The Heart Sutra Containing 
the Basic Tenets of Buddhism

Ven. Hyedam | Senior Meditator for Bulgwang Dharma Assembly

Introduction 

The Heart Sutra is the most widely known scripture in all predominately Buddhist countries, including Korea. Why is it considered so important? One reason is that it is a short sutra consisting of only 260 Chinese characters, but it contains all the basic teachings of Buddhism. However, what’s more important is that it embodies truths that could help resolve diverse issues and matters that arise in all aspects of daily life. The group of sutras to which the Heart Sutra belongs is called collectively the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras, which were the first of the Mahayana sutras to be compiled. Indeed, the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras were the pioneering sutras of Mahayana Buddhism, which was a new Buddhist movement that exhorted its followers to return to the basic spirit of the Buddha, namely “the salvation of all sentient beings.”

The Position of the Heart Sutra among the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras

The Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras were compiled and written down around the transition from BCE to CE, which closely coincides with the appearance of Mahayana Buddhism. Occupying about half of all the Mahayana sutras, the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras (or Prajñāpāramitā group) are divided by scholars into three categories: fundamental group, variegated group, and miscellaneous. In the fundamental group are the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra, and Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines; in the variegated group are the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra, which is the topic at hand. 

What is critical here is that the term “Mahayana” appears for the first time in the Diamond Sutra, and that these sutras in the Prajñāpāramitā group represent all of Mahayana philosophy. In fact, the Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa Sūtra reveals the core philosophy of the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras developed in dramatic style. The Lotus Sutra and Flower Garland Sutra also focus on a few of the many philosophies appearing in the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras and further develop them. Even the sutras of the Pure Land Buddhists, which are considered completely different from the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras in nature, could have been developed based on the bodhisattva philosophy of the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras. The Heart Sutra expounds on the core of the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras which are massive in quantity and contain the whole philosophy of Mahayana Buddhism. 

Detailed Texts and Abbreviated Texts of the Heart Sutra

Most Mahayana sutras, including the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras, were translated into Chinese by Kumārajīva (344-413), and are circulated even now as they were written by him. Strangely enough, however, Xuanzang’s (602-664) translation of the Heart Sutra is circulated in Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China. 

All extant versions of the Heart Sutra bear the Sanskrit title Prajña-pāramitā-hŗdaya Sūtra. Based on this Sanskrit text, seven different versions of the Chinese translation exist, and these seven versions can be again divided into detailed texts and abbreviated texts. The translations of Kumārajīva and Xuanzang correspond to the abbreviated texts so none of their translations have the six components typically found in the opening phrase of a sutra: the phrases “Thus” and “have I heard”; reference to “Buddha” as teacher; nor any explanation of when, where or with whom.

Xuanzang’s translation of the Heart Sutra, which we Koreans often recite, neither has a preface (equipped with the aforementioned six components), nor the exhortation to disseminate the sutra (corresponding to the conclusion of a sutra). It contains only the main text which is the main body of the sutra. Most commentaries on the Heart Sutra published in the Northeast Asian Buddhist community do not comment on the preface of the Heart Sutra because they are based on the abbreviated texts. 

To help provide a clearer understanding of the sutra’s meaning and why the sutra was taught, I will first examine the detailed text of the Heart Sutra. Of the several detailed texts, I chose to examine the translated version by two monks named Prajñā and Liyan (completed in 790) because its main text is almost identical to Xuanzang’s translation. 

“Thus have I heard: Once the Blessed One was dwelling in Rajagriha on Vulture Peak Mountain with a great gathering of monks, nuns and bodhisattvas. At that time, the Blessed One entered the samadhi that expresses the Dharma called ‘Profound Illumination.’ At the same time, noble Avalokiteshvara, also known as Bodhisattva Mahasattva, while engaged in profound transcendent wisdom, clearly realized the five skandhas to be empty of intrinsic nature and was released from suffering. Then, through the inspiration of the Buddha, Venerable Shariputra said to noble Avalokiteshvara: 

‘How should a son or daughter from a noble family train if they wish to follow the profound path of transcendent wisdom?’ Then noble Avalokiteshvara said to Venerable Shariputra.” 

The Composition of the Main Text

(1) Introduction

If we limit our examination to the main text, there are no large differences in terms of length and content between detailed and abbreviated texts. Due to the brevity of the sutra, it is not easy to divide the composition of the main text in detail. However, a few scholars have analyzed the composition of the main text, and by relying on one of their theories, I will divide the main text into four parts: introduction, error refutation, effects, and conclusion. However, I will only summarize the key points of three parts and omit the conclusion. 

The introduction is a simple representation of the essence of the sutra, which corresponds to the passage, “Noble Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva, while engaging in profound transcendent wisdom, clearly saw the five skandhas to be empty of intrinsic nature and was released from suffering.” In other words, the sutra consists of 260 Chinese characters, but the 25-character preface presents the entire meaning of the sutra, and the rest of the text reiterates this preface. Therefore, a clear understanding of the preface can lead to grasping the whole content of the Heart Sutra. 

If a reader pays attention to the fact that Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva symbolizes compassion, they will naturally wonder, “Why does Avalokiteshvara, an embodiment of compassion, expound on prajna wisdom (transcendent wisdom)?” This is because it is Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva who proactively puts the Buddha’s wisdom into action. Put another way, compassion, which is symbolized by Avalokiteshvara, is one of the two wings—the other being wisdom—that a Mahayana bodhisattva must have. Ultimately, wisdom and compassion are not separate, but one and the same. Therefore, when one attains transcendent wisdom, compassion comes naturally. This is because transcendent wisdom brings the realization that you and I—and by extension all things in the universe—are one, and then one can feel others’ suffering as one’s own. 

(2) Error Refutation

In this section appears the most famous passage of the Heart Sutra: “Form is not separate from emptiness, and emptiness is not separate from form. Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form.” The most critical teaching of this section is the definition of human nature. The sutra continues: “All phenomena are intrinsically empty. There is no birth and no death. There is no impurity and no purity. There is no decrease and no increase.” In this way it expounds on the characteristics of intrinsic emptiness (of human nature) in three ways. First is the eternal aspect of human nature. Inherently, our life knows no birth, and therefore there is no death. Second is the concept of being “neither defiled nor pure,” which refers to the inherent purity of human nature. This is a declaration that humanity is inherently free from sin. People are pure beings who cannot commit sin even if they wanted to. A human being is a person with eternal freedom. Third is the concept of “neither increase nor decrease,” which refers to the perfect quality of our nature. Human nature, which is inherently empty, is also inherently perfect and endowed with everything. It is the emptiness that contains all the things we can conceive of. Therefore, all phenomena arise from emptiness. 

(3) Effects

“Effects” refers to the benefits this sutra bestows to sentient beings, which corresponds to the passage: “Since bodhisattvas abide by means of transcendent wisdom, there is no obscuration of mind. Since there is no obscuration of mind, there is no fear. Freed from all delusory thoughts, they enter complete nirvana. All buddhas of all eras attain anuttarā-samyaksaṃbodhi depending on the perfection of transcendent wisdom.” 

Here, the perfection of transcendent wisdom guides sentient beings to attaining an unhindered mind; then they are free from fear in life and eventually enter nirvana. Why does the perfection of transcendent wisdom give these benefits? The sutra says, “All buddhas of all eras attain anuttarā-samyaksaṃbodhi depending on the perfection of transcendent wisdom.” “Anuttarā-samyaksaṃbodhi” means unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment. Thus, anuttarā-samyaksaṃbodhi is eternally abiding truth, irrespective of whether the Buddha comes to this world or not. The Buddha’s boundless compassion, majestic power, and great wisdom must have originated from this anuttarā-samyaksaṃbodhi. In other words, the perfection of transcendent wisdom is the mother of all buddhas, and sentient beings attain Buddhahood depending on it. With this attainment, true reality—previously blocked by delusions—is revealed, and sentient beings become buddhas as they are. These words are important in that they reveal the concept of “buddha” in Mahayana Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism does not view Shakyamuni Buddha as being the only object of faith. Countless buddhas and bodhisattvas become objects of faith. Where are they then? In Record of the Transmission of the Lamp is a Dharma dialogue between Mazu—a great Seon master of Tang China—and his disciple Layman Pang. Pang asks, “Is there any person who transcends all phenomena?” Mazu answers, “If you have drunk the water of the Xi River in one gulp, I will answer the question.” Upon hearing these words, Pang attained great enlightenment.   

Ven. Hyedam entered monkhood under the tutelage of Ven. Gwangdeok at Beomeosa Temple in Busan. He graduated from the Dept. of Sangha Studies, College of Buddhism, Dongguk University, and then finished the coursework for a master’s degree at Bukkyo University in Japan. Currently he serves as the senior meditator for the Bulgwang Dharma Assembly. His writings and translations in Korean include Samadhi Meditation of Gautama Buddha and What Is the Truth.