The other day, I mentioned about one of substantial consciousness in Buddhism. Today, I would like to explain a little more about its nature, its nature itself. The nature of the subconscious mind is based on what you call in Japanese, Muki.

[01:05]

Moral nature of neutrality, moral nature of neutrality. In Buddhism, the subconscious mind is divided into two kinds. One is Manas consciousness, which is considered as the root of eagleness, ego. The other one is Eighth Mind, alaya vijnana, which is considered as what you call the bedrock, bedrock of life and the world, human world.

[02:13]

The alaya vijnana is the meaning of the huge storehouse. Anyway, today, why is it that Buddhism puts the emphasis on the moral nature of neutrality? Towards the subconscious mind. Anyway, the Manas consciousness is, as mentioned before, the root of ego. I think the subject of ego is a very big question for you. Why is it that you practice Zazen? I think some of you want to get rid of the stubbornness of the ego, which you have.

[03:27]

Anyway, the ego, the conception of the subject of ego is a question to everybody. Not Japanese, not only Japanese, but to human beings anyway. But the root of ego is based on the neutral nature of morality. This is a very interesting point and a very important point. So, the ego itself doesn't have any particular substantial being. You say, sometimes, I have very strong ego. Even though the more you practice Zazen hard, the more you find the strong ego, the strong root of ego.

[04:41]

You cannot get rid of the ego. Maybe try to ask Zen Master, how can I get rid of the ego? Maybe Zen Master says, show your ego, right now. But it's pretty hard to show the ego, picking it up from your mind. This is ego. It's pretty hard. But anyway, whatever it is, whatever kind, whatever type of ego it is, it goes without saying that there is something like ego, which is called Manas consciousness, or the root of ego consciousness.

[05:45]

Also, this ego consciousness is based on the neutral nature of morality. This is a very important point. I think the subconscious mind is something beyond, beyond the discussion of the matter. The matter of discussion, beyond the matter of discussion. And which is invisible. You cannot say, this is my ego. You cannot see it. So, the conception of unconscious and subconscious mind is something beyond the cognition, function of human cognition.

[06:52]

Human cognition. In other words, which is invisible. Then, according to the metaphysical criticism in Buddhism, there are very interesting things. There are two types of metaphysical criticism. In order to explain the matter of, the matter beyond the human cognition, for instance, conception of God, or conception of Buddha, or such and such, and so on. Something like that. There are two kinds of metaphysical criticism in Buddhism.

[08:02]

One is called Jōken, which is the doctrine of the eternal. Eternal. Anyway, according to the doctrine of the eternal, eternity, you maintain the idea that there is something like a substantial being back of a phenomenal world. This is a viewpoint of eternalism. The second is the doctrine of annihilation.

[09:07]

Annihilation? Annihilation. This doctrine is the viewpoint of annihilation in which everything comes to be ruined and be in vain. You know. This is the doctrine of annihilation. So in Buddhism, there are two types of dogma. One is Jōken, eternalism. The other one is the doctrine of annihilation. They seem to be contrary to each other, but they have something in common with the same matter, same subject.

[10:29]

As they try to pass a definite judgment on a matter beyond human cognition. Human cognition. Whether, for instance, the Buddha exists or not. Or not. Or the god exists or not. Something like that. They try to pass a definite judgment on a matter beyond human cognition. But actually, even though you try to explain what they are, what they are, it's pretty hard to pass a definite judgment on those subjects beyond human cognition.

[11:38]

As to the conception of Buddha, as to the conception of unsubstantial consciousness. Or god. And so on. It's pretty hard. Then if so, if you chase after, constantly, to figure out what they are, I'm sorry for you that there is something waiting for you to be left in bewilderment, in confusion. That's all. You will never figure out the definite judgment. You will never find the definite conclusion. If so, at any cost, the function that we have to stop, we have to stop thinking of the matter beyond human cognition.

[12:58]

This is true. Not only Buddhism, but also in Western philosophy. I think one of our famous philosophers, Kant, Kant explained in the same way as Buddhism. According to the Kant... What do you say, Kant? Critique?

[14:01]

Critique, that's right. Critique. According to Kant's critique of purism, you know, purism, he completely stopped giving, stopped answering to the question, question whether the human being and human world is infinite or finite. Finite? Finite. Or whether God exists or not, who is completely powerful over human being or human world. He completely stopped answering to this question.

[15:15]

But according to Kant's critique of practical reason, he said, he said, he tried to, he tried to explain the, how, the, the, he, the, the, he, he mentioned, he mentioned that the recognition, recognition of the presence of God

[16:18]

is is to give a great instruction to human life and to human world. See, there is two important points. Kant completely stopped answering to those questions whether God exists or not, the human being is infinite or finite. Finite. On the other hand, he recognized how great, how great the, it is, it is, how great it is to recognize,

[17:23]

to recognize the, the fact that the God exists in this world, or the human soul, human soul exists constantly even after death anyway. Because in order to, in order to cultivate, in order to cultivate human, human nature, human life under better conditions. But in Buddhism, particularly in one of the Buddhist sutras, Agama, Agama, the, we stopped answering, we stopped answering to this question

[18:28]

in the same way as Kant followed. Right? According to the intellectual sense anyway. But on the other hand, even according to the, the critique of, the critique of the practical reason, the Buddhism stopped answering to this question whether human being is, human being is infinite or finite. Even though you can find, you can find definite, you can find to pass the definite judgment on the matter whether human being is, human being is infinite or finite.

[19:32]

Buddhism says it is, it is not made much, it is not made much of. In other words, it is, it is of, of no, of no avail, of no avail in order to save human being from their sufferings, their suffering. This is very important. And then, the Shakyamuni Buddha took the parable, one of the parables, as mentioned very often, for instance, you are shocked by the poison arrows, you know. Then your, one of your friend try to take it out immediately.

[20:35]

As soon as when he saw you suffering from the poison arrow, then at that time you said, wait a minute, wait a minute. No, I want to know, I want to know what kind of poison this arrow has. What you say, wait a minute, who shot me? The Buddhism, Buddhism says, Buddhism, of course it is, maybe, probably you can't find who shot, who shot you. What kind of poison the arrow has, I think it is, it may be possible to figure out the definite conclusions. But, when you find the definite conclusion, when you pass the definite judgment on this question,

[21:41]

what kind of poison it has, or who shot me, it's too late. You have to die, you know. The poison already occurs all over your body and mind. It's too late. So, passing the definite conclusion on those matters is of no use, of no avail, in order to save human beings from suffering. This is the Buddhistic way of logical understanding, way of logical understanding. So, if you want to, if you want to escape, if you want to save yourself from suffering,

[22:43]

you have to take it out immediately. You know, the... Then... As mentioned before, there are two types of dogmas, you know. Doctrine of Eternalism, Eternality, Eternity, and of the Annihilation. But, in Buddhism, at that time, they used the conception of the moral nature of neutrality, neutrality.

[23:46]

In other words, the moral nature of neutrality means that you, at any cost, stop giving the answer to those things beyond the human cognition. Anyway, stop giving the answer whether human being is infinite or finite. Even according to the critique of practical reason, you have to stop giving answer to this question. And then, the moral nature of neutrality is to enable human being to focus

[24:47]

his attention to phenomenal world, phenomenal world, where human being is suffering, is suffering. As mentioned before, human being is a man, something like a man who is suffering by sharing, by poison of sharing. What? Did you understand? So, this is suffering, this is suffering. I think, try to ask to yourself, why? Why do you practice Buddhism? Maybe you cannot explain why. But anyway, even though you don't know,

[25:49]

you don't know why, I think that you are practicing Buddhism because you are suffering, in a way, in a sense. In this case, suffering is the state of human being on the basis of uneasiness. Uneasiness. This is true, you know. Then, Shakyamuni Buddha put emphasis on try to take out the poison arrow which cause to suffer you. Before you, I will find,

[26:56]

you will pass definite judgment on the matter beyond human consciousness, human cognition. What kind of poison the arrow has, or who shot him, who shot me, or whether the human being is infinite or finite. That's why Buddhism put emphasis on using the conception of moral nature of neutrality, neutrality. Moral nature of neutrality is everything is beyond human cognition. If so, how about stopping the thinking of? This is very simple.

[28:01]

That's why Buddhism says the root of eagerness, subconscious ego, subconscious ego is based on the neutral nature of morality. Which means, how about stop the thinking of what it is. And then, in order to, if you stop, first of all, try to stop the thinking of what it is. Even though you cannot find it, even though you feel uneasy to this question, to this subject. First of all, try to stop thinking of what it is and you must focus your attention on the external, the phenomenal world.

[29:06]

Phenomenal world, which means six consciousnesses, six consciousnesses. Function of six consciousnesses. Ears. Side consciousness. Hearing consciousness. Smell consciousness. Taste consciousness. Let's see. Mind, the conscious mind. One, two, three. One, two, three, four. Oh, the touch consciousness. And the conscious mind. I think six. Six consciousnesses, I said.

[30:08]

Anyway, the six consciousnesses. Pay attention. You must focus your attention on the function of six consciousnesses. Six consciousnesses. Because your six consciousnesses are always waving, big waving like this. You cannot find the feeling of peacefulness or tranquility. If you pay attention excessively to figuring out some answers to the matter beyond the human cognition, something like what's the root of

[31:11]

subconscious ego. Regardless of the functions, in what situation the function of the six consciousnesses are. Your mind is anyway, if you try to sit zazen, you will find a clear, very definite state of human mind. You try to sit, you try to sit. But your mind is going here and there. In Japan, in Europe, in China, all over the world. But this is, it is true, it is true that

[32:19]

the function of the six consciousnesses are like that, like that. On the other hand, your mind is trying to seek for what the enlightenment is. What the enlightenment is, what the Buddha is, what the root of subconscious ego is. It's pretty hard to find, to know clearly what the root of subconscious ego is. If your mind is going here and there, like a butterfly, it's pretty hard. So, if you do zazen, if you want to do zazen, how about stopping, how about stopping, how about stopping the thinking of

[33:21]

what the enlightenment is, what the root of subconscious ego is. The stop, the two stops of thinking of is to focus your attention on the functions of the six consciousnesses. In other words, whether the functions of the six consciousnesses are still, or noisy, or making noise. So, that's why, in order to explain the root of subconscious ego, Buddhism uses the conception of neutral nature of morality. Moral nature of neutrality.

[34:27]

Neither good nor bad, neither good nor bad. This is very interesting, this is a very interesting point. The nature of yourself is completely neutral, the moral nature of neutrality, which means, try to take good care of your daily life first, daily life first. Whatever, whatever happens, they are, you will find, you find. In other words, what is...

[35:53]

Hmm. Hmm. In other words, if we have to focus our attention, our attention on the phenomenal world, instead of paying attention to

[36:57]

the something beyond human recognition, cognition, then there is some question, what is phenomenal world? In Buddhism, phenomenal world is based on transiency. Perpetual move and flow. In other words, the law of interdependence, interdependence. So, the... The first of all, try to, try to pay attention to yourself in your daily life, which means, you ought to try to pay

[37:58]

attention to yourself, which exists in phenomenal world. On the basis of structure of interdependence, interdependence. Ah. Ah. So, if so, I think to take care, it seems, it seems that to take care of yourself is a principle of, like a principle of

[39:02]

individualism. But this individualism is the doctrine of individualism on the basis of structure of interdependence. In other words, you have to see yourself not only within, not only in terms of your viewpoint, but also in terms of the individuals, individual, the other whole, other whole. In other words, the... First of all, I have to see myself. I have to see myself. But to see myself is not merely to see myself, individual.

[40:03]

Cherished, cherished self called Katagiri. I have to see myself as a whole, which means, which means the I. I would, who exists in, who exists in United States or who exists in Zen Center, who exists with all of you. So to see myself in, in my daily life is not merely to see myself within myself, within myself, within the idea of the self. To see myself as a whole, including

[41:12]

all of you. At that time, sometimes I have to, I have to be patient. I have to make every possible effort. I have to practice hard with you. Instead of stressing on the idea of my ego, you know. So to focus your attention on yourself is to have the, to have the sense of,

[42:13]

sense of generosity and flexibility, flexibility, softness to yourself and also to everybody, to everything. So individualism in Buddhism is to be considerate or flexible, generous, not only to you, but also to everybody, to everybody. This is the meaning of, excuse me, just a minute, this is the meaning of the conception of the moral nature of

[43:17]

neutrality. So as a conclusion, what I mentioned is that you try to, you try to focus your attention on your daily life, on the function of the six consciousnesses, instead of you seek hard whether the human being is infinite or finite, or whether the enlightenment exists or not, or Buddha, whether Buddha exists in this world or not. To be considerate and generous and flexible to yourself, to all sentient

[44:17]

beings. That's all what I have mentioned. Did you have a question? Outward? I was thinking about what Meister Eckhart in the German theologian said about the soul, he said the soul doesn't have any color, no taste, no sound, but it's where

[45:23]

those things, it's what makes taste interesting, it's where taste and sound have a meaning in a place that has no definition. Now this is Meister Eckhart, and he said that this is the shape of God, that God doesn't have anything that you can define it by, and the soul is close to God, because it's like it, whatever it is. And as I was reading that, it seems that that came very close to what is called no opinion, that as I began to see within myself as I read that, I began to have an experience of no color and no shape. And I don't think that, I couldn't define it

[46:27]

by any other term except the experience I had when I stopped, suddenly I thought that there was a very interesting condition there. Now, so I think that if you're going to talk about God, if you do it in an objective sense, then you'll get into the kinds of definitions that you're going into, but if you experience it yourself, then you may get into a place where there is no color and no shape, and maybe that's close to Buddhism, maybe that's close to what it meant, or maybe it is by no opinion. Anyway, it felt pretty good. And the other one is, the other point on

[47:29]

interdependence, is that you can't always be good with people. One time I gave my full confidence and acted just anyway, just let things go, called a stream of consciousness, and I was foolish. I was like a little child, and there was my brother with a beard and nice thick clothes on, and really far off, and I chose the skins, and he, when I went back for him, I took a seat, and he told me to someone else. When I went back, he said, they're over there, and I went over there, and I could look from here over there, and I was like a little child, and I said, there's no marks in there, there's no scars, I know that the skins were mine. And I said,

[48:31]

they're not there. And he said, oh, no, he said, let me off the hook. And I said, what hook? Hook? Hook? Yeah, let him off the hook. That's it? He made a bad mistake, and he wanted me to forgive him, and I looked at him, and I said, I'm not going to say anything, I just don't see any hook. You see the hook. So he said, well, will you let me give you some of my skins? And I said, no, man, I bought those skins, and I want them. He said, well, I can't give them to you. And I said, OK, give me my money back. And he said, what do you think of me? And I said, you're a liar and a cheat. But I don't need you. No more. No? No fight. Oh, no fight. So anyway, the point is, I don't think that

[49:34]

you should be kind to everyone, because if you're kind, they'll take advantage of you. And if they take advantage of you, then you don't have any money to buy food. So if you're going to be nice, I think the best thing to say is that you should have no fight, no fight, and no shit. That's very interesting, what you have mentioned. Thank you. But in Buddhism, I'm sorry, not in Buddhism. I think even the God, I don't know exactly what the

[50:35]

Christianity is, what God is, but anyway, even the God is, you know, I think they're very close to Buddhism. It looks like a Buddha, you know. But if you see the Christianity, if you see the God, in terms of only Christianity, it's pretty hard to see the clear understanding what God is. Sometimes, you know, if you see, you can see, you know, the presence of God in terms of freedom. That's why you will understand clearly what God is. Well, freedom, where does he talk about changing the discipline? And when he

[51:38]

calls discipline, I call freedom. It is ideally the same thing. How can you do a beautiful drawing unless you're completely in it and unselfconscious? If you do that, you have to be free. That freedom I just speak of internally is another feeling than when I was talking about no mind. Hmm. Hey. Ego died. Died. Don't stop. Well, okay.

[52:43]

It's just ego. Ego died all the way. The ego is not something to die. Or ego is not something to live. To live. Okay? You have to see ego. You have to see ego. Anyway, you have to see ego through the function of six consciousnesses anyway. I can't explain what the ego is. The individual has to see, you know, what the ego is through the functions of six consciousnesses. At that time, you cannot say that

[53:48]

the ego is something to die or to live. The ego is not something to explain or to pick up or to show, you know. Or in that case, I would die, but that would be different. So maybe from this point, there are a few versions that say ego is no form, no shape, no colors. So, but even you say so, it's not good enough. Ego is not no shape, no form, no colors. You can't put any kind of conceptions on it. Even the idea of no form or no color, no shape, you can't. Because you must focus attention

[54:50]

on yourself who is suffering. You have to save yourself from suffering. The Buddhism is... Buddhist logical way of understanding is always directed to the daily life or because the human being must save himself from suffering. Not to have knowledge, a certain knowledge in your brain, you know, through searching something. So purpose of Buddhism is always to save yourself from suffering, to be free from yourself. This is very important purpose of Buddhism.

[55:50]

Excuse me. One is, I find difficulty in making the choice between whether to direct my attention to the conscious mind or to the five external senses. Yeah. One is, how do you relate what's called ESP or awareness and vibrations? Relate to...? ESP. ESP, oh. Brainwave. If one gives one attention to the six senses, I know there is a certain possibility as well. I don't know exactly how much the six consciousnesses relate to the ESP.

[57:00]

I don't know exactly. But practically speaking, the question is how much you pay attention, how much you focus your attention on, something like that. It's important. One was, I have a problem, a choice in whether to direct attention to the ESP, right? And then the other one, well, you haven't mentioned what we call ESP. You've mentioned the five senses, the five properties of the senses, and the consciousness. Okay. You haven't mentioned the ESP specifically. Okay. The answer to your one question is

[58:07]

to pay attention to your step. Okay? Step. Watch your step. Which means, take care of your daily life. This is direct paying attention. Okay? And the second one is to pay attention to your daily life and... Not possible. What's the opposite to the word maximum? Minimum. M-minimum. M-minimum means you sit here, you know? For instance, I sit here now. So how much I should pay attention, how much I must focus myself on myself.

[59:08]

See? At that time, I have to focus my attention on myself in minimum. M-minimum means this minimum, including my body and mind, under a certain situation and under certain conditions. Now, when I sit here, I have to pay attention to myself in minimum here and now and next moment, when I sit here, here. I have to pay attention to myself now and here in minimum. This is practice. This is practice. This practice is very important. That's why in Zazen, the Zazen stop thinking. Stop thinking is please pay attention to yourself in minimum.

[60:12]

In minimum. It's impossible, really impossible to eliminate. Eliminate your ego or your desires as long as your life endures. So pay attention to yourself in minimum means stop thinking. Stop thinking in Zazen is to pay attention to yourself in minimum. It means to take care of yourself, including your body and mind, under a certain situation and under certain conditions. Now and here. Next moment. Now and here of next moment. Now and here of next moment. This is practice. That's why we try to stop thinking of either the idea of good,

[61:15]

either good nor bad. Nor bad. You have to, your attention is focused on this point, you know, what would you call that? Something in minimum. Do you understand? Yes? Yes? I think, yes, to take care of yourself is to relate to everybody. Because you have to take care of yourself and at the same time,

[62:16]

you pay attention to yourself, not only yourself, but also to others. So as not to disturb others' feelings, disturb others' feelings. Do you understand? For instance, when I try to get out of this room and I open the door, you know, then I notice, I notice that there is someone following me, you know. Then I get out, I open the door and shut with bang. Regardless of the idea of whether a people is following me or not. That time, how do you feel? So to take care of yourself is important.

[63:23]

But this is, I think, to take care of yourself is not to open the door regardless of the presence of others following you. Please take care of others too. So to take care of yourself is not, is to take care of yourself so as not to disturb others' feelings. Others' feelings. This is very practical way of understanding the relation between you and others. It is very, it seems very simple, very simple subject. It is very, it seems to be very easy, you know, the subject, to take care, to be taken care. But it's not so easy, actually. Even the children of three years old

[64:30]

knows so well how to open the door, how to handle the others' feelings. But even an adult, old man, is very difficult to put it into practice. Okay. Nidho. Nidho. Nidho.

[65:03]

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