Information about the Hrdaya Sutra and the Lotus Sutra. Very comprehensive and concise. I have gone through each part of the WJEC Specification systematically to create specified notes and to keep further reading focused and pertinent to likely exam questions.
The main themes and concepts in two Mahayana texts
- Mahayana started out as a minor intellectual literary tradition within Indian Buddhism but is now an umbrella term
for several modern sects, such as Zen and Pure Land
- There are many versions of Mahayana, such as Mahasamghikas, but it actually emerged from the same group as
Theravada within ancient Indian Buddhism from the 1st century BC onwards
- In India it was not identified with any particular sect but was more of an intellectual trend within various groups.
- Initially there were Mahayanans and Hinayanans living together within the same monasteries.
- Early Mahayanans were distinct through devotion to specific sutras such as the Heart sutra personified by the
devotion to the goddess Prajnaparamita.
Mahayana vs Hinayana
- Hinayana can be linked to Theravada Buddhism, but they are not the same schools
- Mahayana defines itself as greater than the Hinayana, they regard it as a lesser approach to enlightenment.
- Hinayana only accepts the Nikayas and is focused only on the Arhat path, not the Bodhissatva path.
- They do not accept the doctrine of the ‘emptiness of dharmas’; some schools, like the Saravastivadins believed that
part less particles have independent existence.
- Hinayana and Theravada are not the same, despite the fact that both follow the Arhat path and reject the Mahayana
Sutras. Theravada Buddhism does not reject Bodhisattvas and it accepts Sunyata.
The ‘Hrdaya’ Heart Sutra
The Prajnaparamita literature
- A library of over 40 texts containing some of the oldest Mahayana Sutras, and since Prajna means wisdom and Para
means beyond, some refer to the Prajnaparamita as ‘the wisdom that has gone beyond.’
- Donald S. Lopez is a professor of Tibetan studies who considers that due to parama meaning ‘highest’, the
Prajnaparamita may also be considered as the ‘perfection of wisdom’
- The Sutras are thought to have been composed in the early centuries CE, though they developed over a long period,
they have a debated origin, though the Hrdaya Sutra is dated toward the end of the period 100CE-600CE which is
the general chronology.
- Some regard the literature to be the Buddha Vacana, divine utterances of the Sambhogakaya while others view the
earliest texts as associated with the Mahasamihika school which was created at the second Buddhist council and is
often seen as the first real evidence for the emergence of Mahayana.
- The sutras are reflected in the writing of Nagarjuna, the founder of the Madhyamaka school which is at the root of
Mahayana Buddhism.
Nagarjuna and the Madhyamaka School
- There is little known about Nagarjuna’s life, and there is debate regarding what he actually wrote, though his
philosophy is highly significant for the schools of Tibetan, Chinese, Zen and Pure Land Buddhism as his
interpretations of the Prajnaparamita and Heart Sutra form their foundations.
- Generally, it is accepted that Nagarjuna wrote several philosophical works focusing on emptiness, two levels of
truth and dependent origination.
- Texts which give rise to contention regarding authenticity are those which contain reference to developments of
Mahayana Buddhism, regarding things like the Buddha-Nature and Bodhisattva path.
- The only text by Nagarjuna which scholars agree has authentic authorship is the Mulamadhyamikakarika, the
‘verses on the fundamentals of the middle way’ which examines the teachings on Sunyata.
- Nagarjuna believed that the ultimate truth of Buddhism could be found in the teachings of Sunyata, but also
endeavoured to show how they were compatible with traditional Buddhism, including the Lakshanas, four noble
truths and dependent origination.
- This is significant because the crucial teaching in the Heart Sutra is about emptiness and what it is.
- The depth of Nagarjuna’s analysis reaches the heart of the debate about the implications of Sunyata teaching that
make it specifically Mahayana, rather than a mere development of Theravada Buddhism.
- Some consider the Mulamadhyamikakarika to be a direct debate between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism,
another theory suggests that Nagarjuna was an innovative Theravada monk himself and others see his work as
firmly grounded in the Mahayana school.
- The latter theory seems to have more grounding academically at the moment, though it has been suggested that
Nagarjuna is neither Theravada nor Mahayana, but situated in the transitional period.
- Bachelor notes that which Nagarjuna’s works are often seen as commentarial works on the Prajnaparamita, it is
significant that he does not at any time refer to them or to the Bodhisattva ideal. In fact, he seems to see the way to
enlightenment as that of Arhatship.
- This suggests that Nagarjuna’s understanding may not have been the direct result of the Prajnaparamita, but of
some early oral teachings within early Buddhism loosely connected to the later development of the literature.
- Nonetheless, the mutual exploration of emptiness and form within the Prajnaparamita and Nagarjuna’s work has
meant they are used in conjunction for clarity- the majority of Mahayana Buddhist traditions use Nagarjuna’s
works to unlock the Heart Sutra.
What is The Heart Sutra
- The shortest text in the Prajnaparamita, valued by Zen and Tibetan Buddhism.
, - Is dated after Nagarjuna, though the earliest commentary by Kuiji gives the Sutra a typically Madhayamaka
interpretation.
- Hrdaya, or heart, has been interpreted as suggesting that the text cannot be interpreted by intellect alone, but that it
requires some insight of the heart, an experiential conception- it is vital to consider the text as non-cognitive.
- Thus, it has a repetitive and meditational presentation.
- The text is seen to be the quintessential teaching of Mahayana Buddhism, the key to understanding other teachings
which differentiate it from the Theravadin tradition.
- The Prajnaparamita Sutras can be contrasted with the Lotus Sutra, which tends to focus more on Karuna and Upaya
Kausalya rather than wisdom.
- It has been argued that the Sutra summarises the Prajnaparamita and this provides an explanation for why it is one
of the most heavily used texts within the Mahayana tradition.
- It is a deeply philosophical text and Cush has referred to it as ‘The wisdom of the Buddhas’
- It commences with Avalokita, the Bodhisattva of great compassion, contemplating perfect wisdom and teaching
Sariputra, and then goes on to describe the awakening.
- Avalokitesvara develops prajna through engaging in vipassana meditation.
The Shorter Sutra
- Buddha only features in the longer version but he is still considered to be the author of the Prajnaparamita Sutras;
empowering Avalokitesvara to teach Sariputra and empowering Sariputra to understand what he’s taught.
- Sariputra is an Arhat so his role is to show how the Theravadin path can bring wisdom, but not wisdom enough to
constitute an awakening in line with that which can be achieved through the superior Mahayana path.
- The Heart Sutra can be regarded as an implicit example of skilful means, since its role is to guide its readers
beyond the Hinayana understanding of Samsara to a deeper apprehension of Sunyata.
- Teachings of Anicca and Anatta are developed in this sutra, as well as Pratityasamutpada.
- Sunya means empty and Sunyata means emptiness, and both of these words are used throughout the text.
- T.R.V. Murti attempted to define the terms as having allied meanings;
- All phenomena are Sunya, as they are relative and so lack substantiality and independent reality; they are
conditioned by and dependent on other phenomena (Pratityasamutpada) and hence are, in and of themselves,
completely unreal.
- The Absolute Reality is Sunyata, it is devoid of empirical forms and thought constructs, no predicate can be
legitimately applied to it.
- The first definition may be seen as a reiteration of the fact of the three marks- all conditioned things are
impermanent and without self- which are things Sariputra should already have been aware of.
- Under Mahayana doctrine then, no thing, including human existence, has Svabhava (own being). Svabhava may be
understood in Western Philosophy as substance or essence, and has to do with the notion that there is a form of
being which is, and which exists without being dependent on context and is not subject to variation- e.g. the soul.
- Yet, certain Abhidhamma teachings postulate that the dhammas do have Svabhava, which was arguably a way in
which Buddhists got their head around the fact that Karma is possible despite there being no self.
- Avalokitesvara says that ‘all dharmas are marked with emptiness’, a reminder of the fact that everything is in fact
subject to Anicca, and so Sariputra can be seen as representative of the imperfect notion that the Dharmas have
Svabhava.
- Gethin argues that the concepts of Dhammas in the Abhidhamma Pitaka map out the way things are, but in the
teachings of the heart Sutra this is not accepted as the ultimate reality.
- ‘Form is emptiness and emptiness is form’
- Possibly the most famous line of the Sutra, marks a shift from the use of the word Sunya to that of Sunyata.
- Since Sunyata is a noun, it suggests Emptiness and Form are synonymous rather than being merely predicated of
one another.
- Murti’s definition suggests that Sunyata is used within the Heart Sutra as a word for the ultimate reality, in the
same way as Samsara, Nirvana and Dharmakaya are used.
- To say that all dharmas are marked with emptiness takes the analysis further, to the point where it seems all
Hinayana views about Dharmas are rejected.
- The need for another word to describe the ultimate reality is illustrated in the following phrase; ‘A Bodhisattva,
having relied on the perfection of wisdom, dwells without thought coverings’
- To dwell without thought coverings is essentially to see the world through clear lenses, with no personal views or
experiences tainting conception of reality.
- Normally we see the world through a sort of filter, which distorts reality since it becomes ‘my view’ rather than
reality in and of itself.
- One’s view may provide them with hope, security or some kind of world view which reinforces a (false) sense of
self, but the Heart Sutra says that we must refrain from trying to interpret the world in such a way if we are to attain
perfect wisdom.
- The Mahayana teaching of Sunyata is more than seeing form as being empty of own being, it involves letting go of
any and all views about reality- not only a perception of reality as being empty, but a perception which in itself is
empty.
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