Emptiness as Process

I’m back to that same place once again, but this time I figured it out. Yes, it’s “emptiness”, our old friend sunyata. I figured out what it is, for me. It’s a definition that works for me, and I think every Buddhist, if they are so inclined, has to figure out a definition that works for them. Note: [It] is in brackets to emphasize that [it] is not a thing, but a Process; not a noun, but a verb.

Ultimate reality. Sunyata. Emptiness. Buddhanature. [It] is not a thing, not a particle or an energy field or static “space”. [It] is a process. [It] is PROCESS. [It] is awareness—wisdom; connection—compassion. At the base of existence is sunyata or emptiness, but that emptiness is not a static thing, substance, or static condition. [It] is PROCESS, is dynamic, is ever-changing, ever-creating. [It] is always present and always active, always aware (wisdom), always connecting (compassion). Because [it] is always present and always active, those qualities are eternal, unchanging. But the PROCESS [itself] is ever-dynamic and unceasing movement, change, activity. This PROCESS would be (theoretically) active, ever aware and connecting even if nothing else existed, even if there was no energy, no particles, nothing whatever. [It] exists even though [it] is completely empty. The PROCESS still exists and is active. PROCESS precedes everything. PROCESS is capacity [it] is the possibility of existence. It is only because Process exists that anything exists, that everything exists. This is emptiness. This is sunyata.

Ok, so now let’s get on with the rest of my life.