This podcast is offered by the San Francisco Zen Center on the web at www.sfcc.org. Our public programs are made possible by donations from people like you. Good morning. Today is day six and three people of this body, three limbs of this body had to leave at different times. Juan left because he realized that he wasn't equipped to do seven days yet and that it would be better for him to go home. So he went with our blessing and he's taking care of himself, which is taking care of all of us.

[01:07]

The other had to leave because he suddenly got the message that his friend was dying. So he went and hoped to be there for that event. By doing that, he's taking care of his friend, of the families that are impacted, himself, and each one of us. And the other one has left or is leaving today because it's time to go home. And again, it's out of a clarity that it's time to go home. And that helps her and each of us. That creates harmony. And I just want us to really appreciate everyone who is here, who sits with us, who came and had to leave

[02:26]

who supports this sitting by cooking, cleaning, answering phone calls, helping out here and there and keeping everything going so that we can just sit and rest and be available to the mystery of our own individual lives. So thinking of day six, I wrote down resting, healing, tender diligence, appreciation, and savoring. So who has been wondering what this thing is about?

[03:28]

Maybe I won't use it. Because I didn't know. I want you to actually take a moment, close your eyes, and really make space in your heart for all your efforts in those days since we started together on Saturday. For all the experiences that have come your way in these days, for the joys, the pains, the sorrows, the fears, the agitations,

[04:36]

it was for all of it and keep your eyes closed if you can and I would like you to listen to let your whole body listen not just your mind that may have some comments about what you're hearing but actually let this whole experience be touched by the sounds which are a healing mantra. Oh [...]

[06:06]

Oh, God. . [...] ... [...]

[07:36]

... [...] Oh, my God.

[09:01]

What's up? What's up? ... [...] . . .

[10:02]

. ... [...] Thank you.

[11:28]

... [...] Oh, oh.

[12:56]

Okay. Okay. Tomorrow, we will be celebrating Buddha's enlightenment.

[14:16]

And before Buddha woke up, after he had decided he would just sit down and not move until he understood everything. Life, the reality of life. the reality of human life, the reality of all life. Mara came, the story goes, and tempted him. So we are sitting before waking up. Tomorrow we'll all wake up together. And our habitual minds tomorrow are probably visiting us today to tempt us.

[15:23]

Our habitual mind, our habitual feeling about ourselves and what we like and what we don't like will probably try to distract us by telling us, tomorrow it's going to be over. I can go and have my coffee and my other kinds of fixes that make me feel again like I used to feel. Desires, excitements might come visit you today by trying to get you Away from here, right now, your seat, your stillness. So the story of Buddha is that Mara first brought in all because he was threatened by Buddha's being on the verge of waking up.

[16:29]

Because once we are awake, our habits are getting uprooted. It will change. still take some time actually for them to be completely uprooted, but the grounds on which they grow has been kind of loosened up, almost pulled from under them. So the first thing Mara tempted Buddha with was bringing his beautiful daughters, saying, you know, you can have them all. Maybe he also brought a few beautiful men. Who knows? So just whatever tempts you will maybe come by to get your desires going. And Buddha just remained in the middle of that, in the middle of what came up and wanted attention. He stayed centered in his body.

[17:33]

He stayed centered connected to the stillness that had accumulated. We can do that. We can tap into the stillness that has accumulated, that we have together accumulated, that is here and it's always here, even when we're by ourselves somewhere that runs through everything. And actually it wasn't Buddha who stayed centered. It was Siddhartha. It was the human being before he woke up. He's only called Buddha after he woke up. So it was Siddhartha who actually just saw it all, maybe saw desire arising and just let it be without grabbing onto it or attaching to it or creating a fantasy about the future with it.

[18:45]

Then I can have it or I will get it or I'll take it. So to just, oh, this is what's appearing and I can reside. in stillness, in my body, in my mind, in the present moment. So then Mara thought, well, then maybe I can frighten him into, you know, getting off his seat. And he brought demons and boulders were thrown at Buddha and spears and noises and, you know, trying to get Siddhartha to move. And again, Siddhartha just remembered that his commitment was to sit still no matter what was appearing, was showing itself.

[19:55]

And so the spears just kind of flopped down in front of him. The boulders didn't reach him. One description is they just, everything turned into flowers and rainbows and beautiful things. And then Mara tried a third thing. Tried if I can't get you going by desires, can't get you moving by fears, then maybe I can get you moving by doubt. And he said, actually, who do you think you are? This is not your place. This is my place, Mara's place. And the whole army of Mara's soldiers kind of confirmed that. Yes, this is Mara's place.

[20:58]

This is not your place. Siddhartha, and then Mara said to Siddhartha, well, and who is your witness? You know, you're sitting here by yourself, so who do you think you are? I have all these people telling you and confirming that actually you're sitting in my place. And you're just by yourself, so who do you think is your witness? And Siddhartha reached down with his right hand and just touched the ground. saying, the earth is my witness. The universe is my witness. And then the story goes, the whole earth and everything shook and Mara was defeated. So actually I would like to invite you, when you start being, feel like you're on the verge of being consumed by attachments or desires or by fear,

[22:04]

or by doubt that you do not deserve to be loved. You are not worthy to be alive without laboring like crazy. You do not deserve to be happy. Do reach down. Put your right hand down and just touch the ground. These mudras don't belong to Siddhartha. These mudras are for us too. We have one when we meditate and we can use the other. There's many traditions that actually work with mudras because they connect us to particular energies that are always flowing through the universe, are always present. So sit in the Zen Don, touch the board in front of you, the tatami, in front of you, the floor, whatever it is, but just avail yourself and find out if that helps ground you, if that helps kind of support your stillness, your presence right now, right here.

[23:26]

So in these days we are touching a lot, many of us are touching a lot of suffering. Suffering that we haven't had time because of all the things we had to do to feel, to acknowledge, to give space to, to investigate, to understand more deeply. And it's very important that we also really appreciate that we've done that, that we created this space, that we have felt it, that we are willing, that we have this willingness, that we are surrendering to what it is that presents itself. and to savor it.

[24:54]

And maybe we also have moments of peace and joy and feeling of freedom and spaciousness and quiet and stillness and to really appreciate those two and to use this day today to... when you remember them, when you reconnect to them, or when they are here, to really let them feel how they actually express themselves in your body. Because by that you become conscious that you actually have a physical referent for every experience. Every experience actually has an impact in your body. So to really use that, to really feel when joy is here, how is this particular joy expressed in my body?

[26:04]

And to really feel it and say, thank you. How is this particular sorrow expressing itself in this body? to really feel it and say thank you. So when your mind wants to go to plan what you're going to do or what you think you have to do after you leave here, just remember that that's your old habitual sense of self that wants you back. I gave you time off, but would you please come back now so we can get on with life as we know it? Because it's so familiar. That's the temptations that Siddhartha had.

[27:06]

It's exactly the same. Buddhas of former times were sentient beings exactly as we. They didn't start out in light. So we are going to be the future Buddhas. We are already awake. We are just not awake to being awake. I can't remember which Greek philosopher at this picture of the cave and all the beings were in the cave and the sun shines into the cave and they see the reflection of the sun at the wall of the cave and they're all staring at that reflection and think that's where we have to go. And they don't turn around and see that the exit is actually behind them and the light is behind them. The source of the light is not where they see the light, it's behind.

[28:12]

And it's a little bit the same. It's a great image also for enlightenment. I think it's in the Genjo Koan that it says, Buddhas are greatly enlightened about delusion. Sanctient beings are greatly deluded about enlightenment. And we always think Buddhas know about enlightenment. Actually, Buddhas know everything about delusion, and that is how they are awake. They have studied them. So our suffering and our joys and our attachments and all the things we have to just lose the grip on. We don't have to get rid of them. But when we lose the grip on them, they are actually the stuff that wakes us up.

[29:14]

So they are absolutely precious. They are what helps us wake up. Buddhas are greatly enlightened about delusions. Sanctient beings are greatly deluded about enlightenment. So can we use this day Day six. To just rest, allow things that still are coming up to just be the way they are and let them find their place. When they're left in peace, when they're given space, they will

[30:18]

tell you what they need or where they belong and they find their place and you with them. They actually help you be completely here and nowhere else. Because we have these strange minds that can conjure up that we could be somewhere else and could be happier and have a different body, and God knows what, more hair on your head, or less hair, or more curly hair, and not ever age. But the fullness in our life is only, only, only, only happening right where your body is, not an inch away from your body.

[31:28]

Norman had a lovely Norman saying about that. He said, the party never happens anywhere else than where you are. Everything you need Everything that supports you to wake up is always here in every situation, in every moment. There's never an ingredient missing in any given moment for you to be fully awake, fully alive, and fully human. They're not three different things. Just you can't say them in one word. So we're all human.

[32:37]

So we all have the capacity in us to be fully awake and fully alive, fully human. So it takes the commitment to sit still. And it needs to be a tender commitment, a gentle commitment, not a harsh or punishing or violent commitment. You said you would do it. You better do it now. Not helpful. You can only do it when you are your own very, very best friend and ally.

[33:40]

And a very, very best ally is not saying, well, my dear, yes, you're an alcoholic, but have a glass of wine. That would be so nice right now. That is not a very best friend. And we're all addicts. The self is a function of addiction we're all recovering addicts in this tradition on this path so it's not the voice that says yes yes you do need a rest it's the voice that says this is habit so why don't you see if you can rest while you sit Or it's the voice that says, if the habit is, I'm sitting regardless of whether I'm wrecking my back, is that says, I think you need to soften up a little and maybe give yourself a little more rest.

[34:43]

So we all need different medicines. But we know that. Our awakened heart knows it and has that conversation with us. through appreciation, savoring the happinesses and the joys that are in our life, that we can walk, that we can see, that we can hear. Not everybody in our community can hear, and we just take it as granted.

[35:45]

all these things, we just don't see them as incredible gifts we're having. That we have food, that we have shelter right now, that we are alive, that we have the space and the capacity to do something like that. And when we appreciate it and savor it, that supports all beings, also the ones that don't have it, that actually don't have it more if we don't appreciate it. If we think, I can't really appreciate what I have because other people don't have it, that is for me a sin. very interesting that's for me the word that the only time I think of sin is when I think that something that is given is not appreciated and it doesn't but it doesn't it's not given to somebody else it's just devalued it's just not seen for what it is so

[37:10]

This practice is not just avail ourselves and be present and open to the suffering, but also to all the joys and gifts and abundance we have in our life, and to completely appreciate that. So, what is the time? Thank you. This is all I have to say today. Would you like anybody to say something or have maybe one or two questions? The party never happens.

[38:14]

anywhere else than where you are, where your body is. Yes, Kari? Can you tell us what was the healing chant? Well, there is an interesting story about this healing chant. It came around and it said that the Dalai Lama and his entourage sang this chant at the sickbed of Havel when he was ill because he's a friend of the Dalai Lama. And that it was recorded by permission and it could be spread by permission but it could not be sold. So for a while it spread everywhere, got given us gifts and listened to and then someone sent me a link on an email and saying this is not the Dalai Lama this is a Danish singer who has put this on so

[39:42]

Blanche, did you not understand? So I got an email with a link, and on that link is this chant, but it's a Danish singer who's singing it and put it on. So, this is a really interesting thing. But it is a healing mantra, and I have somewhere the words, but I couldn't find them anymore. wanted to bring them. So for years I listened to it as the Dalai Lama chanting, and I have heard the Dalai Lama chanting many times at the College Chakra Initiations. So it could be. And I realized it really doesn't matter in the end. I think what matters is that it got spread and maybe that person's rights got violated because you know they they're but maybe they're happy that it got spread like that I don't know but I don't know how it strikes you but for me it's like a lullaby for the soul for the heart

[41:10]

and it has healing quality it's a mantra so anything else before we go back to continue with being present unmoved by whatever presents itself that doesn't mean it doesn't move our body to tears or to smiles or to unmoved means everything is welcome and doesn't take us off our seat and if it does we just sit back down

[42:14]

This gentleness and clarity, that's what I'm doing. Thank you for listening to this podcast offered by the San Francisco Zen Center. Our Dharma talks are offered at no cost, 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 sfcc.org and click Giving. May we fully enjoy the Dorma.

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