Very rarely do I enjoy what I eat. Maybe once a week? No, maybe once a month. Or once every two or three months. Just one day when I really enjoy the food. Still, it’s not like before. When I was in primary or high school, I’d grab anything to eat, everything tasted delicious. Really, I could eat anything back then. These days, like now, you see me drinking tea and eating things – I don’t enjoy the taste at all. I’m telling you honestly. I’m just eating along with you; even if it’s bland, it’s fine. Just eat a little bit. So everyone feels that we are the same, and then you’ll feel more relaxed, and will listen to what I say. It wouldn’t fit in if we don’t eat something. Scriptures also need to be matched with something. It’s like bitter medicine must go with sweet pills. Let you relax first, and then you won’t feel tense when listening to my speech. If it’s too tight, I can’t bury things into your head. My tool would go kaput.
Why am I talking about these things? What was it before? What was it before this? What was it previously? (Meditation.) Yes, yes, yes. Meditation and retreat. You think you can relax and do whatever you want every day. Mostly you just fall asleep. Just lie there and sleep the whole day. You haven’t reached the level that you can sleep. Better don’t try it. Once you sleep, you truly sleep. You still don’t deserve to sleep that much. For example, after you have graduated and become a teacher, you don’t have to study anymore. Even if you study, it’s for the sake of your students. Every day you go to class and read books to teach your students. You yourself don’t have to work so hard. Even if you don’t want to read for a few days, it’s also fine.
If someone is a student, but every single day he doesn’t read books or study, when will he graduate? You may see the teacher dancing every day, socializing with others, or going to movies, but she’s a teacher! She doesn’t have to work hard since she has worked hard already. Understand? Don’t make comparisons. Compare “studying” and not “eating.” If you want to judge, you should first understand clearly. Otherwise, you can’t make comparisons. The teacher may be sleeping, but it’s not OK for you to sleep too. Yes, you can, you can, but like “go, go, go.” It’s not good. When others move up, you are repeating the grade. It’s not fun. You don’t have much wisdom yet, and you’re not relaxed mentally. Yet you complain, “Why can’t I sit stably now? I don’t want to look at Master, and I don’t want to meditate. I just want to beat someone up.” Yeah. We’ll get worse inside. Then we will get worse outside as well.
Don’t compare. Don’t compare. How can I be compared with others? One is a teacher, and the other one is a student. What’s there to compare? The teacher has her own rights. She has graduated and gone through hardship. Now it’s alright for her to enjoy. She is willing to work so hard teaching us; we should be thankful. After graduation, she could go into other business which is more comfortable. Why does she have to teach students? It’s very boring. Just for her taking on the responsibility of teaching us, we should already be grateful. Yet, some people still make comparisons and criticize her, saying, “She just enjoys a life of pleasure every day.” “She goes out socializing with people every day.” Stupid. It’s just stupid. “Why is she dressing up differently from us?” She is the teacher! She has the right to; she earns a lot of money, and so she can dress up differently than we do. She used to wear shabby clothes just like us. When she was a student, she used to wash dishes too and did a lot of hard work to earn money to support her studies. She’s been through all that, and now let her enjoy life a bit, if she wants. If she chooses not to, that’s her own business. It has nothing to do with us.
When you’re at school, would you ever criticize your teachers for dressing better than you? Certainly not! Now, it’s the same situation. Now it’s also the same. Just think of the Master as your teacher. I’m indeed your Teacher. Just my way of teaching is different. Different method of teaching. So, there is no need to compare yourselves with the Master. Why do that? It’s so pointless. It shouldn’t be done in the first place.
Even comparing yourself with fellow initiates is not necessary. We should just mind our own business, and focus on our own practice. There’s a temple in Japan with many monks living there. A newcomer had just arrived; he was originally a layman. He was originally a layman, coming from home. As a newcomer, it was expected that he should sweep the floors and clean the toilets, and such things. As he was a newcomer, he would wake up early, a little earlier, probably at 6:30 AM. Then sweep and clean the floor and the like, cleaning a lot of things. Then, he saw that all the monks inside were just sleeping or staying in their own rooms. He had no idea what they were doing, but he was sure they must be sleeping. Only he alone had to work. He couldn’t stand it anymore. He prayed that the abbot would come out just once to catch those people still sleeping there, and only he alone was working. How good if only the abbot could just see it once! One day, the abbot did come out. But the abbot also slept every day. He didn’t care about those things. But one day, the abbot came out and saw his face. Then he complained. The abbot told him, “You work for your own sake, not for anyone else. Without you, someone else will do it. You do your own duty and make yourself happy, that’s enough. What’s there to compare? If you think you do it for others, then don’t do it.”
Understand? But you cannot sleep over there. They’re “Zen students.” We are members of “Zen Meditation Association.” They are different. You still have to meditate. (OK.) Whenever we feel that we still have flaws, still have greed, anger, foolishness, still are ignorant, then we still have to meditate. If you think you’ve already “learned” everything, OK, then you are welcome not to work hard. But as you all know, those who have gone out after having “learned” everything, how they are now. They’ve learned all the things they shouldn’t have learned, all silly things, and then said that they’ve learned everything there is to learn. Maybe they only wanted to learn those things. That is learning the wrong things.
I used to be more adventurous. I would accept anyone, and let them stay beside me. It was very exhausting for me. It affected and damaged my energy field. But I’ve slowly gotten used to it. So, everyone, please be more diligent in your practice. Otherwise, no matter who I’ve sent away, it makes me very sad. It’s difficult to have grabbed someone here, and then I have to kick them out. This is a losing business. Nurturing them for so long and then have to kick them out. It’s really a waste of money. However lousy you are, you still have to meditate more, be more diligent and more sincere. Be sincere in understanding the Master’s Teachings, and in knowing what we are here for. We do whatever we can. But not too serious to become extreme. Not too sluggish, or there’ll be a difference between you and others. Then you’d feel you’re getting worse. What does getting worse mean? It means your level is different from others’. And we’ll have a guilty feeling, knowing that we haven’t fulfilled our duty. Then you’ll be unhappy, and then you’ll blame others.
OK. OK. Time for eating. I almost forgot. It seems someone’s stomach is… making noise in protest. However, whoever wants to have a retreat, may also do so. Just tell the chief monk or chief nun. It’s alright. If you’re angry with someone or fed up with me, don’t have to say it. Just go into a retreat and then people will know. Express it in this way, to let him or her know! Alright, enough. Go and eat. I don’t want to talk any more. It’s cold. Thank you. (Thank You, Master.) I look so good in this outfit. Yes? (It’s nice.) Isn’t it nice? (Yes.) Yeah. (Oh, great!) (Thumbs up!) (Wonderful.) (Thumbs up.) What does “thumbs up” mean? (It means great.) It depends on who’s wearing it. It depends on the wearer, not the clothes.
OK. Dining time. (Bye-bye, Master.) I’m leaving from this side. OK. Welcome. Ah? Good? (Looking so nice.) (Very beautiful! Yes.) You’re also the same. (Master is beautiful.) (Master is more beautiful.) (Master looks beautiful.) Beautiful? It’s the same, as beautiful as what you are wearing. Just an ordinary outfit. It’s very comfortable. (Yes.) (Feeling relaxed.) Otherwise, you’d think I look beautiful only when the clothes are beautiful. (No.) Huh? (Master is beautiful in anything You wear.) (Master is naturally beautiful.) Yes? (Naturally beautiful.) I don’t understand. (You are naturally beautiful; You are beautiful in any clothes You wear.) That’s how it is. Is that what you mean? (Yes.) I don’t feel cold. Alright. You may all leave. It’s alright. (OK.) Aren’t you going there to eat? (Up there. Up there.)
Photo Caption: Even Not Knowing Their Names, Enjoy Their Loveliness, Humbly Adorn the Public Road!
