Svalakṣaṇa śūnyatā
svalakṣaṇa śūnyatā (T. rang gi mtshan nyid stong pa nyid རང་གི་མཚན་ཉིད་སྟོང་པ་ཉིད་). Translated as "emptiness of own characteristics", "emptiness of specific characteristics", etc.[1][2] One of the sixteen types of emptiness, according to the Madhyāntavibhāga, etc.[1][3]
"Specific characteristics" refers to the physical characteristics of a buddha, which include the 32 major marks and 84 minor marks; these physical characteristics are also empty.[4]
The Garland of Radiant Light states:
The signs and marks of a Buddha are explained to be the "specific characteristics." Their essential emptiness is called "the emptiness of specific characteristics." One meditates on their emptiness to obtain the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty pure signs. Once attachment to these marks and signs as being real is purified, they will be accomplished and completely perfected.[4]
Thrangu Rinpoche states:
The emptiness that has its own characteristics and the emptiness of all phenomena will be discussed together because both are related with the nature of Buddhahood. Meditating upon these emptinesses is intended to counter attachment to a Buddha's good qualities of body, mind, and so forth.
First, the emptiness of that which has its own characteristics refers to the nature of a Buddha's extraordinary physical qualities, such as the |thirty-two primary and the eighty secondary marks.
Secondly, the emptiness of all dharmas refers to the emptiness of a Buddha's extraordinary qualities of mind. All dharmas then refer to a Buddha's mind, such as the eighteen qualities of a Buddha, the Buddha's ten powers, the Buddha's four fearlessnesses and the other unusual, extraordinary enlightened qualities of a Buddha's mind.[5]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1
rang gi mtshan nyid stong pa nyid, Christian-Steinert Dictionary
- ↑ Buswell & Lopez 2014, s.v. Lists of Lists, "sixteen emptinesses".
- ↑ Some texts refer to "emptiness of intrinsic marks" (lakṣaṇa ṡūnyatā) rather than svalakṣaṇa ṡūnyatā.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2007, "The Characteristics of Emptiness".
- ↑ Thrangu Rinpoche 2000, Chapter 1.
Sources
Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University
Dharmachakra Translation Committee (2007), Middle Beyond Extremes: Maitreya's Madhyantavibhaga with Commentaries by Khenpo Shenga and Ju Mipham, Snow Lion Publications- Thrangu Rinpoche (2000), Distinguishing the Middle from the Extremes. The root text by Maitreya and a Commentary by The Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, Namo Buddha Publications