On Nirvana and Sesshin

July 1977 · Haiku Zendo, Los Altos

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The stage of purity go endlessly and so-called it "Nirvana" comes very end of it. Nirvana is literally "death", perfect death is what Nirvana is and we accomplish it before this body reach to end - before still functioning remain we reach to that end of purity. That's what we are doing.

You may say you are going to sesshin and sit. That's a big lie. If you say to your friend, partner, "I'm going to die", no-one can let you go to sesshin so you say, "I'm going to sit." No wonder it is difficult thing.

← On SocialityHōtō, Summer 1977 — shorter pieces →
Zazen as Non-Doing (Shikantaza)  Life and Death as Inseparable  Shinjin Datsuraku (Body-Mind Dropping Off)