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འཇིག་རྟེན་འཛིན་གྱིས་ཡོངས་སུ་དྲིས་པ།

The Inquiry of Lokadhara
Chapter One: The Introduction

Lokadharaparipṛcchā
འཕགས་པ་འཇིག་རྟེན་འཛིན་གྱིས་ཡོངས་སུ་དྲིས་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བའི་མདོ།
’phags pa ’jig rten ’dzin gyis yongs su dris pa zhes bya ba’i mdo
The Noble Sūtra “The Inquiry of Lokadhara”
Āryalokadharaparipṛcchānāmasūtra

Toh 174

Degé Kangyur, vol. 60 (mdo sde, ma), folios 7.b–78.b

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Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

First published 2020

Current version v 1.1.25 (2023)

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co.

Table of Contents

ti. Title
im. Imprint
co. Contents
s. Summary
ac. Acknowledgements
i. Introduction
tr. The Translation
+ 12 chapters- 12 chapters
1. Chapter One: The Introduction
2. Chapter Two: Investigating the Five Aggregates
+ 9 sections- 9 sections
· Form
· Feeling
· Perception
· Formation
· Consciousness
· The Five Aggregates
· The Five Aggregates for Appropriation
· Suffering
· The World
3. Chapter Three: The Eighteen Elements
+ 7 sections- 7 sections
· The Eye Element
· The Form Element
· The Eye-Consciousness Element
· The Mind Element
· The Mental-Object Element
· The Mind-Consciousness Element
· The Three Realms
4. Chapter Four: Understanding the Twelve Sense Sources
+ 3 sections- 3 sections
· The Eye and Form Sense Sources
· The Mind and Mental-Object Sense Sources
· The Inner and Outer Sense Sources
5. Chapter Five: Understanding the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination
6. Chapter Six: The Four Applications of Mindfulness
+ 4 sections- 4 sections
· Contemplation of the Body in Relation to the Body
· Contemplation of Feelings in Relation to Feelings
· Contemplation of the Mind in Relation to the Mind
· Contemplation of Mental Phenomena in Relation to Mental Phenomena
7. Chapter Seven: The Five Powers
+ 5 sections- 5 sections
· The Power of Faith
· The Power of Diligence
· The Power of Mindfulness
· The Power of Absorption
· The Power of Insight
8. Chapter Eight: The Eightfold Path of the Noble Ones
+ 8 sections- 8 sections
· Right View
· Right Thought
· Right Speech
· Right Action
· Right Livelihood
· Right Effort
· Right Mindfulness
· Right Absorption
9. Chapter Nine: The Phenomena of the World and Transcendence
10. Chapter Ten: The Conditioned and the Unconditioned
11. Chapter Eleven: The Teaching on What Occurred in the Past
12. Chapter Twelve: The Entrustment
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
g. Glossary

s.

Summary

s.­1

In The Inquiry of Lokadhara, the bodhisattva Lokadhara asks the Buddha to explain the proper way for bodhisattvas to discern the characteristics of phenomena and employ that knowledge to attain awakening. In reply, the Buddha teaches at length how to understand the lack of inherent existence of phenomena. As part of the teaching, the Buddha explains in detail the nonexistence of the aggregates, the elements, the sense sources, dependently originated phenomena, the four applications of mindfulness, the five powers, the eightfold path of the noble ones, and mundane and transcendent phenomena, as well as conditioned and unconditioned phenomena.


ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.­1

The sūtra was translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. The translation from the Tibetan was produced by Timothy Hinkle. Andreas Doctor checked the translation against the Tibetan, edited the text, and wrote the introduction. James Gentry subsequently compared the translation against Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation and made further edits.

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


i.

Introduction

i.­1

The Inquiry of Lokadhara is a scripture that belongs to the general sūtra section of the Degé Kangyur. As far as we are aware, no Sanskrit version of this text remains. However, in addition to the Tibetan translation, which we have translated here, the sūtra is also present in two Chinese translations (Taishō 481 and Taishō 482). The first of these was translated by Dharmarakṣa (233–311 ᴄᴇ), the famed and prolific translator of The Lotus Sūtra. The second translation was completed between 402 and 412 ᴄᴇ, by the equally renowned translator Kumārajīva (344–413 ᴄᴇ), as one of his last translations. We therefore know that the text has been in existence since at least the third century ᴄᴇ. Unfortunately, however, we know little else of the history of this sūtra. We do not even know when, or by whom, it was translated into Tibetan; the translation does not identify a translator, and the text is not listed in the ninth-century Denkarma (Tib. ldan dkar ma) or Phangthangma (Tib. ’phang thang ma) imperial catalogues of Tibetan translations.1 It does, however, appear in Buton’s (Tib. bu ston) History of the Dharma (Tib. chos ’byung), thus suggesting that it was translated after the fall of the Yarlung dynasty (846 ᴄᴇ) (or at least outside official circles of imperial influence), and only became known in Tibet sometime prior to the fourteenth century ᴄᴇ. A cursory search of the Dunhuang manuscript catalogues did not yield any further information, although future studies of these resources may shed new light on this issue. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that Cornelius Chang (1976, p. 22) reports that a fragment of the sūtra was discovered in Turfan (in modern day Xinjiang). The sūtra is therefore likely to have been present in the Dunhuang region as well, as the Tibetan Yarlung Dynasty controlled Turfan during the same period that it controlled Dunhuang, until roughly 846 ᴄᴇ.


Text Body

The Translation
The Noble Sūtra
The Inquiry of Lokadhara

1.

Chapter One: The Introduction

[F.7.b] [B1]


1.­1

Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!


1.­2

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying at the Kalandaka­nivāpa in Veṇuvana near Rājagṛha, with a great saṅgha of monks. The Blessed One was teaching the Dharma to a large assembly with hundreds of thousands of beings in attendance. Present in the assembly was the bodhisattva great being Lokadhara. It was his wish that bodhisattva great beings develop the mind of awakening by adorning themselves with immeasurable virtues; that they understand in its entirety the true meaning of all phenomena; [F.8.a] that they understand how limitless aspirations lead to the perfection of limitless ornaments; that they comprehend and understand the true characteristics of limitless phenomena; that they purify their motivation through limitless aspirations; that they gain comprehensive knowledge; that they attain the ornament of generosity and the purity of certainty; that they perfect the ornament of discipline and patience; that they purify the attitude of mildness and gentleness; that they understand the purity of diligence; that they understand and comprehend the perfections of concentration and insight; and that they develop limitless other such virtues.

1.­3

Therefore, he stood up, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. With his palms together he bowed toward the Blessed One and said, “Blessed One, may I inquire, in order to bring benefit and happiness to many people; in order that bodhisattva great beings will not discontinue the Buddha’s lineage; in order that their discipline will be without attachment and pure in all activities; in order that they will apply themselves to the great Dharma; and in order that bodhisattvas will become knowledgeable in upholding the immeasurable domains of the Dharma of noble beings. Blessed One, how do bodhisattva great beings become knowledgeable concerning the true characteristics of phenomena? How do they become skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena? How do they acquire the power of mindfulness? How do they acquire the insight of knowing how to discern the categories of all phenomena? Once they have relinquished this body, how do they sustain unbroken mindfulness until they attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening?”

1.­4

The Blessed One responded to the bodhisattva Lokadhara, [F.8.b] “Excellent, excellent! Lokadhara, it is excellent that you have asked the Thus-Gone One about these subjects on behalf of bodhisattva great beings. The merit you have gained from asking questions‍—in order to bring benefit and happiness to many people, out of love for the world, for the sake of the benefit and happiness of the world and its gods, and to illuminate the bodhisattvas of the present and future with great light‍—is boundless.

1.­5

“As for your having asked the Thus-Gone One about these subjects, it is excellent that you have thought to inquire of the Thus-Gone One in order to eliminate beings’ doubts; illuminate and protect all beings; teach beings beneficial subjects; free beings from treacherous paths; serve as the support, base, protection, and refuge of many beings; extract and remove them from the three lower realms; establish beings on the unsurpassed path; liberate many beings from the anguish of birth, aging, sickness, death, distress, lamentation, pain, and anxiety; bestow the unsurpassed happiness of nirvāṇa upon beings; protect and guard the sublime Dharma in the future; and liberate beings during the dark times of destruction in the future. Therefore, Lokadhara, listen well and commit this to memory, as I will now explain.”

The bodhisattva Lokadhara replied, “Blessed One, I shall do as you ask,” and he listened to the Blessed One.

1.­6

The Blessed One then said, “Sublime being, I have this to say: [F.9.a] Bodhisattva great beings who understand four beneficial subjects will endeavor in and apply themselves to the true characteristics of phenomena and become highly skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena. What are these four? They should achieve perfect mindfulness, achieve unbroken mindfulness, make continuous progress by means of highly refined insight, and always remain mindful. Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who understand these four beneficial subjects will endeavor in and apply themselves to the true characteristics of phenomena and become skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena.

1.­7

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who understand an alternate set of four beneficial subjects will endeavor in and apply themselves to the true characteristics of phenomena and become highly skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena. What are these four? They should understand well the definitive meaning of phenomena, understand well the meaning of phenomena, understand well the various causes and conditions of phenomena, and enter the true gateway of phenomena.

1.­8

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who understand an alternate set of four beneficial subjects will endeavor in and apply themselves to the true characteristics of phenomena and become highly skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena. What are these four? They should understand well the characteristics of limitless phenomena, become highly skilled in cultivating limitless definitive phenomena, exponentially increase engagement in limitless virtues, and understand and perceive the characteristic of arising and ceasing of phenomena.

1.­9

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who understand an alternate set of four beneficial subjects [F.9.b] will endeavor in and apply themselves to the true characteristics of phenomena and become highly skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena. What are these four? They should assiduously attend to unsurpassed and perfect awakening, swiftly perfect the factors of awakening, avoid being led astray by others by being highly skilled with regard to the expedient means of phenomena, and become highly skilled in all forms of wisdom and insight. Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who see these four subjects will endeavor in and apply themselves to the true characteristics of phenomena and become highly skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena.

1.­10

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who possess an alternate set of four qualities will endeavor in and apply themselves to the true characteristics of phenomena and become highly skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena. What are these four? Seeking to bring beings benefit and happiness by having a mind that is unstained by stinginess, always keeping pure discipline, being unceasing in their diligent conduct by being steadfast in the perfection of diligence, and applying themselves to the perfection of insight with correct mental engagement.

1.­11

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities will endeavor in and apply themselves to the true characteristics of phenomena and become highly skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena. What are these four? Having abundant and pure aspirations, having abundant and pure diligent conduct, being steadfast in the virtue of patience that is forgiving, and attaining the understanding that differentiates the true characteristics of phenomena. [F.10.a]

1.­12

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities will endeavor in and apply themselves to the true characteristics of phenomena and become highly skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena. What are these four? Pursuing omniscient wisdom with great zeal; generating great zeal by being skilled in discerning concentration, liberation, and absorption; applying themselves to pure conduct in order to attain the mental states of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity; and cultivating the definitive meaning.

1.­13

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities will endeavor in and apply themselves to the true characteristics of phenomena and become highly skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena. What are these four? The perfection of the domain of insight, seeking the pure domain of wisdom, zeal for unimpeded wisdom, and never abandoning the aspiration for omniscient wisdom. Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have this set of four qualities will endeavor in and apply themselves to the true characteristics of phenomena and become highly skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena.”


1.­14

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who understand an alternate set of four subjects will pursue the power of mindfulness. What are these four? Cultivating familiarity with the complete power of mindfulness, experiencing blissful insight, maintaining unbroken mindfulness, and thoroughly cultivating the four applications of mindfulness.

1.­15

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who understand four subjects [F.10.b] will pursue the power of mindfulness. What are these four? Always applying mindfulness with respect to the mind in order to perfect the factors of awakening, having pure insight that employs an acute power of mindfulness to know what was cultivated in previous existences, swiftly attaining unbroken mindfulness, and generating the cause of omniscient wisdom.

1.­16

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who understand four subjects will pursue the power of mindfulness. What are these four? Cultivating the entirety of contemplative methods, cultivating genuine wisdom and insight, generating tremendous diligence in order to attain the qualities of buddhahood, and not forgetting mindfulness in order to attain the strength of unbroken mindfulness. Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who understand these four subjects will pursue the power of mindfulness.”


1.­17

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have four qualities will attain the power of mindfulness. What are these four? Constant and unbroken diligence aimed at recollecting the highest insight, constant and unbroken focus aimed at achieving the true characteristics of phenomena, constant vigilance aimed at accurately recalling all phenomena, and constant guarding of one’s faculties in order to obtain correct mental engagement.

1.­18

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities will attain the power of mindfulness. What are these four? Maintaining pure discipline, having pure conduct, dispelling the five mental obscurations concerning all forms of conduct while being unattached to worldly phenomena, and discarding the obscurations of action and affliction. [F.11.a]

1.­19

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities will attain the power of mindfulness. What are these four? Pursuing virtuous phenomena with an unperturbed mind, cultivating familiarity with the mind’s sole characteristic, having understanding and knowledge of Dharma discourses, and avoiding both householders and renunciates by being uninterested in socializing.

1.­20

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities will attain the power of mindfulness. What are these four? Training under a spiritual friend, constantly applying oneself to the profound Dharma, always being happy to approach buddhas and bodhisattvas, and delighting in supplication and inquiry while being inspired to cultivate insight. Bodhisattva great beings who have these four qualities will attain the power of mindfulness.”


1.­21

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities will progress toward insight by knowing how to discern the categories of all phenomena. What are these four? Being very knowledgeable with regard to the true characteristics of all phenomena, being very knowledgeable with regard to discerning the causes of all phenomena, being knowledgeable with regard to the definitive meaning of all phenomena, and being knowledgeable with regard to the classifications of words and speech related to all phenomena.

1.­22

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities will progress toward insight by knowing how to discern the categories of all phenomena. What are these four? Being knowledgeable with regard to the progressive order of Dharma teachings, being knowledgeable with regard to the means of the dependent origination of all phenomena, [F.11.b] having the skillful means to cultivate all Dharma teachings, and being very knowledgeable with regard to discerning both the discourses on the definitive meaning and those on the inferred meaning.

1.­23

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities will progress toward insight by knowing how to discern the categories of all phenomena. What are these four? Being knowledgeable with regard to distinguishing the path from what is not the path, being able to describe the meaning of any Dharma teaching, swiftly achieving the domain of pure insight, and perfectly cultivating the perfection of wisdom. Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have this alternate set of four qualities will progress toward insight by knowing how to discern the categories of all phenomena.

1.­24

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities will progress toward insight by knowing how to discern the categories of all phenomena. What are these four? Being knowledgeable about cultivating all phenomena characterized by origination, being knowledgeable with regard to the characteristic of cessation related to the causes of all phenomena, being knowledgeable about the characteristic of the conditions related to all phenomena, and being skillful by means of causes and conditions.

1.­25

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities will progress toward insight by knowing how to discern the categories of all phenomena. What are these four? Being knowledgeable with regard to all the phenomena of suffering, being knowledgeable with regard to all the phenomena of origination, being knowledgeable with regard to all the phenomena of cessation, and being knowledgeable with regard to all the phenomena of cessation and the path.

1.­26

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities [F.12.a] will progress toward insight by knowing how to discern the categories of all phenomena. What are these four? Being knowledgeable with regard to the connection between the formation and destruction of all phenomena; drawing on previous causes to achieve power; being knowledgeable with regard to anything that tames phenomena; and being knowledgeable with regard to discerning letters, syllables, and words.

1.­27

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of four qualities will progress toward insight by knowing how to discern the categories of all phenomena. What are these four? Being very knowledgeable with regard to the discourses of inferred meaning, not becoming caught up in the words of the discourses of definitive meaning, being knowledgeable with regard to the seal3 of the characteristics of all phenomena, and being steadfast in the wisdom of the absence of marks of all phenomena. Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have this alternate set of four qualities will progress toward insight by knowing how to discern the categories of all phenomena.”


1.­28

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have four qualities will have unbroken mindfulness from the point that they relinquish this body until they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. What are these four? Knowledge of virtuous and nonvirtuous phenomena, excellent mindfulness and insight, abandonment of the five mental obscurations, and never allowing one’s mindfulness of unsurpassed and perfect awakening to wane.

1.­29

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have four additional qualities will have unbroken mindfulness from the point that they relinquish this body until they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. What are these four? Strong pursuit of the four applications of mindfulness, [F.12.b] strong pursuit of discerning insight, placing insight at the forefront of all absorptions, and mastering definitive insight.

1.­30

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have four qualities will have unbroken mindfulness from the point that they relinquish this body until they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. What are these four? Attainment of the dhāraṇī gateways, cultivation of unborn wisdom, understanding the wisdom of exhaustion, and realization of the wisdom of cessation.

1.­31

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have four qualities will have unbroken mindfulness from the point that they relinquish this body until they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. What are these four? Eliminating desire and aversion, being free from attachment to any conditioned phenomenon, realization of unconditioned wisdom, and arriving at the domain of the thus-gone ones. Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have these four qualities will have unbroken mindfulness from the point that they relinquish this body until they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.”


1.­32

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have five types of wisdom strength that purify phenomena will perfect the higher virtues. What are these five? The wisdom strength that purifies motivation, the wisdom strength that purifies aspirations, the wisdom strength that purifies roots of virtue, the wisdom strength that purifies dedication, and the wisdom strength that purifies karmic obscurations.

1.­33

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of five types of purificatory wisdom strength [F.13.a] will perfect the higher virtues. What are these five? The wisdom strength that purifies conduct, the wisdom strength that purifies mindfulness, the wisdom strength that purifies practice, the wisdom strength that purifies apprehension of sentient beings,4 and the wisdom strength that purifies apprehension of characteristics.

1.­34

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of five types of purificatory wisdom strength will perfect the higher virtues. What are these five? The wisdom strength that purifies a detached attitude, the wisdom strength that purifies bringing benefit and happiness to beings, the wisdom strength that purifies the development of great love, the wisdom strength that purifies the development of great compassion, and the wisdom strength that purifies the development of great joy and equanimity.

1.­35

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of five types of purificatory wisdom strength will perfect the higher virtues. What are these five? The wisdom strength that purifies the observance of discipline, the wisdom strength that purifies nonattachment to the observance of discipline, the wisdom strength that purifies patience, the wisdom strength that purifies nonattachment to patience, and the wisdom strength that purifies learnedness.

1.­36

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of five types of purificatory wisdom strength will perfect the higher virtues. What are these five? The wisdom strength that purifies higher diligence, [F.13.b] the wisdom strength that purifies the acquisition of diligence, the wisdom strength that purifies concentration, the wisdom strength that purifies the means of concentration, and the wisdom strength that purifies the means of tranquility and special insight.

1.­37

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of five types of purificatory wisdom strength will perfect the higher virtues. What are these five? The wisdom strength that purifies insight, the wisdom strength that purifies the attainment of erudition, the wisdom strength that purifies the worldly and transcendent, the wisdom strength that purifies insight and means, and the wisdom strength that purifies the conditioned and the unconditioned.

1.­38

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have an alternate set of five types of purificatory wisdom strength will perfect the higher virtues. What are these five? The wisdom strength that purifies the understanding of means, the wisdom strength that purifies knowledge and liberation, the wisdom strength that purifies the characteristic of the unborn, the wisdom strength that purifies the singularity of characteristics and the absence of characteristics, and the wisdom strength that purifies the relative and the ultimate. Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have these five types of purificatory wisdom strength will perfect the higher virtues. Therefore, Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings must endeavor greatly to cultivate these purificatory wisdom strengths.”


1.­39

“Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who have three qualities will endeavor in the purificatory wisdom strength. [F.14.a] What are these three? Interest, diligence, and carefulness. Bodhisattva great beings who have these three will endeavor in the wisdom strength that purifies the entirety of virtues. Why is this? Lokadhara, interest, diligence, and carefulness are the roots of all qualities.

1.­40

“Thus, bodhisattva great beings who apply themselves to the purificatory wisdom strength will swiftly attain omniscient wisdom. They will be called those who do not regress from diligence. They will be called those who do not regress from the Dharma. They will also swiftly attain an exponential growth in those very virtues. They will also swiftly achieve the wisdom strength that purifies all qualities. Lokadhara, any person who achieves the wisdom strength that purifies all qualities in this manner is said to be a field of merit for the world. It is said that this person will consume the offering goods after me. It is said that this person will arrive at the domain of the thus-gone ones. It is said that this person will realize the qualities of the thus-gone ones. Before long, such a person will master the wisdom of the thus-gone ones.

1.­41

“Lokadhara, many countless immeasurable eons ago, as I was practicing bodhisattva conduct, Buddha Dīpaṅkara prophesied to me, ‘You will fully awaken to buddhahood after countless eons.’ At that very moment, I understood all these purificatory wisdom strengths. Lokadhara, any person who has such purificatory wisdom strength will attain unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening, just as I have attained it now. Such a person will also turn the wheel of Dharma, [F.14.b] just as I do now. That person will roar the lion’s roar, just as I roar it. That person will naturally have power and strength over all phenomena just as I do now. Lokadhara, if you have exerted yourself in the cultivation of this purificatory wisdom strength, you will spontaneously accomplish all wisdom and insight before long.

1.­42

“Lokadhara, countless immeasurable eons ago, the blessed one known as King of Lofty Wisdom appeared in the world. He was a thus-gone one, a learned and virtuous one, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, an unsurpassed being, a charioteer who guides beings, a teacher of gods and humans, and a blessed buddha. Lokadhara, the blessed one King of Lofty Wisdom had an immeasurable saṅgha of hearers and an immeasurable saṅgha of bodhisattvas. This was due to the causes and conditions of this Blessed One’s past aspirations. Even the words three lower realms were unheard of in the blessed one King of Lofty Wisdom’s buddha realm. No one there had experienced any suffering; all in all, everyone there had such an abundance of happiness and joy that they were mostly free of desire, as the five obscurations were eliminated. These beings had such pure happiness that it was as if they had attained the bliss of the four concentrations. The lifespan of the blessed one King of Lofty Wisdom was one quadrillion eons. The Thus-Gone One acted as the king of the world at that time. As there was no other king, the beings of that realm called the Blessed One their Dharma King. The blessed one King of Lofty Wisdom taught the bodhisattvas a discourse from the Bodhisattva Collection called [F.15.a] Countering the Doubts and Pleasing the Minds of All Beings. When five hundred of the bodhisattvas heard this description of the bodhisattvas’ purificatory wisdom strength, they generated such strength of diligence that for the rest of their lives, they did not develop the intent to sit; did not develop notions about clothing; did not develop notions about themselves, other beings, men, or women; and did not eat too much food. Rather, they only exerted themselves in this purificatory wisdom strength. When these five hundred bodhisattvas who had exerted themselves so diligently passed away, they were later born in a buddha realm one hundred thousand buddha realms to the east of here, due to the causes and conditions of their roots of virtue. Once born there, they exerted themselves in this teaching, and before long they remembered their past lives and gained sharp faculties. In that buddha realm is a thus-gone one named King of Immeasurable Stacked Flowers. He is still alive and teaching the Dharma. When they were sixteen years old, these bodhisattvas received ordination in the teachings of the blessed one King of Immeasurable Stacked Flowers. For six hundred thousand years, they practiced pure conduct as youths and exerted themselves in this type of diligence.

1.­43

“Lokadhara, in that fashion these five hundred bodhisattvas met two hundred thousand thus-gone ones, and by practicing diligence in their presence, gained supreme mindfulness, happiness, and insight. Finally, they met the blessed one King of Lofty and Immeasurable Power, who gave them this prophecy: ‘After ten thousand eons, you will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’ [F.15.b] Throughout that ten-thousand-eon period, those five hundred bodhisattvas met two thousand buddhas. In this way, they perfected the awakening of the buddhas, until finally, one eon, they fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.

1.­44

“Lokadhara, therefore one should know that bodhisattvas who want to swiftly attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening ought to develop such interest, diligence, and carefulness regarding the purificatory wisdom strength. Why is this? Lokadhara, interest, diligence, and carefulness, along with the factors of awakening, are the roots of attaining the unsurpassed and perfect awakening of the buddhas‍—they complete the qualities of buddhahood.

1.­45

“Lokadhara, as I practiced such diligence, I met with two hundred thousand buddhas, and their teachings enabled me to recall all my past lives. By remembering the circumstances of all my past lives, I eliminated obstacles to the cultivation of this teaching. Never letting my interest, diligence, and carefulness decline, my interest, diligence, and carefulness became continuous.”

1.­46

The Blessed One then gazed into the four directions with his mind of great love and compassion and displayed the miraculous power of his extraordinary abilities. He emanated buddhas into all the Jambudvīpas of the great trichiliocosm, where they each taught the discourse from the Bodhisattva Collection called Countering the Doubts and Pleasing the Minds of All Beings. Furthermore, through his miraculous ability, the many assemblies in Veṇuvana were able to behold the emanated buddhas filling the Jambudvīpas, each teaching the Dharma, [F.16.a] whereby all the assemblies were delighted. They rose from their seats, prostrated to the Buddha, and marveled, “Blessed One, the miraculous ability of the blessed buddhas is unfathomable. The immeasurable and unfathomable Dharma is spontaneously accomplished.”

1.­47

The Blessed One then addressed the myriad assemblies, “Noble children, the things revealed by the Thus-Gone One are not so remarkable. Why is this? Because the Thus-Gone One understands reality, he can use the power of his miraculous, extraordinary abilities in such a way that the light shining from a single pore of his body can illuminate as many worlds throughout the ten directions as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. Likewise, from a single pore of his body he can make the voice of Dharma heard in all those worlds. Such would not exhaust even a thousandth part of what can be displayed from a single pore. The Thus-Gone One has spontaneously accomplished such unfathomable abilities as these.

1.­48

“Noble children, the Thus-Gone One teaches beings by employing an understanding of their thoughts. Noble children, there are few beings these days who are inspired to practice this teaching. Noble children, there are few beings these days who diligently endeavor in the practice of this teaching. Noble children, there are few beings these days who carefully practice this teaching. Why is this? There are few beings in such evil times who will practice this teaching. The Thus-Gone One has come to this evil world of the five degenerations5: the degeneration of beings, the degeneration of views, the degeneration of lifespans, the degeneration of afflictions, and the degeneration of eons.

1.­49

“Noble children, if it is rare for someone to even so much as trust in this profound and pure teaching and arrive at the insight of buddhahood, what need we say of being interested in the domain of the thus-gone ones? [F.16.b] Noble children, my motivation for adorning myself with such aspirations and practicing such diligence and patience for so long has been to help those suffering beings who are without protector or refuge and who fall into the lower realms. Once I fully awakened, I ensured the benefit and welfare of countless, immeasurable beings. Noble children, therefore, through the grace of the Thus-Gone One’s earlier pure aspirations and diligence, countless, immeasurable beings now have faith and trust in such a profound teaching as this and embrace it. Noble children, beings that I have previously trained trust my teachings. Noble children, few beings have been made to trust such a profound teaching as this through the ten strengths and the four types of fearlessness of the blessed buddhas. All beings who observe this teaching do so through the means and power of the thus-gone ones’ intent. Long have I never been apart from this profound Dharma. That is why I care for and never abandon beings out of great love, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity. There are few thus-gone ones who benefit beings in a vile world of the five degenerations. Why is this?

1.­50

“Noble children, having earlier benefitted beings with the force of great diligence and the power of great skill, I gathered the accumulations leading to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Noble children, I recall that in the past, I offered up and gave away a thousand bodies in a single day. Noble children, earlier, throughout thousands of lifetimes, when I saw beings suffering from hunger and thirst, I would cut flesh from my body, cook it, and give it to them‍—yet even then my mind felt no trouble or regret; instead, a great and universal love for all beings arose in me. [F.17.a] Noble children, understand that in this fashion, through benefitting beings with the strength of great diligence and skill, one will gather the accumulations leading to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Therefore, noble children, by earnest practice of interest, diligence, and carefulness, the accumulations leading to unsurpassed and perfect awakening are gathered. Just as I have engaged in bodhisattva conduct, you must also act for the benefit and happiness of beings. Noble children, none of the blessed buddhas who have appeared in this Fortunate Eon have failed to praise me. They declared, ‘The blessed one Śākyamuni engaged in such diligence. The blessed one Śākyamuni developed such diligence. The blessed one Śākyamuni perfected such diligence. By engaging in bodhisattva conduct, the blessed one Śākyamuni thus helped beings. Having appeared in a vile world of degenerations, he thus acted for the benefit and happiness of countless, immeasurable beings.’

1.­51

“Noble children, those who are inspired to practice such bodhisattva conduct must exert themselves in interest, diligence, and carefulness. Noble children, even though I have fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, my practice of diligence has not waned; I will generate diligence until my parinirvāṇa, when my relics will be reduced to the size of mustard seeds as my body parts are divided, for even that is done for the love and care of future beings. Previously, when I was engaged in bodhisattva conduct, there were some gentle beings who had grown mistaken and errant in their conduct, leading them to descend to difficult states of being. [F.17.b] I aroused great compassion in order to free them from those states; therefore my distributed relics, even so small as a mustard seed in size, will display miraculous power. After I reach parinirvāṇa, the minds of those who can be tamed by my relics will be purified. With purified minds, they will reach any states of being to which they aspire.

1.­52

“Noble children, my spontaneous accomplishment of such compassion for beings, while I was formerly practicing the conduct of a bodhisattva, will cause my relics to be divided and distributed far and wide: this is also due to my previous aspirations. Thus will I protect many beings in vile future times through my immeasurable virtues, causes and conditions of merit, and great compassion. Noble children, I pray that those future bodhisattvas who are joyfully interested, diligent, and careful with regard to this teaching will be sure to read, recite, uphold, and fully teach discourses such as this to others. Through my miraculous power, I bless such bodhisattvas to read, recite, uphold, and fully teach them to others. So that these discourses will be read, recited, upheld, and fully taught, I have entrusted them to such bodhisattvas. Why is that? Noble children, understand that wherever these discourses appear, the Buddha will remain without passing into parinirvāṇa. Therefore, the Thus-Gone One entrusts these discourses to the bodhisattvas. Noble children, you should therefore understand that in the past, I gathered beings without abandoning them by means of such causes and conditions. Presently, I also gather beings without abandoning them. Know that in the future as well, I will gather beings without abandoning them. [F.18.a] Having guarded and cared for such discourses, they will flourish extensively in the final five-hundred-year period to come.

1.­53

“Noble children, both at the present and after I pass into parinirvāṇa, know that if such a discourse is present in a town, city, mountain, forest, or wilderness, and someone retains, receives, reads, recites, teaches, or explains it, the Buddha resides there. Why is this? Through such causes and conditions, I call buddhas the Dharma body. I declare that by seeing the Dharma one sees the Buddha. The Buddha is not to be regarded as a body of form. Those who trust this teaching, and listen to it, trust the Buddha and listen to the Buddha’s teachings. Those who earnestly practice as taught see the Buddha. Such people are said to be proper teachers, Dharma teachers, and followers of the Dharma.

1.­54

“Noble children, my body is neither6 Dharma nor non-Dharma; it is described in accordance with the Dharma. Called the most sublime gift of Dharma, it is neither grounded in Dharma nor non-ingrained in Dharma. How is this? If it were rooted in Dharma, seeing my body would not be called seeing the Buddha. Noble children, not being rooted in any phenomenon whatsoever is described as seeing the Buddha. Whoever does not see any phenomenon is described as seeing the Buddha. Why is this? It is inappropriate to describe the Thus-Gone One as Dharma or non-Dharma, or to view him as Dharma. Why is this? Noble children, for the monks who wish to understand my Dharma as found in the discourses, if even the Dharma is to be discarded like a raft,7 what need we say of non-Dharma?8 One who is equanimous regarding Dharma and non-Dharma is said to see the Buddha. [F.18.b] Why is this? Because the Thus-Gone One is said to be equanimous regarding all phenomena. Not being attached to, or grasping at, the label Dharma, one does not fall into the label Dharma, so what need we say of the label non-Dharma? Noble children, the absence of labels of all phenomena is called the Thus-Gone One. Those who see in this way are said to see the Thus-Gone One. Why is this? Because they are free from seeing any phenomenon, they see the Thus-Gone One. Since all phenomena are beyond apprehension, when one understands and sees all phenomena correctly as they are, this is called seeing the Thus-Gone One. Noble children, the state that does not apprehend any phenomenon is free from all phenomena, is without any thoughts of Dharma or non-Dharma, is free from debate, is free from anything to do, and is indescribable: this is called seeing the Thus-Gone One. Those who see the Dharma in this fashion are said to see the Thus-Gone One.

1.­55

“Those who see the Thus-Gone One in this fashion see accurately. Those who see differently from this see mistakenly. Whoever sees mistakenly thus sees falsely; such people are not said to see correctly.9 Noble children, seeing true reality is the cessation of all modes of words and statements. It is neither correct nor incorrect. It neither exists nor is absent. It is free from all phenomena, does not adopt any phenomenon, and does not observe any phenomenon. Seeing like this is seeing the Thus-Gone One. Why is this? Noble children, the Thus-Gone One does not give rise to views regarding phenomena. Thus, seeing the absence of characteristics concerning all phenomena is seeing the Thus-Gone One. Whoever sees in this fashion is said to see accurately. [F.19.a]

1.­56

“Noble children, you should regard the Thus-Gone One in this way. You must analyze the Thus-Gone One just as I have explained. Those who regard the Thus-Gone One like this will understand all phenomena to be the Thus-Gone One. They will attain the suchness of all phenomena, the true reality of all phenomena, and the characteristic falsity of all phenomena. They will come to understand all phenomena to be the qualities of the Thus-Gone One, all phenomena to be the domain of the Thus-Gone One, and all phenomena to be the unfathomable domain.

1.­57

“Noble children, therefore I have declared that all phenomena are the domain of the Thus-Gone One. The Thus-Gone One’s domain is devoid of a domain. Why is this? There is nothing within the domain of all phenomena to be experienced. Therefore, I have taught that the absence of a domain is the domain of the Thus-Gone One. As the domain of all phenomena is the absence of a domain, that absence of a domain is the domain of the Thus-Gone One. Why is this? As the domain of all phenomena does not exist at all, the absence of a domain is the domain of the Thus-Gone One. As all domains are subsumed in the Thus-Gone One’s domain, it is not a domain. Since the Thus-Gone One understands these phenomena, the absence of a domain is the domain of the Thus-Gone One. Noble children, those who understand all phenomena as the absence of a domain are people who know the domain of the Thus-Gone One. Such people realize the domain of the Thus-Gone One. Such people seek the domain of the Thus-Gone One. Such people are without attachment to the domain of the Thus-Gone One. Why is this? Such people understand the absence of a domain to be the domain of the Thus-Gone One. [F.19.b] They understand the lack of a domain to be the domain of the Thus-Gone One.

1.­58

“Because all Dharma teachings are beyond observation and investigation, and because they do not remain, they are not a domain. This is the domain of the Thus-Gone One. It is a domain that is subsumed in wisdom, because it does not enter any Dharma teachings. How is this? Because there is no gateway of the Dharma teachings, they are entered through this gateway. Noble children, no Dharma teaching has entry, origination, or form. Why is this? Given that the Thus-Gone One does not observe any Dharma teachings, from where should they appear? Into what should they enter? How could they be shown? How could they ever be taught? Noble children, this is the entry into the gateway of all Dharma teachings, because of their characteristic of being beyond entry. No Dharma teachings come together or part, are bound or liberated. Because in this way there are no gateways with regard to the gateways of all Dharma teachings, such gateways are not gateways of emergence, gateways of entry, gateways of departure, or gateways of expression; ultimately, they are called the unborn gateway. Through this Dharma gateway, no phenomenon is known or seen. This Dharma gateway involves no understanding of, or entry into, Dharma teachings. Why is this?

1.­59

“Noble children, there are no gateways of Dharma teachings, because gateways cannot be observed. Space is a gateway of all Dharma teachings, because it is primordially pure by nature. The absence of discontinuity is a gateway of all Dharma teachings, because discontinuity cannot be observed. The absence of limits is a gateway of all Dharma teachings, because limits cannot be observed. The absence of measures is a gateway of all Dharma teachings, because measures cannot be observed. The absence of bounds is a gateway of all Dharma teachings, because bounds cannot be observed. Noble children, if a noble son or daughter enters this Dharma gateway, [F.20.a] it is said that they enter the gateway of all Dharma teachings, understand the gateway of all Dharma teachings, and reveal the gateway of all Dharma teachings.”

1.­60

This was chapter one: “The Introduction.”


2.

Chapter Two: Investigating the Five Aggregates

2.­1

The Blessed One then addressed the bodhisattva Lokadhara, “Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain the true characteristics of all phenomena, wish to be learned in the characteristics of discerning phenomena, wish to attain the power of recall, wish to attain the insight that discerns all phenomena, or wish to attain unbroken mindfulness from the time they leave this body until reaching unsurpassed and perfect awakening should swiftly enter this Dharma gateway. Through this Dharma gateway, they will attain the light of insight. Why is this? Because this Dharma gateway swiftly ensures that perfection is attained. Furthermore, Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings should exert themselves in this Dharma gateway. Having entered this gateway that pertains to the Dharma, they will become highly skilled in discerning what pertains to the aggregates, elements, sense sources, dependently originated phenomena, the four applications of mindfulness, the five powers, the eightfold path of the noble ones, and mundane and transcendent phenomena. Additionally, they will become highly skilled in discerning what pertains to conditioned and unconditioned phenomena.”

Form

Feeling

Perception

Formation

Consciousness

The Five Aggregates

The Five Aggregates for Appropriation

Suffering

The World


3.

Chapter Three: The Eighteen Elements

The Eye Element

3.­1

“Lokadhara, regarding the elements, how are bodhisattva great beings learned in the eighteen elements? When bodhisattva great beings practice correct contemplation of the eighteen elements, they think, ‘The eye element cannot be observed to be the eye element. There is also no I or mine in the eye element. It is impermanent, insubstantial, and empty of inherent nature. Therefore, what is imputed as the characteristic of the eye element cannot be observed in the eye element. The eye element is untrue and totally nonexistent, for it is born from false thinking. The eye element lacks true characteristics, as the space element is the eye element. For instance, just as the space element lacks true characteristics and is not an entity, the eye element also lacks true characteristics and is not an entity. Why is this? [F.38.b] Because no real entity can be found in the eye element, the eye element does not exist in any location or direction. It does not exist internally, externally, or somewhere in-between. The eye element lacks true characteristics and is not an entity. Thus, no entity of the eye element can be apprehended, for it arises from many causes and conditions. The eye element is neither past, nor present, nor future, and there is no intrinsic nature of the eye to observe in the eye element. The eye element depends upon the ripening of the results of past actions and current conditions, whereupon the eye element is imputed. The eye element is a nonelement. No eye element can be observed in the eye element. The so-called eye element refers to the domain of consciousness. The eye element manifests when three factors come together: a clear eye faculty, an apparent form, and the involvement of the mind faculty. The eye element lacks anything that can be called a real eye element, and the wise understand the eye element to be the absence of the eye element.’ ”

The Form Element

The Eye-Consciousness Element

The Mind Element

The Mental-Object Element

The Mind-Consciousness Element

The Three Realms


4.

Chapter Four: Understanding the Twelve Sense Sources

The Eye and Form Sense Sources

4.­1

The Blessed One continued addressing Lokadhara: [F.45.b] “How are bodhisattva great beings knowledgeable about the twelve sense sources? When discerning the twelve sense sources, they think, ‘The eye sense source cannot be observed in the eye. In the eye, there is no definitive eye sense source. The eye sense source cannot be observed to be an entity.’ Why is this? The eye sense source is born from many causes and conditions and arises through mistaken perception. It depends upon form, because it observes form. When the two meet,38 the condition of form brings the condition of the eye sense source into existence. Because the form and eye sense sources are mutually dependent, they are collectively called the eye’s form. Regarding the so-called eye and form, form is the gateway through which the eye sense source is generated, and the eye also generates and illuminates the form sense source. Therefore, with regard to the sense sources, the eye sense source is so-called because it is labeled a sense source gateway via the condition of form and the form sense source is so-called because it is seen by the eye. While I teach that they do exist relatively, the eye does not exist in form, form does not exist in the eye, the eye does not exist in the eye, and form does not exist in form. The eye sense source is thus labeled because observation of form arises from many conditions. Additionally, the form sense source is thus labeled because the eye consciousness and the characteristic of sight arise through dependent origination.

The Mind and Mental-Object Sense Sources

The Inner and Outer Sense Sources


5.

Chapter Five: Understanding the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination

5.­1

“Lokadhara, how are bodhisattva great beings skilled in discerning and contemplating the twelve links of dependent origination? [F.49.a] Bodhisattva great beings discern and contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination as follows: Ignorance is so designated because of nonexistence. Ignorance is so designated because it lacks qualities. Ignorance is so designated because it cannot understand knowledge. How is ignorance unable to understand knowledge? Ignorance is called ignorance because it has no fixed qualities to observe. For what reason does the condition of ignorance give rise to formations? All phenomena42 are nonexistent, but childish ordinary beings form them, thus it is said that ignorance causes formations. Because consciousness arises from formations, it depends upon the condition of formations. Name-and-form are two characteristics, and therefore name-and-form are created by the condition of consciousness. The six sense sources are based upon the condition of name-and-form, because the six sense sources arise from name-and-form. Contact is based upon the condition of the six sense sources, because contact arises from the six sense sources. Feeling is based upon the condition of contact, because feeling arises from contact. Craving is based upon the condition of feeling, because craving arises from feeling. Grasping is based upon the condition of craving, because grasping arises from craving. Becoming is based upon the condition of grasping, because becoming arises from grasping. Birth is based upon the condition of becoming, because birth arises from becoming. Based upon the condition of birth, there arises aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, and the great mass of suffering. In this way aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, and the great mass of suffering are so designated because of birth. In this manner, the great mass of suffering arises. This process is all-subsuming: with a mistaken perception, one contravenes knowledge and accumulates a mass of ignorance. This generates desire for another existence, and based on one’s preferences and attachments, one seeks birth in all such places‍—this is the aggregate of existence. [F.49.b]


6.

Chapter Six: The Four Applications of Mindfulness

6.­1

“Lokadhara, how are bodhisattva great beings skilled in the applications of mindfulness? Bodhisattva great beings discern and contemplate the four applications of mindfulness. What are these four? The contemplation of the body in relation to the body, the contemplation of feelings in relation to feelings, the contemplation of the mind in relation to the mind, and the contemplation of mental phenomena in relation to mental phenomena. How do they contemplate the body in relation to the body, and contemplate feelings, mind, [F.54.b] and mental phenomena in relation to feelings, mind, and mental phenomena?”

Contemplation of the Body in Relation to the Body

Contemplation of Feelings in Relation to Feelings

Contemplation of the Mind in Relation to the Mind

Contemplation of Mental Phenomena in Relation to Mental Phenomena


7.

Chapter Seven: The Five Powers

7.­1

“Lokadhara, how are bodhisattva great beings skilled in the five powers? Bodhisattva great beings accurately contemplate the five transcendent powers. What are these five? The powers of faith, diligence, mindfulness, absorption, and insight.

The Power of Faith

7.­2

“When bodhisattvas put the five powers into practice, they gain trust in how all phenomena are born from dependent origination, arise through mistaken perception, and are like a whirling firebrand or a dream, in owing their existence to a gathering of conditions of false perception. They trust that all phenomena have the characteristics of being impermanent, suffering, impure, selfless, like a thorn or blister, insubstantial, unstable, mutable, and destructible. [F.59.b] Moreover, they trust that all phenomena are false, and thus nonexistent; that just as a child is fooled by an empty fist or a rainbow, phenomena are merely arisen from imputation and dependent phenomena, and thus lack even a single true quality of being an entity. Moreover, they trust that all phenomena are neither past, present, nor future. They trust that all phenomena neither come from, nor go, anywhere. They trust that all phenomena are emptiness, without marks, and unconditioned. They trust that all phenomena are unborn, unconditioned, unarisen, without marks, and free from marks. They trust in pure discipline, pure absorption, pure insight, and the pure teaching of the wisdom of liberation.61 Bodhisattvas become irreversible by effortlessly accomplishing the power of faith; guided by faith, they can observe discipline, such that their faith will not decline or be lost. By effortlessly accomplishing the quality of irreversibility, they will have unwavering faith. They will ripen faith in accordance with the ripening of karmic results, and they will destroy all wrong views. They will not spurn the teachings or seek out any teachers other than the blessed buddhas. They will always follow the true nature of all phenomena. They will follow the genuine path practiced by the saṅgha. Through observing pure discipline and effortlessly accomplishing acceptance, they will attain faith that is unwavering, unchanging, and extraordinary. They are thus said to possess the power of faith.”

The Power of Diligence

The Power of Mindfulness

The Power of Absorption

The Power of Insight


8.

Chapter Eight: The Eightfold Path of the Noble Ones

8.­1

“Lokadhara, how are bodhisattva great beings skilled in the path of the noble ones? The bodhisattva great beings are steadfast on the noble path. What is meant by path in this context? It is the eightfold path of the noble ones, which comprises right view, right thought, [F.63.a] right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right absorption. Lokadhara, what is it that bodhisattva great beings practice on the eightfold path of the noble ones? And what means do they obtain on the eightfold path of the noble ones?”

Right View

Right Thought

Right Speech

Right Action

Right Livelihood

Right Effort

Right Mindfulness

Right Absorption


9.

Chapter Nine: The Phenomena of the World and Transcendence

9.­1

“Lokadhara, how are bodhisattva great beings skilled regarding the phenomena of the world and transcendence? What means do they obtain with regard to the phenomena of the world and transcendence? Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings understand the phenomena of the world and transcendence to be true reality.

9.­2

“What are the phenomena of the world? Bodhisattvas think, ‘Thoughts and concepts about phenomena arise from mistaken perception, they are generated by causes and conditions, and they depend on falsity. Since they arise from the marks of duality, they are empty and nonexistent. They fool childish ordinary beings, like the bright colors reflecting from a pearl or the spinning of a firebrand. The world is given as a synonym for things that decay and degenerate. This is the world. These worldly phenomena are all unreal; they arise from false conditions and lack the characteristics of arising or being created. They are labeled as aggregates, elements, sense sources, forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tactile objects, or mental objects, and described as name-and-form. [F.67.b] Through their attachment and clinging, childish ordinary beings generate further attachment and clinging in a variety of forms, just as tangled silk fringes72 or entwined roots and creepers are linked, one to another. Worldly phenomena are described based upon such mistaken perception.


10.

Chapter Ten: The Conditioned and the Unconditioned

10.­1

“Lokadhara, how are bodhisattva great beings highly skilled regarding conditioned and unconditioned phenomena? What means do they obtain regarding conditioned and unconditioned phenomena? Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings discern and contemplate conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. [F.69.a]

10.­2

“How do they discern and contemplate conditioned phenomena? Conditioned phenomena are compounded and without experiencer. Conditioned phenomena are called conditioned phenomena because they are considered to be naturally arising and naturally categorized. Conditioned phenomena come about due to formations created by false causes and conditions. Why are conditioned phenomena naturally categorized?73 When formations are perceived through the condition of duality, they are labeled as conditioned phenomena. Conditioned phenomena are uncreated and free from a creator. Since they are naturally arising, they cannot be generated. Thus, they are called conditioned phenomena. Conditioned phenomena do not exist internally, externally, or somewhere in-between; they are not one or many. They arise from false imputation. They are nonexistent, since they have arisen through ignorance. Though they can be perceived due to formations, they are uncreated and nonarising. Therefore, they are called conditioned. Conditioned means being bound by marks, and the conditioned is taught for the sake of childish ordinary beings who are attached to mistaken perceptions. The wise, full of understanding and knowledge, do not observe them as conditioned phenomena or something understood to be conditioned phenomena. They are called conditioned phenomena because the wise do not categorize them. Why is this? How do the wise know and understand the features of the conditioned? The wise view all conditioned phenomena as being false, insubstantial, and without bondage. They see that they cannot be categorized. When they contemplate this, they are not attached to conditioned phenomena, and they do not appropriate conditioned phenomena. Why is this? Lokadhara, it is not the case that unconditioned phenomena exist separate from conditioned phenomena, or that conditioned phenomena exist separate from unconditioned phenomena, [F.69.b] for the characteristic of the thatness of the conditioned is the unconditioned. Why is this? There is nothing conditioned within the conditioned, and nothing unconditioned within the unconditioned. Still, so that mistaken beings can see and understand the characteristics of the conditioned, bodhisattvas teach and explain, saying, ‘This is conditioned,’ ‘This is unconditioned,’ ‘This is the characteristic of the conditioned,’ and ‘This is the characteristic of the unconditioned.’


11.

Chapter Eleven: The Teaching on What Occurred in the Past

11.­1

“Lokadhara, through their great knowledge of the five aggregates, the eighteen elements, the twelve sense sources, the twelve links of dependent origination, the four applications of mindfulness, the five powers, the eightfold path of the noble ones, the phenomena of the world and transcendence, and conditioned and unconditioned phenomena, bodhisattva great beings will gain great knowledge of the characteristic of the thatness of all phenomena. They will become highly skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena. They will attain the power of recollection. They will have the intelligence that discerns the terminology for all phenomena. As soon as they exchange their bodies, they will obtain unbroken recollection, and they will eventually attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening.


12.

Chapter Twelve: The Entrustment

12.­1

The bodhisattva great being Lokadhara then requested the Blessed One, “Blessed One, please consecrate this discourse to protect it and bring benefit and happiness to bodhisattva great beings. If bodhisattva great beings hear this discourse in the future, their minds will become pure, joyful, and happy. They will then give rise to diligence in order to accomplish these teachings.”

Then, as the Blessed One consecrated this discourse, he used his miraculous powers to fill the worlds of the great trichiliocosm with miraculous and incredible scents and fragrances. Beings gazed upon one another with a loving attitude.


n.

Notes

n.­1
Herrmann-Pfandt, 2008.
n.­2
Alternatively, although less likely, the Sanskrit source text for the Tibetan translation could have been nearly identical to Kumārajīva’s source text.
n.­3
Both the Stok manuscript (Tib. rgya) and the Chinese (印) read “seal” here, whereas the Degé reads “causes” (Tib. rgyu).
n.­4
Translated based on the Chinese (衆生) and Stok (Tib. sems can). Degé reads: sems.
n.­5
The expression “evil world of the five degenerations” (Tib. rnyog pa lnga’i ’jig rten ngan pa) is a rare, literal translation of the Chinese, 五濁惡世, which in turn translates the Sanskrit pañcakaṣāyaloka. This is further evidence that the Tibetan was translated from Chinese.
n.­6
Translated based on Stok: ma yin. Degé reads: yin.
n.­7
Meaning that when one takes a raft across a river, one need not carry the raft beyond the bank; it has served its purpose.
n.­8
Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation of this sentence, as it appears in Taishō 482, seems to present a quotation: “Noble children, as explained in the discourses, ‘Monks, if those who want to know my Dharma are to discard even the Dharma as they would a raft, what need is there to mention what is non-Dharma?’ ” (諸善男子。如經中説。汝等比丘。若知我法如栰喩者。法尚應捨。何況非法。). Although the parable of the teachings being like a raft that must be discarded once it has served its purpose is well-known throughout Buddhist literature, we have been unable to locate this precise statement in other scriptures.
n.­9
Translated based on the Chinese: 若邪見者則爲妄見。是人不名爲眞見。. Degé reads: gang log par mthong ba de ni yang dag pa ma yin pa mthong ba ste gang zag de ni yang dag pa nyid mthong ba zhes bya’o.
n.­38
The eye and form.
n.­42
The Chinese reads 行, “formations” here.
n.­61
The Chinese would read here: “pure liberation and pure knowledge and experience of liberation”; 解脱清淨。解脱知見清淨。.
n.­72
Translation tentative. Degé: kha tshar dar ’dzings pa.
n.­73
Read according to the Chinese: 云何為行自墮數中。. Degé: ’du byed cis bya ba ni bgrang ba’i grangs su gtogs.

b.

Bibliography

’phags pa ’jig rten ’dzin gyis yongs su dris pa zhes bya ba’i mdo (Āryālokadhara­paripṛcchānāma­sūtra). Toh 174, Degé Kangyur vol. 60 (mdo sde, ma), folios 7b.4–78b.7.

’phags pa ’jig rten ’dzin gyis yongs su dris pa zhes bya ba’i mdo. 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), 2006–2009, vol. 60, pp. 22–206.

’phags pa ’jig rten ’dzin gyis yongs su dris pa zhes bya ba’i mdo (Āryālokadhara­paripṛcchānāma­sūtra). In bka’ ’gyur (stog pho brang bris ma). Vol. 72 (mdo sde, zha), folios 1r–110v.

Chang, Cornelius P. “A Re-evaluation of the Development of Hsing-su Style in the Fourth Century AD.” National Palace Museum Quarterly, 11/2 (Winter 1976): 19–44.

Digital Dictionary of Buddhism. http://www.buddhism-dict.net/ddb/.

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

Lokadharaparipṛcchā; Chishi jing 持世經 (Taishō 482). Translated by Kumārajīva. In Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō 大正新脩大藏經, ed. Junjirō Takakusu, Kaikyoku Watanabe, 100 vols., Tokyo: Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō Kankōkai, 1924–34.

Stein, R. A. “The Two Vocabularies of Indo-Tibetan and Sino-Tibetan Translations in the Dunhuang Manuscripts.” In Rolf Stein’s Tibetica Antiqua with Additional Materials, trans. and ed. Arthur P. McKeown. Leiden: Brill, 2010, pp. 1–96.


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

absorption

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 19 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­12
  • 1.­29
  • 6.­10
  • 7.­1-2
  • 7.­4-6
  • 7.­8
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­11
  • 11.­7-9
  • g.­29
  • g.­37
  • g.­38
  • g.­46
  • g.­97
g.­2

acceptance

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

The capacity to accept or tolerate experiences which ordinary beings cannot tolerate. It is the preparatory step to profound insight into reality. It also refers to the third stage of the path of joining (prayogamārga, sbyor lam). It is also the third transcendent perfection, in which context it has been rendered here as patience.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­30
  • 2.­40
  • 2.­48
  • 5.­18-19
  • 7.­2
  • 7.­5
  • 12.­2
g.­3

aggregate

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

See “five aggregates for appropriation.”

Located in 41 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­3-5
  • 2.­7-28
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­47-48
  • 5.­1
  • 6.­2
  • 9.­2-3
  • 11.­12
  • g.­41
  • g.­79
g.­7

applications of mindfulness

Wylie:
  • dran pa nye bar bzhag pa
Tibetan:
  • དྲན་པ་ཉེ་བར་བཞག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • smṛtyupasthāna
Chinese:
  • 念處

See “four applications of mindfulness.”

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 6.­1
  • 6.­17
  • 8.­10
g.­8

apprehension

Wylie:
  • dmigs pa
Tibetan:
  • དམིགས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • ālambana
  • upalabdhi

A term for the apprehension of a subject, an object, and the relationships that exist between subjects and objects. The term might also be translated as “referentiality,” meaning a system based on the existence of referent objects, referent subjects, and the referential relationships that exist between them. As part of their doctrine of “threefold non-apprehension/non-referentiality” (’khor gsum mi dmigs pa), Mahāyāna Buddhists famously assert that all three categories of apprehension lack substantiality.

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­33
  • 1.­54
  • 2.­13
  • 2.­15
  • 2.­20
  • 2.­22-23
  • 2.­27
  • 3.­2
  • 4.­2
  • 8.­9
g.­9

appropriation

Wylie:
  • nye bar len pa
  • len pa
Tibetan:
  • ཉེ་བར་ལེན་པ།
  • ལེན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • upādāna

In some texts, four types of appropriation are listed: of desire (rāga), of view (dṛṣṭi), of rules and observances as paramount (śīla­vrata­parāmarśa), and of belief in a self (ātmavāda). The term nye bar len pa also means “grasping” and it was rendered as such when it refers to the ninth of the twelve links of dependent origination, between craving and becoming.

Located in 16 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­4-5
  • 2.­31-32
  • 2.­35
  • 3.­4
  • 6.­2
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­16
  • 8.­8-11
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­4
  • g.­34
g.­14

blessed one

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

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 38 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2-6
  • 1.­42-43
  • 1.­46-47
  • 1.­49-50
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­39
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­45-47
  • 4.­1
  • 7.­2
  • 9.­4
  • 10.­4
  • 11.­2-5
  • 11.­10
  • 11.­12-17
  • 12.­1-2
  • 12.­4-5
g.­15

Bodhisattva Collection

Wylie:
  • byang chub kyi sde snod
Tibetan:
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་སྡེ་སྣོད།
Sanskrit:
  • bodhisattvapiṭaka
Chinese:
  • 菩薩藏

An old term for Mahāyāna corpus.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­42
  • 1.­46
  • 11.­12
  • 12.­2
g.­16

body of form

Wylie:
  • gzugs kyi sku
Tibetan:
  • གཟུགས་ཀྱི་སྐུ།
Sanskrit:
  • rūpakāya
Chinese:
  • 色身

The dimension of a buddha that corresponds to relative truth and is perceptible to either ordinary beings (nirmāṇakāya) or sublime beings (saṃbhogakāya).

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­53
g.­18

buddha realm

Wylie:
  • sangs rgyas kyi zhing
Tibetan:
  • སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་ཞིང་།
Sanskrit:
  • buddhakṣetra

A pure realm manifested by a buddha or advanced bodhisattva through the power of their great merit and aspirations.

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­42
  • 11.­2-3
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­10-12
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­19
  • 12.­2
  • g.­17
g.­19

conditioned

Wylie:
  • ’dus byas
Tibetan:
  • འདུས་བྱས།
Sanskrit:
  • saṃ­skṛta

This term refers to composite objects in the generic sense. In other contexts, it can also refer to “formations.”

Located in 21 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­5
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­37
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­48
  • 3.­18
  • 6.­4
  • 7.­7
  • 8.­11
  • 10.­1-5
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­9
  • 11.­18
  • 12.­2
  • g.­79
g.­20

consciousness

Wylie:
  • rnam par shes pa
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་པར་ཤེས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • vi­jñāna

The third link of dependent origination, the fifth of the five aggregates. In most Abhidharma accounts it comprises the six sensory consciousnesses (eye, ear, nose, taste, body, and mind), but in Yogācāra theory two more kinds of consciousness, afflicted (kliṣṭamanas) and storehouse (ālayavijñāna), are added. For the sixth consciousness, see also “mind consciousness.”

Located in 34 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­11
  • 2.­21-30
  • 2.­32-33
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­45
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­3-4
  • 3.­8-11
  • 4.­1
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­5-6
  • 6.­11
  • n.­15
  • g.­28
  • g.­34
  • g.­73
  • g.­89
  • g.­105
g.­21

definitive meaning

Wylie:
  • nges pa’i don
Tibetan:
  • ངེས་པའི་དོན།
Sanskrit:
  • nītārtha
Chinese:
  • 了義

The ultimate meaning of a given Dharma teaching.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­7
  • 1.­12
  • 1.­21-22
  • 1.­27
  • 3.­13
  • 3.­18
g.­22

desire realm

Wylie:
  • ’dod khams
Tibetan:
  • འདོད་ཁམས།
Sanskrit:
  • kāmadhātu

In Buddhist cosmology, it is our sphere of existence where beings are driven primarily by the urge for sense gratification.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­12
  • 7.­8
  • g.­40
  • g.­42
  • g.­51
  • g.­54
  • g.­55
  • g.­100
g.­23

dhāraṇī

Wylie:
  • gzungs
Tibetan:
  • གཟུངས།
Sanskrit:
  • dhāraṇī
Chinese:
  • 陀羅尼

Usually this term refers to a statement, or spell, meant to protect or bring about a particular result. Here however, the term also has the meaning of “recall” or “memory.”

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­30
  • 11.­7-8
g.­24

Dharma

Wylie:
  • chos
Tibetan:
  • ཆོས།
Sanskrit:
  • dharma

The term “dharma” (chos) conveys ten different meanings, according to Vasubandhu’s Vyākhyā­yukti. It may mean the Buddhist teachings, the awakened qualities which buddhas and bodhisattvas acquire, phenomena or things in general, etc. In the context of this work, it was rendered as “Dharma” when it refers to the teachings, and in other contexts, rendered according to the specific meaning, namely as phenomena and qualities. See also i.­4.

Located in 54 passages in the translation:

  • i.­4
  • 1.­2-3
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­19-20
  • 1.­22-23
  • 1.­40-42
  • 1.­46-47
  • 1.­49
  • 1.­53-54
  • 1.­58-59
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­5
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­39-41
  • 2.­47-48
  • 4.­6
  • 7.­3
  • 9.­4
  • 11.­3-4
  • 11.­6-8
  • 11.­12-13
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­18-19
  • 12.­2-5
  • n.­8
  • n.­76
  • g.­21
  • g.­25
  • g.­26
  • g.­48
  • g.­57
  • g.­81
  • g.­103
  • g.­112
g.­25

Dharma body

Wylie:
  • chos kyi sku
Tibetan:
  • ཆོས་ཀྱི་སྐུ།
Sanskrit:
  • dharmakāya
Chinese:
  • 法身

One of the subdivisions in the collection of dharmas that constitutes a Buddha, variously explained but usually more closely related to the aspect of ultimate truth.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­53
g.­26

Dharma gateway

Wylie:
  • chos kyi sgo
Tibetan:
  • ཆོས་ཀྱི་སྒོ།
Sanskrit:
  • dharmamukha
Chinese:
  • 法門

A teaching or spiritual method by which the Dharma is understood.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­58-59
  • 2.­1
g.­27

Dīpaṅkara

Wylie:
  • mar me mdzad
Tibetan:
  • མར་མེ་མཛད།
Sanskrit:
  • dīpaṅkara
Chinese:
  • 然燈

One of the most reknowned of former buddhas.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­41
g.­28

eighteen elements

Wylie:
  • khams bco brgyad
Tibetan:
  • ཁམས་བཅོ་བརྒྱད།
Sanskrit:
  • aṣṭa­daśa­dhātu

One way of describing experience and the world in terms of eighteen elements (eye, form, and eye consciousness; ear, sound, and ear consciousness; nose, odor, and nose consciousness; tongue, taste, and tongue consciousness; body, touch, and body consciousness; mind, mental phenomena, and mind consciousness).

Located in 14 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­47
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­4
  • 3.­14
  • 9.­3
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • g.­30
  • g.­39
  • g.­73
  • g.­89
g.­29

eightfold path of the noble ones

Wylie:
  • ’phags pa’i lam yan lag brgyad pa
Tibetan:
  • འཕགས་པའི་ལམ་ཡན་ལག་བརྒྱད་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • āryāṣṭāṅgamārga
Chinese:
  • 八聖道分

Correct view, thought, speech, actions, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and absorption. These eight are part of the thirty-seven factors of awakening.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­5
  • 2.­1
  • 8.­1
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • g.­103
g.­30

element

Wylie:
  • khams
Tibetan:
  • ཁམས།
Sanskrit:
  • dhātu
Chinese:
  • 性

See “eighteen elements.”

Located in 22 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • 2.­1
  • 3.­1-11
  • 3.­13-16
  • 3.­18
  • 9.­2
  • 11.­12
  • n.­37
  • g.­97
g.­31

factors of awakening

Wylie:
  • byang chub kyi phyogs kyi chos
Tibetan:
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་ཕྱོགས་ཀྱི་ཆོས།
Sanskrit:
  • bodhipakṣadharma
Chinese:
  • 助菩提法

The set of practices that lead to awakening, traditionally listed as thirty-seven.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­9
  • 1.­15
  • 1.­44
  • 2.­4
  • 7.­5
  • g.­29
  • g.­43
  • g.­46
g.­32

feeling

Wylie:
  • tshor ba
Tibetan:
  • ཚོར་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • vedanā

The seventh link of dependent origination. The second of the five aggregates.

Located in 23 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­5-10
  • 2.­13
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­32-33
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­45
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­9-10
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­8-10
  • g.­34
  • g.­43
  • g.­105
g.­33

five aggregates

Wylie:
  • phung po lnga
Tibetan:
  • ཕུང་པོ་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañcaskandha

See “five aggregates for appropriation.”

Located in 21 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 2.­2-3
  • 2.­28-29
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­39-41
  • 2.­47
  • 9.­3
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • n.­24
  • g.­20
  • g.­32
  • g.­39
  • g.­41
  • g.­80
g.­34

five aggregates for appropriation

Wylie:
  • nye bar len pa’i phung po lnga
Tibetan:
  • ཉེ་བར་ལེན་པའི་ཕུང་པོ་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañcopadāna­skandha

The five aggregates (skandha) of form, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness. On the individual level the five aggregates refer to the basis upon which the mistaken idea of a self is projected. They are referred to as the “bases for appropriation” (upādāna) insofar as all conceptual grasping arises on the basis of these aggregates.

Located in 19 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­2
  • 2.­28-39
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­47
  • 9.­3
  • g.­3
  • g.­4
  • g.­33
g.­35

five degenerations

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

The five degenerations are: (1) degeneration of life span, (2) degeneration of views, (3) degeneration of the afflictions (4) degeneration of beings, and (5) the degeneration of the era.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­48-49
  • n.­5
g.­36

five mental obscurations

Wylie:
  • sgrib pa lnga
Tibetan:
  • སྒྲིབ་པ་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañcanīvaraṇa
Chinese:
  • 五蓋

Longing for desires (kāmacchanda), malice (vyāpāda), sloth and torpor (styānamiddha), excitement and remorse (auddhatyakaukṛtya), and doubt (vicikitsā).

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­18
  • 1.­28
  • 1.­42
  • 7.­3
g.­37

five powers

Wylie:
  • dbang po lnga
Tibetan:
  • དབང་པོ་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañcendriya
Chinese:
  • 五根

Faith, diligence, mindfulness, absorption, and insight. These are the same as the five strengths at a lesser stage of development. See also n.­64.

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­5
  • 2.­1
  • 7.­1-2
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • g.­38
  • g.­58
  • g.­103
g.­38

five strengths

Wylie:
  • stobs lnga
Tibetan:
  • སྟོབས་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañca­bala

Faith, diligence, mindfulness, absorption, and insight. These are the same as the five powers, at a further stage of development.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 12.­2
  • g.­37
  • g.­103
g.­39

form

Wylie:
  • gzugs
Tibetan:
  • གཟུགས།
Sanskrit:
  • rūpa

The first of the five aggregates. The third of the eighteen elements.

Located in 40 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­58
  • 2.­3-5
  • 2.­15
  • 2.­19
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­23
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­32-33
  • 2.­37-38
  • 2.­45
  • 3.­1-4
  • 4.­1-2
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­9
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­6-8
  • 6.­2
  • 6.­4
  • 6.­13
  • 7.­7
  • 8.­3
  • 8.­11
  • 9.­2
  • n.­38
  • g.­28
  • g.­34
  • g.­73
  • g.­89
  • g.­105
g.­40

form realm

Wylie:
  • gzugs khams
Tibetan:
  • གཟུགས་ཁམས།
Sanskrit:
  • rūpadhātu

In Buddhist cosmology, the sphere of existence one level more subtle than our own (the desire realm), where beings, though subtly embodied, are not driven primarily by the urge for sense gratification.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­12
  • 7.­8
  • g.­44
  • g.­51
  • g.­100
g.­41

formation

Wylie:
  • ’du byed
Tibetan:
  • འདུ་བྱེད།
Sanskrit:
  • saṃskāra

Fourth of the five aggregates, second of the twelve links of dependent origination, and in the context of the aggregates sometimes also called “volitions,” “volitional formations,” or “compositional factors,” these are complex propensities that bring about action.

Located in 31 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­26
  • 2.­14-21
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­32-33
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­45
  • 3.­18
  • 4.­2-3
  • 4.­5
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­3-5
  • 5.­11-12
  • 5.­17
  • 7.­8
  • 10.­2
  • n.­42
  • g.­19
  • g.­34
  • g.­105
g.­42

formless realm

Wylie:
  • gzugs med khams
Tibetan:
  • གཟུགས་མེད་ཁམས།
Sanskrit:
  • ārūpyadhātu

In Buddhist cosmology, the sphere of existence two levels more subtle than our own (the desire realm), where beings are no longer physically embodied, and thus not subject to the sufferings that physical embodiment brings.

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­30
  • 3.­12
  • 7.­7-8
  • g.­51
  • g.­100
g.­43

four applications of mindfulness

Wylie:
  • dran pa nye bar bzhag pa bzhi
Tibetan:
  • དྲན་པ་ཉེ་བར་བཞག་པ་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • catuhsmṛtyupasthāna
Chinese:
  • 四念處

Four contemplations on: (1) the body, (2) feelings, (3) mind, and (4) mental objects. These four contemplations are part of the thirty-seven factors of awakening.

Located in 12 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­5
  • 1.­14
  • 1.­29
  • 2.­1
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­17
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • g.­7
  • g.­103
g.­44

four concentrations

Wylie:
  • bsam gtan bzhi
Tibetan:
  • བསམ་གཏན་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • caturdhyāna
Chinese:
  • 四禪

The four progressive levels of concentration of the form realm that culminate in pure one-pointedness of mind, and are a requirement for cultivation of the five or six superknowledges, and so on. These are part of the nine gradual attainments.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­42
g.­45

four correct exertions

Wylie:
  • yang dag par spong ba bzhi
Tibetan:
  • ཡང་དག་པར་སྤོང་བ་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • catuḥsamyakprahāṇa
  • catuḥsamyakpradāṇa

Four types of effort consisting in abandoning existing negative mind states, abandoning the production of such states, giving rise to virtuous mind states that are not yet produced, and letting those states continue.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 12.­2
  • g.­103
g.­46

four foundations of miracles

Wylie:
  • rdzu ’phrul gyi rkang pa bzhi
Tibetan:
  • རྫུ་འཕྲུལ་གྱི་རྐང་པ་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • caturṛddhipāda

The four foundations or bases of miraculous power are: determination, discernment, diligence, and absorption. These are among the thirty-seven factors of awakening.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 12.­2
  • g.­103
g.­48

four types of fearlessness

Wylie:
  • mi ’jigs pa rnam pa bzhi
Tibetan:
  • མི་འཇིགས་པ་རྣམ་པ་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • caturvaiśāradya
  • caturabhaya

This refers to the four confidences or fearlessnesses of the Buddha: confidence in having attained realization, confidence in having attained elimination, confidence in teaching the Dharma, and confidence in teaching the path of aspiration to liberation.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­49
g.­51

god

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 19 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­4
  • 1.­42
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­47
  • 7.­8-9
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­10-11
  • 11.­19
  • 12.­4-5
  • n.­20
  • n.­64
g.­52

great trichiliocosm

Wylie:
  • stong gsum gyi stong chen po’i ’jig rten gyi khams
Tibetan:
  • སྟོང་གསུམ་གྱི་སྟོང་ཆེན་པོའི་འཇིག་རྟེན་གྱི་ཁམས།
Sanskrit:
  • tri­sāhasra­mahā­sāhasra­loka­dhātu

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The largest universe described in Buddhist cosmology. This term, in Abhidharma cosmology, refers to 1,000³ world systems, i.e., 1,000 “dichiliocosms” or “two thousand great thousand world realms” (dvi­sāhasra­mahā­sāhasra­lokadhātu), which are in turn made up of 1,000 first-order world systems, each with its own Mount Sumeru, continents, sun and moon, etc.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­46
  • 11.­15-16
  • 12.­1
g.­53

hearer

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

It is usually defined as “those who hear the teaching from the Buddha and make it heard to others.” Primarily it refers to those disciples of the Buddha who aspire to attain the state of an arhat by seeking self liberation and nirvāṇa.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­42
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­42
  • 7.­5
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­18-19
  • 12.­2
g.­57

inferred meaning

Wylie:
  • bkri ba’i don
Tibetan:
  • བཀྲི་བའི་དོན།
Sanskrit:
  • neyārtha
Chinese:
  • 未了義

Meaning which can be logically inferred from a Dharma teaching, though is stated explicitely.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­22
  • 1.­27
  • 3.­18
g.­58

insight

Wylie:
  • shes rab
Tibetan:
  • ཤེས་རབ།
Sanskrit:
  • prajñā

The sixth of the six perfections, it refers to the profound understanding of the emptiness of all phenomena, the realization of ultimate reality. It is also one of the five powers.

Located in 49 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2-3
  • 1.­6
  • 1.­9-10
  • 1.­13-17
  • 1.­20-29
  • 1.­37
  • 1.­41
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­49
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­47
  • 3.­18
  • 5.­17-18
  • 7.­1-5
  • 7.­7
  • 7.­9
  • 11.­7-9
  • 11.­12
  • 11.­18
  • 12.­2
  • g.­2
  • g.­37
  • g.­38
  • g.­77
  • g.­94
g.­59

Jambudvīpa

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

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 3 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­46
  • 2.­47
  • 11.­6
g.­60

Kalandaka­nivāpa

Wylie:
  • bya ka lan ta ka
Tibetan:
  • བྱ་ཀ་ལན་ཏ་ཀ
Sanskrit:
  • kalandaka­nivāpa
Chinese:
  • 迦蘭陀

Literally, “The kalandaka Feeding Ground,” a location within the Veṇuvana where the Buddha stayed; it received its name from the many kalandaka that lived or were fed there. The Tibetan rendering bya ka lan da ka makes it clear that the Tibetans considered the kalandaka to be a kind of bird, while Sanskrit and Pali sources generally agree that it is a kind of squirrel‍—perhaps therefore the Indian flying squirrel, Petaurista philippensis.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­2
g.­61

King of Immeasurable Stacked Flowers

Wylie:
  • tshad med pa’i me tog brtsegs pa’i rgyal po
Tibetan:
  • ཚད་མེད་པའི་མེ་ཏོག་བརྩེགས་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • —
Chinese:
  • 無量花積王

A buddha who resides to the east of our world.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­42
g.­62

King of Lofty and Immeasurable Power

Wylie:
  • tshad med pa stobs mtho ba’i rgyal po
Tibetan:
  • ཚད་མེད་པ་སྟོབས་མཐོ་བའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • —
Chinese:
  • 無量力高王

A buddha from the past.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­43
g.­63

King of Lofty Wisdom

Wylie:
  • ye shes mtho ba’i rgyal po
Tibetan:
  • ཡེ་ཤེས་མཐོ་བའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • —
Chinese:
  • 智高王

A buddha from the past.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­42
g.­69

Lokadhara

Wylie:
  • ’jig rten ’dzin
Tibetan:
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་འཛིན།
Sanskrit:
  • lokadhara
Chinese:
  • 持世

A bodhisattva and the main interlocutor of this sūtra.

Located in 145 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • 1.­2
  • 1.­4-45
  • 2.­1-2
  • 2.­5-6
  • 2.­9-11
  • 2.­13-14
  • 2.­17-18
  • 2.­20-21
  • 2.­24
  • 2.­27
  • 2.­29-32
  • 2.­34-35
  • 2.­37-42
  • 2.­45-48
  • 3.­1-2
  • 3.­5
  • 3.­8
  • 3.­11
  • 3.­13-18
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­3
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­8-9
  • 5.­1-2
  • 5.­17-19
  • 6.­1-2
  • 6.­7-8
  • 6.­10-11
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­15-17
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­3-4
  • 7.­6-8
  • 8.­1-2
  • 8.­5-12
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­3-4
  • 10.­1-2
  • 10.­4-5
  • 11.­1-3
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­7-12
  • 12.­1-5
  • n.­77
g.­73

mind consciousness

Wylie:
  • yid kyi rnam par shes pa
Tibetan:
  • ཡིད་ཀྱི་རྣམ་པར་ཤེས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • manovijñāna

This is also known as the sixth consciouness and is the last of the eighteen elements. The Abhidharma speaks of five consciousnesses that grasp physical objects (form, sound, smells, tastes, bodily sensations) and are correlated with their respective physical sense faculties (indriya, dbang po), i.e. the eye, ear, etc. The mind consciousness, on the other hand, is said to have as its faculty simply the mind (manas, yid). It grasps all that exists, including what is presented by the physical consciousnesses as well as mental and abstract objects. These six consciousnesses, added to the twelve sense sources, constitute the Abhidharma schema of eighteen elements (dhātu, khams).

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­2
  • 3.­5
  • 3.­10
  • g.­20
  • g.­28
g.­74

motivation

Wylie:
  • lhag pa’i bsam pa
Tibetan:
  • ལྷག་པའི་བསམ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • adhyāśaya
Chinese:
  • 深心

See “pure motivation.”

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 1.­32
  • g.­93
g.­77

obscuration

Wylie:
  • sgrib pa
Tibetan:
  • སྒྲིབ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • nīvaraṇa
Chinese:
  • 蓋

That which obscurs insight into reality.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­18
  • 1.­32
  • 2.­35
  • 11.­6
  • 12.­2
g.­79

parinirvāṇa

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

Nirvāṇa, the state beyond sorrow, denotes the ultimate attainment of buddhahood, the permanent cessation of all suffering and the afflicted mental states which cause and perpetuate suffering, along with all misapprehension with regard to the nature of emptiness. As such, it is the antithesis of cyclic existence. Three types of nirvāṇa are identified: (1) the residual nirvāṇa where the person is still dependent on conditioned psycho-physical aggregates, (2) the non-residual nirvāṇa where the aggregates have also been consumed within emptiness, and (3) the non-abiding nirvāṇa transcending the extremes of phenomenal existence and quiescence. Parinirvāṇa or final nirvāṇa implies the non-residual attainment.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­51-53
  • 2.­39
  • 11.­3-4
  • 11.­12
  • 11.­16
g.­80

perception

Wylie:
  • ’du shes
Tibetan:
  • འདུ་ཤེས།
Sanskrit:
  • saṃjñā

The third of the five aggregates.

Located in 47 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­5
  • 2.­11-13
  • 2.­15-16
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­21-23
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­32-35
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­45
  • 2.­47
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­9-10
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­16
  • 4.­1-4
  • 4.­6
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­4-5
  • 5.­11
  • 5.­13-14
  • 6.­5
  • 6.­9
  • 6.­11
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­15
  • 7.­2
  • 8.­4-6
  • 9.­2
  • 10.­2
  • g.­34
g.­81

phenomenon

Wylie:
  • chos
Tibetan:
  • ཆོས།
Sanskrit:
  • dharma

One of the meanings of the Skt. term “dharma.” This applies to “phenomena” or “things” in general, and, more specifically, “mental phenomena” which are the object of the mental faculty (manas, yid). See also “worldly phenomena” and “transcendent phenomena.”

Located in 112 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­4-5
  • 1.­2-3
  • 1.­6-13
  • 1.­17
  • 1.­19
  • 1.­21-28
  • 1.­31-32
  • 1.­41
  • 1.­54-58
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­3-4
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­16
  • 2.­18-19
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­24
  • 2.­26-27
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­48
  • 3.­3
  • 3.­6-7
  • 3.­9-10
  • 3.­12-15
  • 3.­17-18
  • 4.­2
  • 5.­1-4
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­11
  • 5.­13-16
  • 5.­18-19
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­13-17
  • 7.­2-3
  • 7.­5
  • 7.­7
  • 7.­9
  • 8.­3-4
  • 8.­7-11
  • 9.­1-2
  • 9.­4
  • 10.­1-2
  • 10.­4-5
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3-4
  • 11.­7-9
  • 11.­18
  • 12.­2
  • n.­43
  • g.­24
  • g.­28
  • g.­58
  • g.­85
  • g.­89
  • g.­94
  • g.­99
  • g.­103
g.­82

pure motivation

Wylie:
  • lhag pa’i bsam pa
Tibetan:
  • ལྷག་པའི་བསམ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • adhyāśaya
Chinese:
  • 深心

A strong sense of determination, often associated with altruism.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­47
  • g.­74
g.­83

Rājagṛha

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

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:

  • 1.­2
  • g.­107
g.­85

reality

Wylie:
  • chos nyid
Tibetan:
  • ཆོས་ཉིད།
Sanskrit:
  • dharmatā

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The real nature, true quality, or condition of things. Throughout Buddhist discourse this term is used in two distinct ways. In one, it designates the relative nature that is either the essential characteristic of a specific phenomenon, such as the heat of fire and the moisture of water, or the defining feature of a specific term or category. The other very important and widespread way it is used is to designate the ultimate nature of all phenomena, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms and is often synonymous with emptiness or the absence of intrinsic existence.

In this text:

Akin to other terms rendered here as thatness (tattva, de kho na nyid), true reality (bhūtatā, yang dag pa nyid), and suchness (tathatā, de bzhin nyid).

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­47
  • 4.­2
  • g.­2
  • g.­76
  • g.­77
  • g.­96
  • g.­98
  • g.­104
g.­89

sense source

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

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 16 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­26
  • 4.­1-9
  • 9.­2
  • 11.­12
  • g.­92
  • g.­106
g.­92

Six sense sources

Wylie:
  • skye mched drug
Tibetan:
  • སྐྱེ་མཆེད་དྲུག
Sanskrit:
  • ṣaḍāyatana

See sense source.”

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 5.­1
  • 5.­7-8
  • g.­105
g.­94

special insight

Wylie:
  • lhag mthong
Tibetan:
  • ལྷག་མཐོང་།
Sanskrit:
  • vipaśyanā
Chinese:
  • 觀

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility.”

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­36
  • g.­102
g.­95

spiritual friend

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

A personal tutor on spiritual matters; a spritual guide.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­20
g.­96

suchness

Wylie:
  • de bzhin nyid
Tibetan:
  • དེ་བཞིན་ཉིད།
Sanskrit:
  • tathatā

The quality or condition of things as they really are, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. Akin to other terms rendered here as thatness (tattva, de kho na nyid), true reality (bhūtatā, yang dag pa nyid), and reality (dharmatā, chos nyid).

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­56
  • 7.­6
  • g.­85
  • g.­98
  • g.­104
g.­97

ten strengths

Wylie:
  • stobs bcu
Tibetan:
  • སྟོབས་བཅུ།
Sanskrit:
  • daśabala

A category of the distinctive qualities of a buddha. They are: knowing what is possible and what is impossible; knowing the results of actions or the ripening of karma; knowing the various inclinations of sentient beings; knowing the various elements; knowing the supreme and lesser faculties of sentient beings; knowing the paths that lead to all destinations of rebirth; knowing the concentrations, liberations, absorptions, equilibriums, afflictions, purifications, and abidings; knowing previous lives; knowing the death and rebirth of sentient beings; and knowing the cessation of the defilements.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­49
g.­98

thatness

Wylie:
  • de kho na nyid
Tibetan:
  • དེ་ཁོ་ན་ཉིད།
Sanskrit:
  • tattva

The nature of things or their actual state, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. Akin to other terms rendered here as suchness (tathatā, de bzhin nyid), true reality (bhūtatā, yang dag pa nyid), and reality (dharmatā, chos nyid).

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • 10.­2
  • 10.­5
  • 11.­1
  • g.­85
  • g.­96
  • g.­104
g.­99

three gateways of liberation

Wylie:
  • rnam thar sgo gsum
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་ཐར་སྒོ་གསུམ།
Sanskrit:
  • trivimokṣadvāra

These are: emptiness as a gateway to liberation, absence of marks of all phenomena as a gateway to liberation, and absence of wishes as a gateway to liberation. Among them, emptiness is characterized as the absence of inherent existence, absence of marks as the absence of mental images, and absence of wishes as the absence of hopes and fears.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • g.­103
g.­101

thus-gone one

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 34 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­4-5
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­40
  • 1.­42-43
  • 1.­47-49
  • 1.­52
  • 1.­54-58
  • 2.­34
  • 2.­39
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­45
  • 2.­47
  • 3.­4
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­14-15
  • 4.­2-3
  • 4.­5
  • 5.­19
  • 9.­4
  • 10.­4
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­10
g.­102

tranquility

Wylie:
  • zhi gnas
Tibetan:
  • ཞི་གནས།
Sanskrit:
  • śamatha
Chinese:
  • 止

One of the basic forms of Buddhist meditation, which focuses on calming the mind. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, with the other technique being “special insight.”

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­36
  • g.­94
g.­103

transcendent phenomena

Wylie:
  • ’jig rten las ’das pa’i chos
Tibetan:
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་ལས་འདས་པའི་ཆོས།
Sanskrit:
  • lokottaradharma

Lit. “dharmas beyond the world.” Trancendent or supramundane phenomena are things or factors related to liberation from saṃsāra. These include, for example, the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four foundations of miracles, the five powers, the five strengths, the seven branches of awakening, the eightfold path of the noble ones, the three gateways of liberation, and many other techniques and qualities of attainment. See also “worldly phenomena.”

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • 2.­1
  • 9.­3-4
  • g.­81
  • g.­111
  • g.­112
g.­104

true reality

Wylie:
  • yang dag pa nyid
Tibetan:
  • ཡང་དག་པ་ཉིད།
Sanskrit:
  • bhūtatā

Lit. “genuineness” or “authenticity.” The quality or condition of things as they really are, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. Akin to other terms rendered here as thatness (tattva, de kho na nyid), suchness (tathatā, de bzhin nyid), and reality (dharmatā, chos nyid).

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­55-56
  • 2.­6
  • 3.­18
  • 4.­6
  • 9.­1
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­7
  • g.­85
  • g.­96
  • g.­98
g.­105

twelve links of dependent origination

Wylie:
  • rten cing ’brel te ’byung ba bcu gnyis
  • rten cing ’brel te byung ba bcu gnyis
Tibetan:
  • རྟེན་ཅིང་འབྲེལ་ཏེ་འབྱུང་བ་བཅུ་གཉིས།
  • རྟེན་ཅིང་འབྲེལ་ཏེ་བྱུང་བ་བཅུ་གཉིས།
Sanskrit:
  • dvādaśāṅgapratītyasamutpāda

The twelve causal links that perpetuate life in cyclic existence; starting with ignorance and ending with death. Through a deliberate reversal of these twelve links that one can succeed in bringing the whole cycle to an end. The twelve links are (1) ignorance, (2) formation, (3) consciousness, (4) name-and-form, (5) six sense sources, (6) contact, (7) feeling, (8) craving, (9) grasping, (10) becoming, (11) birth, (12) aging and death.

Located in 17 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 5.­1-2
  • 5.­12-19
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • g.­9
  • g.­41
  • g.­89
g.­106

twelve sense sources

Wylie:
  • skye mched bcu gnyis
Tibetan:
  • སྐྱེ་མཆེད་བཅུ་གཉིས།
Sanskrit:
  • dvā­daśāyatana

See “sense source.”

Located in 12 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 2.­47
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­6-9
  • 9.­3
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • g.­73
g.­107

Veṇuvana

Wylie:
  • ’od ma’i tshal
Tibetan:
  • འོད་མའི་ཚལ།
Sanskrit:
  • veṇuvana
Chinese:
  • 竹園

The famous bamboo grove near Rājagṛha where the Buddha regularly stayed and gave teachings. It was situated on land donated by King Bimbisāra of Magadha and, as such, was the first of several landholdings donated to the Buddhist community during the time of the Buddha.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 1.­46
  • g.­60
g.­109

well-gone one

Wylie:
  • bde bar gshegs pa
Tibetan:
  • བདེ་བར་གཤེགས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • sugata

Epithet of a buddha, meaning “one who has reached bliss.”

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­42
  • 2.­42
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­10
g.­110

wisdom

Wylie:
  • ye shes
Tibetan:
  • ཡེ་ཤེས།
Sanskrit:
  • jñāna

Also known as “pristine awareness,” “primordial wisdom,” “primordial awareness,” “gnosis,” or the like. Typically refers to nonconceptual or unobscured states of knowledge.

Located in 31 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­9
  • 1.­12-13
  • 1.­15-16
  • 1.­23
  • 1.­27
  • 1.­30-42
  • 1.­44
  • 1.­58
  • 2.­30
  • 7.­2
  • 7.­4-5
  • 11.­9
  • 11.­12
  • 11.­18-19
  • 12.­2
g.­111

world and transcendence

Wylie:
  • ’jig rten dang ’jig rten las ’das pa
Tibetan:
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་དང་འཇིག་རྟེན་ལས་འདས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • lokalokottara

See “worldly phenomena” and “transcendent phenomena.”

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­3-4
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
g.­112

Worldly phenomena

Wylie:
  • ’jig rten gyi chos
Tibetan:
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་གྱི་ཆོས།
Sanskrit:
  • lokadharma

It refers to things or factors that are bound by causality. In some contexts, it is the eight worldy dharmas or concerns. See also “transcendent phenomena.”

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­18
  • 9.­2-4
  • g.­81
  • g.­103
  • g.­111
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    84000. The Inquiry of Lokadhara (Lokadharaparipṛcchā, ’jig rten ’dzin gyis yongs su dris pa, Toh 174). Translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023. https://84000.co/translation/toh174/UT22084-060-003-chapter-1.Copy
    84000. The Inquiry of Lokadhara (Lokadharaparipṛcchā, ’jig rten ’dzin gyis yongs su dris pa, Toh 174). Translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee, online publication, 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023, 84000.co/translation/toh174/UT22084-060-003-chapter-1.Copy
    84000. (2023) The Inquiry of Lokadhara (Lokadharaparipṛcchā, ’jig rten ’dzin gyis yongs su dris pa, Toh 174). (Dharmachakra Translation Committee, Trans.). Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. https://84000.co/translation/toh174/UT22084-060-003-chapter-1.Copy

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