Imagine that you are in a room with a lit candle. As you watch the candle burn, you might think of it as a solid, permanent object with a clear form and identity, a candle flame that illuminates the room., However, as the flame burns down and the candle eventually snuffs out, you realize that the flame was not a permanent object.
In fact, the flame was constantly changing and was dependent on various conditions for its existence. The flame was dependent on oxygen, the candle wax and a source of heat to continue burning. Without these conditions, the flame could not exist. Once these conditions cease, the flame goes out and the candle is nothing but a lifeless piece of wax.
If you were to examine the candle more closely, you would find that there is no inherent self-nature or essence to the flame. It was simply a collection of parts that were dependent on various conditions for their existence. By recognizing this, we can come to see that all phenomena, including ourselves, are empty of inherent existence and are dependent on various causes and conditions for their existence.
This realization of emptiness can help us to let go of attachment to fixed identities and ideas about ourselves and the world around us. It can lead to a deeper understanding of the nature of reality and can ultimately lead to greater wisdom, compassion, and freedom in our lives.