Transformative experiences of emptiness or śūnyatā-yoga are encouraged in both the wisdom traditions of existentialism and Mahāyāna Buddhism. As well as having powerful transformative potential, there are dangers associated with these experiences that should be considered. The dangers of agenda driven ethical relativism, evoking terror, and other abuses of power potentially associated with encouraging śūnyatā-yoga are somewhat abated by a freely organized egalitarian community of wisdom practitioners guided by a lineage of teachers, a supportive community and the ethical discipline of compassion. This is the appropriately non-harmful context for transformative philosophy that utilizes śūnyatā-yoga. To use Robert Aitken’s typically humble phrase; this ‘think piece’ defends this vision in light of criticisms that will flow naturally in the 'western' academic context.
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