The other day, the subject to discuss with you was the Tathāgata, the awakened one, or Buddha, which occurs in Lotus Sutra. It seems that my talk has deviated from the main subject, but not only you, it is pretty difficult for everybody to understand what Buddha is.

[01:01]

In the Lotus Sutra, from the first chapter to the last, the Lotus Sutra is about the explanation of the human being based on the Buddha's world. There is no the nature of sinfulness, like Nirvana Sutra. On the other hand, you will realize that there are lots of schools of Buddhism in Japan, which is called the Shin school, found by the Shindang Shonin. He particularly puts a strong emphasis on human being based on the other side of sinfulness.

[02:21]

It is carved into the human mind. But Zen Buddhism doesn't emphasize so much the side of the sin which human being possesses. Particularly, Dogen Zenji emphasizes strongly the Buddha nature, the nature of a Buddha, which animate being or inanimate beings possess.

[03:25]

In Shobo Genzo, Dogen Zenji says, even for one moment, if you practice Zazen, the sign of the Buddha nature, the sign of Buddha nature is shown under three karmas. Three karmas are mouth, body, mind. On the three karmas, body, mouth, body, mind,

[04:43]

not only on the three karmas body, mind, mouth, mind, but also the whole universe. In other words, the sign of Buddha nature is penetrating every inch of the whole universe. If you do Zazen, even for a moment. But it's not so easy for us to believe Dogen's statement, this statement. So I would like to look at in what attitude Shakyamuni Buddha teaches

[05:58]

to a human being who has variety of characteristics, characters. So in order to explain what the Buddha is, I would like to consider what the Buddha, in what attitude Shakyamuni Buddha teaches to everyone. So I would like to spend a little more to explain what the Buddha is. The other day I mentioned that Shakyamuni Buddha put the emphasis on

[07:04]

how important the research of dharma is. When he teaches a person who is about to die and who wanted to see Shakyamuni Buddha right before he passed away. But Shakyamuni Buddha says it is of no use. Even though you can have a chance to see me whose physical body is about to decay, all you have to do is to see into what dharma is. There also the substance is based on the principle of the rising on the ground of conditions.

[08:28]

In other words, everything is produced by conditions. The substance of dharma is the principle of rising on the ground of conditions. The word dharma comes from, as I mentioned, the word dharma comes from to maintain or to preserve. So dharma is to preserve, to maintain. Which is going on, going beyond, in the intellectual sense.

[09:31]

As mentioned before, the state of human being which exists regarded as something which is maintaining or preserving. It is a sort of question what makes you alive or what makes you grow older, what makes you decrepit, what makes you die.

[10:41]

Regardless of whether you like or dislike, you cannot escape from growing older, growing decrepit, or the death. This is true. Even though you understand so well, what's the next world will happen in front of you after your death? Nobody knows. So, Shakyamuni Buddha always brings up the question, what makes you grow older, what makes you alive, what makes you decrepit?

[11:56]

Instead of a sort of question from where the birth comes, from where the world starts to create, or who creates this world? The Shakyamuni Buddha's question is very different from such a question. From where human being comes, when the world begins, who creates the world? Shakyamuni Buddha always brought up the question to us,

[12:59]

what makes you alive? What makes you grow older? What makes you decrepit? I think, philosophically speaking, it is called the study of ontology. Are you familiar with the word ontology? Plainly speaking, it is called the study of the viewpoint of life, and not viewpoint of the world. The classification of the ontology may be represented by

[14:00]

about three kinds of categories. One is that all things is the creations. Do you understand the creations? In other words, the all things is God's creation, according to the Christianity. This idea has been greatly contributed to the viewpoint of the world, and the viewpoint of the human life up to now.

[15:04]

And this is Christianity. Right. The second is that all things is considered are considered by Western philosophers, especially in Greek. As all the beings, excuse me, to study all things, to study all things, all beings, all beings.

[16:09]

As, what would you say the technical terms, in philosophy, an end, an end, you know that an end, an anxious, or the a being, a being, in other words, a being. All things is regarded as the being in itself, being in itself. So, the Western philosophers try to study through and through to see into the ultimate being, ultimate state of all beings, all things.

[17:36]

As a being is. I think they, they are naturally philosophers, or natural scientists. Natural scientists or natural philosophers who put the emphasis on studying all beings. As a being is. In other words, in other words, they try to research the human being

[18:51]

in terms of objective viewpoint. This is, I think, the second idea of mythology. The third is a state of, a state of human being regarded as, regarded as all beings are in a state of flux, flux.

[19:54]

Regarded as all beings are transient. This is the third viewpoint, third viewpoint of mythology. Particularly Shakyamuni Buddha put the emphasis on. So, the substance of idea of conditions by which all beings are produced implies that everything is changeable, everything is in a state of flux.

[20:57]

Plainly speaking, everything is streaming constantly. Perpetual streaming, perpetual motion and flow. If your attention is directed to this point, that everything is in a state of perpetual motion and flow,

[21:58]

like a stream of water. When you consider what human life is, what the world is, what the construct, structure, what the structure of the world is, it looks like a stream of water, it looks like a stream of water. It is always going on constantly, without stopping, without ceasing, even for a moment. If so, can you understand what the human being,

[23:03]

in terms of intractable pursuit, intractable pursuit of human being, intractable pursuit to the existing state of human life? In other words, can you think that it is possible to analyze what the existing state of human life is, in terms of intractable purpose? As if you try to, you try to, you try the, immediately to put the mark on the side of small boat.

[24:05]

But when you, when you fail to, when you fail to pour, pour down the very precious jewels, what you have done, what you have kept, by mistake, you know. Let's imagine the boat, the situation of the boat, and you on the, who is riding on this boat,

[25:11]

and also their attendant circumstances. The water is going, the boat is going, including you. Everything is going wrong, without ceasing, even for a moment. At that time, in the system of, in the system of a perpetual motion on the floor, by mistake you pour down a precious jewels into the water. Then immediately you try to put the mark on the side of boat here, in order to keep your memory, where you fall. You fall, you fall down, where this precious jewels fall down, into the bottom of the ocean rivers.

[26:21]

Here it is. But it is too late, because water is going on, including you, and water is going on. Then I ask you, can you think it is possible, it is possible to analyze what the existing state of human life is, in terms of interpretive faculty, interpretive sense. And if you try to, you try to put the mark on the side of boat here, in order to memorize. Where it fell down. I think it is pretty difficult, even though you can, it is possible, even though it may be possible to put, put the mark on the side of water, side of boat.

[27:28]

But it is not the true whole understanding, the true understanding of the whole situation, including the boat, including you, including water. The all attendant circumstances, around boat, water and human being. Because everything is going on. . Then at that time, how do you understand, how do you understand yourself and the boat, and the water,

[28:35]

and also their attendant circumstances. . It is pretty difficult, you know, to understand the whole being, so for existing state of your daily life and the whole. . No, no, in terms of the, the analyzing way of understanding. In order to understand clearly what happens,

[29:38]

what happens in your daily life, at any cost you have to understand yourself as a whole, including not only your situation, not only the existing state of your, yourself. Your attendant all circumstances, including others, including the circumstances, as a whole, you have to understand yourself as a whole. . But the, how can you understand yourself as a whole,

[30:41]

this is very great big question for you. . But anyway, you should remember today, that all things is in state of perpetual motion and flow. Then at that time in what attitude you try, you must understand, you must face yourself. The, the what all things are in state of perpetual motion and flow is the principle of,

[31:42]

the principle of arising on the ground of conditions. That was, it's the substance of conditions. Everything is produced by the conditions. Everything is under the conditions. Everything exists in a certain conditions. Now also, Sakyamuni Buddha, that these conditions create suffering. That was, these conditions are bring about, bring about suffering to human beings. For instance, the, I am, my name is Katagi. My name is Katagi. When I say my name is Katagi, my name is Katagi is a sort of conditions. Katagi, when I say, when I call me Katagi,

[32:44]

Katagi is already suffering, a sort of suffering. Because Katagi is born in this world, the, under a certain conditions. My fathers, between my fathers and my mothers, then I was born in Japan, not in United States. Also I was born not in Tokyo, not in Yokohama. I was born in small town called the, I was born in Osaka. Then I brought up in, not in Osaka, in small town named Tsuruga, near the Fukui Prefecture, A.H. Monastery. So when I, when I call me Katagi, there are lots of circumstances.

[33:46]

Lots of circumstances. So these circumstances identify, identify with sort of suffering, Shakyamuni Buddha says. But this condition is not the substantiality, a sort of substantiality. But you can, but you can cling into, cling to it with strong attachment. Because condition is always changeable. Condition are in a state of perpetual motion on the floor. This is conditions. So if I was born as a princess,

[34:48]

a prince, as a prince in Japan, maybe I wouldn't be that interaction, lots of life. Maybe I wouldn't be in Tathagata. But even though I imagine, I would like to, even though I'm thinking I try to cling to that, I try to cling to a certain condition, I wish I could be that prince in Japan. It's nothing. Because already, it's already, I am already named Katagi. Katagi. But what I try to cling to those certain conditions, I wish I could be that prince. It's like trying to put a mark on the side of the board

[35:54]

in order to memorize. Yes. It's nothing. Even though when I call me Katagi, the condition, a Katagi must be in the state of perpetual, in a state of flux. Perpetual flux. It's not necessary to keep it, it's not necessary to keep it, concentrate with a strong attachment, I am Katagi, I am Katagi. It's pretty hard. If I keep myself, this is Katagi, this is Katagi,

[36:59]

maybe it makes me, it leads me to one confusion to another. Katagi is okay. The important point is I have to get certain condition which is called Katagi. Because condition, certain conditions are in a state of perpetual flux. Without ceasing even for a moment. In the domain of the changing, suffering. How is suffering possible, how is it possible to arise,

[37:59]

to rise, to blink about the suffering? Shakyamuni Buddha says, because you have attachment, this is Katagi. When I say this is Katagi, it makes me stiff, sort of stiff. I'm not free, in a sense. But strictly speaking, Katagi, including the Katagi is in a state of perpetual flux. The moment when I stick to the Katagi, it makes me stiff, which means not to be free from myself.

[39:03]

That's why the condition creates suffering. Condition is identical with sort of suffering. Condition brings, brings about the suffering, suffering in form. So Katagi, regarded as condition, brings about suffering. Sort of suffering. In forms of, oh, he was born in Japan, or he was born in Japan, or he became a priest at the age of 18 years. Such and such. Then,

[40:11]

Shakyamuni Buddha emphasizes that we have to get rid of this attachment. Get off attaching to a condition, attaching to conditions, in order to become free from yourself, in order to attain Nirvana. In this respect, Nirvana is not, Nirvana doesn't exist apart from ourselves. I would like to

[41:32]

speak more, but if I continue to talk, I'm afraid to spend over time, over a little time. So I would like to spend a little time with, to discussion, with discussion with about the Buddha image. So today, anyway, we should keep in mind that the the Buddha is the person who is, who attained religious awareness, who see, who can see into the truth, who can see into the Dharma,

[42:38]

that its substance is the principle of rising on the ground of conditions. And also conditions is the end state of perpetual flux. Then at that time, how, in how attitude can you understand yourself in the domain of, in the domain of perpetual motion and flow of your life? This is a very important idea of mythology, the viewpoint of the world. It is not a matter of discussion

[43:51]

in discussing what, from, when the world began, who created the world, what the beginning, the first, the beginning of the human life was like. As Chakravarti Buddha brought up always the question, what makes your life, what makes you grow, order or the credit? Do you have some question? Why do I... Yes, please.

[45:02]

Yes. The immediate question is, just why, what's happening at this moment? What is happening right now? Maybe I just never heard... Somehow I don't, I don't worry about violence so much. When a lot of people say to me, maybe I just don't feel that pressure. Those two questions seem the same. Question is not the matter of what to the birth is, what to the death is. Did you understand this point? The question is not the matter of discussing what to the birth is, what to the death is. For instance, what to the category is. What to the category is to discuss,

[46:07]

what to the category is to judge. He is good or bad, something like that. Important point is, what makes you, what, what make me, what would you say? It is not the matter of what to mind it is. In other words, mind it is, good girl or bad girl. He said that you don't care what the death is. This is very good state of mind. I think it shows how big, how great your practice is progressing. Your practice is making progress so well.

[47:08]

That's nice. Okay. The question is not the matter of you, whether you are afraid, you fear death or not. Important point is, what makes you, what makes you fear death, what makes you not fear death. Do you understand this point? No? I think it is more, I am more afraid that I don't know whether it is the first round or the second round. I thought it was a bomb. Like tonight, I sat there, I thought it was the first round, then the second, then the second round, that maybe at the same time

[48:12]

it happens. No, it looks like the absence of the mind. I don't know. Or, it looks like paying attention to just one thing, you can't pay, you can't pay any attention to others, to anything else. In other words, when you are crazy about doing something, you don't care, you don't care what happens around you. No, I mean that to be kept away and being aware of yourself, regardless of whether or not you have your mind distracted, Dhamma is not distracted.

[49:19]

Dhamma doesn't distract your mind. You mean that? What did you say? I don't understand what you said. Of course, in a sense, it's true. Because the simple sense, you know, all human beings exist in the name of the Buddhist world, so it's not necessary to suffer. What you have to suffer, what makes you disconcerted? That's okay, you don't care, you don't care the death, you don't care the birth, but that's all right. It's not, you know, it's not the important matter of discussing, discussion. The important point is why you have to, what makes you disconcerted about,

[50:22]

above all? What the birth is, what the death is, or I don't care the birth, I don't care the birth, I don't care the death. Why? Shakyamuni Buddha always tried to ask, to ask to himself, why? What makes me ask to myself? I don't know. They say there are men and women, human beings, man, female, and man. Why? The important point is not, is not the moral discussion that the male is bad, or the female is bad. Why is it you have to discuss

[51:27]

the male is bad, the man is bad, and the female is good? Because man, the part, the part which the man exists already makes you discuss, makes you discuss what is male. There is various sort of conditions when you discuss what the male is. This condition is, you know, the implies genocides, genocides, inter-genocides,

[52:28]

as female exists. The conception is white is pure, the way black, same type. That's why we have to discuss what white is, what black is. So what white doesn't exist alone, when you say this is white, at that time, white exists, white is pure way. The state of white exists, that which is pure way, black. This is condition. In other words, interdependence. When I say, when I call me Katagi, implies my appearance existing.

[53:30]

This implies where I was born. Implies the the full category Japanese or American. It's impossible that Katagi, just name Katagi alone, exist alone. When I call me Katagi, there is a lot of things which are paired with Katagi. Parents, place, Japan, race. Then I have always question, ask to myself who I am. Who am I?

[54:31]

Sometimes I was angry with my father, you know. Why was it my father the the he concentrate concentrated more on educating his children. Even kids, you know. Unfortunately, my father and my father were very eager religious followers. They had faith. So The last question is

[55:41]

concerned with related with viewpoint of life. The Shakyamuni Buddha asked his disciples always what do you think about what do you think about the state of the world? State of human life or state of all sentient beings. The one day Shakyamuni Buddha stand at the big river which is going on constantly without ceasing

[56:44]

for more, even for a moment. He said that time Shakyamuni Buddha always asked the some question for the real situation which happens around him or around the disciples. Take an example. Shakyamuni Buddha asked the disciples do you think that this river may stop may stop the streaming for a moment, even for a moment. The disciples said, I don't think so. I don't think so. Same is to be said of human beings.

[57:45]

Do you think a human being possess their substance which they can attach to themselves? Disciples said, I don't think so. Everything is transient. Everything is transient. Everything is in the state of taking flight. If so, how do you feel that yourself who is existing in who is existing in the domain of potential motion and flow pleasure

[58:53]

pleasant or unpleasant being pleasant or being unpleasant how do you feel? The disciple says, of course I feel not so well. I feel unpleasant. Because everything is changed. Everything is changing. There is nothing to catch to flush. For instance if someone is speak well of a man a man

[59:55]

he is good guy. In the reality of the present when a person is when someone someone is speaking well of this guy it seems that there is a sort of conception, good natural good. Or this natural good do you think this natural good is continuing forever without change? He says sometimes thank you very much your talk is pretty good. Thank you. So it means you think you think my talk is always speaking good

[60:58]

forever? I don't think so. Today my talk is my talk maybe tonight my talk tonight is sort of good. Then next next day I can't I can't say I cannot say next my talk will be good. So I at that time I feel not so well I feel, I feel unpleasant. Even though you say thank you very much your talk is pretty good. Even this good the natural good is changing my talk is changing my life is changing there is nothing to catch there is nothing to catch implies a human being is based

[62:00]

on uneasiness So this disciple says no I feel I feel unpleasant. In other words this is suffering. Suffering is uneasiness to feel uneasy uneasy uneasy if so how can I then the Shakyamuni Buddha says if you if you feel unpleasant do you think

[63:02]

there is something to cling to regard it as a good more than what you say, thank you very much your talk is good. Disciple says no I don't think so Disciple feels unpleasant with everything if so can you erase the past to cling to something you feel unpleasant nobody clings nobody clings to something that you feel unpleasant this is egolessness this is practice don't attach to

[64:04]

anything on the basis of changing principle of changing principle of conditioning principle of arising on the ground of conditioning no attachment is don't put a particular a certain particular idea into the the something which exists in the domain of conditioning or the changing then

[65:06]

then then we have to you know the the in order to attain enlightenment in order to see into the nirvana Shakyamuni Buddha says don't please get rid of the attachment the attachment no attachment is to practice to practice with egolessness in other words

[66:25]

you know the without attaching to the myself which is called Katage with the sort of conditions, number of conditions name of Katage and the sort of my parents or my circumstances my education and so on without attachment without attachment without attachment I have to understand myself it means it means to accept to accept myself who is who is you know the existing in the

[67:26]

domain of changing conditions potential motion for for in other words it means to accept myself as a whole forgetting all conditions in the domain of the changing, potential changing you understand? you understand? means in how attitude should I face events and things which will come into account with you know the

[68:28]

in order to see into this dharma or the principle of the changing the principle of conditions principle of arising on the ground of conditions we have to practice the through and through accepting ourselves as we are throwing away any kind of conditions hurricane, muggy or storm margaret zen buddhist or christian or christian so first of all

[69:29]

you have to open your eyes and see into yourself in how situation your life is going on this is the best way to to put the principle of the interdependence or changing conditions into practice in our daily life throwing away any conditions moment after moment you plunge into you plunge into stream you plunge into the water which is always streaming

[70:29]

constantly that's why this is shikantaro, the zen because everything is in state of perpetual motion on the floor attachment means about sort of suffering we will have to undergo the suffering because everything is ending up there is nothing to grasp it means to feel

[71:33]

uneasiness always uneasiness this is the feeling of uneasiness which human being cannot escape from whoever you are then Shakyamuni Buddha says life is suffering suffering is not the principle of passivity suffering is purpose of suffering is to make human being to see into truth so this time even though you

[72:39]

practice sadhi you are always uneasy you feel uneasy that's sadhi means sadhi means state of perpetual flux even though you are now of living in the deep mountains alone living in the deep mountains is also a part of perpetual motion on the floor because the moment you go to come back to the city life your mind is completely distracted by the busy world there is nothing

[73:47]

to touch to a certain place where a blink about brings you the absolute absolute the easiness also feeling of easiness to you clinging into the only the mountains only the living in the deep mountains living into the deep mountains never brings me to happiness it's like a sort of it's a sort of pathaji you should know that

[74:48]

even though living in the deep mountains is a part of world transient world and then you should live there the suffering is implies that human beings always feel and live because everything is changed so there is something to think that you feel and feel it is that there is nothing to think what shall I do just throwing away throwing away any kind of ideas

[75:50]

conditions principles Christianity Buddhism Confucius and you should accept you open your mind and see into yourself the depth of yourself it's very important for this just find into your life what you want

[76:14]

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