The Primordial Buddha is the self-originating, self-emanating Buddha, who existed eternally before anything else...

“I am the core of all that exists. I am the seed of all that exists. I am the cause of all that exists. I am the trunk of all that exists. I am the foundation of all that exists. I am the root of existence. I am ‘the core’ because I contain all phenomena. I am ‘the seed’ because I give birth to everything. I am ‘the cause’ because all comes from me. I am ‘the trunk’ because the ramifications of every event sprout from me. I am ‘the foundation’ because all abides in me. I am called ‘the root’ because I am everything” - Samantabhadra Buddha

This is very similar to what Krishna says:
"O son of Pṛthā, know that I am the original seed of all existences, the intelligence of the intelligent, and the prowess of all powerful men" (Bhagavad Gita, 7.10)

"O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread" (BG 7.7)

"It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father" (BG 14.4)

What a bunch of mumbo jumbo, Buddha equals total emptiness... God-Conscience works in emptiness...

What a bunch of mumbo jumbo, Buddha equals total emptiness... God-Conscience works in emptiness...

Where'd you get that from? Buddha doesn't equal total emptiness...

Neither quote has anything to do with the common western conceptions of God. Christians are very careful to point out that God is not synonymous with everything, He is separate from it, controlling from without.

Where'd you get that from? Buddha doesn't equal total emptiness...


Understanding Emptiness According to the Middle Way:

The pure understanding of emptiness as taught by Buddha and elaborated by the great Nagarjuna and subsequently by his two main disciples, Buddhapalita and Chandrakirti, is the understanding of emptiness according to the middle way: completely negating the inherently existent self whilst maintaining the existence of the self that is commonly known to everyone without damaging it. This realization is what Lama Tsong Khapa called the union of the two truths. This means that although our self lacks an inherently existent nature, it nevertheless exists and carries out activities, good actions leading to happiness and bad actions lead to unhappiness. Each and every thing that exists has two natures: an ultimate nature and a conventional nature. By understanding the ultimate nature we can get rid of our deeply ingrained misconception of the things we perceive and experience; by understanding the conventional nature we have no trouble understanding the law of cause and effect.
It is most important that we differentiate between which kind of self should be negated and which should be maintained. If we negate too much, we will find it difficult to maintain the self that is commonly known to us and that is the base of our identification. If we negate this normal self, we will have problems in maintaining our understanding of the law of cause and effect. We will see no point in virtuous actions and not understand that our suffering is the result of past non-virtuous actions. This is the extreme of nihilism.

Excerpt from 'Awakening the Mind - Basic Buddhist Meditations'
by Geshe Namgyal Wangchen

"The Wisdom that realizes the emptiness of the inherently existent self is the mother of both those who reach beyond the suffering of cyclic existence for their own peace and those who attain enlightenment for the sake of all beings."

"The nihilistic view only leads to the misery of taking rebirth in the lower realms and eternalism binds us to the suffering of cyclic existence. Therefore only the middle way, which is free from these two extreme views, can leads us to true liberation.
In the traditional analytical contemplation on emptiness there are three stages:
1. Recognizing the appearance of the inherently existent self
2. Negating the inherently existent self
3. Maintaing the meditation on the emptiness of the inherently existent self."

"All those who go beyond cyclic existence have attained their liberation through the perfect teachings of the Enlightened Ones. These are born from Bodhisattvas who fully develop themselves to benefit others. Bodhisattvas in turn are born from three seeds only: the realization of emptiness the mind of enlightenment and great compassion.
If we look at the origin of our anger, attachment and so on, we can clearly see from our own experience that they arise from our misconception of self, holding the view the 'I' exists inherently. Thus it is clear why only the realization of emptiness has the power to cut our delusions completely. No matter how much and for how long we might concentrate on developing the other virtuous paths, such as single-pointed mind, morality, patience and so on, until the truth of emptiness is correctly realized."

Neither quote has anything to do with the common western conceptions of God. Christians are very careful to point out that God is not synonymous with everything, He is separate from it, controlling from without.

Well, Christians have it wrong

Neither quote has anything to do with the common western conceptions of God. Christians are very careful to point out that God is not synonymous with everything, He is separate from it, controlling from without.
Well I'm sure most Westerners will agree that is everywhere in a sense, also although God is everything in a sense, he is not everything itself, he is the origin of everything, the source, independant from this world...


Understanding Emptiness According to the Middle Way:

The pure understanding of emptiness as taught by Buddha and elaborated by the great Nagarjuna and subsequently by his two main disciples, Buddhapalita and Chandrakirti, is the understanding of emptiness according to the middle way: completely negating the inherently existent self whilst maintaining the existence of the self that is commonly known to everyone without damaging it. This realization is what Lama Tsong Khapa called the union of the two truths. This means that although our self lacks an inherently existent nature, it nevertheless exists and carries out activities, good actions leading to happiness and bad actions lead to unhappiness. Each and every thing that exists has two natures: an ultimate nature and a conventional nature. By understanding the ultimate nature we can get rid of our deeply ingrained misconception of the things we perceive and experience; by understanding the conventional nature we have no trouble understanding the law of cause and effect.
It is most important that we differentiate between which kind of self should be negated and which should be maintained. If we negate too much, we will find it difficult to maintain the self that is commonly known to us and that is the base of our identification. If we negate this normal self, we will have problems in maintaining our understanding of the law of cause and effect. We will see no point in virtuous actions and not understand that our suffering is the result of past non-virtuous actions. This is the extreme of nihilism.

Excerpt from 'Awakening the Mind - Basic Buddhist Meditations'
by Geshe Namgyal Wangchen
Just as I thought, it's just a useless commentary, got any primary sources you know where Gautama Buddha actually teaches it? Gautama Buddha does teach emptiness on a few occassions, but it's hardly ever emphasized, rather nirvana, the highest bliss, the end of all suffering, is emphasized

Most people confuse emptiness with voidness or nothingess, which is why I don't like the term emptiness....

Well Vital, you are wrong, and I´m wrong; maybe Spidergoat has it right. But one thing is certain: God is within, and without.

Well Vital, you are wrong, and I´m wrong; maybe Spidergoat has it right. But one thing is certain: God is within, and without.

Or maybe we're all right except for you

Or maybe we're all right except for you

Yes man, you are right.