般若波羅蜜多心經贊 1.7

1.7

Regarding the title: "Spoken by the Buddha" indicates the master who can speak. The Sanskrit sound is buddha, which is translated here as "awakened"; endowed with the wisdom of the ultimate and the conventional, and with the awakening of self and others perfected, he is therefore called "Buddha." Unfolding the wonderful gate to lead sentient beings to understanding is called "speaking." "Prajñāpāramitā" distinguishes the Dharma that is spoken; in this land it is translated as "wisdom gone to the other shore." "Heart Sūtra" directly reveals the expressive teaching. In the body, the sovereign mind alone is preeminent; among all the prajñās, this teaching is most venerable; having established its name by metaphor, it is therefore called "Heart." Sūtra has two meanings: stringing together and upholding; because it strings together the meanings that should be spoken, and upholds the sentient beings who are transformed. This is a dependent-compound name, establishing its designation based on the expressive and the expressed, the Dharma and the metaphor; therefore it is said, "The Prajñāpāramitā Heart Sūtra Spoken by the Buddha."