1. Meditation: Seeing Things As They Really Are
There are two types of meditation in Buddhism - one is samatha and the other is
vipassanā meditation. Samatha meditation is to calm or tranquil the mind by
means of concentration. Whereas, vipassanā meditation is to mould the mind into
seeing all things as they really are – an insight into the true nature of reality. The
main focus of vipassanā meditation is to attain pure awareness via mindfulness.
Vipassanā is often preceded by samatha but nonetheless, both types are inter-
dependable throughout the practices in order to achieve favourable results in
meditation.
Microscopic analysis of things
If one were to zoom in the analysis of a solid ball by looking into the contents and
then its basic matters i.e. atoms, one could realise that the ultimate result would
yield to the absence of things (no things). At the end of the day, one could
declare that form is empty in the real sense because there is no core essence
within it except for the basic elements (energy, matter and space) that orientate
and evolve constantly under the influence of the external conditions. In other
words, one could mention that the form entity has a delusive nature i.e. it is an
appearance, though not illusive, but devoid of inherent existence and constantly
varies under the influence of conditional phenomena.
Macroscopic analysis of things
If one were to zoom out the analysis of a solid ball by receding into a long shot
distance indefinitely, the solid ball would appear to be shrinking into a tiniest size
and one could realise that the ultimate result would yield to the absence of things
(no things). In other words, the broader the perspective that one engages in, the
lesser the multiplicity of things would appear to be. For example, the viewing of
the earth from far and near would yield a different result to the observer’s
perception altogether.
2. Emptiness
Macroscopic analysis (Zoom out)
(Vipassanā meditation)
Macro perspective
(Uniformity & infinite)
Micro perspective
(Multiplicity & definite)
Microscopic analysis (Zoom in)
(Samatha meditation)
Emptiness
As a conclusion, the emptiness of phenomena is both the cause and consequence
of the dependent nature of phenomena. It is the inherent quality of existence and
is considered the ultimate truth because it inherently exists exactly as it is
perceived when it is perceived directly by an enlightened mind. And discovering
the ultimate truth is the key to overcoming the ignorant state of mind.
Transcending the mind via meditation would allow the dilution of one’s personal
ego under the light of pure awareness and subsequently, it would give rise to the
original source connection – the emptiness of all things.
More importantly, one should not confuse emptiness with nothingness. Emptiness
cannot be meant as nothingness but instead, it is more associated with no-thing-
ness. No thing can mean no becoming or no changing. No changing means no
suffering. No suffering means no mind. Mind is the forerunner of all states. No
mind means a completely neutralised state of affairs - that is nibbāna. The state
of nibbāna is inexplicable in conventional terms but still, it can be tasted by the
enlightened ones during deep meditation.
MIND
Jhāna
&
upekkhā
