
Heart of the Prajna-Paramita
Sutra, also called Heart Sutra, is the shortest and the most popular sutra in
Buddhism. The Heart Sutra is regarded as the summation of the wisdom of
Buddha. It explains perfectly the teaching of non-attachment, which is
essentially the doctrine of emptiness. The Heart Sutra can be found etched
into many styles of Yixing ware. The following is a English translation of
the Heart Sutra; also included is phonetic script of the Heart Sutra in
Japanese.When Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is practising the profound Prajna-paramita, He sees and illuminates to the emptiness of the five skandhas, and Thus attains deliverance from all suffering. Sariputra, matter is not different from emptiness, and Emptiness is not different from matter. Matter is emptiness and emptiness is matter. So too are sensation, recognition, volition and consciousness. Sariputra, the emptiness character of all dharmas, neither arises nor ceases, is neither pure nor impure, and neither increases nor decreases. Therefore, in emptiness: there is no matter, no sensation, recognition, volition or consciousness, no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind, no sight, sound, scent, taste, tangibles, or dharma, no field of the eye up to no field of mental consciousness, no suffering, no cause of suffering, no ending of suffering, and no path, no wisdom and also no attainment. Because there is nothing obtainable. Bodhisattvas through the reliance on Prajna-paramita Have no attachment and hindrance in their minds. Because there is no more attachment and hindrance, There is no more fear, and Far away from erroneous views and wishful-thinking, Ultimately : The Final Nirvana. Therefore, realize that Prajna-paramita is the great wondrous mantra, the great radiant mantra, the unsurpassed mantra, and the unequalled mantra. It can eradicate all suffering, and It is genuine and not false. Therefore, utter the Prajna-paramita mantra - Chant: Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhisvaha! Kan ji zai bo sa gyo- jin han-nya ha ra mi ta ji sho- ken go on kai ku- do is-sai ku yaku. Sha ri shi shiki fu I ku- ku- fu I shiki shiki soku ze ku- ku- soku ze shiki. Ju so- gyo- shiki yaku bu nyo ze. Sha ri shi ze sho ho- ku- so- Fu sho- fu metsu fu ku fu jo- fu zo- fu gen ze ko ku- chu- Mu shiki mu ju so- gyo- shiki mu gen-ni bi zes-shin I mu shiki sho- ko- mi soku ho- mu gen kai nai shi mu I shiki kai mu mu myo- yaku mu mu myo- jin. Nai shi mu ro- shi yaku mu ro- shi jin mu ku shu metsu do- mu chi yaku mu toku I mu sho tok'ko. Bo dai sat-ta e han-nya ha ra mi ta ko shim-mu kei ge mu kei ge ko mu u ku fu on ri is-sai ten do- mu so- ku gyo- ne han. San ze sho butsu e han-nya ha ra mi ta ko Toku a noku ta ra sam-myaku sam-bo dai. Ko chi han-nya ha ra mi ta ze dai shin shu ze dai myo- shu ze mu jo- shu ze mu to- to- shu no- jo is-sai ku shin jitsu fu ko. Ko setsu han-mya ha ra mi ta shu soku setsu shu watsu Gya tei gya tei ha ra gya tei hara so- gya tei. Bodhi sva-ha- ka han-nya shin gyo. |