This podcast is offered by the San Francisco Zen Center on the web at www.sfcc.org. Our public programs are made possible by donations from people like you. Good morning, everyone. Is anyone new to the temple? All right. Special welcome to you all. And then let's do a little fellowship for a Christian word. Let's just turn to each other and say hi. And I'm very controlling. And, and, and, and. I'm very controlling. Being a social worker. That's a joke. I'd like you to turn to each other and actually say, hello, Buddha.

[01:05]

Try that. Hello, Buddha. Don't forget all sides of yourselves. Behind, in front. Yeah. Hello, Buddha. So anyone came here today looking for quiet and peace? Oh, wow. Only two of you. The rest of you found a lot of chaos. Is that what you came for? You came for chaos or not peace. All right. And what about peace and quiet in the world? if not within yourselves. Okay, now I got more hands. So lots of chaos inside, but you want peace for the world.

[02:09]

Okay, sounds like a, what do they call those? Those ones where women are, you know, supposed to be the prettiest or whatever, and then what do you really want? Pageants. That's right, right? Just kidding. All right, that was... Supposed to be a joke. It didn't land well. All right. Okay. My name is KDU. I want to thank the visual person in the room at all. No. Okay. I want to thank Tova for being willing to share the seat this morning. And anyone else I'm supposed to thank right now? My teacher, who's not here, Vicki Austin. I don't know why this is not working so well. All right. Maybe if I bring this forward. Oh, it's... Maybe if I flip it behind myself.

[03:16]

Oh, because it's pulling. Yeah, that's right. Okay. All right. I'll try it here, so I don't... All right. So... Obviously, I used to live here, or maybe not obviously, but I used to live here, and I used to live in San Francisco. And recently, I moved to Petaluma with my partner, Gab, and get to live together for the first time fully after nine years. Not the typical lesbian U-Haul story. But wait, that's not what my talk's about. Anyway, as we were moving, of course, I had to sort through a lot of things, including a lot of papers and, you know, trying to let go. And actually, I lived in a Tenderloin Civic Center area for 16 years since I moved out of the temple, moved out of here. So, you know, I had a lot of sorting to do.

[04:17]

And I came upon a talk that my... Hon Shi, or my root teacher, Zen K. Blanche Hartman, the first abbess of Sam Su Su Zen Center, that she had written in 1998 at the Dharma Talk before a Jukai, which is a lay initiation precept ceremony, which Tova and I have students today who will be taking them this afternoon. Let's see. I need to find my students. Oh, there's one. There's Barbara, okay, and Kate, and then where are yours? So I kind of know them too. All right, three. I know there's four of you. The fourth one's hiding over there, separate from the pack. That's okay. All right. So anyway, I found this talk, and I thought it was appropriate to, this backwards, I think, yeah, to incorporate it.

[05:23]

So here's how it starts. So once again, today, an auspicious event will occur. This is Blanche, of course. When a group of, then they had eight, today we have six, people who have been studying precepts diligently and taking refuge in Buddha, stitch after stitch, because we sew our own robes, right? In their Buddha robe that they have been making. will receive the great Bodhisattva precepts. This is a cause of great rejoicing. We have a number of ceremonies at Zen Center. We have weddings, our nation, lay initiation ceremony, funerals, and our occasions for taking the great Bodhisattva precepts. In Soto Zen, we only have one set of precepts. for lay people or for priests, for when you die, when you take weddings.

[06:27]

Every time we just offer the same 16 Bodhisattva precepts. These are fundamental bedlines of our life. As a matter of fact, along with receiving the precepts this afternoon and receiving a rope in which they have sewn and receiving a new Dharma name, each of these disciples will receive a lineage paper, a kechimeyaku. It's called a blood vein. And the form of this document or this diagram begins with a red circle at the top, and then this red line continues down through the name of Shakyamuni Buddha and then through Shakyamuni Buddha's disciples. and on through all the lineage of ancestors, from Shakyamuni Buddha down through the present disciple. I'm 94th, I believe, from the Buddha, so my students are 95th from the Buddha.

[07:35]

Let's see. Then this red line returns to the empty circle and to Shakyamuni Buddha. This empty circle represents the Dharmakaya, the Buddha which is beyond description. That which includes everything. But this red line, this blood vein, is what connects us all to this practice. The significance of having it continue from the present practitioner back to the beginning is that. The very life of the Buddha Dharma depends on each of you who is practicing right now. This is what continues this way. It is our practice in this moment. In each moment, the same way begins with opening in the invocation saying, In the faith that we are Buddha, we enter Buddha's way.

[08:45]

faith that we are Buddha, we enter Buddha's way. And for the students who study with me for the precepts, we do it for eight months. And we start out by talking about what it is to vow. And then we go through the 16 Bodhisattva precepts in groups. And the first group begins with what's called the three refuges. taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. So we talk about how is it that we can take refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and for how much we practice it. And so I ask the students to name off the qualities of each of those. I say the word, and then they write down the qualities. And then I ask them to do a practice session, set up a practice for himself, a mindfulness practice to practice for the two weeks until the meeting in which we talk about how your practice on this goes.

[10:00]

And just to pick one of those and the one that's most difficult for you is a Buddha, is a Dharma, is a Sangha. And I will say that for the most part, Buddha is the one that people have the hardest time with. Now, I think in part it's because there's a real sense in North American Buddhism and comfort Buddhism that, you know, the Buddha is on an altar, but it's an idol. And I don't, you know, I don't want to, you know, phrase an idol. Right. And that Buddhism is perhaps a philosophy more than that. Also, maybe there's a sense that it's a big deal. Having to say that I'm going to take refuge in the qualities that I want to have in a Buddha. And, you know, as Blanche puts it in the same writing, she says, to be one with Buddha, to manifest Buddha, to be Buddha completely.

[11:10]

All the precepts flow from that. So that's a big deal. That's asking us to live with this as our main drive. In faith that we are Buddha, we enter Buddha's way. Now, Mahayana Buddhism begins with this faith. This idea that we, all of us, are... Buddha, you know, when you bow to someone, you're bowing to their Buddha-ness or Buddha to Buddha bowing. That's the whole idea. And by the way, when I asked you not to just say hi, but to say, hello, Buddha, how many of you thought, I don't know this guy or this person or them, are they a Buddha, right? How many of you? Come on. Right?

[12:11]

Oh, okay. Well, only those people over there. This side, we're all happy. Oh, someone back there. So you're not quite a Buddha and you're not quite a Buddha. No, just kidding. Just kidding. I think that's hard for us. And how many, if I had said, say to yourself, hello, Buddha. How many of you would have gone? Or just like... I don't know if I can say that. And so a practice is to gain trust and faith that we are Buddha. And the we includes the self and everyone else. You know, in some moments it's the self that's hardest, right? And sometimes it's others or situation. A tree or a weed. How many of you... thought of a weed as Buddha. That's why it's called weed, right?

[13:14]

So this really sense of how do we really have trust and faith that we are Buddha? And many of us come to practice to calm ourselves and find the quietness because what we find in ourselves or others, it's hard to say, this is Buddha, isn't it? So our practice, in fact, is to, in faith that we are Buddha, we enter Buddha's way. And the second part is to say that, you know, it's not enough to say, oh, okay, yeah, right, I'm Buddha. Yeah, yeah, I'm Buddha. I'm done, right? Because, you know, I know, I don't know about you, but, okay, I have moments in which I could say, oh, yeah, I'm Buddha. But then, you know, something happens a moment later. And then I'm like, oh, that's not the way a Buddha should be.

[14:17]

I'm not calm. I'm not peaceful. And so it's hard to keep on constancy is the hardest part about. So we practice, we enter Buddha's way. And in fact, the precept ceremony is, a whole container of reminding us, one, that we are Buddha, and two, that we are vowing to enter Buddha's way. I'm only on page one, and Tova is supposed to speak too, so let's see if I can summarize this a little bit more. You know, I tell my students that, okay, yeah, you've been practicing and then you've been sewing your robes, which for these two, it actually, what, at least a whole year after you study the precepts, right? And so it's been a couple years, but after taking the ceremony, your practice is just beginning, right?

[15:29]

So it really is very much... This is a continuous practice. And the ceremony kind of helps us really have the sense of that. And in fact, it does that. It also is that container in which it creates a way that we can have faith that we are Buddha. And in fact, it begins with invoking. the presence and compassion of our ancestors in faith that we are Buddha, we enter Buddha's way. That's the first line of the ceremony. Now notice it begins with invoking the presence and compassion of our ancestors. So we aren't doing this alone. In a ceremony, you're doing it with other people for the most part. And so that's not alone. But also, Part of the whole lineage paper is that sense that all Buddha and all the ancestors are supporting you to do that.

[16:40]

And you have papers to prove it. And then also, that line also says, not only that we don't do this alone, but that the Buddhists and ancestors are showing us how. Compassionately. how do we do this compassionately, right? We don't take the precepts, at least in excess design, our lineage, and then the way that Blanche taught it to me. It isn't so much about, like many of us, you know, when people start to study the precept, part of it is to really see, really the precepts are our values, right? And so part of it is to see how were we taught values? Was it really in a very tight and punitive way? And so as Blanche says, the specific precepts, the grave precepts when we get to the 10, sometimes called the prohibitory precepts.

[17:58]

So that has that. kind of echo of what I'm talking about, right? The kind of more tight container. This list of actions which cause suffering are not prescriptions. No, no. Or commandments. They are just descriptions. They are descriptions of how a Buddha acts. A Buddha does not take life. These are the beginning of the grave. A Buddha does not take what is not given. A Buddha does not misuse sexuality. These are just pointing out to use guidelines in case we forget how we want to act in the world. If we are feeling uncomfortable, we may look at these guidelines and say, oh yeah, I forgot that one. I forgot and that's why I'm feeling funny. I'm feeling uncomfortable.

[18:59]

So the way that we approach them is really as a way, as guidance. You could say another word for it. All right, I'm just going to go to the end, so make sure Tova gets some time here. And so I will say that, you know, when I studied my lay precepts with Blanche, oh. which was 20 years ago when I received the lay precepts. Yeah, 2003, I received them. She gave me, you know, this 2003 paper of a packet in an envelope, a manila envelope of the writings on the precepts that she thought was important to read besides a couple of books too. And to this day, my students get the same precepts. I've added a couple more. But, of course, now it's digital.

[20:00]

But, you know, it's still really the same. And it begins with a quote from Copancino that she really loved. And I'll summarize it a bit because it's quite long. But the main subject of our sashin, our practice, is how to become a transmitter of actual light. Life light. Practice takes place to shape your whole ability to reflect the light coming through you and to regenerate your system so the light increases its power. Each precept is a remark about hard climbing. Maybe climbing down. You don't use the precepts for accomplishing your own personality or fulfilling your dream of the highest image.

[21:00]

You don't use the precepts in that way. The precepts are the reflected light world of one precept, which is Buddha's mind itself, which is the presence of Buddha. And then she says, so the more you sense the rareness and the value of your own life, the more deeply you recognize that you are Buddha. The more you realize how you use it, how you manifest it, it's all your responsibility. So naturally, it's time to be still and become more connected to this source that is you. become more connected to how do I really want to live this life? How do I want to manifest Buddha in this life? You know, throughout the whole ceremony, which is public, by the way, and it starts at 3 today, so you're welcome to come and cheer along, the rest of us.

[22:15]

We keep asking the ordinance, initiates, we go through various vows, and then we ask them to verify their commitment, you know, which is, that's what vowing is, right? When you vow, you're committing. And we ask them to answer strongly, and there's a very specific way in Zen, and many of you know it's, right? The Japanese word for, yes, I will. And so when we ask them, we coach them to not say, yes, I will. But to say, yes, I will. To really have faith that you are Buddha and you are entering Buddha's way. Maybe I'll try with you. This is not my script, but let's try with me. Do you have faith that you are Buddha and are entering Buddha's way?

[23:19]

Yes, I will. All right. Thank you. All right. Now, Tova. I don't know how to do this. Oh, yes. I forgot the form. Casual these days. Good morning again.

[24:30]

My name is Tova Green. I'm a resident priest here at San Francisco Zen Center and delighted to be sharing this talk and the ceremony with you, Ian. We practiced together years ago at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and at City Center and studied with some of the same And I'm really happy about this day and giving the precepts to four students who have been studying with me for a long time and who are dedicated to living their lives mindfully and joyfully and with great regard for one another. other people and their families, their communities, and for the planet as well, which really needs all the loving care we can give it these days and will in the future.

[25:38]

So I'm going to talk about ceremonial space and how we create that. What is it? And this came up for me this week because last weekend, I spent a whole day practicing calligraphy and preparing some of the documents that I'll be giving to the students this afternoon. And I realized partway through the day that I was in a kind of altered space, which I would call ceremonial space. It was a sense that everything was slowed down for me. that I was more attentive than I usually am. And all through the week, that sense lingered and grew. And there was an undercurrent for me all week, both of joy and anxiety, I have to admit.

[26:43]

This is a great responsibility for me. And I... So I thought about some of the ways in which rituals and ceremonies contribute to our life. What is ceremonial space? How do we create it together? Because it's not... I mean, it's possible to have personal ceremonies and rituals, but often ceremonies are shared with others. And I feel that we are in... ceremonial space in the Buddha Hall this morning, the way you started out by having people turn to those around them and say, good morning Buddha, creates a sense of shared experience, which is what ritual and ceremony can do. And, you know, we started out perhaps... not connecting, not feeling too connected to anyone.

[27:49]

And I think that shifted very quickly. And I really appreciate the way you started the talk as well as, yeah, yeah, yeah. The connection that you create through the content of your talk and the humor as well. Humor is another way of really creating bonding. So, I'm part of a group of priests who study here at San Francisco Zen Center. We have a study group that meets every two weeks, and we've been studying ceremony and ritual. And we had a guest teacher a couple of times named Charlie Pokorny, who teaches at Brooklyn Zen Center now. And he said something that I found very meaningful. He said, rituals create a world. Rituals create a world together.

[28:51]

And I think the word create, I think rituals can be very creative and together are the key words. And then the question comes up, what kind of world do we want to create through our rituals, through our lives? So I also thought about some of the ways ceremony and ritual is defined or described and uh one i looked i looked for some definitions and one that i found that seems meaningful to me is ceremony is a powerful container where the sacred is called in to work the magic in the lives of the attendees through being present for what is. It's quite a long sentence, but the words that stood out, powerful container, where the sacred is called in, and there's magic that happens.

[29:54]

It's not always possible to explain how it happens. And then through being fully present. And often ceremonies have a physical dimension, It can be a physical display, a theatrical component, sometimes dance, a procession. The ceremony we'll be doing this afternoon starts with a procession, including a bell, so there's sound. The procession moves slowly down to the Buddha Hall, enters slowly. There's a way in which it helps to settle people who are here. witness and when a ceremony brings people together particularly a ceremony like the one we'll do this afternoon where people are taking vows and really in a way coming in perhaps feeling vulnerable and fresh and to have these vows be witnessed by a community including family and friends and

[31:11]

fellow practitioners, is so meaningful because embracing the idea that we are Buddha can be daunting, can be awesome, as Leanne said, and for many reasons. And it takes courage, and it takes courage to make vows to live your life. One of the phrases I especially appreciate in the ceremony is to live and be lived. for the benefit of all beings. To aspire to live one's life that way, I think takes a lot of courage and dedication. And so to have those vows be witnessed and know that people will help us as we go forward to embody those vows, particularly at times when it may be difficult, is a really important part of ceremony.

[32:19]

So there's a wonderful book about the precepts by Tension Rev. Anderson called Being Upright. And he describes one of the precepts as, I vow to embrace forms and ceremonies. And he talks about ceremonies as a ceremony brings meaning to the person, and the person embodies meaning. A ceremony is a concert or a dance between the person and meaning. And he quotes also our Zen ancestor, Ehe Dogen, who lived 800 years ago, and his teachings are still so relevant today. Dogen wrote that Ceremonies are the essence of the teaching. And in this chapter on forms and ceremonies, Reb said, in Soto Zen, the everyday ceremonies of meeting and greeting one another remind us of our ultimate concern in practicing together, which is the welfare of all beings.

[33:34]

So meeting and greeting one another often here we meet and greet one another with a gashow bow it's just a sign of respect but I also thought about how do we meet and greet people when we open the front door you know that makes can make such a difference particularly if somebody's coming for the first time but in any case can we open the front door with warmth with welcoming and how how how that door is opened may make a difference in terms of whether that person feels welcomed or not. So although ceremonies can bring people together, they can also contribute to some people feeling left out. And the formal nature of some of our Soto Zen ceremonies may be off-putting for some, while others find beauty in forms.

[34:36]

Or they can be a mixture of, you know, I can see something maybe happening in me, but I might feel some disease with the unfamiliarity of some of the ceremonial forms. So I think when we think about ceremonies creating the world or being such an important part of the world we want to create, how can we make these ceremonies meaningful and inclusive to everyone who comes? The ceremonies are sometimes opportunities to start fresh, start anew. We may feel this way about birthdays, new years, then times when we renew vows, whether it's an anniversary of a relationship or an anniversary of a loss. Some ceremonies are joyful, but others really help us with our grief.

[35:42]

And ceremonies can heighten our sense of deep time and space. What Leanne talked about, about the importance of our ancestors. When we start the ceremony this afternoon by... invoking the names of our ancestors. There's this sense of our lives being connected to people who lived thousands of years ago. And we don't really know all of the people from the past who have impacted our lives. So there's this sense of deep time and also often we dedicate the ceremony to future generations. So we can appreciate both future and past in the present moment and ceremonies can help with that.

[36:51]

So I too wanting to not run over my time and I'm We want to have some time to hear from you, some questions or comments you may have. So I just would like to invite you to reflect on what are some of the ceremonies that are meaningful for you, for your families, for your friends, and think about how you might create or how you do create ceremonial space in your own a sense of the sacred, of the presence of magic, whether it's in your home, your workplace, your school, or in your wider community. So I'll just end with those words from Charlie again.

[37:56]

Rituals create a world together. May we fully enjoy the Dharma.

[38:25]

@Transcribed_UNK
@Text_v005
@Score_95.74