• 84000
  • The Collection
  • The Kangyur
  • Discourses
  • General Sūtra Section
  • Toh 112

This rendering does not include the entire published text

The full text is available to download as pdf at:
/translation/toh112.pdf

སྙིང་རྗེ་པད་མ་དཀར་པོ།

The White Lotus of Compassion
Generosity

Karuṇā­puṇḍarīka
སྙིང་རྗེ་པད་མ་དཀར་པོ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།
snying rje pad ma dkar po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The White Lotus of Compassion”
Karuṇā­puṇḍarīka­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra

Toh 112

Degé Kangyur, vol. 50 (mdo sde, cha), folios 129.a–297.a

ᴛʀᴀɴsʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛɪʙᴇᴛᴀɴ ʙʏ
  • Jinamitra
  • Surendrabodhi
  • Prajñāvarman
  • Bendé Yeshé Dé

Imprint

84000 logo

Translated by Peter Alan Roberts and team
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha

First published 2023

Current version v 1.2.20 (2024)

Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.26.1

84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha is a global non-profit initiative to translate all the Buddha’s words into modern languages, and to make them available to everyone.

Logo for the license

This work is provided under the protection of a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution - Non-commercial - No-derivatives) 3.0 copyright. It may be copied or printed for fair use, but only with full attribution, and not for commercial advantage or personal compensation. For full details, see the Creative Commons license.

Options for downloading this publication

This print version was generated at 6.02pm on Wednesday, 27th November 2024 from the online version of the text available on that date. If some time has elapsed since then, this version may have been superseded, as most of 84000’s published translations undergo significant updates from time to time. For the latest online version, with bilingual display, interactive glossary entries and notes, and a variety of further download options, please see
https://84000.co/translation/toh112.


co.

Table of Contents

ti. Title
im. Imprint
co. Contents
s. Summary
ac. Acknowledgements
i. Introduction
+ 4 sections- 4 sections
· Bodhisattvas’ Aspirations Determine Their Activity as Buddhas
· Evolution, History, and Context
· Sources and Comparison
· Chapter Summaries
+ 6 sections- 6 sections
· Chapter 1: Turning the Wheel of the Dharma
· Chapter 2: The Dhāraṇī Entranceway
· Chapter 3: Generosity
· Chapter 4: The Prophecies to the Bodhisattvas
· Chapter 5: The Practice of Generosity
· Chapter 6: Conclusion
tr. The Translation
+ 6 chapters- 6 chapters
1. Turning the Wheel of the Dharma
2. The Dhāraṇī Entranceway
3. Generosity
4. The Prophecies to the Bodhisattvas
5. The Practice of Generosity
6. Conclusion
c. Colophon
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
+ 4 sections- 4 sections
· Selected Versions of The White Lotus of Compassion
· Kangyur and Tengyur Texts
· Secondary Literature
· Other Resources
g. Glossary

s.

Summary

s.­1

The Buddha Śākyamuni recounts one of his most significant previous lives, when he was a court priest to a king and made a detailed prayer to become a buddha, also causing the king and his princes, his own sons and disciples, and others to make their own prayers to become buddhas too. This is revealed to be not only the major event that is the origin of buddhas and bodhisattvas such as Amitābha, Akṣobhya, Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī, and the thousand buddhas of our eon, but also the source and reason for Śākyamuni’s unsurpassed activity as a buddha.

s.­2

The “white lotus of compassion” in the title of this sūtra refers to Śākyamuni himself, emphasizing his superiority over all other buddhas, like a fragrant, healing white lotus among a bed of ordinary flowers. Śākyamuni chose to be reborn in an impure realm during a degenerate age, and therefore his compassion was greater than that of other buddhas.


ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.­1

The sūtra was translated from the Tibetan with reference to the Sanskrit by Peter Alan Roberts. Tulku Yeshi Gyatso of the Sakya Monastery, Seattle, was the consulting lama who reviewed the translation. Guilaine Mala was the consultant for the Chinese versions. Emily Bower was the project manager, editor, and proofreader.

ac.­2

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.


ac.­3

The translation of this text has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of an anonymous donor.


i.

Introduction

i.­1

The White Lotus of Compassion describes the origin of many buddhas and bodhisattvas, focusing in particular on the Buddha Śākyamuni. The “white lotus of compassion” in the title refers to Śākyamuni himself, emphasizing his superiority over all other buddhas, like a fragrant, healing white lotus among a bed of ordinary flowers.

i.­2

Most of the sūtra’s narrative, recounted by the Buddha on Vulture Peak Mountain, takes place in the distant past and concerns the cakravartin king Araṇemin, his thousand sons, his chief court priest Samudrareṇu, and Samudrareṇu’s followers and eighty-one sons, one of whom has sought enlightenment and become the Buddha Ratnagarbha. Samudrareṇu encourages people throughout the kingdom to aspire to attain enlightenment too, and eventually brings about the conditions for the king and many members of his court to make their own aspirations in the presence of the Buddha Ratnagarbha. On these occasions the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies the buddhahood of the individuals concerned. He prohesies that King Araṇemin will become the Buddha Amitābha; that 999 of Samudrareṇu’s disciples, together with five of his attendants, will become the 1,004 buddhas of our Fortunate Eon;1 and that Samudrareṇu himself will become the Buddha Śākyamuni. Origin stories for the Buddha Akṣobhya, for the Buddha Amitābha’s accompanying bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta, and for the bodhisattvas Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra are also told.

Bodhisattvas’ Aspirations Determine Their Activity as Buddhas

Evolution, History, and Context

Sources and Comparison

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1: Turning the Wheel of the Dharma

Chapter 2: The Dhāraṇī Entranceway

Chapter 3: Generosity

Chapter 4: The Prophecies to the Bodhisattvas

Chapter 5: The Practice of Generosity

Chapter 6: Conclusion


Text Body

The Translation
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra
The White Lotus of Compassion

1.
Chapter 1

Turning the Wheel of the Dharma

[B1] [F.129.a]


1.­1

Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.


1.­2

Thus did I hear at one time:14 the Bhagavat was residing at Rājagṛha, on Vulture Peak Mountain, accompanied by a great saṅgha of 62,000 bhikṣus who, with the exception of one individual‍—which is to say, Venerable Ānanda‍—were all arhats whose outflows had ceased, who were without kleśas, who were self-controlled, who had liberated minds, who had completely liberated wisdom, who were noble beings,15 who were great elephants, who had done what had to be done, who had accomplished what had to be accomplished, who had put down their burden, who had reached their goals, who had ended the fetters to existence, who had liberated their minds through true knowledge, and who had attained all the perfect, highest, most complete powers of the mind.16


2.
Chapter 2

The Dhāraṇī Entranceway

2.­1

Then the bodhisattva Ratnavairocana asked the Bhagavat, “Bhadanta Bhagavat, how does one distinguish day and night in the Padmā realm? What kinds of sounds are heard there? What kind of mental states do the bodhisattvas there have? What kind of dwelling do they dwell in?”

2.­2

“Noble son,” answered the Bhagavat, “the Padmā realm is continuously illuminated by the Buddha’s light. The time there that is known as night is when the flowers close, the songs of the birds diminish, and the Bhagavat and the bodhisattvas enjoy meditation and experience liberation’s joy and bliss. The time that is known as day is when the flowers are opened by a breeze, the birds sing beautifully, a rain of flowers falls, and supremely fragrant, pleasant, gentle breezes, the touch of which is delightful, blow in the four directions. The Bhagavat arises from his samādhi, the bodhisattvas [F.133.b] arise from their samādhis,33 and the Bhagavat Padmottara teaches the bodhisattva mahāsattvas the bodhisattva piṭaka, which transcends completely what is spoken of to śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.


3.
Chapter 3

Generosity

3.­1

When the Bhagavat had concluded his miraculous manifestation, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Śāntimati asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, by what cause and circumstances are the pure buddha realms of other buddhas unpolluted, free from the five degeneracies, and have the array of the various qualities of a buddha realm? All the bodhisattva mahāsattvas there have a perfection of the various kinds of good qualities and possess the various kinds of happiness. Even the words śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha are unknown there, let alone the word rebirth.

3.­2

“Bhadanta Bhagavat, by what cause and circumstances has the Bhagavat appeared in a buddha realm that is inferior and troubled?83 Why did you attain the complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood and introduce the three yānas, teaching the Dharma to the fourfold assembly, during the degeneration of lifespan, degeneration of time, degeneration of beings, degeneration of view, and degeneration through the kleśas? [F.148.a] Why did the Bhagavat not obtain a pure buddha realm free from the five degeneracies?”

3.­3

“Noble son,” answered the Bhagavat, “it is through the power of prayer that bodhisattvas obtain pure buddha realms and through the power of prayer that they obtain impure buddha realms. Noble son, bodhisattva mahāsattvas obtain impure buddha realms because of their great compassion. Why is that? I have now been born into this inferior buddha realm84 because of the prayer that I made. Listen well and correctly, and remember, for I am going to explain it to you.”

3.­4

“I will do so, Bhagavat,” said the bodhisattva Śāntimati.


3.­5

The Bhagavat then spoke these words: “Noble son, in the past, countless eons ago, as many as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, in this buddha realm there was a great eon called Dhāraṇa. During that great eon, within this buddha realm of four continents there was a king named Araṇemin who was a cakravartin sovereign over four continents.

3.­6

“Araṇemin’s court priest was a brahmin named Samudrareṇu. To him was born a son who possessed the thirty-two signs of a great being, was beautified by the eighty excellent features of a great being, had the signs of a hundred merits, and had an aura that was a fathom85 wide and round like a banyan tree. One never tired of gazing upon him.

3.­7

“As soon as he was born, a hundred thousand devas made offerings to him, and then he was given the name Samudragarbha. At a certain time, he renounced worldly life, shaved off his hair and mustache, and donned saffron robes. He attained the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood. [F.148.b] He became the tathāgata named Ratnagarbha. That bhagavat turned the wheel of the Dharma and led many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of beings to the results of rebirth in higher realms and liberation.

3.­8

“At one time, with many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of śrāvakas accompanying and attending him, he went to villages, cities, towns, districts, countries, and kings’ palaces. Going from one town to another, he eventually came to the city where the cakravartin king lived. There the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha sat together with many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of śrāvakas outside the city in a nearby park called Jambūvana.

3.­9

“King Araṇemin heard that the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha had come to his land and was residing in Jambūvana Park together with many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of śrāvakas and thought, ‘I will go there now, and when I have arrived there, I will pay my respects to the Tathāgata, venerate him, and honor him.’

3.­10

“Then King Araṇemin, with a king’s great wealth and with a king’s great power,86 accompanied and attended by many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of individuals, left the city and went toward Jambūvana Park. He traveled by carriage for as far as there was ground for a carriage to travel on, and then he continued on foot and entered the parkland.

3.­11

“He went toward the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha, bowed his head to the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha’s feet, circumambulated him three times, and then sat to one side. [F.149.a] When he was seated to one side, the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha taught King Araṇemin by speaking about the Dharma, which inspired him, encouraged him, and delighted him. After he taught him the Dharma in many ways and inspired him, encouraged him, and delighted him, he became silent. [B3]

3.­12

“Then King Araṇemin rose from his seat, bared one shoulder, bowed with palms together toward the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha, and touched his feet.87 He then said these words to the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha: ‘May the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus give their permission that for three months I may provide the Bhagavat and his bhikṣus with robes, food,88 beds, seats, medicine, and necessities.’

3.­13

“Noble son, the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha gave his permission to King Araṇemin by remaining silent. King Araṇemin understood from the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha’s silence that he had given his permission, bowed his head to the Bhagavat’s feet, circumambulated him three times, and then departed from the Bhagavat’s presence. Then King Araṇemin summoned the local kings, ministers, high officials, lesser ministers,89 and representatives of the city dwellers, countryside dwellers, and hired laborers. He said to them, ‘Leaders of men, know this! [F.149.b] For the next three months I will provide all necessities for the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha and his saṅgha of bhikṣus. I will respectfully offer to the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus all my pleasures and enjoyments, honors, amusements, and queens. You too should respectfully offer to the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus all your own individual pleasures and enjoyments, honors, amusements, and wives.’

3.­14

“They made offerings in that way. Also, the precious householder90 created a parkland entirely of Jambu River gold. In that parkland, he created for the Tathāgata a kūṭāgāra made from the seven jewels. He also had an enclosing wall91 made of the seven jewels built in the four directions. He also adorned the entire parkland with trees made of the seven jewels. Those trees were ornamented with cloth of various kinds, a variety of calico cloth, a variety of parasols, a variety of strings of pearls, ornaments of various kinds, a variety of adornments of jewels, and various incenses. Those trees were also adorned with flowers and fruits made of every kind of jewel.

3.­15

“That entire parkland was adorned with jewels of many kinds. Seats of calico, linen, and various kinds of cloth were arranged and scattered with a variety of flowers. A precious wheel, the height of a man, shone outside the kūṭāgāra, in front of the Tathāgata. Also, a completely white, precious seven-limbed92 elephant stood near the Bhagavat, holding a precious tree above him. [F.150.a] That tree was adorned with the seven jewels, various strings of pearls, various ornaments, and various garlands of flowers, and was hung with various silks and various lengths of calico.

3.­16

“King Araṇemin’s principal queen93 stood before the Bhagavat, sprinkling the Bhagavat with gośīrṣa and uragasāra sandalwood powder. King Araṇemin himself placed a shining, precious jewel before the Bhagavat. Then the radiance of that precious jewel continuously and constantly filled the entire parkland94 with a vast radiance. The Buddha’s light itself constantly illuminated all the worlds of this billion-world universe. A footstool of gośīrṣa sandalwood was provided for each śrāvaka. Behind each śrāvaka there was a white king of elephants, as previously described. There were also precious wheels, the height of a man, placed in the same way that one had been placed for the Bhagavat.95 A woman adorned with every kind of jewelry stood in front of each śrāvaka sprinkling gośīrṣa and uragasāra96 sandalwood powders, and in front of each śrāvaka a beryl jewel was placed.

3.­17

“Various kinds of music resounded everywhere within the parkland’s walls. The precious minister and fourfold army97 were stationed outside all around the walls of the parkland.

3.­18

“Noble son, King Araṇemin came from the city every day to see the Bhagavat and to honor the Bhagavat. He traveled by carriage for as far as there was ground for a carriage to travel on, [F.150.b] and then he got down and, continuing on foot, entered the park. After he had entered, he approached the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha. When he reached the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha, he bowed his head to his feet, circumambulated him three times, and then personally offered water for the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha to rinse his hands. He personally prepared with his own hands numerous offerings of food to the Tathāgata. When he had prepared this food with his own hands, had satisfied the Bhagavat, and had seen that the bhagavat had eaten,98 put down his bowl, and washed his hands, then King Araṇemin himself held a fan and fanned the Bhagavat.

3.­19

“A thousand princes and a thousand minor kings also carried out that service for each śrāvaka, and then, holding fans, they fanned the śrāvakas. As soon as the meal ended, many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of beings entered the park in order to listen to the Dharma. Many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of devas sent down a rain of flowers from the middle of the sky, played divine music, and presented divine parasols, cloth, and adornments.

3.­20

“Four million99 yakṣas in blue clothing brought staffs of gośīrṣa sandalwood from a sandalwood forest and stood guard in order to protect the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus.

3.­21

“At night, King Araṇemin himself lit many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of lamps before the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus.

3.­22

“Then, noble son, King Araṇemin stood before the Bhagavat with a lamp placed upon his head, a lamp on each shoulder, one in each hand, and one on each foot. Throughout the night these lamps burned before the Bhagavat. [F.151.a] Through the power of the Bhagavat the king experienced no physical fatigue but felt physical bliss, just as when a bhikṣu in the meditation of the third dhyāna has no physical or mental fatigue. He honored the Bhagavat in that way for three months.

3.­23

“During those three months, the thousand princes, the 84,000 minor kings, and a hundred thousand million trillion beings honored each śrāvaka in the same way that the king did.

3.­24

“During those three months, the principal queen, Glorious Goddess,100 honored the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha with incense and flowers in the same way that King Araṇemin had honored him. Also in the same way, during those three months, many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of maidens honored each śrāvaka with flowers and incense.101

3.­25

“Then, noble son, after the three months had passed, King Araṇemin offered 84,000 adornments made from Jambu River gold to the Bhagavat. He also offered 84,000 wheels of gold, beginning with the precious wheel, to the Bhagavat. He offered 84,000 white elephants, beginning with the precious elephant, to the Bhagavat. He offered 84,000 horses, beginning with the precious horse, to the Bhagavat. He offered 84,000 jewels, beginning with the precious jewel, to the Bhagavat. In order to honor the Bhagavat he also offered to him 84,000 princes, beginning with the precious householder. In order to honor the Bhagavat he also offered to him 84,000 minor102 kings, beginning with the precious minister. In order to provide for the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus, he offered to them 84,000 towns, beginning with the town of the queen’s retinue.103 [F.151.b] He offered to the Bhagavat 84,000 precious wish-fulfilling trees, 84,000 heaps of precious flowers, 84,000 parasols made of the seven jewels, 84,000 rolls of cloth and adornments worthy for a king, and 84,000 strings of jewels; he offered ornaments for seats, the head, the eyes, and the ears; and gold chains, strings of pearls, unguents,104 bedclothes, footstools, vessels, bherī drums,105 musical instruments, conches, bells, victory banners, consecration vases, and lamps. He also made an offering to the Bhagavat of various birds made of precious materials, various animals made of precious materials, and 84,000 fans. He also offered to the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha 84,000 medicinal elixirs.

3.­26

“Then he said these words: ‘Bhagavat, I am one who has many duties and many tasks. Forgive me, Bhagavat. May you remain in our park. May the Bhagavat always be pleased in this park. May we again come here to look at the Bhagavat, bow down to him, and honor him.’

3.­27

“King Araṇemin’s thousand sons also touched the Bhagavat’s feet and each of them made this supplication to the Bhagavat: ‘We ask for the Bhagavat to give his permission that each of us for three months may honor with all things the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus.’

3.­28

“The Bhagavat gave the princes his permission by remaining silent. King Araṇemin understood that he had given his permission, and he bowed his head to the feet of the Bhagavat and to the saṅgha of bhikṣus. [F.152.a] He circumambulated them three times and then left the presence of the Bhagavat.

3.­29

“Then the crown prince Animiṣa honored the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus for three months in the same way that King Araṇemin had done. Thus, day after day, the thousand princes headed by Animiṣa came to see the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus and to listen to the Dharma.106

3.­30

“Then, noble son, the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha’s father, the brahmin named Samudrareṇu, wandered throughout all of Jambudvīpa and begged for alms from men, women, boys, and girls. When he had received these alms, all those people living in Jambudvīpa were established in the Three Refuges and afterward developed the motivation to attain the highest, most complete enlightenment. Because of the brahmin Samudrareṇu wandering in this way, there was no human being in Jambudvīpa who had not become a follower of the brahmin Samudrareṇu, who had not been led to the Three Refuges, who had not developed the motivation to attain the highest, most complete enlightenment, and who had not been established in and made to truly believe in the highest wisdom. Many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of beings were led to the Three Refuges, and in this way were made to believe in‍—and were guided to, brought to, and led to‍—the highest, most complete enlightenment.

3.­31

“The crown prince Animiṣa honored the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus for three months just as King Araṇemin had done. [F.152.b] For three months he offered the Bhagavat 84,000 precious wheels, all with gold spokes.107 He offered him‍—with the exception of the precious elephant, horse, jewel, wife, householder, and minister‍—84,000 elephants and 84,000 horses, and similarly 84,000 sunstone gems, boys, girls, wish-fulfilling trees, heaps of flowers, parasols, articles of clothing, flower garlands, adornments, precious thrones, ornaments for the head, ornaments for the eyes, earrings, chains of gold, pearl necklaces, unguents,108 bedclothes, seats, footstools, vessels, bherī drums, musical instruments, conches, paṭaha drums,109 victory banners, ornate vases, gardens, lamps, various birds made of precious materials, various deer made of precious materials, medicinal elixirs, and so on. He also offered the same to the saṅgha of bhikṣus.

3.­32

“Then the crown prince Animiṣa took his leave from the Bhagavat and the saṅgha of bhikṣus. Thus, the crown prince Animiṣa honored the Bhagavat and the saṅgha of bhikṣus just as King Araṇemin had honored them, and his offerings were no less than the king’s.

3.­33

“In the same way, the prince Indragaṇa also gave all his wealth and honored the Bhagavat and the saṅgha of bhikṣus for three months. Also in the same way, the princes Anaṅgaṇa, Abhaya, Ambara, Aśaja,110 Middha,111 Miṣa, Mārdava, Paṅgagaṇa, Mādhvava, Mānava, Great Principal, Mājava, Arava, Ājñava, Mukhava, Arthabahu, Alindra, Nerava, [F.153.a] Reṇaja, Candranemin, Sūryanemin, Indranemin, Vajranemin, Kṣāntinemin, Sthānanemin, Javanemin, Raṇemin, Rāhu, Rāhubala, Rāhucitra, Dāmacitra, Rājadhāna, Rāgabhrama, Rāndhava, Rakṣaka, Kāya, Śayama, Yatrava, Syajala, Yārmatha,112 Yadhvaja, Yamāna, Yasyana,113 Namajyoti, and Asaṅga did the same. Each of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin for three months honored the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha and his countless saṅgha of bhikṣus with offerings of food, beds, seats, medicines, and necessities. When they honored him, as the crown prince had done, they each made a vast offering of 84,000 golden wheels, and so on, up to and including 84,000 medicinal elixirs, to the Bhagavat and the saṅgha of bhikṣus. Having performed that great act of generosity,114 some of them prayed to become Śakra, some to become Brahmā, some to become a cakravartin, some to have great wealth, and some to be in the Śrāvakayāna.115 They then prayed for two hundred and fifty years and took their leave from the Bhagavat and the saṅgha of bhikṣus.

3.­34

“At that time, the chief court priest Samudrareṇu arrived, and he saw the princes honoring the Bhagavat.116 Having seen that, he requested to provide the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha117 and his saṅgha with all their robes, food, beds, seats, medicines, and necessities for seven years. [F.153.b] The Bhagavat gave his consent to his father, the chief court priest, by remaining silent. Then the brahmin Samudrareṇu honored the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha and his saṅgha of bhikṣus with every perfect service,118 just as King Araṇemin had done.

3.­35

“Then, noble son, at another time, this thought arose in the mind of brahmin Samudrareṇu: ‘I have caused many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of beings to become fixed upon the highest, most complete enlightenment, but I do not know what kind of prayer King Araṇemin made. Did he wish for a divine kingdom or a human kingdom,119 for the way of the śrāvaka or the way of the pratyekabuddha, or for the highest, most complete enlightenment? If I am to be a samyaksam­buddha with the highest, most complete enlightenment, so that I may bring across beings who have not crossed over; liberate beings who have not been liberated from birth, old age, sickness, death, misery, lamenting, suffering, unhappiness, and troubles; and bring to nirvāṇa those who have not reached nirvāṇa, then may a deva, a nāga, a yakṣa, a buddha, a śrāvaka, or a brahmin tell me in a dream whether the king wished for the splendor of the devas, the splendor of humans, the state of a śrāvaka, the level of a pratyekabuddha, or the highest, most complete enlightenment.’

3.­36

“Then, noble son, the brahmin Samudrareṇu, the chief court priest, saw a vision in a dream. In the vision he saw in the ten directions the bhagavat buddhas in buddha realms as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges River. [F.154.a] Those bhagavat buddhas gave the brahmin lotuses with gold petals, silver stems, beryl pericarps, and emerald anthers. Upon those lotuses were sun disks. Upon those sun disks stood parasols made of the seven jewels. Each sun disk emitted 600,000,000 light rays. All those light rays entered the brahmin’s mouth. He saw his own body become a thousand yojanas high, and completely clear like a completely clear mirror. He saw that within his body there were hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of bodhisattvas sitting cross-legged in meditation. He saw those suns arranged as a garland upon his head. He saw that the parasols reached as high in the sky as the realm of Brahmā. He saw a variety of lotuses all around him. He heard divine music, which transcended human music, emanating from those lotuses.

3.­37

“He then saw King Araṇemin running. His body was red120 with blood, he had a boar’s face, and he was devouring many creatures. When he had finished eating them, he sat at the foot of a castor-oil tree. Then various animals gathered and ate the king until there was nothing left but scattered bones.

3.­38

“Again and again, he appeared with a boar’s face and a body red with blood. He devoured many creatures, sat at the foot of a castor-oil tree,121 and was eaten by various animals until there was nothing left but scattered bones.

3.­39

“He also saw the princes, some with boar faces, some with elephant faces, some with buffalo faces, some with lion faces, [F.154.b] some with jackal faces, some with fox faces, some with dog faces, and some with monkey faces. Their bodies soaked with blood, they ate many animals, sat at the foot of a castor-oil tree, and were then eaten by many animals until there was nothing left but scattered bones.

3.­40

“He saw them again and again, eating animals in those bodies. He saw other princes, adorned with jasmine flowers, riding in buffalo-drawn carts, heading south on a bad road. Śakra, Brahmā, and the guardians of the world also came there and said to the brahmin, ‘O brahmin, you should first offer one of these lotuses that are around you to the king and then give one to each of the princes, then to the minor kings, and then to the rest to the people.’

3.­41

“Hearing this, the brahmin said, ‘I will do as the devas command.’ As the brahmin was distributing the lotuses, he woke up. Remembering the dream, he rose from his bed and thought, ‘The cakravartin and the princes made inferior prayers. They are attracted to the pleasures of saṃsāra. They have inferior aspirations. Those princes I saw in my dream who were adorned with jasmine flowers, riding in buffalo carts, and going down a bad road facing south are those who aspire to the Śrāvakayāna. I had a great vision. I saw the bhagavat buddhas in the ten directions.122 That is a sign of my having caused all the hundred thousand million trillion beings who live in Jambudvīpa to acquire, enter into, and remain in the three activities that create merit.123 [F.155.a] The bhagavat buddhas in the other buddha realms in the ten directions bestowed lotuses upon me. That is a sign that I have wandered throughout Jambudvīpa and caused countless beings to acquire, train in, and enter the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment. And it is a sign that for seven years I provided the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha and his saṅgha of bhikṣus with all necessities. The bhagavat buddhas bestowed parasols upon me. That is a sign that I made a prayer for the highest, most complete enlightenment. I also dreamt that I saw suns upon the lotuses; I saw their light rays enter my mouth. I saw my body become vast; I saw a garland of suns; I saw hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions124 of bodhisattvas sitting cross-legged and meditating inside me. I saw Śakra, Brahmā, and the guardians of the world, who instructed me to distribute the lotuses, and I dreamt that I distributed the lotuses. I will describe this dream to the Bhagavat Buddha and ask the Tathāgata what the causes and circumstances for my dream were.’

3.­42

“Then, when that night was over, the brahmin Samudrareṇu prepared food and went early125 to where the Bhagavat was. He personally washed the hands of the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus. After he had washed their hands, with his own hands he served and satisfied the Bhagavat with much food and drink. [F.155.b] After he had served and satisfied him, he served and satisfied the saṅgha of bhikṣus many times. After he had repeatedly served and satisfied them, seeing that the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus had eaten, washed their hands, and put down their alms bowls, he sat on a low seat before the Bhagavat in order to hear the Dharma.

3.­43

“Then King Araṇemin, accompanied by his thousand sons and many thousands of beings, came into the presence of the Bhagavat. He traveled by carriage as far as there was ground for a carriage to travel on, continued on foot, and entered the parkland. After entering the park, he approached the Bhagavat, bowed his head to the feet of the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus, and then sat before the Bhagavat to hear the Dharma.

3.­44

“Then the brahmin Samudrareṇu described his dreams to the Bhagavat. The Bhagavat said, ‘You had a great vision in which you saw bhagavat buddhas in buddha realms as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges River, who gave you lotuses. You saw brightly shining suns on those lotuses and saw their light rays entering your mouth. Brahmin, for two hundred and fifty years you wandered through Jambudvīpa. During that wandering you caused innumerable beings to acquire and remain in the three activities that create merit, and you caused them to acquire, enter into, and remain in the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment and to commence upon this Mahāyāna. That is why the bhagavat buddhas who reside, live, and remain, teaching the Dharma in realms in the ten directions as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges River, [F.156.a] gave you lotuses with gold petals, silver stems, beryl pericarps, and emerald anthers, with suns upon those lotuses. They were prophesying to you, brahmin, your highest, most complete enlightenment. That dream was its omen. Brahmin, in your dream you saw the bhagavat buddhas who reside, live, and remain, teaching the Dharma in realms in the ten directions as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges River, give you parasols made of the seven jewels, and those parasols reached as high into the sky as the Brahmā realm.

3.­45

“ ‘Brahmin, that dream was an omen that on the night when you attain complete enlightenment and become a buddha, a verse praising your fame126 will be chanted in realms in the ten directions that are as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges River, and the crown of your head will rise as far as the realm of Brahmā so that no one will be able to see it.127

3.­46

“ ‘Brahmin, you saw a garland of sun disks bound around your head. That dream was an omen that the countless beings you have caused to aspire to the highest, most complete enlightenment will, brahmin, attain complete enlightenment and become buddhas in worlds in the ten directions as numerous as the particles in a buddha realm. [F.156.b] Those buddhas whom you caused to aspire to the highest, most complete enlightenment will praise you again and again, saying, “That tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha was the one who first caused us to aspire to the attainment of the highest, most complete enlightenment, which is why we have now attained the highest, most complete enlightenment and become buddhas. He is our kalyāṇamitra.” They will praise you, and those bhagavat buddhas will send bodhisattvas to make offerings to you. Those bodhisattva mahāsattvas will make offerings to you through the various miraculous powers of a bodhisattva. They will then listen to the Dharma from you. They will attain various kinds of samādhi, dhāraṇī, and acceptance. Then those bodhisattva mahāsattvas will return to their own buddha realms, where they will constantly chant your praises.

3.­47

“ ‘Brahmin, in your dream you saw hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of128 bodhisattvas inside your body, sitting cross-legged on lotuses and meditating in dhyāna. Brahmin, that dream was an omen that you will cause many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions129 of beings to aspire to attain the highest, most complete enlightenment and will establish them in irreversible progress toward the highest, most complete enlightenment. Brahmin, after you have passed into parinirvāṇa, when eons as numerous as the particles in a buddha realm have passed, they will become bhagavat buddhas with Dharma kingdoms in other buddha realms in the ten directions. [F.157.a] They will say, “Countless eons ago, there was a tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha of such a name, and that tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha caused us to believe in, guided us to, led us to the highest, most complete enlightenment, and brought us to a state of irreversibility. Because of that we have now attained the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood.”

3.­48

“ ‘Brahmin, in your dream you saw someone with a blood-soaked body and a boar’s face, and so on, up to and including someone with a dog’s face, devouring many different kinds of animals. Then they sat at the foot of a vile castor-oil tree and were eaten by many animals until there was nothing left but scattered bones. Then they again appeared with blood-soaked bodies, and so on, up to and including someone with a dog’s face, devouring many different kinds of animals. Then they sat at the foot of a vile castor-oil tree and were eaten by many animals.

3.­49

“ ‘Brahmin, this is an omen that the many deluded beings whom you have caused to adopt, and continue in, the three activities that create merit‍—generosity, self-control, and restraint‍—crave that which will result in the suffering of dying and leaving the paradises. They crave that which will result in the human suffering of aging, sickness, death, encountering what they do not want, and being separated from what they want. They crave that which will result in the suffering of hunger and thirst among the pretas. They crave that which will result in the suffering of dullness, stupidity, being beheaded, and so on among the animals. They crave that which will result in the suffering of being burned, cut, killed, bound, and so on130 in the hells.

3.­50

“ ‘Those whom you have established in the three activities that create merit crave to be deva kings among devas, and rulers of a continent among humans. [F.157.b] All beings will subsist on them; they will be the source of food and subsistence for all beings. Those deluded individuals will experience those sufferings for a long time in saṃsāra.

3.­51

“ ‘Brahmin, you saw in a dream some people with their heads adorned with garlands of flowers riding in a buffalo-drawn carriage taking the wrong road facing south. Brahmin, that was an omen that those beings are individuals who are followers of the Śrāvakayāna.’

3.­52

“Noble son, the brahmin Samudrareṇu then said these words to King Araṇemin: ‘Great king, it is difficult to gain a human birth, it is difficult to obtain the perfect opportunity,131 and the appearance of the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddhas in this world is as rare as a fig-tree flower.132 It is difficult to acquire the aspiration for the virtuous Dharma. It is difficult to have the right prayers. Great king, having a deva kingdom is a cause of suffering. Having a human kingdom that is an entire continent is also a cause of suffering. Having a kingdom that is two continents, three continents, or four continents is also a cause of suffering. Great king, they cause experiences of suffering for a long time in saṃsāra. Great king, divine wealth and human wealth are unstable and unreliable like the force of the wind. Fools, though they can never attain satisfaction from sensory pleasures, which are like the reflection of the moon on water, [F.158.a] are intoxicated by pleasure and crave the splendor of devas and humans. Again and again, these fools experience the suffering of the hells, an animal’s suffering of stupidity, a preta’s suffering of hunger and thirst, a human’s suffering of being separated from loved ones, the suffering of dying and passing away among the devas, the suffering of being within a womb, the suffering of beheading each other, and the suffering of devouring each other. These wandering fools have to experience those kinds of suffering. Why? It is because they have no kalyāṇamitra, they do not make the right prayers, and they do not make the effort to attain that which has not been attained, realize that which has not been realized, and manifest that which has not been made manifest. These stupid fools tire of the aspiration for enlightenment‍—which ends suffering‍—but do not tire of saṃsāra‍—which brings suffering again and again‍—and they have no wish to leave it.

3.­53

“ ‘Great king, consider how saṃsāra is the container of all sufferings. Great king, you have honored the teachings of the Bhagavat, planted good roots, gained faith in the Three Jewels, made offerings to the Bhagavat in order to have great wealth, and maintained correct conduct in order to have rebirth in the higher realms. You have gained great wisdom through listening to the Dharma from the Bhagavat. Now, you should make offerings so as to develop the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment.’ [F.158.b]

3.­54

“The king replied, ‘Enough, brahmin. I do not desire the highest, most complete enlightenment. I am someone who is engaged in saṃsāra, and that is why, great brahmin, I have made offerings, kept correct conduct, and listened to the Dharma. Brahmin, the highest, most complete enlightenment is too difficult to attain.’133

3.­55

“The brahmin Samudrareṇu then addressed the king a second time: ‘Great king, the path to enlightenment is true, and therefore accomplished through sincere prayers of aspiration. The path is complete and extremely clear because it has no obscurations. The path is perfectly pure and honest because of higher motivation. The path is unshakable and pure because the kleśas are cleared away. The path is vast because of the absence of obscurations. The path is concentrated because of contemplation. The path is without fear because there are no bad actions on it. The path is very prosperous134 because of the perfection of generosity. The path is calm135 because of the perfection of discipline. The path is self-reliant because of the perfection of patience. The path has a foundation of determination because of the perfection of diligence. The path is unpolluted because of the perfection of meditation. The path is perfectly known because of the perfection of wisdom. The path is perfectly lucid because of great kindness.136 The path has the realization of the knowledge of natures because of great compassion. The path is perpetually blissful137 because of great rejoicing in the welfare of others. The path is in harmony with the true nature138 because of great139 impartiality. The path is free of thorns because there are no thoughts of desire, maliciousness, or aggression. The path is easy to follow because there is no mind of anger. The path is devoid of deception because of the cognizance of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch. The path defeats māras and opponents because of clearly perceiving the aggregates, the elements, and the sensory bases. [F.159.a] The path is free from māras because it is free from all kleśas. The path is a vast mind because it is free from the thoughts of a śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha. The path has fortitude because of blessings from all the tathāgatas. The path is the accomplishment of the great jewel because it is in accord with the jewel of omniscience. The path is always revealed because the wisdom of the Bhagavat is without impediment. The path is the teaching and practice of wholesome roots because of being in the care of a kalyāṇamitra.140 The path has no high or low because it has eliminated attachment and aversion. The path has conquered passion141 because there is no malice, harshness, or anger. The path leads142 to happy existences because it is free from all nonvirtues. Great king, this path to enlightenment is the attainment of happiness because it concludes in nirvāṇa. Therefore, great king, develop the aspiration for enlightenment.’

3.­56

“The king said, ‘Brahmin, this tathāgata appeared in a world where beings live for 80,000 years. The Tathāgata is not able to put an end to all misfortunes. The beings who plant good roots will experience their result. There are beings143 who have accomplished samādhi, dhāraṇī, and acceptance, who have excellent good roots, and who will not regress from enlightenment. There are those who have planted good roots and experience the splendor of devas and humans. Each being wanders according to his or her good or bad karma. Therefore, what is a being who is trained by the Bhagavat if in this way he does not end the suffering of even one being? The body144 of the Bhagavat is simply just a field, [F.159.b] and he cannot free from suffering those beings who have not planted good roots.

3.­57

“ ‘In developing the aspiration for enlightenment and practicing bodhisattva conduct, I will train beings and accomplish the deeds of a buddha through accumulating great wisdom and entering inconceivably vast numbers of Dharma entranceways. However, my aspiration for enlightenment will not be dedicated solely to an afflicted buddha realm like this. I will only develop the aspiration for enlightenment and practice bodhisattva conduct if the buddha realm that I obtain, where I reach the highest, most complete enlightenment, will be a buddha realm in which I can end all the sufferings of the beings who are born there.’

3.­58

“Then, noble son, the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha manifested a miracle. At that time, he rested in the samādhi that is called a mirror’s array. When in that way the Bhagavat Buddha rested in the mirror’s array samādhi, light shone from his body. That light illuminated realms in the ten directions that were as numerous as the particles in a thousand buddha realms. In some of those realms, the bhagavat buddhas had passed into parinirvāṇa; in some they were preparing to pass into parinirvāṇa; in some they were bodhisattva mahāsattvas sitting at the foot of the Bodhi tree; in some they were defeating the māras; in some they were turning the wheel of the Dharma soon after attaining complete buddhahood; in some they were teaching the Dharma soon after turning the wheel of the Dharma; some buddha realms were filled with buddhas and bodhisattvas; [F.160.a] in some, there were no śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas; in some, there were śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; some buddha realms were devoid of buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas; some buddha realms were afflicted with the five degeneracies; some were pure buddha realms free of the five degeneracies; in some there were supreme beings; in some there were inferior beings; in some the beings had long lives; in some they had short lives; some buddha realms were being destroyed by fire, some by water, and some by air; some were being created; and some had been created and were present. All these were made visible by the vast, pervading light.

3.­59

“When the entire assembly had seen the qualities of the buddha realms, the brahmin Samudrareṇu said to the king, ‘Great king, look at the qualities arrayed in the buddha realms! Great king, develop the motivation to attain the highest, most complete enlightenment! Great king, choose the kind of buddha realm you wish to have!’

3.­60

“King Araṇemin placed his palms together, bowed toward the Bhagavat, and spoke to the Bhagavat, making a long supplication that began, ‘Bhagavat, through what karma do bodhisattva mahāsattvas acquire a pure buddha realm?’145 and ended with, ‘What causes beings to have pure thoughts, and what will cause beings to have a long life?’146

3.­61

“The Bhagavat said, ‘Great king, it is through the power of prayer that bodhisattva mahāsattvas acquire a pure buddha realm, free from the five degeneracies, and it is through prayer that they acquire an impure buddha realm.’ [F.160.b]

3.­62

“The king said, ‘Bhadanta Bhagavat, I shall return to the city and will single-mindedly think about the prayer. I will pray for a buddha realm that is free of the five degeneracies; I will direct those of good conduct there.’

3.­63

“ ‘Do as you deem fit, great king,’ replied the Bhagavat.

3.­64

“Noble son, King Araṇemin then bowed his head to the feet of the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus and circumambulated them three times. He then departed from the presence of the Bhagavat, entered the city, and went into his home, where single-mindedly he sat in seclusion and contemplated the array of qualities of a buddha realm. [B4]

3.­65

“Then the brahmin Samudrareṇu said to the crown prince Animiṣa, ‘Develop the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment, practice good actions through the three ways of creating merit, and dedicate all the merit you achieve to the highest, most complete enlightenment.’

3.­66

“The crown prince Animiṣa said, ‘Upādhyāya, I will also go to my home and alone in solitude will contemplate the array of qualities of a buddha realm. If I develop the aspiration for enlightenment, I will come again to the Bhagavat and make a dedication of the motivation to enlightenment.’

3.­67

“Then the crown prince also bowed his head to the feet of the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus and circumambulated them three times. He departed from the presence of the Bhagavat and entered the city and went into his home, where he stayed alone in solitude and contemplated the array of qualities in a buddha realm.

3.­68

“Then, noble son, the court priest, the brahmin Samudrareṇu, called the second prince and said to him, ‘Prince, you should develop the aspiration for enlightenment,’ [F.161.a] and so on, continuing until all the thousand princes had been inspired to aspire to enlightenment.

3.­69

“He also caused the 84,000 minor kings and 900,000,000 other beings to aspire to enlightenment. They all said, ‘We will each go to our own home and remain there alone in solitude, contemplating the array of qualities of a buddha realm.’

3.­70

“After they had said that, they all returned to their own homes where they remained alone in solitude for seven years, contemplating their prayers for an array of qualities of a buddha realm.

3.­71

“Then, noble son, at another time, the thought arose in the mind of the brahmin Samudrareṇu, ‘I have caused many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of beings to aspire to the highest, most complete enlightenment and for seven years I have made offerings147 of service148 to the Bhagavat Buddha and his innumerable saṅgha of bhikṣus. If my wish for the highest, most complete enlightenment is fulfilled and if this prayer is accomplished, then may I cause devas, asuras, gandharvas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, and kumbhāṇḍas to partake in this great offering.’

3.­72

“Then, noble son, the court priest, the brahmin Samudrareṇu, wished to see the mahārāja Vaiśravaṇa. And then the mahārāja Vaiśravaṇa came, encircled by many hundreds of thousands of yakṣas in attendance, to where the brahmin Samudrareṇu was. Vaiśravaṇa approached and asked him, ‘Brahmin, what is it you wish from me?’

3.­73

“The brahmin asked, ‘Who are you?’

3.­74

“Vaiśravaṇa said, ‘Great brahmin, you have heard of Vaiśravaṇa, [F.161.b] the lord of the yakṣas. I am he. Therefore, brahmin, what is your command? What do you wish me to do?’

3.­75

“The brahmin said, ‘Listen, lord of yakṣas, you too should be eager to take part in these vast offerings.’149

3.­76

“ ‘Brahmin, it shall be as you wish,’ he replied.

3.­77

“The brahmin said, ‘Mahārāja, you should use these words of mine to make the yakṣas aspire to the highest, most complete enlightenment,’ and he instructed him to say, ‘If you yakṣas wish for the highest, most complete enlightenment, you should go to the other side of the ocean and bring gośīrṣa sandalwood and uragasāra sandalwood, and some of you should bring incense for the Bhagavat, and some various kinds of flowers. Then I will offer them to the Bhagavat each day.’

3.­78

“ ‘Brahmin, it will be so,’ Vaiśravaṇa replied150 to the brahmin and vanished from that place.

3.­79

“Then the mahārāja Vaiśravaṇa beat a big drum summoning the yakṣas and rākṣasas, and he said to them, ‘Friends, know that in this Jambudvīpa, the brahmin named Samudrareṇu, the chief court priest of King Araṇemin, is for seven years serving with all offerings the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha and his saṅgha of bhikṣus. You should rejoice in that root of merit, and with that root of merit you should develop the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment.’

3.­80

“At that time, many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of yakṣas and rākṣasas placed their palms together and said, ‘We rejoice in the accumulation of merit from the continuous merit and continuous good actions through the brahmin Samudrareṇu, for seven years honoring with all requisites the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha and his saṅgha of bhikṣus. [F.162.a] Through that root of merit may we attain complete and perfect enlightenment.’

3.­81

“The mahārāja Vaiśravaṇa said to them, ‘Now listen. Because you wish for good actions and wish for merit, you should fetch gośīrṣa sandalwood and uragasāra sandalwood from the other side of the ocean so that the brahmin Samudrareṇu may provide food for seven years to the Bhagavat and his saṅgha.’

3.­82

“Then 92,000 yakṣas said with one voice, ‘Friends, we shall fetch gośīrṣa sandalwood and uragasāra sandalwood from the other side of the ocean so that the brahmin Samudrareṇu may provide food for seven years to the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus.’

3.­83

“ ‘We shall fetch incense,’ said 46,000 yakṣas. ‘We shall fetch a variety of flowers,’ said 52,000 yakṣas. ‘We shall obtain the power of a variety of life-sustaining herbs for the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus and put that power into whatever food and drink is prepared,’ said 20,000 yakṣas. ‘Friends, we shall prepare the food for the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus,’ said 70,000 yakṣas.

3.­84

“Noble son, the brahmin Samudrareṇu then wished to see the mahārāja Virūḍhaka. Then the mahārāja Virūḍhaka came to where the brahmin Samudrareṇu and so on was, up to and including many hundreds of thousands of kumbhāṇḍas, who developed the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment. In the same way, the mahārājas Virūpākṣa and Dhṛtarāṣṭra and many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of nāgas and gandharvas developed the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment. [F.162.b] Then, through the power of the Buddha, the guardians of a second world of four continents came to the brahmin Samudrareṇu, and the brahmin Samudrareṇu caused them to aspire to the highest, most complete enlightenment. They returned and directed their own retinues to the highest, most complete enlightenment.

3.­85

“This continued until a billion Vaiśravaṇas,151 a billion Virūḍhakas, a billion Virūpākṣas, a billion Dhṛtarāṣṭras, and all their retinues had been directed to the highest, most complete enlightenment. Then, noble son, the brahmin Samudrareṇu thought, ‘If I am to attain the complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, if my wish is to be fulfilled, and if my prayer is to be fulfilled, may the devas who carry out my wishes share in the merit of this great offering.152 May they truly aspire to the highest, most complete enlightenment. If through this merit I am to attain the complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, may Śakra, the lord of the devas, come here to see me today. And may the deva Suyāma, the deva Saṃtuṣita, the deva Sunirmita, and the deva Para­nirmitavaśavartin come here to see me.’

3.­86

“Noble son, as soon as the brahmin Samudrareṇu developed that aspiration, Śakra, lord of devas, and the devas Suyāma, [F.163.a] Saṃtuṣita, Sunirmita, and Para­nirmitavaśavartin came to see the brahmin.

3.­87

“The brahmin asked, ‘Who are you?’

3.­88

“The five kings of the devas each told him his name and his class of deities and asked, ‘O brahmin, what is your command? What preparations should we make for this great offering?’

3.­89

“The brahmin said, ‘For the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus, you should adorn the entire Jambūvana Park with precious, divine kūṭāgāras that are superior to all others, and with precious trees, wish-fulfilling trees, incense trees, flower trees, fruit trees, divine food, divine cloth, divine cushions, divine mats, divine precious bowls, divine ornaments, parasols, victory banners, flags, streamers, and the sound of divine music.’

3.­90

“The five kings of the devas said, ‘Friend, we shall do so,’ and obeying the brahmin, they left and returned to their paradises. They summoned the devas Veṭaka, Āvetuka, Rohiṇa, Korabha, and Nanda,153 and said to them, ‘Friends, go down today to Jambudvīpa and adorn the Jambūvana Park with a variety of special adornments and seats and various mats, just like the deva world is adorned. Friends, build a precious kūṭāgāra there for the Bhagavat. Build a kūṭāgāra with a precious spire just like this palace.’ [F.163.b]

3.­91

“Those five devas obeyed the deva kings and descended to Jambudvīpa. In one night, for the Bhagavat, they completely adorned the entire Jambūvana Park with every kind of adornment, from precious trees to victory banners. They also built a kūṭāgāra with a precious spire for the Bhagavat that was just like the palace of Śakra, lord of devas. When they had completely adorned Jambūvana with every kind of divine adornment, they returned to the presence of the deva kings and said to them, ‘Friends, know this. The entire Jambūvana Park has been completely and perfectly adorned with divine adornments, just as this deva world is excellently adorned. We have built for the Bhagavat a kūṭāgāra made from all precious materials and with a precious spire, just like the palace of Śakra, the lord of the devas. Friends, there is now not even the slightest difference between the deva world and the Jambūvana Park in Jambudvīpa.’

3.­92

“Then the five kings of the devas, Śakra, Suyāma, Saṃtuṣita, Sunirmita, and Para­nirmitavaśavartin, descended to Jambudvīpa, came to the brahmin Samudrareṇu, and said to him, ‘Brahmin, we have adorned Jambūvana for the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus. What else can we do?’

3.­93

“The brahmin Samudrareṇu said to the five deva kings, ‘You five deva kings each rule over a class of devas. Therefore, as you have that power, you deva kings should today gather together your retinues of devas and say to them, “Go to Jambudvīpa in order to see, pay homage to, and honor the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus [F.164.a] and listen to the Dharma from the Bhagavat.” ’

3.­94

“Then the five deva kings each returned to his own particular realm. Śakra, lord of devas, assembled the Trāyastriṃśa devas and said to them, ‘Honorable ones, know this! In Jambudvīpa there is the brahmin Samudrareṇu, the chief court priest of King Araṇemin, who for seven years is honoring and serving with all offerings the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha and his saṅgha of bhikṣus. At the brahmin Samudrareṇu’s instruction, we have adorned the entire parkland for the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus. You, too, should rejoice in that root of merit and develop the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment.’

3.­95

“At that time, many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of Trāyastriṃśa devas placed their palms together and said, ‘Friends, we rejoice in that accumulation of merit, and we dedicate the merit that comes from that rejoicing to the highest, most complete enlightenment.’

3.­96

“The deva Suyāma summoned the Yāma devas to assemble and said the same to them. The devas Saṃtuṣita and Sunirmita also summoned their devas to assemble, and so on, up to and including Para­nirmitavaśavartin summoning the Para­nirmitavaśavartin devas, and many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of devas placed their palms together and said, ‘Honorable ones, we rejoice in that accumulation of merit, and we dedicate it all to the highest, most complete enlightenment. Honorable ones, we will therefore descend to Jambudvīpa and go to see the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus to pay homage to them, honor them, [F.164.b] and listen to the Dharma.’

3.­97

“That night, the five deva kings descended from their realms to Jambudvīpa, accompanied by many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of devas‍—male and female, boys and girls. They bowed their heads to the feet of the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus and listened to the Dharma from the Bhagavat. The devas who were in the middle of the sky released a rain of divine blue lotuses, red lotuses, water lilies, white lotuses, jasmine flowers, gardenias, mountain ebony flowers, magnolias, coral tree flowers, and great coral tree flowers onto the Bhagavat and played divine music.

3.­98

“Noble son, this thought arose in the brahmin Samudrareṇu’s mind: ‘If my aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment is to be completely fulfilled, then may my prayer that even asuras will be made to believe in enlightenment be fulfilled.’

3.­99

“Noble son, as soon as he thought that, the five lords of the asuras came to the brahmin. After they arrived, they were instructed by the brahmin, and many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of asuras‍—male and female, boys and girls‍—developed the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment and came to the Bhagavat to listen to the Dharma.

3.­100

“At that time, the māra named Pūrṇa also came, and many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of male and female and boy and girl māras developed the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment, and came to the Bhagavat to listen to the Dharma.

3.­101

“Noble son, in the same way, the brahmin Samudrareṇu wished that the great Brahmā, who was named Ketapuri, would come. [F.165.a] Then that great Brahmā came and received the brahmin’s instructions. Then many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of devas in the Brahmā realm developed the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment; they descended from the Brahmā realm in order to see the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus and to pay homage to them, honor them, and listen to the Dharma from the Bhagavat.

3.­102

“Noble son, the brahmin Samudrareṇu then wished to see the Śakra, Suyāma, Saṃtuṣita, Sunirmita, and Para­nirmitavaśavartin devas who were in a second four-continent world. Through the power of the Bhagavat those five deva kings came to the brahmin. The brahmin instructed them, they returned to their own deva realms, and they instructed their devas with the brahmin’s words.

3.­103

“As a result, many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of Trāyastriṃśa devas‍—male and female, boys and girls‍—developed the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment. The five deva kings then came with that Śakra to this four-continent world to see the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus, pay homage to them, honor them, and listen to the Dharma from the Bhagavat.

3.­104

“In the same way, the devas Suyāma, Saṃtuṣita, Sunirmita, and Para­nirmitavaśavartin instructed their devas‍—up to and including the Para­nirmitavaśavartin devas‍—and as a result, these devas developed the aspiration for enlightenment. Many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of devas‍—male and female, boys and girls‍—who had developed the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment came to this four-continent world to see the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus, pay homage to them, honor them, and listen to the Dharma from the Bhagavat. [F.165.b]

3.­105

“It was the same with the lords of the asuras, Māra, and Brahmā from the second four-continent world.

3.­106

“It was the same with Śakra, Suyāma, Saṃtuṣita, Sunirmita, Para­nirmitavaśavartin, the lords of the asuras, Māra, and Brahmā from the third four-continent world, from the fourth, and from the fifth. Through the power of the Bhagavat, they came with their followers to this four-continent world to listen to the Dharma.

3.­107

“In the same way, a billion Śakras, a billion Suyāmas, a billion Saṃtuṣitas, a billion Sunirmitas, a billion Para­nirmitavaśavartins, a billion asura lords, a billion Māras, and a billion Brahmās in the billion worlds of this billion-world universe came through the power of the Bhagavat to this four-continent world. Each great Brahmā was accompanied by a following of many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of Brahmā-realm devas and their retinues, who had developed the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment. They came to see the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus, to pay homage to them, honor them, and listen to the Dharma from the Bhagavat. And also it was so for all the other deva lords. At that time, there was nowhere in the billion-world universe where this had not occurred.

3.­108

“Noble son, the brahmin Samudrareṇu then thought, ‘If my aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment is to be fulfilled, then just as the billion Vaiśravaṇas and so on, up to and including the billion great Brahmās, complied with my request, may the Bhagavat also comply with my request. May he perform a great miracle and bring to an end the suffering of all humans, all animals, those in the realm of Yama, [F.166.a] and all hell beings in this billion-world universe. May he bring them bliss, and may he make an emanated buddha appear before each one to make them aspire to the highest, most complete enlightenment.’

3.­109

“Noble son, the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha knew the thought that had arisen in the brahmin Samudrareṇu’s mind. The Bhagavat entered the samādhi called splendor, and countless light rays shone from each of his pores. Those light rays spread throughout the billion-world universe. Some light rays went to the hells, where they became warm breezes that blew on the beings in the cold hells, and cool breezes that blew on the beings in the hot hells. The light rays caused the beings in hell to cease experiencing the suffering of hunger, thirst, and fatigue, and instead to experience bliss.

3.­110

“In front of each being in hell there was an emanated buddha adorned with the thirty-two signs and eighty excellent features of a great being. When those beings in hell experienced bliss they wondered, ‘What has caused our suffering to cease and bliss to arise?’ When they saw the body of the Bhagavat adorned with the thirty-two signs and eighty excellent features of a great being, [F.166.b] they said, ‘It is through the power of this embodiment of great compassion that we have become blissful.’

3.­111

“Glad and joyful, they gazed at the Bhagavat with complete trust. The Bhagavat said to them, ‘Beings, you should recite the words “homage to the Buddha!” and develop the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment. If you do so, you will never experience suffering but will always have this kind of bliss.’

3.­112

“They said, ‘May our good roots from reciting “homage to the Buddha” and developing the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment cause our karmic obscurations to cease!’ Then some of them passed away and had fortunate human rebirths.

3.­113

“The light rays became cold winds that blew on those who were burning in the fires of the hot hells. When the light rays touched those beings,154 they were freed from the sufferings of hunger and thirst. Some of them passed away and were reborn as humans.

3.­114

“The same happened in the animal realm and the same happened for humans. That light then returned to the Bhagavat, circled him three times, and was absorbed into his uṣṇīṣa. The countless devas, humans, yakṣas, rākṣasas, nāgas, and asuras who saw this were established in irreversible progress toward the highest, most complete enlightenment. Countless beings attained samādhi, dhāraṇī, and acceptance. The humans in Jambudvīpa heard that devas had adorned with divine adornments and banners the Jambūvana Park in the king’s palace in the beautiful city in honor of the Bhagavat [F.167.a] and his saṅgha of bhikṣus. They said, ‘We should go there to see it and to see the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha and his saṅgha of bhikṣus. When we are there, we should listen to the Dharma from the Bhagavat.’

3.­115

“At that time, many hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of human men, women, girls, and boys came each day to the delightful city because they desired to see Jambūvana, and to see, pay homage to, and honor the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus, and to hear the Dharma from the Bhagavat.

3.­116

“That parkland had twenty thousand gates made of the seven jewels, and at each of the parkland’s gates five hundred precious seats had been arranged. At each of those places, five hundred brahmin youths were seated, and those young brahmins would tell whoever came to enter that parkland that they should take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha, and they instructed them to focus on and develop the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment.

3.­117

“Those who were dwelling nearby and afar entered the parkland in order to see and pay homage to the Bhagavat, to see the saṅgha of bhikṣus, and to hear the Dharma from the Bhagavat. For seven years, in that way, the brahmin Samudrareṇu, the principal court priest, instructed countless devas to develop the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment, and he trained, guided, and established them in it. He also instructed countless nāgas, asuras, yakṣas, rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍas, gandharvas, pretas, piśācas, hell beings, and animals to develop the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment, and he trained, guided, and established them in it. [F.167.b]

3.­118

“After seven years had passed, the brahmin Samudrareṇu wished to offer, with the exception of the divine precious wheel, 84,000 wheels, and, with the exception of the precious elephant, 84,000 elephants adorned by the seven jewels, and so on, up to and including 84,000 chariots.

3.­119

“King Araṇemin, during those seven years, had no interest in desire, interest in anger, interest in stupidity, interest in kingdoms, interest in wealth, interest in sons, interest in daughters, interest in food, interest in drink, interest in clothes, interest in incense, interest in carriages, interest in sleep, interest in himself, or interest in others. For seven years he did not lie down on his side. He had no conception of night, no conception of day, no conception of form, no conception of sound, no conception of smell, no conception of taste, and no conception of touch. For seven years he had no physical fatigue. He was always and continuously seeing the arrays of buddha-realm qualities in worlds in the ten directions that were as numerous as the particles in a thousand buddha realms. His eyes did not perceive Sumeru. His eyes did not perceive other mountains, the Cakravāḍa and Mahācakravāḍa mountains, the regions between the worlds, the sun and the moon, or the palaces of the devas. As he beheld those completely pure buddha realms, he gazed upon and prayed in his mind for the arrays of qualities of those completely pure buddha realms.

3.­120

“King Araṇemin [F.168.a] remained for seven years in a state of bliss, seeing the array of qualities of the buddha realms, and praying in his mind for the array of qualities of a completely pure buddha realm. In the same way, the crown prince Animiṣa, Nimi,155 Indragaṇa, all the thousand princes, the 84,000 minor kings, and 920,000,000 other beings also stayed in solitary retreat for seven years. They saw in each of the ten directions realms as numerous as the particles in a thousand buddha realms. For seven years they had no attraction to desire or anger, no attraction toward stupidity, and so on, up to and including having no fatigue.

3.­121

“They were constantly, continuously seeing in each of the ten directions the arrays of qualities of buddha realms as numerous as the particles in a thousand buddha realms. Their eyes did not perceive Sumeru. Their eyes did not perceive other mountains and so on, up to and including not perceiving the palaces of the devas. As they beheld those completely pure buddha realms, they thus prayed in their minds for those arrays of qualities of completely pure buddha realms. They all spent seven years delighting in those qualities.

3.­122

“Some contemplated the arrays of qualities of pure buddha realms. Some contemplated the arrays of qualities of impure buddha realms.

3.­123

“When the brahmin Samudrareṇu knew that the seven years had passed and were over, he wished to make an offering of the seven kinds of jewels. Therefore, he placed his palms together, bowed toward the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha, and said to the Bhagavat, ‘Bhadanta Bhagavat, [F.168.b] I have caused King Araṇemin to aspire to the highest, most complete enlightenment. He is in his own home, on retreat, alone in solitude, and no one is allowed to enter. In the same way, I have caused the 84,000 minor kings and 920,000,000 other beings to acquire, enter, and remain in the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment. They went to their own homes where they are on retreat, alone in solitude, and no one is allowed to enter. I request the Bhagavat to have King Araṇemin and all those whom I have caused to aspire to enlightenment to leave their retreats and come here so that they can develop unwavering aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment and receive from the Bhagavat the prophecies of their names, families, and buddha realms.’

3.­124

“Then, noble son, the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha entered the samādhi called accomplishment of intelligence.156 As he rested in that samādhi, blue, yellow, red, white, crimson, crystal, and silver157 light rays came from his mouth. Each light ray manifested [F.169.a] as the deity Brahmā in front of each of those who were on retreat, saying, ‘Friends, get up. The brahmin Samudrareṇu has completed his seven years of offerings. The Bhagavat is going to leave and go elsewhere. Friends, go to see, pay homage to, and serve the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus.’

3.­125

“Exhorted by those light rays, they left their retreats. The light rays also exhorted King Araṇemin, who also left his retreat to see the Bhagavat. As he did so, the devas in the sky played bherī,158 mṛḍaṅga,159 paṭaha,160 and other drums.

3.­126

“In order to see the Bhagavat, and so on, up to and including honoring him, King Araṇemin mounted his carriage and, accompanied and attended by the thousand princes, the 84,000 minor kings, and the 920,000,000 other beings, he began his journey to the Bhagavat. He traveled by carriage for as far as there was ground for a carriage to travel on, and then he descended from the carriage. After descending from the carriage, he entered the park on foot. He bowed his head to the feet of the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus and then sat to one side along with many millions of beings.

3.­127

“Then the brahmin Samudrareṇu said to King Araṇemin, ‘Great king, rejoice that you have served the Bhagavat and his innumerable saṅgha of bhikṣus with every service for three months, and presented them with a variety of valuables and 84,000 cities. [F.169.b] You should dedicate to the highest, most complete enlightenment that entire aggregation of merit accompanied by rejoicing and the aggregation of merit accompanied by relinquishment.’

3.­128

“The brahmin Samudrareṇu made the thousand princes aspire in that way, and the 84,000 minor kings and the 920,000,000 other beings also aspired to and became dedicated to attaining the highest, most complete enlightenment through their accumulation of merit accompanied by rejoicing. The Bhagavat said, ‘You should rejoice in having made this gift, and you should recite the following:161

3.­129
“ ‘I do not wish for Indra’s realm or Brahmā’s world as a result of this generosity,
And certainly not for the splendor of a kingdom, which is as fleeting and inconstant as the wind.162
But by the fruit of this act of generosity of mine, which was made with great devotion,
May I attain unequaled enlightenment, which brings sovereignty over the mind, for the liberation of beings.’ ”
3.­130

That concludes “Generosity,” which is the third chapter of The White Lotus of Compassion.


4.
Chapter 4

The Prophecies to the Bodhisattvas

4.­1

“Then, noble son, the tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha thought, ‘The brahmin Samudrareṇu has made many millions of beings aspire to, be fixed upon, and be dedicated to the highest, most complete enlightenment and has brought them to an irreversible level. I shall give them prophecies, telling them what their buddha realms will be.’

4.­2

“Then the Bhagavat entered the samādhi called never forgetting bodhicitta, and he smiled. That smile illuminated countless buddha realms with a vast radiance. He showed the array of qualities of those buddha realms to King Araṇemin and the many millions of beings. [F.170.a] At that time, the bodhisattva mahāsattvas in countless buddha realms in the ten directions saw that radiance, and through the power of the Buddha, they came to this world in order to see, pay homage to, and honor the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus.


5.
Chapter 5

The Practice of Generosity

5.­1

“Noble son, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Mahākāruṇika bowed down the five points of his body to the feet of the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha. He then sat down in front of the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha [F.261.a] and respectfully addressed this question to the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha: ‘Bhadanta Bhagavat, you have taught the path of bodhisattvas, the Dharma discourse on the entranceway instruction to samādhi and the entranceway to the purity of accumulations. Bhadanta Bhagavat, how much have you taught of the path of bodhisattvas, the Dharma discourse on the entranceway instruction to samādhi and the entranceway to the purity of accumulations? Bhadanta Bhagavat, what is the complete extent of the teaching on samādhi entranceways and the Dharma discourse on pure accumulations? Bhadanta Bhagavat, how should a noble son or noble daughter remain within your teaching? In what way should they be adorned by the teaching on samādhi entranceways?’


6.
Chapter 6

Conclusion

6.­1

“Noble son, I, with my buddha eyes, see in the ten directions as many bhagavat buddhas passing into parinirvāṇa as there are particles in a buddha realm. It was I who first brought them all to the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment and made them enter and remain in it.

6.­2

“Thus, [F.284.a] I see innumerable, uncountable bhagavat buddhas who reside, live, and remain in the eastern direction, teaching the Dharma, having turned the Dharma wheel that possesses the Dharma. It was I who first brought them, too, to the aspiration for the highest, most complete enlightenment and made them enter and remain in it. I was the one who made them first obtain, enter, and remain in the six perfections.


c.

Colophon

c.­1

This was translated and revised by the Indian preceptors Jinamitra, Surendrabodhi, Prajñāvarman, and the chief editor Lotsawa Bendé Yeshé Dé and others.


n.

Notes

n.­1
The origin story in this sūtra for the 1,004 buddhas of our eon is one among several others. The sūtra The Good Eon (Bhadrakalpika, Toh 94) itself contains two origin stories for them (see Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2022, 2.­1 ff, and 2.C.­1019 ff.), The Secrets of the Realized Ones (Tathāgatācintya­guhya­nirdeśa, Toh 47, Degé Kangyur vol. 39, F.117.b–125.b) another, and The Teaching of Vimalakīrti (Vimala­kīrti­nirdeśa, Toh 176) yet another (see Thurman 2017, 12.­6 ff.)
n.­2
See Roberts, Peter Alan. trans., The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, Toh 113 (2018).
n.­3
Consequently, although the notion of multiple buddhas arising over time, as well as over space, is most fully developed in the Mahāyāna tradition, it is also a theme present in the texts of Nikāya Buddhism, including several in the Pali Canon and the Mahāvastu of the Lokottaravāda-Mahāsāṅghika. For a general survey of accounts of multiple buddhas, see The Good Eon i.­10–i.­18. See also Salomon 2018, pp. 265–293.
n.­4
In essence the process begins with a period in which an individual accumulates merit independently, followed by the first vow to attain awakening, made in the presence of a buddha; the subsequent prophecy of awakening, made by the same or another, later buddha; a long period of maturation during which the six (or more) perfections are practiced and the successive bodhisattva levels are traversed; the attainment of a stage of irreversible progress leading to inevitable awakening; being anointed as the next buddha to come by the preceding buddha; taking birth in the Heaven of Joy; and being reborn in the lifetime during which awakening as a tathāgata will occur. The stages of a bodhisattva’s practice are the topic of numerous scriptures, treatises, and commentaries, some in vast detail such as the Buddha­vataṃsaka­sūtra (Toh 44) and the Yogācārabhūmi (Toh 4035–4037). Perhaps the most succinct summary comes in the opening lines of the Mahāvastu, where four stages are described: (1) prakṛticaryā (“natural career”), (2) pranidhāna­caryā (“resolving stage”), (3) anulomacaryā (“conforming stage”), and (4) anivartana­caryā (“preserving career”). See Mahāvastu, vol. I, 1.2; the four stages are explained in more detail in vol. 1, ch. 5 and are a feature of other works including the Bahubuddhaka sūtras of Gandhāra. See also Jaini 2001, p. 453, and Salomon 2018, pp. 276–279.
n.­5
Taishō 158: 大乘悲分陀利經 (Dasheng beifen tuoli jing); Taishō 157: 悲華經 (Bei hua jing). A Chinese bibliography written in 730 by Zhi Seng claims that the sūtra was first translated by Dharmarakṣa (ca. 230–317), and that there was also another lost translation by Dao Gong made between 401 and 412. However, Yamada’s research shows the first attribution to have been a misunderstanding of the earlier Seng Min bibliography, which also records that the Dharmakṣema translation had been mistakenly ascribed to Dao Gong. See Yamada 1967, vol. 1, pp. 15–20.
n.­6
The opening section that features the Buddha Padmottara seems to have only a tenuous connection to the main body of the text. There are also some internal inconsistencies, such as an unexplained name change for King Araṇemin.
n.­7
Yamada 1967, 1:167–71.
n.­8
Denkarma, F.296.b.7. See also Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, p. 44, no. 78.
n.­14
There are two ways to interpret this traditional beginning of a sūtra, with such Indian masters as Kamalaśīla claiming that both are equally correct: the version used in this translation, and the alternative interpretation “Thus did I hear: At one time, the Bhagavat…” The various traditional and modern arguments for both sides are given in Galloway (1991).
n.­15
Skt. ājāneya; Tib. cang shes. The term ājāneya was primarily used for thoroughbred horses but was also applied to people in a laudatory sense.
n.­16
From this point on, the Sanskrit version of the introduction is more elaborate.
n.­33
According to the Tibetan. “The bodhisattvas arise from their samādhis” is absent in the Sanskrit.
n.­83
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has “a buddha realm with the five degeneracies.”
n.­84
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has “inferior buddha realm with the five degeneracies.”
n.­85
The length from the fingertips of one arm outstretched sideways to the other.
n.­86
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has “many powers.”
n.­87
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has “touched his feet and bowed with palms together toward the Tathāgata Ratnagarbha.”
n.­88
The Sanskrit reads “alms bowls” instead of “food.”
n.­89
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has “mightiest soldiers.”
n.­90
The precious householder is one of the seven precious possessions, or treasures, of the cakravartin, which, in the more widespread version of the seven treasures, is replaced by the precious minister.
n.­91
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has “doors in the four directions.”
n.­92
Four legs, two tusks, and the trunk.
n.­93
According to the Sanskrit.
n.­94
According to the Sanskrit singular. The Tibetan has the plural “those parklands.”
n.­95
According to the Sanskrit puruṣamātrapramāṇam. The Tibetan could be interpreted as meaning “floating at the height of a man.”
n.­96
According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan omits “uragasāra.”
n.­97
Infantry, chariots, cavalry, and elephants.
n.­98
According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan omits “eaten.”
n.­99
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has “400,000.”
n.­100
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has Devī.
n.­101
According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan uses two words for “incense” and one for “incense smoke.”
n.­102
According to the Sanskrit.
n.­103
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit is obscure and varies between manuscripts, and there is repetition of the sentence later in the text.
n.­104
According to the Sanskrit.
n.­105
Skt. bherī; Tib. rnga bo che. There are many kinds of kettledrums. The bherī is described as a conical or bowl-shaped kettledrum, with an upper surface that is beaten with sticks.
n.­106
According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan has, “Then the chief prince, Animiṣa, honored the Bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus for three months in the same way that King Araṇemin had. King Araṇemin also came on some days to see the bhagavat and his saṅgha of bhikṣus and to listen to his teaching.”
n.­107
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit instead reads “and completely golden and divine cities.”
n.­108
According to the Sanskrit.
n.­109
The paṭaha is a cylindrical drum hung from the body and usually played standing up by beating the upper surface with drumsticks.
n.­110
According to the Sanskrit. Most Kangyur editions, such as the Lithang, Narthang, and Choné, have yang dag skyes (“truly born”). The Comparative Edition has yan lag skyes, which could be a translation of aṅgaja.
n.­111
In most Sanskrit manuscripts and in Chinese it is “Middha,” but some Sanskrit manuscripts have the corruption “Siddha,” which the Tibetan follows.
n.­112
According to Sanskrit and most Tibetan editions, but not the Comparative Edition.
n.­113
According to Sanskrit and most Tibetan editions, but not the Comparative Edition.
n.­114
According to the Tibetan.
n.­115
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit and Chinese have more aspirations: “Some of them prayed to be a deva, some to become Śakra, some to become Māra, some to become Brahmā, some to become a cakravartin, some to have great wealth, some to be in the Śrāvakayāna, and some to be in the Pratyekabuddhayāna.”
n.­116
According to the Sanskrit.
n.­117
According to the Tibetan; “tathāgata arhat samyaksam­buddha Ratnagarbha” is absent in the Sanskrit.
n.­118
The Sanskrit repeats “robes, food, beds, seats, medicines, and necessities.”
n.­119
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has “to be a deva, or to be Śakra, or to be Māra, or to have great wealth, or for the way of the śrāvaka.”
n.­120
According to the Sanskrit.
n.­121
This time the Tibetan transliterates rather than translates eraṇḍa.
n.­122
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has, “I have seen a great sight in my dream. I have seen the buddhas, the bhagavats, in the ten directions.”
n.­123
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit is more elaborate in this passage.
n.­124
According to the Sanskrit.
n.­125
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has “and carried it to.”
n.­126
According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan translates the compound as three nouns: “fame and sound and verse.”
n.­127
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit adds “not even Brahmā and the other deities.”
n.­128
According to the Sanskrit.
n.­129
According to the Sanskrit.
n.­130
According to the Sanskrit.
n.­131
According to the Sanskrit kṣaṇasaṃpat, which is translated into Tibetan as an alternative, meaning dal ba (“leisure”).
n.­132
The Sanskrit is udumbara. The fig tree never flowers. It also became the name for a legendary lotus in Tibet, as there are no fig trees there.
n.­133
According to the Sanskrit.
n.­134
According to the Tibetan yang dag par sbyor pa. The Sanskrit has sumṛdu (“very gentle”).
n.­135
According to the Sanskrit śītala, which can also mean “cold” or “cool,” as in the Tibetan translation bsil ba.
n.­136
According to the Sanskrit. This line is missing in the Tibetan.
n.­137
According to the Sanskrit sadānandita. The Tibetan translates as “the attainment of perfect joy.”
n.­138
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has akliṣṭa (“the path is unafflicted”).
n.­139
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit omits “great.”
n.­140
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has “in the care of all the tathāgatas.”
n.­141
According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan has “dust,” one of the meanings of rajas.
n.­142
Sanskrit: gamanīya. The Tibetan has mchi ba la sman pa (“medicine for going”) likely in error for mchi ba la phan pa (“benefit for going”).
n.­143
According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan has “bodhisattvas.”
n.­144
According to the Tibetan sku, presumably translating from a manuscript that had kāya. The Sanskrit has āśraya (“shelter,” “refuge,” “location”).
n.­145
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit also has, “Through what karma do bodhisattva mahāsattvas obtain a pure buddha realm? Through what karma will it be completely an impure one? Through what karma will there be superior beings? And so on, until through what karma will beings have long lifespans?”
n.­146
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit also has, “Through what karma do bodhisattva mahāsattvas obtain a pure buddha realm? Through what karma do they obtain an impure one? Through what karma will there be superior beings?…Through what karma will beings have long lifespans?”
n.­147
According to the Sanskrit upanimantrita. The Tibetan has translated it with its alternative but more frequent meaning of spyan drangs (“invite”), which is not as appropriate here.
n.­148
According to the Sanskrit upakaraṇa, which the Tibetan has translated with an alternative meaning of yo byad (“commodities”).
n.­149
The Sanskrit has, “I will make offerings to the Bhagavat, so you also should be eager to make offerings.”
n.­150
According to the Sanskrit pratiśrutya, translated into Tibetan with the meaning mnyan (“listened”).
n.­151
According to the Sanskrit. Missing in the Tibetan.
n.­152
According to the Tibetan.
n.­153
According to the Chinese. The Tibetan and Sanskrit make the last two names into one.
n.­154
Although all Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Chinese versions have these beings as hell beings, at this point one would expect reference to pretas, the beings in Yama’s realm, who are freed of hunger and thirst.
n.­155
This prince does not appear in the earlier list, even though he is second in importance. At this point the Sanskrit has his name as Nimu, but in all later instances it is Nimi.
n.­156
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has nirhārapati (“lord of accumulation”).
n.­157
According to the Tibetan. “Silver” is absent in the Sanskrit.
n.­158
A conical or bowl kettledrum, also called a nagada. The upper surface is beaten with sticks; often in pairs one larger than the other.
n.­159
A variety of kettledrum. The mṛḍaṅga is wider in the middle with skin at both ends played horizontally using one’s hands. One drumhead is smaller than the other. The mṛḍaṅga is a South Indian drum and is often used to maintain the rhythm in Carnatic music.
n.­160
A large cylindrical drum, its upper surface played with sticks, and played standing, hung from the body.
n.­161
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has kathayati ca (“and he recited”).
n.­162
According to the Tibetan. Literally “as fast and wavering as the strength of the wind.” The Sanskrit has drutavāyuvegacapalām (“wavering like a swift gust of wind”).

b.

Bibliography

Selected Versions of The White Lotus of Compassion

’phags pa snying rje pad ma dkar po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra). 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. 50, pp. 345–736.

’phags pa snying rje pad ma dkar po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra). Toh 112, Degé Kangyur vol. 50 (mdo sde, cha), folios 129a–297a.

’phags pa snying rje pad ma dkar po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra). Lhasa 119, Lhasa (lha sa) Kangyur vol. 52 (mdo sde, cha), folios 209b–474b.

’phags pa snying rje pad ma dkar po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra). Sheldrima 76, Sheldrima (shel mkhar bris ma) Kangyur vol. 51 (mdo sde, nga), folios 1b–243b.

’phags pa snying rje pad ma dkar po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra). Stok 45, Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 55 (mdo sde, nga), folios 1a–243b.

’phags pa snying rje pad ma dkar po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra). Urga 112, Urga Kangyur vol. 50 (mdo sde, cha), folios 128a–296a.

Kangyur and Tengyur Texts

bcom ldan ’das kyi ye shes rgyas pa’i mdo sde rin po che mtha’ yas pa mthar phyin pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Niṣṭhāgatabhagavajjñāna­vaipulya­sūtra­ratnānanta­nāma­mahāyāna-sūtra). Toh 99, Degé Kangyur vol. 47 (mdo sde, ga), folios 1b–275b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee, 2019.

bde ba can gyi bkod pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Sukhāvatīvyūha­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra). Toh 115, Degé Kangyur vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), folios 195b–200a. English translation in Sakya Pandita Translation Group, 2011.

dam pa’i chos pad ma dkar po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Saddharma­puṇḍarīka­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra). Toh 113, Degé Kangyur vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1b–180b. English translation in Roberts 2022.

kun nas sgo’i le’u zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Samantamukha­parivarta­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra). Toh 54, Degé Kangyur vol. 40 (dkon brtsegs, kha), folios 184a–195b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee, 2020.

nam mkha’i mdzod kyis zhus pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Gaganagañja­pari­pṛcchā­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra). Toh 148, Degé Kangyur vol. 57 (mdo sde, pa), folios 243a–330b.

shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa (Aṣṭāsāhasrikā­prajñā­pāramitā). Toh 12, Degé Kangyur vol. 33 (sher phyin brgyad stong pa, ka), folios 1b–286b.

snying rje chen po’i pad ma dkar po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Mahākaruṇā­puṇḍarīka­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra). Toh 111, Degé Kangyur vol. 51 (mdo sde, cha), folios 56a–128b.

za ma tog bkod pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Karaṇḍavyūha­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra). Toh 116, Degé Kangyur vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), folios 200a–247b. English translation in Roberts 2013.

Denkarma (pho brang stod thang ldan [/lhan] dkar gyi chos kyi ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur vol. 207 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294b–310a.

Secondary Literature

Davids, T.W. Rhys & William Stede. The Pali Text’s Society’s Pali–English Dictionary. London: Pali Text Society, 1921–25.

Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans. The Exposition on the Universal Gateway (Toh 54). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2019.

Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans. The Precious Discourse on the Blessed One’s Extensive Wisdom That Leads to Infinite Certainty (Toh 99). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2019.

Dīpaṃkarajñāna. dbu ma’i man ngag rin po che’i za ma tog kha phye ba (Ratna­karaṇḍodghāṭa­nāma­madhyamakopadeśa). Toh 3930, Degé Tengyur vol. 212 (dbu ma, ki), folios 96b1–116b7.

Edgerton, Franklin. Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Grammar and Dictionary (2 vols). New Haven: Yale University Press, 1953.

Galloway, Brian. “Thus Have I Heard: At one time…” Indo-Iranian Journal 34, no. 2 (April 1991): 87–104.

Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lHan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Wien: Verlag der österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.

Jaini, Padmanabh S. “Stages in the Bodhisattva Career of the Tathāgata Maitreya,” in Sponberg and Hardacre (eds.), Maitreya, the Future Buddha, pp 54-90. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. Reprinted with additional material in Jaini, Padmanabh S. Collected Papers on Buddhist Studies, ch. 26. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2001.

Mañjuśrīkīrti. ’jam dpal gyi mtshan yang dag par brjod pa’i rgya cher bshad pa (Mañjuśrī­nāma­saṃgītiṭīkā). Toh 2534, Degé Tengyur vol. 63 (rgyud, khu), folios 115b–301a7.

Mipham (Ju Mipham Gyatso, ’ju mi pham rgya mtsho). thub chog byin rlabs gter mdzod kyi rgyab chos pad+ma dkar po. In gsung ’bum/ mi pham rgya mtsho. Degé: sde dge spar khang, 195?. BDRC: WA4PD506.

Roberts, Peter Alan. trans. The White Lotus of the Good Dharma (Toh 113). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2022.

Roberts, Peter Alan. and Tulku Yeshi, trans. The Basket’s Display (Toh 116). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2013.

Sakya Pandita Translation Group, trans. The Display of the Pure Land of Sukhāvatī (Toh 115). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2011.

Salomon, Richard. The Buddhist Literature of Ancient Gandhāra: An Introduction with Selected Translations. Classics of Indian Buddhism series. Somerville: Wisdom Publications, 2018.

Yamada, Isshi. Karuṇā­puṇḍarīka (vols. 1 & 2). London: School of Oriental and African Studies, 1967.

Other Resources

Peking Tripitaka Online Search.

Sanskrit and Tamil Dictionaries.

Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon.

Resources for Kanjur and Tanjur Studies, Universität Wien.


g.

Glossary

Types of attestation for names and terms of the corresponding source language

AS

Attested in source text

This term is attested in a manuscript used as a source for this translation.

AO

Attested in other text

This term is attested in other manuscripts with a parallel or similar context.

AD

Attested in dictionary

This term is attested in dictionaries matching Tibetan to the corresponding language.

AA

Approximate attestation

The attestation of this name is approximate. It is based on other names where the relationship between the Tibetan and source language is attested in dictionaries or other manuscripts.

RP

Reconstruction from Tibetan phonetic rendering

This term is a reconstruction based on the Tibetan phonetic rendering of the term.

RS

Reconstruction from Tibetan semantic rendering

This term is a reconstruction based on the semantics of the Tibetan translation.

SU

Source unspecified

This term has been supplied from an unspecified source, which most often is a widely trusted dictionary.

g.­1

Abhaya

Wylie:
  • ’jigs med
Tibetan:
  • འཇིགས་མེད།
Sanskrit:
  • abhaya

The fifth of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin, who becomes the bodhisattva Gaganamudra and is prophesied to become the Buddha Padmottara.

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 3.­33
  • 4.­86
  • 4.­88-89
  • g.­166
g.­2

Abhi­bhūta­guṇa­sāgara­rāja

Wylie:
  • yon tan rgya mtsho’i zil mnan rgyal po
Tibetan:
  • ཡོན་ཏན་རྒྱ་མཚོའི་ཟིལ་མནན་རྒྱལ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • abhi­bhūta­guṇa­sāgara­rāja

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 4.­144
g.­3

Abhigarjita

Wylie:
  • mngon par sgrogs pa
Tibetan:
  • མངོན་པར་སྒྲོགས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • abhigarjita

A southern buddha realm that the Buddha Śākyamuni sees.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 6.­43
g.­5

Abhirati

Wylie:
  • mngon par dga’ ba
Tibetan:
  • མངོན་པར་དགའ་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • abhirati

The eastern realm where the ninth son of King Araṇemin has become the Buddha Akṣobhya, and after Akṣobhya’s nirvāṇa, where the tenth son will become the Buddha Suvarṇapuṣpa. It will be renamed Jayasoma when the eleventh son, Siṃha, becomes the Buddha Nāga­vinarditeśvara­ghoṣa there.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­172
  • 4.­182
  • 6.­5
  • 6.­39
  • g.­22
  • g.­218
  • g.­361
  • g.­561
  • g.­623
g.­10

acceptance

Wylie:
  • bzod pa
Tibetan:
  • བཟོད་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • kṣānti

A term also translated as “patience” and “forebearance” in this text, and in others sometimes as “receptivity”; here, often in the context of its association with dhāraṇī and samādhi, the term is probably to be understood as related to “forbearance that comes from realizing the birthlessness of phenomena” (q.v.).

Located in 18 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­3
  • 1.­22
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­70
  • 2.­101
  • 3.­46
  • 3.­56
  • 3.­114
  • 4.­115
  • 4.­167
  • 4.­325
  • 4.­342
  • 4.­344
  • 5.­154
  • 6.­77
  • 6.­86
  • n.­221
  • g.­158
g.­16

aggregate

Wylie:
  • phung po
Tibetan:
  • ཕུང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • skandha

The five aggregates of forms, sensations, identifications, mental activities, and consciousnesses.

Located in 16 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­53
  • 2.­78
  • 3.­55
  • 4.­29
  • 4.­39
  • 4.­46
  • 4.­173
  • 4.­260
  • 4.­330
  • 4.­384
  • 4.­413
  • 4.­544
  • 5.­55
  • 5.­85
  • 5.­118
  • g.­165
g.­19

Ājñava

Wylie:
  • shes pa can
Tibetan:
  • ཤེས་པ་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • ājñava

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­22

Akṣobhya

Wylie:
  • mi ’khrugs pa
Tibetan:
  • མི་འཁྲུགས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • akṣobhya

The buddha whom the bodhisattva Akṣobhya, the ninth son of King Araṇemin, is prophesied to become in the realm Abhirati. His name as a bodhisattva and buddha is the same. At the time when this sūtra appeared, he was already a well-known buddha and later become important as the head of one of the five buddha families in the higher tantras. Śākyamuni states that he can see Akṣobhya in the eastern buddha realm Abhirati.

Located in 22 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­2
  • i.­4
  • i.­37
  • 4.­155-156
  • 4.­172-173
  • 4.­175-177
  • 4.­182
  • 4.­435
  • 6.­5
  • 6.­39
  • n.­251
  • g.­5
  • g.­33
  • g.­218
  • g.­361
  • g.­455
  • g.­623
g.­24

Alindra

Wylie:
  • dgra dbang
Tibetan:
  • དགྲ་དབང་།
Sanskrit:
  • alindra

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin, who becomes the bodhisattva Vairocana and is prophesied to become the Buddha Dharmavaśavarīśvararāja.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­26

Ambara

Wylie:
  • nam mkha’
Tibetan:
  • ནམ་མཁའ།
Sanskrit:
  • ambara

The sixth son of King Araṇemin, who becomes the bodhisattva Vegavairocana and is prophesied to become the Buddha Dharma­vaśavartīśvara­rāja.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 3.­33
  • 4.­95
g.­28

Amitābha

Wylie:
  • ’od dpag med
  • snang ba mtha’ yas
Tibetan:
  • འོད་དཔག་མེད།
  • སྣང་བ་མཐའ་ཡས།
Sanskrit:
  • amitābha

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The buddha of the western buddhafield of Sukhāvatī, where fortunate beings are reborn to make further progress toward spiritual maturity. Amitābha made his great vows to create such a realm when he was a bodhisattva called Dharmākara. In the Pure Land Buddhist tradition, popular in East Asia, aspiring to be reborn in his buddha realm is the main emphasis; in other Mahāyāna traditions, too, it is a widespread practice. For a detailed description of the realm, see The Display of the Pure Land of Sukhāvatī, Toh 115. In some tantras that make reference to the five families he is the tathāgata associated with the lotus family.

Amitābha, “Infinite Light,” is also known in many Indian Buddhist works as Amitāyus, “Infinite Life.” In both East Asian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions he is often conflated with another buddha named “Infinite Life,” Aparimitāyus, or “Infinite Life and Wisdom,”Aparimitāyurjñāna, the shorter version of whose name has also been back-translated from Tibetan into Sanskrit as Amitāyus but who presides over a realm in the zenith. For details on the relation between these buddhas and their names, see The Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra (1) Toh 674, i.9.

Located in 14 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­2
  • i.­4
  • i.­13
  • i.­36-37
  • 4.­33
  • 4.­526
  • g.­29
  • g.­40
  • g.­317
  • g.­379
  • g.­500
  • g.­599
g.­29

Amitāyus

Wylie:
  • tshe dpag med
Tibetan:
  • ཚེ་དཔག་མེད།
Sanskrit:
  • amitāyus

The buddha in the realm of Sukhāvatī. Later and presently better known by his alternative name Amitābha, while Amitāyus is most commonly used as the short form of the Buddha Aparamitāyurjñāna’s name.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • i.­13
  • i.­36
  • 4.­15
  • 4.­23
  • 4.­29-30
  • g.­47
  • g.­599
g.­32

Amṛtaśuddha

Wylie:
  • —
Tibetan:
  • —
Sanskrit:
  • amṛtaśuddha

The name of King Araṇemin in the latter half of The White Lotus of Compassion Sūtra.

Located in 136 passages in the translation:

  • i.­2
  • i.­28
  • i.­31
  • i.­36
  • 3.­5-6
  • 3.­9-13
  • 3.­16
  • 3.­18
  • 3.­21-22
  • 3.­24-25
  • 3.­27-29
  • 3.­31-35
  • 3.­37
  • 3.­43
  • 3.­52
  • 3.­60
  • 3.­64
  • 3.­79
  • 3.­94
  • 3.­119-120
  • 3.­123
  • 3.­125-127
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­4-5
  • 4.­10
  • 4.­16
  • 4.­19
  • 4.­22-23
  • 4.­26-27
  • 4.­29
  • 4.­417
  • 4.­526
  • 5.­52
  • n.­6
  • n.­11
  • n.­106
  • n.­224
  • n.­254
  • n.­358
  • n.­374
  • g.­1
  • g.­5
  • g.­15
  • g.­19
  • g.­22
  • g.­24
  • g.­26
  • g.­27
  • g.­33
  • g.­35
  • g.­38
  • g.­40
  • g.­41
  • g.­47
  • g.­49
  • g.­51
  • g.­53
  • g.­55
  • g.­103
  • g.­112
  • g.­131
  • g.­166
  • g.­168
  • g.­180
  • g.­185
  • g.­193
  • g.­198
  • g.­201
  • g.­214
  • g.­216
  • g.­242
  • g.­244
  • g.­279
  • g.­292
  • g.­305
  • g.­317
  • g.­324
  • g.­326
  • g.­337
  • g.­351
  • g.­353
  • g.­354
  • g.­361
  • g.­366
  • g.­375
  • g.­378
  • g.­379
  • g.­393
  • g.­403
  • g.­429
  • g.­431
  • g.­432
  • g.­433
  • g.­435
  • g.­437
  • g.­439
  • g.­440
  • g.­451
  • g.­455
  • g.­467
  • g.­495
  • g.­496
  • g.­524
  • g.­553
  • g.­561
  • g.­588
  • g.­621
  • g.­623
  • g.­633
  • g.­673
  • g.­676
  • g.­691
  • g.­740
  • g.­744
  • g.­746
  • g.­750
  • g.­751
g.­34

Ānanda

Wylie:
  • kun dga’ bo
Tibetan:
  • ཀུན་དགའ་བོ།
Sanskrit:
  • ānanda

The Buddha Śākyamuni’s cousin, who was his attendant for the last twenty years of his life. He was the subject of criticism and opposition from the monastic community after the Buddha’s passing, but he eventually succeeded to the position of the patriarch of Buddhism in India after the passing of the first patriarch Mahākāśyapa.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • i.­48
  • 1.­2
  • g.­261
g.­35

Anaṅgaṇa

Wylie:
  • nyon mongs med
Tibetan:
  • ཉོན་མོངས་མེད།
Sanskrit:
  • anaṅgaṇa

The fourth of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin. He becomes the bodhisattva Vajraccheda­prajñā­vabhāsaśrī and is prophesied to become the Buddha Samantabhadra.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 3.­33
  • 4.­77
  • g.­673
g.­38

Aṅgaja

Wylie:
  • yan lag skyes
Tibetan:
  • ཡན་ལག་སྐྱེས།
Sanskrit:
  • aṅgaja

The seventh of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin who becomes the bodhisattva Siṃhagandha and is prophesied to become the Buddha Prabhāsavirarajaḥsamucchrayagandheśvararāja.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­101
  • 4.­118
  • n.­110
g.­40

Animiṣa

Wylie:
  • mig mi ’dzums
Tibetan:
  • མིག་མི་འཛུམས།
Sanskrit:
  • animiṣa

The crown prince of King Araṇemin who becomes, in that lifetime, the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, and who is prophesied to succeed the Buddha Amitābha in Sukhāvatī as the Buddha Samantaraśmyabhyudgataśrīkūṭarāja.

Located in 14 passages in the translation:

  • i.­28
  • i.­37
  • 3.­29
  • 3.­31-32
  • 3.­65-66
  • 3.­120
  • 4.­27
  • 4.­32
  • n.­106
  • n.­178
  • n.­180
  • n.­398
g.­47

Araṇemin

Wylie:
  • rtsibs kyi mu khyud
Tibetan:
  • རྩིབས་ཀྱི་མུ་ཁྱུད།
Sanskrit:
  • araṇemin

The name of the king in the distant past who eventually became Amitāyus. Later he is named Amṛtaśuddha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • g.­32
g.­49

Arava

Wylie:
  • rtsibs can
Tibetan:
  • རྩིབས་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • arava

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­50

arhat

Wylie:
  • dgra bcom pa
Tibetan:
  • དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • arhat

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

According to Buddhist tradition, one who is worthy of worship (pūjām arhati), or one who has conquered the enemies, the mental afflictions (kleśa-ari-hata-vat), and reached liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. It is the fourth and highest of the four fruits attainable by śrāvakas. Also used as an epithet of the Buddha.

Located in 89 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 1.­8-10
  • 1.­19-23
  • 1.­25-26
  • 2.­17-18
  • 2.­20-23
  • 2.­36
  • 2.­46-48
  • 2.­51
  • 2.­53
  • 2.­76
  • 2.­78
  • 2.­90
  • 2.­92
  • 3.­8-9
  • 3.­11-13
  • 3.­18
  • 3.­25
  • 3.­33-34
  • 3.­41
  • 3.­46-47
  • 3.­52
  • 3.­58
  • 3.­79-80
  • 3.­109
  • 3.­123-124
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­10-11
  • 4.­13-15
  • 4.­23
  • 4.­29
  • 4.­33
  • 4.­71
  • 4.­80
  • 4.­92
  • 4.­98
  • 4.­121
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­140
  • 4.­146
  • 4.­167
  • 4.­177
  • 4.­240
  • 4.­326
  • 4.­415
  • 4.­462
  • 4.­469
  • 4.­474
  • 4.­479
  • 4.­488
  • 4.­492
  • 4.­504
  • 4.­514-515
  • 4.­544
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­50
  • 5.­54
  • 5.­82-85
  • 6.­11
  • n.­117
  • g.­153
  • g.­576
g.­51

Arthabahu

Wylie:
  • nor mang
Tibetan:
  • ནོར་མང་།
Sanskrit:
  • arthabahu

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­53

Aśaja

Wylie:
  • yan lag skyes
  • yang dag skyes
Tibetan:
  • ཡན་ལག་སྐྱེས།
  • ཡང་དག་སྐྱེས།
Sanskrit:
  • aśaja

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­55

Asaṅga

Wylie:
  • chags med
  • chabs med
Tibetan:
  • ཆགས་མེད།
  • ཆབས་མེད།
Sanskrit:
  • asaṅga

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­59

asura

Wylie:
  • lha ma yin
Tibetan:
  • ལྷ་མ་ཡིན།
Sanskrit:
  • asura

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A type of nonhuman being whose precise status is subject to different views, but is included as one of the six classes of beings in the sixfold classification of realms of rebirth. In the Buddhist context, asuras are powerful beings said to be dominated by envy, ambition, and hostility. They are also known in the pre-Buddhist and pre-Vedic mythologies of India and Iran, and feature prominently in Vedic and post-Vedic Brahmanical mythology, as well as in the Buddhist tradition. In these traditions, asuras are often described as being engaged in interminable conflict with the devas (gods).

Located in 41 passages in the translation:

  • i.­27
  • i.­33
  • i.­48
  • 2.­36
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­89
  • 3.­71
  • 3.­98-99
  • 3.­105-107
  • 3.­114
  • 3.­117
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­133
  • 4.­287
  • 4.­341
  • 4.­347
  • 4.­356
  • 4.­406
  • 4.­411
  • 4.­413
  • 4.­416
  • 4.­467
  • 4.­486
  • 4.­533-534
  • 4.­540
  • 4.­550
  • 4.­556
  • 5.­57
  • 5.­66
  • 5.­69
  • 5.­103
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­23
  • 6.­85
  • 6.­91
  • g.­155
  • g.­261
g.­61

Avalokiteśvara

Wylie:
  • spyan ras gzigs dbang phyug
Tibetan:
  • སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས་དབང་ཕྱུག
Sanskrit:
  • avalokiteśvara

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the “eight close sons of the Buddha,” he is also known as the bodhisattva who embodies compassion. In certain tantras, he is also the lord of the three families, where he embodies the compassion of the buddhas. In Tibet, he attained great significance as a special protector of Tibet, and in China, in female form, as Guanyin, the most important bodhisattva in all of East Asia.

Located in 17 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­2
  • i.­9
  • i.­13
  • i.­37
  • 4.­32-35
  • 4.­39
  • 4.­419
  • n.­178
  • n.­180-181
  • g.­40
  • g.­500
  • g.­546
g.­62

Āvetuka

Wylie:
  • ’khyil byed
Tibetan:
  • འཁྱིལ་བྱེད།
Sanskrit:
  • āvetuka

A deva who made offerings to the Buddha Ratnagarbha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­90
g.­68

bhadanta

Wylie:
  • btsun pa
Tibetan:
  • བཙུན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • bhadanta

“Venerable One.” A term of respect used for Buddhist monks.

Located in 103 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­1
  • 2.­22
  • 2.­49
  • 2.­55
  • 2.­73
  • 3.­2
  • 3.­62
  • 3.­123
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­9
  • 4.­16
  • 4.­19
  • 4.­29
  • 4.­60
  • 4.­62
  • 4.­82
  • 4.­87-88
  • 4.­96-97
  • 4.­118
  • 4.­125-126
  • 4.­129-132
  • 4.­134-135
  • 4.­140
  • 4.­150-153
  • 4.­156
  • 4.­165
  • 4.­173
  • 4.­176
  • 4.­178
  • 4.­183
  • 4.­196
  • 4.­198
  • 4.­205
  • 4.­207
  • 4.­218
  • 4.­229
  • 4.­232
  • 4.­235
  • 4.­240
  • 4.­245
  • 4.­247
  • 4.­273
  • 4.­280-281
  • 4.­283
  • 4.­305-307
  • 4.­309-310
  • 4.­322
  • 4.­346
  • 4.­357
  • 4.­359
  • 4.­362
  • 4.­381
  • 4.­393-394
  • 4.­405
  • 4.­408
  • 4.­415
  • 4.­463
  • 4.­468
  • 4.­474
  • 4.­479-481
  • 4.­483
  • 4.­487
  • 4.­492
  • 4.­500
  • 4.­537-538
  • 4.­543
  • 4.­547-549
  • 4.­552-553
  • 5.­1
  • 6.­10-13
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­34
  • 6.­37
  • 6.­53
  • 6.­59
  • 6.­61
  • 6.­82
  • 6.­84
  • 6.­90
g.­72

Bhagavat

Wylie:
  • bcom ldan ’das
Tibetan:
  • བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས།
Sanskrit:
  • bhagavat

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Buddhist literature, this is an epithet applied to buddhas, most often to Śākyamuni. The Sanskrit term generally means “possessing fortune,” but in specifically Buddhist contexts it implies that a buddha is in possession of six auspicious qualities (bhaga) associated with complete awakening. The Tibetan term‍—where bcom is said to refer to “subduing” the four māras, ldan to “possessing” the great qualities of buddhahood, and ’das to “going beyond” saṃsāra and nirvāṇa‍—possibly reflects the commentarial tradition where the Sanskrit bhagavat is interpreted, in addition, as “one who destroys the four māras.” This is achieved either by reading bhagavat as bhagnavat (“one who broke”), or by tracing the word bhaga to the root √bhañj (“to break”).

Located in 356 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 1.­9-12
  • 1.­21-22
  • 2.­1-2
  • 2.­14-15
  • 2.­20-23
  • 2.­34-39
  • 2.­44
  • 2.­46
  • 2.­48-49
  • 2.­53
  • 2.­55-56
  • 2.­68
  • 2.­70
  • 2.­73
  • 2.­76-79
  • 2.­81
  • 2.­90
  • 2.­93-94
  • 2.­98-99
  • 2.­101
  • 3.­1-5
  • 3.­7
  • 3.­12-13
  • 3.­15-16
  • 3.­18
  • 3.­20-22
  • 3.­25-29
  • 3.­31-34
  • 3.­36
  • 3.­41-44
  • 3.­46-47
  • 3.­53
  • 3.­55-56
  • 3.­58
  • 3.­60-64
  • 3.­66-67
  • 3.­71
  • 3.­77
  • 3.­81-83
  • 3.­89-94
  • 3.­96-97
  • 3.­99-104
  • 3.­106-111
  • 3.­114-115
  • 3.­117
  • 3.­123-128
  • 4.­2-3
  • 4.­5-6
  • 4.­9
  • 4.­16-17
  • 4.­19-21
  • 4.­24
  • 4.­27-29
  • 4.­31
  • 4.­34-36
  • 4.­39-43
  • 4.­46-47
  • 4.­50
  • 4.­52
  • 4.­57
  • 4.­60
  • 4.­62
  • 4.­66
  • 4.­69
  • 4.­73-75
  • 4.­78
  • 4.­80
  • 4.­82
  • 4.­84
  • 4.­87-88
  • 4.­90
  • 4.­92-93
  • 4.­96-99
  • 4.­102
  • 4.­104
  • 4.­107
  • 4.­114
  • 4.­117-118
  • 4.­120
  • 4.­125-127
  • 4.­129-137
  • 4.­140
  • 4.­150-154
  • 4.­156
  • 4.­165
  • 4.­172-173
  • 4.­176-178
  • 4.­182-183
  • 4.­196-198
  • 4.­202-203
  • 4.­205-207
  • 4.­211
  • 4.­215
  • 4.­218-219
  • 4.­221
  • 4.­228-230
  • 4.­232-233
  • 4.­235-237
  • 4.­240-241
  • 4.­245
  • 4.­247
  • 4.­255-256
  • 4.­268
  • 4.­270-271
  • 4.­273
  • 4.­277
  • 4.­280-283
  • 4.­287-288
  • 4.­290
  • 4.­292
  • 4.­305-307
  • 4.­309-311
  • 4.­320
  • 4.­322
  • 4.­325-326
  • 4.­346
  • 4.­357
  • 4.­359
  • 4.­362
  • 4.­381
  • 4.­393-394
  • 4.­398
  • 4.­400
  • 4.­403-405
  • 4.­407-408
  • 4.­410
  • 4.­414-416
  • 4.­461
  • 4.­463-464
  • 4.­467-468
  • 4.­473-474
  • 4.­477
  • 4.­479-481
  • 4.­483-484
  • 4.­486-487
  • 4.­491-492
  • 4.­497
  • 4.­500
  • 4.­517-519
  • 4.­524-525
  • 4.­537-538
  • 4.­543-544
  • 4.­546-549
  • 4.­552-553
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­77
  • 5.­82-86
  • 5.­92
  • 5.­106
  • 5.­158
  • 6.­1-2
  • 6.­4
  • 6.­6-8
  • 6.­10-13
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­22-24
  • 6.­34
  • 6.­37
  • 6.­41-42
  • 6.­44
  • 6.­46-47
  • 6.­49
  • 6.­53
  • 6.­59
  • 6.­61
  • 6.­63
  • 6.­66
  • 6.­69
  • 6.­73
  • 6.­77
  • 6.­80-85
  • 6.­88-91
  • n.­14
  • n.­64
  • n.­106
  • n.­122
  • n.­149
g.­75

bhikṣu

Wylie:
  • dge slong
Tibetan:
  • དགེ་སློང་།
Sanskrit:
  • bhikṣu

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term bhikṣu, often translated as “monk,” refers to the highest among the eight types of prātimokṣa vows that make one part of the Buddhist assembly. The Sanskrit term literally means “beggar” or “mendicant,” referring to the fact that Buddhist monks and nuns‍—like other ascetics of the time‍—subsisted on alms (bhikṣā) begged from the laity.

In the Tibetan tradition, which follows the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a monk follows 253 rules as part of his moral discipline. A nun (bhikṣuṇī; dge slong ma) follows 364 rules. A novice monk (śrāmaṇera; dge tshul) or nun (śrāmaṇerikā; dge tshul ma) follows thirty-six rules of moral discipline (although in other vinaya traditions novices typically follow only ten).

Located in 62 passages in the translation:

  • i.­28
  • i.­52
  • 1.­2
  • 2.­76
  • 2.­79
  • 3.­12-13
  • 3.­20-22
  • 3.­25
  • 3.­27-29
  • 3.­31-34
  • 3.­41-43
  • 3.­64
  • 3.­67
  • 3.­71
  • 3.­79-80
  • 3.­82-83
  • 3.­89
  • 3.­92-94
  • 3.­96-97
  • 3.­101
  • 3.­103-104
  • 3.­107
  • 3.­114-115
  • 3.­117
  • 3.­124
  • 3.­126-127
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­5
  • 4.­39
  • 4.­46
  • 4.­112
  • 4.­161
  • 4.­240
  • 4.­266-268
  • 4.­356
  • 4.­385
  • 4.­525
  • 4.­545-546
  • 5.­55
  • 6.­87
  • n.­106
g.­77

bhūmi

Wylie:
  • sa
Tibetan:
  • ས།
Sanskrit:
  • bhūmi

A level of enlightenment; typically the ten levels of a bodhisattva’s development into a fully enlightened buddha.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­42-43
  • 2.­50
  • 2.­69
  • 4.­325
  • 4.­342
  • 4.­344
  • 4.­369
  • n.­315
  • g.­158
g.­79

bodhicitta

Wylie:
  • byang chub sems
Tibetan:
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས།
Sanskrit:
  • bodhicitta

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In the general Mahāyāna teachings the mind of awakening (bodhicitta) is the intention to attain the complete awakening of a perfect buddha for the sake of all beings. On the level of absolute truth, the mind of awakening is the realization of the awakened state itself.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­2
  • 4.­262
  • g.­302
g.­80

bodhisattva

Wylie:
  • byang chub sems dpa’
Tibetan:
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ།
Sanskrit:
  • bodhisattva

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A being who is dedicated to the cultivation and fulfilment of the altruistic intention to attain perfect buddhahood, traversing the ten bodhisattva levels (daśabhūmi, sa bcu). Bodhisattvas purposely opt to remain within cyclic existence in order to liberate all sentient beings, instead of simply seeking personal freedom from suffering. In terms of the view, they realize both the selflessness of persons and the selflessness of phenomena.

Located in 523 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­1-3
  • i.­7-9
  • i.­13
  • i.­23-28
  • i.­35
  • i.­37
  • i.­39-41
  • i.­45-47
  • i.­49-50
  • i.­57-59
  • 1.­1
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­7-13
  • 1.­15
  • 1.­17
  • 1.­20-26
  • 2.­1-5
  • 2.­7-8
  • 2.­12
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­16
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­20-23
  • 2.­35-40
  • 2.­42-71
  • 2.­73
  • 2.­76-79
  • 2.­90-92
  • 2.­101
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­3-4
  • 3.­36
  • 3.­41
  • 3.­46-47
  • 3.­57-58
  • 3.­60-61
  • 4.­2-3
  • 4.­5-7
  • 4.­16-18
  • 4.­28-30
  • 4.­33
  • 4.­35
  • 4.­39
  • 4.­47-50
  • 4.­52-57
  • 4.­59-62
  • 4.­65
  • 4.­67-68
  • 4.­72-74
  • 4.­78
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­92-93
  • 4.­95
  • 4.­99
  • 4.­102
  • 4.­104-105
  • 4.­109
  • 4.­112
  • 4.­122
  • 4.­125-127
  • 4.­131
  • 4.­134
  • 4.­138
  • 4.­140-141
  • 4.­150-151
  • 4.­153-154
  • 4.­157
  • 4.­167
  • 4.­170
  • 4.­173
  • 4.­179
  • 4.­183-185
  • 4.­187
  • 4.­195
  • 4.­213-214
  • 4.­222
  • 4.­227
  • 4.­230
  • 4.­234
  • 4.­242
  • 4.­244
  • 4.­246
  • 4.­248-254
  • 4.­270
  • 4.­273
  • 4.­280
  • 4.­283-285
  • 4.­287-288
  • 4.­309-310
  • 4.­312-313
  • 4.­317-318
  • 4.­322
  • 4.­348
  • 4.­369
  • 4.­376-377
  • 4.­380
  • 4.­398-399
  • 4.­423
  • 4.­425
  • 4.­427
  • 4.­429
  • 4.­433
  • 4.­452
  • 4.­457
  • 4.­461-469
  • 4.­471
  • 4.­474
  • 4.­476-489
  • 4.­492
  • 4.­494-497
  • 4.­499
  • 4.­513
  • 4.­517
  • 4.­520-523
  • 4.­527-529
  • 4.­533
  • 4.­535
  • 4.­537
  • 4.­539
  • 4.­541-544
  • 4.­547
  • 4.­554-557
  • 5.­1-47
  • 5.­49-51
  • 5.­53-54
  • 5.­56-57
  • 5.­79
  • 5.­81-83
  • 5.­85
  • 5.­114
  • 5.­123
  • 5.­146
  • 5.­154
  • 5.­158
  • 6.­7-8
  • 6.­10-16
  • 6.­19-21
  • 6.­33
  • 6.­36-37
  • 6.­39-40
  • 6.­45
  • 6.­47
  • 6.­49
  • 6.­51-53
  • 6.­56
  • 6.­58
  • 6.­60
  • 6.­62-63
  • 6.­70
  • 6.­72-73
  • 6.­77-78
  • 6.­82
  • 6.­85
  • 6.­88-90
  • n.­4
  • n.­30
  • n.­33
  • n.­51
  • n.­54
  • n.­56
  • n.­68
  • n.­78
  • n.­143
  • n.­145-146
  • n.­169
  • n.­178
  • n.­180
  • n.­190
  • n.­209
  • n.­229
  • n.­237
  • n.­251
  • n.­272
  • n.­283
  • n.­315
  • n.­325
  • n.­327
  • n.­358
  • n.­373-374
  • n.­389
  • n.­393
  • n.­394
  • n.­419
  • n.­447
  • n.­460
  • g.­1
  • g.­9
  • g.­14
  • g.­17
  • g.­22
  • g.­24
  • g.­26
  • g.­27
  • g.­30
  • g.­33
  • g.­35
  • g.­38
  • g.­40
  • g.­46
  • g.­60
  • g.­61
  • g.­65
  • g.­70
  • g.­73
  • g.­74
  • g.­77
  • g.­97
  • g.­102
  • g.­120
  • g.­121
  • g.­122
  • g.­158
  • g.­166
  • g.­168
  • g.­193
  • g.­198
  • g.­223
  • g.­229
  • g.­242
  • g.­243
  • g.­244
  • g.­245
  • g.­258
  • g.­293
  • g.­303
  • g.­307
  • g.­309
  • g.­310
  • g.­316
  • g.­317
  • g.­323
  • g.­330
  • g.­335
  • g.­347
  • g.­348
  • g.­379
  • g.­386
  • g.­387
  • g.­406
  • g.­408
  • g.­409
  • g.­414
  • g.­430
  • g.­455
  • g.­456
  • g.­462
  • g.­477
  • g.­480
  • g.­481
  • g.­489
  • g.­490
  • g.­494
  • g.­495
  • g.­497
  • g.­509
  • g.­513
  • g.­514
  • g.­533
  • g.­538
  • g.­539
  • g.­543
  • g.­561
  • g.­563
  • g.­566
  • g.­568
  • g.­569
  • g.­571
  • g.­593
  • g.­612
  • g.­617
  • g.­631
  • g.­632
  • g.­645
  • g.­659
  • g.­660
  • g.­666
  • g.­668
  • g.­669
  • g.­670
  • g.­673
  • g.­685
  • g.­691
  • g.­693
  • g.­695
  • g.­700
  • g.­702
  • g.­707
  • g.­711
  • g.­713
  • g.­726
  • g.­731
g.­82

Brahmā

Wylie:
  • tshangs pa
Tibetan:
  • ཚངས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • brahmā

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world; he is also considered to be the lord of the Sahā world (our universe). Though not considered a creator god in Buddhism, Brahmā occupies an important place as one of two gods (the other being Indra/Śakra) said to have first exhorted the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. The particular heavens found in the form realm over which Brahmā rules are often some of the most sought-after realms of higher rebirth in Buddhist literature. Since there are many universes or world systems, there are also multiple Brahmās presiding over them. His most frequent epithets are “Lord of the Sahā World” (sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (mahābrahman).

Located in 39 passages in the translation:

  • i.­30
  • i.­33-34
  • i.­48
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­22
  • 2.­8
  • 3.­33
  • 3.­36
  • 3.­40-41
  • 3.­44-45
  • 3.­101
  • 3.­105-108
  • 3.­124
  • 3.­129
  • 4.­44
  • 4.­48
  • 4.­294
  • 4.­298
  • 4.­321
  • 4.­341
  • 4.­358
  • 4.­502
  • 4.­509
  • 4.­527
  • 5.­102
  • 5.­120
  • 6.­14
  • 6.­85
  • n.­115
  • n.­127
  • n.­375
  • g.­87
  • g.­281
g.­89

brahmin

Wylie:
  • bram ze
Tibetan:
  • བྲམ་ཟེ།
Sanskrit:
  • brāhmaṇa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A member of the highest of the four castes in Indian society, which is closely associated with religious vocations.

Located in 192 passages in the translation:

  • i.­28
  • i.­39-40
  • i.­42-43
  • i.­53-54
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­30
  • 3.­34-36
  • 3.­40-42
  • 3.­44-49
  • 3.­51-52
  • 3.­54-56
  • 3.­59
  • 3.­65
  • 3.­68
  • 3.­71-82
  • 3.­84-90
  • 3.­92-94
  • 3.­98-99
  • 3.­101-102
  • 3.­108-109
  • 3.­116-118
  • 3.­123-124
  • 3.­127-128
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­4
  • 4.­19-20
  • 4.­27
  • 4.­38
  • 4.­45
  • 4.­77
  • 4.­86
  • 4.­95
  • 4.­101
  • 4.­125
  • 4.­150
  • 4.­176
  • 4.­181
  • 4.­191-192
  • 4.­195-197
  • 4.­199
  • 4.­202
  • 4.­205-206
  • 4.­208
  • 4.­210-218
  • 4.­221
  • 4.­224-226
  • 4.­230
  • 4.­232
  • 4.­235-237
  • 4.­240-241
  • 4.­245
  • 4.­248
  • 4.­256
  • 4.­258
  • 4.­264-265
  • 4.­267
  • 4.­269-273
  • 4.­282
  • 4.­286-287
  • 4.­289
  • 4.­292-293
  • 4.­304
  • 4.­306
  • 4.­308-309
  • 4.­322
  • 4.­328
  • 4.­405
  • 4.­417
  • 4.­457
  • 4.­459-460
  • 4.­476-478
  • 4.­496-497
  • 4.­500
  • 4.­503-505
  • 4.­508
  • 4.­510
  • 4.­519
  • 4.­522-523
  • 4.­535-536
  • 5.­118
  • 5.­129-132
  • 6.­85
  • n.­272
  • n.­285
  • n.­375
  • g.­65
  • g.­74
  • g.­121
  • g.­141
  • g.­207
  • g.­229
  • g.­257
  • g.­271
  • g.­307
  • g.­310
  • g.­428
  • g.­469
  • g.­470
  • g.­475
  • g.­502
  • g.­520
  • g.­522
  • g.­524
  • g.­525
  • g.­536
  • g.­537
  • g.­587
  • g.­619
  • g.­659
  • g.­660
  • g.­689
  • g.­690
  • g.­693
  • g.­713
g.­93

Cakravāḍa

Wylie:
  • khor yug
Tibetan:
  • ཁོར་ཡུག
Sanskrit:
  • cakravāḍa

Literally, “circular mass.” There are at least three interpretations of what this name refers to. In the Kṣitigarbha Sūtra, it is a mountain that contains the hells. In that case it is equivalent to the Vaḍaba submarine mountain of fire, also said to be the entrance to the hells. More commonly it is the name of the outer ring of mountains at the edge of the flat disk that is the world, with Sumeru in the center. This is also equated with Vaḍaba, the heat of which evaporates the ocean so that it does not overflow. Jambudvīpa, the world of humans, is in this sea to Sumeru’s south. However, it is also used to mean the entire disk, including Meru and the paradises above it. The Tibetan here is just ’khor yug, but later on it is ’khor yug gi ri, which means the circle of mountains around the world.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­22
  • 2.­11
  • 2.­34
  • 3.­119
  • 4.­5
  • 4.­58
  • 4.­101
  • 5.­105
  • 6.­65
g.­94

cakravartin

Wylie:
  • ’khor los sgyur ba
Tibetan:
  • འཁོར་ལོས་སྒྱུར་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • cakravartin

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

An ideal monarch or emperor who, as the result of the merit accumulated in previous lifetimes, rules over a vast realm in accordance with the Dharma. Such a monarch is called a cakravartin because he bears a wheel (cakra) that rolls (vartate) across the earth, bringing all lands and kingdoms under his power. The cakravartin conquers his territory without causing harm, and his activity causes beings to enter the path of wholesome actions. According to Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakośa, just as with the buddhas, only one cakravartin appears in a world system at any given time. They are likewise endowed with the thirty-two major marks of a great being (mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa), but a cakravartin’s marks are outshined by those of a buddha. They possess seven precious objects: the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the wish-fulfilling gem, the queen, the general, and the minister. An illustrative passage about the cakravartin and his possessions can be found in The Play in Full (Toh 95), 3.3–3.13.

Vasubandhu lists four types of cakravartins: (1) the cakravartin with a golden wheel (suvarṇacakravartin) rules over four continents and is invited by lesser kings to be their ruler; (2) the cakravartin with a silver wheel (rūpyacakravartin) rules over three continents and his opponents submit to him as he approaches; (3) the cakravartin with a copper wheel (tāmracakravartin) rules over two continents and his opponents submit themselves after preparing for battle; and (4) the cakravartin with an iron wheel (ayaścakravartin) rules over one continent and his opponents submit themselves after brandishing weapons.

Located in 33 passages in the translation:

  • i.­2
  • i.­28
  • i.­52-54
  • 3.­5
  • 3.­8
  • 3.­33
  • 3.­41
  • 4.­107
  • 4.­334
  • 5.­56
  • 5.­62
  • 5.­67
  • 5.­73-74
  • 5.­93
  • 5.­109
  • 5.­124
  • 5.­129
  • n.­90
  • n.­115
  • g.­25
  • g.­60
  • g.­101
  • g.­111
  • g.­144
  • g.­323
  • g.­404
  • g.­423
  • g.­510
  • g.­516
  • g.­545
g.­103

Candranemin

Wylie:
  • zla ba’i mu khyud
Tibetan:
  • ཟླ་བའི་མུ་ཁྱུད།
Sanskrit:
  • candranemin

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­110

coral tree

Wylie:
  • man dA ra ba
Tibetan:
  • མན་དཱ་ར་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • māndārava

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the five trees of Indra’s paradise, its heavenly flowers often rain down in salutation of the buddhas and bodhisattvas and are said to be very bright and aromatic, gladdening the hearts of those who see them. In our world, it is a tree native to India, Erythrina indica or Erythrina variegata, commonly known as the Indian coral tree, mandarava tree, flame tree, and tiger’s claw. In the early spring, before its leaves grow, the tree is fully covered in large flowers, which are rich in nectar and attract many birds. Although the most widespread coral tree has red crimson flowers, the color of the blossoms is not usually mentioned in the sūtras themselves, and it may refer to some other kinds, like the rarer Erythrina indica alba, which boasts white flowers.

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­97
  • 4.­58
  • 4.­73-74
  • 4.­101
  • 4.­104
  • 4.­156
  • 4.­389
  • 4.­394
  • 4.­460
  • g.­182
g.­112

Dāmacitra

Wylie:
  • chun po sna tshogs
Tibetan:
  • ཆུན་པོ་སྣ་ཚོགས།
Sanskrit:
  • dāmacitra

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­113

dependent origination

Wylie:
  • rten cing ’brel bar ’byung ba
Tibetan:
  • རྟེན་ཅིང་འབྲེལ་བར་འབྱུང་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • pratītyasamut­pāda

The relative nature of phenomena, which arises in dependence upon causes and conditions. Together with the four noble truths, this was the first teaching given by the Buddha.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­366
  • 4.­390
  • 5.­53
  • 5.­118
  • g.­418
g.­114

Deva

Wylie:
  • lha
Tibetan:
  • ལྷ།
Sanskrit:
  • deva

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In the most general sense the devas‍—the term is cognate with the English divine‍—are a class of celestial beings who frequently appear in Buddhist texts, often at the head of the assemblies of nonhuman beings who attend and celebrate the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni and other buddhas and bodhisattvas. In Buddhist cosmology the devas occupy the highest of the five or six “destinies” (gati) of saṃsāra among which beings take rebirth. The devas reside in the devalokas, “heavens” that traditionally number between twenty-six and twenty-eight and are divided between the desire realm (kāmadhātu), form realm (rūpadhātu), and formless realm (ārūpyadhātu). A being attains rebirth among the devas either through meritorious deeds (in the desire realm) or the attainment of subtle meditative states (in the form and formless realms). While rebirth among the devas is considered favorable, it is ultimately a transitory state from which beings will fall when the conditions that lead to rebirth there are exhausted. Thus, rebirth in the god realms is regarded as a diversion from the spiritual path.

Located in 118 passages in the translation:

  • i.­14
  • i.­27
  • i.­33
  • 1.­3-5
  • 1.­14
  • 1.­26
  • 2.­36
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­54
  • 2.­76
  • 2.­79
  • 2.­81
  • 2.­83
  • 2.­93
  • 2.­96
  • 2.­101
  • 3.­7
  • 3.­19
  • 3.­35
  • 3.­41
  • 3.­50
  • 3.­52
  • 3.­56
  • 3.­71
  • 3.­85-86
  • 3.­88
  • 3.­90-97
  • 3.­101-104
  • 3.­107
  • 3.­114
  • 3.­117
  • 3.­119
  • 3.­121
  • 3.­125
  • 4.­5
  • 4.­44
  • 4.­48
  • 4.­81-82
  • 4.­113
  • 4.­116
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­156-158
  • 4.­160-161
  • 4.­248
  • 4.­287
  • 4.­289
  • 4.­292
  • 4.­296
  • 4.­304
  • 4.­306
  • 4.­320
  • 4.­327
  • 4.­329
  • 4.­335
  • 4.­346
  • 4.­356
  • 4.­391-392
  • 4.­405-406
  • 4.­416
  • 4.­459
  • 4.­467
  • 4.­486
  • 4.­495
  • 4.­534
  • 4.­540
  • 4.­549-550
  • 4.­556
  • 5.­69
  • 5.­93
  • 5.­101-105
  • 5.­114
  • 5.­120-121
  • 5.­127
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­23
  • 6.­81
  • 6.­85
  • 6.­91
  • n.­115
  • n.­119
  • n.­421
  • n.­423
  • n.­426
  • n.­428
  • g.­59
  • g.­62
  • g.­197
  • g.­288
  • g.­329
  • g.­471
  • g.­485
  • g.­545
  • g.­692
g.­117

Dhāraṇa

Wylie:
  • ’dzin pa
Tibetan:
  • འཛིན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • dhāraṇa

The name of an eon in the distant past where most of the events in The White Lotus of Compassion Sūtra take place.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­5
  • 4.­23
g.­119

dhāraṇī

Wylie:
  • gzungs
Tibetan:
  • གཟུངས།
Sanskrit:
  • dhāraṇī

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term dhāraṇī has the sense of something that “holds” or “retains,” and so it can refer to the special capacity of practitioners to memorize and recall detailed teachings. It can also refer to a verbal expression of the teachings‍—an incantation, spell, or mnemonic formula‍—that distills and “holds” essential points of the Dharma and is used by practitioners to attain mundane and supramundane goals. The same term is also used to denote texts that contain such formulas.

Located in 67 passages in the translation:

  • i.­14
  • i.­18
  • i.­24-26
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­22
  • 2.­23
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­34-48
  • 2.­50
  • 2.­52
  • 2.­54-58
  • 2.­63-64
  • 2.­67-73
  • 2.­75-76
  • 2.­78
  • 2.­101-102
  • 3.­46
  • 3.­56
  • 3.­114
  • 4.­6-7
  • 4.­112
  • 4.­167
  • 4.­214
  • 4.­325
  • 4.­377
  • 4.­420
  • 4.­464
  • 4.­484
  • 5.­3
  • 5.­24
  • 5.­154
  • 6.­11
  • 6.­77
  • 6.­86
  • n.­51
  • n.­67
  • g.­10
g.­131

Dharma­vaśavartīśvara­rāja

Wylie:
  • chos kyi dbang phyug rnam sgrogs
Tibetan:
  • ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབང་ཕྱུག་རྣམ་སྒྲོགས།
Sanskrit:
  • dharma­vaśavartīśvara­rāja

The buddha whom the sixth son of King Araṇemin is prophesied to become.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­98
  • g.­26
g.­134

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Wylie:
  • yul ’khor srung
Tibetan:
  • ཡུལ་འཁོར་སྲུང་།
Sanskrit:
  • dhṛtarāṣṭra

One of the four mahārājas, he is the guardian deity for the east and traditionally lord of the gandharvas, though in this sūtra he appears to be king of the nāgas. There is a Dhṛtarāṣṭra in each four-continent world.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­6
  • 3.­84-85
  • 6.­14
  • g.­314
g.­139

dhyāna

Wylie:
  • bsam gtan
Tibetan:
  • བསམ་གཏན།
Sanskrit:
  • dhyāna

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Dhyāna is defined as one-pointed abiding in an undistracted state of mind, free from afflicted mental states. Four states of dhyāna are identified as being conducive to birth within the form realm. In the context of the Mahāyāna, it is the fifth of the six perfections. It is commonly translated as “concentration,” “meditative concentration,” and so on.

Located in 61 passages in the translation:

  • i.­58
  • 1.­15
  • 1.­24
  • 2.­2
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­8
  • 2.­91
  • 3.­22
  • 3.­36
  • 3.­47
  • 3.­55
  • 4.­73
  • 4.­102
  • 4.­108
  • 4.­112
  • 4.­153-154
  • 4.­157
  • 4.­161
  • 4.­214-217
  • 4.­243
  • 4.­251
  • 4.­294
  • 4.­315-316
  • 4.­318
  • 4.­326
  • 4.­336
  • 4.­345
  • 4.­348
  • 4.­358
  • 4.­372
  • 4.­377
  • 4.­385
  • 4.­407-408
  • 5.­10
  • 5.­48
  • 5.­52
  • 5.­113
  • 5.­118
  • 6.­22
  • 6.­69
  • 6.­73
  • n.­30
  • n.­340
  • g.­87
  • g.­151
  • g.­156
  • g.­397
  • g.­501
  • g.­581
  • g.­582
  • g.­583
  • g.­584
  • g.­585
  • g.­586
  • g.­718
g.­150

excellent features

Wylie:
  • dpe byad bzang po
Tibetan:
  • དཔེ་བྱད་བཟང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • anuvyañjana

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The eighty secondary physical characteristics of a buddha and of other great beings (mahāpuruṣa), which include such details as the redness of the fingernails and the blackness of the hair. They are considered “minor” in terms of being secondary to the thirty-two major marks or signs of a great being.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­22
  • 2.­93
  • 2.­98
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­110
  • 4.­278
  • 4.­359
g.­154

five degeneracies

Wylie:
  • snyigs ma lnga
Tibetan:
  • སྙིགས་མ་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañcakaṣāya

The degeneration of lifespan, view, kleśas, beings, and time.

Located in 53 passages in the translation:

  • i.­9
  • 3.­1-2
  • 3.­58
  • 3.­61-62
  • 4.­57
  • 4.­153-155
  • 4.­157-158
  • 4.­225-227
  • 4.­246
  • 4.­255
  • 4.­328
  • 4.­359
  • 4.­400
  • 4.­402-403
  • 4.­466
  • 4.­468
  • 4.­485
  • 4.­487
  • 4.­515-517
  • 4.­519-520
  • 4.­524
  • 4.­542
  • 5.­78
  • 5.­81-84
  • 5.­109
  • 5.­116-118
  • 5.­122-124
  • 5.­126
  • 5.­145
  • 5.­147
  • 5.­151-152
  • n.­83-84
  • g.­293
g.­158

forbearance that comes from realizing the birthlessness of phenomena

Wylie:
  • mi skye ba’i chos la bzod pa
  • mi skye ba’i chos kyi bzod pa
Tibetan:
  • མི་སྐྱེ་བའི་ཆོས་ལ་བཟོད་པ།
  • མི་སྐྱེ་བའི་ཆོས་ཀྱི་བཟོད་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • anutpattikadharmakṣānti

This is often also interpreted as the acceptance that phenomena are birthless (or nonarising), but strictly speaking the acceptance is not so much an acquiescence regarding the view of nonarising itself as the forbearance regarding phenomena themselves (and the difficulties they may present) that is made possible by realizing that they are birthless. This is said to occur on the first, or in some texts the sixth, bhūmi. It enables bodhisattvas to bear any difficulties entailed by remaining within saṃsāra for eons, and is often said to coincide with the attainment of irreversibility in their progress toward enlightenment.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­54
  • 4.­374
  • 5.­49-50
  • g.­10
g.­166

Gaganamudra

Wylie:
  • nam mkha’i phyag rgya
Tibetan:
  • ནམ་མཁའི་ཕྱག་རྒྱ།
Sanskrit:
  • gaganamudra

The bodhisattva who was Abhaya, the fifth son of King Araṇemin. As prophesied, he became a pupil of the Buddha Candrottara. After Candrottara’s passing, he became the Buddha Padmottara in the southeastern buddha realm, Padmā, and he is present there during Śākyamuni’s lifetime.

Located in 20 passages in the translation:

  • i.­24
  • i.­37
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­23
  • 2.­46
  • 2.­48-51
  • 2.­53-54
  • 4.­92-93
  • 4.­95
  • 4.­187
  • 4.­425
  • n.­209
  • n.­327
  • g.­1
  • g.­386
g.­168

Gandhahasti

Wylie:
  • spos kyi glang po che
Tibetan:
  • སྤོས་ཀྱི་གླང་པོ་ཆེ།
Sanskrit:
  • gandhahasti

The bodhisattva who was Himaṇi, the tenth son of King Araṇemin.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­177-179
  • 4.­181
  • 4.­437
  • n.­255
  • g.­193
g.­172

gandharva

Wylie:
  • dri za
Tibetan:
  • དྲི་ཟ།
Sanskrit:
  • gandharva

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the skies, sometimes said to inhabit fantastic cities in the clouds, and more specifically to dwell on the eastern slopes of Mount Meru, where they are ruled by the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They are most renowned as celestial musicians who serve the gods. In the Abhidharma, the term is also used to refer to the mental body assumed by sentient beings during the intermediate state between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances (gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning “scent eater.”

Located in 24 passages in the translation:

  • i.­33
  • i.­57
  • 1.­6
  • 2.­79
  • 3.­71
  • 3.­84
  • 3.­117
  • 4.­287
  • 4.­304
  • 4.­405-406
  • 4.­459
  • 4.­467
  • 4.­486
  • 4.­540
  • 4.­556
  • 6.­22-23
  • 6.­25
  • 6.­85
  • 6.­91
  • n.­40
  • g.­134
  • g.­391
g.­180

Glorious Goddess

Wylie:
  • lha mo dpal
Tibetan:
  • ལྷ་མོ་དཔལ།
Sanskrit:
  • devī

King Araṇemin’s principal queen.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­24
g.­181

gośīrṣa sandalwood

Wylie:
  • tsan dan sa mchog pa
Tibetan:
  • ཙན་དན་ས་མཆོག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • gośīrṣacandana

A particular kind of sandalwood, known as “ox-head,” that grows in southern India. It is reddish in color and has medicinal properties. It is said to have the finest fragrance of all sandalwood. The Sanskrit word go means “ox,” and śīrṣa means “head”; candana means “sandalwood.” The name of this sandalwood is said to derive from either the shape or the name of a mountain upon which it grew.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­16
  • 3.­20
  • 3.­77
  • 3.­81-82
  • 4.­54
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­279
g.­182

great coral tree

Wylie:
  • man dA ra ba chen po
Tibetan:
  • མན་དཱ་ར་བ་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahāmāndārava

May refer to the species of coral tree called Erythrina stricta.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­97
  • 4.­58
  • 4.­101
  • 4.­104
  • 4.­156
  • 4.­389
  • 4.­394
  • 4.­460
g.­183

great elephants

Wylie:
  • glang po chen po
Tibetan:
  • གླང་པོ་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahānāga

Mahānāga here could be a middle-Indic word possibly originating from the Sanskrit mahānagna, meaning “a great champion,” “a man of distinction and nobility.”

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­2
g.­184

great eon

Wylie:
  • skal pa chen po
Tibetan:
  • སྐལ་པ་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahākalpa

The time during which a world is created and destroyed.

Located in 18 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­5
  • 4.­171
  • 4.­233
  • 4.­319
  • 4.­397
  • 4.­410
  • 5.­78
  • 5.­82-84
  • 5.­93
  • 5.­106
  • 5.­117
  • 5.­124
  • 6.­85
  • 6.­90
  • n.­175
  • g.­196
g.­185

Great Principal

Wylie:
  • sha bo che
  • sha bo she
Tibetan:
  • ཤ་བོ་ཆེ།
  • ཤ་བོ་ཤེ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­193

Himaṇi

Wylie:
  • gangs kyi nor bu
Tibetan:
  • གངས་ཀྱི་ནོར་བུ།
Sanskrit:
  • himaṇi

The tenth son of King Araṇemin who becomes the bodhisattva Gandhahasti and is prophesied to become the Buddha Suvarṇapuṣpa.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­176
  • n.­254
  • g.­168
  • g.­623
g.­197

Indra

Wylie:
  • dbang po
Tibetan:
  • དབང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • indra

The lord of the devas, a principal deity in the Vedas. With Brahma, he was one of the two most important deities during the Buddha’s lifetime. He was later eclipsed by the increasing importance of Śiva and Viṣṇu. See also Śakra.

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­18
  • 3.­129
  • n.­426
  • g.­82
  • g.­110
  • g.­485
g.­198

Indragaṇa

Wylie:
  • dbang po’i tshogs
Tibetan:
  • དབང་པོའི་ཚོགས།
Sanskrit:
  • indragaṇa

The third of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin, who becomes bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, and is prophesied to become Buddha Samantadarśin.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 3.­33
  • 3.­120
  • 4.­45-46
g.­201

Indranemin

Wylie:
  • dbang po’i mu khyud
Tibetan:
  • དབང་པོའི་མུ་ཁྱུད།
Sanskrit:
  • indranemin

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­206

irreversibility

Wylie:
  • phyir mi ldog pa
Tibetan:
  • ཕྱིར་མི་ལྡོག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • avaivartikatva

A stage in the gradual progression toward buddhahood, from which one will no longer regress to lower states.

Located in 23 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­50
  • 2.­52
  • 3.­47
  • 4.­132
  • 4.­387-388
  • 4.­393
  • 4.­396-397
  • 4.­473
  • 4.­491
  • 4.­548-549
  • 5.­48
  • 5.­50
  • 6.­25-26
  • 6.­75-76
  • 6.­89-90
  • n.­462
  • g.­158
g.­208

Jambu River gold

Wylie:
  • ’dzam bu chu bo’i gser
Tibetan:
  • འཛམ་བུ་ཆུ་བོའི་གསེར།
Sanskrit:
  • jāmbunadasuvarṇa

The best gold in the human world, said to be formed from the fruits of a mythical tree at the Himalayan source of north India’s major rivers.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­16
  • 3.­14
  • 3.­25
g.­211

Jambudvīpa

Wylie:
  • ’dzam bu’i gling
Tibetan:
  • འཛམ་བུའི་གླིང་།
Sanskrit:
  • jambudvīpa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The name of the southern continent in Buddhist cosmology, which can signify either the known human world, or more specifically the Indian subcontinent, literally “the jambu island/continent.” Jambu is the name used for a range of plum-like fruits from trees belonging to the genus Szygium, particularly Szygium jambos and Szygium cumini, and it has commonly been rendered “rose apple,” although “black plum” may be a less misleading term. Among various explanations given for the continent being so named, one (in the Abhidharmakośa) is that a jambu tree grows in its northern mountains beside Lake Anavatapta, mythically considered the source of the four great rivers of India, and that the continent is therefore named from the tree or the fruit. Jambudvīpa has the Vajrāsana at its center and is the only continent upon which buddhas attain awakening.

Located in 39 passages in the translation:

  • i.­29
  • 3.­30
  • 3.­41
  • 3.­44
  • 3.­79
  • 3.­90-94
  • 3.­96-97
  • 3.­114
  • 4.­292
  • 5.­62-64
  • 5.­73
  • 5.­93
  • 5.­95-98
  • 5.­108-109
  • 5.­113-116
  • 5.­118-119
  • 5.­124
  • 5.­129
  • 5.­141-142
  • 5.­148
  • g.­93
  • g.­474
  • g.­664
g.­214

Jambūvana

Wylie:
  • ’dzam bu’i tshal
Tibetan:
  • འཛམ་བུའི་ཚལ།
Sanskrit:
  • jambūvana

“Rose-Apple Tree Park.” The name of the park in which the Buddha Ratnagarbha teaches King Araṇemin and his family and subjects.

Located in 12 passages in the translation:

  • i.­28
  • 3.­8-10
  • 3.­89-92
  • 3.­114-115
  • 4.­476
  • 4.­494
g.­215

jasmine

Wylie:
  • sna ma’i me tog
Tibetan:
  • སྣ་མའི་མེ་ཏོག
Sanskrit:
  • sumanā

Specifically, Jasminium grandiforum, known in English as Spanish, royal, or Catalonian jasmine.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­40-41
  • 3.­97
  • 4.­41-42
  • 4.­44
  • 4.­159
  • 4.­164
  • g.­377
g.­216

Javanemin

Wylie:
  • shugs kyi mu khyud
Tibetan:
  • ཤུགས་ཀྱི་མུ་ཁྱུད།
Sanskrit:
  • javanemin

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­218

Jayasoma

Wylie:
  • rgyal ba’i zla ba
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱལ་བའི་ཟླ་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • jayasoma

The future name of the eastern realm Abhirati when the Buddhas Akṣobhya and Suvarṇapuṣpa are succeeded by the Buddha Nāga­vinarditeśvara­ghoṣa.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­182
  • g.­5
  • g.­361
  • g.­561
g.­222

Jinamitra

Wylie:
  • dzi na mi tra
Tibetan:
  • ཛི་ན་མི་ཏྲ།
Sanskrit:
  • jinamitra

Jinamitra was invited to Tibet during the reign of King Trisong Detsen (r. 742–98 ᴄᴇ) and was involved with the translation of nearly two hundred texts, continuing into the reign of King Ralpachen (r. 815–38 ᴄᴇ). He was among the small group of paṇḍitas responsible for the Mahā­vyutpatti Sanskrit–Tibetan dictionary.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • i.­12
  • c.­1
g.­265

kalyāṇamitra

Wylie:
  • dge ba’i bshes gnyen
Tibetan:
  • དགེ་བའི་བཤེས་གཉེན།
Sanskrit:
  • kalyāṇamitra

“The beneficial friend,” or “friend of virtue.” A title for a teacher of the spiritual path.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­46
  • 3.­52
  • 3.­55
  • 4.­306
  • 4.­332
  • 4.­517
  • 5.­37
  • 5.­67
  • 6.­8
  • g.­309
g.­279

Kāya

Wylie:
  • lus bzangs
  • lus bzang
  • lus bzungs
Tibetan:
  • ལུས་བཟངས།
  • ལུས་བཟང་།
  • ལུས་བཟུངས།
Sanskrit:
  • kāya

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­33
  • n.­144
g.­281

Ketapuri

Wylie:
  • gnas pa’i grong khyer
Tibetan:
  • གནས་པའི་གྲོང་ཁྱེར།
Sanskrit:
  • ketapuri

The personal name of the Brahmā in the world and era of the Buddha Ratnagarbha.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • i.­48
  • 3.­101
  • 4.­527
  • n.­375
g.­287

kleśa

Wylie:
  • nyon mongs
Tibetan:
  • ཉོན་མོངས།
Sanskrit:
  • kleśa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The essentially pure nature of mind is obscured and afflicted by various psychological defilements, which destroy the mind’s peace and composure and lead to unwholesome deeds of body, speech, and mind, acting as causes for continued existence in saṃsāra. Included among them are the primary afflictions of desire (rāga), anger (dveṣa), and ignorance (avidyā). It is said that there are eighty-four thousand of these negative mental qualities, for which the eighty-four thousand categories of the Buddha’s teachings serve as the antidote.

Kleśa is also commonly translated as “negative emotions,” “disturbing emotions,” and so on. The Pāli kilesa, Middle Indic kileśa, and Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit kleśa all primarily mean “stain” or “defilement.” The translation “affliction” is a secondary development that derives from the more general (non-Buddhist) classical understanding of √kliś (“to harm,“ “to afflict”). Both meanings are noted by Buddhist commentators.

Located in 69 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 2.­5-6
  • 2.­10
  • 3.­2
  • 3.­55
  • 4.­5
  • 4.­27
  • 4.­32
  • 4.­72
  • 4.­78
  • 4.­94
  • 4.­112
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­134
  • 4.­139
  • 4.­209
  • 4.­214
  • 4.­217
  • 4.­227
  • 4.­231
  • 4.­233
  • 4.­246
  • 4.­260
  • 4.­262
  • 4.­274-276
  • 4.­279
  • 4.­282
  • 4.­287
  • 4.­290
  • 4.­296
  • 4.­303
  • 4.­305
  • 4.­313
  • 4.­335
  • 4.­346
  • 4.­353
  • 4.­355-356
  • 4.­369
  • 4.­377
  • 4.­402-403
  • 4.­405
  • 4.­432
  • 4.­436
  • 4.­446
  • 4.­448
  • 4.­454
  • 4.­458
  • 4.­466
  • 4.­468
  • 4.­485
  • 4.­487
  • 4.­522
  • 4.­525
  • 4.­533
  • 4.­542
  • 5.­3
  • 5.­11
  • 5.­31
  • 5.­76
  • 6.­86
  • n.­229
  • n.­298
  • n.­318
  • g.­154
g.­288

Korabha

Wylie:
  • rtsom
Tibetan:
  • རྩོམ།
Sanskrit:
  • korabha

A deva who made offerings to the Buddha Ratnagarbha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­90
g.­292

Kṣāntinemin

Wylie:
  • bzod pa’i mu khyud
Tibetan:
  • བཟོད་པའི་མུ་ཁྱུད།
Sanskrit:
  • kṣāntinemin

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­296

kumbhāṇḍa

Wylie:
  • grul bum
Tibetan:
  • གྲུལ་བུམ།
Sanskrit:
  • kumbhāṇḍa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of dwarf beings subordinate to Virūḍhaka, one of the Four Great Kings, associated with the southern direction. The name uses a play on the word aṇḍa, which means “egg” but is also a euphemism for a testicle. Thus, they are often depicted as having testicles as big as pots (from kumbha, or “pot”).

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • i.­33
  • 1.­6
  • 2.­36
  • 3.­71
  • 3.­84
  • 3.­117
  • 4.­347
  • 4.­411
  • 4.­550
  • g.­723
g.­300

kūṭāgāra

Wylie:
  • khang pa brtsegs pa
Tibetan:
  • ཁང་པ་བརྩེགས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • kūṭāgāra

Distinctive Indian assembly hall or temple with one ground-floor room and a high ornamental roof, sometimes a barrel shape with apses but more usually a tapering roof, tower, or spire, it contains at least one additional upper room within the structure. Kūṭāgāra literally means “upper chamber” and is short for kūṭāgāraśala, “hall with an upper chamber or chambers.” The Mahābodhi temple in Bodhgaya is an example of a kūṭāgāra.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­15-17
  • 2.­53
  • 3.­14-15
  • 3.­89-91
  • 4.­159
g.­304

lotsawa

Wylie:
  • lots+tsha ba
Tibetan:
  • ལོཙྪ་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • locāva

Honorific term for a Tibetan translator.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • c.­1
g.­305

Mādhvava

Wylie:
  • dron pa can
Tibetan:
  • དྲོན་པ་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • mādhvava

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­306

Magadha

Wylie:
  • ma ga dha
Tibetan:
  • མ་ག་དྷ།
Sanskrit:
  • magadha

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

An ancient Indian kingdom that lay to the south of the Ganges River in what today is the state of Bihar. Magadha was the largest of the sixteen “great states” (mahājanapada) that flourished between the sixth and third centuries ʙᴄᴇ in northern India. During the life of the Buddha Śākyamuni, it was ruled by King Bimbisāra and later by Bimbisāra's son, Ajātaśatru. Its capital was initially Rājagṛha (modern-day Rajgir) but was later moved to Pāṭaliputra (modern-day Patna). Over the centuries, with the expansion of the Magadha’s might, it became the capital of the vast Mauryan empire and seat of the great King Aśoka.

This region is home to many of the most important Buddhist sites, including Bodh Gayā, where the Buddha attained awakening; Vulture Peak (Gṛdhra­kūṭa), where the Buddha bestowed many well-known Mahāyāna sūtras; and the Buddhist university of Nālandā that flourished between the fifth and twelfth centuries ᴄᴇ, among many others.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • i.­23
  • g.­436
g.­308

Mahācakravāḍa

Wylie:
  • ’jig rten gyi bar dag
Tibetan:
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་གྱི་བར་དག
Sanskrit:
  • mahācakravāḍa

Name of a mountain range in Buddhist cosmology.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­22
  • 2.­34
  • 3.­119
  • 4.­5
  • 4.­58
  • 4.­101
  • 6.­65
g.­310

Mahākāruṇika

Wylie:
  • thugs rje chen po dang ldan pa
Tibetan:
  • ཐུགས་རྗེ་ཆེན་པོ་དང་ལྡན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahākāruṇika

The bodhisattva name given to the brahmin Samudrareṇu (who would eventually become the Buddha Śākyamuni) on account of his great compassion for beings. It means “One Who Has Great Compassion.”

Located in 54 passages in the translation:

  • i.­45-51
  • 4.­464
  • 4.­467
  • 4.­469-470
  • 4.­484
  • 4.­488
  • 4.­496
  • 4.­524-526
  • 4.­528-534
  • 4.­536-537
  • 4.­539
  • 4.­541-547
  • 4.­554-556
  • 5.­1-3
  • 5.­47
  • 5.­51
  • 5.­53-54
  • 5.­56-58
  • 5.­72
  • g.­223
  • g.­303
  • g.­316
  • g.­568
  • g.­569
  • g.­571
g.­314

mahārāja

Wylie:
  • rgyal po chen po
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱལ་པོ་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahārāja

Deities on the base of Mount Meru, each one the guardian of his direction: Vaiśravaṇa in the north, Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the east, Virūpākṣa in the west, and Virūḍhaka in the south.

Located in 12 passages in the translation:

  • i.­33
  • 1.­5-6
  • 3.­72
  • 3.­77
  • 3.­79
  • 3.­81
  • 3.­84
  • g.­134
  • g.­671
  • g.­723
  • g.­724
g.­316

mahāsattva

Wylie:
  • sems dpa’ chen po
Tibetan:
  • སེམས་དཔའ་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahāsattva

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term can be understood to mean “great courageous one” or "great hero,” or (from the Sanskrit) simply “great being,” and is almost always found as an epithet of “bodhisattva.” The qualification “great” in this term, according to the majority of canonical definitions, focuses on the generic greatness common to all bodhisattvas, i.e., the greatness implicit in the bodhisattva vow itself in terms of outlook, aspiration, number of beings to be benefited, potential or eventual accomplishments, and so forth. In this sense the mahā- (“great”) is close in its connotations to the mahā- in “Mahāyāna.” While individual bodhisattvas described as mahāsattva may in many cases also be “great” in terms of their level of realization, this is largely coincidental, and in the canonical texts the epithet is not restricted to bodhisattvas at any particular point in their career. Indeed, in a few cases even bodhisattvas whose path has taken a wrong direction are still described as bodhisattva mahāsattva.

Later commentarial writings do nevertheless define the term‍—variably‍—in terms of bodhisattvas having attained a particular level (bhūmi) or realization. The most common qualifying criteria mentioned are attaining the path of seeing, attaining irreversibility (according to its various definitions), or attaining the seventh bhūmi.

In this text:

In chapter 4 of this text (see 4.­513) the Buddha Ratnagarbha states that bodhisattvas who have vowed to attain awakening under relatively easier circumstances do not deserve the title mahāsattva, which should be reserved for those like Mahākāruṇika who have vowed to attain awakening only in the most degenerate and difficult times and places. However, this statement is best taken as highlighting a specific point of perspective rather than as a general gloss, since throughout the text the term is nevertheless used‍—just as it is in most Mahāyāna sūtras‍—as an epithet for bodhisattvas in general regardless of their individual status, qualities, or aspirations.

Located in 132 passages in the translation:

  • i.­9
  • i.­47
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­7-9
  • 1.­15
  • 1.­22-23
  • 1.­25
  • 2.­2-4
  • 2.­7-8
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­21-23
  • 2.­35-36
  • 2.­38-39
  • 2.­43
  • 2.­45-51
  • 2.­53-71
  • 2.­76
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­3
  • 3.­46
  • 3.­58
  • 3.­60-61
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­16-17
  • 4.­50
  • 4.­74
  • 4.­105
  • 4.­140
  • 4.­287
  • 4.­377
  • 4.­380
  • 4.­399
  • 4.­457
  • 4.­461
  • 4.­463-464
  • 4.­467-469
  • 4.­471
  • 4.­478-484
  • 4.­486-489
  • 4.­496
  • 4.­499
  • 4.­513
  • 4.­516-517
  • 4.­521-523
  • 4.­537
  • 4.­539
  • 4.­542-544
  • 4.­547
  • 4.­554-556
  • 5.­1-5
  • 5.­47
  • 5.­50-51
  • 5.­53-54
  • 5.­56-57
  • 5.­114
  • 6.­11
  • 6.­19
  • 6.­56
  • 6.­77
  • 6.­88
  • n.­38-39
  • n.­56
  • n.­68
  • n.­145-146
  • n.­393
  • n.­394
  • n.­448
g.­317

Mahāsthāmaprāpta

Wylie:
  • mthu chen thob
Tibetan:
  • མཐུ་ཆེན་ཐོབ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahāsthāmaprāpta

One of the two principal bodhisattvas in Sukhāvatī and prominent in Chinese Buddhism. In Tibetan Buddhism he is identified with Vajrapāṇi, though they are separate bodhisattvas in the sūtras. The second of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin, on becoming a bodhisattva, is given the name Mahāsthāmaprāpta, and as such in the future will be in Sukhāvatī as that bodhisattva when his father becomes the Buddha Amitābha. He will eventually become the Buddha Supra­tiṣṭhita­guṇa­maṇikūṭa­rāja in that realm.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • i.­2
  • i.­13
  • i.­37
  • 4.­40
  • 4.­42
  • 4.­421
  • n.­185
  • g.­379
  • g.­612
g.­319

Mahāyāna

Wylie:
  • theg pa chen po
Tibetan:
  • ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahāyāna AD

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

When the Buddhist teachings are classified according to their power to lead beings to an awakened state, a distinction is made between the teachings of the Lesser Vehicle (Hīnayāna), which emphasizes the individual’s own freedom from cyclic existence as the primary motivation and goal, and those of the Great Vehicle (Mahāyāna), which emphasizes altruism and has the liberation of all sentient beings as the principal objective. As the term “Great Vehicle” implies, the path followed by bodhisattvas is analogous to a large carriage that can transport a vast number of people to liberation, as compared to a smaller vehicle for the individual practitioner.

Located in 47 passages in the translation:

  • i.­3
  • i.­10-11
  • i.­13
  • i.­29
  • i.­35
  • 1.­7
  • 1.­26-27
  • 2.­102
  • 3.­44
  • 4.­12
  • 4.­125
  • 4.­151
  • 4.­167
  • 4.­249
  • 4.­342
  • 4.­344
  • 4.­352
  • 4.­360
  • 4.­364
  • 4.­366
  • 4.­369
  • 4.­377
  • 4.­380-382
  • 4.­390
  • 4.­462
  • 4.­479
  • 4.­481
  • 4.­495
  • 4.­498
  • 4.­510
  • 4.­513
  • 4.­543
  • 4.­557
  • 5.­4
  • 5.­53
  • 5.­159
  • 6.­25
  • 6.­92
  • n.­3
  • n.­369
  • g.­316
  • g.­493
  • g.­575
g.­321

Maheśvara

Wylie:
  • dbang phyug chen po
Tibetan:
  • དབང་ཕྱུག་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • maheśvara

One of the most frequently used names for Śiva.

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • i.­13
  • 4.­321
  • 4.­361
  • 6.­14
  • n.­11
  • g.­573
g.­324

Mājava

Wylie:
  • dus pa can
Tibetan:
  • དུས་པ་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • mājava

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­326

Mānava

Wylie:
  • shed bu
Tibetan:
  • ཤེད་བུ།
Sanskrit:
  • mānava

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­330

Mañjuśrī

Wylie:
  • ’jam dpal
Tibetan:
  • འཇམ་དཔལ།
Sanskrit:
  • mañjuśrī

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Mañjuśrī is one of the “eight close sons of the Buddha” and a bodhisattva who embodies wisdom. He is a major figure in the Mahāyāna sūtras, appearing often as an interlocutor of the Buddha. In his most well-known iconographic form, he is portrayed bearing the sword of wisdom in his right hand and a volume of the Prajñā­pāramitā­sūtra in his left. To his name, Mañjuśrī, meaning “Gentle and Glorious One,” is often added the epithet Kumārabhūta, “having a youthful form.” He is also called Mañjughoṣa, Mañjusvara, and Pañcaśikha.

Located in 15 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­2
  • i.­37
  • 4.­69-73
  • 4.­77
  • 4.­423
  • n.­202
  • g.­198
  • g.­331
  • g.­497
  • g.­593
g.­334

Māra

Wylie:
  • bdud
Tibetan:
  • བདུད།
Sanskrit:
  • māra

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Māra, literally “death” or “maker of death,” is the name of the deva who tried to prevent the Buddha from achieving awakening, the name given to the class of beings he leads, and also an impersonal term for the destructive forces that keep beings imprisoned in saṃsāra:

(1) As a deva, Māra is said to be the principal deity in the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations (paranirmitavaśavartin), the highest paradise in the desire realm. He famously attempted to prevent the Buddha’s awakening under the Bodhi tree‍—see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 21.1‍—and later sought many times to thwart the Buddha’s activity. In the sūtras, he often also creates obstacles to the progress of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas. (2) The devas ruled over by Māra are collectively called mārakāyika or mārakāyikadevatā, the “deities of Māra’s family or class.” In general, these māras too do not wish any being to escape from saṃsāra, but can also change their ways and even end up developing faith in the Buddha, as exemplified by Sārthavāha; see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 21.14 and 21.43. (3) The term māra can also be understood as personifying four defects that prevent awakening, called (i) the divine māra (devaputra­māra), which is the distraction of pleasures; (ii) the māra of Death (mṛtyumāra), which is having one’s life interrupted; (iii) the māra of the aggregates (skandhamāra), which is identifying with the five aggregates; and (iv) the māra of the afflictions (kleśamāra), which is being under the sway of the negative emotions of desire, hatred, and ignorance.

Located in 30 passages in the translation:

  • i.­33
  • 2.­6
  • 3.­55
  • 3.­58
  • 3.­100
  • 3.­105-107
  • 4.­157
  • 4.­161
  • 4.­341
  • 4.­353
  • 4.­363
  • 4.­369
  • 4.­378
  • 4.­432
  • 4.­446
  • 4.­525
  • 5.­48
  • 5.­102
  • 5.­106
  • 5.­153
  • 6.­14
  • 6.­85
  • n.­115
  • n.­119
  • n.­245
  • g.­72
  • g.­165
  • g.­425
g.­337

Mārdava

Wylie:
  • mnyen des
  • mnyen shes
Tibetan:
  • མཉེན་དེས།
  • མཉེན་ཤེས།
Sanskrit:
  • mārdava

The twelfth of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin. No details are given of the prophecy given to him.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­33
  • 4.­187
g.­342

Meru

Wylie:
  • lhun po
Tibetan:
  • ལྷུན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • meru

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

According to ancient Buddhist cosmology, this is the great mountain forming the axis of the universe. At its summit is Sudarśana, home of Śakra and his thirty-two gods, and on its flanks live the asuras. The mount has four sides facing the cardinal directions, each of which is made of a different precious stone. Surrounding it are several mountain ranges and the great ocean where the four principal island continents lie: in the south, Jambudvīpa (our world); in the west, Godānīya; in the north, Uttarakuru; and in the east, Pūrvavideha. Above it are the abodes of the desire realm gods. It is variously referred to as Meru, Mount Meru, Sumeru, and Mount Sumeru.

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­295
  • 4.­371
  • 5.­3
  • 5.­87
  • 5.­104-105
  • n.­335
  • n.­380
  • g.­93
  • g.­314
  • g.­754
g.­351

Middha

Wylie:
  • grub pa
Tibetan:
  • གྲུབ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • middha

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin. The Tibetan translates the term siddha.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­33
  • n.­111
g.­353

Miṣa

Wylie:
  • gran med
Tibetan:
  • གྲན་མེད།
Sanskrit:
  • miṣa

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­354

Mukhava

Wylie:
  • gdong can
Tibetan:
  • གདོང་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • mukhava

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­358

nāga

Wylie:
  • klu
Tibetan:
  • ཀླུ།
Sanskrit:
  • nāga

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings who live in subterranean aquatic environments, where they guard wealth and sometimes also teachings. Nāgas are associated with serpents and have a snakelike appearance. In Buddhist art and in written accounts, they are regularly portrayed as half human and half snake, and they are also said to have the ability to change into human form. Some nāgas are Dharma protectors, but they can also bring retribution if they are disturbed. They may likewise fight one another, wage war, and destroy the lands of others by causing lightning, hail, and flooding.

Located in 46 passages in the translation:

  • i.­14
  • i.­27
  • i.­33
  • i.­54
  • 1.­5-6
  • 2.­36
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­79
  • 2.­85
  • 2.­88
  • 3.­35
  • 3.­84
  • 3.­114
  • 3.­117
  • 4.­133
  • 4.­153
  • 4.­297
  • 4.­299
  • 4.­341
  • 4.­343
  • 4.­347
  • 4.­356
  • 4.­406
  • 4.­534
  • 4.­550
  • 5.­57
  • 5.­103
  • 5.­114-115
  • 5.­120-121
  • 5.­125-126
  • 5.­141-142
  • 5.­145
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­85
  • n.­236
  • n.­421
  • n.­433
  • g.­134
  • g.­367
  • g.­376
  • g.­724
g.­361

Nāga­vinarditeśvara­ghoṣa

Wylie:
  • glang po rnam par bsgrags pa’i dbang phyug dbyangs
Tibetan:
  • གླང་པོ་རྣམ་པར་བསྒྲགས་པའི་དབང་ཕྱུག་དབྱངས།
Sanskrit:
  • nāga­vinarditeśvara­ghoṣa

The buddha who succeeds the Buddhas Akṣobhya and Suvarṇapuṣpa in the realm Abhirati, by then renamed Jayasoma, as prophesied of King Araṇemin’s eleventh son, Siṃha.

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­182
  • g.­5
  • g.­218
  • g.­455
  • g.­561
g.­366

Namajyoti

Wylie:
  • skar ma ’dud
Tibetan:
  • སྐར་མ་འདུད།
Sanskrit:
  • namajyoti

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­375

Nerava

Wylie:
  • mig can
Tibetan:
  • མིག་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • nerava

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­379

Nimi

Wylie:
  • mu khyud
Tibetan:
  • མུ་ཁྱུད།
Sanskrit:
  • nimi

The second of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin, who in becoming a bodhisattva is given the name Mahāsthāmaprāpta, and as such in the future will be in Sukhāvatī as that bodhisattva when his father becomes the Buddha Amitābha. He will eventually become in that realm the Buddha Supra­tiṣṭhita­guṇa­maṇikūṭa­rāja.

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 3.­120
  • 4.­38-39
  • n.­155
  • g.­612
g.­380

Nirmāṇarata

Wylie:
  • ’phrul dga’
Tibetan:
  • འཕྲུལ་དགའ།
Sanskrit:
  • nirmāṇarata

The fifth (counting from the lowest) of the six paradises in the desire realm.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­4
  • g.­609
g.­381

nirvāṇa

Wylie:
  • mya ngan las ’das pa
Tibetan:
  • མྱ་ངན་ལས་འདས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • nirvāṇa AD

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Sanskrit, the term nirvāṇa literally means “extinguishment” and the Tibetan mya ngan las ’das pa literally means “gone beyond sorrow.” As a general term, it refers to the cessation of all suffering, afflicted mental states (kleśa), and causal processes (karman) that lead to rebirth and suffering in cyclic existence, as well as to the state in which all such rebirth and suffering has permanently ceased.

More specifically, three main types of nirvāṇa are identified. (1) The first type of nirvāṇa, called nirvāṇa with remainder (sopadhiśeṣanirvāṇa), is the state in which arhats or buddhas have attained awakening but are still dependent on the conditioned aggregates until their lifespan is exhausted. (2) At the end of life, given that there are no more causes for rebirth, these aggregates cease and no new aggregates arise. What occurs then is called nirvāṇa without remainder ( anupadhiśeṣanirvāṇa), which refers to the unconditioned element (dhātu) of nirvāṇa in which there is no remainder of the aggregates. (3) The Mahāyāna teachings distinguish the final nirvāṇa of buddhas from that of arhats, the nirvāṇa of arhats not being considered ultimate. The buddhas attain what is called nonabiding nirvāṇa (apratiṣṭhitanirvāṇa), which transcends the extremes of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, i.e., existence and peace. This is the nirvāṇa that is the goal of the Mahāyāna path.

Located in 39 passages in the translation:

  • i.­26
  • i.­50
  • 2.­53
  • 2.­78
  • 3.­35
  • 3.­55
  • 4.­29
  • 4.­33
  • 4.­39
  • 4.­56
  • 4.­66
  • 4.­68
  • 4.­106-107
  • 4.­217
  • 4.­227
  • 4.­233
  • 4.­277-278
  • 4.­288
  • 4.­325
  • 4.­330
  • 4.­335
  • 4.­338
  • 4.­377
  • 4.­384-385
  • 4.­410
  • 4.­544
  • 5.­54-55
  • 5.­69
  • 5.­81
  • 5.­84-85
  • g.­5
  • g.­72
  • g.­249
  • g.­623
g.­384

outflows

Wylie:
  • zag pa
Tibetan:
  • ཟག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • āsrava

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Literally, “to flow” or “to ooze.” Mental defilements or contaminations that “flow out” toward the objects of cyclic existence, binding us to them. Vasubandhu offers two alternative explanations of this term: “They cause beings to remain (āsayanti) within saṃsāra” and “They flow from the Summit of Existence down to the Avīci hell, out of the six wounds that are the sense fields” (Abhidharma­kośa­bhāṣya 5.40; Pradhan 1967, p. 308). The Summit of Existence (bhavāgra, srid pa’i rtse mo) is the highest point within saṃsāra, while the hell called Avīci (mnar med) is the lowest; the six sense fields (āyatana, skye mched) here refer to the five sense faculties plus the mind, i.e., the six internal sense fields.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • g.­163
g.­385

Padmā

Wylie:
  • pad ma
Tibetan:
  • པད་མ།
Sanskrit:
  • padmā

The southeastern realm of the Buddha Padmottara.

Located in 22 passages in the translation:

  • i.­23-24
  • 1.­13
  • 1.­16
  • 1.­18
  • 1.­23
  • 1.­25
  • 2.­1-2
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­7-8
  • 2.­12
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­16
  • 2.­18-19
  • 2.­36
  • 4.­87
  • 4.­92
  • g.­98
  • g.­166
g.­386

Padmottara

Wylie:
  • pad ma dam pa
Tibetan:
  • པད་མ་དམ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • padmottara

The buddha whom the bodhisattva Gaganamudra becomes, who is a contemporary of Śākyamuni and seen in his southeastern realm by many of Śākyamuni’s bodhisattva disciples.

Located in 30 passages in the translation:

  • i.­23-24
  • i.­37
  • 1.­8-11
  • 1.­16
  • 1.­19-26
  • 2.­2
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­17-18
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­36
  • 4.­92
  • n.­6
  • g.­1
  • g.­98
  • g.­106
  • g.­166
  • g.­385
  • g.­462
g.­392

paṇḍita

Wylie:
  • mkhas pa
Tibetan:
  • མཁས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • paṇḍita

An official title for a learned scholar in India.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • i.­12
  • g.­222
g.­393

Paṅgagaṇa

Wylie:
  • grum por ’grang ba
Tibetan:
  • གྲུམ་པོར་འགྲང་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • paṅgagaṇa

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­395

Para­nirmitavaśavartin

Wylie:
  • gzhan ’phrul dbang byed
Tibetan:
  • གཞན་འཕྲུལ་དབང་བྱེད།
Sanskrit:
  • para­nirmitavaśavartin

The principal deity in the Para­nirmitavaśavartin paradise, which is the highest in the desire realm.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­3
  • 3.­85-86
  • 3.­92
  • 3.­96
  • 3.­102
  • 3.­104
  • 3.­106-107
  • 4.­5
g.­396

parinirvāṇa

Wylie:
  • yongs su mya ngan las ’das pa
Tibetan:
  • ཡོངས་སུ་མྱ་ངན་ལས་འདས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • parinirvāṇa AD

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

This refers to what occurs at the end of an arhat’s or a buddha’s life. When nirvāṇa is attained at awakening, whether as an arhat or buddha, all suffering, afflicted mental states (kleśa), and causal processes (karman) that lead to rebirth and suffering in cyclic existence have ceased, but due to previously accumulated karma, the aggregates of that life remain and must still exhaust themselves. It is only at the end of life that these cease, and since no new aggregates arise, the arhat or buddha is said to attain parinirvāṇa, meaning “complete” or “final” nirvāṇa. This is synonymous with the attainment of nirvāṇa without remainder (anupadhiśeṣanirvāṇa).

According to the Mahāyāna view of a single vehicle (ekayāna), the arhat’s parinirvāṇa at death, despite being so called, is not final. The arhat must still enter the bodhisattva path and reach buddhahood (see Unraveling the Intent, Toh 106, 7.14.) On the other hand, the parinirvāṇa of a buddha, ultimately speaking, should be understood as a display manifested for the benefit of beings; see The Teaching on the Extraordinary Transformation That Is the Miracle of Attaining the Buddha’s Powers (Toh 186), 1.32.

The term parinirvāṇa is also associated specifically with the passing away of the Buddha Śākyamuni, in Kuśinagara, in northern India.

Located in 50 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­14
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­20-21
  • 2.­39
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­53
  • 3.­47
  • 3.­58
  • 4.­7-8
  • 4.­13-14
  • 4.­30
  • 4.­33
  • 4.­39
  • 4.­56
  • 4.­65
  • 4.­103
  • 4.­157
  • 4.­161
  • 4.­171
  • 4.­177
  • 4.­182
  • 4.­240
  • 4.­246
  • 4.­273
  • 4.­280
  • 4.­282
  • 4.­288
  • 4.­318
  • 4.­363
  • 4.­386-388
  • 4.­396
  • 4.­399
  • 4.­404
  • 4.­408
  • 4.­526
  • 4.­545
  • 4.­553
  • 5.­48
  • 5.­54-55
  • 5.­80
  • 6.­1
  • g.­42
  • g.­344
  • g.­721
g.­397

perfections

Wylie:
  • pha rol tu phyin pa
Tibetan:
  • ཕ་རོལ་ཏུ་ཕྱིན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • pāramitā

The six perfections of generosity, conduct, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom.

Located in 28 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­7
  • 4.­47
  • 4.­56
  • 4.­61
  • 4.­73
  • 4.­96
  • 4.­140
  • 4.­149
  • 4.­160
  • 4.­250
  • 4.­275
  • 4.­310
  • 4.­318
  • 4.­324
  • 4.­374
  • 4.­382-383
  • 4.­390
  • 4.­398-399
  • 4.­404
  • 4.­535
  • 5.­106
  • 6.­2
  • 6.­49
  • 6.­73
  • 6.­85
  • n.­4
g.­398

piśāca

Wylie:
  • sha za
Tibetan:
  • ཤ་ཟ།
Sanskrit:
  • piśāca

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings that, like several other classes of nonhuman beings, take spontaneous birth. Ranking below rākṣasas, they are less powerful and more akin to pretas. They are said to dwell in impure and perilous places, where they feed on impure things, including flesh. This could account for the name piśāca, which possibly derives from √piś, to carve or chop meat, as reflected also in the Tibetan sha za, “meat eater.” They are often described as having an unpleasant appearance, and at times they appear with animal bodies. Some possess the ability to enter the dead bodies of humans, thereby becoming so-called vetāla, to touch whom is fatal.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­36
  • 3.­117
  • 4.­133
  • 4.­347
  • 4.­363
  • 4.­411
  • 4.­550
  • 6.­85
  • n.­80
g.­399

piṭaka

Wylie:
  • sde snod
Tibetan:
  • སྡེ་སྣོད།
Sanskrit:
  • piṭaka

A collection of canonical texts according to subject, the piṭakas are usually Vinaya, Sūtra and Abhidharma. There is also, as in this sūtra, the collection of Mahāyana teachings known as the bodhisattvapiṭaka. Originates from the term “baskets” originally used to contain these collections.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­2
  • 2.­45
  • 2.­48
  • 4.­5
  • 4.­56
  • 4.­364
  • 4.­390
  • g.­715
g.­400

powers

Wylie:
  • dbang
Tibetan:
  • དབང་།
Sanskrit:
  • indriya

The five powers: faith, mindfulness, diligence, samādhi, and wisdom.

Located in 32 passages in the translation:

  • i.­23
  • 1.­2
  • 1.­8-9
  • 1.­14
  • 1.­23
  • 1.­25
  • 2.­13
  • 2.­70
  • 3.­46
  • 4.­25
  • 4.­160
  • 4.­214
  • 4.­263
  • 4.­329
  • 4.­341
  • 4.­372
  • 4.­379
  • 4.­476
  • 4.­496
  • 4.­499
  • 4.­530
  • 5.­30
  • 6.­10
  • 6.­12
  • n.­86
  • g.­140
  • g.­151
  • g.­340
  • g.­394
  • g.­590
  • g.­638
g.­403

Prabhāsavirajaḥ­samucchraya­gandheśvara­rāja

Wylie:
  • snang ba rdul bral spos mtho dbang phyug rgyal po
Tibetan:
  • སྣང་བ་རྡུལ་བྲལ་སྤོས་མཐོ་དབང་ཕྱུག་རྒྱལ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • prabhāsavirajaḥ­samucchraya­gandheśvara­rāja

The buddha whom the seventh son of King Araṇemin is prophesied to become.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­121
  • 4.­134
  • g.­563
g.­411

Prajñāvarman

Wylie:
  • pradz+nyA bar+ma
Tibetan:
  • པྲཛྙཱ་བརྨ།
Sanskrit:
  • prajñāvarman

An Indian scholar who came to Tibet during the reign of Tri Songdetsen and was involved in the translation of this text. He is listed as a translator of seventy-seven works.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • i.­12
  • c.­1
g.­417

pratyekabuddha

Wylie:
  • rang sangs rgyas
Tibetan:
  • རང་སངས་རྒྱས།
Sanskrit:
  • pratyekabuddha

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Literally, “buddha for oneself” or “solitary realizer.” Someone who, in his or her last life, attains awakening entirely through their own contemplation, without relying on a teacher. Unlike the awakening of a fully realized buddha (samyaksambuddha), the accomplishment of a pratyeka­buddha is not regarded as final or ultimate. They attain realization of the nature of dependent origination, the selflessness of the person, and a partial realization of the selflessness of phenomena, by observing the suchness of all that arises through interdependence. This is the result of progress in previous lives but, unlike a buddha, they do not have the necessary merit, compassion or motivation to teach others. They are named as “rhinoceros-like” (khaḍgaviṣāṇakalpa) for their preference for staying in solitude or as “congregators” (vargacārin) when their preference is to stay among peers.

Located in 24 passages in the translation:

  • i.­7
  • 1.­7
  • 1.­22
  • 2.­2
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­35
  • 3.­55
  • 3.­58
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­12
  • 4.­49
  • 4.­57
  • 4.­109
  • 4.­151
  • 4.­247-248
  • 4.­390
  • 4.­513
  • 4.­519
  • 4.­521
  • 5.­158
  • n.­29
  • g.­418
  • g.­528
g.­418

Pratyekabuddhayāna

Wylie:
  • rang sangs rgyas kyi theg pa
Tibetan:
  • རང་སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་ཐེག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • pratyeka­buddhayāna

The way of the pratyekabuddha, particularly characterized by contemplation on the twelve phases of dependent origination.

Located in 30 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­62
  • 4.­167
  • 4.­264
  • 4.­321
  • 4.­342
  • 4.­344
  • 4.­346
  • 4.­350
  • 4.­352
  • 4.­360
  • 4.­364
  • 4.­381
  • 4.­383
  • 4.­406
  • 4.­495
  • 4.­513
  • 4.­522-523
  • 4.­543
  • 5.­53
  • 5.­77
  • 5.­104-105
  • 5.­141
  • 5.­149-150
  • 5.­156
  • 6.­25
  • n.­115
  • n.­250
g.­421

preta

Wylie:
  • yi dags
Tibetan:
  • ཡི་དགས།
Sanskrit:
  • preta

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the five or six classes of sentient beings, into which beings are born as the karmic fruition of past miserliness. As the term in Sanskrit means “the departed,” they are analogous to the ancestral spirits of Vedic tradition, the pitṛs, who starve without the offerings of descendants. It is also commonly translated as “hungry ghost” or “starving spirit,” as in the Chinese 餓鬼 e gui.

They are sometimes said to reside in the realm of Yama, but are also frequently described as roaming charnel grounds and other inhospitable or frightening places along with piśācas and other such beings. They are particularly known to suffer from great hunger and thirst and the inability to acquire sustenance.

Located in 24 passages in the translation:

  • i.­33
  • 2.­97-98
  • 2.­100-101
  • 3.­49
  • 3.­52
  • 3.­117
  • 4.­50
  • 4.­58
  • 4.­113
  • 4.­133
  • 4.­156
  • 4.­319
  • 4.­347
  • 4.­350
  • 4.­413
  • 6.­85
  • n.­17
  • n.­80
  • n.­82
  • n.­154
  • n.­392
  • g.­146
g.­425

Pūrṇa

Wylie:
  • gang ba
Tibetan:
  • གང་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • pūrṇa

The name of a māra who becomes a disciple of the Buddha.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • i.­33
  • 3.­100
g.­429

Rāgabhrama

Wylie:
  • ’dod chags mi gnas
Tibetan:
  • འདོད་ཆགས་མི་གནས།
Sanskrit:
  • rāgabhrama

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­431

Rāhu

Wylie:
  • sgra gcan
Tibetan:
  • སྒྲ་གཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • rāhu

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­432

Rāhubala

Wylie:
  • sgra gcan stobs med
Tibetan:
  • སྒྲ་གཅན་སྟོབས་མེད།
Sanskrit:
  • rāhubala

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­433

Rāhucitra

Wylie:
  • sgra gcan dgra med
Tibetan:
  • སྒྲ་གཅན་དགྲ་མེད།
Sanskrit:
  • rāhucitra

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­435

Rājadhāna

Wylie:
  • rgyal por gnas
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱལ་པོར་གནས།
Sanskrit:
  • rājadhāna

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­436

Rājagṛha

Wylie:
  • rgyal po’i khab
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱལ་པོའི་ཁབ།
Sanskrit:
  • rājagṛha

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The ancient capital of Magadha prior to its relocation to Pāṭaliputra during the Mauryan dynasty, Rājagṛha is one of the most important locations in Buddhist history. The literature tells us that the Buddha and his saṅgha spent a considerable amount of time in residence in and around Rājagṛha‍—in nearby places, such as the Vulture Peak Mountain (Gṛdhrakūṭaparvata), a major site of the Mahāyāna sūtras, and the Bamboo Grove (Veṇuvana)‍—enjoying the patronage of King Bimbisāra and then of his son King Ajātaśatru. Rājagṛha is also remembered as the location where the first Buddhist monastic council was held after the Buddha Śākyamuni passed into parinirvāṇa. Now known as Rajgir and located in the modern Indian state of Bihar.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • i.­23
  • 1.­2
g.­437

Rakṣaka

Wylie:
  • srung ba po
Tibetan:
  • སྲུང་བ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • rakṣaka

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­438

rākṣasa

Wylie:
  • srin po
Tibetan:
  • སྲིན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • rākṣasa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings that are often, but certainly not always, considered demonic in the Buddhist tradition. They are often depicted as flesh-eating monsters who haunt frightening places and are ugly and evil-natured with a yearning for human flesh, and who additionally have miraculous powers, such as being able to change their appearance.

Located in 14 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­79
  • 3.­71
  • 3.­79-80
  • 3.­114
  • 3.­117
  • 4.­133
  • 4.­341
  • 4.­406
  • 4.­413
  • 4.­550
  • 5.­106
  • 5.­114
  • 6.­23
g.­439

Rāndhava

Wylie:
  • nor bdag
Tibetan:
  • ནོར་བདག
Sanskrit:
  • rāndhava

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­440

Raṇemin

Wylie:
  • g.yul gyi mu khyud
Tibetan:
  • གཡུལ་གྱི་མུ་ཁྱུད།
Sanskrit:
  • raṇemin

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­451

Ratnagarbha

Wylie:
  • rin po che’i snying po
Tibetan:
  • རིན་པོ་ཆེའི་སྙིང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • ratnagarbha

One of the eighty-one sons of Samudrareṇu, the chief court priest of King Araṇemin. The Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies the buddhahood of Samudrareṇu’s thirty million pupils.

Located in 414 passages in the translation:

  • i.­2-3
  • i.­14
  • i.­28-31
  • i.­33-34
  • i.­36-38
  • i.­41
  • i.­43-47
  • i.­49-50
  • 3.­7-9
  • 3.­11-13
  • 3.­18
  • 3.­24-25
  • 3.­30
  • 3.­33-34
  • 3.­58
  • 3.­79-80
  • 3.­94
  • 3.­109
  • 3.­114
  • 3.­123-124
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­10
  • 4.­22-23
  • 4.­32
  • 4.­35
  • 4.­42
  • 4.­46
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­83
  • 4.­88
  • 4.­93
  • 4.­99
  • 4.­122-123
  • 4.­138
  • 4.­141
  • 4.­148
  • 4.­155
  • 4.­174
  • 4.­179
  • 4.­181-182
  • 4.­184-185
  • 4.­187-191
  • 4.­196-197
  • 4.­199-200
  • 4.­202-203
  • 4.­205-206
  • 4.­208
  • 4.­218
  • 4.­221-222
  • 4.­224
  • 4.­228
  • 4.­230
  • 4.­232-237
  • 4.­240-242
  • 4.­245
  • 4.­248
  • 4.­256
  • 4.­258
  • 4.­269
  • 4.­272
  • 4.­282
  • 4.­284-285
  • 4.­289
  • 4.­293
  • 4.­304
  • 4.­308
  • 4.­405
  • 4.­460
  • 4.­464
  • 4.­467
  • 4.­469
  • 4.­474-476
  • 4.­484
  • 4.­486
  • 4.­488
  • 4.­492-494
  • 4.­496
  • 4.­499-504
  • 4.­514-515
  • 4.­536-537
  • 4.­539
  • 4.­543-544
  • 4.­547
  • 4.­554
  • 5.­1-2
  • 5.­47
  • 5.­50-51
  • 5.­53-55
  • 5.­57
  • 5.­72
  • n.­87
  • n.­117
  • n.­285
  • n.­375
  • g.­2
  • g.­4
  • g.­6
  • g.­7
  • g.­8
  • g.­9
  • g.­12
  • g.­21
  • g.­23
  • g.­31
  • g.­36
  • g.­37
  • g.­43
  • g.­46
  • g.­52
  • g.­56
  • g.­57
  • g.­62
  • g.­64
  • g.­66
  • g.­70
  • g.­71
  • g.­74
  • g.­81
  • g.­85
  • g.­86
  • g.­90
  • g.­91
  • g.­92
  • g.­96
  • g.­102
  • g.­108
  • g.­116
  • g.­122
  • g.­124
  • g.­125
  • g.­126
  • g.­127
  • g.­129
  • g.­130
  • g.­135
  • g.­137
  • g.­138
  • g.­167
  • g.­170
  • g.­171
  • g.­173
  • g.­174
  • g.­175
  • g.­178
  • g.­179
  • g.­186
  • g.­187
  • g.­188
  • g.­189
  • g.­194
  • g.­207
  • g.­209
  • g.­210
  • g.­214
  • g.­217
  • g.­220
  • g.­223
  • g.­226
  • g.­227
  • g.­228
  • g.­230
  • g.­231
  • g.­232
  • g.­233
  • g.­234
  • g.­235
  • g.­236
  • g.­237
  • g.­238
  • g.­239
  • g.­240
  • g.­241
  • g.­243
  • g.­246
  • g.­247
  • g.­248
  • g.­249
  • g.­250
  • g.­251
  • g.­252
  • g.­254
  • g.­256
  • g.­260
  • g.­266
  • g.­267
  • g.­268
  • g.­269
  • g.­270
  • g.­271
  • g.­273
  • g.­277
  • g.­280
  • g.­281
  • g.­282
  • g.­284
  • g.­285
  • g.­288
  • g.­290
  • g.­294
  • g.­297
  • g.­301
  • g.­303
  • g.­307
  • g.­309
  • g.­311
  • g.­313
  • g.­316
  • g.­318
  • g.­320
  • g.­323
  • g.­327
  • g.­332
  • g.­336
  • g.­338
  • g.­339
  • g.­348
  • g.­349
  • g.­356
  • g.­357
  • g.­359
  • g.­362
  • g.­363
  • g.­364
  • g.­368
  • g.­370
  • g.­371
  • g.­372
  • g.­382
  • g.­383
  • g.­401
  • g.­405
  • g.­407
  • g.­408
  • g.­410
  • g.­412
  • g.­414
  • g.­420
  • g.­424
  • g.­426
  • g.­428
  • g.­442
  • g.­443
  • g.­444
  • g.­447
  • g.­450
  • g.­453
  • g.­455
  • g.­456
  • g.­458
  • g.­459
  • g.­461
  • g.­463
  • g.­465
  • g.­469
  • g.­471
  • g.­475
  • g.­476
  • g.­478
  • g.­482
  • g.­483
  • g.­484
  • g.­488
  • g.­491
  • g.­492
  • g.­499
  • g.­502
  • g.­503
  • g.­510
  • g.­511
  • g.­519
  • g.­522
  • g.­523
  • g.­524
  • g.­525
  • g.­526
  • g.­527
  • g.­530
  • g.­532
  • g.­536
  • g.­542
  • g.­549
  • g.­558
  • g.­559
  • g.­560
  • g.­562
  • g.­564
  • g.­565
  • g.­567
  • g.­568
  • g.­569
  • g.­572
  • g.­577
  • g.­578
  • g.­579
  • g.­580
  • g.­587
  • g.­592
  • g.­595
  • g.­596
  • g.­597
  • g.­601
  • g.­602
  • g.­604
  • g.­606
  • g.­607
  • g.­608
  • g.­611
  • g.­613
  • g.­616
  • g.­618
  • g.­620
  • g.­625
  • g.­627
  • g.­628
  • g.­631
  • g.­632
  • g.­647
  • g.­648
  • g.­661
  • g.­662
  • g.­663
  • g.­674
  • g.­677
  • g.­678
  • g.­680
  • g.­681
  • g.­682
  • g.­687
  • g.­688
  • g.­690
  • g.­692
  • g.­694
  • g.­695
  • g.­696
  • g.­697
  • g.­698
  • g.­699
  • g.­701
  • g.­703
  • g.­706
  • g.­708
  • g.­709
  • g.­712
  • g.­714
  • g.­717
  • g.­719
  • g.­720
  • g.­722
  • g.­725
  • g.­729
  • g.­730
  • g.­731
  • g.­733
  • g.­735
  • g.­736
  • g.­748
  • g.­749
g.­455

Ratnaketu

Wylie:
  • rin po che’i tog
Tibetan:
  • རིན་པོ་ཆེའི་ཏོག
Sanskrit:
  • ratnaketu

The bodhisattva who received this name from the Buddha Ratnagarbha when he was the eleventh son of King Araṇemin. The Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesied he will succeed the buddhas Akṣobhya and Suvarṇapuṣpa as the Buddha Nāga­vinarditeśvara­ghoṣa.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­182-185
  • 4.­439
  • g.­561
g.­462

Ratnavairocana

Wylie:
  • rin po che rnam par snang byed
Tibetan:
  • རིན་པོ་ཆེ་རྣམ་པར་སྣང་བྱེད།
Sanskrit:
  • ratnavairocana

The bodhisattva who asks the Buddha to teach about Buddha Padmottara.

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • i.­23-25
  • 1.­9
  • 1.­11-12
  • 1.­21-22
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­55
g.­467

Reṇaja

Wylie:
  • glang po ’thob
Tibetan:
  • གླང་པོ་འཐོབ།
Sanskrit:
  • reṇaja

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­471

Rohiṇa

Wylie:
  • snar ma skyes
Tibetan:
  • སྣར་མ་སྐྱེས།
Sanskrit:
  • rohiṇa

A deva who made offerings to the Buddha Ratnagarbha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­90
g.­485

Śakra

Wylie:
  • brgya byin
Tibetan:
  • བརྒྱ་བྱིན།
Sanskrit:
  • śakra

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The lord of the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three (trāyastriṃśa). Alternatively known as Indra, the deity that is called “lord of the gods” dwells on the summit of Mount Sumeru and wields the thunderbolt. The Tibetan translation brgya byin (meaning “one hundred sacrifices”) is based on an etymology that śakra is an abbreviation of śata-kratu, one who has performed a hundred sacrifices. Each world with a central Sumeru has a Śakra. Also known by other names such as Kauśika, Devendra, and Śacipati.

Located in 40 passages in the translation:

  • i.­30
  • i.­48
  • i.­57
  • 1.­5
  • 3.­33
  • 3.­40-41
  • 3.­85-86
  • 3.­91-92
  • 3.­94
  • 3.­102-103
  • 3.­106-107
  • 4.­294
  • 4.­321
  • 4.­341
  • 4.­502
  • 4.­530-531
  • 5.­102
  • 5.­120
  • 5.­147
  • 6.­22-24
  • 6.­26
  • n.­115
  • n.­119
  • n.­380
  • n.­426
  • g.­107
  • g.­197
  • g.­278
  • g.­394
  • g.­529
  • g.­552
  • g.­658
g.­486

Śākyamuni

Wylie:
  • shAkya thub pa
Tibetan:
  • ཤཱཀྱ་ཐུབ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • śākyamuni

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

An epithet for the historical Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama: he was a muni (“sage”) from the Śākya clan. He is counted as the fourth of the first four buddhas of the present Good Eon, the other three being Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, and Kāśyapa. He will be followed by Maitreya, the next buddha in this eon.

Located in 202 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1-2
  • i.­1-4
  • i.­9
  • i.­17
  • i.­23-26
  • i.­39-41
  • i.­47-48
  • i.­51
  • i.­56-58
  • 4.­204
  • 4.­526
  • 4.­553
  • 5.­49-50
  • 6.­8-9
  • 6.­11-15
  • 6.­17-21
  • 6.­23-25
  • 6.­27-29
  • 6.­31-32
  • 6.­34
  • 6.­37
  • 6.­40
  • 6.­44-45
  • 6.­47
  • 6.­49-50
  • 6.­52
  • 6.­54-57
  • 6.­59
  • 6.­61
  • 6.­63-64
  • 6.­69
  • 6.­78
  • n.­278
  • n.­285
  • n.­376-377
  • n.­379
  • n.­381-384
  • g.­3
  • g.­18
  • g.­22
  • g.­25
  • g.­34
  • g.­48
  • g.­54
  • g.­58
  • g.­84
  • g.­88
  • g.­97
  • g.­99
  • g.­101
  • g.­107
  • g.­111
  • g.­115
  • g.­118
  • g.­120
  • g.­128
  • g.­132
  • g.­133
  • g.­141
  • g.­143
  • g.­144
  • g.­166
  • g.­177
  • g.­190
  • g.­192
  • g.­200
  • g.­212
  • g.­213
  • g.­219
  • g.­245
  • g.­253
  • g.­258
  • g.­261
  • g.­272
  • g.­278
  • g.­289
  • g.­291
  • g.­293
  • g.­295
  • g.­298
  • g.­299
  • g.­310
  • g.­323
  • g.­328
  • g.­333
  • g.­335
  • g.­341
  • g.­343
  • g.­345
  • g.­346
  • g.­347
  • g.­355
  • g.­365
  • g.­373
  • g.­374
  • g.­376
  • g.­386
  • g.­387
  • g.­388
  • g.­390
  • g.­394
  • g.­404
  • g.­406
  • g.­409
  • g.­423
  • g.­424
  • g.­430
  • g.­434
  • g.­445
  • g.­452
  • g.­454
  • g.­460
  • g.­464
  • g.­473
  • g.­477
  • g.­487
  • g.­490
  • g.­498
  • g.­505
  • g.­507
  • g.­508
  • g.­510
  • g.­512
  • g.­513
  • g.­514
  • g.­516
  • g.­520
  • g.­524
  • g.­529
  • g.­537
  • g.­538
  • g.­539
  • g.­540
  • g.­545
  • g.­547
  • g.­551
  • g.­552
  • g.­558
  • g.­570
  • g.­594
  • g.­603
  • g.­619
  • g.­622
  • g.­624
  • g.­629
  • g.­630
  • g.­635
  • g.­652
  • g.­658
  • g.­665
  • g.­670
  • g.­683
  • g.­686
  • g.­700
  • g.­702
  • g.­704
  • g.­707
  • g.­710
  • g.­711
  • g.­716
  • g.­719
  • g.­726
  • g.­727
  • g.­730
  • g.­734
g.­493

samādhi

Wylie:
  • ting nge ’dzin
Tibetan:
  • ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན།
Sanskrit:
  • samādhi

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In a general sense, samādhi can describe a number of different meditative states. In the Mahāyāna literature, in particular in the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, we find extensive lists of different samādhis, numbering over one hundred.

In a more restricted sense, and when understood as a mental state, samādhi is defined as the one-pointedness of the mind (cittaikāgratā), the ability to remain on the same object over long periods of time. The Drajor Bamponyipa (sgra sbyor bam po gnyis pa) commentary on the Mahāvyutpatti explains the term samādhi as referring to the instrument through which mind and mental states “get collected,” i.e., it is by the force of samādhi that the continuum of mind and mental states becomes collected on a single point of reference without getting distracted.

Located in 130 passages in the translation:

  • i.­24
  • i.­47
  • i.­50
  • i.­57
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­7
  • 1.­22
  • 1.­24-25
  • 2.­2
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­15
  • 2.­22
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­37-39
  • 2.­51-53
  • 2.­68
  • 2.­70
  • 2.­90-91
  • 2.­93
  • 2.­101
  • 3.­46
  • 3.­56
  • 3.­58
  • 3.­109
  • 3.­114
  • 3.­124
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­5-7
  • 4.­50
  • 4.­88-90
  • 4.­97-98
  • 4.­102-104
  • 4.­106
  • 4.­112
  • 4.­115-116
  • 4.­118-119
  • 4.­126-132
  • 4.­135
  • 4.­161
  • 4.­164
  • 4.­167
  • 4.­173
  • 4.­253
  • 4.­310
  • 4.­321
  • 4.­325
  • 4.­336-338
  • 4.­341-342
  • 4.­344
  • 4.­358
  • 4.­377
  • 4.­386
  • 4.­424
  • 4.­440
  • 4.­464
  • 4.­467
  • 4.­469
  • 4.­475
  • 4.­484
  • 4.­486
  • 4.­488
  • 4.­493
  • 4.­496
  • 4.­499
  • 4.­501
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­3-4
  • 5.­48-50
  • 5.­53
  • 5.­82
  • 5.­154
  • 6.­22-24
  • 6.­66
  • 6.­86
  • n.­11
  • n.­30
  • n.­33
  • n.­56
  • n.­226-227
  • n.­283
  • n.­325
  • n.­327-328
  • n.­330-331
  • n.­333
  • n.­335-338
  • n.­341
  • n.­356
  • n.­395-397
  • n.­399-400
  • n.­407
  • g.­10
  • g.­400
g.­494

Samantabhadra

Wylie:
  • kun tu bzang po
Tibetan:
  • ཀུན་ཏུ་བཟང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • samantabhadra

One of the eight principal bodhisattvas who figures strongly in the Gaṇḍavyūha, which is the final chapter of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, and also in the Lotus Sūtra.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • i.­2
  • 4.­189
  • 4.­433
g.­496

Samantabhadra

Wylie:
  • kun tu bzang po
Tibetan:
  • ཀུན་ཏུ་བཟང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • samantabhadra

The name of the buddha whom the fourth son of King Araṇemin will become. Distinct from the primordial buddha with the same name in the Nyingma tradition.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­80
  • g.­35
  • g.­41
g.­497

Samantadarśin

Wylie:
  • kun tu gzigs
Tibetan:
  • ཀུན་ཏུ་གཟིགས།
Sanskrit:
  • samantadarśin

The buddha whom the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī is prophesied to become.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­71
  • g.­198
g.­515

saṃsāra

Wylie:
  • ’khor ba
Tibetan:
  • འཁོར་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • saṃsāra

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A state of involuntary existence conditioned by afflicted mental states and the imprint of past actions, characterized by suffering in a cycle of life, death, and rebirth. On its reversal, the contrasting state of nirvāṇa is attained, free from suffering and the processes of rebirth.

Located in 45 passages in the translation:

  • i.­16
  • i.­26
  • 2.­56-57
  • 2.­77-78
  • 3.­41
  • 3.­50
  • 3.­52-54
  • 4.­196
  • 4.­214-216
  • 4.­233
  • 4.­247-248
  • 4.­260
  • 4.­262
  • 4.­264
  • 4.­277
  • 4.­281
  • 4.­306-307
  • 4.­310
  • 4.­320
  • 4.­322
  • 4.­335-336
  • 4.­360
  • 4.­369
  • 4.­410
  • 4.­413
  • 4.­517
  • 4.­543
  • 5.­48
  • 5.­52
  • 5.­69
  • 5.­93
  • 5.­106
  • 6.­73
  • n.­272
  • g.­72
  • g.­158
g.­521

Saṃtuṣita

Wylie:
  • yongs su dga’ ldan
Tibetan:
  • ཡོངས་སུ་དགའ་ལྡན།
Sanskrit:
  • saṃtuṣita

The principal deity in the paradise of the same name, Saṃtuṣita. More commonly referred to in English, as elsewhere in the sūtra, as Tuṣita.

Located in 17 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­4
  • 3.­85-86
  • 3.­92
  • 3.­96
  • 3.­102
  • 3.­104
  • 3.­106-107
  • 4.­55
  • 4.­59
  • 4.­161
  • 4.­320
  • 4.­334
  • 4.­363
  • 5.­57
  • n.­193
g.­522

Samudragarbha

Wylie:
  • rgya mtsho’i snying po
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱ་མཚོའི་སྙིང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • samudragarbha

The son of the brahmin Samudrareṇu who became a buddha and was then known as Ratnagarbha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­7
g.­524

Samudrareṇu

Wylie:
  • rgya mtsho’i rdul
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱ་མཚོའི་རྡུལ།
Sanskrit:
  • samudrareṇu

The past life of the Buddha Śākyamuni as a brahmin priest, who is the principal figure in The White Lotus of Compassion Sūtra. In this sūtra, he is the court priest of King Araṇemin and the father of the Buddha Ratnagarbha.

Located in 127 passages in the translation:

  • i.­2-3
  • i.­6
  • i.­14
  • i.­28-34
  • i.­38-40
  • i.­43
  • i.­45-47
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­30
  • 3.­34-36
  • 3.­42
  • 3.­44
  • 3.­52
  • 3.­55
  • 3.­59
  • 3.­65
  • 3.­68
  • 3.­71-72
  • 3.­79-82
  • 3.­84-86
  • 3.­92-94
  • 3.­98
  • 3.­101-102
  • 3.­108-109
  • 3.­117-118
  • 3.­123-124
  • 3.­127-128
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­4
  • 4.­19-20
  • 4.­27
  • 4.­38
  • 4.­45
  • 4.­77
  • 4.­86
  • 4.­95
  • 4.­101
  • 4.­125
  • 4.­150
  • 4.­176
  • 4.­181
  • 4.­191
  • 4.­193
  • 4.­211
  • 4.­245
  • 4.­258
  • 4.­265
  • 4.­267
  • 4.­286-287
  • 4.­289
  • 4.­304
  • 4.­405
  • 4.­416
  • 4.­460
  • 4.­500
  • 4.­503-504
  • n.­11
  • n.­285
  • n.­375
  • g.­65
  • g.­66
  • g.­74
  • g.­107
  • g.­121
  • g.­207
  • g.­229
  • g.­261
  • g.­271
  • g.­274
  • g.­307
  • g.­310
  • g.­323
  • g.­394
  • g.­405
  • g.­428
  • g.­448
  • g.­451
  • g.­457
  • g.­469
  • g.­476
  • g.­502
  • g.­508
  • g.­522
  • g.­525
  • g.­529
  • g.­536
  • g.­551
  • g.­558
  • g.­562
  • g.­587
  • g.­659
  • g.­660
  • g.­667
  • g.­690
  • g.­693
  • g.­713
  • g.­719
  • g.­730
g.­528

samyaksam­buddha

Wylie:
  • yang dag par rdzogs pa’i sangs rgyas
Tibetan:
  • ཡང་དག་པར་རྫོགས་པའི་སངས་རྒྱས།
Sanskrit:
  • samyak­sambuddha

A perfect buddha: a buddha who teaches the Dharma and brings it into a world, as opposed to a pratyekabuddha, who does not teach the Dharma or bring it into a world.

Located in 92 passages in the translation:

  • i.­7-8
  • 1.­8-10
  • 1.­19-23
  • 1.­25-26
  • 2.­17-18
  • 2.­20-23
  • 2.­36
  • 2.­46-48
  • 2.­51
  • 2.­53
  • 2.­75-78
  • 2.­90
  • 2.­92
  • 3.­8-9
  • 3.­11-13
  • 3.­18
  • 3.­25
  • 3.­33-35
  • 3.­41
  • 3.­46-47
  • 3.­52
  • 3.­58
  • 3.­79-80
  • 3.­109
  • 3.­123-124
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­10-11
  • 4.­13-15
  • 4.­23
  • 4.­29-30
  • 4.­33
  • 4.­71
  • 4.­80
  • 4.­92
  • 4.­98
  • 4.­121
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­140
  • 4.­146
  • 4.­177
  • 4.­233
  • 4.­240
  • 4.­326
  • 4.­415
  • 4.­462
  • 4.­469
  • 4.­474
  • 4.­479
  • 4.­488
  • 4.­492
  • 4.­504
  • 4.­514-515
  • 4.­544
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­50
  • 5.­54
  • 5.­82-85
  • 6.­11
  • n.­117
g.­531

saṅgha

Wylie:
  • dge ’dun
Tibetan:
  • དགེ་འདུན།
Sanskrit:
  • saṅgha

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Though often specifically reserved for the monastic community, this term can be applied to any of the four Buddhist communities‍—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen‍—as well as to identify the different groups of practitioners, like the community of bodhisattvas or the community of śrāvakas. It is also the third of the Three Jewels (triratna) of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Community.

Located in 84 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 2.­3
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­53
  • 2.­76
  • 2.­79
  • 2.­94-95
  • 2.­99-100
  • 3.­12-13
  • 3.­20-21
  • 3.­25
  • 3.­27-29
  • 3.­31-34
  • 3.­41-43
  • 3.­64
  • 3.­67
  • 3.­71
  • 3.­79-83
  • 3.­89
  • 3.­92-94
  • 3.­96-97
  • 3.­101
  • 3.­103-104
  • 3.­107
  • 3.­114-117
  • 3.­124
  • 3.­126-127
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­5-6
  • 4.­39
  • 4.­46
  • 4.­56
  • 4.­73
  • 4.­96
  • 4.­108
  • 4.­151
  • 4.­157
  • 4.­167
  • 4.­169
  • 4.­205
  • 4.­240
  • 4.­266-268
  • 4.­277
  • 4.­281-282
  • 4.­390
  • 4.­394
  • 4.­498
  • 4.­545
  • 4.­548
  • 5.­48
  • 5.­106
  • n.­82
  • n.­106
  • n.­391
  • n.­427
  • g.­153
g.­533

Śāntimati

Wylie:
  • blo gros zhi ba
Tibetan:
  • བློ་གྲོས་ཞི་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • śāntimati

A bodhisattva present at the teaching of The White Lotus of Compassion Sūtra who asks the Buddha why he appeared in an impure realm.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • i.­28
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­4
g.­534

sapphire

Wylie:
  • an da rnyil
Tibetan:
  • ཨན་ད་རྙིལ།
Sanskrit:
  • indranīla

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­16
  • 4.­394
  • 5.­124
  • 5.­126
  • g.­556
g.­553

Śayama

Wylie:
  • bsam pa dpog
Tibetan:
  • བསམ་པ་དཔོག
Sanskrit:
  • śayama

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­554

sensory bases

Wylie:
  • skye mched
Tibetan:
  • སྐྱེ་མཆེད།
Sanskrit:
  • āyatana

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

These can be listed as twelve or as six sense sources (sometimes also called sense fields, bases of cognition, or simply āyatanas).

In the context of epistemology, it is one way of describing experience and the world in terms of twelve sense sources, which can be divided into inner and outer sense sources, namely: (1–2) eye and form, (3–4) ear and sound, (5–6) nose and odor, (7–8) tongue and taste, (9–10) body and touch, (11–12) mind and mental phenomena.

In the context of the twelve links of dependent origination, only six sense sources are mentioned, and they are the inner sense sources (identical to the six faculties) of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­55
  • 4.­173
  • 4.­384
  • 4.­413
  • 5.­53
  • 5.­55
  • 5.­118
g.­556

seven jewels

Wylie:
  • rin po che sna bdun
Tibetan:
  • རིན་པོ་ཆེ་སྣ་བདུན།
Sanskrit:
  • saptaratna

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The set of seven precious materials or substances includes a range of precious metals and gems, but their exact list varies. The set often consists of gold, silver, beryl, crystal, red pearls, emeralds, and white coral, but may also contain lapis lazuli, ruby, sapphire, chrysoberyl, diamonds, etc. The term is frequently used in the sūtras to exemplify preciousness, wealth, and beauty, and can describe treasures, offering materials, or the features of architectural structures such as stūpas, palaces, thrones, etc. The set is also used to describe the beauty and prosperity of buddha realms and the realms of the gods.

In other contexts, the term saptaratna can also refer to the seven precious possessions of a cakravartin or to a set of seven precious moral qualities.

Located in 24 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­14-15
  • 1.­17
  • 1.­19
  • 3.­14-15
  • 3.­25
  • 3.­36
  • 3.­44
  • 3.­116
  • 3.­118
  • 4.­96
  • 4.­159-160
  • 4.­240
  • 4.­267
  • 4.­323
  • 4.­501
  • 4.­503
  • 5.­54
  • 6.­20
  • n.­23
  • n.­196
  • g.­535
g.­561

Siṃha

Wylie:
  • seng ge
Tibetan:
  • སེང་གེ
Sanskrit:
  • siṃha

The name of the eleventh son of King Araṇemin, who becomes the bodhisattva Ratnaketu and is prophesied to become the Buddha Nāga­vinarditeśvara­ghoṣa in the realm Abhirati, when it is renamed Jayasoma.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­181
  • g.­5
  • g.­361
g.­563

Siṃhagandha

Wylie:
  • seng ge spos
Tibetan:
  • སེང་གེ་སྤོས།
Sanskrit:
  • siṃhagandha

The bodhisattva who is the seventh son of King Araḅemi and is prophesied to become the Buddha Prabhāsavirajaḥ­samucchraya­gandheśvara­rāja.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­120-122
  • 4.­134
  • 4.­431
  • g.­38
g.­573

Śiva

Wylie:
  • gu lang
Tibetan:
  • གུ་ལང་།
Sanskrit:
  • śiva

Otherwise called Maheśvara, one of the principal deities of the Brahmanical tradition.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • i.­13
  • 5.­114
  • g.­197
  • g.­321
g.­575

śrāvaka

Wylie:
  • nyan thos
Tibetan:
  • ཉན་ཐོས།
Sanskrit:
  • śrāvaka

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Sanskrit term śrāvaka, and the Tibetan nyan thos, both derived from the verb “to hear,” are usually defined as “those who hear the teaching from the Buddha and make it heard to others.” Primarily this refers to those disciples of the Buddha who aspire to attain the state of an arhat seeking their own liberation and nirvāṇa. They are the practitioners of the first turning of the wheel of the Dharma on the four noble truths, who realize the suffering inherent in saṃsāra and focus on understanding that there is no independent self. By conquering afflicted mental states (kleśa), they liberate themselves, attaining first the stage of stream enterers at the path of seeing, followed by the stage of once-returners who will be reborn only one more time, and then the stage of non-returners who will no longer be reborn into the desire realm. The final goal is to become an arhat. These four stages are also known as the “four results of spiritual practice.”

Located in 40 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­7
  • 1.­22
  • 2.­2
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­8-9
  • 3.­16
  • 3.­19
  • 3.­23-24
  • 3.­35
  • 3.­55
  • 3.­58
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­12
  • 4.­49-50
  • 4.­52
  • 4.­57
  • 4.­109
  • 4.­127
  • 4.­151
  • 4.­157
  • 4.­167
  • 4.­169
  • 4.­247-248
  • 4.­277
  • 4.­282
  • 4.­390
  • 4.­513
  • 4.­519
  • 4.­521
  • 5.­158
  • 6.­78
  • n.­29
  • n.­119
  • g.­340
  • g.­434
  • g.­576
g.­576

Śrāvakayāna

Wylie:
  • nyan thos kyi theg pa
Tibetan:
  • ཉན་ཐོས་ཀྱི་ཐེག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • śrāvakayāna

The vehicle comprising the teaching of the śrāvakas, those disciples of the Buddha who aspire to attain the state of an arhat by seeking self-liberation. The śrāvakas are typically defined as “those who hear the teaching from the Buddha and make it heard by others.”

Located in 34 passages in the translation:

  • i.­29
  • 2.­62
  • 3.­33
  • 3.­41
  • 3.­51
  • 4.­167
  • 4.­264
  • 4.­321
  • 4.­342
  • 4.­346-347
  • 4.­349-350
  • 4.­352
  • 4.­360
  • 4.­364
  • 4.­381
  • 4.­383
  • 4.­406
  • 4.­495
  • 4.­513
  • 4.­522-523
  • 4.­543
  • 5.­53
  • 5.­77
  • 5.­104-105
  • 5.­141
  • 5.­149-150
  • 5.­157
  • 6.­25
  • n.­115
g.­588

Sthānanemin

Wylie:
  • gnas kyi mu khyud
Tibetan:
  • གནས་ཀྱི་མུ་ཁྱུད།
Sanskrit:
  • sthānanemin

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­599

Sukhāvatī

Wylie:
  • bde ba can
Tibetan:
  • བདེ་བ་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • sukhāvatī

The realm of the Buddha Amitāyus, more commonly known as Amitābha, as first described in the Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra.

Located in 12 passages in the translation:

  • i.­13
  • i.­36
  • 2.­16
  • 4.­15
  • 4.­23
  • 4.­29
  • 6.­66
  • g.­29
  • g.­40
  • g.­317
  • g.­379
  • g.­612
g.­605

Sumeru

Wylie:
  • ri rab
Tibetan:
  • རི་རབ།
Sanskrit:
  • sumeru

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

According to ancient Buddhist cosmology, this is the great mountain forming the axis of the universe. At its summit is Sudarśana, home of Śakra and his thirty-two gods, and on its flanks live the asuras. The mount has four sides facing the cardinal directions, each of which is made of a different precious stone. Surrounding it are several mountain ranges and the great ocean where the four principal island continents lie: in the south, Jambudvīpa (our world); in the west, Godānīya; in the north, Uttarakuru; and in the east, Pūrvavideha. Above it are the abodes of the desire realm gods. It is variously referred to as Meru, Mount Meru, Sumeru, and Mount Sumeru.

Located in 15 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­22
  • 2.­11
  • 2.­15
  • 2.­34
  • 3.­119
  • 3.­121
  • 4.­5
  • 4.­58
  • 4.­101
  • 4.­409
  • 5.­105
  • 6.­65
  • g.­93
  • g.­485
  • g.­646
g.­609

Sunirmita

Wylie:
  • ’phrul dga’
Tibetan:
  • འཕྲུལ་དགའ།
Sanskrit:
  • sunirmita

The principal deity in the Nirmāṇarata paradise, the second highest paradise in the desire realm.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­4
  • 3.­85-86
  • 3.­92
  • 3.­96
  • 3.­102
  • 3.­104
  • 3.­106-107
g.­610

sunstone

Wylie:
  • me shel
Tibetan:
  • མེ་ཤེལ།
Sanskrit:
  • sūryakānta

In Sanskrit their name means “sunstone” and in Tibetan “fire crystal.” The Indian sunstones are orange to gold-colored gems that exhibit aventurescence in that they are filled with speckles that appear to emit light.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­16
  • 3.­31
g.­612

Supra­tiṣṭhita­guṇa­maṇikūṭa­rāja

Wylie:
  • rab du brtan pa yon tan nor bu brtsegs pa’i rgyal po
Tibetan:
  • རབ་དུ་བརྟན་པ་ཡོན་ཏན་ནོར་བུ་བརྩེགས་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • supratiṣṭhita­guṇa­maṇikūṭa­rāja

The name at buddhahood of the bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta when he becomes the buddha in Sukhāvatī. The White Lotus of Compassion Sūtra describes how he became a bodhisattva while being Prince Nimi.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­40
  • g.­317
  • g.­379
g.­614

Surendrabodhi

Wylie:
  • su ren dra bo dhi
Tibetan:
  • སུ་རེན་དྲ་བོ་དྷི།
Sanskrit:
  • surendrabodhi

An Indian master who came to Tibet during the reign of King Ralpachen (r. 815–38 ᴄᴇ) and helped in the translation of forty-three Kangyur texts.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • i.­12
  • c.­1
g.­621

Sūryanemin

Wylie:
  • nyi ma’i mu khyud
Tibetan:
  • ཉི་མའི་མུ་ཁྱུད།
Sanskrit:
  • sūryanemin

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­623

Suvarṇapuṣpa

Wylie:
  • gser gyi me tog yongs su myan nga las ’das
Tibetan:
  • གསེར་གྱི་མེ་ཏོག་ཡོངས་སུ་མྱན་ང་ལས་འདས།
Sanskrit:
  • suvarṇapuṣpa

The Buddha that Himaṇi, the tenth son of King Araṇemin, is prophesied to become in Abhirati after the Buddha Akṣobhya has passed into nirvāṇa.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­177
  • 4.­182
  • g.­5
  • g.­193
  • g.­218
  • g.­361
  • g.­455
g.­626

Suyāma

Wylie:
  • rab ’thab bral
Tibetan:
  • རབ་འཐབ་བྲལ།
Sanskrit:
  • suyāma

The principal deity in the Yāma paradise.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­4
  • 3.­85-86
  • 3.­92
  • 3.­96
  • 3.­102
  • 3.­104
  • 3.­106-107
g.­633

Syajala

Wylie:
  • sprin chung
Tibetan:
  • སྤྲིན་ཆུང་།
Sanskrit:
  • syajala

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­634

tathāgata

Wylie:
  • de bzhin gshegs pa
Tibetan:
  • དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • tathāgata

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A frequently used synonym for buddha. According to different explanations, it can be read as tathā-gata, literally meaning “one who has thus gone,” or as tathā-āgata, “one who has thus come.” Gata, though literally meaning “gone,” is a past passive participle used to describe a state or condition of existence. Tatha­(tā), often rendered as “suchness” or “thusness,” is the quality or condition of things as they really are, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. Therefore, this epithet is interpreted in different ways, but in general it implies one who has departed in the wake of the buddhas of the past, or one who has manifested the supreme awakening dependent on the reality that does not abide in the two extremes of existence and quiescence. It is also often used as a specific epithet of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

Located in 323 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­8-11
  • 1.­19-26
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­17-18
  • 2.­20-23
  • 2.­35-36
  • 2.­44
  • 2.­46-48
  • 2.­51
  • 2.­53
  • 2.­72
  • 2.­76
  • 2.­78
  • 2.­90-92
  • 3.­7-9
  • 3.­11-15
  • 3.­18
  • 3.­24-25
  • 3.­30
  • 3.­33-34
  • 3.­41
  • 3.­46-47
  • 3.­52
  • 3.­55-56
  • 3.­58
  • 3.­79-80
  • 3.­94
  • 3.­109
  • 3.­114
  • 3.­123-124
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­10-11
  • 4.­13-15
  • 4.­22-23
  • 4.­29
  • 4.­32-33
  • 4.­35
  • 4.­39-40
  • 4.­42
  • 4.­46
  • 4.­56
  • 4.­71
  • 4.­80-81
  • 4.­83
  • 4.­88
  • 4.­92-93
  • 4.­98-99
  • 4.­104
  • 4.­121-123
  • 4.­134
  • 4.­137-138
  • 4.­140-142
  • 4.­146
  • 4.­148
  • 4.­151
  • 4.­155
  • 4.­167
  • 4.­172
  • 4.­174
  • 4.­177
  • 4.­179
  • 4.­181-182
  • 4.­184-185
  • 4.­187-191
  • 4.­196-197
  • 4.­199
  • 4.­202-206
  • 4.­208
  • 4.­214
  • 4.­218
  • 4.­221-222
  • 4.­224
  • 4.­228
  • 4.­230
  • 4.­232-237
  • 4.­240-242
  • 4.­245-246
  • 4.­248
  • 4.­255-256
  • 4.­258
  • 4.­269
  • 4.­272-273
  • 4.­278
  • 4.­282
  • 4.­284-285
  • 4.­289
  • 4.­293
  • 4.­304-305
  • 4.­308
  • 4.­322
  • 4.­326
  • 4.­372
  • 4.­375-376
  • 4.­379
  • 4.­399-401
  • 4.­405
  • 4.­408
  • 4.­415-416
  • 4.­430
  • 4.­460
  • 4.­462-464
  • 4.­467-469
  • 4.­474-477
  • 4.­479-484
  • 4.­486-488
  • 4.­492-494
  • 4.­496-497
  • 4.­499-504
  • 4.­510
  • 4.­514-519
  • 4.­523
  • 4.­525-526
  • 4.­536-537
  • 4.­539
  • 4.­543-547
  • 4.­553-555
  • 5.­1-2
  • 5.­47
  • 5.­49-51
  • 5.­53-55
  • 5.­57
  • 5.­72
  • 5.­80-85
  • 5.­93
  • 5.­108
  • 5.­117
  • 5.­123
  • 5.­146
  • 5.­158
  • 6.­4-5
  • 6.­7-15
  • 6.­17-21
  • 6.­23-25
  • 6.­27-29
  • 6.­31-40
  • 6.­42-47
  • 6.­49-52
  • 6.­54-64
  • 6.­68-72
  • 6.­76-78
  • n.­4
  • n.­30
  • n.­87
  • n.­117
  • n.­140
  • n.­272
  • n.­389
  • n.­417
  • g.­42
  • g.­202
  • g.­309
  • g.­344
  • g.­546
  • g.­638
  • g.­721
g.­639

Thirty-two signs of a great being

Wylie:
  • skye bu chen po'i mtshan sum cu rtsa gnyis
Tibetan:
  • སྐྱེ་བུ་ཆེན་པོའི་མཚན་སུམ་ཅུ་རྩ་གཉིས།
Sanskrit:
  • dvātriṃśanmahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa AD

Located in 12 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­22
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­93
  • 2.­98
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­110
  • 4.­5
  • 4.­106
  • 4.­278
  • 4.­359
  • 5.­143
  • 5.­146
g.­640

three activities that create merit

Wylie:
  • bsod nams bya ba’i dngos po rnam pa gsum po
Tibetan:
  • བསོད་ནམས་བྱ་བའི་དངོས་པོ་རྣམ་པ་གསུམ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­41
  • 3.­44
  • 3.­49-50
  • 4.­218
  • 4.­282
  • 4.­328
g.­646

Trāyastriṃśa

Wylie:
  • sum cu rtsa gsum pa
Tibetan:
  • སུམ་ཅུ་རྩ་གསུམ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • trāyastriṃśa

The paradise on the summit of Sumeru.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­5
  • 3.­94-95
  • 3.­103
  • 4.­161
  • 5.­108
  • 6.­22
g.­649

upādhyāya

Wylie:
  • mkhan po
Tibetan:
  • མཁན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • upādhyāya

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A person’s particular preceptor within the monastic tradition. They must have at least ten years of standing in the saṅgha, and their role is to confer ordination, to tend to the student, and to provide all the necessary requisites, therefore guiding that person for the taking of full vows and the maintenance of conduct and practice. This office was decreed by the Buddha so that aspirants would not have to receive ordination from the Buddha in person, and the Buddha identified two types: those who grant entry into the renunciate order and those who grant full ordination. The Tibetan translation mkhan po has also come to mean “a learned scholar,” the equivalent of a paṇḍita, but that is not the intended meaning in Indic Buddhist literature.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­66
  • 4.­226
  • 4.­264
g.­655

uragasāra sandalwood

Wylie:
  • tsan dan sbrul gyi snying po
Tibetan:
  • ཙན་དན་སྦྲུལ་གྱི་སྙིང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • uragasāra

A variety of sandalwood. The name means “snake essence” because snakes were said to live in the forests of those trees because they were attracted to their scent.

Located in 12 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­16
  • 3.­77
  • 3.­81-82
  • 4.­54
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­118-119
  • 4.­158
  • 4.­176-177
  • 4.­279
g.­657

uṣṇīṣa

Wylie:
  • gtsug tor
Tibetan:
  • གཙུག་ཏོར།
Sanskrit:
  • uṣṇīṣa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the thirty-two signs, or major marks, of a great being. In its simplest form it is a pointed shape of the head like a turban (the Sanskrit term, uṣṇīṣa, in fact means “turban”), or more elaborately a dome-shaped extension. The extension is described as having various extraordinary attributes such as emitting and absorbing rays of light or reaching an immense height.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­22
  • 3.­114
g.­671

Vaiśravaṇa

Wylie:
  • rnam thos kyi bu
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་ཐོས་ཀྱི་བུ།
Sanskrit:
  • vaiśravaṇa

As one of the four mahārājas, he is the lord of the northern region of the world and the northern continent, though in early Buddhism he is the lord of the far north of India and beyond. He is also the lord of the yakṣas and a lord of wealth. There is one in each four-continent world.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­5
  • 3.­72
  • 3.­74
  • 3.­78-79
  • 3.­81
  • 3.­85
  • 3.­108
  • 6.­14
  • g.­314
g.­673

Vajraccheda­prajñā­vabhāsaśrī

Wylie:
  • rdo rjes gcod pa shes rab snang ba’i dpal
Tibetan:
  • རྡོ་རྗེས་གཅོད་པ་ཤེས་རབ་སྣང་བའི་དཔལ།
Sanskrit:
  • vajraccheda­prajñāvabhāsaśrī

The bodhisattva name given to Anaṅgaṇa, the fourth son of King Araṇemin.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­78-79
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­83
  • 4.­188
  • 4.­427
  • g.­35
g.­676

Vajranemin

Wylie:
  • rdo rje’i mu khyud
Tibetan:
  • རྡོ་རྗེའི་མུ་ཁྱུད།
Sanskrit:
  • vajranemin

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­691

Vegavairocana

Wylie:
  • rnam par snang byed
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་པར་སྣང་བྱེད།
Sanskrit:
  • vegavairocana

A bodhisattva, the sixth son of King Araṇemin, who will become the Buddha Dharmavaśavarīśvararāja. Note that the Tibetan translation does not reflect vega but only vairocana.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • i.­37
  • 4.­98-99
  • 4.­429
  • g.­26
g.­692

Veṭaka

Wylie:
  • khri byed
Tibetan:
  • ཁྲི་བྱེད།
Sanskrit:
  • veṭaka

A deva who made offerings to the Buddha Ratnagarbha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­90
g.­715

Vinaya

Wylie:
  • ’dul ba
Tibetan:
  • འདུལ་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • vinaya

The vows and texts pertaining to monastic discipline. One of the three piṭakas, or “baskets,” of the Buddhist canon, the one dealing specifically with the code of monastic discipline.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­384
  • 4.­408
  • g.­399
g.­723

Virūḍhaka

Wylie:
  • ’phags skyes po
Tibetan:
  • འཕགས་སྐྱེས་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • virūḍhaka

One of the four mahārājas. He is the guardian of the southern direction and the lord of the kumbhāṇḍas. There is one in each four-continent world.

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­6
  • 3.­84-85
  • 6.­14
  • g.­296
  • g.­314
g.­724

Virūpākṣa

Wylie:
  • mig mi bzang
Tibetan:
  • མིག་མི་བཟང་།
Sanskrit:
  • virūpākṣa

One of the four mahārājas. He is the guardian of the western direction and the lord of the nāgas. There is a Virūpākṣa in each four-continent world.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­5
  • 3.­84-85
  • 6.­14
  • g.­314
g.­728

Viṣṇu

Wylie:
  • khyab ’jug
Tibetan:
  • ཁྱབ་འཇུག
Sanskrit:
  • viṣṇu

One of the primary gods of the Brahmanical tradition, he is associated with the preservation and continuance of the universe.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • i.­13
  • n.­332
  • g.­197
  • g.­369
g.­732

Vulture Peak Mountain

Wylie:
  • rgod kyi phung po
Tibetan:
  • རྒོད་ཀྱི་ཕུང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • gṛdhrakūṭa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Gṛdhra­kūṭa, literally Vulture Peak, was a hill located in the kingdom of Magadha, in the vicinity of the ancient city of Rājagṛha (modern-day Rajgir, in the state of Bihar, India), where the Buddha bestowed many sūtras, especially the Great Vehicle teachings, such as the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras. It continues to be a sacred pilgrimage site for Buddhists to this day.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • i.­2
  • i.­23
  • 1.­2
  • 2.­35-36
  • 5.­49
  • 5.­105
  • 5.­140
  • 6.­36
  • 6.­60
g.­740

Yadhvaja

Wylie:
  • gro ba’i rgyal mtshan
Tibetan:
  • གྲོ་བའི་རྒྱལ་མཚན།
Sanskrit:
  • yadhvaja

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­741

yakṣa

Wylie:
  • gnod sbyin
Tibetan:
  • གནོད་སྦྱིན།
Sanskrit:
  • yakṣa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings who inhabit forests, mountainous areas, and other natural spaces, or serve as guardians of villages and towns, and may be propitiated for health, wealth, protection, and other boons, or controlled through magic. According to tradition, their homeland is in the north, where they live under the rule of the Great King Vaiśravaṇa.

Several members of this class have been deified as gods of wealth (these include the just-mentioned Vaiśravaṇa) or as bodhisattva generals of yakṣa armies, and have entered the Buddhist pantheon in a variety of forms, including, in tantric Buddhism, those of wrathful deities.

Located in 55 passages in the translation:

  • i.­27
  • i.­33
  • i.­55
  • i.­57
  • i.­59
  • 1.­5
  • 2.­36
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­79
  • 2.­87
  • 3.­20
  • 3.­35
  • 3.­71-72
  • 3.­74-75
  • 3.­77
  • 3.­79-80
  • 3.­82-83
  • 3.­114
  • 3.­117
  • 4.­133
  • 4.­319
  • 4.­341
  • 4.­347
  • 4.­356
  • 4.­406
  • 4.­411
  • 4.­413
  • 4.­549-550
  • 5.­69
  • 5.­103
  • 5.­105-106
  • 5.­115
  • 5.­121
  • 5.­148
  • 5.­152
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­18
  • 6.­22-23
  • 6.­25
  • 6.­55
  • 6.­85
  • 6.­88
  • 6.­90
  • n.­421
  • n.­428
  • g.­200
  • g.­346
  • g.­671
g.­742

Yama

Wylie:
  • gshin rje rgyal po
Tibetan:
  • གཤིན་རྗེ་རྒྱལ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • yama

The lord of death who judges the dead and rules over the hells.

Located in 14 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­10
  • 2.­93
  • 3.­108
  • 4.­5
  • 4.­87
  • 4.­107
  • 4.­331
  • 4.­335
  • 4.­549
  • 5.­106
  • 6.­68
  • n.­17
  • n.­154
  • n.­369
g.­743

Yāma

Wylie:
  • thab bral
Tibetan:
  • ཐབ་བྲལ།
Sanskrit:
  • yāma

Third (counting from the lowest) of the six paradises in the desire realm.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­4
  • 3.­96
  • 4.­82
  • g.­626
g.­744

Yamāna

Wylie:
  • nges ’tsho
Tibetan:
  • ངེས་འཚོ།
Sanskrit:
  • yamāna

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­745

yāna

Wylie:
  • theg pa
Tibetan:
  • ཐེག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • yāna AD

A “way of going,” which primarily means a path or a way. It can also mean a conveyance or carriage, which definition within commentarial literature is represented in the Tibetan “carrier,” and therefore also translated into English as “vehicle.”

Located in 52 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­2
  • 4.­116
  • 4.­167
  • 4.­196
  • 4.­205
  • 4.­218
  • 4.­233
  • 4.­246-248
  • 4.­264
  • 4.­278
  • 4.­288
  • 4.­305
  • 4.­328
  • 4.­341
  • 4.­343-344
  • 4.­352
  • 4.­355
  • 4.­387-388
  • 4.­393
  • 4.­396-397
  • 4.­480
  • 4.­482-483
  • 4.­514
  • 4.­546-549
  • 5.­54-55
  • 5.­62-63
  • 5.­67
  • 5.­76
  • 5.­78
  • 5.­106
  • 5.­117
  • 5.­121-122
  • 5.­124
  • 5.­143
  • 5.­150-151
  • 6.­17
  • 6.­25
  • 6.­54
  • 6.­86
g.­746

Yārmatha

Wylie:
  • yar ma tha
  • ya ma tha
Tibetan:
  • ཡར་མ་ཐ།
  • ཡ་མ་ཐ།
Sanskrit:
  • yārmatha

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­750

Yasyana

Wylie:
  • yas sya na
Tibetan:
  • ཡས་སྱ་ན།
Sanskrit:
  • yasyana

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­751

Yatrava

Wylie:
  • sdom brtson ’khor
Tibetan:
  • སྡོམ་བརྩོན་འཁོར།
Sanskrit:
  • yatrava

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 3.­33
g.­752

Yeshé Dé

Wylie:
  • ye shes sde
Tibetan:
  • ཡེ་ཤེས་སྡེ།
Sanskrit:
  • none

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Yeshé Dé (late eighth to early ninth century) was the most prolific translator of sūtras into Tibetan. Altogether he is credited with the translation of more than one hundred sixty sūtra translations and more than one hundred additional translations, mostly on tantric topics. In spite of Yeshé Dé’s great importance for the propagation of Buddhism in Tibet during the imperial era, only a few biographical details about this figure are known. Later sources describe him as a student of the Indian teacher Padmasambhava, and he is also credited with teaching both sūtra and tantra widely to students of his own. He was also known as Nanam Yeshé Dé, from the Nanam (sna nam) clan.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • i.­12
  • c.­1
g.­753

yojana

Wylie:
  • dpag tshad
Tibetan:
  • དཔག་ཚད།
Sanskrit:
  • yojana

The longest unit of distance in classical India. The lack of a uniform standard for the smaller units means that there is no precise equivalent, especially as its theoretical length tended to increase over time. Therefore, it can mean between four and ten miles.

Located in 28 passages in the translation:

  • i.­58
  • 1.­14-19
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­15
  • 3.­36
  • 4.­5-6
  • 4.­64
  • 4.­160
  • 4.­355
  • 4.­385
  • 4.­505
  • 4.­507
  • 4.­510
  • 5.­54
  • 5.­104
  • 5.­126
  • 5.­140
  • 6.­64
  • n.­22
  • n.­34
  • n.­45
  • n.­413
0
    You are downloading:

    The White Lotus of Compassion

    Click here to make a dāna donation

    This is a free publication from 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, a non-profit organization sharing the gift of Buddhist wisdom with the world.

    The cultivation of generosity, or dāna—giving voluntarily with a view that something wholesome will come of it—is considered to be a fundamental Buddhist practice by all schools. The nature and quantity of the gift itself is often considered less important.

    Table of Contents


    Search this text


    Other ways to read

    Download PDF
    Download EPUB
    Open in the 84000 App

    Spotted a mistake?

    Please use the contact form provided to suggest a correction.


    How to cite this text

    The following are examples of how to correctly cite this publication. Links to specific passages can be derived by right-clicking on the milestones markers in the left-hand margin (e.g. s.1). The copied link address can replace the url below.

    • Chicago
    • MLA
    • APA
    84000. The White Lotus of Compassion (Karuṇā­puṇḍarīka, snying rje pad ma dkar po, Toh 112). Translated by Peter Alan Roberts and team. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024. https://84000.co/translation/toh112/UT22084-050-003-chapter-3.Copy
    84000. The White Lotus of Compassion (Karuṇā­puṇḍarīka, snying rje pad ma dkar po, Toh 112). Translated by Peter Alan Roberts and team, online publication, 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024, 84000.co/translation/toh112/UT22084-050-003-chapter-3.Copy
    84000. (2024) The White Lotus of Compassion (Karuṇā­puṇḍarīka, snying rje pad ma dkar po, Toh 112). (Peter Alan Roberts and team, Trans.). Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. https://84000.co/translation/toh112/UT22084-050-003-chapter-3.Copy

    Related links

    • Other texts from General Sūtra Section
    • Published Translations
    • Browse the Collection
    • 84000 Homepage
    Sponsor Translation

    Bookmarks

    Copyright © 2011-2024 84000 - All Rights Reserved
    • Website: https://84000.co
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy