Emptiness (Buddhism, Zen)

This state is not observable since, although it is always with one it vanishes as soon as one tries to hold it before one's eyes. It is beyond perception, beyond grasping, beyond being and non-being. If it were absolutely beyond all human attempts to take hold of it in any sense it would not have any value, nor come in the sphere of human interest. However, on the contrary, the fact that it is always in one and with one conditions all knowledge, all acts, life itself. Only when one ceases to "observe", when the observer and the observed are one and the subject-object duality is known to be unreal is there awareness of emptiness.

In Buddhism, the state called sunyata can indicate an attitude towards, or a high stage of insight into, the emptiness of all phenomena. As an attitude, it frees the mind from attachment. In terms of its ontological dimension, it expresses reality as perceived in the nirvana or lokuttara states – the final mode of existence of all phenomena. It is said to be achieved through perfection of wisdom and omniscient liberation from cyclic existence. Complete enlightenment and awareness of the emptiness of all phenomena is satori – that which the Buddha experienced under the Bodhi tree and the basis of the whole Buddhist religion.

The emptiness of all things – dharmas – is viewed slightly differently by the different Buddhist schools. Originally emptiness, together with impermanence – anitya, lack of essence – anatman, and suffering – duhkha, was viewed as inherent in all phenomena – samskrita.

The Hinayana path of meditation on emptiness is based on the realization of emptiness in persons, based on the 20 false views of the real self: in viewing the form as self, forms as existing in self, self as inherently possessing form, as inherently existing in form; and similarly for feelings as self, discrimination as self, compositional factors as self and consciousness as self.

Mahayana Buddhism, rather than seeing phenomena as empty denies their existence at all, wholly insubstantial.

Yogacara Buddhism, which teaches that mind is the only reality, see the mind – citta – as no different from emptiness and all phenomena as empty because they arise from the mind.

Madhyamaka Buddhism sees emptiness as being the ultimate principle and the teaching of this school is sometimes referred to as sunyatavada. The emptiness of self is not the only emptiness, there is also the identity of emptiness with the Absolute, realization of which is liberation. In this teaching, sunyata is equated with the absolute body – dharmakaya – the trikaya or Buddha body which represents Buddha's teaching and the unity of Buddha with all beings. Different branches within this school differ as to whether realization of emptiness as supreme reality arises instantaneously (as believed by some branches of Zen) or whether such awakening comes step by step. All agree that it is not the result of learning or argument but arises, for example, through the symbolism of the tantra. The experience itself is described by some (traditional Madhyamaka) only in terms of what it is not, while others (Mahamudra, Dzogchen) emphasize positive qualities such as clarity and openness. Nagarjuna, on whose teaching the Madhyamaka school is based, compares the apparent truth of the reality of phenomena – samvriti satya – with the absolute truth of the emptiness of all – paramartha satya – which can be experienced although not described and which is beyond existence or non-existence.