The Heart of Understanding: Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Heart SutraComprised of only 632 Chinese characters, the Heart Sutra is Buddhism in a nutshell. Despite its brevity, this powerful work covers more of the Buddha’s teachings than any other scripture, and its influence is more profound and wide-reaching than any other text in Buddhism. Thich Nhat Hanh’s translation and commentary is regarded as the most simple, clear, concise, and understandable available. He describes the sutra as “a precious gift to us, the gift of fearlessness," offering subtle and profound teachings on non-duality and the letting go of all preconceived notions, opinions, and attachments, thereby becoming open to all the wonders of our life. This completely revised edition celebrates the 20th anniversary of the first publication of a modern classic. |
Contents
Section 1 | 1 |
Section 2 | 3 |
Section 3 | 5 |
Section 4 | 9 |
Section 5 | 13 |
Section 6 | 17 |
Section 7 | 27 |
Section 8 | 35 |
Section 9 | 37 |
Section 10 | 41 |
Section 11 | 43 |
Section 12 | 47 |
Common terms and phrases
ananda avalokita avalokiteshvara becomes real bell birth and death bodhi svaha bodhisattva born buddhism cause of ill-being cloud complain about impermanence cosmos dharmas are marked enlightenment everything is everything evil exist five rivers five skandhas forever from illusion form is emptiness full of everything Gate gate paragate going HaPPy ConTinUaTion inside inter-are inter-be interdependent origins Iran Iraq leaf Listen logger LonG LivE EmPTinEss look deeply look more deeply lungs marked with emptiness meditation mental formations moon mother nature of emptiness nature of interbeing non-Buddha elements non-fear nonduality nourish the tree ourselves PARALLAX PRESS peace penetrate perceptions perfect nirvana Perfect Understanding Peter Levitt PLUM VILLAGE prajña Prajñaparamita Heart sutra realize realms of elements rosEs and GarbaGE Sanghas Shariputra sheet of paper sitting smell smile speck of dust stem linking sunshine TanGErinE ParTy teaching Thich Nhat Hanh things true with feelings wave young prostitute Zen master