Wikipedia

"So, what exactly is 'emptiness'?"

"Wikipedia-style explanations describe it as 'the state where there is no such thing as a self, essence, or substance, and everything is empty.'"

"That sounds kind of difficult 😨"

"Of course, that's not wrong. But if you leave it at that, it's easy to interpret it as nihilism, like 'everything is pointless' or 'it's all just an illusion anyway.'"

"True. It makes you think, 'Well, then there's nothing at all.'"

"The original meaning of 'emptiness' is closer to 'having no fixed boundaries' than to 'nothingness.'"

"Boundaries?"

"In this world, there isn't a single thing that can exist entirely on its own."

"Huh?"

"A flower cannot bloom without soil, water, and the sun. People cannot live without air, food, and connections with others."

"That's true..."

"The body is a collection of cells. Thoughts and words are also flows of past experiences and influences from the world."

"When I look for a 'completely independent self,' it really is vague 😨"

"Dependent origination, interdependence, fluidity. Impermanence. It naturally opens up in that direction."

"I see."

"It's best to imagine a movie theater."

"🙄"

"On the screen, war and love, anger and tears are all projected."

"Life is playing in full feature 🎬"

"The images move intensely. They cry, laugh, break, and change again.""

"Is that what ego or 'color' is?"

"And the screen itself is not damaged by the images."

"Ah..."

"Even if a burning scene is projected, the screen does not burn."

"I see."

"Emptiness or the True Self is close to that screen."

"But do people think the images are 'me'?"

"That is where the behind-the-scenes spirit comes in."

"Behind-the-scenes🤣"

"It is a being that suddenly begins to notice, 'Wait? The images keep changing, but isn't the thing watching them unchanging?'"

"..."

"However. There is no need to try to 'erase the images' here."

"Eh?"

"Sunny or cloudy, life or death, love or fear. It is because everything appears inside the screen."

"Not excluding them?"

"Yes. Emptiness is not 'nothingness,' but closer to 'nothing is excluded.'"

"That feels somehow warmer💚"

"If it were just that there is no substance, the warmth would disappear."

"I see."

"Without warmth, the images would not flow. Even poop flows away in water."

"Wait💦"

"If there is someone who is frowning right now. That is a concept, and it is the shadow called 'me' that is looking through the ego."

“Wait, what? I’m a shadow??”

“Because you (the true self) are the screen that is not affected by the images at all.”

“...”

“It’s too bright there. Too warm. Instead of frowning, you might even blush.💛”

“Like being laid completely bare?😆”

“Perhaps a surrender to a gravure calendar.”

“That’s kind of erotic🤣”

“That may be why poetry, tea, and laughter were valued in Zen.”

“Does explanation alone not reach it?”

“If you explain too much, even emptiness becomes a thought or a concept.”

“Ah😨”

“So, in the end, it’s fries🍟.”

“Too potato-y🤣”

“Cola🥤 is fine too. Though the price is going up.”

“Landing back in reality🤣”

“But the screen hasn’t moved at all.”

“A paper play😇✨”

“Perhaps it’s a grand comedy being screened inside you.”

“✨”

“‘Let’s stop admiring,’ as they say.”

“Suddenly Shohei Ohtani🤣”

“The moment you admire, you create separation. There is no need for that. Before you admire, you already are emptiness.”

“So, if we sanctify or deify it, we’ve already missed the mark.”

“Once you separate, it’s just fries🍟 and cola🥤.”

“There is no up or down in the images. It’s all one screen to begin with😆”

“Separated to love, not separated at all.”

“Either way, it doesn’t change the ‘emptiness,’ right?💗”

“As form, it is nothing. As emptiness, it encompasses all.”

“Ah! That level of warmth is just right✨”