Heart sutra is available in two versions a shorter and a longer version. in shorter version Avalokitesvar is explaining the sutra to Sariputra ending with the dharini mantra “gate gate” while Tathagata entered in Samadhi. After returning from deep Samadhi he praises Avalokitesvar thus consenting to the sutra taught by him. In longer versions there are 7 thousend, 10 thousand and 25 thousand lines in which prologue is different. Heart sutra with seven thousand lines is central doctrine to the development of Vajrayana Buddhism.

Vajrayana believes that in this sutra Tathagata has taught somewhat another discipline, for example in the sutra Avalokitesvar said “Sariputra, a son of good lineage or a daughter of good lineage who wishes to practice the profound perfection of wisdom should view things in this way”. What is the good lineage which has been emphasized here? And why Buddha would say that only son of good lineage or daughter of good lineage are eligible for the Prajnaparamita wisdom? Not every one. While his religion or Dharma or wheel of law was thrown for everyone. This explains the esoteric nature of the sutra. In this connection mantra ‘gate gate puragate ‘ is also important. Since before this sutra Buddha never taught any mantra sutra therefore this is important regarding his esoteric Deshana (teachings). According to Maitreya, ‘lineage’ means ‘the creative mental effort for enlightenment ,and the production of a special state of the mind connected with the desire of - attaining Buddhahood in order to lead others to Buddha way.’ While according to Hevajra tantra a good lineage means the lineage of the Mother Goddess which is mentioned in Hevajra tantra thus “evam maya srutam ekasmin samaye bhagavan bhagesu vijhar”. It is mother Prajnaparamita who produces Buddhas. But in Buddhism

Traditionally it is believed that ‘lineage’ means lineage of Buddhas. As in Hindu Shakta tantras Kula means Kula (family) of goddess Mahamaya. Hevajra tantra mentions five Buddhas who have five families and lineages namely VAJRA, PADAM, KARMA, TATHAGATA, AND RATNA, they are different aspects ultimate Buddha nature. But they all are collectively known as the families of the Tathagata or lineage of Tathagata. Heart Sutra in its secret teaching is very mysterious therefore it is tough to decode its mystical language. To read and chant this sutra opens the gate of Buddhahood as it is traditionally believed. According to fourteenth Dalai Lama Heart Sutra is sutra and mantra of great perfection, it protects the mind but not by just chanting, because without understanding of Prajnaparamita you will not be protected from defilements. It is sutra for understanding the reality and transcending the four categories of reasoning. Through it one’s karma and afflictions ceases, through it one goes beyond all kind of elaborations the root of every thing experienced in this world.

Author is an art critic and writer of three books ‘contemporizing Buddha’, ‘ Hindu Tantra Yoga’ and ‘Concerning The Spiritual In Art-an Indian modern art perspective’. He has been awarded with ‘Lalit kala Academy Scholarship Award’ for art criticism in 2005. Currently working on a book ‘Buddhist tantra yoga’. He lives and works in Delhi India.

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