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Everything is reduced to "emptiness"; how does this motivate you to live well?
pauliwago
Explorer
Hi guys,
I've been doing a lot of studying on Buddhism and Buddhist practices. I like almost everything I've read except for the concept of emptiness. Or rather, I don't understand it. I get how all "external things" (money, fame, material goods, etc. etc.) are empty and we shouldn't desire them. I totally get that and am working on fully embracing it. However, it seems (and correct me if I'm wrong) that this emptiness principle applies to US too. And to all living things; in the end, we are nothing and that is reality.
What I don't get is how you guys can be so motivated in loving compassion and all your spiritual work if there is no concept of an immortal "spirit"? If all is for nothing in the end. I guess I've grown up in a Christian household and had this concept of a soul all my life and accepting that we are "empty" and nothing in the end is a bit of a tough pill to swallow.
It's the age-old cliche question (that really can't be answered without debate) but I'm going to ask it anyway: what is the purpose of life in Buddhist practice? I hear it's to leave the cycles of suffering here, but if in the end you become "nothing", is that really a good thing?
Thanks, please share any of your insights.
I've been doing a lot of studying on Buddhism and Buddhist practices. I like almost everything I've read except for the concept of emptiness. Or rather, I don't understand it. I get how all "external things" (money, fame, material goods, etc. etc.) are empty and we shouldn't desire them. I totally get that and am working on fully embracing it. However, it seems (and correct me if I'm wrong) that this emptiness principle applies to US too. And to all living things; in the end, we are nothing and that is reality.
What I don't get is how you guys can be so motivated in loving compassion and all your spiritual work if there is no concept of an immortal "spirit"? If all is for nothing in the end. I guess I've grown up in a Christian household and had this concept of a soul all my life and accepting that we are "empty" and nothing in the end is a bit of a tough pill to swallow.
It's the age-old cliche question (that really can't be answered without debate) but I'm going to ask it anyway: what is the purpose of life in Buddhist practice? I hear it's to leave the cycles of suffering here, but if in the end you become "nothing", is that really a good thing?
Thanks, please share any of your insights.
0
Comments
so how does this emptiness move about? how does this emptiness function?
when someone who is suffering is in front of you, the mirror reflects a suffering person. the mirror accepts the suffering person. but if one is simply abiding in such mirror, without clinging, emptiness will manifest into compassion. such compassion is unconditional meaning it just gives and gives. so when there is a suffering person, you do your best to help them in that situation. again this naturally arises when abiding in emptiness, thus emptiness must be realized.
so when someone is thirsty, you give them water. when someone is hungry, you feed them. this is simple compassionate action which arises when we are free from grasping the dualistic mind, such we realize the non dual emptiness.
emptiness also proposes that we are all interconnected, thus there truly is no "other" for everything is marked with emptiness.
also emptiness is not nothing. it is not a form of nihilism. when you negate everything you come at a no "thing" meaning it is the lack of something. to call it a nothing would make emptiness into an object. emptiness is not an object. thus it is the middle way and non dual.
and again something to be realized, rather than conceptually understood. actually all of buddhism must be existentially realized. as concepts they are meaningless. as a philosophy or doctrine they are meaningless.
with emptiness there is just utter freedom and in this freedom compassion arises naturally.
Returning to my nature.
the buddha said his spiritual life (brahmacharya) has one purpose, namely, the unshakeable freedom of mind
for those who believe the Buddha taught you become "nothing", the Buddha replied: "I teach just two things, suffering and freedom from suffering"
If one has no suffering in their life, then why take an interest in Buddhism? It is like visiting a doctor or hospital when one is not sick
The lives of human beings are full of suffering, full of confusion, full of disharmony, etc. Have you never noticed?
'Emptiness' is a mode of understanding that ends suffering
For example, if I told you may father died this year, you may have sympathy for me but your mind would not really suffer. But if your father died, you would probably suffer. Why? Because your mind considers your father as "my father".
Because the human mind is not empty of regarding things as "I", "me" and "mine", it suffers.
But when the mind is empty of regarding things as "I", "me" and "mine", it cannot suffer. This is psychological truth or law.
Therefore, the Buddha taught, if you are interested in ending suffering, you should regard as important his teachings about emptiness.
Best wishes
imo
>>>I like almost everything I've read except for the concept of emptiness. Or rather, I don't understand it.
It is very simple to understand, really. You often hear stories about it is not easy to understand (arhants selling their flesh to discover the secret of emptiness!), but these are just stories.
As a tip to understanding, try to see how emptiness is the same feature as interconectivity.
>>>And to all living things; in the end, we are nothing and that is reality.
We are nothing other than processes. BUT from these processes amazing properties can emmerge, like metta and dukka and sukka and feeling and memories and dreams.....
Just as a book is nothing other than molecules arranged on a structure of similar molecules, yet amazing things can emerge from those molecules.
>>>What I don't get is how you guys can be so motivated in loving compassion and all your spiritual work if there is no concept of an immortal "spirit"?
You have it the nail on the head of the "middleness" of the middle path. We could choose to be attached to bogus mystical notions like magical souls to give meaning to our short and fundamentally pointless lives. Or we could believe in nothing of value and jump into the abyss.
The Buddha found a middle path between these two: we can understand how from emptiness, impermanence and interdependence these amazing experiences emmerge. They have a real value. they are the most valuable things in the universe!
But their natural state is negative, the Buddha came up with a path of practice that can remove this negativity.
>>>>If all is for nothing in the end. I guess I've grown up in a Christian household and had this concept of a soul all my life and accepting that we are "empty" and nothing in the end is a bit of a tough pill to swallow.
Yep it is:) And many many Buddhists still dont swallow it well. There is a gift the Buddha gives his loyal follower called the Mirror of Dharma whichj i think is one of the most important aspects of buddhism. Check it out in the last days sermon(MP), it will make the pill easier to swallow:)
>>>>It's the age-old cliche question (that really can't be answered without debate) but I'm going to ask it anyway: what is the purpose of life in Buddhist practice?
To Make More Happy!
>>>>I hear it's to leave the cycles of suffering here, but if in the end you become "nothing", is that really a good thing?
I think that is a flaw in the development of Buddhism (happy to discuss that with you in pm if you wish). Forget anything about future lives and concentrate on this one! Maybe there is more after this, maybe there isnt, what is important is the now.
Well wishes
It's not complete "nothingness", because this is the "extreme of nihilism". "Emptiness" is meant to refer to phenomena on the conventional level, whereas "Buddha-nature" is meant to refer phenomena on the ultimate level.
Yeah... what others on this board said as well. Good posts!
Realizing emptiness/dependent origination reveals that being loving, compassionate, good and goal oriented towards increasing these qualities is actually the most natural thing. Being bad, angry all the time, lack luster in the quality of ones actions, out of focus, is actually contrary to the realization of the nature of things. Even though... it's also part of infinite nature and potentiality to manifest both wisdom and ignorance. But, what side of the coin would you rather be on?
and within every dewdrop
a world of struggle
Issa
The notion of emptiness gives confidence in the face of negativities (kleshas). Because we know they are empty and we can weatherr them and trust the direction of opening to the kleshas, recognizing them, letting them pass over us, and responding. Use the energy of the storm creatively to sail. The chaotic order as above. When we open to things and trust the unfolding rather than get discouraged and suffer negativities we feel more open to compassion.
I'll give an example from my own life. Last night I had a discussion with my mother. I was talking about my mental illness and how it would almost be hard for me if I became cured and had to go back to 'the normal world' after ten years of being ill. Like go back to 'the dream': job, wife, kids, etc.
I became depressed and went to bed feeling awful. Because I felt like I was not a strong person anymore. Because I believe in emptiness I know that I don't have to 'figure things out' and force myself to be strong. The energy of the situation will pull me through. I don't know how but it will. That immediately gives me confidence.
Could I do this without an intellectual formulation of emptiness? Yes. But I just wouldn't know it! The intellectual stuff is just a tool to help work with the situation. It is like making food. Its not hard but you can become an expert and go deeper and deeper into the view.
Gregg
And when you realise that the 'other' is a part of you, compassion is a natural expression of that joy.
One of the problems is that we are conditioned to think dualistic. Breaking everything down into opposites. Good/bad. Right/wrong. Me/you. Us/them. Something/nothing.
Anatta, no-self and the related understanding that emptiness=form teaches us that there is a middle way.
There is middle ground between the extremes of being something and being nothing.
One extreme is the attachment of eternalism. That we have a permanent and separate soul that exists forever.
The other extreme is the hopeless despair of nihilism. That we don't last for ever so nothing really matters. Which is Not emptiness. Far from it.
Rather than trying to figure out exactly what emptiness is as a concept. Try to actually see it for yourself in yourself and in the very nature of everything that exists. It is liberating, but a meditation practice is required.
Best Wishes
Having learned of this doctrine and knowing that this doctrine exists is already beneficial. Having something to reflect on, to remind ourselves, and to question ourselves, in a way, we are already learning how to be more cautious. Being cautious of our actions is the first step. One who is cautious of their actions, and feels the pointlessness of some things, or sees the emptiness of some things, is one who is living more blissfully in my opinion.
regards