The Perfection of Wisdom in a Few Syllables

Notes

The wording of the question asked in the Sanskrit text is “Why is this perfection of wisdom called The Few Syllables?”

There is a discrepancy in volume 88 (rgyud ’bum, na) of the Degé Kangyur between the 1737 par phud printings and the late (post par phud) printings. In the latter case, an extra work, Bodhi­maṇḍasyālaṃkāra­lakṣa­dhāraṇī (Toh 508, byang chub snying po’i rgyan ’bum gyi gzungs), was added as the second text in the volume, thereby displacing the pagination of all the following texts in the same volume by 17 folios. Since the eKangyur follows the later printing, both references have been provided, with the highlighted one linking to the eKangyur viewer.

In the Toh 530 version of the text there is a slight discrepancy in the folio numbering between the 1737 par phud printings and the late (post par phud) printings of the Degé Kangyur. Although the discrepancy is irrelevant here, further details concerning this may be found in n.2 of the Toh 530 version of this text.

Denkarma, folio 295.a.7; see also Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, pp. 10–11, no. 16. Phangthangma 2003, p. 4.

An online version based on Vaidya’s edition is available here: “Svalpākṣarā Prajñāpāramitā,” Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon, input 2004.

fo shuo sheng fo mu xiao zi bo re bo luo mi duo jing 佛說聖佛母小字般若波羅蜜多經 (Taishō 258).

In Yuyama’s Sanskrit edition we have “Homage to the Bhagavatī, the noble Prajñāpāramitā!”

Conze’s Sanskrit edition omits the words “hundreds,” “Śakra,” and “Brahmā” and reduces the description of the lion throne to just śrī (“glorious”): “He was surrounded and attended by thousands of millions of billions of gods including the lokapālas, as he was seated on the glorious lion throne.” Yuyama’s edition fully supports the Tibetan translation, though there the description of the throne reads śrīratnagarbha, a reading that is supported by one of his manuscripts. The Tibetan reads simply dpal gyi snying po (Skt. śrīgarbha), but the meaning is the same, referring to the fact that the throne was made of or ornamented by śrīgarbha gems.

Yuyama’s Sanskrit edition includes at this point an extra paragraph: “He was teaching the pure conduct that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end; one that is meaningful, clearly manifest, simple, complete, completely pure, and highly accomplished.”

The Sanskrit editions of Conze and Yuyama include among the epithets of Avalokiteśvara “very compassionate” (mahākaruṇika).

The Sanskrit editions of Conze and Yuyama say, “Because of that, please…,” alluding to the reasons listed in the previous paragraph.

Conze’s Sanskrit edition says, “…in order to benefit all beings, and for the sake of their prosperity and happiness.” Yuyama: “may the well-gone one (sugata) teach for the sake of the prosperity and happiness of all beings.”

The name of the samādhi in Conze’s edition is “liberating from all suffering.” Yuyama’s edition supports the Tibetan.

The editions of both Conze and Yuyama read, “hundreds of thousands of millions of billions.”

In Yuyama’s edition this part is expanded to “all of them, even those in the hell realms, experienced happiness.”

Yuyama’s edition reads, “A bodhisattva mahāsattva...”

Conze’s edition says, “loving-kindness toward all beings.” In Yuyama’s edition the adverbial phrase “toward all beings” is distributed among all the qualities that a bodhisattva mahāsattva should cultivate, namely equanimity, loving-kindness, etc.

In the editions of both Conze and Yuyama, the cultivation of gratitude is particularized into “feeling grateful” and “expressing gratitude.”

The Sanskrit ā√grah suggests not just reciting but also holding on to it and internalizing it.

This homage is preceded in the editions of both Conze and Yuyama with “Homage to the Three Jewels!”

English translation: “Oṁ, to the sage, to the sage, to the great sage, svāhā!” The sage (muni) addressed in this mantra is the great sage of the Śākyas, i.e., Śākyamuni. This mantra also appears elsewhere in the Kangyur, such as in Toh 29, Toh 485, and Toh 533.

Conze’s edition here seems to have been edited incorrectly, because it uses the first-person pronoun mayā instead of the expected second person tvayā (in the passive construction, hence the instrumental case), which is reflected in the Tibetan translation. The first-person pronoun seems impossible in this context, as it would contradict the narrative that the Buddha himself is the speaker of these words of prophecy.

Yuyama’s edition reads, “this perfection of wisdom.”

In Yuyama’s edition, the phrase “foremost among bodhisattvas” is part of the prophecy: “Because you have received this perfection of wisdom…I make this prophecy about your [attainment of] buddhahood as the foremost one among all the buddhas and bodhisattvas. You, O brahmin youth, will become in the future…” and so forth.

In the editions of both Conze and Yuyama, this phrase is expanded to “You, O brahmin youth, shall become in the future…”

Tibetan: ’od zer kun nas ’phags pa dpal brtsegs rgyal po. After the name Samantaraśmisamudgata Śrīkūṭarāja, Conze’s edition includes a further string of epithets: “the well-gone one (sugata) who understands the world (lokavid), the supreme guide of people who need to be tamed, the instructor (śāstṛ) of both gods and humans, and a blessed buddha.” Yuyama’s, in addition to the same, includes also “endowed with knowledge and conduct” (vidyācaraṇasampanna). In the Sanskrit witnesses the name is given as Samantaraśmyudgataśrīkūṭarāja.

Conze’s edition says, “write it in a book, keep it at home, and make offerings to it.”

Conze’s edition omits “in the future” but adds instead “by few means, through hearing few [words].”

In Yuyama’s edition this paragraph reads, “Also (ca) [the others] who (ye) hear this so-named [Prajñāpāramitā sūtra], memorize it, read it aloud, write it down, commission it to be written down, contemplate it, study it, explain it in detail to others, keep it at home and read it aloud having written it down in the form of a book, they will all become buddhas in the future.”

The extant Sanskrit version and other versions of this dhāraṇī preserved in other texts allow for a tentative reconstruction of the Sanskrit text and a coherent translation. Without going into detail, one of the possible ways that the dhāraṇī could be reconstructed is as follows: tadyathā | oṁ jaya jaya padmābhe | ava me ava me sarasaraṇi | dhiri dhiri dhiri dhiri | devatānupālani yuddha uttāraṇi pūraya pūraya bhagavati sarvāśāṃ mama ca sarvasattvānāṃ ca | sarvakarmāvaraṇāni viśodhaya buddhādhiṣṭhānena svāhā ||. There is also a slightly longer version of this dhāraṇī that includes the phrase paracakranivāriṇi after yuddha uttāraṇi. The English translation would be as follows: “It is as follows: Oṁ, be victorious, be victorious, O lotus-hued one! Protect me, protect me, O one who moves here and there! Be firm, be firm, be firm, be firm! O protectress from [hostile] deities, one who safeguards through a battle! Fulfill, fulfill, O Bhagavatī, every wish of both myself and all beings! With the blessing of the Buddha, purify all karmic obscurations, svāhā!” The longer version would include “you who suppress enemy armies” after “you who safeguard through a battle.”

Conze’s edition says, “This particular [dhāraṇī], O son of the noble family, is the perfection of wisdom of the absolute truth. She is the mother (jananī) of all the buddhas.” Yuyama’s edition omits “O son of the noble family.”

Instead of “averts,” the editions of Conze and Yuyama both have “removes” (√hṛ). After “removes evil” Yuyama’s edition adds “[and] is the guide of bodhisattvas.”

The editions of Conze and Yuyama say, “Through merely reading/reciting it...” (paṭhitamātreṇa), where “it” (feminine) refers to the dhāraṇī, possibly also to the entire dhāraṇī sūtra.

Conze’s edition says, “into the maṇḍalas of all assemblies.” Yuyama’s edition supports the Tibetan.

In the editions of both Conze and Yuyama, the question that is asked here includes a reference to the “few syllables”. It can be interpreted as either “Why does this perfection of wisdom consist of [only] a few syllables?” or “Why is this perfection of wisdom [called] The Few Syllables?”

In the editions of both Conze and Yuyama, the word “few” (alpa) is repeated in both the question and the reply. The Sanskrit reply is “Because [this perfection of wisdom in a few syllables] is a condensed means.”

Conze’s edition says, “Even beings with little perseverance will also be able to retain…” Yuyama supports the Tibetan.

The editions of both Conze and Yuyama here have “this perfection of wisdom in a few syllables.”

Instead of “easily,” Conze and Yuyama say “by that condensed (alpa) means.”

The editions of Conze and Yuyama add here “O son of the noble family.”

Conze’s edition says, “Therefore, this is the perfection of wisdom condensed (saṃkṣipta) in a few syllables.” The pronoun “this” is feminine. Yuyama’s Sanskrit edition, which additionally includes “O son of the noble family,” could be interpreted as “Therefore, O son of the noble family, this perfection of wisdom has been condensed.”

Conze’s edition omits the word “merit.” Yuyama’s supports the Tibetan.

In the editions of Conze and Yuyama, this paragraph reads, “So spoke the Blessed One. Elated, the bodhisattva mahāsattva noble Avalokiteśvara, the monks, and the bodhisattvas, this entire assembly along with the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One.” Yuyama’s edition additionally expands “and the bodhisattvas” to “and the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas.”

Conze and Yuyama: “This concludes The Perfection of Wisdom in a Few Syllables.” In Yuyama’s edition this colophon is augmented by “retrieved from the pātālas [i.e., the abode of the nāgas] by the venerable Nāgārjuna.”