Hsin Shin Ming: “9. Do not get entangled in things; do not stay in emptiness.”
As I mentioned earlier, now we can see only one half; the realm of form that is the world of memory. Enlightenment is to see the other half; the realm of emptiness that is the world beyond memory. ‘Things’ in the scripture means the realm of form that is the worldly realm we live in now. ‘Get entangled in things’ means to be attached to, or indulge in worldly things, which happens because we can’t see things as they are.
The latter part ‘stay in emptiness’ means to create a form of emptiness in one’s mind and cling to it while mistaking it for emptiness. That is to make another form while trying to erase all forms, and to forsake emptiness while seeking it. That is also the result of not knowing what emptiness is, which is not being able to see things as they are.
If you realise that everything is empty, you don’t have to try to stay in emptiness, because there is nothing to cling to, or stay in, and above all there is no one who can cling since you are emptiness itself. Then there is nothing to stay in and no one to stay.
Student: “How can I neither get entangled in things nor stay in emptiness?”
Master: “See either yourself as you are, or things as they are.”
Student: “How is everything when I stay in emptiness?”
Master: “You are still getting entangled in things.”
©Boo Ahm
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