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The power of emptiness

driedleafdriedleaf Veteran
in Meditation
Emptiness is empty, but is that all that it is? Could it be something much more than just empty? Could actually be helpful to us? If so, then is it OK to say that emptiness is helpful or would that literally be making something out of nothing? :)
coz

Comments

  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    Yes its useful, if it turns out all those thoughts and feelings we have of hatred and sadness that feel like bricks and can cause us so much pain are really only wisps of smoke they lose their power to harm us.
    driedleafstill_learning
  • driedleafdriedleaf Veteran
    federica said:

    Emptiness is full of absolutely everything you could ever need. Just don't pick it up and carry it.

    leave it be. :)

    That is great advice. Thank you for the reminder. ;)
  • driedleafdriedleaf Veteran
    person said:

    Yes its useful, if it turns out all those thoughts and feelings we have of hatred and sadness that feel like bricks and can cause us so much pain are really only wisps of smoke they lose their power to harm us.

    Yes sometimes we create this "me" and "mine" wall that is so difficult for us to hurdle or break through. But realizing that the wall is simply made up and does not exist is such a relief. It takes meditation and practice though to get to be able to really see that the wall is made up. It's hard to tell what's real and what's not sometimes.

  • SonghillSonghill Veteran
    driedleaf:

    The Kathavatthu-atthakatha speaks of two kinds of emptiness. There is the emptiness of being, for example, the five aggregates of material shape, feeling, perception, habitual tendencies, and consciousness. The second emptiness is that of nirvana which is 'empty of formations' (sankhârasuññatâ). (Nirvana is asankhâra, that is, unformed or unconstructed).
    driedleaf
  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran
    Would you say an empty bowl is useless? Emptiness is the potential to be filled with something. But if you fill the bowl with water and drink it, the empty bowl remains, unchanged and just as useful as before.

    driedleaf
  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    edited September 2012
    An empty brain is not a dumbed or an inferior brain, it is mindful and totally aware. It can abide in the now and act accordingly, it accepts that this is the way things are right now and carries on without doubt or anxiety. Think of a glass of water full to the brim, try putting water into that glass and it will just overflow and the precious water will be wasted. Now think of the glass as the mind and the water as the Dhamma...
    driedleaf
  • driedleafdriedleaf Veteran
    Good insights! :)
  • kilesakilesa
    driedleaf said:

    Emptiness is empty, but is that all that it is? Could it be something much more than just empty? Could actually be helpful to us? If so, then is it OK to say that emptiness is helpful or would that literally be making something out of nothing? :)

    depends on what is observing the emptiness;
    if something is observing it, obviously it is so useful.
    when that something realize its nature, it ceases to be useful.

    just like federica said just move along,
    there is nothing left to be seen here.
    just emptiness seeing emptiness.
    driedleaf
  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    In meditation have you ever had a thought or a word crop up and then in between that thought and the next one recognize that there is stillness, nothing? I have read and thus started to explore this space, also I have found that it exists in between breaths, if I pause in between a breath after an exhale often there is total stillness, no thought and there is the emptiness allbeit a second or so. The point is to recognize this and build on it I think.
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