< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 1 The absolute host 12 August 1988 pm in Gautam the Buddha Auditorium OUR BELOVED MASTER, RYUSUI SAID: EMPTINESS IS A NAME FOR NOTHINGNESS, A NAME FOR UNGRASPABILITY, A NAME FOR MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, THE WHOLE EARTH. IT IS ALSO CALLED THE REAL FORM. IN THE GREEN OF THE PINES, THE TWIST OF THE BRAMBLES, THERE IS NO GOING OR COMING. IN THE RED OF THE FLOWERS AND THE WHITE OF THE SNOW, THERE IS NO BIRTH AND NO DEATH....

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 2 Morality: nothing but delusion 13 August 1988 pm in Gautam the Buddha Auditorium OUR BELOVED MASTER, ENO SAID: GOOD FRIENDS, IN THIS TEACHING, FROM THE OUTSET, SITTING IN MEDITATION DOES NOT CONCERN THE MIND NOR DOES IT CONCERN PURITY; WE DO NOT TALK OF STEADFASTNESS. IF SOMEONE SPEAKS OF ‘VIEWING THE MIND’, THEN I WOULD SAY THAT THE MIND IS OF ITSELF DELUSION, AND AS DELUSIONS ARE JUST LIKE FANTASIES, THERE IS NOTHING TO BE SEEN....

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 3 Go on unconcerned 14 August 1988 pm in Gautam the Buddha Auditorium OUR BELOVED MASTER, RINZAI SAID: WHAT IS THE USE OF CATCHING A DREAM, AN ILLUSION, A FLOWER IN THE SKY? THERE IS, FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY, ONLY THE ONE WHO IS NOW PRESENT HERE AND IS LISTENING TO MY EXPOUNDING OF THE DHARMA.… ALL TROUBLES EXIST BECAUSE YOU ARE MINDFUL OF THEM; IF YOU ARE MINDLESS OF THEM, HOW CAN THEY HOLD YOU?...

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 4 Enlightenment is the way to extinction 15 August 1988 pm in Gautam the Buddha Auditorium OUR BELOVED MASTER, DAIKAKU SAID: THIS TEACHING IS THE SCHOOL OF THE ENLIGHTENED MIND. THE ENLIGHTENED MIND ITSELF BASICALLY HAS NO DELUSION OR ENLIGHTENMENT. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SUBTLE ART OF THOSE WHO REALIZE THUSNESS. EVEN IF YOU DON’T BECOME ENLIGHTENED, WHEN YOU SIT ONCE IN MEDITATION, YOU ARE A BUDDHA FOR THAT SITTING; WHEN YOU SIT FOR A DAY IN MEDITATION, YOU ARE A BUDDHA FOR A DAY; WHEN YOU SIT IN MEDITATION ALL YOUR LIFE, YOU ARE A BUDDHA ALL YOUR LIFE....

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 5 Meditation, the method of great liberation 24 August 1988 pm in Gautam the Buddha Auditorium OUR BELOVED MASTER, DAIKAKU SAID TO HIS ASSEMBLY OF MONKS: “SITTING MEDITATION IS THE METHOD OF GREAT LIBERATION; ALL THE TEACHINGS FLOW FORTH FROM THIS; MYRIAD PRACTICES ARE MASTERED THIS WAY. SUPERNORMAL POWERS, KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND VIRTUE, ALL ARISE FROM HERE. THE PATH OF LIFE OF HUMANS AND GODS OPENS HEREIN; ALL THE BUDDHAS HAVE ENTERED AND LEFT BY THIS DOOR....

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 6 Underlying great doubt there is great satori 26 August 1988 pm in Gautam the Buddha Auditorium OUR BELOVED MASTER, HAKUIN SAID: MY HUMBLE ADVICE TO YOU DISTINGUISHED PERSONS WHO STUDY THE PROFOUND MYSTERY OF THE BUDDHA-DHARMA IS THIS: YOUR CLOSE EXAMINATION OF YOURSELF MUST BE AS URGENT AS SAVING YOUR OWN HEAD WERE IT ABLAZE; YOUR EFFORTS TO PENETRATE INTO YOUR OWN ORIGINAL NATURE MUST BE AS TIRELESS AS THE PURSUIT OF AN INDISPENSABLE THING; YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE VERBAL TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHAS AND PATRIARCHS MUST BE AS HOSTILE AS THAT TOWARD A DEADLY ENEMY....

< Previous | Contents | Next > ‌CHAPTER 7 Nothingness is your original face 27 August 1988 pm in Gautam the Buddha Auditorium OUR BELOVED MASTER, BANKEI SAID: WHAT I TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IS NOTHING SPECIAL; IT’S THE UNBORN, ENLIGHTENED, NO- MIND INNATE IN EVERYONE. WHAT IS IT ABOUT? WHILE YOU ARE ALL HERE LISTENING TO MY SERMON, WHEN A DOG BARKS OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE, YOU KNOW IT IS A DOG, AND WHEN A CROW CAWS, YOU KNOW IT IS A CROW....

< Previous | Contents ‌CHAPTER 8 Fulfilling buddhahood right where you are 28 August 1988 pm in Gautam the Buddha Auditorium OUR BELOVED MASTER, DAIKAKU SAID: THIS SCHOOL IS AN EXCEEDINGLY DEEP AND SUBTLE TEACHING; ONCE YOU HAVE HEARD IT, IT BECOMES AN EXCELLENT CAUSE FOR ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ALL TIME. AN ANCIENT SAID, “THOSE WHO HEAR THIS, EVEN IF THEY DON’T BELIEVE, HAVE BLESSINGS GREATER THAN HUMANS OR GODS; THOSE WHO STUDY, EVEN WITHOUT ATTAINMENT, EVENTUALLY REACH BUDDHAHOOD....