THE SONG OF GREAT JOY "Iha" Prajñāpāramitā - BÀI CA ĐẠI HOAN HỶ "I-ha" Bát Nhã Ba La Mật Đa
Based on the Vietnamese translation of the “Prajñāpāramitā-Hṛdayam” Sutra as edited by BHIKKHU THÍCH TUỆ HẢI on August 8, 2019, the lyrics for “The Song of Great Joy” were composed by Milam Sudhana on August 6, 2019 and enhanced on October 18, 2019. In Sanskrit, "iha" has 3 different meanings: "here," "now" or "in this world." This term had been missing in the classical Chinese-Vietnamese translations of the Heart Sutra for many centuries, and thus, this verse had been previously translated into Vietnamese as "O Sariputra" (instead of "Here, O Sariputra" or "Now, O Sariputra" or "In this world, O Sariputra"). Recently, in the new Vietnamese version of "The Core-Essence of the Prajñāpāramitā" edited by Bhikkhu Thich Tue Hai on August 8, 2019, the "iha" verse was expressed as "O Sariputra, in this very vivid presence" -- it is the very vivid momentary presence when the practitioner deeply immerges in the sphere of the five aggregates as being Empty-Void and where all dharmas emerge as Empty-Signlessness. "This very vivid presence" is not even slightly before or after; each and every momentary presence of reality, of the realm of truth, is constantly changing and refreshing itself.
....... THE SONG OF GREAT JOY: "Iha" Prajñāpāramitā (Translation of the Vietnamese lyrics)
Why did it have to take us more than a thousand years To find one word Just one word In the Heart Sutra? Why is it that this word has been lost for more than a thousand years Yet no one saw it Right in the Heart Sutra? O Sariputra Iha... iha... iha... Sariputra! Iha... is it right here, right in this place, right in this world? iha... is it right now, at this point in time, right in this instant? Iha... iha... iha... Sariputra! Iha... is this very vivid presence, not even slightly before or after! The Core-Essence of Prajñāpāramitā radiates luminously... luminously... luminously........ When the word "iha" appeared After being lost for more than a thousand years In the forest of words. Iha... iha... iha... Sariputra! Iha... Emerging Naturally and Serenely O! Joy... joy... great joy! O Sariputra! Iha... iha... iha... Sariputra! Iha... is the immaculately pure vivid presence, the quiescent and empty presence, the emergence of Empty-Signlessness. Iha... is the utterly complete reality in existence, without a rift as small as a thread of silk, with not even a chance to be dissimilar! Iha... form is Empty-Void Iha... Empty-Void is form Iha... all dharmas emerge from Empty-Signlessness Iha... non-arising, non-ceasing, undefiled, untainted, pristine, blazingly bright Perfectly Complete! Iha... Prajñāpāramitā Iha... The Perfection of All-Transcendent Wisdom gone utterly freely beyond right in this very vivid presence Thus no shore is there to be crossed! When the Master taught Dharma on his lion seat The beginning of a song of great joy Rain of nectar falling........... Iha... iha... iha... Sariputra!
ha / sariputra / sarva / dharma / sunyata / alaksana / anutpanna / aniruddha / amala / vimala / nouna / na paripurnah. Iha... in this very vivid presence, all dharmas emerge from Empty-Signlessness! Iha... non-arising, non-ceasing, undefiled, untainted, pristine, blazingly bright Perfectly Complete! Thus, to speak of the Perfection of All-Transcendent Wisdom is to Emerge Vividly in the realm of truth: Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone utterly freely beyond, perfectly awakened, svaha! When the Master taught Dharma on his lion seat The beginning of a song of great joy Luminous golden, luminous golden, blazingly bright... vast expansive, vast expansive, luminous golden........ Iha... iha... iha... Sariputra... Iha... iha... iha... Sariputra...