Our study here tonight is to image the real meaning of No Stealing. The ordinary meaning to take something from another is the literal meaning. At the same time, to observe a deeper meaning of this is the subject to speak about. Something happened, and we appeared on this earth. A very small drop of life occurred and it grew. A little circle of energy in your circle of energy grew, and when the time came it started to separate in two. One sees it as two, but as you know, this birth of mother and child from it, child from it, it's not truly able to separate. Because of inner consciousness we think that this human is individual existence, and shape is dynamic move among many things, so we have no question it has that position. But the more you sit the more you observe the connection of all existence, the necessity of continuous life, and the necessity to find the direction which way you are going to move on this earth, what kind of life you want to create.
Eventually we begin to understand that we are truly an individual existence, but it is a universal thing in itself. It is an enormous dynamic going with you. Life of activity becomes a very creative art form for you. It has that potentiality. So the unseparable existence from this universe each present moment is the focus of this precept. Of course, becoming aware, desiring clothes and making clothes to put on that begin to fit nobody but you, so that you feel it is my smell, my taste, is important. Whether to house in the city or country, where the very unquestionably familiar dynamics of your body are realized is also important. If we are in a totally strange place, like going through another country, we become extremely remote in terms of relationship and understanding others, we begin to understand what a different world we have created. Where you are becomes what you are. When you are is how you are. It's a very big thing. At the same time, it's a very very big individuality. Independent interdependency is there as one personality.
The basic recognition contains the tremendous dilemma of possessing everything and anything, and possessing nothing in the literal sense. This is man's contradiction. In that realm day and night, day and night our brain is working. Where to get it, how to get it. If I don't succeed and get things I'll be very embarrassed or something like that, until someday it all pops and you begin to feel, 'No, I am going to die now. What was this whole life? Running around.'
Dying people in a real sense show a very noble face...they realize the truth of existence. At the moment of dying, people suffer and suffer with lots of pain in the body and lots
of ideas, and finally they give up, they give up everything. And something heavy drops off...everything drops off, and their faces become very, very relieved, relieved from suffering, become very noble in appearance.
Zazen practicers are people who go through that kind of experience very often while they are still quite young. They return to their lives in a different place at the same time, but very far advanced, with a very deep concern about life, and that is how zazen is working.
Please remember this No Stealing precept. No Stealing...is the ultimate recognition we have nothing to lose. Even if someone steals your whole body or your whole mind, you have not lost anything. This is one example of devotion. Devotion is to give away, and giving yourself includes whatever it is, person or situation. This is how teacher and disciple, and devotion relationship is, not one-sided. To have two bodies is at this point remarkable sign of freedom. The mind is utterly become one, 'not-alike' each of you. And you liberate each other.
The best way to present or make a present to others is work you did. You create your own, and you give it away. You can forget it immediately because attachment doesn't follow to it. If you bought it, or empty your wallet, you cannot forget. So I wish if you have somebody to give to, give a part of your effort. Then people receive your effort, exact thing, and cannot break it or lose it.
Words you give to others from painful criticism are sometimes very bitter to receive let others receive, eventually becomes a very fantastic present. Sweet words, loving words often have no power in it. I mean, the ordinary sense of loving words. Real loving words are very open, very sweet and pierce through. That kind of present we are able to give to others. The thoughts you have upon people, about people, even it is invisible, it recreates a situation between yourself and others. Whatever we do is very important activity.