Buddhist Sangha - Notes on the Heart Sutra

Notes On The Heart Sutra

Emptiness

The Heart Sutra expresses the Buddha's most profound teaching, the not two-ness of all things. Because we habitually cut our selves off from the rest of existence, we resist any idea that we lack a separate self. In the Heart Sutra the Buddha tells us that all is shunyata, generally translated as emptiness. This emptiness is in fact fullness with all things.

Thich Nhat Hanh explains emptiness through a piece of paper. Where is the paper if we take away the rain, the earth, the sun, the logger who cut down the tree? Without these and many, many other conditions, the paper would not exist. It is empty of a separate self but full of all of the other things that make it up.

How does this knowledge give us comfort? While the emptiness of a piece of paper is interesting, its not particularly helpful in our daily lives. The answer is that emptiness applies to more than the material world of form.

Our mental processes are just as empty as the piece of paper. Thoughts, feelings, likes, dislikes and all other mental phenomena are likewise the result of many external conditions which are quite beyond our control or even our knowledge. The knowledge of emptiness liberates us from guilt and sorrow. We must understand , however, that emptiness does not absolve us from responsibility for our actions.

The knowledge of emptiness allows us to practice mindfulness and see how mental phenomena arise and pass away. When we see this process we become free and we see how others are overwhelmed by life because of ignorance. Our responsibility is to practice loving kindness and help others see the path to liberation .
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Terms and Characters

Its helpful to know some of the terms and characters in the Heart Sutra. The following is a summary of some important references:

Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva
A Bodhisattva is a being who has achieved enlightenment but chooses to remain in the world helping others. Avalokiteshvara, know for compassion, is a Bodhisattva from the Mahayana tradition. In China, Avalokiteshvara is known as Kuan-yin and in Japan as Kannon or Kanzeon. In these countries Avalokiteshvara is feminine.

Prajna Paramita
Transcendent wisdom.

Five conditions
The five conditions or skandas of form, sensation, conception, discrimination and awareness are the aggregates that make up each person.

Shariputra
One of the Buddha's disciples, famous for his wisdom.

Dharmas
The term dharma has many meanings in Buddhism. It sometimes refers to the Buddha's teaching or to the underlying laws which the teaching expresses. In the context of the Heart Sutra it means any compound thing or phenomenon.

No eye, ear, nose, tongue …
Words, ideas and concepts tie us up in knots. When we see ourselves and all things just as they are, without labels or the preconceptions that ride with labels, we are liberated. Yet in the world where we live, concepts and ideas have value. The trick is to see the practical value of ideas while realizing that they are ultimately inadequate for true understanding.

Ignorance, old age and death
This is a reference to the Buddha's teaching on dependent arising. Birth leads to bodily sensations of pleasure or pain which, when we are ignorant, leads to desire which causes rebirth which leads to a new life in which we grow old and die. We break the chain of dependent origination by giving up desire and thus achieve nirvana and are not reborn.

No suffering, no cause of suffering, no extinguishing, no path
Here we see a reference to the Noble Eightfold Path.

Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi
A Sanskrit phrase meaning supreme perfect enlightenment.

Mantra
Mantras are powerful words or phrases used to concentrate the mind. To chant a mantra is a form of meditation.

Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate
This has been translated as, "Go, go, hurry quickly, go to the other shore", or " O Wisdom, gone, gone, gone to the other shore, landed at the other shore." Some feel that the mantra can't be translated but should just be chanted with the whole body and mind.

Bodhi
Wisdom based on the insight that all things are one.

Svaha
An exclamation much like amen or hallelujah .
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Resources

There are several books available which help in understanding the Heart Sutra:

The Encyclopedia of Eastern Religion and Philosophy

Shambhala, several hardback and paperback editions.
This encyclopedia discusses the terms used in the Sutra and references other related ideas.

The Heart of Understanding by Thich Nhat Hanh

Parallax Press, 1988
The book and a companion audio tape make the Heart Sutra very relevant and easy to understand.

Mountain Record of Zen Talks by John Daido Loori

Dharma Communications, various editions.
Daido discusses the Heart Sutra from a Zen point of view.

Zen Words For The Heart: Hakuin's Commentary on the Heart Sutra

Translated by Norman Waddell, Shambhala, 1996
An incisive view of the Sutra by the great Japanese master.

Buddhist Wisdom Books: The Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra

Translated and explained by Edward Conze
London, George Allen & Unwin, 1975 & other editions.

	Buddhist Sangha of South Jersey Buddhist Sangha of Bucks County
> Emptiness		Notes On The Heart Sutra < back to Emptiness intro Emptiness The Heart Sutra expresses the Buddha's most profound teaching, the not two-ness of all things. Because we habitually cut our selves off from the rest of existence, we resist any idea that we lack a separate self. In the Heart Sutra the Buddha tells us that all is shunyata, generally translated as emptiness. This emptiness is in fact fullness with all things. Thich Nhat Hanh explains emptiness through a piece of paper. Where is the paper if we take away the rain, the earth, the sun, the logger who cut down the tree? Without these and many, many other conditions, the paper would not exist. It is empty of a separate self but full of all of the other things that make it up. How does this knowledge give us comfort? While the emptiness of a piece of paper is interesting, its not particularly helpful in our daily lives. The answer is that emptiness applies to more than the material world of form. Our mental processes are just as empty as the piece of paper. Thoughts, feelings, likes, dislikes and all other mental phenomena are likewise the result of many external conditions which are quite beyond our control or even our knowledge. The knowledge of emptiness liberates us from guilt and sorrow. We must understand , however, that emptiness does not absolve us from responsibility for our actions. The knowledge of emptiness allows us to practice mindfulness and see how mental phenomena arise and pass away. When we see this process we become free and we see how others are overwhelmed by life because of ignorance. Our responsibility is to practice loving kindness and help others see the path to liberation . Back to top Terms and Characters Its helpful to know some of the terms and characters in the Heart Sutra. The following is a summary of some important references: Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva A Bodhisattva is a being who has achieved enlightenment but chooses to remain in the world helping others. Avalokiteshvara, know for compassion, is a Bodhisattva from the Mahayana tradition. In China, Avalokiteshvara is known as Kuan-yin and in Japan as Kannon or Kanzeon. In these countries Avalokiteshvara is feminine. Prajna Paramita Transcendent wisdom. Five conditions The five conditions or skandas of form, sensation, conception, discrimination and awareness are the aggregates that make up each person. Shariputra One of the Buddha's disciples, famous for his wisdom. Dharmas The term dharma has many meanings in Buddhism. It sometimes refers to the Buddha's teaching or to the underlying laws which the teaching expresses. In the context of the Heart Sutra it means any compound thing or phenomenon. No eye, ear, nose, tongue … Words, ideas and concepts tie us up in knots. When we see ourselves and all things just as they are, without labels or the preconceptions that ride with labels, we are liberated. Yet in the world where we live, concepts and ideas have value. The trick is to see the practical value of ideas while realizing that they are ultimately inadequate for true understanding. Ignorance, old age and death This is a reference to the Buddha's teaching on dependent arising. Birth leads to bodily sensations of pleasure or pain which, when we are ignorant, leads to desire which causes rebirth which leads to a new life in which we grow old and die. We break the chain of dependent origination by giving up desire and thus achieve nirvana and are not reborn. No suffering, no cause of suffering, no extinguishing, no path Here we see a reference to the Noble Eightfold Path. Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi A Sanskrit phrase meaning supreme perfect enlightenment. Mantra Mantras are powerful words or phrases used to concentrate the mind. To chant a mantra is a form of meditation. Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate This has been translated as, "Go, go, hurry quickly, go to the other shore", or " O Wisdom, gone, gone, gone to the other shore, landed at the other shore." Some feel that the mantra can't be translated but should just be chanted with the whole body and mind. Bodhi Wisdom based on the insight that all things are one. Svaha An exclamation much like amen or hallelujah . Back to top Resources There are several books available which help in understanding the Heart Sutra: The Encyclopedia of Eastern Religion and Philosophy Shambhala, several hardback and paperback editions. This encyclopedia discusses the terms used in the Sutra and references other related ideas. The Heart of Understanding by Thich Nhat Hanh Parallax Press, 1988 The book and a companion audio tape make the Heart Sutra very relevant and easy to understand. Mountain Record of Zen Talks by John Daido Loori Dharma Communications, various editions. Daido discusses the Heart Sutra from a Zen point of view. Zen Words For The Heart: Hakuin's Commentary on the Heart Sutra Translated by Norman Waddell, Shambhala, 1996 An incisive view of the Sutra by the great Japanese master. Buddhist Wisdom Books: The Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra Translated and explained by Edward Conze London, George Allen & Unwin, 1975 & other editions. Back to top