extraneous sounds that could be distracting. Not for me, of course. I've never distracted, so. It's wonderful to see you. I'm really sorry that I'm not physically in the Zenda with you. Rather, I'm about 150 feet away up in my attic office. I think as most of you know, I came down with COVID on immediately on my return from the International Network of Engaged Buddhist Conference in Korea. And I've been just reckoning with that for the last 11 days or so. That's not been fun.

[01:01]

I feel like, energetically, I've turned a corner. My fatigue is a little better. My direct respiratory symptoms are abating, and my state of mind is a little clearer. But, you know, really as careful as I could be for about three years and decided I really wanted to take the risk to participate in INEB and I'm glad I took the risk. If I was going to get COVID, I probably would not have got taken the risk, but it pays your money and it takes your choice. And that's the way it is. I wanted to say just in Bolts fashion, you know, I've had to cancel a lot of in-person things.

[02:16]

I was supposed to play Cajun music on College Avenue this afternoon. at a public, but we decided to cancel that. And I decided since I tested positive, still positive yesterday for some, you know, with the rapid antigen test, rather than take any kind of chances with my health, your health, and my friend Yassir's health, I've decided to postpone our class on Sufi and Zen perspectives on a good life. I'm going to put it back another week. So we'll actually have just two sessions on the 21st and the 28th. And that'll be on the website.

[03:18]

We need to change it on the website, actually. So these are disappointments, but are also part of our practice, whether we like it or not. Practice of having to let go of one's expectations, of one's wishes, and I think that, you know, a number of people are growing older, perhaps, and we're finding that this is an immutable law, it's not an option anymore. So like it or not, come to terms with our lives as they are, and enjoy our lives as they are, and really support each other and help each other.

[04:21]

So It's a crisp autumn day. Happy to have, I think, much of my family is downstairs. Dempo is here, and my sister-in-law, Debbie, is here. Sylvie and Cooper are downstairs. Lori's there. sipping from her blue cup. And so that's, I feel very held in that space and by you also that I see on the screen, BCC friends, old friends from different realms, different aspects of my life. So thank you. It's been a long time since actually I've given a lecture, since before Aspects of Practice.

[05:32]

And I had hoped, again, that I would do this in person. It's nice to look around. I see some of you who received lay ordination. It's the first time I've seen you actually wearing Kurokosus in this setting and it brings me a lot of joy to see that. So, as I said, my recovery is going as well as can be expected. What I want to talk about today is just give you a little report and sense of what I was doing in Korea. So this was the 1922, our first, the first conference of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists in three years.

[06:44]

And I've been going to these INEB conferences since 1992. And I think that was the, I was at the third conference and I've been going, been to almost all of them. I've missed a couple. And it's very important to me and very close to my heart. And I think that indirectly, It has been a, it's had an effect and influence on our community, on the shape of Buddhism in the West. And many of the friends that I've made there are among my closest Buddhist friends, gained contact over these 30 years.

[07:51]

Most of them were there. So the conference was in Korea. And I just, I have some slides. Sort of what, this is what Korea looked like. Let's see. Oh, what's happening here? Can you see that? You know, gorgeous season with the turning of the trees in a way that we don't see it here. And, you know, Korea itself is a, it's a very complex place. There's a lot of nature.

[08:53]

It's beautiful. It reminded me, it looked like Tennessee. You know, just these, a lot of rolling hills just with golden and red leaves turning in the season. Just beautiful. The other side of it is a third of the population lives in one city. Seoul, which is a and an old friend of mine who had been in the Peace Corps in Korea, when he returned to Korea, he returned to Korea a couple of years ago for a visit, and he was astonished because almost nothing that he remembered was still there. It's like particularly in the city, is that they've taken a place and completely modernized in 30, 40 years and unimaginably dense in population and really alive.

[10:17]

It's a very alive place and I would say, unlike what I experienced in other parts of Asia, I feel like, you know, you see the presence of women very strong, very strong, very expressive. And so there's a feeling of something right in this society. On the other hand, there's a feeling of consumerism and mass culture almost running amok. And it did run amok, you know, while we were there the last night that I was there happened to be Halloween. And I think probably you heard about this horrible

[11:18]

event in in one of the busiest uh nightlife areas of soul 150 people 150 young people died they were basically trampled to death uh in uh in a very crowded sort of bar and restaurant district And it's easy to see because there are all these, between the major streets, there are these tiny alleyways, and they are crammed with bars and restaurants and different kinds of shops. And if you get caught in there by a crowd, it's like 150 people. Just terrible, terrible. The whole city was in shock. the last day that I saw. Anyway, the conference that we attended was sponsored by the Jungto Society, basically the Together Society.

[12:35]

And it's a very large lay Buddhist organization. It's run by a charismatic who was our host. And I think what's unique about Jungto is it's a very large network of volunteers who contribute. I think their vow is essentially an hour of meditation and an hour of service a day. And that really adds up when you have tens of thousands of volunteers and they're doing, they're really doing social work.

[13:39]

They're providing resources to people in circumstances of natural disasters. Ponyam Sunim won the Niwano Peace Prize, which is a very prestigious prize for his efforts to promote peace directly feed people in North Korea during time of terrible famine a few years ago. And there aren't many monks who are doing this kind of work. And he's devoted, he's devoted to it. He was a very gracious and generous host. And seems to have built a remarkable organization. The people that we, you know, who were helping us were wonderful.

[14:43]

They just were really open, really friendly. about those of us who had come for this conference. So we met, we came together, there were people from 21 countries, a number of ordained people, of monks and nuns. but many lay people from all over Asia and some of the West. And that's kind of what the network has been like the whole time that I participated. As I said, I've been going to INAF for 30 years. And so I've become kind of a quasi elder, you know, but I want to I just want to appreciate and pay my respects to the founder of INAB, who is Sulak Sivaraksa.

[15:58]

Let me pull up a photograph of him. Excuse me a second. Why is that not showing? Where goes that? Is that appearing? Yes? Yeah. So that's Ajahn, which means teacher, Sulak. And this was a picture I took at the conference. Some of you have met him. He's been here a number of times, and he's given talks here. He's now 90 years old. And so we celebrated his birthday while we were there. And Silak has been a pivotal figure in my Buddhist life.

[17:05]

Really, I see him as one of my main teachers. As I said, he's been here. And there was also, there was always a warm connection between him and Sojin. When Sulak visited, we would have tea, we had some meals together. He always asked after Sojin when I would see him. Sulak grew up in Thailand, or in Siam, as he calls it. He really objects to the name Thailand because it refers to, it's a It's a colonial name as far as he's concerned. And he's been a writer, an activist, a publisher, and a really, excuse me, a pivotal engaged Buddhist.

[18:14]

And I think at the heart of his teaching something he wrote about some years ago. Buddhism is a small b, which means carrying the values of Buddhism, not necessarily the religious superstructure. And at the same time, He's really helped pull together Buddhist world from all over Asia, all over the West, into this network. And the network has become more and more effective. I've met him in 1992. And at that time, he was in exile for the second or third time from Thailand.

[19:21]

There had been a military coup, and he criticized Thailand for not intervening and for allowing the coup to go forward. In Thailand, you don't insult the king. They have a law, Majeste, which obviously is goes back to the respect you're supposed to pay for the king in France. But it's very serious. You go to prison and they arrested Sulak and put him in jail, let him out. At that point, he fled the country. And after a couple of months, he ended up in America and he ended up at our house because of the connection to Buddhist Peace Fellowship.

[20:22]

And so, and he spent, he had many visits, he and Laurie, and we worked on his memoir a lot and really got to know him very well. And I stayed, I would stay in his house when I went to Bangkok. But the ironic reality, when I made my first trip, to my first INAB conference in 1992, I was leaving for the airport and Sulak was waving me goodbye from our door. And it's just been a very deep and sometimes thorny relationship. He can be... He's a very strong character. He can be somewhat authoritarian. And he can be wrong.

[21:26]

And also, you know what? He's capable of apologizing. And also, those kinds of disagreements, this is really a lesson for me. The disagreements don't interfere with the core relationship or friendship. And Sulak really values those relationships. I've watched him so many times. He would, like, come in, settle down in our kitchen with the phone, and his phone would systematically call everybody, you know, in California that he knew just to say, just to say hello, to make contact. And that is just the way he wants to live his life. And it's very well.

[22:29]

So I would, you know, it's through him that the whole circle that I have of close friends, it's all through knowing Sulaw, just as, the circle that I have in this country are all through knowing Sojin. You know, these people are, it's hard to imagine my life without them. And I know that many of you have Sojin or that play that role. So I continue to be very involved with INEB, and I'm really grateful for that. So over the years, the conference, we moved the conference around from country to country, and India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Korea.

[23:35]

So just to say a little about, I want to say a little about the conference and also I can show you some pictures. The shape of it was it began with a meditation retreat for two days, which was a great way to make a transition. And it was sort of deep in the countryside, not in the city. And doing that was exposure trips to sort of Buddhist and other cultural locations. And just let me show you a few of those photos if I can. First of all, this is the... I wish I understood how this worked. This is a shot of what our conference looked like.

[24:40]

It was a row of, this is a row of nuns in front and we were careful. We were wearing our masks, but we got COVID anyway. And this is, whoops. This is our host. Pomnium Sunim, one of his centers. And speaking of exposure, you cannot move a video of people. Okay, I don't know. So it's like really remarkable architecture.

[25:46]

This is one of the big monasteries. Choge order monasteries. That's outside and then inside is, look at that. Just astonishing. You see that the arhats are back here and these are all now we're not seeing it anymore alan you're not seeing it we're seeing you you're seeing me let's see here oh i see okay um How about now? Yeah, it's cut off.

[26:47]

There we go. Okay, that's good. Yeah, it's very good. It's really easy, remarkable spaces. Let's see. Oops. I don't know why it stops. Some of you may have seen this one already. This is at , which is the largest women's training in Korea. These nuns were so joyous, really wonderful. I'm just going to go through them really quickly. Junto Society has a... They have an organic farm.

[27:57]

And they produce a lot of their own food for local centers. This is one of their greenhouses. We had... We had a day when we sampled different cultural, we had different cultural exposures. And one of these was dressing in traditional, for those who wanted dressing in traditional Korean clothing. It was pretty amazing stuff. I went to the tea workshop in bed. And I think... one or two more.

[29:01]

We had an exposure trip to the DMZ, and I'll talk about that in a moment. This is what the DMZ looks like. Are you seeing that? Whoops. Yes, we can see it. Tell us what it is. Yeah. So we are in a patient post. And this road is the line of demarcation between North Korea and South Korea. And you're looking across this valley at these are settlements and towns in the border area in North Korea. And, you know, it's very, it's so strange because The land is the same.

[30:03]

The people speak, the people look the same. People language and they have the same culture, but they have completely different social realities. And this is like one of the most highly militarized areas of the world. And it's, you know, it's a very, uh, it's spot this end. So the DMZ, the demilitarized zone, is about 40 miles from Seoul. So it's within range of not just missiles, but heavy artillery. So any conflict that the North Koreans have the capacity to wipe out Seoul within about a half an hour. and there'd be no way to stop it. And again, a couple days after we left, they, you know, they're constantly missiles, and they actually, for the first time, fired one directly over South Korean territory to land in the ocean.

[31:19]

So it's still, it's very volatile, and it's really peculiar because Here we are more than 70 years after the so-called Korean War. And the Korean War dates from the end of World War II. At the end of World War II, when the Japanese were defeated, Korea had been a Japanese. And there was a race between the Russians and the Americans as to who was going to who is going to fill this void the most quickly. And the Russians came in very fast to the Korean peninsula. And then the Americans landed and actually pushed them back. So this is the beginning. The beginning of the Cold War was actually a hot war.

[32:21]

And that war, North Korea, which had the Russians and then by the Koreans, what they had was just a, there's no armistice, there's no peace. There was a very delicate ceasefire between the North and South right here. This was the place where, this is the line of DeMarcus. And technically, these two now distinct countries are still at war with each other. And as we know, North Korea has a generation of dictators. And here you have, oops, sorry.

[33:22]

Here you have me telling, telling Kim Jong-un what for. This is actually, it's actually a photo of Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump shaking hands. Was subject to being hacked. So I think. I'm going to stop sharing the screen and go back. So what I want to say about this conference, and then I can leave for questions, some of the things that really stood out to me, the theme was Buddhism in a Divided World. And we know all about that. We live in a divided country. And the world in different ways is similarly to... And the idea was to look at what do we have to offer?

[34:37]

And we have a lot to offer. We have to offer practices of mindfulness, practices of peace, precepts, and the idea of a harmony which is really so similar to beloved community. Beloved community is a community that is not devoid of conflict, but it sees conflict as creative and it vows to resolve conflicts in manners that are not violent and not retributive. And these are the values that Buddhists and others, if we look at Buddhism with a small b, can offer to the world.

[35:44]

And that extends to areas. We had a series of workshops in the course of the conference. One that I participated in was in what they called gender equality and social inclusion. And I've learned that that's an acronym, GESI, that is commonly known in these kinds of social change venues. And I was... to talk about our experiences here at Berkeley Zen Center. I feel like the move over all these years increasingly towards a standard equality in the practice, among the practice leaders, and so forth.

[36:55]

And our efforts uh the unspoken efforts and also the the current um dramatic efforts for social inclusion that i think is the motivation for our many communities one sangha work uh it's how do we see each other and what i saw at inad that was tremendously uh inspiring And I see one of my INEB friends, Ted Mayer, is here. And he's one of the people I think has been instrumental in basically bringing social inclusion into the INEB circle and developing young leaders from a variety of countries and from a great diversity.

[38:00]

And it felt to me like at this meeting, some baton was passed among or between generations from our generation or from Ajahn Sulak's generation where he's 90. And, you know, his mind was so strong that he's physically frail. And the rest is getting older. But there was this new cohort of really strong people from all over Asia who were leading programs at INEB and actually putting into place. And I find that tremendously inspiring. There were workshops on education. There's a lot of Buddhist-based education that's been going on in our circles throughout a variety of countries.

[39:06]

There's a growing, really growing interest in Asia in Buddhist chaplaincy, which is something that's really evolved in this country. And some of you are involved in that, as I am. It's seeding itself in these other lands. I had yesterday a Sri Lankan monk in Sri Lanka wrote to me about programs and approaches to Buddhist chaplaincy. So that's something you can share. Looking at the role of children, how children need to be protected in our societies and that again that cuts across all of these geographic lines.

[40:20]

So all of this and a lot of these projects were being really fostered by younger people, which is something that I like to think we're working on. Even us older people are working on it. I think it was remarkable in the context of gender equality inclusion. One of the strongest presenters at INAB was a trans woman from Thailand And there she was really laying down some really difficult experiences and understandings of how the Buddhist community has been, how her Thai community has been, both the repressive aspects and also the liberative aspects.

[41:27]

To me, these were watershed moments in this network, which makes you want to continue and contribute as best I can. So it's such a great Dharma talk. I don't know. But I think it's important It's important to know what's going on in our world and to know that we're actually really reconnected to it. You know, I encourage you to connect with it. I can help. But it's the Dharma that we have comes from

[42:29]

Asia, all of our traditions, our Zen traditions, our Tibetan traditions, our Vipassana and Theravada traditions, the seeds here were planted by teachers who came from Asia. And what's happened remains important and relevant to us. And at the same time, what's gratifying is that there are Through networks like INEB and other organizations, and I see this in Soto Zen circles as well, there's a feedback loop through which we do have things that we can offer to our sisters and brothers in Asia. And we're in dialogue with them.

[43:31]

And I really encourage that dialogue. And I'm really happy to help anyone who wants to know more, participate. And I think that's where I'm going to stop. And I'm really happy to take your questions. I can see the people on screen if you raise your digital hands. And if you're in the Zendo, I think Joe can help me see any questions there. So, thank you. Thank you for your talk.

[44:38]

I'm curious about, you know, in these kinds of gatherings and networks, what I wonder about is, do you notice, let's say, in this one that you were at recently, that there are particular dharma teachings, particular practices or rituals that connect folks because in this kind of context, because what I hear a lot in these conversations is that sort of shifting from we've got it right and everybody else is somehow missing it, whether that's intra-religious or inter-religious, is placing different emphasis on this dharma, if you will.

[45:51]

So you were talking about lowercase b, and I'm wondering about, if you will, lowercase d. Do you notice? You know, like in Soto Zen, we might say everybody chants the Heart Sutra. So I'm just wondering if you might say a little bit about that. Well, certainly all the Mahayana people chant the Heart Sutra. That's across the board. We actually did that. The Theravadas don't. But one of the things that I think, I mean, actually, to answer your question, the dharmic material that's shared is pretty basic. You know, it's basic Buddhism. And one of the things, for example, that we use, I use a lot, and we use in

[46:59]

A couple of workshops is the Four Noble Truths, a modality of social investigation, which is very sensible and simple. It doesn't necessarily mean going into Buddhist analysis of the Four Noble Truths. Sorry. I wish there were more time in these meetings for

[47:59]

really exploring the domic basis of the kinds of principles we're investigating. But that work is going on in the individual programs. They're always looking for various domic sources. but there's just not that much time at meeting like this. But what I will say is that unlike other gatherings that I've been to, I feel no lineage chauvinism. There's tremendous openness across Mahayana, Theravada, really openness and warmth among the monks and nuns, which certainly not often the case in the Theravadan countries.

[49:16]

In the Theravadan countries, the monks are, the nuns are really in very difficult circumstances. pretty much support from the monks but here they really do so that's probably as far as i can take it um i see a couple of hands online sedish good to see you thank you hozan sensei can you hear me yeah um my question is um since this relates to a point that you made during your talk. You mentioned that we live in a divided world and what the Dharma can offer us, given that fact. Any of the tensions arise that are so alive in the world. So, for example, right now, during the COP27 climate summit, there's the demand for the Western world to pay for loss and damages.

[50:23]

for the global South, or there are so many other issues, the West appropriating vaccines during the COVID pandemic and reducing access to them to Asian countries and other countries in the global South. Did you see any of those tensions rise? And if so, and if not, what do you think that the atmosphere, the Dharma contributed? Well, I think that, no, I didn't see those tensions arise because I don't feel that there was, I don't feel there was that much of a difference of understanding people from the global south and the global north. You know, there's a strong feeling that some of us articulated of the really major responsibility that the global north has problems that are manifest in the global south.

[51:32]

We don't, you know, the people who are there, a lot of them are fairly sophisticated thinkers. And, you know, really nobody from the north shows up who is not in those kinds of integral ways of thinking about the dharma and social issues. That's why it's wonderful. It's like you can get to some really deep discussions pretty quickly. So, thank you. Good morning, Hussam. Hi. I just wanted to say you said this wasn't, that maybe this wasn't much of a Dharma talk, but I just wanted to say what I was struck by, which how deep it is just to show up and to show up for decades.

[52:39]

And I have been involved in various kind of oppositional political moments. And it's really wonderful to hear about the nourishing side. of things as well. And I don't know if you wanted to talk at all about the practice aspects of that, but I just wanted to say that that struck me. So thank you. Thank you. And this is something that I bring. And what I'm constantly interested in doing is figuring that way that I believe there's an interface between uh, the work that we were doing there and the work that we just, we are doing in a very ordinary way here. And I am grateful that, uh, I got nothing but encouragement for these, this, um, from Sojin, even though

[53:51]

At a certain point, he was not always happy with how absent I was. It's clear to me that my, the time of life of a lot of traveling, I'll do some, but my priority is here. But same time, those connections are very rich and they, in ways that you don't fully understand and I don't fully understand, they enrich the soil of our practice that we're involved in here in Berkeley and elsewhere in the country. I don't know, maybe that answers your question. Yes, that echoes the feeling that I get.

[54:56]

Thank you. Yeah, thank you. Anyone else in the Zendo? Yeah, we had Preston. Hi, Kazan. Hi, Preston. How do you relate to the always looming possibility of the nuclear destruction of our planet? And like what might be a Buddhist perspective, I guess, how we relate to this reality? I think, you know, Buddhist perspective is duck and cover. Faced with so many potentially or inevitably overwhelming circumstances.

[56:01]

The nuclear issue was one I raised and other people raised and it's hard to know how to influence the... We can influence our to some extent. What influence we have over other nuclear powers is zilch. But I think from our side, it's constantly... It's a matter of, then it becomes a political question. Really, are we supporting the saber rattling of our own government and military that is adding to the potentially escalating tensions in the Ukraine?

[57:21]

or elsewhere? And how do we keep speaking truth to power? And I think we have to do that in the face of a nuclear issue, in the face of the climate. We have to do that. Even if we fail, The thing that we have to take responsibility for is to maintain our real, our true human values. This is the best that we can do. At the same time as we, to the extent that we have some political agency, make sure at the very least that we don't have any acts running our government.

[58:31]

And, you know, many people are trying to work on that. But we live in a divided country. It's really tough. I mean, it's literally, it looks like the, again, it's going to be literally divided. And The house is very close to that. And it's just, it's painful for all of us. And for my generation, it's like, this is what it's come to. It's really hard to imagine. It's like, we would not have imagined that. 20 or 30 years ago. But it's what's happening and we have to deal with it. I don't know how we intervene in an effective way to prevent nuclear war.

[59:45]

We have to do what we can politically, publicly, and even if that fails, we have to figure out what our, how we really want to respond to each other as humans. I have time. I see. I'm sorry. It's time. It's 1125. Okay, I saw one more hand if I could take that and try to be quick. Ellen. Good morning. Question relates to something you said early on, which was that the adherence of this group do one hour of meditation and one hour of service. And the word service is not something that necessarily resonates with me. I'm kind of fascinated by it. Would you say a few words on

[60:52]

Maybe my question is how to orient to what we do as service. I think service is just a way of rationalizing what we do that is beneficial, you know, so they. People to work an hour in their collective gardens or cook a meal for homeless people or, you know, something. Something simple of that sort or even work, do work for the organization. Not so complicated. But it's also a vow, strong intention about how you're going to organize your day. So let's end there and close with the four vows. beings are numberless.

[61:54]

I vow to awaken with them. Delusions are inexhaustible. I vow to enter them. Dark blood gates are boundless. I vow to enter them. Buddha's way Thank you. Is this standing here works to address all beings in the three worlds?

[62:57]

Okay. Welcome to Berkey's Ed Center, welcome to those online with us, and welcome in particular to anyone who may be new here. My name is Paul Legeen, and I'm one of the Saturday Program Directors, and I'll see Diane Bichie. These are the announcements for Saturday, November 12th. This coming Monday, Emily Fester will be always taking my talk. Next Saturday, Luminous Heart will deliver the lecture. Please check the website for information about class beginning November 21st with Hosan and Sheik Yaseer Chadli on the theme of a good life in traditions. The class will be held on Monday evenings. Limited in-person attendance will be available for those who have been vaccinated. I think the website still says the 14th, but that's incorrect and will be changed. It starts the 21st. Slack members who identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color are welcome to meetings held on Mondays, 6 p.m. via Zoom. For more information, see the links for recurring activities in the chat. Please be aware of the Saturday program nap begins at 8.30 a.m. You're welcome to join us for the in-person work period and temple cleaning that starts at 7.35 a.m.

[64:02]

For more information about our programs, please see the bulletin board outside or visit Brickley's and Center. For a list of links for current and recurring programs, please see the bulletin board or check the chat and see. To make a donation to support BCC, Please use the donations box out in the courtyard or visit our website and go to the generosity camp. If you've been attending for a while and are interested in learning about membership options, check the bulletin board. To chat, there's membership contact information under links for recurring activities. Those in the Zenda, please maintain silence until you're off the porch, then feel free to socialize in the courtyard. If you happen to have picked up one of our bullet chant cards from the alcove on the porch, please return it on the way up. If a couple of people are available to stay behind and presumably handle television, that's always appreciated. Those online may now unmute and share readings. Hi, Ellen. Hi, everyone. Thanks, everyone.

[65:03]

Have a great day, everybody. Peace. Bye, everybody. Bye. Thanks a lot, Ellen. That was a great talk. Thank you. Bye. Thank you very much, Hosan. Thank you, Hosan. Welcome back. Thank you all. See you soon. Take care of yourself, Hosan.

[65:24]

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