The Heart Sutra - English translation

The Heart Sutra is a Mahayana Buddhist text that is considered one of the most important and revered sutras in Buddhist literature. The sutra is known as the "Heart Sutra" because it emphasizes the essence or "heart" of the Buddha's teachings.

The Heart Sutra is relatively short, consisting of only 260 Chinese characters or around 140 words in English translation. However, despite its brevity, the sutra is considered to contain profound and transformative teachings on the nature of reality and the path to enlightenment.

The sutra is often recited or chanted by Buddhists as a form of meditation and contemplation. It is also studied and analyzed in depth by scholars and practitioners of Buddhist philosophy.

The Heart Sutra teaches that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence or "emptiness" (in Sanskrit, "shunyata"). This means that all phenomena, including ourselves, are dependently originated and lack an independent, inherent self-nature. The sutra emphasizes the importance of cultivating wisdom and compassion in order to transcend the illusion of duality and attain the state of enlightenment, or "Bodhi."

The Heart Sutra has been translated into many languages and is widely studied and practiced by Buddhists around the world. Its concise yet profound teachings continue to inspire and guide people on the path of Buddhist practice and realization.