The Category of Emptiness of Being (Shunya) in Bengal Vaishnavism

The concept of “emptiness” in existence has a long philosophical and religious history. Its use ranges from philosophical and religious texts to holistic psychology and classical literature. “Emptiness” is a significant issue in many philosophical systems. This article presents a religious and philosophical interpretation of “emptiness” from the perspective of Bengali Vaishnavism. In the study of Vishnu philosophy, it has received little attention from researchers compared to the concept of “emptiness” in Buddhism. This article discusses the development of the concept of “emptiness” by various representatives of Bengali Vishnuism (Baladeva Vidyabhushana, Chaitanya, Krishnadasa Kaviraja, Rupa Goswami, Bhaktivedanta). The use of the term “emptiness” or “shunya” in various medieval Vaishnavism texts is explained. The opposition of the category of “emptiness” (shunya) in Buddhist and Vaishnava philosophy is noted. Based on the analysis of sources, it was revealed that the category of shunya appears in three aspects among Vaishnavas: as the emptiness of God from material designations and the emptiness of a living being from pride at the level of theoretical philosophy; emptiness from wrong motivations at the level of spiritual discipline; emptiness from the desire to criticize another and the emptiness of the world in a state of separation from God at the level of perfection of life, i.e. absolute love.