CHAPTER 7

THE EPILOGUE

    Then the Conqueror rose from that samadhi and said to the Bodhisattva, the Mahasattva Avalokitesvara, “Well done, well done, well done, child of good lineage; it is just that way.”

    The Conqueror is the Buddha Sakyamuni, and his samadhi was mentioned in the prologue as The enumerations of phenomena called “perception of the profound”.  Three times “well done” may seem like wordiness or redundancy, but the Buddha is really applauding Avalokitesvara, “well done”, acclaiming the discourse “well done”, and sanctioning its message “well done”.  Three times “well done” indicates that the message of the Heart Sutra is sufficient for progress through mundane knowledge, supramundane knowledge, and beyond into completion of unsurpassed knowledge.

“. . .it is just that way.”

     This is near to the same meaning of svaha as found in the mantra.  That’s the way it is.  You hit the nail right on the head.

“. . .the Profound Perfection of Wisdom should be practiced just as you have taught it.”

     This is a further sanction and reminder of the deep systematic procedure to be learned from the Heart Sutra.

“Even the Tathagatas admire this.”

   That perfected beings esteem and honor such wisdom as has been presented in the Heart Sutra discourse is a profound statement showing the significance and value of the Sutra.   All buddhas have gone to the realization of their state using the same course of action.  There is a way, and the way is the way of no way.

The Conqueror, having thus spoken, the Venerable Sariputra, the Bodhisattva, the Mahasattva Avalokitesvara, all those gathered, and all those of the world, the gods, humans, demigods, and the gandharvas were filled with admiration and they all praised the Conqueror’s words.

. . .gods . . . .

    In the exoteric sense gods refer to the superior inhabitants of celestial realms; in the esoteric sense gods can represent siddhis of higher psychic powers and abilities and those of bodhi, enlightenment.

. . .humans . . . .

    This can refer to human beings on the Earth, present at that time, or human beings in other realms of the universe.

. . .demigods . . . .

    These are lesser deities with minor godlike qualities.

. . .gandharvas . . . .

    These are celestial demigods, famed for their musical skills.  The name means “fragrance eater”.  It is thought that they sustain themselves nutritiously on fragrances.

. . .and they all praised the Conqueror’s words.

   “Well done”, the Conqueror said three times. Everyone present agreed with the Buddha about the significance and vital import of the discoursed Heart Sutra just related by Avalokitesvara.   It can be noted accordingly that truth applies in all realms, to all degrees of sensory ability, to all forms of conscious beingness, and to all intellectual and spiritual potential.

      This completes the comments on The Epilogue.

 

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