THE HEART SUTRA BY BODHISATTVA AVOLOKITESHWARA

Avalokitesvara  Bodhisattva 

when practicing deeply the Prajna Paramita

perceives that all five skandhas are empty 

and  is  saved  from  all  suffering  and  distress.

Shariputra,
form  does  not  differ  from  emptiness, 

emptiness  does  not  differ  from  form. 

That  which  is  form  is  emptiness, 

that  which  is  emptiness  form. 

The  same  is  true  of  feelings, 

perceptions, impulses, consciousness.

Shariputra,
all  dharmas  are  marked  with  emptiness; 

they  do  not  appear  or  disappear, 

are  not  tainted  or  pure, 

do  not  increase  or  decrease. 

Therefore, in emptiness  no  form, no  feelings, 

perceptions, impulses, consciousness.

No  eyes, no  ears, no  nose, no  tongue, no  body, no mind; 

no  color, no  sound, no  smell, no  taste, no  touch, 

no  object  of  mind; 

no  realm  of  eyes 

and  so  forth  until  no  realm  of  mind  consciousness.

No  ignorance  and  also  no  extinction  of  it,

and  so  forth  until  no  old  age  and  death 

and  also  no  extinction  of  them.

No  suffering, no  origination, 

no  stopping, no  path, no  cognition, 

also  no  attainment  with  nothing  to  attain.

The  Bodhisattva  depends  on  Prajna  Paramita 

and  the  mind  is  no  hindrance; 

without  any  hindrance  no  fears  exist. 

Far  apart  from  every  perverted  view  one  dwells  in Nirvana.

In  the  three  worlds

all  Buddhas  depend  on  Prajna Paramita 

and  attain  Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi.

Therefore  know  that  Prajna Paramita 

is  the  great  transcendent  mantra, 

is  the  great  bright  mantra, 

is  the  utmost  mantra, 

is  the  supreme  mantra 

which  is  able  to  relieve  all  suffering 

and  is  true, not false. 

Statement - Form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.

Understanding - When you perceive a form or see a form it is an illusion and is like a mirage created by our mind. However when you attain that emptiness then also the mind creates a form appropriate for that emptiness. Therefore one is caught in a vicious circle.

Statement - No appearing, no disappearing. No taint, no purity. No increase, no decrease.

Understanding - This line points right to the fact that, in our original nature, nothing ever appears or disappears. There is no such thing as taint or purity, because these are merely qualities created by the thinking-mind. And in original nature there is neither increase nor decrease. Our true nature is completely still and empty. It is the universal substance of which everything else is composed. How, then, could it ever appear or disappear, or be tainted or pure? More importantly, since our true nature is the same as the universe, how could it ever increase or decrease? Infinite in time and space, it has none of the characteristics that apply to things we can describe with speech and words.

Statement - All dharmas are marked with emptiness. No cognition, no attainment. Nirvana.

Understanding - The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path of Hinayana reflect a path which perceives that everything is suffering, and which then leads to stopping suffering, stopping birth and death. This is nirvana. There are no opposites: no coming or going, no high or low, good or bad, birth or death. So in the true experience of emptiness, you perceive that there is already no birth or death, no coming or going. How can you stop something that doesn’t even exist? There is already no suffering: how can it have an origin, and how can it possibly be extinguished? That is why the Heart Sutra talks about “no suffering, no origination, no stopping, no path.” It completely “hits” the opposites-thinking of the Four Noble Truths that there is suffering, and an origination of it, and a stopping of it, and a path. So Mahayana Buddhism teaches that there is one more step from Hinayana teaching. If you only stop at this point, at complete emptiness, you only attain nirvana. Mahayana Buddhism’s view means taking another step.

Statement - Anuttara samyak sambodhi.

Understanding - Anuttara samyak sambodhi is a Sanskrit phrase meaning “unexcelled perfect enlightenment.” It is simply another way of saying “truth.” When you see, when you hear, when you smell, when you taste, when you touch, when you think - everything, just-like-this, is the truth. Before, just at the point of nirvana, there is no cognition, and no attainment with nothing to attain. So the bodhisattva depends on Prajna Paramita, and attains nirvana. But then these three words appear: anuttara samyak sambodhi. Before, there is no attainment; now, all Buddhas attain anuttara samyak sambodhi. What does this mean?

If you just attain true emptiness, this is only nirvana. It is an experience of complete stillness and bliss: there is no subject or object, no good or bad, no coming or going, no life or death. There is nothing to attain. But Mahayana means your practice continues “beyond” this point, so that you attain no-attainment. You must find nirvana’s function in the world. The name for that is unexcelled perfect enlightenment. If you attain no-attainment, then you attain truth. Your mind is empty and clear like space. This means your mind is clear like a mirror: If a mountain appears before the mirror, there is only mountain; water appears, and there is only water; red comes, red; white comes, white. The sky is blue. The tree is green. A dog is barking, “Woof! Woof!” Sugar is sweet. Everything that you see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and think is the truth, just as it is. Nirvana means attaining emptiness, which has nothing to attain. Anuttara samyak sambodhi means using the experience of emptiness to attain truth. With an empty mind, reflect this world, just as it is. That is Mahayana Buddhism and the Great Bodhisattva Way.