In this episode, JP traces his deep connection to the Heart Sutra back to childhood calligraphy lessons, then dives into the legacy of Xuanzang—the legendary monk whose Chinese translation of the Heart Sutra shaped Buddhist history.
Through personal stories, ancient texts, and meditative reflection, JP examines the title’s layered meaning, breaking down words like prajñā, pāramitā, and hṛdaya—the great heart beyond the small self. At the center of this episode is a mystery: Why did Xuanzang omit the word mahā—“great”—from his translation? Scholars offer reasons, but JP’s intuition whispers something more. So each morning, in stillness and breath, he asks the question again: Where did mahā go?
The “Conversations with Kai: The Time-Traveling AI (Season 3)” podcast is created using Google NotebookLM based on JP Liang’s forthcoming book. You can find the writing here.
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