Difference between false emptiness and real emptiness

In our times, Buddhism flourish into the west, when flourish the teaching, there maybe some misunderstand due to the language barrier which could lead to confusion. One of the confusion I had experienced was the philosophical terminology for "emptiness" (sunyata - in Sanskrit language).

First the thing to consider is that with the English translation, the meaning of sunyata is essentially lost with just the translation of emptiness, as the actual meaning of sunyata has a different meaning behind it. Moreover, there is different descriptive interpretation of the meaning depending on different school of thoughts. However, in this blog, I am not dwelling into the meaning of sunyata but just the inform that it has there is a difference between the genuine understanding of emptiness and the false conceptualise understanding of emptiness.


There is difference between real emptiness and conceptual emptiness. Real emptiness is something that only high level cultivator can comprehend, it is through spiritual training. However, false emptiness or conceptualized emptiness is all conceptual thoughts created by the mind. It is false as it thinking of emptiness is not the same as experiencing the emptiness of what the Buddha was talking about. False emptiness is like imagining what emptiness is like, it's really our deluded false thoughts and not the real thing. Furthermore, if one have not empty out emotional afflictions such as desire, anger, delusion then how can one claim to understand true emptiness?

False conceptualised emptiness can lead to many implications and problems. For instance, when people see everything as fake and things don't exist, they may deny the existent of karma and justify doing bad deeds thereby transgress into the lower realms. False emptiness could lead to a sense of void, loneliness and depression as they are attached to the sense of void and no existence. With seeing things as void and fake, it could lead to a repulsive mind that reject existence and thereby leading to isolation, loneliness and agitation or other various psychological problems. The false emptiness is not true emptiness, without emptying those afflictions, how could one claim to experience this emptiness.

In Buddhism, things start from the foundation, which is Sila (moral conduct, precepts, discipline) and to create blessing and meritorious deeds. The emptiness is for the later stage once the foundation is established and spiritual cultivation ripen.

At the beginning stage, it is better to believe in forms and do good deeds, so at least it plants positive blessings and merits for the future so we won't transgress. Those who believe in false emptiness, who do bad deeds thinking karma is empty and do not exist, creates negative karma and suffer from psychological problems and transgressing in the path. Let the realisation of Sunyata be for those who are ready to comprehend the true meaning of it.