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.
I have been practicing shakyo of the Heart Sutra for a long time now and I have gathered all my knowledge and experience of Heart sutra copying in two books.
My book A Kanji Stroke Order Manual for Heart Sutra Copying, published independently in 2018, provides you with a guide for the copying of the Heart Sutra in kaisho or regular script. It contains a Heart Sutra brushed by myself in regular script in large-sized characters and shows each of the 276 kanji with its corresponding stroke order, the transliteration and translation. This Heart Sutra copying manual with the kanji stroke order explained will help you to do shakyo more easily. And more ease leads to more clarity and concentration, both indispensable conditions for a meditative Heart Sutra copying session.
If you are studying the Heart Sutra and 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.
For anyone who wants to practice shakyo of the Heart Sutra, both books give you the unique opportunity to practice Heart Sutra copying and enhance your shakyo practice with a fully new experience.
Enjoy my books!
| Share your Heart Sutra Copying | Sutra Copying |
| Heart Sutra Copying Manual | Heart Sutra in Seal Script |
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