Here is the audio recording (I forgot to turn the video recording on during the talk so there is only audio) of the Dharma Talk I gave on April 28, 2019. This is the first part of teachings on Bowing to the Three Treasures, Rai Sanbo Kan.
One of the shortcomings of my English language videos is that it is difficult for foreign language speakers to understand what I am saying.
I am trying out a new application that creates text files of speech. For the first time I am using it on previously recorded materials. My thinking is that folks can then have Google Translate the text into their native language from the English text.
Now this won’t be perfect. Right now I can’t edit the text files, simply because I can’t see well enough and it is a bit labor intensive, not impossible but for now not easily accomplished. Perhaps at some point I will be able to do it or perhaps someone will volunteer to help clean up the text.
I was reading the text output as it was transcribing and it isn’t too terrible most of the time. I think it is adequate enough to get a general idea of what I am saying. For more technical materials such as sutra lecture or gosho lecture there will need to be some serious editing to fix the foreign words.
Here is the link to the video and if you haven’t watched it you might gain some benefit to spending some time doing so now. The text transcript is below. I would appreciate any comments about how this works out.
The transcript was cleaned up some by Traye Brown, my gratitude to him for his valuable help.
Ryusho Jeffus
Good morning. Thank you for joining us this morningfor our Sunday service. And this mornings Dharma talk will be on the Rai Sanbo Kan which is contemplation on bowing to the three treasures. And this is coming from the book. Important Matters, which I published early last year.
So I started out with, I’m not sure about your mind, but if it’s anything like mine, it is at times full of all kinds of stuff. There’s good stuff and bad stuff and stuff. I don’t know quite what to do with, though I’m hoping I figure it out soon. When I’ve taught folks in detox to meditate, almost to a person, the common plea is I can’t get my mind to stop thinking. How can I make it stop? For all those thoughts, there is one truth underlying it all. Our minds contain the Three Jewels of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. In any single thought moment, your mind encompasses all Dharma qualities, and pervades all realms. That’s a powerful statement worthy of deep reflection. What kind of Dharma qualities are in our thoughts? Yes, that’s the rub. What kind of Dharma qualities are we manifesting in our thinking, the good, the bad, and the ugly all reflect our Dharma quality. The 10 worlds are always present. And the 10 worlds always have each of the 10 worlds present in some form. So even your bad stuff is Dharma, and so is your good stuff. The key to our practices not to suppress or hide from those less than admirable thoughts, but to see where they come from, examine them, and then manifest our actions from the mind of the Buddha, from the heart of the Buddha. The principle of the Three Jewels being present in our one mind, is a basis for the sutras. It is not incidental, nor does arise after the sutras. It is the fundamental truth on which the sutra arose. The Sangha, both in body and in mind, has protected the Buddha Dharma throughout all time and spreads it all over the world and the infinite universe. Traye Do you have your book handy?
Okay, do you want to pick up there on where I’m on page 22.
The second full paragraph in our own saha world.
Traye Brown
In our own saha world, it is we the common mortals full of defilements, discursive thoughts, fleeting attention spans – who are tasked with spreading the Dharma, gods or deities aren’t spreading it. It is You and I, with all our imperfections, who are the most qualified to teach the Dharma to others. Showing with our lives, that there is a way to end suffering and attain enlightenment, as promised in the Lotus Sutra.
Ryusho Jeffus
Please continue.
Traye Brown
It is our minds that the Buddhas respond to. Our minds reveal our true self. It is easy to speak great words, it is exceedingly more difficult to keep the good words in one’s mind and heart. One need only consider one’s own mind and heart to see the answer to why certain things keep occurring, things we don’t necessarily wish to keep happening. It isn’t an easy exercise. And it isn’t always pleasant to reflect on one’s mind and heart. It can show some nasty stuff, or at least some undesired stuff that we might rather not see. yet. It is by repeatedly examining this that change begins. Buddhism demands honesty to ourselves. You don’t need to bring it out to the attention of anyone except yourself. That’s hard enough.
Ryusho Jeffus
Bill. Do you have a copy of the book?
Bill Buck
Yes, I do. You want me to go get it? Yes, please. I have a small apartment.
Ryusho Jeffus
Yes. No, I understand. I know I know your space is at a premium. So. Okay. We’ll give it a moment here while Bill goes to get his book.
Okay, thanks. We’re on page 22.
Whose cat?
No, it’s okay.
Bill Buck
Yeah.
Traye Brown
Okay.
Bill Buck
Start with for all?
Ryusho Jeffus
Yes, please. Go ahead and read that one and on to the next page.
Bill Buck
Okay. For all that gunk that hangs around in our hearts and minds, or something else there is something else is not to be taken lightly and should never be forgotten. Our minds while being perceived by the Buddhas also contain the perception of the Buddhas. our minds are also the minds of the Buddhas. No matter how bad you may think you are, you are indeed a Buddha and possess the mind of the Buddha within your mind. The trick, as always is to tap into it while working on lessening those other qualities that work against the Buddha in our lives.
Ryusho Jeffus
Would you read the quote there to also?
Bill Buck
The innumerable great virtues of the Dharma realm is where the three treasures and all human and heavenly beings abide. And what the dragon king looks up to in reverence. These three treasures are not only of great benefit and win over all sentient beings, but are also of the same nature and entity as us.
Ryusho Jeffus
Okay, and that quote, came from the Shute Hoyo Shiki Udana-in. Nichiki wrote it, and that’s on page 391.
So
what are your thoughts on that? Anybody?
Anything you absorbed from that reading?
Ryusho Jeffus
Yes, Traye
Bill Buck
interconnectedness of everything.
Ryusho Jeffus
Okay. All right. interconnectedness of everything. Bill says.
Traye Brown
I was gonna mention that I kind of noticed
Bill Buck
that
Traye Brown
There’s lot there about, you know, how some of these unpleasant aspects are technically part of who we are as part of the 10 world’s aspect. And, you know, it shouldn’t really be denied or ignored, but recognized to try to figure out where it’s from and work with it.
Ryusho Jeffus
Right. Right You know,
Traye Brown
Thats what was meaningful to me.
Ryusho Jeffus
Yeah, great, wonderful. So when I would teach people, folks in the detox unit, and they say, I have all these thoughts going around in my head. What do I do with them? I can’t stop thinking. I can’t meditate. And that may be your situation at times that your mind is full of discursive thoughts, and just running all over the place. And last week, we talked about, we talked about
bringing all the aspects of ourself all these little things that are all parts of our mind, they’re off doing things or, you know, wanting to do things. And some of the examples I use, were like buying milk and getting gas in the car and running this errand and that errand. And there’s also so there’s also that aspect of it. But there’s also the part of us that, that maybe thinks less than pleasant thoughts, maybe we, we think things that
we just wouldn’t say out loud to somebody that we keep hidden in our mind. those thoughts are there. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have those kinds of thoughts. They may be evil thoughts. They may be what we considered evil thoughts, or maybe they’re harmful thoughts. Maybe they’re just they’re just, again, their thoughts that they don’t really that we won’t really act upon. But that we think about, and, and this is all part of who we are. It’s as a manifestation of all the realms in our lives. And where do they come from?
Where do our good thoughts come from? Where do our bad thoughts come from? In the,
Ryusho Jeffus
the therapy theory, internal family systems theory, we talk about, they talk about parts, parts of self. So you know, we use the term
Ryusho Jeffus
Pardon me.
Ryusho Jeffus
a part of me was like to go to the park today. Another part of me doesn’t want to go to the park but would rather go to the coffee shop. So we speak of ourselves in parts, or part of a part of me likes that., but another part of me doesn’t like that.
Ryusho Jeffus
This is part of our part of our language, though, that we frequently use. But internal family systems theory focuses on connecting that, that, how do we connect? How do we communicate?
What’s our core values? So in spite of in spite of these thoughts that might be just random, but less than wholesome. We wanna focus on that – the less than wholesome thoughts that we might have? Anybody have those? Occasionally, okay. Okay. All right. And as you know, they aren’t necessarily thoughts they we would act upon. They might be fantasy, or, you know, just bizarre, some, some, you know, something triggers something in your mind, a movie you’re watching or a book you read or, you know,
so.
So what do we do with those? How do we use those? How do we, how do we diffuse those.
And by realizing that they are there, and they are a part of us,
and they are who we are, when we bow to the Buddha, we bow to the three treasures, they come with us.
Again, they may not be wholesome. But if we think about how to connect with people, and things we act upon, generally, I I, you know, I’ve met both bill, I bet all of y’all in person. So I know you a little bit. And there’s not a person among you that that I don’t think really operates on the principle of connecting with people, compassion for people, concern, caring, all of these things that we we want to do to remain a part of our group, our family, our friends, our Sangha.
All together here today. And those of us and those who were unable to join us today, Neil sent me an email, I haven’t had a chance to read it, but I’m guessing that it contains something to the effect that he wouldn’t be able to join us. JOHN is in Sacramento, and participating in services in his in his, at his temple. But I think and again I’ve met all of y’all in person at one time or another. And, you know, there’s not a one among you who I don’t think really operates basically, on the principle of connection. Sometimes we get angry, and we might say something to
push somebody away, or to push somebody down. We might say those things, we might even think those things. But generally speaking, where do we operate from? And, you know, celebrating that, and also understanding, okay, why do I think those kinds of things are the things that I would even remotely act upon? Are they just an awareness of, of a deep dark part of myself a deep dark part of myself that,
that I can’t deny, but I don’t want to celebrate?
Let it be there. And be aware of the harmful nature of it.
And realize that, that is part of our 10 worlds,
even when we’re acting on our best behavior, on our most connecting behavior, our most compassionate behavior that comes along with us as a part of who we are, and,
and to be honest with ourselves and say, I’m not perfect, I’m not better than anybody else. And when we bow to three charges, we bring all of these things with us.
without shame,
without fear.
Does that make sense?
Yes, Bill.
Bill Buck
I actually had a. I am not a therapist in any way, shape, or form. But it had me think about if I was does having the dark thoughts actually help you connect in some way to anybody that you would be offering therapy for that you would not have if you did not have those thoughts?
Ryusho Jeffus
Yeah,
Bill Buck
More of a question is, I guess how I operate, something comes up. It brings in more than any answers. But does does it help you if you’re doing your therapy to know that you have those thoughts, too? And they’re actually acting on it? And that’s the problem.
Ryusho Jeffus
I’m sorry, could you rephrase the question?
Bill Buck
Yeah the dark thoughts that we always want to oppress? Does it help you relate to the people that actually act on the dark thoughts?
Ryusho Jeffus
Well, what do you think? I mean, is that your experience? I think, you know, you have an answer.
Bill Buck
My experience is actually to avoid such things at all costs of those people. I I would shut them out. Okay. It’s not job or my part to be therapy? And I don’t want any of that on me.
Ryusho Jeffus
Yeah
Bill Buck
I usually if I really find out somebody, but I don’t want to say vile, but you understand what I mean, if their thoughts are really pretty, pretty bad, and I don’t want to be associated with them, I disassociate.
Ryusho Jeffus
Right. Right. So for you to protect yourself, You pull back. And and you view that as a protection for yourself.
Yeah
okay. All right. And I’m not trying to dissuade you.
But, you know, I’d be curious about about what it is that you feel you’re weak in. And, you know, what your defense is., Again I’m not, I’m not a therapist.
I’m a
Bill Buck
You have done chaplain things and in some way that helps you, you have to have a different connectionto people.
Ryusho Jeffus
Right. Right.
Right. Yeah. And, you know, as a chaplain, you know, I’ve heard, I’ve heard some pretty, some pretty horrific things. You know,especially I won’t say, especially in the detox unit, but frequently in the detox unit, I would, I would hear stories of, of parents who would inject drugs into their children you know at very young ages 10, 11,12. At you know, addicts who done some, some very, very bad things, less than wholesome things, you know,
I’ve been with criminals in prison, you know, who’s done really horrific things, the one one person was, you know, was a, the leader of a terrorist group in Africa. And, you know, murdered people would cut people’s arms off, just for the fun of it. You know,and to be with those people and understand that, you know,they, they, they are human, they lacked whatever to become strong against those kinds of dark thoughts, to think about them. The person that was the terrorists and Africa was really a kind, gentle person, in a controlled environment. You know,for me, it’s understanding that, that this is the 10 worlds, we all have them. Some of us are stronger, and able to understand that those are not skillful ways of behaving. Those are not wholesome ways of behaving, those are not compassionate ways of behaving. Some people don’t have those tools.
And how do we how do we give them the strength to develop those tools? That’s my curiosity. That’s what I become curious about when I hear these things. What do we do with them? You know, what does that person do with them?
And then how can we not cut them off when so many other people have cut them off? You know, those are the things that I become curious about.
That’s, that’s not necessarily everybody’s wage, the operating, that’s not necessarily how bill should be operating.
But for me, that’s the way I operate is, how can I be with that person? non judgmentally without judgment, without prejudice? Without an expectation of any kind of behavior? How can I be with that person?
And perhaps help them explore ways to strengthen to shore up their defense against those kinds of behaviors? How do I point them in a direction? Since I’m not a therapist? How can I point them in a direction that would be healthy for them to pursue future healing?
Traye, I think you’re going to say something?
Traye Brown
That’s a good question. It’s like, how do you, you know, if you have this awareness? How can you share it with somebody else? You know, I wrote it on index cards, I think it’s a good one to contemplate on. You know, how you have, like, I know, in my experience, I have very interesting friends, we’ll just leave it at that, that have, you know, had some pretty rough lives. And I know, there have been plenty of situations where no one will have anything to do with them. But I’ll talk to them and try to understand kind of where they’re coming from. I get it, but it’s the same thing. It’s kind of how do we share with them? Some of this insight, like you’re saying some of these tools or direction? Or, you know, help them guide toward something healing? Like, you know, I guess that’s what I was trying to think about.
It’s a good one, because I don’t think there’s a solid answer for everyone, for sure. It’s kind of…
Ryusho Jeffus
When in my, in my life, I’ve, you know, I’ve associated with all kinds of less than desirable people, you might say, you know, the motorcycle gang, you know, why? How do I how do I be a Buddhist in that kind of environment? How do I be a Buddhist in hell?
It has to be possible, I believe it is. I mean, I’ve, I’ve, I’ve done that. How do we, you know, how do we how do we be a Buddhist? You know, it’s, it’s fine to be a Buddhist in a perfect situation. That’s, that’s fine.
But not everyone can relate to that. Because not everyone lives are as a perfect situation.
So our friends, how do we how do we show them? Not just talk about it, but how do we show them?
How do we manifest our Buddha nature in hell?
And for each of us is going to be different. I’m not suggesting that any of you all immerse yourself and anything that is uncomfortable? You know,
I’m not suggesting that you do the things that I’ve done. You know, I was kind of weird and crazy. And for me, it was always important, how can I be good? Is it possible to be good
in an environment that is bad or doesn’t support good.
And again, you know, that would be my definition of good.
Not necessarily everyone’s definition, but but my interpretation of Buddhism, how do I be a Buddha.
In these realms?
We look at the mandala the Gohonzon. And on either side of So, up at the top, you see four big characters. And then let’s see, move this hand there. So up at the top, you see four big characters here and at the bottom, and right there in the middle. Whoops, right.
So okay, coordinating here.
So, okay, so that’s, yeah, how do we?
So for the transcript, I was trying to move my hands to get to highlight the characters on the Mandala.
On the Mandala, there’s those two characters, one is Aizen, and one is Fudo. And let me get the statues down for you.
So we have
Alright, this could be kind of weird on the transcript for you, Traye. Maybe you can sort it out.
So here’s Fudo. Oh, can you see Fudo?
Let’s see. Put Like this up. Is that very good contrast? Can you see Fudo?
Oops he fell off. Sorry about that.
So there’s Fudo sits on a rock. And there’s flames coming up around him. And he carries a lasso rope with the lasso on it, and a sword. Okay. And Pluto stands at the gate or sits at the gate of hell.
And tries to prevent people from entering hell and suffering.
And he has a lasso in case you get in he can lasso and pull you back out.
Okay.
This has always been kind of my, my patron saint, if you will.
How can I prevent people? How can I help people stay out of hell? How can I bring them out of health? The other character is Aizen
So I said, you see Aizen got a real fear face, carrying all kinds of weapons. So he’s got this is like a ball. Here. He’s got a kind of like a mace here. And he’s got, let’s see a diamond pounder here. Right? Oops, right here.
This hand is empty fist and an arrow here.
You see.
So Fudo, Fudo actually goes into hell does battle with all the demons in hell, and tries to rescue people and bring them out of hell. So you have these two characters on the Mandala. And Nichiren doesn’t say much about why they’re there.
The characters on the mandala are esoteric characters.
And it’s interesting that they’re there I’ve I find it’s interesting. It’s curious.
We have these deities on there, to rescue us and to prevent us from entering into hell and suffering. This is pretty important. These two characters these two deities are not afraid
of being in that environment. Understanding that being in that environment is where the people are.
So you know, it’s easy for a person who lives a very sheltered protected life, it’s easy for them to look good. It’s easy for them not easy, maybe not the best best word. But they’re kind of life. Is it perceptible. Many people can’t see that. You know, the drug addict doesn’t see how it’s possible to lift their life up from drugs and the environment, maybe prostitution, and other things. How do we how do they get out of that?
Ryusho Jeffus
And live even, you know, like myself, relatively stable, well thought out organized, relatively organized, life, controlled environment, you know, things don’t happen to me too randomly.
For many people, that’s impossible. They can’t even see how to do that. They can’t even see how to be clean or sober the next day?
How do they live the next day? With the pain and suffering of a parent who injected drugs into them when they were 10 years old? How do they live the next day?
With the mental anguish of being abused and beaten and sexually molested from infancy to the present time?
How do they live the next day
When they have no home, they’re on the street?
Maybe with a cardboard box? if they’re lucky? You know,
for them to have something like even a house is impossible for them to think about for themselves. It’s something that they want.
But to achieve it seems impossible. How do we relate to those kinds of people?
I, you know, I witness, I’ve been with people who I know are so different from myself. And not just because of their previous behavior or their thoughts or their actions.
But how do I relate to them? That my life is possible in their world.
Not the material aspect necessarily.
But the joy that I have within myself.
And for me, it’s always kind of be on the you know, with the tattoos and motorcycle gang, all that stuff, you know, it’s like, it’s easier to do it actually in their world than preach from the outside. Again, I’m not suggesting everyone do that. But it’s always been something to me, how do I how do I do this? How do I be a Buddhist and gay and be persecuted? How do I?
How do I manifest enlightenment as a gay person? You know, that’s, that’s a pretty heavy mission. Especially in the 70s and 80s. How do I manifest buddhahood with AIDS all around me?
And for each of us, we actually have that mission. Bill, how do you manifest buddhahood, as a teacher as an instructor of martial arts among people who maybe are taking martial arts for less than wholesome reasons, who come in there with a very angry nature very aggressive?
How do you manifest Buddha hood, and that kind of environment? We all have that situation, Traye you with your friends.
Some of whom might know a little bit about some of them who are challenged even in your own situation of being a prisoner to your health. You know, how do you manifest Buddhahood and live that example so other people can see it, and say, Wow, he he’s he’s like me, and he’s happy.
What are your thoughts?
Traye Brown
I guess I would have to, excuse me.
Ryusho Jeffus
Yes, Traye
Traye Brown
I guess I’d have to say that. When I think about it,
it seems as you were saying quite difficult when you’re actually in that state, you know, like I felt? probably less like I was manifesting you know Buddhahood when I’m going through a really serious health condition or a surgery or whatever than I normally do. So I recognize that. And other problems as well. Same thing. When, yeah, when I think about it, I have the same question. How do I, you know, because like you were saying, when things are going smooth, or when they’re going easier, there’s a lot of trouble, it’s very easy to become, you know, like in this place where you’re like, Okay, I’m, I’m all about helping people right now. But yeah, when you’re there, you’re in all this pain, and you’re just like so frustrated. It’s kind of like yeah, I’m not concerned about anybody who’s thinking about my pain.
That’s not very manifesting. To me.
Ryusho Jeffus
Bill, did I answer your question?.
Bill Buck
More that I don’t know, out of frame.
Ryusho Jeffus
One more time, please.
Bill Buck
And you’ve created more that I don’t know how to frame.
Ryusho Jeffus
So we’re, you know, we’re just setting the groundwork for the contemplation on bowing to the three treasures. This is part of who we are, we bring this with us. And,
and from, from me, I think it’s important to understand that these are part of us. And to be able to say, not with pride, and also not with shame.
Shame tends to diminish, deny , push away, isolate, you know, to almost cut off a part of ourself, because we’re ashamed of it.
And yet, it’s there. It’s with us. And again, not to celebrate it, not to be prideful of it or anything. But to understand that, that is part of who I am. Where does it come from?
What’s the origin?
When we can dig down and this is part of our enlightenment process to know ourselves. When we can dig down a little bit and get to the deeper question, what causes not just why do I think those things? But what is the underlying cause for those things? You know,
so, we bring that with us, we bow to the three treasures. And that’s sort of the introduction, the preparation for a deeper understanding of the act of contemplating bow into the three treasures. Okay, any questions? And, and, Ann Marie, and Gerard, I apologize. Again, this was focused on English, but hopefully you will have a chance to translate the transcript at some point when Traye gets finished cleaning it up. So and so I’m going to end the recording now. And that will end the the transcript. Oh shucks did I not record. Well, I’ve got a recording of it on the phone. I won’t have video, unfortunately. But anyway, so I’m very into the recording now and we’ll clean this up on the final thing.
