What is the significance of the Heart Sutra?

The Heart Sutra is the most obscure and influential of all Buddhist sutras and is considered the heart of Buddhism. It contains 260 Chinese characters and within those characters, the fundamental Buddhist philosophy that “Form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form; form itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is form”.

What is Buddha？

Buddha is one who has achieved enlightenment. Buddhism is a philosophy that reveals the truth of all matter. It believes that the true wisdom of life is to visualize that all matter is nothingness. It is a continuous practice to achieve an enlightened state.

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[ Design Concept ]

[ 心經 和 琉璃转經輪 ] 

[ The Collection: LIULI Prayer Wheel ]

Non-attachment

Life is full of unrest. Unrest caused by birth, aging, sickness and death; by greed, anger, foolishness, idleness and doubt. Because life is difficult to grasp, only non-attachment can offer peace. This prayer wheel presents itself as a daily reminder and the practice of letting go.

 Be in the present with a turn of the wheel

Each turn of the wheel offers tranquility of heart and soul; each turn is a practice in being present. If one can not change outside factors, why not change your state of being? Take control of your life by spinning the wheel and turning away your troubles.

Practice of Heart and Body

Recitation of the sutra is a form of practice, turning a prayer wheel by hand is another.  The former is manifested vocally, the later is manifested physically.

A Daily Ritual

Praying to Buddha is a form of practicing Buddhism, turning the wheel is a form of practicing Dharma treasure.  Spin the wheel and recite the Heart Sutra - it does not matter if you study Buddhist philosophy or not, it does not matter how deep your understanding is of Buddhism.  Incorporate the prayer wheel as a daily ritualistic practice.  Before you leave in the morning, turn the wheel to welcome a good day; turn the wheel again when you come home to say thanks for a safe and fulfilled return.

Heart Sutra's Blessings on LIULI 

[ ADDITIONAL REFERENCE ]

THE HEART SUTRA
~ Translated from the Sanskrit by Edward Conze ~

Homage to the Perfection of Wisdom, the Lovely, the Holy!

Avalokita, The Holy Lord and Bodhisattva, was moving in the deep course of the Wisdom which has gone beyond. He looked down from on high, He beheld but five heaps, and he saw that in their own-being they were empty.

Here, Sariputra, form is emptiness and the very emptiness is form; emptiness does not differ from form, form does not differ from emptiness; whatever is form, that is emptiness, whatever is emptiness, that is form, the same is true of feelings, perceptions, impulses and consciousness.

Here, Sariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness; they are not produced or stopped, not defiled or immaculate, not deficient or complete.

Therefore, Sariputra, in emptiness there is no form, nor feeling, nor perception, nor impulse, nor consciousness; No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; No forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touchables or objects of mind; No sight-organ element, and so forth, until we come to: No mind-consciousness element; There is no ignorance, no extinction of ignorance, and so forth, until we come to: there is no decay and death, no extinction of decay and death. There is no suffering, no origination, no stopping, no path. There is no cognition, no attainment and non-attainment.

Therefore, Sariputra, it is because of his non-attainmentness that a Bodhisattva, through having relied on the Perfection of Wisdom, dwells without thought-coverings. In the absence of thought-coverings he has not been made to tremble, he has overcome what can upset, and in the end he attains to Nirvana.

All those who appear as Buddhas in the three periods of time fully awake to the utmost, right and perfect Enlightenment because they have relied on the Perfection of Wisdom.

Therefore one should know the prajnaparamita as the great spell, the spell of great knowledge, the utmost spell, the unequalled spell, allayer of all suffering, in truth - for what could go wrong? By the prajnaparamita has this spell been delivered. It runs like this:

Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone altogether beyond, O what an awakening, all-hail!

(Translated by E. Conze)

[ REFERENCE LINKS ]

Prayer Wheel on Wikipedia
Heart Sutra on Wikipedia (English)
Heart Sutra on Wikipedia (in Chinese)
An Introduction to the Heart Sutra on About.com
A Comprehensive Collection of Buddhist Sutra
般若波羅蜜多心經
China Buddhism Encyclopedia: Great Compassion Mantra
Dharma Teaching & Transmission: Great Compassion Mantra
大悲咒  |  大悲心陀羅尼經淺釋