“Emptiness is form” is rather difficult to
understand. Emptiness which is the absolute goal we will attain, which is
enlightenment itself, is form. So whatever you do is enlightenment itself. This
is rather difficult to understand, or to accept, because you think emptiness is
some unusual thing. Something unusual is something very common. This is rather
difficult to understand, especially when you practice zazen. Even though your
practice is not perfect, that is enlightenment. This statement is very
difficult to accept. “No, my practice is not perfect.” But when we understand
form is emptiness, and emptiness is form, back and forth in this way, and form
is form, and emptiness is emptiness, when emptiness comes, everything is
emptiness, and when form comes, form is form, and we accept things as it is. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-08-20- as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones
