The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines
Chapter 75: Exposition of Noncomplication
Toh 10
Degé Kangyur, vol. 29 (shes phyin, khri brgyad, ka), folios 1.a–300.a; vol. 30 (shes phyin, khri brgyad, kha), folios 1.a–304.a; vol. 31 (shes phyin, khri brgyad, ga), folios 1.a–206.a
- Jinamitra
- Surendrabodhi
- Yeshé Dé
Imprint
Translated by Gareth Sparham
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2022
Current version v 1.1.2 (2024)
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Table of Contents
Summary
The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines is one version of the Long Perfection of Wisdom sūtras that developed in South and South-Central Asia in tandem with the Eight Thousand version, probably during the first five hundred years of the Common Era. It contains many of the passages in the oldest extant Long Perfection of Wisdom text (the Gilgit manuscript in Sanskrit), and is similar in structure to the other versions of the Long Perfection of Wisdom sūtras (the One Hundred Thousand and Twenty-Five Thousand) in Tibetan in the Kangyur. While setting forth the sacred fundamental doctrines of Buddhist practice with veneration, it simultaneously exhorts the reader to reject them as an object of attachment, its recurring message being that all dharmas without exception lack any intrinsic nature.
The sūtra can be divided loosely into three parts: an introductory section that sets the scene, a long central section, and three concluding chapters that consist of two important summaries of the long central section. The first of these (chapter 84) is in verse and also circulates as a separate work called The Verse Summary of the Jewel Qualities (Toh 13). The second summary is in the form of the story of Sadāprarudita and his guru Dharmodgata (chapters 85 and 86), after which the text concludes with the Buddha entrusting the work to his close companion Ānanda.
Acknowledgements
This sūtra was translated by Gareth Sparham under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The Translator’s Acknowledgments
This is a good occasion to remember and thank my friend Nicholas Ribush, who first gave me a copy of Edward Conze’s translation of The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines in 1973. I also thank the Tibetan teachers and students at the Riklam Lobdra in Dharamshala, India, where I began to study the Perfection of Wisdom, for their kindness and patience; Jeffrey Hopkins and Elizabeth Napper, who steered me in the direction of the Perfection of Wisdom and have been very kind to me over the years; and Ashok Aklujkar and others at the University of British Columbia in Canada, who taught me Sanskrit and Indian culture while I was writing my dissertation on Haribhadra’s Perfection of Wisdom commentary. I thank the hermits in the hills above Riklam Lobdra and the many Tibetan scholars and practitioners who encouraged me while I continued working on the Perfection of Wisdom after I graduated from the University of British Columbia. I thank all those who continued to support me as a monk and scholar after the violent death of my friend and mentor toward the end of the millennium. I thank those at the University of Michigan and then at the University of California (Berkeley), particularly Donald Lopez and Jacob Dalton, who enabled me to complete the set of four volumes of translations from Sanskrit of the Perfection of Wisdom commentaries by Haribhadra and Āryavimuktisena and four volumes of the fourteenth-century Tibetan commentary on the Perfection of Wisdom by Tsongkhapa. I thank Gene Smith, who introduced me to 84000. I thank everyone at 84000: Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and the sponsors; the scholars, translators, editors, and technicians; and all the other indispensable people whose work has made this translation of The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines and its accompanying commentary possible.
Around me everything I see would be part of a perfect road if I had better driving skills.Where I was born, where everything is made of concrete, it too is a perfect place.Everyone I have been with, everyone who is near me now, and even those I have forgotten—there is no one who has not helped me.So, I bow to everyone and to the world and ask for patience, and, as a boon, a smile.
Acknowledgment of Sponsors
We gratefully acknowledge the generous sponsorship of Matthew Yizhen Kong, Steven Ye Kong and family; An Zhang, Hannah Zhang, Lucas Zhang, Aiden Zhang, Jinglan Chi, Jingcan Chi, Jinghui Chi and family, Hong Zhang and family; Mao Guirong, Zhang Yikun, Chi Linlin; and Joseph Tse, Patricia Tse and family. Their support has helped make the work on this translation possible.
Text Body
The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines
Chapter 75: Exposition of Noncomplication
Then venerable Subhūti [F.98.a] asked the Lord, “Lord, if a being is absolutely not apprehended and even the designation of a being does not exist, for whose sake do bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom?”
Venerable Subhūti having asked this, the Lord said to him, “Subhūti, having taken the very limit of reality as the measure,820 bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom. Subhūti, if the very limit of reality were to be one thing and the limit of beings another, bodhisattva great beings would not practice the perfection of wisdom. But, Subhūti, the very limit of reality is not one thing and the limit of beings another, therefore bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom for the sake of beings. Subhūti, by not complicating the very limit of reality, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom establish beings at the very limit of reality.”
The Lord having said this, venerable Subhūti asked him, “Lord, if the very limit of reality is also the limit of beings, well then, how is a very limit of reality going to rest at the very limit of reality? Lord, if a very limit of reality rests at the very limit of reality, then in that case an intrinsic nature will rest in intrinsic nature. Lord, given that an intrinsic nature does not rest in intrinsic nature, how, Lord, are bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom going to establish the limit of beings at the very limit of reality?” [F.98.b]
Venerable Subhūti having asked this, the Lord said to him, “Subhūti, it is true that a very limit of reality does not rest at the very limit of reality and an intrinsic nature does not rest in intrinsic nature, but still, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom with skillful means establish the limit of beings at the very limit of reality without complicating the very limit of reality. Therefore, Subhūti, the very limit of reality is not one thing and the limit of beings is not another. The very limit of reality and the limit of beings are not two, are not divided, are not broken apart, and are not cut apart.”
The Lord having said this, venerable Subhūti asked him, “Lord, what are the skillful means in possession of which bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom with skillful means establish beings at the very limit of reality without complicating the very limit of reality?”
Venerable Subhūti having asked this, the Lord said to him, “Subhūti, here, starting from the first production of the thought, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom establish beings in the perfection of giving. Having established them in the perfection of giving, while teaching the prior limit and later limit and midpoint of that giving, they teach, ‘Just as this giving’s prior limit and later limit are empty, and its midpoint is empty, so too this gift is empty, the giving’s result is empty, the benefactor is empty, and the recipient is empty. Son of a good family, since this is the case, do not suppose all those things exist at the very limit of reality; do not suppose the giving is one thing and the result of the gift another; [F.99.a] do not suppose the benefactor is one thing and the recipient another. Do not suppose, son of a good family, when you are giving that it is one thing and the result of the giving another, do not suppose the benefactor is one thing and the recipient another, and then, son of a good family, this giving of yours will be the elixir of immortality for both, 821 your giving will have the elixir of immortality as its result and will end up as the elixir of immortality. But you should not, on account of this giving, hold onto form, you should not hold onto feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness. And why? Because this giving of yours is empty of an intrinsic nature of giving, its result is empty of an intrinsic nature of a gift, the benefactor is empty of an intrinsic nature of a benefactor, and the recipient is empty of an intrinsic nature of a recipient, so in emptiness giving cannot be apprehended, and neither can the result of giving, the benefactor, or the recipient. And why? Because those dharmas are utterly empty of an intrinsic nature.’
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom with skillful means establish beings in the perfection of morality, saying, ‘Come here, son of a good family. You must stop killing and must turn back from killing. Similarly, connect this with each, up to You must stop wrong view and must turn back from wrong view. That sort of intrinsic nature you have looked for in all those dharmas does not exist at all, so, son of a good family, reflect deeply on what those phenomena—the living being who is being killed and that with which the living being is being killed—are. Similarly, connect this with each, up to wrong view.’ Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom in possession of such skillful means bring beings to maturity and teach them the result of giving and morality [F.99.b] —teaching them that the result of giving and morality is empty of an intrinsic nature, whereby those sons of a good family come to know that the result of giving and morality is empty of an intrinsic nature and do not settle down on it. In a state in which they do not settle down, they generate a state without distraction and generate wisdom; with that wisdom they cut off all bad proclivities and obsessions and pass into complete nirvāṇa in the element of nirvāṇa without any aggregates left behind, but as an ordinary convention, not ultimately. And why? Because in emptiness no phenomenon can be apprehended that is passing into complete nirvāṇa or that has passed into complete nirvāṇa, and yet this—namely, the emptiness of what transcends limits—is still their complete nirvāṇa. [B53]
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom see other beings and other persons who are emotionally upset and bearing malice toward each other, they give advice and instruction, saying, ‘Come here, son of a good family. All those dharmas on account of which you are bearing malice are empty of a basic nature. You both should have patience. You should get used to being patient. You should become the tolerant type. Hey! Reflect deeply on the fact that the object of malice, someone bearing malice, and that on account of which someone bears malice are all empty of a basic nature, and what is empty of a basic nature is never not empty. It is not made by tathāgatas, nor is it made by pratyekabuddhas, śrāvakas, bodhisattvas, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Cāturmahārājika gods, up to Paranirmitavaśavartin gods, Brahmās, up to Śubhakṛtsna, up to or those in the Śuddhāvāsa and Naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatana. Son of a good family, reflect deeply on the fact that the object of malice, someone [F.100.a] who is bearing malice, and that on account of which someone bears malice are all empty of an intrinsic nature. Emptiness does not bear malice to anyone at all.’ Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom in possession of such skillful means connect beings to the emptiness of a basic nature, they connect them to cause and effect as well. When they are connecting them to the emptiness of a basic nature, they excite and inspire them to take up and enter into it, and establish them in it, but as an ordinary convention, not ultimately. And why? Because in the emptiness of a basic nature something to be attained, someone who attains, and something on account of which someone attains—none of those phenomena can be apprehended.
“Subhūti, this very limit of reality where bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom for the sake of beings is the emptiness of a basic nature. A being is not apprehended there, nor is the designation of a being apprehended there. And why? Because all phenomena are isolated from beings.’822
“Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom see beings deficient in perseverance, they inspire them with skillful means to persevere physically and mentally, saying, ‘Son of a good family, in the emptiness of a basic nature there is nothing at all to get depressed about, no one who gets depressed, and nothing that causes depression. None of those phenomena [F.100.b] pass beyond the emptiness of a basic nature. Generate physical and mental effort and stop being lazy. Persevere at wholesome dharmas, namely, at giving or morality or patience or perseverance or concentration or wisdom; or at the concentrations or deliverances or meditative stabilizations or absorptions; or at the applications of mindfulness, up to the eightfold noble path; or at emptiness or signlessness or wishlessness, up to or at all the buddhadharmas. Observe, son of a good family, that these dharmas, as emptiness, do not present any problem. When dharmas do not present a problem, there is no depression at all.’
“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom with skillful means thus inspire beings to take up the emptiness of a basic nature, cause them to enter into it and establish them in it. One way or the other they thus establish them in nonduality. And why? Because the emptiness of a basic nature is not two and is not divided, and in nonduality there is no depression at all.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom give advice and instruction to beings, saying, ‘Come here, son of a good family. Persevere at giving or morality or patience or perseverance or concentration or wisdom; or at the applications of mindfulness, up to the eightfold noble path; or at the concentrations or deliverances or meditative stabilizations or absorptions; up to or the ten tathāgata powers or four [F.101.a] fearlessnesses or four detailed and thorough knowledges or great compassion; or the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha. Do not pay attention to those dharmas as dual and also do not pay attention to them as nondual. And why? Because all those dharmas are empty of a basic nature, and, given that they are empty of a basic nature, they cannot be paid attention to as dual and not dual.’
“Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom like that with skillful means have practiced the practice, they bring beings to maturity. Having brought them to maturity, they gradually establish them in the result of stream enterer, establish them in the result of once-returner and in the result of non-returner, establish them in the state of a worthy one, establish them in a pratyekabuddha’s awakening, and establish them in unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom with skillful means working for the welfare of beings cause them to enter into the cultivation of meditative stabilization, saying, ‘Come here, son of a good family. You should cultivate meditative stabilization without entertaining the notion of distraction and without entertaining the notion of meditative stabilization. And why? Because all those dharmas are empty of a basic nature, and in the emptiness of a basic nature a dharma that is a distraction or that becomes one-pointed cannot be apprehended at all. When, having stood in this meditative stabilization, you practice the emptiness of a basic nature, whatever wholesome dharma you do with your body or speech or mind, regardless of what it is—if you give gifts, or guard morality, or make a practice of being patient, or make a vigorous effort, or become absorbed in meditative stabilization, or cultivate [F.101.b] wisdom; or practice the applications of mindfulness, up to or meditate on the eightfold noble path; or meditate on the gateways to liberation, or meditative stabilizations, or absorptions, or ten tathāgata powers, or four fearlessnesses, or four detailed and thorough knowledges, or great love, or great compassion, or the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, or the thirty-two major marks of a great person, or the eighty minor signs, or the śrāvaka path, or the pratyekabuddha path, or the bodhisattva path, or the buddha path, or the result of stream enterer, or the result of once-returner, or the result of non-returner, or the state of a worthy one, or a pratyekabuddha’s awakening, or the knowledge of all aspects; or if you bring beings to maturity, or purify a buddhafield—whatever you do, you will accomplish those wholesome dharmas with little difficulty.’
“In that way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom with skillful means work for the welfare of beings. Starting from the first production of the thought, they work for the welfare of beings by never doing what should not be done. They seek for the good, constantly and always passing on from buddhafield to buddhafield in order to attend on the lord buddhas, and until they fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, they do not lose any of the doctrine they have heard from those lord buddhas, even after they have changed lives. They will have always acquired the dhāraṇīs, and their faculties—whether the body faculty or speech faculty or mind faculty—never become dull. [F.102.a] And why? Because they have constantly and always cultivated the knowledge of all aspects well, and by having cultivated the knowledge of all aspects well, they have cultivated all paths well, that is, they have cultivated the śrāvaka path, or pratyekabuddha path, or bodhisattva path, or buddha path well. The bodhisattva great beings have also cultivated the clairvoyances that help them not lose what they have heard. Remaining in those clairvoyances arisen from maturation, streaming through the five forms of life in the stream of cyclic existence but without degenerating, they work for the welfare of beings. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom like that stand in the emptiness of a basic nature and work for the welfare of beings.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom, having stood in the emptiness of a basic nature, work with skillful means for the welfare of beings. Having cultivated the perfection of wisdom well they give advice and instruction to beings, saying, ‘Come here, son of a good family. Whatever acts you do physically or verbally or mentally, regardless of what they are, understand analytically that they are all empty of a basic nature so that those acts of yours will be the elixir of immortality, will have the elixir of immortality as their result, and will end up as the elixir of immortality.823 In the emptiness of a basic nature, a phenomenon that settles down or degenerates cannot be apprehended. And why? Because the emptiness of a basic nature does not degenerate and there is no phenomenon that degenerates from the emptiness of a basic nature. [F.102.b] And why? Because the emptiness of a basic nature is not a thing that really exists and not a thing that does not really exist either. Given that phenomena are the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, what will degenerate?’
“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom give advice and instruction to beings like that, inspiring them to take up the emptiness of a basic nature, and while giving such advice and such instruction and causing them to enter into the emptiness of a basic nature, never do what should not be done. They personally are constantly and always inspired to take up the ten wholesome actions and they inspire others to take up the ten wholesome actions as well. Similarly, they personally pursue…, up to the five-point training and the eight-branched confession and restoration and inspire others to take up them up as well; they personally become absorbed in the first concentration and they inspire others to become absorbed in the first concentration as well; they personally become absorbed in…, up to the fourth concentration and they inspire others to become absorbed in…, up to the fourth concentration as well; they personally constantly and always abide in loving-kindness and they inspire others to take up the meditation on loving-kindness as well, up to they personally meditate on equanimity and they inspire others to take up the meditation on equanimity as well; they personally complete…, up to the station of neither perception nor nonperception absorption and they inspire others to take up completion of the station of neither perception nor nonperception absorption as well; they personally meditate on the four applications of mindfulness and they inspire others [F.103.a] to take up meditation on the four applications of mindfulness as well, leading them to, causing them to enter, and establishing them in them; they personally meditate on…, up to the eightfold noble path and they inspire others to take up meditation on…, up to the eightfold noble path; they personally train in the ten tathāgata powers and they inspire others to take up training in the ten tathāgata powers as well, leading them to, causing them to enter, and establishing them in them; they personally train in accomplishing…, up to the eighty minor signs and they inspire others to train in accomplishing…, up to the eighty minor signs as well, leading them to, causing them to enter, and establishing them in them; they personally generate an understanding of the result of stream enterer but without themselves remaining there, and they establish others in an understanding of the result of stream enterer; they personally generate an understanding of…, up to the state of a worthy one but without themselves remaining there, and they establish others in an understanding of the state of a worthy one; they personally generate an understanding of a pratyekabuddha’s awakening but without themselves remaining there, and they lead and cause others to enter into an understanding of a pratyekabuddha’s awakening, establishing them in it; and they personally generate the path of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening and give advice and instruction about that path to others, leading them to, causing them to enter, and establishing them in it. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom like that with skillful means never do what should not be done.”
Then venerable Subhūti asked the Lord, “Lord, if all phenomena are empty of a basic nature, and if in the emptiness of a basic nature a being is not apprehended, nor are a dharma and a path apprehended, Lord, [F.103.b] how will bodhisattva great beings stand in the knowledge of all aspects?”
Venerable Subhūti having asked that, the Lord said to him, “Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so! It is exactly as you say! All phenomena are empty of a basic nature, and in the emptiness of a basic nature a being is not apprehended, nor are a dharma or a path apprehended. Subhūti, were all phenomena not empty of a basic nature, bodhisattva great beings would not stand in the emptiness of a basic nature and, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, teach the emptiness of a basic nature doctrine. But, Subhūti, form is empty of a basic nature. Subhūti, feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are empty of a basic nature, up to the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha are empty of a basic nature, and the eighty minor signs are empty of a basic nature. Similarly, connect this with each, up to the knowledge of all aspects and abandonment of all residual impression connections are empty of a basic nature. Subhūti, given that all phenomena are empty of a basic nature, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom therefore teach the doctrine that ‘the five aggregates are empty of a basic nature’; teach the doctrine that ‘the twelve sense fields and eighteen constituents are empty of a basic nature’; and teach the doctrine that ‘the four concentrations, four immeasurables, four formless absorptions, and four applications of mindfulness are empty of a basic nature.’ Similarly, connect this with each, up to teach the doctrine that ‘the eightfold noble path is empty of a basic nature’; teach the doctrine that ‘the three gateways to liberation, [F.104.a] eight deliverances, nine serial absorptions, ten tathāgata powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, great love, great compassion, eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, up to and the eighty minor signs are empty of a basic nature’; teach the doctrine that ‘the result of stream enterer, the result of once-returner, the result of non-returner, the state of a worthy one, a pratyekabuddha’s awakening, and the knowledge of all aspects and abandonment of all residual impression connections are empty of a basic nature.’
“Subhūti, if inner emptiness were not empty of a basic nature, then bodhisattva great beings would not teach the doctrine that ‘all dharmas are empty of a basic nature’; similarly, if outer emptiness, inner and outer emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature were not empty of a basic nature, bodhisattva great beings would not teach the doctrine that ‘all dharmas are empty of a basic nature.’ Therefore, the emptiness of a basic nature would have been destroyed.
“But the emptiness of a basic nature does not perish, is not immovable, and is not nonrecurring. And why? Because it does not occupy a location, does not stand in a place, does not come from anywhere, and does not go anywhere. It is the establishment of dharmas. In it no dharma can be apprehended that increases or decreases, is accumulated or passes away, has been produced or ceased, is defiled or purified. It is the basic nature of dharmas. Having stood there, bodhisattva [F.104.b] great beings stand in unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, but do not see any dharma at all as being destroyed.824 In regard to all dharmas, there is no establishment and there is no destruction. That is the establishment of dharmas as dharmas. Therefore, by seeing all dharmas as empty of a basic nature, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom do not turn back from unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening. And why? Because they do not see any dharma at all as obstructing. They see all dharmas as not obstructing. They thus do not apprehend in that emptiness of a basic nature a self, nor do they apprehend a designation of a self; nor do they apprehend a being…, a living being…, a creature…, one born of Manu…, a child of Manu…, one who lives…, a person…, one who does…, one who makes someone else do…, a motivator…, one who motivates…, one who feels…, one who knows…, or one who sees, nor do they apprehend a designation of one who sees; nor do they apprehend form…, feeling…, perception…, volitional factors…, or consciousness, nor do they apprehend a designation of consciousness; similarly, they do not apprehend inner and outer dharmas, up to they do not apprehend the eighty minor signs, nor do they apprehend a designation of the eighty minor signs, so how could they ever harbor doubt about unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening?
“To illustrate, Subhūti, were a tathāgata’s magical creation to have continuously taught the Dharma to a magically created monk or nun or layman or laywoman for as many as a hundred million eons, what do you think, Subhūti, would those magical creations [F.105.a] have the good fortune to reach the result of stream enterer, or to reach the result of once-returner or the result of non-returner, the state of a worthy one, a pratyekabuddha’s awakening, or unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening?”
“No, Lord. And why? Because they have no real basis.”
“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so! When all phenomena have no real basis, what being will bodhisattva great beings cause to take up the result of stream enterer, or the result of once-returner or result of non-returner, or the state of a worthy one or a pratyekabuddha’s awakening or unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening? On the contrary, they cause creatures snared in error to enter into the absence of error and establish them there. Just that error is itself not error because of having825 thought construction as cause. The absence of thought construction is the absence of error. Where there is an absence of error there is no self, up to there is no one who knows and no one who sees. There, there is no form, there is no feeling, there is no perception, there are no volitional factors, and there is no consciousness, and similarly, connect this with each, up to, there is no awakening. And that in which there is no self, up to no one who knows and no one who sees; no form, no feeling, no perception, no volitional factors, and no consciousness; up to no awakening—that is the emptiness of a basic nature. Standing there bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom free beings subject to error from the perception of a being, free them from [F.105.b] the perception of form, up to the perception of the formless; similarly, connect this with each, up to, and free them from dharmas with outflows and without outflows. Those dharmas without outflows, furthermore, are these, namely, the four applications of mindfulness, four right efforts, four legs of miraculous power, five faculties, five powers, seven limbs of awakening, and eightfold noble path, and the four formless absorptions, up to the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha. They, furthermore, are not exactly like the ultimate there. Thus, the uncompounded, unproduced, nonexistent, and nonappearing—that is the emptiness of a basic nature; that is the awakening of the lord buddhas. There, there is no self, up to no one who knows and no one who sees; no form, no feeling, no perception, no volitional factors, and no consciousness; and similarly, connect this with each, up to no eighty minor signs.
“Except that the comprehension of the emptiness of a basic nature functions as a path, bodhisattva great beings have not set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening. That emptiness of a basic nature, furthermore, is the emptiness of a basic nature at the prior limit, and the emptiness of a basic nature at the later limit, and is the emptiness of a basic nature at the midpoint too. It is never not an emptiness of a basic nature. Therefore, bodhisattva great beings, having stood in the perfection that is the emptiness of a basic nature, practice the knowledge of path aspects in order to free beings from the perception of a being and from all perceptions. [F.106.a] When they practice the knowledge of path aspects, they practice all paths—namely, the śrāvaka path, pratyekabuddha path, and bodhisattva path. Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings, having completed all paths, brought beings to maturity, purified a buddhafield, and employed sustaining power over the volitional factor that is life, fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, and, even having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, do not make a break in the guiding principle of the buddhas—namely, the emptiness of a basic nature. Just this, namely, the emptiness of a basic nature, is the guiding principle of the buddhas—of the lord buddhas who will appear at a future time, and the lord buddhas presently dwelling and maintaining themselves in world systems in the ten directions, those lord buddhas teaching the Dharma. As for this emptiness of a basic nature, apart from appearing from the lord buddhas, it does not appear in the world from anything else, so bodhisattva great beings have to practice the perfections that are the emptiness of a basic nature, practicing in such a way that there is no decline from the knowledge of all aspects.”
Subhūti said, “Lord, it is amazing how bodhisattva great beings practice without complicating the emptiness of a basic nature so that form [F.106.b] is not one thing and the emptiness of a basic nature another; or feeling one thing, perception one thing, volitional factors one thing, or consciousness one thing and the emptiness of a basic nature another; and similarly, up to all the buddhadharmas and awakening one thing and the emptiness of a basic nature another. Form itself is the emptiness of a basic nature and the emptiness of a basic nature is form, up to awakening itself is the emptiness of a basic nature and the emptiness of a basic nature is awakening.”
Venerable Subhūti having said that, the Lord said to him, “Subhūti, if form were one thing and the emptiness of a basic nature another; feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness one thing and the emptiness of a basic nature another; and similarly, up to awakening one thing and the emptiness of a basic nature another, then, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings would not fully awaken to form as a knower of all aspects; would not fully awaken to feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness as a knower of all aspects; and similarly, up to not fully awaken to awakening as a knower of all aspects. But, Subhūti, it is because form itself is the emptiness of a basic nature and the emptiness of a basic nature is form; because feeling…, perception…, volitional factors…, and consciousness itself is the emptiness of a basic nature and the emptiness of a basic nature is consciousness; [F.107.a] and similarly, up to awakening itself is the emptiness of a basic nature and the emptiness of a basic nature is awakening—because of that, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings, having become aware that form is empty of a basic nature, fully awaken to form itself as the knowledge of all aspects, up to having become aware that awakening is empty of a basic nature, fully awaken to awakening itself as the knowledge of all aspects.
“And why? Because no dharma at all has been destroyed or has remained unmoved, or will enter into anything. On the contrary, the world together with the gods, together with Māra, together with Brahmā, together with those leading a secluded religious life and the population of brahmins, do not know form as it really is; they do not know feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness as it really is. On account of not knowing, ordinary foolish people settle down on form, and they settle down on feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness. Settling down on form, and settling down on feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness, they live grasping at ‘I’ and grasping at ‘mine.’ Having settled down on grasping at ‘I’ and grasping at ‘mine,’ they settle down on all inner and outer things. Having settled down, because the sense fields come with rebirth, they appropriate form, feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness and are not released from birth, old age, sickness, death, pain, lamentation, suffering, mental anguish, and grief; they are not liberated from the five [F.107.b] forms of life in the stream of cycles of existence.
“Therefore, having stood in the perfection that is the emptiness of a basic nature, bodhisattva great beings do not complicate form with ‘it is empty,’ or ‘it is not empty’; they do not complicate feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness with ‘it is empty,’ or ‘it is not empty’; and similarly, connect this with each, up to they do not complicate awakening with ‘it is empty,’ or ‘it is not empty.’
“And why? Because the emptiness of form does not make it complicated with ‘this is form,’ and ‘this is emptiness,’ up to ‘this is consciousness,’ and ‘this is the emptiness of consciousness’; similarly, connect this with each, up to does not make it complicated with ‘this is awakening,’ and ‘this is the emptiness of a basic nature.’
“To illustrate, Subhūti, space does not complicate space; inner space does not complicate outer space; and outer space does not complicate inner space. Similarly, Subhūti, the emptiness of a basic nature does not complicate form, and form does not complicate emptiness. Emptiness also does not complicate feeling…, perception…, volitional factors…, or consciousness, and consciousness does not complicate emptiness, up to emptiness does not complicate awakening, up to awakening does not complicate emptiness.
“And why? Because the ‘this is form,’ and ‘this is emptiness,’ up to ‘this is feeling…,’ ‘perception…,’ ‘volitional factors…,’ and ‘consciousness,’ and ‘this is emptiness’; similarly, connect this with each, up to [F.108.a] ‘this is awakening,’ and ‘this is emptiness’ that might make that sort of complication have no intrinsic existence.”
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti then asked him, “Lord, if all phenomena are not different things, well then, Lord, for what will bodhisattva great beings, thinking, ‘I will full awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening,’ set out? Lord, awakening is not divided, and anyone who takes it as being within a duality cannot fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.”
“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so!” replied the Lord. “Subhūti, awakening is not practiced within a duality. Subhūti, awakening is not two and is not divided. Subhūti, a bodhisattva great being’s awakening is not practiced within a division being made in awakening into ‘this is the bodhisattva’ and ‘this is the bodhisattva’s awakening.’ A bodhisattva great being’s awakening is not a practice of form; is not a practice of feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness; up to is not a practice of awakening.
“And why? Because in awakening the word ‘I’ does not exist, so words for ‘I am practicing form,’ ‘I am practicing feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness,’ and ‘I am practicing awakening’ do not exist, because a bodhisattva great being’s awakening is not a practice of taking anything up and not a practice of not taking anything up.”
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti asked him, “Lord, if a bodhisattva [F.108.b] great being’s awakening is not a practice of taking anything up and is not a practice of not taking anything up, well then, of what is a bodhisattva great being’s awakening the practice?”
The Lord asked in return, “What do you think, Subhūti, is the awakening of a tathāgata’s magical creation the practice of taking something up or of not taking something up?”
“No, Lord,” he replied.
“What do you think, Subhūti,” asked the Lord, “does the dream awareness of a worthy one practice taking something up or not taking something up?”
“No, Lord,” he replied. “Given that worthy ones absolutely do not dream, however could their dream awareness practice taking something up or not taking something up?”
“Similarly, Subhūti,” said the Lord, “a bodhisattva great being’s awakening does not practice taking anything up or not taking anything up.”
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti asked him, “Lord, if a bodhisattva great being’s awakening is not a practice of taking anything up or not taking anything up, is not a practice of form, up to and is not a practice of the knowledge of all aspects, well then, Lord, having practiced the six perfections, having accomplished the ten levels, the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, the fourteen emptinesses, the three gateways to liberation, the concentrations, the deliverances, the absorptions, up to the ten tathāgata powers, and eighty minor signs, and having stood in the clairvoyances, completed the ten levels, entered into the secure state of a bodhisattva, [F.109.a] purified a buddhafield, and brought beings to maturity, how will bodhisattva great beings fully awaken to the knowledge of all aspects? Lord, without having practiced the six perfections, without having stood on the ten levels, up to without having stood in the clairvoyances, without having entered into the secure state of a bodhisattva, without having purified a buddhafield, and without having brought beings to maturity, they will not be able to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.”
“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so! It is exactly as you say!” said the Lord. “Subhūti, without having stood on the ten levels, up to without having completed the six perfections and all the wholesome dharmas, they will not be able to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, but, Subhūti, when they have completed the ten levels, and they have completed the six perfections, the four concentrations, the four immeasurables, the four formless absorptions, the four applications of mindfulness, up to the eightfold noble path, the three—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—gateways to liberation, up to the eighty minor signs, and the natural state not robbed of mindfulness, and the constant staying in a state of equanimity, they will be able to reach the knowledge of all aspects.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when they stand in the basic nature of form; stand in the basic nature of feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness; up to stand in the basic nature of awakening, they will be able to reach the knowledge of all aspects. Subhūti, that basic nature is calmed, and it does not bring about the accumulation or diminishing, production [F.109.b] or ceasing, defilement or purification, attainment or clear realization of any dharma at all.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening simply based on the true nature of dharmas labeled by way of ordinary convention. In it there is ultimately no form or…, up to awakening, and no one who is practicing awakening. All those dharmas are simply labeled by ordinary convention, but not ultimately.
“Subhūti, starting from the first production of the thought, bodhisattva great beings do not, while practicing for awakening, apprehend that thought, beings, awakening, or a bodhisattva. What do you think, Subhūti, when you, Subhūti, in order to eliminate the view of the perishable collection, attained the faculties, or attained the uninterrupted meditative stabilization or the result of stream enterer, or attained the result of once-returner or the result of non-returner, or attained the state of a worthy one, did you apprehend a dream or a thought or a path or a result?
“No, Lord.”
“Well then, Subhūti, why was there a pronouncement about your understanding, ‘Subhūti has reached the state of a worthy one’?”
“Lord, the pronouncement about my understanding was based on ordinary convention.”
“Similarly, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings are designated by ordinary convention; form is designated by ordinary convention; feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are designated by ordinary convention; up to the knowledge of all aspects [F.110.a] is designated by ordinary convention, so, based on the emptiness of a basic nature of dharmas, bodhisattva great beings do not apprehend any dharma in awakening that accumulates or diminishes or helps or harms any dharma.
“So, given that even the basic nature of dharmas has not been apprehended, why mention that a first production of the thought will not be apprehended; that the six perfections, up to the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening will not be apprehended; or that the emptiness meditative stabilization, signlessness meditative stabilization, and wishlessness meditative stabilization, up to the buddhadharmas will not be apprehended. It is impossible.
“Thus, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who have practiced unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening and fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening work for the welfare of beings.”
This was the seventy-fifth chapter, “Exposition of Noncomplication,” of “The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines.”
Colophon
The Noble Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines is completed. It has been translated, proofed, and prepared for publication by the Indian preceptors Jinamitra, Surendrabodhi, Yeshé Dé, and so on.1131
Abbreviations
| AAV | Āryavimuktisena (’phags pa rnam grol sde). ’phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi shu lnga pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan gyi tshig le’ur byas pa’i rnam par ’grel pa (Āryapañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñā-pāramitopadeśaśāstrābhisamayālaṃkārakārikāvārttika). |
|---|---|
| AAVN | Āryavimuktisena. Abhisamayālamkāravrtti (mistakenly titled Abhisamayālaṅkāravyākhyā). Nepal German Manuscript Preservation Project A 37/9, National Archives Kathmandu Accession Number 5/55. The numbers follow the page numbering of Sparham’s undated, unpublished transliteration of the part of the manuscript not included in Pensa 1967. |
| Abhisamayālaṃkāra | shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan zhes bya ba tshig le’ur byas pa (Abhisamayālaṃkāra-nāma-prajñāpāramitopadeśaśāstrakārikā) [The Ornament for the Clear Realizations]. Numbering of the verses as in the Unrai Wogihara edition: Abhisamayālaṃkārālokā Prajñāpāramitā Vyākhyā: The Work of Haribhadra. |
| Amano | Amano, Koei H. Abhisamayālaṃkāra-kārikā-śāstra-vivṛti. |
| Aṣṭa | Aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā. Page numbers are Wogihara (1973) that includes the edition of Mitra (1888). |
| Buddhaśrī | shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa sdud pa’i tshig su byas pa’i dka’ ’grel (Prajñāpāramitāsaṃcayagāthāpañjikā). |
| Bṭ1 | Anonymous/Daṃṣṭrāsena. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa ’bum gyi rgya cher ’grel (Śatasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitābṛhaṭṭīkā) [Bṛhaṭṭīkā]. |
| Bṭ3 | Vasubandhu/Daṃṣṭrāsena. ’phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa ’bum dang / nyi khri lnga sgong pa dang / khri brgyad stong pa rgya cher bshad pa (Āryaśatasāhasrikāpañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāṣṭādaśa-sāhasrikāprajñāpāramitābṭhaṭṭīkā) [Bṛhaṭṭīkā]. English translation in Sparham 2022. |
| C | Choné (co ne) Kangyur and Tengyur. |
| D | Degé (sde dge) Kangyur and Tengyur. |
| Edg | Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary. |
| Eight Thousand | Conze, Edward. The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines & Its Verse Summary. |
| GRETIL | Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages. |
| Ghoṣa | Ghoṣa, Pratāpachandra, ed. Śatasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā. |
| Gilgit | Gilgit Buddhist Manuscripts. |
| GilgitC | Edward Conze, ed. and trans. The Gilgit Manuscript of the Aṣṭādaśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā: Chapters 55 to 70 Corresponding to the 5th Abhisamaya. |
| Gyurme (khri pa) | Gyurme Dorje. The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom in Ten Thousand Lines. |
| H | Lhasa (zhol) Kangyur and Tengyur. |
| K | Peking (Kangxi) Kangyur and Tengyur. |
| LC | Lokesh Candra. Tibetan Sanskrit Dictionary. |
| LSPW | Conze, Edward. The Large Sutra on Perfection Wisdom (Conze 1984). |
| MDPL | Conze, Edward. Materials for a Dictionary of the Prajñāpāramitā Literature. |
| MQ | Conze, Edward and Shotaro Iida. “Maitreya’s Questions” in the Prajñāpāramitā. |
| MW | Monier-Williams, M. A. A Sanskrit–English dictionary etymologically and philologically arranged with special reference to cognate Indo-European languages. |
| Mppś | Lamotte, Étienne. Le Traité de la Grande Vertu de Sagesse de Nāgārjuna (Mahāprajñā-pāramitā-śāstra). |
| Mppś English | Gelongma Karma Migme Chodron. The Treatise on the Great Virtue of Wisdom of Nāgārjuna. |
| Mvy | Mahāvyutpatti (bye brag tu rtogs par byed pa chen po). |
| N | Narthang (snar thang) Kangyur and Tengyur. |
| NAK | National Archives Kathmandu. |
| NGMPP | Nepal German Manuscript Preservation Project. |
| PSP | Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā. |
| RecA | Skt and Tib editions of Recension A in Yuyama 1976. |
| RecAs | Sanskrit Recension A in Yuyama 1976. |
| RecAt | Tibetan Recension A in Yuyama 1976. |
| S | Stok Palace (stog pho brang bris ma) Kangyur. |
| Skt | Sanskrit. |
| Subodhinī | Attributed to Haribhadra. bcom ldan ’das yon tan rin po che sdud pa’i tshig su byas pa’i dka’ ’grel shes bya ba (Bhagavadratnaguṇasaṃcayagāthā-pañjikānāma) [“Easy Pañjikā”]. |
| Thempangma | bka’ ’gyur rgyal rtse’i them spang ma. |
| Tib | Tibetan. |
| Toh | Tōhoku Imperial University A Complete Catalogue of the Tibetan Buddhist Canons (bkaḥ-ḥgyur and bstan-ḥgyur). |
| Wogihara | Unrai Wogihara. Abhisamayālaṃkārālokā Prajñāpāramitā Vyākhyā: The Work of Haribhadra. |
| Z | Zacchetti, Stefano. In Praise of the Light. |
| brgyad stong pa | shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa (Aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [Eight Thousand]. |
| khri brgyad stong pa | shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa khri brgyad stong pa (Aṣṭādaśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines]. |
| khri pa | shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa khri pa (Daśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in Ten Thousand Lines, Toh 11]. |
| le’u brgyad ma | shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi shu lnga pa (Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [Haribhadra’s “Eight Chapters”]. Citations are from the 1976–79 Karmapae chodhey gyalwae sungrab partun khang edition, first the Tib vol. letter, followed by the folio and line number. |
| nyi khri | shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi shu lnga pa (Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines]. |
| rgyan snang | Haribhadra. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa’i bshad pa mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan gyi snang ba (Aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā-vyākhyānābhisamayālaṃkārālokā) [Illumination of the Abhisamayālaṃkāra]. |
| ŚsPK | Śatasāhasrikāprajñaparamitā. |
| ŚsPN3 | Śatasāhasrikāprajñaparamitā NGMPP A 115/3, NAK Accession Number 3/632. Numbering of the scanned pages. |
| ŚsPN4 | Śatasāhasrikāprajñaparamitā NGMPP B 91/3, NAK Accession Number 3/633. Numbering of the scanned pages. |
| ŚsPN4/2 | Śatasāhasrikāprajñaparamitā NGMPP B 91/3, NAK Accession Number 3/633 (part two). Numbering of the scanned pages. |
| ’bum | shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag brgya pa (Śatasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines]. Citations are from the 1976–79 Karmapae chodhey gyalwae sungrab partun khang edition, first the Tib letter in italics of the vol., followed by the folio and line number. |
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Secondary References
Sūtras
rgya cher rol pa (Lalitavistara) [The Play in Full]. Toh 95, Degé Kangyur vol. 46 (mdo sde, kha), folios 1.b–216.b; Lhasa Kangyur 96, vol. 48 (mdo sde, kha), folios 1.b–352.a. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2013.
dam pa’i chos dran pa nye bar gzhag pa (Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna). Toh 287, Degé Kangyur, vols. 68–71 (mdo sde, ya–sha), folios ya.82.a–sha.229.b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2020a.
dam pa’i chos pad ma dkar po (Saddharmapuṇḍarika) [The White Lotus of the Good Dharma]. Toh 113, Degé Kangyur vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1.b–180.b. English translation in Roberts 2018.
de bzhin gshegs pa’i snying rje chen po nges par bstan pa (Tathāgatamahākaruṇānirdeśa) [Great Compassion of the Tathāgata Sūtra] [Dhāraṇīśvararāja]. Toh 147, Degé Kangyur vol. 57 (mdo sde, pa), folios 142.a–242.b; Lhasa Kangyur vol. 57 (mdo sde, da), folios 153.b–319.a. English translation in Burchardi 2020.
de bzhin gshegs pa’i snying po (Tathāgatagarbha) [Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra]. Toh 258, Dege Kangyur vol. 66 (mdo sde, za), folios 245.b–259.b; Lhasa Kangyur 260, vol. 67 (mdo sde, zha), folios 1.b–24.a.
de bzhin gshegs pa’i gsang ba bsam gyis mi khyab pa’i bstan pa (Tathāgatācintyaguhyakanirdeśa) [Explanation of the Inconceivable Secrets of the Tathāgatas]. Toh 47, Degé Kangyur vol. 39 (dkon brtsegs, ka), folios 100.a–203.a; Lhasa Kangyur vol. 35 (dkon brtsegs, ka), folios 151.a–313.b. English translation in Fiordalis, David. and Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2023.
dri ma med par grags pas bstan pa (Vimalakīrtinirdeśa) [The Teaching of Vimalakīrti]. Toh 176, Degé Kangyur vol. 60 (mdo sde, ma), folios 175.a–239.b. English translation in Thurman 2017.
mdo chen po stong pa nyid ces bya ba (Śūnyatānāmamahāśūtra) [Śūnyatā Sūtra]. Toh 290, Degé Kangyur vol. 71 (mdo sde, sha), folios 250.a–253.b; Lhasa Kangyur 293, vol. 71 (mdo sde, ra), folios 476.b–482.a.
chos bcu pa (Daśadharmaka) [The Ten Dharmas Sūtra]. Toh 53, Degé Kangyur vol. 40 (dkon brtsegs, kha), folios 164.a–184.b.
tshangs pa’i dra ba (Brahmajāla) [Brahma’s Net Sūtra]. Toh 352, Degé Kangyur vol. 76 (mdo sde, aH), folios 70.b–86.a; Lhasa Kangyur 360, vol. 76 (mdo sde, a), folios 111.a–135.b.
byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod (Bodhisattvapiṭaka) [Bodhisattva Piṭaka Sūtra]. Toh 56, Degé Kangyur vols. 40–41 (dkon brtsegs, kha–ga), folios kha.255.b–ga.205.b; Lhasa Kangyur 56, vol. 37 (dkon brtsegs, ga), folios 1.b–380.b. English translation in Norwegian Institute of Palaeography and Historical Philology 2023.
za ma tog bkod pa (Kāraṇḍavyūha). Toh 116, Degé Kangyur, vol. 51 (mdo sde, pa), folios 200.a–247.b. English translation in Roberts 2013.
lang kar gshegs pa (Laṅkāvatāra) [The Descent to Laṅkā Sūtra]. Toh 107, Degé Kangyur vol. 49 (mdo sde, ca), folios 56.a–191.b.
blo gros rgya mtshos zhus pa (Sāgaramatiparipṛcchā) [The Questions of Sāgaramati. Toh 152, Degé Kangyur vol. 58 (mdo sde, pha), folios 1.b–115.b; Lhasa Kangyur 153, vol. 58 (mdo sde, na), folios 1.b–180.a. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2020b.
blo gros mi zad pas bstan pa (Akṣayamatinirdeśa) [The Teaching of Akṣayamati]. Toh 175, Degé Kangyur vol. 60 (mdo sde, ma), folios 79.a–174.b; Lhasa Kangyur 176, vol. 60 (mdo sde, pha), folios 122.b–270.b. English translation in Braarvig and Welsh 2020.
shes rab snying po (Prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya). Toh 21, Degé Kangyur vol. 34 (sher phyin, ka), folios 144.b–146.a; Toh 531, Degé Kangyur vol. 88 (rgyud, na), folios 94.b–95.b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2022.
sa bcu pa’i mdo (Daśabhūmikasūtra) [The Ten Levels Sūtra]. Lhasa Kangyur 94, vol. 43 (phal chen, ga), folios 67.a–234.b. English translation in Roberts 2021.
sangs rgyas phal po che zhes bya ba shin tu rgyas pa chen po (Buddhāvataṃsakanāmamahāvaipūlya) [Avataṃsaka Sūtra]. Toh 44, Degé Kangyur vols. 35–36 (phal chen, ka–a); Lhasa Kangyur 94, vols. 41–46 (phal chen, ka–cha).
lha mo dpal ’phreng gi seng ge’i sgra (Śrīmālādevīsiṃhanāda) [The Lion’s Roar of the Goddess Śrīmālā]. Toh 92, Degé Kangyur vol. 44 (dkon brtsegs, cha), folios 255.a–277.b.
Indic Commentaries
Abhayākaragupta. thub pa’i dgongs pa’i rgyan (Munimatālaṃkāra) [“Thought of the Sage”]. Toh 3903, Degé Tengyur vol. 211 (dbu ma, a), folios 73.b–293.a.
———. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa’i ’grel pa gnad kyi zla ’od (Āṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitāvṛttimarmakaumudī) [“Moonlight”]. Toh 3805, Degé Tengyur vol. 90 (shes phyin, da), folios 1.b–228.a.
Anonymous/Daṃṣṭrāsena. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa ’bum gyi rgya cher ’grel (Śatasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitābṛhaṭṭīkā) [“Detailed Explanation of the One Hundred Thousand”]. Toh 3807, Degé Tengyur vols. 91–92 (shes phyin, na–pa).
Āryavimuktisena. ’phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi shu lnga pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan gyi tshig le’ur byas pa’i rnam par ’grel pa (Āryapañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñāpāramitopadeśaśāstrābhisamayālaṃkārakārikāvārttika) [“Āryavimuktisena’s Commentary”]. Toh 3787, Degé Tengyur vol. 80 (shes phyin, ka), folios 14.b–212.a.
Asaṅga. theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma’i bstan bcos rnam par bshad pa (Mahāyānottaratantraśāstravyākhyā) [“Explanation of the Uttaratantra”]. Toh 4025, Degé Tengyur vol. 225 (sems tsam, phi), folios 74.b–129.a.
———. theg pa chen po bsdus pa (Mahāyānasaṃgraha). Toh 4048, Degé Tengyur vol. 236 (sems tsam, ri), folios 1.b–43.a.
———. rnal ’byor spyod pa’i sa (Yogācārabhūmi) [“The Yogācāra Levels”]. Toh 4035–4042, Degé Tengyur vol. 229 (sems tsam, tshi–’i), folios tshi.1.b–’i.68.b.
———. rnal ’byor spyod pa’i sa las byang chub sems dpa’i sa (Bodhisattvabhūmi) [“The Bodhisattva Levels”]. Toh 4037, Degé Tengyur vol. 231 (sems tsam, wi), folios 1.b–213.a.
Asaṅga/Maitreya. theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma’i bstan bcos (Mahāyānottaratantraśāstraratnagotravibhāga) [Uttaratantra]. Toh 4024, Degé Tengyur vol. 225 (sems tsam, phi), folios 54.b–73.a.
Asvabhāva. theg pa chen po bsdus pa’i bshad sbyar (Mahāyānasaṃgrahopanibandhana) [“Explanation of the Mahāyānasaṃgraha”]. Toh 4051 Degé Tengyur vol. 236 (sems tsam, ri), folios 190.b–296.a.
Bhadanta Vimuktisena (btsun pa grol sde). ’phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi shu lnga pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan gyi tshig le’ur byas pa’i rnam par ’grel pa (*Āryapañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñāpāramitopadeśa-śāstrābhisamayālaṃkārakārikāvārttika) [“Bhadanta’s Commentary”]. Toh 3788, Degé Tengyur vol. 81 (shes phyin, kha), folios 1.b–181.a.
Buddhaśrī. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa sdud pa’i tshig su byas pa’i dka’ ’grel (Prajñāpāramitāsaṃcayagāthāpañjikā) [“Buddhaśrī’s Explanation of the Jewel Qualities”]. Toh 3798, Degé Tengyur (shes phyin, nya), folios 116.a–189.b.
Daśabalaśrīmitra. ’dus byas ’dus ma byas rnam par nges pa (Saṃskṛtāsaṃskṛtaviniścaya) [“Determination of Compounded and Uncompounded Phenomena”]. Toh 3897, Degé Tengyur (dbu ma, ha), folios 109.a–317.a.
Dharmatrāta. ched du brjod pa’i tshoms (Udānavarga) [“Compilation of Udānas”]. Toh 4099, Degé Tengyur vol. 250 (mngon pa, tu), folios 1.b–45.a; Toh 326, Degé Kangyur vol. 72 (mdo sde, sa), folios 209.a–253.a.
Haribhadra. bcom ldan ’das yon tan rin po che sdud pa’i tshig su byas pa’i dka’ ’grel shes bya ba (Bhagavadratnaguṇasaṃcayagāthā-pañjikānāma/Subodhinī) [“Easy Pañjikā”]. Toh 3792, Degé Tengyur vol. 86 (shes phyin, ja), folios 1.b–78.a.
———. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa’i bshad pa mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan gyi snang ba (Aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitāvyākhyānābhisamayālaṃkārālokā) [“Illumination of the Abhisamayālaṃkāra”]. Toh 3791, Degé Tengyur vol. 85 (shes phyin, cha), folios 1.b–341.a.
———. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan zhes bya ba’i ’grel pa (Abhisamayālaṃkāranāmaprajñāpāramitopadeśaśāstravṛtti) [“Clear Meaning Commentary”]. Toh 3793, Degé Tengyur vol. 86 (shes phyin, ja), folios 78.b–140.a.
———. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi shu lnga pa (Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [“Eight Chapters”]. Toh 3790, Degé Tengyur vols. 82–84 (shes phyin, ga–ca), folios ga.1.a–ca.342.a.
Jñānavajra. ’phags pa lang kar gshegs pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo’i ’grel pa de bzhin gshegs pa’i snying po’i rgyan zhes bya ba (Āryalaṅkāvatāranāmamahāyānasūtravṛttitathāgatahṛdayālaṃkāranāma) [“Commentary on the Descent to Laṅkā Sūtra”]. Toh 4019, Degé Tengyur vol. 122 (mdo ’grel, pi), folios 1.b–310.a.
Maitreya. theg pa chen po mdo sde’i rgyan zhes bya ba’i tshig le’ur byas pa (Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkārakārikā) [“Ornament for the Mahāyāna Sūtras”]. Toh 4020, Degé Tengyur vol. 225 (sems tsam, phi), folios 1.b–39.a.
———. dbus dang mtha’ rnam par ’byed pa’i tshig le’ur byas pa (Madhyāntavibhāga) [“Delineation of the Middle and Extremes”]. Toh 4021, Degé Tengyur vol. 225 (sems tsam, phi), folios 40.b–45.a.
———. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan zhes bya ba tshig le’ur byas pa, sde dge, (Abhisamayālaṃkāranāmaprajñāpāramitopadeśaśāstrakārikā) [The Ornament for the Clear Realizations]. Toh 3786, Degé Tengyur vol. 80 (shes phyin, ka), folios 1.b–13.a.
Mañjuśrīkīrti. ’phags pa chos thams cad kyi rang bzhin mnyam pa nyid rnam par spros pa’i ting nge ’dzin kyi rgyal po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo’i ’grel pa grags pa’i phreng ba (Sarvadharmasvabhāvasamatāvipañcitasamādhirājanāmamahāyānasūtraṭīkākīrtimālā) [“Samādhirājasūtra Commentary”]. Toh 3897, Degé Tengyur (mdo ’grel, nyi), folios 1.b–163.b.
Nāgārjuna. dbu ma rtsa ba’i tshig le’ur byas pa shes rab ces bya ba (Prajñānāmamūlamadhyamakakārikā) [“Root Verses on Wisdom”]. Toh 3897, Degé Tengyur vol. 198 (dbu ma, tsa), folios 1.b–19.a.
Prajñāvardhan. ched du brjod pa’i tshoms kyi rnam par ’grel pa (Udānavargavivaraṇa) [“Explanation of the Udānavārga”]. Toh 4100, Degé Tengyur vols. 148–49 (mngon pa, tu–thu), folios tu.45.b–thu.222.a.
Pūrṇavardana. chos mngon par chos kyi ’grel bshad mtshan nyid kyi rjes su ’brang ba (Abhidharmakośaṭīkālakṣaṇānusāriṇī) [“Explanation of the Treasury of Knowledge”]. Toh 4093, Degé Tengyur vols. 144–45 (mngon pa, cu–chu), folios cu.1.b–chu.322.a.
Ratnākaraśānti. mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan gyi ’grel pa’i tshig le’ur byas pa’i ’grel pa dag ldan (Abhisamayālaṃkārakārikāvṛittiśuddhamatī) [“Purity”]. Toh 3801, Degé Tengyur vol. 88 (shes phyin, ta), folios 76.a–204.a.
———. nam mkha’ dang mnyam pa zhes bya ba’i rgya cher ’grel pa (Khasamānāmaṭīkā) [“Explanation of the Khasamā”]. Toh 1424, Degé Tengyur vol. 21 (rgyud, wa), folios 153.a–171.a.
———. ’phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa’i dka’ ’grel snying po mchog (Āryāṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitāpañjikāsārottamā) [Sāratamā]. Toh 3803, Degé Tengyur vol. 89 (shes phyin, tha), folios 1.b–230.a.
Sāgaramegha (rgya mtsho sprin). rnal ’byor spyod pa’i sa las byang chub sems dpa’i sa’i rnam par bshad pa (Bodhisattvabhūmivyākhyā) [“Explanation of the Bodhisattva Levels”]. Toh 4047, Degé Tengyur vol. 235 (sems tsam, yi), folios 1.b–338.a.
Śrījagattalanivāsin. bcom ldan ’das ma’i man ngag gi rjes su brang ba zhes bya ba’i rnam par bshad pa (Bhagavatyāmnāyānusāriṇīnāmavyākhyā) [“Commentary Following the Tradition”]. Toh 3811, Degé Tengyur vol. 94 (shes phyin, ba), folios 1.b–320.a.
Sthiramati. mdo sde rgyan gyi ’grel bshad (Sūtrālaṃkāravṛttibhāṣya) [“Commentary on the Ornament for the Sūtras”]. Toh 4034, Degé Tengyur vols. 227–28 (sems tsam, ma–tsi).
Vasubandhu. chos mngon pa’i mdzod kyi tshig le’ur byas pa (Abhidharmakośakārikā) [“The Treasury of Knowledge”]. Toh 4089, Degé Tengyur vol. 242 (mngon pa, ku), folios 1.b–25.a.
———. chos mngon pa’i mdzod kyi bshad pa (Abhidharmakośabhāṣya) [“Autocommentary to The Treasury of Knowledge”]. Toh 4090, Degé Tengyur vols. 242–43 (mngon pa, ku–khu), folios ku.26.a–khu.95.a.
———. mdo sde’i rgyan gyi bshad pa (Sūtrālaṃkāravyākhyā) [“Explanation of the Ornament for the Sūtras”]. Toh 4026, Degé Tengyur vol. 225 (sems tsam, phi), folios 129.b–260.a.
———. dbus dang mtha’ rnam par ’byed pa’i ’grel pa (Madhyāntavibhāgabhāṣya) [“Explanation of The Delineation of the Middle and Extremes”]. Toh, 4027, Degé Tengyur vol. 226 (sems tsam, bi), folios 1.b–27.a.
———. ’phags pa bcom ldan ’das ma shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa rdo rje gcod pa’i don bdun gyi rgya cher ’grel pa (Āryabhagavatīprajñāpāramitāvajracchedikāsaptārthaṭīkā) [“Explanation of The Diamond Sūtra”]. Toh 3816, Degé Tengyur vol. 95 (shes phyin, ma), folios 178.a–203.b.
———. ’phags pa blo gros mi zad pas bstan pa rgya cher ’grel pa (Āryākṣayamatinirdeśaṭīkā) [“Long Explanation of The Teaching of Akṣayamati”]. Toh 3994, Degé Tengyur vol. 114 (mdo ’grel, ci), folios 1.b–269.a.
———. ’phags pa sa bcu pa’i rnam par bshad pa (Āryadaśabhūmivyākhyāna) [“Explanation of The Ten Level Sūtra”]. Toh 3993, Degé Tengyur vol. 215 (mdo sde, ngi), folios 103.b–266.a.
———. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa rdo rje gcod pa bshad pa’i bshad sbyar gyi tshig le’ur byas pa (Vajracchedikāyāḥprajñāpāramitāyā vyākhyānopanibandhanakārikā) [“Verse Explanation of the Diamond Sūtra”]. Lhasa Tengyur 5864, vol. 146 (ngo mtshar bstan bcos, nyo), folios 1.a–5.b.
Vasubandhu/Daṃṣṭrāsena. ’phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa ’bum dang / nyi khri lnga sgong pa dang / khri brgyad stong pa rgya cher bshad pa (Āryaśatasāhasrikāpañcaviṃśati-sāhasrikāṣṭādaśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitābṛhaṭṭīkā) [“Long Explanation of the One Hundred, Twenty-Five, and Eighteen Thousand”/“Detailed Explanation of the Three Sūtras”]. Toh 3808, Degé Tengyur vol. 93 (shes phyin, pha), folios 1.b–291.b. English translation in Sparham 2022.
Indigenous Tibetan Works
Ar Changchup Yeshé (ar byang chub ye shes). mngon rtogs rgyan gyi ’grel pa rnam ’byed [“Disentanglement of Haribhadra’s Exposition of Maitreya’s ‘Ornament for the Clear Realizations’]. In ar byang chub ye shes kyi gsung chos skor, bka’ gdams dpe dkon gches btus, vol. 2. Edited by dpal brtsegs bod yig dpe rnying zhib ’jug khang. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006.
Bodong Tsöntru Dorjé (bo dong brtson ’grus rdo rje). shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan gyi ’grel bshad shes rab mchog gi rgyan (stod cha) [“Ornament for the Supreme Wisdom”]. ’phags yul rgyan drug mchog gnyis kyi zhal lung, vol. 11, pp. 22–565.
Butön (bu ston rin chen grub). bde bar gshegs pa’i bstan pa’i gsal byed chos kyi ’byung gnas gsung rab rin po che’i mdzod/ chos ’byung chen mo [“History of Indian Buddhism”]. In zhol phar khang gsung ’bum, vol. 26 (ya), folios 1.b–212.a.
Chim Namkha Drak (mchims nam mkha’ grags). shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i stong phrag brgya pa gzhung gi don rnam par ’byed pa’i bshad pa [“Summary Explanation of the One Hundred Thousand”]. ’phags yul rgyan drug mchog gnyis kyi zhal lung, vol. 8, pp. 217–468.
Chomden Rikpé Reltri (bcom ldan rigs pa’i ral gri). shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phra brgya pa rgyan gyi me tog [“Flower Ornament for the Clear Realizations”]. gsung ’bum, Kamtrul Sonam Dondrub typeset edition, vol. ca.
———. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i ’grel bshad mngon par rtogs pa rgyan gyi me tog [“Flower Ornament for the Clear Realizations”]. gsung ’bum, Kamtrul Sonam Dondrub typeset edition, vol. ga.
Dolpopa (dol po pa shes rab rgyal mtshan). ’phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi su lnga pa’i bshad pa [“Explanation of the Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines”]. In jo nang kun mkhyen dol po pa shes rab rgyal mtshan gyi gsung ’bum (glog klad ma gsungs ’bum), vol. 6, pp. 1–279. Edited by dpal brtsegs bod yig dpe rnying zhib ’jug khang. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang, 2011.
———. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa khri brgyad stong pa’i mchan bu zur du bkod pa (stod cha) [“Notes to the Eight Thousand”]. ’dzam thang gsum ’bum, vol. ma, 5.3–134. BDRC W21208.
Jamsar Shérap Wozer (’jam gsar ba shes rab ’od zer). mngon rtogs rgyan gyi ’grel bshad ’thad pa’i ’od ’bar [“Blaze of What Is Tenable”]. In ’phags yul rgyan drug mchog gnyis kyi zhal lung, vol. 9, pp. 22–458.
Lui Gyaltsen (klu’i rgyal mtshan [byang chub rdzu ’phrul]). ’phags pa dgongs pa nges par ’grel pa’i mdo’i rnam par bshad pa (Āryasaṃdhinirmocanasūtravyākhyāna) [“Explanation of the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra”] Toh 4358, Degé Tengyur vol. 205 (sna tshogs, cho, jo), folios 1.b–293.a; 1.b–183.b.
Pema Karpo (kun mkhyen pad ma dkar po). mngon par rtogs pa rgyan gyi ’grel pa rje btsun byams pa’i zhal lung [“Words of Maitreya”]. In Collected Works (gsuṅ-’bum) of Kun-Mkhyen Padma-Dkar-Po, vol. 8, pp. 1–340. Darjeeling: Kargyud Sungrab Nyamso Khang, 1973–74.
Rongtön (rong ston shes bya kun rig). sher phyin stong phrag brgya pa’i rnam ’grel. In gsung ’bum, vol. 4, pp. 380–678. Chengdu: si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2008. BDRC W1PD83960.
Serdok Shakya Chokten (gser mdog paN chen shAkya mchog ldan). shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan ’grel pa dang bcas pa’i snga phyi’i ’brel rnam par btsal zhing / dngos bstan kyi dka’ ba’i gnas la legs par bshad pa’i dpung tshogs rnam par bkod pa / bzhed tshul rba rlabs kyi phreng ba [“Garland of Waves”]. In Complete Works, vol. 11. Thimphu, 1975.
Tsongkhapa (tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa). shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan ’grel pa dang bcas pa’i rgya cher bshad pa legs bshad gser gyi phreng ba [“Golden Garland of Eloquence: Long Explanation of the Perfection of Wisdom”]. Xining: tsho sngon mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 1986. Page numbers are the same as vols. tsa and tsha in gsung ’bum/ tsong kha pa, vol. 11, pp. 11–519. Xining: mtsho sngon mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 1999. BDRC W20510.
bye brag tu rtogs par byed pa chen po (Mahāvyutpatti). Toh 4346, Degé Tengyur vol. 204 (sna tshogs, co), folios 1.b–131.a.
Secondary Literature
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Ānandajyoti Bikkhu. Maps of Ancient Buddhist India. Revised May 2013.
Bailey, D. R. Shackleton. The Śatapañcāśatka of Mātṛceṭa. Cambridge University Press, 1951.
Banerjea, Jitendra Nath. “The ‘Webbed Fingers’ of Buddha.” The Indian Historical Quarterly 6, no. 4 (December 1930): 717–27.
Bernhard, Franz, ed. Udānavārga. Abhandlungen Der Akadamie Der Wissenschaften. Vandenhoek & Ruprecht, 1965.
Bhattacarya, Gouriswar. “Nandipada or Nandyāvarta—The ‘ω -motif.’ ” Berliner Indologische Studien 13/14 (2000): 265–72.
Bodhi, Bikkhu. In the Buddha’s Words. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2005.
Braarvig, Jens, ed. and trans. Akṣayamatinirdeśasūtra. Oslo: Solum Forlag, 1993.
Braarvig, Jens, and David Welsh, trans. The Teaching of Akṣayamati (Akṣayamatinirdeśa, Toh 175). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2020.
Brough, John. “The Arapacana Syllabary in the Old Lalitavistara.” Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 40 (1977): 85–95.
Brunnhölzl, Karl (2011a). Prajñāpāramitā, Indian “gzhan stong pas,” and the Beginning of Tibetan gzhan stong. Vienna: Arbeitskreis für Tibetische und Buddhistische Studien, 2011.
———(2011b). Gone Beyond. Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications, 2011.
Bucknell, Roderick S. “The Structure of the Sagātha-Vagga of the Saṃyutta-Nikāya.” Buddhist Studies Review 24, no. 1 (2007): 7–34.
Burchardi, Anne, trans. The Teaching on the Great Compassion of the Tathāgata (Tathāgatamahākaruṇānirdeśa, Toh 147). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2020.
Candra, Lokesh. Tibetan Sanskrit Dictionary. Śata-piṭaka Series Indo-Asian Literature 3. International Academy of Indian Culture, 1959–61. Reprint, 2001.
Chimpa, Lama, and Alaka Chattopadhyaya. Tāranātha’s History of Buddhism in India. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1997.
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