Come to me, ye goods and men, hear the law. I am he who indicates the path, who shows the path as knowing the path, being acquainted with the path. Then, Kashapa, many hundred thousand myriads of courtesans of beings, come to hear the law of the Tathagata. And the Tathagata, who knows the difference as to the faculties and the energy of those beings, produces various dhamma pariyas,

[01:01]

dhamma pariyas, tells many tales amusing, agreeable, both instructive and pleasant, tales by means of which all beings not only become pleased with the law in this present life, but also after death will reach happy states where they are to enjoy many pleasures and hear the law. By listening to the law, they will be free from hindrances and in due course apply themselves to the law of the all-knowing according to their faculties, power, and strength. Even as the great cloud, Kashapa, after expanding over the whole universe, pours out the same water and recreates by it all grasses, shrubs, herbs, and trees.

[02:28]

Even as all these grasses, shrubs, herbs, and trees, according to their faculty, power, and strength, suck in the water and thereby attain the full development assigned to their kind. The other day, I explained the meaning of the Buddha's statement, Come to Me. Come to Me is to open your mind and look at reality as it is, wherever you are.

[03:29]

This is the meaning of the Buddha's statement, Come to Me. And also I explained, Come to Me implies one of the Buddhist features, features, which stresses on no substantial reality, but phenomena of human life. This is one of the very remarkable Buddhist features,

[04:48]

which is completely different from another religion's religious principles. Most of our religion stresses on some idea, a sort of the absolute, which human being must believe first. And from the stage, from the level of believing in the existence of the absolute, which is all-powerful in this world, the religion, the idea of that religion starts to work in your daily life.

[06:04]

If you don't believe the existence of the absolute, which is all-powerful, the idea of that religion never works, never works in your daily life. But in Buddhism, as I mentioned before, there is completely no substantial idea, but bark of human being, bark of phenomena. That's why, logically speaking, Buddhism puts emphasis on the idea of emptiness. Emptiness is not to enable man to fall into chaos. Emptiness is, first of all, to admit the reality in what you exist.

[07:32]

In other words, the emptiness is to admit the presence of human being with opening your eyes, to admit the presence of reality, what human being encounters in his, in their daily life, moment after moment. In this respect, you have to empty yourself first, and watch yourself, and listen to the utterance mentioned by the person who is acquainted with emptiness.

[08:43]

This is the ultimate path of his own life. This is a great different point which Buddhism tries to measure to us. Logically speaking, I think it's pretty hard to understand what the idea of emptiness is, or, plainly speaking, the idea of transiency, the idea which life is suffering, the idea of emptiness is, and so on.

[09:50]

It's pretty hard to understand. As mentioned at that time, when you carry it out, it is really simple. Simple is not always simple. Simple is sometimes pretty difficult. As mentioned at that time, to emptiness yourself is to stand upright in your daily life. It is very simple. It is very simple. But it is not so simple, because it is too simple to understand clearly what it is, how useful it is.

[10:55]

Because our mind is not simple. Our mind is very complicated. But simply speaking, all you have to do is just to stand up. When you realize you fall down on your feet, on the ground, on the earth, all you have to do is to get up. That's all. And then, life is a succession of falling down and getting up. And maintain standing upright. Standing upright is not to stick to the eagerness. To stand upright is to watch yourself carefully, considerately, thoughtfully.

[12:07]

So, in terms of Buddhism, the truth is open to everybody, whoever you are, whoever they are. Christianity, Christian, or Buddhist, or Communist, whoever they are. But the important point is, first of all, you throw away any kind of idea. It means open your eyes, empty yourself. The truth is, what the truth is open to everybody is that individual is entitled to live absolutely in this world, wherever they are.

[13:24]

Japanese, American, beyond the idea of races, the way that human beings are entitled to live is just one and the same essence. Based on just one and the same essence. One and the same. There is a succession of standing upright, on your foot, by your foot, in your daily life. But the way of standing upright varies the differences, the difference as to the faculties and age.

[14:31]

All of those beings. This is true. But whoever you are, whoever they are, Japanese or American, beyond the idea of races, as long as human beings are, we realize that it is entitled to live in this world, completely absolutely. That's why the sutra says, even as the great crowd, after expanding over the whole universe, pours out the same water and recreates by it all grasses, shrubs, herbs and trees,

[15:43]

even as all these grasses, shrubs, herbs and trees, according to their faculty, power and strength, sucking the water and thereby attain the full development assigned to their kind. Everybody will surely attain the full development assigned to their kind, according to their faculties, powers and strength. That's why Shakyamuni Buddha tells us lots of kinds of tales.

[16:53]

Amusing, agreeable, both instructive and pleasant, a priest with the law in this present life, but also after death, will reach happy states, where they are to enjoy many pleasures and hear the law. I mentioned already, all we have to do in our daily life is to make every possible effort to stand upright by your foot, day in and day out. That's all. Even though you feel pensive, even though you feel gloomy, right in the middle of gloominess, pensiveness and easiness,

[18:09]

strictly speaking, all you have to do is just stand up. That's all. In other words, to stand up is to enable man to realize, to awake themselves, in how situation they may be, or where they are, where they are. But the other day I said, there are many children in Tathagata now. It's not necessary to force them to follow the schedule, to follow the rules or strict rules. It's not necessary. But the important point is that we take responsibility for educating the children,

[19:34]

in order to let them realize the way where they are, the reality where they are, the reality what they are. This is very important. There was a very famous Zen master named Kishizawa, who passed away five years ago. One of his disciples named Kito Kishizawa is now at the temple which is located in the middle of the mainland of Japan, near Kyoto.

[20:47]

This priest is one of my friend's teacher, who is teaching at Komanzawa University. The Reverend Kishizawa, a friend of mine's teacher, my friend's teacher, became the priest when he was 10 years old. 10 years old. I think you have heard that story. What disciples should be doing in their daily life at his temple, at their temple, under the teaching.

[22:13]

Even a 10 years old boy, a 10 years old boy must do lots of things, mostly in the same way as the adult, his masters. Getting up early morning at 4 o'clock or sometimes 3.30, sometimes 4.30 or 4 o'clock. Then doing Zazen, chanting sutra, performing morning service, after that making, fixing the meal, breakfast. Then serve to his master, after that washing the dishes, then after that he must clean, he must clean the temple.

[23:27]

Then he can get the chance to go to the school. Terrible, terrible work. Very hard work. Let's imagine, a little boy, 10 years old, he had to get up at 4 o'clock, do Zazen, chanting sutra, fixing meal, serve to his master, washing dishes, clean the temple and go to the school. I think you can imagine what will happen, what will happen around him, around this little boy in the school, at the school. Then after coming back from the school, he has to picking grasses in the big yard.

[24:40]

Then sometimes he has to, he has to, he has to do homework. Actually, strictly speaking, he didn't have enough time to do homework, because he was very busy doing a lot of things. Sometimes he couldn't do homework. And then, in the evening, he had to, he had to fix the dinner for his master, for himself, and serve. And do Zazen, night Zazen, after doing night Zazen, he tried to sit at the desk, he tried to sit in front of his desk and to do work, to do study.

[26:09]

Immediately, the moment when he sit, he sat in front of the desk, he started to sleep. No chance to study. If he went to the school, he always fell in sleep, leaning his desk, leaning over the desk. The teacher always scold him, she's alright, alright. In a few minutes, he started again to sleep. Then one day, the teacher in church, of this class, went to the temple to see this little boy's master.

[27:22]

Their master's kisses hour. And this teacher said, the school teacher said, Eleven kisses hour, I have a lot of trouble concerning your boy, because he has been always sleeping at the school. Sometimes, he was late of coming to school. Would it be possible for him not to work hard? In order to accomplish his duty at the school.

[28:31]

The kisses hour, their master says, stupid, you are stupid. We call such a little boy, kozo in Japanese. Kozo, which means, little meaning is small priest. Small priest, little meaning, small priest, we call him kozo. Which means, the male religious novice, novice. The little boy, before he ordained, he's called kozo.

[29:43]

Technical term is shami, shami. Anyway, this their master says, he was stupid, first of all, he said. And he said, he has a kozo, he has a small monk, small priest, small monk anyway. He has a kozo, has a lot of things he has to do. What? He has, he as a kozo, small monk, has a lot of things in his daily life, he ought to do.

[30:52]

The things which he has to do, must be carried out, on any cost, he said. What do you think about? According to his idea, a small monk, ten years old, as a monk, has lots of things. He got it as, really worth, rather than school, the duty, his duty, which he has to, he has to,

[32:07]

to do, he has to do at the school. According to his idea, their master's idea, the many things which he has to do at the temple, is more important than his duty at the school. Then after, taking the responsibility for his duty at the school, at the temple, then he can get the chance to go to school. What do you think about it? In common sense, in common sense, what do you think?

[33:22]

It is nonsense, isn't it? But, the point is not a matter of discussion, which of two, school duty or temple's duty, are important, or not. Important point is, important point, which they must put emphasis on, is, to do his best, to carry out, the things which he has to do. In other words, to do his best, to carry out, many things as he has, he comes into contact with.

[34:49]

In his daily life. As seen from the other side, we may say that important point is, to awake himself from where he is, in what situation he is doing. What? In what situation he is doing what? But, before he judge, which of two, school duty or temple's duty, are important, or not. See, this is very important. So, they must always let him, let his disciple, to realize himself, to realize himself in his naked nature.

[36:15]

In other words, to realize himself, before he discriminate, who he is. In other words, he wanted his disciple to realize the reality, where he is, in what situation he is doing what. That's all, that's all. So, aim is, when aim, what he has to stress, he has to stress, is focus on just a very single point, a single point.

[37:24]

In other words, Zen Master want to let each disciple stand upright, by his foot, in what situation he may be. If you discriminate, if you look at, if you look around his circumstances, temple's, temple's life, or school's life, your mind start to discriminate, which of two is important. At that time, your life is standing upright, in the domain of discrimination, which of the same, which of two is important, school duty or temple's duty. In the domain of discrimination, which of two is important, you can never find figure out the definite conclusion, this is right, this is wrong.

[38:45]

You can't. But Zen Master doesn't ignore, ignore the presence, existence, how important, he doesn't ignore how important the school education, school education is. That's why he sent him, he sent his disciple to the school, you know, day in and day out. He didn't want him to play wiki, you know. He always sent him to the school, even though it is right to go to school, he sent him.

[39:46]

But important point is, what he has to do is, he has to be, he has to be. In other words, what he has to accept, your life is what he has to, what you have to accept in your life. Nobody help, you know. Of course, sometimes you want to make a complaint, so do I. Now only you. The moment when my mind come into contact with many things in terms of discrimination, I want to make a complaint. But this is secondary important things, not secondary important things.

[40:56]

The first important thing is, that what you have to do is what you have to do. What you have to do is based on the reality what you have to do, that's all. Simply speaking, I mention very often, all you have to do is just to stand up. That's why this day master says to the school teacher, you are stupid. This stupid has very profound meaning, you know. It doesn't mean that he wanted to look down upon the school teacher. School teacher is school teacher, that's okay. But what he wants to show, his complaint is questionable, you know.

[42:09]

That's why he said, it's stupid. It is stupid to make a complaint. Saying which of two is important. School duty or temple duty. Even a little boy as a disciple cannot escape from his own daily life. This reality which he cannot escape from his daily life is something before he discriminates. Which of two is important, he has to do, at any cost. But there is no amount of excuse.

[43:15]

Maybe it is pretty hard for little boy to carry out. The master knows so well, knows so well. That's why he said, he forces him to carry out everything which he has to do. In other words, he has to stand up. When he has to stand up, he has to stand up. By himself. He wants to teach this point. And then through this experience, he can learn, he can learn what the human life is. He can realize the reality where he is, standing up.

[44:24]

But in what situation he is doing what? I think to the great determination, saying what he has to do, is based on the reality what he has to do. What he has to do, what you have to do in your daily life. In other words, to stand up by yourself on your foot in your daily life, is to realize, to let the man to aware himself where he is.

[45:40]

Which means assurance and realization, realization of his existence. Which means a religious security, state of religious security. So, Zen Master always tells him, his disciple, many different stories. Every time when the conditions change, Zen Master produces, Zen Master tells many tales, amusing, agreeable, both instructive and pleasant.

[46:57]

Maybe sometimes you are amazing, you know, like a school teacher, you know. The school teacher was amazing, to see the Zen Master's system of education, you know, according to the Zen Master. He was amazing. Sometimes agreeable, stories, agreeable, or instructive, or pleasant. But whatever kind of stories the Zen Masters, or Patriarchs and Buddhas gave to us, tales by means of which all beings not only become pleased, are pleased with the Lord in this present life,

[48:13]

but also after death will reach happy states, where they are to enjoy many pleasures and heal the wrong. After death is not really the meaning of the world which will be open to you after your death. In a sense, there is no knowing, to realize what happens, what kind of world, what kind of world will be in store for us after the death, nobody knows.

[49:30]

The Dogon then says, life is only after the stage of moment, which is called life. Birth, the birth is only after the stage of birth, after the stage of the moment which is called birth. Death, the death is only after the stage of moment which is called death. There is no amount of discussing about time, before or after.

[50:44]

In other words, for example, you burn the firewood, firewood becomes ashes. In terms of the discrimination, you say firewood becomes ashes, ashes never turn to the firewood. But, the Dogon then says, the real time is always coming off.

[51:46]

Before and after, before and after, of time. There is no series, no series of time, which you can, where you can discriminate. True time is always coming off, before and after, of time. In other words, firewood is firewood, ashes is ashes. The small monk is small monk, school is school. When he is at the temple, he has to become himself, as he is, as a monk.

[53:13]

When he goes to the school, he has to, he has to become the school boy, a boy. There is no, a series of time, judging which of two is important or not. So, to stand on your foot, by your foot, by yourself, is to be pleased with the law. Not only in the present life, but also, after the death, will reach happy state.

[54:22]

If you realize religious security, religious tranquility, at the present life, it doesn't matter, it doesn't, it doesn't know different where, whether, in which direction you go, you will go after the death. In other words, you should, all you have to do is, just to rely upon next world, after the death. You should rely upon this world, where you are existing, standing up with religious security. When there is succession of life in that way, you can listen to something, you can listen to something.

[55:44]

What, what, what is life, what life is, what life is, where you are standing, in what situation you are doing what, you can listen to something from state of life, standing upright. If you ignore way of life in that way, ah, probably you may understand the, ah, some aspect of Buddhism, expressing inward.

[57:07]

You can understand some aspect of Buddhism, inward. In other words, you can understand, probably you may understand the Atman, what Buddhism mentions. For instance, you can, probably you may understand the, what the emptiness is. But important point is, that you have to get taste of what the emptiness is, through your whole life, whole body and mind. In the whole being of your life, now only understanding some aspect of Buddhism through the intricate sense.

[58:21]

So that's why, the, but also after death, will reach happy states where they are, where they are to enjoy many pleasures. And hear the law, hear the law. If you follow your life in that way, ah, gradually, you can gradually contrive to enter upon the reality where you are.

[59:51]

Ah, going from, ah, shallow understanding to deep. Ah, of course, suffering is suffering for us. And easy is uneasy for us. And easiness is uneasy for us. But while you feel uneasy, you must realize that there is the best way, the best way of being entitled to live.

[61:01]

It is just succession of entering upon the reality where you are. If you follow in that way, you can understand gradually, ah, the Buddhism or your life, going from shallow significance to deep. In that time, you can listen to the Buddha's Buddhism. By listening to the law, they will be free from the hindrances and in due course apply themselves to the law, all knowing according to their faculties, power and strength.

[62:28]

In due course, in due course, you can apply yourself, you can apply yourself to the reality where you are. To circumstances, you can adapt yourself to whatever circumstances there are around you. Ah, according to their faculties, power and strength. Ah, so, as mentioned before, the, strictly speaking, educating the man is not so easy.

[63:47]

Particularly educating the children is very difficult. But what I, what I can tell you is, I mention always to let them realize the reality where they are. It enables them, that way enables them to stand up, apply in what situation they will be. Whatever kind of situation, situation, there will be in store for them. This is very important way of educating man, adult or children.

[64:55]

If you can, forever stay in Tathagata, probably you will have no troubles. Day in and day out, you just sit and do self work. But nobody knows what kind of circumstances. Will be in store for you. Important point is not the matter of which of those is good or bad. Those circumstances, conditions are good or bad.

[66:06]

Important point is to have two outcomes. Man eating a variety of difficulties in order to stand, to stand up on his own foot, by his foot. That's why Zen Master Kishizawa lets his disciple, ten years old boy, at any cost to carry out his own duty, whatever happens. Even though it is good or even though it is bad, if you criticize.

[67:13]

Why is it important such a way of educating man and children? Because individual has making of food development assigned to their kind. In other words, individual is entitled to live in this world under the better condition. Which is pleased with their own life, in the present life.

[68:25]

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