Emptiness: The Essence of the Heart Sutra

The eminent Buddhist scholar, Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche presents two teachings on the well-known Heart Sutra, the essence of the prajnaparimitra. In The first teaching, Khen Rinpoche takes us through the Heart Sutra stanza by stanza, explaining the nuances of this sacred text. In the second teaching, Khenchen delves into emptiness itself with a detail seldom found.

The Heart Sutra, known and loved by Buddhist practitioners and non-practitioners alike, is one of the best-known Buddhist scriptures. The Heart Sutra presents the condensed essence of all the teachings on the Prajnaparamita, which is the perfection of transcendent wisdom, the view of emptiness. In the first half of Emptiness: The Essence of the Heart Sutra, the eminent Buddhist scholar Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche leads us, stanza by stanza, through the Heart Sutra. In the second half, Khen Rinpoche further explains the importance of emptiness. Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche is one of the three senior khenpos officiating at the Namdroling Monastery in southwest India. Khen Rinpoche has studied and practiced the profound teachings of Dzogchen (the Great Perfection) under the guidance of several great Dzogchen masters and has received all the major transmissions of the Nyingma tradition from His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. He has been authorized by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche to transmit the Palyul lineage and Buddhist teachings and to give personal instructions to his disciples. May all beings benefit from the release of this book.

Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche is a recognized Dzogchen Master in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Born in the Lhodrak Valley of south-central Tibet on the border of Bhutan, he left Tibet with his family in 1960 at the age of six. Settling in Darjeeling, west Bengal, India, he received his education and at the age of ten took the monastic ordination of a novice. In 1969 he entered the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan studies at Sarnath and was graduated in 1978 with the degree of Acharya. Throughout his years of study, he was most often at the head of his class. Upon graduating he was honored with a silver medal by His Holiness the Dalai Lama for placing first in his class among the students from the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism represented at the Institute. After graduation, he was invited to teach at the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute, the monastic college of the Palyul Namdroling Monastery in South India. Khen Rinpoche has also studied and practiced the profound teachings of Dzogchen (the Great Perfection) under the guidance of several great Dzogchen masters including His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche, His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, and Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche. In 1983 he was enthroned as a khenpo (professor of Buddhist studies both in theory and in practice) by HH Penor Rinpoche and has now been given the title of khenchen (great khenpo). Khen Rinpoche received all the major lineage transmissions of the Nyingma tradition from HH Dudjom Rinpoche, HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and HH Penor Rinpoche, and was authorized by HH Penor Rinpoche to transmit the Palyul lineage and Buddhist teachings and to give personal instructions to his disciples. For some twenty years, Khen Rinpoche has travelled the world teaching the dharma and establishing and nurturing a number of Palyul dharma centers. His warmth, wisdom, and easy humor have made him a beloved teacher wherever he goes. Among his disciples, he is affectionately known as Khenchen Guru.