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Sunday 4 September 2022

emptiness

Apologies to listeners who expect a new show this month. I've experienced difficulty with my aggregates this summer and felt unable to raise the artistic juice to produce a September EMFAB. 

Please come back again at the beginning of October. Hopefully, normal service will resume.


THE HEART SŪTRA


The Bodhisattva of Compassion,

When he meditated deeply,

Saw the emptiness of all five skandhas

And sundered the bonds that caused him suffering.


Hear then,

Form is no other than emptiness,

Emptiness no other than form.

Form is only emptiness,

Emptiness only form.


Feeling, thought and choice,

Consciousness itself

Are the same as this.


All things are the primal void,

Which is not born or destroyed;

Nor is it stained or pure,

Nor does it wax or wane.


So, in emptiness, no form,

No feeling, thought, or choice,

Nor is there consciousness.


No eye, ear, tongue, body, mind;

No colour, sound, smell, taste, touch,

Or what the mind takes hold of,

Nor even act of sensing.


No ignorance or end of it,

Nor all that comes from ignorance;

No withering, no death,

No end of them.


Nor is there pain or cause of pain,

Or cease in pain, or noble path

To lead from pain;

Not even wisdom to attain!

Attainment too is emptiness.


So know that the Bodhisattva

Holding to nothing whatever,

But dwelling in Prajña wisdom,

Is freed of delusive hindrance,

Rid of the fear bred by it,

And reaches clearest Nirvāna.


All Buddhas past and present,

Buddhas of future time,

Using this Prajñā wisom,

Come to full and perfect vision.


Hear then the great dhāranī,

The radiant peerless mantra,

The Pranjñāpāramitā

Whose words allay all pain;

Hear and believe its truth!


Gate gate paragate pārasamgate bodhi svāhā