Emptiness

Part of the ambiguity and confusion surrounding the ideas of "emptiness" arise from the fact that there is no clear distinction in Chinese between the adjective empty and the noun emptiness. The word kong has both or either implications. When the word is interpreted as "empty," the the teaching on the emptiness of things may be interpreted to mean "things are empty of self nature." This view conforms with the classical Zen Buddhist perspective that there is no underlying metaphysics in the nature of things. However, when the same word is interpreted as "emptiness," a noun, then the interpretation "form is emptiness" leads those who hear or read the phrase to believe a metaphysical emptiness underlies form, and form itself is erroneously thought to have an idealist underpinning. [Ch'an Master] Great Pearl avoids this pitfall by describing form and emptiness simply as qualities of thought. In this way, he avoids the pitfall of metaphysical interpretation and remains true to basic Zen teachings of the Bodhidharma line.

---Andy Ferguson---