Chapter 7 Emptiness According to the Middle Way School
According to Hinayanists, without realizing emptiness, it is still possible to attain full liberation from cyclic existence through the realization of the four noble truths.
The Madhyamika states that even in order to gain freedom from cyclic existence, the realization of emptiness is indispensable. (p. 76)
....the root cause of bondage to cyclic existence is ignorance grasping at the true existence of phenomena. Without cutting this root cause, there is no possibility of attaining liberation. Without the realization of emptiness, meditation on emptiness will be merely remaining in a non-conceptual state. Simply shutting out thoughts can never lead to full liberation from cyclic existence. (p. 76)
According to Shantideva, only in the Mahayana teachings can be found a path that involves full realization of emptiness (no self of persons and phenomena), that is, the path to full enlightenment. (pp. 76-77)
As long as craving remains, the conditions for taking rebirth will be present within the individual's mental continuum. (p. 78)
....just like the case where someone remains in a nonconceptual, thoughtless state, and when he or she comes out of that absorptive state, the conceptual thought processes start again. (p. 78)
...within the mind of that so-called arhat, there persists a subtle grasping at true existence. (p.79)
It is not adequate to realize only the gross levels of selflessness (i.e., no self). (p. 79)
If there were such a thing called "I" or "self", then there would be a basis from which fear could arise. (Shantideva) (pp.84-85)
Chandrakirti's commentary on Four Hundred Verses: no things or events exist by means of autonomous forces. Rather, they exist only by their dependence upon other causes and conditions --other factors. Therefore, they do not possess any ontological status that is independent and autonomous. Such a status is called self. Since all things and events are devoid of such independent, autonomous existence, they are said to be absent or empty of self-existence. (p. 86)
Emptiness is the total dissolution of all dualistic elaborations. (Nagarjuna)
(p. 128)
Source:
The Dalai Lama. Practicing Wisdom: The Perfection of Shantideva's Bodhisattva Way. (Boston, MA: Wisdom Publications, Inc., 2005).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinayana#H.C4.ABnay.C4.81na_and_Therav.C4.81da
