"The purpose of zazen is to attain the freedom of our being, physically and mentally."--Shunryu Suzuki
I have heard it said that he who sins is a slave of sin. It is important to understand the difference between true freedom and licentiousness.
Licentious behavior is rooted in the the blind, subconscious desires that we inherited from our ancestors who climbed out of the primordial jungle. It is an almost instinctual drive and it usually has pleasure as its goal. It can lead to a bovine-like contentment, but not to true happiness.
"The freedom of our being" means that when we discover the true reason for our existence we will have no difficulty finding our way under any circumstance. When our motivation changes from a desire for pleasure (or, from the more dangerous desire for power) to a desire oriented toward meaning, we will be fully satisfied with everything we do.
When we know the true reason for our activity, we will not fear anything. This is true freedom--freedom from fear. Without this freedom, we cannot be truly happy.
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