As for the Heart Sūtra: before it has ever been raised, it is already perfectly clear—why should it need annotation? Yet when the World-Honored One appeared in the world, he manifested all manner of forms and expounded all manner of dharmas. By five kinds of transformative activity and five ways of formulating titles, he broadly opened the mysterious gateways and guided the various beings. During the fifth period, he expounded this supremely excellent great scripture of prajñā. By imperial command, Tripiṭaka Master Xuanzang of the Tang translated it, and it has circulated in this land.

In all its six hundred fascicles, it expounds emptiness in a single flavor and reveals dharmas through many gateways. Among them, the most concise and essential consists of fifty-four sentences, totaling 260 characters. Its language is very direct, yet for that very reason it becomes difficult to understand. Is it meant only for transmission to those who have attained the Way, while perhaps guiding beginners as well? If you can turn the light back upon yourself and thoroughly investigate seeing and hearing, first realize your true nature; then enter sudden awakening step by step. Thereafter there will be no obstruction, and in the end you will reach the final barrier. If this is not yet so, then listen to the final phrase!