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Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.00,0:00:04.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,<Introduction to Buddhism I>
Dialogue: 0,0:00:04.50,0:00:10.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,<What Is the Meaning of “Emptiness”?>
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.17,0:00:13.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Questioner) Hi, Sunim, \NHi, everyone.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.19,0:00:17.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Raising a question in such a large\Ngroup makes me a little nervous.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.37,0:00:20.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, please bear with me.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.33,0:00:24.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The question that I have relates \Nto the concept of emptiness.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.84,0:00:27.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Emptiness has come up \Nin a few of your Dharma talks,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.33,0:00:30.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,your videos, and textbooks a few times.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.22,0:00:33.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It also comes up in many \Nof the traditional texts and sutras
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.97,0:00:36.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like Diamond Sutra and Heart Sutra.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.83,0:00:40.71,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: 0,0:00:44.71,0:00:49.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and sometimes a little bit dampened \Nand slightly demotivated.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.57,0:00:55.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The reason is because the way \NI understand it is very shallow.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.65,0:01:01.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The way I understand it is that because of\Nthe impermanence and the causality
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.78,0:01:07.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,being dependent on each other,\Nthings become empty, or things are empty.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.23,0:01:12.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But my challenge and difficulty \Nwith understanding the concept is
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.18,0:01:17.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how do I approach it so that I'm not \Nundermining what is important in life,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.59,0:01:29.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for instance, family relationships \Nthat matter, or ambitions that matter.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.81,0:01:37.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's my question.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.46,0:01:55.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Sunim) We usually express emptiness\Nusing the Chinese character
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.06,0:02:00.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,meaning not filled, empty.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.13,0:02:22.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But how a word is interpreted\Nreally depends on the context
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.26,0:02:24.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of what came before,\Nand what follows after.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.83,0:02:29.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, the same word can mean \Nmultiple things.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.41,0:02:55.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example, if you claim that \Nthis word can only mean one thing,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:55.19,0:03:00.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it can be called "form."\NBut if it means multiple things
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.73,0:03:05.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,depending on the context,\Nwe can call it "empty."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.20,0:03:07.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's what emptiness means.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.48,0:03:23.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Emptiness in this context \Ndoes not mean a complete absence
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.37,0:03:25.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of something or a complete void.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.86,0:03:30.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It really means that everything is\Ncontextual and depends on the context
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.81,0:03:37.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in which the words are used \Nor the definition the word falls under.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.43,0:03:52.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's take an example:\NSomebody may look at you
Dialogue: 0,0:03:52.88,0:03:56.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and claim that you are a good person.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.66,0:04:00.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Another person may look at you \Nand say you are a bad person.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.84,0:04:11.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When somebody claims \Nthat you're a good person
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.92,0:04:17.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that means that you have\Nan essence of goodness in you.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.01,0:04:28.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If somebody says you're a bad person,\Nyou have something within you that
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.08,0:04:31.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that person perceives as bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.30,0:04:49.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, whether it is a positive element\Nor a negative one, the very assertion that
Dialogue: 0,0:04:49.81,0:04:56.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,such an element exists is what is referred\Nto as "form," in contrast to "emptiness."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.02,0:05:16.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What emptiness refers to is that \Nit's all about that person's perception
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.32,0:05:21.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as being good, or that person's \Nperception as being bad,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.84,0:05:28.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but that there's nothing intrinsic \Nwithin you that's good or bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.21,0:05:58.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In other words, you don't have \Nan essential form, element, or attribute
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.14,0:06:03.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,within you that somebody can point to\Nand say that's good or bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.38,0:06:09.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It is just their perception of you, within\Nthat specific context of space and time,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.74,0:06:13.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in which they claim you are good or bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.70,0:06:27.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, when somebody says you are\Na bad person or you're a good person,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.79,0:06:31.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can say,\N"You are neither good nor bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.43,0:06:35.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You just are. You are emptiness,\Ndevoid of a fixed self."
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.07,0:06:49.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In that case, empty doesn't mean\Nthat you don't exist,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:49.23,0:06:52.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that there's nothing,\Nor that there's just a void.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.92,0:07:00.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It just means that there's no attribute\Nor an essense within you intrinsically
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.86,0:07:05.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we can call as good or bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:05.55,0:07:09.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's say we have this thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.84,0:07:27.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Somebody took a little bite \Nof this thing and got healed.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:27.23,0:07:31.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, that person said, \N"This is a great medicine."
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.58,0:07:41.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But somebody else took a bite\Nof the same thing and got sick.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.18,0:07:48.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That person pointed the same thing\Nand said that's poison.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.41,0:07:57.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, is this thing medicine or poison?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:57.14,0:08:00.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are three things in this world.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:00.65,0:08:03.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One is medicine.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:03.90,0:08:06.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Second is poison.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:06.88,0:08:16.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the third is that it has both \Nmedicinal and poisonous properties
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.79,0:08:26.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But this thing itself is empty.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:26.23,0:08:36.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That means that it neither has \Ntoxic properties nor medicinal properties.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:36.69,0:08:43.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That means that this is just a thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:43.81,0:08:56.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In whatever context and situation\Nthis thing has been applied to,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:56.21,0:09:03.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it sometimes has medicinal attributes \Nor sometimes has toxic attributes.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:03.13,0:09:17.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's when you use the word \Nemptiness or Gong (空) to refer to that
Dialogue: 0,0:09:17.17,0:09:24.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this is neither medicinal nor toxic, \Nyou are neither good nor bad person.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:24.58,0:09:45.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All existence, whether that's\Nbiological or non-biological,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:45.53,0:09:50.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or even a thought,\Na mental phenomena,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:50.05,0:09:54.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is empty (of a fixed nature).\NIt's neither good nor bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:54.22,0:10:08.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's why "the truth is emptiness." \NIn other words, it simply is what it is.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:08.58,0:10:40.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How it's represented or manifests\Nreally depends on the situation,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:40.62,0:10:45.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the context, and the connections \Nin which it is allowed to manifest.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:45.16,0:10:47.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, in some situations, \Nyou are a good person
Dialogue: 0,0:10:47.78,0:10:50.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and in other situations,\Nyou're a bad person.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.39,0:11:02.97,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: 0,0:11:24.53,0:11:29.40,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: 0,0:11:40.48,0:11:44.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is really empty then there's \Nno cause for you to suffer.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:44.09,0:11:52.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because you realize the person \Nis neither bad nor good.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:52.26,0:12:05.51,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: 0,0:12:10.80,0:12:21.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,under this specific set of conditions \Nmay appear to be good or bad to me.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:21.08,0:12:29.52,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,,(Questioner) 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: 0,0:12:40.05,0:12:43.32,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: 0,0:13:31.29,0:13:47.73,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,,(Sunim) 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: 0,0:14:10.66,0:14:17.43,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: 0,0:14:53.21,0:14:59.16,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: 0,0:15:17.96,0:15:22.36,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: 0,0:15:54.63,0:16:05.49,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: 0,0:16:42.98,0:16:49.83,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: 0,0:17:08.14,0:17:19.93,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: 0,0:17:35.11,0:17:55.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of the word that we use \Nin space, but it's only a part of all.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:55.09,0:18:10.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We usually obsess over somebody else, \Nif we like that person.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:10.55,0:18:19.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we want to make that person behave \Nthe way we want them to behave.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:19.18,0:18:25.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So if they don't behave \Naccordingly then we feel bitter.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:25.60,0:18:36.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if that disappointment becomes \Ntoo much then we just let go,
Dialogue: 0,0:18:36.58,0:18:42.84,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: 0,0:18:54.78,0:19:00.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then we can actually \Nlet go of our obsession.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:00.59,0:19:08.16,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: 0,0:19:12.16,0:19:17.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If they don't ask for help, \Nthen we don't help.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:17.40,0:19:29.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we're neither indifferent \Nin this case nor obsessive.