My talk is always, at the conclusion of my talk, it's always why we should practice Zazek. This is not, my talk is not just casual talk. And basically, my talk is based on Shobo Ginti. And fortunately, we have A system.

[01:04]

We have a complete system. How to understand true religion. The true religion cannot be understood by philosophical way or scientific way. The only way to understand or to realize our true nature It's just true practice.

[02:05]

With a true practice, it is impossible to realize our true nature. Of course, what we do, whether we are aware of it or not, What we do in our everyday life is based on our true nature. True nature drives us to do something. But if you do not understand, or if you do not realize what is true nature, And if you have no system to know the actual meaning of your true nature, you will get into confusion.

[03:25]

There are many and many scientists who become interested in religion. It is true. Some of them are interested in true religion, but some of them will not have the true understanding of religion. As long as their understanding is just limited in scientific reality, it is impossible to know what is true religion, because religion should be understood by religious way.

[04:44]

Religion is not understood by philosophy or science. And some philosophers, of course, may interest them through religion, but it is impossible for philosophers, it is impossible to reach the complete of religion through philosophical study. Because in philosophical study, the conclusion of philosophy will be different.

[05:59]

The authority of Greek philosophy is still powerful in this age. So it is very difficult. to understand, to reach the true understanding of religion, which everyone will agree with it. But Soto School has pretty deep philosophy. But as I said last night, the Shobo Genzo, or the philosophy of Zen, is just a lid, just a cover of a pine.

[07:29]

Because people may interested in them. But it may be rather difficult for them to know what is true then without some intellectual understanding. It is difficult to figure out what it is. So that is why we have a philosophy of Zen. But by philosophy, you cannot have true understanding of Zen. Zen should be understood by Zen.

[08:34]

by practice of Zen, not by philosophy. Even by Shobho Kenzo, even by reading Shobho Kenzo, you cannot understand, you cannot actually realize what is Zen. So the only way is just practice then, which is right understanding. If you do not have right understanding, your practice will be mixed up with some other practice. And that is why I think in America there are so many misunderstandings of Zen.

[09:37]

So, by Shabu Genza, we have to punish our practice. And we have to keep various misunderstandings, keep our practice Zen, from various misunderstandings. That is why we have shavokens. That is why, in Sesshin, I should talk. This kind of talk is not, you know, The purpose of my talk is not to give you some knowledge, but by my talk, I want to encourage your practice.

[11:00]

without being interested in philosophical depths of our system. At this point, if you make misunderstanding, the result will be pretty serious. Unfortunately, our system of encouraging people is the same as other schools, philosophy.

[12:05]

of other schools. So if you understand Shobo Genza, you will understand some other schools and why there are so many schools in Buddhism. If we do not have this system, various schools in Buddhism are quite different from other schools, and there will not be any connection. with each other.

[13:09]

With this system, each school will find out the meaning of existence. Why Soto Zen Exist? Why Rinzai Zen Exist? Pure and school exist. Why ten schools exist? Why all those schools are important? Unfortunately, it is rather difficult to translate Scherbergenzer in English, but we are making effort to do it.

[14:19]

And many scholars had given some interpretation, some modern, some up-to-date interpretation to it. So if we only have time, it is not impossible to give you complete system of our understanding of Buddhism. We say we have two kinds of knowledge, intuitive knowledge and thinking, discriminative knowledge.

[15:47]

The scientific knowledge and the philosophical knowledge is the dualistic thinking knowledge. As long as we use words and we think by words, it is impossible to or reach the absolute conclusion. When we just resume to our own nature, which is universal to everyone, we can achieve, we can realize,

[16:57]

our true nature, which is universal to human beings and even for animals and plants, and that existence. That is why in Zen practice, we stop our mind. We do not put any consideration to our sensitivity or thinking. Whatever image You just accept it and let them go out.

[18:03]

And whatever sound you hear, you let them come in and let them go out. When you do not pay any attention to outward object. You will find out you are the true nature. This true nature, when you are healthy and practice that in this way, It is just calm and some inexplicable thing itself.

[19:11]

But when you have some actual problem, when you have pain on your legs, you are... experience of your true nature. But, you know, don't mistake. That is true nature. That is true nature plus something. Plus your painful legs. Something is added on true nature. And true nature takes the form of pain. This relationship is very important. And if you understand this relationship, your true nature and your pain, they are the key to solve all the problems of life.

[20:23]

We will realize our nature, true nature. When I am hungry, what I feel is what you will feel when you are hungry. There might be some difference, but not much difference. And how you feel when you sit is how everyone feels when you sit. Certainly speaking, that is enough. Even though you do not attain enlightenment, if everyone sit and find out how you feel when you sit, that's good enough.

[21:36]

we will, in this point, we will reach some agreement. But if you are caught by some fancy idea of religion, there may be various religions and You don't know what religion is yours. Buddhism, Christianity, or Indian religion, or some folk, native religion. You don't know what to choose. Sometimes everyone, every religion looks like that. Sometimes. it doesn't look like the same.

[22:41]

But when religion is studied, the most simplest way, the most universal way, for instance, want of sleep, or hunger, or pain, we will reach the universal religion, universal religion, even to animals. Here we have common playground. Everyone will play in this common playground. So you shouldn't have, according to Buddha or a patriarch or founder of various religions, you shouldn't have too fancy idea of religion.

[24:00]

Religion should be understood. The most foolish Not that Wiseman. Wiseman's religion is very complicated and very fancy. If he is too late, you will be attached to his religion. That is good. If you dare want to do it, that's good. It's just because of the name or, you know, some daily idea. We should not attach to some particular religion.

[25:05]

That is why we say, don't study religion with gaining idea. Gaining idea. Gaining idea is not. Gaining idea is not. Based on your true nature, That's a very superficial desire. Not so deep as your hunger. When we give up the various gaining ideas, we will find out our true nature. And this true nature is very primitive, of course.

[26:18]

And at the same time, it could be very, very defined and deep, lofty design. In this primitive fundamental design, there are true strengths and various possibilities. But if you start from fancy idea of religion, you will become more confused.

[27:19]

So to realize why we study, why we study religion is to find out the meaning of our how important it is, and how miraculous it is, and how much possibility it has. When we, all of us, is concentrated on this point, there will not be any religious experience.

[28:40]

Because we start some particular philosophy of religion, We have various sectarianism. When we have just one thing, just one cover, which covers various pen and balls, there will be no problem. our philosophy is not the same philosophy as usual philosophers will provide water

[29:43]

Today, I just gave you some general idea of our system. At this point, as a sort of student, this point should not be required. We should be, when we study Buddhism intellectually, we should be concentrated on this point. And as well as your practice.

[31:09]

Just practice is not so good because you may practice that for sake of something. You will abuse your Zen practice until you mix cure practice with various anxious or long practice. This sort of way is to use everything in the right parts.

[32:29]

And to put everything, it spawns. its own place. What should be put on high place, should be put on high place. And what should be put on the floor, should be on the floor. In America, you know, you put scriptures on the floor where you walk, read on, you know. But the I don't know how to treat those scriptures in your way of life. Until I find out some way, I don't say, don't put scriptures on the floor.

[33:39]

But this is not supposed to be put on. Supposed to be... treated as rubbish. Scripture should be put on table or altar or in your hand. Those small things are very important And with this idea, we study science. What is science? What is religion? What is philosophy?

[34:41]

There is a way to study philosophy. There is a particular way to study science. There's a particular way to study religion. Religion should be studied by a religious way, not by science. Scientists cannot criticize religion unless he becomes religious. But religion gives or give way science and philosophy.

[35:45]

To find the meaning of science is religion, to find the meaning philosophy is religion. But science or philosophy, in science or in philosophy, there is no religion. This religion, this relationship is very important. The dog agent says, our ordinary way, although you know our ordinary way, in our ordinary, worldly life, there is no Buddha's way.

[36:46]

People understand that. I don't know. They may not understand. But he said, they may understand that there is no hope. It is impossible to realize, to know what is religion in worldly way. But from viewpoint of religion, there is no worldly life. Everything what we do is religion. This kind of system is very important for us. I shall be very glad if you find out why this kind

[37:57]

understanding is so necessary. It is very important because it is the only way to find out the harmony in various religions we have. When various religious people understand this system, the religion will be one. Not Buddhism, not Christianity. Not one in school of Christianity or Buddhism.

[39:06]

One whole big family of religious people will be established. There is this possibility in his understanding.

[39:20]

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