Śūnyatā means "emptiness" in Sanskrit
Śūnyatā
Śūnyatā means "emptiness" in Sanskrit
In Mahāyāna Buddhism, śūnyatā refers to the belief that "all things are empty of intrinsic existence and nature (svabhava)." It can also relate to Buddha-nature teachings and primordial or empty awareness, as seen in Dzogchen, Shentong, or Chan.
Example
A practitioner of Mahāyāna Buddhism might meditate on the concept of śūnyatā to realize the emptiness of intrinsic existence in all phenomena.
Understanding śūnyatā is crucial for grasping the core philosophical teachings of Mahāyāna Buddhism and its emphasis on the emptiness of inherent existence.
Related concepts
the Buddhist concept of anatta (no-self) claims
Anatta: No permanent, unchanging self exists
Eliminative materialism
Eliminative materialism claims many mental states don't exist
the Upanishadic concept of Brahman-Atman identity claims
Brahman-Atman identity posits the individual self (Atman) is identical to ultimate reality (Brahman)
Nominalism
Nominalism claims only particular things exist, universals are just names
Heidegger's being-toward-death reveals
Heidegger's being-toward-death reveals finitude as the condition for authentic existence
dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda) means
Dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda) means everything arises in dependence upon conditions
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