The Heart Sutra as recited by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

It is one of the most well-known Buddhist scriptures. Although it is short, it is rich in meaning, encapsulating the essential concepts of Buddhist beliefs or philosophies.

The Heart Sūtra is a member of the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā) class of Mahāyāna Buddhist literature.

The Heart Sūtra is made up of 14 shlokas in Sanskrit; a shloka composed of 32 syllables. In Chinese, it is 260 Chinese characters, while in English it is composed of sixteen sentences.

This makes it one of the most highly abbreviated versions of the Perfection of Wisdom texts, which exist in various lengths up to 100,000 shlokas.

It explains one of the core precepts of Buddhism: emptiness.

While the English translation may sound unusual, the actual meaning is that by letting go of your preconceived notions, opinions, and attachments, you can become open to all the wonders of our life.

If you wish to learn more about Buddhism, seek out a temple or meditation center near you.

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