Maitreya Buddha.

Cave 275 Dunhuang, Gansu,

China. From Buddhist Art, Gilles Béguin

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copying the above links into your Emptiness is not something where things that ex­ This article is taken from the
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 Shakyamuni leaving the mountains, by Liang Kai (1140-1210)
Chinese painter and Ch’an monk. Tokyo National Museum.
From Buddhist Art, Gilles Béguin

‘My greatest suffering is to see things empty.’ The five skandhas are aggre­
separately.’ This is what is said to be gates of form, sensations, perceptions,
hell. This all arises, however, from the formations, and consciousness. Form is
function of the ego (the viewpoint of the the physical body and the other four are
ego). In terms of our Zen practice and the mind and things that cannot be seen.
every­day life, the Heart Sutra in which These five skandhas mutually merge
the essence of Emptiness (being one together. Many people say ‘I think’ or ‘I
with things) is expounded, is the most practise,’ but this ‘I’ does not exist any­
important instruction. where. As it doesn’t exist, it isn’t possible
The paramita [perfection] of wisdom for only the eye to be deluded or only
is the greatest Wisdom. There is the the ear. Even if all sorts of conditions
Sutra of Great Wisdom, but as it is ex­ were to swarm in at once, everything
tremely long, we abbreviate reading it is always entrusted to conditions. Even
by simply turning the pages. When the without using conscious­ness to entrust
pages are turned, we chant the words, yourself to conditions, there is never a
‘All things arise because of condi­tions. mistake made between a dog’s bark and
Because everything arises from con­ the sound of a bird. It can only be said
ditions, there is no coming or going. that this is something truly mys­terious,
Because there is no coming or going, something that cannot be grasped by
there is no stopping. Because there is thought.
no stopping, essentially everything is In the Heart Sutra, the word ‘not’ as
Empty. This is called the paramita [per­ in ‘not born, not dying’ and so on isn’t
fection] of Wisdom.’ However, wisdom simply a negation. If there is dif­ference,
is not the same as knowledge. Regard­ there is sameness. If there is sameness,
less of whether we prac­tise or do not there is difference. Certainly, these are
practise, whether we know or do not two sides of the same thing, front and
know, ‘this thing’ (yourself) is perfect. back, and they are always kept in har­
To realise that this is so is Wisdom and mony. This is expressed in the word ‘not’.
to attain true Wisdom is called Enlight­ To see this phenomenally is the world of
enment (Bodhi). matter. Then, in order to have you feel
In the Heart Sutra, there is the phrase: intuitively that there is no Emptiness
‘The five skand­has are completely apart from matter, the words ‘not

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 Hermit Ch’an monk by Liang Kai
(1140-1210) Chinese painter and
Ch’an monk. Taipei, Palace Museum.
From Buddhist Art, Gilles Béguin

different from’ are used. Consequently, ber his or her own birth, nor is it pos­
‘form is emptiness, emptiness is form’ is sible to be aware of our own death. It is
a way of emphasising by repeating that because we were not born that we will
form is no differ­ent from Emptiness. All never die. This condition where if some­
dharmas or all things are born of the thing is born, it is born as-it-is, and if it
five skandhas. dies, it dies as-it-is is ex­pressed in the
‘Shariputra, all dharmas are marked by Heart Sutra with ‘not’ or ‘does not differ
Emptiness. They neither arise nor cease, from’.
are neither defiled nor pure, neither ‘Impurity’ is the deluding passions.
increase nor decrease.’ Shakyamuni ‘Neither increase nor decrease’ means
Buddha was the first human being to that even if there is enlightenment,
realise the nature of causality (that there is no gain, and even if a per­
there is no substance to things) and as son is a common mortal, there is no
a result became completely free. This loss. This is the same, finally, as in the
is referred to as the Dharma. And the well-known koan of Joshu’s in which he
Dharma (teaching) expounded by him sometimes replied, ‘No’ and sometimes
was called the Buddha-dharma. This is ‘Yes.’ In this way, everything is without
to say that the Dharma doesn’t belong form and everything is resolved as-it-is,
to any one person. Rather, it belongs to this is Buddhism. Consequently, in Bud­
anyone who grasps it. dhism there are no sacred scriptures.
What is the source of delusion and This is because people who have awak­
anxiety? We must become delusion and ened to themselves stretch out their
anxiety. There is no other way to dis­ hands to show others how to awaken.
solve them. Anxiety has no substance. If you see into yourself by awakening, it
But because we are confused by the is then no longer possible to compare.
idea of trying to be free of anxiety, So, there are no longer two things—self
not only does anxiety not disappear, and other. This condition where there
it only grows larger and larger. At one is no self and no other we call ‘Empti­
moment we cry and in the next mo­ ness.’ The forty-nine years of Shakya­
ment we laugh. This constant change muni Buddha’s teaching were all for the
is expressed in the Heart Sutra as ‘not pur­pose of getting others to understand
born, not dying’. No one can remem­ that the self is completely empty.

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 l-r. Guardian, will suddenly think, ‘Ah! To think
Bodhisattva,
and Arhat. Cave
like this is because there is an ego.’ Perfect Wisdom
45 Dunhuang, Once you realise that, I would like The Short
Gansu, China. you to endeavour at practise-within- Prajnaparamita Texts
From Buddhist
Art, Gilles Béguin activity. Trans, Edward Conze
There are the words ‘No knowledge
and no attain­ments. With nothing to
attain . . . ‘ A person who is able
to think in a way that is free of the
ego-self viewpoint knows this. If
you simply become free of the ego-
self viewpoint, then a self is born
that is pure and clean, without any
dirt or impurity just as when a baby
is born. However, if once you do not
hold onto confusion and anxiety to
the extent that you die, then it is
difficult to ascertain the essence for
In our everyday lives, we are always thinking and which Shakyamuni Buddha and the
thinking. But all thought is without substance. At this Patriarchs made so much effort to The Short Prajnaparamita
point, we have the words, ‘A Bodhisattva relies on attain. And no mat­ter how much Texts were composed in
Prajna Paramita [Perfection of Wisdom], and thus the you only think about this, the ego India between 100 BC
mind is without hindrance.’ All things that exist in the view­point will not disappear. This is and AD 600. Containing
universe are created through conditions and so there to say that to bring an end to the some of the most well
is no central substance. It is to that degree that in ego is truly difficult, but it is a fact known such as Perfection
our lives we are completely free of any restriction and that if you practise according to the of Wisdom in 700 lines,
teachings of Shakyamuni Bud­dha The Heart Sutra and The
are able to respond flexibly and resourcefully to any
Diamond Sutra
situation. And yet, it is because of the activity of the and the Patriarchs, then certainly it
ego, ‘me’, we think and think, thinking so that thoughts will disappear. Buddhist Publishing Group
get piled up on top of other thoughts. I would like you Our purpose for living is to become ISBN 978-0946672288
to memorise the Heart Sutra, a sutra that com­pletely No-mind/No-self, and a person BPG online shop
expounds Emptiness. And then, at some time, you who has become No-mind/No-self

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© 2010 Buddhist Publishing Group
 Avalokiteshvara, paint on linen, pre 1227. St Petersburg
Hermitage Museum. From Buddhist Art, Gilles Béguin
is called a Buddha. Each action we something is unpleasant, it is
make is completely Empty, it is unpleasant. Half believing and half
Nothingness, and if we express this doubting—it is all the Dharma.
using words, this is the ‘Buddha- As there is nothing to compare,
dharma’. It is not possible for the there really should be no Dharma,
ego to intervene in the Dharma. but inevitably there is something
This means it is enough to be­come remaining that thinks it isn’t possible
the Dharma. In order to become the to let go of the Dharma. Thus, it is
Dharma, you must forget the ego. necessary to resolutely let go of that
In order to forget the ego, you must thing which doesn’t want to let go.
sit. That is all there is to it. Where will you let it go? Essentially,
When it is hot, it is hot. When it doesn’t exist and so there is
nowhere to let it go. Already we are
within Emptiness, so please notice
Zen that there is a self that tries to be
Teaching of empty. Please, I would like you to sit
in zazen, to study, and to work freely,
Instantaneous
without holding onto anything.
Awakening
At the very end of the Heart
A Classic Zen text. Sutra, there are the words ‘Gate,
Translated by John
Blofeld.
Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate,
Bodhi! Svaha!’ ‘Re­joice! It has been
Written in the 8th
century by Hui Hai. accomplished together with all
Student of Ma-tsu things.’ If you can memorise just
and from the same
these words, then in accordance
line as Hui Neng, Huai-hai, Huang Po and
Rinzai (Lin-chi). with some condition, there will
The wise regulate their minds rather than come a time when sud­denly you will
their persons; fools regulate their persons understand the whole Heart Sutra.
rather than their minds. In this way, then, I would like you to
All good and evil pro­ceed from our minds always be empty.
and mind is therefore the root. Unless you
can penetrate to this truth, all your efforts
will be vain.
Zen master Hui Hai

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 The Heart Sutra
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, when deeply practising
profound Prajna Paramita [Perfection of Wisdom]; clearly
saw that all five skandhas are empty and thus relieved all
suffering.
‘Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness
does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness,
emptiness itself form; sensations, perceptions, formations,
and conscious­ness are also like this.
‘Shariputra, all dharmas are marked by emptiness. They
neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor pure, neither
increase nor decrease.
‘Therefore, given emptiness, there is no form, no sen­sation,
no perception, no formation, no consciousness; no eyes, no
ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind, no form, no
sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no object of mind, no
realm of sight . . . no realm of mind consciousness. There
is neither igno­rance nor extinction of ignorance, neither
old age and death nor extinction of old age and death. No
suffering, no cause, no cessation, no path. No knowledge
and no attainments. With nothing to attain a Bodhisattva
relies on Prajna Paramita [Perfection of Wisdom], and thus
the mind is without hindrance. Without hin­drance, there is
no fear. Far beyond all inverted views, this is Nirvana.
‘All Buddhas of past, present, and future rely on Prajna
Paramita and thereby attain unsurpassed, complete,
perfect enlightenment.
‘Therefore know Prajna Paramita as the great miraculous
mantra, as the great bright mantra, as the supreme mantra,
as the incom­parable man­tra, which removes all suffering
and is true, not false, therefore, we proclaim the Prajna
Paramita mantra, the mantra that says:
Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha!’

Standing Buddha, 8-9th C.

www.buddhistpublishing.com Anuradhapura Archeologial Museum. e-10—Buddhism Now Page 
© 2010 Buddhist Publishing Group From Buddhist Art, Gilles Béguin
New Books * Pick of the pack
was in those times I have no idea, but it is certainly
Buddhist Art Memories of Lost and dramatic. He went on to be commander-in-chief of a
An Historical and Cultural Hidden Lands: The number of combined militias. However, he became
Journey Life Story of Garje disillusioned with the behaviour of some of the militia
Gilles Béguin
Khamtrul Rinpoche fighters and left. He returned to where his mother
by Garje Khamtrul Rinpoche lived and together with her and others set out on
£45, 2009, 400 pages, pilgrimage for various holy sites.
680 colour illustrations, $17.95, 2009, 380pp. ISBN
978 81 8465 034 1, Published When he was thirty-four Khamtrul Rinpoche mar­
22 maps and 78 plans,
by Chime Gatsal Ling, ried. By this time he was living in exile. Most of the
ISBN 978 974 9863 87 9,
Distributed by Snow Lion following years were spent working in one capacity
River Books
or another for the Tibetan government in exile. In
Giles Béguin is chief con­ Over the years a number of ac­ 1980 he was appointed by the Dalai Lama as General
servator of the Cernuschi counts of life in Tibet prior to Secretary of the Council for Religious Affairs, a post
Museum in Paris and is the Chinese occupation of 1959 have emerged. Here, he held until his resignation in 1986.
an expert on Asian art. He has chosen to organise with this autobiography, is one more which aims to
‘aid those interested in knowing exactly what hap­ It seems that Khamtrul Rinpoche has a strong con­
Buddhist Art in the form of an historical atlas. Together
pened, the good times as well as the bad.’ nection to the state oracles and there is a fascinating
with photography, plans and reconstructions of the
account of the influence of the protector Nechung
monuments and their artwork, this publication also Khamtrul Rinpoche was born in Kham (eastern Chogyal in his life. In addition, he has a link with
contains previously unpublished cartography. The Tibet) in a place called Bathang on the 19 December Buddha Kalachakra and the Kingdom of Shambhala
author takes us on an historical and cultural jour­ 1928. Even as a young boy he had unusual experi­ and the book contains a brief chapter on the history
ney across the vast continent of Asia stretching from ences. When he was about five, whilst out tending the of this kingdom.
India, Sri Lanka and Gandhara to countries such as family’s cattle, he had a vision of Padmasambhava
Thailand, Cambodia and Burma in Southeast Asia up and various high lamas of Tibet! Shortly after that Memories of Lost and Hidden Lands is, accord­
to the Himalayan kingdoms of Nepal and Tibet be­ he took his preliminary vows of ordination. ing to the Dalai Lama, both a conventional autobi­
fore arriving at the Far Eastern civilisations of China, ography and an unconventional account of spiritual
Korea and Japan. Khamtrul Rinpoche was about eight when he was accomplishment. For these reasons alone it is well
‘discovered’ to be the reincarnation of a Nyingma worth reading.
Buddhism and its art represents the one truly uni­ Lama from Garje Khamu Monastery. Some members
fying factor of the entire Asian continent and has of his family did not want him to be brought up as a Steve Palmer
become a fundamental part of our shared world her­ Nyingma Lama, but as a Gelugpa. It was sorted out www.snowlionpub.com/html/product_9939.html
itage. However, to draw a unique portrait of this art in in the end, but it seems that, not for the first time in
a single work is a formidable undertaking due to the Tibet, there was friction associated with the different
great plurality in traditions spanning different coun­ schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
tries and regions over various epochs. Furthermore,
the variability in the state of conservation of Buddhist The author gives a lot of detail about a way of
monuments and their decorations provides additional life that has more or less disappeared since 1959. Did someone forward you this
challenges. He is particularly scathing in his criticism of Chinese digital version of Buddhism Now?
communist activity in Tibet from 1956 onwards. At If so, welcome! We invite you to
The images on pages 2-6 are just a small sample of one point he tells us, ‘I felt compelled to swear alle­ subscribe. Simply click here to get a
the fantastic range of Buddhist images in this won­ giance to the grey clothes, horse, gun and knife of a free subscription.
derful book.
www.riverbooksbk.com/books/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=211
worldly man, and proceeded to pack up the red and
yellow monk’s robes with which I had entered the
Regards, Eds
religious life.’ How common such a transformation

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