Freedom, even from Zen
Buddhist writings caution endlessly against concepts. The Diamond Sutra, the inspiration of Zen students, is devoted to destroying all concepts, even the concept that concepts must be destroyed. In the Diamond Sutra we find the Buddha advising his interlocutor Subuti and the rest of us not to be captivated by names and designated qualities like "Buddha Lands," "molecules," "galaxies," "enlightenment," "Tathagata," and even such notions as "ego entity," "personality," and "exclusive individuality." The person who is not bound in such a way can be called one who abides joyously in peace.
Moreover, while it is possible to be free of concepts - and this freedom can be joyous - the moment we dwell on the words "freedom" and "joy" we are trapped again. It is in no-freedom that we find freedom, in no-joy that we find joy. This is the Way of Zen or of freedom even from Zen.
Yet we must use words like "Zen," "self," "Buddha Lands" "galaxies," "molecules," in order to function socially. Naming is the primary human act. In the book of Genesis, Adam named the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air before he did anything else. Each infant creates the world in this way. The first two words my son strung together were "What's that?" Let me name that thing! This imperative has brought forth human civilization from the inchoate void.
- Robert Aitken Roshi, Original Dwelling Place.
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