Prajna: 12 Universal Wrong Conceptions: 0. Emptiness – The Void and the Non-Existence
- Jun 1, 2025
- 13 min read
Updated: Jan 4
«Of course I’ll hurt you. Of course you’ll hurt me. Of course we will hurt each other. But this is the very condition of existence. To become spring, means accepting the risk of winter. To become presence, means accepting the risk of absence.» ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, "Manon, Ballerina".
Taxonomy of Existence
The Method: A Layered Unfolding of Reality
(Methodological Preface)
This work unfolds through twelve texts that follow a deliberate and ascending architecture. Each step clarifies a deeper layer of existence, moving from the unconditioned ground to the human condition, from the silent origin to the limits of knowledge. The order is neither arbitrary nor merely thematic — it reflects a structural logic inherent to reality itself.
From Nothing to Unity
The first movement establishes the ground.
Emptiness reveals the unconditioned field where nothing is fixed, yet everything is possible.
Uno emerges as the undivided principle — pure unity before differentiation.
These two form the basis of all subsequent unfolding and cyclic motion and transmuting dynamics .
From Unity to Dual Reflection
With Unity established, reflection becomes inevitable.
Two Simultaneous Universes expresses the first mirroring: material and immaterial, visible and invisible, manifest and unmanifest.
Two Truths clarifies the dual perspectives through which reality is known — relative and absolute.
Here, the architecture of experience becomes intelligible.
From Ontology to Presence
With the structure of truth set, reality itself must be examined.
Reality defines the field of existence.
Present anchors being in experiential immediacy.
Ontology becomes phenomenology.
From Presence to the Cosmos
Presence requires extension and motion.
Space gives the world its structure.
Energy gives structure its movement.
From here, the cosmos begins to breathe.
From Motion to Creation
Motion naturally leads to process.
Creation and Destruction articulate the dynamic cycle — emergence, transformation, dissolution.
This is the heartbeat of the universe.
From Process to Consciousness
Where there is process, there is awareness of process.
Conscience and Intelligence describe the awakening of cognition, interpretation, and meaning.
Being becomes self-reflective.
From Mind to the Human Condition
Awareness incarnates.
Body, Mind, and Spirits explores the embodied expression of consciousness in its multiplicity.
Ignorance reveals the inherent limit — the opacity that sustains desire, fear, confusion, and the search for understanding.
This is where metaphysics returns to human life.
Three Meta-Layers of the System
Although the path is presented in twelve steps, the work operates through three deeper layers that interweave throughout the entire structure:
I. Metaphysical Foundation
Emptiness → Uno → Two Universes → Two Truths
This is the ground structure: non-being, unity, dual reflection, and the nature of truth. It defines the ontological skeleton of everything that follows.
II. Phenomenological–Physical Emergence
Reality → Present → Space → Energy
Here, existence unfolds into appearance — the world becomes present, extended, and dynamic.
III. Human Expression
Creation/Destruction → Intelligence → Body/Mind → Ignorance
These texts explore how cosmic process expresses itself as mind, embodiment, and limitation within human experience.
Why This Method Matters
By articulating the system in layers, the entire framework becomes transparent. Each text does not simply follow the previous; it includes it, extends it, and transforms it. The structure is not linear but spiralic — always returning to its origin with greater clarity.
This method provides coherence, continuity, and depth, allowing the reader to understand the whole by understanding the movement from one layer to the next.
0. Emptiness – The Void and the Non-Existence
The terms Emptiness, Void, and Non-Existence describe states of absence, lack, or potentiality. While they share common ground, their usage spans from the concrete and practical to the profound and philosophical.
The Everyday and Specific Meanings
The term Void has versatile meanings, often implying a state of nothingness or invalidation.
Empty Space: An unoccupied volume or region that contains nothing, such as outer space or a barren landscape.
Null/Invalidity: Something without legal force or foundational support (e.g., a void contract or an unfounded promise).
Programming (Computing): A data type that signifies a function or procedure that performs an action but does not return any value.
Emptiness refers to the state of being empty at a given moment and appears in both physical and emotional domains:
Physical absence: An unoccupied space or interval (e.g., the silence after a sound leaves a room).
Emotional state: A feeling of sadness, purposelessness, or existential lack—an “inner emptiness” or a void of meaning.
The Role of Chaos and Emptiness in Uno
Chaos is the formless, primordial field from which creation emerges, while order is the structure imposed upon or discovered within it.
Chaos as the source of creation: In many origin stories, creation begins with a state of chaos or a formless, empty void.
From this chaotic state, a divine force or the act of will brings order: separating light from darkness, land from sea.
This is often seen as a process of taming disorder to create a functional and harmonious cosmos.
Chaos as a catalyst for change: Chaos isn't just the initial state but can also be a dynamic force that fuels change.
The breakdown of an existing order can create the necessary conditions for a new, potentially more complex, order to emerge.
This is often a painful or messy process that requires "clearing away the dross" to make way for something new.
Emptiness is the state of that primordial chaos—the necessary “nothingness” from which creation and destruction arise. It is the canvas on which order manifests.
Emptiness as the primordial void: The concept of "emptiness" (as in the biblical "without form and void") is the initial state from which creation happens.
It is not “nothing” but the field that receives structure—the ultimate background from which all beings arise.
So, whatever appears—whenever it appears—it arises from nothing, from formless chaos, ultimately from the primordial void. We witness this constantly: things seem to appear suddenly, without warning, from no discernible source.
In English, we often describe such moments as “all of a sudden appeared,” emphasizing the abruptness and surprise of the event. For example:
“The magician waved his wand, and a rabbit all of a sudden appeared in the hat.”
“We were sitting in silence when a large bear all of a sudden appeared from behind the trees.”
The phrase captures both the immediacy and the unexpected nature of something coming into presence.
Emptiness in the cycle of Creation and Destruction: Emptiness is also a state of return, as destruction can lead back to a state of nothingness from which new things can be created.
The universe is seen as being in a constant state of flux, a cycle of creation, sustenance, and destruction that ultimately returns to a state of nothingness before the process begins again.
From this perspective, emptiness is not just a beginning, nor just a end, nor just a completion, but a necessary component of the ongoing cycle of existence.
The Philosophical and Totalizing Principle
At the deepest level, Emptiness or The Void is a totalizing principle—Non-Existence:
The Latent Part: It is the invisible counterpart of Existence (Being). It contains everything that does not exist at each very moment, encompassing what has passed (perfect past) and what may yet arise (perfect future).
Within the One (Uno): Emptiness, Void, and Non-Existence form the unmanifested aspect of Uno—the overarching principle that embraces all of totality, which is the union of Existence and Non-Existence, manifest and the unmanifest, the seen and the unseen.
Structure of Existence: Everything that exists—material or immaterial—appears fragmented and unaggregated. Between all things lies Emptiness, the interval that allows form to eventually appear.
Conceptual Clarifications within Uno
It is acceptable (and coherent) to state that:
Void is within Uno — the open field containing presence and absence.
Emptiness is within Uno — the unseen background of all phenomena in space and mind.
Nothingness is within Uno — though pure absolute nothingness may never be actual.
Non-Existence is within Uno — since every thing may exist or not exist in some locus of reality.
Emptiness is therefore not opposed to reality. it is a dimension of reality itself.
The Nature of Non-Existence
Within Non-Existence dwell:
what has ceased to be,
what has not yet arisen,
and every reference to absence itself: the Void, the empty set, the silent background that allows any form to be perceived.
Thus, Non-Existence is not mere nothingness but an infinite potential field;
the fertile Emptiness from which phenomena arise and into which they dissolve.
This corresponds to the lived experience of impermanence: life is made of unrepeatable moments.
The Paradox of Non-Existence
A central philosophical paradox emerges:
“That which does not exist… exists.”
We can think about absence. We can speak about “nothing.” We can conceptualize the non-existent.
How, then, can non-existence “exist” as an idea?
Bertrand Russell’s solution (1902):
Bertrand Russell resolves this by distinguishing:
Existence – actual presence.
Being – whatever can be meaningfully thought or referenced.
Many philosophical traditions—Eastern and Western—recognized this long before modern logic: Non-Existence is the doorway into the deepest metaphysics.
Mathematical and Formal Representations
In formal systems, Non-Existence parallels Emptiness and is often associated with zero (0) or the empty set (∅).
Set Theory and Logic
Non-Existence as absence: the infinite set of all entities absent from a given location or moment.
The Contradiction of Existence: the recognition of emptiness (Śūnyatā) historically gave rise to zero—an acknowledgment that the non-existent must “be” conceptually.
Logical Definition: This expresses the paradox of simultaneous being and non-being:
Emptiness:=exists(X) ∧ not-exists(X)
Algebraic Properties
Concept | Operation | Property |
Emptiness | Intersection | Absorbing (result is always Emptiness) |
Emptiness | Union | Absorbed (result is always the other set) |
One | Union | Absorbing (result is always One) |
One | Intersection | Absorbed (result is always the other set) |
These properties lead to dual definitions:
Emptiness is the intersection of all sets within the One (the commonality of all that exists).
Emptiness is the union of all that does not exist.
Conclusion
Emptiness is generally considered immaterial and symbolized by 0, ∅, or other null markers ({ }, [ ], ( ), etc.).
Existence is the realm of manifestation.
Yet both coexist as complementary aspects of totality.
Mathematical and Physical Analogies
Mathematics provides elegant mirrors of Emptiness:
In set theory, the empty set (∅) represents the foundation of all sets—nothing, yet the start of everything.
In arithmetic, the zero (0) functions as the neutral element for addition, or absorbing element for product; the origin of the number line, the limit of infinitesimal sequences, and the point of symmetry around which positive and negative values mirror one another.
In general algebra, the zero element is the neutral element and is inert to everything in any support set.
In linear algebra, the null vector and null matrix symbolize balance and equilibrium: forms devoid of magnitude, yet essential for defining direction, transformation, and identity. It also accounts as the return to a previously determined point, in linear algebra as in graph theory, where the null vector closes an Eulerian circuit or Eulerian cycle (an Eulerian trail that starts and ends on the same origin vertex).
In geometry, the same null vector, impose that a circle, as well as other closed path, starts and ends on the same origin vertex.
In probability, the expected difference between two identical random variables converges to zero—representing perfect predictability, the state of no deviation.
In context of stochastic processes, “zero” defines the difference between two identical random variables, as Versions of each other.
In statistics, a null correlation expresses independence between variables—emptiness of relation, yet the foundation for distinguishing real connection from illusion.
Thus, in mathematics as in ontology, Emptiness is not absence of structure—it is structure:
the silent condition that allows form, relation, and motion to exist.
Physics and the Quantum Field
Schrödinger’s superposition principle suggests that existence and non-existence appear overlaid before the collapse of observational measurement. This paradox of emptiness—as both the field that permeates all space and the source from which existence emerges—reveals that emptiness is the very condition that allows for existence. It also enables mathematical measurements of distance between two points or entities. In material reality, distances are often stochastic, shifting with topological changes in space.
Modern physics echoes this metaphysical truth. In quantum mechanics, existence and non-existence are not absolute but probabilistic states. Before observation, a particle exists in superposition—simultaneously present and absent in multiple potential realities. Only through interaction (measurement, acknowledge, or awareness) does one possibility manifest—illustrating the principle that existence can be potential rather than actualized. This reinforces the paradox of emptiness: it permeates all space, yet it is also the condition from which Existence manifests.
This reveals that Emptiness is active—not complete void but potential; it is the quantum womb of being. Emptiness permeates all space, yet it is also the very condition from which existence manifests and into which it returns.
Hindu and Buddhist Metaphysical Analogy
«The idea of 'zero' which is an idea which is rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, the idea of the void Śūnya which becomes in arabic Arabic word "sifr" (صفر), (which means "empty" or "nothing") which becomes in english cypher (a person of no importance or the number zero); and these ideas which are rooted in deeply in the indian philosophy, changed mathematics completely.» (The Golden Road: Rise of the Indosphere, apple podcast, with Anita Anand and William Dalrymple)
The Buddhist principle of Śūnyatā (Emptiness) expresses this elegantly: Emptiness is not sheer nothingness but the fertile openness through which all things emerge and interrelate.
What is absent still exerts influence—absence itself shapes perception, meaning, and existence. As the Heart Sūtra declares:
“Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form.”
Emptiness is thus the infinite stillness from which all motion, thought, and life arise — the zero that silently holds the infinite.
The Role of Emptiness in reset, "back to square one," and repeated experiences
In the context of reset, "back to square one," and repeated experiences, emptiness can be viewed not as a negative void but as a space of potential, freedom, and non-attachment. It represents the realization that experiences, identities, and problems are not fixed or solid, and that their perceived "emptiness" is what makes change possible. Understanding this can shift a feeling of being stuck into one of freedom, by allowing one to let go of attachments to past outcomes or identities.
Emptiness as a point of reset
A space for freedom: Realizing the "emptiness" or impermanence of a situation allows for a reset because it means the situation is not as solid or permanent as it appears. This is what brings freedom, as it breaks the cycle of clinging to a particular experience or outcome.
Seeing beyond appearance: We often suffer because we assent to the appearance of solidity and permanence in things, like a failed project or a difficult relationship. Recognizing the emptiness of those things and experiences allows us to wake up from the "deceptive views" of our suffering.
A fresh start: Seeing the emptiness of a situation is akin to hitting a reset button. The state of "empty" is the space between things, the void that allows for the new to emerge.
Emptiness in repeated experiences
Breaking the cycle of attachment: Repeated experiences often lead to attachment—to the feeling of success or failure, to a particular identity, or to an idea of how things "should be". Seeing the emptiness of these experiences allows one to observe them without making them solid, thereby breaking the cycle of suffering that is often tied to them.
Understanding the non-self nature: The concept of emptiness is closely linked to "non-self" and "non-attachment". In a repeated experience, understanding that there is no fixed, independent self that experiences it—but rather a series of changing moments—can reduce the emotional charge associated with the repeat. It allows for a more flexible and less attached engagement.
A path to wisdom: For those who are advanced in their practice, meditating on emptiness can lead to a deeper understanding of how experiences are not inherent and how suffering arises from clinging to them. This wisdom enables them to engage with repeated experiences with greater freedom and less suffering.
Insensitivity to Emptiness and Space
When the profound notions of Emptiness and Space are misconstrued, several difficulties arise:
Existential Disorientation and Attachment: Mistaking emptiness for mere absence — or failing to see it as the fertile ground from which all arises — creates a false sense of permanence in transient things. This leads to unhealthy attachment and fear of loss, as one clings to what cannot endure. Without understanding the interplay between void and form, inner turmoil persists.
Intellectual Stagnation and a Narrow Worldview: A shallow grasp of emptiness and space confines perception to rigid materialism or simplistic duality. This stifles creativity and inquiry, hindering personal and philosophical growth. Ignoring the unseen half of existence traps the mind in dogma and repetition.
Social Fragmentation and Loss of Collective Harmony: Misunderstanding these foundations erodes our sense of interconnectedness. When people fail to feel the subtle continuum of space that unites all things, isolation and alienation follow. This fragmented perception weakens community bonds, fosters conflict, and undermines empathy and cooperation.
The Emptiness of Self, No-self
The "self" is a story we create. And it’s a story we completely believe.
But what we call "me" is not one thing.
It’s many layers:
Memories
Emotions
Thoughts
Roles
Fears
Expectations
Masks we wear without noticing
These layers combine into a character — a kind of illusion we mistake for a solid identity.
Seeing this clearly is not about destroying yourself. It’s about freeing yourself.
When we observe the mind closely, we notice something important:
Every thought comes. Every thought goes. Every emotion rises. Every emotion fades.
Nothing stays. Nothing holds.
We don’t control most of what appears in the mind. We simply experience it.
Yet we build our entire identity on top of these waves.
When we truly see this, not as a theory but as a lived moment, the illusion loosens.
A quiet kind of freedom appears.
You remain — but lighter, softer, more open.
Not a rigid "self." Just awareness, present and alive.
And this is the beginning of real liberation.
. . . . .. . . . .
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'Recognizing the voidness of thine own intellect to be Buddhahood, and knowing it at the same time to be thine own consciousness, thou shalt abide in the state of the divine mind of the Buddha.' from Psychological Commentary by Dr. C. G. Jung in The Tibetan Book of the Dead