In this session, I would like to continue to deal with the same subject of Shobo Kenzo. I did in the last session, one of the chapters in Shobo Kenzo was Zenki in Japanese. Dynamic, a total dynamic working, a total dynamic working.

[01:05]

In the first sentence, Dogen says a very important point of Buddhism. In the culmination of its quest, the great way of all Buddhists is emancipation and realization. Before my lecture goes further, I would like to make a little more remarks of this point.

[02:22]

The great way of Buddhists is emancipation and realization. In the original text, emancipation is used by Dogen's own technical word. Transparent emancipation. In this translation, he just says the great way of all Buddhists is emancipation and realization. But transparent emancipation is very important. Emancipation is very different from transparent emancipation.

[03:24]

Transparent is pronounced Toru in Japanese. As a word, Tsuki Toru, Tsuki Toru. You know, you understand so well what transparency is. You can see something through the grass. You can see something which is outside through the grass. It is sort of transparent.

[04:37]

You say that grass is transparent. Or you can see the bottom of the river. Through the water, as clear as crystal. You can see the bottom. Through the water. At that time, you say this water is clear. As clear as crystal. In other words, it is sort of transparent. The state of water is transparent. That's why you can see the bottom of the river. This is common sense. What the word transparency has.

[05:44]

From this point, in this respect, our interest is to get something like an idea. Which is existent. Outside from you. So it is called transparency. But actually transparency doesn't exist. As a conception, as a concept. The concept of transparency you understand is something substantial. Through which you can see something.

[06:56]

For instance, it is like it seems that you are in the house. With in the house made by glazed wall. Glazed wall. Glazed window. Even though you are inside of the house. Everybody can see you from outside. Because glass is completely transparent. One of the psychologists made an experiment.

[08:12]

To put the cat in a small house with a glazed window. Then it seems that the cat is completely separate from the outside. But unfortunately the wall is made by the glass. A cat can be seen by everybody who exists outside. Then as a result, psychologists found some resolution. Well, if man or any kind of animal is put in a box or a house with glazed window.

[09:13]

Any kind of animals or human being will at last be crazy. Because there is no place to be content, to rest in peace. It seems to you that you are completely separate from the outside, from others. The inside of the box is very peaceful in a sense. But unfortunately glass is completely transparent. Then when you become transparent, or everybody wants to become transparent. Because the outside is not transparent. Very complicated. That's why you want to sometimes go to the heart of the mountain, because the mountain is very transparent.

[10:26]

You are completely in a house, which is transparent. So you can project your mind into anything. Trees, birds, rivers, the murmuring of the river. It seems comfortable. But transparency mentioned by Dogen is not something like that. Even though you become transparent, your life becomes transparent. Dogen doesn't want you to become crazy. Like a cat in a box with glazed glass window.

[11:30]

When you say transparent, when transparent is pronounced, as the Japanese Toru. Toru has two meanings. One is to be transparent, which enables you to see anything through the water as clear as crystal. The other one is, transparency is to move lively. A lively emotion, to be transparent is to be in lively emotion. That is very important. So transparency is not merely transparency you understand.

[12:36]

Transparency must be alive, must be moved lively. Between the bottom of the river and the water, as clear as crystal. When transparency completely be alive, is alive, vividly. You can see the bottom, you can see the bottom of the river. When the transparency which the water itself possesses, is alive, vividly. You can see the bottom, through the water as clear as crystal. So at that time, transparency is not merely conception. In other words, transparency enables water to emancipate.

[13:45]

Transparency enables water to be free from water. Transparency makes water as clear as crystal, be free from water as clear as crystal. At that time, water is really alive. And this water enables you to see the bottom of the river. Also, the bottom of the river completely becomes one with the water. This is transparency. The Dogen says, the great way of all Buddhas is transparent emancipation and realization.

[15:00]

Transparent emancipation. Emancipation is not some conception which you can get in your hand, in your intellect. Because even the conception of the transparent or the emancipation, are both is the conception which is alive, vividly, moment after moment. This is transparency or emancipation. Now when transparency enables water as clear as crystal, be free from the water as clear as crystal. The water is called emancipating water. Emancipating water.

[16:02]

Emancipating water is water which is alive vividly moment after moment. How can you get something in your hand, in your intellect? From this point, transparency, emancipation is not something like a glass. Through what you can see something, object. Transparent emancipation points out something which is alive, vividly. And also Dogen says, emancipation, the way of all Buddhas is emancipation and realization.

[17:12]

Realization in other words, manifestation. Manifestation. So transparent emancipation is not merely conception, concept, which you can get with your intellect. Because transparent emancipation is equal to manifestation in life. So transparency, emancipation is your life now. Which is alive now, moment after moment. So Dogen divides the meaning of the great way of all Buddhas into two points. One is transparent emancipation and realization or manifestation.

[18:16]

But it's not two. They are not two. Transparent emancipation is equal, identical with manifestation in your life. What you do with that then? In this respect, your Dogen must be transparent.

[19:24]

Through which you can see the self. You also must be transparent. Through which you can see the Zen unity. In Fukanza Zengi, Dogen says, Zazen is to think the unthinkable. How can we? How can we think the unthinkable? When you think, when you concentrate on your breath, in Zazen, you realize that there are two things.

[20:33]

One is you, who do Zazen. The other one, Zazen, you do. All breath, you take care of. There are two things. In the realm of thinking, whatever you do, you are in a dualistic world. Zazen, you. But Dogen says, think the unthinkable. How can we think the unthinkable?

[21:36]

When you concentrate on breathing, through and through, every moment, in a moment, you realize you forget yourself. Who is concentrating on breathing? What you would do? Completely you forget yourself. Yesterday, Joshin-san, Buddhist nun, came to my room and explained his experience. Before he became a Zen priest, he practiced under the Rinza, under the famous Zen master, Radha Roshi. That time, she was given a koan,

[22:46]

the same as you do. The question was Mu, nothing. Then she was thinking what Mu is, again and again in Zazen, but she didn't understand. One moment, during Zazen, Roshi explained, Roshi started to talk. That time he said, Mu become Mu. You can't become Mu. Mu become Mu. That time she attained, like, what are they? Then after that, she didn't notice

[23:50]

what she would do, what she was doing. Even when Zazen was over, she just sat on the tan. Everybody stood up, but she just sat on the tan. Then Godo Roshi was concerned about her. Well, why should I take her? He wanted to tell her, now, Kihin, now the time to Kihin, to do Kihin. But he was reluctant to tell her, because her Zazen is completely Zazen, complete Zazen. Then he asked Roshi, Radha Roshi, what should I do? Radha Roshi said,

[24:53]

let her leave, let her go. Then, I don't know how long she did Zazen. At that time, her aunt also attended Zazen. She was also concerned about her, what's happening. Then the aunt, a little later, tapped her shoulder. It's time to stand up. It's time to stand up and walk. Then she was awakened up.

[25:56]

Then her aunt took her to the Roshi's room. Let's get the dogs out. Then Radha Roshi said, what's happening with you? What did you experience? She said, I didn't know, I didn't know what happened. But I didn't know what I am doing. I forgot myself. I forgot my Zazen. I don't know why I am sitting without walking meditation. Then Radha Roshi gave her Inca to her. You are enlightened. She gave her a sort of certificate.

[27:07]

You are enlightened man, enlightened woman. But after that, she thought, well, she felt funny. She wanted from the bottom of her heart to get the religious faith. But through her experience, so-called enlightened lady, who was given certificate from Zen master, in this respect, religious faith seems to be a examination, school examination you have to pass.

[28:09]

Then she felt funny. Why? If religious faith is something like that, it's really nonsense. I don't want. That's very great point. But, I don't mean, I don't mean the passing examination, so-called passing the question, is not something wrong. I don't mean that. It is all right. But even though you pass the examination of the koan, the story of life is not over. Because suffering is suffering. Pleasure is pleasure. Nose is nose.

[29:15]

Ear is ear. If you cut even the slightest on your fingers, immediately you find the blood coming out of your fingers. Wow! Blood. And before you are conscious of the blood, presence of blood, you say, Ouch! From which? From which does this ouch come? That's the question. This is life. This is life. Life is not the koan. What you have to pass, examination, like examination. So when you do that, when you concentrate on breathing through and through,

[30:19]

even one moment, slightest moment, you realize that you forget completely. Your breathing, concentration on breathing. Concentration on... You forget concentration on... What can I say? There is no thinking. No thinking. The negative expression in the word, in a word, unthinking, is not merely a negative expression. Which means to diffuse or to get rid of. Negative expression, whatever, in Buddhism

[31:23]

implies to be free from. To be free from you, whatever you do. To be free from the Zen, to be free from concentration. When you concentrate on breathing, to be free from breathing, to be free from concentration. At that time, concentration, at that time you may say, concentrate on no breathing. Or concentrate on no concentration. Because when you become completely one with concentration, there is no concentration. Because you are completely become one with concentration. But unfortunately, your intellect is very sharp. Unfortunately. The moment when you become one with concentration,

[32:27]

your intellect starts to work. Wow, I got. But it's too late. It's not become one. It's not be transparent. So how can I explain that situation? When you become one with concentration, which means no concentration. In a sense, of course you concentrate. It is the state of your activity is called concentration. But you may not say your concentration is concentration because you are completely become one. So your concentration may be called you.

[33:30]

If so, there is the you which, you who exists clearly, separate from concentration, this is you, this is I. I don't think so. You forget completely yourself and concentration. So there is nothing to point out. This is concentration. This is you who concentrates on breathing. Okay? Because concentration and you are both completely transparent. Transparent. You can see the bottom of the concentration of the river. Bottom of the concentration. You can see. Okay? Through the transparency,

[34:41]

you can see the bottom of the concentration. You can see. And also, the bottom of the concentration can see you. Who do the zen. Through the transparency. How can I call? How can I put? How can I insert? Do you think there is? There is any sort of germination of idea so-called concentration, so-called the zen, so-called you who do the zen. I don't think so. When you become one with concentration, you cannot say you are you.

[35:43]

Or you cannot say concentration is called concentration. You cannot say your concentration is concentration. That's why you concentrate. If you may say, there is some expression in word. It says, concentration, concentrate on no concentration. That's why Zen Master says, you cannot become mu. Mu become. This is very important point. And at that time,

[36:46]

Dogen Zen says, how can we think? How can we concentrate no concentration? How can we think? How can we think the unthinkable? You can say, can you say, can you say I am thinking? Can you say, can you say I think the unthinkable? I don't think so. Can you say I realize the unthinkable? Can you think that you realize the thinking? I don't think so. So at last,

[37:51]

there is something left behind, so-called how. How can I? How can I concentrate on no concentration? How can I do that in improper way? Always question how. But question this how is always point out the life itself, life itself which is alive vividly. Oneness with your life, with concentration, with Dogen. So, consider again and again

[38:57]

what Buddhism is. From this point, Buddhism is not some principle of religion, your life. Also, also, I mention very often, Buddhism is to learn the self which is original nature of the self. Why? Zazen is called Kike Onza,

[39:58]

Kike Onza. Enable you to return to original house. This original house is life force based on transparent emancipation and manifestation of its own. This is our life force. Life force is the core of life which sustain your life, daily life, regardless of whether you like, dislike. That's why Buddha says you are Buddha. You are Buddha. If you become, if you realize you are Buddha,

[41:00]

you must be patient, OK? You must be patient. That's why Shakyamuni Buddha continue to tell you for 25,000 years, you are Buddha, you are Buddha, you are Buddha. This Buddha is not conception of the absolute which control your life from the heaven. I don't think so. The absolute in Buddhism is life force based on transparent emancipation and realization of manifestation. If so, even though you don't understand, you should keep in mind your life, source of your life is life force which means transparent emancipation and it is completely equal to manifestation.

[42:03]

If so, even though you don't understand, you must be transparent, whatever you do. When you do Zazen, you must be transparent in Zazen. When you eat, you must be transparent in eating. When you bar, you must be transparent in eating. You must be transparent in bar. At that time, the one bowing, the Buddha bowed. Both nature, no nature. When you walk, you must be transparent in walking. When you talk, you must be transparent in talking. When you give a lecture,

[43:08]

you must be transparent in giving lecture. But if there is even the slightest so-called drag in the bottom of my mind, I hate, I hate immediately that drag, make me hate lecture, make me hate Zazen, make me hate my life, make me hate my Zen priest. Of course, of course I have, I have carried my own karma since beginningless past. Yes, that's right. So I am sorry for Katagi. Even though you think,

[44:12]

I don't like, I don't like my life, I don't like my Zazen, I don't like Zen Buddhism. Of course, I don't like Zazen, I don't like Zen Buddhism. Because Zen Buddhism always crazy me, you know. The moment, every time I am asked by the people, students, I always confused. What can I say? Because everything, life is very clear, very clear, nothing mysterious, nothing obscure, very clear, very clear. That's it, you know. This is my life. In terms of, in the line of my karma, you have, Katagi has my own karma. It is very clear, nothing mysterious. But when I, when I try to know

[45:19]

what the karma is, okay, this trying to know it make me crazy, you know. Make me create some dregs, some dregs, and leave me in confusion. But, if I accept, if I accept fully my karma without leaving any dregs, hate or love, very clear, very clear. Katagi, you have bad karma. Oh, that's right. It's not necessary to say, I'm sorry for Katagi. It's not necessary, I'm very happy to have my own karma. It's not necessary. Well, if so,

[46:20]

if there is nothing obscure, or unclear, very clear, very clear. But when, only when you, only when your interest cannot reach towards the core of life, you say, okay, it is mysterious. It is mysterious. But the core of life is very clear, okay, very clear. Don't worry about it. You should keep in mind, only when your interest cannot reach towards the core of life, it is called mysterious, mystery. Obscure, something obscure. But the core of life is very clear, very clear. So,

[47:24]

students always ask me what Buddhism is. The question always makes me confused, because there is nothing to tell you. It's very simple. When you do Dazen, all you have to do is to be transparent. Keep transparent. That's all. Why don't you be transparent? In Dazen, when you eat, you must be transparent. In eating, that's all. But you can't do so, because you have karma, since beginningless past. And also, the moment when you realize this karma, you completely create some dreads, so-called, wow, this bad karma. It's always rolling, you know.

[48:29]

It's sort of a snowball rolling on the top of the hill. This snowball is becoming bigger and bigger, bigger and bigger. The moment when you realize your own karma in Dazen, good, not good, not bad, all you have to do is through and through, coherently, be transparent in Dazen. In other words, plunge into Dazen. Sometimes, there is a beautiful story of the schoolteacher who saved schoolchildren from his drowning in the water. Without thinking, without unthinking, OK? Immediately, she saved a child.

[49:30]

Then, she tried to save the second child who was about to drown into the water. She tried to save that time second child, and teacher was killed by flood. This is very beautiful. You cannot say that human action is beautiful or not beautiful. How can I explain this? There is no word to appraise, to admire her actions. But, this, her actions make human nature

[50:32]

warm. OK? Warm. Feel relief, because there is no dread. So, cold thinking or unthinking, just plunge into warmth. Warmth. Water. And saved. For you, it's not necessary to plunge into the water. OK? To save you from drowning. It's not necessary to plunge into the water. All you have to do is to plunge into zazen. OK? Zazen. In zazen, please, don't insert any germination of desire. So cold, such as I want to attain enlightenment, or how terrible karma,

[51:32]

how wonderful zazen is, all are dreads. All are germination of desires. They are very busy. It's not necessary to create busyness in zazen. Only in zazen you should be. You should be not busy. Just plunge into zazen. Plunge into zazen is not something like impulse. Impulse of affective, human affective motion. No, no. OK? The plunge into zazen is motivated by not something the human

[52:34]

affective impulse, but by something more than that. Like a school teacher. She saved immediately. That chance doesn't come so often in your daily life. One of my sisters was killed in the river in Osaka. That time one guy saw my sister being about to drown into the water. Then he immediately took off her clothes and then he stopped jumping into the water. Then at last my sister was killed. Such occasion like a school teacher doesn't come so much

[53:36]

in your daily life. It's very, very beautiful. But in zazen you can get the death chance occasion to plunge into. But what makes you plunge into zazen? It's something more than human affective impulse. What you can't distinguish it is good, it is beautiful story of human life or not. This is zazen. But Faye Dugan then says the great way of all Buddhas is transparent emancipation and realization, manifestation. All of very big scale

[54:36]

of human life please take care of your life. All Buddha. Buddha gave a chance to become Buddha now. I didn't understand. Of course you don't understand. I think so. But I did. I did it. So did so did I in my past. Master says Buddha was born as Buddha Buddha lives as Buddha the Buddha dies as the Buddha. I didn't understand completely. What did he say? What's prophets mean? That statement what does that statement prophets mean? It's really nonsense because my interest

[55:38]

look at my karma that's all. So called telescope of kataki it's pretty hard to see the Buddha. But it's all right. It's all right. You do zazen continue to do zazen. Zazen doesn't awake you who has Buddha who is Buddha Buddha awakes you who is Buddha Buddha convinces convinces you of being Buddha. Dogen then says to raise to raise body mind body mind a way-seeking mind

[56:39]

a way-seeking mind is regardless of you understand your life the core of life is body mind the way-seeking mind is absolutely to continue to plant into your life becoming transparent moment after moment. At that time your stomach will be full. You will realize full of your stomach. Then at that time you stop naturally eating food eating desires eating the enlightenment eating the karma eating the delusions. If you miss this point

[57:42]

life after life you have to be confused. Buddha gives Buddha gives great chance great opportunity to become transparent into your life. Please take care of your life. Please take care of your life.

[58:14]

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