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The Essence of the Heart Sutra: The Dalai Lama's Heart of Wisdom Teachings
For more than two thousand years, the Heart Sutra has been part of the daily life of millions of Buddhists. This concise text, so rich and laden with meaning, concentrates the very heart of Buddhism into a powerful and evocative teaching on the interdependence of all reality.
In Essence of the Heart Sutra , the Dalai Lama masterfully unpacks the Heart Sutra so that any reader can benefit from its teachings - teachings meant to help us release ourselves from suffering and live with true compassion. Comprised of his "Heart of Wisdom" talks, originally delivered to thousands of listeners in 2001, the book offers the Dalai Lama's commentary as well as his easy-to-follow overview of Buddhist philosophy that places the sutra within its historical and philosophical context. With additional contributions by scholar and translator Thupten Jinpa, Essence of the Heart Sutra is the authoritative presentation of a text seminal to the world's religious heritage.
In Essence of the Heart Sutra , the Dalai Lama masterfully unpacks the Heart Sutra so that any reader can benefit from its teachings - teachings meant to help us release ourselves from suffering and live with true compassion. Comprised of his "Heart of Wisdom" talks, originally delivered to thousands of listeners in 2001, the book offers the Dalai Lama's commentary as well as his easy-to-follow overview of Buddhist philosophy that places the sutra within its historical and philosophical context. With additional contributions by scholar and translator Thupten Jinpa, Essence of the Heart Sutra is the authoritative presentation of a text seminal to the world's religious heritage.
180 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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About the author
Dalai Lama XIV
1,554 books6,207 followersJetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Döndrub), the 14th Dalai Lama, is a practicing member of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism and is influential as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, the world's most famous Buddhist monk, and the leader of the exiled Tibetan government in India.
Tenzin Gyatso was the fifth of sixteen children born to a farming family. He was proclaimed the tulku (an Enlightened lama who has consciously decided to take rebirth) of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two.
On 17 November 1950, at the age of 15, he was enthroned as Tibet's ruler. Thus he became Tibet's most important political ruler just one month after the People's Republic of China's invasion of Tibet on 7 October 1950. In 1954, he went to Beijing to attempt peace talks with Mao Zedong and other leaders of the PRC. These talks ultimately failed.
After a failed uprising and the collapse of the Tibetan resistance movement in 1959, the Dalai Lama left for India, where he was active in establishing the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan Government in Exile) and in seeking to preserve Tibetan culture and education among the thousands of refugees who accompanied him.
Tenzin Gyatso is a charismatic figure and noted public speaker. This Dalai Lama is the first to travel to the West. There, he has helped to spread Buddhism and to promote the concepts of universal responsibility, secular ethics, and religious harmony.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, honorary Canadian citizenship in 2006, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal on 17 October 2007.
Tenzin Gyatso was the fifth of sixteen children born to a farming family. He was proclaimed the tulku (an Enlightened lama who has consciously decided to take rebirth) of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two.
On 17 November 1950, at the age of 15, he was enthroned as Tibet's ruler. Thus he became Tibet's most important political ruler just one month after the People's Republic of China's invasion of Tibet on 7 October 1950. In 1954, he went to Beijing to attempt peace talks with Mao Zedong and other leaders of the PRC. These talks ultimately failed.
After a failed uprising and the collapse of the Tibetan resistance movement in 1959, the Dalai Lama left for India, where he was active in establishing the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan Government in Exile) and in seeking to preserve Tibetan culture and education among the thousands of refugees who accompanied him.
Tenzin Gyatso is a charismatic figure and noted public speaker. This Dalai Lama is the first to travel to the West. There, he has helped to spread Buddhism and to promote the concepts of universal responsibility, secular ethics, and religious harmony.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, honorary Canadian citizenship in 2006, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal on 17 October 2007.
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June 20, 2025
The Dalai Lama On The Heart Sutra
In its enigmatic 25 lines, the Heart Sutra is one of the most difficult of Buddhist Scriptures but also one of the most rewarding. It is a basic text of Mahayana Buddhism and recited daily in monasteries and by practicing Buddhists throughout the world.
There are many commentaries, ancient and modern, on this text, but I found this recent book by the Dalai Lama, "Essence of the Heart Sutra" an outstanding place for the beginner to start. The Dalai Lama's book also will reward study by those having great prior familiarity with the text. The book is based on a series of lectures that the Dalai Lama gave at the Land of Medicine Buddhist center in California and at the Three Rivers Dharma in Pittsburg.
This work is much more than a commentary on the Heart Sutra. It is equally valuable as an introduction to Buddhism and as a compendium of the teachings of the Dalai Lama. It is instructive to see how the Dalai Lama weaves his broad material together into a coherent whole. Thus, in the first part of the book, the Dalai Lama offers broad-based comments on the spiritual dimension of life, of the relationship between Buddhism and other religions, and of the fundamentals of Buddhist teachings. It is inspiring to hear words of ecumenism, tolerance, and willingness to learn from others. It is also important to read the Dalai Lama's exposition of the basic Buddhist teaching of Dependent Origination, which is, in later sections of the book, tied masterfully to the interpretation of the Heart Sutra.
The second part of the book offers a translation and commentary on the Heart Sutra. Consistent with his opening chapters, the Dalai Lama stresses the continuity between this Mahayana text and its earlier predecessors in Theravada Buddhism. (Many other commentaries emphasize how the Heart Sutra departs from and differs from its predecessors.) In addition, in a few brief pages the Dalai Lama offers great insight into the fundamental teaching of emptiness --- that reality is "empty of intrinsic existence." He points out clearly that the Sutra does not teach that nothing exists -- a nihilistic doctrine. Instead, the Dalai Lama relates the teaching of the Sutra to the doctrine of Dependent Origination -- stressing the lack of independent existence, substantiality, and ego. He discusses different ways in which various Buddhist schools interpret the doctrine of emptiness -- including the "mind-only" school and two variants of the "middle-way" school. This material is difficult but important and not stressed in various other commentaries that I have read.
The final part of the Dalai' Lama's study discusses the Bodhisattva path of Mahayana Buddhism -- the decision to dedicate oneself to the welfare of others -- and relates it to the text of the Heart Sutra. There are teachings and practices here on learning to practice lovingkindness, also set forth in other writings of the Dalai Lama, but informed here by the discussion of emptiness and nonclinging in the Heart Sutra. This discussion, and the short epilogue, tie together the ecumenical material in the book with the elucidation and analysis of the Heart Sutra.
This book presents difficult, profound teachings in an accessible readable way. It is ideal for the beginning student or for those who want to explore the Heart Sutra to see what it might offer. It also presents an exposition of this text by the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. For those who want to read further and compare and contrast other approaches to this inexhaustible text, I recommend Red Pine's study "The Heart Sutra" and Donald Lopez' "Elaborations of Emptiness", a detailed and difficult analysis of the Heart Sutra in light of its earliest Indian and Tibetan commentaries.
Robin Friedman
In its enigmatic 25 lines, the Heart Sutra is one of the most difficult of Buddhist Scriptures but also one of the most rewarding. It is a basic text of Mahayana Buddhism and recited daily in monasteries and by practicing Buddhists throughout the world.
There are many commentaries, ancient and modern, on this text, but I found this recent book by the Dalai Lama, "Essence of the Heart Sutra" an outstanding place for the beginner to start. The Dalai Lama's book also will reward study by those having great prior familiarity with the text. The book is based on a series of lectures that the Dalai Lama gave at the Land of Medicine Buddhist center in California and at the Three Rivers Dharma in Pittsburg.
This work is much more than a commentary on the Heart Sutra. It is equally valuable as an introduction to Buddhism and as a compendium of the teachings of the Dalai Lama. It is instructive to see how the Dalai Lama weaves his broad material together into a coherent whole. Thus, in the first part of the book, the Dalai Lama offers broad-based comments on the spiritual dimension of life, of the relationship between Buddhism and other religions, and of the fundamentals of Buddhist teachings. It is inspiring to hear words of ecumenism, tolerance, and willingness to learn from others. It is also important to read the Dalai Lama's exposition of the basic Buddhist teaching of Dependent Origination, which is, in later sections of the book, tied masterfully to the interpretation of the Heart Sutra.
The second part of the book offers a translation and commentary on the Heart Sutra. Consistent with his opening chapters, the Dalai Lama stresses the continuity between this Mahayana text and its earlier predecessors in Theravada Buddhism. (Many other commentaries emphasize how the Heart Sutra departs from and differs from its predecessors.) In addition, in a few brief pages the Dalai Lama offers great insight into the fundamental teaching of emptiness --- that reality is "empty of intrinsic existence." He points out clearly that the Sutra does not teach that nothing exists -- a nihilistic doctrine. Instead, the Dalai Lama relates the teaching of the Sutra to the doctrine of Dependent Origination -- stressing the lack of independent existence, substantiality, and ego. He discusses different ways in which various Buddhist schools interpret the doctrine of emptiness -- including the "mind-only" school and two variants of the "middle-way" school. This material is difficult but important and not stressed in various other commentaries that I have read.
The final part of the Dalai' Lama's study discusses the Bodhisattva path of Mahayana Buddhism -- the decision to dedicate oneself to the welfare of others -- and relates it to the text of the Heart Sutra. There are teachings and practices here on learning to practice lovingkindness, also set forth in other writings of the Dalai Lama, but informed here by the discussion of emptiness and nonclinging in the Heart Sutra. This discussion, and the short epilogue, tie together the ecumenical material in the book with the elucidation and analysis of the Heart Sutra.
This book presents difficult, profound teachings in an accessible readable way. It is ideal for the beginning student or for those who want to explore the Heart Sutra to see what it might offer. It also presents an exposition of this text by the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. For those who want to read further and compare and contrast other approaches to this inexhaustible text, I recommend Red Pine's study "The Heart Sutra" and Donald Lopez' "Elaborations of Emptiness", a detailed and difficult analysis of the Heart Sutra in light of its earliest Indian and Tibetan commentaries.
Robin Friedman
December 30, 2015
Very interesting (though not light!) read. It's well written and accessible. I knew very little about Buddhism when I picked up this book, and maybe I still don't know much, but I feel like I have a general sense of the concept of "emptiness" and how it might benefit people.
November 25, 2008
At my local Buddhist Centre, I was once asked to recommend a book to a beginner on Emptiness. Now this is can be a tough one. The subject of Emptiness is a beautiful and unique teaching of Buddhism, but there's no doubt that it's also incredibly profound and a topic that can be easily misunderstood. After much thought, I finally settled on recommending The Essence of the Heart Sutra by H.H the 14th Dalai Lama.
This book deconstructs a relative short sutra, The Heart Sutra, which covers the subject of Emptiness. The reason why this book is so good for beginners is largely due to the skill in which His Holiness explains Emptiness. He has a wonderful knack of discussing what can be a very complex topic in terms that even non-Buddhists can easily comprehend. His Holiness' humility is always tempered by his vast & well-studied knowledge and as he teaches on the Heart Sutra, you can tell that his understanding isn't just intellectual but based on deep and personal reflection.
By reading this book, not only will you gain insight into what the Heart Sutra is all about but also how Tibetan Buddhists understand and use Emptiness. I hope you enjoy this lovely read (and don't worry, the book is a manageable size in terms of reading time) as much as I did.
This book deconstructs a relative short sutra, The Heart Sutra, which covers the subject of Emptiness. The reason why this book is so good for beginners is largely due to the skill in which His Holiness explains Emptiness. He has a wonderful knack of discussing what can be a very complex topic in terms that even non-Buddhists can easily comprehend. His Holiness' humility is always tempered by his vast & well-studied knowledge and as he teaches on the Heart Sutra, you can tell that his understanding isn't just intellectual but based on deep and personal reflection.
By reading this book, not only will you gain insight into what the Heart Sutra is all about but also how Tibetan Buddhists understand and use Emptiness. I hope you enjoy this lovely read (and don't worry, the book is a manageable size in terms of reading time) as much as I did.
December 8, 2022
Inspirador
May 14, 2015
I was surprised by how short the Heart Sutra is. Only three pages out of 150. How long does to take to say everything is ‘emptiness’?
Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness there is no form, no feelings, no perceptions, no mental formations, and no consciousness. There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, and no mind. There is no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no texture, and no mental objects. There is no eye-element and so on up to no mind-element including up to no element of mental consciousness. There is no ignorance, there is no extinction of ignorance, and so on up to no aging and death and no extinction of aging and death. Likewise, there is no suffering, origin, cessation, or path; there is no wisdom, no attainment, and even no non-attainment…
Therefore, Shariputra, since bodhisattvas have no attainments they rely on this perfection of wisdom and abide in it. Having no obscuration in their minds, they have no fear, and by going utterly beyond error, they will reach the end of nirvana.
The Dalai Lama then helps us understand how this teaching can be true, and how it can be useful to us. Emptiness is a difficult concept to teach. Buddha’s attempt to leave us a trail of breadcrumbs has given rise to many descriptions of those crumbs, many interpretations. Buddhism has split into many schools, so the Dalai Lama gives us a number of different and/or deeper points of view. There were places in the exegesis where this swapping between points of view was distracting, especially as the Heart Sutra was saying the end of nirvana lies beyond all points of view. I would have found it interesting to hear how the Dalai Lama himself used the text in connection his own spiritual journey.
To compare the Heart Sutra with a text from the Christian tradition, A Course in Miracles comes at ‘emptiness’ from a different direction, but says much the same. The first lesson in The Course is: Nothing I see means anything. Then goes on in Lesson 5 to tell us about suffering: I am never upset for the reason I think. Lesson 16: I have no neutral thoughts. Lesson 22: What I see is a form of vengeance. By Lesson 27, we are engaged in the journey out of suffering: Above all else I want to see. Then God appears in Lesson 29: God is in everything I see. Lesson 97: I am spirit. Lesson 121: Forgiveness is the key to happiness.
While Buddhism shows us the dependent and therefore empty nature of perception, and the dependent nature of all manifest phenomena, encouraging us to see the emptiness of the definitions and values we place on all aspects of manifest life, thereby seeing them for what they are – empty; The Course also shows us the subjective and meaningless nature of perception which attacks self by attacking others, encouraging us to release our judgments on all such phenomena through forgiveness and so find our own innocence, our ontological Self, which we share with all life.
In the Heart Sutra, purity – innocence – is attained by Having no obstruction in their minds, they have no fear, and by going utterly beyond error, they will reach the end of nirvana.
What is ultimately true in Buddhism is the buddha state, the buddha mind, enlightenment. Only ignorance holds us back, subjecting us to karma, afflictions and conceptualisation, taking the form of the ‘three poisons’ – craving, hatred and delusion. Of course in a deistic theosophy, there is always God in the background. On the whole, I prefer the non-deistic philosophy of Buddhism. Less cluttered and confusing – ‘God’ means so many different things!
It is now held by physicists that the universe arose from literally nothing. Emptiness. This empty vacuum split into positive and negative particles. This can be reproduced in experiments and these particles last only an infinitesimally small instant, recombine and disappear. However, the big bang gave rise to a whole universe. It is theorised by some physicists that positive particles exceeded negative by one part in a billion, and so remained, forming our universe. Others say both the positive and the negative remain and a large amount of negative or ‘dark’ matter is hanging about unseen, unmeasured, and could or will recombine with the positive, resulting in a return to emptiness. Whatever physicists theorise, this emptiness is very reminiscent of the Heart Sutra which says: Form is emptiness, emptiness is form; emptiness is not other than form, form too is not other than emptiness.
If form is empty and has no intrinsic meaning, can it be said to exist at all? The various schools of Buddhism have been much exercised by this question. The Dalai Lama is of the emphatic opinion it does exist. He says: Form lacks intrinsic or independent existence; thus its nature is emptiness… We should not, however, understand this self-emptiness or emptiness of self-nature to mean that form is empty of itself; this would be tantamount to denying the reality of form, which, as I have been repeatedly emphasizing, these teachings do not do. But do they?
The Dalai Lama is also keen for us to understand that Buddhism is not nihilistic. There is right, there is wrong, there is a morality. But the Heart Sutra could be easily interpreted to say: nothing has an intrinsic meaning; there is no right, no wrong. So what is, is, and anything goes. But this, of course, could be asserted only from a position of ignorance and contribute to our burden of karma, which in turn anchors that ignorance. A self-serving belief or action would itself make enlightenment, and so too the end of suffering, impossible.
As Lao Tse said, The path that can be spoken of is not the true path. No doubt, Buddha was well aware of how impossible it is to use words to engender an understanding which is beyond words, ineffable. Did he then use few words, words which might shock disciples into understanding, into wisdom? Perhaps inducing satori? (A later Zen Buddhist concept, but the principle might have been used earlier.)
So how to arrive? By meditation. Sit down, manoeuvre your legs into the full lotus and the use of concepts in meditation gradually recedes. When all dualistic perceptions of subject and object, of conventional reality, and of intrinsic existence are removed, one enters the path of seeing. At this point, there is no separation of subject and object; it is as if the subjective experience and its object have become fused, like water poured into water, and one’s meditation on emptiness becomes unmediated and direct. During the stages of meditation one progresses through levels, leaving behind mental afflictions, arriving at stage 10 where one encounters only the footprints of those afflictions, and from there, on to omniscient mind, a new buddha.
It was the last chapter which I felt gave me a handle on how to make this text useful. To develop compassion.
A Course in Miracles asserts on many occasions that ‘only Love is real’ and offers us the path of forgiveness to release all our meaningless judgments and definitions, to release concepts of guilt and sin, to find our own innocence and experience that Love, that unity with Source, with Spirit, to do what we have all come to do – bring the light, save the world. Buddhism does the same, inviting us to develop compassion. In order to shuffle off the ego self and open ourselves to wisdom, we must experience the opposite of self-grasping: bodhichitta. This is our altruistic intention to attain enlightenment, to awaken not just ourselves but to save all sentient beings from suffering. To achieve this, we develop a strong sense of empathy and gratitude toward other sentient beings. This allows genuine intimacy with all beings. Also, we cultivate a deep recognition of the fundamental sameness of oneself with others.
Compassion, our first step on the path to end suffering for all.
Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness there is no form, no feelings, no perceptions, no mental formations, and no consciousness. There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, and no mind. There is no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no texture, and no mental objects. There is no eye-element and so on up to no mind-element including up to no element of mental consciousness. There is no ignorance, there is no extinction of ignorance, and so on up to no aging and death and no extinction of aging and death. Likewise, there is no suffering, origin, cessation, or path; there is no wisdom, no attainment, and even no non-attainment…
Therefore, Shariputra, since bodhisattvas have no attainments they rely on this perfection of wisdom and abide in it. Having no obscuration in their minds, they have no fear, and by going utterly beyond error, they will reach the end of nirvana.
The Dalai Lama then helps us understand how this teaching can be true, and how it can be useful to us. Emptiness is a difficult concept to teach. Buddha’s attempt to leave us a trail of breadcrumbs has given rise to many descriptions of those crumbs, many interpretations. Buddhism has split into many schools, so the Dalai Lama gives us a number of different and/or deeper points of view. There were places in the exegesis where this swapping between points of view was distracting, especially as the Heart Sutra was saying the end of nirvana lies beyond all points of view. I would have found it interesting to hear how the Dalai Lama himself used the text in connection his own spiritual journey.
To compare the Heart Sutra with a text from the Christian tradition, A Course in Miracles comes at ‘emptiness’ from a different direction, but says much the same. The first lesson in The Course is: Nothing I see means anything. Then goes on in Lesson 5 to tell us about suffering: I am never upset for the reason I think. Lesson 16: I have no neutral thoughts. Lesson 22: What I see is a form of vengeance. By Lesson 27, we are engaged in the journey out of suffering: Above all else I want to see. Then God appears in Lesson 29: God is in everything I see. Lesson 97: I am spirit. Lesson 121: Forgiveness is the key to happiness.
While Buddhism shows us the dependent and therefore empty nature of perception, and the dependent nature of all manifest phenomena, encouraging us to see the emptiness of the definitions and values we place on all aspects of manifest life, thereby seeing them for what they are – empty; The Course also shows us the subjective and meaningless nature of perception which attacks self by attacking others, encouraging us to release our judgments on all such phenomena through forgiveness and so find our own innocence, our ontological Self, which we share with all life.
In the Heart Sutra, purity – innocence – is attained by Having no obstruction in their minds, they have no fear, and by going utterly beyond error, they will reach the end of nirvana.
What is ultimately true in Buddhism is the buddha state, the buddha mind, enlightenment. Only ignorance holds us back, subjecting us to karma, afflictions and conceptualisation, taking the form of the ‘three poisons’ – craving, hatred and delusion. Of course in a deistic theosophy, there is always God in the background. On the whole, I prefer the non-deistic philosophy of Buddhism. Less cluttered and confusing – ‘God’ means so many different things!
It is now held by physicists that the universe arose from literally nothing. Emptiness. This empty vacuum split into positive and negative particles. This can be reproduced in experiments and these particles last only an infinitesimally small instant, recombine and disappear. However, the big bang gave rise to a whole universe. It is theorised by some physicists that positive particles exceeded negative by one part in a billion, and so remained, forming our universe. Others say both the positive and the negative remain and a large amount of negative or ‘dark’ matter is hanging about unseen, unmeasured, and could or will recombine with the positive, resulting in a return to emptiness. Whatever physicists theorise, this emptiness is very reminiscent of the Heart Sutra which says: Form is emptiness, emptiness is form; emptiness is not other than form, form too is not other than emptiness.
If form is empty and has no intrinsic meaning, can it be said to exist at all? The various schools of Buddhism have been much exercised by this question. The Dalai Lama is of the emphatic opinion it does exist. He says: Form lacks intrinsic or independent existence; thus its nature is emptiness… We should not, however, understand this self-emptiness or emptiness of self-nature to mean that form is empty of itself; this would be tantamount to denying the reality of form, which, as I have been repeatedly emphasizing, these teachings do not do. But do they?
The Dalai Lama is also keen for us to understand that Buddhism is not nihilistic. There is right, there is wrong, there is a morality. But the Heart Sutra could be easily interpreted to say: nothing has an intrinsic meaning; there is no right, no wrong. So what is, is, and anything goes. But this, of course, could be asserted only from a position of ignorance and contribute to our burden of karma, which in turn anchors that ignorance. A self-serving belief or action would itself make enlightenment, and so too the end of suffering, impossible.
As Lao Tse said, The path that can be spoken of is not the true path. No doubt, Buddha was well aware of how impossible it is to use words to engender an understanding which is beyond words, ineffable. Did he then use few words, words which might shock disciples into understanding, into wisdom? Perhaps inducing satori? (A later Zen Buddhist concept, but the principle might have been used earlier.)
So how to arrive? By meditation. Sit down, manoeuvre your legs into the full lotus and the use of concepts in meditation gradually recedes. When all dualistic perceptions of subject and object, of conventional reality, and of intrinsic existence are removed, one enters the path of seeing. At this point, there is no separation of subject and object; it is as if the subjective experience and its object have become fused, like water poured into water, and one’s meditation on emptiness becomes unmediated and direct. During the stages of meditation one progresses through levels, leaving behind mental afflictions, arriving at stage 10 where one encounters only the footprints of those afflictions, and from there, on to omniscient mind, a new buddha.
It was the last chapter which I felt gave me a handle on how to make this text useful. To develop compassion.
A Course in Miracles asserts on many occasions that ‘only Love is real’ and offers us the path of forgiveness to release all our meaningless judgments and definitions, to release concepts of guilt and sin, to find our own innocence and experience that Love, that unity with Source, with Spirit, to do what we have all come to do – bring the light, save the world. Buddhism does the same, inviting us to develop compassion. In order to shuffle off the ego self and open ourselves to wisdom, we must experience the opposite of self-grasping: bodhichitta. This is our altruistic intention to attain enlightenment, to awaken not just ourselves but to save all sentient beings from suffering. To achieve this, we develop a strong sense of empathy and gratitude toward other sentient beings. This allows genuine intimacy with all beings. Also, we cultivate a deep recognition of the fundamental sameness of oneself with others.
Compassion, our first step on the path to end suffering for all.
January 30, 2018
This is a good summary of Buddhist theology as it relates to emptiness and the Heart Sutra, though it is largely a scholarly text. There is little personality or personal experience in here that may guide the practitioner.
I suspect that this is a book that would reward additional readings. . .
I suspect that this is a book that would reward additional readings. . .
March 19, 2015
Overall, this is a very good book. Very informative, as well as inspirational. I do, however, feel that at times it was a bit dense. I appreciate such a thorough breakdown and explanation of the Heart Sutra, but sometimes a more general summary is appreciated. Although the book is careful to explain all aspects of the explanation/breakdown, it still helps to have some basic background education/understanding of Buddhism prior to reading – it just makes it a bit easier to sift through. Other than that, the detailed synopsis of the Heart Sutra was very compelling and informative, and I always enjoy furthering my understanding of the beautiful teachings of this religion. I find that many traditionally Buddhist practices are beneficial when applied to my own life. Very comforting, and a worthwhile read.
April 1, 2022
If you started reading this book to learn about the Heart Sutra, you're in the wrong place. It is what it says it is - just an essence. I wonder who is it for. It's mostly regurgitated opinions suitable for people who know nothing about Buddhism, but then it proceeds to explain how to reach enlightenment (in a very bland, unusable way). Why deceive the readers? The people who are already introduced to Buddhism might find more fruitful to just read the Heart Sutra itself. I wouldn't recommend this book.
January 31, 2008
Happiness is all up to you.
November 16, 2017
A reread: Authoritative analysis of the Heart Sutra. The front and back are fairly dry. The middle is the analysis and definition of emptiness, which is so important. This is where the book shines.
December 11, 2023
Can’t go wrong here. 😄
April 22, 2024
3,5 stars; serviceable overview, for more explanatory literature on Buddhism be sure to check out Thich Nhat Hanh; The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation and Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life and Why Buddhism Is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment.
June 4, 2012
Everyone says hard to read, but...It was the first Buddhist book that I read.
It fell into my hands by accident, or, by auspicious reason...I could not put it down.
I took more notes than ever in my life, and looked up more references and words than ever in my life too!
Then went with a neighbor to walk atop a hill and I discussed with her finding Mahayana Buddhist Teachers after reading this book. It just happened there was an FPMT very small group starting here in Austin, TX. where we were blessed to meet two wonderful lamas at different times visiting. Geshe Tashi Tsering from London, and Geshe Thubten Soepa from Canada. Both Tibetan Lamas, wonderful teachers! Thank you your Holiness Dalai Lama for this profound book! I must read it a few mor times in this lifetime:)!
It fell into my hands by accident, or, by auspicious reason...I could not put it down.
I took more notes than ever in my life, and looked up more references and words than ever in my life too!
Then went with a neighbor to walk atop a hill and I discussed with her finding Mahayana Buddhist Teachers after reading this book. It just happened there was an FPMT very small group starting here in Austin, TX. where we were blessed to meet two wonderful lamas at different times visiting. Geshe Tashi Tsering from London, and Geshe Thubten Soepa from Canada. Both Tibetan Lamas, wonderful teachers! Thank you your Holiness Dalai Lama for this profound book! I must read it a few mor times in this lifetime:)!
August 4, 2011
Amazing! Whenever Jinpa and His Holiness team up, some kind of magic is bound to happen. This is one of those works that, out of nowhere, delivers all kinds of answers and insights into things that have nothing (overtly) to do with the specified topic. It was so inspiring that somehow, I found a way to (similarly) milk a comparative essay out of it...;)
October 23, 2021
Very good, but there’s a LOT to unpack. Definitely something to reread and study.
August 2, 2022
Turns out the Dalai Lama is good at Buddhism
January 18, 2022
This book is wonderfully accessible and the Dalai Lama gives very clear language to some complex points of view. I enjoy his opening, using a brief overview of Buddhist schools and evolution before expounding on the Heart Sutra. There are multiple standard lists of Buddhist ideas, yet the Dalai Lama explains the nuance and distinctions that exist between the Pali tradition, Mahayana groups and Tibetan Buddhism in a manner that is not too oblique nor opaque. I find the section on the Heart Sutra sharp and direct, bringing out key elements of the text and amplifying their contemporary relevance. There are multiple passages that I will want to remember. Bellow are quotes that I want to have to refer back to at a later time:
Appropriateness of a message or teaching:
“This point, I think, to one of the most important truths about spiritual teachings: spiritual teachings must be appropriate to the individual being taught. The Buddha recognized among his followers a diversity of mental dispositions, spiritual inclinations, and interest, and saw that in order to suit this diversity he had to teach differently in different context. No matter how powerful a particular teaching may be or how “correct” a philosophical view may be, if it is not suitable to the individual hearing it, it has no value. A skillful spiritual teacher will thus judge the appropriateness of a given teaching for a given individual and each accordingly.
We can draw an analogy to the use of medicine. Antibiotics, for instance, are immensely powerful; they are immensely valuable in treating a wide variety of diseases—but they are useless in treating a broken leg. A broken leg must be properly set in a cast. Furthermore, even in cases where antibiotics are indeed the appropriate treatment, if a doctor were to give an infant the same amount of medicine as she would a fully grown man, the child might well die!” p11
Importance on one’s own traditions:
“It’s clear that these religions have served the spiritual needs of millions of people in the past, continue to do so at present, and will continue to do so in the future. Realizing this, I encourage people to maintain their spiritual tradition, even if they choose to learn from others, like Buddhism, as well. Changing one’s religion is a serious matter, and it should not be taken lightly. Given that different religious traditions evolved in accordance with specific historical, cultural, and social contexts, a particular tradition may be more suitable to a particular person in a particular environment. Only the individual knows which religion is most suitable for him or her. It is therefore vital not to proselytize, propagating only one’s own religion, asserting that it alone is the best one or the right one.” p13
“I think this is a sign of hope for the human family, for within the values of our religions lie the key to a more just and peaceful world for generations to follow. I offer my prayers that these positive aspects of the world’s religions may increase in the minds of their practitioners, and that religion may no longer be used as a basis for conflict and strife, but rather for greater understanding and cooperation among the earth’s inhabitants, and that through individual effort, we may each secure the welfare of all.” p150
Buddhism and science:
“If we trace the origin of our present physical body, we can follow its material continuum back to the beginning of the universe. That is to say, we can discern, through modern science, that the matter that comprises our bodies all originated with the Big Bang. But from the perspective of traditional Buddhist cosmology, the continuum of our material body extends even beyond the beginning of the material universe to a time when the universe was empty and remained in the state of what the Kalachakra Tantra refers to as “space particles.” These space particles are not absolute or fixed but are rather subject, like all matter, to the laws of impermanence and change.” p95
On the nature of reality:
“Dependence and interdependence is the nature of all things; things and events come into being only as a result of causes and conditions. Emptiness makes the las of cause and effect possible.
…It is important to clarify that we are not speaking of emptiness as some kind of absolute strata of reality, akin to, say, the ancient Indian concept of Brahman, which is conceived to be an underlying absolute reality from which the illusory world of multiplicity emerges. ” p117
Mantra:
“[From Heart Sutra]*The mantra of the perfection of wisdom is proclaimed: tadyatha gaté gaté paragaté parasamgaté bodhi svaha! Shariputra, the bodhisattvas, the great beings, should train in the perfection of wisdom in this way.*
In Sanskrit, tadyatha literally means “it is thus” and prepares the way for what follows: gaté gate means “go, go”; paragaté means “go beyond”; parasamgaté means “go totally beyond”; and bodhi svaha can be read as “be rooted in the ground of enlightment.” Thus, the entire mantra itself can be translated as “Go, go, go beyond, go totally beyond, be rooted in the ground of enlightenment.” We can interpret this mantra metaphorically to read “Go to the other shore.” which is to say, abandon this shore of samsara, unenlightened existence, which has been out home since beginningless time, and cross to the other shore of final nirvana and complete liberation.” p130-131
On selflessness:
“When we truly realize our interconnectedness over the scope of beginningless lifetimes, we realize that every other being has been our parent and has treated us with this same loving and nurturing kindness.
We can observe what this type of kindness entails by looking to the animal kingdom. If we carefully observe birds, for instance, carefully, we see that until offspring are capable of taking care of themselves, the mother takes them under her wing and nurses them. Irrespective of whether she really has what we humans call compassion, this act alone is doubtlessly immense kindness from the mother. The offspring are totally dependent upon the mother; they behave as if she is their sole protector, their sole refuge, and their sole provider. Furthermore, the mother is so dedicated to the wellbeing of her offspring that she would be willing if necessary, to sacrifice her own life in order to protect them. It is this spirit that we need to cultivate in regard to all beings.” p140-141
“…the natural wish to seek happiness and to overcome suffering is concerned, oneself and others are absolutely identical. We should cultivate the thought “Just as I myself have the right to fulfil the basic aspiration to be happy and overcome suffering, so too do others; just as I have the potential to fulfil this aspiration, so too do others.” The difference between oneself and all others lies only in number: one case refers to but a single individual, and the other to countless beings. We then ask, therefore, whose need is greater?” p143
“At the root of all suffering lie tow powerful forces: self-grasping—the deluded grasping at an intrinsically real self—and the self-centered thought that cherishes only one’s own welfare.” p145
Developing compassion:
“… the great Tibetan Buddhist master Tsongkhapa points out that when one helps other sentient beings, one’s own wishes are fulfilled as a by-product. In fact, pursuing the greatest interest of others is the wisest way to pursue one’s own interests.” p145
“… the practice of tong len, which is Tibetan for “giving and taking.” In this practice, one imagines taking upon oneself all of the suffering and potential suffering of others, while giving them all of one’s happiness and positive potential. The practice of taking primarily enhances compassion, while the practice of giving primarily enhances loving kindness.… the practice of tong len can have tremendous impact on increasing one’s own courage and determination to fulfill the bodhisattva aspiration. Further, ton len decreases the force of the self-cherishing attitude, while enhancing the force of the thought that cherishes the well-being of others.” p146
Appropriateness of a message or teaching:
“This point, I think, to one of the most important truths about spiritual teachings: spiritual teachings must be appropriate to the individual being taught. The Buddha recognized among his followers a diversity of mental dispositions, spiritual inclinations, and interest, and saw that in order to suit this diversity he had to teach differently in different context. No matter how powerful a particular teaching may be or how “correct” a philosophical view may be, if it is not suitable to the individual hearing it, it has no value. A skillful spiritual teacher will thus judge the appropriateness of a given teaching for a given individual and each accordingly.
We can draw an analogy to the use of medicine. Antibiotics, for instance, are immensely powerful; they are immensely valuable in treating a wide variety of diseases—but they are useless in treating a broken leg. A broken leg must be properly set in a cast. Furthermore, even in cases where antibiotics are indeed the appropriate treatment, if a doctor were to give an infant the same amount of medicine as she would a fully grown man, the child might well die!” p11
Importance on one’s own traditions:
“It’s clear that these religions have served the spiritual needs of millions of people in the past, continue to do so at present, and will continue to do so in the future. Realizing this, I encourage people to maintain their spiritual tradition, even if they choose to learn from others, like Buddhism, as well. Changing one’s religion is a serious matter, and it should not be taken lightly. Given that different religious traditions evolved in accordance with specific historical, cultural, and social contexts, a particular tradition may be more suitable to a particular person in a particular environment. Only the individual knows which religion is most suitable for him or her. It is therefore vital not to proselytize, propagating only one’s own religion, asserting that it alone is the best one or the right one.” p13
“I think this is a sign of hope for the human family, for within the values of our religions lie the key to a more just and peaceful world for generations to follow. I offer my prayers that these positive aspects of the world’s religions may increase in the minds of their practitioners, and that religion may no longer be used as a basis for conflict and strife, but rather for greater understanding and cooperation among the earth’s inhabitants, and that through individual effort, we may each secure the welfare of all.” p150
Buddhism and science:
“If we trace the origin of our present physical body, we can follow its material continuum back to the beginning of the universe. That is to say, we can discern, through modern science, that the matter that comprises our bodies all originated with the Big Bang. But from the perspective of traditional Buddhist cosmology, the continuum of our material body extends even beyond the beginning of the material universe to a time when the universe was empty and remained in the state of what the Kalachakra Tantra refers to as “space particles.” These space particles are not absolute or fixed but are rather subject, like all matter, to the laws of impermanence and change.” p95
On the nature of reality:
“Dependence and interdependence is the nature of all things; things and events come into being only as a result of causes and conditions. Emptiness makes the las of cause and effect possible.
…It is important to clarify that we are not speaking of emptiness as some kind of absolute strata of reality, akin to, say, the ancient Indian concept of Brahman, which is conceived to be an underlying absolute reality from which the illusory world of multiplicity emerges. ” p117
Mantra:
“[From Heart Sutra]*The mantra of the perfection of wisdom is proclaimed: tadyatha gaté gaté paragaté parasamgaté bodhi svaha! Shariputra, the bodhisattvas, the great beings, should train in the perfection of wisdom in this way.*
In Sanskrit, tadyatha literally means “it is thus” and prepares the way for what follows: gaté gate means “go, go”; paragaté means “go beyond”; parasamgaté means “go totally beyond”; and bodhi svaha can be read as “be rooted in the ground of enlightment.” Thus, the entire mantra itself can be translated as “Go, go, go beyond, go totally beyond, be rooted in the ground of enlightenment.” We can interpret this mantra metaphorically to read “Go to the other shore.” which is to say, abandon this shore of samsara, unenlightened existence, which has been out home since beginningless time, and cross to the other shore of final nirvana and complete liberation.” p130-131
On selflessness:
“When we truly realize our interconnectedness over the scope of beginningless lifetimes, we realize that every other being has been our parent and has treated us with this same loving and nurturing kindness.
We can observe what this type of kindness entails by looking to the animal kingdom. If we carefully observe birds, for instance, carefully, we see that until offspring are capable of taking care of themselves, the mother takes them under her wing and nurses them. Irrespective of whether she really has what we humans call compassion, this act alone is doubtlessly immense kindness from the mother. The offspring are totally dependent upon the mother; they behave as if she is their sole protector, their sole refuge, and their sole provider. Furthermore, the mother is so dedicated to the wellbeing of her offspring that she would be willing if necessary, to sacrifice her own life in order to protect them. It is this spirit that we need to cultivate in regard to all beings.” p140-141
“…the natural wish to seek happiness and to overcome suffering is concerned, oneself and others are absolutely identical. We should cultivate the thought “Just as I myself have the right to fulfil the basic aspiration to be happy and overcome suffering, so too do others; just as I have the potential to fulfil this aspiration, so too do others.” The difference between oneself and all others lies only in number: one case refers to but a single individual, and the other to countless beings. We then ask, therefore, whose need is greater?” p143
“At the root of all suffering lie tow powerful forces: self-grasping—the deluded grasping at an intrinsically real self—and the self-centered thought that cherishes only one’s own welfare.” p145
Developing compassion:
“… the great Tibetan Buddhist master Tsongkhapa points out that when one helps other sentient beings, one’s own wishes are fulfilled as a by-product. In fact, pursuing the greatest interest of others is the wisest way to pursue one’s own interests.” p145
“… the practice of tong len, which is Tibetan for “giving and taking.” In this practice, one imagines taking upon oneself all of the suffering and potential suffering of others, while giving them all of one’s happiness and positive potential. The practice of taking primarily enhances compassion, while the practice of giving primarily enhances loving kindness.… the practice of tong len can have tremendous impact on increasing one’s own courage and determination to fulfill the bodhisattva aspiration. Further, ton len decreases the force of the self-cherishing attitude, while enhancing the force of the thought that cherishes the well-being of others.” p146
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October 31, 2024เป็นการอธิบายหฤทัยสูตรที่ละเอียด เน้นทีละจุด มีแทรกข้อธรรมะเกี่ยวข้องเพื่อเสริมให้เราเข้าใจเนื้อความในพระสูตรได้ดีขึ้น องค์ทะไลลามะอธิบายเรื่องเข้าใจยากอย่าง 'ความว่าง' แบบที่เรายังสามารถลำดับความคิดคิดตามไปได้เป็นขั้นๆ โดยไม่หลุดหรือเลิกอ่านไปก่อน เราประทับใจความสามารถในการอธิบายธรรมของท่านมากเลย หมดจดและเป็นตรรกะ และจุดที่ชวนเข้าใจผิดก็อธิบายหักล้างไว้ให้แล้วอย่างรอบคอบ
องค์ทะไลลามะย้ำหลายครั้งมากว่า "ความว่าง" ไม่ได้แปลว่าไม่มี เพราะถ้าแปลแบบนั้นก็จะเป็นสายสุญนิยมสุดโต่งที่คิดว่าไม่มีอะไรเลย คนไม่เข้าใจก็จะแปลตรงๆ ตามตัวอักษร ซึ่งไม่ใช่
จากการอ่านเล่มนี้ เราคิดว่าจะเข้าใจเรื่องความว่าง ต้องเข้าใจ 3 อย่างนี้ก่อน คือ 1.ปฏิจจสมุปบาท 2. กิเลส และ 3. คำว่า 'ภววิสัย' (แปลว่า ดำรงอยู่ได้ด้วยตัวเอง) เพราะสรรพสิ่งและเหตุการณ์ล้วนแล้วแต่ไม่เป็นภววิสัย แล้วพอเข้าใจเป็นขั้นๆ ไปตามเนื้อหาในหฤทัยสูตรจะเห็นเลยว่ามันหักล้างปฏิเสธเป็นขั้นๆ เป็นทอดๆ ไปเรื่อยๆ จนสุดท้าย กระทั่งความว่างเองก็ไม่เป็นภววิสัยด้วย (ส่วนตัวเราว่า ถ้าเข้าใจเรื่อง duality ว่ามันเกิดพร้อมกันได้ในระดับประสบการณ์จะเก็ทเรื่องความว่างได้ไม่ยากจนเกินไป และถ้าทำสมาธิเป็นประจำก็จะเข้าใจเรื่องความว่างง่ายขึ้นด้วย)
สิ่งที่โดดเด่นมากๆ ของหนังสือเล่มนี้ คือ ต้องขอชื่นชมการเลือกสรรคำศัพท์ภาษาไทยเพื่อมาสื่อสารธรรมะ ถ้อยคำในเล่มนี้ใช้คำง่ายและงาม (ซึ่งมันไม่ง่ายที่จะทำแบบนี้! อนุโมทนาจริงๆ ค่ะ) เป็นคำที่งามอย่างพอเหมาะพอเจาะ ไม่ใช้คำสันสกฤตรุ่มร่ามเกินจนคนอ่านมึนงง (องค์ทะไลลามะอธิบายด้วยภาษาธิเบต ซึ่งพระสูตรใช้รากศัพท์จากสันสกฤต เพราะสายมหายานใช้ภาษาสันสกฤต)
เราไม่เคยฟังธรรมบรรยายขององค์ทะไลลามะมาก่อน เคยแต่ฟังถาม-ตอบ ซึ่งท่านก็ไม่ได้อธิบายละเอียดและเป็นลำดับขั้นต่อเนื่องมากขนาดนี้ หฤทัยสูตรถือเป็นแก่นของพุทธธรรม ได้ชื่อว่าเป็นธรรมะที่จะพาผู้คนข้ามไปอีกฝั่ง รู้สึกซาบซึ้งที่ได้อ่านคำอธิบายพระสูตรดีๆ แบบนี้ และได้อ่านสบายๆ เป็นภาษาไทยด้วยค่ะ ขอบคุณมากๆ เลยนะคะ
สาธุๆๆ ให้กับองค์ทะไลลามะและธุปเทนจินปะ ล่ามส่วนพระองค์
ขออนุโทนากับคุณนัยนา นาควัชระ(ผู้แปล) คุณพจนา จันทรสันติ(ตรวจต้นฉบับ) และสนพ.มูลนิธิโกมลคีมทองที่ผลิตผลงานดีงามขนาดนี้ออกมาค่ะ ขอบคุณมากๆ นะคะ
ป.ล. เราได้ฟังพระญี่ปุ่น Kanho Yakushiji สวด Heart Sutra ประกอบทำนองแล้วมันเพราะ+healing สุดๆ ก็เลยอยากหาพระสูตรมาอ่านค่ะ ขอบคุณที่มีคำแปลภาษาไทยดีๆ ให้อ่านทำความเข้าใจได้อย่างสะดวกนะคะ ^^
องค์ทะไลลามะย้ำหลายครั้งมากว่า "ความว่าง" ไม่ได้แปลว่าไม่มี เพราะถ้าแปลแบบนั้นก็จะเป็นสายสุญนิยมสุดโต่งที่คิดว่าไม่มีอะไรเลย คนไม่เข้าใจก็จะแปลตรงๆ ตามตัวอักษร ซึ่งไม่ใช่
จากการอ่านเล่มนี้ เราคิดว่าจะเข้าใจเรื่องความว่าง ต้องเข้าใจ 3 อย่างนี้ก่อน คือ 1.ปฏิจจสมุปบาท 2. กิเลส และ 3. คำว่า 'ภววิสัย' (แปลว่า ดำรงอยู่ได้ด้วยตัวเอง) เพราะสรรพสิ่งและเหตุการณ์ล้วนแล้วแต่ไม่เป็นภววิสัย แล้วพอเข้าใจเป็นขั้นๆ ไปตามเนื้อหาในหฤทัยสูตรจะเห็นเลยว่ามันหักล้างปฏิเสธเป็นขั้นๆ เป็นทอดๆ ไปเรื่อยๆ จนสุดท้าย กระทั่งความว่างเองก็ไม่เป็นภววิสัยด้วย (ส่วนตัวเราว่า ถ้าเข้าใจเรื่อง duality ว่ามันเกิดพร้อมกันได้ในระดับประสบการณ์จะเก็ทเรื่องความว่างได้ไม่ยากจนเกินไป และถ้าทำสมาธิเป็นประจำก็จะเข้าใจเรื่องความว่างง่ายขึ้นด้วย)
สิ่งที่โดดเด่นมากๆ ของหนังสือเล่มนี้ คือ ต้องขอชื่นชมการเลือกสรรคำศัพท์ภาษาไทยเพื่อมาสื่อสารธรรมะ ถ้อยคำในเล่มนี้ใช้คำง่ายและงาม (ซึ่งมันไม่ง่ายที่จะทำแบบนี้! อนุโมทนาจริงๆ ค่ะ) เป็นคำที่งามอย่างพอเหมาะพอเจาะ ไม่ใช้คำสันสกฤตรุ่มร่ามเกินจนคนอ่านมึนงง (องค์ทะไลลามะอธิบายด้วยภาษาธิเบต ซึ่งพระสูตรใช้รากศัพท์จากสันสกฤต เพราะสายมหายานใช้ภาษาสันสกฤต)
เราไม่เคยฟังธรรมบรรยายขององค์ทะไลลามะมาก่อน เคยแต่ฟังถาม-ตอบ ซึ่งท่านก็ไม่ได้อธิบายละเอียดและเป็นลำดับขั้นต่อเนื่องมากขนาดนี้ หฤทัยสูตรถือเป็นแก่นของพุทธธรรม ได้ชื่อว่าเป็นธรรมะที่จะพาผู้คนข้ามไปอีกฝั่ง รู้สึกซาบซึ้งที่ได้อ่านคำอธิบายพระสูตรดีๆ แบบนี้ และได้อ่านสบายๆ เป็นภาษาไทยด้วยค่ะ ขอบคุณมากๆ เลยนะคะ
สาธุๆๆ ให้กับองค์ทะไลลามะและธุปเทนจินปะ ล่ามส่วนพระองค์
ขออนุโทนากับคุณนัยนา นาควัชระ(ผู้แปล) คุณพจนา จันทรสันติ(ตรวจต้นฉบับ) และสนพ.มูลนิธิโกมลคีมทองที่ผลิตผลงานดีงามขนาดนี้ออกมาค่ะ ขอบคุณมากๆ นะคะ
ป.ล. เราได้ฟังพระญี่ปุ่น Kanho Yakushiji สวด Heart Sutra ประกอบทำนองแล้วมันเพราะ+healing สุดๆ ก็เลยอยากหาพระสูตรมาอ่านค่ะ ขอบคุณที่มีคำแปลภาษาไทยดีๆ ให้อ่านทำความเข้าใจได้อย่างสะดวกนะคะ ^^
May 31, 2022
As a non-Buddhist with a fair amount of knowledge through world religion courses and some reading on the historical arc of Buddhism, this wasn't too hard to follow. It begins with a brief section on Buddhism as a world religion, then some look at Tibetan Buddhism in its place in Buddhist history, and finally the bulk of the book is a theological look at one particular Sutra. Some of the distinctions discussed are quite fine, but are carefully laid out so as to be understandable, even to a lay person from outside the religion with just a bit of grounding. I was previously unfamiliar with the Heart Sutra, but it is included here in its entirety, and then commented upon, so it was not an issue. I found several of the discussed ideas quite interesting, even from an outside perspective, even if I came to different conclusions on a few things. It was interesting to take a look inside a perspective that was rather different from my own, and in detail.
February 25, 2021
A Little Technical for the non-Student.
Since this is an effort to parse the rather complicated structure of the Buddhist Belief System, it is understandably complicated. As my interest and attraction to Buddhism is fairly superficial, I can’t say that I made too much of an effort to follow some of the intricate descriptions of the divisions and levels of the system discussed.
I was intrigued, though, by so many similarities between the teachings of the Sutra and the concepts like Form and Substance discussed by the Early Greek and Roman Philosophers half a World away. True understanding of The Heart Sutra is the work of a lifetime of study but this book was an interesting introduction.
I found the narration a little too fast and had to slow her down to .9X to be able to follow some of the sections, however.
Since this is an effort to parse the rather complicated structure of the Buddhist Belief System, it is understandably complicated. As my interest and attraction to Buddhism is fairly superficial, I can’t say that I made too much of an effort to follow some of the intricate descriptions of the divisions and levels of the system discussed.
I was intrigued, though, by so many similarities between the teachings of the Sutra and the concepts like Form and Substance discussed by the Early Greek and Roman Philosophers half a World away. True understanding of The Heart Sutra is the work of a lifetime of study but this book was an interesting introduction.
I found the narration a little too fast and had to slow her down to .9X to be able to follow some of the sections, however.
June 24, 2021
Like other books I've read by the Dalai Lama parts of this are very accessible and others very deep and philosophical.
Parts 1 and 3 are easily understood "How-Tos" on the practical application of general Buddhist philosophy to everyday life. The messaging is clear, concise and meaningful. The humility with which the Dalai Lama approaches his teaching is refreshing and insightful as to the true application of The Path.
Part 2 is an in-depth analysis of the Heart Sutra. The concept of Emptiness is explained with care to prevent conceptualizing the extremes of Nihilism and Existential Absolutism. This is heady stuff. Definitely worth repeated reading to fully grasp this essential tenant of Buddhism.
Overall this book is part application and part theory. Apply the parts you can, and study the others.
Parts 1 and 3 are easily understood "How-Tos" on the practical application of general Buddhist philosophy to everyday life. The messaging is clear, concise and meaningful. The humility with which the Dalai Lama approaches his teaching is refreshing and insightful as to the true application of The Path.
Part 2 is an in-depth analysis of the Heart Sutra. The concept of Emptiness is explained with care to prevent conceptualizing the extremes of Nihilism and Existential Absolutism. This is heady stuff. Definitely worth repeated reading to fully grasp this essential tenant of Buddhism.
Overall this book is part application and part theory. Apply the parts you can, and study the others.
October 19, 2018
I was looking for deeper practical insight into the mind training, psychology and philosophy of Buddhism. This was not that.
To me much of it read like an attempt at a god proof, except that he was trying to prove his version of Buddhism to be correct or how some cryptic statements should be interpreted. Tons of long sections of tortured logic apparently based on some assumptions about how certain parts of Buddhist doctrine can be assumed to be correct because they can be assumed be be written by the Buddha and the Buddha can be assumed to be omniscient. It was blindingly obvious that given the original statements you could come up with a ton of interpretations and it would be literally impossible to prove which was "correct". Not my cup of tea at all.
To me much of it read like an attempt at a god proof, except that he was trying to prove his version of Buddhism to be correct or how some cryptic statements should be interpreted. Tons of long sections of tortured logic apparently based on some assumptions about how certain parts of Buddhist doctrine can be assumed to be correct because they can be assumed be be written by the Buddha and the Buddha can be assumed to be omniscient. It was blindingly obvious that given the original statements you could come up with a ton of interpretations and it would be literally impossible to prove which was "correct". Not my cup of tea at all.
February 29, 2020
In this book, the Heart Sutra is used to guide an overview of Mahayana Buddhism. Since the Sutra deals with Emptiness the Dalai Lama has to add a post-script covering Boddhichitta to balance out the narrative.
Sometimes avoiding any Sanskrit words makes the text less pithy and more vague at least to me. Is "Heart of Wisdom" really better than Prajñāpāramitā? Is "aggregate" really better than Skanda?
Mahayana teachings are completely revolutionary and are transforming contemporary society. So why must so many texts repeat the old debates between the Madhyamika and Yogacara schools? It reminds me of Scholasticism.
But when the world's most revered Buddhist teacher writes a book on the most widely chanted Buddhist Sutra the result is worthwhile of course.
Sometimes avoiding any Sanskrit words makes the text less pithy and more vague at least to me. Is "Heart of Wisdom" really better than Prajñāpāramitā? Is "aggregate" really better than Skanda?
Mahayana teachings are completely revolutionary and are transforming contemporary society. So why must so many texts repeat the old debates between the Madhyamika and Yogacara schools? It reminds me of Scholasticism.
But when the world's most revered Buddhist teacher writes a book on the most widely chanted Buddhist Sutra the result is worthwhile of course.
September 13, 2024
This book appears to just promote and focus purely on the so called 'positive' aspects religion. While minimising or ignoring the negative aspects.
Disappointingly the writer has fallen into the old trap of believing religion and spirituality are the same thing. There is a certain irony in that, as at the start of the book they acknowledge this very problem but continue to do it anyway.
They also have the frankly bizarre believe that it is only possible to be spiritual aware, kind/compassionate to others if you are religious. This is ridiculous and frankly narrow minded.
Disappointingly the writer has fallen into the old trap of believing religion and spirituality are the same thing. There is a certain irony in that, as at the start of the book they acknowledge this very problem but continue to do it anyway.
They also have the frankly bizarre believe that it is only possible to be spiritual aware, kind/compassionate to others if you are religious. This is ridiculous and frankly narrow minded.
January 5, 2026
這本書分成兩部分，一部分是達賴喇嘛談佛教的基本觀念，一部分是實際上談心經。
總之，讀完了張宏實《圖解心經》和聖嚴法師《心的經典：心經新釋》，重新再來讀達賴喇嘛這本書。
聖嚴法師的解讀是我從小聽到的漢傳佛教大乘佛法的說法，根據玄奘法師的漢譯本，自成體系、邏輯自洽。
藏傳佛教的《心經》是從梵文直譯，因此達賴喇嘛的觀點和聖嚴法師講法的觀點差很大。
《達賴喇嘛談心經》我覺得他討論的角度感覺是非常西方風格的分門別類的方式，先談大架構、然後探究個別的觀念。
讀了一半的時候，覺得難怪很多西方不可知論者會認同（這個流派的）佛教。因為達賴喇嘛本身，真的蠻接受宗教多元的。
最後的附錄有附上從梵文直譯的藏文心經的中文翻譯（好拗口），總之如果有興趣看版本比較也蠻有趣的啦。
第一章談了追求內在成長，精神上成長的好處，並且強調人類經驗的共通性，即使有個人的差異，作為生活在地球上的人類來說，仍是大同小異。
從這一點，我就覺得他這本書的對象是非常多元的，是世界上的所有人（也許尤其是西方人），而不是只是藏傳佛教的信徒。
第二章談今日世界的宗教。
整個態度就是超級宗教多元的啊，而且我覺得佛教某個程度上變成像是哲學一樣的存在，所以我第一次看的時候感覺很違和（?）但是我覺得整個很適合現代人心靈成長、自我成長的靈性追求的需要。
第四章談大乘的起源（二轉法輪），第五章談苦與慈悲，以及整合所有的教法。
總之我這次一個很大的感想是，一般西方人講的的佛教，和我以前認知中的的（漢傳）佛教，可能不是同一回事。
總之，讀完了張宏實《圖解心經》和聖嚴法師《心的經典：心經新釋》，重新再來讀達賴喇嘛這本書。
聖嚴法師的解讀是我從小聽到的漢傳佛教大乘佛法的說法，根據玄奘法師的漢譯本，自成體系、邏輯自洽。
藏傳佛教的《心經》是從梵文直譯，因此達賴喇嘛的觀點和聖嚴法師講法的觀點差很大。
《達賴喇嘛談心經》我覺得他討論的角度感覺是非常西方風格的分門別類的方式，先談大架構、然後探究個別的觀念。
讀了一半的時候，覺得難怪很多西方不可知論者會認同（這個流派的）佛教。因為達賴喇嘛本身，真的蠻接受宗教多元的。
最後的附錄有附上從梵文直譯的藏文心經的中文翻譯（好拗口），總之如果有興趣看版本比較也蠻有趣的啦。
第一章談了追求內在成長，精神上成長的好處，並且強調人類經驗的共通性，即使有個人的差異，作為生活在地球上的人類來說，仍是大同小異。
從這一點，我就覺得他這本書的對象是非常多元的，是世界上的所有人（也許尤其是西方人），而不是只是藏傳佛教的信徒。
第二章談今日世界的宗教。
整個態度就是超級宗教多元的啊，而且我覺得佛教某個程度上變成像是哲學一樣的存在，所以我第一次看的時候感覺很違和（?）但是我覺得整個很適合現代人心靈成長、自我成長的靈性追求的需要。
第四章談大乘的起源（二轉法輪），第五章談苦與慈悲，以及整合所有的教法。
總之我這次一個很大的感想是，一般西方人講的的佛教，和我以前認知中的的（漢傳）佛教，可能不是同一回事。
December 23, 2018
I continue to be amazed at how the Dali Lama makes the seemingly impenetrable wisdom of ancient texts so simple and clear. For example, I never thought I would understand “Form is emptiness. Emptiness is form.” - and even wrote it off as unnecessarily obtuse - until I read this book.
Also, this is yet another wonderful translation of HHDL’s work into English by Thutpen Jinpa.
Now to look for more of these enlightening texts! (Pun intended, alas.)
Also, this is yet another wonderful translation of HHDL’s work into English by Thutpen Jinpa.
Now to look for more of these enlightening texts! (Pun intended, alas.)
October 4, 2023
I love how the Dalai Lama can bring concepts hard to visualize or find something analagous to compare the new concepts to, down to such a simple language for easier understanding. And it amazes me that he's able to remember all the subtle differences of interpretation of a particular topic across many different lineages of Buddhism.
The sutra he uses is definitely different from the one I chant so it's interesting to see how different word choices have been used.
The sutra he uses is definitely different from the one I chant so it's interesting to see how different word choices have been used.
February 21, 2025
A crash course in the Heart Sutra, introducing Buddhism along the way and arriving at the pith of the teachings. I had a bit of an insight into something that had long perturbed me around the necessary connection between emptiness and compassion in the last couple minutes listening to this audiobook. Clear and precise, as we can always expect from the Dalai Lama and Thupten Jinpa--without missing any of the complexity and sophistication of the material.
March 3, 2019
I prefer Thich Nhat Hahn's review of the Heart Sutra. The Lama's explanation is muddy and is not written an an inspirational way. It feels scientific and unconnected to the reader. While the heart sutra is about emptiness and intrinsic reality, the Lama makes it very convoluted. I'd recommend Thich Nhat Hahn's book, but not this one.
December 31, 2020
Of the four commentaries I've used to better study the Prajñāpāramitāhrdaya, or "Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom" sutra, this was the least helpful to me right now. Two stars for the book, but the introductory chapter reflecting on fruitful approaches to religion shone with wisdom and grace and I'll be returning to it from time to time.
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