This podcast is offered by the San Francisco Zen Center on the web at www.sfzc.org. Our public programs are made possible by donations from people like you. Good morning. What a joy. I'd like to... Excuse me. begin my talk the way I always do, by thanking and acknowledging my teacher, my late teacher, Sojin Mel Weizmann Roshi, the old Buddha of the East Bay, and to say that this talk is just to encourage you in your practice. I would also like to thank Hojo-san, Denzan Roshi, for inviting me to give this talk, thank you.

[01:07]

So, towards the latter part of the 18th century, the Spanish crown, which had already nominally laid claim California, gave it the name, Baja California, Alta California, realized that if they wanted to make that claim real, they had to establish more of a presence. You could see that the English crown had been very busy with their colonies on the eastern coast of North America, and other European powers were nosing around. So they decided to do that and establish more of a presence locally.

[02:17]

Well, I would say overall in California, what they did was kind of twofold. Military and clerical, clergy, church. Yeah, pretty much equally, as a matter of fact. And so locally, they established the Presidio at Monterey, which became the capital of Alta California. And the mission... can do this, Mission San Carlos de Borromeo, almost directly adjacent to the Presidio. A little bit later, the mission, the location, Father Junipero Serra changed the location to its present location at the mouth of the Carmel River, and it became the Mission San Carlos de Borromeo de Rio Carmelo.

[03:27]

And that's where it still is. And it became a concentration camp. As conquering, invading, occupying forces do, they feel they no doubt cultivated, found some interpreters. or interpreter. I, in my imagination, you know, a polyglot. Someone who could speak, had picked up Spanish and could speak, you know, Rumsen Ohlone, Costanoan, Salinen, and of course, Esalen. We are in Esalen country, as you know, because We say that in our evening service dedication every day, unless we're having a well-being, Shalmani.

[04:33]

The first people of these lands, the Esalen tribe. So, I imagine, you know, I came up with this whole scenario, okay, like a little screenplay of Spanish, priest or military person, speaking to an interpreter, encountering an Esalen tribesperson. K.I. Aya, Al-Sur. What's over there to the south? Al-Sur. The Big Sur. What's over there? Pregunte. Ask him. ¿Qué hay?

[05:39]

Oh, señor. Dice que la ventana está por allí. ¿Qué? He says the window is over there. Disculpe? ¿Hay una ventana allí? No entiendo. No, señor. No una ventana. La ventana. Not a window. The window. We live in a place called the window. The ventana wilderness. You ever think about that? What is this window? The Esalen say that the window is the portal to the West, the gateway to the West through which the souls of the departed pass and will pass.

[07:01]

Not only Esalen people, but all the people of Turtle Island. And the Esalen are the gatekeepers. The window is here. La Ventana está aquí, in the Ventana wilderness. They say, Many tribes talk about this, not only the Esalen. Talk about going through the Western Gateway to an island in the Pacific, some other realm, so-called happy hunting ground.

[08:06]

It's a strongly held belief. And Esalen people have been and continue to be caretakers of the window. What is the window? How should I know? I don't know. But I am in awe of it. I am in awe of the mystery.

[09:13]

I talk to my friend, our neighbor, Tom Little Bear Nason, who, you know, the Nason family, they're our nearest neighbors on Tassajara Road, the first private property past the National Forest is their place, the Ventana Ranch. Mm-hmm. I asked him, uh, what would you think about me talking about the window and the pastors of heaven? I said, I'd like to talk about it in the sense that I don't know what it is. That for me to even speculate would be

[10:21]

apex of arrogance and an appalling lack of cultural humility. But that I am in awe of the mystery. And I realize I feel the same way about that as I feel about Zazed. Yeah, so the Pastors of Heaven. Yes. So you may recall that a month ago, we did a memorial service for Little Bear's dad, Grandfather Fred. And at that time, I asked him, so seven years ago, where did Grandfather Fred go?

[11:26]

Did he go through the window? And Little Bear's answer really surprised me. He said, grandfather went to the Pastors of Heaven. That's Pine Valley. Oh. Right over there in Pine Valley. He said, that's where All the ancestors are... waiting... for the window to open. Okay. That really surprised me. Waiting for the window to open. I haven't been to Pine Valley in a long time, but... now I really want to go again. Walk with the ancestors...

[12:31]

It makes sense. To me, it really makes sense. So, this is not the talk that I was thinking about giving a week ago. But just before session started, I finished reading Reverend Zenju Earthland Manuel's new book, revolutionary new book, The Shamanic Bones of Zen, which I highly recommend. You should all read it. It's amazing. It's really an eye-opener. And if anyone is listening to this talk out in podcast land, Run out and buy that book.

[13:34]

Yeah. I found it very affirming. Opening up and how shall I say? Rejoicing in the mystery, the unknown, the bits of Zen that we don't know, we can't know. The magic. There's a lot. And she writes about it so eloquently. Last personal day, David Roshi did this ceremony where we made offerings to the hungry ghosts.

[15:07]

And in the course of that ceremony, David Roshi did this ceremony engaged with some water on the altar, or he put the wisdom of the lineage of Buddhas and ancestors into that water, and then sprinkled us, sprinkled this space with that water, sprinkled that wisdom around for the benefit of all of us, for all beings, seen and unseen. Then we we engaged in various activities together, including chanting, you know, dharanis, which are magical spells. That's my best translation for a dharani. It's a magical spell. So, you know, altogether, we chanted the esoteric dharani for residing in the great virtuous jeweled pavilion.

[16:10]

right here in the book. Mm-hmm. I'm not going to chant it right now because I don't know. I don't know. I actually don't know what power is in that Durrani and what might be the consequences of chanting it in a situation other than that ceremony. Esoteric Durrani for residing in the great virtuous jewel pavilion. I don't Thank you very much. Zenju says that too. She says, it's not about knowing or explaining, but engaging fully. Which, if I may say so, this practice period is not numerous. Boy, do we do that.

[17:12]

I feel it every time. Every service. With the support of this amazing Dwanrio that I get to work with as Eno. I just, I feel it every time. I feel that power. Like when we did the Pari Nirvana ceremony. I said, circumambulating the altar. Chanting the heroic march mantra. We're creating a cyclotron of great spiritual power. Actually, it's not so important whether you believe it or not. I think speculating is kind of useless. Much more important to me is the practice, the experience, and how we engage. That's the way I feel about zazen as well. Little Bear said, Tassajara is an important part of the mystery.

[18:30]

Tribes, people from many different tribes... would make pilgrimage to the window and often rest here. Utilize the hot springs. Seek healing. Particularly for the infirm and the weary. Rest on their journey. Some of these trails that you're used to walking on on a regular basis are many centuries old. You know, the Church Creek Trail connects Tassajara to so-called Church Ranch, which was Esalen Village. That's where the caves are with the petroglyphs. Great ceremonies were enacted there. Or the Pine Ridge Trail.

[19:33]

If you're on your way to Pine Valley, I can show you a rock, a small boulder, the trail that is right by, that has a little depression for grinding medicine. Behind the courtyard cabins is a big boulder with big depressions for grinding acorns, for acorn meal. As you all know, in the kitchen, on the kitchen altar, there's a pestle. It was probably used with that grinding rock, the mortar, to grind acorns into acorn meal. That pestle was discovered when Sanshi the dog died. We buried him out in the flats and digging his grave, unearthed this pestle. I mentioned this in a talk, I think, like three or four years ago, and forgot to say we tried.

[20:52]

No. No, that's fine. Yeah. So, yeah, it was a long time ago. Sanchi died. We tried to give the pestle to Grandfather Fred. We said, we found something that belongs to you. And he said, no, keep it there. Keep it there. So we put it on the altar in the kitchen. And Abbas Linda Ruth Cutts performed an esoteric ceremony where that pestle became... an empowered, enshrined object. She put life into it. Now, it's a living thing that we practice with. This is an intersection of Esalen magic and Zen magic.

[21:56]

Hmm. Not knowing is closest, the teacher said. Just basking in the presence of the mystery. This ancient, ancient way. I feel so lucky we get to practice. Sometimes in work circle, I say, good old Zazen.

[23:07]

Right? But I don't always feel that way. Sometimes I think, pesky old Zazen. Oh, no. Not Zazen again. Oh. That's okay. In fact, might even be the point. My teacher always said, your practice doesn't get traction until you start doing it, whether you feel like it or not. Residential practice in Tazahara is really good for that. You might have noticed there's a great deal of encouragement and support for us to do this thing together as a community. A 20th century Zen teacher, Koto Sawaki Roshi, he said, being glared at by Zazen, being scolded by Zazen, being pulled around by Zazen, this has to be the happiest way of life.

[24:31]

Yeah, so, uh, uh, like, uh, A. Hey Dogen, in that, universally recommending the ceremony of seated meditation. He said, the zazen I speak of is not learning meditation. It is simply the Dharma gate of repose and bliss. The Come on, y'all.

[25:45]

What? Yes. What's the next line? Tonto for the win. The practice realization of totally culminated enlightenment. Right there. Every time you sit down and take up this posture. Right there. You said window? Also correct. Dogen said door. Hmm? In Bendawa. Shubha Genzo Bendawa. There's this really kind of cute FAQ section, you know? Just like a Q&A. He wrote the questions and he wrote the answers, but it's in the format of Q&A. And something like, I cannot quote it, why do you recommend Zazen?

[26:48]

What's so important about that? And his answer is very short. Oh, it's the front door for Buddha Dharma. Yeah. Zazen is the front door for Buddha Dharma. Enter here. Yes. It's beyond our comprehension. I just rest in humility before this mystery.

[28:00]

I surrender to this mystery. Zenji Roshi really makes a point that we are engaging in great spiritual force. Actually, that's not a quote. That's my interpretation. Once upon a time, in like 1990, I moved to Santa Cruz because it was after the Loma Prieta earthquake, which hit Santa Cruz really hard.

[29:08]

And I thought, well, there's going to be a lot of construction work. And there was. And I got on a crew doing electrical construction. And I had no idea, you know, about pursuing a career in electrical construction. No way. But it's something I knew how to do. And they were hiring. And it was good money and outdoor work. And I really liked the crew I was working with. Building some retail space. I don't even know. Large. A lot of the time I was just walking from... just following along the studs and putting in outlets one after another, just following a blueprint and wiring outlets. After a day, they trusted. They didn't have to check my work. And actually, I found it very pleasant. And my crew boss was a really nice guy.

[30:12]

That makes a big difference. I really enjoy working with him. Very cool guy. And yeah, we had a nice relationship. And we used to talk. And one day on the job, we were having a nice conversation. Everyone else had already driven off the job site. We were the last two people left, still talking. And he was like, I left this cover off this panel. Help me put it back on. I was like, sure, let's go. So we went back to this panel, electrical panel, like this big, completely exposed. And he had me hold the cover, position it, while he got the screwdriver and the hardware to put it back together. In the meantime, however, the power upstream had been turned back on. And he paused, and he just looked at me.

[31:15]

He kind of grinned a little bit. And he says... That's hot as you know what right now. That was better than 10 safety meetings. You know, just subtle. Not like, look out! If my screwdriver slips, we could end up with face full of molten metal. No. Just like, you know, just connect you with me and say, hey, pay attention. It might look like just copper there, but... it's actually many, many, many, many amps live. We're kind of exposed in sashim is what I'm saying. And it beuses us to be careful.

[32:16]

And One of the, maybe the thing that attracted me to Soto Zen the most after reading Zen Mind Beginner's Mind that caused me to hitchhike across the country so I could check out City Center in 1975 was this thing Emphasis on the ordinary. Because we are dealing with extraordinarily powerful forces, not to make too big a deal out of it. Zen is everyday rice and tea. Nothing special.

[33:21]

My teacher must have said thousands of times. Nothing special. And he got that from his teacher. Ordinary mind is the way. People get pretty excited about enlightenment sometimes. Oh, enlightenment. Big deal. Enlightenment experience. problem with that is you set up a separation from this. And this is all there is. This right here right now is the practice realization of totally culminated enlightenment. So relax with it. Kurosawaki also he said we don't

[34:25]

practice to achieve satori. We practice being led around by satori. Yeah. I am held in Avalokiteshvara's loving hands. I am safe. And we keep each other safe. Why I feel the importance of beloved community. How it works. Nobody can do this for you. And you can't do it alone.

[35:30]

I thought of that in the last session. I like the sound of it so much, I'm going to say it again. Only this time, I'm going to make like a Zen teacher, bang my stick on the top. Nobody can do it for you, and you can't do it alone. This is the power of Ango. This is the power of Sushi. We support each other. We talk to each other. We create together this sacred space, which is really nothing special.

[36:51]

This is my 32nd ango at Tassajara. I must like it. I missed the last one because Linda and I took three months of sabbatical leave. Mostly we were in Texas. We got around. Gulf Coast, Houston, Austin, New Orleans, Montgomery, Alabama. It was a really sweet, sweet time. One of the most special things about it for me, quite surprising, was reconnecting with my cousin Mary in Waller, Texas. but not too far from Houston.

[38:29]

So we visited with her like four or five times. And her husband, Tim, and her three dogs. She's totally delightful. And she asks so many good questions about Buddhism and Zen. I mean, really good questions. Very interested. a devout Catholic herself, very interested in what I was doing. And then I gave her as an instruction, and we sat together, which was super sweet. And at one point, when she was asking me and Linda about, you know, what we're doing here, what we've done with our entire lives, actually, She said, because I think you just want to be happy.

[39:32]

And I was like, yes, that's it. I just want to be happy. And learn to be kind. It's a project. here in good old Bodhisattva Training Academy. When San Francisco Zen Center and Kastanahashi I finally published a complete Shobogenzo project that Kaz and many teachers worked on together for a long, long time.

[40:41]

It was published in just two-volume set, which you can find in the library and elsewhere. And I received a copy, I guess. They were giving... copies to, what, all the practice leaders in SFCC? I think so, yeah. What a gift. And then Kaz came here, and I was like, Kaz, inscribe my copy of Chubbaga, so please. And he did. He got two calligraphy pens. He wrote the kanji for ocean. And then he wrote, enjoy your enlightenment. We don't practice to achieve satori. We practice being led around by satori. Please enjoy your enlightenment.

[41:47]

Sashim is an unparalleled opportunity to do just that. you can't observe the changes in yourself and others. You can see with your own two eyes this magic unfold. Very famous Zen sermon by ancestor Furong Daokai. Furong of Mount Daokai in Song Dynasty China. One of the names in the lineage of Buddhism ancestors that we chant, Fuyo, Dōkai, Daiyōshō. The sermon is called Standards of Chetavana. Dōgen quotes it at length in Shibha Genso Gyōji.

[42:54]

And Thomas Cleary translated it from Chinese in its entirety in the book, Timeless Spring. Furong talks about in the most eloquent and heartful language, the experience that we're having right now. The experience of Ango. And at one point, he says something that really, really touched me. I just so resonate with it. He says, everywhere the monks' faces are like mist or smoke. Something like that. That's a couple of different translations. Something like, everywhere the monks' faces are like mist or smoke.

[43:59]

We hold so much tension in our faces. It's incredible to me. It's observable to see that just, just relaxing, just letting go. You can't fake it. Zenju Roshi says, this is not for everyone. I agree. And I am so grateful that I've managed to connect with a bunch of like-minded people who think

[45:13]

Maybe this is for me. Maybe I want to try this way of life. So please enjoy your enlightenment. Enjoy the sashim. Open to the miracle that is unfolding right in front of us at each moment. I thank you all so much for your practice. I thank you all for supporting each other to do this big and possible project.

[46:18]

the bodhisattva vows that we're about to chant. They're not just pretty words that we say. They are what we do. How amazing. Thank you so much. Thank you for listening to this podcast offered by the San Francisco Zen Center. 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 sfcc.org and click Giving.

[47:02]

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