ABSTRACT
In discussing "form is Emptiness," we have reviewed the essential aspects of Svabhāva Śūnyatā, the Emptiness of Selfhood. To explore the deeper aspect of Śūnyatā doctrine, we now proceed to examine the Thorough or Absolute Emptiness (Chinese: Pi Chin K'ung; Sanskrit: Atyanta-Śūnyatā; Tibetan: mThah. Las. hDas. Pahi. sToṅ. Pa. Nyid.) which is an outstanding feature and the essence of Prajñāpāramitā teaching. The Absolute Emptiness is a thorough negation of everything, including itself, for Śūnyatā itself must also be negated if it is a genuine Emptiness. This is why among the twenty Emptinesses, 18 there is one called the Emptiness of Emptiness (Śūnyatā Śūnyatā). If we assert Emptiness, and regard it in any way as existent, we then repudiate our own stand and admit the absurdity of all we have said previously. Absolute Emptiness denotes a sphere of ultimate transcendency—that which goes beyond all dharmas and notions (pāramitā). This is what the Zen Buddhists mean by: "You should empty all beings, but never substantiate the Emptiness . . . Not even a single hair is to be attached . . . When you come to a place where Buddhas are present, you should hurriedly pass through it; when you come to a place where there is no Buddha you should never linger even for a moment!" Thorough Emptiness (Pi Chin K'ung) is synonymous with Absolute Emptiness, but the word absolute here does not suggest positivity, certainty, authoritativeness, unquestionable finality or the like, as denoted by general usages. Absolute here means "free from," derived from the original meaning of the Latin word absolvere, "to set free," "to release"; for instance, absolute alcohol means alcohol that is free from mixtures. So Absolute Emptiness suggests an Emptiness that is free from or rising above all forms of existence and concepts. The stress here is unmistakably on the transcending prospect.
