Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations
Toh 219
Degé Kangyur, vol. 62 (mdo sde, tsha), folios 297.b–307.a
- Jinamitra
- Dānaśīla
- Yeshé Dé
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Table of Contents
Summary
The Buddha teaches how to become free of karmic obscurations and accomplish aspirations through a recitation that should be done three times during the day and three times at night. In that recitation one confesses one’s bad actions, rejoices in the good actions of others, and requests the buddhas to teach the Dharma and to not pass into nirvāṇa.
Acknowledgements
This text was translated by Peter Alan Roberts, who translated the text from Tibetan into English and wrote the introduction. Ling Lung Chen and Wang Chipan were consultants for the Chinese versions of the sūtra. Emily Bower was the project manager and editor. Tracy Davis was the initial copyeditor. Thanks to Michael Radich for sharing his research on the sūtra.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. Rory Lindsay edited the translation and the introduction, and Xiaolong Diao, Ting Lee Ling, and H. S. Sum Cheuk Shing checked the translation against the Chinese sources. Ven. Konchog Norbu copyedited the text, and Celso Wilkinson was in charge of the digital publication process.
Introduction
Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations presents a prayer used for karmic purification, and it includes an account of this prayer’s effectiveness during the time of a previous buddha. It relates the story of a woman named Gaṅgadevī, who, through practicing this sūtra, became a buddha in another realm. In addition to the confession of negative actions, the prayer describes rejoicing in the good actions of others as a method for accumulating merit, the dedication of one’s merit to the welfare of others, requesting the buddhas to teach the Dharma, and beseeching the buddhas to not pass into nirvāṇa. Thus, it contains five of the elements (lacking homage and offering) of the ubiquitous seven-branch prayer commonly recited in present-day Tibetan Buddhist practice.
The sūtra begins with Śāriputra asking the Buddha how to confess previous negative deeds. The Buddha gives a recitation that should be done three times during the day and three times at night in order to free oneself from karmic obscurations and attain whatever is aspired to—from rebirth into a good human family or various paradises, to the attainment of ultimate wisdom. The Buddha explains that one should also recite the words of rejoicing in the good actions done by others, requesting the buddhas in all worlds to teach the Dharma, and beseeching them to not pass away. He teaches that this creates greater merit than any other kind of Dharma practice, and that one should recite a dedication of merit to the enlightenment of all beings.
Next, the assembly promises to promulgate this sūtra, and Śakra states that it can bring an end to the obscurations of karma. In response, the Buddha describes a buddha in the distant past named Mahāraśmiskandha and a woman named Gaṅgadevī who received this very teaching from him. Through her dedication to this teaching, Gaṅgadevī was subsequently always reborn as a man until she became a buddha by the name of Ratnārci. At present, Ratnārci teaches in a realm a vast distance away in the eastern direction, and the sūtra states that any woman who hears the name of this buddha will no longer be reborn as a woman. The sūtra concludes with the Buddha naming the teachings, and all those who are present rejoice.
History of the Sūtra
While the time of its emergence is unknown, this sūtra possibly predates The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light, the longer versions of which include Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations as their fifth chapter. Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations seems to have become important as one of the principal recitations used to bring about purification through confession, as evidenced by several Indian Buddhist works that mention it. The author of Precious Lamp of the Middle Way recommends its recitation, as does a certain Alaṁkārabhadra.1 In the eleventh century, Atiśa (982–1054), also known as Dīpaṁkaraśrījñāna, who came to Tibet in 1042 and is the source of the Kadampa tradition, recommends its recitation in his Commentary on Difficult Points in “The Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment”2 and also does so twice in his Opening a Precious Casket: Instructions on the Middle Way.3
Methods to purify the obscuration of karma are a common topic in Mahāyāna sūtras, and this is certainly the case in The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light. There are three versions of The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light in Tibetan: a twenty-one-chapter version (Toh 557), a twenty-nine-chapter version (Toh 556),4 and a thirty-one-chapter version (Toh 555).5 The contents of Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations are absent in the shortest version but are included in both of the longer versions of the sūtra as their fifth chapter. The brief introduction and conclusion of Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations in its independent form are omitted in the versions of The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light, so instead of it being taught in Śrāvastī, it is, like the rest of The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light, taught on Vulture Peak near Rājagṛha.
The key chapter in The Sutra of the Sublime Golden Light in all three versions is that which provides a prayer of confession heard by a young man of Rājagṛha who, in a dream, hears that prayer emanating from a drum. The Buddha then teaches that this prayer is to be recited in order to purify oneself of karmic obscurations. The sūtra gives other methods of purification, even a purifying bath, and therefore it is not surprising that Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations may have later been included as one of its chapters.
In the Degé Kangyur, Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations is preceded by the similarly titled The Purification of Karmic Obscurations,6 and these two are preceded by Eliminating Ajātaśatru’s Remorse7 and The Śrīgupta Sūtra.8 Both of these deal with individuals who have committed extremely bad actions—King Ajātaśatru committed patricide and the householder Śrīgupta attempted to assassinate the Buddha—but are able to be saved from the effects of those actions by following the Buddha’s teachings.
The colophon of Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations states that it was translated by Jinamitra, Dānaśīla, and Yeshé Dé, which would have been in the early ninth century. This and chapter 5 of the twenty-nine-chapter version of The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (Toh 556) are identical, so it appears that the Tibetan translators either incorporated a translation of Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations into The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light or extracted its chapter 5 with the addition of a translation of its introduction and conclusion.
The thirty-one-chapter Tibetan version of The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light was translated from Yijing’s Chinese translation. The Chinese version of Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations, which is titled Da sheng san ju chan hui jing 大乘三聚懺悔經,9 is very similar to Yijing’s translation of chapter 5. However, the language of chapter 5 in the Tibetan translation of Yijing’s version differs considerably from the Tibetan translation from the Sanskrit of the twenty-nine-chapter version (Toh 556) and the present sūtra.
Text Body
Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations
The Translation
Homage to the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Bhagavat was residing with a great saṅgha of one thousand two hundred and fifty bhikṣus and seventy thousand bodhisattvas in Śrāvastī, in Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park.
Through the power of the Buddha,10 Venerable Śāriputra rose from his seat and with his upper robe over one shoulder, he knelt on his right knee, placed his palms together in homage, bowed toward the Bhagavat, and inquired of the Bhagavat, [F.298.a] “Bhagavat, how should a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or who has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or who has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who is seeking the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, confess their individual karmic obscurations?”
After Venerable Śāriputra had asked that, the Bhagavat said these words to him: “Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who wishes for the highest most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, should three times each day and three times each night, with the upper robe over one shoulder, kneel on the right knee, place their palms together in homage, and say these words:
“ ‘For the benefit11 of many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the benefit and healing and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, I pay homage to the buddha bhagavats who in this present time have attained the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood in worlds in the ten directions, those buddha bhagavats who conscientiously turn the wheel of the Dharma, teach the wheel of the Dharma, possess the way of the Dharma, give the gift of the Dharma, light the lamp of the Dharma, send down the rain of the Dharma, beat the drum of the Dharma, beat the great drum of the Dharma, blow the conch of the Dharma, raise the central pillar of the Dharma, and bring satisfaction to all beings with the gift of the Dharma.
“ ‘I pay homage with my head, voice, and mind to those who are the object of offering, the object of homage, and the object of respect, and who are wise, who are attentive, who are witnesses, who are valid, who have wisdom, and who have vision. [F.298.b]
“ ‘While I have been circling in beginningless and endless saṃsāra, tormented by desire, tormented by anger, and tormented by stupidity, I have accumulated karmic obstructions with my body, speech, and mind. I have not acknowledged the Buddha, I have not acknowledged the Dharma, and I have not acknowledged the Saṅgha. I have not acknowledged what are good actions and what are bad ones. With malicious intent, I have caused a tathāgata to bleed, I have forsaken the Dharma, I have caused a division of the Saṅgha, I have slain a bhikṣu arhat, I have slain my parents, and I have followed the path of the ten bad actions—the three physical, the four verbal, and the three mental. I have made others commit them, I have rejoiced in their accomplishment, and I have spoken harshly to certain beings. I have maligned. I have cheated with weights. I have cheated with measures. I have made my parents unhappy. I have stolen the wealth of individuals, of stūpas, of saṅghas, and of the saṅghas of bhikṣus in the four directions. I have transgressed the vinaya and the foundations of the training. I have disobeyed the upādhyāyas and the ācāryas. I have been unpleasant to those who have entered the Śrāvakayāna, entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, entered the Mahāyāna, and every other being—I have reviled and beaten them with a mind that is obstinate, angry, envious, and miserly. I have spoken harsh words to buddha bhagavats, have said that the sublime Dharma is not the Dharma, and have said that that which is not the Dharma is the sublime Dharma.
“ ‘All of this I individually confess in the presence of the buddha bhagavats who are wise, who are attentive, who are witnesses, who are valid, who have wisdom, and who have vision. I repent them, I do not conceal them, and I will not repeat them.
“ ‘Whatever karmic obscurations obscure me—those that will cause me to be in the hell realms, in the life of an animal, or in the land of the pretas; to be among the hosts of asuras; [F.299.a] to not be able to please the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha; and to be born in other unfortunate existences—that karma will ripen in this body and will not be experienced by anyone else. I confess each one in the presence of the buddha bhagavats, who are wise, who are attentive, who are witnesses, who are valid, who have wisdom, and who have vision. I repent them, I do not conceal them, and I will not repeat them.
“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the past, in practicing for enlightenment, confessed each of their karmic obscurations, repenting them and not concealing them, in the same way I confess each one of my karmic obscurations, repent them, do not conceal them, and will not repeat them.
“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas in the future, in practicing for enlightenment, will confess each of their karmic obscurations, repent them, and not conceal them, in the same way I confess each one of my karmic obscurations, repent them, do not conceal them, and will not repeat them.
“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas in the ten directions in the present, in practicing for enlightenment, confess each of their karmic obscurations, repent them, and do not conceal them, in the same way I confess each one of my karmic obscurations, repent them, do not conceal them, and will not repeat them.
“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the past, the future, and the present, in practicing for enlightenment, confess each of their karmic obscurations, repent them, and do not conceal them, in the same way I confess each one of my karmic obscurations, repent them, do not conceal them, and will not repeat them.’
“Thus, Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who wishes to attain purity and absence of obscuration in all Dharmas should in that way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, [F.299.b] and state that they will not repeat them.
“Those who wish to be reborn like a great sal tree among the kṣatriyas, rich, with great wealth—with great possessions, with gold, with herds, with many requisites, very happy, and riding in a great carriage—should also in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.
“Those who wish to be reborn like a great sal tree among the brahmins, in a family like a great sal tree, that is rich, with great wealth—great possessions, gold, herds, many requisites, very happy, and riding in a great carriage—should also in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.
“Those who wish to be reborn into the same way of life as that of the devas of the Cāturmahā-rāja-kāyika should in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.
“Those who wish to be reborn among the devas of Trāyastriṃśa, with their same quality of life, should in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.
“In the same way, those who wish to be reborn into the same way of life as that of the devas of Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya,12 Mahābrahmā, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Anabhraka, Puṇyaprasava, Bṛhatphala, Asaṃjñasattva,13 Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, Avṛha, Atapa,14 or Akaniṣṭha should in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.
“Those who wish to be reborn among the devas who have arrived in the state of infinite space, the state of infinite consciousness, [F.300.a] the state of nothingness, or the state of neither perception nor nonperception, with their condition of life, should in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.
“Those who wish to reach the result of a stream entrant, the result of a once-returner, the result of a non-returner, or to manifest arhathood, should in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.
“Those who wish to have the three knowledges, or the six higher cognitions, or the strengths, or the powers, or the final goal of the śrāvakas, or fame as a very powerful śrāvaka, or to manifest the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha, should in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.
“Those who wish to accomplish omniscient wisdom, completely pure wisdom, inconceivable wisdom, unequaled wisdom, and the wisdom of complete buddhahood should in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.
“Why is that? Śāriputra, the Tathāgata has taught, ‘All phenomena originate through dependence.’ Because of certain causes and conditions, there is creation or cessation. The qualities that transcend this have no cessation or end, and they also do not have the slightest karmic obscuration. They arise from the absence of anything that is composite. Why is that? Śāriputra, the Tathāgata has taught, ‘All phenomena are empty, have no being, have no soul, have no individuality, are unborn, are unceasing, [F.300.b] and are noncomposite.’
“Śāriputra, all phenomena do not15 arise from self or have a self. Śāriputra, the engagement by a noble son or noble daughter in the nature of the ultimate Dharma of no being is called the end of the continuity of karmic obscuration, and that, Śāriputra, is the confession.”
Venerable Śāriputra then asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, how should a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who is seeking the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, rejoice in the roots of merit?”
After Venerable Śāriputra had asked that, the Bhagavat said to him, “Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who is seeking the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, should three times each day and three times each night, with the upper robe over one shoulder, kneel on the right knee, place their palms together in homage, and say these words:
“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in whatever merit has arisen from the generosity of beings in the ten directions, from their good conduct, and from the merit that has arisen from their meditation. [F.301.a] I rejoice in that merit with a joy that is sublime, preeminent, superior, complete, perfect, excellent, the highest, unsurpassable, superlative, unequaled, and that has no equal.
“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in whatever merit is arising from the generosity of beings in the ten directions, from their good conduct, and from the merit that is arising from their meditation. I rejoice in that merit with a joy that is … and so on, until and that has no equal.
“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in whatever merit will arise from the generosity of beings in the ten directions, from their good conduct, and from the merit that will arise from their meditation. I rejoice in that merit with a joy that is … and so on, until and that has no equal.
“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in all the roots of merit possessed by those bodhisattvas in the present who have first developed the aspiration to enlightenment, in all the accumulations of merit of bodhisattvas during a hundred eons, in all the accumulations of merit of bodhisattvas who have attained patience in the birthlessness of phenomena, in all the accumulations of merit of those who have become irreversible, and in all the accumulations of merit of bodhisattvas who have one life remaining. I rejoice in them with joy that is … and so on, until and that has no equal.
“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in all the good roots of possessing the six perfections that were produced by the bodhisattva mahāsattvas during their past bodhisattva practice. I rejoice in them with a joy that is sublime, preeminent, superior, complete, perfect, excellent, the highest, unsurpassable, none-higher, unequaled, and that has no equal.
“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in all the accumulations of merit from possessing the six perfections that will be produced by the bodhisattva mahāsattvas in their bodhisattva practice in the future. [F.301.b] I rejoice in them with a joy that is sublime, pre-eminent, superior, complete, perfect, excellent, the highest, unsurpassable, none-higher, unequaled, and that has no equal.
“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in all the accumulations of merit from possessing the six perfections that are being produced by the bodhisattva mahāsattvas in their bodhisattva practice in the present. I rejoice in them with a joy that is sublime, preeminent, superior, complete, perfect, excellent, the highest, unsurpassable, none-higher, unequaled, and that has no equal.
“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in the conscientious conduct of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddhas of the past, who for the sake of benefit16 for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, attained the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood; turned the wheel of the Dharma; taught the wheel of the Dharma; possessed the way of the Dharma; gave the gift of the Dharma; lit the lamp of the Dharma; sent down the rain of the Dharma; beat the drum of the Dharma; beat the great drum of the Dharma; blew the conch of the Dharma; raised the central pillar of the Dharma; and brought satisfaction to all beings with the gift of the Dharma, through which roots of merit were generated by beings who entered the Śrāvakayāna, beings who entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, beings who entered the Bodhisattvayāna, or any other beings. I rejoice in them [F.302.a] with a joy that is … and so on, until and that has no equal.
“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in the conscientious conduct of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddhas of the future, who for the sake of the benefit17 for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, will attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood; turn the wheel of the Dharma; teach the wheel of the Dharma; possess the way of the Dharma; give the gift of the Dharma; light the lamp of the Dharma; send down the rain of the Dharma; beat the drum of the Dharma; beat the great drum of the Dharma; blow the conch of the Dharma; raise the central pillar of the Dharma; and bring satisfaction to all beings with the gift of the Dharma, through which roots of merit will be generated by beings who have entered the Śrāvakayāna, beings who have entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, beings who have entered the Bodhisattvayāna, or any other beings. I rejoice in them with a joy that is … and so on, until and that has no equal.
“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in the conscientious conduct of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddhas of the present time in the worlds of the ten directions, who for the sake of the benefit18 for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, have attained the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood; turn the wheel of the Dharma; teach the wheel of the Dharma; possess the way of the Dharma; give the gift of the Dharma; light the lamp of the Dharma; send down the rain of the Dharma; beat the drum of the Dharma; beat the great drum of the Dharma; blow the conch of the Dharma; raise the central pillar of the Dharma; and bring satisfaction to all beings with the gift of the Dharma, through which the roots of merit are generated by beings who have entered the Śrāvakayāna, beings who have entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, beings who have entered the Bodhisattvayāna or any other beings. I rejoice in them with a joy that is … and so on, until and that has no equal.’ [F.302.b]
“Śāriputra, this is rejoicing’s aggregation of merit. If a noble son or noble daughter rejoices with this merit from rejoicing, they will generate many incalculable, measureless aggregations of merit.
“Śāriputra, if the beings in not only this trichiliocosm world realm but in as many world realms as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River were all arhats, whose defilements had ceased, and if a noble son or noble daughter were to serve them for as long as they lived with clothing, food, medicines when ill, and other requisites, even then someone who rejoices through this rejoicing would create immeasurably, incalculably greater merit.
“Therefore, Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who wishes for the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood should rejoice with this kind of rejoicing. A woman who wishes to attain a male’s organs, who wishes to exchange her female organs for them, should rejoice with this kind of rejoicing.”
When the Bhagavat had said that, Venerable Śāriputra said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I pray that you teach the accumulation of supplications that illuminates the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the future and gives rise to aspiration in the bodhisattvas of the present.”
When Venerable Śāriputra had said that, the Bhagavat replied to him, “Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who wishes for the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, [F.303.a] should three times each day and three times each night, with the upper robe over one shoulder, kneel on the right knee, place their palms together in homage, and say these words:
“ ‘I pay homage to the buddha bhagavats who in this present time in the worlds of the ten directions have attained the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood.
“ ‘Through my paying homage to those buddha bhagavats, and requesting them to turn the wheel of the Dharma, I pray that those buddha bhagavats, for the sake of benefit19 for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, [F.303.b] and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, turn the wheel of the Dharma. I pray that they teach the wheel of the Dharma. I pray that they possess the way of the Dharma. I pray that they give the gift of the Dharma. I pray that they light the lamp of the Dharma. I pray that they send down the rain of the Dharma. I pray that they let fall the rain of the Dharma. I pray that they beat the drum of the Dharma. I pray that they beat the great drum of the Dharma. I pray that they blow the conch of the Dharma. I pray that they raise the central pillar of the Dharma.’
“Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who wishes for the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, should three times each day and three times each night, with the upper robe over one shoulder, kneel on the right knee, place palms together in homage, and say these words:
“ ‘I pay homage to the buddha bhagavats who in this present time in the worlds of the ten directions are giving up their composite life.
“ ‘Through my paying homage to those buddha bhagavats, and requesting them to turn the wheel of the Dharma, I pray that those buddha bhagavats, for the sake of benefit20 for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, turn the wheel of the Dharma, light the lamp of the Dharma, send down the rain of the Dharma, let fall the rain of the Dharma, beat the drum of the Dharma, beat the great drum of the Dharma, blow the conch of the Dharma, raise the central pillar of the Dharma, increase the lamp of the Dharma, and satisfy all beings with the gift of the Dharma.
“ ‘I also dedicate this accumulation of supplications to the highest, most complete enlightenment. I dedicate this in such a way that it is dedicated to the highest, most complete enlightenment.’
“Śāriputra, this is the accumulation of supplications. If a noble son or noble daughter were to supplicate with this accumulation of supplications, they would create immeasurably, incalculably greater merit than that.
“Śāriputra, if a noble son or noble daughter were to make an offering to the tathāgatas of the entire trichiliocosm world realm filled with the seven jewels, someone who supplicates the tathāgatas to turn the wheel of the Dharma would create immeasurably, incalculably greater merit than that.
“Śāriputra, let alone this trichiliocosm world realm—Śāriputra, if a noble son or noble daughter were to make an offering to the tathāgatas of as many trichiliocosm world realms filled with the seven jewels as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, still, someone who supplicates the tathāgatas to turn the wheel of the Dharma would create immeasurably, incalculably greater merit than that.
“Why is that? Śāriputra, when in the past I was practicing bodhisattva conduct, I supplicated the tathāgatas to turn the wheel of the Dharma. [F.304.a] It is because of that root of merit that Śakra, the lord of the devas, and Brahmā, the lord of Sahā, supplicated me to turn the wheel of the Dharma, saying, ‘Bhagavat, we pray that you turn the wheel of the Dharma for the sake of benefit21 for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans.’
“Śāriputra, when in the past I was practicing bodhisattva conduct, I prayed that the tathāgatas remain for a long time. It is because of that root of merit that I have attained the four confidences, the ten strengths of the tathāgatas, the eighteen unique qualities of a buddha, the four discernments, great love, great compassion, and complete nirvāṇa, and that my Dharma will remain for a long time.”
When the Bhagavat had said that, Venerable Śāriputra asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, how should a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who wishes for the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, dedicate their roots of merit in order to gain omniscience?”
When Venerable Śāriputra had asked that, the Bhagavat said to him, “Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who wishes for the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, [F.304.b] should three times each day and three times each night say these words:
“ ‘Whatever good roots I have created while circling in beginningless and endless saṃsāra—whatever good roots I have from giving even a handful of food to the Buddha, to the Dharma, to the Saṅgha, or even to those reborn as an animal, or to any other being; whatever good roots I have from confession, from supplication, from taking refuge, or from possessing the basis of the training; whatever good roots I have from individual confessions; whatever merit I have from rejoicing; and whatever good roots I have from supplication—I gather them all into one, and with a mind that is tamed, liberated, and without grasping, I bestow all of that together on all beings.
“ ‘Just as the buddha bhagavats, with the unimpeded wisdom of buddhahood, know their giving of the roots of merit to all beings, I give the roots of merit in the same way.
“ ‘May all beings have jewels in their hands. May they attain the treasury of space, enjoyment that knows no end, merit that knows no end, Dharma that knows no end, knowledge that knows no end, eloquence that knows no end, the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, and omniscient wisdom.
“ ‘I combine into one and unify whatever merit arises from my bestowing the roots of merit on all beings, and I dedicate it to the highest, most complete enlightenment.
“ ‘Through this root of merit may I and all beings attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and may we attain omniscient wisdom.
“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the past, practicing for the sake of enlightenment, [F.305.a] dedicated their roots of merit for the sake of omniscience, in that same way I also dedicate my roots of merit for the sake of omniscience.
“ ‘Through this root of merit may I and all beings attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and may we attain omniscient wisdom.
“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the future, practicing for the sake of enlightenment, will dedicate their roots of merit for the sake of omniscience, in that same way I also will dedicate my roots of merit for the sake of omniscience.
“ ‘Through this root of merit may I and all beings attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and may we attain omniscient wisdom.
“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the present, practicing for the sake of enlightenment, dedicate their roots of merit for the sake of omniscience, in that same way I also dedicate my roots of merit for the sake of omniscience.
“ ‘Through this root of merit may I and all beings attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and may we attain omniscient wisdom.
Just as the Bhagavat Tathāgata Śākyamuni sat upon the Bodhimaṇḍa; remained in the inconceivable, stainless, and extremely difficult samādhi of buddhahood; defeated evil Māra; and at dawn obtained the amṛta of wisdom that in an instant had all knowledge, had the view, had realization, had complete enlightenment, and had gained the buddhahood of the path to deathlessness, in that same way may I and all beings attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood. [F.305.b] May we attain omniscient wisdom.
“ ‘Just as the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddhas, including the Bhagavat Tathāgata Amitābha,22 Varaprabha, Virtue of Light, Puṇyaprabha, Akṣobhya, Siṃha,23 Śatakiraṇa, Exalted Light Rays, Net of Light, Ratnārci, Prabhājvala, King of Illumination, Vibhūṣita, Ratnaketu, Dharmadhvaja, and Varāṅga, and other buddha bhagavats who attained the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, turned the wheel of the Dharma for the sake of benefit24 for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, in the same way may I and all beings attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and turn the wheel of the Dharma for the sake of benefit25 for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans.’
“Śāriputra, that is the accumulation of dedication. The previous accumulations of merit cannot approach the vastness of this accumulation of dedication and cannot even serve as an analogy for it.
“Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who obtains this sūtra, learns it, possesses it, reads it, and teaches it widely to others will develop an even greater, incalculable, measureless accumulation of merit.
“Śāriputra, if all the past and future beings that are in a trichiliocosm world realm were to attain human bodies, and having gained human bodies, without distinction between past and future, were to each attain enlightenment, and if a noble son or noble daughter were to serve them throughout their lives with robes, food, bedding, medicine when ill, and requisites in order to honor them and revere them; and if they were to spend a heap of jewels the size of Sumeru each time they attended them; [F.306.a] and if, when they had passed into nirvāṇa, they were to create stūpas for them ten yojanas high and made of the seven precious materials—gold, silver, pearls, beryl, crystal, white coral, and red pearls—and then make offerings to them with parasols, banners, flags, and streamers, then, Śāriputra, what do you think? Would that noble son or noble daughter generate much merit upon that basis?”
“Śāriputra,” continued the Bhagavat, “a noble son or noble daughter who possesses this sūtra, learns it, recites it, reads it, teaches it to many people, and prays for the highest, most complete enlightenment will generate even greater merit. The previous accumulations of merit cannot approach the vastness of this accumulation of merit; they cannot even serve as an analogy for it.
“Why is that? Śāriputra, it is because a noble son or noble daughter who is established in this practice requests the buddha bhagavats in the world realms in the ten directions to turn the wheel of the Dharma.
Then ten thousand beings within that assembly rose from their seats, and with their upper robes over one shoulder, knelt on their right knees, placed their palms together in homage, and bowed toward the Bhagavat. They said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, we will possess this sūtra. We will teach it widely to others. We will maintain its practice. Why is that? Bhagavat, it is because we are intent upon attaining the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood through that kind of virtuous Dharma.”
Then Śakra, the lord of the devas, cast coral tree flowers over the Bhagavat and this Dharma teaching. Having scattered them, he said, “Bhagavat, this is a greatly cherished Dharma teaching that creates the roots of merit for bodhisattvas [F.306.b] and ends the continuity of the obscuration of karma.”
“It is like that, Kauśika, it is like that,” said the Bhagavat. “Why is that? Lord of devas, I remember that innumerable eons beyond innumerable eons in the past, there appeared in the world a tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddha, one with wisdom and pure conduct, a sugata, a knower of the world, an unsurpassable guide who tamed beings, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, a bhagavat named Mahāraśmiskandha.
“Lord of devas, the lifespan of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddha Mahāraśmiskandha was six hundred million years. His first assembly of śrāvakas numbered a trillion,26 and they were all arhats whose outflows had ceased. His second assembly of śrāvakas numbered ninety-eight trillion and they were all arhats whose outflows had ceased. His third assembly of śrāvakas numbered ninety-nine trillion and they were all arhats whose outflows had ceased.
“Lord of devas, the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddha Mahāraśmiskandha was active in order to benefit beings of the world with its devas, with its Brahmā, and with its mendicants and brahmins.
“Lord of devas, at that time, the female Gaṅgadevī entered the gathered assembly of his followers, and present there she obtained from the Tathāgata Mahāraśmiskandha this Dharma teaching. She learned it and, having acquired it, taught it to many beings, and set forth toward the highest, most complete enlightenment. When she passed away, she left behind a female body and obtained a male’s faculties and was always thereafter reborn among devas or humans, became a cakravartin king eighty-four thousand times, and then became the Tathāgata Ratnārci.
“Kauśika, anyone who hears the name of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddha Ratnārci will definitely pass into nirvāṇa. [F.307.a] Any woman who hears the name of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddha Ratnārci, or perceives him at the time of death, will have been in her last female existence.27
“Lord of devas, thus this Dharma teaching is the accomplishment of the good roots of bodhisattvas and mahāsattvas, and the cherishing of the ending of karma’s obscurations.”
Then Śakra, the lord of devas, asked the Bhagavat, “What is the name of this Dharma teaching and how should we keep it?”
The Bhagavat said to Śakra, the lord of devas, “Kauśika, you should keep this Dharma teaching as Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations. Keep it as The Bodhisattva Piṭaka. Also keep it as The Ending of Doubt.”
When the Bhagavat had said those words, Śakra, the lord of devas, Venerable Śāriputra, and the world with its devas, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised the words of the Bhagavat.
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations” is concluded.
Notes
Bibliography
Primary Sources in Tibetan and Chinese
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gser ’od dam pa’i mdo. Toh 555, Degé Kangyur vol. 89 (rgyud ’bum, pa), folios 19.a–151a.
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gser ’od dam pa mdo sde’i dbang po’i rgyal po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtrendrarājanāmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 557, Degé Kangyur vol. 90 (rgyud ’bum, pha), folios 1.a–62.a.
Secondary References—Kangyur
dkyil ’khor thams cad kyi spyi’i cho ga gsang ba’i rgyud (Sarvamaṇḍalasāmānyavidhiguhyatantra). Toh 806, Degé Kangyur vol. 96 (rgyud, wa), folios 141.a–167.b.
dpal sbas zhes bya ba’i mdo (Śrīguptanāmasūtra). Toh 217, Degé Kangyur vol. 62 (mdo sde, tsha), folios 269.a–284.a. English translation The Śrīgupta Sūtra 2021.
ma skyes dgra’i ’gyod pa bsal ba zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Ajātaśatrukaukṛtyavinodananāmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 216, Degé Kangyur vol. 62 (mdo sde, tsha), folios 211.b–268.b. English translation Eliminating Ajātaśatru’s Remorse 2023.
’jam dpal gyi rtsa ba’i rgyud (Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa). Toh 543, Degé Kangyur vol.88 (rgyud, na), folios 105.a–351.a. English translation The Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī 2020.
’od srung kyi le’u zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Kāśyapaparivartanāmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 87, Degé Kangyur vol. 44 (dkon brtsegs, cha), folios 119.b–151.b.
ral pa gyen brdzes kyi rtog pa chen po byang chub sems dpa’ chen po’i rnam par ’phrul pa le’u rab ’byams las bcom ldan ’das ma ’phags ma sgrol ma’i rtsa ba’i rtog pa zhes bya ba (Ūrdhvajaṭāmahākalpamahābodhisattvavikurvaṇapaṭalavisarā bhāgavatī āryatārāmūlakalpanāma). Toh 724, Degé Kangyur vol. 93 (rgyud, tsa), folios 205.b–311.a, and vol. 94 (rgyud, tsha), folios 1.a–200.a.
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las kyi sgrib pa rnam par dag pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Karmāvaraṇaviśuddhināmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 218, Degé Kangyur vol. 62 (mdo sde, tsha) folios 284.a–297.b. English translation Purification of Karmic Obscurations 2013.
blo gros mi zad pas zhus pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Akṣayamatiparipṛcchānāmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 89, Degé Kangyur vol. 44 (dkon brtsegs, cha), folios 175.b–182.b.
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Ānandagarbha. rdo rje dbyings kyi dkyil ’khor chen po’i cho ga rdo rje thams cad ’byungs ba (Vajradhātumahāmaṇḍalopāyikāsarvavajrodaya). Toh 2516, Degé Tengyur vol. 62 (rgyud, ku), folios 1.a–50.a.
Anonymous. rgyal po gser gyi lag pa’i smon lam (Rājasuvarṇabhujapraṇidhāna). Toh 4380, Degé Tengyur vol. 309 (sna tshogs, nyo), folios 309b–310a.
Anonymous. ’jam pa’i rdo rje ’byung ba’i dkyil ’khor gyi cho ga sems can thams cad kyi bde ba bskyed pa (Mañjuvajrodayamaṇḍalopāyikāsarvasattvahitāvahā). Toh 2590, Degé Tengyur vol. 65 (rgyud, ngu), folios 225.a–274.a.
Anonymous. gser ’od dam pa mdo sde dbang po’i smon lam (Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtrendrapraṇidhāna). Toh 4379, Degé Tengyur vol. 309 (sna tshogs, nyo), folios 304.b–309.b.
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Bhavya. dbu ma rin po che’i sgron ma (Madhyamakaratnapradīpa). Toh 3854, Degé Tengyur vol. 199 (dbu ma, tsha), folios 259.b–289.a.
Bhavyakīrti. sgron ma gsal bar byed pa dgongs pa rab gsal zhes bya ba bshad pa’i ti ka (Pradīpoddyotanābhisaṃdhiprakāśikānāmavyākhyāṭīkā). Toh 1793, Degé Tengyur vols. 32–33 (rgyud, ki), folios 1.b–292.a, and (rgyud, khi), folios 1.b–155.a.
Bodhisattva. kun nas sgor ’jug pa’i ’od zer gtsug tor dri ma med par snang ba’i gzungs bklag cing chod rten brgya rtsa brgyad dam mchod rten lnga gdab pa’i cho ga mdo sde las btus pa (Samantamukhapraveśaraśmivimaloṣṇīṣaprabhāsadhāraṇīvacanasūtrāntoddhṛtāṣṭottaraśatacaityāntarapañcacaityanirvapaṇavidhi). Toh 3068, Degé Tengyur vol. 74 (rgyud, pu), folios 140.a–153.a.
Buddhānandagarbha. de bzhin gshegs pa dgra bcom pa yang dag par rdzogs pa’i sangs rgyas ngan song thams cad yongs su sbyong ba gzi brjid kyi rgyal po zhes bya ba’i bshad pa (Sarvadurgatipariśodhanatejorājatathāgatārhatsamyaksaṃbuddhanāmakalpaṭīkā). Toh 2628, Degé Tengyur vol. 68 (rgyud, ju), folios 1.a–97.a.
Dharmakīrtiśrī. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan zhes bya ba’i ’grel pa rtogs par dka’ ba’i snang ba zhes bya ba’i ’grel bshad (Abhisamayālaṃkāranāmaprajñāpāramitopadeśaśāstravṛttidurbodhālokanāmaṭīkā). Toh 3794, Degé Tengyur vol. 86 (sher phyin, ja), folios 140.b–254.a.
Dharmamitra. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan gyi tshig le’ur byas pa’i ’grel bshad tshig rab tu gsal ba (Abhisamayālaṃkārakārikāprajñāpāramitopadeśaśāstraṭīkāprasphuṭapadā). Toh 3796, Degé Tengyur vol. 87 (sher phyin, nya), folios 1.a–110.a.
Dīpaṁkaraśrījñāna. dbu ma’i man ngag rin po che’i za ma tog kha phye ba zhes bya ba (Ratnakaraṇḍodghāṭanāmamadhyamakopadeśa). Toh 3930, Degé Tengyur vol. 212 (dbu ma, ki), folios 96.b–116.b.
———. byang chub lam gyi sgron ma’i dka’ ’grel (Bodhimārgapradīpapañjikā). Toh 3948, Degé Tengyur vol. 213 (mdo ’grel, khi), folios 241.a–293.a.
———. mngon par rtogs pa rnam par ’byed pa zhes bya ba (Abhisamayavibhaṅganāma). Toh 1490, Degé Tengyur vol. 22 (rgyud, zha), folios 186.a–202.b.
Ekādaśanirghoṣa. rdo rje ’chang chen po’i lam gyi rim pa’i man ngag bdud rtsi gsang ba (Mahāvajradharapathakramopadeśāmṛtaguhya). Toh 1823, Degé Tengyur vol. 35 (rgyud, ngi), folios 267.b–278.a.
Haribhadra. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa’i bshad pa mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan gyi snang ba (Aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitāvyākhyānābhisamayālaṃkārāloka). Toh 3791, Degé Tengyur vol. 85 (sher phyin, cha), folios 1.a–341.a.
Kāmadhenu. ngan song thams cad yongs su sbyong ba gzi brjid kyi rgyal po zhes bya ba cho ga zhib mo’i rgyal po chen po’i rgya cher ’grel pa (Sarvadurgatipariśodhanatejorājanāmamahākalparājaṭīkā). Toh 2625, Degé Tengyur vol. 666 (rgyud, cu), folios 231.a–341.a.
Mañjuśrīkīrti. ’jam dpal gyi mtshan yang dag par brjod pa’i rgya cher bshad pa (Mañjuśrīnāmasaṃgītiṭīkā). Toh 2534, Degé Tengyur vol. 63 (gyud, khu), folios 115.b–301.a.
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———. pho brang stod thang lhan dkar gyi chos ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag. Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur vol. 308 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.
Pramuditākaravarman. gsang ba ’dus pa rgyud kyi rgyal po’i bshad pa zla ba’i ’od zer (Guhyasamājatantrarājaṭīkācandraprabhā). Toh 1852, Degé Tengyur vol. 41 (rgyud, thi), folios 120.a–313.a.
Sahajalalita. kun nas sgor ’jug pa’i ’od zer gtsug tor dri ma med par snang ba de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi snying po dang dam tshig la rnam par blta ba zhes bya ba’i gzungs kyi rnam par bshad pa (Samantamukhapraveśaraśmivimaloṣṇīṣaprabhāsasarvatathāgatahṛdayasamayavilokitanāmadhāraṇīvṛtti). Toh 2688, Degé Tengyur vol. 71 (rgyud, thu), folios 269.a–320.b.
Śāntideva. bslab pa kun las btus pa (Śikṣāsamuccaya). Toh 3940, Degé Tengyur vol. 111 (dbu ma, khi), folios 3.a–194.b.
Sthiramati. rgyan dam pa sna tshogs rim par phye ba bkod pa (Paramālaṃkāraviśvapaṭalavyūha). Toh 2661, Degé Tengyur vol. 68 (rgyud, ju), folios 317.a–339.a.
Vairocanarakṣita. bslab pa me tog snye ma (Śikṣākusumamañjarī). Toh 3943, Degé Tengyur vol. 213 (dbu ma, khi), folios 196.a–217.a.
Various authors. bye brag tu rtogs par byed pa [chen po] (Mahāvyutpatti*). Toh 4346, Degé Tengyur vol. 306 (sna tshogs, co), folios 1.a–131.a.
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Yeshe Dé (ye shes sde). lang kar gshegs pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo’i ’grel pa de bzhin gshegs pa’i snying po’i rgyan (Laṅkāvatāranāmamahāyānasūtravṛttitathāgatahṛdayālaṃkāra), Toh 4019, Degé Tengyur vol. 224 (mdo ’grel, pi), folios 1.a–310.a.
Other References in Tibetan
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Nobel, Johannes (1937). Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra. Das Goldglanz-Sūtra: ein Sanskrit text des Mahāyāna-Buddhismus. Nach den Handschriften und mit Hilfe der tibetischen und chinesischen Übertragungen. Leipzig: Harrassowitz.
——— (1944). Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra. Das Goldglanz-Sūtra: ein Sanskrit text des Mahāyāna-Buddhismus. Die Tibetischen Überstzungen mit einem Wörterbuch. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
——— (1944, 1950). Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra. Das Goldglanz-Sūtra: ein Sanskrit text des Mahāyāna-Buddhismus. Die Tibetishcen Überstzungen mit einem Wörterbuch. 2 vols. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
Radich, Michael (2014). “On the Sources, Style and Authorship of Chapters of the Synoptic Suvarṇaprabhasa-sūtra T644 Ascribed to Paramārtha (Part 1).” Annual Report of the Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology at Soka University for the Academic Year 2013, vol. XVII (Tokyo Soka University, 2014): 207–44.
——— (2016). “Tibetan Evidence for the Sources of Chapters of the Synoptic Suvarṇa-prabhāsottama-sūtra T 664 A Ascribed to Paramārtha.” Buddhist Studies Review 32.2 (2015): 245–70. Sheffield, UK: Equinox Publishing.
Tanaka, Kimiaki. An Illustrated History of the Mandala From Its Genesis to the Kālacakratantra. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2018.
Tyomkin, E. N. “Unique Sanskrit Fragments of ‘The Sūtra of Golden Light’ in the Manuscript Collection of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies.” In Manuscripta Orientalia vol. 1, no. 1 (July 1995): 29–38. St. Petersburg: Russian Academy of Sciences.
Yuama, Akira. “The Golden Light in Central Asia.” In Annual Report of the International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology at Soka University for the Academic Year 2003 (Tokyo: Soka University, 2004): 3–32.
Translations
84000. Eliminating Ajātaśatru’s Remorse (Ajātaśatrukaukṛtyavinodana, ma skyes dgra’i ’gyod pa bsal ba, Toh 216). Translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023.
———. Purification of Karmic Obscurations (Karmāvaraṇaviśuddhi, las kyi sgrib pa rnam par dag pa, Toh 218). Translated by Garchen Buddhist Institute Translation Group. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2013.
———. The Śrīgupta Sūtra (Śrīguptasūtra, dpal sbas kyi mdo, Toh 217). Translated by Karen Liljenberg and Ulrich Pagel. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2021.
———. The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (1) (Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra, gser ’od dam pa’i mdo, Toh 555). Translated by Peter Alan Roberts and team. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023.
———. The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (2) (Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra, gser ’od dam pa’i mdo, Toh 556). Translated by Peter Alan Roberts and team. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024.
Emmerick, R. E. The Sūtra of Golden Light. Oxford: The Pali Text Society, 2004.
Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). Sutra of Golden Light, 21-Chapter.
Nobel, Johannes. Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra, Das Goldglanz-Sutra, ein Sanskrittext des Mahayana Buddhismus. I-Tsing’s chinesische Version und ihre Übersetzung. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1958.
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
This term is a reconstruction based on the semantics of the Tibetan translation.
Source unspecified
This term has been supplied from an unspecified source, which most often is a widely trusted dictionary.
Ābhāsvara
- ’od gsal
- འོད་གསལ།
- ābhāsvara
ācārya
- slob dpon
- སློབ་དཔོན།
- ācārya
Akaniṣṭha
- ’og min
- འོག་མིན།
- akaniṣṭha
amṛta
- bdud rtsi
- བདུད་རྩི།
- amṛta
Anabhraka
- sprin med
- སྤྲིན་མེད།
- anabhraka
Anāthapiṇḍada
- mgon med pa la zas sbyin pa
- mgon med zas sbyin
- མགོན་མེད་པ་ལ་ཟས་སྦྱིན་པ།
- མགོན་མེད་ཟས་སྦྱིན།
- anāthapiṇḍada
Apramāṇābha
- tshad med ’od
- ཚད་མེད་འོད།
- apramāṇābha
Apramāṇaśubha
- tshad med dge
- ཚད་མེད་དགེ
- apramāṇaśubha
arhat
- dgra bcom pa
- དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ།
- arhat
Asaṃjñasattva
- sems can ’du shes med pa
- སེམས་ཅན་འདུ་ཤེས་མེད་པ།
- asaṃjñasattva
Atapa
- mi gdung ba
- མི་གདུང་བ།
- atapa
Avṛha
- mi che ba
- མི་ཆེ་བ།
- avṛha
bhagavat
- bcom ldan ’das
- བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས།
- bhagavat
bhikṣu
- dge slong
- དགེ་སློང་།
- bhikṣu
Brahmā
- tshangs pa
- ཚངས་པ།
- brahmā
Brahmakāyika
- tshangs ris
- ཚངས་རིས།
- brahmakāyika
Brahmapurohita
- tshangs pa’i mdun na ’don
- ཚངས་པའི་མདུན་ན་འདོན།
- brahmapurohita
brahmin
- bram ze
- བྲམ་ཟེ།
- brāhmaṇa
Bṛhatphala
- ’bras bu che
- འབྲས་བུ་ཆེ།
- bṛhatphala
cakravartin
- khor los sgyur ba
- ཁོར་ལོས་སྒྱུར་བ།
- cakravartin
Cāturmahā-rāja-kāyika
- rgyal chen bzhi’i ris
- རྒྱལ་ཆེན་བཞིའི་རིས།
- cāturmahārājakāyika
confidence
- mi ’jigs pa
- མི་འཇིགས་པ།
- vaiśāradya
Dānaśīla
- dA na shI la
- དཱ་ན་ཤཱི་ལ།
- dānaśīla
defilements
- zag pa
- ཟག་པ།
- āsrava
deva
- lha
- ལྷ།
- deva
dhyāna
- bsam gtan
- བསམ་གཏན།
- dhyāna
eon
- bskal pa
- བསྐལ་པ།
- kalpa
Exalted Light Rays
- ’od zer mtho
- འོད་ཟེར་མཐོ།
- —
four discernments
- so so yang dag par rig pa bzhi
- སོ་སོ་ཡང་དག་པར་རིག་པ་བཞི།
- catuḥpratisaṃvid
gandharva
- dri za
- དྲི་ཟ།
- gandharva
Gaṅgadevī
- gang gA’i lha mo
- གང་གཱའི་ལྷ་མོ།
- gaṅgadevī
higher cognitions
- mngon par shes pa
- མངོན་པར་ཤེས་པ།
- abhijñā
Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park
- rgyal bu rgyal byed kyi tshal mgon med zas sbyin gyi kun dga’ ra ba
- རྒྱལ་བུ་རྒྱལ་བྱེད་ཀྱི་ཚལ་མགོན་མེད་ཟས་སྦྱིན་གྱི་ཀུན་དགའ་ར་བ།
- jetavanam anāthapiṇḍadasyārāmaḥ AO
Jinamitra
- dzi na mi tra
- ཛི་ན་མི་ཏྲ།
- jinamitra
Kauśika
- kau shi ka
- ཀཽ་ཤི་ཀ
- kauśika
King of Illumination
- snang ba’i rgyal po
- སྣང་བའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
- —
kṣatriya
- rgyal rigs
- རྒྱལ་རིགས།
- kṣatriya
Mahābrahmā
- tshangs chen
- ཚངས་ཆེན།
- mahābrahmā
Mahāraśmiskandha
- ’od zer gyi phung po chen po
- འོད་ཟེར་གྱི་ཕུང་པོ་ཆེན་པོ།
- mahāraśmiskandha
mahāsattva
- sems dpa’ chen po
- སེམས་དཔའ་ཆེན་པོ།
- mahāsattva
Mahāyāna
- theg pa chen po
- ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོ།
- mahāyāna
Net of Light
- ’od dra ba can
- འོད་དྲ་བ་ཅན།
- —
Nirmāṇarati
- ’phrul dga’
- འཕྲུལ་དགའ།
- nirmāṇarati
non-returner
- phyir mi ’ong ba
- ཕྱིར་མི་འོང་བ།
- anāgāmin
once-returner
- lan cig phyir ’ong ba
- ལན་ཅིག་ཕྱིར་འོང་བ།
- sakṛdāgāmin
Paranirmitavaśavartin
- gzhan ’phrul dbang byed
- གཞན་འཕྲུལ་དབང་བྱེད།
- paranirmitavaśavartin
Parīttābha
- ’od chung
- འོད་ཆུང་།
- parīttābha
Parīttaśubha
- dge chung
- དགེ་ཆུང་།
- parīttaśubha
perfection
- pha rol tu phyin pa
- ཕ་རོལ་ཏུ་ཕྱིན་པ།
- pāramitā
powers
- dbang po
- དབང་པོ།
- indriya
Pratyekabuddhayāna
- rang sangs rgyas kyi theg pa
- རང་སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་ཐེག་པ།
- pratyekabuddhayāna
Puṇyaprasava
- bsod nams skyes
- བསོད་ནམས་སྐྱེས།
- puṇyaprasava
Ratnaketu
- rin chen tog
- རིན་ཆེན་ཏོག
- ratnaketu
Sahā
- mi mjed
- མི་མཇེད།
- sahā
Śakra
- brgya byin
- བརྒྱ་བྱིན།
- śakra
saṅgha
- dge ’dun
- དགེ་འདུན།
- saṅgha
Śāriputra
- shA ri’i bu
- ཤཱ་རིའི་བུ།
- śāriputra
seven precious materials
- rin po che sna bdun
- རིན་པོ་ཆེ་སྣ་བདུན།
- saptaratna
śrāvaka
- nyan thos
- ཉན་ཐོས།
- śrāvaka
Śrāvakayāna
- nyan thos kyi theg pa
- ཉན་ཐོས་ཀྱི་ཐེག་པ།
- śrāvakayāna
Śrāvastī
- mnyan yod
- མཉན་ཡོད།
- śrāvastī
state
- skye mched
- སྐྱེ་མཆེད།
- āyatana
state of infinite consciousness
- rnam shes mtha’ yas skye mched
- རྣམ་ཤེས་མཐའ་ཡས་སྐྱེ་མཆེད།
- vijñānānantyāyatana
state of infinite space
- nam mkha’ mtha’ yas skye mched
- ནམ་མཁའ་མཐའ་ཡས་སྐྱེ་མཆེད།
- ākāśānantyāyatana
state of neither perception nor nonperception
- ’du shes med ’du shes med min skye mched
- འདུ་ཤེས་མེད་འདུ་ཤེས་མེད་མིན་སྐྱེ་མཆེད།
- naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatana
state of nothingness
- ci yang med pa’i skye mched
- ཅི་ཡང་མེད་པའི་སྐྱེ་མཆེད།
- ākiṃcanyāyatana
stream entrant
- rgyun du zhugs pa
- རྒྱུན་དུ་ཞུགས་པ།
- srotāpanna
- srotaāpanna
strengths
- stobs
- སྟོབས།
- bala
Śubhakṛtsna
- dge rgyas
- དགེ་རྒྱས།
- śubhakṛtsna
Sudarśana
- shin tu mthong ba
- ཤིན་ཏུ་མཐོང་བ།
- sudarśana
Sudṛśa
- gya nom snang ba
- གྱ་ནོམ་སྣང་བ།
- sudṛśa
sugata
- bde bar gshegs pa
- བདེ་བར་གཤེགས་པ།
- sugata
Sumeru
- ri rab
- རི་རབ།
- sumeru
ten strengths
- stobs bcu
- སྟོབས་བཅུ།
- daśabala
three knowledges
- rig pa gsum
- རིག་པ་གསུམ།
- traividya
Trāyastriṃśa
- sum cu rtsa gsum pa
- སུམ་ཅུ་རྩ་གསུམ་པ།
- trāyastriṃśa
trichiliocosm
- stong gsum
- stong gsum gyi stong chen po’i ’jig rten gyi khams
- སྟོང་གསུམ།
- སྟོང་གསུམ་གྱི་སྟོང་ཆེན་པོའི་འཇིག་རྟེན་གྱི་ཁམས།
- trisāhasramahāsāhasralokadhātu
Tuṣita
- dga’ ldan
- དགའ་ལྡན།
- tuṣita
unique qualities of a buddha
- sangs rgyas kyi chos ma ’dres pa
- སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་ཆོས་མ་འདྲེས་པ།
- āveṇikabuddhadharma
upādhyāya
- mkhan po
- མཁན་པོ།
- upādhyāya
Venerable
- tshe dang ldan pa
- ཚེ་དང་ལྡན་པ།
- āyuṣmat
Virtue of Light
- ’od dge
- འོད་དགེ
- —
Vulture Peak
- bya rgod kyi phung po
- བྱ་རྒོད་ཀྱི་ཕུང་པོ།
- gṛdhrakūṭa
Yāma
- ’thab bral
- འཐབ་བྲལ།
- yāma
Yeshé Dé
- ye shes sde
- ཡེ་ཤེས་སྡེ།
- —
yojana
- dpag tshad
- དཔག་ཚད།
- yojana