Today I offer more teachings to... the point of this scripture, to the point of this scripture which is called unraveling and understanding the deep intimacy of the thought of the Buddha. where Maitreya Bodhisattva is the questioner of the Buddha the definitive teachings on yoga are presented and this yoga is the yoga of Samatha and Vipassana or

[01:32]

You might say prasamata, stillness, tranquility, quietude, rest. And vipassana could be translated as observation, vision, higher vision. insight. And the yoga is practicing them, these two types of meditation, practicing them, and then also yoking them together, finally, uniting them. And applying them in the united way to the Dharma. The beginning of the chapter on yoga, the Bodhisattva, the great Bodhisattva Maitreya, asks the Bhagavan, the Blessed One, the Buddha, Blessed One, abiding in and depending on what?

[03:06]

Biding in and depending on what, do bodhisattvas cultivate? Stillness and observation. And the Bhagavan replied, the Blessed One replied, Maitreya... abiding in and depending upon an unwavering resolution to expound the teachings for the welfare of all beings and to become unsurpassably and perfectly enlightened, bodhisattvas cultivate tranquility and vision. bodhisattvas abide in and depend upon their deep vow to teach the Dharma for the welfare of all beings and to attain enlightenment in order to be able to teach the Dharma for the welfare of all beings.

[04:39]

And this is where they live while they're practicing tranquility and insight. Maitreya says, Maitreya already has heard the Buddha give these teachings before, so Maitreya says, the Blessed One has taught that four things are objects of observation. for tranquility and insight. One, conceptual images. Two, non-conceptual images. Three, the totality of phenomena. And four, the accomplishment of purpose. Blessed one, how many of these objects, how many of these are objects of observation for tranquility?

[06:05]

And the Buddhist says, one. The non-conceptual images. How many are objects of observation for insight? The Buddhist says, one. One. Images, conceptual images, are the object of insight. Blessed One, how many are objects of observation of both tranquility and insight? And the Blessed One says, There are two. The totality of phenomena and the accomplishment of purpose.

[07:07]

Accomplishment of purpose means accomplishment of supreme enlightenment. So again, tranquility observes non-conceptual images. Now, images are concepts. So we have a concept, but the concept or the image is observed without any other images. The other one is observed with images. So then Maitreya asks the Buddha, Blessed One, abiding in and depending upon these four objects of observation, of tranquility and insight,

[08:25]

How do bodhisattvas seek and become skilled in... How do bodhisattvas seek shamatha and become skilled in Vipassana? How do bodhisattvas seek tranquility and become skilled in insight? With these four... types of objects of observation. So the Buddha says to Maitreya, I have set forth various kinds of teachings for bodhisattvas. And then he lists the various teachings. various types of teachings.

[09:26]

And after listing them all, he says, bodhisattvas hear well, apprehend well, repeat well, and analyze well with their minds. And through insight, they realize these teachings. So again, Maitreya is asking the Buddha, how do bodhisattvas become skilled in tranquility and insight? And the Buddha begins by saying, I've given teachings. And bodhisattvas hear these teachings. And they repeat them. It doesn't say memorize, but it says they repeat them. They apprehend them and they analyze them. And they fully realize these teachings. in a way, yeah, well, eventually they will fully realize these teachings.

[10:28]

But this is how they start. They start the process by receiving the teachings well. And understanding them somewhat, says, quite well, as a matter of fact. Then, remaining in seclusion, like, for example, being in a sashin, having genuinely settled their minds inwardly, like we have a chance to do here, to genuinely settle our minds inwardly, they attend to those doctrines just as they have contemplated them, and I would say, in the past.

[11:29]

Now, with continuous inner attention, they mentally attend to that mind which is contemplated by any mind. So sitting here... What does it mean to contemplate that mind which is mentally contemplated by any mind? So right now you can look, you might be able to look and contemplate a mind. And now, in a sense, the mind you contemplated a moment ago is not available, and you can contemplate another mind which is available.

[12:53]

And now here's another mind, perhaps, for you to contemplate. And here's another one, and so on. These are various minds which you can contemplate. What does it mean to contemplate that mind which is contemplated by any mind? So in all these different flow of minds, what is the mind that's contemplated by any mind? What is the mind that's always available for contemplation? Someone told me once that he used to sit in this zendo, and he used to listen to the creek, and there was a sound in the creek that was different from the sound in the creek.

[14:05]

There was a sound in the creek, there was a sound of the creek that was changing all the time, but there was another sound that he could always hear that was always going on in the creek. and he used to listen to that sound there's a mind of stillness that can be contemplated by any mind in some sense the contents of mind are changing all the time but in another sense mind is not There's always this basic knowing each moment. And the qualities and factors are constantly changing. So not getting involved in the mental factors, not getting involved in the discourse, the course, the flow of the mind, but more like, for example, you could say,

[15:17]

Paying attention to the mind that flows rather than the flow of the mind. The mind that flows is a mind that is contemplated by any mind. No matter what your mind is, there is a mind which flows. Now the way the mind is flowing right now, you cannot ever contemplate again. And now there's another mind which is flowing and you can contemplate that flow too. To contemplate the quality of the flow is more the job of insight and observation. To contemplate the mind that can be contemplated by any mind, the uninterrupted mind, is the non-conceptual object, which is the focus of attention for tranquility. The concepts are constantly changing.

[16:21]

The images are constantly changing. But there is also a stillness, an unchanging, in a sense, mind, uninterrupted mind. It's also changing, but it's... there's always a non-conceptual mind there to look at. There's just the knowing side to be observed. Focusing on this means giving up the discourse and becoming intimate with the mind that can be contemplated by any mind. Giving up the discourse, letting go of discursive thought, comes to fruit as With continuous inner attention.

[17:29]

So you're looking inward to see that stillness in the mind. That mind which is mentally attentive. or mentally contemplated by any mind. The physical and mental pliancy that arises through engaging in such a practice in this way and continuing this practice is tranquility. This is how bodhisattvas seek tranquility. And it's also how non-bodhisattvas seek tranquility often. So bodhisattvas seek tranquility here in the same way as other yogis. And having attained this physical and mental pliancy, and pliancy means that you're relaxed, not rigid, and you're ready to do any good activities.

[18:37]

Any good activities that come up, you're unhindered and relaxed, ready to do them. So having attained this mental and physical pliancy, they just abide in this pliancy. They just abide in this soft, bright, ready tranquility. They abide there. And then having abandoned certain aspects of mind... they analyze and inwardly consider those teachings which they have previously learned. And these teachings are now the focus of this tranquility. When we first received the teachings, we were not necessarily in a state of tranquility. Now we are in a state of samadhi, a state of tranquility. And we go back and look at the teachings.

[19:39]

look at phenomena again. But now they're in the context of samadhi, and they appear quite differently. And it says, having attained this tranquility, they abandon certain aspects of mind. And the aspects of mind that they abandon is they abandon working in such a way as to develop tranquility. They abandon focusing on the non-conceptual images, and then they turn now to look at conceptual images. But in a context of having realized this pliancy of body and mind. Now we're looking at the conceptual images. Now we're developing. the insight.

[20:42]

So this is how they develop and become skilled in insight. And then Maitreya asks the Buddha, Blessed One, prior to attaining physical and mental pliancy, when a bodhisattva inwardly attends to the mind... to the mind observing the mind. What is that mental activity called? And the Buddha says, Maitreya, this is not tranquility. It resembles tranquility, or it resembles intensified interest concordant with tranquility. If you're observing... If you've got the mind now observing the mind, but you haven't yet realized this pliancy, you're applying the mind to developing tranquility, but it has not yet been realized.

[21:55]

It resembles tranquility. It is application to tranquility. So the standard for tranquility is this pliancy. And then Maitreya asks, Bhagavan, Blessed One, prior to attaining physical and mental pliancy, when bodhisattvas inwardly attend to teachings, just as they have been contemplated as images that are the focus of samadhi, what is this mental activity called? And the Buddhist says, Maitreya, this is not insight. It resembles insight. So in this sutra, the Buddha is saying, if you contemplate teachings, I should say it this way, Buddha is saying, if you want to develop insight, then we start by contemplating teachings.

[22:58]

However, if we have not yet attained shamatha, not yet attained tranquility, the contemplation isn't yet vipasshanas. So in order to develop insight, In order to develop higher vision, we need to start by studying teachings. But in order to actually be practicing insight, we need to study these teachings in a state of tranquility. So a non-insight study of the scriptures, of the teachings, is a requirement for the actual higher vision of the teaching. That higher vision requires studying from tranquility. Bhagavan

[24:11]

Blessed one, are the paths of tranquility, are the paths of stillness and the path of insight different or not different? The blessed one replies, Maitreya, although they are not different, they are also not the same. How so? How are they not different? They're not different because tranquility observes the mind. which is also the object of our observation of insight. Both are observing mind. One is observing the mind that's non-conceptual images. The other is observing the mind, which is conceptual images. So in that sense, tranquility and insight are not different. And how are they not the same? Because one's observing non-conceptual images. and the others observing conceptual images that's how they're not the same and now here comes the sort of the the unique the original unique gift of this whole scripture blessed one what is the image the focus of

[25:38]

Samadhi, this focus of tranquility, what is the image, the focus of samadhi, which perceives an image? Is it different from mind or is it not different? should the images on which one concentrates in observing and observation be said to be different from mind or not different? And here's the teaching. Maitreya, it is not different. Why is it not different? Because

[26:40]

The image is simply cognition only. Ah, Maitreya, I have explained that consciousness is fully distinguished by the fact that its object of observation is cognition only. objects of consciousness are only manifestations of consciousness. So here's the teaching of mind only, cognition only. Here's the teaching of the intimacy where we live.

[27:49]

We live in the intimacy of mind and objects. Even though we live here, many of us don't notice it, as will be pointed out in a moment. Blessed one, If that image, the focus of samadhi, is not different from the mind, how does the mind itself investigate the mind itself? Maitreya. Although no phenomena apprehends any other phenomena, nevertheless the mind is generated... in that way, nevertheless, the mind that is generated in that way appears that way.

[28:59]

Although no phenomena apprehends any other phenomena, the mind that is generated appears as though a phenomena is apprehending others. a phenomena. That's the kind of mind we've got. We've got a mind that appears the way things aren't. We've got a mind that appears as though it's apprehending something other than itself. how does the mind see the mind? Here, there is nothing at all seeing anything at all. A mind that is generated for sentient beings in that way.

[30:25]

And the focus of samadhi, known as the image, also appear as separate faculties. Maitreya asks, blessed one, Are the appearances of the forms of sentient beings and so forth, which abide in the nature of images of the mind, not different from mind? And the Blessed One replies, Maitreya, they are not different. However, childish beings with distorted understanding do not recognize these images as cognition only. just as they are in reality, they misconstrue them. So some of us are, some of the time, childish beings.

[31:34]

We see things and we do not remember the teaching or we've never heard the teaching and we don't come upon it by ourselves that what we're looking at is our cognitive version of what we're looking at you are not my cognitive version of you lucky for you If I stop cognizing you, you don't evaporate. You are not my cognition of you. But all I know about you is my mind. My mind arises in dependence upon you. But what I see is just cognition. being a childish being, it's possible I'll forget this teaching and think that the image I have of you is separate from my mind.

[32:58]

We live in the intimacy of our mind. We live in a mind that is generated in such a way that it appears to know something other than itself. However, we also, in that situation, we are actually in a situation where we are actually given the gift of a mind that's knowing itself, a mind that's knowing itself. a mind that's perceiving itself. If we can understand this, we understand suchness. We understand the way we really are. Blessed one, at what

[34:11]

do those bodhisattvas solely contemplate insight? And the Blessed One replied, when they attend to mental signs with continuous mental attention, that's when they are solely cultivating observation, insight. What are they observing? They're observing appearances. So part of the process is you're watching the appearances. Watching the appearances. And if you're in a state of concentration and you're watching these appearances, it is insight work, insight practice. We're watching appearances. We're watching the way the mind is generated such that it makes appearances out of phenomena.

[35:19]

You, sentient beings, the mountains, the rivers, the trees, they are not appearances. A tree is not an appearance. A person is not an appearance. But sentient beings' minds are generated in such a way that they make phenomena into appearances. They put mental patterns upon phenomena. They put signs on phenomena. And they put these signs on phenomena so that the mind can grasp them. They convert the phenomena into mental things so they can grasp the phenomena in the mind. They can't grasp the phenomena outside the mind, but they can grasp the phenomena in the mind if they convert the phenomena into a mind-graspable version of the phenomena.

[36:36]

Wrap the phenomena in a sign, then it can be grasped. So we use signs both to grasp the world, grasp all of our friends, and also to distract ourselves from the world. Because the world is not what we made it into. So we both get access to the world and distract ourselves from the world by generating images of the world. And Vipassana is to watch these appearances, be aware of the packaging, be aware of the signs that the mind puts on everything, which is what we're looking at. We're looking at the sign of things. So to give attention, continuous mental attention, that's what it's like to solely develop insight.

[37:43]

At what point do they solely cultivate tranquility? When they attend to the uninterrupted mind. When they attend to the non-conceptual image. The non-conceptual image is uninterrupted mind, is uninterrupted stillness. In the midst of all change, there's an uninterrupted mind, there's an uninterrupted stillness. That is the object of observation of developing tranquility. And when they attend just to that with continuous attention, they're solely developing tranquility. So you might want to actually try both kinds just to see the difference between paying attention the non-conceptual stillness, the uninterrupted stillness of mind, which is a mind that can be contemplated by any mind.

[39:02]

And the other way is the attention to minds which can only be contemplated right now, this particular image right now. and then this one, and then this one, and then this one, and this one. This continual flow of signs, this continual flow of packaging. That's the Vipassana side. Paying close attention to the discourse, to the flow of the words and images. And then Maitreya asks, at what point, having combined the two, tranquility and insight, do they unite the two? And the Bhagavan replied, when they mentally attend to the one-pointed mind. Okay?

[40:10]

So they're combined when you now, instead of paying attention to the mind, that's contemplated by any mind, or the mind which is mental signs or mental appearance, instead of doing one or the other of those, now you attend to the one-pointed mind. Now one might wonder, what's that? You'll find out soon. Then Maitreya says, blessed one, What are mental signs? What are mental appearances? Maitreya, they are the conceptual images that are the focus of samadhi, the objects of observation, of insight. What are these mental signs? these mental appearances.

[41:13]

Maitreya, they are the conceptual images that are the focus of samadhi, the objects of observation of insight. Because insight pays attention to conceptual images. Conceptual images are these signs. Signs are things the mind can grasp. That's what mental signs are. What is the uninterrupted mind? Maitreya, it is the mind that observes the image, the object of observation of shamatha. And again, it's a non-conceptual image. And then, what is the one-pointed mind? What is the one-pointed mind? It is the realization. that the image, which is the focus of samadhi, is cognition only.

[42:18]

What is one point in mind? It is the realization that this image, which is the focus of samadhi, is cognition only. stand still for one second, kitchen, please, just one more sentence. Having realized that is mental attention to suchness. Thank you. So that's kind of the punchline of the sutra. What is the one-pointed mind? What is the one-pointed mind? It is a realization. It's a samadhi, which is a realization.

[43:24]

Now, you've heard the teaching of mind only, just before. You've heard the teaching that the mind is generated in such a way... Consciousness is generated in such a way that everything it knows is just consciousness. You've heard that teaching. When the mind becomes one-pointed, when tranquility and insight are united, there's a realization of that teaching. There's a realization that the object that you're looking at in tranquility, there's a realization that it is just consciousness. And that realization is attending to suchness. And attending to suchness is what removes or frees us from the packaging that the mind gives to the world.

[44:32]

In earlier chapters, it points to the main problem The main source of affliction is that the mind packages things and we hold to the packaging as being the thing. That's the source of affliction. Just packaging is not a problem. It's the holding to it. But once it's packaged, it's hard for us not to hold. The packaging has Velcro on it. And it sticks. It's hard to pull it off. The only way to pull it off is, well, the only way, a way to pull it off is to receive this teaching, realize this teaching, meditate on this teaching, and then the signs are, you could say, removed, or our experience becomes free of the signs, free of the mental patterns that are packaging everything. free of the mind which appears to itself as though it were separate from itself.

[45:42]

Realizing that the appearance of separation is another sign which is not which we can grasp. So this is like, again, the main teaching has been given, and now the way to bring concentration and insight together on this teaching and unite them to realize the teaching. And realizing the teaching becomes mental attention to suchness. Kipping ahead about 50 pages, and this is a long chapter, I'm giving you an overview. We come to the question, Maitreya asked the Buddha, blessed one, after bodhisattvas have achieved tranquility and insight, how do they completely and perfectly realize unsurpassed enlightenment?

[46:57]

the way they basically do it is that they mentally attend to suchness. They mentally attend to suchness, they mentally attend to suchness, and they mentally attend to suchness. They mentally attend to this teaching of mind only in a wide variety, in the widest possible variety. Earlier it said, what of the four types of objects of observation. One is for shamatha, the non-conceptual images. One is for vipassana, the conceptual images. And one and two are for both. And what are the two that are for both? One is the totality of phenomena. So when they're united, when they become mentally one-pointed, that means there's a realization that the totality of phenomena are mind-only. And so in that way, we encounter the totality of phenomena as opportunities for observing and attending to suchness of the phenomena.

[48:25]

So when we see something and we remember and even realize that what we're looking at is just cognition, then we're attending to the suchness of what we're looking at. And by applying this over and over, there's lots of little assisting comments about how to do this, but basically you're applying this teaching so that whatever you're looking at, you're actually studying suchness. And by doing this, applying and attending to suchness, the mind, it says here, the mind soon enters an equipoise and freedom with regard to any arising of even the most subtle signs. So there's a lot of material between where we were before and here, but...

[49:38]

And it all supports this basic practice of remembering this central teaching of the scripture, focusing on it, and understanding that in realizing that things are cognition only, you're attending to suchness. And then attending to this suchness with regard to all things that come with signs on them. until we are in a state of equipoise with regard to all these signs. All the signs by which we apprehend all phenomena. Equipoise and freedom with regard to the signs The signs of separation and the signs of individuality.

[50:50]

The sign that each thing is separate from us, that sign, and the sign that this person is different from that person and that person is different from that person. And this person is this way and this person is that way. And this feeling is this way. The totality of phenomena. That is observed by these two being united. All the teachings are the same. All the traditional teachings, they also have signs on them. Our vows have signs on them. So the totality of phenomena are the object of observation of these two practices united. The totality of phenomena are the object of observation. of mentally attending to suchness, and applying mentally attending to suchness to the totality of phenomena.

[51:53]

And in that way, there's freedom from the signs of the totality of phenomena, and then in that way, we come to also be observing, when these two are united, the accomplishment of the purpose of the whole program. So as I mentioned before, I skipped quite a bit of material, which now, if you have this overview, we can go back and get lots of tech support for how to act for this. But in some sense, I feel that this is a... I have a little sign on this, what I've just done. The sign is, it's a summary. It's an overview of the process. of tuning into the central teaching of mind only, thereby turning into suchness. Turning into suchness is what removes or sets us free from the way we package the world.

[53:05]

And when we get set free from the way we package it, we get set free from believing the way we package it. Like some people look across the room and say, those are my friends. And other people look across the room and say, those are my enemies. And both of them maybe think that their packaging, that the signs they put on those people are actually the people, rather than the signs they put on them, friends and enemies, are just cognition only. Without realizing that, it's hard for them to not be disturbed, hassled, and afflicted by the signed phenomena. signed phenomena, phenomena which have been made graspable until we practice suchness in regard to them, afflict us and agitate us. But signed phenomena, we can't right now stop our mind from signing phenomena, but signed, packaged phenomena

[54:18]

with the aid of this teaching of mind only, become undisturbing. In other words, we can become calm with them and free of them, even while they're coming to us. Even while the mind continues to package, we can become more and more free of these signed packages. There may be other teachings, there are many other ways of saying it, but we need some relief from believing that the signs of these phenomena are the phenomena. And here is a relief program. There was a show on TV when I was a kid, sometime before some of you were born.

[55:53]

It was called You Are There. And the show had various historical events, various events which are supposed to have occurred in the past. various events about which we have a story. And the story was reenacted. And after they would reenact the story, like the death of Socrates, or the presentation of the Sambhinir Murchana Sutra. Like today. Today there was a presentation of the Sambhinir Murchana Sutra, which actually, this sutra was presented to the world sometime later than Socrates' death. Socrates' death, I think, predates the presentation of the sutra. But this sutra was presented probably 1,700 years ago into the world.

[56:59]

And today it was presented again, just like it was 1,700 years ago, according to the TV show. This is, you know, Reb Anderson's production of the presentation of the Sandhya Nirmar Chana Sutra. And now I say to you, this is just like the sutra was presented 1,700 years ago and 1,500 years ago and 1,400 years ago and seven years ago, except you are there. All the times it was presented before, not all of you were there. This time you are there. In the assembly of the scripture unraveling and understanding the deep mystery of Buddha's thought.

[58:03]

The deep mystery of the mind which is free of the signs of phenomena. Even if you have lots of sign phenomena flowing around, there's a mind which can observe them and be free of them. Which can observe them and say, this is cognition only. And actually, in that way, understand the phenomena beyond their packaging, free of their packaging. Understanding phenomena, understanding the phenomena which are free of the packaging that's going on right now is great equipose and freedom. A lot of people feel free of other people's packaging of phenomena or your past long time ago packaging of phenomena.

[59:08]

But not too many people are actually free of the present packaging, your own present story of what's going on. We can use this teaching if we can practice tranquility and apply insight to this teaching together. We can receive this teaching to become free of the roots of affliction. It, again, applies to the totality of experience. Sounds of saws, temperature, dharma teachings, people's faces, people's activity. All these things are objects of observation of the two united. Thank you for listening to this podcast offered by the San Francisco Zen Center.

[60:14]

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, visit SSCC.org and click giving.

[60:30]

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