In the Diamond Sutra, Heart Sutra, and other Buddhist scriptures, the word “Dharma” is often seen:
一切有為法，如夢幻泡影，如露亦如電，應作如是觀。金剛般若波羅蜜經– 鳩摩羅什 譯 The Diamond Sutra – translated by Kumarajiva.
“Dharma” refers to all the attributes and qualities contained in a thing. For example, the “Dharma” of ice includes coldness and hardness, while the “Dharma” of fire includes light and heat. In Buddhist teachings, the “Dharma” refers to the mind of a person, including all feelings, emotions, desires, attachments, and aversions. The “All phenomena are empty” in the Heart Sutra refers to the fact that everything that arises in the mind is empty and illusory. Many people are affected by the inherent attributes of their minds and believe that they are real. Original Buddhism believes that we must see through the illusory nature of these “Dharma” and no longer recognize them, eventually achieving liberation.
The original meaning of this statement is that the attributes of everyone’s heart are illusory, like a fleeting dream or bubble. They can slowly gather like dew without being aware, or quickly appear and disappear like thunder and lightning, but have a strong impact. We should view them as others observe us, and not be influenced by them.
