In Gyoji, in the middest of life after life, of a hundred thousand corpus, is like the precious jewel in the top knot of Chakravarti. It is in the realm of life and death, undifferentiated from the old mirror. It is a joyful day because it is the power of Gyoji to enjoy, to delight in itself. One who lacks the inspiration of Gyoji and doesn't know the moral of the born of Buddhists and Patriarchs cannot respect their bodies and minds, nor perceive their innate nature.

[01:02]

The enlightenment of Buddhists and Patriarchs is not living or coming, but is unceasingly transmitted by Gyoji each day. Therefore, each day is precious. One of the most important things is that, as mentioned yesterday, we have to be aware

[02:14]

to live with Buddha, or we will have to die with Buddha. Now with Buddha was born, Buddha will die. This is the big quote given to each of us. When you try to understand what life is, as Shakyamuni Buddha very often gave an advice to us, don't see, see life and death objectively, but you have to see life and death like being

[03:22]

in the stream of life and death. In other words, you are always right on the stream, right in the stream of life and death. The way to enable man to be right on life and death is continually to practice each day, to practice Gyoji of each day. This is best way. That's why Dogen says, one day involved in Gyoji in the midst of life after life of a I think it's mentioned yesterday, Katagi was born in this world, carrying Katagi's karma,

[04:35]

cannot get out. Then, maybe I will die carrying my own karma. I'm not, in a sense, I'm not in delicate health, it looks like healthy, being in good health. I looks like maybe being a gentleman, I looks like being a priest, but whatever you say,

[05:41]

I cannot help seeing my own karma, I cannot get out, because my life which exists now here, carrying thousands things since beginningless past, this is my present life. Then sometimes I think of my life, well, I have to, I will have to die carrying my karma. Please help me. Then sometimes, the moment when I study Buddhism, Buddha's teaching, Dogen's Shobo Gendo,

[06:51]

wow, whatever kind of karma I have, don't worry, be happy, my best. Immediately, I think, wow, my karma, I don't want to die, I want to die, I don't want to die. But the other side, I cannot escape, I see, I understand so well, this is ultimate reality, which I cannot escape, the death. So I see, directly, death. Then, the daily life, in my daily life, anyway, I make every possible effort to do Zazen. One of famous Zen master was asked by someone, how old are you?

[07:56]

Well, I am 72 years old. Wow, you are very in good health for your age. Do you have some secret points that you live long? He said, no, I don't have any secret points to live long. All I have to do is to be patient and live. In this world, that's all. This is life. This is life. Then he said, I don't like Zazen, but all I have to do is to do Zazen with patience. It makes me live long, he said. Wow. Have you ever heard this point before?

[08:58]

This is truth. Then I make, anyway, I know so well, you know, this point too. Still, I don't understand, something, there is still something different. Then, anyway, I have to, my life is going on, forward, not backward. So anyway, I have to do Zazen, I have to get up, and I have to give lectures, doing Zazen, whatever you think, with patience. Then sometimes I ask him, why is it you make every possible effort to do Zazen, to give lectures with patience? Then at that time I realized that there is still something, something which is carved into my mind.

[10:10]

Even though it is something which I would like to know, I would like to know what it is. How much people respect the glory of my life, what I have done. Or how much the people look down upon me. After death, even after death, I want to know. My brain tells me, hey, you should know that. If so, I would like to know. That's why I don't want to die. I don't want to die. But after death, I know so well, that it's nothing. But it's very difficult to me, for me, nothing. Then I ask myself, why is it you make every possible effort to do Zazen, to chant sutras, to give lectures, with patience?

[11:22]

It's really nothing. This is my karma. This is my karma. Very strong karma. I think all of you, maybe some of you have the same karma. This is karma. Then maybe until I face directly the death, right now, right here, maybe I will not get out of it, if so. But, whatever kind of karma I have, the Buddha, as Buddha and Patriarch says, one day involved in guilt, is like a precious jewel. So, death, right now, each day is very important.

[12:31]

But we don't understand so well. It's not so easy to understand how important each day, one day is. You know, let's imagine, how much do you know? How much do you know what you are? How much do you know, clearly, your life, in past, in present, in future? How much? Of course you know. You and I know so well, my life, or your life, in past, in present, in future. But, even my life in past, in present, in future, the understanding of my life, in past, in present, in future,

[13:36]

is something created by my experience, by my experience. For instance, there is a desk, for studying. If you see the desk, you know so well why it is desk. But, this desk, how is it? This desk comes into being at present. You can know, you can know, by experience, that there is, the fact which, there is a fact, which the desk exists now. Not only by your, not only by the experience of your own, but also by experience of many peoples, in past.

[14:41]

By the experience of countless, numerous human beings, then we know, yes, this is desk. You can call this table, this board, this stuff, table. Then, anyway, we can understand our lives, in past, in present, in future. How can you understand? What's part of your body? Can you understand past, present, future? The present, the past, the present, the future, what you are thinking, or what you are thinking, belongs to, belong to, where? What's part of your body?

[15:48]

There. Your head, see? This head. Then, through your head, you can arrange your experience, which they are completely chaos. Then you arrange, you try to manage to arrange, and then, you know, this is my life. This is my life in past, in present, in future. So, the past, the present, the future, of what you are thinking, belongs to your head. Then, where is? Where are the past, present, the future of what you are thinking? In the realm of your brain, and also, where is your brain?

[16:54]

Where is your brain? Your brain is here, the present. But this present is also still the present of what you are thinking. Then, this present. So, anyway, the past and the present and the future, three words, triple words, of the past, present, future, are in the noun here. Noun here. This is called present. This is called present. Now, also, this present is, I mentioned before, is still also the sort of conception, what you are thinking.

[17:58]

But to the present, in other words, the vivid present is beyond the present of what you are thinking. In other words, before you think of the present, the vivid present is absolutely in the noun here. In other words, before you think, you are here. Your life is here, right here. So, that's why Zen says, look at the flowers as it is. Look at the flower as it is, before you think. So, in this dimension, there are many things exist, flowers, animals, birds, human beings. Before you think, there are many things. Many things. Then, from this point, from this point, animal is completely equal, equal to human being.

[19:19]

They all exist in the same dimension as human being. But this dimension is questionable, because this dimension is based on what? This is still samsara. Still samsara. Still samsara. Human being, the dimension in which the bird, animal, insect, human being exist, equality, inequality, is still called samsara. But, question is, we always misunderstand, we take samsara for the beauty. That's why you look at the bird, and nature, and animals, you see there, how beautiful.

[20:21]

Being, snake, bird, and ants. Well, yes, it is, they are very beautiful. If you in comparison with the human being, because, unfortunately, human being possess knowledge. Knowledge. To know more than samsara. They want to know more than, more than, something more than samsara. This is knowledge. This is called, in a sense, reason. Sanskrit speaking. Then, even a tree, even a bird, even a rock, even a river, exist. By what? According to what? The same dimension. So called samsara. Sam. In other words, it is so called instinct.

[21:26]

Bird lives instinct, according to the instinct. Live on instinct. Live on the impulse of the instinct. But why is it, why is it the life, the bird's life is very beautiful for human being? Because they don't know something special. Like our human, like our knowledge. The agency of the brain. What human being possess? Because bird and animals, rocks and trees are completely drawn, drawn. Drawn into the samsara. Into the samsara. If you are drawn into the samsara, you don't know. You don't know. You don't know what samsara is. You can't, you can't. The bird and animals, rocks and rivers are completely drawn into the samsara.

[22:38]

Into the same dimension in which many things exist, in equal. But why, why they all will fight each other in the same dimension? In which everything exists in equality, because this dimension is based on samsara. Still samsara. That's why fight. But they don't have any doubt. Just fight. According to the instinct. They don't think, they don't have any doubt. That's why human being, unfortunately human being take the bird life for beautiful. In other words, unfortunately human being misunderstand. No, human being take instinct, impulse of the instinct, the life according to the instinct for the beauty.

[23:43]

Do you understand this point? The... For instance, if you are always in the room, in a room filled with fishy smell. You don't stink of a fish.

[24:49]

And also, you are completely fish at last, fishy. You are completely fishy. Then someone meet you, you stink, you stink of fish. But you don't know. You don't know. It means that you are completely drawn into the fishy world. In other words, if you are drawn into the instinct, impulse of the instinct, you don't know, you don't know what the impulse of the instinct is. How much, how much the instinct works toward you. How much the give great influence to you. How much the instinct is under outside influence. How much you are, how much you are under outside influence.

[25:56]

It's called instinct. You don't know that. It's just the instinct there, here. Fishy. Then Dogen-gen says, if you want to get out of longings and cravings, cravings, you try to be intimate with longings and greedies, cravings. And to be intimate with them is very important. To be intimate with cravings and longings is sometimes you have to get out and look at stinky smell or fishy smell from outside. At that time you can clear total structure of stinky fishy world.

[27:01]

That's why to be intimate. Dogen doesn't say you should be drawn into the instinct. You should be intimate with instinct. It means sometimes you have to get out and look at it. It is at that time how much, how much you are under the outside influence. It's called instinct. In your life. Then you have, wow. I have something should be done. You think so. So, from this point, bird and fish are rotten tree. Have instinct. Then according to the instinct, they leave. But this instinct, understanding of this instinct is little different from the conception of instinct what human being thinks.

[28:13]

Because human being's instinct of what you are thinking is very complicated. Very complicated. Not simple. But the bird and animals of fish and rocks and rivers use completely. Just simple. That's why you feel how difficult. But they are die according to the samsara. Samsara is not the special conception. Samsara is something muddy or frothy or dunk. Or... Yeah. Touchy.

[29:18]

Touchy. Or sticky. Sticky. Samsara is something sticky, muddy, frothy and dunk. This is samsara. This is samsara. If you are drawn into something frothy and muddy and dunk, you can't get out. If you don't have any knowledge agency of the brain, six consciousness, no trouble. No trouble. You can live how beautiful it is. But unfortunately, I'm sorry for him. All of us already agency of six senses and their object.

[30:21]

Not trouble. Not trouble. Not simple. Then the human... But in a sense, this knowledge is very precious. Because this knowledge turn the life based on instinct into the understanding deeply into human being. In other words, this knowledge agency of six senses or eight consciousnesses. Try to know. Try to know clearly. Nothing clearly. Try to know something clearly. Based on no samsara.

[31:28]

Based on nothing muddy or frothy, dunk, sticky, touchy. This is freedom. This is freedom. This is freedom. This freedom doesn't exist far away from samsara. The human... To know. To know something going beyond the life which is waved, waving by the samsara. Even though your life is in the samsara. As well as birds, rock, trees. Yes. Yes. Okay.

[32:39]

I think I see what you're saying. I don't agree with much of it. I feel compelled to say two things. First of all, it seems to me that Prajna is much closer to instinct than it is to reason. And secondly, that we human beings, because we are the most extraordinary thing that has developed on this planet, right here, we tend to always make a big deal of ourselves. As though we're something special. Isn't it wonderful? And my own feeling is I see this in Buddhism, in all the religions. I don't really believe it. I don't think that people are any more special than we are, or have any more... Well, I just don't really see it. Yes. Yes, if you think the whole world...

[33:48]

I agree, and I agree with you. But, try to look at it again. In the living present, in which you are living, consciously, you always create something special. Always create something special. Even a small detail. You think a small detail is not important, but this small detail is very important. That's why we know, we know. The human being is very complicated. That's why Buddha always teach, Buddha's teaching, since 2500 years ago. We don't like so much, sensei.

[34:53]

But, on the other hand, at the same time, we always create samsara. As well as birds, and rocks, trees. If you ignore this samsara, you can't live. You can't live. The important point is how much you, how much you can see into the real reality, so-called real reality of your life, based on samsara. It's not so easy. It's not so easy. Even though you understand, oh yes, this is samsara. Samsara is something that's stinky, or touchy, or fussy, or dirty, and muddy, something like that. And then, did you know samadhi is completely nothing,

[35:58]

muddy, fussy, dunk. Samadhi is completely transparent. Samadhi penetrates you, and trees, and birds, and rivers, and suns, moons, all universe. This is explanation of samadhi. Did you smile? But, I understand so well. Maybe some of you understand so well, but, but, there is, but still I am in samsara. Last question. But, I am still in the samsara. That's why bodhisattva is very careful to practice with patience. But, most of the case, for us, we are, we, if you understand samsara, or Jiju Samadhi, oh yes, that's right, I attain enlightenment.

[37:00]

Then you don't attain enlightenment. You are a poor man. That's the question. Even though you understand samsara, samsara, what samsara is, what Buddha nature is, what Jiju Samadhi is, you should keep in mind that you continually watch carefully your life based on samsara. Because if you ignore samsara, you can't live. You can't live. You have to take care of samsara. Because samsara is Buddha. Samsara turns your life into Buddha. Samsara convinces you of the truth, the world, the so-called Buddha. But, the moment when you understand samsara, or Jiju Samadhi, by what?

[38:02]

By not samadhi itself, not Buddha nature itself. By this. Then, you are. Completely infatuated. You are completely drawn into samsara again. By realization of enlightenment. This is very important point. By realization of enlightenment, by realization of something good and bad, you should be careful, you should keep in mind, keep in mind that we are, have to be drawn into samsara again. This is important. This is real to us. Then, that's why Buddha and Patriarch says, this is karma, you know.

[39:04]

This is Buddha's, Buddha's, this is Patriarch, this is karma, which not only you, but all Patriarchs have. That's why Patriarch practice continually. Whatever kind of karma they have, all of you have. Fortunately, there is ultimate reality that we can be free from samsara completely. Absolutely. What is it? This is the way of Gyoji, of each day. Just one day, just one day. And just moment, Gyoji of the moment. You understand so well, but there is no better way to be free from samsara

[40:07]

than taking, continually taking care of Gyoji of each day. Because how much you know your life, past, present, and future. Can you, can you know so well your past, end, future, in past? Yes, you know. But where is it? Where is it? In present, right now. How much can you know your life in future? Yes, you can know. Where is it? Here. It's here. This way. This way. That's all. Then the question how much you know, how much I know my life in past, in present, in future, is here, right here. That's all.

[41:11]

In other words, one day. One day. In other words, in a moment. Only we can know is just one day. Just one day. This one day and this one day, you cannot be before it. Your life is completely before it. Which you cannot understand, catch you with your hand, in your hand. But before you understand, one day is vivified. The reality which one day is vivified is completely different from life based on instinct. Samsara. Because that's why Shakyamuni Buddha says, don't touch the Samsara, don't touch the Buddha.

[42:17]

Don't touch the Buddha, touch to the Samsara, both. Then raise the way to live based on the complete liberation. In each day. Why don't you do that? That's all. That's why one day involved in Gyoji, in the midst of life, of the life of a hundred thousand countries, is like the precious jewel. One day is very important, very precious jewel. It is in the realm of life and death and differentiated from the old mirror. This way of this way, to be right on the stream of life and death, and differentiated Buddha, from the Buddha, is continually to practice Gyoji of one day.

[43:38]

One day. Then from this one day, you can understand your life in past, in future. How infathomable my life in past is. You can understand. So in the term of total texture of life, this one day is a stream of continuation of no continuation. All you have to do is to completely concentrate on taking care of each day. Also this each day penetrate your life in past, present and future.

[44:48]

This is real thing. Because, this is true, because through this practice you can know. You can know, you can know your life in past, in future, in present. So, if you understand in this point, it is a joyful day because it is the power of Gyoji to enjoy, to delight in self. Gyoji is practice served, performed by Buddha, Patriarchs. The one who lacks the inspiration of Gyoji, and does not know the matter of the born of Buddhas and Patriarchs, cannot respect their bodies and minds, nor perceive their innate nature.

[45:57]

If you don't understand how important, how precious the Gyoji of each day is, you cannot respect Buddha's mind, you cannot respect Patriarch's mind. Also you cannot respect your own mind, your own life. You have to continually hate your life. Yes. Why? Why do you have such a question? Because you have agency of the six senses.

[47:00]

See? Bird don't have. Birds just live according to their instinct. That's all. That's why I said birds, ducks, livers are completely, absolutely drawn into instinct. I use the word drawn, to be drawn. If you are drawn into the liver, you are struggle, bird struggle, but the bird struggle for his life according to just instinct. But you struggle for your life according to the instinct and also something else. It's agency of the six senses. Hmm?

[48:01]

Oh yes, animals and all birds instinct have six senses, but they don't know. They don't know the presence of the six senses, because they are completely drawn into the six senses. They are always fishy. Smell of six senses. They are always, constantly. They don't know. What? But we are sometimes, sometimes we can't get out. We can't get out. Mount Fuji is very beautiful. That's why many people want to climb the mountain. Of course, but in a sense, there is some question.

[49:07]

Why is it you have to climb the mountain? Because if you climb the mountain, you will get tired. Hmm? Why? Well, you say, oh, mountain climbing to climb the mountain is very beautiful. Then you climb the mountain. But only, only when, only, only, only the, when you climb the mountain, excuse me, when you climb the mountain, Mount Fuji, I think you understand what the mountain is. But sometimes you have to get out of the mountain. Otherwise, you can't research what the mountain is. You have to, if you want to climb the mountain, you have to research what the mountain is. What circumstances on the mountain will happen. If you ignore, maybe you will die by the disaster, disasters.

[50:12]

So you have to sometimes get out. Then look at the mountain. And then you will find another new form of the beauty. Wow, how beautiful. Concerning, relating with all circumstances around Mount Fuji. But when you climb the mountain, of course, you can experience directly, directly, or you can relate with Mount Fuji directly. But this is still one side idea. Then sometimes you have to get out. Then you look at the mountain, aha, how beautiful. Then if you want to climb a mountain, you have to see, you have to study the mountain, what the Mount Fuji is. See? So human being can get out. This is very good for us. Fortunately, we can get out.

[51:14]

And sometimes, unfortunately, it is unfortunate. But because the way you get out the mountain, and you believe. The beauty of the mountain, what you can see objectively, is total picture of Mount Fuji. That's misunderstanding. If you want to know total picture of the mountain, sometimes you have to climb a mountain. So I use the drawing into, and to be intimate with. To be intimate with is compassionate, with compassionate feeling. Try to relate with Mount Fuji. Even though you get tired, you have to try to climb sometimes. Even though you don't like, you try to get out.

[52:18]

This is the way of being intimate with Mount Fuji. The being intimate with instinct. What do you think? The human being has to separate himself from himself. And human beings have a lot of trouble. Excuse me. Would you explain again, please? The human being has to separate himself from himself. He has a lot of trouble. That is the basic mistake of the human being. I don't understand that. Sorry. Do you think I can read?

[53:22]

The human being has to separate himself from himself. Outside? Yes, to get out and take a look. And it seems that this, I'm really serious. I need to accept it for myself. I'm not sure what you really want to talk about. No. Concretely speaking, I said to get out. You try to get out sometimes. But the universe... If you take something as an example, it's pretty difficult. Sometimes you misunderstand the main point through the example.

[54:26]

So to be intimate is... Not get out. It means... It's called to deduce money. You try to show the deduce money right now. This is to get out. You try to show the deduce money what you do, Zazen. This is get out. In other words, this is to be intimate, instinct. In other words, to be intimate with instinct is to be able to understand clearer, the total picture of instinct through the actual being in the here and now.

[55:39]

Throwing away the conception of good and bad. In other words, just taking care of one day, each day. This is get out. It doesn't seem to get out, but this is best way. But what you think, get out what you think is to move something from one place to another. It is not get out. It is still something that is still something sticky and muddy. I can't get out. Wow, how wonderful. Immediately it is also samsara. The moment when you say, wow, how wonderful it is, never you turn into the samsara again.

[56:45]

So not move something from one side to another. That's why Shakyamuni Buddha says middle way. Middle way is whatever happens, you stand up. Stand up each day. Continually, full awareness of each day. This is get out. That's why Dogenzin says throw away thinking. Good, bad. Just sit. But if you get out, if you get out in the usual sense, because you create some troubles, but in concrete way of life, anyway, sometimes you have to get out, as I mentioned, if you want to know total picture of the Mount Fuji. Of course you have to get out the Mount Fuji and see Mount Fuji objectively.

[57:51]

But at that time, don't leave Mount Fuji as a whole. When you see Mount Fuji objectively, this is the cause of creating troubles. That's why when you see Mount Fuji objectively, saying how beautiful it is, at that time please be careful. Don't be drawn into it. Be careful. Sometimes try to experience Mount Fuji in different direction. So you can gradually see the total picture of Mount Fuji. For instance, if you see me from this, I think certain form of Katagiri.

[58:56]

If you see from this angle, little bit different form. If you see back, how beautiful it is. If you see me in front, how miserable you are. Even the Buddha statue, if you try to the Buddha statue, don't see just in front. Sometimes you should see the Buddha statue from the different angle. At that time, very wonderful. Wow, beautiful. He's crying now. I have a Buddha carved by one of my friends. The other day I mentioned. That Buddha statue was crying. If you see that just in front of the Buddha, he's crying. But if you see this from this angle, how wonderful, beautiful, very, he feels,

[60:00]

I feel it's very stable, in profitability. So you have to see something from different angle. This is very important. Question from the audience. Include doubt? Doubt is already something which you create. So pure doubt is no doubt. So you always chant no doubt, no nose, no ears. No mouth. So you have to take care of the doubt. Yes, that's all right. But you should know there is another doubt.

[61:01]

Another form of doubt. So-called no doubt. So-called doubt being in pure situation. Without being what you are, not afflicted by doubt. Because many things exist. Doubt, instinct, your emotions, in the same dimension, birds and rocks and sand. Then don't be drawn into the doubt self. Try to watch. If you see the doubt, well, this is doubt. Okay, all right. Keep it warm. Then like a hen. Kitten? Not kitten. Chicken. Chicken.

[62:02]

Like a chicken, which is warm. Keep her eggs warm until it is hatched. When it is hatched, that doubt is no doubt. Because that doubt is completely alive. See? Alive. Saying pew pew pew pew. If you see anything, instinct, emotion, it's not so easy, but step by step. Even like a kitten. Not a kitten. Chicken. Keep her eggs warm. According to the law, each day.

[63:04]

If you ignore this point, it's impossible for her to let her egg hatch. So you have to do. If you see anything, try to keep it warm until it is hatched. So that's why, when it is hatched, there is nothing stinky, or muddy, or dunk floating. Because it's purified. Maybe the problem is, for me, for Nate Prescott, for someone else, that in comparing the animal world with the world of humans, this inevitably invites value judgment.

[64:06]

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