I am meditating. I am meditating on the middle way and emptiness and investigating and probing deeply concerning phenomena in order to attain liberation and omniscience so that I may help all sentient beings do the same. As you've heard so often, the first ancestor in China of our lineage, who we call Bodhidharma, taught his disciple, Huika, the second ancestor in China,

[02:03]

to cease all involvements with objects outside. And inside have no panting or gasping in the mind. Thus, you can enter the way. Thus, you can enter the truth. It's possible to see this instruction as we mentioned before as a uncontrived method, uncontrived way to realize tranquility.

[03:25]

In the midst of various different objects Not moving among them. Having the same attitude towards all conceptual phenomena. Letting them rest in what they are and simultaneously resting in the mind's way of not elaborating and not being involved in all the different objects, all the different concepts.

[04:48]

Not elaborating, not being involved. The same thing with all these different concepts. Simply being free of all these concepts. The mind is calm. But there's another step we can take wherein we can see or we can understand that perhaps when Bodhidharma says no gasping, no panting in the mind means even further that we don't even grasp We don't even have the experience.

[06:08]

We're totally not involved even in experiencing a difference or a distinction or a differentiation among the different concepts. This is insight or wisdom. So today I give Bodhidharma's instruction the understanding of not only being a calming practice but simultaneously an insight practice. The calming side is the not involvement in the concepts not elaborating them and the insight is not even to experience them as different.

[07:08]

This is the mind like a wall which enters the way unmoving among concepts and even unhindered by their differentiation. This is the simple instruction that Bodhidharma gave the second ancestor. And it says, after he gave that instruction, that the second ancestor, Hueca, made various efforts to expound mind and expound nature.

[09:07]

but always failed to experience the state, the state of the mind like a wall that enters the way of truth. Makes various efforts, but always fails to experience the non-involvement with objects externally and the no coughing or sighing in the mind. One day, suddenly, he attains reflection. One day, he reflects the state. that he's been instructed to practice.

[10:11]

He addresses the first ancestor and says, this time, for the first time, the disciple has let all involvements cease. The ancestor knowing that the other is already in a state of realization, does not examine him closely, but only says, Have you... Oh, you have not realized cessation, have you? And the second ancestor says, No. Bodhidharma says, what is the disciple's situation? Or prove it.

[11:16]

And the second ancestor says, I am always recognizing, I am always observing clearly, very clearly. Therefore, I cannot express it with words. The first ancestor says, that is just the substance of mind transmitted by the Buddhas and ancestors of the past. Now you have it. You yourself must guard it well. The Zen teacher Dogen says, there are those who doubt this story and those who quote it. Among the stories of how the second ancestor served the first ancestor, one story is like this.

[12:28]

I just want to... point out that this is a story of how the second ancestor served the first ancestor. In other words, this is when the teacher gives the student a meditation instruction and the student tries to practice it like this, and fails many times and finally succeeds. This is called serving the teacher. This is called paying homage to the Buddha. This is called praising the Buddha. This is called making offerings to Buddha. This is also serving sentient beings.

[13:31]

This is also confessing one's faults, even if they have to be pointed out to you. This is also rejoicing in the merits of others to whom you serve. And this is practicing what the Buddha practices, which the Buddha tells you to practice, tells you how. This is a story of how the second ancestor served the first ancestor. The second ancestor tried persistently to expound the mind and expound nature. And at first, his state did not match the state, the state of all involvements ceasing.

[14:33]

the state of not moving, not elaborating, not involved with concepts, and finally the state which also includes not even experiencing the difference among the concepts. At first, He did not match the state, but gradually he accumulated merit and heaped up virtue until finally he attained the first ancestor's state of truth. Again, accumulated merit and heaped up virtue. This is Dogen Zenji talking about accumulating merit and heaping up virtue by practicing service to his teacher in the form of trying to practice having no involvements with externals and no grasping, gasping, panting, sighing in the mind.

[15:51]

And expounding and expounding mind and nature. In other words, telling the teacher what you found out about mind and the nature of mind, about mind and the nature of all phenomena. Expounding how you're doing in terms of having no involvements with concepts. Expounding the mind which is free, which is trying to learn how to be free of all conceptual thought. And failing to expound the mind which is free of conceptual thought. Not matching that state, but doing it we don't know how many times Missing, missing, missing.

[16:59]

The state expounding the mind, expounding nature. And then Dogen talks about what common stupid people, how they interpret the story, but I won't bother you with that. You got enough problems. And in summary, they speak this way, they speak like this because they have not mastered the teaching of, with a mind like a wall, we are capable of entering the truth. People who have not mastered

[18:03]

this teaching of with a mind like a wall, we enter the way of truth, don't understand how it is to try to practice that and to try to express and expound the mind and expound nature and to fail repeatedly. They don't understand that if they have not mastered this mind. They are especially ignorant of the stages of learning the truth. The reason I say so is this. From the time we establish the aspiration to Buddhahood for the welfare of all beings,

[19:05]

and direct ourselves towards training in the way of Buddha, we sincerely practice difficult practices. At that time, though we keep practicing, in a hundred efforts, we never hit the mark once. Nevertheless, sometimes following good counselors and sometimes following the sutras, we gradually become able to hit the mark. One hit of the mark now is by virtue of a hundred misses in the past. I'll say that again.

[20:11]

One hit of the mark now is by virtue of a hundred misses in the past. One hit of a mind where all involvements have ceased. One hit of the mind which is free of conceptual involvement is by virtue and merit of a hundred misses of a hundred times of still being involved, still being entangled in conceptual thought while trying to become free. A hundred misses, the virtue of the hundred misses is a hundred efforts, a hundred frustrations. By virtue of these hundred misses, there is the hitting of the mark once. It is one maturation of a hundred misses.

[21:17]

Listening to the teachings, training in the truth, and attaining the state of experience are all like this. Even though yesterday's attempts to expound the mind and expound nature were a hundred misses, the hundred missed attempts to expound the mind and to expound the nature yesterday are suddenly a hit today. When we are beginners in practicing the Buddha way, even though due to lack of training we have not mastered the way, We can never attain the Buddha way by abandoning the Buddha way and pursuing other ways. It is hard for people who have not mastered the whole process of Buddhist training to clarify this situation as a fact.

[22:29]

The Buddha way at the time of its first establishment of the aspiration is the Buddha way. And at the time of realization of the state of truth, it is the Buddha way. When you first aspire to train and realize a mind that's free of conceptual thought, this is the Buddha way. When you fail to realize this mind which has ceased all involvements, This is the Buddha way.

[23:34]

When you realize the mind which is free of all conceptual involvement, this is the Buddha way. The beginning, the middle and the end are each the Buddha way. It is like someone walking one thousand miles. The first step is one in a thousand miles, and the thousandth step is one in a thousand miles. Though the first step and the thousandth step are different, the thousand miles are the same. Nevertheless, extremely stupid people think that when you are learning the Buddha way, you have not arrived at the Buddha way.

[24:47]

They think it is the Buddha way only at the time beyond realization of effort, beyond realization of effect. They are like that because they do not know that the whole way is expounding the way. They do not know that the whole way is the practice of the way. They do not know that the whole way is experiencing the way. Those who understand that only deluded people realize the great state of realization through Buddhist training, and who neither know nor hear that people who are not deluded are also

[25:58]

Also realize the great state of realization through Buddhist training. Express thoughts described above. Even before experience of the state, expounding the mind and expounding the nature is the Buddha way. At the same time, It is by expounding the way and expounding the mind and expounding the nature that we experience the state. You should not learn that, quote, experiencing the state, unquote, describes only a deluded person's first realization of the great state of realization. People in the state of delusion realize great realization. People in the state of realization realize great realization.

[27:05]

People who are beyond realization realize great realization. People who are beyond delusion realize the great realization. And people who experience the state experience the state. Thus, to expound the mind and to expound nature is to be straight and true in the Buddha way. To expound the mind and expound the nature is to be straight and true in the Buddha way.

[28:14]

There's plenty of externals today offering themselves to you for non involvement. Do you hear them knocking at the door? Opportunities to cease involvement. Inside, many more opportunities, many more views, also offering the opportunity to not get involved even in experiencing their difference. Here we are.

[30:28]

Is there the will to learn to expound the mind which doesn't grasp anything in itself? Is there the aspiration to expound the mind and realize the mind which doesn't grasp any views, which relinquishes all views, which looks at No views. In the midst of all views, being focused on no views.

[31:47]

Do you aspire to such a mind? Do you aspire to this samadhi of these ancestors? The raindrops and your own physical pain may be enough to work with.

[32:56]

You can't hear? Did your lack of hearing just start? What? You don't know? Could you before? How long have you not been able to hear? 60 seconds. Can you hear now? Can you hear well? Why don't you turn the... Can you hear now? Is that better? Is that okay? Okay, so here's a story. Maybe you don't need this story, but someday you might. This is a story about some Chinese monks. Let me now illuminate this explanation with an excellent story of an old master.

[34:16]

The old master is Fa Yen, which means Dharma Eye or Dharma Eyes. Once a monk called Director Shrenza was in the assembly of the Zen master, Fa Yen. Fa Yen asked him, this guy was the director of the place, Huyen asked him, Director, kind of like Leslie, right? Director Shrenza, how long have you been in my community? Shrenza said, I've been studying with you for three years. Can you hear okay? What?

[35:20]

No? Just? Just a little? Barely? But you did hear? How long has the director been studying with him? You don't know? That was the one thing you didn't get? Would you tell her, please, Adam? Can you hear over there how many years? Three? Is that three on your fingers? Three fingers there? Okay, so three years, and the master said, you are a latecomer. Why don't you ask me about the Buddha Dharma? Could you hear that? And Superintendent Tsu, or the director Tsu said, I cannot deceive you, sir. Could you hear that? I cannot deceive you, sir.

[36:22]

When I was studying with Zen Master Ching Fung, I mastered the place of ease and joy in Buddhadharma. You're smiling. You must have heard that. Master Fa Yan said, with what words did you enter this understanding? With what concepts? did you not get involved?" I added that. With what words did you enter this understanding is translated, re-worked as, with what concepts did you not get involved? What concepts did you experience without any differentiation? The emptiness of what concepts did you enter upon? the middle way of what concepts did you realize? Do you understand this, the different ways of talking?

[37:24]

The same thing? And the Director Tse said, when I asked Ching Fong, what is the self of the student? In other words, what's my self? He said, the fire god is here to look for fire. What is the self of the student? And Master Ching Fung said, the fire god is here to look for fire. Another translation is, the fire god comes seeking fire. You're not getting involved in this, are you?

[38:29]

Can you learn this without getting involved? Can you learn to not get involved with this? Anyway, Fa Yuan said, That's a good statement, that thing about the fire god is here to look for fire. That's a good statement, but I'm afraid you did not understand it. Director Tzu said, The fire god belongs... Oh, excuse me. I'm afraid you didn't understand it. So the director says, the fire god belongs to fire. So I understand that fire looks for fire and self looks for self. I.N. said, indeed, you did not understand. If Buddha Dharma was like this, it would not have been transmitted until today.

[39:35]

Then, superintendence was distressed and went away. But on his way, he said to himself, the master is a renowned teacher in this country, a great leader of 500 monks. His criticism of my fault ought to have had some point. So he went back to Fa Yan, apologized and said, what is the self of the student? Pa Yen said, the fire god is here to look for fire. Upon hearing this statement, Director Tsa had great realization of the Buddha Dharma. So you know the difference between the two times he heard it, don't you? In one case, he got involved.

[41:02]

You saw how. He said, oh, it's like this. Fire God seeking fire. It's like the self seeking the self. This is called getting involved. Second time, he didn't get involved. Now this story is in your life, see if you can not get involved. And when you're not involved, you will have great realization of the Buddhadharma. Or when there's no involvement, thus there will be entering the way of truth. Seven more talks.

[42:32]

Seven more talks.

[44:03]

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