Today, I would like to think about reality with you. I think reality is not so simple. It's very complicated. It's pretty hard to understand what reality is. But I don't like to explain about reality, philosophically or psychologically. Anyway, from the viewpoint in our daily life, I would like to see the reality again with you.

[01:06]

I think in Buddhist psychology, we have the human mind divided into the eight consciousnesses. In this respect, as you know so well, in your daily life, you can see something with your eyes. You can smell with your nose. You can hear something with your ears. Mostly in our daily life, five consciousnesses or six consciousnesses operate and guide our daily life to go in which direction.

[02:34]

Briefly speaking, it may be called the human thought, which is created by the human brain. In other words, it may be called human speculation. But Zen Buddhism always puts the emphasis on the self, which is vivified in his daily life. So, vivified, to vivify, or to exist vividly. Zen Buddhism likes so much such a word, vividly, or to vivify, or to exist vividly, something like that.

[03:42]

But what is, what do you mean by, what do you mean the self is vivified? This is very important, you know. We have to know at this point. Well, if you use the conception of time, I think it is the, what the self is vivified is, I think, the present, present, conception of the present. The passing day, passing day. So, present, present is, present indicates actual fact that we are vivified, we exist, we exist vividly anyway.

[04:59]

So, plainly speaking, it is, it may be called life force, something like that, life itself. This life force, this present, the time of present goes beyond something human speculation anyway. In other words, you know, you realize, you can realize immediately that your heart is beating, and your blood is circulating all over your body. Before you think, I am exist, I am, I am existent or not, you know. So, your brain, your five, six consciousnesses work.

[06:11]

Anyway, all organs, all organs of your body operate before you are aware of, to see whether you exist or not. This is, I think, the time of present, time of present. Now, also, let's consider this time, present, this present. Now, when reduced, when reduced to essentials, I think present is sort of a moment, sort of moment. So, present, present passes out of existent for a moment, in a moment.

[07:17]

It is considered maybe past, as past, conception of past. So, present passes out of the existence in a moment, and also produce corresponding a new moment, new moment. What endures, what endure for one moment, it is called future, it is called future. So, in a moment, the present, present, the time of present is very quick to change. When the moment, when the moment move, works, that's why the present universe is expressed by another word, passing day, you know.

[08:30]

Present is passing day. So, let's imagine this present is here, you know, in other words, this moment. So, present is, present is to pass out of existence in a moment, as past, and produce a moving forward, as future. This is present, this is present, okay? And so, the present, the time of present is completely, entirely sandwiched, sandwiched between the past and future, you know.

[09:32]

When you say this is present, it is already past, and it is already future, this is present. So, present always is sandwiched between the past and future, okay? So, in other words, the present which is, which is sandwiched between the past and future is the present which is, which is emptied by past and future, okay? So, present don't have a particular idea, this is present, no. When you say this is present, present already has come out. Which way, in which direction to go, as a past, as a future.

[10:34]

This is present, okay? For instance, here is Katagiri, and here is a pot, his name is pot. Then, here, the pot is here. In terms of present, the time of present, it is very simple, you know, it is very simple. Pot and Katagiri, that's all. Very simple, no trouble between two, between two, okay? But before you try to create the trouble, you know, the pot already exists in terms of the time of present. In other words, the pots, the blood, the blood which pot possesses circulates smoothly already.

[11:42]

Before we create what's blood, what's kind of blood. See, this is very simple, very simple. So, Katagiri and pot, this is very simple. But, unfortunately, human being possesses six senses, or seven senses, or eight senses. So, mind immediately acts towards object. Then, immediately, who is pot? Who is Katagiri? Then, you say, oh, Katagiri, Japanese. Katagiri is Japanese. Then, next one, Katagiri is Zen priest, not Christian father. Katagiri, oh, well, Katagiri, where was he born?

[12:46]

Well, Japan, maybe so. Well, what part of Japan he was born? Well, Tokyo, no, not Tokyo. Kyoto, no, not Kyoto. Osaka, oh, yes, he was born in Osaka. But some of you misunderstood before, you know. In the past, oh, Katagiri, he was born in Tokyo. Someone said, no, no, he was born in Japan, in Osaka. So, two guys fight. No, you misunderstood. You are wrong. I am right. So, this is trouble. This is big trouble. So, relation is not simple in that way. So, why is it we have to think in that way? So, why is it we have to have relationship with each other in that way?

[13:54]

In terms of the time present, simple, you know, simple. Relation is existent in plain being, in plain, what would you call, basis, in plain basis. Very simple. But Katagiri, that's all. But when you say, who is Katagiri? Japanese. At that time, relation is already complicated. Such a relation is in the three dimensions. In the three dimensions. See? For instance, when you go to the Golden Gate Bridge, the relation, when you go to the Golden Gate Bridge,

[14:58]

the relation between you and Golden Gate Bridge is very simple. Golden Gate Bridge and you. That's all. But some of you think, well, I want to die. But I don't think I don't want to die, you know. I don't think I want to die. But some of you think, I want to die. When you see the Golden Gate Bridge, that's trouble. So that relation between you and Golden Gate Bridge is very complicated. It is already placed, that relationship is already placed in three dimensions.

[15:59]

From the viewpoint in past or in future. Not only present. So you see immediately Golden Gate Bridge not only in terms of time of present, but also in terms of the time of past and future too. This is trouble. How? That's okay. If you want to die, if you think, I want to die, the moment when you see the Golden Gate Bridge, that's okay, that's up to you. But actually, it's pretty difficult to die immediately. This is trouble too, you know. So what should I do, you know? Going back and forth. Then sometimes you come back to the Zen Center and thinking, thinking, thinking,

[17:03]

what should I do, what should I do? And then next day you try to go to the Golden Gate Bridge again and look down over the Golden Gate Bridge. Wow, it's too high for me, so let's go back. Then how, how does conception of past and future is, excuse me, how is the conception of past and future is possible to exist in your daily life,

[18:06]

in the present, in the present, okay? I think, in the past, even the past, in the future, the conception of the past and the future, can you think the conception of the past and the future exist in the same situation as the time of present? Like your blood, the presence of the blood, circulation of the blood. In the Earth, do you think the conception of time, time of the past and of the future

[19:07]

is completely equal to the conception of the time of the present? I think they are very different. The situation of the past and future is very different way to exist in the present. So how, how can you, how can you let the past and the future exist in your daily life? So, therefore, the present is completely present, completely present, as mentioned before. It is very pure, it is very pure, no troubles.

[20:12]

But what make you, what make your life complicated? Saying, I want to die, the moment when you see the Golden Gate Bridge. So, I think, you immediately, you think something, you know. The universe, the time of the past and future exist in the sphere of human speculation, not in the sphere of the present, which is verified. Okay? Human speculation, human speculation create past and future. That's why the moment when you see Golden Gate Bridge, you think, oh, I want to die. Why? It means, in past, you got, you experienced very sad, you know.

[21:25]

You got, you had a very sad experience in past. Then you have brought some of difficulties from past to present. Then you have now some difficulties. This is past. And this past is the cause in which direction to go. When you think that I have a difficulty, that's why you think, you think I want to die, you know, immediately. The cause, the cause was created in past, in your daily life. And you brought, you have brought, you have carried such difficulties or cause, which make your daily life confused.

[22:41]

And then, next moment, when you see, when you see the, when you see the Golden Gate Bridge, next moment, you say, I want to die. You know, I want to die. To die is something which will happen in future, in future. Okay? So, you try to, you try to visualize, visualize in your speculation, in your, in the sphere of speculation. You visualize something. The conception of the death is created by the cause, which, which was created in past, by past. Okay? The cause was in past. In other words, cause was past. Okay?

[23:50]

And then, the result is, result is the future, will be future. The result is not the present, because this result is something which advances, advances in thought. So, I would like to die. I want to die. So, in the domain, in the sphere of the time of present, the past and future exist not in the same way as the present. They exist in the form of human speculation, in other words, human thought.

[24:53]

Okay? Okay? Also, as mentioned before, present is just here, you know. Present is, present occupies just this now, and right now, and right here. Okay? This is present. And also, in the domain of this present, it is past. You should keep in mind that past and present and future exist in the form of human speculation. Okay? It's, it's pretty hard, it's, it's pretty hard to believe, but if you open your eyes, it is really possible.

[26:05]

It is really possible. That's why when you see the, when you see the Golden Gate Bridge, some of, some of you think, wow, Golden Gate Bridge, beautiful, that's all. Some of you think, wow, I would like to die. Some of you think, well, it's not so beautiful. Because most of the same bridge, we have most of the same bridge in Japan. Recently, going, going, going, which goes, goes through the main, Shikoku small land, main, main land, main land to Kyushu. Mostly same, color is same.

[27:09]

Then, Kanagi says, oh, it's not so beautiful. I have the same, mostly same bridge in Japan, which is beautiful, which too is beautiful. You see, you see, you always, you are always endured with the sun and the moon. I thought the sun, the moon is very beautiful, more than, more beautiful than that when I saw in Japan. Because San Francisco, the skies is very clear, very beautiful. Then when I see, when I see the sun, when I see the moon, all I have to do is just to see the sun, just to see the moon, how beautiful it is.

[28:29]

That's enough, you know. But immediately my speculation start to work. Well, the sun in San Francisco, the moon in San Francisco is more beautiful than that in Japan. Well, which of two is valuable? Which of two is valuable? It is possible to make question in that way. Some, some of you, some, some guy, there is very interesting, you know, stories. Not stories, maybe someone, someone ask it in the same way. Which of two, moon or sun, is more valuable? What do you think? The moon is more valuable or the sun is more valuable?

[29:30]

Someone says, well, the sun is not so valuable. Because sun is always shining when we don't need. But the moon, the moon is more valuable than the sun because the moon is always shining over us. When we need, maybe so, maybe so. Well, this story, this is very interesting story, but if you, if you, if the same events happens in your daily life, it is very big problem. It is very big problem. It makes you confused and confused again and again, you know.

[30:33]

That's big problem. That's why when you see the Golden Gate Bridge, I want to die. I want to die. But Golden Gate Bridge doesn't think, please, go ahead. Just Golden Gate Bridge is Golden Gate Bridge, you know. Relation between you and I is, between you and the Golden Gate Bridge is very simple, you know. Just there. The Golden Gate Bridge exists in the sphere of the present, that's all. But the moment when the past and future insert into your present, you know. At that time, relation is not simple.

[31:45]

Relation is, relation, relation is formed by the three dimensions, three dimensions. So, if so, why we, this is reality, this is reality, okay. Reality is not the present. Reality consists of the present and past and future. And also, past and future exist, consider as human speculation, not as the vivid, vivid being, vivid being, like present. And also, this past and present exist in the sphere of this that, which is called present, okay.

[32:49]

Which is called present. It seems be impossible, but it is possible. If you open your eyes and watch carefully your present, it is possible. If this past and future, the conception of past and future create the trouble independent, indifferent, indifferent to realizing your life, which is vivified, which is vivified. You have to, you have to, anyway, you have to, you don't have to, you don't have to attach to it, okay.

[34:02]

You should, you should make every possible effort to have relation with you and something in the sphere of just the present, just present. This is practice, this is practice, okay. Empty in, empty in the conception of time, conception of future, which exists in the form of human speculation in your brain, okay. They create always trouble, they bring trouble to you always, in the domain of the present. If so, we have to, at any cost, empty those, empty human speculation. That's why Dogen then says, throw away, throw away anything, any idea of good and bad, okay.

[35:22]

Let's imagine what is good and how does conception of good and bad exist in the sphere of present. The conception of good and bad exists in the same way as the present, as your life, which is vivified. I don't think so. The good and bad are completely existent as human speculation. This is true, don't you think so? Not real things, not real things. There is something which advances in thought, in the sphere of the present. So Dogen then says, throw away, okay, throw away those things, good and bad, whatever you think.

[36:33]

In other words, to throw away is not to ignore, okay, don't misunderstand. To throw away is not to ignore, not to, what you call, not to let them disappear. In other words, throw away is to empty, to empty. To empty your human speculation, to empty your speculation, to empty the function of your speculation. To empty the function of your speculation is not to ignore the function of your speculation, okay, this is very important. Because the human speculation exists in the sphere of the present, in the form of the ideas, in the form of ideas which advances in thought, okay.

[37:48]

They are not something which is living vivified, okay. You say, I don't think so, they are completely living vivified, vividly. I don't think so. So to empty, to empty, to empty yourself, to empty yourself, to empty your, the function of your speculation, this is very important. And then try to have relation between, with the present, the present, okay. But this present is not merely present, this present is the present which includes, which includes past and future, past and future.

[38:58]

But this past and future exist as the form of human speculation. Because before you think who I am, you are exist. You are in, you are existent. This is present. And so the too empty or too throw, to throw away the function of human speculation is what? I mentioned before, to throw away is not to ignore the presence of human speculation. In Buddhism, to throw away is called upaksha in Sanskrit, upaksha.

[40:09]

The meaning, there is very interesting meaning of this word upaksha. Upaksha is to throw away. There are five meanings, five meanings as follows. The one is, one is to stare at, to stare at carefully and firmly, calmly, before you give up, before you give up. This is one meaning. To throw away is to stare at carefully and calmly before you give up. This is one meaning. The second is to pierce, to pierce, okay.

[41:17]

To throw away is to pierce. In other words, to see into, to see into, through and through. Is it, is it, is it very interesting? You see, the master says, the dogin says, throw away, good and bad. Where is the good and bad? I don't, I can't find the good and bad which I have to throw away. You can't. But you're always finding, chasing after where is, where good and bad are. Because dogin then says, one is throw away. So I have to throw away anyway. So you're always chasing after where is good, where is bad. Please, please go away. But you cannot find, you cannot find. So, the second is to throw away that, to throw away is to pierce.

[42:31]

The third is, this is very problem, this is a big problem for America. The third is, too late. The third is, too late with strong perseverance. With perseverance, that's a big problem for you, you know. Because, I think American people are more frankly than the Japanese, you know. When you feel happy, wow, like this. But Japanese don't, don't show immediately. Not, this is common sense, in the usual sense. In the usual sense, Japanese always, just a little bit, just smile a little bit.

[43:38]

Just smile. Are you happy? Yes. Like this. But the American is, are you happy? Yes, I am happy. You know, like this. Let's dance, go, go, you know. But, too late, to throw away is too late. With perseverance, this is very difficult. I said to one of the students, please wait for great opportunity which will come up to you. She said, you always said, wait, wait. I can't wait. I can't wait. I'm sorry, but you have to wait.

[44:43]

If you want to adult, if you want to be adult, you have to wait. You have to walk step by step. If you want to build a house, you have to wait. Making foundation first, then setting the pole, and making a roof, and making a wall. And then setting furnitures, making a window, spreading the carpenters, no, carpet. And then you can live there. Until you live there, you have to wait.

[45:51]

Too late, too late for great opportunity which you will be able to live is to walk step by step. From the foundation to wall, to roof. You have to wait. Then you should throw away any ideas. I want to live immediately, you know, immediately. Then you push the carpenter to build first as soon as possible. Hey, what's the matter? You are very slow in building the house. Hurry up. Then the carpenter says, it's impossible to build for two days. Let's imagine, hurry up. Then the carpenter says, it's impossible to build for two days. Let's imagine, you know, how difficult words they are.

[46:57]

We have to do lots of things. It's really impossible to build your house just for two days. It's impossible. But your ideas, your speculation thinks, I want to live immediately because I have no home, no house. Then your speculation pushes the carpenter to do first. Then at last you fight with the carpenter. So the carpenter says, I don't want to work with you. Oh, okay, go ahead. I want to get another good carpenter. But first of all, you should throw away any ideas. And wait. Wait. Then the third is to wait.

[48:03]

With, to wait for opportunity. With perseverance. Then fourth is to be generous. To be generous. To tolerance. To tolerance. To tolerance. Okay, this is also sort of waiting for the opportunity. You do Zazen, immediately you find it terrible, you know. So you think, I am not qualified to be deserved, to be a good Zen student. So you give up doing Zazen. But it's not so good. If you follow your life in that way, nothing can be succeeded.

[49:07]

However you make effort. So, then you try to see your life. The, from the, since your birth to death, okay. For a long period of your life. Since your birth to the death. Then you try to see the totality of your life. This long period of your life, many things happens. Like this. Okay. Then, when you do Zazen, you think, oh, I am not a good, not good student. Zen student. This is here. The next moment, you feel so good from Zazen. Well, maybe, probably I may attain enlightenment.

[50:11]

So I should continue to Zazen more. Like this. Next moment, completely you are upset. Because there is nothing to give you any suggestion how wonderful Zazen is. Here. Then you discourage. Many things happens. But important point is, please wait for the opportunity and you should be generous. Of seeing, understanding your life. Don't understanding this point, okay. Which is sticking out. To, from the surface of your life. Like this. The Hakurakuten, who was the emperor in China, composed a poem.

[51:18]

He said, the first verse of this poem, he said, What? What? Excuse me. Ah. Well, anyway, what does, what does snake, what does snake dispute about with your horn? Can you, can you imagine a snake? Snake, isn't it? Snake like this. Snake has two horns. Oh, snake, I'm sorry, snail, yes.

[52:21]

What does, what does snail dispute about with your horn, two horns? You try to touch it. The snail, immediately draws his horn. Something like that. Bad spirit of Zen student. Maybe I attain enlightenment. Or I disappear completely. That's all. You have to, this, you have to, you have to be generous. Of seeing, understanding, seeing, dealing with this many horns, a variety of horns, which is always coming out, sticking up, sticking up, or sticking down.

[53:26]

Like this. So, first is to be generous. Of seeing your life. And fifth is to throw, to throw. Okay? The last meaning is to throw. Okay, before you throw away something, you have to do four things, four things. Okay? To stare at carefully and calmly. And second is to peer, to see into the depth of your life. To see into the reality of what happens. And third is to wait for great opportunity with perseverance.

[54:27]

It means, it doesn't mean you, you do, you do nothing. Okay? You do nothing. You have to do, you have to do, you have to create the opportunity. Moment after moment. Okay? In other words, you have to deal with, deal with present. Present is opportunity. Okay? And then, after making every possible effort, after doing your best to do something, then wait for great opportunity with perseverance. Then fourth is to be generous, to be tolerance. Okay? And then, please throw away.

[55:29]

This is the throw away. Okay? To throw away is not merely to throw away simply. Okay? You have to do four things before you throw away. Isn't it very interesting point? Okay? Zazen is very good. So, Zazen is, Zazen is if you practice all things, all things which I mentioned. Tolerance, perseverance, to watch carefully whatever happens, to see into the depth. Okay? Then, just sit.

[56:30]

All you have to do is to spin, flip. That's all. Nido.

[56:47]

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