The concept of Emptiness in Buddhism
The concept of Śūnyatā (emptiness) in Buddhism has always been the main subject of confusion among the followers. Now, let us analyse this.
We need to understand that long before the rising of Buddha Dhamma 2,600 years ago, the realm of existence already running its course as according to the natural bounding laws. The wise Buddha has seen through the reality of it, recommended with permanent remedies to liberate one from these natural bounding laws.
So, what are these so-called natural bounding laws? It is the law of balancing that dictates the circumstances of equilibrium in nature. Nature in itself is full with wonders and has already reached a saturated level of complexity that encompassed all sorts of activities or processes such as aggregation, segregation, evolution, mutation, assimilation, etc. In other words, all of these activities or processes have had happened in a manner long before we could have the slightest opportunity to realise it. This scenario is the rising aspect of ignorance in the realm of existence.
As a consequence, we always tend to make observation or take view on events in the context of “effect” perspective or the “ignorant” point of view. There are plenty of examples for observation or view on events derived from this conventional perspective i.e. formation, suffering, disease, sickness, terrorism, calamity, existence, etc.
Nevertheless, the wise Buddha has realised these circumstances and recommended with a paradigm shift to it i.e. for one to make observation or take view on events from the context of “cause” perspective or the “awakened” point of view instead. And it is from this new perspective that one could liberate from the cyclic influence of conditional phenomena. One of the good examples is the introduction of the cardinal doctrine of dependent origination.
As mentioned earlier, nature has already reached a saturated level of complexity and this circumstance has created difficulties for one to observe events free from defilements. If we could unwind all events that have taken place in the nature, we could realise the origin of it i.e. all activities, events or processes would evolve around the orientation of energy or matter in a plane called space at all times.
At the end of the day, we could see and know that every existence (sentient, non-sentient, or any material things) is nothing but merely basic elements (energy, matter and space) that would orientate as according to the conditional phenomena. This is the correct understanding about the concept of emptiness in Buddhism.
In other words, we could mention that “form” entity in itself is delusive in nature that is generated out of the “ignorant” point of view or from the context of “effect” perspective. We could not view form as an entity because it is an appearance not illusive but devoid of inherent existence and varies under the influence of phenomenal conditions.
Rightly, the Buddha recommended one to see all things as they truly are (not as they delusively are). And it is through the philosophy of emptiness could one begin to experience the cleansing of ignorant aspect. Once the ignorant aspect has been extinguished or neutralised, the awaken aspect would arise concurrently.
