The Second Stage: Consider Emptiness is Phenomena
The second stage is to consider emptiness as all phenomena. That is, emptiness is form. When we consider all phenomena as free of inherent existence, it may seem that emptiness has nothing to do with them, which is a wrong view. Actually, there is no such thing as emptiness without phenomena.
I understand that my explanation may confuse those who have not studied Madhyamaka yet. I do not expect you to understand emptiness right away, but I hope to make you curious and interested in it to start studying. I do not believe that someone can understand it immediately without studying it first. As a person with a better-than-average learning capacity, I have worked hard for many years before I could claim that I figured it out. Although I talk about these things in a plain, simple, and fast way, there are many more aspects to it. For the time being, let us keep it concise and to the point.
There is a term called "considering emptiness as dependent origination." What does it mean? Dependent origination refers to phenomena, and without it, emptiness cannot exist independently. After phenomena are negated, it is absolutely wrong to assume that there would be an "emptiness" existing independently. "Dharmata Samadhi," a term widely used in Tibetan Buddhism to describe a meditative stage enjoyed by the awakened, could confuse people at times.
All mundane phenomena vanish before us after we separate from all phenomena and rest in the state of Dharmata Samadhi. At this point, someone may assume that there would still be a "thing" that can be gained independently of all phenomena in the state of Dharmata Samadhi; this is wrong because there is nothing one can obtain or gain in Dharmata Samadhi.
Of course, we cannot say that there is nothing because nothingness is still a thing, a form of existence. This is hard to comprehend. Consider this: try to find a thing out of nothing and show it to me. Can you do it? Actually, you cannot because such a thing only exists in your imagination. If the thing is visible and touchable, it cannot be "nothing." Someone may suggest space as nothing, but space is also a form of existence. Therefore, there is nothing out there that can be considered nothing, but people tend to mistake concepts for the truth.
Considering Emptiness as dependent origination means that Emptiness is not something that exists without phenomena; instead, Emptiness is a phenomenon, as stated in the Heart Sutra, "Emptiness is Form." This is the second stage of the study and practice of Madhyamaka.
The first stage leans more towards contemplation. After contemplating for a while, you will experience something. At that moment, your goal is to maintain the experience for as long as possible. However, it is inevitable that the experience will eventually fade away. When this happens, you should not be concerned and simply return to contemplation.
One important thing to keep in mind during the second stage is to maintain an even balance between contemplation and experience. After gaining some direct experience of Emptiness, you will understand that this experience is not independent of phenomena. Therefore, in your practice, you should take turns between contemplating and experiencing. Contemplate for a while, then experience for a while; experience for a while, then contemplate for a while.
During this process, it is important to read texts on Madhyamaka and listen to teachings from great masters to deepen your understanding of Emptiness. The more you understand, the better you will experience it. Each experience is a pixel in the picture of Emptiness, so accumulating more pixels will make the picture more accurate. When you have accumulated enough pixels of Emptiness, the whole picture of Emptiness will be presented to you naturally. In other words, practice makes perfect, and you become the master of the practice.
When you have mastered it, at least technically, you will be willing to practice it no matter what happens. You will never give up. However, remember to balance the three parts – study, contemplation, and meditative practice. If you only focus on studying and contemplation, you may eventually become bored because theories cannot provide direct experience without practice. Similarly, practicing alone may not lead to the experience of Emptiness, as some non-Buddhists who practice Qigong only seek to gain abilities to deceive others for their own gain.
People who truly experience Emptiness do not cling to worldly things. Therefore, it is important to maintain a pure motivation and focus on the practice for the benefit of all beings.
Excerpted from: The Relationship Between Buddhist Theory and Practice
