we all celebrate the auspicious day as enlightenment, enlightenment, Buddha's enlightenment. This is the big celebration for the Buddhists. As you know so well, the Buddha sat in meditation on the Bodhi tree and gained enlightenment on December 8th, in the dawn of December 8th. We all as Buddhists celebrate this auspicious day regarded as enlightenment day. In a sense, this is

[01:19]

one of customs for the Buddhists to celebrate. But whatever kind of book you read, it explains how auspicious this day is. It explains that December 8th is the enlightenment day, which Shakyamuni Buddha gained enlightenment on the Bodhi tree. Whatever kind of book you read, it's pretty difficult to understand what enlightenment is. I think you will find, you will notice that there are many books that explains the

[02:41]

explanation of enlightenment, but you don't understand. You don't understand. It's pretty difficult. It's pretty difficult to explain what it is. Strictly speaking, anyway you have to. There is no better way. There is no better way to understand the explanation of enlightenment than to get a taste of it for yourself, by yourself, through the practice. That's all. At that time you understand what enlightenment is. As Shakyamuni Buddha enlightened under the Bodhi tree. But as long as human being with the mind that sometimes bring you into trouble, we have

[04:02]

to have some explanation of enlightenment. That's a trouble. But anyway we have to. Unfortunately, all of you are human beings with curiosity, with the function of your mind. The content of enlightenment is, as Shakyamuni Buddha says, that all things have a Buddha nature. All things have a Buddha nature. All beings are Buddha. To understand this, all things, all beings

[05:03]

are Buddha. All things possess Buddha nature. This is the content of enlightenment. You don't understand what it is. In other words, what all things are Buddha means hōnrai shōjō in Japanese, hōnrai shōjō, the nature, the original nature of purity, purity in itself. So many Buddhist scholars, many Buddhist scholars analyze, analyze the Buddha's teaching. So for them, logically speaking, the content of enlightenment is hōnrai shōjō,

[06:14]

the original nature of purity, the nature of purity in itself. When Buddhism came to China through India, Tibet, and Buddhism came to Japan through China, the Buddhism in China, the Buddhism in Japan tried to explain the nature of purity as the no-mind, no-mind, no-thinking. Whatever its explanation, whatever the explanation of enlightenment is,

[07:35]

first of all, we have to get a taste of, again and again, the reality of things, the reality of things that all beings are Buddha, all things have Buddha nature. Whatever happens to you, you should never, you should never forget this. On the other hand, the different type of the nature, what you have, you think it's incredible. I think in a sense it is true, it seems true, but it's not true. The truth is that you should never forget that all things are Buddha, all things are Buddha.

[08:47]

Otherwise, there is no end of fighting with human beings, each other. You should listen to the voice of the nature of purity coming from your mind. What is the effort that try to listen voice, listen to the voice of purity, the reality of things that all things are Buddha? This is the practice in the form of the Zazen. At least, regardless of whether or not you can listen to the voice of the truth from your mind, you are just in there, you are just in there, at least during sitting meditation.

[10:10]

If you want to try to listen to the voice, listen to the voice of pure nature, which means all things are Buddha, this is the Zazen. This is Vespa, this is Zazen. Dogen then says, It can be said that the delusions of ordinary people are deep-rooted. While pretending to escape from this world, they trap themselves into transmigrating endlessly.

[11:39]

How difficult to break the bonds and crush the moral from the viewpoint of an outsider. To control the mind is most difficult. Isn't it difficult to undergo a prolonged austerity and pure training? Harmonizing body training is also of greatest difficulty. If crushing bonds were of value, many who endured with this training from olden days should have gained enlightenment. But only a few have. If austerity were of value, many who underwent it should have gained enlightenment.

[12:46]

But only a few have. This stems from the extreme difficulty of harmonizing the mind. A clear head is not of primary importance, nor is it literally understanding. A mind, a will, and conscious are not of primary importance, nor a thought, insight, and perception. None of these are of use. We enter into Buddhism simply by harmonizing our body and mind. The important point is not to practice hard, not to practice asceticism, not to crush the body and mind through practicing hard.

[13:58]

The important point is how to control your mind. How your mind should be controlled. Right now, right here. That's why Dogen Tenzin says, if crushing bonds were of value, many who endured with this training from olden days should have gained enlightenment. But only a few have. And to control the mind is most difficult. Most difficult. To practice hard is easy. To obey Buddhist precepts, to obey vegetarians, non-vegetarians, is very easy.

[14:59]

Very easy. But whatever you may do, it's pretty difficult to control your mind. In whatever kind of situation you may be. The important point is not to, not the principle, not the principle. That you should, you have to obey something. You have to practice Zazen, you have to practice hard. In whatever situation you may be, the important point is how you control your mind. How you control your mind. How you harmonize your mind. On the stage of now and here. Shakyamuni said, turning the Kannon stream inward, forsake knowing and being known.

[16:15]

Turning the Kannon Buddha, Kannon means Avalokiteshvara, turning the Kannon stream inward. In this case, Kannon means, Kannon means the, regarded as the subject, object. No, no, subject. Kannon means to listen, to see something. Kannon means sound or voice. In this case, the Kannon means the subjectivity and objectivity. What you confront all in our daily life. Turning the Kannon stream inward, forsake knowing and being known. Here is the meaning.

[17:17]

Two qualities of movement and rest have not fully free, arisen, risen. This is harmonizing, this is harmonizing. I think you have, you may experience through practice Zazen. That you don't, through practice Zazen, the real fact. That you don't know, you don't know exactly. Whether you are Zazen or the Zazen is you. Strictly speaking, you can discriminate. You can discriminate which is Zazen, which is you. What you, while you practice Zazen completely. At that time, you experience, you feel that everything is beautiful.

[18:26]

You don't know who is you. Who is practicing Zazen now? You are completely confused, Zazen is you or you are Zazen. Or you don't know completely, you practice Zazen or Zazen practice you. You don't understand exactly. While you understand this, it is not real Zazen. You know, there was a very famous Zen master named Ryokan. One day, one of laymen came to the Ryokan. The hermit. Uh...

[19:33]

The Ryokan says, do you want to drink a cup of wine? He said, oh yes. So Ryokan started to get out of his hermit. Carrying the toki, you know, carrying the bottle of wine, like this. The time was the night. Shining full moon. He was waiting for him to come back as soon as possible. Because he wanted to drink a cup of wine. That time of the season was winter, it's pretty cold. But he never came back.

[20:37]

It took him so long to come back. So he was worrying about him. He was concerned about him. What's happened with him. So he thought, he tried to look for him. What's happened with him. And then he, the moment he got out of Ryokan's hermit. He found, he found Ryokan's Zen master. Riding down on the ground. With the bottle of wine beneath his head. In spite of Piro.

[21:41]

Like this. And looking at the full moon, wonderful, beautiful moon. And he said, the layman said, what's the matter with you? Did you get a bottle of wine? He said, oh, I forgot. I'm sorry. He forgot. He forgot. You know, most people, most people disturb. You know, at that time, if you were, if you were the layman. Now you disturb, you may, you might disturb, you might be disturbed by Ryokan. If you were Ryokan's Zen master.

[22:44]

If I were Ryokan's Zen master. I think I might be disturbed by our friend of mine. Who was waiting at my hermit. Well, I have to, I have to get a bottle of wine anyway for him. I might be disturbed by the friend, or circumstance, or bottle of wine, lots of things. But for the Ryokan, real Ryokan, he doesn't care. Now on his way to get the bottle of wine, he found a beautiful full moon. Ah, wonderful. At that time, completely, he don't know, he don't know who is, who is moon, who is Ryokan. He was completely confused. The moon is Ryokan, Ryokan is moon.

[23:49]

Completely, he forget everything, you know. Oh, beautiful. Beautiful. But this is extreme example, don't imitate. If you follow this sample, you know, you have to create trouble, lots of troubles. I think, you know, the Kannon, turning the Kannon stream inward. Forsake knowing and being known. You know, to control your mind, to control your mind is how to keep your mind in peace. Not tomorrow, not yesterday. How control, how you control your mind right now, you know. Whatever happens in your past, whatever happen, whatever will happen in your future.

[24:53]

Of course, it's important too, but the important point is to control your mind at present, you know, on the stage of now and here. Whatever happens. You practice Zazen, or you reading the book, you eat the food, that's okay, whatever happens. You'll never be disturbed by any kind of circumstances, eating the meal, chanting sutra, or practicing yoga, that's okay, whatever it is. The important point is how to control, how to control your mind, how to harmonize your mind. How to make your mind calm, in peace, how to take the rest in peace. I think for the ordinary person, ordinary person, for the layman, who was a friend of Ryokan,

[26:14]

the fact that Ryokan didn't go, didn't go to get a bottle of wine, was a trouble for him. But he doesn't care, he doesn't care what kind of trouble there was. He doesn't care. But trouble is trouble, don't imitate, don't misunderstand these stories. I don't want to tell you to, I don't want to tell you to create lots of trouble like Ryokan. I think for me, in my viewpoint, Ryokan is, what would you say, his name is placed not in the middle of the stomach, maybe the side of the stomach.

[27:16]

Ryokan. Like Ikkyu Zen Master, Ikkyu Zen Master, Ikkyu Zen Master walked on the street carrying a cane with a scarf on the top of the cane. Happy New Year, on Happy New Year. Everybody scold him, everybody angry with him. What are you doing? New Year is very happy, happy days. Scarf, what do you have? I think... Scarf. Zen Master is not usual state of mind. Zen Priest is very, what would you say, twist state of mind.

[28:19]

So I said, Zen Master's name is not placed in the middle of the stomach. But you should be straightforward. It's important. You should check in your navel. Whether or not it is placed just in the middle of your stomach. This is important. Okay? So, here is the meaning. Here is the meaning. The two qualities of movement and rest have not fully arisen. This is harmonizing. I think it's not so easy to understand.

[29:21]

How to control. How to control your mind. Not so easy to understand the enlightenment, explanation of enlightenment. But it is alright, it is alright not to understand what enlightenment is. You have to make an effort to get fresh water. With the water pump, day after day like this. Day after day. Today is today. Today is today. All you have to do is to make every effort to control, to harmonize your mind on the stage of now and here. Today's, tomorrow's, day after tomorrow's. At that time you will get fresh water with the water pump.

[30:29]

This is enlightenment. This is enlightenment. The idea of hate and love, what you have is not so much important. Not so much important. While you are confused, while you are disturbed by this idea of hate and love, what you create. Probably you may be easy to divorce, to get married. I think you should listen to the voice of the great reality that all are buddha nature, all are buddha nature.

[31:36]

From this point sometimes you must be patient. Sometimes you must be brave to do something. Anyway, important point is how to control, how to harmonize your mind in any kind of circumstances which you exist. This is very important. If one could enter into buddhism by intelligence and wide knowledge, Shen Tzu would be the outstanding example.

[32:50]

If common birth and low class were deterrents to entering into buddhism, how did Hui Neng ever become a high patriarch? These examples show clearly that the process transmitting buddhism is beyond ordinary intelligence and wide knowledge. Investigate and seek these traces. Reflect on yourself and practice. Qualifying the low and... no, excuse me. This Zen teaching spurns neither the aged nor the young. Chao Cho began practicing after he was over 60 years old.

[33:53]

Yet he made a fine showing in the patriarch's seat. The daughter, Ah Cheng, began studying when she was 12 years old. She was able to become an outstanding member of the monastery. The supreme power of buddhism depends on whether or not the effort is made. It differs with practice and non-practice. Those who have spent much time studying the sutra and worldly books should visit a Zen monastery. There are many precedents for this. Qualifying the low and gaining the way are powers derived from Zen masters.

[34:56]

When I visit a Zen master, I hear his teachings but don't try to bring it down to your own level. If you try to grasp it in terms of your viewpoint, you cannot gain the master's teaching when visiting a master and asking about the law of purity, your body and mind, and quiet your eyes and ears. Just hear his teachings unsullied by other thoughts. Make your body and mind a unity, like water being poured from vessel to vessel. If you do, you can gain the master's law. All buddhas mean that there is nothing to have. Your mind should be empty, too.

[36:03]

There is nothing to get. As mentioned before, the content of enlightenment is the great reality that all buddhas follow. It means there is nothing to have. Your mind is empty. Your mind is empty. Otherwise, you don't understand. So, make your body and mind a unity, like water being poured from vessel to vessel. Listen to the voice of the truth through practice, Sajan. Through and through.

[37:08]

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