Maha-Prajna-Paramita-heart-sutra
Maha – Great.
Prajna – Perpetual intuitive Insight. Wisdom. Perfect/complete understanding. Transcendental apperception, non-discursive wisdom that is devoid of subject/object dualism in apprehension of fundamental reality.
Paramita – Perfection in virtue. “crossing to the other shore”, “bridge to the other shore” – transcending mundane delusion, stress and personal suffering through the practice and perfection of giving, self discipline, patience, energetic progress, meditation and wisdom.
Heart – The essential or most vital part of something, the innermost part: Center.
Sutra – Awakened Teachings.
Maha prajna paramita heart sutra “The great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality -awakened teaching”.
This great teaching, unsurpassable by any other teachings is not based in belief, this teaching at its heart invites you to penetrate, realize, see, feel, know/understand and act accordingly for yourself – you are the revealer of this subtle teaching and way of reality, you realize it in meditation and contemplation, you practice and manifest it and the world benefits, and if the world benefits you benefit… you are the world and the world is you – this is how change is manifested, it begins within you, flows through you perpetually continuing its continuation. The singular gradient beckons you to come and see it as it is for yourself.
The function of your life is seeing, feeling, realizing and living through existence with the faculties and functions at your command. Through the singular eye, awareness/attention dualistic and non-dualistic knowledge is gleaned, wisdom is manifest, science is realized, understanding is deepened… your life is based on wisdom driven understanding and knowledge, not believing what others do as tradition – investigate it and reveal it yourself, only you can truly realize it.
Seeing and intimately feeling for your self dispels all delusion, belief has no function in This.
The following condensed “translation” and commentary is my offering to all beings – I attempt to clarify this great teaching for all suffering/stressed beings who read/embrace it.
This translation and commentary is based in intellectual, spiritual and physical understanding - from my realization of it on the sitting cushion, in activity, application and self-verification in situations and with others.
This endeavor seeks to take this seed of wisdom from the mystical and arcane, to plant and cultivate it - nurture it with sitting meditation and attention till it bears the sweet fruit of peace, power and clarity in the eternal moment - to reveal it in the mundane for the contentment of self and other.
The essence and application of this sublime and subtle teaching is the foundation that all awakened practices are built on - not the name or form of the vehicle it is conveyed in but the function/action or more appropriately the dynamic non-action, this cannot be equated with doing nothing… but it is the ultimate doing, the active doing of non-thing within space and time of the moment, the actualization of supreme universal truth and potentiality.
This sutra or awakened teaching is the inalienable right and privilege of every human being and the activity of all awakened beings past present and future. All enlightened teachings of the highest compassion, power and equanimity emanate from and have their roots in the essence of this teaching/realization… not the vehicle but the vital essence it reveals and transports – its true meaning and essence is beyond all words and letters… but to try is better than not to try, so I attempt to point directly to it so you may investigate it, realize it, practice and apply it in your life for the benefit of self and other, let it strike a resonant chord in you.
Realize and “get it” then practice and check it out and verify it for yourself, first in your sitting/meditation then take it with you in your moment-to-moment goings and comings. Buddha's name be praised.
Maha-Prajna-Paramita-heart-sutra.
The great compassionate awakened being that hears, sees and feels the suffering of the world, was sitting in the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality, clearly seeing emptiness of the five elements of humanity, thus completely penetrating and understanding - relieving stress, misfortune and pain.
Oh Seeker, form is no other than emptiness, emptiness no other than form.
Form is exactly emptiness, emptiness exactly form. Sensation, conception, discrimination, awareness are likewise like this.not stained/defiled, not pure/immaculate, with out loss/decreasing, without gain/increasing.
So in emptiness there is no form; no sensation, conception, discrimination, awareness; no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; no color, sound, smell, taste, touch, phenomena; no realm of sight, no realm of consciousness, no ignorance and no end to ignorance, no old age and death and no end to old age and death, no suffering, no cause of suffering, no extinguishing, no path, no wisdom, and no gain. No attainment and no gain and thus the great awakened beings lives in the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality with no hindrance in the mind therefore no fear. Far beyond deluded thoughts; this is the peaceful liberation from delusion.
All past, present and future enlightened awakened ones live in the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality, and therefore arrive at complete true universal enlightenment.
Therefore know the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality is the great invocation, the vivid invocation/incantation, the best invocation/incantation, the unsurpassable invocation. It completely clears all pain. This is the truth, not a lie. So set forth the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality invocation, set forth this invocation/incantation, and say, Gone! Gone! Gone all the way over! All beings gone to the other side! Enlightenment! yay! hallelujah! Woo Hoo!
The great compassionate awakened being that hears, sees and feels the suffering of the world, When the stress of everyday life and existence is too much to bear and understand, it hinders a full contented life for self and other, a remedy must be found to bring things and beings to harmony and contentment. When this suffering is experienced, naturally we want to seek a remedy – this “seeker” is “the great compassionate awakened being that hears, sees and feels the suffering of the world” this being is present in all of us and depending on our state of grace, conditioning and karma it endeavors to cure this dis-ease of mind and being, by extension your life, my life, all life… for they are not three.
was sitting in the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality, In context of this teaching this “Great being” searched for the “sufferer” - seeking the cause of this dis-ease and discontentedness, it searched the body and mind looking for the “sufferer”. How did this “being” search for the sufferer? What tool did the “Great being” use?
Sitting in – “Sitting in” is the posture of mind and body associated with seated meditation, Dhyna/Chan na/Zazen.
The great flowing vital essence of Perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals – continuous adaptive spiritual awareness and acuity that when realized will clearly discern the functions, causes and conditions of…
The nature of reality – the singular gradient, the great emptiness, the universe, life and its phenomenal and noumenal manifestations.
clearly seeing emptiness of the five elements of humanity, thus completely penetrating and understanding - relieving stress, misfortune and pain. The great being found instead that the “sufferer” was actually five composites or symbiotic parts/elements/aggregates/components that constitute the human body and condition. Upon discerning the five composites that make up a person, self or “I” it then discerned/saw/penetrated these five elements or parts, and found they were as follows:
1. Form /matter
2. Feelings /sensations
3. Perceptions/recognition
4. Mental formations - thoughts/volitional activities
5. Consciousness/response
The “Great being” utilized the “the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality” or sitting/zazen/chan/dhyna to penetrate and became one with and investigate these five composites intimately, objectively discerning that these elements are “empty of a individual self” without individual permanence, without independence of the universe and its natural laws – it discerned that they are just constructs and mechanisms responding to various stimuli - not a true singular entity independent of the world/universe or a true singular self at all, but rather that each human composite is doing its own unique thing interdependent or interbeing/interexisting with other human elements to help “paint the picture of our life as a whole” the great being discerned that no single element can exist alone by itself and be called a self or human being – it can only “interplay/interbe/interexist” with the other elements in order for us to be human.
It was discerned that each composite/component is “empty” of a separate singularly abiding “self” or something not dependant on and separate from the rest of creation – these five elements apprehend, convey and allow the other elements of the phenomenal universe to be experienced and realized by the “the great compassionate awakened being” which is distinct but not separate from the five elements that constitute a human being – all are just degrees of the singular gradient experiencing itself, the great void, the emptiness that we are all manifested from and in - it is the universe, it is your life - it is my life - it is all life.
Once the five composites and their natures have been penetrated and entered into, realized and actualized then true understanding can be gleaned, and the great compassion is manifest in all our comings and goings. Once we enter the element(s) we enter into non-duality or “oneness” with them – the true nature of existence.
Upon penetration, entering and realizing for oneself, we are no longer are watching these composites from the outside at a distance, but being one with it and its fundamental processes, giving us the opportunity to discern/realize and intimately understand that there is no abiding self in these elements – vision become images; smells, textures and taste become sensations; thoughts become information and options, all just varying perspectives of the one singular gradient – once you emulate the great being and look deeply within your mind/self, becoming one with your elements then their true and pure function will reveal themselves and suffering and pain will be without negative connotations and power in life.
Oh Seeker, form is no other than emptiness, emptiness no other than form.
for example... form = ice, snow, clouds, mist, fog, dew, rain, rivers, oceans even a wave, monsoon or tsunami – emptiness is the water within all of them, basic and fundamental to all of them yet very different in form and function - a very simple example but profound and very powerful once fully grasped, penetrated and realized as our life, the world, the universe and all things, and existence.
“Form is exactly emptiness, emptiness is exactly form” - Because water exists its other forms are possible and verifiable because its other forms exist water is possible and verifiable. They cannot exist without each other because they are each other. Sensation, conception, discrimination, awareness are likewise like this - because one exists everything else exists, it is the intrinsic nature of the singular gradient/universe/life.
Oh beloved Seeker, all phenomenon are forms of emptiness; - All phenomenon or things; earth, air, water, fire, light, birds, sunshine, cars, houses my body your body have the great emptiness as there true nature and vital essence– everything manifested from matter and energy is intrinsically “empty” at its heart/center – because of this great emptiness things/phenomenon can arise, be and pass away… the stuff of phenomenon still is… not born or destroyed, just is - forever continuously continuing before and beyond our concept of space, time and things… this is our true intrinsic nature the true intrinsic nature of the universe/singular gradient/life.
not born, not destroyed, - To be born means to come into existence from nothing, while to be destroyed means to past from existence to nothing – this statement at face value seems black and white in its statement of fact, but is not truth – according to human facts a bumble bee cannot fly… human facts cannot explain electricity yet we depend on it for our quality of life - facts shut out the reality of transcendental truth.
Lets take a journey into the idea of birth and death in regards to the life and death of a human person and body; lets say a person is born on September 1, 2000 and dies September1, 2100 pretty straight forward and factually possible but for one thing, in the transcendental truth of existence and emptiness it is a non-truth, in universal truth the person existed for nine months in the womb of its mother, and before that, partly in their father partly in there mother, and before that in their grandparents and so on as sperm and egg. Sperm and egg made up of the elements of earth, water, fire and air.
The physical body of the individual and its parents and ancestors were never born or destroyed, just in perpetual continuous continuation, migrating through the varying frequencies/vibrations/stages of the singular gradient – the body that has “died” continues, the personality, consciousness and sense of individuality that was the effect of causes and conditions during 9/01/2000 and ended 9/101/2100 has ceased its “cloud existence” but its activity during its “life” still creates causes, conditions and effects when it “rained or did not rain”, thus setting into motion subtle and overt change in its environment long after its dissolution as a cloud – subtly and grossly affecting the universe like a ripple in a pond after a pebble is tossed in… making changes seen and unseen until it eventually reaches and affects all parts of the pond/universe.
Once the physical body dissolves into its basic elements and then reformed into new and various forms… some times another human body or bodies, sometimes as a cloud(s), sometimes as a plant(s)… some times as all of them, within the same continuing continuation that it was “born” from. As water is formed and shaped into its varying forms of rain, clouds, waves, ice etc… a cloud is “born” from water and “dies” as water, in between it is a cloud with cloud properties and functions different from water yet made up of water – so in reality it was not born nor was it destroyed… it just continues in its permanent impermanence migrating through the frequencies of the singular gradient functioning within its present manifestation without hindrance of being water or not being water, content in its form and function - forms and functions that are empty of a permanent abiding “self” that is not destroyed nor born… this is not conjecture or mystical spiritual propaganda or philosophy – it is science, it is our life and existence.
not stained/defiled, not pure/immaculate, - Dirty or clean, stained or pure, good and bad, immaculate or defiled these concepts/labels are formed in the discursive mind to help us categorize reality into perceivable conditioned beneficial or detrimental perceptions relative to our life and our being – but the great emptiness is not positive or negative nor is it not “not negative or positive”, it contains both relative to conditions, perception and relativity.
Conditionally relative to existence, positive is a negative and negative is a positive, and positive is positive and negative is negative depending on perspective and position - they are always in effect revolving around and connected to each other - both occupying the same space and time within space and time (liken to the foot before and after when walking) - as long as there is life (life’s definition fundamentally is movement and change). Depending on perspective and scope of view, these polarities are present in everything – endeavor to penetrate them both and see that they are but aspects of one singular process.
To deny the “bad” and to support the “good” purely out of the definition given to them by mental conditioning/mental aversion and attraction is to invite unneeded suffering and discontentment because you are just seeing half of the whole. Seek out that which enables positive and negative to be, to exist in the same space and time - once found and entered into all will be clear. Emptiness is not dependant on these polarities in the context of aversion and attraction, gain or loss, because it is fundamentally empty at its heart – without an abiding self to judge the process. Emptiness supports all things, it is neither stained nor pure… nor is it not stained or not pure - emptiness manifests functions and conditions as context and situations dictates.
Water in the absence of fire/heat/molecular vibration becomes ice, water in the presence of fire/heat/molecular vibration becomes vapor/steam – from the outside looking at this process it is just a process, but if you could put yourself in the place of water and give it your personality and conditioned discursive mind, it might dread the application of fire or the withdrawal of heat, stressing about the natural process that initiates change to facilitate life, but resonating with emptiness no matter what form and conditions prevail one realizes your essence is still water and all is as it should be.
Positive and negative are just two sides of a coin and that coin is emptiness... what would life be if you resonated with the coin-ness? hmmm..... Fire in general is feared by most beings, but on its most minute and intimate scale it is the engine of our life – its essence in our bodies internally and externally manifests heat to sustain bodily functions and life – but conditions and causes can align the same “fire essence” to “harm” by excessive internal fever, or harm by external burning. Whether it is bad or good its general essence is the same – to generate heat by exciting/vibrating molecules. Its duality comes in to play when we utilize their functions based on our life experience with them and realization of their essence and functions.
Food can be equated with purity, immaculateness and goodness; it is tasty, nourishing and satisfying - its opposite is garbage, and can be equated with stained, defilement and badness; it is foul, useless and disgusting if we looking from the outside – on the surface this is all “true”, but once you penetrate it as “the great compassionate awakened being that hears, sees and feels the suffering of the world” and utilize “the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality” you will see that the hot delicious food sitting on your plate if not finished will be rotting foul smelling garbage in a few days – but you do not need to wait a week to see the garbage in the food, if you penetrate the label of food and its manifestation on your plate with insight, awareness and attention you can see it right there on your plate. Foul smelling garbage, the left over food/organic matter is returned to the soil, decomposes into its base elements and nutrients enriching the earth – seeds are planted in it and weeks later fresh succulent vegetables, fruits, grains etc… livestock are sustained from the fruit of the earth, humans pick, harvest and prepare them, and behold wonderful tasty delicious food appears on your plate.
Garbage and food are interdependent/interare/interexists, garbage is food and food is garbage plain and simple they are interbeing – interdependent on their mutual existence, they depend on each other for their functions and purpose… they are empty, not stained/defiled, not pure/immaculate. with out loss/decreasing, without gain/increasing.
There is much overt and covert worry, stress and suffering associated with death/decreasing or loss of your body and conscious existence in life… yet we “die” every night when we sleep… We think that our present form as humans are the pinnacle of existence, we elevate the self/”I” and body above all else in the world even other human forms as if this human form – this “skin bag/meat suit” is superior to all other human forms, separating the self from the world and universe and not penetrating things, truly investigating and understanding the conditions and elements of being human to realize that we are the world and the universe and they are us.
What is this human form, this “skin bag/meat suit/water sack” we call our immediate home anyway? Science tells us we are 65% water, and the rest minerals that are in a constant state of flux and change – a body never exactly the same from moment to moment. When we cease to breathe, the body enters a state of decomposition and dissolution reverting back to its base elements and components; water returns to the air and earth, entering the process of precipitation and evaporation, the minerals return to the soil to nourish the forms of growing things and becoming growing things – essentially the body lives on forever in one form or another. What about our personality, individualism and the choices we make in life? While the elements that constitute the body are in synergy forming and maintaining the human animal, housing the five elements that make us human, their interbeing manifesting our life in the world physically and mentally – we make choices manifesting mental, spiritual and physical actions effecting change in our life, others life and the world which supports life.
While we are alive our choices and actions set up a chain of reactions and effects, events and conditions that ripple across time and space long after the body is in dissolution and our consciousness is no more – fundamentally, universally our bodies live on in other things and conditions perpetually as long as the universe is.
The moon is constantly the moon in any of its phases no matter what your relative position – whether it is full, quarter, harvest, a sliver etc… neither increasing nor decreasing - that is the fundamental realness to the moon, everything else is perception and consciousness operating from the realization of only a few of its human elements, not the whole compliment of mental and spiritual tools available to us as a human being if we use “the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality” - sitting meditation and introspection.
This understanding/realization is what part of what we endeavor to reveal, practice and utilize in sitting meditation. The apparent relative phases of the moon are like the relative phases of human mind – when all is said and done the moon is still the unchanging moon no matter what we name the condition/phase we view it in, and phenomena are just phenomena – empty no matter what we name the condition/phase it is in – our perceptions are relative and without tangible substance while the universe remains constant and unchanging in its tangible fundamental emptiness, manifesting things as conditions rise and pass away.
So in emptiness there is no form; no sensation, conception, discrimination, awareness; - The great being restates the heart of this teaching that the five composites that make up the human condition are empty of a separate abiding self that is self sufficient from the universe;
1. Matter -Earth, Air, Fire, Water.
2. Sensations - Pleasant, un-pleasant, visible forms, sounds, odor, taste, tangible objects, mind-objects/thoughts/ideas – all physical and mental impressions/feelings.
3. Perceptions - Conditioned recognition of objects mental or physical.
4. Mental formations - All voluntary/volitional actions or activities (good, bad or indifferent).
Volition is mental construction/mental activity directing the mind to manifest action of body within space and time – thus initiating causes to affect changes.
5. Consciousness - A recognition/response to/awareness of life through one or all the sense faculties of the body and mind. For example, mental “consciousness” has the mind as its “viewfinder” and a mental idea or thought as its “object or subject” of its function.
These five elements/composites/aggregrates are all empty of a separate abiding self that is apart from the “Singular gradient-Universe-the world-life-This”
no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; -The eighteen sub-elements of the five composites elements are also empty of a separate abiding self. First are the six sense organs:
1. Eyes – physical structure that gathers light vibration.
2. Ears – physical structure that gathers sound vibration.3. Nose – physical structure that gathers smell vibration.
4. Tongue – physical structure that gathers flavor vibration.
5. Body – physical structure that gathers tactile sensory vibration.
6. Mind – physical structure that manifests consciousness processes “vibrations” of the moment from/through the previous five.
no color, sound, smell, taste, touch, phenomena;
Secondly the six objects of the six sense organs:
1. Form (eye)– shapes, visual textures, light and dark, colors etc…
2. Sound (ear)– vibration of the air produced by movement/oscillation associated with the ear.
3. Smell (nose) - air borne molecules of different molecular compositions associated with the nose 4. Taste (tongue) – chemical interactions of molecules producing a range of stimuli associated with the tongue.
5. Touch (skin)– tactile interactions with things/objects producing feeling associated with the skin.
6. Thoughts – intellectual processing of the previous five in context with past conditioning reflecting on the past moment(s).
no realm of sight, no realm of consciousness, -Thirdly, the interaction of the sense organs with their specific sense objects manifests the six consciousnesses:
1. Sight – Continuous sensory apprehension by the eyeballs of vibration based light reflected from objects and things within space and time of the immediate moment.
2. Hearing – Continuous sensory apprehension by the ear of vibration based sound generated by objects and things within space and time of the immediate moment.
3. Smelling – Continuous sensory apprehension by the nose of airborne molecules/particles by the “gassing” of objects or things within space and time of the immediate moment.
4. Tasting – Continuous sensory apprehension by the tongue of airborne and tactile particles/molecules generated by things or objects within space and time of the immediate moment.
5. Touching – Continuous sensory apprehension of tactile stimuli generated by contact with things and objects within space and time of the immediate moment.
6. Thinking – Continuous sensory apprehension and comparative processing of the previous five realms, past information, facts and opinions juxtaposed to things within space and time of the immediate moment.
No one of these eighteen can exist separately by itself without the other – they are all interdependent on each other to be your perspective on the world and your life, they can only “inter-be/inter-exist”; in truth and reflecting the non-duality of reality, they are not separately cooperating with each other… they are each other.
no ignorance and no end to ignorance, no old age and death and no end to old age and death, -To realize this statement made by the “The great compassionate awakened being” we should investigate it for ourselves based on the information given. The statement “no ignorance and no end to ignorance, no old age and death and no end to old age and death” reflects the seeing into the conditioned, relative and interdependent nature of reality and our lives, this is called the teaching of independent origins or conditioned genesis - it is as follows:
1. This is because that is.
2. This arises because that arises.
3. This is not because that is not.
4. This ceases because that ceases.
This statement of conditioned genesis proposes to clarify the conditioned, relative and interdependent nature of life and its perpetual continuation by the realm of dissolution or death. There are twelve originating factors to the human being/condition that are contained within the statement made by the “great being”; they form a spiraling circle of causation that generates causes, affecting change, manifestation or being that in turn causes an affect and change… so on ad infinitum until wisdom, awareness, penetration, understanding and cessation are introduced to the process, thus manifesting realization of the Way of things within the context of our lives – the twelve originating factors or “conditioned genesis” are as follows (ignorance=unenlightned, unrealized/unpenetrated):
1. Ignorance of the nature of reality conditions our choices and actions.
2. Ignorance conditioned choices and actions in turn condition our consciousness.
3. Ignorance conditioned consciousness in turn condition mental and physical phenomena.
4. Mental and physical phenomena condition the eyes, nose, ears, tongue, skin and mind or the six faculties.
5. The eyes, nose, ears, tongue, skin and mind or the six faculties in turn conditions sensory and mental contact.
6. Conditioned sensory and mental contact conditions sensation.
7. Sensation conditions desire/thirst.
8. Desire conditions clinging/attachment.
9. Clinging/attachment conditions the process of becoming and being.
10. Becoming and being conditions birth/gain.
11. Birth conditions decay/loss.
12. Decay conditions death, lamentation, pain, stress, suffering etc…
Generally, this is the arising, existence and continuation of life, as we know it today. The great being states this process is empty and because it is empty none of them can exist by itself, they rely on each other to be. Death is not a separate entity from life and life is not a separate entity from death they are interdependent upon each other, they are each other. To seek to eliminate death will only manifest the elimination of life, to eliminate sadness is to eliminate happiness, to eliminate hate is to negate love – they need each other to be. Individually they have no power over the real way of things on a fundamental level, but they do have the power to manifest stress and suffering when they are taken as absolutes to be pursued in life – until we realize this we are caught in the circle of ignorance, delusion and suffering that blinds us to the continuity of the whole process by accepting one part and denying the other – this is the delusion that generates suffering, separation and pain. Understanding and realizing these processes of the genesis and the potential it holds in our life for delusion or clarity is critical to being contented in life. This process is just a process, we can choose to process true reality with it or process delusion and incomplete views with it – penetrate and understand the process, remove ignorance by being still and contemplate your life and others. This will lead you to the path.This passage states their exists “no ignorance and no end to ignorance” – “no old age and death and no end to old age and death” because they are one and the same. Refrain from uplifting one and suppressing the other, they are and always will be, understanding and ignorance are dependant on each other for them to be, their is ignorance and there is knowledge - realize both are of the same reality, the same “root”.
Why worry, just live when its time to live and die when its time to die, and endeavour not to miss anything inbetween; act accordingly to the circumstances at hand – life is good because there is death… so why not live to the fullest, so it is important to first discern what it means to truly live to the fullest. Pay intimate attention to it all, sadness, happiness, enjoy and appreciate the kind person and the mean person - they both teach, strive to intimately understand both in the context of your life – they all have something to offer, its life, live, learn, be at peace, be giving, be receiving – let life flow through you, hold on to nothing and enjoy everything the moment has to offer "no suffering, no cause of suffering, no extinguishing, no path, no wisdom, and no gain". Even the four noble truths as stated by the great-awakened being “Buddha” itself/himself are likewise empty, and have no separate existence, they too depend on other things and processes to be realized.
The Four noble truths are:
1. The truth of suffering - Stress, discontentment, dis-ease, disharmony, and pain etc… this truth is not an affirmation of negativity juxtaposed to positivity but an objective categorization of an existing condition based in the real that reflects realization of existence, the great emptiness and the true nature of phenomenon. It is a statement of the mental and physical condition of being and doing that does not reflect the fundamental nature and rhythms of the underlying all pervading nature of the universe, and the “suffering” that it manifests when not penetrated with insight and wisdom.
2. The truth of the causation or arising of suffering - The “gate” that leads to all suffering - ignorance of true reality and its interdependence/connectedness, desirous clinging and selfish desire based in and driven by greed, fear, sense pleasures, the pursuit of permanence, etc… It is the indestructible rule of life that this life and world appears/arises by a series of causes and conditions, and everything disappears/passes away by the same rule; everything changes and nothing stays the same but emptiness and change itself. The causes or conditions required for existence of the human being are; food, interaction with the sense organs with the “external world”, consciousness of body mind and environment and mental volition or will to be and become – the volitional will and action to be, exist or to become more than you perceive – elevating the self above all else, discontentment, to accumulate more than is needed is the cause of thearising of suffering. Suffering is rooted in the intense desires of human physical instincts and thirst/desirous clinging in the physical body for the illusions of worldly passions as something desirable to manifest a contented peaceful self/mind, even if it is sometimes death of self or other. Not realizing eternal change and emptiness in everything is fundamentally the initiator/causation/arising of suffering.
3. The truth of the cessation or stopping of suffering – There is liberation and freedom from the cycle of suffering… it is cessation, stopping, and the extinction of desirous clinging/thirst at the root of human passion. This “elimination” of suffering, desirous clinging/thirst is “the peaceful liberation from delusion” – the actualization of the absolute truth of ultimate reality. It is like the “blowing out” of the perpetual flame of desirous clinging/thirst. The detachment from the continuity of hatred, desire and illusion, abandoning and cutting off of desirous clinging/thirst and craving for desirous attachment. Within this cessation the four elements have no home; long and short, big and small, good and evil, forms and names, the apparent and the hidden, this life or another life, coming, going or stillness, death and birth and objects of the senses cannot be established, experienced found or encountered. Ultimately, cessation isthe annihilation of the illusion of the idea of a permanent abiding separate self, and its desirous clinging/thirst in operation and effect in the moment from moment to moment.
4. The truth of the Way leading to the cessation or stopping of suffering – or the Way and Path leading to the realization and actualization of “the peaceful liberation from delusion”.
In order to reside personaly where there is no delusion, desirous clinging/thirst and suffering a way or path must be discerned and embarked upon.
The noble eightfold “Way or Path” can be called right or complete activities. Why eight “fold” and not eight “ways” path? Because there is only interdependence and emptiness to say that there are eight individual ways would me misleading within context of this teaching… there are many paths but only one Way.
If you take a piece of paper and fold it on itself three times you get eight distinct sections separated by seven creases. The sections are all “separate” and slightly different in place and position yet “interdependentlybeing” unified by the content and sameness of the contiguous piece of paper – you can equate the paper with emptiness, and the “interdependentlybeing” of each folded section to define the sheet of paper/emptiness. Each folded section depends on the contiguous piece of paper for its function and qualities, but the paper does not depend on the separate eight folded sections for it to be “a sheet of paper”… it just is – each empty fold/section reflects a portion of the totality of the sheet of paper, taken together they encompass, reveal and manifest the whole sheet of paper.
Emptiness does not need the eightfold path to verify itself… it just is, we need the path to reveal and verify emptiness and its potential in our life - each “fold” of the eightfold path reflects a little of the totality of emptiness, taken together and letting them “interdependently be” they encompass and reveal the whole thing. Most human beings need the structure of the eight interdependent “folds” to enlighten the mind/being to the reality of emptiness and the cessation of suffering.
The eightfold path/way is as follows:
1. Complete or right view/understanding –This understanding or “penetration” is the highest wisdom that sees fundamental reality of all phenomena and noumenal in the mental and physical realms thus reflecting on them as they are. “Penetration is seeing into a thing, condition or being in its true essence and nature, without the function of label or name”. This penetration, view, understanding is manifested when the mind is free from discursive input based on dualistic conditioning and opinions – this penetration is developed more efficiently through sitting meditation.
2. Complete or right thought/mindedness/perceptions - Complete thought is derived from complete penetration/understanding, and thoughts initiated by this “penetration” reflecting selflessness, detachment, non-violence, un-conditioned love and the offering of these thoughts to all manifestations of the great emptiness/singular gradient/universe that is our bodies and life.
3. Complete or right speech/communication – Complete speech and communication means being aware of and abstaining from all forms of harmful and superfluous speech/communications. Utilize words/communications that are friendly and benevolent, pleasant, gentle, meaningful and useful to self and other. Communicate/speak at the right time and place, if something useful cannot be communicated then a penetrating silence focused on the moment should be diligently maintained. Complete communication/speech means abstaining from; lies, backbiting, slander and talk that manifests hatred, enmity, and disunity/disharmony among individuals or groups of people. Abstaining from harsh, rude, impolite, malicious, abusive language, gossip and useless babble.
4. Complete or right behavior/action – states that our actions bring about reactions, and so we should strive to be honorable and peaceful in conduct. We should endeavor to abstain from killing with mind and body, stealing, dishonest dealings, sexual intercourse based on ignorance of self and other. To help foster a peaceful and honorable way of life in others, through action and example with our life.
5. Complete or right livelihood – Means making or generating a living from activities that does not create harm to any being.
6. Complete or right effort – means to seek out, develop and refine complete and just states of mind and being inherently present in human the mind and condition with an energetic will and intention - to recognize and prevent/modulate self-serving states of mind. To cause to raise complete compassionate states of mind not yet manifested.
7. Complete or right mindfulness, attentiveness – Is diligent attention, awareness and mindfulness applied to the activities of the body, mind and being – constantly strive to be intimately aware and attentive to things, concepts, thoughts, sensations and feelings.
8. Complete or right concentration – this is mental discipline utilizing unwavering mental focus for an extended period of time in the eternal moment – sitting meditation is the entrance to these realms.
These are the complete or right truths of the noble way/path to the cessation of personal stress/suffering in the moment – this is the goal of the “eightfold path” it is the only thing “the great compassionate awakened being” realized and championed.
No attainment and no gain and thus the great-awakened beings live in the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality with no hindrance in the mind therefore no fear. Far beyond deluded thoughts; this is the peaceful liberation from delusion. All past, present and future enlightened ones live in the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality, and therefore arrive at complete true universal enlightenment.
Our mental hindrances or conditioned ideas and concepts regarding life, birth and death, gain and loss, good and evil, inside outside, me and you and all dualistic thoughts taken as absolute reality are obstacles that reside in our mind and makes our being heavy with false views, assumptions and beliefs. When these thoughts, conditioned views and incomplete knowledge of the singular gradient/universe/life is in conflict with the real nature of things and we cannot reconcile them with our perception of what the world and life should be, fear is manifested – fear that our ideas of life are not being fulfilled or validated. We flail about with a fear filled life trying to make our erroneous views manifest, creating all kinds of dis-harmony, havoc, pain and suffering in our life and by extension the world of other and self - this fear is the perception that initiates all manner of suffering and stress in the world. Fear because the world and things are not operating as you wish them to in regards to your view of the nature of things, the interdependence of things, the oneness of things and that all is as it should be according to your actions and position in the continuum that is life. When the cloud realizes that it is just water in its essence and its cloud form is transitory, with its own unique functions and position in the way of things - functions and positions that support the Way of things so the Way may support its cloudness - once this is realized and operates in every moment within space and time, birth and death is transcended and transformed from gain and loss to “Thusness” or the continuing continuation of just “This”… the singular gradient realized and manifested in perceptions, thoughts and actions - fear is transcended, non-fear is present in the moment and life is no longer subject to the notion of birth and death reflecting a position and being that is… Far beyond deluded thoughts; this is the peaceful liberation from delusion… or life as “Thus-ness” in action.
Therefore know the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality is the great mantra/invocation/incantation, the vivid mantra/invocation/incantation, the best mantra/invocation/incantation, the unsurpassable mantra/invocation/incantation.It completely destroys and clears all pain. This is the incorruptible truth, not a lie. So set forth the great flowing vital essence of perfect penetrating insight and understanding that reveals the nature of reality mantra/invocation/incantation set forth this mantra/invocation/incantation, and utter, Gone! Gone! Gone all the way over! All beings gone to the other side! Enlightenment outstanding/yay/halelujah! When the Prajna paramita heart sutra/teaching is penetrated into and realized with the mind, and manifested with the body and maintained by the clarified and freed spirit – we then discover a place of refuge and power to live our life from, a place to shelter ourselves from the confusion and suffering of mind and body. This refuge enables us to live a life of fullness and contentment for our selves and others that we share life with in this world.
Sitting meditation and the studying and realization of the Prajna paramita heart sutra/teaching both point to an identical being that is available to all for the contentment in life and the cessation of suffering in the moment, from moment to moment if realized and practiced diligently. Upon seeing the great truth, the impermanence of suffering and its cessation in the moment - the great awakened being uttered a statement that condensed the whole teaching into a spoken tool to help us access and manifest the power of the realized teaching in the moment – it is called a mantra/invocation/incantation. Once we glimpse, manifest and practice the teaching we use the mantra as a device, tool or vehicle to enable our accessing the power of the heart sutra in the moment – allowing us to immediately ground and center ourselves in the teaching/realization.
The mantra is “Gate Gate paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha” - I will attempt to translate and clarify the mantra, bringing it in resonance with our language and culture of today… What is a mantra? Invocation? Incantation?
Mantra – Sacred council, mystical formula, vocal invocation or incantation. Invocation – The vocal act or process of petitioning for help or support. Calling upon for authority or justification. A formula for conjuring: incantation. An act of moral implementation. To put in to effect or operation: implement. Bring about, cause. Prayer or entreaty. An earnest request.
Incantation - A written or recited formula of words or word designed to produce/induce a particular effect/state. Utterance.
All that has been touched on here is not absolute in each of its specific offerings, they are all empty and have no permanent substance, just perpetual interdependence on the different facets of the teaching to manifest the realization of the end of and stopping of personal stress and mental suffering within the moment, when this is diligently practiced and realized by every individual in the world we will be in harmony and peaceful extinction of delusion as a community. Because this teaching is empty, without any abiding permanence of its own - it is the Way and the true nature of reality
