Yesterday I mentioned a cause of suffering is bigotry 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. In the original text, it says, Jūsō no fuse wa shōten no fuku.

[01:07]

Jū is to stay. Sō is form or frame. Jūsō, in this respect, 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 Ovakū Wampo Zen Master says, we are men like a belt made by a thick skin, which is called stubbornness. It is called ganbihei in Japanese. Gan is stubbornness. Behei is a belt made by a thick skin. Sam Zen Master says, we are men like holding, keeping a bag of feces. Feces. That's a terrible expression. A bag of feces. 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 created 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,

[05:51]

they noticed, they realized that their eyes are open. Then at that time, they saw something, you know. They were very surprised at a new scene. Because Adam noticed to be naked. Wow! So far he didn't know, he didn't know. But 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, banana. Sorry. What?

[06:54]

Oh, fig. He picked up the banana... He picked up the leaf and made a sword together and made a... made a, what do you call? Loin... Loin covering for themselves, for himself. Loin. Loin. Loin. Loin cloth? Yeah, loin cloth. Like this, you know. Made it. This is old story. And then this is the origin.

[08:02]

This is origin for man to be against the commandment of God. This is first time. It was first time for man. This is origin, okay? Of being against the commandment of God. Commandment, yeah. But try to consider this story. This is very interesting story. It is 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

[09:07]

and so 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. And then when? When do we, when did we make 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.

[10:09]

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 That's why the... We, in the verse of the confession, we said that all the evil karma ever committed by a sense of odd on account of my beginningless greed, anger and fully borne of my body, mouth and thought.

[11:15]

Anyway, nobody knows when we make, when we make this fence, which is called tamponis, which is called nigatari. If it is beginningless, it is, if it makes, if we make such a nigatari since the beginningless of the period, I think we will have to practice, you know. In order to eliminate,

[12:25]

eliminate this nigatari endlessly. Endlessly. So that's why the Four Noble Truths is considered a saying, which means the view that the kinds of sufferings as well as the ways to enlightenment are innumerable. I think in Buddhism,

[13:30]

there is mostly the same story and answer the story which occurs in the Old Testament. The man, a man full of lust, who has committed a crime, is running away. On his way, he came across a fierce animal, which is chasing after him. On his way to run away, he noticed that there is a big well.

[14:33]

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

[15:44]

completely get tired and fall into the bottom of the well, he will fall. So 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, he found two mice, one white and another black, gnawing vines, gnawing the root of the vines. Wow! Now roots, and roots at the front of the...

[16:46]

Anyway, he's biting, he bites, the two mice bite the vines. The moment he found, 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.

[17:52]

It is thrilling. It is thrilling to eat a drop of honey in a well, going 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

[18:54]

the Safeway, a mother with a child, I think for mostly three or four years, girls. I 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 road. The mother walked in a little far distance from her child. She walked,

[20:00]

then she fell down into the road. Then she burst out crying. Then the mother turned back and looked at this baby, a little child, without saying anything, just like this. The moment when the 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? Then, maybe several minutes,

[21:03]

several minutes later, she stopped crying. And then, she grasped something. Then she said, Mommy, I got the penny, two pennies. Mommy, I got two pennies. But the mother didn't pay much attention to it, two pennies, and to her children, too. But the problem was that she immediately left there and rushed into the safe way, rushed into the safe way. And then at that time, the mother said, Where are you going? The child said, Well, I will go to get the gum

[22:03]

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. Stubbornness, you know, big time. It's very quick in movement. Fell down, find money, ah, money. Grasp it. Next moment, Oh, I should get the gum. I must go back to the safe way and get the gum. Immediately she left. Very quick.

[23:05]

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. It is, the question, it is a matter of, it is a matter, it is a very important matter which the men in our days is always confronted with this big time or stubbornness.

[24:12]

But from this, from big time, from the stubbornness, it is sure that you will enjoy yourself to have big time. The moment when you fall into the ground and find the two pennies and go back to the safe way and get the gum from the small machine. There are lots of fun. That's why I'm smart. I think Yoko Daishi knows so well about that. That's why Yoko Daishi says that self-cherished, self-centered charity brings the joy of heaven itself. Maybe so.

[25:17]

This is the Juso, which occurs in the original text. Juso no Fuse Fuse is arm giving. Arm giving. Which is one of six kinds of practices for Bodhisattva, which is called the six parameters. The arm giving is to give something to others. Not only material things, but spiritually. You try to give others something. Always.

[26:33]

For instance, a making bow or paying respect 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. You know. They always ask you. You know. Whom are you supposed to pay the best respect to? In Japan,

[27:40]

one Japanese said, well, I pay the best respect to entertainers named Misora Hibari. 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, young generation, the young generation said, I pay the best respect to the actor John Wayne. It is okay. I don't mean it's bad. It is okay. But in Japan, one Japanese said, I respect greatly

[28:40]

to one of 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 pay tax. Pay tax? Huh? Oh. The highest tax payers. Highest tax payers. Then, you can pay best respect to him. They said, he is great. What's great? He said, he is

[29:41]

the highest tax payers. The other day, one of students said, Kanagiri, you are great. What is great? So, I was very surprised listening to this remarks. What's great? He said, while you become a Roshi, before Roshi, just like that. It's funny, but this is true. You are great. Thank you. Why? Because you are Roshi. You get the title of Roshi.

[30:42]

before you get the title of Roshi, just like that. Just like that. Sometimes, 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. Deeper. And the second, the second of the six practices

[31:48]

for Bodhisattva is precepts. The precept is always questionable for us. You ask always, what are Buddhist precepts? Then you are, when you receive the lay ordination, Suzuki Roshi gives you the sixteen precepts, prohibited precepts. Wow, too much. Wow, too much precepts. While you are doing gassho, chanting the precepts, wow, too much precepts. The first precept is not to kill. Then you try to always stare at

[32:51]

not to kill, like this. Taking a note on a piece of paper. Buddha says not to kill. 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, 4 o'clock. Then next, second is wash your face. Third is go to zendo. By 4.20. Then next, do zazen. Then next, clean hands. Then next, breakfast. Got it? And try to follow your life. Then

[33:54]

the same is to be said of following the precept. Observing the precept too. Look at the notes. First, not to kill. Sometimes rats make appearance in front of you. 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 notes, not to kill. Well, I shouldn't kill. But already rats has gone to disappear. Next moment, mosquitos makes appearance in your arms. What? Mosquito.

[34:55]

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 mosquito has gone. Then mosquito transfer 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,

[35:57]

Buddha says not to kill. But Kadagiri says it is OK to kill the mosquito. Well, look at the note. It is OK to kill the mosquito. Like this. It is pretty hard if you follow your life in that way. At the same time, at last, you are confused because you follow your life always taking notes. What Buddha says, not to kill. Not to steal. Anyway, I will have to explain about precepts some day.

[36:58]

Now I don't have enough time to explain precepts. Then you... I try... 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 the hell. I want to go to the heaven. That's why I want to observe the precepts. Observe the precepts. It looks like following your life according to the note. Now always there is something which makes

[38:02]

appearance in front of your life. I don't want to go to the hell. That's why I want to observe the precepts. I don't want to kill mosquito. Buddha says not to kill. It is OK to kill the mosquito because Karagiri said it's OK to kill. Something like that. Always something there. Why don't you observe the precepts? Wherever you go, wherever you go, to the hell, to the heaven, even though you will get any merits, from the practice

[39:05]

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. The third is patience, the practice of patience, perseverance. Patience. Zen master says stay with the pain in Zazen. So you must be

[40:06]

patient, you must be perseverant in the practice of Zazen. Staying with the pain. At that time, 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, or the ugly, ugly face of arahants, many thoughts, you expect something.

[41:07]

Zen master says you should stay with pain. Well, maybe he has some reason why he has to say maybe so, so you expect some reason. Say you 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. The pain is gone. Next moment, very tranquility comes up to you, very beautiful. The next moment, beautiful common bodhisattvas come down from the heaven. Come on, this way. That time you say, well, this is enlightenment, maybe so.

[42:10]

Next moment, the ugly face, the arahant with the ugly face, the hundred arahants, five hundred arahants with the 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, bodhisattvas, common bodhisattvas with beautiful face, they come up to you and say, come on, just stay,

[43:13]

just do zazen. Next moment, the other five hundred arahants 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 from zazen, from patience, maybe you can, you can risk your life, risk your life to do zazen. You can do zazen

[44:18]

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 enlightenment. It is true. But while you expect something, while you while there is something in curative spirit, you cannot become Buddha. Buddha always just said, whatever happens, whoever comes up, Bodhisattva, or arahants, or beggars, or President Nixon, or Suzuki Roshi,

[45:22]

whoever comes, 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 is the

[46:27]

attitude in life, as I mentioned already. Whoever comes, whatever happens, following the precepts will result in nothing. Even though you go to the hell, even though you go to the heaven, you have to make every possible effort to just follow, just

[47:28]

do Zazen. This is the true meaning of effort. The fifth is the practice of Zazen. 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 with Zazen. You don't expect to go to the hell, to go to the heaven. Just do Zazen.

[48:29]

And the sixth is the practice of wisdom. If 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 showed always his great pride because he attained enlightenment and got the certificate from Zen Master. He always showed his pride.

[49:41]

He attained enlightenment in the Rinzai temple. Every time whenever he guided the new monk, always he said, the first boy said, I attained enlightenment in the Zen, Rinzai Zen Monastery. What about you, Zazen? Zazen is now a little Zazen of his code. He always showed 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,

[50:42]

you can't show the true nature of yourself because the puller card is always covered with you. You are already covered with the puller card. I attained enlightenment. It looks like a mask. You can put on anytime, you can put aside anytime. If you don't want, you can put aside. If you want, you can put it. I attained enlightenment. It is not the true meaning of using the wisdom. Even though you attain enlightenment, even though you

[51:45]

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. 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. Particularly Suki Roshi and I. Suki Roshi and Karagiri makes lots of money selling the Zen.

[52:46]

By selling the Zen. What do you think about it? Maybe so. 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. So we said always do the Zen. Then many people come to the Zen center and can participate in session. Please give me $40. But let's imagine it is possible to make lots of money selling the Zen.

[53:49]

It is really ridiculous. Because to sell the Zen is unprofitable. Also those who are interested in taking Zen are all poor. Maybe you have $40 but because you have a purpose already I have to participate in the session so you have $40. If I take $40 from you you don't have anything any money. Then when you come back to your home you have to get a hitchhiking. Like this. All those who are interested in the Zen are very poor.

[54:53]

But someone says Suki Roshi and I make lots of money by selling the Zen. It is ridiculous. If I want to make money I give up selling the 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 is better than selling the Zen. But whatever people criticize the Zen sellers the Zen sellers are very rich. Because they get

[55:56]

the big building and Kasahara 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 ok. That's ok. Whatever they say we have to continuously preach to the Zen. Even though you don't give me the money for participating in the Sesshin we have to continuously say please do the Zen. Even though nobody comes to Zen center I will do the Zen by myself.

[56:56]

This is our practice. But you should keep in mind there is always something which makes appearance in curriculative spirit. Using abacus using the abacus 1 plus 1 is equal to well I will do the Zen. You know. Sesshin will give you will bring a great tranquility to you. Well, I will do the Zen. That's right. This is this is the practice

[57:59]

which we have to eliminate to throw away at any cost. 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 the practice doesn't let your doesn't eliminate

[58:59]

your stubbornness your bigotry important point is that we will continuously do the Zen. Forever. At that time this practice is true practice. We have to know this point. But it is like shooting an arrow at the sky. With all energy you try to expect something from Zazen from the arm giving

[60:05]

from the patience from the precepts. It is it is as if you shoot it. You shoot, shoot it. The arrow at the sky. It means it means even though you shoot the arrow at the sky with all might someday someday this arrow will fall down to the ground. As mentioned before

[61:08]

the story of the monkey who had the strong holy spirit the Buddha said the monkey said I can fly to the end of the space. The Buddha said try that. With all his energy he flew to the end of the space. Then at that time he noticed the big four paws in front of him. So he put the blade then found this is maybe it seems the end of space. So he was very happy. Then at that time

[62:09]

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 paws like this with a brush. After putting the marks in the bottom of the four paws the Buddha said little monkey are you sure to reach at the end of the space? He said yes, yes I am. Look at this paw, look at this marks. Are you sure? Yes. If so the monkey said I am about to come back to the human world right now.

[63:09]

Okay. Then he the moment when he is about to leave there all four paws falls down and his body was completely covered with four paws and he didn't move an inch what's the matter? Help, help. On looking upward he found the Buddha's face. Oh you are Buddha. Yes I am Buddha. Buddha says what's the matter with you? Well please help me. I can't move an inch. He looked around like this and four paws

[64:12]

are right above his body. Then at that time he noticed that four paws are Buddha's four fingers. Buddha's four fingers. Wow. This is your hands. Yes this is my hands. But monkey little 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 an arrow at the sky with all energies in calculative spirit. Just Buddha's hand. In other words it means that the

[65:14]

whatever you do in calculative spirit is not much value in comparison with 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 hand. 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

[66:17]

Dogen then says throw away. Throw away. The purpose of the practice of 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. Infinite. To throw away is identical with infinity. We have to the purpose of our practice

[67:19]

is to throw away this point. Stubbornness bigotry 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. So you understand what practice is. What your life is.

[68:05]

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