There is Nothing to Seek

By "not craving (ch'iu) anything" is meant this: Men of the world, in eternal confusion, are attached everywhere to one thing or another, which is called craving.

The wise however understand the truth and are not like the ignorant. Their minds abide serenely in the uncreated while the body moves about in accordance with the laws of causation. All things are empty and there is nothing desirable to seek after. Where there is the merit of brightness there surely lurks the demerit of darkness.

This triple world where we stay altogether too long is like a house on fire; all that has a body suffers, and nobody really knows what peace is. Because the wise are thoroughly acquainted with this truth, they are never attached to things that change; their thoughts are quieted, they never crave anything.

Says the Sutra: "Wherever there is a craving, there is pain; cease from craving and you are blessed." Thus we know that not to crave anything is indeed the way to the Truth. Therefore, it is taught not "to crave anything".

~ D.T. Suzuki, Manual of Zen Buddhism

Comments

[Cyber Coward]

'Therefore, it is taught not "to crave anything".'

To be neither content, nor uncontent. Perhaps it is a 'bliss' that is hard to describe.

But is there not a danger that we may crave 'not craving'?

[benny]

This post reminds me of
Paramita: American buddhist folk songs, Craving is the builder of this house. Have u heard it before Ven. Wuling. I think it was taken from one of the sutra's which was sang to a song.

[Talkback]

There is a real danger in craving 'not craving'. Craving is an extreme. I think that desiring 'not craving' would be a more 'middle way' approach.
Craving and desire are different.
We should all desire enlightenment, but not crave it.

[Venerable Wuling]

Benny,

Google is wonderful! I just listened to part of the song "Craving" from an album by Rev. Heng Sure. It sounds like it was based on one of the verses in the Dhammapada.

Thank you for telling me about this!

[Venerable Wuling]

It's better to desire something good than something bad. But at some time, even the good we desire has to be dropped.

The raft that gets us across the river of suffering to the other shore of enlightenment has to be dropped when we get to the other shore.

But for now, it's better to desire the raft than crave staying on this shore.

Thanks for the good comments!