Wisdom Path (Heart Sutra Wood Inscription)
An outdoor wooden replica of the centuries-old Heart Sutra, one of the world's best known Buddhist sutras or prayers, has been erected near the Giant Buddha on Lantau Island.
The island's latest tourist attraction called the Wisdom Path is a wooden version of this famous 260-word prayer. It is made up of 38 wooden rectangular beams or obelisks varying in height from 8-to-10 metres in the shape of a figure eight to represent infinity. Each obelisk bears a portion of the prayer, which is written in traditional Chinese characters.
This unique attraction is based on calligraphy by the renowned Chinese scholar, Professor Jao Tsung-I who first saw the Heart Sutra at Mount Taishan in Shandong in 1980. This inspired him to do a calligraphy of the prayer. Once this masterpiece was completed, Professor Jao presented it to the people of Hong Kong in 2002.
The Hong Kong government decided to reproduce this artwork in the form of a large-scale outdoor wooden display at the foot of the Lantau Peak near Ngong Ping on Lantau Island, the home of the Giant Buddha at the Po Lin Monastery.
The outdoor exhibit is in the form of a figure eight to symbolise the idea of immeasurable splendour and infinity. The topmost obelisk has no inscription to exemplify the idea of "Emptiness".
The location and height of each of the timber obelisks has been carefully planned in order to fit into the natural landscape.
Even if you have no particular interest in calligraphy or Buddhism, you should not miss this opportunity to view such a unique artwork in such a spectacular setting.
How to get there:
Tung Chung MTR Exit B, take Bus 23 to Po Lin Monastery, follow the directional sign to Tea Garden, walk along the hiking trail from the entrance of Tea Garden for 15 minutes. 
Introduction to the Heart Sutra
The full name of the Heart Sutra is Prajna-paramita Heart Sutra. Prajna means wisdom, paramita means perfection, thus prajna-paramita means the Perfection of Wisdom. This sutra is more commonly referred to as the Heart Sutra. It is called Heart because it implies the Perfection of Wisdom of the Buddha. The sutra has been extensively transmitted throughout China, Japan and Korea, and for over a thousand years has been recited daily by East Asian clergy and the laity alike.
The Heart Sutra articulates the doctrine of Emptiness. What it teaches is that everything is dependent on conditions: an event occurs if, and only if, the adequacy of the conditions exists. The doctrine of Emptiness also spells out the relativity of all views. When one acquires the wisdom of Emptiness one realises that all physical and mental events are in a constant process of change, and accordingly everything can be changed by modifying the conditions.
Understanding the relativity of all standpoints will prevent one from becoming irrationally attached to things. In this way one will come to be free from all mental obstructions, and attain perfect harmony and bliss. At the same time, with the understanding that all things are dependently arisen, one will treasure and make good use of the conditions that are available, realising the ideal of benefiting ourselves and others.
There have been 21 translations of the Sutra since the 3rd century AD and the one by Xuan Zang is the best known.
(Source: discoverhongkong.com / Photo: discoverhongkong.com )
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