The word “nothingness” means “nonexistence, emptiness”; the dictionary adds “death.” “Emptiness” means “concerning nothing; meaningless.” “Void” means “without effect”.

The enlightened teachers tell us that nothingness is the final or ultimate reality. Not final in the sense our lives are final, but ultimate in the sense of fundamental, or real; beyond which nothing more can be said.

There being not two things which are real or fundamental, nothingness is what is not unreal—as are all other things. All that we take to be existent is not “nothingness”.

When one genuinely comes to recognize the truth of this description, it is as good as acknowledging that one is dead, or not “living”: non-existent. Yes, there are the appearances; but the comprehension is that they are not the reality. The reality is that appearances are meaningless.

When one perceives that he is nonexistent, or “dead” to all but appearances, what can be a trouble? Can any apparent situation really matter? Even if it were to seem to matter, is this not simply just an appearance?

To one who is aware of this, it is clear that nothing really matters!