WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.839 Here is one of a series of talks by spiritual 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:06.459 leader Lola McDowell Lee, spanning two decades 00:00:06.459 --> 00:00:10.380 from the early 70s through the 90s. Lola was 00:00:10.380 --> 00:00:13.599 a Zen Roshi, whose Rinzai lineage included Dr. 00:00:13.820 --> 00:00:17.440 Henry Plutov and renowned Zen master Shigetsu 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:21.039 Sasaki. Lola was a religious scholar as well 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:24.280 as an ordained Christian minister. While the 00:00:24.280 --> 00:00:27.019 talks are focused mainly on Zen and Buddhism, 00:00:27.339 --> 00:00:30.820 Lola drew on many spiritual traditions, including 00:00:30.820 --> 00:00:35.320 those of Jesus, Plato, Lao Tzu, the Hindu Vedas, 00:00:35.679 --> 00:01:00.409 Meister Eckhart, and Gurdjieff. Pali word for 00:01:00.409 --> 00:01:06.109 Dharma. And Pada means foot or path. So the way 00:01:06.109 --> 00:01:10.870 to go to the Dharma is about making it very brief, 00:01:11.269 --> 00:01:17.189 at least have an hour. So we continue reading 00:01:17.189 --> 00:01:20.730 from it. Mistaking the false for the true and 00:01:20.730 --> 00:01:24.409 the true for the false. You overlook the heart. 00:01:24.840 --> 00:01:29.540 and fill yourself with desire. See the false 00:01:29.540 --> 00:01:33.480 as false, the true as true. Look into your heart 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:39.400 and follow your nature. An unreflecting mind 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:44.840 is a poor roof. Passion, like the rain, floods 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:48.840 the house. But if the roof is strong, there is 00:01:48.840 --> 00:01:54.500 shelter. Whoever follows impure thoughts suffers 00:01:54.500 --> 00:01:58.799 in this world and the next. In both worlds he 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:02.260 suffers and how greatly when he sees the wrong 00:02:02.260 --> 00:02:06.560 he has done. But whoever follows the law is joyful 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:11.080 here and joyful there. In both worlds he rejoices 00:02:11.080 --> 00:02:13.960 and how greatly when he sees the good he has 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:19.819 done. For great is the harvest in this world 00:02:19.819 --> 00:02:24.479 and greater still in the next. However many holy 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:29.199 words you read, however many you speak, what 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:32.280 good will they do if you do not act upon them? 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:38.759 Lazy cowherd, counting others cows, having none 00:02:38.759 --> 00:02:42.280 of his own, what good is parroting of holy texts 00:02:42.280 --> 00:02:45.460 if a man will not get up and gather holiness? 00:02:47.500 --> 00:02:51.680 Words do not matter. What matters is the Dharma. 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:57.520 What matters is action rightly performed after 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:02.099 lust, hate and folly are abandoned with true 00:03:02.099 --> 00:03:05.939 knowledge and serene mind and complete detachment 00:03:05.939 --> 00:03:11.479 from the fruit of action. I like that, that what's 00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:14.180 in the middle you see doesn't fit with that at 00:03:14.180 --> 00:03:18.379 all. You see that? How can you strive for rewards 00:03:18.379 --> 00:03:21.860 here and hereafter and want to be detached and 00:03:21.870 --> 00:03:25.150 you know, from the fruits of the action. I'm 00:03:25.150 --> 00:03:31.009 sorry Buddha, but it doesn't fit. See, I almost 00:03:31.009 --> 00:03:33.069 left that out, but, you know, it's, you know, 00:03:33.069 --> 00:03:38.330 you got to hear it how it is. And the there is 00:03:38.330 --> 00:03:41.509 another translation, which, you know, in those 00:03:41.509 --> 00:03:46.030 act upon the law, act upon the Dharma, act upon 00:03:46.030 --> 00:03:48.729 the law, give up the old ways, which are the 00:03:48.729 --> 00:03:52.810 passion and the enmity and the folly. know the 00:03:52.810 --> 00:03:58.229 truth and find peace, then share the way. Lots 00:03:58.229 --> 00:04:02.689 of translations around and about. Now we are 00:04:02.689 --> 00:04:09.689 apt to say, truth is. It just is. And ontologically 00:04:09.689 --> 00:04:17.529 speaking, truth. Which would be, let us say, 00:04:17.689 --> 00:04:21.029 the truth of being or the truth of existence. 00:04:22.060 --> 00:04:27.439 truth of existence and That kind of truth is 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:30.100 You can't add to it and you can't take away from 00:04:30.100 --> 00:04:34.180 it. It is it is what it is. It's the truth and 00:04:34.180 --> 00:04:42.660 as a human being it is to be my effort and Your 00:04:42.660 --> 00:04:48.259 effort To find it there with the truth to uncover 00:04:48.259 --> 00:04:53.259 it in ourselves And for this truth we don't need 00:04:53.259 --> 00:04:56.420 to exert ourselves to invent things like we do 00:04:56.420 --> 00:05:01.720 for other truths, which we do invent. And we've 00:05:01.720 --> 00:05:04.100 been in fact about this kind of effort a little 00:05:04.100 --> 00:05:07.639 bit too long of inventing what truth could be. 00:05:08.519 --> 00:05:11.660 We simply need to discover it in ourselves, to 00:05:11.660 --> 00:05:19.100 uncover it in ourselves, and that's truth. What 00:05:19.100 --> 00:05:23.399 stops us from discovering it? What stops you 00:05:23.399 --> 00:05:35.319 from discovering the truth in you? Well, we can 00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:40.180 look to our backgrounds. What we have been taught 00:05:40.180 --> 00:05:46.100 in religious fields. We were taught basically 00:05:46.100 --> 00:05:49.319 by and large, all of us. Maybe not all of you, 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:54.160 but most of us. Basically we went to Sunday school. 00:05:57.899 --> 00:06:02.360 And we heard these stories for children. They 00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:06.319 were myths. And they were told by people who 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:08.480 didn't know they were myths. They took them to 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:17.589 be the truth. And not only did they not know 00:06:17.589 --> 00:06:20.029 they were myths, at least where I went to Sunday 00:06:20.029 --> 00:06:21.649 school, they didn't know they were telling me 00:06:21.649 --> 00:06:25.129 myths. And not only when I was a little kid, 00:06:26.009 --> 00:06:31.569 but when I was 12, when I was 16, they were still 00:06:31.569 --> 00:06:35.430 telling me the same thing. And they don't know 00:06:35.430 --> 00:06:38.550 that it is myth build upon myth, build upon myth, 00:06:38.750 --> 00:06:46.120 build upon myth. Such as, We could take, for 00:06:46.120 --> 00:06:53.699 example, the Virgin Mary. This story has been 00:06:53.699 --> 00:07:01.639 traced back to Isis, so that Isis is Mary, and 00:07:01.639 --> 00:07:09.100 then traced back even before that. Some of these 00:07:09.100 --> 00:07:16.279 tales have come along all You know, like 15 ,000 00:07:16.279 --> 00:07:21.879 years they've come along. There's a lot of similar 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:28.199 things. It's in the Old Testament, you know, 00:07:28.819 --> 00:07:33.500 the Jewish people are looking for Yahweh. And 00:07:33.500 --> 00:07:42.000 they have this personal God, which is what it 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:51.519 is. It's a tribal God. with these myths, we should 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:54.160 understand, you know, that this is what we have 00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:58.339 been living with, and it's not the truth. Not 00:07:58.339 --> 00:08:00.459 the truth that we're looking for, or at least 00:08:00.459 --> 00:08:03.279 that I'm putting this on you, you know, but the 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:07.319 truth that you're looking for. You want the truth 00:08:07.319 --> 00:08:16.019 what is? And some people believe so strongly 00:08:16.019 --> 00:08:20.920 in these myths that... have been ground into 00:08:20.920 --> 00:08:24.639 us, that they will invent things to keep them 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:34.679 going. They invent things in their lives to make 00:08:34.679 --> 00:08:41.799 them misfit. And they don't think they're lying. 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:47.679 Not at all. Because they have these beliefs. 00:08:49.710 --> 00:08:53.610 and they invent on top of the beliefs why that's 00:08:53.610 --> 00:09:01.990 okay. That's how they cope. We are conditioned 00:09:01.990 --> 00:09:09.610 by these myths and now we're seeking the truth 00:09:09.610 --> 00:09:18.549 and they become barriers, these myths. And when 00:09:18.549 --> 00:09:21.509 we are confronted with this myth within ourselves 00:09:21.509 --> 00:09:24.850 or some version of it, it's difficult to reflect 00:09:24.850 --> 00:09:29.490 on that which really is because we're enmeshed, 00:09:29.490 --> 00:09:42.210 as it were, in the myth, in the barrier. Also, 00:09:42.509 --> 00:09:45.950 this truth that we're looking for is not a logical 00:09:45.950 --> 00:09:49.059 conclusion. You can't put two and two together 00:09:49.059 --> 00:09:55.320 and come up with four in this instance. You know, 00:09:55.460 --> 00:09:58.000 it's like we're pro -ing and con -ing. I can 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:00.299 add this and I can take this away and jiggle 00:10:00.299 --> 00:10:03.440 these things around and oh, that's what it is 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:05.980 because you see the mind has come up with something 00:10:05.980 --> 00:10:12.259 now. It isn't that at all. It is rather a reality. 00:10:14.990 --> 00:10:18.889 It is the numinal and the phenomenal reality. 00:10:22.669 --> 00:10:26.789 And being so surrounded by phenomenal reality 00:10:26.789 --> 00:10:31.610 and numinal reality, how is it that we can't 00:10:31.610 --> 00:10:38.769 seem to find it? It's incredible, huh? It's everywhere. 00:10:39.690 --> 00:10:41.929 There is not a place that you can look that it 00:10:41.929 --> 00:10:47.899 is not. Of course, once you see it, it's very 00:10:47.899 --> 00:10:50.139 obvious that this is what it is. This is the 00:10:50.139 --> 00:10:52.500 kind of world we live in. We live in God's world 00:10:52.500 --> 00:11:02.019 in reality. Also, when it boils down to the nitty 00:11:02.019 --> 00:11:09.899 gritties, truth is not an idea. I have ideas. 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:13.500 I have had ideas all down through the years. 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:17.070 We all have ideas. I have an idea that I'm a 00:11:17.070 --> 00:11:22.110 woman and my hair is blonde and my eyes are blue 00:11:22.110 --> 00:11:28.110 and all this kind of stuff. Well, so we can say 00:11:28.110 --> 00:11:31.769 then our ideas are if we were born in India we 00:11:31.769 --> 00:11:35.070 would say I'm a Hindu or I could say I'm a Sufi 00:11:35.070 --> 00:11:38.350 or I could say I'm a Christian or I could say 00:11:38.350 --> 00:11:44.950 I'm a Zenist. And if this idea is persistent 00:11:44.950 --> 00:11:50.950 in the mind, it's a barrier. And then we have 00:11:50.950 --> 00:12:00.370 such barriers as, I am poor. Which means being 00:12:00.370 --> 00:12:04.009 poor I can get through the gate faster than if 00:12:04.009 --> 00:12:16.389 I had money. Not true. This isn't the kind of 00:12:16.389 --> 00:12:21.169 poor that Jesus was speaking of. And then we 00:12:21.169 --> 00:12:25.169 come to this little thing of I'm worthy and I'm 00:12:25.169 --> 00:12:31.669 not worthy. Barriers. They're ideas that we hold. 00:12:33.970 --> 00:12:37.529 So we not only have ideas, we have foolish ideas. 00:12:37.669 --> 00:12:40.210 And not only do we have foolish ideas, we pride 00:12:40.210 --> 00:12:48.970 ourselves on them. Well, it's a fact. You know, 00:12:48.970 --> 00:12:51.429 we got both ends of the pole, you know, this 00:12:51.429 --> 00:12:55.470 thick. Poor me, I am so unworthy. Or look at 00:12:55.470 --> 00:12:58.850 me, how lucky I am. Both of them, ego trips. 00:13:00.990 --> 00:13:08.190 Yeah. And then, you know, holding to these ideas, 00:13:08.470 --> 00:13:11.429 we come, you know, I don't really know the truth, 00:13:11.809 --> 00:13:15.899 but I have a great many ideas about it. You see, 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:19.259 and already we've got another barrier. I mean 00:13:19.259 --> 00:13:20.440 either you're gonna know it or you don't know 00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:22.980 it. This kind of truth is not, I haven't got 00:13:22.980 --> 00:13:28.200 many ideas about it. So just drop the whole cotton 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:33.620 pickin' mess, you know. And if you do, you just 00:13:33.620 --> 00:13:38.600 drop it all. There you are confirming the truth. 00:13:40.820 --> 00:13:47.110 You're just facing this truth itself. Or is this 00:13:47.110 --> 00:14:00.690 what you are fearful will happen? So we are admonished 00:14:00.690 --> 00:14:11.269 to look within. Go in, look within. What we think 00:14:11.269 --> 00:14:17.379 we know. What we have been told, what we think 00:14:17.379 --> 00:14:20.279 we know, we have acquired, we've been told or 00:14:20.279 --> 00:14:23.820 we've read or we've heard or however, this is 00:14:23.820 --> 00:14:33.659 not your knowing. These are disturbances in the 00:14:33.659 --> 00:14:52.129 mind. If it's not yours, it's not authentic. 00:14:54.090 --> 00:14:59.009 If you have not witnessed the truth or the reality 00:14:59.009 --> 00:15:04.350 or whatever, if you haven't witnessed it, then 00:15:04.350 --> 00:15:10.809 what you're spouting is not authentic. The truth 00:15:10.809 --> 00:15:20.279 must be perceived, seen, Look at it. Just to 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:25.519 look at it, huh? And for you to see it directly, 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:31.299 I mean, booms, you know, the truth. I mean, the 00:15:31.299 --> 00:15:34.399 vastness of this world. It's so immeasurable 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:40.379 and it is so tiny. To perceive it, you know, 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:44.620 directly, as it is, so that it is the truth you 00:15:44.620 --> 00:15:47.320 are seeing. It takes a lot of effort on your 00:15:47.320 --> 00:15:53.500 part. Your payment for this truth is your effort. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:59.100 And there is nothing in this world that's for 00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:05.440 free. You pay your money and you take your choice 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:09.139 always. There is nothing in this world that doesn't 00:16:09.139 --> 00:16:13.440 require some kind of effort. And you can go up 00:16:13.440 --> 00:16:18.399 and down the ladder. Birds work. Look at them 00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:22.580 work. All day long, out gathering food and they 00:16:22.580 --> 00:16:25.620 pick up little pieces of straw and grass and 00:16:25.620 --> 00:16:27.700 they build their little nest and they feed their 00:16:27.700 --> 00:16:30.159 young. And you know, they almost starve themselves 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:33.279 trying to feed their young. They're busy, busy, 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:36.220 busy, busy. And all the time they're singing 00:16:36.220 --> 00:16:39.220 and they're joyful. You know, they're living. 00:16:40.580 --> 00:16:48.059 But they're paying. Animals the same. Foxes dig 00:16:48.059 --> 00:16:50.639 holes and have their young you know then they 00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:52.779 got to run around and gather food for them and 00:16:52.779 --> 00:16:57.940 protect them This is the world over Whatever 00:16:57.940 --> 00:17:02.059 you want be it a roof over your head or food 00:17:02.059 --> 00:17:07.180 for your stomach or food for your emotions You 00:17:07.180 --> 00:17:12.259 know which is coping or with a relationship That's 00:17:12.259 --> 00:17:16.470 food for the emotions You can starve, you know, 00:17:16.529 --> 00:17:23.670 emotionally. And then we have food for the mind. 00:17:24.750 --> 00:17:28.289 You read, you listen to television, and what 00:17:28.289 --> 00:17:33.890 are you feeding your mind? And then as human 00:17:33.890 --> 00:17:39.049 beings, we need food for the spirit, you know, 00:17:39.769 --> 00:17:44.569 so that it can become manifest. So that we have 00:17:44.569 --> 00:17:48.289 then our meditation, which is our effort, and 00:17:48.289 --> 00:17:55.230 it's our discipline. It's our payment. Food. 00:17:56.529 --> 00:18:05.029 So the spirit can live in us. Now, wherever we 00:18:05.029 --> 00:18:11.150 were born, whether it was in Europe or Japan, 00:18:12.390 --> 00:18:16.359 I've written... It's true. Speaking of Japan, 00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:22.599 China, United States, all of this is accidental. 00:18:23.980 --> 00:18:29.619 Wherever you're born, it's an accident. Remember 00:18:29.619 --> 00:18:33.539 that. We've hooked into some things. We do not 00:18:33.539 --> 00:18:38.500 like to acknowledge that it's to no purpose. 00:18:39.660 --> 00:18:44.869 No. What we relieve as a religion from childhood 00:18:44.869 --> 00:18:48.910 on is also accidental. Because wherever we're 00:18:48.910 --> 00:18:54.049 born, that's the religion we're taught in. And 00:18:54.049 --> 00:18:59.869 from this accident, we must extract ourselves. 00:19:06.109 --> 00:19:09.029 Now looking at our lives here in this western 00:19:09.029 --> 00:19:13.309 culture, this western world, We would like to 00:19:13.309 --> 00:19:18.630 be awake. After all, that's why we sit. We want 00:19:18.630 --> 00:19:20.529 to know this thing. We want to know the Dharma, 00:19:20.710 --> 00:19:22.369 and we want to know the truth, and we want to 00:19:22.369 --> 00:19:25.309 know the Buddha, and we want to know what really 00:19:25.309 --> 00:19:29.250 is a sangha, and so on and so forth. Right? Sure. 00:19:29.829 --> 00:19:32.710 Whatever effort you make, whatever effort you 00:19:32.710 --> 00:19:35.990 are making, whatever effort they are making in 00:19:35.990 --> 00:19:41.859 the monasteries in Japan, and in China, and in 00:19:41.859 --> 00:19:47.619 Europe, and in India, and in these United States 00:19:47.619 --> 00:19:59.180 are mediocre compared to that of Buddha. You 00:19:59.180 --> 00:20:04.220 know, when he discovered these four gates, he 00:20:04.220 --> 00:20:09.039 told his attendant to get his horse and he rode 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:13.059 out. to the edge of the forest and gave the horse 00:20:13.059 --> 00:20:17.500 to the attendant and told him to go back. And 00:20:17.500 --> 00:20:20.380 there was a cemetery there and some executed 00:20:20.380 --> 00:20:26.579 convicts were there ready to be buried. And he 00:20:26.579 --> 00:20:32.160 took their clothes and gave his clothes to his 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:33.539 attendant and told him to give them to the poor 00:20:33.539 --> 00:20:37.579 people and sent them back. And he went on ahead. 00:20:38.329 --> 00:20:45.390 In India at that time, convicts wore saffron 00:20:45.390 --> 00:20:50.490 -colored robes. And this is how come the Buddhist 00:20:50.490 --> 00:20:56.809 monks wear saffron -colored robes, because the 00:20:56.809 --> 00:21:00.269 Buddha stole them there from these dead people 00:21:00.269 --> 00:21:04.690 out of their graves way back when. And with his 00:21:04.690 --> 00:21:11.339 sword, he cut off his hair. And he vowed that 00:21:11.339 --> 00:21:15.619 the robe, the clothes that he had on, and that 00:21:15.619 --> 00:21:18.240 he was going to get a bowl that was all that 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:23.000 he would own. And he would eat only such food 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:25.380 as was given him. And of course, we've got to 00:21:25.380 --> 00:21:30.240 realize that at that time in India, the holy 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:38.690 ones were given food by the people. devout people 00:21:38.690 --> 00:21:41.529 who hoped that this way they would attain some 00:21:41.529 --> 00:21:46.410 merit, you know, by feeding one who was holy. 00:21:50.869 --> 00:21:56.109 Anyway, think of the courage this man had. I 00:21:56.109 --> 00:22:00.309 mean, he's a prince, lived in a palace, had everything, 00:22:00.569 --> 00:22:09.529 and now he comes to this. And wandering through 00:22:09.529 --> 00:22:12.650 the forest, he came to these teachers, and he 00:22:12.650 --> 00:22:15.910 studied with the best that he could find, matching 00:22:15.910 --> 00:22:19.390 them in their austerities and going even further 00:22:19.390 --> 00:22:24.789 with his mortifications, as they call it. And 00:22:24.789 --> 00:22:27.230 then discovering, because he would sit and he 00:22:27.230 --> 00:22:32.289 would have these experiences, and this light 00:22:32.289 --> 00:22:37.109 would shine in him. He always said, be a lamp 00:22:37.109 --> 00:22:40.740 unto yourself. this light would shine in him. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:43.380 And he found that these teachers he was with 00:22:43.380 --> 00:22:46.859 hadn't reached the goal that he had. So he'd 00:22:46.859 --> 00:22:50.079 move on to some other teachers. And finally, 00:22:50.200 --> 00:22:52.680 after about six years, he went off on his own 00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:56.380 because he couldn't find anybody else. And he 00:22:56.380 --> 00:22:58.859 wandered around through the forest and he punished 00:22:58.859 --> 00:23:02.000 his body, you know, thinking that maybe these 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:04.700 teachers that didn't know as much as he did, 00:23:04.700 --> 00:23:07.039 you know, hadn't been severe enough with the 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:13.109 body. They hadn't been austere enough. So he 00:23:13.109 --> 00:23:15.630 starved himself to break identification with 00:23:15.630 --> 00:23:21.630 the body. And he at that time became so emaciated 00:23:21.630 --> 00:23:23.710 that he came to this little stream and he couldn't 00:23:23.710 --> 00:23:29.650 get across. And he was so skinny that if he went 00:23:29.650 --> 00:23:33.809 like that and he could feel a spine through his 00:23:33.809 --> 00:23:39.769 stomach. And at that time he had these five followers. 00:23:41.109 --> 00:23:44.750 And they followed him because of his intense 00:23:44.750 --> 00:23:47.809 austerities. Oh, they thought this was wonderful. 00:23:47.809 --> 00:23:50.470 This is the way to do it. You know, every people 00:23:50.470 --> 00:23:52.390 over there, they sleep on nails and all that 00:23:52.390 --> 00:23:56.130 kind of stuff. This is the way to do it. And 00:23:56.130 --> 00:23:58.529 then not being able to get across this little 00:23:58.529 --> 00:24:01.890 stream, he realized he didn't have any strength. 00:24:03.970 --> 00:24:07.009 And he realized also in thinking the thing through, 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:10.839 that he was not thinking things through, that 00:24:10.839 --> 00:24:12.799 he was no longer meditating well. It had been 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:18.200 a long time since he had had this light, you 00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:24.160 know, shining. He couldn't sustain the concentration, 00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:30.420 you know, and so he ate. This woman came down 00:24:30.420 --> 00:24:34.799 to the stream and fed him. She came down to... 00:24:34.650 --> 00:24:36.589 wash her clothes or something, get water for 00:24:36.589 --> 00:24:41.930 the baby. She had a new little baby. And so she 00:24:41.930 --> 00:24:44.650 fed him. And these five followers were aghast. 00:24:45.569 --> 00:24:47.549 You know, they followed him because he was doing 00:24:47.549 --> 00:24:52.029 this, you know, all these austerities. And here 00:24:52.029 --> 00:24:55.950 he changed around. And so they left him and he 00:24:55.950 --> 00:25:01.890 was alone. So what with this woman feeding him, 00:25:01.890 --> 00:25:06.130 why he regained his strength? And then he found 00:25:06.130 --> 00:25:11.369 this very tranquil spot under a fig tree and 00:25:11.369 --> 00:25:15.569 he covered it all nice with fresh grass and he 00:25:15.569 --> 00:25:19.269 folded his legs under him and drawing himself 00:25:19.269 --> 00:25:23.349 very straight. He took a very solemn vow that, 00:25:23.490 --> 00:25:26.970 come what may, you know, let my body rot and 00:25:26.970 --> 00:25:30.970 let my bones turn to ashes. I will not get up 00:25:30.970 --> 00:25:34.549 from here. Until I have found the way beyond 00:25:34.549 --> 00:25:41.690 death and decay You see what we do is mediocre 00:25:41.690 --> 00:25:48.089 Hmm yeah now when he sat down the moon was rising 00:25:48.089 --> 00:25:52.750 I Mean it was really a beautiful tranquil night 00:25:52.750 --> 00:25:57.009 and He was filled with this determination and 00:25:57.009 --> 00:25:59.369 he had all this peace within him that he had 00:25:59.369 --> 00:26:02.539 now the strength once more to do it and he entered 00:26:02.539 --> 00:26:06.720 a very deep meditation. The senses all closed 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:12.299 down. Deep meditation. And this concentration 00:26:12.299 --> 00:26:17.059 within him flowed completely undisturbed by the 00:26:17.059 --> 00:26:24.220 whole outer world and the inner world. And then, 00:26:24.299 --> 00:26:28.980 as the legend goes, Amata appeared before him. 00:26:30.730 --> 00:26:34.369 the tempter, just as the Satan came to Jesus 00:26:34.369 --> 00:26:38.190 in the desert. Pretty much the same thing now. 00:26:38.910 --> 00:26:43.509 It is interesting how parallel these myths are. 00:26:45.569 --> 00:26:50.910 Mata is the Hindu god of death and he represents 00:26:50.910 --> 00:27:00.089 every selfish passion. They call him the striker. 00:27:01.650 --> 00:27:04.849 Because he attacks without warning, as you well 00:27:04.849 --> 00:27:09.750 know. And as you also well know, he never plays 00:27:09.750 --> 00:27:15.589 by our rules. He has his own, and as far as he's 00:27:15.589 --> 00:27:19.109 concerned, any kind of entrapment is fair. Fair 00:27:19.109 --> 00:27:24.390 game. Yup. Rules, you know, after all these are 00:27:24.390 --> 00:27:29.220 our ideas. So Mara sent first these beautiful 00:27:29.220 --> 00:27:32.980 daughters that he had, these dancing women that 00:27:32.980 --> 00:27:36.940 cavorted around the Buddha as he sat there. And 00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:41.220 he was unmoved. He just simply deepened the meditation. 00:27:42.539 --> 00:27:46.720 And then Mara came at him with his army. Lust, 00:27:47.559 --> 00:27:52.319 cowardice, doubt, hypocrisy, desire for fame, 00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:57.480 desire for honor. And like a mountain, the Buddha 00:27:57.480 --> 00:28:07.619 sat there, plunging into consciousness. So finally, 00:28:08.019 --> 00:28:13.220 Mara appeared in person and challenged him. Who 00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:16.519 had given him the right to escape this realm? 00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:23.500 This realm of death and decay. Who had given 00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:28.589 him the right? to do this. And the Buddha didn't 00:28:28.589 --> 00:28:31.789 argue with him. He simply, this is the place 00:28:31.789 --> 00:28:36.450 where he placed his palm on the earth, and the 00:28:36.450 --> 00:28:41.369 earth itself gave witness, you know. And it was 00:28:41.369 --> 00:28:48.049 like a cry, the sound of the witnessing of the 00:28:48.049 --> 00:28:56.459 birds and the animals, all of nature. responding, 00:28:56.459 --> 00:29:01.640 crying. They felt he had come to rescue. There 00:29:01.640 --> 00:29:08.579 was a way out of death and decay, out of sorrow. 00:29:11.799 --> 00:29:16.259 So in front of this, Mara again retreated. And 00:29:16.259 --> 00:29:20.380 then in the morning, the Buddha opened his eyes 00:29:20.380 --> 00:29:24.460 and he saw the morning star. and the tree under 00:29:24.460 --> 00:29:27.339 which he was sitting burst into bloom and showered 00:29:27.339 --> 00:29:33.220 him with blossoms. He was the Buddha. He was 00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:42.940 he who is awake. He had escaped death. Then this 00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:47.920 Mara played another card and he came to him and 00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:53.369 he says, you, you, you, he whispered, you. You 00:29:53.369 --> 00:29:57.869 have escaped from my realm. You have plumbed 00:29:57.869 --> 00:30:02.250 the depths of consciousness. And you know well 00:30:02.250 --> 00:30:07.589 how difficult it is. You sought with clear eyes. 00:30:08.269 --> 00:30:12.990 Others' eyes are covered with dust, seeking only 00:30:12.990 --> 00:30:18.089 their own satisfaction. Do you see anyone throwing 00:30:18.089 --> 00:30:21.819 away the toys of the world? even in the midst 00:30:21.819 --> 00:30:29.799 of sorrow. Do you really think they will listen 00:30:29.799 --> 00:30:36.619 to you? How many will even try to wipe the dust 00:30:36.619 --> 00:30:42.200 from their eyes? And this shook the Buddha. He 00:30:42.200 --> 00:30:45.279 was shocked by this. It never occurred to him, 00:30:45.539 --> 00:30:48.240 you know. He hadn't thought about it before. 00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:51.819 You know, if he's looking, naturally everybody 00:30:51.819 --> 00:30:55.700 else is looking. Naturally everybody else is 00:30:55.700 --> 00:30:58.759 looking. Like I said to Henry once, you know, 00:30:59.039 --> 00:31:01.380 it would be nice if you said this and this and 00:31:01.380 --> 00:31:03.440 this along this line while you're talking to 00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:05.819 the group. There are some of those who are seeking. 00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:15.240 Oh yes, of course, isn't everybody? Anyway, is 00:31:15.240 --> 00:31:18.480 Buddha now sitting under this tree? He's sitting 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:21.700 there and he's beginning to think and reflect 00:31:21.700 --> 00:31:28.500 upon the impossibility of his mission. Who would 00:31:28.500 --> 00:31:37.039 listen? Listen. And then not only not listening, 00:31:37.420 --> 00:31:40.880 who would even act upon his words that love begets 00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:48.640 love? Guided by their own passions, How many 00:31:48.640 --> 00:31:52.119 would be willing to make the effort to base their 00:31:52.119 --> 00:31:58.380 lives on this truth that love begets love? And 00:31:58.380 --> 00:32:03.819 he sat there, weeks, and finally his confidence 00:32:03.819 --> 00:32:09.140 rebuilt. Maybe there's a few. You know, as I 00:32:09.140 --> 00:32:13.700 said, hope springs in the heart eternal. Terrible. 00:32:14.740 --> 00:32:18.069 Certainly everyone desires There is an end to 00:32:18.069 --> 00:32:20.849 suffering and sorrow. Even if they don't want 00:32:20.849 --> 00:32:23.109 to be waken, do I? They at least want to get 00:32:23.109 --> 00:32:29.750 out of their suffering. Sure. Sure. To those 00:32:29.750 --> 00:32:36.410 who will listen, I will teach the Dharma. And 00:32:36.410 --> 00:32:40.250 for those who act upon it, the Dharma itself 00:32:40.250 --> 00:32:47.440 will set them free. And so he worked. some further 00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:51.400 weeks about how he would present what he knew 00:32:51.400 --> 00:32:55.980 and then he set forth to teach. See, now he could 00:32:55.980 --> 00:33:00.619 help others. He could help others make this same 00:33:00.619 --> 00:33:03.259 crossing that he did out of the realm of death 00:33:03.259 --> 00:33:08.319 and decay into the realm of eternal life. So 00:33:08.319 --> 00:33:12.240 they think of him and he has been called a cosmic 00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:16.259 ferryman, you know, the ferryboat, and he's represented 00:33:17.470 --> 00:33:20.569 as, you know, being on this ferry boat, little 00:33:20.569 --> 00:33:23.990 boat, that he's got this long stick and he's 00:33:23.990 --> 00:33:26.730 guiding his way over, you know, and he has been 00:33:26.730 --> 00:33:29.950 there represented as calling to others, you know, 00:33:29.950 --> 00:33:34.890 when he's out in this boat. Anybody for the other 00:33:34.890 --> 00:33:49.099 shore? Anyway, interesting. Truth is always the 00:33:49.099 --> 00:33:57.680 truth. False is always a false. The truth is 00:33:57.680 --> 00:34:04.220 always the truth. This is what matters. And out 00:34:04.220 --> 00:34:07.119 of this, we have right desire that we want to 00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:11.820 know the right way. And wanting to know the right 00:34:11.820 --> 00:34:15.480 way, we can finally have the right action. See, 00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:19.389 out of this, then he built his... noble eightfold 00:34:19.389 --> 00:34:27.630 path. So, mistaking the false for the true and 00:34:27.630 --> 00:34:30.849 the true for the false, we overlook the heart 00:34:30.849 --> 00:34:40.190 and we fill ourselves with desire. The ancient 00:34:40.190 --> 00:34:45.190 Greeks, thousands of years ago, several, they 00:34:45.190 --> 00:34:49.239 held to the belief that the heart was the seat 00:34:49.239 --> 00:34:57.039 of wisdom and that what we felt was more true 00:34:57.039 --> 00:35:07.219 than what we thought. Of course, the heart feeling, 00:35:07.260 --> 00:35:09.699 you know, this is more of an intuition type of 00:35:09.699 --> 00:35:12.099 thing, not instinctual so much as intuitive. 00:35:12.699 --> 00:35:17.599 What we feel intuitive are hearts. But then and 00:35:17.599 --> 00:35:20.539 we could also view it from a purely physical 00:35:20.539 --> 00:35:25.239 point of view, you know the heart It beats and 00:35:25.239 --> 00:35:28.739 it beats and it beats beats all the time all 00:35:28.739 --> 00:35:34.619 the time Day and night it beats and it is always 00:35:34.619 --> 00:35:38.920 Pulsating in this present. It is always now as 00:35:38.920 --> 00:35:43.480 far as the heart is concerned always in the head 00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:48.449 It's never now in the heart always now. In the 00:35:48.449 --> 00:35:51.750 head we got memories of the past and we got future 00:35:51.750 --> 00:35:58.869 desires. Heart doesn't have any desires. It doesn't 00:35:58.869 --> 00:36:03.369 have any memories. It doesn't know anything about 00:36:03.369 --> 00:36:06.889 what you've been taught. Your intuition doesn't 00:36:06.889 --> 00:36:10.409 or even your heart beating doesn't know all this 00:36:10.409 --> 00:36:14.400 stuff that we've been taught. Intuition knows 00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:19.579 nothing of tradition, nothing. The heart just 00:36:19.579 --> 00:36:27.119 beats now, now, now, always. So that, you know, 00:36:27.159 --> 00:36:34.139 there is an old exercise that when you're perplexed 00:36:34.139 --> 00:36:37.480 and you're not coping well, just listen to the 00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:40.300 beat of your heart and get in tune with it and 00:36:40.300 --> 00:36:46.480 you'll be okay. You'll just be okay. Remember 00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:49.260 it next time you get angry. Go back to your heart. 00:36:50.199 --> 00:37:00.980 Just watch it beat. You know, that's what the 00:37:00.980 --> 00:37:03.820 Greek said, the heart lives in God. It's always 00:37:03.820 --> 00:37:11.940 now. Where do you live? In the head, huh? In 00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:19.500 the heart? In the head? It's been said that the 00:37:19.500 --> 00:37:22.559 head is the problem and the heart is the solution. 00:37:26.400 --> 00:37:32.000 And then that we look at the true and see it 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:37.239 as false. Or that the false appears to be true 00:37:37.239 --> 00:37:43.340 because we have become false to ourselves. to 00:37:43.340 --> 00:37:48.920 this heart. We no longer try to pick up the intuition 00:37:48.920 --> 00:37:55.400 and let it work. To know the truth is truth. 00:37:57.260 --> 00:38:05.239 That's waking up. Coming home. Coming home. Now 00:38:05.239 --> 00:38:08.159 the Buddha doesn't say, follow the scriptures. 00:38:11.690 --> 00:38:17.909 He doesn't say, follow me. He's not training 00:38:17.909 --> 00:38:21.389 you to create a certain type of character to 00:38:21.389 --> 00:38:25.929 present to the world. What you're doing is working 00:38:25.929 --> 00:38:32.409 to be rid of all types so that you can be you. 00:38:33.869 --> 00:38:37.929 So instead of trying to make you over in a particular 00:38:37.929 --> 00:38:45.000 way to present, your good manners and your good 00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:50.420 looks to the world. He takes it away and gives 00:38:50.420 --> 00:38:55.619 you in its place courage. He's always giving 00:38:55.619 --> 00:38:58.480 you encouragement to follow your own nature. 00:38:59.840 --> 00:39:04.500 Be true to yourself. Be true to yourself. Be 00:39:04.500 --> 00:39:10.579 strong enough to listen to your own heart. Be 00:39:10.579 --> 00:39:13.539 true to your nature. What he means is be true 00:39:13.539 --> 00:39:17.699 to the Dharma. Follow the Dharma. The Dharma 00:39:17.699 --> 00:39:22.039 is your nature. Just as water flows downhill 00:39:22.039 --> 00:39:29.079 and fire rises. There's a certain nature in you. 00:39:32.320 --> 00:39:37.019 And when all the conditionings are dropped, suddenly 00:39:37.019 --> 00:39:42.139 there's your nature. And that's the Dharma. And 00:39:42.139 --> 00:39:45.800 to become this real self, or sometimes we call 00:39:45.800 --> 00:39:48.400 it the no -self, or the true self, or the true 00:39:48.400 --> 00:39:54.760 identity, this is the inexhaustible law. Man 00:39:54.760 --> 00:40:01.420 is a potential god. We are not god, but we are 00:40:01.420 --> 00:40:12.469 gods. A person might say that our nature is consciousness. 00:40:16.750 --> 00:40:23.730 Well, what does that tell you? Nothing. I tell 00:40:23.730 --> 00:40:30.349 you, your nature is consciousness. What does 00:40:30.349 --> 00:40:37.309 consciousness do? How does it act? What does 00:40:37.309 --> 00:40:42.469 it think? Does it follow certain precepts? Does 00:40:42.469 --> 00:40:47.849 it go after the Ten Commandments? Does it tell 00:40:47.849 --> 00:40:50.670 you to go to church every Sunday? Is this consciousness? 00:40:51.250 --> 00:40:55.190 Is this what it does? What about this consciousness? 00:40:55.769 --> 00:40:58.010 Come on, you're conscious. You're sitting there 00:40:58.010 --> 00:41:01.090 and you're very conscious. Well, almost. But 00:41:01.090 --> 00:41:05.530 anyway, you're conscious after a fashion. What 00:41:05.530 --> 00:41:09.500 about this consciousness? Hmm? What about it? 00:41:10.500 --> 00:41:13.860 How does it act? Does it tell you what to do? 00:41:14.260 --> 00:41:20.659 Are you always telling it? You know, it's like 00:41:20.659 --> 00:41:26.300 we're living in a cage. In our conditioning, 00:41:26.840 --> 00:41:31.239 you know? It's a cage around us. And even if 00:41:31.239 --> 00:41:34.739 circumstances changed, which our circumstances 00:41:34.739 --> 00:41:38.679 have changed from time to time, You know, they 00:41:38.679 --> 00:41:40.719 do have, you know, if you look back over your 00:41:40.719 --> 00:41:45.579 lives, they have changed. But we keep right on 00:41:45.579 --> 00:41:48.320 with the characteristics that we picked up in 00:41:48.320 --> 00:41:51.300 these first few years and we just keep repeating 00:41:51.300 --> 00:41:54.280 them. They may not even fit the circumstances 00:41:54.280 --> 00:41:58.860 anymore, but we keep right on trying to put all 00:41:58.860 --> 00:42:02.019 of our past conditioning into the present situation. 00:42:02.320 --> 00:42:07.010 And no wonder the shoe doesn't fit. with something 00:42:07.010 --> 00:42:14.590 that we're doing you know the very at the very 00:42:14.590 --> 00:42:18.030 beginning when this the context of the situation 00:42:18.030 --> 00:42:21.789 whereby we develop these characteristics maybe 00:42:21.789 --> 00:42:25.570 they were meaningful at the time but that situation 00:42:25.570 --> 00:42:30.280 has certainly disappeared a long time ago But 00:42:30.280 --> 00:42:33.000 we're just repeating the same of thoughts and 00:42:33.000 --> 00:42:36.659 the same desires and the same fears and the same 00:42:36.659 --> 00:42:41.480 hopes and the same beliefs etc. etc. and so on. 00:42:43.659 --> 00:42:46.239 Did we find out what it was in Spanish? I looked 00:42:46.239 --> 00:42:47.800 it up and they don't have such a thing. They 00:42:47.800 --> 00:42:49.760 got on and on but I can't remember what that 00:42:49.760 --> 00:42:52.320 is. And then there's such a thing in the French. 00:42:53.480 --> 00:42:56.559 It's probably etc. again. Yeah, that's what it 00:42:56.559 --> 00:43:02.920 is. Maybe I better learn Greek. They must have 00:43:02.920 --> 00:43:08.239 a word for it. So anyway, now basically by and 00:43:08.239 --> 00:43:11.980 large we react to situations. So that we're putting 00:43:11.980 --> 00:43:15.420 our conditioning into the thing, you know. We 00:43:15.420 --> 00:43:23.119 don't respond. We react. A man of consciousness 00:43:23.119 --> 00:43:29.630 responds. You know, there comes about this certain 00:43:29.630 --> 00:43:34.050 spontaneity. He is reflecting what confronts 00:43:34.050 --> 00:43:37.230 him. He's not trying to get his conditioning 00:43:37.230 --> 00:43:46.269 crowded into the situation. Reaction is quite 00:43:46.269 --> 00:43:51.369 a different action than response. In response, 00:43:53.130 --> 00:44:02.079 you are the action. That's responding. Reaction 00:44:02.079 --> 00:44:04.559 is, oh my God, I'm going to put this in here, 00:44:04.820 --> 00:44:09.199 fill them it up. As opposed to the reaction, 00:44:09.440 --> 00:44:15.760 the response being you. And I mentioned this 00:44:15.760 --> 00:44:19.039 before earlier, this go within, going within, 00:44:19.480 --> 00:44:23.059 turn within. And people come to me with the question, 00:44:23.199 --> 00:44:26.239 you know, what do you mean by in? How do you 00:44:26.239 --> 00:44:35.679 go in? What's in? This idea is not new to the 00:44:35.679 --> 00:44:41.340 West, you know. The religions, the so -called 00:44:41.340 --> 00:44:44.380 new religions that have come over, you know, 00:44:44.960 --> 00:44:48.940 from the East, you know. They're not saying something 00:44:48.940 --> 00:44:52.480 so foreign by saying go within. Jesus said it, 00:44:52.480 --> 00:44:55.360 you know. The kingdom of heaven is within you. 00:44:56.409 --> 00:45:02.429 Why stand she gazing? Go within. That's what 00:45:02.429 --> 00:45:08.610 he meant. Go within. We always seem to go out. 00:45:09.369 --> 00:45:13.130 Our eyes reach out there, looking, searching. 00:45:14.449 --> 00:45:17.809 The ears reach out there, listening for sound. 00:45:18.690 --> 00:45:25.309 The body wants to touch, you know. And the world 00:45:25.309 --> 00:45:29.210 comes from out there, so we're going out to meet 00:45:29.210 --> 00:45:33.570 it all the time. What is it then that goes in? 00:45:34.190 --> 00:45:39.969 What goes within? It sounds strange to some people, 00:45:40.329 --> 00:45:51.849 you know? Go in! Go home! No? Home! In! And Kierkegaard 00:45:51.849 --> 00:45:56.059 said, you know, at one point that Religion means 00:45:56.059 --> 00:46:02.280 inwardness. Inwardness. So turn around, you know. 00:46:02.599 --> 00:46:06.139 Mind has been going out. Turn it around and go 00:46:06.139 --> 00:46:13.820 in. You know, somewhere, once upon a time I read 00:46:13.820 --> 00:46:20.159 this article at Ford when he made his first cars, 00:46:21.059 --> 00:46:31.039 they had no reverse gear. The reverse gear was 00:46:31.039 --> 00:46:34.119 a later addition. And you know, that's a problem. 00:46:36.079 --> 00:46:37.940 Well, you wouldn't picture it. I mean, once in 00:46:37.940 --> 00:46:40.920 a while, you have any old tin jalopies we used 00:46:40.920 --> 00:46:43.460 to have, why the gears would go out and you couldn't 00:46:43.460 --> 00:46:46.480 go in reverse. Why, even if you wanted to back 00:46:46.480 --> 00:46:48.000 up just a few feet, you had to go all the way 00:46:48.000 --> 00:46:53.820 around the block. So a reverse is needed. Now 00:46:53.820 --> 00:46:57.579 and then, a reverse is needed. And we have it. 00:46:57.800 --> 00:47:04.929 It's built in. Hmm? Who has ever asked the question 00:47:04.929 --> 00:47:12.630 about going out? Nobody. Nobody. Huh? It's just 00:47:12.630 --> 00:47:15.750 plain natural if you go out. Nobody here has 00:47:15.750 --> 00:47:24.409 ever asked me, how do you go out? Huh? No. So 00:47:24.409 --> 00:47:25.989 I'll tell you something, going in is just as 00:47:25.989 --> 00:47:31.119 natural. Hmm. We've just forgotten how, because 00:47:31.119 --> 00:47:33.679 we've layered ourselves with all this sense data. 00:47:35.800 --> 00:47:39.880 So, when we think, it's out. Thinking is out, 00:47:40.239 --> 00:47:44.480 non -thinking is in. Without a thought, you try 00:47:44.480 --> 00:47:48.019 it sometime, without any thought, you can't go 00:47:48.019 --> 00:47:54.920 out. Does that say something for your meditation? 00:47:58.549 --> 00:48:05.389 Without a desire, you can't go out. Sitting silently, 00:48:05.869 --> 00:48:14.070 doing nothing. Where will you be? So go in. You 00:48:14.070 --> 00:48:20.449 simply stop going out. That's all. Going in simply 00:48:20.449 --> 00:48:30.369 means stop going. Just stop going. Isn't that 00:48:30.369 --> 00:48:38.690 simple? Yeah. And he speaks of here in this unreflecting 00:48:38.690 --> 00:48:45.150 mind doesn't shelter us. And he is not thinking 00:48:45.150 --> 00:48:49.889 or he doesn't mean a mind that is pro -ing and 00:48:49.889 --> 00:48:57.820 con -ing. A reflecting mind is a mind which is 00:48:57.820 --> 00:49:00.519 the ability of the mind itself. It reflects. 00:49:02.139 --> 00:49:06.679 This is the mirror mind. And a mirror mind is 00:49:06.679 --> 00:49:11.320 a reflecting mind. And an unreflecting mind is 00:49:11.320 --> 00:49:15.059 a mind that hasn't realized that it does reflect. 00:49:16.039 --> 00:49:19.980 So an unreflecting mind is not a good protection 00:49:19.980 --> 00:49:35.769 from the rains. Lazy cowherd. Counting others 00:49:35.769 --> 00:49:43.829 cows. Having none of his own. What good is parroting 00:49:43.829 --> 00:49:48.070 of holy texts if a man will not get up and gather 00:49:48.070 --> 00:49:53.150 holiness? What is the point of counting other 00:49:53.150 --> 00:50:00.610 people's cows? Well, he won't feed you. It won't 00:50:00.610 --> 00:50:06.130 nourish you, but in the name of religion it happens. 00:50:06.869 --> 00:50:09.469 In other areas too, but it's easier to see it 00:50:09.469 --> 00:50:14.269 here. Trying to make the scriptures, no matter 00:50:14.269 --> 00:50:18.150 which scriptures they are, the Vedas, the Upanishads, 00:50:18.789 --> 00:50:22.429 the Koran, the Bible, any of it, trying to make 00:50:22.429 --> 00:50:25.949 it conform to what you think it is, you know, 00:50:26.130 --> 00:50:29.079 to put into it your meaning. You're not supposed 00:50:29.079 --> 00:50:31.260 to put into it your meaning. You're supposed 00:50:31.260 --> 00:50:35.400 to understand what they mean. Don't put into 00:50:35.400 --> 00:50:37.820 it what you believe. What you believe may be 00:50:37.820 --> 00:50:39.719 wrong. Ten years from now you won't believe the 00:50:39.719 --> 00:50:44.760 same thing. I promise you. Some people spend 00:50:44.760 --> 00:50:47.659 their whole lives trying to explore what others 00:50:47.659 --> 00:50:54.380 think of passages in the scripture. Lazy cowherd. 00:50:56.400 --> 00:50:58.739 They read this into it and they read that into 00:50:58.739 --> 00:51:01.559 it. Well, why not just go in and perceive what 00:51:01.559 --> 00:51:06.900 it really is? You know, Jesus said, you must 00:51:06.900 --> 00:51:12.719 be born again. Well, what did he mean? Certainly 00:51:12.719 --> 00:51:15.019 that's not an emotional state and it is mostly 00:51:15.019 --> 00:51:21.099 interpreted as these days by televangelists. 00:51:24.820 --> 00:51:27.300 or like the man that I met at a party who had 00:51:27.300 --> 00:51:29.739 been reborn already four times and was looking 00:51:29.739 --> 00:51:42.280 forward to more. Neato, huh? No, and he also 00:51:42.280 --> 00:51:45.179 said foxes have their holes and birds have their 00:51:45.179 --> 00:51:48.760 nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay 00:51:48.760 --> 00:51:52.480 his head. What did he mean? Now, not your interpretation. 00:51:52.539 --> 00:51:55.260 You find out the truth. because that is a really 00:51:55.260 --> 00:51:58.480 good corn. The foxes have their holes and the 00:51:58.480 --> 00:52:00.920 birds have their nests, but the son of man hath 00:52:00.920 --> 00:52:04.780 nowhere to lay his head. What's he talking about? 00:52:07.320 --> 00:52:10.380 And in the Gospel of St. Thomas we find when 00:52:10.380 --> 00:52:13.519 you make the two as one and the above as the 00:52:13.519 --> 00:52:15.940 below and when you make eyes in the place of 00:52:15.940 --> 00:52:18.760 an eye and a hand in the place of a hand and 00:52:18.760 --> 00:52:20.860 a foot in the place of a foot and an image in 00:52:20.860 --> 00:52:25.380 the place of an image. What does he mean? What's 00:52:25.380 --> 00:52:33.019 he talking about? Very perplexing. And his disciples 00:52:33.019 --> 00:52:38.900 said to him, 24 prophets spoke in Israel, and 00:52:38.900 --> 00:52:41.880 they all spoke about thee. Because you know, 00:52:42.039 --> 00:52:45.159 in the Old Testament, there's always this, that 00:52:45.159 --> 00:52:47.719 the Messiah is going to come. And so there were 00:52:47.719 --> 00:52:52.900 24 prophets, and they all spoke about thee. They're 00:52:52.900 --> 00:52:56.940 saying to him and he said that you have dismissed 00:52:56.940 --> 00:53:01.780 the living one who is before you and You have 00:53:01.780 --> 00:53:13.099 spoken about the dead Going in This business 00:53:13.099 --> 00:53:16.480 of and maybe I can't do it and well Buddha could 00:53:16.480 --> 00:53:18.500 but look who he was. Well, that's who he was 00:53:18.500 --> 00:53:23.469 afterwards You know Before the Dharma, in front 00:53:23.469 --> 00:53:26.809 of the Dharma, within the Dharma, everyone is 00:53:26.809 --> 00:53:34.309 equal. How could it be otherwise? You have the 00:53:34.309 --> 00:53:37.570 same right as anyone else. And if you're hooked 00:53:37.570 --> 00:53:39.429 on that, which every once in a while somebody 00:53:39.429 --> 00:53:48.570 is, don't! You have every right to become awakened. 00:53:53.099 --> 00:53:57.119 Give up the old ways, he says, the passion, the 00:53:57.119 --> 00:54:02.059 enmity, the folly. Know the truth and find peace. 00:54:02.619 --> 00:54:07.559 Share the way. Well, this is, of course, your 00:54:07.559 --> 00:54:18.320 choice. There is a world of truth and peace waiting 00:54:18.320 --> 00:54:25.440 for you. We come with this beautiful thing of 00:54:25.440 --> 00:54:29.420 viva canandas. Thine only is the hand that holds 00:54:29.420 --> 00:54:34.539 the rope that drags thee on. Let go thy hold. 00:54:35.320 --> 00:54:41.239 Osandas and bold. Yeah. You know, we sit together. 00:54:42.760 --> 00:54:49.329 We're sharing the way. Now and then as we sit 00:54:49.329 --> 00:54:51.329 it's like there's all of our new when we walk, 00:54:51.510 --> 00:54:54.670 you know There's all of a sudden this one force. 00:54:54.869 --> 00:54:59.070 It's all become united and it's one and then 00:54:59.070 --> 00:55:04.989 meditation really happens And through the meditation 00:55:04.989 --> 00:55:10.210 the Dharma So you act upon the law and as you 00:55:10.210 --> 00:55:13.829 act upon the Dharma you act upon the truth you 00:55:13.829 --> 00:55:19.500 act upon the Dharma You act out of that. And 00:55:19.500 --> 00:55:24.780 never mind all this other little stuff that doesn't 00:55:24.780 --> 00:55:28.519 amount to a hill of beans anyway. Not really. 00:55:34.619 --> 00:55:37.360 And at one time, you know, King Melinda came 00:55:37.360 --> 00:55:49.730 to visit our little friend, Narva Zena. King 00:55:49.730 --> 00:55:52.389 Melinda asked to be taught. So somewhere down 00:55:52.389 --> 00:55:56.510 in, I mean, there's several books and two or 00:55:56.510 --> 00:56:00.309 three volumes about Nagazina and King Melinda. 00:56:01.590 --> 00:56:05.150 But King Melinda at one point asked Nagazina, 00:56:06.409 --> 00:56:10.869 have you respected Nagazina, seen the Buddha? 00:56:12.210 --> 00:56:24.429 No sire. Did your gurus see him? No, sire. Well, 00:56:24.510 --> 00:56:28.250 what if I say then that there is no such person 00:56:28.250 --> 00:56:37.750 as the Buddha? Sire, says Nagasena, have you 00:56:37.750 --> 00:56:43.550 ever seen the Himalayan River Uhá? No, Nagasena? 00:56:44.780 --> 00:56:48.400 Did your father ever see it? Not that I know 00:56:48.400 --> 00:56:53.699 of. Then there is no such river as Uhá. Oh, but 00:56:53.699 --> 00:56:57.619 there is, Nagazina, there is. I may not have 00:56:57.619 --> 00:57:00.300 seen it and my father may not have seen it, but 00:57:00.300 --> 00:57:06.880 there is a river called Uhá. So, sire, I may 00:57:06.880 --> 00:57:10.599 not have seen him and my gurus may not have seen 00:57:10.599 --> 00:57:18.409 him, but Buddha is. Good, holy Nagazina, says 00:57:18.409 --> 00:57:22.809 King Melinda. But is he greater than all? Is 00:57:22.809 --> 00:57:27.769 he really greater than all? Yes, sire. But you 00:57:27.769 --> 00:57:31.110 have not seen him, Nagazina. How do you know 00:57:31.110 --> 00:57:36.170 that he is greater than all? Let me explain, 00:57:36.309 --> 00:57:40.909 says Nagazina. Could those who have not seen 00:57:40.909 --> 00:57:47.409 the great ocean declare it to be powerful, deep, 00:57:48.289 --> 00:57:53.849 and immeasurable, and the fullness thereof unaffected, 00:57:54.050 --> 00:57:57.650 though the five great rivers flow into it all 00:57:57.650 --> 00:58:03.230 the time." Well, yes, they could. So could I, 00:58:03.409 --> 00:58:07.489 sire. I have seen great disciples who have attained 00:58:07.489 --> 00:58:12.250 nirvana declare that the Buddha is greater than 00:58:12.250 --> 00:58:19.619 all. But where is the Buddha? Here or there? 00:58:21.679 --> 00:58:26.639 Neither here nor there, Sire. What do you mean, 00:58:26.679 --> 00:58:33.139 Nagazina? Supposing, Sire, the flames of a great 00:58:33.139 --> 00:58:40.760 fire are extinguished. Where do they go? Here 00:58:40.760 --> 00:58:50.590 or there? Where? Neither here nor there, says 00:58:50.590 --> 00:58:55.829 King Malinda. So when the Buddha achieved nirvana, 00:58:56.050 --> 00:59:01.269 sire, he became neither here nor there. But you 00:59:01.269 --> 00:59:07.090 may know him by the Dharma. For he taught the 00:59:07.090 --> 00:59:16.170 Dharma and he left it behind. So this teaching 00:59:16.170 --> 00:59:20.750 of the Buddha goes... Words do not matter. What 00:59:20.750 --> 00:59:26.909 matters is the Dharma. What matters is action 00:59:26.909 --> 00:59:31.269 rightly performed after lust and hate and folly 00:59:31.269 --> 00:59:35.869 are abandoned with true knowledge and serene 00:59:35.869 --> 00:59:40.230 mind and complete detachment from the fruit of 00:59:40.230 --> 00:59:52.139 action. Act in the Dharma. If you find Lola's 00:59:52.139 --> 00:59:54.760 talks valuable, more will be posted in weeks 00:59:54.760 --> 00:59:55.199 to come.