Yesterday I received a note from Reverend Fain, and on the note it said, Title of today's talk? And I wrote something like, The Essential Pivot of the Buddha Ancestor's Mind. for the talk of yesterday, yesterday's talk. And later I wanted to revise the title and have the title be, Adventures in the Great Dharani. The Essential Pivot of the Buddha Ancestor's Mind. Maybe a colon? Today's talk is, Further Adventures. in the great Dharani.

[01:01]

The wondrous workings of intimacy. What is the business under the patch robe? This morning I would say it is intimately receiving and transmitting this essential pivot of the Buddha ancestor's mind. And as I suggested yesterday, the authentic transmission of this pivot is inevitably is inevitably, is finally due to the influence of paying respect to a great teacher.

[02:09]

And you could also say the great teacher. You know, the Buddha as a representative of all Buddhas. paying respects to all Buddha, the great teacher, the influence of that is that it makes possible the reception and transmission of this essential pivot. Another translation puts a slightly different tilt on it. It says, what authentically transmits this essential pivot is none other than the power of seeing the great teacher. So you might think, well, how do you see a great teacher?

[03:21]

How do you see the great teacher? How do you see the Buddha? How do you see Shakyamuni Buddha and all Buddhas? How can you see that? If you could see that, then you'd know what direction to make your... to pay respect. So there's two ways to approach it. One is pay your respects. to the Buddhas in some form, pay your respects to the Buddhas. So, you know, if you're in the kitchen, you pay your respects by preparing meals and offering those meals to the Buddha. which I think a lot of tenzos think that, a lot of kitchen staff think that we're preparing these meals and this is an offering, this is our way of paying respect to the Buddha and the Dharma and the Sangha.

[04:36]

How wonderful. And by making this offering, you will see the Buddha you will see the great teacher. That's the idea of this practice. If you see the great teacher, then you make offerings. Otherwise, if you see a great teacher and you don't make offerings, then the pivot of the Buddha ancestors' mind will not be realized. If you meet a Buddha and say, you know, see you later, man, or nice to see you and walk away without paying your respects, that does not realize the pivot. It's not terribly rude or anything. It's just missing the opportunity to realize the essential pivot of the Buddha ancestor's mind.

[05:44]

I'll tell you a short version of one of my dearest stories and that is, the short version is, one time a person was going to meet the Buddha and met the Buddha but didn't know it was the Buddha, couldn't see that it was the Buddha. The person had never seen the Buddha before the historical Buddha and was going to see the historical Buddha to ask to be a student and he met the historical Buddha and didn't know it was the historical Buddha. But they did meet and he kind of said, you know, what's up man? He didn't offer incense and prostrate himself to the Buddha because he didn't see the Buddha. Now if he had offered incense and prostrated himself to that person, long enough, he would have realized it was the Buddha because it was the Buddha. But he didn't do that. But he did listen to the Buddha, and as he listened, he woke up and realized who was talking, and he was very happy that he had already found the person he was looking for.

[06:54]

That's a short version of the story. The Buddha is always right in front of us, but we have to be serving the Buddha in order to see it. And sometimes we have been serving the Buddha and we do see it. Maybe we didn't serve the Buddha ten seconds before, but maybe we spent a long time serving the Buddha. And the result of serving Buddhas for a long time, the influence of that is such that we're walking along one day Meet the Buddha. We see the Buddha. And then, of course, we continue the practice of paying our respects, which led us to be able to see. So seeing, paying respects, paying respects, seeing. In this lifetime, some of us may not feel we've seen a Buddha. Maybe the results of our past experiences

[07:58]

Paying of respect will come to fruition any minute and we'll see the Buddha. We'll see the great teacher. But just in case you don't have enough background paying respect, you might start doing some now. Because even after you meet the Buddha, you would continue to pay respects. If we stop paying respects to Buddhas, our eyes will shut and we'll stop seeing Buddhas. This is just me talking. Don't take it seriously. Our ancestor Dogen says, he says in Japanese, ninji, ninji, what is it, ninjiwa, Ninji literally means, the first character is person, the second character is that same character which is the business.

[09:12]

The business under the patch robe. So personal business means various things, but in this case, person, business means a ceremony where you go to the teacher and you offer incense. It's a technical Zen term, where you go and offer incense. and prostrate yourself and the meaning of offering incense and prostrate yourself is please would you give me the Bodhisattva precepts please would you give to me the teachings of the Bodhisattvas please would you comment on a Zen story please teach Buddha that's called the personal business or formal meeting When I first invited people to come up and have a conversation with me when I'm giving these Dharma events, when I'm hosting these Dharma events, when I first asked people to come up here, I don't know when it started, maybe Tassajara years ago, I'm not sure.

[10:30]

But anyway, I didn't say come up and bow. I didn't say offer incense and bow. I didn't. So people just came up. But gradually, not gradually, but some people just felt moved to bow when they came. To a standing gassho and a bow. Some people did that. Some people just walked up and didn't bow. And, you know, I feel fine about us exploring what's appropriate, what's authentic. But studying this this great Dharani called the Shobo Genzo, or studying the Shobo Genzo Dharani, I come upon this term, formal meeting. And Dogen Zenji says, formal meeting is the great Dharani. Offering incense and bowing to the teacher is the great Dharani.

[11:36]

So I asked the attendant to bring me incense and you saw what we went through there and his intelligence led him to bring the table and the incense. Now this is sitting here. It's available for incense offering. Now I do think, now do people think I'm trying to set myself up as the great teacher? Well, maybe I am. Who knows? But what I'm actually doing is I'm trying to set up the possibility for you to practice the great Dharani, which is whoever I am, whatever I am, there's a practice of offering incense and prostration. You could also do offer incense and prostration. A little dance. A lot of possibilities. But anyway, there is that practice, which I just told you about, which is set up.

[12:41]

You've got a floor. You've got somebody sitting in a seat. You've got incense. You've got a body. It could be done. But don't feel any pressure to do it. I really feel okay. I will accept whatever gifts you offer, including no gifts. So again, yesterday I said, Dogen suggests, always see and serve Buddha ancestors by bringing a towel and a basin of H2O. You're welcome.

[14:34]

Are you requesting me to tell the story? Thank you. And by the way, it's usually three. But that can stand for three. It's fine. Next time. Next time, three or twelve. Or unceasing miles. There's a lot of possibilities. If you want to read the details, you know where to find them. This is the great Dharani, according to Dogen Zenji.

[16:23]

This is chanting the great Dharani, the great miraculous Dharani, that removes all suffering and is true, not false. Four years ago, during the last session, I was sitting over here and I was strongly moved to get up during Zazen and come and do this, but I didn't. And I'd regretted it. So I'm glad this happened to you. I've prostrated myself in front of you since I met you. I continue to do so.

[21:40]

Please accept this gift. I accept your gift. May you continue. All honor and praise. Is this a cough drop? Stay warm, boss. May your good health continue.

[24:22]

May your good health continue. The bow that I'd like to give to the sangha is

[26:15]

And I've never found a way to say I love you. But if the chance came by, oh, I, I would. Too much energy.

[27:57]

Just enough. An opportunity I could not refuse. I have to confess, when this started, I felt like, oh, this is a good time for me to go to the restroom, so I don't mess up the talk.

[30:49]

And I went to the restroom, and I I put off my orkessa there, not with much care. And I put it on again. And sort of because I put it off wrong, these ropes were on the wrong side, which never happened yet to me. So it was totally flipped over. I tried to put it on. And I heard you talking. And I thought like, oh, yeah, I want to hear you. So I want to make it faster. So everything was wrong. And then I removed it again. I stood up and I held it like that to search where the ropes are. And thereby it was like slipping on the N'Gaba ground. Then there came this blue jay there, directly in front of me. And he was making such a bad noise, like about like, how do you deal with your okesa here?

[31:52]

And he was really there, and he was really loud. And then he flew away. That's all that I wanted to say. And thank you very much. This is the great Durrani. Even the Blue Jays join. Thank you.

[33:49]

You're welcome. Thank you very much. for teaching us.

[35:18]

Teachers have been very important in my life. This is the best way to open up to give up your ego and say thank you and to bow So this is the great teaching. I appreciate you emphasizing it. Thank you very much. I pray that you see the great teacher and pay your respects to the great teacher. prostrating myself and tried to be respectful.

[37:41]

I don't realize this is Buddhahood. You don't realize this is Buddhahood? And I don't understand the pivot of mind. So for the sake of all beings, Could you give me some help? Could everyone here hear what he said? He said, having paid his respects as well as he could, he said he didn't understand how this is becoming Buddha, how this is Buddhahood, and how he doesn't understand what the pivot of mind is. And he asked me if I could help him. I think you saw that you were wondering about Buddhahood.

[39:04]

And I think you saw that you didn't understand, that you thought you didn't understand what the pivot of mind was. And this is something that was coming for you in this process. And so, take care of that. And take care of that, and take care of that. practice the prostrations. Because these prostrations, when you practice and practice them as a Dharani, as a miraculous Dharani, practice them as a Dharani which has the power for you to see the great teacher. And if you see the great teacher, then continue to practice the dharani of prostration and serve the teacher.

[40:18]

And serving the teacher, the great teacher in this way, will realize this pivot of mind which you feel now that you have not yet realized. It's not usually explained how to see it except by doing this practice. It's not usually explained how to see it except look at it because it's right in front of you all the time. You're living in it right now and don't try to figure it out. All you're thinking about it is part of the process. But you think he's not going to realize it. It's the practicing this as a Dharani. Everything you're doing now, you practice as a miraculous Dharani. Everything you do now is serving the great teacher.

[41:24]

But the great teacher is not something you see, you know, out there or in here. the great teacher is none other than the essential pivot of the great teacher's mind. And the essential pivot of the great teacher's mind cannot be grasped, but it can be expressed. You can present it. And our ancestors, like when Bodhidharma said to his students, please present the pivot of the ancestor's mind, the second ancestor came and did three bows. The other disciples said good stuff. They were his disciples. But his main successor came and did three bows. That's how he showed Buddhahood. You're talking about the phrase, make it till you make it?

[42:34]

Fake it till you make it. And I thought maybe perform it till you realize it. Perform it till you realize it, yeah. And then after you realize it, keep performing it. Even though you don't need to anymore. Do it so other people can learn the performance art. Serve the teacher until you don't need the teacher anymore. and then continue. come here wholeheartedly just the way I am.

[44:15]

Please accept all my doubts and all my hesitation and all my hindrances as a gift. I wholeheartedly accept all these offerings. I have the opportunity of doing a lot of bows first thing in the morning, before and after waking people up.

[47:45]

And then doing the jindo, I actually think of something every time I pass somebody. Usually I thank all of you for coming. This morning in particular, I noticed I was paying homage on my... I think I don't remember the first three bows before the wake-up bell, because I'm still sleepy, what I'm paying homage to, but I was really clear this morning. Can you hear her? Yes? She said sometimes when she bows at the beginning before she does the wake-up bell, she's not clear about who she's bowing to, but this morning she was really clear. And throughout the process, all the bows, all morning,

[48:52]

I was expounding every bow. It started to surprise me how many. Every bow was an expounding? Yeah. I went through a lot of ancestors on every bow. I'm appreciating this opportunity to bow. In a sense I'm bowing for all you. during these extra ceremonies I do. And for your health, I do a ceremony each morning. And I felt the difference between yesterday's events, ceremonies, and the day before's. I felt like there was a little shift in each of the operands. And every time I put this OKSA on, this used to be a pension rush use OKSA.

[50:04]

It still is. It just doesn't work very often. And it doesn't, it falls off a lot. It's hard to keep on. I think it's sweet that I fumble of trying to keep this OKSA on. This robe that she's wearing is the last black robe that I used regularly. I wore it during a Dharma transmission ceremony. And in the ceremony we have a torch that we light to illuminate documents. And the torch has pitch in it, so it drips flames sometimes. And a flame dripped onto the yokesa, so there's a hole in it from that flame.

[51:10]

And then after I received a brown robe, I stopped wearing that robe, and I gave it to Isan Dorsey. And he wore it until he received a brown robe. And then he gave it to one of his students, Steve Allen, and Steve Allen wore it until he received a brawn robe. And then the years had gone by and I thought, where is that robe? I kind of wanted to get it back because I thought nobody was wearing it. And that was right, nobody was wearing it. So I finally got it back. And also this robe was made by Joshin San, one of the first sewing teachers of this type of sewing. So many people helped restore it. And I thought, now I can give this to Shiso to wear. So I've given it to this Shiso to wear.

[52:17]

There is a great Dharani and it's called the Oksa. I've been sitting back there with my eyes leaking, observing the response from the sound. I think this is intimacy. Once the ceremony started, I thought it was real nice, and a couple people came up.

[54:52]

I was like, oh, great. I'm going to have to wait and watch everybody do this. And became very resentful while I was sitting there. And after about two or three people, I realized their resentment was getting in my way of listening to what everyone was trying to say. And then I felt like crap. And then I thought there was some more, and then I said, well, just get up. Why are you keeping this in? Let it all out to everyone. So I not only pay respect to the great teacher, but to Sangre. Thank you all. Thank you for your expression. This sort of public exposure isn't my strong suit, but it is a strong teaching.

[56:50]

So I feel it at this moment. So thank you for the invitation. You're welcome. I also wanted to say to all of the Sangha that I realize that Teaching comes from you at every moment. And I'll try not to miss it. About that way, too. When you first said... Could you speak up, please?

[58:23]

When you first said that there were these ways of paying respects to the great teacher... There are ways of paying respects to the great teacher, yes. This is what popped into my mind. This is a little dance. And we haven't had a chance to rehearse it yet. It's a dance for saying hello to fear. It's a dance for saying hello to fear. Okay. And this might be a nice time to mention that Today is the birthday of my 34-year-old daughter, Taya, and this was her midwife. Patty was her midwife.

[59:24]

Good job, Patty. Good job, Bruce. And red. I had some wonderful things to share with you today, but I think I'll share them with you tomorrow. I didn't expect what happened here today to happen. I didn't expect to have this incense burner here in front of me and for you to respond the way you did, but I'm very grateful.

[60:29]

for what has happened here. We have chanted a great Dharani, a miraculous Dharani today that will receive, will relieve all suffering and distress. And it's true, not false. Thank you very much.

[60:53]

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