What is called 'entering the stream' is passing away with all things. The state in which all things exist is passing away in each moment - coming into existence and passing away instantly.

To exist in our original state, that of the instantaneous universe from which we are not separate, coming into existence and passing away in each instant, is the practise of Buddhas. Buddhas are nothing but existence passing away in each instant. Each instant of existence is nothing but Buddha passing away.

An experiential name for this could be unhindered awareness where no perspectives are held, nothing is held. The proprietary 'self' and the universe of meaning it inhabits that we artificially create has completely vanished into experience.

Passing away is also a description of activity in zazen, sensations arise and we let them go, thoughts arise and, if we allow them to, also pass away.

If we practise passing away, we become passing away.

The practise of zazen cannot make human beings hard as iron against the vicissitudes of life. It cannot arm them to fight battles or make them impervious to the inevitable pain of life. It does not make benign, world honoured beings who have transcended suffering.

Zazen lets the light of existence seep into shrouded skulls, flesh and bones. It allows experience to permeate so that artificially created edges become difficult to define, become permeable and eventually vanish. They were never really there.

Ceasing to define things and self in opposition to them, ceasing to make distinctions and artificial divisions of self from experience of which we were ever a part and unfold into the truth that, in its eternal benevolence, was always waiting for us, always was us, always is us.