The Sanskrit term Bahirdhāśūnyatā can be transliterated into English as Bahirdhasunyata or Bahirdhashunyata, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Bahirdhāśūnyatā (बहिर्धाशून्यता) or simply Bahirdhā refers to the “emptiness of external dharmas”, representing one of the sixteen or eighteen emptinesses (śūnyatā), according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XLVIII. Accordingly, “what is the emptiness of external dharmas (bahirdhāśūnyatā)? External dharmas are color, sound, smell, taste, tangible and dharmas. And yet color is empty of color because it is neither eternal nor transitory. Why? Because such is its essence. Likewise, sound, smell, taste, tangible and dharma. Why? Because such is its essence. That is called: emptiness of external dharmas (bahirdhā-śūnyatā)”.

Outer emptiness (bahirdhāśūnyatā).—Outer dharmas (bahirdhādharma) are empty of outer dharmas. The outer dharmas are the six external bases of consciousness (ṣaḍ-bahirdhāyatana): color (rūpa), sound (śabda), smell (gandha), taste (rasa), tangible (spraṣṭavya) and dharma. Color is empty: in it there is no ‘me’ or ‘mine’, and there is no dharma ‘color’. It is the same for sound, smell, taste, tangible and dharma.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Bahirdhāśūnyatā (बहिर्धाशून्यता) or simply bahirdhā refers to “external emptiness” one of the “twenty emptinesses” (śūnyatā) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 41). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., bahirdhā-śūnyatā). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Bahirdha, Shunyata.

Full-text: Shunyata, Bahirdha, Shunyatashunyata, Shodashashunyata.

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Search found 2 books and stories containing Bahirdhashunyata, Bahirdha-shunyata, Bahirdhā-śūnyatā, Bahirdha-sunyata, Bahirdhāśūnyatā, Bahirdhasunyata; (plurals include: Bahirdhashunyatas, shunyatas, śūnyatās, sunyatas, Bahirdhāśūnyatās, Bahirdhasunyatas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)

IV. The emptinesses (śūnyatā) in the great Prajñāpāramitā-sūtras < [Note on emptiness (śūnyatā)]

Chapter XLVIII - The Eighteen Emptinesses

Emptinesses 16 to 18 < [Chapter XLVIII - The Eighteen Emptinesses]

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Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra

Chapter XXII - On Pure Actions (b) < [Section Four]

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