From Mahayana Teachings to Zen Expression
Zen Buddhism arises from the great river of Mahāyāna – the "Great Vehicle" – a vast body of teachings that emphasize compassion, emptiness, and the awakening of all beings. Within the Mahāyāna tradition, the heart of practice is the direct realization of prajñā (wisdom) and karuṇā (compassion): insight and action flowing together as one.
Zen, known in Chinese as Chán and in Japanese as Zen, refines this stream into a single drop of direct experience. Where Mahāyāna philosophy speaks of emptiness, Zen points to it in silence. Where the sutras describe awakening, Zen invites it through the practice of zazen – or the study of the self.
Chanting, within this lineage, is both devotion and meditation – a way to embody the teachings beyond thought. The syllables themselves become living expressions of the Dharma, bridging the seen and unseen. Whether reciting the Heart Sutra, the Dharani, or simple verses of refuge, these chants are not performed to reach something outside oneself, but to awaken what is already present within.
In this space, the voice becomes practice. Breath becomes realization. And sound becomes the vehicle through which wisdom and compassion meet.
Zen Chants
Maha Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra
A • va • lo • ki • tesh • va • ra Bo • dhi • satt • va,
do • ing deep Praj • na Pa • ra • mi • ta,
clear • ly saw emp • ti • ness
of all the five con • di • tions,
thus com • plete • ly re • liev • ing
mis • for • tune and pain.
Oh Sha • ri • pu • tra, form is no o • ther
than emp • ti • ness,
emp • ti • ness no o • ther than form.
Form is ex • act • ly emp • ti • ness,
emp • ti • ness ex • act • ly form.
Sen • sa • tion, con • cep • tion,
dis • crim • i • na • tion, a • ware • ness
are like • wise like this.
Oh Sha • ri • pu • tra, all dhar • mas
are forms of emp • ti • ness;
not born, not de • stroyed,
not stain • ed, not pure,
with • out loss, with • out gain.
So in emp • ti • ness there is no form;
no sen • sa • tion, con • cep • tion,
dis • crim • i • na • tion, a • ware • ness;
no eye, ear, nose, tongue,
bo • dy, mind;
no co • lor, sound, smell, taste,
touch, phe • nom • e • na;
no realm of sight;
no realm of con • scious • ness,
no ig • no • rance
and no end to ig • no • rance,
no old age and death
and no end to old age and death,
no suf • fer • ing, no cause of suf • fer • ing,
no ex • tin • guish • ing, no path,
no wis • dom, and no gain.
No gain and thus the bo • dhi • satt • va
lives Praj • na Pa • ra • mi • ta,
with no hind • rance in the mind;
no hind • rance, there • fore no fear.
Far be • yond de • lu • ded thoughts;
this is Nir • va • na.
All past, pre • sent, and fu • ture
Bud • dhas live Praj • na Pa • ra • mi • ta
and there • fore at • tain
a • nut • ta • ra • sam • yak • sam • bod • hi.
There • fore know Praj • na Pa • ra • mi • ta
is the great man • tra,
the vi • vid man • tra, the best man • tra,
the un • sur • pass • a • ble man • tra.
It com • plete • ly clears all pain.
This is the truth, not a lie.
So set forth
the Praj • na Pa • ra • mi • ta man • tra,
set for this man • tra and say:
Ga • te! Ga • te! Pa • ra • ga • te! Pa • ra • sam • ga • te!
Bo • dhi Sva • ha!
Praj • na Heart Su • tra
Adapted from the Zen Mountain Monastery Liturgy Manual (Dharma Communications, 1998).
Presented here in syllable form by Kusala Healing Arts.
Awakening Together
All a • wak • ened ones
through • out space and time,
hon • ored ones, great be • ings,
who help all to a • wak • en,
to • geth • er may we re • al • ize
wis • dom be • yond wis • dom!
Adapted from Zen Chants: Thirty-Five Essential Texts with Commentary by Kazuaki Tanahashi
(Shambala Publications, 2015)
