LIVING by VOW: The Heart Sutra - pp 200-205

Well, we’ve come to the end of the Heart Sutra portion of the book.

In this final section, Shohaku wraps things up by reiterating the importance of “emptiness” and “prajna” in our practice. He is careful to remind us to not go to far into the absolute, that balance needs to be maintained.

Looking back on all the sections we’ve gone over together, is there anything that surprised you? Anything that really stood out? Helpful? Confusing?

I have read this book several times and always find something new to discover...

Thank you for spending this time together with me.

Jundo will be taking over the next section covering Sandõkai.

Gassho,

Shugen

Sattoday/LAH

Thank you brother. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

Thank you Shugen looking forward to this final stage. This whole section on The Heart Sutra has been truly educational for me. [monk]

Thank you, Shugen. I think what has stood out for me in this is that everything is impermanent and always changing, and interdependent with everything else.. The chapter has made the Heart Sutra more meaningful to me.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat

I've loved this section. I think what has stood out for me is how Okumura helps us to relate to whatever he is discussing by revealing his own humanity, weaknesses and vulnerability. And somehow by revealing those parts of him he also reveals his wisdom and capacity for understanding. By bringing this approach to his writing he's really helped me to connect intimately with the text.
At the end of the chapter he says "Chanting.... can open our eyes to reality, not to an intellectual reality but rather to our life energy". I personally feel that Okumura, like Jundo Roshi, has the gift of taking the student beyond intellectual understanding to the very nuts and bolts of our lives.
I've read quite a few commentaries on The Heart Sutra but this has been the most original and thought provoking.
Gassho
Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday lah

I gained a much better appreciation for the Heart Sutra from reading this section. The background philosophy and meanings provided by Okumura really helped. I’ll likely read this section again in the future as it was pretty dense.

Thank you

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today

The Heart sutra is the most consistent part of my daily practice. Even when I lapse in sitting Zazen, I still live by, think of, and often recite at least parts of it to myself daily. I use it to ground myself when times are good and as a guide when times are not. It is an invaluable help through the day-to-day suffering that is normal life by reminding me of impermanence and how what appears to be the reality of my displeasures can be broken down to the point I can begin to let them go and move on with life.

I have read a number of Heart Sutra commentaries, but this is the most personal and least academic, which is much appreciated. Because the Heart sutra is very personal to me, I relate to Okumura's personal reflections on it. What all Heart sutra commentaries have taught me is that there is so much depth in this sutra that it can't be fully explained, which to me makes it very Zen because in the end you just need to drop attachment to any specific meaning and live it,,, or as Okumura says at the end, chant it as a way of experiencing it. I am about to do that right now before I sit today.
gassho2