What is “Emptiness” in Buddhism?

Emptiness – Freedom from Illusions

From the vantage point of the ego, emptiness seems to be the darkness of the unknown, something that threatens the very foundation of our being.

However, in Buddhist philosophy, emptiness is the notion that all things are free from any fixed, independent, permanent existence. Emptiness is synonymous with truth since it describes a state that goes beyond all intellectual comprehension, and thus is empty of all illusions.

Characteristics of Emptiness

Emptiness is the divine fire that burns all concepts and the holy water that washes away all misery:

The source, or ground, of all things.
Synonymous with truth.
Beyond intellectual comprehension.
Not nihilistic nothingness.
The realm of love and compassion.
Free from any fixed, independent, permanent existence.

No Self, No Problem: Awakening to Our True Nature
Anam Thubten

Anam Thubten

. Dharmata Foundation

Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and at an early age began to practice in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Among his many teachers, his most formative guides were Lama Tsurlo, Khenpo Chopel, and Lama Garwang.

He is the founder and spiritual advisor of Dharmata Foundation, with headquarters in Point Richmond, California.

Anam Thubten has been teaching in the West since the early 1990s, and he teaches widely in the U.S. and abroad. He has written various articles and books in both Tibetan and English.

Books written by Anam Thubten include: