September 2014, Issue 56

Editorial

Welcome to the Spring edition of Myoju with the theme ‘Heart Sutra’.

The Heart Sutra shows us that language is empty, devoid of substance. Ordinarily, we don’t think like that. We identify with language. We use language to convince ourselves of whatever we want. If we don’t want something, we invent language for that; if we want something, we invent language for that. So a commitment to ‘see things as they are’ can turn into an acceptance of the status quo, without questioning the cost ( ‘it is what it is’), without taking responsibility ( ‘I do what I do’). To understand the Heart Sutra, we need to be able to go beyond language. We need to be able to explore: ‘is this an automatic response?’ In moments when we are able to do that, what’s there?

Thank you to all contributors, transcribers, editors and members of the publications group.

A special thank you to Karen Threlfall, whose contribution inspired me to write this editorial.

We hope you enjoy reading our third edition of Myoju for 2014.

Azhar Abidi On behalf of Ekai Korematsu, Editor, and the Jikishoan Publication Committee

Read this Myoju (file on Google Drive)