Bilgin Zürknä Üüdnäs Shulms Härülh Yosn

The name of the ritual “Sherning Dudok” should be translated as: “Averting the four demons by means of the Heart Sutra” (Sherning — “Heart Sutra”, du — demons, dok — cutting off). The ritual is aimed at removing four obstacles, or four demons: the demon of afflictions (nisvanisin shulms), the worldly deities (tengrin köwün shulms), the demon of the body (tsogtsin shulms), and the demon of the lord of death (üklin ezn shulms).

The Heart Sutra is one of the most widespread texts belonging to the Prajnaparamita section — the teachings on perfect wisdom, in which the ultimate view is directly expounded. By comprehending its meaning, it becomes possible to completely dispel ignorance, which is the foundation of all afflictions-kleshas and the root of samsara. Since afflictions and karma arise from delusion regarding the true mode of existence of phenomena, freeing oneself from this delusion and cultivating the realization of the view is able to save us from the ocean of samsara. Attaining this wisdom of the unity of interdependence and emptiness, of which the sutra speaks to us, is an indispensable condition for achieving Awakening.