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.
An act of emptying = an act of extinguishing = an
act of neutralising ≠ an act of annihilating.
The
principle in effect: -
Seeing Dhamma is seeing
Buddha;
Seeing Buddha is
seeing Dhamma.
Seeing Buddha is seeing Nibbana;
Seeing Nibbana is seeing Buddha.
Seeing Emptiness is seeing Form;
Seeing Form is seeing Emptiness.
Seeing Energy is seeing Matter;
Seeing Matter is seeing Energy.
Seeing Cause is seeing Effect;
Seeing Effect is seeing Cause.
Seeing Action is seeing Reaction;
Seeing Reaction is seeing
Action.