{"id":278,"date":"2009-09-11T10:01:00","date_gmt":"2009-09-11T10:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/wildfoxzen\/2009\/09\/heading-into-the-unknown-100-days-of-the-heart-sutra\/"},"modified":"2009-09-11T10:01:00","modified_gmt":"2009-09-11T10:01:00","slug":"heading-into-the-unknown-100-days-of-the-heart-sutra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/wildfoxzen\/2009\/09\/heading-into-the-unknown-100-days-of-the-heart-sutra.html","title":{"rendered":"Heading Into the Unknown: 100 Days of the Heart Sutra"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

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One of the practice commitments that I suggest for our 100 day practice periods is to chant the Heart Sutra<\/span> after morning zazen every day. It\u2019s a very important part of the practice \u2013 simply entoning it and then dedicating the merit to all buddhas beyond space and time.
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People sometimes think that we chant the Heart Sutra<\/span> a lot in Zen because it\u2019s special. When I asked Katagiri Roshi why we chanted the Heart Sutra <\/span>so often, he said, \u201cIt was the first one translated because it was easier and shorter than most sutra.\u201d
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Not so special, in other words.
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People also sometimes think that the Heart Sutra<\/span> has no meaning or that no meaning is the point. Not at all.
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And, of course, it isn\u2019t that the Heart Sutra<\/span> has a particular meaning either. Boundlessness may be nonlocatable and not knowable but when I stub my toe it still hurts like hell.
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My favorite commentary on the Heart Sutra is Acid Comments on the Heart Sutra<\/a> <\/span><\/i><\/b>by<\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/span> <\/span>Hakuin. Here\u2019s how he starts out (with my explanatory notes in plain text):
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A blind old geezer in a dark cave thick with a maze of vines and creepers. <\/span>
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The bodhisattva who sees the suffering of the world is blind, deep in a well, entangled with this blessed, cursed life.
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Stark naked, he returns and sits in the weeds.
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Nothing to hide, a big red blemish on his nose.
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Poor Master Fu, it\u2019s a pity he\u2019s going to lose all his lovely mansions!
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That\u2019s Avalokiteshvara again, letting go of clinging to fame and profit.
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And don\u2019t say these words are cold and indifferent, that they have no taste. One bellyful eliminates hunger for all time<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n
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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.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

How it\u2019s your turn.
<\/span><\/p>\n

What stands out?
<\/span><\/p>\n

Where do you feel most challenged?
<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s this about? <\/span><\/p>\n

What name would you give it?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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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\u2019s a very important part of the practice \u2013 simply entoning it and then dedicating the merit to all buddhas beyond space and time. People sometimes think that we chant […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":182,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nHeading Into the Unknown: 100 Days of the Heart Sutra<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"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. 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