The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra

The “Heart Sutra”, also known by it’s longer form of the “Heart of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra” is an extremely popular chant used in all of Mahayana Buddhism. It is called maka hannya haramitta shingyō (摩訶般若波羅蜜多心經) in Japanese and maha banya baramilda simgyeong in Korean (마하반야바라밀다심경). It summarizes the much, much longer Perfection of Wisdom Sutra to its essential teachings: that all phenomena (lit. “all dharmas”) are empty. By empty I mean that:

• They have no permanent identity; all things change, all the time.
• They have no separate identity; all things depend on one another. Everything exists solely in relation to everything else.

The liturgy is used in many sects of Japanese Buddhism and Korean Buddhism, but the specific one I originally posted here comes from the “Kannon Bodhisattva” prayer book I purchased at Sensoji Temple in Tokyo, Japan, a Tendai Buddhist temple. The verses are broken out exactly as printed in the prayer book and I’ve managed to print all the right kanji.

Additionally, I decided to print a Korean version as well, using the revised-romanization by the Korean government, and the Wikipedia Korea version as reference. The Japanese and Korean versions mostly match up, but they do start to diverge a bit about two-thirds of the way through the text, and Korean hanja sometimes look a bit different than the revised kanji used in Japanese. Otherwise, they’re basically the same.

The pronunciation of some characters may vary just slightly from other online versions, but don’t despair. Many characters have multiple readings, so just use whichever version you’re familiar with. Because this text is so short, people sometimes chant it more than once in a single session, but the number is up to you. Choose what suits you. Feel free to print this out and use it on your own time. Enjoy!

Can’t read the characters?

If you’re having trouble reading the Kanji/Hanja characters, you might have one or two problems with your computer:

• Your computer may not have Asian fonts installed. In Windows you have to enable UTF8 and East Asian fonts under the Control Panel. Modern Mac computers are fully compatible already.
• Your browser may be assuming the wrong character set. If you use a relatively modern browser and use UTF8 as character set, you should be able to read fine. IE, Firefox and Safari all read this fine as far as I can tell.

Even if not, then you can still use the romanized characters, and the (terrible) English translation of mine.

I struggled quite a bit with finding some characters. In the prayer book, the characters were sometimes really old versions, which were difficult to track down. In some cases, I failed and just had to use the more modern version. The sutra is still read the same, but you’ll see a few classical characters interspersed in what is otherwise a normal rendering of the text.

Disclaimer and Legal Info

I hereby release this into the public domain. Please use it as you see fit, but if you attribute it to this site, greatly appreciated. A print-friendly version can be found here.

Also, please bear in mind this is an amateur translation, and should not be taken too seriously, nor is it of academic quality.

Dedication

I dedicate this effort to all sentient beings everywhere. May all beings be well, may they all attain perfect peace.

Namu Amida Butsu / Namu Amita Bul
Namu Kanzeon Bosatsu / Namu Gwan Se Eum Bosal

The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, Japanese Version

摩	訶	般	若	波	羅	蜜
ma	ka	han-	ya	ha	ra	mi
多	心	経	觀	自	在	菩
ta	shin	gyo	kan	ji	zai	bo
薩	行	深	般	若	波	羅
sa	gyo	jin	han–	nya	ha	ra
蜜	多	時	照	見	五	蘊
mit–	ta	ji	sho	ken	go	un
皆	空	度	一	切	苦	厄
kai	ku	do	is–	sai	ku	yaku
舎	利	子	色	不	異	空
sha	ri	shi	shiki	fu	i	ku
空	不	異	色	色	即	是
ku	fu	i	shiki	shiki	soku	ze
空	空	即	是	色	受	想
ku	ku	soku	ze	shiki	ju	so
行	識	亦	復	如	是	舎
gyo	shiki	yaku	bu	nyo	ze	sha
利	子	是	諸	法	空	相
ri	shi	ze	sho	ho	ku	so
不	生	不	滅	不	垢	不
fu	sho	fu	metsu	fu	ku	fu
琤	不	噌	不	減	是	故
jo	fu	zo	fu	gen	ze	ko
空	中	無	色	無	受	想
ku	chu	mu	shiki	mu	ju	so
行	識	無	眼	耳	鼻	舌
gyo	shiki	mu	gen	ni	bi	zes–
身	意	無	色	聲	香	味
shin	ni	mu	shiki	sho	ko	mi
觸	法	無	眼	界	乃	至
soku	ho	mu	gen	kai	nai	shi
無	意	識	界	無	無	明
mu	i	shiki	kai	mu	mu	myo
亦	無	無	明	盡	乃	至
yaku	mu	mu	myo	jin	nai	shi
無	老	死	亦	無	老	死
mu	ro	shi	yaku	mu	ro	shi
盡	無	苦	集	滅	道	無
jin	mu	ku	shu	metsu	do	mu
智	亦	無	得	以	無	所
chi	yaku	mu	toku	i	mu	sho
得	故	菩	提	薩	埵	依
toku	ko	bo	dai	sat–	ta	e
般	若	波	羅	蜜	多	故
han–	nya	ha	ra	mit–	ta	ko
心	無	罣	礙	無	罣	礙
shin	mu	kei	ge	mu	kei	ge
故	無	有	恐	怖	遠	離
ko	mu	u	ku	fu	on	ri
一	切	顛	倒	夢	想	究
is–	sai	ten	do	mu	so	ku
竟	涅	槃	三	世	諸	佛
kyo	ne	han	san	ze	sho	butsu
依	般	若	波	羅	蜜	多
e	han –	nya	ha	ra	mit–	ta
故	得	阿	耨	多	羅	三
ko	toku	a	noku	ta	ra	sam–
藐	三	菩	提	故	知	般
myaku	san	bo	dai	ko	chi	han–
若	波	羅	蜜	多	是	大
nya	ha	ra	mit–	ta	ze	dai
神	咒	是	大	明	咒	是
jin	shu	ze	dai	myo	shu	ze
無	上	咒	是	無	等	等
mu	jo	shu	ze	mu	to	do
咒	能	除	一	切	苦	真
shu	no	jo	is–	sai	ku	shin
實	不	嘘	故	説	般	若
jitsu	fu	ko	ko	setsu	han–	nya
波	羅	蜜	多	咒	即	説
ha	ra	mit–	ta	shu	soku	setsu
咒	曰	揭	諦	揭	諦	波
shu	watsu	gya	tei	gya	tei	ha
羅	揭	諦	波	羅	僧	揭
ra	gya	tei	ha	ra	so	gya
諦	菩	提	薩	婆	訶	般
tei	bo	ji	so	wa	ka	han–
若	心	經
nya	shin	gyo

The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, Korean Version

摩	訶	般	若	波	羅	蜜
ma	ha	ban	ya	ba	ra	mil
多	心	経	觀	自	在	菩
da	sim	gyeong	gwan	ja	jae	bo
薩	行	深	般	若	波	羅
sal	haeng	sim	ban	ya	ba	ra
蜜	多	時	照	見	五	蘊
mil	da	si	jo	gyeon	o	on
皆	空	度	一	切	苦	厄
gae	gong	do	il	che	go	aek
舎	利	子	色	不	異	空
sa	ri	ja	saek	bul	yi	gong
空	不	異	色	色	卽	是
gong	bul	yi	saek	saek	jeuk	si
空	空	卽	是	色	受	想
gong	gong	jeuk	si	saek	su	sang
行	識	亦	復	如	是	舎
haeng	sik	yeok	bu	yeo	si	sa
利	子	是	諸	法	空	相
ri	ja	si	je	beop	gong	sang
不	生	不	滅	不	垢	不
bul	saeng	bul	myeol	bul	gu	bu
淨	不	增	不	減	是	故
jeong	bul	jeung	bul	gam	si	go
空	中	無	色	無	受	想
gong	jung	mu	saek	mu	su	sang
行	識	無	眼	耳	鼻	舌
haeng	sik	mu	an	yi	bi	seol
身	意	無	色	聲	香	味
sin	eui	mu	saek	seong	hyang	mi
觸	法	無	眼	界	乃	至
chok	beop	mu	an	gye	nae	ji
無	意	識	界	無	無	明
mu	eui	sik	gye	mu	mu	myeong
亦	無	無	明	盡	乃	至
yeok	mu	mu	myeong	jin	nae	ji
無	老	死	亦	無	老	死
mu	no	sa	yeok	mu	no	sa
盡	無	苦	集	滅	道	無
jin	mu	go	jip	myeol	do	mu
智	亦	無	得	以	無	所
ji	yeok	mu	deuk	yi	mu	so
得	故	菩	提	薩	埵	依
deuk	go	bo	ri	sal	ta	eui
般	若	波	羅	蜜	多	故
ban	ya	ba	ra	mil	da	go
心	無	罣	礙	無	罣	礙
sim	mu	ga	ae	mu	ga	ae
故	無	有	恐	怖	遠	離
go	mu	yu	gong	po	won	ri
顚	倒	夢	想	究	竟	涅
jeon	do	mong	sang	gu	gyeong	yeol
槃	三	世	諸	佛	依	般
ban	sam	se	je	bul	eui	ban
若	波	羅	蜜	多	故	得
ya	ba	ra	mil	da	go	deuk
阿	耨	多	羅	三	藐	三
a	nyok	da	ra	sam	mak	sam
菩	提	故	知	般	若	波
bo	ri	go	ji	ban	ya	ba
羅	蜜	多	是	大	神	呪
ra	mil	da	si	dae	sin	ju
是	大	明	呪	是	無	上
si	dae	myeong	ju	si	mu	sang
呪	是	無	等	等	呪	能
ju	si	mu	deung	deung	ju	neung
除	一	切	苦	眞	實	不
je	il	che	go	jin	sil	bul
虛	故	說	般	若	波	羅
heo	go	seol	ban	ya	ba	ra
蜜	多	呪	卽	說	呪	曰
mil	da	shu	jeuk	seol	ju	wal
揭	諦	揭	諦	波	羅	揭
a	je	a	je	ba	ra	a
諦	波	羅	僧	揭	諦	菩
je	ba	ra	seung	a	je	bo
提	娑	婆	訶
ji	sa	ba	ha

Translation

This translation of mine is far from perfect. I tried to consult other translations as well as online Kanji dictionaries, as well as Chinese online dictionaries to find some rarer characters, and cross-reference some definitions that were unclear. So, I believe this is one way to read the sutra in English. Other, much better, translations certainly exist, so please do not take my efforts too seriously. This was just a weekend effort:

The Buddha’s teaching: the Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra

The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara,
while practicing the profound Prajña Paramita, the Perfection of Wisdom,
illuminated the Five Aggregates and found them empty,
by degress cutting off all afflictions and suffering.

O Shariputra,
Emptiness is not different from form;
form is not different from emptiness.
That is to say, form is emptiness,
[and] emptiness is form.
Sensation, perception [of sensation], volition, consciousness:
the same holds true for these as well.

O Shariputra,
all phenomena [lit. "various dharmas"] have the aspect of emptiness,
[they are] neither produced nor destroyed,
neither filthy nor pure [lit. sparkling],
neither increasing nor decreasing.
It is for this reason that in emptiness there is no form,
no sensation, perception [of sensation], volition, and consciousness,
no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind,
no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no objects of mind,
no realm of eyes.
This extends [to the other sense-realms] until there is no realm of mind-conscious either.
No ignorance, also no ending of ignorance.
This extends to old age, death as well as no ending of old age and death.
No suffering, no interdependent-origination, no extinction, no path,
no wisdom, no attainment.

Now, since there is no attainment,
the bodhisattva, the one who is firm in his pursuit of Enlightenment,
relies, therefore, on the Perfection of Wisdom.
His mind has no hindrances.
Since he has no hindrances,
he has nothing to fear.
Far apart from all such confused illusions,
he has even reached Nirvana.
The Buddhas of the Three Time Periods [past, present, future],
rely, therefore, on the Perfection of Wisdom,
and attain anuttara-samyaksam-bodhi, Full Unsurpassed Enlightenment.

Therefore, know that the Perfection of Wisdom
is a truly mysterious mantra,
is a brilliant mantra,
is an unsurpassed mantra,
is the mantra without any equal,
which relieves all suffering,
and which is both true and real, not false.
Therefore, expound the mantra of the Perfection of Wisdom,
by speaking the mantra like so:

Gone, gone, everyone gone
everyone completely gone to the Other Shore [Enlightenment], Awakening Hail!

[this ends] the Heart Sutra