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 evening, everyone. And thank you for inviting me tonight to talk, Hakim and Lucy. And thank you for everyone being here. And thank you for online people. Do you hear me okay? Good? Thank you. So the theme of this practice period is nothing lacking in continuous practice. In the classes that Tim and Lucy are Sharing with us, we learn about the teaching of Fuinang and Shenshu, especially the contrast between Shenshu's poem about polishing the mirror through continuous practice and Fuinang's teaching that originally there is no dust and therefore nothing to clean.

[01:21]

Two poems look contradictory and yet they both capture the important aspects of Zen practice. I have been reflecting on these themes through some of my experiences. Before diving into the theme, I would first today like to share a few very mind-opening experiences from my recent trip to Europe. So end of April to beginning of May, I traveled with Reparate Conjin Gering-Godwin, director of the Soto Zen International Center, and we visited several temples in France and Italy. And I could probably spend an entire night talking about that, but I like to...

[02:26]

or introduce one aspect from this trip that struck me so deeply. It's about the interreligious dialogue, in other words, communication between different religions. I encountered two especially vivid examples of this at the temples we visited in Italy. The first temple we visited was called Fudenji. Fudenji was in North Italy, and it's located in a very, very beautiful countryside of Italy. When we arrived at the Milan airport, which is north of Italy, And they pick us up by car, and we drove about one hour and a half, driving through beautiful green pastures and under beautiful Italian sky.

[03:35]

And when we finally reached the temple and come to the gate, I saw a little roadside shrine. And I was curious, what's inside? And I looked inside, and I saw the image of Madonna. And I was so surprised that I will pass around the pictures later. So this was a picture that I found in this little shrine here. And you can maybe have one other online people. And I have another picture later. and what's most surprisingly it's about this foot there's two figures one buddhist priest and one christian priest here and also the painting of the temple structure and i asked why you have why you have the madonna figure and

[04:46]

you know, Christian priests and Buddhist priests in the picture. And the former abbot, he explained that they have had a very close relationship with the local churches. So they are invited to the event and also the temple, they invite the Christian priests to attend their ceremonies. And you may think, oh, this is very new style temple that they are beginning, but actually their practice style is very, you know, following tradition. On the back, there is also the picture of the temple that you can see the structure of the, you know, the Zazenhold, the Sodo, and other buildings, but they have also

[05:47]

The connecting isle with the roof that looks like an Eheji isle. And their Dhamma hall also looks very traditional, solid practice. So this combination of following Soto Zen tradition and also communicating with the local churches really deeply moved my heart. And during this trip, I encountered one more example of interreligious dialogue at another temple we visited in Rome.

[06:49]

Has anyone visited Rome before? Yeah. How was it? Beautiful. Ancient. Yeah, very ancient. The temple It's located near the famous Colosseum site, and it's daily in the ancient ruins. When you walk through the street, it feels like you are walking inside a massive open-air museum. and you can deep feel how history has continued for thousands of years. And one example I was surprised, not relating to the dermatogram, sorry, but there was water coming out of the streets, and you can drink the water from that little fountain-like thing.

[08:00]

And it's a drinkable water, and the water duct, they use, or the same, the Roman era water duct is still currently used. And I was, wow, this is, we live in history. And right in this middle of historic city, the abbot of Zen Monji, he is also a San Francisco Zen Center lineage, Zirorami Dosheng, Dario Zeroramidoshin, so some of you have met him here. And he's currently collaborating with the Vatican office. Vatican has an office called Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. And they are organizing a conference together this June. And I will pass around the picture.

[09:04]

This is a Vatican famous church. And this is a dicastery for interreligious dialogue. It's not inside the Vatican City, but it's right outside of Vatican City. And we visited there and talked with a priest there who in charge for Buddhists and also another person who is taking charge for Hinduism and other religions. This is a flyer for this event. They are planning together, so I pass around. And some of you may wonder why I visit these places.

[10:21]

And I visited this place for my work or through my work, through my job. And I work for Soto Zen Buddhism International Center. And people ask often, what actually I do at the International Center. Broadly speaking, there are three major missions. First, to share the teaching of the Soto Zen, Dogen Zenji and Kezan Zenji. And second, to support connection among temples and practitioners over the world. And third, to help strengthen the connection between temple community together and also to Japan.

[11:24]

Day-to-day work, actually, it's somewhat similar to regular office work. I write a lot of emails, making flyers, contacting people, organizing events. and handling some accounting related tasks. At other times, I may teach that or today I'm honored, I have honored to be able to speak here. And during this trip, it was profoundly moving for me to witness such a natural and warm relationship between Catholic and Buddhist. Today, we are constantly surrounded by news that emphasizes separation, conflict, and division. But this felt like a reminder or hope that perhaps human beings are also learning little by little

[12:40]

how to live together in harmony. And also, it may not be entirely fair to say that modern times are filled only with conflict and bad news because the news naturally focuses on tragedy, disaster, and division seems dramatic enough to catch our attention. But in reality it is already something quite miraculous that we are able to walk, we are able to eat, speak and gather together like today. Yet These things usually do not become news.

[13:44]

We rarely wake up in the morning and exclaim, Oh my God, I can walk and I can speak. Usually we only recognize the preciousness of these ordinary things when they are disrupted. When we become sick, injured or lose them in some way. Or sometimes, after an intensive session, we may suddenly notice the vividness of simply breathing, eating, or hearing the sound. For me, this realization came a hard way, recently, when I had a bike accident. It wasn't that I attained some great enlightenment or anything like that, but I was just simply forced to deeply appreciate my ordinary day-to-day life.

[14:58]

Because of the injury, I had to really, really slow down for a few days. I had to move very slowly, and eat little by little. During the last practice period, Hedrin Olsen told us to slow down. And through this accident, I was finally forced to exactly slow down. As I was breathing moment by moment, walking step by step. I realized I was just simply being. I was surprised to see that this simple presence, just being alive and breathing is always available and that is already complete.

[16:02]

Nothing lacking. I breathe in and I breathe out. Once my injuries healed and my health came back, I felt my head start spinning again, bringing back all the usual agitation and anxiety. But then I remembered I can always stop breathing and breathe out. Breathing and breathe out. Not to eliminate the agitation and anxiety, but to include them, to hold them, to observe them and not be run by them. And I think this continuous practice helps to remember that nothing lacking. Speaking of continuous practice, I would like to introduce

[17:11]

a koan that Leverett Hōitsu Suzuki Roshi referred to in his Dharma talk at the mountain seat ceremony at the Berkeley Zen Center last February. I was asked to do live interpretation from Japanese into English for that talk, but afterward I felt I I wish I could fully convey what he meant. So today, I would like to take this opportunity to share a little of what he said. Also, I feel this koan deeply relating to the theme of nothing lacking continuous practice.

[18:11]

Many people here may already know Levalet Hoitsu Roshi very well, or may have visited him in Japan, but I would like to briefly introduce him for those who may not be familiar with his name. He is the son of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, who studied San Francisco Zen Center, and Hoitsu, so Hoitsu Roshi is the son, and now the abbot of Rinsou in a temple in Japan. He also recently became the deputy abbot of Eiheiji, and he was also one of the guiding teachers at the monastery where I trained in Japan. The koan for its Roshi quoted at the mountain seat ceremony Dhamma talk goes like this.

[19:20]

One day, Shaka Muni Buddha ascended the teaching seat. Everyone was waiting expectantly for his teaching. Looking forward, to what he would say. Then, Buddha, without saying any word, he just simply descended from the seat. Seeing this, Manjushuri Bodhisattva struck the wooden mallet and declared, When you truly perceive the Dharma King's Dharma, the Dharma King's Dharma is as it is. Buddha just ascended the seat and descended from the chair without a word.

[20:28]

And Manjushri Bodhisattva said, the Dharma King's Dharma is as it is. What? If our teacher do this in the classroom in university, they could be in trouble. By simply sitting and then stepping down, the Buddha was demonstrating nothing lacking in the most direct way possible. Manjushri hitting the wood and declaring, The Dharma King's Dharma is as it is. It wakes everyone up to the reality of the present moment. I think this is the practice of Zazen. When we practice Zazen, we do not sit to achieve something or to improve ourselves.

[21:32]

We just sit. We simply express what we already are. Nothing lacking. We are the Buddha. Every single one of us, every living being is the Buddha. And we continue to practice in this way because we are the Buddha. This doesn't is not just on the cushion at Zendo, but in all aspects of our life and our practice, being right here and right now. I'd like to share one of my experience when I served as anja or disher to Hoitsu Roshi at a monastery I trained.

[22:38]

And in monastery, Anja Ojishar is a person who takes personal care of their senior teachers, accompanying them from their room to the zendo or the sitting hall, preparing their tea, carrying their oryoki bowls and serving as an attendant during ceremonies. One morning, Hoitsu Roshi was the Doshi, the officiating priest who leads the morning chanting and also before the Zen offers incense and visiting each altars around the temple. As his jitsha, I accompanied him. So it was around 4.20 in the morning So it was still very dark. So we started at the altar of Idatem, one of the guardian deities.

[23:51]

There, under the dim candlelight, we waited in the silence for the sounding of the wooden board being hit. And the wooden board sound we hear and we start. I handed him a stick of incense and he offered it to the altar. Then we moved onto the founder's hall and the Dharma hall. Watching him, I was so deeply impressed. I could really feel how in the intensity or how his whole being seriously offered the incense and then bowed towards the ancestors. He had probably performed this ritual hundreds, thousands of times.

[25:03]

Also, this is before Zazen starts, so there's no one really looking and only me that morning. But he really put himself out, completely. The intensity, the sincerity. He was entirely right here, right now. And I thought, wow, this is what continuous practice means. And that was a wordless teaching I received from him. In Japan, there is an expression, which means to teach with your back. Because your back has no mouth.

[26:05]

You cannot teach with words. Instead, how you behave, how you act, and your very being becomes the most direct teaching. This is actually a bit scary, because there's nowhere to hide. When Shaka Muni Buddha descended, from his seat without a word, we might think, oh great, we don't have to say anything. But in reality, it means that your entire being is expressing who you are. There's nowhere to hide Hoitsu Roshi shared another classic Zen story in his talk.

[27:15]

It is about Master Yakusan Yaoshan. One day, Master Yakusan Yaoshan had not given a Dharma talk for a long time. So the temple's director approached him and said, the assembly of monks has been waiting for a long time. to hear your teaching. Please master, give us a lecture. Master Yaku-san agreed. The bell was rang and all the monks gathered in the hall, full of anticipation. Master Yaku-san came out, mounted the teaching seat and sat there in silence or just a few moments. Then, without saying a single word, he stood up and walked straight back to his room.

[28:23]

The director was completely confused. He followed Yakusan to his room and said, Master, you promised to give us a lecture. Why didn't you say anything? Master Yao Shan looked at him and said, For scriptures, there are scripture teachers. For commentaries, there are commentary teachers. Why do you question this old monk? What do you think of his teaching? What he was expressing? I do not think Master Eoshan was rejecting words or teaching themselves. Zen used Sutra's commentaries and Dhamma talks too, but perhaps in this moment, that moment, he was pointing to something beyond explanations.

[29:42]

something that cannot be fully captured by language. Without saying a word, Master Yao Shan had already given his teaching completely. This brings me back to Zazen practice. During Hoitsuo's talk, He also said that sometimes people come to him and ask him what Zazen is good for in today's world, especially when there is so much tragedy and violence. Maybe some of you have wondered the same question too. I do sometimes ask myself that question as well. Zazen is Buddha's activity.

[30:47]

It is not to gain something. It is not to change something. And that practice is the powerful practice. Also, Hoitsu Roshi shared the story when Shunryu Suzuki Roshi was nearing death. A visiting student asked him a similar question. And Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, although he was becoming weak, he answered back in a very loud voice. You still don't get it? You still don't get it? Do we get it?

[31:57]

Zazen is Buddha's activity. It is not practiced to gain anything or change anything. If we get it, we continue to sit. And if we do not get it, we also continue to sit. Thank you very much for listening. And if you have any questions or comments or thoughts. And can I ask one, can you take a picture? I said in my week report, I use time for preparing Dermatops.

[33:03]

I like to show I did Dermatops. I need to make sure your space. Maybe you should also take a picture with you not sitting there. Thank you, thank you. Maybe you have started a new tradition. Sorry. We're all going to want a picture of ourselves. Sorry. Just to comment, I'm Kathleen. Hello, I know you. Just to comment, especially since I was raised Catholic and I'm Buddhist now, but to see that picture of the Virgin Mary with the picture of the Buddhist and the Catholic priest there, very moving.

[34:10]

I can see why it really touched you. Because that figure of her, I grew up, she was very important to me. And so it really was very touching to see that. So I thank you for sharing that. I just want to say thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. I noticed that you were wearing a different okesa, is that right, today? Is there anything special about that or is it a different color? This is a very special okesa for me because my teacher made and gave to me. Also, this has... I'm not wearing good, but this has nine...

[35:12]

So usually chanting, I wear the seven ones, but for Dama talks, I wear this one, or my teacher gave me. And Zago is not matching because I haven't made one yet. He just gave me the kisser. You said that, thank you for your talk, that zazen is the Buddha's activity. And how is the Buddha's activity sitting down and standing up? Can you help me understand how that is zazen?

[36:15]

Or is that zazen? Can that be zazen if the Buddha is doing it? So I think my... Understanding. I can share my understanding. And if you have other understanding, please share too. My understanding is the Zen practice. We sit with all beings and it's really difficult to put in words what you probably may feel it or not knowing, but not knowing too. So trying to express that in the most sincere way, I think that was the intention to

[37:23]

negation of that teaching. So would you say that the sitting down and the getting up was Buddha's activity because there was a sincere and present... something? Something that can't be said? I think it's kind of pointing towards don't caught up in the words or the specific activity. I think that's the pointing to that. Thank you. Thank you. Go ahead, Lori.

[38:36]

Hi, Ted Miao. Hi. Thank you for your talk. Just to follow up with Hako's thought or comment, what came to my mind was We zazen to be inactive, to not be, for lack of action. And I was wondering, I kind of interpreted the standing or the ascending and sitting and then getting up and descending as action. So when we zazen, we're intentionally being inactive, and that zazen is a Buddha act, or an action of Buddha, and also the sitting and then standing without saying anything was like an active action of being Buddha.

[39:56]

That's where I went with it, so I just wanted to kind of build on that. Thank you. Thank you. And yeah, that's all the activities, sitting, standing, everything is we like we do as the Zen. And yeah, thank you for sharing your thoughts.

[41:00]

Simple observation that I think that the simplicity of the movement and just the words of your presentation today was like a gravitas in grace. You know, there was such, it was just simple, right? And it slowed you down, I think. There was recently another Zen priest who spoke about slowing down a fraction. And that really hit me. in that moment that I really, the theme for this year for me has been to slow down, to see the daily miracles and be present. So thank you. I felt that this was a very powerful, I don't know, it was just a powerful presentation for me. So thank you. Thank you. Yes, I also have the tendency always hurrying up and things like that. But today I wanted to take this opportunity to share my experience that the dialogue of the Catholic and Buddhist and also the teaching that handed to us.

[42:12]

Oh, so I had a question about, I guess, how Zen made it to Europe? I guess my understanding is that here in California, there's the Shinri Suzuki brought here, and there's also the Rinzai priests in L.A. And I saw how there's some Chan temples, there's some Thien temples that Thich Nhat Hanh established. How did Zen and also specifically Soto Zen? So speaking of Soto Zen, there was a priest, Taizen Deshimaru, He really spreads Soto Zen in Europe. He's about 10 years younger than Suzuki Roshi, and he went probably seven or eight years later when Suzuki Roshi came to US, and about seven, eight years later, Tai Zen Deshimaru Roshi, he went to Europe.

[43:17]

And I think that was the time. that in Western countries there is a lot of interest and appreciation of the Zen teaching. And he also passed away about the same age when Suzuki Roshi passed away, so about Ten years later, Suzuki Roshi passed away. He also passed away. So I thought that they, as if it's like, you know, their mission to bring Zen to, you know, to the United States, to Europe. And they have, you know, strong students and as if their mission, they finish their mission kind of feeling. Oh, hi.

[44:24]

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 Dharma.

[44:48]

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