Introduction to the Heart Sutra

The full title of this sutra is Prajna-paramita Heart Sutra of which Prajna-paramita is a Sanskrit term. Prajna means wisdom, paramita means perfection; accordingly, Prajna-paramita means "the perfection of Wisdom". This sutra is more briefly named the Heart Sutra. It is called the "Heart" in as much as it subsumes the essence of the Perfection of Wisdom of the Buddha. It is the best known Mahayana sutra, and, at 260 words, it is also the shortest.

The Heart Sutra articulates the doctrine of "emptiness". But this "emptiness" must not be understood as the denial of phenomenal existence - it is not nihilism. What it teaches is that everything is dependently arisen from conditions: an event (a "thing") occurs if and only if the adequacy of conditions obtains. Since everything is dependently arisen, there is no such thing as an eternally abiding entity. The doctrine of emptiness also spells out the relativity of all views. When one acquires this Wisdom of "emptiness", one will realise that all physical and mental events are in a constant process of change, and accordingly everything can be changed by modifying the conditions. Understanding the relativity of all standpoints will also prevent one from becoming irrationally attached to things. In this way, one will come to be free from all mental obstructions, and attain to perfect harmony and bliss. At the same time, with the understanding that all are dependently arisen, one will treasure and make good use of the conditions that are available, realising the ideal of benefiting oneself and others.

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The English translation of Heart Sutra is provided by Jao's Studies based on Professor Edward Conze's "Buddhist Wisdom Books Containing The Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra"