SO TO ZEN - Shasta Abbey

The Coming World Culture 9Western culture which developed scientifically may becalled a culture that emphasizes existence (Ger. das Sein; J. y‰).However, the mere suggestion of existence implies also nonexistence(J. mu), for the concept of existence could not ariseunless it were contrasted with non-existence. Oriental culture isbased on this idea of mu, * non-existence, immaculacy, purity.(Although mu is variously translated as non-existence, immaculacy,Buddha Mind, etc., it will not henceforth be translatedfor it has no exact equivalent in English.) Mu is the principle ofselflessness which enables us to penetrate to the very core of thefinite and, by embracing and transcending (J. h‡etsu) it, to bringabout a change from knowing only the limitations of self todirectly experiencing the immaculacy and purity of That which* The concept of mu is frequently translated as emptiness and meansmore accurately emptiness of self or selflessness. Some people frequentlyfeel fear at the idea of emptiness, imagining some spiritual blackhole from which one can never be extricated. Rev. Jiyu-Kennett describedIt as Òthe fullest emptiness youÕll ever know.Ó She frequentlyused words like purity, immaculacy and Òthe EternalÓ to describe It in away that would not mislead or frighten people. Buddhism does not usethe idea of God precisely because it frequently implies a separationbetween man and God. The concept of mu, however, cannot be separatedfrom any Òthing.Ó The Buddha used the concept of the ÒUnborn, Uncreated,UnchangingÓ to point at what is experienced in enlightenment.Sometimes it is more accurate to describe the Absolute by what It is notthan by what It is. It is difficult for those who do not know It directly tounderstand that a negation can be something brighter and more positivethan any ÒthingÓ previously experienced.