Our “Roots of Buddhism” is our new series at Greatwoods Zen in which every two months, we will dive into the deeper and more nuanced teachings of Buddhism. These are not merely intellectual or philosophical explorations; rather, we will inquire and discover how these teachings apply to the most important questions and meaning of our every day lives and practice.
As a complement to the joyous and social nature of our community, these days of mindfulness will be practiced in noble silence, where we will have an opportunity to touch the deeper threads of our practice individually and collectively. Have you ever tried a whole day in silence in community? It is a real treat, a retreat!
Our theme this month will be on the Buddha’s teachings on emptiness. The Sanskrit term for emptiness in Buddhism is śūnyatā, derived from the root word śūnya, meaning "empty" or “hollow”. When you hear the word “emptiness”, does that touch the seed of fear in you, even a little bit? Deep within us, we have our existential fears. “When we die, do we change from something to nothing?” “Is the nature of life and death merely nothingness?” In Buddhism, the teaching on emptiness is not the same as nothingness. Rather, the Buddha’s teachings on emptiness cut through both the ideas that we are something fixed and solid, as well as the ideas that we are made of nothing. They are intended to free us from the notions of being and nonbeing, of birth and death, of moral absolutism and moral nihilism, so that we are not caught in extremes of notions, and can touch the true nature of life which is the reality of interbeing.
Emptiness here means empty of a fixed, separate self. Our ideas and the meanings we ascribe to things are empty, meaning that we can continue to free ourselves from perceptions and stories that no longer serve us. Because we ourselves, including our body, heart, and mind, area also empty of a separate self, we can inter-be with everything else in the Universe, including the sun, the moon, the rivers, the trees, our grandparents (those alive or passed away), our children (those born or yet to be born), the dog poop that smells in your front yard, and the Carolina jasmine that is blooming in your yard. The teachings on emptiness are a portal to understanding the nature of no-birth and no-death, how we exist in others, and how others exist within us, both right now, and throughout space and time.
Please bring: lunch for yourself, and a little something to share with others (if you want).
Please register in advance.
We look forward to practicing together!