1
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(Half bell)

2
00:00:08,399 --> 00:00:18,333
(Bell)

3
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Dear Thay, dear Sangha,

4
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(Japanese) 
I came from Japan.

5
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Dear Thay, dear Sangha,
I come from Japan.

6
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(Japanese) I am Shinto priest 
at the shrine at the foot of Mount Fuji.

7
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I am Shinto priest at the shrine
at the foot of Mount Fuji.

8
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(Japanese) At the same time, I am also 
practicing the Rinzai's Zen meditation.

9
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At the same time, I am also practicing 
the Zen meditation in the Rinzai school.

10
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(Japanese) 
Japanese people don't laugh very often.

11
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Japanese people don't laugh very often.

12
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(Japanese) Especially in Rinzai school,
we were told that we are not allowed

13
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to show our teeth in first three years
after we are ordained.

14
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Especially in Rinzai school after 
you were ordained for first three years

15
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you should never show your teeth... 
means you should never laugh.

16
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(Japanese) We are taught to do traditional
ways in practicing Zen meditation,

17
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no face expression, body still and
to hold the tension if it exists.

18
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So the way I have been taught in school
is also when I practice Zen meditation,

19
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I have to keep my face still, body still,
and hold tension.

20
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(Japanese) I also have this tension, which
is a characteristic of Japanese culture.

21
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And this tension, I find it is also
a characteristic of Japanese culture.

22
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(Japanese) But I love Thay's teaching
of smiling and relaxing in Plum Village.

23
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But I love the practice and
teaching of Plum Village.

24
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I love the smiling of Plum Village
very much.

25
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(Japanese)The day after tomorrow, I 
return to that land of non-smiling.

26
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(Japanese) Day after tomorrow.

27
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Day after tomorrow, I have to return 
to the land of non-smiling.

28
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(Japanese) While I like that culture 
of my native country,

29
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I also love Thay's teaching
in Plum Village.

30
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In my heart, these two teachings
are mixed together.

31
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After I return to Japan, I wish to
collaborate these two teachings better,

32
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how should I do this?

33
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So, I love this practice of Plum Village.
I love smiling.

34
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But at the same time,

35
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I really cherish my own tradition of
Japanese culture of non-smiling.

36
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So day after tomorrow, 
when I have to go back to Japan,

37
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I don't know how I can continue 
to practice in a way that

38
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I can combine 
these two different practices.

39
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(Japanese)I want to combine.

40
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I hope to be able to combine.

41
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(English) How to combine, Thay?

42
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(Laughter)

43
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I think it is possible.

44
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In the history of Zen Buddhism in Japan,

45
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there are many Zen masters 
who are capable of smiling.

46
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They enjoy the beauty of nature very much.

47
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In their writing,
in their speaking,

48
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they have expressed 
a lot of love and appreciation for nature.

49
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When you enjoy that much, 
you cannot refrain from smiling

50
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although nobody sees you smiling.

51
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You can smile during the night,
nobody sees you.

52
00:05:17,239 --> 00:05:20,618
(Crowd laughs)

53
00:05:34,489 --> 00:05:39,703
And you know that smile like that
is not a diplomatic smile.

54
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Smiling, and even laughing.

55
00:05:49,276 --> 00:05:52,224
I think many friends of us in Japan,

56
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they want to show that 
they are practicing seriously.

57
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Of course, their intention is
to succeed in the practice.

58
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You cannot do half-practice.

59
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You have to practice wholeheartedly, you 
have to show your seriousness in practice.

60
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And if you go a little too far, 
you become too solemn, too grim.

61
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And some of us overdo it.

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It is good to practice seriously, 
we agree with them.

63
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We tell them that we agree that 
we have to practice seriously.

64
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But we should not overdo it to become
grim, tense, and things like that.

65
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Because a beautiful Buddha statue 
always has a very light smile.

66
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So you can go home and 
tell your colleagues in practice:

67
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There are two kinds of smile,
two kinds of laugh.

68
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And when you smile mindfully,
that is good.

69
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Even if you laugh very loud, 
if you do it mindfully, it is good.

70
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When it is mindful, it is good.

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When it is not mindful, that is not good.

72
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So you should allow a good laugh and 
a good smile to be accepted.

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So, be a good teacher and bring
mindful smiling, mindful laughing back

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into your tradition and 
make it more beautiful.

75
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Especially, advice them to eat slowly.

76
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Because in the Soto tradition,
they eat very quickly.

77
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(Laughter)

78
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We should be able to enjoy eating.

79
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Tell them to chew at least 30 times.

80
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50 times is very good.

81
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Thank you.

82
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(Half bell)

83
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(Bell)