Lectures on the Eightfold Path

Introductory Notes

Now that we have a better understanding of the fundamental method of the Ch'an sect and the underlying purpose of the Buddha Dharma, we should begin to examine "expedient means." When I say "expedient means" I am perhaps already causing needless confusion, so before I go further, let me clarify this. All the teachings of all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Patriarchs are nothing but expedient means. If you understand this thoroughly, you will be able to end all disputes between so-called "scholars of Buddhism" with but a single word! Out of their great compassion for us, the Buddhas taught in such a way that those who heard their words or saw their actions, or heard their not-words or saw their not-actions, would be uprooted from their delusions and awaken to the fundamental nature. These things are called "expedient" because they are perfectly correct for the particular circumstance, seeker and time. Thus, even the Buddha Shakyamuni's lifting up of the flower was an expedient means to test those who were there with him. Only Mahakasyapa was 'ripe' for this method, so he and he alone was able to receive the "Direct Mind" transmission. Later this was spread to others as our sect grew, but every Buddha 'lifts the flower' and every Buddha smiles at this act. This is the source of the transmission, even down to this present time. However, it is also clear that among those present when the Buddha first performed this wonderful feat were many other Disciples and Arhats. Why then was Mahakasyapa the only one to receive the transmission? It is because this expedient method was for him and him alone. This is also why the Sutras were not written down in the Buddha's own time, even though there were scholars and scribes there who easily could have caught every word. The very act of catching the words is against the doctrine of the Buddha. Catching the words is like trying to put the bird back in the shell after he has flown away! My words to you today are not the same as the words that I will give others tomorrow, because the questions they have are different than your questions, and even if the question were the same, my dead answer would stink so bad that I would have to catch a live one or keep my mouth shut. Therefore, we must look at the Sutras and the Kung Ans (Public Records) and other such things with great caution. They are but fingers that point the way and, other than this, they have no purpose. If you are not careful, they will fill your mind with egg shells while others cavort with the Phoenixes and Garuda Birds.

It is because there is such difficulty with this clinging to dead words or dead rules or dead bodies that when a monk in ancient China first began his study of the Way, his master, if he truly cared for him, would forbid the monk to read a single word of a single sutra. Only after several years of practice was the monk allowed to look at the ancient records so as to increase his understanding.

Today, when a student comes to a teacher to study, he already is certain that he knows what Ch'an is, so the first task of a compassionate teacher is to help this sort of student to empty his mind. In ancient days, the Masters even went so far as to call black white and white black in order to shake loose some student's firm grasp of these empty shells. Today, scholars of Buddhism look at such things as evidence of the profound or mysterious nature of the teacher's insight, and, while I cannot deny this, neither is it true! For the most part it is just evidence that a patient and compassionate master was attempting to knock the bottom out of a black lacquer bucket that was filled with slop! Sometimes he was highly successful and sometimes, the record shows, he was not able to communicate the fundamental point. This is not evidence that the Master failed to enlighten his student, however! It is just evidence of a single expedient method in a single case. If you see more than this, please wash out those parts that you find offensive!

It should now be clear that one must be very cautious in prescribing expedient means for persons of differing abilities. Sometimes these words are quite dangerous and should not be left out where thoughtless persons can easily eat them. Perhaps I should get child-proof caps for my talks! "Caution! Caution!" But, so that future generations would not be left without evidence for those who can see, the Buddhas and Patriarchs left us some words that we can use in this age. Because they are expedient means, we must read the warning on the label before taking them and thus avoid the trap of clinging to the hulls after the seeds have begun to sprout.

The first expedient means of the Ancient Order is the Noble Eightfold Path. This method was first spoken by the Buddha Shakyamuni to those who had been with him as fellow seekers of truth before his enlightenment. These men were of high ability and had spent many lifetimes reaching the place that they stood in by His side at that moment. Therefore, we can be certain that this is very potent medicine for the sickness of the world and worldly views! Because the power of this expedient means was so vast, even today we can receive its benefit.

The entire Eightfold Path consists of Right Understanding, Right Thoughts, Right Speech, Right Activity, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration or Meditation. In the next lecture, we will begin to examine each of these in detail.

RIGHT UNDERSTANDING

The first step in the Eightfold Path is Right Understanding. Right Understanding has been said to be no different than a complete grasp of the Four Noble Truths. Likewise, the Supreme Dharma is also 'Right Understanding' at the highest level. These truths form the basis for what people often refer to as the Buddhist Philosophy, but unless one can define philosophy as 'precise science' their view is a shallow one. To obtain Right Understanding, which in Chinese can also be translated Correct Discernment, we must familiarize ourselves with the Four Noble Truths. And having done this, we must again familiarize ourselves with the Four Noble Truths. Only when we know them as well as our tongue knows our teeth will we obtain them.

The first of the Four Noble Truths is the truth of SORROW. Sorrow is inseparable from the human condition. Sorrow is another way of saying suffering; this also is the human condition. If we look at life or living as a continuum, we can see that pain and sorrow are with us at the moment we are born and continue with us at every moment. In most moments we ignore the reality of this, but like our shadows, no matter which way we turn, sorrow is either in front of us or behind us. Having a physical form and having sorrow are inseparable. The body is always changing, the environment is always changing. Many, many things constantly change, each of them bringing or taking some degree of sorrow. Even if we avoid most of these sorrows through skill or luck, we still cannot evade sickness, old age and death. This is the Truth of Sorrow. When we see this truth clearly, we can also understand that the main work of the common way of living is to distract us from this truth. We have games, amusements, TV, art, heterodox philosophies--the list is endless--all of which were invented or designed to help us ignore the fact that we are going to get sick and old and die. Likewise, the teachings of the many heterodox religions that tell of the wonders of Heaven are like candy drops given with bitter medicine. Followers of those religions are taught that they must suffer and get sick and old and die, but that they will not have done this in vain if they suffer happily. If they do this, they will be born in Heaven where they will not have to do it or any other suffering again. This is deceitful and just one more way in which men have tried to deal with the problem of accepting the truth of sorrow. And for all living beings who do not solve the problem of existence, there is no perpetual Heaven to greet them. Rather they will, sooner or later, have to be reborn into another existence, going through birth, sickness, old age and death until such time as this question is finally answered. Unending rebirths, each full of suffering. This is the truth of Sorrow.

If this by itself were not difficult enough to accept, there is the second truth--the truth of ACCUMULATION. This truth is that in addition to the sorrow that is ours by the mere fact of existence, we create added sorrow for ourselves by our manner of living. This can be stated more clearly by saying that our passions lead to the increase of suffering. These passions, or desires, tell us that 'this' is better than 'that', that 'this' will bring momentary relief from the weight of suffering, while 'that' will bring our true state into stark and clear focus. But, of course, the changes of the world often make 'this' into 'that' even as we seem finally to get what it is we have convinced ourselves we wanted so desperately. Or, perhaps we do get the 'this' which we craved. Do we not then constantly worry about the time when we will no longer have it? Intuitively we realize that all things that come must go are that all things that go must also return, and this is often quite terrifying! So it is that we cause ourselves even greater suffering than the natural order of just being apportions for us.

While these truths may seem very pessimistic, they are actually self-evident. Our minds, however, formulate illusions so that we can stumble over these truths every day, but then easily pick ourselves up, brush off the dust, and continue on as if it had never happened. This is why men often say that ignorance is bliss. Of course, this is not true, but in many cases it seems to do for the moment! The Buddha showed us that it was possible to face and accept these truths and not go crazy, or fall to pieces, or spend our eternity bewailing our fate. His teaching is rather harsh, but this is what we would ourselves demand from a physician that we called to treat us for a chronic illness. Which is to be preferred: a doctor who, not knowing how to cure the illness, tells us not to worry and gives us sugar pills, or a superior doctor who knows the essential nature of our illness and can tell us how we can be cured? Perhaps many of us would indeed prefer the ignorant doctor if we could be certain that when the illness killed us we would finally be given rest, but this thought is just another sugar pill. Actually there is no escape from the disease, which is not just life or death, but is life and death, living and dying and living and dying, over and over again. Sugar pills are no real help for something as eternally serious as this! Thus, the Buddha, being the Superior Physician, was harsh and correct in his diagnosis of our illness, found in the first two truths. But, since he was the Superior Physician and understood clearly the true and subtle nature of the disease, he was also able to prescribe for us a cure. This is the third truth, the truth of EXTINCTION or DESTRUCTION.

Here He showed the piercing vision of omniscience and told us that the underlying rule of the Universe was the Rule of Karma and Dependent Origin. Simply stated, these are the universal laws of Cause and Effect and the law of Causal Co-origination, or "if A, then B." Those persons who spend their lives studying the physical sciences say that all matter and energy react and act in accord with these principles, which the Buddha made clear 2524 years ago! But they often fail to understand that they also are composed of matter and energy as they define them and that their lives are governed by these same principles. This is like a man on a raft in the middle of the ocean looking at a small hole in the floor of the raft and defining and studying the characteristics of the water in that hole! The truth of Extinction says that because the suffering of Accumulation is caused by our passions and desires, we can end this suffering by ending the control these desires have over us. Likewise, from that beginning, we can determine that there is a cause for the continuing cycle of life and death and by rooting out and ending that cause we can also put a final end to the truth of Sorrow or Suffering. This state in which there is no longer a remnant of the passions, the self, the ego, or the changing nature of the universe is called NIRVANA. Since this state is beyond the conception of the imagination that is formulated in the world of the senses, this state is fundamentally beyond any description that we give it or any understanding of it that we may obtain with our limited and finite minds. Only the Buddhas know Nirvana and only they can truly speak of it. We can say, however, that just as we cannot speak of Nirvana, so a person who was born in sickness can not imagine what it is like to be completely cured of his illness. This does not mean that such a one can not be cured! And who would there be that could tell him of the state beyond his disease? Only one who was free of the disease! Therefore, while we cannot speak of Nirvana, we can settle all our doubts about it by knowing that the Buddha himself spoke of it.

So far, we have seen the first three truths--the original illness, the added illness, and the diagnosis of the illness. The fourth Truth is the prescription that the Superior Physician left with us so that we could benefit from His efforts. And this prescription is the Eightfold Path, the first step of which is the Right Understanding that we have been discussing. Essentially we must understand the nature of the disease that we are fighting if we are to have any hope of curing it. We must have a thorough knowledge of how we can make the disease worse by our mistakes so that we can stop making these mistakes thus making the disease worse. This is the essential nature of the expedient means of Right Understanding. Likewise this understanding is the source of great energy and comfort. The great energy is from our knowledge that we are the cause of our troubles, not some outside agency of fate. And the great comfort is from our knowing that we can finally put stop to these same troubles, not temporarily as with all the heterodox or 'quack' cures that we may have tried through the ages, but with a certain cure. How can we attest to the certainty of this cure? We can do so by seeing that the source of the cure is one who has himself been cured, a Buddha! And how can we know that the Buddha has been cured? Because he is the only one to completely and correctly diagnose the disease. If this reasoning seems circular to you, it is because the inside of your mind, like the universe, is also circular, each circle being both the same and completely different. Now you shall have a week to think about this! Do not waste a moment of it! Even though it is not different than eternity, this coming week is fundamentally all the time that exists. If you cannot understand in all the time that exists, when will you ever understand?

RIGHT THOUGHT

In the previous lecture we examined the first step of the Eightfold Path, Right Understanding. We learned that we must understand the nature of the Four Noble Truths and of the cycle of Birth and Death. We began to obtain insight into the ways in which we cause suffering for ourselves and others. These insights are the result of Right Understanding and the beginning of Clear Eyed Vision.

The second step is Right Thought. Sometimes we say 'right thoughts' because we recognize that there is no constancy of thought like an unbroken cord from moment to moment. Instead, our thoughts are like the visual impressions that are left on the eye when we look at a movie. When we look at a roll of motion picture film for the first time, we may be startled to see that it is composed of many single frames, each with a complete, still picture. Each of these frames represent, both in the film and in our analogy, a complete instant of time. If we stopped the flow of time, we would see only one picture, and we would have only one thought. But stopping time is a difficult process, and we do not see the single picture that is flashed and then replaced by another single picture slightly different from the one before it. Because it takes a brief period for the impression on our eyes to fade, we also do not notice the brief space of darkness between the flashing of the frames. In our minds it is no different. We think that we have a flowing stream of unbroken thought because we are unaware of the single pictures that are flashed on our internal screen, and likewise, we do not often have the ability to see the blank spaces between the individual thought images. However, because we know that our thoughts are subject to change and that if we do not learn to control them they are changing constantly, we can see that our mental processes are much like a motion picture to which our real self, that is our Buddha nature, is the silent audience. When we speak of the need for Right Thoughts, we are speaking of the content of this mental movie of the world. Some of us live in a world of X-rated movies, others live in those rated PG, and still others live in a world where fantasy fills the screen. All of these possibilities are filled with danger.

Let me explain this further. While we can easily understand the teaching that shows us that our memories are fundamentally false and illusory, our ability to truly use this knowledge in our daily affairs is often held in check by the need to deal with worldly people and worldly affairs in which great reliance is placed on memory. However, our memory, which is no more than those mental pictures that we previously saw, is constantly being re-edited. If we wrote down our thoughts and feelings at the time of an occurrence and then, several years later, looked at what we had written after we had been asked to rely on our memory to reflect on the same event, we would be astonished at the differences between our written record and the way we 'remembered' the event. Two processes are at work here: (1) that being which we call "ourself" has changed, and (2) the memory itself has been altered by our minds. Once we fully understand this we can see why this knowledge is important to a true understanding of Right Thought.

To fully grasp the heart of the matter we must add one more piece of information. Our minds CAN NOT distinguish between those memories that have been altered or created by the changes in the ego self and those things that, according to our written record, actually did occur. If we were forced to swear to the truth of what we remembered, we would have to either rely on our memory (which we know is false and capable of error) or remain silent. This is important to realize! Many of the kung-ans (Koans/Public Records) of the ancient masters dealt with this very question, and even today it is difficult for modern followers of the Way to grasp this essential point. Our thoughts and the memories that they contain are the only receptacles of how we have behaved in this world; they are a balance to the karma outside us. Here we must carefully remember that when we act, and thus create karma, there are two results of this action. The first is outside ourselves in what we think of as the objective world and the second is inside us in what we think of as the subjective world. These distinctions are fundamentally false, but in the relative world they are handy tools. Tools are meant to be used, but the world is topsy-turvy when the hammer controls the hand that holds it.

Now, to fully appreciate what happens we must add together all these various parts. How I move in the world depends on my perceptions, which are subject to change. How I move in the world depends on my memories, which are subject to change. How my Karma is added to depends not only on what I do but also on what I think, and what I think depends on what I perceive and what I remember, and both of these are subject to the fallibility of what I remember. The result of this is that it is quite possible that I will receive the karma not only of what I do, but also of those things I have thought but not done or only imagined that I did and cannot remove from my memory. Thus, even if I never kill a single living being, but have thought about killing living beings, my karma will not be different from that of a murderer! Perhaps I will not have to be in Hell so long because no one was hurt by my thoughts but me, but I think that the difference between 1000 years in Hell and 10,000 years is not one that I would care to speak of with certain knowledge! This is important to remember: thoughts are the sources of actions and, with or without actions, they have a karmic portion that must be dealt with. Thus, it is very important that we learn to control our thoughts. Controlling our thoughts is not a lot different than making certain that the internal movies that we see are those that we would like others to share with us. How can you judge whether or not you have mastered the discipline of right thoughts? When what you think to yourself is such that you would not be ashamed to have the Ancestors, Patriarchs and Ancient Masters of our sect in the audience with you. This is the essential point that cannot be overlooked.

As for learning to control our thoughts and avoid paying interest on money we did not borrow (which is what the karmic debt of not having Right Thoughts is very much like), these are best considered in our study of the next portion of the Eightfold Path. Perhaps you are beginning to distinguish the pattern that exists here. If we did not have some measure of Right Understanding we would find it impossible to cultivate Right Thoughts, and as our thoughts become more and more in accord with the Dharma our understanding of the fundamental principle matures and deepens. As we look at the other steps of the Path we will see that these also are interdependent and interrelated. This is the source of a great mystery that you can not afford to ignore!

RIGHT SPEECH

In this section, we shall continue to study the Eightfold Path and the daily meaning of these keys to liberation. Having discussed Right Understanding and Right Thought, let me now direct your attention to Right Speech. As the Understanding must come before the Thought, so does the Thought come before the Speech. Indeed, while we sometimes try to offer apologies begun with "that was thoughtlessly said" or "I didn't mean that" or even "Well, that was not what I meant to say; what I really meant was . . .", all of these statements are untrue. There is no secret button that, if pushed, causes us to open our mouths and utter words that harm ourselves or others. We must clearly understand this principle. In the English language there is a term for words that reveal more than was meant to be revealed, usually by similar sounding words or a reversal of terms. This term is "Freudian slip" and is named after the father of Western Psychoanalysis, Dr. Sigmund Freud. Doctor Freud was in many ways a brilliant man, and he made the first recorded attempts in the West to truly understand the motivation and illness of the human mind. Of course, as Buddhists, we can understand that the 'ego' Freud spoke and wrote about was nothing more than the illusory self. The nature of a Freudian slip is such that the speaker is often unaware of the portion of his real thoughts that is exposed by his words. One of the classic remarks of this sort is shown in this example. A man sees a beautiful or alluring woman and, trying to find a way to speak with her, thinks to himself, "AH! I will say something about her dress. This will enable me to speak a few more moments with her and during that time I will be able to look more closely at the physical body that I wish to possess." So this fellow, having made this plan, goes to the woman and says: "My that's a lovely breast you're wearing." In this case, the ego is firmly in control of the person and is so wrapped up in its own thoughts that it fails to correctly form the word that it thought to distract the woman with. In almost every case of this sort of occurrence, the ego is similarly in control of the self. Since the ego draws its power from the activity of daily living and from the thoughts of activity that come from a confused view of the world and a lack of real understanding of the karmic principle, this sort of thing is quite common among worldly people. However, if we look closely at this phenomenon, we can see that more than mere worldly clumsiness is involved here. The seeing eye can discern that the basic dishonesty of the person is also exposed. This dishonesty is revealed in two ways: (1) the dishonesty of speech that is not saying what is really meant or thought, and (2) the dishonesty of self, since the person doing the speaking is quite unaware of the subtle truth about his nature that has been revealed by this 'speech error.' In this way, our Speech is always an indicator of our self, even if it is not an indicator of our true nature. Our speech cannot easily be separated from our thoughts, and only when we are free to say everything that is really on our minds can we be certain that our understanding and our thoughts are obtaining perfection.

Speech is also a means with which we relate to the relative world. We speak to people who ask us questions, we give our opinions and beliefs to others, we share pleasantries and so on. Again, how, when and what we speak is an indication of our attitudes and our inner nature. Sometimes there is a conflict between these, with our inner nature trying to free us from the chains of causation while our worldly attitude tries to help us get 'one more deal' or 'just at little bit of an advantage.' Often the hardest work that an executive does is convincing himself of the need to speak in such a manner that allows him a business success but compromises his integrity.

In developing Right Speech, we must learn to cherish each word that we speak. We must find those areas that would ask or cause us to speak untruths or delusions, those areas of ego that would make us speak highly of ourselves but lower the esteem of others. Each time we find that we have spoken in these ways, we must diligently trace the words that we have spoken back to their source and find out what part of our illusory or ego self benefited from these blameworthy actions and speech. When we have followed these words to their source, we will quickly learn that the source for all such things is some concern over personal comfort or gain. Thus we repeatedly sacrifice the truth and our true nature for a moment's pleasure. Surely these costs will be added against us and we will pay for ten thousand years for these faults.

The karma from such words also takes its price in interest payments. Let me explain this. If I flatter myself or tell a comfortable untruth, it is highly likely that I will soon be forced by circumstances to either tell another lie to support the first one or compound the error with added illusory words. These have their own added karma and so the chain of events continues and multiplies. Think seriously about this!

Of course, there are times that worldly people ask questions that cannot be easily or seriously answered. Sometimes to speak of such things violates the Precepts or places one in the position of doing the persons who asked for the truth the terrible disservice of giving it to them! Usually people who ask for the truth do not really want it! In fact, the truth is the very last thing they want and it would be painful for them if they were to be given the truth, particularly if they have not reached the state of ripeness that will allow them to discover this truth for themselves. Masters and Teachers of our Order must continually be wary of this point, because in such cases it is necessary that one speak the truth, but not all of it. Often a parable or an analogy is the only way in which the truth can be spoken, and Shakyamuni Buddha taught almost exclusively in this way. Because this method relies on the understanding of the listener to harmonize with the message of the speaker, the risk that people will be confused is reduced. But this method is not without drawbacks also, because people can read into what has been said what it is they want to hear and not what was really said. Please be cautious on this point. Maybe I should also point out that the essential truth is, of course, beyond words and that no spoken word is fundamentally true. This is also the case with written words, which are not essentially different than my speaking to you through the 'squiggles' instead of through the air. Thus you hear with your eyes, but even as you do so, in your mind you are probably hearing my voice speak the words that you are reading. Thus, Right Speech must include Right Writing!

How can one speak the truth to himself and also speak the truth to others? How can one not be trapped into blameworthy action by clever words from the ego of self or others? These are serious questions. Sometimes even silence is not correct speech! I think that the best way is to always remember that words are tools and that tools have no worth apart from the one who uses them. In this way they are a reflection of the totality of our character and understanding. If we are confused or ego-centered or greedy or blameworthy, our words will surely reflect these things. Even the way we say "I am not a crook" brings us the condemnation of the sages. When one uses words to deceive others or raise themselves, they themselves must also be deceived by the words they offer, must also be lowered by the words that they had hoped would raise them up. Look at those around you. Look at history. Look at your own life and begin to truly understand the relationship between words and reality. Skillfully use words; they are tools of known quality. But remember that a sharp knife can cut the man who uses it incorrectly even more quickly than it will harm those around him!

RIGHT ACTION

Previously, we have looked at Right Understanding, Right Thought, and Right Speech. At this time, let us take up the topic of Right Action. This is also translated 'Right Activity' by many, and both translations are really necessary to understand the original term in our language. While the proper term is 'Samyakkarmanta' in Sanskrit, the Chinese rendering is composed of the characters meaning "correct'' and "yea" which the Buddhists have used for Karma. Thus we could say that this step is also 'right karma,' but if we limited ourselves to this viewpoint, we would miss the essential point of the doctrine. When we speak of right activity or right action in its fundamental relationship with right karma, we can quickly see that there is an unquestionable link between our present karma and our previous actions or activities. This is because we should have already gained some understanding of the law of causation. However, this present adjuration to follow right activity does not relate to our past karma; instead, it is related to the karma that we are creating at this very moment. Not only in this instant, but in each instant that follows. Therefore it might be better said that the key point here is that the step of Samyakkarma is the 'acting in such a way that all our future karma is blameless.' Now we should be getting a clearer picture of the root meaning of this term and how difficult it is to apply to our daily lives.

If we were to attempt to logically decide how this applies, we would soon see that the difficulties are great--greater than we dare truly consider. Let me give you an example using the logical approach. Our first statement is that for every action there is a corresponding reaction. Both the Law of Causation and the worldly laws of physics agree with this statement. Our second statement is that even though there is energy lost in the transfer of movement from one body to another, there is a definite transmission from one body to another if they are in contact, and if the first is acted on, the second will also be affected. This is best illustrated by the wave principle, i.e. if I make a splash in a small pond, the splash will clearly go to the other side. The larger the pond, the more energetically I would have to splash to see this result, but just because I am not able to see the results does not mean that they are not there! Thus, once an action is begun, it will have effects that continue until the total sum of the visible and subtle energy of the cause is used up. Since the subtle energy is often beyond our discernment, it is not incorrect to say that all actions or causes extend themselves in all directions throughout the entire universe. The worldly laws of physics regarding 'motion' and 'inertia' correspond to this principle. Now let us add these two statements together and see what it is we have compounded. [1] All actions have an effect + [2] All effects continue to the edge of the universe = [3] Every action we make has effects that continue to the edge of the universe. It would be very hard to dispute this statement! And few who think about it would even pretend to disagree.

But our logical exercise does not end here; we have other statements to examine. Let us take up the question of "good" and "evil." Many of the social good-and-evil classifications are based on the time, place and circumstances in which they occur. There is none alive today who has not done some act that he thought was for his own good or the good of others that instead became the source of suffering. I recall the story of Christian missionaries in the Philippines who saw that the prisoners in the jails there were forced to eat brown rice instead of the white rice that they (and the missionaries) preferred. So a great campaign was launched and funds were collected so the prisoners could receive white rice instead of brown. Everyone thought this was excellent and truly a good work. Then, little by little, the prisoners became ill; they became weaker and more sickly, and soon thousands of them died. Thousands of them! It was not until much later, when people began to develop a science of nutrition, that it was discovered that the brown rice contained essential 'vitamins' which the white rice no longer had. In making brown rice into white, these 'B vitamins' were removed and the rice lost its life sustaining quality. Because there were no supplements or vitamin tablets at that time and such science was unknown, the missionaries, in their kindness, actually caused the prisoners to starve to death! Of course, we can say that such a mistake can happen to anyone and that their intentions were good. This is true and I would not be the one to say otherwise; indeed, this is just the point! Our own knowledge of the world is more than just a little imperfect. If we knew as much as we pretend to know, the lawyers, economists and psychiatrists would all be out of jobs! Of course, this in itself might help to end some of the confusion! Except that they would all get jobs working for governments and there might never be an end to it. . . . Our knowledge is imperfect. We cannot with any degree of accuracy predict the immediate effects of our actions in the world beyond the visible level. . .and often time, not even in the world we can see!

Let us now add this knowledge to our previous conclusions. [A] Every action we make has effects that continue to the edge of the universe + [B] Our knowledge of the relationship between things and our knowledge of the universe are so small that it is impossible to correctly predict the results of our actions = [C] Our actions have effects that are beyond our best knowledge and our feeble powers of discernment and prediction, even to the very edges of the Universe!

Now, if you are really following this discussion, let me ask you this: What do you do next? Ah! You begin to really see the problem! Because our decisions are not made in a vacuum, but result in karma, and ALL KARMA MUST BE PAID FOR AND BALANCED! Perhaps the Karmic debt of the Philippine missionaries was smaller because they did not realize what they were doing, but even if we allow this, can we say that we are any more aware of what we are doing than they were? But, you say, you cannot go through life doing nothing! Even now I hear the protests coming to me from Boston to Kowloon. Do not despair; there is a solution to this dilemma! Logic and reason are not able to fill this gap and prevent us from acquiring, by accident (if not ignorance), Obstructive Karma. Our minds are too small and our understanding too weak, but within us resides a knowledge of what and how to flow with the circumstances of conditions and prevent karmic accidents. This is the Buddha Wisdom that springs forth from the Buddha Nature. Since the Buddha Nature is essentially at one with the entire universe, if we truly are in accord with our fundamental self, even if we are just beginning to follow the Path of Liberation, we will be acting in accord with Right Action, and freeing ourselves from Obstructive Karma.

Actually, it would be better if we said we were discussing RIGHT RE-ACTION, since this is the best way for us to be in accord with the ancient doctrine. Looking again at worldly science, we see that Sir Isaac Newton defined one of the Laws of Motion this way: A body in motion tends to remain in motion unless acted upon by an outside force, and a body at rest tends to remain at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. This is called the Law of Inertia and is just a portion of the overall Law of Causation that Buddhists have understood for two millennia. To use this law to our advantage we must think of ourselves as the body in question and ask ourselves, "from where does the outside force come?" This can easily become a burning issue and the answer is essential. If the ordinary world presents us with a stimulus, this is an outside force and we can respond in an appropriate way with little karmic results, but when the outside force is our own ego self creating volitional action, then the results are much different and the karmic consequences are quite high. This is why Lao-tse taught that the Sage accomplishes everything through "wu-wei," which means non-activity with the specific connotation of non-volitional activity. If we see the whole of this question, and look with the brief flash of our Wisdom Eye, we will easily see that in the final analysis, what is as important as what we do or do not do is the cause of our behavior and whether or not we have engaged in the "decision/ judgment process" to begin or change the flow of things. Thus the Sage is said to be 'at one' with the Law of Cause and Effect. Study this point with care, or like another of ancient days, you may end up as a dead fox behind the mountain!

Since for those whose minds are filled with delusions, it is difficult to correctly flow with the current of events and equally difficult to know what can be safely done and what must be avoided to be in accord with Right Action, the Buddha and the Patriarchs have had great pity on us and set down temporary rules and expedients so we can have some method of moving from here to there. These rules and expedients are like the strong arms of a father who helps his children stand erect and balance themselves when they are first learning to walk, but who cannot forever hold the child lest his own inner sense of balance remain undeveloped. You can see the truth of this for yourself if you have someone hold your hands on both sides, or perhaps your shoulders, and then try to walk in your normal way. Great Difficulty! Thus, we must be very careful about gaining our own sense of balance and walking the middle way on our own two feet. This is also Right Activity, traveling the path on our own, and this also produces the correct karma for future generations. Study this or like an unbalanced child, your sitting down place may suffer! HA!

RIGHT LIVELIHOOD

We have now come to the second half of the Eightfold Path of Liberation. The last four steps we shall look at are Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Meditation. If you have been paying serious attention to the previous explanations you will see that there is a subtle division between the first four steps and these last four. The first four--Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech and Right Activity--can easily be seen as being more passive than active. By this I mean that Right Understanding is not something that we do but is something that we become. It reflects the way we have learned to see the world and ourselves. Likewise Right Thoughts can not always be expressed or related to others. Right Speech is the first definitely interactive step. In Right Speech our words, unless we are given to talking to ourselves, are directed to others; but they are also a reflection of our inner state. Right Activity is non-specific in that it speaks about how and why we do things but does not encompass what it is we do, except in the broadest sense. Now, however, we must explore the step called "Right Livelihood," and here we must be much less general and much more specific if we are to understand this matter at all. Livelihood is the expression of our day-to-day means of surviving. It is what, in common terms, we would call our 'occupation' or 'vocation.' But it must also encompass those things we do for pleasure in our 'spare' time, and thus we must include hobbies and pastime activities in this discussion also.

Traditionally, there are two different explanations of Right Livelihood. This is because of the historical difference between those who practice Buddhism at home and those who have left the home and taken the Vows. Among today's Masters of the Order, some say that it is possible for those who are practicing earnestly at home to achieve the same understanding of the fundamental point, and thus become Buddha, as those who have left home. They point to the Vimalakirti Sutra and the enlightenment of Layman Vimalakirti as historical proof of this. In addition there are various public records of enlightened laymen and laywomen to be found in the recorded doings and teachings of the Ancient Masters. In contrast to this is the recorded explanation given by Dogen Zenji, the great Japanese Master and one of the great Masters of our Order. In his "True Treasury of the Right Eye" or Shobogenzo, he is quoted as saying that no one who has not left home in the prescribed manner has ever obtained the Complete Perfect Enlightenment of the Buddhas. Because of this authoritative statement, there are modern masters who also teach this. Certainly these two views seem to lead to contradictory conclusions about what Right Livelihood is and, in its final aspect, what Right Livelihood must become. All is not lost however for, as is true with most seeming contradictions, there is truth to be found in both positions. Likewise, both statements are incomplete. Both in Dogen's day and our own, there are monks and nuns who have learned all the Dharma and practice all the forms and rites of the Order but have not really ever left home. Likewise, there are those who know nothing of the dharmas or precepts and have never seen the patchrobe yet have truly left home and are one with the Buddha.

Fundamentally it is the state in which one has left home that is the essence of Right Livelihood. This agrees with the words of Dogen and does not leave anything out. Let me give some clarity to this.

When we are at home in the usual sense our first concern is for our family and situation. We have homes and wives or husbands, perhaps we are parents as well. We have jobs that we must do every day in order to pay the bills. We must not cause trouble with our neighbors, and in addition to obeying the written laws of the society in which we live, we are also tightly bound by its unwritten laws, customs and traditions. If we are to be allowed to live in peace, we must take into account all of these factors, and each of them makes vital and daily decisions about how we do what it is that we do and about what we are permitted or not permitted to do. We must also recognize that there is a fundamental difference between the morality of the Precepts of the Order and the morality of society. In some places it is socially acceptable to eat one's enemies. In most societies today, one's importance is based on the amount of material possessions that one has been able to accumulate. How can either of these socially correct activities be related to the Way of the Buddha? Do not be deceived into thinking that one is primitive and the other advanced; both of these activities are equal and there is no real difference between them. If you understand this you will be able to leave home, even if you never move from the spot on which you stand.

It would be easier for both of us if I were to elaborate on those activities that are not Right Livelihood--things like raising animals for slaughter, serving in the Army, being a public executioner, selling inferior products disguised as superior ones, etc. In today's world there are not many public executioners, but used car salesmen abound! Of course, there are people in this business who do not try to cheat the customer, but my limited experience tells me that these are as rare as lawyers who attempt to serve justice rather than personal interests. However, perhaps by now it is becoming clear that while there are some ways of earning a living that are never going to allow one to advance in the Way, there is no occupation that is so correct that advancement is guaranteed. In this Dharma-ending age, this is even true of monks and nuns of the Order. Understanding this, we must look for a better way of defining 'Right Livelihood' than merely saying this is correct and that is not correct. That method is surely inadequate to the task. Therefore, let us return to the words of Dogen and see what we find that can lead us to understand this vital point.

When we look into the living meaning of the teaching of Dogen on the matter of leaving home, we can see that even though he maintained that Vimalakirti was incapable of achieving the Complete Enlightenment of the Buddha because he had not left home, this was just to keep his hearers from falsely clinging to the basic principle of which he was speaking. This principle I will now reveal so that you will be able to correctly follow the Eightfold Path, even though you might not have made the decision to join the Order. This principle is that to practice Right Livelihood it is only necessary to leave home. 'Leaving Home' is the turning phrase in this case; the home that must be left is not the roof over one's head, but the attitudes and assumptions that are in one's head. This is truly leaving one's home. Without this leaving, there is no possibility of progressing in the Way. None! When we have left home, then we will realize that our way of seeing things is illusory and that the way society looks at and values things is illusory, and we will be forced to search for a new set of understandings so that we will know what it is we are to do and how it is we are to conduct our daily affairs. Having come to this realization--that we are alone without a place to live--we can then truly take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Now the Buddha becomes our father, the Dharma becomes our mother and the Sangha becomes our brothers and sisters. We study with our good and virtuous companions and receive the Precepts. Thus we see that Right Livelihood must embrace the Three Pure Great Precepts: Ceasing From Evil, Doing Only Good, Doing Good For Others. And to find the original answers to questions of what is good and what is evil, we can again apply the same formula. Evil is what causes, Good is what was before the causes and what remains after the causes are extinguished. This is a simple point and because of its simplicity many miss it. Do not be one of them!

Practice the Living Dharma and do not look for anything special. Follow the Three Pure Precepts and do not allow the mind to be confused or divided. When this is done, householders can safely stand with Amitabha. When it is not done, even those in Patriarch's Robes cannot be distinguished from Public Executioners!

RIGHT EFFORT

This section focuses our attention on Right Effort. In Chinese this is written with four characters which can be read: Correct Refined or Dedicated Progress. This seems simple enough, but if we look into it deeply, we encounter some serious questions that we must understand and answer if we are to make any progress at all. It would be easy to say that we are discussing progress toward "Enlightenment" and then dismiss the matter as if we had made sufficient answer, but this would be an error of vast proportions! Even the merit of 10,000 years of correct practice would not be enough to clean the mud off those who think this way!

In Buddhist circles we often hear the word "compassion;" this is how we in the West often translate the Sanskrit term "Maitri." Maitri is one of the Four Noble Acts that the Buddha enjoined us to practice for our progress and salvation from the world of birth and death. It is also one of the attributes of the Bodhisattva, and since many of us take the Bodhisattva Vow, we should become familiar with this so that we are harmonious in our practice. In Chinese, Maitri is explained with four characters which literally mean "loving without the measure of the mind." This is different from the term compassion as we presently use and understand it and it is for this reason, this lacking of the essential flavor, that many Buddhist practitioners have made subtle but serious errors. In the Maitri Sutra, the Buddha described Maitri like this: "just as a mother would protect her only child at the risk of her own life, even so, let him cultivate a boundless heart toward all beings. Let his thoughts of boundless love pervade the whole world-above, below and everywhere without a trace of obstruction, hatred or enmity." This is the true nature of Maitri and is not different than Right Effort.

Let me clarify this further. In the West, if we think of the word compassion, we think of someone handing down gifts of love or sympathy to someone on a lower level. We could point to the parable in the Maitri Sutra and logically note that the mother is superior to the child and that this must be the meaning of this example. However, to speak in this way is slandering the Buddha and calling the ocean dry. We should not place the giver of compassion at a higher level than the recipient of it. IF we do this, Kuan-Yin becomes a mud image in a thatched hut and our own lives are also lost! Perhaps the reason that we do not understand the inner meaning of this is because of the difficulty we in the West have with the word love. In the Buddha's example, we can easily see that the use of the word is correct. Even so, this 'mother love' is easily misunderstood. Perhaps our failure to appreciate the essential meaning of the word 'love' is due to the Christian influence on the one hand and the Puritan influence on the other. We in the West are culturally trapped between the Bodhisattva of Nazareth who taught that we should "love one another even as I have loved you" and those others who equate love with Original Sin and Carnal Thoughts. It is no wonder so many are confused! If an ordinary man is filled with feelings of love for one of his fellows, it is usually dangerous for him to express it; he may even be punched in the nose for his efforts!!! This makes it difficult to keep the feeling, as his attention is thus immediately directed to the ache between his eyes! Manliness, as our culture defines it, does not include love between men. Likewise, if a person of one sex says "I love you" to a person of the other sex--the difficulties from this may take 10,000 years to unravel, not to mention the lawyers' fees! This is tragic and we have long been paying a high price for this sort of insanity. First, we must understand and remember that the only love that can be considered correct is love between equals. The mother does not, in moments of love, feel or think that she is superior to her child. Instead, there is a oneness between them. In those moments, she and the child are the same, with no distinction possible between them. No thoughts of self or other, or reflections of the ego, appear to throw mud on this oneness. This is correct loving--with NO SELF involved or present. Therefore, when we correctly say "I love you", both the "I" and the "you" are extra baggage, fundamentally unnecessary. However, if we realize this, we can use them for the sake of convention without error. This is a subtle point that must be studied to be truly understood.

In the ordinary world, brothers and sisters are free to express love for each other in actions and words without much difficulty, but why do we make such a distinction? Only due to convention and social custom! But these are full of flaws and mistakes! It is because only the most perverted minds can mistake our meaning as an indication of carnal thoughts in such cases, and thus we are free to express ourselves without much hesitation. In reality, this is false distinction and creates many barriers which are obstacles to progress. For one thing, people today admit that in this Dharma-Ending Age and even throughout most of history, those with a truly carnal nature are able to have such thoughts about even their brothers and sisters. From another point of view, we can more easily admit that it is possible for those who are unrelated to have and share love that is free from carnal thoughts or, what is perhaps even worse, thoughts of manipulation or self gain. The correct view is that ALL living beings are our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, equally without discrimination. This is the meaning of "pervade the whole world-above, below and everywhere without a trace of obstruction, hatred or enmity." When we are like this we are in harmony with the Buddha's teaching and nothing less is adequate to the task. How can being like this be separate from Right Effort?

Among the members of the Sangha, this Right Effort is even more important. Having left the home and family to become sons and daughters of the Blessed and Enlightened One, every monk is my brother and every nun my sister. Being of the same family in the Sangha, how can we not love each one? But if we speak aloud, "I love you," and worldly persons hear these words, their deluded minds are immediately filled with suspicious thoughts. Because they have no idea of the essential nature of correct love, they equate love and pure thoughts with impure and carnal activities. Thus they slander the Buddha and his family, which is considered to be one of the major sins that one can commit. How sad this is! Even some who have left home and should know better have not yet overcome this worldly view and thus commit this slander in their thoughts. However, for those who have begun the Path of Salvation, there is the hope that they can meet a living successor to the Ancient Masters who will be able to speak to them and erase their doubts about this and open their eyes.

It is because of the common view that the Pratimoksa Sutra, which is a Sutra of Rules for the Order, contains so many rules and precepts about the conduct of monks and nuns together. It was not just to keep the Sangha pure that these rules were established, but so that worldly people would not be given the opportunity to misunderstand the relationship between members of our family. This saves them from the Karma of Slandering the Buddha and rebirth in Hell for 10,000 lifetimes.

The whole subject is quite strange when examined closely. Stranger still is that most people who cling to the worldly view of love also claim to be followers of some religion based on the teachings of one who truly understood this vital point. In the West, and now in many places in the East, a good example of this is found in those who claim to follow the teachings of the Bodhisattva of Nazareth but whose thoughts and actions slander this one's teaching as well. Do not allow yourselves to be like this! Caution, caution! But love everyone anyway! Even if we must be exceedingly cautious in speaking of love, we must not allow this caution to obstruct our activity. Thus, how we exhibit our correct love must also be understood clearly. To look into this, let us return to the example given in the Maitri Sutra. This example, that earlier was spoken of as greatly misunderstood, is in reality perfect. This is because the Buddha was leaving nothing out when he gave this teaching to us. In the ordinary sense, we think of love as merely giving. (How often have you heard "you don't love me because you did or didn't do whatever"?) To think of love as being like this is a terrible error. Let me explain: even though a correct mother maintains no thoughts of self and other, she is not unmindful of her own experiences and understanding. Thus, if her child begins to drink a poison or wander into danger, her immediate reaction is to thoughtlessly interfere with the child's desire. She does not first think of "correct" or "incorrect" or any such thing, but "just saves the child," just as if she were saving herself. Not discriminating in this way, her activity is flawless. If we have sufficient understanding of this example, our own loving will also be flawless--giving of our own knowledge of those things that are harmful. How can we find fault with this? If we see other living beings in this light, we will be able to flawlessly give them correct love, without hesitation or obstacles. If we diligently live our lives this way, we will be in perfect accord with the doctrine of Right Effort, Refined and Diligent Progress.

In Buddhist practice we associate this kind of love with Kuan Yin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, the One Who Hears the Cries of the World, but if we do not also see in this the Perfect Activity of P'u Hsien Bodhisattva, we are lacking the essence of the true meaning of compassion, which is after all only a safe word for love--the selfless sameness that is the underlying nature of the Universal Buddha Nature. When we no longer see "self" and "others," then we are capable of truly saving the world and all living beings. Until we learn to dissolve these artificial barriers, we cannot even begin to correctly save ourselves! Thus, Right Effort is not different than Maitri and Maitri is the pure activity of Right Effort. We must carefully cultivate this understanding and when this is understood, we can take the "I" and the "You" out of "I love you," and become the loving essence of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

RIGHT MINDFULNESS

As we approach the end of this series of explanations, it must now have become clear that the Buddhist view of the world and activities is quite different than what we term the ordinary view. Yet, we should be cautious about saying this, because the Buddhist view is in fact the very ordinary view. By 'ordinary' we mean that this view requires no special instruments or scientific training to hold. Indeed, such things are quite removed from the simple teachings of the Blessed One. We live in an age where the "god, 'science,' and his consort, 'rationality"' have produced the thriving child, 'empirical reality.' This view, while very common in this Dharma-ending age is not an 'ordinary view,' but one that rests on its very opposite. Let me clarify this so that there will be no error. The empirical view is that those things which we can not see, smell, measure, photograph, etc. do not exist. This view would be acceptable if we could be certain that we were the 'yardstick' of the Universe. However, this is beyond even the best of scientific teachings. Further, this view is often held most strongly by those who have little or no real scientific knowledge. Claiming that their way of seeing things is 'scientific' and based on 'facts,' they have not even begun to fulfill the requirements that they themselves lay down for a 'scientific proof.' Indeed, few have done the testing and evaluation that would give them the 'scientific knowledge' to say that they know that "this is so"--that they themselves have done the work to 'prove' this particular fact. Thus, having accepted the evidence of others' work as the basis of their own viewpoint, they cannot have the ordinary view. Such people are deluded within the delusion. Far better to say with firmness, "I don't know," than to pretend to understanding that is not one's own. Such people go through life eternally hungry and unsatisfied because they ignore the daily rice in their bowls and eat the pretty colored advertisements in books and magazines. How can we say that this is the ordinary view? To be ordinary, our view must be independent of our culture, our schooling, our prejudices and our expectations. Just as if we had been brought up on a deserted island where there were no people nor books nor television-particularly no television! If you were fortunate enough to ask a person like this about the mysteries of life he would look at you dumbfounded! If you were foolish enough to ask such a one how hot the water in the teakettle was, you must be prepared to have some of the contents poured on you; then you would know for certain in a way that is truly empirical! These thoughts are important to the discussion of the last-but-one step of the Eightfold Path--Right Mindfulness.

Right Mindfulness can be looked at in several ways, each of them adding to our overall understanding of this principle. First, we should be Mindful, that is Conscious, of our commitment to follow the Eightfold Path at every moment. Thus, we should mindfully follow the Path, Precepts and Vows. Second, we should be mindful of the ordinary view. By not clinging to the ideas of others, we will be able to drink our own tea and eat our own rice. This is the essence of daily practice and the method for cultivating virtue. Third, we should be mindful of the great effort that is required for us to make any real spiritual progress in any one lifetime, and also of the great effort that has already been made on our behalf by the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Patriarchs of the Path of Liberation. Fourth, we should be mindful of the great sacrifices that other living beings have already made and must continue to make so that we will be able to eat, be clothed, and perhaps even stay warm in winter. These 'simple things' are bought for us at the price of thousands of lives, yet few today are honest enough to appreciate these gifts. We say "I earned this" or "I have a right to that"; but who can say with certainty that his own life is of greater worth than the life of any other? If, due to this understanding, we become Mindful of our own unworthiness and resolve to make our lives benefit all living beings, then it can be said that we have grasped this portion of the Way and Right Mindfulness. And finally, we must be mindful of our habits. This seems almost an anticlimax after the other aspects of mindfulness, but do not be misled by the easy words here. This is dangerous ground! Quicksand on all sides! And the unwary are surely lost! Stop! Reflect! Of all the things that you do every day, HOW MANY ARE DONE BY HABIT OR ROTE? When we get up in the morning, is our first thought one of thankfulness for a new day, or is it "oh, another day...more work"? When we brush our teeth, do we taste the water or the toothpaste? Do we feel the bristles of the brush? Do we feel the laces as we tie our shoes, or are we thinking about something a thousand hours or miles away? Beware! Beware! Would you live today any differently if you knew that it would be your last? How are you able to know that it will not be?

Many people who have a shallow understanding of Buddhism do not grasp the central point of this. They also slander the Order by saying that the Sangha has allowed rituals to replace the real meaning of the doctrine and point out (quite correctly) that the Buddha taught often about the pointless nature of ritual and that ritual was an impediment to real understanding. Missing the principle of this teaching, they see things completely upside down. Meaningful and Mindful religious practice in accord with ancient and proven methods is a great aid to spiritual cultivation. There should be no doubt about this. But RITUALISTIC DAILY LIVING, with little or no actual awareness of the present moment is indeed an obstacle to understanding and liberation. The monk, nun or devoted layperson who makes mindful prostrations and mindfully burns incense is involved in cultivation of the most blessed and commendable kind, even if it appears to the observer to be 'ritual' being done for the 10,000th time. On the other hand, those 'liberated' persons who eat their morning meal while thinking of what they will be doing later are engaged in the most harmful sort of mindless ritual. Thus perhaps we can see that in the cultivation of the Way, our HABITS may be our most serious impediment.

With this understanding, we are now fully prepared to begin the moment-to-moment practice of Right Mindfulness, without which Right Understanding, Right Thoughts, Right Speech, Right Activity, Right Livelihood and Right Effort are only words and thoughts, not methods of true practice. Cultivate the Ordinary View and practice Right Mindfulness. If this is done, how can you fail to be in harmony with the Ancient Dharma and the Way of Liberation?

RIGHT MEDITATION

We now come to the final step along the Noble Eightfold Path. Our journey has be very quick and there is much that must be remembered if we are to be certain that we have not left many obstacles in our path to liberation. Because of discovering so many things about ourselves and the Way, perhaps there has been the question, "How do I remember all these things; how can one be mindful at all times; how can I continually cultivate right understanding and right thoughts?" These are serious questions and are at the center of the Transmission of the Mind Sect. Many people these days are firmly convinced of the superiority of one sect of Buddhism over others. Some say the Ch'an Doctrine of 'Mind Only' is the superior vehicle, while others with equal fervor say that the Pure Land Doctrine is the best for persons in this age. Still others will make similar statements about the Vajrayana and Tantric Schools of Tibet and other esoteric doctrines, while the doctrinal schools of both the T'ien Tai and Theraveda also have many adherents. Because I am a Ch'an monk what I will now say will seem strange to some, but I do not think that the Ch'an method is the best means for all the myriad types of persons. The method of our sect was first created as a separate school by Bodhidharma, who brought the Correct Eye Dharma Transmission to the West from India; but prior to this, Right Meditation or Right Contemplation was not left out of the practice of the Sangha. Bodhidharma's emphasis was based on the conditions of the monks that he found and his Great Compassion for them. Because their practice was difficult, he taught them that they must concentrate all their efforts on Right Meditation. When this is done, all the other steps of the Eightfold Path are also fulfilled with nothing being left out. Whether we are involved in the Contemplation of a Public Record or kung-an, which the Japanese pronounce koan, or in the chih-kuan method of the T'ien Tai sect, or whether our meditation is the Vajra Samadhi of the Esoterics, the Amida Samadhi of the Pure Land, the Compassionate Samadhi of Kuan Shih Yin, or the 'silent illumination' of the Japanese Soto sect has little meaning in the Absolute. What is important beyond these subtle differences is that we learn to correctly discipline the mind. This is the essential point of Right Meditation. Since there is without a doubt but One Mind from which all the forms and also the Great Void are created, there is no fundamental difference among these Paths of Meditation. However, because we have differing abilities from moment to moment and because of the differing natures of the various karmic burdens with which we are born into this life, one path of the Great Way may be 'better' for us than another.

None of these methods of meditation can be considered to be 'incomplete'--when we are fully engaged in their practice and become absorbed in them, we are at that very moment embodying the entire Eightfold Path. When we are absorbed in Samadhi, because our mind is undivided we are fully in accord with Right Understanding. When we are absorbed in Samadhi, because there is no room for the discriminating mind we are fully in accord with Right Thoughts. When we are absorbed in Samadhi, our voices are stilled. How can this be different from Right Speech? When we are absorbed in Samadhi, our activity is that of the Buddhas and we are the living essence of Right Activity. When we are absorbed in Samadhi, we have ceased 'doing' in the worldly sense and our actions are purified, thus we cannot help but be involved in Right Livelihood. When we are absorbed in Samadhi, all our efforts are united in this. This is the highest sort of Right Effort. When we are absorbed in Samadhi, because our thoughts and actions are in accord with the underlying principle of the Great Way we are correctly mindful in every moment. Finally, we can say that Right Meditation is also the practice of Right Meditation. Do not think that this is a simple tautology of the sort that logicians display. If you do so, you will miss my true meaning!

If you are not in accord with these Ancient Prescriptions to end the suffering of the World, if you have a single doubt left as to the best way for you to now proceed, please cultivate this doubt! This doubt is the taste of the medicine of true understanding, which goes beyond words and Paths and leads directly to the Heart of the Matter. If you cannot go to a local Master of the Order and have him resolve your questions, you can ask me. But I warn you that I will not give you anything that is not already yours! And if you have something I will surely take it away! If you cannot swallow these words whole, I will give you a chopper to make them of the correct size. . . . More Zazen! Wa!