Good evening. Almost two score and ten years ago, Suzuki Shinryu arrived in San Francisco. And seven years later, was excited to be excited with the possibility of establishing a temple monastery for training in the mountains. He had just come with Richard Baker to visit Tassajara in 1966. And the story was that as they were driving out, up the road, after visiting Tassara, that he asked to stop the car.

[01:13]

And he got out and went dancing up the road, saying, it's great, it's great, it's just like China. And then a little while later, they were having lunch, and Richard Baker said, do you want to get Tassajara? And he said, how can we afford it? And Richard Baker said, that's not what I asked. He said, do you think we should get it? And he said, yes. So that was a big turning point in the history of Zen Center and a turning point in the history of Zen and Buddhism in America.

[02:15]

The total San Francisco Zen Center budget at that time for the whole year was $8,000. This was a little group. a group of people that have been sitting at the Sokoji Temple, and it was growing. But it was, in a way, it was kind of unbelievable that it could come to be. But at that moment, various people's energy came into a kind of confluence. It seems that the time was right and the people came together and did various fundraisers and did the impossible, actually, or what was at least inconceivable to many at that time, that Zen Center could acquire this place.

[03:19]

In fact, it was just the horse pasture that was really for sale. And then in the process of negotiations, The hot springs actually became the deal. I've been reading a little bit about the history of Suzuki Roshi and reading as many of his transcripts of his talks as I can. I'm teaching a class at Green Gulch on his life and teaching in respect and gratitude for his effort in his practice. Now it's a little bit dangerous maybe to take it for granted. Oh, of course, here we are at Tassajara. At the time it was completely novel, uncharted territory.

[04:23]

So what was he thinking? What was the intention? He talked about wanting to establish some true form of Buddhism. Some true form of of what even couldn't be called Buddhism exactly. One of the phrases that he uses is undivided original way. Wanting to establish here in America the undivided original way which he saw as I see anyway I understand that he saw this was the fundamental practice of Dharma that actually preceded Buddha, Shakyamuni, historically, preceded Buddha and only comes alive when people completely dedicate themselves to what is true.

[05:45]

sometimes we chant before the Dharma talk we chant something from Dogen it says Buddhas and ancestors of old were as we we in the future will be or shall be Buddhas and ancestors revering Buddhas and ancestors, we are one Buddha and one ancestor. So this original undivided way, original may sound like it's something in the past. Even revering Buddhas and ancestors are saying Buddhas and ancestors of old.

[06:59]

But to say Buddhas and ancestors of old were as we, or we can say are as we, is an invitation to completely be yourself. An invitation to recognize that There are no other Buddhas and ancestors other than each of us. And at the same time, to say revering Buddhas and ancestors, I think, is an invitation to deeply study, to not let ourselves off the hook easily, to inquire into what our own assumptions may be. and question and investigate carefully.

[08:02]

Language is so tricky to say undivided original way. It has a nice ring to it. Language is tricky. I was actually dismayed two days ago. I just heard on the news the use of language that upset me. This has to do with the investigations about what the CIA was doing. And the phrase that's being used is enhanced interrogation techniques. For me to say it, actually, I have a chill. enhanced interrogation technique. To say something is enhanced makes it sound like it's good, right?

[09:08]

But if you're doing the wrong thing, you know, and you enhance it, it makes it more painful, causes more harm. There is a conscious effort on the part of many people and some in particular places of power and influence to distort language, euphemistically obscure torture by saying enhanced interrogation technique. So I'm a little worried about enhancing Dharma. that we think, oh, Dharma, Buddha, Buddha is a good, something good, right? And, uh, Suzuki Roshi, I think, was being careful, even though, not to necessarily say that, um, the word Buddha always refers to something good, uh,

[10:26]

the word evil always refers to something bad. Sometimes he said, evil desire is also Buddha nature. To insist that what we're doing here and what we're talking about and the intention of having this place, Tassara, is something that goes beyond what we can hold what we can define, what we can even conceive of, and to place our confidence in something that is beyond that comparative value. So I just want to express my gratitude to Suzuki Roshi There was no way that he could know exactly what he was doing.

[11:33]

And he continued to encourage people to find their own true way, saying that the reason we have Zen Center is to help people who can't find their own way or have trouble finding their own way, to help them find their own way. So it's something that I remind myself that there's this balance between taking care of the place so that the place can help people find their own way and not losing sight of that it's people's own way that's being supported. His simple definition of Buddhism that I come back to again and again is just to say, accept what is and help it to be its best.

[12:41]

Accept what is and help it to be its best. Not the best. Its best. Accept what is is a tall order. I run into it moment by moment. How to accept what is, which is different this moment than it was last moment. And it's different this moment than what I thought it would be. And the things that I thought that I had worked out that were going to happen that didn't happen. And then the other things that did happen that I didn't expect To stay right with that, moment by moment, is very difficult. And yet that's the impossible practice that we're doing.

[13:48]

Moment by moment, accept what is, which means accept everything that ever happened. everything in this undivided original way that's contributing to this moment and work from here so this Zen is right now we Buddhas and ancestors of old were as we as we are right now we in the future shall be Buddhas and ancestors that future is happens now you know so to see that Tassajaya had the potential to be the first monastery for Zen Buddhism in America and then for it actually to happen so that we can all be here tonight is a kind of just powerful creative

[14:58]

And I'm considering that the future, what we see in the future, can be pretty difficult in many ways. So difficult that it will be, I think, sometimes overwhelming for people who want to be accepting what is and working with it. So having this place for training, for people to come and train here, is a great offering to the whole human enterprise, actually to the whole planet, maybe to the survival of culture on the planet. a culture by culture, I mean a culture of wisdom and compassion. Another 50 years from now, things may be very different.

[16:08]

But this place, the confluence of this creek, Cabraga Creek and Tassajara Creek and the hot springs emerging, right here always has had its magic and power. Respecting that and taking care of the place and continuing this practice in a way that deeply respects the undivided original way. Undivided original way means that we're not separate. we never originally are separate. And respecting that, I feel honored to be able to be a part of taking care of Tassajara.

[17:17]

People have been asking about the fire, and of course some of you hadn't been here and drove over the ridge and saw the blackened mountains. And I'm very grateful that we were able to have the help of many people and that the buildings here came through pretty well and were able to be here, actually, with a roof over our heads. And the buildings of the baths are are there. There was a time that it was pretty close. So we may have some real difficulties, challenges, and things that we need to continue to take care of so that this place can continue to be an offering to the world.

[18:24]

for each person here to pay attention to is your own way manifesting here and is your way also serving and helping helping others to have their true way manifest and then going forth from here helping the world and inviting people to come and get a taste of the practice here is a benefit that's inconceivable, unmeasurable. That's really what I wanted to say. Just say that Paul Haller was supposed to be here and also have both of us talk, the two Abbots.

[19:31]

And he called in with a wounded foot that he's healing. And so he's taking care of himself. I talked with him yesterday. And so this is serious business, but it also made me not... We have to be careful not to be too serious. And so I think the best way for me to conclude the talk is to sing Relax Your Mind. Because I think the undivided original way is impossible to find if you don't also relax your mind. And some of you know, every once in a while I sing this song that comes from Lead Belly. Who'd he lead better? And it is also a cultural transmission about paying attention. Paying attention, being attentive and alert while your mind is relaxed.

[20:34]

And Lead Belly was talking about driving. That when you're driving, you need to be concentrated but also relaxed. If things change, you respond. So he said, when he drives, he just looks straight ahead. He said, when I'm driving, if you're sitting here next to me, you talk to me, I don't look at you. I look through the windshield. So that's it. I drove all over this country, and I never even hit a chicken. Imagine those little rural towns where the chickens are running across the street. They're flying this way.

[21:36]

Feathers flying. Relax your mind. Relax your mind. Helps you live a great long time. Sometimes you've got to relax your mind. So you can all join in on that, right? Relax your mind, relax your mind. Helps you live a great long time. Sometimes you've got to relax your mind. Is that, maybe that's too low? Relax, what? That's what? That's good? Okay. Let's try it again. Relax your mind, relax your mind, helps you live a great long time. Sometimes you've got to relax your mind when the light turns green, puts your foot on the gasoline.

[22:46]

That's the time you've got to relax your mind Relax your mind, relax your mind Helps you live a great long time Sometimes you've got to relax your mind And when the light turns red Push that brake down to the bed That's the time you've got to relax your mind. Relax your mind. Relax your mind. Helps you live every long time. Sometime you've got to relax your mind. I had a friend cross the railroad track. Oh, Lord, he forgot to relax. He lost his life. He forgot to relax his mind.

[23:48]

So now you relax your mind. Relax your mind. Helps you live a great long time. Sometimes you've got to relax your mind. So thank you for your dedication to undivided original way.

[24:20]

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