We're born with an intellect, you know, and we have this intellect that functions in our daily life. And what is the place of the intellect in the life of an enlightened individual? What is its function? When does that person think and what does that person think about, you know? Like, when I think, you know, my thoughts are very random and they wander off and, you know, they won't be especially helpful for the situation that's going on, you know, like I think a lot of times. But still, there's times when I think because I have to think, you know, I have to find a solution for something. And that's just part of my whole existence. I have an intellect. And every human being has an intellect. And I know it separates me from my life, but still, it's part of being human.

[01:01]

So, when you think, what should you think? I don't mean you should be completely caught up by intellectual understanding. It's pretty difficult. It is really nonsense. But, if you... But, important point is that intellectual understanding makes your life, makes your life. What would you say? Not makes your life. Make your religious belief and so on. Anyway, religious belief. You don't understand the religious belief anyway. The religious belief.

[02:03]

Religious belief firm with... What would you say? Not the... Excuse me. If you believe religion blindly, it looks a sort of consumption. Consumption. Mission. Consumption. I'm sorry. I forgot. Anyway, generally speaking, the religious belief needs something background, something which makes it firm more and more as a background.

[03:32]

Did you understand? For instance, I'm Katagiri. I'm Katagiri. So, when you see me, you know my name. Katagiri. Yes, Katagiri. If you want to... Your knowing. If you want to know clearly more and more, you have to know where I was born, what education you have and so on. At that time, you will understand clearer. In other words, such understanding makes your knowledge clear and firm as a background. This is just background. So, philosophy or psychology are based on the life as a background.

[04:47]

Background of human life. Did you understand? I understand that, but what I mean is, say I'm walking down the main road of Tassajara and I see a flower in front of someone's cabin. And then I look at the flower and the flower is blooming and I say, oh, how pretty it's spring. And there, right there, I've separated myself. And then I get a certain feeling of frustration, you know, because somehow that's happening and I'm not there. You know, I'm somewhere else thinking, oh, the flower is blooming and it's spring. And where is... But that's okay, you know, because I'm a human being and I think. But where is... But still that's deluded behavior, so where is truth in that? Am I making myself clearer? Being coherent.

[05:52]

You are still... You mean that you are still deluded by yourself? No, what I mean is, every experience that most people have, or not every, but many experiences that people have, they're separated from it because they're thinking about the experience, you know. They're constantly thinking, it's kind of a trace all the time. But yet we're human beings, so we think. That's part of our existence, we have an intellect. But it seems to me that I think far too much. But still, you have to think sometimes, right, because you're human. So how much should you think? When should you think? And I know there's not... I mean, there seems like there should be some kind of answer to that. The function of thinking is not something separate apart from the truth I mentioned before. Even the thinking, the function of the human thinking is also what?

[07:00]

Is what? You can discriminate. The thinking is completely apart from your daily life, apart from your life. In other words, even perception or decreation, whatever you think, those are completely... From where? From where such a conception or perception or thinking comes? We have to know clearly. We have to know clearly. But usually, thinking is something which makes your life trouble. I don't think so. At that time, thinking is... You are completely caught up by the thinking. At that time, thinking always creates some trouble.

[08:03]

Creates... leads you to one confusion to another. It is now real thinking. The thinking itself is based on just arising only, that's all. We have to know this basic ground of thinking, of perception, of decreation. But usually we think, we think... When you think, when you catch something with thinking, which means thinking is something apart from the truth. At that time, you have to always feel lonely or pain. At that time, you have to always chase after next and next, next. But you have to know what the perception is.

[09:07]

From where perception comes, what is perception, what is decreation? What is delusion, what is enlightenment? That's why Dogen always says, or now, Dogen, the Buddha said, Buddha, or many patriarchs said, even Buddha is impermanent. Impermanent. When I say Buddha, we immediately think of Buddha, a sort of absolute, which controls everybody. It is not Buddha. Even Buddha is based on fundamental nature of dimension, in which everything is, exists, in peace, harmony, and so on, arising, arising, appearing, and disappearing. This is basic meaning of time.

[10:10]

So we have to arrange our knowledge. We need this arrangement of knowledge. I don't mean that you should plunge into intellectual understanding your whole life. I don't think so. Please, sometimes, please sometimes arrange your knowledge. What is perception? What is decreation? For this, the Zazen is to enable man to sit, just sit, in completely fundamental nature of dimension, whether or not you understand or you are aware of it. Zazen is to enable you to sit on yourself in the fundamental nature of dimension, in which everything exists, peace, and equality.

[11:16]

This is practice. This is practice, which is called Zazen. So if you do Zazen in that way, the whole picture of your life is getting clearer and clearer. Okay. So it is okay when you see the flower, how beautiful it is. Wow, now spring has come. That's pretty natural. It is okay. It is not the delusion. It is not delusion. What you think it is delusion is already trouble. Because you try to catch it in terms of just human dimension. I don't think so. We have to see it in terms of including the three dimensions.

[12:25]

Human dimension, the dimension of living beings, all living beings, all beings. I don't know exactly. I don't know exactly, strictly speaking, what is wrong, what is bad. I am wrong or you are wrong. I don't know exactly. Anyway, all I have to do is to realize that many kinds of emotions are coming up. That's all. Also, I have to control this emotion at any cost,

[13:27]

screaming or explaining why. Then, I am an adult. I am an adult. I am not a baby. I am not an adult baby. I am an adult. I am an adult. I am a person who educated, who is educated, who graduated from college. Not kindergarten. So, I try to watch myself carefully. What happened? Emotions coming up. And then, immediately, before I am aware of, I try to explain. Unconsciously, I try to explain of myself, who I am,

[14:32]

why I have such lots of emotions. In order to conceal the impulse of emotions, which would distract the other's feelings. So, logically, I try to explain logically, very logically, one by one, one, two, three, four, five. Very logically, I try to explain in order to conceal, conceal the lack of my personality, characters. It's a little tricky. That's why Dogen Zen says,

[15:34]

when you experience lots of emotions beyond control, please, make your mind calm, think of it one day, and try to find something. And then, don't say anything. Then, please, stay overnight. Second day, in the second day, try to think of it again. Don't express your emotion immediately at that time. Please, stay overnight again. And third day, in the third day, try to think of it again. Then, if you find something good, something which you have to tell, please, express. This is very good practice, very practical way of life.

[16:36]

So, today, you know, even though that logical explanation of my emotion, my life, is right, you should keep in mind, explanation of my life is just explanation in a word. The unconscious or consciousness we try, all of us try that, try to do, attempt, try to conceal, perverted mind, perverted mind, which would avoid the true nature of myself. So, whatever you say, Zen Buddhism is the case for not only the practice of the Zen,

[17:42]

but also for the practice of sleeping, or standing, walking, or sitting, or washing your face, fixing a meal in the kitchen, all the practice of the Zen. This is true. But for Dogen, for the person who try to watch carefully, more and more, you will find, you will realize how great this statement mentioned by Dogen is true. This is real true. The attempt to stay away, it means the explanation logically is already, try to stay away, stay away from true nature, true nature of yourself. If you realize the true nature of yourself, through and through, you can't explain yourself.

[18:44]

You can't. There is nothing but keeping just silence. That's all. Maybe someone understand what you feel, how you feel, who you are. Maybe someone don't understand. It can be helped. But important point is, in our daily life, through and through, we have to watch carefully the true nature of yourself. Before you try to explain who you are, who I am, in order to cover, in order to conceal, in order to misguise, a disguise, disguise yourself in many reasons.

[19:46]

Many. So you try to, unconsciously or consciously, you will realize that you try to explain yourself, in order to conceal yourself, in order to disguise yourself, in many ways, in many, on many reasons. This is still true. Attempt to stay away from Gyoji indicates attempt to conceal a perverted mind. This is perverted mind. So strictly speaking, try to excuse, try to make excuse, or try to explain who you are, is already perverted mind. Perverted mind. I don't like that.

[20:49]

You don't like that too. All of us are really ashamed to hear such a thing. Not perverted mind. You think, it is not perverted mind. I explain, I show, what the true nature of myself is. That's all. You try to put emphasis on this point. But for Dogen, it is called perverted mind. One may say that all activities are Gyoji, even if one does not practice Gyoji. Okay. One of my friends, one of the college students, my college students, one of the college students, who became Zen Buddhist,

[21:51]

Zen priest, at 20 years old, when he was 20 years old, enjoyed himself to live in his life in Tokyo, wearing robes. Skipping the course of Zen, skipping the course of Zen, all students must take the course of Zen, which is the required subject. You can't escape. If you go to the Komodo University, you have to sit. You have to take a unit.

[22:52]

You can get the four units if you take the course of Zen. That's pretty simple. Just sit. Two hours. And listen to the lecture delivered by Zen master. But always he skipped the course of Zen. He doesn't like it. And putting an emphasis on all activities. All my activities are Zen practice. Zen practice. Then he went to see the movie, went to the bar, drinking a beer, singing songs. So I think Dogen Zenji knows so well, so well,

[23:56]

what human being feels themselves every time whatever they do. One may say that all activities are Gyoji even if one does not practice Gyoji. Such Gyoji would seem to be aspiration for the authentic Gyoji. Yeah, seemingly, seemingly it is real practice of Zen Buddhism. To seek, to seek. No, it is, it seemingly, seemingly is real practice of Zen. But it is not real Zen. But this is like a person,

[24:57]

like a poor person. Like a poor person who leaves the valuable treasure in his true father's house and is wondering about how to connect one country to another. This originates from this, the second chapter, second chapter of Sadama Pundarika Sutra. Or Shakyamuni Buddha explained a poor person who ignores, who ignores the treasure concealed in his neckband, of the crown, neckband by his true father. And was

[26:03]

wondering about one country to another as a beggar, as a beggar. So, this is like a poor person who leaves, who ignores the valuable treasure and is wondering about one country to another. He should not throw away the treasure given by his true father. Even if his body remains safe while wondering about the treasure is lost, the treasure is lost. How long you are wondering about

[27:09]

in your daily life insisting that all my activities are completely identical with the practice of Zen Buddhism. It is, this is like a person, like a poor person who forgets the true treasure. Living, living in your true father's house and wondering about forever. You can't get the true treasure because it is that wondering about one country to another is indicates that the true treasure is already lost.

[28:11]

It means you cannot never, you can never get the true treasure concealed in your neck band by your true father. This is very important. Try to consider again and again. Even though even though your body remains safe while wondering about, even though your body, your life are seemingly safe, be safe while wondering about it looks like a good,

[29:13]

it's something good. Concentrating on your daily life Zen master always please take care of your daily life. So recently I felt you always think well, taking care of daily life is Zen Buddhism. The practice of Zen Buddhism. It is ok, this is already misunderstood. If so, why is it you have to practice Zen coming to the Tathagata? Dogen also has same doubt. Why is it I have to, I have to practice to become Buddha? Because

[30:14]

everything all sentient beings possess human Buddha nature. Why is it we have to practice? Same applies to our daily life. The working kitchen works or sleeping works, working taking bath all are Zen practice, the practice of Zen. It is true. But when you, the moment when you insist on that point it is it indicates that you lose already your own treasure. Something missing. Something missing. I think not only

[31:15]

not only our days in Dogen's life, Dogen realized that all Buddhists misunderstood what Buddhism was. That's why he had to say that way. I will read one of passages, paragraph which occurs Bento of Shobo Genzo. There is some question. The teachings of both the Hokke and Keikon schools that have been transmitted in Japan to the present time are

[32:16]

the ultimate of the Mahayana teaching. Need I mention teachings like that of the Shingon sect which was transmitted personally by Vairochana Buddha to Vajurasattva and thus handed down from master to disciple without alteration. Centering its exposition upon the saying the mind in itself is Buddha and this very mind attains Buddhahood. It teaches that the genuine enlightenment of the five Buddhas is attained in a single sitting without going through many culprits of practice. It could perhaps be termed

[33:17]

the Buddhadharma's utmost sublimity. In light of this, what are the advantages of the practice you now speak of that you advance it along, ignoring all others? This is the question. In Dogen's answer to this question, you should know that for a Buddhist it is not a matter of debating the superiority or inferiority of one teaching or another. Listen to this answer carefully. For a Buddhist it is not a matter of debating the superiority or inferiority of one teaching

[34:19]

or another, or of choosing the depth or superficiality of the teaching that matters. All we have to know is whether the practice is authentic or not. Whether. The question is all we have to do is whether to realize, to manifest yourself based on the real reality, real reality. Whether the practice is authentic or not. Practice is always alive, vivified, not a matter of discussion what is good, what is bad of the Buddhist teaching. Men have flowed

[35:23]

into the Buddha way drawn by grasses and flowers, mountains and running water, hoarding earth, rocks and sand, and pebbles. They have grasped completely the Buddha seal. Need it be said vast and great words are imprinted on all things in nature and are still abandoned. Yes, of course, the Dogon doesn't mention, doesn't mean, doesn't mention that explanation in the world, explanation of the Buddha's teaching in the world is something wrong. What is OK? The vast and great words are imprinted on all things in nature.

[36:23]

You can't explain what truth is in the world and are still abandoned. A single mote of dust also is enough to turn the great Dharma field into Dharma. Because of this, the words, the mind in itself is Buddha but the moon in the water. Whatever you say in the world, whatever you say, explanation of Buddha's teaching in the world is but the moon in the water. The heart of sitting itself is attaining Buddha is likewise reflecting in a mirror. Reflecting in a mirror. Do not get caught up in skillful words.

[37:25]

I'm always giving a lecture. Sometimes I am completely attracted by my lecture. Wow! How wonderful! Sometimes I am completely attracted by my words. My words. And I misunderstand who I am. This is real truth. But what is real practice? Where is the I? True I. Do not get caught up in skillful words. So in Buddhism, you know, the first stage, in the first stage of Arhat, if you want to attain enlightenment, if you

[38:28]

attain the first stage of enlightenment, it is called the first stage of Arhat. At that time, you can shiver. The delusion coming from intellectual sense. Coming from intellectual sense. So it is called the first stage of Bodhisattva. So if you can, if you can be Bodhisattva who explain what Buddhism is, what truth is, what enlightenment is in the world. Like me. Like me. I thought, I think always, well, I am a Bodhisattva who attain the first stage of enlightenment. Because my intellectual sense understand, well, this is truth. I can understand clearly.

[39:29]

Clearly. So I can explain. So whatever, whatever I however, no matter how I make effort, unfortunately, I can't. It is very difficult for me to hit the right mark. But anyway, I know, so that's why I can explain what enlightenment is, what the Buddhist world is. But it is still first stage of enlightenment. Just cutting down, cutting off the... the... delusions which come to emerge from intellectual sense.

[40:32]

But it is not, it is not the person who which is called Buddha. It is Bodhisattva. Just kindergarten, like kindergarten. Kindergarten, this Bodhisattva is like kindergarten. So I can explain. Then at that time you say, wow, Katagiri is like great Zen master. I don't think so. Don't think that. Do not get caught up in skillful words. Be careful. Please be careful. No matter how, you can't explain greatly using the words. Now to abandon, advance the practice of

[41:35]

direct realization of enlightenment, I indicate to men the wondrous way Buddhists and patriarchs have all transmitted it from one to another with the intention that they should become real men of the way. Moreover, in the receiving and transmitting of the Buddha Dharma, it is absolutely necessary to take as teacher one who is stamped with realization. A word counting scholar will not do, for that would be like one blind man leading a troop of blind men. Now all students

[42:42]

who follow the right transmission of Buddhas and Tathagatas are directed to revere the clear-sighted master who has attained way and is in accord with realization and to maintain the Buddha Dharma. Since this is so, the spirits of the realms of light and darkness also come to him and take refuge. Enlightened Arahants as well come to seek the Dharma. Our practice doesn't belong to a certain school. Anybody can practice. Anybody can practice. The spirit the spirit of the realms of light and

[43:43]

darkness, it means the soul of gods, many gods. It is called darkness, it is called light. Whoever can come and practice the same. Buddha Dharma. Even the enlightened Arahants as well come to seek the Dharma. None are excluded from being taught the means for illuminating the mind. This is something unheard of in other teachings. Followers of Buddha should simply learn the Buddha Dharma. I think in Dogen's

[44:45]

life, he realized he realized that all schools of Buddhism were out of realms, which is called Buddhist teaching. Authentic tradition of Buddhist teaching. That's why he has to put emphasis on this point. This is something unheard of in other teachings. Zazen is completely absolute fruit of practicing Buddhist teaching. Practicing authentic tradition of Buddhist teaching. If you read this chapter Dogen, the other day I mentioned the when you meet

[45:46]

the master and receiving his teaching, there is no need for either incense offering, chanting, sutra chanting, homage paying, penance disciplines, all cast off body and mind in Zazen. Also, Dogen says, of course, there are lots of schools of Buddhism which is called Shin School. Having invocation of Buddha's name with your mouth. Nami Amida Butsu.

[46:47]

The more you repeat again and again the name of Buddha, the better your life makes progress. So, the many, the many, the better. The many invocations, the many invocations, the better. So, a day, you have to practice, you have to have invocation of Buddha's name thousand times or ten thousand times or hundred thousand times or million times. Also, Dogen then says, it looks like a croaking frog in a spring rice field.

[47:51]

That's very, very strict, very pithy criticism. But, it is not, don't misunderstand this point. He is not going to criticize the existence form of the sin schools, existence form of the sin realms, disciplines. Most of the people misunderstand, misunderstand what the authentic tradition of Buddha's teaching is. If they think, they think, they think, they will be born in a paradise by repeating, by invocation of Buddha's name. Ignoring the practice

[48:53]

of Zazen, which is authentic tradition of Buddha's teaching. So, Dogen wants to put the emphasis on this point. In Zazen, you can show, you can manifest yourself in full revelation, in the form of, in the form of same figure as Buddha. With three categories of your karma, mouth, body, mind. If you practice invocation of Buddha's name, you can practice Buddha's teaching with only mouth. That's why Dogen then says, it looks like a croaking frog in the rice field. Whatever you

[49:56]

say, whatever you do, important point is, you have to do with whole body and mind using fully three categories of your karma, mouth, body, mind. Zazen enables you to plunge into this world, plunge into this pure, the purest, the purest situation of human life in dynamic motion, dynamic motion, which is vivified. You should also know that

[50:56]

basically we lack nothing of highest enlightenment. Yes. All activity are Zen practice. All of you are Buddha, Buddha, Buddha. You should know that basically we lack nothing of highest enlightenment. Though we are forever endowed with it. Since we are unable to be in complete accord with it, we have a way of giving rise to random interactions and by chasing them as if they were real. We stumble vainly, we stumble vainly on the great way. If you miss this point, that point is very

[51:58]

delicate. Basically whatever you do, all activity are completely identical with Buddha nature. Yes. It's not necessary, it's not necessary to practice Zen. So when you go back to your home, you have to take care of your life. So the master always says, but if you miss very crucial point what the Buddha's teaching is, you always stumble vainly. Which means your treasure given by true father is already lost. Stumble, stumble, stumble. Look at your people,

[52:59]

surround your life. If basically our lives are completely based on Buddha nature, why is it all people, human beings must stumble in their daily life vainly, vainly. Day in and day out. And also they are very delighted in experience, stumbling. That's suggest human life. That's why we need philosophy, psychology, and biology, physics, or religion, and any other kind, any other things.

[54:00]

Also, the Buddha has to continue to explain what human life is. In this training period, during this training period, I have three times of session. I think it is great shock for you. I'm sorry for you. Also in a sense,

[55:06]

I have to apologize to you for having such a lot of session. But, you know, Dogen Zenji insists how important Zazen is. Say, Shikantaza. Shikantaza. If you translate it into English, just sit. Just sit. Shikantaza is very delicate meaning. It has very delicate meaning. If you miss something, your Zazen is completely far out.

[56:07]

Or, you are completely tied up and cannot move even an inch. And at last, you are completely crazy. This is Shikantaza. It's pretty hard. It's not so easy to understand what Shikantaza is. Why is it you come to here and practice Zazen? Particularly, this is particular training period. This is training period. Why we have to set up training period? If life is

[57:13]

Zen practice, why is it we have to need to set up a program which is called training period? Twice a year. It's really nonsense. Why is it you have to come to here and waste time? Why don't you take care of your daily life? If you have a time to come here, please go back. When I went to the A.H. monastery, all monks said to me, why did you come here? I would like to practice Zazen. It's not necessary to come here. Get back to your temple. Why is it you practice Zazen at your temple? It is true. It is true. I can't practice Zazen at my temple. Why is it I come to here?

[58:13]

Well, I didn't understand. So, I got a big brawl. Then, I felt something missed. Something pensive. But, it's too late. I got already big brawls. Get out and practice at your home. He said. You should. It's a matter of important things. It's a question which you have to consider carefully. Why is it you come here and waste

[59:14]

lots of time to practice Zazen? As Dogen Zenji mentioned, practice is not the amount of criticism, amount of discussion, debating which is good, which is bad of Rinzai Zen or Soto school or Tendai school or Shin school. It doesn't matter. The practice is to manifest yourself in full revelation right now, right here. Also, look at your circumstances. What is called Tathagata? Tathagata is

[60:15]

already here. Suitable for your practice. It is very complete. It's pretty hard to find such a good place. Also, we have already a sort of Zen monastic program. Maybe it's not real monastery. That's OK. It doesn't matter. Release Zen monastic life. Release great circumstances surrounded in nature. If you miss this great opportunity, why is it? When? When are you supposed to find better circumstances and

[61:16]

practice Buddhist teaching? When you go back to your home, I think all of you understand so well what will happen. I would like to really take the best care of these circumstances where all of you are already here. Who is? Who are? Trying to practice Buddhist teaching. Whatever reason you have, it doesn't matter much for me. First point,

[62:19]

first of all, I would like to use, I would like to make these circumstances alive, suitable for the practice. And also, these circumstances is completely suitable for manifesting yourself as you are through Zazen. Through Zazen. Of course, works. I'm not saying, [...]

[63:03]

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