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Introduction
25
edge,butforemostlytherealizationofemptiness(Skt.shūnyatd)ofall
phenomena,includingthelackofanyinherentlyexistingusoul,”uself,”uego”
orusubject”(Skt.anatman)knownalreadyinHinayāna.Allphenomena,
includingourselves,areconditionedandcomposedwithoutanytraceable
substanceoressence,uinherentlyexisting”souloratman.Terefore,the
worldresemblesadream–itseemstoexist,butwithameticulousanaly-
sisitprovestobeaplayofillusions,withone’sperceptionplayingthemain
roleinitsexperience.InthefamousHeartSūtrawereaduFormisempty,
emptinessisform,emptinessisnototherthanform,formisalsonotother
thanemptiness”(Lopez1996:195).Tisclearlyshowsthatemptinessisnot
thenihilisticnothingness,whichdoesnotexistbyitsverydefinition.Tis
teachingdescribesinsubstantialityofallphenomenaandthecreativepo-
tentialspacethusbears.Emptinessisthewaythingsexistcontrarytoour
mistakenintuitionsofpermanentexistenceofphenomena.Teachingson
compassionandwisdomwillformatheoreticalandpracticalcoreofthe
viewspresentedonthefollowingpages.
OnthislevelofBuddhism,practiceentailsstudyingandcontemplating
Buddhistteachingsanddevelopingcompassion,forinstanceinatong-len
(givingandtaking)meditation,whereapractitionerimaginesbeings’suffer-
inginaformofablacksmogcoveringtheworld,relievesthembyinhalingit,
mentallytransformsitduetocomprehensionofitsemptynature,andwith
anexhaleradiatesloveandhappinessback.Itisalsocrucialtoavoidanger,
whichhasapowertodestroydevelopmentandpositiveimpressions–which
doesnotnecessarilydenotepacifism,asoccasionallyoneneedstopowerfully
preventafellowbeingfromproducingfurthernegativekarma.GreatWayis
probablythemostwidelypracticedkindofBuddhism,withZenbeingsome-
timesassociatedwiththiskindofpractice,orduetoanimportanceofthedi-
recttransmissionfromtheteacheralsowiththethirdkindofBuddhism.
VajrayānaorliterallyDiamondWayhasbeenpracticedmainlyinan-
cientIndia,Tibet,Nepal,LadakhandBhutan,anditseemstobethekind
ofBuddhism,whichcurrentlyflourishesinEuropethemost.Basingonthe
previoustwo,thekeyteachingoftheTirdTurningofTeWheelofDhar-
maistheBuddhaNature(Skt.tathdgatagarba)inbornwithallusentient”
(orprecisely:mind-owning)beings.ItcomparesmindtotheSuncovered
byclouds,whosebrightlightcanbeseenassoonasthecloudsarechased
away.Tecloudsdenoteignorance,karmas,disturbingemotionsandpre-
conceivedideas.WegetthetasteofourenlightenedBuddhaNaturewhen,
forexample,withoutmuchconceptsandemotionallystable,weappreci-
