{"id":16573,"date":"2026-11-10T19:18:17","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T00:18:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/?page_id=16573"},"modified":"2026-11-12T12:38:13","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T17:38:13","slug":"buddhism-101-the-wisdom-of-the-heart-sutra","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/buddhism-101-the-wisdom-of-the-heart-sutra\/","title":{"rendered":"Buddhism 101: The Wisdom of the Heart Sutra"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Discover the Buddhist Teaching That Changes How We See Everything<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What does it mean to say that form is emptiness, and emptiness is form? And why has this brief Buddhist text been treasured, studied, and chanted for centuries?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Heart Sutra<\/em> is one of the most revered texts in Mahayana Buddhism. Although remarkably brief, it distills the essential wisdom of the Perfection of Wisdom teachings, inviting us to look beyond our ordinary assumptions about ourselves and the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ENROLLMENT DEADLINE: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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At the center of the sutra is a profound insight: “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.” Is Buddhism saying that nothing is real? Or is it pointing toward a different way of seeing reality? The teaching of emptiness does not deny our existence. It invites us to recognize that nothing exists independently, but everything arises through relationships and conditions. This insight can transform how we understand ourselves and experience life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this special two part Buddhism 101 course, we will approach the Heart Sutra<\/em> in two complementary ways. First, we will explore the essential wisdom behind the text through the accessible teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. Then we will turn to the sutra itself, studying its passages, understanding its central message, and listening to a traditional chanting of the text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you are encountering the Heart Sutra<\/em> for the first time or have chanted it for years, this course offers an opportunity to move beyond simply knowing the words and begin to appreciate the wisdom they express.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Two-Part Learning Experience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The course is designed to build understanding gradually, moving from the essential teachings behind the sutra to a direct encounter with the text itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class One: The Wisdom Behind the Heart Sutra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wednesday, December 9<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our first class will introduce the central teachings that make the Heart Sutra<\/em> understandable and meaningful. Using Thich Nhat Hanh’s short book The Heart of Understanding<\/em> as our guide, we will explore the meaning of emptiness, interdependence, the Five Skandhas, and nonduality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will examine how these teachings challenge our ordinary understanding of ourselves and the world, and how this different way of seeing can open the way to wisdom and freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class Two: Entering the Heart Sutra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wednesday, December 16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our second class, we will turn directly to the Heart Sutra<\/em>. Building on the understanding developed in our first meeting, we will read the sutra passage by passage, examining its imagery, teachings, and progression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will explore Avalokiteshvara’s profound insight into the Five Skandhas, the relationship between form and emptiness, the sutra’s remarkable series of negations, and its vision of wisdom beyond fear. We will conclude by exploring the famous mantra of Perfect Understanding and listening to a traditional chanting of the Heart Sutra<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our aim is not simply to explain the words, but to appreciate the wisdom they point toward and how that wisdom can be brought into our own lives and practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Will Explore<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Understanding the Heart Sutra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discover the historical and traditional background of the sutra, its principal figures, and how its short passages express the larger Mahayana teachings on the Perfection of Wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Form Is Emptiness, Emptiness Is Form<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore one of Buddhism’s most famous teachings. Discover what emptiness means, what it does not mean, and how it changes our understanding of reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Five Skandhas and the Nature of Experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examine the five aggregates through which we experience ourselves and the world, and discover why the sutra describes them as empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interdependence and Nonduality<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore how everything exists through relationships and conditions, and how the realization of emptiness challenges our habitual divisions between self and other, subject and object.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Path to Freedom<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discover how wisdom can loosen our attachment to fixed ideas and open a way of living with less fear, greater clarity, and deeper compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mantra of Perfect Understanding<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore the meaning and significance of the Heart Sutra<\/em>‘s famous concluding mantra and its expression of the movement toward awakening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Should Attend?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This course is designed for beginners and anyone curious about the wisdom of the Heart Sutra<\/em>. No previous study of Buddhism is necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also ideal for those who already chant the sutra and would like to understand its meaning more deeply, follow its teachings passage by passage, and bring greater awareness to their chanting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COURSE BOOK<\/h3>\n\n\n
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The Heart of Understanding<\/em> by Thich Nhat Hanh<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Written by the late Thich Nhat Hanh, one of the twentieth century’s foremost Buddhist teachers and meditation masters, this short and accessible book explores the essential meaning of the Heart Sutra<\/em>. Through clear explanations and practical examples, it introduces the teachings of emptiness, interdependence, and the nature of experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please obtain your copy and begin reading before our first class. A short reading guide with reflection questions will help you prepare. Hard copy is availablle on online via Abebooks and Thriftbooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Free PDF book is available by clicking on the image.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Course Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dates:<\/strong> Wednesdays, December 9 & 16, 2026
Time:<\/strong> 7:00 to 8:15- 8:30 PM Eastern
Format:<\/strong> Live online
Tuition:<\/strong> $78
Instructor:<\/strong> Rev. G.R. Lewis, M.A.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

REGISTRATION ENDS: December 3, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your Instructor<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Rev. G.R. Lewis, M.A., has served as BFF of Connecticut’s Guiding Dharma Teacher since 2001. A student of the Venerable Thich Tri Hong and the esteemed late Dr. (Rev.) Taitetsu Unno, North America’s foremost Shin Buddhist teacher, and ordained in the Dharma Teacher Order, he has practiced Buddhism for over 30 years. He brings a rare combination of scholarly depth, personal warmth, and genuine lived experience to every class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read his full biography on the Our Teachers page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

REGISTRATION<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Enrollment is limited. Early registration is strongly encouraged to secure your place and allow time to obtain and read the required text before the first session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By registering you confirm agreement<\/strong> to BFF’s Refund Policy<\/em>, Disclaimer of Responsibility<\/em>, Code of Conduct<\/em>, and Image Release Agreement<\/em> as detailed on the registration ticket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n