Emptiness

Emptiness, or voidness, means a total absence of impossible ways of existing. Nothing exists in an impossible way.

This short text on prajnaparamita (the perfection of wisdom) presents the essence of the far-reaching discriminating awareness of voidness (emptiness). It is recited and meditated upon throughout the Mahayana Buddhist world.

The “heart” means the essence of the extensive teachings Buddha gave, incorporated into an abbreviated form in this sutra that synthesizes all the main points of voidness.

In “Four Hundred Verse Treatise,” Aryadeva deconstructs the various types of incorrect consideration that we all have, as espoused by the different non-Buddhist Indian schools of philosophy.

Disturbing emotions and disturbing attitudes arise from our unawareness of reality, which is fed by incorrect consideration. With incorrect consideration, the confused mind projects something that is not there.

When voidness is cognized conceptually, its superficial truth appears; this is known as denumerable voidness. When voidness is cognized non-conceptually, an absolute absence of truly established existence appears; this is known as non-denumerable voidness.

This profound text discusses how to overcome incorrect consideration of conventional truth and of deepest truth in terms of a vast array of topics.

An overview of the ninth chapter of “Engaging in Bodhisattva Behavior” concerning the Prasangika Madhyamaka view of voidness.

The difference between the Gelug presentation of voidness and that shared in common by Kagyu, Nyingma and Sakya concern the type of voidness that is cognized non-conceptually and how to attain non-conceptual cognition of it.

An analysis of static phenomena, which are validly knowable and unaffected by causes and circumstances, and nonstatic phenomena, which are impermanent, changing from moment to moment.