The Heart Sutra

The Heart Sutra, or Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra , is one of the most renowned and essential texts in Mahāyāna Buddhism. It succinctly encapsulates the essence of The Perfection of Wisdom teachings, emphasizing the concept of “emptiness” (शून्यता Śūnyatā) and the Non-Dual nature of reality. This sutra, often chanted in monasteries and meditation centers, features a dialogue between the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and the disciple Shariputra, offering profound insights into the nature of existence and enlightenment.

1

नमः सर्वज्ञाय Namah sarvajnaaya **Adoration to The Omniscient!

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अवलोकितेश्वर -बोधिसत्त्वो गम्भीरायाम् प्रज्ञापारमितायं चर्यं चर्मणो व्यवलोकयति स्म: पञ्च स्कन्धाः; तामश्च स्वभाव-शुन्यान् पश्यति स्म: पञ्च स्कन्धाः; तामश्च स्वभाव-शुन्यान् पश्यति स्म Aaryaavalokiteshvara-bodhisattvo gambhiiraayaam prajnaapaaramitaayaam caryaam caramaano vyavalokayati sma: panca skandhaah; taamscha svabhaava-shuunyaan pashyati sma When Holy Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva performed the deep practice in the Perfection of Transcendent Wisdom, he contemplated that there were five Skandhas but observed that they were devoid of essential nature…

3

इह शारीपुत्र रूपं शुन्यता शुन्यतैव रूपं, रूपं न पृथक् शुन्यता, शुन्यताया न पृथग रूपं, यद् रूपं सा शुन्त्यता, या शुन्यता तद रूपं Iha Shaariputra ruupam shuunyataa shuunyataiva ruupam, ruupaan na prithak shuunyataa, shuunyataayaa na prithag ruupam, yad ruupam saa shuuntyataa, yaa shuunyataa tad ruupam In this case, Shaariputra, form is emptiness and emptiness is itself form; emptiness is not different from form, and form is not different from emptiness; that which is form is void, and that which is void is form.

4

एवम् एव वेदना-संज्ञा-संस्कार-विज्ञानानि Evem eva vedanaa-samjnaa-samskaara-vijnaanaani So it is for perception, conception, volition and consciousness.

5

इह शारिपुत्र सर्वधर्माः शुन्यता-लक्षणा, अनुत्पन्ना, अनिरुद्धा, अमलं, न विमला, नोना, न परिपूरणः Iha Shaariputra sarva-dharmaah shuunyataa-lakshanaa, anutpannaa, aniruddhaa, amalaa, na vimalaa, nonaa, na paripuurnaah In this case, Shaariputra, all things have the characteristics of voidness; **they neither arise nor perish; they are neither defiled nor pure, neither deficient nor complete.

6**

**तस्माच चारिपुत्र शुन्ययायं न रूपं न वेदना न संज्ञा न संस्कारा न विज्ञानानानि *Tasmaac Chaariputra shuunyaayaam na ruupam na vedanaa na samjnaa na samskaara na vijnaanaani Therefore, Shaariputra, within the void, there is no form, no perception, no conception, no volition, nor consciousness.

7***

**न चक्षुः-श्रोत्र-घ्राण-जिह्वा-काया-मानमसि। Na cakshuh-shrotra-ghraana-jihvaa-kaaya-manaamsi. Neither is there eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind.

8**

**न रूप-शब्द-गन्ध-रस-स्प्रष्टव्य-धर्माः Na ruupa-shabda-gandha-rasa-sprashtavya-dharmaah Neither is there form, sound, smell, taste, touch nor concepts.

9**

**न चक्षुर्धातुर् यावन् न मनोविज्ञानधातुः Na cakshurdhaatur yaavan na mano-vijnaana-dhaatuh Neither is there realm of sight, etc., until we come to the non-existence of the realm of consciousness.

10**

**न विद्या, नाविद्या, न विद्या-क्षयो, नाविद्या-क्षयो, यावान् न जर-मरणं न जरामरण-क्षयो, न दुहखा-समुदाय-निरोध-मार्गा, न ज्ञानं, न प्रप्तिर् अप्राप्तिवेन Na vidyaa, naavidyaa, na vidyaa-kshayo, naavidyaa-kshayo, yaavan na jaraa-maranam na jaraamarana-kshayo, na duhkha-samudaya-nirodha-maargaa, na jnaanam, na praaptir apraaptitvena Neither is there wisdom, nor ignorance, nor extinction of wisdom, nor extinction of ignorance, etc., until we come to the non-existence of old age and death and the non-extinction of old-age and death. Neither is there suffering, cause of suffering, extinction of suffering, nor the path leading to the extinction of suffering. Neither is there wisdom nor acquisition because there is no grasping.

11**

बोधिसत्त्वस्य प्रज्ञापारमितां आश्रित्य विहरत्य असित्तवरणः। चित्तावरण-नास्तित्वद अत्रस्तो, विपर्यासतिक्रान्तो निष्ठा-निर्वाणः। Bodhisattvasya prajnaapaaramitaam aashritya viharaty acittaavaranah. Cittaavarana-naastitvaad atrasto, viparyaasaatikraanto nishtha-nirvaanah. Depending on the bodhisattva’s Perfection of Transcendent Wisdom, one dwells without any mental hindrance. Because of the absence of mental hindrance, one is fearless; freed from delusory thoughts, one will reach Nirvana.