The Awakening of Faith – Talk 33
March 7, 1986 Dharma Talk by Dainin Katagiri Roshi
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This transcript is in draft stage.
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Katagiri Roshi: Today, maybe I should talk outline of this book, the Awakening of Faith. And then I will continue to study this one.
I think this book is a very important textbook to study Buddhism in general. Maybe there are five points which we have to think [about] and understand.
First let me say the five points. First, one-mind. Second, two gates. Third, three greatnesses. Fourth, four faiths, F-A-I-T-H, four kinds of faith. Fifth, five kinds of practice. So, one mind, two gates, three greatnesses, four kinds of faith, five kinds of practice. If you understand those five points, I think you can see the outline of this teaching, what [does the] Awakening of Faith want to teach us.
Particularly this book tried to spend a lot of time to explain from two gates. So from two gates, and three greatnesses, and four kinds of faiths, those are kind of intellectual explanation of the world.
So, one-mind is called shujo shin in Japanese. A mind of all sentient beings, shujo shin. So, this mind is, according to Fukanzazengi, non-thinking. Non-thinking world. According to Prajnaparamita Sutra, I think it is called mind, just mind, huge mind. Psychologically, it is called universal consciousness, universal mind. It is just one. Just one mind. But this one-mind is very universal, open to animate or inanimate beings. This is called shujo shin, mind of all sentient beings or all beings.
So, from this point, Avatamsaka Sutra or Flower Ornament Sutra […] One-mind only. “The Triple World is [mind] only.” Triple world means past, present, future: triple world is mind-only – not one-mind only, mind only. So, this mind is not usual human consciousness, this is shujo shin, mind of all sentient beings. So, that’s why our Avatamsaka Sutra’s philosophy is based on “the three worlds are mind only.” So, three words, all human world, all world, the universe is produced by mind only, or based on the one-mind only.
So, from this point maybe we can say Buddhism is psychology. Okay? That’s why the psychological teaching of Buddhism has been developed so much. But this mind is exactly universal mind, okay? So, that is in this book is called one-mind, shujo shin.
Next, second, two gates. Two gates are gate of the truth, and the gate of … shōmetsu… origination and extinction. Well, briefly speaking, this is called samsara. So, the gate of samsara, or the gate of origination and extinction, or, we say the gate of life and death, either way. But this book, this translator says samsara. So, this book, this teaching, The Awakening of Faith, spends lots of time to explain particularly the gate of samsara. Well, this is a philosophical explanation. From a different angle, this book tries to see the one-mind, shujo shin, the mind, what does the mind, how the one mind, the mind of all sentient beings extends to the world, the universe – appearing as individual beings, trees, birds, et cetera. How the one mind extends, or expresses, or appears in the human world. That is the gate of samsara.
So, according to Fukanzazengi, one-mind, the mind of all sentient beings is what is called the non-thinking, non-thinking world. Completely non-thinking world. You cannot touch it, you cannot touch it intellectually, but you exist there, exactly. So practically speaking, before you poke a head into it, we exist there. That’s why Zen Buddhism says, “the world prior to germination of any subtle ideas.” This is called, sometimes, one-mind, this is called the mind of all sentient beings. And then, the truth. From that world, […] when one-mind appears, that is the human world. What is the human world? Human world is called the gate of the truth, the gate of samsara. And then, the gate of the truth is, in this book, explained by two points. One is the truth beyond the words, w-o-r-d, the words. And then, the other one is the [truth] depending on words. In other words, the truth explainable in words.
So, two kinds of the truth explained here. What the truth completely beyond the words – this is exactly the same as one-mind, shujo shin, the mind of the all sentient beings. This is exactly the same thing. But when the mind of all sentient beings appears or works in the human world, it is called the truth, but that truth is complete beyond our explanation. The other one is, the mind explainable in words, that is what is called, in the Tendai or general Buddhist teaching, I think we call it the wordly truth. It is not exactly truth, because it is explainable in words. So, that is the truth.
But this is kind of questionable, because the truth is you cannot touch it, but you can explain it. This is a little bit contradictory, but actually this is true. Is that clear? Truth, you cannot touch it, because it’s too close to us, too close to the universe. Universe is exactly truth, no gap between, but it is explainable. Because it is one, exactly one. Is that clear? The oneness is not something completely separate from us, it must be something explainable or experiential, otherwise you cannot say one. Because if it is separated, you cannot explain it, you cannot experience [it]. So, that’s why it’s kind of contradictory things there, but it’s exactly truth. So, that’s why here it says truth is exactly something you cannot touch it, but you can explain it.
Why do we have to do this? Why do we have to explain the truth? Because in order to let you know real truth.
For instance, if I want you to be, to be quiet, but everyone anyway chatting and making noise, so at that time I want you to be quiet. But originally everyone becomes quiet, but I have to say be quiet. But if I say be quiet, it is not quiet because I make a noise. But I have to say, be quiet. Then, everyone becomes quiet.
So, this is the explanation. So, it’s very close, very close, both of them. You cannot ignore the truth explainable in a word, so that’s why you have to be very careful to understand the truth. Buddhism tries to spend lots of time to explain what the truth is, what samsara is, instead of just a belief.
So, next the gate of samsara, life and death. I think I have already explained, this is… how many people, maybe some of you have already this one. If you have, if you attended the last training, I think you have it.
I don’t want to explain all the things on this one, but anyway the gate of the samsara. So the one-mind, the mind of all sentient beings, appears as two gates: one is the truth, the other one is samsara. And then, what is samsara, what is the samsaric world? That is very complicated, but this book really [shows] us the structure of the samsara, how samsaric world is going.
I don’t want to explain all things, because already we learned, and also it’s very complicated. So if you want to study more, you can read this book step by step, okay? Looking at this chart. This chart is very helpful for you.
But let me explain briefly what the samsaric world appears as like this. One is the truth, one is the mind of the truth, second is mind of samsara. So the mind of the truth: because the world, the human world is based on the mind of all sentient beings as a one-mind. So in many ways, whatever kind of world appears, there is a mind of all sentient beings, that’s why the mind of the truth. Even the samsara, there is the mind of the truth.
And the other one is mind of samsara. We can see.
So mind of the truth is, in other words, what is called mind of all sentient beings. It’s the same thing. But when you explain the structure of the samsaric world, well, the mind of all sentient beings appears in a different way. Not in a different way… explained in a different way. So that’s why mind of truth. So this is exactly same as one mind. And also this mind of truth is exactly same as […] the truth. I mentioned that the truth completely on the words, the truth explainable in a word. Exactly the same as. Is that clear?
And here, this teaching puts a certain name on it. That is called tathagatagarbha. Can you see this term? Tathagatagarbha. Tathagatagarbha is kind of the embryo in the mother’s womb. So tathagata is Buddha, garbha is mother’s womb. So the samsaric world has always this mind of the truth, which is called tathagatagarbha. Kind of very rough diamond. Apparently diamond is very rough, so you don’t see real diamond, but if you polish it, there is a diamond inside. This is called, temporarily we say, tathagatagarbha.
So that is the truth, mind of the truth, and the second is the mind of samsara. So that is temporarily called alayavijnana. This is alayavijnana, or storehouse consciousness in English. So that is alayavijnana. So the mind of samsara is [explained] in terms of alayavijnana, the very basic conscious world, very basic conscious world. And very basic conscious world and the tathagatagarbha are same things. Very touchy, very touchy. So bottom of the samsaric world is the bottom of alayavijnana, that is simultaneously tathagatagarbha.
So if you research what samsara is, how samsara is going, or how samsara is structured, deeply, on and on, finally you can see total picture of samsara, that is called awareness of, not samsara, awareness of alayavijnana. Exactly you can see whole picture of samsara. That is if you realize exactly, concept of alayavijnana disappears. Because you aware, you realize totally. And then, you can turn, you can transform your life spiritually. That is called tathagatagarbha; truth. In Zen Buddhism we say enlightenment. Or in general Buddhism it is called you become Buddha.
But intellectually, it’s pretty hard to understand this one, but even though you don’t understand, there is a unique way to experience this one. This is called zazen. Okay? Zazen. Exactly zazen. If you do Zazen in proper way, you can really touch the bottom of samsara, that is called alayavijnana. And then, if you realize it, it turns into tathagatagarbha.
So in other words, negative. According to the Prajnaparamita [Sutra], word is expressed always as a negative, in a negative way: “no mind, no ears, no nose, no mouth, no body, no mind,” exactly like this. That is not negative, it is called total awareness. Perfect awareness of nose: at that time, no nose. Is that clear? If you realize exactly your ears, no concept of ears. But ears exactly with you, peacefully. No stomach: if I realize, well stomach, exactly, no problem. Realization is not to try to aware. Totally aware, awareness, means being present in peace and harmony with me. So between the stomach and I, my consciousness, there is no problem. But if there is even slightly something by which we can create a gap between stomach and I, this is a problem. Because immediately I am nervous, and concerned about my stomach. Is that clear? So that is [that] Prajnaparamita says “no mind, no ears, no nose,” something like that.
So from this point, no alayavijnana. No alayavijnana. At that time, it is called tathagatagarbha. So that’s why tathagatagarbha and alayavijnana [are] exactly same things. In other words, human samsara is based on the truth.
And then, the samsaric world is explained like this in the chart. It’s very huge. So it’s very complicated. So let me go forward.
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And next, three greatnesses … is essence of […] the world… let me say mind, the essence of the mind. And the second is […] attribute of the mind. Third, functioning of the mind.
In other words, the essence of mind means the world, you can say world. The essence, substantiality. This is a very essential nature.
So that essence of the world is exactly the one-mind. Exactly the one-mind is expressed in a different way, using a different term. So that is the essence of the world, essence of all sentient beings. That is the truth. Alright?
The second, the attribute of the world, that is merit, we say. Merit of the world, merit of the mind. Or virtue; we can say, merit or virtue. That is attribute.
And third, that is functioning of the mind. That is function, anyway, practically.
In this book it says… let me read [about] functioning, because it’s a little bit important. Look at the page 67:
the greatness of the inferences of suchness,
this is functioning of suchness, the functioning of the world, the functioning of the mind, functioning of the truth. Truth means as-it is-ness. The picture of the world in as-it-is-ness, this is thusness. Before you poke your head into it, how the world exists. This is called thusness. In Zen terms, I told you before, “the world prior to germination of any subtle ideas.” This is called thusness, we say.
So here it says,
The Buddha Tathagatas, while in the stages of Bodhisattvahood, exercised great compassion, practiced Paramitas, and accepted and transformed sentient beings, they took great vows, desiring to liberate all sentient beings through countless eons, until the end of future time, for they regarded all sentient beings as they regarded themselves.
“The Buddha Tathagatas, while in the stages of Bodhisattvahood”: in this case, I think the functioning of the truth is expressed as the Buddha Tathagatas. Tathagatas is another expression of the Buddha, but this is a little bit different term from the concept of the Buddha, because Tathagata is a little bit, in other words, intellectual, intellectual experience of the truth. Individually, if you experience the truth, truth is expressed, so-called tathagata, because truth is always going in and out in as-it-is-ness, without staying even for a moment: always going, coming, going, coming, moving constantly. That is called tathagata. But this is not something objective, or it is not something principle; it is our life. So it’s experiential. That’s why if you experience the truth directly, that truth is expressed in a different way, so called tathagata.
So tathagata is a little bit experiential term, and also a little bit objective term, for the truth. But buddha is exactly personalized, truth is completely personalized, because the truth is digested in your life, and then your life is really working as a buddha, as a truth. That is called buddha. Is that clear? A little different, a little different. That’s why functioning of the truth is used here, Buddha Tathagata, so a mixed word, Buddha and Tathagata. So Buddha is personal experience, and also tathagata is a little bit connected with truth as a principle.
So it is exactly same as functioning of the thusness, functioning of the world. So “the Buddha Tathagata, while the stages of bodhisattva,” in other words, that truth, or thusness, the world prior to the germination of any subtle idea, that world has coming down from the beginningless past. This is the truth. Beyond the Buddha’s birth or not; even though Buddha was not born in this world, truth is truth. So that is why here it says, “while in the stages of the bodhisattvahood.”
So that’s why if you see Buddha’s life, very naturally we can think Buddha’s past life. If you think your life, very naturally, you can think your past life. And then you can think your future life, naturally. So that is exactly past life and future life are completely condensed into this present life. This is your life, you can see, day to day. So your present life is not a piece of paper; it’s very deep, huge. So that’ss why we are really captivated by this present life, because it’s very mysterious. We don’t understand it, but we cannot give up, even though you don’t understand it, because you are completely captured by this contents of the present life. Regardless of whether you like or not, anyway, it is very interesting, we are very interested in that present life. Whatever you feel from your life. That’s why we constantly study, searching, from generation to generation. Because the truth is coming from beginningless past.
So that is called, “while in the stages of bodhisattvahood…”
“… exercised great compassion…”: Great compassion means, regardless of whether you like or dislike, truth is going constantly from the beginningless past, and helping your life. So it’s compassion. It exists with you; it’s present in you. So it’s compassion. It’s really compassion. So compassion is a little different from the usual concept of kindness or friendliness. It’s completely basic nature of real kindness.
So, exercise great compassion, “practiced Paramita…” Paramita means supreme perfection. Supreme perfection means complete beyond your senses, or sensation, or functioning of consciousness. Anyway, it is always with you, and it exists with you, it lives with you, constantly. So, that is supreme perfection. In other words, when the supreme perfection works in your life, it is called compassion and wisdom. We say paramita. So we say prajna paramita. Prajna means wisdom, paramita is supreme perfection. That’s why wisdom is something as supreme perfection. So, it’s going constantly with you.
So, Buddha practiced this supreme paramita, supreme perfection. And supreme perfection is, truth is going from the beginningless past to the endless future. So that’s why Buddha practiced this one, from the beginningless past.
“… and accepted and transformed sentient beings…” Edified, he tried to edify, because all sentient beings exist within the truth, but they don’t realize. That’s why Buddha tried to educate or edify all sentient beings.
[Tape change.]
“They took great vows”: “they” means Buddha Tathagatas. “They took great vows, desiring to liberate all sentient beings through countless eons until the end of future time…”
Why? Why did they take this deep vow, to help all sentient beings toward the end of the future?
“… for they regarded all sentient beings as they regarded themselves.” That means Buddha mentions all sentient beings are the [children] of the Buddha, in other words. Or, in Christianity, we say, you are a [child] of God. “You are [child] of God,” what do you mean? You are [child] of the God, you are [child] of the Buddha. That’s why Buddha took vows to teach, edify, to help all sentient beings, eternally, forever, toward end of the future. Why? Because you are a [child] of the Buddha. What do [I] mean? “You are son of the Buddha” means you are the contents of my life. At that time you become [child] of my life. [That’s a] different expression, but exactly “you are [child] of the Buddha” means, your life is not a different life from the Buddha. You are contents of the Buddha’s life. Buddha. That’s why all of your life are contents of my life. At that time I cannot ignore you. Because if I think my life, exactly I have to see my life and also contents of my life. Contents of my life appears as each one of you. Exactly same. That’s why I cannot ignore.
But intellectually, according to the surface of the ocean, we can see you separately. But actually, not separate. So separation there, but no separation there. So very naturally we can share our compassion or kindness with each other. Even though you say, “I don’t care.” But “I don’t care” means already that concept of “I don’t care” comes from [a child] of the Buddha. The connection between two, without separation. That’s why we say, “I don’t care.”
So very naturally, even though you are “bad boy” or “good boy,” it doesn’t matter. Real truth in terms of the thusness of the world, or in terms of the world in thusness, you and I are exactly connected, very closely.
On the other hand, we are separated. But we are not separated. That’s why we have to think ourselves separately, and try to understand who I am, who the world is – simultaneously, my understanding of my life is exactly understanding of others, of you. That’s why in Buddhism, if you research individual life, it is exactly the same as understanding of the world. The outlook on the human life is exactly same as outlook on the world.
That’s why Buddha’s teaching constantly teaches human life from a different angle. Very different – many, many angles. It seems to be complicated, but if you study continually, you can see all angles. And then all angles are focusing on one thing. You can see this.
So that’s why it says, “They took great vows.” Desiring vow comes from this, the world of the thusness, exactly in vastness. If you understand the relationship between human beings and nature, et cetera, very naturally you can take a vow, to desire to edify, to help all sentient beings, or to live in peace and harmony.
So that’s why here it says, “They took great vows, desiring to liberate all sentient beings through countless eons…” Not to help only this life. Forever. At that time, you really become Buddha.
“… until the end of the future time, because they regarded all sentient beings as they regarded themselves.” This is functioning of the world. It’s exactly functioning. The functioning of the truth, the functioning of the mind. So your mind is not the consciousness you can think. It’s not so narrow. It’s very vast.
So this is a function. So according to the three greatnesses, I think the world can be seen from the essence of the world, and the retribute of the world, and functioning of the world.
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And next, the four kinds of faiths. That is, simply speaking, you have to believe in the truth, that is one, and also the triple treasure. Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. So you have to believe the truth: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. That is faith, in this book.
So this book tries to explain what faith is. And then the Buddhist faith, in this book it says, you have to believe in the truth, Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.
So generally, Buddhist faith is to believe the triple treasure. That’s why triple treasure is very important for us.
Well, tomorrow maybe I can explain the triple treasure, simply.
And that is the four kinds of faiths.
And five practices next. Five practices are the … are you familiar with the six paramitas? Giving, precepts or discipline, we can say. Giving, precept or discipline, … patience, and effort. And also here is shikan, means shamatha vipassana. In other words cessation and insight. Or cessation means tranquility, we can say. Tranquility or, when you work on cessation, in terms of the function of the cessation, it is called, what would you say, samadhi. When you become one with the samadhi, your life becomes very quiet. That is temporarily called cessation. Shamatha in Sanskrit. That is cessation. And vipassana. I think all of you are familiar with this term, because the Vipassana school is practiced in the United States. So vipassana is insight, insight or observation. In this book, it says, this translator uses “observation.” That is insight. So, five: giving, precepts, patience, effort or zeal, and shamatha and vipassana. According to the six paramitas, I think the last one is separated: shamatha and vipassana. Shamatha and vipassana are expressed as … jhana [or] meditation, and wisdom. So, six paramitas is giving, precepts, patience, effort, and meditation, and wisdom. Six. But here, this book uses, the last of the five practices is the combination of the two, meditation and wisdom. That is called shamatha and vipassana.
And after explanation of these five kinds of practices, it says here, page one hundred, the last paragraph
He should reflect in the following way, all living beings from the beginningless beginning, because they are permeated by ignorance, have allowed their mind to remain in samsara. They have already suffered all the great miseries of the body and mind. They are at present under incalculable pressure and constraint, and their sufferings in the future will likewise be limitless. These sufferings are difficult to forsake, difficult to shake off, and yet, these beings are unaware that they are in such a state. For this, they are greatly to be pitied.
“They are greatly to be pitied,” that is compassion, Buddha’s compassion. Instead of criticizing, and instead of putting them down, they feel how pity they are. That is Buddhist compassion.
After reflecting in this way, he should pluck up his courage, and make a great vow to this effect: “May my mind be free from discrimination, so that I may practice all of the various meritorious acts everywhere in the ten directions. May I, to the end of the future, by applying limitless expedient means, help all suffering sentient beings so that they may obtain the bliss of nirvana, the ultimate goal.”
Having made such a vow, he must, in accordance with his capacity, and without faltering, practice every kind of good at all times and at all places, and not be slothful in his mind.
From this, I think after this book explaining the one mind, and the two gates, and the three greatnesses, four kinds of faith, and five kinds of practices, and then, what kind of attitude we should take towards human life. This is really vow.
Anyway, vow means, everyone has a vow, in a sense. Because whatever you think from your life, anyway, you want to live. From where does that desire come? It’s not your desire [which] you try to create. No, you cannot do it. Because if you don’t like your life, or if you don’t like others’ life, if you don’t like the world, you don’t want to live. This is natural. But whatever you think, you like or dislike, you continually want to live. Unconsciously or consciously. Completely beyond our senses. This is really strong desire to exist. [Maybe] you have never experienced this one, but when you are on the verge of life and death, you really see, you really want to live. You don’t want to die. In many ways, you want to live.
I experienced [this] during the Second World War. [He laughs.] Exactly, you want to live. That comes from really deep, the depth of your existence.
So, this is really … vow. Very deep aspiration. When you realize this one, intellectually, philosophically, and religiously, or empirically, then it’s turned into the vow. It’s really vow. It becomes vow. What we call vow. But that vow is not something you try to create, but it’s already deep. That’s why we say sometimes, “original vow.” Original vow means very profound aspiration to live in this world with all sentient beings.
So, Buddha constantly teaches us like this. That’s why here it says, after the explanation of the samsaric world, how it is going, then what kind of attitude we should take toward human life. This is vow. Without vow, we cannot exist.
We exist without vow… but we cannot exist with all sentient beings in peace and harmony. Because basically, all sentient beings exist exactly in peace and harmony.
So, very naturally, this vow is very important for us. That’s why here it says about vow. Let me say a little bit:
He should reflect in the following way: all living beings, from the beginningless beginning, because they are permeated by ignorance, have allowed their mind to remain in samsara…
[…] Excuse me. Ignorance means, but I have to go back to the alayavijnana.
Alayavijnana is pretty close to the tathagatagarbha as the truth itself. So truth as tathagatagarbha exists constantly, eternally, which is calm and active. But active means not the usual active; it’s always quiet. Perfect tranquility. But perfect tranquility includes tranquil and active. But as a whole, it’s quiet, very quiet.
For instance, small things… If you see the tall structure of Ganges River, huge river, or Mississippi River. You know, if you go to Lake City? You know, huge, open space of the Mississippi River. It’s kind of not a river. If you look at it directly, at the moment you don’t believe it is a river, because it’s huge. And we have a concept, the water in the river must be moving. But we don’t see the moving. Exactly there, just like an ocean. So, same applies to the Ganges River. Ganges River is huge; at that time we don’t see the water is moving. So it’s very quiet. But as a whole, it’s going. So this is the truth, total picture of the truth. As a whole, it’s very quiet. That is called tranquility. Or jaku moku means “tranquil silence.” Exactly silence, perfect silence. But that perfect silence [is] based on the tranquil and dynamic, active. It includes stillness and dynamism. So, the tathagatagarbha is totally quiet. But the definition of alayavijnana is “the mind in movement.” The first stage of the mind in movement. Very first inception of the moving of the mind – that is called alayavijnana. How alayavijnana moves: that is concept, our thinking. […] The moment the mind is vibrated, it’s called samsara. Samsara is dualistic world. Separation of the subject and object; this is samsara.
So that is ignorance. We call it ignorance. Why the mind is moving? We don’t know. We don’t know why. But in this book, the mind is moving is due to ignorance.
But ignorance, we don’t know from where it comes. That’s why ignorance comes from the beginningless beginning. So if you were born in this world, immediately we have it. We don’t know from where it comes. So that’s why here it says, ignorance comes from beginningless beginning.
Beginningless beginning means it stops your thinking, you know, researching from where it comes. We are always curious of poking our head into something, and researching the beginning. Or, we are interested in researching the end of the world. What death is, what birth is, always we are interested, we are curious. But “beginningless beginning” means completely stop thinking, because we don’t know from where it comes.
But, it says alayavijnana is moving and creating samsara from moment to moment, [that] means right there. So ignorance is something you don’t know from where it comes, but it works right there. So Buddhism is very practical. But on the other hand, Buddhism is very kind, to see something which exists right now, right here. Understanding how it is going. So that’s why, very natural, philosophy is coming up. And also religiously, lots of teaching coming up.
So that is called ignorance. So ignorance is not exactly same as the concept of “sin.” Different.
All sentient beings suffer from this. [They] suffer from their life by this ignorance, coming from the beginningless beginning. And also,
… they are at present under incalculable pressure and constraint, …
Lots of suffering.
… and their sufferings in the future will likewise be limitless.
If you are in the problem, we realize what the problems are and try to find the solution of the problems, and try to stop the suffering. But on the other hand, it’s pretty hard to escape, or pretty hard to stop suffering, feeling pain. Because it’s very complicated, so you cannot find the solution quickly. It really takes time. But human beings are not patient. Very naturally, they try to find the solution quickly. Using many ways, many means: psychology, philosophy, religion, always. That’s why they misuse all materials in the human world. Science, physics, and religions, and psychologies, always. Because they are not patient.
But you cannot find the solution quickly, if you are right in the middle of the problem, if you see very deeply. So you have to be patient and take care of it. But most of the people don’t. That’s why, the more they struggle for escaping from, the more they are sinking into the quicksand. So it’s very difficult. That’s why in the future, Buddha sees all sentient beings suffering in the future. Here it says, “their suffering in the future will likewise be limitless.” Constantly limitless.
Well, even though you practice Buddhism, you can see this one. You know you have to do something for this. But you are still there. And it’s pretty difficult. It’s limitless. And also, Buddha sees,
These sufferings are difficult to forsake…
You cannot forget it. And also it’s
difficult to shake off…
Even though you don’t like it, it’s always there.
and yet these beings are unaware [that they are in such a state]; for this, they are greatly to be pitied.
But human beings constantly don’t care. Don’t aware. That’s why Buddha feels how [pitiable] they are. From this, Buddha takes very deep aspiration to edify, to educate, to let them be aware – what the human world is, how fragile human beings are, et cetera. That is a vow. So,
After reflecting in this way, he should pluck up his courage and make a great vow to this effect: May my mind be free from discriminations so that I may practice all of the various meritorious acts everywhere in the ten directions; …
So, may I practice all of the various meritorious acts everywhere in the ten directions. Then, I pray for them, “Please, live in peace and harmony.” By realization of the human world, human beings. Because I try to do all kinds of goodness to help you.
So, that’s why we chant the verse. When you wash your face, when you use the toilet, when you go to bed, before doing this, we vow, we chant a verse. In every verse, we say, “With all sentient beings.” Because we do this, I use this toilet now, with all sentient beings, means I do this in the best way. Thinking – not only thinking – being present, sharing my life with you. So, all sentient beings always exist and are present as the content of my activity, of my living. At that time, very naturally, this verse comes up, this practice comes up. “I go to sleep now, with all sentient beings. Making all sentient beings calm, and making my mind calm and clear and pure.” Like this. This is naturally coming up like this.
So,
… pluck up his courage, and make a great vow to this effect: “May my mind be free from discriminations, so that I may practice all of the various meritorious acts everywhere in the ten directions; may I, to the end of the future, by applying limitless expedient means, help all suffering sentient beings so that they may obtain the bliss of nirvana, the ultimate goal.”
So, endlessly, Buddha does in that way.
So, next, we will go forward. So, please keep chart…