Practice - Heart Sutra

Good evening everyone, nice to see you here. We've got a double Beth on Zoom tonight.

Hi Beths!

And we'll begin today with a Dharma glimpse by Sam, which Caspar will read for us.

The Spider in Its Web, a Dharma glimpse by Sam. In the corner of my room, I see a spider in its web. It's been there for a few days now. I don't mind its company, but I wonder how the spider feels. I haven't seen any flies lately, so I don't imagine it has caught any. Is the spider hungry and frustrated, or is it happy, just chilling in its web, in its element, doing what it was made to do? I suppose spiders may not have evolved to experience those feelings of frustration in the same way that humans do, because what purpose would it serve? The spider cannot do much else but sit in its web and wait. As human beings, we get frustrated and impatient because there were usually other things we can try, and the painful feelings are our mind's way of telling us it's time to try something else. But we humans are foolish beings, and our response to those feelings are not always helpful. The computer isn't working, I'll try hitting it. Sometimes there isn't anything to do but wait. Sometimes there is, but we need to take a step back and calm ourselves down before we can think clearly enough to find it. Recently I've been involved with the Parts Work book group online. I wonder if I can, from self or Buddha nature, observe my frustrated part and show it the same kindness I might show a small child or a close friend. Let the part be heard and help it to see clearly. Ama mitte.

Thank you, Satya Robyn.

Thank you, Kaspa. We'll sit quietly together for a little while.

Namokwanshi in Bursa. Namokwanshi in Bursa. Namokwanshi in Bursa. Namah Shivaya. Namah Shivaya. Namah Shivaya. Namah Shivaya. Namokwanji Ngoza! Namokwanji Ngoza! Namokwanji Ngoza! Namokwanji Ngoza! Namah Shivaya. Namah Shivaya. Namah Shivaya. Namah Shivaya. Namah Shivaya. Namah Shivaya. Namah Shivaya. Satyam Om Kwan Chi In Po Sat Nam Oh Kwanchi In Bo Sat Nam Om Kwanchi In Po Sat Nam Om Kwanchi In Po Sat Namokwan Shinpo Sa. Namokwan Shinpo Sa. Namokwan Shinpo Sa. Namah Panchi Imbosa. Namah Panchi Satya Robyn. Namah Panchi Imbosa.

For refuge I go to the Buddha, the one who is awake and full of love.

For one who is awake and full of love. Namo Buddha.

For refuge I go to the Dharma.

For refuge I go to the Dharma.

All that guides us to wisdom and compassion.

All that guides us to wisdom and compassion.

Namo Dhamma.

Namo Dhamma.

For refuge I go to the Sangha.

For refuge I go to the Sangha— those who live in the Buddha's light— Namo Sangha! With faith in the Three Jewels, I pray that I may not take life.

With faith in the Three Jewels, I pray that I may not steal.

With faith in the Three Jewels—

I pray that I may not fall into sexual misconduct!

With faith in the Three Jewels—I pray that I might not fall into wrong-speech!

—I pray that I may avoid intoxication! Intoxication.

I pray that I may avoid intoxication. No blame. No blame.

Be kind. Be kind.

Love everything.

Love everything.

Innumerable sentient beings, we vow to save them all.

Inexhaustible are the rooted passions, we vow to transform them all.

Immeasurable are the Dharma teachings, we vow to master them all. Infinite We vow to follow Satya Robyn completely.

So today I want to say a little bit about The Heart Sutra.

So the Heart Sutra is a very famous Mahayana text. We used to have it in our practice book, our service book, in Japanese and English. And was it in Japanese? English? Yeah. And it's quite well known for being slightly impenetrable. So people work with it for many, many years trying to understand its meaning, or to, um, to, to really, to really not just make intellectual sense of it, but to, to allow it— it's a, it's a text that, that the intention is that it transforms us somehow when we really allow it to do its job. And I'm not going to say many things about it tonight, but one or two things. The first is that it begins by, by speaking of Avalokiteshvara. And Avalokiteshvara is also known as Kannon, also known as Kuan Yin. So the chant that we did today was Avalokiteshvara's chant. And you may remember that she is the bodhisattva of compassion. So she's the, the one in that thangka there, the white one just above Sharon. And she's also the wooden figure on the ancestor shrine. That's Kuan Yin, Avalokiteshvara.

And she hears the cries of the world, so wherever there is suffering, she comes and helps.

So this is where this sutra begins, and this is also the essence of the sutra. I will also tell you that many Buddhist schools throughout history have had the practice of reciting this text without knowing what it means as a practice. So we're in good company today when we chant it in a minute. And there's also the practice of copying it out. So, so, um, there's this, uh, kind of— if you write it out many, many, many times, it's meant to somehow sink into you, sink inside you. And the last thing that I'll say about it before we chant it together— I'm really sorry, Beth and Beth, I've forgotten to get a link, but if you— if you're available, if Google is available to you, if you Google Halifax, Joan Halifax translation of the Heart Sutra. You'll find it online, otherwise you can just listen to us. Um, so this is, um, my new favorite book, which I may speak about on Saturday, but it's a book full of paintings that include little tiny Heart Sutra characters. And it was— the artist is Iwasaki Tsuneo, but the woman who brought his paintings to the West into this book is called Paula Arai, and she was in Japan and she was doing some research into Buddhist healing practices, and she had a call from a woman that was in her her sort of study, and this woman was calling her about the Heart Sutra. And she said, "Paula-san, I finally understand. Emptiness is not cold. It is what embraces us with compassion, enabling us to live, move, breathe, and even die." So emptiness is spoken of in the Heart Sutra And that's something for you to remember, is that it is warm. It's warm and full of compassion. And in the translation that we'll chant together, Kazuwaku Tanahashi and Roshi Joan Halifax have translated the word emptiness as boundlessness, just to really emphasize the fullness of emptiness. So If you'd like to—

you're saying chants, but we're just going to recite it, correct?

Yes. And this is the first time that we've recited this translation of the Heart Sutra in the shrine room, so it feels auspicious. Hopefully the first time of many. It's a nice translation. I left that bit in. Thank you. Yeah, and the thing— thank you, Kasipalisa. It's really good that you're here tonight. Just a few lines down where there's some square brackets, don't read that out. So that's just for your— that's just for you to know that Shariputra is listening to the teachings of the Buddha, but we don't read the 'who listens to the teachings of the Buddha' out. And if there are words that are— it's actually, I think, that one of the things they tried to do with this translation is to not have any Buddhist words in it. So I don't think there are any tricky words in it. So we'll read the title together and then we'll go on and read the verse. And see if we could have a bell just at the final syllable, like svaha, that would be great. Thank you very much.

Just one.

The Sutra on the Heart of Realizing Wisdom Beyond Wisdom. Avalokiteshvara, who helps all to awaken, moves in the deep course of realizing wisdom beyond wisdom, sees that all five streams of body, heart, and mind are without boundary, and frees all from anguish. Oh Shariputra, form is not separate from boundlessness. Boundlessness is not separate from form. Form is boundlessness. Boundlessness is form. Feelings, perceptions, inclinations, and discernment are also like this. Oh Shariputra, boundlessness is the nature of all things. It neither arises nor perishes, neither stains nor purifies, neither increases nor decreases. Boundlessness is not limited by form. Nor by feelings, perceptions, inclinations, or discernment. It is free of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Free of sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and any object of mind. Free of sensory realms, including the realm of the mind. It is free of ignorance and the end of ignorance. Boundlessness is free of old age and death, and free of the end of old age and death. It is free of suffering, arising, cessation, and path, and free of wisdom and attainment. Being free of attainment, those who help all to awaken abide in the realization of wisdom beyond wisdom and live with an unhindered mind. Without hindrance, the mind has no fear. Free from confusion, those who lead all to liberation embody profound serenity. All those in the past, present, and future who realize wisdom beyond wisdom manifest unsurpassable and thorough awakening. Know that realizing wisdom beyond wisdom is no other than this wondrous mantra, luminous, unequaled, and supreme. It relieves all suffering. It is genuine, not illusory. So set forth this mantra of realizing wisdom beyond wisdom. Set forth this mantra that says: Gāte, gāte, paragāte, parasamgāte, Namo Amitabha.

That might be your first taste of the Heart Sutra, or, uh, it might be something you're already familiar with, but I'm hoping that we'll return to it. I'll be returning to it on Saturday anyway. Okay, Namamitabha.

In gratitude, we offer this incense to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout space and time. May it be as fragrant as Earth herself, reflecting our careful efforts, our whole heart awareness, and the fruits of understanding slowly ripening. May we and all beings be companions of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. May we awaken from forgetfulness, realize that truth.

That's exactly the kind of tidying I like to see. So Namaste.

Blessed by Amma Sarkar's light, may we care for all living things.

Amma Padme Amma.