Nothing is wonderful

lobster

Shunryu Suzuki said of enlightenment:
"It is kind of mystery that for people who have no experience of enlightenment, enlightenment is something wonderful. But if they attain it, it is nothing. But yet it is not nothing. Do you understand? For a mother with children, having children is nothing special. That is zazen. So, if you continue this practice, more and more you will acquire something - nothing special, but nevertheless something. You may say "universal nature" or "Buddha nature" or "enlightenment." You may call is by many names, but for the person who has it, it is nothing, and it is something."
http://buddhism.about.com/od/enlightenmentandnirvana/a/What-Is-Enlightenment.htm

Is Nothing wonderful?
I say it is the First Noble Truth . . . and funnily enough the goal of the eight fold path.
What is it the Mahayanists say:
form is no other than emptiness; emptiness no other than form.

Ain't that something . . .

pegembara

For the unified mind in accord with the Way all self-centered striving ceases.

Doubts and irresolutions vanish and life in true faith is possible.

With a single stroke we are freed from bondage; nothing clings to us and we hold to nothing.

All is empty, clear, self-illuminating, with no exertion of the mind's power.

Here thought, feeling, knowledge, and imagination are of no value.

In this world of suchness there is neither self nor other-than-self.

To come directly into harmony with this reality just simply say when doubt arises, 'Not two.'

In this 'not two' nothing is separate, nothing is excluded.

No matter when or where, enlightenment means entering this truth.

http://allspirit.co.uk/hsinhsinming.html

zenff

"The nature of all things is liberation."
(Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra)

(Reverend Subhuti, do not fear these words, and pick up your bowl…)
The nature of all things is like illusion, like a magical incarnation. So you should not fear them. Why? All words also have that nature, and thus the wise are not attached to words, nor do they fear them. Why? All language does not ultimately exist, except as liberation. The nature of all things is liberation.
http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/Vimalakirti.htm

David

When people talk of nothing as if it was something I think the Buddha is misunderstood.

Saying things happening is nothing special is not the same as saying there is nothing happening.

Also emptiness is not the same thing as nothingness. Nothingness is nonsensical as it is a quality we assigned to that which doesn't exist... That which we have absolutely no possible reference to. Emptiness is the quality for that which has potential/the ability to change.

zenff said:

"The nature of all things is liberation."
(Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra)

(Reverend Subhuti, do not fear these words, and pick up your bowl…)
The nature of all things is like illusion, like a magical incarnation. So you should not fear them. Why? All words also have that nature, and thus the wise are not attached to words, nor do they fear them. Why? All language does not ultimately exist, except as liberation. The nature of all things is liberation.
http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/Vimalakirti.htm

I notice he says the nature of all things is liberation or like illusion.

Words are funny but expression through language has come a long way in 2500 years or so.

David

pegembara said:

For the unified mind in accord with the Way all self-centered striving ceases.

Doubts and irresolutions vanish and life in true faith is possible.

With a single stroke we are freed from bondage; nothing clings to us and we hold to nothing.

All is empty, clear, self-illuminating, with no exertion of the mind's power.

Here thought, feeling, knowledge, and imagination are of no value.

In this world of suchness there is neither self nor other-than-self.

To come directly into harmony with this reality just simply say when doubt arises, 'Not two.'

In this 'not two' nothing is separate, nothing is excluded.

No matter when or where, enlightenment means entering this truth.

http://allspirit.co.uk/hsinhsinming.html

Here I believe "no thing" is implied and not "nothing".

If in this "'not two', nothing is separate and nothing is excluded" then there IS two. That which is unified and this magic nothing everybody talks about which is separate and excluded.

Nothing is just a concept. In reality if there was ever a time of nothing then there was no potential to change or any kind of process of any kind unfolding in any way.

Including the ability to have illusions.

Jeffrey

No is a negation and 'thing' is what is posited. You have to define what 'thing' is and then maybe there can be no thing.

lobster

Thanks guys
:thumbsup:

What then is the best way of becoming enlightened? It depends.
For example if you are a Jain orthodox nun, you will have to be born a man to even have a chance. Sorry gals.
If an Orthodox Jew, celibacy is a sin. Sorry renunciates, you bad boys.
If a Sufi Moslem, no monkery in Islam.

Oh the humanity.

You could try wisdom, only available in exceptional youngsters. You could try love, only available to the transcendentally promiscuous. You could try listening but not to your knowledge.

Now you know.

Knowing may be of limited use to you however . . .
What is? Do you know? Perhaps you will know when enlightened? You think? You don't?

tsk, tsk . . . so simple, so . . .

'Since everything is but an apparition
Perfect in being what it is,
Having nothing to do with good or bad, acceptance or rejection,
One may well burst out in laughter.'
LONGCHENPA

:clap:

David

It sounds so easy but how could it all be illusion if there is nothing to ilude?

lamaramadingdong

Nothing is wonderful...
and isn't that wonderful?