20241120- Four Topics in Buddhism

In Buddhism, these are the four topics it covers: suffering, the origin of suffering, and the way to release from suffering. To be released from suffering, Buddha told us to have wisdom and compassion (자비). These two concepts are connected.

 

In Buddhism, wisdom means knowing that everything is 공 (emptiness). Although its Chinese character and English translation often convey the meaning of “empty,” it’s actually not like that. 공 means that nothing can exist independently. The existence of something is founded on its relationship with other things. The numerous interactions between those things eventually decide one’s form. Therefore, there is no such thing as an independent, atomized existence.

By accepting this wisdom, we can naturally release our attachment to ourselves and hold compassion (자비).

 

Compassion means caring for the other things that make up who we are. That’s why in Buddhism, they often say “다르지 않다” (not different). It points out that we share the same root or something.

This image reminds me of the one in Evangelion, where everything starts from the AT field and goes back to the AT field.