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YYYY.01.16-serial.00038
This talk delves into the interrelationship between life and death, practice and enlightenment, and the unification of samsara and nirvana in Zen tradition. Central to the discussion is the continuity of Dharma transmission through understanding true reality via practice, as exemplified in the teachings of Dogen and references to major texts like the Lotus Sutra. The speaker emphasizes the importance of transcending individual identity in the pursuit of universal truth, comparing this transformative process to a dynamic exchange of energies where ordinary perceptions are metamorphosed into wisdom and compassion inherent in true nature.
Referenced Works:
- Shōbōgenzō by Dogen Zenji: Analyzed for its assertions on practice and enlightenment being one, and the metaphor of letting go.
- Lotus Sutra: Cited repeatedly as a key text that discusses the universal potential for Buddhahood and outlines the essential tenets of Bodhisattva practice.
- Diamond Sutra: Quoted regarding the concept that true vision involves seeing both form and emptiness.
- Blue Cliff Record: Mentioned as a work by Engo Kokugon providing insight into the impermanence and the true human body's nature.
Relevant Teachings:
- Tendai's Three Truths: Addressed in relation to the balance of grasping form and acknowledging formlessness.
- Four Dharma Seals: Discussed to illustrate the marks of Buddha’s teaching, including the impermanence and suffering of all things.
- Bodhisattva Vows: Explained as a commitment to remain in samsara until all beings achieve enlightenment, reflecting the paradoxical nature of the Bodhisattva path.
- Buddha Nature and Transmission: Emphasized as a dynamic and continual process beyond individual identity, echoing Dogen's views on inherent enlightenment.
AI Suggested Title: Zen's Dance of Life and Death
born and dying, coming and going. To do so, we hold firm and we let go. With this as their lifeblood, the flowers open and the fruits are born. For this as their bones and marrow, Mahakasyapa transmits the Dharma to Ananda. Such a form of wind, rain, water and fire is nothing other than the complete penetration. Such nature of blue, yellow, red and white is nothing other than the complete penetration. Depending upon this body and energy, ordinary people are transformed and enter into the sacred. Depending upon the result and recompense, we go beyond Buddha and transcend ancestors.
[01:08]
Depending upon the causes and conditions, we grasp grains of sand and make them into gold. Depending upon the result and recompense, the Dharma is transmitted and the robe, is entrusted. The Tathagata said, for whom I expound the seal of true reality. This should be expressed as follows. For whom I practice the seal of true form. for whom I listen to the seal of true nature, for whom I verify the seal of true body. We should study this utterance in this way. We should completely penetrate this utterance in this way. The essential meaning of this is, for example, it is like a bead furling around a bowl and a bowl furling around
[02:14]
the bead. Now he starts to talk on the interaction between true form and all beings, and also oneness and non-interacting of twelve suchness of all beings, and that is true reality. and he put or he applied this into our practice in zen tradition as a dharma transmission studying with teacher and transmitting dharma so in 12 uh paragraph 12 dogen says therefore The true reality, studying under the guidance of true reality, is a Buddha ancestor transmitting Dharma from a Buddha ancestor.
[03:22]
So both teacher and student are true reality. So true reality study true reality from true reality. So nothing else. And all beings study all beings from all beings. So this is only the activity of Dharma. or all beings and true reality, there is no such thing called shouhaku as ego. as an individual person so you know i became uchiyama roshi's disciple and i practiced with him i tried to i have been trying to studying and practicing following his teaching or his example but uh you know this dharma i
[04:31]
transmitted from my teacher is not his personal position. And the Dharma is not become my personal belonging. Dharma is, you know, like a cycling, moving around through this person and that person and next person. So it's a movement of Dharma. no individual person who wants to get the Dharma. and who wish to give this dharma to someone else. There's no such dharma which can be possessed by this person and given to another person. This is all the activity of dharma or a reality of all beings. So even when we practice with our teacher, You know, Dharma is practicing with the guidance of Dharma.
[05:41]
And Dharma transmission is the same. Nothing can be transmitted actually from individual person to another person. You know, both teacher and the student and the Dharma that is transmitted are all true reality of all beings. And so this is nothing other than all beings giving the prediction to all beings. In the Lotus Sutra, basically Shakyamuni Buddha give prediction that all beings will become Buddha sooner or later, even the Devadatta who tried to kill Buddha and who tried to be independent from Buddha's Sangha, to be the leader of Sangha.
[06:55]
In the Lotus Sutra, it said even Devadatta received prediction from the Buddha that he will become Buddha. And only a Buddha or a yuibutsu transmits the Dharma for the sake of only the Buddha. And together with the Buddha, transmit Dharma for the sake of together with the Buddha. Only Buddha and together Buddha is, I think, two aspects of one reality, being really independent and always together with all beings. So this reality of all Buddha, I mean only Buddha and together Buddha, is transmitted Dharma to the only Buddha and together Buddha. Please. So he could say, he could add, only a Buddha transmits the Dharma for the sake of together with a Buddha.
[08:04]
Together with a Buddha transmits the Dharma for the sake of only a Buddha. I think so. Yeah, both can be said. But he didn't repeat it. So next paragraph. Therefore, there are births and deaths, coming and going. Usually, you know, births, not usually, but births and deaths is shoji. In Japanese. Life and death. Life or birth. Birth and death. As a Buddhist term, shoji commonly has a negative connotation. Shoji is one of the expressions for samsara.
[09:14]
Because of our delusion and making karma based on our delusion, our transmigration within samsara never ceased. So shoji is samsara. and coming and going is being born and dying. So Shoji Korai has a negative connotation. But in Shobo Genzo Shoji, Dogen Zenji wrote that Shoji is, his Japanese expression is Shoji wa hotoke No onni inochi. Buddha's inochi is life.
[10:26]
On is the word makes this noun. How can I say? The polite way to call this noun, same as like, you know, water is mizu in Japanese, but we say omizu. And rice is kome, but we say okome. That kind of word to call this with polite way. And on inochi is same word. So this is, how do you say in English? Honorific, right? Honorific, make this word honorific. So, oni inochi is So basically what Dogen is saying is life and death, shoji, that is usually used as another expression of samsara.
[11:34]
But Dogen said life and death is Buddha's life. And in order to somehow meaning this own honorific I translate this with a big L, I mean capital L, Buddha's life. So life on this is Buddha's life. So then we have a kind of understanding in common Buddhist, common meaning in Buddhist terminology, When we read this kind of statement by Dogen, life and death is Buddha's life, we are really surprised. So this saying is very much power, very powerful expression. Sansara is Buddha's life. And that is, in a sense, what the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra wanted to say also in the story of the Lotus Sutra.
[12:49]
I mean, in the chapter of tactfulness of the Lotus Sutra, you know, Buddha gives the, what is the word? prediction to Shaliputra, Mahakasyapa, all those Shravakas, because for people who made the Lotus Sutra, Because they taught one vehicle in which all beings can become Buddha, have possibilities to become Buddha. there's one problem for those people, you know, in the early Buddhism before Mahayana, you know, when Shravakas or Buddha's disciples practice and reach the fourth, the highest rank, that is called Arahat, they enter nirvana.
[14:00]
And they don't come back. That means they become free from samsara. And that means those people cannot become Buddha. Those people who have already entered nirvana cannot come back to samsara. So they cannot become Buddha. So there are some exceptions that those are other hearts. They cannot become Buddha. So the Lotus Sutra or the people who made Lotus Sutra bid was they, you know, call those arahat back to samsara. They ask, request them to come back to samsara. And they receive that prediction from Buddha that you are going to become Buddha. Once you enter nirvana, you cannot come back and you cannot continue to practice to become Buddha.
[15:05]
That is one problem for Mahayana people. That is the meaning of the story in the Lotus Sutra. Well, Buddha is always together with all living beings in samsara to teach. Buddha never left samsara. That is a kind of basic criticism from Mahayana people to the traditional Buddhist at that time. So for Mahayana people or bodhisattva, bodhisattvas are the people who take a vow not to enter nirvana, stay in samsara until all beings become Buddha.
[16:08]
That is the first of the four bodhisattva vows. Sentient beings are numberless. I vow to save them. This means, I vow to save them all. That means until all beings enter nirvana, I vow not to enter nirvana. That means I vow to be the last one who enters nirvana. This word, save, is a translation of Chinese word, dou. Some American people don't like this word, save. But this is a translation of dou. And dou means to cross over or ferry.
[17:11]
That means there is a river between samsara and nirvana, or this shore and the other shore. And to save means to help other beings to cross over you know, the border between samsara and nirvana. So bodhisattva is like a fairy person who help, you know, other beings to go the other shore. So when we take four bodhisattva vows, we vow that I will be the last person to cross over this river. Until all other people enter nirvana, I will not enter nirvana. So this vow means I stay samsara until all beings enter nirvana. And this is very strange, logically very strange.
[18:17]
I mean, if all are bodhisattvas, no one is there. We are all here. So to be a bodhisattva means to stay in samsara. I think it's very interesting. We stay in samsara and walk and work with all living beings until all living beings cross the river. That means, you know, we bodhisattvas are people who make samsara into nirvana instead of crossing over, going another place called nirvana. So we bodhisattva, as a bodhisattva, we try to create nirvana or Buddha land in this shore, in samsara. and we try to find a nirvana right within samsara.
[19:23]
That is, you know, life on this nirvana one. That means we can find nirvana within samsara. Otherwise, our practice is meaningless. And for Dogen Zenji says, when he said, practice and enlightenment are one, that means we can find nirvana or enlightenment within our practice right now, right here, without crossing over the river. And yet we return to samsara next moment. So we are living, staying within samsara, and yet we can see or experience or taste nirvana within our practice. I think that is the basic idea of bodhisattva practice.
[20:29]
I think this is the same as, for example, when we work for peace, if we think peace is a condition that no wars, fighting, conflict, problems exist, then probably there's no such time, at least in this world of samsara. But when we work for peace, we can experience peace in each step. I think that is what Thich Nhat Hanh said, peace is in each step. We can see and find and experience peace within working together with other people for peace, even within very difficult conditions, I think.
[21:36]
So our enlightenment is practice, and within practice, enlightenment is there. That is what Dogen teaching trying to teach us we can find nirvana within samsara when we try to we practice following buddha's teaching together with other people So this life and death and coming and going is another name of samsara. But still, only within this coming and going and life being born and dying, there's no place we can find nirvana. That is our vow. So within this life and death, within samsara,
[22:41]
You know, Dogen said, therefore, they are allowing body-mind, we allow bodhicitta, aspiration to study and practice dharma together with all beings. And we practice, we actually practice, and awakening is, body is awakening. We awaken to, you know, the reality, true reality of all beings. And we can experience nirvana within samsara. It's said in the Buddhist teaching there are four kinds of nirvana. Four? Three? Well, at least three, maybe four.
[23:45]
One is when Buddha attained, Shakyamuni Buddha attained awakening, more enlightenment, under the Bodhi tree, he entered the nirvana. This is one kind of, first kind of nirvana. But until he died when he was 80, he had body, so he had some pain, or he had some, you know, of course, sadness, the Nirvana Buddha was in between his enlightenment and Parinirvana, or dying, is called Uyo Nehan. Nehan is Nirvana. Uyo is there is something extra. That is our body. And when Buddha entered parinirvana, this parinirvana is called muyo nehan, nothing extra. So perfect, complete nirvana. This is a second.
[24:47]
And another kind, nirvana for bodhisattva is called muju shonehan. Mu ju sho. Mu ju sho ne han. Mu is no. Ju is abiding or dwelling. Dwelling. and show its place, meha nirvana. This means Bodhisattva is working between samsara and nirvana.
[25:49]
And it said because of wisdom, Bodhisattva doesn't stay in samsara. And because of compassion, bodhisattva never leave samsara. So bodhisattva does not stay neither samsara nor nirvana. So bodhisattva has no place to stay. That is muju, sometimes it's an expression, no dwelling, no abiding. is used by Zen masters. That means this kind of practice, because of wisdom, we don't cling to samsara. And yet, because of compassion, we never leave samsara.
[26:51]
This is a practice of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. We are not such a great bodhisattva like Avalokiteshvara or Manjushri. We are still very young, new, weak, immatured bodhisattva. Still our, you know, vow is to follow that path, not escape from samsara, but stay in samsara and yet being free from samsara. So Bodhisattva Path is very difficult and almost contradicted. We are escaping and yet we don't escape. Actually, the first motivation I wanted to become a Buddhist monk is escaping.
[27:55]
I didn't want to live in a Japanese society. when I was a teenager. I hate the way Japanese people working. I mean, that was in the 60s. You know, Japanese people work too hard, almost too hard. And Japan became more kind of a rich country. But I was teenager during that process. You know, when I was born Japanese people are really starving. Right after I was born three years after World War Two was over. So Japanese people are starving. But when I was by the time I was teenager, you know, Japan become which country, and in this process I grown up.
[28:57]
And the people around me, worked really hard to make Japan a rich country. And in this process, you know, I was grown up in a small town between Kyoto and Osaka. When I was a kid, there are many lot of rice field. and some woods at Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines, and I could swim in the river. But around I was 10 years old or so, swimming in that river was prohibited because the factory was built by the river. And then I was about, yes, it was, yeah.
[30:08]
And at the time I was 15 or so, you know, they built Shinkansen, Shinkansen, and also the highway. And thought of the last party was, they called it But to me, that was the destruction of the nature where I was, you know, praying. So I hate that change. I really didn't like. And I thought when I was a high school student, to me, you know, entire Japanese society seemed like one huge money-making machine. and high school school is a factory to produce the part of that machine and i couldn't find any meaning to live in that way so i wanted to escape that was the first reason i wanted to drop out from that way of life even though i wanted
[31:27]
I wanted to drop out, I didn't, I couldn't find anything else to do. That the time I read Uchida Moroshi's book, and I found there is another way of life, you know, not pursuing money, but just another, you know, kind of more healthy way of life. That was why I wanted to his disciple, But after, so first motivation I became a Buddhist monk is escape from the society. But then after I started to practice with him, of course he, Uchiyama Roshi was not, was no interest in making money, but he also didn't escape from the society. He said we should not escape from the society.
[32:28]
but I still, I was still escaping. Even when I lived in Massachusetts, we three monks from Montague lived in a woods in the Western Massachusetts. It was very quiet. Not many people came to practice with us. So I felt really good. I liked it. escaping from that noisy, busy society. But I think around 1980, at that time, I went to New York City to do another session. We had one session in Massachusetts, and I went to New York City to have another session, a three-day session. And at that time, we worked at a tofu factory to support our practice.
[33:40]
And each one of us received $20 a month. And the bus cost, I think, $15 round trip. So I only had $5. I spent that five dollars for lunch. During Sesshin, I was fed, but after Sesshin is done, I stayed overnight and the bus left, I think, around in the afternoon. So I had a free time in the morning and I had lunch. using that five dollar. That was all money I had. And, you know, because I had free time, I was walking in the city and I walked to the place where I can see the, what do you call, starlight.
[34:48]
And that time I had no money and I didn't have driver's license and I didn't have passport. I had nothing. And I felt I'm really... escaped from that society. My escape is completed. You know, if I hit the car at that time, no one knew who this is, this dead body is. So I really felt, I really liberated. And at that time, I felt I don't need to escape anymore. After that, I could, you know, little by little, return to the society. And after, I went back to Kyoto, you know, because Uchimuroshi asked me to create a place where we can practice with people from outside Japan, you know.
[35:55]
I started to work to create a small place for dharma, for people. And I think that is how I started to be a part of the society. Anyway, if I am talking this, or escaping from samsara, You are truly no abiding. Yeah. But our bodhisattva practice is not escaping from society or from samsara. We have to stay there. And that is why Uchya Moroshi said, you know, our delusions, desires, and mistakes is a capital fund to open the business as a bodhisattva.
[37:00]
Anyway, so upholding, allowing body-mind, practice, awakening, and nirvana So this is the process of our practice, but it's not simply a practice, but it is moment by moment. As Dogen said, in Shobo Genzo, Gyoji, or continuous practice, arousing body-mind practice, awakening, and nirvana is the circle, cycle, circle, And this cycle continues and going endlessly. So when we practice in this way, we study and grasp the true human body. True human body that is being, born and dying, coming and going. This true human body that is being, born and dying, coming and going.
[38:14]
His expression, Dogen quote, later by a Chinese Zen master, Engo Kokugon. I forget Chinese pronunciation, but this is a master who made Blue Cliff Record. Blue Cliff Record. So our life, living and dying and coming and going within samsara is with, you know, allowing body, mind, practice, awakening and nirvana. is true human body that is our true body is this you know uh body that is impermanent and you know conditioned therefore deluded so not so strong that is our true human body can you say more about this hold on and let go
[39:29]
That is the next one. To do so, we hold firm and we let go. This is two sides of our practice. The original word is hajyo and hogyo. Ha means to grasp, to grab. And so jo is, it is fixed. It cannot move. Or this word also means determined or decided or what is the word? Stay or settle down.
[40:32]
And ho is to cast off. This ho is ho in hoge jaku. You know, hoge jaku is someone asked Joshu that I have nothing. What can I do? What shall I do? And Joshu said, put it down. Cast it off. But the person said, I don't have anything. How can I cast it off? He said, then take it away. That means that person has that I have nothing. Anyway, that is ho, means opening the hand. And gyo is to go. Or this gyo is also practice. But anyway, this means to let go. you know, this is grasping, and this is grasping, and this is letting go.
[41:37]
So grasping and open the hand. This is two sides of our practice. But grasping means, you know, I'm Shohaku. I'm a Buddhist priest. My responsibility for now is talking about Dogen's writing, Shobo Genzo. So this is how I grasp this body and mind, these five skandhas, as shohaku, as Buddhist priest, as a teacher, as a speaker. So I try to do my best to speak, talk about Dogen in the most understandable way. Anyway, I do my best whether I'm successful or not. That is how we grasp these five scandals as something. And we try to do our best.
[42:40]
And Hogyo is letting go, you know. I'm not necessarily shohaku. I'm not necessarily Buddhist. I'm not necessarily priest. I'm not necessarily teacher. So when I go back home and to be with my family, I don't talk about Dogen. Even if I talk, they don't listen. So I have to let go. If I couldn't grasp I am a Buddhist priest, I'm a Zen teacher, and always behave as a teacher, then most of people don't like me, I think. So sometimes I have to grasp this as something. But, you know, other time, but we have to open our hand also. Please. So could you say ? So is ?
[43:50]
Let's see. is ? is Buddhist life? Or another expression is ? Yeah, I think that is okay, but another expression is shoso and hiso. This expression appears in the Diamond Sutra. such as to see, so means form. To see all forms as no form is to see Tathagata. That is the Lotus, no, Diamond Sutra, or it is said in the Diamond Sutra.
[45:02]
This shoso means each and every form. Like when I shave my head and wearing Buddhist robe, I behave as a Buddhist priest. This is form. But actually, these five skandhas is not really a Buddhist priest. To grasp these five skandhas as a Buddhist priest or teacher is hajo but this five scandals is not necessarily buddhist not necessarily teacher not necessarily husband of my wife or father of my children But sometimes we need to grasp this as a father. And I try to do my best to be a good father.
[46:03]
And now I'm trying to be a good speaker. But at the same time, you know, I'm not a Buddhist. I'm not a teacher. I'm not a father. I'm not a husband. I'm nothing or no form. So these are two. Sometimes we have to grasp. And Dogen Zenji again, Dogen Zenji read this statement from the Diamond Sutra in different ways. In the Diamond Sutra it read, to see all forms as no form is to see Tathagata. But Dogen Zenji read exactly the same sentence as to see all forms and no forms is to see tathagata. That means in the reading of the Diamond Sutra, this shoso, all forms, is kind of negated.
[47:12]
And hiso is reality of emptiness. But Dogen Zenji said to see tataigata, we have to see both, all forms and no form at the same time. That is same as Tendai's teaching of emptiness and provision and chū, middle. So, hajo is provision, truth of provision, and hogyo is emptiness. And we should, in order to practice, we should have both. Sometimes we grasp, sometimes we let go. Yeah. This expression is also used...
[48:14]
as a kind of a teaching method of the master. Sometimes the master instructs students, you should do this way, that way, this way, that way, in very deep details, like how to use Ryouki. otherwise the teacher scold the student but another time teacher just let the student do in whatever they are way both are important not only in Zen training but also to you know raise children I think we need both and to practice ourselves. We need both. Sometimes we have to really exactly, precisely follow the rules. But at the same time, we need to be very, we need to be free from any rules.
[49:21]
We need both. So that is our practice. And with this as their lifeblood, the flowers open and the fruits are born. Of course, flowers and fruits are the result of arousing body, mind and practice. But also this expression, flower and fruits, It's from Bodhisattva, not Bodhisattva, but Bodhidharma's saying in Keitoku Dento Roku. Not what Bodhidharma said, but this is said about Bodhidharma. That one flower open and the fruit naturally ripen, something like that. So Dogen used the very well-known Zen expressions in here.
[50:31]
Anyway, this is the way we really matured and bloom flowers and bear fruits. And with this as their bones and marrow, Mahakasyapa transmits the Dharma to Ananda. Not only Mahakasyapa to Ananda, but Dharma has been transmitted more than 80 generations to us. Each and every ancestor, teacher and student has been practicing and transmitting this Dharma in the same way. And that is all the activity of reality of all beings, true reality of all beings. Those generations of people, masters, are not individual person.
[51:34]
That is all the manifestation of true reality of all forms. So, next paragraph. Such a form of wind, rain, water, and fire is nothing other than the complete penetration, complete penetration or complete manifestation of this true reality of all beings. And such nature of blue, yellow, red, and white is nothing other than the complete penetration, those wind, rain, water, and fire, and blue, yellow, red, and white means some examples of all beings. So we don't need to think what are these, just some examples of all beings. And depending upon this body and energy, body and energy is within the ten suchness.
[52:46]
Ordinary people are transformed and enter into the sacred. This means practicing in this way, grasping and letting go. We transform ourselves to, you know, deluded, even though we are still deluded, but our way of life. our ego-centered way of life to the way of life to live together with all beings. This transformation is what this means. ordinary people are transformed and enter into sacred. I don't like this word sacred, but sacred I think is better than holy. I like it.
[53:51]
Holy? Good. Anyway, depending upon the result and recompense, we go beyond buddha and transcend ancestor so just because just transformed from ordinary beings to sacred is not enough we need to go beyond what transcend even buddhas and ancestors this go beyond what so it's is another important point of Dogen's teaching, going beyond Buddha or Buddha's kojo. We cannot stay one stage, but we need to go beyond, always go beyond and go beyond. Yes? Whatever we are. Yeah. He said even we need to go beyond Buddha.
[54:54]
so there's no end our practice has no end and depending upon the causes and conditions we grasp grains of sand and make them into gold this expression is similar to what Dogen said in the very last sentence of Genjo Koan. I think I write it down. That is, since wind's nature, nature of wind, is ever-present, the wind of the Buddha's family enable us to realize the gold of the great earth and to transform the water of the long river into green.
[56:00]
This is the end of the final sentence of Genjo Koan. And I think he is saying the same thing. This practice with this attitude, bodhisattva attitude, makes this you know, sand or soil of this world into gold. That means samsara is transformed into nirvana. Or five skandhas of the deluded ordinary person, you know, become sacred. sacred, not holy, and spiritual being.
[57:01]
Depending upon the result and recompense, the dharma is transmitted and the robe is entrusted. Dharma transmission and transmitting of okesa or robe is done or carried out as a function or work of those ten suchness. Then he quote another sentence from the Lotus Sutra. That is, the Tathāgata said, for whom I expound the seal of true reality. This for whom might be difficult to understand, but this is a part of the verse again from the same section of the Lotus Sutra.
[58:06]
The entire, not entire, but the verse is as follows. I, by my signed adorned body, Do you understand? Signed, adorned body. That means Buddha's body adorned or decorated with 32 features or marks. With their shining illuminate the world. And I'm the Buddha, Shakyamuni, and I'm worshipped by countless multitudes. I don't like worshipped. Maybe venerate might be a better word. venerated by countless multitudes, that means all living beings, Buddha was venerated. And he said, and it said, for whom I preach the seal of reality.
[59:13]
So this for whom means for the people who venerate Buddha. So for the people who venerate Buddha, Shakyamuni preached or expounded to the reality of all beings. That is the meaning of this sentence. Yes? Where does that quote come from? In the verse within the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra. this should be expressed as follows for whom probably for whom that is not right yeah so maybe you can take this out I In English, maybe you would say, there are those for whom I expound the seal of truth.
[60:22]
There are those. Okay. Referring to the multitudes. Right. Yeah. Important point is Buddha expound this for all beings, not by himself. So this is a part of interaction between Buddha and all beings. So, yeah, we need to work on the English. Anyway, what Dogen is saying here is this expand the seal of true reality should be also said, practice the seal of true form and listen to the seal of true nature and also verify the seal of true body. So not only expounding or preaching, but also we need to practice and we need to listen and we need to verify as our own practice.
[61:30]
It's not what Buddha did in the Lotus Sutra, but Dogen is saying this is what we should do as our own study and practice. Please. I think the meaning of seal is so obvious. The seal of true form, the seal of true reality. Could you say something about that character seal and also similarly verify? It's not in English. I think it has a special meaning. OK. Seal. is a translation of in. And in means seal or stamp.
[62:40]
And this is a translation of Sanskrit word mudra. Seal or stamp in Chinese or Japanese culture is like a signature in American culture. That means if we find someone's seal or stamp on, for example, a certain painting or calligraphy, that means this seal certifies this calligraphy or painting is done by this person. So means certification, certification. So means true form, true reality, the stamp of true reality. And this means there are four dharma seals, not from the early Buddhism.
[63:51]
For dharma, sorry, feel sense. And those four are, first, everything is suffering. Second, everything is impermanent. Third, everything is anatman or selfless and non-substance. And the fourth is nirvana, is quietness or tranquility. Are you familiar with these four dharma series? These four are called Dharma field because if we find these four points in someone's teaching, we can say this person's teaching is Buddha Dharma. If we cannot find those four points in someone's teaching, we cannot call this teaching as Buddha Dharma.
[65:10]
nirvana nirvana is for tranquility or quiescence usually i see it listed as the first the first three first first three Yeah, and other teachers I've seen replace suffering with nirvana, like Thich Nhat Hanh does that. But you're saying all four of them are... Yeah, traditionally. All those four are called four dharma seals. That's neat. I've never seen it listed like that. That makes more sense. I think so. Pardon? Third one? Second. Second and third, impermanence and anatman, egolessness. Egolessness, anatman, no ego and no self.
[66:18]
Those are called, you know, four dharma seals or this seal is mudra. And when Dogen Zenji wrote in Gendoa, in the section of Jiju Zanmai, he said, when we show or display the Buddha mudra, or Buddha mind mudra, within our whole body and mind, this is the same mudra, same word. That means if we find this seal or mudra, it's satisfied that this belongs to Buddha. So this inn or seal or stamp is like a logo of Buddha. When we find a logo, this means this belongs to Buddha, not to us. Pardon?
[67:23]
That's the same inn in both places. Yes. That is a seal or in. Inkan. Yes. Yeah. Inkan is a Japanese word for stamp. Yes. And what is another one? A show or verify. Okay. Verify is a translation of show. And this is the word, when Dogen Zenji said, practice and enlightenment are one. That is shu and sho. Shu, sho, he said, ichi, nyo. One, ichi, nyo.
[68:27]
This nyo is same nyo in nyosei. Ichi-nyo means one reality. That means practice. Shu is practice and sho is verification or sometimes translated as enlightenment. Anyway, this shu and sho is cause and result. As a common sense, practice is a cause of enlightenment, and enlightenment is a result of practice. That is a common understanding. But so when he said, show practice and enlightenment or verification are one, that means cause and result is one. That is what he said in Shōhō Jissō, as all ten suchness are one. And this shō sometimes translates as enlightenment, and I translate as verification.
[69:37]
This word, or this expression, shūshō, show, literal meaning of this Chinese character show is proof. We need two O. Proof or evidence. That means, you know, this show and show is a part of longer expression. That is mon. Mon. Shi shu shou. Mon shi shu shou. Mon is to listen. Shi is to think. Shu is practice. And shou is practice. the result of practice.
[70:41]
That means when we meet with some teacher, first we hear, listen to the teaching, and next we try to think and understand. And if we think the teaching makes sense or it seems work, with me, then we put that teaching into practice. And as a result of practice, we really find that the teaching is really true, really work. So this show is evidence of that teaching is true. So not only by thinking, but by practicing within practice. we really find the teaching is true. So this is an evidence or proof of the teaching that Buddha taught is true.
[71:48]
And the ,, and show, or practice, and verification is one. That means this evidence is not separate from practice. But practice is itself evidence of that teaching is true. We don't need to wait until we finish practicing. That right within our practice, show is already there. That is, you know, what Dogen said, he said, practice and enlightenment are one. Nyo. Nyo. This Nyo. So verification means is suchness or reality.
[73:01]
So and is one suchness or one reality. Another place, he used expression instead of ,, same word in that means equal or one and same. Yes. well going beyond Buddha is here the expression is chou etsu chou etsu means transcend or going beyond but more often Dogen used the expression butsu kojo
[74:22]
Buddha is, of course, Buddha. Ko is toward, and jo is up. So going up, toward, upward. So we need to go up even when we reach the Buddhahood. This is an important expression, I think, From Tozan, the founder of Soto School in China, he said, we should always go beyond Buddha. We have no place to stay. So same as no dwelling. We should always go beyond. Even the Buddhahood is not the place we can stay. Even we reach the final stage, we have to continue to practice. So Buddha is in nirvana, but he never leaves samsara to teach all beings.
[75:50]
And we should study this utterance in this way. In this way means this is not only expanding by Buddha, but we also have to practice and listen and expand and verify this true reality of all beings. And actually we are, ourselves, a part of all beings, and that is true reality. So there's no kind of a separation between the person who practices, listens, and verifies. and the dharma or reality that is heard or practiced and verified. This is really the same thing. Same thing is working together as a total function.
[76:57]
That is why he says in the next sentence, he said, well, before that he said, we should study this utterance in this way. We should completely penetrate this utterance in this way. And he said, the essential meaning of this is, for example, it is like a bead falling around a ball. And the ball falling around the beads. When beads is, you know, rolling around, in the bowl, then actually the bowl is rolling around the bead. You know, bead and bowl means ourselves, each one of us, and this entire world is working, working together. All are, you know, moving and practicing together.
[78:01]
This is one total function. I, as a part of all beings and a part of true reality, is studying, hearing, practicing and verifying, you know, the reality of all beings. So, we and all other beings and this entire world is working together. Everything is moving. as a practice or activity of true reality of all beings. So it's really kind of a dynamic vision or practice It's not a matter of, you know, the world or the truth or reality is fixed and doesn't move. And we have to study one by one, going through here and there.
[79:03]
But when we move around, the world is also moving around. We and all beings and this entire world is really working and moving together. Please. I'm trying to visualize this. My question is, is the bead rolling around inside the ball? Yes. Or outside the ball? I think inside. Is it like you take a bead in a ball and you spin the ball around and it makes the bead whip around the ball? Uh-huh. OK. Like a roulette wheel? Yeah. OK. Well, maybe I can talk a few more sentences. Paragraph 17.
[80:06]
Chandrasura Pradip Buddha. The meaning of this name is moon, sun, light, light of moon and sun. This is a name of a Buddha appeared in, again, the Lotus Sutra. Not in the second, but the first chapter of the Lotus Sutra. This is the Buddha in the past and who first expounded this teaching of true reality of all beings. And this Buddha proclaimed the meaning of the true reality of all beings has just been expounded for all of you. So this is almost the same with the quote, Dogen's quote in paragraph 15.
[81:11]
Buddha expound true reality of all beings for the sake of all beings. Studying this utterance, we should clearly understand that Buddha ancestors, without any exception, considered that expounding the meaning of the true reality or this soul is the one great matter. One great matter is only one purpose or reason all Buddhas appeared in this world. So to expound this true reality of all beings is the most important thing for all Buddhas. And Buddha ancestors expound the meaning of the true reality through each and every one of the 18 spheres.
[82:22]
Do you know 18 spheres? Okay. That is six sense organs, six objects of sense organs, and six consciousness caused by interaction between sense organs and object. Those first six, first and second six is called 12 field. And 12 field and 18 all together is called sphere. I'm not sure this English is right or not. 12 field is ju, ni, sho. Do you know another English translation of kai?
[83:30]
Sometimes kai is translated as darts. Dharma darts. Darts? Realm. Datu. Datu, yeah. Do you know? Yeah, yes. Anyway, this means, you know, all Buddha's sense organs, eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body and mind, and the object, that means, you know, both the Buddha's body and mind and also the object were things together with Buddha's. And Consciousness caused by encountering between sense organs and objects all are expressing true reality of all beings.
[84:34]
That means entire being of Buddha is expounding not only by using mouth, All body and mind and the world in which Buddhas are living are expanding or expressing this true reality of all beings. So this true reality of all beings is not one teaching or one opinion of a Buddha, but this is entire reality of life. so using their body mind in the past using their body mind in the future and using body mind at the very present moment they expand the true form nature body and energy and so on so with his entire body and mind, not only this moment, but also in the past and present.
[85:39]
So entire time and space, throughout entire time and space, Buddha is expounding this to reality of all beings. So this Buddha refer to the Dharmakaya. So his conclusion here is, those who do not penetrate the true reality, do not expound the true reality, do not understand the true reality, do not not understand the true reality, are not Buddha ancestors. They are fellows of demons and animals. demons and animals. Well, maybe not understanding should be explained. Understanding is one thing we understand for this means.
[86:41]
And not understanding is who a. A and who, who a. E literally means to meet, meet and get together, become one. And Fue means not meet, not understand. And Fue is better than E, understanding. Not understanding is better than understanding. in Buddhist practice. That means, for example, when we learn driving, first we have to memorize all the parts of the car and learn how to operate these devices.
[87:47]
First we have to learn and understand. But when we get used to driving, really, we don't really understand. We can do it without thinking. We are really, how can I say, function without understanding. So understanding is over. our body can freely function. And it's really being accordance with that understanding or that knowledge. And yet we don't think. Without thinking, we can do it. That is what who a means. So here, this true reality of all beings is most important thing for all Buddhas and also all bodhisattvas, all Buddhists. So anyone, those who are not interested in or understand or don't know about this true reality of all beings,
[88:56]
are not Buddhist. That's what he wanted to say. And later he pointed out those who didn't mention or express, expound the true reality of all beings. And that those are, you know, Chinese Zen masters he met in China. Before he met Right. OK. Any question? OK. Yeah, four reality and four dharma seals.
[90:07]
I mean, seal of true reality and these four dharma seals are the same.
[90:19]
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