12 Feb The Heart Sutra

Happy Monday to you,

As a great start of the week, some buddhist philosophy for you, to read, to contemplate, to remind ourselves there cannot be one without the other, no seer without the seen, no consciousness without awareness (or can it??), or actually – nothing is, and are at the same time.

The Prajna Paramitra, or the heart sutra, is said to origin Mahayana Buddhism, and elaborate on the emptiness of phenomena. A beautiful text to remind us the paradox of existence, and considered to be the Perfection of Wisdom.

Prajna Paramita Hrdaya Sutra

When the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara

Was coursing in the deep Prajna Paramitra

He perceived that all five skandhas are empty

Thus, he overcame all ills an suffering

O, Sariputra, form does not differ from voidness, and voidness does not differ from form. Form is voidness and the void is form, the same is true for feeling, conception, volition and consciousness. 

Sariputra, the characteristics of the voidness of all charms are non-arising, non-ceasing, non-defiled, non-pure, non-increasing, non-decreasing.

Therefore, in the void there is no form, feeling, conception, volition or consciousness.

No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind, no form, sound, smell, taste, touch, mind-object, or eye realm, until we come to no realm of consciousness.

No ignorance and also no ending of ignorance, until we come to no old age and death and no ending of old age and death. 

Also, there is no truth of suffering, of the cause of suffering, of the cessation of suffering, or of the Path. 

There is no wisdom, and ether is no attainment whatsoever.

Because there is nothing to be attained, the Bodhisattva, relying on the Prajna Paramita, has no obstruction in his mind.

Because there is no obstruction, he has no fear. And thus, he passes far beyond confused imagination. And reaches Ultimate Nirvana. 

The Buddhas of the past, present, and future, also relying of the Prajna Paramita, have attained Supreme enlightenment.

Therefore, the Prajna Paramita is the great magic spell, the great spell of illumination, the supreme spell, which can truly protect one from all suffering without fail. 

Hence, he uttered the spell of the Prajna Paramita, saying:

“Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate. Bodhi, Svaha!”

Borrowed translation, and text from here, thank you! If you are curious to study the heart sutra more, check out some great titles online, for example this one of the Dalai Lama.

Enjoy!