This podcast is offered by the San Francisco Zen Center on the web at www.sfzc.org. Our public programs are made possible by donations from people like you. Good evening. My name is Greg Fang, and I'm the tanto, or head of practice, here in Tassajara. I'm so happy to be here tonight with all of you. more folks than I expected because we're not so full right now. That's right, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. So intimate, quite lovely. I'd like to start by thanking and acknowledging my teacher, Sojin Mo Weizman Roshi, the abbot of Berkeley Zen Center. And I just want to say

[01:02]

that my talk is just to encourage you in your practice. So, it's unusual for me to be doing a Wednesday night talk, actually. So, hi Leslie. Leslie was remarking, it's been a long time since she's heard a talk of mine. So, it's because I'm leading a retreat right now with my dear friend and my yoga teacher, Darcy Lyon. And there she is. Hi, Darcy. This is our fifth year of co-leading retreats. And Darcy's my yoga teacher. So that's how I relate to her. I had for some time before I moved back to Tassajara. So it's really a joy for me to do that. Right now we're doing back-to-back retreats. We'll end one and begin another right away.

[02:03]

As I've been telling the students, 19 guest meals. It's epic. So we've been having a lot of fun. I really enjoy working with Darcy. She's always got something new up her sleeve. She's always got something to amaze me. So in this retreat, she had us breathing with our feet. Yes. And don't ask me to explain that. If you're curious about that, you can ask Darcy later. But believe me, palpably, my feet were breathing. I was breathing with my feet. You just have to take my word for it. That was my experience. The theme of this retreat is, well, the name of the retreat is Dhanaparamita, Cultivating the Generous Heart.

[03:07]

So that's what I'd like to talk about tonight. Generosity, Dhanaparamita, the practice of the perfection of giving. So I thought I'd start with Buddhism, the Buddha, There's lots, lots to say about giving. There are many, many teachings. So I was kind of embarrassed for choice to pick any. Anyway, mostly I want to talk about my own experience, but I couldn't resist. Besides, look at this thing. That's intense, huh? If that fell on your head, you'd really have Kensho. Big book. This, of course, is the Samyutta Nikaya, the connected discourses of the Buddha, translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi.

[04:15]

What a guy. What a monk. And the first part of the Samyutta Nikaya, the connected discourses, The first part is called the Sagatavaga, the book with verses. The beginning of it is all discourses that include verses. And when I read the verses, I hear singing. And the first chapter is the... It's called the Devata Samyuta, which is the chapter with the Devas. Now, Devas are kind of like angels. The word Deva comes from the same Indo-European root as divinity.

[05:17]

So they're like these celestial beings. People think that the really far-out sutras are... like the Mahayana scriptures, like Lotus Sutra and Flower Ornament Sutra. But hey, here we have, you know, you think the Pali Canon is dry? Not so, Subuddhi. Not always so. Parts of it are pretty trippy. Pretty trippy. So here's this chapter with the Devas. And what do the Devas do? They come and visit the Buddha and his assembly in the Jedha Grove, and they sing. They sing to the Buddha, and they sing praises, and they sing instruction, and they kind of affirm the Dharma, and the devas have a lot to say about generosity, or sing. To me, when I'm reading these verses, I hear singing. Ahem.

[06:20]

On one occasion, the Blessed One was dwelling at Savati, In Jetta's Grove, Anattapindika's Park. Then, when the night had advanced, the devas always come at night. Kind of like those foxes. Y'all did hear that, right? Trippi, speaking of trippi. I couldn't stop smiling when I came in. I said, let them do the Dharma talk. Anyway, the devas always come at night. Then, when the night had advanced, a number of devatas belonging to the Satalupa host of stunning beauty. Oh, yeah. Okay. So, excuse me. Stunning beauty. Devatas, Bhikkubori explains very kindly. He says that although the word is feminine gender, the word devata is feminine.

[07:26]

devas can be male or female, or sometimes it's unspecified or not clear at all and doesn't really matter. In other words, devas are free to be any gender expression they choose, just like humans. It's just something we've been studying this summer. So I thought that was pretty cool. But they're beautiful. They're always beautiful. A number of devatas belonging to the Satalupa host of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jedha's grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Then one devata, standing to one side, recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One. Through stinginess and negligence a gift is not given.

[08:32]

One who knows desiring merit should surely give a gift. Then another Devata recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One. That which the miser fears when he does not give is the very danger that comes to the non-giver. The hunger and thirst that the miser fears afflict that fool in this world and the next. I'm just getting started. At Savati. Then, when the night had advanced, a number of devatas belonging to the Satalupa host, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jedha's grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Then one devata, standing to one side, uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One. Good is giving, dear sir.

[09:35]

Through stinginess and negligence, a gift is not given. One who knows desiring merit should surely give a gift. Good is giving, dear sir, and further, even when there's little, giving is good. Some provide from what little they have. Others who are affluent don't like to give. An offering given from what little one has is worth a thousand times its value. That's a nice teaching from the devas. Does that remind you of anything? I was raised up Presbyterian, so I went to Sunday school. And Jesus of Nazareth, when they were, he was observing people making offerings in the temple. And there was this woman who came and she only had two coins. And Jesus said, she gave more than all the rest of them.

[10:37]

Because that's all she had. Somebody really should do like an opera. Sometimes the Buddha sings back. A devata. Giving what does one give strength? Giving what does one give beauty? Giving what does one give ease? Giving what does one give sight? Who is the giver of all? Being asked, please explain to me the blessed one. Giving food, one gives strength. Giving clothes, one gives beauty. Giving a vehicle, one gives ease. Giving a lamp, one gives sight. The one who gives a residence is the giver of all. But the one who teaches the Dhamma is the giver of the deathless. That's the Buddha.

[11:45]

Dhanaparamita, the perfection of giving, the word paramita, as we all know, has this dual etymology that is constantly, for eons, people have pointed this out, that the word comes from parami, meaning perfection, and also param, meaning crossing over, ita, the one who crosses, the one who has crossed over. So it has this meaning of perfection and has this meaning of crossing over, crossing over to the other shore, crossing from samsara to nirvana, from confusion to clarity, from suffering to liberation, from duality to non-duality. So, you know, when I say crossing from duality to non-duality, I get a little stuck.

[12:50]

Because, well, isn't that also duality? And then Sojun Roshi says, like, well, you have your one foot on each shore. Or Suzuki Roshi says, you cross with every step. With every step, you cross over. I was in San Quentin teaching a class about the paramitas, and it was just me and a bunch of the guys, and I asked them, how do you understand the other shore? What do you think is meant by the other shore? And two of the guys just pointed at the ground. They just pointed at the floor in San Quentin. I was like, whoa. Okay. Pretty strong practice. The other shore is right here. So, I think the difference between Japanese Zen and American Zen as it's developing, as I see it these days, is...

[14:11]

Japanese Zen, they just do it. Here's the practices, just do them. And in American Zen, we're just doing it too. We're doing the same practices, but we're explaining them all day long. Explain, explain, explain. So lately I've been thinking that American Zen is very explainee Zen. It's explainee Zen. So... Actually, when I was head monk, they had this ceremony where everybody asked the head monk a question. And Sojourner Roshi said, don't explain anything. Just respond. But, sorry, tonight I think I'm going to try to do a little explaining. Because I just think that's the flavor of American Zen. So I'm going with it. As I see it, the way I see it, Donna Paramita, is the first in the list of six. The other practices that bodhisattvas, awakening beings, do are practice of morality, practice of great patience or forbearance, a practice of energy or stick-to-itiveness, the practice of meditation, and wisdom.

[15:35]

So there's a list of six. I think I named all six. Correct me if I'm wrong. Dhanah is first. The practice of giving is first. And I think that's for two reasons. Well, anyway, two that I can think of tonight. The first is, it's the easiest. Anyone can give. Anyone can practice giving. It's very basic. The Buddha has so much to say about giving. And he says, actually... Even if your giving is unskillful, even if you're bumbling about it, even if you're doing it from totally self-centered motivation, you're still giving. You're still giving. And it's still worth it. It's still meritorious. And then you can practice from there. You can go from there. And you can continue to practice with it. So you don't get a chance to practice with it if you don't do it. And anyone can do it.

[16:37]

It's a practice that can be taken up immediately. And the second reason and why I think actually I hesitate to say it's the most important of the six paramitas because they all inform each other. But it's the most important. Gee, I didn't hesitate very long. It's the most important because You can't do any of the others without a generous heart. If you don't have a generous heart, you can't do the other practices. You can't do them. You can't really do them unless you have a generous heart. Giving is an immediate way to deal with the problem of feeling separate. When I give a gift, I feel less separate. I feel more connection. Thich Nhat Hanh says, we should have gifts all wrapped up and ready to go.

[17:41]

Just keep them somewhere in the house. Just have something. It's already gift wrapped. So if you have a hard time with somebody or there's someone you're holding a grudge against, you're ready. You just grab one, give them the gift. It's immediate and immediately there's connection. And it's an expression of connection. when you're feeling separate. Classic Buddhist teachings say there's three kinds of giving. There's three things that are given by bodhisattvas. Anyway, Buddhism is nothing but lists. It's all lists. So, you know, three categories of things. Material goods, the teaching, and non-fear. So material goods are further categorized to things like food.

[18:46]

That's good. That's a good thing to give. Food and drink. Clothing. That's a good thing to give. They say medicine, shelter, transportation. The list goes on. Sometimes they talk about giving jewels you know, which I think this is kind of more to do with cultivating intentions. They also talk about some scriptures, some sutras talk about giving body parts or your whole life, you know, organs. I don't think many people, although some people have given a kidney to a total stranger or bone marrow to a total stranger. That does happen. But usually they say for monks, monks don't have much. Monks are pretty poor, so they don't give material things much. Although the spread of Buddhism through Southeast Asia was greatly abetted by medicine.

[19:56]

So that was something the monks did have to give that the people didn't have, was healing arts. So they did give medicine. and it helped to spread Buddhism through all these little kingdoms and tribes throughout early Southeast Asia but mostly what the Buddhist practitioners historically what they give is teaching they give the teaching and like the Buddha said The greatest gift of all is the gift of the Dhamma. And then non-fear. How do you give non-fear? Well, it's something I've been thinking about a lot. And I think the way to give non-fear is to...

[21:01]

give your presence to be non-reactive. It doesn't mean you're not sympathetic. It doesn't mean you're cold as ice, but you're not reactive. You don't give in to fear. So the classic story is actually this is the mudra of non-fear right here. If you see a statue of the Buddha holding his hands like this, That's the mudra of non-fear. And apparently a bull elephant in must was charging the Buddha, coming straight at him. And he was just like, hi. It's cool. Cool. You cool? And the elephant was like, OK. I'm cool. No problem. No problem, you know.

[22:03]

To not be reactive, to be okay. I'm okay. Oh, I can be okay too. Oh, this person is pretty calm, pretty equanimous. He's just meeting me right where I am. No problem. Hmm. Sojin Roshi says, don't take offense even if it's offered. That's how to give non-fear. You can give that. Something you can do for people. Cultivating presence. Not being reactive. This is, well, a part of what's happening when we sit zaza. You know? As Leslie once said, when we sit, it's like we're making a tiny vow to not move for 40 minutes.

[23:12]

We're making a little vow just to stay there, just to stay put and be present for whatever's happening. And doing that, when we do that, we're cultivating that capacity to be present for what's happening. And when you can be present with your stuff, your stuff, all your stuff, yourself, your constructed self, all your, you know, I don't have to tell you, because if you sat one period of Zaza and you already know, when you can do that, then you can be much more ready to sit down with someone else and really be there for them, I think. Anyway, that's what I think. That which the miser fears when he does not give is the very danger that comes to the non-giver.

[24:14]

One of my favorite books of all time is Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens. And in that book, there's this guy who got rich by collecting all of London's garbage. He is very wealthy and he dies leaving, well, apparently his sole heir is dead. But I don't want to be like, you know, what do they call it? What's the expression? Spoiler alert. Spoiler alert. Anyway, he's intestate. And so his fortune goes to a sort of caretaker on his estate. There's this sweet, bumbling guy named Nadi Boffins. And Nadi and his wife.

[25:21]

And there's a young woman who is kind of a gold digger. And she's beautiful. And she's supposed to marry the guy who everyone thinks is dead. That doesn't happen. And she's spoiled and coquettish and doesn't know what she's going to do. And Nadi and his wife say, well, we'll take you in. You can live with us. And she's really a piece of work. And so Nadi Boffin's, a big part of the book is he pretends to be a miser, this sweet little guy. Now he's rich and he becomes a miser. He becomes, like, obsessed. And he's reading all these books about famous misers in English history. And he gets worse and worse and worse. And he scares the bejesus out of Bella Wilford. Poor Bella's like, you're freaking me out, you know?

[26:24]

I mean, it goes on a long time. And all his friends, they're like, now he's going crazy. And he becomes this really scary miser. who's just like, stay away, don't touch my stuff, this is mine, and it just gets more and more and more tight and crazy. That's what people do. Sometimes. Sometimes. I don't think rich people are happy. They're just always worried about taking care of their stuff. and they have security guards and have to live in a different world. But the thing is, we don't live in different worlds. You might be the 1%, but there's really just 100%. There's only 100%. When the rain falls, it don't fall on one man's house.

[27:24]

We all breathe the same air. In our meal chant, We say, let's realize the emptiness of the three wheels, giver, receiver, and gift. They're empty. What do I mean by empty? I mean we live in interdependence. That's the only way we live. And if you don't see that, you're going to suffer like naughty boffins apparently was. You're going to tighten up around I, me, and mine. Seeing emptiness is seeing interdependence, seeing that my health, my prosperity, my good fortune, my safety, that which the miser fears when he does not give is the very danger that comes to the non-giver.

[28:28]

I have no safety independent of your safety. It's interdependent. To the extent that you can see that, you can let go and you can practice generosity. When you practice generosity, you can do the other practices. So, looping back to the last talk I gave, People often ask, what has this practice we're doing out here in the middle of the woods got to do with social justice, quagmire wars, environmental degradation, anthropogenic climate change? And I say it has everything to do with it. Seeing how we live interdependently, how my safety is not separate from your safety.

[29:39]

It has everything to do with it. When Zenju Earthland Manuel brought her study week, People of Color Study Week, to Tassajara, and they said goodbye in work circle, I wish that everyone who's ever been a work practice student or a monk at Tassahara could have been at that work circle that morning. One person in particular who told me I could mention her by name, her name was Lynn, an older woman, First time she'd ever been to Tassajara in work circle saying goodbye, she said, you are doing so much good for the world. And something about the way she said it just went right into me.

[30:46]

The secret to Zen practice is to stay with it. The way to stay with it is to do it as an offering. Your practice is for others. If your practice is self-centered, it's not sustainable. Your practice is for others. This is the enactment of those wacky, crazy bodhisattva vows, this is what it means to live as a bodhisattva in training. As they say in the 12-step work, you have to give it away in order to keep it. You have to give it away in order to keep it. I don't really see an option there.

[32:07]

So thanks for your attention. Yeah, that's all I got to say. If anybody has a question, there's a minute or two I could take a question or somebody wants to share something. Please. Yes, Pitaka? The Buddha is singing? Do you want me to sing it again? The one who teaches the Dhamma is the giver of the deathless. Yes, Lars. I don't think this is for foxes.

[33:14]

I think they're western screen shells. Oh. But I have a question. Thank you. That's much more important. Now, what's your question? Well, I had a situation where I had two old friends and I led many backpacking trips with with my old friend. And I was invited to their house on a whim when there was a big garbage tube. And that night, later that night, her sister stole them from my home. And I massaged my friend Van the next day, he's got a condition, and drove him home, and then they invited me to dinner the following night. And as we cleaned the plates, they looked at me across the table and said, we know you stole our purse. at their state. And I said, you know, absolutely not. I would never steal money. And then as time went on, I became enraged and left in a rage and left my cell phone.

[34:21]

I go back and got my cell phone and then gave me some more rage. And then I wrote rageful anger and rageful letters to them. And I said, you know, if you tell people that I'm a thief, I will I'll sue you. Does that make me a miser? No. I hear what you're saying on keeping these gifts to give to those who create Shempa with me. It's a nice thing. And getting back to them. I'm not quite sure how to unwind the situation like that in a way that is the passion. Yeah. You know that you've done no wrong.

[35:30]

So you can rest easy there. you can give them the gift of non-reactivity. Like when Zen Master Hakuin was accused of this woman who had a baby out of wedlock, she said, he's the daddy. And he didn't get angry. He didn't say, no, I'm not. He just said, is that so? Yeah, especially driving. Don't drive under the influence of rage. You might create more karma. Well, it's 9.20, so we should call it a night.

[36:36]

Thank you very much for your attention. Good night. Thank you for listening to this podcast offered by the San Francisco Zen Center. Our Dharma Talks are offered free of charge and this is made possible by the donations we receive. Your financial support helps us to continue to offer the Dharma. For more information, visit sfcc.org and click giving.

[36:58]

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