The following zoom teisho Koten Roshi gave in March 2023. It was first given by Harada Sekkei Roshi in 1984 at Kinmokutsu Dojo, a Rinzai dojo in Berlin (not Munich, as I stated last month), Germany.
仏教は因縁の法だと言っています。原因結果のね、因縁の法だと言っています。	Buddhism is called the law of causes and conditions, in other words, the law of cause and effect, the law of causality.
私たちが今、こういう形でここに居るということは過去に必ずこういう結果になるという原因を作ったからです。	Our present form or condition as we are here right now is without a doubt due to causes in the past that produced this outcome or result.
その原因を作ったために、結果としてこうあります。今度は今のこの結果が将来の原因になるわけです。	Because we created those past causes, the result is our present condition. Then, our present condition becomes the cause of outcomes or results that will be created in the future.
そこで今現在、自分の状態が何らかで迷っておるとか、困っておるとかいうそういう結果でありますと、それが原因になって将来も同じように困っておるとか迷っておるとかいう状態しか結果は無いんです。	Therefore, in your present condition if you are lost and confused, disturbed or troubled in some way, then that becomes the cause, or the grounds, for the inevitable result or outcome of being troubled and confused in the future.
将来っていうのは1秒先も1年先も10年先も将来ということですね。これから先。	The future here meaning one moment or one minute in the future, or one year or 10 years from now.
だから10年先、20年先の自分はどうなっておるだろうかということを見るのには、見たいと思う人は今の自分を見たら間違いないです。	Therefore if there is someone who wants to see what they will be like in ten or twenty years from now, then if they take a look at themselves now, there will be no mistake.
現在公案と格闘してる人は今その公案を解決しておきませんと10年先、20年先も公案と格闘しているということです。	For those people who are wrestling with or investigating the koan of their present condition––the genjo koan––if they do not resolve the koan now, then they will still be wrestling with it ten or twenty years from now.
それは原因結果の法で必ずそうだということがおわかりでしょ？	This is the law of cause and effect. Can you see that certainly and without fail it can be no other way?
ですから本当に今、今の今すべてのことを解決しておかないと将来、明日やろう、明後日やろう、5年先にはやろうということは全く分からないことですね。	So we really need to resolve everything right now, this present moment. If not resolved right now, then will it be resolved tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, or five years from now? We don’t know.
ですから将来の自分が、今の如く公案の葛藤で終わりたくないと思うならば、今すぐそれを解決しておく必要があるということですね。	Therefore if you don’t want your future self, your future condition, to end up just like your present conflicted and troubled self which is currently investigating your doubt/koan, then it is necessary to find the resolution here in the present–in your present condition.
それは公案だけではありませんよ。自分の精神、自分の今の状態全てがそうです。	This of course doesn’t just mean the koan. It is your whole heart/mind, your entire present condition/reality.
そこでよくお話をさせてもらうんですけども、自分の作った原因によって、人間は１０の世界に生まれます。	I have often said this before. Due to the causes we created through our past actions, we are born, or we appear, in the 10 realms of existence.
まず迷いの世界から話をします。	To explain about these Ten Realms, first I'll talk about the world of delusion.
その迷いの世界に6つの世界があります。	In the world of delusion there are six realms. These are six of the 10 realms.
まずその6つの世界の一番上から言いますと、天上界という世界があります。	Among the six realms of delusion, speaking from the highest realm to the lowest, the highest realm is the heavenly realm.
天上界という世界は喜びや楽しみだけがある世界ということ。	In this heavenly realm there is only joy and pleasure
その下に人間界があります。	Next, below the heavenly realm is the realm of human beings
人間界というのは悲しみや憂いや寂しさやそういう世界がある世界。	In the realm of human beings there is sadness, happiness, loneliness, and so on
それから地獄界。	The next realm is the realm of hell.
地獄界というのは天上界の裏側で苦しみだけしかない世界。	The realm of hell is the opposite of the heavenly realm. It is a realm where there is nothing but suffering.
その下に畜生界。	Next is the realm of beasts and brutes
畜生界という世界はものの道理が分からない。	The realm of beasts and brutes is a realm where reasoning and common sense are not understood
その下に餓鬼界。	Below the world of beasts and brutes is the realm of hungry ghosts
餓鬼というのはいつも満足をするということを知らない世界。	The realm of hungry ghosts is a realm where one doesn’t know what it is to be satisfied
一番最後に修羅界、修羅という世界があります。	Then the last realm is the Shura realm, the realm of fighting devils
これはいつも腹を立てて喧嘩ばっかりをしておる世界。	In this realm one is always angry and constantly fighting
これが迷いの世界の６つですね。天上、人間、地獄、餓鬼、畜生、修羅。これを迷いの6つの世界といっています。	These six realms makeup the world of delusion, confusion. The heavenly realm, the human realm, the realm of hell, then brutes/beasts, hungry ghosts, and fighting devils.
ここにお集まりの皆さんも一日のうちで必ずその迷いの世界を全部回って来ておられることと思います。	For everyone gathered here, every day each of you I think wander around these six realms of existence
そういうのを仏教では輪廻というんです。輪廻、ぐるぐる回っている輪廻。	In Buddhism, this is called rebirth, reincarnation. Revolving, cycling through birth and death.
これは私が作った原因によって必ずどこかの世界に居らなきゃならんように出来ておるんですね。	In other words, due to the causes created by my past actions, without fail it is inevitable that I dwell in one of these six realms.
人に作られた原因というものはありません。全部自分が作って、そしてその作った結果によって地獄とか餓鬼とか修羅という状態になったんですね。	There are no causes that are created by others. All causes are created by our own actions, and by means of the result/outcome of the causes we ourselves created we are reincarnated in, or revolve around, the different realms of hell, or hungry spirits, or fighting devils, and so on.
その6つの世界で一番短い時間しかおれない世界を人間界と言います。	And, among these 6 realms of existence, the one realm we spend the shortest amount of time in is the realm of humans.
坐禅は素晴らしい極楽のように思っている人もありますけれども、足が痛くてこんなの早くやめてしまいたいな、なんて思っている人は地獄の世界に居るわけですね。	There are some people who think that sitting in zazen is like being in some heavenly paradise. But for other people, whose legs hurt terribly during zazen wishing that this sitting period would end quickly, these people are in the realm of hell and suffering.
そうであってはいけませんけれども、事実、坐禅なんか大変なだけで足だけが痛くて何にもならんなんて考えておられる人が多いと思いますが。	That isn't such a good thing, but in fact there are people whose legs hurt so bad they wonder what good or benefit could sitting in zazen possibly be.
しかし、その短い間しかおれない人間界におる時にしか、仏法ということは聞けないんです。仏の世界のことは聞けません。	However, it is only in this realm of human beings––where we spend the shortest amount of time––that we are able to hear the Dharma–that we are able to hear about the world of Buddha.
なぜって言いますと、天上界、人間界の上の天上界には喜びだけがありますから、まだ自分はそういうような道を知る必要が無いという考えが、それから人間界の下の世界は苦しみが多くてとてもそういう余裕がない世界だからです。	The reason for this is In the heavenly realm, the realm above human beings where there is so much pleasure. Those who are in that realm don't think that knowing about the Way is so indispensable or immensely important. And those dwelling in the realms below the human realm undergo so much suffering that they don't have the opportunity, the composure, the room to think about it.
ですからせっかく人間界に居られておる間に禅の話を聞いて実際に坐禅を志しておられるわけですから、どうか早くそういう六道輪廻から離れて、今から申し上げる世界に入ってもらいたいと思います。	Therefore during the time that we are in this world or realm of humans, of human beings, we use this time to hear about the Way and to practice zen, zazen. That is why we should eagerly free ourselves from revolving or reincarnating in the six realms of existence and to quickly enter the worlds or realms I am about to describe now. These are the higher four realms of the ten realms of existence..
その世界というのは下の方から声聞界、声を聴くという世界。	Above the six realms I just described are four realms. The lowest of these in Sanskrit is called the Realm of the Shravaka where one is able to hear the teaching of Buddha and to practice it. The Shravaka realm also includes those in the lower six realms who are able hear the teaching of Buddha
その上に縁覚界、縁によって悟るという世界。	Above the Shravaka realm is the pratyeka-buddha, where one reaches satori through some casual circumstance, cause-and-effect outcome
この声聞、縁覚の世界というのはどういう世界かと言いますと、普通では羅漢という言葉がありますが、羅漢位という世界であります。	Shravaka and pratyeka-buddhas are Rakans, or Arhats. They are in the rank of Arhats
その上、声聞、縁覚のその上に菩薩界というのがあります。菩薩。	Then, above Shravaka and pratyeka-buddhas is the realm of Bodhisattvas.
その上に仏界、仏の世界というものがあります。	Then above Bodhisattvas is the world of Buddhas.
これを十界と言います。上から仏界から修羅界までの世界が１０ありますから、これを十界と言います。	These are the 10 realms of existence. From the top world of Buddhas to the bottom realm of fighting devils there are 10 realms altogether. It is called the Ten Realms of Existence.
先ほど申し上げました、声聞、縁覚、菩薩、仏の世界に禅によってそういう世界に入りますと、再び「六道輪廻という迷いの世界に逆戻りすることはありません。	As I said previously, once someone enters the worlds of Shravaka and pratyeka-buddhas, bodhisattvas and Buddhas there is no falling back into, or returning to, revolving through the lower six realms of delusion and suffering.
そういう菩薩とか仏の世界に入った人たちも最初は始めはみんな六道輪廻、いわゆる迷いの世界を輪廻しておった人たちです。	And those who we refer to as having entered the realm of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, all of these people first of all revolved through the lower six realms of suffering and delusion.
ですから生まれながらにして、菩薩や仏であったという人は一人も無いということです。	Therefore there is not one single person who was a Buddha or bodhisattva at birth.
仏になるべく、仏になるような原因を作って仏になったということです。	Anyone who has become Buddha has had to first of all create the cause-and-effect circumstances, the causes or grounds, to bring about becoming Buddha.
これは無常だからです。無常というのは移り変わっている状態ですね。無常だからです。	It is because all things are transient, in other words, constantly undergoing change, that it is possible.
ですから今は修羅とか畜生界に居る人でも菩提心、菩提心というのは道を求める心です。菩提心をおこして坐禅を志して修行をしていったのなら必ず佛、菩薩になれるということですね。	Therefore even if one is currently dwelling in the realm of fighting devils or the realm of beasts and brutes, if he or she would only raise Bodaishin–the mind that seeks the Way–and aspire to attain the Way, endeavor to attain the Way by means of zazen practice, then without a doubt it is possible to become a Buddha or Bodhisattva.
これはそういう佛、菩薩になれない、どうしてもなれないという、仏さまになれない、菩薩さまになれないという人はひとりもありません。	There is no one for whom it is impossible to become a Buddha or Bodhisattva, absolutely no one who cannot do it.
なぜかと言いますと、先般で申し上げているように、佛、菩薩というのは全く今の自分	And why is it so? As I have said before, the form of Buddha or a Bodhisattva, they are all your present reality.