It sometimes happens that when we set up a seven-day meditation intensive, that then the mind sometimes thinks in terms of seven days, like first day, second day, and third day. So now it seems like it's the third day because of this seven-day thing. Thank you very much for sitting two days. It often happens when you have a seven-day retreat that there's some resistance manifested

[01:03]

to the experiences that arise. Particularly for the first two or three days, there's often some resistance in the participants. Usually after the third day, there's not so much resistance. But some people try it out for a couple of days Even people who have done sesshin before try it out for a couple of days just to see if it's, perhaps this time it'll work. Maybe resistance will work. Who knows? Give it another try. But most people after a couple, two or three days of it say, well, maybe I'll just accept that I'm in a sesshin. and just like cruise along for the rest of the way now.

[02:08]

Have a good time. Yes, maybe I'll relax. Someone said to me recently, this is challenging. I think she was referring to what was happening to her during this Sashin. She even thought of leaving. And I also find Sashins challenging, but I'm the kind of person that needs challenges. And so far I've not met anybody who doesn't. In order to thrive, we need to be challenged.

[03:12]

For our skill to develop, we need to be challenged. And what's challenging today may not be challenging tomorrow. So tomorrow we need a new challenge. If we get used to this one, if today you can relax and flow with what's offered to you, great. And then tomorrow, something else will come. if you're lucky. It's actually kind of sad when people aren't challenged. But we accept that, don't we? Or do we? So one of these challenged people I said to, you know, the words came to my mind, came to my mouth, I mean, they didn't pass through my mind. This is all, this is all one great conspiracy to help you. By that I mean life.

[04:20]

That's what it's about, it's to help you. To help you realize intimacy with all beings. That's what it is all the time. And Sesshin is a time when out front we say, this week is set up just for you to help you. This is a challenge to you to help you rise to the occasion, to meet this challenge to find the skillful response, the appropriate response.

[05:22]

It's all you have to do is meet what's happening basically for seven days. And meet what's happening with no fixed perspective. To meet what's happening with your body and mind dropped off. And the situation is challenging in the sense that it challenges you. It says, hey, have you dropped off body and mind? Is there any, are you holding to your body and mind at all? Any preferences or anything still there? And sometimes you might say, well, no, actually, no preferences, body and mind has dropped off. And then perhaps if you're lucky, the Sashin will say, congratulations, now try this.

[06:29]

How about this? And how about this? And how about this? And how about this? And once again, this is the way every moment of life is, but somehow during the Sashin, some of us feel the challenge more. In some situations, we may not notice it, and so here we feel it. There are some situations where we may not think, I think I'm going to leave now. But in Sashin, people often think, Maybe I made a mistake. Maybe I should leave. When I say, you know, that this is one big conspiracy, you know, breathing together, one big breathing together all to help you,

[07:46]

I assume that you also know that there's other perspectives. In other words, that this life is not one big conspiracy to help you. I guess you know about that one already. You heard about that? that the whole world's not just set up to help you? Do you sometimes hear people talking like that? someone said to me, when conventional reality slaps you in the face, how do you practice the ocean seal samadhi?

[08:59]

And I said, see it as or receive it as Buddha's compassion. And this person said, I don't know what he said, something like, I don't get it. Please help me. And I said, is this helpful? And she said, no. And I said, that's not it. The Ocean Seal Samadhi is to receive everything as Buddha's compassion. And I thought,

[10:11]

That thing about, you know, turn the other cheek. If you get slapped, turn the other cheek. I don't know what I used to think that meant, but now I feel it's like, what is compassion? Hey, let's have another one. Nice. Ooh, wow. Hey. This is called thriving. through challenge. This is Life in the Ocean Seal Samadhi. And ocean seal samadhi is also another word for the chant we do at noon service, the self-fulfilling samadhi.

[11:12]

It's the awareness through which the self is fulfilled. It's the awareness how everything that comes to you Every little breeze seems to whisper, Louise. Every little breeze is coming to you to fulfill you, to give you your life. The trees and the rocks and the tiles and the pebbles and the mountains, everything's coming to you to assist you. The water and the wind and the fire elements are coming to assist you. And you, receiving them as Buddhist compassion, realize this self-fulfilling ocean seal samadhi. And this then resonates back to help them. And then they say thank you and it comes back to you. In this way there is this resonance.

[12:17]

this resonance is going on right now. And after entering into this samadhi, the resonance doesn't get intensified. It's just understood and appreciated. In an earlier translation, the situation of this self-fulfilling samadhi, this ocean seal samadhi, it spoke of an imperceptible mutual assistance. And imperceptible means that now we may not perceive it. And actually, you can never perceive it. It's not out there. It is our life. But we can't get outside of our life and perceive how our life is assisted and assists all life. We can't get outside of our life to see how everybody's helping us and how we're helping everybody.

[13:37]

So nobody can see this mutual assistance, this mutual aid. But all of us are in it all the time together. And when we feel challenged, the challenge is offering us the opportunity to enter this, to see this as an opportunity to relax and enter into the realization of mutual assistance, mutual embracing and sustaining. sometimes Zen is presented in a simple formula.

[14:42]

And the formula is clean the temple and then practice meditation. In terms of the way I've been talking to you, clean the temple means clean your mind, clean the objects of mind, clean yourself. That's cleaning the temple. And you clean by meeting whatever happens with complete relaxation. You meet whatever happens with no grasping.

[15:44]

By meeting what's happening with no grasping, the mind is cleansed and the object is cleansed. Cleansed of grasping. You meet whatever happens without comment. Your mind is cleansed of comment. Your mind is, the object is cleansed of comment. And I had a comment about comments. I had a comment about comments, and I had a comment about meeting whatever happens, whatever comes, without comment. Want to hear my comment? Don't be afraid to say no. So this is a training.

[16:55]

This is a training, a cleaning training, a training in cleaning. A training of attention to pay attention in a very clean way. Crystal clear, clean attention. So you receive what's given with no comment. And I thought of a funny example, and that is during this session and before the session too, of course, but in preparing for the session and during the session, when I'm interacting with the Eno, the person who directs the meditation hall, a comment often arises in my mind. Can you guess what the comment might be? Time's up. The comment is, you're doing a great job.

[18:03]

You're doing a great job. I keep thinking that, but I never say it. Except I just did. I never say it. Because I'm cleaning house, I think. I think, so I release, I relax. I relax. I relax with that comment. I meet him free of that comment. But, you know, I feel okay about saying, thank you very much. thank you very much, thank you very much, I don't see that as a comment. I don't see that as a judgment. I don't see that as a preference. Because I can say thank you very much if someone's doing another kind of a job besides a great job.

[19:08]

Another kind of job means what the job they're doing is not really a great job, and it's not an un-great job. People don't actually do jobs like that. What they do is what they do, and what they do is what they give, and what they give is what you have an opportunity to receive without comment, like great job, not great job. Your mind offers you, however, these comments. The cleaning is, sweep away, great job, sweep away, not great job, and just thank you very much for, not for anything, just thank you very much. There is a response from this clear awareness. However, One might wonder, what about poor Eno who would like a few comments now and then? Sometimes people do need to be told that, you know, something.

[20:17]

So it is good to say, thank you very much. Thank you very much. I have some comments I could make, but I'm letting him go and just training the mind in clear attention to the bounteous gifts that he gives us. Perhaps some of you also someday would like to say thank you to him. If your mind is clean, cleaned of comment, cleaned of judgments, cleaned of prejudices, cleaned of all views, a response will come out of that.

[21:18]

Clean, detached reception. Also, if your mind is all cluttered with all the views and comments that you're attached to, a response will come too. You will behave. You will act. The question is, what's it coming from? Is it coming from a cleaned attention or attention that's holding on to all the myriad opinions that can be mixed up with it? Give this attention a chance. Give this clear observing a chance. See what kind of behavior arises from it. Give it a chance. This kind of cleaning then leads to finally when the temple is clean, when the mind is clean, when the objects are clean, then you can enter into the meditation practice.

[22:23]

Then you enter into the ocean seal samadhi. Then you actually enter into the realm of simultaneous mutual assistance. By the way, it's simultaneous. So it isn't like you help me and then I help you. It's when you help me, I help you. You don't have to wait for me to help you after you help me. When I help you, you immediately help me. It's simultaneous and mutual in the realm that we enter after cleaning the mind, after purifying the attention. And again, it's mutual assistance between each of us And it's also mutual assistance between us and all material things too, between the rocks and the dirt and the walls and the tiles and the pebbles.

[23:28]

All these things are helping us, and as soon as they help us, we help them. As you can see, just little crumbled little pieces of broken tiles have now been made holy objects in the history of Buddhism. Because they helped the Zen masters, the Zen masters have now made them very wonderful things. And this resonance goes on forever. So when we say clean the temple and enter into meditation, some people might think clean the temple and enter into like, you know, sitting in the meditation hall, which it sometimes takes that form.

[24:31]

But really what the meditation is, is entering into this mutual assistance. It's entering into the samadhi, the awareness, which realizes this harmony, this oceanic harmony of self and other. Again, it's not just the harmony between you and the Eno, or between you and certain very excellent servers. It's between you and the whole serving crew. And not just the whole serving crew, but all three serving crews. Now, I don't know. I haven't heard yet that there's some people that think one of the serving crews is better than the other serving crew. I haven't heard about that yet. But the Ocean Seal Samadhi is to be in harmony with all three serving crews and all the people on all the serving crews. And not only that, but for the servers, the way the servers are in harmony with all the recipients

[25:35]

all the ways that people receive the food. The samadhi is not necessarily sitting in some posture. It is being in whatever posture you're in and being aware of this harmony between self and other and the harmony of how self and other are helping each other. But again, it's not something you see. It's something you realize and the way to enter that realization is clean house. And also cleaning house is done in the spirit of cleaning house, not in the spirit of getting the house clean. So you clean the house and then somebody comes in and dumps a bunch of stuff on the floor, and you don't then sort of say, well, no thank you. What you do in this process is you say, thank you.

[26:42]

Thank you for dumping the stuff here because now I have job security. I will continue cleaning now that you've dumped these delectable opinions, now that these incredibly tempting comments have come. Now that this nasty judgment has been offered, I'll just relax with it. Relax with this? Are you kidding? No. Yes. Release. You don't have to worry. It's already arrived. You don't have to hold it. It's come. It has come. You've got it. I mean, you've got it. You don't have to hold it. It won't stay any longer by holding it, and it won't go away by you not holding it. It has come. Now detach, or don't detach in the first place. Just clean, clear water.

[27:44]

Clean, clear attention. Enter the ocean seal samadhi. It's one release away. It's one challenge away. It's one challenge. It's one more face away. One more face released away. I said yesterday that I might try to relate this practice to the bodhisattva precepts of the Soto Zen school.

[29:35]

So the training of attention is training the attention into readiness, training the attention into readiness for awakening, readiness for awakening, readiness to enter Buddha's mind. readiness to enter the Buddha's wisdom, readiness to enter into the Ocean Seal Samadhi, training the attention to release all comments, judgments, all the brilliant things that you could do. to release, and in that releasing, you're ready for the big one.

[30:55]

You're putting aside all the wonderful things you can apply your attention to. They're wonderful, some of them, truly wonderful, but they have to be released so that you're ready to enter into this samadhi. The samadhi's sitting around us all the time, We need to train the attention. We need to clean away whatever takes the attention away from readiness for this awakening. I mean, I say we need to. I mean, we need to if we want to be ready. And the funny thing is, is that if we're not ready, it's possible to miss the boat, the ocean boat.

[32:00]

I had an opinion that I should restrain myself from praising this samadhi some more. I let go of that opinion and find myself now about to praise this samadhi some more. This Ocean Seal Samadhi is the realm in which all the entanglements which hold us back from loving each other completely, are dissolved. This samadhi is the realm in which all the coverings which obscure the harmony among us are lifted. This samadhi is the awareness in which the mantle which covers our body, drops away and opens our heart to each other.

[33:34]

This is a great samadhi. The way of entering is what I'd like to talk a little bit about now. So, in terms of the Bodhisattva precepts, the first one that we talk about is taking refuge in Buddha, which means entering the samadhi. So the first precept is actually to wish to return to and enter this samadhi, this Buddha. And again, this Buddha, this enlightenment is not the enlightenment like something you get. It is actually living the life of the bodhisattva together with all beings.

[34:42]

And to actually take refuge in Buddha, is jumping over to the third pure precept. It's the third pure precept of embracing and sustaining all beings. The Ocean Seal Samadhi is the third pure precept. I vow to embrace and sustain all beings. It is the realization of that vow. It is living in the vow of embracing and sustaining all beings. But it is also living in the vow to be embraced and sustained by all beings, to accept how they're embracing and sustaining you in this challenging way. They're doing all these challenging things, aren't they? They're getting sick. They're insulting you. They're dying. This is how they embrace and sustain you. They grow up. They assert themselves. This is how they embrace and sustain you. and you also are embracing and sustaining them.

[36:08]

So in my mind, I just saw a relationship between the ten grave precepts and the first three pure precepts. In a sense, the ten grave precepts, of course, can be seen many ways, but the way I'm seeing them at this moment is they're like housecleaning, and the three pure precepts are the samadhi. So, for example, practicing the second grave precept of not stealing I was thinking of what Lynn said yesterday, is that she was thinking that maybe if she could relax with whatever came to her, that then maybe things that come to her in the future won't torment her, something like that. And I said that that relates in some sense to the second grade precept. And the second grade precept in some sense tells you how to be cleaner about that.

[37:34]

So receiving what's coming with complete relaxation means you receive what's coming and you let go of more of the same. You let go of that in the future you won't be tormented by what comes. By doing the practice of receiving what's coming and the practice of receiving only what's coming you practice this precept of not stealing. Which is again to receive and feel grateful, or be grateful, but not even have a chance to say you're grateful, but just be grateful for this gift.

[38:40]

To receive whatever's coming as Buddha's compassion. Without even thinking that it's Buddha's compassion, but receive it as Buddha's compassion nonetheless. not asking for more or less. And the comment on that precept of not stealing is in the suchness of mind and objects, the gate of liberation opens.

[39:47]

When you receive what comes, period, without any comment, when you receive what comes and really accept it, with no resistance. That cleans the mind of resistance, of comment, and it cleans the object of resistance and comment. And the mind and the object meet as they are. in this perfectly clean way. And in that clean meeting, you enter into the suchness, the way mind and object mutually assist each other. And entering into the way mind and object really are together, the gate of liberation opens.

[40:51]

receiving what's given receiving what comes and only what's given receiving no less than what's given receiving no more than what's given when something is given you might be given ten dollars And usually we don't consider stealing to say, you know, I just want nine. If it's $10, it's $10. It's not 11, it's not nine. I have no resistance to this $10 gift. I have comments on it like it's $1 too much. or it's one dollar too little. I release those comments and receive what's given exactly, precisely.

[42:05]

I clean my mind, I clean the object. Or anyway, the mind is cleaned and the object is cleaned. And in the meeting, in the suchness of this meeting, the gate of liberation opens. And the suchness of this meaning means also to see the relationship between the gift, the giver, and the receiver, to see that they're mutually assisting each other, that the gift makes you a receiver, you make the gift a gift, And the giver makes you a receiver and you make the giver a giver. You assist the donor to be a donor, the donor assists you to be a recipient.

[43:08]

And the gift is helping too. Everything's helping all over the place for there to be something. In the way this happens, in the suchness of the way this happens, the gate of liberation opens. And again, to practice this way, we also sweep away the agenda of this happening. So we don't do this in order to get this to happen later. We don't even do it to get it to happen now, and we don't get it to do it to get it to happen in the past. But in fact, when we don't do it to get it to happen in the past, present, or future, it happens in the past, present, and future. Training the mind with the aid of this second precept of taking only what's given or not taking what's not given, using that precept to train the attention, we enter into the realm of where that precept is the way things are.

[44:35]

In the Ocean Seal Samadhi, there is only receiving what's given And whatever you give is just received. And the gates of liberation are opening in both directions all the time. Liz said that this training of detention, she hears me talking about it in an active way. And is it a... Is it a kind of doing which is a refraining? I think in its realization mode, it's not a doing, which is a doing done by the practitioner. It's an activity.

[45:38]

So the training is an activity. It's the way the mind's It's the way the mind's happening such that there's entry into this ocean seal samadhi. When the instructions about meeting whatever comes without any fixed perspective are heard, it may be that some human being thinks that they're supposed to do that. They're supposed to do meeting whatever comes with no fixed perspective, or that she's supposed to do meeting whatever comes with complete relaxation. She might understand it that way and try to practice that way. Okay?

[46:40]

All right? But that's not really the way it is. That's still a little bit untidy, a little bit unclean. The intention isn't really crystal clear yet. In the crystal clear attention, it's not that she's not doing it, and it's not that she is doing it. It's that everything is coming together And it's happening. And she's there too. She's not eliminated, but she's not in charge of this amazing release of her opinions. To hear the instruction, meet whatever happens without any fixed perspective, and think the thought that you should do that is another perspective. That make sense?

[47:44]

And that's a perfectly fine perspective. But then to operate from that perspective fixes that perspective and makes that perspective the perspective from which this practice is done, which is antithetical to the practice. So if in hearing the instructions, meet whatever arises and release and rest at the same time, And if at that time there is the opinion or the comment or the view that this means that you're supposed to do that, then again, that should be released and you should relax around that too. That should not be banished, that perspective, because that would be another fixed perspective. Rather just confess that perspective and let it drop. I think you said something about it seems like an active practice or something like that.

[48:44]

It is active, but it's not, in its realization, it's not your activity. It is the activity of the realm. When the activity of the realm of the Ocean Seal Samadhi is realized, it's the way that the release can happen by the assistance of all beings. And the way that that release happens also assists all beings. So at that point, there is entry into the realm. But when you first hear these instructions, you may think that you're supposed to completely relax. And again, once again, to think that you're supposed to completely relax is a thought, it's a fine thought, and then let there be relaxation around that thought too. so that you're not clinging to the thought that you should do the relaxation.

[49:46]

And yet, when these challenges come, plus the challenge of instructions about how to relate to what's coming come, it is possible, perhaps, that we will be ready to awaken to the actual mode of the practice. Yes? Do you get ready by not getting ready? No? But nice try. No. Let go of that. Let go. Drop it. And I'm not talking to you. No. Yes.

[51:11]

I think working during with the concept of relaxing when the pain comes into my ankles or knees to relax and be patient. But there are moments that my leg gets numb, and then it kicks in the concept of being kind with myself. So I move because I want to be kind with myself. So basically I'm not accepting the pain. I'm not meeting where it comes. So that was a nice confession. Thank you. Now are you ready to meet what comes? I am trying. Good. Yeah. So? something comes and we maybe notice that we have some comment about it and there seems to be clinging to the concept, either I'm clinging or something's clinging.

[52:19]

And then so we're like swinging through the trees, you know, from concept to concept to concept to concept. And that's quite normal. We just keep confessing that until the situation is clarified. And... it's possible to get more and more skillful or that the skill can be developed through admitting how there is all this clinging Uh-huh. Yes.

[53:51]

Yes? Um, I feel pretty self-conscious about asking this question, because I see how the river is giving us gifts, you know, and things. I see how there's this intense, you know, there's this intense, intense, intense, but I don't understand how the pebbles that are in our driveway over here have turned You don't see how the mutual assistance between you and the pebbles is imperceptible to you? Yes, that's right. It's imperceptible. Can I help you put that into your perception? You're welcome.

[55:35]

Yes. She said she's having a hard time understanding how action happens. Could I answer your question before you go any further? Well, you said, I don't understand how actions happen, so I convert that into a question, how does action happen? the way action happens will be revealed to you in the Ocean Seal Samadhi. If you try to understand how action happens prior to entering, you won't be able to see. I mean, you can see something, but what you'll see is basically your opinion. When you cleanse your vision of your comments, opinions, judgments, prejudices, and so on, you enter into the realm where you can't perceive how things happen, but it will be revealed to you, and you will realize it, and you'll be able to tell us about it.

[56:42]

And while you're telling, you'll be able to listen. But now you can go on with the rest of your question or your comment. Well, one of the advantages of Sashin is that suffering is physically imminent. That's one of the nice things about Sashin is that a lot of us are struggling physically with pain and also there's a potential of injury in the situation too. So usually when speaking to a group of battered people or whatever, usually at the time you're talking to them, the problem in some ways is that they're not being battered at that moment.

[57:48]

They're remembering their past batterings. They're in post-traumatic stress from past batterings. Usually you're not having a conversation with them while it's happening, although they may be to some extent reenacting it or getting ready for it to happen again now. Whereas in this situation, you're actually in the trauma. So if people are talking about memories from past situations, what may be necessary at this time is actually just trying to find some way for them to be soothed. But that's not actually so different from what I'm bringing up for you to do now. I'm actually suggesting to you that you soothe yourself in the midst of your current pains. that in the midst of your current challenges that you try to relax and rest in the middle of your current pain.

[58:51]

Really like no matter what's happening to you, does it really help to tense up? If someone's, I don't know, if a doctor or nurse is giving you a shot, does it help to tense up? If someone is performing some kind of surgery on you without anesthetic, for some reason they have to, does it help to tense up or would it help to relax if you've agreed to the operation? Okay. If someone is saying something to you that's very painful, you know, they're going to criticize you, does it help to tense up? I think it helps to get ready. Like if somebody comes to me and says, I have something to say to you and it might be difficult. Are you ready for it? I try to get ready, but I don't necessarily tense up. I try to like relax so that it can go through me. And I agreed to the operation so that they insert this difficult information through words or whatever into my consciousness and I try to like accept and relax with it.

[60:05]

So this, once the process of relaxation starts, then it may be possible to work our way back perhaps to some historical events and try to be able to relax in those. So like I remember I was doing some work with Sala and Yeshe at Tassajara one time and they asked us to think of some time in our past when we felt, I don't know what, misjudged or something like that. Misjudged, ill-treated, or something like that. And then they said, at that time, what would have helped you in that experience? And so I thought of this time when I was five years old, when I was playing with my cousins. my male and female cousins.

[61:09]

And I was, we were wrestling. And I accidentally, you know, knocked the wind out of my cousin. And I was a little boy. I was five, I think. So here was my cousin not breathing. I was pretty worried. And then my uncle came into the room and said, and saw the situation, and my cousin's breath came back. And then he said to me, if you ever do that again, I'll kill you. And at that time I thought, oh, we gotta be careful when you're playing with people. As a matter of fact, don't play with anybody because if you play with people, you're gonna get killed by your uncle. So I asked myself the question, what would have helped me at that time? And I thought what would have helped me is if somebody, including my uncle, but perhaps somebody else, maybe my aunt, Or just even myself, if somebody would have said to me, how do you feel, Rebbe?

[62:11]

If I could have just felt how I felt at the time. But I couldn't feel it. I just jumped from how I felt into like, OK, policy, don't play. Rather than feel what it felt like to be told you're going to get killed if you keep playing with your cousin. Because if you knock the wind out of her, it's all over. But if somebody had said to me, how do you feel? If I could have just come into my body and felt it and expressed it. So some people have had traumas like that, much worse than that, but basically situations where people were on the verge of death, being threatened with extinction, they thought, not just change, but major life-threatening change, and they couldn't experience it. and they couldn't experience it, you know, you say they couldn't or they wouldn't or whatever, and that creates a tremendous stress, which is understandable that a little boy or a little girl, when threatened in this way, will not be able to relax and will tense up and get stressed, and that stress will cause a tremendous trauma.

[63:29]

If at that time they could have let that experience go through them, and not resisted it, if they had lived, they probably would not have trauma. But we resist this huge flow of life. When it gets too strong sometimes, we say, I cannot live. And we tense up in the face of life, and that creates a tremendous stress to such an extent that we'd be traumatized by our resistance. And that trauma goes for many years forward. So we're afraid to play with people from then on. But when I thought actually of what would have helped me at that time, not only did I feel released of that moment and encouraged to play, but many other moments where I felt misunderstood through history also loosened up. How did it loosen up? by coming into the moment seeing how I felt and relaxing with it. But you have to feel it and receive it before you can relax.

[64:32]

If you tense up and push it away, you stress and traumatize yourself more or less. So we'd have to work with people to see when they're ready to look at these things where they said before, no, I cannot have this happen. Of course, it's happening, but they say, no, I won't survive if I experience this. Okay, okay. that's already happened. How about now? Now, is there something that would help you enter that experience and feel it and relax with it? But all of our past traumas that we have we now have in addition to that the present situation of where this river of experience is coming to you in each period, or in some periods, or in some parts of the period, you're getting flooded with experience, very strong experience, and you're kind of wondering how to respond to it. Perfectly normal. What we suggested here is that to train your attention to let go of all ways of responding to it.

[65:38]

to just relax and rest in the middle of the experience. And in that restful, relaxed, swimming with the experience, the proper response can arise, which might be that you'll adjust your posture. That might be the right thing to do. But it's coming not from resisting the pain, but from accepting it, relaxing with it, and saying, I think it's time to adjust my posture. I think I should uncross my legs. I think I should adjust the way my bottom is sitting on this cushion. But it's coming from What? Not resisting what's happening, not fighting, not clinging to opinions, but actually it's coming from freedom. It's coming from the Ocean Seal Samadhi, which is helping, it's healing. So there's this expression, heal thyself, you know.

[66:50]

I'm not arguing with that, I'm just saying that the healing, the whole-ing function is in this meeting whatever comes. Part of the reason why we're unwhole, why we're ill, unhealthy, Unhealthy literally means unwhole, split into parts, is because we don't meet whatever comes. We're only going to meet certain things that are coming and the other ones we're going to like arrange for them not to come. This creates unwholeness, unhealthiness. So we're training here to try to learn how to receive whatever's coming, not because it's good or bad, but just because it's coming. To learn how to receive whatever comes. not selecting, but receiving what the world is giving us. And in that way of receiving whatever comes with complete relaxation, with no fixed view, it is possible that we will have the healing, we will be healed and have a healing response, have a response in accord with healing and a response which promotes healing, which is basically to enter again into the samadhi.

[68:13]

to take refuge in Buddha again and again and again by practicing, for example, the second precept of receiving whatever is given, of receiving only what's given, and of not trying to take what's not given, not asking for something different from what's given. Most of us already know how to take what's not given, hope for what's not given, arrange for what's not given, to get rid of what's given, to get more of what's given, to get less of, we already know how to do that. Most people are, most of us are, I am already skillful at stealing. What I'm working at is to learn how to not steal, to take only precisely what's not given. and joyfully and gratefully what is given to receive each of you as you come." Free of my comments, my brilliant comments about you.

[69:18]

Okay? Now there's more hands, but also I know that some people have had it. In other words, you've been receiving what's given up till now, and you're thinking of discontinuing that practice. If this goes on any longer, second grade precept should not be practiced in this case. This is not another time when you practice turning the other cheek. I've got enough slaps. I'm not going to take any more, right? And so I'm not going to slap you anymore, and I don't want anybody else to slap you anymore, unless you want it. And we tried before to try to figure out who wants to be slapped more. And usually people want to slap more than people want to ask questions. So I think, you know, it's only the third day. You're not ready for total chaos. Right?

[70:24]

Isn't somebody here not ready for it but don't want to say that you're the one? I know you're ready for it, though. So anyway, I see the enthusiastic hands, the hands of the enthusiastic people being raised. I appreciate that willingness to go on with this. But we can also go on with it in this very challenging and wonderful way called the schedule. Right? Which you won't be tempted to blame on me. But if I go on much longer, you might succumb into grasping the perspective that I'm causing you to stay here so long in this talk and it's getting close to lunchtime. So I don't want to do that right now. But I think that would be a wonderful thing to do sometime. It often is quite helpful.

[71:26]

Just keep going until everyone has been tempted to grasp the idea that I'm causing them their suffering, that I'm the reason, you know, that that's actually true, that it is actually true. That perspective is true. I am the problem. And does everybody see that up there, you know, and be tempted to grasp it over and over until finally they don't grasp it anymore? And it's not that You know, it's not true or not false that I'm causing you all your problems. It's just that grasping it is the problem. I mean, I don't know if it's true that I'm causing your problems or not. I'm just saying that letting go of that idea is called training your attention and getting ready to enter the Ocean Seal Samadhi. That's just one example of something you can let go of, that I am the cause of your problems. or that I'm the cause of your happiness.

[72:28]

Some people have that idea sometimes. Let go of it. Perfectly lovely idea, let go of it. And again, I'm not telling you to let go of it, I'm just praying that somehow the entire universe will help you let go of all your ideas so you can enter into the Ocean Seal Samadhi, the self-fulfilling Samadhi, the one practice samadhi of the Buddha. Thank you.

[73:01]

@Transcribed_UNK
@Text_v005
@Score_92.5