Heart Sutra is moving to YouTube – Palm Beach Dharma Center

Heart Sutra is moving to YouTube Live on July 14!

“The Heart Sutra is considered to contain in its few lines the essence, or the condensed meaning of the entire Prajnaparamita. What is the nature of Prajnaparamita? It is the wisdom that realizes directly phenomena as they are. Prajnaparamita is translated many ways: for example, “supreme transcendent wisdom,” “the great emptiness,” “the true nature of all phenomena,” or “the absolute truth.”

Ven. Khenpo Rinpoches

This move will bring major improvements to our audio and video, and make the experience much more enjoyable for participants.

We hope that you will join us on Tuesday, July 14 at 7:00 p.m., and every Tuesday after that, as we practice the Heart Sutra together online.

Please to go the Palm Beach Dharma Center YouTube channel to join us!

We are using a slightly modified version of the Heart Sutra practice, to accommodate those who do not have the full sadhanas at home. Please download the practice text below.

PBDC – Virtual Heart Sutra text

We look forward to practicing together online while the Center remains physically closed.

Prajnaparamita, or the “Perfection of Wisdom,” is one of the most famous teachings in the Mahayana school of Buddhism. It describes the nature of reality as it is, and is the basis of the bodhisattva path, as well as the view and meditation in Vajrayana Buddhism. This teaching represents the second turning of the wheel of Dharma given by Buddha Shakyamuni, which unites wisdom and compassion as bodhichitta. By studying, contemplating, and meditating on these profound teachings, one will come to fully understand and absorb this Perfection of Wisdom.

The Heart Sutra is considered to contain in its few lines the essence, or the condensed meaning of the entire Prajnaparamita. What is the nature of Prajnaparamita? It is the wisdom that realizes directly phenomena as they are. Prajnaparamita is translated many ways: for example, “supreme transcendent wisdom,” “great emptiness,” the “true nature of all phenomena,” or “absolute truth.”

“I bow to Prajnaparamita, the Wisdom Gone Beyond!

These days, throughout the world and especially in this powerful nation of America, it is common to see developments in the fields of science that are increasing our general understanding of how matter exists and functions from an external point of view. The scientists doing this research deserve continuous praise for their analyses of various aspects of reality; regardless of whether or not they believe in the Buddha, their work has confirmed many aspects of his teaching. However, science alone has not shown that it is capable of dispelling suffering or producing blissful experiences in any ultimate way.

To achieve ultimate results, we need to look inward to the vast and exceedingly profound mind itself, and discover its mode of being. Since this is not easily done—in fact, it is extremely difficult—one generally needs to find and follow a flawless path. The Prajnaparamita is just such a path. By steadily relying on its perfect view, it is possible to dispel all suffering and produce untold benefit and happiness for both self and others, as did countless scholar-practitioners who appeared and were witnessed in ancient India and Tibet. The view they attained is like the sky, free from conceptual extremes; it is like the sun, clearing away the dark clouds of ignorance; and it is like the moon, emitting cool rays of calm and bliss.”