The Awakening of Faith – Talk 36
April 11, 1986 Dharma Talk by Dainin Katagiri Roshi
Previous | Next | List | Series: Awakening of Faith
This transcript is in draft stage.
0:00
Open to page 59. The last paragraph, number 1, “permeation through manifestation of the essence of suchness.”
From this chart, I think you can find the permeation of the truth. The permeation of the truth is divided into two kinds, permeation through manifestation of the essence of suchness, permeation through influences. Do you have this one? The bigger one.
Permeation through manifestation of the essence of suchness. Simply speaking, it means the essence permeation. The essence is constantly permeating ignorance and deluded thoughts.
So […] all sentient beings from all eternity are endowed with suchness of pure mind in its original nature. I think when the truth appears in the samsaric world, truth is called pure mind in its original nature. This term always appears in the Prajñāpāramitā Sutra and the Madhyamaka, pretty much. So pure mind in its original nature, according to Awakening of Faith, I think [is] alayavijnana. When the tathagatagarbha works in the samsaric world, it is called alayavijnana. So alayavijnana is exactly pure mind in its original nature. In other words, the real bottom, the ultimate nature of alayavijnana, samsaric world. That is exactly pure mind in its original nature.
Because, the samsaric world is always grounded of the truth. So the ultimate nature of samsara is exactly the same as truth.
So the real truth has no sense of discrimination. But when you say “pure mind in its original nature,” this mind has a sense of discrimination, because it belongs to samsaric world. So terms are different. Real truth is completely beyond discrimination, any sense of the six senses. But when the truth works in the samsaric world, we have a lot of names, “pure mind in its original nature” or “dharma-nature,” et cetera. But at that time, it belongs already to the samsaric world. So that term has a sense of discrimination.
[…] For example, real buddha is beyond human discrimination. But as long as buddha works in the samsaric world with all sentient beings, he belongs to samsaric world. So his life already has a sense of discrimination, subject and object. So very naturally, buddha has to walk hand-in-hand with all sentient beings. At that time, he cannot ignore subject and object.
So very naturally there is discrimination, there is a sense of discrimination in his life. But his real life is completely beyond discrimination. That’s why his life as a total personality is working very calmly.
But on the other hand, he is walking hand-in-hand with all sentient beings. So that’s why all sentient beings feel very [closely] to Buddha’s life. This is called, well… skillful expedient of Buddha’s life. Very skillful.
So all beings… according to the essence permeation, or permeation through manifestation of the essence of suchness. I think all beings from all eternity are endowed with suchness of the pure mind in its original nature. It’s strength to purify is appealing inwardly to one’s ignorance and deluded thoughts. So the essence of suchness constantly appealing inwardly to all sentient beings, ignorance and deluded thoughts.
But all beings do not awake to the power of the original awakening of suchness, so it is provided with, it says in this book, supra-rational function. The essence of suchness is, from the beginningless beginning, endowed with the perfect state of purity. So truth is constantly appealing toward all sentient beings inwardly.
But, all sentient beings don’t realize exactly. But even though all sentient beings don’t realize it, truth is always appealing toward all sentient beings. That’s why it is the supra-rational function. Because the suchness is existent as wondrous function. Because all sentient beings do not realize it.
And, here it says, that is one reason why the truth is connected very closely with all sentient beings, the samsaric world. Because… one reason is constantly appealing toward the samsaric world.
The second is, here it says, the nature of manifesting itself. Because of these two reasons, it permeates perpetually into ignorance. So the second reason is, even a little bit, if the all sentient beings realize a little bit the permeation of the truth toward samsaric world, at that time all sentient beings have the wisdom of enlightenment. Kind of a wisdom, kind of a faith. He or she realizes the truth working over all sentient beings, constantly appealing. Then he or she gets experience of enlightenment or wisdom. He realizes a little bit wisdom. But not exactly; they don’t realize exactly. In other words, that permeation of the truth doesn’t work in his or her life. But he awakens to that, the truth permeating samsaric world.
At that time, it becomes, all sentient beings have experience of wisdom. So very naturally, they try to approach to the truth.
So wisdom in this case, experience of wisdom is really the subjectivity, one subjectivity. Do you understand? Wisdom is, in other words, your life, your understanding, your attitude toward the samsaric world changes, in the broad sense, in a universal sense. So you become very tolerant, and you appreciate your life and the human world.
So very naturally, that means you can have experience of wisdom. Understanding the samsaric world in the universal perspective.
And at that time, his or her life is really based on wisdom, wisdom of enlightenment.
So if you have experience of wisdom, very naturally, wisdom is curious of searching what real truth is. So more and more, you are interested in searching what the real truth is. So very naturally, real truth becomes your object. Before that, the real truth is completely far from your life.
So that is, so one reason is, even though you don’t know, the truth is constantly appearing toward your life. Second reason is, if you awaken to the truth a little bit, I think you can have the experience of wisdom, and the experience of wisdom enables you to be interested in more and more what the real truth is like. So very naturally, real truth becomes your object. Samsaric world is not your object, exactly, because you are there, you manifest samsaric world totally in your life. But the real interest […] is what is real truth, searching the real truth. So real truth becomes object.
16:35
And next it says,
Through the force of this permeation it induces a man to loathe the suffering of samsara, to seek bliss in nirvana, and, believing that he has the principle of Suchness within himself, to make up his mind to exert himself.
Very naturally, you try to loathe the misery of life and death, and reach the nirvana. And believing that he has the principle of suchness within himself, to make up his mind to exert himself. Very naturally you really are interested in researching what the truth is, what real truth is. So your life is constantly going, just like snowballing, from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the hill, in a good sense. You are researching.
So from this point, I think the two goals, the misery of life and death is not due to the power of your deluded thoughts, but due to the power of suchness. Dōgen Zenji mentions, if you want to study the Buddha Way, you have to believe in the Buddha Way, which you are present in. You are present right in the midst of the way. So you are already in the midst of the way, the real truth. You have to believe this.
Or in the “Bodhicitta” chapter in Shōbōgenzō: if you experience arousing bodhi-mind, the way seeking mind, then Dōgen Zenji mentions, you don’t try to arouse the bodhi-mind, but bodhi-mind arouses bodhi-mind. Because if you try to arouse bodhi-mind, this is your deluded thoughts. But if you have experience of arousing bodhi-mind, the way-seeking mind, what makes it possible for you to do this? That is bodhi-mind itself, arouses bodhi-mind. In other words, real truth. Bodhi-mind means your buddha-nature, anyway, arouses your bodhi-mind, awakening your bodhi-mind.
So in the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra it says, “Only Buddha knows what the Buddha is.” You can say. You are Buddha. So who knows? Only Buddha knows, you are Buddha.
So that means, the constantly, the truth, the real truth, appealing to you, helping you. That is, philsophically, we say dharma. Dharma means supporting, upholding, supporting the all sentient beings. This is the original meaning of the term dharma. Uphold, support. That which constantly supports all sentient beings. This is called dharma.
22:08
Then next on page 60, there is a question: If the truth is constantly appealing to us and helping us, at that time why are there lots of differences of people? Some experience the faith and the wisdom or the truth very quickly, some are going very slowly, et cetera. So the question is,
If this is so, then all sentient beings are endowed with Suchness and are equally permeated by it. Why is it that there are infinite varieties of believers and nonbelievers, and that there are some who believe sooner and some later? All of them should, knowing that they are endowed with the principle of Suchness, at once make an effort utilizing expedient means and should all equally attain nirvana.
But practically, there are lots of different people’s lifestyles. So this is the question.
So the answer, there are three kinds of answers here. First answer is, it is due to the intensity of the influence of ignorance, which varies in such manifold ways as to outnumber the sands of the Ganges. This is the first answer.
So there are different types of ignorance, different kinds of ignorance in human life. This is […] one reason. Because the ignorance doesn’t exist actually, but practically, it exists. Intellectually we don’t know where the ignorance is, but practically, in our everyday life, we can see it. It works, every day. Because it is produced by causes and conditions, particularly conditioned elements, many conditioned elements. So when the wind comes, then naturally there is appearance of ignorance.
So by circumstances, it is produced. But intellectually, we don’t know, where is it. If you try to trace back to the beginning, from where it comes, we don’t know where is it. We don’t know from where it comes. But practically, it is here. So very naturally, individually there are lots of different circumstances or personality, characters, coming from the beginningless past. So we don’t know. Many, many kinds of ignorance appear.
So second answer is, I think it says here, the need of coordinating causes, such as in order to produce fire and burn wood. We have to apply any method whereby the potential principle can be actualized.
In other words, we need coordinating causes. Not only the main cause, but coordinating causes. Without coordinating causes, the samsaric world is not actualized. Nothing is actualized.
For instance, seeds itself has its own reason why it exists: this is, it grows. It grows naturally; if you put it on the ground, it grows. But without warmness, heat, light of sun, and human effort, seeds don’t appear in the samsaric world. So without the coordinating causes, nothing is actualized.
So that page 61, it says,
It is like the case of wood: though it possesses a latent fire nature which is the primary cause of its burning, it cannot be made to burn by itself unless men understand the situation and resort to means of actualizing fire out of wood by kindling it. In the same way a man, though he is in possession of the correct primary cause, …
So-called buddha-nature…
… Suchness with permeating force, cannot put an end to his defilements by himself alone and enter nirvana unless he is provided with coordinating causes, i.e., his encounters with the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or good spiritual friends.
So in other words, we need lots of help. We have inwardly great energy to manifest ourselves as a buddha. But without help externally, it is impossible to manifest ourselves in proper way as a buddha.
So that is the second answer.
The third answer: we need the both causes, the main cause and also coordinating causes. Both should work together.
For instance, we realize, personally, individually, we realize the existence of the truth in his or her life. And starting to research the truth by his or her effort… And also, you know, externally there are lots of references for him or her to learn the real truth. In other words, external help. Teachers, your friends, and references, and lots of things. But still, we need time and opportunity which are ripe.
So, external help, and internally your effort must be in accord with each-other. Otherwise, it’s very difficult to manifest yourself exactly.
Because you have quite different ignorance from others. Everyone studies the same things, and practices the same things, but exactly everyone manifests himself or herself completely in a different way. So sometimes you can work very smoothly towards studying the Buddha way, but sometimes you don’t, you don’t want. So your life goes zigzag, always.
So then we need both. External help, internal help, must become one. And then, you can really manifest yourself in the proper way, as a buddha. That is the third reason.
And in this book, in the middle of page 61,
Even though coordinating causes from without…
“From without” means externally…
Even though coordinating causes from without may be sufficiently provided, if the pure principle [i.e., Suchness] within is lacking in the force of permeation, then a man cannot ultimately loathe the suffering of samsara and seek bliss in nirvana. However, if both the primary and the coordinating causes are sufficiently provided, then because of his possession of the force of permeation of Suchness from within and the compassionate protection of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from without, he is able to develop a loathing for suffering, to believe that nirvana is real, and to cultivate his capacity for goodness. And when his cultivation of the capacity for goodness matures, he will as a result meet the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and will be instructed, taught, benefited, and given joy, and then he will be able to advance on the path to nirvana.
So, here it says, “to loathe.” When both primary cause and coordinating cause are both sufficiently provided, then you can develop your life as a buddha, very naturally, and “to loathe” the misery of life and death, and try to reach to the nirvana. But in this case, the “to loathe,” there is a question. “To loathe” the misery of life and death. I think in the primitive life, primitive world, it is easier for the primitive people to accept life is suffering. The truth which life is characterized by suffering, because not so many the food, not so many the clothes, and very poor, so very naturally they can easily accept the truth which life is characterized by suffering. But in the modern age, it’s very difficult for us to accept the truth that life is suffering, because there are many things, many things which please human beings. So it’s very difficult for us to accept the suffering of human life. That’s why most of the people try to hate, try to escape from the suffering. And because there are many things, many things to please your life, it’s not necessary to suffer.
[But] means in this case, I think that to loathe the misery of suffering, life and death, and to reach the nirvana, means that you should know the significance of how to live. In other words, you should know the significance of living to the full, not just exist according to our desires, to assert themselves. So we should know how to live to the full, connecting with all sentient beings. How to live in peace and harmony, anyway.
And also, there is another point we have to pay attention to. Even in the primitive world and in the modern civilization, anyway, we have the same way, same attitude towards human life, loathing, escaping from the suffering of life and death, and to be happy…
[Tape change.]
… What is the real meaning of suffering? We should know what is the real meaning of suffering. And, what is the real meaning of happiness? What is happiness, in the true sense? What is suffering in the true sense? This is very important.
40:40
Next, second, the “Permeation through Influences.”
From the permeation of the essence, we have learned that the truth is constantly acting on us, appealing to us, inwardly. Regardless of whether we realize it or not. Then, now, how it is acting, how it is appealing to us. So we try to know the functioning of the permeation of the truth. So that is, the title is, “permeation through influences.”
The activity of suchness is identical with the … activity of the Buddha appealing all beings to help them out by providing the external coordinating causes. This is the meaning of the permeation through influences.
So here it say,
This is the force from without affecting men by providing coordinating causes. Such external coordinating causes have an infinite number of meanings. Briefly, they may be explained under two categories: namely, the specific and the general coordinating causes.
So truth is always helping, inwardly and externally. Inwardly or externally. [In the] internal world, you have the truth. [In the] external world, buddhas and bodhisattvas help you.
So the permeation through influences is divided into two kinds. One is the specific coordinating causes.
During the practice, from the first stage of aspiration for the truth to the last stage of nirvana, the practicer can have plenty of chances to meet or to see the buddhas and the bodhisattvas in the manifold ways. However, the buddhas and bodhisattvas appear as his relatives, parents, brothers and sisters, wife and children, or his servants, or his friends – sometimes his partners, sometimes his enemies, et cetera – to guide and encourage his practice of … Here it says, page 62, in the second paragraph of the note, “Four acts of loving and kindness are defined as charity, kind speech, beneficial action, and cooperation. But before the bodhisattva practice, charity, giving, and kind speech, and beneficial action, and cooperation. Cooperation means you have to put yourself in others’ place, instead of asserting, instead of individual desire to assert itself. So anyway, help. You have to put yourself in others’ place. So that is cooperation. So, four kinds of Bodhisattva practice.
So to guide and encourage his practice of four kinds of Bodhisattva practice, loving, to reach the nirvana, thus buddhas and bodhisattvas appeal to the practicer in multi-form skillful method. This means that suchness or truth is of reality, which reaches every places, and it is not just an ideal, but tathātā, that is what is actualized vividly.
In other words, in Shobogenjo Genjōkōan, Dōgen quotes the example of Hotetsu Zen Master using the fan. There is a conversation between the monk and Hotetsu Zen Master in the last portion of the Genjōkōan. Monk knows the truth that wind is omnipresent. So the monk’s question is, why do you use a fan? Because nature of original nature of the wind is omnipresent, everywhere. Why do you use fan? So the master says, “You know the meaning of the omnipresent, but you don’t know the meaning of it reaching every place.”
So, reaching every place. If the truth is reaching every place, means the cup is buddha, truth. Table is the truth. Not idealistically; we know, the Buddha is omnipresent. We know the omnipresence of the Buddha, but we don’t know the real meaning of omnipresence of the buddha. Reaching everywhere; we should know the truth is reaching everywhere.
That’s why, in the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra, Avalokiteshvara appears as a boy. When he or she sees boys and girls, he appears as a boy and a girl. Sometimes bodhisattva appears as senior man, senior woman, senior citizens. Sometimes as a teacher. Bodhisattva appears as parents and friends, brothers and sisters. Sometimes as a suffering, sometimes as a pain, anyway. Because the truth penetrates, reaches everywhere. This is called the permeation of the truth.
So that’s why here it says, the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas appear as his relatives, parents, brothers and sisters, wife and children, or his servants or friends, et cetera, to guide and encourage the [four-fold] practice of the bodhisattvas, to reach nirvana. Thus buddhas and bodhisattvas appear to the practicer in multi-form skillful method. This means that suchness or truth is a reality which reaches every places, and it is not just idea, but tathātā. We say tathātā, tathātā is a different name of buddha, focusing on the real state of the truth, how it is functioning in our life. So tathātā, truth, is functioning always, just going, just coming. Tathātā means a state of being which is just going, just coming. Without being stuck [in] a certain place, or a certain portion of the time [or] space. This is tathātā, which means the real function of the truth. That is another name of Buddha, we call tathātā.
This also means that continuous appealing to the practice is due to permeating inferences based on compassion. To let him to realize the cause of suffering and to practice three-fold wholesome.
“Three-fold wholesome” is being free from three poisons.
Or to encourage him to create various opportunities to do so according to his capability and circumstances. Therefore, there are various benefits in individual life. That is why it is named specific coordinating causes.
In other words, individual causes.
So that is compassion. The constantly functioning for us. Truth is functioning for us constantly; this is so-called compassion. We don’t know it. We don’t realize it. But it is functioning constantly. This is called compassion, we say. So, Buddha’s compassion.
In order to realize it, in order to guide us to realize how the truth is functioning for us, using the term, that is compassion, we say. So compassion is real ultimate function, ultimate nature of the function of truth, suchness. That is compassion. That’s why compassion appears beyond your discriminating mind.
For instance, I always say, when you see the little boy rushing into the traffic of the street, at that time, the unconsciously save him from his danger. Beyond discussion, immediately you try to help. So that is compassion, beyond your discriminating mind.
So compassion is a little different from our sense, so-called kindness. But it is very difficult to have that opportunity to manifest real compassion. It’s very rare opportunity to manifest that kind of real compassion. That’s why [the] only way to express the compassion is through our usual everyday life. Surrounded by kindness, friendliness, love, etc. So be kind, be friend to others, we can say. Through this kindness, through this friendliness, we can move toward real compassion. Gradually, you can understand it. Or sometimes quickly you can understand.
And also the… okay… Now we close this side.
The specific coordinating causes are divided into two categories: immediate causes and remote causes.
Immediate causes means to give immediate opportunity to enable the practicer to attain buddhahood. Remote causes mean to give gradual opportunity to enable the practicer to attain buddhahood, through countless span of time. In other words, there are many kinds of type of the people – mature person or immature person. When you educate immature person, you have to be patient, and give opportunity to learn the Buddha way for long, long run. Even though they don’t understand, anyway, we must be patient and try to give opportunity to learn and to reach Buddha’s way. Using the lots of time, countlessly. So very naturally, you must be compassionate, and you must be patient. So that what it says here.
And each of these two is further divided into two kinds. One is the causes that strengthen the practices. It means to help out the practicer to increase the strength of six paramitas. In this case, constantly we try to help people, giving the immediate opportunity to learn the Buddha way, and to giving the gradual opportunity to learn the Buddha way. But at that time, we need a certain skillful method, that is the six paramitas, in this book mentions.
And then, the cause that enables man to attain wisdom. By the practice of the six paramitas, you can have the experience of wisdom.
Do you have questions?
1:01:28
Question: … loathing of sufering. […] I’d like to know the difference between, for instance, you might say, or in fact you did say today, that if we’re not wise, suffering … You want to escape from suffering. Okay, that must mean that we don’t like suffering, if we want to escape from it. So what is the difference between when the primary coordinating causes develop, and you develop a loathing for suffering. There is a hatred for it. What’s the difference between that and wanting to escape from suffering?
I have an idea of my own, that maybe would help clarify that. I think it’s like if we hate a person… we don’t actually hate the person, we hate hating. So in order to understand that hating, we have to approach that person. … So … loathing for suffering, if conditions develop, then it’s like we have to go right in the middle of suffering.
But still, my main point is why do we escape from… or do we like suffering? If this loathing doesn’t develop, do we like it?
Katagiri Roshi: You mean, do we like loathing the misery of life and death?
Questioner: Do we like misery?
Katagiri Roshi: Do we like misery?
Questioner: […] [It says] if the primary and coordinate causes don’t develop, then we don’t develop a loathing for suffering, like the bodhisattva. So does that mean if they don’t develop, we enjoy misery?
Katagiri Roshi: Uh, “not enjoy” means in the true sense, the enjoyment you can accept, and the misery of life and death. That is happened when you realize the truth is exactly with you, helping with your body and mind are not different from the truth or Buddha’s, et cetera. So your body and mind is exact Buddha himself. At that time, misery of life and death can be accepted. Instead of looking at misery of life and death objectively.
But as long as we are human beings, as long as the mind is moving, well, even a little moment, we can see that misery of life and death as an object. But a question is, how long you can stay with this objectivity? Object, in other words dichotomy. We cannot escape from that sense of dichotomy. So, question is, how much you can stay with this dichotomy? Do you like it? Or you don’t like it? If you say, “do you like it,” it is already time and opportunity, time and space.
Questioner: Already you’re in the dichotomy.
Katagiri Roshi: Yes, dichotomy. So, practically speaking, I don’t know. Do you like it? I don’t like it. You don’t like it? Yes, I like it. In terms of a sense of dichotomy, there is always two questions coming up.
Questioner: Well is that something we always choose? We chose to do?
Katagiri Roshi: Yes, in a sense, we have to choose, in a sense.
Questioner: But sometimes it seems like there’s no …
Katagiri Roshi: No choice.
Questioner: I mean, you’re there, without your choice.
Katagiri Roshi: There is always choice, alternative. Do you like it? Or do you don’t like it? So, you have to choose.
Questioner: But you seem to wind up in that dichotomy. […] choosing means … be there, but you’ve never made a choice…
Katagiri Roshi: That’s why when you choose that attitude toward human life, how to choose it. Do you choose according to the sense of give and take? If I choose this, I get benefit, or not. This is very usual sense of alternative. But on the other hand, if you choose A, this is your whole life, and also manifestation of the whole universe. Okay? At that time, even though you make a choice of A, and then later, you can find the suffering more, but you can accept. So, that is content of the alternative; how do you choose. In other words, the question is, the contents of the choice.
That is quite different. If you choose something according to the give and take, or pros and cons, success and failure, at that time, you don’t like misery, after choosing something.
Questioner: [And actually these] decisions might manifest themselves years later.
Katagiri Roshi: Yes. So that’s why we need to practice of whole-heartedness. When you do Zazen, right now, what do you like? Do you like zazen, or you don’t like zazen? If you discuss, always two things. I like it, but I don’t like it. But how do you do it? Right now. You have to make a choice. You don’t like it? Go away. If you like it, stay.
So, let’s do it. At that time, the question is, content of the alternative, what you have made a choice.
And then, the world which you have made a choice, is exactly manifestation of your whole universe. That is, universe is you, zazen is buddha. That is to live to [fullest].