The Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra

English translation by Ven. Zen Master Y. S. Seong Do

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva,
when practicing profoundly the Prajnaparamita,
perceives that all five skandhas are empty
and is relieved from all suffering and distress.

Sariputra,
form does not differ from emptiness,
emptiness does not differ from form.

Form is emptiness,
emptiness is form.

And also like this are feeling, perception, impulse and
consciousness.

Sariputra,
all dharmas are marked with emptiness;

they do not appear nor disappear,
are not tainted nor pure,
do not increase nor decrease.

Therefore in emptiness there is no form,
No feeling, perception, impulse and consciousness;
No eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind,
No form, sound, smell, taste, touch and dharma;

No realm of eyes and so on,
No realm of consciousness;

No ignorance and also no exhaustion of it and so on,
No old age and death and also no exhaustion of them;

No suffering, origination, extinction and path,
No wisdom and also no attainment.

As there is nothing to attain,
the Bodhisattva, depending on the Prajnaparamita,
escapes from all obstacles in his mind.

As there is no obstacle, no fears exist
and going far beyond the dream of all inverted views,
in the end he reaches Nirvana.

All Buddhas of the three periods,
depending on the Prajnaparamita,
attain the Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

Therefore one should know the “Prajnaparamita”
as the great divine Mantra,
as the great bright Mantra,
as the utmost Mantra,
as the unequalled Mantra,
which can relieve all suffering and in truth is not false.

So by the Prajnaparamita
has the Mantra been delivered
as the following:

Gate gate Paragate,
Parasamgate Bodhi svaha

Gate gate Paragate,
Parasamgate Bodhi svaha

Gate gate Paragate,
Parasamgate Bodhi svaha