Mm-hmm.

Student K: You say that creating some kind of rule or schedule for yourself or some [4-6 words] will not work. I'm asking you essentially how-- how do you find out [3-4 words] adopt rules that we live with at Tassajara, or do we rely more on our good feeling about things?

SR: You are still relying on rules, you know. When I came to San Francisco I had no rules for you to observe. I-- I sit and practice zazen and recite sutra when I wanted to, you know. People came. That's all. One after another they come, and [laughs] as you are so many-- we have so many people now, and, you know, I must have rules. That's all. So it is too soon to worry about it [laughs]. Buddha will take care of everything. And if Buddhist rule is good, it will help, you know. This is why I became angry, you know [laughs], you know, to see someone who talk about Japanese way or Buddhist way or, you know-- Actually, if you don't want Buddhist way, you know, why don't you have some other rules? You know, I think Buddhist way is pretty good, because they-- from-- if-- after Buddha's time, Buddha-- idea of Buddha's precepts is way of life, and the rules belongs to human being, not Buddha. Buddha has the first principle, but human being has second principle for themselves. So this kind of understanding is, you know, very suitable idea of rules.

So I want you to be very sincere, you know, with yourself, about your future too. You shouldn't depend on anything. Only thing you depend on is your zazen practice. Without saying anything, if you practice every day, then you will have students, you will have friends. That you may need some rules. “What time do you start zazen?” or something like that. That is enough. You don't have to worry about so many rules which we need at Tassajara. Okay?

So each-- I want each student to practice our zazen wherever you are. That is-- will be the best help for the people. And some more things happens, then case by case you should think about it, that's all. You will find out how to help-- help people, especially when you have experience of practice at Tassajara. It will be a great, great help for you when you have your self. You shouldn't depend on Tassajara too much. All the, you know, confusion comes from that point, because you depend on Tassajara too much. Buddha said, you know, without depending on yourself, you know, how is it possible to depend [on] something else-- or only thing you can depend on is you yourself. That is very true. Only when you can depend on yourself you will be very kind. Something flowing over, you know, from you will help people, without trying to help people. If you depend on something special, then nothing will come out from you. If people ask question, “Read [3-4 words],” and if someone ask you what to do, “Oh, we have rules here, so why don't you read.” In that way you cannot-- you will not have any friends [laughter]. To me, you are trying to do so [laughs], you know, always trying to do so whenever you ask me question. I feel that you may be trying to establish something like Tassajara [laughs]. I have no idea of such, you know, estab- -- I have no such idea for you to establish anything like this. If Tassajara practice is good enough to be a good example of other group, maybe they may follow us, but we should not have any idea of to be a good example of others. Anyway we should make our best, that's all, you know. It cannot be more than that. If it is more than that, Tassajara is involved in wrong practice. It is not Buddhist practice.

[Sighs.] Tomorrow? What time? [Laughs.] [1 word] person? Not one person [?], right?

Thank you very much.