Well, during our practice period at Page Street, the theme for the practice period is the Eightfold Path. So at Tassajara I've been talking about the Heart Sutra, and at Page Street I've been talking about the Eightfold Path. So I kind of have the Eightfold Path easily accessible to my mind. I thought that I would talk about that today. It's interesting, when I don't think about it for a long time, I don't remember the factors of the path. So every time I study it, I have to go back and reintroduce it to myself. And every time I do, it becomes more and more interesting. we tend to think of the Eightfold Path as... The Mahayana actually tends to classify the Eightfold Path as the practice of the Shravakas.

[01:18]

links of causation is called the practice of the Prachekabuddhas. I don't know where this comes from, but I don't like this kind of classification. Eightfold Path actually is quite open and can be interpreted in the Hinayana way, Prachekabuddha way, Shravaka way, or It's quite universal and isn't stuck in any particular mode. So the Eightfold Path actually applies to any form of Buddhism, including Zen. So factors of the path, I'll just run through them. The first one is right understanding or right view.

[02:30]

And the second one is right thought or also called right intention. And these two belong to a category called wisdom or knowledge. Panya rather than prajna. And then comes right speech and right action. And the third is right livelihood. And these are sometimes called the morality triad. Or I like to use the word conduct. But I'll get back to that. And then the next three, the last three, are right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

[03:44]

And these three belong to what's called the concentration aspect, or samadhi. Concentration literally means samadhi, or samadhi literally means concentration. And these three belong to the meditative aspect. So we have wisdom, conduct, and meditation. And these three categories comprise the factors of the path in eight ways. Now, the factors of the path, of course, are not steps. but they're more like three strands or eight strands of a rope, which make it very strong and intertwined. They work together. So actually, in each factor of the path, all the other seven are included.

[04:49]

So the order of the path of the constituents varies sometimes. But the first two, the wisdom group, are stated first. But actually, the middle group is the foundation. Well, it's hard to say what's the foundation. Understanding is the foundation for everything, because all of our practice and understanding comes out of right understanding or right view. Because we have right understanding, we start to practice, even though our understanding is not complete. Because we innately have right understanding, some spark of right understanding, we actually search for practice.

[06:02]

There's an old saying, the god of fire searches for fire, or Buddha nature seeks Buddha nature. Because we have Buddha nature, we search for practice. We say all sentient beings have Buddha nature, but that doesn't mean that all sentient beings are realized Buddhas. So this first factor of the path, right understanding, is both the beginning and end of practice. Our practice begins with right understanding and ends with right understanding. Begins because we have Buddha nature and ends with its realization, the highest realization. The Eightfold Path is the fourth of the Four Noble Truths.

[07:17]

life, especially human life, is subject to suffering or dis-ease or unsatisfactoriness or impermanence and so forth. And that the second truth is that the cause is desire or delusions And this states the problem. And the solution is, and the third one is, there is a way to deal with suffering, to stop the causes of suffering. And the fourth truth is the way, which is the Eightfold Path. So the Eightfold Path is the active principle for practice.

[08:37]

And so, right understanding means understanding the Four Noble Truths. Understanding suffering and the cause of suffering and that there is a way to deal with it, and the way is the Eightfold Path. That's basically what Right Understanding is. But it's also called Right View. So, Right View means to bring reality into view. Bring the dharmas into view, just as they are. To be able to see everything just as it is, in reality. And when we see things just as they are in reality, then delusion loses its grip. And desire loses its grip. Craving loses its grip. Anger and delusion lose its grip through understanding.

[09:47]

The second factor of the path is called right thought or right intention. Right thought means to attentively look at the suffering and its cause. And, you know, And right intention is to activate that thought. So right thought is okay, but it's kind of static, whereas right intention means to put into action what you're thinking. To on.

[10:54]

So directing of right thought is right intention. And right intention is to realize, to make a response to the Four Truths. And that's exactly what the Bodhisattva vows are. Four bodhisattva vows are bodhisattva's response to the Four Noble Truths. We say, sentient beings are numberless. I vow to either save them or awaken with them. Save is more usual. We use awaken with, but save is more usual. Sentient beings are numberless. I vow to save them. from the first noble truth, which is suffering. And second vow is delusions are inexhaustible, I vow to end them.

[12:03]

Desires is more direct, but we use delusions because it's a little softer, a little more inclusive. But delusions here really means desires. So this addresses the second truth, which is the cause is desire or delusions. And the third bodhisattva vow is the dharma gates are boundless. I vow to enter them. That's the optimistic way. There is a way, and it's to enter into the dharma gate, to study the way. That's the turning from the problem, or the entering into the problem. But Buddha's way is unsurpassable, I vow to become it.

[13:04]

That's the response to the Eightfold Path. So the Four Noble Truths and Bodhisattva's response are there together. And this is right thought. Right thought is directed in that way. Right intention is directed in that way. So these two are the wisdom group or knowledge group, understanding. These two give us direction in our practice and in our life. The third factor is right speech. And right speech means not to lie, not to slander, not to raise yourself. not to praise yourself at the expense of others, not to indulge in idle speech, idle talk, and generally not to generate ill will through the mouth, or delusion through the mouth,

[14:29]

lies through the mouth. This is the stuff that, of course, is bad for everyone, but it really hurts yourself. It's interesting because the Eightfold Path is about how we practice, how each individual practices. So what we do that looks like we're harming others is actually detrimental to our own practice. For some people, it's enough to know that our harming of others is not so good. But when we know that it's not good for ourselves, then it's easier to do something about it. So, knowing how to control the mouth, conducive to the bedrock of practice, conduct.

[15:36]

This comes under the heading of right conduct. And the fourth one is right action. This is right in the center of conduct. This is the centerpiece of conduct, right action. This is actions which, refraining from actions which create bad karma. So action, karma means volitional action. This is what Buddha said. Action which are intentional. Actions which spring from desire. So, we always have to be very careful about our actions which spring from desire, from intention, from volition.

[16:38]

These are the actions which cause us so much suffering. Actions which We don't, you know, just come out of our desire, but which are not thought out, because since we don't, since we're not, don't see the result, we just go ahead and do something. But the result comes around, you know. And then later, why did that happen to me, you know? So, or why did that happen to somebody else? So our actions, of course, we are the owners of our karma. So strictly speaking, we do bad things to others, and there are lots of events in the world that affect our life. But strictly speaking, our karma is the action, volitional action which we do, which causes suffering for ourself, and also causes suffering for others, as a secondary cause.

[17:48]

sometimes a primary cause. Our actions, even though we can't see the result, always come back to us in some way. The fifth one is right livelihood. So it's interesting, livelihood, the way we do, the way we support ourself is included in this. And there are various ways to support ourself, that we're supported. For a layperson, it means not to do, not to support yourself through ways that cause suffering to others, not to deal in weapons, not to sell intoxicants, not to deal in slavery of one kind or another.

[19:14]

That's a big one. to actually engage in some kind of work that promotes and benefits yourself and others. This is right livelihood. And for a monk, it means relying strictly on practice for your livelihood. In countries where monks are supported by the laity, The monks have no money, no possessions, they just do their monk's work. Then they go do their alms round and people support them. So in our meal chant, we say, does our virtual practice deserve this food?

[20:14]

This comes directly from, this is monk's practice. does our virtue and practice, the only thing that they have to rely on for their food is their virtue and practice. That's their work. So, in order to be supported, they have to practice hard. Hopefully. Anyway, that's their means of, that's the way it's done. And so it's very meaningful for a monk. And so these three, right speech, right action, and right livelihood, this is the basis of practice. Suzuki Roshi always used to say, you have to get your life in order in order to practice. You have to get your life together in order to practice. There has to be some foundation for practice.

[21:16]

It's very difficult to be kind of racing around at loose ends and then once in a while rush into the zendo to calm down. Or when you're feeling bad, you know, you rush into the zendo. Or when you're feeling real good, you know. You have to have some basis for practice and your life has to be together. I don't say it has to be. to practice, if we really want to practice our life, it's a lot easier. Our life is together. And if our work is together, our means of support is together, and our actions are not contrary to our practice, and if we're truthful in all our dealings, then it's easy to settle.

[22:19]

And so leading a settled life is conducive to being settled in the Zendo. So the Zendo practice and daily life practice should be the same and support each other. so that there are not two different things going on. So the next factor, six, is right effort. The reason these are called right is because it means correct for the past. There are all kinds of thinking and effort and so forth. But the word right is put in front of each one, because it means the way to do the path, the right effort for the path.

[23:26]

So, effort is energy. whole body and mind to do something intentionally. Gathering together both body and mind to do something wholeheartedly. And so that effort is behind whatever we're doing. And it's put into the meditation group So effort, mindfulness, and concentration are like the three strands of a rope, which make it very strong, and the three reinforce each other. Mindfulness is, there's a lot to say about mindfulness, but it means bear attention.

[24:44]

In meditation, mindfulness means just bare attention. It also means the attentiveness to keep waking up. So mindfulness means being awake and aware, but without any overlay. It means the mind which sees everything allows us to see everything just as it is. This is mindfulness. Usually our mind is always wandering. We think we're present. We feel that we're present. But we're not present in samadhi. We may be present in dreaming. or present in thinking, or present in discussion, but we're not always present in samadhi, which is just being here, now, without anything.

[25:59]

So this is the essence of mindfulness, is to just be mindful of thusness. or emptiness, or interdependence, or things as they are. And it also brings us to the question, what am I doing? What am I doing is mindfulness. What is this is mindfulness. So when we start to dream, mindfulness says, what are you doing? Wake up, come back to just this present moment over and over and over and over again. Mindfulness is a really tireless worker with boundless energy because this effort

[27:05]

And concentration is the one-pointedness of the mind, which embraces its object. It's the unwaveringness. But concentration has to be supported by effort. Concentration, which is not supported by effort, tends to sleepiness, or slothfulness, or tends to drop. And at that point it can be called spacing out. Spacing out is a kind of concentration, but it's a dreamy concentration. It doesn't have energy behind it to be awake in the present.

[28:13]

So the concentration to be awake in the present has to be infused with energy so that it stays with the object, or stays with the subject. So this is what we experience in Zazen. Good concentration, good mindfulness, and good effort. And when the effort's gone, when the mindfulness is gone, and when the concentration is gone, it's just dreaming around. Mindfulness keeps it all together. Mindfulness is the bridge between energy or effort and concentration. And concentration, right concentration, let's put it this way,

[29:27]

the conduct group, the middle group, which is right speech, right action, and right livelihood, is the support for the concentration group, the foundation, and the Concentration group is the support for the wisdom group. And the wisdom group is the support for all of it. So each one of them is intertwined with the others. They're all together. All eight together are necessary and mutually supporting. and mutually enhancing. Then there are the five hindrances to meditation, or to practice, actually.

[30:51]

And five hindrances are desire, under the heading of sometimes lust or just grasping for things. When we start getting ideas or images in our mind of what we want, then our concentration on the present just goes out the window. Sometimes we sit inside thinking about what we want, you know, something else. At that time, it's out the window. It's really hard to stay centered when we have this kind of stuff going on. Oh, isn't she beautiful? Or isn't he handsome?

[31:53]

Isn't that a great car? Isn't this a wonderful stereo? I wish I was eating ice cream. And then the second hindrance is ill will, aversion, anger. As soon as anger comes up, everything is gone. Calm mind is gone. So, one is grasping and the other is aversion. And these are the two biggest polarities that we have in our life. Grasping and aversion. And when we get caught by either one, we can't sit. Zazen is not possible when we're caught by them.

[33:04]

They do come up, but to be able to let them come and go is okay. But to harbor ill will or to harbor grasping desire, either one blocks our ability to practice. well. But nevertheless, we have to practice with them. So we take them along with us. And they become part of our practice. And they actually help us. If we know how to let them, they actually help our practice. And then the third one is sloth and torpor. Depressed states of mind.

[34:07]

Lazy states of mind. Vacuous states of mind. A state of mind in which we cannot motivate ourselves. It's a big hindrance. And the fourth one is restlessness and anxiety and agitation and worry. Restlessness is not being able to settle anywhere, inability to settle anywhere. Always having to move. Always having to adjust yourself.

[35:16]

And worrying too much about what you did, and what's coming next, and how will things be, and so forth. A little bit of that is necessary, but we tend to put ourselves into a bind, you know? Worry creates worry. Anxiety creates anxiety. Restlessness creates restlessness. It's just an ongoing thing. So, worry and flurry and restlessness and being stuck in there, not being able to get out. It means unnecessary worry. It's necessary to worry about some things, but something that just goes on and on. So these sloth and torpor and restlessness and worry are two opposites also to be avoided.

[36:19]

And then the fifth one is skeptical doubt. Doubt is OK. It's necessary to have doubt. But skeptical doubt is doubt which has no redeeming quality. It just says, I don't believe that, and I don't think this is ever going to be right. It's the down, always the down side of things, always being caught by the down side of things and never having any faith. It's the opposite of faith. is optimistic, and faith is seeking light. But faith, seeking light, there are lots of lights, and faith wants to seek the true light, but there are all these other lights that are attractive to it. So sometimes faith gets lost in being attracted to all these other lights that are not the real light, not what it's really seeking.

[37:29]

kind of like a moth, you know, getting attracted to the light bulb. And he said, don't do that, you stupid moth. Can't you see that's not the light that you're seeking? So doubt is the kind of anchor or rudder for faith. He said, don't do that. Maybe that's not a good idea over here. to check things out. Doubt checks things out for faith. And then says, OK, try this. So they really go together. Faith and doubt are very much linked up. And when they work well together, things are going well for you. But skeptical doubt is a hindrance, because it won't allow faith. It just won't allow faith to come skeptical doubters, people who just won't allow faith to come up and so they get into really bad states of mind, cause a lot of trouble.

[38:51]

So these hindrances come up in all of us and one or another of them mostly to have the firm conviction of practice. And so that when they do come up, you have something strong enough, the practice is strong enough to not be held back by them. That's the main thing. People say sometimes, well, when anger comes up, what shall I do? Well, you can tell somebody what to do, but it won't help. Because unless you practice all the time what to do with it, Your mind is not in a state to deal with it when it comes up. So you may say, well, drop it. Well, how can I do that? But if you practice dropping it, if you practice that continually, then when it comes up, you have a way to deal with it.

[40:01]

But if you don't practice it all the time, then when it comes up, somebody says, well, drop it. How can I do that? You can't. So, we have to practice with these qualities continually. Then, when anger comes up, you know what to do with it, because you're practicing with it. You're practicing letting go. The practice of a Zen student is always continually let go. Just let go of everything. It doesn't mean that you don't do anything, or take up something, but it's the practice of non-attachment. When anger comes up, of course it comes up, but practice of a Zen student is non-attachment to anger.

[41:05]

So if you're continually practicing non-attachment, and what that means, then when it comes up, you have some way to deal with it. You know what you're doing. It's like driving a car. You learn how to drive a car and you practice it. But if you tell somebody who's never driven a car, get in there and drive. It's not so easy. People are not dealing with this when it comes up. They don't know what to do. So practice is continuous, no end, no let up. So, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

[42:35]

That's what we're dealing with. We're dealing with all the factors. And if we're good, we'll be fed. If we're doing practice as good, we'll be fed. So we're practicing right livelihood as well. So I don't want to keep you any longer. Thank you.

[43:07]

@Text_v004
@Score_JJ