Yesterday, I mentioned the cause of suffering is vigilante or stubbornness. Quoting the Yoga Daishi's remarks, self-centered charity brings the joy of heaven itself, but it is like shooting an arrow at the sky. The original text says, Jūsō no Fuse, Jūsō no Fuse wa Shōten no Fuku.

[01:07]

Jūsō, Jū is to stay, or Sō is form or frame. Jūsō, in this respect, Jūsō is to set the frame, to make a fence, to make a frame anyway. This is Jūsō, this book says self-centered, self-centered. So anyway, the man has the tendency of making a fence or frame immediately. Every time, whatever you do, this is Jūsō, or self-centered, according to this translation.

[02:25]

Then, as Ōbukuro Zen Master says, we are men like a belt made by a thick skin, which is called stubbornness. It is called Gampihei, in Japanese, Gampihei. Gan is stubbornness. Behei is a belt made by a thick skin. The Shōzen Master says, we are men like holding, keeping a bag of feces. Feces, that's a terrible expression. A bag of feces. Then, in his lecture, he always says, you should wash your bag of feces again and again.

[03:35]

Nevertheless, the bag of feces opens in front of you. Please, wash it again and again. But I didn't understand, what is a bag of feces? Anyway, this is Jūsō. If you read, I think, the Old Testament, I think in the chapter of Genesis, the third chapter of Genesis, I think you will find a very interesting story. You know, they know so well about this story, about Adam and Eve.

[04:45]

The moment when, anyway, God created. God creates Adam and Eve as a man and as a woman. Then the Jehovah God said to them, don't eat the fruit on the tree. But Eve was very interested in eating that fruit because it is very good for food. Then she ate the fruit and also she shared it with her husband, Adam. The moment when they ate the fruit, they noticed, they realized that their eyes are open.

[05:57]

Then at that time, they saw something, you know. They were very surprised at new scene. Because Adam noticed to be naked. Wow! So far he didn't know, he didn't know. But at the moment when he ate the fruit, he noticed he is naked. Wow! Then he picked up a leaf. What kind of leaf? Banana leaf? No, no. Sorry. What? Oh, fig. Fig. He picked up the banana leaf.

[07:01]

Fig leaf. And made together, sewed together. Sewed together and made, what would you call, loin covering for themselves, for himself. Loin. Loin. Loin. Loin cloth? Yeah. Loin cloth. Like this, you know, knit it. This is old story. And then this is the origin, this is origin for man to be against the commandment of God.

[08:11]

This is first time, it was first time for man. This is origin. Of being against the commandment of the God. Commandment, yeah. But try to consider this story. This is very interesting story. And it's not merely the old story. Not merely old story. Okay. You know, the... The moment when they ate, they ate the fruit and noticed that they are naked. And sewed leaves together and made loin cloth for themselves immediately. It means to set the frame, to make a frame, to make a fence immediately for themselves.

[09:22]

And then when, when do we, when did we made such a frame or fence? You know, very far away. Thousand years ago, more thousand years ago. In Buddhism, in Buddhism, they don't explain when we make such a fence. As they said, such a fence is made beginninglessly. Beginninglessly. No beginningless. Ah, no, excuse me. The beginningless. The beginningless source of making such a fence or frame.

[10:34]

The beginningless source of making such a frame. That's why the... We, the, in the verse of the confession, we said that all the evil karma is committed by a sense of odd. On account of my beginningless greed, anger, and fully born of my body, mouth, and thought. Anyway, nobody knows when we make, when we make this fence, which is called Stubbornness, which is called Rigatari. If it is beginningless,

[11:45]

it is, if we, it makes, if we make such a Rigatari since the beginningless of the period, I think we will have to practice, you know, in order to eliminate, eliminate this Rigatari. Ah, endlessly, endlessly. Endlessly. So that's why the, the form of truth is considered a thing, which means the view that the kinds of sufferings as well as the way, the ways to enlightenment are innumerable.

[13:01]

I think in Buddhism, there is mostly the same story. It answers the story which occurs in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, the man, a man who has committed a crime is running away. On his way, he came across a fear, a fierce animal, which is chasing after him. On his way to run away, he noticed that there is a big well.

[14:26]

So he tries to hide himself by descending into a well by means of vines growing down the sides. As he descends into a well, he noticed, he notices vipers to open his mouth in the bottom of the well. He was very surprised. Wow! So he tried hard, he tried hard to hold the vines so as not to fall into the bottom of the well. But when his arms completely get tired and fall into the bottom of the well,

[15:43]

he will fall, he falls, he falls to the mouth of the vipers and suffers his death. So he tries hard to hold the vipers, but at that time he found two mice, one white and another black, gnawing vines, gnawing the root of the vines. Wow! Now roots, the roots are there in front of the... Anyway, he bites, the two mice bite the vines.

[16:47]

The moment he finds, he noticed that the two mice gnawing the vines, at the same time he noticed a beehive from which a force, a drop of honey. So he takes great interest in eating this honey. So he starts to eat, forgetting all the dangers. He eats, he eats a drop of honey. The same thing, I think it is lots of fun, you know. It is thrilling, it is thrilling to eat a drop of honey in a well,

[17:54]

growing down in a well where a vine grows its size. That's why he tried to eat. This is true, this is very true. The other day I went to the Safeway shopping by myself. At that time, when I went in the Safeway, a mother with a child, I think for mostly three or four years, girls,

[19:01]

went out of the Safeway. At that time, the little child didn't notice that there was a curve. The curve is a little higher than the rod. And the mother walked a little far distance from her child. She walked and then she fell down into the rod. Then she burst out crying. Then mother turned back and looked at this baby, little child,

[20:07]

without saying anything, just like this. The moment when mother turned back and looked at her, this baby, the child, stopped crying, stopped crying. Then, at that time, I thought, why did she stop crying? Maybe several minutes later, she stopped crying. Then she grasped something. Then she said, Mommy, I got the penny, two pennies. Mommy, I got two pennies.

[21:14]

But mother didn't pay much attention to it, two pennies, and to her children, too. The problem was that she immediately left there and rushed into the Safeway. Then at that time, mother said, Where are you going? The child said, Well, I will go to get the gum from the small machine. You know the small machine? You put the penny and you get the gum, two gums. Then at that time, I looked at the mother. The mother looked at me and both smiled. Very quick, very quick.

[22:20]

Stubbornness and vegetation. It's very quick in movement. Fell down, find the money, money. Grasp it, next moment, oh, I should get the gum. I must go back to the Safeway and get the gum. Immediately she left, very quick. This is a frame. This is a frame. This is a frame that everybody makes. Everybody makes immediately, moment after moment, very fast. It's pretty hard to get rid of it. So the story that occurs in the Old Testament is not merely old stories.

[23:27]

The question is, it is a matter of, it is a very important matter which the men in our days is always confronted with this vegetation or stubbornness. But from this, from vegetation, from the stubbornness, it is sure that you will enjoy yourself to have the vegetation. The moment when you fall into the ground and find the two pennies and go back to the Safeway and get the gum from the small machine.

[24:35]

There are lots of fun. That's why I smile. I think Yoko Daishi knows so well about that. That's why Yoko Daishi says that self-taste, self-centered charity brings the joy of heaven itself. Maybe so. This is the Jūsō, Jūsō, which occurs in the regional text. Jūsō no fusei, fusei is almsgivings, almsgivings, which is one of six kinds of practice for Bodhisattva, which is called the six parameters.

[25:42]

The almsgivings is to give something to others. Not only material things, not only things, but spiritually. You try to give others something, always. For instance, a making bow or paying respect and so on to others. The journalists, not only in Japan, but also in the United States, journalists are very interested in asking the people whom they are supposed to pay the best respect to.

[27:02]

They always ask you, whom are you supposed to pay the best respect to? In Japan, one of the Japanese said, well, I pay the best respect to entertainers named Misora Hibari, the Japanese entertainers. The other day I found that I read the magazines in the United States of the American magazines. The journalists asked in the same way to the people, the young generation. The young generation said, I pay the best respect to the actor, John Wayne.

[28:06]

Oh, it is okay. No, I don't mean it's bad. I don't mean it is okay. But in Japan, one of the Japanese said, I respect greatly to one of the entertainers. Well, that's good. But I want to ask him why. Then I think probably he may say, well, he is a great entertainer. Why? Because he is the highest tax payer. Then you can pay the best respect to him.

[29:13]

He said he is great. What's great? He said he is the highest tax payer. The other day, one of the students said, Kage, you are great. What is great? So I was very surprised listening to this remarks. What's great? He said, well, you become a Roshi. Before Roshi, just like that. It's funny, but this is true. You are great. Thank you.

[30:17]

Why? Because you are Roshi. You get the title of Roshi. But before you get the title of Roshi, just like that. Sometimes, that's all. It is called self-centered charity. It is called self-centered charity. Always something happens in your mind, which goes beyond control. Damper, deeper. And the second of the six practices for Bodhisattva is

[31:32]

precepts. The precepts are always questionable for us. You always ask, what are Buddhist precepts? Then when you receive the lay ordination, Suki Roshi gives you the sixteen precepts, prohibitive precepts. Wow, too much. Wow, too much precepts. Why are you doing Gassho chanting the precepts? Wow, too much precepts. The first precept is not to kill. Then you try to always stare at not to kill, like this. Taking a note on a piece of paper. Buddha says not to kill.

[32:39]

Then you always follow, you try to follow your life according to the notes. First says not to kill. Not to steal, something like that. For instance, when you get up early morning, you should get up early morning four o'clock. Then next, second is wash your face. Third is go to Zendo. By four twenty. Then next, do Zazen. Then next, clean hands. Then next, breakfast. Like that. Then try to follow your life. Then the same is to be said of following the precepts, observing the precepts too. Look at the notes. First, not to kill. Sometimes rats make appearances in front of you.

[33:52]

What? But immediately you look at the notes. What? What Buddha says not to kill. Well, what shall I do? Shall I let you go or shall I let you kill? Look at the note, not to kill. Well, I shouldn't kill. But already rats have gone to disappear. Next moment, mosquitoes make appearance. Your arms, well, mosquito. What shall I do? Look at the paper, note. Well, not to kill. Well, not to kill. But after looking at the note, you look at the mosquito, but the mosquito has gone.

[34:57]

Then the mosquito transfers to another person. And another person's arms. Well, mosquito over there. So you are very interested in what he is doing. Immediately he, like this. Oh, you are not Buddhist. Then, look at the piece of notes. First, Buddha says not to kill. But Karage says it is okay to kill the mosquito. Well, look at the note. It is okay to kill the mosquito. Like this. It's pretty hard if you follow your life in that way.

[36:01]

At the same time, at last, you are confused. Because you follow your life, always take notes. What Buddha says, not to kill. Not to steal. Anyway, I will have to explain about precepts someday. But now I don't have enough time to explain precepts. Then you... I ask you why. Why is it you observe the precepts? Probably you may say, Oh, I don't want to hell. I don't want to go to hell. I want to go to heaven.

[37:14]

That's why I want to observe the precepts. It looks like following your life according to the note. Now, always there is something. There is something which makes appearance in front of your life. I don't want to go to hell. That's fine. I want to observe the precepts. I don't want to kill the mosquito. Buddha says not to kill. It is okay to kill the mosquito. Because Karagi said it is okay to kill. Something like that. Always something there. Why don't you observe the precepts?

[38:24]

Wherever you go, wherever you go, to the hell, to the heaven, even though you will get any merits from the practice of observing the precepts, why don't you just follow the precepts? If you do Zazen, you do Zazen, expecting something. Why don't you just do Zazen? This is very important. You know. The third is patience.

[39:27]

The practice of patience. Perseverance. The Zen master says, sir, stay with the pain in Zazen. So you must be patient. You must be perseverant in the practice of Zazen. Staying with the pain. At that time, well, maybe to stay, if I am patient, if I am perseverant, staying with the pain, something will happen, like the enlightenment, small enlightenment or big enlightenment, or small hallucination or big hallucination, or beautiful imagination of Bodhisattva or common Bodhisattva,

[40:35]

or the angry, angry face of Arhat, or many thoughts. You expect something. Zen master says you should stay with pain. Well, maybe he has some reason why he has to say that way. Maybe so. So you expect some reason. So you pray hard, practice hard, you work hard, staying with pain. Then, in a moment, the pain is gone. Wow, this is good, you know. You feel so good. Wow, pain calms. Next moment, very tranquility comes up to you. Very beautiful. Beautiful. Then, next moment, beautiful common Bodhisattvas come down from the heaven.

[41:37]

Come on, this way. That time you say, wow, this is enlightenment. Maybe so. Next moment, the ugly face, the Arhat with ugly face, the hundred Arhat, five hundred Arhat with ugly face come up to you and said, come on, well, it is not the enlightenment. Maybe it is delusion. I don't want to go there. This is, I think this is a practice of the perseverance which you try to follow that. Why don't you just stay with, why don't you stay with pain? Whoever comes, Bodhisattva, common Bodhisattva with beautiful face,

[42:45]

they come up to you and say, come on, just stay, just do Zazen. Next moment, the other five hundred Arhat with ugly face come up to you and said, come on, this way. Why don't you do Zazen? Just do Zazen. This is very important. If you expect to form Zazen, form patience, maybe you can, you try, you can rest your eyes, rest your eyes, risk your life to do Zazen. You can,

[43:49]

you can do Zazen hard for a long time as if your bone was crushed. Even though, even though your bones and muscles were crushed by your effort. Maybe you can do that. And then you can attain the enlightenment. It is true. But while you expect something, while you, while there is something in curative spirit, in spirit, you cannot become Buddha. The Buddha always just said, whatever happens, whoever comes up, Bodhisattva or Arhat or beggar or President Nixon

[44:54]

or Suzuki Roshi, whoever comes, you cannot become Buddha. This is very important. When the Zen master says, stay with the pain, just stay with the pain. The fourth is the practice of effort. I think the effort in Buddhism

[45:58]

is the attitude in life as I mentioned already. Whoever comes, whatever happens, stay with the pain. Following the precepts will result in nothing. Even though you go to the hell,

[47:04]

even though you go to the heaven, you have to make every possible effort to just follow, just do Zazen. This is the true meaning of effort. The fifth is the practice of Zazen. The Zazen is the practice of wholeheartedness, mindfulness, without expecting anything. If you do Zazen and have to go to the hell, you try to go to the hell

[48:06]

with Zazen. You don't expect to go to the hell, to go to the heaven. Just do Zazen. And the sixth is the practice of wisdom. If you attain the wisdom, you attain enlightenment. You are very delighted in attaining enlightenment. There was one of the monks who attained enlightenment under the Rinzai school in Ehhe Monastery. He thought always he's great proud

[49:10]

because he attained enlightenment and got the certificate from Zen Master. He always thought he's proud. I attained enlightenment in the Rinzai temple. Every time whenever he guided a new monk, always he said, first of all he said, I attained enlightenment in the Rinzai Zen Monastery. What about your Zazen? Your Zazen is now real Zazen. Always he scolded. He always they show

[50:13]

the puller card of the certificate of enlightenment. Whatever you do, if you show the puller card of the certificate, I do Zazen for three years, I do Zazen for five years, you can't show the nature, the true nature of yourself because puller card always covered with you. You are already, you are already covered with the puller card. I attained enlightenment. It looks like a mask. You can't put on anytime, you can't put aside anytime. If you don't want, you can't put aside. If you want, you can put it. I attained enlightenment.

[51:15]

It is not true meaning of using the wisdom. Even though you attain enlightenment, even though you not attain enlightenment, why don't you guiding, why don't you taking care of new monks? This is pretty good. This is our practice. That's why Suki Roshi put the name on Zen center called Bodhisattva, Daibosatsu Zendo. Great Bodhisattva Zendo. But someone criticized Zen center,

[52:23]

particularly Suki Roshi and I. Suki Roshi and Karage make lots of money selling the Zen. By selling the Zen. What do you think about it? Maybe so. Suki Roshi and I, Suki Roshi, I think it is 13 years since he came to United States. For 13 years, he has sold the Zen. I have sold the Zen for 8 years anyway. We said always do the Zen. Do the Zen. Then many people come to the Zen center and attend, participate in session.

[53:26]

Please give me $40. But let's imagine it is possible to make lots of money selling Zen. It is really ridiculous. Because to sell Zen is unprofitable. Also, those who are interested in taking Zen, all are poor. Maybe you have $40, but because you have a purpose already, I have to participate in the session. So you have $40. If it takes $40 from you, you don't have anything, any money. Then when you come back to your home, you have to get the hitchhiking.

[54:28]

Like this. All those who are interested in the Zen are very poor. But someone says, Suzuki Roshi and I make lots of money by selling Zen. It's ridiculous. If I want to make money, I give up selling Zen. I give up holding the position of Zen priest. I would like to find a very good job. And I will run a big business. I think it's better than selling Zen. But

[55:29]

whatever people criticize, Zen sellers are very rich. Because they get the big building and Tasahara too. In appearance, maybe we have lots of money, but actually we are very poor. They don't know exactly how poor we are. But that's okay. Whatever they say. We have to continuously preach to Zen. Even though you don't give me the money for participating in the session, we have to continuously say,

[56:30]

please do Zen. Do Zen. Even though nobody comes to Zen center, I walk, do the Zen by myself. This is our practice. But you should keep in mind that there is always something which makes disappearance in curriculative spirit. Using abacus, using the abacus, one plus one is equal to. Well, I will do the Zen. A session will give you, will bring a great tranquility to you. Well, I will do the Zen.

[57:32]

That's right. This is the practice which we have to eliminate, to throw away at any cost. Sometime consciously or sometime unconsciously it makes appearance because it goes beyond our control. Maybe it will take you so long to eliminate. Maybe forever. But even though

[58:37]

the practice, even though practice doesn't let your, doesn't eliminate your stubbornness, your bigotry, important point is that we will continuously do the Zen. Forever. At that time, this practice is true practice, true practice. We have to know this point. But, it is like shooting an arrow at the sky.

[59:37]

With all energy, you try to expect something from the Zen, from the arm giving, from the patience, from the precepts. It is as if you shoot it. An arrow at the sky. It means it means even though you shoot an arrow at the sky with all mighty someday

[60:41]

this arrow will fall down to the ground. As mentioned before, the story of the monkey who had the strong holy spirit. The Buddha says, no, the monkey said, I can fly to the end of the space. The Buddha says, try that. So, with all his energy, he flew to the end of the space. Then, at that time, he noticed the big four poles in front of him. He put the break. Then, find out maybe it

[61:44]

seems the end of space. He was very happy. Then, at that time, he thought I should left a proof to be here, to be in the end of the space. Then, he put the mark. The bottom of the four poles. With a brush. After putting the mark in the bottom of the four poles, the Buddha says, little monkey, are you sure? Are you sure to reach at the end of the space? He said, yes. Yes, I am. Look at this pole. Look at these marks. Are you sure? Yes. If so, the monkey said, I am about to

[62:48]

come back to the human world right now. Okay. Then, he, the moment when he is about to leave there, all four poles fall down. And, his body was completely covered with four poles. And, he didn't move an inch. What's the matter? Help, help. On looking upward, he found the Buddha's face. Well, you are Buddha. Yes, I am Buddha. The Buddha says, what's the matter with you? Well, please help me. I can't move an inch. He looked around like this.

[63:53]

And, four poles are right above his body. Then, at that time, he noticed that four poles are Buddha's four fingers. Buddha's four fingers. Wow. This is your hands. Yes, this is my hands. But, monkey, you thought, you thought I reached at the end of the space, but you are just in my hands. That's all. Then, you tried to shoot. You tried to shoot an arrow at the sky with all energies, including your spirit. Just Buddha's hands. In other words, it means that

[64:54]

whatever you do in calculative spirit is not much value in comparison with infinity. Infinity. Infinity. In the light of the Buddha's world, Buddha's world is huge. That's why Buddha hold monkeys, little monkeys, in his hands. He cannot get rid of Buddha's hands. But his calculative spirit thought, wow, I can, I reached at the end of the space. Then, that's why

[65:59]

Dogen then says, throw away. The purpose of the practice, is to throw away this spirit, calculative spirit. Utilitarian. The purpose of religion, the purpose of morality. Then, Dogen then says, to throw, to throw away is to become infinite. Infinite. Okay? Infinite. To throw away is identical with infinity. We have to, the purpose of our

[66:59]

practice is to throw away this point. Which enable man to believe himself that he reached, he can reach at the end of the space. So, continuously, we have to practice in that way. This is very important. If so, you understand what the practice is. What your life is.

[67:46]

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