Heart Sutra
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The Heart of Perfect Wisdom Sutra or Heart Sutra or Essence of Wisdom Sutra (Sanskrit: प्रज्ञापारमिताहृदयसूत्र Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya Sūtra; traditional Chinese: 般若波羅蜜多心經, Pinyin: Bōrĕbōluómìduō Xīnjīng; Japanese: 摩訶般若波羅蜜多心経, Maka Hannyaharamita Shingyō; Korean: 반야심경, Banya Simgyeong, Vietnamese: Bát Nhã Ba La Mật Đa Tâm Kinh, Thai: ปรัชญาปารมิตาหฤทัยสูตร) (Tibetan: sNying mDo or shes rab snying po'i mdo) is a well-known Mahāyāna Buddhist sutra that is very popular among Mahayana Buddhists both for its brevity and depth of meaning. It is even said to be the best known[1] and most popular of all Buddhist scriptures.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The Heart Sutra is a member of the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā) class of Mahāyāna Buddhist literature, and along with the Diamond Sutra, is considered by many to be the primary representative of the genre. It consists of just fourteen shlokas or verses in Sanskrit and 260 Chinese characters in the most prevalent Chinese version, Taisho Tripitaka Vol. T08 No. 251, translated by Xuanzang. This makes it one of the most highly abbreviated versions of the Perfection of Wisdom texts, which exist in various lengths up to 100,000 slokas. This sutra is classified by Edward Conze as belonging to the third of four periods in the development of the Perfection of Wisdom canon, although because it contains a mantra (sometimes called a dharani), it does overlap with the final tantric phase of development according to this scheme, and is included in the tantra section of at least some editions of the Kangyur.[3] Conze estimates the sutra's date of origin to be 350 CE; some others consider it to be two centuries older than that.[4]
The Chinese version is frequently chanted (in the local pronunciation) by the Chan (Zen/Seon/Thiền) sects during ceremonies in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam respectively. It is also significant to the Shingon Buddhist school in Japan, whose founder Kūkai wrote a commentary on it, and to the various Tibetan Buddhist schools, where it is studied extensively.
The sutra is in a small class of sutras not attributed to the Buddha. In some versions of the text, starting with that of Fayue dating to about 735[5], the Buddha confirms and praises the words of Avalokiteśvara, although this is not included in either the extant Sanskrit version nor the preeminent Chinese version translated by Xuanzang.
[edit] Origin and early translations
The Heart Sutra has generally been thought to have probably been composed in the first century CE in Kushan Empire territory, by a Sarvastivadin or ex-Sarvastivadin monk.[6] The earliest record of a copy of the sutra is a 200-250CE Chinese translation made by Yuezhi monk Zhi Qian.[2] It was translated again by Kumarajiva around 400CE. Zhi Qian's translation was lost before the time of Xuanzang, who produced his own translation in 649CE, which closely matched that of Kumarajiva.[7] Xuangzang's translation is the first record of the title "Heart Sutra" (Xīnjīng in Chinese) being used for the text.[8]
However, based on textual patterns in the Sanskrit and Chinese versions of the Heart Sutra and the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra, scholar Jan Nattier has suggested that the earliest (shortest) version of the Heart Sutra was probably first compiled in Chinese from translated Sanskrit texts, and later re-translated into Sanskrit[9][10][11] This theory has gained support amongst some other prominent scholars of Buddhism.[12]
[edit] Title
Zhi Qian gave his translation the title Prajnaparamita Dharani.[13] Kumarajiva's translation was Maha Prajnaparamita Mahavidya Dharani. Xuanzang's was the first translation to use Hrdaya or "Heart" in the title.[14]
Xuanzang's was also the first translation to call the text a sutra. No extant Sanskrit copies use this word, though it has become standard usage in Chinese and Tibetan, as well as English.[15]
Some citations of Zhi Qian's and Kumarajiva's translations prepend moho (which would be maha in Sanskrit) to the title. Some Tibetan editions add bhagavati, meaning "bountiful", an epithet of Prajnaparamita as goddess.[16]
[edit] The text
Various commentators divide this text in different numbers of sections. Briefly, the sutra describes the experience of liberation of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteśvara, as a result of insight gained while engaged in deep meditation to awaken the faculty of prajña (wisdom). The insight refers to the fundamental emptiness of all phenomena, the five aggregates of human existence (skandhas) — form (rūpa), feeling (vedanā), volitions (samskārā), perceptions (saṁjñā), and consciousness (vijñāna).
The specific sequence of concepts listed in lines 12-20 ("...in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, ... no attainment and no non-attainment" is the same sequence used in the Sarvastivadin Samyukt Agama; this sequence differs in the texts of other sects. On this basis, Red Pine has argued that the Heart Sutra is specifically a response to Sarvastivada teachings that dharmas are real.[17] Lines 12-13 enumerate the five skandhas. Lines 14-15 list the twelve ayatanas or abodes.[18] Line 16 makes a reference to the eighteen dhatus or elements of consciousness, using a conventional shorthand of naming only the first (eye) and last (conceptual consciousness) of the elements.[19] Lines 17-18 assert the emptiness of the Twelve Nidānas, the traditional twelve links of dependent origination.[20] Line 19 refers to the Four Noble Truths.
Avalokiteśvara addresses Śariputra, who was, according to the scriptures and texts of the Sarvastivada and other early Buddhist schools, the promulgator of abhidharma, having been singled out by the Buddha to receive those teachings.[21] Avalokiteśvara famously states that, "Form is empty (Śūnyatā). Emptiness is form." and declares the other skandhas to be equally empty — that is, empty of an independent essence. Avalokiteśvara then goes through some of the most fundamental Buddhist teachings such as the Four Noble Truths and explains that in emptiness none of these labels apply. This is interpreted according to the concept of smaran as saying that teachings, while accurate descriptions of conventional truth, are mere statements about reality — they are not reality itself — and that they are therefore not applicable to the ultimate truth that is by definition beyond our comprehending. Thus the bodhisattva, as the archetypal Mahāyāna Buddhist, relies on the perfection of wisdom, defined in the larger Perfection of Wisdom sutra to be the wisdom that perceives reality directly without conceptual attachment. This perfection of wisdom is condensed in the mantra with which the sutra concludes.
[edit] Mantra
This mantra, chanted throughout the Mahāyāna Buddhist world, appears in transliterated Sanskrit even in the Chinese version, as pronunciation of mantras is held to be important if they are to function properly. The mantra goes:
| Sanskrit | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Devanāgarī | Romanization | Pronunciation | Translation |
| गते गते | Gate gate | [gəteː gəteː] | Gone, gone |
| पारगते | Pāragate | [pɑːɾə gəteː] | Gone beyond |
| पारसंगते | Pārasaṃgate | [pɑːɾəsəŋ gəteː] | Gone completely beyond |
| बोधि स्वाहा | Bodhi svāhā | [boːdɦɪ sʋɑːhɑː] | Praise to awakening. |
(The translation can only be loose since, as with many mantras, the Sanskrit does not appear to be completely grammatical)
The text itself describes the mantra as "Mahāmantro, mahā-vidyā mantro, ‘nuttara mantro samasama-mantrah", which Conze translates as "The great mantra, the mantra of great knowledge, the utmost mantra, the unequalled mantra, the allayer of all suffering." These words are also used of the Buddha, and so the text seems to be equating the mantra with the Buddha. Although the translation is acceptable, the case ending in Sanskrit mantra is the feminine vocative, so gate is addressed to a feminine person/figure. A more accurate translation is "Oh she who is gone!" In this respect, the mantra appears to be keeping with the common tantric practice (a practice supported by the texts themselves) of anthropromorphizing the Perfection of Wisdom as the "Mother of Buddhas."
One can also interpret the mantra as the progressive steps along the five paths of the Bodhisattva, through the two preparatory stages (the path of accumulation and preparation — Gate, gate), through the first bhumi (path of insight — Pāragate), through the second to seventh bhumi (path of meditation — Pārasamgate), and through the eight to tenth bhumi (stage of no more learning — Bodhi svāhā).
The current Dalai Lama explains the mantra in a discourse on the Heart Sutra both as an instruction for practice and as a device for measuring one's own level of spiritual attainment, and translates it as go, go, go beyond, go thoroughly beyond, and establish yourself in enlightenment. In the discourse, he gives a similar explanation to the four stages (the four go's) as in the previous paragraph.
Unlike Greek, Sanskrit distinguishes between 'para' (across, as in Greek and our derivations) and 'pāra', which means across to the other side. The preposition 'sam' equates to the Greek 'συν', with (which here we can reasonably expand to together with). In fact this meaning has been known in western Sanskrit dictionaries at least since Monier Monier-Williams: he gave "saṃgata" as "come together , met , encountered , joined , united AV. &c. &c. ; allied with , friendly to" and many other phrases that imply joining together. So, "Gone across to the other side, together with" or even "Met upon the far shore" would be an absolutely literal and very Mahayana translation of 'Pārasamgate'. This may be understood as referring to liberating all beings, or to the bringing of one's entire world over onto the previously realised higher plane of energy, and as identical in meaning to the Zen saying "First there is a mountain [our initial condition of perception], then there is no mountain [pāragate], then there is [pārasamgate]". "Bodhi svāhā" - "Enlightenment, awaken!".
[edit] Musical interpretations
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American composer Lou Harrison set Esperanto language texts translated from the Heart Sutra to music in his 1973 cantata La Koro Sutro.
The Band Akron/Family set the English version to music entitled Gone Beyond on their album, Meek Warrior.
Peter Rowan incorporated a musical setting of the Heart Sutra in the chorus of "Vulture Peak" on his 2001 album Reggaebilly.
Malaysian new age musical arranger Imee Ooi also performs electronic versions of Buddhist sutras, notably the Heart Sutra, in Sanskrit, and Mandarin.
Chloe Goodchild, British singer and composer, completed a version of the Heart Sutra on her album "Fierce Wisdom"
Henry Marshall recorded this mantra on his album Mantras II (1995)
American Hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan has included the Heart Sutra in their album the 8 Diagrams. It was performed in Mandarin by Shifu Shi Yan Ming in the last track titled "Life Changes" as a tribute to the late Old Dirty Bastard. [22]
Chinese singer Faye Wong recorded a recitation of the sutra with music by Zhang Yadong. The Fayue version of the sutra was used; this recitation was part of her 2001 Loving Kindness and Wisdom Buddhist album.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 16
- ^ a b Pine 2004, pg. 18
- ^ Conze 1960
- ^ Lopez 1988, pg. 5
- ^ Pine 2004 pg. 26
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 21
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 22-26
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 8
- ^ Buswell 2003, page 314
- ^ "Jan Nattier: Meet the Faculty: Department of Religious Studies: Indiana University". Retrieved on 2008-06-21.
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 23
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 25
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 20
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 36
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 39
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 35
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 9
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 100
- ^ Pine 2004, pp. 105-6
- ^ Pine 2004, pg. 109
- ^ Pine 2004, pp. 11-12, 15
- ^ theworsthorse blog entry
[edit] References
- Buswell, Robert E. (ed). Encyclopedia of Buddhism (2003) MacMillan Reference Books. ISBN 0028657187
- Conze, Edward. Prajnaparamita Literature (2000) Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers ISBN 8121509920 (originally published 1960 by Mouton & Co.)
- Lopez, Donald S., Jr. The Heart Sutra Explained: Indian and Tibetan Commentaries (1988) State Univ of New York Pr. ISBN 0887065899
- Pine, Red. The Heart Sutra: The Womb of the Buddhas (2004) Shoemaker 7 Hoard. ISBN 1-59376-009-4
[edit] External links
[edit] Translations
- Buddhist Text Translation Society. "The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra". Dharma Realm Buddhist Association. Retrieved on 2008-03-22. - from the Chinese translation by Tang master Hsüan-Tsang
- Conze, Edward. "The Heart Sutra". Digital International Buddhism Organization. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
- "The Prajñāpāramitā Heart Sūtra". Retrieved on 2008-05-14. Translated from the Chinese version of Xuanzang by the Sutra Pagoda Institute.
- Halifax, Joan; Kazuaki Tanahashi. "The Sutra on the Heart of Realizing Wisdom Beyond Wisdom" (PDF). Upaya Zen Center. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
- McLeod, Ken. "The Sutra of the Heart of the Lady Perfection of Wisdom". Unfettered Mind. Retrieved on 2008-03-22. - a very accessible translation by an American Buddhist scholar
- "English Buddhist Text". fodian.net. Retrieved on 2008-03-22. - Links to various English translations in PDF format
- "The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom". LamRim.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
- "The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra (with annotation)". Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale. Retrieved on 2008-03-22. - translated from Chinese by Buddha Gate Monastery
- "The Heart Sutra (in Chinese calligraphy)". Asiawind. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
- Template:Prajnaparamita Hrdaya Sutra - Heart Sutra - Buddhist Chant (with audio) @ Rajmahendra.com
[edit] Discourses
- Pasada; Chris Dooks. ""The Perfection of Wisdom" A discourse on The Heart Sutra". BuddhaNet Audio Dharma Talks. Retrieved on 2008-03-22. - A discourse on The Heart Sutra by Pasada of Edinburgh Buddhist Centre (links to a series of mp3 files)
- "Master Hsing Yun at UWest - Class 1A". Retrieved on 2008-03-22. A YouTube video of a 47-minute discourse by Hsing Yun
- ""Heart Sutra and Emptiness"". - 5 Talks on the Heart Sutra by Norman Fischer
[edit] Further reading
- Conze, Edward (translater) (1984). Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines & Its Verse Summary. Grey Fox Press. ISBN 978-0877040491.
- Lopez, Donald (1990). The Heart Sutra Explained. South Asia Books. ISBN 978-8170302384.
- McLeod, Ken (2007). An Arrow to the Heart. Victoria, BC, Canada: Trafford. ISBN 978-1425133771. http://www.arrowtotheheart.com.
- Nhat Hanh, Thich (1988). The Heart of Understanding. Berkeley, California: Parallax Press. ISBN 978-0938077114.
- Porter, Bill (Red Pine) (2004-08-31). The Heart Sutra: The Womb of Buddhas. Shoemaker & Hoard. ISBN 978-1593760090.
- Waddell, Norman (1996-07-15). Zen Words for the Heart: Hakuin's Commentary on the Heart Sutra. Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala. ISBN 978-1570621659.
