-----------------------------------------How is it possible that I experience an object as either pleasent or not-pleasant? If all objects are inherently empty, there can be no inherent pleasure or non-pleasure in objects.
Then, is pleasure only a thought of the mind? I.e. I experience an object, then *think* 'this is pleasant', resulting in a 'pleasant' feeling? If so, why do I think some objects as pleasant, and others as non-pleasant?
The first part...don't confuse the term "empty of all inherent self nature" as being "empty of any real percieved nature".
For example, consider a hammer.
You may consider that hammer to be "empty of all inherent self nature", but if you hit yourself with that hammer it will still hurt. If you want an explanation consider that irregardless of any philosophical considerations of whether it has any "inherent self nature" or not, in your percieved world reality it had a percieved existance and therefore you percieve that it hurts when you hit your hand with that hammer.
In short, a hammer may have no "inherent self nature" but it stiill has a percieved physical reality and it still hurts when you hit yourself with it.
---------------------------------------------Then, is pleasure only a thought of the mind? I.e. I experience an object, then *think* 'this is pleasant', resulting in a 'pleasant' feeling? If so, why do I think some objects as pleasant, and others as non-pleasant?
Basically, that's right.
But just to add:
From the day you were born your "Ego Mind" has been interpreting and attempting to control your sense pereptions.
Some of the sense perceptions are interpretated by that "Ego Mind" as being favorable to it's world-view of reality. These are treated as "good" or pleasent by your Ego Mind. So you feel pleasure.
Other sense perceptions are not favorable to the Ego Mind's world-view....and are therefore treated as "bad" or unpleasent.
The Ego Mind is what you call the "I" that lives in "you".