His Holiness the Dalai Lama – There is Joy in Emptiness

His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama spoke on “Engaging Wisdom and Compassion” on April 19-20, 2008 at Crisler Arena, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

The concept of Sunyata, Emptiness or Nothingness:

The emptying of the mind and the attainment of an undifferentiated unity is a theme of the ‘Sunyata’ doctrine developed by Acharya Nagarjuna. ‘Sunyata’ can be stated as a state of “pure consciousness” in which the mind has been emptied of all particular objects and images. The emptied mind reflects or manifests the undifferentiated reality in which the world appears without distinction and multiplicity.

H.H. Dalai Lama’s presentation :

“At the root of all our suffering lies a form of ignorance, a form of unknowing”. The origin of suffering is attachment. “Self-grasping( or self-focus) gives rise to suffering. It is the root of all afflictions”. “Self-grasping” leads to attachment to impermanent things or thoughts which gives rise to suffering. Emptiness is created by casting aside the attachment to everyday things and worries.

H.H. Dalai Lama advised practicing loving kindness to eliminate the afflictions caused by attachment. The goal, he said is,”Cultivating the Wisdom of no self”, a sense of grand emptiness that leaves behind everyday pollutants that can take both physical or emotional form.

THE SPIRITS OF SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE:

Special Frontier Force is a multinational defense plan to defend freedom and democracy in the occupied Land of Tibet. I had emptied my mind of all desires. The Spirits that inhabit my Consciousness seek Freedom in their Land of origin.