heart sutra: theory & practice of the perfection of … · heart sutra: the theory &...

HEARTSUTRA:THEORY&PRACTICEOFTHEPERFECTIONOFWISDOM

GlenSvensson,Nov26&Dec3,2015@Copenhagen,Denmark

->[SESSION#1:NOV26TH2015]

Goodeveningeveryone,andwelcometothiseveningontheHeartSutra.We’regoingtocovertheHeartSutraintwoevenings,tonightandnextweek.Eachofthoseeveningswillbe2hlong,andineach,wewillhavea15mbreak.Inthesesessionswe’regoingtolookintothetheorybehindtheHeartSutra,butwewillalsobedoingmeditation,tohaveabitofexperienceofwhattheHeartSutraisabout.

[Glen shows the group a copy of the Heart Sutra, which you can find at the end of this transcript, or in his website, www.glensvensson.org]

Wewillstartbyhavingalookatthetitleofthetext,whichsays:“TheHeartofthePerfectionofWisdomSutra”.Sofirstofall,asutraisatextwiththewordsoftheBuddha,withhisvariousteachingshavingbeenwerewrittendown,historically,intwolanguages:PaliandSanskrit.

ThesutrasthatwerewrittendowninPaliformthebasisofthemoderndayBuddhisttraditionsthatarereferredtoastheTheravadatraditions,whichincludecountrieslikeSriLanka,Thailand,Burma,CambodiaandLaos.ThesutrasthatwerewrittendownintheSanskritlanguage,formthebasisofwhatiscalledtheMahayanatradition,whichincludescountrieslikeChina,Japan(ZenBuddhism),Korea,Vietnamandofcourse,TibetanBuddhism.

(1)WithintheTheravadatradition,thegoalofthespiritualpracticeistoachievepersonalliberationfromsuffering,agoalwhichisoftenreferredtoasnirvana.InallBuddhisttraditionsitisassertedthattheunderlyingreasonwhywehaveproblemsandsufferingisourfundamentalignorance:ourmisunderstandingofthenatureofreality.AndgenerallyintheTheravadatraditions,itissaidthatthefundamentalignorancethatistherootofallourproblemsandsuffering,isanoverinflatedsenseof‘me’,believingthatthe‘me’ismoresolidthatwhatitreallyis,andsothisiswhatiscalled‘graspingontoaself’.SointheTheravadatraditions,thewisdomweneedtodevelopinordertoachievethegoalofliberationfromsuffering,thegoalofnirvana,isthewisdomofno-self.Sotheassertionisthattheignorancewe’resufferingfrom,isthatofafalsesenseof‘me’:weoverinflateasenseof

‘me’,andgraspontowhat’scalledself.

Andthat’swhatweneedtorealize,thatwedonotexistinthisoverinflatedway.Therefore,inthePalitraditions,whenwetalkaboutwisdompractice,andanothernameforWisdompracticeisvipassana(whichjustmeansinsight),istogainthisrealizationofno-self.

Sutras:

1. Pali (Theravada)

Nirvana

Wisdom of no-self

2. Sanskrit (Mahayana)

Enlightenment

Wisdom of emptiness

(Skt.: shunyata)

HEARTSUTRA:THETHEORY&PRACTICEOFTHEPERFECTIONOFWISDOM|GlenSvensson,Nov26&Dec3,2015@Copenhagen,Denmark

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(2)OntheSanskrittraditions,whicharethebasisfortheMahayanatradition,thegoalofthespiritualpathisenlightenment.Andenlightenmentisnotsimplytoliberateourselvesfromsuffering,buttoachievethisstateoffullawakeningsothatwecanhelpliberateeveryonefromsufferingaswell.AndintheMahayanatraditions,whatisstoppingusfromachievingenlightenment,ourfundamentalignorance,isthatwebelievethatthereisanindependent‘me’hereandanindependent,objective,worldoutthere.WithintheSanskrittradition,itissaidtobethisignorancethatistherootofallofoursuffering.Sothewisdomweneedtodeveloptoachieveenlightenmentiswhat’scalledthewisdomofemptiness(emptinessinSanskrit:shunyata).Soherewearetorealizethatthereisnoindependent‘me’andnoindependent,objective,worldoutthere:thisiswhatemptinessmeans.

Aswewillsee,theHeartSutraispartoftheSanskrittradition,theMahayanatradition,andtalksabouthowtocultivatethiswisdomofemptiness.Sothat’swhatwewillbelookingat,intheHeartSutra.

Sojusttohavealookattherestofthetitle,weseeinthetitlethatitsays:“TheHeartofthePerfectionofWisdom”andtheninbrackets,underneath,wehavetheoriginalSanskrittitle,whichreads“Arya-bhagavati-prajnaparamita-hridaya-sutra”.

Sointhemiddle,weseetheword‘prajnaparamita’,and‘prajna’isaSanskritwordthatmeanswisdom,and‘paramita’meansperfection,so‘prajnaparamita’isthePerfectionofWisdom.Sothisperfectionofwisdomistorealizethisemptiness,thatthereisnoindependent‘me’,noindependentandobjectiveworldoutthere.

Aftertheword‘prajnaparamita’wealsoseetheword’hridaya’,whichmeansheartoressence.Butherethewordheartdoesn’tmeansomesortofemotion,itmeansessence,likeintheexpression‘theheartofthematter’.SothisHeartSutracontainstheessenceofalltheperfectionofwisdomteachingsintheSanskrittradition.Therearemanysutras,inSanskrit,teachingemptiness,buttheHeartSutraistheessenceofallofthose,isacondensedversionofalltheperfectionofwisdomteachings,andsoinveryfewwordswehavetheessenceoftheperfectionofwisdomteachingsonemptiness.

Andthenwealsoseetheword‘Arya-bhagavati’.‘Bhagavati’isthefeminineof‘Bhagavan’,and‘Bhagavan’isjustanothernameforBuddha,someonewhoisfullyenlightened.And‘Arya’isreferringtosomeonewhohashadadirectrealizationofemptiness,whichhasdirectlyrealizedthenatureofreality.

Butherewhatweseeinthetitleisthefeminineversion:‘Bhagavan’ismaleand‘Bhagavati’isthefemale.InBuddhism,wisdomisconsideredtobefeminine,becauseintheBuddhistspiritualpath,wetalkaboutthetwoaspectsofwisdomandcompassion,andintuitivelywemaythink:compassionismorefeminineandwisdommoremasculine,butinBuddhismit’stheopposite:wisdomisconsideredtobefeminineandcompassionmasculine.Thereasonwisdomisconsideredtobefeminineisthatit’swisdomthatgivesbirthtonirvanaandenlightenment,sowisdomgivesbirthtothesearyabeings.Sothat’swhywisdomisconsideredtobefeminine.


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Sothisiswhatweseeinthetitle‘Arya-bhagavati-prajnaparamita-hridaya-sutra’.SothissutraorteachingoftheBuddha,isteachingtheperfectionofwisdomofemptiness,thatsaysthatnothingexistsindependently:there’snoindependent‘me’,noindependentobjectiveworld.Andthissutracontainstheseteachingsinveryfewwords.Sothat’sbasicallythetitle.

Whatwewilldonow,whichisverytraditional,isthatinmanyoftheMahayanatraditionstheHeartSutraplaysaveryimportantrole,somuchsothatquiteoftenpeoplerecitetheHeartSutrainadailybasis.Alsooften,whenthere’sateachingbeinggiven,especiallyiftheteachingisaboutwisdom,asanauspicioussign,atthebeginningofteachingtheHeartSutraisalsorecited.SobeforewelookattheactualHeartSutra,IthoughtitmightbeniceifwereadtheHeartSutratogether.

[Glen then read the Heart Sutra with the group.]

Ok,let’sseeifwecanmakesomesenseofallofthat.

SowhatweseeinthistranslationoftheHeartSutraisalotofoutlinesembeddedinthetext.Ofcoursetheseoutlineswerenotintheoriginalsutra,buttheywereaddedlaterintime,sothatwecanmoreeasilyseethestructureoftheHeartSutra,andhowallofitselementsfittogether.

Andwhatweseeinthefirsttwooutlinesisthatthefirsttwoparagraphsaretheprologue,whichisbasicallythesettingofthesutra.Socommonlyatthebeginningofanysutrawewillfindthesetting,withelementslikewhereittookplace,whowasthereandsofar.Soheretheprologueisdividedintotwoparts,thecommonanduncommonprologue.The(i)commonprologueissomethingincommonwithalltheothersutras,basicallydescribingacoupleofbasicelementsofthesutra,likewhereittookplace,whotheteacherwas,andwhowaspresent.Sothisisfoundinthefirstparagraph.

Glenreads:

1A.Commonprologue

ThusdidIhearatonetime.TheBhagavanwasdwellingonMassofVulturesMountainin

Rajagrihatogetherwithagreatcommunityofmonksandagreatcommunityof

bodhisattvas.

Comments:

-soitbeginsbysayingthattheteachingonlyoccurredinoneoccasion.

-thenitsaysthe‘Bhagavan’,whichisjustanotherwordforBuddha(whichwasBuddhaShakyamuni),waspresent.

-RajagrihaisacityinmoderndayBihar,India,andRajagrihaliterallymeans‘ThePalaceoftheKing’,sothiscity,atthetimeoftheBuddha,wasactuallytheplacewheretheKingofthiswholeregion


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lived.AndjustoutsideRajagrihathere’sasmallhill,herecalled‘MassofVulturesMountain’,sometimescalled‘Vulture’sPeak’,whichisafamousBuddhistpilgrimagesiteinIndia.Soyoucangotherenowandvisit‘Vulture’sPeak’,seeingtheplacewheretheBuddhaactuallygavethisteaching.Sothat’swheretheteachingtookplace,onthislittlehilloutsideRajagriha,whichthesedaysisabouta2hdrivefromBodhgaya,theplacewheretheBuddhaachievedenlightenment.

-asforthereferenceofmonksandbodhisattvas,herethewordmonksisreferringtothosewhoarefollowingthepathtonirvana,whereabodhisattvaissomeonewhoisfollowingthepathtoenlightenment.Ofcoursewe’renotsayingthatallmonksonlyfollowthepathtonirvana,buthereinthissection,that’swhatitmeans.Sothat’swho’spresent:theBuddhawaspresent,inthislittlehillcalled‘Vulture’sPeak’outsideRajagriha,andalotofmonksandbodhisattvaswerealsopresent.

Inthenextparagraph,the(ii)uncommonprologue,isdescribingwhatisuniquetothissutra,whatistheuniquesettingofthissutra.

Glenreads:

1B.Uncommonprologue

Atthattime,theBhagavanwasabsorbedintheconcentrationonthecategoriesof

phenomenacalled“ProfoundPerception.”Also,atthattime,thebodhisattvamahasattva

aryaAvalokiteshvaralookedupontheverypracticeoftheprofoundperfectionofwisdom

andbeheldthosefiveaggregatesalsoasemptyofinherentnature.

Comments:

-soweoftenfind,inthesesortsofsutras,thewordprofound,whichisanotherwordforemptiness,becauseemptinessissomethingveryprofound,verydifficulttorealize.Sowhenitsaysprofoundperception,we’retalkingaboutperceivingtheprofound,andtheprofoundisemptiness.Sowe’retalkingaboutthefactthattheBuddhawasseatingthere,absorbedinrealizingemptiness,inrealizingthenatureofreality.

Vulture’sPeak,Rajgir,India


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-alsoAvalokiteshvaraisaSanksritword(inTibetan:Chenrezig)consideredtobetheBuddhaofCompassion.ButhereitscallingAvalokiteshvaraabodhisattva,whichissomeonewhoisaspiringtoenlightenment,aspiringtobecomeaBuddha.SohereAvalokiteshvaraisappearingasabodhisattva,forthebenefitoftheaudience.He’salsobeingcalleda‘mahasattva’,and‘maha’meansgreat,and‘sattva’meanscourageorstrength,soa‘mahasattva’issomeonewhohasgreatcourageorstrength.Andhereitmeanssomeonewhoisworkingwithgreatcourageorstrengthtohelpliberateeveryonefromsuffering.SoAvalokiteshvaraisalsopresent,andthetextsayshelookedatthepracticeoftheprofoundperfectionofwisdom,thepracticeofrealizingthatnothingexistsindependently,soAvalokiteshvarawasalsorealizingemptiness.

-thenitsays‘hebeheldthosefiveaggregatesalsoasemptyofinherentnature’.Thefiveaggregatesaresomethingthatcomesupalotintheseteachings,andherethefiveaggregatesareawayofpresentingthebasisofaperson.Ifwewanttokeepitsimple,apersonhastwoparts:thebodyandthemindandinthisfiveaggregatespresentation,thefirstofthefiveaggregatesiscalledtheformaggregate,whichinrespecttoaperson,referstothebody.Theotherfouraggregates,collectively,arethemind.Sowhenweseeinthetextthefiveaggregates,we’retalkingaboutthebodyandthemindofaperson.Sothetextthensaysheholdthesefiveaggregates,ie,thebodyandthemind,alsoasemptyofindependentnature.Theexpressionindependentnatureisanotherwayofsayingthatthingsareemptyofindependentexistence,thattheyhavenoinherentnature.Sothetextsaysthebodyandthemindarealsoindependentofinherentnature.Sowhatthatisimplyingisthatit’snotjustthepersonthatisemptyofinherentnature,butalsothebasisoftheperson,thebodyandthemindareemptyofinherentnature.SoAvalokiteshvarawasalsorealizingthatthepersondoesn’tindependentlyexist,thebodydoesn’tindependentlyexistandthattheminddoesn’texistindependently.

Sothisisthesetting:wehavetheBuddhaseatingthererealizingemptiness,wehaveAvalokiteshvaraalsorealizingemptiness,andthenifwegothenextpart,theactualsubjectmatterofthesutra,wehaveinthenextparagraph,anotherpersonbeingintroduced,whichisShariputra.

Glenreads:

2.Subjectmatteroftheactualsutra

2A.Shariputra’squestiononthemodeofpracticingtheperfectionofwisdom

Then,throughthepowerofBuddha,thevenerableShariputrasaidthistothebodhisattva

mahasattvaaryaAvalokiteshvara:“Howshouldanysonofthelineagetrainwhowishesto

practicetheactivityoftheprofoundperfectionofwisdom?”


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Comments:

-sowhoisShariputra?OftenwhenweseeapictureoftheBuddha,weseeinthesides,standingup,twoofhisdisciplines,thisisaverycommonwayofdepictingtheBuddha.OneofthesedisciplesisShariputra.AndthenthetextreadsThen,throughthepowerofBuddha,thevenerableShariputrasaidthistothebodhisattvamahasattvaaryaAvalokiteshvara.Sowhatwe’regoingtoseeactuallyinthissutra–andasutrarepresentsthewordsoftheBuddha–,ismostlyadiscussionbetweenAvalokiteshvaraandShariputra,withShariputraaskingaquestionandthenAvalokiteshvara’sreply.Butthisisasutra,thewordsoftheBuddha.What’skeyinthisstatement,istheexpression‘throughthepowerofBuddha’.Sowhatdoesthismean?ItmeansthattheBuddha,throughthepowerofhisconcentration,isactuallyorchestratingthisdiscussion,sohe’sinspiringAvalokiteshvaraandShariputratohavethisdiscussion.

-SothenShariputraasksaquestiontoAvalokiteshvara:“Howshouldanysonofthelineagetrainwhowishestopracticetheactivityoftheprofoundperfectionofwisdom?”Sowhatdoesthewordlineagemeanhere?Generally,inpractice,wecanfollowdifferentlineages,andintheMahayanatradition,we’refollowingtheMahayanalineagetoenlightenment,soasonordaughterofthelineageissomeonewhoisaspiringtofollowtheMahayanapath.AndwebecomeasonordaughterofthelineagewhenwedevelopGreatCompassion.SowhenwedevelopGreatCompassion,wishingtoliberateeveryoneelsefromsufferingaswell,weareasonordaughteroftheMahayanalineage.SothisiswhatShariputraisasking,howshouldanyoneinterestedinfollowingtheMahayanapathtoenlightenment,shouldpracticethiswisdomofemptiness?Howaretheytogoaboutthat?ThisiswhatShariputra’squestion.

-ThenweseethatAvalokiteshvara’sreply,whichismostofthesutra,it’sdividedintosections,andAvalokiteshvara’sresponse,onhowtopracticethiswisdomofemptiness,canberelatedtothedifferentstagesoftheMahayanapathtoenlightenment.

Andwecanseethatinyourotherhandout,towhichwewilllookindetaillater.

[Glen showed the group a handout with the title Mahayana path, which you can find in his website - www.glensvensson.org]

SowecanseetheMahayanapathtoenlightenmentisdividedinto5stages:

(1)PathofAccumulation

(2)PathofPreparation

(3)PathofSeeing

(4)PathofMeditation

(5)PathofNoMoreLearning.

Sothesearefivestageswegothrough,onourstrivingforenlightenment.AndAvalokiteshvara’sreplyistellinghowustopracticethesewisdomofemptiness,ateachoneofthose5stages.


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Thefirstpartofhisansweristellinghowshouldwepracticethiswisdomofemptiness,inthefirsttwostagesofthepath:thePathofAccumulationandPathofPreparation-that’sthesectionwe’regoingtolookatthisevening.

Anyonehasanyquestions?

Q.:IsthistextthefulllengthoftheHeartSutra?

A.:Yes,itis.WhatyouactuallyfindisthattheHeartSutraplaysaveryimportantroleinalloftheMahayanatraditions,andoftenyou’llfind,IthinkthatonChineseandZentraditions,whentheyreadtheHeartSutra,theprologueandtherejoicingthat’sattheendofthetext,theydon’trecitethosesections,onlythecoreHeartSutra,whileontheTibetantraditionyou’llalsohavethatprologueandtheconclusion.Butyes,thisisthefulllengthoftheHeartSutra.It’s25stanzas,it’sactuallyveryshort,verybrief.That’swhyit’scalledtheHeartSutra,theessence.

Q.:CallingtheBuddhathe’Bhagavan’;whyarethereseveralnamesforthesameperson?

A.:InfactthataremanymorenamesfortheBuddha,also‘Tathagata’,‘Sugatata’,‘Jina’,youcouldfindalistwithseveralmore,andeachoneofthosehasaparticularmeaning.Whatwe’regoingtoseeattheendofthesutranextweek,istheuseof‘Tathagata’,and‘ta’meanstogoand‘Tathaga’isanotherwordforemptiness,so‘Tathagata’issomeonewhohasgonetoemptiness,meaningsomeonewhohascompletelyrealizedemptiness,soaBuddhaissomeonewhohasdonethat.Sotheuseofthatnameisemphasizingthatfact.

Asfor‘Bhagavan’,‘van’meanstopossess,and‘Bhaga’canbeunderstoodaswhat’scalledfortuneorqualities,so‘Bhagavan’issomeonewhopossessesparticularqualities(andthere’salistof6qualities,butthat’soutofourscopefornow),butoftentheword‘Bhagavan’canmeansomeonewhoispossessingthesequalitiesoftheBuddha,anditcanalsomeansomeonewhohaseliminatedallthefaultsaswell,sothereisaspecificetymologywithallofthese.

Sonowlet’shavealookatAvalokiteshvara’sreply.

Thiseveningwewillbecoveringthefirstpartofhisreply,whichreferstohowwearetopracticethiswisdomofemptinessonthefirsttwostagesofthepath.Actually,implicitly,he’salsotalkingabouthowarewe,asbeginners,topractice(evenifwe’renoteventechnically‘onthepath’).Soifwethink:“Oh,we’renotattheendofthepath,sothisdoesn’tapplytous”,actuallythefirstpartoftheanswerappliestousaswell,becausetoactuallyenterthePathofAccumulation,wehavetodevelopthisaspirationcalledbodhicitta,thisaspirationforenlightenment,toalevelwhereitturnsintosomethingspontaneouswithinus.Somaybewedon’thavethisspontaneouswishtoachieveenlightenmenttohelpothers,maybewedon’thavethatrightnow,andthat’ssomethingonwhichwehavetoworkalittlebit.Somaybewe’rereallyalittlebeforethebeginningofthepath.

ButactuallytheinstructionsweseenowintheHeartSutra,alsorelatetous,asbeginners,they’rethesameinstructions,sotheydefinitelyapplytous.


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Q.:Soemptinesshasnothingtodowithenlightenment,it’sjustamethod?

A.:Aswe’regoingtosee,emptinessissayingthateverythingisemptyofinherentexistence,andintheMahayanatradition,ifwewanttoachieveenlightenment,wehavetocometodirectlyrealizethat.Ifwerealizeemptinessdirectly,againandagainandagainandagainandagain,eventuallywewillwipeoutalltheignoranceinourmindandwewillachieveenlightenment.Sosomeonewhoisinanenlightenedstate,isrealizingemptinessallthetime.Sothat’stherelationshipbetweenenlightenmentandemptiness.

Q.:Isthemindthatrealizesemptiness,thesameordifferentfromtheemptinessthatitrealizes?

A.:Sameordifferent?…Neither!Wewilltouchonthatlater.

Sonowlet’shavealookatthefirstpartoftheanswer.

Glenreads:

2B.Avalokiteshvara’sresponses

2B1.Individualpresentationofthemodeoftraininginthepathofthoseofinferiorfaculties

2B1A.Presentationofthemodeoftrainingintheperfectionofwisdomonthepathof

accumulationandthepathofpreparation

2B1A-1.Transition

HesaidthatandthebodhisattvamahasattvaaryaAvalokiteshvarasaidthistothe

venerableShariputra.“Shariputra,anysonofthelineageordaughterofthelineagewho

wishestopracticetheactivityoftheprofoundperfectionofwisdomshouldlookuponit

likethis,

Comments:

-sorememberthata‘sonordaughterofthelineage’issomeonethathasdevelopedGreatCompassionandisaspiringtofollowtheMahayanapathtoenlightenment,someonewhohasthataspiration,howshouldtheypracticethiswisdomofemptiness?

-sothefirstpartoftheansweristhebriefanswer,andthatverybriefansweris:


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Glenreads:

[2B1A-2.Modeoftraininginbrief]

correctlyandrepeatedlybeholdingthosefiveaggregatesalsoasemptyofinherentnature.

Comments:

-herethe‘correctlyandrepeatedly’,couldalsobetranslatedas‘tosubsequentlyseeinacorrectway’,whichprobablymakesmoresense.Sowhatdoesthatmean?Itmeanstosubsequentlyinvestigate,sothatwecometoseethatthingsareemptyofinherentnature.Whatthatimpliesisthattocometoinitiallyrealizeemptinesswehavetousereasoningandlogic.Wehavetoinferthatactuallythingsareemptyofindependentexistence,becauseemptinessisnotsomethingwecanseedirectlynow.Sowehavetousereasoningandlogictocometocorrectlyinferthatindeedthingsdon’texistindependently.Sothat’swhatwe’regoingtobedoinghere,intryingtoestablishthisviewofemptiness,throughreasonandlogic.

-andrememberthatthefiveaggregatesaresimplyawaytosaythebodyandthemind,andso‘also’meansthatnotonlythepersonisemptyofinherentexistence,butthebasisofthepersonarealsoemptyofinherentnature,theydonotindependentlyexist.

-soinitsbriefanswerhe’salsoindicatingthesequenceinwhichweshouldinvestigatethenatureofreality.Whenwecometoinvestigateit,wecaninvestigateanything:acup,alaptop,thebody,themind,butherewhat’simpliedisthatweshouldstartbyinvestigatingourselvesasaperson,howdoweexist?

Sothisiswhatthisbriefansweristellingus,onwhattodo.

Andtogointothat,whichwewilldoafterthebreak,inthemostclassicstatementsoftheHeartSutra,whereitsays:“Formisempty.Emptinessisform.Emptinessisnototherthanform;formisalsonototherthanemptiness.”Sothat’sprobablythebestwellknownpartoftheHeartSutra,andinthere,there’salotofmeaning,namelywhatemptinessreallymeans,whatitmeansthatthingsareemptyofindependentexistence.

Sonow,beforetheteabreak,assuggestedintheHeartSutra,wewillbeginourinvestigationofrealitybyfocusingonourselvesasaperson.Sowhatwe’regoingtodonowisusereasoningandlogic,inmeditation,tocometoseesubsequentlyinacorrectway,thatthere’snoindependent‘me’here.

That’swhatwe’regoingtodonow,sopleasefindacomfortablepostureplease.


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MEDITATIONINSTRUCTIONS:

[40:00]Beginning.

[40:22]Sobeginbyallowingyourawarenesstodescendintothebody,andsimplybecomeawareofsensationsthroughoutthebody.

[40:57]Ifyounoticeanyareasoftensioninthebody,thenusetheoutbreathtorelaxandreleasethattightnessortension.

[41:40]Nowbringyourawarenesstotheareaofyourface,softeningandrelaxingallthemusclesintheface,allowingthejawstobesoftandrelaxed.Thenallthemusclesaroundtheeyes…softandrelaxed.

[42:35]Inthisway,allowyourentirebodytobecomecompletelyrelaxed,completelyatease.

[43:20]Thenrelaxingmoredeeply,witheachoutbreath.

[44:00]Allowingthebreathingtosettleintoitsnaturalrhythm,nottryingtocontrolitorregulateitinanyway.Simplyallowingittoflownaturallyandwithouteffort.

[45:00]Thenwitheachoutbreath,lettinggoofanythoughtsthatmayhavearisen.Happilyreleasingthem.

[45:35]Andsimplyallowingthemindtocometorestinthepresentmoment.Simplybecomingawareofsensationsofthebreaththroughoutthebody,whereyoumosteasilynoticeanysensationsassociatedwiththebreath.

[46:40]Maintaininganongoingflowofmindfulnessofthesensationsofthebreath,throughoutthebody.

[47:20]Now,doyouhaveasensethatthere’sa‘me’here,a‘me’whoismeditating?A‘me’thatdoesnotseemtodependuponanythingelsetoexist?Doyouhavethisexperience?Thisexperienceof‘me’,themeditator.

[48:20]The‘me’thatseemstobeheremeditating…Canthis‘me’befoundanywhere?Can‘me’,themeditator,befoundanywhereinthebody?Searchthoroughlyinanypartofthebodyandlookforthe‘me’thatismeditating.

[49:40]Isthe‘me’whoismeditatingtobefoundsomewhereinsidethehead?Isthebrainthe‘me’whoismeditating?

[50:20]OristhebrainsimplysomethingwhichIpossess?Somethingwhich‘me’,themeditator,isusing?

[50:50]Isthewholebodyitself,isthatthe‘me’whoismeditating?

[51:20]OristhewholebodyitselfsimplysomethingthatIpossess?Somethingwhich‘me’,themeditator,istryingtorelax?

[52:20]Ismethemeditator,tobefoundsomewhereinthemind?Again,searchthoroughlyanypartofthemind,andlookforthe‘me’whichismeditating.


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[53:00]Areanyofthethoughts,emotionsormemoriesinthemind,areanyofthesethe‘me’whoismeditating?

[53:30]Orarethoughts,emotionsandmemoriessimplythingsthatIpossess?Thingswhich‘me’,themeditator,has?

[54:05]Istheminditself,the‘me’whoismeditating?OristheminditselfsimplysomethingwhichI,themeditator,possess?Somethingwhich‘me’,themeditator,istryingtotrain?

[54:50]Isthecombinationofthebodyandthemind,isthatthe‘me’whoismeditatinghere?Oristhecombinationthebodyandthemind,simplytwothingsthatIpossess?TwothingsthatI,themeditator,istryingtotrain?

[55:50]Apartfromthebodyandthemind,whatelseistherehere?Ifthere’snothingmorethanthebodyandthemindhere,whereisthe‘me’whopossessesthisbodyandmind?Whichistryingtotrainthebodyandthemind?Whereisthe‘me’whoismeditating?

[57:10]Evenifyoudidn’tfindthe‘me’whoismeditating,isn’tsomeoneexperiencingallofthis?Sothereisa‘me’heremeditating.Andjustbecausewedon’tseemtobeabletofindit,itdoesn’tmeanthatitdoesn’texist.Itsimplymeansthatitisemptyoffindableindependentexistence.

[58:00]The‘me’whichisheremeditatingisthedependent‘me’.A‘me’thatexistsdependingonthebodyandthemind.A‘me’thatismerelylabeled,onthebasisofthebodyandthemind.

[58:30]Endofmeditation.

Solet’stakea15mbreakandhaveacupoftea.

SESSIONBREAK

Sowe’relookingattheHeartSutra,andagainthewordheartmeansessence,theessenceoftheperfectionofwisdomsutra.Perfectionofwisdomisthenthiswisdomofemptiness,sothissutracontainstheessenceoftheteachingsonemptiness.

Andwe’renowstartingtohavealookatAvalokiteshvara’sresponsetoShariputra,intermsofhowtopracticethiswisdomofemptinessinthevariousstagesalongtheMahayanapathtoenlightenment.Andwhatwealreadysawwasthatintheinitialstagesofthepath,emptinessissomethingwehavetorealizefirstthroughreasoningandlogic,throughinference,tothensubsequentlyseeinacorrectway,thateverythingisemptyofanindependentexistence.Andsowe’renowgoingtohavealookatthisfamousstatementonformandemptiness,


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Glenreads:

2B1A-3A.Modeoftrainingintheultimatenatureoftheaggregateofform

Formisempty.Emptinessisform.Emptinessisnototherthanform;formisalsonotother

thanemptiness.

Comments:

-1)Firststatement:‘Formisempty’.Sorememberthatformhereisoneofthefiveaggregates,withthefiveaggregatesbeingthepresentationofthebasisoftheperson,sotheformaggregateisreallytalkingaboutthebody.Soeffectively,whatthisstatementissayingis‘Thebodyisempty’.

Butwhenweseestatementslikethis,wehavetoask:emptyofwhat?Andhereemptinessdoesn’tmeanthatnothingreallyexists.Thisisnotsayingthatthebodyisempty,andthereforeisdoesn’treallyexist.Whatitissayingisthatthebodyisempty…ofinherentnature,orinotherwords,emptyofindependentexistence.Sothisstatement,thatthingsareemptyofindependentexistenceorinherentnature,thisisemptiness.

Soemptinessisnotsayingthatnothingreallyexists,butitissayingthatthingsarenotindependentlyexisting.Sothisistheultimatenatureofform,orthebody.Infact,asweseeintheHeartSutra,emptinessistheultimatenatureofeverything,nothingexistsindependently.Andaswesawinitially,torealizethis,wecomeatitbyusingreasonandlogic.Andthat’salittlebittheapproachweusedinthemeditationwejustdid.Inthemeditationofcourse,weweren’tlookingforthebody,butthe‘me’meditating.

Andonetypeofreasoning,andtherearedifferenttypesofreasoningonecoulduse,buttheoneweusedinthatmeditationwaswhatiscalled‘sameordifferent’reasoning.Becauseifsomethingexistsindependently,thenitmustbefindable,wemustbeabletopointandsay:“Thereitis.”.

Sointermsoftheperson,thereasoningwecanuseis:ifthereisanindependent‘me’here,ithastobefoundaseitherbeingthesameasthebodyandthemind,ordifferentthanthebodyandthemind.Andifwecan’tfinditinoneofthosetwoplaces,theindependentfindable‘me’doesnotexist.Sothisapproachwastheonewefollowedinthemeditation:firstwewerelooking,isthe‘me’thatseemstobehere,isthesameasthebodyandthemind?Canyoufindthe‘me’inthebody?Canyoufindthe‘me’inthemind?Ifwecan’tfinditnorinthebodynorinthemind,thenitmustdifferentthanthebodyandthemind.Andtherewemustbeabletotakeawaythebodyandthemind,andbeleftwiththe‘me’.Andifyoucan’t,it’snotfindable,sothat’sthereasoning.

Therefore,ifyoucan’tfindthat‘me’asbeingthesameordifferentthanthebodyandthemind,thatnotfindingthe‘me’isanexperienceofemptiness.Sowejustholdthatexperienceofnot

1. ‘Form is empty’

(independent existence)

Reasoning: same or different

2. ‘Emptiness is form’

Things are empty of being


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finding.Hereitisoftensaidthat‘notfinding’is‘thebestfinding’.Sointhemeditation,theexperienceofemptinessisthisexperienceofnotfinding,afterhavingsearchthoroughly.Sothat’stheapproachweused.Therefore,usingthisreasoning,wecancometothatexperienceofnotfindingtheindependent‘me’,andthatexperienceofnotfindingisanexperienceofemptiness.Sothat’showwecancometohaveanexperienceofemptinessinitially.Atourstage,andhereonthefirsttwostagesoftheMahayanapath.

Butoften,whenwelookatthisstatement‘Formisempty’thenpeopleoftenfeel,“Oh,formisempty,sonothingreallyexists.”Soweoftenfalltotheextremeofnihilism,misinterpretingwhatthisstatementmeans.Tohelpavoidthis,wehavethesecondstatement,whichis,

-2)Secondstatement:‘Emptinessisform.’Sowhatthisissayingisbecausethingsareemptyofindependentexistence,thereforeform,thebody,thepersonandsoforthcanappearandfunction.Sothisistalkingaboutthesubtle,conventionalnatureofeverything,inthiscaseofcourse,we’retalkingaboutthebody.Soemptinessisform,oremptinessisthebody,issayingthatbecausethebodyisemptyofindependentexistence,thebodycanappearandfunction.Sowhatthisissayingisthatform,orthebody,isadependentphenomenon.Sothisistalkingabouttheconventionalnatureofeverything,thatinfacteverythingisadependentarising.Aswe’regoingtoseelater,emptinessandthefactthatthingsaredependentareliketwosidesofacoin.

Andoftenthereasoningweseethereisthat,ingeneral,thingsareemptyofbeingindependentexistentbecausetheyaredependent-arising’s.Sonormallythisisthestatementwesee,thattiesthesetwostatementstogether.Andinthisexpression,‘arising’meanscomingintoexistence,sothingscomeintoexistencedependently.Sothereforeifwecanunderstandhowthingsaredependentlyexisting,wewillunderstandhowtheyareemptyofindependentexistence,andsothatisgoingtohelpusbetterunderstandemptiness.

Sothat’swhatwe’regoingtolookatnow:howarethingsdependentlyexistent?Andbyunderstandingthis,thatwillhelpusbetterunderstandemptiness.

1.SothefirstwayinwhichthingsaredependentisthattheydependonCAUSESANDCONDITIONS.Forexample,tohavethislaptophereexisting,weneedtohavealotofcausesandconditionscomingtogether.Oneofthefirstconditionsweneedisthatsomeoneneededtodesignthislaptop,thenweneededalltherawmaterialstobecollected,refined,weneededallthecomponentstobemanufactured,andthenweneededallofthattobeassembled.Andthenweneededallthepeopleandfactoriesinvolvedaswell.Sowithoutallthosecausesandconditions,wewouldn’thavethislaptophere.

Dependent-arising’s

1. Causes and conditions

2. Parts

3. Imputation / labelling /

conceptual designation


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Sothat’sprobablyfairlyeasytounderstand,thatthingsdependoncausesandconditions.Thisissomethingverywellunderstoodinscienceofcourse.

2.ButthingsalsodependontheirPARTS.Again,thislaptop,withoutthecasing,withoutthebuttonsortheelectroniccomponents,thescreen,withoutallofthesepartswouldn’tbealaptop.SoagainIthinkthatthatisverystraightforward,thatthingsdependontheirpartstoexist.

SoIthinkallofusherequitehappilywouldacceptthesetwoideas.True?

Butremember,thatwhatwe’resayingisthatbecausethingsaredependently-arising,thatisthereasonwhythingsareemptyofindependentexistence.Andwecanallhappilyacceptthatthislaptopdependsoncausesandconditionsandonitsparts.

But,wecanallalsohappilyacceptthatwhenwewalkintothedoor,there’salreadyalaptophereonthetable.True?Butthisreasoningshouldbeoverturningthatidea.Thatreasoningshouldbestoppingusfromunderstandingorbelievingthatthereisalaptopalreadyexistinghereonthetablewhenwewalkintothedoor…

Butitdoesn’tseemtohavethateffect,Ithink.Whyisthat?It’sbecausewedon’treallyunderstandtheseideasataverydeeplevel,weonlyunderstandthemataverysuperficiallevel.Sotounderstandtheseatadeeperlevel,weneedtogotothethirdwayinwhichthingsaredependent.

3.SothingsalsodependonIMPUTATION/LABELLING/CONCEPTUALDESIGNATION,threeexpressionsthatmeanthesamething.Sowhatdoesitmeanforthingstoexistdependingonimputation/labelling/conceptualdesignation?Again,wecanlookatthisandsay,“Ok,Iknowwhatthatmeans.Itmeansthatthere’sathinghere,thatwe’recallingalaptop.”Again,that’safairlysuperficialunderstanding.

Toreallyunderstandwhatthatmeansweneedtounderstandthatwhenwelookattheworld,what’sappearingtousisjustamassofsensedata,particularly,visualdata.Andofcoursewehavetomakesenseandcreatemeaninginallofthisdata,otherwisewecouldn’tfunction.Sowhatdowedo?

Wecreateobjects,wedrawlinesaroundvariouscollectionsofdataandcreateanobject.Sowedivideuptheworldintomanydiscreteobjects,becausewehavetodothat,tomakesenseoftheworld.

Butwedomorethanthat,becauseweneedtocommunicateandsowehavetogivenamestothesethingsthatwe’vecreated.

Sothisthirdpoint(‘imputation/labelling/conceptualdesignation’)meansthatwholeprocessbywewhichwedrawlines,createobjectsandthen,ontopofthat,givethemaname.

ScenefromthemovieTheMatrix(TheWachowskiBrothers(dir.),WarnerBros,1999).


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Andthewayinwhichwedivideuptheworld…isnotfixed.Infact,it’scompletelyarbitrarydependingonthemeaningwewanttogetfromtheworld.Forexample,howmanythingsarethere?

[Glen draws a Star of David]

Don’twedecide?

Isthereonethingthere,fromitsownside?Astar?Existingindependentlyfromourconception?Isthereonethingtherealready,whenwecomealong?Ourdowecreateonethingthere?Bydrawingonelineandsayingthatthere’sonestarthere?

Wemaydrawdifferentlines,andsay“Oh,that’sactually2trianglesthere.”orwemaysay“There’s6trianglesthere.”orwemaysay“There’s6trianglesandahexagon”orwecanevensay“There’sacollectionof18linesthere.”

Sohowmanyobjectsarethere?Isthere1?2?6?7?Or18?Howmany?

Wedecide.Wecreatetheobjects.It’snotanobjectalreadythere,existingindependentlyfromourconceptionframework.Wecreatetheobjects.Weneedtodothatofcourse,becausewehavetocreatesenseoftheworldsothatwecanfunction,sothere’snothingwrongwiththat,infactwehavetodothat.

Theproblemisthatwedon’trealizewe’redoingit…andwebelievethere’salreadyafixedworldofmanydiscreteobjectsalreadyoutthere,beforewecomealong.That’stheproblem,becausethat’swhenwegetoutofsyncwithreality.

Sothereforewhatwe’resayingisthingsaremerelylabeled,meaningthatthingsdonotexistmorethanourconceptualframework,there’snothingexistingbeyondourconceptualframework.Thingsarejustlabeled,onlyexistingwithinourconceptualframework.

Sothisiswhatthisthirdpointmeans,orinanotherway,thingsarenotfindable.Youcannotfindastarhere(Glenpointstotheboard),inthebasis.There’snostartobefoundinthebasis,inthatdata.Wecreatethestar.Sotherenostarhere,onthebasis,tobefoundfromitsownside.

Basedonthisunderstanding,letsnowhavealookatownwecanunderstandthesetwoideas(1.CausesandConditionsand2.Parts)atadeeperlevel.


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Sothisisatimelineandyoucanseeaseedatthebeginningandaplantattheend.Sowesawearlierthataplantexistsuponcausesandconditions,withtheunderlyingcausefortheplantbeingtheseedandtheconditionsnecessarytohavetheplantarethesoil,sunlight,waterandsoforth.Sowithouttheseedandallofthoseconditionswewouldn’thavetheplant.Sotheplantexistsdependingoncausesonconditions.Nowwebelievethatthingslike‘seed’and‘plant’existindependentlyofourconceptualframework.

Butifthat’sthecaseatwhatpointdoestheseedbecomestheplant?If‘seeds’and‘plants’existfromtheirownside,itshouldbeafixed,obviouspointwhentheseedbecomestheplant.Sowhendoestheseedbecomestheplantinthistimeline?Whocantellme?It’sonlywhenwedecide.

Sotheseedbecomestheplantonlywhenthisconfigurationofdatastopslookinglikeourconceptofseedandstartslookinglikeourconceptofplant.Andeachoneofushasslightlydifferentconceptsof‘seed’and‘plant’,soforsomeofustheseedbecomesaplantatasligthlydifferentplace…Butwedeterminewhentheplantcomesintoexistence,there’snoplantexistingfromitsownside.

Anotherpointthatcanbeveryhelpfulwiththisisthattheseedandplantareinacauseandeffectrelationship.Andbydefinition,iftwothingsareinacauseandeffectrelationship,thenbydefinitiontheycannotexistatthesametime.

Sohere’saquestion:doestheseedceasetoexist,beforetheplantcomesintoexistence?Therecanonlybetwoanswers,yesorno,sowhichisit?

[Studentreplies]No,itdoesn’t.

[Glen]Soifyousayno,bydefinitionitmeansthattheseedexistsatthesametimethattheplant,whichbydefinitionisillogical,sothatoptionisillogical.

Butalsoifyousayyes,thentheseedceasestoexistbeforetheplantcomesintoexistence…thenwhereistheplantcomingfrom?Soiftheseedceasestoexist,wheredoestheplantcomesfrom?That’salsonotlogical!

Sowhatwecanunderstandfromthisreasoningisthatcauseandeffect,ifwebelievethatthingsexistindependently,turnscompletelyillogical.Itcannotwork.AndactuallythegreatIndianmasterNagarjuna,thatreallyexpandedonthisperfectionofwisdomteachings,wroteaclassictextcalled“TheFundamentalWisdomoftheMiddleWay”,whereheuses27chaptersofexampleslikethis.Youbelieveinindependentexistence?Thenwhataboutseedandplant,causeandresult?Agentandaction,fireandfuel?Howdothesethingswork?Andthenitjustbecomesillogical,allthesecomon

2 extremes:

1. Existence (independent)

2. Non-existence (nihilism)


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senseideaswehave,ifwebelieveininterdependentexistence,theybecomeillogical,theycannotwork.

Sothisisanotherwayofbreakingdownthisfalseviewthatthingsexistindependently.

Arethereanyquestions?

Q1.:[Student]Ithinkyoucouldarguethatallofthishasjusttodowithourmentalconstructs,withhowweconceptualizetheworld,andhasnothingtodowiththenatureoftheworld,sothatitdoesn’treallymatterwhichwordsweusetodescribeit.

[Glen]Theonlyworldwecantalkabout,istheworldweexperience,correct?[Student]Yes.[Glen]Andtheworldweexperienceistheworldwecreate,isn’tit?[Student]Well,wecreateitfromsomebasis.Soweconceptualize,butthere’sabasisforit.[Glen]Ah,ok,there’sabasis.Butisn’tbasisaconceptthatwe’vedeveloped?Isn’tatomaconceptwe’vedevelopedtotrytounderstandthings?Orisitanatomexistingindependently,fromitsownside?Independentfromourconceptualframework?[Student]Iwouldn’tsayso.[Glen]Ok,sothat’swhatwe’resaying!Sothetrickypointhere,andthat’swhatwe’regoingtoseenextweek,isthatforusnow,thereareonlytwopossibilities,twooptionsandwe’restuckinwhatiscalledthetwoextremes.

(1)Thefirstextremeiscalledtheextremeof‘existence’,meaningindependentexistence.Sothat’swherewe’restucknow,webelievethis.Andforusnowthere’sonly2possibilities:eitherthereisthisindependentworld…orthereisnoworld.Becausewecannotseeotherpossibility.Becausetheonlyworldwe’veidentifiedwith,isthis(existentialism).Sothisideaofemptinessisunderminingthis,andthroughusingreasoningandlogic,wecancometocorrectlyestablishthatthereisnoindependentworld.Itjustdoesnotexist.It’sillogical,infact.

(2)Butthenwhenpeopledothis,theythenwronglyassumethatnotfindingthis[aninerentlyindependentexistingworld]theyfliptotheotherextremeofnon-existence(nihilism).Whathappensisthatbycorrectlyusingreasoningandlogicandcorrectlyunderstandingthatthisindependentworldcan’texist,ifwefliptotheotherextreme,becausewethinkthereareonlytwopossibilities:eitherthereisthisindependentworld,orthereisnoworld.Soweoftenfliptonihilism.

AndthisiswhattheHeartSutraandNagarjunawasallabout,themiddleway.We’retryingtofindthemiddlewaybetweenthesetwoextremes.

Andthat’swhatthestatementwe’reanalyzingsays,particularlythesegment“Emptinessisnototherthanform;formisalsonototherthanemptiness”,because:(i)emptinesshelpsustoovercomethisextreme[ofexistence],ithelpsustounderstandthatthingsarenotindependent,and(ii)dependent-arisinghelpsustoovercomenihilism,becausethingsdoexist,butthey’remerelylabeled.Andsowecanbegintounderstandthatemptinessanddependent-arisingareliketwosidesofacoin.


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Sobyunderstandingthosestatements,itreallyhelpsustofindthatmiddlewaybetweenthosetwoextremes.Thatistherealchallengehere,toreallyfindthatmiddleway,becauseforusnow,wedemandthattheremustbeabasisthere,forsomethingtoexist.Therehastobeabasisthereforsomethingtoexist,becausewecan’tentertainthepossibilityofanythingexistingwithoutanindependentbasis.Butthat’sonlybecausewe’restuckinthesetwoextremes…Butthat’swhatwe’retryingtoovercome.

Q2.:[Student]I’vebeenhearingyoutalkandtalk,anditseemstomethatoneoftheproblemswiththisisthatwe’recaughtupinwords,andevenwhenwethink,it’swithwords,sowe’vegotthesedefinitionsanditseemsthatiftheydidn’texist,wewouldbeleftwithwhatactuallyhappens.Sotheproblemiscomunicatingthis…SoifIcouldgetridoftheseconceptualideas,whicharebasedonthoughts,thenwhathappens?

[Glen]Thenyoucouldn’tfunction!Becausenothingwouldhavemeaning…Wehavetobeverycarefulhere,inwhatiscalledthepre/transfallacy:thefactthatpeoplewanttogobackbeforeconception,butwhatweneedtodoisuseconceptiontogoforward,nottoregressback.Sotheproblemisnotconception,isthatwedon’tunderstandconception.Becausewhatwe’resayinghereisthatdependency,thatthingsaremerelylabeled,that’sthemeaningofemptiness.It’snotthattheyareincontradiction,it’snotlikethere’semptinesshereandconceptionthere,andconceptionisaproblemandthatifwecangetridofthat,wegettoemptiness.We’restuckinaduality,andwhatweneedtounderstandisthattheyaretwosidesofthesamecoin.Wehavetounderstandthatourproblemisnotunderstadingconception,notunderstandingwhatthatreallymeans,that’stheproblem.

Sotogoforwardwithconceptionweneedtorealizeemptinessdirectly,thendirectlywe’llunderstandconception,notthewaywedonow.Soyou’rerightinthesensethatwewillneverbeabletounderstandemptinesconceptually,butthesolutionisnottoabandonconception,buttouseconceptiontogobeyondit.Becauseifyoudon’thaveaframework,thenwhatareyougoingtodo?I’tsnotlikeblankingourmindisgoingtobethesolution.Blankingourmindisnotgettingusanywhere,excepttoastateofstupor.Soyouhavetousewordstogobeyond.

Sowhatwe’redoinghereitusingaconceptualframeworktounderstandwheretogo,butthenyouhavetogobeyondthat.TheanalogyinBuddhismisthatwehaveaboattocrosstheriver,butoncewecrosstheriver,weleavetheboatbehind…Soyouuseconceptiontogobeyondconception.Ifyouabandonitfromthebeginning,you’veleftwithoutatooltogobeyond,andyou’llgetstuckinablankstate.Sothisisthetrick:toknowhowtouseconception,andthengobeyondit.

Q3.:[Student]Whatdoyoumean,whenyouusedthewordsrealizedirectlyemptiness?

[Glen]That’swhatwe’regoingtodonextweek.Sowhatwe’relookingatnowisthefirsttwostagesofthepath(PathofAccumulationandPathofPreparation),butalsoforusasbeginners.Soasbeginners,weapproachemptinessthroughreasoningandlogic,tocometoconceptuallyrealizeemptiness,asastartingpoint.Butthenwehavetogodeeper,weusethatconceptual


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understandingasastartingpointtogobeyondtheconcepts,tocometodirectlyrealizeemptiness.Sothat’swhat’sgoingtohappeninthenextstageofthepath,pathofseeing.

Sohereweneedtouselogicandconceptionasavehicletostartthis,becauseotherwiseifwedon’thavethat,wemayseatdownandhavesomesortofnon-conceptualstate,buthowdoweinterpretthat?Becausenoteverynon-conceptualstateisarealizationofemptiness,infactitcouldbejustspacingout…Becausewecanstopconception,butthat’snotunderstandinganything…Whatweneedtodoistorealizeemptiness,andtodothat,weneedtohaveaframeworkforpractice,whichofcourse,isconceptual.Andsowestarttheresothatweknow,ifwehavesomeexperienceofemptiness,wecancorrectlyinterpretthatandknowifthat’savalidexperienceorifwe’rejustspacingoutandnotreallygoinganywhere…Becausemanypeoplebelievethatthegoalistogobeyondconception,soatthestarttheyjustblanktheirmindsandtheyseatinablankstate,andoftentheythinkthey’rerealizingemptiness,butinfactthey’rejustdeludingthemselves,becausethey’rejustspacedout…Andthisisoneofthedangerstoo.We’retalkinghereofthewisdompractice,orvipashyanapractice,andasabasisforthatwehaveshamathapractice.Andshamathapracticeisjusttodevelopastableandclearmind,andinthatpractice,theconceptualmindgoescompletelyquiet…Andwhenthathappens,peoplewhodon’thavethisconceptualframeworkhavethisnon-conceptualstate,anddeludethemselves,thinkingthey’verealizedthenatureofreality…Andinfact,theyhaven’tevengone1millimeterintheMahayanapath…Togothere,youneedvipashyanapractice,andthisisthestartingpointofthat…Sothat’sveryimportant.

Butofcourseweneedtogobeyondconception,andthat’sthestagewe’reenteringnow.Sohereinthesetwostagesofthepath,ifweseatdownanddothismeditation,andhavethisexperienceofnotfindingtheme,thenthere’sstillasenseof‘me’themeditatorhavinganexperienceofnotfinding,sothat’sstillaconceptualexperience,butit’savalidexperience,evenifstillconceptual.Sothenweneedtogoonestepfurtherandgodeeper,toapointwhereitbecomescompletelynon-conceptual.Butthat’sfornextweek!

Ok,justacoupleofmorethingsbeforewewrapuptoday.

[Glen holds a marker pen in his hand]

Sotheexamplewesawontheseedandtheplantisintermsofcausesandconditions,andtheotheroneisintermsofparts.

Sowesayforexamplethatthispenexistsdependingonhisparts.Andisnotfindable,inthesensethatthereisnotapentobefoundhereonthebasis.Andwecanseethatquiteeasily,becauseifwesearchforthepen,wewon’tfindit.

[Glen holds the pen’s cap]

Q.:Isthisthepen?

A.:No.

[Glen holds another small part of the pen]


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Q.:Isthisthepen?

A.:No.

[Glen holds the pen’s inside tube]

Q.:Isthistubethepen?

A.:No.

Q.:Istheinkthepen?

A.:No.

Sowhere’sthepen?

Andpeoplesometimesreply:“Ohthat’seasy,thepenisthecollectionoftheparts.”

[Glen holds all the separated parts of the pen in his hand]

Q.:Sohere’sthecollectionofpartsofthepen,isthatapen?

A.:No.

Andsometimespeoplesay,“Ohno,ithastobeinacertainshape!”Ok,sothenyouneedtotellmewhenthepencomesintoexistence.

[Glen slowly starts to put the pen back together, and eventually some people say: “That’s a pen!”]

Sothekeypointisthatwebringthepenintoexistence,whenthisconfigurationofdatacloselyenoughresemblesourconceptofpen.Andconceptsgenerallyhaveatleasttwoparts,(i)appearanceand(ii)functionality.Sowhenthiscollectionappearscloselyenoughtoourconceptofpenanditseemstofunctionaccordingtoourconceptofpen,thenthere’sapenthere.Notbefore.

Iftherewasapentobefoundtherefromitsownside,theneveryonewhowouldlookherewouldseepen…ButIthinkthatifacavemancameinhere,hewouldn’tseepen,heprobablywouldseesomekindofweaponforstabing.Andifadogcameinhere,itwouldprobablyseesomekindofchewingstick.Andifatinyantcameinhere,itcouldseeasmallhometolivehere.Soisthisapen,aweapon,achewingstickorahome?

Fromitsownside?Noneofthose.Fromthesideoftheobserver,allofthosethings.Sowebringthepenintoexistence.

Sotheproblemisthatwehavealabelandabasis,andwhatwedoisthatwefusethetwotogether.Don’twesaythisisapen?Technicallythat’sverymisleading,isn’tit?Shouldn’twebesaying:“PenissomethingI’mlabellingonthisbasis?”Aren’tweapplyingthelabelpen,tothisbasis?


20

Whenwepointandsay:“Thisisapen”we’resayingthatthelabelisthebasis,andthat’sabigproblem.Thelabelisnotthebasis.

Becauseanotherproblemisthatthebasisisalwayschanging.Butthelabelpen,doesn’tchange.Butifwefuseitwiththeobject,thenwegetasolidnon-changingthing,pen.Soevenourlanguagegetsintotrouble,thewaywespeakgetsusintotrouble.

Sowhatweneedtounderstandisthatthepenisnotthecollectionoftheparts.There’snopentobefoundhere.Penismerelylabeleddependingonthecollectionofparts.

Soifyoucanunderstandthatthosetwostatementsarenotsayingthesamething,you’rebegintounderstandsomethingaboutemptiness.Sothetwostatementsare:

1.Thepenisthecollectionoftheparts.

2.Penismerelylabelleddependingonthecollectionoftheparts.

It’sabigdifference.

Likewise,this[Glenpointstohisbody]isnotperson.Thepersonisnotthebodyandthemind.Personissomethingmerelylabeleddependingonthebodyandthemind.It’sabigdifference.Butwhatdowegrasponto?Thepersonisthebodyandthemind.Thisisme.Thisistheperson.That’stheproblem.

Onelastpointforthisevening.

Tohelpusunderstandthisideaofemptinessanddependent-arising,oftentherearemanyanalogiesgiveninBuddhism.AndonethatIlike,andthatIthinkthatcanbeveryhelpful,istheanalogyofadream.

Now,whenwe’redreaming,inthedream,itappearstobea‘dream-me’hereandan‘independent-dream-world’outthere.Andinthedream,ifweencountersomethingpleasantorunpleasant,oftenwehavealotofcravingandattachmentforthepleasantthingsandalotofaversion/fear/anxietyfortheunpleasantthings.Butif,inthemiddleofthedreamsuddenlywerealize,“Oh,thisisadream”,ie,luciddreaming,thentherewillstillappeartobeanindependent‘me’hereandanindependentdreamworldoutthere,butbecausewe’relucidnow,we’llrealizethattheseappearancesaredeceivingus,wewillrealizethatthisappearanceisaproductofourmind.Therefore,ifnow,whenwe’relucid,weencountersomethingpleasantorunpleasantinthedream,itwouldbeverydifficulttodevelopattachment,aversion,fearoranxiety,andwewouldenjoythedreamahelloflotmore.

Likewise,thisviewofemptinessissayingthatthingsarelikeadream,meaningthatnow,intheawakingworld,itappearstobeanindependent‘me’hereandanindependentobjectiveworldoutthere,andwebelieveinthat.Thereforewhenweencountersomethingpleasantorunpleasantweoftenhavealotofattachmenttothepleasantthingsandaversiontotheunplesantthings.But,ifweawakefromoursleepofignorance,byrealizingemptiness,ifwebecomelucidinthe


21

wakingstate,therewillstillappeartobean‘independentme’hereandan‘independentworldoutthere’,butbecausewe’relucid,wewillrealizethattheseappearancesaredeceivingus,andthatthisworldofappearancesisalsoaproductofourmind.Andtherefore,ifweencounterpleasantandunpleasantthings,itwillbecomeverydifficulttodevelopanyattachmentoraversionandwewillenjoyourwakinglifeahellofalotmore.

SothisisagoodanalogythatIthinkisveryhelpfultohelpusunderstandemptinessanddependent-arising.

Ok,sowewillendhere.

NextweekwewillcontinuewiththeHeartSutraandwewilltalkaboutthelast3stagesofthepath:PathofSeeing,PathofMeditationandPathofNoMoreLearningandwewillstarttolookatmovingfromthissortofconceptualrealizationofemptiness,basedonreasoningandlogic,tomoveintoadirect,non-conceptualrealizationofemptiness,andhowthatwillenableustoeventuallyachievethegoalofenlightenment.

Sothat’sall,enjoyyourweek!


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->[SESSION#2:DEC3RD,2015]

Goodeveningeveryone,andwelcometothissecondeveningontheHeartSutra.So,we’recontinuingonfromlastweek’spresentationontheHeartSutra.TobeginIthoughtitwouldbeniceifwecouldreadtheHeartSutratogether,sowecanstarttobeatleastfamiliarwiththewords,andthenhopefullybytheendofthisevening,tobefamiliarwithalittlebitofthemeaningaswell.

SoletsstartbyreadingtheHeartSutratogether.

Glenreads:

THEHEARTOFTHEPERFECTIONOFWISDOMSUTRA



bodhisattvas.











likethis,correctlyandrepeatedlybeholdingthosefiveaggregatesalsoasemptyof

inherentnature.


thanemptiness.

Inthesameway,feeling,discrimination,compositionalfactors,andconsciousnessare

empty.

Shariputra,likewise,allphenomenaareemptiness;withoutcharacteristic;unproduced,

unceased;stainless,notwithoutstain;notdeficient,notfulfilled.

Shariputra,therefore,inemptinessthereisnoform,nofeeling,nodiscrimination,no

compositionalfactors,noconsciousness;noeye,noear,nonose,notongue,nobody,no

mind;novisualform,nosound,noodor,notaste,noobjectoftouch,andnophenomenon.

Thereisnoeyeelementandsoonuptoandincludingnomindelementandnomental


23

consciousnesselement.Thereisnoignorance,noextinctionofignorance,andsoonupto

andincludingnoaginganddeathandnoextinctionofaginganddeath.Similarly,thereis

nosuffering,origination,cessation,andpath;thereisnoexaltedwisdom,noattainment,

andalsononon-attainment.

Shariputra,therefore,becausethereisnoattainment,bodhisattvasrelyonanddwellin

theperfectionofwisdom,themindwithoutobscurationandwithoutfear.Having

completelypassedbeyonderror,theyreachtheend-pointofnirvana.Allthebuddhaswho

dwellinthethreetimesalsomanifestly,completelyawakentounsurpassable,perfect,

completeenlightenmentinrelianceontheperfectionofwisdom.

Therefore,themantraoftheperfectionofwisdom,themantraofgreatknowledge,the

unsurpassedmantra,themantraequaltotheunequaled,themantrathatthoroughly

pacifiesallsuffering,shouldbeknownastruthsinceitisnotfalse.Themantraofthe

perfectionofwisdomisdeclared:

TADYATHA[OM]GATÉGATÉPARAGATÉPARASAMGATÉBODHISVAHA

Shariputra,thebodhisattvamahasattvashouldtrainintheprofoundperfectionofwisdom

likethat.”

ThentheBhagavanarosefromthatconcentrationandcommendedthebodhisattva

mahasattvaaryaAvalokiteshvarasaying:“Wellsaid,wellsaid,sonofthelineage,itislike

that.Itislikethat;oneshouldpracticetheprofoundperfectionofwisdomjustasyouhave

indicated;eventhetathagatasrejoice.”

TheBhagavanhavingthusspoken,thevenerableShariputra,thebodhisattvamahasattva

aryaAvalokiteshvara,thosesurroundingintheirentiretyalongwiththeworldofgods,

humans,asuras,andgandharvaswereoverjoyedandhighlypraisedthatspokenbythe

Bhagavan.

Letsbeginwithashortreviewofwhatwecoveredlastweek,beforewemoveon.

SothetitleofthissutraistheHeartofthePerfectionofWisdomsutra,orHeartSutraforshort.SutraisthewordoftheBuddha,andsutraswerewrittendowninthe2ancientlanguagesofPaliandSanskrit.It’stheSanskritsutras,whichthisispartof,thatformthebasisofwhat’scalledtheMahayanaBuddhisttraditions.Thisofcourse,includesChineseBuddhism,Zen,Korean,VietnameseandTibetanBuddhism.AndthisPerfectionofWisdominthissutra,inSanskritisPrajnaparamita,becauseinallBuddhisttraditions,it’sourfundamentalwisdomthatisacknowledgedastherootof


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alloursuffering.Soifwearetoachieveliberationfromsuffering,weneedtoovercomethisignorance,throughthewisdompractice.IntheMahayanatraditions,thiswisdompractice,thePerfectionofWisdompracticeconsistsincomingtorealizewhatiscalledemptinessorshunyatainSanskrit.Thisistherealizationthatnothingexistsindependently,there’snoindependentme,noindependentobjectiveworldoutthere.SothereareanumberofPerfectionofWisdomsutraswhichdescribethistopicofemptinessandtogoaboutcultivatingit,andherewehavetheHeartSutra,andthewordheartheremeansessence.Soaswesee,theHeartSutraisaveryshortsutra,meaningthatitcontainstheessenceofthePerfectionofWisdomteachingsonemptiness,inveryfewwords.

IntheHeartSutrathereanumberofoutlinesthathavebeenputin,fromlatercommentators,toshowalittlebitthestructureofthevariouspartsoftheHeartSutra.Sointhefirsttwoparagraphs,weseetheprologue,thesettingofthesutra,andthefirstoneisthecommonprologue,andthisissomethingincommonwithothersutras,asusuallyinthebeginningofasutrathere’sadescriptionoftheplace,who’steachingandwho’spresent.SointhiscaseweseethatthisteachingistakingplaceinaplacecalledVulture’sPeakorMassiveofVulturesMountain,whichisasmallhilloutsideofRajgir,andtherealotofmonksandbodhisattvaspresentaswell.

Thenwehavetheuncommonprologue,withwhatisuniquetothissutra.Here,inthesecondparagraph,wesawthattheBhagavan,whichisanepitaph,justanothernameforBuddhaShakyamuni,wasabsorbedinthisconcentrationonthecategoriesofphenomenacalledprofoundperception.Sothewordprofoundheremeansemptiness,becauseemptinessisprofoundinthesensethatitisdifficulttounderstand,verydifficulttorealize.SoprofoundperceptionheremeansthattheBuddhawasrealizingemptiness.

AndwealsohavepresenthereAvalokiteshvara,inTibetanChenrezig,theBuddhaofCompassion.Buthereinthissutra,Avalokiteshvaraisappearingasahigh-levelbodhisattvaforthebenefitoftheaudience.Andinthissetting,it’salsosaidthatAvalokiteshvarawaslookingatthisverypracticeoftheprofoundperfectionofwisdom,ieAvalokiteshvarawasalsocontemplatingthiswisdomofemptiness,andAvalokiteshvarawasseeingthatthosefiveaggregatesarealsoemptyofinherentnature.Sofiveaggregatesisawayof,ingeneral,presentingallfunctioningphenomena,butinparticularwayhere,thefiveaggregatesherecanbeapresentationforthebasisofaperson,inthataperson,inessence,astwoparts,abodyandamind,andthefirstofthefiveaggregates–theform–isrelatingtothebody,whiletheotherfouraggregates,collectively,arethemind.Sohereweareseeingthatthebasisofaperson,thebodyandthemind,arealsoemptyofinherentnature,meaningthatnotonlyisthepersonemptyofinherentnature,butthebasisoftheperson–thebodyandthemind–arealsoemptyofinherentnature.

AndthenwegototheactualsubjectmatteroftheHeartSutra,andwebeginbyseeingthatanotherpersonpresent,Shariputra,who’sappearingasanarhat,isaskingAvalokiteshvaraaquestion.Andhe’saskingAvalokiteshvarathroughthepoweroftheBuddha,meaningthatactuallyit’stheBuddha,throughthepowerofhisconcentration,thatisorchestratingthisconversation,thisQ&AbetweenShariputraandAvalokiteshvara.

AndShariputraisasking“Howshouldanysonofthelineagetrain,whowhishestopracticetheactivityoftheprofoundperceptionofwisdom?”HerethewordlineagemeansMahayanalineage,meaningsomeonewhohasdevelopedGreatCompassionandisaspiringtofollowtheMahayanapathtoenlightenment.Sohowshouldsuchapersontrain,iftheywanttopracticethiswisdomofemptiness?SothisisthequestionthatShariputraisaskingtoAvalokiteshvara.


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AndlookingtoAvalokiteshvarawecandivideitinvarioussections,andrelatethattothevariousstagesofthespiritualpathtoenlightenment,theMahayanapath.

[Glen shows a chart with the 5 stages of the Mahayana path to enlightenment, which you can find in his website - www.glensvensson.org -]

Andweseethepathisdividedinto5paths:PathofAccumulation,PathofPreparation,PathofSeeing,PathofMeditationandPathofNoMoreLearning.Andthefirstpartofhisanswerisrelatedtohowtopracticethiswisdomofemptinessonthefirsttwostagesofthepath,thePathofAccumulationandPathofPreparation.ThiswordAccumulationistalkingaboutthe2accumulations,meaningmethodandwisdom.Sothesetwoaspectsmeanworkingonbothcompassionandwisdom.ThewordPreparationistalkingaboutthefactthat,atthisstage,thebodhisattvaispreparingforitsfirstdirectrealizationofemptiness.Sothisfirststageoftheanswerisrelatingtothosefirsttwostagesofthespiritualpath,buttheanswerisalsorelatedtohowwe,asbeginner’s,aretopracticethiswisdomofemptiness.

AndtheveryshortanswerthatAvalokiteshvaragivesinitiallyisthatweareto“correctlyandrepeatedlybeholdingthosefiveaggregatesalsoasemptyofinherentnature.”Anotherslightlydifferentwayoftranslatingthatwouldbeto“tosubsequentlyseeinacorrectway,thatthosefiveaggregatesalsoasemptyofinherentnature.”

Sowhatthatmeansisthatsubsequenttoourinvestigation,usingreasoningandlogic,wecansubsequentlycometoinferthatactuallythefiveaggregatesarealsoemptyofinherentnature,whichmeansthatinitiallywearetoapproachourpracticeofemptinessthroughusingreasoningandlogictocometoinferthatactuallythingsareemptyofindependentexistence,becauseemptinessisnotsomethingthatwe,atourlevel,caninitiallydirectlyperceive.Sowehavetofirstcometoatitthroughreasoningandlogic,andthendeepenthatexperience,tocometoeventuallyrealizeemptinessdirectly.Sothisiswhatwearetodoatthese2stagesofthepath,andalsotousasabeginners.

Thenwehadalookatthenextpartoftheanswer,thatwasthelastthingwelookedatlastweek,andthat’ssortofthemostfamouspartoftheHeartSutra,whereitsaysthat“Formisempty.Emptinessisform.Emptinessisnototherthanform;formisalsonototherthanemptiness.”Sohereformmeanstotheformaggregate,sothepreviouslinewhereitsaidthatthefiveaggregatesarealsoemptyofinherentnature,isimplyingalsothatnotonlythepersonisemptyofinherentnature,meaningthatthepersondoesn’texistindependently,butalsothatthebasisoftheperson,thebodyandthemind,alsodon’texistindependently,theyhavenoinherentnature.Thisisalsoimplyingtheorderinwhichwearetoworkwiththis,inthewisdomofemptiness.Thatfirst,it’sverymuchrecommendedtolookatourselfasaperson,howdoweexist,andtocometorealizethatwe’reemptyofinherentnature,emptyofindependentexistence.Andthen,togoontorealizethatthebodyandthemindarealsoemptyofindependentnature,soherewe’reusingtheexampleofthebody,this‘form’istheformaggregate,whichwithrespecttotheperson,meansthebody.Sohereitsays,“Formisempty”,nowofcoursewhenweseethat,wehavetoask,butemptyofwhat?


26

Becauseoftenwhenpeopleseethistheyinterpretsayingthat,Ohbecauseit’sempty,itdoesn’treallymatter,becauseit’semptynothingreallymatters.Infactthat’sthecompletelywrongunderstanding.Herewhenwesayformisempty,wemeanemptyofindependentexistence.Andthedifficultyforusnowasbeginners,isthatwearetrappedinwhat’scalledthetwoextremes.

Andnormallywe’restuckinthisextremeofexistence,orofindependentexistence,andsowebelieveon,andgraspon,toexistingindependently.That’ssortofwherewearenow.Andthenweseestatementslife‘Formisempty’,andweinvestigatethebody,themindandtheperson,andwecometoseethatnophenomenaexist

independently,we’reunderminingthisbeliefthatthingsareindependent,butthenwhatwedoisthatwefliptotheotherextreme,ofnon-existence(ornihilism).Becauseforusnow,thereonlyseemstobetwopossibilities:eitherthereisanindependentmeandindependentworld,orthere’snomeandnoworld,becausetheworldwe’veseeminglyexperienced,seemstobethisindependentme,independentworld,wedon’tseemtoseeanyotherpossibility.Sooftenthen,whenwegointotheemptinesspractice,wetendtointerpretemptinessassayingthatnothingreallyexists.Thereforethatsecondstatement,‘Emptinessifform’istohelpusrealizethatemptinessdoesn’tmeannoneexistence,infactemptinessmeansthatitisbecausethingsareemptyofindependentexistencethatthereforeformcanappearandfunction.

Andsowehadalookatthesetwostatementsinsomedetaillastweek,andthisideaofemptinessanddependentarising,that‘Emptinessisform’isreallysayingthatbecauseformlacksindependentexistence,itisinfactadependentphenomena,thatexistsindependenceofcausesandconditions,partsandlabelling.Sothat’sthesecondstatementthatwesawlastweek.

Andthenthelastpartofthisis,‘Emptinessisnototherthanform;formisalsonototherthanemptiness.’andthisistounderstandthatemptinessanddependent-arisingareliketwosidesofacoin.Thatemptinessmeansdependent-arising,anddependent-arisingmeansemptiness,oranotherwayofsayingthatisthatemptinessmeansthatthingscanappearandfunction,andbecausethingsappearandfunction,theymustbeemptyofindependentexistence.Thesearelike2sidesofacoin.Sothisiswhatwe’rerealizingatthisstageofthepractice.Butagain,atthisstage,we’rerealizingemptinessinaconceptualmanner,asenseofmethemeditatorrealizingthisemptiness.Andthen,thenextlinegoesontosay,‘Inthesameway,feeling,discrimination,compositionalfactors,andconsciousnessareempty.’Sothosearetheotherfouraggregatesthatcollectivelyarethemind.Soheretheconsciousnessaggregateistalkingaboutwhatiscalledthemainmind,whereasfeelings,discriminationandcompositionalfactorsarewhat’scalledmentalfactors.Andsomainmind+mentalfactorsconstitutethemind.Sobasicallythissentenceissayingthatinthesameway,themindisemptyofindependentexistence,andemptinessismind,andemptinessisnototherthanmindandmindisalsonototherthanemptiness.

Soherewe’reseeingthatnotonlythepersonisemptyofindependentexistence,butthebodyandmindarealsoemptyofindependentnature,sothisistheinstructionrelatedtothosefirsttwostagesofthepath.

Anyquestions,beforewemoveontothenextpartoftheHeartSutra?

Heart Sutra

2 extremes:




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Q.:Itseemsthatthismainstatementisjuststatingtheobvious,no?

A.:It’snotobvious,becauseweactivelybelieveintheopposite,ingraspingtheoppositeofthatstatement.Webelievethatformisnotemptiness,andthatemptinessisnotform.Weinstinctivelygraspontotheideathatthereisanindependentmehereandanindependentworldoutthere,sowe’regraspingontothefactthattheperson,thebody,themindandtheworldarenotemptyinfact.That’swhatwetrytoovercomeinthispractice.

Q.:Icanacceptthisideathateverythingisinter-related,butregardingconsciousnessIhavethisideaofindependentexistence,andthatfromconsciousness,theneverythingisproduced…

A.:Wecanusetheideaofdependent-arising,aswedidlastweek,andapplyittoconsciousness,meaningitalsodependsoncausesandconditions,partsandlabels,doesn’tit?Becausemind,themindthatexistsnow,existsdependingonpreviouscausesandconditions,andthemindwehavenow,dependsonthepast.Andthemindexistsonlydependendingonaconceptualframework,sowecanusethesimilarideaofdependent-arisingtoalsoseethatthemindisemptyofindependentnature.Andwhatwearegoingtodoinfact,latertonight,isactuallyanemptinessmeditationonthemind.Sowe’regoingtonotonlyintelectuallythinkaboutthat,butwe’regoingtolookforthismind,thatasyousaid,seemstobethere.Becauseitseemstobethesourceofeverything…Somaybebecauseeverythingelseisanilusion,butthemindisthesourceofeverything,thatmusthavesomesubstantiallevelofexistence…Sowe’regoingtolookatthat,inthemeditationcomingupshortly.

Q.:Isconsciousnessthesameasthemind?

A.:Weneedtobeverycarefulwithterminology.Oftenweseewordslikemind,consciousness,awarenessandafewothersthrownaround,andthatcancreatealotofconfusion.Forexample,whenwespeakverygenerally,allofthesethingscanmeanthesamething.Buthere,theydon’t.becauseherewhat’sbeingtranslatedintoEnglishasconsciousness,doesn’tequatetomind.Thewordconsciousnesshereistalkingaboutwhat’scalled‘mainmind’,oneaspectofthemind.Sotheconsciousnessaggregateisonlyonepartofconsciousnessormind.Sowehavetobecarefulwiththat.Anditdependsondifferenttraditionsanddifferenttranslatorshowtheyusethesewords.Buthere,consciousnessistheconsciousnessaggregateandthatistheequivalenttomainmind,andthat’ssimplythepartofthemindthatisresponsibleforcontactingtheentityoftheobjectitself.Soit’sonlyonepartoftheexperiencewithinthemind,sowehavetobeabitcareful.Butgenerallyspeaking,mind,consciousnessandawarenesscanmeanthesamething.

Sotheansweristhatweneedtotakealookattheconcepttoseewhatthewordmeans.Andhereitdoesn’tmeanjustmind,butmainmind.

Ok,solet’sgotothenextpartoftheHeartSutra,atthebottomofpage1,anditsays,pertainingtothetrainingonthepathofseeing,sothisnextsectionisrelatedtothePathofSeeing.SoinourMahayanaPathchart,it’sthethirdcolumnandherethewordSeeing,meansdirectlyrealizing.SoonthePathofAccumulationandPreparation,wewererealizingemptinessbutinaconceptualmanner,whichmeansthatthere’sstillasenseofmethemeditatorrealizingthisthing,emptiness.Andaswe


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goalongthePathofPreparation,we’reliterallypreparing,we’regoingdeeperinourmeditationandpreparingforourfirstdirectrealizationofemptiness.SoattheendofthePathofPreparationweseatdownandrealizeemptiness,butthistimeit’sacompletenon-conceptualanddirectrealizationofemptiness.Sointhatexperience,there’snolongerasenseofmethemeditatorandemptinesstheobject,there’sjusttheexperienceofemptiness.Completelynon-conceptual,non-dualisticrealizationofemptiness.

Nowtherealizationisstrongenoughtostartwipingoutignoranceandmentalafflictions.Previously,onthePathofAccumulationandPreparation,ifwerealizeemptinessinaconceptualway,thatrealizationcanbestrongenoughtokeepthelidonthementalafflictions,butit’snotgettingridofanyyet,justkeepingthemfromarising,whereasnowwe’restartingtowipethemout.Butonerealizationofemptinessdirectly,isnotenoughtowipeoutalltheignoranceandmentalafflictions,butonlywhat’scalledtheintelectuallyacquiredignoranceandmentalafflictions,themostsuperficialleveliswipedouthere,inthePathofSeeing.

NowtohavealookattheHeartSutrarelatedtothat,weseehereatthebottomthattherearebasically8statements.

Glenreads:

2B1B.Presentationofthemodeoftrainingonthepathofseeing



Soheretheyare8statementsandthose8statementscanbecondensedwithwhat’scalledthe3doorsofliberation,whichinfact,are3waysoflookingatemptiness.

1)Thefirstoneiscalledthedoorofliberationofemptiness,andthatisfromtheperspectiveofentity,meaningthatwearelookingatphenomenafromtheperspectiveofdirectlythephenomenaitself,andsothefirsttwostatementsherearerelatedtothedoorofliberationofemptiness.Andthatisthatallphenomenaareemptiness,andwithoutcharacteristic.Sothismeansallphenomenaareemptyofindependentexistence,bylookingatthephenomenadirectly.Thenthe‘withoutcharacteristic’meansthatalsoallthecharacteristicsofallphenomenaareemptyofinherentnature.Sowithoutcharacteristicmeansthatnophenomenahasanyindependentcharacteristic.Soalsothecharacteristicislookingatthephenomenadirectly.Sobothofthosearerelatedtothedoorofliberationofemptiness,whenwe’relookingatthephenomenadirectly.

Heart Sutra

2 extremes:



3 doors of liberation:

1. Emptiness (entity)


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2)Theseconddoorofliberationiscalledsignlessness,andthatlooksatemptinessfromtheperspectiveofcauses.Sothenextfourrelatetothis.Sonextitsays‘unproduced’,andthismeansnotinherentlyproduced,soproductionisfromtheperspectiveofthecause,thatnothinghasaninherentlyexistentcause.Notinherentlyproduced.And‘unceased’meansthatitdoesnotinherentlycease,andthen‘stainless’and‘notwithoutstain’aretalkingaboutthementalafflictions,meaningthatstainlessmeansthatwedonothaveanyinherentlyexistentstainsinourmind,wehavenoinherentexistentmentalafflictionsinourmind,that’swhattheword‘stainless’means,and‘notwithoutstains’meanstheresultofgettingridofallthementalafflictions,sothatstageofbeingfreeofthementalafflictionalsodoesn’tinherentlyexist.Soproductionandcessation,andbeingwithstainandwithoutstain,arebothinacauseeffectrelationship,soallfourrelatetothedoorofliberationofsinglessness,lookingatemptinessfromtheperspectiveofthecause.

3)Butwecanalsolookatemptinessfromtheperspectiveoftheresult,whichisthethirddoorofliberation.Andthatisrelatingtothelasttwo,whereitsays,‘notdeficient,notfulfilled.’‘Deficient‘hereistalkingaboutthedecreaseofnegativequalities,and‘fulfilled‘abouttheincreaseofpositivequalities,whichmeansthat‘notdeficient’meansthereisnoinherentdecreaseofnegativequalitiesonthespiritualpath,and‘notfulfilled’meansthatthere’snoinherentincreaseofpositivequalitiesonthespiritualpath.Sowishlessnessistalkingabouttheresult,theresultofincreasedpositivequalitiesanddecreasedpositivequalities,neitherofthoseareinherentlyexistent.

Sothesearetheeightstatementsrelatedtoemptiness,lookingatiteitherdirectly,fromtheperspectiveofthecauseorfromtheperspectiveoftheresult.

Anyquestions?

Q.:Ifthere’stime,Iwouldliketohaveanexample…Sothiswalliswhite,that’sacharacteristicofthewall.

A.:Yes,that’sright.That’sonecharacteristic.Hardisanotherone,andtherearemanyothers.Sonotonlythewallisemptyofinherentexistence,butalsothecharacteristichavenoinherentnatureeither.

Q.:Sowhenwesayinherentnature,wemeanthat…

A.:Wellwhiteisnotindependentlyexistent,becausewecanapplythesameideaofdependent-arisinginparticular,sayingitdependensoncausesandconditions,partsandlabelling.Butinparticularwhitedependsonsensefaculties.

Q.:Andtheremightbenuances,sowhatisreallywhite?

A.:Yes,withallofthesetherearemanyformsofreasoningandlogic,whicharenotmentionedintheHeartSutra,butinthelongerPerfectionofWisdomsutrasyouusuallycomeupwith5typesofreasoningtoapply,toseethatthingsareemptyofindependentnature.Oneofthoseisthe


30

reasoningofdependent-arising,anotheriswhatwelookedatlastweek,intermsofsameanddifferent,thenthere’sreasoningofthefourextremes,whichisbeyondourscopehere.SonormallywhenI’mteachingtheHeartSutraoveraweekthenI’llgothroughallofthosereasonings,andhowwecanusethemindifferentplaces.

Sowhatwe’resayinghereisthatwhenwecometorealizeemptinessdirectly,we’renoonlyrealizingthatallphenomenaareemptyofindependentnaturebutwe’realsorealizingthatallthecharacteristicsofallthosephenomenaarealsoemptyofindependentexistence.Andthenwedirectlyrealizethatnothing’sinherentlyproduced,nothinginherentlyceases,nothinginherentlyincreasesordecreases,theseareallthingsthatwerealizewhenwerealizeemptinessdirectly.Previoustothatofcourse,wecometorealizeemptinessthroughreasoningandlogic,andwecanuseothertypesofreasoning.Forinstance,inotherlongerPerfectionofWisdomsutras,whenitcomestophenomena,whenweinvestigateforinstanceacup,oftenthereasoningisoneofnoinherentproduction,infacttheveryfirstverseofNagarjuna’sfamous“TheFundamentalWisdomofTheMiddleWay”,wherehetalksaboutthistopic,initsveryfirstverseofthishugetext,hesays:“Nothinganywhereiseverproducedfromitself,fromsomethingdifferent,frombothorwithoutacause”,whichisthereasoningofthefourextremes.Sothat’sthereasoningyoucanapply,particularlyforphenomena,inthattheyarenotinherentlyproduced,becausethey’renotproducedfromsomethingwhichisthesame,different,bothorwithoutacause.Sothat’satypeofreasoningyoucanusewithalotofthesethings.

Anythingelse?

Ok,solet’smoveontothetopofpage2,andsonowwe’removingtothePathofMeditation.Someditationheremeansfamiliariation,asit’scomingfromtheSanskritword‘bavhana’,whichmeanstocultivateorfamiliarize.SointhePathofMeditationwe’refamiliariazingourserlvesagainandagainandagainwiththerealizationofemptinesswehadonthePathofSeeing,andslowlywipingoutmoreandmorelevelsofignoranceandmentalafflictions.InourMahayanapathchart,wecanseethatwecandivideinto9sections,andtogetherwiththePathofSeeing,theyformwhat’scalledthe10Grounds(orbhumis).We’lltalkalittlebitmoreaboutthatalittlebitlaterthisevening,butoverthosefirst7stagesofthePathofMeditationwe’rewipingoutmoreandmorelevelsofignoranceandmentalafflictionsthroughagainandagaindirectlyrealizingemptiness.

SoletshavealookatthepartoftheHeartSutrawecanrelatetothePathofMeditation,sowehaveabigparagraph,thatsays,

2B1C.Presentationofthemodeoftrainingonthepathofmeditation







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Sotheparagraphbeginswith‘inemptiness’andwhatdoesthatmean?Itmeansthatinadirectrealizationofemptiness,noneofthesethingsappear,andweseeherethefiveaggregates,andsobasicallymeaningthebodyandthemind.WhatthatmeansisthatonthePathofMeditation,inadirectrealizationofemptiness,whenwe’reseatingdownanddirectlyrealizingemptiness,noneofthesethingsappear.Why?Becausewe’relookingfortheultimatenatureofreality,andiftheyindependentlyexisted,thentheywouldappear,butbecausetheydon’tappear,wecometorealizethey’reemptyofindependentexistence.Sothat’swhatthisalllonglistissaying,inadirectrealizationofemptinessnoneoftheseconventionalphenomenaappear,becausenoneofthemexistsindependently.That’swhatwe’vegothere.

Sothefirstsentencetalksaboutthefiveaggregates.

Thenwehave‘noeye,noear,nonose,notongue,nobody,nomind;novisualform,nosound,noodor,notaste,noobjectoftouch,andnophenomenona’,andthese12elementstogetherarecalledthe12sources,becausethey’rethesourcesforconsciousness.Thefirst6,‘noeye,noear,nonose,notongue,nobody,nomind’aretalkingaboutthesensesandmentalfaculty,andtheother6aretalkingaboutthesixobjects,sowhenwehavethe6objectscontactingthesefaculties,thenfromthataconsciousnessisgeneratedthatperceivesthatobject,sothat’swhythese12thingsarecalledthe12sources.

Similartothat,inthenextsection,itsays,‘Thereisnoeyeelementandsoonuptoandincludingnomindelementandnomentalconsciousnesselement.’andthat’stalkingaboutthe18elements,or18constituents,whicharethe6sensefaculties,the6faculties,plusthe6consciousnesstheyproduce.Sothosearethe12sourcesand18elementsorconstituents,andnoneofthoseappearinadirectrealizationofemptiness.

Sothequestionearlieronwas,fromtheseideias,itseemsthateverythingisaproductofthemind,itseemslikeeverythingisanilusion,andthateverythingiscomingfromthemind,andsotheargumentcouldbethat,giventhatthemindisthesourceofeverything,thatcouldbetheonlythingthat’sreal,thatindependenlyexists…?

Sothat’swhatwe’regoingtodonow,ashortmeditationinvestigatingourownmind,toseeifit’sfindable,andifthereisanindependentmindthereornot.Sothat’swhatwe’regoingtodobeforewehaveateabreak.


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MEDITATIONINSTRUCTIONS:

[43:38]Beginning.

[44:00]Asanactofloving-kindnessforyourself,allowyourawarenesstodescendintothebody,andsimplybecomeawareofsensationsthroughoutthebody.

[44:44]Andusingtheoutbreathtorelaxandreleaseanytightnessortensioninanypartofthebody.

[45:20]Allowingthebreathingtosettleintoitsnaturalrhythm.

[46:20]Andwitheachoutbreath,lettinggoofanythoughtsthatmayhavearisen.

[46:50]Simplyallowingthemindtocometorest,inthepresentmoment.Throughfocusingonthesensationsofthebreath,throughoutthebody.

[47:50]Nownarrowyourfocustothesensationsofthebreath,attheentranceofthenostrils.

[48:45]Maintaininganongoingflowofmindfulness,onthesensationsofthebreathattheentranceofthenostrils.

[49:30]Ofcoursewe’reusingourmindtofocusonthesensationsofthebreath,butwhereisthismind?Canthemindbelocatedanywhere?

[50:00]Isthemindinsidethebodysomewhere?

[50:30]Isthemindinsidethehead?

[50:55]Isitsomewherebehindtheeyes?

[51:20]Isitlocatedattheplacewherethesensationsofthebreathareocurring?

[52:00]Isitlocatedoutsidethebody,somewhere?

[52:55]Doesthemindhaveaparticularshape?

[54:00]Doesithaveaparticularsize?

[54:30]Isitverysmall…orverylarge?

[55:10]Doesthemindhaveacenter?

[55:55]Doesithaveaphysicallimitorboundary?

[57:00]Isitinfactanythingoutsideofthemind?

[58:40]End.

Solet’stakea15mteabreak,comebackandthencontinueexploringtheHeartSutra.

SESSIONBREAK


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Sowe’relookingatthereplyfromAvalokiteshvaratoShariputra,sorememberthatShariputraisaskingAvalokiteshvarahowshouldsomeonewho’sdevelopedGreatCompassion,who’saspiringtofollowtheMahayanapath,howshouldtheytrain,iftheywanttotraininthePerfectionofWisdom,inthiswisdomofemptiness.AndAvalokiteshvaraisgivinghisreply,andinthevariouspartsofthereplywecanrelatetothevariousstagesontheMahayanaPath.Thefirstpartofhisanswerwecanrelatetothefirsttwostagesofthepath,PathofAccumulationandPathofPreparation,wherewe’reconceptuallyrealizingemptiness.Inthethirdstage,whichwe’vejustcovered,thePathofSeeingiswhenwedeepenourconceptualrealizationtothepointwhereitbecomesadirectnon-conceptualrealizationofemptiness,onthePathofSeeing,andnowthatrealizationisstrongenoughtostarttowipeoutsomeoftheignoranceandmentalafflictions,atthemostsuperficiallevel,andnowwe’relookingatthenextpartoftheHeartSutra,relatedtothePathofMeditation,andwhatweseeontheMahayanachartisthatthePathofMeditationisdivided,togetherwiththePathofSeeing,into10grounds,andoverthesewe’recontinuouslyrealizingemptinessagainandagainandagain,andwipingoutmoreandmorelayersofignoranceandmentalafflictions.Andwhenwegettotheendofthe7thground,weactuallyachievethegoalofnirvanaorliberationfromsamsara.Sobytheendofthe7thground,wehavewipedoutallofourignoranceandallourmentalafflictionsandsuffering.Butwhatstillpersistsisthatwehavethesestainsofignoranceinourmind,andthesearewhat’scausingthismistakendualisticappearance,whenwelookatontheworld,everythingappearstoexistindependentofus,andthisviewofemptinessissayingthatthingsdonotexistindependentofus,andthisviewofemptinessissayingthatthingsdonotexistthewaytheyappear.Andsothequestionwhichmayoftenariseis,wellifthethingsarenotexistingindependently,whydotheyappeartoexistindependenttous?Andthereasonisthesestainsofignorance…Sothesestainsofignorancearelikeafilter,sothey’reveryhardtogetridof,soeventhoughwe’vemanagedtogetridofallignoranceandmentalafflictionsandachievednirvana,bytheendofthe7thground,thesestainspersist–they’reverysubtleandverydifficulttogetridof.

Sooverthelast3groundswe’rewipingoutthesesubtlestainsofignorance.Sothat’salsopartofthePathofMeditation.

Sowe’vegotalittlebitleftinthatparagraph,solet’shavealookatthat.

We’rehalfwaythroughthatparagraph,andonthepointwhereitsays,’Thereisnoignorance,noextinctionofignorance,andsoonuptoandincludingnoaginganddeathandnoextinctionofaginganddeath.”Sothisofcourseistalkingaboutthe12linksofdependentarising,whichdescribehowwe’restuckinthiscycleofsamsara,andhowtobreakfreeofthat,andthat12linksarepartofamuchlargerdiagram,calledtheWheelofLifeorbhavachakra.Theseareverycommon,ifyougoaTibetantempletoseethisWheelofLifeattheentranceofthetemple,andthereasonisthatthenanyonewho’sgoingpasscanseethisandactuallythat’sacompleteteachinginitself,sohopefullyevensomecasualvisitorcangetsomethingoutofit.ActuallyIreallylikethisdiagramalot,soifyougetachancetohearsometeachingsonit,itwouldbegood.

Sowhatsayshereisthatnoneofthose12linksexistindependently.Andthenitsays,‘Similarly,thereisnosuffering,origination,cessation,andpath;’inwhichittalksofcourseabouttheFourNobleTruths,sonotevenanyoftheFourNobleTruthsexistindependently.Andlikewise,itsays‘thereisnoexaltedwisdom,noattainment,andalsononon-attainment.’referringheretothemindrealizingthewisdomofemptiness,andthatalsodoesnotexistindependentlyorinherently.And‘noattainment,andalsononon-attainment’thewordattainmenthereistalkingaboutqualitiesthatwe


34

achieveonthepath,aswellasthethingsthatweabandononthepath.Soalsothesequalitiesthatweachieveandfaultsthatweabandon,thesealsodon’tinherentlyexist.Sononeofthesethingsinherentlyexist.

Sothat’swhatthisisexplicitlyteachingofcourse.Implicitlyofcoursethisparagraphisteachingthe5aggregates,the12sources,the18constituents,the12links,the4nobletruthsandsofor,soimplicitlythey’retaughtataconventionallevel,butnoneofthemofcourseexistinherentlyorindependently.

SothisisthesectionrelatedtothePathofMeditation.Anyquestionsonthat?

Q.:Thisisjustnegatingthatthingsexistindependentlyfromtheirownside,right?Butthey’reallinterdependent?Sothismeansthatifwerealizeemptinessforoneoftheseelements,willwerealizeitforallothers?

A.:Yes,indeedthere’soneveryfamousquotefromAryadeva,whichisthemaindiscipleforNagarjuna,andinhis400VersesonEmptinesshesays‘Thosewhorealizetheemptinessofone,realizetheemptinessofall’,sothat’swhatwehavehere.HereinthePathofMeditationwe’rerealizingemptinessdirectly,andwecouldberealizingthatonthebasisoftheperson,andwhilewe’reinthatrealization,thennoneofthesethingsappear,andbeforewe’verealizedallphenomenaareemptiness.Soyoudon’thavetoturnyourattentiontoeverysingleobjecttorealizeitsemptinessnature.

What’softenrecommendedisthatwestartwiththeperson,becausethat’ssomethingveryfamiliartousandthat’susuallywherewestarttogetintotrouble,becausewegraspontome,me,meandthenalotofstuffhappensfromthat,butnothingsaysyouhavetoinvestigatethepersoninyouremptinesspractice,youcaninvestigateacup,thebody,themindorwhateveryouwant,noproblem.Butintheinitialphases,there’sprobablygoingtobemoredirectbenefitbybreakingdownself-graspingthangraspingtoacup,becauseself-graspingisasourceofalotoftroubles.Soifwestarttoweakenthatdirectly,that’sprobablygoingtohavemuchmoreimpactthantryingtobreakdownthegraspingintoacup.Butwhenwecometorealizetheemptinessofthecuportheperson,werealizetheemptinessofeverything.Andfromthaton,we’rebasicallyjustseatingdowninmeditationandbringingthatrealizationofemptinesstomindandholdingit,we’renotgoingthroughsomeintelectualprocessanymore.

Q.:Andthenwhenwe’redoingit,we’restillthere,wedon’tdisappearintoemptinessright?

A.:Right,it’shere,‘Emptinessifformandformisemptiness’.

Q.:ButitseemsthatBuddhaisseatingtherecontemplatingemptiness…butstillthere?

A.:Exactly,whatitsaysintheprologueis:‘theBhagavanwasabsorbedintheconcentrationonthecategoriesofphenomenacalled“ProfoundPerception.”’,sotheBuddhawasdirectlyrealizingemptinessand,atthesametime,hewasawareofeverythingthatwasgoingon…OnlyaBuddhacandothat.ForapersonwhichisnotaBuddha,eitheryou’reabsorbedinemptinessandastheHeart


35

Sutramentionsnoneofthesethingsappear,onthePathofMeditation…Soyoucanonlyrealizeemptinessandseeingthephenomenalworldsimultaneouslywhenyouachieveenlightenment,becausethethingstopingyou,arethesestainsinyourmind.

(…)

Butifyoulookattheprologueitsays‘theBhagavanwasabsorbed’andthenyousee‘Avalokiteshvaralookedupontheverypractice’meaninghewasn’tabsorbed,hewasjustthinkingaboutit.

Q.:Butthisiswhatconfusesme,beingabletodescribeallofthis,withouthhavingadirectrealizationofit…

A.:Butifyoulook,itsays‘aryaAvalokiteshvara’anda‘arya’issomeonewhohashadadirectrealizationofemptinessbefore.Soasyousaid,forsomeonetobeabletocorrectlydescribeit,ideallyyouwouldhavetodirectlyrealizeityourself.Soan‘arya’hasdonethat,hashadadirectrealizationofemptinessandsotheywouldbefaultlessintheirunderstanding.

Q.:Inthatcontext,isn’ttheBuddhaalsovalidatedlateronwhatAvalokiteshvarasays?

A.:ThereasonisthatAvalokiteshvaraisenlightened,buttotheaudienceitappearsheisonlyaboddhisattva,whichisnotenlightened,withShariputrawhichisjustanarhat,andthey’rehavingachat,andthentheaudienceislisteningtothat,andattheend,theBuddhasays,says,Yes,verygood.Andthat’stomakesurethatok,these2guysknowwhatthey’retalkingabout,becausetheBuddhavalidatedthem.

ThenifwegoontothenextpartoftheHeartSutra,wecanrelatethattothePathofNoMoreLearning.SothePathofNoMoreLearningiswhenweactuallyhaveachievedenlightenment.AndthefirstpartoftheanswerherecanberelatedtotheverylastpointfromthePathofMeditation.

Sohereitsays,

2B1D.Presentationofthemodeoftrainingonthepathofnomorelearning






‘Shariputra,therefore,becausethereisnoattainment’,whichmeansbecausethere’snoinerentlyexistentenlightenmenttoachieve,therefore‘bodhisattvasrelyonanddwellintheperfectionofwisdom,themindwithoutobscurationandwithoutfear’.Sowhatthisimplies,andofcoursethe


36

perfectionofwisdomhereistherealizationofemptiness,whatwenoticehereonthechart,rightattheendofthePathofMeditation,itsays‘Uninterruptedpath’,andthat’sactuallythepointwhere,inmeditation,directlyrealizingemptiness,andthislastbitonthepathofmeditation,iswhenthebodhisattvaisgoingtowipeoutthelastbitofthelaststainofignoranceintheirmind,theyseatdown,meditateonemptiness,andtheyare‘relyingondwelingontheperfectionofwisdom’meaningthatthey’renowrealizingemptinessdirectly,andthen‘themindiswithoutobscurationandfear’meaningthattheynowthey’vegotridenofallobscurationsandofcoursenowtheyhavenofearalso.Sothat’stalkingaboutthetransitionfromthatstate,toenlightenment.Sothereforethebodhisattvawho’sdirectlyrealizingemptiness,andemptinessistheonlythingappearingtothem,they’vewipedoutthatlastbitofstainofignoranceintheirmind,andthey’restillrealizingemptinessdirectly,andintheverynextmoment…allofthephenomenalworldappearstothem.Andthey’reinenlightenment.Soanenlightenedpersonisrealizingemptinessallthetime,andatthesametime,perceivingthephenomenalworld.Sothat’swhatsayshere,inthereferencetothatmindwithoutobscurationandwithoutfear,that’smentioningthattransition.So,’Havingcompletelypassedbeyonderror,theyreachtheend-pointofnirvana’.

Andsonirvanaandenlightenmentarenotthesamething.WhatwesawintheMahayanapath,wasthatnirvanawasastatewherebywe’vegotridofallignoranceandmentalafflictionsandsuffering,butthenwestillhavethesestainsofignoranceinourmind,andwehavetogetridofthem.Sothat’swhatwe’regettingridofoverthelast3stagesofthePathofMeditation,andthenwemovefromnirvanaintoenlightenment.Buthereittalksabouttheendpointofnirvana.

Theendpointofnirvana,wecanactuallyabouttwotypesofnirvana,thenirvanaofsolitarypeace,whichisthenormalonewhenweusethewordnirvana.Solitarypeacemeanswe’vewipedoutallignorance,mentalafflictionsandallsuffering,sowe’reinthestateofpeace,pacificationofallsufferinganditscauses.

Butherewhenittalksaboutendpointofnirvana,it’stalkingaboutwhat’scallednon-abidingnirvana,andthat’sanotherexpressionforenlightenment.Ofcourse

enlightenmentisastateofnirvanaintermsofstateofpeacefrommentalafflictionsandsuffering,butwhenweachievenirvanaandthenthisbodyfinishes,thenweendupinamentalstateofsolitarypeace,wherewehavenoconnectionwithanythingelseintheuniverse,sofromaboddhisattva’sperspective,that’snotsomethingwe’dliketoendup,becauseherewecan’thelpanyone.

Sowecantalkabouttwoextremesintermsofabiding,there’sofcoursesamsara,whichiswherewe’restucknow,stuckinthiscycleoflifeafterlife,inthisunsatisfactorystatecalleddukkha,sothat’ssomewherewedon’twanttobe,butthen,fromaboddhisattva’sperspective,theotherextremeisthis,nirvana,becauseinthisstateofsolitarypiecewecan’thelpanyone.Sothat’swhythetexttalksabouttheendpointofnirvana,whichiswhenwe’vegonepastthat,andintothenon-abidingnirvanaorenlightenment.Sothesearethetwoextremesthatwe’retryingtoavoidinthemahayanapath,andofcourse,howtoovercometheextremeofsamsaraisthroughwisdom.Andhowtoovercometheextremeofnirvanaisthroughcompassion,orbodhicitta.

2 types of nirvana:

1. solitary peace

2. non-abiding nirvana

(enlightenment)

2 extremes (abiding) | antidote:


37

Sothat’swhat’ssaidhereisthatsomeonewho’sgonethroughthis,theyreachtheendpointofnirvana,whichisinfactenlightenment,anditsays‘Allthebuddhaswhodwellinthethreetimesalsomanifestly,completelyawakentounsurpassable,perfect,completeenlightenmentinrelianceontheperfectionofwisdom.’,meaningthatthethreetimesareofcoursepast,presentandfuture,whichmeansanyonewhohasachievedenlightenmentorwillachieveenlightenmenthasdonesothroughtheperfectionofwisdom,therealizationofemptiness.

Q&A

G.:Ofcoursewe’reallinthenatureofemptiness,everythingisinthenatureofemptiness,butthatdoesn’tmeanwe’reallenlightened.Itonlymeansthatweallhavethepotentialforenlightenment,soyes,becauseeverything’semptyofindependentexistence,thereforewecanallachieveenlightenment,becauseifitwasn’twewouldbestuck.

Thatwastheexplanationforhowtopracticethewisdomofemptinessoverthevariousstagesofthepathtoenlightenment,andthenwehaveanothershortpassageintheHeartSutrawhereitsays‘Presentationthroughmerewordsofmantratothoseofsuperiorfaculties.‘soitseemsthattherearesomepeoplewhodon’tneedtogetmuchinstruction,theyjustneedtogettheinstructionthatfollowsforthemtounderstandwhattodoonthespiritualpath,solet’shavealookatthat:

Glenreads:

2B2.Presentationthroughmerewordsofmantratothoseofsuperiorfaculties





TADYATHA[OM]GATÉPARAGATÉPARASAMGATÉBODHISVAHA

Soherethereareanumberofpraisesforthiswisdomofemptiness,becauseittalksaboutthemantraoftheperfectionofwisdom.Sohereit’susingthewordmantratodescribetheperfectionofwisdom,therealizationofemptiness.Soundsabitstrange,butthewordmantracanbedividedinto2,‘man’whichmeansmindand‘tra’thatmeanstoprotect,somantraissomethingthatprotectsthemind,soit’sactuallytherealizationofemptinessthatofcourseprotectsthemindfromignoranceandmentalafflictions.That’swhytheperfectionofwisdomiscalledamantra,andeachofthosemantrasistalkingaboutwaysinwhichthewisdomofemptinessisgoingtohelpovercomementalafflictionsandachieveenlightenment.


38

Andweactuallyhaveamantra,whichisveryuncommoninasutra,tohaveamantra,becausemantrasnormallyappearintantras,whichisthenextlevelofpractice.Butlet’slookatthemantra,toseewhatitmeans:~


-TADYATHAisanintroduction,itmeans‘itisthus…’

-mantrascanhavewhat’scalledaheadandatail.Theheadis‘OM’andthetailis‘SVAHA’,sosomemantrashaveaheadandatail,somehaveheadandnotail,sometailandnohead,andsomehavenoheadandnotail,sowehave4possibilitieswithmantras.Herewe’vegotthe‘OM’inbrackets,whichmeansitappearsinsometranslationsoftheHeartSutraanddoesn’tappearinothers.Sotheheadandthetailarejustmarkingtheheadandthetailofthemantra,butofteninthemantrathesewordshaveparticularmeanings,andhere‘OM’hasmanymeanings,but‘OM’comesfromthreesyllables,AHHUMA,‘OM’,andoftenthisistalkingaboutbody,speechandmind.Andhereitcanbereferingtothebody,speechandmindofthepersonwhoisstrivingforenlightenment,sothemantra’sgoing‘Itisthus’,and‘OM’issaying‘Ok,you,body,speechandmindofthepersonachievingenlightenment’,thisiswhatyouneedtodo,youneedto:

-GATÉ,whichmeansgo,sothefirstgatémeansgotothePathofAccumulation.Then

-GATÉagainmeansgotothePathofAccumulation.

-PARAGATÉagain,‘PARA’meansbeyond,soPARAGATÉmeansgobeyond,whichisreferingtothePathofSeeing,becauseinthePathofSeeing,wedirectlyrealizeemptinessandgobeyondbeinganormalpersonandbecomea‘arya’being,someonewhohasdirectlyrealizedemptiness.

-SoPARASAMGATÉ,‘SAM’isanintensifier,soitmeansgototallybeyond,whichpointstothePathofMeditation,becauseinthePathofMeditation,wegototallybeyondsamsaraandachievenirvana,andeventuallywegototallybeyondthat,andachieveenlightenment,andso

-BODHImeansenlightenment,sothat’sreferingtothePathofNoMoreLearning.Sothese5aretalkingaboutwhattodoateachofthosestages,andthen

-SVAHAisthetailofthemantra.

Soaparentlysomeoneofsharpfaculties,justneedstohearthatmantraandtheyknowwhattheyneedtodointermsoftheirpracticeofemptiness.That’sforsomeoneofsharpfaculties.

AndthatfinishesthereplyfromAvalokiteshvaratoShariputra,andthenattheend,afterhefinisheshisreply,hethenexortsShariputratopracticethePerfectionofWisdom,hesays,


39

Glenreads:

2B3.Exhortationtotrainbymeansofsummarizingthesubjectmatter


likethat.”

AndallofthistimeduringwhichAvalokiteshvaraisreplyingtoShariputra’squestion,theBuddhahasbeenseatingthere,deepinmeditativeabsorption,butatthesamecompletelyawareofwhat’sgoingon,andactuallyorchestratingthisconversationbetweenAvalokiteshvaraandShariputra,andsothenitsays,

2C.Theteacher’saffirmationofthis





‘ThentheBhagavanarosefromthatconcentration’,whichmeansthattotheaudienceheappearstohavecomeoutofdeepmeditation,althoughhehasbeenawareofeverythingallalong,anditsayshe’commendedthebodhisattvamahasattvaaryaAvalokiteshvarasaying:“Wellsaid,wellsaid,sonofthelineage,’RememberthatAvalokiteshvaraisaBuddha,buttotheaudienceisappearingasahighlevelboddhisattva,someonewhohasrealizedemptinessbutstillhasnotachievedenlightenment,it’softensaidheisappearingasa10thlevelboddhisattva.Sohe’sasonofthelineage,becausehe’sstillfollowingtheMahayanalineagetoenlightenment.AndtheBuddhathensays,‘itislikethat.Itislikethat;oneshouldpracticetheprofoundperfectionofwisdomjustasyouhaveindicated;eventhetathagatasrejoice.’HerethewordTathagataisanotherepitathforBuddha.SowesawearlierthatBhagavanwasanepitathforBuddha,andhereTathagata,‘Tatha’meansthusnessorsuchness,isanotherwordforemptiness;‘gata’istogo,soaTathagataissomeonewho’sgonetoemptiness,meaningsomeonewhohascompletelyrealizedemptinesstotheendpoint,someonewhohasachievedenlightenment.Sothat’swhatTathagatameans.

Andthenattheenditsays,

2D.Theassemblymember’sdelightandtheirpledgetouphold




Bhagavan.


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Soitseemstherewereothertypesofbeingspresent,thatwereofthisdialoguethatthemonksandbodhisattvasweren’tawareof.Sotheyallpraisewhatwasspokenhereinthissutra.

Sothatcomestotheendpointofthissutra,anyquestionsonthislastsection?

Q.:ItsaysTathagatasrejoice,sothereweremanythere?

A.Yes,sure,ofcourse.

Soherethere’ssomedifferencebetweentheTheravadatraditionsandtheMahayanatraditions,becausefromtheperspectiveofTheravadatraditions,whetheryouachievenirvanaorenlightenment,infactinTheravadatraditionsthere’snotalotofdifferencebetweennirvanaandenlightenment,butattheendofthislife,thenwhenthisbodyfinishes,thenoftenthesayingis,It’slikeacandlegoingout.Endofstory.Someonewhohasachievednirvanaorenlightenment,afterthisbodyfinishes,endofstory.Andifyouaskwhathappensnext,usuallythereplyisthatit’sinconceivable.Butonethingtheydefinitivelyassertisthatpersonneverevermanifestsintheworldagain.

Soforthem,ShakyamanuBuddhaisnowheretobeseenintheUniverse,whereintheMahayana,theywouldsaythatthisisabitilogical,andactuallysomeonewhohasachievedenlightenmentwouldappearandmanifestintheworldforthebenefitofothers.SointheMahayanatraditions,anyonewhohaseverachievedenlightenmentinthepast,isstillinexistenceandmaybeappearingintheworldtohelpothers,soyes,therearemanyenlightenedbeingsintheworldexistingtoday.Wetherornotthey’rehere,that’sanotherquestion,it’sopen.

Q.:Regardingthesolitarypeacetypeofnirvana,wheredoesthatfitintotheMayahanapathchart?

A.:Solitarypeacemeansthatouraspirationistoachievenirvana,andsowe’vedonethat,andthenthisbodyhasfinished,andwe’veendupinthispeaceofmentalsolitarypiece.That’swhat’sbeenreferedtohere.WhileintheMahayanapath,theboddhisattvafromthebeginninghastheaspirationforenlightenment,sotheyneverhadtheaspirationforachievingliberationjustforthemselves.Sowhentheygetthroughtothe7thground,they’vewipedoutallignoranceandmentalafflictionsandthey’veachievednirvana,butbecauseoftheirboddhicittamotivationtheydon’tendupinsolitarypiecebecausewhathappensisthat,letssaythatsomeoneachievesthatstate,inthislife,andifthatbodycollapses,thatpersondoesn’tendupinsolitarypiecestate,duetothepowerofbodhicittatheytakeanotherbirthinsomeform,andcontinueonthepath.Sotheygothroughthestageofnirvana,buttheydon’tgetstuckinthesolitarypeacestate.

Q.:Regardingobscurationatbirth,youhavesomeonethatachievesenlightenmentinonelifetimeandthenreincarnatesinothertobeofbenefit,butthenthere’sstillsometrainingtobedone,no?

A.:Wehavetobecarefulwithterminology.There’sthreetermsthatcanbeused:(i)rebirth,(ii)reincarnationand(iii)emanation.Ifwehaven’tbecomeanaryaandwe’reanaverageperson,thenwhenwediewe’rerebornthroughthepowerofkarmaandkleshas.That’srebirth,sothatimplies


41

norealcontrolintheprocess,itdependsonhowwe’veledourlife.Oncewe’rereachedacertainlevel,particularlythePathofSeeing,andwe’vestartedtowipeoutsomementalafflictions,thenwestarttohavetheabilitytodirectwherewego.Sothat’susuallywhenweusethewordreincarnation,sothisimpliessomesortofcontrol,butwe’restillinsamsara.Wehaven’twipedoutalloftheignoranceyet.Sosomeonewiththatability,stillhasmentalafflictionsandworktodo,butsomeonewho’sachievedenlightenmenttheymanifestintheworldastheyhavenoobscurations,they’reenlightened,soit’snotliketheyneedtodoitalloveragain.

SointhecaseofaBuddhamanifesting,whatweperceiveandwhat’sreallyhappeningwedon’tknow,we’resortofguessing…Wemaythinkapersonhasworktodoorsomething,butwereallydon’tknow,it’sjustourperspective.

We’vejustaboutrunedoutoftime,butforanyonewhowantstoinvestigateabitmoreabouttheHeartSutra,intermsofreadingmaterials,there’sabookcalled‘TheEssenceoftheHeartSutra’,fromHHDL,wherehegoesthroughthisinmoredetail.There’sanotherquitegoodbookwithaninterestingtitle,called‘TheHeartAttackSutra’,byKarlBrunnholzl,I’vegonethroughalittlebitanditseemsquitegood.

SothosearethetwobooksIcanrecommenddirectlyabouttheHeartSutra,butofcoursethatthetopicoftheHeartSutraisemptiness,andsolookingforageneralbookonemptinesstounderstanditandknowhowtopractice,theinitialbookItendtorecommendis‘HowtoSeeYourselfAsYouReallyAre’,fromHHDL.

Ifyouhavealreadyabitofknowledgeandwanttogodeeper,acoupleofbookscouldbegood,

-‘InsightintoEmptiness’,byKhensurJampaTegchok,whichisquitegood.

-‘HowToRealizeEmptiness’,byGenLamrimpa

Sothat’ssomebookandrecommendationsontheHeartSutraandemptiness.

Andthen,ifyou’renottiredofmyvoice,IdoquiteaextensivecourseontheHeartSutra,soifyouwanttolistentosomemoreaudioinmoredetail,soonmywebsite(www.glensvensson.org)there’sapackwiththeaudioandHeartSutra,which7/8/9days,withmoredetailandbackground.

Alsoofcourse,we’revideoingtheseevents,whicharegoingtobeuponYoutube,soyoucanhavealookatthose,ifyouwanttoreviewsomeofthethingswe’vedone.

That’sallIwantedtosay,anylastquestions?

Ok,thankyou,hopeyougotsomethingoutoftheHeartSutra,thankyou!


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THEHEARTOFTHEPERFECTIONOFWISDOMSUTRA

(Arya-bhagavati-prajnaparamita-hridaya-sutra)

1.Prologueindicatingtheoriginationofthesutra

1A.Commonprologue



bodhisattvas.

1B.Uncommonprologue





2.Subjectmatteroftheactualsutra

2A.Shariputra’squestiononthemodeofpracticingtheperfectionofwisdom




2B.Avalokiteshvara’sresponses

2B1.Individualpresentationofthemodeoftraininginthepathofthoseofinferiorfaculties

2B1A.Presentationofthemodeoftrainingintheperfectionofwisdomonthepathofaccumulation

andthepathofpreparation

2B1A-1.Transition




likethis,

[2B1A-2.Modeoftraininginbrief]

correctlyandrepeatedlybeholdingthosefiveaggregatesalsoasemptyofinherentnature.


43

[2B1A-3.Extensivepresentation]

2B1A-3A.Modeoftrainingintheultimatenatureoftheaggregateofform


thanemptiness.

2B1A-3B.Extendingthesameanalysistotheremainingaggregates

Inthesameway,feeling,discrimination,compositionalfactors,andconsciousnessare

empty.

2B1B.Presentationofthemodeoftrainingonthepathofseeing



2B1C.Presentationofthemodeoftrainingonthepathofmeditation









2B1D.Presentationofthemodeoftrainingonthepathofnomorelearning






2B2.Presentationthroughmerewordsofmantratothoseofsuperiorfaculties







44

2B3.Exhortationtotrainbymeansofsummarizingthesubjectmatter


likethat.”

2C.Theteacher’saffirmationofthis





2D.Theassemblymember’sdelightandtheirpledgetouphold




Bhagavan.

COLOPHON:TheHeartofthePerfectionofWisdomSutrahasbeentranslatedfromtheTibetan,consultingthe

Indian and Tibetan commentaries and previous good translations, by Gelong Thubten Tsultrim (George

Churinoff),thefirstdayofSakaDawa,1999,atTushitaMeditationCentre,Dharamsala,India.AmendedMarch

8,2001,intheNewMexicodesert.

Note:EmbeddedoutlinesoriginatefromacommentaryontheHeartSutrabyJamyangGawaiLodro.The

translatedoutlineshavebeensourcedfromtheAppendixofEssenceoftheHeartSutra(byHisHolinessthe

DalaiLama).

heart sutra: theory & practice of the perfection of … · heart sutra: the theory &...

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