The Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra is an early Mahayana scripture. It has been
transformed many times over the centuries. Scholars believe the earliest parts
of the sutra were written around 100 BCE. The numerous rewritings make it possible
to speak of the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtras. Also, so many commentaries have
been written on the sutras, we often hear the materials referred to as a genre:
the Prajña Paramita literature.
There is an 8,000 line (sloka) version of the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra. That version was expanded to 10,000 lines and later to 100,000 lines. The explanation given by Mahayanists and scholars is that the expansions resulted from new revelations. Over the centuries, following this trend to expand the Sutra was a trend to reduce it to more essential forms. These reduced versions are known as the Wisdom Sutra, then the Heart Sutra. The Heart Sutra is a short scripture meant to be the "heart" of the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra. It is short enough to be relatively easily and chanted, which is popularly has been from some time in China, Taiwan, Korean and Japan. But the trend to reduce the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra to its most essential form did not stop with the Heart Sutra. It is said by some to exist in the single syllable "A". I will be speaking mostly of the early 8,000 line Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra, which can be found in English translation by Edward Conze.
In East Asia, the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra and the Heart Sutra have been extremely influential among Buddhists, artists, rulers and laypersons. As with other Buddhist sutras, the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra says that copying it bring good luck, especially if it is distributed to others or preserved for later generations. In East Asia, this sutra, and others, have been copied for good health, for example, or ordered copied by the emperor for good effects for the country.
The Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra is also represented iconographically. Statues of deity by the name "Prajña Paramita" can be found in East Asia. This deity and others hold the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra in hand.
Most Buddhist sutras establish their authority by claiming to be the words of the Buddha. It is common for Buddhist sutras to open with the line, "Thus I have heard." The Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra is no exception to this. The meaning of "Thus I have heard," is what follows are the words of the Buddha, recorded exactly as heard by a direct follower. The word, "Thus," is very important to many Buddhist. We see this, for example, in the expressions "Thus-ness," reality exactly like it is with nothing added and nothing taken away. It is "Thus-ness" that the practitioner comes to perceive through meditation. This is one of the main concepts in the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra. Another example of the importance of the word "Thus" for many Buddhist is found in the term "Thus-come," another name for the Buddha, the one who has Thus-come from enlightenment to save all humanity from suffering.
Although the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra followed the tradition of the earlier, non-Mahayana sutras by opening with the famous line, "Thus I have heard," non-Mahayana Buddhists objected, saying the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra was written by poets and reads like a novel.
In the sutra, the term "Prajña" is used to refer to the highest wisdom. It is common in Buddhism to distinguish between wisdom and knowledge. Paramita means perfection, that is, practice for achieving perfection. Sutra is a stitch, just like the doctor gives. Like the work text, which comes from textile, stitch can refer to the cloth material making a book or the stitched together words and ideas of the book. Either way, it is a book or, in the case of Buddhists Sutras, a scripture. Together, the time Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra means The Perfection of Wisdom Scripture or The Scripture for the Perfection of Wisdom.
As with the Christian Gospels, in the sutras, which disciple of the Buddha recorded the words is important, that is, who begins by saying, "Thus I have heard." The one recording the words might also appear in the scripture. Mahayana Buddhist sutras typically are written in dialogue. It is no wonder the non-Mahayanist said the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra reads like a novel. We should note, however, there may be other reasons for this criticism by the non-Mahayanists. Some scholars believe the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra was written as a protest against what Buddhism had become in the centuries (perhaps four or five centuries) after the death of the Buddha. These scholars hold that the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra advocates a return to the original message of the Buddha, emphasizing meditation and charity rather than state-sponsored monastic living. If so, the founders of Mahayana Buddhism likely had the same purpose. It is no wonder that later practitioners of Zen held and hold the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra in high esteem. Zen means meditation, being a Japanese rendering of the Sanskrit word dhyana, meditation. Both Zen and the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra emphasize meditation and the direct experience of "Thus-ness."
There are a number of speakers in the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra. The three having the most lines are the Buddha and three of his closest disciples: Subhuti, Sariputra and, speaking only eight times, Ananda. There also appears Maitreya, who is known to be the next Buddha to come in the future. Maitreya was revered in East Asia, especially in China, where his following became huge. Several Chinese emperors associated themselves with the image of Maitreya, insinuating or directly claiming to be the next Buddha. In Japan, the following of Maitreya grew after the introduction of Buddhism, but appears to have be replaced by the immensely popular worship of Amida (Amitabha), the celestial Buddha known to save his believes by bringing them to Sukavati, his heaven located somewhere in the western hemisphere of space. Amitabha does not appear in the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra.
Subhuti
The speaker with the most lines in the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra is Subhuti.
In this sutra, the Buddha speaks through him, that is, the words of Subhuti
in the scripture are none other than the words of the Buddha himself. In older
Buddhism before the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra, Subhuti was known as one of
the Buddha's "Eighty Great Disciples." Subhuti was especially known
for his friendliness and loving-kindness. These were subordinated virtues in
older Buddhism. But, they become prominent in Mahayana Buddhism, with the emphasis
in the Bodhisattva, an ideal person who the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra describes.
Sariputra
Sariputra is the speaker having the second most lines in the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra. For the older Buddhists, known as the Elders, Sariputra had bee the first
to excel in wisdom. That is to say, Sariputra excelled in the Abhidharma, "Abhi"
meaning higher, and "dharma," in this case, meaning doctrine. The
Buddhist Abhidharma is a logical method for understanding the human condition:
our surroundings, how we are effected by our surroundings and based on these
findings, what we can do to achieve enlightenment. Those interested in Abhidharma,
classified all human experiences, creating and memorizing long lists in order
to understand our situation and to establish a logical method for attaining
enlightenment. Conze says they, "analyzed and classified all those processes
and events in the conditioned world which could be held to affect salvation."
However, this Abhidharma tradition later received much criticism for its logic
and list building. Had this been the message or method of the Buddha? Was enlightenment
or higher wisdom understandable via logic? In the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra,
because Sariputra is obsessed with Abhidharma, he is blind to what the sutra
calls the "One Ultimate Truth."
Ananda
Ananda speaks only eight times in the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra. He was known
in the earlier Buddhist literature as "The Treasurer of the Dharma,"
Dharma in this since meaning the teachings of the Buddha. [The world Dharma,
often appearing in English translation with a capital "D", means the
teachings of the Buddha. Dharma, often in English with a small "d"
also means the elements of the world, that is, things…stuff.] Ananda, was
known as the treasurer of the Dharma because he, better than anyone, memorized
the Buddha's sermons. For this reason, he appears in the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra to authenticate it, to show the Buddha actually taught these lessons.
Indra and other deities of the Vedic or Hindu pantheon also appear as speakers in the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra, as they often do in Mahayana Buddhists paintings and sculpture. The reason for such appearances is fairly clear, to establish the superiority of the doctrine over those represented by the deities.
A Bodhisattva is literally an "Enlightenment Being" (88), sometimes called an "Enlightening Being," since she or he is not yet fully enlightened but still becoming enlightened. A Bodhisattva is a "Being who strives for Bodhi" (11). Bodhi is enlightenment. We find the root in the name "Buddha," which means the perfectly enlightened one. The tree the Buddha sat under at the time of his enlightenment is called the "Bodhi Tree," the enlightenment tree.
In the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra, the Bodhisattva is the ideal being the
practitioner should be. Some of the things the sutra says about a Bodhisattva
follow.
A) A Bodhisattva desires to extinguish attachments.
B) The Bodhi of the Jinas is their future lot.
C) The Bodhisattva is not touched by the three dimensions of time and the conditioned.
The sutra says a Bodhisattva should help others to realize the perfect wisdom.
However, if he or she thinks, "suffering I shall remove," then the
practice of the highest perfection is lacking (12). This is a reoccurring motif
in the sutra: that all self consciousness and over-analysis must be removed
from practice. The sutra says, "Those who succeed in ridding themselves
of perceptions, they, having reached the Beyond, fulfill the Teacher's commandments"
(12). It also says:
This world is attached to the mud of name-and-form.
The wheel of birth-and-death revolves, similar to a wind-wheel…
He who, coursing perfectly pure, does not course in form,
Nor in consciousness, perception, feeling or will;
Thus coursing he shuns all attachments.
Freed from attachments he courses in the wisdom of the Sugatas.
In this passage, we find what the Bodhisattva is to be, free from attachments, and how s/he is to achieve this: by getting rid of consciousness, perception, feeling and will. This is achieved by practicing the Paramita. The type of concentration or meditation required is that which does away with consciousness, perception, feeling and will.
It is commonly taught in English books on Buddhism, that a Bodhisattva is a person who has come close to enlightenment and can achieve enlightenment but chooses not to for the sake of humanity. Paul Williams, who wrote a book entitled "Mahayana Buddhism," questioned this, asking Tibetan Buddhists if this is true. The Buddhists replied that if a practitioner was capable of achieving full enlightenment, she or he should do so immediately.
The Perfections or Paramita in the title of the sutra and the topic of the
sutra are six.
1) giving - this is the Bodhisattva ideal of helping others, friendliness represented
by Subhuti.
2) morality - the practice of the vows.
3) patience - in ones practices
4) vigor - in ones practices
5) concentration - this is meditation, a certain type advocated by the sutra
6) wisdom
The first five are the way to achieve the sixth: wisdom. The sutra says, "These five perfections of the Jinas have there name from the perfection of wisdom. When they are being turned over into all-knowledge, the name of enlightenment provides one simple principle for all the six of them." It also says, "All-knowledge alone he can hope to acquire by this training" (14).
3. Thus-ness or Such-ness and Emptiness
According to the sutra, if the perfections are practiced, the Bodhisattva will
realized Thus-ness (tathata). The sutra says of suchness: "There is no
difference in North, South, East and West; no difference in past, present and
future" (38, also see 32). It also says,
"Firmly established remains this fixed sequence of Dharmahood: 'Dharmas
are empty.'
It is this Suchness (tathata) that the Bodhisattvas understand.
Therefore then have the Buddhas been given the name of 'Tathagatas.'
This is the sphere of the guides, with their own powers,
Who reside in the delightful forests of the perfection of wisdom.
Although they fetch suffering beings out of the three places of woe,
Yet they never have anywhere the notion of a being (31).
In this, again we find the notion of no self-conscious action. Although the Bodhisattva helps beings, he or she has no concept of being. Subhuti repeatedly says things to this end: the thought of enlightenment is no thought (84). To this Sariputra responds in his over-analytical way, isn't no thought a thought? According to the sutra, this kind of analysis will not get a person to the perfection of wisdom. Only practicing the Paramitas can.
Along these same lines we find, "Nothing real is meant by the word Bodhisattva" (89) the Bodhisattva thinks, 'countless bings should I lead to Nirvana and yet there are none who lead to Nirvana, or who should be led.' (90).
We may typically think of Buddhist as a relaxed, carefree person. Yet, when we consider having no conceptions it is a scary thought. The sutra says so too, "To hear this exposition without fear is great" (90). Fear and going beyond fear is a repeated motif in Buddhist. This is often unknown or forgotten by the English speaking audience. This sutra and much of Buddhism tells us the idea of a self is an illusion. One of the most fearful things for us may be the thought of losing our selves. Yet, this is the very thing much of Buddhism advocates. The idea of self arises from ignorance of how things really are, that is Thus-ness.
The sutra says a Bodhisattva demonstrates to others the following are erroneous views that should be abandoned: "the assumption of a self, a being, a living soul, a person, of becoming, of non-being, of annihilation, of eternity of individuality" (89).
Throughout, there are references and metaphors concerning the Bodhisattva's
contemplation of emptiness or Thus-ness as empty. The Bodhisattva experiences
neither the 'Blessed Rest' of Nirvana nor courses in 'the sign,' like the flying
bird has no footing (46).
The verses summarizing the sutra tell us.
How and Why One Should Dwell in Emptiness.
A bird dwells in space, but does not fall down.
A fish dwells amidst water, but does not die.
Just so the Bodhisattva who through the trances and powers has gone beyond,
Dwells in the empty, but does not reach the Blessed Rest.
One who wants to go to the summit of the qualities of all beings,
To experience the best, the exceedingly wonderful, Buddha-cognition,
To give the best gift of the highest and supreme Dharma,
He should resort to this best dwelling of those who bring benefit (60).
People often ask why should anyone study Buddhism or practice Buddhism. The first Noble Truth of Buddhism is "All Life is Suffering." Yet, in today's world of high-tech fun and games or the youth culture, this might seem an anachronistic notion and Buddhism an archaic way of thinking. The verse above tells who should practice Buddhism and why: "One who wants to go to the summit of the qualities of all beings, To experience the best, the exceedingly wonderful, Buddha-cognition, To give the best gift of the highest and supreme Dharma." That's who should practice Buddhism and why. For whatever reasons, a small percentage of people in society appear to have a drive to experience such things or attempt to. Whether we believe one can achieve no-thought or not, this much must be admitted: that some people have a drive to experience the highest wisdom attainable.
According to the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra, this highest wisdom is beyond description and cognition. The scripture tells us the saints and their goal are illusions, even Buddhas, ven Nirvana is like an illusion, like a dream. "No one will grasp this perfect wisdom as here explained [i.e., explained in such a way that there is no explanation at all]. For no dharma at all has been indicated, lit up, or communicated. So, there will be no one who grasps it (99). Subhuti says as Bodhisattva is a non-production and to talk of production-dharma is not intelligible. Sariputra says, to talk of non-production is also not intelligible. Subhuti says, non-production is just talk…just a flash in the mind…nothing else (94).
The sutra tells us the "Four Dhayana" (meditations or trances) are
"the basis for attainment of the supreme and unsurpassed enlightenment"
(63) and, although there is fear in losing the self, these Four Dhayana bring
"joy and ease" (64). The Four Dhayana are progressive stages of meditation
mentioned in numerous texts and said to be the method of the historical Buddha.
Rather than describing specifics for undertaking meditation, scriptures typically
describe the subjective experiences associated with each of the four stages.
For example, the practitioner first experiences tranquility, then joy and finally
all emotions are left behind.
In the sutra, the Buddha says, knowing the following will increase endurance: By training in the perfection of wisdom, the practitioner "will by and by become one who obtains the dharmas which constitute a buddha, and will get near to full enlightenment…by training himself in this training, coursing in it, struggling in it, he will bring forth all the fruits of the holy life…(122).
The authors of the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra repeatedly state the subject matter is not comprehensible as presented in the text. This statement may seem remarkable but it falls within the tradition of what has been called Buddhist mysticism as well as mysticism of other traditions. It may assume the necessity of guidance from a teacher. If so, this is not stated and we might recall the Buddha had no meditation teacher for his final realization.
The numerous statements concerning there being no one to teach, no teaching, no Bodhisattva, no Buddha, and so forth, seem to come from the perspective achieved through meditation. This state of meditation corresponds to Buddhist practices for cessation of thought or conceptualization. The sutra says, "A Bodhisattva should not perceive a thought. This is meritorious work towards full enlightenment." Thus, the sutra maintains the highest wisdom is achieved by cutting of thought in meditation and acting in society in ways that are close to this meditative state, that is, act without becoming self-conscious or reflective about the act. Whereas Socrates said the unreflective life is not worth living, the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra appears, at first glance to be saying the opposite. If so, it would be anti-intellectual. Likewise, Buddhist scriptures and commentaries often address the charge that the concept of Emptiness is the equivalent to nihilism. The authors of the Prajñā Pāramitā Sūtra clearly intend to frame their message in a positive light in regards to intellectualism, referring to the attainment advocated not as the destruction of wisdom but as the highest wisdom. The realization of this highest wisdom is described as accompanied by joy.