ཡང་དག་པར་སྤྱོད་པའི་ཚུལ་ནམ་མཁའི་མདོག་གིས་འདུལ་བའི་བཟོད་པ།
The Acceptance That Tames Beings with the Sky-Colored Method of Perfect Conduct
Notes
Samyagācāravṛttagaganavarṇavinayakṣānti
འཕགས་པ་ཡང་དག་པར་སྤྱོད་པའི་ཚུལ་ནམ་མཁའི་མདོག་གིས་འདུལ་བའི་བཟོད་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།
’phags pa yang dag par spyod pa’i tshul nam mkha’i mdog gis ’dul ba’i bzod pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo
The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Acceptance That Tames Beings with the Sky-Colored Method of Perfect Conduct”
Āryasamyagācāravṛttagaganavarṇavinayakṣāntināmamahāyānasūtra
Toh 263
Degé Kangyur, vol. 67 (mdo sde, ’a), folios 90.a–209.b
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Table of Contents
Summary
In The Acceptance That Tames Beings with the Sky-Colored Method of Perfect Conduct, the Buddha Śākyamuni and several bodhisattvas deliver a series of teachings focusing on the relationship between the understanding of emptiness and the conduct of a bodhisattva, especially the perfection of acceptance or patience. The text describes the implications of the view that all inner and outer formations—that is, all phenomena made up of the five aggregates—are empty. It also provides detailed descriptions of the ascetic practices of non-Buddhists and insists on the importance for bodhisattvas of being reborn in buddha realms inundated with the five impurities for the sake of the beings living there, and of practicing in such realms to fulfill the highest goals of the bodhisattva path.
Acknowledgements
This text was translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Benjamin Collet-Cassart translated the text from Tibetan into English and wrote the introduction. Adam Krug compared the draft translation with the Tibetan and edited the text.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. David Fiordalis and others in the editorial team provided further editorial support, and Ven. Konchog Norbu copyedited the text. Martina Cotter was in charge of the digital publication process.
The translation of this text has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of Wang Jing and family, Chen Yiqiong and family, and Gu Yun and family.
Text Body
The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra
The Acceptance That Tames Beings with the Sky-Colored Method of Perfect Conduct
The Acceptance That Tames Beings with the Sky-Colored Method of Perfect Conduct
Abbreviations
| C | Choné (co ne) Kangyur |
|---|---|
| D | Degé (sde dge) Kangyur |
| H | Lhasa (lha sa/zhol) Kangyur |
| J | Lithang (li thang) Kangyur |
| K | Peking (pe cin) or “Kangxi” Kangyur |
| N | Narthang (snar thang) Kangyur |
| S | Stok Palace (stog pho brang bris ma) Kangyur |
| U | Urga (phyi sog khu re) Kangyur |
| Y | Yongle (g.yung lo) Kangyur |
Notes
However, the two first chapters are not marked by a chapter colophon in the Tibetan editions.
bam po bcu gcig rgya las ’gyur/ ’gyur snying pa skad gsar cad kyis ma bcos par snang ngo.
Silk 2019, p. 239, includes this sūtra in the list of those translated from Chinese but for which the Chinese has not yet been identified, rather than among those he lists as “questionable cases.” See also the brief mention of it in Li 2021, p. 195.
Denkarma, 297a.2. See also Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, p. 47, no. 83.
nam mkha’ la ’gro ba’i ’od kyis ’dul ba’i bzod pa. Note that throughout our translation we render nam mkha’ sometimes as sky and sometimes as space.
D rnyog pa sel ba zhes bya ba’i byed pa can gyi grong rdal du. The translation of byed pa can as “Land of Activity” is based on the assumption that it is the name of a region or land, such as bde ba can, which means “[a place or land] possessing bliss” and which has thus been sometimes translated “Land of Bliss.” The kind of activity meant here could encompass both trade or economic work as well as religious austerities, but the name remains ambiguous and somewhat unclear to us. We understand the name of the specific town as possibly referring to the “five impurities” (rnyog pa lnga) that are mentioned throughout the text.
S sems can thams cad la mtshungs par sems pa’i phyir/ byams pa dang khong khro ba med pas; D sems can thams cad la mtshungs par sems pa’i phyir byams pa dang/ khong khro ba med pas.
Y, K, S bskam; D brkam. Translated based on Yongle, Peking, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
Y, K, S phyad pa; D phyed pa. Translated based on the variant in the Yongle, Peking, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
D mtshan nyid med pa nas/ mtshan nyid med pa dang/ mtshan nyid bral ba dang/ mnyam pa’i mtshan nyid dang/ mtshan nyid gcig pa dang/ mtshan nyid med pa’i bar du’o. The phrase “without characteristics” (mtshan nyid med pa) is repeated three times in this brief list.
H, S drang srong gi cha byad kyis; D drang srong gi cha byad kyi. This translation follows the variant in the Lhasa and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
S tshangs pa dang ’jig rten la gzhol bar ’gyur ro; D tshangs pa dang/ ’jig rten la gzhol bar ’gyur ro. This is a tentative translation that follows the variant in this phrase that is preserved on folio 95.b of the Degé Kangyur, and is noted below.
D tshangs pa’i ’jig rten la gzhol bar ’gyur. This variant of this repeating line in the text has been adopted as the correct reading throughout this translation.
J, N, H bdug pa; D, S gtugs pa; C gdug pa; Y, K gdugs pa. Translated based on the variant in the Lithang, Narthang, and Lhasa Kangyurs.
K, S yid ’ong; D yid yod. Translated based on the variant in the Peking and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
D shing ta la.
Y, N, K, H, C suma; D, S su ma ra. Translated based on the variant in the Yongle, Lithang, Narthang, Peking, Lhasa, and Choné Kangyurs. The Sanskrit term suma is equivalent to the term sumanā or “jasmine,” which is the more common name for this flower in Buddhist Sanskrit literature. If this text were actually translated from Sanskrit and not Chinese, then perhaps the variant sumara could be a scribal error for sumanā.
D mri na la. We have not been able to identify the flower mri na la that appears at the end of this list.
J sa bla na gnas gyi gnod sbyin; N sa la gnas gyi gnod sbyin; S sa la rnams gyi gnod sbyin; D sa bla na gnam gyi gnod sbyin. The translation follows the variant in the Lithang and Narthang Kangyurs.
Y, S ’phyan; D ’phyen; J, K, N ’phyin. Translated based on the variant in the Yongle and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
sum cu rtsa drug. This might refer to the thirty-six impure substances of the body (Tib. mi gtsang ba’i rdzas so drug) that are used as objects of meditation to counteract lust.
D bzod pa ’di ni mu stegs can thams cad la ’jug pa’o. This translation is tentative.
D ji ltar gong du bzhad pa nas. This phrase appears here and elsewhere in this text wherever the text has omitted repetitive material. The line literally translates as “described in a similar way as above,” and is marked in this translation with an ellipsis. In the current passage, we can assume that the bodhisattvas and thus-gone ones in each of these buddha realms go through the same process of transforming into seers, seeing a firelight in the form of a mahāmāndārava flower, questioning the buddha in their buddha field regarding the causes and conditions that brought about these events, and eventually being miraculously transported to the Sahā realm where they take a seat before the Buddha Śākyamuni.
D dka’ thub kyi gnas gtsang ma dri tha dad pa med cing dri med pa’i phyogs su ’gro sel gyi lha mo ’od ’dres pa zhes bya ba gang na ba de na bcom ldan ’das bzhugs te. The translation of this line remains tentative.
Y, K mngon mthong; D sngon mthong. Translated based on the variant in the Yongle and Peking Kangyurs.
C brtags pa med pa; D btags pa med pa. This translation follows the variant in the Choné Kangyur.
D yongs su mya ngan las ma ’das pa; J, N, C, H yongs su mya ngan las ’das pa.
D phung po dang/ khams dang/ skye mched dang/ ming dang gzugs bral ba la sgyu ma’i rang bzhin gyi lta ba kun tu ’gro zhing kun tu mi ’gro/ yongs su mya ngan las ma ’das pa ’di yang byang chub sems dpa’i gnyis su med pa’i chos kyi sgo la ’jug pa’o. The translation of this line remains tentative.
D gang yang ’byung ba med pa skad cig ma dang skad cig ma ma yin pa la ’dus byas thams cad du myur du rab tu shes pa ’di yang gnyis su med pa’i chos kyi sgo la ’jug pa’o. The translation of this line remains tentative.
D khyod ni chos kyi sko ’di la lus dpang du btsugs te. This translation remains tentative.
Y, K, N, H, S reg; D rig. Translated based on the variant in the Yongle, Peking, Narthang, Lhasa, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
D de ni sgyu ma smig rgyu spros par ’gro. This translation is tentative.
Beginning with this sentence, the passage proceeds by adding various adverbial prefixes to individual terms, thus producing different shades of meaning on a given term. Our translation attempts to convey some sense of the way such meanings are generated, though the translations remain tentative.
This list appears to correspond fairly well to the standard list of five nīvaraṇas of the Pāli Buddhist tradition, where some pairs or groups of terms also count as single members of the list.
S ’jig pa; D ’jug pa. Translated based on the variant in the Stok Palace Kangyur.
D ’ong ngo zhes bya ba sgom pa mngon par ’jug pa’i tshig gi mtshan nyid ’di ni bzod pa sgom pa ma yin no/ /’gro’o zhes bya ba khong du chud pa chags pa’i lam ’di ni bzod pa sgom pa’o zhes smras so. The translation of these lines remains tentative.
D yi ge’i chos kyi dbyings la ’khrug pa med do. This translation is tentative.
D bya’i brtul zhugs; Y byi ba’i brtul zhugs. The variant in Y suggests the translation “the mouse observance.”
J, N, C, H, S ’khrul par ’gyur ba; D ’phrul bar ’gyur ba. Translated based on the variant in the Lithang, Narthang, Choné, Lhasa, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
This translation is tentative.
J, N, H, Y, K bkar ba; D dkar ba. Translated based on the variant in the Lithang, Narthang, Lhasa, Yongle, and Peking Kangyurs.
Y, J, K, N, C, H longs spyod chen po’i rgyus sbyin pa rnam par mi spong; D longs spyod chen po’i rgyur sbyin pa rnam par mi spong. This translation is based on the variant in the Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa Kangyurs.
D brtson ’grus kyis mtshan nyid la mi ’jug pa dang/ dran pa’i stobs mi skye mi ’gog pa la dmigs pas sbyin pa byin pa ’di yang tshul khrims kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’o. This translation is tentative.
D ’dod chags thams cad rkyen la rag las shing bla na med pa dang. This translation is tentative.
D sems can bdag tu ’du shes pa la mngon par chags pa rnams nye bar len pa’i phung po lnga la mi ’jigs shing dbu ba dang/ smig rgyu lta bu dang/ mda’ dang/ ral gris ’phangs te gsod pa’i skyes bu lta bu’i sems can rnams la ston par byed do. This translation is tentative.
D rigs kyi bu de’i tshe/ gzhung ’dis gang nyon mongs pa dang/ rnyog pa lnga’i sangs rgyas kyi zhing du byang chub sems dpa’i pha rol tu phyin pa drug spyad pa spyod cing snying rje chen po dang ldan pa de dag byang chub sems dpa’i zhes bya bar de ltar rig par bya’o. This translation is tentative.
J, K, N, C, H ngag snyan pa’i bsdu ba’i dngos pos; D ngag snyan pa’i ba sbu’i dngos pos. This translation follows the variant in the Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa Kangyurs.
D ’khyil ba dang/ ldog pa’i bsam gtan. This translation is tentative.
D gang gi las kyis sems can rnams dge ba’i rtsa ba skyed par nus pa de’i bar du sbyor ba’i byin gyis brlabs pa’i phyir chags pa yang med do. This translation is tentative.
D chos ston pa. This term could also be translated as “Dharma teaching.”
D byams pa dang/ mi dga’ bar rab tu sbyor ba.
This translation is tentative. Tibetan: nges par ’dod pa rnams rim gyis smra ba dang/ tshig zad pa rnams bsdu ba rab tu sbyor.
D tshad med par rab tu sbyor ba. It is quite possible that this is a reference to the “four immeasurables” or tshad med bzhi. It is also possible that this term refers to “immeasurable qualities.”
D chu bo gang rnams blta dka’ chu bos kyer/ nga rgyal mngon pa’i nga rgyal yul las shes. This translation is tentative.
D mkhyen pa khyed kyi gang gi slob ston pa/ thub pa shes pa’i smra ba ’di la ’jug. This translation is tentative.
D bdag ni ye shes ’brog sa myur gnas shing/ tshul ’di la yang ye shes lam rab ston. This translation is tentative.
Y, K, N, H, S sred pa; D srid pa. Translated based on the variant in the Yongle, Peking, Narthang, Lhasa, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
We have not been able to identify the term ske ka (D; Y, K, U ske ga) in this line. It may refer to another species of bird, or perhaps it is a scribal error for skad, which is how we have understood it.
J, N, C, H ye shes kyis ni ’gro ba mig ldan pas; D ye shes kyis ni ’gro la mig ldan pas. This translation follows the variant in the Lithang, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa Kangyurs.
Y; K; S thams cad kyi sred pa’i bag; D thams cad kyi srid pa’i bag. Translated based on the variant preserved in the Yongle, Peking, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
D lus dpang du btsugs pa’i bar du. This translation assumes that the Tibetan dpang du btsugs pa is a scribal error for dbang du btsugs pa. Unfortunately, we have not been able to locate a witness for this reading, so this translation remains conjectural.
D mtshan nyid med pa nas mtshan ma med pa’i bar du. This phrase likely refers to the “eight aspects” that are used to analyze the earth element in this passage.
D mi rtag pa dang/ sdug bsngal ba dang/ stong pa dang/ bdag med pa’i mtshan nyid dang ldan pa’i bzod pa sgom par byed pa ’di yang byang chub sems dpa’i sems can thams cad yongs su smin pa nye bar ’tshe ba’i bzod par blta bar bya’o. This translation is tentative, but understands “it” to be referring here to the earth element.
D gang skad cig skad cig tu ’byung ba zad pa’i chos nyid dbang po de la zad pa dang/ ’gog pa de ni ’byung ba zad pa nyid du brtag go. This translation is tentative.
D rang bzhin gyis gzugs brnyan lta bu’i rgyu ’dra ba mngon par mi ’gyur ba dang/ sgyu ma lta bu dang/ lus mngon pa’i mtshan nyid du brtag go. This translation is tentative.
D khams gsum gyi ’khor ba bdag med pa lta bu dang/ dus gsum gyi mtshan nyid thob pa dang/ dmigs pa med pa dang/ yi ge med pa dang/ gnyis su med pa’i mtha’ dang/ rtag pa’i mtha’ dang/ kun du bzung ba’i mtha’ dang/ zad pa med par spyod pa’i mtha’ dang/ nyon mongs pa med pa’i mtha’ dang/ /yul med pa’i mtha’ dang/ rab tu rgyu ba med pa’i mtha’ dang/ /smra ba med pa’i mtha’ dang/ gzugs brnyan lta bur gzugs de’i mtshan nyid du rab tu shes so. This translation is tentative.
D bdag dang gzhan gyi la mi len pa. This translation is tentative.
D gzugs kyi mtshan nyid snang ba’i mtshan mas mtshan ma las dmigs pa’ang med do. This translation is tentative.
D tshor ba rnam gsum gyis nyon mongs pa’i rtsa ba ’byung ba dang/ las kyi rtsa ba dang/ zad pa’i rtsa ba nub pa tshul bzhin du brtag par bya’o. This translation is tentative.
D slong ba po’am/ dgod pa po’am/ kun tu rgyu ba po’am/ sogs par yang mi shes so. This translation is tentative.
D dus gsum gyi ’dod chags dmigs pa rnam par sogs so. This translation is tentative.
D de chags pa’i gzugs la sems rtogs pa dang. This translation is tentative.
D gang ’dod chags de la brjod du med pa’i tshor ba dang/ dus gsum gyi bsgom pa thob pa ’di yang ’du byed sdub bsngal rab tu byed pa’i sgo’o. This translation is tentative.
D yid kyi rnam par shes pa zhes bya ba ’di sems dang/ yid kyi sgras brjod do. This translation is tentative.
D ston pa’i bar du. The negative form does not in fact appear here in the Tibetan. This translation is tentative.
D dus gsum gyi ’dod chags la kun gzhi rnam par sogs so. This translation is tentative.
D khams gsum gyi ’dod chags kyi gun gzhi tshor ba mi rtag pa dang/ sdug bsngal ba dang/ stong pa dang/ bdag med pa’i mtshan nyid dang bral ba’i bzod pa bsgom par bya ba. This translation is tentative.
D zhe sdang skye ba nyon mongs pa’i rtsa ba las zad par nus pa’i tshul bzhin du brtag par bya’o. This translation is tentative.
The Stok Palace Kangyur includes the term “suffering” (sdug bsngal) here after “blissful” and before the remaining items in this list, which seems in some ways similar, at least in part, to the common list of the four “inverted” (phyin ci log) views.
D rnam par dpyod pa dang/ rnam par dpyod pa med pa dang/ ’khrugs pa dang/ ma ’khrugs pa dang/ nye bar zhi ba dang/ yang dag par rtog pa dang/ yang dag pa ji lta ba bzhin du rab tu shes shing bde ba dang/ sdug bsngal gyi tshor ba dang bral ba shes rab kyi dbang po ma skyes pas chos la rnam par rtog pa ’di yang sdug bsngal ba yang med/ bde ba yang med pa’i tshor ba’o. This translation is tentative.
Y, J, K, N, C, U, H brtag pa’am; D rtag pa’am. This translation follows the variant in the Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, Urga, and Lhasa Kangyurs.
N, U brtag pa’am; D rtag pa’am. This translation follows the variant in the Narthang and Urga Kangyurs.
Y, K, J, N, C ming gi lam; D mig gi lam. This translation follows the variant in the Yongle, Peking, Lithang, Narthang, and Choné Kangyurs.
D sems dang/ yid dang/ rnam par shes pa’i gnas sel ba’i brda dang/ mtshan ma rnam par gzhag par rnam par gzhag pa ma yin no. This translation is tentative.
D phan tshun las shin tu ’das shing mi gnas pa’i tshul gyis ma yin/ phan tshun du nye bar nyon mongs pa ma yin/ phan tshun las shin tu ’da’ ba ma yin no. This translation is tentative. The rhetorical construction “some say...but” has been added in the English translation to make sense of what appear to be directly contradictory views that are presented next to each other in the Tibetan. This assumes that the first perspective is that of a rhetorical opponent or opposing position.
D chos thams cad dus gsum dang/ tha mi dad pa’i mtha’ nye bar len pa ma yin. This translation is tentative.
D gsum gyis gus pa’i tshul du byed pa ma yin/ zad mi shes pa’i mtha’ rnam par ’khyam pa ma yin pa. This translation is tentative.
D skad cig ma’i mi skye ba dang/ ’gog pa dang. This translation is tentative.
D mig gi rnam par shes pa’i rkyen kyang gzugs kyi ’dus te reg pa la dmigs pa la yod pa’i mtshan nyid kyi rang bzhin du chags par bya ba’i phyir skad cig ma gnyis la ’byung ba ni ma yin no. This translation is tentative.
D mig ni mig gis gnyis su med de/ gnyis ka yang dngos po med pa’i phyir ro. This translation is tentative.
D /de bzhin du gnas pa’i bya ba yang chags par bya bas gnyis su med cing dngos po med de/ nam mkha’ la brtag pa’i mtshan nyid lta bu’i phyir ro. This translation is tentative.
D byis pa sems can ji lta ba bzhin du ming med pa. This translation is tentative.
Y, K, J, N, C rnam par dpyod pa nub pa; D rnam par dpyod par nus pa. This translation follows the variant in the Yongle, Peking, Lithang, Narthang, and Choné Kangyurs.
Y, K, S sred pa; D srid pa. Translated based on variant in the Yongle, Peking, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
Y, K, S sred pa; D srid pa. Translated based on the variant in the Yongle, Peking, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
J, N, H, S nad; D nang. Translated based on the variant in the Lithang, Narthang, Lhasa, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
J, N, Y, K, C ’gog pa; D ’god pa. Translated based on the variant in the Lithang, Narthang, Yongle, Peking, and Choné Kangyurs.
C, S ’dul ba ma yin pa; D ’du ba. This translation is based on the variant in the Choné and Stok Palace Kangyurs. The Choné and Stok Palace Kangyurs seem to be the only recensions that render this form as ’dul ba, “training.” The Degé renders the term here as ’du ba, “collecting,” and does so again a couple times in the rest of this paragraph. The issue of the correct reading here is complicated by the fact that the Choné also renders the later phrase yang dag par ’dul ba, “training perfectly,” as yang dag par ’du ba, “collecting perfectly,” which leads to ambiguity about the rendering in the Choné at this point, too. This translation amends all occurrences of the term ’du ba to ’dul ba throughout this section. As a result, the translation of this passage remains tentative.
Y, J, K, N, C, H rnam par dpyod pa; D dam par dpyod pa. This translation follows the variant in the Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa Kangyurs.
D blang ba med pa mang po lta bu’i mtshan nyid bsdu ba’i mtshan ma yin no. This translation is tentative.
D dus gsum mnyam pa nyid dag ni/ lta ba’i gzugs kyi lta ma yin. This translation is tentative.
The term tshul gcig, rendered here as “likeness,” was also used above to describe the image in the mirror, and here and in what follows the term continues to have the sense of the singularity and nonduality of appearances.
D bdag dang bdag gi ma yin pas ’di ltar bdag ni bdag gis skyed par mi ’gyur zhing/ bdag gang yin pa bdag gi’ang yin te/ bdag dang bdag gi ni mig yin no. This translation is tentative.
D sgras kyang rna ba ma bskyed pa nas.
D srid pa; Y, K, N, C, H sred pa.
D gang ’di la gzugs kyi khams kyi gnas gzhan lnga’i srid pa ’byung ba’i rgyu de dge ba la dmigs pa’i rgyu bzod pa la dmigs pa’i dngos po rnams sa dang po nas sa bdun pa’i bar du de la skye bar ’gyur ro. This translation is tentative.
D de skye ba slu bar byed/ gang skye ba slu bar byed pa de chos thams cad slu bar byed/ gang chos thams cad slu bar byed pa de theg pa gsum spyod pa’i lam la ’jug pa’i stobs kyi rjes su thob pa slu bar byed do/ /de ci’i phyir zhe na/ phung po gcig nas gcig tu rnam par spyod pa’i byin gyis brlabs pa la byin gyis rlob pa’ang med gcig nas gcig tu yang dag par ’du ba’ang med. Our translation is tentative, in part because it is unclear to us precisely what the verb, slu bar byed, which typically means to deceive, allure, or betray, means here. We have taken it in a passive sense, but this could be mistaken.
N, H ’gog pa med; D ’khogs pa med. Translated based on the variant in the Narthang and Lhasa Kangyurs.
S ’tsho bar byed; D ’tshe bar byed. Translated based on the variant in the Stok Palace Kangyur.
Y, K, N, C, H, J, S rga ba la; D rgal ba la. Translated based on variant in the Yongle, Peking, Narthang, Choné, Lhasa, Lithang, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
D gzhan yang gnyis su med pa’i tshor ba ji snyed pa rnam par shes pas. This translation is tentative.
D, S tshe’i rlangs pa; Y tshe’i blangs pa; J, C tshe’i rlabs pa. This translation remains tentative and is based on the variant in the Degé and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
Y, K, S mtha’ tha dad pa med do; D mtha’ dad pa med do. Translated based on the variant in the Yongle, Peking, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
D skad cig ma nyi ma la yang mi brgya stong phrag drug cu rtsa lnga skad cig mar ’ong bar ’gyur ro. This translation is tentative.
D ’du byed dang/ dpyod pa dang/ rnam par dpyod pa dang/ dbugs phyi nang du rgyu ba ’di dag la rnam par rtogs pas ’du shes su sems pa dang/ bsam pa’i rjes su song ba la byin gyis brlabs pa de la/ byang chub sems dpa’i dngos po de ltar rang bzhin dang dus gsum ushe dang/ ngag dang/ yid do. This translation is tentative.
D de chos kyi dbyings su snyems pa yang dag pa’i mtha’ dang. This translation is tentative.
D mthar ’gro ba dang/ dus gsum dang/ lus dang ngag dang/ yid gnyis su med pa’i mtha’ dang. This translation is tentative.
D rnam par rtog pa dang/ rnam par dpyod pa dang/ shing ta la’i mgo bcad pa’i mtha’ dang. This translation is tentative.
D de ltar yongs su shes pa ni ’du byed gzum la rnam par mi gcod pa’i mthar yongs su shes pa ni ’di la dngos po dang/ dngos po ma yin par skye ba’o. This translation is tentative. In the Tibetan, this appears to be the end of a very long sentence that begins at the end of the previous Tibetan folio (F.162.b, see 6.99) and which has been divided into numerous sentences in this translation.
D rnam par shes pa drug gi lus dang/ mig dang/ reg pa’i rnam par shes pa zhes bya’o. This translation is tentative.
D gang yang rnam par shes pa’i lus drug dag dus gsum gyi reg pas rnam par gnas pa dang/ dus gsum du ’byung bas rnam par shes pa dang/ dus gsum gyi rnam par shes pas rnam par gnas pa de phan tshun du rtog pa dang/ rnam par rtog pa dang/ kun nas ldang bar ’gyur ro. This translation is tentative.
D de bzod pa bsgoms pa’i rang bzhin dang/ sgyu ma lta bu’i sems kyi yul la yang dag par gzhol bas yul thams cad la rtog par ’gyur ro. This translation is tentative.
S phyi nang gi ’jam pa dbugs tsam thams cad du; D phyi nang gi ’jam pa dbung tsam thams cad du. This translation is tentative and based on the variant in the Stok Palace Kangyur.
D me bcu rdul yal. We have been unable to identify this phrase as a number.
D byang chub sems dpa me bcu rdul yal sum cu rtsa gcog gi ting nge ’dzin gyi skar mda’i bdag po so sor thob par ’gyur ro. This translation is tentative.
D me bcu rdul yal. We have been unable to identify this phrase as a number.
S mi zad yon tan du mi shes; D mi zad yon tan du ni shes. This translation is based on the variant in the Stok Palace Kangyur.
S mtshan ma’i sdug bsngal; D mtshon pa’i sdug bsngal. This translation is based on the variant in the Stok Palace Kangyur.
D mi sgrub pa/ byed pa nye bar lta bar ’gyur ro. This translation amends the Tibetan byed pa to mi byed pa.
D dpe byad bzang pos ma yin. This translation is tentative.
D de zad pa med pas mnyam par len pa’i longs spyod du ’gyur ro. This translation is tentative.
We have been unable to identify this number. Tibetan: me bcu rdul yal khrag khrig brgya stong phrag brgyad cu.
D thim par gnas so. This translation is tentative.
D de la thar bar yongs su bsngos pas dge ba’i rtsa ba mi ldang ba las kyang thar to. This translation is tentative.
D me bcu rdul yal bye ba khrag khrig brgya stong phrag dgu cbu rtsa gnyis. We have been unable to identify the number to which me bcu rdul yal seems to refer.
D spyod pa’i spyod yul gyi rdul phun sum tshogs pa. This translation is tentative.
D byams pa’i sems dang ldan pa ’jig rten thams cad ’gengs pa de’i bar du rnam par rgyas par brjod pa ’di ni lhag pa’i sems slob pa shes bya’o. This translation is tentative.
D bdag kyang gzhan tshangs pa chen po bdag gi bla ma yod pa’i lag pa bstan pa’i phyir bcom ldan ’das shAkya thub pa de bzhin du mi ring bar zhugs so. This translation is tentative.
Y, J, K, N, C, S ngar sems pa med pa; D der sems pa med pa. Translated based on the variant in the Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
D gtang du mi bra ba’i gzugs ston pa/ rigs dang mi mthun par ston pa/ gzugs kyi spyod yul dag dga’ bar byed pa. The translation of these three lines is tentative.
D gtsug lag thams cad kyi dam tshig dul ba med pa. This translation is tentative.
D sems can chen po brjod du med par khung du chud pa de thams cad khyod dga’ ba skyed cing byams pa ’byung bar byos shig. This translation is tentative.
D me bcu rdul yal. We have been unable to identify this number.
S yongs su sbyong bar byed; D yongs su sbyor bar byed. This translation is based on the variant in the Stok Palace Kangyur.
D ci ’dra ba’i yid ma bgyis na rkyen gyis rab tu mi shes. This translation is tentative.
D la la ming mkhan tsam gyi gos. This translation is tentative.
S ba glang gi gling bu; D ba lang gi slud bu. This translation is tentative, and is based on the variant in the Stok Palace Kangyur.
S la la shun lpags za ba dang; D la la shun phrags za ba dang. Translated based on the variant in the Stok Palace Kangyur.
D nying rum las za ba so sor len pa med do. We have been unable to identify this item and have omitted it from the English translation.
D btsun pa khyod kyi phyir gang su zhig gis mchod ston de ltar byas so zhes de bzhin smras pa ’di zos pa med do. This translation is tentative.
D btsun pa bcom ldan ’das de bzhin no. The text does not give us any indication who is responding to the Buddha here.
D gang bdag gis bzung zhing brang ste/ dgon pa dang nags ’dab tu spyod cig ces khyod la stong pa su des smras pa. This translation is tentative.
H nyi ma dang zla ba gnyis bdag gis bstan te/ rga shi ’byung ba la brten par yang mi shes so; D nyi ma dang zla ba gnyis bdag gis bstan te/ rga shi ’byung ba la bsten par yang mi shes so. This translation is tentative, and follows the variant in the Lhasa Kangyur.
Y, K kānte; D kānti. This transliteration follows the variant in the Yongle and Peking Kangyurs.
D sems can ngan pa rnams lta ba dang ’dul ba’i phyir ’gro’o. This translation is tentative.
It seems that this same universe was called “Virtue” previously.
D ba ra dze/ ba ra dze/ ba ra bi ra dze. Unlike immediately above, here the mantra repeats the term varaje.
D da r+pa phalgu. Unlike immediately above where this reads darvaphalgu, here the mantra reads darpaphalgu.
D nyi ma lnga pas yongs su skems pa na. It is not entirely clear, but this would seem to refer to what is more commonly described as the five fires ascetic practice, even in this same sūtra.
D de gnyis sbyor ba dang ’byung bar gyur pa de thar pa. This translation is tentative.
D dngos po med pa de gnyis ni dngos po yod pa ma yin no/ gnyis gang zhe na/ chos dang chos ma yin pa zhes bya ba ni tshig gi lhag ma’o/ lus ’di’i lus gzhan gyis chags pa med pa’i ye shes ’byung bar ’gyur ba de yang de bzhin du thar pa. This translation is tentative.
D ’jig rten pha rol dang ’jig rten ’dir yang dag par song ba dang/ yang dag par zhugs par bdag mngon par shes nas mngon sum du byas pa nye bar bsgrubs te rab tu shes so. This translation is tentative.
D chos thams cad bya ba med par ’jug pa ni byed pa po dmigs pa med pa med pa las dmigs pa med pa’i tshul gyis bsgom par bya’o. This translation is tentative.
D kye kun tu ’tsho ci khyod rkyen gyi chos dang chos kyi rjes rab tu mi shes sam. This translation is tentative.
D btsun pa bcom ldan ’das ci kye me tog ’od ces bya ba dang/ mig mig gi rnam par shes pa’i gnas la ’dug pa nas bcom ldan ’das ci chos yid kyi rnam par shes pa’i bar gyi gnas la ’jug gam. This translation is tentative.
D mig brten pa’i gzugs snang ba ’byung ba de la mig dang/ rnam par shes pa dang/ gzugs rnams ’dres nas dus gsum du ’dres par ’dug go/ mig mig gi rnam par shes pa la ’dres nas dus gsum du ’dres shing ’dug pa yang med do/ mig gi rnam par shes pa ni gang nas kyang mi ’ong gang du yang mi ’gro’i ’jig pa’i mtshan nyid ’byung ba’i rkyen gyi rjes su nus na ’byung ba dang/ rkyen ’gog pa las ’gog pa ni mig gi rnam par shes pa’o. This translation is tentative.
D dngos po med pas sgyu ma lta bu’i sems su song bas dngos po med pa’i sems su ’gyur ro. This translation is tentative.
Y, J, K, N, C, S tshang bar yongs su rdzogs pa shin tu sgom pa; D tshangs par yongs su rdzogs pa shin tu sgom pa. This translation follows the variant in the Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
D brug g.yos stong phrag brgyad cu rtsa bzhi. We have been unable to identify this as a number.
D btang yas. This translation is tentative.
D brug g.yos. This translation is tentative.
D brug g.yos bye bya khrag khrig brgya stong. This translation is tentative.
D dmar po yang ma yin mi dmar ba yang ma yin. This is translated based on the matching line that directly follows in the text (Tibetan: me tog dmar po yang ma yin dkar po yang ma yin).
D de tsam gyi sems can re re’i ’khor ba bskal pa bye ba khrag khrig brgya stong skams par gyur cig. This translation is tentative.
D yang bdag gi de tsam gyi mtha’i mu brtsams pa nas bla na med par mya ngan las ’das pa’i bar gyi phyir de la sogs pa’i lta ba kun ’phags par gyur pa de la sogs pa’i lta ba de dag kyang ma lus par sems dang bsam pa la ma ’jug cig. This translation is tentative.
D phyis sems can rnams yongs su smin pa’i rgyus spang ba nas yongs su mya ngan las ’da’ ba’i bar du de dag thams cad ma lus par yongs su zad par ’gro’o. This translation is tentative.
D gzhan la las kyis ma lus par mngon par ’dus byas par ’gyur ro. This translation is tentative.
D gang yang mngon par ’du byed pa nas bla na med par mya ngan las ’da’ ba’i bar du thams cad kyi skye ba ma lus par yongs su zad par ’gro. This translation is tentative.
D sems can thams cad las sems can re re la yang de tsam gyi brtson ’grus la dmigs pa thabs la mkhas pa’i ye shes bslab par bya. This translation is tentative.
D gang gi tshe bdag nam mkha’i khams mtha’ yas mu med pa nyon mongs pas bcings pa’i bag la nyal ba thams cad kyis nyon mongs pa med pa ji tsam pa la nam mkha’ la chags pa med par ’gro ba na sems can thams cad la sems can re re la yang de tsam gyi nyon mongs pas bcings pa’i bag la nyal ba grangs med pa brjod du med pa ma lus par gyur cig. This translation is tentative. The final verbal construction zad par gyur cig has been inferred in the English translation.
Y, J, K, N, C, S chos thams cad la dran pa med par ’gyur ba nas; H chos thams cad dran pa med par ’gyur ba nas; D chos thams cad ma dran pa med par ’gyur ba nas. This translation follows the variants in the Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, Lhasa, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
D gal te kha dog dmar po gcig dang/ skya bo gnyis ’dod pa nas kha dog stong phrag brgyad cu gcig la gcig ’dod pa de tsam gyi phun sum tshogs par ’gyur zhing/ gcig la gcig nyams pa med par ’gyur. This translation is tentative.
D sangs rgyas kyi zhing de nas sa’i ro thigs pa’i bag chags zhes bya ba sa la bu ga tsam yang bral ba med par ’byung bas sangs rgyas kyi zhing de na gang sems can sha za ba de rma’i mtshan mas sa rko’o. This translation is tentative.
gang gi tshe bdag dga’ ldan gyi khang par ’jug par bya zhing de na zla ba bcu ma’i mngal na gnas pa’i tse. This seems to be what the Tibetan says here, despite the fact that it had just before said that beings in that realm would not experience womb births.
D rga shi’i chu bo las sems can yongs su smin par mi nus so. This translation assumes that the Tibetan mi ’das pa is the implied verb that correlates to the phrase rga shi’i chu bo las.
D sa dang mtshungs pa bral ba med pa’i sems. This translation is tentative.
J, K, N, C, H bcom ldan ’das la ’dir dbang du gsol; D bcom ldan ’das la ’dir dpang du gsol. This translation follows the variant in the Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa Kangyurs. If one follows the Degé, then one might translate as follows: “…[they] asked the Blessed One to bear witness to [their confession of] it.”
D bcom ldan ’das dpang du gsol lo. This translation is tentative.
sems can no cog gis bdag ma gsad cig. A literal translation would be, “May no beings kill us!”
D nam mkha’i dbyangs. This bodhisattva’s name appeared as “Nature of Space” (nam mkha’i rang bzhin) before.
D spangs pa’i mtshan nyid bzung ba ma mchis pa. The name of this absorption changes slightly throughout this passage to gzugs kyi mtshan nyid dang bral zhing yongs su gzung du ma mchis pa and then mtshan nyid dang bral ba yongs su bzung ba ma mchis pa.
D bcom ldan ’das kyis byang chub sems dpa’ shin tu bstan pa ’di bshad pa na. Although earlier in the text this teaching is said to have been delivered by the bodhisattva Nature of Space, and the Buddha also refers to him by the name Melody of Space, here the text does appear to attribute the teaching to the Buddha.
S, D? nyan thos kyi sa ni ci ’dra ba zhig; N, H nyan thos kyis ni ci ’dra ba zhig. This translation follows the variant in the Stok Palace Kangyur. The Pedurma Comparative Edition reports that the Degé Kangyur here matches the Narthang and Lhasa Kangyurs, but although it is somewhat difficult to read, Degé appears to match the variant in Stok Palace.
S, H sbyin pa sgom pa sdom pa yis; D sbyin pa sdom pa sdom pa yis. This translation is based on the variant in the Stok Palace and Lhasa Kangyurs.
D, S de dag ni dang byas nas. This translation is tentative. While dang byas nas is witnessed in all the recensions used for this translation, we still considered the possibility of emending the text to read dad byas nas, which would then be translated “having instilled faith in their minds.”
D cho ma cho dgu. We have not been able to identify this number.
Y, K, J, N, C, H, S bdag stod pa; D bdag stong pa. Translated based on the variant in the Yongle, Peking, Lithang, Narthang, Choné, Lhasa, and Stok Palace Kangyurs.
S gzhan la rag ma las shing; D gzhan la rag ma lus shing. This translation follows the variant in the Stok Palace Kangyur.
D ’bral bar byed pa. This translation is tentative.
D rigs kyi bu dag de ltar de bzhin du gnyis ga byin gyis brlab par bya’o. The meaning of this line is unclear. It might refer to the Buddha empowering both the flowers and each bodhisattva before they both return to their respective buddha fields.
Bibliography
Tibetan Sources
’phags pa yang dag par spyod pa’i tshul nam mkha’i mdog gis ’dul ba’i bzod pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. Toh 263, Degé Kangyur vol. 67 (mdo sde, ’a), folios 90.a–209.b.
’phags pa yang dag par spyod pa’i tshul nam mkha’i mdog gis ’dul ba’i bzod 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), 2006–9, vol. 67, pp. 221–513.
’phags pa yang dag par spyod pa’i tshul nam mkha’i mdog gis ’dul ba’i bzod pa zhes bya batheg pa chen po’i mdo. Stok Palace Kangyur, vol. 64 (mdo sde, pa), folios 1.b–175.b.
Denkarma (pho brang stod thang ldan dkar gyi chos ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur, vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.
Other References
Edgerton, Franklin. Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Grammar and Dictionary. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 2004.
Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lHan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Wien: Verlag der österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.
Resources for Kanjur and Tanjur Studies. Universität Wien. Accessed February 10, 2020.
Li, Channa. “A Survey of Tibetan Sūtras Translated from Chinese as Recorded in Early Tibetan Catalogues.” Revue d’Études Tibétaines 60 (2021): 174–219.
Silk, Jonathan A. “Chinese Sūtras in Tibetan Translation: A Preliminary Survey.” In Annual Report of the International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology (ARIRIAB) at Soka University 22 (2019): 227–46.