Q7. What Should a Householder Study?
~ By Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu ~
This Dhamma, said to resemble a raft, is just as applicable for householders as it is for home-leavers.* If we are to answer in accordance with what the Buddha taught, then we must say, ‘Householders should study all the suttantas, that is, the heart of the Tathāgata’s discourses concerning suññatā (emptiness).’
These suttantas are well-organized expositions of the teaching. They constitute a good system forming the pithy substance or heart of the teaching. Sutta means ‘discourse’ and anta means ‘end.’ Hence, a suttanta is a discourse that is well set out, well ordered, and the core subject matter of something. It is like the word vedanta. Veda is ‘knowledge’; vedanta is substantial knowledge well set out and systematically arranged.
Remember this word suttanta. It has been oversimplified and misunderstood as the fables one hears in some temples. Actually, the suttantas are utterances of the Tathāgata, that is, what the Buddha taught and especially those connected with suññatā (emptiness). When householders ask how they are to practice Dhamma for the most enduring benefits and happiness, the Buddha replied that they should ‘Train in and penetrate to the meaning of suttantas that are spoken by the Tathāgata, profound, deep in the meaning, world transcending, and connected especially with emptiness.’**
This word suññatā may seem strange to you, but don’t lose heart just yet, because it happens to be the most important word in Buddhism. Please listen carefully. The word suññatā may be translated as ‘emptiness.’ But the word ‘empty’ has several usages and meanings. The suññatā of the Buddha doesn’t mean material emptiness, it isn’t a physical vacuum devoid of any substance. Not at all! Suññatā is emptiness regarding spiritual matters and refers to the essential nature of things. All sorts of things may be present, as many things as would fill the whole world, but the Buddha taught that they are empty, or have the property of emptiness, because there’s nothing in any of them that either is an essential self or belongs to a self. The aim of this perspective is, once again, non-clinging regarding all things. Householders should study in particular those sayings of the Buddha that deal with suññatā. Generally, this subject has been misunderstood as being too lofty for householders. The reason for this is simply that too few people wish to practice according to these sayings of the Buddha. So please keep clearly in mind that even a householder must study about, practice, and then discover suññatā. It isn’t only for home-leavers.
I hope, then, that you, as householders, will no longer be afraid of the word suññatā or of the subject of suññatā. Take steps to increase your knowledge and understanding of it. Suññatā is a theme requiring subtle and delicate explanation; it may take a long time. Consequently, we have discussed only the actual core of the matter, just its essence – and that is enough – namely, emptiness of the notion of ‘being self’ or ‘belonging to self.’ If mind realizes that there’s nothing that is self and that there’s nothing that belongs to self, mind is ‘empty’ and free. ‘This world is empty’ means just this.
(*) Pabbajita, those who go out from the householder life to be less encumbered in their spiritual practice. (**) Ye te suttantā tathāgatabhāsitā gambhīrā gambhīrātthā lokuttarā suññatāppaṭisaṃyuttā.
(From “Buddha-Dhamma for Inquiring Minds”)
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Buddha-Dhamma for Students (title of original translation) was composed of two talks given by Ajahn Buddhadāsa in January 1966 to students at Thammasat University, Bangkok. It was translated from the Thai by Rod Bucknell, and revised in 2018 by Santikaro Upasaka. To read/download as free ebook (pdf).
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Photo: Buddhadāsa Indapañño Archives D-229