Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘Living in vow is not the big expectation, big things you can do. You cannot do big things. You cannot expect big things from your life. What you can do is just a little bit, just little, tiny things. When you get up in the morning, get up in the morning. Within the activity of getting up in the morning, there is a hallway to go through a door [into] the peaceful world. That’s why we have to take best care of the activity of getting up in the morning, doing zazen, having breakfast.

This is a tiny activity for us. Everyone does it in that way. It’s not unusual. It’s not outstanding human activity. It’s very usual. But these kind of small details in human life can be seen in your everyday life all the way, always.

So, where is [there a] door, going [to] the peaceful world? [The] door is your everyday life.

So all you can do is, I constantly say, vow is to just form habits of doing small details in your everyday life. But a habit is constantly made with your desires. A vow is a not a habit, with your desires. Living in vow is to do something, small things, carrying on forever, without any desires.

That is a way to live. That’s why Dogen Zenji says, “The way is that the buddha-dharma must be practiced just for the buddha-dharma.” This is called the Way, or Buddha Way. The Buddha Way or the Way is our gold. Where we should build up [human life], what is the destination, what is the gold. This is a way.

And also Dogen Zenji says that [the] Way is that buddha-dharma is practiced just for the buddha-dharma. That means when you do gassho, just do gassho for the gassho.

Where is the door to peace? Right under your feet. It’s not a big deal. It is a really small, tiny deal.

And also we have to carry this tiny deal forever, and under all circumstances, beyond the satisfaction of your desires. Constantly you have to carry it. For what? For living in peace and harmony with all sentient beings. This is a vow.’ (from Katagiri Transcripts)