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THE ESSENCE OF THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM SUTRAS
OM
When Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara deeply practices
the profound Prajnaparamita his meditation reveals that the five skandhas are
completely empty, and that this is the end of all suffering. Then he responds to Shariputra:
“Shariputra!
Form is not different from emptiness.
Emptiness is not different from form.
Form is identical with emptiness.
Emptiness is identical with form.
Likewise reception, conception, mental conduct and consciousness are
identical to shunyata.
Shariputra!
All things are essentially shunyata, without birth or death, without
defilement or purity, without gain or loss.
Therefore in shunyata there is no form, reception, conception, mental
conduct, or consciousness. There is no eye,
ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind. There
is no shape or color, no sound, no odor, no flavor, no bodily sensation, no
knowledge. There are no such things as
the eighteen realms of sense, from the realm of sight up to the faculty of
mind. There are no such things as the
twelve links in the chain of existence, from ignorance with the end of
ignorance, up to old age and death with also the end of old age and death. There is no truth of suffering, no cause, no
end of suffering, and no path. There is
no wisdom, also no obtainment. Because
of no obtainment bodhisattvas who rely on Prajaparamita have no hindrance in
their minds. And since they have no
hindrance, they have no fear, they are released from all upside down dreaming
and imagining, and they enter the sphere of nirvana. All past, present, and future Buddhas attain the full
enlightenment by relying on Prajnaparamita.
So know Prajnaparamita by a great holy mantra, a great bright mantra, an
unsurpassed mantra, an unequalled mantra which can eliminate all suffering,
true and not false.”
Then Avalokiteshvara transmits the Prajnaparamita
mantra:
“GATE
GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA”
Thus ends the Heart of Perfect Wisdom Sutra.
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