Yesterday, I was asked by Roshi to give a lecture from today, so I will have three lectures during the session for now. I think Susuki Roshi's lecture concentrated on what the basic meaning of practice is based on the emptiness, emptiness or nothingness. I think, I hope all of you understand so well from Roshi's lecture. So Roshi always concentrated on just center, just center, what's the practice, the meaning

[01:06]

of practice based on the emptiness. But my lecture is a little bit, you know, going and coming, the outside, okay, dragging my delusions out of my mind. So anyway, I would like to do my best to explain our practice from the different angle. So, from Roshi's lecture, Dogen Zenji says, our practice is Igi Soku Buppo in Japanese,

[02:09]

Igi means attitude, attitude is Buddha's way, Buddha's path, Buddha's practice, or Buddha itself. The attitude is Buddhism. Saho means manner, manner is the discipline, discipline of Buddhism, so attitude and manner, the both, are the principle of Buddhism. This is the key point, what Dogen wants to put the stress on. Philosophically speaking, I think this is the practice, this is practice based on the

[03:16]

emptiness, but you don't know what the practice, what the practice based on the emptiness is. Then, Dogen Zenji says concretely what the practice is, on the basis of the emptiness. So, what my talk is, the meaning of the attitude is Buddhism, or the manners, manners, the Buddhism. This is all that I will want to speak for three days, just for three days, no more than three days.

[04:22]

This morning, someone asked me, Roshi said, the mountain is mountain, mountain is mountain, before you understand what mountain is, before you think mountain, of a mountain, the existence of mountain, mountain is mountain. He asked me, is it true? But unfortunately, I'm sorry, I didn't listen to his lecture because yesterday I slept. So, this morning, it was the first time to realize his talk.

[05:26]

I think this is true, very true. Mountain is mountain. Regardless of the idea whether you understand or not, mountain is completely mountain. But actually you don't understand exactly. So, I have to go around outside of this meaning a little more. You know, one of the famous poet named Basho. Basho used very often in the world, we use the blackboard. This is very good. The blackboard is very good place to explain my delusions.

[06:32]

Basho used so many opening statements. Anyway, I will write the Japanese, but later I will explain. Mono, mina, ji, toku. Mono, mina, ji, toku, su. Mono means things.

[08:01]

Mina is all. Ji means self. Toku means to attain or to be, to become. To become or to settle. To settle. To settle. So, the word, it is said this word comes from the, I forgot the name of book.

[09:08]

Anyway, some book written by Teimei Do, Chinese. He said, Shizuka ni mireba means, if you see something with a calm mind, calm mind. Shizuka. Shizuka means calm or tranquil. If you see something with calm mind, mono, mina, ji, toku, su. Mono, mina, ji, toku, su means all things. All things are completely become, become their self, their self, their selves. So, I will try to translate this meaning.

[10:11]

That everything, everything of itself, settle itself, own itself, as it is. Do you understand? Pretty good translation. Anyway, everything of itself, settle itself, own itself, own itself, as it is, as it is. This is my translation. Do you understand? Maybe. So, mina. Mina. Important point is the meaning of ji. To settle the self, to become, in other words, you become yourself.

[11:14]

Wherever you may go, important point is you become yourself. You become yourself. You settle yourself, own the self, as you are. This is, this is the real self, real self, real self. You know, in Japanese... Shizen, shizen means nature, shizen means nature. But, this word uses ji, the same meaning, same letter, with shizen.

[12:20]

The ji, ashi, are all shizen. So, if you look at the dictionary, Japanese dictionary, about this. The shi means various meanings, very interesting. I will tell you. The shi means, shi means, one is self, one is self. The other one is all itself, all itself, or simultaneously. So, from this point, ji or shi means the self is completely identical with all itself, all itself.

[13:32]

All itself is identical with self, self, self. Zen means not, this is Zen Buddhism, this is different. Zen means suchness, suchness or the as it is-ness, as it is-ness. This is Zen. So, from this point, nature is as something becomes itself, as it is, simultaneously, simultaneously. This is shizen, this is nature, this is nature. I think a little different meaning from the shi, nature, in English, what you think. Shizen, in Japanese, anyway, in other words, pine tree is pine tree.

[14:40]

Bamboo is bamboo. The important point is for the bamboo, that bamboo of itself, of itself, settle itself, you know, on itself, as it is. This is the bamboo, which belongs to one of nature, which exists in nature. This is shizen, shizen. So, in Japanese, the Japanese language is very strange, very strange. For instance, you know, the meaning of shi, the amount of meanings of shi, the self, is ai, ai.

[15:56]

In Japanese, ware, ware. You know, in English, you say, I. And when you want to express the listener as you, you know, you use the word you. The I and you. In Japanese, of course, we use ware, ai, anata, you. But sometimes, no discrimination, no discrimination. If you read, if you study the Japanese old literature, you find such a word. Up to now, we use, we use the funny expression. For instance, if you want to score, you know, if you want to score the very bad boy, you say, how stupid you are.

[17:04]

How stupid you are. In Japanese, ware wa nan to iu yatsu da. Ware wa nan to iu yatsu da. You understand that, right? How stupid you are. How stupid. Ware wa means I. Nan to iu yatsu, nan to iu means how. How awful. Baka na yatsu da. Baka means stupid. How stupid. Literal translation, you know. Translating, you know, how stupid I am. Not you are. In Japanese, nan to iu ware wa baka na yatsu da. Ware means I. But many people understand. Without explanation, you know, which is what. For instance, if I score you, nan to iu baka na yatsu da.

[18:12]

Everybody understands. They understand immediately. Oh, Kataki scored someone, not himself. At that time, you know, the ware, you know. There is no discrimination. And also the Japanese people don't have any doubt. Even though they use such an expression. No discrimination. You and you is I. I is you. No discrimination. No discrimination. Even though they don't have any doubt. And also, everybody understands. Everybody understands. I think this is very interesting. And for western people, I think such explanation, expression, usage of the Japanese language is very funny.

[19:21]

Very funny. I think I have very often said to you, you know, I love a dog. In English. In Japanese, watakushi wa, I. Inu ga, dog. Sukidesu, love. So, watakushi wa, in English, I is completely subject. Just one subject. And next, love. The verb. Next, the object of the verb, a dog. So, I love dog. In this case, a dog is completely object of the verb. But in Japanese, I, watakushi wa, inu ga. Watakushi wa is subject. Of course subject. Inu ga is also subject. Two subjects. Two subjects. And they are placed very close.

[20:28]

Next door. I sit here, a dog next to me. I, watakushi wa, inu ga. Then, sukidesu, love. And someone ask me, ask me, sensei, of course I understand what you said. I love a dog, that's all right. But dog doesn't, dog hate me. What shall I do? I love a dog. Of course it is true, you know. Watakushi wa, inu ga, sukidesu. But dog hate me. You know, this expression is above. Above the idea whether I love a dog or I hate a dog. Or a dog hate me or a dog love me.

[21:30]

Just do it. Just exist. No doubt. No doubt. So you can express, watakushi wa, inu ga, kirai desu. I, dog, hate. I, dog, hate. Watakushi wa, inu ga, kirai desu. Two subjects. From this point, I think the... ...people, the Japanese people understand so well. So well, the subject, the I as a subject, things as object. At that time, object is not merely object. So, from the meaning, from the meaning of the shizen, nature.

[22:39]

You know, the... Everything completely exists independently. Independently. When I was... I have been in Tuscarora. And I came back to San Francisco to attend this session. In Tuscarora, nature is very beautiful. Sometimes, you know, I look at the tree or rock, rivers by myself. You know, the tree or rock or sound river are completely marvelous. They are absolutely marvelous and the real fact, real fact.

[23:47]

There is no doubt. Real fact. You know, it means, it's something tell me. It's something tell me. I don't know what it is. I don't know what it is anyway. Tree or rock or river tell me something. You know, at that time, when you see the rock or river or tree, I think that the stream of time, stream of time completely stopped. Within, in the world of the tree, rock, river. You know, also, even the width of the space is completely absorbed. Absorbed by the tree and by the world of tree, rock, rivers. You know, everything is absorbed

[24:51]

absorbed by the tree and rock, you know, mountains. At that time, you feel something. You know, wow. That's all. How beautiful. Wow. No expression, you know. No expression, no word. No expression in word. Just wow. So, from this point, nature is very beautiful. You know, from this point, the pine tree must be pine tree. Bamboo must be bamboo. You know, also, the bamboo or mountain must accept many things. You know, storms, rains, snows, the sound of river, the color of mountain.

[25:52]

Many things. Maybe there may exist many, a number of sufferings or pleasures. But in order to become pine tree of itself as he is, he has to accept many things. At that time, the pine tree completely exists independent. Independently. Independently. Also, this independence makes the pine tree harmonious with all sentient beings. Mountain, river, rock. At that time, some big world created. Then, when you see the nature, you say, wow. That's all. How beautiful it is.

[26:54]

From this point, the moment after moment, pine tree must pine tree. Pine tree must kill himself. Next moment, pine tree must make himself alive. Pine tree must come to himself. You know, in Shobo Genzo, Dogen says in that way, in various expressions of nature. Mountain, river, such and such. The question is, of course, the pine tree, the world is completely at peace. Big circle of peace.

[27:56]

Even though how many people exist in this world. Katagiri must be Katagiri. You must be you. Pine tree is pine tree. Bamboo is bamboo. Then, that's all right. That's all right. I understand. You understand also. But, question is how we get such a communication between. Between pine tree, which pine tree is pine tree. How can I get, how can I have communication between the pine tree? When the pine tree is pine tree, and you, when you become you, how can you, how can you have such communication or relationship?

[29:00]

This is very important. Dogen. Dogen says, unfortunately, unfortunately, there exists, there exists something beyond, something like the voice and colors of mountains and river, beyond the existence of mountain and river. Because nobody knows. Nobody understands so well, what it is. But he said, in the next statement, he said, fortunately, fortunately, we can have a chance to meet the nature, the total existence of nature. Chance means, Dogen says, Jisetsu in name, Jisetsu in name.

[30:40]

J means time, J means time, or occasion, or opportunity, time. Setsu means, you know, the joint, joint on a bamboo. It means bamboo tree, bamboo. Nice bamboo. This is joint, not, not the joint. I'm sorry. This setsu means season, season, season. Season. And in means cause, cause. In means secondary cause, secondary cause. Then he said, fortunately, we can have Jisetsu in name, Jisetsu in name.

[31:43]

I think Jisetsu is time, or opportunity, opportunity. And in name is, you know, the, what would you say? Conditioned origination, conditioned origination. You understand? Conditioned origination. Anyway, everything changes. Everything changes, or the principle of emptiness, something like that. Jisetsu is, anyway, time, time, occasion, occasion. But this time is not merely time, not merely the time, what you think. What you think something in the system of time, you know. Oh, now, now one quarter, you know. It's not, it's not meaning of this time.

[32:46]

This time is the occasion, this occasion, opportunity based on the emptiness. Emptiness is in name, in name. In name is, in name is the stream of change. Anyway, many things is floating, many things change. Like this, without stopping even for a moment. This is in name, okay? This is in name. Then, in this domain of this change, there exists completely time, the meaning of time, occasion, occasion. So in other words, this is time, this is a space. In other words, this is time, this is space.

[33:53]

Your life exists just in the section, intersection of the here. Your life which exists now on the stage of now and here is here. Then, your life includes time. This time is this, the present includes part of the present. Also, all space, the widest of huge space is absorbed completely by this place, by this place. This is your life. Then, next moment, your life is here. This is here. Your life is here. Then, this is, in terms of the system of time, you say there exists a certain occasion or time.

[35:08]

When you see from the viewpoint of time, your life is time, your life is time. From the viewpoint of space, your life is space, your life is in space. What your life is in space means your life is always supported by many things, all many things, all sentient beings. Not only the sun, not only the moon, not only the mountain, the rivers, the sound of rivers, stars, many things, all of them. You are completely supported or helped by all sentient beings as you chant the sutra when you eat a meal with all sentient beings.

[36:09]

This is the space, space. So, from this point, inner means your life, the life seen from the space, which means everything cooperates, everything supports, everything is interdependent. This is the very big harmonious situation of the world. This is inner, inner. Then, this is time, right now, right now, right now. The occasion. So, he said, as Dogen says, fortunately, we can have the dissents in them. But, unfortunately, we don't, unfortunately, there exists something, something scrutable, scrutable.

[37:19]

As the sound, as the color of mountain, or as the sound of river, you know, you don't understand, we cannot understand so. Even though Pine Tree puts the emphasis on himself, I am Pine Tree, as Pine Tree is. But, nobody understands. Just Pine Tree exists, Pine Tree as Pine Tree as he is. But, how can we, how can we have communication, Pine Tree and I, you and I, nature and I. He said, dissents in them. In the domain, in the world of the dissents in them, the occasion, big occasion, big time, based on the emptiness or in them, conditional origination, conditioned origination, change.

[38:41]

With helping each other, helping with each other. Then, he said, we cannot reach this, what it is, we cannot. We cannot reach this dissents in them. For instance, flower blooms, you know, and spring comes, or in other words, gongs start to ring, you know, gong, big, small. You know, the Tatsugami Roshi will contribute the big bell to Tassaha, you know, we are very excited. Then, we were planning to build the bell towers in Tassaha. Then, if you have the bell, big bell, we have to every morning and every evening, gong.

[39:42]

Then, Master says, from where the sound comes? Bell comes, bell ringing, bell rings, or stick rings, or space between the bell and sticks ring, which is what? Nobody knows. Nobody knows. For instance, flower blooms, you know, spring comes, which first comes? Which comes first? Spring comes, or flower blooms, nobody knows. When you understand, when you understand which is first, at that time you say, that's wow, that's all. That's wow, beautiful, that's all. Then, Bogen says,

[40:52]

Kaika Sekinki, Kai means bloom, open, bloom. Ka means flower, Ka means flower. Sekinki means world, world. Ki means rice, happen to rise, rise. So, when the flower blooms, the world happens to rise. World appears. In other words, when the flower blooms, spring already exists. This is a very good word, which was created by the Dogens. You cannot find such a word in a dictionary, Japanese dictionary.

[42:09]

This is a special term, Kaika Sekinki. When the flower blooms, spring already exists. Then, at that time, you are impressed by the blooming flower and the spring, the existence of spring. There is still something. What is taken as a question? What is it? What has happened? What has happened between the flower and spring? I think that simultaneously, flower exists and spring exists.

[43:13]

Then, when the flower becomes flower as it is, when the spring becomes spring as it is, then they both meet at a certain time and space, an intersection of time and space. At that time, flower blooms and flower's world appears. This is Sekinki, flower's world appears. Nobody is explaining, nobody understands what it is. But, Jisetsu Inne, Jisetsu Inne means the occasion, the great valuable occasion, based on the principle of change or emptiness.

[44:15]

And then, each other creates a big harmonious world. This is spring. Then, you say, wow, how beautiful, that's all. This is Kaika Sekinki. Then, from this point, the important point is how to have communication. How do you have communication between you and I, Zazen and you, Zazen and I, practice and I, or Manas and I, or attitude and I. When and how should you accept, should you have the big communication between you and I,

[45:21]

or you and anything, doing anything, chanting sutra, or hitting bell, or hitting Mokugyo, or playing piano, you know. Then, whatever you do, whatever you do, you have to, as mentioned before, you have to become yourself. In other words, according to this virtual statement, you of yourself settle yourself on the self, as you are, as you are. When you confront Mokugyo, when you confront piano, when you confront sutra, when you confront Zazen, whatever it is, when you confront my speech, I am confronting my speech, some lectures, you know.

[46:23]

Whatever you may be, the important point is you become Mono Mina Jitokusu. You yourself, you of yourself, settle yourself on the self, as you are. At that time, we may say, you become you, or Zazen becomes Zazen. You don't become, you don't practice Zazen. As long as you practice Zazen, Zazen becomes Zazen. At that time, there is a big communication between Zazen and you. You become you, Zazen becomes you, you know. And there is something, you know. There still something, something exists, you know. There exists still something. This is Jisetsu Innen. Jisetsu Innen, the occasion when you create your own big world, not small world, big world.

[47:40]

Like a flower blooms and spring comes. Then, Igi Soku Bukpo. The Mana attitude is Buddhism, or Mana is Buddhism. The important point is how to do, how to deal with, how to confront. The Mokugyo and bell and piano and brush, painting brush, reading book, how to confront this. How to confront desk, how to confront my lecture. How to confront, you know, fruit, playing fruit. Whatever it is, you have to become yourself. You have to become yourself, you have to settle yourself on self. That time, your own world appears, rise.

[48:48]

That's Seikenki, Taika Seikenki. Spring exists, you know. It is your own world when you, of yourself, settle yourself on self, as you are. Your world exists, your life exists. Hmm. It means, as Togenden says, attitude is Buddhism. Mana is Buddhism, Mana is Buddhism. At meal times, you know, we use all utilities, you know. China bowls, bowls made by China, and chopsticks, metal spoons, bowls, plastic tray. All are very easy to make a noise. But everybody makes a noise so well without knowing so well.

[49:52]

You know, this is important, you know. We always advise, give advice, don't make a noise. You know, in Zen Monastery, don't make a noise even when you eat the pickle. Don't make a noise. How can you make no noise when you eat the pickle? It's pretty... It's pretty difficult. You have to swallow, you know, without chewing. But, this is unlogical. This is pretty unlogical, but this attitude is important. If you, if nobody gives advice, you know.

[50:56]

Without any attention, like this. So, when the Zen Master says, don't make a noise. Pretty good, eh? So, all utensils are very easy to make a noise. So, please, handle them with kind and considerate attention. This practice is, you know, Kaikaze Kenki. Kaikaze Kenki. You know, your flower blooms, your life appears, right now, right here. You have to create your life, you know, by yourself, for yourself. Everybody can create your life. Everybody can create happiness, you know, on the stage of now and here. Through the practice of handling, handling, practice of handling the all utensils, utilities.

[52:02]

Trays, bowls, metal spoons, without making noise. This is easy. Attitude is Buddhism. The manners is Buddhism. This is very important. I think this practice is based on, this practice, this is our practice based on emptiness. Based on emptiness, or nothingness. So, as Basho said, when you see something with calm, calmness, calm mind, you can recognize Mono Minajitokusu. You can recognize that everything of itself settles itself on the self as it is. This is very important.

[53:04]

I think next time, why we have to see something as calm mind. I think tomorrow we will explain.

[53:16]

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