Imperial Preface to the Heart Sutra

The universe has long been divided, and all things are fully prepared. The ruler governs the people, and the ruler nurtures the people, following the laws of governance. The Three Bonds and Five Constants are established to guide the world, and the Five Punishments are used to support them. There are those who are stubborn and do not follow the teachings, often rushing into fire or diving into deep waters, never reflecting on themselves. Such stubbornness is not unique to China—it exists everywhere under heaven.

Later, in the Western Regions, a Buddha was born, named Shakyamuni. As a Buddha, his practice was profound, his vows were weighty, and he remained unwavering from beginning to end. Thus, he transcended the worldly realm and freed himself from suffering. His teachings emphasized compassion, forbearance, and patience, striving to illuminate the mind and establish one's true nature. By upholding this path, he intended for all people to benefit and aid all living beings.

People today do not understand the true purpose of Buddhism, often saying that its teachings are empty and unreal. How, they ask, can it guide the noble or instruct the common people? In my view, this is not so. The teachings of Buddhism are real, not empty. They aim to remove the delusions of ignorance and establish the reality of one's true nature. The Buddha deliberately endured hardships, setting his teachings apart and giving them a different name, speaking of suffering for all sentient beings.

When the Buddha was alive, his attendants and listeners were all wise individuals. What he expounded were the principles of the Three Bonds and Five Constants. After hearing his teachings, each person attained blessings. After the Buddha entered Nirvana, his teachings spread to China. Occasionally, wise individuals expounded on the lesser fruits of human and heavenly paths, still able to transform the stubborn into goodness—how much more so for those who understand the Great Vehicle and grasp its essence!

For instance, the *Heart Sutra* often speaks of emptiness but not of reality. The emptiness it speaks of is the emptiness of appearances. Beyond emptiness, what remains is the true nature. Thus, there are six kinds of emptiness of appearances: the emptiness of speech, the emptiness of visual forms, the emptiness of sounds, the emptiness of smells, the emptiness of tastes, and the emptiness of bodily pleasures. These six empty appearances are not the true emptiness of reality but rather the empty appearances born of deluded thoughts. This emptiness of appearances has deluded ordinary people and brought calamity throughout history, often leading them deeper into error without realizing it.

Many rulers of the past were deluded by this emptiness of appearances and nearly lost their empires: King Mu of Zhou, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Emperor Wu of Liang, Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei, Li Houzhu, and Emperor Huizong of Song. These rulers neglected their duties and governed poorly. Emperor Wu of Liang and Emperor Huizong of Song even met their deaths because of their deluded desires to ascend to immortality or enter the Buddha's paradise.

The Buddha's paradise is not some distant, vague realm. Such joy exists in this very world, but because human nature is greedy, people fail to recognize it and instead seek pleasure elsewhere. What exists in the human world that resembles the Buddha's paradise? For rulers and nobles, if they act without wrongdoing and diligently preserve this state, is that not the Buddha's paradise? If they cannot preserve it and instead act falsely, driven by deluded thoughts, they fall into emptiness and illusion, thus experiencing this emptiness of appearances.

When the wealthy are entangled by it, lust and desire arise together, and they lose their wealth. When the poor are entangled by it, deceit and fraud emerge together, and they lose their lives. When those on the verge of wisdom are entangled by it, they cease to be benevolent and virtuous. When monks and Daoists are entangled by it, they cannot establish their true nature and realize the essence.

Therefore, the title of this sutra, *Heart Sutra*, aims to remove evil thoughts from the mind and return to the right path. How can this be called the falsehood of Buddhism? I have written this to help the wise observe the two principles of heaven and earth, the cycles of the sun and moon, and discern what is real and what is empty. How should one preserve one's life? If one follows the true path and preserves it with the right methods, is this not the excellence of Buddhism? Is this not the wonder of form and emptiness?

Heart Sutra Commentary

Translation by the Tripitaka Master Xuanzang, by Imperial Decree.

Abbot of the Shan World Chan Temple in the Great Ming Heavenly Realm, (Subject) Monk <note>Zong Le</

According to the translation by Shi Hu, the World-Honored One, while dwelling on Vulture Peak, entered a state of profound radiance and proclaimed the true Dharma Samadhi. Shariputra then addressed Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, saying, "If someone wishes to study and practice the profound Dharma gate of Prajñā, how should they proceed?" Avalokiteśvara then spoke this sutra. This sutra is the essence of the extensive Prajñā teachings spoken by the World-Honored One, thus it is understood that the Bodhisattva's words are the Buddha's words. Transmitted to China, it was translated five times. The version used here is that translated by Xuanzang, as it is the most widely circulated in China.

Prajñā is a Sanskrit term, meaning wisdom in Chinese. Pāramitā means reaching the other shore. Sentient beings, due to delusion regarding their inherent wisdom, dwell in birth and death—this is called this shore. Bodhisattvas, through cultivating Prajñā, awaken to their inherent wisdom and reach Nirvana—this is called the other shore. "Heart" refers to the heart of Prajñā, which every person inherently possesses. This sutra is spoken to enable sentient beings to cut off deluded thoughts and manifest their true nature.

Sutra means Dharma and eternal truth. This sutra takes a singular Dharma as its name, true reality as its essence, contemplative insight as its principle, relieving suffering as its function, and the Mahayana as its teaching category. These five aspects encompass the essential meaning conveyed within the sutra.

The singular Dharma is Prajñāpāramitā. True reality is the empty nature of all phenomena. Contemplative insight is seeing clearly that the five aggregates are empty. Relieving suffering is delivering from all afflictions and distress. The Mahayana is the profound Prajñā practiced by Bodhisattvas.

When the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara was practicing the profound perfection of wisdom,

The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is one who cultivates the perfection of wisdom. The perfection of wisdom is the Dharma practiced by the Bodhisattva. Using the insight of wisdom, the Bodhisattva illuminates the mind, seeing it as pure, complete, and unobstructed—this is called "sovereign freedom." This is the practice for oneself.

Furthermore, mindful of sentient beings suffering in the world, the Bodhisattva enables them to practice this Dharma, to reform their wrongdoings, turn toward goodness, leave suffering behind, and attain happiness—all with sovereign freedom. This is the practice of transforming others.

"Bodhisattva" is a Sanskrit term, *bodhisattva*, which in Chinese means "awakened being." It is simply abbreviated as "Bodhisattva."

"Practice" refers to cultivation.

"Profound wisdom" refers to the wisdom of true reality. It is not something that beginners or those with shallow understanding can perceive—thus it is called "profound."

"The time" refers to the period when the Bodhisattva practices wisdom.

Seeing clearly that all five aggregates are empty, it liberates from all suffering and distress.

To observe means to contemplate. The five aggregates are form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. Aggregate means accumulation. Emptiness means true emptiness. Form refers to the physical body. Feeling refers to receiving and experiencing. Perception refers to thought. Mental formations refer to volitional activities. Consciousness refers to discrimination. Consciousness is the primary mind, while feeling, perception, and mental formations are mental factors. To liberate means to free and release. All suffering and distress refer to the various sufferings of the world. By contemplating the emptiness and stillness of the five aggregates, the Bodhisattva transcends the suffering of birth and death. Moved by the deluded beings who are entangled in inverted views and false thinking—acting against reason, disrupting harmony, lacking loyalty and filial piety, and committing the ten evils and five grave offenses—they suffer greatly. Therefore, this Prajñā Dharma gate is taught, enabling them to practice and attain liberation.

The above passage was compiled by Ānanda when gathering the Dharma treasury, narrating the compassionate deeds of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva in liberating beings. This is the specific introduction. The following section, beginning with Śāriputra, is Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva’s response to Śāriputra’s question.

Shariputra!

Shariputra, foremost in wisdom among the Buddha's disciples. The Bodhisattva calls his name and teaches, as he asks on behalf of all beings.

Form is the illusory appearance of the four great elements, while emptiness is the true emptiness of prajna wisdom. Sentient beings, deluded about true emptiness, become attached to illusory form—just as water freezes into ice. Bodhisattvas, through cultivating the contemplative wisdom of prajna, perceive that illusory form is precisely true emptiness, much like melting ice back into water. Yet form and emptiness share the same essence, hence it is said: "Form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form," just as ice is not different from water, and water is not different from ice.

Furthermore, fearing that beings of dull capacity might still cling to dualistic views of form and emptiness, it is said: "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form," just as ice is water, and water is ice. The same applies to sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. This is the essential teaching of the sutra—the heart of prajna wisdom.

These various phenomena refer to the five aggregates mentioned earlier. The "empty form" is the ultimate true reality of emptiness. The Bodhisattva further told Shariputra: "Since you now understand that all phenomena are inherently identical to the true reality of emptiness, and the essence of true reality is originally free from arising and ceasing, if it is free from arising and ceasing, how could it have defilement or purity? If there is no defilement or purity, how could there be increase or decrease?"

Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, perception, volition, or consciousness.

Within this true emptiness and ultimate reality, one cannot seek it through concepts of arising and ceasing, purity and impurity, increase and decrease. Therefore, it is summarized that there is no form, no feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness — "no" here means emptiness.