Heart Sutra, 7 November 2000, part 1

So in order to I shall free both self and others from the sufferings and bring them to the sort of unsurpassable happiness. For that purpose, I shall here purify all the negativities and attain the ultimate qualities. For that purpose, I shall here listen to this, the essence teaching of Mahāyāna, the emptiness teaching, and through this bring great benefits towards self and others. And on, we shall do a short meditation on such motivation. Great master of Lord Buddha Śākyamūni was in the meditative stabilization on the profound in the Vulture Peak and the Vulture Peak was the place where the Heart Sūtra taught and he blessed both the disciples.

There are different types of disciples who were receiving the Heart Sūtra teachings including humans, Bodhisattvas, devas, and god beings of the god realm and so forth and deva there to receive the teachings and he blessed the Lord Buddha, has blessed the Śāriputra and the Avalokiteśvara Chenrezig through the power of his blessings, the Śāriputra raised the questions and the Chenrezig gave answer for the questions to this, the disciples that have been taught. So we have talked last week where the question of Śāriputra which was asked to Chenrezig. Śāriputra, the question was that those who and etc. Which means those who, the daughter and the son of noble ones or noble ones here refers to a steep Mahāyāna practitioner and those who wish, how those wish to practice the profound. So, yeah, that was the question, so how does he wish to perform, wishes to practice perform, how can they practice?

And the answer was given by answer was the Tibetan word which is in the religious terminology is calling the person one with life, which means the affectionately or feeling of closeness and Śāriputra listening and this is how those who this is how one should train or those who this is how one should train and perform by those who wishes to learn or train and perform. So from here begins the real of training or a role of on doing meditation on emptiness. The answer was all the five aggregates are also should see, should also see the all all the five aggregates as inherent are not inherently exist inherently existent. And the number of the disciples who are receiving the Heart Sūtra teaching were set forth two thousand five hundred in the humans or Bodhisattvas and numbers of other beings like God and the fairies or it’s called the smell eaters and demigods are in numberless which means, so they are the countless disciples who are receiving Heart Sūtra at Vulture Peak. The reason why the Śāriputra was blessed to raise the question is because the Śāriputra was at that time was the liberated the arhat of lower Hīnayāna or lower vehicle and and the reason why he was blessed is because it was set forth that he has a very, very sharp wisdom and in in other interpretation also said that the said that because he is the Hinayanist or the lower vehicle practitioner and and it was implied that the Heart Sūtra teaching or emptiness should be listened by other lower vehicle practitioners.

And the Śāriputra has a very, very sharp wisdom and the reason was because before previously, in his previous life, he has seen the the the picture of the third Buddha, which was Buddha Nyusum in Tibetan word. It’s Krakucchanda, I think Buddha Krakucchanda and he has developed his devotion in faith by seeing the picture and offer a very clear lamp for that offering as offering to the picture and so as a result of making that offering, he attained a very sharp wisdom, become very sharp wisdom. And Lord Buddha blessed, prompted Avalokiteśvara to give the answer. It it is because Avalokiteśvara was was has has a very compassionate and kind hearted and has a very yeah. Yeah.

Have strong bodhicitta. And therefore, if if the person gives the answer to answer with the kind heartedness or with the huge bodhicitta, it will it will have more benefit to to the disciple. That that’s that’s the reason the Buddha blessed Avalokiteśvara to give the answer. So it says the one I want to see the five aggregates are also in are not inherently exist or are are inherent not inherent existence. So the five aggregates are the are form form aggregate feeling, recognition, like, compositional factors and the aggregate and the consciousness.

So the form which is our body, the body is called the form and the feeling is the one which we feel. It’s called the feeling aggregates. Recognition are the one which we within ourselves, it’s a form, it’s an aggregate which recognizes how distinguishes what is what and which is which and that is the one called the aggregate of recognition and the aggregate of compositional factors hence the aggregate of consciousness is the one which we distinguish the body and the mind. So and so the the the word we say mind is the one which is called consciousness and and it is like a it’s it’s like a mirror. The conscious everything appears on our consciousness and apart from those four, there is one which is called the aggregate of compositional factors.

The good master, good master, Vasubandhu, has the example of distinguishing demonstrating five aggregates or the aggregate of form is like a plate and the rice, the food or rice which contains in the container is like an aggregate of feeling and the curry or the vegetable which you put on the rice is called it’s the aggregate of recognition and the the person who eats the food is called is is like the aggregate of consciousness and the in India, people eat with their hands. So all the actions of gathering the food, mixing, and mixing the curry, and then finally, you know, movement of the hand action is like the aggregate of compositional factors. It’s very good example. So the interpretation below the autonomy school of Madhyamaka class, below those, below lower classes, you know, below the autonomy school of Buddhist tenets says asserts that the the the first four aggregates, the aggregates of form feeling, recognition, and compositional factors are like like a container or or or or or, yeah, like container where one takes a re one takes a birth, or a rebirth. And the consciousness is like a person who takes rebirth in those four aggregates.

So therefore, all those five aggregates are both the container and what contains the consciousness and the rest of the four aggregates are saṃsāra. The consequentialist, the Prāsaṇgika of the Madhyamaka only, the middle way school, was set forth to be the ultimate or the utmost class school of the tenets. As such, all the five aggregates from the feeling of sort of aggregate of form till the consciousness, all five aggregates are like a container where one take the rebirth in or it’s like a container. And the one who takes rebirth or rebirth is not, the consciousness is not the one which takes the rebirth. The one who takes the rebirth is the I which was labeled towards the five aggregates.

So the I which labels to the five aggregates is the one which takes rebirths in those five aggregates. So, Buddha Śākyamūni seen those sentient beings, the circle in the cyclic existence, which his five aggregates. And by seeing those sentient beings circles in the cyclic existence, he couldn’t bear how people take rebirth in the cyclic existence. So therefore, because of their circle in the cyclic existence, he developed a huge compassion and wanted to develop a wish to free those sentient beings from the cyclic existence or saṃsāra. So when we say saṃsāra, saṃsāra doesn’t mean all those external materials like stones and so forth.

The saṃsāra is the actual saṃsāra is the one, is our own body, which is this. Our body is the saṃsāra. So, we circled. This beings circles in the cyclic existence within these aggregates, which is saṃsāra. How the circles in the cyclic existence there are five aggregates starting from the form till the consciousness.

They’re called we have ignorance. Ignorance. And we have ability to see the the true nature or the reality of the aggregates, but because of the ignorance, which which covers us from seeing the reality, so ignorance obstructs, because of our ignorance, which we can’t see the true existence or true modes of the five aggregates. Because of this, of this ignorance, we develop numbers of attachment, hatred, and confusions. For example, because of the ignorance, we develop attachment towards a very good form and hatred towards the bad form or ugly form and confusion towards the neutral one.

Likewise, it goes into the rest of the four aggregates, feeling and so forth. Because of this, cultivating all this hatred attachment and so forth, we cultivate different types of karma, the action. As a result of the karma, we take rebirth again and again and changing the body one after next. This is how they’re being circled in the cyclic existence. So, here the aggregates are not the external aggregates, we can ourselves our own five aggregates. Because of having ignorance, one develops the numbers of karma or negative actions like hatred, attachment, confusion, and so forth.

As a result, one cultivates the karma and circles inside the existence. The main sources are the five aggregates where one cultivates all this action. So in order to, Lord Buddha Śākyamūni, by seeing all those sentient beings, circles in the cyclic existence because of this confusion attachment, hatred towards the developed based on the five aggregates. Therefore, in order to help them or stop them from circling in the cyclic existence, he said for one should see five aggregates are also empty of inherent existence, which is set forth for a method to overcome all attachment, hatred and confusion so that one will not, as a result, one will not circle in the saṃsāra. So, it’s said for the form is empty of inherent existence and why it is empty of inherent existence is because the form does not exist by its own nature its own accord.

Because of this, because it doesn’t exist by its own or but for ordinary beings, But for ordinary beings, being the form appeared to be exist to be inherent inherently exist by its own. So therefore therefore, because of seeing the appearing form as inherent existent, it being circled in the saṃsāra. So if you have a very good and sharp wisdom, and here is starting the topic or the teaching on the emptiness, and if you have sharp wisdom, you will learn a lot. You can understand the true nature. If you don’t have a good wisdom, you may not understand it.

So, the form is empty of inherent existence, and so it doesn’t exist inherently. inherent existence of the form is called the if one perceives form as inherent existent, then one falls towards the eternalism, which means that because of this true grasping attitude, which is ignorance, one exaggerates or elaborates on something, making something exist, fact, that thing doesn’t exist. So because of so if yeah. So so if one sees the form as inherent existent, then one falls towards the the the one extreme, which is eternalism. So, one said form is empty of inherent existence, which means the form is the object here where one analyzing whether its inherent exists or not.

When it says the form is empty of inherent existence, it does not mean that form is empty or form does not exist. No. So, when we say the cup is empty, it doesn’t mean that cup does not exist. What it means is the cup contains nothing. So when when so like what?

When, say, the form is empty, doesn’t mean that form does not exist. What it means is form is empty of inherent existence. And so which inhaling existence is so once when some when we say the form is empty, it it diff yeah, it refutes the the the negation, the negation which is the inherent existence. So form empty means the form does not the form is empty of inherent existence and which establishes the emptiness of the form. So from here, now here, starting the the the yeah.

Applying four empties four entities to on on this object, which is form. So when it say the first, the form is empty of the form is empty, which which if it’s just the first, the form is empty of inherent existence, and that that eliminates the refute, the first negation, which is the inherent existence or we call the eternalism. And the second one says When the emptiness is form, that second one refutes nihilism. It’s because its reason is because the inherent excuse me. Because form is empty of inherent existence, but it gets yeah.

The form is empty of inherent existence, but it still it still does the function of a form even though it’s empty or empty of inherent existence. Therefore, it does exist but do not exist inherently or do not, But it’s still the empty of inherent existence. Therefore, it refutes the second one called the nihilism. So, briefly speaking, what it means is even though form is empty of inherent existence, but it does exist. That’s the meaning.

Because the second one establishes or shows the form does exist, and because it says the form does exist, the dead refutes the nihilism. So the form is the basis and where the emptiness of the form is on or within the form. It’s like the cup. The cup is the basis and the emptiness of the cup is within the cup. And the third one, the first one, the emptiness is form and the form is emptiness, emptiness is form.

Now, the third one is form is not other than emptiness. Yeah, is not other than emptiness, which means form and emptiness has one nature or one entity. It’s like calling flower and the metal. So, the metal is the flower in Tibetan. So, though we call it, say it in different words, flower and metal, but it has the same entity or it holds the same entity and the nature.

So likewise, the emptiness of the form, the form is empty, emptiness is form and emptiness of the form does not have the different entity than emptiness itself. Therefore, form is not other than the emptiness because all have the same entity. And the fourth one is the emptiness is not other than the form, which goes the other way around, which means that the form is the emptiness before it says the form is emptiness and something is empty, which is which is the form. There are there there is there is yeah. The form is emptiness and and emptiness is not other than form, which means that there is nothing empty other than the form.

Therefore, the emptiness is the form and the form is the emptiness, therefore, the emptiness is not other than the form. Up to here, the four empties that was put on set forth along with the form by saying the form is empty, emptiness is form, form is not other than emptiness and emptiness is not other than form, which by here have taught the four empties. The text goes, Patient to likewise feeling, which means we have to apply four empties towards the aggregate of feeling. So if if one understands clearly how to apply four empties on the first aggregate, which is the aggregate of form, then applying the emptiness, four emptiness, the rest of the aggregates are easy. If one do not understand the first one, the four empties of the form, and try to attempt towards the next four empties, then it becomes like getting the second stick on the head.

Anyway, listen carefully. And like the previous one, the form is empty, which means the form is empty of inherent existence. It also says the feeling is empty of inherent existence. So, one, feeling is empty, emptiness. The first one refutes or avoiding one from falling towards the one extreme, which is the eternalism.

That by saying the form is empty, which is empty of inherent existence, that yeah, no, no. And the second one is emptiness. Emptiness is feeling, refutes the other extreme, which is nihilism. So emptiness is feeling, which means that even though emptiness is empty of even though the feeling is empty of inherent existence, but it does not mean that it doesn’t exist at all, it does exist. So because it establishes the feeling does exist, that refutes nihilism, nihilism is the one which says that something doesn’t exist, It’s saying that nihilism is the view which establishing something does not exist in reality that thing does exist.

And the third one is the feeling is not other than the emptiness, which means that there’s no other reaching across, there is no other entity which is different than the feeling. So, nature of the feeling and the emptiness of the feeling is in one realm. Emptiness is no other than the feeling, which is that emptiness doesn’t have the entity different than the feeling, so therefore the emptiness, because emptiness does have the same nature or holds the same entity of the feeling, therefore the emptiness is not other than the feeling. And should apply same full emptiness towards the recognition. Recognition is empty of inherent existence.

And emptiness is recognition? It applies the same that the feeling is not other than the emptiness and emptiness is not other than feeling. Recognition is not other than emptiness, and emptiness is not other than recognition? And now, the fourth aggregate, which is aggregate of compositional factors. So, aggregate, the compositional factors factor is empty of inherent existence or is empty?

Emptiness is compositional factor? And the entity of the emptiness and the emptiness of compositional factors are in one nature and are not separate or not different. Therefore, the emptiness, therefore, the compositional factor is not other than the emptiness and emptiness is not other than compositional factor. And the fifth one, the aggregate of consciousness. The consciousness is empty of inherent existence or consciousness is empty.

And emptiness is consciousness. So and because the the consciousness the the entity because the entity of the conscious the consciousness is not other than entity of the consciousness is not other than the emptiness. So and the the empty and the entity of the consciousness is not other than the entity of the consciousness. Therefore, because they have the same entity or nature, both the consciousness and the emptiness of the consciousness, therefore the consciousness is not other than the emptiness and emptiness not other than consciousness. By training through or in these empties of the five aggregates, through this one understands the true nature or the reality, the way of existence of the five aggregates, and by knowing so, by knowing this, one abandons the ignorance which stops us from seeing the reality or the true mode of existence.

By knowing the benefits of understanding or realizing the emptiness of the aggregates is that one will be able to or one abandons all the attachment, hatred, angers and so forth which comes produce through the ignorance. There are the two types of illness, the physical and the mental illness, and the mental is the worst. The physical illness comes from or through mental illness. As for the mental illness or disease, they are set forth to be eighty four thousand mental illnesses. All these eighty four illness are based or comes from the three poison, the attachment, anger, the attachment desire or attachment hatred, and the confusion or ignorance.

So, the emptiness is like the medicine for the hundred illnesses or one hundred disease. So, are the disease, the mental disease in number of eighty four thousand and the emptiness is the medicine which cures all disease. So, if you want to cure those diseases or illness, should meditate on emptiness. Through meditation on emptiness, one cures the mental or internal disease. And by curing the internal disease, it automatically cures the external as well.

So, therefore, if you want to cure both the diseases or illness, the internal and the external, should meditate on emptiness. So here the great master says, Those who do not realize or understand the emptiness is not the basis to attain liberation, which means that without understanding the emptiness or without knowing or understanding the emptiness, one will not attain liberation. By not attaining liberation, then one circles in the cycle of existence or saṃsāra and suffers. Yeah, that is enjoy that. This is a driver, you know?

You mean the I which was the label tomorrow? It does coexist. It’s because one, it’s like a subject and the object. The subject doesn’t exist without object and the object doesn’t exist without subject. Therefore, without It’s like subject and the object, So therefore, eye, the labels are towards the five aggregates does exist or coexist with the five aggregates.

For example, like the current aggregates and the labels are, The current five aggregates are the object, and it needs a subject which to perceive are for those five aggregates and which is the present are. So both the present eye and the five aggregates exist at one time or coexist. Next. The connection, the relation here is at the Vulture Peak, the numbers of disciples are gathered who are keen to hear on the teaching on the emptiness, and everyone gathered at the Vulture Peak was an interest on emptiness. Buddha Śākyamūni then thought of which is the best way to teach the emptiness to those keen disciples.

By knowing and by checking, finally made up finds that the best way to teach is to bless both the Śāriputra and Avalokiteśvara, which was in the sense blessing, which is to Chenrezig to remind all the answers, was making Chenrezig to be able to give all the answers for the question and bless Śāriputra’s mind stream to raise suitable or good questions. Through this, the question and answer comes from the Śāriputra and Avalokiteśvara, and comes the relation between those two, So, the relation here and the word we said, blessed by the Buddha, Śākyamūni, it’s unlike the Buddha, Śāriputra and the Avalokiteśvara was able to give the answer and raise the question the way the Buddha Śākyamūni had in his mind. So this is connection, I guess, you were asking. So the blessing So the Buddha cannot finish the lesson. So because this is how it’s called a blessing.

It’s because the action has been done by the Śāriputra and the Chenrezig, but the original source, the question and answers, was arranged or organized by Buddha Śākyamūni himself. Yeah, of course. He arranged all the questions and answers and blessed those two disciples to raise the question and the answer according to the way he has arranged the teaching. So the blessings in the hearer sense, they’re blessed through his power. The Buddha Śākyamūni was the cause, and Buddha Śākyamūni blessed the two disciples, and they are like a messenger.

They’re just passing them in. So, it’s like the Australian Prime Minister written some letter or statement and asked his secretary to go down and give his speech. So, the secretary was the one who speaks, who gave the speech, but the fact is it was the prime minister’s speech. It’s not like the Avalokiteśvara, Śāriputra, and Buddha Śākyamūni together before and then they discuss and then it’s not like that. Do you have to know how something does not exist?

Thank you. Before you know. Yeah. The way you exist doesn’t exist and exist are yeah. So the answer was no, and it’s like the empty of inherent existence and the inherent existence.

One does not need to understand or know the empty of inherent existence before inherent existence. It’s because the inherent existence, one should not realize or one should not know the inherent. Inherent doesn’t need to know because inherent existence is within us from the beginningless time, but naturally it’s there. And so this comes the end, so therefore the answer is no. But it depends on if one if one realize the emptiness or to cultivate the emptiness, then one has to or one needs to recognize the object of negation which is inherently existent, which was the one, the inherent existence is the one we eliminate and came to know or realize the object. It’s empty of inherent existence.

It’s like the throwing arrow, and to hit the arrow, one needs to know where the target is. So it’s like yeah, and for that purpose, one needs to know or doesn’t say one needs to know the object of negation which is inherently existent, to know the emptiness of inherent existence, but one do not need to know What’s the question? Yeah. So do alright. Do you have to know something doesn’t exist How how before before you know how it’s It’s a how.