Prajna Paramita

Prajna Paramita is the Perfection of Wisdom, as preached in the Heart Sutra.

When we realize and can perceive that the 5 aggregates (form, feeling, pereception, mental formation and consciousness) are empty, we would have developed Prajna Paramita.

Without Prajna (wisdom), we cannot understand the principle of emptiness.

Developing Prajna is not about secluding yourself in some remote retreat to meditate and chant the Heart Sutra. Wisdom emerges in the midst of the ordinary activities of our daily lives. It is there while we are eating, walking, sitting, sleeping or interacting with our environments and other people.

Here is a beautiful story that illustrates this.

Once, there lived a monk who visited a great Chan Master well known for his wisdom and enlightenment.

He stayed with the Master for more than ten years, serving him faithfully and taking care of all his mundane needs.

One day, he approached his Master and told him that he wants to leave.

The Master asked, "Where do you want to go?"

The young monk answered, "I want to go in search of the existence of the Dharma."

The Master answered, "There is the essence of the Dharma right here. Where else do you want to search for it?"

The young monk replied, "I have been here for more than 10 years, serving you faithfully. You have never explained anything to me about the Dharma. So, how can it be here?"

The Master was astonished, "How can you say that there is no essence of the Dharma here? When you came to offer me tea, I always accepted it and drank it. When you brought me food, I ate it. When you joined your palms and bowed down to pay respect to me, I have nodded my head in response. All these things tell you about the essence of the Dharma. How can you say that the essence of the Dharma is not here? All these are the essence of the Dharma. They stand for the parjna in our daily life!"

The young monk answered, "Oh! This is Prajna! Let me think this over."

The Master said, "Don't think. Thinking arouses differentiation; thinking is no longer prajna."

The moment the young monk heard this sentence, he became enlightened.

So, what this story illustrates is that prajna is everywhere, and Buddhist teachings is everywhere around us. It is when you live mindfully that you will understand prajna.

If you have prajna, then you can clearly see that the 5 aggregates are empty. Once we understand that these aggregates are empty, then we are able to cross the ocean of suffering and achieve enlightenment. We will no longer be consumed by the differentiation of our lives, the dualities of existence.

We can then see that everything is emptiness and this world is illusory...