She told me it's called the Maka Hanya Haramita Shingyo,69 which means something like the Great Most Excellent Wisdom Heart Sutra. The only part I remember goes like this: Shiki fu i ku, ku fu i shiki.70 It's pretty abstract. Old Jiko tried to explain it to me, and I don't know if I understood it correctly or not, but I think it means that nothing in the world is solid or real, because nothing is permanent, and all things-including trees and animals and pebbles and mountains and rivers and even me and you-are just kind of flowing through for the time being.
The author recalls a conversation about an ancient text called the Maka Hanya Haramita Shingyo, translating to the Great Most Excellent Wisdom Heart Sutra. One particular phrase, "Shiki fu i ku, ku fu i shiki," lingered in the author's mind, reflecting an abstract concept. This phrase hints at the impermanent nature of existence, suggesting that everything we perceive around us is not solid or enduring.
The explanation provided by Old Jiko adds to the complexity, as it emphasizes the idea that all things, from nature to ourselves, are in a constant state of flux. This transient notion challenges the idea of permanence in the physical world, leading to a profound realization about existence and our place within it.
