When we drop all mental divisions of “self” vs. “not self/other,” “this” vs. that,” and other opposites, categories and names, what remains is thus the encompassing wholeness, this which we might call “Buddha” or “all reality” or “God,” or “suchness” or “universe” or “universes” or “the Whole Works,” or (best of all) may simply just express though silence. Buddhists believe that there is some marvelous aspect to this world in its wholeness when we stop dicing and splicing it into little mental pieces, including those pieces we call “me” and “you” and “the others.” The name “Buddha” can be translated as “the Awakened One,” so perhaps we can say that this is the “one” realized when awakened from all our divided thinking which ordinarily cuts the wholeness into bits and pieces.
But we must be cautious even in calling this “one.” It is not some “one,” for even saying it is “one” or some “oneness” limits what is. First, this may be such a process of change that there may be no solid “it” even to nail down as an “it.” Second, it is so “one beyond one,” that we should drop the word and idea of “one” as itself misleading and not needed. We might say that this leaps beyond all thought of fractions yet is all fractions too; this is beyond all numbers, yet is infinitely encompassing of two, three and everything more.
A good way to do our ‘Zen math’ is to realize that every single fraction, no matter how small, and every single number or combination of numbers, no matter have large, fully embodies the total, and the total pours into that AND each and all:
Thus, in Mahayana multiplication, 2 + 2 = 4 = the Whole Works; 1/4 x 1/4 = 1/16 = the Whole Works. Thereby, for a Buddha, 4 = 1/16 = the Whole Works. It is much like saying that 1 is the infinite universe, and 0 is the infinite universe, while the smallest number and the biggest number are both the infinite universe thus (because infinite = infinite = infinite), 1 = 0 = the biggest number = the smallest number = infinity.
Equally, there is no need for the concept of “one” when there is not a thing beyond it for compare. If we imagine that a single point is the whole universe (for example, the singularity at the Big Bang) such that there is no other point outside the one point, it would thereby be rather pointless to refer to “one point” because no two, three, or other points with which to compare the point as “one.” Furthermore, since everything in the universe is just this singularity of “nothing outside with which to compare” poured forth at the Big Bang to become all this universe, each and all things that thus poured forth (including you and me today) are just the singularity which is beyond compare.
We are advised by great thinkers, philosophers and religious figures, east and west, not to stick a mental name or image on this wholeness because simply doing so creates a division between us and the mental idea which then, objectified, seems a thing apart from us, stuffed into the small mental file box in our brain. Thus, thinking of it as an “it” or a “this” is a problem, as it creates the limited idea of a solid “it” that is both apart from us and restricted by the mind’s idea.
Words and ideas are limiting: For example, when we to try to capture all the wonders of the Grand Canyon in the not-so-grand name “Grand Canyon,” or in some idea, memory, video or post card of the Grand Canyon, we neither capture nor truly experience the real Grand Canyon. We cannot even begin to process a fraction of the reality of the canyon, every stone and grain of a stone, flower and petal of a flower, fox and hair on a fox, flowing inch of river and watery drop of river, and all the amazing rest. We need some name and idea to convey the concept, thus “Grand Canyon” has to do for practical purposes. Nonetheless, when we toss away the names and simply open our eyes, standing on the rim and looking over, we can feel in our bones the wonder of the place beyond limits. And, because every canyon stone, flower, fox, and flowing inch of river is the Grand Canyon, and the Grand Canyon is each stone, flower, fox, and flowing inch, when the Zen fellow picks up and savors any flower of the Grand Canyon, the whole Grand Canyon is there, and the stone, river and fox are within the flower too. In fact, even the savoring Zen fellow is the Canyon.
That said, toss away the name “Grand Canyon” and just breathe the flower deep!
For us crazy Buddhists, the stone, flower, fox, and flowing river droplets are not simply the Grand Canyon, but are also each other too. The flower is fully the Grand Canyon, the fox and stone is fully the Grand Canyon, the drops of flowing water and whole river are each and all fully the Grand Canyon, so that the Grand Canyon is fully this Grand Canyon, and thus the flower is fully fox, which is thoroughly water and stone too. Heck, beyond merely separate objects to perceive, please leap into the Canyon (in your heart, not literally!), and the Grand Canyon is just you and you are the Canyon. You are flower, stone cliffs, foxes, and flowing waters too. Yes, it is a little hard to get one’s head around, but via zazen and other brain mucking, we can fuzzy up our sense of individual identities in ways that let us understand and experience such redefinitions.
But what is the use of doing so?
... more on that next time ...
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