East Meets West - The 1st Aphorism & The Heart Sutra

From: kynara54leddon (Original Message)
Sent: 5/19/2008 10:29 AM

In perusing a tome I recently acquired, I took the time to ponder the following “mystery” The Rosicrucian First Aphorism: I. The Eternal Parent was wrapped in the Sleep of the Cosmic Night. Light there was not: for the Flame of Spirit was not yet rekindled. Time there was not: for Change had not re-begun. Things there were not: for Form had not re-presented itself. Action there was not: for there were no Things to act. The Pairs of Opposites there were not: for there were no Things to manifest Polarity. The Eternal Parent, causeless, indivisible, changeless, infinite, rested in unconscious, dreamless sleep. Other than the Eternal Parent there was Naught, either Real or Apparent.

When I mentioned my study to a Buddhist friend of mine, he suggested that my studies might be enhanced by a slightly different perspective on the same conundrum:

The Great (Wisdom) Heart Sutra
"When the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara."
"Was Coursing in the Deep Prajna Paramita."
"He Perceived That All Five Skandhas Are Empty."
"Thus He Overcame All Ills and Suffering."
"Oh, Sariputra, Form Does not Differ From the Void,
And the Void Does Not Differ From Form.
Form is Void and Void is Form;
The Same is True For Feelings, Perceptions, Volitions and Consciousness."
"Sariputra, the Characteristics of the Voidness of All Dharmas
Are Non-Arising, Non-Ceasing,
Non-Defiled, Non-Pure,
Non-Increasing, Non-Decreasing."
"Therefore, in the Void There Are No Forms,
No Feelings, Perceptions, Volitions or Consciousness."
"No Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue, Body or Mind;
No Form, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch or Mind Object;
No Realm of the Eye, Until We Come to No realm of Consciousness."
"No ignorance and Also No Ending of Ignorance,
Until We Come to No Old Age and Death and
No Ending of Old Age and Death."
"Also, There is No Truth of Suffering,
Of the Cause of Suffering,
Of the Cessation of Suffering, Nor of the Path."
"There is No Wisdom,
and There is No Attainment Whatsoever."
"Because There is Nothing to Be Attained,
The Bodhisattva Relying On Prajna Paramita
Has No Obstruction in His Mind."
"Because There is No Obstruction, He Has no Fear,"
"And He passes Far Beyond Confused Imagination."
"And Reaches Ultimate Nirvana."
"The Buddhas of the Past, Present and Future,
By Relying on Prajna Paramita Have Attained Supreme Enlightenment."
"Therefore, the Prajna Paramita is the Great Magic Spell,
The Spell of Illumination, the Supreme Spell,
Which Can Truly Protect One From All Suffering Without Fail."
"Therefore He Uttered the Spell of Prajnaparmita,
Saying Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha." _________________________________________

Has anyone else studied these two esoteric texts in conjunction with each other? If so, would you be willing to share your insights on their differences and similarities?