A weekend of studying the Heart Sutra went something like this:
Boundless, we go around and around, and back and forth, with words and silence, speaking and not, we move from cushions to chairs and from chairs to cushions, we start in one place (a house) on Saturday and move to another (an office) on Sunday, we shift from French to English, English to French, « old » translation to « new » and back, I talk, another talks and another and another, we each bring a dish, a contribution to consume as one, many parts together make a single splendid meal.
A splendid Heart Sutra meal
About the Author: zenscribe
Enseignante Zen et poète, Sensei Amy “Tu es cela” Hollowell est née et a grandi à Minneapolis, aux Etats-Unis. Arrivée en France en 1981 pour étudier la littérature et l’histoire, elle y est restée, s’installant à Paris, où elle élève ses deux enfants et gagne sa vie en tant que journaliste.
The Zen teacher and poet Amy “Tu es cela” Hollowell Sensei was born and raised in Minneapolis, but came to France in 1981 to study literature and history and has lived in Paris ever since, raising her two children and making a living as a journalist.
The origin of the sutra’s text? Like who wrote it? Don’t think these texts can be traced thus. It exists in many, many versions of varying length and content, but all have the essential message of love and compassion.
Call the "discourse" what you may. What’s in a name?
That said, we can call it the Way of the Bodhisattva.
Or the Four Vows.
Or Just Do It.
Or This Is It.
Or None of the Above.
Or I Have to Go Cook Dinner.
What is the Heart Sutra’s origin?
I say it is the Flower Sermon.
Someone speaks (or remains silent) to wake people up; to free them from suffering and delusion.
It is the desire to inspire.
Is there a name for this kind of discourse?