In early Abhidharmic texts this term is seen used in connection to methods of contemplations to eradicate attachment, such as 空觀 in Shelifu apitanlun 舍利弗阿毘曇論 (T 1548.28.633a8-b4) or ten kinds of emptiness in the Apidamo da piposha lun 阿毘達磨大毘婆沙論 (T 1545.27.37a12–15) to counter attachment to the view of the existence of the body 薩迦耶見. In the Agamas, the term is also seen connected to methods of practice. See suttas such as the Cūḷasuññata-sutta in the Majjihima-nikāya (MN 121 at MN I 104.1 to 109.17 or in T 26.1.736c27–738a1) and the Mahāsuññata-sutta in the Majjihima-nikāya (MN 122 at MN 1, 109.19 - 115.9 or T 26.1.738a5- 739b21).

As the concept takes form in the Mahāyāna prajñāpāramitā literature, there is a shift from a method to a truth claim. This type of emptiness is first articulated as a central theme in such texts as the Heart Sutra 般若心經, and the Diamond Sutra 金剛經, where it is used as a means of breaking the practitionerʼs attachment to concepts—especially concepts regarding oneʼs own spiritual attainment. In this sense, the use of the teaching of emptiness is directed against the tendency to attach to language itself.

An important dimension of the notion of emptiness is that it is to be distinguished from simplistic or one-sided concepts of nonexistence or nothingness 虛無. This line of argumentation was especially important in the Madhyamaka school 中觀派, which taught emptiness to be the 'middle path'  中道 between existence 有 and nonexistence 無 (see 自空). In 'mind-only' doctrinal systems such as Yogâcāra 瑜伽行派 and tathāgatagarbha 如來藏 this basic Buddhist teaching of emptiness is the negation of the two mistaken views of the acceptance of the real existence of a self 我, and the understanding of an eternal nature of the compositional elements—dharmas 法 that make up the world or the self. Among the various understandings of emptiness are 'analytical emptiness' and 'essential emptiness,' as well as only emptiness and not-only-emptiness and so forth. The teaching of emptiness is originally for the destruction of the attachment to false views, and therefore in East Asian meditative traditions (Chan/Seon/Zen 禪宗) there is also the subjective sense of 'becoming empty' —to break attachment. Śūnyatā is transliterated as 舜若多. In Mochizuki and the Fo Guang Dictionary, the various lists of 2, 3, 4, 5, etc., types of emptiness are listed under this head word. Cf. 不空, 析空, 體空, 小空 and 二十空.