Now we recited a verse which I heard was written by Ehe Koso, one of the ancestors of our tradition in this temple. And the beginning of the vow he wrote was, We vow from this life on throughout countless lives to hear the true Dharma. I think maybe he actually wrote, I vow from this life on throughout countless lives to hear the true Dharma. This was an example written by an ancient teacher.

[01:03]

There are many other examples of vows which ancient teachers have expressed. And there are also examples of vows that Buddhas have expressed. So for example, the Buddha in the Lotus Sutra says, I'm always thinking how I can help people enter the unsurpassed way and quickly attain Buddhahood. And also in that same scripture it says that the one great set of conditions for the birth of a Buddha is the wish, the desire to open all living beings to Buddha's wisdom and to demonstrate Buddha's wisdom and to awaken Buddha's wisdom.

[02:29]

and to help all beings enter Buddha's wisdom. These are ways that we hear the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas. And in the world of these vows, many teachings are given And if you hear these teachings, it might be helpful to know that these teachings were given in the ocean of these vows. They aren't necessarily teachings that would be given to people through vows. They're given to beings who are

[03:32]

well committed, fully committed to live for the welfare of all beings, and not just to help beings a little, but to help beings enter Buddha's wisdom. So these teachings we hear are for such beings. And so we can do this.

[04:41]

What the Buddhas have been transmitting is nothing other than sitting. But again, I say this is a teaching for people who are committed to help all beings enter Buddha's wisdom. We hear the teaching that all the Buddhas are transmitting is nothing other than sitting. We might not understand that for beings who are working for the welfare of all beings, The way to help is nothing other than sitting. But the sitting isn't just sitting to sit because you heard that sitting is good.

[05:48]

It's sitting which is to help all beings enter Buddha's wisdom. It is sitting which is Buddha's compassion. It is sitting which is Buddha's good friendship to all beings. This morning we chanted the, what in Japanese is pronounced, Fukanzazengi, which could be translated as the ceremony or I should say, encouragements for the ceremony of sitting meditation. And that text starts out by mentioning that the way is perfect and all-pervading.

[07:01]

The way of the Buddhas is perfect and all-pervading. Buddha's friendship is all-pervading and perfect. What need is there of our making concentrated effort? If the Buddha's Buddha's compassion and the Buddha's good friendship is all pervading and perfect, what need is there for us to make concentrated effort? And then it is said, but if there's the slightest discrepancy, it's like the distance between heaven and earth.

[08:07]

What discrepancy? There really is no discrepancy between our life and the Buddha way. There's no discrepancy. So why does he say, if there's the slightest discrepancy? One interpretation would be, if we get distracted even a little bit. From what? From the Great Way, from Buddha's friendship. We get distracted even a little. from working to help all beings open and enter Buddha's wisdom, that little bit of a distraction make it seem like the Buddha's way is far away and not complete.

[09:30]

It is complete, the teaching says, but the teaching also says we must practice concentrated way and not be distracted from the work of the Buddha way and from the teaching that says the Buddha way is perfect and complete. And then Dogen Zenji goes on to say that even the Buddha who was born, you know, with basically born come Buddha soon, still the Buddha practiced concentrated effort. And the great Bodhisattva Bodhidharma sat

[10:37]

facing the wall for nine years. So even these beings who were very wise, they also had to live in such a way that they weren't distracted from the Buddha's wisdom, from the Buddha work. In the text it says, Bodhidharma transmitting the Buddha mind seal. The Buddha mind seal, maybe the Buddha mind seal is the vow to make every action and expression mind seal.

[12:01]

What is the Buddha mind seal? It is called sitting. And sitting is to express the Buddha mind seal when you're sitting and to express the Buddha mind seal when you're standing and to express the Buddha mind seal when you're thinking and when you're talking. Again, what is the Buddha mind seal? It's something that the bodhisattvas vow to express in all their actions, it is the great way which is perfect in all purposes. To express the great way in every thought, in every verbal expression, and in every gesture.

[13:18]

To express the Buddha mind seal in every action means to sit. Sitting means to live like that. This is what the Buddhas are transmitting. To be steadfast in expressing the Buddha mind seal. The practice of sitting. What is the practice of sitting? It is the Great Way. It is the same practice it is equally the same practice and enlightenment as you and all beings. The sitting of the bodhisattva is equally the same practice and enlightenment as the bodhisattva sitting and all beings.

[14:25]

And the sitting is not just what the bodhisattva is doing. The sitting is the same practice that the bodhisattva is doing in all beings. This sitting that is transmitted cannot be grasped by my posture, or your posture. This sitting which is transmitted is the sitting which we are doing together with all beings. No one can grasp the sitting that we are doing with all beings. And the sitting we are doing together with all beings is what is being transmitted by the Buddhas. The sitting we're doing is the practice of all beings.

[15:32]

The sitting we're doing is the enlightenment of all beings, and Buddhas are transmitting enlightenment of all beings. And this transmission is perfect and all-pervading. Do we wish? Do we vow? Do we have the vow to practice the sitting which is the enlightenment of all beings? Do we have the vow to practice the sitting which is the ocean of Buddhahood? Do I wish to practice the sitting which is leaping into the ocean of Buddha's vow? Yes, I do.

[16:55]

I wish to practice the sitting, which I'm doing with all beings. I wish to do a practice which is the practice of all beings, including me. I wish to not be distracted from that. someone, many ancient teachers have taught that what the Buddhas are transmitting is nothing other than and then they sometimes say things like, stop thinking. Give up all concerns. Don't be concerned about anything, including, not even

[17:59]

The word in Chinese that is sometimes used for stop is a character which you actually can find on stop signs in Japan. It means stop. And it's taught by many teachers. They say, stop the mind, like stopping a car. but it's not really like stopping a car. And it's not really different than stopping a car. And that character for stop also means rest. And it also means, in Buddhist terms, it also means tranquility or calm abiding. So I would suggest to us that when the teachers say, stop thinking about anything, including thinking about your vows, and stop thinking about saving beings, and stop thinking about the Great Way, not to mention stop thinking about war,

[19:37]

or that that instruction means find the mind which does not abide in anything. So when you're thinking about welfare of others, stop means do not abide in that thought. When you're thinking about working for justice, stop means do not abide in the thought of working for justice. When you see injustice, the instruction stop thinking means do not abide in the thought this is injustice. This is instruction for people who are working to realize this.

[20:41]

This is instruction for people who are living to realize the vows to save all beings. Sentient beings are thinking. Sentient beings, the bodhisattvas, are thinking of the welfare of all beings. And while they're thinking of the welfare of all beings, they're being instructed to stop thinking of the welfare of all beings. Those who are thinking of the welfare of all beings are instructed, stop thinking about the welfare of all beings. I say what that means is that while you're thinking of how Enter Buddha's wisdom that while you're thinking of that, that while you're wishing to help all beings be free of suffering, stop that means do not abide in that thought.

[21:54]

Do not cling to that thought. Do not be attached to this wonderful thought. which is Buddha's vow. And if we have Buddha's vow and a mind which is stopped and is sitting without abiding in any thought, even the great thought of the Buddhas for the welfare and wisdom of the world, when we have that way of non-abiding within our vow, we are expressing the Buddha mind seal. And then the entire world and all living beings become the Buddha mind seal. So stop doesn't mean that there is thinking.

[23:03]

It just means if there's thinking, find the mind that doesn't abide in the thinking. If there's not thinking, find the mind which doesn't abide in not thinking. The giving up involvement in thinking, even the most excellent thinking, comes to fruit as a great tranquility, an undistracted, peaceful, it also opens the door of the mind which doesn't abide in anything. And then again, the Buddha mind seal is being transmitted as nothing other than the practice of all beings.

[24:05]

Which means, again, nothing other than the practice of all beings. and the enlightenment of all beings. Sitting is the same practice and the same enlightenment of all beings. Sitting is the great way that's all-pervasive and perfect. We enter it independence on the vow to enter it. We enter the practice of all beings nourished by the vow to enter and realize the practice and the enlightenment of all beings. And after we enter, we do not abide in anything.

[25:12]

And by entering and not abiding in anything, we realize And then, the next moment, and we start fresh again. And I wish that many beings, and eventually all beings, will have the same wish that Buddhas have. And then if they have the same wish that Buddhas have, I wish that they will not abide in their wishes. And then ... anymore. Because if they do not abide in their wish to enter the practice of all beings and enter the enlightenment of all beings, if they enter that wish and do not abide

[26:15]

the job will naturally be done. They will realize that vow. So again, the Buddha Mind Seal is the practice of all beings and the enlightenment of all beings, and it is not abiding. And the practice of all beings and the enlightenment of all beings does not abide in anything. our practice together, our enlightenment together, does not abide in anything. The way we are living together, not abiding, is the Great Way. And then, I wish that many beings will want to enter it, and I wish that many beings can encourage many beings to enter it. I think that we could enter it, each one of us could wish to enter it, and enter it today.

[27:30]

We could enter it right now. We are in it. Even though we're in it, if there's the slightest discrepancy between where we are and where we want to be, there's suffering. So I wish we would close the gap between where we are and the Buddha way. Thereby enter, and then I wish that we don't cling to the wonderful world of Buddha Mind Seal that we've entered. I think that all the things I said have been supported by thinking. I've been verbally expressing thinking.

[28:36]

And I wish There's no abiding in anything I think, in anything I say. All my hand gestures arise from thinking. I don't know how, I think I don't know how these happen, but I wish to not abide in them. not abiding in my hand gestures, not abiding in my thoughts, not abiding in my words. I'm open to be responsible for all my actions. I'm open to accept responsibility for all. Being open to accept responsibility for all my actions is the same as not abiding in my action. Not abiding in my action doesn't mean that you can't say, you're responsible for what you said.

[29:47]

You can say that. And I can listen to that and I can hear that if I'm not abiding in what I'm saying and thinking. and gesturing. And I want to accept responsibility. And I want that acceptance of responsibility to be a way to enter the practice that I'm doing together with all beings. And the practice with all beings supports accepting responsibility for all action. All this is nothing other than sitting. What's sitting? It's kind of a special sitting. It's the sitting of the Buddhas. What's the sitting of the Buddhas?

[30:48]

It's this inconceivable good friendship. What's the sitting of the Buddhas? It's the same practice as you and me. What's the sitting of the Buddhas? It's the same enlightenment of the Buddhas and you and me. And the Buddhas train at not getting distracted from... The Buddhas train at not being distracted from the Buddha mind seal of the same practice as all beings. everybody we meet shows us our practice. But if I get distracted from seeing that everybody is showing me our practice, then there can be this big

[32:04]

suffering. We are blessed today with the opportunity to sit quietly and to give our sitting to Buddha's sitting, to let Buddha's sitting be our sitting. to let all bodhisattva sitting be our sitting and to give our sitting to the practice of all bodhisattvas. And again, as we're sitting today, whatever thoughts arise, Every thought that arises is mental karma.

[33:11]

And we can let that mental karma express the Buddha Mind Seal as it does by simply letting go of it without rejecting it and not abiding in it. Because every thought is equally the same practice and the same enlightenment for all beings. But if we get distracted from that and try to get this thought or get rid of that thought, suffering. I have a dream that everyone understands well, and I have a dream that it's difficult to practice it.

[34:27]

It's difficult to remember the Buddha Mind Seal, moment by moment. And again, Dogen Zenji says, each moment of zazen is the Buddha Mind Seal. Each moment of Zazen is equally the same practice and equally the same enlightenment as all beings. Otherwise we can get distracted from that. And when we get distracted, Dogen Zenji says in our chant we just did, we reveal to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, I got distracted, and now I wish to go back. And again, let every action express the Buddha's mind seal.

[35:37]

And by revealing our forgetfulness over and over, we will eventually give up forgiving. We will eventually remember consistently. But we have to train. Today and for the rest of our life, we have an opportunity to train all of our actions into the Buddha mind seal, to transform into Buddha's sitting. And again, I have the dream that everybody here understands right now.

[37:01]

And again, I have the dream we may forget what we just understood. And I have a dream that we may have questions about the teaching which we understood. When we understand the teaching, it does not mean we have questions about it. Even though we understand it, we can question it and go deeper and deeper. So I dream that there's many questions about this, but for the sake of a quiet day, I would see you have the questions later. Is that all right? A couple of people said, okay. Enough, I guess. May our intention equally extend.

[38:09]

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