《心经》
Xīn Jīng
《The Heart Sutra》

观自在菩萨。 行深般若波罗蜜多时。
Guānzìzài púsà xíngshēn Bānruò Bōluó-mìduō shí,
When the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara had deeply understood the Supreme Wisdom (Prajñā Pāramitā),


照见五蕴皆空。 度一切苦厄。
Zhàojiàn wǔ yùn jiē kōng. Dù yīqiè kǔ’è.
he realized that the five aggregates (skandhas) making up a person* were but an illusion, and with this he was delivered from all sorrow and suffering.


舍利子。 色不异空。 空不异色。 色即是空。 空即是色。
Shèlì-zǐ. Sè bù yì kōng. Kōng bù yì sè. Sè jí shì kōng. Kōng jí shì sè.
O Śāriputra, the material form (rūpa) is no different from the void of shapeless emptiness (śūnyatā); the material form is the same as emptiness, and emptiness the same as the material form.


受想行识亦复如是。
Shòu-xiǎng-xíng-shí: yì fù rú shì.
The other aggregates —sensation, discrimination, thinking, consciousness — all are the same way.


舍利子‧是诸法空相。 不生不灭。 不垢不净。 不增不减。
Shèlìzǐ‧shì zhū fǎ kōng xiāng. bù shēng bù miè. bù gòu bù jìng. bù zēng bù jiǎn.
O Śāriputra, everything is that way: neither begun nor ended, neither impure nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing.


是故空中无色。 无受想行识。
Shì gù kōng zhōng wú sè. Wú shòu xiǎng xíng shí.
And so within the void there is no material form, and no sensation, no discrimination, no thinking, and no consciousness.


无眼耳鼻舌身意。 无色声香味触法。
Wú yǎn ěr bí shé shēn yì. Wú sè shēng xiāng wèi chù fǎ.
There is not [whatever is shown us by our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body or mind], no form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or reasoning.


无眼界乃至无意识界。 无无明。 亦无无明尽。 乃至无老死。 亦无老死尽。
Wú yǎn jiè nǎi zhì wú yìshì jiè. Wú wú míng. Yì wú wú míng jìn. Nǎi zhì wú lǎosǐ. Yì wú lǎo sǐjìn.
There are no [eighteen] elements (dhātu) of sensation from sight to consciousness (vijññaṇa), or [twelve] links from ignorance (avidyā) and its ending to old age and death (jarāmaraṇa) and their ending.


无苦集灭道。 无智亦无得。
Wú kǔjí-mièdào. Wú zhì yì wú dé.
There are even no “Four Noble Truths,” nor wisdom, nor attainment.


以无所得故。菩提萨埵。 依般若波罗蜜多故。 心无罣碍。 无罣碍故。 无有恐怖。
Yǐ wú suǒ dé gù, pútísàduǒ yī Bānruò Bōluó-mìduō gù, xīn wú guà’ài, wú guà’ài gù, wú yǒu kǒngbù.
Because there is no attainment, bodhisattvas who rely on Supreme Wisdom, having unworried hearts, being without hindrance, have no fear,


远离颠倒梦想。 究竟涅槃。
Yuǎnlí diāndǎo mèngxiǎng, jiūjìng Nièpán.
and transcend illusion to reach highest Nirvana.


三世诸佛。 依般若波罗蜜多故。 得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。
Sānshì zhū fó, yī Bānruò Bōluó-mìduō gù, dé Ānòu-duōluó sān miǎo sān pútí.
Because all buddhas of the three ages —past, present, and future— attained Supreme Wisdom, they attained “unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment” (anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi).


故知般若波罗蜜多是大神咒。 是大明咒。 是无上咒。 是无等等咒。 能除一切苦。
Gù zhī Bānruò Bōluó-mìduō shì dà shénzhòu. Shì dà míng zhòu. Shì wúshàng zhòu. Shì wú děngděng zhòu. Néng chú yīqiè kǔ.
Thus we know that the mantra (zhòu 咒) of Supreme Wisdom is a mantra of consummate splendor, unsurpassed, unequalled, truly able to relieve all suffering.


真实不虚。 故说般若波罗蜜多咒。 即说咒曰。
Zhēn shí bù xū. Gù shuō Bānruò Bōluó-mìduō zhòu, jí shuō zhòu yuē.
It is never true and never false, it should be spoken saying:


揭谛。 揭谛。 波罗揭谛。 波罗僧揭谛。 菩提萨婆诃。
Jiēdì. Jiēdì. Bōluó jiēdì. Bōluósēng jiēdì. Pútí. Sàpóhē!
Gate!, Gate! Pāra-gate! Pārasaṃ-gate! Bodhi. Śvāhā!
(Go! Go! Go beyond! Go completely beyond!! To enlightenment. Amen.*)