Vijñāna and Śūnyatā... How are they seen as different?
Upvote:0
They are very different terms with very different meanings.
Mind (pali: viññāṇa) is that which knows something. Emptiness (pali: suññatā) is how things exist. We say the mind is empty - ie., that it lacks inherent existence. Madhyamakas say that all things lack inherent existence... ie., that they are empty of inherent existence. The question then becomes what is 'inherent existence' ;)
Upvote:1
The way these relate, according to instructions I received, and my limited understanding:
In ontological reality nothing exists by itself; everything is part of some process and relationship; In fact in Mahayana Buddhism we say that delineating these processes and relationships into distinct entities is a function of the mind. Same processes and relationships can be delineated in a multitude of ways, even though most of the time we assume there is only one, or only one right way to delineate them. Entities do not have (are empty of) inherent existence and are delineations made by the mind. We call this situation "Emptiness" (Śūnyatā).
The mind itself exists as (informational) phenomenon emerging from interaction of processes and relationships. So mind itself is not something fixed that has essence - it's fluid and ephemeral. We say, mind itself is empty.
Since "entities" do not exist as anything apart from the mind, and mind itself does not exist apart from the interaction of processes and relationships, we can see that mind and entities are of the same emergent nature. In other words, the latent regularities inherent in the interaction of processes and relationships give rise to mind as reflection and representation, culminating in delineation of entities.
So mind and its delineated entities emerge as virtual aspect of regularities inherent to the ontological reality. Mind and entities are virtual. This virtuality is what we call Emptiness. In this sense we can roughly say that mind is emptiness and emptiness is mind. Or, more precisely, that the nature of mind is emptiness. So in the absolute sense they are inseparable.
However, when we speak in the conventional sense, mind refers to representation, and when we speak about vijnana we specifically mean representation that develops in the case of sentient beings. The capacity for representation is one of the five components making up the subjective realm of the so-called sentient being, along with stimuli, imprints/tendencies, concepts of entities, and feelings. Vijnana is that which emerges from imprints/tendencies in response to stimuli and underlies the process of delineation and evaluation of entities, as well as the feelings that fall out of that. So in conventional use the meaning of "Vijnana" is rather specific.
While Emptiness (Śūnyatā) is a much more broad concept. It refers to the global situation that ontological reality does not have any sort of absolute point of reference, whether local or global, and that whatever virtual stuff that emerges, emerges from relationships and interactions, and that therefore all phenomena, including the ones we deal with in our human realms do not have any sort of inherent solidity.
More post
- 📝 Does Buddhism allow for true randomness?
- 📝 Anapanasati with Dhatu Manasikara
- 📝 Avoiding inner narration while practising Anapanasati
- 📝 Who are your mother and father?
- 📝 What basic knowledge and skills are required to become a Vipassana teacher?
- 📝 If that which is aware of fear is not fearful then isn't that which is aware of happiness not happy?
- 📝 What is the meaning of the word Uncreate?
- 📝 Automatic Habit of Meditation
- 📝 Why is the problem with the personal pronouns 'I, me and mine'?
- 📝 What is karma vipaka and its contents?
- 📝 Is an 'Existential Crisis' a necessary condition to start on the path of Dhamma?
- 📝 My thoughts don't happen to other people so why are they 'not mine'?
- 📝 💚What did the Buddha say about courage?
- 📝 Are absences empty / conceptual constructions, according to all Buddhists?
- 📝 What is "stillness" or samatha?
- 📝 Is my guilt natural?
- 📝 What are the differences/similarities in the concept of faith as used in Buddhism and Christianity?
- 📝 Is "impermanence" a bad translation of "anicca"?
- 📝 In Dependent Co-Arising, is Dukkha a Sankhara, a Vedana, both, or none?
- 📝 Losing in thought and autopilot kicked in
- 📝 If you are reborn into a different realm, does that mean you just live in that realm, or you are reborn as the inhabitants?
- 📝 What are the personal consequences opposing, mobbing or even revile Noble Ones or right view?
- 📝 What does Buddha mean with '' to not sacrifice one's life for another' (Dhp 166)?
- 📝 Is the human realm the only one where conscious moral choice is possible?
- 📝 Dilemma about Money
- 📝 Rationalism and The spirit of inquiry
- 📝 How to increase my potential in daimoku?
- 📝 Different state of mind during dhamma talk
- 📝 Analysis and Compassion
- 📝 What is the "Unconditioned" that the Buddha is talking about? And vinjana in Buddhsm
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Vijñāna and Śūnyatā... How are they seen as different?
- 📝 How irony and sarcasm are seen in Buddhism?
- 📝 What are the Three Trainings and how are they practical?
- 📝 Different realms,Different beings,Different times - How do they understand what we are saying?
- 📝 How are expectations and responsibilities seen in Buddhism?
- 📝 How to stop reverberations running in mind? And why they are in the first place?
- 📝 How are 'conceit' and 'identity-view' not the same?
- 📝 How compatible are the beliefs of atheists and Buddhism?
- 📝 How compatible are (Theravada) Buddhism and the Western life?
- 📝 In simple words, how are body sensations linked to moods and feelings?
- 📝 Does hosting guests at home with meat and alcohol (because they are fond of it) amount to aiding the guests break their Sila?
- 📝 How important are incense and candles to a meditation practice?
- 📝 How are Buddhist Sacred Texts used in practice and historically, given the questioned authenticity of some of them
- 📝 What are the rotating cylinders in monastries, and why are they there?
- 📝 How compatible are Buddhism and Communism?
- 📝 Reality, Experience and Information. How are these three terms related to each other?
- 📝 What are the various Buddhist scriptural designations and to what do they refer?
- 📝 "Marks of Existence" and "Gates To Enlightenment", are they Same?
- 📝 What are Buddha-fields and Dharma-fields in Buddhism? What roles do they play in various lineages?
- 📝 How were dreams and visions seen in the context of Chinese Buddhism?
- 📝 What exactly are the last two of the Arupa Jhanas? How can we transcend them and for what?
- 📝 Where are the Eight Worldly Winds and how to deal with them described?
- 📝 What are the guides for lay followers, as to how far they should go to be compassionate?
- 📝 How are good and bad Karmas determined in Buddhism?
- 📝 How is one supposed to be compassionate and 100% free of suffering while others are suffering?
- 📝 What are the differences between joy (piti), bliss (sukha) and peace (santi) and how do the qualities relate to Nibbana?
- 📝 How can the world's youth discover careers that are aligned with consciousness and Buddhism?
- 📝 How to deal with people and colleagues who are angry, complaining or seeking attention?
- 📝 How Atheism and Buddhism are different?
- 📝 If we consider 'kamma' as intention and habits, how are these transferred from a brain to next life when the brain breaks-up and cease to function?