Form is... Emptiness ...is Form: The Heart Sutra

The is one of the most well-known texts in all of Buddhism. In less than 250 words, one can read the account of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara's experience of profound meditation. The is also one of the most elegant expressions of the Buddha's teachings. It captures the essence of the , and in its verses. The is more than just a record of the Prajnaparamita experience of the Bodhisattva. If we so choose, it can serve as a guide, a "finger pointing at the moon", for us, as we struggle to make sense of the senselessness of today's society. The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, in his narration, is telling us that the state of Prajnaparamita is available to all human beings. It is said: "We are all, in essence, Buddhas. We only need to wake up to that fact." The can be our wake-up call. introduces the reader to: • the Buddha, Avalokiteshvara and Shariputra in a way that is a bit out of the ordinary • the Buddha's core teachings as found in; • the using the Buddha's teachings as corroboration of the profound wisdom expressed in its verses. • a radical world view that " " with a number of not-so-radical examples of how one can begin one's own journey of self-discovery.