Elaborations on Emptiness: Uses of the Heart Sutra [Hardcover]

The Heart Sutra, probably written about 350 A.D. is among the most famous of Buddhist texts. It is short, enigmatic, and profound and has been the subject of more commentary than any other Buddhist text. It is a basic Scripture of Mahayana Buddhism, a broad Buddhist movement that arose in reaction to the earlier teachings which today are called Theravada Buddhism. (The relationship between Mahayana and Theravada is one of the themes of this book.)

The Heart Sutra is best known for its difficult statement, "form is empty; emptiness is form" and for the mantra included in the text, usually translated "gone, gone, gone completely beyond, enlightenment".

The earliest surviving commentaries on the Heart Sutra were written in India between 750 and 1050 A.D. which, historically, is near the end of the period of the development of Buddhism in India. There are eight commentaries of varying lengths and perspectives. The original versions of these commentaries in Sanskrit do not survive, but they have been passed down in their Tibetan translations. The Heart Sutra became an integral part of Tibetan Buddhism, and a recent commentary has been published by the Dalai Lama.

Professor Donald Lopez of the University of Michigan is the author of many books on Buddhism which manage somehow to be scholarly, naturalistic, and inspiring at the same time. In 1988, he published a book with the overly-ambitious title, "The Heart Sutra Explained" in which he discussed seven of the eight ancient Indian commentaries. His more recent book, "Elaborations on Emptiness: Uses of the Heart Sutra" (1996)includes translations of all eight of the early commentaries interspersed with Professor Lopez's own commentary and essays.

Professor Lopez has written a formidable book indeed, but one which will reward study. The book discusses in detail the Heart Sutra, the commentaries, Buddhist practices and beliefs on which the commentaries were based, and the nature and limitations of commentarial interpretation.

The book opens with the text of the Heart Sutra which should be read carefully before the reader begins. Professor Lopez's essays discuss major issues in the interpretation of the Heart Sutra, and he attempts to explain why the early commentators focused on the issues that they did. Thus Lopez discusses the phrase "Thus have I heard" with which the Heart Sutra, in common with most Buddhist Sutras, opens and discusses the divergent commentarial views of who is speaking and why this issue is important to interpretation. Lopez discusses whether the Heart Sutra is, as some commentators have taken it, part of the Tantric school of Buddhism; and he explores the underlying question of what Tantra is. There is a fascinating chapter on the use of visualizations in Buddhist meditation together with a lengthy discussion of the meditation-drama associated in some commentaries with the text of the Sutra. Professor Lopez discusses the use of the Heart Sutra as part of an exorcism rite in Tibet, which will come as a corrective to those students who take an overly rationalistic view of Buddhist practice. Professor Lopez concludes with reflections on the nature of commentarial interpretation, both as practiced in ancient India and in today's world, emphasizing the purpose and difficulty of commentary and how it both illuminates and obscures a text. He draws on modern critical theory for his discussion, with good use of the work of Hans Gadamer and illuminating references to the use of commentary in Judaism, among other sources.

Lopez's discussions flow well into and illuminate the texts of the eight Indian commentators. They show as well why the commentaries as well as the Heart Sutra remain provocative, timeless and obscure.

This is a scholarly book which presupposes a certain background in Buddhism in the reader. It is tough-minded and academically rigourous. Professor Lopez shows a love and devotion for the texts, but he writes to show Westerners with perhaps an overly-rationalistic and anacronistic vision of Buddhism something of the nature of Buddhist belief and practice that often tends to be overlooked.

The fact remains, I think, that any profound text is greater than the sum of its commentaries. This is true of the Heart Sutra. I found myself chastened by this book but inspired to return to and attempt to draw wisdom from the Heart Sutra.

This book is an excellent companion to Thich Nhat Hanh's The Heart of Understanding. Elaborations on Emptiness goes into scholarly depth, including translations and discussions of five major sets of commentary on the Heart Sutra. Fully annotated and referenced to the two major Chinese and Tibetan editions, this is an outstanding detailed study of the sutra, its interpretations and deep meaning. I recommend it highly to anyone interested in Buddhism.

This book while only some 280 pages long was one of the most dense books I have ever read. While difficult to comprehend intellectually, Elaborations on Emptiness provides an in depth study of the Heart Sutra. It's focus is mainly Indian and Tibetan commentaries. The many Sanskrit and Tibetan terms challenge readers further. I suggest at least a basic knowledge of Sanskrit and Tibetan terms or a dictionary. A scholarly contribution to Buddhist Studies.

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