When I was visiting Tokyo, I noticed that lessons copying with brush and sumi-ink, the Heart Sutra (the Hannya Shingyo) manuscript was a very popular past time for those fortunate to have the luxury of time. It’s part calligraphy which requires deep concentration and meditation practice and I was drawn to it. But truthfully, the text was GREEK, well, okay, Ancient Classic Japanese, to me – Impossible to decipher this formal classic language, transcribed probably by ardent monks from Sanskrit into Chinese and then to Japanese, centuries ago and adapted to the particular land and its people… At my mother’s place, there’s a regular class where students transcribe the Sutra into their own handwriting …a lovely offering.
The Modern Version I should translate …Our intention is the same everywhere: To reduce or eradicate the suffering… starts from Self and to those closest around you…we want to suffer less, be happy more – How? Answer lies in the Heart Sutra I’m told – from UTube, too bad it’s not in English as well. It’s an updated version in that it’s in “street” today’s language – very cool. There’s also a rap version in Japanese street talk… which should help many understand the teachings where before it was mere background chants that may have put one to sleep – breath of fresh air into updated language of the NOW creates the “energy”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZTymlB0Hzw
Also perfect for anyone studying Japanese:) Two in One – language acquisition through spirituality!
