Working Emptiness: Toward a Third Reading of Emptiness in Buddhism and Postmodern Thought

Newman Robert Glass argues that there are three workings of emptiness capable of grounding thinking and behavior: presence, difference, and essence. The first two readings, exemplified by Heidegger and Mark C. Taylor respectively, present opposing views of the work of emptiness in thinking. The third, essence, presents a position on the work of emptiness in desire and affect. Glass begins by offering a close analysis of presence and difference. He then fashions his own understanding of essence, or emptiness. He goes on to use this third reading to construct a comprehensive Buddhist position based in desire and affect — a Buddhism of essence.