And I see you've shuffled yourself around so I can't tell who's spoken already. But I can probably figure it out. Thank you for being here. And I'd like to continue this afternoon, obviously, with the comments, discussion we started this morning. You know, I'm impressed with and gratified by all of your practice.

[01:22]

And feel a difference between... And feel a difference between... When I first came, you started telling me to Europe and now. And I attribute that partly to my saying nearly the same thing over and over again. And I attribute that also to the... Yeah, the time we've been doing this, and so many of us, yeah, many of you are the same people almost I started with.

[02:24]

And of course I also write about how many times we've done this, and there are many of those with whom I started, with whom I started this here, who are still doing it now. And when I started to come to Europe, or not only be in the United States, I had various places that I taught, Russia, Poland, Belgium and France and so forth. Als ich also anfing, nicht nur in den Vereinigten Staaten, sondern auch nach Europa zu kommen, also herzukommen, woanders zu lernen, gab es also mehrere Plätze, wo ich gelehrt habe, also auch Russland und Frankreich und Belgien und Polen und so weiter. And I decided to practice in Germany and in German-speaking Europe. Because somehow the Sangha really developed here. I don't know. It must have something to do with... the genius of the German language.

[03:40]

And I must have something to do with the recent history of Europe. And it seems to have something to do with some quality Germans have. including Austria and the Swiss, as far as I can tell, have together. But probably more important than any of those reasons is there are a few people who started and continued and the Sangha developed and usually develops through a few people. So when practice catches on, And I see you've shuffled yourself around so I can't tell who's spoken already.

[05:04]

But I can probably figure it out. Um... Thank you for being here. And I'd like to continue this afternoon, obviously, with the comments, discussion we started this morning. You know, I'm impressed with and gratified by all of your practice.

[06:22]

And feel a difference between And feel a difference between when I first came to Europe and now. And I attribute that partly to my saying nearly the same thing over and over again. And I attribute that also to the... Yeah, the time we've been doing this, and so many of us, yeah, many of you are the same people, almost, I started with.

[07:24]

And of course I write to them, how many times we've done this, and there are many of those with whom I started, with whom I started this, who are still doing it now. And when I started to come to Europe, or not only be in the United States, I had various places that, you know, I taught Russia, Poland, Belgium and France and so forth. And I decided to practice in Germany and in German-speaking Europe. Because somehow the Sangha really developed here.

[08:29]

I don't know. It must have something to do with the genius of the German language. And I must have something to do with the recent history of Europe. And it seems to have something to do with some quality Germans have, including Austria and the Swiss, as far as I can tell, have together. But probably more important than any of those reasons is there are a few people who started and continued and the sangha developed and usually develops through a few people. So when practice catches

[09:37]

within a few people. It can catch within other people. So, as I said, respecting and appreciating your practice I'm very interested in how you describe what your practice is. Now, if we take what David said this morning, Yeah, that for him maybe the key point was his sense of the power of stillness in our life, in his life. So war sein Schlüsselpunkt vielleicht dieses Gefühl der Kraft oder von Stille in seinem Leben?

[11:05]

Yeah, now that might be, yeah. In addition, we had zazen, mindfulness, the concept feeling of practice itself. We have what we're calling wisdom praises. Now maybe we could add a fifth sense of silence or stillness in our life. Yes. Now, we might just say, oh, that's the fruit of doing Zazen. But it's not the fruit for everyone. And I do know people who discover the presence of stillness in their life without doing Zazen or practicing mindfulness.

[12:15]

So it may be that for each of us there are particular aspects of practice which in a sense are the main form for us of practice. There are different aspects for each of us which become the main way we practice, the main form of our practice. Perhaps we come to these and perhaps wisdom phrases and or not perhaps, wisdom phrases and meditation and mindfulness practices are means to realize very specific ways we can practice.

[13:23]

But they may also be and they are become, anyway, independent of how we discovered them, how we discovered this particular way to practice. So if we assume about ourselves that It's not a question of are we practicing or are we not practicing. But it's rather we're assuming we are practicing. It may not be the same way someone else is. But if we don't look at practice in terms of we are or we're not or good or bad practice but rather is

[14:39]

within a few people. It can catch within other people. So, As I said, respecting and appreciating your practice. I'm very interested in how you describe what your practice is. Now, if we take what David said this morning. Yeah, that for him maybe the key point was his sense of the power of stillness in our life, in his life. So war sein Schlüsselpunkt vielleicht dieses Gefühl der Kraft oder von Stille in seinem Leben?

[16:05]

Yeah, now that might be, yeah. In addition, we had what? Zazen, mindfulness, the concept feeling of practice itself. We have what we're calling wisdom praises. Now maybe we could add a fifth sense of silence or stillness in our life. Yes. Now, we might just say, oh, that's the fruit of doing Zazen. But it's not the fruit for everyone. And I do know people who discover... the presence of stillness in their life without doing Zazen or practicing mindfulness.

[17:15]

So it may be that for each of us there are particular aspects of practice which in a sense are the main form for us of practice. There are different aspects for each of us which become the main way we practice, the main form of our practice. Perhaps we come to these and perhaps wisdom phrases and or not perhaps, wisdom phrases and meditation and mindfulness practices are means to realize very specific ways we can practice.

[18:23]

But they may also be, and they are, become, anyway, independent of how we discovered them, how we discovered this particular way to practice. So if we assume about ourselves that It's not a question of are we practicing or are we not practicing. But it's rather we're assuming we are practicing. It may not be the same way someone else is. But if we don't look at practice in terms of we are or we're not, or good or bad practice, but rather, what is it?

[19:38]

We have the expression six of one, half a dozen of the other. What do you say in German? We take both. But you don't use dozen. Oh, you do? I thought you counted by tens. No, no. It's quite common. So we're practicing with the dozen here, not half a dozen. Do Zen. Do Zen. I just thought of it just now, didn't you? In other words, if we assume that what we're doing is practicing, and again, not whether it's good or bad, or we are or are not really practicing, then I think we can feel a kind of tapestry among ourselves of various ways to practice.

[21:01]

And come to a kind of... a subtle feeling for practice, as it can appear in various ways in our life. And part of practice then is to notice this. Notice these. And in fact, that's the way Buddhism has developed over the centuries. I mean, Picasso and Faye, obviously, Picasso and Matisse or something like that, are geniuses in painting. but you can't separate them from the history of painting and they couldn't have been painters in the 14th century I mean they could have been painters but they would have painted differently

[22:17]

So over the centuries, Buddhism has developed like this. Possibilities have occurred really through the Sangha, which then some individuals may notice more clearly than others or develop. But the development is not conceivable without the practice of the Sangha. So various individuals, each of us advance our own practice and others a little bit. But the more that then is developed by the Sangha, more possibilities occur. Yeah, that's what's happened over some thousands of years in the practice of Buddhism.

[23:42]

And if it happens for a thousand years, it also happens in six months. And it's happening here. And it's happening here. Okay. With that introduction, Frank? I want to say exactly the same. Well, I can switch places with you. Don't be so clever. Sangha is the key word. Yeah, I mean, my practice is that I'm sitting here right now.

[24:48]

I'm sitting right here now only because you all are sitting here. What is it? Why do we have the expression six of one, half a dozen of the other? What do you say in German? We say both. But you don't use dozen. Oh, you do? Oh, yeah. I thought you counted by tens. No, no. It's quite common. So we're practicing with the dozen here, not half a dozen. You see the pun there? Excuse me. I just thought of it just now. In other words, if we assume that what we're doing is practicing, and again, not whether it's good or bad, or we are or are not really practicing, then I think we can feel a kind of tapestry among ourselves of various ways to practice.

[26:01]

And come to a kind of... A subtle feeling for practice. As it can appear in various ways in our life. And part of practice then is to notice this. Notice these. And in fact, that's the way Buddhism has developed over the centuries. I mean, Picasso and Faye, obviously, Picasso and Matisse or something like that, are geniuses in painting. But you can't separate them from the history of painting.

[27:11]

And they couldn't have been painters in the 14th century. I mean, they could have been painters, but they would have painted differently. So over the centuries, Buddhism has developed like this. Possibilities have occurred really through the Sangha, which then some individuals may notice more clearly than others or develop. But the development is not conceivable without the practice of the Sangha. So various individuals, each of us advance our own practice and others a little bit, But the more that then is developed by the Sangha, more possibilities occur.

[28:28]

Yeah, that's what's happened over... some thousands of years in the practice of Buddhism. But if it happens for a thousand years, it also happens in six months. And it's happening here. And it's happening here. Okay. With that introduction, Frank, I want to say exactly the same. Well, I can switch places with you. Don't be so clever. Sangha is the key word. Yeah, I mean, my practice is that I'm sitting here right now.

[29:44]

I'm sitting right here now only because you all are sitting together. We are all sitting here because we all stood up in the morning for terribly, terribly early. I would never get up so early if not with all of you. And then we sat together for two periods of the summer. And I cooked together with Peter and you had service and study. And then we had together Oryuki. And again, I would never eat breakfast like this without all of you. And again, I would never eat breakfast like this without all of you. And without Johanneshoff and without Bekaroshi and without Buddha.

[31:07]

And all this time, I think for me the most impressive thing is that I'm always close to this. From the morning getting up to now sitting here and being excited a little bit, feeling well a little bit. For me, this is the big chance. And this is for me the great opportunity and opportunity, especially in this posture, in this sitting posture, but also in this posture together, that we can always be close to each other. So somehow it doesn't matter what's going on, but I'm able to be close to it.

[32:14]

And what is going on is the living thing. This is what all this is. I tried a lot of things before I started to practice Buddhism, to be close, to be alive, to be excited, to experience special things. I have never been so close to being alive in this practice. So this is my practice. Thanks. When I was... I just... Clue here. Wednesday, I guess. I haven't really had a sleep because I had so much to do between now and this morning.

[33:39]

But today I suddenly jet lagged. I mean, I just woke up a little while ago. But just before I left, I did a seminar in Boulder with, I don't know, 25 people or so. So it seems like just a few minutes ago. Just before I took off. And it's again a group of people I've been practicing with, I don't know how long now, 10 years or more.

[34:39]

And one of them, two of them actually said to me, you know, and I'm only sitting here because you're all sitting here with me. We are all sitting here because we all stood up in the morning for terribly, terribly early. I would never get up so early if not with all of you. Then we sat together for two years or so. And I cooked together with Peter and you had service and study. And then we had together Oryoki. And again, I would never eat breakfast like this without all of you. And again, I would never eat breakfast like this if not with all of you.

[35:58]

And without Johanneshoff, and without Becker-Roschi, and without Buddha. And not without Johanneshoff, and not without Becker-Roschi, and not without Buddha. And all this time, I think for me the most impressing thing is that I'm always close to this. From the morning getting up to now sitting here and being excited a little bit, feeling well. For me, this is the big chance and the big... And this is for me the great opportunity and opportunity, especially in this posture, in this sitting posture, but also in this posture together, that we can always be close to each other. So somehow it doesn't matter what's going on, but I'm able to be close to it.

[37:14]

And what is going on is the living thing. This is what all this is. I tried a lot of things before I started to practice Buddhism. To be close, to be alive, to be excited to experience special things. I have never been so close to being alive in this practice. So this is my practice. Thanks. When I was... I just... Clue here. Wednesday, I guess. I haven't really had a sleep because I had so much to do between now and this morning.

[38:39]

But today suddenly a jet lag hit me and I just woke up a little while ago. But just before I left, I did a seminar in Boulder with, I don't know, 25 people or so. So it seems like just a few minutes ago. Just before I took off. And it's again a group of people I've been practicing with, I don't know how long now, 10 years or more.

[39:39]

And one of them, two of them actually said to me, you know, Glad you started practicing in Colorado and pretty soon there's this group of people. And Gerald was there at the beginning of it, so he knows. And this person said to me, one of the most committed students in Colorado, And he said, I hope you're not offended by what I'm going to say. I said, well, you can try. He said, you know, I didn't actually come here to practice with you. I came because the Sangha was so good.

[40:47]

Then I discovered you, but you were second. Actually, that's good. I like that. But I don't know if I could use... What Frank said, if someone asked me at a baptism, why do you practice? And I said, because I'm almost alive. I'm close to being alive. Yeah, but actually being close to being alive is pretty good. Okay. For me, it's like everybody who spoke before, I could agree and say, well, yes, I feel exactly the same.

[42:07]

And this is something rather unusual, that in a larger assembly you don't agree to everyone who spoke. And an assembly which you yourself didn't choose. It's always a little difficult to listen when you know it's getting up to you. And you can't just say ditto. No, I don't want to. I'd still like to say something of my own. I'd like to start from the other side of what Frank said. I practice because I prepare for death. And I would like to approach it from the other side of what Frank said. I practice because I am preparing for my death.

[43:16]

That was not the whole origin, that was not the beginning of the sitting with me. But this wasn't the beginning of sitting here. But it was quite overwhelming in the first two or three years where I had to be there while my husband died. And what struck me very much was that what you said that a dying person is a great teacher. And it sounds somewhat magnificent to prepare for your own death, but actually it is living.

[44:24]

And when I am still, I am closer to death than when I run hectic through the world. And when I'm calm, when I'm quiet, when I'm silent, I'm nearer to it than when I run within my life rather probably a little hectic. Well, I'm nearer to death and to life. It's a paradox. Colleges start practicing in Colorado and pretty soon there's this group of people. And Gerald was there at the beginning of it, so he knows. And this person said to me, one of the most committed students in Colorado, He said, I hope you're not offended by what I'm going to say. I said, well, you can try. He said, you know, I didn't actually come here to practice with you.

[45:30]

I came because the Sangha was so good. Then I discovered you, but you were second. Actually, that's good. I like that. But I don't know if I could use what Frank said. If someone asked me at a baptism, why do you practice? And I said, because I'm almost alive. I'm close to being alive. Yeah, but actually being close to being alive is pretty good. For me it's everybody who spoke before, I could agree and say, well, yes, I feel exactly the same. And this is something rather unusual that in a larger assembly you don't agree to everyone who spoke.

[47:22]

And in an assembly which you yourself didn't choose. And it's always a little difficult to listen when you know it's getting up to you. And you can't just say ditto. Why don't you want to? I'd still like to say something of my own. I'd like to start from the other side of what Frank said. I practice because I prepare for death. And I would like to approach it from the other side of what Frank said. I practice because I am preparing for my death. And that was not the whole origin, that was not the beginning of the sitting with me.

[48:26]

But this wasn't the beginning of sitting here. But it was quite overwhelming in the first two or three years where I had to be there when my husband died. And what struck me very much was that what you said that a dying person is a great teacher. And it sounds somewhat magnificent to prepare for your own death, but actually it is living. And when I am still, I am closer to death than when I run hectic through the world.

[49:30]

And when I'm calm, when I'm quiet, when I'm silent, I'm nearer to it than when I run within my life rather probably a little hectic. Hectic, yeah. Well, I'm nearer to death and to life. It's a paradox. I'm nearer to death and to life as a paradox. And that is so it sounds a little more normal. I'm able to get my things in order a little better through practice. Can part from things better. Can my income tax declaration without getting annoyed. And I don't get excited about the weather?

[50:34]

Or what you all know? A dress? Did I interrupt you? Of course, I can also say that these are all aspects of reasons and also experiences for the practice. To everything said, I could say that there are reasons or aspects of practice. And having had a little more time since Today, this morning, I asked myself, wow, and how did I start practicing, and what's different today?

[51:42]

I think, basically, I always had, as I can remember, as a child and earlier, a feeling of, something is not right here. Something does not fit with the thing, how I perceive the world, how it is presented to me through society, or I don't know what. And fundamentally speaking, I always had the feeling that something's not fitting, that how I experience the world and how it was sort of told to me how it functions didn't fit. And then at some point I also read literature about Buddhism and I found it interesting and exciting. And then reading literature, Buddhist literature, I just found the ideas fascinating. And then I was lucky enough and initiated through and by others to begin or to start practicing.

[52:45]

And then slowly, eventually, certain views, certain ways of seeing things started to change. And then slowly, eventually, certain views, certain ways of seeing things started to change. And an important part of change was just to notice the trance of the body, the trance of the trance of breath. And this continuous practice, sort of supported by others, led to that now I changed my life in that way that I'm living now here.

[53:59]

And the practice that often touches me and that I really appreciate here in everyday life, especially the morning daily practice, getting up early, sitting, reciting, studying, and the Aoyuki. That's it? And the Aoyuki. What I most appreciate is this getting up very early in the morning and the sitting, the service, the urology meals, the study every morning. I am closer to death and life as a paradox. And to make it sound normal again, I can keep order better through practice. And that is so it sounds a little more normal. I'm able to get my things in order a little better through practice. Can part from things better.

[55:18]

Can my income tax declaration without getting annoyed. And I don't get excited about the weather. All that what you all know? A dress? Did I interrupt you? No. I can also say that these are all aspects To everything said, I could say that there are reasons or aspects of practice. And having had a little more time since Today, this morning, I asked myself, wow, and how did I start practicing and what's different today?

[56:42]

I think, basically, I always had, as I can remember, as a child and earlier, a feeling of, something is not right here. Something doesn't fit with the thing, how I don't perceive the world as it is, and how it is presented to me through society, because I don't know what is presented to me. Fundamentally speaking, I always had the feeling that something's not fitting, that how I experience the world and how it was sort of told to me how it functions didn't fit. And then I read literature about Buddhism and I found it interesting and exciting. And then reading literature, Buddhist literature, I just found the ideas fascinating. And then I was lucky enough and initiated through and by others to begin or to start practicing.

[57:45]

And then, slowly, eventually, certain views, certain ways of seeing things started to change. And an important part of change was just to notice the trance of the body, the post trance of breath. And this continuous practice, sort of supported by others, led to that I changed my life in that way that I'm living now here. In practice, what often touches me and what I really appreciate here in everyday life,

[59:22]

What I most appreciate is this getting up very early in the morning and the sitting, the service, the orioke meals, the study every morning. And I'm not here for so long but I notice that it does already make a difference to my practice before. That is actually what drove me here, because I don't sit two or three hours in the morning and two or three hours in the evening on my own at home.

[60:34]

Sukhriyashi used to say you can try to satisfy your life in every way you can, and often you find there's some gap. So could I say that you felt this gap, it didn't quite fit? And then you... And also, the other way around, I was successful and I did many things in my life and I got something. The experience within practice had different qualities. And what Doris said and what brings to my mind the story of Dogen when his mother died and he saw this incense.

[61:43]

Twin. Yes, feelings. So then practice sort of began to fill in the gaps or at least you noticed a different quality. And now you notice that with a schedule with others it interrupts your habits in a way that changes your day. And Frank, even though you wouldn't have Oryoki breakfast at home, probably, when you do have breakfast here, do you find it satisfying? I can only understand what Frank and Andreas said in my own words.

[62:56]

I can try to say in my own words what Frank said and Andreas said. My practice is to start the day in the Zendo together and end it in the Zendo together. And up to such a regularity, which I do not want to interrupt by chance, that I can hardly say that it is practice, as it is no longer said, it is food practice and cleaning the teeth and using the bathroom practice. And up to such a sort of normal regularity that it's, I wouldn't even say it's sort of in a way practice like using the bathroom, cleaning your teeth is something special.

[64:23]

But when I listened to you, I found a point that I would like to mention myself, and that is the trust in the practice, which is my practice. But listening to what was said before, something of my own was discovered. And I'm not here for so long, but I notice that it does already make a difference to my practice before. And that is actually what drove me here, because I don't sit two or three hours in the morning and two or three hours in the evening on my own at home. Yeah, Sukhriyashi used to say you can try to... Satisfy your life in every way you can, and often you find there's some gap.

[65:48]

So could I say that you felt this gap, it didn't quite fit, And also the other way around, I was successful and I did fulfill many things in my life and I got something. The experience in the practice and I had other qualities. The experience within practice had different qualities. And what Doris said and what brings to my mind the story of Dogen when his mother died and he saw this incense. It was twin incense. So then practice sort of began to fill in the gaps or at least you noticed a different quality?

[67:14]

And now you notice that with a schedule with others, it interrupts your habits in a way that changes your day. And Frank, even though you wouldn't have orioke breakfast at home, probably, When you do have breakfast here, do you find it satisfying? Oryoki, it's easier to stay close to this living thing. Okay, thanks. I can only use my own words to explain what Frank and Andreas said.

[68:17]

I can try to say in my own words what Frank said and Andreas said. My practice is to start the day in the Zendo together and end it in the Zendo together. And up to such a regularity, which I do not want to interrupt by chance, that I can hardly say that it is practice, as it is no longer said, it is food practice and brushing teeth and using the bathroom practice. And up to such a sort of normal regularity that it's, I wouldn't even say it's sort of in a way practice like using the bathroom, cleaning your teeth is something special.

[69:23]

But when I listened to you, I found a point that I would like to mention to myself, and that is the trust in the practice, which is my practice. But listening to what was said before, something of my own was discovered, this trust in the practice, what that is? Faith in the practice. Faith. And the problem with the trust in the practice, as I am currently living in Johanneshof, that the whole thing works. The problem with my faith and the practice as it sort of functions and works out in the Johannesron right now is that it functions. The problem with your faith is it functions?

[70:29]

Well, the problem with faith is that the practice works. Yes, okay. Because the practice works and to learn that it works and... That the practice works and that it functions, there for me again practice starts. and that means to be really ready and practically to set out my life after it works or my life or the practice It's about my life adjusting or aligning my life to practice and letting practice tell me how to live, how to lead my life. Mm-hmm.

[71:40]

And that's, and that is I arrived at the saying, this is my practice, being prepared to change or alter my life as much as the practice tells me how to change or how to lead my life. I'm fairly new to this Sangha. What I discovered here was

[72:42]

The beauty of the Sakka in the first place and the skill and the greatness of the master second. You don't have to translate that. I'm just kidding. For me, practice is now having come into contact with this center. It's about the view, how I view the things. And then you gave me a new angle. Oh, does it? Talk about the gap, the famous gap between two thoughts which has to be prolonged to dive into that experience of joy and also the beauty of that and maintain it bodily.

[73:45]

I can't explain exactly but this I learned here and this is what my practice is right now in the frame of you saying that all bodily postures are yogic and together with the view of seeing the things as they are, which is a very complex statement, although sounding very easy and simple. This is what I take from here, what I learn from here, and what... Do it, please. Trust in the practice, what that is. Faith in the practice. Faith. The problem with my faith and the practice as it sort of functions and works out in the Johanneshorn right now is that it functions.

[75:15]

The problem with your faith is that the practice works. That the practice works and that it functions, there for me again practice starts. And that means to be really ready and to set out my life after it works or my life or the practice It's about my life adjusting or aligning my life to practice and letting practice tell me how to live, how to lead my life. Mm-hmm.

[76:40]

And that's, um... I arrived at the saying, this is my practice, being prepared to change or alter my life as much as the practice tells me how to change or how to lead my life. Yeah, I understand. Thanks. Fritz? I'm fairly new to this Sangha. What I discovered here was

[77:42]

the beauty of the Sangha in the first place and the skill and the greatness of the Master second? You don't have to translate that. Just kidding. For me, practice is now having come into contact with this Anga, this about the view, how I view the things. And there you gave me a new angle. Oh, it does it. talking about the gap, the famous gap between two thoughts which has to be prolonged to dive into that and experience the joy and also the beauty of that and maintain it bodily.

[78:45]

I can't explain exactly but this I've learned here and this is what my practice is right now in the frame of you saying that all bodily postures are looking and together with The view of seeing the things as they are, which is a very complex statement, although sounding very easy and simple, this is what I take from here, what I learn from here. Deutsch, bitte. Based on the gap that was meant in another way by my predecessor, it is the perspective that I have learned here that determines my practice.

[79:53]

In the sense that the phenomena that appear to be real, Combined with the way of breathing, to see that all the bodily attitudes are yogic, or yogic, to develop the practice for me. Thank you. Irina? It seems to me as if I'm diving in and that these knot points come together, this connection, that this plays

[81:49]

It feels like immersing myself or diving into something and that the points which connect sort of come together. And I find it very helpful with this ground or with this net to face my difficulties. Okay. Bernd? And thinking about what we said also before, two experiences of my time of adolescence came to my mind.

[83:01]

And the other one, when I was very young, maybe 13 or 14, I saw a photo of old people from the beginning of the 20th century. One was that being about 13 or 14 years old, I saw a photograph from very old people from the beginning of the 19th century. And they were all very proud and in a pose, they were allowed to take photographs. They had quite a proud posture. And with one glance I was aware that they all didn't live any more today, when I saw it. And this aspect of change had a long lasting effect on me. I had a very strong experience of total existence.

[84:33]

A few years later I had a very strong experience of being existent, of existing. In the sense that the phenomena appear to be visible, as they really are. Combined with the way of breathing, to see that all physical activities, in this view, connected with this cadre view, I can't express it.

[85:57]

Thank you. Irina? It seems to me as if someone is diving in, and that these knots come together, this connection, that it plays. It feels like immersing myself or diving into something and that the points which connect sort of come together.

[87:04]

And I find it very helpful with this ground or with this net to face my difficulties. Okay. Bernd? And thinking about what we said also before, two experiences of my time of adolescence came to my mind. And the other one, when I was very young, maybe 13 or 14, I saw a photo of old people from the beginning of the 20th century.

[88:29]

One was that being about 13 or 14 years old, I saw a photograph from very old people from the beginning of the 19th century. And they were all very proud and in pose, they were allowed to take photographs. They had quite a proud sort of posture. And with one glance I was aware that they all didn't live anymore today, when I saw it. And this aspect of change had a long lasting effect on me? And the second experience was maybe five or six years later, when I had a very strong experience. of total existence.

[89:34]

A few years later I had a very strong experience of being existent, of existing. And it was such a deep feeling or experience that it solved every question or every problem I had up until then. And my being there, being so mysterious in itself was the answer. And coming in contact with the Buddha Dharma it was like a remembrance and also like a lighthouse which sort of reminds me of the way

[90:36]

And in that way this concrete practice like Zazen has sort of refined my practice or made my practice more and more subtle. And this permanent experience the instability that I experienced when I was sitting, and what I ... This is what I experience every day in everyday life, that no moment repeats itself. This permanent what I feel in Zazen, but also in daily life, this feeling of nothing repeats itself, everything is new and different all the time, this absolute change. Yes, it is this moment, this unique and unique feeling.

[91:59]

This moment, this unique and singular moment. And what was very important for me, what was added through the Buddha Dharma, is the aspect of compassion. And what came additionally for me too from the Buddha Dharma was the aspect of compassion. Yes, that is also the daily growth in my work, that when I meet people I perceive equality. This is an aspect of my daily work when I notice or perceive people who themselves perceive sameness in life. This is a big challenge for myself to stop judging or estimating these people and to see that the other person is a Buddha and let him live as he is.

[93:24]

So could I say that you've added to the discussion Something that I think probably for all of us to some extent is why we practice. Which is things you discovered before you started practicing. practice articulated these or refined them or helped you develop them. And I think for many of us, as I said, it's the case that much we discover on our own but don't have a territory to practice it or realize it, then practice allows us to do that.

[94:36]

And I think And it was such a deep feeling or experience that it solved every question or every problem I had up until then. And my being there, being so mysterious in itself was the answer. And coming in contact with the Buddha Dharma it was like a remembrance and also like a lighthouse which sort of reminds me of the way And in that way this concrete practice like Zazen has sort of refined my practice or has made my practice more and more subtle.

[96:04]

the instability that I experienced when I was sitting down, and what I This is what I experience every day in everyday life, that no moment repeats itself. This permanent what I feel in Zazen, but also in daily life, this feeling of nothing repeats itself, everything is new and different all the time. It's an absolute change. Yes, it is this moment, this one and unique moment. This moment, this unique and single moment. And what was very important to me, what was added through the Buddha Dharma, is the aspect of compassion. And what came additionally for me too from the Buddha Dharma was the aspect of compassion.

[97:26]

That is also the daily practice in my work, that when I meet people, I perceive equality. This is an aspect of my daily work when I notice or perceive people who themselves perceive sameness in life. This is a big challenge for myself to stop judging or estimating these people and to see that the other person is a Buddha and let him live as he is. So could I say that you've added to the discussion

[98:29]

Something that I think probably for all of us to some extent is why we practice. Which is things you discovered before you started practicing. practice articulated these or refined them or helped you develop them. And I think for many of us, as I said, it's the case that much we discover on our own but don't have a territory to practice it or realize it, then practice allows us to do that. And I think you also emphasized the

[99:39]

noticing change and uniqueness in each situation, each moment. And of course that's inseparable from what David said, noticing stillness. But in another sense, it's a different kind of noticing. Stillness is something that's always present, and change is something that's always unique. So we could add to our categories here Noticing difference or uniqueness and noticing sameness or in this case stillness. How we bring that sameness and uniqueness into our practice with others, we can call one way to describe compassion.

[101:24]

Okay. Ich hatte auch ein Schlüsselerlebnis, was mich auf den Weg gebracht hat. I also had a key experience which brought me on the way. Ich war sehr jung und eines Tages guckte ich in den Spiegel und dachte, das ist doch komisch. Die Welt im Außen hat sich überhaupt nicht verändert und mal fühle ich mich gut und mal fühle ich mich schlecht. I looked into the mirror and I saw strange the world outside didn't change very much but sometimes I feel good and sometimes I feel bad. For me it was quite a deep experience where I wanted to find out what man is what a person, what makes a person And that brought me via psychology later to Buddhism.

[102:39]

And for a very long time I had this very deep feeling of being homeless and having no home and finding no answer. And practice means having found a space, a room, where these feelings are normal and not sick. It is very important for me to confirm what I have always felt. So it's a sort of, what I always felt is sort of... Confirmed? Confirmed, thank you. Confirmed, yes.

[103:40]

Confirmed, yes. And I often practice in everyday life with sentences like, every moment is totally okay the way it is. And in my daily practice I practice with sentences like, every moment is right as it is. I practice acceptance for everything I meet. And what I find very moving in my sitting practice is to stay in the posture and the dignity of the posture And in this posture I can look at the problems with a sort of healthy distance You also emphasized the noticing change and uniqueness in each situation, each moment.

[104:53]

And of course that's inseparable from what David said, noticing stillness. But in another sense, it's a different kind of noticing. Stillness is something that's always present, and change is something that's always unique. So we can add to our categories here Noticing difference or uniqueness and noticing sameness or, in this case, stillness. And we can add to our categories that it is a difference whether we perceive uniqueness or change, or whether we perceive stillness or equality, in this case stillness.

[106:10]

How we bring that sameness and uniqueness into our practice with others, we can call one way to describe compassion. Okay. Ich hatte auch ein Schlüsselerlebnis, was mich auf den Weg gebracht hat. I also had a key experience which brought me on the way. Ich war sehr jung und eines Tages guckte ich in den Spiegel und dachte, das ist doch komisch. Die Welt im Außen hat sich überhaupt nicht verändert und mal fühle ich mich gut und mal fühle ich mich schlecht. I looked into the mirror and I saw it's strange the world outside didn't change very much but sometimes I feel good and sometimes I feel bad.

[107:16]

For me it was quite a deep experience where I wanted to find out what man is what a person, what makes a person. And that brought me via psychology later to Buddhism. And for a very long time I had this very deep feeling of being homeless or having no home and finding no answer. And practice means having found a space, a room, where these feelings are normal and not sick.

[108:22]

Is it important for me to confirm what I have always felt? So it's a sort of... What I always felt is sort of... Confirmed? Confirmed, thank you. Confirmed, yeah. Confirmed, yeah. And... I often practice in everyday life with sentences like, every moment is totally okay the way it is. And in my daily practice I practice with sentences like, every moment is right as it is. I practice acceptance for everything I meet. And what I find very moving in my sitting practice is to stay in the posture and the dignity of the posture And in this posture I can look at the problems with a sort of healthy distance

[109:28]

And in this posture of dignity that helps me not to identify with these universal sufferings, with my own universal suffering. And I love this freedom which I feel in my breath and in my thoughts. The body is still and doesn't move, but inside it has so much space. Sounds good. Let's end with Guru. For today. When you brought up the question this morning, the first image came up when I was a student, something like

[110:53]

A liberated area, or how would you translate it? Liberated area. Since then I've been looking for an alternative way of life that goes far beyond what I like or don't like. And since then I'm more or less looking for a different way to live together, independent of what I like and dislike. And I have lived in two sanghas, in Crestana and here, and I am now in Göttingen, where I live, of the bone. So I lived in two sanghas in Krasnoyarsk and behind Sofia and I'm in the process of building another sangha in Göttingen.

[112:19]

I don't know exactly how a new way of living together for human beings could work or how it would look like, a big part of the structure of the traditional sangha should be part of it. I'm not exactly in which form, but I think it's the necessary part. This is one aspect of my practice. The other aspect is that I came to practice because I was simply unhappy and the practice made me happier. So this was one aspect of practice, the other one was on a personal level they look for happiness, for being more happy and I found this in practice.

[113:29]

Practice makes me in general more happy. And the third aspect is the question of what I am currently practicing and that is So the question then, what do I actually practice with? One is that I sit Zazen on a daily basis and it helps to have the Sangha in Göttingen. And a very important practice is the practice of breathing. And a very important practice is the practice with the breath and through the breath. And the third aspect of my practice is, and this has actually only developed in recent years, is to study the book of eternal serenity.

[114:33]

And the third aspect, and that has developed actually in the last years, is to study the Book of Sovereignty on a daily base, if I can, and work with phrases and pictures and images. So it's something... In this posture of dignity that helps me not to identify with these universal sufferings, with my own universal suffering, And I love this freedom which I feel in my breath and in my thoughts. The body is still and doesn't move, but inside I have so much space. Sounds good. Let's end with Geralt. for today. When you asked the question this morning, the first thing that came to my mind as a student

[115:48]

when you brought up the question this morning the first image came up when I was a student something like a liberated area or how would you translate liberated area so an Since then I'm more or less looking for a different way to live together. independent of what I like and dislike. So I lived in two sanghas, in Creston and here.

[117:03]

So I lived in two sanghas, in Creston and here. So I lived in two sanghas, in Creston and here. building another Sangha in Göttingen. And I don't know what an alternative lifestyle could look like, but large aspects of the traditional Sangha structure, in my opinion, must be included in this new concept. I don't know exactly how a new way of living together for human beings could work or how it would look like, but a big part of the structure of the traditional asana should be part of it. I don't know exactly in which form, but I think it's necessary. That is one aspect of my practice.

[118:07]

The other aspect is that I came to practice because I was simply unhappy and the practice made me happier. So this was one aspect of practice. The other one was on a personal level that I looked for happiness, for being more happy and then I found this in practice. Practice makes me in general more happy. So the question then, what do I actually practice with? One is that I sit zazen on a daily basis. And it helps. We have the Sangha in Göttingen. And a very important practice is the practice of breathing.

[119:14]

And a very important practice is the practice with the breath and through the breath. And especially here... And the third aspect of my practice is, and this has actually only developed in recent years, is to study the book of eternal solitude. And the third aspect, and that has developed actually in the last years, is to study the book of serenity on a daily base, if I can, and work with phrases and pictures and images. So it's something... I do, if I can, on a daily basis, practice with my breath. And this is something that I do in addition to the other things. And I have experienced this as very astonishing, how this has developed in the last few years, because I have

[120:21]

There is a lot going on in the core practice. Until just four years ago, it was more experienced as difficult and more as a burden. And now I experience it as a liberation. And it is astonishing what happened in the last year. Up until then, my feeling was that working with koans was more like it was difficult, it was more like something I had to do, and it's part of the practice. It was not easy, and that has changed. So it feels like reading these stories, and every time I read it, I feel like a liberation. That's a real big change. Well, you've been practicing quite a long time. It's nice that things can still change. oh sorry it was you looked so cute you know there's I guess what I would call talking and telling practice

[121:42]

You tell people what to do and you talk about it. What they have to do? Yeah, what whoever's listening has to do. Well, maybe I start from another point of view. Sorry. Geralt, as he pointed out, had been practicing in Kirsten and then here. And now he's practicing in Göttingen. And some kind of practice, some kind of sangha is being built or developed. Now, what does he do to develop this saga? I mean, I presume the main thing you do is you have a schedule, a sitting schedule, and people either come or don't come. And you sit with them.

[123:12]

You don't talk so much. And you don't tell them what to feel or do. Now there's a number of quite... Now, worldwide sanghas, or European, yeah, certainly in Europe and America, rooted in some person's enlightenment experience. And they talk about it and tell you how to duplicate it. I'll give you practices which suggest how to come to this particular kind of enlightenment. And this is very convincing and seems to be helpful to a lot of people.

[124:23]

So I think by It's implied by what we're saying, but we don't do that in Zen practice. Particularly Zen doesn't do that within Buddhism. I do, if I can, on a daily basis, like some Zen practice with my breath, so... and this is something that I do in addition to the other things, and I have experienced it as very astonishing how it has developed in the last few years, because I have the ... it's a lot about the core practice, until just four years ago rather than

[125:28]

And it is astonishing what happened in the last year. Up until then, my feeling was that working with koans was more like it was difficult. It was more like something I had to do, and it's part of the practice. It was not easy, and that has changed. So it feels like reading these stories, and every time I read it I feel like a liberation. That's a real big change. You've been practicing quite a long time. It's nice that things can still change. You look so cute.

[126:37]

You know, there's I guess what I would call talking and telling practice. You tell people what to do and you talk about it. What they have to do? Yeah, what whoever's listening has to do. Well, maybe I start from another point of view. Sorry. Geralt is, as he pointed out, been practicing in Crestone and then here. And now he's practicing in Göttingen. And some kind of practice, some kind of sangha is being built or developed.

[127:38]

Now, what does he do to develop this saga? I mean, I presume the main thing you do is you have a schedule, a sitting schedule, and people either come or don't come. And you sit with them. You don't talk so much. And you don't tell them what to feel or do. Now there's a number of quite... Now, worldwide sanghas, or European, yeah, certainly in Europe and America, rooted in some person's enlightenment experience. And they talk about it and tell you how to duplicate it. I'll give you practices which suggest how to come to this particular kind of enlightenment.

[129:11]

And this is very convincing and seems to be helpful to a lot of people. So I think by It's implied by what we're saying that we don't do that in Zen practice. Particularly Zen doesn't do that within Buddhist schools. We don't give anybody a kind of step ladder or structure for enlightenment. We just go somewhere, like I remember during the Vietnam War when Someone was going to leave the United States so he wouldn't be drafted.

[130:23]

This person was going to Vancouver, I think, somewhere. Canada. And he asked Suzuki Roshi, what should I do? And he said pretty much what I said to Karel, too. He said, just go to Vancouver and sit and see if anybody joins you. Don't tell them much, just see what happens on that basis, not any other basis or not on the basis of enlightenment or something like that. So that's an interesting question, I think. Why is Buddhism, and particularly Zen, like this? Okay, so I promised Otmar I'd try to stop on time and I'm ten minutes late, but okay.

[131:31]

Thank you very much. Schools. We don't give anybody a kind of step ladder or structure for enlightenment. We just go somewhere, like I remember during the Vietnam War when Someone was going to leave the United States so he wouldn't be drafted. This person was going to Vancouver, I think, somewhere. Canada. And he asked Suzuki Roshi, what should I do? Then he said pretty much what I said to Kerala, too. He said, just go to Vancouver and sit and see if anybody joins you.

[132:47]

Don't tell them much, just see what happens on that basis, not any other basis or not on the basis of enlightenment or something like that. So that's an interesting question, I think. Why is Buddhism, and particularly Zen, like this? Okay, so I promised Otmar I'd try to stop on time and I'm ten minutes late, but okay. Thank you very much.

[133:23]

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