Alright I can answer that~!! Hahaha~
Consider this, count from 1 - 10 using fingers. On the 11th you have to consider there is 10 before then you count 1 more to become 11.
Although the idea of Emptiness or Zero comes from India, the conceptual binding into the actualization that we can think beyond the complexity of consistant balancing act we call life (Zhong Yong calls it the middle) comes from confucian theories.
Zero = Empty, very simple logic. However in the same notion is 1+1 really 2? How about 0+0? Simple test and essence of confucian theory comes from adding of tear drops. If you have 1 tear drop and then you add 1 more, you should have 2 tear drops. Mathmatically it is true. However if you droped 2nd tear drop on top of 1st one, you only have 1 seemingly larger (** very important) tear drop. Where did one other actual tear drop go? This isn't some metaphor science, this is an actual response to the ideas that rules our lives. The reader reading this text has 1 idea, then reads 1 such as this one then it becomes the part of the first idea (hopefully seemingly larger but it could have negative effect and bring it to zero). This is just a dust off of Emptiness and its creation in our minds.
No matter who is writing and who is explaining regarding the vast definition and movements of the Eastern Philosophy, emptiness is the core of which all people strive toward and base its ideas from. Many people may consider themselves to be wise and diplomatic and be able to descipher the Republic and consider themselves to have the Truth. Yet at the same time, they fail to commit that people (in real life) have to interact with other people (not just person but starting with family, neighbor, group, city etc etc). Not only do we need to interact but we have to interact sufficiently otherwise we become outcasts. This is the real problem we face and why this emptiness is the most delicate and most difficult translation of its kind.
The same reason is based for western philosophy to literally ridicule and trash the concept and mock the entire thing as the reason that eastern countries have failed. (personally, I would love to see entire Europe in constant battle for 4,000 years and see what kind of theory comes out of it)
0+0 in real life create love, faith, devotion, family, neighborhood, cities, counties, states, countries. Nothing bares nothing thus nothing is everything is written in sanscript but you have to have the knowledge in Chinese emptiness to have such idea. This concept is very dense so I don't expect everyone to get it the first time through it, however I believe what confucious said is true (that man must become age of 30 in order to understand his chi) and believe some of you with enough responsibility will adept to emptiness idea sooner than those without.
Comments
That covers a lot in a nutshell. But why leave it there, eh?
This relates to a process I've notice both as a teacher and student, and I've found it applies universally, regardless of what's being taught, who is learning, and who or what (*) is teaching. It goes like this:
Students can't tell teachers how to teach.
Each teacher has his own innate way to teach.
Each student has his own innate way of learning..
Teachers attend to the 'best' students.
Teachers ignore the 'worst' students.
[chref=41]The best student[/chref] is one who sets aside his 'comfort zone' and jumps in, giving it all he has got. [chref=41]The worst student[/chref] is one who has myriad excuses, who wants the 'teaching' on his terms, wants only part of the 'teaching', wants only a 'teaching' delivered in a particular way or at a particular time or place.
If a student has a teacher from whom he truly wants to learn some '[chref=27]essential[/chref]', he is wise to heed this process. Otherwise he will lose the opportunity hoping instead to win the next. Yet another never comes! The opportunity is now - only now. Seize the moment, seize the opportunity. Jump!
(*) Note: the 'teacher' or 'teaching' can be anything at all, not just human in nature. Although, most 'teacher student' relationships take place in a human social context. I'm somewhat [chref=20]different from others[/chref] in that way; perhaps you are as well? All [chref=51]circumstances[/chref] show us the way - especially when we jump right in with eyes wide open. Simply put: All circumstances are our teachers. All learning rests in the 'eyes and hands' of the student.