Jūundō Shiki, Rules for the Monks’ Annex – Talk 1
May 28, 1984 Dharma Talk by Dainin Katagiri Roshi
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Transcript
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0:00
[At] this time I would like to study with you Jūundō shiki of Shōbōgenzō: the “Regulations for the Auxiliary Cloud Hall.” The title [in] Shōbōgenzō is Jūundō shiki in Japanese. Here the translation says, “Regulations for the Auxiliary Cloud Hall.” Cloud Hall means zazen hall.
In Japanese we say jūundō shiki. Jū means “double.” Probably when Dōgen Zenji was alive, many people came to his zendo and practiced with him; so probably there were double zendos, double zazen halls. The first zendo is called “zen do,” front zendo, front hall, [literally]. And another zendo is called godo: rear zazen hall. So front zendo and rear zendo.
And the head of the front zendo is the seido (聖堂 or 西堂) position. The head of the front zendo is the seido, we say. And the head of the rear zendo is the godō. In San Francisco, we have a position named godō; that is the head of the rear zendo. So anyway, seido is used now in a different way. In Eiheiji monastery, seido is a pretty high position, next to the vice abbot, and they take a very big responsibility for teaching the monks – pretty often in the abbot’s place. He is a person invited out of the monastery. But in ancient times, seido position was the head of the front zendo, which was exactly the same position as the godō, head of the rear zendo.
So anyway, that is the jū: “double.”
Undō means “cloud hall.” Cloud is another name for the monks. We say unsui: “cloud and water” – that is another name for the monks. So the undō, cloud hall, means the hall for the monks. But now mainly we say sōdō; sō means “monk,” so, “monks’ hall.”
So sōdō, undō, zendo; many names. But here, Dōgen Zenji used the undō. So, double undō.
Shiki of jūundō shiki means “regulations.” So the translation here says, “Regulations for the Auxiliary Cloud Hall.” Well, it’s alright.
06:13
And first, Dōgen Zenji says:
1.
Those who have way-seeking mind and wish to abandon fame and profit should enter. Those who are half-hearted and lack sincerity should not enter. If the entry is a mistake, after some consideration they may be asked to leave.
When the way-seeking mind is aroused inwardly, there is immediately freedom from fame and profit. In the vastness of billions of worlds, true heirs (who have been entrusted with the) dharma are rare. In spite of the long history of our country you should make the (true heirs) the true source, having compassion for later generations by giving emphasis to the present.
– From “Regulations for the Auxiliary Cloud Hall (Jūundō-shiki)” in Moon in a Dewdrop, edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi; modified by Katagiri Roshi.
First, “Those who have way-seeking mind and wish to abandon fame and profit should enter. Those who are half-hearted and lack sincerity shouldn’t enter. If the entry is a mistake, after some consideration, they may be asked to leave.”
So first of all, we need way-seeking mind. If you don’t have way-seeking mind, Dōgen emphasizes not to allow you to enter the zendo. So the way-seeking mind is most important. For not only religious practice, [but] whatever you do, generally speaking maybe the way-seeking mind is your intention or your will. [The words are] quite different, between aspiration, [or] will, [or] intention is different. But anyway: aspiration, or intention, or will – without aspiration, you cannot do anything.
But in religion, aspiration is called the way-seeking mind, which is a little different from the usual aspiration or will or intention, because the way-seeking mind must go not in the world of give and take, but in the world of no merit, in the world of emptiness. Nevertheless you have to keep your aspiration on and on, constantly, under all circumstances. So that’s why it’s a little hard. But the usual aspiration is kind of one of the human desires, to accomplish something, for getting a certain fame, riches – well, many things – in order to satisfy your desire. So very naturally it’s pretty easy to get the aspiration, because you can see the result. So it’s easy for us to “push a button,” so-called aspiration or desire as a cause, and then you can get the result, pretty clearly.
So the usual aspiration or will or intention is just like a slot machine. Do you know the slot machine, and the mechanical vending machine?
(Transcriber’s Note: Katagiri Roshi uses the term slot machine below, but from his description he pretty clearly means vending machine. I have substitued the term vending machine.)
If you go to Japan, there are many vending machines. They’re everywhere. At the platform, at the corner of the street, or by the newspaper or magazine stand. Wherever you may go in Japan, you can get a 7 Up, and hot noodles, and hot sake, cold sake, and magazines; many kinds of magazines. So everywhere, there’s all [these] vending machines there. Then you put in the dime or the quarters, and then you can get [something]. If you push a button, you immediately get [something].
But the problem is… [he chuckles]… you don’t know what’s going on inside. The inside is completely a black box. Do you understand black box? Black box [means] the internal mechanism is completely hidden and mysterious to the user.
So the more the human world is civilized by mechanisms, technologies, the more human life becomes convenient, and you can get a better life. But, your life becomes a black box – just like a vending machine. At that time, it’s not necessary to know carefully what’s going on the inside of the internal mechanism of life. Just push a button, and you can get it. It’s pretty easy.
And then that is the so-called intellectual way of life. You know, systematical. There is a cause, and effect. So if you have a cause, very naturally the result comes up, and then that result is influencing A, B, C, and D, [and] finally it’s gone. Do you understand? That teaching of cause and effect is very flat. [It’s] just like a water ring. If you throw a pebble in the ocean, you can make a water ring, and the water ring is going, but finally it disappears. So, one cause creates lots of things – the activity of the one pebble influences many water rings – but finally that influence disappears. That is our intellectual sense.
But recently […] in human society we realize that cause and effect is not operating in this very flat world. In other words, if you do something as a cause, then you can create a result, but simultaneously that result comes back to the cause. So, that is called [a cycle]. […] Everything is going, everything is coming back, connected. We’ve had that science for many, many years, but we didn’t pay attention to it. And then [more] recently we pay attention to how important it is, because microscopic creatures in the oceans and [land] creatures, all sentient beings are connected. Ecology – yes, it is ecology, I think. So we realized, “Well, the understanding of the cause and effect which we had is not right!” So very naturally we should pay attention to the ecology, thinking carefully how all sentient beings are connected. […]
That’s why I mentioned before, in ancient times, intellectually we understood the cause and effect in a flat way. Just like a straight line: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. We throw the pebbles in the ocean, and we influence somebody, and another one, A, B, C, D, E, and finally the influences disappeared. They never come back; they just go. But recently we realized [that] no, that’s not right. […] Finally, sooner or later – we don’t know when, but sooner or later – it comes back to the origin. That is ecology.
But the basic idea of a vending machine is based on the understanding of cause and effect in the flat world. So you don’t know. If all you have to do is just throw the pebbles or push a button, and then by your aspiration and desires, very naturally you can get any money, fame, position – why don’t you do it? Just push the button. That is the basic idea of the vending machine. [He chuckles.] If you use your usual idea of aspiration or desire, very naturally you can live like this, just like a vending machine. Push a button, and you get something. If you don’t [want something], don’t push a button. This is very common.
[…] In Zen Buddhism, [and really all] Buddhist teaching, [we say that] cause and effect become one simultaneously. So cause is a cause, but simultaneously cause becomes result. So that is an interesting teaching [that] you don’t understand; but in science, we realize this.
20:57
For instance, I don’t know about computers, but recently, whatever you do, always [there is a] computer there. So [for example] it’s not necessary to have a pilot when you want to drive a battleship; you put the computer there. And then there is only one person in a hundred who handles the computer and pushes the button. And then, simultaneously, the ship starts to operate.
So, the computer gives you lots of – what would you say – output. But, if a computer gives always output – is that it? No. You cannot drive a ship in that way, just give the output from the computer in order to operate the ship. Is that enough? What do you need more? What do you think?
People: Input.
Katagiri Roshi: Input. Yes. If you have output, simultaneously you need input.
And then, how can you get the input? For instance, in order to drive the ship. What happens around the ship? Not only to operate the engines, you know? There are many kinds of circumstances around the ship. What must the computer do? Do you understand? First the computer has to make the ship operate; next, what? How do you use the output?
Do you understand? Say something about this. [Laughter.]
Someone: The computer keeps track of the circumstances; the computer keeps track of the changing variables, you know?
Katagiri Roshi: Great. Yes, that’s true. For instance?
Someone: Weather.
Katagiri Roshi: Sure.
Someone: Other ships?
Katagiri Roshi: Other ships. Sure.
Someone: Destination? [Unintelligible.]
Katagiri Roshi: Destination. Right, but the destination is constantly you have to direct to a certain direction that you want to go. Do you understand? So, before you know the direction, before you direct the ship to a certain direction you want to go, the computer has to do many things. The computer gives you output, and then, how do you use the output? That is, getting the information of circumstances, changes of the circumstances: so-called weather, waves, wind, many things. Do you understand? And the wind is always changing constantly; the waves, big change.
So, we need lots of information about those things. And then, if a computer gets the lots of information about the changes of circumstances, then again, that information is called input. Simultaneously, that input is turned into the output. In order to what?
Someone: Make the ship go!
Katagiri Roshi: Go where?
Someone: Wherever it’s going.
Katagiri Roshi: In the proper way. Yes. Following the right route, the right course. Constantly the computer driver has to keep the ship on the right course. For this, we need lots of information.
So from this point, the output is simultaneously output, but not only the output just like a vending machine. No; output is simultaneously input. The input simultaneously is output. And then, you have to use the output and get the information as input, lots of input. And then the computer always works like this; that’s why the computer can drive a ship, or tank, or the train in San Francisco, planes… many things. No drivers, just a computer. Pretty interesting.
[He laughs.] Now we realize how important that is: cause is not cause; cause is cause, but simultaneously it’s the result. In Buddhism, twenty-five hundred years ago, we already knew that. But science realizes it now, and uses it for our everyday life.
But Buddhism didn’t work in everyday life. [He chuckles.] Just understanding the human world in a universal perspective. And then, how to take care of human life, how to take care of the human world – not mechanically, not intellectually. Practically. Buddhism has always taught for many, many years in that way. So recently science realize this and uses this principle of existence. This is a principle of existence, wherever you may go.
So, the religious aspiration called the way seeking mind is just like a computer, or just like a battery of a car. I told you before, everyday life, everyday schedule is kind of ignition. And fuel is your energy. Anyway your energy is coming up; you already have energy, activity. We don’t know where energy comes from, but you already have vitality, given by the universe. That is your fuel. But your fuel must be burned. How? Ignition. You have to give a chance to let it work. Where? Opportunity, and time, and place. That is the everyday schedule. The opportunity: you get up. This is the opportunity; this is the time you can burn your fuel. Without that place and time and opportunity, you never know how to burn, how to work, [how to] operate your energy.
So everyday life, schedule is exactly like this. Get up, and when you use the toilet, gassho: this is the opportunity to burn your energy, and chant a verse, and use it. And then, that is, schedule and fuel simultaneously. You need both [to] work in a smooth way, in smooth succession. For this, you need ignition. Ignition is your everyday life, ritual, form; that is ignition. Alright? Do you understand?
And then, without a battery, they don’t work. No matter how good a schedule you have, or energy you have, if you don’t have a battery, it doesn’t make sense. So, the battery is important. The battery is your intrinsic aspiration, and the way-seeking mind.
And then, this way-seeking mind as a battery creates a certain power to burn the fuel and to make both fuel and ignition operate together in peace and harmony. That is the battery, so-called the way-seeking mind. Simultaneously, the whole machine starts to work. This is called practice.
When you turn the ignition, it immediately starts working. And then, the whole car starts smoothly, constantly, without any problem: that is called enlightenment. That is called enlightenment. And then you can drive wherever: the freeway, the street, the countryside. Wherever you may go, you can drive, this is nirvana. Because, you know, you cannot keep the car in your [garage] after operating it. So you should share the car’s operating with all sentient beings: freeways, and people, other cars, weather… Daily work. Everyday life. This is called nirvana.
So the way-seeking mind is the battery; simultaneously, the whole machine starts to work, and you can start the engine: that is practice. Simultaneously the whole machine starts to move smoothly: that is enlightenment. Next, you have to share it with all sentient beings: this is nirvana.
33:35
So, Dōgen Zenji says here in Shōbōgenzō:
In the great way of buddhas and ancestors, there is undoubtedly the supreme gyoji.
– From Gyoji; translation unknown.
[In the word] gyoji, gyo is “practice,” ji is literally “maintenance, preservation.” So, gyoji is to maintain, to preserve the practice, activity, action. But this action and activity is not kind of activity of a vending machine. It’s really refined practice, refined human action. That is called practice.
And this practice is something that you have to manifest with your body and mind. Simultaneously, you can get the “output,” anyway. [He chuckles.] […] Anyway, you can get the energy from your activity. Simultaneously that output turns into the input. That means you become Buddha.
So, Dōgen Zenji says gyoji is Shakyamuni Buddha. Gyoji is simultaneously Shakyamuni Buddha. You don’t believe this, but I told you, cause and effect are simultaneously one.
You have to understand this practice, otherwise your life doesn’t work smoothly.
So that’s why Dōgen Zenji says, “there is undoubtedly the supreme gyoji.” Constantly we aspire for, maintain, preserve that refined practice, until you attain buddhahood. Even after the attainment of the buddhahood, you aspire for, maintain, and preserve this practice, so-called Buddha’s practice. So your practice is your practice, but simultaneously your practice must be Buddha’s practice: according to the theory of existence, based on the unity of cause and effect. Simultaneously. Otherwise, you cannot drive the ship of your life constantly to follow the right course.
You have to get the output, to drive your life. That is your practice. Simultaneously you have to get lots of information from the circumstances; this is your study. Using your head, and using your mind and the body; that is input, simultaneously this inputs turn into the output, in order to keep the direction of your life [going] in a proper way. Do you understand? What is the direct course? What is the right course for your ship? This is called Buddha’s course; universal course.
And then, you can really drive, you can really direct your ship to go on the appropriate course, constantly. That is called spiritual security.
In order to operate your ship like this, first of all you need the way seeking mind.
Your way seeking mind is just like a computer. I don’t know the computer exactly, but I can imagine what the computer is. I have no idea about computers; I have never read the information and explanation of computer. So I don’t know; I have never used one, also. But I can imagine. So, that’s why the way seeking mind is exactly like a computer. Lots of work there, really original energy, powers to drive you and then to direct your life in appropriate course. This is the way seeking mind.
That is the gyoji, we say. And then he says, “there is undoubtedly the supreme gyoji.” That’s why this is a supreme human action, because it is your actions as a cause, but simultaneously that cause is your action as a result. When your actions turn into the result, well, that is a Buddha’s result. At that time your actions become supreme. Because you can drive, pretty well.
So that’s why he says,
… the supreme gyoji, which goes in circle without ceasing to exist.
[It] goes in a circle, constantly in a circle: an ecological point of view. Anyway it’s going; the cause is simultaneously result, like this.
What are they going? That is called, I told you before, “bodhi-mind, practice, enlightenment, nirvana, do not fall out with each other even for a moment.” That’s why bodhi-mind, as a computer, [starts to] work, and simultaneously your engine can start to operate. That is called practice. And also enlightenment is to make your whole machine operate smoothly; this is enlightenment. Next you should share your engines with all sentient beings; that is nirvana: driving the car, driving the ship. And then, this nirvana [means you can] get a lot of information from the outside – circumstances, sea, waves, weather – and then put it into the computer. That is input; that is simultaneously this computer gives output again. This is so-called the way-seeking mind. So, way-seeking mind, practice, enlightenment, nirvana, goes in circle, constantly, without ceasing to exist, even for a moment.
This is the wreath of gyoji.
Do you understand wreath? Wreath is a ring, circle. Completely that wreath is not something that is made by somebody or something, it’s a kind of a principle of existence. So, no excuse, for [anyone]. If you ignore this principle, you cannot drive a ship.
So, this is what is called the wreath of gyoji.
Therefore they are operated not by one’s compulsions or others’ compulsions, but they are of the undefiled gyoji.
So constantly it’s going; regardless of whether you like it or not, it’s going. So, all you have to do is, you have to know this. That is internal mechanism, all right? Internal mechanism. You have to know this.
But we don’t know this. Our life is just like a black box: we don’t know what the internal mechanism is. We have to know! Modern science already shows us [this]. But spiritual life is very vague, that’s why even though …
[Tape break.]
… Finally Dōgen Zenji says, “they are operated; this way-seeking mind, practice, enlightenment, nirvana, goes in a circle.” This is not something by your compulsion or others’ compulsions. Nobody asks you or forces you to do [this]. [It’s] before that; completely beyond that. Everyone is working right in the middle of that. So you have to know it. That is the internal mechanism of human life.
But we always ignore [or omit] this internal mechanism and just use the human desire, so-called the button on the vending machine: push a button and get the result, that’s it. This comes in handy and it’s simple, and very naturally you can get lots of fame and profit, et cetera. But you cannot do it in that way! Of course, it’s all right to do, but you have to know what’s going on inside. Alright?
Even though in the beginning as a cause you can operate your ship, if you don’t collect the information from the outside, from the circumstances, your conditions, your body and the mind – your computer doesn’t work. So constantly you have to get the output, simultaneously, you have to use it for collecting the information. And then, knowing what’s going on there. This is a principle of internal mechanism.
For this, anyway, how to use the desire and intention? It is a big question. That’s why we call it the way-seeking mind. It’s a big human world, universe. You have to keep your eyes open to see not only the world of cause and the effect, just like a vendine machine – you should know the huge world, and then you should know how the internal mechanism of the universe is going. That’s a big job, project, there. It’s not so simple.
That’s why, if you know this, actually there is no space, no leisure to enjoy the fame and the riches, et cetera. Because constantly you have to operate your computers, constantly output, input, output, input – learning many things. And constantly all you have to do is keep going in the right course. Constantly you have to do it. This is your life. This is called bodhi-mind, anyway. There is no chance to play with fame and riches, et cetera.
That’s why Dōgen Zenji says here, “those who have way-seeking mind and wish to abandon fame and profit.” If you do it, very naturally fame and profit drop off, because there is no space, no chance; you have to constantly keep your life on the appropriate course. That makes you busy.
That’s why in the next paragraph he said, “When the way-seeking mind is aroused inwardly, there is immediately freedom from fame and profit.” It is very true.
49:24
Those who are half-hearted and lack sincerity should not enter.
Well, of course. [Those who] can enter into the zendo are a person selected among many all sentient beings. You are selected person! Okay? So, you are a great, selected person. [He laughs.] You are Buddha. But still [being sifted]. You are coming into this zendo, but [sifting is still going on], so you don’t know how many people are left among those. [He laughs.] In the future, maybe one. Maybe one, or maybe none. Do you understand?
Well, I tell you this, for your future. [He laughs.] In a long [time], how many [monks or] priests [I ordain], and you say, “Katagiri, you are lucky, lots of your disciples and students.” Well, in a sense I am lucky – but I don’t think I am lucky, because still [sifting is happening]. I don’t know how many monks [will be] left. Maybe none.
Look at my teacher. I told you before, my teacher had the ten monks, ten disciples. Completely none. He was really disappointed: ten monks, ten disciples – and completely none. Because constantly sifted.
So you cannot say, “Oh, I become a priest; that’s it.” I don’t think so. You have to still keep going; you have to still keep your life on the right course. Getting the information, et cetera; you have to [have] output and input, and constantly you should keep your life on the right course. Because [sifting] is always [happening], that means a change [over the world].
So immediately, you are sifted. Maybe one person will be left. Maybe none. Remember this, alright? Even though this is this zendo, and the countryside in Hokyoji, and Gashoji in the city, I don’t know whether these things will be left or not. Still sifting.
[…] Anyway, if you are selected among the all sentient beings, that is opportunity, great opportunity, we call en. En means a position, or opportunity, or time you have got, right now, right here. That is most important for us.
And then, you should burn your energies. That is the output. Simultaneously, you have to put the energy to operate the engine. Anyway, you have to charge the battery constantly. Don’t you think so? You cannot always use the batteries without input. So, you have to use the battery, simultaneously you have to charge. This is input-output. And then, simultaneously, the whole engine starts to work.
So if you get this opportunity to practice, use this opportunity fully. How? Input-output. Cause and effect simultaneously working.
Spiritually, this is called “You are Buddha.” Spiritually, your actions, your practice is simultaneously Buddha Shakyamuni. Alright?
If you don’t, your practice is just your practice, and finally, you are exhausted. Because you constantly get output; that’s it. You don’t know the input. Your practice is your practice, using your energy, but if you use the energy simultaneously you have to charge your energy. How to charge your battery? [That is] not your intention; that is the universe. Universal energy, spiritually called “you are Shakyamuni Buddha.” Because Shakyamuni Buddha is cause and you are effect; or cause and effect are simultaneously one.
This is our practice.
That’s why Dōgen Zenji says here that first of all, we need the way-seeking mind. “Those who are half-hearted and lack the sincerity shouldn’t enter” – of course. You cannot do it; you can’t do anything without the way-seeking mind.
If the entry is a mistake, after some consideration, they may be asked to leave.
This is very kind. Anyway, after careful consideration, then we may ask them or her to leave. But still, they are a selected person, so that’s why we have to consider them carefully. Even if they enter they zendo by mistake, nevertheless, they are one of the selected persons. So we have to consider carefully.
57:06
When the way-seeking mind is aroused inwardly, there is immediately freedom from fame and profit.
I explained this sentence before.
In the vastness of billions of worlds, true heirs (who have been entrusted with the) dharma are rare. In spite of the long history of our country you should make the (true heirs) the source, having compassion for later generations by giving emphasis to the present.
Anyway, the true heirs are pretty rare; true heirs who have been transmitted by the teacher, who is Shakyamuni Buddha. Particularly in the Sōtō tradition, each ancestor is Shakyamuni Buddha. That is the most important point in this tradition’s teaching. You are Shakyamuni Buddha. You are not, what would you say, a grandchild, et cetera. While in the time process you are a grandchild, simultaneously you are not. According to the system teaching of input and output, simultaneously your life is based on this teaching. No excuse. So you are the grandchild, but simultaneously you are the ancestor, Buddha Shakyamuni.
This is dharma transmission. If the teacher gives the dharma transmission, this is exactly perfect proof you are Buddha, you are Shakyamuni Buddha. You are not a “believer”; you are Shakyamuni Buddha.
That’s why Dōgen Zenji says the true heirs are rare. Even though in Buddhism there are lots of schools of Buddhism, [still] it’s very rare to keep the buddha-dharma like this. In spite of the long history of our country, we should make the true heirs the source. This is the source of our teaching, of Buddha’s teaching anyway. So we have to keep it; preserve it constantly.
“Having compassion for later generations by giving emphasis to the present”: because in the present is fine, but the second generation, third generation, gradually our teaching of buddha-dharma becomes – what would you say – pretty weary, pretty weak. So now you have to practice seriously and with sincerity, because this is for future generations; because in the future generations very naturally the buddha-dharma is getting weak.
Historically, you can [see this]. Founder stage? Fine. Second generation? A little bit shaky. Third generation? A little more. Third generation: sometimes, a big change. That happens often. So that’s why, in order to keep the future generations [practicing] the Buddha way with sincerity, you have to do practice with sincerity now.
So that’s why Dōgen-Zenji says here, “having the compassion.” This is compassion; “having compassion for later generations by giving emphasis to the present.”
This is the first regulation of the zendo: so-called bodhi-mind.