"nihilism" is one of the two classic "heresies" (the literal word used in english translation) that buddhism distinguishes, alongside "eternalism." basically, the heresy of nihilism is saying that there is no self, no mind, no being or existence, etc. this is the big miscomprehensions of buddhism that westerners are consistently falling into. they hear buddhists use terms of negation, then draw nihilistic conclusions from it. actual buddhism's "no self" doctrine is not to be taken in a literal, nihilistic way ("you don't actually exist"), it's more along the lines of not assuming your self is some atomic core substance that exists separately in isolation from everything else, drawing distinct outlines between yourself and objects. likewise, the doctrine of "extinction" (nirvana) doesn't mean an empty meaningless void, but more being without "tincture" (ex-tinct-ion), i.e. arbitrary imagined qualities. the opposite error is eternalism, which means imagining your self or the universe or the present moment, etc., is some kind of eternally existing substance. buddhism considers the assertion of existence or non-existence as two sides of the same dualistic coin. the negative language buddhism often employs is more demonstrative, aesthetic, and a reaction against certain eternalistic strands in prior hinduism than anything else.
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