I vow to taste the truth of the Tathagatas' words. Good morning. Before I begin, I want to, if you have any questions about what I've talked about so far, Mary asked me a question. You didn't hear it. Her question was, what was it about When I began my talks, I said that the Platform Sutra was the first Zen book that I'd ever read.

[01:09]

And she said, well, what was it that interested me about it? Something like that, right? What really struck you, yeah. What really struck me. Because I heard you say before that you felt like it was kind of what got you started in practice. It opened my mind to practice. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, probably 1962 or three. I had been reading the Martin Buber's Hasidic Tales. And that was, that enlightened me to a certain extent. And I was introduced to, actually the same person that gave me the copy of the platform sutra introduced me to this man, his name was Mr. Williams, and he had a large man with a white beard.

[02:15]

And he was interested in all kinds of Asian things, philosophy. And so he introduced me to meditating, like meditating watching a candle or some object, something like that, watching my breathing. And so I liked that. But this was before Suzuki Roshi. And then when I got the copy of the Platform Sutra, I think what I was, I was taken with the autobiography. I didn't understand the rest of it, but I was taken with the autobiography and it seemed, it kind of fit like with the Hasidic tales in some way.

[03:17]

And so I've always felt like the Hasidic tales are kind of like the Zen of Judaism. Very similar kind of unorthodox orthodoxy. So there was a parallel there, and I just really enjoyed the autobiography a lot. And then later, when I was introduced to Sokoji Temple on Bush Street, and Suzuki Roshi, Suzuki Roshi was my Hasidic teacher. It's true. Susan Moon makes these little booklets, and she made one about this Catholic priest.

[04:21]

And when I read this little booklet about the Catholic priest, he said in the 60s, he was at Page Street, or I guess it was Sokoji at that time. No, Page Street. Zen Center, and watching Suzuki Roshi give a talk, he said he thought of an old Jewish patriarch. He said, what I saw was an old Jewish patriarch. Very interesting. So anyway, that's kind of like, So, did you have any other questions? Luke? Yesterday, you were talking about that we could help people, not that we're judging them.

[05:28]

Okay. Yeah. There are two things there. One is, who gives instruction? And the other is, what about the rest of us? Something like that. How do the rest of us give instruction? Because actually, every one of us is giving instruction all the time. Every single one of us is giving instruction all the time. We're training each other every time we meet or just sit next to each other. We're training each other in how to respond to us. and how to respond to the practice. There's a continuous, this is what's called training, without thinking that it's training.

[07:05]

So, without being formal, without being formal, so... Our postures, our ways of moving, and our ways of relating, without having to say anything, is where our training takes place with each other. This is the virtue of Sangha practice. The training is taking place all the time, but we don't always see that. And so we sometimes allow ourselves to get angry and upset and so forth, not realizing that everything we do is a training, we're either training others or training ourself. So the basic training takes place through example.

[08:11]

So, when you are practicing, when you are thoroughly practicing mindfully and carefully and thoughtfully, that transmits the practice to everyone. So, If we want to be a teacher, we should act like a student. We should act like, not what does it take to be a good teacher, but what does it take to be a good student? And when we're practicing as a good student, I don't like to use the word good, but I'll use it, then you're teaching. And then, when you have the quality of practicing as a mature student, then you have the possibility of being a quote-unquote teacher.

[09:26]

But just to want to be a teacher and read books and think that by reading the books you're a teacher, that doesn't work. It's the maturity of how you behave yourself, how you actually move and are aware of what's going on around you. how you help other people without even helping. I'll never get through this book. I've never gotten through this book. Although I've taught this many times. So I've selected the chapter on Prajna, Prajnaparamita. I was just going to say, today, I was, you know, usually we're doing a pinion, we get to the door,

[10:32]

Yes. So, yeah, we learned from each other. So the thing we have to understand is that we're transmitting something all the time. So it can be, we can be transmitting something beneficial or we can be transmitting something which is not beneficial. So whatever we do, we're transmitting. It's being picked up. And in a sangha, which is very tight, Whatever anybody does affects everybody else. You may not think so.

[11:48]

You may think, there's the Sashin, and I'm coming to it. But actually, you're creating the conditions by attending. So it's your Sashin. It's your Sashin. You are in some way making it all work. Everyone that's sending Sashin makes it work. And someone else, someone leaves. This is why typically in the Sashin, nobody leaves. You come to the beginning and you stay till the end, no matter what. But of course, we can't do that anymore because of our situation. So we have a modified way of doing Sashin, which is as best you can, because we have to work, and we have family, and obligations, and so forth. It used to be everybody had to come and say, sheen, we're getting to end.

[12:49]

That's nice. So whatever anybody does affects everybody else. Even with this modified attendance, same thing. Your coming and going affects everybody else. But it's okay. Just be mindful. Like when we walk in the door and people are sitting zazen, you don't rush to your seat because you're late. Or you wanna tell somebody something, so you rush down the aisle. You have to blend with the atmosphere of the zendo. So when you open the door, I'm late. Just be embarrassed. No problem. Slowly, carefully walk to your seat. Yeah. That way of being.

[14:17]

or they increase to the signal that they will bring out their jugular. But some people bow and some people don't. Standing bow before. He's talking about the, wait a minute, after the incense offering. Yes. Then you bow, you step back and you bow and there's the first Bow to bow, and then ding, da-da-da-da-da-da, ding. In gasho, but they don't bow. Well, we're going to reprimand them. The ones who do bad.

[15:42]

What should we do? It seems like one of those situations when it's not transmitted and I'm not sure. You don't know if you should say something, right? You don't know if you should say something. Well, yeah, something like that. I can't see what's happening behind me. Not yet. But, you know, there's a problem with people telling people what to do. And so we have designated people that can correct or instruct people. Alan, Ross, and Tamar. So if you see something going on that's not right, you should talk to one of them, and then they can talk to the person.

[16:54]

Rather than everybody giving their opinion to somebody, that's what people don't like. If they know that this person is designated to say something, then we feel okay. But if just some joke comes up and says, you're not doing that right, blah, blah, blah, people don't like it, that's no good. So that's the way we do it. Even though not everybody knows that. So I appreciate your reminding us. So nobody, you know, in every situation here, there's always somebody who doesn't do it right. And often it's me. So, and you know, sometimes somebody will come up and say, you know, you're not doing that right. Thank you. Something, but so there's always something wrong. If I corrected everybody for everything they did that I didn't think was right on, I'd go crazy.

[17:57]

You know, I wouldn't have anything else to do. So we just kind of let things work. And at some point, I say, let's have a training. And then six months later, we do that. Alan? Yeah, and then the people who come to the training are not the ones here. Also, you know, typically we don't, although we're a pretty inviting kind of place, typically a Zen establishment is not so inviting.

[19:49]

And so people are, new people have to find their way in. And if they're easily rebuffed, you know, they have to try again sometimes. maybe next lifetime, but we invite people in. We're much more, you know, but the reason for that is that you have to find your way. That's the practice. You have to find your way through observation and because typically people don't tell you what to do. And you kind of stumble around and you observe what's happening. This is Japanese practice. This is the way I was taught. And you're just not taught anything, you have to observe. And I was never taught how to do the service. I just observed. And so I kind of knew what to do through observation.

[20:54]

And that's the basis, actually, of practice. People say, well, you don't talk to me very much. You don't tell me much. That's true. You have to learn through observation. And so that's your effort. And it's on purpose. I was taught very little. Yeah, I think that's right.

[22:16]

So if you have a problem with somebody, if you have a problem with somebody, then talk to somebody who can deal with it, who is assigned to deal with it. The worst, you know, one of the most prominent critical area is the kitchen. The food. Food is like the lightning rod for criticism. I've seen tens of us run away in tears from criticism. So all of us have an opinion about the food, about what we eat. But you don't go running to the tens of them and telling them this was good and that was rotten and so forth. If you have a problem, talk to somebody later.

[23:18]

Don't talk to the Tenzo. This can be discussed with the Tenzo, with somebody, in an objective way, but your criticism is subjective. Then it becomes a problem. Whenever we give criticism, it's subjective, and then we have a problem. So when we have criticism or have correction, it should be objective, without a subjective charge. When you said everybody that's got their assignment can leave. Excuse me.

[24:31]

The hat made me do it. Okay, so this particular long chapter, actually it's called Prajna, Prajna Paramita. The next day, this is right after he told his autobiography, It says, the next day, Prefect Y asked the patriarch to give another address.

[25:36]

Thereupon, having taken his seat and asked the assembly to purify their mind collectively and to recite the Maha Prajnaparamita Sutra, he gave the following address. So how do they purify their mind collectively? They sit in satsang and stop worrying about anything. Learned audience, the wisdom of enlightenment is inherent in every one of us. It is because of the delusion under which our mind works that we fail to realize it ourselves, and that we have to seek the advice and guidance of enlightened ones before we can know our own essence of mind. You should know that so far as Buddha nature is concerned, there is no difference between an enlightened person and an ignorant one. What makes the difference is that one realizes it while the other is ignorant of it.

[26:38]

Now let me talk to you about Maha Prajnaparamita so that each one of you can attain wisdom." So he's saying that although enlightenment is inherent in our essence of mind, and it's like the sun, and stupidity and so forth. So once that's cleared up, then enlightenment unfolds. Learned audience, those who recite the word prajna all day long do not seem to know that prajna is inherent in their own nature. But mere talking on food will not appease hunger. That's called the rice cake, right? Painting of a rice cake is hard to eat.

[27:40]

But mere talking on food will not appease hunger. And this is exactly the case with these people. We might talk on shunyata. which emptiness, of course, for myriads of kalpas, but talking done alone will not enable us to realize the essence of mind, and it serves no purpose in the end. When this was translated in the 30s, and up through the 40s, I guess, but the early translators used the term void, and later translators used the term emptiness. So we've kind of settled on emptiness rather than void. Void has a different connotation. The word Maha Prajnaparamita in Sanskrit means great wisdom to reach the opposite shore of the sea of existence. What we have to do is to put it into practice. Whether we recite it or not doesn't

[28:48]

without practice may be likened to a phantasm, a magical delusion, a flash of lightning, or a dew drop. This seems to come from the Diamond Sutra, if you're familiar with that. On the other hand, if we do both, then our mind will be in accord with what we repeat orally. Our very nature is Buddha, and apart from this nature, there is no other Buddha. So reciting and practicing. Every day we recite Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra, day in and day out. But because we practice, it all somehow penetrates, I hope. So he explains the meaning of the title. What is maha? It means great. The capacity of the mind is as great as that of space. It is infinite, neither round nor square, neither great nor small, neither green nor yellow, red, white, above, below, long, short, angry, happy, neither right nor wrong, neither good nor evil, neither first nor last.

[30:09]

So there's no way to, it includes everything and there's no way to describe it. All Buddha lands are as empty as space. Intrinsically, our transcendental nature is empty, and not a single dharma can be attained. It is the same with the essence of mind, which is a state of absolute emptiness. Learned audience, when you hear me talk about emptiness, do not at once fall into the idea of vacuity, because this involves the heresy of the doctrine of annihilation. So I talked about this yesterday a little bit, eternalism and annihilationism. Buddhism is not based on eternal or annihilation. These are terms that are not Buddhist. These are the two extremes.

[31:16]

of which Buddhism is the middle way. It is of the utmost importance that we should not fall into this idea, because when a person sits quietly and keeps the mind blank, that person will abide in a state of voidness of indifference. what not to do, what not to do in meditation. But it sounds like he's talking, saying we shouldn't do that, we shouldn't meditate. That's what it sounds like he's talking about, but it's not. He's talking about the wrong way, or the wrong way of doing meditation, to keep the mind blank. So, it is of the utmost importance that we should not fall under this idea because when a person sits quietly and keeps the mind blank, that person will abide in a state of voidness of indifference.

[32:28]

That's why when we sit, we don't sit to keep the mind blank. Even though we say, like a sheet of white paper, but the sheet of white paper or the screen of the movie has no special characteristics. But when the movie is shown, you don't see the screen. When the bird flies across the sky, the empty sky, then you see the empty sky. The empty sky takes on a form because of the bird. The bird makes the sky, the sky makes the bird. Emptiness is emptiness and form is form. But when the bird flies across the sky, form is emptiness, and emptiness is form. But keeping your mind blank is not what you strive for in zazen, although people still think that that's what we are trying to do.

[33:36]

I had all these thoughts going on in my mind during zazen. I'm so bad. Even though I say no, you will still think that, forever. Yeah, that's right. Well, he didn't say keep, he said, think neither good nor evil. He didn't say keep your mind blank. Okay, but he does say... Well, yeah, could be. Let's see what he says. Yes, well, okay. He had to say, keep your mind blank.

[34:49]

But I interpreted it as keep your mind empty. Keep your mind blank means different things. Keep your mind free from dualistic thinking, basically what he means. In other words, don't try thinking. Thinking happens. Don't purposely try to think. He says, cease. Yeah, cease thinking. Yeah, cease thinking. But that doesn't mean to keep your mind blank. Cease thinking doesn't mean to keep your mind blank. It means stop your discursive thinking. Stop discursive thinking, which is dualistic, of the conscious mind.

[36:03]

The scenery of your life. The scenery of your life. Well, if you try to stop thinking, that's a thought. So how can you stop thinking? It is a good question, but you know, we shouldn't get hung up on words. This is just a translation. Somebody else could translate it different. I would have translated it differently, frankly. This, I would have translated it differently. Yeah, you can. There's a wonderful phrase in there somewhere, he says, don't activate thoughts. Yes, that's actually what it means, don't activate thoughts.

[37:11]

Okay, so later, later, yeah, do you understand that? She's correct. But look, this is a different chapter, right? So, learned audience, what is sitting for meditation? In our school, to sit means to gain absolute freedom and to be mentally unperturbed in all outward circumstances. be they good or otherwise. To meditate means to realize inwardly the imperturbability of the essence of mind. So that means not trying to stop thoughts. Dogen always says, don't try to stop thoughts. That's not our practice. That's not Zazen. He says, stop all the movements of the conscious mind. which means what this lady just said. but it's translated as keep your mind blank, but keeping your mind blank is just the way this translator translated that term.

[39:05]

Okay, so the difference between aiming and keeping your mind in a certain way and ceasing or relaxing No, it just means stop thinking about things. Yes. Yes. It's like, let the thoughts come, but don't serve them tea. is not a blank mind. Each thought that arises in your mind becomes a subject of your satsang, but you don't follow it through.

[40:07]

But in the olden days, and still today maybe, a number of people were sitting with the intention of keeping the mind blank. as a practice, and this is what he's criticizing, actually. So he's actually criticizing this. So there's an inconsistency between these various chapters, but I don't think, when he says, keep your mind blank to the general, that's what he means. Stop your discursive thinking. And then when... Yes?

[41:16]

How far back? Oh yeah. Yeah, it wasn't really a meditation instruction, it was just saying ... Yeah, just clear your mind, in other words. Just clear your mind, yeah. Okay, so a learned audience.

[42:25]

The illimitable emptiness of the universe is capable of holding myriad things of various shape and form, such as the sun, the moon, stars, mountains, rivers, worlds, springs, rivulets, bushes, woods, good men, bad people, women, dharmas pertain to goodness or badness, devas, deva planes, hells, great oceans, blah, blah, blah. Space takes in all of these, and so does the voidness of our nature. We say that the essence of mind is great because it embraces all things, since all things are within our nature. When we see the goodness or the badness of other people, we are not attached to it and not repelled by it. not attached to it so that our attitude of mind is as void as space. In this way we say our mind is great, therefore we call it maha. In other words, everything, this is what Suzuki Roshi talks about all the time, big mind, that's what he calls this big mind, and it contains everything.

[43:31]

So big mind just includes everything, and he says this over and over again. So, even though we're critical and so forth, that should not dominate our attitude. Learned audience. What the ignorant merely talk about, the wise put into actual practice. There is also a class of foolish people who sit quietly and try to keep their mind blank. They refrain from thinking of anything at all and call themselves great. On account of their heretical view, we can hardly talk to them. Okay.

[44:39]

Learned audience, you should know that the mind is very great in capacity since it pervades the whole Dharmadhatu. When we use it, we can know something of everything, and when we use it to its full capacity, we shall know everything, all in one and one in all. When our mind works without hindrance and is at liberty to come or to go, then it is in a state of prajna. Learned audience, all prajna comes from the essence of mind and not from an exterior source. Have no mistaken notion about that. This is called self-use of the true nature. Once the tatata, suchness of the essence of mind is known, one will be free from delusion forever. Since the scope of the mind is for great objects, we should not practice such trivial acts as sitting quietly with a blank mind." So he's sitting over and over again. Do not talk about the emptiness all day without practicing it in the mind.

[45:42]

One who does this may be likened to a self-styled king who is really a commoner. Prajna can never be attained in this way, and those who behave like this are not my disciples. So then he says, what is prajna? It means wisdom. If at all times and in all places we steadily keep our thoughts free from foolish desire and act wisely on all occasions, then we are practicing prajna. One foolish notion is enough to shut it off, while one wise thought will bring it forth again. People in ignorance are under delusion to not see it. They talk about it with their tongue, but in their mind they remain ignorant. They're always saying that they practice prajna and they talk incessantly on emptiness, but they do not know the absolute emptiness. The heart of wisdom is prajna, which is neither form nor characteristic. If we interpret it in this way, then indeed it is the wisdom of prajna.

[46:44]

So what is paramita? It is a Sanskrit word meaning to the opposite shore. Figuratively, it means above existence and non-existence. So this is the big point, above existence and non-existence. Are you alive or dead? This has to do with birth and death. What is birth and what is death? We think birth is opposite of death, and death is the opposite of birth. But in birth, there's death, and in death, there is birth. So where do you draw the line? Where is the opposite shore? figuratively it means above existence and non-existence. By clinging to sense objects, existence or non-existence arises like the tip, like the up and down of the billowy sea, and such a state is called metaphorically this shore, in other words, the Saha world.

[48:01]

the undulating world of samsara. That's this shore. Well, by non-attachment, a state of above existence and non-existence, like smoothly running water, is attained, and this is called the opposite shore. This is why it is called paramita. Suzuki Roshi always said, when you know how to live on this shore, then you're already on the opposite shore. there's no some other place. This is why ta ta ta means suchness or just this as it is, never mind existence and non-existence or birth and death. People, learned audience, people under delusion recite the Mahaprajnaparamita with their tongues. And while they are reciting it, erroneous and evil thoughts arise. But if they put it into practice unremittingly, they realize its true nature. To know this dharma is to know the dharma of prajna.

[49:15]

And to practice this is to practice prajna. He who does not practice it is an ordinary person. And one who directs their mind to practice it, even for one moment, is the equal of Buddha. For an ordinary person, is Buddha, and defilement is Bodhi. A foolish passing thought makes one an ordinary person, while an enlightened second thought makes one a Buddha. A passing thought that clings to sense objects is klesha, while a second thought that frees one from attachment is Bodhi, or enlightenment. I will have to... Okay, learned audience, when we use prajna for introspection, we are illumined within and without, and in a position to know our own mind.

[50:36]

To know our mind is to obtain liberation. To obtain liberation is to attain samadhi and prajna. What is thoughtlessness? Which is called thoughtlessness. So what is thoughtlessness? Thoughtlessness is to see and to know all dharmas with a mind free from attachment. When we use it, when in use it pervades everywhere and yet it sticks nowhere. What we have to do is to purify our mind so that the six aspects of consciousness in passing through the six sense gates will neither be defiled by nor attached to the six sense objects. When our mind works freely without any hindrance and is at liberty to come and go, we attain samadhi, a prajna, or liberation. Such a state is called the function of thoughtlessness. But to refrain from thinking of anything so that all thoughts are suppressed is to be dharma ridden.

[51:37]

And this is an erroneous view. I know what you mean. Assumption about Buddhism? Well, is that a consideration of what he's trying to teach? Does all of this take place, for him, in the backdrop, with the backdrop of breathing? Sometimes, well, in the question mark. Are you talking about breathing in meditation? See, thinking in zazen, purposeful thinking in zazen, is to think the thought of zazen.

[52:46]

That's then, thinking has something to do. There's purposeful thinking in zazen. You think the thought of zazen. How do you think the thought of Zazen? Posture, breathing, attention, letting go. These are all thoughts of Zazen. So you're not sitting Zazen unconsciously. You're sitting Zazen consciously, purposefully, and with total involvement. Everything else can be a distraction, but you're not distracted by anything. Nothing can distract you unless you let it. And then breathing just takes care of itself. So paying attention to breath is purposeful action of the mind.

[53:51]

So there's plenty of thinking in zazen, but there's no need to think about anything else. but all these other things are trying to come in there, and you just let them come and go, because nothing can distract you. Everything comes and goes, and you're through your mind, like watching the river, watching the scenery from the train. So it's almost time. So he says, I'm just going to read this for you. Learned audience, I have a formless stanza for all of you to recite. Both laity and monks should put its teaching into practice, without which it would be useless to remember my words alone. my version of this poem, of this gatha of Huineng, that he says, this is how you practice Prajnaparamita.

[55:09]

The one who is a master of the Buddha Dharma and has realized their essence of mind may be likened to the bright sun in an empty sky. In other words, totally unrestricted and simply allowing the light to permeate without distinction of good and bad, right and wrong, or dualistic concepts. Such a one teaches nothing but the Dharma for realizing our self-nature, which is their purpose for being in the world and to make people aware of erroneous views. We can hardly classify a realization of the Dharma into sudden and gradual. Some will attain enlightenment more quickly than others. This way of realizing the essence of mind is above the comprehension of the ignorant.

[56:13]

We may explain it in 10,000 ways, But all those explanations may be traced back to one principle. In order to illuminate the dark dwelling place of the afflictions, we should constantly set up the light of wisdom. Erroneous views keep us in defilement, while right views remove us from it. But when we are in a position to let go of both of them, our mind is then pure. Bodhi is imminent in our essence of mind, and to attempt to look for it elsewhere is erroneous. With our impure mind, the pure mind is to be found. And once our mind is set right, we are free from defilements, evil karma, and karmic retribution. If we are treading the path of enlightenment, we need not be worried by stumbling blocks. Provided that we keep a constant eye on our own faults, we will not go astray from the right path.

[57:14]

Since every species of life has its own way of salvation, they will not interfere with or be antagonistic to one another. Therefore, if we leave our own path and seek some other way of salvation, we won't find it. And if we plot on until death overtakes us, we shall find only regret in the end. If you wish to find the true way, right action will lead it to you directly. But if you do not make any effort in the way, you will grope in the dark and never find it. One who treads the path in earnest sees not the faults of the world. If we find fault with others, we ourselves are in the wrong. When others are in the wrong, we should ignore it, for it is wrong for us to find fault. By letting go of the habit of fault-finding, we cut off a source of defilement. When neither hatred nor love disturb our mind, serenely we sleep. Those who intend to be the teachers of others should themselves be skilled in the various expedients which lead others to enlightenment.

[58:20]

When the disciple is free from all doubts, it indicates that their essence of mind has been found. The pure land of Buddha is in this world, within which enlightenment is to be sought. To seek enlightenment by separating from this world is as absurd as to search for the horns of a rabbit. Right views are called transcendental. Erroneous views are called worldly. When all views, right or erroneous, are let go of, then the essence of bodhi appears. This stanza is for the sudden school. It is also called the big ship of dharma for sailing across the ocean of existence. Kelpa after kelpa, a person may be under delusion, but once enlightened it takes but a moment to realize Buddhahood. I usually comment on all these lines, but we don't have time.

[59:14]

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