old-path-white-clouds-thich-nhat-hanh

look at the empty Dharma hall, you should be able to see the presence of markets, buffaloes, and villages. Without this, that is not. The
basic meaning of emptiness (sunnata) is ‘this is because that is.’”
The bhikkhus listened in perfect silence. The Buddha’s words made a deep impression on them. After a brief pause, the Buddha lifted
the empty bowl again and said, “Bhikkhus, this bowl cannot exist independently. It is here thanks to all the things we consider non-bowl
entities such as earth, water, fire, air, potter, and so forth. It is the same for all dharmas. Every dharma exists in interdependent relation to all
other dharmas. All dharmas exist by the principles of interpenetration and interbeing.
“Bhikkhus, look deeply at this bowl, and you can see the entire universe. This bowl contains the entire universe. There is only one thing
the bowl is empty of and that is a separate, individual self. What is a separate, individual self? It is a self which exists completely on its own,
independent of all other elements. No dharma can exist independently from other dharmas. No dharma possesses a separate, essential self.
That is the meaning of emptiness. Empty means empty of self.
“Bhikkhus, the five aggregates are the basic elements of a person. Form does not contain a self, because form cannot exist
independently. Within form exist feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. It is the same for feelings. Feelings do not
possess a self because feelings cannot exist independently. Within feelings are form, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness.
The same is true for the other three aggregates. No aggregate possesses a separate identity. The five aggregates depend on each other in
order to exist. Thus the five aggregates are all empty.
“Bhikkhus, the six sense organs, the six sense objects, and the six sense consciousnesses are all empty. Every sense organ, every sense
object, and every sense consciousness depends on all other sense organs, sense objects, and sense consciousnesses in order to exist. No
sense organ, sense object, or sense consciousness possesses an independent, separate nature.
“Bhikkhus, let me repeat this so that it will be easy for you to remember. This is, therefore that is. All dharmas depend on each other in
order to exist. Thus all dharmas are empty. Empty here means empty of an independent, separate self.”
Venerable Ananda said, “Lord, some brahmana scholars and leaders of other religious sects claim that the Monk Gautama teaches
annihilism. They say that you lead people to negate all of life. Do they misunderstand you because you say that all dharmas are empty?”
The Buddha answered, “Ananda, the brahmana scholars and leaders of other religious sects do not speak correctly about this. I have
never taught the doctrine of annihilism. I have never led others to deny life. Ananda, among false views there are two which entangle people
the most—views of being and views of non-being. The first view regards all things as having a separate and permanent self-nature. The
second regards all things as illusions. If you are caught in either view, you cannot see the truth.
“Ananda, once Bhikkhu Kaccayana asked me, ‘Lord, what is false view and what is right view?’ I answered that false view is to be
caught in either the notion of being or the notion of non-being. When we see into the true nature of reality, we are no longer bound by either
of these views. A person with right view understands the process of birth and death in all dharmas. Because of that, he is not disturbed by
thoughts of existence or non-existence. When suffering arises, the person with right view knows that suffering is arising. When suffering
fades, the person with right view knows that suffering is fading. The arising and fading of all dharmas does not disturb the person with right
view. The two false views of permanence and illusion are too extreme. Dependent co-arising transcends both extremes and dwells in the
middle.
“Ananda, being and non-being are concepts which do not accord with reality. Reality transcends the boundaries of such concepts. An
enlightened person is one who has transcended the concepts of being and non-being.
“Ananda, not only are being and non-being empty, but birth and death are also empty. They are also merely concepts.”
Venerable Ananda asked, “Lord, if birth and death are empty, why have you often said that all dharmas are impermanent, constantly
being born and dying?”
“Ananda, at the relative, conceptual level, we speak of dharmas being born and passing away. But from the point of view of the
absolute, all dharmas are by nature birthless and deathless.”
“Please, Lord, explain this.”
“Ananda, take the example of the bodhi tree you planted in front of the Dharma hall. When was it born?”
“Lord, it was born four years ago at the very moment the seed put forth roots.”
“Ananda! Before that did the bodhi tree exist?”
“No, Lord, before that there was no bodhi tree.”
“Do you mean to say that the bodhi tree arose from nothing? Can any dharma come into being from nothing?”
Venerable Ananda fell silent.
The Buddha continued, “Ananda, there is no dharma in all the universe which can come into being from nothing. Without the seed there