The Ascension To Wisdom
Did you know that Hong Kong is made up from over 260 islands? Neither did I.
New wisdom!
Did you know that Lantau Island is the largest of the islands in Hong Kong? Neither did I.
New wisdom!
And did you know that on that island there is a cable car system…
…that runs 5.7km from the bay…
…up to 800 meters above sea level to the Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddah?
Neither did we.
New wisdom.
268 steps up, sits the 34 meters tall, 250 ton, world’s tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha.
I bet HE’S got some wisdom.
A 10 minute walk from Buddah is the Wisdom Path.
38 timber columns carved with a 260-word Heart Sutra erected in the shape of the symbol for infinity. As in, infinite wisdom.
And here now is a passage of one version of a translation of the Heart Sutra
Here, Sariputra, form is emptiness and the very emptiness is form;
emptiness does not differ from form, form does not differ from
emptiness; whatever is form, that is emptiness, whatever is emptiness,
that is form, the same is true of feelings, perceptions, impulses and
consciousness.Here, Sariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness; they are not
produced or stopped, not defiled or immaculate, not deficient or
complete.Therefore, Sariputra, in emptiness there is no form, nor feeling, nor
perception, nor impulse, nor consciousness; No eye, ear, nose, tongue,
body, mind; No forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touchables or objects of
mind; No sight-organ element, and so forth, until we come to: No
mind-consciousness element; There is no ignorance, no extinction of
ignorance, and so forth, until we come to: there is no decay and death, no
extinction of decay and death. There is no suffering, no origination, no
stopping, no path. There is no cognition, no attainment and
non-attainment.
Whoa. That’s deep.
I now leave you to ponder the meaning with this imagery of Tian Tan Buddah overlooking Lantau Island, as seen from the Wisdom Path.
