The Concept of Śūnyatā in Madhyamaka and Yogācāra

Abstract

This research article aims to achieve three objectives: 1) To study the concept of Śūnyatā in the Madhyamaka school, 2) To study the concept of Śūnyatā in the Yogācāra school, and 3) To conduct a comparative analysis of the concept of Śūnyatā in Madhyamaka and Yogācāra. The study primarily relies on the texts Mūlamadhyamakakārikā and Trisvabhāvanirdeśa, along with other relevant documents and research, as the basis for examining and comparing the concept of Śūnyatā in these two schools. The findings reveal that the concept of Śūnyatā in both schools is similar at the level of conventional truth (saṃvṛtisatya), in that everything is considered empty due to interdependent origination. However, at the ultimate level (paramārtha), Yogācāra holds that Nirvāṇa, as the result of realizing Śūnyatā, exists independently without relying on any conditions. It arises from perceiving the pure flow of consciousness, free from the dualistic view of a perceiver and the perceived. Yogācāra asserts that Nirvāṇa, as a supramundane truth (lokuttara-dharma), possesses inherent existence (svabhāva). In contrast, Madhyamaka maintains that even Nirvāṇa arises through interdependent origination, meaning that it cannot exist independently and requires conditions to come into being. Therefore, according to Madhyamaka, Nirvāṇa is also devoid of inherent existence (asvabhāva).