and are living in reality. And then the third one is I take refuge in Sangha, which is the community. As part of the community, I enter the community and the community enters me. And I am one with all beings and all beings are one with me. This is entering the reality of communal life. So, you know, Buddha is the focal point and all the rest of the precepts are aspects of how to practice as Buddha. So then he says, the ceremony of receiving the precepts as lay followers is called tokudo means precepts or ordination actually of entering the way or ordaining to the way and so there's zaikei tokudo and shukei tokudo zaikei tokudo is lay ordination that means not leaving home staying at home

[01:31]

and receiving the precepts. And shukhe tokudo is leaving home and receiving the precepts, or receiving the precepts and leaving home. And I'll explain later. So according to definition, ordain, the word ordain means to invest with the function of an office or the functions of an office or position. In understanding Buddhist ordination, we should know that the functions we are invested with are those of a Buddha. This is exactly the meaning of, upon receiving the precepts, we immediately enter the position of all Buddhas. To have zaikei tokudo is to acknowledge our true nature and confirm our intent to realize it fully. So, to enter the position of all the Buddhas. You know, each one of us is ordinary human and Buddha.

[02:44]

We usually perceive of ourselves as ordinary human being, but we don't often perceive of ourselves as Buddha. But we are both Buddha and ordinary human being. precepts come from the side of Buddha nature. Our ordinary desires come from the side of human being. But human being and Buddha are not two things. We say ordinary mind and Buddha mind are not two things. And this is a very important point to understand in our practice. So at some point in our life, for some reason, Buddha nature is awakened in us. And then Buddha nature becomes our teacher.

[03:49]

So Buddha nature, it becomes the teacher of human nature. So when we practice, buddha nature arises and manifests through the precepts and then buddha becomes our teacher but buddha is not some buddha outside of ourselves our buddha nature is teaching and leading our human nature so when we are thoroughly enlightened human nature is completely subsumed in Buddha nature. That is, it's expressed as human nature. So first, there's just human nature. And then, when we enter practice, there's Buddha nature.

[04:53]

And then when human nature and Buddha nature become one thing, then we enter just into human nature again and act as an ordinary human being. But Buddha nature is always leading human being. So we are our own teacher. So this is to take the position of all the Buddhas. We take the position of Buddha when we become ordained, when we take the precepts. So, the ceremony itself consists of several significant elements to which we should give thought. First, there is the invocation in which the officiant, the priest, invites all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to be present as witnesses. So, the first thing we do when we have the ordination ceremony is the priest chants the all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to witness or take part in the ceremony.

[06:08]

It's a kind of invocation. And the officiant acts as the representative, but we should know that actually the Buddha, the Buddhas are our acharya, our preceptor. Therefore, we receive the precepts The priest who is conducting the ceremony is simply channeling a kind of representative of all the ancestors, all the Buddhas and ancestors. And all the Buddhas and ancestors are coming forth and doing this ceremony. That's the way we like to think about it. Secondly, all who wish to receive Buddha's precepts must first purify themselves through confession, that's part of the ceremony, and repentance, in which one acknowledges past and present wrongdoing and delusion.

[07:15]

And we do this by chanting the verse of formless repentance and personally looking into our own hearts. So we say, all my ancient twisted karma from beginningless greed hate and delusion, born through body, speech and mind, I now fully avow." That's the first. So having purified ourselves, we may receive the Bodhisattva precepts, that is, the three refuges, which I just talked about, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and the three pure precepts. Three pure precepts. I vow to do what is good. I vow to not do what is evil. And I vow to dedicate my life to saving all beings. That's how we give up our small selves and bring forth our Buddha nature.

[08:27]

and then there are the ten prohibitory precepts. There are the ten prohibitory precepts, they're called the ten grave precepts, they're called various things. I like the term clear mind precepts because they come out of clarity and they give us some clarity in our life. So one side is prohibitory, like don't do this, don't do this, don't do this. The other side is permissive. Do this, do this, do this, do this. So usually the ten prohibitory precepts is what is given, but I have been using both sides when I give the precepts because I like to have it balanced.

[09:32]

I think it works better for everyone that way. Prohibitory precepts is more like Hinayana side. Mahayana precepts, the permissive precepts is more like Mahayana side. So our practice is Mahayana practice with a Mahayana mind. So, I like to include both sides. So, I'll just read the precepts, but I won't discuss them. I resolve not to kill, that's the prohibitory side, but to cherish all life, that's the permissive side. but to honor the gift not yet given. I resolve not to misuse sexuality, but to remain faithful in relationships. I vow not to lie, but to communicate the truth.

[10:34]

I vow not to sell or use the wine or drugs of delusion, but to polish clarity. I resolve not to dwell on the mistakes of others, but to create wisdom from ignorance. I resolve not to praise myself and downgrade others, but to maintain modesty, putting others first. I vow not to withhold spiritual or material aid, but to share understanding, giving freely of self. I vow not to arbor ill will, but to dwell in equanimity. I resolve not to abuse the three treasures, but in respecting the Buddha, unfolding the Dharma, and nourishing the Sangha." So those are the clear mind precepts. So, having purified ourselves, we may receive the Bodhisattva precepts, that is, the three

[11:39]

the three pure precepts and the ten clear mind precepts, a total of 16. The Nirvana Sutra states, although all living beings are replete with the Buddha nature, they must uphold the precepts as the cause before they can perceive it. So the precepts bring forth Buddha nature. When we take the precepts, even though we have Buddha nature, we have to open the door. It's down there in the cellar. We have to open the door and let it come out. We have to stimulate it. We have to do something to stimulate our Buddha nature. Like when a baby is born, you have to rub it somehow, you know, to make it breathe, help it to come forth. Therefore, let us give thought to the meaning of keeping the precepts is exactly Buddhahood.

[12:43]

Until we fully understand our true nature and penetrate it thoroughly, we may understand the precepts as guidelines for daily living and a framework for Buddhist practice." This is an interesting statement. Until we fully understand our true nature and penetrate it thoroughly, we may understand the precepts as guidelines for daily living and a framework for Buddhist practice. So, precepts are guidelines. The way to actually keep the precepts is to be fully enlightened. But until you're fully enlightened, we use the precepts as guidelines. This is an important point. Suzuki Roshi's understanding of precepts was, be compassionate. Do everything with a compassionate attitude. If you can do everything totally with a compassionate attitude, you're keeping the precepts.

[13:47]

But, until that time, we used the precepts as a kind of help and guideline. So, the first refuge, to take refuge in Buddha, or to return to Buddha nature, to return to our true nature, is the way that we keep the precepts. And all the particulars of the precepts are simply aspects of that one precept. If we can actually keep that one precept, then we actually are keeping all the precepts. But we should really know what the precepts are and study them. and use them as a guideline. Sometimes people say, well, you know, I really hesitate to take the precepts because I know that I can't keep them.

[14:58]

Well, the reason for taking the precepts is because you know you can't keep them. If you could keep them, you wouldn't need to take them. So precepts are always something that is beyond our ability to maintain. And practice is always beyond our ability to thoroughly maintain. That's why it works. If it was something that you could attain completely, it wouldn't amount to much. So it's always something that we have to reach for. And by reaching for it, it stretches us beyond our abilities. And then we find out that we actually have that ability that we didn't know we had because we have to reach for it.

[16:00]

So, lastly, in acknowledgement of our receiving the precepts and joining the family of Buddha, we are given a raksu, which is a small Buddhist robe, which many people are wearing. This is a robe, the strap simply holds it on, but that small Buddhist robe is the same as the priest's large Buddhist robe, same thing, but it's small, which each person sows. and takes a while to sew because each stitch is done in a very precise manner and hopefully exactly the same distance apart. It's a little complex, you know, the way the robe is. Buddha apparently said something like the robe is a picture of rice fields and paths.

[17:15]

So it's like the paths are going this way and the fields are in between the paths. So it's kind of like covering the earth. It's the robe that covers the earth with compassion and wisdom. So it's made in a very specific way, and the pieces are sewn like this. It's a very strong thing. We take one piece of material and cut it up into little pieces, and then we sew it all back together again. That's the nature of our life. We take one whole cloth, cut it up into little pieces, and then put it all back together in various shapes and forms. And then when we sit Zazen, we resume the one piece of cloth again. And then when we leave Zazen, we take all the pieces and sew them together again.

[18:21]

So this is the robe. And a Kechi Miyako, Kechi Miyako means blood vein, the blood vein of the Buddha which runs through all the ancestors, all the patriarchs and matriarchs, and down from descending from Buddha. And so this is, and then your preceptor's name appears at the bottom and then your name is written in. when you receive this blood vein certificate and all the ancestors are in a kind of successive vertical succession with Buddha on the top and emptiness above Buddha and each one is standing on the head of the one below

[19:34]

But then the red bloodline runs through everyone and then it comes back up from you and you're standing on Shakyamuni's head, he's standing on Buddha's head. So it's a complete circle. The red line that connects your name and all others written there illustrates the truth that the precepts are indeed the lifeblood of all Buddhas. So receiving the precepts is an important part of Buddhist practice available to anyone regardless of mental or physical ability. It is the way by which we manifest the truth of our own Buddhahood right here in the world right now. But you usually wait until someone's been practicing for a while and has sincerity of practice, shows some sincerity of practice, and some connection to the Sangha, some connection to the Dharma, and some connection to the teacher.

[20:57]

And so this is a kind of confirmation from the teacher and it's also validation of one's practice and one becomes ordained into the family of Buddha. So we have five people that we will have lay ordination for this time. And I'm also going to do something for the first time, which is I'm going to have an ordination

[22:03]

which is called lay recognition, lay teacher recognition. When we talk about lay people, it's a totally different animal than when they talk about lay people in Japan. As you know, our practice is quite different in that our practice is mostly lay people. But lay people means someone living at home who practices but not as a priest or a monk. And in Japan, the practice is the property of the priests or the monks. And lay people are allowed to join that when they have time or interest. But then there's a whole group of lay people who simply have a certain kind of lay ordination, which is, they receive a name, which we all do, a Buddhist name, but they don't have a practice.

[23:22]

They simply belong to the church, so to speak. in America, lay people are the practitioners who actually create the practice. So it's a totally different practice for lay people here than it is in Japan or most other countries. So people who have been, lay people who have been practicing sincerely and regularly for years develop into leadership position. So there's this need now to recognize lay teachers.

[24:24]

So because the only other alternative would be for everyone to become a priest at some point but that's not practical so there has to be some recognition of lay teachers as lay teachers and have an ordination ceremony that acknowledges that so I've been thinking over this over for years and years And finally, I said, I'm just going to do this. I don't know how exactly, but I said, I'm just going to do it and then figure out how to do it. So about a year or two, a couple of years ago, I asked two people to sew a green raksu, which would signify that office, that position. One was Dolly. who was in the process of sewing her rucksack when she passed away.

[25:34]

And the other one is Karen DeCotis, who has been living in Montana, and she has been Shuso, and she has a She practiced at Tassajara, practiced at Green Gulch, and for many, many years, and practiced here. So she's a well-rounded and experienced practitioner, and she's going to be the first person to receive the lay recognition. And so I'm going to do that ceremony, Saturday after the lay ordination. So that would be a significant step.

[26:34]

And I think that after that we will see more lay teachers in our Sangha. So many people have been practicing 20, 30 years The criterion for doing this is basically how a person teaches through their presence. You can teach classes, you can teach Sanzen instruction, You know, you can teach Buddhist doctrine, but that's minor. The major teaching is how you actually present yourself or carry yourself as practice.

[27:49]

And that's not something that you can delineate. It's something that you feel. So people say, well, how do you know when somebody is ready? It's like fruit growing on a tree. How do you know when the fruit is ripe? Well, you know, yeah, okay, this feels ripe. And so the fruit has a certain presence. when it's ripe and a certain kind of softness. It's not too... It doesn't give you a bad taste when you bite into it. Very sweet, you know. So, it's kind of like you feel that the person is ready. That's my way of deciding these things. So, that will be a kind of significant step.

[28:55]

And then when Karen goes back to Montana, she's here for the practice period, people will be able to, she'll have some credential, something that people can recognized that someone has confirmed her as a lay teacher. I think that's significant. People want to know, well, where do you come from? How do I know that you're really a teacher? Of course, people can talk. give people the impression that they're a teacher, but unless we have some background, people don't know, you know. So it's important to verify someone.

[30:03]

Someone else said that I was okay, not just me. So, And it really makes the feeling strong when the Sangha attends. So, do you have any questions? I wonder if someone who's recognized by that feeling of them as a lay teacher is different from a person who's recognized as fully transmitted? Who wears a brown... Oh, okay. Yeah, the difference between a lay recognition and dharma transmission... sometimes people say, well, is this like dharma transmission?

[31:07]

Dharma transmission as a... position. Dharma transmission is a position, is a priest's, in our tradition, is a priest's transmission. It's a transmission of the lineage from to a teacher who is a priest and who gives the person permission to become an abbot, head of a community, and to give ordinations and to be an independent teacher. Late recognition allows a person to lead a sangha and to introduce new people to practice and to maintain a small sangha.

[32:21]

If a person was to, you know, develop a large temple or something like that, then they would probably end up being ordained as a priest. Is there a difference in the quality of preparedness or how the person carries themselves when they're recognized as ready for dharma transmission, if they're going that track, or when someone's recognized as ready for lay transmission? Lay? Lay recognition. Well, everyone is different. You know, there's no No mold that everyone fits into.

[33:24]

Everyone is different. And you recognize a person's understanding and development and I would say that in most cases probably close. Thank you. Yeah. Is an enlightened person bound by the precepts? Absolutely not. Can an enlightened person ignore the precepts? Absolutely not. If you're bound by the precepts, that's delusion. Because the precepts are not something that binds you.

[34:26]

The precepts are something that frees you. The reason we take the precepts is to free ourselves from being bound by delusion. I didn't want to ask even more questions. Did you ever hear of golden chains? But sometimes we feel bound by the precepts. What's that? You spoke of the precepts as something that we need until we're enlightened. And I just, I mean, is there a way in which the precepts are Sazen and which the precepts always are that we don't, it's not like we graduate.

[35:29]

What I meant by that is using the precepts as guidelines. It's like training wheels until you can ride your bike. So we practice with the precepts as guidelines. They're not commandments. They help us to, you know, they keep us focused on what is compassionate action. And then when you're in your whole Being is compassionate action. You don't need to follow them so much. You maybe need to be reminded of them, but that's your being. Isn't there a deeper meaning to the precepts, though?

[36:34]

You often speak of it. Oh, absolutely. There's the absolute truth level of understanding the precepts. Everybody's legs are getting tired.

[36:52]

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