Starting again with the big picture, proposing that the practice of renunciation is the mode of entry into the practice of compassion united with wisdom. practice of compassionate wisdom or, you know, wise compassion. And also to point out that in one sense renunciation is the way to enter this realm of wisdom and compassion working together, but also as renunciation develops it becomes virtually the same as wisdom.

[01:06]

In the sense that wisdom is the realization of relinquishing all views. relinquishing all views, especially, of course, relinquishing false views. So wisdom is also called right view, and right view is basically relinquishing erroneous conceptions of how things are. So renunciation ultimately is wisdom. And the wisdom then is not just by itself, but is brought together with the practice of compassion, which is also the practice of virtue, or another way to talk about practicing compassion is to practice virtues.

[02:32]

And these virtues are also sometimes called, these compassionate virtues are also sometimes called skill and means. They're practices that one is involved with, but they're also practices which attract people. As they're done properly, they attract people into the practice of them. and they become most attractive when they're practiced within renunciation. I just talked about one of the virtues. One of the virtues is the practice of concentration or developing a stable calm, flexible, workable, buoyant, joyful state of mind. That's one of the virtues.

[03:44]

Another virtue is the practice of giving. Another virtue is the practice of the precepts, particularly precepts about how to relate in a way that realizes compassion can join with wisdom. And another virtue is the practice of patience. Another virtue is the practice of enthusiasm. So these are ways to develop compassion and they are ways to attract people to those practices of compassion. Renunciation gives a feeling for how to practice these compassionate practices in a compassionate way.

[04:49]

So to practice giving or precepts or concentration in the context of renunciation means to practice them without grasping them or seeking something. To practice them very warmly and gently and kindly practicing with what's coming to you in that way, the mind naturally becomes calm. When something comes and we don't grasp it or seek anything else, that way of being with what comes promotes tranquility and flexibility and buoyancy of body and mind. It is also developing kindliness in the context of practicing calming, because we're not rushing ourselves to get calm.

[06:02]

We're not seeking to get calmer than we are now. Of course we want to be calm, or maybe we don't, but let's say we do. That's fine. Of course we'd like to get on the bus. That's okay. but we are very respectful to the rate at which we are developing. And being respectful at perhaps a rather slow development of calm is calming. Being gentle and patient with the rather slow development of tranquility, is tranquilizing. Rushing the tranquility, rushing the calm, not respecting the calm, wishing you were more calm, is agitating. Or if not agitating, at least it just leaves you with whatever level you're at, but probably slightly deteriorating it.

[07:11]

But to treat it with no gaining attitude, but just appreciating it at its current level, it deepens. And the same with all the other practices. And it also makes those practices more attractive to other people. If they see you pushing yourself really hard, for example, to get concentrated and being mean to yourself, they may think, I don't want to practice that way. They may think it already, that that's the way to practice concentration, to be very tough on yourself and get yourself concentrated. They may already think that. But when they see somebody else doing it, they probably say, hmm, that isn't very attractive.

[08:14]

Maybe I should give that up. So there's something good about practicing the wrong way because sometimes you show people the wrong way to do it and then they see that that's not the way they want to do it. So you may indirectly attract them to the opposite of what you're doing so you're not totally useless. So even though you're not practicing in the most skillful way, you can still be somewhat helpful if you're practicing the virtues. So practicing the virtues even without renunciation is still somewhat helpful. Just like I said before, practicing compassion without renunciation is still somewhat helpful. Practicing yoga. Hatha yoga, for example, without renunciation is still beneficial. But practicing it together with renunciation, it becomes liberating.

[09:17]

So you can look at a yoga practice and see, is there practice of tranquility with it? In other words, is there appreciation, gentle care for it, the way it is with no grasping and seeking around the physicality of it? and there's calming with it. Is there giving? Is there generosity with it? Giving energy to it, but also letting it be what it is. Are you practicing the precepts with the pose? Are you practicing patience with the discomfort of the pose? Are you practicing enthusiasm with the pose? I'm looking at the virtue of the precepts, that virtue.

[10:36]

and trying to see how that would be practiced in the context of renunciation. The precepts, the way they're transmitted in the Soto Zen tradition of Japan and America is in the form of sixteen precepts. The first three are returning to or taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Those are the first three. Returning to or taking refuge in supreme enlightenment, supreme truth and the harmonious community of those who are promoting the practice, who are working to promote the practice.

[11:40]

The next three are to practice forms and ceremonies of the tradition. The next one is to practice all wholesome activities, even informal ones. And the third one is to practice benefiting beings. Just three more. And then the ten major precepts are the precept of not killing, not taking what's not given, not misusing sexuality, not lying, not intoxicating primarily others and also yourself, not speaking of others' shortcomings in any way that's not beneficial, not praising yourself at the expense of others, not being possessive of anything

[12:56]

not being angry in any harmful way and not speaking unhelpfully about enlightenment, the truth of the Buddha or the community of people who are trying to practice So, looking at that particular virtue, that particular practice of compassion, these precept practices, I would pick out, first of all, the first one, taking refuge in Buddha. And, of course, that's an inexhaustible precept. But just for starters, I would say that That precept in the context of renunciation, in some sense, is... I mean, the precept of returning to Buddha in the context of renunciation is actually, like, redundant to say.

[14:15]

Because actually, what Buddha is, is basically wanting everybody... The Buddha that you return to is what's born of wanting everybody to be completely free of suffering. It's born of that. The Buddha is born of that and is that. At the same time, not seeking anything or grasping any beings. So, taking refuge in Buddha is, in some sense, again, it's like taking refuge in renunciation joined with caring the most caring enough to want to give the very best but with no seeking and no grasping. So if you would take refuge without renunciation it would in some sense not really be possible because

[15:27]

taking refuge in Buddha is basically taking refuge in renunciation conjoined with compassion. If you practice renunciation as you approach the practice of taking refuge in the Buddha, you're all set to enter because you're already practicing the non-seeking and non-grasping side of the Buddha. And you're practicing this precept hopefully to develop compassion. So wanting, feeling enough compassion to want to practice the virtue of taking refuge in Buddha and wanting to go back to place of learning and being born of compassion and joining that, uniting that compassion with not trying to get anything other than what you have, other than what comes.

[16:42]

This is a way to take practice, the first virtue, the first precept. I mean the first precept of the virtue of the precept practice. And then I sort of just skip over to another one. Look at the third major precept, which is put in a negative way, is sometimes phrased as no sexual greed. Don't misuse sexuality. Or it could be called no selfish sexuality. Or it could be put positively, appropriate use or appropriate functioning of sexuality or selfless sexuality.

[17:57]

That would be practicing the virtue of that precept. would be to practicing in the context of renunciation would be well actually not even in the context of renunciation well yeah the precept means selfless sexuality and that's the same as what the precept would mean if you practiced it in renunciation you renounce selfish sexuality if you practice with sexuality in the context of renunciation. And practicing with sexuality in the context of renunciation, you realize the precept of not misusing sexuality. What are the ways of misusing sexuality or relating to sexuality?

[19:16]

Well, all the ways of relating to sexuality that have grasping and seeking, those will all be misuses and they will also be sexuality without renunciation. So what are those? There's many forms, but one would be trying to control it. Trying to control it. Control the sexuality. Just as in the practice of concentration, we aren't trying to control our breath or control our posture, but we're caring for it in a gentle, respectful, attentive, warm, non-grasping, non-controlling way. And relating to the posture and breathing that way, the meditation is calming.

[20:24]

Concentration is not to try to get control of yourself. It's to calm down and relax, loosen up and be buoyant and flexible and full of joy. Precept practices are also not to get control of your breath or sexuality. It's to care for sexuality in such a way that you calm down with it, that you relax with it, or to relax with it and calm down with it so that you can meet it, period, and care for it, period, and not be distracted from it. or by it. But you're not really distracted by it. We're distracted by our reactions to it. Another way of practicing with it, and I would say in an inappropriate or even greedy way, would be to suppress it.

[21:31]

So if we're trying to stop being greedy about sexuality, If we're seeking that, we're basically greedy then about not being greedy, so you might try to suppress it. That's another, I would say, misuse, is try to suppress it. It's not there to be suppressed, I would say. Another way of misusing it, would be, or abuse it, would be to deny it. Lie to yourself or others about it. No, I'm not, I have no sexual energy. Nope. Another way would be to, yeah, be dishonest about it. Another way would be to not care for it.

[22:34]

You know, just let it run around in the street, you know, without any supervision. What do they call it? Locky sexuality? They're what they call those kids that... Huh? Or latchkey. Latchkey sexuality. Those kids who come home from school with no supervision. Sexuality should be attended to. It should have close, loving supervision. Like an energetic kid. not respecting it, not being gentle with it, starving it, being cruel to it. Those are misuses of sexuality, I would suggest. And so I would say the practicing renunciation would be to renounce all those ways of relating to sexuality.

[23:44]

let go of them relax in those ways won't happen I just thought well if you relax wouldn't you be able to like not care for it and I'm talking about relaxing when you meet it I'm not talking about relaxing after having denied it so you're not denying it you're caring you're not You know, you're there with, you're meeting it, you're facing it. So I'm talking about how do you meet it, not how do you meet it after you're not meeting it. You're meeting it, so you relax, and you relax means you're gentle with it, means you respect it. When you meet something and you relax with it, I say you respect it. Maybe I should stop there.

[24:58]

You look like you're not sure about that one. So just imagine. I think because sometimes people think you can respect somebody and be tense, right? Like I respect you, but I'm afraid of you. Imagine respecting someone and then bring complete relaxation to that respect. Would the respect disappear? Or would it be enhanced? When someone comes, or even someone you don't know yet, when they appear and you relax with them, is that a respectful way to meet them? Would they think that that was respectful? They might not. One time I went to visit... People may be able to identify who I'm talking about, but I think it's okay.

[26:08]

I went to visit someone with Suzuki Roshi one time. This person that I went to visit, her name was Trudy Dixon. And I remember hearing Suzuki Roshi call up before he went over. And he said, this is Reverend Suzuki. May I come to visit you? And then I guess she said, okay, so we went to visit her. She's the person who edited his book, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, one of the main editors. And she had cancer, so it's hard for her to come to the Zen Do. So he went to visit her, and I was his chauffeur. So we went to visit, and we went up to their house. They lived in Mill Valley at that time. We went up to the house, and it was in the morning. We had gone to Mill Valley to practice concentration And after the meditation, we went over to her house. So it was kind of early in the morning. And her husband came to the door in his bathrobe, smoking a cigarette.

[27:12]

And he, I think, kind of had the cigarette hanging out of his mouth. And I thought, wow, what a way to greet Suzuki Roshan. You know? didn't seem so respectful to me but he seemed quite relaxed i don't know if he was because he was smoking a cigarette i don't know but i just thought there's a case where it seemed like he was relaxed but he wasn't sure it was that respectful so maybe it's not that easy to see that if you really completely relax with somebody that there would be respect how would there be respect if you're really relaxed in that meeting. How would there be respect if there's no grasping about the person?

[28:15]

I think that's myself, although it's not necessarily easy to meet such a person who's like meeting you without grasping you, without, you know, who's open. and not putting you into something graspable and then grasping it. And also that might not be easy to meet a person like that, who like was relaxing that way of meeting people and was that open. But it seems to me if I would consider that, I would think, this is really respecting me. They're like opening up to what I might actually be. And I might not even want that. I might want them to rather like just sort of say, oh, well, he's like a really nice guy. And that's it. Or he's this kind of a guy and I like that. Well, that's nice. You're popular, right? You're approved. But is that respect?

[29:20]

Or is respect for the person to say, you know, I don't know what you are. but I'm going to meet you anyway, right now. And meet you means partly that I have some impression of what you are, because my mind's making up something about you, but I'm not going to grasp what I'm making up about you as what you are. So again, the etymology of respect is to respect, to look again. So when we see someone, the first thing we see is basically what our nervous system presents us about them. Oh, they like me, or they don't. Okay, fine. Look again. Open up to, not that they don't like you, but just that there's something more than what you're making out, than what you see.

[30:26]

What appears there is not the whole story, because the appearance is what your mind is making up. Relax with that appearance. I think that's very respectful. But it's intense, and then you're not grasping, so this is unfamiliar territory, like to meet somebody and not grasp. I know her name is Judith, but I don't know actually what she is. I have a thought of what she is, but I'm not grasping that. I'm not settling for that, and I'm not seeking for more than that either. This is a space I make, you know, to really welcome you. If I'm practicing renunciation, I make a space for you to be, which includes my impression of you, but it's more than that.

[31:34]

And you can change, and perhaps I get a different impression than I've ever seen before, but even then, I maybe don't grasp that either, and I continue to open the space for our for our actual relationship. I do that with myself while I'm sitting in meditation in the context of renunciation, and it's calming. And then I do it with my own feelings of sexuality. I greet them in the same way, with respect, not trying to control them, not trying to control my breath, not trying to control my posture. Not grasping my breath, not controlling my breath, not seeking some other breath, not seeking some other posture. Not grasping the sexuality, not seeking some other sexuality. Respecting it, relaxing with it. Caring for it in this warm way, which is actually going to bring about a selfless way of being with it.

[32:48]

Acknowledge it. Take care of it. And is this caring for sexuality in the context of renunciation, is it becoming selfless? Just like meeting another person in the context of renunciation, does that promote a selfless meeting? Renouncing anything that would distract me from the sexuality that's appearing. Does that promote a selfless way of being with it? Does that promote a way of being with it that benefits others? Not me.

[33:57]

I mean, it benefits me too, but it benefits all others. Does it benefit all others to relate to sexuality this way? That's what the precept's about, relating to sexuality in a way that benefits all others and which benefits them by showing them how to relate to sexuality in this renunciate way. in this way which makes sexuality a virtue. Not sexuality a virtue, but a way of practicing with it that's a virtue that's joined with wisdom. The wisdom which lets sexuality not be confined by the conceptions, the views of it. There are views of it, but they're being relinquished

[34:58]

And there is care for it, but without grasping or seeking. Does this way of relating to this phenomena benefit all other beings? So this is a... I'm proposing this. What do you think? Do you have any other ways of practicing with this phenomena of sexuality in a way that Well, she had some questions about that or some argument about that. I think I'll have a drink to that.

[36:09]

Yes? I find it difficult to put into practice. Difficult to put into practice? It doesn't work. If I'm feeling attracted to someone, particularly at work or at a place where it's inappropriate, those feelings are inappropriate. What does one do with those feelings? How do you let go of them? Or how do you not hold on to them? Right. I don't get it. You don't get it. Okay. Thank you for giving us all an opportunity to help you get it. The first thing that I heard you say, let me see if I did, is that you said maybe at work you have a feeling of attraction to someone.

[37:17]

And I think you said something like, I think you said that the feeling was inappropriate. Yes. Okay. Right off the bat, I disagree with the feeling being inappropriate. Sexuality is not, you know, sexual feelings... generally speaking not necessarily inappropriate in some sense i would say no sexual feeling is inappropriate because you're not in control of your feelings you can't help that you like somebody Like some people, you know, you're just walking along, they walk up to you and just, you know, just... There's such a thing as a pheromone, you know? It just, like, it hits you. Pheromone? A smell. A smell that makes, that has an effect on you. There's sexual pheromones, but there's also other pheromones, like pheromones that make you nervous, pheromones that make you run the other direction, pheromones that make you, you know... You have a physical reaction to the way people smell.

[38:20]

And sometimes the feeling you have when you smell certain people is you just kind of like feel really good and want to be closer to them. And that can happen. So the feeling itself is not inappropriate. To respond to that feeling in certain ways in an office or wherever... might be inappropriate. But the feeling is not inappropriate. The feeling is the thing we're talking about. The feeling is the thing we're trying to take care of. All right? Do you want to talk about that some more? Dorit? Hmm? No. Okay. Because what? Because by your definition, all feelings are personal hate. Pardon? Hateful feelings, angry feelings. All those feelings Well, pardon?

[39:23]

Are appropriate? I'm not saying that exactly they're appropriate. I'm just saying they're not inappropriate. I don't think appropriate applies to feelings. You don't have any choice over them. They just happen. I don't think it's appropriate that the sun rises or sets. What's appropriate or inappropriate, the word appropriate means it comes from apropos. It means to the point. Okay? And you get to decide the point. So if the point is wisdom and compassion, then a sexual feeling is not appropriate or inappropriate because sexual feelings aren't to the point of wisdom and compassion. Wisdom and compassion are about how you relate to sexual feelings, for example. Does that make any sense? A little? Yeah. So, anyway, or like I said last few weeks, when a pleasant feeling comes up, it's inappropriate to wisdom and compassion to be, you know, glad that a positive sensation has happened.

[40:37]

That kind of way of responding to it is inappropriate to wisdom and compassion. And to be unhappy... when a negative sensation happens, is inappropriate to wisdom and compassion. It's a distraction from what's happening. And a distraction from what's happening is inappropriate to wisdom and compassion. So, positive sensations, negative sensations. Like some people, as you may have heard, some people at work, when they get close to somebody and they have a negative sensation, they may feel bad about it, plus get attracted to the person because of the negative sensation. Some people do that. Have you heard about those people? Well, they're called masochists. But basically what I'm suggesting is that these reactions to the phenomena of feeling uncomfortable when somebody comes near you or feeling comfortable when somebody comes near you, these reactions of being glad or sad,

[42:02]

are distractions from meeting it with complete relaxation. Or, they're not just distractions from it, they are not meeting it with relaxation, they are meeting it with grasping or avoiding. So grasping and avoiding, I'm proposing, are inappropriate to renunciation, because renunciation is about meeting what's happening with pure presence. So if you meet somebody and you have no feeling, then you meet that no feeling with pure presence. Some people you meet and it's kind of like, hello, and like that's it. Other people you meet and there's something happens in your knees. And there it is. You got this thing in the knees to meet with pure presence. And if you can meet sexual feelings in this way in the office or in the restaurant or at the beach or in the yoga room or whatever, if you can meet people and when a sexual feeling arises that you meet it with pure presence, that's what I'm talking about.

[43:30]

And I didn't say it was easy to do that. I even said also that it's not even easy to, when a positive sensation comes up, to meet that and just say, okay, positive sensation. I'm not saying that's easy. I'm saying this is something to learn, to learn to like somebody here. Here comes somebody. Here he comes. And it's a positive guest. It's a guest, a lovely guest. It's coming to visit you. And you say, okay. Lovely guest, and then that's it. Somebody may come up to you and say, this is a lovely guest you have there. You might say, I know. She really is lovely, isn't she? And then the guest leaves, and you let her go. And somebody says, your lovely guest is leaving. You say, I see that. That's it.

[44:31]

It's not like, could you stay a little longer? Because that makes me happy when you're near me. Come back here. That's not apropos to wisdom and compassion. Wisdom and compassion is you let the person go if they want to leave now, even though they're beautiful. Or somebody who's not so beautiful comes and you let them come. Say, welcome back. Even though there's something about the way they smell that your body kind of like has trouble, some discomfort about. You say, welcome. This is appropriate to wisdom and compassion. Just welcome, not just welcome. To both. And if it's a sexual feeling that's coming, welcome. Welcome. Now you might say, welcome, I'm glad I can still feel things like that.

[45:33]

That's great. I'm still alive. That's a little bit too much. You say, well, how about wow? Wow. It's kind of okay, I think. Being, you know, astounded by the guest, I think that can be part of the respect and relaxation. But this is not easy. I'm not saying it's easy. This is something to learn. When somebody comes and you feel this attraction, we're talking about, first of all, welcoming the person, just welcoming the person. And then when this feeling of attraction arises, welcome that feeling of attraction. It's interesting, you know, we have this scripture called the Heart Scripture, or the... It says in Sanskrit, but an English translation of it would be... Well, I'll say the Sanskrit.

[46:49]

It's... And in English it's... Gone. Gone. Gone beyond. Gone completely beyond. Enlightenment. Welcome. That's the way to meet sexuality. Completely relaxed, completely open, awakening, welcome. In other words, when you're in the office or wherever, a sexual feeling comes and you're welcoming, awakening, You're not saying, well, you know, later with the awakening, I'd just like to play with this thing for a little while, okay? And then we'll have the awakening maybe 15 minutes or something.

[47:51]

No, it's kind of like, I'm ready for wisdom and compassion. I'm ready for Buddha. I'm practicing the precepts of a bodhisattva now. not a little bit later, after I kind of like wallow for just a little while in this feeling of attraction. This is what I'm trying to learn anyway, of just feeling of attraction. Here it is. Thank you very much. That's it. not distracting myself from wisdom and compassion, not distracting myself from being concerned for the welfare of all beings, even while this positive sensation or this attraction thing happens. I should say, some people don't have a positive sensation when they're attracted to somebody. Sometimes they feel scared when they feel attraction. So it isn't necessarily positive, but there's an attraction.

[48:53]

Yes, Mark. The thing, in a way, that's unique about sexual violence is that the grasping seems almost intrinsic to that. Yeah. You have the desire to do something. Yeah, that's why I chose this one. That's part of the reason. The frustration that is built into that you don't like very much. Definitely. Well, this class is for younger people. This precept isn't relevant to old people. So old people should try to figure out how to come by a sexual feeling. One of the interesting little twists here, which is probably the reason why I wanted to look at this, is that the Chinese character for sex or gender or sexuality also means

[50:20]

human nature. It's a character which is made of two other characters. One means mind and the other means birth. The Chinese character for human nature is a combination of... it could be read as the mind of birth. Human nature is this great human brain we've got is primarily focused on birth. All this equipment is to make us able to reproduce very successfully. And it's working pretty well. It's working too well, right? We're inundating the planet, or there's too many of us, because human nature is so successful. The mind of birth And it's also interesting that in Zen, in the origins of Zen school in China, one of the famous expressions for Zen practice is, see nature and become Buddha.

[51:32]

See nature and become Buddha. And that same character, it's the same character for nature. So one way, usual way of translating it would be, see your nature and become Buddha. Another one would be, see your own nature. nature or see your own self and become Buddha. But another way to translate it would be to see sexuality and become Buddha. Human beings are naturally acquisitive and trying to get the best opportunity for their own reproduction. And other animals are too, but we're really good at it. We and ants are the champs. They have a somewhat different approach. So that character for nature, and also in English the word for nature means that which is born, natividad and so on. Nature comes from born.

[52:36]

So the English word and the Chinese word have that quality of saying that nature, it has to do with being born, human nature particularly. in Chinese is concerned with birth. So that precept is very much a core issue for human beings, and a lot of the other precepts are broken to facilitate the sexual activity. Lying, intoxication, killing, stealing, slandering, praising self at the expense of others. Did you hear all the resonance around sexuality for each one of those? How people, you know, put down their, you know, they talk about their rivals in certain ways to lower people's opinion of them. Being possessive, hatred, all those other precepts you can see are in one sense guiding you to have appropriate sexuality in another way talking about how they all function

[53:46]

very much relative to sexuality. So it really is a core issue. And even to say selfless sexuality, I think a lot of people think, what? How could you have selfless sexuality? Sexuality is for me. That's what it's all about. But then you say, well, what about your partner? Say, oh, yeah, OK, for me and my partner. But for bodhisattva, it's not just for even her and her partner. It's for her and everybody. The way we behave sexually that's apropos to wisdom and compassion is the way of behaving sexually that encourages everybody else to relate to sexuality in a way that encourages everybody else.

[54:52]

What is that way? What is the way to be a sexual being that inspires people to practice wisdom and compassion? What is that way? What is the way of relating to sexuality that encourages people to tell the truth, to not kill, to be generous, to be concentrated, What is that way? It's... It's to practice sexuality without grasping or seeking anything. But it is actually to work with sexuality. It's not to, like, avoid it. It's actually to work with it. And sometimes the way you work with it is you don't see much of it. Gordon's telling us that that's one of the ways it happens. But that... Although it's not much of an issue for some people... Well, excuse me, but did you hear on the radio? You can get Viagra, you know, in an unembarrassing way.

[55:56]

No one will know, you know. And then they have like all these acronyms for all these things that go wrong with old people that you can get fixed, you know. So although some people don't even care, they feel bad that they don't care. So they want to take something so they start caring again. And then after they care, then they want to take some stuff so they can fulfill their cares that have come back. But maybe if you get even older than that, you can't even remember that you've lost it. So when there's sexual feelings, then how do you relate to that in a way that inspires other people to do the same in a way that inspires people to practice concentration and compassion and wisdom. What is the way? Well, I told you, with renunciation, that's the way.

[56:59]

It's very attractive. And that can... So we have like, we have celibates, celibate people. For example, in Simpson we have celibate people and we have non-celibate people. Okay? Celibacy is a way of relating to sexuality. right? A sexual intercourse is another way to relate to sexuality, right? Okay? Celibacy means, you know, literally, you're not engaging in sexual intercourse, right? But it's possible to be practicing celibacy in a way that discourages people, that discourages, that makes them feel like, Well, what religion is this one that they're practicing? Whatever it is, I'm not going to do that one. They're really like nasty people, those people, those celibates.

[58:00]

Oh, you're in the wisdom and compassion school? Well, forget wisdom and compassion. This is what it looks like. And other people are involved in sexual intercourse, but the way they're practicing it, people feel like not so much that they also want to have sex, or sexual intercourse, but they feel like they look at the person, they look at the person in the way they practice sexual intercourse without necessarily seeing it. But, you know, they kind of sense it, you know, the people, you know, like they admit that they do and they have children to show for it. Or, you know, somehow they let you know that they're practicing it. without necessarily, you know, inviting you to watch. But the way they practice it, you look at that and you feel like, I want to practice Buddhism. I want to practice, I want to start telling the truth. I want to practice compassion. The way they practice sexuality makes you feel, I want to take care of beings.

[59:04]

Because the way they take care of sexuality is so beautiful. It's so lovely, the way they love each other. And I get the feeling that they have sexual intercourse. But even though you can't see it, you can see the results of it. You can see the way they conduct their life. The rest of the day, you see it. And it's an inspiration. And they practice sexual intercourse. It is an inspiration. Now, of course, some people practice celibacy, and the way they practice it is with renunciation. They aren't grasping, I'm a celibate better than you creeps. You poor things, you know, you're so impure. Why don't you get with the program? How could you be so obnoxious to, you know? But some people practice celibacy and it is very lovely the way they do it. They have no, they practice it with renunciation. They also have sexual feelings and they meet them with complete relaxation and they do not have sexual intercourse.

[60:12]

And it is an inspiration not to you necessarily to practice celibacy, but it's an inspiration to you to practice renunciation. And similarly, some people practice, of course, sexual intercourse, but they do it in a way that makes you discouraged about people, which makes you frightened and protective and you don't feel encouraged. You're not really reminded of wisdom and compassion. So it's not that you're celibate or not celibate. That's not renunciation. Renunciation is deeper than that. It is giving up anything that distracts from wisdom and compassion. And compassion joined with wisdom is activity which attracts other people to the practice. What is that way of relating to it that inspires people? So part of it, excuse me, is that if you're celibate or non-celibate, actively non-celibate, either way you are, then being that way, okay, you're like, in either case, you're like there and available to meet people.

[61:37]

If you have sexual intercourse... in your life, it's practiced by you in such a way that you're open to people. You're not like closed to them because of the way you practice sexual intercourse. And similarly, you practice celibacy in such a way that doesn't make you afraid of people and close to people. It isn't that it makes you open to them, it's that you practice it in such a way that you are open to people. Or you're open to people and yourself in such a way that you practice celibacy in such a way that you're open to beings. Similarly, some people, the way they practice sexuality is that sort of while they're doing it, Or, yeah, while they're doing it, they're not open to people. While they're doing it. Now you say, well, nobody else is around. Well, somebody's there. Well, maybe you're by yourself.

[62:43]

You're practicing sexuality by yourself and you're not open to someone. Or you're practicing sexuality and there's somebody with you and you're not open to them. You're not open to them. You ever hear about that? Of course, that can be like these horrendous situations, right, called rape. But also just, you know, being in that situation and not paying attention and respecting the person you're with. You ever hear about that? To be, you know, physically close to someone and doing sexual intercourse of some form or another and not respecting the person. That doesn't encourage people to practice wisdom and compassion. Similarly, to practice celibacy, but in a way that doesn't respect people, that's not open to people, doesn't encourage people.

[63:45]

But to practice celibacy in such a way that you're open to people, and also the other way, so that you're open to people, you're there to meet the people in both forms and all the variations between, are apropos to wisdom and compassion. I'm not saying it's easy. I'm saying that's what I think the precept's about, is that it comes down to this practice here. It also comes down to the way you eat. that you eat this way too, and that you take care of your, you know, again, everything you do in the same way. But this one is very essential because it's so built into our nervous system to be selfish about it. Ultimately, a lot of other things we do, which are not so selfish apparently,

[64:56]

are really developed to promote this form of selfishness. This is where the rubber meets the road of selfishness is around sexuality. This is the most important place to be selfish for the species. and the other places are sometimes it's good to be unselfish for this selfishness and this is and paying attention to sexuality means paying attention to it in this state of renunciation means paying attention to your nature to your human nature and this is what brings enlightenment, is dealing with this issue. And one of the dangers of old age is thinking that you can't see that human nature anymore, that it's become muted or so subtle you can hardly see it.

[66:16]

So it's harder to see. It's not so vivid. But that nature, the selfishness which is built around sexual reproduction is still there in a more subtle form, and still offering the main thing to be enlightened about. This is a key precept. And all these other practices help study it, and studying it And practicing with it in a skillful way promotes all the other practices, all the other virtues. Again, you know, practicing well with sexuality helps your concentration practice. Caring for your sexuality in a gentle, respectful, appropriate way, I mean, I should say appropriate, honest, uncontrolling way Handling the sexuality that way helps you practice tranquility.

[67:23]

Being rough with yourself, sexuality, denying your sexuality, trying to control your sexuality, disturbs your meditation, your concentration practice, and so on. So all those other practices will help you practice with sexuality, and practicing with sexuality in this way will help you with giving, with patience, with enthusiasm, with all the other precepts, with concentration. And all these practices together will help you see sexuality, which is your nature, more clearly. And when you see it more clearly, you have wisdom. You become Buddha. selfless sexuality is almost the same as saying Buddhahood. To say emphatically is maybe too much, but it is explicitly conveyed in the Buddhist tradition that the founder of the tradition was a regular sexual person.

[68:39]

He wasn't like, you know, kind of like, I don't know what. He wasn't unusual that way. Just a regular male. Not some kind of like less than normal level of, you know, equipment. Huh? Less than normal level. Yeah, he probably had normal level of testosterone and normal equipment. They mention that specifically. They say, well, this, this, and this. He had the stuff. They want people to know that he was a regular person, actual normal body. He was dealing with this stuff. And he dealt with it in a way that was very encouraging to people. And a lot of his disciples became celibate. That was his recommendation, and they followed that. but a lot of his other disciples were not celibate. And some of them also became enlightened.

[69:43]

But the Buddha really wasn't, you know, I don't think the Buddha was really celibate. I don't think that was an issue for him. I just think that he was busy, you know, enlightening people. It just, you know, it just didn't, it didn't, I hesitate to say, come up. It just wasn't, you know, it wasn't like he was kind of like stopping himself. His sexual energy was just completely converted into pure encouragement to beings. It was just, all of his energy was just devoted to this pure compassion, this great skill. He was just doing that all the time. That's what He's completely sexually satisfied. But he had sexuality, I think, during a big part of his life. And that's how it was functioning, was his teaching.

[70:51]

Before he was enlightened, he was struggling to find out what it was, you know, just like us. He was trying to find out what it was. And when he found out what it was, he became Buddha. But it's the same also with your speech. When you find out what your speech is, you'll become Buddha, too. So, you know, not lying, but this is really a key one. I think it's time to stop, and I'll probably continue looking at this precept and other precepts, other virtues, again, to look at how to practice these precepts in the context of renunciation. I'll continue next week. Okay? In the meantime, please take care of everybody in the universe.

[71:47]

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