QUESTION
In 1911 it was discovered that the atom was not full but 99.99% empty. Has anyone thought about Buddha saying that everything is empty 2,500 years ago? Is it a coincidence or not? Is there anyone who does these studies and comparisons? Didn’t the Dalai Lama say something? In your opinion, is the atomic vacuum equal to the quantum vacuum which is equal to the Buddhist vacuum?
E
ANSWER
Dear E:
Actually, Buddha says that everything is 100% empty, not even 99%. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing there, that nothing exists.
So what’s Buddha saying? What’s empty of what? His point is that everything that exists is empty of existing from its own side, existing in and of itself, existing independently of anything else.
And the only reason we need realize this is because we believe in the exact opposite – and that’s why we suffer and make a mess of the world.
Therefore the consequence of realizing it is that we’ll be free from all the nonsense: we will have gone beyond ego and be full of love and empathy.
As for whether the atomic vacuum is in any way equivalent to the emptiness Buddha talks about, I have no idea: I haven’t studied these things.
But I doubt that the consequence of understanding what the scientists say is freedom from suffering, going beyond ego. The best physicist in the universe could still go home and beat up her husband and kids.
The Dalai Lama loves talking to the scientists about all this, which is a wonderful thing.
All the best,
Robina