You are currently logged-out. You can log-in or create an account to see more talks, save favorites, and more.
Emptiness Talks

Śūnyatā ( shoon-yə-TAH; Sanskrit: शून्यता; Pali: suññatā), translated most often as "emptiness", "vacuity", and sometimes "voidness", or "nothingness" is an Indian philosophical concept. In Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, and other Indian philosophical traditions, the concept has multiple meanings depending on its doctrinal context. It is either an ontological feature of reality, a meditative state, or a phenomenological analysis of experience.
In Theravāda Buddhism, Pali: suññatā often refers to the non-self (Pāli: anattā, Sanskrit: anātman) nature of the five aggregates of experience and the six sense spheres. Pali: Suññatā is also often used to refer to a meditative state or experience.
In Mahāyāna Buddhism, śūnyatā refers to the tenet that "all things are empty of intrinsic existence and nature (svabhava)", but may also refer to the Buddha-nature teachings and primordial or empty awareness, as in Dzogchen, Shentong, or Chan.
Title | Speaker | |
---|---|---|
Zendo Lecture Practice, Tassajara, Emptiness |
Dec 07 2004 Tassajara |
|
Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03560 Dining Room Class Addiction, Lotus Sutra, Happiness, realization, Emptiness |
Nov 27 2004 Tassajara |
|
Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03484 Dining Room Class Dragons, Lotus Sutra, Manjushri, Mahayana, Emptiness, Hindrances, Diversity,... |
Nov 27 2004 Tassajara |
|
Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-03548 Second Sesshin, Zendo Lecture Lotus Sutra, Complete Perfect Enlightenment, Emotions, Emptiness, Freedom, training,... |
Nov 16 2004 Tassajara |
|
Hsin Hsin MingSerial: SF-01901 Zendo Lecture Faith, Don't Know Mind, Equanimity, Emptiness, Perfect Wisdom, Beginners,... |
Jun 18 2004 Tassajara |
|
OfferingsSerial: SF-00158 Sunday talk. Children's lecture. Offering, Ceremony, Emptiness, Emotions, Intuition, Practice Period, Precepts, Karma... |
Nov 02 2003 Green Gulch Farm |
|
Not Always So Class Buddha Nature, Emptiness, Bodhidharma, Zazen, Suzuki Roshi, realization, Religion,... |
Nov 18 2002 Tassajara |
|
Solitude and Fulfillment in Zen Insight Soto Zen, Five Ranks, Emptiness, Nirvana, Renunciation, Oneness, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Jan 03 2001 |
|
Tenzo Kyokun Class Practice Period, Attachment, Offering, Letting Go, Bodhisattva Way, Emptiness,... |
Nov 28 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Tenzo Kyokun Class Emptiness, Dragons, Intimacy, Dharma Transmission, Zazen, Hindrances, Impermanence,... |
Nov 21 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Surangama Sutra Class Emptiness, confusion, Cultivation, Silent Illumination, Light-and-Darkness, Subject-... |
Sep 18 2000 Unknown |
|
Surangama Sutra Class confusion, Four Noble Truths, Don't Know Mind, Delusion, Discrimination, Heart... |
Sep 11 2000 Unknown |
|
Sunday Lecture Fox, causation, Karma, Nirvana, Soto Zen, Funeral, Heart Sutra, Emptiness, Ceremony,... |
Sep 10 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Surangama Sutra Class Emptiness, Light-and-Darkness, Skandas, true dharma, Emotions, Doubt, Buddha Nature,... |
Jun 06 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Surangama Sutra Class Emptiness, Manjushri, Karma, Impermanence, Emotions, Nirvana, Lotus Sutra, Religion,... |
May 30 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Surangama Sutra Class Emptiness, Blue Cliff Record, Intimacy, Don't Know Mind, Silence, Karma,... |
May 23 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Surangama Sutra Class Big Mind, Light-and-Darkness, Practice Period, Faith, Three Treasures, Emptiness,... |
May 16 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Women Ancestors Lineage, Transmission, Soto Zen, realization, Priest-and-Lay, Emptiness, Ceremony,... |
May 13 2000 1 |
|
Sesshin Lecture Perfect Wisdom, Practice Period, training, Bell, Intimacy, Emptiness, Birth-and-Death... |
Apr 12 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Sesshin Lecture Skandas, Heart Sutra, Letting Go, Emptiness, Interdependence, Buddha Ancestors,... |
Apr 11 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Embracing Groundlessness: Zen's Infinite Dance Time, Emptiness, Pain |
Apr 01 2000 City Center |
|
Works of Dogen ClassSerial: SF-03199 Tuesday Class Buddha Ancestors, Lotus Sutra, Balance, Emptiness, Liberation, Transmission,... |
Mar 14 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Works of Dogen ClassSerial: SF-03198 Tuesday Class Delusion, Balance, Letting Go, Doubt, Buddha Ancestors, Emptiness, Dream World, Fox,... |
Mar 07 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Fukanzazengi ClassSerial: SF-03652 Monday Class Instruction, Book of Serenity, realization, Mahayana, Posture, Balance, Karma, Faith... |
Mar 06 2000 Green Gulch |
|
January Practice Period Class Heart Sutra, Duality, Non-duality, Four Noble Truths, Six Realms, Liberation, Two... |
Jan 19 2000 Green Gulch |
|
January Practice Period Class Time, Name, Emptiness |
Jan 15 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Sunday Lecture Emptiness, Emotions, Practice Period, Ceremony, Passions, Letting Go, Enthusiasm,... |
Jan 09 2000 Green Gulch |
|
Embracing Mindfulness as Everyday Enlightenment Zazen, Time, Emptiness |
Dec 07 1999 City Center |
|
RomanceSerial: SF-03244 Sunday Lecture Commitment, Emptiness, Impermanence, Ego, Karma, Intimacy, Birth-and-Death, Buddha... |
Mar 28 1999 Green Gulch |
|
Sunday Lecture Emptiness, Nirvana Sutra, Zazen Mind, Posture, Sangha, Mindfulness, Teacher-and-... |
Mar 07 1999 Green Gulch |
|
Sunday Lecture Anger, Book of Serenity, Karma, Precepts, Evil, Duality, Emptiness, Offering, Fasting... |
Oct 04 1998 Green Gulch |
|
Spring SesshinSerial: SF-02728 Thursday Emptiness, Zazen, uchiyama, Letting Go, Anger, Suzuki Roshi, Instruction |
Mar 26 1998 Unknown |
|
Sunday Lecture Precepts, Emptiness, Offering, Bodhisattva Precepts, New Year, Observe, Ceremony,... |
Jan 04 1998 Green Gulch |
|
Scholarship Conference PaperSerial: SF-03238 Sunday Lecture Heart Sutra, Lineage, Platform Sutra, Soto Zen, Religion, Study Period, Emptiness,... |
Nov 16 1997 Green Gulch |
|
One-day Sitting Lecture Manjushri, Bodhisattva Precepts, Precepts, Blue Cliff Record, Sangha, Practice Period... |
Nov 15 1997 Green Gulch |
|
Precepts ClassSerial: SF-03532 Brief Review of Class 1 - the Three Refuges Precepts, Emptiness, Three Treasures, Bodhisattva Precepts, Vow, Buddha Nature,... |
Oct 27 1997 Green Gulch |
|
Chao Chou's Four GatesSerial: SF-03239 Sunday Lecture: case 9 of the Blue Cliff Record: "What is Chao Chou?" "East gate, west gate, south gate, north gate" Practice Period, Ordinary Mind, Buddha Nature, Blue Cliff Record, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Oct 19 1997 Green Gulch |
|
Majjhima Nikaya ClassSerial: SF-03195 Middle-length Discourses Attachment, Addiction, Mindfulness, confusion, Four Noble Truths, Emptiness, Zazen,... |
Oct 14 1997 Green Gulch |
|
Genjo Koan workshop resistance, Emotions, Daily Life, Passions, Emptiness, Interview, Instruction,... |
Jun 15 1997 Green Gulch |
|
Poetry of EnlightenmentSerial: SF-00071 Class realization, Emptiness, Dragons, Balance, Bell, Priest, Emotions, Freedom, Doubt... |
Feb 04 1997 1 |
|
Song of Jewel Mirror SamadhiSerial: SF-00072 5:00 class Buddha Ancestors, Four Noble Truths, Absolute-and-Relative, Emptiness, Samadhi,... |
Feb 04 1997 |
|
Be Completely Who You AreSerial: SF-02709B Rohatsu Sesshin Emptiness, Suzuki Roshi, Happiness, Anger, Emotions, Zazen, Ceremony |
Dec 05 1996 Unknown |
|
Just Die On ExhalationSerial: SF-02709A Rohatsu Sesshin "(a keeper)" Emptiness, Birth-and-Death, Letting Go, Composure, Bodhidharma, Impermanence, Posture... |
Dec 04 1996 Unknown |
|
Sandokai Class Evil, Religion, Funeral, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Discrimination, Suzuki Roshi... |
Nov 25 1996 Green Gulch |
|
Effort - While You're Already Perfect Heart Sutra, Suzuki Roshi, Emptiness, realization, Precepts, Passions, Right Effort,... |
Nov 13 1996 Unknown |
|
Sandokai Class Oneness, Darkness and Light, Practice Period, Separation, Karma, Emptiness, Politics... |
Nov 13 1996 Green Gulch |
|
Jewel Mirror Samadhi Class Five Ranks, Delusion, Absolute-and-Relative, Attachment, Emptiness, Soto Zen, Right... |
Oct 03 1996 Green Gulch |