---
title: "Buddhism shows up in the funniest places"
author: "Christopher S Penn"
date: 2008-08-16
url: https://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/08/buddhism-shows-up-in-the-funniest-places/
categories:
  - "Buddhism"
---

# Buddhism shows up in the funniest places

Go look for the lyrics to the Wu-Tang Clan's "Life Changes" song, their tribute to ODB. Most of the sites on the Internet have "Asian language", "Man speaks Mandarin" or something equivalent at the end of the song in lyrics transcription. It's actually Sifu Shi Yan Ming, a refugee from China who escaped and sought asylum in the US in 1992. He's reciting the Heart Sutra in Mandarin. When you think about it, that's kind of funny. Millions of Wu-Tang fans are being exposed, if surreptitiously, to an age-old Buddhist text that some say has positive, life-changing effects even for those who hear it, but don't understand it. Here's the translation that I've learned, via [Stephen K. Hayes](https://www.stephenkhayes.com/): Kanon Bodhisattva Steeped in transcendental wisdom Saw five heaps as empty Knew this ended suffering Shariputra, form is empty Emptiness is form Form's nothing but void Void's nothing but form Feel, see, think, mind are the same Shariputra, empty aspects Birthless, endless No spoiled, no pure No gain, no loss Emptiness has no form, feel, see think, or mind No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind No color, sound, smell, taste, touch, think No vision on to No mind to think No delusion No making bright So forth to no age and death No conquering age and death No pain, cause, cure, path No wisdom to gain Nothing to attain Enlightened ones know Transcendent wisdom is key Mind is no block With no blocks there are no more fears On beyond delusion's pull to enlightenment All enlightened ones grasp transcendent wisdom So attain perfect supreme unsurpassed enlightenment Perfect wisdom is found in the Great divine phrase Great bright mantra Unsurpassed phrase Matchless mantra phrase That ends all suffering All truth Nothing false Transcendent wisdom mantra is the mantra that goes Going Going Going beyond Going on beyond Wakened to all Heart of wisdom Translation by [Stephen K. Hayes](https://www.stephenkhayes.com/)**Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, please subscribe right now!**[![](https://www.christopherspenn.com/btn-email.png)](https://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=761786) [![](https://www.christopherspenn.com/btn-google.png)](https://www.google.com/ig/add?feedurl=https://feeds.feedburner.com/ChristopherSPenn) [![](https://www.christopherspenn.com/btn-rss.png)](https://feeds.feedburner.com/ChristopherSPenn)Get this and other great articles from the source at [www.ChristopherSPenn.com](https://www.ChristopherSPenn.com)