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Library: Sacred Texts

The Heart Sutra

English Title: The Sutra of the Lady, the Heart of Transcendental Wisdom
Sanskrit Title: Bhagavati Prajna-paramita Hridaya Sutra.
Tibetan title: bCom-ldan-'das-ma Shes-rab kyi P'a-rol-tu P'yin-pai sNying-po zhes-bya-ba bzhugs-so

Homage to the blessed lady, holy transcendental wisdom!

1. Thus have I heard: at one time, the blessed lord was dwelling on the vulture-peak mountain near rajagriha, with a gathering of the great community of mendicant-religious and the great community of lay-religious.

evam maya srutam ekasmin samaye, bhagavan rajagrhe viharati sma grdhra-kuta-parvate, mahata bhiksu-samghena sardham mahata ca bodhisattva-samghena.

Di skad bdag gis thon pa dus gcig na, bcom-ldan-'das rgyal-poi khab bya rgod phung-poi ri la, dge-slong gi dge-'dun chen-po dang byang-chub sems-dpai dge-'dun chen-po dang thabsgcig tu bzhugs-te

2. At that time the blessed lord was absorbed in the contemplation known as "profound radiance" wherein phenomena are examined.

tena khalu punah samayena bhagavan gambhira-avabhasam nama dharmaparyayam bhasitva samadhim samapannah.

De'i tshe bcoin-Idan-'das zab-mo snang-ba zhes-bya-ba'i choskyi rnam grangs kyi ting-de-'dzin la snyoms par zhugs-pa-so

3. And in a coinciding time, holy Avalokitesvara the mahasattva-bodhisattva, was engaged in observing the practice of transcendental wisdom, wherein the actuality of the five complexes are observed as empty.

tena ca samayena arya-avalokitesvaro bodhisattvo mahasattvo gambhirayam prajnaparamitayam caryam caramana evam vyavalokayati sma: panca-skandhas
tams ca svabhava-sunyan vyavalokayati.

Yang de'i tshe byang-chub sems-dpa' sems-dpa' chen-po 'phags-pa spyan-ras-gzigs dbang-pyug shes-rab kyi p'a-rol tu p'yin-pa zab-moi spyod-pa nyid la rnam-par blta zhingphungpo lnga po de dag la yang rang bzhin gyi stong-par rnam-par blta'o

4. Then, through the mystical-power of the buddha, venerable Shariputra enquired of holy Avalokitesvara, the mahasattva-bodhisattva, as follows:

atha ayusmanc sariputro buddha-anubhavena arya-Avalokitesvaram bodhisattvam mahasattvam etad avocat

De nas sangs-rgyas kyi mthus tshe dang Idan-pa sh'a ri'i bus byang-chub sems-dpa' sems-dpa' chen-po 'phags-pa spyanras gzigs dbang-p'yug la 'di skad ces smras-so

5. "How should a son or daughter of noble lineage, who wishes to practice the profound transcendental wisdom, train themselves"

yah kascit kulaputro va kuladuhita va asyam ganubhirayam prajnaparamitayam caryam cartukamas tena katham siksitavyam?

Rigs kyi bu'ma rigs kyi bu-mo gang la la shes-rab kyi pha-rol tu p'yin-pa zab moi spyod-pa spyad-par 'dod-pa des ji ltar bslab par bya

6. Thus questioned, holy Avalokitesvara the mahasattva bodhisattva explained as follows to venerable shariputra:

evam ukta arya-avalokitesvaro bodhisattvo mahasattvo ayusmantam sariputram etad avocat

De skad ces smras-pa dang, byang-chub sems-dpa' sems-dpa' chen-po 'phags-pa sphyan-ras-gzigs dbang-p'yuig gis tshe dang Idan-pa sha' ra dwa-ti'i bu la 'di skad ces smras-so

7. O shariputra, the son or daughter of noble lineage who wishes to practice the profound transcendental wisdom, should observe thus:

yah kascic sariputra kulaputro va kuladuhita va asyam gambhirayam prajnaparamitayam caryam cartukamas tenaivam vyavalokitavyam.

Sha'-ri-bu rigs kyi bu'ma rigs kyi bu-mo gang la la shes-rab kyi p'a-rol tu p'yin-pa zab-moi spyad-pa spyod-par 'dod-pa des 'di ltar rnam-par blta bar-bya-ste

8. The five complexes should be viewed as empty in actuality.

panca-skandhas samanupasyati ca svabhava-sunyan pasyati sma.

Phung-po lnga po de dag kyang rang-bzhin gyis sTong-par yang-dag par rjes su blta'o

9. "[Here shariputra]: form is empty, emptiness is form;"

[iha sariputra]: rupam sunyam sunyataiva rupam,

gZugs sTong-pa'o. sTong-pa-nyid gZugs-so

10. "Form is not other than emptiness, emptiness is not other than form"

rupam na prthak sunyata sunyataya na prthag rupam,

gZugs las kyang sTong-pa-nyid gzhan-ma-yin, sTong-panyid las kyang gzugs gzhan ma yin no

11. "And thus, feeling, thought, volition, and consciousness are empty."

evam eva vedana-samjna-samskara-vijnana sunyani.

De bzhin du tshor-ba dang 'du -shes dang 'du-byed dang rnam-par-shes-pa rnams sTong-pa'o

12. "Here, shariputra: all phenomena are emptiness, without characteristics, not originated nor terminating, not impure nor immaculate, not deficient nor complete."

iha sariputra: sarva-dharmah sunyata-alaksana, anutpanna aniruddha, amala avimala, anuna aparipurnah.

Sha-ri'-bu de Ita bas na chos thams-cad sTong-pa-nyid de,
mtshan-nyid-med-pa ma skyes-pa ma 'gags-pa, dri-ma medpa dri-ma dang dral-ba med-pa, bri-ba med-pa gang-ba med pa'o

13. "Therefore, shariputra: in emptiness is no form, no feeling, no thought, no volition, no consciousness; no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no brain-system; no [visible- form, no sound, no odour, no taste-object, no tangible-object, no [mental-] phenomena; no eye element... No brain element... Up to, no mental-consciousness element; no ignorance, no extinction of ignorance... no decay and death, no extinction of decay and death; no suffering, no origination [of suffering], no cessation [of suffering], no path [to the cessation of suffering]; no knowledge, no acquisition [of knowledge], and no non-acquisition [of knowledge]."

tasmat tarhi sariputra sunyatayam na rupam na vedana na samjna na samskarah na vijnanam; na caksuh-srotra-ghrana-jihva-kaya-manamsi; na rupa-sabda-gandha-rasa-sprastavya-dharmah; na caksur-dhatur na manodhatu na manovijnana-dhatuh yavan; na avidya na-avidya-ksayo yavan na jara-maranam na jara-marana-ksayo; na duhkha-samudaya-nirodha-marga; na jnanam, na praptir na-apraptih.

Sha-ri'-bu de lta bas na sTong-pa-nyid la gzugs med, tshor-ba med, 'du-shes med, 'du-byed med, rnam-par-shes-pa med, mig med, rnam-ba med, sna med, Ice med, lus med, yid med, gzugs med, sgra med, dri med, ro med, reg-bya med, chos med do, mid gi khams med-pa nas yid kyi khams med, yid kyi rnam-par-shes-pai khams kyi bar du yang med do, ma-rig-pa med, ma-rig-pa zad-pa med-pa nas, rga-shi med, rga-shi zadpai bar

14. "Therefore, shariputra: since there is no acquisition, bodhisattvas abide in reliance on transcendental wisdom. Having no mental-object, they are without fear. Having utterly transcended erroneous views, they acquire ultimate nirvana."

tasmat tarhi sariputra: aprapti-tvat bodhisattvo prajnaparamitam asritya viharaty, cittalambana-nastitvad atrasto viparyasa-atikranto nistha-nirvana-praptah.

Sha-ri'-bu de lta bas na byang-chub sems-dpa' rnams la thobpa med-pai phyir, shes-rab kyi pha-roi tu-phyin pa la brtencing gnas te, sems la sgrib-pa med-cing skrag-pa med-de, phyin ci log las shin-tu'das nas, mya ngan las'das pai mthar-phyin to

15. "All the Buddhas of the three times come to realize supreme perfect complete enlightenment by this reliance on transcendental wisdom."

tryadhva-vyavasthitah sarva-buddhah prajna-paramitam asritya-anuttaram samyaksambodhim abhisambuddhah.

dus gsum rnam-par bzhugs-pai sangs-rgyas tham-cad kyang shes-rab kyi p'a rol tu phyin-pa'di la brten nas bla na med-pa yang-dag par rdzogs-pai byang-chub tu mngon par rdzogspar sangs-rgyas so

16. Therefore know the mantra of transcendental wisdom, the mantra of great awareness, the unsurpassed mantra, the non-same sameness mantra, the mantra that totally pacifies all suffering. This is the un-falsified truth. This is the mantra of transcendental wisdom, uttered thus :
Om ga-te ga-te pa-ra-ga-te pa-ra-sam-ga-te bodhi svaha!

tasmat tarhi jnataznjam: prajnaparamita mantro maha-vidyamantro anuttara-mantro 'samasama-mantrah, sarva-duhkha prasamano mantrah, sat yam amithyatvat; prajnaparamitayam ukto mantrah; tadyatha om gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha.

de Ita bas na shes-rab kyi p'a-rol tu phyin-pai sngags, rig-pa chen-poi sngags, bla-na med-pai sngags, mi-mnyam-pa dang mnyam-pai sngags, sdug-bsngal thams-cad rab du zhi bar byed-pai sngags, mi brdzun pe na bden-par shes-par bya ste, shes-rab kyi pha-rol du phyin-pai sngags smras-pa: ta-dyatha, om ga-te ga-te pa-ra-ga-te pa-ra-sam-ga-te bodhi sva-ha

17. "This, O Shariputra, is how a mahasattva-bodhisattva should train in the profound transcendental wisdom."

evam sariputra bodhisattvena mahasattvena gambhirayam prajnaparamitayam siksitavjam.

Sha-ri'-bu, byang-chub sems-dpa' sems-dpa' chen-pos de ltar shes-rab kyi pha-rol tu phyin-pa zab-mo la bslab-par bya'o

18. And so, at the time when the Blessed Lord arose from out of contemplation, he praised holy Avalokitesvara the mahasattva-bodhisattva, saying:

atha khalu bhagavan tasmat samadher vyutthaya-arya-Avalokitesvaraya bodhisattvaya mahasattvaya sadhukaram adat:

de nas bcom ldan 'das ting de 'dzin de las bzhengs te byang chub sems-dpa' sems-dpa' chen-po'phags-pa spyan-ras-gzigs dbang-phyug la legs so zhes bya-ba byin nas

19. "Good, good, o noble son: just so, o noble son, just so; exactly as you have communicated it, so should the practice of the profound transcendental wisdom be performed, and all the tathagatas rejoice in [confirming] this."

sadhu sadhu kulaputra, evam etat kulaputra evam etad, gambhirayam prajnaparamitayani caryam cartavyam yatha tvaya nirdistam anumodyate sarva-tathagatair [arhadhih].

Legs-so legs-so, rigs kyi bu de de-bzhin-no, de de-bzhin-te, ji ltar khyod kyi bstan-pa de-bzhin du, shes-rab kyi pha-rol tu phyin-pa zab-mo la spyad-par bya-ste, de-bzhin gshegs-pa rnams kyang rjes su yi rang ngo[ ].

20. Thus spoke the Blessed Lord. And the human-being shariputra, the holy Avalokitesvara the mahasattva bodhisattva, along with the whole gathering [of bhikshus and the bodhisattvas], and with the archangels, angels and human beings , of this planet, were blessed through the approval of the blessed lord.

idam avocad bhagavan. attamana-ayusmanc sariputra arya-avalokitesvaro bodhisattvo-mahasattvas [te ca bhiksavas te ca -bodhisattvah] sa ca sarvavati parsat sa-deva-manusa-asuragandharvas ca loko bhagavato bhasitam abhyanandann iti.

bCom-ldan-'das kyis de skad ces bka' stsal nas, tse dang denpa shar-ri'-bu dang byang-chub sems-dpa' sems-dpa' chen-po 'phags spyan-ras-gzigs dbang-phyug clang, thams-cad clang Idan-pai 'khor de dag dang, lha clang, mi dang, lha-ma-yin clang, dri-zar bcas pai jig-rten yi rang ste, bcom-ldan-'das kyis gsungs-pa la mngon-par bstod-do.

21. This is the [mahayana] sutra of the essence of the Blessed Lady, transcendental wisdom.

ity arya bhagavati prajnaparamita-hrdaya.

bcom-ldan-'das-ma shes-rab kyi pha-rol tu phyin-pai

The above is a comparative translation from both the Sanskrit and the Tibetan. This translation was completed in San Francisco, 1995, by the Dharma Fellowship of His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa.

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