Via The Tricycle Community \\\ Three Teachings on Emptiness

 

Support the Tricycle community with a donation » March 19, 2026 Emptiness in Action   The core Buddhist doctrine of emptiness, or sunyata, is often misunderstood as nihilism when, in fact, it points to just the opposite. An extension of the truths of impermanence and dependent origination, emptiness actually means connection—that everything is in constant flux and nothing exists independently. Theravada Buddhism emphasises the emptiness of self, and Mahayana Buddhism the emptiness of all phenomena. Either way, embodying emptiness is to realize our interbeing, as Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh said. It’s to feel compassion.  To experience emptiness of self requires working against our own wiring, and there are, of course, different paths and practices to do that work. Chan teacher Guo Gu says, “Not identifying with arising thoughts, feelings, and views is the practice of emptiness. Experiencing them as wondrous displays of possibility is emptiness in action.” This week’s Three Teachings offers different perspectives on emptiness and how, perhaps counterintuitively to some, compassion is its logical extension. Forward today's teachings to a friend » The Practice of Emptiness By Guo Gu Chan teacher Guo Gu, who is the founder of Tallahassee Chan Center and also an associate professor of Chinese Buddhism at Florida State University, lays a foundation for understanding emptiness, including why it’s so challenging. He then moves us toward a fuller embodiment of the ineffable. Read more » When You Greet Me, I Bow With Norman Fischer In a four-part Dharma Talk on relationship, emptiness, and activism, Zen priest and poet Norman Fischer explains that emptiness isn’t heavy or scary but, rather, comforting and freeing. Watch now » Four Buddhist Teachings on Emptiness By Simeon Mihaylov Acknowledging the varied and complex expressions of emptiness, researcher Simeon Mihaylov traces the history and evolution of the concept, including emptiness of subject, object, subject-object, and teachings or views.  Read more » Follow Us

Tricycle is a nonprofit and relies on your support to keep its wheels turning. Donate »

Copyright © 2026 Tricycle Foundation All rights reserved. 89 5th Ave | New York, NY 10003