Good afternoon everyone. At the end of morning lecture I talked about the interpretation of Buddha's saying from Dhammapada about two sets of teachings, teaching for the people in the world and teaching for people beyond the world. And one set of teaching is about doing good and go to heaven, otherwise you go to hell. This is kind of moralistic teaching. And another set of teaching is go to nirvana. So we need to go beyond such distinction or discrimination between good and bad. probably that was not what Shakyamuni Buddha meant.

[01:41]

But I think that was the message Mahayana people hear from the system of monastic institution and also the teaching system in Abhidharma. I think Buddha taught either to the monks or to the lay people. He gave teachings, offered teachings, depending upon the person's problems or difficulties. But it's not a problem, but what Buddha taught, was collected and maintained by monks. So I think it's natural, you know, Buddha's teachings for monks are mainly collected.

[02:43]

Of course, in Pali Nikaya, there are some Buddha teachings of Shakyamuni for lay people. But anyway, that was what I think Mahayana people hear from the condition of those monks' sangha. who they focus on studying Dharma and philosophical discussion and make interpretations and practice meditation and going beyond good and bad. And they didn't, I mean Mahayana people didn't like that kind of teaching or system. That was the point Mahayana people criticized the condition of monk sangha in that age, means around the first century of common era.

[03:49]

And first, some of the early Mahayana sutras Mahayana Buddhists are like a protestant. they said, that is not right. So in the early Mahayana sutras, mainly the thing is the negation of such discrimination. The problem is, one side is discrimination, another side, going to nirvana, we need to go beyond discrimination. But these two become discrimination, duality. Duality between duality and non-duality. And if we think duality is not good, and non-duality or beyond duality is better, then this is reality, duality.

[04:53]

That is the main point Ali Mahayana Buddhist Mahayana sutras wanted to say. So one of the main points of their teaching is Nirvana and Samsara One. Sansara is duality, the realm of duality, and nirvana is the world of non-duality. But these two, who are worldly and beyond-worldly dharma, should be one. How can we go beyond such discrimination, beyond beyond discrimination and non-discrimination. That is, I think, the point of early Mahayana teaching. In the case of the prajna paramita sutras, that is not one particular sutra, but a collection of many sutras, says to go beyond this duality by the concept or insight of emptiness.

[06:10]

There is no such fix to realism. That's why samsara and nirvana can be one. And another Mahayana sutras, such as Vimalakirti sutras. Vimalakirti sutra is a very interesting sutra. Vimalakirti is the name of the layperson. And this person was a very rich millionaire. And yet he has a very deep insight of prajna. And basically what he did in that sutra is criticizing those great disciples of Buddha. For example, about the Mahakasyapa, Mahakasyapa was one of the ten great disciples of Buddha, and Mahakasyapa put emphasis on very strict practice.

[07:31]

Even after Shakyamuni Buddha accepted the donation of land and established a Buddhist monastery, Mahakasyapa didn't want to live in the monastery. So he kept living in the forest. So he was famous for very strict practice. And according to the Vimalakirti Sutra, Mahakasyapa likes to eat only food he gained only by begging. And he liked begging in the poor area in the town. So Maha Kashyapa didn't go to Bhimara Kirti's house. But Bhimara Kirti criticized about that point. You make discrimination.

[08:33]

You make discrimination between poor and rich and poor food and delicious food. This is a kind of opposite discrimination from our common discrimination. Rich is better, delicious food is better than plain food. That is our common discrimination. But if we think this is better than that, you know, wealthy life and rich food, then that is another discrimination. That is how, you know, Gemara Kirti criticized Mahakasyapa. And one chapter of the Vimalakirti Sutra, Vimalakirti asked the bodhisattvas how we can enter the dharma gate of non-duality, oneness.

[09:46]

Then there are many bodhisattvas And each bodhisattva picked up certain duality, like arising and perishing. And going beyond duality is going beyond such discrimination between arising and perishing. And more than 20 bodhisattvas said that same kind of things, what are duality and how they go beyond such duality. But finally, Manjushri was the leader of bodhisattvas. Manjushri said to all those bodhisattvas, by saying such a thing, you made another duality. Duality between duality and non-duality. And Fath Manjushri said, in order to enter the dharma gate of non-duality, you should not use any language, any words.

[11:03]

to say something is to make distinction or discrimination. So in order to enter the reality of non-duality, we should keep our mouth shut and let go of, you know, that is what Manjushri said. He said, if you say anything, you enter the duality. That is what Manjushri said. Then Manjushri asked Vimalakirti, how do you enter non-duality? Then Vimalakirti kept silence. He didn't say anything. Then Manjushri praised Vimalakirti that his silence is most eloquent, eloquently expressed non-duality.

[12:08]

So in order to enter the dharma gate of non-duality, we have to stop saying anything. That is a basic message from Mahayana teachings. And it continues to Zen teachings. In many of Zen stories, when someone asked to say something about Dharma, often they kept silence. or even the story about the transmission between Shakyamuni to Mahakasyapa, Buddha said nothing. And Mahakasyapa smiled within saying nothing and just watching the flower. And Mahakasyapa smiled without saying anything. Dharma is transmitted. This means silence is the only possible way to transmit this dharma of non-duality.

[13:10]

So that is the main point of criticism from Mahayana Buddhists to those people in the monks' sangha. They think they are beyond world and beyond non-duality, and they thought they could enter nirvana by practicing in that way. But that is the way they create duality. But that is what mainly Mahayana sutras pointed out. But the Lotus Sutra might be made, produced, after those two, Prajnaparamita and Vimalakirti Sutras. I think, because they mainly criticized the monks' sangha.

[14:18]

And they called Shravaka. And there's another name called Pratyekabuddha. Shravaka literally means people who hear the voice. In this case, hear the voice of Buddha. That means Buddha's disciples. So, Vix Sangha, monks in the Vix Sangha, it's called Shravaka. And they thought there's another group of people who are called Pratyekabuddha. Pratyekabuddha is like a hermit, you know, people who practice by themselves in the mountains or forest without having a teacher. and experience the same awakening. So they have awakening. That is what is called pratyekabuddha.

[15:21]

And pratyekabuddha means alone, means doesn't belong to the sangha or group. And pratyekabuddha doesn't teach. so practice by themselves, experience awakening by themselves and just enjoy the liberation and die. And actually that was the condition of Shakyamuni Buddha before he make resolution to teach. Shakyamuni Buddha has a kind of hesitation to teach because the truth or reality he discovered was too deep and difficult to understand. So he said it might be simply tiring. to teach.

[16:23]

No one could understand. But somehow the Indra, not Indra, but Brahman came and asked him three times. And he made this decision to stand up from his sitting under the Bodhi tree and walk to the deer park and started to teach. That is so. Before he made such a decision, he was Pratyekabuddha and he wanted to end his life as a Pratyekabuddha. It might be easier for him. But those Mahayana sutra called those people in the big sangha and also practical Buddhas as two vehicles.

[17:23]

And those two vehicles are, from Mahayana point of view, Hinayana. Hina means small or smaller. So they called those people Hinayana. And they call themselves Mahayana, or big or large vehicle. Means we embrace larger group of people. But these monks are excluded. That's a problem. That's a, you know, we like discrimination so much. So that was a problem for the people or group who made the Lotus Sutra. People who made the Lotus Sutra thought those Shravakas and the practical Buddha should be included. So those Arya Dhan Latha Sutra, those Mahayana Sutra are called Bhikkyo.

[18:32]

Bhikkyo means separate or different. It means they separate Mahayana from Hinayana. And Mahayana, another name of Mahayana is Bodhisattvayana. So they thought bodhisattvayana is larger than hinayana. And Mahayana teaching is to become Buddha. The goal is to becoming Buddha. In the early story of Shakyamuni's life, not only after he was born, but since he allowed both citta as when he was smeda, he took bodhisattva practice for more than 500 lifetimes. In that story, the bodhisattva was only one.

[19:38]

No other people could be a bodhisattva. But those Mahayana people thought, if we allow bodhicitta, all of us are bodhisattvas. and sooner or later will become Buddha. So for Mahayana Buddhists, the goal is not to enter nirvana, but the goal is to become Buddha. And in order to become Buddha, as Sumedha made a decision, he stayed in samsara to work with people Unfortunately, you know, there are more people in samsara than in nirvana. You know, this is something to do with our vow. You know, we often recite four voice sattva vows.

[20:43]

And the first one is, beings are numberless. We vow to save them or free them. The meaning of this vow is we vow to save all living beings. And this word, save, is a translation of dou in Japanese or Chinese. Dou means to cross over. Cross over means there is a river. between this shore of samsara and the other shore of nirvana. There is a river and to save or free means bodhisattva works on this river and help people within samsara to cross over this river and enter nirvana. This is what this vow, beings are numberless, we vow to save them means.

[21:46]

and in this case save them all, all living beings. That means unless all living beings enter nirvana, we as a bodhisattva don't enter nirvana. So this vow means I will be the last person to enter nirvana. So this is a very strange vow. You know, if we are all Bodhisattvas, no one is in the other shore. Everyone said, you should go first. I will stay. You should go. So actually, the other shore is empty. No one is there. So this is very strange vow. Almost nonsense. But this, you know, strange or paradoxical vow.

[22:54]

And this is a very important point of bodhisattva vows. So bodhisattva is a kind of very paradoxical being. That means... you know, bodhisattvas always stay in samsara and practice with all beings. And if all bodhisattva practice in the same attitude, then we can find nirvana right there. There's no competition. And actually that means there's no such river. there is no such boundary. That means nirvana and samsara are one, depending upon our attitude. Our attitude means if we take both sattva vows and try to help others, to be helpful for others,

[24:02]

Then, within this attitude, we see, we discover nirvana right there. We don't need to cross over the river. That is, in my understanding, that is the meaning of this first of the Four Bodhisattva Vows. And I wrote this in my book, Living by Vows. So the Lotus Sutra, the group of people who made Lotus Sutra wanted to say is even Mahayana Sutras such as Prajnaparamita or Vimalakirti made discrimination, excluded the Shravakas. So In the Lotus Sutra it said we should include Sri Lanka or a practical Buddha or so-called Hinayana teaching.

[25:18]

And that is mainly, that point is said in the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra. That is tactfulness in this translation. Or tactfulness is another term. Another translation for the same word is skillful means. The Sanskrit word is upaya, and Japanese word is hoben. Say the Japanese word again. Hoben. Pardon? Sure. Ho and Ben. So the title of the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra is Ho-Ben-Hun.

[26:23]

So I'd like to talk about the outline. I cannot talk the entire chapter. It's pretty long. So I'd like to talk about the outline of what is said in this chapter, Hoben Home. And this is the most important, at least one of the most important chapters in the Lotus Sutra. I said, as I said, this is the second chapter. First chapter is called johon, that means introduction. And within the first chapter, Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, didn't say anything. That is like a Vimalakirti. He gave some Dharma discourse, and that teaching was called Immeasurable Meanings.

[27:35]

And after he gave that speech, he entered samadhi. That means he started to sit and close his mouth. But something special happened at that time. There was some curly hair on his forehead. From there, he emitted the light. And he illuminated the world in the east. I don't know why east. But it said when Shakyamuni Buddha sat under the Bodhisattva, I mean Bodhi tree, he tried to find the best place to sit, and somehow he found sit facing the east was the best. So he sat toward the east.

[28:37]

That's why he could see the morning stars. I don't know if that is true or not. Anyway, so, and not only when he was sitting under the Bodhi tree, but when he had some kind of gathering and he gave a Dharma talk, he always, not always, I'm not sure always or not, but he usually sit facing east. And people, audience, are facing the west in India. But in China, it's changed. Almost all temple buildings were built in China, built toward the south. So Buddha, Buddha Hall is built towards facing the south.

[29:40]

So Buddha is always facing the south. And so usually, person who give Dharma discourse also facing the south. That's a kind of a cultural difference. Why I'm talking about this? Anyway, Buddha emit the light from his forehead and illuminate the world in the East. And it's because of this light everything become see, become clear. And people saw all living beings within not only six realms, but according to Tendai teaching, ten realms. Ten realms means six realms and realms of Shravaka. Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva and Buddha makes ten.

[30:43]

So not only six but ten realms. Everything becomes really clear within Buddha's samadhi. So Bodhisattva's people thought this is something unusual and they wanted to know the meaning. of this unusual happening. Then people asked Manjushri. Manjushri is a bodhisattva as a symbol of wisdom. And Manjushri said, I experienced the same kind of phenomena. Buddha, certain Buddha in the past did the same thing. And after that, that Buddha expound the absolute Dharma, or great Dharma. That is the Lotus teaching, Lotus Sutra.

[31:50]

So basically what Mohanji Shri said was Shakyamuni was going to expound the Lotus Sutra. That is what is said in the first chapter. So Buddha was sitting without saying anything. So people are waiting. You know, Buddha starts to talk. And that is the beginning of the second chapter of Hoben Home. In this chapter, Shariputra, Shariputra was one of the ten greatest disciples of Buddha. Shariputra asked Shakyamuni, please expand, teach the Lotus Sutra or the absolute truth or reality. But that is the beginning

[32:57]

of this chapter of the Lotus Sutra. And the very first sentence of the second chapter is as follows. At that time, the world-honored one Rising quietly and clearly from contemplation or samadhi, addressed Shariputra. So Buddha said, Shariputra, the wisdom of Buddha is very profound and infinite. Their wisdom school is difficult to understand and difficult to enter so that the Shravakas and the Pratyekabuddhas cannot apprehend it. So Buddha said, you cannot understand to Shaliputra because Shaliputra was Shravaka.

[34:05]

This is really interesting. You know, Shariputra was one of the greatest disciples, but Buddha said, you don't understand. And this is a kind of a same situation or situation or condition Shakyamuni Buddha had under the Bodhi tree. He thought, you know, the truth or reality he awakened to, or he experienced, is too deep and subtle so no one could understand. If I try to teach, I simply become tired. So I wish to enjoy this liberation and die quietly." That was his first thought after he experienced awakening. But as I said, Brahman came and asked him to teach, and Shakyamuni rejected twice.

[35:19]

I don't want to. But third time, according to certain version of this story, I think in Parivinaya, where the Brahma asked Shakyamuni to take Shakyamuni to somewhere, there is a pond in which lotus are growing. So from the very beginning of Buddhist history, you know, this lotus flower is used as a symbol of Dharma. And what Buddha observed in that lotus pond is, you know, lotus grow from the muddy water. And some lotus cannot reach the surface

[36:23]

of the muddy water. But some rotas could go to reach the surface. And also some rotas could grow beyond the surface and bloom the very beautiful flower. So from the very beginning, this is the image of Dharma flower or Buddha's teaching. You know, grow from the muddy water, but go beyond the muddy water and bloom the beautiful flower. So even within this image, the muddy water is like a worldly dharma.

[37:27]

And yet we could go beyond worldly dharma and bloom the dharma flower. So this is really an image of Buddha dharma. And, you know, after the Oryoki meal, you know, chant the, what do you call it in English? In Japanese, we call it a Shosei Kaibon. You know, in Chinese Zen monastery, in the Oryoki meal, they didn't chant this verse. So according to Dogen, Eisai, the first Japanese Zen master who went to China and transmitted Rinzai Zen and founded the first Japanese Zen monastery named Keninji, was the person who started to chant this verse.

[38:43]

Could you chant that verse? Yes. That is an image of this world. Yes. to Buddha. So this is the image of the lotus as a dharma flower, which didn't leave the muddy water. It came out of muddy water and go beyond the muddy water. So this is how, you know, this worldly or Raukika and Raukottara can be integrated and yet go beyond. It go beyond and yet it doesn't leave. It stay in the muddy water and yet go beyond the muddy water and bloom the beautiful flowers.

[39:56]

That is the image of the Lotus Sutra. And another thing, about Dogen Zenji and Lotus Sutra is, you know, also during Oryokimi, we chant ten names of Buddha, like Virochana Buddha, Pure Dharma Kaya, and so on. You know, the name of that chant is called Jyubutsu Myo, that means ten names of Buddha. But strange thing is, there are eleven names, Have we ever counted? There are 11. And Dogen Zenji added one. And that one is Daishin Myoharinga King in Japanese.

[40:57]

That means Mahayana Sutra of, how do you say? Here. Yes. That was Dogen's addition. So Dogen made this 11 names of Buddha. So for Dogen, this image of lotus flower came from the Lotus Sutra was very important. Here we are. Oh. When Shaliputra asked Buddha, please expound the Dharma, this absolute Dharma, Buddha had hesitation and rejected. You know, even I say something, you don't understand. And he continued,

[41:58]

Shariputra, essentially speaking, the Buddha has altogether fulfilled the infinite, boundless, unprecedented law. In this translation, dharma is translated as law. I don't like this translation, so let me use dharma. So boundless, unprecedented dharma. Enough Shariputra, there is no need to say any more. That means keep silent. Therefore, because the Dharma which the Buddha has perfected is a chief unprecedented Dharma and difficult to understand, Only a Buddha, only a Buddha together with a Buddha can fathom the reality of all existence. So only Buddha together with Buddha, that means no Sri Lanka, not only no Sri Lanka, but no human beings could understand and see this reality of all beings.

[43:18]

Only Buddha can see And that reality is named reality of all existence. This is one of the most important words in the Lotus Sutra. SHO means various or many or all and HO is Dharma.

[44:28]

In this case, this dharma means beings or existence. And jitsu means truth, true or genuine or actual or real. And so usually translated as a form. But to translate this so as a form, I think, is confusion. So I translate this expression as true reality, true reality of all beings instead of true form. Because there is another, how can I say, this same word is appeared in ten suchness. And after Buddha Shakyamuni said, this shoho jiso, true reality of all beings, can be, in this translation, used as fathom.

[45:38]

The word, this Chinese translation used is gujin. yuibutsu, yobutsu, or only Buddhas together with Buddha, gujin shoho jiso, naino gujin. And gu means to make it clear, so clearly seeing. And jin is completely, without leaving anything. fathom could mean such a deep, perfect, complete understanding. I think fathom means to measure, right? To understand. Also fathom could mean to understand.

[46:43]

Understand. Okay, then fathom is okay. Anyway, so he, Shakyamuni, mentioned this word, true reality of all beings. And he continues in this translation, please. Could you say something about only a Buddha together with a Buddha? Why is it that only a Buddha together with a Buddha can understand the true reality of all beings? I think last time... We have Genzo here. We studied that first Kuro of Shobo, Genzo, entitled Yoibutsu, Yoibutsu, only Buddha together with Buddha. It's a very interesting expression. That only Buddha together with Buddha means only Buddha, no human beings, or no Shurabaka in the context of the Lotus Sutra.

[47:49]

But Dogen interprets this in a very different way. Dogen says, Yuibutsu is one Buddha, name of one Buddha, or Yobutsu is another Buddha, or two names of one Buddha. Yuibutsu means only Buddha. Means, for example, when we practice, even when we practice with other people or sitting with many people, I'm alone. I'm really alone, only Buddha. But we cannot be alone. Even when we sit in the Zen door, without any other people, still we are sitting together with all beings. So two sides of our practice is only Buddha and together Buddha.

[48:54]

I think Dogen used, interpreted this expression in this way in, I think, Shobo Genzo, Shohou Jisou. He wrote another chapter or first clue of Shobo Genzo entitled Shohou Jisou, True Reality of All Beings. Is this the answer to your question? And this translation says, so true reality of all beings have ten suchness. is ten. Nyo is such or like, and ze is this, so like this. And usually this word, nyose, is translated as suchness or thusness.

[50:01]

So that means all beings has ten suchnesses. And Kumara Jiva, the translator of this sutra from Sanskrit to Chinese, listed those ten suchness. And those are SO, SHO, TAI, RIKI, SA, In, Nen, Ka, Ho, and Hon, Matsu, Kukyo, To. So 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. And sound, pronunciation is so, sho, tai, riki, sa, in, en, or this together we pronounce as in-nen, but this is en.

[51:28]

And ka, ho, and this one is hon. . So is form. So same Chinese characters. That's why I translate this first suchness as form. But this is not a form. This include all 10. That's why to translate this soul as form is confusion. And soul is nature. Tri is body or substance. And dikhi is strength or energy. And sa is a function. Did you say function? Function.

[52:29]

And I think these first five suchness is the uniqueness of each and every beings. Each being has its own unique form, nature, body, energy, and function. So we are different. But all those beings, individual beings, can exist only within relation with others. That is what next four suchness means. In is cause, and in is conditions. Ka is result.

[53:34]

Or literal meaning of this ka, Chinese character ka is fruits. And ho is in this translation, translated as recompense. Recompense. Decompense? That means... Thank you. I'll talk. You know, I think... Pardon? I'm going to talk. I think six and seven, six and eight is a relation within time. In is cause.

[54:42]

Often you know, to explain this, the example of a plant is used. For example, like a seed, seed of certain plant is a cause and a flower or a fruit, you know, is a result. So cause and result. And in condition and whole decompense, decompense, is a relation of this being within space. Means in order to sprout. A seed of a plant needs some conditions, such as humidity or sunlight or certain temperature.

[55:50]

Those are called conditions. An important thing to understand the meaning of conditions in Buddhism is all those things like humidity or sunlight or temperature give a positive influence to support this seed to grow. but not only those things to positively or actively support the seed, but all other things, all other kind of negative things that didn't happen. For example, if a seed is planted on the ground, if a bird came and ate, then this cannot grow. So all the birds who didn't come to eat the seeds support the seeds to grow.

[56:58]

Right? That means all the birds in this world support this grow if no one came to eat this seed. and not only birds, but all things that didn't disturb this seed to grow in a negative way, support this seed to grow. So that means this entire world, everything within this entire world or within this... network of interdependent origination, which gave a positive support and also which didn't disturb this seed to grow, support this seed to grow. So this condition means really everything.

[58:02]

Everything within this world helps a seed to grow. And this plant gradually grow larger and larger and finally become matured. And this plant can bloom flowers and bear fruits. And blooming flowers or bear fruit for this plant itself is to continue this life to produce the next generation. That is, for this plant itself, this is a kind of a meaning or a goal of what this plant is doing. But when the plant become really mature and bloom flowers, not only to continue this personal or individual life, but somehow this plant can offer nectar to the insect or butterflies.

[59:32]

or when they bear fruits, animals can come to eat. So when it's matured, this plant has something to offer to other beings. When this plant is not mature, they need support from other beings. But when it becomes matured, we have something to offer. So receiving offerings and give offerings. And this give offering is called recompensas. That make sense? The Lotus Sutra's teaching is not simply about plants. Not about the plants. I use the example of plants, but this is a process of bodhisattva practice.

[60:43]

When we allow the bodhicitta and start to study and practice Buddhist teaching, we need support from all different people, teaching from teachers or help from co-practitioners. but we gradually grow and mature, then little by little we can offer something to others. So this second four suchness means we can exist. not only human beings, but all beings can exist only within this interconnection or relation within time and space. We are connected with all beings within this network of interdependent origination.

[61:49]

Without this relation, nothing can exist. only one moment, even one moment. I think that is the meaning. And in the case of bodhisattva practice, recompense means when we matured as a bodhisattva, we become Buddha. Then Buddha is not the goal. To become Buddha is not a goal, but to become a Buddha is a starting point to teach, to offer dharma. So as a Bodhisattva, our goal is to understand the dharma and practice as a Bodhisattva. But when we become fully matured, then somehow we are called teachers.

[62:54]

People come, like butterflies or bees come to get nectar. If we have dharma, people come, and we can offer. That is what recompense means. This is like when we learn how to drive a car. We studied the structure of the car and how to drive it. And we learned, we studied the meaning of each and every traffic signal, traffic sign. And then we can get licensed. To get a license is, in a sense, a goal of this process of studying. But when we get a license, we become a driver. And that is not the end of the story.

[63:56]

But that is the beginning of the next phase of practice, to be a good driver. And also, when we are a driver, we can offer a ride to other people. That is what recompense means. Does this make sense? Those are nine suchness. That means everything has these nine suchness as it isness. And the important thing is the final one, the one with long name, Honmatsu Kukyoto. In this translation, it translates as, such a complete fundamental whole. Does this make sense? Such a complete fundamental whole. Whole.

[64:58]

Whole is W-H-O, whole. Another possible translation is the absolute identity. Absolute identity of their beginning and end. Beginning means the first one, and end means ninth. And absolute identity means these nine are not nine independent factors, but these are one. That means this is one whole. There's no such separation. And there's no such separation within each beings as a form or nature or body or so on. This is one thing.

[65:59]

And including the connection with other beings, this is one thing. So no separation. This is the expression of the interconnectedness or interdependent origination in the Lotus Sutra. And another famous symbol of interdependent origination appeared in the flower ornament sutra is Indra's net. I think Indra's net is more well-known. And Indra's net in the flower ornament sutra, and shoho jiso in the lotus sutra, I think saying the same thing, that is interconnectedness of all beings.

[67:11]

This is the reality. So within this, nothing is excluded. So it's not possible to make such a distinction or discrimination between worldly dharma and beyond worldly dharma, or laypeople and monks, or samsara and nirvana. This is simply one reality. That is the first thing Buddha said. And Buddha said, you don't understand this, to Shariputra. When I first studied the Lotus Sutra, I had a question. This is very kind of understandable teaching. Why only Buddha together with Buddha can penetrate this reality?

[68:17]

No human beings can, even Shaliputra. That was my question. Do a lot of sutras say no human beings? Sutras, they explicitly say no human beings? It's hard to understand this. Only Buddha together with Buddha means only Buddha, no human beings. But later it said something different. That is a problem. But I think we can understand the principle of this teaching. But because we are part of it, we cannot see this, observe this as an object. We cannot be observer. We are right within it. That's why we cannot see.

[69:21]

And we cannot see the, how can I say, this interconnectedness as a whole, because we are part of it. Anyway, this is the first thing Buddha said to Sariputra. Don't ask me. It's not meaningful. But same as the... not Indra, but Brahman, he continues, Shadiputta continued to ask three times. So this second chapter of the Lotus Sutra is kind of imitated, the biography of Shakyamuni Buddha. You know, what Shariputra is doing is the same as what the Brahman did, asking Buddha two, three times, even though it's difficult to fathom or understand.

[70:30]

Still, Shariputra keeps asking three times. And after that, up means he accepted Shariputra's request. So he started to talk. But before he started to talk, you know, 5,000 people left the assembly. That means they didn't believe there's such a teaching. And those Shravakas, they thought they have already achieved the nirvana taught by Buddha. But what Buddha started to teach is that nirvana is not valid. So basically what the Lotus Sutra is saying, not saying, but doing, is that this sutra cancelled the nirvana of Shravakas.

[71:40]

You know, it said 500 people were alahata when Sakyamuni died. Alahata means they are going to enter Nirvana. And the problem for the Lotus Sutra, or for the people who made Lotus Sutra, they wanted to say all people, all beings become Buddha. But the problem is those 500 arahats, they already enter nirvana. They are not within samsara, and they cannot come back. After entering nirvana, they cannot come back to samsara. So what those people did was ask those, you know, Arahats came back, returned to Samsara, and canceled their nirvana. Said, I'm sorry, that is not real nirvana.

[72:41]

But you need to continue to practice to become Buddha. That is how Lottasutra include those Shravakas. And that kind of teaching Shakyamuni gave to Shravaka is a tactful means or a skillful means. That is not a true teaching. And it's already 4.30. And within this chapter of the Lotus Sutra, skillful means, Buddha continued to teach that my dharma is only for bodhisattvas.

[74:03]

And in this case, bodhisattva includes shravakas. That means shravakas are also bodhisattvas. And Buddha is going to give the prediction that Shaliputra will become Buddha. So that means Shaliputra returned from nirvana and continued to practice as a bodhisattva. And not only Shari Putra, but all disciples, Mahakasyapa and all other great disciples of Buddha should continue to practice. And they are voice of us. That is how the Lotus Sutra includes those śrāvakas. Otherwise, even the Lotus Sutra says one vehicle except śrāvaka vehicle.

[75:10]

That doesn't make sense. So in order to include śrāvaka, the sutra asked all those great disciples to return to samsara and continue to practice. Then Shakyamuni gave all those arahat to give a prediction that they are going to become Buddha. That is the main topic of almost half of the Lotus Sutra. from second to thirteenth. First, Buddha gave a prediction to Shaliputta. Second, to four great disciples, such as Mahakasyapa, Mahakachayana, and Shubhuti, those people. And then he gave a prediction for one thousand two hundred

[76:15]

Arahats or Shravakas. Then more, including who are not Arahats yet. Then after that, finally in the 13th chapter, Buddha gave a prediction to become Buddha to Mahapajapati and Yasodhara. the Bhikkhunis. So that is the main theme of the first half of the Lotus Sutra. That means Buddha's real, actual, true teaching is one Bhikkhu, or Ekayana, and only for boys at birth. That means there's no such people called Shravaka or Pratyekabuddha, but they are all bodhisattvas.

[77:18]

That is the main theme of the half of the Lotus Sutra. And another meaning of this expression, skillful means is that not only those shravakas or monks who practice as a Buddha's disciples, but lay people also can achieve or complete the way. Towards the end of this chapter, said, you know, all Buddhas in the past, present, and future all use this skillful means.

[78:21]

And about the skillful means in the past Buddhas, this sutra says such as, After the extinction of Buddha, after Buddha died, those who worshipped their relics and built many courtesies of sorts of stupas. So this refers to the lay people who built the stupa for Shakyamuni's relics. with gold, silver, and crystal, with moonstone and agate, with jasper and lap. This is too long list of beautiful things. But let me skip that two-wordy things.

[79:24]

That's a problem of Indian sutras. Anyway, all those people raised us for Buddha's shrine, and even children, even children in their prey, not seriously, in their prey, who gathered sand for our Buddha's stupa. All such beings as these have attained the Buddha way. So not only those great disciples called Shirabaka, but those lay people who took care of, who built and took care of stupas. Nota Sutra said they achieved that by the way. And it continues, not only people who built, but it continues, or those who with the precious seven with brass, red and white copper, with wax red and thin, let me skip all those, have around

[80:45]

adorned them and made Buddha's images. So the people who made Buddha statues were painting the Buddha. You know, in the history, in the beginning of Buddhist history, no one didn't make Buddha statues. But in the stupas, probably after about 200 years, 200 years after Buddha's death, they started to produce Buddha's sculpture of Buddha. And they enshrine Buddha's statue in the stupas. And they worship the sculpture. And that kind of practice. instead of studying Dharma like Abhidharma or practicing meditation like monks did in the monastery, lay people's practice such as, you know, building stupas and offer the Buddha statues or paintings and offering the flowers, incense to those statues and also

[82:05]

make offering of music or chanting that is what we do today and also our practice our zazen can be offering and our gassho can be offering and our prostration offering all those practices people practice all those kind of a devotional practice instead of a monk's monastic practice. They also achieved or complete the Buddha way. So that is what skillful means. Skillful means meaning. you know, to create a monastic system and allow some monks to practice in the monastery is a skillful means.

[83:16]

And also allow lay people to build a shrine or a stupa and allow them to make offerings. That is also a skillful means. Please. Is it only people who think they're Buddhists, or does it include people who enact these values of caring for other people and purifying mind and doing good and avoiding evil? That's a good question. I think the answer is yes and no. If we say yes, there might be some problems. And if we say no, it creates another problem. So I have no answer. But the ultimate truth, at least according to Dogen, according to Dogen,

[84:26]

Dogen, even the trees, rivers, mountains, rivers, everything is included. So whether Buddhist or not Buddhist, all human beings are included. But it doesn't say in the Lotus Sutra. Please. I hear that people use it in all different ways. I've heard one explanation that skillful means can only be applied by the Buddha because nobody else can actually see what the outcome could be and if it's actually registered as skillful or not. So is that a shared understanding? I think there are many different levels of skillful means. Skillful means to achieve or complete the Buddha way I think could be offered only by Buddhas.

[85:37]

If I invent something and say this is a skillful means to achieve the Buddha way, then I don't think it's correct. But I could use some skillful means, for example, to stop children doing something unwholesome. That can be skillful means. So I think it's up to the level of what skillful means means. OK? Please. for service always makes a reference on rocks and stones and pebbles.

[86:39]

In the meal chant? Yeah. That is Dogen's expression of this interconnectedness. And, you know, last May we had a genzoe at San Shinji, and we studied sound of valley stream and colors of mountains. Not only colors of mountains or sound of valley stream, Dogen said, everything is expand Dharma. So, because everything is expanding Dharma, everything can be Buddha. You have to study. That's good. I think actually everything really, everything without any exception, except in dharma. The dharma of interconnectedness, the dharma of impermanence, and dharma of no-self.

[87:41]

If there is one thing that doesn't express this truth, then this is not a truth. Right? Please. Thank you. I was wondering, at first the Buddha said that nobody could understand this teaching, and then like he said, later on he said something else, and more and more people can possibly be part of the Buddha way. Did the Buddha change his mind, or is that part of the skillfulness? I think part of the skillful means, but I think this is an aging problem. I know what I want to say, but it doesn't come up. And forget.

[88:48]

What did I want to say? I'm sorry, I forget. But basically what is said is, you know, everything is interconnected, therefore everything is expanding the reality of interconnectedness. In that sense, everything are bodhisattva. Everything offer this true reality of all beings. Please. Can I ask this morning a question? Sure. Still I'm stuck with Jataka. [...] And it's a fiction story. So every month we do full moon ceremony. First thing is we arrange the seven Buddha before Buddha.

[89:55]

So those seven Buddhas are fiction. What about other Buddhas such as Amitabha or Vairocana? Are they fiction or real? You know, the seven Buddhas in the past was kind of produced or created before all those other Buddhas in Mahayana. Even in the Pali Nikaya, those seven Buddhas in the past appeared. So it's all this kind of fictitious Buddha. But that means because what the reality or dharma Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha discovered is eternal truth.

[91:01]

And what Buddha said while he was alive, I didn't create the truth, but I discovered it. The truth was hidden. you know, like an abandoned castle in the forest. No one knew there was such a thing, but Buddha rediscovered it. That means not only Shakyamuni, but before Shakyamuni, there must be someone who discovered the same reality. That was the origin of the idea of past Buddhas. Shakyamuni cannot be the first person. There must be many other people who discovered the same reality. Please. But it's also said there's only one Buddha in one eon.

[92:03]

So past Buddhas would have been past eons. Yeah, that's a different idea. Originally, you know, Indian Buddhists thought Buddha is only one within one Buddha-land, within one universe. So only Shakyamuni was Buddha, and no Buddha at all until Maitreya appeared many kalpas later. That is the, I think, original idea. But later, Buddhists are so much creative people. First, they invented or found seven Buddhas, I mean six Buddhas, because seven of Shakyamuni, six Buddhas in the past. And the Mahayana Buddhists kind of created numberless Buddhas.

[93:10]

So they are very creative people. Please. Roshi, it seems there's so much fluidity in the teaching, and yet this idea that if you go to nirvana, you can't return. Why is that so prohibitive, and why is that so? I don't know. But I think Mahayana Buddhists didn't like that idea of nirvana, so they also invented Another kind of nirvana for bodhisattva. Before Mahayana, the Buddhists thought there are two kinds of nirvana. Do you know? First kind is nirvana Shakyamuni entered when he became Buddha under the Bodhi tree. So even he was alive 40 years more, he was in nirvana.

[94:17]

But this nirvana is with body. And in Japanese, this is called uyo nehan. Uyo nehan. Nehan is nirvana. Uyo means there's something extra still there. And that something extra is Buddha's body. So even though Buddha was in nirvana, he had some pain. when he was sick, or he had some sadness, of course. But that is called nirvana. But the second kind of nirvana is called parinirvana. That means when Buddha passed away, Buddha entered a great nirvana, absolute nirvana, without a body. So there are two kinds of nirvana.

[95:23]

But Mahayana Buddhists invented the third kind of nirvana. And this third kind of nirvana is nirvana for bodhisattvas. And this nirvana is called mojusho nehan. Nehan is nirvana. Mojusho means no-abiding. No-abiding nirvana. That means bodhisattva does not stay in samsara because of wisdom and does not enter nirvana because of compassion. So bodhisattva has no abiding. And this practice without abiding, that means without attachment to neither samsara nor nirvana, So this is freedom, liberated way of life. It's called nirvana of no abiding or no dwelling.

[96:30]

So in that sense, if we really practice following Vaisattva vows, we are in nirvana. Or I said, even though all bodhisattvas are working within samsara, within this shore, but if we practice as a bodhisattva, then we can find nirvana within this samsara. And that is what is called no-abiding nirvana. Is time okay? It's almost five. Maybe better to stop. So tomorrow morning, I'm going to talk about Dogen Zenji and Lotus Sutra. After that, I start to talk on the text.

[97:35]

@Transcribed_UNK
@Text_v005
@Score_91.11