▁works ▁for ▁the ▁good ▁of ▁all ▁be ings ▁as ▁if ▁it ▁were ▁their ▁own . ▁Ab solute ▁bod h ic it ta ▁is ▁the ▁wisdom ▁of ▁sh un y ata ▁( ś un y at ā , ▁a ▁S ansk rit ▁term ▁often ▁translated ▁as ▁" empt iness ", ▁though ▁the ▁alternatives ▁" v ast ▁exp anse " ▁or ▁" op enn ess " ▁or ▁" sp a cious ness " ▁probably ▁convey ▁the ▁idea ▁better ▁to ▁Western ers ). ▁ ▁The ▁concept ▁of ▁ś un y at ā ▁in ▁Buddh ism ▁also ▁implies ▁freedom ▁from ▁attach ments ▁and ▁from ▁fixed ▁ideas ▁about ▁the ▁world ▁and ▁how ▁it ▁should ▁be . ▁ ▁Some ▁bod h ic it ta ▁practices ▁emphas ize ▁the ▁absolute ▁( e . g . ▁v ip a ś yan ā ), ▁while ▁others ▁emphas ize ▁the ▁relative ▁( e . g . ▁met ta ), ▁but ▁both ▁aspects ▁are ▁seen ▁in ▁all ▁Mah ā y ā na ▁practice ▁as ▁essential ▁to ▁en light en ment , ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁Tib et an ▁practices ▁of ▁tong len ▁and ▁lo j ong . ▁Without ▁the ▁absolute , ▁the ▁relative ▁can ▁deg ener ate ▁into ▁pity ▁and ▁sentiment ality , ▁whereas ▁the ▁absolute ▁without ▁the ▁relative ▁can ▁lead ▁to ▁n ih il ism ▁and ▁lack ▁of ▁desire ▁to ▁eng age ▁other ▁sent ient ▁be ings ▁for ▁their ▁benefit . ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁book ▁W ords ▁of ▁My ▁Per fect ▁Te acher , ▁the ▁Tib et an ▁Buddh ist ▁teacher ▁Pat r ul