When Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was practicing the profound Prajna Paramita
he illuminated the Five Skandhas and saw that they are all empty
and he crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty
Shariputra
form does not differ from emptiness;
emptiness does not differ from form
Form itself is emptiness;
emptiness itself is form
So too are feeling, cognition
formation, and consciousness
Shariputra
all Dharmas are empty of characteristics
They are not produced
not destroyed
not defiled, not pure;
and they neither increase nor diminish
Therefore
in emptiness there is no form
feeling, cognition
formation, or consciousness;
no eyes, ears, nose
tongue, body, or mind;
no sights, sounds, smells
tastes
objects of touch, or Dharmas;
no field of the eyes up to and including no field of mind consciousness;
and no ignorance or ending of ignorance
up to and including no old age and death or ending of old age and death
There is no suffering
no accumulating
no extinction, and no Way
and no understanding and no attaining
Because nothing is attained
the Bodhisattva through reliance on Prajna Paramita is unimpeded in his mind
Because there is no impediment
he is not afraid
and he leaves distorted dream-thinking far behind
Ultimately Nirvana!
All Buddhas of the three periods of time attain
Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi through reliance on Prajna Paramita
Therefore know that Prajna Paramita is a Great Spiritual Mantra
a Great Bright Mantra
a Supreme Mantra
an Unequalled Mantra
It can remove all suffering;
it is genuine and not false
That is why the Mantra of Prajna Paramita was spoken
Recite it like this:
Gaté Gaté Paragaté Parasamgaté
Bodhi Svaha!
