A copy of Xuanzang’s Heart Sutra translation stands before us. It is a stone inscription. This marks the value of the stele. It was chiseled over 1,300 years ago. The Heart Sutra Stele stands in Beijing’s rural Fangshan District.
Let’s explore the story behind this ancient Buddhist scripture. The Heart Sutra is a popular sutra. It thrives in Mahāyāna Buddhism. Its Sanskrit title, Prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya, means “The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom”.
The Heart Sutra famously states: “Form is emptiness. Emptiness is form.” It is a central concept. It reflects Buddhist philosophy. The sutra is frequently recited. It is used throughout the Mahayana Buddhist tradition.
Monk Xuanzang translated the Heart Sutra. His version became one of the most credible interpretations. The sutra’s influence extends over China. It includes much of East Asia.
This Heart Sutra Stele was chiseled in 661. This happened three years after Monk Xuanzang’s death. The Buddhist temple preserved it in rural Beijing. The carving of Buddhist sutras on steles in Beijing had a purpose. Monk Jingwan worried about Buddhism’s future. There was anti-Buddhism sentiment. This existed in North Wei and North Zhou dynasties. Jingwan preserved sutras on stone in Fangshan. This happened during the Sui Dynasty.
Buddhist monks followed Jingwan’s example. They inscribed 3,572 volumes of Buddhist sutras. These total more than 30 million words. This makes it one of today’s biggest stone libraries. The massive carving of Buddhist sutras shows dedication. It protected the teachings during turbulent times.
The Heart Sutra addresses Śāriputra. Avalokiteśvara explains emptiness. This emptiness relates to human existence. It includes form, feeling, volitions, perceptions, and mind. Avalokiteśvara declares these aggregates empty. They dependently originated.
The sutra touches on core Buddhist teachings. It references the Four Noble Truths. It explains that these notions do not apply in emptiness. Teachings describe conventional truth. They are not reality itself. Ultimate truth is beyond mental understanding.
The bodhisattva relies on wisdom’s perfection. This wisdom perceives reality directly. There is no conceptual attachment. This allows achieving nirvana. The sutra ends with a mantra. It says: “gate gate pāragate pārasaṃgate bodhi svāhā”. It means: “gone, gone, everyone gone to the other shore, awakening, svaha.”
There are two main versions of the Heart Sutra. There is a short version. There is a long version. Xuanzang’s short version is popular. East Asian Buddhists widely use it. Xuanzang’s text has 260 Chinese characters.
The Heart Sutra Stele shows Xuanzang’s version. It is dated to 661 CE. This is the earliest dated text. Patrons from Yueyang County engraved it. This county is near Chang’an. Chang’an is now Xian. Xuanzang did translation work there. It is part of the Fangshan Stone Sutra. It is located in Yunju Temple. Another stele from Yunju Temple is dated to 669 CE. It contains the Heart Sutra. A third stele is in the Beilin Museum. It is dated to 672 CE. These steles say: “(Tripitaka Master) Xuanzang was commanded by Emperor Tang Taizong to translate the Heart Sutra.”
The Heart Sutra is more than words. It has inspired music. Faye Wong has performed a Mandarin version. It was for the opening of the Namaste Dagoba. This version was used in films. The Heart Sutra’s influence stretches far. It touches art, philosophy, and daily life.
Standing before The Heart Sutra Stele, consider its journey. It started with a monk’s worry. It became a treasure. It has teachings for centuries. It shows the power of preserving wisdom. It reflects dedication to Buddhism. It echoes through time.