The Heart Sutra -- A Figurative Translation

[Antonius]

Hi everyone,

I created this page a while ago, but never published it because it didn't feel finished. It still doesn't feel finished, but I've accepted the fact that it never will.

I hope that you benefit from it. Please feel free to share it with anyone in any way that you like.

http://www.flowingzen.com/heartsutra.htm

All the best,

[PM]

Antonius, amazing! simply amazing! thank you very much!

[Jamie Robson]

Dear Sipak,

Excellent work!

Best Wishes,

Jamie

[Jeffrey Segal]

Wonderful

Thank you, Siheng!

[Chiahua]

Very nice Sihing!

[Damian Kissey]

Very inspiring .

[Markus Kahila]

Sihing Anthony,


Excellent article, thank you for sharing it!


Best wishes,

[Daniel]

Thank you Anthony, very good article.

[Andrew]

To use my Siheng's terminology: Awesome!

[Molly]

Well Siheng it would seem like you're a perfectionist like someone else I know. The article is excellent. Concise, well explained, and informative. Thank you for sharing it here. I really enjoyed it.

[Charles David]

Thank you, Siheng.

Yrs.

Chas.

[Lara]

Thank you Anthony.
We had a copy of the Heart Sutra on our alter in the yurt, the one you gave Charles. I enjoyed reading it as well as your most recent. I have fond memories chanting the mantra with my daughter Athena in the woods. I certainly would like to read Sifu's writing on The Heart Sutra. Perhaps it will be published soon.

Lara

[joko]

My gratitude, Anthony Sihing,
and congratulations on your excellent work.

It made me read again Sifu's sutra in "The Complete Book of Shaolin", and another one in my old slim book titled "Ah!". This book was published in 2000; it contains the Indonesian translation of the Hridaya Sutra, from its original text. The author is Anand Krishna, an Indonesian citizen from Indian origin.
In its original text the sutra is in the form of poem, consisting of 6 verses. In addition to the Indonesian translation, the author wrote his own comments to each verse.

What amazed me was I did not really notice then that when I read it years ago, the sutra in "Ah!" does not end with "Paraa-samgate Bodhi Svaha", (which the Chinese versions do); there is an addition of one more sentence.

In his comments to his translation, contrary to opinions of other translators, Anand Krishna stated that in the Sutra Buddha was telling Sariputra his own experience just moments before entering Enlightenment. Avalokiteshvara was not a name of a person, but rather, a state of Avalokiteshvara consciousness. According to him, Avalokiteshvara means "he who is observing the view/the conditions below", such as a passenger on a plane just after take-off, then looking down through the windows.
Being in the state of "Avalokita", the state where not only "no-mind" is trancended, but also even "meditation" is already transcended, what does he see when he sees below? All the five skandas, the five elements of life, do not exist.
(As analogy, for someone flying above, road-traffic and sea-traffic regulations do not affect him).

What will he do, after being enlightened? He will not just idly sit and enjoy his new-found awareness. He will act, he will go back to society, utilizing his new consciousness. He will function as coach, instructor. In the ancient language, he is called Avalokita.

Later on, when the sutra was translated into Chinese, Avalokita would be translated to Kuan Shi Yin, which means: "She who listens to cryings (of all creatures)". The one Compassionate to all creatures.

Another significant comment of the author is that the role of "Gate-gate paragate, Paraa-samgate" was not initially supposed as a chant, but, rather, as tantra (method) or as yantra (means) to transcend manas, mind.
In short, to be enlightened, you have to transcend all experiences.

"Gate-gate paragate, Paraa-samgate" is the conclusion of the whole experience as described in the previous 5 verses of the Hridaya Sutra.

Then, after experiencing "Gate-gate paraasamgate" (transcending all the necessary experiences), came that expression of "Bodhi! Svaha" which he translated into: "Ah! (I am) enlightened!"

Quoted below is the 6th verse in its original (transliterated) form:

6.
Tasmaj gyaatavyam:
pragyaa-paara-mitaa
mahaa-mantro mahaa-vidhya-mantro
nuttar-mantro samsam-mantrah,
sarva-dukha-prasha-manah,
satyam amithyaatvaat,
pragyaa-paara-mitaayam ukto mantrah.

Tadyathaa:
Gate Gate Paraa-gate
Paara-samgate Bodhi Svaaha.

Iti pragyaa-paara-mitaa-hridayam samaaptam.

My (rough) English translation from the author's Indonesian:

Hence, let it be known:
"Transcending all the necessary experiences" is the ultimate method, the unchallenged method, to transcend sufferings.
That is the genuine truth, that should not be doubted.
That is my conclusion, after transcending all various experiences.

That's it:
Transcended already - transcended and indeed, already transcended
(even that experience of transcend itself) is also transcended
Ah! (I am) Enlightened.

And here ends this essence of experience,
(the experience) of transcending all (and various) experiences.
____________________________________________

And what is the author's further comment after explaining the last verse?

"Ah! (So desune) It's only like that.
Actually, there is no need to seek Nirvana, Moksha, Freedom, Heaven. They are already here, they have been all with me all along.
Ah! They are not outside me, yes, indeed, they are inside me.
Wait, wait, wait! Inside me? No, no, even, not inside me. It is me! Ah!
Ah! (Bodhi Svaha)
___________________________________________

Joko

[Mark CH]

Thank you Siheng

[Josh]

Very nice stuff, Sihing. It's great to share this wonderful transmission with others. And I can certainly understand your feeling like the page isn't "finished". Even just with translating the text, capturing the simplicity and minimal beauty of the Chinese and expressing it in English is something I could work and rework and rethink and rework for a long time! You're so lucky to read Chinese.

Well Siheng it would seem like you're a perfectionist like someone else I know.

Now, who could that be....?

All my best,
Josh