So I wanted to offer a little Zazen instruction, a little bit of traditional Zazen instruction, starting with the Buddha's own Tana Sutra. So the Satipatthana is often translated as the four foundations of mindfulness or the four establishments of awareness. I like that one, the four establishments of awareness. Establishing ourself and shining the light of awareness into different areas of our experience. And it starts like these variations of stories do, but instead of once upon a time, It's Ananda saying, thus have I heard.

[01:03]

And I always feel like when I hear that, I always kind of settle in, just like you do when you hear it once upon a time. Ah, there's going to be a story. Thus have I heard. On one occasion, the Blessed One was living in the Kuru country, where there was a town of the Kuru's named Hamasadama. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus. Bhikkhus, he said. Venerable sir, they replied. The blessed one said this. Bhikkhus, this is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow and life, for the disappearance of pain and grief. for the attainment of the true way, for the realization of nirvana, namely, the four foundations of mindfulness.

[02:14]

So this is the direct path. Just as Dogan said, this is the direct path. This is how you go from here to there, no gap. And yet we still have to walk back. the purification of beings. Purification means freedom from the illusion of separation. That's the true meaning of purification. Sojin's name was the essence of purity. And the essence of purity was not being but that non-separation of self and other. complete unity, for the purification of things, to realize this for ourselves, for the surmounting of sorrow and lamentation, for the pain and grief, for the attainment of the true way, for the realization of nirvana.

[03:24]

So what are the four foundations? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides, contemplating the body, as a body, ardent. And ardent means passionate or burning, like the fire of our passions, of putting it to good use. So body, as a body, ardent, fully aware and mindful, having put away covetousness, grief for the world, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. So this is when we get to put aside, lay down, let go of thoughts of the world, thoughts of what's outside.

[04:30]

Not that they go away, but that we have a chance to set them to one side, to include them as our experience rather than our ideas. The grief of the world, it may still go on in our bodies. The grief of our hearts may still be there. but just to let go, not grasp, not hold onto with our minds. And just let it flow, let it move. And then feelings as feelings aren't fully aware and mindful. and mind as mind, and mind objects as mind.

[05:37]

And usually, in the first day, it's so good to just stay with the body as the body, and the breath as the breath. Just grounding over and over again, coming back, coming back. Having put away, I've covered this mess, and you leave it alone. And now, bhikkhus, and how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu abide contemplating the body as a body? Here, bhikkhu, here a bhikkhu gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut. Here we are. We are at the foot of the old plum tree. We're in this. the empty all, all together. We sit down, having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect and establish mindfulness in front of him.

[06:51]

Ever mindful he breathes in, he breathes out. Breathing in long, he understands. I breathe in long, breathing out. He understands how I breathe out. Breathe in long, breathe out long, breathe in short. He trains us. I shall breathe in, experiencing the whole body. He trains us. I shall breathe out, experiencing the whole body. Many, many different possible objects of awareness. But today, see if you can just stay with body and breath, body and breath. And in this way, contemplating the body as a body,

[07:58]

or abides contemplating the body as a body externally, outwardly, or abides contemplating the body as a body both internally and externally. Just the body as a body. The body as the experience of being a body. Those moments when we slip out of our minds and we're just a body as a body, a body of sensation, a body moving in space, a body that is somehow tender and precious because it is ours, strong and vulnerable, however it appears. The body be the body as it shows up in this moment.

[08:59]

Just the experience of it. Letting go of words. Letting go of labels. And the Buddha discusses the four parts. Standing, walking, sitting, and lying down. And she abides independent. not clinging to anything in the world. That, too, is how a monk abides contemplating the body as a body in standing, walking, sitting, or lying down. So when we're sitting zazen, shikantazen, you take that zazen line, When we stand up, when we hear the bow, when we do kin in, when we walk out the door, we take that quiet mind everywhere we go with us.

[10:19]

A quiet mind and a quiet body. And again bhikkhus, bhikkhu is one who acts in full awareness when going forward and returning, who acts in full awareness when looking ahead and looking away, who acts in full when flexing and extending his limbs, who acts in full awareness when wearing his robes and carrying his outer robe and bowl, who acts in full awareness when eating, drinking, consuming food and tasting, who acts in full awareness when communicating and urinating, who acts in full awareness when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, and keeping silent.

[11:29]

In this way, She abides contemplating the body as a body, internally, externally, and both internally and externally. And she abides independent, not clinging to anything. That, too, is how a bhikkhu abides, contemplating the body as a body. So our bodies are never apart from us. We may forget them for periods of time, but they never go away. Until our last breath, the breath never stops. So this body is such a present and reliable

[12:34]

way of being in the world, of grounding in the world, of grounding in the entire universe. And we can practice with so many different ways, that it's basically one way, and that one way is being here. Be with the body, whatever it's doing. Be with the body and the breath, however it's manifesting. Just be present with it as it is. And whatever thoughts about it or judgments or wishes that were otherwise may arise, just breathe that in along. all just what's happening right now and it's all just fine.

[13:41]

It is. And there's nothing outside of practice and there is nothing outside of awakening. The Buddha explicitly brings in all the parts of the body, all the innards, all the functions of the body. Defecating and urinating, nothing is outside. Nothing in your mind is outside, nothing in your body is outside, and nothing in the world is outside. And then the Buddha comes to the Four Noble Truths. How does a bhikkhu abide contemplating mind objects as mind objects in terms of the Four Noble Truths?

[14:48]

Here, a bhikkhu understands as it actually is. It's not our idea of how it is. This is suffering. She understands as it actually is. This is the origin of suffering. He understands as it actually is. This is the cessation of suffering. She understands as it actually is. This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering. Many years ago on retreat, A time when everything was open, bright, calm, perfect. And I was aware of that and appreciated it deeply.

[15:53]

And I was doing fusion. And I could feel the bare beginnings of that state of mind slipping away and becoming a little tight or something, trying in a very subtle way to get it back. And I realized after a few minutes, oh, this is suffering. This is grasping. This is what it feels like to try the experience of this moment into being something else. And there was a wave of pain in realizing how much it wasn't doing exactly that.

[16:57]

And then it all left. And it was just presence. So the Buddha concludes, speakers, if anyone should develop these four establishments of awareness in such a way for seven years, One of two fruits could be expected. Knowledge here and now, or if there is a trace of quitting left, non-return. Let alone seven years, because if anyone should develop these four foundations of mindfulness in such a way, for six years. Again, the podcast repeats again and again. All of that repeated for six years, for five years. four years, three years, two years, one years, never mind that, for six months, five months, four months, three months, two months, one month, let alone half a month, because if anyone should develop these four establishments of awareness in such a way for seven days,

[18:28]

One of two fruits could be expected, either final knowledge here and now, or if there is a trace of clinging left, non-return. That is not returning again to this life, but being free from the cycle of burning down. So here we have our seven days. even for seven days, this is possible. So it was with reference to this that it was said, bhikkhus, this is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the surmountation, for lamentation, for the disappearance of pain and grief, for the attainment of the true way, for the realization of nirvana, namely, The four establishments of awareness.

[19:30]

That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's work. reflecting on Dogen's Fukwanza Zengi, his universal recommendations for sitting meditation. Because it's very similar.

[20:33]

He starts out with, the way is basically perfect and all pervading. exactly what the Buddha taught. So how could it be contingent upon practice and realization? The Dharma vehicle is free. What need is there for concentrated effort? And yet, if there is the slightest discrepancy, the way is as distant as heaven from earth. If the least like or like, like or dislike arises, the mind So it's always this. All is this. When we're completely present, everything is basically perfect and all-pervading. And then we slip into like or dislike or slightest discrepancy.

[21:43]

and the way is as distant as heaven from them. So, we practice. We train the mind again and again, over and over, until when we wander off the path, we find our way back more and more easily. He goes on to say, for sang zen, a quiet room is suitable. Eat and drink. Cast aside all involvements and cease all affairs. Do not think good or bad. Do not administer pros and cons. Cease all the movements of the conscious mind. Forget all thought and views. Have no designs on becoming a Buddha. Sanzen has nothing whatever to do with sitting or lying down.

[22:46]

So here we are, with the perfect conditions for waking up. We have a beautiful, quiet room, very suitable. We have the opportunity to eat and drink moderately, and not only that, but we are served with such kindness, by our friends in the Dharma and our serve. And then it's up to us to cast aside all our involvements and cease our affairs for this period of time, to be good or bad, or get into pros and cons, Have no designs on becoming a Buddha. Like, just put one foot in front of the other.

[23:51]

Just do the practice. Sunday, the Guruji said, no eating. Just this moment, just as it is, is enough and more than enough. Hukunza Zangyi ends with this paragraph. Please, honored followers of Zangyi, long accustomed to groping for the elephant, do not be suspicious of the true dragon.

[24:53]

Devote the way that directly indicates the absolute. Revere the person of complete attainment who is beyond all human agency. Gain accord with the enlightenment of the Buddhas. Succeed to the legitimate lineage of the animal body. Constantly perform in such a manner, and you are assured of being a person such as they. You are assured of being a person such as they. All of us have Buddha nature. All of us can realize this for ourselves. It can happen at any moment. It can happen this week while we're together. Your treasure store will open up itself and you will use it at will.

[25:54]

to be very clear that when I say it's possible now or even this week or in the seven days I do not mean try to get that what I mean is drop anything that's not that just practice when you go over and over again just let go Be here. There's nothing to get and nowhere to go. It's all here. And that takes attention. So whether you are able to be here an entire week, where there will be some coming and going for you, for those who are sitting online however this manifests physically for you this week going to our houses our homes and I just want to encourage you to extend the temple gates to extend the mind of Zazen as much as you can in whatever travels you have back and forth

[27:32]

and whatever you do in the evening, whatever you need to do on other days, to see if somewhere inside you, you can hold the container of Rohatsu. Rohatsu is an international holiday celebrated around the world by so many different and temples. And this means that people are sitting Mahatsu 24-7 somewhere in the world. Somewhere in the world people are sitting Mahatsu. So you are never alone in sitting. So please enjoy this practice. Please allow joy and subtleness to receive gratitude, to offer gratitude for this practice.

[28:51]

It will be in deep appreciation. We have time for just a few questions. That's just perfect. Just have a few extra minutes of outdoor kinyin.

[29:30]

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