The Heart Sutra

The Sanskrit word sutra (a “thread”) – a holy text in Buddhism or Hinduism.

The Heart Sutra, translated by Xuanzang (600? – 664), is the shortest of the texts that constitute the Mahayana1 prajna-paramita2 literature, consisting of only 276 characters in its Chinese version. One of the most important and popular sutras of East Asian Buddhism, it is recited by the believers of nearly every Mahayana school. Its teaching centers on the “heart” of the Mahayana Buddhist teaching, the doctrine of Sunyata3 (emptiness), expressed in its teaching that “form is none other than emptiness, emptiness is none other than form.”

MA  KA  HAN NJA   HA  RA  MI  TA  SHIN  GYO

KAN  JI  ZAI  BO SA,  GJO  JIN   HAN  NJA  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  HOKU  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  ZE  SHIN  NI,

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  YA  HA  RA  MI  TA  KO,

SHIN  MU  KE  GE,  MU  KE  GE  KO,  MU  U  KU  FU,

ON  RI  IS  SAI  TEN  DO  MU  SO,  KU  GYO  NE  HAN,

SAN  ZE   SHO  BUTSU,E  HAN  YA  HA  RA  MI  TA  KO,

TOKU  A  NOKU  TA  RA   SAM  MYAKU  SAN  BO  DAI,

KO  CHI  HAN  YA  HA  RA  MI  TA,  ZE  DAI  JIN   SHU,  ZE  DAI  MYO  SHU,

ZE  MU  JO  SHU,  ZE  MU  TO  DO  SHU,  NO  JO  IS  SAI  KU,

SHIN  JITSU  FU  KO,  KO  SETSU  HAN  NYA  HA  RA  MI  TA  SHU,

SOKU  SETSU  SHU  WATSU,  GYA  TEI,  GYA  TEI,  HA  RA GYA  TEI,

HA  RA  SO  GYA  TEI,  BO  JI  SOWA  KA,  HAN  NYA  SHIN  GYO.

Avalokiteshvara Boddhisattva, when practicing deeply the Prajna Paramita, perceived that all five skandhas in their own being are empty and was saved from all suffering. O Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form. That which is form, is emptiness, that which is emptiness, form. The same is true of feelings, perceptions, impulses, consciousness. O Shariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness. They are without birth or death; are not tainted nor pure, do not increase nor decrease. Therefore, in emptiness: no form, no feelings, no perceptions, no impulses, no consciousness, no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind, no color, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no object of mind, no world of eyes, through to no world of mind consciousness. No ignorance and also no extinction of it, through to no old age and death and also no extinction of it. No suffering, no origination, no stopping, no path, no cognition, also no attainment, with nothing to attain. The Boddhisatvas depend on Prajna Paramita and their minds are no hindrance. Without any hindrance, no fears exist. Far apart from every deluded view they dwell in Nirvana. In the Three Worlds all Buddhas depend on Prajna Paramita and attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect Enlightenment. Therefore know: the Prajna Paramita is the great transcendent mantra, is the great bright mantra, is the utmost mantra, is the supreme mantra, which is able to relieve all suffering and is true, not false. So proclaim the Prajna Paramita mantra, proclaim the mantra that says:

GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA!