I think I made a promise with you to give a lecture about the Buddhist law. Extracting some passages from one of the chapters of Shobo Genzo which explains the ten excellent merits of Buddhist law.

[01:08]

So at any cost, I have some responsibility to finish describing the subject of Buddhist law. Perhaps I may stay in San Francisco during September, maybe. So before I go down to the Sahara, I will have to finish the explanation of Buddhist law. According to some passages extracted from Shobo Genzo,

[02:23]

the Dogen Zenji quoted those passages from one sutra entitled Shinchi Kangyo. I think the other day I explained the meaning of Shinchi Kangyo. The Kangyo is sutra. Shin is mind. Chi is the earth. Kan is contemplation. Contemplation. Deep contemplation. So in the same, I explained the meaning of Shinchi Kan.

[03:34]

Or contemplation, deep contemplation of mind, which is called the earth. Quoting some paragraphs which occur in the same sutra, it explains the all sentient beings according to this paragraph which occurs the chapter which is called Kanji Bon, Kanjin.

[04:38]

The contemplation of mind. This is Kanjin. To see the mind. To insight the mind. This is Kanjin. Bon means the chapter. Which occurs the chapter titled the Kanjin. According to this sutra, this chapter, the everything, all sentient beings have the same mind as human beings possess. From this point, Buddhism puts stress on the principle of the mind only.

[05:46]

The mind only. So not only human beings but also all sentient beings possess the mind, the same function of the mind as human beings possess. It's as if all of you are called American, whoever you are, as long as you have got the right of the American citizen, including babies, all men and women, young men and women, whoever or whatever kind of races you are belong to,

[06:56]

American, German, Japanese, all of us should be called men without any exceptions. Without any exceptions. The Sunday, on the last Sunday, I mentioned about the very interesting matter which all sentient beings possess, the mind, or Buddha nature. Taking the interesting subject which researched by one of American scholars,

[08:07]

I don't know his name clearly, he is the president of the school which they teach how to use lie detector. A kind of machine. Lie detector, do you know that? Lie detector. How to use? How to use a lie detector to examine a suspected criminal. Because the skin of a human being shows very subtle reaction.

[09:15]

When human beings are completely faced with a crisis of life, so a lie detector is very quick to catch this reaction shown on the human skin. When it is faced with the crisis of life. Four years ago, in 1966, in May, he tried to test to see if how the trees and grass shows reaction

[10:32]

when he is faced with a crisis of his life. But at that time, he didn't have any purpose. Without any reason, he tried to, he is interested in seeking for the reaction of the trees, grass. Then he tried to put the electric wire, he tried to hook the electric wire on the leaves, the leaves of a cactus. And then, naturally,

[11:39]

he looked at the gauge. Before he was aware of how it shows reaction. But the end of the gauge vibrated very quickly and sharply and strongly. And his curiosity increased more and more. How wonderful it is. He discovered something. Then he tried to test again and again,

[12:56]

using any kind of trees or grasses. And he says, if there are two parts of the plant, the two plants planted in a pot, in front of you, and try to pull one of them out of the pot, this man found that the other showed very strong emotions of anger.

[14:01]

So the handle of the gauge moves quickly and rapidly, strongly. Then he says, since he saw such a reaction from the plant, he made a rule to give more equally. Equally. Because he doesn't want the plant to, what do you call it,

[15:10]

the emotion of envy or anger. So he always gave water to all of them equally, without any exceptions. From this point, it means that he is always talking with the plant. And then, not only discovering something from the reaction of the plant,

[16:10]

but also he can read the emotions of the plant, or the mind, the function of the mind, which the plant cactus has. Strictly speaking, to say what he can't read, he can't read the function of the mind, is to say what he can't read the function of his mind. Then he is, his curiosity impels him to discover

[17:13]

something more than discover from the experiment on the plant, the emotion of the plant. Something more than a lie detector. So far a lie detector is a sort of testimony in the court. Even though you appear in the court as a criminal, the policeman forces you to test to see if you are a suspected criminal or not, using a lie detector. He is expecting that there could be

[18:28]

the presence of grass and trees as a testimony in the court, instead of a lie detector. So, if all trees do in that way, you can never do bad behavior. So, wherever you may go, and whatever kind of bad behavior, many things look at you.

[19:31]

I think that all of you believe that all sentient beings possess the mind or Buddha nature by experiment of scientific understanding. Shown by the president of the school, who teaches how to use a lie detector. But if no scientist discovers something in that way, it's pretty difficult for you to believe that all sentient beings possess Buddha nature. But whether you dislike or like the principle that all sentient beings possess Buddha nature,

[20:46]

the 2500 years ago Shakyamuni Buddha already described, but nobody believed it. So, in the world of Buddha nature, this is very important. I think the principal of that school is curious of researching more and more how to show the reaction of the plant. Expecting new discovery, expecting something new,

[21:59]

more than a lie detector. But the most important point is that we have to realize, we have to go plunge into the great reality that all sentient beings possess. The Buddha nature, the emotion of the joy, joy and anger. In other words, this is Buddha nature. Even though it is pretty difficult for you to believe it, our practice is directed to plunge into the great reality that all sentient beings possess Buddha nature.

[23:13]

Before that, we find explorations, some explorations, whether all sentient beings possess Buddha nature or not. But all sentient beings, the trees or grass, whether the trees or grass have the emotion of joy and anger. But we have to always not to believe directly in the great reality that Buddha nature, all sentient beings have Buddha nature. Before you believe it, you are always interested in peeping the act through the hole of Shoji screen.

[24:33]

Making a hole, yeah. Making a hole? It is alright to peep something. To peep something at, you know, peep at something through the Shoji screen making a hole with your fingers, you know. Now, awful thing is that we are always interested in open the Shoji screen and touch it, and say, oh, it's dirty. Oh, it's dirty. But strictly speaking, dirty or beauty has nothing to do with your life itself.

[25:39]

Because the dirty or beauty, what you found, what you have found, touching the dirty, dirty things or beautiful things, can get rid of the domain of the conception. Peeping at the emotion of the plant. Oh, good, you know. Through the Shoji screen, which is called the president position in the titles, which is called president of the school, you know, who teaches how to use lie detector. But this is alright. This is alright.

[26:56]

We don't ignore such an attitude of life. That's alright. But the important point is, most important point is, that our practice is directed to the great reality that the cactus possesses the emotions of joy and anger in the same way as human beings possess. So from this point, the existence of cactus is not, you know, something in comparison with existence of human being. As mentioned before, to see what he, the president of that school, can lead the mind of a cactus is to say what he can lead his mind.

[28:04]

This is very important. This is very important. Important point is not the exploration of the seeking for. Exploration of what kind of emotion the cactus has. Important point is not the matter of exploration whether the cactus has the emotion of joy and anger. Before you research, you know, cactus already possess the emotion of joy and anger. If you understand in that way, you have to reach, you have to lead your mind.

[29:10]

If you want to lead, cut the function of the cactus mind. Not the matter of research, researching for cactus as an object, what scientists use. This is very important. Then the question is how to lead, how to plunge into the great reality of the emotions of joy and anger which the cactus possesses.

[30:16]

Maybe psychologists using the word... I forgot the word. That's sympathy. Empathy. Empathy, that's it. The psychologists use empathy, the way of empathy. Empathy. What your mind, you know, your mind project into the tree and mountains or rivers and natures. Then you compose some beautiful poem.

[31:26]

That time you say, oh, I can't lead. I understand, I enter into the pine tree's feeling, the nature's feeling, or mountains' feelings. But, unfortunately, from the viewpoint of Buddhism, Shakyamuni Buddha, it is still delusion. I'm sorry for you, but Shakyamuni Buddha says it is still a sort of delusion. Even though you take drugs and you can enjoy wandering in a beautiful world, you know, what you cannot expect in this world is very beautiful fantasy music. You can listen to fantasy music.

[32:36]

Beautiful trees, beautiful rivers. Then you thought, oh, I got enlightenment. Then you enjoy, relax, but I'm sorry, it is still delusion. Then the question is how to plant into this great reality which we realize. This is the Buddha nature. Then the sutra says, listen attentively and carefully.

[33:52]

All ordinary, ordinary beings, all ordinary human beings, try to get acquainted with good friends, to listen to the dharma, to listen to the truth of the mind, to observe a thing in accordance with the principle of the universal basis, to practice Buddhism as it mentions, to put it into practice on one's own initiative and guide the other, giving the expression to admiration, encouragement, felicitation and consolation. And you really sever yourself from their three obstacles, hindrances,

[35:01]

to fulfill their practices perfectly, lovingly and to attain Anuttara Sambodhi or perfect universal enlightenment, knowledge or understanding. So listen carefully, attentively, all ordinary persons. Okay, it means all of you, including me, including Zen Master, including Buddha, including cats and dogs. Try to get acquainted with the good friends. What is good friends? Friends, I think, when it was high school day,

[36:16]

in high school day, I had a very good friend, very good friend. I thought that he was a best friend. But he had some terrible temper. That he always gave rapidly a blow to others, not only me, but also to all his friends. Before he gave a peaceful advice,

[37:18]

before he spoke in a word, he always gave a blow to others. But I thought, I believed he was a best friend. So I always told to myself that I must be patient, whatever he did. Then I was always patient, even though he gave a big blow to me. But the conception of good friends or best friends, I believed,

[38:21]

was not always good friends, I found. After giving many times, many times, many blows to me, then one day he sat on the window. And I sat next to him, talking. Suddenly he gave a blow, gave a blow to me. So I was very angry with him and I gave big blows to him. Then he fell down to the roof

[39:31]

and from the roof he fell down to the ground. Unfortunately that roof was not so high, so he saved his life. Even though you believe, even though he has, even though you have very strong conception of best friend or good friend, you believe. It is not the best friend or good friend. The Buddha says, Those who acquire,

[40:45]

Those who acquire the Buddha and Buddha's teaching are good friend, a good friend. In other words, if you learn, if you learn even a little bit some aspect of Buddha's teaching and understand it clearly and put it into practice in your daily life, Buddha says you're a good friend. Concretely speaking, if you can put your palm together with mindfulness, mindfulness,

[42:02]

bow, if you can do bow with mindfulness, if you can accept the practice of bow or practice of gassho or practice of zazen with mindfulness, Buddha says you are already the good friends because you learn the Buddha and Buddha's teaching. Making bow, putting your palms together, and try to get acquainted with,

[43:04]

try to approach a good friend, try to approach good friend. Someone says to me, You are not human being when he met me first time. You are beyond, something beyond human being. When someone meets the Zen master, he thinks that Zen master is not a sort of human being. Zen master has always a super power, like a super super man. Flying in the high air, walking on the ocean. It's really, if you go to India, there is still a person who can walk on the ocean.

[44:22]

But I don't know, I don't know whether there is no trick or not. There is a trick or not. You know the, it's pretty difficult to approach the good friends, good quantity and good quality. A practice of practice, Buddha's teaching, or whatever it is. Particularly all of us, all of you American, you know. When it was the first time to visit Zen center and attended the Buddhist ceremony, I think you felt something funny, you know.

[45:25]

Actually in your heart, you are curious, you are curious of approaching, you know, this practice. But you are, you know, there is something, something impels you to the other shore. To, in different directions, you know. Oh, no, no, no. You say, you say to yourself, I want to go this way. Something to tell you, something tell you, you know. Oh, no, no, no, don't go there. Something impels you to, in direction, in different direction. It's pretty difficult to approach the good friends, good quantity, good quality. You know. I think, you know, like the principle of that school of lie detector,

[46:44]

it seems to me, it seems to me that he is, his effort is always approaching, approaching the good quality, good quality of the plants. To see if the cactus possesses Buddha nature or not. The, to approach, to get acquainted with, means to become one, to become one with good friends. In other words, to get acquainted with, means to become one with the gassho and the bao.

[47:50]

What you do, zazen yourself, when you do zazen. To get, to get acquainted with something is not to look at something, look at it as lucasone. So, important point is, try to, to try to get acquainted with good friends day in and day out. Whatever you feel. In other words, important point is, try to become one with the good friends, become one with the practice of bao, gassho, chanting sutra, or eating meal, day in and day out.

[49:06]

At that time, as this sutra says, to listen to, to listen to the truth of the mind. At that time, you can listen to the voice, you know, voice of the cactus, you know, I have, hey, I have a Buddha mind. If you ignore such a practice, trying to become one with the practice of gassho and bao, whenever you do, you miss something. You cannot read, you cannot listen to the voice coming from the cactus, tree and grasses. Those who can practice, plunge into the practice of bao, gassho, eating meals, washing your face, with oneness.

[50:22]

You can listen to the truth of the mind, which means, you can listen to the voice of the truth. All sentient beings possess Buddha nature. And then, to reserve, to observe a thing in accordance with the principle of the universal basis. If you can listen to the voice of the cactus, by practicing of becoming one with the emotions of joy and anger, which plants possess. You can observe a thing, you can understand what important principle is like, what the universal basis in life is like.

[51:47]

If you can understand, if you can observe, all sentient beings in accordance with the principle of the universal basis, by practicing of directly plunging into the great reality. In times to practice gassho, bao, eating meals, zazen, sleeping in bed, you can practice Buddhism as it mentions. And to put it into practice on one's own initiative, and guide the others. From this point, it's not necessary to give a lecture in front of you.

[53:02]

All I have to do is to practice, to practice bao, gassho, zazen, with mindfulness, on my own initiative. It is great guidance towards others. Even though I explain what the Buddha's, how deeply profound the Buddha's teaching is, you don't understand exactly. Instead of explanation, the Buddha's teaching in the world.

[53:56]

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