As a scientific concept, supermassive black holes are objects with tremendous mass and gravitational pull at the center of most galaxies ¹. In contrast, the Buddhist endless void is a philosophical and spiritual concept that refers to the emptiness of all phenomena and the ultimate nature of reality ². It would not be accurate to compare these two concepts, as they exist in different realms of understanding.

Black holes are purely physical phenomena governed by the laws of physics, mathematics, and observation, while the Buddhist concept of the void is based on a spiritual and philosophical understanding of reality. The endless void is referred to in Buddhist literature as the “emptiness” or “shunyata,” which goes beyond the mere absence of matter or particles and is seen as the ultimate source of all phenomena².

Therefore, while both supermassive black holes and the Buddhist endless void are associated with the concept of emptiness, they exist in different contexts – one physical and one philosophical.

Sources

1. NASA Universe Exploration. (n.d.). Types | Black Holes. Retrieved July 9, 2023, from Types | Black Holes – NASA Universe Exploration

2. Buswell, R., & Lopez, D. (2014). The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton University Press.