Wu (negation)

Wu (C. 無; J. mu). A Chinese term that carries the sense of absence, nonexistence, negation, etc.

Definitions from the Digital Dictionary of Buddhism:

• Nonexistence; nonbeing (Skt. asat; Tib. med pa); not having (Skt. abhāva; Tib. mi mnga' ba); a lack of, without (Skt. vigata). Opposite of 有. [Charles Muller; source(s): Ui, Nakamura,YBh-Ind, Yokoi,Iwanami]
• A negative. In translating from Sanskrit to Chinese, it is used for the a privative. Other Sanskrit terms include avidyamāna, nâsti, asaṃbhava. Like 不, 非, and 否. Also used as a function word in the way of the question mark at the end of a sentence. [Charles Muller]
• Caused to be nonexistent. [Charles Muller]
• Impossible; lacking reason or cause. [Charles Muller]
• Pure human awareness, prior to experience or knowledge. This meaning is used especially by the Chan school. In Chan, the word 無 is called the gate to enlightenment (See Wumen guan 無門關, Case 1). [Charles Muller]
• The 'original nonbeing' from which being is produced in the Daodejing. This meaning is explained in Buddhism when making the distinction between it and the Buddhist emptiness [空]. [Charles Muller]

See also

• wu, the Chinese term for “awakening”

External links

• Mu (negative), Wikipedia