The Perfection of Wisdom | Step 29 of Awakening in 30 Steps

Definition of emptiness - The lack of inherent existence of the subject, object, and interaction.

The “lack” implies something we thought was there is not. Self-existence or independent existence is not there. And yet...things still arise, appear, and feel good or bad.

There is a conventional, relative, or relational reality. Don’t ever negate conventional realities! Just see they are not fixed. In fact, it’s one, non dual reality, two sides of the same coin: ultimate and conventional, emptiness and appearance.

There is no car, but we still need to look both ways before crossing the road. Go looking for the car, you’ll find pieces, then particles, quarks, then space. You see it’s a label or construct of mind superimposed. There is no car, and yet you can drive to grandma’s house.

What is the application? If you see how things are empty, and how this lack allows for various experiences and interpretation, then you see how karma intersects with emptiness. The things we say, think, and do, shape the projection, and create our experience of the empty world. Change our karma, we change our experience of the world.

How do we change our karma for a more meaningful experience? Perfect our generosity, morality, patience, perseverance, concentration, and view. Others will benefit and we will wake up. As we wake up, we help others wake up. That’s the mission.

Learn more about the gradual path to awakening with the Lam Rim Meditation course.