The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines
Chapter 83: Categorization of a Bodhisattva’s Training
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
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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 83: Categorization of a Bodhisattva’s Training
Then the bodhisattva great being Maitreya851 asked the Lord, “Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom who want to train in a bodhisattva’s training [F.152.b] train in form, and how do they train in feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness; how do they train in the eye sense field, ear sense field, nose sense field, tongue sense field, body sense field, and thinking mind sense field; how do they train in the form sense field, sound sense field, smell sense field, taste sense field, feeling sense field, and dharma sense field; how do they train in the eye constituent, form constituent, and eye consciousness constituent, ear constituent, sound constituent, and ear consciousness constituent, nose constituent, smell constituent, and nose consciousness constituent, tongue constituent, taste constituent, and tongue consciousness constituent, body constituent, feeling constituent, and body consciousness constituent, and thinking mind constituent, dharma constituent, and thinking-mind consciousness constituent; how do they train in the eye contact sense field, and the ear, nose, tongue, body, and thinking-mind contact sense field; how do they train in ignorance, and how do they train in volitional factors, consciousness, name and form, the six sense fields, contact, feeling, craving, appropriation, existence, birth, and old age and death; how do they train in the truth of suffering, and how do they train in the truth of origination, truth of cessation, and truth of the path; how do they train in dharmas that have form, and how do they train in those that are formless, show themselves and do not show themselves, and are obstructed and not obstructed, compounded and uncompounded, with outflows and without outflows, a basic immorality and not a basic immorality, to be resorted to [F.153.a] and not resorted to, vile and sublime, inner and outer, seen, heard, thought about, and known, past, present, and future, wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral, connected with the desire realm, connected with the form realm, connected with the formless realm, and not connected, in the dharmas of those in training and of those for whom there is no more training, in the dharmas of greed, rage, conceit, ignorance, view, and doubt; how do they train in miserliness and giving, immorality and morality, malice and patience, laziness and perseverance, distraction and concentration, and intellectual confusion and wisdom; how do they train in conceptualization and emptiness, a causal sign and signlessness, an improper wish and wishlessness, unpleasant dharmas, impermanence, suffering, and selflessness; and how do they train in affliction and the elimination of affliction, defilement and purification, saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, awakening and the buddhadharmas?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord said to him, “Maitreya, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom who want to train in a bodhisattva’s training should train in ‘form is a mere name’; should train in ‘feeling…,’ ‘perception…,’ ‘volitional factors…,’ and ‘consciousness is a mere name’; up to ‘buddhadharmas are a mere name.’ ”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya said to him, “Lord, [F.153.b] when this—namely, the designation form,—is apprehended together with a basis; the designations feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are apprehended together with a basis; up to the designation buddhadharmas is apprehended together with a basis, having taken it as the causal sign of the volitional factors, how could bodhisattvas train in ‘form that is just a mere name’; how could they train in ‘feeling…,’ ‘perception…,’ ‘volitional factors…,’ and ‘consciousness that is just a mere name’; up to ‘buddhadharmas that are just mere names’? And if a basis were not to exist, that name for it would also not be suitable to be just a mere name—that is, it would not be suitable that ‘form is just a mere name’; that is…, ‘feeling…,’ ‘perception…,’ ‘volitional factors…’ and ‘consciousness is just a mere name’; it would not be suitable that…, up to ‘buddhadharmas is just a mere name.’ ”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having said that, the Lord said to him, “Maitreya, this—namely, form—is a name plucked out of thin air; these—namely, feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness—are names plucked out of thin air; up to this—namely, buddhadharmas—is a name plucked out of thin air for this or that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon.”852
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Lord, is it not the case that in the absence of the name form, there is no being aware of, realizing, or knowing the name form through a basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon, but through that name form there is awareness of, realizing, and knowing a basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon? [F.154.a] So how could this be—namely, ‘form is a name plucked out of thin air for the basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon’? Lord, is it not the case that there is no being aware of, realizing, or knowing the name feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness through that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon; up to Lord, is it not the case that there is no being aware of the name buddhadharmas through that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon, but through that feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness; up to through that buddhadharmas, there is awareness of, realizing, and knowing just that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon? So how could this be—namely, ‘form…’; namely, ‘feeling…, perception…, volitional factors…, and consciousness…’; up to namely, ‘buddhadharmas is a name plucked out of thin air for the basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon’?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord said to him, “So then, Maitreya, I will ask you a question, and you, as much as you can bear it, must find an answer. Maitreya, what do you think—without resorting to, without standing on, without having to stand on the designation form for this or that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon, do you think this—namely, ‘this is form’—about this or that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon?”
“No, Lord.”
“Maitreya, what do you think—without resorting to, without standing on, without having to stand on the designation feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness, up to on this—namely, the designation buddhadharmas—[F.154.b] for this or that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon, do you think this—namely, ‘feeling,’853 ‘perception,’ ‘volitional factors,’ and ‘consciousness’; up to ‘buddhadharmas’—about this or that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon?”
“No, Lord.”
“From this one of many explanations, Maitreya, you should thus know that these—namely, form, feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness—are names plucked out of thin air for this or that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon; up to also this—namely buddhadharmas—is a name plucked out of thin air for this or that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon.
“Maitreya, what do you think, do a variety of kinds of words, conventional terms, conventional labels, and designations designate, or conventionally refer to, or label, or apply to this basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon?”
“It is so, Lord.”
“From this one of many explanations, Maitreya, you should thus know that this—namely, form; that these—namely feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness; up to that this—namely, buddhadharmas—is a name plucked out of thin air for that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon.
“Maitreya, what do you think—here, does someone designate, or name, or give a subsequent conventional designation to, or apply to just that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon a name for a basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon different from it?”
“It is so, Lord.”
“From this one of many explanations too, Maitreya, you should thus know that this—namely, form; that these—namely, feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness; up to that this—namely, buddhadharmas—is a name plucked out of thin air.” [F.155.a]
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “In that case, Lord, would it not then be just that basis that is the causal sign of a compounded phenomenon that is apprehended as the form entity, based on which this—form; these—feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness; up to buddhadharmas—is a designation, name, label, and subsequent conventional designation?”854
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord asked him in return, “Maitreya, what do you think, is the basis that is the causal sign of a compounded phenomenon when form is designating, conventionally referring to, naming, or working as a subsequent conventional designation for form, the form entity,855 or is it simply merely designated?”
“Lord, it is simply merely designated.”
“Well then, Maitreya, how could you think, Maitreya, that it is just that basis that is the causal sign of a compounded phenomenon that is apprehended as the form entity, based on which these—namely, feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness; up to buddhadharmas—is a designation, name, label, and subsequent conventional designation? Maitreya, what do you think, is the feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to or buddhadharmas entity simply merely designated?”
“Lord, it is simply merely designated.”
“Well then, how could you think, Maitreya, that it is just that feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to or buddhadharmas entity that is apprehended?”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, [F.155.b] “In that case, Lord, if form is simply just a designation, name, conventional term, label, and conventional designation, and if feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to buddhadharmas is simply just a designation, name, conventional term, label, and conventional designation, would it not just be the form entity … ; and then, would it not just be the feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to buddhadharmas entity that is apprehended as designation, name, conventional term, label, and conventional designation?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord asked him in return, “Maitreya, what do you think, is that form that is simply just a designation, name, conventional term, label, and conventional designation produced or stopped, or defiled or purified?”
“No, Lord.”
“Well then, Maitreya,” he asked, “how could you have thought ‘would it not just be the form entity that is apprehended’?
“Maitreya, what do you think, is that feeling…, perception…, volitional factors…, consciousness…, up to buddhadharmas that is simply just a designation, name, conventional term, label, and conventional designation produced or stopped, or defiled or purified?”
“No, Lord.”
“Well then, Maitreya,” he asked, “how could you have thought ‘would it not just be the feeling…, perception…, volitional factors…, consciousness…, up to buddhadharmas entity that is apprehended’?” [F.156.a]
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Lord, does form just not exist at all? Is it without any mark at all? Lord, does feeling…, perception…, volitional factors…, consciousness…, up to do buddhadharmas not exist at all? Are they without any marks at all?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord said to him, “Maitreya, I do not say ‘form just does not exist at all without any mark at all.’ Maitreya, I do not say ‘feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to buddhadharmas just do not exist at all without any marks at all.’ ”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “How then, Lord, does form exist? How then, Lord, does feeling…, perception…, volitional factors…, consciousness…, up to how do buddhadharmas exist?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord said to him, “Maitreya, form exists as an ordinary term and convention, but not ultimately. Maitreya, feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to buddhadharmas exist as ordinary terms and conventions, but not ultimately.”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya said to him, “Lord, the way I understand what you have said, Lord, is that this element856 is ultimately inexpressible. Lord, if that inexpressible element [F.156.b] ultimately exists, then how can it be a basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon designated by the name form plucked out of thin air; if it ultimately exists, then how can it be a basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon designated by the name feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to or buddhadharmas plucked out of thin air? And if ultimately it does not exist, then how could it be an inexpressible element, because it is not suitable to call a basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon an ‘inexpressible element.’ ”857
The bodhisattva Maitreya having said that, the Lord said to him, “So then, Maitreya, I will ask you a question, and you, as much as you can bear it, must find an answer. Maitreya, what do you think—when abiding in the correct practice of wisdom connected with the inexpressible element, do you apprehend this basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon that has been designated by the name form, feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to or buddhadharmas, plucked out of thin air?”
“Lord, I do not apprehend it,” he replied.
“From this one of many explanations, Maitreya,” he continued, “you should know that this basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon is not the inexpressible element and the inexpressible element is not other than this basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon. This basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon designated by these—namely, the names form, feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to buddhadharmas plucked out of thin air—if they are taken to be the inexpressible element, well then, all foolish ordinary people would be in nirvāṇa, [F.157.a] and would even have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening. Maitreya, if the inexpressible element is taken to be other than this basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon, well then, given that even the causal sign would not be apprehended, in this case would there be a realization of that inexpressible element?
“From this one of many explanations, Maitreya, you should know that the inexpressible element is not other than this basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon that has been designated by these—namely, the names form, feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to buddhadharmas plucked out of thin air— and that the inexpressible element is not not other than those either.”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Lord, if, when bodhisattvas are abiding in the correct practice of wisdom connected with the inexpressible element, this basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon that has been designated by the names form, feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to buddhadharmas plucked out of thin air is not apprehended, is existence not apprehended, or is nonexistence not apprehended?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord said to him, “Maitreya, that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon has no independence or existence at all.858 And why? Maitreya, when you conceive of that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon is that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon gotten hold of through the conceptualizations, or, when you are abiding in the correct practice of wisdom connected with the inexpressible element and do not conceive of it, [F.157.b] is it gotten hold of through the absence of conceptualization?”
“It is, Lord.”
“If that is so, Maitreya, that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon that has been thus designated by these—namely, the names form, feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to buddhadharmas plucked out of thin air—is simply just conceptualization or just a conceptual state. When they are thus abiding in the nonconceptual element free from conceptualizations, what existence does it, designated by these—namely, the names form, feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to buddhadharmas plucked out of thin air—have? What existence can be apprehended?”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Lord, how many designations for the separate aspects of form should bodhisattvas practicing the perfection of wisdom, involved in skillfully making a differentiation of a dharma, know? How many designations for the separate aspects of feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to buddhadharmas should they know?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord said to him, “Maitreya, bodhisattvas practicing the perfection of wisdom, involved in skillfully making a differentiation of a dharma, should know three designations for the separate modes of form, and should know three designations for the separate modes of feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to buddhadharmas, namely, ‘this is imaginary form,’ ‘this is conceptualized form,’ [F.158.a] and ‘this is the true dharmic nature of form’; ‘this is imaginary feeling,’ ‘this is conceptualized feeling,’ and ‘this is the true dharmic nature of feeling’; ‘this is imaginary perception,’ ‘this is conceptualized perception,’ and ‘this is the true dharmic nature of perception’; ‘these are imaginary volitional factors,’ ‘these are conceptualized volitional factors,’ and ‘this is the true dharmic nature of the volitional factors’; ‘this is imaginary consciousness,’ ‘this is conceptualized consciousness,’ and ‘this is the true dharmic nature of consciousness’; up to ‘these are imaginary buddhadharmas,’ ‘these are conceptualized buddhadharmas,’ and ‘this is the true dharmic nature of buddhadharmas.’ ”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Lord, what is imaginary form, what is conceptualized form, and what is the true dharmic nature of form; what is imaginary feeling…, … perception, … volitional factors, … consciousness; up to … buddhadharmas, what are conceptualized buddhadharmas, and what is the true dharmic nature of buddhadharmas?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord said to him, “Maitreya, based on the designation, name, label, and conventional designation form for this or that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon, this imagining that it is the intrinsic nature of form is imaginary form. Maitreya, based on the designations, names, labels, and conventional designations feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness, up to buddhadharmas [F.158.b] for this or that basis that is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon, this imagining that it is the intrinsic nature of feeling, or it is the intrinsic nature of perception, volitional factors, and consciousness, up to buddhadharmas, is imaginary feeling; is imaginary perception, volitional factors, and consciousness; up to are imaginary buddhadharmas.
“That basis, which is a causal sign of a compounded phenomenon, an expression dependent on conceptualization established in the true dharmic nature of mere conceptualization, for which the designations, names, labels, and conventional designations ‘this is form,’ ‘this is feeling,’ ‘this is perception,’ ‘this is a volitional factor,’ ‘this is consciousness,’ up to ‘these are buddhadharmas’ are used—this is conceptualized form,859 this is conceptualized feeling, this is conceptualized perception, this is a conceptualized volitional factor, this is conceptualized consciousness, up to these are conceptualized buddhadharmas.
“This true nature of dharmas that simply remains whether the tathāgatas arise or whether the tathāgatas do not arise, the element of the establishment of dharmas that is just the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature—falsely imagined form as that conceptualized form—for a time that is eternally eternal and constantly constant,860 the nonexistence of a self in dharmas, suchness, and the very limit of reality, is the true dharmic nature of form; this is also the true dharmic nature of feeling, this is the true dharmic nature of perception, this is the true dharmic nature of volitional factors, this is the true dharmic nature of consciousness, up to and this is the true dharmic nature of the buddhadharmas.”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Lord, among these three forms, which form is viewed [F.159.a] as a nonmaterial reality and which as a material reality, and which as neither a nonmaterial reality nor a material reality and in the category of the ultimate? Among these three feelings, and among these three perceptions, these three volitional factors, and these three consciousnesses, up to and these three buddhadharmas, which are viewed as a nonmaterial reality and which as a material reality, and which as neither a nonmaterial reality nor a material reality and in the category of the ultimate?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord said to him, “Maitreya, view the form that is imaginary as not a material reality. View conceptualized form as a material reality based on the material reality of a conceptualization, but not because it is there under its own power. And view the true dharmic nature of form as neither a nonmaterial reality nor a material reality and in the category of the ultimate. View the feeling…, perception…, volitional factors…, and consciousness that is imaginary…, up to the buddhadharmas that are imaginary as not a material reality. View the feeling…, perception…, volitional factors…, and consciousness that is conceptualized…, up to the buddhadharmas that are conceptualized as a material reality based on the material reality of a conceptualization, but not because they are there under their own power. Maitreya, view the true dharmic nature of feeling…, perception…, volitional factors…, and consciousness…, up to Maitreya, view the true dharmic nature of the buddhadharmas as neither a nonmaterial reality nor a material reality and in the category of the ultimate.” [F.159.b]
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Lord, given that there is861 such a designation for differentiated form, and given there is such a designation for differentiated feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness, up to buddhadharmas, this that the Lord has said—namely, ‘anything called form is counted as not two’—and this—namely, ‘anything called feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness, up to buddhadharmas is counted as not two’—in regard to that, what did the Lord have in mind when the Lord said this—namely, ‘anything called form is counted as not two’—and this—namely, ‘anything called feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness up to buddhadharmas—is counted as not two’?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord asked him in return, “Maitreya, what do you think, is the absence of material reality in imaginary form, form, or is it not?”
“It is not, Lord.”
“Is then form just the mere designation, name, label, and conventional designation form for it?”
“No, Lord.”
“Maitreya, through this one of many explanations, you should know that imaginary form is not form and is not not form either, and that which is not form and is not not form is counted as nondual. That was what I had in mind when I said this—namely, ‘anything called form is counted as not two.’
“Maitreya, what do you think, [F.160.a] is conceptualized form, the material reality, dependent on which this name, designation, and convention is used, not form?”
“No, Lord.”862
“Maitreya, what do you think, is that imaginary form of just that conceptualized form—that which is not its intrinsic nature, not its defining mark—form?”
“No, Lord.”
“Maitreya, also through this one of many explanations, you should know that conceptualized form is not form and is not not form either, and that which is not form and is not not form is counted as nondual. That was what I had in mind when I said this—namely, ‘anything called form” is counted as not two.’
“Maitreya, what do you think, is that true dharmic nature of form, form in the category of selflessness, form?”
“No, Lord.”
“Is that true dharmic nature of form that is just that true dharmic nature of form, form?”
“No, Lord.”
“Maitreya, also through this one of many explanations, you should know that the true dharmic nature of form is not form and is not not form either, and that which is not form and is not not form is counted as nondual. That was what I had in mind when I said this—namely, ‘anything called form is counted as not two.’ Similarly, connect this with feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness, up to the buddhadharmas.”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya [F.160.b] asked him, “Lord, how should they view the mark of comprehension, how the mark of abandonment, how the mark of actualization, and how the mark of cultivation of bodhisattvas practicing the perfection of wisdom who, having avoided the two extremes and set forth on the middle way, have such a skill in the nondual mark of form, and such a skill in the absence of marks863 in feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to buddhadharmas?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord said to him, “Maitreya, bodhisattvas practicing the perfection of wisdom who, avoiding the two extremes, have set forth on the middle way, neither comprehend nor do not comprehend form, and just that is their comprehension; they neither comprehend nor do not comprehend feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to or buddhadharmas, and just that is their comprehension. They neither abandon nor do not abandon form and just that is their abandonment; they neither abandon nor do not abandon feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, up to or buddhadharmas, and just that is their abandonment. They neither actualize nor do not actualize an abandonment of form and just that is their actualization; they neither cultivate the path nor do not cultivate the path in order to abandon form, and just that is their cultivation. Similarly, connect this with feeling, perception, volitional factors, consciousness, [F.161.a] up to and the buddhadharmas.”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Lord, what is the nirvāṇa of bodhisattvas practicing the perfection of wisdom endowed with such comprehension, abandonment, actualization, and cultivation?”
The bodhisattva Maitreya having asked that, the Lord said to him, “Maitreya, the nirvāṇa of bodhisattvas is deep, extremely deep.”
“Maitreya,” replied the Lord, “it is because the nirvāṇa of bodhisattvas is neither nirvāṇa nor not nirvāṇa; that is why it is called ‘deep, extremely deep.’ ”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Lord, how is the nirvāṇa of bodhisattvas neither nirvāṇa nor not nirvāṇa?”
“Maitreya,” replied the Lord, “taking the welfare of others as the point of departure, it is not nirvāṇa because they do not totally reject saṃsāra; taking their own welfare as the point of departure, it is not not nirvāṇa because they do not totally reject nirvāṇa.”
“Lord, if, taking the welfare of others as the point of departure, [F.161.b] bodhisattvas do not totally reject saṃsāra, by not totally rejecting saṃsāra how do they not totally reject nirvāṇa? Lord, if, taking their own welfare as the point of departure, bodhisattvas do not totally reject nirvāṇa, how do they not totally reject saṃsāra?”
The Lord said, “Here bodhisattvas practicing the perfection of wisdom do not even conceive of saṃsāra as actually saṃsāra, and do not even conceive of nirvāṇa as actually nirvāṇa. So, because they thus do not conceptualize those two—namely, saṃsāra and nirvāṇa—they are the same and equal. And why? Because they do not conceive of saṃsāra as actually saṃsāra, so they do not become repulsed by saṃsāra. Similarly, because they do not conceive of nirvāṇa as actually nirvāṇa, their nirvāṇa does not degenerate; and similarly, even in saṃsāra, it does not degenerate.864 Thus, you should know that for this reason they are located in a realm without thought construction and neither totally reject saṃsāra nor totally reject nirvāṇa.”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Well then, Lord, will it not be the case that just as bodhisattvas standing in the realm without thought construction practicing the perfection of wisdom have not totally rejected a life in saṃsāra they will similarly not have appropriated it, and just as they have not totally rejected nirvāṇa they will similarly not have appropriated that, either? And Lord, if there is no appropriation, how can there be no rejection?”
“Maitreya,” replied the Lord, “I do not say they ‘appropriate’ or ‘do not appropriate’ a life in saṃsāra like this. Rather, Maitreya, [F.162.a] because bodhisattvas practicing the perfection of wisdom exhibit a life in saṃsāra through skillful means when they have gained control over their minds through the knowledge that has the realm without thought construction as its objective support, I say about bodhisattvas865 in world systems as many as there are sand particles in the Gaṅgā River in world systems in the ten directions who have passed into nirvāṇa that ‘they do not reject a life in saṃsāra.’ And because they remain in emptiness, in the realm that gives no basis for apprehending anything, I say ‘they do not reject nirvāṇa’ ”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Lord, how in the absence of conceptualization should the collection of marks be viewed?”
“Maitreya,” replied the Lord, “that which is form, and that which is feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness, up to that which is the buddhadharmas, and that which is the emptiness of up to the buddhadharmas—that which is the nonduality and nonelaboration of an existent thing and a nonexistent thing in those dharmas and those emptinesses—that, Maitreya, should be viewed as the collection of marks in the absence of conceptualization.”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Lord, are all śrāvakas absolutely with certainty located in nirvāṇa?”
“No, Maitreya,” replied the Lord. “And why? Because this world has various elements, it has multiple elements, so in this world that has various elements and multiple elements, many families and dispositions of beings can be found. Maitreya, there is one sort of family of beings, those who from the start strive for a superior qualification, who gain [F.162.b] just the superior qualification; there is one sort of family of beings, those who from the start strive for an inferior qualification, who are satisfied by gaining just the inferior; and there is one sort of family of beings who from the start strive for an inferior qualification, gain the inferior, understand that it is lacking, are not satisfied just by that, and then strive for the superior qualification and gain the superior.”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya asked him, “Lord, someone in the third family of beings, having reached the state of a worthy one, strives for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening but does not take rebirth, so how do they reach it? The Lord has not said the practice itself is their rebirth.”866
“Maitreya,” replied the Lord, “I do not say that their rebirth is dictated by karma and afflictive emotion; I say that theirs is an inconceivable rebirth, magically created and dedicated.”867
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya said to him, “Lord, how incredible the vast aspiration, the great surpassing aspiration of bodhisattva great beings who thus from the start strive to be truly exceptional and become truly exceptional must be. Lord, what is the vast aspiration, what is the great surpassing aspiration of bodhisattva great beings?”
“Maitreya,” replied the Lord, “that those bodhisattvas do not strive to be a Śatakratu, to be a Brahmā, to be a world protector, to be a wheel-turning emperor, or to have any ordinary success at all— [F.163.a] that those bodhisattvas have no attachment to those and are free from grasping at them is their vast aspiration. And that bodhisattvas want all beings to share in common the happiness of nonattachment, the happiness free from grasping, and the happiness of nirvāṇa, and that they make a dedication to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, which is to say, they do not give up volitional factors,868 is to be seen as their truly great surpassing aspiration.”
The Lord having said that, the bodhisattva Maitreya said to him, “Lord, the bodhisattva dharmas are amazing and marvelous; the bodhisattva training is amazing and marvelous. Lord, a son of a good family or daughter of a good family who wants to train in the amazingly marvelous bodhisattva dharmas should produce the thought of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.”
This was the eighty-third chapter, “Categorization of a Bodhisattva’s Training,” of “The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines.” [B58]
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. |
Bibliography
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shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa khri brgyad stong pa. bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vol. 29, pp. 19–513.
shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa khri brgyad stong pa. Stok Palace Kangyur vols. 45–47 (khri brgyad, ka–ga), folios ka.1.b–ga.392.a.
shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa (Aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines]. Toh 12, Degé Kangyur vol. 33 (shes phyin, brgyad stong pa, ka), folios 1.b–286.a.
shes phyin khri pa (Daśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in Ten Thousand Lines]. Toh 11, Degé Kangyur vol. 31 (shes phyin, ga), folios 1.b–91.a; vol. 32 (shes phyin, nga), folios 92.b–397.a. English translation in Padmakara Translation Group 2018.
shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa rdo rje bcod pa (Vajracchedikā) [The Diamond Sūtra]. Toh 16, Degé Kangyur vol. 34 (sher phyin, rna tshogs, ka), folios 121.a–132.b.
shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag brgya pa (Śatasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines]. Toh 8, Degé Kangyur vols. 14–25 (shes phyin, ’bum, ka–a), folios ka.1.b–a.395.a. English translation in Sparham 2024.
shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag nyi shu lnga pa (Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines]. Toh 9, Degé Kangyur vols. 26–28 (shes phyin, nyi khri, ka–a), folios ka.1.b–ga.381.a. English translation in Padmakara Translation Group 2023.
shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa sdud pa tshigs su bcad pa (Prajñāpāramitāratnaguṇasaṃcayagāthā) [The Verse Summary of the Jewel Qualities]. In shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa khri brgyad stong pa (Aṣṭādaśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā) Toh 10, Degé Kangyur vol. 31 (shes phyin, khri brgyad, ga), folios 163.a–181.b. Also Toh 13, Degé Kangyur vol. 34 (shes rab sna tshogs pa, ka), folios 1.b–19.b.
Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines]. GRETIL edition input by Klaus Wille (Göttingen), based on the edition by Takayasu Kimura. Tokyo: Sankibo Busshorin 2007–9 (1-1, 1–2), 1986 (2–3), 1990 (4), 1992 (5), 2006 (6–8).
Aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā [The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines]. Ed. Wogihara (1973) incorporating Mitra (1888).
Abhisamayālaṃkāranāmaprajñāpāramitopadeśaśāstra [The Ornament for the Clear Realizations]. Ed. Wogihara (1973).
Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā [The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines]. Dutt, Nalinaksha. Calcutta Oriental Series 28. London: Luzac, 1934. Reprint edition, Sri Satguru Publications, 1986.
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.
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