Is There No Flower?

This is the second post citing from Thomas A. Forsthoefel’s compendium of essential writings by the Dalai Lama (if you haven’t read the initial one, I encourage you to do so first). Here dependent origination is further explained in the context of emptiness.

So what is emptiness? It is simply this unfindability (the absence of an intrinsic, independent, self-existing reality). When we look for the flower among its parts, we are confronted with the absence of such a flower. That absence we are confronted with is the flower’s emptiness. But then, is there no flower? Of course there is. To seek for the core of any phenomenon is ultimately to arrive at a more subtle appreciation of its emptiness, its unfindability. However, we mustn’t think about the emptiness of a flower simply as the unfindability we encounter when searching among its parts. Rather, it is the dependent nature of the flower, or whatever object you are to name, that defines its emptiness. This is called dependent origination.

The notion of dependent origination is explained in various ways by different Buddhist philosophers. Some define it merely in relation to the laws of causation. They explain that such a thing as a flower is the product of causes and conditions; it arises dependently. Others interpret dependence more subtly. For them, a phenomenon is dependent when it depends on its parts, the way our flower depends upon its petals, stamen, and pistil.

There is an even more subtle interpretation of dependent origination. Within the context of a single phenomenon like the flower, its parts – the petals, stamen, and pistil – and our thought recognizing or naming the flower are mutually dependent. One cannot exit without the other. Therefore, when analyzing or searching for a flower among its parts, you will not find it.  And yet, the perception of a flower exists only in relation to the parts that make it up. From this understanding of dependent origination ensues a rejection of any idea of intrinsic or inherent existence. ~ An Open Heart, 154-55

The meaning of Emptiness is the interdependent nature of reality. ~ Power of Compassion, 103

Accepting a more complex understanding of reality where all things and events are seen to be closely interrelated does not mean we cannot infer that the ethical principles we identified earlier cannot be understood as binding, even if, on this view, it becomes difficult to speak in terms of absolutes, at least outside a religious context. On the contrary, the concept of dependent origination compels us to take the reality of cause and effect with utmost seriousness. By this I mean the fact that particular causes lead to particular effects, and that certain actions lead to suffering while others lead to happiness. It is in everybody’s interest to do what leads to happiness and avoid that which leads to suffering. But because, as we have seen, our interests are inextricably linked, we are compelled to accept ethics as the indispensable interface between my desire to be happy and yours. ~ Ethics of the New Millennium, 47

I think it would be useful to reflect on a fundamental metaphysical view in Buddhist philosophy, the doctrine of emptiness. In essence, this says that the fact that things exist is very obvious and apparent; our experience of interacting with physical reality and matter is sufficient evidence for us to accept this. The question is, in what manner do they exist?

Upon examining the ultimate nature of reality, Buddhist philosophers have concluded that things lack inherent existence, that is, they do not have self-defining, self-evident characteristics. This is because if we search for the essence of matter in whatever object it may be, we discover that it is unfindable, and when we subject things to ultimate analysis, we find that they do not exist as they appear to. Therefore, by subjecting the nature of reality to such analysis, we find that things do not have the solid, objective realty that they appear to have, that there is a discrepancy between the way things appear and the way in which they exist. This conclusion prevents us from falling into the extreme of absolutism, from holding on to some kind of absolutist view of reality. At the same time, because our empirical experience validates the existence of phenomena and is all the evidence we need that things exist, we cannot deny the nominal existence of things. This frees us from falling into the extreme of nihilism.

The question the arises, if things neither exist as they appear nor possess this objective realty, while at the same time they do exist, what then is their mode of existence? Buddhism explains that they exist only conventionally, in relative terms. ~ MindScience, 23-24

Emptiness is the ultimate nature of reality in the sense that it is the mere absence of the inherent nature, or reified projection, that we impute on reality. ~ MindScience, 25

The reason why it is so important to understand this subtle point [emptiness] is because of its implications for interpreting our own personal experience of life. When strong emotions arise in you, say attachment or anger, if you examine the experience of that emotion you will see that underlying it is an assumption that there is something objective and real out there which you are holding on to, and on to which you project desirable or undesirable qualities. According to the kind of qualities you project on to a thing or event, you feel either attracted to it or repulsed by it. So strong emotional responses in fact assume the existence of some form of objective reality.

However, if you realize that there is no intrinsic reality to things and events then, of course, this will automatically help you to understand that no matter how real and strong emotions may seem, they have no valid basis. Once you know that they are actually based on a fundamental misconception of reality, then the emotions themselves become untenable . . . .

When you have developed a certain understanding of emptiness, albeit an intellectual one, you will have a new outlook on things and events which you can compare to your usual response. You will notice how much we tend to project qualities on to the world. More especially, you will realize that most of our strong emotions arise from assuming the reality of something that is unreal. In this way you may be able to gain an experiential sense of the disparity between the way you perceive things and the way things really are. ~ The Four Noble Truths, 109-10

Mahayana practitioners devote themselves to attaining the state of a Buddha. They work at removing the ignorant, afflictive, selfishly motivated thought patterns that keep them from attaining the fully enlightened, omniscient state that allows them to truly benefit others. Practitioners devote themselves to refining virtuous qualities such as generosity, ethics, and patience to the point where they would give themselves in any way necessary and would accept all difficulties and injustice in order to serve others. Most important, they develop their wisdom: their realization of emptiness . . . . Suffice it to say that as one’s realization of the emptiness of inherent existence becomes even deeper, all vestiges of selfishness are removed and one approaches the fully enlightened state of Buddhahood. ~ An Open Heart, 164-65.

Pages 61-65, The Dalai Lama: Essential Writings.

Thomas A. Forsthoefel, Ph.D., is associate professor and chair of Religious Studies at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania. The religions and philosophies of India are the focus of his work.

Tagged as: Buddhism, Dalai Lama, dependent origination, emptiness, ethics, Thomas A. Forsthoefel, unfindability