Book Launch | The Heart Sūtra
Book Launch: The Heart Sūtra – Revisiting Its Texts, History, and Meaning
Where: Emmanuel College Chapel, 75 Queens Park Cres. E.
Format: Hybrid (In-Person & Online)
About this Event:
Join us for the official launch of The Heart Sūtra: Revisiting Its Texts, History, and Meaning by Dr. Henry C. H. Shiu, Shi Wu De Professor in Chinese Buddhist Studies at Emmanuel College. This monograph offers a groundbreaking re-examination of one of the most significant Buddhist scriptures. Through meticulous comparison of Sanskrit texts and their Chinese and Tibetan translations, Dr. Shiu investigates longstanding debates around the Heart Sūtra’s origins—considering whether it may be a Chinese apocryphon—and situates it within the wider Perfection of Wisdom tradition. His work bridges Chinese, Indian, and Tibetan Buddhist scholarship, offering a fresh, revisionist interpretation that illuminates the Heart Sūtra’s historical development, ritual functions, and philosophical depth.
Refreshments will be served following the event.
Featuring Special Discussants
- Dr. John Makransky, Professor of Buddhism and Comparative Theology, Boston College
- Dr. Rory Lindsay, Assistant Professor, Department for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto; Editor at 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
About the Author
Henry C. H. Shiu has published widely on Buddhist philosophy and contemporary applications of the Dharma, including dementia care, ecological ethics, chaplaincy, and intercultural competency. His scholarship spans peer-reviewed journals, edited volumes, and multiple Chinese-language books on Western classical music and Buddhist texts. His work reflects a unique bridge between classical Buddhist philosophy and modern ethical practice.
“This book challenges academic orthodoxies by revealing previously hidden aspects of the Heart Sūtra’s genesis, development and interpretation within the languages and cultures of India, China, Tibet and Central Asia. Shiu’s insightful textual, historical and Dharmalogical analyses update and greatly enrich our understanding of the Heart Sūtra’s complex origins, forms of cultural and political significance, contemplative and ritual functions, and profound spiritual truths.”
— John Makransky, Boston College