Vladimir Pyatsky Smadar Pyatsky Translated by: Helga Ivars Anderes Von Krauinsh Shine of Prajnaparamita ISRAEL, YAVNE 2016
Contents Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra..2 SECTION 1 Theory of skandhas... 5 1. Form (rupa)... 7 2. Sensation (vedana)... 9 3. Notions (samjna)... 10 4. Will and memory (samskara)... 12 5. Consciousness (vijnana)... 13 SECTION 2 Terminology and characters... 16 Sanskrit terms and established Buddhist phrases... 18 Characters... 19 SECTION 3 Mantras and methods of Prajnaparamita... 23 2
Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra Translation by the Nalanda Translation Committee Thus have I heard. Once the Blessed One was dwelling in Rajagriha at Vulture Peak mountain, together with a great gathering of the sangha of monks and a great gathering of the sangha of bodhisattvas. At that time the Blessed One entered the samadhi that expresses the dharma called "profound illumination," and at the same time Arya-Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, while practicing the profound prajnaparamita, saw in this way: he saw the five skandhas to be empty of nature. Then, through the power of the Buddha, venerable Shariputra said to Arya- Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, "How should a son or daughter of noble family train, who wishes to practice the profound prajnaparamita?" Addressed in this way, Arya-Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, said to venerable Shariputra, "O Shariputra, a son or daughter of noble family who wishes to practice the profound prajnaparamita should see in this way: seeing the five skandhas to be empty of nature. Form is emptiness; emptiness also is form. Emptiness is no other than form; form is no other than emptiness. In the same way, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are emptiness. Thus, Shariputra, all dharmas are emptiness. There are no characteristics. There is no birth and no cessation. There is no impurity and no purity. There is no decrease and no increase. Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness, there is no form, no feeling, no perception, no formation, no consciousness; no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no appearance, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no dharmas, no eye dhatu up to no mind dhatu, no dhatu of 3
dharmas, no mind consciousness dhatu; no ignorance, no end of ignorance up to no old age and death, no end of old age and death; no suffering, no origin of suffering, no cessation of suffering, no path, no wisdom, no attainment, and no non-attainment. Therefore, Shariputra, since the bodhisattvas have no attainment, they abide by means of prajnaparamita. Since there is no obscuration of mind, there is no fear. They transcend falsity and attain complete nirvana. All the buddhas of the three times, by means of prajnaparamita, fully awaken to unsurpassable, true, complete enlightenment. Therefore, the great mantra of prajnaparamita, the mantra of great insight, the unsurpassed mantra, the unequaled mantra, the mantra that calms all suffering, should be known as truth, since there is no deception. The prajnaparamita mantra is said in this way: OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA Thus, Shariputra, the bodhisattva mahasattva should train in the profound prajnaparamita." Then the Blessed One arose from that samadhi and praised noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, saying: "Good! Good, O son of noble family! thus it is, O son of noble family, thus it is. One should practice the profound prajnaparamita just as you have taught and all the tathagatas and arhats will rejoice." When the Blessed One had said this, venerable Shariputra and noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, that whole assembly and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised the words of the Blessed One. 4
SECTION 1 Theory of skandhas Prajnaparamita hridaya sutra or the Herat Sutra investigates skandhas and their emptiness in detail. Thus, in order to understand this sutra, first, it is necessary to familiarize oneself with the theory of skandhas. In Sanskrit skadha means pile, accumulation. There are two main provisions of the skandha theory: general and special. General provision defines all phenomena as skandhas making no difference between them. It explains emptiness of skandhas. The point of this provision is that all phenomena have composite structure. Their composite structure is revealed in the fact that they are constructed (consist of parts, accumulations), inconstant, changeable, subject to suffering and, eventually, to destruction. Thus they don t have any real essence. This is theory of Anitya- Dukkha-Anatman (inconstancy suffering absence of real essence). The special provision considers skandhas as 5 groups of attachments with which mind identifies itself, thinking of them This is me. Thus, identifying the mind with skandhas is manifestation of faith and its strengthening, keeping it in samsara faith in the reality of the I feeling. Traditionally 5 skandhas are distinguished: form, sensation, notion, will and memory, and consciousness. In order to get the idea of skandhas and gain some insight of their interaction, let s use the metaphor of fingers. Each finger corresponds to one of the skandhas: the big finger - to the 1 st skandha (form), the index finger to the 2 nd skandha (sensation), the middle 5
finger to the 3 rd skandha (notions), the forth finger to the 4 th skandha (will and memory), the small finger to the 5 th skandha (consciousness). Also the concept of nama-rupa is applied for skandha analyses. Nama means name and is understood as psychic essence, and rupa means form. From the point of this conception, form corresponds to the big finger and the other four skandhas (fingers) together constitute the psychic essence. When name joins in with form it is birth. And when name separates from form it is death. pic. 1. Birth and death Considering skandhas separately, it would be fair to mention that the forth form is a crude (physical) essence, perception and notion are subtle (related to sleep) essence; residual impressions and consciousness are unformed, causative essence (essence of deep sleep). 6
Pic. 2. Three essences 1. Form (rupa) Form, rupa in Sanskrit, is understood as body, and its character can be defined as striving to activity. There are three aspects of the form emptiness: 1.1 Composite structure Any form consists of four primary elements: hardness, fluidity, warmth, and vibration. These elements are called primary, as all forms consist of them. All forms have the four elements but in different proportion. It is the proportion of their presence that creates the difference between forms. Each of the elements has both external and internal manifestations. External manifestation is forces of nature, and internal everything from which the body consists of. 7
It is important to remember that external and internal manifestations of any element do not have any personality. Element External manifestation Internal manifestation Hardness (inertness) Earth Hard and solid: hair, nails, teeth, skin, muscles, sinews, bones, marrow, excrements, internal organs, etc. Liquid (cohesion) Water Liquid and fluid: bile, slime, pus, blood, perspiration, fat, ear wax, tears, saliva, skin fat, joint oil, urine, etc. Warmth (radiation) Fire Transformation of food into energy and body systems facilitating it. Vibration Wind Any energy of movement: Udana ascending wind; Apana descending wind; Samana wind accompanying digestion; Prana - the wind that penetrates channels; fire; Vyana - wind, supporting life. Study of these elements brings one to the following conclusion: «This (body) does not belong to me, this (body) is not me, I am not this (body)». As a space limited by a tree and cane, straw and clay we call «home», the space made by bones, sinews, muscles and skin we call «our body».» - Word of the Buddha, I. The Noble Truth about Suffering, Group of Materiality. The quality of the form we considered above (composite structure) reveals its emptiness. 8
1.2. Changeability - Any form goes through the stages of origin, development, fading and disappearance. A being is born, grows, matures and then becomes old and eventually dies. Thus, the form is inconstant, subject to suffering and deprived of some eternal I. Thus, it is empty. 1.3. Attachment and aversion to form Any person experiences attachment and aversion to the body. We are attached to the exterior image of our own body and feel aversion to it inward parts and to what they release. We consider beautiful the exterior image that conceals inner accumulations of the body, and we consider revolting the image that reveals inner accumulations of the body. For example, we think pustules on skin, hump, hair in ears or in the nose, wrinkles or sagged skin, excrements and etc. revolting. All said above is true about people's attitude to bodies of other creatures. Now it is reasonable to ask yourself: "Where is my body then, - in the exterior image or in the inner parts? In what I am attached to or in what I reject in every possible way?" When we understand that we are not even able to define the nature of the form as pleasant or unpleasant, we become aware of one more aspect of its emptiness. 2. Sensation (vedana) Vedana in Sanskrit means perception, "sensation" or "feeling". There are six types of senses: vision, hearing, smell, taste, touching, thinking. Sensations are the activity of six organs of senses: vision is the activity of eyes, hearing is the activity of ears, smelling is the activity of the nose, taste is the activity of the mouth, sense of touching is the activity of the skin, thinking is the activity of ushnisha. 9
Sensations form perceptions can be pleasant, unpleasant, or neither (neutral). Pleasant sensations give rise to the desire to live, unpleasant sensations cause the desire of non-existence, neutral sensations bring forth sensual thirst. That is why the character of this skandha can be defined as "strive to bliss". Let's consider four aspects of sensations emptiness according to characteristics of emptiness defined in the theory of Anitya-Dukkha-Anatman: 2.1. Sensations are inconstant and subject to suffering which is the evidence of their emptiness. 2.2. As sensations complement each other, neither of the sensations is the main or leading one that would serve as the basis for other sensations. This points out to composite (constructed) character of sensations, i.e. their emptiness 2.3. Sensations form perceptions (pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral) are changeable. Absence of constant qualities of sensations points out their emptiness. 2.4. Perceptions of people differ, that is why they are subjective. Subjectivity means absence of real essence, i.e. - emptiness. 3. Notions (samjna) Sanskrit term samjna consists of two parts: the first is the word sam meaning "endowing with the feeling I", the second jna originates from the word jnana - "wisdom". Together samjna means endowing things with individual essence", "selecting things from the common stream of sensations", "recognition with mind of things which it had endowed with peculiarities". Samjna encompasses mental processes of concentration, attention and attentiveness, recognition, 10
distinction, singling out things from the common stream of sensations, conceptualization (creation of notions) and etc. All these processes are based on notions. That is why the most precise definition of this skandha is "notion". Let's consider three aspects of emptiness of notions: 3.1. Inconstancy of content - Sensations singled out by the consciousness from the stream of impressions are inconstant. That is why recognition of features according to which we single out phenomena and the features themselves do not have constant essence. Let us provide the following example: a man has made a basket from twigs and cane. If the basket breaks the man repairs it and replaces canes. Though the basket has undergone changes, the same notion as before is used to define it. Hence it follows that notion cannot be something constant. That is why constancy of notions is an illusion. Thus all notions are empty. 3.2. Duality of origin - Phenomena are selected from the common stream of sensations, are distinguished and recognized judjing by features or lack of those. Examples of phenomena singled out by the lack of certain features are "space - is not material, darkness is lack of light, cold is lack of warmth. It follows from this that the nature of phenomena is dual, i.e. it does not have common ground, thus it is empty. 3.3. Inconstancy of mental processes that rule notions - Attention and concentration are necessary to operate with notions. The quality of attention and concentration is changeable. One is attached to concentration because it is pleasant and because one is afraid of its absence as it is unpleasant associated with anxiety and suffering. Notions are empty as they represent ground for inconstant states of being. Accumulations of mind which make all phenomena clear and precise are vague in their nature. That is why the character of this skandha can be defined as 11
"striving to clarity". Striving to make everything clear, skandha of notions itself remains complex, inhomogeneous, not divided in equal parts, that means - vague. In the process of meditation we contemplate samjna as dull suspended matter. 4. Will and memory (samskara) Samskara in Sanskrit or sankhara in Pali means karmic formation. Karmic formations are vestiges of actions and decisions performed in the past. The Law of karma (action) is as follows: actions form consciousness of the actor. The form of consciousness is manifested in peculiarities of the person's will and memory. That is why the samskara skandha - i.e. karmic formations - can be defined as "will and memory". The fourth skandha influences all other skandhas (form, sensation, notions, consciousness): 4.a. Will and memory create inclination to repetition or rejection of actions performed in the past. 4.b. Will and memory colour sensations. 4.c. Notions are created under the influence of will and memory. 4.d. Will and memory refract the light of the mind like water refracts sunlight. Let us consider four aspects of emptiness of will and memory skandha: 4.1. Duality of time - Samskaras neither exist, nor not exist. In one respect they do not exist as they already belong to the past (as memory); in the other 12
respect they do exist as their influence exists in the present (as will). Thus the existence of samskaras is dual. Hence samskaras themselves are dual, i.e. empty. 4.2. Duality of energy - Samskaras are neither active, nor passive: on the one hand, samskaras are not active as their action is manifested only under the influence of other skandhas, on the other hand, samskaras are not passive as they form other skandhas. This reveals duality of the energy of will and memory, thus - their emptiness. 4.3. Inconstancy of expression intensity Manifestation of will and memory can be either weak or strong: weak samskaras as like imprints on sand which disappear with the first wave on the shore; strong samskaras are like inscriptions on stones which can remain for tens of thousands years. Variation of samskaras intensity reveals their dependence and inconstancy, thus - their emptiness. In the process of meditation we become aware of accumulations of samskaras as additions to the nature of the mind 5. Consciousness (vijnana) In Sanskrit vijnana means distinguishing knowledge and is understood as consciousness or mind. Let s consider two aspects of the skandha emptiness: 5.1. Consciousness manifests itself via previous four skandhas. That is why it is dependent, i.e. empty. There are four types of consciousness: consciousness of form, consciousness of perception, consciousness of understanding and consciousness of will and memory. 13
Every type of consciousness is consists of classes, characteristic to the corresponding skandha: 5.1.a. Consciousness of form is divided into consciousness of hardness, consciousness of liquid, consciousness of warmth, consciousness of vibration. 5.1.b. Consciousness of sensations is divided into mind-vision, mind-hearing, mind-smell, mind-taste, mind-thought. 5.1.c. Consciousness of notions is divided into indefinite quantity of classes: consciousness of generalizing notions, consciousness of singular notion, consciousness of positive notions, consciousness of negative notions, etc. 5.1.d. Consciousness of will and memory is divided into consciousness of will, consciousness of memory, consciousness of transforming will into memory, consciousness of transforming memory into will. Skandha of consciousness originates in the result of contemplation of the other four skandhas activity. As a seed of a tree fruit ripens feeding from all substances contained in the fruit and then separates from the fruit, the same way the consciousness contains in itself the substances of all skandhas and separates from them when dying. During regeneration the skandha of consciousness joins with a new form and then on the basis of the preserves substances develops skandhas of perception, notions, will and memory. That is why skandha of consciousness is also the treasury for all skandhas (phenomena). The one who is called the Observer is the skandha of consciousness: 5.1.(a). Consciousness of form appears in the result of observation of the body interaction with exterior manifestations of elements. For example, the consciousness of hardness appears in the result of observation of the body interaction with a stone. 14
5.1.(b). Consciousness of sensations appears as the result of observation of notions: observation of how the eye perceives an image; how skin perceives softness or roughness; how the brain thinks over thoughts, etc. 5.1.(c). Consciousness of notions appears in the result of observation of the mind's interaction with different notions. For example, the consciousness of generalizing notions appears in the result of observation of the process of formation of generalizing notions. 5.1.(d). Consciousness of will and memory appears in the result of observation of the will and memory interaction. For example, we observe how under influence of different memories we take the decision to perform this or that action. And it is impossible for anybody to explain leaving existence and entering existence, or rise, growth, and development of consciousness, regardless of materiality (form), sensation [perceptions], perception [notions] and mental constructions. Word of the Buddha I. The Noble Truth about Suffering. Group of Consciousness. 5.2. If consciousness is turned inwards, its emptiness is established in the result of immediate experience of contemplation. This is the aspect of self-evidence emptiness testifies for itself. This aspect is the most important in understanding Prajnaparamita. 15
SECTION 2 Terminology and Characters There are important Sanskrit terms in the Heart Sutra, established Buddhist phrases and characters, understanding of which is necessary for understanding the theory of skandhas. Sanskrit Terms and Established Buddhist Phrases Sanskrit Terms These terms are explained in the order they appear in the Heart Sutra. samadhi Peace of mind, mind's residing in itself. bodhisattva-mahasattva A being that has developed in itself brahmaviharas (immeasurable feelings), a being embodying great virtue. Refers both to people and to deities. *bodhi awakened, enlightened. *maha great. *sattva virtue. Arya - spiritual warrior *arya noble, precious, elevated. dharma [in the context of the Heart Sutra] an element of existence, of sensory perception, conceptual designing, residual impressions or consciousness. 16
nirvana cessation of sufferings, the state in which sufferings are deprived of roots. tathagata «one who has thus come», one who acts according to its will * tatha thus, this way. *gata coming. arhat a being which has reached nirvana. *arhat worthy, deserving, honorable. asur giant, the one fighting with the Sun; spirit of darkness. *particle «a» negation. *surya sun. garuda bird of prey with big wings. gandharva worldly deities (usually musicians), dedicating their time to enjoying themselves. *gan to appreciate. *dharva pleasure. Established Buddhist Expressions These expressions are presented in the order they appear in the Heart Sutra. Thus have I heard. The phrase Thus have I heard has different meanings. Let s consider two meanings applicable to Prajnaparamita: 1. The phrase Thus have I heard reveals relativity of words with the help which the meaning of the Heart Sutra is conveyed. 17
2. The phrase Thus have I heard is traditional for Pali Canon sutras (Tipitaka). Tipitaka is a collection of Buddha s instructions which he gave during his life. Records of these instructions were made soon after his death and were composed in Pali language under supervision of two out of the ten main Buddha s disciples - Ananda and Upali. Instructions were recorded on palm leaves and put into three baskets: Sutta Pitaka description of the Buddha s conversations with his disciples; Vinaya Pitaka rules of conduct in a monk community, Abhidhamma Pitaka classification of dhammas (phenomena and teachings). From here derives the name Tipitaka in Pali, or Tripitaka in Sanskrit meaning "three baskets". Sutta Pitaka is considered to be recorded from words of Ananda. That is why in Sutta Pitaka the phrase "This is how I heard it" means the evidence of the disciple who had received direct instructions from his teacher. The same is true for later texts, including Prajnaparamita hidraya sutra. Great gathering of the sangha of monks and a great gathering of the sangha of bodhisattvas here all people and deities who found refuge in the three treasures are included. To expresse the dharma called "profound illumination" - the doctrine of Anitya-Dukkha-Anatta which makes it possible to acquire deep vision of illusiveness of all dharmas (phenomena) and skandhas they consist of (accumulations). A son or a daughter of a noble family members of a Buddhist sangha. Here [ ] all dharmas are emptiness" word "here" in this case denotes the five groups of attachments (five skandhas). Word dharma (dharmas) denotes all elements of these groups of attachments. " are emptiness" means "empty, void". 18
Thus, the meaning of the whole phrase is as follows: all elements constituting the form, sensation, notions, will-memory and consciousness are empty. The Buddhas of the three times. Time manifests its illusiveness in three stages: the past has already gone, it does not exist, the future has not yet come, its undetermined, the present is just a notion distinguishing the past and the future. The buddha state does not belong to any of these times. That is why appearing in different epochs different buddhas have similar traits. The Buddhas of the past, of the present, and of the future conceive one and the same teachings via different methods and different words. Characters Main characters The three main characters of Prajnaparamita hidraya sutra are Arya- Avalokiteshvara, Shariputra, Shakyamuni Buddha (the Blessed). Below is the description of these characters. Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva-mahasattva Arya- Avalokiteshvara is portrayed as a mail deity, as a rule of white or golden color. His eleven faces (ten of which are turned in all cardinal directions and one [upper] abides in contemplation of emptiness) encompass with their attention the whole world. His thousand arms, extended to all corners of the world, and thousand hands each having a wisdom eye, express care for all beings. 19
Sanskrit name Avalokiteshvara consists of three of three parts: ava, lokita, ishvara. Ava means "down", lokita means "to observe, to watch", "to notice", ishvara means "lord, master", "ruler". Together Avalokiteshvara (shortly Avalokita) means the lord who watches down", meaning that this bodhisattva abides in the heaven of pure consciousness and feels compassion. Pic. 3 Avalokiteshvara Shariputra Shariputra, announced by the Buddha his son and heir in dharma, lived in Indian kingdom Magadha between the end of the 6 th B.C. and the beginning of the 5 th B.C. Shariputra was born in a family of brahmans who lived in village named Nallaka situated to the north from the state capital city of Radjagriha. 20
From early childhood he befriended with Maudgalyayana 1, son of a womanbrahman who lived in a neighboring village. Having understood insecurity of material things at young age, the friends started to search for a path which would show them the true point of life. They lived simple austere life and learned from a skeptic teacher called Sanjaya Belatthiputta 2. Once at a mature age, Shariputra met a monk called Assaji 3, when he was begging. Attracted by his behavior Shariputra followed him and started asking the monk about his teacher and the teaching he preached. Assaji answered to Shariputra that his teacher was Shakyamini Buddha. Despite of Assaja s protest that he was not qualified enough for passing on the Buddha s teaching, Shariputra insisted on his request. Eventually Shariputra succeeded in persuading Assaja and the monk revealed him the instructions about sufferings and their reasons. Shariputra was under great impression from these instructions and shared what the monk told him with his fellow-seeker Maudgalyayana. Together the friends decided to become Buddha s disciples and abandoned their previous teacher, having become disappointed with his teachings. Shariputra and Maudgalyayana learned from the Buddha all their mature and elderly life (around 40 years). They are called the right and the left hands of the Buddha ) (Shariputra the right hand, Maudgalyayana the left hand). Shariputra always preached with great pleasure and became famous for his wisdom. He was in charge of the community of the Buddha s monks (sangha) and even after he became a teacher he continued begging like a simple monk. 1 Later Maudgalyayana became one of the ten main Buddha s disciples and was known as Master of Supernatural Powers. 2 "Sanjaya Bellatthiputta" is Pali variant of the name of the abovementioned teacher. 3 Later Assaji (Asvajit in Sanskrit ) became one of the first five Buddha s Arhats. 21
There were other famous Buddha's disciple among Shariputra s disciples, as Rahula (son of the Buddha), Maudgalyayana (friend of Shariputra), and Ananda (the Buddha s cousin and his personal assistant). When he grew old Shariputra returned to his village and preached their until his death. When he was around 80, he became ill and died a few months prior to the Buddha s entry into Nirvana. It is assumed that before his death Shariputra entered into Nirvana at mount Grdhrakuta near Rajagrha. Probably, Prajnaparamita teaching (Hridaya Sutra wisdom) is considered to be created by Shariputra because he was considered to be the master of wisdom. But Prajnaparamita formation took place many centuries after Shariputra's death (in the beginning of the second cent. B.C.) and it is one of the first texts of Mahayana school. The place of passing Prajnaparamita to Shariputra has also symbolic meaning: following the Hridaya Sutra, Shariputra received Prajnaparamita at Vulture Peak mountain at the place where he entered into Nirvana, what speaks in favor of this teaching s perfection. Shakyamuni Buddha Shakyamuni Buddha (the Blessed one) is present in the Hridaya Sutra as power motivating Shariputra to study the teaching about the emptiness of skandhas and then approving this teaching. Power, which the Buddha symbolizes, is the Nature of Shariputra s mind which in its turn symbolizes an observer. Among the Buddha, Avlokiteshvara and Shariputra exists the connection of trikaya (three bodies). The thrikayas are Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Nirmanakaya. The Buddha corresponds to Dharmakaya formless, truth body, Avalokiteshvara corresponds to Sambhogakaya subtle body, possessing 22
supernatural abilities and miraculous traits; Shariputra corresponds to Nirmanakaya rough, earthly body. Also connection could be drawn between the Buddha, Avalokiteshvara, Shariputra and skandhas: the Buddha corresponds to vijnana and samskara skandhas, Avalokiteshvara corresponds to samjnana and vedana skandhas, Shariputra corresponds to rupa skandha. Secondary characters Secondary characters in the Hridaya Sutra symbolize accumulations of skandhas of those who practice it: monks symbolize accumulations of rupa; gandharvas accumulations of vedanas, people and asuras samjna accumulations; deities and garudas accumulations of samskaras; bodhisattvas-mahasattvas accumulations of vijnana. SECTION 3 Mantras and methods of Prajnaparamita Verbal form of Prajnaparamita is only a reference to Prajnaparamita. Prajnaparamita is like the Moon and its verbal form is like a finger pointing at the Moon. If we do not pay attention to the pointing finger, we do not know in which direction to search the Moon; but if we are fixed on the finger, then we overlook the Moon itself. Each skandha communicates Prajnaparamita in its language: 23
1. In the language of rupa Prajnaparamita is communicated via performance of good actions and abstinence from bad ones. 2. In the language of vedana Prajnaparamita is communicated via Presence of the teacher. 3. In the language of samjna Prajnaparamita is communicated in words. 4. In the language of samskara Prajnaparamita is communicated via mandalas offering. 5. In the language of vijnana Prajnaparamita is communicated via contemplation of Samaya deities. As in the Hridaya Sutra Prajnaparamita is communicated via the Samjna language, the emptiness of notions is persistently emphasized in its text. "[...] Thus, Shariputra. Form is emptiness; emptiness also is form. Emptiness is no other than form; form is no other than emptiness. In the same way, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are emptiness. Thus, Shariputra, all dharmas are emptiness. There are no characteristics. There is no birth and no cessation. There is no impurity and no purity. There is no decrease and no increase. Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness, there is no form, no feeling, no perception, no formation, no consciousness; no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no appearance, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no dharmas, no eye dhatu up to no mind dhatu, no dhatu of dharmas, no mind consciousness dhatu; no ignorance, no end of ignorance up to no old age and death, no end of old age and death; no suffering, no origin of suffering, no cessation of suffering, no path, no wisdom, no attainment, and no non-attainment. 24
Therefore, Shariputra, since the bodhisattvas have no attainment, they abide by means of prajnaparamita. Since there is no obscuration of mind, there is no fear. They transcend falsity and attain complete nirvana.» The part the bodhisattvas have no attainment, they abide by means of prajnaparamita means that bodhisattvas are not tied by emotions, comprised by the five skandhas. Therefore, not clinging to form, not restricted by striving to pleasant perceptions and by revolt to unpleasant perceptions, not tempted by illusory clarity of phenomena, not charmed by impulses, not perverting the emptiness of consciousness bodhisattva lives relying on absolute power of noble intention. He (she) does not restrict himself (herself) by the idea of achieving personal release. Negation of phenomena in this part expresses the energy of thrust that overcomes duality. Further, Avalokiteshvara explains the method of development of virtuous intention that leads the mind through the ocean of complication and uncertainty: " [...]Therefore, the great mantra of prajnaparamita, the mantra of great insight, the unsurpassed mantra, the unequaled mantra, the mantra that calms all suffering, should be known as truth, since there is no deception. The prajnaparamita mantra is said in this way: OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA Thus, Shariputra, the bodhisattva mahasattva should train in the profound prajnaparamita. The phrase the mantra of great insight" points to the four stages of movement on the path of sufferings cessation. 25
The idea of leading is communicated in this mantra via syllables GATE, GATE, PARAGATE, PARASAMGATE: 1. Expression GATE corresponds to the stage srotapanna entering the stream. 2. Expression GATE repeated without changes, corresponds to the stage sakadagami one time return. It is repeated, as on the second stage appears confidence in following the path, on which a practitioner has stepped on the first stage. 3. Expression PARAGATE corresponds to the stage anagami non-return. 4. Expression PARASAMGATE corresponds to the stage named arhat perfection. In Sanskrit mantra means "protection of mind". As form is emptiness, and emptiness is form, as mantra syllables are silence of the mind, and the silence of the mind is the mantra syllables. Beyond syllables' forms mantra is understood as nature of the mind formless thunder of silence. Nature of the mind is Mahamantra the source of all mantras, fixed neither by sounds, nor by meanings. The mantra practice includes three stages; mantras repetition, mantra contemplation, merge of a practitioner s mind with the mantra. Different skills play a major role at each stage: 1. At the stage of mantra repeating technical skills play the major role: skillful use of the count (with the help of beads or fingers), skilful choice of tempo, skilful choice of a way of pronouncing (spoken aloud, moving lips silently, whispering, or repeating to oneself), with skillful combination of mantra visualization. At this stage, the mind finds refuge from falling into extremes of stupor and compulsive thoughts. 26
2. At the stage of mantra contemplation meditative skills play the major role - practical application of the five wisdoms of a buddha. At this stage the shackles of five hindrances weaken. 3. At the stage of the mind s merge with mantra the major role belongs to the skill of gathering blessings. At this stage the mind calms down at the initial state. Mantra almost never has a grammatically correct sentence structure: words that make up the mantra are often distorted; connections between them (e.g. prepositions and conjunctions) are broken, missing, or acquire independent meaning. Therefore, it is impossible to fix the meaning of a mantra clearly and precisely. Mantra is much more like a murmur, delirious and ecstatic exclamations than an everyday speech. Mantric speech allows us to refer to suffering in the language it understands in the language of dusk and confusion. Therefore we can compose a lot of interpretations from the traces of meanings contained in syllables of a mantra. Let us consider the meaning of Prajnaparamita Mantra syllables: OM the sound of swallowing food, a cosmic sound; sound which serves as a basis * Do not always appear in Prajnaparamita Mantra. * Often is used as a separate mantra. GA - moving / reaching. TE in your direction, to you PARA the greatest, transcendental. SAM the same. BODHI enlightened. 27
SVAHA said right, so be it *Svaha or soha is frequently used as a separate mantra. For example, while meditating on the breath, where the syllable so - sound of gasp, syllable ha[m] - the sound of exhalation. When pronounced many times in a row (soha[m], soha[m], soha[m]...) soha begins to sound like hamsa, in Sanskrit meaning "swan" which is the symbol of a liberated consciousness. One interpretation of the Prajnaparamita mantra is: Going, going, going beyond, going utterly beyond, o what an awakening, all-hail! We offer several other interpretations: 1. I move towards you, I move to you, for you to cross over, to exercise itself, awakened wisdom! 2. Crossing, crossing, the highest crossing, ferry, ferried by itself, be blessed, Wisdom! 3. The way to you, the way to you, the supreme way to you, the higher path, lying through my mind to you, Enlightenment, but dwell in you! In conclusion, let s refer to a metaphor of the Buddha's: "Swans travel the path of the sun; they travel across the heavens with the help of siddhas [supernatural powers]. The wise leave the world, having overcome mara with its warrior host. "Dhammapada, chapter 13, paragraph 175. Syllables united in the mantra remind a swan flock. Good intentions are like the Sun path across which swans follow thanks to their siddhas. The mind of a sage, open and boundless as the sky, cannot be caught by mara (the sense of "I") and the warrior host of mara (confusion and doubt). The swans, the sun path and the sky are thrikaya, merging into a single radiance of Prajnaparamita. LET THE GOOD BE! 28