Contemplation as empty

suññatānupassanā

Insight (vipassanā) Going deeper Stage 7 of 8

Contemplating the formations as empty of self.

On the path: 7 · Insight and letting go — What has to be seen directly for clinging to end? Arising and passing away, the three characteristics, disenchantment, ceasing, letting go. → to this stage in the learning path

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Appears in

What Nibbāna is not Nibbāna (part 3)

Across all traditions

Passages where suññatānupassanā occurs literally — in the original, and, where a German translation of the same lines exists, in German.

Tipiṭaka · ps1.5 · Pāli

Suññatānupassanā yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ abhinivesato sammohā aññāṇā muccatīti— ñāṇavimokkho. Evaṁ siyā eko ñāṇavimokkho dasa ñāṇavimokkhā honti, dasa ñāṇavimokkhā eko ñāṇavimokkho hoti vatthuvasena pariyāyena. Rūpe aniccānupassanā yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ niccato sammohā aññāṇā muccatīti— ñāṇavimokkho …pe… rūpe suññatānupassanā yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ abhinivesato sammohā aññāṇā muccatīti— ñāṇavimokkho. Evaṁ siyā eko ñāṇavimokkho dasa ñāṇavimokkhā honti, dasa ñāṇavimokkhā eko ñāṇavimokkho hoti vatthuvasena pariyāyena. Vedanāya …pe… saññāya … saṅkhāresu … viññāṇe … cakkhusmiṁ …pe… jarāmaraṇe aniccānupassanā yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ niccato sammohā aññāṇā muccatīti— ñāṇavimokkho …pe… jarāmaraṇe suññatānupassanā …
Pāli commentaries · Visuddhimaggo (Dutiyo bhāgo) · Pāli

Vipariṇāmānupassanā ti rūpasattakādivasena taṃ taṃ paricchedaṃ atikkamma aññathāpavattidassanaṃ. Uppannassa vā jarāya ceva maraṇena ca dvīhākārehi vipariṇāmadassanaṃ, tāya dhuvasaññāya pahānaṃ hoti. Animittānupassanā ti aniccānupassanāva, tāya niccanimittassa pahānaṃ hoti. Appaṇihitānupassanā ti dukkhānupassanāva, tāya sukhapaṇidhisukhapatthanāpahānaṃ hoti. Suññatānupassanā ti anattānupassanāva, tāya ‘‘atthi attā’’ti abhinivesassa pahānaṃ hoti. Adhipaññādhammavipassanā ti – ‘‘Ārammaṇañca paṭisaṅkhā, bhaṅgañca anupassati; Suññato ca upaṭṭhānaṃ, adhipaññā vipassanā’’ti. –
Tipiṭaka · psm · Pāli

Yā ca anattānupassanā yā ca suññatānupassanā, ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā ca, udāhu ekatthā, byañjanameva nānanti? Yā ca anattānupassanā yā ca suññatānupassanā, ime dhammā ekatthā, byañjanameva nānaṃ. Aniccato manasikaroto kiṃ paṭisaṅkhā ñāṇaṃ uppajjati? Dukkhato manasikaroto kiṃ paṭisaṅkhā ñāṇaṃ uppajjati? Anattato manasikaroto kiṃ paṭisaṅkhā ñāṇaṃ uppajjati? Aniccato manasikaroto nimittaṃ paṭisaṅkhā ñāṇaṃ uppajjati. Dukkhato manasikaroto pavattaṃ paṭisaṅkhā ñāṇaṃ uppajjati. Anattato manasikaroto nimittañca pavattañca paṭisaṅkhā ñāṇaṃ uppajjati.

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