The Monks of Nothingness

THE MONKS OF NOTHINGNESS

It's been claimed the Monks of Nothingness really don't contribute much. Actually, if you happened to mentioned this to one of them, he'd quite likely ask, "Much of what?" They toy with language.

But they don't toy with language because they are being sarcastic. It's more about humor and insight. Because "much of what" could, in fact, be a great deal less than even the smallest little bit of Nothingness.

Of course this kind of conversation can quickly get confusing and nuanced, so the monks don't talk about it 'much'. That way they won't get accused of talking riddles. So they become quiet. Which often means they are viewed as being withdrawn - non-contributing members of society. 

Obviously, if you mentioned this to a monk he would instinctively ask, "Well, what is it, exactly, that we should be contributing to society?"

By now, most people, understandably exasperated with all this monkliness, mutter dismissive slander under their breath as they trod off. But the truth is the truth, and the monks - to be fair - have a point.

Because society is all about 'somethingness' - and making more and more of it. And since The Grand Machine of Perpetual Somethingness is designed, built and operated that way, there's very little room for anything less than a whole lot of something. 

To be fair, the monks understand the attraction of all the somethingness that's going on. It's just that they don't want to contribute to making a bigger mudpie - there's already billions of people swarming that particular mound of dirt.

And what with all the piling on, it can get messy, competitive and deadly in there. People become worn out by the struggle - unless they're very rich. But the rich become worn out too, protecting their money. So in the end, there are a lot of worn out ants.

Meanwhile, the Monks of Nothingness sit by themselves on the empty grandstand seats, chewing on non-GMO popcorn. Wondering when everyone is going to get tired of playing the same old losing game.

The art of True Seeing

THE ART OF TRUE SEEING, or How to ‘Abide in the Nothingness’

When a courageous warrior encounters brigands, he has no fear; wielding his sword, he proceeds straight ahead, whereupon the brigands all scatter. Once his achievement is established, his glory and his reward continue all his life. Now, if poverty and sickness afflict our bodies, then those are brigands. If we have a stilled mind, that is the courageous warrior; intelligent examination is wielding the sword, the dissolution of afflictions and troubles is victory in war, and peace and permanent happiness are the glory and the reward. 

Whenever misery oppresses our minds, if we fail to use this observation and instead become anxious and burdened, then that is like people who encounter brigands but do no worthy deeds, throwing off their armor, abandoning their troops, and running away. Doing the wrong thing, they abandon happiness for misery - how pitiful is that?

If you are suffering from illness, you should observe that this illness comes from having your own body. If you did not have your own body, where would the ailment be. The Tao Te Ching says, "If only I had no body, what affliction would I have?"

Next observe the mind as having no real master. Searing inwardly and outwardly, you find no perceiver; all suppositions come from the wandering mind.

Thus if you still the body and quiet the mind, then myriad illnesses will al vanish.

If you dread death, you should think of your body as the abode of the spirit; this physical deterioration in old age is like a house that is rotting away and no longer fit to inhabit. It will be necessary to abandon the house and find another place to rest.

This is how it is when the spirit goes as the body dies - if you cling to life and abhor death, crying to avoid change, then your spirit's consciousness will become confused and no longer operate correctly. Because of this, when you are energized at rebirth, you do not sense clear, fine energy but mostly find polluted, debased energy. All folly, greed and baseness actually derive from this.

If you can mange to be dispassionate about living and unfazed by death, that will put life and death in order and also take care of preparations for the afterlife. If you crave all sorts of things, every craving produces an illness. When even one limb is ailing, it makes the whole body uneasy; so if there are myriad ailments in one mind, how could you prolong your life even if you wanted to?

All craving or hatred is forgetfulness of life. When accumulated illusions are not cleared up, they interfere with perception of the Way. This is why we need to give up cravings and abide in nothingness, so that we have a basis for gradual clarification.

- Taoist Master Sima Chengzhen of the Tang Dynasty (618-907)

The Nothingness doesn't care about 'right and wrong'

"As soon as you concern yourself with the 'good' and 'bad' of your fellows, you create an opening in your heart for maliciousness to enter. Testing, competing with, and criticizing others weaken and defeat you."

- Morihei Ueshiba, Founder of Aikido

This little point of Nothingness

"At the center of our being is a point of nothingness which is untouched by sin and by illusion, a point of pure truth, a point or spark which belongs entirely to God, which is never at our disposal, from which God disposes of our lives, which is inaccessible to the fantasies of our mind or the brutalities of our own will.

This little point of nothingness and of absolute poverty is the pure glory of God in us.  It is so to speak His name written in us, as our poverty, as our indigence, as our dependence, as our sonship.  It is like a pure diamond, blazing with the invisible light of heaven.

It is in everybody, and if we could see it we would see these billion points of light coming together in the face and blaze of a sun that would all the darkness and cruelty of life vanish completely...I have no program for this seeing.  It is only given.  But the gate of heaven is everywhere."

- Thomas Merton