Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

which yana he is dealing; and, finally, disentangles
himself from Confuscian influences.
If such are the obstacles in the way of a scholar's correct
understanding and interpretation, what will be the
condition of the unlearned layman? He may even
practice meditation, or at least read books upon it, but
how great are the chances of his making bad mistakes?
2. Kong. Although Buddhists mean quite different
things by sunyata and akasa, both these are translated
into Chinese by "Kong." Akasa, emptiness of space,
space-element, should not of course be confused with
sunyata, and for "Kong" in this sense we may find at
least four distinct meanings:
a. What an ordinary person means by "empty" or
"vacant" (as an empty house). This is sunyata in the
sense of abhava, or privation. This meaning is not used
in the context of meditation although some deluded
people imagine in their practice that since their minds
are merely vacant or empty as space, they have then
experienced the real meaning of sunyata. This is a great
mistake.
b. Sunyata thought of as outside or beyond form by
some who practice meditation. They take it to be quite
separate from the five skandhas (form, feeling,
perception, habitual tendencies, and consciousness).
These are grave delusions.
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