The One Syllable Prajñā-pāramitā Sūtra: The Transcendental Practice of Discerning Insight, the Mother of All Suchness Faring Ones, in a Single Syllable

The One Syllable Prajñā-pāramitā Sūtra: The Transcendental Practice of Discerning Insight, the Mother of All Suchness Faring Ones, in a Single Syllable Translated from the Tibetan by Erick Tsiknopoulos, 2009/2016/2018

In the Indian Language [Sanskrit]: Ekākṣaram  Prajñāpāramitā Sarva Tathāgata Ma Nāma (ekākṣaram-prajñāpāramitā-sarva-tathāgata-ma-nāma) In the Tibetan Language: Dé-zhin-shek-pa T’am-chay kyi Yum Shey-rap kyi P’a-rol-tu-ch’in-pa Yi-gé Chik-ma Zhey-ja-wa (bde bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi yum shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa yi ge gcig ma zhes bya ba) In the English Language: The Transcendental Practice of Discerning Insight, the Mother of All Suchness Faring Ones, in a Single Syllable (Prajñā-pāramitā, the Mother of All Tathāgatas, in a Single Syllable) 

HOMAGE TO THE SUPREME MOTHER, 

THE TRANSCENDENTAL PRACTICE OF DISCERNING INSIGHT!

Thus have I heard: At one time, the Bhagavān [Buddha] was at Vulture’s Peak in Rājagṛiha, together with eighty-three (83) monks, and many hundreds of thousands of millions of Bodhisattvas; who were all abiding together in one company.

Thereupon, at that time, at that moment, the Bhagavān gave teaching to the Venerable Ānanda thus: “Ānanda! This is the Transcendental Practice of Discerning Insight in a Single Syllable. For the benefit and happiness of all sentient beings, you should retain this. And it goes thus:

ཨཱ།

Ā

The Bhagavān bestowed instruction with those words; and the monks, Bodhisattvas, and all the assemblies of gods, humans, demigods and celestial spirits, along with the entire world, rejoiced: They deeply praised what had been spoken by the Bhagavān.

THE TRANSCENDENTAL PRACTICE OF DISCERNING INSIGHT, THE MOTHER OF ALL SUCHNESS FARING ONES, IN A SINGLE SYLLABLE IS COMPLETE.

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(Translated from the Tibetan by Erick Tsiknopoulos, March 2009. Revised in March 2016. Edited again in May 2018.) 

Note: Ā is one syllable in Sanskrit and Tibetan, and is pronounced like ‘AH‘ in English.