Good evening, everyone. So this evening, we did our annual ceremony for Powder Vana Day. This is the day that we commemorate Shakyamuni Buddha's passing away in Uvada 2,500 years ago, more or less. So I remember I asked my first teacher, who was a Japanese Zen priest, a while, I don't know, several months or so after I started sitting everyday, how do I get to Nirvana? I've heard about that. He said you have to die. So Nirvana literally means cessation. And so this means ceasing all karma, not being reborn, ceasing all perception and conceptualizing.

[01:13]

So for a Buddha, well, you know, there are many stories about what a Buddha is, the many responses to that question, but at any rate, when a Buddha or an Arhat, who was an Arhat in Uvada, when Buddha passes away, they enter Nirvana, they don't get reborn. And actually in Japan, everybody advises one version of what that is, is called the Bokken. So one is Buddha, one is Nirvana. In our tradition, we don't look for Nirvana, of course, you know, if we thoroughly purified all our anxious karma, maybe that's the way some of us will be, will no longer be reborn.

[02:24]

But actually our practice is fully such that we intentionally continue to come back and live in this world and share our awareness, our portion of calm and serenity and insight. Part of our practice is to share that with the world. So in our Sangha here in Chicago and the people joining us from a distance, our zone, for all of us, we practice in the world. So the chant we did tonight, one of the chants we did tonight, Inconceivable Lifespan, Buddha, is from the Lotus Sutra, which is one of our most important sutras to present,

[03:26]

and the Bokken was popular in Japan in the 13th century. Cited in the Lotus Sutra was another Buddhist scripture. And the story in the center and in the heart of the Lotus Sutra is what we chanted the verse of tonight, which is that Buddhas seem to pass away until they're born. And there are pictures of all the disciples dabbling around, the Buddha lying on his right side between two thick solid trees in the park on Northeastern India and passing away. And all the disciples and animals also crying for sadness. But in the Lotus Sutra, it says that Buddha's actual lifespan is intensely evolved.

[04:29]

What does that mean? Well, Buddha is still here. Shakyamuni Buddha, as a human being, it seems passed away a couple of years ago, but essentially what Buddha is, has continued. Thanks to the practice and compassion and insight of many beings of our lineage and ancestors, but also all members of all Sanghas in the Buddha's side until now. So then we now are blessed with his teaching and this practice of blessing that kind of churns us on in the world. So this chant about the intensity of life status, that there is a way in which Buddha doesn't exactly say that Buddha never dies, it's just that Buddha's lifespan is so long

[05:34]

that it might extend to the next big man, we don't know. Anyway, so Buddha was here, Buddha is on your seat here now. We receive this benefit of Buddha's willingness, caring, kindness, of awareness, insight into what is going on right now, in this body, in this life. So, happy Hara Nirvana Day. We celebrate Buddha's passing away, we celebrate Nirvana, we celebrate the possibility and the continuation of our practice, of our awareness, of this teaching. So, I think that's enough for me to say. We have time for a little bit of discussion. If anyone has questions about this,

[06:36]

this certainly is something that you might have questions about, or comments or responses. I'm here in the room, we have a lot of folks in tonight, and people are welcome. So, comments, questions? Yes, hi. So, we already have Buddha Nature. We said Zazen, yeah. We said Zazen, thanks to Buddha Nature. We said Zazen has a way of expressing Buddha Nature. We say, don't turn away from all the suffering of the world, but also don't turn away from the joy of being able to be upright, and to enjoy our breathing.

[07:39]

Congratulations. Award responses. Mike, what? Mike, what happens when we die? Yes, what happens when we die, I agree. There's lots of stories about that. I've had a number of near-death experiences in my early youth. I can't really tell you, but I can tell you the stories about it. Just in terms of Japanese Buddhism, which is traditionally inherent, and some people can say other things about what happens in Japan, but in Japanese Buddhism, one story is that we will be reborn in 49 days.

[08:48]

So, similar to what you're saying, as the Tibetan people did in the state and organization of Buddhism, we will be reborn. Maybe more exactly. That's one story. Where we go in Japan, we usually practice this prayer. There are cemeteries. I'd like to go to one of the cemeteries that was built there. There are more cemeteries. And people actually go to the cemeteries with violets. Also, after they've gone,

[09:49]

people, there are plaques which are in a room behind the temple. And, of course, there's the story that after, they just forget Buddhism and find people through it. So, I like it if there's all these different stories which seem to intersect with each other when you go out to it. Does anybody know? Can anybody tell us what happens in Japan? What's been told by smart people here? Paul, online, do you have any comments on what happens when you die from religious studies? Okay.

[10:57]

So, silence is one of the responses. All right. Thank you for your session. Any other comments, responses? To this, both the event of Shabten Moni, Shabten Moni and Kubera. But also, too, on the schemes of visiting procedural glory. Does that leave any comments? Well then, if nobody else has any questions, please feel free to ask them in the Q&A box below.

[12:16]

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