Candy is the Most Important Food

CASE

Someone asked, “Do you have to give candy to your students so that they will practice Zen?” Shunryu Suzuki said, “Everything that we do is candy. Candy is the most important food actually.” The questioner said, “I don’t understand.” Suzuki Roshi replied, “Without any actual activity the first principal in Zen doesn’t mean anything. We should help people and what helps is candy.”

COMMENTARY

Teachings are skillful means to encourage others to see things as they are. Emperor Wu asked Bodhidharma, “What is the first principle of the dharma?” Bodhidharma replied, “Vast emptiness. Nothing Holy.”

Some say this is the marrow of Zen. Others say it is empty. Some find it sweet, others find it like ashes. The commentary is the second course of this meal, so let’s skip directly to dessert or at least the after dinner mint.

VERSE by Dairyu

In the world of candy
Everything is candy
In the world of Zen
Everything is Zen
The world of vast emptiness
Nothing holy
What is missing?