Finding Perfect Peace in a Burning Universe: A Zen Approach

Universe in Flames

The whole universe is burning.

I’ve known this for a long time, and you've probably thought about it as well.

The world seems more divided than ever.

This is probably not true, since there have been more devastating times in the past, but it still feels this way to many people, including myself. It’s as if the entire universe is on fire, burning everything to the ground. In these times, we can't find stability in external factors, as everything is changing too quickly and often in unexpected and disappointing ways.

Within the Flames

There is the lingering fear of total collapse and destruction. Hopelessness pervades society, and many have lost their trust in humanity. 

And this does not happen silently. We see massive waves of feelings expressed in unhealthy ways throughout our society. These feelings have been heavily suppressed in the past, and they now come forth in ways that are utterly overwhelming and destructive.

Anger, hate, guilt, shame, and fear. And it doesn’t even matter which 'side' you are on or what worldview you hold.

This affects everybody. Humanity seems to be going through a time of great change.  And with great change, there is great uncertainty. And with great uncertainty there is great fear. And with great fear, there is a lot of craziness.

And yet, we still hope that if 'our side' were to win—whatever that means—we’d finally be at peace again. But with each passing day, we become less and less optimistic about it.

Actually, we have already become downright pessimistic. The whole universe is already burning. There is nowhere to escape to. If we come up with even a tiny amount of hope, it will be gone the next moment. It will be ripped from us, leaving us bleeding, leaving our hearts bleeding. We can’t even comprehend the level of desperation we are going through.

Everybody is suffering. And although I myself am sucked into this pit of darkness, and although I also have a side I am cheering for, I wanted to make this video in the spirit of human suffering, the one thing that everybody goes through, and the way to overcome it.

Escaping Through Samadhi

In Zen, and only in Zen, there is a unique teaching method for meditation and insight. Maybe you are already familiar with the concept of 'koans.' A koan is a paradoxical question used to transcend logical thinking and provoke a direct experience of truth, which is usually called realization, enlightenment, or awakening.

From my time training in the Korean Zen tradition, I remember a particular koan that has to do with the topic today. I will not share the official answer, but I will explain it in the context of suffering and overcoming suffering in today’s world.

There was a Zen Master, about 100 years ago, who was called Ko Bong Sunim. He was known for his deep enlightenment and his unconventional behavior, and one of the Koans he came up with goes like this: “The whole universe is on fire. Through what kind of samadhi can you escape being burned?”

A Samadhi is a state of deep meditative absorption where the mind becomes still and merges with the object of meditation. A deep state of Samadhi goes beyond any notion of duality, any notion of self or other, good or bad, making all illusions disappear.

So, when he asks the question, he is referring to the meditative state required to overcome a burning universe.

So what is your answer to this question? What do you think?

Similar to the situation we are facing right now, it seems there is no hope. Since the whole 'universe is burning,' what can we do? 

Actually, the universe is always burning. Even the Buddha, who was born into a royal family with more than he could ever need, felt the suffering. We cannot escape old age, sickness, and death—no matter what we do or who we become. Everything that comes into being will eventually vanish.

If you’re still trying to change the world, good luck. Sooner or later, all your efforts will fade into nothingness as well. And for everyone who has not yet comprehended that we truly can’t do anything, one big question remains: How can we escape a burning universe?

Buddha found the answer after giving up everything, including his wife and his son, when he meditated for 6 years non-stop. Jesus found the answer, and although he was nailed to a cross, it was so deep within him that he prayed for the forgiveness of those who did it.

Can you imagine praying for the forgiveness of all the people you believe have inflicted this suffering upon you?

So, this is not a feel-good, spiritually lightweight answer. Answering this question will take everything from you. It will require you to see everything as it is, without hopes or wishes for it to be different. If you are still harboring hope somewhere, you won’t be able to answer it.

The whole universe is burning. So what can you do?

And don’t make it intellectual. If you’re simply saying, 'Nothing, there’s nothing I can do,' then you’re caught up in another idea, trying to avoid being burned. Contemplate this question, make it your whole life, and if you are earnest enough, you will become open enough to understand its true answer.

The Fire of Transformation

In spirituality, everyone knows that you need to loosen the grip of your ego if you want to attain spiritual realization. Actually, they are even talking about killing the ego, letting it die in order to realize your true Being. And maybe we read about it, and we, our egos, get really motivated thinking about becoming enlightened. We start fantasizing about this potential outcome. And the only thing we have to do is to get rid of the ego. But who is attempting to do that? It’s our egos, of course.

That’s why, when somebody gets close to realization, they can get really horrified about what’s happening. Sitting comfortably on a sofa, reading a book that claims the ego must die for enlightenment, and sipping a nice coffee is very different from actually experiencing it.

Once we get close to it, it will start feeling very real.

So, there is a real difference between theorizing about something and actually experiencing it. Walking on a spiritual path is not something for the faint-hearted. It will take everything from us, even our most dearly held beliefs.

And the only question is, how far will you go?

Will you try to extinguish the fire of a burning universe because you think it should not be that way and you want to make the whole of existence comply with your thinking? Or are you willing to give your all, to fully commit yourself to whatever is happening in that moment?

What would it mean to give yourself fully, without holding anything back, without hesitating, and without secretly reserving a part of yourself? What would it look like to do this in the face of a burning universe?

I know, this is some heavy stuff, but I think it’s important to contemplate the deeper realities of our Being. 

Although everyone is exactly where they are, I think we should not settle for a feel-good spirituality level. We can get really comfortable with certain spiritual ideas, and our egos will use any idea to impose it over the whole of existence. But true spirituality is about dismantling everything. We try everything to avoid pain, but we don't see that the greatest treasures are waiting behind it.

We only need to become fully transparent, fully open, willing to face the fear and the pain. Then, great transformation can happen. We won’t become anything that we are not, we will finally become what we already are. We just need to let go of what we are not. We need to burn everything away that we are not. 

Alright. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or comments.

See you next week. Your friend of the way, bye.