What is Nothing?

Originally Posted by Sybilline

Can nothing even exist? Or can it only ever exist in the mind, or in theory/philosophy?

Empty space is not empty, it has air and molecules and stuff. Space is not empty, there are wormholes, asteroids, etc. Dark matter is not nothing, it's a huge mass of energy. Parts of space that have "nothing", no atoms, small particles, still have gravity, and radiowaves, and photons running through them.

Another random thought...

Nothing is the absence of all knowledge.

Originally Posted by necta3

"Can one grasp that the zero contains all the numbers? So in nothing all the world exists." j.k.

i don't get it ^ but it sounds relevant and someone might get it or its nonsense heh

Maybe it's because in nothingness, something can exist and that is possibility, where everything is birthed from? Hahahaa I don't know

Originally Posted by Sybilline

Maybe it's because in nothingness, something can exist and that is possibility, where everything is birthed from? Hahahaa I don't know

Actually I once saw some program about that. A scientist explained that if you strip a bit of space from everything and leave nothing in it then that state is so unstable that things will be created and vanish very rapidly (on atomic level or smaller, I don't remember everything as it is a while ago). He even theorised that it is possible that the big bang was created in such a way, that a random particle with the correct properties was created that was so heavy that it collapsed on it's own weight etc etc.

Hmm!! Sounds familiar Denial! I might have to look it up, I swear I have heard of something similar to that, too.

[PatThagoras]

I just read The Dancing Wu-Li Masters, it wasn't all it was hyped up to be but it was still pretty awesome.
Basically "particles" like photons, electrons, protons etc... are not particles because they act like waves when you put them through certain experiments (the double slit). They are not waves either because they act like particles in other experiments. There was even this experiment where some dude bounced, I believe it was an electron (particle) off a gamma ray (wave) and measured the amount the gamma wave was deflected (only particles can be "deflected") by measuring the change in amplitude (only waves have amplitude)! Basically physicists only call particles Particles to make it easier to describe them.

Those particles/waves are not even consistent. A proton isn't just a proton, it will spontaneously change into a neutron and a positively charged quark (not sure what it's called), and it will have more mass. All particles do this, which I think is where the quantum field theory comes from. It says that matter is some kind of field that interacts with the field of another particle to create new ones. When you smash two particles together you end up getting the same particles again, and more!

The reason I wrote all that is the same as the point of the book: to change the way you think about particles. They are not just little building blocks, they are a weird, constantly changing field.

You've probably heard that nothingness isn't empty.. That's because "nothing" is the same way. You can have a complete vacuum one moment, then that nothing will turn into some particles, and then it will turn back into nothing.

"Nothing" in terms of mysticism is that which no name can be applied to nor any question be asked of because neither fits....hence the 'nothing' it is also said it cannot be experienced because that which is thought of as an experiencer is it.
Wrestling with language, it could be said, when the experiencer is in abeyance "nothing" is uncovered.

There may be some confusion trying to equate space with "Nothing", as Nothing is often seen as the womb of phenomena, phenomena having no existance apart from Nothing, as such space does not exist. Where there is no solid object there is no space, where there is no space something cannot be said to 'exist'

The best word i had to invent by reason of desperation to express, is spacelessness.

[relinquish]

This is my take on 'nothingness'.

The most fundamental aspect of any'thing' is the totality of everything 'else' that is not that thing.

In anything, we can see everything.

In truth, there are no 'particular things'.

There is only 'What IS'.

'What IS' does not require anything 'else' in order for 'it' to exist, and so exists causelessly, without another, forever and ever.

Therefore, 'What IS' can not be 'something'.

'What IS' is actually 'nothing', and so remains eternaly 'un-manifested'.

This causeless, infinite 'ISness' is the most real possible reality.

'IT' simply 'IS'.

Forever necessarily from this infinite, eternal reality apparently arises it's absolute opposite.

This apparent manifestation is itself an illusory effect that doesn't actually exist separately from the eternal nothingness of 'What IS', and so takes presicely the form of what ISN'T.

What ISN'T is 'duality'.

I.E., Movement/stillness, change/changelessness, absolute chaos/absolute order, form/emptiness, sound/silence, structure/foundation, observed/observer.

From this illusory arising of duality emanates the apparent 'manyness' known as 'everything'.

Therefore, everything is actually nothing, appearing as many things.

Peace :)

Nothings isnt and something is. The only thing that nothing is a blank slate for creation and life, thats really all you can say about it. Look into space at night and realize that the blackness was there before the big bang. You can say it goes on forever but that would be implying theres something. Its space... When buddhist say nothing or emptiness its just not grabbing onto thoughts or emotions. Empty of thoughts full of love.

[Miss Hepburn]

Nothing or The Nothing or Nothingness is used by many Eastern teachers
And refered to in many stories.
It is The Void.
Or the Night of Brahman or Brahma.
It must be experienced to know.
It is before creation and yet exists at the same time...tho the creation is created...
The Void is on the flipside still.

When there, wowsa, It is Absolute Pure Nothingness...except One
Awareness or Consciousness....One...No other at all...anywhere...like a vacuum...
I wasn't scared...but startled enough in awe...I got outta there fast.

It has also been described as before creation...the Dream of Brahma...oh, I remember a story of someone that slipped out of the mouth of Brahma into that Void...I suppose that described my experience...I would handle it better this time...because I'd be ok realizing I was That One Pure Consciousness, now.
I'm a grown up now.

Nothing is my savings account!