Shakyo (copying of a sutra)　

 “Shakyo’”is the the practice of hand-copying sutra, and it was first introduced in Japan as a means of religious practice during the 8th century.  But Shakyo has since evolved into a form of zen cultivation today and also it is now regarded as the men of practice of self-reflection.

 Shakyo in general mean the practice of copying the Heart Sutra. Containing 262 words, it seemed like an easy task but actually it is not. Take your time as much as possible and you do not need to understand what the content of the heart sutra.  When you finish it I am sure you feel good for sure.  Please enjoy tea of any kind from our selections after Shakyo.

 Just for your information, here is the meaning of heart sutra translated by Thich Nhat Hanh.

TRANSLATION BY THICH NHAT HANH

The Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore

Avalokiteshvara

while practicing deeply with

the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore,

suddenly discovered that

all of the five Skandhas are equally empty,

and with this realisation

he overcame all Ill-being.

“Listen Sariputra,

this Body itself is Emptiness

and Emptiness itself is this Body.

Tis Body is not other than Emptiness

and Emptiness is not other than this Body.

Te same is true of Feelings,

Perceptions, Mental Formations,

and Consciousness.

“Listen Sariputra,

all phenomena bear the mark of Emptiness;

their true nature is the nature of

no Birth no Death,

no Being no Non-being,

no Defilement no Purity,

no Increasing no Decreasing.

“Tat is why in Emptiness,

Body, Feelings, Perceptions,

Mental Formations and Consciousness

are not separate self entities.

Te Eighteen Realms of Phenomena

which are the six Sense Organs,

the six Sense Objects,

and the six Consciousnesses

are also not separate self entities.

Te Twelve Links of Interdependent Arising

and their Extinction

are also not separate self entities.

Ill-being, the Causes of Ill-being,

the End of Ill-being, the Path,

insight and attainment,

are also not separate self entities.

Whoever can see this

no longer needs anything to attain.

Bodhisattvas who practice

the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore

see no more obstacles in their mind,

and because there

are no more obstacles in their mind,

they can overcome all fear,

destroy all wrong perceptions

and realize Perfect Nirvana.

“All Buddhas in the past, present and future

by practicing

the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore

are all capable of attaining

Authentic and Perfect Enlightenment.

“Terefore Sariputra,

it should be known that

the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore

is a Great Mantra,

the most illuminating mantra,

the highest mantra,

a mantra beyond compare,

the True Wisdom that has the power

to put an end to all kinds of sufering.

Terefore let us proclaim

a mantra to praise

the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore:

Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!

Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!

Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!”

 

 

“Te Insight that Brings us to the Other Shore” translation by Tich Nhat Hanh (2014) is licensed

under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License