In the Introduction to the Domain of the Inconceivable Qualities and Wisdom of the Tathāgatas, the bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin expounds at length on how the awakened activity of the buddhas spontaneously unfolds in a limitless variety of ways to benefit beings, in all their diversity, throughout the universe. He also describes the inestimable benefits a bodhisattva derives from following a virtuous spiritual friend.
Translated by Karen Liljenberg and Ulrich Pagel. Karen Liljenberg wrote the introduction to the translation.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The generous sponsorship of Make and Wang Xiao Juan (馬珂和王曉娟), which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.
Introduction to the Domain of the Inconceivable Qualities and Wisdom of the Tathāgatas consists of a discourse between two bodhisattvas in which the bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin addresses the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī in the Buddha’s inspiring presence. The sūtra thus belongs to the class of scriptures classified in the Tibetan tradition as “imparted with permission” by the Buddha.1
Two main themes stand out in the text. The first, as intimated by the title, is the universality, omniscience, and unlimited powers of the spontaneous and nonconceptual activity and manifestations that the buddhas display for the sake of all beings. The second central theme is the benefits that a bodhisattva derives from following a spiritual friend, who acts as a mentor or teacher on the spiritual path. Many sūtras elaborate on the subject of the awakened qualities of the buddhas, but the strong emphasis this sūtra places on the importance of a spiritual friend is unusual.2
The sūtra states that a bodhisattva who is accepted by a spiritual friend also attains a number of dhāraṇīs (Tib. gzungs); these are formulae linked to the powers of scriptural memorization and recitation, or in a more magical vein, consisting in incantations chanted for worldly or spiritual gain. The list of these dhāraṇīs is closely related to that found in the Mahāvyutpatti, an authoritative Tibetan-Sanskrit lexicon of the ninth century.3 The sūtra also incorporates, near its beginning, a passage describing the qualities of the Buddha that is also found in the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra (Toh 106).4 Further on, there is a list of various states of samādhi, or meditative absorption, ascribed here to bodhisattvas. Similar lists also appear in the Akṣayamatinirdeśa (Toh 175),5 the Bodhisattvapiṭaka (Toh 56),6 the Ratnamegha (Toh 231),7 the Gaṇḍavyūha (Toh 44), and other sūtras, as well as in the Mahāvyutpatti.8
This sūtra seems to have been well known to Buddhist scholars in India. The text is quoted both in Nāgarjūna’s Sūtrasamuccaya (Toh 3934)9 and in the Ratnagotravibhāgavyākhyā (Toh 4025).10 If the Sūtrasamuccaya is indeed the work of the Nāgarjūna (150 to 250
Peter Skilling has recently noted the sūtra’s connection with a vast family of Buddhāvataṃsaka texts that once circulated in India, and that were only later identified as a unitary collection in Tibet and China.12 To this we may add further textual and thematic evidence for including the sūtra in the Buddhāvataṃsaka family. An important piece of textual evidence is its reference to the Samantabhadracaryāpraṇidhāna (Aspiration Prayer for the Conduct of Samantabhadra),13 a text that forms the final part of the Gaṇḍavyūhasūtra (Toh 44-45), which is itself an important component text in the Buddhāvataṃsaka family.14 Thematically, our sūtra’s multiple descriptions of the wondrous displays of buddhas’ bodies throughout all world-systems in accord with beings’ dispositions, and especially the buddhas’ displays of manifold bodies in one body, or one body in manifold bodies, draw upon tropes that are central to the Buddhāvataṃsaka corpus. Another thematic feature of this text that links it with this corpus is the central place that the dharmadhātu occupies in its descriptions of the bodhisattvas’ qualities.
Introduction to the Domain of the Inconceivable Qualities and Wisdom of the Tathāgatas, is found in the General Sūtra Section (Tib. mdo sde) of the Kangyur. According to the colophon, it was translated by the Indian pandit Jñānagarbha and the renowned Tibetan translator Yeshé Dé, who flourished in the late eighth to the early ninth centuries. It is also included in the Denkarma (ldan dkar ma) catalog, confirming that it was translated into Tibetan by the early ninth century.15
Apart from several recently-discovered fragments,16 no Sanskrit original of the text has survived. Three Chinese versions are known: probably the earliest (Taishō 303) by an unknown translator; another (Taishō 302) by the Gandharan monk Jñānagupta, carried out between 585 and 601; and a third translation (Taishō 304) by the Khotanese monk Śikṣānanda, in 700.17
This translation was prepared from the Degé (sde dge) block print in consultation with the Comparative Kangyur (dpe bsdur ma).
[F.106.a][B1]Homage to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in the region of Magadha, on the seat of awakening in the Dharma Discernment hermitage in the mansion of Samantaprabha, which was a great store of accumulated meritorious attributes, delightful, and free of flaws, and had a vast number of qualities.
The Blessed One had fully realized the equality of all phenomena. He possessed a mind with excellent comprehension and was not duplicitous in conduct. He was completely absorbed in the teaching of signlessness. He lived in the state of buddhahood, and had attained equality with all buddhas. He had attained flawless understanding, and possessed irreversible qualities. Not captivated by worldly spheres of activity, he engaged in vast, never-ending, and inconceivable buddha activity. He had realized the holy truth of signlessness. He had mastered the equality of the three times. He was endowed with a body that pervaded all the realms of the world. He held resolute knowledge about all phenomena, and was familiar with all forms of conduct. He was certain in his knowledge of the Dharma. He had an unimaginable body, and had internalized the wisdom held by all bodhisattvas. He had realized the nondual, excellent state of a buddha, and had perfected the wisdom that brings about the unique liberation of a tathāgata.[F.106.b] Having penetrated all-pervading buddha equality, he possessed the excellent dharmadhātu and reached the furthest reaches of space. In possession of a body that ceaselessly turns the wheel of the Dharma for eons until the end of time, he took a seat on a lion throne made of lotus flowers in the company of a saṅgha of six million two hundred thousand monks.
These included the Venerable Śāriputra, as well as Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, Aniruddha, Subhūti, Kātyāyana, Mahākapphiṇa, Citra,18 Nanda, Nadī-Kāśyapa, Gayā-Kāśyapa, UruvilvāKāśyapa, Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, Gavāṃpati, Cūḍāpanthaka, Vasumallaputra, Khadiravanika, Cunda, Mahākauṣṭhila, Rāhula, Ānanda, and so on. Altogether there were six million two hundred thousand monks, all of whom were absorbed in a single teaching and established in the sphere of conduct of the noble ones.
They all were established in the true, quintessential nature of all phenomena. They abided without support or foundation in the sphere of space. They had cast aside the deeply ingrained obscuration of the afflictive emotions. They possessed the knowledge of how to enter into the spheres of conduct and wisdom of the omniscient ones. They engaged in the conduct of the bodhisattvas. They were established in a method that revealed the dharmadhātu of all the tathāgatas. They were immersed in the single Dharma method. They had approached omniscience.[F.107.a] They were unswerving on the path of omniscience; their minds never turned away from omniscience. Their minds were established in understanding and wisdom. They had perfected the wisdom and insight of omniscience. Their methods and conduct had become steadfast.
The Buddha was also accompanied by sixty-two thousand nuns, including Mahāprajāpatī and Yaśodharā. They, too, had amassed virtuous qualities and were approaching the wisdom of omniscience. They were established in a method that revealed omniscience. They had realized the nonsubstantiality of all phenomena. They were established in the signlessness of all phenomena. They understood the true nature of all phenomena. They were convinced that all phenomena are unproduced, unceasing, and beyond oppositional factors. They were established in inconceivable liberation and meditative absorption. They manifested, spontaneously and nonconceptually, in shapes, bodies, colors, and modes of conduct that were perfectly suited to all the sentient beings to be trained.
The Buddha was also accompanied by a large retinue of bodhisattvas that consisted of as many bodhisattva mahāsattvas as there are atoms in the indescribably many billions of buddhafields.
They included the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Samantabhadra, Universal Guide, Universal Emanation, Universal Insight, Samantanetra, Samantaprabha, Samantāloka,[F.107.b] Samantaraśmi, and Samantaketu, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabuddhi; the bodhisattvas Great Strength, Great Strength Holder, Great Emanation, Great Emanation King, Great Diligence Hero, Great Energy Hero, Great Poise, Great Powerful Poise, Great Lord of the Feast, and Great Musth Elephant; the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Mahācandra, Sucandra, Guṇacandra, Ratnacandra, All-Illumining Moon, Stainless-Dharma Moon, Illuminating Moon, Famous Moon, and Brilliant Moon, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Pūrṇacandra; the bodhisattvas Brahmaghoṣa, Famous Melody of Brahmā, Melodious Song of the Earth, Dharmadhātu Melody, Melody That Conquers All the Throngs of Māras, Great Dharma-Drum Melody, Universally Understood Melody, Thought-Free Nonconceptual Melody, and Earth Melody, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Melody That Eclipses All Types of Song; the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Samantagarbha, Universal Stainless Essence, Guṇagarbha, Vairocanagarbha, Ratnagarbha, Candragarbha, Sūryagarbha, Jyotigarbha, Padmaśrīgarbha, Vajragarbha, Sumati, Mahāmati, Viśeṣamati, Vidhuṣṭhamati, Mahārājamati, Gurumati, Improving Intellect, Anantamati, Vipulamati, Buddhamati,[F.108.a] and Akṣayamati, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Sāgaramati, Sthiramati, Vajramati, and Intellect Perceiving the Buddha; the bodhisattvas Merupradīpa, Mahāpradīpa, Torchlight of Dharma, Light Pervading All Directions, Universal Light, Light Dispelling All Darkness, Light That Shines on All Beings, Sole Lamp of the World,19 and Candrapradīpa, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sūryapradīpa; the bodhisattvas Youthful Mañjuśrī, Youthful Jewel-Holder, Youthful Precious Seal-holder, Youthful Sky-Treasury, Youth Who Turns the Dharma Wheel Upon Generating the Mind of Awakening, Youth of Latticed Light, Youthful Clearer, Youth Who Renounces All, Youthful Glorious Essence, Youthful Lion, Youthful Moonlight, Youthful Moonbeam, Youthful Supreme Intelligence, Youthful Ornament, Padmapāṇi, Vajrapāṇi, Sūryaprabha, Ratna, Vidyut, Sūrya, Candra, All-Outshining Light of Brahmā, Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, and Intelligence that Conquers All Suffering and Darkness, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Intelligence that Renounces All Objects; the bodhisattvas Heroic Cleanliness, Heroic Purity, Heroic Aggregates, Heroic Faculties, Heroic Constituents, Heroic Emptiness,[F.108.b] Heroic Signlessness, Heroic Wishlessness, Heroic Birthlessness, Heroic Ceaselessness, Heroic Nondisappearance, Heroic Nonarrival, Heroic Without Birth or Death, Heroic Nonarising, Heroic Clear-Light Nature, Heroic in the Three Worlds, Heroic Limitlessness, Heroic in All World Systems, Heroic in All Phenomena, Heroic Liberation, Heroic Absorption, Heroic in Every Meditative State, Heroic Clairvoyance, Heroic Awareness, Heroic in the Mental Deeds of All Sentient Beings, Heroic at the Limit of Reality, Heroic Tathāgata, and Heroic Sameness, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Heroic Dharmadhātu; the bodhisattvas Unstained by the Realm of Māras, Mārajit, Great Conqueror of Māra, Ratnacūḍa, Emitter of a Thousand Light Rays, Hard Renunciation, Durdharṣa, Hard to Realize, Intellect Hard to Approach, Sears the Lower Realms, Bhadrapāla, Ratnākara, Susārthavāha, Nārada, Varuṇadeva, Candradeva, Vimaladatta, and Vimalakīrti, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya; and other such bodhisattva mahāsattvas, assembled from the various world systems, as many as there are atoms in the indescribably many billions of buddhafields. All were only one birth away from awakening.[F.109.a]
In bringing all the dispositions of sentient beings to maturity, all were skilled in analysis, means, methods, and discipline, as well as in establishing them in the bodhisattva teaching. All had accessed the boundless knowledge of the method of analysis of infinite world systems. All were skilled in examining and analyzing the sphere of conduct of the level beyond suffering. They had cut through mental constructs and attachment to conduct, and were skilled in integrating all the aspects of sentient experience. All were skilled in entering the method of the Dharma that is beyond center or periphery. All were skilled in the nonobjectifying examination and discrimination of the never-ending maturation of actions in all sentient beings. All were skilled in examining and analyzing all the constituent thoughts, predispositions, faculties, intentions, and activities of sentient beings.
All were skilled in correctly retaining and pondering the knowledge of the transmitted meanings, words, and letters imparted by all the tathāgatas of the past, present, and future. All employed20 both worldly and transcendent methods of Dharma, as well as that which is without center or periphery. All were skilled in analyzing conditioned, unconditioned, phased, and gradual methods. They were established all at once and instantaneously as the maṇḍala of wisdom of all the tathāgatas of the past, present, and future. All were skilled in exhibiting—in a single, instantaneous moment of thought—death, becoming, birth,[F.109.b] renunciation, the practice of austerities, approach to the seat of awakening, victory over Māra, the attainment of perfect awakening, the turning of the wheel of Dharma, and entry into mahāparinirvāṇa. Once they had generated the mind of awakening for the sake of all sentient beings, they were inseparable from awakening to buddhahood. By penetrating the mind-frame of a single sentient being, they were able to understand the mind-frames of each and every sentient being. They possessed the body of a bodhisattva that never strayed from the level of self-originated wisdom. Due to their omniscience, their attainment21 was irreversible. Without disrupting the bodhisattvas’ power of application, they were established in a method understanding the absence of application.
All were skilled in bestowing blessings through persistent involvement over countless ages in the deeds of a single sentient being. They bestowed blessings through continuously turning the wheel of the Dharma, and were skilled at inducing in all beings a temperament suitable for instruction. They had entered the pure state of all the tathāgatas of the past, present, and future, and possessed the quality of the powers of conduct22 and aspiration.
They possessed the special intention of the Aspiration Prayer for the Conduct of Samantabhadra. All were skilled in approaching and appealing to all the buddhas of the present. All were skilled in holding on to the Dharma methods of all the tathāgatas. All followed in the unbroken lineage of all the buddhas.[F.110.a] They all made buddhas appear in world systems that were without buddhas. They all purified world systems polluted by defilements. All had severed the chain of karmic obscurations faced by all bodhisattvas and entered the unveiled dharmadhātu. All possessed qualities as immeasurable as the sphere of space. They all maintained equality as they entered the dharmadhātu. They maintained equality at the limit of reality and in the dharmadhātu. They were dedicated to maturation in accordance with the action that brought it about. They were dedicated to the result in accordance with the causes that brought it about. They understood that all phenomena are equal, like the raised designs on a seal. They knew that phenomena, which appear like illusions and reflections, are in a state of equality. They knew that the auditory perceptions of all phenomena resemble echoes. They were established in liberation and inconceivable absorptions. They disported themselves in the absorption of heroic progress.
They possessed dhāraṇīs23 that accomplish the perfect hues of the limitless bodies of the buddhas. They were able to display all the world systems on just a single hair. They were able to display in all ten directions—on just a single hair—death, becoming, birth, renunciation, the practice of austerities, approach to the seat of awakening,[F.110.b] victory over Māra, the attainment of perfect awakening, the turning of the wheel of Dharma, and entry into mahāparinirvāṇa.
They knew how to fill the celestial expanse of all the world systems in the ten directions by simply sitting in cross-legged posture. All were skilled in displaying the adornments of all the buddhafields in one buddhafield. All were skilled in displaying the adornments arranged in one buddhafield in all the buddhafields. All were skilled in displaying, in the retinue of a single tathāgata, all the retinues of all tathāgatas in all the vast world systems of the ten directions. All were skilled in displaying, in the retinues of all tathāgatas of all world systems of the ten directions, the retinue of a single tathāgata. All were skilled in demonstrating that all phenomena are without limit or center. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of all sentient beings within their own bodies. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of all the buddhas within a single buddha body. All were skilled in displaying the body of a single buddha within the bodies of all the buddhas. All were skilled in displaying all the world systems of the ten directions within their own bodies. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of the sentient beings of the three times within the body of a single sentient being.
All were skilled in displaying the future and the present in the past, and the past and the present in the future, as well as the past and the future in the present.[F.111.a] All were skilled in resting in absorption with a single body, but manifesting based on boundless, countless bodies. All were skilled in resting in absorption in boundless, countless bodies, but displaying manifestations based on a single body.
All were skilled in displaying full awakening commensurate with the bodies of all sentient beings. All were skilled in displaying the body of a single sentient being in the bodies of all sentient beings. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of all sentient beings in the body of a single sentient being. All were skilled in displaying a buddha body in the bodies of all sentient beings. All were skilled in displaying the emergence of the bodies of sentient beings from a buddha body. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of sentient beings as the dharmakāya. All were skilled in displaying the adornments arranged in all buddhafields within a single buddhafield. All were skilled in displaying the adornments arranged in a single buddhafield within all buddhafields. All were skilled in displaying the dharmakāya as the body of sentient beings. All were skilled in displaying all the world systems of the ten directions condensed in a single pore. All were skilled in demonstrating in their complete and perfect awakening the basis of all the buddhas’ powerful former resolve to attain complete and perfect awakening. All were skilled in demonstrating unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening perfectly suited to maturing sentient beings to be trained within all the infinite world systems of the ten directions.[F.111.b] All were skilled in displaying, in a single world system, for the entire number of eons, a body that ceaselessly engages in bodhisattva conduct.
All were skilled in displaying, with the single cultivation of the mind of awakening, the venues for engaging in behavior, deeds, and spontaneous and nonconceptual conduct perfectly suited to maturing all the sentient beings to be trained within each of the infinite world systems of the entire universe in the ten directions including those born from an egg or womb, born from heat and moisture, and born miraculously; those with and without corporeality, those with and without perception; those with two, four, or more legs; and gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, world guardians, humans, and nonhumans. All were skilled in entering into each minute particle in countless, inconceivable, matchless, vast, boundless, and indescribable world systems, without harming a single sentient being. All were skilled in blessing countless, inconceivable, matchless, vast, boundless, and indescribable eons, in just a single moment. All were skilled in blessing a single moment, during countless, inconceivable, matchless, vast, boundless, and indescribably many eons.[F.112.a] All were skilled in displaying, spontaneously and nonconceptually, bodily hues and modes of conduct that bring sentient beings to maturation. These bodhisattvas-mahāsattvas, and all the others, possessed vast and countless qualities.
Then countless, inconceivable, matchless, vast, boundless, and indescribably many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, as well as Brahmā, Śakra, and the world guardians, assembled from all the various buddhafields. Furthermore, from this world system, the many millions of gods belonging to the league of the Four Great Kings, each with his own vast retinue, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. Many millions accompanying Śakra, many millions with the divine king of the Suyāmā Heaven, many millions with the divine king of Tuṣita, many millions with the divine king of Nirmāṇarati, and many millions with the divine king of Paranirmitavaśavartin—each divine king with his own vast retinue approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma.
Many millions of gods belonging to the league of Māra, such as Sārthavāha and so on, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. One million eight hundred thousand rākṣasa spirits,[F.112.b] three million eight hundred thousand demon spirits, eight million asura spirits, and six million five hundred thousand knowledge-mantra practitioners, as well as nine million nine hundred thousand sages, all in possession of the five supernormal knowledges, approached the Blessed One. The great kings of the wind known as Vairambhaka and Great Vairambhaka with their myriad retinues, a hundred million Brahmās, a hundred million Great Brahmās, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Lesser Light, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Immeasurable Light, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Radiant Light, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Lesser Virtue, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Immeasurable Virtue, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Vast Virtue, a hundred million gods of the Heaven Without Clouds, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Large Fruit, a hundred million gods of the Heaven Born from Merit, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Those of Exquisite Appearance, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Acute Perception, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Unsurpassed, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Sorrowless, and a hundred million gods of Akaniṣṭha—they all, with each Great Brahmā in possession of his own vast retinue, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma.
They included Devaputra Maheśvara, one of the hundred million gods of the pure heavens, and his retinue,24 who all approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. One hundred million nāga lords, a hundred million yakṣa lords, a hundred million gandharva lords, a hundred million asura lords, a hundred million garuḍa lords, a hundred million kinnara lords, and a hundred million mahoraga lords,[F.113.a] each with his own vast retinue—they all approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. Limitless, countless numbers of human and nonhuman25 beings also approached the Blessed One in order to see him, pay homage, make offerings, venerate him, and listen to the Dharma. Myriad millions of male and female lay disciples also approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma.
All the gods of the grasses, branches, medicinal herbs, and forests, as well as all the gods of the mountains, including Meru and Great Meru, Mucilinda and Great Mucilinda, Himavat, and Cakravāḍa and Great Cakravāḍa, along with their holy sites,26 also approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. In addition, all the gods of the seas and oceans, rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, springs and waterfalls, along with their holy sites, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. All the gods of the villages, cities, towns, districts, provinces, royal precincts, and surroundings,27[F.113.b] together with their own holy sites, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. All the gods of the holy sites of the nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, with each positioned in his or her own holy site, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. By the power of the Blessed One, no sentient being was harmed or kept in the dark. The divinities of a hundred million moons, a hundred million suns, and a hundred million oceans, each with his or her own vast retinue, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. In addition, the great nāga king Anavatapta, along with his retinue, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. All the beings who had been born as animals also approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. All the beings who had been born as animals unanimously aspired toward the Mahāyāna; they dedicated themselves to the Mahāyāna, and sought to attain the wisdom of omniscience.
At that time the Blessed One’s bodily hue, form, luster, and radiance outshone his entire retinue. He was luminous, glowing, and bright.[F.114.a] For example, just as the sun emits countless, myriad rays that surpass all glowworms in their luminosity, glow, and brightness, in the same way the luminosity, glow, and brightness of the Blessed One surpasses Śakra, Brahmā, and all the guardians of the world. Or, as another analogy, just as the full moon, when it emerges from behind the surrounding clouds, surpasses all the constellations of stars in luminosity, glow, and brightness, in the same way the Blessed One overawes and surpasses Śakra, Brahmā, and all the world guardians in his luminosity, glow, and brightness. Like Mount Meru, the king of mountains, he is resplendent, imperturbable, unchanging, and steadfast in his luminosity, glow, and brightness.
Then Youthful Mañjuśrī said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, “O Son of the Jina, in this way the Tathāgata abides here in an unperturbed, unchanging, and steadfast manner.”
Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin replied to Youthful Mañjuśrī, “Mañjuśrī, some within this very retinue observe that the Tathāgata takes religious vows and leaves household life behind. Others observe him taking religious vows and living in austerity. Some within this very retinue observe him going to the seat of awakening. Others observe that he resides on the seat of awakening. Some within this very retinue observe him surrounded by and overcoming a vast, immeasurable circle of evil spirits. Others[F.114.b] observe the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Śakra, and Brahmā, as well as all the innumerable, countless world guardians, rejoicing and proclaiming: ‘Victory! Victory to you, O great guide!’ Some observe how, after he achieved full awakening, Śakra petitioned him. Others observe how Brahmā petitioned him. Some of this retinue observe that the guardians petitioned the Blessed One.
“Some observe the Blessed One teaching them a discourse on generosity. Others of this very retinue observe the Blessed One teaching a discourse on moral conduct, and still others observe the Blessed One teaching a discourse on patience, diligence, concentration, or insight. Some observe the Blessed One teaching them a discourse on skillful means, or on miraculous powers, resolve, or wisdom.
“Some observe the Blessed One teaching them a discourse on the Śrāvakayāna, others observe him teaching a discourse on the Pratyekabuddhayāna, and others observe him teaching a discourse on the Mahāyāna.
“Some observe the Blessed One teaching them the factors that cause sentient beings to be born in the hell realms, others observe him teaching on factors that cause birth among the animals, others observe him teaching on factors that cause birth among the hungry ghosts, others on factors that cause birth in the realm of the Lord of Death, and others still[F.115.a] on factors that cause birth among the gods in the league of the Four Great Kings. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the abode of the Thirty-Three Gods. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the Yāma abode. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in Tuṣita, or in Nirmāṇarati, or in Paranirmitavaśavartin, or in the abode of Māras, or in the abode of Brahmā. Similarly, some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the abode of Brahmā’s High Priests, on birth in the abode of Brahmā’s Entourage, and on birth in the abodes of Lesser Light, Immeasurable Light, Radiant Light, Lesser Virtue, Immeasurable Virtue, and Vast Virtue. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the abodes of Without Clouds, Born from Merit, Large Fruit, Unsurpassed, Sorrowless, Exquisite Appearance, and Acute Perception, and on birth in Akaniṣṭha. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the abodes of Infinity of Space, Infinity of Consciousness, Nothingness, and birth in the abode of Neither-Perception-nor-Nonperception.
“Mañjuśrī, some within this retinue observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth as human beings. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause becoming a universal monarch. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that give rise to monarchs of one, two, or three continents. And some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that give rise to a monarch of the chiliocosm, dichiliocosm, and trichiliocosm and their worlds as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges.
“Mañjuśrī, some within this retinue observe the Tathāgata’s body as exceeding six feet tall; others as much as a mile, or as much as two miles; and still others[F.115.b] as much as a league. Others observe the Tathāgata’s body as exceeding two leagues, and others as much as ten leagues. Some within this retinue observe the Tathāgata’s body as being a thousand leagues tall. Others observe the Tathāgata’s body as ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty thousand leagues tall. Some observe the Tathāgata’s body as being a hundred thousand leagues, one million, two million, three million, four million, or five million leagues tall. Some observe the Tathāgata’s body as being one hundred eighty-four thousand leagues tall. Within this very retinue, some observe the Tathāgata’s body as being countless hundreds of thousands of leagues tall.
“Some within this retinue see the Tathāgata’s body as golden in color. Others observe that it is the color of a precious beryl jewel, others as the color of a great jewel of sapphire, others as the color of a great azure gem, others as the color of a jewel of starlight, others as the color of a jewel of precious ruby, others as the color of the precious jewel held by Śakra, others as the color of a precious, shining diamond, others as the color of a precious jewel that shines like all the gods, others as the color of a precious jewel that shines like the sun and moon, others as the color of a precious water-purifying gem, others as the color of a precious crystal jewel, others as the color of a precious wish-fulfilling jewel, others as the color of a precious jewel that includes all lights, others as the color of a precious jewel the color of[F.116.a] the maned lion, the king of beasts, others as the color of a jewel at the apex of a lion victory-banner, and others see it as precious gems that radiate light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans. Mañjuśrī, some within this retinue see the Blessed One as the color of a precious wish-fulfilling jewel.
“Mañjuśrī, whatever colors, conduct, and forms will train sentient beings, they are precisely the colors, conduct, and forms of the Tathāgata that sentient beings see. Mañjuśrī, whatever Dharma teachings will mature sentient beings, they are precisely the teachings that sentient beings observe the Tathāgata teaching. Mañjuśrī, whatever conduct will lead sentient beings toward, and instruct them in, the teaching of the Tathāgata, this is precisely the conduct that sentient beings understand the Tathāgata to engage in.
“Mañjuśrī, imagine that the countless, unimaginable, incomparable, immeasurable, limitless, indescribably ineffable world systems of the east were filled with gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, world guardians, humans and nonhumans; and if, just like in the east, the countless, unimaginable, peerless, immeasurable,[F.116.b] limitless, indescribably ineffable world systems of the south, the west, and the north, and similarly the southeast and southwest, and similarly the northwest and northeast, as well as those above and below, were filled with gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, world guardians, humans, and nonhumans—like fields full of reeds or sugarcane, or fields full of sesame. If, Mañjuśrī, those sentient beings were to be instructed by seeing the Tathāgata, they would perceive themselves seated six feet in front of the Tathāgata.
“Mañjuśrī, whatever colors, conduct, and location will instruct those sentient beings, they are precisely the colors, conduct, and location in which those sentient beings see the Tathāgata as present before them. Mañjuśrī, whatever Dharma teaching will develop sentient beings, this is precisely the Dharma that they hear taught. Mañjuśrī, whatever deeds will cause sentient beings to engage with the teaching of the Tathāgata are precisely the deeds in which the Tathāgata engages. All the deeds of the Tathāgata are spontaneously and nonconceptually accomplished.
“Mañjuśrī, it is as follows: Although all sentient beings in the world observe the disk of the waxing moon when it appears before them at midnight, the moon-disk does not consciously think, ‘I shall appear before these sentient beings so that they may wonder, “Why am I aware of the moon?”’ It does not consciously think this, Mañjuśrī, and yet the moon, because of its unique qualities, spontaneously and nonconceptually acts in such a way.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha may stand in the midst of countless, inconceivable, unrivaled, vast, boundless, and indescribably many[F.117.a] retinues, and everyone sees the Tathāgata present before them, yet when he does so, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think, ‘I shall stand before these sentient beings so that that they may know that the Tathāgata is in front of them.’ He does not consciously think that. Yet whatever manner will instruct these sentient beings, this is the manner in which they observe the Tathāgata before them. It is so because of his unique qualities.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, it is because of the ripening of action—inferior, middling, or superior—of sentient beings that their mental impulses—inferior, medium, or superior—will arise. The impulses do not think—they are not conscious—and yet these impulses spontaneously and nonconceptually engage in action: inferior, medium, or superior.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, because of the ripening of the actions of sentient beings—inferior, medium, or superior—is seen by them as an inferior, middling, or superior Tathāgata. Even though, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, still the Tathāgata’s deeds spontaneously occur in this manner.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, there exists a form of the gem beryl that changes colors if it is placed on different colored cloth. If, Mañjuśrī, the beryl is placed on a yellow cloth, the beryl turns yellow. If placed on a red cloth, it turns red. If placed on a blue cloth, it turns blue. Thus, it assumes precisely the color of whatever cloth onto which it is placed.[F.117.b] Yet, Mañjuśrī, the beryl does not think or conceptualize. Rather, such activity occurs spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, the Tathāgata assumes different hues because sentient beings are different. If, Mañjuśrī, sentient beings are best instructed by seeing the Tathāgata’s body as golden in color, then they see the Tathāgata’s body as golden. If sentient beings are best instructed through a color similar to that of a gem of beryl, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a gem of beryl. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a pearl, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a pearl. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a sapphire, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a sapphire. Mañjuśrī, if sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a special sapphire, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a special sapphire. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a jewel that captures all lights, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a jewel that captures all lights. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a wish-fulfilling jewel, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a wish-fulfilling jewel. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a precious gem that shines with light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a precious gem that shines with light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans.[F.118.a] If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a jewel the color of the maned lion, the king of beasts, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a jewel the color of the maned lion, the king of beasts. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a jewel peak of a lion victory-banner, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a jewel peak of a lion victory-banner. Mañjuśrī, if sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a jeweled flash of lightning, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a jeweled flash of lightning. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a precious water-purifying jewel, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a precious water-purifying jewel.
“In the same way, if sentient beings are best instructed by seeing the Tathāgata’s body in the form of Śakra or Brahmā or a worldly guardian, they see the Tathāgata’s body in the form of Śakra or Brahmā or a worldly guardian.
“And so on—if sentient beings are best instructed through the form of one born as a denizen of hell, as an animal, as a hungry ghost, and so forth, up to one born in the world of the Lord of Death, they see the Tathāgata’s body in the form of a denizen of hell, as an animal, or a hungry ghost, and so forth, up to the form of one born in the world of the Lord of Death.
“Through whatever form, body, appearance, and conduct sentient beings are best instructed—up to birth in the formless realm—they see the Tathāgata in such a form, body, appearance, and conduct.
“In the same way, although they see Tathāgata in whatever form, body, appearance, and conduct will best instruct them, that is to say, as sentient beings born from an egg or womb, born from heat or moisture,[F.118.b] or born miraculously; and born with form or without form, with or without conception, or with neither conception nor nonconception, the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize:
‘While these sentient beings see me as golden in hue, may they not see me as the color of gem of beryl. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a gem of beryl, may they not see me as the color of a sapphire. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a pink sapphire, may they not see me as the color of a blue sapphire. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a blue sapphire, may they not see me as the color of a jewel that captures all lights. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a jewel that captures all lights, may they not see me as the color of a wish-fulfilling jewel. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a wish-fulfilling jewel, may they not see me as the color of a precious gem that shines with light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious gem that shines with light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel the color of the maned lion, the king of beasts.[F.119.a] While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel the color of the maned lion, the king of beasts, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel peak of a lion victory-banner. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel peak of a lion victory-banner, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel held by Śakra. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel held by Śakra, may they not see me as the color of a shining diamond. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a shining diamond, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like all the gods. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like all the gods, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like sunlight and moonlight. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like sunlight and moonlight, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like a flash of lightning. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like a flash of lightning, may they not see me as the color of a sovereign wish-fulfilling jewel.’
“Likewise, you should also apply this to the sentient beings born in every form of life.
“Mañjuśrī, even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.[B2]
“For example, Mañjuśrī, wherever a sovereign wish-fulfilling jewel appears, no iron or implements made of iron can exist. Even so, Mañjuśrī, the sovereign wish-fulfilling jewel does not think or conceptualize, ‘Wherever I appear, let no iron or implements made of iron exist!’ And yet, this is how its action occurs, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, in whatever buddhafield a tathāgata appears, there the tenets of carakas, parivrājakas, nirgranthas,[F.119.b] and so forth cannot exist. No instance of wrong view can occur in such a buddhafield. No disputes can erupt there. The five offences with immediate consequences cannot transpire there. The paths of the ten nonvirtuous actions cannot transpire there. No royal edicts or rejection of cherished doctrines can occur there.
“The light of the sun and moon does not shine there. The lights of Śakra, Brahmā, and the world guardians, as well as the lights of all the gods, do not shine there. The lights of gems, fire, and lightning do not shine there. There, split seconds, seconds, months, fortnights, and years do not elapse. Mañjuśrī, only the blessing of the tathāgatas exist there in order to mature sentient beings. Mañjuśrī, even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, this is how their activity unfolds—spontaneously and nonconceptually—on account of sentient beings.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, all that is touched by the light of a precious blue sapphire jewel becomes the color of the blue sapphire, and even though the precious blue sapphire jewel does not think or conceptualize, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, everyone who is touched by the light that is mentally formulated and focused by the tathāgatas turns the ‘color’ of omniscience. Even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, Mañjuśrī, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, a large precious jewel of polished lapis lazuli, whether it adorns the head, neck, arm, or leg, remains vivid, shining, and bright, regardless of the way it always28 faces. Although the adornments remain vivid, shining, and bright on account of the power of the precious jewel of polished lapis lazuli,[F.120.a] the lapis lazuli gem does not think or conceptualize. Rather, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the actions of the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, no matter what code of conduct he engages in, be it the conduct of a śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, bodhisattva, or tathāgata; or whether it be the conduct of a caraka, parivrājaka, or a nirgrantha; or be it the conduct of the animals, hungry ghosts, or those living in the world of the Lord of Death; or be it the conduct of a flesh-eating demon, kumbhāṇḍa, or rākṣasa, or the conduct of a god, nāga, or yakṣa—in whatever conduct he engages, it will be vivid, shining, and bright. His conduct is beautifully vivid, shining, and bright due to the power of the Tathāgata himself. Even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, Mañjuśrī, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, seeds, grasses, large trees, medicinal herbs, and entire forests all germinate, grow, and flourish once they are planted in the ground and rely on it for nourishment. Even though, Mañjuśrī, the ground does not think or conceptualize, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, all the roots of virtue of sentient beings germinate, grow, and flourish once they are implanted in the Tathāgata and rely on the Tathāgata for nourishment. Even though the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, this is how his activity unfolds—spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, consider a great cloud that covers the whole of the earth, and then rains down a heavy downpour on the different types of seeds,29 grasses, large trees, medicinal herbs, and entire forests.[F.120.b] This flow of water, all of the same flavor, makes the different types of seeds, grasses, large trees, medicinal herbs, and forests germinate. As it falls in different places, the water assumes different flavors and colors. Even though, Mañjuśrī, the cloud does not think or conceptualize, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha pervades all the vast realms of the ten directions with the cloud of his buddha body. He pours down a great rain of Dharma onto the accumulated roots of virtue, prayers, noble intentions, different aspirations, and dispositions of sentient beings. Mañjuśrī, although that Dharma rain is of equal flavor, through the rain of different types of teachings that pours down on those established in different accumulations of roots of virtue, in diverse aspirations, intentions, and interests, and in multiple dispositions, he generates roots of merit in accordance with those beings’ abilities and strengths.
“Even so, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, with the thought, ‘For these sentient beings, I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to the wisdom of a śrāvaka; for those sentient beings I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to the wisdom of a pratyekabuddha. For these sentient beings I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to the wisdom of a buddha. For those sentient beings I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to birth in the heavenly abode of the Four Great Kings. And for these sentient beings I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to birth in the heavenly abode of the Thirty-Three Gods. And so on, likewise, I shall produce the roots of virtue of those born in the abode of Yāma, Tuṣita,[F.121.a] Nirmāṇarati, and Paranirmitavaśavartin; as well as those of Brahmā and Brahmā’s Attendants, those of Lesser Light, Immeasurable Light, and Radiant Light; those of Lesser Virtue, Immeasurable Virtue, and Vast Virtue; those of Without Clouds, Born from Merit, and Large Fruit; and those of the pure realms Unsurpassed, Sorrowless, Exquisite Appearance, Acute Perception, and Akaniṣṭha. I shall produce the roots of virtue of the gods born in the league of Māra.’
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, with the thought, ‘For these sentient beings I shall produce the various roots of virtue that lead to birth as a king; for these sentient beings I shall produce the various roots of virtue that lead to human birth; for these sentient beings I shall produce the various roots of virtue that lead to birth as a powerful deity.’
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize in that way. Nevertheless, the activity of the Tathāgata unfolds—spontaneously and nonconceptually—in accordance with the aspirations, noble intentions, interests, and roots of virtue that sentient beings have accumulated.
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata is impartial toward everything; he does not conceptualize while in a state of equanimity. For example, Mañjuśrī, as soon as the sun rises, it emits countless myriads of light rays, and thus dispels the world’s thick clouds of darkness. But the sun does not think or conceptualize; this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, as soon as the sun-likeTathāgata rises, he emits countless myriads of wisdom light-rays,[F.121.b] and thus dispels the darkness that engenders wrong views in sentient beings; then it is only the blessing of the Tathāgata that turns the world toward the correct view, in order to develop sentient beings.
“Mañjuśrī, even though the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, with the thought, ‘I am dispelling the wrong views of sentient beings,’ or ‘I shall dispel them,’ this, Mañjuśrī, is how the activity of the Tathāgata unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not conceptualize; he is impartial and evenhanded in all matters. For example, Mañjuśrī, on account of the power of a magician, magical trickery displays various actions and different types of bodies; however, Mañjuśrī, the magical illusion is ineffable, unproduced, unceasing, unwritten, soundless, objectless, insubstantial, inconceivable, without characteristics, nondual, without any activity, equal to the dharmadhātu, and beyond oppositional factors. Yet, Mañjuśrī, on account of the magician’s power, his magical emanations display different types of action, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, although the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha assumes a variety of physical bodies, hues, activities, behaviors, and deeds within saṃsāra for the sake of sentient beings, he is still ineffable, unproduced, unceasing, unwritten, soundless, objectless, insubstantial, inconceivable, without characteristics, nondual, without any activity, equal to the dharmadhātu, and beyond oppositional factors, and he transcends the three realms of existence. Yet, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata, for the sake of sentient beings, displays—spontaneously and nonconceptually—his many different deeds.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, although there is only one sun,[F.122.a] due to the influence of the sovereign Mount Meru, sentient beings see it in many different aspects on the four continents. Some perceive it to be rising, and others to have already risen. Some perceive it to be just warming up, and others to be hot. Some perceive midnight, and others noon. Some observe the sun at the first watch at dawn, while others observe the sun only in the afternoon. Some are only aware of the sun once it disappears, while others only know it at dawn. Even though the sun is a single orb, sentient beings on the four continents perceive it to be different things. The orb of the sun does not think or conceptualize, but due to Mount Meru, it displays its various actions—spontaneously and nonconceptually—in the world systems of the four continents.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, on account of the power of sentient beings, is known by some within his retinue as a fully awakened Tathāgata, while others know him to have passed into nirvāṇa; still others know him as the Blessed One, the complete and perfect Buddha.
“Within that very retinue, some know that the Blessed One has passed into nirvāṇa. Others know that ten years have elapsed since the Tathāgata, Blessed One, attained perfect awakening. Still others know that ten years have elapsed since the Tathāgata passed into nirvāṇa. Some know the essence of the teaching of the Blessed One, while others know the Blessed One’s teaching in a state of decline. Some know that ten, twenty, thirty,[F.122.b] forty, or fifty years have elapsed since the Blessed One taught the Dharma. Some know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years have elapsed since the Blessed One passed into nirvāṇa. Some know that a hundred or a thousand years have elapsed since the Blessed One attained perfect awakening. Others know that a hundred or a thousand years have elapsed since the Blessed One passed into nirvāṇa. Some know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty thousand years have elapsed since the Blessed One attained perfect awakening. Others know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty thousand years have elapsed since the Blessed One passed into nirvāṇa. Some know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty hundred thousand million eons have elapsed since the Blessed One attained perfect awakening, while others know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty hundred thousand million eons have elapsed since the Blessed One passed into nirvāṇa.
“Mañjuśrī, within this retinue, some gods and men know that inexpressibly, indescribably many eons have elapsed since the Blessed One, Śākyamuni, attained perfect awakening. Mañjuśrī, within this retinue, some gods and men know that inexpressibly, indescribably many eons have elapsed since the Blessed One, Śākyamuni, passed into nirvāṇa.
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize. Even so, Mañjuśrī, for the sake of sentient beings, the Tathāgata’s deeds unfold in this way, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, when stormy winds arise in this world,[F.123.a] the grasses, large trees, medicinal herbs, forests, and every leafy thing waver, vibrate, and judder; tremble, quiver, and quake; and clamor, roar, and howl. While they are agitated, disturbed, and shaken, some leaves fall down in the east and are blown aloft in the west, but some fall down in the west and are blown aloft in the east. The edges of some leaves fall while their centers rise. Some leaves fall down in the north but are blown aloft in the south.
“The grasses, large trees, forests, and leaves do not think or conceptualize. Yet, even so, Mañjuśrī, due to the power of the stormy wind, they display many different actions. In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha does not think or conceptualize. Even so, for the sake of sentient beings, there arise, perpetually and instantaneously in the vast, countless world systems of the ten directions, innumerable venues for his entry into physical bodies, hues, modes of conduct,30 training, and tasks.
“Mañjuśrī, for as long as sentient beings focus their minds on the Tathāgata, for that long they interrupt or reverse the process of their rebirth in hell, among animals and hungry ghosts, and in the realm of the Lord of Death.
“Thus, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, possesses innumerable qualities. Even bodhisattva mahāsattvas, who abide in inconceivable states of absorption and liberation, cannot comprehend, in a hundred billion eons,[F.123.b] the scope of the qualities attributable to just a single tathāgata.
“Mañjuśrī, among those who claim to possess the five supernormal knowledges, a small number of non-Buddhist sages who are free from desire behold, with the divine eye, more sentient beings than the gods and humans of the trichiliocosm in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel.
“Mañjuśrī, the many sentient beings of the trichiliocosm beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by a small number of non-Buddhist sages who are free from desire, among those who claim to possess the five supernormal knowledges, are fewer in number than the many sentient beings beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by the śrāvaka disciples of the Tathāgata, the arhats whose defilements are exhausted, and who meditate on the eight aspects of liberation.
“Mañjuśrī, the many sentient beings of the trichiliocosm beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot-wheel by the śrāvaka disciples of the Tathāgata, the arhats whose defilements are exhausted, and who meditate on the eight aspects of liberation, are fewer in number than the many sentient beings beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by the pratyekabuddhas.
“Mañjuśrī, the many sentient beings of the trichiliocosm that the pratyekabuddhas behold with the divine eye are fewer in number than the many sentient beings beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by the bodhisattvas, who abide in inconceivable liberation and absorption.
“Mañjuśrī, the many sentient beings of the trichiliocosm that the bodhisattvas, who abide in inconceivable liberation and absorption, behold with the divine eye are innumerably fewer[F.124.a] than the sentient beings beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by the Tathāgata.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, it is not easy, even for the bodhisattvas, who abide in inconceivable liberation and absorption, over as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, to quantify, conceive of, or enumerate the past, present, and future mental contents and events of each sentient being that dwells in every place no bigger than a chariot-wheel throughout the infinite worlds of the ten directions.
“Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, spontaneously knows—at once, in one instant, and in just one moment—the past, present, and future minds and mental factors of sentient beings.
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata knows—through his spontaneously present wisdom, in a nonconceptual way, at once, in one instant, and in just one moment—exactly and correctly how the past, present, and future causes, aims, and conditions of the mind and mental factors, as well as the venues for engaging in the conduct, training, and tasks, of all those sentient beings living within all the worlds of the ten directions will come about.
“Mañjuśrī, he also knows—through his spontaneously present wisdom, in a nonconceptual way, at once, in one instant, and in just one moment—how those sentient beings may be trained for unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening.
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata also knows—through his spontaneously present wisdom, in a nonconceptual way, all at once, instantaneously, and in just one moment—the defilements, as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges, of the state of ignorance of each sentient being.[F.124.b]
“Mañjuśrī, he also knows—through his spontaneously present wisdom, in a nonconceptual way, all at once, instantaneously, and in just one moment—the causes, aims, and conditions through which those defilements arise, and through knowledge of what skillful means these beings’ defilements may be trained.
“Thus, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect buddhas, possess inconceivable wisdom. For example, Mañjuśrī, the moon, due to the power of the sun, shows the world its form, color, brilliance, and light, to the fullest, intermediate, and least extent; but the moon itself does not wax or wane. Nevertheless, the maturation of the actions of sentient beings causes the counting of days, calculated in seconds and half-seconds; this is how it occurs. Mañjuśrī, the moon-disk does not think or conceptualize; this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, sentient beings with the highest, intermediate, and lowest mental capacities, in all the vast world systems of the ten directions, see the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect buddha-forms, buddha-hues, buddha-brilliance, and buddha-light at their highest, intermediate, and lowest levels. Mañjuśrī, sentient beings see the tathāgatas in accordance with their roots of virtue, conduct, and aspirations, as well as the strength of their resolution; however, Mañjuśrī, there are no highest, intermediate, or lowest levels among the tathāgatas.
“Mañjuśrī, the reason for this is[F.125.a] that the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect buddhas, are the dharmakāya: they are completely nonoriginated, nonarisen, and nonceasing. Nevertheless, Mañjuśrī, due to their highest, intermediate, or lowest mental capacities, sentient beings perceive tathāgatas at a high, intermediate, or low level. Mañjuśrī, the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, but this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“Mañjuśrī, to the sentient beings of this trichiliocosm—born in the realms of the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, world guardians, humans, nonhumans, and so on, down to the abode ofanimals—the tathāgatas both eat and do not eat food, both see and do not see, are both empty and not empty,31 are both stern and not stern, and are both tangible and intangible. This is how all their activity unfolds through the power of the buddhas, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, everyone who sees, touches, and is affected by a precious sapphire jewel will turn the color of the precious sapphire jewel, but the precious sapphire jewel does not think or conceptualize.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, all those sentient beings who at least see the tathāgatas in painted forms or statues, who touch them, or who are even aware of their influence will assume inconceivable, perfect forms and hues. But the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, if anyone sees the royal elixir tree called Well-Seen, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions,[F.125.b] his eyes will become pure. If anyone hears the sound it makes when stirred by the wind, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his ears will become pure. If anyone smells its scent, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his nose will become pure. If anyone tastes its flavor, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his sense of taste will become pure. If anyone touches it with his body, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his body will be purified. Mañjuśrī, the royal elixir tree called Well-Seen does not think or conceptualize; still, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, if anyone so much as beholds the tathāgatas in painted forms or statues, their eyes will become pure through that root of virtue. Even down to those born in the abode of animals, irrespective of their malevolent or benign intentions, if anyone hears the words buddha, or tathāgata, or protector of the world, his sense of hearing will become pure through that root of virtue. If anyone catches the scent of their qualities, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his nose will become pure through that root of virtue. If anyone tastes the flavor of their teaching, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his tongue will become pure through that root of virtue.[F.126.a] If anyone makes physical contact with them, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his body will become pure through that root of virtue.
“Mañjuśrī, the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize. But because they possess unique qualities, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, when sentient beings who are in pain or poisoned hear the sound of a drum smeared with the ointment of the royal elixir tree called Separation, all their pains are relieved and their poisons become nontoxic. Mañjuśrī, the royal elixir tree called Separation does not think or conceptualize. Still, due to sentient beings’ accumulations of causes and conditions and the ripening of their actions, this is how the activity of the royal elixir tree called Separation unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, as soon as sentient beings hear the name of the tathāgatas, the pains of their wrong views are relieved, and the poisons of their desire, anger, and ignorance become nontoxic.
“Mañjuśrī, the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize. Still, because they possess unique qualities, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“Mañjuśrī, the atomic particles of the trichiliocosm are fewer than the myriad deeds the Blessed One, Śākyamuni, performed in order to train sentient beings in as many world systems of the ten directions as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and as there are individual atomic particles in those world systems, by means of the four ways of collecting merit, while having previously trained in the conduct of a bodhisattva.
“Mañjuśrī, the particles, as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges,[F.126.b] of the world systems of the ten directions are fewer than the ceaseless, spontaneous, nonconceptual deeds the Blessed One, Śākyamuni, performed that have already developed, are developing, and will train for unexcelled, complete, and perfect awakening, sentient beings as numerous as the limitless atomic particles in the boundless world systems of the ten directions.
“Mañjuśrī, this is why the activity of the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, performed in order to develop sentient beings, is inconceivable.
In the Introduction to the Domain of the Inconceivable Qualities and Wisdom of the Tathāgatas, the bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin expounds at length on how the awakened activity of the buddhas spontaneously unfolds in a limitless variety of ways to benefit beings, in all their diversity, throughout the universe. He also describes the inestimable benefits a bodhisattva derives from following a virtuous spiritual friend.
Translated by Karen Liljenberg and Ulrich Pagel. Karen Liljenberg wrote the introduction to the translation.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The generous sponsorship of Make and Wang Xiao Juan (馬珂和王曉娟), which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.
Introduction to the Domain of the Inconceivable Qualities and Wisdom of the Tathāgatas consists of a discourse between two bodhisattvas in which the bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin addresses the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī in the Buddha’s inspiring presence. The sūtra thus belongs to the class of scriptures classified in the Tibetan tradition as “imparted with permission” by the Buddha.1
Two main themes stand out in the text. The first, as intimated by the title, is the universality, omniscience, and unlimited powers of the spontaneous and nonconceptual activity and manifestations that the buddhas display for the sake of all beings. The second central theme is the benefits that a bodhisattva derives from following a spiritual friend, who acts as a mentor or teacher on the spiritual path. Many sūtras elaborate on the subject of the awakened qualities of the buddhas, but the strong emphasis this sūtra places on the importance of a spiritual friend is unusual.2
The sūtra states that a bodhisattva who is accepted by a spiritual friend also attains a number of dhāraṇīs (Tib. gzungs); these are formulae linked to the powers of scriptural memorization and recitation, or in a more magical vein, consisting in incantations chanted for worldly or spiritual gain. The list of these dhāraṇīs is closely related to that found in the Mahāvyutpatti, an authoritative Tibetan-Sanskrit lexicon of the ninth century.3 The sūtra also incorporates, near its beginning, a passage describing the qualities of the Buddha that is also found in the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra (Toh 106).4 Further on, there is a list of various states of samādhi, or meditative absorption, ascribed here to bodhisattvas. Similar lists also appear in the Akṣayamatinirdeśa (Toh 175),5 the Bodhisattvapiṭaka (Toh 56),6 the Ratnamegha (Toh 231),7 the Gaṇḍavyūha (Toh 44), and other sūtras, as well as in the Mahāvyutpatti.8
This sūtra seems to have been well known to Buddhist scholars in India. The text is quoted both in Nāgarjūna’s Sūtrasamuccaya (Toh 3934)9 and in the Ratnagotravibhāgavyākhyā (Toh 4025).10 If the Sūtrasamuccaya is indeed the work of the Nāgarjūna (150 to 250
Peter Skilling has recently noted the sūtra’s connection with a vast family of Buddhāvataṃsaka texts that once circulated in India, and that were only later identified as a unitary collection in Tibet and China.12 To this we may add further textual and thematic evidence for including the sūtra in the Buddhāvataṃsaka family. An important piece of textual evidence is its reference to the Samantabhadracaryāpraṇidhāna (Aspiration Prayer for the Conduct of Samantabhadra),13 a text that forms the final part of the Gaṇḍavyūhasūtra (Toh 44-45), which is itself an important component text in the Buddhāvataṃsaka family.14 Thematically, our sūtra’s multiple descriptions of the wondrous displays of buddhas’ bodies throughout all world-systems in accord with beings’ dispositions, and especially the buddhas’ displays of manifold bodies in one body, or one body in manifold bodies, draw upon tropes that are central to the Buddhāvataṃsaka corpus. Another thematic feature of this text that links it with this corpus is the central place that the dharmadhātu occupies in its descriptions of the bodhisattvas’ qualities.
Introduction to the Domain of the Inconceivable Qualities and Wisdom of the Tathāgatas, is found in the General Sūtra Section (Tib. mdo sde) of the Kangyur. According to the colophon, it was translated by the Indian pandit Jñānagarbha and the renowned Tibetan translator Yeshé Dé, who flourished in the late eighth to the early ninth centuries. It is also included in the Denkarma (ldan dkar ma) catalog, confirming that it was translated into Tibetan by the early ninth century.15
Apart from several recently-discovered fragments,16 no Sanskrit original of the text has survived. Three Chinese versions are known: probably the earliest (Taishō 303) by an unknown translator; another (Taishō 302) by the Gandharan monk Jñānagupta, carried out between 585 and 601; and a third translation (Taishō 304) by the Khotanese monk Śikṣānanda, in 700.17
This translation was prepared from the Degé (sde dge) block print in consultation with the Comparative Kangyur (dpe bsdur ma).
[F.106.a][B1]Homage to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in the region of Magadha, on the seat of awakening in the Dharma Discernment hermitage in the mansion of Samantaprabha, which was a great store of accumulated meritorious attributes, delightful, and free of flaws, and had a vast number of qualities.
The Blessed One had fully realized the equality of all phenomena. He possessed a mind with excellent comprehension and was not duplicitous in conduct. He was completely absorbed in the teaching of signlessness. He lived in the state of buddhahood, and had attained equality with all buddhas. He had attained flawless understanding, and possessed irreversible qualities. Not captivated by worldly spheres of activity, he engaged in vast, never-ending, and inconceivable buddha activity. He had realized the holy truth of signlessness. He had mastered the equality of the three times. He was endowed with a body that pervaded all the realms of the world. He held resolute knowledge about all phenomena, and was familiar with all forms of conduct. He was certain in his knowledge of the Dharma. He had an unimaginable body, and had internalized the wisdom held by all bodhisattvas. He had realized the nondual, excellent state of a buddha, and had perfected the wisdom that brings about the unique liberation of a tathāgata.[F.106.b] Having penetrated all-pervading buddha equality, he possessed the excellent dharmadhātu and reached the furthest reaches of space. In possession of a body that ceaselessly turns the wheel of the Dharma for eons until the end of time, he took a seat on a lion throne made of lotus flowers in the company of a saṅgha of six million two hundred thousand monks.
These included the Venerable Śāriputra, as well as Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, Aniruddha, Subhūti, Kātyāyana, Mahākapphiṇa, Citra,18 Nanda, Nadī-Kāśyapa, Gayā-Kāśyapa, UruvilvāKāśyapa, Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, Gavāṃpati, Cūḍāpanthaka, Vasumallaputra, Khadiravanika, Cunda, Mahākauṣṭhila, Rāhula, Ānanda, and so on. Altogether there were six million two hundred thousand monks, all of whom were absorbed in a single teaching and established in the sphere of conduct of the noble ones.
They all were established in the true, quintessential nature of all phenomena. They abided without support or foundation in the sphere of space. They had cast aside the deeply ingrained obscuration of the afflictive emotions. They possessed the knowledge of how to enter into the spheres of conduct and wisdom of the omniscient ones. They engaged in the conduct of the bodhisattvas. They were established in a method that revealed the dharmadhātu of all the tathāgatas. They were immersed in the single Dharma method. They had approached omniscience.[F.107.a] They were unswerving on the path of omniscience; their minds never turned away from omniscience. Their minds were established in understanding and wisdom. They had perfected the wisdom and insight of omniscience. Their methods and conduct had become steadfast.
The Buddha was also accompanied by sixty-two thousand nuns, including Mahāprajāpatī and Yaśodharā. They, too, had amassed virtuous qualities and were approaching the wisdom of omniscience. They were established in a method that revealed omniscience. They had realized the nonsubstantiality of all phenomena. They were established in the signlessness of all phenomena. They understood the true nature of all phenomena. They were convinced that all phenomena are unproduced, unceasing, and beyond oppositional factors. They were established in inconceivable liberation and meditative absorption. They manifested, spontaneously and nonconceptually, in shapes, bodies, colors, and modes of conduct that were perfectly suited to all the sentient beings to be trained.
The Buddha was also accompanied by a large retinue of bodhisattvas that consisted of as many bodhisattva mahāsattvas as there are atoms in the indescribably many billions of buddhafields.
They included the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Samantabhadra, Universal Guide, Universal Emanation, Universal Insight, Samantanetra, Samantaprabha, Samantāloka,[F.107.b] Samantaraśmi, and Samantaketu, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabuddhi; the bodhisattvas Great Strength, Great Strength Holder, Great Emanation, Great Emanation King, Great Diligence Hero, Great Energy Hero, Great Poise, Great Powerful Poise, Great Lord of the Feast, and Great Musth Elephant; the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Mahācandra, Sucandra, Guṇacandra, Ratnacandra, All-Illumining Moon, Stainless-Dharma Moon, Illuminating Moon, Famous Moon, and Brilliant Moon, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Pūrṇacandra; the bodhisattvas Brahmaghoṣa, Famous Melody of Brahmā, Melodious Song of the Earth, Dharmadhātu Melody, Melody That Conquers All the Throngs of Māras, Great Dharma-Drum Melody, Universally Understood Melody, Thought-Free Nonconceptual Melody, and Earth Melody, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Melody That Eclipses All Types of Song; the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Samantagarbha, Universal Stainless Essence, Guṇagarbha, Vairocanagarbha, Ratnagarbha, Candragarbha, Sūryagarbha, Jyotigarbha, Padmaśrīgarbha, Vajragarbha, Sumati, Mahāmati, Viśeṣamati, Vidhuṣṭhamati, Mahārājamati, Gurumati, Improving Intellect, Anantamati, Vipulamati, Buddhamati,[F.108.a] and Akṣayamati, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Sāgaramati, Sthiramati, Vajramati, and Intellect Perceiving the Buddha; the bodhisattvas Merupradīpa, Mahāpradīpa, Torchlight of Dharma, Light Pervading All Directions, Universal Light, Light Dispelling All Darkness, Light That Shines on All Beings, Sole Lamp of the World,19 and Candrapradīpa, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sūryapradīpa; the bodhisattvas Youthful Mañjuśrī, Youthful Jewel-Holder, Youthful Precious Seal-holder, Youthful Sky-Treasury, Youth Who Turns the Dharma Wheel Upon Generating the Mind of Awakening, Youth of Latticed Light, Youthful Clearer, Youth Who Renounces All, Youthful Glorious Essence, Youthful Lion, Youthful Moonlight, Youthful Moonbeam, Youthful Supreme Intelligence, Youthful Ornament, Padmapāṇi, Vajrapāṇi, Sūryaprabha, Ratna, Vidyut, Sūrya, Candra, All-Outshining Light of Brahmā, Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, and Intelligence that Conquers All Suffering and Darkness, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Intelligence that Renounces All Objects; the bodhisattvas Heroic Cleanliness, Heroic Purity, Heroic Aggregates, Heroic Faculties, Heroic Constituents, Heroic Emptiness,[F.108.b] Heroic Signlessness, Heroic Wishlessness, Heroic Birthlessness, Heroic Ceaselessness, Heroic Nondisappearance, Heroic Nonarrival, Heroic Without Birth or Death, Heroic Nonarising, Heroic Clear-Light Nature, Heroic in the Three Worlds, Heroic Limitlessness, Heroic in All World Systems, Heroic in All Phenomena, Heroic Liberation, Heroic Absorption, Heroic in Every Meditative State, Heroic Clairvoyance, Heroic Awareness, Heroic in the Mental Deeds of All Sentient Beings, Heroic at the Limit of Reality, Heroic Tathāgata, and Heroic Sameness, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Heroic Dharmadhātu; the bodhisattvas Unstained by the Realm of Māras, Mārajit, Great Conqueror of Māra, Ratnacūḍa, Emitter of a Thousand Light Rays, Hard Renunciation, Durdharṣa, Hard to Realize, Intellect Hard to Approach, Sears the Lower Realms, Bhadrapāla, Ratnākara, Susārthavāha, Nārada, Varuṇadeva, Candradeva, Vimaladatta, and Vimalakīrti, as well as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya; and other such bodhisattva mahāsattvas, assembled from the various world systems, as many as there are atoms in the indescribably many billions of buddhafields. All were only one birth away from awakening.[F.109.a]
In bringing all the dispositions of sentient beings to maturity, all were skilled in analysis, means, methods, and discipline, as well as in establishing them in the bodhisattva teaching. All had accessed the boundless knowledge of the method of analysis of infinite world systems. All were skilled in examining and analyzing the sphere of conduct of the level beyond suffering. They had cut through mental constructs and attachment to conduct, and were skilled in integrating all the aspects of sentient experience. All were skilled in entering the method of the Dharma that is beyond center or periphery. All were skilled in the nonobjectifying examination and discrimination of the never-ending maturation of actions in all sentient beings. All were skilled in examining and analyzing all the constituent thoughts, predispositions, faculties, intentions, and activities of sentient beings.
All were skilled in correctly retaining and pondering the knowledge of the transmitted meanings, words, and letters imparted by all the tathāgatas of the past, present, and future. All employed20 both worldly and transcendent methods of Dharma, as well as that which is without center or periphery. All were skilled in analyzing conditioned, unconditioned, phased, and gradual methods. They were established all at once and instantaneously as the maṇḍala of wisdom of all the tathāgatas of the past, present, and future. All were skilled in exhibiting—in a single, instantaneous moment of thought—death, becoming, birth,[F.109.b] renunciation, the practice of austerities, approach to the seat of awakening, victory over Māra, the attainment of perfect awakening, the turning of the wheel of Dharma, and entry into mahāparinirvāṇa. Once they had generated the mind of awakening for the sake of all sentient beings, they were inseparable from awakening to buddhahood. By penetrating the mind-frame of a single sentient being, they were able to understand the mind-frames of each and every sentient being. They possessed the body of a bodhisattva that never strayed from the level of self-originated wisdom. Due to their omniscience, their attainment21 was irreversible. Without disrupting the bodhisattvas’ power of application, they were established in a method understanding the absence of application.
All were skilled in bestowing blessings through persistent involvement over countless ages in the deeds of a single sentient being. They bestowed blessings through continuously turning the wheel of the Dharma, and were skilled at inducing in all beings a temperament suitable for instruction. They had entered the pure state of all the tathāgatas of the past, present, and future, and possessed the quality of the powers of conduct22 and aspiration.
They possessed the special intention of the Aspiration Prayer for the Conduct of Samantabhadra. All were skilled in approaching and appealing to all the buddhas of the present. All were skilled in holding on to the Dharma methods of all the tathāgatas. All followed in the unbroken lineage of all the buddhas.[F.110.a] They all made buddhas appear in world systems that were without buddhas. They all purified world systems polluted by defilements. All had severed the chain of karmic obscurations faced by all bodhisattvas and entered the unveiled dharmadhātu. All possessed qualities as immeasurable as the sphere of space. They all maintained equality as they entered the dharmadhātu. They maintained equality at the limit of reality and in the dharmadhātu. They were dedicated to maturation in accordance with the action that brought it about. They were dedicated to the result in accordance with the causes that brought it about. They understood that all phenomena are equal, like the raised designs on a seal. They knew that phenomena, which appear like illusions and reflections, are in a state of equality. They knew that the auditory perceptions of all phenomena resemble echoes. They were established in liberation and inconceivable absorptions. They disported themselves in the absorption of heroic progress.
They possessed dhāraṇīs23 that accomplish the perfect hues of the limitless bodies of the buddhas. They were able to display all the world systems on just a single hair. They were able to display in all ten directions—on just a single hair—death, becoming, birth, renunciation, the practice of austerities, approach to the seat of awakening,[F.110.b] victory over Māra, the attainment of perfect awakening, the turning of the wheel of Dharma, and entry into mahāparinirvāṇa.
They knew how to fill the celestial expanse of all the world systems in the ten directions by simply sitting in cross-legged posture. All were skilled in displaying the adornments of all the buddhafields in one buddhafield. All were skilled in displaying the adornments arranged in one buddhafield in all the buddhafields. All were skilled in displaying, in the retinue of a single tathāgata, all the retinues of all tathāgatas in all the vast world systems of the ten directions. All were skilled in displaying, in the retinues of all tathāgatas of all world systems of the ten directions, the retinue of a single tathāgata. All were skilled in demonstrating that all phenomena are without limit or center. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of all sentient beings within their own bodies. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of all the buddhas within a single buddha body. All were skilled in displaying the body of a single buddha within the bodies of all the buddhas. All were skilled in displaying all the world systems of the ten directions within their own bodies. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of the sentient beings of the three times within the body of a single sentient being.
All were skilled in displaying the future and the present in the past, and the past and the present in the future, as well as the past and the future in the present.[F.111.a] All were skilled in resting in absorption with a single body, but manifesting based on boundless, countless bodies. All were skilled in resting in absorption in boundless, countless bodies, but displaying manifestations based on a single body.
All were skilled in displaying full awakening commensurate with the bodies of all sentient beings. All were skilled in displaying the body of a single sentient being in the bodies of all sentient beings. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of all sentient beings in the body of a single sentient being. All were skilled in displaying a buddha body in the bodies of all sentient beings. All were skilled in displaying the emergence of the bodies of sentient beings from a buddha body. All were skilled in displaying the bodies of sentient beings as the dharmakāya. All were skilled in displaying the adornments arranged in all buddhafields within a single buddhafield. All were skilled in displaying the adornments arranged in a single buddhafield within all buddhafields. All were skilled in displaying the dharmakāya as the body of sentient beings. All were skilled in displaying all the world systems of the ten directions condensed in a single pore. All were skilled in demonstrating in their complete and perfect awakening the basis of all the buddhas’ powerful former resolve to attain complete and perfect awakening. All were skilled in demonstrating unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening perfectly suited to maturing sentient beings to be trained within all the infinite world systems of the ten directions.[F.111.b] All were skilled in displaying, in a single world system, for the entire number of eons, a body that ceaselessly engages in bodhisattva conduct.
All were skilled in displaying, with the single cultivation of the mind of awakening, the venues for engaging in behavior, deeds, and spontaneous and nonconceptual conduct perfectly suited to maturing all the sentient beings to be trained within each of the infinite world systems of the entire universe in the ten directions including those born from an egg or womb, born from heat and moisture, and born miraculously; those with and without corporeality, those with and without perception; those with two, four, or more legs; and gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, world guardians, humans, and nonhumans. All were skilled in entering into each minute particle in countless, inconceivable, matchless, vast, boundless, and indescribable world systems, without harming a single sentient being. All were skilled in blessing countless, inconceivable, matchless, vast, boundless, and indescribable eons, in just a single moment. All were skilled in blessing a single moment, during countless, inconceivable, matchless, vast, boundless, and indescribably many eons.[F.112.a] All were skilled in displaying, spontaneously and nonconceptually, bodily hues and modes of conduct that bring sentient beings to maturation. These bodhisattvas-mahāsattvas, and all the others, possessed vast and countless qualities.
Then countless, inconceivable, matchless, vast, boundless, and indescribably many gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, as well as Brahmā, Śakra, and the world guardians, assembled from all the various buddhafields. Furthermore, from this world system, the many millions of gods belonging to the league of the Four Great Kings, each with his own vast retinue, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. Many millions accompanying Śakra, many millions with the divine king of the Suyāmā Heaven, many millions with the divine king of Tuṣita, many millions with the divine king of Nirmāṇarati, and many millions with the divine king of Paranirmitavaśavartin—each divine king with his own vast retinue approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma.
Many millions of gods belonging to the league of Māra, such as Sārthavāha and so on, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. One million eight hundred thousand rākṣasa spirits,[F.112.b] three million eight hundred thousand demon spirits, eight million asura spirits, and six million five hundred thousand knowledge-mantra practitioners, as well as nine million nine hundred thousand sages, all in possession of the five supernormal knowledges, approached the Blessed One. The great kings of the wind known as Vairambhaka and Great Vairambhaka with their myriad retinues, a hundred million Brahmās, a hundred million Great Brahmās, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Lesser Light, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Immeasurable Light, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Radiant Light, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Lesser Virtue, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Immeasurable Virtue, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Vast Virtue, a hundred million gods of the Heaven Without Clouds, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Large Fruit, a hundred million gods of the Heaven Born from Merit, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Those of Exquisite Appearance, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Acute Perception, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Unsurpassed, a hundred million gods of the Heaven of Sorrowless, and a hundred million gods of Akaniṣṭha—they all, with each Great Brahmā in possession of his own vast retinue, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma.
They included Devaputra Maheśvara, one of the hundred million gods of the pure heavens, and his retinue,24 who all approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. One hundred million nāga lords, a hundred million yakṣa lords, a hundred million gandharva lords, a hundred million asura lords, a hundred million garuḍa lords, a hundred million kinnara lords, and a hundred million mahoraga lords,[F.113.a] each with his own vast retinue—they all approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. Limitless, countless numbers of human and nonhuman25 beings also approached the Blessed One in order to see him, pay homage, make offerings, venerate him, and listen to the Dharma. Myriad millions of male and female lay disciples also approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma.
All the gods of the grasses, branches, medicinal herbs, and forests, as well as all the gods of the mountains, including Meru and Great Meru, Mucilinda and Great Mucilinda, Himavat, and Cakravāḍa and Great Cakravāḍa, along with their holy sites,26 also approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. In addition, all the gods of the seas and oceans, rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, springs and waterfalls, along with their holy sites, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. All the gods of the villages, cities, towns, districts, provinces, royal precincts, and surroundings,27[F.113.b] together with their own holy sites, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. All the gods of the holy sites of the nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, with each positioned in his or her own holy site, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. By the power of the Blessed One, no sentient being was harmed or kept in the dark. The divinities of a hundred million moons, a hundred million suns, and a hundred million oceans, each with his or her own vast retinue, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. In addition, the great nāga king Anavatapta, along with his retinue, approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. All the beings who had been born as animals also approached the Blessed One in order to behold him, pay homage to him, worship him, make offerings to him, and listen to the Dharma. All the beings who had been born as animals unanimously aspired toward the Mahāyāna; they dedicated themselves to the Mahāyāna, and sought to attain the wisdom of omniscience.
At that time the Blessed One’s bodily hue, form, luster, and radiance outshone his entire retinue. He was luminous, glowing, and bright.[F.114.a] For example, just as the sun emits countless, myriad rays that surpass all glowworms in their luminosity, glow, and brightness, in the same way the luminosity, glow, and brightness of the Blessed One surpasses Śakra, Brahmā, and all the guardians of the world. Or, as another analogy, just as the full moon, when it emerges from behind the surrounding clouds, surpasses all the constellations of stars in luminosity, glow, and brightness, in the same way the Blessed One overawes and surpasses Śakra, Brahmā, and all the world guardians in his luminosity, glow, and brightness. Like Mount Meru, the king of mountains, he is resplendent, imperturbable, unchanging, and steadfast in his luminosity, glow, and brightness.
Then Youthful Mañjuśrī said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, “O Son of the Jina, in this way the Tathāgata abides here in an unperturbed, unchanging, and steadfast manner.”
Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin replied to Youthful Mañjuśrī, “Mañjuśrī, some within this very retinue observe that the Tathāgata takes religious vows and leaves household life behind. Others observe him taking religious vows and living in austerity. Some within this very retinue observe him going to the seat of awakening. Others observe that he resides on the seat of awakening. Some within this very retinue observe him surrounded by and overcoming a vast, immeasurable circle of evil spirits. Others[F.114.b] observe the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Śakra, and Brahmā, as well as all the innumerable, countless world guardians, rejoicing and proclaiming: ‘Victory! Victory to you, O great guide!’ Some observe how, after he achieved full awakening, Śakra petitioned him. Others observe how Brahmā petitioned him. Some of this retinue observe that the guardians petitioned the Blessed One.
“Some observe the Blessed One teaching them a discourse on generosity. Others of this very retinue observe the Blessed One teaching a discourse on moral conduct, and still others observe the Blessed One teaching a discourse on patience, diligence, concentration, or insight. Some observe the Blessed One teaching them a discourse on skillful means, or on miraculous powers, resolve, or wisdom.
“Some observe the Blessed One teaching them a discourse on the Śrāvakayāna, others observe him teaching a discourse on the Pratyekabuddhayāna, and others observe him teaching a discourse on the Mahāyāna.
“Some observe the Blessed One teaching them the factors that cause sentient beings to be born in the hell realms, others observe him teaching on factors that cause birth among the animals, others observe him teaching on factors that cause birth among the hungry ghosts, others on factors that cause birth in the realm of the Lord of Death, and others still[F.115.a] on factors that cause birth among the gods in the league of the Four Great Kings. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the abode of the Thirty-Three Gods. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the Yāma abode. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in Tuṣita, or in Nirmāṇarati, or in Paranirmitavaśavartin, or in the abode of Māras, or in the abode of Brahmā. Similarly, some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the abode of Brahmā’s High Priests, on birth in the abode of Brahmā’s Entourage, and on birth in the abodes of Lesser Light, Immeasurable Light, Radiant Light, Lesser Virtue, Immeasurable Virtue, and Vast Virtue. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the abodes of Without Clouds, Born from Merit, Large Fruit, Unsurpassed, Sorrowless, Exquisite Appearance, and Acute Perception, and on birth in Akaniṣṭha. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth in the abodes of Infinity of Space, Infinity of Consciousness, Nothingness, and birth in the abode of Neither-Perception-nor-Nonperception.
“Mañjuśrī, some within this retinue observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause birth as human beings. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that cause becoming a universal monarch. Some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that give rise to monarchs of one, two, or three continents. And some observe the Blessed One teaching on factors that give rise to a monarch of the chiliocosm, dichiliocosm, and trichiliocosm and their worlds as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges.
“Mañjuśrī, some within this retinue observe the Tathāgata’s body as exceeding six feet tall; others as much as a mile, or as much as two miles; and still others[F.115.b] as much as a league. Others observe the Tathāgata’s body as exceeding two leagues, and others as much as ten leagues. Some within this retinue observe the Tathāgata’s body as being a thousand leagues tall. Others observe the Tathāgata’s body as ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty thousand leagues tall. Some observe the Tathāgata’s body as being a hundred thousand leagues, one million, two million, three million, four million, or five million leagues tall. Some observe the Tathāgata’s body as being one hundred eighty-four thousand leagues tall. Within this very retinue, some observe the Tathāgata’s body as being countless hundreds of thousands of leagues tall.
“Some within this retinue see the Tathāgata’s body as golden in color. Others observe that it is the color of a precious beryl jewel, others as the color of a great jewel of sapphire, others as the color of a great azure gem, others as the color of a jewel of starlight, others as the color of a jewel of precious ruby, others as the color of the precious jewel held by Śakra, others as the color of a precious, shining diamond, others as the color of a precious jewel that shines like all the gods, others as the color of a precious jewel that shines like the sun and moon, others as the color of a precious water-purifying gem, others as the color of a precious crystal jewel, others as the color of a precious wish-fulfilling jewel, others as the color of a precious jewel that includes all lights, others as the color of a precious jewel the color of[F.116.a] the maned lion, the king of beasts, others as the color of a jewel at the apex of a lion victory-banner, and others see it as precious gems that radiate light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans. Mañjuśrī, some within this retinue see the Blessed One as the color of a precious wish-fulfilling jewel.
“Mañjuśrī, whatever colors, conduct, and forms will train sentient beings, they are precisely the colors, conduct, and forms of the Tathāgata that sentient beings see. Mañjuśrī, whatever Dharma teachings will mature sentient beings, they are precisely the teachings that sentient beings observe the Tathāgata teaching. Mañjuśrī, whatever conduct will lead sentient beings toward, and instruct them in, the teaching of the Tathāgata, this is precisely the conduct that sentient beings understand the Tathāgata to engage in.
“Mañjuśrī, imagine that the countless, unimaginable, incomparable, immeasurable, limitless, indescribably ineffable world systems of the east were filled with gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, world guardians, humans and nonhumans; and if, just like in the east, the countless, unimaginable, peerless, immeasurable,[F.116.b] limitless, indescribably ineffable world systems of the south, the west, and the north, and similarly the southeast and southwest, and similarly the northwest and northeast, as well as those above and below, were filled with gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, world guardians, humans, and nonhumans—like fields full of reeds or sugarcane, or fields full of sesame. If, Mañjuśrī, those sentient beings were to be instructed by seeing the Tathāgata, they would perceive themselves seated six feet in front of the Tathāgata.
“Mañjuśrī, whatever colors, conduct, and location will instruct those sentient beings, they are precisely the colors, conduct, and location in which those sentient beings see the Tathāgata as present before them. Mañjuśrī, whatever Dharma teaching will develop sentient beings, this is precisely the Dharma that they hear taught. Mañjuśrī, whatever deeds will cause sentient beings to engage with the teaching of the Tathāgata are precisely the deeds in which the Tathāgata engages. All the deeds of the Tathāgata are spontaneously and nonconceptually accomplished.
“Mañjuśrī, it is as follows: Although all sentient beings in the world observe the disk of the waxing moon when it appears before them at midnight, the moon-disk does not consciously think, ‘I shall appear before these sentient beings so that they may wonder, “Why am I aware of the moon?”’ It does not consciously think this, Mañjuśrī, and yet the moon, because of its unique qualities, spontaneously and nonconceptually acts in such a way.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha may stand in the midst of countless, inconceivable, unrivaled, vast, boundless, and indescribably many[F.117.a] retinues, and everyone sees the Tathāgata present before them, yet when he does so, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think, ‘I shall stand before these sentient beings so that that they may know that the Tathāgata is in front of them.’ He does not consciously think that. Yet whatever manner will instruct these sentient beings, this is the manner in which they observe the Tathāgata before them. It is so because of his unique qualities.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, it is because of the ripening of action—inferior, middling, or superior—of sentient beings that their mental impulses—inferior, medium, or superior—will arise. The impulses do not think—they are not conscious—and yet these impulses spontaneously and nonconceptually engage in action: inferior, medium, or superior.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, because of the ripening of the actions of sentient beings—inferior, medium, or superior—is seen by them as an inferior, middling, or superior Tathāgata. Even though, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, still the Tathāgata’s deeds spontaneously occur in this manner.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, there exists a form of the gem beryl that changes colors if it is placed on different colored cloth. If, Mañjuśrī, the beryl is placed on a yellow cloth, the beryl turns yellow. If placed on a red cloth, it turns red. If placed on a blue cloth, it turns blue. Thus, it assumes precisely the color of whatever cloth onto which it is placed.[F.117.b] Yet, Mañjuśrī, the beryl does not think or conceptualize. Rather, such activity occurs spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, the Tathāgata assumes different hues because sentient beings are different. If, Mañjuśrī, sentient beings are best instructed by seeing the Tathāgata’s body as golden in color, then they see the Tathāgata’s body as golden. If sentient beings are best instructed through a color similar to that of a gem of beryl, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a gem of beryl. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a pearl, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a pearl. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a sapphire, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a sapphire. Mañjuśrī, if sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a special sapphire, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a special sapphire. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a jewel that captures all lights, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a jewel that captures all lights. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a wish-fulfilling jewel, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a wish-fulfilling jewel. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a precious gem that shines with light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a precious gem that shines with light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans.[F.118.a] If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a jewel the color of the maned lion, the king of beasts, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a jewel the color of the maned lion, the king of beasts. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a jewel peak of a lion victory-banner, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a jewel peak of a lion victory-banner. Mañjuśrī, if sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a jeweled flash of lightning, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a jeweled flash of lightning. If sentient beings are best instructed by a color resembling a precious water-purifying jewel, they see the Tathāgata’s body as the color of a precious water-purifying jewel.
“In the same way, if sentient beings are best instructed by seeing the Tathāgata’s body in the form of Śakra or Brahmā or a worldly guardian, they see the Tathāgata’s body in the form of Śakra or Brahmā or a worldly guardian.
“And so on—if sentient beings are best instructed through the form of one born as a denizen of hell, as an animal, as a hungry ghost, and so forth, up to one born in the world of the Lord of Death, they see the Tathāgata’s body in the form of a denizen of hell, as an animal, or a hungry ghost, and so forth, up to the form of one born in the world of the Lord of Death.
“Through whatever form, body, appearance, and conduct sentient beings are best instructed—up to birth in the formless realm—they see the Tathāgata in such a form, body, appearance, and conduct.
“In the same way, although they see Tathāgata in whatever form, body, appearance, and conduct will best instruct them, that is to say, as sentient beings born from an egg or womb, born from heat or moisture,[F.118.b] or born miraculously; and born with form or without form, with or without conception, or with neither conception nor nonconception, the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize:
‘While these sentient beings see me as golden in hue, may they not see me as the color of gem of beryl. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a gem of beryl, may they not see me as the color of a sapphire. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a pink sapphire, may they not see me as the color of a blue sapphire. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a blue sapphire, may they not see me as the color of a jewel that captures all lights. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a jewel that captures all lights, may they not see me as the color of a wish-fulfilling jewel. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a wish-fulfilling jewel, may they not see me as the color of a precious gem that shines with light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious gem that shines with light rays of the jeweled array of all the pristine domains of the oceans, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel the color of the maned lion, the king of beasts.[F.119.a] While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel the color of the maned lion, the king of beasts, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel peak of a lion victory-banner. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel peak of a lion victory-banner, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel held by Śakra. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel held by Śakra, may they not see me as the color of a shining diamond. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a shining diamond, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like all the gods. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like all the gods, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like sunlight and moonlight. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like sunlight and moonlight, may they not see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like a flash of lightning. While these sentient beings see me as the color of a precious jewel that shines like a flash of lightning, may they not see me as the color of a sovereign wish-fulfilling jewel.’
“Likewise, you should also apply this to the sentient beings born in every form of life.
“Mañjuśrī, even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.[B2]
“For example, Mañjuśrī, wherever a sovereign wish-fulfilling jewel appears, no iron or implements made of iron can exist. Even so, Mañjuśrī, the sovereign wish-fulfilling jewel does not think or conceptualize, ‘Wherever I appear, let no iron or implements made of iron exist!’ And yet, this is how its action occurs, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, in whatever buddhafield a tathāgata appears, there the tenets of carakas, parivrājakas, nirgranthas,[F.119.b] and so forth cannot exist. No instance of wrong view can occur in such a buddhafield. No disputes can erupt there. The five offences with immediate consequences cannot transpire there. The paths of the ten nonvirtuous actions cannot transpire there. No royal edicts or rejection of cherished doctrines can occur there.
“The light of the sun and moon does not shine there. The lights of Śakra, Brahmā, and the world guardians, as well as the lights of all the gods, do not shine there. The lights of gems, fire, and lightning do not shine there. There, split seconds, seconds, months, fortnights, and years do not elapse. Mañjuśrī, only the blessing of the tathāgatas exist there in order to mature sentient beings. Mañjuśrī, even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, this is how their activity unfolds—spontaneously and nonconceptually—on account of sentient beings.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, all that is touched by the light of a precious blue sapphire jewel becomes the color of the blue sapphire, and even though the precious blue sapphire jewel does not think or conceptualize, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, everyone who is touched by the light that is mentally formulated and focused by the tathāgatas turns the ‘color’ of omniscience. Even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, Mañjuśrī, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, a large precious jewel of polished lapis lazuli, whether it adorns the head, neck, arm, or leg, remains vivid, shining, and bright, regardless of the way it always28 faces. Although the adornments remain vivid, shining, and bright on account of the power of the precious jewel of polished lapis lazuli,[F.120.a] the lapis lazuli gem does not think or conceptualize. Rather, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the actions of the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, no matter what code of conduct he engages in, be it the conduct of a śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, bodhisattva, or tathāgata; or whether it be the conduct of a caraka, parivrājaka, or a nirgrantha; or be it the conduct of the animals, hungry ghosts, or those living in the world of the Lord of Death; or be it the conduct of a flesh-eating demon, kumbhāṇḍa, or rākṣasa, or the conduct of a god, nāga, or yakṣa—in whatever conduct he engages, it will be vivid, shining, and bright. His conduct is beautifully vivid, shining, and bright due to the power of the Tathāgata himself. Even though the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, Mañjuśrī, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, seeds, grasses, large trees, medicinal herbs, and entire forests all germinate, grow, and flourish once they are planted in the ground and rely on it for nourishment. Even though, Mañjuśrī, the ground does not think or conceptualize, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, all the roots of virtue of sentient beings germinate, grow, and flourish once they are implanted in the Tathāgata and rely on the Tathāgata for nourishment. Even though the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, this is how his activity unfolds—spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, consider a great cloud that covers the whole of the earth, and then rains down a heavy downpour on the different types of seeds,29 grasses, large trees, medicinal herbs, and entire forests.[F.120.b] This flow of water, all of the same flavor, makes the different types of seeds, grasses, large trees, medicinal herbs, and forests germinate. As it falls in different places, the water assumes different flavors and colors. Even though, Mañjuśrī, the cloud does not think or conceptualize, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha pervades all the vast realms of the ten directions with the cloud of his buddha body. He pours down a great rain of Dharma onto the accumulated roots of virtue, prayers, noble intentions, different aspirations, and dispositions of sentient beings. Mañjuśrī, although that Dharma rain is of equal flavor, through the rain of different types of teachings that pours down on those established in different accumulations of roots of virtue, in diverse aspirations, intentions, and interests, and in multiple dispositions, he generates roots of merit in accordance with those beings’ abilities and strengths.
“Even so, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, with the thought, ‘For these sentient beings, I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to the wisdom of a śrāvaka; for those sentient beings I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to the wisdom of a pratyekabuddha. For these sentient beings I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to the wisdom of a buddha. For those sentient beings I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to birth in the heavenly abode of the Four Great Kings. And for these sentient beings I shall produce the roots of virtue that lead to birth in the heavenly abode of the Thirty-Three Gods. And so on, likewise, I shall produce the roots of virtue of those born in the abode of Yāma, Tuṣita,[F.121.a] Nirmāṇarati, and Paranirmitavaśavartin; as well as those of Brahmā and Brahmā’s Attendants, those of Lesser Light, Immeasurable Light, and Radiant Light; those of Lesser Virtue, Immeasurable Virtue, and Vast Virtue; those of Without Clouds, Born from Merit, and Large Fruit; and those of the pure realms Unsurpassed, Sorrowless, Exquisite Appearance, Acute Perception, and Akaniṣṭha. I shall produce the roots of virtue of the gods born in the league of Māra.’
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, with the thought, ‘For these sentient beings I shall produce the various roots of virtue that lead to birth as a king; for these sentient beings I shall produce the various roots of virtue that lead to human birth; for these sentient beings I shall produce the various roots of virtue that lead to birth as a powerful deity.’
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize in that way. Nevertheless, the activity of the Tathāgata unfolds—spontaneously and nonconceptually—in accordance with the aspirations, noble intentions, interests, and roots of virtue that sentient beings have accumulated.
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata is impartial toward everything; he does not conceptualize while in a state of equanimity. For example, Mañjuśrī, as soon as the sun rises, it emits countless myriads of light rays, and thus dispels the world’s thick clouds of darkness. But the sun does not think or conceptualize; this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, as soon as the sun-likeTathāgata rises, he emits countless myriads of wisdom light-rays,[F.121.b] and thus dispels the darkness that engenders wrong views in sentient beings; then it is only the blessing of the Tathāgata that turns the world toward the correct view, in order to develop sentient beings.
“Mañjuśrī, even though the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize, with the thought, ‘I am dispelling the wrong views of sentient beings,’ or ‘I shall dispel them,’ this, Mañjuśrī, is how the activity of the Tathāgata unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not conceptualize; he is impartial and evenhanded in all matters. For example, Mañjuśrī, on account of the power of a magician, magical trickery displays various actions and different types of bodies; however, Mañjuśrī, the magical illusion is ineffable, unproduced, unceasing, unwritten, soundless, objectless, insubstantial, inconceivable, without characteristics, nondual, without any activity, equal to the dharmadhātu, and beyond oppositional factors. Yet, Mañjuśrī, on account of the magician’s power, his magical emanations display different types of action, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, although the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha assumes a variety of physical bodies, hues, activities, behaviors, and deeds within saṃsāra for the sake of sentient beings, he is still ineffable, unproduced, unceasing, unwritten, soundless, objectless, insubstantial, inconceivable, without characteristics, nondual, without any activity, equal to the dharmadhātu, and beyond oppositional factors, and he transcends the three realms of existence. Yet, Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata, for the sake of sentient beings, displays—spontaneously and nonconceptually—his many different deeds.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, although there is only one sun,[F.122.a] due to the influence of the sovereign Mount Meru, sentient beings see it in many different aspects on the four continents. Some perceive it to be rising, and others to have already risen. Some perceive it to be just warming up, and others to be hot. Some perceive midnight, and others noon. Some observe the sun at the first watch at dawn, while others observe the sun only in the afternoon. Some are only aware of the sun once it disappears, while others only know it at dawn. Even though the sun is a single orb, sentient beings on the four continents perceive it to be different things. The orb of the sun does not think or conceptualize, but due to Mount Meru, it displays its various actions—spontaneously and nonconceptually—in the world systems of the four continents.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, on account of the power of sentient beings, is known by some within his retinue as a fully awakened Tathāgata, while others know him to have passed into nirvāṇa; still others know him as the Blessed One, the complete and perfect Buddha.
“Within that very retinue, some know that the Blessed One has passed into nirvāṇa. Others know that ten years have elapsed since the Tathāgata, Blessed One, attained perfect awakening. Still others know that ten years have elapsed since the Tathāgata passed into nirvāṇa. Some know the essence of the teaching of the Blessed One, while others know the Blessed One’s teaching in a state of decline. Some know that ten, twenty, thirty,[F.122.b] forty, or fifty years have elapsed since the Blessed One taught the Dharma. Some know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years have elapsed since the Blessed One passed into nirvāṇa. Some know that a hundred or a thousand years have elapsed since the Blessed One attained perfect awakening. Others know that a hundred or a thousand years have elapsed since the Blessed One passed into nirvāṇa. Some know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty thousand years have elapsed since the Blessed One attained perfect awakening. Others know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty thousand years have elapsed since the Blessed One passed into nirvāṇa. Some know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty hundred thousand million eons have elapsed since the Blessed One attained perfect awakening, while others know that ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty hundred thousand million eons have elapsed since the Blessed One passed into nirvāṇa.
“Mañjuśrī, within this retinue, some gods and men know that inexpressibly, indescribably many eons have elapsed since the Blessed One, Śākyamuni, attained perfect awakening. Mañjuśrī, within this retinue, some gods and men know that inexpressibly, indescribably many eons have elapsed since the Blessed One, Śākyamuni, passed into nirvāṇa.
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata does not think or conceptualize. Even so, Mañjuśrī, for the sake of sentient beings, the Tathāgata’s deeds unfold in this way, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, when stormy winds arise in this world,[F.123.a] the grasses, large trees, medicinal herbs, forests, and every leafy thing waver, vibrate, and judder; tremble, quiver, and quake; and clamor, roar, and howl. While they are agitated, disturbed, and shaken, some leaves fall down in the east and are blown aloft in the west, but some fall down in the west and are blown aloft in the east. The edges of some leaves fall while their centers rise. Some leaves fall down in the north but are blown aloft in the south.
“The grasses, large trees, forests, and leaves do not think or conceptualize. Yet, even so, Mañjuśrī, due to the power of the stormy wind, they display many different actions. In the same way, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha does not think or conceptualize. Even so, for the sake of sentient beings, there arise, perpetually and instantaneously in the vast, countless world systems of the ten directions, innumerable venues for his entry into physical bodies, hues, modes of conduct,30 training, and tasks.
“Mañjuśrī, for as long as sentient beings focus their minds on the Tathāgata, for that long they interrupt or reverse the process of their rebirth in hell, among animals and hungry ghosts, and in the realm of the Lord of Death.
“Thus, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, possesses innumerable qualities. Even bodhisattva mahāsattvas, who abide in inconceivable states of absorption and liberation, cannot comprehend, in a hundred billion eons,[F.123.b] the scope of the qualities attributable to just a single tathāgata.
“Mañjuśrī, among those who claim to possess the five supernormal knowledges, a small number of non-Buddhist sages who are free from desire behold, with the divine eye, more sentient beings than the gods and humans of the trichiliocosm in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel.
“Mañjuśrī, the many sentient beings of the trichiliocosm beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by a small number of non-Buddhist sages who are free from desire, among those who claim to possess the five supernormal knowledges, are fewer in number than the many sentient beings beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by the śrāvaka disciples of the Tathāgata, the arhats whose defilements are exhausted, and who meditate on the eight aspects of liberation.
“Mañjuśrī, the many sentient beings of the trichiliocosm beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot-wheel by the śrāvaka disciples of the Tathāgata, the arhats whose defilements are exhausted, and who meditate on the eight aspects of liberation, are fewer in number than the many sentient beings beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by the pratyekabuddhas.
“Mañjuśrī, the many sentient beings of the trichiliocosm that the pratyekabuddhas behold with the divine eye are fewer in number than the many sentient beings beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by the bodhisattvas, who abide in inconceivable liberation and absorption.
“Mañjuśrī, the many sentient beings of the trichiliocosm that the bodhisattvas, who abide in inconceivable liberation and absorption, behold with the divine eye are innumerably fewer[F.124.a] than the sentient beings beheld with the divine eye in a place no bigger than a chariot wheel by the Tathāgata.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, it is not easy, even for the bodhisattvas, who abide in inconceivable liberation and absorption, over as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, to quantify, conceive of, or enumerate the past, present, and future mental contents and events of each sentient being that dwells in every place no bigger than a chariot-wheel throughout the infinite worlds of the ten directions.
“Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, spontaneously knows—at once, in one instant, and in just one moment—the past, present, and future minds and mental factors of sentient beings.
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata knows—through his spontaneously present wisdom, in a nonconceptual way, at once, in one instant, and in just one moment—exactly and correctly how the past, present, and future causes, aims, and conditions of the mind and mental factors, as well as the venues for engaging in the conduct, training, and tasks, of all those sentient beings living within all the worlds of the ten directions will come about.
“Mañjuśrī, he also knows—through his spontaneously present wisdom, in a nonconceptual way, at once, in one instant, and in just one moment—how those sentient beings may be trained for unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening.
“Mañjuśrī, the Tathāgata also knows—through his spontaneously present wisdom, in a nonconceptual way, all at once, instantaneously, and in just one moment—the defilements, as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges, of the state of ignorance of each sentient being.[F.124.b]
“Mañjuśrī, he also knows—through his spontaneously present wisdom, in a nonconceptual way, all at once, instantaneously, and in just one moment—the causes, aims, and conditions through which those defilements arise, and through knowledge of what skillful means these beings’ defilements may be trained.
“Thus, Mañjuśrī, the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect buddhas, possess inconceivable wisdom. For example, Mañjuśrī, the moon, due to the power of the sun, shows the world its form, color, brilliance, and light, to the fullest, intermediate, and least extent; but the moon itself does not wax or wane. Nevertheless, the maturation of the actions of sentient beings causes the counting of days, calculated in seconds and half-seconds; this is how it occurs. Mañjuśrī, the moon-disk does not think or conceptualize; this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, sentient beings with the highest, intermediate, and lowest mental capacities, in all the vast world systems of the ten directions, see the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect buddha-forms, buddha-hues, buddha-brilliance, and buddha-light at their highest, intermediate, and lowest levels. Mañjuśrī, sentient beings see the tathāgatas in accordance with their roots of virtue, conduct, and aspirations, as well as the strength of their resolution; however, Mañjuśrī, there are no highest, intermediate, or lowest levels among the tathāgatas.
“Mañjuśrī, the reason for this is[F.125.a] that the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect buddhas, are the dharmakāya: they are completely nonoriginated, nonarisen, and nonceasing. Nevertheless, Mañjuśrī, due to their highest, intermediate, or lowest mental capacities, sentient beings perceive tathāgatas at a high, intermediate, or low level. Mañjuśrī, the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize, but this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“Mañjuśrī, to the sentient beings of this trichiliocosm—born in the realms of the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahmā, Śakra, world guardians, humans, nonhumans, and so on, down to the abode ofanimals—the tathāgatas both eat and do not eat food, both see and do not see, are both empty and not empty,31 are both stern and not stern, and are both tangible and intangible. This is how all their activity unfolds through the power of the buddhas, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, everyone who sees, touches, and is affected by a precious sapphire jewel will turn the color of the precious sapphire jewel, but the precious sapphire jewel does not think or conceptualize.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, all those sentient beings who at least see the tathāgatas in painted forms or statues, who touch them, or who are even aware of their influence will assume inconceivable, perfect forms and hues. But the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, if anyone sees the royal elixir tree called Well-Seen, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions,[F.125.b] his eyes will become pure. If anyone hears the sound it makes when stirred by the wind, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his ears will become pure. If anyone smells its scent, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his nose will become pure. If anyone tastes its flavor, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his sense of taste will become pure. If anyone touches it with his body, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his body will be purified. Mañjuśrī, the royal elixir tree called Well-Seen does not think or conceptualize; still, this is how its activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, if anyone so much as beholds the tathāgatas in painted forms or statues, their eyes will become pure through that root of virtue. Even down to those born in the abode of animals, irrespective of their malevolent or benign intentions, if anyone hears the words buddha, or tathāgata, or protector of the world, his sense of hearing will become pure through that root of virtue. If anyone catches the scent of their qualities, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his nose will become pure through that root of virtue. If anyone tastes the flavor of their teaching, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his tongue will become pure through that root of virtue.[F.126.a] If anyone makes physical contact with them, irrespective of his malevolent or benign intentions, his body will become pure through that root of virtue.
“Mañjuśrī, the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize. But because they possess unique qualities, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“For example, Mañjuśrī, when sentient beings who are in pain or poisoned hear the sound of a drum smeared with the ointment of the royal elixir tree called Separation, all their pains are relieved and their poisons become nontoxic. Mañjuśrī, the royal elixir tree called Separation does not think or conceptualize. Still, due to sentient beings’ accumulations of causes and conditions and the ripening of their actions, this is how the activity of the royal elixir tree called Separation unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“In the same way, Mañjuśrī, as soon as sentient beings hear the name of the tathāgatas, the pains of their wrong views are relieved, and the poisons of their desire, anger, and ignorance become nontoxic.
“Mañjuśrī, the tathāgatas do not think or conceptualize. Still, because they possess unique qualities, this is how their activity unfolds, spontaneously and nonconceptually.
“Mañjuśrī, the atomic particles of the trichiliocosm are fewer than the myriad deeds the Blessed One, Śākyamuni, performed in order to train sentient beings in as many world systems of the ten directions as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and as there are individual atomic particles in those world systems, by means of the four ways of collecting merit, while having previously trained in the conduct of a bodhisattva.
“Mañjuśrī, the particles, as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges,[F.126.b] of the world systems of the ten directions are fewer than the ceaseless, spontaneous, nonconceptual deeds the Blessed One, Śākyamuni, performed that have already developed, are developing, and will train for unexcelled, complete, and perfect awakening, sentient beings as numerous as the limitless atomic particles in the boundless world systems of the ten directions.
“Mañjuśrī, this is why the activity of the thus-gone, blessed, complete and perfect Buddha, performed in order to develop sentient beings, is inconceivable.
The Tibetan tradition recognizes three categories of the Buddha’s words: (1) oral teachings (Tib. zhal nas gsungs pa); (2) imparted with blessings (Tib. byin gyis brlabs pa); and (3) imparted with permission (Tib. rjes su gnang ba).
It is not without parallel, however. See, for example, The Sūtra on Reliance upon a Virtuous Spiritual Friend (Kalyāṇamitrasevanasūtra, Toh 300).
And also in The Teaching on the Great Compassion of the Tathāgata (Tathāgatamahākaruṇānirdeśa, Toh 147). For a discussion of these dhāraṇīs see Pagel 2007, 169–72, 174.
See Buddhavacana Translation Group, trans., Unraveling the Intent, Toh 106 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha).
See Jens Braarvig and David Welsh, University of Oslo, trans., The Teaching of Akṣayamati, Toh 175 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha).
Norwegian Institute of Palaeography and Historical Philology, trans., The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, Toh 56 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023).
See Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Jewel Cloud, Toh 231 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha).
For a summary of the contingencies surrounding the dating of the Sūtrasamuccaya, see Skilling and Saerji 2013, 203, n. 51.
This work forms the final part of the Gaṇḍavyūhasūtra, one of the Buddhāvataṃsaka works. See glossary, “Samantabhadracaryāpraṇidhāna,” for further details.
The Denkarma catalogue is dated to c. 812
See Lewis R. Lancaster, The Korean Buddhist Canon (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1979).
We follow nag po, the dominant variant in the comparative Pedurma, rather than nag pa found in Degé Pharphud.
We think the Tibetan here, gcig tu snang ba’i mar me, literally “sole shining lamp” is probably a slight misreading of Sanskrit ekalokapradīpa, “sole lamp of the world.”
We follow ’jug par zhugs, the dominant variant in the comparative Pedurma, rather than ’jug pa found in Degé Pharphud.
We follow thob par spyod pa, the dominant variant in the comparative Pedurma, rather than thob par sbyong ba found in Degé Pharphud.
We follow spyod pa, the dominant variant in the comparative Pedurma, rather than sbyong ba found in Degé Pharphud.
We follow gzungs (dhāraṇī), the dominant variant in the comparative Pedurma, rather than gzugs (rūpa) found in Degé Pharphud.
The expression “and his retinue” is used here to translate la sogs pa (Skt. ādi, “starting with”).
We follow mi dang mi ma yin pa in line with all the other versions in the comparative Pedurma Kangyur, rather than mi dang ma yin pa found in Degé Pharphud.
This translation of gnas dang bcas is tentative. The sites on or surrounding the mountains are perhaps analogous to the retinues of the previous figures.
We follow ’khor, a variant found in the comparative Pedurma, rather than ’or found in Degé Pharphud.
We follow rgyun du, a variant found in the comparative Pedurma, rather than the problematic rgyan du found in Degé Pharphud.
We follow spyod lam, a variant found in the comparative Pedurma, rather than smon lam found in Degé Pharphud. See also the same phrase on F.111.b.
We follow stong pa, the dominant variant in the comparative Pedurma, rather than stod pa found in Degé Pharphud.
We follow sla’i/sla yi, the dominant variant in the comparative Pedurma, rather than bla’i found in Degé Pharphud.
We follow ’dor, the dominant variant in the comparative Pedurma, rather than ’don found in Degé Pharphud. Note that ’dor ba occurs below as well.
The sense of the passage steng g.yogs med cing gzhi phyal ba’i rgyud is unclear. The two terms steng g.yogs med (“without upper garment”) and gzhi phyal ba (“empty plains”) are used to refer to different types of worldly realms (lokadhātu) in several other texts including Vasubandhu’s Daśabhūmivyākhyāna.
We emend ’dang bar byed pa to dang bar byed pa in line with its occurrence in the subsequent explanation of the analogy.
We have given a literal translation of this phrase (lha yongs su gtong bar ’gyur ro), but its precise meaning in this context is not clear to us.
We follow gi, the dominant variant found in the comparative Pedurma, rather than gis found in Degé Pharphud.
It is difficult to visualize what is described in this line, which we have translated literally from the Tibetan.
A general term that could either refer to the realm of Bramā gods (brahmaloka) as a whole or one of the abodes within it.
One of the six abodes of the desire gods.
First of six levels of gods in the desire realm.
Second of six levels of gods in the desire realm.
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.
One of the five pure abodes.
The eighth and highest level of the realm of form (rūpadhātu); it is only accessible as the result of specific states of concentration. According to some texts this is where non-returners (anāgāmin) dwell in their last lives. In other texts it is the realm of the enjoyment body (saṃbhogakāya) and is a buddhafield associated with the Buddha Vairocana that is accessible only to bodhisattvas on the tenth level.
A bodhisattva.
A bodhisattva.
A bodhisattva.
A major śrāvaka disciple and personal attendant of the Buddha Śākyamuni during the last twenty-five years of his life. He was a cousin of the Buddha (according to the Mahāvastu, he was a son of Śuklodana, one of the brothers of King Śuddhodana, which means he was a brother of Devadatta; other sources say he was a son of Amṛtodana, another brother of King Śuddhodana, which means he would have been a brother of Aniruddha).
Ānanda, having always been in the Buddha’s presence, is said to have memorized all the teachings he heard and is celebrated for having recited all the Buddha’s teachings by memory at the first council of the Buddhist saṅgha, thus preserving the teachings after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa. The phrase “Thus did I hear at one time,” found at the beginning of the sūtras, usually stands for his recitation of the teachings. He became a patriarch after the passing of Mahākāśyapa.
A bodhisattva.
A nāga king whose domain is Lake Anavatapta. According to Buddhist cosmology, this lake is located near Mount Sumeru and is the source of the four great rivers of Jambudvīpa. It is often identified with Lake Manasarovar at the foot of Mount Kailash in Tibet.
A monk (bhikṣu) and disciple of the Buddha.
One who has achieved the fourth and final level of attainment on the śrāvaka path and who has attained liberation with the cessation of all mental defilements.
An absorption.
An absorption.
A type of nonhuman being whose precise status is subject to different views, but is included as one of the six classes of beings in the sixfold classification of realms of rebirth. In the Buddhist context, asuras are powerful beings said to be dominated by envy, ambition, and hostility. They are also known in the pre-Buddhist and pre-Vedic mythologies of India and Iran, and feature prominently in Vedic and post-Vedic Brahmanical mythology, as well as in the Buddhist tradition. In these traditions, asuras are often described as being engaged in interminable conflict with the devas (gods).
An absorption.
A bodhisattva.
A bodhisattva is a great being (mahāsattva), having the intention to achieve complete awakening for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Third of three heavens of gods on the fourth concentration level.
An absorption.
God who presides of the realm of Brahmā (brahmaloka) associated with the first concentration level in the realm of forms. In the Buddhist Avataṃsaka cosmology of innumerable (asaṃkhyeya) interpenetrating buddha realms, there are myriad Brahmās, each presiding over its own world-system.
The name of an abode and class of gods inhabiting the first concentration level in the realm of forms (rūpadhātu). It is also called the abode of Brahmā’s High Priests (Brahmapurohita), although the two are listed distinctly in this text.
The name of an abode and class of gods inhabiting the first concentration level in the realm of forms (rūpadhātu). It is also called the abode of Brahmā’s Entourage (Brahmapariṣadya), although the two are listed distinctly in this text.
A bodhisattva.
A bodhisattva.
A bodhisattva.
Presented as a single, long sūtra, many of its 45 chapters are independent works. See table of contents of Toh 44.
God personifying the ring of mountains surrounding the ocean that encompasses the four continents; the horizontal edge of the world in traditional Buddhist cosmology.
A bodhisattva.
A bodhisattva.
A bodhisattva.
A bodhisattva.
A religious mendicant; in Buddhist texts this is often paired with parivrājaka in stock lists of followers of non-Buddhist ascetic traditions.
An absorption.
A class of celestial singers and dancers in Indian mythology who inhabit the heaven of the god Śakra, lord of the heavens.
An absorption.
A monk (bhikṣu) and disciple of the Buddha.
One of the terms for meditation, referring specifically to states of mental stability or one-pointed focus in an undistracted state of mind free from mental obscurations. Dhyāna can also refer to the specific states of meditative fixation of the form and formless realms (eight in total). It is also the fifth of the six perfections of the bodhisattva.
An absorption.
An absorption.
An absorption.
An absorption.
An absorption.
An absorption.
A monk (bhikṣu) and disciple of the Buddha.
’phags pa de bzhin gshegs pa’i yon tan dang ye shes bsam gyis mi khyab pa’i yul la ’jug pa bstan pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. Toh 185, Degé Kangyur vol. 61 (mdo sde), folios 106.a–143.b.
’phags pa de bzhin gshegs pa’i yon tan dang ye shes bsam gyis mi khyab pa’i yul la ’jug pa bstan pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’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. 61, pp. 3–270.
Denkarma (pho brang stod thang ldan [/ lhan] dkar gyi chos ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur, vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.
Asaṅga. theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma’i bstan bcos rnam par bshad pa (Ratnagotravibhāgavyākhyā). Toh 4025, Degé Tengyur vol. (sems tsam, phi), folios 74.b–129.a.
blo gros mi zad pas bstan pa (Akṣayamatinirdeśa). Toh 175, Degé Kangyur vol. 60 (mdo sde, ma), folios 79.a–174.b. English translation in Braarvig, Jens, and David Welsh (2020). [Full citation listed in secondary literature]
byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod (Bodhisattvapiṭaka). Toh 56, Degé Kangyur vol. 40 (dkon brtsegs, kha), folios 255.b–294.a and vol. 41 (dkon brtsegs, ga), folios 1.b–205.b. English translation in Norwegian Institute of Palaeography and Historical Philology 2023.
bzang spyod smon lam (Bhadracaryāpraṇidhāna). Toh 1095, Degé Kangyur vol. 101 (gzungs ’dus, waM), folios 262.b–266.a.
dgongs pa nges par ’grel pa’i mdo (Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra). Toh 106, Degé Kangyur vol. 49 (mdo sde, ca), folios 1.b–55.b. English translation in Buddhavacana Translation Group (2020). [Full citation listed in secondary literature]
dkon mchog sprin (Ratnamegha). Toh 231, Degé Kangyur vol. 64 (mdo sde, wa), folios 1.b–112.b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee (2019). [Full citation listed in secondary literature]
Nāgārjuna. dbu ma rtsa ba’i tshig le’ur byas pa (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā). Toh 3824, Degé Tengyur vol. 96 (dbu ma, tsa), folios 1.b–19.a.
Nāgārjuna. mdo kun las btus pa (Sūtrasamuccaya). Toh 3934, Degé Tengyur vol. 110 (dbu ma, ki) folios 148.b–215.a.
sangs rgyas phal po che (Buddhāvataṃsaka). Toh 44, Degé Kangyur vol. 35 (phal chen, ka) folios 1.b–393.a; vol. 36 (phal chen, kha) folios 1.b–396.a; vol. 37 (phal chen, ga) folios 1.b–396.a, and vol. 38 (phal chen, a) folios 1.b–363.a.
sdong pos brgyan pa’i le’u (Gaṇḍavyūha). Toh 44-45, Degé Kangyur vol. 37 (phal chen, ga), folios 274.b–336.a and vol. 38 (phal chen, a), folios 1.b–363.a. English translation in Roberts (2021). [Full citation listed in secondary literature]
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