sunyata

From Sanskrit शून्यता (śūnyatā), from शून्य (śūnya, “zero, nothing”) + ता (-tā, “generalizing suffix”). Cognate with Pali suññatā

sunyata (plural sunyatas)

1. (psychology) Emptiness, in terms of a meditative state; an Eastern concept of a high meditative state of calm and freedom from distraction.
   • 1975, Herbert V. Guenther, Chögyam Trungpa, The Dawn of Tantra, 2001, Shambhala Publications, pages not numbered,

     Shunyata can be explained in a very simple way. […] In the shunyata experience, the attention is on the field rather than on its contents.

   • 1986, White Lotus Sutra - Unchecked by Sangharakshita; STUDY LEADERS SEMINAR 1986 Padmaloka.

     all dharmas were reducible to sunyata. So in a sense you have got a sort of merging of the particular in the universal.

   • 1996, Steve Odin, The social self in Zen and American pragmatism, page 112:

     In his treatment of Zen Buddhism, Abe emphasizes that the true self of Zen Buddhism is dynamic śūnyatā: "That is to say, true Sunyata is nothing but the true self and the true self is nothing but true Sunyata"

2. (philosophy) The cosmic void; in the East-West dialogue, an Eastern term for metaphysics of nothingness.
   • 1993, Sunyata, Emptiness and Self-emptying, Kenosis by Ven. Dr. Rewata Dhamma published in Buddhist - Christian Dialogue London, 27th March

     However since emptiness empties itself and so cannot itself be an object of attachment, dynamic 'sunyata' empties itself out as just the things themselves.

• Śūnyatā
• shunyata
• karma
• nirvana

• Tusayan