So as you know right now, throughout this world, there are millions and millions of people who are suffering, and they are more or less aware of their suffering. and we have a chance here this week to sit quietly without moving and I witness the root of the world's problems melt away.

[01:05]

The root of the world's problems is misunderstanding what the self is. Misunderstanding the relationship between our small self that we know about and all other living creatures. Our fixed ideas about this relationship are another way to say that we misunderstand what our self is. Buddha called our self not self. which means the self isn't what you think it is, that there's no fixed relationship between ourselves and others. And how can we see this true relationship by which we are all connected?

[02:26]

In the vow we just said, the way we can see it is by practicing repentance. Repentance will melt away the root of misunderstanding. And by melting away the root of misunderstanding of our relationship with all beings, and all beings' relationship with each other by melting away that misunderstanding we also melt away the root of wrongdoing. In our own heart we melt that away or it is melted away by the practice of repentance. So the Vow just said. The ultimate form of repentance is to sit upright and observe what's happening, to observe the truth of what's happening.

[04:03]

This silent, still sitting is what has been transmitted in the Zen lineage and is inconceivably effective. We cannot understand how it can be that just being upright and still will reveal to us how things actually work and melt away our delusion. But although it may be inconceivable, it is an unshakable presentation of Dharma, not just in the Zen tradition, but in many other traditions too. By the kindness of all living beings, we have been offered the opportunity to sit still for a week and to witness the truth that can save all sentient beings.

[05:35]

the truth that there is just one life on this planet and that it is completely interconnected. We hear these words, but we must experience this with our whole body and mind in order to be able to carry out the imperative of this truth. This world is called the Saha world. Saha means capable of patience. It's a world where you can practice patience. And the reason why you can practice patience is because there's hardship, insult, and pain.

[06:48]

and also because reality is a total shock to all our preconceptions. So it's a world that gives us a chance to practice patience with what's happening in terms of our own pain, the pains of our friends, the insults and difficulties, and also a reality which we must see in order to really help beings, a reality which is a total insult to all of our cherished opinions. How do you practice patience? Just sit upright and don't move.

[07:55]

Sit in the middle of this world of suffering. That's patience. Not grinding your teeth. Not forcing yourself, but finding the peaceful center in the middle of the flames where all Buddhas are now sitting. Who is it? So Buddhas appear in this world to, because they wish, Buddhas appear in this world because they wish to open beings' eyes and ears

[09:23]

to Buddha's wisdom and knowledge. Buddhas appear in this world because they wish to show people Buddha's wisdom and knowledge. Buddhas appear in this world because they wish to awaken beings to Buddha's wisdom and knowledge. Buddhas appear in this world because they wish to help beings enter the Buddha way. So when you sit

[10:25]

if possible, as you start to sit, remember Buddha's wish. And while you're sitting, remember that in zazen, in our sitting practice, in this upright sitting, we never are separate from any living being. We never forget them We never abandon them. But if you try with your little brain or even your big brain, with your old brain or your new brain, if you try to remember all living beings, you will not be able to do so. The way to remember all living beings is simply not to move from what you are. That's your remembrance of all living beings.

[11:32]

That's the way the Buddha remembers. And when Buddha sits still in the middle of the flames of suffering of all beings, the Buddha does remember. That is remembering. And not remembering the way you want to remember, but remembering the way it actually is. not thinking of your connection the way you think of your connection with all beings, but the way you're actually connected to all living beings. All the inhabitants of the great forest will present themselves to you in their turn the world will not be able to resist revealing itself to you in this upright sitting.

[12:39]

It will roll at your feet in ecstasy. But in order to practice this repentance, this upright sitting, we must abandon worldly affairs We must abandon everything else other than a total engagement in yourself as you now understand it. A total engagement in your delusion as you presently understand it. When I first started practicing Zen in San Francisco at the Zen Center with the teacher, Suzuki, the founder of Zen Center, I wanted to be close to him.

[14:03]

but it just didn't seem appropriate. And I didn't really want to go sit on his lap when he was watching TV or sit next to him and hold his hand while he watched TV or go to the bathroom with him. Maybe I sometimes wanted to have lunch with him or something, but basically I wanted to be really close to him but not by trying to do anything about it. I just wanted to make myself available so if he ever needed me or wanted to talk to me, he'd know where I was. I wanted to be a piece of furniture in his life. And so he'd know where the furniture was if he ever wanted to move it or use it for anything. I wanted to be like a piece of furniture that was already in the temple.

[15:10]

There was a long stairway leading from the ground floor up to the zendo. And there was a long stairway, was a railing. And at the bottom of the railing was a big post with a bald head. And I decided to be like that post. So whenever he, Suzuki Roshi, went upstairs or downstairs, if he wanted to, he could put his hand on that post when he turned the corner. He didn't have to touch it, but if he wanted to, there it was to help him. So I put myself in the zendo, like a post. I was there at his disposal if he wanted to use me. I didn't want to talk to him if he didn't want to talk to me. I could just be in the room with him, that was enough. And one of our members just gave me a little article a few days ago of a talk by her teacher.

[16:19]

And he said that when he was a young monk, he wanted to be like a chair. He had the practice of being a chair. So a chair, people can sit in it whenever they want. If they don't want to, they don't have to. They don't have to say thank you to the chair. And the chair doesn't say, can I sit on your lap? Although you can put a chair on your lap if you want to. It just sits there at the disposal of whoever can sit on chairs. But even people can just touch chairs or look at chairs. In some sense the spirit of the bodhisattva, the person who's working for the welfare of all beings, is a little bit like this chair or this post. I'm not saying I'm like this post. I'm saying there's something about our heart that wants to serve all beings that's like a chair or a post.

[17:26]

Or I also heard it's like what's called a deer scare. In Japan they have these deer scares which are these machines which scare deer. They don't kill the deer, they just scare them away from the garden. And one of the types they have is a bamboo tube with one end open and the other not open on a pivot. And they have water running through the garden and the water runs into the tube And when the tube's full, it tips and spills the water out. And when the water's spilled out, it goes back to its original position. When it goes back to its original position, it goes, it goes, it scares the deer and wakes up the monks. It works, you know, according to various causes and conditions and has a function.

[18:34]

Giving up worldly affairs means to be something like you are, namely something that works according to causes and conditions and has a function. And to demonstrate the way you actually are working. And in fact, each of us does demonstrate how we're actually working. We show all sentient beings this. But somehow, if we're not in on it, it seems to... it doesn't work for us. And if it doesn't work for us, even though it does work, somehow it doesn't encourage people as much. So I don't think I really have to say too much because now that you have a place to sit, you really will be able to totally engage yourself.

[19:53]

You will be able to quite well, I'm sure. I guess I just want to say, please be completely thorough in this engagement which you definitely are involved in already. Please follow through completely with what you've already started today and have been working on for a long time. Be gentle with yourself and flexible and upright and honest. I don't have to tell you to get into the mud, you're in it. You will practice all virtues and if you can do these simple things of staying in your place, staying in your body and mind,

[21:04]

and being upright and honest about what's going on, no matter what, and being flexible and gentle, Buddha will be seen in everything right here. and you will realize Buddha's vow and you will then again be able to continue what you've been doing with more enthusiasm and clarity. And again that will lead to the process going round and round, turning the world around in the other direction from habit and clinging and misery. Someone asked my teacher once why we have seven days of Sashin, or why Sashin is seven days.

[24:54]

And he said, because we go one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. I don't say that enlightenment's the same as misery. I just reiterate that enlightenment's enlightenment and delusion's delusion. A post is a post and a kiss is just a kiss.

[25:59]

The difference between enlightenment and delusion between freedom and compassion and misery and cruelty. The difference is that flowers fall when you attach to them and weeds grow when you don't like them. This is a day, it's a Monday, this is a week in August when you can wake up when you can be awake this can be the most useful and important week of your life this can be a week when you take

[27:20]

one or more steps along the Buddha way. It can be a week where I walk with you and you walk with each other. There may be another week after this. But anyway, here's a week. All sentient beings, the whole world has given you this opportunity, have given me this opportunity to live for a week or a day or an hour or a minute. I vow with all sentient beings to not miss a minute to gratefully receive the opportunity to practice Buddha's Way, of being upright and honest and flexible and gentle and aware of the mud that I'm sitting in.

[28:47]

Please do the same and encourage me in my vow. I'll try to do this and encourage you. Here's the opportunity. The table's set. Please enjoy. Please enjoy and rejoice so thoroughly that you can share it with everybody else and find a way to show it that will encourage them to wake up and join your joy.

[30:10]

I don't think you have to say anything to anybody to convey this. I think it comes across quite nicely when you're sitting still and quiet. But if you want to move or speak to express your joy, If you think it'll be helpful, please go ahead.

[31:00]

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