The Heart Sutra



This is one of my favorite Sutra known as the Heart Sutra. It has a very soothing and a calming effect to me just listening to it. I never get enough of it. The lady singing this song has such an amazing voice and she sang the Sutra very well.

The Heart of Perfect Wisdom Sutra or Heart Sutra or Essence of Wisdom Sutra (Sanskrit: प्रज्ञापारमिताहृदय Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya) is a well-known MahāyānaBuddhist sutra that is very popular among Mahayana Buddhists both for its brevity and depth of meaning.

The Heart Sutra is made up of 14 shlokas in Sanskrit; a shloka composed of 32 syllables. In Chinese, it is 262 Chinese characters, while in English it is composed of sixteen sentences.

The Heart Sutra has generally been thought to have probably been composed in the first century CE in Kushan Empire territory, by a Sarvastivadin or ex-Sarvastivadin monk. The earliest record of a copy of the sutra is a 200-250CE Chinese version attributed to the Yuezhi monk Zhi Qian. It was supposedly translated again by Kumarajiva around 400CE, although John McRae and Jan Nattier have argued that this translation was created by someone else, much later, based on Kumarajiva's Large Sutra. Zhi Qian's version, if it ever existed, was lost before the time of Xuanzang, who produced his own version in 649CE, which closely matches the one attributed to Kumarajiva. Xuanzang's version is the first record of the title "Heart Sutra" (心經 xīnjīng) being used for the text, and Fukui Fumimasa has argued that xinjing actually means dharani scripture. According to Huili's biography, Xuanzang learned the sutra from an inhabitant of Sichuan, and subsequently chanted it during times of danger in his journey to the West.

Lyrics

Namah sarvajnaaya
-Adoration to the Omniscient!

Aaryaavalokiteshvara-bodhisattvo gambhiiraayaam prajnaapaaramitaayaam caryaam caramaano vyavalokayati sma: panca skandhaah; taamshca svabhaava-shuunyaan pashyati sma.
-When Holy Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva performed the deep practice in the Perfection of Transcendent Wisdom, he contemplated that there were five aggregates but observed that they were devoid of essential nature.

Iha Shaariputra ruupam shuunyataa shuunyataiva ruupam, ruupaan na prithak shuunyataa, shuunyataayaa na prithag ruupam, yad ruupam saa shuunyataa, yaa shuunyataa tad ruupam.
-In this case, Shaariputra, form is voidness and voidness is itself form; voidness is not different from form, and form is not different from voidness; that which is form is voidness, and that which is voidness is form.

Evem eva vedanaa-samjnaa-samskaara-vijnaanaani.
-So it is for perception, conception, volition and consciousness.

Iha Shaariputra sarva-dharmaah shuunyataa-lakshanaa, anutpannaa, aniruddhaa, amalaa, na vimalaa, nonaa, na paripuurnaah.
-In this case, Shaariputra, all things have the characteristics of voidness; they neither arise nor perish; they are neither defiled nor pure, neither deficient nor complete.

Tasmaac Chaariputra shuunyaayaam na ruupam na vedanaa na samjnaa na samskaaraa na vijnaanaani.
-Therefore, Shaariputra, within the voidness, there is no form, no perception, no conception, no volition, nor consciousness.

Na cakshuh-shrotra-ghraana-jihvaa-kaaya-man
­aamsi.
-Neither is there eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind.

Na ruupa-shabda-gandha-rasa-sprashtavya-dha­rmaah.
-Neither is there form, sound, smell, taste, touch nor concepts.

Na cakshurdhaatur yaavan na mano-vijnaana-dhaatuh.
-Neither is there realm of sight, etc., until we come to the non-existence of realm of consciousness.

Na vidyaa, naavidyaa, na vidyaa-kshayo, naavidyaa-kshayo, yaavan na jaraa-maranam na jaraamarana-kshayo, na duhkha-samudaya-nirodha-maargaa, na jnaanam, na praaptir apraaptitvena.
-Neither is there wisdom, nor ignorance, nor extinction of wisdom, nor extinction of ignorance, etc., until we come to the non-existence of old age and death and the non-extinction of old age and death. Neither is there suffering, cause of suffering, extinction of suffering, nor the path leading to extinction of suffering. Neither is there wisdom nor acquisition because there is no grasping.

Bodhisattvasya prajnaapaaramitaam aashritya viharaty acittaavaranah. Cittaavarana-naastitvaad atrasto, viparyaasaatikraanto nishtha-nirvaanah.
-Depending on the bodhisattva's Perfection of Transcendent Wisdom, one dwells without any mental hindrance. Because of the absence of mental hindrance, one is fearless; freed from delusory thoughts, one will reach Nirvana.

Tryadhva-vyavasthitaah sarvabuddhaah prajnaapaaramitaam aashrityaanuttaraam samyaksambodhim abhisambuddhaah.
-All Buddhas dwelling in the three periods realize the highest, perfect enlightenment depending on the Perfection of Transcendent Wisdom.

Tasmaaj jnaatavyo prajnaapaaramitaa-mahaamantro mahaavidyaa-mantro 'nuttara-mantro 'samasama-mantrah, sarvadukha-prashamanah, satyam amithyatvaat, prajnaapaaramitaayaam ukto mantrah.
-For this reason, know that the Great Mantra of the Perfection of Transcendent Wisdom is the Great Wisdom Mantra, the Unsurpassed Mantra, and the Unequaled Mantra. It extinguishes all suffering, and is true and real because it is not false. It is the Mantra proclaimed in the Perfection of Transcendent Wisdom.

Tad yathaa gate gate paaragate paarasamgate bodhi svaaha.
-Namely, "Gone, gone, gone to the other shore;
Gone completely to the other shore.
Svaha."

Iti prajnaapaaramitaa-hridayam samaaptam.
-Thus ends the Essence of the Transcendent Wisdom Sutra.

CONTRIBUTION (with Thanks)
1. Imee Ooi
2.ZenLiem
3. Free Feng Shui Blog

Largest Jade Buddha in the world

The largest Jade Buddha in the world weighs 4tonnes and 2.7m in height. Originated from Canada, the 18-tonne gemstone was incidentally found by a man who also had a "green" attached to his name, Ian Green, who is an Australian. He managed to raise funds to buy the piece at US 1.5 million.

The jadestone had its formation after Buddha, thanks to the 6 renowned jade carvers from Thailand who carved the figure inspired after the famous image of Buddha at Mahabodhi Stupa, Bodh Gaya (holy city), India.

It took 5 yrs completion for the carving and polishing work and since 2008, this Buddha statue has traveled over 14 countries and is currently displayed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and will then continue its travel for another 3 yrs until finally resting at its permanent home at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo, Australia.

Visitors who snap photo with the Buddha statue as the backdrop have come to show that they see a symmetrical light or as i see it is round sometimes. More news about this can be viewed here.

Perang Api Ritual in Bali, Indonesia



(Above) Perang Api Ritual in Action


Video above shows the place looks deserted on the Nyepi Day (seclusion day), a day where silence, fasting and meditation is observed.


 Perang Api Ritual literally meaning "Fire War" has been practiced over many generations by Hindus in Bali, Indonesia. , Perang Api commemorates on the eve of every Nyepi Festival. This year it was observed on 11th March, 2013.

Fire War is believed to have the potent to dispel negative spirits which started many generations ago. It has its origins hundreds of years ago at a time when the people of Bali was struck by a plaque and many perished. In order to overcome the situation, a ritual was carried out by lighting up a torch, shouting and throwing it at all directions. Incidently, people who were struck by the plaque was cured and that is how this practice became embedded in their tradition.

Before beginning the tradition, purified water is sprinkled on the participants to ensure no untoward incidents during the ritual. Then, coconut husks are piled and burnt which later the participants will kick in all directions. The participants will be broken up with two groups where they will also throw torch made of dried palm leaves on each other.

After the Fire War is over, this is followed by "Nyepi" which is Balinese New Year where the Hindus are required to observe fasting, silence and meditation purely for self-reflection. There is a restriction placed refraining interference with this practice. Any other activities such as working, entertainment or pleasure or even traveling is prohibited. In fact, there is even traditional security men known as "Pecalang" who will monitor and patrol the streets to make sure that the prohibitions are observed. There is an exemption to the rule though, that emergency vehicles carrying persons with life-threatening conditions or women with labor pain are allowed to pass through.

A GRAVE VISIT DURING GRAVEYARD SHIFT AT THE POLICE STATION

Cops on graveyard shift duty at Bandar Hilir police station experienced an incident that sent a chilling shock straight to their spines....