Can the heart sutra be the foundation of a religion?

Question

The heart sutra basically says there is nothing

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/heartstr.htm

Can something like

Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha

be a base for a religion?

Answer 1

If a group of believers decide to believe that wearing Nike runners and sheets, and drinking poison to die in an effort to adjoin their spirits with a passing comet can make what could be defined as a religion, then why couldn't you form a religion out of whatever you want?



The real question might be, if people will not believe in God, what does that leave them open to believe? and the answer is ... anything else.

Answer 2

The Heart sutra reveals ultimate truth, not nothingness. Nothingness is an extreme view and is not the correct way to interpret the Heart Sutra. It is impossible to understand the true meaning of the Heart sutra from a superficial reading. However, if you rely upon valid commentaries to the Heart sutra then yes, the Sutra contains all the stages of the path to enlightenment.



For a qualified and complete commentary to the Heart Sutra read ,"The New Heart of Wisdom" by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Answer 3

Entire schools of Buddhism have coalesced around the study of what is meant by 'nothing', so I'm going to say yes.



It's not nihilism after all.