Because we take our own existence to be real, we assume that whatever appears to us must likewise be real: that is, what appears to a fictitious “person” and the utter Truth, that lies beyond the appearance of that person, are the same.

When we come to recognize that the appearance of what is true and what is actually true are different things, we begin an investigation that leads to the discovery that what appears to be real—I and my universe—are actually empty of reality. This insightful realization concludes in what is experienced as nirvana—which means “to blow out,” as one blows out a candle.

The emptiness scriptures, or Wisdom scriptures, speak of “two truths.” The conventional truth is that I exist; after all, it appears that I am looking at this question of what is ultimate reality. The ultimate truth is that ultimate reality cannot be known by a person who is real only in a conventionally-held sense. Put another way, until you come to the conclusion that your existence as a person is empty of reality, you will not grasp that all “other” things are likewise empty of reality.

At this point of understanding, the usefulness of the two truths ends. What makes conventional truth conventional is that it is conceptual: every thing within it is there by way of conception, thought. I am because I think I am; every person is the subject of a conception, by one’s self and/or others.

Therefore, when we think of emptiness, emptiness too is conceived within the realm of a conventional “thing”: in this sense, it is simply another named form. The fact is, from the ultimate perspective, emptiness is empty of reality—as are all things.

And so it is with the two truths: any truth, itself, is in the final analysis a conception—whether a conventional truth or ultimate truth. We could say that from the standpoint of ultimate truth, ultimate truth is empty of reality.

The point of this realization is to come to the understanding that the ultimate condition is simply, totally and unambiguously empty: without attributes, dimensions in time or space, beyond such conceptions as existent or nonexistent. Empty.

That it is the ultimate condition means that all things which appear to be real or existent conventionally—which is all things—are, in their final truth, empty of reality.

But this is not to say that instead their true existence is that of emptiness. Whatever appears to us is instantly (or has always been) empty; but when that appearance ceases to exist, not anything remains or takes its place: emptiness does not exist, as an independent entity.

When we say that emptiness is empty even of emptiness, this is so that we will not reify emptiness as something which actually “exists.”

So, from the second of the two truths, we do not say that emptiness—which we could say is “real”—exists. However in terms of the conventional truth, we do say that you and your universe—which are unreal—exist.

Speaking of the truth of emptiness, then, we are not positing that nothing exists, in truth (nihilism). Appearances do, in fact, appear to exist—to a person who does appear to exist (although neither are actually real).

We are not saying that the appearances have any reality; they are empty of reality. But neither are we saying that the (conventional) appearances do not “exist.”

One of the major confusions for us is the idea of cause and effect. Both of these are notions, or conceptions. When we view some phenomenon as an effect—say, the world or universe—we are prompted to wonder, “What was its cause?”

When we recognize that all things are empty, it becomes clear that an empty cause can be the cause of nothing more than empty effect. When we have realized that the universe is empty of ultimate reality, we no longer question “What was its cause?”

Can a questioner who is himself empty of reality conclude a real answer?

So, when we recognize that the fundamental nature is emptiness—which is not anything other than empty—what is it that we can expect to “arise” out of that which is nothing but empty? This is why the scriptures insist that not anything can ever “die” because not any thing has ever been born.

This emptiness is not something which has been created, therefore it is not something which has an ending. Beginnings and endings are creations of our mind.

We “see” appearances, such as you and the universe, but we come to know that all that seems to exist is empty of reality: life—mine and yours—is like a dream. We live out our illusive “existence” in an illusive universe. The dial comes around and says 360°, but 360° is back at 0°.