A new translation of the “Heart Sūtra”, in collaboration with Christopher Wallis.
Why re-translate a text that has been translated so many times? Here’s my reasons:
- I wanted a translation that specifically refers to Prajñāpāramitā using feminine pronouns and emphasizes the multivalent nature of the Perfection of Wisdom as a Dharma teaching, a philosophical school, and a goddess who embodies the path.
- I wanted a translation that is philosophically congruent with the way the Early Buddhist tradition uses the various technical terms, particularly around the treatment of nirvāṇa.
- I wanted a translation directly from the Sanskrit, rather than from the Chinese original, because Sanskrit is more familiar to me as a chanting language, and I am practicing chanting the text in Sanskrit rather than in the Sino-Japanese I originally learned it in (in Rinzai Zen) or in the Chinese original.
I did the translation in 2017 with my friend and colleague, Sanskrit scholar Christopher Wallis. Here is our new English translation followed by the Sanskrit text. Here’s a printable PDF of the text for practice.
The Heart of the Teachings on the Perfection of Wisdom
Homage to the Blessed One, the noble goddess Prajñāpāramitā
Homage to the omniscient Bodhisattva, the All-Knowing One
Noble Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva,
cultivating the profound discipline of the Perfection of Wisdom,
examined the five aspects of experience, and saw them empty of independent existence.
In this system, Śariputra, form is empty. Emptiness truly is the nature of form.
Emptiness is inseparable from form, form inseparable from emptiness.
Likewise affect, perception, choices, and consciousness.
In this teaching, Śariputra, all experiences are marked by emptiness,
neither caused nor ended, impure nor pure, partial nor whole.
Thus, Śāriputra, in emptiness there is
no form, no affect, no perception, no choices, no consciousness;
no seeing, no hearing, no smelling, no tasting, no touching, no thinking;
no image, no sound, no smell, no taste, no sensation, no concept;
no visual activity to no mental activity;
no ignorance, no ending of ignorance, to no old age and death, no ending of old age and death;
no dissatisfaction, no cause, no cessation, no path; no knowledge, no attainment.
Therefore, Śariputra, free from attainment, a bodhisattva, having taken refuge
in Prajñāpāramitā, moves through the world with mind unbound.
This one with mind unbound, unafraid, overcoming all misperceptions, realizes nirvāṇa.
All the Buddhas of all three times realize unsurpassable complete awakening
through refuge in Prajñāpāramitā.
Therefore, you should realize Prajñāpāramitā as the great mantra, the unexcelled mantra,
the unequalled mantra, completely without falsity; she heals all suffering.
In Prajñāpāramitā, the invocation is sounded thus:
gate gate pāragate pārasaṃgate bodhi svāhā
The Heart of the Teachings on the Perfection of Wisdom is complete.
prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya
oṃ namo bhagavatyai ārya prajñāpāramitāyai
namas sarvajñāya
āryāvalokiteśvaro bodhisattva gambhīrāṃ prajñāpāramitācaryāṃ caramāṇo
vyavalokayati sma pancaskandhāṃs tāṃś ca svabhāvaśūnyān paśyati sma
iha śāriputra rūpaṁ śūnyatā śūnyataiva rūpam
rūpān na pṛthak śūnyatā śūnyatāyā na pṛthag rūpam
evam eva vedanā saṃjñā saṃskāro vijñānaṃ
iha śāriputra sarvadharmāḥ śūnyatālakṣaṇā
anutpannā aniruddhā amalā avimalā anūnā aparipūrṇāḥ
tasmāc chāriputra śūnyatāyāṃ na rūpaṃ na vedanā na saṃjñā na saṃskārāḥ na vijñānam
na cakṣur na śrotraṃ na ghrānaṃ na jihvā na kāyo na manaḥ
na rūpaṃ na śabdo na gando na raso na spraṣṭavya na dharmaḥ
na cakṣūrdhātur yāvan na manovijñānadhātuḥ
nāvidyā nāvidyākṣayo yāvan na jarāmaraṇam na jarāmaraṇakṣayo
na duḥkho na samudayo na nirodho na mārgaḥ
na jñānam na prāptiḥ
tasmāc chāriputra aprāptitvād bodhisattvasya prajñāpāramitām āśritya viharaty acittāvaraṇaḥ
cittāvaraṇanāstitvād atrastro viparyāsātikrānto nirvāṇaparyavasānam
tryadhvavyavasthitāḥ sarvabuddhāḥ prajñāpāramitām āśritya
anuttarāṃ samyaksambodhim abhisambuddhāḥ
tasmāj jñātavyam prajñāpāramitā mahāvidyā anuttaravidyā ‘samasamavidyā sarvaduḥkhapraśamanaḥ samyaktvāmithyātvāt
prajñāpāramitāyām ukto dhāraṇī tadyathā
gate gate pāragate pārasaṃgate bodhi svāhā
prajñāpāramitāhṛdayam samāptam