Friday, September 20, 2019

Apple and Bamboo

Student FF: Roshi, when you eat an apple, form is emptiness. Give an example of “Emptiness is form.”

SR: When you say “emptiness,” that is not what emptiness means. Everything is changing. Emptiness is form. Form is emptiness.

Student FF: In its own home?

SR: Mm-hmm. You know, bamboo is bamboo, but it does not exist as a bamboo shoot always. It is growing. “Emptiness,” we say, but some concrete idea of bamboo shoot is empty. 
  -------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-04-23-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC