EMPTINESS

There is a word in Buddhism that gets to the heart of everything. This word is suññatā, emptiness, and ’empty,’ here, means free and empty of any inkling of selfhood. This one word covers all the rest, including impermanence, dukkhaness, and lack of self.

This emptiness of selfhood means empty and free of any essence that we might have a right to cling to with all our power as being mine. Contemplation of and realization that all things are devoid of any meaning or essence that is worth clinging to or assuming is the true heart of Buddhism. This is the key to Buddhist practice. When we know clearly that everything of every kind is empty of self, we know Buddha-Dhamma in its entirety, and we will understand everything that we need to know about everything. To rely on this single phrase ’empty of self’ is good enough for us because it includes aniccaṃ, dukkhaṃ, and anattā) completely. When something doesn’t last and changes continually, without any permanent aspects, we can declare it ’empty’ just the same.

Auther: Buddhadasa Bhikkhu

Translator: Santikaro Upasaka / Feb. 2020