Shunyata: The Absence Of An Educated Self
‘Shunyata’ is Sanskrit for emptiness, the uncontaminated state of consciousness.
The ‘educated self’ is what the mind has learnt by solely identifying with being human.
We may be either well or poorly educated.
Well-educated, we get on fine in the relative world and can even become a Samsaric god.
Poorly-educated, we deal more with emotions, traversing the realms of jealous gods or hungry – or any of the other Samsaric realms.
The word ‘Samsara’ is Sanskrit for the vicious cycle of human existence, seeking a happiness that causes suffering.
Shunyata – pure consciousness – has to see through the cloud of an educated self. A belief in this cloud of concepts is the way which we are misguided and imprisoned. Once we realise our true nature, we then work from within this ‘educated’ self.
This is where we have to re-educate our mind to express our true reality through language. Different traditions say the same thing in different ways.
The ‘thing’ – our absolute nature – is esoteric.
The way it is expressed is exoteric.
The taste of an apple is esoteric.
What we say about this apple is exoteric.
Experience is singular
– beyond the average.