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Be it five skandhas or emptiness (which is simply the absence of extremes), nothing whatsoever can be pinned down as an existing reality, and when you can't pin down something existing to begin with, its non-existence etc have no basis to be asserted.
The Buddha said:
"And so, Anuradha — when you can't pin down the Tathagata as a truth or reality even in the present life — is it proper for you to declare, 'Friends, the Tathagata — the supreme man, the superlative man, attainer of the superlative attainment — being described, is described otherwise than with these four positions: The Tathagata exists after death, does not exist after death, both does & does not exist after death, neither exists nor does not exist after death'?"
In The Art of Living (2001) the 14th Dalai Lama says, "As your insight into the ultimate nature of reality is deepened and enhanced, you will develop a perception of reality from which you will perceive phenomena and events as sort of illusory, illusion-like, and this mode of perceiving reality will permeate all your interactions with reality. [...] Even emptiness itself, which is seen as the ultimate nature of reality, is not absolute, nor does it exist independently. We cannot conceive of emptiness as independent of a basis of phenomena, because when we examine the nature of reality, we find that it is empty of inherent existence. Then if we are to take that emptiness itself is an object and look for its essence, again we will find that it is empty of inherent existence. Therefore the Buddha taught the emptiness of emptiness."
In The Art of Living (2001) the 14th Dalai Lama says
Here you go, @xabir. Plenty more emptiness quotes for you -- knock yourself out. You can choose infinite varieties of text, enough to keep you occupied for a long long time hopefully. Long live emptiness! Woohoo!
Comments
The Buddha said:
"And so, Anuradha — when you can't pin down the Tathagata as a truth or reality even in the present life — is it proper for you to declare, 'Friends, the Tathagata — the supreme man, the superlative man, attainer of the superlative attainment — being described, is described otherwise than with these four positions: The Tathagata exists after death, does not exist after death, both does & does not exist after death, neither exists nor does not exist after death'?"
There is no true position, if I haven't made it clear.
I am happy that you have found the answers you credit.
The words are there, people can read them as you wish.
FWIW I don't credit this blog that you and taiyaki are enarmoured with.
The Buddha's instructions are all already complete.
Well wishes
Abu
Now close the topic.
In The Art of Living (2001) the 14th Dalai Lama says, "As your insight into the ultimate nature of reality is deepened and enhanced, you will develop a perception of reality from which you will perceive phenomena and events as sort of illusory, illusion-like, and this mode of perceiving reality will permeate all your interactions with reality. [...] Even emptiness itself, which is seen as the ultimate nature of reality, is not absolute, nor does it exist independently. We cannot conceive of emptiness as independent of a basis of phenomena, because when we examine the nature of reality, we find that it is empty of inherent existence. Then if we are to take that emptiness itself is an object and look for its essence, again we will find that it is empty of inherent existence. Therefore the Buddha taught the emptiness of emptiness."
Refreshing, very refreshing -- thankyou @ozen.
Abu
Entrance to the middle way
About the kidding, one cannot even answer that question, but coming from certain people, that answer can be acceptable.
It depends.
Best wishes,
Abu