Emptiness: Empty of What? | Thich Nhat Hanh

In this short teaching from the Plum Village app, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh explains the meaning of Emptiness, one of the Three Doors of Liberation in Buddhist practice.

In this talk, Thich Nhat Hanh clarifies a common misunderstanding about emptiness. In Buddhism, emptiness does not mean that nothing exists. Instead, it means that things are empty of a separate, independent self and exist through interconnection with everything else.

With his gentle and accessible style, Thich Nhat Hanh shows how understanding emptiness helps us see the reality of interbeing—that all things arise together through causes and conditions. This insight can free us from attachment, fear, and misunderstanding, opening the way to greater peace, compassion, and wisdom.

This short teaching offers a clear introduction to one of the Buddha’s profound insights and how it can be applied in everyday life.