The Heart Sutra

<p>Chanting the Heart Sutra is a popular Buddhist practice in East Asia for several reasons. First, it is one of the shortest sacred texts, which makes it convenient for even people who lead busy lives. It is also a daily practice of my wife and me. Despite being short, it&rsquo;s very condensed: it can be easily considered to contain the very essence of Buddhist wisdom. Hence the full title:&nbsp;<em>The Heart&nbsp;</em>(essence)<em>&nbsp;of the Perfection of Wisdom&nbsp;</em>(Prajnaparamita).</p> <p>Second, it&rsquo;s a sutra whose main character is Guanyin Bodhisattva (appearing with another name,&nbsp;<em>Guanzizai&nbsp;</em>(觀自在), which is another Chinese translation of the Sanskrit&nbsp;<em>Avalokitesvara.&nbsp;</em>Guanyin, the personification of the Buddhist ideal of Compassion, often seen as a mother-figure is immensely popular among practitioners. This adds to the popularity of the Heart Sutra as well.</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/lotus-path/the-heart-sutra-6c75b53fade8"><strong>Learn More</strong></a></p>