Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘When we think about something we take a point of the view. We form an opinion. We think, “This exists,” or “This doesn’t exist.” We may think, I am deluded” or “I am enlightened” or “There must be something eternal” or “There is nothing eternal.” These are opinions. To form our way of thinking we have to take a side. We cannot function in society without a point of view. If we adopt different points of view at the same time, we are seen as inconsistent and untrustworthy. But according to Nagarjuna these are all phenomenal thought constructions, idle or meaningless arguments. Whichever side you take it’s only a half of reality. Reality is there before taking a view.’ (Living By Vow)

My Monday night group is currently wrestling with emptiness as we look at the chapter on the Heart Sutra; as one member expressed it, Shohaku’s commentary makes things clearer than the other books she has read on the sutra.