Today is the last talk of the year. After today, Vizenda will be closed until New Year's Eve, when everyone's invited to sit from 8.30 through midnight. And we sit just past the AK-47s and the firecrackers. So you're all welcome to come on New Year's Eve from about 8.30 and you can come at any time that you want and we'll be sitting. So I want to say something about give us some encouragement for the new year.

[01:01]

And what comes to my mind is Dogen Zenji's Bodhisattva's Four Ways of Beneficial Actions, how Bodhisattva benefits beings in four different ways. The first way is through generosity, giving. And second is through loving speech, kind speech. And the third is called beneficial action, doing beneficial things for people. And the fourth is identity. action. Identity action means to realize that there's no difference between yourself and others, even though everyone is completely different.

[02:11]

So I'm going to talk about these four. Dogen says that giving, or dana, is non-greed. Greed, of course, is one of the three poisons, one of the three poisonous roots of causing harmful karma. Greed, hate and delusion are called the three poisons. And in order to free ourselves from the poison of greed, to be generous.

[03:25]

So generosity is of course something that we do for others, but it also benefits ourselves. And Generosity, you know, it's easy to give things. Sometimes we feel if we give things to people, that's enough. But actually, sometimes giving things is an excuse for withholding ourself. The main point, you know, is how we give ourself. Sometimes, as Dogen says, just a leaf, just offering a leaf, is of great benefit. It's the way, the spirit with which something is given that makes the difference.

[04:33]

And so to offer material things is very good, but actually it's only a vehicle. What's really important, I think, in the world is circulation. To hang on to anything causes disease. dis-ease and disease, to keep things circulating, to keep goods circulating, to keep money circulating, to, you know, sometimes people give us things, sometimes people give me things, and I'm kind of, I have the burden of things. Thank you very much. Now what will I do with this?

[05:40]

Where's my wall space? So, sometimes I give these things away and I feel very free to do that. If you give me something, I want you to know that I may give it away and keep it circulating. So, it's like the body, you know. The body is a microcosm of the world. And in order to keep it healthy, we have to keep it flowing, not let something get caught in here, both in our body and mind. So I think that generosity is just the natural way to keep everything healthy. Giving is just the natural way to keep ourselves and people around us and the world around us healthy.

[06:42]

So in a way it's somewhat impersonal. And the reward for giving is health. That things stay healthy. When the blood is flowing smoothly through the body, the body is healthy. When the mind is not captivated by opinions and resentments and anger and so forth, the mind stays healthy. So to help keep our own body-mind healthy and help others to keep their body-mind healthy and the environment healthy and the economy healthy, everyone has to benefit, has to flow, has to be a flow and a benefit for everyone.

[07:47]

I was really struck when I was in Japan in November, yeah, last month, that they figured out a way. Not everybody is, you know, it's not perfect, but they have a way of funneling money back through everyone. Everyone has something, you know. It's not a communist country. But everyone has money, and lots of money, and the money just, you know, everywhere. And you don't have the, although there are people in the parks, I have seen some people in the parks, but, you know, the common people have money, and everybody's spending. And it just flows through the whole system.

[08:50]

And the whole system is flowing. And even though the Japanese are not as wealthy as they were, it still works. And it works very well. You know, people, when they come to a temple, they give an offering. You don't come to a temple and visit a temple. a priest, say, or somebody who is involved with temples. When you visit, you always leave money. But then when they visit you, they leave money. So everybody's leaving everybody else something. It's not like you leave money and then you're out, you know? Something comes back to you. So there is this feeling of generosity that flows. There's no stinginess at all. I never found any stinginess at all, or any coveting. Just a freely flowing... That's my experience.

[09:53]

Others may have a different experience, but that's my experience. It's quite wonderful. I remember Suzuki Roshi talking about money. He gave a talk on money at the time. And he said something like that, like, when the money is flowing evenly through the economy and everybody's benefiting by it because it keeps coming back to everyone, then you have a healthy society, at least economically. And when you have a healthy society economically, your mind is free, much freer. So people are not suffering so much. So just the attitude of generosity is what creates generosity. If we cultivate the attitude of generosity, it actually can change our environment, change the world. It has that power.

[10:55]

And the next one, kind speech. Dogen says, there's an old saying, when you meet someone, or when you leave someone after meeting them, you say, please treasure yourself. And we sometimes we say, please take care of yourself, you know, but please treasure yourself is I remember when I used to be a taxi driver in San Francisco and I used to, in the Mission there are all these Irish bars and I used to love to go to the Irish bars to pick people up because they have a way of speaking which is Old English, you know, very kind, very kind speech.

[12:02]

It's just part of the language. And I realized it's part of our language which we dropped a long time ago in the name of efficiency. We kind of pared down our language to be really efficient rather than taking the time or being able to express an endearing feeling to people. But I've always been very struck by that. Some part of our language just seems so ancient, and there it was, you know, when people really expressed their feelings. And, you know, in the precepts, there are four precepts about speech. In the ten prohibitory precepts, or clear mind precepts, there are four precepts about speech.

[13:10]

One is not to lie, not to have false speech. And the other is not to find fault with others, not to Be a fault finder, always looking for the fault. People are always looking for the fault. Sometimes we look for the fault in order to make ourselves correct. If we find fault with someone, it makes us more right, which is not a very good way to find yourself correct. because it's a dualistic correctness and it's always over and against something else. In order for you to be right, something else has to be wrong. And then,

[14:16]

Not praising yourself at the expense of others. Not raising yourself up and comparing yourself to people in a vertical way. And the fourth one is not to abuse the three treasures. Sometimes people, when we get into a position where practice becomes difficult and we start looking for fault and we look to the practice and we say, I don't think it's me, I think it's Buddhism. That's the problem. You have to be very careful.

[15:29]

The third one, well, let me see. So anyway, kind speech, Dogen says, has the power to turn the nation. One of the problems with speech is that when it's reactive, someone calls us a name and then we call them a name back. Someone insults us and we feel hurt and then we insult them back. And pretty soon it's just going back and forth and back and forth. And somewhere it has to stop, you know, not be taken up. When someone insults you, even though it hurts, you have to let it go. That's very difficult. But that's practice. It is practice.

[16:36]

To not hang on and become the prisoner of that which comes to you. Something comes and then we catch it. And then we hang on to it. whatever we hang on to controls us. So we're controlled by greed, we're controlled by anger, and we're controlled by delusion. So it's important to cultivate the practice of giving up. This is called renunciation, actually. True renunciation is not to hang on to anything, not to be captivated by anything, not to be captivated by the anger in your own mind.

[17:42]

We say, save all sentient beings. How do we save all sentient beings? Well, we have to save the sentient beings of our own mind. Sixth Ancestor says, it's not that I'm going to save all of you, it's that I have to save all the sentient beings of my own mind. The angry mind, the resentful mind, the lustful mind, the avaricious mind, There's one person that you can really work with, and that's this one. All those minds are sentient beings. So we have to realize, when we realize how we're captivated by our own mind,

[18:52]

held prisoner actually by our own mind, then we're able to let go more easily of our self-imposed chains. You know, Eka came to Bodhidharma and he said, Please help me free my mind." And Bodhidharma said, well, show me this mind that wants freedom. Produce it. He said, well, I can't produce it. He said, then what are you talking about? All of our captivity is self-imposed, even though we think it comes from outside.

[19:58]

So if we practice kind speech, sometimes we don't want to. You know, I don't want it. But if we practice it, it helps us to free our mind. It really helps us to free our mind. and helps others and has great power. If I yell at my son, I set up a confrontation, but if I speak very gently, he'll do what I ask him. It's that simple. So beneficial action is the third one. Beneficial action is what we do for people, but it must be done without the sense of I am doing something, without the sense of reward, and without

[21:23]

being attached to the result or the fruits of your actions. As soon as we want something from it, it's like putting our foot in it. So just to, you know, do something for the benefit of, because it's there to be done. We want to do beneficial action, you know. Gee, look at all the people I helped. Well, it reduces the benefit. To just be able to do what's in front of you, because it's something that has to be done. And if we worry about the result, we get very discouraged because there are things that have to be done that are so enormous that we get discouraged and we don't do them.

[22:38]

What is my action, my little action, going to help? Why should I go and vote? What's my one vote? when there are millions and millions of votes. But it's like one drop of water, you know? One drop of water after the next drop of water to not be discouraged by something small that you have to do. And you just do it. And you don't worry about the result. It's something that you have to do. You should go out and vote just because that's what you have to do. And it makes a difference. So just doing small things make a big difference. Some small thing that you do will make a big difference. And if it becomes your habit, then it's cultivating good habits.

[23:45]

Just for the sake of cultivating that good habit is enough. So to do something just for the sake of its being done will help others and will help you without you worrying about who's being helped. Sometimes we think, if I give too much, I'll be depleted. This is an erroneous thought, a delusive thought. The more that we give, the less we have. And the less we have, the more we can receive. So if you understand that, then you really don't want to keep anything. So greed is

[24:48]

the delusion that if you have a lot, that you'll have something. But actually, the more you have, the more you close yourself off. You don't leave yourself space for movement or for openness. The emptier you are, the more full you can be. It's just, if you think about it. I remember when I was a painter and I would think, shall I give everything I have to this painting or shall I hold some part of this idea for the next one? That doesn't work. You have to give yourself everything you have completely to this one and not worry about the next one. The next one will take care of itself. Or maybe there won't be a next one.

[25:50]

So what? The next one is called identity action. Identity action is to realize the non-difference between yourself and others. And if you keep your mind open and free, it's like the ocean. The ocean which receives all the streams. Each one of us is Buddha nature, expressed in numerous, innumerable unique ways as you and me. And when our mind is completely open, when our heart is completely open, then we can receive everything.

[26:51]

In Zazen, we let go of everything and our mind and heart is just completely open. And zazen includes everything. Zazen is not an isolation activity. Even though we do it in zendo, it's not an isolation activity. It's a complete opening to everything. If you sit on the cushion, isolating yourself, it's not zazen. So I was in this identity action. You're one with everything. And from this understanding of being one with everything, you can relate to your environment.

[27:55]

So this is how we extend our practice into the world. From this openness, we enter the world with open hands, open heart, and open mind. Non-judgmental. Not separate. And several years ago, I was wondering how we could do some kind of social action coming from our practice together. And I knew that the door-to-day people needed some help feeding the homeless people.

[29:03]

And I wanted us to connect with them, and we did. We helped them, and several of us, several people started serving meals in conjunction with the Dorothy Day people. Because this is what they do all the time, and they're set up to do this, and I thought, well, we could participate with them somehow. And so we started doing that. I myself was too busy, regretfully, because of my things I had to do. But we invited them to use our kitchen to cook, to do the morning meal. And they did that for a while, but then they got another kitchen. And then from that, we started doing a homeless meal once a month for the men's shelter. There is a wonderful men's shelter across from the park by Berkeley High in the federal building, I think it is.

[30:13]

And so we've been serving a meal once a month. And now I'm thinking that it'd be nice to do it twice a month. Once a month is kind of token. I think twice a month is more involvement. And I think it's a really easy way for the Sangha to do some social, some benefit for people. who really have nothing. One of the problems is that it takes money and people. I really would like to encourage participation of people if we do it twice.

[31:18]

It costs about between $75 and $100, something like that, to produce a meal. And I was trying to think about, well, maybe we could ask some business to contribute something like that, which would be easy. But if anybody would like to contribute a meal, I'd like to encourage that, or even donate something for part of a meal. We talked about it last night. We had the meal last night. We served the meal last night, and I asked Greg to be the treasurer. If anybody wanted to make a contribution,

[32:21]

they could make it to Greg. And he said that even though he can't keep track of his own finances, that he would be willing to try. Don't make the check out to me. Yes, then you can, it can be a tax write-off. If you make it out to the Berkeley Zen Center, it can be a tax write-off. I have one more year as abbot at San Francisco, which I'm supposed to slowly and gracefully, little by little, withdraw. and put more energy here. And so I want to help stimulate this particular activity, which is pretty easy for us, actually.

[33:24]

It's a setup. And I don't know what else. We have people who do social action activities. And if people are interested in doing that, there are ways that we can help to steer you into that. It's great to serve there, I must say, these 60, about 65 men. It'd be nice to do it for women too, but we just, this is what we have been offered, so this is what we're dealing with. And each one of them has kind of wonderful character. When you meet these people, you realize how intelligent they are. Sweet, you know. They're so appreciative. And they're on their, you know, best, putting forth their best manners, you know.

[34:29]

So they come up to you in line, and they bless you, and they thank you, and with real sincerity. And last night we sat down and ate with them. And just having conversation with them, you know, and they're very curious about, what kind of organization is this? It's not Christians. It's not, are you Jewish? Well, Zen. Zen, huh? Some people kind of know, and some people don't. But they're very curious. Meditation, there's one guy, if you look at him, you'd think this is the guy from the dregs of the earth. And yet, the guy was so intelligent and knew, he knew exactly what we were talking about. And he was telling me, His understanding was incredible.

[35:38]

I remember there was one guy who was saying that they're allowed to stay there for 30 days, and they're supposed to be finding a place of their own within that 30 days. If they keep looking, then they get an extension. Some people are living there an extended way. So this one guy was saying how he was finding this apartment. And he said it had two bedrooms. And I said, oh, well, you could rent out one room. And he said, yeah, but I'm going to rent it out to a lady. And I said, well, you want to make sure she has money. I was just joking with him, you know. And he said, yeah, and a good job, and blah, blah. And then this other guy said, Make sure she has a good heart. I really have this feeling that through the difficulties that these guys are having, they're old men, young guys, you know, really young guy and middle, every range of person you can think of.

[37:01]

And this experience of being homeless and destitute really helps shape their character. So I really encourage you to come and do this. Participate and see what these people have to offer. Actually, it's very gratifying. Really gratifying experience. So I want to promote this and these four bodhisattva practices going into the new year. Do you have any questions? Yes. How do you draw a line between being of giving nature and being taken advantage of by others?

[38:04]

Well, one must be watchful and open at the same time. You know, you don't want to be foolish, right? But on the other hand, if you're really generous, nobody can steal anything from you. I do have things that I don't want people to steal. I really do. On the other hand, when something is gone that you want, then you find out where you were at. Sometimes it may be a relief. I remember Suzuki Roshi saying, these are my glasses that you've given me.

[39:17]

They really don't belong to me, but I'm very happy to have them. I remember Eiken Roshi saying, I really don't own anything, but this is the typewriter that I use all the time, and I really feel bad if you took it from me. I really don't want you to take it from me, because I use this. But it doesn't belong to me. We say, this is mine, but actually nothing belongs to us. And when we get the possessive feeling that this belongs to me, then we're caught by the thing that belongs to me. So the main thing is, do you want to be caught or not?

[40:20]

If you like being caught, then fine. But if, you know, if the main thing to you is your freedom, then we have to be willing to give up. And sometimes it's hard, you know, because we like being caught. Also, last night, you gave a name to the committee, the Dana Committee. Oh, yes. You said we'd have a committee. As we stood around in the kitchen. We'd have a committee, which was a little bit independent of the Sangha, right? So that it could work independently. I said, oh, call it the Dana Committee. That's a tentative name. Anyway, the committee is there and active and knows how to do its present work. And we'll meet occasionally. Certainly, right now, it's all centered around the work at the kitchen. But it doesn't have to be solely that.

[41:24]

And I guess we'll be, from time to time, we'll be a meeting. And people are interested in what is done. Well, I think it's really, you know, It's the people who are, you know, it's people like us, some of us, the monks and sort of, not quite monks, but the practitioners, are offering meals to these other people who are also not quite monks, but who, some by choice and some by circumstance, have relinquished everything, or everything has been relinquished for them.

[42:53]

And so the meals, our culture rather than to impose some other culture on them. Right. Oh, yes? I think you should call it the Peace Meal Committee. Peace Meal? Okay. Yes? In some ways it's easier to give material things than it is to give our emotional availability.

[44:07]

And for others it's easier to give emotional availability than material things. But it occurs to me that there's a kind of bind that I feel of re-approaching with an open heart. Some person has had a very toxic connection to me. Absolutely. Well, actually, even when punishing someone to keep an open heart, I think that's the key to bodhisattva activity, is that there's always an open heart, which doesn't exclude acting in a rational way with people.

[45:12]

Sometimes you have to punish someone, and sometimes you have to do something else. But you always do it with an open heart, which just sounds like a contradiction, but it's not. The mother, no matter what kind of or difficulty they have with a child, always loves the child. Hopefully. Okay. Can you give an example of the Irish kind of speech? Oh, yeah. Well, let's see. Well, they say, well, my sweet brother or, you know, my

[46:27]

I can't really recall it exactly. I saw a film yesterday called Sense and Sensibilities, which takes place in 17th or 18th century England, maybe 19th century, but it's the same kind of speech. It's a wonderful film. They say things like, may I have your permission to ask you a question? Would it be too much trouble if... would you be so kind to... I really recommend it if you're interested in that. Always be respectful of the other person and their sensibilities. I'm trying to think about it, but it just slipped my mind. It has to be kind of spontaneous. When I was talking about it, I could have done it, but I can't do it now. Thank you. It's time.

[47:34]

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