The Secrets of the Realized Ones
Chapter 6: The Path of Awakening
Toh 47
Degé Kangyur, vol. 39 (dkon brtsegs, ka), folios 100.a.–203.a
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Table of Contents
Summary
In this sūtra, the narrative largely revolves around the figures of Vajrapāṇi, the yakṣa lord and constant companion of the Buddha, and the Buddha himself. In the first half of the sūtra, Vajrapāṇi gives a series of teachings on the mysteries or secrets of the body, speech, and mind of bodhisattvas and the realized ones. In the second half of the sūtra, Vajrapāṇi describes several events in the Buddha’s life: his practice of severe asceticism, his approach to the seat of awakening, his defeat of Māra, his awakening, and his turning of the wheel of Dharma. Following this, the Buddha gives a prediction of Vajrapāṇi’s future awakening as a buddha and travels to Vajrapāṇi’s abode for a meal. Interspersed throughout the sūtra are sermons, dialogues, and marvelous tales exploring a large number of topics and featuring an extensive cast of characters, including several narratives about past lives of Vajrapāṇi, Brahmā Sahāṃpati, and the Buddha himself. The sūtra concludes with the performance of two long dhāraṇīs, one by Vajrapāṇi and one by the Buddha, for the protection and preservation of the Dharma.
Acknowledgements
Translated by David Fiordalis and the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the supervision of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. A first draft was made from the Tibetan by Timothy Hinkle with the assistance of Tulku Tenzin Rigsang and others. David Fiordalis thoroughly revised the translation with close reference to the extant Sanskrit manuscript, as well as the Tibetan translation. Fiordalis also wrote the summary, introduction, annotations, and most of the glossary entries. Fiordalis would like to acknowledge Paul Harrison, who furnished him with his own digital images of the Sanskrit manuscript, and Péter-Dániel Szántó, who generously made his transcription of the manuscript available for readers.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. Rory Lindsay and Nathaniel Rich edited the translation and the introduction, 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 Jane and Leo Tong Chen, and their family.
Text Body
The Teaching of the Mysteries and Secrets of the Realized Ones
Chapter 6: The Path of Awakening
“Śāntamati, bodhisattvas of great courage who also wish to awaken to unsurpassable and perfect awakening should follow the example of these great beings in this regard. They should undertake the core practices intent upon the path to awakening and not place their focus on words. And what is this path to awakening?
“It eliminates anger toward all beings by cultivating a mind that is suffused with love. On it one strives to accomplish the perfections. One develops the methods of drawing others to oneself. One achieves the four dwellings of Brahmā. One strives to acquire the constitutive factors of awakening. One acquires and refines the supernormal faculties. One becomes a master of skill in means. One who accomplishes all these things gathers a supply of all the virtuous qualities. This is called the path of awakening.
“Moreover, Śāntamati, the path of awakening also involves the purification of one’s faith, motivation, and ambition. It includes honesty, consistency, integrity, transparency, even-mindedness, impartiality, confidence, and faultless behavior.
“The path is attainable due to the perfection of generosity. The path is easily traveled due to the perfection of discipline. The path has no obstructions due to the perfection of patience. The path is unbroken due to the perfection of heroic effort. The path has no disturbances due to the perfection of concentration. The path is well understood due to the perfection of wisdom. The path follows knowledge of reality due to great love. The path does not reverse course due to great compassion. The path is completely joyful due to great joy. The path follows the core of things due to great equanimity. [F.126.a]
“Because the path is free of the craving for sense pleasures, ill will, or any concept of doing harm, it does not have any holes or thorns. The path is easily traveled because one harbors no animosity in the mind. The path is free of frauds because it is free from sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. The path is free of adversaries because the aggregates, elements, and sense spheres are well examined. The path defeats the adversaries, Māra in all his forms, because it is free of all the afflictions. The path leads to loftiness of mind because it is free of the actions in the minds of the disciples and solitary buddhas. The path is the one traveled by all the realized ones, the worthy ones, the perfect and fully awakened buddhas of the past. The path brings the great jewel since it accords with the jewel of the omniscient ones. The path is constantly illuminated by the light of the knowledge of those who are dispassionate. The path teaches what is good because it is well maintained by companions in what is good. The path does not have highs and lows because it does not have attachment or aversion. The path is not dusty because it is without anger, stubbornness, or malice. The path goes to the good places of rebirth because it is free from all bad qualities. The path leads to a place of comfort because its ending point is cessation.
“Śāntamati, the path of bodhisattvas is similar to what is not a path or a destination for the disciples or solitary buddhas; when bodhisattvas stay on this path, however, they awaken to unsurpassable and perfect awakening.
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’phags pa de bzhin gshegs pa’i gsang ba bsam gyis mi khyab pa bstan pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Āryatathāgatācintyaguhyanirdeśanāmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 47, Degé Kangyur vol. 39 (dkon brtsegs, ka), folios 100.a–203.a.
’phags pa de bzhin gshegs pa’i gsang ba bsam gyis mi khyab pa bstan pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vol. 39, pp. 289–542.
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