"Essential Emptiness" number 24 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.
Contemplate the essential nature of emptiness. I am noticing that there are several new-fangled ways to study Zen. Here I'm thinking of the approaches taken by Adyashanti, Cheri Huber and Gempo Merzel's Big Mind. I have participated in each of these to one degree or another and found lots of movement and connection in my own life. Each claim to be a derivative of Zen and each has a unique approach. Helpful in a modern age in a Western culture.
And yet.
Aitken Roshi points out that the old texts are a vast resources for tuning life. Specifically he lists a collection of sutras worth study. The collection is called Prajñā Pāramitā "Prefection of Wisdom". In this collection is the Heart Sutra and the Vimalakirti Sutra. This collection points to the essential emptiness of everything or Shunyatā. Aitken Roshi admonishes us that if you don't yet embody shunyatā, "you are not yet squared away." Nice!
Don't mind me, I have some squaring up to do!
Contemplate the essential nature of emptiness. I am noticing that there are several new-fangled ways to study Zen. Here I'm thinking of the approaches taken by Adyashanti, Cheri Huber and Gempo Merzel's Big Mind. I have participated in each of these to one degree or another and found lots of movement and connection in my own life. Each claim to be a derivative of Zen and each has a unique approach. Helpful in a modern age in a Western culture.
And yet.
Aitken Roshi points out that the old texts are a vast resources for tuning life. Specifically he lists a collection of sutras worth study. The collection is called Prajñā Pāramitā "Prefection of Wisdom". In this collection is the Heart Sutra and the Vimalakirti Sutra. This collection points to the essential emptiness of everything or Shunyatā. Aitken Roshi admonishes us that if you don't yet embody shunyatā, "you are not yet squared away." Nice!
Don't mind me, I have some squaring up to do!
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