The King of Samādhis Sūtra
Ghoṣadatta
Toh 127
Degé Kangyur, vol. 55 (mdo sde, da), folios 1.b–170.b
- Śrīlendrabodhi
- Lotsawa Bandé Dharmatāśīla
Imprint
Translated by Peter Alan Roberts
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2018
Current version v 1.45.32 (2024)
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Table of Contents
Summary
This sūtra, much quoted in later Buddhist writings for its profound statements especially on the nature of emptiness, relates a long teaching given by the Buddha mainly in response to questions put by a young layman, Candraprabha. The samādhi that is the subject of the sūtra, in spite of its name, primarily consists of various aspects of conduct, motivation, and the understanding of emptiness; it is also a way of referring to the sūtra itself. The teaching given in the sūtra is the instruction to be dedicated to the possession and promulgation of the samādhi, and to the necessary conduct of a bodhisattva, which is exemplified by a number of accounts from the Buddha’s previous lives. Most of the teaching takes place on Vulture Peak Mountain, with an interlude recounting the Buddha’s invitation and visit to Candraprabha’s home in Rājagṛha, where he continues to teach Candraprabha before returning to Vulture Peak Mountain. In one subsequent chapter the Buddha responds to a request by Ānanda, and the text concludes with a commitment by Ānanda to maintain this teaching in the future.
Acknowledgements
Translated from the Tibetan, with reference to Sanskrit editions, by Peter Alan Roberts. The Chinese consultant was Ling-Lung Chen. Edited by Emily Bower and Ben Gleason.
This translation has been completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The generous donation of an anonymous donor, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.
Text Body
The King of Samādhis, the Revealed Equality of the Nature of All Phenomena
Ghoṣadatta
Then the Bhagavān again addressed the youth Candraprabha, saying, “Therefore, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish for this samādhi, and wish to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, should think that they are like someone whose hair and clothes are on fire, and they should cast off father, mother, [F.14.b] son, daughter, family, kinsmen, relatives, kindred, wife, and so on, as if they were fire, throw away all the pleasures of a kingdom as if they were a lump of phlegm, turn toward solitude, and depart from home.
“Why is that? Young man, attaining the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood will not be difficult for a bodhisattva mahāsattva who turns toward solitude and departs from home, let alone one who has this samādhi.
“Therefore, young man, you should always train in having this thought: ‘I shall cast off friends, children, family, kinsmen, relatives, kindred, wife, and so on, as if they were fire, throw away all the pleasures of a kingdom as if they were a lump of phlegm, turn toward solitude, and depart from home.’
“Young man, in the past, countless, vast, immeasurable, inconceivable, innumerable, asaṃkhyeya eons ago,286 at that time and in those days,287 there appeared in the world the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha Ghoṣadatta, who was perfect in wisdom and conduct, a sugata, a knower of the world, an unsurpassable guide who tamed beings, a teacher of devas and humans, a buddha, and a bhagavān.
“Young man, at that time and in those days, in the first assembly of the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha Ghoṣadatta’s śrāvakas, there were eight hundred million who were arhats. In the second assembly there were seven hundred million arhats. In the third assembly of śrāvakas there were six hundred million arhats. [F.15.a] There were also countless bodhisattva mahāsattvas who possessed the Dharma.
“Young man, at that time and in those days, during the time of the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha Ghoṣadatta, the lifespan was forty thousand years. This Jambudvīpa continent had wealth, increase, happiness, excellent harvests, joy, and was filled with a great multitude of human beings.
“In this Jambudvīpa there were two kings named Dṛḍhabala and Mahābala. One ruled the half of Jambudvīpa that had wealth, increase, happiness, excellent harvests, joy, and was filled with a great multitude of human beings. The other ruled the other half.
“Young man, at that time, the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha Ghoṣadatta appeared in the kingdom of King Mahābala.
“Young man, for a hundred thousand years King Mahābala provided the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha Ghoṣadatta, the saṅgha of bodhisattvas, and the saṅgha of bhikṣus with faultless, proper clothing, alms, medicine if they were ill, and monastic utensils for their use.
“Young man, at that time, the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha Ghoṣadatta, the saṅgha of bodhisattvas, and the saṅgha of bhikṣus received greatly renowned gifts and honors.
“Brahmins and householders who had faith also bestowed great gifts and honors on the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha Ghoṣadatta, the saṅgha of bodhisattvas, and the saṅgha of bhikṣus.
“Those brahmins and householders did this by following the example of King Mahābala, [F.15.b] dedicating themselves to bestowing great gifts and honors by making offerings of worldly material goods to the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha Ghoṣadatta, the saṅgha of bodhisattvas, and the saṅgha of bhikṣus.
“Young man, the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha Ghoṣadatta thought, ‘Alas! These beings who have adopted correct conduct and the poṣadha vows have come before the Tathāgata, have honored the Tathāgata, practice celibacy, have entered the homeless life, and have become fully ordained bhikṣus—they will go into decline. They are concerned about the happiness of their future lives.
“ ‘Why is that? It is because in their future lives their happiness will be from these offerings of worldly material things. The realms of the higher existences are the goal of these beings. They are concerned with this life. They are concerned with their288 next life. They do not accumulate289 roots of merit for the final ultimate goal.’290
“Young man, what are the roots of merit for the ultimate goal? They are pure conduct and celibacy going toward the ultimate goal and reaching the ultimate goal.
“Bhagavān Ghoṣadatta thought, ‘I must teach those beings the Dharma so that they will make the unsurpassable offering of the Dharma and the practice of the Dharma as their offering to the Tathāgata.’291
“Then, young man, at that time the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha Ghoṣadatta, with the intention of creating revulsion toward saṃsāra,292 recited these verses to King Mahābala, the brahmins, and the laypeople:
“Young man, King Mahābala heard what the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha Ghoṣadatta said about leaving one’s home. Having heard this, he thought, ‘I have understood the Bhagavān’s teaching to mean that he does not praise the perfection of generosity, [F.16.b] but gives the highest, ultimate praise to the perfection of conduct.293 The Bhagavān has praised perfect purity, perfect celibacy, and perfect nirvāṇa.’
“He thought, ‘It is not easy to practice the unsurpassable Dharma and attain its goal while living in a home. I would decline in my practice of the unsurpassable Dharma. I shall cut off my hair and beard, wear the orange robes, and leave home for homelessness.’
“Then, young man, King Mahābala, accompanied by eighty thousand294 brahmins and laypeople, came before the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha Ghoṣadatta, bowed down to his feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān three times, and sat to one side.
“Young man, the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha, knowing the higher motivation of King Mahābala, taught this samādhi, the revealed equality of the nature of all phenomena.
“Young man, on hearing this, King Mahābala was pleased, delighted, joyful, inspired, and happy. He shaved off his hair and beard, put on the orange robes, and with faith left home for homelessness. Having entered homelessness he learned this samādhi, and having learned it he understood it. He dedicated himself to the practice of keeping it, reading it, and meditating on it. Through that root of merit, he did not fall into the lower existences for a hundred million eons. He served two hundred million buddhas and heard this samādhi from all those tathāgatas. He learned this samādhi, and having learned it he understood it. [F.17.a] He dedicated himself to the practice of keeping it, reading it, and meditating on it.
“Subsequently, through those roots of merit, after a hundred million eons had passed, and then another hundred thousand eons, he attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood. He became the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha named Jñānaśūra.295 He benefited countless beings, and afterward he passed away into perfect nirvāṇa.
“Young man, the eighty thousand people who with King Mahābala came into the presence of the Bhagavān, the Tathāgata Ghoṣadatta all heard this samādhi also and were delighted, rejoicing, and joyful. Happy and joyful, they cut off their hair and beards, wore the orange robes, and with genuine faith they left home for homelessness. Having entered homelessness they learned this samādhi, and having learned it they understood it. They dedicated themselves to the practice of keeping it, reading it, and meditating on it. Through that root of merit, they did not fall into the lower existences for a hundred million eons. During all those eons, they served ten million buddhas and heard this samādhi from all those tathāgatas. They maintained this samādhi and comprehended it. They dedicated themselves to the practice of keeping it, reading it, and meditating on it.
“Through their previous roots of merit, after two hundred million eons had passed and a further hundred thousand eons, they attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood. They all became bhagavāns, tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas named Dṛḍhaśūra. They benefited countless beings, and afterward they passed away into perfect nirvāṇa. [F.17.b]
“Therefore, young man, because of this teaching, the bodhisattva mahāsattvas cherish in this way this samādhi. They know that it is composed of the unsurpassable wisdom of omniscience.”
Then, at that time, the Bhagavān gave a detailed teaching by chanting the following extensive verses to the youth Candraprabha.
Conclusion of the fifth chapter, “Ghoṣadatta.”
Colophon
The Indian preceptor Śrīlendrabodhi, and the chief editor Lotsawa Bandé Dharmatāśīla, translated and revised this work. It was later modified and finalized in terms of the new translation.
Abbreviations
| BHS | Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit. |
|---|---|
| Chinese | Sixth century Chinese translation by Narendrayaśas (see introduction, i.7). |
| Commentary | Mañjuśrīkīrti (see bibliography). |
| Gilgit | Sixth to seventh century Sanskrit manuscript (see introduction i.9 and bibliography under Dutt). |
| Hodgson | Later Nepalese Sanskrit manuscript (see introduction i.9 and bibliography under Dutt). |
| Matsunami | Matsunami’s Sanskrit edition (see bibliography). |
| Shastri | Later Nepalese Sanskrit manuscript (see introduction i.9 and bibliography under Dutt). |
| Vaidya | Vaidya’s Sanskrit edition (see bibliography). |
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———. Gilgit Manuscripts Vol. II, part II. Calcutta: J. C. Sarkhel, 1953.
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da ltar gyi sangs rgyas mngon sum du bzhugs pa’i ting nge ’dzin gyi mdo (Pratyutpanna-buddha-samukhāsthita-samādhi-sūtra) [The Sūtra, The Samādhi of Being in the Presence of the Buddhas of the Present]. Toh 133, Degé Kangyur vol. 56 (mdo sde, na), folios 1.a–70.b.
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de bzhin gshegs pa’i ye shes kyi phyag rgya’i ting nge ’dzin gyi mdo (Tathāgata-jñāna-mudrā-samādhi-sūtra) [The Sūtra of the Samādhi of the Seal of the Wisdom of the Tathāgatas]. Toh 131, Degé Kangyur vol. 55 (mdo sde, da), folios 230.b–253.b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2020b.
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de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi sku gsung thugs kyi gsang chen gsang ba ’dus pa zhe bya ba brtag pa’i rgyal po chen po (Sarva-tathāgata-kāyavākcitta-rahasyo guhyasamāja-nāma-mahā-kalparāja) [The Great King Entitled the Union of the Great Secrets: the Secret of the Body, Speech, and Mind of all the Tathāgatas]. Also known as the Tathāgataguhyaka Sūtra [The Sūtra of the Secret of the Tathāgatas] and the Guhysamaja-tantra. Toh 442, Degé Kangyur vol. 81 (rgyud, ca), folios 90.a–157.b.
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rgya cher rol pa’i mdo (Lalitavistara-sūtra) [The Play in Full]. Toh 95, Degé Kangyur vol. 46 (mdo sde, kha), folios 1.b–216.b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2013.
sa bcu pa’i mdo (Daśabhūmika-sūtra) [The Sūtra of the Ten Bhūmis]. Chapter 31 of the Avataṃsaka, Toh 44. Degé Kangyur vol. 36 (phal chen, kha), folios 166.a–283.a. English translation in Roberts 2021b.
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’od dpag med kyi bkod pa’i mdo (Amitābhavyūhasūtra) [The Array of Amitābha]. Also known as The Longer Sukhāvatīsūtra. Toh 49, Degé Kangyur vol. 39 (dkon brtsegs, ka), folios 237.b-270.a.
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tshong dpon bzang skyong gyis zhus pa’i mdo (Bhadrapāla-śreṣṭhi-paripṛccha-sūtra) [The Sūtra of the Questions of Bhadrapāla the Merchant]. Toh 83, Degé Kangyur vol. 44 (dkon brtsegs, cha), folios 71.a–94.b.
yang dag par spyod pa’i tshul nam mkha’i mdog gis ’dul ba’i bzod pa’i mdo (Saṃyagacārya-vṛtta-gagana-varṇa-vinaya-kṣānti-sūtra) [The Acceptance That Tames Beings with the Sky-Colored Method of Perfect Conduct]. Toh 263, Degé Kangyur vol. 67 (mdo sde ’a), folios 90.a–209.b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2024.
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———. dbu ma rtsa ba’i ’grel pa tshig gsal ba (Mūlamadhyamakavṛttiprasannapadā) [Clear Words: A Commentary on the Root Middle Way]. Toh 3860, Degé Tengyur vol. 102 (dbu ma, ’a), folios 1.a–200.a.
Dārika. ’khor lo sdom pa’i dkyil ’khor gyi cho ga de kho na nyid la ’jug pa (Cakrasaṁvaramaṇḍalavidhitattvāvatāra) [Entering the Truth: A Maṇḍala Rite of Cakrasamvara]. Toh 1430, Degé Tengyur vol. 20 (rgyud ’grel, wa), folios 203.b–219.b.
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Mañjuśrīkīrti. ’phags pa chos thams cad kyi rang bzhin mnyam pa nyid rnam spros pa ting nge ’dzin gyi rgyal po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo’i ’grel pa grags pa’i phreng ba zhes bya ba (Ārya-sarva-dharma-svabhāva-samatā-vipañcita-samādhi-rāja-nāma-mahāyāna-sūtra-ṭika-kīrti-mālā-nāma) [The Garland of Fame: A Commentary on The Mahāyāna Sūtra Entitled The King of Samādhis: The Revealed Equality of the Nature of All Phenomena]. Toh 4010, Degé Tengyur vol. 117 (mdo ’grel, nyi), folios 1.b–163.b.
———. Idem, in bstan ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Tengyur], 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). 120 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 1994–2008, vol. 117 (mdo ’grel, nyi), 752–1181.
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———. bslab pa kun las btus pa (Śikṣasamuccaya) [Compendium of Training]. Toh 3939, Degé Tengyur vol. 111 (dbu ma, khi), folios 3.a–194.b.
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