"The purpose of a reclusive monk such as myself audaciously presenting a volume like this is to transmit the True Dharma and the Great Compassion of Buddha. In doing this, I wish to highlight the fact that the Heart Sutra is an outstanding guidebook for the path to liberation and for the practice of the Buddha Way. This sutra describes the Ultimate Path in a most straightforward manner. I would like you to know that by exerting yourself daily in the way it describes the time will come without a doubt when the results of your effort will manifest."
-Master Kido Inoue

To fully understand the meaning of the Heart Sutra, one cannot simply follow, or have faith in what it is says, without detailed analysis. The Heart Sutra cannot be fully grasped with pure intellect alone. Practicing the True Way requires you to throw away all things and to forget the ego.

When the words are approached with both the mind and the heart, its full understanding will naturally be revealed through practice. Because of this, the guidance of a real Dharma Master (or Roshi)-such as Master Kido Inoue-is required. Here, he shares his teachings in a straightforward and honest fashion.
Record of Traces and Dreams: The Heart Sutra, Kido Inoue, iUniverse, Paperback, 112 pp, $12.95

Roshi Inoue Kido was born in 1940 and took his first religious vows at thirteen. In 1962, he received a bachelor of arts degree in Oriental philosophy at Aichi University. From 1962 to 1984, he practiced at Shorinkutsu Seminary under Gikoh Inoue Roshi and Daichi Inoue Rohni. In 1981, he was appointed head priest of Kaizoji, and in 1984 he became the fifth abbot of Shorinkutsu Seminary. He has written several books on Zen in Japanese.

CONTENTS: Record of Traces and Dreams
Foreword	ix
Introduction	xi
1. The Most Widely Recognized Buddhist Sutra	xi
2. Origins of the Heart Sutra	xii
3. Genjo's Principles for Translating	xiii
4. Genjo Sanjo's True Intention	xiv
5. Sariputra	xvi
6. The Essence of the Sutras	xviii
7. Emptiness	xix
8. How Did the Buddha Convey Emptiness?	xxi
9. The Five-Petaled Flower Blooms	xxii
THE HEART SUTRA LINE BY LINE
MAKA HANNYA HARAMITTA SHINGYO The Heart of the Perfection of Transcendent Wisdom	1
KANJIZAI BOSATSU GYOJIN HANNYA HARAMITTA The bodhisattva Kannon prfoundly practiced Prajna Paramita.	23
JISHO KEN GO ON KAI KU DO ISSAI KU YAKO When he clearly realized the five skandhas were completely empty, he was delivered from all suffering and pain.	30
SHARISHI SHIKI FU I KU KU FU I SHIKI SHIKI SOKU ZE KU KU SOKU ZE SHIKI JU SO GYO SHIKI YAKU BU NYOZE Sariputra, form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form. That which is form is empty; that which is emptiness is form. This also true for sensation, perception, intention, and awareness	37
SHARISHI ZE SHOHO KUSO FUSHO FUMETSU FUKU FUJO FUZO FUGEN They are not born nor do they die, are neither sullied nor pure, nor do they increase or decrease.	40
ZE KO KU CHU MU SHIKI MU JU SO GYO SHIKI For this reason, within emptiness there is not form, nor is there sensation, perception, mental formations, or cognition.	43
MU GEN NI BI ZESSHIN NI MU SHIKI SHO KO MI SOKU HO There are no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; and no form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental formations.	48
MU MUMYO YAKU MU MUMYO JIN NAISHI MU ROSHI YAKU MU RO SHI JIN There is no ignorance, nor is there cessation of ignorance. There is no old age and death, and no cessation of old age and death.	51
MU KU SHU METSU DO MU CHI YAKU MU TOKU I MU SHO TOKKO BODAI SATTA E NANNYA HARA MITTA KO SHIN MU KE GE There is no suffering, no cause of or annihilation of suffering, and no path to liberation. There is no wisdom or attainment because there is nothing to attain. Because the bodhisattva depends on Prajna Paramita, there are no obstacles.	54
MU KE GE KO MU U KU FU ON FI ISSAI TEN DO MU SO KU GYO NEHAN Because there are no obstacles, there is no fear. Separating from everything, from all upside-down views and from attaining Nirvana, too.	60
SAN ZE SHOBUTSU E HANNYA HARAMITTA KO TOKU A NOKU TARA SAN MYAKU SAN BODAI Because all of the Buddhas of the three realms depend on Prajna Paramita, they reach perfect Enlightenment.	62
KOCHI HANNYA HARAMITTA ZE DAIJIN SHU Therefore you know: Prajna Paramita is the great holy mantra.	65
ZE DAI MYOSHU ZE MUJO SHU ZE MUTODO SHU This great holy mantra, this great bright mantra, this supreme mantra, this incomparable mantra.	67
NOJO ISSAI KU SHIN JITSU FU KO Able to relieve all suffering. This is true, not false.	70
KO SETSU HANNYA HARAMITTA SHU SOKU SETSU SHU WATSU Therefore I proclaim the mantra of Prajna Paramita, proclaim the mantra that says,	72
GYATE GYATE HARA GYATE HARA SO GYATE BODAI SOWAKA HANNYA SHINGYO	73
A Discussion with Kido Inoue Roshi Questions of 4 practitioners	76