Wisdom Path

About a 10 mins walk away from Po Lin Monastery is the Wisdom Path or also known as the Heart Sutra Inscriptions. It follows a trail through tea plantations to the foot of Lantau Peak.

Here is where an outdoor display of the Heart Sutra is found.

The 260-word Prajna-paramita Heart Sutra is on carved in Chinese calligraphy on 38 wooden rectangular beams.  It is called the “Heart” in as much as it subsumes the essence of the Perfection of Wisdom of the Buddha. It is the best known Mahayana sutra, and, at 260 words, it is also the shortest. The beams are in the shape of a figure eight to represent infinity. I’m not of the Buddhist faith but this was a rather educational trip for me. The essence of this sutra is the wisdom of “emptiness” and that everything in life is in a constant process of change so in understanding that, we would be less attached to things and be free of mental obstructions so that we may obtain harmony and bliss. As I mentioned, I’m not a Buddhist nor do I pretend to know much about it so if my interpretation is wrong do let me know.

It’s really a very good location to spend time at when you just wanna get away from all the hustle and bustle of life. The wooden beams blend nicely with the beautiful mountain background. Many people come here to read the solemn words and reflect on their way of living while others come to admire the calligraphy and capture the pictures of a dedicated piece of art home with them.

Here’s a video of the day I spent at the Big Buddha and Wisdom Path.