The arguments for the God-Emptiness Equation

Wong Weng Hon

Introduction

Sufi Ibn ‘Arabī defines God as the Unity of Existence or the Unity of contigent beings . Process philosopher Whitehead defines God as the actual entity which is the unity of occasions of human experiences. ‘Sākyamuni Buddha defines Emptiness as the Unity of cause and conditions. Cause and conditions are parts of Unity of Existence. Thus, ontologically defined, since God is unity of existence and Emptiness is also unity of existence, therefore ontologically, God equals Emptiness. To be more precise, God has the attribute of Emptiness. Emptiness  also connotes Insubstantiality.  God has the attributes of both Emptiness and insubstantiality. Every thing , being, event, occurrence, happening, result, consequence or phenomenon is Emptiness or the existence of God .

 Religion is the teaching of the eternal Truth. The teaching of eternal Truth is the teaching of Unity, Insubstantiality, Emptiness, Selflessness, Egolessness, Interdependence, and bipolar relationship of Middle Path. Succinctly put, religion or Truth (Brahman, Tao, Buddha, God  or Allah)  pertains to the relationship between secularity and spirituality , between phenomena and principle, between unity and multiplicity, between the One and All, between ignorance or delusion and wisdom or gnosis.

Syllogisms

The equation between God and Emptiness can  be derived from a number of syllogisms. These syllogisms become more significant and truth-unveiling if and only if they have been intuitively contemplated, evaluated, examined and discerned. Mere intellectual or conceptual comprehension will not unveil the soteriological message of Process Reality of God (Truth; Ḥaqq) or Emptiness. Process Reality is the ultimate Reality of the dependently co-arisen unity of causes and conditions. Abhidhammically put, Process Reality is the dynamic unity of physical and mental phenomena (rūpadhammā ca nāmadhammā ca)  which are impermanent and mutable.

God connotes Truth (Sans. Satya; Pāl.: Sacca; Ara. Ḥaqq ; Chi. Tao). The first syllogism presents the first intuitive  argument to corroaborate the God-Emptiness equation. My intention is to unveil the original meaning of God according to the original Message recorded in the Scriptures of Vedas or Upaniṣads, Tao Te Ching, Tipițaka/Tripitaka, Bible and Quran. The Equation is formulated not according to rational or intellectual argument. It must  based on the scripturally illuminated and unveiled  Truth of the canonical texts of major world’s religions. The communal Truth of Wisdom is expressed either directly or  indirectly  and either explicitly or implicitly in the religious scriptures of different denominations. I discover two key evidences of the communal Truth of Wisdom or Theosophy. They have inspired and motivated me to write articles on inter-faith understanding to promote and foster alliance of religious civilizations between adherets of dissimilar faiths. Dissimilar faiths are dissimilar paths or expedient devices to reach a common destination. The common destination is our inne Heart in which the communal Truth of Wisdom or Theosophy can be discovered.

The two key evidences communicating the communal Truth of Wisdom or Theosophy are enumerated as follows :

Firstly, all current world’s religions of Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam categorically declare that whoever knows himself knows the Lord (Truth).

Secondly, all Gnostic declares that “I’m the Truth”. This declaration supports the abovementioned declaration.

Whoever has discovered the Truth esoterically through the complete silence of the inner Heart  or the pure and infinite human consciousness will have no problem to discern  the declaration of the Gnostic  that “ God sees God through the   mind and body   of Man .” Buddhistly put, Non-self sees non-self through the mind-matter (nāmarūpa) of man. The mind-matter of Human being is the perfect image of the eternal  Truth. The eternal Truth must be discerned intuitively through the mind-matter  of man. The mind-matter of Man is the eternal Truth because it is the microcosm from which the mysterious secret of cosmos- macrocosm is unveiled or discovered through human contemplation and  gnosis.

Based on the promulgation found in the religious scriptures of world’s religions , I share with you the eternal Truth generally designated as the divine names and attributes of God (eternal Truth). The eternal Truth one and only one but not two. Thus , the equations formulated is absolutely accurate because there are many masters but only one esoteric Message. This one Divine  Message  unites or integrates the cosmopolitan global villagers into a single human family. When the religious message  disunites and tears the ethnically plural world  asunder, it is not the true Divine Message. The true Divine  Message unites and harmonizes All, both the believers and non-believers; the whites and non-whites; the blacks and non-blacks; the yellows and non-yellows; the mixed and unmixed. Truth is non-sectarian, non-denominational and non-discriminative. Alas, the perverse world wills and chooses to be sectarian, denominational and discriminative. The divine Message is an oasis in the desert. It cannot be a sand storm in the desert. There are too  many sandstorms  in the spiritual deserts in  the secular  world because the Lord or Truth is not discovered and loved.

Let’s us first visit the first syllogism to discover the communal Truth of Wisdom with the right concept of God : God is Unity of Existence. Everything that you see is God because everything is ultimately the Unity of Existence. Buddhitsly put, everything is Emptiness; Everything is Emptiness (Heart Sūtra).

First syllogism:

First premise : Everything is God
Second premise : Everything is Emptiness
Conclusion  : Therefore, God equals Emptiness ontologically

Since everything is an actual entity or conditioned phenomenon of unity of multiplicity, everything is the Unity of Existence of God. Everything is the divine attribute of  Emptiness. God is Unity; Emptiness is Unity. Therefore, God equals Emptiness. When you live harmoniously  in unity in a family life or in unity with your working life or social life or in a united country, you live in God. If you do not live in God, you live in disunity or alienation from Unity or God. It seems that the intellectual concept of God is so simple. But living in God demands wisdom and virtue rooted in harmony of association. Religion instructs and trains us in wisdom and virtue. The divine Name of God can be replaced with the name ‘Brahman’, ‘Tao’, ‘Buddha’ or ‘Allah’ if you like. In truth, God is ultimately designationless and ineffable. It is ignorantly unwise to argue about the name of God. What is important is to live in the Truth, Spirit, Way and Life of God. The cohesive  life of interdependence and integration is God.

Let’s visit the second syllogism to develop a deeper grasp of the  God concept and live it as the Truth, Spirit, Way and Life of harmonious unity of association in any form of social life.

Second Syllogism:

First premise:  Unity of multiplicity  is God
Second premise: Unity of multiplicity is Emptiness
Conclusion: God equals Emptiness ontologically.

This syllogism can be discerned from the comparative study of Sufism and  Mahāyānism. In Sufism , God is defined outwardly as the manifest multiplicity of forms and inwardly as the Unity of multiplicity. In the Mahāyāna Heart Sūtra, Emptiness is defined ontologically as Emptiness is Form and Form is Emptiness .  The Heart Sūtra expounds further that  not only Form is Emptiness, Feelings, Perceptions, Volitions and Consciousness are each the essence of Emptiness. The Five Aggregates are synonymous with the Eighteen Elements . Five Aggregates or Eighteen Elements comprise the perceiver (subject) and whatever are perceived by the perceiver (countless objects). All subjects and objects are the multiplicity. If one discerns Unity underlying the multiplicity, one sees God or Emptiness.

 The Eighteen Elements are the six sense faculties (eye, ear, noise, tongue, body and mind) , the six sense perceptions (sight, sound, smell, taste , touch and ideation)  and the six sense consciousness (eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness and mind-consciousness).  All the Five Aggregates or the Eighteen Elements of all human beings constitute the  entire infinite universe. All perceivers or subjects and the perceived or objects are content of the universe.

All the human senses integrate with  the external  environmental stimuli become  one in the many or the unity in the multiplicity. Man and the environment are inseparable, holistic and symbiotic forming the infinite  organic universe – the cosmic Unity or cosmic Self. The cosmic Unity or cosmic Self is God. The organic Universe is monotheistically designated as  the manifest or outward dimension of God. Buddhistly put, being organic , the universe is empty of inherent existence.

The Heart Sūtra declares that universe  is  Emptiness. Emptiness is universe.  In fact, all living beings or non-living beings and the external environment of all biotic and abiotic beings are an infinite  unity of these innumerable  beings  or things called the cosmic Unity or cosmic Self. Every human being or every phenomenon is only an integral part of the cosmic Self or the infinite universe. To discern Anattā (Insubstantiality) or ‘Sūnyatā (Emptiness), one  must annihilate one’s individual self in the cosmic Unity.  Emptiness is the Right View (Sammā Dițțțhi)  of Non-duality (Advaya)  between the perceiver (subject) and the perceived (object).   Non-duality is Unity of Existence . Thus Non-duality is God.

The entire universe or cosmos can be perceived inwardly and outwardly. Inwardly , they are the unity of  the microcosm- the micro-reality of the human personality. Outwardly, they are the unity of the macrocosm – the macro-reality of the universe. Whoever discerns microcosm also discerns macrocosm through the perfection of wisdom or perennial wisdom that everything is mind-made (citta-mātra).

 A Buddhist Gnostic perceives the microcosm or the Emptiness of the Five Aggregates through meditation. The Emptiness perceived meditatively  is his Original Self. That Original Self is the Buddha-nature. Having perceived the Emptiness of his original Self, he also perceives the Emptiness of all phenomena outwardly or the Emptiness of the universe – macrocosm of the universe. Since the original Self of Man is the essence of God and the entire universe is also the existence of  God according to Sufism, Emptiness concept  is ontologically synonymous with God concept. Emptiness is  Emptiness of self and Emptiness of others or all phenomena. Thus, we conclude that the ultimate Reality of Emptiness  is the ultimate Reality of God . This is the communal Truth of perennial wisdom or the perfection of wisdom to be discovered by all religious adherents of world’s religions.

Let’s examine the third and fourth syllogisms for the argument to arrive at the God-Emptiness equation from the perspective of psychological ethics .

Third Syllogism:

First Premise: God is the complete annihilation of self-centric ego.
Second Premise: Emptiness is the complete annihilation of self-centric ego
Conclusion: God equals Emptiness ontologically

Theravāda Buddhism emphasizes the discernment of Insubstantiality, Selflessness or Egolessnes (Anattā) to gain emmacipation.  Anattā connotes Non-self. When self or ego is negated , what remains is Anattā. Likewise,  When self or ego is negated, what remains is God. Hence, God equals Anattā. Thus, we see that  Mahāyāna Buddhism teaches the concept of God through the concept of cosmic  Self called Dharmadhātu or Emptiness (‘Sūnyatā). Theravāda tradition expounds the concept of God through Anattā. Now, you would be more comfortable to visit the fourth syllogism

Fourth Syllogism:

First Premise : God is Insubstantiality (Anattā)
Second Premise : Emptiness is Insubstantiality (Anattā)
Conclusion:  God equals  Emptiness ontologically .

Insubstantiality is dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality. It connotes nothing exits autonomously. Individuation does not exist. Everything or every being is an integral pat of a larger  whole or cosmic whole.  Monotheistically, Non-duality is the unity or reunion with God between the believer and God. The reunion between a believer and God is not to be erroneously conceived as the unity between two substantial or discrete entities, that is Man and God.

 Substantial entities are autonomous entities. Autonomous entities do not integrate and remain separate. Separation is apparent reality. The actual reality is integration or unity. Reunion with God is to be conceived as the integration of the Insubstantiality of a believer with that of God. From Taoist perspective , it is known as it is reunion between Man and Heaven-Earth.  Man and Heaven-Erath is originally One. The Man’s reunion with God should be perceived insubstantially as the entrance into the door of non-duality. Non-duality is the transcendence of the discrimination between  the notion of perceiver and the perceived. In other words, ultimately perceived, the perceiver and the perceived are dependently co-arisen unity. They are innately integrated or united. This is the eternal truth unveiled by all world’s religions. Monotheism declares that any notion of separation or alienation from Unity or God is sinful. This is well said. The message is  divine , profound and thus soteriological. 

Emptiness is attribute of  Unity or Non-duality or Dependent Co-arising.  God has all these three divine Attributes or Names, thus, Emptiness equals God ontologically, Sufism and Buddhism are thus reconciled philosophically. The philosophical  reconciliation between Sufism and Buddhism is corroborated by Vedāntan philosophy of Brahman and the Process Theism of Whitehead.  The ancient Vedas of Hindu religious civilization also corroborate that many paths lead to the one and only Truth – the Process Reality of Emptiness which is the  dynamic process becoming (Sanātana Dharma; Sophia Perennis; Philosophia Perennis; Religio Perennis; ‘Sūnyatā; Pratītyasamutpāda ). Process Reality of Unity of Existence is God.

 This communal Truth of perennial wisdom or perfection of wisdom is to be discovered by all inter-faith religious leaders to promote and foster  the alliance of civilizations between the west and the east . Any clash of civilizations between the west and the east is willful ignorance and wishful thinking. Any unhealthy political clash within a nation between illusory egoes is anti-God. A nation is intrinsically sacred and dear when it is united and cohesive. God is dissatisfied and angry when a nation is gravely divided. Buddha is also angry when Emptiness is shattered by ego-beings.

 Being united, a nation behaves Godly. Being disunted, a nation plays with the devil. With my absolute sincerity and  love of innate humanism, permit me to remind all : If you are a Monotheist, love God but not yourself. If you are a Buddhist, love Emptiness but not substantiality. Though they are dissimilarly parapharased by the Supreme Masters, they communicate the communal message of Truth – the one and the only one Truth that can save mankind. Most importantly, it can save us from  any global crisis including the ongoing 2008-2009 financial meltdown.

 Despite the astronomical financial bailouts, the economic process reality does not seem to move normally. Any process reality is always dynamic in normal health. The current economic process reality is not dynamic and stagnates in victim nations most affected by the financial woes. This mirrors that their faltering economies of process reality are being direly obstructed and   incapacitated partially. The mould of God or Emptiness has collapsed partially.

 The current faltering global economy is very, very grave indeed. We have been plunged into a very deep pit. If we can pull us together to confront the epic and dire challenge with  a new sense of duty and responsibility, it is not impossible to recover the innate concrescence of global economy – the creative advance of the world.

 I remain  optimistic because of the infinite premordial potentialities of God or the unlimited possibilities of Buddha-nature. This is a not my personal dogmatic assertion. I’m describing the Truth and sharing the eternal perennial  wisdom .The perennial wisdom   shepherds us peacefully out of the pit. Under present adverse economic scenario, when we make ourselves absent in God or Emptiness , God or Emptiness makes Himself or itself present negatively  in the global crisis.

Financial  bailouts are merely cushions against the financial crisis. However, it cannot offset the crisis. The positive presence of God is the only way to offset the crisis. The presence of God is the harmonious unity of human association to pull everyone together harmoniously and cohesively to restore the original global economic concrescence. The stumbling blocks against the dynamic process becoming of the economic concrescence are human greed, and irresponsibility rooted in religious ignorance. Religious education must be pragmatically emphasized in schools, colleges, universities and religious institutions.