Sep 25, 2009
Jay Rinsen Weik leads a retreat workshop at the Toledo Zen Center
on November 16, 2008.
"This principle is originally present in everyone. All the Buddhas
and bodhisattvas may be called people pointing out a jewel.
Fundamentally, it is not a thing - you don't need to know or
understand it, you don't need to affirm or deny it. Just cut off
dualism; cut off the supposition 'it exists' and the supposition
'it does not exist.' Cut off the supposition 'it is nonexistent'
and the supposition 'it is not nonexistent.' When traces do not
appear on either side, then neither lack nor sufficiency, neither
profane nor holy, not light or dark. This is not having knowledge,
yet not lacking knowledge, not bondage, not liberation. It is not
any name or category at all. Why is this not true speech? How can
you carve and polish emptiness to make an image of Buddha? How can
you say that emptiness is blue, yellow, red or white?"
For more information about the Toledo Zen Center, please visit
toledozen.org.