If you strive energetically, there is nothing that is hard. For example, a constant trickle of water with a well bore a hole in a rock. Therefore, you must always strive energetically. If the mind of a disciple becomes, in many ways, idle and inattentive, it is just like making a fire by friction, and you best rest before it is hot. Even if you desire fire, you cannot get the blaze. This is what is called striving energetically. Tonight, I would like to explain about human effort a little more.

[01:06]

In a translated text, it is said, constantly striving energetically. The original text says, the shojin This is one letter, this is the other one. The sho, the letter sho, consists of two parts. One is, this part means rice, rice. This part means rice. This part is blue, blue color, blue color.

[02:26]

So, it means, if you polish, if you polish brown rice, brown rice, and make rice completely white, at that time, complete white has, complete white color has a bluish tint, bluish tint. This is complete white. This is the meaning of white color. Then, the sho means, the letter sho consists of two parts, rice and blue. So, this rice is complete white color, complete white color, which has a bluish tint. Dogen then says, explain this letter sho. It means unadulterated, unadulterated, unadulterated.

[03:35]

Complete pure things, complete pure things. This is sho. Sho. In other words, the undefiled practice, undefiled practice. This is sho. This is jin. Then, in the Japanese dictionary, it explains this letter. It has the meaning of the... This is the same meaning as with this. Then, this is to cry, to cry. Then, this letter consists of two parts.

[04:39]

One is, this is, this one part. The other part is this one. The dictionary says, the literal meaning of this part means bean, is bean. A bean, bean. But, the dictionary says, it means a stool, stool. You know the stool? Stool. And, this part means both legs, both legs, both legs. Then, it implies both legs, both legs are put on the top of a stool with safety and certainty. This is to cry.

[05:41]

To cry or to... The literal meaning of this letter is to go ahead, to go ahead. But, Dogen then says, to go ahead means not to withdraw, not to withdraw. It means, to go ahead means to settle, to settle yourself on the self right now. This is shin, this is shin. In other words, shin, to go ahead means to go, to take one step ahead with a peacefulness and restlessness. This is shin, this is shin. The shin means, it doesn't mean just only to go ahead, to run away. To go means always to go, to take one step, to take one step ahead with peacefulness, with peacefulness.

[06:59]

So, for human beings, we have to proceed always with peacefulness, peacefulness and religious security. This is shojin, this is shojin. And... So, it looks like, it seems to me that shojin is a person who finds himself to rest, to settle himself on the self, climbing on the stool, climbing on the stool. Now, if you are, if you, if you climb, if you put, if you climb on the stool, you have to, your both legs should be put on the top of the stool with peacefulness.

[08:04]

Otherwise, you fall down. So, this is shin, this is to go, to go, to take ahead, to take a step ahead. This is shin. Then, the... Then, what is, what is, how should we, how we should, how should we express, express our everyday life based on shojin? The... Shojin should be... Hiko... Hiko shojin, hiko shojin, hiko shojin.

[09:12]

Hiko means, ko means, to, and ko means armor, armor. Do you know the armor? The hit means to wear, to put on. So, to wear, to wear the armor and join the war. Without being afraid, without being afraid of external, external obstacle and internal suffering. This is hiko shojin. Means, whatever it is, whatever you are, in how situation you may be, your life should be going ahead, going ahead step by step, without being afraid of external obstacle and internal suffering.

[10:20]

This is hiko shojin. Hiko shojin. Shozen. Shozen, shozen, shozen shojin, shozen shojin. Shozen means, sho means to take, to gain, to gain. Or, you know the sesshin, the word in Japanese, sesshin. At that time we use, we use setsu, the same letters, the setsu.

[11:28]

Setsu means to control or to integrate, to integrate. The shozen is, sho means to gain, to gain or to control or to integrate, integrate. Or, zen means good deed, good deed. Then, in everyday life, in everyday life, as much as possible, we have to strive for the expressing, the doing, doing good deed, good deed. This is shozen shojin. Next is... Riraku shojin, riraku shojin.

[12:53]

Ri means to benefit, to benefit the, and rak is to enjoy, to enjoy. Fu, fu benefit fu, fu, fu benefit fu. Then, the good deeds or your, the everyday life, the benefit individual, benefit your, yourself, and also the, ri means the others, others. In Japanese, we call others, we call the other, others mean sentient beings. In Japanese, shujo. We call, we call sentient being, we call sentient beings, shujo, in Japanese, shujo.

[13:59]

Then, the, our effect, human effort, human effort must be, must benefit, must benefit the oneself and also at the same time, the benefit, benefit the all sentient beings. This is very important point. Then, from this point, from this point, the, our practice is not, is not merely to, to practice, to improve, to refine, to refine yourself. To refine, and also, your practice should refine others, others, should cultivate others, all sentient beings. This is riraku shojin.

[15:02]

Then, the, from this point, our human, our human effort should follow the three kinds. One is hiko shojin, hiko shojin, like a person wearing the armor, and doing, and do, do something, do something without being afraid of the external obstacle and internal sufferings. And, second one is shozen shojin, shozen shojin, we have to strive for doing good deed, whatever happens around you. You know, our effort should be directed to concentrate on doing good deed. Don't hesitate, don't hesitate what is, don't hesitate whether it is good or bad, before doing, before doing.

[16:09]

Anyway, if you think this is good, this is good, you should do it, you should do. You should strive, you should strive doing good deed. This is second shojin. And the third is riraku shujo. And also, this good deed should be, should benefit, should benefit yourself and also the all sentient beings. This is important. At that time, your deed should be called, should be called good deed, good deed. That time, this is called, this is called practice, practice. You know, this is to benefit others through our individual practice. It's a very remarkable point in Buddhism, Buddhist thought.

[17:18]

I think this is, you know, the The way of, way of thinking, such a way of thinking is based on, is based on the way of understanding of what mind is, what human being is, what the absolute is. You know, there is two ways of thinking, two ways of understanding, understanding what mind is, what mind is.

[18:24]

We have, if the mind, you know, the, no, the, you know, we say, we say the human being has a mind, human being have a mind, a mind. This mind, this mind has something like a, something like a consolidation, consolidate, consolidating the various functional function of mind, of mind, which human being possess, such as the perception or desire or such and such. You know, anyway, the mind is something like a consolidation, consolidation of various functions. Then from this point, the self, the self, the self has, the self has the mind with, mind as the consolidation of various functions of mind, of human being.

[19:55]

Then from this point, the self, the self has, the self has the mind with, mind as the consolidation of various functions of mind, of human being. Then from this point, the self, the self is something like, you know, the, something like radiating, radiating the self, radiating, radiating the self. Radiating a beam of light, beam of light on all side, all sides. You know, it means the, from this point, the self, human being is seen based on self-centeredness, self-centered way of thinking, way of thinking. Because the self has a mind which controls, which consolidates the various functions, perception or knowledge or desires and suffering or pleasure and many things.

[21:39]

The self, the self is self-radiating, always radiating his own, his own faculties, the functions, knowledge and perceptions and suffering and pleasures and many things. On all sides, on all sides. At that time, the self is like a beam of light, beam of light, radiating to all sides. And then, from this point, the self is always understood, understood based on by the self-centered, self-centered way of thinking.

[22:43]

You know, it is, it is like the philosophical principles. I am thinking, therefore I exist. I am thinking, therefore I exist. Now, so, in this point, in this point, the I exist, what I exist means to see something from the viewpoint of self-centeredness. Who has, which has, which has the various functions, which has various functions. Radiating to all sides. This is, you know, this is one, this is one way of understanding what self is, what mind is.

[23:46]

You know, at that time, all sentient beings is understood from the viewpoint of the self, self. But it is possible, I think it may be possible, which the self is always seen from the all sentient beings, all sentient beings. Now, for instance, for instance, it seems to me that you look at, you look at yourself on the mirror. You know, you look at the mirror and find yourself, oh, this is I. Oh, wonderful nose, wonderful eyes, wonderful head, oh, wonderful. But mostly we are always looking at the one side, one side.

[24:51]

I always looking at myself on the mirror, reflected on the mirror. But strictly speaking, it is possible that the I reflected on the mirror look at me. But I don't know exactly. Mostly, usually we don't know, we don't know. Now, always we look at myself reflected on the mirror, oh, this is I. Well, strictly speaking, the mirrors look at me. This is real reality, actual reality. You know, then if you see, if you look, if you find yourself reflected on the mirror, and you feel, oh, wonderful myself, wonderful look. My head is, oh, beautiful head. Oh, I don't like my head, you know.

[25:54]

You feel many things, many various feelings. You will find yourself to have various feelings through the mirror. But, you know, at that time, it is really impossible, it is really impossible to get rid of the self. The self who is doubting myself, who is doubting himself, or who is thinking whether I like my head or not. It is impossible, you know. But when you, if you look at yourself, just you reflected on the mirror, you can feel, you can perceive, it is the way of thinking comes into existence.

[27:01]

Oh, I don't like my head, I don't like my eyes, I don't like my nose. But, you know, strictly speaking, if the way of thinking, the mirror, the you reflected in the mirror, always look at you, look at me. You know, it is really impossible to escape from the self, from the self who is thinking, who is distinguishing whether I like my head or not, I like my eyes, nose or not. Then, Descartes said, oh, I am thinking, therefore I exist, therefore I exist. I can't escape, I can't escape myself, this self, you know.

[28:05]

Even though you don't like my nose, I don't like, even though I don't like, I think always I don't like my nose, but I can't. It's possible, this, I can't, it is impossible to get rid of the real, the factual reality, the reality, actual reality, you know, which the nose exists on my face. Then, the important thing is, the theory, the way of understanding the life, or human being, or the world, is not enough.

[29:10]

According to the theory principle, I am thinking, therefore I exist. It implies to see something, to see something from the self, self-centered idea, self-centered way of thinking. But, we have to contemplate the actual reality, actual reality that the world, or all sentient beings at the same time look at myself, look at the self. Then, at that time, if you find yourself to exist in that way, like you said, world mind, or big mind, then individual existence acts in harmony with the existence of all sentient beings,

[30:21]

in that case. In Buddhism, the mind is divided into the eight, eight minds. I will read as... ... The mind is divided into eight consciousness, eight consciousness. Each being has a separate reality.

[31:22]

In addition to the first five mental faculties, eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or consciousness, there are the sixth, the sense center, a general perceiving organ, or conscious mind. The seventh, the thought center, or the self-conscious mind. And the eighth, the store center, or store consciousness. The last two are called Manas. This is Manas. And the eighth is Arah. Arah. The sixth is the consciousness. I think it is a general conception of mind.

[32:35]

Among the eight consciousnesses, the former six constitute the sense consciousness, the seventh is thought, and the eighth is mind. To put it more plainly, the first five consciousnesses are simply the senses. This is a form of the senses, the five senses. Eyes, ears... Ears... Eyes, ears, nose, tongue. Tongue and body.

[33:38]

Body. This book says skin senses. I think in Japanese, skin means body. Then, the first five consciousnesses are simply the senses. This is senses. Eye senses, ear senses, nose senses, tongue senses, body senses. The sixth, the sixth. The senses are centers, or forms, or conceptions out of the perceptions obtained from the outside. Outside. I think this is, the sixth is the general conception of mind, which we think usually.

[34:46]

The seventh is Manas. The seventh, the third center, are things, are wealth, and reasons on self-centered basis. Self-centered basis. This is a problem. This is trouble for human beings. And the eighth, the store center, stores, sees, that is, keeps efficiency or energy for all manifestations. The sixth, the seventh, and the eighth always act on one another. Three, these three minds have a close relationship with each other. Four, the sixth is the general center of perception,

[35:55]

the center of perception and cognition inwardly, which acts outwardly on the basis of the thought center, which in turn acts on the basis of the all-storing, all-storing center. I think this area is the world mind, universal mind, universal mind or big mind. I think according to the Western way of thinking, for instance, the theory, according to the theory, I am thinking, therefore I am, this theory comes from the seven senses. Seven senses.

[36:56]

But in Buddhism, the mind is explained by the eighth senses. This is world mind or big mind. If you stick to the theory, I am thinking, therefore I am, therefore I exist, such a viewpoint of life is to say what you can, you see always something from the self-centeredness, self-centeredness. You know, it looks like an analyze, it looks like analyze yourself reflecting on the screen, reflecting on the mirrors, and you look at yourself and you analyze yourself. Oh, how wonderful, oh, I don't like that, something like that.

[38:03]

But Descartes finds himself, there is something which he cannot escape from himself, from itself. This is the I, this is I. I am thinking, therefore I exist. Even though you doubt, you throw a doubt on everything as much as possible. Actually, it is impossible to get rid of yourself. Who is doubting, who is throwing a doubt on everything? You know, do you understand this meaning? You know, if you have a suffering, something, you want to escape from the suffering phase to a better place.

[39:05]

In appearance you think, oh, I've got better conditions, escaping from the suffering. But it is not to solve, it is not to solve the original problem of suffering. Because the original problem of suffering is always following you, always carrying on your back, on your back. Then, in Buddhism, the two researches, two researches for the self, start from this point, this point, I am thinking, therefore I exist.

[40:12]

There is such an I, such a theory what I exist, such a theory, I am thinking, therefore I exist. It's not enough to understand completely who you are. Then, the two researches for the self, as Dogen then says, to learn the Buddhism is to learn the self. This attitude starts from this point, I am thinking, therefore I exist. Because this self is something seen from the self-centeredness, self-centeredness. Because such an understanding such an understanding

[41:20]

leads you to ignore, to ignore the existence of all sentient beings, all sentient beings. Now, all sentient beings are always seen from the self-centeredness. But if the self has various functions, perception and knowledge and emotions and desires, something also. Now, all sentient beings also have such various functions, emotions and knowledge, desires and such and such. You know, in Buddhism there is something in common with even the heavenly being,

[42:33]

heavenly being. Now, if you go to the moon, if you go to the moon, maybe you might find the heavenly being and the world of moon are with the same functions, perceptions or knowledge or desires and emotions and such. From this point, the only human being doesn't have such functions, perceptions and knowledge and emotions and such and such. From this point, all sentient beings should have the same functions,

[43:35]

perceptions, knowledge and emotions and such and such. In other words, even the all sentient being is entitled to live with his own life force, life force. Do you understand? In Buddhism, the mind is the same meaning of life force. Life force as all sentient beings possess an underlying essence. If human beings are entitled to live in this world, all sentient beings around you are also entitled to live in this world. So, if you understand in that way, it means all sentient beings have the life force.

[44:47]

What must be expressed is his own life force in how situation it is. Now, I always said, even tiny flowers, blooms in the sidewalk, we are nobody's attention to it. The human speculation says to the little tiny flowers or poor flowers, why is it you blooms in a beautiful garden where everybody looks at you? But this is human speculation. The flower itself is entitled to let the flower of its life force bloom in how situation it may be. Whatever it is, in the right sidewalk or in the deep mountains,

[45:55]

I think this is araya, the mind of araya. Mind of araya is the life force, life force. Then the Buddha says, the sutra says, this araya is like water, without ceasing, without stopping, constantly. Like a waterfall, like a stream of water. It means this araya is very big harmony, harmonious situation, including human beings, all sentient beings, who are repeating in the same way. You live in your mother's womb and were born in this world,

[47:03]

and grow up and become an adult, and then you have your own child, then you die. Next word, you might live in another mother's womb. Something like this. Including such a samsara, including such life forces, the araya is life force, life force. Including the birth and death, the samsara, what I said right now. So this is a very big word. So this, the self, the existence of self, has always close relationship with all sentient beings,

[48:04]

according to the existence, according to this principle. Of araya vijñāna, araya consciousness, eighth consciousness. Then from this point our practice, individual practice, should have close relationship with all sentient beings. All sentient beings. Then through your practice, it benefits yourself, and your practice should benefit others. And also, the sixth, the seventh and the eighth always act on one another

[49:16]

for the sixth is general center of perception and cognition inwardly, which acts outwardly on the basis of the thought center, which in turn acts on the basis of the all-stirring center. But the sixth, the sixth is always acting inwardly in relationship with the seventh, the seventh. You know, I think the theory, I am thinking, therefore I am based on, is based on the seventh ideas, the seventh ideas. The more and more you are analyzing yourself, looking at yourself in the mirror, you analyze,

[50:18]

then if there is nothing to analyze, then what should I do? You're completely upset. And then you cannot help returning to yourself. Who is analyzing himself? Then at that time he found himself, or I am thinking, therefore I exist, or I am exist. This is, it comes from seventh. But the manas, this seventh, is responsible for self-consciousness, self-interest, and selfish motives. This is a problem, troubles for human beings.

[51:21]

The subjective, next is subjective, the function of the eighth, the function of the eighth is the seen and regarded by the seventh as self, though in reality there is no such thing as self. You know, even the eighth mind, you know, has a much closer relationship with the seventh. This fourth idea pollutes all thoughts and gives rise to an idea of individual or personal ego and soul, personal ego and soul. The function of the seventh, the function of the seventh manas

[52:29]

is based on the eighth, based on the eighth. The function of the eighth is based on the eighth of the mind, eighth consciousness. The eighth consciousness is always acting on the basis of the function of the seventh. This is, both have very close relationship. Then the Buddhist psychology office advises us to transmit, transcend, transcend this conception of the eighth, seventh mind. The eighth mind must transcend, transcend, yes, transcend,

[53:44]

transcend the existence of human beings on the basis of eighth and seventh. Because the eighth, what you think, is always unconsciously or consciously, based on the seventh, the self-centeredness. But anyway, in Buddhism, the mind is pervading, pervading, pervading the all sentient beings, all sentient beings, all sentient beings. It looks like the relation between all sentient beings and you, the self,

[54:58]

acts in harmony with each other. It looks as if there is a scene where you look at yourself in the mirror, look at you in the mirror, the mirror looks at you. There is a very big world. Then, our effort, human effort, should be to benefit individuals, and also at the same time the others, all sentient beings, all sentient beings. Then, I will repeat what human efforts are.

[56:12]

One is the hiko shojin, the human effort, which the person will honor without being afraid of external obstacles and internal suffering. It means to take your step forwardly, right now and right here, without being afraid of external objects and internal suffering. Then, as mentioned before always, if you cross the river from here to the other shore, the important thing is to take one step right now without being afraid of external obstacles and internal suffering.

[57:18]

The second is shojin, to strive for doing good deeds. These good deeds are to benefit the self and also at the same time the others, all sentient beings. This is our effort, human effort. The human effort is, plainly in words, our practice. Then, Dogen says, it is our practice, or our effort, is the samadhi.

[58:24]

Dogen then writes about the zazen, the practice of zazen, which is entitled, The Samadhi and the King of Samadhi. Samadhi and the King of Samadhi. Samadhi means to keep standing here. Firmly, keep standing firmly right here, right now,

[59:30]

without being afraid of all things, many things. In other words, to rest yourself on the self, to settle yourself on the self. This is samadhi, this is samadhi. This is the real meaning of human effort, which is called hiko shojin, a person wielding the arm without being afraid of various obstacles. The samadhi is, Dogen says, the samadhi and the King of Samadhi is jikshin and kishin.

[60:37]

Jikshin means to direct, think is body, think is mind. Jikshin, samadhi is jikshin. Samadhi is jikshin, means to let the flow of your life force, your eighth mind, your world mind, big mind, right now, right here, to bloom. This is samadhi, the King of Samadhi. Jikshon, jikshon means the, shon means enlightenment, enlightenment. Jik means to settle, to find yourself to rest in peace.

[61:57]

Peace means to express, to express your buddha natures, your buddha natures, the real natures, the nature of your own, which is called buddha nature, buddha or the bodhisattvas, bodhisattvas. This is jikshin and jikshin. This is samadhi, this is practice of zazen. Then our practice or the effort should be done by the practice of samadhi,

[62:59]

practice of samadhi and the king of samadhi through practice of zazen. This is real meaning of human effort.

[63:11]

@Text_v004
@Score_JJ