The Essence of wisdom sutra.

[Caz]

Sanskrit title : Bhagavatiprajnaparamitahrdaya

Tibetan: Chom den de ma she rab kyi pa rol tu jin pai nying po.

English: Essence of the perfection of wisdom, the blessed mother.

Homage to the perfection of wisdom, the Blessed mother.

Thus i have heard. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Rajahriha on massed Vultures Mountain together with a great assembly of monks and agreat assembly of Bodhisattvas. At that time the blessed of was absorbed in the concentration of the countless aspects of phenomena, called ' Profound Illumination'.
At that time also the superior Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva, the great being, was looking perfectly at the practise of the profound perfection of wisdom, Looking perfectly at the emptiness of inherant existance also of the five aggregates.
Then, through the power of buddha, the venerable Shariputra said to the superior Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva, the Great Being, ' How should a son of the lineage who wishes to engage in the practise of the profound perfection of wisdom ? '
Thus he spoke, and the Superior Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva, the Great being, replied to the venerable shariputra as follows:
' Shariputra, whatever son or daughter of the lineage wishes to engage in the practise of the profound perfection of wisdom should look perfectly like this: subsequently looking perfectly and correctly at the emptiness of inherant existance also of the five aggregates.
' Form is empty; emptiness is form. Emptiness is not other then form; form is also not other then emptiness. Likewise, Feeling, discrimination, compositional factors, and consciousness are empty.
' Shariputra, like this all phenomena are merely empty, having no characteristics. They are no produced and do not cease. They have no defilement and no seperation from defilement. They have no decrease and no increase.
' Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, no discrimination, no compositional factors, no consciousness. There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no taste, no mentality; no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no tactile object, no phenomena. There is no eye element and so forth up to no mentality element and also up to no element of mental consciousness. There is no ignorance and no exhaustion of ignorance and so forth up to no ageing and death and no exhaustion of ageing and death. Likewise, there is no suffering, origin, cessation, or path; no exalted awarness, no attainment, and also no non-attainment.
' Therefore, Shariputra, because there is no attainment, Bodhisattvas rely upon and abide in the perfection of wisdom; their minds have no obstructions and no fear. Passing utterly beyond perversity, they attain the final nivarna. Also all the Buddhas who reside perfectly in the three times, having relied upon the perfection of wisdom, became manifest and complete Buddhas in the state of unsurpassed, perfect, and complete enlightenment.
' Therefore, the mantraa of the perfection of wisdom, the mantra of great knowledge, the unsurpassed mantra, the equal to the unequalled mantra, the mantra that thoroughly pacifies all suffering, since it is not false, should be known as the truth. The mantra of the perfection of wisdom is proclaimed.

TAYATHA OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SOHA


' Shariputra, a Bodhisattva, a Great Being, should train in the profound perfection of wisdom like this.'
Then the Blessed one arose from that concentration and said to the Superior Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva, the Great Being, that he had spoken well: 'Good, good O son of the lineage. Its is like that. Since it is like that, just as you have revealed, in that way the profound perfection of wisdom should be practised, and the Tathagatas will also rejoice.'
When the Blessed one had said this, the venerable Shariputra, the Superior Avalokiteshvara, the Bpdhisattva, the Great being, and that entire circle of disciples as well as the worldly beings-gods, humans, demi-gods, and spirits-were delighted and highly praised what had been spoken by the Blessed One.

[Webgoji]

I offered a copy of Geshe-la's commentary, Heart of Wisdom to one of the newer FP students we have.  He stopped me the other day to say, "Dude, that book you gave me.  Seriously, what the heck!?"    (I had to answer questions for an hour . . .)

[Caz]

I offered a copy of Geshe-la's commentary, Heart of Wisdom to one of the newer FP students we have.  He stopped me the other day to say, "Dude, that book you gave me.  Seriously, what the heck!?"    (I had to answer questions for an hour . . .)

Yeah its a very profound Book, I think the only way one can really understand such as subject is if you meditate according to the commentary's and so on experiencing emptiness as it is. The books are a guide to a better way of viewing, But guides are only usefull if you practically apply them. 

[Webgoji]

I offered a copy of Geshe-la's commentary, Heart of Wisdom to one of the newer FP students we have.  He stopped me the other day to say, "Dude, that book you gave me.  Seriously, what the heck!?"    (I had to answer questions for an hour . . .)

Yeah its a very profound Book, I think the only way one can really understand such as subject is if you meditate according to the commentary's and so on experiencing emptiness as it is. The books are a guide to a better way of viewing, But guides are only usefull if you practically apply them. 

Believe it or not, I only started to understand emptiness (intellectually of course) while driving home after performing a puja to Manjushri.  (Yes, that seems very stereotypical, but stems from my strong connection to Manjushri.)  It hit me like a brick and my poor wife had to listen to my over-exuberant rantings for the rest of the evening. 

[Caz]

I offered a copy of Geshe-la's commentary, Heart of Wisdom to one of the newer FP students we have.  He stopped me the other day to say, "Dude, that book you gave me.  Seriously, what the heck!?"    (I had to answer questions for an hour . . .)

Yeah its a very profound Book, I think the only way one can really understand such as subject is if you meditate according to the commentary's and so on experiencing emptiness as it is. The books are a guide to a better way of viewing, But guides are only usefull if you practically apply them. 

Believe it or not, I only started to understand emptiness (intellectually of course) while driving home after performing a puja to Manjushri.  (Yes, that seems very stereotypical, but stems from my strong connection to Manjushri.)  It hit me like a brick and my poor wife had to listen to my over-exuberant rantings for the rest of the evening. 

Hehe ! Welldone friend i am glad these are arising for you, Intellectual understanding is the first step ! 

[Caz]

Mantra explaination.

( As a note it should be mentioned that reciting the mantra bring the future effect into the path of practise, By reciting we are creating the causes to accomplish the 5 paths to enlightenment. )

From Geshe-la's translation.

' Therefore, the mantra of the perfection of wisdom, the mantra of great knowledge, the unsurpassed mantra, the equal to the unequalled mantra, the mantra that thoroughly pacifies all suffering, since it is not false, should be known as the truth. The mantra of the perfection of wisdom is proclaimed.

TAYATHA OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SOHA


Avaloketishvara explains the 5 paths by proclaiming the mantra of the perfection of wisdom.

The mantra of the perfection of wisdom has the qualities of protecting our mind from the two obstructions and associated fears.

It is also known as "The mantra of great knowledge" Because it knows the great seal, Also known as emptiness.

It is also known as "The unsurpassed mantra" Because there is no mantra superior to it as the perfection of wisdom is the also known as the mother of all the Buddha's.

It is also known as " The equal to the unequal mantra " Because there is no mantra equal to this.

It is also known as " The mantra that throughly pacifies all suffering " Because through sincere practise of the perfection of wisdom all beings are able to eliminate their suffering completly as it helps serve the root of samsara.

'Since it is not false, Should be known as the truth' Teaches that it is non deceptive, Protects us from all fears and suffering, and therefore will never deceive us !

'The mantra of the perfection of wisdom is proclaimed ' Introduces how to practise it.

The explaination of the Mantra TAYATHA OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SOHA

The mantra retained in its original sanskrit explains in very condensed form how to practise the 5 mahayana paths, Which we attain in complete dependence upon the perfection of wisdom.

TAYATHA Means it is like this, Indicating that however belong the the mahayana and wishes to train in the perfection of wisdom should train this way.

OM The sanskrit letter OM is composed of 3 letters A,U,M These represent the body, speech and mind of the person who is travelling to  great enlightenment, In some texts it is not included but as it was tradition to recite the Mantra in the Monastrys to avert hindrances I ( Geshe-la ) Heard it recited many times like this.

GATE The first one means to go, Not to external places but to internal places through the power of generating Bodhichitta we should go or proceed to the mahayana path of accumulation. Having done this we should practise the stages and paths of method and wisdom of the path of accumulation.

GATE The second one again means to go and teaches that having improved the stages of the path of method and wisdom of the path of accumulation, We should go to the Mahayana path of preperation, Having reached this path we should practise the method and wisdom of the path of preparation.

PARAGATE Means ' Perfectly Go ' and teaches we should not remain on the path of Preparation permenantly having improved the path of method and wisdom of the path of preparation, We should go to the Mahayana path of seeing, The 3rd path to Great enlightenment, We perfectly go to the path of seeing because it is a superior path beyond ordinary paths, Having attained the path of seeing we must practise the Stages of the path of method and wisdom of seeing.

PARASAMGATE Means ' Perfectly and completly go 'and teaches that we should not remain on the Path of seeing, Having progressed along the path of Stages of the path of method and wisdom of seeing, We should go to the mahayana path of meditation the 4th Mahayana path ' Perfectly and completly go ' also indicates that the 4th path is beyond ordinary but also beyond the 3rd path as well, Having done this we need to practise this 4th path The Mahayana path of meditation.

BODHI Means enlightenment and teaches that we must complete the 4th path " The stages of the path of method and wisdom of meditation " and attain the 5th and final Mahayana path, The Mahayana path of no more learning, When we have reached this path we have acheived Great enlightenment.

SOHA means ' Build the foundation ' That we should practise the path of Accumulation, Then Preparation, Then seeing, Then meditation, Then no more learning. In summary this mantra teaches one how to practise ' The perfection of wisdom ' That is accomplishing the 5 Mahayana paths.