Good morning. Welcome. First of all, Thank you so much for this opportunity and inviting me. I'd like to appreciate Kevin for this beautiful opportunity. And I am so honored to be here at San Francisco Zen Center. It's been seven years since last time I visited here as one of the representatives of Japanese Soto Zen monks.

[01:10]

Which was a great experience for me to stay in this place with American Zen monks. Even though we have a different style of living, small details are different. But our intention for our spiritual awakening is the same. And our practice, our Zen practice,

[02:32]

which is all about how to live better in our daily life. It's the same. And I was so happy, so grateful to meet everyone in this place. from different places. And that experience made me feel, oh, I want to bring this Zen practice, I want to bring it back to Japan somehow. Because I felt the difference, the way of living life, which we don't really have in our Japanese monasteries, which is related to sustainable life.

[04:03]

For example, at the Green Gulch, they grow organic vegetables. And all the monasteries in San Francisco Zen Centers, they were using eco-friendly detergent and shampoos and soaps, which we don't really see in our Japanese monasteries. And it's because Zen Buddhism in America. It got popular in 1960s when the counterculture was booming, especially in San Francisco. And counterculture, for me, very interesting because back in old times I used to listen American old rock music I used to have albums from Woodstocks and just before I became a Zen Buddhist monk in Japan I saw some books

[05:43]

about counterculture and American Zen. And when I read that book, oh, I didn't know this was happening in America. And even Steve Jobs used to attend this place. And it felt me American Zen sounds like it really fits me. So since then, I was kind of dreaming of visiting San Francisco Zen Center. And while I was in the monastery in Japan, I got to know that there is some opportunity to visit Zen centers in Europe.

[06:46]

or in Hawaii, or in America, in California. And since I got to know it, I asked my teacher if there's any possibility to stay in San Francisco Zen Center. And my teacher said, okay, he practiced here at least for two years, Maybe I can give you some opportunity." And that made me feel, okay, I definitely want to practice at least for two years. And after two years, I'm going to ask him again if I can visit Zen centers in America. And that happened. in 2017.

[07:47]

And I came here and I was really, really impressed for the difference. Different style of practice and If it's more casual, for me, more lay people always come and practice casually in a good way. Because in Japan, when people hear about Zen practice, it sounds very strict. It sounds very different. It sounds... very hesitant to join casually.

[09:00]

So for most people, people's idea is they need to have certain commitment to join the Zen practice. But when I came to here, and also visited other Zen centers in California, people are more casually joining Zen practice and more enjoying the practice. Growing vegetables and cleaning the places and of course Zazen. So people come to sit Zazen for their spiritual growth. Of course, in Japan, it's also we sit zazen for our spiritual awakening. But in a monastery, most students can practice in a monastery

[10:21]

for the succession. Actually, 90% of Buddhist monks in the monastery in Japan, they were born and raised in a temple family. So they come to the monastery mostly for their duty rather than their spiritual growth. But of course, we learn practice is all about our spiritual growth. However, I felt if I bring this kind of practice back to Japan, it can be more accessible to people. and more understandable, the essence of Zen practice, which is how we can live in this present moment.

[11:42]

Nowadays, many people are suffering. Suffering from thinking mind. That is happening all the time in our mind especially in this chaotic situation in the world people are struggling with living be anxious to our future and you regret our past

[12:51]

Sometimes no idea how to live. No idea how to deal with the thinking mind. So, practice. Sazen, cleaning, cooking, gardening, which are all about something we do in our daily life.

[13:58]

Nothing It's special. Usually people are pursuing their happiness, and mostly their idea is happiness is all about something that we can gain, attain, or achieve. But in Zen Buddhism, is not what we can gain or achieve. But it's something we can find in this present moment, here and now. Through this mindful practice, we can find our true nature, which is called Buddha nature.

[15:15]

As long as we are in this present moment, there is no space for thinking mind. There is no space to regret a future, anxious to a future. My master, Zen Master Koshu Itabashi was a former head priest of Sojiji, head monastery in Sotozen Buddhism in Japan, he was always saying, be as you are and live like cats.

[16:29]

He loved cats. So in our monastery, we had more than 30 of cats. And they told me it used to be more than 100. And because it was really hard to manage more than hundreds of cats, they kind of tried to control the number of cats. And when I was in monastery, it was around 30. And we named every cat. And when we found a new cat, we immediately took them to the hospital for the vaccination and contraception. And that was also our practice. So we feed them every morning and evening.

[17:41]

And people, a lot of people come to see, we feed them. We use a half pipe, long half pipe and put the food and the cats eat them And they make a line and eat them, and people come to take pictures of that. So our monastery became a kind of touristic monastery. And once in a while, the tourist bus comes. And we guide them to the main hall. And the monks had a little bit dumb talk.

[18:47]

And I was also one of them. I was really enjoying introducing Zazen practice, even if it was just five minutes. So our monastery is really unique in that sense. because feeding cats and taking care of cats and also guiding tourist people to our monastery, which doesn't usually happen in monasteries in Japan. So our practice was a little bit unique and special, and I... I was really feeling good to be in front of people and speak like this. Of course in Japanese.

[19:49]

And I had a When I was in the monastery, I had a really, really some special moment, that happiness. True happiness is in our daily life. That was, I can still say, it was kind of my happiest moment. when I was pushing a trolley full of garbage, full of smelly garbage, just pushing the trolley to the place to dunk.

[21:01]

It was when the sun set time. I honestly had a beautiful green and I was just pushing the trolley to the garbage point and suddenly that moment happened with a beautiful sunset and smelly garbage and I felt so, so grateful And full of appreciation for being there, practicing with my master. And I still remember that moment. And that's how I can say, from my experience, happiness.

[22:02]

There's nothing that we can gain, that we can find in our daily life. And I also would say, that happens when we are in this present moment, when we are fully experiencing this present moment. So my idea was how I can apply this experience, how I can share this with people in Zen tradition sitting Zazen is one of our main practices so a great master dog in Zenji said Shikantaza which means just sitting just sitting without any intention

[23:33]

But it's kind of hard to understand for people just sitting. Because we are so used to do something with some sort of intention. What's the purpose of this? What we can gain from this practice? Otherwise, people don't have any motivation to do that. And for many people, it's really hard to sit in silence. That's also how I try to apply my music to meditation practice. So before...

[24:39]

I became a Buddhist monk. I was traveling around the world as a beatboxer. And my dream was becoming a successful musician and traveling the world and touring the world as a musician. But I had to gave it up at some point. It's because of my father who became a Buddhist monk later in his life. He became a sort of Zen Buddhist monk when I was in high school.

[25:44]

And when I was in university, he came back from monastery and became a priest of local temples. And once in a while, asked me, are you succeeding me? Well, at the time I was young, so my answer was, no. No way. How come I need to become a Buddhist monk? But at the same time, I was interested in... how to live a better life. But my interest was not in Japanese Buddhism at all.

[27:01]

Because for me at that time, Buddhism is all about doing funerals and memorial services, which is actually one of our main roles in Japan. So in every school in Japanese Buddhism, doing funerals and memorial services, they are our main job. Rather than teaching this wisdom. So generally people's idea about Buddhism is, oh, Buddhism is about funerals and doing something for dead people. Even though Buddhism is all about how we can live better life, how we can live with less suffering.

[28:06]

In Japan, People's idea is not like that. So it's time to share, introduce this wisdom to people. But we kind of need to we need to show how useful this is and how easily we can apply in our daily life because

[29:08]

I was a musician. Not I was, I am still. Maybe I can apply this music to introduce Zen practice to people. However, it was just after leaving monastery, applying music to Zen practice No way. Music for meditation? What is that? So I never thought about I play music for meditation because meditation should be done in silence. That's what I learned in the monastery. That's a tradition. So how could I change my mind?

[30:17]

After leaving monastery, I lived back in Tokyo where I was born and raised. And after a while, I was like, oh, I want to play music again. I want to be a musician. But now I'm a Buddhist monk. So at least I need to do something as a Buddhist monk. And one day I tried chanting Heart Sutra on top of my beatboxing, looping music. With my headphone, I was doing it on my own.

[31:23]

And I felt like, oh, this is something. And I'm not sure if it's right or wrong, but this is something. then I tried doing that at my live performance. And my audience immediately noticed and talked to me later, were you chanting? Were you chanting some Buddhist thing on your music? And I said, yes. And people were like, that was really amazing. You should do that. You should keep on doing this. And I was like, okay, people may like it. But just after that, COVID happened.

[32:27]

And I had absolutely no chance to play in front of people. At the time, I was... I was having my workshop for music and I was working for hosting people at Airbnb place and also helping my colleague, my Dharma brother for the funeral and the memorial services. I was helping him. Everything was gone. I had absolutely no income. And I was just losing my life. What should I do? But at the same time, I was seeking how I can play my music online.

[33:34]

I was doing a lot of research for doing live streaming and like... doing things online and at the same time my friend who used to be working for a professional photo studio he asked me, hey, my boss said we have no appointment so he said I can use the studio whatever I like So maybe we can shoot something. And okay, let's do something. And it was a COVID time, so my idea was like, I need to do something to pray. For praying, people have calm mind.

[34:41]

So that's how I shot a video in a professional studio with a camera my friend had and also another professional camera which another friend coincidentally left in my room. Oh, I have two professional cameras. in a professional studio. And we shot the video and edited by myself for all night long, for many hours. And I posted them, wishing like, oh, I spent a lot of time making this, so hopefully hit 10,000 views.

[35:48]

let's say that one got really popular people call it viral now it's over 6 million views and I got a lot of lot of comments that's saying Your music really heals me. I feel like I'm in heaven. And I gave them back that, oh, there is no heaven in Buddhism. Anyway. So, and also I got so many comments saying, oh, your music

[36:48]

so good for meditation. I meditate every day with this music. I practice yoga every day with this music. Your music is really good for reading books, for studying, which I never expect. So, okay, maybe people want to meditate. with some music. Because I knew a lot of people struggle sitting meditation in silence because of the thinking mind. They're always, always busy to think about something. So music can be a really good tool to focus being away from our thinking mind.

[37:58]

So I decided myself, okay, maybe I can play more soothing music for people to practice meditation to help them meditate. Then I started doing live streaming every single day during COVID. I did 108 days. 108, which is the number of desires. I got more comments that this music, your music is very good for meditating and healing. I had a really beautiful moment, beautiful journey through your music. Some idea gradually shifted that I can play music for their inner journey.

[39:14]

It could be more than being in this present moment. People can go deeper. And somehow, people started experiencing their inner journey through our music. But I would say, inner journey also happens only when they are in this present moment. after the COVID, I was invited to play at a health conference. Health conference, which is called Biohacking, Biohacker Summit. How many of you have heard about biohacking?

[40:20]

Oh, cool, good, good. Biohacking is all about how to optimize our health So at the conference, I played some music, but also I had some speech. So I introduced Zen practice. It's biohacking. It's because... Then monks live longer through our practice. Of course, we don't say that practice is biohacking. But unconsciously or unknowingly, we've been practicing some sort of biohacking thing.

[41:30]

in our practice. First of all, of course, living in this present moment, as long as we are in this present moment, we can be away from stressful life which basically makes us feel tired which makes us get older if you keep living a stressful life so stressful life. Of course, you know, people look older than their age.

[42:38]

So mental stress matters. For many biohackers, they take good supplements. They use... some devices, for example, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, and infrared sauna, and things that makes you healthier, basically. But of course, some biohacking, you don't really need to use any money. For example, taking cold shower in the morning, which I do. which is very healthy, and you don't spend any money for that, basically for free, but makes you very healthier. So I introduced Zen practice.

[43:44]

Okay, all of you are looking for some really good supplements and some useful devices, but I have to say, cleaning, cleaning, It's biohacking, especially cleaning toilets. So I introduced them. Hey, we have a toilet god in Zen monastery, which is called Ususama Mio. And the mantra is Onkuroda no unjakusowaka. We don't usually chant that mantra in a monastery, but there's a mantra for that. And if you go into the toilet in a Japanese monastery, Zen monastery, usually you can see the Utsusama Mio Ore in the front of the toilet.

[44:51]

So we vow and enter. What other people vow to the toilet? That's a totally different idea that we appreciate something what people usually don't. And do something what people usually don't want. Cleaning toilets. such an amazing feeling. I keep cleaning toilets for 15 years, let's say, even before I became a Buddhist monk. I was seeking the way to live better, how I can be happier, how I can live better.

[46:02]

So I read many books about self-improvement or Or anything. And I read some book. Cleaning the toilet is the best way. Is it sure? Okay, I'll try. And I started trying to clean the toilet. I still do. In Japan... I live in a shared house and I clean the toilet because we are ten people in one house the toilet gets dirty very easily so I have really good practice routine and

[47:08]

As an artist, musician, people say, oh, you're becoming really popular and popular. But this practice makes me more humble and unconsciously imprinting me that I am not higher than anyone because this practice, their routine, is unconsciously telling me that I am doing something that many other people don't want. In Buddhism, if you do something people don't want,

[48:09]

That's a virtue. So I've been believing this and keep practicing this. And the most amazing thing is, after cleaning the toilet, your hand looks more beautiful. and you're feeling inside more beautiful. So that's how I introduced Zen practice is biohacking, which is most, I would say, cutting-edge health thing.

[49:13]

always ancient wisdom works for everything. And after that talk, people just talked to me, oh, your talk was amazing. I'm going to clean my toilet. And after the talk, I played a little music for guiding people to meditate, which also I'm thinking to do today with this instrument called handpan. People sometimes ask me, what is this? Looks like a UFO. And I say, yes, this is from a different planet.

[50:27]

And it actually sounds like that. So for the last five minutes, I play this instrument. And I would like you to close your eyes. Of course, you can keep opening your eyes. Your heart are half open. But just focusing on your sensation that you can feel inside of your body rather than thinking something else. And.

[53:49]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. .

[56:09]

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

[57:32]

Thank you. . [...]

[58:33]

Oh. Be a peace May you be Be happy.

[59:53]

May you be happy. Te ngate palangate phasam ngate moniswaha For more information, please visit sfzc.org and click Giving.

[61:18]

May we fully enjoy the Dharma.

[61:20]

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