Mastering the Heart Sutra





January 2011 (Beijing, CHINA)





A lotus flower symbolises total detachment. Therefore, “the Jewelled One upon the Lotus” is one who is untainted with impurities and the weather of external circumstances. He / She who dwells deeply in the Ultimate Wisdom of Perfection will ultimately reach the realisation that all the five elements that seemingly exist are in fact, non-existent at all. This realisation is the one responsible for liberating all from suffering and distress.


O Devoted Disciple of the Buddhic (Wisdom) Path,


Know that the Form is not different from the Formless (perceived by the 5 senses as ‘space’). Divinity pervades the entire Universe, including what we see as space. In fact, there is no ‘space’. If divinity is all-pervasive, where is there space and form? Each cannot be known without the other; ie. the formless cannot be known without the form, and vice-versa. All activities, within or without, such as sensations, thoughts, impulses, awareness, feelings, speech and so on, are in fact “nothingness”. These only seem to exist from a limited worldly individual perception. From the view of the Great White Spirit (the Ultimate Whole), these do not exist.


The Supreme Consciousness neither begins, nor does it end. It is never stained, nor is it pure. Nothing is ever gained, nor will it be lost. Therefore, the formless substance (Supreme Consciousness) that has no sensation, thoughts, impulses and awareness pervades all space. Since it is all-pervasive, this Substance too pervades all forms. It is not confined to the 5 senses. It has neither eye, ear, nose, tongue, body nor mind. It is not governed by sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, thoughts or even knowledge. IT is all there is; everything, yet nothing.


There is no such thing for IT (Supreme Consciousness) as ignorance, therefore, there is no end for ignorance [Note: Ignorance, bad or good are examples of the terms Man have come up with for daily interaction / communication. Since Supreme Consciousness is all there ever is, it just IS, untainted with any values / terms Man have introduced in attempting to extol the Spiritual Truth]. Since It is neither beginningless nor endless, there is also no such thing as birth, ageing and death. The Supreme Consciousness does not suffer, nor does it cause suffering. Hence, there is no end of suffering. [Note: What does not begin, does not end]. From the State of the Whole, there is no attainment of wisdom, for there is no wisdom to attain.


Knowing and accepting this Transcendental Truth will leave your mind untainted with delusion of a world of duality. With that, there shall be no fear and deluded desires. Remember, IT (Supreme Consciousness) is all there is. IT is all that exist. And because of this, it ceases to exist. Only when there are two will one know that he / she exists. When there is only ONE, it does not even appear to exist. It just IS. This is what we call the state of Nirvana (Enlightenment). Spiritual guides, be it of the past, present and future, have ‘awakened’ from their deep slumber of this multi-faceted dream, realizing this Spiritual Truth. This is the key to be free from all bondages, leading to Ultimate Liberation (also known as Moksha).


觀 自 在 菩 薩

Guan zi zai pu sa

The Jewelled One Upon the Lotus


行 深 般 若 波 羅 蜜 多 時

Xing Shen Bo Ri Bo Lo Mi Duo Shi

Who dwells deeply in the Ultimate Wisdom of Perfection


照 見 五 蘊 皆 空

Zao Jian Wu Yun Jie Kong

Will come to an ultimate realization that all the five elements are *empty (better used as space).


度 一 切 苦 厄

Du yi qie ku er

This realisation will liberate one from all suffering and distress.


舍 利 子

She li zi

(Direct Translation: Shariputra - (This symbolises the devoted Disciple of the Buddhic Path) “O Devoted Disciple of the Buddhic Path”


色 不 異 空 空 不 異 色

Se bu yi kong, kong bu yi se

Know that form does not differ from space, and space does not differ from form.


色 即 是 空 空 即 是 色

Se ji shi kong, kong ji shi se

Form is in fact, space, and space is in fact, form.


受 想 行 識 亦 復 如 是

Shou xiang xing shi yi fu ru shi

Sensations, Thoughts, Impulses, Awareness – all in fact also ARE…


舍 利 子

She li zi

Direct Translation: Shariputra - (This symbolises the devoted Disciple of the Buddhic Path): “O Devoted Disciple of the Buddhic (Wisdom) Path”


是 諸 法 空 相

Shi zhu fa kong xiang

Despite their seeming existence (manifestation), are all in fact, nothingness.


不 生 不 滅

Bu sheng, bu mie

(Nothing) begins nor ends


不 垢 不 淨

Bu gou, bu jing

(Nothing) is stained, nor pure


不 增 不 減

Bu Zheng Bu Jian

(Nothing) is gained, nor is it lost


是 故 空 中 無 色

(Shi gu) kong zong wu se

Therefore, amidst this space, there is actually no form


無 受 想 行 識

Wu shou xiang xing shi

No sensations, thoughts, impulses, and awareness


無 眼 耳 鼻 舌 身 意

Wu yan er bi she shen yi

No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind


無 色 聲 香 味 觸 法

Wu se sheng xiang wei chu fa

No form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and knowledge


無 眼 界 乃 至 無 意 識 界

Wu yan jie nai zhi wu yi shi jie

No realm of sight, nor thoughts


無 無 明 亦 無 無 明 盡

Wu wu ming yi wu wu ming jing

There is no ignorance, nor end of ignorance


乃 至 無 老 死 亦 無 老 死 盡

Nai zhi wu lao si yi wu lao si jing

No ageing and death, hence there is also no end of ageing and death.


無 苦 集 滅 道

Wu ku ji mie dao

No suffering, cause of suffering, and therefore end of suffering, as well as no path to follow


無 智 亦 無 得

Wu zhi yi wu de

No attainment of wisdom, and no wisdom to attain


以 無 所 得 故

Yi wu suo de qu

As nothing is attained, therefore...


菩 提 薩 埵

Pu ti sa duo

Bodhisattvas (Embodiments of Divinity)


依 般 若 波 羅 蜜 多 故

Yī bo ri bo luo mi duo gu

Follow the Prajna Paramita (Perfection of Transcendental Wisdom), which leads to;


心 無 罣 礙

Xin wu gua ai

A mind untainted with delusion...


無 罣 礙 故 

Wu gua ai gu

With no delusion (hindrance or obstruction), therefore;


無 有 恐 怖

Wu you kong bu

There is no fear


遠 離 顛 倒 夢 想

Yuan li dian dao meng xiang

Far away from deluded desire and dreams;


究 竟 涅 槃

Jiu jing nie pan

And eventually attaining the state of Nirvana (Enlightenment).


三 世 諸 佛

San shi zhu fo

All Buddhas (Enlightened beings) of the past, present and future


依 般 若 波 羅 蜜 多 故

Yi bo re bo lu mi duo gu

Follow the path of Prajna Paramita (Transcendental Wisdom) to...


得 阿 耨 多 羅 三 藐 三 菩 提

De a nuo duo luo san miao san pu ti

Realise the Ultimate Truth and are completely awakened!


故 知 般 若 波 羅 蜜 多

Gu zi bo re bo luo mi duo

Therefore, know that the Prajna Paramita (Transcendental Wisdom)...


是 大 神 咒

Shi da shen zhou

Is a great Divine Mantra...


是 大 明 咒

Shi da ming zhou

Is an enlightening Mantra...


是 無 上 咒

Shi wu shang zhou

The Ultimate Mantra (Unsurpassed)...


是 無 等 等 咒

Shi wu deng deng zhou

And an incomparable Mantra...


能 除 一 切 苦

Neng chu yi qie ku

To remove / alleviate all suffering...


真 實 不 虛

Zhen shi bu xu

This is the Ultimate Truth that cannot be doubted.


故 說 般 若 波 羅 蜜 多 咒

Gu shuo bo re bo luo mi duo zhou

Hence the Prajna Paramita propagates..


即 說 咒 曰

Ji shuo zhou yie 

Saying this:


揭 諦 揭 諦 波 羅 揭 諦  

波 羅 僧 揭 諦 菩 提 娑 婆 訶


Jie di jie di bo luo jie di

Bo luo seng jie di pu di sa po he


"Ascend,

Ascend,

Ascend beyond,

Ascend beyond altogether,

Awakened

So be it."