the mahayana scriptures teach that sunyata is not an entry point to the mahayana but an understanding that develops after advanced spiritual practice

it is at the heart of prajnaparamita, the perfection of wisdom, which is not something that you teach in one lesson and instantly understand and realize

equally important to this perfection of wisdom is the perfection of skillful means, of understanding the capacity of beings to understand and leading them according to these capacities, which comes through the perfection of compassion

this is the entry to the ocean, while sunyata and the perfection of true wisdom is the utter depths

謂彼菩薩宿業因縁生五濁世有餘善根近善知識歸趣甚深大乘之法發無上心智慧微淺
suppose such a bodhisattva's latent karma should cause him to be born in a world of the five defilements, but in possession of other good roots, causing him to approach good knowledge, and he should take refuge in the most profound dharma of the mahayana, establishing the intention of highest enlightenment, though his wisdom is shallow and lacking
是初發心菩薩又從他聞甚深空法讀誦受持復於少智愚癡人前讀誦解説
This bodhisattva newly established in his intention then hears from others the most profound dharma of sunyata, reciting and memorizing it, and then before foolish people of little understanding recites and teaches it again in turn
餘人聞已驚疑怖畏於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心生退沒樂聲聞乘
These others, having heard this, would be startled, doubtful, and afraid, their minds turning away from perfect enlightenment, and taking pleasure instead in the lesser vehicle of the sravakas
是名初發心菩薩犯於第一根本重罪先所修習一切善根皆悉燒然墮於惡趣離安隱處
this constitutes the transgression of the first great basal sin of the bodhisattva newly established in intention, by which all his previously gathered good roots should be burned away, falling into lower paths, away from places of respite

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Can Buddhist emptiness (śūnyatā) offer a way to overcome Western nihilism?