. But from Buddha's perspective, nothing appears, nothing disappears. That is, you know, very familiar logic when we study like Prajnaparamita. So, in the Lotus Sutra, that theory or philosophy of emptiness is considered Buddha's view, Buddha's perception. Not perception, but Buddha could see emptiness of all beings, but we see they are there. and be born and dying. But what Buddha said, the Lotus Sutra said, is it is neither real nor not real. That means we cannot say bubble doesn't really exist.

[21:18]

Bubble is there. But there's no fixed entity called a bubble. as a phenomena, bubble is actually there. Or another famous example is a waterfall. Waterfall is a flow of the water, then the ground has the gap. So only things there is this shape of ground and water flowing ceaselessly. And what is the waterfall? What is Niagara fall? You know, even if we take our water, one scoop of water from the fall, that is not a fall anymore. And each time the water is new, fresh, different, so always changing.

[22:29]

So we cannot say there's no such fixed thing called Niagara Fall. And yet Niagara Fall is there. It's different. It has a lot of huge energy. And the actual Niagara Fall and the photo of Niagara Fall is really different. Right? It's actually there. It's happening. And yet, when we try to grasp what is Niagara Falls, it's not there. That is the meaning of neither real nor not real. But as a phenomena, it's real. If we go, you know, down there, we die. So, that is the way Buddha, or from that perspective, our life is. I think that is enough to talk about the Lotus Sutra.

[23:40]

Please. Yesterday you talked about Sambhogakaya Buddha and Vimalakaya Buddha, and you talked about Sambhogakaya has beginning and no end. Dharmakaya has no beginning, no end. Beginning and no end. It has, you know, as a Sumedha he started practice and after he attained Buddhahood he became really one with Dharmakaya. Sambhogakaya has no beginning, no end. It has beginning, but no end. And Nirvanakaya has beginning and end. That is birth and death. And Dharmakaya doesn't have a no end, no... Right. Yesterday you made a drawing, line drawing.

[24:44]

Could you explain Sambhogakaya and Dharmakaya again? Okay. In the story of Sumedha, it's said many eons ago, but still it's sometime in the past, Sumedha allowed bodhicitta. and started to practice. And after many lifetimes, he practiced as a Bodhisattva. And as a result of Bodhisattva practice, by accumulating the virtues, he was born as a Gotama and attained Buddhahood.

[25:46]

That is Sambhogakaya. Sambhogakaya is the body, Buddha's body attained Buddhahood because or reward or result of long range of practice. And if we only see Shakyamuni's life from birth to death for 80 years, that is Nirvanakaya. And, you know, this entirety from beginningless beginning and endless end and include entire space that is Dharmakaya Buddha. Okay? Yes? Bliss body. Well, in Japanese or Chinese, Sambu is called Ho Shin.

[27:01]

This Ho is the same Ho in one of the eight of the ten suchnesses. That is recompense. That is a reward or a result of this long practice. But sambhogakaya is sometimes translated as bliss or bliss body. That means after a long period he enjoyed so-called Jijuyo Zanmai. Enjoyed the samadhi or liberation. The expression is ji ju hou raku. Ji is self, and ju is receive.

[28:10]

Same as ji ju in ji ju yu zanmai. And hou is dharma. and Rakuni's bliss or joy, Dharma joy. So after he attained Buddhahood, he himself received the Dharma joy and enjoying the joy, enjoying the Samadhi before he started to teach. When he started to teach, the same dharma joy from the Buddha. Yes, in the story of Sumedha. In your book, Genta Koan, you make a reference to the element of time containing past, present, and future. In this illustration, where is the future?

[29:21]

Let me talk about Dogen's view or insight about time a little later. Please. Roshi, from a practice, zazen practice perspective, would it be accurate or is it an oversimplification to say that our practice is to help align with the big view to align with the infinite view? At least Dogen freely moved around. from this view, and this view, and this entire infinite view. He really freely, back and forth. For example, even when he talks about Okesa, the rope, in Kesakuzoku he wrote that the design of Okesa was made by Ananda.

[30:34]

by Buddha's instructions. Buddha and Ananda were walking by the rice paddies and Buddha said, this is beautiful. So could you design, make the design for the Buddhist robe using that rice paddy, the scenery of rice paddy? That is why our orchestra is called Fukuden-e. Fukuden is usually translated as field. But actually, den means rice paddy. Rice paddy of virtue. Virtuous field is Fukuden. So our okesai is Fukuden. So it was made by Buddha within his 80 years of lifespan. But in Kesakudoku, He said, Okesa was transmitted from the past seven Buddhas.

[31:41]

To me, it was confusing. If Okesa was designed and made by Shakyamuni Buddha or Ananda, why it could be transmitted from the Vipassana Buddha to the next Buddha and to Shakyamuni. But Nogen doesn't mind. And he... Please. And he also talks about Okesa as a transmission from Shakyamuni to Mahakasyapa. And he said it has been transmitted from China to Japan. So Okesa is a symbol of Dharma transmission from the past seven Buddhas. to ourselves.

[32:48]

But if we think about our logical way of thinking, it's not possible. It's nonsense, really. But somehow, Dogen can, you know, jump around from here to this lifespan, or this entire lifespan. So, When we study Dogen, we have to be careful from which perspective Dogen is talking about. Sometimes he talks about very precise concrete behavior in our day-to-day lives. But at the same time, he is always seeing those each and every concrete day-to-day activity from infinite span, eternal lifespan of the Tathagata. So, we cannot consider carelessly, which is Dogen's standpoint.

[34:04]

He has no standing standpoint. He's always moving around. very fleeting. That is a source of confusion for us. Please? Yesterday you mentioned Suzuki Roshi giving lectures on the Lotus Sutra, and when he talks about Chapter 2 and the Ten Satchelesses, he says, these Ten Satchelesses are very, very important for the soul. And I was wondering if you could say, how come the Ten Satchelesses are so important? Well, for example, when he described how to use ōryōki, you know, if you read the Fushiku Hanpo, that is a part of Ehe Shingi, he described how to use ōryōki in a very precise way. When we read Ehe Shingi, it was written in Chinese, his writing is very precise.

[35:11]

nothing mysterious. It's very different from Shobo Genzo. So if he wanted, he could write in that way. But when he wrote Shobo Genzo, the reality, the things, he wants to explain or express cannot be expressed in such a precise, logical expression. So, again, that is another two standing points of Dōgen. One is beyond thinking. Another is a very logical way of thinking. And even when he described how to use ōryōki in the very beginning of Shukuhanpo, he mentioned about ten suchness. And he said, basically what he said is using the example of the Vimalakirti Sutra.

[36:15]

What he wanted to say is, food and Dharma are one. Equal, one and equal. So, when we learn how to use Oryoki, in the beginning, I don't think many people like it. It's too, you know, precise, and we have to memorize everything. But, according to Dogen, that is Dharma. And that can, should be, or could be understood within this life span. That means Buddha's eternal life, life force, is manifesting itself in the way we use Oryōki. Please. I was wondering, is Dharmakāya, Nirmanakāya, Sambhogakāya true for all Buddhas?

[37:19]

Yeah. And I think, not in Lota Sutra, but in Dōgen, Even us are the same. Not human beings, but everything is the same. Well, let me go to Dōgen. In Shōbō Genzō Shōhō Jissō, shoho is all dharmas means beings or things and jitsu is true or real and so is usually translated as form

[38:33]

But in the case of jishso, I don't think it's correct to translate this as form or mark. So I translate this jishso as true reality. Because the first of ten suchnesses is form. And that form means shape. But this form, this jishso, not the same as the first suchness. That is form. So this saw is not a form or a mark. This saw itself is reality itself. So I don't think it's correct to translate this saw as true form. Form is part of this saw, but form is not this saw itself. Anyway, there is a chapter or a fascicle of Shōbō Genzo entitled Shōhō Jissō.

[39:41]

And I said yesterday, Yuibutsu, Yobutsu. The fascicle we studied this time during Genzo, yeah? from the same sentence. Yoibutsu-yobutsu, only Buddha, together with Buddha, is the subject of this sentence, and shofo-jizo is object. Yoibutsu-yobutsu, only Buddha, together with Buddha, can completely penetrate to the reality of all beings. So, based on this one sentence, he wrote two different fascicles of Shobo Genzo, and they are very closely connected.

[40:46]

So, when we study Yubutsu-Yobutsu, it's very helpful to study Shobo-Jisso together. So, I'd like to introduce a little bit. In the beginning, of shoho jisho, what Dogen says. We have to remember this framework in the Rota Sutra, but when we study Dogen, we have to keep this in mind, but we have to forget it also. We have to be free from what the Rota Sutra is saying, because Dogen is so free, Even the word expression, Shobo Jisho, is different from common understanding. So this is my translation of Shobo Genzo, Shobo Jisho.

[41:48]

The first sentence is manifestation of Buddha ancestor. Manifestation of Buddha ancestor is the completely penetrated true reality. This true reality is jissō, and manifestation is genjō. So genjō of Buddha ancestors. Genjō of Buddha ancestors is completely penetrated shuhō jissō. So, he said, Buddhas and ancestors. You know, those ancestors in our lineage are themselves shoho jisso. Actually he said jisso, true reality. That means they awaken to the reality and live based on the true reality.

[42:55]

And next sentence, the true reality is all beings. The true reality is all beings. The original common understanding is the true reality of all beings. But Dogen said the true reality is all beings. This is strange in a sense, I think. The original concept of Shōhō-jistō is, you know, the things, all beings, are there. And we have certain perspectives, certain ideas or concepts about each and every being. But our human perspective is not real, but true reality of all beings. cannot be seen by human perspective, can be seen by Buddha.

[44:02]

That is what this means. So all beings and true reality are kind of different. We cannot see the true reality of all beings because we see all beings in a kind of a twisted, distorted way because our distorted views based on our self-centeredness. So, if we are free from our ego-centered way of viewing things based on like and dislike, or karmic consciousness, then we can see the true reality of all beings. But, Dogen says, true reality is all beings themselves. and continuous. All beings are, those all beings are, such a form, such a nature, those are the first two of ten suchnesses, and such a body, this body, and such a mind.

[45:20]

Our body and mind are all beings, of course, they are part of all beings. And such a world, this world itself, and such clouds and rain, clouds and rain, are all beings. Such walking, standing, sitting and lying down, that is all our activities, all of our activities are all beings. I think that's okay. Such anxiety, Anxiety, joy, movement, and stillness. Even, you know, when we have anxiety, anxiety is also part of all beings, of course, and joy, and movement, activities, and stillness. All are part of all beings. And such a stuff, stuff, and physical stuff is used by monks when they travel.

[46:26]

and Fiske is used as a master when they teach. So those staff and Fiske are devices or tools used by monks for practice. So these two represent our practice, Buddhist practice. And such picking up a flower, picking up a flower and breaking into a smile, This refers to Shakyamuni's transmission to Mahakasyapa. Shakyamuni picked up a flower and Mahakasyapa smiled. All of these activities are included within all dharmas, all beings. And such dharma transmission and prediction So here Dharma Transmission appeared. Yesterday I said, even though Menzang said this Yuyibutsu Yobutsu is about Dharma Transmission, but when we read this fascicle of Yuyibutsu Yobutsu, no such word, Dharma Transmission, appeared.

[47:44]

So it's not clear why Yuyibutsu Yobutsu is about Dharma Transmission. but in Shōhō Jisō, Dharma transmission is one of all dharmas. And prediction is such as, you know, Deepankara Buddha gave a prediction to Sumedha. That is also one of the all beings. And such studying and practicing our and such faithfulness of pine, the pine tree, and integrity of bamboo. So pine trees and bamboo, because they are faithful and integrity, because even in the winter they have green leaves.

[48:54]

It doesn't change. Anyway, so this shoho-jisso is all those things and activities, including dharma. Please. Clouds and rain. Is that metaphorical? In the sutras, clouds are called dharma clouds and dharma rain. It can be metaphorical, but I don't think here Dogen mentions these things as a metaphor of dharma, but actual thing, actual clouds and actual rain, I think, in here. Okay? Then, after that, After that, Dogen quoted the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra about the true reality of all beings and ten suchnesses.

[49:58]

And Dogen made comments on this statement in the Lotus Sutra. What Dogen says is that Tathagata's utterance ultimate and the identity from the beginning to the end. This is the tenth suchness, the ultimate identity between from first to nine suchnesses. And not only this first to nine suchnesses, but I think he also mentioned, you know, from the beginning and the end, means beginning and end from the time we allow the body-mind until we attain Buddhahood. So, ultimately, our ultimate identity from the beginning to the end is the self-expression, is the self-expression of true reality of all beings.

[51:08]

So, ultimate identity of everything. is the expression of this all-beings, reality of all-beings. That means the reality of all-beings is the identity of everything as oneness. And self-expression of an Acharya. Acharya is a word we chanted this morning. and we chant the woman ancestor. That means teachers, Buddhist teachers, who was allowed, who is qualified to give the precept. But here, ācārya means the practitioners, human beings as a practitioner. So it's this identity of, ultimate identity of everything.

[52:12]

is a self-expression of all of our selves as a bodhisattva. And this is one and the same study. One and the same study. Because study is one and the same. This one and the same is itto. And fat and fat is one and the same. It is not mentioned. But this means everything is one and the same. This expression, Itto, is used in Bendowa when he described Jijyu Zanmai as, Zazen, in my translation, Zazen is equally the same practice and the same enlightenment. for both the person sitting and for all dharmas.

[53:16]

So this is about the person sitting and all dharmas. As I said, when, not me, but Dogen said, when we sit displaying Buddha mudra, all beings are really sitting together with us and they become enlightenment. So my practice is not my personal actions, but when we sit, we sit with the entire world, everything in this entire world. This is in fact called one and the same practice between person sitting and all beings. That means when we sit, everything becomes part of my sitting. a buddha together with a buddha.

[54:20]

Yoibutsu-yobutsu appeared here. Only a buddha together with a buddha is the true reality of all beings. So, he said, Yoibutsu-yobutsu is equal shobo-jisho. It's not a matter of all buddhas. Only buddhas and all together buddhas can penetrate all reality, reality of all beings. But, you know, in that sentence, this is subject and this is object, and penetrate is verb. So what he is saying is subject and object are one. It's not a matter of the Buddha can see the true reality as object. Buddha is itself true reality. And actually, true reality is Buddha.

[55:24]

So there is no such separation between subject and object. And by putting some verb, we correct subject and object. I say something, or I do something, or Buddha penetrate that reality. When we think in that way, there's a separation between me and what I'm talking, or Buddha, Buddha's, and reality, the reality which is seen by Buddha. That is a problem. So Dogen said, subject and object, Buddha's and true reality are one thing. I often say about the first sentence of the Heart Sutra, it says, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, when deeply practicing Prajnaparamita, clearly see the five skandhas are empty.

[56:30]

When we read that sentence, if we think there is a person whose name was Avalokiteshvara, and here are five skandhas, and this person sees the five skandhas, and even though it looks like there are five skandhas, but it's not really there. That is what emptiness of five skandhas means. That is what the sentence is saying. This person is seeing this thing as emptiness. But if we understand that sentence in this way, we completely How can I say? Misunderstanding. Because the intention of those people who made hard sutra is to destroy this framework. Emptiness of five skandhas means, you know, if a person who is not five skandhas sees the five skandhas as objects, then emptiness,

[57:47]

then there is a separation between this person and five skandhas. And five skandhas, as it is seen usually, and truth, that is emptiness. But Avalokiteshvara is five skandhas. There is no such thing called Avalokiteshvara besides five skandhas. So this sentence means five skandhas, see the five skandhas. that is empty. So, only there is five skandhas. And Dogen is saying here, the same thing here. Buddhas and reality are one. That means Avalokiteshvara and five skandhas are one. There is no such separation and relation. So, in the Heart Sutra, is technically the translation wrong, or are we supposed to have a bigger mind and see what it says, like you explained?

[58:56]

Translation is correct. Even in Sanskrit, it says so. It says that. So, that means when we try to express this emptiness using words, we have to... How can I say? use that kind of logic, human logic, SVO logic. But when we read those sentences, we have to see that is not what is said. Okay, please. So another thing I might do with that is to think that Avalokiteśvara is something bigger that contains the five skandhas, but it's more than a gesture. It's not contained, but Avalokiteshvara is itself five skandhas. And it's nothing more. Nothing more. Because nothing more than five skandhas. Only five skandhas. Anyway, so here Dogen is negating this structure.

[60:04]

Separation between subject and object. You know, Buddha fixes reality. But Buddha is a part of reality. Reality is seeing reality. And he said, only a Buddha, only a Buddha is Yoi Butsu. Only a Buddha is the true reality. Only a Buddha is true reality, this one. And Yoi Butsu, together with a Buddha, is all dharmas. Only a Buddha is the true reality, and together with a Buddha is all beings." So he cut these two expressions into half, and he said, it's almost like he said, Yuyi Butsu is one Buddha, and Yobutsu is another Buddha.

[61:13]

And to me, this is interesting. Only Buddha and together Buddha. You know, we are only one. Whatever we do, I'm doing. But actually, that is the first five suchnesses. I'm alone. Me and me, I'm unique. But this unique person cannot exist without relation with others throughout time and space. So, this only Buddha means this Buddha as an individual. And together Buddha is we are always together. So, Yuyibutsu and Vyobutsu can show two sides of reality. First, five certainties. And next, four certainties. You know, we are alone. We are only Buddha. but at the same time we are together Buddha.

[62:19]

Dogen is a really funny person. We cannot usually think in such a way. And he said, upon hearing the utterance, all beings, so all beings are plural, that means many different beings, collection of all different individual beings, that is, shokō, do not, so upon hearing the utterance, all beings do not study it either as one or as many. I just said these are many, a collection of many individual things, but we can see this as oneness. This entire universe is one universe, and in this one universe there are many individual things. Which is true, whether are these all individual things existing separately, or are these one things?

[63:27]

Or, for example, within a family, is one family, you know, there are several people, the collection of those several individual people, or one family, or is a sangha, is a collection of individual people, that is true. And yet, one sangha is one sangha. It's really one thing. Or, you know, different waters from different streams get into the ocean. It becomes one ocean. still there is individuality also. So, what is true, which is true? What Dogen is saying is we should not decide this or that, because both are true. We are individual, and yet we cannot live alone.

[64:31]

We have to live together with others. Without relation with others, there is only one moment we cannot live. You know, the air is not me, but somehow air is there, and I can breathe, therefore I can live as an individual person. But without air, or water, or food, or someone's help, I cannot really live, or exist. So from one point, One person, I have to take care of my body, and I have a responsibility for whatever I do. And yet, this one individual person cannot live without relation with others. And actually this one being is only as, you know, in the case of Indra's net,

[65:33]

We are like a knot. Same as a bubble, there's no such thing called a knot. Knot is only the relation of these numberless threads are getting together. So we cannot see these knots are a collection of individual things. Many individual things. But we can also think this as one net. So we cannot say whether this is one or a collection of many. And upon hearing the utterance, true reality, since true reality shows this oneness, but upon hearing the utterance, true reality, or jissou, do not study it, do not study it as not being void.

[66:39]

Jitsu means true or real, or actual. And as a word, this is the opposite of kyo or void. do not study it, it means true reality, as not being void. Usually this jitsu is an opposition of void. But he said not study as an opposition of void, or false, or as not being nature. He continues, but it's almost too much. So let me skip over one sentence next to the end of this paragraph.

[67:48]

When all beings, when all beings are truly all beings, when all beings are truly all beings, we can, we call them only Buddha. When each and every beings are truly each and every beings, then we call them only a Buddha, or Yuributsu. And when all beings are true reality, we call them together with a Buddha, that is, Yobutsu. So, each one of us is Yuributsu and also Yobutsu. then I am really shohaku, with some kind of fantasy, what I want to be. When I'm doing what shohaku should do, that means right now I'm talking about Dogen, so I try to do my best and focus on what I'm talking, then shohaku is really shohaku.

[69:02]

Shohaku becomes Shohaku. That is only Buddha. And right now, what I'm doing is only Shohaku can do. But I have to take responsibility for what I'm doing. So Shohaku is manifested as Shohaku at this moment. That is the meaning of being wholehearted. or happy to read or something, then that is yui-butsu. And when all beings are true reality, means shohaku cannot be a shohaku without other things and people. Now I'm talking, but if there's no audience, You know, if I'm talking with that audience, it's strange. So I can be a speaker only when there are people who are listening.

[70:04]

So I cannot be a speaker without people listening, without you. So, Shōhaku as a speaker can be a speaker as Shōhaku because of all of you. I think that is the fact when all beings are true reality, within connection with all beings. Then we call them together with Buddha, Yogutsu. So he called, he cut this Yogutsu into two, and Yogutsu is one Buddha, or one aspect of Buddha, and Yogutsu is another aspect of Buddha. And not only Buddha, but each and everything. We are individual, and yet we are together with all beings. These two sides. And, for example, in Shobo Genzo's Buddha Nature, he called these two sides as Wu Buddha Nature and Mu Buddha Nature.

[71:10]

You know, this shohaku, as a shohaku, as a person or individual, and now I'm a speaker, this is all Buddha nature. But actually there are no such things called shohaku or speaker. That is more Buddha nature. So, Dogen used this expression, yoibutsu and yobutsu, to show two sides of one and everything as a true reality. Do you have a question? Well, I was just, that first paragraph on the handout you gave us, it says Buddhadharma cannot be known by human beings. So the impression of this is that it cannot, this Buddha and the Buddha cannot be human beings. Then what is Buddha? Is this a contradiction to what you just said? It's a contradiction.

[72:12]

very clear contradiction. And this contradiction is the same contradiction from yesterday I said, you know, true reality can be seen only Buddha together with Buddha, no human beings. And yet, Buddha's only job is to show true reality to all beings. This is contradictory, right? So, there's the same contradiction. So the point is whether Buddhas and living beings, or shunbamins, are the same or different. And Dogen said, they are the same, and at the same time he said they are different. So we cannot take any side, but we have to see from all sides. Later, in this fascicle, Shōhō Jishō, he says interesting things about Buddhas and human beings, or bodhisattvas.

[73:23]

Where is it? In paragraph 12, I think. in the handout, but in Shokoji's soul. He says, therefore the true reality, or this soul, studying under the guidance of true reality, is a Buddha ancestor transmitting Dharma from a Buddha ancestor. So this is our Dharma transmission. So the true reality study under the guidance of true reality. So we are true reality. Then we are Buddha ancestors.

[74:23]

This is again contradicted. Whether we are Buddha ancestors or true reality or we are deluded human beings. Which is which? And You know, in Shobo Genzo Hotsubo Daishin, Dogen Zenji quotes Nagarjuna and says, you know, the Mara is our delusion. Mara was conquered when Buddha attained awakening. But Buddha didn't kill Mara. But in that quote, Nagarjuna said, the five skandhas are Mara. These five skandhas are Mara. That five Buddha couldn't kill the Mara, because that is Buddha himself. Right?

[75:27]

And, as I said about the Heart Sutra, Avalokiteshvara are actually five skandhas. And five skandhas are empty. That means these five skandhas can be Mara. And these five skandhas can be Avalokiteshvara. Depending upon whether we grasp this as me or open our hand and see we are like bubbles connected with all beings. depending upon how we deal with these five skandhas. Our life becomes very deep human beings transmigrating within samsara, or the same five skandhas can be Avalokiteshvara, can help others, or these five skandhas are itself Prajnaparamita.

[76:37]

That is what Dogen said in Shogo Genzo Makahanyahara means. He said, form is emptiness. Emptiness is form. That is what is said in the Heart Sutra. But he continued, form is simply form. Emptiness is just emptiness. Do you understand what this means? This is very important. point of Dogen's logic. You know, when we say form is emptiness, there are two things, form and emptiness. And by putting is, we want to say these two things are one. But when these two things are one, it's separated. There's no way to get together again. So, when we are saying or thinking, form is emptiness and emptiness is form, we are thinking about two different concepts as one.

[77:50]

We try to make these two different concepts into one thing. But when we are doing such a thing, we are still thinking. If the looper or form is really emptiness, we don't need to say form is emptiness. When we say form, emptiness is already there. And when we say emptiness, form is already there. So to say form is emptiness is too much. We still kind of depart from that reality of form and emptiness as one thing. So, when we say form, emptiness is already there, as reality. And when we say emptiness, form is already there. So, a more precise saying is, form is form, emptiness is emptiness.

[78:54]

Does it make sense? And after that he says, five skandhas are five instances of prajna. like five instances of prajna. So these five skandhas can be prajna. And at the same time, these five skandhas are māra. Exactly the same thing. Can be both delusion and enlightenment, or prajna. So our practice, our studying and practice is how we can transform these five skandhas, function, you know, these five skandhas function as Mara to this function, these same five skandhas function as Prajna. You know, that is only the pivotal point of our practice as Mahayana Buddhists.

[80:02]

And this is what is called dropping of body and mind. Actually, body and mind are five skandhas, right? Five skandhas are body and mind. And when we grasp and cling to these five skandhas as me, then we are clinging. But when we open our hand, you know, five skandhas drop off, as in, and really manifest as emptiness. So dropping off body and mind is a very simple thing. Open our hand. Is that how you practice keeping the Prajnaparamita? Yeah, so opening up the hand of thought is itself Prajnaparamita. And according to Chyamala's Tattva Zazen. So Zazen is itself Prajnaparamita. Does it make sense?

[81:05]

So now you've practiced deeply. Prajnaparamita is to sit and draw prajna? Yeah. Dazen is self-propping of the body and mind. That is why Dogen said we just sit. If we are trying to seek something called prajna, then our dazen is not prajna yet. When we really just sit, open our hand, and without expecting anything, Prajna is already there, because our five skandhas are Prajna. It's very simple logic, but very difficult to accept. It's against our way of thinking. Someone, please. Right.

[82:13]

When we say form is emptiness, form is a concept and emptiness is a concept. And we try to make these two different concepts, two opposite concepts as one. So when we are saying form is emptiness, we are thinking that these two opposite concepts are actually one. But as a reality, if form is really emptiness, then we don't need to say form is emptiness. It's already there. That is what genjou, or manifestation, means. Reality is already there, without saying, without thinking about it. You could say the same thing about saying form is form. It's unnecessary to say form is form. So finally, what we can do is just sit. Shut your mouth, the tingle of thought, and just sit.

[83:21]

That is what Dogen said means just sitting. Please. Yes, again, the idea of dropping only body and mind seems so important to Dogen. And as I recall, it was his experience with his teacher, Is all zazen, all my zazen, did I just sit down and drop away body and mind? Or is something else happening? I know I'm going into the land of trying to achieve something, which you don't, and yet I don't exactly think when I sit down, I'm opening the hand of God and I drop away body and mind. That is a kind of relating dream within dream. You know, within letting go, we grasp something and try to get something. So we are very... it's too much complicated. Too much thinking, yes.

[84:24]

Very complicated. You know, when we think or hear this kind of teaching, we want to understand that we attain that non-attaining. That is our problem. We create things more and more, you know, complex, complicated. But when we let go, you know, reality is already there because we are already part of reality. But I want to make that reality my understanding, my opinion, my theory, my philosophy. That is the problem. And yet, that problem is important. Again, that is what Doen is saying by writing this kind of strange things. Well, it's already 11.30. I'm sorry I cannot start to talk on Uebutsu-yobutsu yet.

[85:25]

But from this afternoon, I start to talk.

[85:29]

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