The Heart of the Great
Perfection of Wisdom Sutra
The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara observed
that once we are deep in the practice of mediation, that all the aspects of
human perception are purely mental constructs that have no independent existence
of their own. Our understanding of physical forms, feelings, perceptions,
concepts and even ego consciousness (self) are simply constructs of the mind.
Once we realize this we are able go beyond our suffering and distress because we
recognize even suffering and distress are constructs of the mind and are equally
as empty.
As explained to the Venerable Sariputra: When people practice meditation
earnestly they will discover that there are no forms or conditions having
independent or separate existence and that existence and non-existence are
actually a single evolving continuum. The same is true of our feelings,
perceptions, impulses and consciousness. Since everything is mutually arising
and inter-dependent, nothing can truly be separated or divided into subject and
object. Therefore the perception of separateness created by any of our senses
should be understood illusionary and any independent understanding that we feel
we have based on these dualistic interpretations are likewise empty.
Since all our perceptions are useless in attempting to understand our existence,
only the perfected practice of wisdom mediation can dispel these mental
illusions. Thus, all Awakened beings of past, present and future, who have
achieved supreme perfected enlightenment, depend on the proven practice of deep meditation to relieve their suffering. Without the hindrance of the dualistic mind,
no fears exist and once parted from dualistic thinking, one dwells in complete
accord with reality. So the mantra of perfected wisdom is: Gone, gone, all
dualism is gone, Hail to the perfected wisdom of emptiness. I have awakened!
The Heart Sutra (full version) is the shortest and the most popular sutra in Buddhism, it is regarded as the most concise summation of Buddhist teaching. The Heart Sutra expresses perfectly the insight attained by non-attachment, the doctrine of emptiness. Many Buddhist sects recite a shortened chant version of the Heart Sutra regularly.