The Mantis's Form is Emptiness

The mantis says that there is no substance to the 'fruit' of cause and effect.

The tree frog said that 'cause' and 'conditions' are all interconnected, and that the 'fruit' arises as a result, but that 'fruit' is truly uncertain. We think we exist for sure, but in reality, the 'fruit' only appears because 'cause' and 'conditions' have temporarily come together, and it vanishes the moment the 'conditions' disappear.

The Indian Bodhisattva Nagarjuna says that everything is essentially 'empty.' This is the law of dependent origination of Shakyamuni, written in the Heart Sutra as 'Form is emptiness, emptiness is form'. 'Form' refers to all things and phenomena in this world that can be seen. 'Emptiness' means that there is no fixed substance and it is void. In other words, everything with a form in this world is just a temporary appearance existing as a 'state' that is fluidly changing. Matter is just temporarily gathered to form a shape, and there is nothing whose essence itself is unchanging.

However, because humans do not understand 'emptiness' well, they think that the 'fruit' will never change, and they wish for it not to change. Because it is fluid, we get unexpected illnesses and meet with accidents. That is where human suffering arises, but in any case, the 'fruit' vanishes the moment the 'conditions' are exhausted.
However, 'emptiness' does not mean 'nothingness' = 'there is nothing,' but rather that there is no fixed substance, so that part is difficult and hard to understand. In other words, Bodhisattva Nagarjuna is denying the mistaken view that recognizes the permanence of the things that make up the ego and the world.

I see. That is why it is 'impermanent.'
For example, this book in front of me is called a book because it is in a bound state, but originally it was paper and ink, and if the condition of being 'bound' is broken and it falls apart, it can no longer be called a book. But the paper and ink remain, so it is not 'nothing.'
For example, a sweater that I wear when it gets cold. It has the form of a sweater because it is knitted, but if you unravel it, it is just yarn, and if the condition of being 'knitted' is broken, it can no longer be called a sweater. But it does not disappear, so it is not nothing, is it?

If you divide it even further, every single substance is an aggregate of molecules and atoms. That means my body is just me by chance because molecules and atoms have gathered due to various conditions, and eventually, when the 'conditions of life' as a person are exhausted, the substances that make up me will immediately fall apart, and I will no longer be the existence called me. However, it does not all disappear and become nothing. It is reconstructed again to live the next life. When you think about it that way, it is mysterious.

We are born and die, and die and are born again like this. But it is not guaranteed that we will be born as humans next time. That is why

live the 'now' that you can be in the state of being a human with care

is what it means.

Do not put off until tomorrow what you should do today,
and doing it surely
is the way to live a good day.
by Buddha