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2015.08.22-serial.00160
AI Suggested Keywords:
The main thesis of the talk is an exploration of the teachings from Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sutra, focusing on the reconciliation of impermanence and eternity within Buddhist thought. This discussion includes examining the Lotus Sutra's interpretation of Shakyamuni Buddha's life as both impermanent and eternally present. The talk delves into Dogen's interpretation and how these teachings inform Zen practice, emphasizing the non-dual nature of reality where life and death, form and emptiness coexist seamlessly.
- The Lotus Sutra, Chapter 16: Discussed as a pivotal text asserting the eternal presence of the Tathagata, emphasizing its interpretation of Buddha's life as both impermanent and eternal.
- Shobogenzo, specifically the fascicle "Sokushin-zee-butsu": Referenced for Dogen's inquiry into the nature of the mind and the interrelatedness of all beings as expressed through the concept of one mind.
- Dogen Zenji's teachings: Highlighted for its interpretation of concepts like dharmakaya and the nature of reality, where everyday practice and enlightenment are seen as parts of a unified reality.
- Uchiyama Roshi's poetry: Used to illustrate the acceptance and understanding of dual aspects of life, such as poverty and richness, sickness and wellness, emphasizing an insight into the deeper, undivided nature of life.
The talk underscores the profound and interdependent nature of existence, urging practitioners to view their lives through the lens of eternal Buddha nature in their practice.
AI Suggested Title: Eternal Presence in Impermanent Life
Good afternoon. We start paragraph 19, page 13 in my version. Okay. Let me read several sentences. As for wholeheartedly wishing to see the Buddha, we should inquire whether the one who wishes is self or others. There are times when the dharma body attain the way as the partial body. And there are times when the dharma body attained the Way as a whole body.
[01:05]
Appearance together on Vulture Peak is possible because I put the Buddha in the bracket, but please delete this and change into all living beings, not Buddhas. So all living beings do not do not begrudge their bodily lives. There is opening, displaying, realizing and entering in continuously abiding here and expanding the dharma. And there is opening, displaying, realizing and entering as a skillful means for manifesting nirvana. Not seeing, even while being close, we could fail to believe wholeheartedly in understanding and not understanding.
[02:17]
The place always filled with heavenly and human beings is none other than the homeland of Shakyamuni Buddha Vairocana. That is the eternally clean and bright land. We who naturally belong to the four lands are just living in the Buddha land. That is one suchness. Until here. In these several sentences, there are many phrases taken from one part of the Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sutra. So let me introduce that section of the Lotus Sutra. This is the final part of the Chapter 16.
[03:21]
The title of this chapter is, in this translation, Life of the Tathagata, or another translation is Lifespan of Tathagata. And in this chapter, Lotus Sutra says Tathagata's life is eternal. even though Shakyamuni was born at a certain time and lived for about eight years, and he passed away or entered nirvana. So even Buddha, Shakyamuni was impermanent. He arise, stay for a while, and disappeared. But real Buddha life, The true life of Shakyamuni or Tathagata is eternal. That is what this chapter is saying, basically.
[04:27]
So he's talking about this eternal life and impermanence. things are impermanent, including Shakyamuni Buddha. But real, actual life of Shakyamuni is eternal. What does this impermanence and eternity mean? maybe better to read from the very beginning of this verse, this long verse at the end of chapter 16. Let me read from the beginning of this verse. If you have this book, page 254. Since I attained Buddhahood, the karpas through which I have passed are infinite, thousands of millions of quarters of asankhaya years.
[05:38]
That means eternal, more than we can calculate. countless coitus of creatures, living beings, to enter the way of the Buddha. Since then, unmeasured kalpas, in order to save all creatures, all creatures is all living beings, By tactful method, by skillful means, I reveal nirvana. So this Lotus Sutra said, his entering nirvana or his death is a skillful means. By skillful means, I reveal nirvana. Yet, truly, I am not yet extinct. Shakyamuni died, but Shakyamuni didn't die.
[06:41]
But forever here preaching the Dharma. So Shakyamuni died, but he didn't die. But he continued to expanding Dharma. But forever here preaching the Dharma. I forever remain in this world using all my spiritual powers so that all perverted creatures, like us, Though I am near, yet fail to see me. So even though Shakyamuni is eternal, he is still here, but we are perverted creatures, so we don't see him, even though he is near from us. That means Shakyamuni is still here with us, but we don't see him.
[07:49]
all looking on me as extinct. All people think Shakyamuni died. Everywhere, because he died, everywhere worship my relics. So human beings constructed the stupas and worship Shakyamuni's relics. all cherishing longing desires and beget a thirsting heart of hope when all creatures or living beings have believed and obeyed in character upright in mind gentleness. wholeheartedly wishing to see the Buddha, not caring for their own lives.
[08:55]
Then I, with all the sangha, appear together on the divine vulture peak." So even though Shakyamuni didn't die, you know, We think he died, so we become sad, and we worship his relics, and we wish Shakyamuni come back. again to teach the Dharma. And when all living beings wholeheartedly wish to see Buddha, Shakyamuni will appear again. Then I, with all the sangha, appear together on the divine vulture peak. And then I tell all living beings that I exist forever in this world.
[09:59]
I didn't leave. By the power of tactful method or skillful means, by the power of skillful means, revealing myself extinct and not extinct. Extinct and not extinct means dying and not dying. If in other regions there are beings Reverent and with faith aspiring, again I am in their midst. So not only this world, he may appear somewhere else if people there wish to meet him. To preach the supreme dharma, you not hearing of this,
[11:01]
You're not hearing of this if you don't hear what I'm saying now. You not hearing of this, only say, I am extinct. When you don't hear this or understand this, you only think Buddha Shakyamuni passed away, you know, 25,000 years ago and 100 years ago. But he, Shakyamuni, didn't die actually. I behold all living beings sunk in the sea of suffering. And Shakyamuni sees all living beings are sunk in the sea of suffering, that is, a burning house. Living beings are suffering in the burning house.
[12:04]
Hence, I do not reveal myself. He said, because of that, I don't reveal myself. But set them all aspiring. So he is waiting. All beings become aspired. Till when their hearts are longing, I appear to preach the Dharma. So when we are ready to listen, Shakyamuni appears again. In such supernaturally pervading power, power of skillful means, throughout asamkyaya kalpas, I am always on the divine vulture peak. So Shakyamuni is always on that mountain. and in every other dwelling places. When all the living see, all living beings see, at the carapace end, you know carapace end, the end of the carapace, entire world will be burned and disappeared.
[13:25]
Carpath end, the conflagration, when it is burning, this entire universe will be burned. Tranquil is this realm of mind, even though at the end of that Carpath and entire universe is burning. Tranquil is this realm of mind. My Buddha-land is tranquil, ever filled with heavenly beings. Always, you know, his Buddha-land is filled with heavenly beings, parks and many palaces, with every kind of gem adorned, precious trees full of blossoms and fruits, where all creatures take their pleasure, all the gods strike the heavenly drums, and evermore make music, showing mandalava flowers on the Buddha and his great assembly.
[14:45]
My pure land will never be destroyed. My pure land will be never destroyed. Yet all view it as being burned up. And grief and horror and distress. fill them all like this. So this is what is said. So Buddha is still here. And Buddha Land is always peaceful and quiet, tranquil and beautiful, and many heavenly beings are always there. It's a very peaceful place, but still we human beings think this is a burning house. So this is our thinking of this burning house.
[15:48]
is taking place within Buddha's eternal life. And even though we see this entire universe is burning, You know, Buddha's land is always blissful and beautiful. So these two are not two separate places, separate places and separate times. But from when we see the same reality from Buddha's eternal life, This is Buddha Land. And yet when we see our human eyes, our human deluded view, where we live to fulfill our desire. All of us try to fulfill our personal desires and compete each other and fight each other and kill each other.
[16:57]
That is how we see this world as a sansara or a burning house or a world of competition. But at the same time, when Buddha sits from Buddha's darshanan, this is the place where all beings are supporting each other, interconnected with each other, working together. I think this verse is saying, so one reality or one place or one reality can be seen from very different perspective, and it looks very different. And which is true. is our core. Fit is real reality.
[17:59]
Whether is this a place of competition, fighting each other, or is this the place where all the bodhisattvas are working together to help each other? Fit is correct. Fit is right view. I don't know. Well, in this part of Hokkete Hokke, Dōben Zenji quotes many phrases or expressions from this part of Garota Sutra. As I said this morning, in the last sentence of the previous paragraph, 18, there's an expression, the praise where living beings enjoy themselves. This appeared in the same verse, and in this translation it said, where all creatures take their pleasure.
[19:05]
And another one, eternally present as my pure land, came from the same verse, and it is said, my pure land will never be destroyed. My pure land will never be destroyed. And in the first sentence of paragraph 19, there's an expression, wholeheartedly wishing to see the Buddha. In this translation it said, wholeheartedly wishing to see the Buddha, not caring for their own lives. Well, I mentioned this quote when I read these sentences. So this expression, wholeheartedly wish to see the Buddha, came from this verse.
[20:11]
And Dogen said, as for wholeheartedly wishing to see the Buddha, we should inquire whether the one who wishes, who is this person wishing? is self or others. That means, who is this? And as, you know, Dogen always said, it should be me. But this me is not separate from others. So this is the me, or in Shuinan's saying, ji-shin, self, one's mind. What is this one's mind? And when I talked about mind in Huinan or Southern schools and Dogen, what I wanted to say in Dogen's writings, mind is not something hidden within ourselves, and also mind is not simply
[21:26]
the function of a psychology. But this mind refer to the true reality of all beings in which we are connected with all beings. That is how we are actually existing. That is true reality of all beings. So Dogen quote, 908 was saying, this mind, the ancient Buddha mind is fences, walls, tiles, and pebbles. And also in Shobo Genzo, Sokshin Zebut, the mind is itself Buddha. He said, the mind that has been authentically transmitted, is one mind is all dharmas, or all beings, and all beings are one dharma, or one mind, I'm sorry.
[22:30]
Isshin is saihou. Is-shin Is-sai-ho and Is-sai-ho Is-shin One mind is all dharmas. All dharmas is same as myriad dharmas in Denjo Koan. And isaiho, all dharmas, all beings, are one mind. So this is what mind means. When he, Dogen, uses shin or isshin, so it's not something beyond phenomenal world.
[23:38]
And it doesn't change. But this is always together with all beings. So same as, you know, what Dogen said in Genjo Koan, you know, self and media dharmas. This way of being of all beings together with the self. That is what this mind in Dogen's writings means. This one, Ishii Saiho. Dogen quote this in Sokushin Zebutsu. The mind is itself Buddha. And this expression came from Tendai teaching. That's part of the material world. It's a material mind. Material mind. What does it mean? Physical. Physical. No, I think this means the way all beings are, true reality of all beings, is one mind.
[24:49]
in dogon or ishin it's so it's not a psychological mind and also it's not the one mind as uh as a uh how can i say uh fit doesn't change and before the uh brown with the ignorant the window of ignorance that kind of mind as new menon. But in Dogen's writings, in this kind of writings, this mind means the way things are or true reality of all beings. So, you know, this wholeheartedly wishing, this wholeheartedly is a translation of one mind. And next sentence.
[25:55]
There are times when the dharma body attains the way as a partial body. And there are times when the dharma body attain the way as the whole body. This partial and whole body is bunshin and zenshin. This bun means a part of something, a portion of something. So I translated a partial body, but I'm not sure this is a right translation or not. And zenshin is entire body, whole body. This expression, bunshin, appeared in the, let's see,
[27:05]
10th, chapter 10 of the Lotus Sutra, right? Yes. In that chapter, you know, somehow the huge stupa appeared called Treasure Stupa, somehow, I don't know from where, and stayed in the air. And within that stupa there was a tathagata named Taho Nyorai. This is one of Taho means many treasures. And the name of this stupa is also Taho Togo, the stupa of many treasures. And this Tathagata lived a long time ago.
[28:14]
I don't know how many kalpas ago, but somehow this Tathagata, Taho Nyorai, made a vow So this person is already in nirvana and enshrined in this stupa. So this tathagata is, in a sense, in nirvana. That means dead, you know, almost eternal in the past. But this Tathagata made a vow that whenever and wherever this sutra, the Lotus Sutra is expanded, I will appear and verify that teaching. This verify is show, verification. So this Tathagata within this treasure stupa appeared in the air, stayed in the air.
[29:31]
And somehow Shakyamuni Buddha, he was sitting on the Vajra peak, but he goes up to the sky. with all people, all the assembly. So all the assembly are in the sky. And people wanted to see this Tathagata. So Shakyamuni opened the stupa. Then this Tathagata said, I give you that proof or verification when all of your bunshin, partial body, appeared here, get together here. That means, you know, How can I say?
[30:35]
I don't know what to say in English. The image of this partial body is, for example, the big Buddha in Nara, that is Vairosana. On the hollow of Vairocana there are small Buddhas, many small Buddhas. Those are partial body of, in this case, Vairocana, and they teach their own Buddha-lands. So they are part of Vairocana, and yet they have their own practice center here and there. And here what the Lotus Sutra is saying is Shakyamuni Buddha is the same. Even though Shakyamuni was here on the vulture field, his partial body is all over.
[31:37]
and expanding Dharma. And the whole Nyorai, this Tathagata, asked Shakyamuni to let all those partial bodies of Shakyamuni get here. Then I gave the verification. So all of his partial bodies appeared on the sky. It's a really interesting scenery. Everyone is floating on the air, and there was one stupa, and so many Buddhas and bodhisattvas appeared, numberless bodhisattvas appeared. If we can make a computer graphic, it might be a very interesting scenery. So that is what this bunshin means.
[32:38]
That means Shakyamuni and his, I think, his influence. Or if we study and expand Shakyamuni's teaching, we are the bunshin or partial body of Shakyamuni. So bunshin means individual body, and zenshin or whole body means this whole body. And this could also interpret as I always draw the network of interdependent ordination. As one knot of this interconnectedness show up as a person is partial body.
[33:41]
And some... Maybe I should erase this circle. But entirety of this interconnectedness can be whole body. So both are the self, or both are Shakyamuni. The partial body as one particular body or one particular person, individual person, is bunshin. And this entirety is whole body. Not the same word, but the expression which has same meaning appeared in the famous koan of Avalokiteshvara. Has thousands hands and eyes.
[34:45]
Ungang and Dogo discussed, and they both said entire body or whole body. That is tsu-shin, tsu-shin and hen-shin. Those are, I think, the same idea. That means in that koan, Avalokiteshvara's thousand hands and eyes is this interconnectedness. And we are part of it. And we use our hands and eyes as a part of Avalokiteshvara's hands and eyes. That means we are one of the hands and eyes of Avalokiteshvara. And by using our hands and eyes, hands means practice or activity, and eyes means wisdom, then we express our whole body of Avalokiteshvara.
[35:58]
That is the idea of that koan. And probably Dogen is saying the same kind of thing. Our individual activity is the activity of the entire body of Shakyamuni. And appearance together, on Vulture Peak is possible because all living beings does not degrade their bodily lives. This came from the part of the verse saying wholeheartedly, wishing to see the Buddha not caring for their own lives. This not caring for their own lives is not begrudging, not begrudge their bodily lives.
[37:03]
Then I will I, with all the sangha, appear together on the divine Vulture Peak. So when living beings want to, wish to see the Buddha and even don't care for his or begrudge their lives, Buddha appear on the Vulture Peak. That means when we wholeheartedly practice using our entire body and mind, Buddha's dharmakaya appeared within that practice. So this is exactly the same with what Shakyamuni said in the sutra of his last discourse, that, after my death, if you practice, study and practice my teaching, then the Buddha's indestructible dharma body will manifest right there, or is present, always present.
[38:15]
That means within our practice, Buddha appears. So when we wholeheartedly wish to Buddha and actually practice for it, then Buddha is always there together with us. Roshi, I'm wondering about begrudging bodily lives. You've been interpreted or translated as not caring about our bodily lives, but that doesn't make sense to me. I mean, you said that at some point your body said no, and you responded to that no and tipped your body. Could begrudge mean more like not holding back? Probably better translation is hold dear. Cleaning. So that's good.
[39:17]
Yeah. Thank you. Okay. So if we wholeheartedly, wholeheartedly is single-mindedly. one mind, wish to see Buddha and practice, then Buddha is always there. Appeared on the Vulture Peak, and Vulture Peak is not a particular mountain in India, but wherever we are is Vulture Peak. So there is opening, displaying, realizing and entering. This, as I said this morning, this is our practice, studying and practice together with Buddha or the teacher. Entering in continuously abiding here and expanding the dharma.
[40:25]
This also from the verse, Maybe I don't need to read. I hope you remember what I read. But meaning is the same. That means Shakyamuni said, my life is eternal, never perish. But as a skillful means, I enter nirvana. But actually he is always here. That is continuously abiding here and expounding Dharma. And there is opening, displaying, realizing, and entering as a skillful means for manifesting nirvana. This is also Buddha said in that verse. That means he says two things. I'm always here, but as a skillful means, I died.
[41:29]
I disappeared. This is, I think, Dogen interprets these two kind of opposite sides of what is said in this one verse as two sides of our life, as, for example, form and emptiness, or arising and perishing, and never arising, never perishing. That is not about something else, but that is about our life. Not about Shakyamuni in the Lotus Sutra, but we are always being born, living and dying, and yet we never being born and we never die. if you believe or not, I'm not sure. But I think this is a really important point to see our life in terms of Mahayana Buddhist teaching, that is seeing impermanence, seeing impermanence and realizing eternity.
[42:54]
Realizing eternity, impermanence and eternity are kind of opposite. But this opposite or contradicted idea, contradiction are both within this life. And I'd like to introduce one poem by Uchiyama Roshi about his own life and death. When he was about 70 years old, as I said, he retired from Antaigi when he was 63. He had to retire because his physical condition could not continue the practice, teaching and practice at Antaigi. So he retired. He was physically weak because he had TB, tuberculosis, since early 20s.
[44:02]
Anyway, after several years, around when he was 70, He was very sick, and we expected he was dying. And I think he himself expected he was dying. Around that time, he wrote some poems about his own life and death. And he made a small collection of several poems about life and death. I think for himself. You know, when he retired from Antaes, he said, you know, after my retirement, my practice is not to teach, but my practice is to really facing my own life and death. So he really faced on his own life and death.
[45:06]
and not only that he wrote about his own insight experience and insight of process of being sick aging and dying and wrote the poems and essays about his own aging and dying and those poems are about his own life and death Here, me and Tomolai translated into English. And on the occasion of 10th anniversary of Sanshinzen community or Sanshinji, we made a small book. I think those books are all gone. I'm sorry. But anyway, one of the, actually the final poem in that collection is a poem as follows.
[46:10]
The title of this poem is Samadhi. Again, Samadhi of the treasury of the radiant light. Radiant light is ko-myo. Ko is light, and myo, or mei, is bright. Bright, radiant light. And this Dogen Zenji wrote one chapter, first club show of Dogen Zenji entitled Ko-myo, or radiant light. Anyway, the title of this poem is Samadhi of the Treasury, Treasury of the Radiant Light. This treasury is nzo, nzo. So ZO means treasury, same ZO in Shobogen ZO, treasure house.
[47:23]
And this is one of the name of Samadhi, Koumyo ZO Zen Mind. Samadhi of Treasury of Radiant Light. And, you know, the second devotee of Heiji, Dogen's dharma heir, Kon Ejo, he didn't write many things, but he really focused on preserving Dogen's Shobo Genzo. But Kon Ejo wrote only one writing, and the title of his only one writing is Koumyouzou Zanmai. And Dogen Zenji took this expression from that title. That means our life is the treasury of radiant light, very bright, beautiful light.
[48:28]
and we are in the samadhi together with all beings within this light. And what he wrote, the poem is as follows. Though, though poor, never poor. Though sick, never sick. Though aging, never aging. Though dying, never dying. Reality prior to division. Herein lies unlimited depth. Shall I read it again? Though poor, though all though poor, Never poor. Though sick, never sick. Though aging, never aging.
[49:30]
Though dying, never dying. Reality prior to division, prior to any separation or discrimination. Herein lies unlimited depth. First half of each line and the second half of each line are opposite. And in our common sense, first half of each line is reality of his life. When he wrote this poem, he was poor because he never made money. He said he had a regular job and regular income only six months in his lifetime. He lived 86 years, but only six months he had a regular job. That was, you know, after he completed graduate school, he studied Western philosophy, he became a teacher of a Catholic seminary.
[50:39]
And he taught philosophy and mathematics. And he also wanted to study Catholic theology. to really understand Western philosophy, he needed to understand Catholic theology. And also he had some intention to become Catholic. But after six months he found It's not possible. So he quit the job after six months, and he said that was the only time he had a regular income. After that, he never made money. You know, he published many books, but when he published his books, he asked the publisher to give him... the copy of the books and give them to his disciples and people who study his students.
[51:45]
So he didn't receive the money from the publishing books. So he was really poor. But he said, never poor. Actually, his life was very rich. Even though he had nothing and he lived on the donation or help or assistance from others, whenever he has a guest, someone or many people visit him to talk with him and they want to ask questions about their problems or difficulties, And whenever he had such visitors, he rarely met with them. So many people thought Utsamarochi was their teacher. So his life was very rich in that sense.
[52:49]
And though sick, he was really sick. You know, I think even he himself thought he was dying. Not only TB, but he sometimes vomited the blood. And his wife took care of him. And his wife became scared when he vomited blood. But while he was vomiting the blood, he encouraged his wife, don't worry, don't be scared. So he had no fear about dying. But anyway, he was very sick. But he said, never sick. And though aging, of course he was aging, he was about 70 years old, but he said, never aging. And though dying, never dying.
[53:55]
So these are two aspects of our life. We are born, live for a while, and die, you know, same as clouds appear, stay for a while, changing the shape, and disappear. But this second half of each line is about Buddha's eternal life. Buddha's eternal life is not someone else's life named Shakyamuni, but our life. Our life is one half or one... not one half, entirety. Our entire life is impermanent. We are born, stay for a while, and dying, always changing. But from another perspective, this life is never be born, and never be sick, never be aging, and never dying.
[55:01]
No arising and no perishing. You know, this is the same as, you know, form is emptiness, and emptiness is form. Emptiness never appears, never disappears, and our life is empty. So from one side we are, as an individual being, we appear, stay for a while, and disappear. But when we see emptiness and interconnectedness with all beings, somehow we appear with this particular five skandhas, and these five skandhas dispersed. But when we are born, nothing added to the universe. And when we die, nothing taken out from the universe. In that sense, our life, our five standards, there is a kind of expression, this is from the Pure Land Buddhism.
[56:11]
We are the same age with Amitabha Buddha. You know, the meaning of this name Amitabha means infinite life. So we are living that infinite life. So in that sense, we are as old as this, we are the same age with this universe. That means nothing is added after Big Bang. and nothing taken out from the universe, then that means we are all there on that moment of big bang. But we are changing the forms. So if we don't take these five skandhas as me, But this five skandhas is a part of this entire universe that is always moving and changing, and changing the forms.
[57:16]
And this is one form that energy takes for only 50, 60, 70, or at most 100 years. So in that sense, our life is really permanent or eternal. In that sense, this I is gone. But this happening cannot be limited or separate from the rest of the world. This is simply coming and going, getting together and dispersed of this energy. So in that sense, we never die. We are not born, and we are not living, and we are not dying.
[58:18]
But between these two sides, we are born living and dying, and we never being born, we are not living and we don't die. between these two sides of our life, which Amarose said, a reality prior to division, division into these two aspects of our life. He says, herein lies unlimited depth. That means how we live this limited individual life, individual and conditioned life, or in a sense karmic life. in the way we can express this eternal life of Buddha.
[59:20]
How can we express eternal life of Buddha through this very limited, conditioned, and also deluded body and mind? That is the same with how we can bloom the flower of dharma, without leaving the muddy water. And Ujjamaa said, there is an infinite depth in this practice. That means we cannot say, now I reach to the bottom and there's no more depth. But no matter how deep we go into, still there are more depths. So this is really infinite.
[60:23]
This is Utsamara's interpretation of our life based on Dogen's teaching. Not only Dogen's, but Mahayana teaching of form is emptiness, but emptiness is form. How can we take care of and express both sides? So Dogen interprets these expressions from the Lotus Sutra that is continuously abiding here and expanding the Dharma, Buddha's eternal life, and as a skillful means for manifesting nirvana. Manifesting nirvana means pass away or die. So these two are two aspects of our life, as Uchiyama Roshi described. And the next sentence, not seeing...
[61:29]
even while being close. This is also quote from the verse in the Lotus Sutra. Buddha said, you know, he as a skillful means he died, he entered nirvana, but he actually he never died. So he was always there, always here with us. So he's very close, but we don't see him. That is not seeing even while being close means. Who could fail to believe wholeheartedly? This wholeheartedly is also ishin, one-mindedly, single-mindedly. in understanding and not understanding. Understanding is using our intellectual discriminating mind, and not understanding means beyond that kind of thinking.
[62:37]
Who could fail to believe this? Actually, many of us fail to believe this. And next sentence, the place, the place always filled with heavenly and human beings, this is also quote from the verse, that is Buddha's, Buddha land, is known other than the homeland of Shakyamuni Buddha slash Virojana. This is interesting quote. Shakyamuni and Vairocana are two different Buddhas. And Vairocana appeared in the Kegon-kyo, or Abhatasaka Sutra, or Flower Ornament Sutra. And Vairocana is pure Dharmakaya, as we chant in the Mir chant.
[63:47]
Vairocana, the pure dharmakaya. And the Shakyamuni is nirvanakaya. So in Mahayana teachings, kind of a strange idea, but, you know, Dharmakaya Buddha called Vairochana is greater than Shakyamuni as Nirmanakaya. Nirmanakaya has limitation. Shakyamuni lived only 80 years and disappeared. But Vairocana as the Dharmakaya is eternal. So this Shakyamuni and Vairocana show these two aspects or two sides of life, impermanence and eternity. And we always, always, or almost always think eternity is better than impermanence.
[64:52]
We don't like impermanence so much. We feel sad when someone dies. That's why we want to see Buddha again. And Mahayana Buddhists invented the idea of karmakaya, which never dies. And Dogen interprets this as the two sides of our life, not about the philosophical discussion about the Buddha's body. And here Dogen combines these two, nirmanakaya and dharmakaya, and makes it one Buddha. As Uchamuro said, you know, though dying, never dying. You know, Shakyamuni Buddha is a part of though dying. He's dying, or he did, and yet never dying. So Dogen Zenji make these two names of the Buddha into one, or Nirmalakaya and Dharmakaya into one name of Buddha.
[66:04]
not so many Buddhist teachers did such a strange thing. So that homeland means where the life we are living is a homeland of Shakyamuni as Nirvana-kaya and Virojana-al as Dharma-kaya. the eternal, serene, and bright land. This eternal, serene, and bright land is jō, jō, jakkōdō. Do is land, and jo is eternal, and jak is serene or quiet or tranquil, and ko is light.
[67:23]
So eternal, serene, bright land. And this is the name of Buddha land. or one of the four Buddha lands in Tendai teaching. That is what Dogen says next. In the next sentence he said, we who naturally belong to the four lands, are just living in the Buddha land that is one suchness. So basically what he's saying, those four Buddha land are one Buddha land of suchness. And those four refer to, I don't have time to explain each of them in detail, but there are four Buddha land, four kind of Buddha land
[68:27]
intended teaching. And the first Buddha-land is the Buddha-land for ordinary beings, ordinary living beings like us. That is, this Saha world is one Buddha-land. Shakyamuni Buddha-land is Saha world, where we deluded beings are living. And there is, for example, Amitabha Buddha's Buddha land named Gokuraku, or pure land. You know, when believers or pure land Buddhists passed away, they will be born in that pure land. So in that Amitabha's pure land, there are ordinary beings. So the first kind is Buddha land for ordinary beings.
[69:30]
And the second kind is Buddha Land for two people in two vehicles. And the third, two vehicles, not two, but three vehicles. That means Shravaka, Pratika, Buddha, and Bodhisattvas. And the third kind is... It's a pure Buddha land. Only the great bodhisattvas can go. And the fourth kind of pure Buddha land is this one, Jogjakkodo. And this is a pure Buddha land for Dharmakaya Buddha. not for living beings. Only Dharmakaya Buddha is there, and that Buddha-land is eternal. And this jakku or sling means no up and down.
[70:37]
You know, it's quiet. And light means wisdom. So this is the land of eternity and serenity and brightness of wisdom. But here Dogen said, we are living there. This is where we are. And those four, the separation of those four are expedient, not real truth. Buddha-land is only one. These are jo, jak, ko, do. That is what he's saying. we who naturally belong to the four lands, one of four lands, are just living in the Buddha land. That is one suchness. So this is another meaning of the one Buddha vehicle.
[71:43]
Within one Buddha vehicle, there's no such, you know, different Buddha lands. Only one Buddha lands of suchness. this is a last sentence Dogen quotes many phrases from the chapter 16 next part he talks about space you know tiny space and entire Dharma world so he is basically he is talking about everything is one in terms of time and space and no such separation between deluded beings and bodhisattvas and Buddhas. We are living within one Buddha vehicle or one reality in which everything is connected with everything.
[72:53]
So when we see minute particles, very tiny particles like atom, it is not that we don't see the entire Dharma world, this entire universe and one atom. He said, when we see one atom, we see this entire universe. because there is no such separation between each and every atom and this entire Dharma world. And when we verify the entire Dharma world, it is not that we don't verify the minute particles. When we see this Dharma world as one, we don't miss any of tiny atoms or particles. So this is the same idea with, you know, what it said in the Himalaya Kirti Sutra.
[74:00]
Within a mustard seed, Mount Sumeru can be included. Or with each and every, what we call this, hole from here. the entire ocean is there. That means when we stop measuring the size using some kind of unit, as I said, when we don't measure, this is one seamless space and this is one seamless time, because we measure. and we think, you know, mustard seed is tiny or poppy seed is tiny and Mount Sumeru is big because we compare them using certain ruler, measurement. But when we take, we let go of this measurement, then we cannot say, you know, poppy seed is small and Mount Sumeru is big.
[75:10]
Such comparison is only happening in here. Neither poppy seeds nor Mount Sumeru think, I'm bigger than poppy seed, or I'm so small, so smaller than Mount Sumeru. It's only within human mind. Please. So, is that what it means, is one suchness? Yes. No separation. No separation. Yeah. Yes, no separation and no comparison. And when all Buddhas verify the entire Dharma world, It is not that they leave us, leave human beings without verification. So when Buddha sees this entire dharma world, we are included.
[76:18]
So all this is good in the beginning, in the middle and in the end. So within this undivided, seamless time and space and one life, eternal life of Shakyamuni, all different things are happening. And from our human view, we see this as a burning house. Not only see, but we create. We create this world as a burning house. But this burning house is happening within this eternal life and also seamless space and time. So we have to change our way of life. 10 more minutes.
[77:24]
For this reason, let me continue. For this reason, even right now, even when Dogen is writing this article, or when we are studying this article right now, really right now, even right now, it is form as suchness in verification. This form as suchness is first of the ten suchnesses. even the surprise, doubt, fear and awe we had before. nothing other than suchness. That means same as the 5,000 people who left the assembly when Shakyamuni started to expound this one buddhabhikru dharma.
[78:34]
When we hear this kind of teaching, we cannot believe. You know, this sounds like a fantasy. And if we think the world we are living as a burning house, I think this is really a fantasy. This is simply an idea by the strange people named Buddhists. You know, as actuality, this is a world of fighting and competition. But some, you know, a strange group of people think this is a Buddha land. So some people may think this is strange or surprise, doubt, fear and awe when we hear this kind of teaching. But the only difference is that now we see the minute particles with Buddha's insight, not the human insight, but we see from Buddha's insight.
[79:48]
And we sit within the minute particles. Sit means actually there. That means when we see things as, how can I say, with discriminating mind and compare things and make value judgment and start to chase after something we want or we think valuable or meaningful and escaping from something we don't want. That creates samsara. And our human insight is made up with that kind of idea, or it. Idea was view. But when we see the same reality from Buddha's insight, it looks different.
[80:53]
So the difference is whether we see with human view or with Buddha's insight, or if we really sit within there. That means just really living there. When we sit within the entire dharma world, so when we sit in the zendo, we are sitting in the entire dharma world. It is not broad, and when we sit within the minute particles, it is not narrow. So wherever we sit, it's not a matter of big or small. This denso is pretty big. If I compare with my zendo in Bloomington, our zendo is smaller than this, I think, this hole.
[81:59]
But I don't think my zendo is smaller than this denso because we are both sitting in this entire dharma world. So when we sit within the entire Dharma world, it is not broad, and when we sit within the minute particles, it is not narrow. This is because if we do not maintain and rely upon reality, we cannot sit. So when we sit, we rely on this reality beyond such separation. And when we maintain and rely upon reality, whether the space is broad or narrow, we have no surprise or fear because we are free from that kind of separation and comparison and evaluation. This is because we have fathomed the body as suchness and the energy as suchness of the dharma flower.
[83:10]
This body and energy is two of ten suchness. I try to end, try to finish the section of mind in delusion. One more page. Therefore, should we think that our present form as suchness and nature as suchness are originally practicing in the entire dharma world, or are originally practicing in the minute particles, actually both, because they are the same thing. So we have no surprise and doubt, because we don't compare. And we have no fear and awe. We can accept this teaching of one Buddha, Bhikkhu.
[84:13]
There are simply depth, distance and eternity that is the original practice of being turned by the dharma flower. So this is what being turned by dharma flower means. In which, you know, we are practicing, we are searching, we are studying, within this eternal life. Next page. Seeing these minute particles and seeing the entire dharma world are not conscious actions accompanied by discriminative evaluations that we make. So this cannot be, this is not a view using our discriminating mind. Even such discriminative evaluations and conscious actions should learn that extent of dharma flowers and their functions, that means even our such discrimination and separation and
[85:36]
Chasing after things and escaping from something that create the samsara is still part of this one Buddha bhikkhu. That is how we should see even our deluded mind. So when we hear of opening, displaying, realizing and entering, kaiji go new, we should understand this studying and practice together with Buddha or teachers. We should understand this in terms of the Buddha's desire to cause living beings to attain the Buddha's insight. So this is Buddha's desire, and this is the cause of Buddha's sickness.
[86:39]
So Buddha cannot stop inventing the toys for living beings. And actually, in the very end of this chapter 16, it mentioned this desire of Buddha. It said, ever making this my thought, how shall I cause all the living to enter the way supreme and speedily accomplish their Buddhahood? So that is why this eternal Buddha has to appear in this world to teach this deluded human beings. In other words, opening the Buddha's insight is an instant of our being turned by the dharma flower.
[87:42]
So our study and practice as opening, displaying, realizing and entering is one instant of this being turned by the dharma flower. That means dharma flower's activity. and we should learn it through displaying the Buddha's insight. Rest of this paragraph says those four things, opening, displaying, realizing and entering, is really not four separate stages but one thing. To say so, he kind of repeated same kind of sentences. So I don't think I need to repeat. But he says, Realizing Buddha's insight is the dharma flowers turning, and we should learn it through entering the Buddha's insight. Displaying the Buddha's insight is an instance of our being turned.
[88:48]
by the dharma flower, and we should learn it through realizing the Buddha's insight. He just repeats to say those four are really one thing. In this way, within the being turned by the dharma flower, our mind is in delusion. being turned by the dharma flower as a phase of opening, displaying, realizing, and entering. There is a path of penetrating each of these. So our practice is based on our vow. is how dharma flowers are turning, acting through each human being's body and mind, or five skandhas. And finally, he says, to sum up, as a conclusion of being turned by Dharma Flower, to sum up the insight parameter.
[90:06]
This expression appeared before, but this also came from the Lotus Sutra. This is one of the parameters. Inside parameter of all Buddha Tathagata is the Dharma flowers turning, which is broad, great, deep and eternal. And our searching the Dharma is part of this Dharma flowers turning. So giving the prediction of future Buddhahood is nothing other than opening the Buddha's insight within the self. It is the dharma flower's turning that cannot be bestowed by others. As I said yesterday about this giving prediction, in the Lotus Sutra, this giving prediction
[91:09]
is done by Shakyamuni and he said all the Shravakas and Bodhisattvas and all living beings will be able to become Buddha sometime in the future. But in Shobo Genzo Juki, Dogen said this Juki is our practice. At this moment, when we practice following Buddha's teaching, you know, Buddha's dharmakaya appear there. That is juki, that is prediction. So in Dogen's Shobo Genzo Juki, prediction is not really prediction. Prediction is about the future. But Dogen said, our practice here and now is prediction. So in this case, this prediction is same as show or verification.
[92:12]
Our practice is itself verification of what Buddha taught. So no one can give prediction to us. Our practice is itself prediction. And Buddha's dharmakaya appeared right there. So there's no time separated from here and now. This is exactly what is meant by mind in delusion. is turned by the Dharma flower. So this is the conclusion of Dogen's comment on Huinan's expression. This is my Oishin. Oishin. The mind in delusion that you were talking about earlier.
[93:13]
Yes. Shinmei. Mind in delusion. Yes. Shinmei. So this is the end of his comment on the bind in delusion, or shinmei. So our practice is shinmei, and yet it is Dharma flowers activity, and we are part of it. We'll have one more lecture tomorrow morning. I have several more pages. I don't think I can read the rest of this fascicle, but I think that we read so far until this moment. is basically what Dogen wants to say.
[94:14]
And about the mind in realization or Shingo, he said, you know, this same thing we are doing as being turned by Dharma flower, is the way we turn the dharma flower. So he doesn't say these two are two separate stages or two separate things. But this one thing can be said being turned by dharma flower or turning the dharma flower.
[94:49]
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