The heart sutra in Japanese explained

Online kanji course for sutra copying and self-study

The heart sutra in Japanese with 270 kanji is the subject of this course. It highlights the kanji in three steps. You will find a graphic image of the kanji, their phonetic reading and the translation into English of each single kanji of the heart sutra in Japanese.

This course is designed as a reference manual for the practice of sutra copying of the heart sutra, this very special way of doing Japanese calligraphy.

Phonetics and translation

With the phonetics and translation of the kanji at hand you will find much easier to brush the characters. Furthermore, the well arranged graphical layout of the manual will make the study even more accessible, and will certainly help you memorize the kanji well.

A personalized way of sutra copying made possible

The kanji course aims to transform the heart sutra in Japanese into a lively text that is workable for you. It makes a personalized sutra copying possible. If, for example, you want to write a very specific kanji or sentence, like the kanji for emptiness or the kanji of the mantra, you will find them easily in this kanji course.

The heart sutra in Japanese with all its aspects can now smoothly flow into your mind while doing shakyo.

You will also find the whole zen heart sutra phonetic version, and the heart sutra English version.

Translation of the kanji of the
Heart Sutra in Japanese, Part 1

Heart Sutra for sutra copying, part 1

	HAN	Praj
	NYA	na
	HA	pa
	RA	ra
	MIT	mi
	TA	ta
	SHIN	heart
	GYÔ	sutra

Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra or the Heart Sutra on the Perfection of Wisdom

	KAN	Ava
	JI	lokite
	ZAI	shvara
	BO	Bodhi
	SATSU	sattva
	GYÔ	goes
	JIN	deep
	HAN	praj

The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara,

	NYA	na
	HA	pa
	RA	ra
	MIT	mi
	TA	ta
	JI	while
	SHÔ	clearly
	KEN	sees

while dwelling in the deep Perfection of Wisdom, sees clearly

	GO	five
	UN	skandha, heap
	KAI	all
	KÛ	empty
	DO	free from
	IS	all
	SAI	all
	KU	suffering
	YAKU	unhappiness

that the five skandhas are all empty and is thus freed from all suffering.

	SHA	Sha
	RI	ri
	SHI	putra
	SHIKI	form
	FU	not
	I	different from
	KÛ	emptiness
	KÛ	emptiness

Oh Shariputra! Form is not different from emptiness; emptiness

	I	different from
	FU	not
	SHIKI	form
	SHIKI	form
	SOKU	indeed
	ZE	is
	KÛ	emptiness
	KÛ	emptiness

is not different from form. Form is indeed emptiness; emptiness

	SOKU	indeed
	ZE	is
	SHIKI	form
	JU	feeling
	SÔ	perception
	GYÔ	mental formations
	SHIKI	consciousness
	YAKU	also

is indeed form. Feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are also

	BU	are
	NYO	like
	ZE	this
	SHA	Sha
	RI	ri
	SHI	putra
	ZE	are
	SHO	all

like this. Oh Shariputra, all

	HÔ	dharmas
	KÛ	emptiness
	SÔ	nature of
	FU	neither
	SHÔ	arise
	FU	nor
	METSU	perish
	FU	neither

dharmas have the nature of emptiness. They neither arise nor perish; they are neither

	KU	impure
	FU	nor
	JÔ	pure
	FU	neither
	ZÔ	increase
	FU	nor
	GEN	decrease
	ZE	is

impure nor pure; they neither increase nor decrease. Thus

	KO	thus
	KÛ	emptiness
	CHÛ | MU	in | no
	SHIKI | MU	form | no
	JU	feeling
	SÔ	perception
	GYÔ	mental formations
	SHIKI	consciousness

in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, no perception, no mental formations, no consciousness.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

If you are studying the Heart Sutra or are fascinated by the beauty of Chinese and Japanese calligraphy you can find a different copy of the Heart Sutra in my book The Heart Sutra in Calligraphy: A Visual Appreciation of The Perfection of Wisdom. This copy of the Heart Sutra, entirely brushed by myself, marries the emptiness teachings to the ancient characters of the Chinese seal script and gives you a new visual experience of the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra.

Enjoy my book!