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The Heart Sutra (Commentary & Discussion)
The Heart Sutra (Full Text)
Thus have I heard,
The Blessed One was staying in Rajgriha at Vulture Peak
Along with a great community of monks and bodhisattvas, and at that time, the Blessed One entered the meditative absorbtion of the varieties of phenomenon called the appearance of the profound. At that time as well, Avalokiteshvara (Kwan Yin in Chinese, Kannon in Japanese), the bodhisattva, the great being, clearly beheld the practice of the profound perfection of wisdom [Prajna] itself and saw that even the five aggregates [skandas] are empty of intrinsic existance.
Thereupon, through the Buddha's inspiration, the venerable Sharipura spoke to the noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva, the great being, and said, "How should any noble son or noble daughter who wishes to engage in the practice of the profound perfection of wisdom train?"
When this had been said, the holy Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva, the great being, spoke to the venerable Shariputra and said, "Sharipura, any noble son or noble daughter who so wishes to engage in the practice of wisdom should clearly see this way: they should see perfectly that even the five aggregates are empty of intrinsic existance. Form is emptiness[shunyata], emptiness is form; emptiness is not like other then form, form too is not other like emptiness. Likewise feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and conciousness are all empty. Therefore, Shariputra, all phenomena are emptiness; they are without defining characteristics; they are not born, they do not cease; they are not defiled, they are not undefiled; they are not deficiant, they are not complete.
Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness there is no form, no feelings, no perceptions, no mental formations, and no consciousness. There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind. There is no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no texture and no mental objects. There is no eye-element and so on up to no mind element including up to no element of mental conciousness. There is no ignorance, and so on up to no aging and no death and no extinction of aging and death. No suffering, no origination, no stopping, no path, no cognition, also no attainment.
With nothing to attain the bodhisattva depends on Prajna Paramita and his mind is no hinderance.
Without hinderance no fears exist; far apart from every inverted view he dwells in nirvana.
In the three worlds all Buddhas depend on Prajna Paramita and attain
Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
Therefore know that Pranja Paramita is the great transcendent mantra, is the great illuminted mantra, is the utmost supreme mantra,
which is able to relieve all suffering and is true, not false.
So proclaim the Pranja Paramita mantra thus:
Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate! Bodhi! Svaha!
The above translation of the Heart Sutra, sometimes called The Blessed Mother, the Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom, is taken from myself from several translations. Mainly the one used in the book "Essence of the Heart Sutra" by the Dalai Lama and several found online and in the book "Radiant Mind: Essential Buddhist Teachings and Texts", edited by Jean Smith. I've highlighted the blue portion for those who wish to chant the Sutra since that is nearly always the portion that is chanted in Zen, Tibetan, and other traditions. I've included a short glossery just below to make life easier and it is my profound hope that this thread will lead to thoughtful discussions, debates, and perhaps a bit less samsara for the world.
Prajna- Intuitive Wisdom, as opposed to "intellectual" wisdom one might find in a book. It is direct knowing through experiance. Remember, knowledge can block understanding, which is capable of flowing freely around such obsticles.
Shariputra- One of the Buddha's greatest students.
The Five Aggrigates/Skandhas(Heaps)- Forms, Feelings, Perceptions, Mental Formations, Conciousness.
Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate! Bodhi! Svaha! -Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone completely beyond!
The Three Worlds- Past, Present and Future. Symbolized sometimes as Siddartha Gautama (the past Buddha who began the turning of the wheel of the Dharma), Amida Buddha (the present Buddha that is in fact our real Buddha-nature) and Maitreya Buddha (future Buddha of the next kalpa/cycle of existance)
Annuttara-samyak-sambodhi -Literally, "complete, unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment."
Emptiness (Shunyata)- Suchness. Thus-ness. As-it-is-ness. Remember: The world we perceive and the thing that perceives the world are one and the same. Put another way, there is no "Universe" and then "You". There is only the Youniverse, at all time and in all space.
Nirvana- The "state beyond sorrows".
Mantra- "True words."
Thus have I heard,
The Blessed One was staying in Rajgriha at Vulture Peak
Along with a great community of monks and bodhisattvas, and at that time, the Blessed One entered the meditative absorbtion of the varieties of phenomenon called the appearance of the profound. At that time as well, Avalokiteshvara (Kwan Yin in Chinese, Kannon in Japanese), the bodhisattva, the great being, clearly beheld the practice of the profound perfection of wisdom [Prajna] itself and saw that even the five aggregates [skandas] are empty of intrinsic existance.
Thereupon, through the Buddha's inspiration, the venerable Sharipura spoke to the noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva, the great being, and said, "How should any noble son or noble daughter who wishes to engage in the practice of the profound perfection of wisdom train?"
When this had been said, the holy Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva, the great being, spoke to the venerable Shariputra and said, "Sharipura, any noble son or noble daughter who so wishes to engage in the practice of wisdom should clearly see this way: they should see perfectly that even the five aggregates are empty of intrinsic existance. Form is emptiness[shunyata], emptiness is form; emptiness is not like other then form, form too is not other like emptiness. Likewise feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and conciousness are all empty. Therefore, Shariputra, all phenomena are emptiness; they are without defining characteristics; they are not born, they do not cease; they are not defiled, they are not undefiled; they are not deficiant, they are not complete.
Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness there is no form, no feelings, no perceptions, no mental formations, and no consciousness. There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind. There is no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no texture and no mental objects. There is no eye-element and so on up to no mind element including up to no element of mental conciousness. There is no ignorance, and so on up to no aging and no death and no extinction of aging and death. No suffering, no origination, no stopping, no path, no cognition, also no attainment.
With nothing to attain the bodhisattva depends on Prajna Paramita and his mind is no hinderance.
Without hinderance no fears exist; far apart from every inverted view he dwells in nirvana.
In the three worlds all Buddhas depend on Prajna Paramita and attain
Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
Therefore know that Pranja Paramita is the great transcendent mantra, is the great illuminted mantra, is the utmost supreme mantra,
which is able to relieve all suffering and is true, not false.
So proclaim the Pranja Paramita mantra thus:
Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate! Bodhi! Svaha!
The above translation of the Heart Sutra, sometimes called The Blessed Mother, the Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom, is taken from myself from several translations. Mainly the one used in the book "Essence of the Heart Sutra" by the Dalai Lama and several found online and in the book "Radiant Mind: Essential Buddhist Teachings and Texts", edited by Jean Smith. I've highlighted the blue portion for those who wish to chant the Sutra since that is nearly always the portion that is chanted in Zen, Tibetan, and other traditions. I've included a short glossery just below to make life easier and it is my profound hope that this thread will lead to thoughtful discussions, debates, and perhaps a bit less samsara for the world.
Prajna- Intuitive Wisdom, as opposed to "intellectual" wisdom one might find in a book. It is direct knowing through experiance. Remember, knowledge can block understanding, which is capable of flowing freely around such obsticles.
Shariputra- One of the Buddha's greatest students.
The Five Aggrigates/Skandhas(Heaps)- Forms, Feelings, Perceptions, Mental Formations, Conciousness.
Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate! Bodhi! Svaha! -Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone completely beyond!
The Three Worlds- Past, Present and Future. Symbolized sometimes as Siddartha Gautama (the past Buddha who began the turning of the wheel of the Dharma), Amida Buddha (the present Buddha that is in fact our real Buddha-nature) and Maitreya Buddha (future Buddha of the next kalpa/cycle of existance)
Annuttara-samyak-sambodhi -Literally, "complete, unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment."
Emptiness (Shunyata)- Suchness. Thus-ness. As-it-is-ness. Remember: The world we perceive and the thing that perceives the world are one and the same. Put another way, there is no "Universe" and then "You". There is only the Youniverse, at all time and in all space.
Nirvana- The "state beyond sorrows".
Mantra- "True words."
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This discussion has been closed.
Comments
I follow the Thai Forest Tradition which is a Theravada school but I like to read a variety of things because you never know where you're going to find something useful.
While I was reading the above I was thinking how it could be a good idea to post more suttas in full instead of just pointing to them with links. Just a thought...if anyone was interested in typing some out. It wouldn't work though if we started to have disagreements about which translation was best. I don't know. Just thinking aloud....
I like your idea about the sufferent Sutras (or Suttas), but some of them are so very long to have to type. I'll admire anyone willing to do the typing.:)
No, the Heart Sutra was written centuries after the death of Gautama Buddha, as part of the Mahayana school, and the Theravada school rejects it on this basis. (I don't have a dog in this fight. The provenance of a teaching seems irrelevant to its value, to me.)
For your information, this Mahayana sutra has no importance whatsover in the Theravadan tradition.
In the Theravada tradition, Sariputta was held by the Buddha to be equal to him in teaching the Dhamma. Further, of all of the Buddha's fully enlightened disciples, Sariputta had the greatest lucidity of wisdom.
So, from a Theravada perspective, the sutra is merely a political & sectarian attempt to replace Sariputta with a Hindu God as the foremost teacher or 'general' of the Dhamma. From a Theravada perspective, it is ludicrous that anyone (apart from the Buddha) would teach the Dhamma to the Venerable Sariputta.
Also, from a Theravada perspective, this sutra is not invaluable to those who wish to come to a deeper understanding of emptiness because from a Theravada perspective its understanding about emptiness is false and wrong.
This sutra teaches the sphere of nothingness is emptiness. As such, it is wrong understanding regarding emptiness and an immature understanding about emptiness. Before his enlightenment, the Buddha-To-Be rejected the sphere of nothingness as Nirvana.
In brief, this sutra is for Mahayana practitioners but Theravada practitioners consider it as both philosophy and wrong understanding.
If you wish to read how the sphere of nothingness or 'no-thing' fits into the Theravada scheme of things, you can read the Cula-suññata Sutta . The Cula-suññata Sutta is invaluable to those who wish to come to a deeper understanding of Emptiness (Shunyata).
Best wishes
DDhatu
Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.
Rupan shunyata shunyataiva rupan.
There are many ways to view this statement. From a purely historical point of view, the first part was aimed at the Sarvastivadins, who believed such dharmas as form were self-existant, and the second part was aimed at the Sautranitaks, who believed that the skanda of conciousness was self-existant. Having seen that all five skandas are empty of anything self-existant, Avalokiteshvara turns from the Theravadan interpretation of emptiness, which holds that there is some aspect of certain dharmas that persist over time, to that of the Mahayana.
That form is empty was one of the Buddha's earliest and most frequent pronouncements. But in the light of Prajnaparamita, form is not simply empty, it is so completely empty, it is emptiness itself, which turns out to be the same as form itself.
from The Heart Sutra
by Red Pine (Bill Porter), page 75
Bakers who confuse dirt for flour make mud rather than bread.
You raised the question of how the Theravada tradition regards the "heart sutra", and implied that that the Theravada tradition is not interested in coming "to a deeper understanding of" sunnata:
And now you "argue the color of the rolling pin" with the one who kindly took the time and effort to supply the answer to your question.
The heart sutra, and the traditions that hold to it, treat sunnata as a speculative metaphysical-view declaration. The Buddha did not teach sunnata that way.
Also, is Prajna Paramita meant to be an actual Buddha or emanation thereof, or just the quality of 'perfection of wisdom'?
Sure, of course! You can read what you want, and feel free to ask questions. That is how folks learn.
The Buddha's teaching of sunnata ("emptiness") is that everything whatsoever is empty of self or anything pertaining to self. What this means is that nothing whatsoever should be clung to as "me" or "mine". It is an indictment of illusions of status and ownership: I am thus-and-such, this is mine." This is an experiential teaching.
This is quite different form the existiential, metaphysical speculative-view declaration that "all form is empty of inherent existence, and even emptiness is empty of inherent existence". This is a speculative metaphysical view, and the Buddha did not declare speculative metaphysical views in his own teachings. There were some speculative metaphysical views that He refused to challenge; those which He saw as leading one toward skillful moral behavior. But these were not intrinsic to His own experiential teachings.
"Prajna Paramita" means, literally, "perfection of wisdom". What the traditions which reify this concept into some sort of "buddha personality" or "emanation" (whatever that is supposed to be) of a person have in mind, is not of interest to Theravadins or to those who study the actual teachings of the actual Buddha: such stories are simply not relevant to the Buddha's teachings.
I realize this is hypothetical and speculative, but I wonder if Sariputta would have held himself in the same austere regard in which others seem to place him. Are we to suspect he would have said to any well-meaning person something like "it is ludicrous for anyone to teach me anything about the dhamma, because I am equal to the Buddha!" I doubt it. This reverence is nothing more than religious belief about a person, and to use said belief as a means for discrediting another viewpoint risks coming off as sanctimony.
that being said, yes...it is clear that the Heart Sutta had a subversive agenda to it, okay I get that from the scholars I have read. But lest we not forget, there were also subversive agendas inserted into the suttas of the Pali Canon too!! For example, there is the assertion that numerous passages regarding the jhanas and shamatha meditation were later additions to the canon as a means to support pre-Buddhist (Indian mystical) forms of meditation. I say so what? If it works then it has value, if it doesn't work, then explore your practice in a different direction.
I think this article "Early Buddhism and the Heart Sutra" by Santikaro Bhikkhu might be very interesting for posters in this thread. Well worth a read !
http://www.liberationpark.org/study/pdf/Heart%20Sutra%20%26%20Early%20Bsm.pdf
:buck:
A very good comparison between some points raised in the heart sutra and some of the Nikaya passages from which they may have been derived. However, it carefully avoids the fact that these derivations substantially alter the nature and meaning of the Buddha's teaching of sunnata.
The Pali word that is often so awkwardly translated as "Suchness, Thus-ness, Is-ness, As-it-is-ness", and such, is not Sunnata/Shunyata.
That word in Pali is Tathana (edit to correct typo: "Tathata". Thanks, Dazzle)
This is how the Buddha taught Sunnata, Emptiness:
"There is the case where a monk, having gone into the wilderness, to the root of a tree, or into an empty dwelling, considers this: 'This is empty of self or of anything pertaining to self.' This is called the emptiness awareness-release." (MN 43)
That is not the view of emptiness that the Buddha taught, at all. The author is mistaken in his analysis.
It is, however, possible that the author is referring to the Theravada schools that hold to the "re-linking consciousness" (aliyavijnana) eisegesis, but that seems doubtful as most (if not all) of the Mahayana and Vajrayana schools tend to hold to this eisegesis (or to some variation of it) as well.
This is simply not true. By reading the books of the Nikayas you own, Validus, you can find this out for yourself.
*sigh*
Still trying to debate the color of a red herring are we? How's that working out for you?
Not at all. Please play the ball and not the man. Personal attacks violate the TOS.
Hi Stuka,
For the Pali for suchness I have : Tathata and not Tathana. (Definition taken from a dictionary of Buddhism and also from a book by Ajahn Sumedho)
Kind wishes,
Dazzle
Yes, Tathata -- a typo on my part. The best and clearest translation I have seen is "true nature (of things)".
-from The Heart Sutra
by Red Pine (Bill Porter), pages 41-42
This is a far cry from Porter's revisionist interpretation, "if a teaching 'accords with the Dharma', then the teacher must have been a Buddha or someone empowered by a Buddha to speak on his/her behalf. "
Gassho Sambodhi, and thank you for the feedback.
What you have said is hypothetical and speculative. The Buddha himself regarded Sariputta in the same manner as I. Thus your hypothesis and speculation is also in conflict with the Buddha. In other words, in comparison to what is reported in the suttas, your opinion is incorrect and your doubts wrong. In fact, there are a number of suttas about 'The Lion's Roar' given by both Sariputta and the Buddha, where these enlightened one's firmly answered false claims made about them. (see Maha-sihanada Sutta.)
Generally, the problem is emptiness is often regarded as nothingness, selflessness, humility or martyredom.
Kind regards
DDhatu
The Buddha himself did not teach like this. When both being and non-being are transcended, one understands emptiness. But when stuck in notions of existence & non-existence, emptiness is not comprehended.
From a Theravada perspective, as I have said, the Mahayana notions of emptiness are a step backwards into the sphere of nothingness.
A tree is empty of inherent existence because it is made up of other things, such as the sun, soil nutriment, etc. Or existentially, that a tree exists depends on you or your eye seeing it.
This understanding can help us understand all things depend on a cause. For example, what you consider yourself to be is simply nature & nurture. The body & mind nature has given you; the education & unbringing your parents have given you; or simply the food, water and oxygen from nature that sustains you.
This can help you awaken because it leads to the letting go of ego-clinging or self-cherishing, which leads to freedom from suffering. It can also make you more grateful.
However, this is just theory. One must practice alot to be free from self-cherishing and the be able to relinquish things & life.
In fact, for many, relinquishing things causes suffering (so they must follow other religions or doctrines).
Kind regards
DDhatu
The Heart Sutra is wrong because there is an "eye" and a "body". Otherwise, this post could not be written.
However, this post can still be written without an ego or 'self' because all that is required to write the post is an eye, a mind, fingers and other things. Ego or 'self' are not required.
Whether or not the label "eye" is mentally constructed, seeing still occurs and whatever enables seeing we conventionally call an "eye".
The Buddha taught the eye is impermanent, unsatisfactory and empty of self. When the eye is regarded in this way, passion, attachment and suffering in relation to the eye will cease. This is liberation.
Whether an eye is called an 'eye' or called nothing makes no difference to freedom from suffering.
However, if we think there is no eye, no ear, no body, no anything, people will think we are crazy because these things are everywhere to be experienced.
In brief, the Heart Sutta is very poor spiritual science and disconnected from reality.
:buck:
If Red Pine is saying form is merely form and empty of 'self', the Theravadin position can agree.
However, if Red Pine is replicating the Heart Sutra by asserting there is no form, then the Theravadin position cannot agree. Most of all, I cannot agree.
Now my mind sees and my hands touch a computer. The computer is form, comprised of myriad forms.
One day these forms will end. If this impermanence is comprehended, the mind will be liberated from form and that liberation is sufficient.
I am convinced that you and stuka are really the same person. I find your sectarianism offensive and your words trivial. Please don't post in this thread anymore or I will ask that it be locked.
Thank you.
I can vouch for them as different people, with greater than 99% certainty, having interacted with both for a few years, now. They really do mean well. Stuka in particular has given me guidance in the past which was critical to the development of my practice. You could learn a lot from them, if you looked past your differences.
It is hard to look around someone's fist when they are punching you repeatedly in the face I think you'd agree.
This is a discussion forum. I have provided my view Theravadins will benefit little from the Heart Sutra and have provided rationale, including extensive sutta citations.
To show you I am not being deliberately sectarian or divisive, the Hsin Hsin Ming sutra of the Zen tradition accords more to the Theravadin view.
Please stop posting here.
The second half of the Heart Sutra teaches the emptiness of senselessness and the emptiness of annihilation, when it states: "No eye, no ear, etc,..."
The impression gained is Chen-ko does well in being an apologist for the lack of rigour indicative in the Heart Sutra.
However, in the Hinayana, the Buddha spoke the Dhamma perfectly thus apologists are not required.
In other words, the Dhamma discussion was democratic.
The major purpose of Dhamma discussion is not only the subject matter but also being able to perform it free from attachment and self-view.
Dhamma discussion is an exercise in practising Emptiness.
There is merely talk but no 'talker'. There is merely writing but no 'writer'. There are merely views, hundreds and thousands of views, but no attachment to those views.
"buddhists"... :rolleyes: