Shunya vs. Purna

Dr Parimal Devnath

12B174 Valvan

Lonavla : 410403

Pune Dist.

Concept of Shunya or Shunya-vaada was developed mainly by the Buddhists over a long period of time.  Many siddhaantas (doctrines) were built within Buddhism to explain the exact philosophical meaning of Shunya.  After Buddha, Naagarjuna and Maadhyamika schools interpreted Shunya  or emptiness positively.  Later on, this concept contributed significantly in shaping up the Mahaayaana doctrine and practice.  It is done in at least two ways:

i)                     Shunyataa is a state of perception in which one neither adds anything nor takes away anything from what is present.  This mode is achieved through a process of intense concentration and absence of disturbances.

ii)                  It is a meditative dwelling wherein one enters and remains in an internal emptiness.

Understanding and application of the principles of a-bhaava will help us well to examine the true nature of Shunya.  Shunya has a positive existence.  In this way, we can prove that Shunya is not a negative existence.  The logical examination on at least six arguments will give us conceptual clarity about Shunya being Absolute.

Bhaava means existence. A-bhaava means non-existence.  Non-existence essentially involves negation or denial of existence.  A-bhaava presupposes prior existence.  Without prior existence, negation of existence cannot be exercised at all.  Moreover, for this reason, a-bhaava is ‘even’ occurring in relation to time alone.  For example,  ‘now’ Raama is not present.  Conversely, it implies that Rama was present at an earlier point of time.

Existence can be perceived by senses at a given point of time and place.  Likewise, non-existence can be perceived or recognised.  Yet, it requires special kind of contact.  For example by using memory of mind.  One remembers ‘OM’ having been uttered a little while ago, which is absent to the ears ‘now’.

‘A-bhaava’ can be understood in different ways which are detailed as follows.  These are being applied to examine the nature of Shunya.

i)                    Praag-abhaava: prior non-existence.  a) An ‘effect’ or a ‘product’ comes into existence just because it was non-existent before it was produced.  It means that an ‘effect’ has a beginning.  b) Since it has a beginning, it must have an end also.  This is called corollary, natural concomitance or natural consequence.  Anything that is produced, has to be destroyed also.  For example, ‘OM’; prior to pronunciation of ‘O’, it was non-existent; therefore, it was not available to the ears.  Since it was non-existent, it was possible to produce it.  After the pronunciation, ‘O’ got destroyed.  After it was heard, it could not be heard at all.  So, anything that has a beginning will have an end too.

There exists no such case with Shunya.  There is no way to create Shunya.  Since Shunya has not been produced, it cannot be destroyed also.  Therefore, it is self-existent or ‘own-being’.  Shunya was there, is there and will be there.  Shunya is a-temporal and a-spatial.  Time and space do not affect Shunya.

ii)                   Pra-dhvamsa-abhaava: posterior non-existence.  Since it will be destroyed posterior to its production.  The production of ‘O’ of ‘OM’ ensures that it will not be available to the ears after the moment of its production.

No such case with Shunya.  Since Shunya cannot be created, so it also cannot be ‘non-available’ posterior to its production.

iii)                 Atyanta-abhaava: absolute non-existence or absolute negation in all times.  Denial of an existence at all times and in all places also.  For example, there exists a gap after ‘O’, but before ‘M’; at this point of gap nothing actually exists.  Between production of ‘O’ and ‘M’ nothing can exist.  It is the point of absolute non-existence.

No such case in regard to Shunya.  Shunya leaves no gap at all.  Shunya fills up all.

iv)                 Anyo-anyaabhaava: mutual non-existence.  It is denial of identity between two objects of same nature.  It is negation of one in relation to the other having specific nature.  When ‘O’ was created, ‘M’ was absent and vice versa.  Non-existence of ‘O’ in relation to ‘M’ is relative since both are of same nature.

No such case as regards Shunya.  Shunya has no comparison, no parallel.  Shunya is a loner.  Shunya cannot be compared with anything.  It has no substitute or alternative. That is why shunya is Absolute.

v)                  Kaalpanika- or asambhava-abhaava: imaginary or impossible non-existence.  It is not at all possible to materially fulfil these words since it is against the law of the nature.  Therefore, these are non-existent.  For elaboration on this, three examples can be produced: bandhyaa-putra (son of a sterile woman), aakaasha-kusuma (garden in the sky) and shasha-shringa (horn of a hare).  All these are impossible, hence are non-existent. 

This is not applicable to Shunya.  Existence of Shunya is not imaginary.  It is more real than anything else.

vi)                Relative absence (tulanaatmka-a-bhaava):  ‘There was no rain this year’: it does not mean that there was no rain at all, whereas it means that there was less rain this year in comparison to another year.

In case of Shunya, it does not apply.   Shunya cannot be less or more.

 

In case of a mundane object, how can absence (a-bhaava) be ascertained?  ‘There is Rama’.  How is the presence of Rama be ascertained?  By direct sense perception and also indirect sense perception.  Direct perception: by seeing Rama with eyes, by touching him with skin, by hearing his voice, by smelling him through nose, by tasting him with tongue.  Indirect perception (a-pratyaksha): through memory, hearing about him from authentic sources of information.  By use of inference existence of Rama can be ascertained.

Contrariwise, ‘There is no Rama’, how this ‘absence of Rama’ can be ascertained?  How can we perceive this ‘absence’.    Absence of Rama can be verified through reversing direct perception and indirect perception.  It is reversal of perception.  Yet, is Rama absolutely non-existent?  No.  Rama exists elsewhere or at another time.   If not elsewhere, he exists in the memory.  So absence (a-bhaava) of Rama is a ‘positive absence’.   Time and place have no effect on ‘positive absence’.  And this is about mundane objects. 

What to speak of Shunya which is all-pervading subject and is ‘positively in existence’?  It is not possible to say that Shunya is now present and then not present or here it is present and there it is not present. 

Nature of Shunya

It is Shunya that pervades all directions for all time.  Shunya is Absolute.  Conversely, Absolute is essentially Shunya.  Shunya is limitless.  Shunya is not an object.  An object cannot cover all the directions for all time.   Shunya, which is not an object, cannot therefore be perceived by five (or six) senses or even by inference.  

Shunya is ‘positive existence’.  Shunya does exist positively, because the limitless universe floats in it.  Otherwise in what else does the fathomless universe take shelter!  A speck of dust to a big mountain, all find existence in Shunya.

Shunya is the cradle of the creation; it is boundless, unconditional and supreme.  Shunya is the subject, knower of all things.  Nay, Shunya is the subject of all subjects.  Shunya is the supreme subject.

Shunya cannot be reduced nor can it be expanded the slightest.  That means space has no effect on Shunya.   All objects are affected by time and space, but not Shunya.  That is why Shunya is eternal.  It is permanent and nothing can be done about it.  It is kutastha nitya— firmly placed forever.  Shunya does not undergo any mutation at all.  It is only Shunya that does not undergo any change whatsoever.  Even Ishvara and Brahma (the creative faculties of the universe) are subject to modification.     

Shunya is attributeless.  No quality (guna) can be attached to Shunya.  It has no colour.  It is ‘absolute colourlessness’.

All descriptions of Parama Brahma available in the Advaita Vedaanta can be easily applied to Shunya and vice versa.

Therefore Shunya is Purna.  If there is anything Purna, it is Shunya.

The Vedic Rishis were falling short of words to describe the ‘origin of all sources’ in creation.  They therefore drew contentment by saying: ‘naasad-aasin-no sad-aasit’: ‘was it there or was it not’!  It is this positive Shunya that they were talking about.  It forms the famous Naasadiya Sukta of the Rigveda.