Emptiness

With palms together,
Good Morning Sangha,

So sorry for the delay in posting my morning message to you. I experienced some computer problems, but have them fixed at least temporarily. I have a very old laptop and its rather cranky.

This morning I would like to talk about emptiness. It seems we are often confused by this term. Shunyata simply means empty of something. It does not mean non-existence. So when we see ourselves as "empty," we see we are without a fixed self, a self that doies not change. Shunyata points to our interdependence for existence in both time and space. We are, in fact, a matrix that is infinate. It is just a matter of perspective that allows us to "see" a collection of molecules we call a "body" and a great interlocking chain of events (or causes) that allow us to become consciousness of a "self."

So, when we pinch ourselves we hurt, yet we "know" this pain is "empty" of an independent and permanent existance, just as are our bodies, minds, and feelings. We still feel pain. We still exist in the world and are responsible for our actions and the actions of others.

We cannot use "emptiness" and "no-self" as a quiet excuse to do nothing.

Be well.