Emptiness: a practical guide for meditators

If everything is empty, then what ceases in Nirvana and is born in rebirth? How can you live in the world without feeling trapped by it? Guy Armstrong tackles these questions and more in this richly informed, practical guide to emptiness for the meditator. It may seem odd for emptiness to serve as the central philosophy of a major religion. In fact, emptiness points to something quite different than nothingness or vacancy. And by developing a richer understanding of this complex topic, we can experience freedom as we live consciously in the world. Guy Armstrong has been a leading figure and beloved teacher of insight meditation for decades. In this book, he makes difficult Buddhist topics easy to understand, weaving together Theravada and Mahayana teachings on emptiness to show how we can liberate our minds and manifest compassion in our lives.;Self. The world is empty of self ; The faulty logic of "I" ; What is real? ; The five aggregates are not self ; Creating a self ; When the aggregates fall apart ; Beyond self ; Bearing emptiness ; Karma: patterns of becoming ; Who is reborn? ; The end of karma ; Abiding in emptiness ; Cessation and nibbāna -- Phenomena. A lump of foam ; The magic show ; The middle way -- Awareness. The nature of awareness ; Womb of the buddhas ; Sunlight in empty space ; Aware of Awareness -- Compassion. Compassion comes from emptiness.