Question about Heart Sutra in English

[Jundo]

An excellent, excellent book. Not just saying that. Perhaps it is because I have read a good amount of Dogen in the past (still much more to read) and Zen Master’s Dance just makes it very clear. Like sitting down and having a chat about Dogen’s works with someone who can just capture the essence, cut to the heart without unnecessary additives.

Gassho
Daiman
SatToday

Thank you, Daiman, for that unsolicited and unbiased review. It is very much appreciated.

Gassho, Jundo
sattodayLAH

PS - Remind me the address where I send your check.

[Guest]

Thank you, Daiman, for that unsolicited and unbiased review. It is very much appreciated.

Gassho, Jundo
sattodayLAH

PS - Remind me the address where I send your check.

Just finishing up my second reading. Love it.
Gassho
Daiman
St


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jacob Janicek]

This has been an illuminating thread, my gratitude to Jundo and everyone involved in the discussion. I was especially intrigued by the part about Thich Nhat Hanh since I never realized that about his writing before. I feel like I'm in the right place, which is a strange feeling.

Gassho,
Jacob Jay
Sat today

[michaelw]

The scholarly approach to this is learn Pali and Sanskrit and then go to the source material.
Luckily others have trodden this path and published various commentaries on the Heart Sutra so you don't have to.
I read Red Pines commentary where he compares versions of the Pali Canon with other interpretations.
If you are interested it will be interesting for me it was dry as dust. Too reminiscent of hours writing exegesis for Theology studies.

You might even venture into the 'Heart Sutra is really a dharani as it is commonly used while the longer version makes it a Sutra' discussion but it is really just angles on pinheads territory.

I feel the real object or power of chant comes from the familiarity you have with it.
Once you are able to chant from memory then you get into a different dimension
where you are just breathing and chanting.
What my old choir master - in another life - called breathing the Psalms.

The version of the Heart Sutra I learned had a rising cadence on Paragate and Parasangate which I still use but quietly.

Gassho
MichaelW

sat

[Jundo]

The scholarly approach to this is learn Pali and Sanskrit and then go to the source material.

In all likelihood, the Heart Sutra was first composed in China, although as a very loose summary of bit and pieces of some earlier Perfection of Wisdom Sutra from India. So, Pali and Sanskrit interpretations are not so important to its understanding.

In any case, the real understanding is in the bones.

Gassho, J

stlah

[aprapti]

Hey, my book ain't so bad ... plug plug, hint hint ...

THE ZEN MASTER’S DANCE
A Guide to Understanding Dōgen and Who You Are in the Universe

by Jundo Cohen

https://wisdomexperience.org/product...masters-dance/

i absolutely agree, Jundo!! i like your book too.

aprapti


sat

[Ankai]

Form and emptiness brings to mind the two truths concept espoused by Nagarjuna.
For example, if I look at my hand, I see my hand. But if I really examine it, there's no one part that's actually a hand. The hand itself doesn't actually exist. There is a palm, there are fingers, there's a thumb, there's the back of my hand and my wrist, the bones, tendons, muscles, etc etc etc, but there's no one thing there that is actually a hand. However, in spite of the fact that it doesn't exist, it's typing this... so, my hand is still very real. So the idea that my hand doesn't exist but is still very much there is an example of two truths that exist simultaneously.
I look at that part of the Heart Sutra in that way.
Sorry it's longer than intended.

SAT just a bit ago.

[Jundo]

Form and emptiness brings to mind the two truths concept espoused by Nagarjuna.
For example, if I look at my hand, I see my hand. But if I really examine it, there's no one part that's actually a hand. The hand itself doesn't actually exist. There is a palm, there are fingers, there's a thumb, there's the back of my hand and my wrist, the bones, tendons, muscles, etc etc etc, but there's no one thing there that is actually a hand. However, in spite of the fact that it doesn't exist, it's typing this... so, my hand is still very real. So the idea that my hand doesn't exist but is still very much there is an example of two truths that exist simultaneously.
I look at that part of the Heart Sutra in that way.
Sorry it's longer than intended.

SAT just a bit ago.

Now, just make your hand as vast and boundless as the whole universe, and then some, holding and embodying the whole of reality, and maybe there is something there.

Then, open that hand of thought, and experience what is here.

Gassho, J

stlah

[Ankai]

Awesome!!🙏

Sat today.

[Mokuseki]

A wonderful thread.
Gassho
Mokuseki

Stlah