This podcast is offered by San Francisco Zen Center on the web at sfcc.org. Our public programs are made possible by donations from people like you. Good morning, everyone. I'm really happy to be here and to talk about Buddha's teaching. Jordan emailed me before I came that today, this morning, we have some young people, children. So first, a few minutes, I have to talk to the children. So I brought one book, Buddhist book for children and read a very short story. I hope you like this story. This is an interesting story about silence.

[01:11]

Children are not always good at being silent. And this is about the children or kid monks. they are studying how to be silent. So there are four boys. They are nervous monks. The title of this story is Learning to be Silent. A group of four friends were all studying meditation. So as a nervous monk in Buddhism, they had to study meditation. And of course, when we practice meditation, they need to be silent. But it's one of the most difficult things for young people.

[02:14]

But they are very good monks, all sincere boys. So... they decided in order to clear their minds, so they made their decision by themselves, not be ordered by their teachers. They decided to clear their mind, to take a vow of silence and not talk for seven days. So they decided to have a seven-day session without any... It must be really difficult to practice for them. And this happened the first day. The first day, they meditated all day without saying a word. So they are very good, nervous monks.

[03:21]

They didn't speak anything for one entire day. But when night fell, so it became dark, and the oil lamp in the meditation hall grew dim. One of the friends whispered to a servant, so they had a... oil lamp, and then it has some wind or something. It didn't work well. So one of the boys said, take care of those lamps to the servant. And then one of the others, shocked to hear his friend speaking, So that was the first speaking. Then next person was shocked to hear that his friend speak something.

[04:29]

So the second person said, you are not supposed to be talking. That is the second person talking. And the third one was overcome. with irritation. And he said, you idiots. He said, why did you talk? So he accused those two friends, you spoke, you are not good. And by saying that, the person also spoke. And there's one another. One of the boys, and he said, I am the only one who hasn't talked. All those three talked, but I don't talk.

[05:34]

That's what the final person said. Said the fourth friend, smiling proudly. That's the end of the story. I hope you like this story. Now, if you wish, you can leave. And you can talk as much as you want. This story was, in this book, is retold by the author of this book.

[06:46]

But this original story was from a collection of Buddhist stories, I think, compiled by the Japanese monk who was, I think, a contemporary of Dogenzenji. And Sawaki Kodo Roshi, my teacher's teacher, not often, but sometimes told about this story. And in the original version, these are not about boys. These are about very experienced practitioners, almost elders. And Sawaki Roshi told this story about how deep and subtle our ego clinging might be. And we can see other people's fault, but we don't see our own fault. Anyway, and this story has something to do with what we are going to study during this Genzoe on Kai In Zanmai, or Ocean Seal Samadhi.

[07:57]

And this chapter of Shobo Genzo, Kai In Zanmai, is really difficult. So I tried to study about this teaching of Kai in Zanmai, not in Dogen Zenji's writing, but in the context of Buddhism. And while I was studying, I had a question about the ocean. I mean, my question was, Shakyamuni Buddha see the ocean or not. You know, he was born in Nepal, and he went down to the central India, that is Magadha or Korsara, and he practiced, he traveled extensively, but as far as I know, in Buddha's biography, there's no evidence that Buddha

[09:05]

reach the ocean. So first question, I think this is an interesting question. Did Buddha see ocean or not? If Buddha didn't see the ocean, maybe he didn't teach about the ocean. But I, in the process of my searching, I found there are several teachings about the ocean in Parinikaya. So that was interesting. Buddhism, you know, encounter with ocean. And what is ocean means? That was the starting point of my study on Dogen Zenji's Ocean Seal Samadhi. The meaning of this word, ocean seal, seal is like a stamp. Then you have a stamp and some ink and put on certain paper or something, then exactly what is on the stamp is copied on paper.

[10:16]

That is what this ocean seal means. That means when there are strong wind, ocean has big waves. But when the wind becomes calm, and the waves become peaceful, then everything is reflected as they are on the surface of the ocean. And that is one of the analogy or symbol of our meditation practice. When our mind comes down and there's not so much waves, then Everything can be reflected as they are. That is what the ocean seal and samadhi means. Anyway, I'd like to one Pali star about the ocean.

[11:25]

And this is a conversation. between Shakyamuni Buddha and one chief of Ashura. Ashura is one of the six realms of Sansara, and it's originally the name of God, but here it seems like Ashura was some native Indian people who had lived even before the Indo-Aryans came. to India. So it's a kind of minorities. Anyway, these people called Ashura were familiar with the ocean, and they loved the ocean. So probably they lived by the coast. So Buddha asked the chief of Ashura, this sutta is from

[12:32]

Anguttara Nikaya. Buddha asked to the chief of Asura, I suppose the person's name is Paharada. The Asuras find delight in the great ocean. So you people really love the ocean. And the chief said they do. And Buddha said, now how many wonderful and marvelous qualities do the ashras again and again perceive in the great ocean so that they take delight in it. So why, what kind of good quality of the ocean is do those Asura people like the ocean.

[13:34]

And the person said, there are eight characteristics, eight great virtues of the ocean. And after the person mentioned those eight virtues of the ocean, Buddha said, No, not Buddha said, but the Asura king asked Buddha, that is a great quality, wonderful quality of Buddha's teaching and practice. So Buddha repeated what the Asura king said about the ocean. and compared with the virtue of the Buddhist Sangha. To me, this is really important for us to understand what is the quality and the characteristic of Buddhist Sangha.

[14:44]

And we need to make effort how to create such a community. So those eight points are really important. And some of them might not work in our community in the 21st century. But anyway, it's important to know what Buddha spoke about, the quality of Buddhist community, using the analogy of the virtue of the ocean. influence to Mahayana Buddhist sutras. And it appeared in the Kegon or Abhatansaka Sutra. And it became the origin of this teaching of Ocean Sea Samadhi. So it's related all to the Dogen and to us.

[15:51]

Anyway, so I'd like to introduce those eight great virtues of ocean and also the Buddhist Sangha. So the king of Ashura said, I suppose, Lord, the monks take delight in this Dharma and discipline. And Buddha said, they do. But... how many wonderful and marvelous qualities do the monks again and again perceive in this dharma and discipline, by reason of which they take delight in it. And Buddha mentioned those eight qualities. And the first is

[16:52]

Just as the great ocean slopes away gradually, so it gradually becomes deep, falls gradually, inclines gradually, not in an abrupt way like a precipice. Even so is this dharma, I mean dharma, and discipline. There is a gradual training, gradual training, gradual practice, gradual progress. There is no penetration to final knowledge in an abrupt way. So Buddhist practice has a gradual method, some practice for beginners, and it can

[17:54]

getting deeper and deeper to the experienced people. So there's no such abrupt jumping. It can go gradually. And second is, just as the great ocean is stable and does not overflow, its boundaries. So no matter how much water came in from different rivers, water never overflow, I mean, ocean never overflow. Even so, when I have made known a rule of training, this is about Vinaya Precept, Buddha made some certain rules for the monks to follow. then a rule of training to my disciples, they will not transgress it even for life's sake.

[19:05]

So members of the Sangha, in this case monks, never overflow. That means they follow the rules or precepts Buddha set up. That is a second virtue. And the third one has something to do with Shobo Genzo Kai Inzanmai. That is, just as the great ocean will not tolerate a dead body, a corpse, but quickly carried it to the shore and cast it on to the land. So it said, ocean, if there is some dead body, the dead body go to the shore and get out of the ocean and stay in the shore.

[20:09]

So ocean doesn't keep the dead body of anyone. And even so, the Sangha will not tolerate. The Sangha community of Buddhists will not tolerate within its ranks a person who is immoral, of bad character, of impure and suspicious conduct, a secretive in his action, not a true ascetic but rather a sham ascetic, not chaste but pretending to be chased, rotten to the core, lustful and of vile behavior. In such a case, the Sangha quickly assembles and expels such a person.

[21:13]

Even if seated in the midst of the monk's assembly, yet he is far from the Sangha. And the Sangha is far from him. So this means if some monks did something against the so-called four paralagical precepts, they have to be expelled. They cannot stay in the Sangha. So this is like an ocean put the dead body to the land. So the ocean and also Buddhist Sangha have the power or ability to keep it clean or pure. There's a Koan story about this saying of the sutra. And in Chinese Zen, the masters changed the meaning of this.

[22:15]

So that is one point of Dogen's Kai in Zanmai. And four, just as the mighty rivers on reaching the great ocean lose their former names and designations and are just reckoned as the great ocean. That means there are waters from different rivers. In the case of India, Ganges River, Indus River, and many other rivers. And the water came from different rivers, even much smaller rivers. But once it enters into the ocean, there's no such separation. And this is the

[23:16]

That is what the Buddha is saying here. Even so, when members of the four caste in Indian society, there are four caste, that is, nobles, brahmins, commoners, and many others. So there are different classes. in the society. But when anyone who came from any classes, once they enter the Buddhist Sangha, they are treated as equal. There's no such discrimination. That is another virtue of Buddhist Sangha. So, go forth from home into the homeless life. In this Dhamma and discipline, proclaimed by the Tathagata.

[24:19]

They lose their former names and lineage and are reckoned only as ascetics, following the son of the Shakyans, that means Buddha's child. So all Buddhist monks are called Shakyas. So our family name is all Shakya. There's no other names. And Buddha said, this is the fourth wonderful and marvelous quality in this Dhamma and discipline. Fifth, just as in the great ocean, neither a decrease nor a decrease. will appear though all the streams of the world flow into it and rain falls into it from the sky.

[25:32]

So it never decreases or increases. Even so, even if many monks attain final nirvana, I'm sorry, Nibbana in Bali. In the Nibbana element that is without residue left, there is no decrease or increase in the Nibbana element that is without residue left. So no matter how many people attain Nibbana, Nibbana doesn't increase or decrease because it's not a matter of quantity. It's a matter of quality. And next is six. Just as the great ocean has but one taste, the taste of salt. So whichever part of the ocean, the taste of the ocean water is the same.

[26:40]

It's always salty everywhere. but one taste. That taste, even so, this dhamma and this spring has but one taste. That means whichever sangha and whatever part of the sangha. All the parts have only one same taste. That's a good sound. And the taste of liberation. So we have to make sure in our Sangha, if we have the taste of one taste, one single taste of liberation or not. If we have different tastes, then we have to be careful that this taste came into the Sangha.

[27:46]

That is one of the very important qualities of Buddhist Sangha. So this is a taste of liberation, a taste of Dharma. This is the sixth and seventh. Just as in the great ocean, there are many and very gated pressures, substances, such as pearls, gems, etc. There are many beautiful, precious things in the ocean. So in this dharma and discipline, there is much that is precious. There are many precious things in the practice of the sangha. And those are These are the precious things in it.

[28:48]

That is, the four foundations of mindfulness. This is a meditation practice in Theravada, still practicing. And the four right efforts, the four bases of success, the five spiritual faculties, the five spiritual powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, And the Noble Eightfold Path, those are all practice, Buddhist practice. And those are the precious gems or pearls ocean embraces. So we have to make sure we have that kind of precious practice, teaching and practice and activities in our community. So there are many precious things in the Sangha.

[29:50]

And finally, eighth, eighth virtue of the Buddhist Sangha is, just as the great ocean is the abode of vast creatures, That means there are many kinds of fishes, and not only fishes, but Indian, ancient people thought dragons lived in the ocean. So huge, great living beings lived in the ocean. Even so, is this dhamma undisciplined? the domain of great beings. So great people are living within the Sangha.

[30:55]

And those are the stream enterer and one practicing for the realization of the fruits of stream entry, the once returner and one practicing for the realization of the fruits of one returning the non-returner, and one practicing for the realization of the fruits of non-returning, the alahat, and one practicing for alahatship. So these are the monks who are in those four stages of development or practice. Those are the great beings. living within the Sangha. Of course, in the Mahayana Buddhism, Zen Buddhism is part of Mahayana. We have different systems or stages of practice.

[31:59]

And especially in Soto Zen tradition, there are no such stages, essentially. Conventionally there are. But not... only those kind of stages, but people in the Sangha should be all great beings, great people. And that is why, traditionally in Zen lineage, we call the assembly of the Sangha as Daishu. The monks are called Daishu. Dai means great. And shu means assembly of people, so great assembly. So not only experienced people in certain advanced stage, but all people living in the Sangha must be great people.

[33:05]

And great people means Dogenzenji, mentioned a very interesting analogy about what this great means. And in Asia, we have a kind of analogy that we are like a frog, a toad in the well, living in the bottom of the well. We are living in such a small, you know, hole. So we only see the tiny part of the sky, but still we think we see the entire sky. And that is an analogy of a small being like us. But Dogenzenji in Ehe Korok, he said, people living in the Sanga is like a frog or a toad living in the ocean.

[34:07]

Of course, there's no such frog. really, but this is, you know, we are like still, we are like a frog. But when we are living in the ocean, in the Buddhist Sangha, we are like the frog living in the ocean. That means we don't only view the way we see, but we study more broader perspective of the reality by studying Buddha's teaching and also living and practicing with other people and letting go of our small views, small, limited views. By living in this way, we cannot be self-centered. We cannot be like a frog in the well. So even though we are limited conditions, living beings like a frog, still we are, if we live, when we live in the Sangha and practice with other people, we are like a frog in the ocean.

[35:25]

That is what great beings, I think, means in our tradition. teaching about the quality of the ocean and quality of the Sangha. And this teaching looks very interesting and important. So Mahayana Buddhists also take this teaching to define the quality of Buddhist Sangha or monastic practice. And the same teaching appeared in the Abhatansaka Sutra and also the Mahayana Parinibbana Sutra. And the ocean seal Samadhi become

[36:35]

The names of Samadhis in which Buddha is dwelling when he preached the Avatamsaka Sutra. That is an origin of this Samadhi, or Ocean Seal Samadhi. So we are like a frog in the ocean. And then our mind comes down by practicing, studying dharma and practicing meditation and living, following Buddha's precept. We are like the great beings in the ocean. living peacefully. That is the very basic meaning of this ocean-sealed samadhi.

[37:43]

So ocean-sealed samadhi is Buddha's samadhi, but also we are part of that samadhi. Well, it's 11 o'clock. Any questions or comments, please? Okay, number two is, number two and number five, right? Two and five. Number two is, just as the great ocean is stable and does not overflow its boundaries, so the ocean keeps the boundaries.

[38:44]

So when I have made known... A rule of training. So when Buddha set up certain precepts, no monks, a member of the Sangha, never get out of that boundary. Like ocean is always within the boundary. That is the means of the second virtue. And the fifth is... Just as in the great ocean, neither a decrease nor an increase. So the level of ocean water is never decreased or increased. Actually, it seems it is increasing now. And that is a human problem caused by human beings, but not by the water's fault, but our fault.

[39:49]

But in the nature, the ocean keeps the same level of the water. And will appear through all the streams of the world, flow into it, and rain falls into it from the sky. So the two virtues, number two and number five, are not so different. But in the case of number five, no matter how much water comes in from outside, the water level of ocean doesn't increase or decrease. So there is some little subtle difference, I think. I think it was in Japanese, but there's a book entitled Why We Don't See Dead

[41:16]

body in the ocean. In the ocean, it's always clear, always clean. Unless there's certain disaster like oil in the ocean. We don't see so many dead bodies, even though there are numerous living beings living in the ocean. And we sometimes see dead bodies on the beach. So maybe ancient people think ocean did not tolerate the dead body and put them out of the ocean. I think that makes sense. Please. I don't think the devil is something bad or immoral.

[42:35]

But in this case, the monks who didn't or who cannot, you know, when we become, when people become Buddhist monks, they have to take, receive the precept. That means they take a vow to follow the precept. And if, And these are about four most serious precepts. That is like killing, stealing, telling a lie, false speech, and sexual misdeed, any sexual activities for monks. So when people receive the precept and became a Buddhist monk, they take that vow. And even though they took the vow, that means they make a pledge that I follow these precepts.

[43:40]

Not only those four, there are more than 200 precepts. Others are so-called minor precepts. And if those monks commit some misdeeds against those four paradhika precepts, they have to be expelled. In this case, I think Buddhist monks thought the person is already dead when they commit those four paradhika precepts. I think that is what it meant. Please. OK, with that. Well, gradual and sudden is a tricky thing.

[45:18]

There's nothing sudden and nothing gradual, I think. That is what Dogen pointed out. In Chinese Zen, the separation between sudden enlightenment and gradual enlightenment is really important. It separates two schools, southern and northern schools. you know, for example, Sekito Kisen, the person who wrote Sandokai, said in the Dharma there's no southern or northern ancestors. That means there's no such criterion, separation between southern and gradual, I think. So, you know, there are certain people who, you know, cannot study and practice so quickly and of course among the Buddha's disciples there are certain very brilliant people like Shariputra but there are other disciples who is not so talented but Buddha gave a kind of a

[46:45]

So even though, you know, I forget the person's name in Sanskrit, but in Japanese, the person's name is Shuri Handoku, who is intellectually not talented. So he couldn't even memorize any Buddha's teachings. told him, give him his practice to clean something. And by cleaning things day after day, the person, it said, attained al-hat hood. So for that person, that is, I think, sudden, in a sense. Same as Shariputra. So, sudden or gradual, can be depending upon the personality, the person's characters, or quality.

[47:55]

And we cannot say, you know, Shariputra is really better than that, you know, not so talented person. So to me it's really difficult to make a distinction between gradual and sudden. What do you think? Okay. Oh, okay. Yeah, he is a representative of sudden enlightenment. That is another point we are going to study in Cain's mind.

[48:59]

That is Dogen's position. I don't think he is gradual. And his teaching is not sudden, neither. I think he's questioning the validity of that separation between sudden and gradual. For him, reality is only right now, right here. Sudden and gradual is in terms of the flow of time. How long does it take or how short the person can attain enlightenment? But what Dogen is discussing in Kain Zanmai is the quality of right now, right here. It's not a matter of... In the future, how long you have to practice, or how short you can attain enlightenment. So we'll study about that point. Okay.

[50:00]

Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you for listening to this podcast offered by the San Francisco Zen Center. Our Dharma Talks are offered free of charge. And this is made possible by the donations we receive. Your financial support helps us to continue to offer the Dharma. For more information, please visit sfcc.org and click giving. May we all fully enjoy the Dharma.

[50:29]

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