Should you smile or not?

Thay answers questions on 21 June 2014. Question 9

(Half bell)

(Bell)

Dear Thay, dear Sangha,

(Japanese)
I came from Japan.

Dear Thay, dear Sangha,
I come from Japan.

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

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

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

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

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

Japanese people don't laugh very often.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But I love the practice and
teaching of Plum Village.

I love the smiling of Plum Village
very much.

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

(Japanese) Day after tomorrow.

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

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

I also love Thay's teaching
in Plum Village.

In my heart, these two teachings
are mixed together.

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

how should I do this?

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

But at the same time,

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

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

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

I can combine
these two different practices.

(Japanese)I want to combine.

I hope to be able to combine.

(English) How to combine, Thay?

(Laughter)

I think it is possible.

In the history of Zen Buddhism in Japan,

there are many Zen masters
who are capable of smiling.

They enjoy the beauty of nature very much.

In their writing,
in their speaking,

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

When you enjoy that much,
you cannot refrain from smiling

although nobody sees you smiling.

You can smile during the night,
nobody sees you.

(Crowd laughs)

And you know that smile like that
is not a diplomatic smile.

Smiling, and even laughing.

I think many friends of us in Japan,

they want to show that
they are practicing seriously.

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

You cannot do half-practice.

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

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

And some of us overdo it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

And when you smile mindfully,
that is good.

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

When it is mindful, it is good.

When it is not mindful, that is not good.

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

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

into your tradition and
make it more beautiful.

Especially, advice them to eat slowly.

Because in the Soto tradition,
they eat very quickly.

(Laughter)

We should be able to enjoy eating.

Tell them to chew at least 30 times.

50 times is very good.

Thank you.

(Half bell)

(Bell)