<p>You've asked for a Mahayana text, which may or may not include MN121, in which the Buddha says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/mn121/en/sujato" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MN121</a> Whatever ascetics and brahmins enter and remain in the pure, ultimate, supreme emptiness—whether in the past, future, or present—all of them enter and remain in this same pure, ultimate, supreme emptiness.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Although &quot;emptiness&quot; is probably what you meant by &quot;void&quot;, it's worth noting that Early Buddhist Texts (EBTs) discuss several terms which can get conflated with &quot;void.&quot; Let's look at some of these:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/an9.41/en/sujato#an9.41:11.2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AN9.41:11.2</a>: ‘Why don’t I, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that “space is infinite”, enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space?’</p>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/an9.41/en/sujato#an9.41:13.2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AN9.41:13.2</a>: ‘Why don’t I, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that “there is nothing at all”, enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness?’</p>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn41.6/en/sujato#sn41.6:3.2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN41.6:3.2</a>: “But sir, how does someone attain the cessation of perception and feeling?”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The above three experiences are differentiated and transitional states leading to the experience and practice described in MN121:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/mn121/en/sujato#mn121:3.3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MN121:3.3</a>: ‘Ānanda, these days I usually practice the meditation on emptiness.’</p>
</blockquote>

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2020-05-29T18:35:23.087Z
Very nice. I always meditate on emptiness also.
Malik A
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2020-05-29T18:21:17.393Z
2020-05-29T18:21:17.393Z
2020-06-17T09:56:10.877Z
OyaMist
<p>I remember reading about the characteristics of the or a Buddha, and one of them was “a Buddha is always focused on voidness.” Sadly I did not save the website and don’t remember where this was written. Now to the question. What are the mental characteristics of a Buddha? Can you give me a list? I don’t mean the nine qualities. It is a different list, a less common one. It should include the point I mentioned and be of mahayana origin.</p>

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2020-05-29T13:11:54.057Z
You've asked for a Mahayana text, which may or may not include MN121, in which the Buddha says: Whatever ascetics and brahmins enter and remain in the pure, ultimate, supreme emptiness—whether in the past, future, or present—all of them enter and remain in this same pure, ultimate, supreme emptiness. https://suttacentral.net/mn121/en/sujato
OyaMist
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2020-05-29T16:16:03.870Z
That’s pretty good. Maybe the list was Theravada I don’t really remember. But thanks anyways, this is at least something.
Malik A
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-29T18:21:59.377Z
I've elaborated on the MN121 quote. Perhaps that may be useful.
OyaMist
<mahayana><buddha>
Buddha Always focused on voidness?
# Buddha Always focused on voidness?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-05-28)

I remember reading about the characteristics of the or a Buddha, and one of them was “a Buddha is always focused on voidness.” Sadly I did not save the website and don’t remember where this was written. Now to the question. What are the mental characteristics of a Buddha? Can you give me a list? I don’t mean the nine qualities. It is a different list, a less common one. It should include the point I mentioned and be of mahayana origin.

**Tags:** mahayana, buddha

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You've asked for a Mahayana text, which may or may not include MN121, in which the Buddha says: Whatever ascetics and brahmins enter and remain in the pure, ultimate, supreme emptiness—whether in the past, future, or present—all of them enter and remain in this same pure, ultimate, supreme emptiness. https://suttacentral.net/mn121/en/sujato  
> **username_0**: That’s pretty good. Maybe the list was Theravada I don’t really remember. But thanks anyways, this is at least something.  
> **username_1**: I've elaborated on the MN121 quote. Perhaps that may be useful.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-05-29. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

You've asked for a Mahayana text, which may or may not include MN121, in which the Buddha says:

> [MN121](https://suttacentral.net/mn121/en/sujato) Whatever ascetics and brahmins enter and remain in the pure, ultimate, supreme emptiness—whether in the past, future, or present—all of them enter and remain in this same pure, ultimate, supreme emptiness.

Although "emptiness" is probably what you meant by "void", it's worth noting that Early Buddhist Texts (EBTs) discuss several terms which can get conflated with "void." Let's look at some of these:

> [AN9.41:11.2](https://suttacentral.net/an9.41/en/sujato#an9.41:11.2): ‘Why don’t I, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that “space is infinite”, enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space?’
>
> [AN9.41:13.2](https://suttacentral.net/an9.41/en/sujato#an9.41:13.2): ‘Why don’t I, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that “there is nothing at all”, enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness?’
>
> [SN41.6:3.2](https://suttacentral.net/sn41.6/en/sujato#sn41.6:3.2): “But sir, how does someone attain the cessation of perception and feeling?”

The above three experiences are differentiated and transitional states leading to the experience and practice described in MN121:

> [MN121:3.3](https://suttacentral.net/mn121/en/sujato#mn121:3.3): ‘Ānanda, these days I usually practice the meditation on emptiness.’

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Very nice. I always meditate on emptiness also.  

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