The metaphysics of emptiness has aroused innumerable comments, brilliant speculations, as well as a brief sutra of the Prajna-Paramita which summarizes, with admirable concision, that decisive conquest of the ineffable by the Mahayana doctors.
The heart sutra is recited daily by Tibetan and Japanese Buddhist monks before beginning their ritual exercises.
We have chosen to comment on it, because it constitutes the indestructible core of the doctrine, the nucleus around which the great wheel of Buddha Law, the Dharma, revolves.
The original text in Sanskrit, which was later translated for use by the followers, is the following:
«GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA»
By ZEN J. M. Varenne
In Sanskrit: गते गते पार गते पार संगते बोधि स्वाहा) is a Buddhist mantra that is found at the end of the Heart Sutra, often cited as the best-known Buddhist scripture and included in the Prajnaparamita (“Perfection of Wisdom”) section of the Mahayana Buddhist canon. https://www.yogapedia.com/definition
What does each of these words mean?
GATE: Literally “Gone”. This sutra is, in a way, a testimony and an invitation. Testimony of an experience realized by Master Avalokiteswara, and an invitation addressed to all who intend to reach total liberation from suffering. (gone from the perceptual world)
GATE: repetition and emphasis on the action of practicing the mantra, it also implies the continuos effort to be aware and attentive in meditation, as the distracted side of the mind will fight tirelessly to divert the consciousness from its goal towards liberation.
PARAGATE: Literally: “Going beyond.” Once we go through the darkening curtain of phenomena, we obtain a natural perception of these phenomena: the experience of phenomenon and noumenon.
PARASAMGATE: Literally: “Completely exposed, stripped.” “Void is emptiness.”
BODHI: Literally: “Awakened.” We no longer wear masks. Nothing can affect our deep being, small as a grain of sand, immense as the cosmos.
SVAHA: “Salvation!” The essence participating of the internal salvation, the internal Buddha saves the buddhatta.
Gnostic Buddhists meditate unceasingly on this exceptional mantra, “whose suggestive charge is decisive for the intellect, still caught up in its projections, focuses directly on the ultimate reality, and exactly encompasses the liberating experience of emptiness. “
PRACTICE
“It is possible that in a practice of deep meditation, the consciousness of a human being can escape from the ego and experience the bliss of the enlightening void. Obviously, if one succeeds, one will work with pleasure on himself/herself, will work with ardor, for one will certainly have experienced, in the absence of the ego, that which is the Truth. That which is not of time; that which is beyond the body, the affections and the mind.
Here I have taught you a simple way to meditate, because there is a type of meditation that is dedicated to self-exploration of the ego, with the purpose of disintegrating it, turning it to ashes. There is also another type of meditation, which aims to get one to the experience of the real. I hope you succeed so that you would continue to be animated inwardly and work on yourself. However, I think it is necessary to have some mantra that would serve us.
The mantra that I am going to give is very simple:
GATE, GATE, PARAGATE, PARASAMGATE, BODHI, SWAHA.
This mantram is pronounced like: gaaateeeee, gaaateeeee, paragaaateeeee, parasamgaaateeeee, booodhhhiiiiii, suaaaaa, jaaaaa. In our hearts it must have been recorded.
This mantram is pronounced gently, deeply and in the heart. It can also be used as a muted verb, because there are two types of verb: articulated verb and silenced verb. Silenced verb is powerful.
This mantra, I understand that it opens the eye of Dagma. This profound mantra, one day, will lead you to experience, (in the absence of the ego), the enlightening emptiness. Then you will know what Sunyata is, then you will understand what the Prajna-Paramita is.
Perseverance is what is needed, with this mantra you can get very far.
It is convenient to experience the great reality at some time in life, that experience fills one with the spirit to fight against the self the I, the ego. That is the Sunyata’s advantage. That is the greatest advantage that exists in relation to the experience of the real. And today, in order to take advantage of meditation and the mantra as we should, we will go into meditation for a moment, with the mantra.”
PRACTICE OF MEDITATION
I ask all the brothers, then, to enter into meditation.
Relax the body totally, after relaxed we surrender totally to our deep inner God. Without thinking of anything, just reciting the complete mantra with the mind and heart.
Meditation should be profound, intensive, closed eyes, relaxed body, completely surrendered to our inner God.
Not a thought should be admitted in these moments. The surrender to our God must be total and only the mantra must resonate in our hearts.
– Turn off the lights, relax the whole body.
– Complete relaxation and total surrender to our deep inner God.
– Do not think of anything, nothing, nothing, nothing…
– I will recite the mantra, I will repeat it many times so that it is not forgotten: gaaateeeee, gaaateeeee, paragaaateeeee parasamgaaateeeee, booodiiiiii, suaaaaa, jaaaaa..
– Keep repeating in your hearts … do not think of anything at all … let us surrender ourselves to our God…
– Feel like a corpse … like a deceased..
By Samael Aun Weor
Glossary
- Illuminating Void: Mystical experience, where the body being relaxed and the mind completely still, a mystical rapture is experienced, taking the essence to momentarily being integrated with the Innermost.
- Mantra: “words of power” Wise combination of sounds to produce a desired effect, it may be physical, mental or spiritual, in this case we seek the relaxation of the mind.
- Sutra: a Buddhist or Jainist scripture.
Prajnaparamita
(Sanskrit) Literally, “the perfection of wisdom.”
- The Prajnaparamita type of vision in its more elevated degree is the same “Eye of Dangma,” the Polyvision that one acquires when the ego is 100% dead.
- The Prajnaparamita Sutra, also known as the Heart Sutra, is the source of the famous mantra Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Swaha.
- In Mahayana Buddhism, Prajnaparamita refers also to the literature which outlines the mahayana path and the teachings on emptiness.
Glossary input from gnosticteachings.org
