A Commentary on Heart Sūtra Part 2

Commentary:

The ordinary worldlings do not discern the Ultimate Truth(勝義諦) of the multiplicity (森羅萬象) which is actually an illusion. Because they reify or objectify all phenomena (取相), they perceive them as independent or discrete entities (獨存個體) not contigent upon others. The phenomena of arising (生) and ceasing (滅), impurity (垢) and purity (淨), and increasing (增) and decreasing(減) are only applicable to the view of separate or discrete entities. These discrete entities  undergo transformations or changes by themselves. The substantial view of discrete or independent entities is false conceptualization (戲論) due to ignorance (無明) and perversion (顛倒). When one is self-awakened to the Ultimate Truth that all phenomena do not exist as discrete or independent entities, all those aforementioned six characteristics of discrete entities automatically vanish. The purpose of negating these six characteristics is to discern the Truth of Dependent Arising (八不緣起) in terms of the Emptiness (空性) of inherent existence. This ultimate Truth is the Right View or Wisdom of the enlightened ones, such as Bodhisattvas and Buddhas. These six negations of neither arising nor ceasing, neither purity or impurity, and neither increasing nor decreasing are posited because in actuality, all phenomena do not exist ontologically in this substantial manner. The six characteristics are erroneously conceptualized or fabricated mentally by the ordinary worldlings. They  are mere false mental constructs or false imaginations of an ignorant or unenlightened mind. They appear to be real but are actually unreal. Ontological commitment (substantial view of ontology) is an erroneous view (邪見). Śākyamuni Buddha himself rejects 62 wrong views of substantialism of absolute existence (有) and absolute non-existence (無) or eternalism (常) and annihilationism (斷). In fact, Dependent Co-arising or Emptiness pertains to relinquishing of all views inclusive of the six negations.

The six characteristics are substantial view of signs, marks or characteristics of the multiplicity. They are ultimately illusive and unreal. They are not compatible to the empty view of Dependent Co-arising which rejects separateness or independence. The ultimate Truth of Dependent Co-arising or Emptiness is the Unity (法界一相;一真法界) of the infinite cosmos. Whoever perceives suchness (tathatā) of Unity perceives the Buddha-nature which is the Dharma realm of Unity.

 Commentary:

In Mahāyāna Buddhism, Emptiness (śūnyatā空性) is utilized as expedient device (upāya) to elucidate Dependent Co-arising (Pratītyasamutpāda緣起). All phenomena are empty of self-natures or intrinsic natures (svabhāvas自性). Self-nature is rejected because it is independent, permanent and immuntable. Independence, permanence and immutability are characteristics not compatible with Dependent Co-arising or Emptiness of inherent existence. All the phenomena of the empirical world are likened to the metaphor of waves and the Buddha or the Absolute Truth is akin to the unlimited ocean. The waves are like the phenomena and the ocean is like the Truth or Principle. Both the phenomena and Principle co-exist and mutual penetrate. When the phenomena merge with the Principle, there exists only the completely calm sea. This calm ocean is completely peaceful due to the cessation of all winds. The winds refer to volitional activities (saṅkhārā). This metaphor of the ocean of complete calmness is called Nirvāṇa – the realm of the unconditioned, uncreated or unmade like the infinite empty space.

Being empty of self-nature, every phenomenon is devoid of sign, mark or characteristic (nimitta相). Therefore, from the Right View (正見) of Emptiness or Dependent Co-arising, we do not perceive the Material Form(色), the Feelings (受), the Perceptions(想), the Volitions(行) and the Consciousness(識) as discrete entities. It is to be emphasized that the five aggregates (五蘊) do exist conventionally. But ultimately, they do not exist independently as individuals with individual signs, marks or characteristics. They are conglomerated with all other phenomena ultimately forming a universal Unity in terms of the infinite cosmos. The ordinary worldlings do not perceive the Truth of this infinite Unity of cosmos. They ignorantly perceive the multiplicity of diversifying differentiations or variations as the Truth. Consequently, they grasp upon the five aggregates as This is I; This is Mine ; This belongs to me. The five aggregates are actually synonymous with the eighteen elements (十八界). The eighteen elements comprise six sense organs, six sense objects and six sense consciousness. When one grasps upon the five aggregates, one actually grasps upon the entire world. This is the root of human suffering or anguish (苦).

 Commentary:

Likewise, the Eyes, Ear, Nose, Tongue, Body and Mind do not exist independently as discrete entities. Negation in the Heart Sūtra connotes non-independence of all phenomena or simply insubstantiality or Emptiness. That is the reason why it is asserted there are no six sense faculties existing separately. They exist interdependently and inter-relatedly. Though they do not exist independently, they exist in unity with the universal unity of the infinite cosmos. All phenomena are not diversifyingly differentiated in the ultimate sense. Briefly, they are conglomerated into a universal or macro Unity. The discriminative or dualistic view of perceiving separateness, selfness and otherness is falsely constructed by the erroneous mental constructs or erroneous imagination of the worldlings. The mental fabrications are due to perversions and ignorance due to erroneous view of substantialism. The negation of six sense organs or faculties does not deny their existences in their conventional sense. What is negated is only their separate individual existences or self-natures or other-natures. Only their individual signs or self-natures are denied. They exist in micro unity with the entire human personality. The human personality in turn  exists also in unity with all other human personalities and other non-human personalities. All human personalities and non-human personalities conglomerate themselves dependently into the universal Unity of the infinite cosmos. In merging with the infinite universal Unity, individual signs, marks or characteristics vanish. The Heart Sūtra negates only the individual signs, marks or characteristics of the six sense organs. These organs or faculties exist not in the manner which the ordinary worldlings falsely perceive them. The discerning one or the enlightened one (覺者) perceives that the six sense organs or faculties are empty of signs, marks, characteristics or self-natures. The wise one perceives only macro Unity devoid of individualities or separateness. This macro Unity is infinite. No language can describe an infinite Unity (無限的一真法界). Therefore, this ultimate Truth is ineffable (不可說) as it is neither absolute existence nor non-existence. However, it can be intuited or self-realized through self-awakening (自覺).

 Commentary:

Similarly, the Material Forms, Sounds, Smells, Tastes, Touches and Ideas do not exist independently as discrete entities and merge in unity with all other living and non-living things into a universal Unity. Only the signs, marks,or Characteristics, namely their intrinsic natures are negated but their conventional existences are not denied. The six sense objects are empirical, conventional phenomena. They exist conventionally but not ultimately. The Insubstantiality or Emptiness of these six sense objects is known as the Principle(理). The Phenomena(事) and the Principle co-exist and interpenetrate (事埋無礙). The Phenomena is the knowledge of conventional truth (俗諦) ; the Principle is the knowledge of ultimately Truth(真諦). The delivered one is one who perceives both truths simultaneously. He discerns their distinction between them. Whoever discerns the distinction between the conventional truth and the ultimate Truth apprehends the profound teaching of the Tathāgata (如來). Only one, who has entered intuitively into the door of non-duality (悟入不二法門), is able to perceive the conventional truth at the level of the ultimate truth. Non-dualism is mutualism expressed by Dependent Co-arising. Such a delivered one can live in the world of illusive signs and yet he or she maintains the perfection of wisdom(般若波羅蜜多) of signlessness (無相). Signless liberation(無相解脫) ensues from the non-dualistic or non-discriminative wisdom (無分別智). Non-dualism or non-discrimination transcends the discrimination between the perceiver and the perceived (能所雙滅).

Commentary:

Similarly, the Eye Consciousness, Ear Consciousness, the Nose Consciousness, the Tongue Consciousness, the Body Consciousness and the Mind Consciousness do not exist independently as discrete entities. Therefore, they are negated. Their inherent existences are negated to mirror the real Truth. They exist interdependently and inter-relatedly with the 12 senses spheres or bases of the six sense faculties and the six sense spheres.