Some Mahayanists whose minds to conditioned too much into believing the Hinayana-Mahayana dichotomy may be suspicious of this Sutta (or they could be correct...what is the history of this Sutta?). But to me this looks like a affirmation of the Mahayana idea of emptiness as laid out in the Heart Sutra. In fact, it even debunks the belief of certain early sects that believed in existence of the five skandhas.Then Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, "It is said that the world is empty, the world is empty, lord. In what respect is it said that the world is empty?"
"Insofar as it is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self: Thus it is said, Ananda, that the world is empty. And what is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self? The eye is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Forms... Eye-consciousness... Eye-contact is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self.
"The ear is empty...
"The nose is empty...
"The tongue is empty...
"The body is empty...
"The intellect is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Ideas... Intellect-consciousness... Intellect-contact is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Thus it is said that the world is empty."
Comments?