Cyberpi,
As I hinted before, I would not like to speak for "Buddhism". "Buddhism" is as vast as Christianity, with many mansions. I speak from out of Dharma practice, which in a sense is "Buddhism" converted into Upaya - skilful means - appropriate to the individual. Many Buddhists would question a lot of what I say, even suggest that many Pure Land teachings corrupt the "true" Buddhist teachings. Anyway, in effect, I "work out my own salvation in fear and trembling".
I used the word "given" - and the phrase "all is given" - in the sense of "enlightenment/salvation". Grace is pure gift, though it may need to be refreshed and affirmed within each succeeding moment of time.............we can stray! Enlightenment is not the end result of knowledge, not the accumulation of knowledge. "Truth" is not the end result of a gradual ascension. The object distinguishing consciousness will just involve us in a labyrinth of interminable complexities. As I said before, Shin (Pure Land) Buddhism speaks of a "transcendent leap to the side" as opposed to a seeming progress forward which is, in reality, without end and therefore is ultimately futile. All IMHO of course!
And speaking generally, Buddhism is deeply empirical.
Ehipassiko............"come and see for oneself". One or two of the foundational texts drawn from the Pali Canon of scripture speak of what is wise to reflect upon, and what is unwise to reflect upon; of just what the Buddha declares and what he does not declare. "I speak of this alone, suffering and the ending of suffering". The Buddha himself spoke of the teachings he gave as representing a handful of leaves - yet what he
knew as the leaves of the entire forest. And the Kalama Sutta has often been quoted on various forums..........
Do not be satisfied with hearsay or with tradition or with legendary lore or with what has come down in scriptures or with conjecture or with logical inference or with weighing the evidence or with liking for a view after pondering over it or with someone else's ability or with the thought "The monk is our teacher." When you know in yourselves: "These things are wholesome, blameless, commended by the wise, and being adopted and put into effect they lead to welfare and happiness," then you should practice and abide in them.....
As far as the use of the word "empty" is concerned, I would advise you to go onto a Buddhist forum for an indepth understanding from a Buddhist perspective. My own head quickly turns to jelly when such things are spoken of and discussed. I would just say that the use of the word empty has absolutely no nihilistic overtones..............."all is not" is rejected as much as "all is". Once again, the Buddha sought not to give a final speculative answer but to be free of all theories and to know, by experience, "the nature of form and how form arises and how form perishes." He wanted "not a third position lying between two extremes but a no-position that supercedes them both". (Merton, drawn from his Journals) The Buddha sought to overcome the world, not by mere denial, but by showing forth its true nature..........In effect, "reality" will look after itself, and be itself, when our "views" concerning it fall away as being found to be superfluous.
And I would say, in light of this, that the gift IS. It has no need to come from anywhere.
Hopefully I have not confused things further.
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