I explained the difference and convergence of Sunyata and Nirvana yesterday. Today I want to go into what that means for every day spirituality. This is where the Buddhist tradition offers a variety of responses. There are those who feel that one first has to practice virtue, live up to the ideals of the many vows that Mahayana Buddhism knows and only then can one even start the meditation that leads to Nirvana.
In response to modernity this path has been shortened considerably. Many Western Buddhists practice meditation while not living up to even the (deceptively simple) five precepts. Then again: the aim of meditation has changed as well. Most people practice it not to gain Nirvana, but to live happier lives in the world. The aim to withdraw from the world and gain a disinterested wisdom is a rare one. Traditional Buddhists might interpret this as just another way of showing that the dharma can no longer produce arhats (people who are enlightened).
In Western Buddhism there is a contrary stream of the insight that however much some Zen masters may stress that satori (enlightenment) is something that happens in the blink of an eye – they did expect their students to live a certain kind of life. A certain lifestyle was implied, even though some zen teachers weren’t married.
I’m of the position Continue reading Spiritual Growth and Sunyata
