OLD - The Most Important Precept

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SF-05302A

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Cassette side A labeled: Aug 1 lecture contd

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Side A - Recording starts after beginning of talk. End of 69-08-01
This has been added to SR-00035, which is the first part of this talk

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water from the dipper-- half of the water from the dipper, and he returned it to the river always. Half-Dipper Bridge. Usually, you know, if there is-- at Eiheiji there is-- it is a valley like Tassajara, and the stream is full of pure water. And there will be no need to, you know, return it to the river after he used half of it. But he always return it to the river.

Usually, you know, water is valuable because when-- only when it is not so much, you don't use so much water as we do in sip. But at Eiheiji monastery we cannot use-- we cannot wash our face by-- with-- with bucketful water. We-- we always use 70% of the water. Usually, you know, we evaluate things because [depending on] whether it is-- whether we have a lot of it or not. If we haven't so much, the water become valuable. And our economy-- economic principle based on, you know, our labor and the things we have. And if, you know, something is-- if we don't have some particular things -- [Sentence not finished. Tape turned over.]

-- this is, you know-- whether you think some other principle and evaluate things or not is the point.

Things are valuable because-- usually because the things are, you know, produced by labor. But labor is-- of course, we should count labor, but more important thing is the place we stand up with earth, you know. So labor or something which-- something which we have plenty of it or not, is not count so much if we know how we exist in this moment like. This is very elaborate intellectual explanation.

But what I want to say is when you sit, you know, you should not think whether this practice is necessary or not [laughs]. Anyway, what I mean [is] you should sit. That is what I wanted to say, in short. [Laughs, laughter.] I go round and round. This is direct experience, you know, to accept yourself as you are. If you always look around like a hungry dog, you know, you will not gain anything. When you are ready to be there, you know, and to accept things which is given to you, then you will be-- you will find out everything valuable. This point is missing, you know, in our life.

What we are always trying to is always finding some measurement, and we are trying to measure ourselves or measure our life. And if you don't feel good, you try to change your measurement. That is what we are doing. Now, you know, most of our young generation trying to change all measurement to new one [laughs]. But you don't try to, you know, measurement-- measure things by your eyes, you know. You don't have to depend on measurement. You can measure it, you know, by your body, not because someone said this is valuable or this is not so valuable, bec- -- not because someone said this is old or this is new.

You must have-- accept before you, you know-- we don't have to think so much. Mostly you can depend on your intuition. But you-- you want, you know, always you depend on something always. And [tape defective and unclear for 8-12 words] -- to accept things as it is and try first by your intuition.

So whether we have plenty of water or not, we should best use of it-- you should have best use of it. Whether you can sit-- whether you can complete your practice or not, you know, you should try first, and when you returning to do it, you can do it. When you hesitate, you cannot do it. When we are completely [free?] from everything and try to open your mind, then you find your own way. And your, you know, behavior will change, and your face will change. Everything will change-- not only you, but whatever you see. Things will change. Then, sometime, you can enjoy your measure to explain [laughs], you know, various way. But you shouldn't depend on measurement.

This is pretty difficult practice, but we will-- you will see it [?]-- try. This is how we accept the teaching [that] things changes. Because things changes, you should-- we should be concentrated on each moment.

Thank you very much.