Emptiness, Is It True Silence?

Friday, April 9, 2010, 14:11

In the state of true silence there is nothing to be experienced. A Zen story illustrates the truth.

A disciple of Yoka kept approaching him gleefully with all his spiritual experiences that he encountered in his meditation sessions.

He related to the master that he saw a light, felt the Kundalini raising, an inner fragrance and the like.

Each time he spoke of an experience to his master hoping to be appreciated for his spiritual progress , he was only beaten up.

One day having experienced, 'emptiness', he approached the master with great hopes that he would be accepted this time. Even before he could open up, the master lay his hands on him.

The surprised disciple said, “This is too much, you started beating me even before hearing me"

“There is no need to listen to you. It does not matter what you want to say. The moment you entered the room, I figured out you have come with your stupid ideas!" said the master.

The disciple retorted, “But you should have heard me. I was about to tell you of my experience of 'emptiness', the ultimate and the state of all Buddhas"

Yoka only beat him more and said, “Here you are with another idea, throw your emptiness out!"

The aghast disciple said, “But how can I throw emptiness ? It is not possible"

Yoka said, “The emptiness that you have is not true. It is your idea about emptiness that you are holding on to. Throw it out ! Each time you approached me with your ideas like, light, energy and fragrance. They are just labels changing. Now you have again approached me with the idea of emptiness. Throw that also and only then you will be in true silence!"

Osho says that true emptiness consists of nothing. Not even the feeling of experiencing. All there is is only consciousness or the subject.