The Essence of the Heart Sutra
Section 1: Freedom and Non-Freedom
What does it mean to be "free" (自在, *zizai*)? The first meaning of freedom refers to a dharmic principle (法, *fa*) that does not depend on any other dharma or condition (缘, *yuan*), and can exist independently by itself. So what kind of dharma can exist independently by itself? Only the inherently pure mind, the Tathagatagarbha (自性清净心如来藏, *zixing qingjing xin rulai zang*), can exist independently without relying on external conditions; thus, it is free, inherently self-existent. The second meaning of freedom refers to the mind of the five aggregates (五蕴, *wuyun*) and seven consciousnesses (七识, *qishi*) being unbound by karmic obstacles (业障, *yezhang*) and karmic conditions (业缘, *yeyuan*), enabling the mind to perform all actions unimpeded. This is the realm of a liberated sage. Ordinary people's five aggregates are bound by karmic conditions, bound by the realms of the six dusts (六尘, *liuchen*), filled with the afflictions (烦恼, *fannao*) of greed, hatred, and delusion (贪嗔痴, *tanchenchi*), and thus are not free. In our Buddhist practice, from the initial stage of a Faith-stage Bodhisattva (信位菩萨, *xinwei pusa*) to the attainment of Buddhahood, there are fifty-two stages to traverse. The higher the stage, the freer the mind of the seven consciousnesses becomes. When on the verge of Buddhahood, the first seven consciousnesses are all transformed into wisdom (转识成智, *zhuanshi chengzhi*), becoming completely and utterly free, just like the Tathagatagarbha.
I. The Non-Freedom of Ordinary Beings
The "freedom" in the Buddha Dharma (佛法, *fofa*) differs from "freedom" in worldly matters (世俗法, *shisu fa*). In worldly matters, freedom generally means a person is unbound by external conditions, free to do whatever they wish, obtain whatever they desire, acting according to their will without obstacles. However, in worldly matters, there is no true freedom at all, because there are various constraints and restrictions in many aspects; complete freedom is impossible. At the very least, one must still depend on the Tathagatagarbha every instant for existence and functioning.
The non-freedom of sentient beings manifests, first, in non-freedom regarding birth. We cannot choose to be born in a pure Buddha-land (佛国土, *foguotu*). We cannot choose to be born in the heavenly realms (天道, *tiandao*) to enjoy bliss. We cannot choose to be born into a family of powerful, meritorious parents. Even our wish to obtain a human body to practice the Buddha Dharma is not guaranteed. We have no control over birth, nor can we choose not to be born. We are completely driven by karmic forces (业风, *ye feng*), blown about and falling into rebirth within the three realms (三界, *sanjie*) and six paths (六道, *liudao*), suffering in the cycle of rebirth.
Second, non-freedom regarding death. When the time to relinquish the body (舍报, *shebao*) arrives, we cannot control even an extra second of life. We cannot relinquish the body prematurely, nor can we delay its relinquishment. When impermanence (无常, *wuchang*) comes, no matter how much we cling to worldly family, property, and possessions, we are forced to let go and depart this life.
Third, non-freedom regarding blessings (福, *fu*). In the world, we pursue enjoyment in material life, but without labor, we have no clothes or food. Without cultivating blessings, we have no material enjoyments whatsoever. Only by following cause and effect (因果, *yinguo*) and seeking according to the Dharma can we ensure that our provisions – food, clothing, bedding, and other material resources – are not lacking.
Fourth, non-freedom regarding the body. There are many people in the world with wealth and power. To ordinary eyes, they seem lofty and should be free and happy. But in reality, they live more arduously than ordinary people, because power and wealth are impermanent. When lacking them, they chase desperately; when possessing them, they strive constantly to protect them, always fearing others will seize them, engaging in overt and covert struggles for power and influence. Even the most powerful king cannot act entirely according to his will without constraint. Ordinary people are even less free, bound by rules and regulations in groups, by national laws, by family constraints at home, and by traffic controls when going out. If they commit crimes, they are imprisoned, losing their personal freedom.
Fifth, non-freedom regarding the three lower realms (三恶道, *san'edao*). Animals mostly spend their lives toiling for food and reproduction, either fighting and killing each other, or being enslaved and slaughtered by humans for food. Hungry ghosts (饿鬼道, *egui dao*) suffer severe lack of food, clothing, and bedding, living in constant misery. Beings in the hell realms (地狱, *diyu*) experience pure suffering without any joy; their only hope is to die quickly to end the torment, but as long as their negative karma is not exhausted, their retribution will not cease. Beings in the three lower realms wish to be liberated from suffering and escape these realms, but bound by karmic retribution, they cannot leave unless their suffering is exhausted. Beings in the three higher realms (三善道, *sanshan dao*) delight in the life of the higher realms and heavens, but at the end of life, bound by karmic retribution, they inevitably fall into the three lower realms to suffer. Therefore, beings in the six paths are not free regarding the three lower realms; they cannot make choices or decisions for themselves.
Sixth, non-freedom regarding the heavens. The heavenly realms are the most desired and seemingly happiest places for beings in the six paths, but even one as noble as Śakra, Lord of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven (忉利天主释提桓因, *Daoli Tianzhu Shiti Huanyin*), is not free. When a heavenly being's heavenly blessings or heavenly lifespan ends, they still must undergo rebirth, perhaps even falling into the three lower realms to suffer according to their karma. This is what heavenly beings most dread. They all wish to escape the cycle of rebirth in the six paths or to enjoy bliss in the heavens forever, but they cannot control it. Even if they know they are about to be reborn in the lower realms, they cannot retain their heavenly life. If Śakra is not a manifestation of a bodhisattva (菩萨化现, *pusa huaxian*), he is an ordinary being, less free than an Arhat (阿罗汉, *aluohan*) in the human realm, less free than a bodhisattva, and even less free compared to a Buddha. Therefore, as long as one has not realized liberation, whether as a human or a heavenly being, one is not free.
II. The Fundamental Freedom of the Inherently Pure Mind
Why is it said that our inherently pure mind, the Tathagatagarbha, is fundamentally and eternally free? Because it does not need to be born and will never perish; it exists without depending on any other dharma. It lacks the six sense faculties (六根, *liugen*), does not correspond to the six dusts (六尘, *liuchen*), lacks the discerning nature of the six consciousnesses (六识, *liushi*), and does not discriminate among the six dusts or the myriad dharmas; therefore, it does not give rise to any afflictive mental activities (烦恼心行, *fannao xinxing*) in response to the realms of the six dusts. It has no afflictions of greed, hatred, or delusion, creates neither unwholesome nor wholesome karma, and thus does not revolve in the cycle of birth and death following karmic actions. It has no eye faculty, does not correspond to form dust, does not discern form dust, and thus is not deluded, turned, or bound by form; it is free regarding form. It has no ear faculty, does not correspond to sound dust; whether praised or reviled, it does not hear, and thus does not give rise to various afflictions in sound dust; it is free regarding sound. The same applies to smell dust, taste dust, and touch dust. Therefore, the Tathagatagarbha, within the realms of the six dusts, is forever thus unmoving, forever free.
The seven consciousnesses of sentient beings necessarily give rise to seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing (见闻觉知, *jian wen jue zhi*) regarding the six dusts; within the six dusts, they are not free. The eye sees form and is deluded by form; the ear hears sound and is turned by sound; the nose smells scents, the tongue tastes flavors, the body feels touch – all are bound. The seven consciousnesses cannot leave the realms of the six dusts; seeing form, they dwell on form; hearing sound, they dwell on sound; smelling scents, they dwell on scents; tasting flavors, they dwell on flavors; feeling touch, they dwell on touch; knowing dharmas, they dwell on dharmas. But the Tathagatagarbha does not give rise to any seeing, hearing, sensing, or knowing regarding the six dusts; it does not touch, is not stained by, does not cling to, and is not bound by the dharmas of the six dusts, so it is free within them.
All dharmas lack inherent nature (自性, *zixing*) and are not free; they cannot exist separately from the Tathagatagarbha. However, the Tathagatagarbha possesses the nature of true reality (真实性, *zhenshixing*), thusness (如如性, *ruruxing*), and independence (不依他性, *buyita xing*); it is not produced by others, and never perishes; therefore, it is free. The self of the five aggregates cannot exist apart from the six dusts. If even one sense faculty is lacking, one becomes disabled, loses the ability to discern one dust, and suffers mentally to that degree. When the six faculties can no longer contact the six dusts, the five aggregates necessarily relinquish the body and become a corpse. Therefore, if sentient beings do not rely on the Tathagatagarbha to seek liberation, they will forever be bound by the five aggregates, unable to escape the suffering of birth and death within the three realms and six paths.
Because the Tathagatagarbha does not give rise to seeing, hearing, sensing, or knowing regarding the six dusts and does not discriminate among them, it has no feelings of suffering or pleasure. When the six consciousnesses experience suffering and pleasure, it does not experience suffering or pleasure; thus, it is free. However, since the Tathagatagarbha is consciousness, it has the functional capacity for discernment and cognition. Actually, it also has sensation (受, *shou*) and perception (想, *xiang*), but these sensation and perception differ greatly from those of the first seven consciousnesses. Unenlightened learners easily misunderstand and confuse them. Even bodhisattvas with the wisdom of the general characteristics (般若总相智, *bore zongxiang zhi*) and specific characteristics (别相智, *biexiang zhi*) can only infer based on the sacred teachings; only bodhisattvas on the bhūmis (地, *di*) who possess the wisdom of the path and its varieties (道种智, *daozhong zhi*) can truly observe them directly. After enlightenment, bodhisattvas study the gateways to understanding the hundred dharmas (百法明门, *bai fa mingmen*), thousand dharmas, and ten thousand dharmas, and study the Consciousness-Only (唯识, *weishi*) scriptures, gradually experiencing the deeper, subtler nature of the Tathagatagarbha. They then discover that its nature is completely and utterly different from that of our conscious mind (觉知心, *juezhi xin*). This is something known only through realization.
III. The Liberated Freedom of Noble Sages
Ordinary beings can, through practice of the Mahayana or Hinayana paths, gradually cause their five-aggregate body and mind to tend towards freedom, even attaining complete freedom. The five aggregates of Śrāvakas (声闻, *shengwen*), Pratyekabuddhas (缘觉, *yuanjue*), Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas are free, but the levels of freedom differ and vary greatly.
First, let's discuss the freedom of Śrāvakas. A Śrāvaka who has severed the view of self (断我见, *duan wojian*) and realized the first fruit (初果, *chuguo*) is somewhat freer in mind compared to an ordinary person. Knowing that the five aggregates and eighteen elements (五阴十八界, *wuyin shiba jie*) are illusory, their craving for the six dusts lessens. Gradually cultivating to become a second-fruit practitioner (二果人, *erguo ren*), they gain a degree of freedom within the realms of the six dusts. Subsequently, realizing the third and fourth fruits, becoming an Arhat (阿罗汉, *aluohan*), they extinguish all craving for the three realms, are completely unbound by worldly dharmas of the three realms, attain liberation of mind, and experience even greater inner freedom. Before entering the remainderless nirvana (无余涅槃, *wuyu niepan*), although an Arhat still possesses a five-aggregate body, they can see form without dwelling on form, hear sound without dwelling on sound; their mind does not cling to the six dusts, and the six dusts bind them very lightly. Thus, within the six dusts, they are relatively free. Arhats with spiritual powers (神通, *shentong*) are even freer. Cultivating the divine eye (天眼通, *tianyan tong*), they can see the realms of the heavens, the hells, and beings of other worlds. Arhats with complete liberation (俱解脱, *ju jietuo*) possess not only the divine eye but also the divine ear (天耳通, *tian'er tong*), mind-reading (他心通, *taxin tong*), recollection of past lives (宿命通, *suming tong*), miraculous powers (神足通, *shenzu tong*), and the extinction of outflows (漏尽通, *loujin tong*). With these six spiritual powers, they know and understand everything, can go anywhere in heaven or earth, and their five-aggregate body and mind are extremely free. Regarding life and death, they are also relatively free compared to ordinary beings. At the end of life, an Arhat can extinguish the mental faculty (意根, *yigen*) if they wish, extinguish the five aggregates if they wish, extend their lifespan if they wish, enter nirvana if they wish, and forever avoid the cycle of birth and death in the threefold world.
Pratyekabuddha sages (缘觉圣人, *yuanjue shengren*) – those born in a world without a Buddha are called Solitary Realizers (独觉, *dujue*) – contemplate and reflect on the twelve links of dependent origination (十二因缘法, *shi'er yinyuan fa*), sever the view of self, the clinging to self (我执, *wozhi*), and craving for the three realms, ultimately able to leave the birth and death of the three realms and enter the remainderless nirvana. Therefore, regarding the myriad dharmas of the six dusts and the dharmas of the five aggregates and eighteen elements, Pratyekabuddha sages are free; regarding life and death, they are relatively free. Compared to Śrāvaka sages, Pratyekabuddhas possess deeper and broader wisdom, but compared to Bodhisattvas, their minds are still not free enough; they still fear the bondage of birth and death in the three realms. Both Pratyekabuddha and Śrāvaka sages share a common characteristic: they cannot realize the originally free, inherently pure mind – the Tathagatagarbha. They need to turn their minds towards the Mahayana (回心修学大乘, *huixin xiu xue dasheng*) when conditions are ripe in the future, re-awaken the mind (明心, *mingxin*), realize the fundamental mind, the Tathagatagarbha, and become Mahayana Bodhisattvas to attain greater freedom.
The minds of Bodhisattvas are far freer than those of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas because they have realized that all dharmas are manifestations projected by the Tathagatagarbha and are not truly existent; thus, they are fearless regarding all dharmas. The Heart Sutra (心经, *Xin Jing*) speaks precisely of the wisdom realm of the Bodhisattva Who Observes Freedom (观自在菩萨, *Guanzizai Pusa*), which is profoundly deep. Such Bodhisattvas have long since awakened to the true mind (真心, *zhenxin*); their concentration (定, *ding*) and wisdom (慧, *hui*) are both very deep and subtle. They can freely observe and contemplate the profound principles of the Buddha Dharma according to their mind's inclination. They can observe directly at any time how their true mind operates, how it combines with the five aggregates and seven consciousnesses to produce the myriad dharmas, and they can also observe the functional nature of the Tathagatagarbha in other beings of the six paths.
After awakening to the mind, Bodhisattvas discover that they and all sentient beings have a true suchness mind-body (真如心体, *zhenru xinti*) constantly operating. This mind is inherently existent and can exist independently without relying on any external conditions. After recognizing and taking refuge in this true principle mind-body, the deluded mind of the seven consciousnesses can gradually become non-attached to appearances, non-grasping, and unstained by the myriad dharmas; thus, the mind gains a degree of freedom. Enlightened Mahāsattva Bodhisattvas (菩萨摩诃萨, *pusa mohesa*), after cultivating the four dhyānas (四禅, *sichan*) and eight concentrations (八定, *bading*), can freely travel to the Buddha-lands of the ten directions, and can manifest different kinds of physical bodies (色身, *seshen*) according to conditions to benefit sentient beings. This level of freedom is far beyond what Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas can achieve.
After attaining the Bodhisattva grounds (登地, *deng di*), Bodhisattvas cultivate the four dhyānas and eight concentrations. Upon perfecting the third ground (三地满心, *san di manxin*), they cultivate spiritual powers; their spiritual powers are vastly superior to those of Arhats. With a single thought, they can manifest tens of thousands of mind-made bodies (意生身, *yisheng shen*). Cultivating to the eighth-ground Bodhisattva (八地菩萨, *badi pusa*), they can freely manifest a great trichiliocosm (三千大千世界, *sanqian daqian shijie*), and can have countless transformation bodies (分身, *fenshen*). If an eighth-ground Bodhisattva wishes to move the Earth to another galaxy, they can do so instantly, undetected by sentient beings. Seeing sentient beings living in hardship, moved by compassion, they can manifest immeasurable food, clothing, and necessities to aid the poor. If a Bodhisattva wishes to teach beings in the form of a Buddha, they can manifest a Buddha's physical body and demonstrate the eight aspects of a Buddha's life (八相成道, *baxiang chengdao*) to liberate beings. To whatever form a sentient being is receptive, the Bodhisattva can manifest accordingly. This level of freedom is immeasurably higher, beyond comparison with Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas. Cultivating to the stage of Equal Enlightenment (等觉, *dengjue*) and Wonderful Enlightenment (妙觉, *miaojue*), Bodhisattvas become even freer. The freest, naturally, are the Buddhas of the ten directions; for a Buddha, there is not a single dharma in which they are not free.
As practitioners in the Dharma-Ending Age (末法时代, *mofa shidai*), we should take Bodhisattvas as our model, constantly observe our own points of non-freedom, and generate the mind seeking liberation (出离心, *chuli xin*), the mind weary of the afflictions of birth and death (厌离生死烦恼的心, *yanli shengsi fannao de xin*). With this mind of weariness, we can then arouse the mind for cultivating the path (修道心, *xiudao xin*), and our practice can succeed. Bodhisattvas who have attained initial achievements must continually examine their points of freedom and non-freedom, wisely understanding the vast gap between their own state and the Buddha ground. They must take the Buddha's ultimate liberation and great freedom as the final goal, practicing with courageous vigor (勇猛精进, *yongmeng jingjin*). They must compassionately regard sentient beings suffering in the cycle of birth and death, lacking freedom, and generate the great vow (发大愿, *fa dayuan*) to rescue beings throughout the infinite future, enabling them all to attain Buddhahood together (同成佛道, *tong cheng fudao*).
