I will continue to update this Table of Contents as I review and analyze the text. I realize that parts of the preliminary translations I currently have are not yet ready for posting on kindle, but I will add sections as more refined translations become available. This page will be revised to indicate how much of the text is available for others to read. I will, however, continue to read from the earlier translations. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause those of you who come to the temple, but Bodhi Wentu has indicated he hopes to have all the revisions done in time for our December retreat.
We now have nine kindles that can enable those who come to the temple to be able to read the most up to date translation of Imparting the Absolute Truth Through the Heart Sutra (formerly translated as Expounding the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra). At present, that is probably enough, but if more are able to come to the Retreat-Study session next month, we may need more. I thank all of you who were so generous. Unfortunately, I can’t match the gifts with the donors as they all came anonymously from Amazon, but you know who you are and thanks. I hope we do need more as the October class promises to be exceptional. Those who have tried the kindles liked them very much. I am requiring no notebooks, laptops, or phones at these retreats as we cannot risk electronic or photographic transfer of the preliminary translations.
The October retreat will hopefully be able to include “No Ignorance and Also No Ending of Ignorance, Up to and Including No Old Age and Death and Also No Ending of Old Age and Death;” through “Therefore, Know that Prajna Paramita is the Great Supernormal Mantra,…” It is my intent to finish the text at the December retreat. We will also repeat the introduction to the entire book or the first lesson on Friday night at 7:00 pm at both retreats. Those who will miss part of the program will have ample opportunity to read on their own to make up or to pursue their own reading program with the above mentioned caveats.
Please remember that this is still an unofficial preliminary translation that has not been approved by His Holiness and, no doubt, contains errors and omissions. Even the subtitles that I added and are shown below are merely my opinions and can only be used for reference and should not be considered an adequate or accurate representation of the preliminary translation of concepts and principles provided by the Buddha.
In order to navigate the kindle screen, I added sub headings and created a more detailed “Table of Contents” that I will share with you to give you a better idea of just how massive and comprehensive this incredible book is. As I have said before, many years ago the Buddha Master told us that this is the only book you need to read to become enlightened. It is the basis for many discourses and covers not only the true meaning of the Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra itself, but contains many mini-discourses on various aspects of dharma that I have never heard the Buddha discuss before. It is an amazing and illuminating work!!! The following is not complete as I have not done a detailed analysis of all the chapters. Besides the forwards and notes at the beginning and the testimonials at the end, the book has two parts: the first imparts dharma through just the title and the second through the text of the sutra itself.
Table of Contents
Publisher’s Foreword
Foreword by Five Persons of Holy Virtue
Editors’ Note
Note from the True Dharma Translation Group
IMPARTING THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH THROUGH THE HEART SUTRA
H.H. DORJE CHANG BUDDHA III IMPARTS DHARMA
PRAJNA-PARAMITA HEART SUTRA
PART ONE: IMPARTING DHARMA THROUGH THE TITLE OF THE SUTRA
The Large Sutra on Prajna
Three Bodies and Four Wisdoms
Dharma Kings and Rinpoches
Commonality and Distinctness of the Heart Sutra’s Title
PRAJNA
Transliteration vs Translation
Scattered Intelligence vs Marvelous Wisdom
Journey to the West
Impermanence
Three Kinds of Prajna-I
Triloka (Three Spheres)
Contemplative Illumination Prajna
Two-fold Truth
On Understanding Holy Beings
Middle View
The Great Perfection
Buddha Nature (intrinsic-reality prajna), & Karmic Forces of Living Beings.
Awakening
Three Types of Prajna-II
Two Attached Views.
Monk Jigong
Meaning of What Is True and What Is False.
Suffering
Overcoming Obstacles of Defilement
PARAMI
TA
Four Kinds of Inclination
Non-Buddhist
Deities in Other Religions
Realization vs Liberation
Delusion and Awakening
Sixth Patriarch Huineng
Concentration
Bodhidharma
Different Levels Related to Seeing Prajna
HEART
SUTRA
Sakyamuni Buddha’s Teaching Periods
Prajna Period
Samadhi
The Diamond Sutra
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Ordinary Beings
Confirmation of Holy Status
The Importance of “TA”
History of Dharma Master Xuanzang
PART TWO: IMPARTING THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH THROUGH THE TEXT OF THE SUTRA
“AVALOKITESVARA BODHISATTVA… “
The Diamond Sutra
The Yogacarabhumi Sastra
Chanting the Name of Amitabha Buddha
Bodhisattva
Commentary on the Vijnaptimatratasiddhi Sastra
Ksitigarbha and Skanda Bodhisattvas
“…WHEN PRACTICING DEEPLY THE PRAJNA PARAMITA… “
Yoga
Causal Stage
Maha-Prajna-Paramita Sutra
Two Levels of Wisdom-based Insights.
Explication of the Heart Sutra
Intellectual Frivolity (Prapanca)
Prajna of the Emptiness of Personhood
Prajna of the Emptiness of Dharmas
Three Virtues
Function or Usefulness of the Virtue of Liberation
How to Deeply Practice Prajna?
Electricity and Light Bulb Analogy
Parmi
Ta
When (Time)
The Yogacarabhumi Sastra
“…ILLUMINATED THE FIVE AGGREGATES, SAW THAT THEY ARE ALL EMPTY…”
Sunlight Analogy
Differences Between Prajna and Worldly Wisdom
Form
Feeling
Conceptualization
Volition
Consciousness.
Manas Consciousness.
Alaya Consciousness
Initiations
Acclamation of the Correct Teaching Great-Dharma Initiation
Killing Dharma
Dual-use/two-body Dharma (Yam-yum)
Other Dharma Practices
Four Great Elements
Having a Soul
The Meaning of the Word “Emptiness”
The Emptiness of Non-Existence
The Emptiness of Space
The Emptiness of Mind
The Emptiness of Dharmas
Ekottaragama Sutras
Observation of Emptiness by Analysis
Annihilationism and Eternalism
Time
Hinayana and Mahayana View of Emptiness
Observation of Emptiness by Comprehension
The Ten Illusory Things
Holy States
Emptiness of Self and Emptiness of Phenomena
Only Emptiness and Not Only Emptiness
Various Aspects of Emptiness
“…AND CROSSED BEYOND ALL SUFFERING AND ADVERSITY”
Suffering-General
Icchantikas
Daoist Practices
Incorruptible Bodies, Sarira-relics, and Rainbow Light
Outside Three Spheres–Reincarnation
Living Buddhas
Suffering and Adversity
Kinds of Suffering
What Is Used?
“SARIPUTRA, FORM DOES NOT DIFFER FROM EMPTINESS; EMPTINESS DOES NOT DIFFER FROM FORM. FORM IS EMPTINESS; EMPTINESS IS FORM.”
Great Inquiry, Great Awakening
Insanity
Qigong Masters
Second-Phase Principles
“THE SAME IS TRUE OF FEELING, CONCEPTUALIZATION, VOLITION, AND CONSCIOUSNESS.”
“SARIPUTRA, EMPTINESS IS THE CHARACTERISTIC OF ALL DHARMAS. THEY DO NOT ARISE OR PERISH, ARE NOT DEFILED OR PURE, DO NOT INCREASE OR DECREASE.”
“THEREFORE, IN EMPTINESS THERE IS NO FORM, NO FEELING, CONCEPTUALIZATION, VOLITION, OR CONSCIOUSNESS;”
“NO EYES, EARS, NOSE, TONGUE, BODY, OR MIND;”
“NO FORMS, SOUNDS, SMELLS, TASTES, TOUCHES, OR MENTAL PHENOMENA.”
“NO REALM OF EYES, UP TO AND INCLUDING NO REALM OF MIND CONSCIOUSNESS;”
“NO IGNORANCE AND ALSO NO ENDING OF IGNORANCE, UP TO AND INCLUDING NO OLD AGE AND DEATH AND ALSO NO ENDING OF OLD AGE AND DEATH;”
Four Holy Dharma Realms
The Twelve Links of Conditioned Origination
Ignorance.
Volitional Action.
Consciousness.
Name and Form.
The Six Sense Bases.
Contact
Feeling
Craving
Grasping
Existence.
Birth
Old Age and Death
Two Ways to Contemplate Conditioned Origination
Three Disciplines of Precept Observance, Samadhi, and Wisdom
Black and White Karma
Holy Dharma Protectors
The Three Spheres
Nirvana
“..NO SUFFERING, NO ACCUMULATION, NO CESSATION, AND NO PATH;”
The Four Truths and the Twelve Links of Conditioned Origination
Story of the Little Sramanera
Comparison of Different Schools
Chan/Zen Schools.
Faxiang (Consciousness-Only) School
Pure Land School
Huayan School
The Esoteric School
Living Beings with Different Births Through Causal Conditions
The Four Truths
Suffering
Accumulation
Cessation
Path-The 37 Factors of Enlightenment
Clay Bodhisattvas
On Becoming a Buddha in This Lifetime
“…NO WISDOM, ALSO NO ATTAINMENT. WITH NOTHING TO BE ATTAINED, THEREFORE,…”
Prajna Is Unequaled Dharma
Phowa Dharma
Slandering Different Dharma Methods
SAUMOL
Esoteric Dharma
Orthodox Buddha-dharma
Rely on the Teachings Not the Teacher
Aspects of Esoteric Buddhism
Qualifications of Vajra Masters
Major Treatises Required in Western (Tibetan) Esoteric Buddhism
Four Preliminary Practices
Opening the Crown
Dedenbas
Rainbow Body State
Qigong
Buddhism and Buddhist Studies
Conversance in Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism
The Five Vidyas
Exception
Conversance in Exoteric Buddhism
Conversance in Esoteric Buddhism
Sound Vidya
Artistry and Craftsmanship Vidya
Healing Vidya
Causality Vidya
Inner Realization Vidya
Dorje Chang Buddha III
Differences Among Buddha-dharmas
Repentance
Karmic Conditions
There Is No Second Path
Great Utilization and Bliss
Examples of Supernormal Powers
“…THE BODHISATTVAS RELY ON PRAJNA PARAMITA, AND THUS THEIR MINDS HAVE NO HINDRANCE. BECAUSE THERE IS NO HINDRANCE, THEY HAVE NO FEAR.”
Two Branches and Four Methods of Reincarnation
Levels of Ordinary People, Daoist Celestials, and Arhats
Unimpeded Mastery
Absolute and Mundane Truth
On Bodhisattvas
Definition of Hindrances
Afflictive Hindrances from Attachment to Self
Hindrance of the Known based on Attachment to Phenomena
Fear
“HAVING FOREVER LEFT INVERTED DREAM-THINKING, THEY DWELL IN ULTIMATE NIRVANA”
Four Kinds of Dreaming Minds
Arising, Abiding, Changing, and Delusion
Hungry Ghosts
Sravakas and Pratyeka-buddhas
Seeking Answer to Issue of Life and Death
Daoist Practices
Buddhist Practices
Nirvana
Five Entrenchments of Affliction
Four Virtues or Attributes
Different Levels of Nirvana
Problem with Chan/Zen Practice
SAUMOL
Seeing
Samadhi
Awakening
Nirvana with Remainder
Awakening is Not Enough
The Bardo Body
Nirvana Without Remainder
The Great Nirvana of No Abiding
“ALL BUDDHAS OF THE THREE TIMES RELY ON PRAJNA PARAMITA AND THEREBY ATTAIN ANUTTARA-SAMYAK-SAMBODHI.”
All Buddhas of the Three Times
Annutara
Samyak-Sambodhi
Venerable Ananda
Only One Road, Many Methods
Austerities
The Perfection of a Buddha
The Five Wisdoms
The Wisdom of Fulfillment of Deeds
The Marvelous Observing Wisdom
The Wisdom of Equality
The Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom
The Wisdom of the Fundamental Nature of the Dharma Realm
Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi
Turn the Light to Illuminate Inwardly
Non-Buddhista
Child-Brightness and Mother-Brightness
Arhats
Bodhisattvas
“THEREFORE, KNOW THAT PRAJNA PARAMITA IS THE GREAT SUPERNORMAL MANTRA,…”
Mantras
Guhya-samaja Vajra Supernormal Mantra
Brahma
Dharma Protectors
Science and Buddha-dharma
More on Mantras (Speech Karma)
Mudras (Body Karma)
Visualization (Mind Karma)
STOP: Preliminary Translation not available beyond this point
“…THE GREAT BRIGHT MANTRA,…”
“…THE SUPREME MANTRA,…”
“…THE UNEQUALED MANTRA…”
“…WHICH CAN REMOVE ALL SUFFERING AND IS TRUE, NOT FALSE.”
“SO RECITE THE PRAJNA PARAMITA MANTRA, RECITE THE MANTRA THAT SAYS: GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA.”
Transforming Principles into Wisdom..
Mantras
Vow to Take Refuge and Arouse Bodhichitta
Contemplation of Impermanence
The Three Categories of Pure Precepts
The Ten Good Characteristics
The Four Immeasurable States
The Three Stages
Dharma to Pass Through Barriers
The Six Paramitas
Master Mihong
CONCLUDING DHARMA
DISCIPLES REPORT WHAT THEY LEARNED FROM LISTENING TO DISCOURSES ON THE HEART SUTRA
What Hui Hui, a Buddhist of Great Virtue, Learned from Listening to Discourses on the Heart Sutra
Words Expressing the Thoughts of Venerable Pu Guan after He Listened to Recorded Dharma-Discourses on Imparting the Absolute Truth Through the Heart Sutra
Gratitude for the Open Publication of this Dharma-Treasure
CLICK for description of Classes #1, #24-#42, to be held October 11-20 Retreat.
CLICK for article on Labor Day Weekend Classes that covered part of PART ONE.
CLICK for schedule for other classes.
My heart was singing while reading this note. I wish the full book would be available soon to benefit all living beings.
Me, too. I was hesitant to print the expanded Table of Contents, but I wanted people to know how vast and wonderful this book is and hope many will come and read it at our temple and/or attend the classes we will be having to discuss it. The Buddha Master literally takes every word in the “Heart Sutra” and explains what it means and uses those words to teach us how to understand and realize prajna and many other teachings of the Buddhas. My heart sings with you. Thanks for the feedback.