Namo Shakyamuni Buddha –

Namo Shakyamuni Buddha –

Namo Shakyamuni Buddha

 

 

Sutra Opening Verse

The Dharma is deep and incomparable.

Throughout eternity the chance to know It is so rare.

Now, with great fortune, we recognize It

and vow to practice deeply, sincerely.

(Bell)

 

 

The Heart of Prajnaparamita (Bell)

The Bodhisattva Avalokita,

while deeply watching all sensations

suddenly realized that all five skandhas are nothing but illusion.

This realization sundered the bonds that create suffering. (Bell)

 

Know then:  form is emptiness.

Emptiness is form.

Form is no other than emptiness.

Emptiness is no other than form.

the same is true with feeling, thought, mental formation, and

consciousness itself. (Bell)

 

The dharma is Emptiness.

It is not born nor does it die,

nor is it stained nor pure,

nor does it wax nor wane.

So in Emptiness, there is:

no form, no feeling, no thought or mental formation, nor is there consciousness.

No eye or ear or nose or tongue

or body or mind.

No form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, nor what the mind takes hold of,

nor even act of sensing (from eyes to mind consciousness).

No ignorance nor end of it,

nor all that comes of ignorance.

No withering, no death,

no end of withering nor of death.

Nor is there pain nor cause of pain

nor end of pain nor noble path.

Nor is there wisdom to attain;

attainment too is emptiness. (Bell)

So know that the Bodhisattva,

holding to nothing whatever,

but dwelling in Paramita Wisdom,

is free of delusive hindrance,

rid of the fear bred by it,

and reaches clearest Nirvana.

All Buddhas of the past, present

and future,

through living in Paramita Wisdom

come to full enlightenment. (Bell)

 

Know then Sariputra that

from Paramita Wisdom,

great unconditioned compassion,

wonderful clear words,

supreme peaceful action,

rise up to end all pain and suffering.

That is the truth. (Bell)

 

Sundered!  Sundered!

Sundered all attachment,

breaking the system of ignorance,

reaching complete freedom. (3 times) (BB)

 

 

The Three Refuges

Refuge is taken in the Buddha.

I vow, on behalf of all sentient beings,

to recognize the core teaching and dedicate everything to it.

Namo Buddhaya (3 times) (Bell)

Refuge is taken in the Dharma.

I vow, on behalf of all sentient beings,

to practice deeply and sincerely the core teaching, allowing great wisdom to rise up.

Namo Dharmaya (3 times) (Bell)

Refuge is taken in the Sangha.

I vow, on behalf of all sentient beings,

to live with ease and harmony in any situation, disturbed by nothing.

Namo Sanghaya (3 times) (BB)

 

 

Sutra Closing Verse

Whole heartedly we want to end our suffering.

Through review, we realize that

for many lifetimes we have created

the system of suffering that has controlled us.

Then we take a vow to practice

to realize the root, the nature of suffering.

We ask the Buddhas to support our vow. (BBB)