na-adjective, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle, noun
rising above worldly trivia; calm and selfless detachment
Archaic literary term describing a state of serene indifference to worldly affairs, often with a Taoist or Zen flavor. Not used in modern conversation.
With a detached and selfless attitude, he did not seek fame or profit.
恬淡虚無の境地に達するのは容易ではない。
It is not easy to reach a state of serene detachment from worldly concerns.
恬淡 alone means 'disinterested' or 'indifferent to worldly things'; 恬淡虚無 adds the nuance of emptiness or nothingness (虚無), making it more philosophical and absolute.
虚無 means 'nothingness' or 'nihilism'; combined with 恬淡 it forms a classical ideal of calm emptiness.
A classical four-character compound combining 恬淡 (calm detachment) and 虚無 (emptiness, nothingness), likely influenced by Taoist or Zen thought. The exact origin is uncertain, but it appears in older literary and philosophical texts.