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Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:02.48,0:00:06.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,< Introduction to Buddhism I >
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.59,0:00:10.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What is the Meaning of “Emptiness”?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.51,0:00:12.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi Sunim, \NHi everyone.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.96,0:00:17.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sorry, raising a question in such a \Nlarge group makes me a little nervous.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.57,0:00:19.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, please bear with me.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.14,0:00:24.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The question that I have relates \Nto the concepts of emptiness.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.38,0:00:27.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Emptiness has come up \Nin a few of your Dharma talks,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.46,0:00:30.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,your videos and textbooks a few times.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.40,0:00:34.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It also comes up in many \Nof the traditional texts and Sutras
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.25,0:00:36.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like Diamond Sutra, Heart Sutra.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.67,0:00:40.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Whenever I read through what emptiness \Nmeans in the Buddhist concept
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.71,0:00:44.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it leaves me a bit more confused
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.71,0:00:48.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and sometimes a little bit dampened \Nand slightly demotivated.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.77,0:00:53.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The reason is because the way \NI understand it is very shallow.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.65,0:00:58.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I understand it as because \Nof the impermanence
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.66,0:01:03.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of the causality being \Ndependent on each other,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.92,0:01:06.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,things become empty or things are empty.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.18,0:01:11.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But my challenge and difficulty \Nwith understanding the concept is
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.18,0:01:17.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how do I approach it so that I'm not \Nundermining what is important in life
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.68,0:01:23.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for instance family relationships \Nthat matter, ambitions that matter.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.52,0:01:32.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's my question.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.46,0:01:55.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the emptiness, we usually express \Nthat using the Chinese character
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.06,0:01:58.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for me is not filled, right empty.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.84,0:02:22.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But as you know how a word is interpreted\Nreally depends on the context
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.49,0:02:25.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of what came before \Nand what follows after.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.23,0:02:28.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the same word actually \Nmeans multiple things.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.53,0:02:55.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But for example, if you claim that \Nthis word can only mean one thing,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:55.19,0:03:01.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then that's different. But what emptiness \Nreally refers to is that one word
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.48,0:03:05.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can mean multiple things\Ndepending on the context.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.49,0:03:06.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's what emptiness means.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.80,0:03:23.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So emptiness in this context \Ndoes not mean a complete absence
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.46,0:03:26.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of something or a complete void.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.02,0:03:29.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It really means that \Neverything is contextual,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.51,0:03:35.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,depends on the context of how those words \Nor what definition that word belongs to.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.68,0:03:51.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So let's take an example.\NSo somebody may look at you
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.52,0:03:57.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and claim that you are a good person.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.10,0:04:00.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Another person may look at you \Nand say you are a bad person.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.12,0:04:11.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So when somebody claims \Nthat you're a good person
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.98,0:04:16.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that means that Joe, \Nyou have an essence of goodness in you.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.28,0:04:24.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if somebody says you're a bad person
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.33,0:04:29.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then you have something within you that, \Nthat person is perceived as bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.90,0:04:48.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So whether you have a \Nbad factor or a good factor
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.70,0:04:55.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's something that's intrinsic to you.\NThen that's the opposite of emptiness.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.100,0:05:16.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But what emptiness refers to is that \Nit's all about that person's perception
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.66,0:05:22.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as being good, or that person's \Nperception as being bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.13,0:05:27.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But there's nothing intrinsic \Nwithin you that's good or bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.21,0:05:57.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in other words, you don't have an \Nessential kind of form or an element
Dialogue: 0,0:05:57.54,0:06:01.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or an attribute within you \Nthat somebody can point to
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.05,0:06:03.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and say that's good or that's bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.46,0:06:09.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It is just their perception of you \Nin that space and time context
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.82,0:06:13.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in which they claim \Nthat you are good or bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.98,0:06:27.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in that case when somebody says you are\Na bad person or you're a good person.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.79,0:06:31.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then I can say that \Nshe is neither good nor bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.60,0:06:33.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She is just, she is empty.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.60,0:06:49.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that in that case empty \Ndoesn't means that you don't exist,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:49.23,0:06:52.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that there's nothing,\Nor there's just a void.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.95,0:06:58.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It just means that there's \Nno attribute within you,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.92,0:07:03.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or an essence within you intrinsically \Nthat we can call as good or bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:05.20,0:07:09.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Say we have this thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.84,0:07:27.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Somebody actually ate a little bit \Nof this thing and got healed.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:27.32,0:07:31.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so that person said \N'Okay this is a great medicine’.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.38,0:07:40.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But somebody else actually ate the \Nsame thing and then actually got sick.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.80,0:07:47.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that person pointed the same \Nthing and said that's poison.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.20,0:07:55.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So is this thing medicine or poison?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:57.52,0:08:00.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are three things.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:00.86,0:08:04.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One is 'This is medicine',
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.51,0:08:07.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and one 'This is poison'.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.25,0:08:15.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The third is that it has medicinal \Nproperties or it has poisonous properties.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.79,0:08:25.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But this thing itself is empty.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:26.46,0:08:35.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That means that it neither has \Ntoxic properties nor medicinal properties.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:36.72,0:08:43.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That means that this is just the thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:43.81,0:08:55.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But in whatever context and situation, \Nthis thing has been applied to
Dialogue: 0,0:08:55.91,0:09:00.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sometimes has medicinal attributes \Nor sometimes it has toxic attributes.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:03.23,0:09:17.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that's when you use the word \Nempty or Gong (공) to refer to that
Dialogue: 0,0:09:17.31,0:09:23.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this is neither medicinal nor toxic, \Nyou are neither good nor bad person.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:24.71,0:09:45.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So all existence whether that's biological\Na thing or non biological organic
Dialogue: 0,0:09:45.63,0:09:49.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or even a thought, \Na mental phenomena
Dialogue: 0,0:09:49.55,0:09:53.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's just empty \Nit's neither good nor bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:54.66,0:10:00.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it is just what it is.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:01.50,0:10:05.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that's why we call it \Nor label it as empty
Dialogue: 0,0:10:05.14,0:10:08.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because that's the truth it is what it is.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:08.46,0:10:40.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However that thing how it's represented or\Nmanifest really depends on the situation
Dialogue: 0,0:10:40.90,0:10:45.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the context and the connections \Nin which it is allowed to manifest.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:45.16,0:10:50.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in some situations, you are a person \Nin some situations, you're a bad person.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.39,0:10:55.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In some situations this thing is a \Nmedicine in other it is a poison.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:02.97,0:11:14.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So when we say Gong (공) the empty,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:14.68,0:11:19.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that is kind of what a thing is \Nwhat a phenomenon is.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:19.27,0:11:24.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But however it's represented \Nwithin the context or situation
Dialogue: 0,0:11:24.53,0:11:28.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it finds itself in and that \Nis what we call Form.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.40,0:11:40.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Therefore if you really truly understand \Nthat all essence of all existence
Dialogue: 0,0:11:40.48,0:11:43.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is really empty then there's \Nno cause for you to suffer.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:44.09,0:11:51.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because you realize the person \Nis neither bad nor good.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:52.26,0:12:05.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That doesn't mean \Nthat person does not exist.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:05.51,0:12:10.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That just means that the person in this \Nsituation in this space and time context
Dialogue: 0,0:12:10.80,0:12:16.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,under this specific set of conditions \Nmay appear to be good or bad to me.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:21.08,0:12:27.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Doesn't look like \Nyou are fully clear on that.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:29.52,0:12:35.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I am thinking of how you mention \Ngood or bad sometimes is empty.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:35.62,0:12:40.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At the same time I can't help \Nto think of historical dictators
Dialogue: 0,0:12:40.05,0:12:42.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that have caused a lot of hurt.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:43.32,0:12:47.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But also at the same time \NI have in my head explained to myself
Dialogue: 0,0:12:47.26,0:12:50.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they have violated \Nthe precepts. That's all.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:59.48,0:13:11.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So even the precepts themselves are empty.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:23.15,0:13:29.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I guess I am still a little confused \Nabout the precepts being empty.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:29.76,0:13:31.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Do you mean they are dependent
Dialogue: 0,0:13:31.29,0:13:38.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the historical age we're in \Nthe society that we're in?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:47.73,0:14:06.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's no ethical precepts that we can \Nabsolutely say that this is the truth.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:06.13,0:14:10.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That this is the way regardless \Nof the situation and time and space
Dialogue: 0,0:14:10.66,0:14:16.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we find ourselves in, because \Nthat actually is a very dangerous path.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:17.43,0:14:53.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what Buddha taught us \Nthat the proper way the right way
Dialogue: 0,0:14:53.21,0:14:58.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is always determined by the space and \Ntime of the situation that we are under.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:59.16,0:15:02.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's basically setting a compass down \Nin a new place and seeing
Dialogue: 0,0:15:02.51,0:15:06.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where it points north and\Nthat's when you find the right way.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:06.23,0:15:07.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So everything is dependent
Dialogue: 0,0:15:07.73,0:15:12.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even though the proper path on that, \Nthat's the middle way.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:12.19,0:15:17.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the concept of that middle way as it\Ntransition over to Mahayana Buddhism,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:17.96,0:15:21.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it became translated \Nor understood as emptiness.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:22.36,0:15:42.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the emptiness, the concept \Nand the words, actually was a criticism
Dialogue: 0,0:15:42.98,0:15:46.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,against Theravada kind \Nof rigid traditionalism
Dialogue: 0,0:15:46.88,0:15:54.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in which they claimed that a certain \Nset of ethical constructions was the way.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:54.63,0:16:04.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the criticism in Mahayana against that\Nwas that the construct should be empty.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:05.49,0:16:36.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So basically the original criticism \Nwhich Theravada's rigid absoluteness
Dialogue: 0,0:16:36.07,0:16:42.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the way was that there is no fixed way \Nand that eventually got translated
Dialogue: 0,0:16:42.98,0:16:46.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and kind of consolidated \Ninto the word emptiness.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:49.83,0:17:03.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Basically when someone \Nclaims that this the truth,
Dialogue: 0,0:17:03.48,0:17:08.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then the criticism is that there's \Nnothing that you can point to and say
Dialogue: 0,0:17:08.14,0:17:14.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's the absolute truth, and that got\Ntranslated into that sense of emptiness.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:19.93,0:17:35.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the fact that we misunderstand \Nemptiness or the concept
Dialogue: 0,0:17:35.11,0:17:42.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of the word that we use \Nin space, but it's only a part of all.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:55.09,0:18:07.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We usually obsess over somebody else, \Nif we like that person.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:10.55,0:18:18.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we want to make that person behave \Nthe way we want them to behave.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:19.18,0:18:25.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So if they don't behave \Naccordingly then we feel bitter.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:25.60,0:18:35.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if that disappointment becomes \Ntoo much then we just let go,
Dialogue: 0,0:18:36.58,0:18:41.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we become indifferent to them.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:42.84,0:18:54.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If we realize this concept of emptiness
Dialogue: 0,0:18:54.78,0:19:00.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then we can actually \Nlet go of our obsession.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:00.59,0:19:07.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then we can allow him or her \Nto behave as they want.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:08.16,0:19:12.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If they ask for our help, \Nthen we help.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:12.16,0:19:17.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If they don't ask for help, \Nthen we don't help.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:17.40,0:19:27.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we're neither indifferent \Nin this case nor obsessive.