at the end of the last class Reverend Bryn said she wanted to wanted to touch upon the K66 a little bit more before we moved on, is that right? I did, but I'm over it. You're over it? Anybody else need to do anything more with K66 tonight? All right. Then let's put case 67. Now, this is a case, there's a few cases in the book where the case is not a Zen story in the usual sense.

[01:26]

It's a quotation from scripture. So here's a case where it's a quote from the Albert Thomas Akka Sutra. What's that? Is that your note? Are those yours? Cindy? Yeah. Okay. It's okay down here. Yeah. Stuff's somewhat sacrilege, but, you know, I can handle it. And they represent it. So just putting a sutra underneath the table, you know, it's kind of like it may disturb the alignment of the universe. There's a quarrel. Let's just put it up there. So, the chapter, there's a chapter in the Abitam Saka Sutra called Manifestation of the Tathagata. And in Thomas Cleary's translation, it's Saki chapter 26.

[02:31]

And here's a book... which is a separate volume on the translation. Some people think it's the most important chapter, other people just think, but it's definitely kind of the most famous. And... Am I sure? There's a chapter called Manifestation of Buddha, which is a later chapter. 26, I forget. Well, somebody can run over and get the translation. We could see what the correct chapter is. So here comes Kathleen. Kathleen. Kathleen. And Susan. Susan. There's space over here, Kathleen. Do you want to sit up here?

[03:33]

This chap, you know, in one sense, the spirit of this book is, the spirit of the sutra is that is this kind of one mind. Well, this sutra has so many teachings in it, and part of the teachings that are in this sutra are the one mind of Buddha, where all sentient beings and all Buddhas are interpenetrating each other. And in a sense, you know, you just often said this mind has no characteristics, and you can't grasp any characteristics. So this chapter is quite interesting in the sense of telling us over and over again how the true body of Buddha and the true this or that of the Buddha cannot be grasped. And then it has lots of lists of characteristics of various things. First it talks about the characteristics of

[04:48]

characteristics of the manifestation of the Buddha, of the Tathāgata. Ten characteristics of the manifestation of the Tathāgata. And then it goes on to give ten characteristics of the body of a Buddha. And then it goes on to give 10 characteristics of the voice of the Buddha. And then it goes on to give 10 characteristics of the mind of the Buddha. Did you find it? Yeah, 26 is the 10 stages. Thirty-seven is Manifestation of Buddha. Thirty-seven. So that's probably where it is.

[06:16]

Probably 37. So, it's probably 37 in this train station. So, in the section on the mind of the Buddha, the mind of the Tathagata, this is the Bodhisattva Samantaphadra talking, and he says, children of Buddha, how should all Bodhisattva, Mahasattvas know the mind of the Tathagata, Arhat, fully enlightened one?

[07:24]

children of Buddha, the mind, thought, and consciousness of the Tathagata are unobtainable. It should be known that only because wisdom is boundless can one know the mind of the Tathagata. As space is the support of all things, while space has nothing for its support so is the wisdom of the Tathagata. Tathagata jnana, support of all mundane and transmundane wisdom, while the wisdom of the Tathagata has nothing as its support. Children of Buddha, this is the first characteristic of the mind of the Tathagata. Further children of Buddha, as the dharmadhatta constantly affects all liberation of the shravakas and prajrega-buddhas and bodhisattvas, while the dharmadhatta itself has no augmentation or diminution.

[08:39]

Likewise, the wisdom of the dhattagatas constantly affects all things, the mundane and transmundane wisdom, while the wisdom of the dhattagata has no augmentation or diminution. children of the Buddha. This is the second characteristic of the mind, of the Thāgata. All Bodhisattva, Mahāsātva, should know this. And then comes the third characteristic, then comes the fourth characteristic, then comes the fifth characteristic. Then comes the sixth characteristic. Then comes the seventh characteristic. Then comes the eighth characteristic. Then comes the ninth characteristic. The mind of the Tathara. Further, children of the Buddha. There is no place where the wisdom of the Tathāgata does not reach, wherefore there is not a single sentient being that is not fully possessed of the wisdom of the Tathāgata.

[09:52]

It is only due to their false thinking, fallacies and attachments that beings fail to realize this. If they could only abandon their false thoughts, then all-encompassing wisdom, the spontaneous wisdom and the unobstructed wisdom, will clearly manifest themselves. Children of the Buddha, just as if there was a great sutra, a great scripture as extensive as the great universe, in which are written down all the phenomena of the great universe. That is to say, in it is written about the phenomena of the great enclosing nine mountains as extensively as the great enclosing nine mountains. It is written about

[10:57]

It is written about the phenomena on the earth as extensively as the earth. It is written about the phenomena of a medium universe as extensive as the phenomena of a medium universe. It is written about the phenomena of a small universe as extensively as the small universe. In the same vein, all phenomena be they of the four continents or the great oceans, Sumeru mountains, the palaces of the gods of earth, the palaces of the gods in the heavens, of the desire realm, the palaces of the gods of the form realm, the palaces of the gods of the formless realm, are written down to an equal length. Even though this sutra is as extensive as the great universe, it can be fully comprised within a single particle of dust. As it is with one particle of dust, so it is with all particles of dust.

[12:01]

Then a person with perfect wisdom who has perfected the heavenly eye, seeing that the great sutra inside of a particle of dust, without being the slightest benefit to all sentient beings, seeing that that sutra, that sutra which is co-extensive and the same size of the entire universe, that that sutra inside of a particle of dust, without being even the slightest benefit to all sentient beings, thinks I should exert myself to break that particle of dust and take out that sutra so that it could benefit all sentient beings. Get the picture? Huh? You know? There is a sutra.

[13:06]

It's a big one. It is coextensive with the entire universe and tells about everything in the universe exactly to the extent of everything in the universe. And that sutra is inside of a particle of dust and is inside of all particles of dust. So Bodhisattva who has what kind of wisdom? Perfect wisdom. which perfected the heavenly eye, can see the sutra in the particle of dust. And also that this sutra is not the slightest benefit to all sentient beings. I should exert myself to break that particle of dust and take that sutra out so that it could benefit sentient beings.

[14:07]

Having thought thus, she contrives an expedient method to break the particle of dust and take out the great sutra, thus enabling all sentient beings to obtain benefits. As he does with one particle of dust, it should be known that she does so with all particles of dust. Children of Buddha The wisdom of the Tathāgata is also thus. Boundless and undestructed, universally able to benefit all sentient beings, it is fully present in the bodies of all sentient beings. But those who are ignorant, prone to false thinking and attachments, do not know this. They are not aware of it, and thus do not obtain benefit. Then the Tathagata, with his unobstructed wisdom, universally beholds all Simchint beings in the Dharma Dhatu and says, this translation says, strange, how strange.

[15:29]

In the commentary here it says, wonderful. I think strange is better in a way. Anyway, probably both is good. Strange and wonderful. How can it be that although all sentient beings are fully possessed of the wisdom of the Tathagatas, because of their ignorance and confusion, they neither know nor see that? I should teach them the noble truth path, thus enabling them to forever leave the false thoughts and attachments and perceive the great wisdom of the Tathagata within themselves. within, I think this translation says here, within their bodies, perceive the wisdom of the photographers within their bodies, not differing, not different from the Buddhas.

[16:33]

Having thought having taught them how to cultivate the noble path so that they can forsake false thinking. After they forsake false thinking, they will realize the limitless wisdom of the Tathagata, thereby benefiting and comforting all sentient beings. Children of the Buddha, this is the tenth characteristic of the mind of the Tathagata. All bodhisattva-mahasattvas should know this. Children of the Buddha, bodhisattva-mahasattvas should, by such boundless, unobstructed, inconceivable, vast characteristics, know the mind of the Tathagata. Arhat, practically enlightened one. At that time, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva Mahasatka wishing to once more enunciate the meaning of this uttered the following verses, which I will not read unless you want to.

[17:47]

So this is where this passage comes from. I see all Simchint beings everywhere fully possess the wisdom and the virtues of the enlightened ones, but because of false conceptions and attachments, they do not realize it. You wouldn't mind hearing him? How many people want to hear the verses? Raise your hands if you want to hear the verses. It's an unpopular cause. You have? But never again, right?

[18:53]

Well, this is a good unpopular call, don't you think? Very good unpopular call. Okay, so here we go. How are you guys doing with the particles of dust? Do you see the sutras inside? Do you see the sutras inside those particles? Yes? Those who wish to know the mind of all Buddhas should contemplate the Buddha's wisdom. The Buddha's wisdom has no support, like space, which is supported by nothing. Pretty good verse, huh?

[20:05]

So how about those particles of dust? Do you see the sutra inside? Well, at least one person does. Good work, Miriam. Now, do you see? The sutra, you see it inside of each particle dust of your body? See it inside your body? You do? Mahin, you see it? Does it help your posture? What? What did you say? It doesn't make you sit up straight? And when I feel those little sutras in all my old cells, it makes me sit up straight.

[21:13]

You know what I mean? It's so easy to sit up straight when you're full of all those sutras. Those huge sutras. Do you feel them? Do you feel those sutras in all your little cells? And don't you want to sit up straight now that you're feeling? Don't you feel moved to sit up straight? They're just going to wait. They're waiting you down? They're not buoying you up? No. What? Children of Buddha, we have here. Kevin. I've got a job. No, it's just you're kind of a heretic is what you are. Oh, yes, they are.

[22:22]

That says it right in this chapter, that people like you, the Buddha does not reject you. Yes. It's possible. I don't see this. I don't take the proposition as it's said before. All right. Can you explore that, man? I don't know. I think they ought to be... Anyway, you don't see it that way.

[23:22]

I mean, what do we talk about today, bro? I'm curious about what. If it's not that far, what is your vision of? I'm not too comfortable with our recognition. But I just propose that it's not the... Okay, good.

[24:28]

You know, There's a difference you can discriminate between the, what do you call it, the... By the way, thank you, Jonathan and Deirdre, for your letters about Case 66, which we are not on anymore, but thank you for your letters. Thank you. The imagery here of the proposal of being able to see this very large scripture inside of each grain of sand, a grain of sand, each grain of sand, that's kind of a relational statement, a statement about a kind of relationship, even though there are probably some metaphors involved here because, in a sense, the universe is a metaphor, and the sutra is a metaphor.

[25:33]

You could see almost all these different elements as metaphors, but the relationship may be not metaphorical. So the universe here, and Buddha's wisdom and all that stuff, you could see as metaphors. But the way they work together, not necessarily a metaphor, Is it always quiet as though? Is it as quiet as though? Yes. Or ho. Or ho. In the commentary it says that one of the great commentators on the Pala Tamsaka Sutra, on this scripture, his name was Jungwan of Xinliang.

[27:08]

And in classifying this level of the sutra that we're talking about here in this part of chapter 3, on the manifestation of Tathagata, he calls it opening up the causal nature. And then in the commentary on the practices and vows of Samantra Padra Bodhisattva, he calls it opening up the source of the nature of beings. And then the commentator says, how does it open? And then he doesn't answer how it opens and quotes the sutra. But the part of the sutra he quotes is a slightly different part than the parts according to the case.

[28:24]

And then he mentions this metaphor of crushing the atom, or crushing the particle of dust containing the scripture as extensive as the universe. And then he also just mentions a previous verse, and I haven't found that verse yet, I looked for it, but I didn't find it. previous verses, a single body revealed in myriad forms, which is case 64, right? So I guess that quote in case 64, which I have not yet found in the sutra, is in the sutra, in this chapter, I guess. And I thought it would be in the section on the body of the chitagatric, but I didn't find it. So in this verse it says the single body is revealed in myriad forms.

[29:28]

And then saying, transcending thought to see Buddha, breaking down an atom to produce a scripture, is precisely this topic of the scripture. And then it quotes a little bit more, the part we just read, under the tenth characteristic of the... Both of these quotes are under the tenth characteristic of the mind of the Thāgata. And then... And then again they quote Ching Lian's commentary, where he says, sentient beings contain... natural virtues as their substance and the ocean of knowledge as their source.

[30:32]

So the commentator on this section here is saying that you have natural virtue as your substance and ocean of knowledge as your source. natural virtues as your substance, and ocean of knowledge as your source. Yes?

[31:40]

Well, could we move that in a second, okay? I just wanted to like this thing, this little message to you is from this thing about that your substance is natural virtue and your source is the ocean of all knowledge. I don't know the skillful way to discuss this with you. Yeah, there's a lot of potential there.

[32:47]

It's potential, but it's also, in a sense, it has potential and it's true, but maybe not fully realized, or maybe not fully trusted, maybe not fully seen, maybe not fully heard, maybe not fully felt. Usually, no. But somebody else can tell you that you have an ear, and you might be very, you might be going to, what do you call it?

[33:56]

You might contemplate that message. It tells me I have an ear, and I say, well, I can't see the ear, but maybe I can enjoy it. I mean, I can't hear the ear, but I can enjoy its function. So how are you doing with this? Patty? John? What?

[35:00]

Joy. Jane? Comforted. Comforted? Emmanuel? I want to talk about natural virtue as substance. I'm thinking in terms like substance as natural virtue, therefore the same thing as being, or love, or life, the whole. It's something substantial, but the characteristic seems to me that's You're shaking your head. Did you think he had something to say there, huh? What was his interpretation?

[36:10]

More human? Well... I'm thinking more largely terms as far as substance, as far as what's the essence of not only being human, but living life, that life, but your being, that love, that has sort of universal quality, essential quality, to see if it's natural. Trying to understand what the person meant by natural virtue is a rather broad concept. It's more good versus evil. It's more good versus evil.

[37:13]

That's a natural virtue. So I don't know if it's helpful to even bring this up, but the mind sort of says, well, if natural virtues are a substance, then natural non-virtue is probably not our substance. Not our substance. Would you say non-virtue is not a substantial? If you do that, then you got to, I think, then you're going to have to, if you're a Buddhist, you're going to have to say, well, I also have to make the virtue non-substantial. So this substantial, this substance is not a substantial substance. We don't have those things, really.

[38:17]

Are we talking about, when we're being told this stuff, are we being told about some other kind of phenomenal realm other than the one where we see that we have problems? And we don't see that kind of, we don't see phenomenally, we don't see that our, sort of our ground, By the way, this word substance also means body. I don't think so. Well, you know, anyway, everything is in substantial, ultimately, okay? So this is not the substance, which is like substantial substance. This is like our body. It's kind of like, I see it more like when you... that... the what we are is our virtue and what we are so yeah so the way we actually are which is not substantial that's what they mean here by substance but also that although we're insubstantial all of us are insubstantial and everything about us is insubstantial the particular way we are

[39:45]

is our virtue. And the particular way we are being particular is exactly why it's insubstantial. So the particularity itself is our virtue and the particularity itself is also that it's not that particularity. It's insubstantial, and it's specifically not that one, that particularity. But that also is our virtue. But, like I said, I don't know if that was good to bring it up, because I kind of want to know how you feel about this before I, before I just say anything like I just did. Yeah, so that's why I brought it up. I don't want you to go off track. If anybody else wants to say something.

[40:50]

You want to say a little bit more? Yeah. Before we go on to somebody other than you? Fine. I thought of natural forgiveness for a living So the precepts are your substance, are your body. You have the precepts as your substance. Mm-hmm. What do you feel about having the precepts as your substance? Yeah, I bet. Comforted. Comforted. Anything else besides comforted? I guess the reason I say comforted was from...

[42:02]

Do you feel relieved to not have to get involved in that? Because getting involved in that is a kind of unrelieving type of activity? Okie doke. Did you have your hand raised to Daniel or was that Miriam in the next year? Miriam? Okay. Yes, Miriam? Our natural virtues. Our natural virtue is our interdependence. That's also our interdependence and our interconnectedness also relates to the precepts.

[43:32]

Right? Right? Does that make sense to you? Right? This is more fundamental. Um... Our natural virtue. I think you could understand that our natural virtue is that we are interdependent beings. Well, that each of us is an interdependent being. You can see that as their natural virtue. But also remember that each person is different. That it's not an abstract thing that's interdependent. is a particular, concrete person that is interdependent being. There's no vague, general beings that are interdependent.

[44:37]

The natural virtue of this particular speck of dust at this particular time, the natural virtue of it is its interdependence, That's one way to talk about its natural virtue. Or the fact it has interdependence as its body. What kind of body does it have? It has an interdependent body, which you'd also say it has a precept body. But you also have all knowledge as your source. The particle of dust, or, you know, pile of particles of dust that we are, has all knowledge as its source. Hmm?

[45:41]

Potential. Potential. I know, potential. What are you referring to as potential? No, it's our source. It's not our potential. It's our source. This is not saying our potential. It's talking about our source. Not our potential. Does it? I don't think so. I think it is interdependence. So I don't know if interdependence has a characteristic, does it? Can you put a characteristic on interdependence? It might be a little easier to put a characteristic on the precepts to say, well, the precepts are interdependent. But you don't really have to say the precepts are interdependent because that's what they are.

[46:47]

It means they're body interdependence. So it's kind of redundant to say the precepts are interdependent because that's what they're about, is interdependence. They're ways of explaining interdependence. But that's really what our body is. Our body is an interdependent precept body. That's the kind of body we have, or that's our substance. That's our substance. That's our particle-like part of us. That's our kind of gritty part. Precepts are kind of gritty. You know, like 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 16, 17, 16. So there's a kind of substance feeling to it. But of course, they're insubstantial because they are interdependent. How are you doing?

[48:18]

You okay? Are you okay? Anybody not okay? So I want this to be an interdependent window opening. Is this okay? Is everybody on board for this level of openness here? What? Okay, you okay? I think we're getting the message that maybe two... Is that the message you're getting from over there? Are you okay? Are you okay? I haven't decided yet. You haven't decided yet. Well, you let me know when I should close the window because you seem to be kind of like tuned into it. Yeah, thanks. So let me know.

[49:20]

Okay. You let her know. In case I don't know the subject you have. It's freezing in here. If it was up to red, you know, all the windows would be open. Well, that's the nicest thing you've said in the last few minutes. Thank God for democracy. Thank you, God. Anybody else want to express how they feel about this situation? How you feel about the situation of having

[50:27]

natural virtue as your substance and the ocean of knowledge as your source. Anybody want to... Yes? Well, my first thought or feeling of that was then why did you have to look at it? That was the first thing you thought was why you'd have to look at it? You didn't feel anything before that? I felt like it was far away. Well, gee, there you go. You felt it felt far away? Yeah. And then you said, why do I have to work at it? Yeah. Well, there you answered your question. Because it's far away. Well, because you felt like it was far away. Yes, because my feelings are getting away. Yeah, sounds like it. This is not going to do you any good being far away, is it? It's far away. Am I far away or is the state far away? Well, you think it's far away. I thought you said. Yes. Right, so you're thinking far away.

[51:29]

Doesn't that sort of like... Doesn't that kind of like... Not make it far away, but doesn't that kind of like hurt? Yeah. Yeah. No, you want this close, right? So you're wondering why you have to work? Because you want it close, right? So you have to work. I think this is my natural state. It's your natural state, but also we have this whatever you want to call this person who thinks it's far away. We've got to take care of her, too. We've got to get her to work until she changes her mind to not far away. Pardon? Pardon? Arden? You felt left out? It's okay to feel left out. It's okay to feel left out because you're right near somebody who is.

[52:30]

You're not that far from her. There she is, somebody who's feeling, who was, anyway, before feeling kind of far away. So that kind of thought can kind of, what do you call it, provoke hard work But if the idea was dropped, there wouldn't be any hard work necessary. There wouldn't be any work necessary if the idea of near or far was dropped. But I think it's nice that you said, well, why do you have to work? But then you didn't tell us about that thought that happened before that, see? Because I thought you thought something like that. Like, I thought you either felt good about hearing it and then thought, but wait a minute, where is it? And then thought, why, so why, you know. Now, if you really felt close, you might say, why do you have to work? And if you do, then I don't think you do have to work.

[53:35]

I don't think you would. And not just close, but so close that, you know, you didn't even There wasn't even you in it. So maybe in the reality of closed cork bar are kind of the same. Yeah, they're kind of the same. They both created a slight separation kind of side separation by those thoughts and then there seems to be some work to be done maybe but it doesn't really have to be done because it's just these things that make it seem like there's something else to be done just like you know if you feel separate from your mother you think you have to work to get back to your mother but you know really you're not separate from your mother

[54:39]

But if you think you are, then there seems to be some work that needs to be done. So we should be prepared to do some work in response to the way we think. We can also understand that this is mind-created work, not the real work, because there doesn't really need to be any work. But when I first hear about this substance and this source that we have, when I first hear about it, I just feel, well, that's where I have to meditate. But then if I feel separate from it, then I think, well, that's where I have to work. For me, when I was going to see, it's like I noticed, and I asked myself how I don't realize.

[55:49]

I asked myself, because I get in the way. Yeah, or the thoughts get in the way. Yeah. And so I just trust that with patience, And how are you going to apply this practice of patience? Yeah, but how in every moment? Moment by moment's good. You're going to what? I'm going to practice. You're going to practice. How are you going to practice patience? Not get annoyed.

[56:54]

You're not going to get annoyed? No, that's not patience. No, it's just... You're feeling something now? On the spot. Yeah, so how do you practice patience when you're on the spot? I'm just How do you hang out with her? I'm just staying. Staying there? Uh-huh. Well, you could run away. I... I mean, I've never... I could. You ask me and, you know... Well, I want to. Yeah, or you can get angry. I could. Yeah. Those are not patients. Patience is to be present in that moment, whatever it is, on the spot or not on the spot. Patience is to be present with this understanding that you have now and how that feels.

[58:01]

So how does this feel? This understanding you have vis-a-vis what we were just talking about. If you'll understand, yes, and how does that feel? So there's where you practice the patience. It's not exactly waiting. It's not waiting. It's dealing with the current pain you have in this little gap here. It's not waiting. That's not the kind of patience that would... You could have that kind of patience, you could mean that, but that's not the kind of patience we have in Buddhist practice. We don't have a practice called waiting. Because we've always got tons of stuff to deal with, you know? You don't like to wait. I know there's waiting, but I don't think it's a practice.

[59:04]

It's not on the list of practices. Is it? Not in itself. Not in and of itself, right? Yes? But what? Pain is not a practice. Pleasure is not a practice. Being patient with your pain is a practice. So if you trust patience with this, that's right. But it's not just patience, it's patience with how it feels to understand the way you do vis-a-vis this teaching right now. And then you'll be right there where that little discrepancy or whatever it is the following year is happening. So you can see that. Yes. Sorry, did you look back a bit now? Give me a call. meditate, place to work, place to meditate, place to work?

[60:07]

What do you say? Well, when I hear this teaching, you know, about what our body is, or our body, or our substance, and what our source is, I kind of, like, want to enter a samadhi. You know, I kind of want to, like, enter that right away. You know, that's a good samadhi. So this sutra, you know, this sutra is one big samadhi. You receive these teachings and you enter these teachings. You read these and something happens to your mind when you read it and then you either enter one of those verses or you just keep going through the sutra, you know. entering each one of those words, each one of those sentences, to enter them, enter them, enter them. So this one, to me, when I heard that, I thought, oh, that's a good place to enter. I'd like to enter there. Now, I think Liz kind of felt something like that, too.

[61:11]

But then she felt distant from it. So then she said, then she had this thing about, well, this work or not work thing. Entering is not really work. It's more like You attract, this is like, this is called, this sutra is called skillful means. This sutra is a way to attract you to your mind, attract you to Buddha's mind. You read this and you gradually go into Buddha's mind. It attracts you, maybe. It's got to attract you enough even before you read it to read it so you hear about it. And the way to talk about this sutra has attracted some of us to read it, where you read this koan, and this koan attracts you, you read the koan attracted to it, and then the koan attracts you to the sutra. And the sutra attracts you to your mind and attracts you to Buddha's mind. This particular section of the sutra is attracting you to Buddha's mind. So as you feel attracted and enter,

[62:17]

these words are into the mind that's described here, you're entering Buddha's mind. So you're doing that kind of meditation on Buddha's mind. If you think, see it as separate, then you're kind of like, the spell's broken, the attraction's broken, and then what are you going to do? How are you going to get back? Or you contemplate being there, and you think, well, work would have to be done. In a way, it doesn't seem like work. To be a yogi when you're in the yogic state is not really work because it's so much fun, so enjoyable. You don't feel like you're working. Even though there's this work going on, you're not doing it. Like in one of these other places, it says, This is in the section on the body of the Tathagata.

[63:19]

As space pervades the ten directions, whether form or formless, existent or nonexistent, in the bodies of beings and lands throughout the three times, universally present without limitation. Likewise, the true body of all the Buddhas pervades all dharmadhatus, impossible to see or grasp, but for the sake of edifying beings it manifests forms. Just as space cannot be grasped, yet it enables sentient beings to perform their activities without thinking, quotes, what am I doing now? How do I do it? For whom? Likewise, the physical activity of all the Buddhas causes sentient beings to cultivate wholesome dharmas. Yet the targetors have never discriminated.

[64:23]

I have done these various things for them. So you enter the samadhi, but you don't feel like, oh, I'm doing the samadhi. So there doesn't need to be any work. You're just in there. It's like swimming without... It's like, what do you call it? Empowered swimming. The ocean and the Buddhas are helping you swim. But if you separate from it, then you feel like you have to work to get in there. I think this is a little bit about the Garden of Eden too, right? That first they're just playing in the garden. It's not really work. Even though they're running around and they probably didn't sweat them either, right? Didn't need deodorant. Even though they're kind of running around. Hey.

[65:28]

Frolicking. Frolicking. Gambling. Gambling. across the hills. They're having fun, they're playing, they're active, but they're not really working. But once they know something, once they know something, then there's a separation. And then they've got to work. So that knowledge throws them out of the realm where there's activity, but they aren't thinking, well, I'm digging the ditch. I'm planting the tomatoes. for this or for that I'm planting I'm doing this stuff for and for so and so so the Buddhas don't help us thinking I'm doing this favor for Arlene when they do then they think oh it's so hard well it's a little bit hard

[66:30]

Can we move a little forward into the commentary? Yes, Elania. I would love to hear that same verse that you read, that little verse you read. I would love to hear that again. The little verse plus... You want to hear that one plus one, like the next one? You want to hear the next one? I don't know. You don't care, just one more. I just read four. Yeah. Not just that verse. Yeah, I know, I know. But I just want you to know, I just read four verses a minute ago. Those were verses. Those were verses, this thing about, you know, yet the Tathagatas, and it's a verse. Oh, is that a nice verse. Okay, where are you? Oh, there it is. So the one I read before, this is in the section on the mind of the Tathagata, right?

[67:45]

After the tenth characteristic of the mind of the Tathagata. And there's a verse, it's now Samantabhadra is going over again in verse, what he said in prose. And here is what I read before. Those who wish, does that sound familiar? To know? the mind of the Buddhist? I want to go receptive by the plant. He's receptive. Oh. Yeah, I understand. Those who know the mind of the Buddha should contemplate the Buddha's wisdom. The Buddha's wisdom has no support, like space, which is supported by nothing. If you've got goosebumps or tears, that's a good sign. Smiles don't count.

[68:52]

The various propensities of sentient beings and all expedient wisdom each depends on Buddha's wisdom while the Buddha's wisdom depends on nothing. 107. Okay? So, yes? Just when you said that, if you realize that stake of all knowledge and there's no work, I guess, what I'm thinking now, it's, I've missed the radio a lot today and there are bombs dropping and there's all this violence and suffering, so it seems like a lot of beings are clouded and don't realize that state. So, you know, saying that there is a state when there is no work, it's like you can't rest there very long. You can't rest there very long?

[69:53]

No, you can't rest there very long. But it doesn't mean you have to leave that state and go into a state where you're working. You just don't rest in that state for very long. But then you're there, but then you're present in another state where you don't have to work. Not working means that Buddha's activity is great, but the Buddha doesn't think, oh, I'm doing this for those people who don't understand, who are being cruel to each other. The Buddha doesn't think that way. There's still activity that you don't feel. There's tremendous activity, but it's not like I'm doing it for them, and they, who I'm interacting with in this great activity, they also They also don't necessarily think, oh, I'm doing this. As the Buddha's activity is realized with beings, the main way that Buddha is working with beings is to get them to wake up, to join that Buddha work. It's called Buddha work, but it doesn't seem like work.

[70:57]

Because you're not doing it by yourself. there's potentially really serious and disastrous consequences of working alone. We get tired and irritable and angry and selfish when we're working by ourselves. you know, it can get really extreme. So, you know, like I said at the beginning of class, I was saying, I don't exactly know how to talk to you, but when I brought up this thing, you know, I said I didn't know how to talk to you about it because part of me wants to, like, impress upon you that something has just been said that is extremely important. So now I don't exactly know how much I should stress how important it is to be careful of the thought that you're working by yourself. The feeling that you're working by yourself.

[71:58]

It doesn't seem that bad, but actually it's potentially that attitude can really grow into a major problem. it can grow into the most major problems. We can become very cruel starting from, I'm working by myself. That can grow up into something, into cruelty. So Buddha, without thinking, okay, I'm going to go save those people from that, I'm going to do this thing called getting those people to not think that way, Buddha nonetheless interacts with beings in such a way that they join the great activity of their life without making it personal, or without sinking into the personal quality, thinking, I do this. So this is like being saved from karma, karmic life, was in that verse I read.

[73:01]

So Buddhists save us from karmic life by teaching us dharma, which they don't think of doing to us. And yet their activity is that it's conveyed to us. But, you know, their activity means the activity, which is our activity of receiving it and having it given to us. So can we go on a little bit into this commentary? Now, this is a little bit different kind of commentary than we usually have on these cases. So this isn't a commentary from a Zen teacher. This is a commentary from the master of the Sutra. So it's a somewhat... The way that the Avatamsaka Sutra people comment on the Avatamsaka Sutra is a little bit different than we're used to hearing Zen masters comment on Zen material.

[74:08]

The Zen people, well like the previous case, the Zen person that was commenting on the Zen people by using the Zen people's comments on themselves, In particular, he was trying to comment on Jiu Feng, was it? Jiu Feng? By using Jiu Feng. So this is like commenting on the Avatamsaka Sutra by Avatamsaka Sutra Master. So the way of commenting on the Avatamsaka Sutra is from the Samadhi of the Avatamsaka Sutra. So it's kind of a different style of commenting. to get used to. So at first it might seem very abstract. So he says, sentient beings contain natural virtues as their substance and have the ocean of knowledge as their source.

[75:23]

So we've got that down. You've entered that samadhi. Now, in that samadhi, then he says, colon, but when forms change, bodies differ. When feelings arise, knowledge is blocked. So, in some sense, we're being attracted to the samadhi, and then we're going to be shown, in the samadhi we're going to be shown how certain things happen. Like, when forms change, bodies differ, and when feelings arise, knowledge is blocked. I'm just going to finish this comment and come back to that. To bring about knowledge of mind and unity with substance, arrival at the source and forgetting feelings, I discuss this scripture with illustrations and indications.

[76:33]

Okay, now, Kathleen, this is what you brought up, right? When forms change and the body differs, when feelings arise, knowledge is blocked. All right, I can't. I said what this was talking about, how this was going to be talking about. It was the form of change in the body. [...] That's a natural bridge. No, it's just a story. But. Yeah, but. So what does but mean? No, but what does but mean? Before you read what comes after the but.

[77:35]

So you just said something, right? Except. Huh? Except. So what does except mean? The definition of your except. But not if. But not if. Not if. So here's the Samadhi, but here's how we fall out of the Samadhi. Okay? How do you get into Samadhi? How do you get into Samadhi? You just hear the Dharma. You're just sitting here, you hear the Dharma. Sentient beings have... Sentient beings contain... natural virtue as their substance and the ocean of knowledge as their source. You hear that dharma and you enter the samadhi. But then this stuff happens and you fall out of it.

[78:42]

In some sense, you can say, you've got this teaching which enters your ear or whatever, or your eye, and you enter the samadhi, but then you follow the samadhi. Follow the samadhi. This is to tell you to watch how you follow the samadhi, then listen to the Dharma again, enter the samadhi. And maybe just keep listening and entering, listening and entering, listening and entering. Just keep re-entering the samadhi moment by moment. Now, if you fall out, maybe it's because the body changed. I mean, yeah, forms changed and the body was different. What body was different? What body was different? Me? Yes? Your natural virtue body. Yeah, your natural virtue body changed. Not only did it change, it's also insubstantial, but it changes. This insubstantial thing changes. Even when it hasn't changed yet, even when it's just temporarily forming into something, it's insubstantial, but then it changes too.

[79:51]

So even if you enter the samadhi of this nice body you've got, this nice body, this natural virtue body, even in that samadhi, not even in that samadhi, and in that samadhi you realize the insubstantiality, the ultimate truth of this body, this wonderful natural virtue, insubstantial body that sets you free of grasping substantialities of your body. But still, this body which is empty, this body changes. And then you think, Well, it just isn't that non, you know, then you're in trouble, right? What are you saying? Specifics of the body?

[80:58]

Yeah. Can there still be enough? Well, the body changes means you have a new body. So you lost your natural virtue body, the last one. Now you've got a new one. And whatever you... Yeah. You, a sentient being, you contain now another... You still have... Because you're there as a sentient being, you have a natural... You have natural virtues as your body. That's the kind of body you have. But... when the forms changed and the body was different, you got knocked off your samadhi seat. So it's warning you about, this is giving you a hint about how you, if you hear this teaching and you enter that samadhi, Well, that's good. But then things change, and you fall out of the samadhi. And, you know, various things can happen.

[81:59]

You can get bitter. You can feel oppressed by hard work. You can feel expelled from the Garden of Eden. You can, and so on. You see the body differently. It's different in a lot of ways. So it's kind of inviting you in, and then warning you about, now that you're in, things are going to change, so watch out. So if you fall out, this is telling you what it's like to fall out. And if so, listen to the Dharma again, come back home. I take refuge in the Dharma. I just fell out of the Dharma. Now I take refuge in the Dharma. What was the Dharma I took refuge in? What was that verse again? What take was that on? Again, you go back to the Dharma. and then you'll fall off again. When feelings arise, knowledge is blocked. There's nothing that can happen.

[83:01]

Now, to bring above knowledge of mind and unity with substance, arrival at the source and forgetting feelings, is that clear? In other words, to overcome these... Did you get a crack? You okay? Yeah. Want somebody to massage your foot? No. Thanks. I didn't think you would. You didn't think I would? Otherwise, your rod is going to... The body's changing. Okay. Feelings arise. Knowledge is blocked. So he says in order to help you get back, he will discuss the scripture with illustrations and indications. I'll be darned.

[84:40]

It's 9 o'clock. I must admit. I'm surprised. So here it is. We had to study this case. And you've got this Dharma, you know, ocean surrounding you, throwing you this one little verse, this one little section, this one little comment. So here's the Buddhist Samadhi that you can enter. This is all some hints about what it's like when you fall out and how to get back home. So it would probably be really good if we all entered this samadhi over and over for the next week.

[85:40]

And if you rub your nose, move your hand rather than your head, otherwise you might think you're saying no. Come on, just the hand, not the head. So there's quite a bit more in this. So please keep studying this. This is a great samadhi, the sutra, I'll tell you. I really recommend you enter the samadhi of the sutra. Are you up for it, Paddy? Good. And if anybody is not up for it, I would be happy to encourage you or pay you.

[86:46]

This will really help everybody if you enter this Samadhi. And again, remember, if you fall out, just listen, take revision of the Dharma and go back. Listen to it again. As soon as you listen to this, listen to that and then you go back. into the samadhi. And remember, the samadhi is what you really are in the first place. So, you know, it's really like just coming back home to the Buddha that you... cracking open those particles of dust, pulling out those sutras for everybody. Yeah, yeah.

[87:40]

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