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This is a short list of books that I have found extremely helpful in studying emptiness. The books by the Dalai Lama and Guy Newland begin at the beginning and show you the road map through the direct realization of emptiness. The book by Jeffrey Hopkins is a very practical and astute guide to doing the emptiness meditations. The book by Jay Gareld is currently the most authoritative translation of Nagarjuna's great treatise on the Middle Way. And C.W. Huntington's book is an inspiring guide to some of the most profound and subtle work that the emptiness teachings can do. This list could have been ten or twenty in number. There are more books by these writers (including Nagarjuna, Chandrakirti and Tsong-kha-pa), as well as books and articles by Karl Brunnholzl, Daniel Cozort, Mario D'Amato, Georges Dreyfus, Anne C. Klein, Elizabeth Napper, Pabongka Rinpoche, Mark Siderits, Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso, Jan Westerhoff, Dogen Zenji, and many others. So here is the list. Each book's bibliographical information is followed by a link to its entry in our large CiteULike bibliography. From CiteULike, you will nd links to Amazon and more information about the book, such as its abstract or publisher's introduction where present. This list is given in order from 1 to 5. You can depart from this exact order, but I would recommend going through either (1) or (2) before tackling (3). Books (1) and (3) are experiential. I would recommend working your way closely through either one of them before reading either (4) or (5), as these latter two books require more familiarity with the emptiness teachings. But all of these books are extremely rewarding, and potentially life-changing.

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1. How to See Yourself As You Really Are

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H ow t o S ee Y ou rs ellf A s Y ou R ea y A re By H.H. the Dalai Lama. Ho w to Se e Yo ur se f As Yo u Re alllly Ar e. Translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins. New York. Atria Books (A Division of Simon & Schuster), 2006. http://www.citeulike.org/user/emptiness-co/article/9991027 A cc or diin g t o B ud dh st p sy ch ollo gy m os t o f o ur t ro ub es Ac co rd ng to Bu dd hiis t ps yc ho og y,, mo st of ou r tr ou blle s s te m f ro m a tt ac hm en t t o t hiin gs t ha t w e m st ak en y s ee a s st em fr om at ta ch me nt to th ng s th at we miis ta ke nlly se e as p er ma ne nt pe rm an en t.. Th e D alla L am a T he Da aii La ma This book is written from the broad perspective of one of the world's religious leaders, a leader whose goal is to promote world peace. But it is also remarkably accessible and pragmatic. It contains guidelines on how to get started meditating on emptiness, even including how to sit and how to avoid being too lax or too agitated during meditation. The book also discusses how to understand the relationship between emptiness and interdependence, how to understand the way things are set up by conceptualization, and what realizing emptiness tastes and feels like. One note: if you do use this book, be aware that the Oneness discussed and deconstructed in Chapter 13 is referring to the logical category of sameness or identity, in other words the opposite of difference. This chapter isn't trying to refute the togetherness sense of oneness, the sense that people talk about when they wish that all people could get along together. This sense of the word is being left in place. This kind of oneness is an important goal of the emptiness teachings! Overall, this is maybe the best single book to start with if you are new to a path of self-inquiry and wish to proceed with emptiness meditation. If you cannot nd a teacher for this emptiness approach, then this book is even better because it takes you every step of the way.

2. Introduction to Emptiness
IIn tr od uc tiio n t o E mp tiin es s:: A s T au gh t iin T so ng -k ha -p a''s G re at nt ro du ct on to Em pt ne ss As Ta ug ht n Ts on g- kh a- pa s Gr ea t T re at se o n t he S ta ge s o f t he P at h. By Guy Newland. Ithaca, New York. Tr ea tiis e on th e St ag es of th e Pa th Snow Lion Publications, 2008; Revised edition 2009. http://www.citeulike.org/user/emptiness-co/article/10007216 O ur u tt er lla ck o f a s ellf -e xiis te nt s ellf a n iin de pe nd en tlly Ou r ut te r ac k of a se f- ex st en t se f,, an nd ep en de nt y e xiis tiin g s ellf a n u tiim at elly r ea s ellf d oe s n ot m ea n t ha t ex st ng se f,, an ullt ma te y re all se f,, do es no t me an th at w e d o n ot e xiis t a t a P er so ns a nd o th er p he no me na d o we do no t ex st at allll.. Pe rs on s an d ot he r ph en om en a do e xiis t iin te rd ep en de nt y.. ex st nt er de pe nd en tlly Gu y N ew an d G uy Ne wlla nd This clear, concise (126-page) book is a very good one to start with. It is an introduction to Nagarjuna's emptiness teachings as interpreted by Tsong-kha-pa (13571419), the founder of the Gelug-ba tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The Gelug-ba tradition (which is also the current Dalai Lama's tradition) puts great emphasis on the emptiness teachings. There are many helpful, well-written books in print from this tradition. This book is such a good rst book on the emptiness teachings because it is written in everyday language, and it covers all the important points that one

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would need to get started, while not diminishing the transformational power of the emptiness teachings. The book does a particularly good job of showing how emptiness is not the same as utter nothingness, and how emptiness is not at all antithetical to conventional existence. In addition, this book discusses: why we would study emptiness teachings what the emptiness teachings eliminate and what they keep conventional vs. ultimate existence how to know if you are eliminating too much, or not enough why quieting the mind is important, but is not enough the importance of analysis for insight how to meditate on the emptiness of your self The book's list of further readings includes many of the same works we refer to on this site.

3. Emptiness Yoga
E mp tiin es s Y og a:: T he T be ta n M dd e W ay By Jeffrey Hopkins. Ithaca, Em pt ne ss Yo ga Th e Tiib et an Miid dlle Wa y. New York. Snow Lion Publications, 1995. http://www.citeulike.org/user/emptiness-co/article/9985923 ......t he iim ag st c,, c on ce pt ua p ar t o f t he c og niit on g ra du alllly th e ma giis tiic co nc ep tu all pa rt of th e co gn tiio n gr ad ua y d sa pp ea rs r es ullt ng iin n on -c on ce pt ua d re ct c og niit on o f diis ap pe ar s,, re su tiin g n no n- co nc ep tu all diir ec t co gn tiio n of e mp tiin es s.. em pt ne ss Je ff re y H op kiin s J ef fr ey Ho pk ns This is another very accessible introduction to the Nagarjunian-style emptiness meditation, and follows Tsongkha-pa's Tibetan presentation. It presumes the reader to posses a little more background information about spirituality than the Dalai Lama's H ow t o S ee Y ou rs ellf a s Y ou R ea y Ho w to Se e Yo ur se f as Yo u Re alllly A re does. I (Greg) have read this book over and over for many Ar e years until the pages wrinkled, crinkled and began to fall apart. I have also used this book as the principal text for introductory classes on the emptiness teachings. The rst chapters are about Tibetan Buddhist history and doctrine, which will not interest every student. The more practical material begins on page 55. This book is particularly strong on why the realization of emptiness requires more than just quieting the mind. It explains why inference, analysis and insight are needed, but makes them easy. It also discusses a little about other paths, including Vedanta. Maybe the best thing about this book is Hopkins's practical knowledge of how it all works. He talks about the pivotal importance of identifying the target of refutation, which is the thing that the emptiness meditations are designed to deconstruct. This is related to the razor's edge Middle Way point of not refuting too much and not refuting too little. Hopkins provides lots of guidance about clarifying the target. Overall, Hopkins is a friendly guide, showing you the thoroughly modern

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dodges, excuses, rationalizations and evasions that the mind can make when one goes through this profound inquiry. For the inquirer who wishes a more detailed presentation of this approach, Hopkins's exhaustive, 1017-page M ed ta tiio n o n E mp tiin es s is an excellent choice. Me diit at on on Em pt ne ss

4. The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way

T he F un da me nt all W sd om o f t he M dd e W ay N ag ar un a''s Th e Fu nd am en ta Wiis do m of th e Miid dlle Wa y:: Na ga rjju na s M ulla ma dh ya ma ka ka riik a. By Jay L. Gareld. Translation and commentary Mu am ad hy am ak ak ar ka on Nagarjuna's Treatise on the Middle Way. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. http://www.citeulike.org/user/emptiness-co/article/3065724 N ag ar un a,, w ho lliiv ed iin S ou th IIn diia iin a pp ro xiim at elly t he Na ga rjju na wh o ve d n So ut h nd a n ap pr ox ma te y th e s ec on d c en tu ry C E..,, iis u nd ou bt ed y t he m os t iim po rt an t,, se co nd ce nt ur y C..E s un do ub te dlly th e mo st mp or ta nt iin u en tiia a nd w de y s tu diie d M ah ay an a B ud dh st n ue nt all,, an d wiid elly st ud ed Ma ha ya na Bu dd hiis t p hiillo so ph er ph os op he r.. Ja y G ar e d J ay Ga r elld This has become the standard translation of Nagarjuna's greatly inuential treatise on the Middle Way, originally entitled M lla ma dh ya ma ka k riik . The translation and M am ad hy am ak ak r k commentary are written in a way to help someone familiar either with Madhyamika or with the Western philosophical tradition to benet from Nagarjuna's profound insights. Gareld's commentary is invaluable. It is helpful in three major ways. O ne the commentary helps clarify when Nagarjuna is speaking in his On e, own voice, and when he is quoting his opponent, summarizing an essentialist view he is about to refute. It would be very confusing not to know who is speaking, Nagarjuna or his opponent. T wo it helps see that nihilism and essentialism actually entail each Tw o, other. T hr ee it explains how Nagarjuna's teaching requires that emptiness Th re e, itself must be empty and how it cannot serve as a new, improved ground or foundation. There was one chapter, one verse actually, which became very important to me. It was verse IX:4 (p. 26) from Examination of the Prior Entity. IIf iit c an a biid e f t ca n ab de W th ou t t he s ee n,, e tc Wiit ho ut th e se en et c..,, T he n,, w th ou t a d ou bt Th en wiit ho ut a do ub t,, T he y c an a biid e w th ou t iit Th ey ca n ab de wiit ho ut t.. Na ga rjju na N ag ar un a This single verse revolutionized my understanding of emptiness, which I had been interpreting along the lines of Brahman/consciousness/awareness. When I began to study the emptiness teachings, I knew I wasn't really understanding them. I tended to interpret emptiness as another word for awareness, which is an English characterization for Advaita-Vedanta's Brahman. In Advaita, Brahman is the nature, essence and substance of all that is. It is being, knowledge, and happiness (sat, chit, and ananda). It became natural for me to read emptiness in the same way, as an essence

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that makes up everything else. I had a strong feeling that something was standing in the way of my understanding the emptiness teachings. For example, with my Advaitic presuppositions, I had not been able to understand the stanza from the Heart Sutra which said that emptiness is form. After all, awareness can't be form, since it can abide beyond all form. So when I read verse IX:4, I had a ash! I read this prior entity as awareness itself. Here is verse IX:4 positing a two way dependence! If the prior entity can abide without things seen, then they can abide without it. But things seen c an no t abide without the prior entity. Therefore, this prior ca nn ot entity cannot abide without them! The dependence was two-way, not just one-way, as I was assuming. This was a huge paradigm shift, and opened up a way for me to understand the emptiness teachings, including the Heart Sutra. I also recommend Gareld's book of essays E mp ty W or ds which has several Em pt y Wo rd s lively articles on cross-cultural understanding. Gareld is passionate about people in Western and Eastern traditions trying to understand the approach of the other. He has had lots of experience trying to explain each approach to those involved in the other approach. This kind of engagement with cross-cultural understanding is a down-to-earth, real-life demonstration of the emptiness of views, and can reduce our attachment to views.

5. The Emptiness of Emptiness

T he E mp tiin es s o f E mp tiin es s:: A n IIn tr od uc tiio n t o E ar y IIn diia n Th e Em pt ne ss of Em pt ne ss An nt ro du ct on to Ea rlly nd an M ad hy am ka By C.W. Huntington. With Geshe Namgyal Wangchen. Ma dh ya miik a. Honolulu: The University of Hawaii Press, 1989. http://www.citeulike.org/user/emptiness-co/article/10082054 II s ug ge st t ha t M ad hy am ka p hiillo so ph er s c an b es t b e su gg es t th at Ma dh ya miik a ph os op he rs ca n be st be u nd er st oo d b y e nt re y d sp os ng o f t he iid ea t ha t t he y a re un de rs to od by en tiir elly diis po siin g of th e de a th at th ey ar e p re se nt ng a s er es o f a rg um en ts a giin st o ne s et o f c aiim s pr es en tiin g a se riie s of ar gu me nt s ag ns t on e se t of clla ms a nd iin f av or o f a no th er R at he r,, a s R or ty h as s aiid a bo ut an d n fa vo r of an ot he r.. Ra th er as Ro rt y ha s sa d ab ou t t he p ra gm at st s,, Th ey w ou d s mp y lliik e t o c ha ng e t he th e pr ag ma tiis ts T he y wo ulld siim plly ke to ch an ge th e s ub ec t.. su bjje ct C..W H un tiin gt on C W.. Hu nt ng to n I must admit that this is one of my very favorite books on liberation. It is a beautiful translation and inuential commentary on Chandrakirti's great E nt ry iin to t he M dd e En tr y nt o th e Miid dlle W ay Madhyamika claims to be a self-deconstructing path, a Wa y. path which leaves you without attachments and without views. How can this be? Can one really be without any views at all? Isn't that itself a view? There are various ways to come to peace about this. Huntington reads Chandrakirti as saying that this is not a matter of settling on a better new view. Rather, it involves a transformation in how we engage life; it involves a radical change in our relationship to these sorts of issues. What I like very much about this book is that it links the Madhyamika approach to the anti-essentialism of Western thinkers such as Ludwig Wittgenstein, Jacques Derrida and Richard Rorty. This link gives the student a cross-cultural way to understand the emptiness teachings, and thereby broadens them signicantly. There are two more benets to this inuential and inspiring book. One benet is the sustained insight that emptiness itself must be empty for it to do the soteriological work it is asked to do. The other benet is the poetic,

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inspirational descriptions of the effects of emptiness meditation. It is almost as if you can savor the taste of emptiness from reading the text.
Author: Greg Goode
Tags: Nagarjuna hopkins garfield huntington rorty Derrida Wittgenstein dalai lama newland tsongkhapa chandrakirti

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