Nothing to Be Gained

Nothing to Be Gained

Any discussion of buddhadharma will be one of mushotoku 無所得—that is, nothing to be gained. The meaning of shōjin is not just an unceasing diligence through which we’ll benefit in one way or another. It must be a shōjin or unceasing diligence with nothing to be gained. Sawaki Roshi often said, “No matter how long you sit zazen, it won’t come to anything. And if you don’t understand that, then zazen will really be good for nothing.” When I recall …