The thought comes to my mind that we are all on or in the Buddha way. We are all in the middle way. the metal between the extremes of exaggeration and underestimation. And it's challenging to be still and present with that middle way.

[01:02]

Today it's hot and I'm wearing lots of robes, so I'm careful to not exaggerate or underestimate my condition. There's a story that says that the tradition of the Buddha way started in India, which these days is a place that's often quite hot. So the people there now and 25 centuries ago were searching for the middle way in the heat. China can get hot too, and cold.

[02:17]

One of our ancestors is named Dongshan Liangjie. He's often spoken of as the founder of Soto Zen in China. And he studied with some different teachers. And he finally met a teacher named Yun Yan. After Yun Yan died, one day, Dongshan was performing a memorial service for his teacher.

[03:44]

And one of the monks who was practicing with him said, you were first recognized by Nanchuan. The great teacher Nanchuan recognized you when you were young. So how come you paying her respects and doing memorial ceremony for Yun Yan who is not so well known not a famous Dharma teacher throughout China and Dong Shan said something like It's not the depth of my late teacher's understanding or the eloquence of his teaching that leads me to honor him most, but just that he never directly indicated anything to me.

[05:06]

This is what you might call a Zen story. since it's about people in the so-called Zen lineage. And you could see it as a story about people practicing together on the middle way. When we're practicing on the middle way, If we make offerings to our teachers, our deceased teachers, what's the reason for that? On the Middle Way we can ask questions. And Dung Shan said, the reason why I honor this teacher is because he never directly indicated the Middle Way.

[06:17]

So this is like the middle way. You could even say the middle way without even any indication of what it is or where it goes or where it can be found. We got We got a way. You got a way. Everybody's got to have a way. But there's only one way. That's for me. Good old middle way. But there's a lineage that doesn't tell you where it is. And there might be some lineages that do tell you where it is. And they're very popular. like triple A. They tell you where it is. And they also tell you about places you can stay on the way.

[07:28]

But you could say that in this lineage we haven't been told by our ancestors and we won't tell our contemporaries and our successors where it is, if we're true to our tradition. What's the reason for that? Tradition. From beginningless time, from beginningless Buddhas, There's a lineage of the middle way of not saying what the middle way is. And it's not very popular. How do you think that's helpful? Well, it allows me to study the Samdhi Nirmacana Sutra.

[08:41]

Because... Does it allow you to study it without putting something on it to begin with? Well, it does that, but then Shoho might say, what's helpful about that? Or Kerlin might say, what's helpful about that? Well, I can say the same answer, Will, because not indicating what it is allows me to continue to study it. But also it allows me to study it in the first, this tradition allows me to study it because this tradition doesn't say, this tradition is not to study the Samdhi Nirmacana Sutra. It doesn't say that. It doesn't say also that this tradition doesn't say this way is to study the Samdhi Nirmacana Sutra. We chant the Heart Sutra in this lineage quite frequently, but also lots of Mahayana lineages chant the Heart Sutra. But Dung Shan's teacher did not say the Heart Sutra is the middle way.

[09:51]

Of course it is the middle way, but he didn't say so. But the people who say it is, they are more popular. However, if they say so, then if they don't mention the Samdhinirma Chana Sutra, then what are you going to do? Well, you're not going to study it maybe. Or feel like, whoa, my teacher never said the Samdhinirma Chana Sutra was the middle way, so maybe I shouldn't study it. But since my teacher never did say to study or not study the Samyuddin Ramachandrasutra, but my teacher did say to study. Or he didn't actually, he didn't say to study. He just said when I was studying, he said, that's a Zen priest. When he caught me studying, he said, that's a Zen priest. So he kind of encouraged me without indicating. And still he was popular with me.

[10:57]

So now I have a karmic connection with the Sandhya Nirmacana Sutra. Well, here's a translation of it that is manifested in this world. It's the name of the Samdhi Nirmocana Mahayana Sutra and it says, Essential Questions and Direct Answers for Realizing Enlightenment. So this is a sutra that has great bodhisattvas asking the Buddha questions, essential questions. And they're asking the Buddha questions about things that the Buddha has taught already. And then, direct answers from the Buddha. Now see, he's directly indicating. This tradition is different. But since it doesn't directly indicate, it allows me to read sutras that directly indicate.

[12:10]

So now I can read to you from the sutras that directly indicate, but I'm not directly indicating anything by reading this to you, so don't worry. Remember, I'm not directly indicating anything. Please remember that. That wasn't a direct indication either. Samadhi Nirmacana Sutra. And this translation has quite a few chapters, like 10 or 11. Let's see how many there are. 10. And I just happen to have it open here to chapter 9. which is a chapter in which the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Mahasattva is asking the Bhagavan, the Buddha, questions. Then the Bodhisattva Mahasattva asked the Bhagavan, Bhagavan, that's one of the epithets of the Buddha, Bhagavan, since there are ten Bodhisattva stages, ten Bodhisattva stages on the middle way, the middle way,

[14:17]

Sometimes the Buddha taught that on the middle way there's ten bodhisattva stages and then there's an eleventh stage for Buddhas. So ten bodhisattva stages and then a Buddha stage. The middle way has eleven stages. The word also could be translated grounds. Eleven grounds. Or eleven platforms. or eleven earths. So this bodhisattva is asking the Buddha about the middle way and saying that you taught the middle way, you analyzed the middle way into eleven stages. Great teacher. So one kind of middle way, which is, it's not a popular way, but among those who like the unpopular way, it's popular.

[15:29]

So those who like Soto Zen, they like the way which isn't analyzed. It's not analyzed. It's just the middle way. It's about all we're going to say about it. We're not even going to say... We say that, but when we say it, we don't mean to tell you that that's what it is when we say it's that. When we say our way is the middle way, we don't mean to tell you what the middle way is. We're not telling you what the middle way is. But if you want to know our way, it's the middle way. And somebody says... you know, what's that? And you say, well, we don't directly indicate here. But here, the Bodhisattva Amalekiteshvara says that the Buddha analyzed the middle way into eleven

[16:37]

eleven stages. And he wants to talk to the Buddha about these eleven stages and wants to ask him questions about the eleven stages. Now, if I'm a disciple in the lineage of Dungsan, I'm bringing up the 11 stages, but I'm not trying to indicate anything directly. I'm just doing this because I think it's my destiny, kind of my destiny. It's my situation that I have this book in front of me, and you're here too. And also, I had this book in front of me yesterday, even when you weren't here. And I thought, I want to talk to those people about this thing without... I actually just stopped there. But now I say, without directly indicating anything, so that you'll do memorial services for me.

[17:47]

I see your hand. I'd like to go on, if I may. Kind of a solo for a while. So there's all these questions, wonderful questions. Before I go into the questions, I wanted to tell you the names of the stages, the terms of the analysis of what? Of the Buddha Way. So again, this is kind of a strange thing. We have the Buddha Way, and the Buddha Way has this strange quality of being a path It's one thing, but it has a path. It's also a path. It's one thing, but it has, seems to have parts. And for bodhisattvas, these parts, the first part is called extreme, utmost, intense joy.

[19:00]

That's the first stage for bodhisattvas. The next stage is called purity or without stain. The third stage is called luminous, but it means light that's expanding, expanding light. Not just a light, but an expanding, radiating light. That's the third stage. The fourth stage is called blazing intellect or flaming wisdom. The fifth stage is called invincibility or difficult to conquer. or unconquerable. The sixth stage is called presence.

[20:07]

The seventh stage is called far-reaching. The eighth, immovable. The ninth, wise discernment or good intellect. And the tenth is called Dharma Cloud or Cloud of the Teachings. Those are the ten stages. And the eleventh stage is called Buddhahood. The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara asked the Buddha at the beginning of the chapter, after stating the names of these ten stages, eleven stages, he asked the Buddha how many kinds of purity

[21:21]

comprise these eleven stages and how many aspects comprise these eleven stages? If you want to know what the Buddha said it's written in the sutra, you can read it. But I'd like to move on to the next question. Is that all right? The next question is Bhagavan, why is the first stage called very joyous? And why are the other stages up to the Buddha stage given the names that they're given, such as Buddha stage? And the Buddha answers, the first stage is called very extremely joyous because through attaining a mind, because through attaining a mind of supreme worth that is exceptional, that is transcended in the world, one becomes supremely joyous, extensively joyous.

[22:42]

What is that mind? It is the mind of the bodhisattva, the mind which wishes to walk the middle way, to walk the path of living for the welfare of others, to walk the path of attaining and realizing the middle way in order to benefit all beings. This intention, this mind which wants to live that way, when we have this mind, it is extremely joyful. And then, when we have this mind to take care of it and remember how wonderful it is, that is a fundamental stage of the bodhisattva career.

[23:46]

And as we move on to the next stage, this stage continues to be operating. And the next stage, the second stage, is called stainless because one is free from the stains of subtle infractions or faulty ethics. The third stage is called luminous because it is the state of limitless illuminating knowledge of samadhi and the retention of what is heard. The fourth stage is called expanding light or radiance because one who cultivates the qualities concordant with enlightenment in order to burn the fuel of the afflictions radiates a fiery wisdom. The fifth stage is called unconquerable because one who skillfully cultivates those same qualities concordant with enlightenment is difficult to overcome.

[25:00]

The sixth stage is called the manifest because one manifestly realizes the operation of compounded phenomena and manifestly realizes regular mental attention to signlessness or it's called presence because one manifests and presently realizes the operation of compounded phenomena and presently realizes the regular mental attention or consistent mental attention to the signlessness of all these phenomena. The seventh stage is called gone far beyond because one enters into uninterrupted continuous mental attention to signlessness for a long time and is subsequently connected to a complete pure stage.

[26:19]

The eighth stage is called immovable because one spontaneously accomplishes signlessness and is unshaken by the arising of the afflictions of signs. The ninth stage is called good intelligence because one attains comprehensive intelligence, faultless in its mastery of teachings, of the doctrines in all aspects. The tenth stage is called cloud of dharma because the great cloud-like gathering of dharma pervades and covers the sky-like body of errant tendencies. The eleventh stage is called the Buddha stage because through having abandoned the most subtle afflictive obstructions and obstructions to omniscience,

[27:37]

unattached and unimpeded, one manifestly, perfectly enlightened. One is manifestly, perfectly enlightened with respect to all aspects of objects of knowledge. That's why they're called that. And then Avalokiteshvara asks about how many obscurations are there in these stages and how many discordant classes of errant tendencies are there on this path, the bodhisattva's path of the middle way. Well, there's 22 obscurations and 11 kinds of errant tendencies that bodhisattvas have to deal with on this path, on this middle way. Do you want to hear about them?

[28:42]

You can read about it in here. Then Avalokiteshvara asked the Buddha, Bhagavan, why is it that among all the births in cyclic existence, a bodhisattva's birth is most excellent? So bodhisattvas are born into cyclic existence. They are sentient beings. And this is the second time in the sutra when somebody asked about how come amongst, the previous question though was, among sentient beings, and actually it might not even be previous, but the other question was, among sentient beings, how come bodhisattvas are most excellent?

[30:00]

And in this case the answer is, Does anybody know what page that other example was? Huh? The question? No, I'm on that page. There's another place. Does anybody know the other place where that question was asked, you know, why bodhisattva's birth is the most excellent? No? But anyway, the point here is that bodhisattvas are born into samsara. They're born into the world of sentient beings. They are sentient beings. They're not buddhists, right? So here the answer about why their birth is the most excellent, it's because of four aspects. The reason that their birth is most excellent is now analyzed. In this chapter, again, the Buddha analyzes the middle way into

[31:02]

eleven stages. And then he analyzes the stages in terms of their obscurations. He analyzes the stages in terms of their errant tendencies. And now he's going to analyze the reason why the bodhisattva birth is good into four aspects. Bodhisattvas establish exceedingly pure roots of virtue. Does that sound familiar? Are you guys working on that? This is part of the middle way for bodhisattvas, is to establish exceedingly pure roots of virtue. Number two, after individually investigating, they appropriate what they've learned. Bodhisattvas investigate teachings and then they They include these teachings in their life.

[32:10]

Number three, they have compassion that protects all beings. And four, not having afflictions themselves, they overcome the afflictions of others. Then Avalokiteshvara asks the Buddha, Bhagavan, why is it that bodhisattvas progress by way of extensive aspirations or vows, have auspicious vows, and have the force of their vows? The Buddha answers that threefold question by saying there's four aspects. So in the heat of India, perhaps in the Middle Way, the Buddha was moved to analyze the Middle Way, analyze the Middle Way, and then analyze the Middle Way.

[33:21]

So now he's analyzing the Bodhisattva's vows. Yeah, these extensive vows. Avalokiteshvara, it is because of four aspects. Bodhisattvas are skilled with regard to blissful state of nirvana, they are able to quickly attain it. Having given up both that quick attainment and the peaceful state for the benefit of sentient beings, they wish to undergo for a long time the manifold sufferings that arise without cause and without purpose. Therefore, they are called those who progress by way of extensive vows, those who have auspicious vows, those with the force of vows.

[34:30]

I think there's another place, and I can't remember where it is, which says the same thing as this. How come bodhisattvas are so swell? Because they are skilled with regarding the state of nirvana, the state of peace. Sometimes people say that nirvana is the goal of Buddhism. But here it says that bodhisattvas are skillful with this thing. and they are able to attain it quickly. And they can give it up, give up the quick attainment and give up the peaceful state. What for? Not just to be nonchalant, but for the benefit of beings. they wish, oh, this is the fourth reason, they wish to undergo for a long time the manifold sufferings.

[35:41]

That's Bodhisattvas for you. I just want to skip ahead here a little bit. No, I don't. I'll skip ahead a little bit later. Now I want to emphasize that the Avalokiteshvara asked the Buddha, Bhagavan, how many bases for training are there for bodhisattvas? How do you train in becoming skillful in the blissful state of nirvana? How do you train in being able to attain it quickly? How do you train in giving it up? Giving up the attainment and giving up the bliss. And how do you wish on the middle way to undergo sufferings for a long time?

[36:46]

How do you train yourself to wish to undergo suffering for a long time? Well, that's what Abalokiteshvara wants to know. How do you train at this, the Buddha says. There are six bases of training for bodhisattvas. Giving, ethics or precepts, patience, effort, concentration and wisdom. And those six are the basis, the way we train to be bodhisattvas. Here's another little analysis.

[38:08]

I can't resist. Avalokiteshvara asked the Buddha, Bhagavan, how many of the six bases of training are in surpassing ethics? How many bases of training are in surpassing mind? And how many bases of training are in surpassing wisdom? And the Buddha says, Avalokiteshvara, know that the first three trainings are in surpassing ethics. So, giving, ethics, and patience are part of surpassing ethics. And that concentration What did I say? Giving, ethics and patience. Did I say that? That's right. And then concentration is training in surpassing mind.

[39:13]

And wisdom is training in surpassing wisdom. Any comments on that? Right! Missing one! I explain that effort is omnipresent. So effort is involved in all three of those categories. Effort is to apply yourself to the other six. Okay? Yes? What? Other five. Effort is to apply yourself to the other five. They all need effort. Effort is also the enthusiasm to practice these five ways. the enthusiasm to learn to attain nirvana quickly so that you can give it up quickly. Being ready to give it up speeds up attaining it. Avalokiteshvara.

[40:39]

Training in surpassing ethics belongs to the accumulation of merit or virtue. Training in surpassing wisdom belongs to accumulation of wisdom. I explain that effort and concentration are omnipresent. It's another analysis. In order to realize Buddhahood, we need to create, together with our friends, a large store of virtue and a large store of wisdom. Not just wisdom, also virtue to make a Buddha. Some beings could have considerable wisdom, but to make a Buddha you need wisdom and virtue. Some people have virtue, but they need wisdom in order to make a Buddha.

[41:44]

So the first three develop the virtue, the last one develops the wisdom, and the concentration and effort are applied to the first three and the last one. You have to be enthusiastic in practicing virtue, but you have to be concentrated, too. You have to be enthusiastic about practicing wisdom and concentrated, too. Well, yeah, except that the concentration and the effort are also part of compassion. So add the other two in there and you've got compassion. So compassion is giving, ethics, and patience.

[42:54]

concentration and enthusiasm. That's compassion. Wisdom is wisdom and concentration and enthusiasm. So the last two go with wisdom and go with compassion. So compassion has five, wisdom in a sense has three. according to this analysis. I'm now at the place where it says, how, Bhagavan, do bodhisattvas train in these six bases of training, these six perfections, these six transcendent paths?

[44:00]

How do they do it? And I'll come back to that later. Now I want to go and ask a question that Avalokiteshvara once asked the Buddha. which occurs on page 259, Oscar. The question is, Bhagavan, why is it that bodhisattvas do not abide through faith in desirable fruitional results of the perfections in the same way that they abide in the perfections? Why is it that bodhisattvas do not abide in the results as they do in the perfections? I like this question and so I'm going to read it to you in three translations.

[45:03]

Avalokiteshvara asked, Why do the bodhisattvas deeply believe in the perfections, in the paramitas, and have enthusiasm for them. One of them is enthusiasm, but also they have enthusiasm for enthusiasm. Bodhisattvas are enthusiastic about these six perfections. The middle way of the bodhisattva is they're enthusiastic about the perfections. They believe in the perfections as an analytical approach to the middle way. directly indicated by the Buddha. Zen school is not around yet. They have enthusiasm for them rather than the pleasant fruits of the perfections. They're enthusiastic for the practice, but they're not enthusiastic for the fruits. How come?

[46:06]

How come, Buddha? How come, Bhagavan? And the third translation, world-honoring one, why do the bodhisattvas in faith pursue the perfections but not the agreeable rewards resulting from them? And the Buddha answers Avalokiteshvara, The cause of the perfection is great compassion. The result is wondrous. And there are five causes. One It is the perfections and not the rewards that are the cause of surpassingly great happiness and supreme joy and bliss.

[47:12]

Two, they, the perfections, the transcendent practices, are the causes of benefit for oneself and others. They are the cause of the ultimate benefit for everyone. Number three, these practices, these bases of training for the bodhisattvas bring about desirable results in the future. Future generations, for example. Four, they are the basis of non-affliction. And five, they are the unchangeable reality. These four objects of analysis of the middle way are the unchanging reality. They are beyond all change. They change and they're beyond all change.

[48:17]

They are not things that ultimately change or perish. So I didn't mean to directly indicate anything. But since we don't, I can tell you about this sutra, this wonderful chapter which analyzes the bodhisattva's middle way in these ways. I think maybe, perhaps this afternoon I will talk to you about how the bodhisattvas practice, how bodhisattvas train in these six perfections, these six parmitas.

[49:21]

Did you want to ask a question, Marjorie? I just wanted in regard to your memorial service. Yes. Hoping that... It'll be this afternoon at 4.30. I was hoping we could delay it by making sure you don't have, like, a cool sweat and heat exhaustion. Like, people are... Years worth. No, no, no. This is a Zen health insurance policy here. We fan ourselves and our friends when we get hot so that we can practice together forever. Because this wind, you know, it's permanent, this wind. It reaches everywhere. And you know what this says on here, right? On this fan? Huh? It says, don't worry about being stupid. It's not something to worry about.

[50:36]

What is there to worry about? We should worry about thinking that we don't have to practice the bodhisattva path. We should worry about that, thinking that. We should worry about thinking that we can't do this amazing thing of aspiring to walk the middle way with all beings. And really, we should worry that we won't be enthusiastic about practicing the six perfections. We should worry about that. That's the only thing to worry about. And there's more fans where this came from. Your own? Would it be OK with you if we didn't have a work period? Would it be OK with you, Bernard, if we didn't?

[51:47]

The question is, is it okay with you, Bernard, if we don't have a work period? Is it okay with you, Eileen, if we don't have a work period? Huh? No. Whoa. That's what you're here for. Is it okay with you, Eileen, if we don't have one? So. you can have work period. I will allow you to work. I will support you to work fifty times as hard as you usually do, but not for too long, and I'll be fanning you. Oh, that will get really worth it. Yeah. So, today I was thinking that since it's hot, we could just take our clothes off. Like the Buddha did. But unlike the Buddha, I thought we could have a nice lunch. I should say, Buddha did have a nice lunch after he became Buddha. Before that, he was kind of tough on himself.

[52:52]

But we're practicing the Buddha way, not the before Buddha way. We're practicing the middle way. Marjorie's on a roll. Yes, Marjorie. What? That means you don't have to wear all your robes when you talk to us this afternoon, right? Did you hear that? She's concerned. This woman is concerned. Too many moral services. Okay. And one more story. When Dung Shan was a little boy, pretty young, he went to see Nan Chuan. And Nanchuan, it was the night before the memorial service for Nanchuan's master, Matsu. So it's a tradition going way back then to the night before the day the teacher dies to do a service.

[53:56]

And then also on the day the teacher died. So the night before they were preparing and one of the monks said to Nanchuan, Oh, no. Nanchuan said to the monks, I wonder if my master, if our great ancestor, Matsu, will come tomorrow. What do you think, boys and girls? And the young boy, Dungsan, came forth and said, he will come if there is a companion. And Anang Chuan said, this young fellow is worthy of carving. And he used, when he said that, he played on the word worthy or good, which is part of, which is the liang of, I mean, Dongshan liang, liang ji.

[55:06]

I think it's the liang. He's making a play on his name, the good part. And then the boy made a play by saying, don't criticize, don't hurt the good. Don't hurt me by praising me in front of everybody and making me famous. But it didn't work. He was already famous. So from then on, everybody was watching him. What's this boy going to do next? That's why they asked him later, how come you venerate this yin-yang? Is there anything else you want to bring up before lunch? I'm concerned that everything needs to be watered and the drip system needs to be fixed. That's all. Well?

[56:08]

Is that concern a worry or just a concern? I don't know. I guess I'd like plans to live. Are you worried? I guess I'm not okay with them dying. Are you worried? No. You don't have to be... You're not okay with plants dying? I don't know, it's just... Just something to say? Because caring for... If you want to care for beings, worry is a hindrance. If you want to be really devoted, just go water the plants. You don't have to worry beforehand. And I'll help you. But we're not going to have a work period. We're going to have a watering period. So, during the next period of time, in addition to watering yourself, please go water the earth at your leisure, at your pleasure.

[57:13]

And if you want to work on the drip system, do you need any help? Who's going to help you? I've got someone. Somebody's good at electric stuff? Is Charlie Wilson coming, maybe? Bernard might help you. Don't call it work, though. Huh? Don't call it work. Yeah, don't call it work. Let's call it play. Let's call it playtime, play period. But promise not to worry during that time. Will you vow to not worry? Well, will you? I'm not worried. You're not worried. Also, will you vow not to worry? Sure. Really? Wonderful. Anybody else who will vow to not worry?

[58:17]

That's another one. Another one. Two more. Three, four, five, six, seven. Quite a few people are vowing not to worry. So, is everybody vowing to live for the welfare of all beings? Are you vowing not to worry now? Now? Well, you don't have to vow not to worry now. You just don't worry now and then promise to not do it forever. Forever. There's a setup for failure. We'll talk about that next. How many people are vowing to not be afraid to fail? So bodhisattvas vow to not be afraid to fail. And they do that in order to live for the welfare of beings. Otherwise they would quit. because they keep not being able to succeed at saving everybody, but they're not afraid to fail.

[59:21]

They don't like to fail, but they're not afraid to fail. They're joyful to wish to live for the welfare of others, and they're not afraid of how long it may take. Okay, Sonia's on board for something. What? I just feel a little warm. You're still warm. Well, you have my support to take off your robe pretty soon. Anything else this morning? I mean this afternoon? This early afternoon? I hope you benefited by the fanning. We are in touch and we will extend to you.

[60:18]

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