The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra

// the first version

The Heart Sutra in English

　

　 Translated by Gerhard Herzog 　

　 　

  When the holy Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara had truly grasped the transcendent wisdom, he realized that visible form is only illusion. 

The same applies to its perception, to its names and categories, to discriminative intellect and finally even to our consciousness. 

They are all illusion. With this realizaton he was beyond all sorrow and bitterness.

Disciple Sariputra! The material is not different from the immaterial. The immaterial and the material are in fact one and the same thing. 

The same applies to perception, concepts, discriminative thinking and consciousness. They are neither existing nor not existing.

Sariputra! All things therefore they are in themselves not good and not bad, they are not increasing and not decreasing.

Therefore one may say there are no such things as form, perception, concepts, thinking process, and consciousness. 

Our senses such as eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind are misleading us to illusion; 

thus one may also say there is no reality in visible form, sound, smell, taste, touch and mindknowledge. 

There are also no such things as the realms of sense from sight up to mind, 

and no such things as the links of existence from ignorance and its end to old age and death and their end. Also the Four Noble Truths* are nonexistent, 

just as there is no such thing as wisdom and also no gain.

Because the holy Bodhisattva who relies on transcendent wisdom knows that there is no gain, he has no worries and also no fear. 

Beyond all illusion he has reached the space of highest Nirvana.

All Buddhas of the past, present and future, found highest perfect knowedge because they relied on transcendental wisdom.

Therefore we ought to know that the great verse of the transcendent wisdom is unsurpassed in its splendor, and that it appeases truly all pain. It reads:

GATE, GATE, PARAGATE, PARASAMGATE BODHISVAHA!

// the second version,translator unknow

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!