Chants / The Sutra of the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore (Heart Sutra)

The Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra is the essence of Buddhist teaching. It is recited daily in Mahayana temples and practice centers throughout the world. Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) has offered commentary and teachings on this sutra several times. The most recent teachings were given in August 2014. Thay revised the traditional wording of the Heart Sutra to clarify the meaning of “emptiness”.

Thay titled his translation of the Heart Sutra as “The Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore.” It carries within it and expresses very clearly the essence of the teaching of the Prajnaparamita on interbeing, no-self, the Middle Way, emptiness, signlessness, and aimlessness.

You can read the text of the Sutra and more information about Thay’s translation here. You can also read The Other Shore for Thich Nhat Hanh’s commentary and teachings on this Sutra.

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, pāragate, pārasaṃgate, bodhi svāhā,
Gate, gate, pāragate, pārasaṃgate, bodhi svāhā,
Gate, gate, pāragate, pārasaṃgate, bodhi svāhā!”


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What is Mindfulness

Thich Nhat Hanh January 15, 2020

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