Heart Sutra

Considered the most popular Sutra in the world today, the Heart Sutra explains the meaning of maha prajna paramita, the perfection of wisdom that enables one to perceive clearly the emptiness of self and of all phenomena. The Heart Sutra is the heart of the perfection of wisdom; it is also the heart of the entire family of prajna-paramita sutras.

(Source: Epstein, 2003: pp. 111 - 112)

1) Chinese Mandarin: bwo rwo bwo lwo mi dwo syin jing , 2) Sanskrit: prajna-paramita-hrdaya-sutra.

See also: Prajna Paramita Sutras, sutra, emptiness, Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva), dharani, mantra, Great Compassion Mantra, Five School of Buddhism - Esoteric, Bodhisattva, One Thousand Hands and Eyes, Tyan-tai School, Jr-yi (Venerable), Three Vehicles, Universal Door Chapter of Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara), Tripitaka (1. Sutras, 2. Vinaya, 3. Shastras or Abhidharma, or Tantra), Taisho Catalog Numbering System, Dharma, and names of individual sutras (such as Shurangama Sutra, Avatamsaka Sutra [Flower Adornment Sutra], Lotus Sutra [Wonderful Dharma Flower Sutra], Earth Store Sutra, Dharani Sutra, Brahma Net Sutra, Medicine Master Buddha Sutra, Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra, Vajracchedika Prajna Paramita Diamond, Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra, Sutra in 42 Sections, Sutra on the Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching, Vimalakirti Nirdesha Sutra, et al.   Schools: Hwa-Yen School, Tyan-tai School

Buddhist Text Translation Society (http://www.BTTSonline.org) References: HS.

See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfection_of_Wisdom

THE HEART OF PRAJNA PARAMITA SUTRA

　　When Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was practicing the profound Prajna Paramita, he illuminated the Five Skandhas and saw that they are all empty, and he crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty.
　

　　Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. So too are feeling, cognition, formation, and consciousness.

　　Shariputra, all Dharmas are empty of characteristics. They are not produced, not destroyed, not defiled, not pure; and they neither increase nor diminish. Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, feeling, cognition, formation, or consciousness; no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no sights, sounds, smells, tastes, objects of touch, or Dharmas; no field of the eyes up to and including no field of mind consciousness; and no ignorance or ending of ignorance, up to and including no old age and death or ending of old age and death. There is no suffering, no accumulating, no extinction, and no Way, and no understanding and no attaining.

　　Because nothing is attained, the Bodhisattva through reliance on Prajna Paramita is unimpeded in his mind. Because there is no impediment, he is not afraid, and he leaves distorted dream-thinking far behind. Ultimately Nirvana! All Buddhas of the three periods of time attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi through reliance on Prajna Paramita. Therefore know that Prajna Paramita is a Great Spiritual Mantra, a Great Bright Mantra, a Supreme Mantra, an Unequalled Mantra. It can remove all suffering; it is genuine and not false. That is why the Mantra of Prajna Paramita was spoken. Recite it like this:

Gaté Gaté Paragaté Parasamgaté

Bodhi Svaha!

Source: http://www.drba.org/dharma/heartsutra.asp

般 若 心 经
[唐]玄奘法师译


　　观自在菩萨，行深般若波罗蜜多时，照见五蕴皆空，度一切苦厄。
舍利子,色不异空,空不异色；色即是空,空即是色。受、想、行、识，亦复如是。舍利子，是诸法空相：不生、不灭；不垢、不净；不增、不减。是故空中无色。无受、想、行、识；无眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意；无色、香、声、味、触、法。无眼界，乃至无意识界；无无明，亦无无明尽；乃至无老死，亦无老死尽。无苦、集、灭、道。无智亦无得，以无所得故。菩提萨捶，依般若波罗蜜多故。心无挂碍，无挂碍故。无有恐怖，远离颠倒梦想、究竟涅磐。三世诸佛，依般若波罗蜜多故。得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。 　　
　　故知般若波罗蜜多，是大神咒，是大明咒，是无上咒，是无等等咒。能除一切苦，真实不虚。故说般若波罗蜜多咒，即说咒曰：“揭谛！揭谛！波罗揭谛！波罗僧揭谛！菩提萨婆诃！”

Source: http://www2.fodian.net/old/English/xinjing.htm

bān ruò xīn jīng

般 若 心 經

táng xuán zhuǎng fǎ shī yì

[ 唐] 玄 奘 法 師 譯

guān zì zài pú sà xíng shēn bān ruò bō luó

　　 觀 自 在 菩 薩， 行 深 般 若 波 羅

mì duō shí zhào jiàn wǔ yùn jiē kōng dù yī qiē

蜜 多 時， 照 見 五 蘊 皆 空， 度 一 切

kǔ è

苦 厄。

shě lì zi sè bù yì kōng kōng bù yì sè

舍 利 子, 色 不 异 空, 空 不 异 色

sè jí shì kōng kōng jí shì sè shòu xiǎng

； 色 即 是 空, 空 即 是 色。 受、 想、

xíng shí yì fù rú shì shě lì zi shì zhū fǎ

行、 識， 亦 复 如 是。 舍 利 子， 是 諸 法

kōng xiāng bù shēng bù miè bù gòu bù jìng

空 相： 不 生、 不 滅； 不 垢、 不 淨；

bù zēng bù jiǎn shì gù kōng zhōng wú sè wú

不 增、 不 減。 是 故 空 中 無 色。 無

shòu xiǎng xíng shí wú yǎn ěr bí shé

受、 想、 行、 識； 無 眼、 耳、 鼻、 舌

shēn yì wú sè xiāng shēng wèi chù

、 身、 意； 無 色、 香、 聲、 味、 触、

fǎ wú yǎn jiè nǎi zhì wú yì shí jiè wú wú

法。 無 眼 界， 乃 至 無 意 識 界； 無 無

míng yì wú wú míng jìn nǎi zhì wú lǎo sǐ yì

明， 亦 無 無 明 盡； 乃 至 無 老 死， 亦

wú lǎo sǐ jìn wú kǔ jí miè dào wú zhì yì

無 老 死 盡。 無 苦、 集、 滅、 道。 無 智 亦

wú de yǐ wú suǒ de gù pú tí sà chuí yī

無 得， 以 無 所 得 故。 菩 提 薩 捶， 依

bān ruò bō luó mì duō gù xīn wú guà ài wú

般 若 波 羅 蜜 多 故。 心 無 挂 礙， 無

guà ài gù wú yǒu kǒng bù yuǎn lí diān dǎo mèng

挂 礙 故。 無 有 恐 怖， 遠 离 顛 倒 夢

xiǎng jiù jìng niè pán sān shì zhū fó yī bān

想、 究 竟 涅 磐。 三 世 諸 佛， 依 般

ruò bō luó mì duō gù de ā nòu duō luó sān

若 波 羅 蜜 多 故。 得 阿 耨 多 羅 三

miǎo sān pú tí

藐 三 菩 提。 　　

gù zhī bān ruò bō luó mì duō shì dà shén

　　 故 知 般 若 波 羅 蜜 多， 是 大 神

zhòu shì dà míng zhòu shì wú shàng zhòu shì

咒， 是 大 明 咒， 是 無 上 咒， 是

wú děng děng zhòu néng chú yī qiē kǔ zhēn shí

無 等 等 咒。 能 除 一 切 苦， 真 實

bù xū gù shuō bān ruò bō luó mì duō zhòu jí

不 虛。 故 說 般 若 波 羅 蜜 多 咒， 即

shuō zhòu yuē jiē dì jiē dì bō luó jiē dì

說 咒 曰： “ 揭 諦！ 揭 諦！ 波 羅 揭 諦

bō luó sēng jiē dì pú tí sà pó hē

！ 波 羅 僧 揭 諦！ 菩 提 薩 婆 訶！ ”

Pinyin Source: NJStar Chinese Word Processor version 5.10.60218 http://www.njstar.com

Prajñāpāramitāhṛdayasūtram|  [saṁkṣiptamātṛkā]

|| namaḥ sarvajñāya||  āryāvalokiteśvarabodhisattvo gambhīrāyāṁ prajñāpāramitāyāṁ caryāṁ caramāṇo vyavalokayati sma| pañca skandhāḥ, tāṁśca svabhāvaśūnyān paśyati sma||   iha śāriputra rūpaṁ śūnyatā, śūnyataiva rūpam| rūpānna pṛthak śūnyatā, śūnyatāyā na pṛthag rūpam| yadrūpaṁ sā śūnyatā, yā śūnyatā tadrūpam||   evameva vedanāsaṁjñāsaṁskāravijñānāni||    ihaṁ śāriputra sarvadharmāḥ śūnyatālakṣaṇā anutpannā aniruddhā amalā na vimalā nonā na paripūrṇāḥ| tasmācchāriputra śūnyatāyāṁ na rūpam, na vedanā, na saṁjñā, na saṁskārāḥ, na vijñānāni| na cakṣuḥśrotraghrāṇajihvākāyamanāṁsi, na rūpaśabdagandharasaspraṣṭavyadharmāḥ| na cakṣurdhāturyāvanna manodhātuḥ||   na vidyā nāvidyā na vidyākṣayo nāvidyākṣayo yāvanna jarāmaraṇaṁ na jarāmaraṇakṣayo na duḥkhasamudayanirodhamārgā na jñānaṁ na prāptitvam||  bodhisattvasya(śca ?) prajñāpāramitāmāśritya viharati cittāvaraṇaḥ| cittāvaraṇanāstitvādatrasto viparyāsātikrānto niṣṭhanirvāṇaḥ| tryadhvavyavasthitāḥ sarvabuddhāḥ prajñāpāramitāmāśritya anuttarāṁ samyaksaṁbodhimabhisaṁbuddhāḥ||   tasmājjñātavyaḥ prajñāpāramitāmahāmantro mahāvidyāmantro'nuttaramantro'samasamamantraḥ sarvaduḥkhapraśamanaḥ satyamamithyatvāt prajñāpāramitāyāmukto mantraḥ| tadyathā- gate gate pāragate pārasaṁgate bodhi svāhā||

iti prajñāpāramitāhṛdayasūtraṁ samāptam||

Prajñāpāramitāhṛdayasūtram|  [saṁkṣiptamātṛkā]

|| namaḥ sarva-jñāya|| 

āry-āvalokiteśvara-bodhisattvo gambhī-rāyāṁ prajñā-pāramitāyāṁ caryāṁ caramāṇo vyavalokayati sma|

pañca skandhāḥ, tāṁśca svabhāvaśūnyān paśyati sma||

iha śāriputra rūpaṁ śūnyatā, śūnyataiva rūpam|

rūpānna pṛthak śūnyatā, śūnyatāyā na pṛthag rūpam|

yadrūpaṁ sā śūnyatā, yā śūnyatā tadrūpam||  

evameva vedanāsaṁjñāsaṁskāravijñānāni||    ihaṁ śāriputra sarvadharmāḥ śūnyatālakṣaṇā anutpannā aniruddhā amalā na vimalā nonā na paripūrṇāḥ| tasmācchāriputra śūnyatāyāṁ na rūpam, na vedanā, na saṁjñā, na saṁskārāḥ, na vijñānāni| na cakṣuḥśrotraghrāṇajihvākāyamanāṁsi, na rūpaśabdagandharasaspraṣṭavyadharmāḥ| na cakṣurdhāturyāvanna manodhātuḥ||   na vidyā nāvidyā na vidyākṣayo nāvidyākṣayo yāvanna jarāmaraṇaṁ na jarāmaraṇakṣayo na duḥkhasamudayanirodhamārgā na jñānaṁ na prāptitvam||  bodhisattvasya(śca ?) prajñāpāramitāmāśritya viharati cittāvaraṇaḥ| cittāvaraṇanāstitvādatrasto viparyāsātikrānto niṣṭhanirvāṇaḥ| tryadhvavyavasthitāḥ sarvabuddhāḥ prajñāpāramitāmāśritya anuttarāṁ samyaksaṁbodhimabhisaṁbuddhāḥ||   tasmājjñātavyaḥ prajñāpāramitāmahāmantro mahāvidyāmantro'nuttaramantro'samasamamantraḥ sarvaduḥkhapraśamanaḥ satyamamithyatvāt prajñāpāramitāyāmukto mantraḥ| tadyathā- gate gate pāragate pārasaṁgate bodhi svāhā||

iti prajñāpāramitāhṛdayasūtraṁ samāptam||

The Heart of Perfect Wisdom Sutra or Heart Sutra or Essence of Wisdom Sutra (Sanskrit: प्रज्ञापारमिताहृदयसूत्र Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya Sūtra; traditional Chinese: 般若波羅蜜多心經, Pinyin: Bōrĕbōluómìduō Xīnjīng; Japanese: 摩訶般若波羅蜜多心経, Maka Hannyaharamita Shingyō; Korean: 반야심경, Banya Simgyeong, Vietnamese: Bát Nhã Ba La Mật Đa Tâm Kinh, Thai: ปรัชญาปารมิตาหฤทัยสูตร) (Tibetan: sNying mDo or shes rab snying po'i mdo) is a well-known Mahāyāna Buddhist sutra that is very popular among Mahayana Buddhists both for its brevity and depth of meaning. It is even said to be the best known^[1] and most popular of all Buddhist scriptures.^[2]

[edit] Introduction

The Heart Sutra is usually considered a member of the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā) class of Mahāyāna Buddhist literature, and along with the Diamond Sutra, is considered by many to be the primary representative of the genre. It consists of just fourteen shlokas or verses in Sanskrit and 260 Chinese characters in the most prevalent Chinese version, Taisho Tripitaka Vol. T08 No. 251, translated by Xuanzang. This makes it one of the most highly abbreviated versions of the Perfection of Wisdom texts, which exist in various lengths up to 100,000 slokas. This sutra is classified by Edward Conze as belonging to the third of four periods in the development of the Perfection of Wisdom canon, although because it contains a mantra (sometimes called a dharani), it does overlap with the final tantric phase of development according to this scheme, and is included in the tantra section of at least some editions of the Kangyur. ^[3]

The use of the Heart Sutra is particularly emphasized in Buddhist traditions of East Asia. Its Chinese version is frequently chanted (in the local pronunciation) by the Chan (Zen/Seon/Thiền) sects during ceremonies in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam respectively. It is also significant to the Shingon Buddhist school in Japan, whose founder Kūkai wrote a commentary on it, and to the various Tibetan Buddhist schools, where it is studied extensively.

The sutra is in a small class of sutras not attributed to the Buddha. In some Chinese versions of the text, starting with that of Fayue dating to about 735^[4], the Buddha confirms and praises the words of Avalokiteśvara, although this is not included in either the extant Sanskrit version nor the preeminent Chinese version translated by Xuanzang.

[edit] Origin and early translations

The Heart Sutra has generally been thought to probably been composed in the first century CE in Kushan Empire territory, by a Sarvastivadin or ex-Sarvastivadin monk.^[5] The earliest record of a copy of the sutra is a 200-250CE Chinese translation made by Yuezhi monk Zhi Qian.^[2] It was translated again by Kumarajiva around 400CE. Zhi Qian's translation was lost before the time of Xuanzang, who produced his own translation in 649CE, which closely matched that of Kumarajiva.^[6] Xuangzang's translation is the first record of the title "Heart Sutra" (Xīnjīng in Chinese) being used for the text.^[7]

However, based on textual patterns in the Sanskrit and Chinese versions of the Heart Sutra and the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra, scholar Jan Nattier has suggested that the earliest (shortest) version of the Heart Sutra was probably first composed in Chinese language, and later translated into Sanskrit^[8][9][10] This theory has gained support amongst some other prominent scholars of Buddhism.^[11]

[edit] Title

Zhi Qian gave his translation the title Prajnaparamita Dharani.^[12] Kumarajiva's translation was Maha Prajnaparamita Mahavidya Dharani. Xuanzang's was the first translation to use Hrdaya or "Heart" in the title.^[13]

Xuanzang's was also the first translation to call the text a sutra. No extant Sanskrit copies use this word, though it has become standard usage in Chinese and Tibetan.^[14]

Some citations of Zhi Qian's and Kumarajiva's translations prepend moho (which would be maha in Sanskrit) to the title. Some Tibetan editions add bhagavati, meaning "bountiful", an epithet ofPrajnaparamita as goddess.^[15]

[edit] The text

Various commentators divide this text in different numbers of sections. Briefly, the sutra describes the experience of liberation of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteśvara, as a result of insight gained while engaged in deep meditation to awaken the faculty of prajña (wisdom). The insight refers to the fundamental emptiness of all phenomena, the five aggregates of human existence (skandhas) — form (rūpa), feeling (vedanā), volitions (samskārā), perceptions (saṁjñā), and consciousness (vijñāna).

The specific sequence of concepts listed in lines 12-20 ("...in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, ... no attainment and no non-attainment" is the same sequence used in the Sarvastivadin Samyukt Agama; this sequence differs in the texts of other sects. On this basis, Red Pine has argued that the Heart Sutra is specifically a response to Sarvastivada teachings that dharmas are real.^[16]

Avalokiteśvara addresses Śariputra, who was, according to the scriptures and texts of the Sarvastivada and other early Buddhist schools, the promulgator of abhidharma, having been singled out by the Buddha to received those teachings.^[17] Avalokiteśvara famously states that, "Form is empty (Śūnyatā). Emptiness is form." and declares the other skandhas to be equally empty — that is, empty of an independent essence. Avalokiteśvara then goes through some of the most fundamental Buddhist teachings such as the Four Noble Truths and explains that in emptiness none of these labels apply. This is traditionally interpreted^{[citation needed]} as saying that Buddhist teachings, while accurate descriptions of conventional truth, are mere statements about reality — they are not reality itself — and that they are therefore not applicable to the ultimate truth that is by definition beyond dualistic description. Thus the bodhisattva, as the archetypal Mahāyāna Buddhist, relies on the perfection of wisdom, defined in the larger Perfection of Wisdom sutras to be the wisdom that perceives reality directly without conceptual attachment. This perfection of wisdom is condensed in the mantra with which the Sutra concludes.

[edit] Mantra

This mantra, chanted throughout the Mahāyāna Buddhist world, appears in transliterated Sanskrit even in the Chinese version, as pronunciation of mantras is held to be important if they are to function properly. The mantra goes:

(The translation can only be loose since, as with many mantras, the Sanskrit does not appear to be completely grammatical)

The text itself describes the mantra as "Mahāmantro, mahā-vidyā mantro, ‘nuttara mantro samasama-mantrah", which Conze translates as "The great mantra, the mantra of great knowledge, the utmost mantra, the unequalled mantra, the allayer of all suffering." These words are also used of the Buddha, and so the text seems to be equating the mantra with the Buddha. Although the translation is acceptable, the case ending in Sanskrit mantra is the feminine vocative, so gate is addressed to a feminine person/figure. A more accurate translation is "Oh she who is gone!" In this respect, the mantra appears to be keeping with the common tantric practice (a practice supported by the texts themselves) of anthropromorphizing the Perfection of Wisdom as the "Mother of Buddhas."

One can also interpret the mantra as the progressive steps along the five paths of the Bodhisattva, through the two preparatory stages (the path of accumulation and preparation — Gate, gate), through the first bhumi (path of insight — Pāragate), through the second to seventh bhumi (path of meditation — Pārasamgate), and through the eight to tenth bhumi (stage of no more learning — Bodhi svāhā).

The current Dalai Lama explains the mantra in a discourse on the Heart Sutra both as an instruction for practice and as a device for measuring one's own level of spiritual attainment, and translates it as go, go, go beyond, go thoroughly beyond, and establish yourself in enlightenment. In the discourse, he gives a similar explanation to the four stages (the four go's) as in the previous paragraph.

Unlike Greek, Sanskrit distinguishes between 'para' (across, as in Greek and our derivations) and 'pāra', which means across to the other side. The preposition 'sam' equates to the Greek 'συν', with (which here we can reasonably expand to together with). So, "Gone [or go] across to the other side, together with" would be an absolutely literal translation of 'Pārasamgate'. This may be understood as referring to the bringing of one's entire world over onto the previously realised higher plane of energy, and as identical in meaning to the Zen saying "First there is a mountain [our initial condition of perception], then there is no mountain [pāragate], then there is [pārasamgate]". "Bodhi svāhā" - "Enlightenment, awaken!".

Notes

1. ^ Pine 2004, pg. 16
2. ^ ^{a b} Pine 2004, pg. 18
3. ^ Conze 1960
4. ^ Pine 2004 pg. 26
5. ^ Pine 2004, pg. 21
6. ^ Pine 2004, pg. 22-26
7. ^ Pine 2004, pg. 8
8. ^ Buswell 2003, page 314
9. ^ "Jan Nattier: Meet the Faculty: Department of Religious Studies: Indiana University". Retrieved on 2008-06-21.
10. ^ Pine 2004, pg. 23
11. ^ Pine 2004, pg. 25
12. ^ Pine 2004, pg. 20
13. ^ Pine 2004, pg. 36
14. ^ Pine 2004, pg. 39
15. ^ Pine 2004, pg. 35
16. ^ Pine 2004, pg. 9
17. ^ Pine 2004, pp. 11-12, 15

References

• Buswell, Robert E. (ed). Encyclopedia of Buddhism (2003) MacMillan Reference Books. ISBN 0028657187
• Conze, Edward. Prajnaparamita Literature (2000) Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers ISBN 8121509920 (originally published 1960 by Mouton & Co.)
• Pine, Red. The Heart Sutra: The Womb of the Buddhas (2004) Shoemaker 7 Hoard. ISBN 1-59376-009-4

External links

Translations

• Buddhist Text Translation Society. "The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra". Dharma Realm Buddhist Association. Retrieved on 2008-03-22. - from the Chinese translation by Tang master Hsüan-Tsang
• Conze, Edward. "The Heart Sutra". Digital International Buddhism Organization. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
• "The Prajñāpāramitā Heart Sūtra". Retrieved on 2008-05-14. Translated from the Chinese version of Xuanzang by the Sutra Pagoda Institute.
• Halifax, Joan; Kazuaki Tanahashi. "The Sutra on the Heart of Realizing Wisdom Beyond Wisdom" (PDF). Upaya Zen Center. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
• McLeod, Ken. "The Sutra of the Heart of the Lady Perfection of Wisdom". Unfettered Mind. Retrieved on 2008-03-22. - a very accessible translation by an American Buddhist scholar
• "English Buddhist Text". fodian.net. Retrieved on 2008-03-22. - Links to various English translations in PDF format
• "The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom". LamRim.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
• "The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra (with annotation)". Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale. Retrieved on 2008-03-22. - translated from Chinese by Buddha Gate Monastery
• "The Heart Sutra (in Chinese calligraphy)". Asiawind. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.

Further Reading

• Conze, Edward (translater) (1984). Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines & Its Verse Summary. Grey Fox Press. ISBN 978-0877040491. 
• Lopez, Donald (1990). The Heart Sutra Explained. South Asia Books. ISBN 978-8170302384. 
• McLeod, Ken (2007). An Arrow to the Heart. Victoria, BC, Canada: Trafford. ISBN 978-1425133771. 
• Nhat Hanh, Thich (1988). The Heart of Understanding. Berkeley, California: Parallax Press. ISBN 978-0938077114. 
• Porter, Bill (Red Pine) (2004-08-31). The Heart Sutra: The Womb of Buddhas. Shoemaker & Hoard. ISBN 978-1593760090. 
• Waddell, Norman (1996-07-15). Zen Words for the Heart: Hakuin's Commentary on the Heart Sutra. Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala. ISBN 978-1570621659. 

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_Sutra

Related Websites: www.Amitabha-Buddha.com, www.Amitabha-Sutra.com,
www.Shakyamuni-Buddha.com, www.Bhaisajya-Guru.com, www.Medicine-Buddha.org,
www.Avatamsaka-Sutra.com, www.Flower-Adornment.com, www.Prajna-Paramita.com, www.Dharani-Sutra.com,
www.Shurangama-Mantra.com, www.Shurangama-Sutra.com, www.Dharani-Sutra.com,
www.Diamond-Sutra.net, www.Vajra-Sutra.com, www.Sixth-Patriarch.com,
www.Sanghata-Sutra.com, 
www.Manjushri-Bodhisattva.com, www.Avalokiteshvara-Bodhisattva.com,
www.Samantabhadra-Bodhisattva.com, www.Ksitigarbha-Bodhisattva.com, www.Ksitigarbha.com,
www.Nagarjuna-Bodhisattva.com, www.Nalanda-University.com, www.Tibetan-Thangka.com,
www.Buddhist-Sutras.com, www.Buddhist-Sutra.com, www.Ayurvedic-College.org

Primary Compilation Source: Epstein, Ronald B., Ph.D, compiler, Buddhist Text Translation Society's Buddhism A to Z, Burlingame, California: Buddhist Text Translation Society, 2003. ISBN: 0881393533  Paperback: 284 pages.  www.BTTSOnline.org     www.Amazon.com  
http://www.bttsonline.org/product.aspx?pid=118     http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0881393533/ref=ase_medicinebuddh-20

Secondary Compilation Source: The Seeker’s Glossary of Buddhism, 2nd ed., San Francisco, California: Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada, 1998: www.budaedu.org.tw     

 
When Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was practicing the profound Prajna Paramita, he illuminated the Five Skandhas and saw that they are all empty, and he crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty.

Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. So too are feeling, cognition, formation, and consciousness.

Shariputra, all Dharmas are empty of characteristics. They are not produced, not destroyed, not defiled, not pure; and they neither increase nor diminish. Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, feeling, cognition, formation, or consciousness; no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no sights, sounds, smells, tastes, objects of touch, or Dharmas; no field of the eyes up to and including no field of mind consciousness; and no ignorance or ending of ignorance, up to and including no old age and death or ending of old age and death. There is no suffering, no accumulating, no extinction, and no Way, and no understanding and no attaining.

Because nothing is attained, the Bodhisattva through reliance on Prajna Paramita is unimpeded in his mind. Because there is no impediment, he is not afraid, and he leaves distorted dream-thinking far behind. Ultimately Nirvana! All Buddhas of the three periods of time attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi through reliance on Prajna Paramita. Therefore know that Prajna Paramita is a Great Spiritual Mantra, a Great Bright Mantra, a Supreme Mantra, an Unequalled Mantra. It can remove all suffering; it is genuine and not false. That is why the Mantra of Prajna Paramita was spoken. Recite it like this:

Gaté Gaté Paragaté Parasamgaté

Bodhi Svaha!

End of The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra


Source of English Translation from the Chinese: Buddhist Text Translation Society, 1997
 

Source: http://www.drba.org/dharma/heartsutra.asp

The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra has been translated from the Tibetan, consulting

(This completes the Ärya-bhagavatï-prajñäpäramitä-höidaya-sütra.)

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(Ärya-bhagavatï-prajñäpäramitä-höidaya-sütra)

(NOTE: Numerous corrections and enhancements have been made under Shastra tradition and "Fair Use" by an Anonymous Buddhist Monk Redactor (Compiler) of this Online Buddhist Encyclopedia Compilation)