Yet another Heart Sutra Translation

[Shokai]

The Heart Sutra / translation by Thich Nhat Hanh

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 Emptinesss; 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!

“Just as the birds enjoy the sky, and the deer enjoy the meadow, so do the wise enjoy dwelling in nirvana.”—Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh translates the Heart Sutra‘s closing Sankrit mantra as:
Gone, gone, gone all the way over, everyone gone to the other shore.
Enlightenment !!

gassho, Shokai
stlah

[Koki]

Gassho Shokai!

Koki
Satoday

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[Junkyo]

Hi Shokai!

I have run across this translation before in Thic Naht Hans book "The other shore". It is an interesting translation and I found it useful within the context of his commentary.

I tried to chant it once, but I found it quite cumbersome. I definately prefer the more "traditional" English translation.

Gassho,

Junkyo
SAT

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[Jakuden]

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

[Shokai]

Junkyo;

Actually, I prefer it in Japanese as that is what I first learned. However, another interesting translation is Shohaku Okumura's found in Ch. 5 of Living By Vow. Each gives us a different perspective and new insights.

Gassho, Shokai

[Junkyo]

Junkyo;

Actually, I prefer it in Japanese as that is what I first learned. However, another interesting translation is Shohaku Okumura's found in Ch. 5 of Living By Vow. Each gives us a different perspective and new insights.

Gassho, Shokai

Shokai,

I also love chanting it in Japanese! I have not read Living by Vow. It is on my reading list. I am currently reading through Okumura's book Realizing Genjokoan. I think living by vow will be next up.

Gassho,

Junkyo
SAT

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[Shokai]

I'd lend you my copy but, it's all dog eared and marked up with highlighter

gassho, shokai
stlah

[Insight579]

Gassho Shokai. [emoji1317][emoji1317][emoji1317]


Gassho,
Thomas
SatToday LAH

[Jundo]

If you read it, and some of TNH's other writings, he seems somewhat influenced by Theravadan interpretations (as is common in Vietnam) and as some commentators note about him, is surprisingly a "things and their parts" oriented materialist.

Let me briefly explain:

First. most Mahayana translators prefer "form" (all things and phenomena, not just the human body, and how they appear on the surface as just being separate things with their own characteristics) to "body" (just this human body). TNH writes ...

this Body itself is Emptiness and Emptiness itself is this Body.

Most English renderings are along the lines:

Form is no other than Emptiness, Emptiness no other than Form.

Also. TNH writes ...

“Ill-being, the Causes of Ill-being, the End of Ill-being, the Path, insight and attainment, are also not separate self entities."

A common English translation is instead ...

"No suffering, nor cause or end to suffering; No path, no wisdom and no gain.

The latter, more standard Mahayana interpretation seeks to emphasize that, while there is in Buddhism suffering [Dukkha] and its ending, a Path to practice, wisdom to attain which leads to such ending ... at the same time, there is not because suffering and all the rest are originally Empty so no suffering in need of cure ... yet the realization of such fact of Emptiness is the Path to the cure for suffering! This is the nature of Zen Practice and most of Mahayana Buddhism. Instead, TNH seems to be emphasizing that suffering, the Path and Wisdom are just not "separate self-entities." That seems to emphasize to me that they are each dependent on each other, not that they are swept away in Emptiness.

So, I would be a bit cautious here. Surprisingly, in some of his other writings, TNH does something much the same, and might even be seen as a bit of a materialist who views the universe as things and their parts and pieces. For example, in his famous poem on his view of "interbeing," he says ...

If you are a poet, you will see clearly that there is a cloud floating in this sheet of paper. Without a cloud, there will be no rain; without rain, the trees cannot grow: and without trees, we cannot make paper. The cloud is essential for the paper to exist. If the cloud is not here, the sheet of paper cannot be here either. So we can say that the cloud and the paper inter-are.
http://www.awakin.org/read/view.php?tid=222

It is a beautiful poem, and true as true can be.

However, it also lacks something of the Zen and Mahayana sense of "Emptiness" which is like some grand oceanic wholeness which sweeps in and out all of this beyond just constituent parts and their relationships. It is a subtle point. It is a bit like the difference between saying (TNH) "an ocean its is water and its coral and its fish and their interrelationships" and the view "there is an ocean which is all and all the ocean, and the fish swimming is the ocean swimming, yet there is not even need for the word "ocean." Something like that.

I would be cautious of such a "pieces and parts" interpretation for purposes of Zen practice.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Junkyo]

If you read it, and some of TNH's other writings, he seems somewhat influenced by Theravadan interpretations (as is common in Vietnam) and is very materialist. I prefer "form" (all things and phenomena) to "body" (just this human body). TNH writes ...



Most English renderings are along the lines:



Also. TNH writes ...



A common English translation is instead ...



The latter seeks to emphasize that, while there is in Buddhism suffering [Dukkha] and its ending, a path to practice, wisdom to attain which leads to such ending ... at the same time, there is not because suffering and all the rest are originally Empty ... yet the realization of such fact of Emptiness is the Path to the cure for suffering! This is the nature of Zen Practice and most of Mahayana Buddhism. Instead, TNH seems to be emphasizing that suffering, the Path and Wisdom are just not "separate self-entities." That seems to just emphasize to me that they are each dependent on each other, not that they are swept away in Emptiness.

So, I would be a bit cautious here. Surprisingly, in some of his other writings, TNH does something much the same, and might even be seen as a bit of a materialist who see the universe as things and their parts and pieces. For example, in his famous poem on his view of "interbeing," he says ...



It is a beautiful poem, and true as true can be.

However, it also lacks something of the Zen and Mahayana sense of "Emptiness" which is like some grand oceanic wholeness which sweeps in and out all of this beyond just constituent parts and their relationships. It is a subtle point. It is a bit like the difference between saying (TNH) "an ocean its is water and its coral and its fish and their interrelationships" and the view "there is an ocean which is all and all the ocean, and the fish swimming is the ocean swimming, yet there is not even need for the word "ocean." Something like that.

Gassho, J

STLah

Hi Jundo,

Is it then perhaps that phenomena (dharmas) are more like a wave on the ocean. Rising up, persisting for a while, seemingly separate, and eventually passing away back into the ocean only to arise, persist, and pass once again?

I know I have run into a similar example before. It is less materialistic the an "object dependent" example. Of course the wave is always still part of the ocean, and only appears to be separate.

Gassho,

Junkyo
SAT

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[Jundo]

Hi Jundo,

Is it then perhaps that phenomena (dharmas) are more like a wave on the ocean. Rising up, persisting for a while, seemingly separate, and eventually passing away back into the ocean only to arise, persist, and pass once again?

I know I have run into a similar example before. It is less materialistic the an "object dependent" example. Of course the wave is always still part of the ocean, and only appears to be separate.

Gassho,

Junkyo
SAT

Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

I don't want to turn this into philosophizing about this, because that is a great error for Zen folks. It is like you say, and may be more like the wondrous difference between a Grand Symphony of the universe heard and felt in the bones which sweeps in, yet is, every note and bar and the feeling and the wholeness and the beauty which truly makes the separate notes and instruments appear yet disappear in the power of the entire sweep ... which is the music and the musicians and listeners too as one beyond one, appearing and vanishing ...

... vs. just speaking of the symphony as primarily the relationship between groups of notes or separate instruments (e.g., the music contains the horns and the violins like TNH'S "the paper contains the clouds and sun").

This is very hard to explain, so I will let Dogen handle it (Anzan Hoshin / Yasuda Dainen translation) ...

The moment of Avalokitesvara's [Kannon Bodhisattva's] practice of vast and perfect knowing is the clear seeing with the whole body that the five aggregates are all empty. Existence is the forming of the five aggregates of form, basic reactivity, symbolization, habitual patterning, and consciousness [[jundo: basically the mental steps in our experience of a world of things]. These are five aspects of perfect knowing because clearly seeing these is perfect knowing. If you understand this, then you can understand the teaching that "form is emptiness, emptiness is only form" Form is form. Emptiness is emptiness. It is the hundred grasses [all the separate thing that appear in the world], it is all forms
...

My [Dogen's] late Master Rujing once said:

"The whole body is a mouth, hung in space.
It doesn't matter from where the wind blows
-- north, south, east, west --
the windbell always speaks of perfect knowing:
-- rin! rin! rin!"

This is the sound of perfect knowing in the Transmission of the Lineage of Awakened Ones and Ancestors. It is the knowing of the whole body, the whole knowing of other, the whole knowing of self, the whole knowing of north, south, east, west.

Sakyamuni the Awakened One said, "Sariputra, all beings should abide in this perfect knowing as have all the Awakened Ones." ... Thus the Awakened One, the Generous One, is nothing other than perfect knowing. Perfect knowing is all things. "All things" are the forms of emptiness: no arising, no falling, no purity or impurity, no increasing and no decreasing. Manifesting perfect knowing is manifesting the Awakened One. You should question into this, investigate it, honour and proclaim it.

Digg it. Is is more than parts and pieces, more than the notes and instruments. It is the music in the bones, and you and I are that music too.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Junkyo]

I don't want to turn this into philosophizing about this, because that is a great error for Zen folks. It is like you say, and may be more like the wondrous difference between a Grand Symphony of the universe heard and felt in the bones which sweeps in, yet is, every note and bar and the feeling and the wholeness and the beauty which truly makes the separate notes and instruments appear yet disappear in the power of the entire sweep ... which is the music and the musicians and listeners too as one beyond one, appearing and vanishing ...

... vs. just speaking of the symphony as primarily the relationship between groups of notes or separate instruments (e.g., the music contains the horns and the violins like TNH'S "the paper contains the clouds and sun").

This is very hard to explain, so I will let Dogen handle it (Anzan Hoshin / Yasuda Dainen translation) ...



Digg it. Is is more than parts and pieces, more than the notes and instruments. It is the music in the bones, and you and I are that music too.

Gassho, J

STLah

Thank you Jundo!

Gassho,

Junkyo
SAT

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[Shinshi]

The Heart Sutra / translation by Thich Nhat Hanh

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 Emptinesss; 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!

“Just as the birds enjoy the sky, and the deer enjoy the meadow, so do the wise enjoy dwelling in nirvana.”—Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh translates the Heart Sutra‘s closing Sankrit mantra as:
Gone, gone, gone all the way over, everyone gone to the other shore.
Enlightenment !!

gassho, Shokai
stlah

Hi Shokai,

Thanks for sharing! I have liked the one he used in The Heart of Understanding. Reading that book was the first time I started to get a little glimpse into the Heart Sutra - so I have a certain connection to it.

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."

Thank you for your teachings Jundo. They help me.


Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

[Jishin]

In a crunch I like this version:

Mu! or No! or Does not apply!

Short and to the point.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Tai Do]

Hello to all,

This my first reply in the forum, but I think I have a question that applies in thsi thread (if not, I apologize). I usually chant the sino-japanese version of the Heart Sutra, but I use the translation that is available in the Sotozen-net:

https://global.sotozen-net.or.jp/eng/practice/sutra/pdf/01/04.pdf

I find the translation to be more concise and direct than the others I have found. I'd like to know what you think of this translation?


Gassho
Mateus

Sat today