Good evening. So I'm going to talk about courage tonight. Don't be frightened. I think one of the primary examples of courage is when people give their way-seeking mind talk on Thursday morning. And they demonstrate why they came to practice, how they came to practice, and the courage it took to do something different. The courage it took to see that their life was not what they wished it to be.

[01:02]

And those of you who have been to them know they're very moving. Actually, they're sometimes quite difficult. I'm just astonished at the lives that people have led, how difficult they are, and how they come out okay. They meet the fear and meet the unsatisfactoriness of life. And deal with it. Little by little. And you know, we had the tea, the practice period tea just before this. I asked for people to give examples of courage, of people they knew or themselves or their family.

[02:11]

And there's a little hesitancy to talk about them when everyone was thinking about somebody else, but I knew most of the people in the room. I knew the courage it took for them to be where they are today. And what we think of courage is not necessarily a big thing, a big splash. It can be a very quiet thing. Courage is to come to beginner's mind tempo and not know what's going on. Not have all the answers. to go with an open mind and see what is going on how do I see this I think there's dual tracking is very important the tracking of what we grew up with in our habits of mind and how we see something new what's going on now and not to go back on our habits of mind

[03:36]

but to see what a fresh mind sees it as. And with the two, the left eye and the right eye, you can see perspective. I recently have a and seeing a Chinese medicine doctor, and it's very painful. It's a massage that's very painful. And I don't necessarily like it, but it's painful. But I know this, at least for a few times after the treatment, I feel awake. So the deadness in my body has kind of been refreshed.

[04:42]

And then since it's such a shock to the system, I'm tired the rest of the day. But I thought that was interesting insight that pain often wakes us up. He told me that I have to be courageous to do this treatment. And I was wondering if he looked at the class catalog. So maybe I should have him come teach this class. Because I don't know what courage is with pain. But it's something about looking at what it has to teach me. And I've decided that I want to do these treatments for a month and see what happens. After a month, if it's still... feeling awake and then wiped out the rest of the day, I don't know if I'll continue it.

[05:45]

But the courage to say, what is this going to teach me? Is this the right thing or not? And I don't know yet. This is a... There's faith in courage, but sometimes there's doubt in courage. When we first come to Zen Center, we usually say to sit down and shut up. Not to question too much, just to absorb and see what's going on. But there comes a time after you've been practicing fear for a while where you should be a little bit of a pain in the neck. You should ask a question that's Is this what's going on?

[06:56]

And of course usually people who come at first do all the questioning and people who stay don't question so much but sometimes the opposite is good and also I want to acknowledge the courage of the many foreign students who come here coming to a strange land with food that they're not used to and language that's not what they're called for and different personality traits. But they often, many foreign students are quite good because they give everything up to come. So it takes courage to do that. I have a favorite Suzuki Roshi story, which I'd like to read, which shows courage, but it shows an appreciation of freedom.

[08:21]

And freedom and courage are similar. Freedom is to do something new. I recently was, I gave a Dharma talk and painting workshop. Two different things. Sometimes they're the same. Two different things. And I found myself saying the last day that nobody owns religion or art. You may think that somebody owns your understanding of religion, or somebody owns the way art should be. But you don't. No one does. That's the great thing about religion and art, when it's free, when it's a struggle to, what is the right thing here?

[09:34]

Bishop Ipo Shaku visited and asked Shinryu Suzuki, what is the future of Buddhism in America? Suzuki said, I don't know. The bishop asked if Americans understood him. Suzuki Roshi said, whatever people understand is okay. By their free knowing, they will get it. The bishop said, Zazen is so uncomfortable for Westerners. Maybe there's some other way. Suzuki Roshi replied, that's all I know. That's what my teacher taught me. Commentary. I got this story from Bishop Ibo. I was collecting some Suzuki Roshi stories, and Suzuki's wife said, you should go talk to Bishop Ibo. He was pretty close with Suzuki Roshi. where I went and I was of course introduced by Oxon so it's great to be introduced in the way in which you know you're accepted and it's hard to accept when you come from different cultures and different backgrounds because the things that you

[11:12]

think are the same or different and the things that you think are different are the same, it takes some work. Bishop Ipo Shaku was a Nichiren priest, a sect emphasizing the Plotus Sutra. He was a friend of Suzuki Roshi who emphasized sitting meditation. They respected each other greatly. Cloud and water gatherers, monks who are sometimes described this way, Meet and take stock of the world and their teaching. Each one risks his truth, trusting no thing. By their free knowing, they will get it. When the Dharma is out of the bag, no one can control it. Yet the breeze feels fresher. Verse. When two Buddhas meet, their faith opens a thousand notuses. there aren't enough fingers to point to the moon. There's another story about there were some very famous Zen masters who came and somebody decided that in the evening they talked about the future of Buddhism in America.

[12:29]

And I don't know exactly how the story goes. It goes something like this. It's not quite right, but These Zen masters spoke and they said some wise words and Suzuki Roshi skipped out of the Zendo. Some pronouncement about the future was maybe he felt there was some hubris there. What is the future of Buddhism in America? I don't know. Well, do Americans understand you? Whatever people understand is okay. By their free knowing, they will get it. By their effort, they will get something.

[13:33]

The bishop said, Zazen is so uncomfortable for Westerners. Maybe there's some other way. Everybody listens closely for this part. Suzuki Roshi replied, that's all I know. That's what my teacher taught me. Maybe it's not the best way, but... By their free knowing, they will get it. What faith that is in the students. people come to me and they want to learn something I look at how they see the world and I try to find that kernel of truth that they see

[14:47]

or that openness that they have in a whole constellation of things. And they try to reinforce that. I don't give them anything. I just, that's pretty good there. is a lot of words associated with courage, freedom, patience, endurance. But it's not so easy to come to a Zen center where you have these two ogres on either side which are protectors of the Dharma.

[15:54]

In Asia, they're usually outside the gates to discourage people. people from coming, but we thought that we might encourage the wrong kind of people. But each one of us has, leads, has problems in our lives. And we try to keep it secret. Some of us try to keep it secret. Or we were embarrassed by it. We shouldn't have them. But by our free knowing, we will get it. We learn as much from our mistakes and our bad habits as we learn from good habits.

[16:59]

By cultivating beginner's mind, we look at things fresh at each moment and say, what's the way to do this? Not, the way to do this is. And sometimes when we've been at Zen Center for a while, we may think we know it. Or maybe we know if you're a Tassahara, they say, a Tassahara, we do it this way. City Center, we do it this way. Green Goals, we do it this way. And it changes, of course, over the years. And it's okay to have a way. Suzuki Roshi said, if you all try to do the same thing, I can see how you're different. If you all do something different, I can't tell. So I would like to salute all of you for your practice and your courage of meeting life.

[18:22]

And would encourage you to keep going. Sometimes we deal with certain things and then we try to get comfortable and build a nest. going to die. We may as well lead a courageous life. You can try to lead a life in which you get by, in which everything is comfortable, but it won't work. Your karma of life will bring up a question for you.

[19:28]

Your friends will die. Your parents will die. You'll make tremendous blunders. Enjoy it. From the pain of the medical treatment, which I now think Chinese medicine is a little like chemotherapy. You have these tough treatments, and they wipe you out. But I don't want to slander Chinese medicine. So Suzuki Hiroshi's book, Beginner's Mind, and this temple is called Beginner's Mind Temple in the painting I do which is a free stroke which is I just do something just do a free stroke and it may not be so free because I knew it but its intention is to be free and from the free stroke I see something new maybe

[20:52]

So some people, when they think about courage, they think it's about not having any fear. But I think courage, a simple definition, which, of course, doesn't make it all the time, is facing the moment, facing what's in front of you. Without trying to run away, without trying to hold on to it, Some of you may be creative like I am who fear even what they like. I'm always worried about something. And usually what I'm worried about isn't what's going to happen. It's what I'm not worried about that will come and beat me over the head. So I want you to appreciate your life.

[22:28]

And don't run away. Sometimes it's just not the time to meet something. But work so that there is a time when you meet what you fear. Suzuki Roshi said, the secret of all the schools of Buddhism is to be in the moment. And the secret to being in the moment is to be courageous. And be courageous even when you're not courageous. Because sometimes we're not courageous. So meet our lack of courage with courage.

[23:34]

So Friday we had a lay entrustment ceremony. I so-called performed it, but I don't really know what it's about. But it's passing of some kind of courage or heart, saying that a student isn't perfect, but by his free knowing, he will get it. It's not like anybody doesn't make mistakes. what you do when you recognize your mistakes, that's what practice is about. To have the courage to say, oh, I made a mistake there.

[24:50]

Now let me try to correct it or do better this time. Practice is about falling down and getting up. Falling down is given. Getting up is the secret. And I salute all of you who have recently fallen down and gotten up. And you don't believe that religion or art or freedom has any keeper. Join with the fellow seekers to create and continue to create a

[26:03]

perfect Zen Center. When people complain about Zen Center, I say, if Zen Center was a perfect place, I wouldn't be here. But I have some responsibility to try to make it better. And so do you. Timeless, huh? 8.15. Three questions. I used to say that.

[27:13]

Recognize it when you have it. Don't just recognize it when you don't have it. Okay. Michael, this got hold of truth. truth and corporal punishment? Anyway, just curious, when you meet with us, do you always see it? look for it.

[28:40]

And I usually see it. Sometimes I don't see it, but that may be my limitation. Though by their free knowing they will get it. If I think that I'm going to correct somebody and lighten them. That's pretty sad. But if I see that there's something I can join with or appreciate and sometimes to say not that. But it's not whether I'm right or wrong, or whether the student is right or wrong, or whether my teacher is right or wrong, it's the relationship we have.

[29:50]

Do you want to ask a question? Thank you. Yes, please. I'm not sure. Do you think so? Hi. Zach, you have a great which I appreciate every time I see you.

[30:56]

@Transcribed_UNK
@Text_v005
@Score_94.33