Heading Into the Unknown: 100 Days of the Heart Sutra

One of the practice commitments that I suggest for our 100 day practice periods is to chant the Heart Sutra after morning zazen every day. It’s a very important part of the practice – simply entoning it and then dedicating the merit to all buddhas beyond space and time.

People sometimes think that we chant the Heart Sutra a lot in Zen because it’s special. When I asked Katagiri Roshi why we chanted the Heart Sutra so often, he said, “It was the first one translated because it was easier and shorter than most sutra.”

Not so special, in other words.

People also sometimes think that the Heart Sutra has no meaning or that no meaning is the point. Not at all.

And, of course, it isn’t that the Heart Sutra has a particular meaning either. Boundlessness may be nonlocatable and not knowable but when I stub my toe it still hurts like hell.

My favorite commentary on the Heart Sutra is Acid Comments on the Heart Sutra by Hakuin. Here’s how he starts out (with my explanatory notes in plain text):

A blind old geezer in a dark cave thick with a maze of vines and creepers.

The bodhisattva who sees the suffering of the world is blind, deep in a well, entangled with this blessed, cursed life.

Stark naked, he returns and sits in the weeds.

Nothing to hide, a big red blemish on his nose.

Poor Master Fu, it’s a pity he’s going to lose all his lovely mansions!

That’s Avalokiteshvara again, letting go of clinging to fame and profit.

And don’t say these words are cold and indifferent, that they have no taste. One bellyful eliminates hunger for all time.

Casting a forest of thorns over the entire universe,
He wraps in its tangles every monk on earth;
I pray you will recognize the Way to Deliverance,
And enjoy yourselves hawking inside a lotus thread.

How it’s your turn.

What stands out?

Where do you feel most challenged?

What’s this about?

What name would you give it?