When you practice, we should know there is a little different from the meaning of significance of the word practice and the word Gyoji which Dogen Zenji used. As I mentioned very often, Gyoji is to sustain the practice continually. This is Gyoji. The word practice is for me sort of the

[01:07]

idealistic understanding. When you try to live in religious life, when you say to practice something, at that time, unconsciously, there may be something objectified which we have to reach. This is what is called Goal. Goal or enlightenment. The conception of enlightenment may be understood that it is something which we have to reach

[02:17]

from the ordinary person to enlightened one. This sort of practice is sort of going up step by step like climbing a ladder. But when you use Gyoji, Gyoji is the not conception, a sort of conception of human

[03:25]

actions. Gyoji is the living function, living function of human activities. In other words, Gyoji is the practice which is vivified moment after moment. Two functions which is alive vividly are present after present. So in other words, Gyoji implies

[04:47]

the manifestation of living present. Not idealistic present. When you say this is present, it is still a sort of idealistic understanding. So before that, there is obviously living present in which not only human being, all sentient beings exist vividly. This is Gyoji. This is Gyoji which Dogen uses. So Gyoji is only used when you see your practice in dynamic understanding,

[05:57]

dynamic sense. The word practice is a little bit static understanding. Gyoji is very dynamic ground in human practice. This is Gyoji. So from this point, the present which is a real present, in other words, refined ground, refined essence, refined essence, all present which is living vividly is a sort of authentic practice which the original nature of human being requires at every turn.

[07:04]

Irrelevant to time. This is present. This is present. That's why in the same way you see your life in terms of present understood by there is something which is called suffering or which is called unsatisfactory or satisfaction. Satisfaction or unsatisfaction. Many things, pleasure or suffering. Before you realize the presence of unsatisfaction or satisfaction, there is authentic practice which is living at present. This is living present. So if you want to see into your life purely, you have to see this present. So this present is beyond amount of discrimination.

[08:22]

Discrimination. So in this respect, the Gyoji is really identical with Buddha nature or Sunyata or the manifestation of the true nature of human being, human life in full revelation. This is Gyoji. So I think you understand there is very difference between the practice and Gyoji. So our practice must be Gyoji. So Gyoji practice is identical with full manifestation of the true nature of your own. This is Gyoji.

[09:26]

Then Dogen Zenji says, then I will read the statement Dogen Zenji makes about the virtue of Gyoji. The virtue of Gyoji is never hidden. Accordingly, one can practice the Buddha way awakened in him irrelevant to time. The virtue doesn't manifest itself. Consequently, none can see, hear or perceive it. One should know the truth that the virtue is never concealed although it doesn't appear because it is not affected by appearance or disappearance, emergence or extinction.

[10:47]

Do you understand? Even the outlines of Gyoji? Don't know. Very huge. You practice always in small extension. Very small extension. Dogen's practice or Buddha's practice is functioning, going around, going around as a huge ball, bigger than our Earth. It is called universe. Far out, but it is true. Only your head thinks it is far out. But the truth, you exist really in this world, really in this huge ball, bigger than Earth. This is true. So that's why someone the other day, yesterday someone says, Maharishi, Maharishi, I think Maharishi, Maharishi put some signs near the Golden Gate, don't worry, don't worry, be happy, do your best.

[12:08]

And Maharishi's face here, laughing. Your life is supported, sustained by this huge world. Don't worry. This is true. Don't worry, be happy. It is not necessary to try to make every possible effort to become happy. It is already small extension. Don't worry, be happy, already be happy. You are happy already. Yeah, that's true. That's true. It is called liberation. It is called nirvana. It is called enlightenment. This is true. Then Dogenji says, the virtue of Gyoji is never hidden. Accordingly, one can practice the Buddha way awakened in him irrelevant to time. Irrelevant to time. Your practice is going on.

[13:32]

Your practice must be going on irrelevant to time. First you think, well, I have to practice after recognition of your own existence. Yes, I exist. That's why, therefore, I can practice. This is your practice. It is not true practice. So it is sort of the philosophical idea mentioned by Descartes and thinking, therefore I exist. This is common sense. It is true. But if according to follow your practice in that way, you have to practice. You have to practice in small extension. It's pretty hard to become free.

[14:37]

So irrelevant to time, your practice must be going on. So what your practice must be going on irrelevant to time means whoever you are, you can do. You can do. You can practice at every turn. Only when you manifest yourself in full revelation, in the form of practice, in the form of bow, in the form of chanting, in the form of zazen. One of my brothers said to me always, I don't have enough time. I don't have enough time to practice zazen because I am very busy with supporting my family.

[15:53]

Making the money. Although he respect the fact which I have been priest and practicing. He respect. But he said, I don't have enough time to practice. Because I am so busy with taking care of myself or his family. So at that time the practice is completely affected by the time. Spring comes, then you are happy. Winter comes, you are unhappy. At that time what is your life? If so, the life is always affected by the spring, autumn, or summer, or winter.

[17:06]

There is no imperturbability in life. So life must be going on irrelevant to time, irrelevant to spring, or autumn, or summer, or winter. That's why Dogen Zen says the virtue of Gyoji is never hidden. The virtue of Gyoji is never hidden by time, by spring, or summer, or winter, or autumn. Accordingly, one can practice the Buddha way awakened in him. That's why we can practice. That's why you are alive. You are alive. Okay?

[18:09]

Then, why should the master Buddha say in that way? Okay? Let's imagine I would let go of yourself as you want. Let's imagine there would be happiness. There is no rule. There is no teaching. Okay? Do as you like. Okay? If so, your life would be like a sheep, like a sheep which loose his way, or like a wild pig which runs straightly around.

[19:38]

That's why Shakyamuni Buddha says your practice is never hidden by time. That's why you can practice at every turn. Means, please turn to yourself. Okay? Please return to yourself. Please return to yourself. That's why Dogen Zen says the practice is what you must return to the self, ultimately. Okay? Whatever you feel. I don't, you don't, regardless of the idea whether you like or dislike your life. Sometimes you want to get out. Okay, you want to get out. That's alright. But please return. Please return is by returning to yourself. Enable you to awaken yourself what life is like.

[20:57]

There is nothing to do for you. But settle in to settle on yourself. Whatever kind of practice or life you follow. That's all. That's why Shakyamuni Buddha or many patriarchs says practice is never hidden by time. In other words, life is never hidden by time. It means please return to yourself. Dogen Zen says it is called Jiki. Joji is Jiki. This is authentic. Ki is return. Okay? Return. Ultimately returning. Life must be the manifestation, the ultimate returning.

[21:59]

It's not so easy. Sometimes you have to suffer. That's alright. Suffer or pleasure are all a special aspect of life. Which you have to, you have to understand authentic aspect in life. Then Dogen also says in Bendowa, he says, The sound that issues from the striking of emptiness is unendless and wondrous voice that resounds before and after the fall of the hammer.

[23:16]

Let's imagine your word hit to the bell. It's a bell. The sound that issues from the striking of emptiness is unendless and wondrous voice that resounds before and after the fall of the hammer. In this case, your life who tried to hit the bell implies your own life including bell and stick. But real present, real present which is vividly living implies the totality of oneness with your own life, bells and stick.

[24:33]

But usually in common sense, you try to think bell is bell. What is bell? What is stick? What is I who try to stick? Then you start to think from what, from where the sound, that sound comes. From the bell or from the stick or from my effort which is what? This is usual understanding, usual understanding of the circumstances including your life and stick and bell. At that time, bell is completely dead, completely dead.

[25:33]

The stick is already, stick is also stick, the stick which is dead. But even your life is also life which is completely dead, no relation among stick or bell and you. Then you try to listen to the sound, what sound? Then you try to analyze what kind of sound is, wow, wonderful sound. This is philosophy. In other words, this is theory of Avatantaka school. Avatantaka school analyzes Avatantaka sutra, the Buddha's teaching in terms of philosophical understanding. Very complete, it is very complete.

[26:35]

If you want to know Zen Buddhism, the philosophical, please study the Avatantaka doctrine. Very complete. That's why when the Avatantaka theory of Avatantaka school came to Japan, it wasn't developed. Because Japanese don't like, don't like something, don't like understanding the philosophical. The Japanese try to understand by intuition, intuition, intuition, very intuition. So that's why tea ceremony, flower arrangement, are not based on philosophical understanding of flower and tea ceremony.

[27:38]

If you try to understand tea ceremony and flower arrangement, it's really nonsense. You try to be engaged in tea ceremony, you think, how bored, how bored you must be. You can't be, you can't be patient, you can't be patient. You know the tea ceremony, the master of tea ceremony, they act in very slow motion, very slow motion, with concentrated effort, concentrated effort. It's really far out from our daily life, because daily life is very busy, fast, very fast. So, the

[28:46]

the the professor Abe takes a note of this statement. He said, and Sunyata realized in and through the Zen is not produced by the Zen.

[29:47]

Ah, it's very complicated. The the merit of practice when you hit the bell is beyond the conception of practice, which is called striking, which is called striking bell. Using the stick with the human effort. Because the life the life, he said, the nature of a bell, the nature of the stick, the nature of the person who tries to strike must be revealed vividly

[30:55]

in expanse, field, expanse, huge expanse of universe, which is limited by something. It is called sound. The merit of sound, what? What is merit of sound? You can listen the sound, but when someone asks you, what's what's merit of sound? What is good? What you see, what you see a picture, a painting drawn by Goh Goho? Goh. Van Gogh. You say, you are completely attracted by Van Gogh.

[31:59]

How beautiful it is. Then you can't move. Just you are completely stuck in front of the picture. Wow. That's all. Then someone hits your back. Hey, what are you doing? You are surprised? What? Yeah, I am just looking at this picture. Why? Because this picture is wonderful. How beautiful it is. What is beautiful? What is beauty of this picture? I don't know. You can't explain. You can't explain, but the beauty completely completely catch you. Because the life

[33:06]

the life force of the painting the drawn by Van Gogh is functioning vividly within the life force of Van Gogh in himself. The painting completely merges with the life force of Van Gogh himself. So, picture is not picture. Picture is completely identical with Van Gogh's life force itself. That's why you are completely attracted by the painting. The same is to be said to the holy man. You can't explain how how wonderful that the that a saint is.

[34:08]

But when you the moment when you see a saint, you are completely attracted by him. Because his life living living life force of his own is completely beyond the conception or understanding. This is truth. So, life force of the bell or life force of the stick life force of your life must be revolving revolve going around going around as a oneness which is called huge, huge ball. There is no amount of discrimination. At that time you can't catch the sound.

[35:10]

You can't catch the sound. The sound is not conception of conception of something from from a certain things bell or stick or you. Because sound is alive, vividly. Sound is a living presence itself. Including your life or bell's life or stick's life. How can you explain this huge, total total symphony, ok? Total symphony. You can't explain. That's why Dogen then says the sound, that issues from the striking emptiness

[36:11]

the sound comes from emptiness emptiness in which the bell's life or stick's life or your life are all absolutely living living vividly. This is emptiness. If you are stuck in even the slightest idea what kind of bell small or big where is made? Where is it made? Or who by whom is it made? At that time there is it is not emptiness it is not emptiness

[37:17]

in which your life or stick's life or bell's life are all merging with one. So you have to strike, you have to strike the bell using the stick using your human effort in the world of emptiness that time you can't release already something happens, it is called gyo-ji it is called the painting drawn by Van Gogh it is called ceramic tile both the same you have to concentrate vase purely untouching the

[38:18]

clay with concentrated effort the clay clay's life or the place on which clay exists those are all are all going around very quick including your effort concentration concentrated effort going around your hand your head then just touch it just touch when you touch just touch something happens your mind is far out if your mind is out of line out of rail your clay will be crooked

[39:21]

will be crooked which you have never expected you don't like but unfortunately your mind is completely out of rail at that time out of rail what the reality what your mind is out of rail creates something it's crooked crooked mind tea ceremony is also so gyoji moment after moment is the place the place in which

[40:21]

your life exists your life is living in absolute sense this is gyoji this is your life this is life the same is to be said of tea ceremony too whenever hungry bowl or water or charcoal or cloth cleaning cloth the gyoji is always arriving alive in the relation in relation

[41:23]

in relation with the bowl or yourself or all circumstances your activity in relation with the bowl in relation with your life in relation with the kettle in relation with charcoal is alive in dynamic ground with complete impotability within this dynamic ground in life you must be found static

[42:24]

ground in life it is called impotability one of famous japanese general during second world war right before he himself and his what would you call staff his soldier were about to die in a big cave big cave because there was completely no way of escaping then this general decided to die right before he died with his

[43:24]

soldier he took out his bowl and tea powder and syrup makes tea and he drank and served tea to his soldier then upset they died what do you think about this your practice must be so if you think this situation what what you don't understand but this this attitude in life is completely based on

[44:26]

dynamic ground in life with impotability it is called relaxation of existence relaxation of existence is not to gain to be infatuated with fantasy concentrating on certain certain diet concentrating on this produce of your product of one's imagination which is called bliss

[45:29]

experience of bliss religious bliss such fantasy it is sort of fantasy fantasy you can get you can experience you can experience your own life purely concentrating continuously on certain image or repeating the name of Buddha or repeating of repeating name of sutra you can find fantasy or diaries in which you would it would seem to be free for you to live in your life but it's sort of

[46:31]

negation of self the practice is not to escape from your life according to a certain practice using the tea ball or tea powder or zazen a certain form or zazen or chanting or sutra or image or the product of your own imagination let's see let's take a look at the various religions

[47:33]

in this world many religions we are very interested in many religions because they are put emphasis on fantasy beautiful, fantastic fantasy world it's sort of the big big organized big organized sort of what would you call psychosis psychosis sort of religious organized psychosis, imperfect approved approved approved organized psychosis the

[48:36]

all of you are more or less little bit crazy but you are lucky you are lucky because you are always looking at yourself because you can't get out because they must always look at watch yourself watch yourself please be kind to yourself it looks like it looks like guide you to get worse and worse worse and worse then you want to get out but this is very important don't be don't be engaged don't join don't join in the approved organized

[49:39]

psychosis, religious psychosis that's why Dogen Zenji always telling us the practice is what we have to return to intimately which is called kike onza kike means to return to original house original home where is original home where is original home please consider please know this point where is original home kike onza kike means original home onza means peaceful peaceful za means city

[50:42]

peaceful city and original home in terms of your delusion to return to original home it would seem to guide you to plunge into worse and worse but it is real big misunderstanding I don't know what kind of reason you have what kind of motivation by what kind of motivation you start to practice zazen you come to tasahara

[51:45]

maybe someone think tasahara is sort of resort to experience peaceful life they don't know what buddhism is or it doesn't matter they don't matter what buddhism is the purpose the purpose of their coming maybe to experience in a peaceful resort escaping from the busy life the busy life I don't want to

[52:48]

blame them but as long as you are here please take the best care of the life force buddha and many patriots dogen are mentioned through this effort you will reassure you will understand even the outline what buddhism is like even though you don't you cannot find the complete the bold outline of buddhism it's alright even the outline of buddhism

[53:51]

is very helpful for you even though you don't know what buddhism is like it's alright please turn to your life itself it's alright

[54:08]

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