The Perfection of Wisdom “Kauśika”
Toh 19
Degé Kangyur, vol. 34 (shes rab sna tshogs, ka), folios 142.a–143.b
Imprint
Translated by the UCSB Buddhist Studies Translation Group under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2023
Current version v 1.0.10 (2024)
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Table of Contents
Summary
The Perfection of Wisdom “Kauśika” is a condensed prajñāpāramitā sūtra in which the Buddha summarizes the various meanings of the perfection of wisdom. In particular, the Buddha equates the characteristics of the perfection of wisdom with the characteristics of all phenomena, the five aggregates, the five elements, and the ten perfections. In this way, the sūtra places particular emphasis on the nonduality of conventional phenomena and emptiness.
Acknowledgements
The Tibetan version of this sūtra was translated into English by Daigengna Duoer, Caley Smith, and Taryn Sue. Special thanks to Geshe Lobsang Dargye for his advice on difficult portions of the text. Wiesiek Mical produced the English translation of the Sanskrit sūtra based on the diplomatic edition of the Sanskrit manuscript. The translations and the introduction were subsequently edited and revised by the 84000 editorial team.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
Introduction
In The Perfection of Wisdom “Kauśika,”1 the Buddha Śākyamuni offers a teaching to Śakra, chief of the gods, whom in this sūtra he addresses by the epithet Kauśika. The Buddha summarizes the various meanings of the perfection of wisdom and equates the characteristics of the perfection of wisdom with the characteristics of all phenomena, the five aggregates, the five elements, and the ten perfections. The sūtra places particular emphasis on the nonduality of conventional phenomena and emptiness, and culminates in a list of the eighteen kinds of emptiness.
The Perfection of Wisdom “Kauśika” is a brief text barely four Tibetan folios in length and, just as in the case of The Heart Sūtra (Prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya, Toh 21), this prajñāpāramitā scripture also incorporates elements of both sūtra and tantra (in the form of mantra). It has therefore been variously classified in the Tibetan Kangyur, where it is included in both the Perfection of Wisdom section and the Tantra section.2
The figure of Kauśika/Śakra also features as an important interlocutor in the larger prajñāpāramitā sūtras,3 and The Perfection of Wisdom “Kauśika” presents a short summary of some of the elements found in those larger sūtras. Nevertheless, there does not appear to be a direct relationship between The Perfection of Wisdom “Kauśika” and the dialogues with Kauśika that appear elsewhere in the prajñāpāramitā sūtras.
Notably, the last part of the teaching contains a concluding verse that also appears verbatim in The Vajra Cutter Sūtra (Vajracchedikā, Toh 16) and two further verses that match the opening homage in Nāgārjuna’s Fundamental Treatise on the Middle Way (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, Toh 3824).4
Since there is no colophon to the Tibetan translation of this sūtra, we cannot say who translated The Perfection of Wisdom “Kauśika” into Tibetan. The title, however, is found in both the Denkarma and Phangthangma imperial catalogs, so we do know that the sūtra was translated into Tibetan at least by the early ninth century.5
In addition to the Tibetan translation, the sūtra also exists in Sanskrit and Chinese. The extant Sanskrit text is a Central Asian manuscript that was edited by Conze (1956) and later reprinted by Vaidya (1961).6 The dating of the Sanskrit text is uncertain, but, as noted by Conze, it largely patterns with the Chinese translation that can be dated to the late tenth or early eleventh century ᴄᴇ.7 This suggests a relatively late date for the extant Sanskrit manuscript, perhaps even later than the Tibetan translation.8 Unlike the Tibetan translation, which only contains a single mantra at the conclusion of the teaching, the Sanskrit text (and the Chinese translation) ends with several additional mantras that likely represent later accretions. For the reader’s convenience, we have in the appendices included a diplomatic edition of the Sanskrit text and a complete English translation from the Sanskrit.
The colophon to the Chinese translation (Taishō 249) notes that the sūtra was translated on imperial command by Dānapāla (Shihu 施護, ?–1017 ᴄᴇ), an Indian scholar-monk from Uḍḍiyāna who translated over one hundred works into Chinese.9 Just like the Sanskrit text, the Chinese translation has a slightly different textual structure and content than the Tibetan, and in the endnotes we have noted major differences between the Tibetan and Chinese versions.10
As well as Conze’s edition of the Sanskrit manuscript and Vaidya’s reprint of that edition, an English translation by Conze with a brief introduction was published in 1973, and a French translation by Driessens in 1996.
The present translation is based on the Tibetan version in the Degé Kangyur, in consultation with the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace manuscript. The Tibetan text was also compared to the Sanskrit as well as the Chinese translation.
Text Body
Perfection of Wisdom “Kauśika”
The Translation
Homage to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing at Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha together with a great saṅgha of monks and many hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas, all of whom were youthful.
Then the Blessed One addressed Śakra, lord of the gods: “Kauśika, this is the meaning of the perfection of wisdom: Do not view the perfection of wisdom as being two. Nor is it not two. It is neither a mark nor not a mark. It is neither something to adopt nor something to abandon. It is neither increasing nor decreasing; neither polluted nor [F.142.b] not polluted; neither purified nor not purified;11 neither abandoned nor not abandoned; neither remaining nor not remaining; neither to be applied nor not to be applied;12 neither connected nor not connected; neither a condition nor not a condition;13 neither a dharma nor not a dharma;14 neither suchness nor not suchness;15 and neither the limit of reality nor not the limit of reality.
“Similarly, Kauśika, the meaning of the perfection of wisdom is as follows: As all phenomena are fundamentally sameness, the perfection of wisdom is itself sameness. As all phenomena are profound, the perfection of wisdom is profound.16 As all phenomena are isolated, the perfection of wisdom is isolated.17 As all phenomena are immovable, the perfection of wisdom is immovable. As all phenomena are without thought, the perfection of wisdom is without thought.18 As all phenomena are free of fear, the perfection of wisdom is free of fear. As all phenomena are free of anxiety, the perfection of wisdom is free of anxiety.19 As all phenomena are of one taste, the perfection of wisdom is of one taste. As all phenomena are unborn, the perfection of wisdom is unborn. As all phenomena are unceasing, the perfection of wisdom is unceasing. As all phenomena are like space, the perfection of wisdom is like space.20
“As form is boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless. Similarly, as feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness are boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless. As the earth element is boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless. [F.143.a] Similarly, as the water element, the fire element, the wind element, the space element, and the element of consciousness are boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless. As Mount Sumeru is boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless.21 As the ocean is boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless.22
“As vajra23 is the same, the perfection of wisdom is the same. As all phenomena are undifferentiated, the perfection of wisdom is undifferentiated.24 As the essential nature of all phenomena is beyond apprehending, the essential nature of the perfection of wisdom is beyond apprehending. As all phenomena are the same in lacking anything to be dispelled, the perfection of wisdom is the same in lacking anything to be dispelled.25 As all phenomena are without anything to undertake, the perfection of wisdom is without anything to undertake.26 As all phenomena are inconceivable, the perfection of wisdom is inconceivable.
“Similarly, as the perfection of giving, the perfection of discipline, the perfection of patience, the perfection of effort, the perfection of concentration, the perfection of wisdom, the perfection of means, the perfection of aspiration, the perfection of power, and the perfection of gnosis27 are purified of the three spheres and thus boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless.28
29“The so-called perfection of wisdom consists of eighteen kinds of emptiness. They are internal emptiness, external emptiness, internal and external emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness of conditioned phenomena, emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, emptiness transcending extremes,30 emptiness without beginning or end,31 emptiness of anything to be given up,32 emptiness of nature, emptiness of all phenomena,33 emptiness of self-characteristics,34 [F.143.b] emptiness of nonapprehension,35 emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of essential nature, and emptiness of the essential nature of nonexistence.36
Oṁ namo bhagavatyai āryaprajñāpāramitāyai.
Oṁ dhī hrī śrī śruti smṛti mati gati vijaye svāhā.40
The Blessed One having spoken thus, Venerable Śāradvatīputra,43 Śakra, the lord of the gods, and the monks, bodhisattvas, and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas44 rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.45
Thus concludes The Perfection of Wisdom “Kauśika”.
Appendices
Translation from Sanskrit
Homage to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing at Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha together with a great saṅgha of monks and many hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas, all of whom were youthful.
Then the Blessed One addressed Śakra, lord of the gods: “Kauśika, this is the meaning of the perfection of wisdom: the perfection of wisdom should be viewed as being neither two nor not two; neither with marks nor without marks; neither life-bringing nor life-removing; neither increasing nor decreasing; neither polluted nor not polluted; neither purified nor not purified; neither abandoned nor not abandoned; neither remaining nor not remaining; neither to be applied nor not to be applied; neither connected nor not connected; neither with conditions nor without conditions; neither a dharma nor not a dharma; neither suchness nor not suchness; and neither the limit of reality nor not the limit of reality.
“Similarly, Kauśika, the meaning of the perfection of wisdom is as follows: As all phenomena are the same, the perfection of wisdom is the same. As all phenomena are isolated, the perfection of wisdom is isolated. As all phenomena are immovable, the perfection of wisdom is immovable. As all phenomena are without thought, the perfection of wisdom is without thought. As all phenomena are free of fear, the perfection of wisdom is free of fear. As all phenomena are free of anxiety, the perfection of wisdom is free of anxiety. As all phenomena are of one taste, the perfection of wisdom is of one taste. As all phenomena are unborn, the perfection of wisdom is unborn. As all phenomena are unceasing, the perfection of wisdom is unceasing. As all phenomena are like space, the perfection of wisdom is like space.
“As form is boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless. Similarly, as feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness are boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless. As the earth element is boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless. Similarly, as the water element, the fire element, the wind element, the space element, and the element of consciousness are boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless. As Mount Sumeru is boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless. As the ocean is boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless.
“As vajra is the same, the perfection of wisdom is the same. As all phenomena are undifferentiated, the perfection of wisdom is undifferentiated. As the essential nature of all phenomena is beyond apprehending, the essential nature of the perfection of wisdom is beyond apprehending. As all phenomena are the same in lacking anything to be dispelled, the perfection of wisdom is the same in lacking anything to be dispelled. As all phenomena are without anything to undertake, the perfection of wisdom is without anything to undertake. As all phenomena are inconceivable, the perfection of wisdom is inconceivable.
“Similarly, as the perfection of giving, the perfection of discipline, the perfection of patience, the perfection of effort, the perfection of concentration, and the perfection of wisdom are purified of the three spheres and thus boundless, the perfection of wisdom is boundless.
“The so-called perfection of wisdom consists of eighteen kinds of emptiness. They are internal emptiness, external emptiness, internal and external emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness of conditioned phenomena, emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, emptiness transcending extremes, emptiness without beginning or end, emptiness of anything to be given up,46 emptiness of nature, emptiness of self-characteristics, emptiness of all phenomena, emptiness of nonapprehension, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of essential nature, and emptiness of both nonexistence and essential nature.47
“This briefly explains the perfection of wisdom.
“Homage to all Three Jewels in the ten directions and the three times—past, future, and present! Homage to the blessed Perfection of Wisdom, who resembles all the tathāgatas and is empowered and celebrated by all the tathāgatas!
“O wisdom, great wisdom, the splendor of wisdom! You bring the light of wisdom and dispel ignorance. O accomplished one, well accomplished, who is now being accomplished!48 O blessed lady, beautiful in every limb, fond of your devotees!49 With your hand extended, you grant comfort. Succeed, succeed! Awaken, awaken! Shake, shake! Move, move! Make the sound, make the sound! Do not tarry, O blessed lady!
“Homage to the bodhisattva of great compassion, the great being who arises from Dharma! Homage to Perfection of Wisdom! The mantra is:
You who are endowed with the qualities of the Sage, the quality of attracting [disciples], the qualities of liberation, the qualities of being kind to beings, the qualities of trustworthiness, the qualities of following close behind,50 the quality of attracting [others] by virtue, the qualities that reach everywhere, the qualities that are perfect and complete at all times, svāhā!
“Homage to Perfection of Wisdom. The mantra is:
O Gaṅgā, Gaṅgā, the Gaṅgā with invisible shores, svāhā!51
“Homage to Perfection of Wisdom. The mantra is:
To splendor, splendor! To the splendor of the Sage! To the one of outstanding splendor, svāhā!
“Homage to Perfection of Wisdom. The mantra is:
Oṁ, you with the strength of a vajra, svāhā!
“Homage to Perfection of Wisdom. The mantra is:
Oṁ, you who are victorious on account of your conscientiousness, majesty, intellect, learning, memory, intelligence, and conduct, svāhā!52
“Homage to Perfection of Wisdom. The mantra is:
You who are summoned, summoned to remove all karmic obscurations, svāhā!
“Homage to Perfection of Wisdom. The mantra is:
Oṁ, Ārolik, svāhā!53
“Homage to Perfection of Wisdom. The mantra is:
Oṁ, O omniscient one, svāhā!
“Homage to Perfection of Wisdom. The mantra is:
O awakening that is gone, gone, gone to the other shore, completely gone to the other shore, svāhā!”54
So spoke the Blessed One. Delighted, Venerable Śāriputra, Śakra, the lord of gods, the bodhisattva great beings, the entire assembly, and the world with its gods, gandharvas, humans, and asuras rejoiced at the Blessed One’s words.
Thus concludes The Perfection of Wisdom “Kauśika”.
Diplomatic Edition of the Sanskrit
[Vaidya p. 95]
Kauśikaprajñāpāramitāsūtram |
namo sarvabuddhabodhisattvebhyaḥ ||
evaṃ mayā śrutam | ekasmin samaye bhagavān rājagṛhe viharati sma gṛdhrakūṭe parvate mahatā bhikṣusaṃghena sārdham anekaiś ca bodhisattvaśatasahasraiḥ sarvaiḥ kumārabhūtaiḥ | tatra khalu bhagavān śakraṃ devānām indram āmantrayate sma ||
ayaṃ kauśika prajñāpāramitāyāḥ arthaḥ - prajñāpāramitā na dvayena draṣṭavyā na advayena | na nimittato na animittataḥ | na āyūhato na nirāyūhataḥ | notkṣepato na prakṣepataḥ | na saṃkleśato na asaṃkleśataḥ | na vyavadānato na avyavadānataḥ | notsargato na anutsargataḥ | na sthānato na asthānataḥ | na yogato na ayogataḥ | na saṃbandhato na asaṃbandhataḥ | na pratyayato na apratyayataḥ | na dharmato na adharmataḥ | na tathata(yā) na atathata(yā) na bhūtakoṭyā na abhūtakoṭyā (vedi)tavyā ||
evam evāyaṃ sa kauśika prajñāpāramitāyāḥ arthaḥ | tadyathā sarvadharmasamatvāt prajñāpāramitā samā | sarvadharmaviviktatvāt prajñāpāramitā viviktā | sarvadharmācalatvāt prajñāpāramitā acalā | sarvadharmāmanyatvāt prajñāpāramitā amanyatā | sarvadharmābhīrutvāt prajñāpāramitā abhīru | sarvadharmācchambhitatayā prajñāpāramitā acchambhī | sarvadharmaikarasatvāt prajñāpāramitā ekarasā | sarvadharmānutpādatvāt prajñāpāramitā anutpādā | sarvadharmānirodhatvāt prajñāpāramitā anirodhā | gaganakalpatvāt sarvadharmāṇāṃ prajñāpāramitā gaganakalpā |
rūpāparyantatvāt prajñāpāramitā aparyantā | evaṃ vedanāsaṃjñāsaṃskāravijñānāparyantatvāt prajñāpāramitā aparyantā | pṛthivīdhātvaparyantatvāt prajñāpāramitā aparyantā | evam abdhātu - tejodhātu - vāyudhātu - ākāśadhātu - vijñānadhātvaparyantatvāt prajñāpāramitā aparyantā | sumervaparyantatvāt prajñāpāramitā aparyantā | samudrāparyantatvāt prajñāpāramitā aparyantā |
vajrasamatvāt prajñāpāramitā samā | sarvadharmābhedatvāt prajñāpāramitā abhedā | sarvadharma(svabhāvā)nupalabdhitvāt prajñāpāramitā anupalabdhiḥ | sarvadharmavibhāva(nā) - samatvāt prajñāpāramitā(a)vibhāva(nā) - samā | sarvadharmaniśceṣṭatvāt prajñāpāramitā niśceṣṭā | sarvadharmācintyatvāt prajñāpāramitā acintyeti ||
evaṃ dānapāramitā - śīlapāramitā - kṣāntipāramitā - vīryapāramitā - dhyānapāramitā - prajñāpāramitātrimaṇḍalapariśuddhyaparyantatvāt prajñāpāramitā aparyantā iti ||
prajñāpāramitā ucyate yaduta aṣṭādaśaśūnyatā | tadyathā - ādhyātmaśūnyatā bahirdhāśūnyatā ādhyātmābahirdhāśūnyatā śūnyatāśūnyatā mahāśūnyatā paramā(rtha)śūnyatā saṃskṛtaśūnyatā asaṃskṛtaśūnyatā atyantaśūnyatā anādyagraśūnyatā (ana)pakāraśūnyatā prakṛtiśūnyatā svalakṣaṇaśūnyatā sarvadharmaśūnyatā anupalambhaśūnyatā abhāvaśūnyatā svabhāvaśūnyatā abhāvasvabhāvaśūnyatā iti |
ayam ucyate saṃkṣiptena prajñāpāramiteti ||
[Vaidya p. 96]
tārakā timiraṃ dīpo māyāvaśyāya budbudam |
supinaṃ vidyudabhraṃ ca evaṃ draṣṭavya saṃskṛtam | iti ||
anirodham anutpādam anucchedam aśāśvatam |
anekārtham anānārtham anāgamam anirgamam ||
yaḥ pratītyasamutpādaṃ prapañcopaśamaṃ śivam |
deśayām āsa saṃbuddhas taṃ vande vadatāṃ varam ||
namo daśasu dikṣu sarveṣām atītānāgatapratyutpannānāṃ trayāṇāṃ ratnānām | namo bhagavatyai prajñāpāramitāyai sarvatathāgatasunibhāyai sarvatathāgatānujñātavijñātāyai | (oṁ) prajñe mahāprajñe prajñāvabhāse prajñālokakāri ajñānavidhamane siddhe susiddhe siddhyamane (bha)gavate sarvāṅgasundari (bha)ktivatsale prasārahaste samāśvāsakare sidhya sidhya, budhya budhya, kampa kampa, cala cala, rāva rāva, āgaccha bhagavate, mā vilamba svāhā ||
namo dharmodgatasya bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasya mahākāruṇakasya ||
namo prajñāpāramitāyai | tadyathā - munidharme saṃgrahadharme anugrahadharme vimokṣadharme sattvānugrahadharme vaiśramaṇadharme samantanuparivartanadharme guṇigrahasaṃgrahadharme sarvatrānugatadharme sarvakālaparipūrṇadharme svāhā ||
namo prajñāpāramitāyai | tadyathā - akhane nikhane mukhana nekhane (avaravandane) paṭane paṭane paṭare svāhā ||
namo prajñāpāramitāyai | tadyathā - gaṅgā gaṅgā na tīrāvabhāsa gaṅgā svāhā ||
namo prajñāpāramitāyai | tadyathā śrīye śrīye muni śrīye śrīyase svāhā ||
namo prajñāpāramitāyai | tadyathā - oṁ vajrabale svāhā ||
namo prajñāpāramitāyai | tadyathā - oṁ hrī śrī dhī śruti smṛti mati gati vijaye svāhā ||
namo prajñāpāramitāyai | tadyathā - bambari bambari mahābambari būru būru mahābūru svāhā ||
namaḥ prajñāpāramitāyai | tadyathā - hūte hūte hūvitāśane sarva - karmāvaraṇane svāhā ||
namaḥ prajñāpāramitāyai | tadyathā - oṁ orolik svāhā ||
namo prajñāpāramitāyai | tadyathā - oṁ sarvavit svāhā ||
namaḥ prajñāpāramitāyai | tadyathā - gate gate pāragate pārasaṃgate bodhi svāhā ||
idam avocad bhagavān | āttamanā āyuṣmān śāriputraḥ śakro devānām indras te ca bodhisattvā mahāsattvāḥ sā ca sarvāvatī parṣad sadevagandharvamānuṣāsuraś ca loko bhagavato bhāṣitam abhyanandan ||
kauśikanāma prajñāpāramitā samāptā ||
Notes
Bibliography
Primary Sources:
sher phyin kau shi ka (Kauśikaprajñāpāramitā). Toh 19, Degé Kangyur vol. 34 (shes rab sna tshogs, ka), folios 142.a–143.b.
sher phyin kau shi ka (Kauśikaprajñāpāramitā). Toh 554, Degé Kangyur vol. 89 (rgyud, pa), folios 17.b–18.b.
sher phyin kau shi ka. bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vol. 34, pp. 392–95; vol. 84, pp. 74–79.
shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa kau shi ka. Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 51 (sna tshogs, ka), folios 270.a–272.b.
rdo rje gcod pa (Vajracchedikā) [The Diamond Cutter Sūtra]. Toh 16, Degé Kangyur vol. 34 (shes rab sna tshogs, ka), folios 121.a–132.b.
sher phyin khri brgyad stong pa (Aṣṭādaśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā). Toh 10, Degé Kangyur vol. 29–31 (shes phyin, khri brgyad, ka–ga), folios 1.a (ka)–206.a (ga). English translation in Sparham 2022.
Nāgārjuna. dbu ma rtsa ba’i tshig le’ur byas pa (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā) [Fundamental Treatise on the Middle Way]. Toh 3824, Degé Tengyur vol. 96 (dbu ma, tsa), folios 1.b–17.a.
Denkarma (pho brang stod thang ldan dkar gyi chos kyi ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.
Phangthangma (dkar chag ’phang thang ma). Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003.
Conze, Edward, ed. “Tantric Prajñāpāramitā Texts.” In Sino-Indian Studies 5, no. 2 (1956): 100–122.
Vaidya, P. L., ed. “Kauśikaprajñāpāramitāsūtra.” In Mahāyāna-sūtra-saṁgraha: Part I, 95–96. Darbhanga: Mithila Institute, 1961. GRETIL edition input by members of the Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Input Project, July 31, 2020.
Secondary Sources:
Bianchini, Francesco. Tradition and Innovation in Late South Asian Buddhism: The Impact of Spell Practices on the Recasting of Prajñāpāramitā Scriptures. PhD thesis, University of Oxford, 2020.
Butön Rinchen Drup (bu ston rin chen grub). Butön’s History of Buddhism in India and Its Spread to Tibet: A Treasury of Priceless Scripture. Translated by Lisa Stein and Ngawang Zangpo. Boston: Snow Lion, 2013.
Conze, Edward, trans. Perfect Wisdom: The Short Prajñāpāramitā Texts. Buddhist Publishing Group, 1973.
Driessens, Georges, trans. “La perfection de sagesse pour Kaushika.” In La Perfection de sagesse, pp. 141–3. Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 1996.
Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lHan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.
Muller, A. Charles, ed. Digital Dictionary of Buddhism. Accessed July 14, 2022.
Padmakara Translation Group, trans. The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines (Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā, Toh 9). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023.
Sparham, Gareth, trans. The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines (Aṣṭādaśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā, Toh 10). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2022.
Glossary
Types of attestation for names and terms of the corresponding source language
Attested in source text
This term is attested in a manuscript used as a source for this translation.
Attested in other text
This term is attested in other manuscripts with a parallel or similar context.
Attested in dictionary
This term is attested in dictionaries matching Tibetan to the corresponding language.
Approximate attestation
The attestation of this name is approximate. It is based on other names where the relationship between the Tibetan and source language is attested in dictionaries or other manuscripts.
Reconstruction from Tibetan phonetic rendering
This term is a reconstruction based on the Tibetan phonetic rendering of the term.
Reconstruction from Tibetan semantic rendering
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asura
- lha ma yin
- ལྷ་མ་ཡིན།
- asura
- 阿修羅
blessed lady
- —
- —
- bhagavatī
blessed one
- bcom ldan ’das
- བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས།
- bhagavat
- 世尊
bodhisattva
- byang chub sems dpa’
- བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ།
- bodhisattva
- 菩薩摩訶薩
Dharma
- chos
- ཆོས།
- dharma
emptiness
- stong pa nyid
- སྟོང་པ་ཉིད།
- śūnyatā
- 空
gandharva
- dri za
- དྲི་ཟ།
- gandharva
- 乾闥婆
god
- lha
- ལྷ།
- deva
- 天
Kauśika
- kau shi ka
- ཀཽ་ཤི་ཀ
- kauśika
- 憍尸迦
Mount Sumeru
- ri rab
- རི་རབ།
- sumeru
- 須彌山
phenomena
- chos
- ཆོས།
- dharma
- 法
purified of the three spheres
- ’khor gsum yongs su dag pa
- འཁོར་གསུམ་ཡོངས་སུ་དག་པ།
- trimaṇḍalapariśuddhi
- 三業清淨
Rājagṛha
- rgyal po’i khab
- རྒྱལ་པོའི་ཁབ།
- rājagṛha
- 王舍城
Śakra
- brgya byin
- བརྒྱ་བྱིན།
- śakra
- 帝釋天主
Śāradvatīputra
- sha ra dwa ti’i bu
- ཤ་ར་དྭ་ཏིའི་བུ།
- śāradvatīputra
- śāriputra
- 舍利弗
tathāgata
- de bzhin gshegs pa
- དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ།
- tathāgata
Vulture Peak
- bya rgod phung po
- བྱ་རྒོད་ཕུང་པོ།
- gṛdhrakūṭa
- 鷲峯山