Many Buddhist beliefs are found within this sutra. In the second verse the sutra discusses the Skandha of form reinforcing the idea that we are only made of aggregates, this is confirmed in the lines “Form is no other than emptiness, emptiness no other than form” which is then repeated. This sums up the teaching that everything is ultimately empty and also brings in the Buddhist teaching of dependant origination. Here thus it is clear that one of the ‘essence of Buddhist teaching’ is addressed. This is also true later when it goes on to mention the other 4 skandhas and the concept of non dualism ‘all things are the primal void which is not born of destroyed’ everything is one and inseparable, which could also relate to the idea of primary and secondary existence. This is again implied by in the fourth verse through the mention of ‘no form, no feeling, thought or choice, nor is there consciousness’ which reinforces the ideas of nisvabhava and could be seen as representing the ideas of anatta and anicca also.
The four noble truths, perhaps one of the fundamental tenets of Buddhism as it tells how to achieve the ultimate goal of nirvana, are also referenced in the Heart Sutra:
‘nor is there pain or cause of pain or cease in pain or noble path’ although it is saying that such things do not exist essentially or ultimately, it recognises that within Buddhist teachings they are how things are on a transient and conventional level. The point is that these teachings are a means to an end, skilful means in fact but that ultimately we need to realise that these attainments are empty of perfect wisdom also. This is shown by the next like ‘So know that the bodhisattva holding on to nothing whatever but dwelling in Prajna wisdom is freed from delusive hindrance’ This seems particularly relevant to zen Buddhism and Madhyamaka Buddhism which propounds meditation in order to grasp the ultimately reality of everything and appreciate that everything is ultimately empty of inherent existence, or sunyata.
Again an ‘essence’ of Buddhist teaching is dukkha and how to stop it. This is summed up in the last part of the sutra where it states that the Heart Sutra is the perfection of wisdom and is unrivalled by contemporaries, and through knowing and understanding it ‘Whose words allay all pain’. This again shows how the whole point behind the sutra is not only to show the way through the perfection of intuitive wisdom but also ultimately to aid the cessation of suffering like all other Buddhist paths.
Ultimately the Heart Sutra is one of the most direct and succinct teaching about the true nature of reality and our own being. It is described by many as underlining the major Buddhist themes and summarising all that is taught and propounded within Buddhism. Arguably a major theme is emptiness which may seem removed from the earlier forms of Buddhism and more ‘Zen focused’ than ‘traditional’ forms of Buddhism, yet there are later links with the key focus of wisdom. The pinnacle and ultimate point of Buddhism is seeing things the way they really are in order to stop suffering and this is clear in the sutra. The Heart Sutra could be said to contain the essence of Buddhist teaching in as far as it describes the cessation of suffering as the ultimate goal, the importance of anatta and the four noble truths. One could say that as the sutra only mentions compassion implicitly it is lacking somewhat in ‘summing up’ Buddhism. It reinforces the ideals of Madhyamaka and Zen Buddhism that everything, even everyday Buddhist teachings, are ultimately empty and that one should focus on attaining perfect wisdom in order to understand this and be free from samsara, (which as stated in verse 4 is no different from nirvana, but a different understanding). It could be said to be that the epitome of Buddhist teachings particularly are present within the Heart Sutra; the cessation of suffering for all sentient beings and so arguably the Sutra does contain, in a sense, the essence of Buddhist teaching.