Conformity of Form

Very often while studying Buddhism we hear two words, "FORM" and "EMPTINESS."  What exactly do these words mean?  I've had many conversations on the topic of Form and Emptiness.  It can be a heavy topic, because it is one that challenges much of how we have been taught for most of our lives.

I will attempt to do my best (from what I have found through my teachings and studies) to explain exactly what form and emptiness are, in hopes that it will enlighten others who may not exactly know what the two are (or are not).

Let's start with Form.  Form (like many other terms in Buddhism) has a double meaning.  Our eyes, ears, tongue, nose, sensations, and mind (namely the Five Aggregates and imagination or mind) create form.  It is how we function in the world.  As the Dhammapada and many sutras say, "With out thoughts, we make the world," or, "Our perception of the world is merely a manifestation of our minds."  This doesn't mean we create the world with our minds, it means our interpretations and imaginations create a biased reality by our senses and minds, which is not true reality.

Why is it not true reality? Because form is emptiness......let me explain. Form is a what our mind grasps to for the purpose of interpretation.  We create words, opinions, and ideas based on interpretations of form. 

In the Lankavatara Sutra, the Buddha tells us that because of our ignorance and biased ideas of words and ideas of forms, we develop a false reality.  In absolute reality, words and forms are empty.  Now emptiness is another confusing term.

Emptiness doesn't mean that things are unsubstantial, invalid, or without purpose.  Emptiness is another word for "that which is without form or self."  The tree has no self because it is part of the the dirt, sun, rain, and wind from which it grows.  Just as we are without self because of the many elements and ancestors which have come together to create us.

Also, form implies another thing.  We may see a pond as a nice piece of scenery or fishing-hole.  What of the fish?  The fish, tadpoles, frogs and dragonflies see that pond as home.  Just as you may see your house as home, termites see that as food, and so on.  So form is only implied by the mind.

The Buddha also says in the Lankavatara Sutra that when we can achieve the stage of imagelessness and egolessness, we will be emancipated.  Images and egos are nothing but implications of form.  So in absolute reality: style, language, perceptions, feelings, false-imaginations,  and things of the like are only empty and subject to the mind.

This is merely a brief description of the terms in mind, there of course, is much more to it, I pray this post has made sense and helped those to may not have previously understood.  Many Blessing and Gassho.

From the Heart

The Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra is said to contain the essence of Truth realized by all Buddhas and Bodhisattva-Mahasatvas.  In it's message, it discusses the realization of emptiness, form, etc. As Soto practitioners, and I'm sure in other practices, we chant this every day.

Below are Japanese and English translations, as well as an accompanying video of the chant.  May this sutra help you along your path.



Maka Hannya Haramita ShingyoKan ji zai bo satsu. Gyo jin han-nya ha ra mi ta ji. Sho ken go on kai ku. Do is-sai ku yaku.
Sha ri shi. Shiki fu i ku. Ku fu i shiki. Shiki soku ze ku. Ku soku ze shiki. Ju so gyo shiki. Yaku bu nyo ze. Sha ri shi. Ze sho ho ku so. Fu sho fu metsu. Fu ku fu jo. Fu zo fu gen. Ze ko ku chu. Mu shiki mu ju so gyo shiki.
Mu gen ni bi zes shin ni. Mu shiki sho ko mi soku ho. Mu gen kai nai shi mu i shiki kai. Mu mu myo yaku mu mu myo jin. Nai shi mu ro shi. Yaku mu ro shi jin. Mu ku shu metsu do. Mu chi yaku mu toku. I mu sho toku ko.
Bo dai sat-ta e han-nya ha ra mi ta ko. Shin mu ke ge mu ke ge ko. Mu u ku fu. On ri is-sai ten do mu so. Ku gyo ne han. San ze sho butsu. E han-nya ha ra mi ta ko. Toku a noku ta ra san myaku san bo dai. Ko chi han-nya ha ra mi ta. Ze dai jin shu. Ze dai myo shu. Ze mu jo shu. Ze mu to do shu. No jo is-sai ku. Shin jitsu fu ko. Ko setsu han-nya ha ra mi ta shu. Soku setsu shu watsu. Gya tei, gya tei, ha ra gya tei. Hara so gya tei. Bo ji sowa ka. Han-nya Shin gyo.

English
Heart of Great Perfect Wisdom Sutra

Avalokiteshavara Bodhisattva, when deeply practicing prajna paramita, clearly saw that all five aggregates are empty (ku) andthus relieved all suffering.

Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness, emptiness itselfform. Sensations, perceptions, formations, and consciousness are also like this. Shariputra, all dharmas are marked by emptiness; they neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor pure, neither increase nor decrease. Therefore, given emptiness, there is no form, no sensation, no perception, no formation, no consciousness; no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no sight, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no object of mind; no realm of sight… no realm of mind consciousness. There is neither ignorance nor extinction of ignorance… neither old age and death, nor extinction of old age and death; no suffering, no cause, no cessation, no path; no knowledge and no attainment.

With nothing to attain, a bodhisattva relies on prajna paramita, and thus the mind is without hindrance. Without hindrance, there is no fear. Far beyond all inverted views, one realizes nirvana. All buddhas of past, present, and future rely on prajna paramita, and thereby attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

Therefore, know the prajna paramita as the great miraculous mantra, the great bright mantra, the supreme mantra, the incomparable mantra, which removes all suffering and is true, not false. Therefore we proclaim the prajna paramita mantra, the mantra that says:

"Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha."
(Text from International Zen Association)