Empty And Full

Spoken in Chinese by The Supreme Master Ching Hai
at the Hsihu Center, Formosa,
October 24, 1994

This is a story about a Japanese Zen master and his disciple. One day, the disciple asked his Zen master, "Master, now that nothing is on my mind, what should I do?" He meant that he was empty! He had attained the level of complete tranquility. Substances are not different from emptiness, and emptiness is not different from substances. Having something is the same as having nothing. There is little difference between keeping a vegetarian diet and eating meat... (Master and everyone laugh) something like that! So, he asked his master, "Master! I am doing very well in my spiritual practice. There is nothing on my mind. What should I do now?" He meant that since he had attained the highest level, what else could he do!

His master then said to him, "In that case, you discard it!" The disciple replied, "But I have nothing at all. How can I discard nothing?" At that time his master became impatient and said, "Well, then bring it out." (Master laughs.) Do you understand? You don't! (Laughter) Ah! What can we do?! Maybe you have nothing inside, so you don't know what to take out. (Master and everyone laugh.)

Think about it and you will understand. If a person has nothing on his mind, then why would he ask this question?! Being worried about what to do means that he was still full inside. Do you understand? It is just that he thought he did not have anything. That was why his master asked him to discard it, to put it down. However, he still argued, "I don't have anything. What can I put down?" So his master said, "Very well, take it out." He meant that since you could not put it down, then take it out and show it to him, and he would put it down for you. He wanted to show him that he still had something, still tied up in knots! A person without any knots has no need to worry about what he does today, what he will do tomorrow, what happens after he attains enlightenment, or what happens if he is not enlightened, or what he should do now that he is at such a high level or at such a low level in his practice... Do you know what I mean? If one is empty inside, why ask any questions?! What else can one do when one has nothing? Isn't that right? For example, if there is not a drop of water in this cup, and he still says, "There is no water in this cup. How can I drink it?" Without any water in it, there is no need to ask the question of drinking it or not. His questions meant that he was still full inside, only that he thought he was not.

Most spiritual practitioners are like this. After practicing for a while, they are full of theories. They read too many Zen stories, and listen to too many of their master's lectures. Then they speak in a haughty tone, "Substances are not different form emptiness, and emptiness is not different from substances," and those kinds of sayings. They go on and on, and think that they are great, that they have learned everything. There were a few persons, monks and lay persons, who were like this. They followed me for a while. They had listened to all the cassettes (Master laughs), and had watched all the video tapes. Then they said, "I have learned everything. I don't want anything any more. What should I do now?" (Master laughs.) Let's just say that as an example. Then they left and went outside. In a while they knew what they should do. Only when they were outside and confronted by trials did they know that they were not that good!

We need to be careful when we feel that we do not have anything! We lock everything up, and then look from the outside and say, "There is nothing at all in our house." In fact, we have only locked them up. Many people do this, not just those who practice the Quan Yin Method. Most of the people who practice other methods are also like this. They all think that they are great. You have met this type of person, have you not? They always argue, and claim that they are full of knowledge of the scriptures! They think that they are empty, and that a vegetarian diet is the same as a meat diet... Everything is the same, and so on. In fact, they still have too many attachments. Their hearts are filled with knots. They cannot become open-minded.

I understood this story the moment I read it. How come you still do not understand it after I have explained to you for half a day? (Applause) Therefore, don't ask me, "What should we do when we are empty?" If you are truly empty, you will have no need to ask. You should not have any questions, and you will not mind anything. By then you will not be concerned about attaining Buddhahood or not attaining Buddhahood. You will not worry about anything. It does not matter to you whether you go to heaven or hell, or whether you have merits or karma. You will care about nothing at all! Do you understand now? (The audience replies, "Yes!")

"Master, now that nothing is on my mind, what should I do?"

"In that case, you discard it!" "But I have nothing at all. How can I discard nothing?"

"Well, then take it out."

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