Afterword

Gien Goroku with the Lecture of Hear Sutras; Collected Sayings of Gien Inoue was published by Tetsugen Inoue roshi and Tesshu Inoue; the head priest of Ryusenji in 2014. 

This book is compiled from the words left by Gien Inoue roshi. It has 103 chapter headings expressed of cardinal importance in Zen. The terminology of this book is directly related to our activity of daily life. Being so it is easy for Zen doers to follow his teaching. They can study the essence of Zen through their own body and mind just following his sayings.

The original book has been read by many Zen practitioners studying at the feet of the branch of Gien roshi. Jinen Nagai roshi has preached on this Collected Sayings. Many people flock to Jinen roshi from all over the world. I joined his propagational tour in Australia in 2017 and since then I have been translating this book into English under Jinen roshi’s advice and publishing on blog . 

Gien roshi, from the state that he clarified the Way, preached freely in all directions and used many Zen terms by Zen adepts. On translating Zen terms, looked up over Internet and found that most of them had been translated into English. Zen has been spread to the whole world. 

Lecture of Heart Sutras is the great piece that shows what a masterful preacher he is. This piece was written in his 60’s. The sentences have the power and they are rhythmical. He uses many Zen adepts’ words to show us the truth. 

I came across quite a few terms I could not understand and I asked about them to Kando Inoue roshi who is the fifth son and the successor of Gine roshi. The parts explained by Kando roshi are shown in parentheses. 

I hope this will be of help to your practice.

Brief History

Gien Inoue (1894-1981)

Born in Hiroshima1894 .The second son of Rev. Ganko Inoue and Masano Inoue.

1907 Ordained as a Zen monk at age of 13

!912 assigned Head Junior monk and completed Hosshinshiki 

He devoted whole-heartedly in to practice. 

He met true teachers like Genpo Kitano Roshi, Shosan Ueda Rhoshi, Dozan Sugimoto Roshi, and Toin Iida Roshi. He was given Inka shomei.

He registered as resident priest of Ryusenji in Hamamatu in 1924. 

Even though he had the experience of being enlightened, he had hard time to be free from grasping it. 

1931 He started to hold practice in Ryusennji. Since then his teaching spread to Shizuoka, Tokyo, Hiroshima .

Many monks gathered and practiced there in poverty. Many enlightened people appeared one after another.

1981 Passed away at age of 88                         S.Tatsuta

MAKA-HANNYA-HARAMISU Great Transcendent Wisdom Sutras

MAKA-HANNYA-HARAMISU Great Transcendent Wisdom Sutras
     On writing this, I thought it would be appropriate to let people know the wisdom of the Buddha with what is known well in the world and I decided to write this without reflecting on myself. I might be laughed at by people.

     This year is the seven hundredth anniversary of the Soto school founder Master Dogen's death, and this is the month of the Buddha's birth. Being so, as a token of my gratitude, I will write about "The Heart Sutras" not following the words but it's true meaning. Because "The Heart Sutras" tells what the Buddha wanted to teach very directly, you can understand it's meaning at a glance.

     Things are all exist while being empty and they are empty while existing. What part of them can you hold and call "I"? It is something not to be able to hold, but it always exists there. It has no fixed color just like a precious stone in the daytime. Because it has no fixed color, there appear unlimited colors to be free. There is no color on a ball, so it is not dyed. It has no need to take away various colors. Because it is undefiled from the beginning, there is no need to take means to make it pure. Bodhisattvas in old time were the same. People today are also same. The five Skandhas are the same five Skandhas. Today it has made a person as he is, have him be in the world and make the perspective of right or wrong free, so the world is going to be peace just as water is put in the water. Because there is no self, if you know that there is no way to fight from the beginning, you don't feel to fight. Now men and things exist only with this emptiness. It is not that from now you are newly going to get it. It lets you realize that you yourself are as you are. 

     The universe is a layer of gathering of changing things and there is nothing to be seed in this. It is just as the child's building blocks and it changes variously for some time. It is limitless. "Gathered and tied up, it becomes a hut with branches. Taken apart, it becomes original field." As the ancients composed, there is no seed in this one. No seed while he is born, no seed while he dies. Life is the temporary function. Death is a temporary function and has no self. Being so, none exists to produce birth and death and there exists no universe to be created. There is only the law of causes and effects and it always is in perfect order with nothing out of place and there is always the result. No private matter is in the law of causes and effects. It appears publicly.
     It is for this reason that "The Buddha appeared in the world for the sake of the matter of great" is said. The Buddha perceived that there is no way but causes and effects. In order to perceive causes and effects, there is an extremely important thing. That is the difference between the Dharma in the observation of the self and the self in the observation of the Dharma. With your views, it is mixed that much. It is impure. It is the way of human thinking. It cannot reach to the bottom to that much. Because you put too much confidence in reason. You don't know that the reason of today confuses you.
     In the Buddhist Way, the great Dharma of the Shakyamuni Buddha's seeing the morning star was achieved and realized the law of universe, there is no room for human thoughts breaking in. It has been thoroughly done to the utmost of nothingness which is the origin of dharma, and it cannot be known to the others. Peeling the skin of a lily bulb, peel to the end where nothing is left, you can see how great causes and effects are, so it is entirely a different state from what is seen by ordinary people. Now when this self has been done to the utmost and no limitation is, it is so vast that it transcends dimension, so minute it enters where there is no gap. It cannot be put into the heaven, cannot be loaded on the earth. Now is truly unlimited and boundless. This is called greatness. To get this is called the Wisdom, to be dedicated exhaustively on the way not seeking outward is called the thing ultimate. It is also said salvation. It is reaching Nirvana. It is ease. 

     ” Maha " means great, the greatest. It is not the great of being great and small. It is named on what is beyond comparison. "Prajna" is the wisdom, which means to realize this greatness. "Paramita" means reached the other shore, the shore to which you have already reached. It is said the thing ultimate.

     "Mind" is to keep changing freely, like the core of tree which is the center of all, it is said that the working of causes and effects; unlimited, tangible and intangible united, works freely as the great function of causes and effects ;innumerable changes, exquisite, miraculous. 

     "Mind changes according to every dondition, the shifted site is truly faint." this is said. That is perfect freedom that things appear without things. "Sutra" is permanency. That dharma arises formlessly and unchangeable is expressed like that. It is weaved with warps and wefts together.  It is the truth of daily life weaved human of today as the warp and things as the weft. It is going to let us know our original phase which ranges lengthwise infinite and crosswise in the ten directions. Following this is the Buddhas. This is not the ancients but our Heart Sutra. The Buddha taught us " Just be the One"

"Bodhisattva, Avalokiteshvara"

    "See" is to pierce. To pierce into the bottom of the bottom. See without what is to see. When you see, there is nothing but just things to see. It is all the same on hearing and smelling. Hear without using hearing. Like Fujyoza of Taigen heard the drum sound, he got enlightened with the one sound.  Everyone always hears. To hear is same. You suffer yourself by obstructing it. All human beings are free men from the beginning. It is not only the past Bodhisattvas but us today. The founder of Soto school, Zen Master Dogen said "This Dharma is abundantly present in each human being, if we don't practice it, it does not manifest itself, and if we do not realize it, it cannot be obtained." It really is. When you have it, you cannot use it unless you take it out and see it. It will become pearls thrown before swine. It is the Bodhisattva who become that person not seeking outward, forgets self and faces things.

     Universe is only consisted of gathering and scattering of the great four nature and the elements of things are called earth, water, fire and air. All things are the function of gathering of these four elements. Human beings are also it's functioning. The eyes have sight. Ears have sound. There is no substance between this relation. Ancient time and now are entirely this time without nature. Time is now. Water goes into the square or the round vessel and it has no shape of the container. Having no shape, it takes any form. The one who realized the greatness of now is the Bodhisattva.

"when practicing the profound prajna paramita,"

  There is no lump of substance as a human being and no mass as things, it is the great function formed human as cause and universe as conditions. The subtleness of this unobstructed function is called"profound" and the perfect freedom to use this is called "practice". 

     In fact it is the working of meeting and parting, and there is no other thing. People cannot stop thinking that there is some other immense thing. It is the action on the state that this delusion has gone.

     Seng Zhao was summoned to King Qin. When he was going to be executed as he had not responded to, he asked for one week stay to write "Zhao-lun." Having finished writing, he faced the execution of the punishment said quietly, "The four elements have no self in origin. The five Skandhas are originally empty, at this precise moment head is going to be on the sword, it is still a like to cut spring wind." The meaning is "material things and formless things both have no substance. They are being as emptiness. The life that he is about to cast away becomes the sward.  Like the spring wind is cut with the sward, there is no feeling of resentment to others, just like having all flowers of glasses and trees bloom, the great compassion without conditions will arise." it is said. What a great love it is! It is every single light which cannot be burn, even if you are going to burn, which cannot be cut, even if you are going to cut. It is every single salvation. All this is done by the realization of the emptiness of the two, human beings and the dharma. It does not refer to ancients. Your every movement of now is all such, the thing itself do not utters emptiness.  What an intimate word it is! Only this is required to be realized yourself.

 "perceived that all five Skandhas are totally empty,"
 "perceived" is the very moment that you forget yourself. It is the moment you realized that you have no substance. "look carefully, a shepherd's purse blooms at the foot of the fence." This flower blooms at unpredicted places. It is blooming all the time of the year, spring never end on this country. People who have eyes can see. Not to be seen is the fault of people who doesn't see. The universe does not hide all to human beings. When Ozankoku studied with Baido, they went on an outing and smelled the scent of fragrant olive. Baido asked "Do you smell this? " Ozankoku answered " I do." When the teacher said "Do I hide from you ?" Ozankoku realized. That is perceived. An ancient said "When you don't spare yourself, mountains, rivers and the earth lavish dharmas for you." All looks carefully. We must stir ourselves to become this person, otherwise we cannot ever save ourselves. "Five Skandhas"; Skandhas means to pile and gather.  It is also called "Yin". The meaning is stacking storehouse and it has darkness. You may think about something which is gathered and have power. Because of the darkness delusion arises. When each element gathers separately, it is just same as the part of a clock, they gather and move on the correlation between them. It is the Bodhisattva who realized that gathered things have no mass and it is the delusion to think that there is substance. Speaking in large way, it is universe.  Speaking in a small way, it is a human body. As you do not know what it is due to the darkness, you imagine various things. Then substance will turn up. All of them are a dream. "form "is the unity of four elements, earth, water, fire and air. 

     Earth is materials, water is liquid, fire is heat and air is oscillation. These elements are harmonized and united to become human beings and things. In large way it is mentioned there is no place not to be reach and no place not to be. The six sense organs of body; eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, the four limbs; hands and feet and the body, these parts are called the form skandhas. Senses of organs is to recognize the six objective fields which are the basis for the six consciousness. 

     "Feeling" are various sensations that six sense organs of body receive from all the surroundings. Eyes are form, ears are sound, tongue is taste, these become the root of delusion in any case. "Perceptions"reflects images and record them. You catch form with eyes, hear sounds with ears and think many things, think endlessly. It becomes illusion on how to think, because you admit the other. "Formations" is to arise discretion and recognize the other and makes the mind start to move, most of which are named "formations". "Consciousness" is the characteristic of discrimination. When you make a mistake on this discrimination, it forks into mediocrity and saga.  When you recognize consciousness, it will become a delusion, if not, it will be universal. This is the point where you have to study and go thorough. Having arisen emotions with six organs and six consciousness and keeping them as the seed of earthly desires forever is called illusion. To realize that "all five Skandhas are totally empty" is called the Bodhisattva. what is on Dependent Origination has no substance. This is all called emptiness. Just like a watch, every part of form, feeling, perceptions, formations and consciousness is integrated and functions, but there is no substance or concrete thing in the content. Five skandhas are all empty. There are nine hundred birth and death in an instant. All things are impermanent. Where do you grasp to be called "I"? To realize this great operation is called The Supreme Nirvana. You will be satisfied and successful. If there will not come a time when you forget yourself completely having been unified with something as oneness, you cannot know that you are emptiness.

"and overcomes all suffering and ill-being."
 "To overcome" is relief. After all if you realize that there is nothing to be root of things, the seeds of suffering will disappear and you feel ease.  Once you know that a jewel does not have coloring matter in the day time, you don't want to have it. Everything is the interaction of causes and effects and there is no way to recognize body or there is nothing to be called the root of the universe. When you know it, you will not suffer any more. You will suffer because you think that there are that sort of things.

     In the autumn Ryokan saw the moon in the sky. It was so beautiful that he went into the sweet-potato field without knowing it. He was mistaken as a thief. When he was hit, he didn’t make any excuse and said "Those who hit and the one who is hit are all like a drop of dew, like a flash of lightening. That is how to observe and respond them." By his power of having realize that he had no self, he and others were able to escape the trouble. The only thing was that he was hit and felt pain. It was as it was. There is none to face with. Although there is no way to get angry, the one who gets angry is said to be pitiable. The great compassion arises from this state. "all suffering" is four and eight kinds of suffering.  

The four kinds of suffering are birth, illness, aging and death. 

birth-- various suffering while we live.

aging--suffering of aging

illness--suffering of illness

death-- various agony toward death

agony of separation--suffering to part from loved one

suffering unable to get--suffering when you cannot obtain what you want 
suffering of meeting a hateful one--suffering that people who hate each other have to meet                 
suffering of five Skandhas flourishing--suffering arise because you desire this body

     The Four kinds of suffering of birth, aging, illness, and death are combined with later four kinds of suffering, which is called eight great distress. There is no way depart from suffering unless you forget the self which is the root of suffering and realize by being united with the thing. If you realize that all things are empty, you are not obstructed with the great distress, even though you are in the middle of them.

     Even a bamboo grove is dense, it is as free as the flowing of water.

     It is a refined elegance that some clouds are floating over the full moon. The suffering of five skandhas flourishing is that because we recognize this body, it will become suffering. When you know that this one is an assumed united state of the four great elements, your suffering will disappear. Flourishing is to pile up. This is the instrument to pile up various suffering. It is the producer. It is flourishing. When five skandhas are flourishing, suffering is flourishing. Because you don't know that five skandhas are empty, an evil sprit will arise. It is rooted that you recognize the self within five Skandhas.

     Till now I have preached the main purport of The Heart Sutra that human beings and the dharmas are both empty and next I will preach the content in detail. Anyway you may know that it is only the function of gathering and spreading among all changing things. But in the meantime, the law of causes and effects is in order, with nothing out of place. You cannot act ignoring the law of causes and effects. If you don't know that this is the function of changing, you cannot understand the rest of things, so it is important to make it clear adequately.

" Shariputra"
  Shariputra is the best man of wisdom among the Buddhas' ten disciple. The Buddha preached this Heart Sutra on him. Mokuren is also one of the Buddhas ten disciple who was the first man of super-natural power. He was non-Buddhist as well as Shariputra and skilled debater . It is said that both men had a hundred disciples each. Later they became believers in Buddhism. They became the member in the Buddhism Sangha. 

”form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form; that which is form is emptiness, that which is emptiness is form”

  I have talked about the emptiness of all five skandhas, but you tend to think that the principle of form and emptiness is different and to make a mistake, I will explain it again. If the five skandhas and emptiness get separated, it is far beyond one's power. the true meaning of the Buddha. The reality of things is the last thing you can think of. While you are hearing, there is no self. Being without self, you are hearing. While you are acting, there is no self. Being without self, you are acting. Just now what are you doing? Always no doubt what you are. Forgetting yourself and become itself, letting yourself as being clarified, there will be certain time you realize. This is the Dharma gate of great easy to preach for you in order to become the this person. The ancient said "Existence is nothingness, nothingness is existence. If you cannot be like this, do not keep it." But, it doesn't work such practically. They said to have got through koans (conundrums for Zen), but I hear many of them can't be satisfied. What's on earth the matter? 

     In old days, when Hakuju Kozu roshi was young in his training days, he went to Syofuku temple in Hakata where a large meeting held. There was a monk who always sat front among the monks gathered from all over Japan. Soon he became not to attend the meeting. Kozu roshi was anxious about it. When he happened to get a minor illness and went to the Nehando (the rest hall), he found the monk. Then Hakuju roshi asked him, he told that he was from Mt.Kongo from Ehime pref. Hakuju roshi realized that he was a scholar of sutras and talked about The Heart Sutra. The monk was willingly to answer to write about the Heart Sutra and began to talk. When he came to the point of "form is emptiness," he said, "Let's drop this." He took out the fan which he had ready and said, "I showed the form so you should show emptiness." Hakuju roshi was at a loss, it is said. The man was the Kassan roshi who became famous later. This is the event when they were in their youth. Even though we can express in words, it is the hardest of all in reality.  They learned by koans, which is the act backed with reason and in the range of consciousness.  Unbelievable. Be careful. Concerning form, there are various different people though, not to be in conflict with each other is called emptiness. Usually people see things on the habit of human beings. When emptiness is mentioned, they think it is emptiness, when form is mentioned, they think it is form. They think that emptiness and form exist separately. To save them from this evil custom, it is said "form is emptiness, emptiness is form." "即 soku " means that sand is ground, the thing is just the thing. "All opposite sides Lead to absurd consideration. Dreams, illusions, flowers in the air Why strive to grasp them? " Because you take it in hands and you are at a loss. When you don't set your hand to it, it will be really clear.

     Things all become things while they are changing, they change as being things. They each other are not allowed to abide together. The perfect freedom of the change is called "emptiness." The things on changing are called "form." The order of distinction is kept on perfect order and free. The problem between both the left and the right will disappear by itself. Peace depends on the way of peace. The way of struggle will be in struggle from first to last. Here is the efficacy of The Heart Sutra. Form is to emptiness what water is to waves and there is no waves but water. There are various kind of waves but they don't come into collision. Everything is unrestricted the universe. As things have no self, they are inexplicable beings. It is the void space. Observe your daily activities. To say inexplicable beings or the void space is, on the whole, it is still within your thinking. What does the thing itself say?

"The same is true of feelings, perceptions, formations, consciousness."
Feelings, perceptions, formations and consciousness are all the same. The working of the mind is special and subtle, so it looks different from substantial action. It cannot be helped that ordinary people think such. It is because they are in the state based on their recognition.  Therefore, it is quite out of question that you should once die and be back. Zen Master Joshu asked Master Daido "What if a dead man revived again?" Daido answered "You should not be allowed to go in the night. Wait till the day break and go out." Though a dead man cannot be revived, Joshu asked this to make this way clear for the sake of other people. There is such sort of person in the world." A night walk is risky. Wait till the dawn to go out." Experience this Tosu 's word carefully. Once you have died, you will never revive. If you revived, you should know that it was not a true death. When I was a child, there was an old man called Hikotaro Tazaka just in front of our temple. He died. All the preparation for funeral were ready and they prepared his body for the coffin. At this time the old man blinked his eyes and said," What's the matter having gathered in great numbers ?" It shocked all of them. It was not a true death. It was a suspended animation.  Watch out. Watch out. The two Chinese Characters 即是; here and now, this is the story  having  experienced illness. It would be best without illness. Dependent Origination is always same. It is Dependent Origination.

"O Shariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness:"
This dharma consists of human beings and things that myriad things are differentiated.  These things are all Dependent Arising. There is no fixed thing within it. Because it has no substance, the posture of change is just changing and working and phases cannot be recognized.  It is quite obvious when we see the real state of our daily life. As They are such changing stuff, there are infinite actions and there is the existence of society. As for this body, when you sit, there is only sitting. When you stand, there is only standing. One form doesn't continue infinitely. Fundamentally, it is changed completely at that moment and at that spot, there is nothing to be expected before and after. That is why it appears freely and achieves great things for the self and others.  Originally this is the Dependent Arising of the parents. This one is only a tool in the universe with operation of mind produced by the Dependent Arising. However, this Dharma of Dependent Arising is not made by father and mother. For that reason, it is indicated that it is great that there is no use for human thinking. Following six phrases mean all this.

"they are neither arising nor ceasing, are neither tainted nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing."

"they are neither birth nor death, " They are not brought into by parents, they don't be lost by illness. "Not" means the great "appearing" itself, "disappearing" itself. This is the eternal infinity. This is the truth of the universe. It is changing "appearing". The unsubstantial activity in which substance cannot be recognized is called "not" or "nothingness".

     After all it is the way of Dependent Origination. It is not what we can do with. We are very ease if we do not think about it as it. When you think of it, uneasiness will arise. On Dependent Origination, there is originally nothing to be born or to be dead. Is there anything that has been brought with or been ceased from morning till dusk? You should prove yourself. When washing your face, or cleaning rooms, all is verified.

     "are neither tainted nor pure," The empty sky cannot be dyed. When fireworks are displayed in the summer night, they are temporizing on the spot. There is no substance and no characteristics. Because there is no way to get tainted from the beginning, there is no way to be purified. This supreme purity is called "not". When earthly passions are as earthly passions themselves, they are as they are. What do you do on seeking other things? It is always same on Dependent Origination. However, when you hear that everything is Dependent Origination and has no substance, you arise your own human thoughts to use this principle for personal use, evil arises instantly as Dependent Origination, which causes a lot of trouble for you and others. This is where you should not let human thoughts rise. The reality of struggle is originally harmony. On your thoughts as human, you find a contact point which matches with your thought, then consider it a struggle. If you separate from human thoughts, there is in particular no collision just like waves on the surface of the water. The waves are always a single entity. It acts freely. When you abandon your thoughts as human, your aim of harmony is accomplished without wishing. It is truly delightful way.

     On Dependent Arising there is no separation between ordinary people and sages. It is apart from the ordinary people and sages from the beginning. You should know "are neither increasing nor decreasing." is the original reality of things. Zen adepts were born from this state. That's why they can attain the state as same as the Buddha. To have us reach to this state is Buddhism. Isn't is magnificent really? Everybody is this person. "If you do it, it will be achieved. If you don't do it, it will not be achieved on everything. When it cannot be achieved, because you don't do it." Whoever comes out, he cannot do anything about this one. What a joy of life it is. From the beginning this mind and body is apart from human thinking. Although you think this one as what you have, you can do nothing. This is the being as enlightened one which is out of human thoughts. When you don't have views, it is it. It is also called the original person.

  ”Therefore in the state of emptiness, there is no form, feelings, perceptions, formations, consciousness. There are no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind; no sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, objects of mind.  There is no realm of eyes, no realm of mind-consciousness"  
 There is no other thing except the fact that six sense organs, six objective fields and six consciousness work as a whole. Know that life is only this operation. However, you feel that there may be some control power behind it and you are reluctant to leave it. This is ignorance. As you think that there may be something but the thing itself, you are in the shade and become dim. You come to be unclear the reality of the things. If you have known the reality, the people who cannot understand are not be able to understand, you had better make them understood. Then there is a progress in the world. When this ignorance has ceased, each of the rest twelve Dependent Arising is the being as nothingness. Therefore, true void is subtle being. Subtle being is true void. The universe is empty. Things are inexplicable. If this one speck of dust is cleaned, it is subtle straightaway. Then existence is nothingness. Nothingness is existence. On Dependent Arising, the self is empty and nothingness, then, where can you hold and say "I"? Here is the transmigration in the six lower worlds. Wherever you are, be content with your role. The universe manifests as the whole self.

     Eyes are form, ears are sound, tongue is sweet and sour, every one of them is the Dharma. By Dependent Arising it changes endlessly and it is unstoppable. Gutei Osho said " The Zen of a finger, I use it for the life and it is not used up." All is whereabouts of the whole self. 

“no ignorance, and also no ending of no ignorance as it stands, nor aging and death, and also no ending of aging and death.”

 This is what is preached about Twelve Dependent Origination. Twelve Dependent Origination is the way to break down this small track and to have us to be the great person. 

     Originally, we have no self though, we depend on the small track by which we admit the self and we go inward to be lost in delusional thinking, as if there is something that is not exist, and suffer ourselves with the small track of Twelve Dependent Origination. When we observe forward to outside boundlessly, we realize that we have got out from this track naturally. It is for you to get this realization. The elements of Twelve Dependent Origination are ignorance, activities, consciousness, form, six sensation, touching, feeling, love, attachment, existence, life, aging and death.

Things all appear and disappear. They disappear and appear, they have no place to abide.  This is the true state of Dependent Origination.

Before and after walking, there is no limit and it is proceeding. 

Whole in the world there is nothing which cannot be suchlike.

Death is the mother's body of birth, birth is the mother's body of death.

Like that the world is arrayed with solemn magnificence and have people enjoy.

Hitherto, you have been in doubt having admitted the self within you, though it is non- self. Now you make it clear to be non-self, you woke up from the dream. There are only the various aspects of the house of five Skandhas."Saigou monk, a dog, mountains, and all are the things transformed form earth on the Inari road.(the fox diety)"
There is no substance at all. As birds fly in the sky and no trace remains. All the hindrances are originally empty. Being so,it is fearless. 

 Ignorance is delusion which arise as you cognize the substance despite there is no substance. If things without substance are just without substance, it is clarified. Because it is the great working without self and others, it is free without being bound by the small tracks.  Because it is free, it is at ease. It is the Dependent Arising. The void space is subtle. "The world is such spacious, why are you wearing monk kesa; Shitijou-e in the temple where bell rings?" It is abundant on each person. It follows on condition, tends toward sensation and it is free. Is there any awkward? When it has to go, it goes. When it has to sit, it sits. Why does it need to borrow other's force?

”There is no suffering, no accumulation, nor cessation, nor way.”

The cause of suffering is to discriminate this one from things. When you are one with things, you cannot be apart from it. If you are not apart from them, you don't need to seek. You are always satisfied.

     When Master Sozan was asked "What is the utmost suffering?" Sozan answered "To discriminate things is the utmost suffering" You seek and you cannot obtain, then you will suffer. You cannot obtain the thing except the thing, that is why you cannot get how far you proceed.

     You are seeking thinking there is something but being now. Being now is being now, past, present and future, being now transcends the three temporal world. Now has no place to pile up things. When we gather things to pile up, we have to remove them in order to take out the thing under. That is a hindrance. Being now, we feel no inconvenience. Though we don't gather, they are always there. We don't need to remove them especially. "When a water bird goes and comes on the water, the trace has been perished, but it never forgets the way."

"There is no wisdom, also no attainment."

 "No attainment." is the true state of things and it is the original state of things.  

     When we take a walk in the street, there is not one thing which we cannot see and hear. This all proves that we become the thing itself as oneness. As always being one with each of them, we don't abide with it and we go home safely. There is nothing to be obstructive and nothing to be kept in reserve. It is truly pure     indeed. So, it is always unrestricted.

     "Without any place to abide, and the mind arises." This is the sixth patriarch's word of enlightenment. This is inherent. 無事是貴人;Nothing (Doing nothing) is a noble man. 

(無事是貴人;Nothing (Doing nothing) is a noble man. Buji; nothing means not to remake, not to restart, it is usual. When you see or you hear, you don’t so again, it is not afterwords, you directly as you are without touching, which is nothing. It is perfect. There is not a single flaw. There is not any extra thing. The person who lives like this is noble. He is a buddha. Originally, all of you live like this, however, you are searching for that some other wonderful way may exist somewhere. This is foolish of you. By Kando Inoue Rhoshi)

The six perfections (paramita) are giving, keeping precepts, forbearance, diligence, samadhi, wisdom. These are one thing, even though their name is different. The truth shows the real thing.

     The world is formed of giving each other. Although things don't think they are giving each other or so, they give and make the world beneficial.

    Keeping precepts is naturally only as it is, the precepts are kept when there is no obstruction. Forbearance is that you can be patient as much you don't need to be patient because it is as it is.  It is recognition that nothing really arises or perishes.

Diligence is that it is just it is and there is nothing to make you distracted. Samadhi is not disordered as it is as it is. Wisdom is to know that there is not a thing out of it. It is having been perceived.

     " Being in two minds arise rest and disturbance.  Awakening negates liking and disliking.  All opposite sides  lead to absurd consideration. Dreams, illusions, flowers in the air  why strive to grasp them? Profit and loss, right and wrong  away with this once for all."

     The prajna transcends all and it has everything with no remaining.

"Because it is not attainment, a Bodhisattva rely upon prajna paramita and therefore his mind is no hindrance. Without any hindrance, therefore he is without fear."

 Bodhisattva is the person who realized the Way. 
     He has the crystal-clear eyes of truth and subtleness. He has these eyes beyond delusion or enlightenment and nothing weighs on his mind. Because nothing weighs on his mind, he fears nothing. You admit the self which does not exist, then you have fear. Things has no substance. Things have no substance, though, they arise fully and have no place to abide.

     For example a mirror reflects a thing and has not it stay. This is the clearness of mirror.  Fundamentally it is not that the mirror is first and the thing arrives after to be reflected. The mirror and the thing appear at the same time. Just now, how about the singing of a cascade? How about seeing the mountains?  It is the matter of great importance that needs actual practice  and  thorough investigation This point should not be overlooked easily. Swallowing whole what is shown is a taboo for Zen doers.

"Far apart from all the wrong-headed views and dream images, he dwells in ultimate nirvana."
 "Birth and death are the life of Buddha." This phrase is very concise but it is the most important for us. This is the word of Master Dogen. Once he went to China pursuing the matter of great importance and studied with Master Nyojho and got the result due to practicing and investigating thoroughly. This month is the anniversary of Master Dogen's death. As his successor, this is the month not to be forgotten.  

     Awaken from the dream of delusion which we think  there is birth and death to separate and Nirvana to obtain, the view of subject and object has died out and we just see and listen.

     Now is not to be born and not to be dead, now is now separating from now. Now is satisfactory place where we don't need to seek anything. This is the success. This is the country with great ease.

 "In the three temporal worlds, all Buddhas rely upon prajna paramita, and therefore attain unsurpassed complete perfect enlightenment. Therefore, know the prajna paramita is the great mystical mantra, is the great luminous mantra, is the supreme mantra, is the unequalled state in equality mantra. It can clear all suffering. It is true not void. Therefore, we invoke the prajna paramita mantra,"

     Things all do not exist while they are existing, they exist while they are not existing. It is not tinted. Just like reflecting a shadow in the mirror, the mirror and the thing manifest at the same time. It is not that there is the mirror first and wait for things coming. Appearing with the mirror at the same time, they become a person and a thing. There is not any other mirror. Perishing is also at the same time. Hence there is no trace of appearing and ceasing in the mirror. No trace is left.  Because of this it manifests freely and perish freely and it is limitless. There is no mind to be reflected in the mirror and no mind to be reflected on the things. But the Way is in force and never perish.

     "When a water bird goes and comes on the water, the trace has been perished, but he will never forget the way." Only after you have these transparent eyes, you are the person and the Buddha. 

     The teaching says "Mind, Buddhas, sentient beings, there are no difference among these three.” Among myriad things there is not anything unsuitable. Sentient beings are endowed with originally. It is the fact of being now. It is abundant on each person already. Who is not this person? Only who knows that knows. One who doesn't know is deluded as he hasn't known. The thing is always the thig itself. Now raising your hands, throwing out your legs, carrying water, loading branches, what are these? Directly perceive and perceive. Often with human thoughts, you overlook this important matter. It is dreadful.

     That's why it is said "If we do not practice, it does not manifest, if we do not get enlightened, it cannot be attained." 

     Originally true void is being subtle, being subtle is the true void. It has to be not being done in person hands, but it doesn't work as it is, so everybody suffers. To part from this suffering, you need to practice. But, "Complete it is like great vacuity, nothing in excess with nothing lacking." This is the true aspect of things.

     Keeping your eyes on and observe promptly. When a person speaks, what does his mouth say? Does it say " to part from” or “to be as one?" nobody knows. However, it always let this one be free. Never speak borrowing another person's mouth. Never walk borrowing another person's legs. 

     People are one thousand states and ten thousand conditions and they aren't lacking anything. People don't live obtaining helping hands of others. All the people are as they are and irreplaceable. A person of integrity and a person of not integrity are both on the same condition, and are going on the same way, one ignores the personality and the other respect the personality. One suffers and the other enjoys. Sentient beings make the enlightenment delusion, and bodhisattvas make the delusion enlightenment, it is said.

      "The dangerous edge of ice is originally water."
      "It is money to become treasure or to become fruitless by the user's mind only." " The best way is not difficult, it only excludes picking and choosing, Once you stop loving and hating, it will enlighten itself." That is sure. Correct. Who doubts it?

      Everyone, throw away the mind you think that you have the self and see through. Become the mind of deportment itself. (Be taught by the reality, Learn with what you are doing now. You will know yourself that you are original person from the beginning.

     The ancient says "If you devote for the mountains, the rivers, and the earth, the mountains, the rivers, and the earth will preach dharma for you." " The mind which is not the mind, when have I started to think it my mind?" To be that person. To be that person.

This is prajna haramitsu; The transcendent wisdom. Master Reiun said with joy " I haven't doubt since I had a look of preach blossoms. " Then Master Isan said " It will not fade away which enters by Dependent Origination." He became the thing itself obviously and forgot himself completely.  He forgot the fact that he had forgotten. How joyful it is. Being this person, you can be joyful for the first time. The tanka by master Dogen,"The peach blossoms, having peeped out with spring wind, there is no doubt on the branches."

     If you admit substance here,  you cannot be relieved. There is no substance in entity. "Wherever you are, be contented with your role. Don't dislike those that are more adept than you." It is always only itself and limitless with the universe. It is the great ease land. It is the place of Gen-Gen-Gen;( which is beyond the ultimate, the reality remains nowhere.)

     Not die even if it died. Not be burnt even if it is burnt. The fear after death becomes out of place. " Whole body like a mouth, hanging in the space. Not asking if the wind is east, west, south, or north." You are a wind bell hanging under the eave. You came to do nothing with your own force. Everybody is equally the master of the universe. Even buddhas arose from this condition. There is no buddha if this person ceases to exist.When a person tries to ask what is this state, his body will be cut in two; (having discretion will cut him in two.) Watch out. Watch out. This is the supreme and highest Way, no place to search for. Impossible to throw away. So easy. So joyful. All worldly suffering and enjoyment have fallen off, it is like Master Unmon's saying, "Every day is a good day." " When one becomes a Buddha, he surely becomes Shakyamuni Buddha." "This is mind here and now is the Buddha. Mind here and now is the Buddha, who" is it ? When is it? We want to study and investigate such.

     It is on each person, abundantly. Furthermore, whom do you seek for? It doesn't exist while it is existing, while without existing, it exists. This transparent insight, emptiness as emptiness, form is as form, cannot stay. Which part should an evil catch on? Should it call on? Because, it is unsubstantial. 

     Since Great Teacher Tozan entered in the mountains, the local god could never see him, which is written.
     When Zen Master Hoyu worked on zen retreat by himself in the mountains, he didn't come out for meals at all. One day he came to for practice, he was asked why he had not come for meals.  He answered he had been offered by heavenly gods. The Forth patriarch scolded him "Are you still caught by the heavenly beings? " Since he got needy things, the heavenly beings stopped offering. Small hermit hides in the mountains and great hermit stays in the market. It is where human trace does not reach and trace of rice fields and land are all vanish. This important thing lies where you cannot think of.

    "Because it is Dharma to be written on the high rock on the shore to which waves cannot surge." With this wisdom eyes of prajna, at the unknown place of the worldly people, there is the Way on which all the doubts and suffering perish, which is said doubtless. The following are laudatory remarks. 

     呪；Curse;  The curse is magic word, a mystery which thoughts are unable to touch, you cannot imagine. It is the true word. It is the reality. There is no room for a doubt. It is also called dharani, a mystic Buddhist for- mula. Dharani is called having all, having equally.

     総持;having all, is that when you are without thoughts, how hard you try to throw away all the time, you cannot throw it away. That is why the sweet is completely sweet.

     等持; having equally if you are selfless, you have equally. Just like a mirror reflects images, there is nothing to dislike, it is unavoidable.

     So if you believe and practice directly, the effect appears instantly. it is magical matter. It is without mishap. It is peace.

    In the Lotus Sutra, "Recite one word, Believe in the Buddha." And a child draws with his finger a buddha statue or a stupa on the ground, all of them will be accomplished to become Buddha. Now when you chant one word; the mantra calling prajna, the root of all suffering perishes and let the supreme enlightenment accomplish, which is certain. That is why it is said that to eliminate all suffering is true and it is not false.

     All of you, I ask, do not doubt and go straight forward. "Intrepid sentient beings, enlightenment just on the Zeal mind." "If you do it, it will be achieved. If you don't do it, it will not be achieved on everything. If it cannot be achieved, because you don't do it."

     "The great mystical mantra" Devine is marvel mystery. Mighty effectiveness. Nobody can be hostile to this. Because this is to be fearful, this is compared to the power of prajna. Even zen adepts cannot be equal this. Before the celebrated sword of prajna nobody can be present, let alone the other devils can call on. That is why from ancient time many people in the world have high regard for The Heart Sutra and think of it the sutra of self-defense. For example, when you are aware of danger or you lost the way in a night trip, it fills on you with an incantation, then it makes everything clear. Like that the way manifests by itself as all what you think of have perished.

      It is marvel incomprehensibility and it causes being to be non-being, causes non-being to be being. It allows the heaven to be the earth, allows the earth to be the heaven. This is the power of prajna. It is the mystical mantra which respond to everything and makes everything.
     "The great luminous mantra" is see through into the center of everything and there is no remaining Skandhas. Human feeling, regrettable, wanting, hateful, adorable, it perceives what are those aspects and purifies the impurity of people’s life. Those mature is originally empty and unsubstantial. It perceives karma is originally emptiness. This is the power of great luminous power of prajna. Like the story of Investigates Taizan's old woman, every monk who asked the road to Taizan was laughed at by her having been perceived into. Master Joshu saw into this reckless woman to the bottom. Like other monks, on the way to the Godaisan, the Manjyusiri seminary temple, he asked "Which way Should I go? " The old woman said "Go straight." Just when Joshu proceeded a few steps, she said roughing loudly, "He is a good monk too, but he cannot go as usual." Joshu remarked to the disciples just "I have investigated." This is the Josyu's Investigation. He was able to see into. Try to do yourself. There will be time when you laugh loudly having perceived yourself. What should you say more? When you step forward, it is not the matter of being close or far. This is called "The great luminous mantra."

     " the supreme mantra" is the greatest mantra. Like ancients "Holding the heaven and the earth in the belly, he is a beggar." It is the subtle mantra which makes the universe yours, if you recite one word. It is not tainted with this, however, it is always the state of vigorous activities. Master Dogen says,"I came home with empty hands. No dharma even a single slightest hair." This is where he proved the highest prajna. He realized by the sound that the monk next him was hit by the teacher while sleeping. Having let his body -mind fallen off, he is precisely the man of universe. Not only the ancients, but people nowadays should be like thus. Be second to none. You are the child of the rich, not be the child of the poor. “We should love, we should respect. Through our conducts and observance, the conducts and observance of buddhas is realized and the great state of truth is penetrated." This is prajna.

     " The unequaled state in equality mantra" Equal is to become equal with what is great without compare. Because it is just the thing itself and has nothing to be mixed. Each is the great brightness. Long one is long dharma body, Short one is short dharma body. 
      Master Unmon said, "Each human being totally possesses the brightness. How is this brightness that is present in you."  Unmon says, "A country yokel !" Each is the great brightness. Who cannot see? Master Joshu says "You came from a Buddhist seminary and leave for it. Where do you seek one further? " That is whole.  All things manifest as oneself. Being such, for the first time, one cuts off meeting the Buddha, meeting Dharma, and everything. Our each one’s function of the body mind itself is the state of Dharma and the content what is realization, and it is not an object like meeting buddha or seeing Dharma. By Kando roshi) This is what people prove themselves. Who doubts this? Master Gensya said, " Bodhidharma did not come to the China (Eastern Land), the Second Patriarch did not go to the India (Western Land)." He said "I have never deceived others." Hearing this Master Seppo rejoiced. To be that person. To be that person and enlighten yourself.

    
     "So, proclaim the prajna paramita mantra, proclaim the mantra that says, Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate! Bodhi! Svaha!"

     The original matter cannot be given from others. You are you. You cannot borrow helping hands from others. It cannot be borrowed. Your own hands are not moved by others. Who hides this fact? Who is not that person? "Compared the sky to the enlightenment, it is like a drop in the great ocean." Prajna is the tremendous, the greatest. Mantra, go(we), goes (other) go to the other shore (itself), have gone to the other shore (only itself). The way is accomplished. Seeking mind has completely ceased and it shares great ease with all sentient beings. It is such mantra. You surely go and make the others go certainly, it makes all go, the way has totally accomplished.

     It is not by letters. You directly recite yourself, it will enlighten more than getting enlightened. The thing itself knows best. When it is realized by the thing itself, it is letting body-mind fall away. You recognize that you are selfless from the beginning. Above, mighty The Hear Sutra, the virtuous deeds of the firmament actualize by the mantra; dharani. Truly having equally. "Being within a form, it goes over the head of form.(Evryday, by moment, we lead a life seeing and hearing. The life is centered in the form of seeing and hearing, while this form is far from thoughts, without thoughts. The point of your attention is to go over the head of form. By Kando roshi )"  

     You believe that The Heart Sutras is the original face of yourself and you don't use your mind when you deal all the matters. (Heart Sutras is the description of yourself. It more htan certifies yourself. Believing itself is doubtless. Before recognizing it is settled like that. Kando roshi)
     You go as you see, as you hear, as you act, letting yourself be proved by the things and do not stop, there will be come the day when you nod and are filled with amazement without knowing it, it is doubtless. 
     "If you want to attain such a thing, you must be such a person. Since you are such a person, why trouble about such a thing? " 
     Do not concern other's clamorous demands of passion. Ingenious practice is like picking lotus out of fire. (It is so rare and unblievable.)

祝；Congratulations! Now. This precise moment. Now is being shed. Being shed is Now. Mystical marvel and subtle. It has already lost being shed, ever lacked impureness. How marvel. How marvel. This precise moment.

Lecture on Heart Sutras Written by Gien Inoue roshi

 MAKA-HANNYA-HARAMISU Great Transcendent Wisdom Sutras
                                                                                  
                                                                      Translated by Tang Sanchang Fashi Xuanzang

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, when practicing the profound prajna paramita, perceived that all five Skandhas are totally empty, and overcomes all suffering and ill-being.

O Shariputra, form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form; that which is form is emptiness, that which is emptiness is form. The same is true of feelings, perceptions, formations, consciousness.

O Shariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness: they are neither arising nor ceasing, neither tainted nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Therefore in the state of emptiness, there is no form, no feelings, perceptions, formations, consciousness. There are no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind; no sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, objects of mind. There is no realm of eyes, no realm of mind-consciousness; no ignorance, and also no ending of no ignorance as it stands, nor aging and death, and also no ending of aging and death. There is no suffering, no accumulation, nor cessation, nor way.  There is no wisdom, also no attainment. 

Because it is not attainment, a Bodhisattva rely upon prajna paramita and therefore his mind is no hindrance. Without any hindrance, therefore he is without fear. Far apart from all the wrong-headed views and dream images, he dwells in ultimate nirvana. 

In the three temporal worlds, all Buddhas rely upon prajna paramita, and therefore attain unsurpassed complete perfect enlightenment.

Therefore, know the prajna paramita is the great mystical mantra, is the great luminous mantra, is the supreme mantra, is the unequalled state in equality mantra. It can clear all suffering. It is true not void.

Therefore we invoke the prajna paramita mantra, invoke the mantra as follows,

Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate! Bodhi! Svaha!

103 Everyone Please Do It Indeed

(On the 12th Nov.1980 In spite pf his illness, Gien roshi preached “Hokkesan”; Tribute to Lotus Sutra. This become his last dharma talk.)

The last thing I would like you to ask is that various things are written in the sutras, though, after all it is nothing to do with sutras. When I pronounce this “sutras,” (in large voice) why has the word “sutras” to be on you now? What is the matter?

It is good only this is settled. There is no other thing to do. When settled, you are formed to know naturally the truth of all sutras. Therefore, you should not search for sutras but do zazen, not using the self, being alert continuously all the time.

When you come across on a condition unexpected, you will get realization. It is final. That is the end for you. It is decided that there is, in the end, no place to settle without depending on this, on this Dharma.

Being so, to be able to realize, when you stop using the mind of the self, you can go through without fail.

That is the conditions of Dharma. All of you, please really do it.

102 We Wait for the People to Commence Practice (An episode in a dharma talk)

Honorable Shakyamuni abandoned ascetic practice for six years, engaged in zazen under the sacred fig, finally went through the reality which is unexplored, the truth of things, that is working of six sense organs and six circumstances as the tool connected directly, the fact without doubt, and that of in the relation of oneness.

Like Shakyamuni and Zen adepts, I know the root of suffering of all people. 

I know how to remove suffering and delusion of people. 

Everybody abides in the place where he cannot be deluded or he cannot stray, but he doesn't know the present state of himself and seek for outward, of which grief I know.

Further I know the way on which without borrowing other's strength, you can certainly save you yourself. 

This is the great issue of human beings. 

Those who believe come and do zazen.

Those who don't believe come to be waited until they understand as the result of close talking.

Those who wish the truth want talk passionately.