Buddhist Heart Sutra
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.