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The ten teachings in this book provide a buddhist account of the formation of attachment and anxiety and show how we can release ourselves from involvement in their deluding intensity. By understanding the unborn and ungraspable nature of our own mind, we can release ourselves from our habitual tendency to see the world in terms of self and other. This frees us from the urge to judge what occurs in terms of what is pleasing or displeasing to our ego-self and thereby allows us to rest in clarity and equanimity.

Although the word 'emptiness' can seem a bit intimidating, in the Buddhist traditions it is the key to freedom. Our mind is intrinsically empty of self and any fixed or defining content. We are not defined by anything which has occurred, that is occurring now, or will even occur in the future. Being empty of fixed content allows us to open to all that occurs without being trapped in reactivity. By resting in the intrinsic openness of our mind it becomes clear that we are not a thing amongst things.

Where do we come from?What is the true source of our life?There are many answers to these questions. Mostly they serve to confirm the reality of our current identity, supporting our belief that I am who I think I am.This book offers an alternative view based on the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni. On a relative level, every aspect of our experience arises in dependence on some other arisings. Due to this dependence no arising or appearance has an inherent existence, not me, not you. On a more profound level, all appearances and experiences arise inseparable from emptiness-nothing is ever established as existing in truth. Empty of self-essence, each and every appearance including ourselves is not other than emptiness. Emptiness is not a null void, but the ever-open source of our life.Ever fertile emptiness, the ever-fertile mother of everything, is symbolised by the Great Mother Prajnaparamita, the essence of the wisdom of emptiness that is the mother of all the Buddhas. This mother is our source. This mother is, in fact, the source of everything as it actually is. This mother is the source of all of us becoming Buddhas therefore we honour her.In similar fashion, we honour our own mother in this life, remembering with gratitude all her kindnesses. Moreover we remember that all sentient beings have been our own mother in previous lives and honour their kindnesses.