How can this world be identical to nirvana?

[Anthony]

I know this is something that's been talked about both on this forum and in zazenkai.

But with how everything has been lately, with all the war, violence, and suffering being inflicted on innocents, how are we supposed to see there is no difference between this world and nirvana as Dōgen and Zen teach us? This has been something I have been struggling with personally.

Gassho, Anthony
satlah

[Bion]

Oh, don’t imagine Nirvana as a place, a state of perfect outer circumstances, or as something that depends on the external world. Nirvana literally means “extinguishing,” like a flame going out. It refers to the cessation of suffering, which is generated in the mind, and more specifically to the extinguishing of its causes: clinging, craving, ignorance, attachment, and so forth.

Suffering can be found in ideal life conditions—among wealthy people, who live in peaceful places, and yet still experience inner turmoil—as well as among those living in difficult and unstable environments.

In any given moment of existence, both suffering and bliss can be present, along with everything in between. Even someone in Gaza, Ukraine, or any other place marked by harsh conditions can experience peace and freedom from suffering regardless of what is happening externally. This is the beauty of the Buddha’s teaching: liberation from samsara is not confined to certain places or situations; it is available everywhere and lies within one’s own capacity at all times.


gassho
sat lah

[Houzan]

Hi Anthony,

Just my take on this, trying to build on what Bion said above:
You are not supposed to try to see that there is no difference between samsara and nirvana. This is just what happens when you stop labeling everything that is happening. In this emptiness, everything is just perfectly perfect or imperfect as it is. But we can't live our lives like this, we need to label and act. Remember, "extinguishing suffering, or being free of suffering, doesn't mean free of pain, heartbreak and injustice". Nirvana does not exclude pain, heartbreak and injustice. Life is full of pain, heartbreak and injustice, and it is also full of pleasure, love and compassion. Our practice is to meet both pain and pleasure with radical equanimity and at the same time work, as best we can, to fix the broken and mend what works. This is what "no difference between samsara and nirvana" means.

Gassho, Hozan
satlah

[Jundo]

I know this is something that's been talked about both on this forum and in zazenkai.

But with how everything has been lately, with all the war, violence, and suffering being inflicted on innocents, how are we supposed to see there is no difference between this world and nirvana as Dōgen and Zen teach us? This has been something I have been struggling with personally.

Gassho, Anthony
satlah

How is the blue, boundless, open sky still present, still the sky, in a thunder storm? Yes, as anyone who has flown a plane knows, the sky is always shining though the storm brews below.

This storm is largely fanned by the acts of humankind, our greed, anger and ignorance. Some is the work of nature. Our work is not to stir up more clouds, stir up more lightning, to act with grace and gentleness, and to provide shelter and warmth to those suffering sentient beings caught in the storm. We should help them find safety, and also, help them know the boundless sky that is present in every rain drop.

When we do so, the light shines through the clouds, and is reflected in every rain drop like a jewel.

In fact, both light and storm are the single sky, always are and always have been, although the light is sometimes hard to see.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah