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 morning. Welcome to Green Gulch. I'd really like to know how many people are here for the first time. Wonderful. Welcome. Thank you for coming. Well, today is a special day at Green Gulch and for a number of people, actually for all of us, for the whole world. It's a special day. The reason it's a special day is because we have nine people who are going to be receiving the precepts that express and live out the vow to live for the benefit of all beings.

[01:24]

So this is a ceremony that initiates people into that practice. And we have five people who are here from the Milwaukee Zen Center in Wisconsin with their guiding teacher, Ray Rin. Are you sitting together anywhere? Some of you. There you are. I see your hands. So welcome to all of you and to. Ray Rin, who lived here for many years and is now the guiding teacher of one of our affiliate sanghas, one of 75 of our affiliates that are all over. So we're very happy for you all. And part of what I'll be talking about today is a little about the ceremony and the precepts that this group will be taking. I also wanted to mention that today in San Francisco is the Pride March, and a number of people from Green Gulch are there helping the Zen Center, San Francisco Zen Center contingent decorating.

[02:40]

One of our farm trucks is the float. We have a floating Zendo that is part of the parade. And also this wonderful paper mache masked, giant Buddha head that someone wears and dances down the street with so many other people. You know, pride has a kind of checkered history. I think it's one of the cardinal sins in Christianity. And in Buddhism, it's one of the last of the afflictions, pride in one's own spiritual attainments, kind of the last to be let go of. But pride, the meaning of pride, in fact, the first meaning in the dictionary is not this kind of indulgence in self-aggrandizement or, you know, a look-at-me kind of activity.

[03:50]

The definition is a sense of one's own dignity or value and self-respect. That's the first definition in the dictionary that I was looking at. And going down further is the more negative qualities. So the pleasure and satisfaction taken in one's work and achievements. So there is pleasure in a job well done, I think. So that kind of pride. But I think that first one's own dignity and value and respect. And in that phrase that we use sometimes, how is it that you did this? Have you no pride? It's more like, have you no self-respect?

[04:52]

that you go against your own inner compass of ethical and morality. So today I understand this march as joining with others to highlight those who for so many years in various cultures have not been respected and still this goes on, have not had their dignity appreciated and celebrated. The word pride, by the way, is a Middle English word. It's an old word, pride. So today's ceremony is, we call it a bodhisattva initiation ceremony.

[05:59]

So bodhisattvas are beings who have, maybe in a way that they don't understand even, turned, made a turn in their life to where a wish, a strong desire and wish to live for the benefit of others, has arisen. And it's very connected with compassion, with our wanting others to be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. In the Lotus Sutra it says, the precepts of compassion roar like thunder. These are powerful To make this turn in one's life is a powerful and actually physical, there's a physical change, I would say, in this turn to live and be lived for the benefit of others.

[07:06]

And this happens, one may wish to, but it arises in our life stream. It arises. we can't necessarily make it happen, nobody can give it to us, this thought called bodhicitta or this thought, this arousing of this mind. And it's very connected with the way or the path, this turning. So sometimes we use the phrase way-seeking mind, someone who's turned their attention to the way. And this is synonymous really with arousing the bodhi mind. The bodhicitta means mind. So those for whom this is come into being, appeared and manifest, they're called bodhisattvas.

[08:09]

Sattva is beings. These beings of bodhi or awakening And the awakening is awakening in this way to the compassionate precepts that roar like thunder. The precepts that are received and we use both receive and take. In Japanese there's a word jukai which has in the It has hands. It means receive and take, and we use it interchangeably. I like them both, actually, but I think I use receive the precepts, but we also use take the precepts. And what they are, the numbers that we take or receive are 16, 16 Bodhisattva precepts, and they have

[09:13]

three different sections. The first is taking refuge in the triple treasure, which is Buddha, Buddha, which means the awakened one, Dharma, which means one meaning is the truth, what the Buddha awakened up to, awakened to, And then sangha is the community or the companions on this path, the harmonious community and companions. And each of those triple treasures can be studied individually and in depth. There's the Buddha, the historical Buddha, a teacher who was an example of a human being who woke up to the reality of his, not only his life, but the entire way that we all exist together, even though it's maybe outside of our perception, the interconnected way that we are one functioning whole.

[10:30]

So that historical person and then all the awakened ones, all those unconsciously countless, not able to be counted beings who have also awoken to this. So when we say Buddha or the awakened one taking refuge in Buddha, it can be taking refuge not just the historical Buddha, but all the Buddhas that appear out of compassion, out of their vow of compassion. that roars like thunder, this vows of compassion and appear in the world to help beings, guide them, be an example. And then there's Buddhas like statues, like the different Buddhas in a meditation room that we practice with that remind us of our true nature.

[11:34]

So when you say Buddha, you can mean many different things. The second of the Triple Treasure is dharma, and that word also has many meanings, but usually in this case we could say the truth that's also appearing and manifesting, and it also takes form in sutras and printed pages and audio dharma that you can listen to. So we need these mediums so that these teachings of dharma this way can come through to us. And then the Sangha, which over the years has shifted from a more narrow meaning of just those who are ordained, monks and nuns, to in the widest way all living beings suffusing the entire world with harmony and love for all

[12:38]

and this companionship and living in harmony with all. This is the sangha. And you might say, well, maybe one's more important than the other, but all three really are just one thing, different ways to look at the one way of living out our life. The sangha, you know, one might think, well, if I've got Buddha and the teaching and I'll just practice that way. I don't need others. But actually the Sangha is maybe more important than we know. A hundred percent of the holy life, as the Buddha said. We need each other. We need each other to wake up. We really depend on one another to wake up. There's a story, a Zen story, about one of our ancestors, Dengshan, Chinese ancestor from 800s, 807 to 869, Dengshan.

[13:53]

And there's many, many stories about him. But one story I wanted to tell you is he was visiting a teacher, not the teacher that was his... for whom he was the successor, but another teacher, Nanyuran. And he was visiting him and practicing with him. And when he left and took leave, Nanyuran said to him, you will go off and widely spread and study Buddha Dharma and widely benefit the world. That's what this teacher told him, who he had been practicing with, you will go and widely study and spread the Buddha Dharma. The Buddha Dharma is another name for this truth that the Buddha, the awakened one taught, the Buddha Dharma. Or you could say that's the name of this practice is Buddha Dharma and widely benefit the world.

[14:58]

And Dung San said, I understand what you mean about studying the Buddha Dharma. But what do you mean widely benefiting the world? And Nanyaran said, don't leave out a single thing. Don't leave out a single thing. Or another translation, don't disregard a single thing. To regard is to... Look again. Don't disregard a single thing. That's how you benefit widely the world. You don't leave out a single thing. You don't disregard a single thing. And this is our precept practice. This is our practice of our Bodhisattva vow.

[16:01]

It's not leaving out a single thing. Now you might say, well, that's impossible. I have to pick and choose. I can't do everything. And I don't think that's what it's saying. It's talking about your life, your unique, particular life right now. How can you not avoid, suppress, repress, ignore anything? a single thing. And we need help to do that. And the precepts, the second that we have the refuges, and then we have the three pure precepts, which are translated various ways, but embracing and sustaining those things that contribute to our liberation. Sometimes that right conduct

[17:06]

embracing and sustaining right conduct, or embracing and sustaining the forms and ceremonies of our life, meaning not leaving out a single thing. Everything we do has form, and we have many more ceremonies than we even know, like the ceremony of brushing our teeth. Our life is filled with ceremonies. That's the first of the three pure precepts. embracing and sustaining these activities which may mean to let go of something, to refrain from something, to take something up. What do we need to gather for our liberation and the liberation of others? The second pure precept is embracing and sustaining all good or the wholesome activities. And you know, to become in alignment with what is wholesome in our life.

[18:08]

How do we come into alignment with that? Well, we have to study. We have to study our life. We can't leave out a single thing. Did this, was this harmonious? When I speak like that, do people's faces brighten and do they want to hear more? Or am I putting people off? When I speak my mind, do I do it with ill will? Or am I doing it with care and compassion, even though I disagree strongly? These are gathering the kushala, or the wholesome dharmas, embracing and sustaining all good. And then the third of the three pure precepts is embracing and sustaining all good. beings, including not leaving out a single being. And I would say that those beings are not just human beings, but people, animals, and plants, the earth itself, our air.

[19:20]

How do we not leave out anything in our action, in our hearts? So those are the three pure precepts that help us not to disregard not to leave out a single thing. And the last section of the precepts, precepts that are not only our nine ordinands we'll be receiving today, but everyone who's present, and you're all invited if you want to witness this. This is an open ceremony. Everyone benefits. Everyone retakes upon hearing people take these vows, receive these vows, each person is met and re-consecrates themselves. Or if you haven't received the precepts, one may feel an opening to, what is this practice? Might I want to make these vows with others for the sake of the whole world?

[20:24]

So the last part of these sixteen are the ten major or grave precepts, and they have a different valence to them. They have a kind of weight, you might say, to them. And these are precepts a disciple of Buddha does not. And then there's ten things that probably many of you already in your own internal compass of ethical conduct and morality and caring for one another, caring for yourself, already are turning these and living these out. The disciple of the Buddha does not kill, does not take what is not given, does not misuse sexuality, does not lie, does not intoxicate mind or body of self or others.

[21:29]

does not slander, does not praise self at the expense of others, is not possessive of anything, does not harbor ill will, and does not abuse or disparage the triple treasure, the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. So those are the ten grave precepts. And these precepts, I just wanted to One might hear these and think, yeah, I could do that. Or maybe one thinks, I can't do that. I don't want to do that. Or what does that mean? Or that's too heavy for me. I just wanted to, you know, in this practice of not leaving out a single thing as benefiting the world, look again. You know, re-look. at what this might mean for benefiting the world to take up these precepts.

[22:38]

The word precept itself means to take before, precept, to take before. So in some ways these precepts that I've recited for you are already who we all are, if that makes sense. This is a verbal picture, you might say, of our life together, our life of imperceptible mutual assistance and interconnectedness. We've taken that before because that's who we are. This is, one might say, well, that's not who I am, or I don't know what you're talking about. That's okay. I think this precept of taking it before that this is our true self, this is the shape and functioning of our true self, that way-seeking path, that mind

[24:00]

of bodhisattva, bodhicitta. And however long it takes, it almost doesn't matter, because it is what it is. It's precept. It's already taken or received beforehand. So then coming more and more into alignment with the way we actually exist is our becomes our vow. Now, there's a teaching that I appreciate very much, and it shows up in different places. One place is in the funeral ceremony, but I want to talk about it not in the funeral ceremony, but as a kind of circle of practice.

[25:02]

And another translation of that circle of practice is a circle of protection. And the circle is connected with directions, actually. So in the east is the dawn, right? The dawn. And what dawns is bodhicitta, or this arousing of bodhi mind. this arising in our lifestream of wanting to live for the benefit of others. This is a precious jewel that's for the sake of everyone. This Bodhisattva behind me is holding this jewel. This is Jizo Bodhisattva carrying this precious, wish-fulfilling jewel because it's for all beings and all existence and things. It's precious beyond measure. So in the East, this first part of the circle is the dawning, the arousing, arising and arousing of bodhicitta.

[26:09]

And then flowing from that is a life of practice, which is in the South when you do this in a direction. The South, the warmth of our practice life, the fire of our practice life, warms everyone, inside and out. And continuing from our practice, and this is a circle going on all at the same time. This isn't a linear thing. But in the West, so we have East-South warm practice, in the West is awakening, bodhi, So we have the arousing of this way-seeking mind, or bodhicitta, then practice, then bodhi itself, or awakening in the West with the ocean, the ocean of awakening, the merciful ocean of awakening of Buddha's mind, of our mind.

[27:19]

And then in the North, is peace or liberation or nirvana. We don't use the word, I don't use the word, maybe I should say nirvana that much. I think it has a kind of popular meaning to it, but the meaning for me is peacefulness, liberation, freedom. And this circle is called a circle of protection. You could say that within bodhicitta, within the arousing of wayseeking mind, is liberation, is practice, is awakening. Within practice, they hold each other and interpenetrate one another. And you can also say they're circling around. They're not in a linear thing like, if I do this, then I'm going to get that, and then I'll be free.

[28:24]

It's that way of thinking with this goal at the end is not what's being said here. It's when you arouse bodhicitta, that little flame itself is the flame of freedom and is the flame of practice. and awakening right then and there. Even the tiniest is the same, has the same nature. And the direct, you might say there's a, even though there's not this goal at the end that you're getting to, the direction, one way of talking about this is to wake up to our Buddha nature, our Buddha mind. That's the direction. And then we see, well, I'm, I actually do things and say things that are not in accord with that. I can feel it in my own body. I know. Or someone else helps me and tells me.

[29:28]

That is our limited life together, our particular limited life within this imperceptibly wide universal life. And so we have practices for that, and that also will be in the ceremony today. In fact, we start out with that to be ready, to be open, to receive Buddhist precepts, to receive Bodhisattva precepts. And that practice is acknowledging and admitting that we have done things that were not beneficial. We can name them. We know. We've received the consequences of those actions. So we admit that and acknowledge that, which we call, you can call admitting, acknowledging, or confessing. And then including in that right away is a vow not to do that action again because we see the consequences.

[30:35]

So that's what we call repentance. Confession and repentance may have from your own background may vibrate in a certain way or resonate that brings up old situations. But in this situation, this is acknowledging, admitting, avowing that I see things in a limited way through my own karmic consciousness. I can only see what I can see. at this time, and my actions flow from that, but I vow and reaffirm that I will learn from what happens when I, what the fruit of those actions is. I will learn and continue to wake up. And waking up is right there. It's not, and later on I will wake up.

[31:37]

We wake up right there in the middle of, oh, That hurt that person's feelings. Or this was, I didn't take care of, I disregarded this. I left this thing out. That's waking up. That's bodhicitta and practice and waking up and freedom right there. And this circle of protection, we're protected in our efforts by that practice. We're protected in our Buddha mind together. So, I felt like I couldn't speak today without bringing up something that has been, you know, so painful.

[32:41]

so egregious, which I imagine, I can't say all of you, but I imagine that you share this with me. You know, there's a phrase, which means the mind of Buddha. And the mind of Buddha, has compassion and boundless care and love for beings, this is how Buddhas appear in the world, just the way someone has for a child. And an example that's given is if you were to see a child like walking close by a river, you, oh, I have to take care of them. You know, I have to make, or close to a busy street.

[33:43]

You know, what do you do to make sure that a toddler doesn't wander in? This is in our genes, you know, in our biology, in our DNA that we... So the situation we have right now in this country of the trauma of the separated children, the separating children and the separating families is... the effect of it on untold beings is we don't even know the trauma and negative effects for years, you know, and to the fellowship of our country. You know, there was a letter written by the Soto Zen Buddhist Association, that was put out, a number of people signed that, and we posted it on our Facebook page, San Francisco Zen Center, and there was a comment from someone saying, I love going to your page, but why do you have to be political?

[34:58]

I go there to be, you know, to get the Dharma, not to have politics. And I realized that that comment, that I, to me, it's not about politics, it's about our to live for the benefit of beings, and how do we respond? I don't know how do each of us respond. Each person must do what they can do and respond to this the way you can. But I didn't want to skip over in some way or disregard a single thing in this lecture by not bringing this up, whether you see it as political or not. I just see it as body to body, mind to mind, true nature to true nature, living out our life together.

[35:58]

How do we do that? So this ceremony is a joyous ceremony today for all of us and for the ordinands. And, you know, this choice to take and receive the precepts, we all receive the benefit of this. And they are saying to us, we want to be accountable to you. Before you take the precepts, you know, for someone to say, well, you shouldn't talk that way, or whatever, because that hurt my feelings, you might say, well, I never said I wouldn't, or, you know, there may be some wiggle room there. But once you take these precepts, the wiggle room, there's no wiggle room, as Chögyam Trungpa says about receiving precepts.

[37:00]

You've stopped shopping now. There's no more, well, maybe, hmm, let's try this, let's try that. This is it. It is done. And then within that, it's like, how do I respond in this situation? Being done and shopping, not shopping around still, what is the most awake way I can respond? It's not written out like, okay, I do this, then this, then this. Your own life meets the precepts in your unique way. So we need intelligence and creativity and help, and to be accountable to others means open to people saying, I thought you received Buddha's precepts and want to practice this way. I don't understand your actions. your actions of body, speech, and mind.

[38:02]

I don't understand what you're doing. We have to be open to that and to listen. So there's no wiggle room, and then there's we sometimes don't observe the literal meaning out of compassion. We sometimes do lie, or we do take what is not given. out of compassion. So this is a life's work that never ends and asks everything of us till our last breath and beyond. And this will encourage the entire world and imperceptibly be helping all beings, whether we know it or not. And this will help us be closer to all beings, whether they agree with us or not, or look the way we like or not, or are wearing the clothes we like or not.

[39:10]

There's a word, unstained, being unstained in our practice. Unstained, the definition was not looking upon someone that you don't know and wishing that they have another kind of face or look better according to what you decide. Just looking at this person as a person, that's all, without wanting it to be changed or different or not wanting more color in flowers or a brighter moon. Let go of that. No more shopping. Just, this is this person in front of me. Who are they? There's a story about Blanche Hartman, our former abbess who passed away just a couple years ago. She had been actually at a demonstration, a visual in front of the Colombian consulate when something happened during that long, long war in Colombia.

[40:16]

And she and her husband, Lou, were demonstrating. And then they took the bus home back to Zen Center. A person sat down next to her who looked like they were inebriated, probably smelled like they were inebriated and very disheveled. And Blanche just struck up a conversation with them and, how are you? And as if it really was like other people may have changed seats or moved somewhere else or avoided or disregarded. And she just carried on this conversation, got to know them. And I found that very, knowing myself, what would I have done? Would I have, you know, been unstained, just meet this person without disregarding a single thing? And in a very natural way, I don't think she thought she was doing anything special like, now I will do bodhisattva practice and talk to this person who I really don't want to.

[41:22]

I think it was just, you know, this is who sat next to me. I find that very inspiring. And our Bodhisattva precepts and this ceremony today, you know, will help us on this path to be just an ordinary person together with all beings. Thank you very much. Thank you for listening to this podcast offered by the San Francisco Zen Center. Our programs are made possible by the donations we receive. Please help us to continue to realize and actualize the practice of giving by offering your financial support. For more information, visit sfcc.org and click giving. May we fully enjoy the Dharma.

[42:21]

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