Heart Sutra Translation

[Troy]

I found this Heart Sutra translation online by Thich Nhat Hanh. He took some liberties with it and I was wondering what everyone thinks about it. Does it stay true to the teaching the original conveys? I am looking for a simple translation for my daily recitation in the modern vernacular. I know we have one in the chant book, but it is transcribed for chanting and I want one that reads more like prose.

——-

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 realisation
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 Purity,
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!”


Sat2day

[Shinshi]

In case it helps I just reformatted the text from the Chant book yesterday.

Avolokitesvara Bodhisattva, Awakened One of Compassion,
in Prajna Paramita, theDeep Practice of Perfect Wisdom ◎
perceived the emptiness of all five conditions,
and was free of suffering.

O Shariputra, form is no other than emptiness,
emptiness no other than form;
form is precisely emptiness,
emptiness precisely form.

Sensations, perceptions, formations and consciousness are also like this.

O Shariputra, all things are expressions of emptiness,
not born, not destroyed, not stained, not pure;
neither waxing nor waning.

Thus emptiness is not form; not sensation nor perception,
not formation nor consciousness.

No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind;
no sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, nor object of mind;
no realm of sight, no realm of consciousness;
no ignorance, no end to ignorance;
no old age and death,
no cessation of old age and death;
no suffering, nor cause or end to suffering;
no path, no wisdom and no gain.

No gain – thus Boddhisattvas live this Prajna Paramita ◎
with no hindrance of mind–
no hindrance therefore no fear.

Far beyond all delusion, Nirvana is already here.

All past, present and future Buddhas
live this Prajna Paramita ◎
and realize supreme and complete enlightenment.

Therefore know that Prajna Paramita
is the sacred mantra, the luminous mantra,
the supreme mantra, the incomparable mantra
by which all suffering is clear. This is no other than Truth.

Therefore set forth the Prajna Paramita mantra.

Set forth this mantra and proclaim: ◎

(1x)
Gate! Gate! (Already Gone, Gone)
Paragate! (Already Gone Beyond)
Parasamgate! (Already Fully Beyond)
Bodhi! Svaha (So-wah-kah)! ◎ (Awakening, Rejoice)


I know that there has been some controversy about Thich Nhat Hanh's new translation.

Gassho, shoshin

Sat-LaH

[Troy]

In case it helps I just reformatted the text from the Chant book yesterday.

Avolokitesvara Bodhisattva, Awakened One of Compassion,
in Prajna Paramita, theDeep Practice of Perfect Wisdom ◎
perceived the emptiness of all five conditions,
and was free of suffering.

O Shariputra, form is no other than emptiness,
emptiness no other than form;
form is precisely emptiness,
emptiness precisely form.

Sensations, perceptions, formations and consciousness are also like this.

O Shariputra, all things are expressions of emptiness,
not born, not destroyed, not stained, not pure;
neither waxing nor waning.

Thus emptiness is not form; not sensation nor perception,
not formation nor consciousness.

No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind;
no sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, nor object of mind;
no realm of sight, no realm of consciousness;
no ignorance, no end to ignorance;
no old age and death,
no cessation of old age and death;
no suffering, nor cause or end to suffering;
no path, no wisdom and no gain.

No gain – thus Boddhisattvas live this Prajna Paramita ◎
with no hindrance of mind–
no hindrance therefore no fear.

Far beyond all delusion, Nirvana is already here.

All past, present and future Buddhas
live this Prajna Paramita ◎
and realize supreme and complete enlightenment.

Therefore know that Prajna Paramita
is the sacred mantra, the luminous mantra,
the supreme mantra, the incomparable mantra
by which all suffering is clear. This is no other than Truth.

Therefore set forth the Prajna Paramita mantra.

Set forth this mantra and proclaim: ◎

(1x)
Gate! Gate! (Already Gone, Gone)
Paragate! (Already Gone Beyond)
Parasamgate! (Already Fully Beyond)
Bodhi! Svaha (So-wah-kah)! ◎ (Awakening, Rejoice)


I know that there has been some controversy about Thich Nhat Hanh's new translation.

Gassho, shoshin

Sat-LaH

That is awesome! Thank you for doing that! [emoji3] I like that it is used by our sangha and in the modern vernacular. I am trying to build some consistency and not be all over the place. Gassho [emoji1374]


Sat2day

[Shinshi]

I wanted to add that reading his discussion on the Heart Sutra in "the Heart of Understanding" really helped me develop my understand of the Sutra. In case it helps here is his earlier translation - the one from that book:

The Bodhisattva Avalokita, while moving in the deep course of Perfect Understanding, shed light on the five skandhas and found them equally empty. After this penetration, he overcame all pain.

"Listen, Shariputra, form is emptiness, emptiness is form, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form. The same is true with feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness.

"Hear, Shariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness; they are neither produced nor destroyed, neither defiled nor immaculate, neither increasing nor decreasing. Therefore, in emptiness there is neither form, nor feeling, nor perception, nor mental formations, nor consciousness; no eye, or ear, or nose, or tongue, or body, or mind, no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no object of mind; no realms of elements (from eyes to mind-consciousness); no interdependent origins and no extinction of them (from ignorance to old age and death); no suffering, no origination of suffering, no extinction of suffering, no path; no understanding, no attainment.

"Because there is no attainment, the bodhisattvas, supported by the Perfection of Understanding, find no obstacles for their minds. Having no obstacles, they overcome fear, liberating themselves forever from illusion and realizing perfect Nirvana. All Buddhas in the past, present, and future, thanks to this Perfect Understanding, arrive at full, right, and universal Enlightenment.

"Therefore, one should know that Perfect Understanding is a great mantra, is the highest mantra, is the unequalled mantra, the destroyer of all suffering, the incorruptible truth. A mantra of Prajnaparamita should therefore be proclaimed. This is the mantra:

"Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha."

Gassho, shoshin

SaT-LaH

[Shinshi]

That is awesome! Thank you for doing that! [emoji3] I like that it is used by our sangha and in the modern vernacular. I am trying to build some consistency and not be all over the place. Gassho [emoji1374]


Sat2day

Thanks,I did it because I wanted to memorize the Treeleaf version. So my motivation was the same as yours. Funny that you asked for it the day after I decided to do it.

Gassho, shoshin

SaT-LaH

[Troy]

Thank you Shoshin. I like that one too. I might have to add The Heart of Understanding to my reading list. There are some recent threads here at Treeleaf about the Heart Sutra that I have not read, but I plan to do so soon. What got me started was Domyo Burk’s discussion about it on her podcast. I am really enjoying her series of talks in general.


Sat2day

[aprapti]

Thank you Shoshin. I like that one too. I might have to add The Heart of Understanding to my reading list. There are some recent threads here at Treeleaf about the Heart Sutra that I have not read, but I plan to do so soon. What got me started was Domyo Burk’s discussion about it on her podcast. I am really enjoying her series of talks in general.


Sat2day

Thich Nhat Hanh's explanation of emptiness was the first one that made me see it a bit..
"the heart of understanding "is about the old translation. The translation with commentaries about his new version is called "the other shore"

[Troy]

Thanks,I did it because I wanted to memorize the Treeleaf version. So my motivation was the same as yours. Funny that you asked for it the day after I decided to do it.

Gassho, shoshin

SaT-LaH

Yes our motivations are the same. That is an awesome coincidence. Gives me an extra boost of motivation [emoji3]


Sat2day

[Troy]

Thich Nhat Hanh's explanation of emptiness was the first one that made me see it a bit..
"the heart of understanding "is about the old translation. The translation with commentaries about his new version is called "the other shore"

Thanks for the clarification Aprapti. Yes, I love Thich Nhat Hanh. His books started me on this path. I have great respect for him.


Sat2day

[Getchi]

Check out RedPine / Bill Port ers version. I chant Tree leaf one and his alternatly.


Gassho,
Sattoday
LentAHand

Geoff.

[HAN SEN]

Not particularly prone to chanting, but if anything is, Heart Sutra is worth doing. Quirks in translation often aren't worth the effort, they don't gain traction. I did sit today, and tomorrow i have a grueling retreat, not sure if i can handle it. Either way i need to make a connection with people so here goes.

SAT TODAY

NOT MUCH TO SAY

BOWING BEFORE ALL YOU BUDDHAS-TO-BE

[Troy]

Thank you Getchi. I do like Red Pine. I have not read his Heart Sutra commentaries yet though

Han Sen good luck on your retreat!


Sat2day

[Jundo]

Hi,

I second the Red Pine translation with commentary, as he goes line by line and word by words explaining history and meaning. Not every scholar would agree on all points, but I found it pretty darn good.

Tanahashi Sensei had a book on the Heart Sutra recently which I found a bit confused, and very hit and miss.

I am not sure I approve TNH's phrasing some places, e.g., "this Body itself is Emptiness". All form, why just "this body?" I would be curious as to his reasoning. Also, why "Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore" instead of "the Perfection of Wisdom/Prajna Paramita"? Some other phrases also seem a bit off.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[aprapti]

Hi,

I second the Red Pine translation with commentary, as he goes line by line and word by words explaining history and meaning. Not every scholar would agree on all points, but I found it pretty darn good.

Tanahashi Sensei had a book on the Heart Sutra recently which I found a bit confused, and very hit and miss.

I am not sure I approve TNH's phrasing some places, e.g., "this Body itself is Emptiness". All form, why just "this body?" I would be curious as to his reasoning. Also, why "Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore" instead of "the Perfection of Wisdom/Prajna Paramita"? Some other phrases also seem a bit off.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

i second all three opinions, Jundo. I did not understand at all why TNH changed the former version. about body in stead of form he writes:

"The essence of the Heart Sutra lies in the formula: This body itself is emptiness, and emptiness itself is this body. If we can understand this phrase, it will not be difficult to understand the rest of the sutra.
The word rupa in Sanskrit is usually translated as “form,” hence: form is emptiness and emptiness is form. Here, rupa, as one of the five skandhas, specifically refers to the body—and by extension, to living matter. This is why, in this translation, we have replaced the word “form” with “body.” " page 37 of "the other shore" .



Coos

std

[Chishou]

The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives founded by Jiyu Kennett translated and converted it into a hymn style recitation. Originally, she composed an organ piece to go with it which can be heard here:

http://everydayzen.org/teachings/2013/first-generation-western-zen-women-talk-3-jiyu-kennett

They currently just recite it without music and an audio clip is here under “Scripture of Great Wisdom”: http://throssel.org.uk/daily-scriptures/

I have mixed feelings about the OBC version, I don’t like how it has a Christian feel to the way they do things.

Simon says, Sit.





Ask not what the Sangha can do for you, but what you can do for the Sangha.