The Essence of the Heart Sutra

Appendix: The Verse Spoken by Bodhisattva Juelin in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra (Huayan Jing)

In the "Verses of Praise in the Yama Palace" chapter of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra (Huayan Jing), Bodhisattva Juelin, relying on the Buddha's majestic power, spoke a verse, which contains four lines: “心如工画师，能画诸世间，五蕴悉从生，无法而不造。” These four lines of verse are printed at the beginning of every copy of the Kṣitigarbha Sūtra (Dizang Jing). The meaning is that the tathāgatagarbha is like a skilled painter who can paint the universe's material world of the three realms, and can also paint the five-aggregate material bodies of sentient beings; all dharmas are transformed, created, and painted by Him.

Let us first look at how a skilled painter paints. He first mixes the pigments, prepares the brushes and the canvas, and then, according to the conception in his mind or the scenery before his eyes, uses the brush to depict and copy it out. If he thinks of a mountain in his mind, he dips the brush in pigment and paints a mountain; if he thinks of a river, he paints a river; if he thinks of a Buddha statue, he paints a Buddha statue. The tathāgatagarbha, likewise like a skilled painter, can paint our five aggregates and eighteen realms, and paint the world of the three realms. Yet the tathāgatagarbha has no conception and no imagination; it does not paint according to its own intent, but paints entirely in accordance with the stored karmic seeds.

If the karmic seeds are those of a human being, it uses the seeds of the seven great elements to paint a human being; if the karmic seeds are those of a man, it paints a man; if those of a woman, it paints a woman; if those of an animal, it paints an animal; if those of a hungry ghost, it paints a hungry ghost. When painting mountains, rivers, and the great earth, the tathāgatagarbha transmits the four great element seeds of earth, water, fire, and wind, transforming them into mountains, rivers, and the great earth, transforming them into the planet Earth, the universe, and the starry sky, transforming them into Mount Sumeru, and transforming them into the heavenly palaces of the various levels of heavens. The four great oceans beneath the Earth—He can transform them; the seven golden mountains—He can also transform them; and the hells below—He can transform all of them as well. These transformed aggregates and material worlds, changing back and forth, all come about in accordance with the karmic seeds of sentient beings; He does not transform them arbitrarily, without cause or basis.

The tathāgatagarbha is like a skilled painter; the karmic seeds are like the conception in the painter's mind; the seeds of the seven great elements are like the pigments the painter uses; and the mental factors (caittas) of the tathāgatagarbha are like the painter's brush. Whatever karmic seeds are stored there, it uses the seeds of the seven great elements to paint the aggregates-and-world corresponding to those karmic seeds—He paints with reason and basis. Exactly how the tathāgatagarbha transforms and creates the mountains, rivers, and great earth, how it transmits the seeds of the seven great elements, how it transforms and creates our material bodies and five aggregates, and how it gives rise to our seven consciousness-minds—these details must be observed and contemplated bit by bit after the wisdom of the varieties of paths has been cultivated; then ever more expansive wisdom will arise, one's progress on the Path will continually advance, and merit will continually grow. Practicing and cultivating the Buddha's learning is truly the most joyful and carefree of all things!

With this, the entire exposition of the Heart Sutra of Prajñāpāramitā is complete. May everyone study the Dharma without obstruction, advance diligently on the Path, and attain bodhi soon!

General dedication of merit for the practice:

May the three obstructions and all afflictions be extinguished; may wisdom be attained and true clarity realized;

May all karmic obstructions be utterly eliminated, and may I walk the Bodhisattva Path life after life!

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Manuscript completed: March 15, 2016

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Proofread again: December 20, 2018