Emptiness in nature and its application in daily life by Master Sheng-Yen

What is the relationship between impermanence, no-self and emptiness? In this video Master Sheng elaborated on Emptiness in nature and its application in daily life.

All things are produced by causes and conditions and they change over time. This shows the truth of existence by causes and conditions, which is empty in its nature.

Buddhism talks about emptiness in nature while existence produced by causes and conditions, which involves change, non-stopping, unfixed, non-staying without ever remaining in the same state.  This is what impermanence means. 

Since it is ever-changing, constantly changing in appearance, then what about its nature? Its nature changes too. The nature of clouds and that of water are somewhat different. So they exist out of emptiness. In their existence, you see emptiness. 

So the Heart sutra, " Neither increase nor decrease." It is neither arising nor ceasing in the first place. This actually means its neither empty nor existing. 

Emptiness in Buddhism refers to the kind that is neither empty nor existing. That is true emptiness. Rather than a distinct separation between existence and emptiness. That would be a kind of void, hollowness, a lonely kind of nothingness. Buddhist emptiness is not lonely at all. Instead, its lively and bustling. It is ever evolving and constantly changing. This is existence of importance. 

We can see impermanence from changes, from existence. Therefore impermanence is also referred to as no-self. 

Take our body for example. We often think our bo dy represents "I", however is it true? Is yesterday's "I" the same as today "I"? 

They are different. There is no continuous "I" that stays the same and never changes. This is what no-self means. It does not mean this body is not existent now. The body does exist now. However this is only temporary existence, not eternal. This is emptiness, or no-self （无我).

Understanding these truths, how can we apply them in our daily life? How can they help us? 

Things in our daily life can be divided into three different categories, in terms of how we feel.The first are things that benefit us, anything that goes well. The second are things that go badly. The third are things of no importance, not affecting us. 

If we often view these three categories as empty, as selfless, as essentially empty, then we won't be prematurely happy when good things happen. And we should show more concern about things that don't seem to affect us or concern us because they do in fact. Showing more concern does not increase our worries but is an increase in compassion. With more compassion, we'll be more devoted towards the world and contribute more. 

This way we'll have fewer worries while becoming more diligent. 

The meaning of eating a vegetarian diet

Buddhism encourages people to eat a vegetarian diet not only for health and hygiene reasons, but mainly out of compassion and the belief that all sentient beings are equal.

For me, I started to reduce meat intake as not eating meat reduce the demand for meat and thus lesser animal suffering. Maybe the impact from one person is not sufficient to reduce demand for meat. But if more people do not eat meat, then demand for meat will definitely reduce thus reducing more animal suffering. 

I used to eat fried shrimp every week. But after reciting Heart sutra and Om mani padme hum, strangely my desire for meat has drastically reduced. 

When animals were slaughtered, they were in a state of fear and anguish and thus their bodies secreted toxin. Eating too much meat is thus not so good for health. Some people said not eating meat makes you weak but Shaolin monks who are strong and great in martial arts only eat vegetables.

For protein, there are plants rich with protein like peas, mushroom, kale. Also vegetables are rich in fibre and vitamins! Also plants used energy from the Sun by producing glucose from photosynthesis. Thus herbivores are known as primary consumers and they gain energy from eating plants directly. 

Carnivores and omnivores who get energy source from eating herbivores or omnivores is actually lesser than compared to eating the plants directly. In fact you gain more energy from eating plants directly! 

How the teachings in the Heart Sutra help us live our daily life

In the Heart sutra, the verse “perceiving that all the five aggregates are empty and transcended all suffering”(照见五蕴皆空，度一切苦厄,) serves as an overall guideline. Based on the five aggregates, it is then further analysed in terms of space and time.

When the six sensory organs are in contact with the six objects, the six kinds of consciousness serve as the agent for the biological and psychological phenomena to function.

The six sensory organ or the six sensory bases refer to they eye, ear, nose, tongue body and mind. The mind base is the mind consciousness. That is one thought is connected to the following thought which takes the previous thought as the base. 

What is this previous thought from? It happens when the sensory organs come into contact with the environment (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and idea) and generate the consciousness.