Thich Nhat Hanh’s Retranslation of the Heart Sutra
September 11, 2014
Avalokiteshvara,
while practicing deeply with
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore,
suddenly discovered that
all of the Five Skandhas are equally empty,
and with this realization he overcame all ill-being.
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Thich Nhat Hanh’s Retranslation of the Heart Sutra
September 11, 2014
Avalokiteshvara,
while practicing deeply with
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore,
suddenly discovered that
all of the Five Skandhas are equally empty,
and with this realization he overcame all ill-being.
“Listen, Sariputra,
this body itself is emptiness,
and emptiness itself is this body.
This body is not other than emptiness,
and emptiness is not other than this body.
The same is true of feelings, perceptions, mental formations,
and consciousness.
“Listen, Sariputra,
all phenomena bear the mark of emptiness;
their true nature is the nature of
no birth, no death,
no being, no non-being,
no defilement, no immaculacy,
no increasing, no decreasing.
“That is why in emptiness,
body, feelings, perceptions,
mental formations, and consciousness
are not separate self entities.
“The Eighteen Realms of Phenomena, which are the six sense organs,
the six sense objects,
and the six consciousnesses,
are also not separate self entities
“The Twelve Links of Interdependent Arising
and their extinction
are also not separate self entities.
Ill-being, the causes of ill-being,
the end of ill-being, the path,
insight, and attainment,
are also not separate self entities.
“Whoever can see this
no longer needs anything to attain.
“Bodhisattvas who practice
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
see no more obstacles in their mind,
and because there
are no more obstacles in their mind,
they can overcome all fear,
destroy all wrong perceptions,
and realize perfect nirvana.
“All Buddhas in the past, present, and future
by practicing
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
are all capable of attaining
authentic and perfect enlightenment.
“Therefore, Sariputra,
it should be known that
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
is a great mantra,
the most illuminating mantra,
the highest mantra,
a mantra beyond compare,
the true wisdom that has the power
to put an end to all kinds of suffering.
Therefore let us proclaim
a mantra to praise
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore:
“Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate, bodhi svaha!
Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate, bodhi svaha!
Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate, bodhi svaha!”
