Sūtra of the Heart

Presentation

Sūtra of the Heart (or Hridaya will sūtra in Sanskrit) is probably the the Buddhist text most known; he is frequently recited in many parts of the Buddhist world.

It is a text of the Buddhism mahāyāna. It is called Sūtra of the Heart because it contains the heart of the teaching of Prajñaparamita, the Perfection of Wisdom (also called perfect Sagesse, or transcendent Knowledge, or transcendent Wisdom, Prajna), namely the Vacuité of any thing and any phenomenon - vacuity (shunyata in Sanskrit) not meaning non-existence, but the absence of nature substantial, fixed and inchangeant.

Text of will sūtra

The Bodhisattva of the Compassion

Whereas he meditated deeply,

The Vacuité of the five Skandha S saw

And cut the bonds which made it suffer.

Here thus,

The form is anything else only vacuity,

Vacuity is anything else only the form.

The form is only vacuity,

Vacuity is only form.

Feeling, thought and choice,

Conscience itself,

Are identical to that.

All the things are the vacuum first

Who was not born nor destroyed,

Neither stained nor pure,

Not more than it does not grow or do not decrease.

Thus, in the vacuum, there is not nor form,

Nor feeling, thought or choice,

Nor either of conscience.

Nor eye, ear, nose, language, body, spirit;

Nor color, its, odor, savor, touch,

Nor only the spirit can seize,

Nor even act to feel.

Neither ignorance, nor end of this one,

Nor nothing of what comes from ignorance,

Neither decline, nor died,

Nor end of those.

There is no either pain, nor of cause of pain,

Neither suspension of the pain, nor noble way

Carrying out out of the pain;

Nor even wisdom to be reached!

The attack also is vacuity.

Will thus know that Bodhisattva

Sticking to nothing which is,

But remaining in Prajña wisdom

Is released from illusory obstacles

Removed from the fear nourished by those,

And reached bursting it Nirvāna.

All the Buddha S of passed and the present,

Buddhas of future time,

Using this Prajña wisdom,

Arrive at a complete and perfect vision.

Thus listen to large the Dharani,

The radiant Mantra, without equal,

Prajñaparamita,

Whose words alleviate any suffering;

Listen and believe in its truth!

Spoil Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha (to go, go, go beyond, beyond across, towards bank of the Awakening)

Spoil Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha (idem)

Spoil Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha. (idem)

Another version of the text

Sūtra Heart of the Perfection of Transcendent Knowledge (translation of Anagārika Prajñānanda, 1981)

Homage to Sublime, Noble Perfection of Transcendent Knowledge ( Prajñā )!

Noble Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara was driven in the major course of the Perfection of Transcendent Knowledge; it looked at attentively and saw five aggregates of existence, vacuums in their own nature.

Here Sāriputra, form is vacuity ( sūnyatā ) and vacuity is form; form is not other than vacuity, vacuity is not other than form; where there is form, there is vacuity, where there is vacuity, there is form; thus it is feelings, concepts, factors of existence and discriminative knowledge.

Here Sāriputra, all the phenomena ( dharma : conditioned and inconditionnés phenomena) have as a characteristic vacuity; they are without birth, annihilation, stains and purity, deficiency and plenitude.

This is why, Sāriputra, in vacuity, it has neither form there, neither feeling, neither concept, neither factor of existence nor discriminative knowledge; neither eye, neither ear, neither language, neither body, nor mental; neither forms, neither sounds, neither odors, neither tastes, neither tangible objects, nor mental objects; neither element of the sight to nor element of mental knowledge; neither absence of Sight, neither suspension of the absence of Sight until neither decline and died, nor suspension of the decline and died; neither suffering, neither origin, neither extinction, nor Path; neither knowledge, neither obtaining, nor absence of obtaining.

This is why, Sāriputra, Bodhisattva, by its quality of “without obtaining”, fascinating support on the Perfection of Transcendent Knowledge, remains, the psyché free one of obstruction. Not having obstructions of psyché, it is without fear, it overcame the mistakes and it reaches finally the Awakening ( Nirvāna ).

All Waked up ( Buddha ) which is held during the three time of time, fascinating support on the Perfection of Transcendent Knowledge, fully woke up the perfect one and complete Eveil.

This is why one must know the Perfection of Transcendent Knowledge as the large one will mantra, will mantra it of great Sight, will mantra it ultimate, will mantra it without equal, that which relieves of any pain, essence, without error. By the Perfection of Transcendent Knowledge this will mantra was proclaimed as follows:

“Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone completely beyond, Awakening ( Bodhi ), svāhā”.

Such is the conclusion of the Heart of the Perfection of Transcendent Knowledge.

Bonds towards other versions

Sūtra of the Heart and a comment
Versions sanskrite and Sino-Japanese
Bonds towards many versions
Chinese Penmanship of Sūtra of the Heart

Random links: