Summary

Another term for the concept of the formless in Buddhist philosophy is emptiness. Basically, this idea says that there are apparent forms of things in the world, but those things do not actually contain any inherent meaning. Of course, this is an extreme viewpoint compared to what most people in the world currently believe. It may seem bleak or depressing, but Wright points out it can be far from that.

Furthermore, attaining this mindset of seeing the world as empty is an essential step on the path to enlightenment. Rather than removing all meaning from life, this view can allow one to create a new framework for meaning in one’s life. In this way, one can shape one’s views optimally to create happiness, rather than operating on a default.

From a psychological perspective, Wright argues, we are constantly producing...