Guest guest Posted January 1, 2003 Report Share Posted January 1, 2003 - " pete seesaw " <seesaw1us <Nisargadatta > Tuesday, December 31, 2002 11:05 PM Emptiness Emptiness is not, for example, an Absolute that is separate from the world of ordinary experience. In fact, emptiness does not refer to a thing; it refers to the way all things actually are, namely, empty of the independent way they ordinarily seem to exist. To make emptiness into any entity about which one can have a view is to make the fundamental mistake Nagarjuna is trying to expose, namely, seeing anything as having a substantial identity. As Nagarjuna says: " Those who adhere to a view of emptiness are incorrigible " (Mulamadhyamaka-karika, XIII,8). On the other hand, the proper realization of emptiness, for Nargajuna, brings " prapanca " (meaningful conceptualization of the world through use of language, important notion in Madyamika Buddhism), and its wrong views to an end. One sees things as they are in truth. 1) In Nargajuna's words: " Beyond conditional (realization), quiescent, without conceptualizations by " prapanca " not discriminating a variety of meanings, these are characteristics (of one who has attained) the truth " (Mulamadhyamaka-karika, XVIIL,9). 2) With this wisdom insight into emptiness, one's attachment to things and the negative mental formations that result in unwholesome thoughts, words, and actions are also brought to an end. This freedom results in the cessation of dukha (suffering) and the attainment of Nirvana. 3) In Nargajuna's understanding of this Nirvana, we find another important aspect of his philosophy. That is, with wisdom, one sees that the ordinary conditioned world of samsaric bondage is not apart from unconditioned nirvanic freedom. 4) Nargajuna says: " Nothing distinguishes samsara from Nirvana; and nothing distinguishes Nirvana from samsara. Between even the extremities of samsara and Nirvana, one cannot find even a subtle difference " (Mulamadhyamaka-karika, XXV,19-20). 5) In short, there are not two realities, samsara and Nirvana. There is only the " field " of emptiness that is experienced through ignorance and unwholesome mental formations as samsara or through wisdom as Nirvana. 6) When one's experience of the world is conditioned by " prapanca " , it is known as samsara, full of dukha. But when by wisdom one experiences the ultimate truth that this same world is empty of own-being, then one finds Nirvana and freedom. 7) In that freedom, one is attached neither to the worldly things nor to the state of Nirvana, which is itself arising in the field of emptiness. 8) With wisdom's penetration into the ultimate truth of emptiness, one is detached from both the world and Nirvana, so that one can freely turn with compassion to address the needs of all living beings. 9) This nondualism between the freedom of Nirvana on the one hand and the ordinary world of samsara on the other brings us to the Madhyamika doctrine of the Two Truths: the conventional truth and the ultimate truth. Nargajuna says: " Those who don't understand the distinction between these two truths don't understand the profound nature of the Buddha's teaching " (Mulamadhyamaka-karika, XXIV,8-9). 10) The " conventional truth " (samvrti-satya) is about the world as experienced by ordinary perception and the conceptualizaion process of " prapanca " . Through this experience, one knows a number of conventional truths about the world, such as the fact that fire is hot or that something is moving, or that a certain person is President of US. 11) The " ultimate truth " (paramartha-satya) about existence is that all things are empty of own-being, or are dependently arisen. This ultimate truth is realized in the attainment of wisdom which produces non-attachment and the freedom of Nirvana. 12) The goal of Madhyamika is to convince people that the conventional truths about things do not give one the ultimate truth about existence. 13) This ultimate truth does not deny conventional truths; it simply reveals the true nature of what one knows at the conventional level of truth. Nargajuna says: " Without relying on convention, the ultimate truth cannot be expressed. Without understanding the ultimate truth, Nirvana cannot be attained. " (Mulamadhyamaka-karika, XXIV,10). 14) In other words, first one understands the things and processes of the ordinary world in the conventional way. Then one gains wisdom and sees the emptiness of these things and processes, that they are what they are because of dependent arising. Only in this way can one gain freedom within the dynamic of existence, Nirvana in samsara. However, one still experiences conventional truths about the world such as fire being hot, things moving etc. By the light of the ultimate truth of emptiness, one re-envisions the ordinary world so that one is no longer attached to things in ways that generate dukha (suffering) for oneself or others. 15) Here, we see why Nagarjuna's school is called Madhyamika, or the " Middle Way. " It does not reject the mundane world for Nirvana. Nagarjuna takes a middle position where one-re-envisions the mundane world from the standpoint of Nirvana on the one hand, while dealing compassionately with the conditions of samsara on the other. 16) Realizing the emptiness of both samsara and Nirvana, one is detached from both samsaric conditions and the unconditioned status of Nirvana. Thus, one 's Great journey courses in the Middle Way, where one is transformed by the power of the enlightened vision of emptiness, non-attached and free, full of compassion, living for the benefit of all beings. Ref: Buddhism - Introducing the Buddhist Experience by Donald W Mitchell, Oxford Press 2002. Happy Nex Year ! Bonne Année ! Philippe Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2003 Report Share Posted January 3, 2003 You mean, we agree again, Pete? This is getting ridiculous! Smirking ad infinitum, Dan Nisargadatta , pete seesaw <seesaw1us> wrote: > Emptiness is not, for example, an Absolute that is > separate > from the world of ordinary experience. In fact, > emptiness > does not refer to a thing; it refers to the way all > things > actually are, namely, empty of the independent way > they > ordinarily seem to exist. To make emptiness into any > entity > about which one can have a view is to make the > fundamental > mistake Nagarjuna is trying to expose, namely, seeing > anything as having a substantial identity. .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2003 Report Share Posted January 3, 2003 --- " dan330033 <dan330033 " <dan330033 wrote: > You mean, we agree again, Pete? > > This is getting ridiculous! > > Smirking ad infinitum, > Dan > I'm laughing myself apart! Something happened to you. Could it be....? Oh no! Dan has gone Supernova. Vacantly smiling, Pete Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 4, 2003 Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 And So Did It To You dear One, by Others, thru Others, with Others, Those Who Are All, The Mighty One and I and He, keep on this Mona Lisa Smile on & on by Itself, Great ! Namaste ! Phil - " pete seesaw " <seesaw1us <Nisargadatta > Friday, January 03, 2003 7:20 PM Re: Re: Emptiness --- " dan330033 <dan330033 " <dan330033 wrote: > You mean, we agree again, Pete? > > This is getting ridiculous! > > Smirking ad infinitum, > Dan > I'm laughing myself apart! Something happened to you. Could it be....? Oh no! Dan has gone Supernova. Vacantly smiling, Pete Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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