EVERYTHING & NOTHING

The alpha and omega of EMPTINESS

(A) The Big Bang out of nothingness

     On the source of the primordial energy for the Big Bang that led to the development of the universe which is still expanding nearly 14 billion years after its genesis, American astrophysicist Dr Alexei V. Filippenko and American astronomer Prof Jay M. Pasachoff have written:

“… As crazy as it might seem, the energy may have come out of nothing!

The meaning of “nothing” is somewhat ambiguous here. It might be the vacuum in some pre-existing space or time, or it could be nothing at all -- that is, all concepts of space and time were created with the universe itself. (1)

“Quantum theory, and specifically Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle (1927), provide a natural explanation for how that energy may have come out of nothing…

“It (the universe) came from nothing, and its total energy is zero, but it nevertheless has incredible structure and complexity. There could even be many other universes, spatially distinct from ours.” (2)

(B) Reality is an illusion.

   Everything is mind-made.

   Reality is nothing.

   According to a highly interesting article on tipdex.org and reproduced in Flipboard (16.12.2018 03:03), researchers working on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) near Geneva, the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator, reported that they could see that the physical world is not as physical as we think it to be.

   Reality is, in fact, an illusion. We are only surrounded by energy. And, everything is energy, according to scientific evidence.

   Particles that makeup atoms have no size or structure, and they have no physical essence or weight. They have zero dimensions and are only events in time…

   To those exponents in quantum mechanics who believe that reality only exists because of human consciousness and personal observation, “the physical universe is just a product of a theoretical universe that interconnects everything and everyone in an unobservable way….” (3)

   In Book 20 of the Flower Ornament Scripture (Avatamsaka Sutra ) (p. 452), the enlightening being/bodhisattva Forest of Awareness, imbued with the power of Buddha, uttered the following verse:

   If people want to really know

   All Buddhas of all times,

   They should contemplate the nature of the cosmos:

   All is but mental construction.

   In Book 14 (p. 382), it’s stated categorically:

   All in the worlds (of the cosmos) is void --

   This is the vision of the Buddhas…

   Book 27 narrates Sakyamuni’s discourse, soon after attaining his perfect enlightenment, with innumerable enlightening beings, in which he spoke on the many attainments of the sages (p.818), who “by means of wisdom they know that nothing exists…”

   In Book 29 (p. 880), Bodhisattva Universally Good said:

   The various things of the world

   Are all illusory;

   If one can know this is so,

   One’s mind will be unshakable.(4)

   

   In “grandiose message of universal nullity”, Universally Good said:

   Enlightening beings realize things of the world

   Are all like dreams,

   Neither having nor lacking location,

   Eternally null in essence. (p. 882)

   In BRIEF ANSWERS TO THE BIG QUESTIONS (published posthumously on 16 October 2018), world-renowned theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author Stephen Hawking has written that “space itself is a vast store of negative energy. Enough to ensure that everything adds up to zero… the universe adds up to nothing…”                                  

   In Book 36 (pp. 963-964), Universally Good said:

   They (Buddhas) realize all worlds

   Are provisional names, without reality;

   Sentient beings and worlds

   Are like dreams, like shadows…

In Book 38 Detachment from the World, Universally Good aka Samantabhadra Bodhisattva teaches:

(1) Of 10 kinds of Universally Good mind that great enlightening beings (bodhisattvas/mahasattvas) develop, the tenth is “a mind with ultimate transcendent wisdom, skilfully observing that all things have no existence” (p. 1030)

(2) That great enlightening beings (top-level bodhisattvas) have 10 kinds of power, including the first three of them (p. 1032): “the power to comprehend the inherent essence of all things; the power to comprehend that all things are like phantoms (“spooky” as in quantum physics); the power to comprehend that all things are like illusions…”

     Universally Good says: “Based on these powers (including deep faith in all buddhas’ teachings, and the will for omniscience), enlightening beings can acquire the supreme powers of buddhas.”

     Universally Good also teaches (p. 1036) that great enlightening beings have 10 kinds of profound penetration of the buddhas’ teachings, “the most profound essence of the great knowledge and wisdom of unexcelled, complete perfect enlightenment”, including profound penetration of all worlds of the past, of the future, and of the present.

      Universally Good then clarifies: “They thoroughly penetrate the realm of reality because there is nothing to penetrate…”

C. The Physics and Metaphysics of Death

       In an insightful piece on The Physics of Death, The Energy in You, Les Vegas-based journalist Jaime Trosper has written in Futurism (5):

       “In death, the collection of atoms of which you are composed (a universe within the universe) are repurposed. These atoms and that energy, which originated during the Big Bang, will always be around.

       “Therefore, your “light,” that is, the essence of your energy -- not to be confused with your actual consciousness -- will continue to echo throughout space until the end of time… “(6)

       Trosper then quotes the advice of Aaron Freeman, Chicago-based writer, performer, and commentator: (7)

       “You want a physicist to speak at your funeral. You want the physicist to talk to your grieving family about the conservation of energy, so they will understand that your energy has not died.

       “You want the physicist to remind your sobbing mother about the first law of thermodynamics (that energy cannot be created or destroyed); that no energy gets created in the universe, and none is destroyed.

       “You want your mother to know that all your energy, every vibration, every Btu of heat, every wave of every particle that was her beloved child remains with her in this world…

        “According to the law of the conservation of energy, not one bit of you is gone; you’re just less orderly. Amen.”

        Distinguished Sri Lankan Theravada monk-scholar Narada Maha Thera has written: “… Death is not the complete annihilation of a being, for though a particular life-span ends, the force which hitherto actuated it is not destroyed… (8)

        “Just as an electric light is the outward visible manifestation of invisible electric energy, so we are the outward manifestations of invisible Kammic energy. The bulb may break, and the light may be extinguished, but the current remains and the light may be reproduced in another bulb.

        “In the same way, the Kammic force remains undisturbed by the disintegration of the physical body, and the passing away of the present consciousness leads to the arising of a fresh one in another birth. But nothing unchangeable or permanent “passes” from the present to the future…”

(C) Human Perfection is Life’s Purpose

          On the purpose of life, Venerable Narada has written:

            “In the opinion of a Buddhist, the purpose of life is Supreme Enlightenment (Sambodhi), i.e. understanding of oneself as one really is. This may be achieved through sublime conduct, mental culture, and penetrative insight (the 3-in-1 practice of the Noble Eightfold Path); or in other words, through service and perfection.

            “In service are included boundless loving-kindness, compassion, and absolute selflessness which prompt man (or woman) to be of service to others. Perfection embraces absolute purity and absolute wisdom.” (9)

            The attainment of self-enlightenment, the wisdom of selflessness and omniscience, is the ultimate goal in Buddhist practice.

            Right Understanding of the absolute nature of reality, the Perfection of Understanding, frees the self from illusion and self-realizes perfect Nirvana and supreme, consummate Enlightenment.

            “… Hear, Shariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness; they are neither produced nor destroyed, neither defiled nor immaculate, neither increasing nor decreasing. Therefore in emptiness there is neither form, nor feeling, nor perception, nor mental formations, nor consciousness,” the Bodhisattva Avalokita said to the Buddha’s leading disciple, noted for his wisdom and eloquence. (10)

             Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh, renowned Vietnamese Zen master, poet, and peace activist, has commented:

             “… Avalokita looked deeply into the five skandas (aggregates) of form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness, and he discovered that none of them can be by itself alone. Each can only inter-be with all the others. So he tells us that form is empty. Form is empty of a separate self, but it is full of everything in the cosmos. The same is true with feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness.” (11)

              Avalokita’s quintessential message in the brief but profound Heart Sutra is:

             “Because there is no attainment (in emptiness), the bodhisattvas (seeking the supreme enlightenment to benefit and enlighten all sentient beings), supported by the Perfection of Understanding, find no obstacles for their minds. Having no obstacles, they overcome fear, liberating themselves forever from illusion and realizing perfect Nirvana. All Buddhas in the past, present, and future, thanks to this Perfect Understanding, arrive at full, right, and universal Enlightenment…” (12)

              Thay (Teacher) Thich’s comment:

              “… You are liberated (in realizing perfect Nirvana, the state of non-fear), you are no longer subject to birth and death, defilement and immaculateness. You are free from all that.” (13)

              That is, total spiritual liberation and enlightenment, after fully understanding the illusory nature of reality and seeing the light of universal emptiness. A human being ultimately emerges with absolute selflessness, and absolute wisdom.

                NAMO BODHISATTVA AVALOKITA

                NAMO BUDDHA SAKYAMUNI

                NAMO AMITABHA

Notes.

1. A Universe from Nothing

   by Alexei V. Filippenko and Jay M. Pasachoff, article on astrosociety.org adapted from The Cosmos: Astronomy in the New Millennium, 1^st edition, by J.M. Pasachoff and Alex Filippenko, 2001. Published by Brooks/Cole.

2. In The Flower Ornament Scripture (The Avatamsaka Sutra) translated by Dr Thomas Cleary (published by Shambhala, Boston, 1993), Book 27 The Ten Concentrations, the Buddha Sakyamuni cited ten quintillion universes, and incalculable numbers of universes (p. 829).

3. pinterest.com/pin/5533

4. In Book 38 (p. 1043), Universally Good teaches 10 kinds of unshakable mind such as honoring all buddhas, caring for all beings, and perfecting faith (of 11 kinds) to “attain the supreme unshakable mind of omniscience”.

5. Featured in Flipboard Dec 16, 2018.

6. There’s reportedly 20 watts of electrical energy coursing through the human body, enough to power a light bulb.

7. June 1, 2005 npr.org.

8. THE BUDDHA AND HIS TEACHINGS first published 2508-1964.

   Fourth edition 2532-1988, pp.450-451. Please also refer Note (6).

9. Ibid., p. 672.

10. Thich Nhat Hanh, THE HEART OF UNDERSTANDING, Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra, published by FULL CIRCLE, Delhi, First Indian Edition 1997, First Reprint 1998, p. 1.

Peter Levitt, poet, translator, Soto Zen teacher, and editor of Thay Thich Nhat Hanh’s Commentaries, has written in Preface (p. vii): “The Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra is regarded as the essence of Buddhist teaching (among Mahayana Buddhists)…”

It was delivered by Bodhisattva Avalokita of Great Compassion.

11. Ibid., p. 10.

12. Ibid., p.1.

13. Ibid., p. 47.

Mahasthama Mindfulness Center,

Taman Ipoh Jaya, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia