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Mother of the Buddhas: Meditations on the Prajnaparamita Sutra
Lex Hixon's "contemplative expansion" of forty passages from the Prajnaparamita Sutra , the basic scripture of all schools of Mahayana Buddhism, yields a text of devotional beauty that is at once dramatic and uplifting. The text sets forth the Bodhisattva path to enlightenment. Features a foreword by renowned American Buddhist scholar Dr. Robert A. Thurman.
- GenresBuddhismSpirituality
284 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 14, 2011
At the deepest core of every religion I have studied there is a shared truth. That we are all a part of one another, that we are all a part of the Universe and something greater, and that which gives us pain is the idea that we are simply this small cut off manifestion of one being, unattached to the rest. The greatest teachings of Christ, for example, are his oneness with God, and to love one another as we would our own selves.
The Prajnaparamit is a text of Sutras describing the teachings of the Buddha. This book is pared down to the essential core teachings of non-duality. Despite the years of religious overlay, these teachings are an example of how the "scientific method" of mental discipline has survived. These are not simply a set of rules that one must abide by to obtain some future reward. These are the description of an actual practice which alters your perception from the small to the whole and has a direct and obtainable effect. Though, to be honest, I am uncertain I would have understood this many years ago. If yours is an analytical mind, it is much more difficult to relinquish the 'ideas' one has become enamored of. Having not been exposed to the root culture I find many translations that are ill suited to the English of the West. This translation is pleasing to read, and the vernacular is famillar.
The Prajnaparamit is a text of Sutras describing the teachings of the Buddha. This book is pared down to the essential core teachings of non-duality. Despite the years of religious overlay, these teachings are an example of how the "scientific method" of mental discipline has survived. These are not simply a set of rules that one must abide by to obtain some future reward. These are the description of an actual practice which alters your perception from the small to the whole and has a direct and obtainable effect. Though, to be honest, I am uncertain I would have understood this many years ago. If yours is an analytical mind, it is much more difficult to relinquish the 'ideas' one has become enamored of. Having not been exposed to the root culture I find many translations that are ill suited to the English of the West. This translation is pleasing to read, and the vernacular is famillar.
December 19, 2007
This book sits on my night stand. I've read it countless times and it always offer fresh insight into life no matter when I pick it up.
It's mainly a commentary on the Prajnaparamita sutra, a central text in Mahayana Buddhism. The main message of the Sutra is non-duality; There is no "me" and "you", no "object" and "observer", no "known" and no "knower".
If the idea of non-duality makes your head tilt and creates a little intrigue, then this book could be for you. If however, you are attached to the idea that you are you and everything else is not you...and you are not willing to consider another possibility, then you may want to pick up another book.
It's mainly a commentary on the Prajnaparamita sutra, a central text in Mahayana Buddhism. The main message of the Sutra is non-duality; There is no "me" and "you", no "object" and "observer", no "known" and no "knower".
If the idea of non-duality makes your head tilt and creates a little intrigue, then this book could be for you. If however, you are attached to the idea that you are you and everything else is not you...and you are not willing to consider another possibility, then you may want to pick up another book.
March 13, 2016
*Mother of the Buddhas* by Lex Hixon Review by Nandini Goel.
This Book provides a brief overview about the Prajnaparamita Sutra, which is a part of Mahayana Buddhism. "Prajnaparamita" is the goddess of Perfect Wisdom, also considered to be the mother of all Buddhas.
This book illustrates similar pattern of discussion, some what similar to other famous Scripture Bhagvad Gita, where the conversations between Krishna and Arjuna are recorded. The same way here the conversation between Buddha and his disciples are recorded.
Here Lord Buddha is laying down his wisdom in front of his disciples while the answering his disciple's questions to him on various aspects of attaining Perfect Wisdom.
One who has attained Buddha hood or is in a process of attaining it is known as a *Bodhisattva* or the diamond beings. A Bodhisattva is not lured or tempted by the tempting projections projected in front of him by the tempter called "Mara". A true Bodhisattva knows how to stay away from such temptations. If accidentally lured by them, he knows how to get out of them as soon as he steps into it. *I also remember reading somewhere else , Lord Buddha's image is sometimes shown with the hand gesture , called 'Bhumisparsha Mudra' , which signifies Buddha's calling of the Earth to witness his purity and chasity despite the temptation of Mara, This clearly shows how inner aware and vigilant Buddha was about wrongness of temptations in life.
A Bodhisattva is governed by great compassion and doesn’t have the slightest desire of self-existence.
A Mantra is given in the book which is chanted to bring in the mind the protectress of all the Buddhas. The Mantra is as follows:
*Om gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi swaha*
Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone beyond even the beyond into the full enlightenment, so be it.
A Bodhisattva has six transcendent perfections which are:
Perfection of Generosity,
Perfection of Goodness,
Perfection of Patience,
Perfection of Meditation,
Perfection of Commitment
Perfection of Wisdom.
A Bodhisattva attains this stage after serving and listening to various Bodhisattvas in the previous aeons(Time). Here Lex Hixon tells the story of Goddess of Ganges (a feminine wisdom being), who would attain Buddha hood and become Buddha Golden Flower in the Great Star like Aeon of the future.
My take on this book is "Enormous", Reading this interesting Tittle book , makes me closer to my belief in (Transcendental Meditation) TM, These studies makes me believe more and more that Buddha was a common man, but by virtue and practice of his meditation he achieved Bodhisattva, He could answer questions much eloquently, Now where he had Halo or he could levitate should never be sought by the children of my age, who wants to understand about the importance of TM.
Meditation improves and strengthens inner being of a person. TM makes a person more vibrant and radiant inside.
Overall, it was a very interesting and educating book opening the wonders of Mahayana Buddhism especially about the Prajnaparamita Sutra.
This is my review submission for a beautiful and peaceful world.
Thanks & Regards
Nandini Goel
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/nandinigoel....
This Book provides a brief overview about the Prajnaparamita Sutra, which is a part of Mahayana Buddhism. "Prajnaparamita" is the goddess of Perfect Wisdom, also considered to be the mother of all Buddhas.
This book illustrates similar pattern of discussion, some what similar to other famous Scripture Bhagvad Gita, where the conversations between Krishna and Arjuna are recorded. The same way here the conversation between Buddha and his disciples are recorded.
Here Lord Buddha is laying down his wisdom in front of his disciples while the answering his disciple's questions to him on various aspects of attaining Perfect Wisdom.
One who has attained Buddha hood or is in a process of attaining it is known as a *Bodhisattva* or the diamond beings. A Bodhisattva is not lured or tempted by the tempting projections projected in front of him by the tempter called "Mara". A true Bodhisattva knows how to stay away from such temptations. If accidentally lured by them, he knows how to get out of them as soon as he steps into it. *I also remember reading somewhere else , Lord Buddha's image is sometimes shown with the hand gesture , called 'Bhumisparsha Mudra' , which signifies Buddha's calling of the Earth to witness his purity and chasity despite the temptation of Mara, This clearly shows how inner aware and vigilant Buddha was about wrongness of temptations in life.
A Bodhisattva is governed by great compassion and doesn’t have the slightest desire of self-existence.
A Mantra is given in the book which is chanted to bring in the mind the protectress of all the Buddhas. The Mantra is as follows:
*Om gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi swaha*
Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone beyond even the beyond into the full enlightenment, so be it.
A Bodhisattva has six transcendent perfections which are:
Perfection of Generosity,
Perfection of Goodness,
Perfection of Patience,
Perfection of Meditation,
Perfection of Commitment
Perfection of Wisdom.
A Bodhisattva attains this stage after serving and listening to various Bodhisattvas in the previous aeons(Time). Here Lex Hixon tells the story of Goddess of Ganges (a feminine wisdom being), who would attain Buddha hood and become Buddha Golden Flower in the Great Star like Aeon of the future.
My take on this book is "Enormous", Reading this interesting Tittle book , makes me closer to my belief in (Transcendental Meditation) TM, These studies makes me believe more and more that Buddha was a common man, but by virtue and practice of his meditation he achieved Bodhisattva, He could answer questions much eloquently, Now where he had Halo or he could levitate should never be sought by the children of my age, who wants to understand about the importance of TM.
Meditation improves and strengthens inner being of a person. TM makes a person more vibrant and radiant inside.
Overall, it was a very interesting and educating book opening the wonders of Mahayana Buddhism especially about the Prajnaparamita Sutra.
This is my review submission for a beautiful and peaceful world.
Thanks & Regards
Nandini Goel
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/nandinigoel....
May 2, 2015
By the time I got finished with the book I felt I understood prajnaparamita a whole lot better than when I started. Which may not seem so impressive at first...after all, if you read any book you would expect to know more about the topic when you finished than when you started. But prajnaparamita is a concept that is pretty much impossible to put into words, and knowing that, Lex Hixon performed an amazing feat by making it so much clearer for me.
September 14, 2022
The method taught by awakened sages to develop this skillful mind of kindness is to cut the root of all selfish projections by repeatedly and intensively studying Perfect Wisdom, meditating single pointedly on its essence in a state of contemplative stillness and stability. With the clarity and honesty of such concentration, projected worlds of self-serving desire will melt in the sunlight of meditation, like structures of ice, revealing the magnificent secret of our existence, its total significance and absolute justification, which is active compassion for all conscious life.
From Tsongkhapa’s Twenty-seven verses on mind training
From Tsongkhapa’s Twenty-seven verses on mind training
May 17, 2022
Ease into the Prajnaparamita tradition with this translation.
September 10, 2016
Mind blowing!
May 13, 2022
An excellent background to the Heart Sutra, daily chanted by millions all over the world, and transmitted to us from the intrepid Dharma traveler Xuan Zhang. The statue on the cover is as important as the text itself, it is a direct transmission from 13th century Java, miraculously preserved in pristine condition, having lain in the dirt for some 500 years until discovery in 1820 or so. I was privileged to have seen this at the Asian Art museum in San Francisco 1989 or so, but at the time had no idea what I was looking at, though I realized surely this must be one of the most beautiful and important statues ever made. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prajnap...
January 25, 2023
This book was dense with information for me, honestly, I don't know if I grasped half of it, but it was interesting to read. I will revisit this book.
March 2, 2011
It's all about wisdom!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews