This rendering does not include the entire published text

The full text is available to download as pdf at:
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འཇམ་དཔལ་གྱི་རྩ་བའི་རྒྱུད།

The Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī
Chapter 53

Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa

འཕགས་པ་འཇམ་དཔལ་གྱི་རྩ་བའི་རྒྱུད།

’phags pa ’jam dpal gyi rtsa ba’i rgyud

The Noble Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī

Āryamañjuśrīmūlakalpa

Toh 543

Degé Kangyur, vol. 88 (rgyud ’bum, na), folios 88.a–334.a (in 1737 par phud printing), 105.a–351.a (in later printings)

ᴛʀᴀɴsʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛɪʙᴇᴛᴀɴ ʙʏ

Kumārakalaśa
Śākya Lodrö

Translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha

First published 2020

Current version v 1.21.34 (2025)

Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.26.1

84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha is a global non-profit initiative to translate all the Buddha’s words into modern languages, and to make them available to everyone.

This work is provided under the protection of a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution - Non-commercial - No-derivatives) 3.0 copyright. It may be copied or printed for fair use, but only with full attribution, and not for commercial advantage or personal compensation. For full details, see the Creative Commons license.

co.

Summary

s.1

The Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa is the largest and most important single text devoted to Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva of wisdom. A revealed scripture, it is, by its own classification, both a Mahāyāna sūtra and a Mantrayāna kalpa (manual of rites). Because of its ritual content, it was later classified as a Kriyā tantra and assigned, based on the hierarchy of its deities, to the Tathāgata subdivision of this class. The Sanskrit text as we know it today was probably compiled throughout the eighth century ᴄᴇ and several centuries thereafter. What makes this text special is that, unlike most other Kriyā tantras, it not only describes the ritual procedures, but also explains them in terms of general Buddhist philosophy, Mahāyāna ethics, and the esoteric principles of the early Mantrayāna (later called Vajrayāna), with an emphasis on their soteriological aims.

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Acknowledgements

ac.1

This translation was produced by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the supervision of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. Wiesiek Mical translated the text from the Sanskrit manuscripts, prepared the Sanskrit edition, and wrote the introduction. Paul Thomas, Ryan Damron, Anna Zilman, Bruno Galasek, and Adam Krug then compared the translation draft against the Tibetan text found in the Degé and other editions of the Tibetan Kangyur. Wiesiek Mical then completed the translation by incorporating all the significant variations from the Tibetan translation either into the English translation itself or the annotations.

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

ac.2

The generous sponsorship of 中國宗薩寺堪布彭措郎加, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.

Introduction

i.1

The Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa (henceforth MMK) is a scripture devoted to Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva of wisdom. It is a vaipulya sūtra‍—only a few large sūtras can claim this title‍—that was later classified as a tantra of the Kriyā class. Reflecting its status as a sūtra, the chapter colophons found in the MMK variously identify the work as a Mahāyāna sūtra, a bodhisattvapiṭaka (bodhisattva basket),1 and bodhisattvapaṭalavisara (full bodhisattva collection). The phrase “bodhisattva basket” is significant as it implies that the MMK is part of the Bodhisattva Basket, in contradistinction to the Śrāvaka Basket in the binary classification made by Asaṅga in the Abhidharmasamuccaya. While the Tibetan translations of the MMK refer to it as a “tantra,” the Sanskrit text refers to itself as a kalpa (“manual of rites”), a kalparāja (“king of rites”), and a mantratantra (“mantra treatise”). The term mantratantra, used throughout the MMK to refer to its own content and to tantric teachings in general, could also be understood as “mantra systems/methods,” or the “art of mantras.”

The Translation

The Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī

Chapter 1

[F.88.a] [F.105.a]8

1.1

Oṁ, homage to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas!

Thus did I hear at one time. Lord Śākyamuni dwelt above the Pure Abode, in an inconceivable, wondrous pavilion, circular in shape, with a congregation of bodhisattvas 9 distributed all around, located in the canopy of the sky. There the Lord addressed the gods of the Pure Abode: {1.1}

1.2

“Honored gods! Listen as I tell of the inconceivable, wondrous miracles of Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, bodhisattva, and great being‍—listen as I tell of his conduct, different types of samādhi, and magical power; his liberation, maṇḍala, and his miraculous bodhisattva manifestations; and how he is the sustenance for all beings and brings them life, health, and sovereignty! I will explain, for the benefit of all beings, the mantra subjects that completely fulfill one’s wishes. Listen well and duly reflect upon it‍—I will now tell you about him.” {1.2}

Chapter 2

2.1

Now Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, gazing at this entire assembly, [F.109.a] [F.126.a] entered the samādhi called the gaze that causes all sentient beings to take up the samaya pledge. As soon as Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, entered this samādhi, a ray of light issued from his navel. Along with many hundreds of thousands of millions of other rays, it entirely illuminated all the realms of sentient beings and, reflecting back onto the realm of the Pure Abode, suffused it with light. {2.1}

Chapter 3

3.1

Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, again looked at the realm of the Pure Abode and, bowing to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas gathered together in that great assembly, pronounced the most secret single-syllable mantra, which removes all poisons and can be employed in all rites the mantra that is effective in the practices of his maṇḍala and which can also be used in all minor ritual activities. What is that mantra? {3.1}

3.2

“Homage to all the buddhas! This mantra is:

Chapter 4

4.1

Homage to the Buddha and all buddhas and bodhisattvas!528

Mañjuśrī then looked at the entire realm of the Pure Abode and again directed his gaze at the great assembly gathered there. Prostrating at the feet of Śākyamuni, he smiled and said this to the Blessed One: {4.1}

4.2

“It is good fortune, O Blessed One, that there is a painting procedure, intended for the benefit of all beings, from the extensive chapters that produce a rain of desired results falling down from the Cloud of Dharma that arises from the accomplishment of sādhana methods of mantra practice. This procedure generates a vast amount of merit and creates the seed of perfect awakening; it also brings complete omniscience.529 {4.2}

Chapter 5

5.1

Now, Lord Śākyamuni, looking at the entire assembly, spoke to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“There is, Mañjuśrī, yet another procedure from your ritual of cloth painting‍—the medium one. I will teach it now, so listen well and duly reflect upon it. {5.1}

5.2

“First, to produce the medium painting, thread should be used as previously described, following the same procedure as before. The work should be done by craftsmen who have been trained beforehand, applying the same measurements as the previous cloth. Just as before, the cloth should be of excellent quality, white, tightly woven, and thoroughly clean604 and have fringe tassels.605 The painting should then be executed using uncontaminated paints free of hairs, dust, or other debris, with everything done just as before, except for the sizes and forms of the painted figures. {5.2}

Chapter 6

6.1

Now, Lord Śākyamuni again addressed Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“There is, Mañjuśrī, yet another secret611 cloth-painting procedure,612 a third type, referred to as ‘smallest,’613 by the means of which all beings can effortlessly win accomplishment. {6.1}

6.2

“Following the procedures as previously described, skilled craftsmen should prepare a cloth one width of the Buddha’s hand across that is in the same four-sided shape as before. The painting should then be done with the paints as previously described. {6.2}

Chapter 7

7.1

Now Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, rose from his seat, circumambulated Lord Śākyamuni three times clockwise and, having prostrated at his feet, said this to the Blessed One:

“Good! It is good that you, the blessed one, the tathāgata, the worthy one, the perfectly awakened one, gave this Dharma discourse in such a clear way for the benefit, the welfare, and the happiness of all who observe their vidyā vows and in order to show your compassion for the world. You exemplified the bodhisattvas’ skill in means with this particular method that takes them higher than nirvāṇa 623 [F.140.a] [F.157.a] and, with their continuous dedication to the goal of awakening,624 accomplishes their conduct consistent with all the goals of the mantras. This will promote the spread of this625 secret mantra among all people. {7.1}

Chapter 8

8.1

Now Lord Śākyamuni addressed Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“The full topic of the cloth-painting procedure, Mañjuśrī, has now been taught by me for the benefit of those beings you foretold. They will succeed even with little skillful means.664 For their benefit I will now teach a sādhana method classified according to the type of activity, describing at length its different virtues. Listen to it well, [F.143.a] [F.160.a] and reflect upon it thoroughly. I will speak for the benefit of all beings.”665 {8.1}

Chapter 9

9.1

Now Lord Śākyamuni addressed the hosts of gods who were sitting among the entire assembly:

“Esteemed friends! Please listen to my discourse about the method for accomplishing the conduct, maṇḍala, and mantra of Mañjuśrī, the divine youth. Hear this great vidyārāja‍—the supremely secret and sublime heart mantra that was taught by all the tathāgatas for the sake of protecting the practitioner‍—by the uttering of which all mantras are uttered. {9.1}

10.

Chapter 10

10.1

At that time Lord Śākyamuni taught yet another supreme ritual practice:

“Having chosen another mantra from this king of manuals, one should go down to [the bank of] the great river Gaṅgā. Staying in a boat in the middle of the river, one should incant rice gruel mixed with milk three million times on the days of one’s choice. Subsequently, at the end of recitation, one will perceive all the nāgas. One should then start the main practice. For that, one should prepare, in the middle of the boat, a fire pit in the shape of a lotus. One should prepare a big offering of ironwood blossoms to the painting. The painting of the superior type should be positioned facing west, with oneself sitting on a bundle of kuśa grass facing east. One should incant each of the ironwood blossoms seven times and offer it into the blazing fire of cutch tree sticks. One should do this until one has offered thirty thousand such blossoms, each smeared with white sandalwood and saffron paste. One should use nothing else. One should wait for the nāgas to appear.717 They will be enticed by the power substances, but will not take them. {10.1}

11.

Chapter 11

11.1

Now Lord Śākyamuni looked again at the realm of the Pure Abode, and said this to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“There is, Mañjuśrī, in your ritual, a painting procedure of the medium type, a practice procedure serving as the means for accomplishing middling rites. I will teach it in brief, so please listen carefully and reflect upon it well. I will teach it now.” {11.1}

11.2

Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, for his part, said this to the Blessed One:

“May the Blessed One, the teacher, full of compassion for the world and delighting in benefiting all beings, speak! Please speak, if you think that the time is right, out of compassion for us and regard for future generations.” {11.2}

12.

Chapter 12

12.1

Now Lord Śākyamuni again looked at the entire Pure Abode, and said this to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“Listen, Mañjuśrī, to [the instructions] for the followers of your vidyā mantra who strive to benefit all beings‍—what mantras956 they should be made to recite, by whom these mantras are to be recited, and the attendant rosary rites that are methods for accomplishing all the common mantras of all tantras. Listen carefully and reflect on this well. I will teach this [now].” {12.1}

13.

Chapter 13

13.1

Now Lord Śākyamuni again looked at the realm of the Pure Abode, and said this to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“There is, O Mañjuśrī, a ritual sequence for a special worship of [the god of] fire, which is meant for those practitioners of vidyā who engage in the rite of homa according to the special procedure that has been succinctly explained in the chapter on mantras in your manual. Once established in this routine, beings become actively engage in the conduct of all vidyās. What is this sequence? The mantric words of the secret vidyā spell are as follows: {13.1} [F.169.b] [F.186.b]

14.

Chapter 14

14.1

Then Lord Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode and said this to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“There is, O Mañjuśrī, a secret vidyā mantra of yours that accomplishes all mantras. It was granted by the tathāgatas, arose from the treasury of their teachings, belongs to the ‘Cloud of Dharma,’ and is of the essence of the sky. This vidyā is the supreme lord of all mundane and supramundane mantras, just like the divine youth is the lord of all beings. This lord is described as a tathāgata, the supreme and the most excellent. Just as Lord Buddha, O divine youth, is the most eminent person among gods and men, so he‍—this supreme vidyārāja‍—is among all the mantras. He has been formerly taught by the blessed buddhas who are equal in number to the grains of sand in the river Gaṅgā and whose merits are ineffable. He has been regarded by them as the supremely secret heart mantra [F.172.b] [F.189.b] of the tathāgata Ratnaketu, auspicious in every respect. He is praised and extolled by all the buddhas, is the relief of all beings, and is the destroyer of every evil. He grants every wish and fulfills every hope. So what is this mantra?”1021 {14.1}

15.

Chapter 15

15.1

At that time, the bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi, the great being, was present in the midst of the same gathering. Seated, he rose from his seat, circumambulated the Blessed One clockwise three times, and, prostrating at the Blessed One’s feet, said this to him: {15.1}

15.2

“Good, O Blessed One! For the sake of those who follow the conduct entailing the ritual divisions of vidyā and homa rites performed at the junctions of the day, you have clearly explained and elucidated with supreme eloquence the path that consists of rites involving vidyā mantras; the path that manifested from the great Cloud of Dharma; the path that comprises the detailed ritual instructions pertaining to the cakravartin, the great vidyārāja who is the heart essence of all the tathāgatas; the path that brings results and fulfills all aims completely; the unsurpassable path that leads to awakening; the path marked with the cause that generates the conditions, actions, and their certain results; the path that is the root of virtue that causes the attainment of the ten miraculous powers, and whose ultimate goal is to ascend to the seat of awakening. That, Blessed One, is excellent! May the teacher please instruct us on the signs that accord with the accomplishment of mantra that appear in dreams, signs indicating the time1123 when the beings who engage in the practice of all vidyā mantras should commence the activities that cause accomplishment, so that all vidyā mantras‍—the causes that fulfill the rites‍—bear results.” {15.2}

16.

Chapter 16

16.1

The blessed Śākyamuni looked again at the realm of the Pure Abode and spoke to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“Mañjuśrī! Requested by the wise king of yakṣas who holds a vajra in his hand, I already taught in detail, in the middle of this assembly, your complete chapter1295 on the ritual activities intended for all purposes.1296 {16.1}

16.2

“I taught about the good and bad aspects of dreams

And how they relate to all the mantra purposes.

I taught all of it at length

For the mantra reciters.”1297 {16.2}

17.

Chapter 17

17.1

Now Lord Śākyamuni entered the samādhi called the magical display of all the tathāgatas. As soon as he entered this samādhi, rays of blue, yellow, dazzling white, red, and crystal-colored light issued from the tuft of hair between his eyebrows. They brightened the entire buddhafield and illuminated the interior of every realm of the universe, while darkening all the planets and constellations and summoning them in an instant. After summoning them, the light assigned them to their respective places and drew them, by the power of the Buddha’s blessing, into the circle of the assembly. It then disappeared into the same tuft of hair between Lord Śākyamuni’s eyebrows. All the planets, constellations, and stars, their light blocked, approached Lord Śākyamuni, pained and frightened. They stood with folded hands, trembling and prostrating themselves on the ground again and again. {17.1}

24.

Chapter 24

24.1

1359The blessed Śākyamuni now addressed all the most important grahas among the constellations, planets, stars, and celestial bodies that exist in all the world spheres‍—the grahas dwelling in all the directions and endowed with great magical powers: {24.1} [F.194.a] [F.211.a]

24.2

“Listen, venerable friends, to my presentation on the respective powers of all the planets and constellations. Show your power, sirs, and accomplish the purpose of all the rituals involving the mantra. Keep your samayas and eagerly pursue an accomplishment in the doctrine contained in this sovereign manual of Mañjughoṣa and later expounded in other manuals as well.” {24.2}

25.

Chapter 25

25.1

Lord Śākyamuni once again addressed the planets, the nakṣatras, the stars, and other celestial bodies: {25.1}

25.2

“Please listen, all of you, venerable sirs, the planets and the nakṣatras!1487 This sovereign manual of the divine youth Mañjuśrī, which contains ritual instructions on the empowerment and the maṇḍala according to the mantra system,1488 should not be transgressed against. You honored celestial bodies should not obstruct the knowledge holders trained in this supreme manual who engage in the practice of recitation, homa,1489 the observance of rules, and magic. [F.203.b] [F.220.b] Nor should you hinder the insights gained by the calculations of the behavior (carita) of the asterisms and nakṣatras.1490 Instead, you and the hosts of gods should all protect those who engage in the instructions thereof. All the wicked beings should be warded off, restrained,1491 and properly instructed. None of them should be hurt in any way. [Instead,] they should be established in the stages of this doctrine that confers the ten powers.” {25.2}

26.

Chapter 26

26.1

At that time Blessed Śākyamuni, looking again1521 at the realm of the Pure Abode, addressed Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“Listen, Mañjuśrī, to my short teaching on the painting procedure of One Syllable‍—the cakravartin of great power. This procedure was previously taught at length, but now only briefly.1522 {26.1}

26.2

“During this lowest eon beings have little diligence or wisdom, and are rather dull. They would be unable to successfully execute the painting in its extensive version.1523 {26.2}

27.

Chapter 27

27.1

At that time, the blessed Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode and the hosts of gods dwelling there, as well as all the buddhas, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, and the noble śrāvakas, and once again addressed Mañjuśrī the divine youth: {27.1}

27.2

“This complete basket of teachings of all the tathāgatas, O Mañjuśrī, is as illustrious as a wish-fulfilling gem. It is taught in order to make beings into receptacles wherein results will be born.1616 During the lowest eon, at the time when the buddhafield is empty, [F.215.a] [F.232.a] the tathāgatas are in the state of nirvāṇa and the genuine Dharma tools have disappeared. At such a time, in order to preserve the mantra basket of all the tathāgatas’ teachings, this One Syllable, O Mañjuśrī, taught in this king of manuals of your mantra methods, the manual of the divine youth, will become a shared treasure, which, when recited according to procedure, will fulfill the wishes of all beings.1617 This cakravartin, One Syllable, taught in your king of manuals, constitutes the essential core of the mantra systems of all the tathāgatas and is the most prominent [part of] them. When one recites him, all the tathāgata-vidyārājas1618 are being recited. {27.2}

28.

Chapter 28

28.1

Now the blessed Śākyamuni looked again at the realm of the Pure Abode and said this to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“There is, Mañjuśrī, in your ritual a painting procedure‍—a sādhana aid that accomplishes all activities. The ritual performed in front of this painting1685 should employ the aforementioned one-syllable heart mantra, or the six-syllable mantra that ends with ma, or your six-syllable root mantra that starts with oṁ, or the one-syllable mantra.1686 This king of rites will become the means of protection in the future time, when I, the Tathāgata, am in parinirvāṇa and the buddhafield is empty‍—at the time when the lowest eon has arrived, and the world is without protection or refuge, and with nothing to resort to. This king of rites will then become the refuge, the succor, the place of rest, and the final resort. What is this rite? {28.1}

29.

Chapter 29

29.1

At that time the blessed Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode and spoke to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, as follows: {29.1}

29.2

“There is, Mañjuśrī, in this division of your ritual prescriptions, a seventh [set of] rites involving a painting that will be effective at the end of the [dark] eon and will without fail lead to accomplishment. This accomplishment will include the arising and maturing of happiness, the knowledge of the physical world, and the forestalling of all painful destinies, and it will certainly lead to awakening.” {29.2}

30.

Chapter 30

30.1

At that time, the blessed Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode and spoke to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, as follows: {30.1} [F.231.a] [F.248.a]

30.2

“There is, Mañjuśrī, in your mantra treatise, a list of places for accomplishing any vidyārāja mantra, starting with the mantra of Cakravartin‍—the foremost among all tathāgata-uṣṇīṣas.1804 In brief, everywhere in the northern regions, the mantras of tathāgata-1805vidyārājas will become accomplished. {30.2}

31.

Chapter 31

31.1

At that time the blessed Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode and said to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“Listen Mañjuśrī, divine youth, as I teach about the ways of spirits who possess other beings, and the accompanying auspicious and inauspicious signs.” {31.1}

31.2

Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, rose from his seat, prostrated at the feet of the Blessed One, folded his hands, and said to the Blessed One:

32.

Chapter 32

32.1

At that time the blessed Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode and spoke to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth: {32.1}

32.2

“Your mantras, Mañjuśrī, hold the key to the complete understanding of all the tantras; they possess the secrets of all the vidyās,1877 and, in consequence, they can also cause the ripening of all the results of good qualities accumulated over a long period of time. I will now authoritatively teach the factors of accomplishment, which are as follows: {32.2}

33.

Chapter 33

33.1

At that time the blessed Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode and spoke to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, as follows: {33.1}

33.2

“Your king of manuals, Mañjuśrī, styled as a nirdeśa,1899 is a treasury of the sphere of phenomena, as it proceeds from the sphere of phenomena, which is the essence of the tathāgatas. This great sūtra, precious as a jewel, is divided into detailed sections. It is sanctioned [to teach] the greatest secrets of the tathāgatas and brings accomplishment of the supreme mantras. It contains auxiliary practices pertaining to the knowledge of signs and the rules for ascertaining the right time.1900 [It also explains] the voices of all the [different] beings, differentiating the sounds made by sentient and insentient entities. {33.2}

34.

Chapter 34

34.1

At that time the blessed Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode and spoke to the divine youth Mañjuśrī as follows: {34.1}

34.2

“Listen, Mañjuśrī, to your most esoteric and secret teaching on your mudrās and mantras. No followers of your mantra path should ever disclose this teaching to people who have no trust and no faith in the doctrine of the Tathāgata; to people who do not have the authorizing samaya or do not maintain the continuity of the lineage of the Three Jewels; to people who are in bad company; to people who do not desire religious merit; to people who interact and mix with evil companions or are surrounded by bad friends; to people who distance themselves from the Buddha’s teaching; to people who have not been instructed by their master and so this manual would bring no results for them; to people, divine youth, who have not been initiated into your supreme and most secret maṇḍala; or to people who do not observe their samaya or who have no connection to the family of the Tathāgata. {34.2}

35.

Chapter 35

35.1

At that time the blessed Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode [F.245.a] [F.262.a] and entered the samādhi called that which animates the great receptacle of mudrās of the tathāgatas. As soon as he entered this samādhi, a great light issued from the tuft of hair between his eyebrows. This mass of light, surrounded by innumerable billions of light rays, illuminated many buddhafields, arousing all the buddhas [dwelling there], and entered back into Lord Śākyamuni’s tuft of hair. {35.1}

36.

Chapter 36

36.1

At that time the blessed Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode and spoke to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“There is, Mañjuśrī, a most secret mudrā presentation that includes your root2238 mudrā and its assorted mudrās. [These mudrās] may be employed in all rites. In short, they bring every kind of good fortune and produce results; they supplement every mantra and accomplish the aim of every activity. {36.1}

37.

Chapter 37

37.1

At that time the blessed Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode and spoke to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, as follows: {37.1}

37.2

“There is, Mañjuśrī, in your root manual, another most secret mudrā. Its ritual procedure [represents] the entire mudrā system. [F.259.b] [F.276.b] It is recommended for all the mantras and can be employed with any of them. It accomplishes all rites and purifies the path to perfect awakening.2254 It destroys all the paths that lead to saṃsāric existence. It sustains all beings and grants long life, freedom from disease, and powerful sense faculties. It fulfills all wishes and gives rise to all the factors of awakening. It gives joy to all beings and produces the results they all wish and hope for. It fulfills all activities and makes all mantras efficacious. It comprises all the other mudrās and mantras. Listen, Mañjuśrī, divine youth! {37.2}

38.

Chapter 38

38.1

At that time the blessed Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode and spoke to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“Listen, Mañjuśrī!

“Briefly, there are detailed [teachings on] the characteristics of the mudrās and the mantras, the procedures of the maṇḍalas and the association-based2456 distribution of mudrās therein, and the secret maṇḍala of all the mantra [deities] in all the tantras.2457 {38.1}

38.2

“All of them were taught before

By every buddha of great majesty.

The exalted function of the mantras

Was explained for each of the families2458

By the former buddhas from the earliest time

To bring benefit to sentient beings. {38.2}

50.

Chapter 50

50.1

2485At that time Blessed Vajrapāṇi, the general of the yakṣas who was in the assembly, got up from his seat, draped his upper robe over the left shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, bowed2486 to the Blessed One with his palms pressed together, and made the following request: {50.1}

50.2

“O Blessed One! You have not fully explained2487 the ritual of the lord of wrath called Yamāntaka that was taught by Mañjuśrī, the divine youth. Nor has Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, explained it. I request you, Blessed One, to teach this ritual, out of regard for human beings during the final age, so that, at the time when you are in the state of complete nirvāṇa, when the teachings have disappeared, during the dreadful time of the worst age when the buddhafield is completely devoid of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, the teachings of the tathāgatas may be preserved, the domain of the Dharma may remain for a long time, all wicked kings may be subdued, those who harm the Three Jewels may be suppressed, the inconceivable bodhisattva conduct may bring the virtues of beings who require guidance to completion, and innumerable sentient beings may be brought to complete maturity. {50.2}

51.

Chapter 51

51.1

At that time Vajrapāṇi, the lord of guhyakas, looked at the entire great assembly and addressed all the hosts of beings seated [in the space] above the realm of the Pure Abode: {51.1}

51.2

“Listen, honorable friends! For a start I will teach the painting procedure of Lord of Wrath Yamāntaka‍—one of infinite power and courage, the tamer of those difficult to tame, one who terminates the life of Vaivasvata,2540 a great bodhisattva devoted to restraining wicked beings‍—the procedure that was taught by Mañjuśrī.2541 {51.2}

52.

Chapter 52

52.1

At that time the great being, Bodhisattva Śāntamati, who was sitting in the midst of that great gathering, got up from his seat, bowed to each of the buddhas, and stood in the middle of the assembly. Having circumambulated the blessed Śākyamuni three times clockwise, he bowed at his feet and, looking in the direction of Vajrapāṇi, the great general of the yakṣa army, said: {52.1}

52.2

“You are exceedingly cruel,2605 Vajrapāṇi, in that you teach mantra methods that are harmful to all sentient beings, or serve to obtain sensual pleasures. It is not proper, O son of the victorious ones, for the bodhisattvas, the great beings, to act like this because bodhisattvas, great beings, are endowed with great compassion and practice bodhisattva conduct. Practicing benevolence for the sake of all beings, they do not cast off the fetters of existence.2606 {52.2}

53.

Chapter 53

53.1

Blessed Śākyamuni, having now emerged from his samādhi,2758 continued to teach the Dharma to the assembly that resembled a great ocean. There, sitting in front of all the [assembled] beings and hosts of spirits, were uncountable thousands of bodhisattvas, headed by Vajrapāṇi; uncountable thousands of arhats, headed by Śāriputra; innumerable gods devoted to the four great kings, headed by Vaiśravaṇa; innumerable gods from the realm of the Thirty-Three, headed by Śakra; as well as innumerable gods from the realms of Suyāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, Paranirmita, Vaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Mahābrahmā, Parīttābha, Apramāṇa, Ābhāsvara, and so forth, until Puṇyaprasava, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapas, and Akaniṣṭha. The Blessed One addressed them as follows: {53.1}

53.2

“Listen, venerable hosts of gods, and all of you bodhisattvas and noble śrāvakas!

“All conditioned things are impermanent,

Being characterized by arising and ceasing.

Having arisen, they [temporarily] cease.

Their definitive cessation is bliss. {53.2}

53.3

“They all originate from ignorance

And arise based on causes.

The aggregates are then said to arise

From the same cause that constitutes the root of suffering. {53.3}

53.4

“Knowledge is their arrester;

It is the cause and the producer of happiness.2759

It is said to be the destroyer of suffering;

In short, knowledge prevents suffering.2760 {53.4}

53.5

“That is the very reason that

I taught a threefold vehicle.

Everything conditioned changes from moment to moment;

It is all impermanent, suffused with suffering, and lacking self-essence. {53.5}

53.6

“The entire prison of existence is taught

As being empty at all times.

Beings who belong to the Buddha family and have developed

An aversion to this prison are divided into three groups: {53.6}

53.7

“(1) The bodhisattvas who later become buddhas,

(2) Those who attain awakening on their own,2761 [F.291.a] [F.308.a]

And further there are (3) the arhats,

Devoid of passion and very powerful. {53.7}

53.8

“The arhats attain the awakening of the śrāvakas

And obtain the three types of peace.

In short, I gave this teaching

To show what is virtuous and what is not. {53.8}

53.9

“One should always shun nonvirtue

And practice virtue at all times.

The Dharma that is taught

Is to never harm any sentient being. {53.9}

53.10

“Regarding the dharmas of the five destinies,

Only one constitutes the path‍—

It is the dharma that is free from karmic influences

And is rooted in ultimate reality. {53.10}

53.11

“It is the same path that was taught

By the primordial buddhas of the past.

I also taught it in full,

Propelling beings toward the peace of nirvāṇa. {53.11}

53.12

“Relying on this ultimate dharma,

One will attain the ultimate reality‍—

The ultimate reality that is described

As the absence of limits common to all the dharmas. {53.12}

53.13

“This dharma, in short,

Has been explained as twofold.

Listen, all you gods,

And you bodhisattvas with great powers! {53.13}

53.14

“Arhats, śrāvakas, listen to me!

When I attain nirvāṇa on earth,

It will be2762 in the middle of the Sāla Grove

At the foothills of the Himalayas, {53.14}

53.15

“On the banks of the Hiraṇyavatī

That flows through the country of the Mallas.

There, in the middle of the Yamakasāla Grove,

I will attain nirvāṇa. {53.15}

53.16

“In the city named Pāvā,

Near the Makuṭabandhana shrine,

On the pleasant bank of the river,

I will attain nirvāṇa on earth. {53.16}

53.17

“All the bodhisattvas,

The śrāvakas with great magical powers,

The gods, nāgas, and yakṣas,

The powerful guardians of the world, {53.17}

53.18

“The Śakras, Brahmās, and Suyāmas,

As well as the gods of Akaniṣṭha, and so forth‍—

All of them will gather

At that place. {53.18}

53.19

“There, in the Yamakasāla Grove,2763

In the country of the Mallas,

Between the northern bank of the Gaṅgā

And the western bank of the Mahī, {53.19}

53.20

“On the south side of the Himalayas,

In the Sāla Grove‍—

In that place there will also be

My final resting place.2764 {53.20} [F.291.b] [F.308.b]

53.21

“At that time, on the pleasant bank of the river,

On its sloping bank described as golden,2765

All the hosts of gods

And other beings will gather. {53.21}

53.22

“All the most eminent human kings,

And beings of human and nonhuman origin

Such as all the spirits and mortal beings,

Both the naive and the mature, {53.22}

53.23

“Will gather at that place

For that public event of great magnitude.

This divine celebration2766

Will be on the account of my physical remains. {53.23}

53.24

“Stepping then into the immaterial,

I will attain the peace of nirvāṇa.2767

Leaving behind phenomenal reality,

I will enter the ultimate reality. {53.24}

53.25

“My final birth occurred2768

In the city of Kapilavastu

Within the illustrious family of the Śākyas,

Where I was born into the prison of existence. {53.25}

53.26

“Then, leaving behind its inherent suffering,

I went forth from my home.

I visited many holy places

But still did not find the elixir of immortality. {53.26}

53.27

“I practiced severe austerities,

Mortifying my body.2769

Having fasted for six years,

I was on the verge of dying from exhaustion, {53.27}

53.28

“But I did not find anything

That would reveal [true] knowledge to me.2770

I got up, therefore, and partook of some food‍—

A delicious milk porridge. {53.28}

53.29

“Following the road indicated to me by the gods,

I traveled across the land,

To the bank of the Nairañjanā River,

Beautified by kingly trees, {53.29}

53.30

“Where the salty ground

Was strewn with various flowers,

And fine forest fruits abounded,

Produced by various trees. {53.30}

53.31

“Walking along the great river,

I came, in the end, to the foot of a tree.

As soon as I saw that this place was right for me,

A firm resolve was born in me. {53.31}

53.32

“Seeing also that this large tree

Was adorned with leafy branches

That afforded plenty of shade

And had root spurs that provided shelter,2771 {53.32}

53.33

“I attained aśvattha-hood during the aśvattha,

Sitting at the foot of that [aśvattha] tree.2772

There, I attained stability,

Concentration, and samādhi.

At the end of the night I attained that which

Is not subject to destruction and ends [the cycle of] rebirth.2773 {53.33}

53.34

“Māra cleverly deployed many vighnas [F.292.a] [F.309.a]

With many different forms,

But after his armies were defeated,

He turned back and returned to his abode. {53.34}

53.35

“It is because of him2774

That many mantra systems have been taught,

Along with many ritual methods,

Meditative concentrations, and knowledges. {53.35}

53.36

“The path, moreover, is threefold,

To serve each of the three types of beings.2775

The antidotes to the faults,

Likewise, are taught as threefold. {53.36}

53.37

“Then, I got up and went

To Urubilvā, with its auspicious waters.

Having bathed in the waters there,

I visited the local sage and his disciples. {53.37}

53.38

“After performing many acts for the sake of beings,

I2776 set out once again

And in due course

Entered the beautiful city of Kāśī. {53.38}

53.39

“Having gone to the place

Where the former buddhas with great powers had gone,

I remained there myself

Among the local Kāśī folk. {53.39}

53.40

“Having turned the wheel of the sacred Dharma

That brings the peace of nirvāṇa,

I taught the Dharma there

To bring about the happiness of all beings

Whose existence depends on the five vital airs,2777

Including gods and demigods. {53.40}

53.41

“The Dharma wheel was turned there

Before by the primordial buddhas.

I too taught

The unsurpassed Dharma wheel there. {53.41}

53.42

“To bring the happiness of release from saṃsāra

And to stop the faults2778 of sentient beings,

I turned the great wheel2779

That brings the happiness of the final peace; {53.42}

53.43

“The wheel that is intended to destroy the path of becoming

And arises out of the samādhi of the four truths;

The wheel comprised of the eightfold path

And adorned with the four abodes of Brahmā;2780 {53.43}

53.44

“The wheel from whose felly arises knowledge,

Thus blocking ignorance

Along with the twelvefold cycle

Of interdependent origination; {53.44}

53.45

“The wheel that spreads the absolute truth

Born, at its extreme edge, out of the ultimate reality;

The wheel whose greatness arises from its felly

With its forward and backward movements;2781 {53.45}

53.46

“The auspicious wheel that spreads instructions

And brings liberation to many beings. [F.292.b] [F.309.b]

Having thus turned the wheel,2782

I left the pleasant city of Kāśī and proceeded to Śrāvastī. {53.46}

53.47

“There, I humbled the tīrthikas

With displays of miracles.2783

Similarly, I displayed a miraculous feat

In the district of Sāṅkāśya.2784 {53.47}

53.48

“Having delighted the people who live

In the many places of pilgrimage,

I made an auspicious descent from the realm of gods

Among the people of Agnibhāṇḍa.2785 {53.48}

53.49

“In the realm of the Thirty-Three

I introduced Śakra to the nature of phenomena,

And in Akaniṣṭha, and so forth, I did the same

With Brahmā and the others, including the Destroyer of Cities;2786 {53.49}

53.50

“The lords of yakṣas, including Vaiśravaṇa;

The hordes belonging to the four great kings;

The sadāmatta and karoṭapāṇi gods;

The vīṇātṛtīyaka and mālādhārin gods; {53.50}

53.51

“All the gods and hosts of yakṣas

Who dwell on earth, in heaven, or in the space in between;

The noble leaders of yakṣa hosts;

And all the lower gods and asuras. {53.51}

53.52

“I introduced them to the fruit of the Dharma

And caused them to seek out the threefold nirvāṇa.

I established inconceivable numbers of beings

In a better state. {53.52}

53.53

“The number of these beings is incalculable,

As saṃsāra is infinite and has no end.

Within great thousandfold universes dwell inconceivable numbers

Of beings composed of the primary elements.2787 {53.53}

53.54

“Having thus introduced many beings

To the true meaning,

I have now arrived and remain here,

Above the realm of the Pure Abode. {53.54}

53.55

“I turned the wheel of the sacred mantra teachings

That accord with the three vehicles

And established beings in discipline.

Further, I taught this king of manuals

Throughout the entire world

And am now giving it to Mañjughoṣa. {53.55}

53.56

“When I have passed from this world into the final nirvāṇa

And the earth is devoid of my presence,

Mañjuśrī will continue the work of the Buddha

For the sake of the beings there. {53.56}

53.57

“In order to preserve the sacred Dharma

When the victorious lords2788 are in the state of nirvāṇa,

Mañjughoṣa will always

Guard it continually. {53.57}

53.58

“This extensive manual has been taught

In order to promulgate the mantra path. [F.293.a] [F.310.a]

During the terrible and dreadful time

At the end of the eon {53.58}

53.59

“The human kings will be very violent

And delight in killing one another.

They will commit evil acts and follow wrong conduct.

During the debased eon

Enjoyments will be few,

Of this there is no doubt. {53.59}

53.60

“The kings of men will come

To worship in the Sāla Grove,

In the Makuṭabandhana temple,

And on the banks of the Hiraṇyavatī river. {53.60}

53.61

“When I have passed, on my bed, into final nirvāṇa

And have entered the sphere of peace,

My body, in a state of bliss but devoid of sensation,2789

Will be placed upon the funeral pyre. {53.61}

53.62

“Looking upon my former deeds,

The miracles I have performed,

And the guiding activity of the Buddha

That leads to the propriety of conduct, {53.62}

53.63

“And reflecting upon these auspicious and illustrious acts,

All the kings, along with the gods,

The asuras, and ordinary humans

Will offer worship to me. {53.63}

53.64

“All the earthly rulers, having come together,

Will offer worship amidst great celebrations

At that time, near to my body,

There is no doubt about that. {53.64}

53.65

“My physical body, a source of qualities,

Will be placed on the funeral pyre,

Its faults terminated and only the merit left.

It will be free from all nonvirtue

And its five empty aggregates

Will now arise as the corresponding [five] realities. {53.65}

53.66

“Upon seeing it,

Many beings will acquire great merit.

The great śrāvakas, great beings devoid of passions

And possessed of great powers,

And all the bodhisattvas

Who abide on the ten levels {53.66}

53.67

“Will all gather around,

Filled with compassion for all beings.

All the hosts of gods,

As well as the noble and ordinary people,2790 {53.67}

53.68

“Will all congregate around

That single place of great merit.

They will attain the faith that rests upon

The understanding of impermanence and suffering. {53.68} [F.293.b] [F.310.b]

53.69

“All the hosts of spirits

Will be near the [funerary] caitya,

Making large offerings,

Wailing and crying. {53.69}

53.70

“They will shed profuse tears

And sob, overwhelmed by compassion.

They will lament over impermanence,

Suffering, and emptiness as follows: {53.70}

53.71

“ ‘The Buddha taught the Dharma

Here on earth, in the present time.

And now, this best of sages,

The eminent seventh bull of a sage,

Born among the Śākyas, the foremost of all beings,

Is seen by us for the last time. {53.71}

53.72

“ ‘The Blessed One, who taught us

Impermanence and suffering, is lying here.

He taught emptiness, the absolute truth,2791

And he explained the meaning of primordial peace.

Why, O gods, do you not wake up

Our lord and master? {53.72}

53.73

“ ‘Gathered here are all the Buddha’s sons2792

Of great miraculous powers

And the powerful śrāvakas,

Rich in religious merit and courage. {53.73}

53.74

“ ‘All the beings‍—men, gods, and asuras‍—

Are thoroughly distressed.

This is an occasion to continue

Turning the wheel of Dharma, {53.74}

53.75

“ ‘So rise up swiftly, O Blessed One!

May the Buddha’s sojourn [on earth] continue

For as long as the great ocean [of saṃsāra] lasts!

Do not neglect those sinking in it, O sage!2793 {53.75}

53.76

“ ‘Do not disregard so many beings

By staying for a long time in a samādhi-like state.

Abandon meditative absorption

And teach the path to peaceful nirvāṇa.’2794 {53.76}

53.77

“Lamenting, they will utter

Many words of this kind. {53.77}

53.78

“Then all these powerful gods,

And all their hosts, will fall silent.

Having wailed so much,

They will now wait, bowing respectfully.2795 {53.78}

53.79

“Then the gods and the asuras, Brahmā and so forth,

Will cry for a long time, uttering shrill cries

With stammering voices

And throats choked by grief. {53.79}

53.80

“All the human-born kings,2796

Sitting on the ground, [will say,]

‘The liberated one born into the Śākya clan,

Free from passion and very powerful, [F.294.a] [F.311.a]

Is none other than the great Buddha,

The knowing one, the god of gods.’2797 {53.80}

53.81

“A young monk by the name Aniruddha,

Human-born and virtuous,

Distinguished by his subtlety and ability,

Excelling in recitation and conduct,2798

Surrounded by a retinue

Of eminent arhats and kings, {53.81}

53.82

“Will then say to the Malla kings and subjects

Sighing in anguish,

Their minds moist with compassion,

The following sweet words: {53.82}

53.83

“ ‘My friends, do not

Set this pyre here aflame

Until the Blessed One’s foremost son,

The fount of the Dharma, has arrived. {53.83}

53.84

“ ‘His name is Mahākāśyapa,

And he is a śrāvaka of great miraculous power.

He possesses the intelligence of a great sage,

And was born a brahmin, free from worldliness. {53.84}

53.85

“ ‘He was born among the Magadhans

And spends his time in meditative equipoise there,

On a hill, under a pipal tree that affords shelter,

Near the fine city of Rājagṛha. {53.85}

53.86

“ ‘He will swiftly arrive here;

He would not do otherwise.

The deity that he worships

Would surely put out the kindling flame, {53.86}

53.87

“ ‘So do not light the pyre just yet,

As this would be a vain labor.

[Wait] until that powerful śrāvaka,

The foremost son of the Sage, {53.87}

53.88

“ ‘Circumambulates [the remains of] the guru,

The Buddha worshiped in the threefold universe.

After Mahākāśyapa has bowed his head to the feet

Of the Teacher who is revered throughout the world, {53.88}

53.89

“ ‘Then you can all proceed with

The lighting of the pyre.

Only then will the fire

In the caitya ignite.

So do not, all of you, perform this vain labor

That is nothing but [pointless] toil.’ {53.89}

53.90

“Being thus told

By the sagacious Aniruddha,

All the Malla men and their kings

Will remain seated. {53.90}

53.91

“Because I was born among humans,

And was nurtured by them,

With the attendant pleasures of many kinds

And other benefits, such as those arising from the arts and crafts; {53.91}

53.92

“Because I attained awakening among humans,

On earth, at the foot of the [Bodhi] tree; [F.294.b] [F.311.b]

And because I taught, among humans,

The Dharma that benefits all sentient beings, {53.92}

53.93

“It is fit for human beings alone

To light the funeral pyre.

Since I attained preeminence among all beings

As a human being,

My peaceful final nirvāṇa

Is destined to take place in the human world. {53.93}

53.94

“Whatever buddhas came in the past,

Will come in the future, or are active at present,

All of them are born in a human body

In this human world. {53.94}

53.95

“All of them are born, attain awakening,

Turn the auspicious Dharma wheel,

And enter the peace [of final] nirvāṇa.

Because the pratyekabuddhas and the noble śrāvakas

Also take a human birth and attain unsurpassable peace,

This attainment is regarded as threefold.2799 {53.95}

53.96

“I have assisted [human beings]

For inconceivable eons.

When I pass into the state of final peace,

Cool and not subject to arising,2800

I will leave behind my relics there,

On the earth devoid of my presence, {53.96}

53.97

“For the benefit of the human beings

On whom I wish to bestow the benefits of worship.

The relics will likewise be for the lower gods and asuras,

For the ṛṣis,2801 yakṣas, and garuḍas, {53.97}

53.98

“For the rākṣasas, pretas, and kuṣmāṇḍas,

For the powerful piśācas,

For all the spirits including

The grahas and the mātṛs, {53.98}

53.99

“And likewise for all the innumerable worlds

With their inconceivable world spheres

That support all [types of] life.

The relics will be left behind on the earth,

Destitute at that time of my presence,

For the purpose of worship. {53.99}

53.100

“Any mortals who arrive for these substances,

Any celestial kings or other beings,

Such as the inhabitants of the subterranean paradises,

The powerful lords of the dānavas,

The nāga kings, and the daityas,

Will each separately take my relics. {53.100}

53.101

“Bereft of their valued object2802

But endowed with good qualities,

These powerful beings will take [the relics]

To their own abodes and worship them.2803 {53.101}

53.102

“All of them will become, without a doubt,

Buddhas with great miraculous powers.

Depending on their clarity of mind,

They will fall into three categories‍—the highest, the lower, and the middle.2804 {53.102}

53.103

“They will thus become, in this threefold universe, [F.295.a] [F.312.a]

Either buddhas, or rhinoceros-like pratyekabuddhas, or arhats.

Accordingly, there will arise in the world

Three vehicles of three different types:2805 {53.103}

53.104

“There will be (1) those who become liberated

Based on the practices of the path described as Great Vehicle.

There will also be, at that time in the world,

(2) Those who attain awakening and become liberated2806 by themselves. {53.104}

53.105

“And there will also be (3) the śrāvakas,

Freed from passions and endowed with miraculous powers.

Thus, there will be at that time in the world

Beings adorned with this threefold family affiliation. {53.105}

53.106

“Kings who enjoy great comforts

Yet exercise their imperial might with great gentleness,

Will enjoy, as human beings,

Divine fortunes for a long time,

And when they eventually die,

They will attain one of the three kinds of peace. {53.106}

53.107

“The previous buddhas since the beginning,

And those of the present and future too,

All followed the same course

As the one displayed here. {53.107}

53.108

“All the deities sitting there

At the place of my nirvāṇa

Will become disturbed and upset,

And their voices will falter. {53.108}

53.109

“They will all say at that time,

‘Alas, this is impermanence!

The buddhas with great miraculous powers

Pass from this world into final nirvāṇa.’ {53.109}

53.110

“All the powerful divine kings,

Having said this,

Will experience anguish in their hearts2807

And will remain silent. {53.110}

53.111

“Among the noble people of Magadha

Who dwell in the city of Kuśāgrapura,

Not far from there,

On the mountain called Vārāha,

There meditates a monk,

Sheltered by [the root spurs of] a pipal tree.2808 {53.111}

53.112

“He is a śrāvaka and my foremost heart son,

The fount of the Dharma.

His name is Mahākāśyapa and he will be sitting,

At that time, in his fine shelter. {53.112}

53.113

“Having eaten his supply of alms,

He will sit and reflect as follows:

‘I have spent a lot of time

Paying homage to the Buddha, the great sage.

Now I would like to visit

That supreme, spontaneously arisen person. {53.113}

53.114

“ ‘Where is the Blessed One staying,

This most virtuous sage of the Śākyas?’

Mahākāśyapa, the king of brahmins, will thus focus his mind

On the Blessed One while remaining at his place. {53.114} [F.295.b] [F.312.b]

53.115

“He will perceive the sage of sages

With his mind alone.

He will also see, with the divine eye,

The world [where he lives] and all the [other] worlds: {53.115}

53.116

“Akaniṣṭha and other such worlds

With their luminous world spheres,

And all the worlds that are named after all their beings

And are part of great thousandfold worlds within still greater units.2809 {53.116}

53.117

“Looking with his divine eye

As far as the śrāvakas can,

He will see the Teacher passed into nirvāṇa,

Peaceful, emancipated, and immaterial, {53.117}

53.118

“Surrounded on all sides

By hosts of very powerful gods

As well as human kings,2810

Asuras, yakṣas, rākṣasas,

And all the hosts of spirits,

And also by the bodhisattvas with great powers, {53.118}

53.119

“Śrāvakas of great renown

Who excel in wisdom,

And noble celestials and humans

Both with and without passion. {53.119}

53.120

“He will see the valiant one upon the funeral pyre‍—

The Buddha, a relative of the sun,2811

The god of gods,

The supreme and most virtuous lord of sages, {53.120}

53.121

“Surrounded on all sides

By the earthly kings,

Including the mighty Mallas,

Holding in their hands lamps, fragrances, and grass torches. {53.121}

53.122

“As explained by the monk Aniruddha,

Who keeps his observances,

The kings, held back by the gods,

Will be unable to light the pyre. {53.122}

53.123

“The earth goddess will wail loudly,

Her voice choked by tears.

There will be terrible exclamations of ‘alas, alas!’

And the sound of thunder will resound.2812 {53.123}

53.124

“The grove will be divinely filled with hosts of ṛṣis

And apsarases singing praises;

It will resound with songs of siddhas and vidyādharīs,

And with the singing of kinnaras. {53.124}

53.125

“There will be the sweet cooing

And beautiful warbling of birds

And lovely sounds of various instruments

Played by celestials and humans. {53.125}

53.126

“The Sāla Grove will be

Filled with the songs of apsarases,

Graced with the presence of siddhas and vidyādharas,

And full of yogins all over. {53.126}

53.127

“The fine bed of the bull among sages

Will [thus] be surrounded on all sides,2813 [F.296.a] [F.313.a]

And above it, Kāśyapa will sigh with grief,

Even though he is normally free from sorrow. {53.127}

53.128

“Shedding tears,

The monk2814 Kāśyapa,

Foremost among my śrāvaka-disciples,

Will then collapse on the ground {53.128}

53.129

“And promptly cry out,

‘Alas! A difficult time has begun

Where the Buddha, free from karmic traits,

Has now passed into final nirvāṇa. {53.129}

53.130

“ ‘He himself taught, in this world,

About impermanence, suffering, and emptiness.

I see nothing permanent;

Everything must undergo successive rebirth.’2815 {53.130}

53.131

“Kāśyapa will then quickly get up

And go to the king of the Magadhans,

Ajātaśatru, who will be in a state of anguish,

Overwhelmed by grief for his father.2816 {53.131}

53.132

“Having arrived in his house,2817

Kāśyapa will say to the king,

‘O great king! The perfect Buddha,

Supreme among two-legged beings, has passed into nirvāṇa. {53.132}

53.133

“ ‘Quickly prepare a carriage,

And let’s go to the Teacher’s side!

He is lying on a bed on the ground,

His mind free from feverish agitation,

Beyond any enmity or fear,

Abiding in the supreme body of bliss.’ {53.133}

53.134

“Hearing the painful news,

The king will become even more distressed.

Expressing his inner lament,

He will say the following words: {53.134}

53.135

“ ‘I have lost both

My Teacher and my father.

I have been abandoned by all my relatives,

And the people, likewise, do not trust me.

When I fall into the terrible hell,

In whom will I find my refuge? {53.135}

53.136

“ ‘Protect me, O great hero,

Foremost śrāvaka of the Teacher!

Mahākāśyapa of great splendor!2818

There is no life for me in this world.’ {53.136}

53.137

“Having spoken this, the king,

The chief ruler of the Magadhans,

Will suddenly collapse on the ground

At the feet of the distinguished śrāvaka.

He will lie on the ground, stripped of his will,

Motionless and unconscious.2819 {53.137}

53.138

“At that time, you, Mañjughoṣa,

Divine youth of great magical power,

Will visit places around the world

With the wish to benefit beings.2820 {53.138}

53.139

“When my body is placed on the pyre

At its location in the grove,

You2821 will also sit there,

Surrounded by a host of bodhisattvas. [F.296.b] [F.313.b] {53.139}

53.140

“Having prepared my body

To be worshiped there, on the earth,

You will look at the beings around and reflect,

‘Which of them are suffering? Whom can I save?’2822 {53.140}

53.141

“When I lie there on the ground, there will be you,

Divine youth with the profound understanding of the truth.

You, Mañjuśrī, will be able to enthrall

The greatly suffering King Ajātaśatru.2823 {53.141}

53.142

“Even though [Mahākāśyapa] will be there,

It is you alone who will be able to guide the king,

Because what is possible for the bodhisattvas

Is not possible even for the magically endowed beings,

Such as deities, ṛṣis, and so forth

Or the pratyekabuddhas and noble śrāvakas. {53.142}

53.143

“The king, lying there,

Will see you, Mañjughoṣa, as if in a dream.

Given by you a special power,

The king, fallen into a swoon from his grief,{53.143}

53.144

“Will see in a dream

The clear form of a young boy‍—2824

The all-pervading, divine youth,

Mañjughoṣa of great power. {53.144}

53.145

“Through you grace, Mañjuśrī, he will see you,

A bodhisattva with the form of a child

Who is the magical manifestation of the Dharma,

With manifold, inconceivable power.2825 {53.145}

53.146

“The king will fall into the Avīci hell

But then will rapidly rise up

Through the different states of being,

His lower rebirths having been auspiciously purified,

And will also experience the merits of higher births

That are shunned by all the śrāvakas. {53.146}

53.147

“When he has thus completely purified

His string2826 of crimes,

King Ajātaśatru will enjoy

Immense pleasures. {53.147}

53.148

“This teaching, presented here only briefly,

Is nevertheless adorned with a wide range of distinctive meanings.

It represents the speech of all the buddhas

In the beginning, in the middle, and at the end.2827

This extensive manual has thus been taught

In order to benefit all beings. {53.148}

53.149

“You, divine youth, will, at that time,

With your all-reaching words of Mañjuśrī,

Guide the kings

Who perpetrate evil acts. {53.149}

53.150

“The range of your miraculous powers is inconceivable,

And the number of those you will guide is inconceivable too.

You will become the guide

For all the classes of beings.” {53.150}

53.151

So spoke the great hero [F.297.a] [F.314.a] to Mañjughoṣa,

The great light of the buddhas,

Who, at that time, was staying

Above the realm of the Pure Abode.2828

The best of speakers, the perfect buddha,

Supreme among two-legged beings, addressed [Mañjughoṣa again]: {53.151}

53.152

“After taking, over many eons,

Innumerable human births,

Too many to be counted or conceived of,

You will be the perfect buddha,

Mañjudhvaja by name,

In the human world. {53.152}

53.153

“Then, having performed the acts of a buddha

In the correct order as always occurs,

And having liberated many beings,

You will enter final nirvāṇa.” {53.153}

53.154

Thus addressed, the divine youth of great power,

With the form of a young boy,

Let out a long sigh,

Awestruck and overcome with compassion. {53.154}

53.155

Shedding tears,

He looked at the Buddha for a long time.

Then, with his hands folded in salutation,

He sat down again. {53.155}

53.156

[The Buddha continued to speak:]

“On the earth down below,

The emperor Ajātaśatru

Will bow his head to the brahmin,

The wonderful Mahākāśyapa. {53.156}

53.157

“Now awake and back to his senses,

He will bow down to [Mahākāśyapa’s] feet2829

And, letting out a long sigh,

Will announce his aim in full. {53.157}

53.158

“Taking his seat, the son of the late king,2830

The great lord, Ajātaśatru by name,

Will then say to Mahākāśyapa,

‘Let us go to the place of cremation,

Where people worthy of help

Worship the one interred under the caitya dome.’2831 {53.158}

53.159

“The eminent śrāvaka, endowed with many powers,

Will however remain in the same place

And explain his intentions [to Ajātaśatru]:

‘It is not proper for me to use my magical power;

I would like to proceed

To that great funerary gathering on foot.’ {53.159}

53.160

“He will then set out to see the Teacher

In his final journey.2832

On the way, the vow holder [Mahākāśyapa]

Will stop at the monastery that is midway,2833 {53.160}

53.161

“So that he can look up

The monastery’s occupants,

Particularly, a newly ordained elderly monk2834 [F.297.b] [F.314.b]

Who is sinful and deluded.2835 {53.161}

53.162

“Seeing the approaching figure,

The elderly monk will come forward

To meet this most illustrious brahmin,

Who fasted for a long time, pure and free from illness. {53.162}

53.163

“Having approached,

He will bow to his feet

And say to the illustrious guest,

‘Welcome! What brings you here?2836 {53.163}

53.164

“ ‘Or where are you going?

Are you leaving soon, or are you going to stay?’

He will say that to the sage [Mahākāśyapa],

Who will reply to the fool, ‘Long-lived one! Have you not heard? {53.164}

53.165

“ ‘The Teacher of the whole world,

The perfect Buddha, supreme among two-legged beings,

My father, a buddha of great wisdom,2837

Is extinguished like the flame of a lamp. {53.165}

53.166

“ ‘The great hero has departed,

And the earth has become empty.

All the worlds are likewise empty,

And empty too are the regions for me.’ {53.166}

53.167

“Thereupon, the elderly monk

With the twisted mind of a fool will rejoice.

Laughing in ridicule, he will say,

‘Is that old geezer dead? {53.167}

53.168

“ ‘The one with long arms

And the head lofty as a parasol?

Our chief guide

Steeped in his ‘learned’ ignorance?2838 {53.168}

53.169

“ ‘Now that he is gone,

I will promptly do whatever I want.’

Powerful Mahākāśyapa, his hair standing on end,

Being thus addressed by the old monk, {53.169}

53.170

“Will knit his brows in angry contortion

And employ the syllable hūṁ.

The brahmin, habituated to asceticism,

Will be furious at that moment. {53.170}

53.171

“He will strike the ground,

At that moment, with his toe,

And the entire earth2839 will sway

With a loud thunder coming from the mountains. {53.171}

53.172

“All the oceans will become agitated,

All the trees, mountains,

Valleys, and caves will quake,

And all the nāgas and deities dwelling there will tremble. {53.172}

53.173

“The light of the moon and the sun

Will disappear on earth at that time.

The winds will die down,

And meteors will fall.2840 {53.173}

53.174

“He, One Syllable with the sound hūṁ,

When pronounced like this by the śrāvakas,

Is the manifestation of the family

And auspiciously accomplishes all activities.2841 {53.174}

53.175

“Even when he is not fully mastered,

This king of mantras, just by being recited,

Arrests all weapons and poisons,

Whether they be of animate or inanimate origin. {53.175} [F.298.a] [F.315.a]

53.176

“Through merely being recited,

He2842 paralyzes all evil beings

And accomplishes other specific activities

Of many different types. {53.176}

53.177

“The garrulous old monk

Will fall silent and remain so thenceforth,

Humbled by [the display of] magical power

And chastised, at that moment, by Mahākāśyapa. {53.177}

53.178

“He will then be led by this eminent śrāvaka

To where the funeral pyre is.

The monk Mahākāśyapa, free from desire,

Exceedingly powerful, will travel there on foot. {53.178}

53.179

“Having arrived, he will see

The Sage’s body laid upon the funeral pyre,

And many groups of gods

Worshiping it with large offerings. {53.179}

53.180

“He will see the funeral pyre,

With the body of the sage Gautama mounted upon it,

Provided with the best accoutrements

And adorned with all the [required] articles.2843 {53.180}

53.181

“When they see the wonderful,

Illustrious Mahākāśyapa,

All the monks,

Free from faults and very dignified,2844 {53.181}

53.182

“And all the hosts of gods and spirits,

Will exclaim, ‘Alas, alas!’

They will wail with loud cries,

Outpourings of their sorrow. {53.182}

53.183

“All the powerful gods and nāgas

Will come forward

And say to the illustrious one,

‘Pay respects to the supreme among two-legged beings! {53.183}

53.184

“ ‘All the hosts of gods and all the people

Have been waiting for you;

The hosts of spirits,

The ṛṣis, the yakṣas, and the human kings

All tried to light the funeral pyre

But were unable to.’ {53.184}

53.185

“The illustrious one, free from faults

And endowed with great powers,

Will circumambulate [the pyre] many times clockwise.

Recollecting the Tathāgata,

He will pay his respects

At the edge of the pyre with great dignity. {53.185}

53.186

“He will break open the iron casket

So that the two feet emerge.

Bowing his head at the feet [of the Blessed One],

He will touch them again and again. {53.186}

53.187

“Having thus repeatedly looked

At the fine feet of the eminent sage,

He will again lay them to rest

In the iron casket. {53.187}

53.188

“The powerful one who is free from desire

Will then rise up and take his seat

Among the powerful arhats, [F.298.b] [F.315.b]

Who are also free from desire. {53.188}

53.189

“The Magadhan king2845

Will approach the funeral pyre

At the head of a procession of chariots

Drawn by elephants and horses. {53.189}

53.190

“Then other kings, commanders of great forces,

Will arrive there, all of them with their armies,

To pay respects

To the sage Śākyamuni, {53.190}

53.191

“Who passed into nirvāṇa lying on the ground,

In a peaceful spot at the edge of the forest,2846

On the bank of the Hiraṇyavatī, in Makuṭabandhana,

And is now inside the caitya,

Absorbed into the sphere2847 of peace

And abiding in ultimate reality. {53.191}

53.192

“The Magadhan king,

Accompanied by his great army,

Will see celestial displays

Of many kinds, {53.192}

53.193

“Rich in blessing, powerful,

Miraculous, adorning the earth,

Arising from the form of the caitya

Where the Sage will be lying upon the pyre.2848 {53.193}

53.194

“The monk called Ānanda,

Who attends upon me as my good student,

The most eminent person,

Always dear to me and a cause of delight,2849

Will become disheartened at that time

And, tormented by anguish, {53.194}

53.195

“Will approach Mahākāśyapa

And fall down at his feet.

Distressed, he will speak

In a stammering and faltering voice: {53.195}

53.196

“ ‘My teacher has passed into nirvāṇa today;

Now I am without a protector.

He indicated that you alone

Will be my refuge and protection. {53.196}

53.197

“ ‘The moon-like sage prophesied

That I, continuing at your side,

Will remove all my afflictions

And attain arhatship. {53.197}

53.198

“ ‘The Victorious One revealed

During the last watch of the night

That I am selected to be always with you

Until I have passed into final nirvāṇa. {53.198}

53.199

“ ‘Desiring what is beneficial, he appointed you

To carry out the work of the Buddha.

The great Sage has passed into the final peace,

Leaving me behind in distress.’ {53.199}

53.200

“The sagacious Aniruddha

Will comfort the pious monk:

‘Do not cry in distress!

Do not fall into despair! {53.200}

53.201

“ ‘Do not go to any other place,

But stay here.

Mahākāśyapa himself will be our teacher

When the “eye of the world” is extinguished. {53.201} [F.299.a] [F.316.a]

53.202

“ ‘It was prophesied here by the Sage

That he will carry on the Buddha’s work,

And we will follow him,

Along with you. {53.202}

53.203

“ ‘As for his magical powers,

Great distinction, energy, and great splendor,2850

Mahākāśyapa is the second Teacher, as it were,

His exact replica here on earth. {53.203}

53.204

“ ‘For as long as Mahākāśyapa,

This eminent śrāvaka of great power,

Remains and holds fast,

Do not fall into despair.’ {53.204}

53.205

“Talking thus, all the sons of the Sage,

Endowed with magical powers,

Free from desire, and very studious,

Will sit down.2851 {53.205}

53.206

“The pyre will be lit

By the Malla kings.

It will blaze on all sides

And then change into ashes. {53.206}

53.207

“Seeing this, the hosts of gods

And the serpent-hooded mahoragas,

In order to cool down the pyre ground,

Will release a heavy shower {53.207}

53.208

“Of sandalwood water,

Followed by, the next instant,

A great rain of flowers

Released upon the earth. {53.208}

53.209

“Instantly, all who came

To worship the relics of the Victorious One

Will all start fighting

With each other. {53.209}

53.210

“The Brahmās, the Śakras, the Yāmas,

And all the hosts of gods

Will be held back by the śrāvakas

With great magical powers. {53.210}

53.211

“Mahākāśyapa will distribute the relics

Born from the body of the Victorious One.

He will give only a small portion to everyone,

So that they may be worshiped,

Since they bring the final peace,

The ultimate goal of the three vehicles. {53.211}

53.212

“Then Mahākāśyapa, a yogi

Free from desire and very powerful,

Will reflect upon the memorable words

Spoken by the unruly old monk, and say: {53.212}

53.213

“ ‘The entirety of the great doctrine that brings happiness,

With its twelve branches that comprise

The Sūtra, the Vinaya, and the Abhidharma,

Might vanish like smoke in the sky.

When the great hero has departed,

The destruction of the doctrine will follow. {53.213}

53.214

“ ‘All the teachings spoken by the Buddha [F.299.b] [F.316.b]

Should be collected together.

Let us all go together,

Free from desire and dignified,

To the capital city of the Magadhans,

The fine city referred to as ‘royal’;2852 {53.214}

53.215

“ ‘To beautiful Kuśāgrapura,

With its nice, high mountains;

And to Vaiśālī, a nice place

Where there is a beautiful caitya.’ {53.215}

53.216

“All the lamenting2853 Mallas,

Together with the dignified [śrāvakas],

Will do many such [peregrinations] then

For the sake of the teachings.2854 {53.216}

53.217

“At the end of the eon,

When I have passed away,

The kings will delight

In killing one another. {53.217}

53.218

“Monks will engage in many types of business,

And beings will be rendered senseless by greed.

At the end of the eon, the male and female

Lay practitioners will have no faith.2855

Dedicated to mutual slaughter,

They will search each other out.2856 {53.218}

53.219

“Armed with ‘piercing’ weapons,

They will ever inflict wounds and bring harm.2857

Monks will lack self-control

At the end of the eon, when the Sage is gone. {53.219}

53.220

“At that time, there will be on earth

Eight arhats with great magical powers,

Free from desire and karmic traits.2858

They will be tasked with protecting my doctrine. {53.220}

53.221

“These distinguished arhats

Will be those known as Rāhula and so forth.

It will not be possible to see them

At that time during the debased eon. {53.221}

53.222

“However, the practitioners of mantra, when accomplished,

Will be able to see them without fail.

All of them, appointed here by me,

Will use the mantras of magic and possess great powers. {53.222}

53.223

“I have invested them, the glorious ones,

With the authority to administer justice.

Any student who disobeys their orders

Will be guilty of transgression. {53.223}

53.224

“If you hold on to the sacred Dharma‍—

To the ultimate reality beyond the physical‍—

And proclaim on earth

This meritorious message of mine, {53.224}

53.225

“Then you will obtain the peace of no-self

And enter the final nirvāṇa without karmic traits.

When the Sage and his teaching have disappeared,

The following will come to pass: {53.225}

53.226

“The monks and nuns who live on alms

Will all become very greedy.

Ever acting as detestable beggars,

They will proliferate during the debased eon. {53.226} [F.300.a] [F.317.a]

53.227

“The practice of keeping houses and wives

Will become integrated into my doctrine.

Lay practitioners, at that time,

Will always have sex with the wives of others. {53.227}

53.228

“The fourfold assembly will remain

In name only, merely to keep appearances.

They will all bring harm upon one another,

Delighting in enmity. {53.228}

53.229

“The entire earth will be taken over

By the tīrthikas and [saṃsāric] gods;

People, at that time,

Will adore the brahmin caste. {53.229}

53.230

“Deluded and following wrong conduct,

They will delight in harming living beings.

This has been prophesied for this lowest eon,

When I enter into final nirvāṇa. {53.230}

53.231

“Many men and women will

Continuously indulge in adultery.

They will all delight in nonvirtue

And shun virtuous values. {53.231}

53.232

“After I enter the final peace on earth,

Many beings will be present,

Worshiping my body,

Such as the hosts of gods of great vitality and splendor, {53.232}

53.233

“Men of distinction,

Hosts of yakṣas and spirits,

Asuras, gandharvas,

Kinnaras endowed with great powers, {53.233}

53.234

“Garuḍas, nāgas,2859

Rākṣasas, ṛṣis,

Siddhas, yogins,

Planets with great vitality,2860 {53.234}

53.235

“Beings of various types

That take birth based on their different destinies

And are caught in the chain of saṃsāric rebirths,

And also the wise ones who have broken this chain. {53.235}

53.236

“They will make offerings to my body,2861

From which the pangs of fever have departed,

On the bank of the Hiraṇyavatī,

In the Yamakasāla Grove, {53.236}

53.237

“In the Makuṭabandhana shrine,

In the country of the Mallas.

When I pass into final nirvāṇa there,

I will attain the peace that is free from fear. {53.237}

53.238

“My relics will be exhumed,

With some being stolen

By gods, asuras,

And all types of spirits.

They will be divided into separate portions

And then distributed. {53.238}

53.239

“At that time, the Magadhan king Ajātaśatru,

Together with his great army,

Will make a request to all the śrāvakas

Endowed with great magical powers: {53.239} [F.300.b] [F.317.b]

53.240

“ ‘Please, great beings,

Uplift me also,

Crestfallen and suffering,

Even though I am a patricide without merit.’ {53.240}

53.241

“The most eminent, wise śrāvaka,

The dear son of the Buddha

Called Mahākāśyapa,

Who brings benefit to beings, {53.241}

53.242

“Seeing this intelligent man called Ajātaśatru

And noticing his distress,

Will give him then his due attention

And bless2862 him with his magical power. {53.242}

53.243

“He will pick up a portion of relics2863

Produced from the body of the Victorious One.

The remaining relics will be taken by the others,

Including very powerful snake-like beings.2864 {53.243}

53.244

“Each trying to be quicker than the other,

They will push and shove in great agitation.

They will then carry the relics through space

To their own abodes and install them there.2865 {53.244}

53.245

“The monk Mahākāśyapa,

The most eminent śrāvaka,

Will, at that time, reflect on the Sage:2866 {53.245}

53.246

“ ‘Ah, woe to humankind!

He is absent from this earthly round

With its buddhas, pratyekabuddhas,

And śrāvakas with great miraculous powers. {53.246}

53.247

“ ‘The light has gone out for beings2867

Who wander in the prison of saṃsāra.

They will now experience various types

Of acute suffering for a long time. {53.247}

53.248

“ ‘If, however, they worship the relics

Of the savior, the lord of the world,

They will experience the pleasures

Of the god realms in abundance. {53.248}

53.249

“ ‘They will obtain kingdoms, prosperity,

And mantric accomplishments, so difficult to attain.

They will attain the various things

That reflect the lifestyles of favorable rebirths, {53.249}

53.250

“ ‘Including the desired boon of reaching the peak of existence

That is adorned with the threefold liberation.

By worshiping the relics

They will attain the supreme accomplishment.’ {53.250}

53.251

“Reflecting like this,

The world-renowned brahmin,

The śrāvaka and the distinguished sage

By the name Kāśyapa, {53.251}

53.252

“Will pick up some relics

And distribute them, at that time, on earth.2868

With special care, he will give a relic-pill

To the king of the Magadhans called Ajātaśatru, {53.252}

53.253

“And also to all the eight kings.

This śrāvaka, a great being

Of great splendor,

Will give everything completely to all of them. {53.253} [F.301.a] [F.318.a]

53.254

“With his mind overcome with compassion,

He will grieve for sentient beings

Who, lacking the understanding of impermanence,

Continue to undergo the cycle of rebirth:2869 {53.254}

53.255

“ ‘Beings will weep for a long time,

Lasting many eons.

When the sacred Dharma of the Teacher, the Lion of the Śākyas,

Has disappeared in the world,

These teachings should be chanted,

During the terrible time of destruction.’2870 {53.255}

53.256

“Then the valiant Mahākāśyapa will rise and,

With his mind imbued with power,2871

Will address Ajātaśatru,

The king of men: {53.256}

53.257

“ ‘To honor the Teacher’s instructions,

Let us go to the city of Rājagṛha.’

Having carefully placed the relics

In one hundred jars, {53.257}

53.258

“They will then travel eastward,

Hastily proceeding toward Rājagṛha.

After they arrive in the Bamboo Grove,

They will deposit there the relics of the Victorious One. {53.258}

53.259

“After building a marvelous stūpa

Of the savior, the lord of the world,

The great king will offer to this stūpa

Adornments of many kinds: {53.259}

53.260

“Garlands, fabrics, parasols,

Scented powders, perfume, incense,

Silks, music, riches,2872 banners,

Various bells, garlands,2873 unguents,

And lamps, chaplets, and wreaths,

Of many different kinds. {53.260}

53.261

“Having made these offerings,

The great king, his mind steeped in reverence,

Will bow with his head to the stūpa

And at that time make the following aspiration: {53.261}

53.262

“ ‘May I, by the abundant merit gained

Through worshiping the most eminent being in the world,

Attain the inconceivable [state whereby I will]

Worship many tathāgatas.’2874 {53.262}

53.263

“The king will then rise

And speak to Mahākāśyapa,

Wiping teardrops off his face.

With his eyes dimmed by tears

And his heart brimming with compassion,

He will recall his father: {53.263}

53.264

“ ‘My noble friend of great wisdom,

Please be my confessor!2875

The evil that I have committed

Will cause me to fall into the Avīci hell. {53.264}

53.265

“ ‘Having killed my father,2876

A Dharma king established

On the path taught by the Teacher,

I am unable to distract myself.

My good and noble friend, [F.301.b] [F.318.b]

Be so kind as to teach me the meaning of the Dharma!’ {53.265}

53.266

“Thus addressed, the great being,

The foremost śrāvaka of the Victorious One,

The sagacious one called Mahākāśyapa

Will say the following: {53.266}

53.267

“ ‘Do not fear, great king!

You have accumulated a lot of merit.

In your former births

You have practiced virtue hundreds of times. {53.267}

53.268

“ ‘Once, when there was no Buddha in the world,

There lived a pratyekabuddha.

At that time, in the city of Vārāṇasī,

A son was born to a prominent merchant.

In his ignorance and childish frivolity,

He went out onto the road.2877 {53.268}

53.269

“ ‘He came upon

The blessed pratyekabuddha,

Who, out of desire to benefit the world,

Was doing his alms rounds. {53.269}

53.270

“ ‘Upon seeing the pratyekabuddha

The boy’s mind was filled with faith.2878

He fell at his feet and asked,

“What are you about to do, monk?” {53.270}

53.271

“ ‘The blessed, rhinoceros-like lord2879

Remained silent

And stood there

As the boy held him by the robe, [saying,] {53.271}

53.272

“ ‘ “Come! Come to that fine house

Adorned with a banner!

This is our dwelling.

You will wash your feet and have some food.2880

We shall promptly eat as much as we like,

And then play to our hearts’ content.” {53.272}

53.273

“ ‘The monk, free from faults,

His three stains2881 definitively destroyed,

And committed to the kind treatment of others,

Followed the boy.

Having arrived at the door,

The glorious monk waited. {53.273}

53.274

“ ‘The boy entered

And called out, “Mother!

Please give some food for me,

And also alms of various kinds. {53.274}

53.275

“ ‘ “My friend has arrived here at long last,

Who will play with me in the sand.

At last, you will be pleased with him;

He stands waiting at the door.” {53.275}

53.276

“ ‘Hastily, she came out the door,

And immediately saw

The distinguished person,

Peaceful, and of great majesty. {53.276}

53.277

“ ‘She then quickly went in,

Took a fine vessel,

Cleaned it with her hands,

And prepared some flowers and incense.2882 {53.277}

53.278

“ ‘She took some pure rice pudding [F.302.a] [F.319.a]

Flavored with many spices,

And also different other foodstuffs,

And arranged them on a silver plate. {53.278}

53.279

“ ‘She then promptly returned [to the door]

And placed [the articles] in the monk’s bowl.

Then she, fond of the Dharma like her son,

Fell down at the monk’s feet.2883 {53.279}

53.280

“ ‘The monk accepted the alms

And flew up into the sky,

Where he could be seen

As a row of lights. {53.280}

53.281

“ ‘The rhinoceros-like pratyekabuddhas

Do not teach the Dharma verbally.

These great beings present it to others

Through their magical powers. {53.281}

53.282

“ ‘They are exceedingly compassionate

Toward beings and free from selfishness.

They reveal their supernatural power

To beings with respect to future lives. {53.282}

53.283

“ ‘By the ripening of this karma,

The boy along with the mother

Attained the state of a celestial being

For five hundred births. {53.283}

53.284

“ ‘He became a king of gods,

And she his mother.

Then he became a human-born king,

Ruling over an empire of men. {53.284}

53.285

“ ‘Having enjoyed pleasures for a long time,

He was born, in this world, as the son of Bimbisāra,

The same one who had grabbed the blessed [monk]

By the robe and pulled him. {53.285}

53.286

“ ‘You, however, spoke improper words

When addressing a monk,

Saying, at that time,

“Be my playmate in the sand.”2884 {53.286}

53.287

“ ‘Based on the past karma of those words,

Undesirable and rude,

You experienced, for a long time,

An intense and acute suffering,

Falling, against your wishes, into the terrible hell

Where the pain is difficult to bear. {53.287}

53.288

“ ‘Ensnared thus in the trammels of karma,

Beings follow painful destinies.

One creates karma laughing,

But experiences it crying. {53.288}

53.289

“ ‘Because of your former childish attitude

Toward a savior, a pratyekabuddha,2885

You spoke improper words,

Thus creating the corresponding karma. {53.289}

53.290

“ ‘Having left the hell realm,

You became human and arrived here,

But your consciousness, O king,

Was still in a hell born of karmic ripening. {53.290}

53.291

“ ‘Because of this and your violent anger,

You were predisposed to kill your father. [F.302.b] [F.319.b]

Similarly, because of a pre-existing karmic trait

Created by serving a pratyekabuddha,

You met the Buddha in person

And you worshiped him. {53.291}

53.292

“ ‘By the same cause of [serving a pratyekabuddha],

You have obtained a kingdom in this [world].’

Thus will the two of them converse

In the Bamboo Grove on earth. {53.292}

53.293

“The first one, my foremost disciple,

And the second one, the king,

Will bow to the stūpa hundreds of times

And then go each to his own home. {53.293}

53.294

“My foremost disciple,

Who shelters under the pipal tree,

Will call a meeting2886 of the sages,

All of them free from desire and very dignified. {53.294}

53.295

“The entire doctrine with its twelve branches,

Along with the Vinaya, will be recited2887 there‍—

The Dharma that I have taught,

And that which was formerly taught by other victors. {53.295}

53.296

“The doctrine will be presented

By the foremost disciple as threefold,

With its scriptures divided into

Sūtra, Vinaya, and Abhidharma. {53.296}

53.297

“The wise2888 [Mahākāśyapa] will release beings

From the three fetters, dry up their three faults,

Free them from the three sufferings,

And establish them in the three vehicles. {53.297}

53.298

“The sagacious one will thus

Further the cause of the buddhas’ teachings.

As for the king of the Magadhans,

The great monarch Ajātaśatru, {53.298}

53.299

“He will extend his rule over the entirety of Magadha and Aṅga,

After that over Vārāṇasī,

And then over Vaiśālī to the north.

He will become a very powerful king {53.299}

53.300

“Who will advance the cause of the teachings,

Of this there is no doubt.

He is prophesied to attain the ultimate peace,

After being instructed by you, divine youth.2889 {53.300}

53.301

“His son, the king known

By the initial U,2890

Will also become, before long,

Actively engaged in promoting the teachings. {53.301}

53.302

“He will have these teachings

Committed to writing in their entirety.

After worshiping [the volumes] with many offerings,

He will distribute them throughout the quarters. {53.302}

53.303

“Later he will not suffer a low rebirth,

But will be reborn among gods,

After2891 twenty or thirty years

Spent among the pitṛs. {53.303}

53.304

“His earthly existence

Will end at midnight,2892 [F.303.a] [F.320.a]

When he will succumb to a disease

That runs in his family. {53.304}

53.305

“For twenty-six days

He will suffer the pain of this terrible disease.

Affected by all manner of illnesses,

He will be incapacitated in different ways. {53.305}

53.306

“He will thus pass away

And swiftly be reborn among the gods.

With effort and care, in due course,

He will certainly attain realization. {53.306}

53.307

“These and many other kings,

Those in the past and the future,

Having done various services

For the pratyekabuddhas and the victorious2893 saviors, {53.307}

53.308

“Obtain the wished-for extraordinary fortunes,

Whether divine or human,

And, in due course, attain peace‍—

The blessed state free from decay. {53.308}

53.309

“Kings can be of three categories,

Higher, middling, or inferior.

The kings said [to have ruled] in the first eon

Are those of the Nahuṣa 2894 and Pārthiva2895 lines. {53.309}

53.310

“Budha, Śukra, and Udaya were kings

Who were definitely mantra adepts.

There were also Śāntanu, Citra, and Sucitra

And the kings of the Paṇḍu dynasty.2896 {53.310}

53.311

“The dynasties of Vārati and Yātu

Died out because of a ṛṣi’s curse.

There were also, in former times,

Kārtika, Kārtavīrya, Daśaratha, and Dāśarathi. {53.311}

53.312

“There was Arjuna, accomplished in mantras,

And Aśvatthāman, a peerless minister,

Who was the only son of the twice-born2897 Droṇa

And an accomplished master of mantras.2898 {53.312}

53.313

“Using mantra-empowered weapons,

He became the ruler of an earthly realm

Extending over the entire three islands

Of Jambūdvīpa. {53.313}

53.314

“Kings2899 and other rulers …

Making the gods … the mantras …2900

And rejoicing in the worship of the tathāgatas,

Proceed to the higher realms. {53.314}

53.315

“Some are destined to become buddhas,

While others pursue the pratyekabuddha path.2901

Some are destined to become śrāvakas.

All of them are on course toward liberation. {53.315}

53.316

“As for their lifespans,

They are divided into [three] categories.

The superior ones have long lifespans,

The middling have middling ones, {53.316}

53.317

“But in the final eon,

The wretched and debased age of strife,

The kings will have short lifespans2902

And be fond of discord.2903 {53.317}

53.318

“They will be given to mutual enmity

And inflicting harm on one another.

They will be of inferior birth

And will provoke armed conflicts.2904 {53.318}

53.319

“At that time, they will be eager to use weapons

And will take pleasure in [seducing] others’ wives.

There is no doubt that such kings will come,

Reviled by the world. {53.319}

53.320

“They will be wicked, vulgar, and selfish,

And will engage in evil acts.

This will come to pass

Between the dvāparayuga and kaliyuga. {53.320}

53.321

“I will now briefly recount

The earthly kings

Of the present2905 age.

Listen, divine youth! {53.321}

53.322

“Learn about the features and marks

Associated with their caste. [F.303.b] [F.320.b]

Prasenajit is the king of Kośala;

Bimbisāra is another king. {53.322}

53.323

“Udayana, the son of Śatānīka,

Is a distinguished kṣatriya.

There are also Subāhu, Sudhana,

Mahendra, and Candrasama. {53.323}

53.324

“Siṃha of the Licchavi clan

Was born in Vaiśālī.2906

In Ujjain, there are Udayana,

Vidyota, Pradyota, and Mahāsena. {53.324}

53.325

“In Ujjain there is Caṇḍa.

In the city of Kapilavastu

There is the king Śuddhodana

And the powerful Vairāṭa.2907 {53.325}

53.326

“These kings are said to be kṣatriyas

And worshipers of the Teacher.

They have seen the Buddha, the supreme person, directly,

In his [present existence] as the Lion of the Śākyas. {53.326}

53.327

“Having heard the Dharma,

They will obtain lasting good fortune,

And if they desire liberation,

They will definitely attain the peace of nirvāṇa.2908 {53.327}

53.328

“The kings just listed, known to the world,

Belong to the earthly realm.

Regarding their caste, they are said to be kṣatriyas,

And as for their identification, they are known by their name. {53.328}

53.329

“One of them will worship your teachings,

Which I have given on earth.

He was predicted by you,

Divine youth beautiful as a child,

As the one called Ajātaśatru,

Who will dedicate himself to the goal of awakening. {53.329}

53.330

“One hundred years after

My parinirvāṇa on earth,

When there is no light or joy

And the darkness of ignorance descends,

When the earth is empty

Without the Victorious One, {53.330}

53.331

“At that terrible time,

In the city called Kusumapura,

There will be a king who rules that land,

Known by the name Aśoka.

He will be severe in his actions,

Tempestuous, and pitiless. {53.331}

53.332

“He will, however, meet a virtuous friend

Who is free from desire and dignified,

A monk endowed with discipline

Whose mind is free from the fever [of afflictions].2909 {53.332}

53.333

“Because of the karmic predisposition from the past

Formed through a gift of dust to the dignified [Sage],2910

This king will be destined

To own vast land and great wealth.2911 [F.304.a] [F.321.a]

He will also understand what is right and what is wrong,

And he will become gentle and compassionate. {53.333}

53.334

“Revealing the underlying cause,

The monk, free from desire and very dignified,

Will say, ‘You, O king, in a former life,

Acting innocently with childlike flightiness, {53.334}

53.335

“ ‘Presented at that time, with folded hands,

Some dust to the victorious Lion of the Śākyas,

Placing it in his bowl as food.

Because of this, you attained a divine state, {53.335}

53.336

“ ‘And then, having departed from the celestial realm,

You took birth here, in the world of your ancestors.2912

Enjoy the dominion, O king,

Over Jambūdvīpa with its pleasant groves!’ {53.336}

53.337

“The great king will practice

The mantra of the great yakṣa Jambhala.

After he becomes accomplished,

He will obtain a chariot drawn by spirits.2913 {53.337}

53.338

“He will be attended upon by the yakṣas,

Who anticipate his orders.

The nāgas will attend upon him too,

Duly awaiting his orders. {53.338}

53.339

“Devoted to the Dharma, Aśoka will attain great majesty,

And he will exercise the powers of a sovereign,

Traveling wherever he pleases

Without ever being obstructed. {53.339}

53.340

“He will take, at that time, from the city of Rājagṛha,

From the grove called the Bamboo Grove,

The finest relics of the victorious ones2914 on earth,

Which had been placed there in earlier times. {53.340}

53.341

“With his mind steeped in virtue,

He will take the relics from their container

And then worship the stūpa,

Just as was done in the past. {53.341}

53.342

“He will take out the jar containing the relics and,

Having divided them into one hundred parts,

That wise one will immediately command

The yakṣas as follows: {53.342}

53.343

“ ‘Gentlemen, please adorn

The entirety of Jambūdvīpa with stūpas.

You must make the earth

Into a receptacle of relics.’2915 {53.343}

53.344

“Having received their orders,

The yakṣas, carefully at midnight,

Using for this task nonhuman labor,

Will erect stone pillars throughout the land. {53.344}

53.345

“They will erect, at that time,

Many thousands of pillars

Serving as signposts for living beings

For their worship of the caityas. {53.345}

53.346

“Having thus constructed various stūpas

Dedicated to the lord protectors of the world,

The yakṣas will instantly return

To the side of the king, [Aśoka]. {53.346}

53.347

“Bowing their heads to him,

The guhyakas will say, [F.304.b] [F.321.b]

‘We have done everything exactly as instructed.

Will you not have a look, O lord?’ {53.347}

53.348

“The king will then quickly

Mount his chariot,

Taking with him various things to offer

And adornments of many kinds. {53.348}

53.349

“He will thus quickly fill

The spirit-drawn2916 chariot

With gold, silver, copper,

And various adornments for the stūpas. {53.349}

53.350

“Within a moment, the king

Will worship the victorious ones

With manifold articles

At the locations where their reliquaries will be. {53.350}

53.351

“At that time, when all the land has been adorned

With the relics of the victorious ones,

The king, the righteous and noble Aśoka,

Will make the following aspiration:

‘By the power of this merit

May I become a supreme buddha.’ {53.351}

53.352

“Remembering this,

The noble, righteous king Aśoka 2917 2918

Will become a god after he dies,

Steadily progressing toward awakening. {53.352}

53.353

“On earth, he will worship

The supreme relics for eighty-seven years.

He will live for one hundred and fifty years,

During which he will rid his kingdom of troubles. {53.353}

53.354

“Because of the maturing of his past karma,

He will develop a physical illness.

Afflicted by it, he will suffer pain,

But when he dies, he will go to heaven. {53.354}

53.355

“He will obtain and enjoy

A great fortune of the gods,

And in due course, being intelligent,

Will attain the realization that is so hard to find. {53.355}

53.356

“The mantras effective at that time

Will be those of the Vajra and Lotus families,

Those of Jambhala and other yakṣas

Who follow the same teachings,

And also those of the yakṣiṇīs,

Such as the powerful Hārītī and so forth. {53.356}

53.357

“The cakravartin 2919 mantras that emanate

From Cakravartin will be effective too‍—

The powerful vidyārāja mantras,

Starting from the uṣṇīṣas and including

All the other mantras

Taught by the victors. {53.357}

53.358

“The sādhanas to be performed at that auspicious time

Are those of the supreme2920 type.

They cannot be accomplished by inferior practitioners,

But only by the supreme ones who pursue the highest destiny, [F.305.a] [F.322.a]

Such as Dilīpa,2921 Nahuṣa,

Māndhātṛ, and Sagara. {53.358}

53.359

“They accomplished the cakravartin mantras

Taught by the victorious ones.

Noble Nahuṣa accomplished

The mantra of Tejorāśi.2922 {53.359}

53.360

“King2923 Sagara accomplished

The mantra of Sitātapatra.

King Dilīpa accomplished

The One Syllable mantra.2924 {53.360}

53.361

“Māndhātṛ accomplished, in this world,

The mantra of Unnatoṣṇīṣa.2925

The supreme king Dhundhumāra

Accomplished the mantra of Jayoṣṇīṣa. {53.361}

53.362

“King Kandarpa is said to have accomplished

The mantra of Vijayoṣṇīṣa.

His son Prajāpati, too,

Accomplished the Locanā mantra on earth. {53.362}

53.363

“Prajāpati’s son Nābhi

Accomplished the mantra of Ūrṇa.

Ṛṣabha, a son of Nābhi,

Was successful in his endeavors and strict in his observances. {53.363}

53.364

“He accomplished the mantra of the yakṣa Māṇicara

In the Himalayas.

Bharata, a son of Ṛṣabha,

Also recited the mantras at that time,

And in due course accomplished

The Great Hero mantra2926 on earth. {53.364}

53.365

“These and many other kings,

Renowned throughout the world,

After accomplishing their mantras,

Ruled their kingdoms and then ascended to heaven. {53.365}

53.366

“The powerful vidyārājas2927

That were taught by the victorious lords

Could all be accomplished

During the auspicious time of the eon

When the lifespan was eighty thousand years,

By those who knew the value of the mantra method. {53.366}

53.367

“These and many other kings,

Renowned throughout the world,

Ruled their kingdoms

For eighty thousand or one hundred thousand years2928

And then ascended to heaven,

Steadily progressing toward awakening. {53.367}

53.368

“Then, during the middle period,2929

The mantras that brought success

Were those belonging to the family of the lotus holder;2930

They possessed great divine and magical powers

And were employed by the prominent ministers

And the kings who ruled over all the land.2931 {53.368}

53.369

“Thus, the king Brahmadatta,

In the great city of Vārāṇasī,

Accomplished [the mantra of] the lotus holder

Known in the world as Lokeśa. {53.369} [F.305.b] [F.322.b]

53.370

“He was valiant, magnanimous,

And distinguished by his great compassion.

He instructed beings in the Dharma,

Assuming the form of his mantra deity.2932 {53.370}

53.371

“King Brahmadatta experienced happiness

While a human being.

Then he, the master of the mantra,

Ascended to heaven in his physical body. {53.371}

53.372

“His son, who was intelligent,

Virtuous in his actions, and strict in his observances,

Accomplished for his part the mantra

Of the great hero known as Hayagrīva. {53.372}

53.373

“With the power of this mantra

He defeated Śakra during that time.

His son, named Śveta, was a king

Who gave away everything he had. {53.373}

53.374

“His mantra deity who grants boons

Was the one called Mahāśvetā.

Having accomplished her mantra,

Śveta lived three hundred years. {53.374}

53.375

“By the power of this mantra

He went to the realm of Sukhāvatī.

He is destined to attain awakening,

Just like the others I have prophesied. {53.375}

53.376

“The mantras that would have been accomplished

During the middle period are the middling mantras.

The mantras that will be effective

During the wretched and debased eon,

When I have passed into the final nirvāṇa,2933

Are the mantras of the Vajra and Lotus families. {53.376}

53.377

“The mantras that you, divine youth,

Have formerly taught on earth

Will also be effective and will constitute

The cause of good fortune. {53.377}

53.378

“So too is the case with other mantras

Used for different worldly purposes,

Such as the mantras of kaśmalas and other deformed beings

Who course in mid-regions and in the sky; {53.378}

53.379

“Or the mantras of the yakṣiṇīs who roam the earth

And of the various piśācīs;

And likewise the mantras of the garuḍas and the kinnaras

And those taught to be of the rākṣasas and the pretas. {53.379}

53.380

“So, too, the powerful mantras of the nāginīs,

Who protect against the piśācas and uragas,

Will be effective

During the wretched, debased eon.2934 {53.380}

53.381

“The mantras [of deities] with the forms

Of kumāras or kumārīs 2935

Will also be effective

At that terrible time. {53.381}

53.382

“The mantras are thus of three kinds,

And so are the sādhanas.

The accomplishment can also be of three types,

Corresponding to the threefold division of time periods. [F.306.a] [F.323.a]

I present what would be an elaborate explanation

In a condensed manner. {53.382}

53.383

“After the first2936 king Aśoka

There will come a king

Known as Viśoka,

A follower of Dharma in the world. {53.383}

53.384

“He will accomplish the mantra

Of the goddess Pāṇḍaravāsinī.

With this accomplishment,

Viśoka will ascend to the celestial realm. {53.384}

53.385

“This great king, having enjoyed happiness

In the celestial abode for a long time,

Will again resume his life as a human,

Disciplined in the Dharma and wise. {53.385}

53.386

“He, the splendorous one, will enjoy his kingship

Blessed with many boons.

He will worship the supreme relics

For seventy-six years.

Then, overcome with fever,

His body will give out and he will go to heaven. {53.386}

53.387

“Directly after him, there will be

A king known as Śūrasena,

A celebrated practitioner of the Dharma

Always applying himself to the teachings. {53.387}

53.388

“For his part, he will accomplish the mantra

Of the goddess Stūpamahāśriyā.

He will commission great works

In the Teacher’s honor,

And the entire land, as far as the ocean shore,

Will be adorned with stūpas. {53.388}

53.389

“Then, having developed a physical illness

Due to the ripening of his past karma,

He will deteriorate and pass away

Within one fortnight. {53.389}

53.390

“Having ruled the realm

For seventeen human years,

When he dies he will enter the celestial realm,

Steadily progressing toward awakening. {53.390}

53.391

“Directly after him there will be

Another king, Nanda by name.

He, the glorious, will reside in the Flower City 2937

With his powerful army. {53.391}

53.392

“For his part, he will accomplish

The mantra of the piśāca named Pīlu.

Through the power of this mantra

He will enjoy great comforts. {53.392}

53.393

“He will become known in this world

As the ‘chief rogue,’2938

Who first got rich as a minister

And then went on to become a king. {53.393}

53.394

“At that time, there will live on earth, [F.306.b] [F.323.b]

In the capital city of Magadha,

Greedy brahmin logicians

Proud of their magical abilities.

They will be full of vain pride and arrogance,

Of this there is no doubt. {53.394}

53.395

“The king, surrounded by them,

Will bestow upon them great wealth.2939

Although disciplined in and devoted to the Dharma,

The king will give his wealth to them.

Later, having met a virtuous friend,

He will make offerings to the supreme relics.2940 {53.395}

53.396

“Solely because of his habitual practice

And the constancy of his generosity,

This wise [king] will construct monasteries

Over a period of sixty-eight years. {53.396}

53.397

“There will be, at that time,

In the city named after flowers,2941

A great chief minister

Who is a good and compassionate brahmin. {53.397}

53.398

“He will become the embodiment of the Dharma

For that outstanding king.

He will accomplish on earth

The mantra of the yakṣiṇī Vīramatī. {53.398}

53.399

“He also will commission the finest reliquary

Of the victorious ones on earth.

Due to the power of the yakṣiṇī,

He will become exceedingly wise. {53.399}

53.400

“Impelled by his earlier habits

And because of his karmic traits,

This wise minister will attain, in due course,

The awakening that is so difficult to obtain. {53.400}

53.401

“At that time, some brahmin youths will die

Due to their indulgence in vice.

Also at that time he, known by the name of Vararuci,2942

Will succumb to excessive sexual passion.2943 {53.401}

53.402

“The glorious king Nanda,

Because of the karma of his earlier transgressions,

Will displease his ministers

In the city called Pāṭaliputra.2944 {53.402}

53.403

“Although his ministers will be disaffected,

He will remain true to his promises and powerful.

However, due to the karma of former transgressions,

He will develop a severe illness. {53.403}

53.404

“Suffering from high fever,

He will die at midnight.

The life of this king

Will be sixty-six2945 years long.

He will be destined to become a śrāvaka

And attain awakening. {53.404}

53.405

“Another friend of [King Nanda]

Will be a young brahmin named Pāṇini,

Prophesied by me

To become a śrāvaka. {53.405}

53.406

“He will accomplish

The mantra of the noble Lokīśa.

Desiring wisdom, this brahmin [F.307.a] [F.324.a]

Will accomplish the mantra of the krodha Hālāhala. {53.406}

53.407

“Next in succession after [King Nanda]

Will be the one known as Candragupta.

He will accomplish the mantra of the yakṣa Jalendra

And will rid his kingdom of troubles. {53.407}

53.408

“This great king will enjoy great comforts

And will be true to his promises and dedicated to the Dharma.

Having, however, met a nonvirtuous friend

He will kill many beings.

Because of the ripening of this karma,

He will become debilitated by poisonous skin eruptions. {53.408}

53.409

“Lamenting, at midnight he will appoint

As his successor on earth his son,

Bindusāra by name, still a child,

Along with a wicked minister.2946 {53.409}

53.410

“After Candragupta’s2947 time on earth is over,

He will pass away

And go to the realm of the pretas,

Following a nonhuman destiny.

But then, because of his mantra practice,

He will leave that realm and go to heaven. {53.410}

53.411

“Because of the mantra,

His mind will be steeped in virtue,

And the king will attain in due course

The realization of a pratyekabuddha.2948 {53.411}

53.412

“In his former life as Siṃhadatta,2949

King Bindusāra 2950

Built a caitya as a child,

With his mind still undeveloped. {53.412}

53.413

“Through the power of this karma,

The virtuous [Siṃhadatta] went to heaven

And enjoyed pleasures among the gods

For five hundred thousand lives. {53.413}

53.414

“Having departed the celestial realm,

He will be become an earthly king

Born in the royal family

Of the sagacious Candragupta.2951 {53.414}

53.415

“A mere child, the king

Will experience great pleasures,

And when grown up, he will turn bold,

Resolute, and smooth spoken.2952

He will keep the kingdom

Under his control for seventy years. {53.415}

53.416

“This king will accomplish

The mantra of Keśinī.

At that time, divine youth,

Your mantras will bring success.2953 {53.416}

53.417

“The mantras that you taught

Will be accomplished at that time.

The inner essence of every being is that of the divine youth,

Who exercises his power over the worlds.2954 {53.417}

53.418

“He will manifest for beings

In the form of the mantra without a doubt.

The mantras that you have taught2955 [F.307.b] [F.324.b]

Out of the desire to help beings

Will be recited on earth at that time

And will always bring accomplishment. {53.418}

53.419

“The sagacious King Bindusāra

Will have a minister,

Cāṇakya by name, a brahmin youth

Who will accomplish the mantra of a krodha.

This evil-minded man will accomplish

The mantra of the krodha Yamāntaka. {53.419}

53.420

“Overcome by anger,

He will kill living beings

And will commit terrible evil

Over the period of the three reigns.2956 {53.420}

53.421

“This corrupt brahmin

Will live for a long time and,

Through the power of the mantra,

Will carnally enjoy an asurī. {53.421}

53.422

“Taking on the body of an asura,

He will live for a long time.

When his body gives out,

He will fall into the hell realm.2957 {53.422}

53.423

“There, the evil-minded [Cāṇakya]

Will experience the sufferings of hell.

His bad karma will bring upon him

The sufferings of different hells. {53.423}

53.424

“Having passed there one eon,2958 he will be aroused

From that state by the mantra of the Krodha.2959

After passing away from hell,

He will be reborn as an animal. {53.424}

53.425

“Born as a nāga,

He will have the frightening form

Of a nāga king, very wrathful,

With a big hood, and proud of his venom. {53.425}

53.426

“He will commit terrible acts,

And when he dies, with his bad karma

He will be reborn in the realm of Yama.2960 {53.426}

53.427

“Having become the king Yama,

The powerful king of the pretas,

He will endure thousands of sufferings

Again and again. {53.427}

53.428

“In due course, he will be reborn on earth

As a dull-witted brahmin youth.

Having obtained a human birth,

He will have a frightening form.

Destitute and short-tempered,

He will have few friends. {53.428}

53.429

“The pratyekabuddhas, who have no desires in this world

And live alone like rhinoceroses,

Wander the earth filled with compassion

For those who are forsaken and miserable.

They take up the life of mendicancy

Out of the desire to help sentient beings. {53.429}

53.430

“Seeing the bad [state of Cāṇakya’s] mind, [F.308.a] [F.325.a]

And being able to read the thoughts of others,

They will approach him,

Solely out of compassion. {53.430}

53.431

“Cāṇakya, having obtained

Some inferior gruel in order to eat it,

Will be swayed by the power of the Krodha’s mantra

And create, at that time, a good cause. {53.431}

53.432

“He will offer the gruel to them as alms

With a singularly magnanimous mind and say,

‘Excuse me, all of you renunciants!

Eat this food, as much as you like.’

Right then, out of their sympathy for him,

The pratyekabuddhas will display their miraculous power. {53.432}

53.433

“Stricken with wonder,

His mind uplifted by their power,

He will prostrate himself headlong

To the rhinoceros-like pratyekabuddhas.

And they all, free from faults,

Will fly into the sky as they please.2961 {53.433}

53.434

“Cāṇakya will then, with a good intention,

Make an aspiration for the realization of a pratyekabuddha:2962

‘May I become the way

These magnificent beings are,

Steeped in tranquility and endowed with magical powers.

May I be free from suffering and unhappy rebirths.’2963 {53.434}

53.435

“When he dies after exhausting his remaining karma,

He will, inevitably, be reborn in heaven.

In due course he will fully assimilate the Dharma

And attain the realization of a pratyekabuddha.2964

From this2965 [one should draw the conclusion]

That mantras should not be used in the sādhanas of assault. {53.435}

53.436

“Such violent practices are forbidden

By the buddhas and the bodhisattvas.

The exceedingly compassionate buddhas

And the majestic bodhisattvas

Taught the implications of the power of mantras

For all the practitioners of rites. {53.436}

53.437

“The mantras taught by the tathāgatas

Are wish-fulfilling gems.

However, beings who are by nature immature,

Confused, and under the sway of anger and greed

Employ these mantras against each other

In the violent rites of assault. {53.437}

53.438

“Such rites are forbidden by the buddhas

And the sagacious bodhisattvas,

Since the mantras are meant to increase

Beings’ well-being in every possible way. {53.438}

53.439

“The mantras raise kingdoms,2966

Provide protection, and bring wealth.2967

They can summon beings

Of different types of birth.

The mantras should never be mastered

In order to destroy life. {53.439} [F.308.b] [F.325.b]

53.440

“At that time my monks

Will be very learned.

One by the name of Mātṛceṭa

Will compose a hymn of praise for me

That will be recited, whenever appropriate,

By those who exemplify good qualities.2968 {53.440}

53.441

“Having developed complete faith,

He will delight in the teachings of the buddhas.

A mantra adept, himself inconspicuous,

He will only proclaim praises of Mañjughoṣa.2969

He will be a learned proponent of the Dharma,

Endowed with good qualities and discipline. {53.441}

53.442

“When he was an animal in a past life,

He recited the same hymn of praise

In the fine city called ‘the King’s,’2970

In the park called ‘the Grove,’2971

Where I used to spend my time as I pleased,

Together with my disciples. {53.442}

53.443

“Living there as a crow,

He developed faith in me.

He died with thoughts of trust in me

And was reborn in heaven. {53.443}

53.444

“When his life as a god ends,

He will be reborn among humans.

Living among them, he will renounce the world

For the sake of my doctrine. {53.444}

53.445

“Having thus become a renunciant,

That great being will praise me,

Becoming known, at that time,

As Mātṛceṭa who keeps his observances.2972 {53.445}

53.446

“For the benefit of all beings,

He will compose, as necessary,

Religious hymns in fine language

With examples and allegories.2973 {53.446}

53.447

“Out of his kindness for sentient beings,

He will dedicate himself to writing inspiring hymns.

He will live during the final eon

That is reviled by the world.

When his body gives out,

He will go to heaven due to his ripened karma. {53.447}

53.448

“Having experienced various delights,

The wise Mātṛceṭa will, in due course,

Attain the omniscient awakening‍—

The inconceivable absolute truth. {53.448}

53.449

“When four hundred years

Have passed after my parinirvāṇa,

A monk by the name of Nāgārjuna

Will delight in this beneficial teaching.

He will attain the Joyful stage,2974

And will live six hundred years. {53.449}

53.450

“This great person will accomplish

The vidyā called Māyūrī.2975

He will know the meaning of various treatises down to every word2976

And will understand that in reality there is no independent existence. {53.450} [F.309.a] [F.326.a]

53.451

“When he leaves his body,

He will be reborn in Sukhāvatī

And in due course

Will certainly attain buddhahood. {53.451}

53.452

“Then there will be a monk by the name of Asaṅga

Who will understand the true meaning of the treatises.

He will clearly discern many times over

The direct and indirect meaning of the sūtras. {53.452}

53.453

“He will educate people,

Dedicated to the task and well disciplined.2977

He will accomplish

The vidyā2978 called Śāladūtī. {53.453}

53.454

“With his superior intellect

Developed by the power of the vidyā mantra,

He will distill the true meaning from the sūtras,

Ensuring a long survival of the teachings.

He will live one hundred and fifty years,

And when he leaves his body he will be reborn in heaven. {53.454}

53.455

“During his lengthy peregrination through saṃsāra,

He will experience happiness for a long time,

And in due course this great being

Will attain awakening. {53.455}

53.456

“There will thus be during that period

Many different types of monks who follow my teachings,

Including those who possess insight

And are disciplined in the Dharma. {53.456}

53.457

“There will also come, in the final period,

A very learned person called Nanda.2979

Conversant with the tantras

And wholly dedicated to the quest of mantras,

He will accomplish the pot of fortune

That is activated with the mantra of the yakṣa.2980 2981 {53.457}

53.458

“Accomplished in austerities,

He will draw forth from the pot

An important Mahāyāna sūtra

That I taught in the past.2982 {53.458}

53.459

“Reading the volume continually

As its nature is that of the mantra,2983

He will not guard the pot

That was obtained through the yakṣa. {53.459}

53.460

“Due to his carelessness and lack of attention,

The pot will be stolen by Mūrdhaṭaka.

The monk [Nanda] who has mastered the mantra

Will start reciting it. {53.460}

53.461

“He will search for the pot,

But will not find it anywhere.

Then, his flesh turning red from anger,

He will declare in a resounding voice, {53.461}

53.462

“ ‘From Brahmā down to the lowest being,

Śakra and the others, including Maheśvara,

[Everybody] can be summoned by the mantra.

If not, I am neither a follower nor a master of mantra.2984 {53.462}

53.463

“ ‘The mantras taught by the Buddha’s heirs

And by the supreme victors

Are for restraining

Those difficult to tame.

If I cannot thus bring thieves into my presence,

It means that none of them are here on earth.’ {53.463} [F.309.b] [F.326.b]

53.464

“Nanda, accomplished in ritual performance

And strict in keeping his observances, will then rise up.

Determined to summon them swiftly,

He will employ whatever mantra

Is prescribed for the summoning

From whatever direction.2985 {53.464}

53.465

“The moment he merely recollects them,

They will arrive, ready to act.

With the single syllable hūṁ,

He will summon to earth Brahmā and the others. {53.465}

53.466

“He will thus summon all the gods,

Brahmā and the others, including Śakra.

Uttering the shouts of hā! hā!

They will make frightening noise, asking,

‘What should I do? Why have you brought me here?

I have done nothing wrong!’ {53.466}

53.467

“Promptly and hastily,

The wise and fearless monk

Will address the gods:

‘Bring the pot, wherever it is, back here!’ {53.467}

53.468

“Passing on the monk’s words,2986

The gods will all say to one another,

‘Quickly name the fellow

Who stole the pot!’

They will thus look for the pot

But will not find2987 it anywhere. {53.468}

53.469

“The lord of the gods himself will look

Into the matter and ask, ‘Who stole the pot?’

He will see the glorious bodhisattva of great splendor,

The holder of the vajra,2988 {53.469}

53.470

“And his terrible son,

Very wrathful and terrifying,

Who roams the entire world,

Manifesting in the form of a vighna.2989 {53.470}

53.471

“Knowing that it was he who stole the pot,

The lord of gods will say,

‘There is a vighna in the Vajra family.

He playfully sports on earth. {53.471}

53.472

“ ‘He makes offerings to me,2990

And that’s why he stole the pot.’

After saying this, the lord of gods

Will return to his celestial abode. {53.472}

53.473

“Nanda will then dismiss all the gods,

Using their respective mantras.

Immediately, in a mere instant,

They will be transported [back to their places].2991 {53.473}

53.474

“He will summon the vighna,

Who is powerless and has the pot. [F.310.a] [F.327.a]

He will then employ him

To take the pot to the pretas.2992 {53.474}

53.475

“The vighna, guided [there and back],

Will say the following:

‘As I have delivered the pot to the preta realm,

I2993 am free from any offense.’ {53.475}

53.476

“The great practitioner of mantra

Will scold the vighna angrily:

‘Go, go, great vighna,

And don’t do this again!’ {53.476}

53.477

“Immediately

He will summon the pretas,

Whose mouths are as small as the eye of a needle

And who are disturbed by hunger and distressed. {53.477}

53.478

“These very dreadful creatures

Will let out wretched cries,

Wailing in piteous voices,

‘Protect us, O great being! {53.478}

53.479

“ ‘Here is your pot.

Having been summoned, we will do whatever you want.’

The mantra adept, filled with great compassion,

Will start trembling. {53.479}

53.480

“His mind tender with compassion,

He will say the following:

‘Tell me without delay

About your sufferings in the world.’ {53.480}

53.481

“Dejected in their minds, they will say,

‘For a long time, in the realm of the pretas,

We have been afflicted with hunger

And thirst, O great being!’ {53.481}

53.482

“The monk, filled with compassion,

Will then present the pot to them.

Uplifted in their minds,

They will hastily return to their abodes.

Food and drink will now appear in the pot

Whenever they merely think of it. {53.482}

53.483

“The monk Nanda 2994 will dwell

On earth in a sandalwood grove.

He will live during the debased period

For three hundred years.

Noble-minded and dedicated to the pursuit of awakening,

He will soon attain the realization so difficult to attain.2995 {53.483}

53.484

“There will certainly come, at that time

During the debased eon,

An important Gomin king2996

Who will [try to] eradicate my teachings. {53.484}

53.485

“Starting from the east,

And up to the gateway into Kaśmīra,

This fool will destroy

Monasteries and reliquaries. {53.485}

53.486

“In his stupidity, he will kill

Monks who are disciplined, [F.310.b] [F.327.b]

Until, having retreated north,

The fool will meet his death. {53.486}

53.487

“He will be buried in a landslide

Caused by an angry nonhuman being,

Together with his subjects, animals, and kinsmen.

This fool will be reborn in the nether world. {53.487}

53.488

“Following a downward course,

He will fall from one hell to the next,

Experiencing ever greater suffering,

Intense and terrifying. {53.488}

53.489

“That prominent Gomin [king],2997

Will be rescued after one great eon

From the hell called Avīci,

Where evildoers go. {53.489}

53.490

“Meeting wrong friends,

Beings commit terrible evil.

Therefore, with all care,

You should put all your trust

In the teachings of the Tathāgata.

You will then enjoy good fortune. {53.490}

53.491

“All of you should always follow

The eightfold path,

Which invariably leads to buddhahood,

The city without aging or sorrow. {53.491}

53.492

“Next after him will come

The king known as Buddhapakṣa.2998

He will enjoy great support, be truly renounced,

And delight in the teachings of the buddhas.

He will come, there is no doubt,

During the debased eon. {53.492}

53.493

“The king will be loved by all

And devoted to the teachings of the Teacher.

He will build monasteries, lay gardens, and caityas

And commission superb images of the Teacher. {53.493}

53.494

“He will also construct many

Ponds, tanks, and reservoirs.

Having done all this, this great king

Will go to heaven at a ripe age. {53.494}

53.495

“While on earth, he will accomplish

The mantra of Abjaketu of great efficacy,

And he will ask this bodhisattva, the great being,

To protect the earth.2999 {53.495}

53.496

“By the power of Abjaketu’s mantra,

Buddhapakṣa will live three hundred years.

With his accumulation of good karma,

He will swiftly attain awakening. {53.496}

53.497

“His son will likewise be a king,

With a great powerful army.

He will be called Gambhīrapakṣa

Throughout the entire earth.3000 {53.497}

53.498

“This king, at that time,

Will be very dedicated to his work.

He will build numerous monasteries,

Lodgings,3001 reliquaries, ponds, and wells.

This king of great splendor [F.311.a] [F.328.a]

Will undoubtedly do such things. {53.498}

53.499

“He will accomplish the mantra

Of the sagacious Mañjughoṣa‍—

The phrase known as the six syllables,

Pregnant in meaning and conducive to well-being. {53.499}

53.500

“By the power of this mantra

He will experience great comforts.

In due course he will obtain intelligence

And swiftly travel the path to awakening.

He will do various works

Related to the Tathāgata’s teachings. {53.500}

53.501

“At that time,

In the north,

In the country called Nepāla 3002

Nestled at the foothills of the snowy mountains,

There will be King Mānavadeva,

Born to the Licchavi clan. {53.501}

53.502

“He too, having accomplished his mantric quest,

Will come to enjoy great comforts.3003

This king will accomplish

The vidyā called Bhogavatī.

During his reign of eighty years,

The kingdom will be free from thieves. {53.502}

53.503

“When his life ends,

The king will go to heaven.3004

The mantras especially effective at that time

Will be the peaceful mantras for pacifying and nourishing. {53.503}

53.504

“The world-renowned Tārā,

The goddess Pāṇḍaravāsinī,

And Mahāśvetā will strive to benefit others,

Never growing weary in their minds. {53.504}

53.505

“These and many other kings

Will come at that time, it is said.

They will be many, of many types,

Described according to their varying natures. {53.505}

53.506

“The kings of the mlecchas 3005 in the snowy land3006

Will also worship the Teacher.

They are Vṛṣa,3007 Suvṛṣa,

Bhūbhāsa, Subhūbhāsa,

Bhākrama, Padakrama,

And the one known as Kamala.3008 {53.506}

53.507

“There will also be the western3009 kings:

Bhāgupta, Vatsaka, Bhāsvat,

Udaya, and Jiṣṇu being the last.

These too are the various kings of the mlecchas.

After that, the kings will defy propriety

By serving the interests of foreigners.3010 {53.507}

53.508

“At that time, the king of Nepāla

Will perish from armed onslaughts.

The vidyās will be lost, and so will be the kings

Who served the mleccha 3011 rogues. {53.508}

53.509

“Many different kings have been foretold,

Including some partial to the brahmins,3012 [F.311.b] [F.328.b]

Whose rule will extend

All around Tibet.3013 {53.509}

53.510

“The king Hiraṇyagarbha will have

A great and very powerful army.

He will be a friend to many people,

And his government will extend far and wide. {53.510}

53.511

“He will be honored by the mlecchas as a conqueror

And devoted to the teachings of the Teacher.

He will accomplish the mantra

Of the divine youth of great splendor3014 {53.511}

53.512

“And will derive from it great power.

He will employ the eight-syllable vidyārāja

Known as ‘Great Hero,’3015

Which confers great fortune and authority. {53.512}

53.513

“With this mantra, which is certain to confer

Buddhahood merely by recollecting it,

The king will naively focus

On the affairs of his realm, {53.513}

53.514

“Occupying himself with small matters

For the sake of his kingdom3016

While wishing to obtain

Supreme boons.3017 {53.514}

53.515

“He will command, at all times,

All the deities such as Brahmā and so forth,

Let alone the people in the world

Or other beings in reviled states of existence.3018 {53.515}

53.516

“This great king will live one hundred and fifty years,

And then go to heaven.

In due course he will fully assimilate the Dharma

And attain supreme awakening. {53.516}

53.517

“The vidyās taught by the divine youth

Will be efficacious in that country.

These vidyās and none other

Will swiftly lead to success. {53.517}

53.518

“The valiant bodhisattva

Mañjughoṣa of great splendor

Will be manifestly present

In that country in his youthful form.

It is the place of supreme accomplishment,

And people there will accomplish the state of divinity. {53.518}

53.519

“A king by the name Turuṣka

Will rise in the country up north.

Valiant and commanding a great army,

He will rule the area extending

Up to the gateway of Kaśmīra

And including Baṣkala, Udyāna, and Kāviśa.3019 {53.519}

53.520

“This king will rule an area

Extending over one hundred and seven3020 leagues

[With a population of]

Two hundred and seventy-seven thousand.3021

This will happen, there is no doubt,

During the debased eon. {53.520}

53.521

“Turuṣka will master the mantras

And will live three hundred years. [F.312.a] [F.329.a]

This wise king who watches over the people

Will accomplish the vidyā Keśinī. {53.521}

53.522

“Adding to his glory,

He will establish monasteries

And build eighty-six thousand3022

Great stūpas. {53.522}

53.523

“The excellent Mahāyāna Dharma

Will be established in that country,

Including the mother of the buddhas‍—

The Prajñāpāramitā. {53.523}

53.524

“When King Turuṣka leaves his body,

He will go to the celestial realm,

And in due course he will attain

Supreme awakening. {53.524}

53.525

“After him, there will be another king

By the name of Mahāturuṣka.

He will be wise, highly esteemed,

And wholeheartedly devoted to his teachers.

He will accomplish the mantra

Of the powerful goddess Tārā. {53.525}

53.526

“His mantra accomplishment will also [serve]

The interests of his kingdom on earth.

This king, with powerful vassals and a great army,

Will be called ‘great lord’ on earth.3023 {53.526}

53.527

“He will be accepted as king

Even by his own relatives.3024

At that time, there will be

Eight thousand3025 monasteries [in his domain]. {53.527}

53.528

“Through the power of his mantra

He will live two hundred years.

When he leaves his body,

He will be reborn in Tuṣita

And revered by the gods there

As a powerful bodhisattva. {53.528}

53.529

“In due course he will fully assimilate the Dharma

By perfecting the limbs of awakening

And, with due effort and care,

Will attain the unequaled awakening. {53.529}

53.530

“In that country the teachings

Will always proliferate,

Whether those taught by the victors in the past

Or those taught now by me.

It will be filled with desireless beings

And powerful nāgas.3026 {53.530}

53.531

“At that time, there will be on earth

The guardian deities and the yakṣas3027

Who will guard the teachings of the Teacher

And protect the sacred Dharma. {53.531}

53.532

“Kings of many different types have been foretold

Who will be renowned throughout the world.

Having been taught themselves,

They will teach [the Dharma] at that terrible time.3028 {53.532} [F.312.b] [F.329.b]

53.533

“In the country of the Lāḍas,3029

Which extends from Ujjain

To the westernmost part

Bordered by the ocean,3030 {53.533}

53.534

“There will be a Dharma king

By the name of Śīla, who will take delight

In the teachings of the Buddha.

He will be based in the city of Vallabhī.3031 {53.534}

53.535

“The king, fond of the Dharma,

Will apply himself3032 wholeheartedly

To the task of building fine monasteries and reliquaries

And to improving the lives of sentient beings. {53.535}

53.536

“He will perform various pūjās

And make beautiful images of the Victorious One.

He will worship the finest reliquaries

Of the most illustrious among the lords of the world.

He will not be a master of mantras3033

But only reap the supreme benefits of his past karma. {53.536}

53.537

“[His story is as follows:]

In that country, there was once

A well-known monk who subsisted on alms.

He was disciplined, intelligent,

And took delight in the teachings of the Buddha. {53.537}

53.538

“In the course of time, this great being

Entered [the royal city] on an alms round.

He beheld a splendid royal palace,

Sprawling and bustling with people. {53.538}

53.539

“Seeking alms, he entered there,

Afflicted by hunger, thirsty,

And weary in his mind.

He did not obtain any alms. {53.539}

53.540

“He was seized by guardsmen,

Swiftly expelled from the house,

And escorted away by the king’s soldiers

In a state of mental distress.3034 {53.540}

53.541

“He then left that city

And went to his own place,

Hungry and thirsty.

In his pain, his mind grew dim. {53.541}

53.542

“Deprived of nourishment,

The ascetic breathed out his last

At midnight.

Quick in his mind,

He made an aspiration at that time,

To be reborn as the king of the Lāḍas. {53.542}

53.543

“After some time has passed, the monk will be reborn

In the royal Dhara family [as King Śīla].

This great being will worship

The teachings of the Teacher. {53.543}

53.544

“He will rule for thirty years,

Making the kingdom trouble-free.

As the result of a plot by his greedy kinsmen, [F.313.a] [F.330.a]

He will develop indigestion and fall unconscious. {53.544}

53.545

“When his body fails and the king dies,

He will be reborn in the god realm

Where the gods are ‘supremely happy’3035

And where Maitreya resides. {53.545}

53.546

“He will be reborn where this great being

Teaches the Dharma,

And he will respectfully listen

To the teachings of the splendorous Maitreya.

In due course, he will attain the awakening

That is so difficult to obtain. {53.546}

53.547

“Within half a year

Of King Śīla’s demise,

There will be another one called Capala.

Having ruled for five months,

He will be killed

By armed mercenaries.3036 {53.547}

53.548

“He will fall, slain with a sword,

Because of problems brought on by women.

Then Dhruva, his junior,3037

Will firmly establish himself.3038 {53.548}

53.549

“A naive and heartsick womanizer,3039

He will become the king of the Lāḍas.

All the remaining [Lāḍa] kings, however,

Were womanizers only prior [to becoming kings].3040 {53.549}

53.550

“After King Śīla’s demise,

The lines of these former [servants]

Will all become kings

Over the maritime provinces as far as Persia.3041 {53.550}

53.551

“In the city of Vāravatī

There will be the kings

Foretold under the names of

Indra, Sucandra, Dhanus, Ketu, and Puṣpa.3042 {53.551}

53.552

“They will come to the city of Vallabhī

And start their own line [of kings],

Thousands of whom will have the name

Prabha or Viṣṇu.3043 {53.552}

53.553

“There will be countless kings

Descending from Yadu.3044

The last of them

Will have the name Viṣṇu. {53.553}

53.554

“Cursed by a ṛṣi,

This wise king will meet his end

Along with his relatives and fellow city dwellers,

And his city will be submerged in water‍—

His Vāravatī will find

Its resting place in the ocean.3045 {53.554}

53.555

“All around the northern area,3046

In various foothill regions,

There will rise, it is said,

Countless kings of different origin,

Thirty of them known to be [F.313.b] [F.330.b]

Of the royal Śaka line.3047 {53.555}

53.556

“Eighteen kings are foretold as rulers

Of the entire middle country.3048

In the end,3049 those of the Nāgasena dynasty3050

And the others will both come to an end. {53.556}

53.557

“After them will come Viṣṇu, Hara,

Ājita [known] by the name of Kunta,3051

Īśāna, Śarva, Paṅkti,3052

Graha, and Suvrata.3053 {53.557}

53.558

“When these kings fall

Or otherwise lose importance,

There will come two very wealthy and prosperous men

Descended from [the king] Viṣṇu.3054 {53.558}

53.559

“They will be from Madhyadeśa, their names will start with Bh,

And both will be chief ministers,

Renowned as wealthy and prosperous,

Who delight in this auspicious teaching.3055 {53.559}

53.560

“They will also recite mantras‍—

One that is king among your mantras, O divine youth.

Subsequently they will become [kings],

Protectors of the land and lords of the people. {53.560}

53.561

“The population of Śrīkaṇṭha will be

Seven times eight times three hundred.3056

The vaiśyas with the name of Āditya 3057

Will dwell in [the capital] Sthāṇvīśvara.3058 {53.561}

53.562

“In the end, there will undoubtedly come a king

Who will rule over the entire territory.

His name will start with the letter H,3059

And he will be, it is said, the king of all of the land. {53.562}

53.563

“The mantras that will be efficacious

In that country at that time

Will be the vidyās of pacifying and nourishing

Taught by the Dharma King.3060 {53.563}

53.564

“[As the result, people] will enjoy

Various material comforts and good fortunes.

The powerful yakṣiṇīs

Manifesting various forms

Will be effectively mastered there

During the debased eon. {53.564}

53.565

“In the southern territories

That border on the ocean

Will rise King Svātisucandra 3061

Of the Sātavāhana dynasty. {53.565}

53.566

“There will be kings Mahendra, Śaṅkara,

And the great Vallabha,

Also called Sukeśin or Keśin,3062

In the southern countries.

There will be Maṅgala called Vallabha,

And also Govinda called Vṛṣaketu. {53.566}

53.567

“The king Mahendra will also be called

Mahāpota, Pota, and Candra.

Gopendra will be also called Indrasena,

And Mādhava, Pradyumna.3063 {53.567} [F.314.a] [F.331.a]

53.568

“Gaṇaśaṅkara will be called ‘Tiger,’

And Budha, ‘Lion.’

The pure Budha 3064 will also be known

By the names of Kumbha and Nikumbha.3065 {53.568}

53.569

“There will be Mathita, Sumita,3066

Bala,3067 and the keśin3068 kings

Pulina and Sukeśin. {53.569}

53.570

“There are innumerable kings

Said to belong to the southern region‍—

They include the past,

The present, and the future kings. {53.570}

53.571

“They will be afflicted by various diseases

And will die different types of death,

Including in armed conflicts or from famine.

Some of them will go to heaven. {53.571}

53.572

“It is said that all these kings

Will be given to hostilities.

They will end with Mahendra called Pota,

Meeting their destruction just like him.3069 {53.572}

53.573

“Those who so desire will be able

To accomplish their mantras at that time and place.

The mantras that can be accomplished

Will be those of the Vajra family

That are beneficial in the activities

Of assault and of subduing. {53.573}

53.574

“The mantra of the great being Mañjuśrī,

The divine prince with a youthful form,

Will be effective in that land,

At that time, during the lowest eon. {53.574}

53.575

“The deity known as Kārttikeya

Will grant boons to beings

Who dwell between the Vindhyas

And the saltwater oceans. {53.575}

53.576

“By the command of

The sagacious bodhisattva Mañjughoṣa,

Kārttikeya will take up his abode in the southern regions,

Desiring to bring benefit to beings. {53.576}

53.577

“The mantras of Kārttikeya

Have been taught by Mañjughoṣa.3070

There is no doubt that they will bring success

At that time and in that region,

Including in the country of Śrīparvata

And the valleys and ridges of the Vindhyas. {53.577}

53.578

“It is said that in all the islands

Of the coasts of Kaliṅga,

In the countries of the three types of mlecchas,

In the areas surrounding Kośala,3071

And in the ocean’s bays and peninsulas

There will be innumerable kings. {53.578}

53.579

“The kings of the Kāmarūpa line(s)

Will rule at the foot of the snowy mountains.

There will be many kings, it is said,

All around in the maritime provinces.3072 {53.579}

53.580

“Many kings of the mleccha hordes [F.314.b] [F.331.b]

Will be devoted to worshiping the Teacher.3073

Indra and the great king Sucandra

Will live in mleccha countries. {53.580}

53.581

“Both these kings will take joy

In studying the teachings there for eight years.

All the beings3074 there will have faith in you

And worship the images of the Teacher. {53.581}

53.582

“They will have faith in the Victor’s teaching,

Of this there is no doubt.

Many eminent kings based in the eastern lands

Have been described,

Those of the past, the present,

And the future‍—of all the periods. {53.582}

53.583

“I will start with the eminent king

Born on earth in the dynastic Gauḍa family.

He will be born to Yaśasvin

In the pleasant city of Vardhamāna. {53.583}

53.584

“This king, Loka by name,

Will bring prosperity to Gauḍa.3075

He will care for the Dharma

When I arise in this world no more. {53.584}

53.585

“Many kings will come,

Pursuing various activities in their lives.3076

Hear now the true account of the kings

Of Madhyadeśa during the middle period3077

Who will follow the Dharma of the Middle Way

And provide comfort3078 in the final, lowest eon. {53.585}

53.586

“There will be the famous kings

Known as Samudra and Vikrama,

The eminent king Mahendra,

And after him, the emperor with the initial S,3079 {53.586}

53.587

“Who will also be known,

In this debased eon, by the name Devarāja,

As well as other different names.

He will be intelligent and will patronize the Dharma. {53.587}

53.588

“His younger successor3080 by the name Bāla

Will delight in the auspicious doctrine.3081

He will beautifully adorn the eastern region

As far as the sea with caityas. {53.588}

53.589

“He will build, there is no doubt,

Monasteries, parks, ponds,

Gardens, and of course shelters

Throughout the whole country. {53.589}

53.590

“This glorious king will establish

Road links by building bridges.

He will worship the images of the Teacher

And cause those with faith to worship them too. {53.590}

53.591

“This great king will make the kingdom

Trouble-free and without equal.

He will live [secular life] for thirty-six years and thirty days,

And then he will renounce the world.3082 {53.591}

53.592

“Later, the king will commit suicide

By becoming insensible while meditating.3083

He will become a monk

Because of grief for his son.3084 {53.592}

53.593

“When his body gives out, [F.315.a] [F.332.a]

He will fall into the hell realms.

Having stayed there

For four days,3085 {53.593}

53.594

“After he leaves his hell body behind,

The king will be reborn, naturally,

In the celestial realm of the pious gods

Known as the Pure Abode.

Himself pure by nature, he will become

The king of gods3086 destined for awakening. {53.594}

53.595

“Having experienced celestial pleasures

For hundreds of thousands of years,

He will once again be reborn as a human

And become a buddha in his subsequent rebirth

Due to the acts [of kindness] toward sentient beings

Carried out in his previous births. {53.595}

53.596

“He lived in the country of Kālava,

In the city called Ujjayinī.3087

There, he became a prominent merchant

Of great wealth. {53.596}

53.597

“It was a period without a buddha,

But some powerful pratyekabuddhas

Wandered in the world

That was empty and desolate. {53.597}

53.598

“Wandering thus in the land

Out of the desire to benefit beings,

They entered the city of Ujjayinī

To seek alms. {53.598}

53.599

“While these great beings, the vargacārins,3088

Were walking along the main street,

The merchant, seeing the sages,

Approached them {53.599}

53.600

“And invited them to his house

To partake of some food.

Having brought these distinguished ascetics to his home,

He promptly offered them seats and said, {53.600}

53.601

“ ‘Please join me, venerable sirs!

Now is the mealtime.’

The great beings remained silent

And did not say a word. {53.601}

53.602

“Then they held out their bowls

To the merchant for any alms he might give.

Communicating with these learned men

By gestures, {53.602}

53.603

“The merchant filled their bowls

With different types of food.

He carefully distributed it

With his own hand. {53.603}

53.604

“Having accepted it,

The pratyekabuddhas all went to heaven,

Where they can be seen as a string of lights,

Nestled in the firmament of the sky. {53.604}

53.605

“The merchant, his hair bristling with joy,

Very excited, fell on the ground right there,

His mind humbled by the great power3089

[Of the pratyekabuddhas]. {53.605} [F.315.b] [F.332.b]

53.606

“He made an aspiration at that time,

Saying the following words:

‘Due to this root of virtue

That I have accumulated today,

May I become a supreme buddha

Just like these eminent sages.’ {53.606}

53.607

“Subsequently, he was reborn on earth

Ten thousand times as an emperor

And, after leaving the human body,

Six hundred million times as a god. {53.607}

53.608

“When he leaves his existence as a god,

Having experienced great pleasures for a long time,

He will obtain a human birth in this world,

Subject to another’s will.3090 {53.608}

53.609

“He will certainly be born

In this world into a royal family

As the king by the name of Bāla,

Who will rule a country in the east. {53.609}

53.610

“After thousands of more births

Filled with lasting, unadulterated pleasure,

This glorious king

Will ultimately attain omniscience. {53.610}

53.611

“So, knowing how manifold

And extensive is the resulting good fortune,3091

Who would not worship the Teacher

And make requests to him?

Who would not engage in noble deeds

And pursue the path of awakening? {53.611}

53.612

“The next king after [Bāla],

Who will rule over the Gauḍas,3092

Will be known under the name Kumāra.

He too will be exceedingly virtuous. {53.612}

53.613

“After Kumāra, there will be a glorious king

Known by the name with the initial U.3093

After him, the Gauḍas

Will fall out with one another {53.613}

53.614

“And, with violent thoughts,

Will form large factions.

Thereafter, there will come the king called Deva,

Also known as ‘the Magadhan.’3094 {53.614}

53.615

“He too will be surrounded on all sides,

Attacked, and destroyed by his enemies.

After him the kingship will fall

To the next king called Candra. {53.615}

53.616

“[Candra] too will die by the sword

Because of his former actions.

As for his son Dvādaśa,3095

He will live on for another several months.3096 {53.616}

53.617

“He too will die by the sword

When still a young boy.

These kings will relish hostilities,

Intent on causing problems for one another. {53.617}

53.618

“At that time will rise a stalwart king [F.316.a] [F.333.a]

With the initial of Bh.3097

The best among the Gauḍa people,

He will be stricken with a serious illness. {53.618}

53.619

“Overcome by this illness,

He will meet his demise.

After him, there will be a king with the initial D,3098

Who will rule only for a few days. {53.619}

53.620

“He will be based in the Gauḍa country

By the bank of the Gaṅgā.

After him there will be a king with the initial Bh,3099

Who will rule for three days. {53.620}

53.621

“After that there will be King Gopālaka,

Who will represent everything that a king should‍—

He will speak gently, will be compassionate,

And will possess great strength. {53.621}

53.622

“Under the sway of women as a young man,

Heartsick and foolish, he will vanquish his opponents.

But when he meets a virtuous friend,

He will become very charitable. {53.622}

53.623

“He will then build monasteries, caityas,

Various pleasant gardens and parks,

Ponds full of water,

And beautiful hospitals. {53.623}

53.624

“Many people will proclaim his fame

As one who performs acts of service3100

Such as building deity shrines,

Caves, and dwellings. {53.624}

53.625

“The land will be overrun by heretics

Belonging to different tīrthika groups.

Every place will be overrun by them

As far as the ocean’s shore. {53.625}

53.626

“This great king, however, being compassionate,

Wealthy, and sensible, will patronize the Dharma.

This powerful monarch will rule

In the eastern territories, there is no doubt. {53.626}

53.627

“In his old age, he will suddenly

Fall ill with dysentery.3101

Having ruled,

On the bank of the Gaṅgā,

For twenty-seven3102 years,

He will die at the age of eighty. {53.627}

53.628

“After his body gives out,

He will be reborn in the god realms.3103

Then3104 will come a glorious Nāga3105 king,

Devoted to and fond of the Dharma. {53.628}

53.629

“He will build caityas and commission

Beautiful images of the Teacher.

He will also construct monasteries

For the saṅgha. {53.629}

53.630

“Due to the maturing of this karma,

He will, in his final birth,

Enter the path to awakening [F.316.b] [F.333.b]

And attain the unshakable state. {53.630}

53.631

“From his time onward, the earthly capital of the Gauḍas

Will be overrun by tīrthikas.

Then, in this eastern city

Troubled by the tīrthikas,

A king called Bhagavat

Will come to power among the Gauḍas. {53.631}

53.632

“He will be consecrated by Prabhaviṣṇu,

A vow holder from the south.3106

Having consolidated his kingship,

He will make a [military] foray to the west. {53.632}

53.633

“He will wantonly enter

The pleasant city of Sāketa

But, defeated by the enemy,3107

Will have to retreat. {53.633}

53.634

“In the east, on the ocean’s edge,

He will be surrounded by bandits

And will die from the blow of a weapon.

He will be reborn as a preta. {53.634}

53.635

“Having ruled for merely three years

Over a small kingdom

And then seized and killed by bandits,

He will become a powerful preta

And rule over the pretas

For three years. {53.635}

53.636

“He will then leave his preta body

And the terrible preta realm.

Released thus from his birth as a preta,

He will surely go to heaven. {53.636}

53.637

“The king that will succeed [Bhagavat]

Will be known under the name Samudra.3108

Dull and feebleminded,

He will rule the kingdom for just three days.3109

His younger brother who will succeed him

Will be known under the name Bhasma. {53.637}

53.638

“This mighty lord will engage in excessive killing

And commit other despicable acts.3110

He will be careless and without compassion toward others,

But ever careful and vigilant about his own person.3111 {53.638}

53.639

“Unconcerned about the hereafter,

He will perform animal sacrificies in this world.3112

Having met a nonvirtuous friend,

He will accumulate a lot of evil karma. {53.639}

53.640

“His kingdom will be overrun

With brahmins and pathetic logicians.

The people and the pitṛs will enjoy

Luxuries of various types,

And also the king will obtain

Good fortune of many kinds. {53.640}

53.641

“This king will gradually

Advance toward the west,

Until his territory extends up to3113

The gateway of Kaśmīra. {53.641} [F.317.a] [F.334.a]

53.642

“Victorious in battles there,

He will rule his entire kingdom

For twelve years

And fifteen months.3114 {53.642}

53.643

“When struck with an illness,

He will faint again and again, collapsing onto the ground.3115

Overcome by great pain and with his body failing,

He will die and be reborn in lower realms. {53.643}

53.644

“Mutual enmities will [then break out in Bengal]

Among those greedy for the crown.

They will engage in armed struggle,

Fighting one another. {53.644}

53.645

“At that time, they will consecrate

To kingship a young boy with the initial S.

The brahmins who will do this

Will be divided among themselves,

So they will make him a ruler in title only,

And then remove him.3116 {53.645}

53.646

“A brahmin will arrive

In the province of Magadha, in the city Udumbara,

And will consecrate as rulers upon earth

Two boys. {53.646}

53.647

“They will gradually extend their rule

To include the eastern provinces.

Once they reach the Gauḍa province,

They will have no rivals. {53.647}

53.648

“The two boy leaders will be killed

By a rogue from Kaliṅga

Who, because of his association with bad friends,

Will commit many murders.3117 {53.648}

53.649

“He will kill

All the inhabitants of Gauḍa

Who formerly sided

With the arrogant, warring kings.3118 {53.649}

53.650

“After him, King Soma,

A hero without equals,

Will rule as far as the river Gaṅgā,

In Vārāṇasī, and beyond. {53.650}

53.651

“In his ignorance, he will destroy

The beautiful images of the Teacher

And, as prophesied earlier by the Victorious One,

Will burn the great Bridge of the Dharma {53.651}

53.652

“This ignoramus will delight

In the teachings of the tīrthikas

And will be despised as a cruel

And greedy person who holds wrong views.3119 {53.652}

53.653

“He will demolish, throughout the land,

All the monasteries, gardens, caityas,

And shelters for mendicants,

And he will also destroy people’s livelihoods. {53.653}

53.654

“At that time, there will rise

In Madhyadeśa [F.317.b] [F.334.b] a fine king with the initial R.3120

He will be dedicated to his work3121

And unwavering in his vaiśya ways. {53.654}

53.655

“This king, capable to follow this teaching,3122

Will equal the one called Soma

But will be overthrown

By that king of the Nagna caste.3123 {53.655}

53.656

“Then, his younger brother with the initial H3124

Will become a hero without equals.

He will have a great army

And be brave in his conquests. {53.656}

53.657

“This H-initialed king from the vaiśya caste,

With his powerful army and many soldiers,

Will take action to uproot the king

Known as Soma. {53.657}

53.658

“He will advance against the eastern country

And its capital city called Puṇḍra.3125

He will assume the duties of a kṣatriya

With respect to [Soma], who cannot control his pride and anger. {53.658}

53.659

“[It is with] compassion, dedication to the Dharma,

And understanding [that] he will take many lives

But will rejoice only at defeating [Soma],

Who is wont to oppress living beings.3126 {53.659}

53.660

“He will thus defeat Soma,

This perpetrator of evil acts.

Soma will henceforth be confined

To his own country, where he will remain. {53.660}

53.661

“The H-initialed king will [then] withdraw,

Honored in the kingdom of the mlecchas,3127

Pleased about his work, and basking in the glory

Of someone who dutifully attends to his affairs. {53.661}

53.662

“He will go back to his own country,

Free to travel wherever he wants to.

The task will thus be accomplished

By those who took joy in kingship.3128 {53.662}

53.663

“[Soma]3129 will now obtain

The comforts that attend the royal life,

Because he offered in the past

Food and clothes to a pratyekabuddha. {53.663}

53.664

“He presented him with a pair of shoes

And adorned him with a parasol and a whisk.

By the power of this karma,3130

He will become a great king3131 {53.664}

53.665

“And will enjoy a complete array

Of pleasures, both human and divine.

This brahmin called Soma

Will thus be endowed with great pleasures. {53.665}

53.666

“He will thus rule his kingdom,

Bestowing benefits on the brahmins,

For seven and a half years.3132 {53.666}

53.667

“After seventeen years,

One month,

And seven or eight days,

He will develop a mouth disease. {53.667}

53.668

“Eaten by parasites, he will die [F.318.a] [F.335.a]

And fall into the lower realms.

His capital will then

Be destroyed by nonhuman beings. {53.668}

53.669

“Due to the ills of his human condition,3133

The king, his time having come,

Will develop fever and a debilitating illness.

He will die killed by the mantras used against him. {53.669}

53.670

“This evildoer

Will then fall

Into the hell called Avīci,

Propelled by his bad karma. {53.670}

53.671

“That evil-minded one

Will burn in the Avīci hell for one great eon.

After that, he will stay in the hells called

Aṭaṭa, Hahava, Sañjīva, Kālasūtra, {53.671}

53.672

“And the terrible hell of Asipattra.

He will experience these places again and again,

And then the worlds of animals,

Pretas, and the world of Yama, again and again. {53.672}

53.673

“In this way he will circle in saṃsāra,

Born there thousands of times, again and again.

He will not find any pleasure,

But will continually experience suffering. {53.673}

53.674

“You should therefore apply yourselves

With effort to the doctrine of the Tathāgata,

Generating faith with every thought,

So that you may go to the place free from the fever of afflictions. {53.674}

53.675

“Assisting the Buddha, or offending against him,

Has infinite karmic results.

One should therefore cultivate faith

In the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha. {53.675}

53.676

“Kings who worship the Three Jewels

Become the foremost in the world‍—

Great lords with great kingdoms,

Many pleasures, and great wealth. {53.676}

53.677

“They obtain various types of happiness

And vast good fortune.

By worshiping the best among men,

They attain the status of a sovereign in the world. {53.677}

53.678

“They can further attain the status

Of a Śakra, a Yāma, or a Brahmā.

Here on earth, they can become

A śrāvaka, a pratyekabuddha, or a buddha,

Obtaining excellence in the three vehicles

And arriving at non-attachment following the two.3134 {53.678}

53.679

“The buddhas are inconceivable;

The buddhas’ wisdom is inconceivable;

The results they reap are inconceivable;

The ripening of the results is inconceivable. {53.679}

53.680

“After King Soma’s departure [F.318.b] [F.335.b]

From the earthly realm,

There will be mutual discord

Within the government of the Gauḍa state,

With weapons ever at the ready

And without any mutual regard.3135 {53.680}

53.681

“This will last

For seven days, one month, or more,

Until, inevitably, a people-supported rule3136

Is established throughout the land

On this bank of the Gaṅgā‍—

The site of many monasteries. {53.681}

53.682

“Next after [Soma]

Will be his son, Mānava.3137

He will rule for eight months and five days and will die at night;

It will take him one and a half days to die.3138 {53.682}

53.683

“The next king of Gauḍa

Will be named Nāgarāja3139‍—

A young boy of the vaiśya caste.3140 {53.683}

53.684

“Close to him there will be

Jaya and the other brahmins.3141

The so-called Nāgas will all be vaiśyas,

And will be surrounded by [other] vaiśyas.3142 {53.684}

53.685

“When stricken by famine,

They will be attacked by a foreign army.

Without an [adult] king,

The kingdom will be plagued by many bandits

And will politically deteriorate. {53.685}

53.686

“For five years they will

Experience a lot of fear and danger.

Having killed many beings,

They will perish themselves.3143 {53.686}

53.687

“Because of their past transgressions,

These vaiśya people

Will be predisposed

To mutual discord. {53.687}

53.688

“At that time, without a doubt,

Prabhaviṣṇu of the kṣatriya caste

Will become the king

Who will govern Gauḍa. {53.688}

53.689

“Some [Gauḍa] kings will die by weapons

And some will succumb to illness.

When they die,

They will fall into the hell realms. {53.689}

53.690

“The next king will be

Śiśu, who will defer to women.3144

He will rule merely for a fortnight,

And then be slain by a weapon. {53.690}

53.691

“A great famine will follow,

As will an invasion by a foreign army.

The eastern provinces will thus become dismembered,

And the people terrorized and driven insane.3145 {53.691}

53.692

“These kings will rise in that country,

There is no doubt. [F.319.a] [F.336.a]

One born in Mathurā and known to be a vaiśya,

Formerly a merchant,

Will become the king of Magadha.

A superior king, he will become an object of worship. {53.692}

53.693

“His descendant, with the initial Bh,3146

Will live in the eastern country.

His son, with the initial P,3147 will be born,

Too, in the eastern provinces.

He will be described as a prominent3148 kṣatriya.

When a young boy, he will be imprisoned.3149 {53.693}

53.694

“He will thus spend seventeen years

In prison under supervision.

Imprisoned by the king called Gopa,

He will be released by the king called Bhagavat. {53.694}

53.695

“A great king with the initial H3150

Will come from a western country

And occupy the Gangetic plain

As far as the eastern frontier. {53.695}

53.696

“This great king will be from the śūdra caste

And will have a powerful army with many soldiers.

Having consolidated his rule on the banks [of the Gaṅgā],

He will then extend it all around. {53.696}

53.697

“This very powerful king

Will besiege and occupy

The city in Gauḍa

Known as Tīrtha.3151 {53.697}

53.698

“A kṣatriya youth will arrive,

Accompanied by a merchant,

And will enter the city at night.

At dawn, honors will be bestowed upon him. {53.698}

53.699

“The king described as a śūdra

Will then return back to

The banks of the Gaṅgā,

To the city called Nanda. {53.699}

53.700

“He will, at that time, appoint that boy

To the kingship of Magadha.

The śūdra king will proceed to the country of Kāśī

And will advance into the city of Vārāṇasī. {53.700}

53.701

“Having entered the city,

This great and mighty king of the śūdra caste

Will fall ill with a serious disease;

He will then consecrate his son to kingship. {53.701}

53.702

“Having thus been consecrated to kingship

The young boy with the name of a planet,3152

The śūdra king, will succumb to severe illness

And fall down upon the earth. {53.702}

53.703

“Struggling, he will breathe his last.

His body broken, he will pass to another existence

And spend eight months and fifteen days

In the animal realm. {53.703}

53.704

“When released from his birth as an animal,

He will be born among the gods, where, [F.319.b] [F.336.b]

For twenty births, he will experience

Various celestial enjoyments. {53.704}

53.705

“In due course, after devoting himself to the Dharma,

He will attain the realization of a pratyekabuddha.

This will happen because of the karma

That he accumulated in his former births. {53.705}

53.706

“He provided clothes

To a great being pratyekabuddha.

He gave him shoes,

And draft elephants, and horses.

He offered him food

With all due attention. {53.706}

53.707

“By the ripening of this karma

He became Indra, the lord of gods.

In that celestial realm

He passed three hundred million3153 lives.

When he descends onto earth again,

He will become, in that birth, this king.3154 {53.707}

53.708

“He will enjoy a kingdom

That has been won by others.

His son [Soma] will be installed

As king in Vārāṇasī. {53.708}

53.709

“The kingdom will be attacked

From all sides, pillaged, and destroyed.3155

It will be filled with brahmins to excess

And overrun by enemies. {53.709}

53.710

“The king designated as a ‘planet’3156

Will be careless and pleasure seeking.

In the end, he will die

After being struck by an enemy. {53.710}

53.711

“When King Soma is dead,

There will now be mutual strife

Everywhere in the eastern region

For the kingship of Magadha. {53.711}

53.712

“A kṣatriya with the initial P,3157

Honored [earlier as king]

By the śūdra [king] with the initial H,3158

Will become king in the territory

Right up to the bank of the Gaṅgā,

Across from Vārāṇasī. {53.712}

53.713

“He will rule in the city called Nanda,

Nestled on the bank of the Gaṅgā.

He will become a kṣatriya king

Propelled by the former deeds

That he performed and rejoiced at

After they were performed.3159 {53.713}

53.714

“A long time ago, during the life

Of the Teacher called Kanaka,3160

There was in the great city of Vārāṇasī

A distinguished and wealthy person. {53.714}

53.715

“The merchant’s son, a young boy,

Kept company with foolish boys.

One time he went out onto the main road

To play in the sand. {53.715}

53.716

“Having previously seen the stūpa in his own house, [F.320.a] [F.337.a]

Worshiped by his father and mother,

He visualized such a stūpa in his mind

And created it from the sand. {53.716}

53.717

“He then offered to this stūpa

Some flowers from a used garland

And praised it,

Recollecting the Buddha with faith. {53.717}

53.718

“The boy thus played,

Surrounded by other children.

At that time, there was an eminent śrāvaka disciple

Of the victorious Kanaka who wandered alone. {53.718}

53.719

“He was free of faults, focused,3161

With a mind free from the three spheres.

This fault-free śrāvaka

Was doing his alms round. {53.719}

53.720

“He entered at that time

The beautiful city of Vārāṇasī.

Free from attachment, he arrived

At the place where the children were. {53.720}

53.721

“They all surrounded him

On all sides and shouted,

‘Come here monk, come here!

Salute the caitya of the Teacher!

We carefully built it ourselves.

You will not be disappointed.’ {53.721}

53.722

“The merchant’s young son

Then took a rope of twisted grass

And playfully tied it

To the dispassionate and very dignified monk. {53.722}

53.723

“Dispassionate and dignified,

The monk listened attentively.3162

He saw on the ground there

The caitya that the children built.

Allowing the boy to have his way,3163

The noble-minded monk said, {53.723}

53.724

“ ‘Release me, son!

Let us go3164 where your creation is.’

All of them then went to the place

Where the reliquary was. {53.724}

53.725

“The dispassionate great being paid homage

To the caitya along with the children.

The hero then set off again

To seek alms as he wished. {53.725}

53.726

“The merchant’s young son, however,

Seized the end of the monk’s robe

And led him to his own home,

Where he arranged for some food. {53.726}

53.727

“At this moment the senior merchant,

Seeing the boy holding

The end of the robe

Of the dispassionate and dignified monk, {53.727}

53.728

“Became alarmed and his hair bristled. [F.320.b] [F.337.b]

Thinking, ‘An exalted guest has come to my house,’

He fell down at the monk’s feet

And promptly made the boy let go of the robe. {53.728}

53.729

“Holding back his son,

He apologized to the monk in earnest.

He then took the bowl from the kind [monk],

The supreme conqueror of the senses,3165 {53.729}

53.730

“And filled it with food

Consisting of rice and condiments.

He then ordered his son

To take the bowl and pass it to the monk. {53.730}

53.731

“The boy, having understood,

Carefully washed his hands,

Took the full bowl,

And handed it to the dispassionate monk. {53.731}

53.732

“Having handed it over,

He promptly fell at the monk’s feet.

The dispassionate one took the bowl,

Went back to his monastery,3166 and ate the food.

Free from attachment,

He obtained a pleasant sense of satisfaction. {53.732}

53.733

“Another boy, however,

Experienced feelings of envy.3167

The next day,

Feeling nothing but anger,

He took plenty of hard and soft food

And offered it to the dispassionate one, saying, {53.733}

53.734

“ ‘If there is any virtue

In offering alms to you,

May I become, through this,

Richer than the merchant’s son on this earth.’ {53.734}

53.735

“Then all the tīrthikas

And all the brahmin wives

Gathered together

And quarreled, criticizing one another: {53.735}

53.736

“ ‘Don’t you know this, you fool!

How can the “bald heads” get anywhere?3168

Not abiding in the Self,

How could these outsiders ever attain nirvāṇa?’ {53.736}

53.737

“A similar hatred

Arose in the boy.

He subsequently destroyed

Things that were praised by the Teacher: {53.737}

53.738

“The ever-celebrated Bridge of the Dharma

And the best monasteries and caityas.

He also murdered the son

Of that senior merchant.3169 {53.738}

53.739

“[He said at that time,] ‘What would I gain

By giving them a pot of water?

I will exterminate these “bald heads”

Who are preoccupied with the thoughts of lower rebirth.’ {53.739}

53.740

“The boy who said this [F.321.a] [F.338.a]

Will be the king by the name Soma.

He will experience pain for a long time,

As the inevitable result of his karma.3170 {53.740}

53.741

“The son of that senior merchant

Went to heaven when he died.

Time after time, he experienced

Pleasures among the celestial beings. {53.741}

53.742

“Again and again, he lived in the gods’ realms.3171

When he departs from that realm,

In his final birth,

He will cut the bonds completely. {53.742}

53.743

“In his third3172 life as a human,

He will become the ruler of the land,

But, because of his karma, he will fall again and again,

At different times and in different places. {53.743}

53.744

“His birth will be in this world,

Where he will carry out the duties of a king3173 on earth.

Because he had offered to the stūpa,

In play, as a child, flowers that had been discarded, {53.744}

53.745

“His pleasures will be tainted

As the result of his tainted generosity.

Like a broken joint,3174

This king will obtain pleasure with difficulty. {53.745}

53.746

“Because his large offering

To a Teacher’s reliquary on earth

Was done wholly without firmness, naively,

And with an unsteady mind, {53.746}

53.747

“He will, by the maturing of this karma,

Experience instability in his reign‍—

Now he will be king,

Now he will not.3175 {53.747}

53.748

“He will act as king in the northern,

Eastern, and central territories.

Because the monk, free in his mind,3176

Was first bound and then released by the boy, {53.748}

53.749

“The boy was, by the ripening of this karma,

Bound and released

Repeatedly over the course

Of five hundred lives. {53.749}

53.750

“In his final birth, though, he will

Break out of his bondage once and for all.

In that life he will rule fifty-five years,

Or perhaps seventy-seven.

He will be king on earth,

Up to the shore of the eastern ocean. {53.750}

53.751

“All the mleccha bandits from the borderlands

Who live in the Vindhya valleys

Will come under the control

Of this P-initialed ruler3177 of the land, {53.751}

53.752

“And so will those that live up north,

In the foothills of the Himalayas.

This kṣatriya king will rule at that time

All the provinces. {53.752}

53.753

“Because, in his simplicity,

He built a stūpa out of sand when still a child, [F.321.b] [F.338.b]

He will become the king of Magadha.

He will rule, without rivals and without troubles,

Up to the frontier forests

And as far as the eastern ocean. {53.753}

53.754

“The wise king will propagate

The teachings of the Teacher

From the west bank of the Brahmaputra

To the Himalayas in the north,

The pleasant city of Kāśī 3178 in the west,

And the city called Śṛṅga [in the south]. {53.754}

53.755

“After conquering the two kings

Called Pañcakesarī,3179

The king will consolidate his rule.3180

The entire [dynastic] family of Siṃha

Will be uprooted and destroyed. {53.755}

53.756

“This kṣatriya king

Will then rule all the provinces

In the east including the Himalayan valleys,

As far as the banks of the Daśānūpa.3181 {53.756}

53.757

“The Siṃha kings, such as Deva and so forth,

Will rule over other rogue peoples,

[But] he3182 will establish himself

As the king over [all] the inhabitants of the Vindhyas. {53.757}

53.758

“In the middle country said to be difficult to access,

An extremely wicked king will rule.

There will likewise be another king named Siṃha,

Who will rule over the north and the east. {53.758}

53.759

“At that time, when even the people of Gauḍa are afraid,

There will be, there is no doubt,

This kṣatriya king3183

Described as ‘born prosperous.’ {53.759}

53.760

“Born into increasing prosperity,3184

The king will likewise experience increasing comforts.

Even in his old age,

His enjoyments will not change. {53.760}

53.761

“He will live for eighty years,

Seven [months], and seven [days].3185

Then, overcome by old age,

The king will die and go to heaven, {53.761}

53.762

“Where he will experience happiness

For a long time in the gods’ realms.

However, due to his past karma

That was tainted by afflictive emotions,

He will fall from this realm and spend one month

In the animal realm as a powerful nāga king.3186 {53.762}

53.763

“When he leaves his body of a nāga,

He will be reborn among humans

As a wise kṣatriya who will become,

In terms of livelihood, an accomplished trader.3187 {53.763}

53.764

“Having met a virtuous friend,

He will become a follower of the Victor’s teachings

And will accomplish the mantra of the goddess Tārā‍—

The vidyārājñī of great power and dignity. {53.764}

53.765

“Having accomplished the mantra,

He will be a victor who chooses his own destiny

And a sugata who becomes

A king of the vidyādharas,3188 {53.765}

53.766

“Also known as a cakravartin.3189

His name will be Citraketu.

[Because of his] exploits as a vidyādhara,

He will also be called Sagacious.3190 {53.766}

53.767

“As a cakravartin,

He will experience divine and human pleasures

For eight hundred million years,

Nine [months], and seven [days].3191 [F.322.a] [F.339.a]

He will have a retinue of

Six hundred million young girls. {53.767}

53.768

“When he leaves his body, he will,

Propelled by the goddess Tārā,

Become the lord of gods,

To whom he will teach the Dharma.

Stage by stage, this king will swiftly progress

Toward awakening.3192 {53.768}

53.769

“After the death of the P-initialed king,3193

At that time, during the debased eon,

There will ensue a great, mutually destructive struggle

Among the pretenders to the throne.3194

P’s minister will rule the kingdom

For seven days. {53.769}

53.770

“After seven days he will be succeeded

By a king with the initial V,

Who also, attacked and overthrown,

Will be forced to go into exile. {53.770}

53.771

“The [king] with the initial Bh,

Accepted as the successor of the king P,

Will rule the kingdom

For three years. {53.771}

53.772

“His younger brother,3195 with the initial V,

Will be supervised by a vow holder.

He will bring economic growth3196

Over a period of four years.3197 {53.772}

53.773

“Both of them3198 will fall ill with indigestion

And fall unconscious due to a sudden onset of dysentery.3199

After they die in this world,

They will be reborn as yakṣas.

In due course, they will turn toward the Dharma

And attain the realization of a pratyekabuddha. {53.773}

53.774

“His3200 younger brother, with the initial Dh,3201

A kṣatriya devoted to the Dharma,

Will be king,3202 a lord of men,

For three years. {53.774}

53.775

“After him, his youngest brother,3203

Widely known by the name beginning with V,3204

Will become the king of the country,

Ruling over the entire territory. {53.775}

53.776

“With elephants, horses, chariots, and boats

In every direction,3205

He will conquer all the enemies

That he faces in battle. {53.776}

53.777

“He will adorn all the provinces

And all the land

With images of the Teacher, monasteries,

And reliquaries of the victorious ones.

He will maintain all of them well,

And make the entire earth more beautiful. {53.777}

53.778

“He will be of royal ancestry,

A twice-born of the Śākya line.3206

He will be noble, of keen intellect, and wise.

With his noble intellect, he will be destined for awakening. {53.778}

53.779

“At that time, during the debased eon,

He will obtain lasting happiness.3207

Described as a kṣatriya of outstanding intellect,

This king will patronize the Dharma.

He will live one hundred and twenty years

And, if he takes care, another seven or eight years. {53.779}

53.780

“He will die due to problems brought on by women

And ascend to the celestial realm. [F.322.b] [F.339.b]

Proceeding through the stages,

This wise king will attain the ultimate awakening. {53.780}

53.781

“After him, the lord of the land

Will be known by the name of Śrī.

In his governance of Gauḍa,3208

This great king will patronize the Dharma. {53.781}

53.782

“He will conquer his enemies all around

And will rule his kingdom

From the capital city of Gauḍa whose name begins with B,3209

And which has a large population. {53.782}

53.783

“He will build seven monasteries there,

Followed by another eight.3210

He will form an alliance

With a prominent brahmin called Śākaja. {53.783}

53.784

“Ruling with him as his ally,

He will consolidate his rule throughout.

This king will live

Eighty-one years. {53.784}

53.785

“He will die through his minister’s fault

But, devoted to the Dharma, will ascend to heaven.

In due course, he will act

As king of the gods. {53.785}

53.786

“When he dies, he will go to heaven

And move on an ever-higher realm,

Skillfully fulfilling the conditions

For attaining awakening. {53.786}

53.787

“On earth, his minister will become the king

And will rid the kingdom of troubles.

The name of this ruler

Begins with Y.3211 {53.787}

53.788

“During that period

He will rule the kingdom for eight years.

Killed by women,

He will proceed to the lower realms. {53.788}

53.789

“The next king will be, again,

A kṣatriya of the P dynasty.3212

He will kill a group of ministers

Who are closely connected.3213 {53.789}

53.790

“Having met a nonvirtuous friend,

He will kill many beings.

Infatuated with his great power,

He will rule the entire realm. {53.790}

53.791

“He will be quick to act, fickle,

And a drunkard fond of rogues.

He will pass out on the floor

In a drunken stupor. {53.791}

53.792

“He will be struck and slain with weapons

By enemies ready to kill.

With his body thus destroyed,

He will die and fall into the lower realms. {53.792}

53.793

“On earth, one of his brothers,3214

Known by the name beginning with R,3215

Will then rule the kingdom

For forty-eight days. {53.793}

53.794

“He will provide the brahmins with wealth, [F.323.a] [F.340.a]

Without a doubt, until his death.

The king next after him

Will be a ‘dog eater,’ and so forth.3216 {53.794}

53.795

“He will be from the śūdra caste,

Crippled, and thoroughly reviled.

He will be averse to the Dharma, undisciplined,

And always delighting in war. {53.795}

53.796

“Not only will he neglect all his vassals,

The brahmins, the ascetics,

And the Buddhist monks,

But he will always delight in oppressing them. {53.796}

53.797

“He will mete out severe punishments

And execute bandits.

He will suppress all the rogues

Adhering to wrong vows. {53.797}

53.798

“He will thus rule the kingdom

Without making any provision for final liberation.

This king will live

Seventeen years only. {53.798}

53.799

“After succumbing to the ravages of leprosy,

He will die and be reborn in the animal realm,

Where he will be a bold king of the nāgas

With a big hood.3217 {53.799}

53.800

“His form, with an expanded hood,3218

Will inspire utter dread.3219

He will experience suffering for a long time

As an inevitable result3220 of Dharmic laws. {53.800}

53.801

“Described as they [here have been],

These kings, who will make the people prosper,

Will have their base in the eastern region

And will be known throughout the entire world.3221 {53.801}

53.802

“Born to a hereditary line

Branching off from that of King P,

There will be another king, a mighty kṣatriya hero

Who will rule over the three seas.3222 {53.802}

53.803

“With a great and powerful army,

He will rule in the same eastern region

And adorn the earth

With divine reliquaries of the Teacher, {53.803}

53.804

“Monasteries, houses, temples,

And gardens provided with various

Ponds, well, pavilions,

And, of course, hospitals and shelters. {53.804}

53.805

“Devoted to the supreme victors,

He will follow the supreme vehicle

And certainly become

A Śākya renunciant. {53.805}

53.806

“He will avoid the unfree conditions

And cultivate the free conditions.3223

He will be known by the name beginning with K,3224

Will have a good memory, and be skillful. {53.806}

53.807

“This king will rule the kingdom

For twenty-one years,

Until he dies of cholera. [F.323.b] [F.340.b]

He will be reborn in the celestial realm. {53.807}

53.808

“This wise king will progress through the stages,

Destined to attain awakening before long.

The remaining members of his royal line

Will live in subordination to others. {53.808}

53.809

“The kings after him

Will be the Gopālas 3225 of the servant caste.

The people, without a doubt,

Will be stingy toward the twice-born. {53.809}

53.810

“During that lawless period

When the teachings of the Teacher are lost,

One will, [nevertheless], be able to bring

Benefit to beings by reciting mantras. {53.810}

53.811

“The mantras that bring prosperity

That were taught by the divine youth

Will be accomplished during that time

In order to guarantee the king’s sovereignty.

The supreme accomplishment, however,

Will not be accomplished at that time in that country. {53.811}

53.812

“The mantras that will be accomplished

In the places where the Dharma wheel was turned,

The pleasant grove of Mahābodhi3226

Or the place where the Blessed One attained

The peace that is free from rebirth,

Are those of the deities Tārā and Bhṛkuṭī. {53.812}

53.813

“As always, the [mantras of] the Lotus family

Will be effective in places such as the ocean’s shore,

Near the supreme thundering river,3227

And everywhere along the banks of the Gaṅgā. {53.813}

53.814

“The bodhisattva known by the name Candra

Is said to be Tāra, the savior.

With this name, he is also Tārā,3228

The vidyārājñī of great power and majesty. {53.814}

53.815

“Having morphed into a goddess with a female form,

He wanders throughout the entire world

In order to benefit beings,

With the mind tender with compassion. {53.815}

53.816

“In the world sphere of Sahā,

He abides in the form called ‘woman,’

Who, nevertheless, is a powerful bodhisattva lord

Abiding on the tenth level.3229 {53.816}

53.817

“Famed as the goddess Tārā,

He guides sentient beings

And provides protection, shelter, and cover

With his effortless magical power. {53.817}

53.818

“One should strive to accomplish [the mantra

Of] this goddess who brings opulence and power

And constitutes the cause for accumulating

[The merit and wisdom] necessary for awakening.3230 {53.818}

53.819

“This goddess, at that time, will be connected,

Through her compassion, to living beings,

Constituting, in the form of the mantra, [F.324.a] [F.341.a]

The cause for their accumulations that lead to awakening. {53.819}

53.820

“She resides in the eastern region,3231

Bringing happiness and nourishment to everyone.3232

She manifests in five hundred forms3233

That [each] emanate many more. {53.820}

53.821

“She wanders the entire earth,

As far as the four oceans.

Her accomplishments will manifest

Throughout the eastern region, in Vārāṇasī and beyond. {53.821}

53.822

“The eastern region is famed

As the territory of this goddess.

There, too, can be accomplished Jambhala,

A yakṣa king of great splendor. {53.822}

53.823

“At that time during the debased eon,

Those who desire affluence will be successful

In accomplishing the yakṣa king and the goddess Tārā,

Who fulfill the wishes for prosperity. {53.823}

53.824

“Similarly, the wrathful mantras

Will be effective in the southern region,

Including the islands in the middle of the ocean

Inhabited by mlecchas and pirates. {53.824}

53.825

“Tārā and the powerful yakṣa king

Will be accomplished also3234

In Harikela, Karmaraṅga,

Kāmarūpa, and Kalaśa. {53.825}

53.826

“The mantras of all the various dūtīs

And the powerful yakṣiṇīs,

And the wealth-bringing mantras

Chanted by Mañjughoṣa,

Will be effective in those places

And no other. {53.826}

53.827

“There, in the eastern and the intermediate directions,

The mantras that serve different purposes

Taught for that particular time

Will be also accomplished by living beings. {53.827}

53.828

“In Madhyadeśa, there will be

Various ministers3235 and kings

Who, generally, will be of weak character,

Limited intelligence, and inferior understanding.

The most important of them

Are briefly enumerated below. {53.828}

53.829

“Known by their initials,

Their names begin

With the letters M, N, P,

D, I, S, and A. {53.829}

53.830

“Further, there will be those

With the names of Graha, and Kīrti 3236

And those with the initials

H and Ś.3237 {53.830}

53.831

“There will be those from the lunar dynasty3238

With the initials J, B, and L,3239

And those with the initials

H, Pra, and A.3240 {53.831}

53.832

“There will be those with female names

Beginning with S and L, respectively, who will antagonize the people,

And those with the initials S and M

Will enjoy full sovereignty over the people.3241 {53.832} [F.324.b] [F.341.b]

53.833

“Gradually, concerning their typical occupation,

The brahmins will take on the lifestyle of the vaiśyas.

Most of them will commit acts contrary to the Dharma,

Sowing discord and lusting after women. {53.833}

53.834

“At that time, in this debased eon,

The kings will have huge retinues.

This will no doubt be the case

With the kings of Madhyadeśa. {53.834}

53.835

“At that time, during this debased eon,

A human lifespan

Of one hundred and twenty years

Will be extolled as long. {53.835}

53.836

“Among the prominent people of Madhya[deśa],

There will be those long- and short-[lived].3242

All the kings foretold for this eon

Will have a short lifespan. {53.836}

53.837

“On the banks of the Gaṅgā,

In the valleys of the Himalayas,

And also in the country of Kāmarūpa,

There will be kings as listed below. {53.837}

53.838

“They are the first, the middle,3243 and the last.

Those specified for the country of Aṅga

Are as follows: the first one, Vṛtsudhāna,

Will be known as Karmarāja,3244 {53.838}

53.839

“And the last Aṅga king

Will be Subhūtibhūti.3245

In Kāmarūpa, there will be Sudaha 3246 and Bhavadatta,

Who will be casteless.3247 {53.839}

53.840

“In Vaiśālī, at the time of V and Th,

The last crown princes were Subhū and Mṛga.3248

In the fine city of Kapilavastu,

Where the Sage was born,3249 {53.840}

53.841

“The Śākya-born kings that ended with Śuddhodana

Are said to descend from the solar Ikṣvāku dynasty.

Śuddhodana is generally regarded as the last Śākya king

Under whom the Śākyas prospered.3250 {53.841}

53.842

“The most eminent of men

Also taught the mantras of the lesser capacity.3251

These mantras, taught by the victors,

Namely the mantras of all the ceṭa groups, {53.842}

53.843

“The various dūtī groups,

And all such mantras that belong to the Vajra and Lotus families,

Will all succeed when employed

By the adepts of the mantra system. {53.843}

53.844

“All these worldly mantras

Will be effective in Madhyadeśa,

Particularly those that the victors

Said reside3252 in Madhyadeśa. {53.844}

53.845

“With their different characteristics

And different modes of function,

These mantras are employed in various manners,

Bringing to beings various accomplishments.3253 {53.845}

53.846

“Thus, the mantras particular to Madhyadeśa

Are effective in bringing prosperity.

They are also used for the sake of protection,

Succor, and enthralling and attracting living beings. {53.846}

53.847

“The past and the future kings

Of Madhyadeśa that have been listed [F.325.a] [F.342.a]

Are distinguished by their various characteristics,

Such as different lifespan or family lineage. {53.847}

53.848

“All these kings are said to be

Of either superior, middling, or inferior types.

The accomplishments, likewise, are of three types.

The mantras that were taught by the most eminent of sages

Are, accordingly, of three types

And should be employed at three different times.3254 {53.848}

53.849

“Innumerable kings have been specified

For Madhyadeśa; the west,

The north, the south, and the east;

For all the intermediated directions;

And also for the outer islands,

All divided into four groups.3255 {53.849}

53.850

“The kings are said to be innumerable,

And so are the mantra practices;

The mantra accomplishments, ascribed

To innumerable regions, are also innumerable. {53.850}

53.851

“When the teachings of the Sage have disappeared,

For that particular time,

Mañjughoṣa taught, with reference to kings,3256

The mantras intended for suppressing or fostering. {53.851}

53.852

“Taught here are also time-specific performances

For the sake of play, protection, or magic;

The great [benefits of] the mantras; the types of birth of beings;

And the names of the kings.3257 {53.852}

53.853

“For those intending to do a formal mantra practice,

There is a prescribed time and place.

When the teachings of the path have disappeared,

There are kings foretold who will,

As required in these circumstances, teach about

The greatness of mantra qualities and the final fruit.3258 {53.853}

53.854

“These kings, previously instructed

In the two transcendent vehicles,

Will establish themselves at that time, during the debased eon,

As foretold, there is no doubt.

All of these kings are specified

For their [respective] regions. {53.854}

53.855

“Having renounced the world and adhering firmly

To the doctrine of Śākyamuni,

They will serve the cause of the instructions

And always delight in the mantra teachings.3259 {53.855}

53.856

“I will now speak, O divine youth, about those who will come

After the best of sages‍—the one whose supreme vision

Is uniquely focused on the world‍—has departed.

Please listen with undivided attention.3260 {53.856}

53.857

“At the end of the eon, when the Teacher’s doctrine

Has disappeared on earth and the world is corrupt,

There will come, there is no doubt,

Ascetics involved in affairs of state. {53.857}

53.858

“There will be one by the name Mātṛceṭa,

One known as Kusuma,

One with the initial M, and one with the initial Ku,3261

Exceedingly fond of the Dharma; {53.858}

53.859

“Also, one referred to as Nāga3262 [F.325.b] [F.342.b]

With the name of Ratnasambhava,

One with the initial G, one called Kumāra,

And one with the initial V who will care for the Dharma; {53.859}

53.860

“Also, a powerful person with the initial A‍—

An irresistible defender of the Teacher’s teachings‍—

And one known by his initial L,

Endowed with virtue and intelligence; {53.860}

53.861

“Also, one with the initial R,

One known by the initial N,3263

And King Buddhapakṣa, during whose reign

The doctrine of the Teacher will shine brightly. {53.861}

53.862

“There will be a brahmin ascetic with the initial A3264

Who becomes a Buddhist monk‍—

A citizen of the city of Sāketa

Who will live eighty years. {53.862}

53.863

“In the southern region there will be

An ascetic with an initial A3265

Who is a citizen of Kāśī, is intelligent,

And will live sixty years. {53.863}

53.864

“Also in the southern region there will be

A well-known ascetic with the initial Th.

This ascetic, accomplished in mantra,

Will suppress the doctrines of other systems. {53.864}

53.865

“Another3266 eminent renunciant

Will be a citizen of the city of lions.3267

This inhabitant of the island of Siṃhala

Will be able to tell the ignoble from the noble, {53.865}

53.866

“And he will refute the tenets of the tīrthikas

And suppress the doctrines of others.

These people will come at that terrible time

At the end of the eon. {53.866}

53.867

“There will be one ascetic with the V3268 initial,

One with the L initial,

One with the R initial,

And also a renunciate monk with the V initial, {53.867}

53.868

“Who will be, without a doubt,

Wholly devoted to the Teacher’s teachings.

During [the reign of] a king called Bālāka,

There will be an ascetic with the initial S. {53.868}

53.869

“He will build monasteries, ashrams, caityas,

Ponds, and wells everywhere.

He will make banners and images of the Teacher

And construct bridges and ferry crossings. {53.869}

53.870

“He will be remembered, there is no doubt, as the one

Who was slain with a weapon and ascended to the higher realms.3269

After him there will be one with the initial M,

One known by the name beginning with K, {53.870}

53.871

“One with the initial N,

Sudatta, Suṣeṇa known as Sena,3270

Dattaka, and Dinaka who will refute

The doctrines of other systems,3271 {53.871}

53.872

“And also a former merchant and a former physician,

Both concerned about the welfare of the poor.

There will also be an ascetic known by the initial C,3272

And after him one with the initial R. {53.872}

53.873

“A Bh-initialed ascetic, one with deep faith,3273 [F.326.a] [F.343.a]

Will be instrumental in producing images of the Teacher.

Another ascetic, with the initial M, will also be born,

Who is intelligent and has faith. {53.873}

53.874

“Various ascetics [such as those] mentioned

And innumerable [others] will come at that time.

All of them will be known

As torchbearers of the Teacher’s instructions. {53.874}

53.875

“When the instructions have disappeared

And the earth is deprived of their light,

These ascetics will make, without a doubt,

Beautiful images of the Teacher. {53.875}

53.876

“All of them have been prophesied to attain awakening

And will certainly become models of attainment.

Accordingly, they will be venerated in the world

As the terminators of the three states of existence

Known for their direct application3274 of mantra methods

And for making [others] worthy of praise.3275 {53.876}

53.877

“Now I will tell about the brahmins,

Disciplined in the Dharma,

Who will be involved in affairs of state

By directly applying the mantra methods.

During that terrible time

They will exist all over the world. {53.877}

53.878

“There will be an eminent brahmin with the initial V,

Wealthy and fully conversant in the Vedas,

Who will wander the earth to its farthest limits

In order to debate others. {53.878}

53.879

“He will delight in controverting other schools

As far away as the lands beyond the three oceans.

When facing others in debate,

He will recite the six-syllable mantra,3276 {53.879}

53.880

“Which the divine youth conveyed in song

Out of his desire to benefit beings.

This famous [mantra] from his extensive manual

Is for [helping those] of slow intellect.3277 {53.880}

53.881

“There will be Jaya and Sujaya,

And after them, the celebrated Śubhamata,3278

Well-born and virtuous,

And the good and hard-working Mādhava.3279 {53.881}

53.882

“Further, there will be, at that time,

Madhu, Sumadhu, Siddha, and Nama.3280

There will be Rāghava of the śūdra caste,

And others, of Scythian ancestry.3281 {53.882}

53.883

“While debating, all of them will recite

The mantra of the divine youth present here.

All of them will be honest,

Intelligent, and learned.

They will be involved in affairs of state

Alongside the ministers. {53.883}

53.884

“Another brahmin, known by the name

Beginning with Vi,3282 [F.326.b] [F.343.b]

Will live in the Flower City.3283

He will accomplish [the mantra of] Krodha.3284

Having experienced poverty and humiliation,

He will direct his acts of destruction at kings. {53.884}

53.885

“Taught by Mañjughoṣa present here,

This [mantra of] Yamāntaka, the Lord of Wrath,

Is the tamer of the wicked beings

So difficult to tame. {53.885}

53.886

“It is for suppressing what is bad

And promoting what is good.

It can also be used to destroy physical life,

But only as an act of kindness to sentient beings. {53.886}

53.887

“This foolish young brahmin, however,

Stricken with poverty and swayed by anger and greed,

Will recite the Krodha [mantra]

In order to kill the king. {53.887}

53.888

“There will also be another brahmin,

Known by the name beginning with S.3285

He will be skilled in the art of mantras,3286 studious,

Truthful, and in control of his senses.3287 {53.888}

53.889

“A reciter of mantras,

He will be known as a very powerful master.

He will master the mantras for enthralling,

But not for other activities.

As the result of enthralling the spirits,

He will become very rich. {53.889}

53.890

“There will be another well-known brahmin

In the country of Mālava,

Concerned about the affairs of the Dharma,

Whose name will begin with Ś.3288

He will have faith in the teachings

And will be an exemplary reciter of mantras on earth. {53.890}

53.891

“He will enthrall vetālas, grahas,3289

The evil brahmarākṣasas and rākṣasas,

And all the pūtanas, bhūtas,

And the various kravyādas.3290 {53.891}

53.892

“All animate and inanimate things

Without exception will come under his control.

All of them will be in his thrall,

With benefits for this man marked as twice-born. {53.892}

53.893

“There will be another brahmin

In the southern region.

He will be widely known by the name beginning with V

And will be devoted to the teachings of the Teacher. {53.893}

53.894

“He will adorn the entire land

Between the two oceans

With monasteries, ashrams, caityas,

And beautiful images of the Teacher. {53.894}

53.895

“Another distinguished brahmin,

Known by the name beginning with Bh,3291

Wealthy and famous,

Will live in the southern region. {53.895}

53.896

“This great being, a reciter of mantras, [F.327.a] [F.344.a]

Will be destined to attain the final goal of awakening.

In Madhyadeśa, there will be a brahmin

Known by the name of Sampūrṇa. {53.896}

53.897

“There will also be Vinaya, Suvinaya,

And Pūrṇa, the citizen of Mathurā.

There will be a royal treasurer with the initial Bh,

A worshiper of mantra [deities].3292 {53.897}

53.898

“These brahmins, foretold as

Worshipers of the Teacher’s teachings,

Will be members of different houses and lineages,

Prominent at the beginning, middle, and end.3293 {53.898}

53.899

“These and other brahmins will worship

Among [other] brahmins in different places.

They will belong to different brahmanical orders and lineages

And will follow different types of practices.

They are foretold as full-fledged ascetics,

Ordained as novices and very learned. {53.899}

53.900

“The self-realized buddha, the Dharma king3294

Who fulfills the aims of all beings,

Is glorified by all the spirits

And also by the three gods. {53.900}

53.901

“The four great kings

Are celebrated in all the worlds.

They are Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa,

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and the king of the yakṣas.3295

Śakra is glorified as

The long-lived3296 among the gods. {53.901}

53.902

“There are the gods of the Suyāma,

Sunirmita, and Vaśavartin realms,3297

And the king called Santuṣita

Is said to be the supreme lord of the desire realm. {53.902}

53.903

“Śakra and the other individually named gods

Are, likewise, lords of the desire realm.

Endowed with powers and majesty, they share a single nature,

Always being one and the same person. {53.903}

53.904

“The gods who possess different forms

Are described as infinite.

The gods above them are all equal,

With equal powers and majesty. {53.904}

53.905

“Known to be this way,

The higher gods are said to be in harmony.

There is no overlord among them,

As they are all of the same status. {53.905}

53.906

“Below, down to the Avīci hell,

There is no king to be found.3298

The eight [major hells] are the best known,

Each surrounded by sixteen smaller ones. {53.906}

53.907

“The kings of nonhuman beings are karmic kings.

King Yama is thus the lord of the pretas.

Suvarṇa, a majestic garuḍa,

Is the king of the birds. {53.907}

53.908

“[The king] of the kinnaras is called Druma,

And that of the bhūtas, Rudra.

The king of the vidyādharas

Is the majestic Citraketu.3299 {53.908}

53.909

“Similarly,3300 the supreme king of the asuras

Is called Vemacitri;

Of the ṛṣis, Vyāsa;

And of the siddhas, Mahāratha. {53.909}

53.910

“The moon is the king of the nakṣatras,

And the sun, of the planets.

The king of the mātṛs

Is widely known as Īśāna. {53.910}

53.911

“The king of the days3301 is called Pratima,

And that of the rāśis, Kanya.

The king of the rivers is called Sāgara,

And that of the clouds, Supuṣkara. {53.911}

53.912

“Airāvata is the king of the elephants,

And Harivara, the king of the horses.

Prahlāda is known as the king

Of all the animals everywhere. {53.912}

53.913

“The types of beings are said to be innumerable,

And so are their kings.

Everywhere, in each of their respective worlds,

There is a buddha‍—the supreme person. {53.913}

53.914

“There is no supreme ruler

In Uttarakuru and so forth,

Nor there is one on the western islands

That extend from the east to the west.3302 {53.914}

53.915

“There are kings, though, among

The inhabitants of Jambūdvīpa and also in the east.

The wheel-holding monarchs on the four islands

Where there are kings are said to be infinite.3303 {53.915}

53.916

“These [kings] have been described in brief,

Condensing the very extensive narrative.

There are also numerous lords of spirits

And of beings born as asuras or the three types of gods.3304 {53.916}

53.917

“They reside in infinite world spheres

And possess infinite qualities.

Those that dwell on earth are innumerable,

As described in this manual. {53.917}

53.918

“Both the kings of mantras

And the various mantras of the hordes of dūtas

Are taught as subject to the restrictions of time and place,

Necessary for the mantras to succeed. {53.918}

53.919

“These teachings were given in brief

By the eminent sages,

And now they have been taught again

By them3305 above the realm of the Pure Abode.” {53.919}

53.920

The great hero Mañjuśrī

Then asked the guide of the world,

“Regarding these teachings,

How should I remember them?”3306

… And so forth, repeating in full the deeds of all the kings.3307 {53.920}

53.921

“The supreme sage taught to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, the stories of his former births, the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra,3308

“And also the full extent of mantras

That serve the aims of the bodhisattvas.

These teachings, known as the sūtra teachings,

Are to explain the path whose goal is awakening.3309 {53.921}

53.922

“[He also taught] in full the rites that involve mantras,

The activities and lifespans of people on earth,

The time of death of the kings,

And the proclaimed duration of their lives. {53.922}

53.923

“This compendium of Dharma teachings,

A basket of writings dedicated to awakening,

Is described as leading to such

Through the direct application of the mantra methods.

You, the sagacious one, should always remember it as

The fulfiller of the goals of the mantra system.” {53.923}

53.924

This concludes the fifty-third chapter, with the prophecy about the kings, from “The Root Manual of Noble Mañjuśrī,” an extensive Mahāyāna sūtra that forms a garland-like basket of bodhisattva teachings, complete with all the chapters.3310

54.

Chapter 54

54.1

Directing his gaze again at the realm of the Pure Abode, the blessed Śākyamuni said this to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth: {54.1}

54.2

“Wherever, Mañjuśrī, this Dharma discourse is disseminated, you should know that I am present there myself, surrounded by the hosts of all the bodhisattvas, taking the place of honor among the congregation of śrāvakas, and attended upon by a retinue of all the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, garuḍas, gandharvas, kinnaras, mahoragas, siddhas, vidyādharas, and other nonhuman and human beings. The Tathāgata resides there for the sake of protecting, sheltering, and defending. {54.2}

Colophon

c.1

By order of the glorious ruler and renunciant king Jangchub O, this text was translated, edited, and finalized by the great Indian preceptor and spiritual teacher Kumārakalaśa and the translator Lotsawa and monk Śākya Lodrö.3397

ap.

Appendix

Sanskrit Text

app.

Introduction to the Sanskrit text of the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa

app.1

The Sanskrit text presented here is meant to accompany the English translation. It is based on five manuscripts as detailed in the list of abbreviations for this appendix. The default source for the text presented here was Śāstrī’s (Śāstrī 1920–25)3398 published transcript of manuscript T. Variant readings are reported only when they replace Śāstrī’s readings or when deemed relevant. The notes in the critical apparatus list the variants in the order of relevance, departing from the usual practice of listing them in the alphabetical order of the sigla. It is incomplete; it leaves out three blocks of chapters not included in the Tibetan canonical translation.

ap1.

Chapter A1

ap1.1

{S1} {V1} {B1v} oṁ3399 namaḥ sarvabuddhabodhisattvebhyaḥ ||

evaṃ mayā śrutam ekasmin samaye | bhagavāñ śuddhāvāsopari gaganatalapratiṣṭhite 'cintyāścaryādbhutapravibhaktabodhisattvasannipātamaṇḍalamāḍe3400 viharati sma | tatra bhagavāñ śuddhāvāsakāyikān devaputrān āmantrayate sma || 1.1 ||

ap1.2

śṛṇvantu bhavanto3401 devaputrāḥ mañjuśriyaḥ3402 kumārabhūtasya bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasyācintyādbhutaprātihāryacaryāsamādhirddhi3403viśeṣavimokṣamaṇḍalabodhisattvavikurvaṇaṃ sarvasattvopajīvyam āyur ārogyaiśvaryam3404 | manorathaparipūrakāṇi3405 mantrapadāni sarvasattvānāṃ hitāya bhāṣiṣye | taṃ śṛṇu sādhu ca suṣṭhu ca manasi kuru | bhāṣiṣye 'haṃ te3406 || 1.2 ||

ap2.

Chapter A2

ap2.1

atha khalu mañjuśrīḥ kumarabhūtaḥ sarvāvantaṃ parṣanmaṇḍalam avalokya sarvasattvasamayānupraveśāvalokinīṃ nāma samādhiṃ samāpadyate sma | samanantarasamāpannasya ca mañjuśriyaḥ kumarabhūtasya nābhimaṇḍalapradeśād raśmir niścaranti sma | {B25r} anekaraśmikoṭīniyutaśatasahasraparivāritā samantāt sarvasattvadhātum avabhāsya punar eva taṃ śuddhāvāsabhavanaṃ avabhāsya sthitābhūt || 2.1 ||

ap2.2

atha khalu vajrapāṇir bodhisattvo mahāsattvo mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma |

ap3.

Chapter A3

ap3.1

atha tṛtīyaḥ parivartaḥ ||

atha khalu mañjuśrīḥ kumarabhūtaḥ punar api taṃ śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya tān mahāparṣanmaṇḍalasannipatitān sarvabuddhabodhisattvān praṇamya • ekākṣaraṃ paramaguhyaṃ sarvaviṣaghātasarvakarmikaṃ ca mantraṃ svamaṇḍalasādhanaupayikaṃ sarvakṣudrakarmeṣu copayojyaṃ bhāṣate sma | katamaṃ ca tat || 3.1 ||

ap3.2

namaḥ samantabuddhānām | tadyathā jaḥ | eṣa sa mārṣāḥ sārvabhūtagaṇāś ca asyaiva mantram ekākṣarasya dvitīyaṃ maṇḍalavidhānaṃ saṃkṣepato yojyam || 3.2 ||

ap4.

Chapter A4

ap4.1

namo buddhāya sarvabuddhabodhisattvebhyaḥ ||

atha khalu mañjuśrīḥ sarvāvantaṃ śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya punar api tan mahāparṣanmaṇḍalasannipātam avalokya śākyamuneś caraṇayor nipatya prahasitavadano bhūtvā bhagavantam etad avocat || 4.1 ||

ap4.2

tat sādhu bhagavān sarvasattvānāṃ hitāya mantracaryāsādhanavidhānanirhāraniṣyandadharmameghapravarṣaṇayathepsitaphalaniṣpādanapaṭalavisarāt4349 paṭavidhānam anuttarapuṇyaprasavaḥ samyaksambodhibīja4350•abhinirvartakaṃ sarvajñajñānāśeṣa•abhinirvartakam || 4.2 ||

ap5.

Chapter A5

ap5.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ sarvaṃ tatparṣanmaṇḍalam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate4427 sma |

asti mañjuśrīr aparam api tvadīyaṃ madhyamaṃ paṭavidhānam | tad bhāṣiṣye 'ham | śṛṇu sādhu ca suṣṭhu ca manasi kuru || 5.1 ||

ap5.2

ādau tāvat pūrvanirdiṣṭenaiva sūtrakeṇa pūrvoktenaiva vidhinā pūrvaparikalpitaiḥ śilpibhiḥ pūrvapramāṇaiva madhyamapaṭaḥ suśobhanena śuklena suvratena sadaśena • aśleṣakai raṅgair apagatakeśasaṃkārādibhir yathaiva prathamaṃ tathaiva tat kuryād varjayitvā tu pramāṇarūpakāt tat paṭaṃ paścād abhilikhāpayitavyam || 5.2 ||

ap6.

Chapter A6

ap6.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma | asti mañjuśrīr aparam api paṭavidhānarahasyaṃ tṛtīyaṃ kanyasaṃ nāma yaḥ sarvasattvānām ayatnenaiva siddhiṃ gaccheyuḥ || 6.1 ||

ap6.2

pūrvanirdiṣṭenaiva vidhinā śilpibhiḥ sugatavitastipramāṇaṃ tiryak tathaiva samaṃ caturasraṃ pūrvavat paṭaś citrāpayitavyaḥ pūrvanirdiṣṭai raṅgaiḥ || 6.2 ||

ap6.3

ādau tāvad āryamañjuśrīḥ siṃhāsanopaniṣaṇṇo bāladārakarūpī pūrvavad dharmaṃ deśayamānaḥ samantaprabhā•arciṣo nirgacchamānaś cārurūpī citrāpayitavyaḥ | vāmapārśve āryasamantabhadro ratnopalasthitaś camaravyagrahastaś cintāmaṇivāmavinyastakaraḥ priyaṅguśyāmavarṇaḥ pūrvavac citrāpayitavyaḥ | dakṣiṇapārśve • āryamañjuśriyasya ratnopalasthita āryāvalokiteśvaraḥ | pūrvavac camaravyagrahasto vāmahastāravindavinyastaḥ samantadyotitamūrtir abhilekhyaḥ || 6.3 ||

ap7.

Chapter A7

ap7.1

atha khalu mañjuśrīḥ kumarabhūta utthāyāsanād bhagavantaṃ śākyamuniṃ triḥ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya bhagavataś caraṇayor nipatya bhagavantam evam āha ||

sādhu sādhu bhagavatā yas tathāgatenārhatā samyaksambuddhena subhāṣito 'yaṃ dharmaparyāyaḥ sarvavidyāvratacāriṇām arthāya hitāya sukhāya lokānukampāyai | bodhisattvānām upāyakauśalyatā darśitā nirvāṇoparigāminī vartmopaviśeṣā niyataṃ bodhiparāyaṇā saṃtatir bodhisattvānāṃ sarvamantrārthacaryā sādhanīyam | etanmantrarahasyasarvajanavistāraṇakarī bhaviṣyati || 7.1 ||

ap8.

Chapter A8

ap8.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamunir mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma |

ye te mañjuśrīs tvayā nirdiṣṭā sattvā teṣām arthāya • idaṃ paṭavidhānaṃ visaram ākhyātam | te svalpenaivopāyena sādhayiṣyante | teṣām arthāya sādhanopayikaṃ4498 guṇavistāraprabhedavibhāgaśaḥ karmavibhāgaṃ samanubhāṣiṣyāmi | taṃ śṛṇu sādhu ca suṣṭhu ca manasi kuru | bhāṣiṣye sarvasattvānām arthāya || 8.1 ||

ap8.2

atha khalu mañjuśrīḥ kumarabhūto bhagavantam etad avocat |

ap9.

Chapter A9

ap9.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ sarvāvatīparṣanmaṇḍalopaniṣaṇṇān devasaṅghān āmantrayate sma |

śṛṇvantu bhavanto mārṣā mañjuśriyasya kumarabhūtasya caryāmaṇḍalamantrasādhanopāyikaṃ4509 rakṣārthaṃ sādhakasya paramaguhyatamaṃ paramaguhyahṛdayaṃ sarvatathāgatabhāṣitaṃ mahāvidyārājaṃ yena japtena sarvamantrā japtā bhavanti || 9.1 ||

ap9.2

anatikramaṇīyo 'yaṃ bho devasaṅghā ayaṃ vidyārājā | mañjuśriyo 'pi kumarabhūto 'nena vidyārājñā • ākṛṣṭo vaśam ānīto sammatībhūtaḥ | kaḥ punarvādaḥ | tadanye bodhisattvā laukikalokottarāś ca mantrāḥ | sarvavighnāṃś ca nāśayaty eṣa mahāvīryaḥ prabhāva ekavīrya eka • eva sarvamantrāṇām agram ākhyāyate | eka • eva • ekākṣarāṇām akṣaram ākhyāyate | katamaṃ ca tat || 9.2 ||

ap10.

Chapter A10

ap10.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api karmasādhanottamaṃ bhāṣate sma |

iha kalparāje anyatamaṃ mantraṃ gṛhītvā gaṅgāmahānadīm avatīrya nauyānasaṃsthitaḥ gaṅgāyā madhye kṣīrodanāhāras triṃśallakṣāṇi japet yatheṣṭadivasaiḥ | tato japānte sarvān nāgān paśyati | tataḥ sādhanam ārabhet4521 | tatraiva naumadhye agnikuṇḍaṃ kārayet padmākāram | tato nāgakesarapuṣpaiḥ paṭasya mahatīṃ pūjāṃ kṛtvā jyeṣṭhaṃ paṭaṃ paścānmukhaṃ pratiṣṭhāpya ātmanaś ca pūrvābhimukhaṃ kuśaviṇḍakopaviṣṭo nāgakesarapuṣpam ekaikaṃ saptābhimantritaṃ kṛtvā khadirakāṣṭhendhanāgniprajvālite juhuyād yāvat triṃśasahasrāṇi śvetacandanakuṅkumapūtānāṃ nāgakesarapuṣpānāṃ4522 nānyeṣām | nāgānāṃ darśanam avekṣyam | siddhadravyaiś ca pralobhayanti | na grahītavyāni || 10.1 ||

ap11.

Chapter A11

ap11.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma |

asti mañjuśrīs tvadīyaṃ madhyamaṃ paṭavidhānaṃ madhyamakarmopayikasādhanavidhiḥ | samāsatas tāṃ bhāṣiṣye | taṃ śṛṇu sādhu ca suṣṭhu ca manasi kuru | bhāṣiṣye || 11.1 ||

ap11.2

atha khalu mañjuśrīḥ kumarabhūto bhagavantam evam āhuḥ |

tad vadatu bhagavān lokānukampakaḥ śāstā sarvasattvahite rato yasyedānīṃ kālaṃ manyase | asmākam anukampārtham anāgatānāṃ ca janatām avekṣya || 11.2 ||

ap12.

Chapter A12

ap12.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api sarvāvantaṃ śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma ||

śṛṇu tvaṃ mañjuśrīs tvadīyaṃ vidyāmantrānusāriṇāṃ sakalasattvārthasamprayuktānāṃ sattvānāṃ yena jāpyante mantrā yena vā jāpyante • akṣasūtravidhiṃ sarvatantreṣu sāmānyasādhanopayikasarvamantrāṇām | taṃ śṛṇu sādhu ca suṣṭhu ca manasi kuru | bhāṣiṣye || 12.1 ||

ap12.2

evam ukte mañjuśrīḥ kumarabhūto bhagavantam etad avocat |

ap13.

Chapter A13

ap13.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api4723 śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma | asti mañjuśrīḥ tvadīya4724mantrapaṭalasamastavinyastaviśeṣavidhinā homakarmaṇi prayuktasya vidyāsādhakasya • agnyupacaryā4725viśeṣavidhānato yatra pratiṣṭhitā sarvavidyācaryāniyuktāḥ sattvāḥ prayujyante | katamaṃ ca tat | rahasyavidyāmantrapadāni | tadyathā ||4726 13.1 ||

ap13.2

{A27v3}4727 oṁ uttiṣṭha4728 haripiṅgala lohitākṣa dehi dadāpaya hūṃ phaṭ phaṭ sarvavighnān vināśaya svāhā ||

ap14.

Chapter A14

ap14.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma |

asti mañjuśrīs tvadīyavidyārahasyasādhanopayikasarvamantrāṇāṃ samanujñas tathāgatadharmakośavisṛta dharmameghānupraviṣṭa gaganasvabhāva sarvamantrāṇāṃ laukikalokottarāṇāṃ prabhur jyeṣṭhatamo yathā kumāraḥ sarvasattvānām | tathāgato 'tra •ākhyāyate jyeṣṭhatamaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ | devamanuṣyāṇāṃ puruṣaṛṣabho buddho bhagavān evaṃ hi kumāra sarvamantrāṇām ayaṃ vidyārājā • agram ākhyāyate śreṣṭhatamaḥ | pūrvanirdiṣṭaṃ tathāgatair anabhilāpyair gaṅgānadīsikatapuṇyair buddhair bhagavadbhī ratnaketos tathāgatasya paramahṛdayaṃ paramaguhyaṃ sarvamaṅgalasammatasarvabuddhasaṃstutapraśastaṃ sarvabuddha sattvasamāśvāsakaṃ sarvapāpapraṇāśakaṃ sarvakāmadaṃ sarvāśāparipūrakam | katamaṃ ca tat || 14.1 ||

ap15.

Chapter A15

ap15.1

atha khalu vajrapāṇir bodhisattvo mahāsattvas tatraiva parṣanmadhye saṃnipatito 'bhūt | saṃniṣaṇṇaḥ sa utthāyāsanād bhagavantaṃ triḥ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya bhagavataś caraṇayor nipatya bhagavantam etad avocat || 15.1 ||

ap15.2

sādhu sādhu bhagavan | sudeśitaṃ suprakāśitaṃ paramasubhāṣitaṃ vidyāmantraprayogamahādharmameghavinisṛtaṃ sarvatathāgatahṛdayaṃ mahāvidyārājacakravartinamahākalpavistarasarvārtha4832pāripūrakaṃ saphalaṃ sampādakabodhimārganiruttaraṃ kriyābhedasaṃdhyajapahomavidyacaryānuvartināṃ mārgaṃ dṛṣṭaphalakarmapratyayajanitahetunimittamahādbhutadaśabalākramaṇakuśalabodhimaṇḍa-m-ākramaṇaniyataparāyaṇam | tat sādhu bhagavān vadatu śāstā mantrasādhanānukūlāni svapnasaṃdarśanakālanimittam yena vidyāsādhakānuvartinaḥ sattvāḥ siddhinimittaṃ karma • ārabheyuḥ saphalāś ca sarvavidyāḥ karmanimittāni bhavanti-r-iti || 15.2 ||

ap16.

Chapter A16

ap16.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya4907 mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma |

śṛṇu mañjuśrīḥ | tvadīye sarvārthakriyākarmapaṭalavisaraṃ pūrvanirdiṣṭaṃ parṣanmaṇḍalamadhye savistaraṃ vakṣye 'ham | pṛṣṭo 'yaṃ yakṣarājena vajrahastena dhīmatā || 16.1 ||

ap16.2

sarvamantrārthayuktānāṃ svapnānāṃ ca śubhāśubham |

ata prasaṅgena sarvedaṃ kathitaṃ mantrajāpinām || 16.2 ||

ap16.3

yakṣarāṭ tuṣṭamanaso mūrdhni kṛtvā tu • añjalim |

praṇamya śirasā śāstur abhyuvāca girāṃ tadā4908 || 16.3 ||

ap17.

Chapter A17

ap17.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ sarvatathāgatavikurvitaṃ nāma samādhiṃ samāpadyate sma | samanantarasamāpannasya bhagavataḥ śākyamuner ūrṇākośād raśmayo niścarati sma | nīlapītāvadātamāñjiṣṭhasphaṭikavarṇaḥ | sarvaṃ cedaṃ budhakṣetram avabhāsya sarvalokadhātvantarāṇi cālokayitvā sarvagrahanakṣatrāṃś ca muhūrtamātreṇa jihmīkṛtyākṛṣṭavān4928 | ākṛṣṭā ca svakasvakā sthānāni saṃniyojya tat parṣanmaṇḍalaṃ buddhādhiṣṭhānenākṛṣya ca tatraiva bhagavataḥ śākyamuner ūrṇākośāntardhīyate sma | sarvaṃ ca grahanakṣatratārakāḥ • jyotiṣo-r-uparudhyamānā ārtā bhītā bhagavantaṃ śākyamuniṃ prajagmuḥ | kṛtāñjalayaś ca tasthure prakampayamānā muhur muhuś ca dharaṇitale prapatanamānāḥ || 17.1 ||

ap24.

Chapter A24

ap24.1

4945atha bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ sarvanakṣatragrahatārakajyotiṣāṃ sarvalokadhātuparyāpannānāṃ sarvadigvyavasthitān sarvamaharddhikotkṛṣṭatarāṅ grahān4946 āmantrayate sma || 24.1 ||

ap24.2

śṛṇvantu bhavanto mārṣāḥ sarvagrahanakṣatraprabhāvasvavākyaṃ4947 | prabhāvaṃ nirdeśayituṃ4948 bhavantaḥ | sarvamantrakriyārthāṃ sādhayantu4949 bhavantaḥ | samaye ca tiṣṭhantu bhavantaḥ4950 | iha kalparāje mañjughoṣasya śāsane siddhiṃ parataś cānyāṃ kalparājāṃsi • autsukyamānā bhavantu bhavanta iti || 24.2 ||

ap25.

Chapter A25

ap25.1

atha bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api grahanakṣatratārakajyotiṣagaṇān āmantrayate sma || 25.1 ||

ap25.2

+ + + + śṛṇvantu bhavantaḥ sarve | anatikramaṇīyo 'yaṃ kalparājā mañjuśriyaḥ kumarabhūtasya mantratantrābhiṣekamaṇḍalavidhānaṃ | na ca5305 japahomaniyamavidyāsādhanapravṛttānām asmiṃ kalpavare vidyādharāṇāṃ tithinakṣatracaritagaṇitām abhijñānāṃ nakṣatrabhavadbhiḥ vighnaṃ kartavyam | pravṛttānāṃ śāsane 'smin sarvaiś ca devasaṅghais tatra rakṣā kāryā | sarve ca duṣṭasattvāni niṣeddhavyāni roddhavyāni śāsayitavyāni | sarve sarvaṃ na ghātayitavyāni | vyavasthāsu ca sthāpayitavyāni śāsane 'smin daśabalānām || 25.2 ||

ap26.

Chapter A26

ap26.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma | śṛṇu mañjuśrīr ekākṣaracakravartinasya mahānubhāvasya saṃkṣepeṇa paṭavidhānaṃ bhavati | vistaraśaḥ pūrvam udīritam adhunā saṃkṣepeṇa || 26.1 ||

ap26.2

yugādhame sattvā alpavīryā bhavanti • alpaprajñā mandacetasaḥ | na śakyante vistaraśaḥ paṭapramāṇaprayogaṃ sādhayitum || 26.2 ||

ap26.3

saṃkṣepeṇa vakṣye 'haṃ sattvānāṃ hitakāmyayā |

uttamārthaṃ tu yathā siddhiṃ5321 prāpnuvanti sa jāpinaḥ || 26.3 ||

ap27.

Chapter A27

ap27.1

atha bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya tatrasthāṃś ca devasaṅghān sarvāṃś ca buddhabodhisattvā pratyekabuddhāryaśrāvakān punar api mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma || 27.1 ||

ap27.2

nirdiṣṭo 'yaṃ mañjuśrīḥ sarvatathāgatānāṃ sarvasvabhūtaṃ dharmakośaṃ cintāmaṇipratiprakhyaṃ lokānām āśayasaphalīkaraṇārthaṃ tasmin kāle yugādhame śūnye buddhakṣetre parinirvṛtānāṃ tathāgatānāṃ saddharmanetrī•antardhānakālasamaye tasmin kāle tasmin samaye sarvatathāgatānāṃ mantrakośasaṃrakṣanārthaṃ tvadīyakumāramantratantrāṇāṃ kalparāje 'smin nidhānabhūto bhaviṣyati japyamāno vidhinā sārabhūto 'yaṃ mañjuśrīḥ | sarvatathāgatamantratantrāṇāṃ tvadīye ca kumārakalparāje 'grabhūto bhaviṣyaty ayam ekākṣaracakravartī | anena japyamānena sarve tāthāgatā vidyārājānaḥ japtā bhavanti || 27.2 ||

ap28.

Chapter A28

ap28.1

atha bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma |

asti mañjuśrīr aparam api tvadīyapaṭavidhānaṃ sādhanaupayikaṃ sarvakarmārthasādhakam | etenaiva tu • ekākṣareṇa hṛdayamantreṇa ṣaḍakṣareṇa5366 vā makarāntena tvadīyena mūlamantreṇa vā ṣaḍakṣarahṛdayena • oṁkārādyena • ekākṣareṇa vā paṭasyāgrataḥ • asyaiva kalpaṃ bhavati | paścime kāle paścime samaye mayi tathāgate parinirvṛte śūnye buddhakṣetre yugādhame prāpte • atrāṇe loke • aśaraṇe • aparāyaṇe idam eva kalparājā trāṇabhūtaṃ bhaviṣyati | śaraṇabhūtaṃ layanabhūtaṃ parāyaṇabhūtam | katamaṃ ca tat || 28.1 ||

ap29.

Chapter A29

ap29.1

atha bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma || 29.1 ||

ap29.2

asti mañjuśrīs tvadīye kalpavidhānaparivarte saptamaṃ5397 paṭakarmavidhānaṃ yo5398 tasmin kāle tasmin samaye yugānte sādhayiṣyati5399 • amoghā tasya siddhir bhaviṣyati | saphalā sukhodayā sukhavipākā5400 dṛṣṭadharmavedanīyā sarvadurgatinivāraṇīyā5401 niyataṃ tasya bodhiparāyaṇīyā5402 siddhir bhaviṣyati || 29.2 ||

ap30.

Chapter A30

ap30.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma || 30.1 ||

ap30.2

asti mañjuśrīs tvadīyamantratantre vidyārājñāṃ cakravartiprabhṛtīnāṃ sarvatathāgatoṣṇīṣapramukhānāṃ sarvamantrāṇāṃ siddhisthānāni bhavanti | tatrottarāpathe sarvatra tāthāgatīvidyārājñaḥ siddhiṃ gacchanti saṃkṣepataḥ || 30.2 ||

ap30.3

cīne caiva mahācīne mañjughoṣaḥ sedhiṣyate5436 |

ye ca tasya mantrā vai siddhiṃ yāsyanti tatra vai || 30.3 ||

ap31.

Chapter A31

ap31.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma |

śṛṇu mañjuśrīḥ kumāra pūrvanirdiṣṭaṃ padaṃ sattvāviṣṭānāṃ caritaṃ śubhāśubhaṃ nimittaṃ ca vakṣye || 31.1 ||

ap31.2

atha khalu mañjuśrīḥ kumarabhūtaḥ • utthāyāsanād bhagavataś caraṇayor nipatya murdhnim añjaliṃ kṛtvā bhagavantam etad avocat ||

tat sādhu bhagavān vadatu sattvānāṃ parasattvadehasaṅkrāntānām āryadivya †eti† siddhagandharvayakṣarākṣasapiśācamahoragaprabhṛtīnāṃ vicitrakarmakṛtaśarīrāṇāṃ vicitragatiniśritānāṃ vividhākārānekacihnānāṃ manuṣyāmanuṣyabhūtānāṃ cittacaritāni | samayo bhagavān samayaḥ sugataḥ | yasyedānīṃ5450 kālaṃ manyase || 31.2 ||

ap32.

Chapter A32

ap32.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma || 32.1 ||

ap32.2

asti mañjuśrīs tvadīyamantrāṇāṃ sarvatantreṣu samanupraveśaṃ5477 sarvavidyārahasyam anekakālaguṇasakalaphalodayam apy anubandhanimittam | pramāṇato vakṣye siddhikāraṇāni | tadyathā || 32.2 ||

ap32.3

janmāntaritā siddhir na siddhiḥ kālahetutaḥ |

tatpramāṇaprayogas tu pūrvasambaddham udbhavā || 32.3 ||

ap32.4

ahitāvahito siddhir bhaved yuktivicāraṇam |

tvatkumārāśrayayuktir dṛśyate sarvadehinām || 32.4 ||

ap33.

Chapter A33

ap33.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ sarvāvantaṃ śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma || 33.1 ||

ap33.2

tvadīye mañjuśrī kalparāje nirdeśa5487samākhyāte dharmadhātukośatathāgatagarbhadharmadhātuniṣpandānucarite mahāsūtravararatnapaṭalavisare tathāgataguhyavara-m-anujñāte mantravara5488sādhyamāne nimittajñānacihnakālapramāṇāntaritasādhanaupayikāni sarvabhūtarutavitāni • asattvasattvasaṃjñānirghoṣāni bhavanti || 33.2 ||

ap34.

Chapter A34

ap34.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api taṃ śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma || 34.1 ||

ap34.2

śṛṇu mañjuśrīḥ tvadīyamudrāmantraṃ5527 sarahasyaṃ paramaguhyatamam | aprakāśya-m-aśrāddhasattvatathāgataśāsane 'nabhiprasannam asamayānujñātatriratnavaṃśānucchedanakare • akalyāṇamitraparigṛhīte puṇyākāme5528 duṣṭajanasamparkavyatimiśrite pāpamitraparigṛhīte dūrībhūte buddhadharmāṇāṃ niṣphalībhūte kalpe 'smin nācāryānupadeśe • anabhiṣikte5529 tava kumāra paramaguhyatame maṇḍale • adṛṣṭasamaye tathāgatakule • asamante jane • aprakāśya sarvabhūtānāṃ tvanmantrānuvartināṃ || 34.2 ||

ap35.

Chapter A35

ap35.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya tathāgatamahāmudrākośasañcodanī nāma samādhiṃ samāpadyate sma | samanantarasamāpannasya bhagavataḥ śākyamune • ūrṇākośān mahāraśmir niścacāra | anekaraśmikoṭīnayutaśatasahasrasaṅkhyeyaparivārāḥ sā raśmijālā anekān buddhakṣetrān avabhāsayitvā sarvabuddhān sañcodya punar api bhagavataḥ śākyamuner ūrṇākośe 'ntarhitā || 35.1 ||

ap35.2

samanantarasañcoditāś ca sarve buddhā bhagavanto gaganasvabhāvāṃ samādhiṃ samāpadya śuddhāvāsopari gaganatale pratyaṣṭhāt | atha bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ sarvabuddhān abhyarcya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma |

ap36.

Chapter A36

ap36.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma |

asti mañjuśrīḥ paramaguhyatamaṃ tvadīyaṃ mūlamudrāsameta saparivāraṃ mudrālakṣaṇaṃ sarvakarmeṣu copayojyaṃ sarvasampattidāyakaṃ saphalaṃ sarvamantrānuvartanaṃ sarvakarmārthasādhakaṃ saṃkṣepataḥ | śṛṇu mañjuśrīḥ || 36.1 ||

ap36.2

ādau tāvat prasṛtāñjalis tarjanyānāmikāmadhyaparvatānupraviṣṭā pṛthak pṛthak | sā eṣā mañjuśrīs tvadīyā mūlamudrā vikhyātā sarvakarmikā bhavati || 36.2 ||

ap37.

Chapter A37

ap37.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma || 37.1 ||

ap37.2

asti mañjuśrīs tvadīye mūlakalpe • aparam api mudrā paramaguhyatamam | sarveṣāṃ mudrātantravidhānaṃ sarvamantrāṇāṃ sammataṃ sarvamantraiś ca saha saṃyojyaṃ5619 sarvakarmaprasādhakaṃ samyaksambodhimārgaviśodhakaṃ sarvabhavamārgavināśakaṃ sarvasattvopajīvyam āyurārogyaiśvaryasarvāśāpāripūrakaṃ sarvabodhipakṣadharmaparipūrakaṃ sarvasattvasantoṣaṇakaraṃ sarvasattvamanāśābhirucitasaphalābhikaraṇaṃ sarvakarmakaraṃ sarvamantrānuprasādhakaṃ sarvamudrāmantrasametam | śṛṇu kumāra mañjuśrīḥ || 37.2 ||

ap38.

Chapter A38

ap38.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma | śṛṇu mañjuśrīḥ |

saṃkṣepato mudrāṇāṃ lakṣaṇaṃ mantrāṇāṃ ca savistaram | saṃkṣepataś ca maṇḍalānāṃ vidhiḥ samayānuvartanaṃ5670 mudrāsthānaṃ ca teṣu vai | sarahasyaṃ sarvamantrāṇāṃ sarvatantreṣu5671 maṇḍalam || 38.1 ||

ap38.2

etat sarvaṃ purā proktaṃ sarvabuddhair maharddhikaiḥ |

mantrāṇāṃ gatimāhātmyaṃ kathitaṃ sarvakuleṣv api |

ādimadbhiḥ purābuddhaiḥ sattvānāṃ hitakāraṇāt || 38.2 ||

ap50.

Chapter A50

ap50.1

5679atha khalu bhagavān vajrapāṇir yakṣasenāpatis tasyāṃ parṣadi sannipatito 'bhūt | sanniṣaṇṇaḥ • utthāyāsanād ekāṃśam uttarāsaṅgaṃ kṛtvā dakṣiṇaṃ jānumaṇḍalaṃ pṛthivyāṃ pratiṣṭhāpya sa yena bhagavāṃs tenāñjaliṃ praṇamya bhagavantam etad avocat || 50.1 ||

ap50.2

yo hi bhagavan mañjuśriyā kumarabhūtena krodharājā yamāntako nāma bhāṣitaḥ tasya kalpaṃ vistaraśo bhagavatā na prakāśitam | nāpi mañjuśriyā kumarabhūtena | ahaṃ bhagavan paścimatā janatām avekṣya bhagavatā parinirvṛte śāsanāntardhānakālasamaye vartamāne mahābhairavakāle yugādhame sarvaśrāvakapratyekabuddhavinirmukte buddhakṣetre tathāgataśāsanasaṃrakṣaṇārthaṃ dharmadhātucirasthityarthaṃ sarvaduṣṭarājñāṃ nivāraṇārthaṃ ratnatrayāpakāriṇāṃ nigrahārthaṃ vaineyasattvakauśalācintyabodhisattvacaryāparipūraṇārtham acintyasattvapāka-m-abhinirharaṇārthaṃ ca || 50.2 ||

ap51.

Chapter A51

ap51.1

atha khalu vajrapāṇir guhyakādhipatiḥ sarvāvantaṃ mahāparṣanmaṇḍalam avalokya sarvāṃs tān śuddhāvāsopariniṣaṇṇān bhūtasaṅghān āmantrayate sma || 51.1 ||

ap51.2

śṛṇvantu bhavanto mārṣā yamāntakasya krodharājasyāparimitabalaparākramasya durdāntadamakasya vaivasvatajīvitāntakarasya duṣṭasattvanigrahatatparasya mahābodhisattvasya mañjuśriyabhāṣitasya • ādau5691 tāvat paṭavidhānaṃ bhavati || 51.2 ||

ap51.3

na tithir na ca nakṣatraṃ nopavāso vidhīyate |

arīṇāṃ bhaya5692 utpanne paṭam etaṃ likhāpayet || 51.3 ||

ap52.

Chapter A52

ap52.1

atha khalu śāntamatir bodhisattvo mahāsattvas tasminn eva parṣatsannipāte sannipatitaḥ sanniṣaṇṇo 'bhūt | utthāyāsanāt sarvabuddhaṃ praṇamya parṣanmaṇḍalamadhye sthitvā bhagavantaṃ śākyamuniṃ triḥ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya caraṇayor nipatya sa yena vajrapāṇir mahāyakṣasenāpatis tena vyavalokya vācam udīrayati sma || 52.1 ||

ap52.2

atikrūras tvaṃ vajrapāṇe5790 yas tvaṃ sarvasattvānāṃ sattvopaghātikaṃ kāmopasaṃhitaṃ ca mantratantrāṃ bhāṣayase | na khalu bho jinaputra bodhisattvānāṃ mahāsattvānām eṣa dharmaḥ | mahākaruṇāprabhāvitā hi mahābodhisattvā bodhisattvacārikāṃ carante | sarvasattvānām arthāya hitādhyāśayena pratipannā bhavabandhanān na mucyante || 52.2 ||

ap53.

Chapter A53

ap53.1

atha khalu bhagavāñ śākyamunis tasmāt samādher vyutthāya mahāsāgaropamāyāṃ parṣanmaṇḍalaṃ dharmaṃ deśayamānaḥ sarvasattvānāṃ sarvabhūtagaṇānām agrataḥ sanniṣaṇṇās tatra vajrapāṇipramukhānām anekabodhisattvā6072sṅkhyeyasahasrāṃ śāriputrapramukhām anekāsaṅkheyārhatsahasrāṃ vaiśravaṇapramukhām asaṅkhyeyārcacāturmahārājikadevaputrāṃ śakrapramukhāṃ trāyastriṃśām asaṅkhyeyadevaputrāṃ suyāmasantuṣitanirmāṇaratiparanirmitavaśavartibrahmakāyikabrahmapurohitamahābrahmaparīttābhāpramāṇābhāsvarair yāvat puṇyaprasavā bṛhatphalāvṛhā6073tapākaniṣṭhā devān āmantrayate sma || 53.1 ||

ap54.

Chapter A54

ap54.1

atha bhagavān śākyamuniḥ punar api śuddhāvāsabhavanam avalokya mañjuśriyaṃ kumarabhūtam āmantrayate sma || 54.1 ||

ap54.2

ayaṃ mañjuśrīḥ • dharmaparyāyaḥ • asmin sthāne pracariṣyati tatrāhaṃ6782 svayam evaṃ veditavyaḥ | sarvabodhisattvagaṇaparivṛtaḥ śrāvakasaṅghapuraskṛtaḥ sarvadevanāgayakṣagaruḍagandharvakinnaramahoragasiddhavidyādhara6783mānuṣāmānuṣaiḥ parivṛto vihare 'haṃ veditavyaḥ | tathāgato 'tra rakṣāvaraṇaguptaye tiṣṭhatīti || 54.2 ||

ap54.3

daśānuśaṃsā mañjuśrīḥ kumāra veditavyāḥ6784 • yatra sthāne6785 'yaṃ dharmakośas tathāgatānāṃ pustakagato vā lekhayiṣyati6786 vācayiṣyati dhārayiṣyati satkṛtya manasikṛtya vividhaiś cāmaracūrṇa6787cchatradhvajapatākāghaṇṭābhir vādyamālyavilepanair dhūpagandhaiś ca sugandhibhiḥ pūjayiṣyati mānayiṣyati satkariṣyaty ekāgramanaso vā cittaṃ dhatse | katame daśa || 54.3 ||

ab.

Abbreviations

Abbreviations Used in the Introduction and Translation

C	Choné Kangyur
D	Degé Kangyur
H	Lhasa Kangyur
J	Lithang Kangyur
K	Kangxi Kangyur
L	Shelkar Kangyur
MMK	Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa
N	Narthang Kangyur
Skt.	Sanskrit text of the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa as it is represented in the appendix
TMK	Tārāmūlakalpa
Tib.	Tibetan text of the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa as witnessed in the Pedurma Kangyur
Y	Yongle Kangyur

Abbreviations Used in the Appendix‍—Sources for the Sanskrit text of the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa (MMK)

Published editions

M	Martin Delhey 2008
S	Śāstrī 1920–25
V	Vaidya 1964
Y	Jayaswal 1934 (the section containing chapter 53 from Śāstrī’s edition of the MMK corrected by Rāhula Saṅkṛtyāyana)

Manuscripts

A	NAK (National Archives, Kathmandu) accession no. 5/814
B	NAK accession no. 3/303
MSS	all manuscripts (as used for any given section of text)
R	NAK accession no. 3/645
T	manuscript accession no. C-2388 (Thiruvananthapuram)

Tibetan sources

C	Choné (co ne) Kangyur
D	Degé (sde dge) Kangyur
H	Lhasa (lha sa/zhol) Kangyur
J	Lithang (li thang) Kangyur
K	Kangxi (khang shi) Kangyur
N	Narthang (snar thang) Kangyur
TMK	Tibetan translation of the Tārāmūlakalpa (Toh 724)
Tib.	Tibetan translation (supported by all recensions in the Pedurma Kangyur)
U	Urga (phyi sog khu re) Kangyur
Y	Yongle (g.yung lo) Kangyur

Critical apparatus

*	text illegible (in a manuscript)
+	text reported as illegible in S, or in Delhey’s transcript of manuscript A
?	text illegible (in a printed edition)
[] (square brackets)	text hard to decipher (in a manuscript)
]	right square bracket marks the lemma quoted from the root text
a.c.	ante correctionem
conj.	conjectured
em.	emended
lac.	lacunae in the text (physical damage to the manuscript)
m.c.	metri causa
om.	omitted
p.c.	post correctionem
r	recto
v	verso
† (dagger)	text unintelligible
• (middle dot)	lack of sandhi or partial sandhi

Notes

n.1

Not to be confused with the division of the Buddhist canon of the same name.

n.2

Cf. Wallis 2002, pp. 9–10. The canonical Chinese translation, done in at least two stages, dates to the 11th century (ib., p. 10).

n.3

Jean Przyluski (Przyluski 1923, p. 301) wrote, “C’est une sorte d’encyclopédie qui traite, sous forme de sermons, des sujets les plus variés: iconographie, rituel, astrologie, etc…”

n.4

In the MMK as a whole, there are more than 1,600 proper names, excluding place names.

n.5

The accumulations are mentioned, e.g., in the passage: “There is, in the extensive manual of rites of Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, an ocean-like chapter on useful practices whereby beings who have undertaken the complete practice of the mantra system [can perfect] the accumulations [required for the attainment of] awakening” (asti mañjuśriyaḥ kumārabhūtasya bodhisattvasya mahāsattvasya kalpavisare samudrāpaṭalasādhanopayikaṃ sarvamantratantracaryānupraviṣṭānāṃ sattvānāṃ bodhisambhārakāraṇam). The chapter that this quotation is taken from is not included in our translation, but is appended to chapter 36 in Śāstrī’s edition (Śāstrī 1920-25, vol. 2, p. 384, lines 8–10).

n.6

Comment left by Harunaga Isaacson at http://tibetica.blogspot.com/2008/11/in-window-of-sweet-shop.html.

n.7

The number 55 is arbitrary inasmuch as this count includes only one of the two chapters, each specified in its colophon in the Trivendrum manuscript as “the thirty-fourth.” These two chapters are placed together in Śāstrī’s edition where they form chapter 36. Only the first of them is included in our translation. Also, another couple of chapters seem to have been created artificially, such as, e.g., “chapter” 55, appended in Śāstrī’s edition after the final chapter 54, where it clearly does not belong.

n.8

Two sets of folio references have been included in this translation due to 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.

n.9

byang chub sems dpa’ ’dus pa’i ’khor gyi tshogs Tib. The word “pavilion” is missing from the Tibetan. The Sanskrit word maṇḍala, taken here to describe “pavilion” (cf. Edgerton 1970, maṇḍalamāḍa, p. 416), is translated in the Tibetan as tshogs (“assembly”) and refers to the “congregation of bodhisattvas.”

n.528

Om. Tib.

n.529

“It also brings complete omniscience” om. Tib.

n.604

shin tu bkrus pa D. The phrase “Tightly woven, thoroughly clean” has been supplied from the Tibetan. The Skt. has in this position “keeping the vow well.”

n.605

kha tshar dang bcas pa dang / Tib. The phrase “fringe tassels” in the Tibetan or “fringe” (sadaśa) in the Skt. probably refers to the threads extending beyond the rectangle of the woven cloth on each of the four sides.

n.611

rab tu gsang ba Y, K, N, H; rab tu gsungs pa D. Y, K, N, and H agree with the Sanskrit ºrahasya.

n.612

khyod kyi N, H; khyod kyis D; N and H indicate that the “cloth-painting procedure” pertains specifically to Mañjuśrī.

n.613

“Smallest” om. Tib.

n.623

phung po lhag ma dang bcas pa’i mya ngan las ’das pa’i grong khyer du ’gro bar byed pa/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “that takes [them] to the citadel of nirvāṇa in which the aggregates remain.”

n.624

byang chub sems dpa’ rnams kyi rgyud nges par byang chub sgrub par byed pa/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “that continuously causes them to always accomplish the awakening of all bodhisattvas.”

n.625

bdag gi gsang sngags ’di Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “This secret mantra of mine.”

n.664

’jam dpal gzhon nu gang khyod kyis bstan pa’i sems can de dag gi phyir/ le’u’i cho ga rab ’byam ’di thabs sla bas ’grub par ’gyur ba ngas kyang bstan te/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Mañjuśrī, I have taught the extensive chapter on the rite, a method that is easy to master, for the sake of those beings whom you foretold.”

n.665

“I will speak for the benefit of all beings” om. Tib.

n.717

klu rnams mthong ba yang don yod pa yin te/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “this is effective in making the nāgas appear.”

n.956

“Mantras” om. Tib.

n.1021

The translation of this paragraph is partially based on the Tibetan and partially based on the Skt.

n.1123

“Time” om. Tib.

n.1295

The reference is made here to the immediately preceding chapter.

n.1296

blo dang ldan pa gnod sbyin gyi bdag po lag na rdo rjes nga la dris nas/ ’jam dpal khyod kyi don thams cad bya ba’i las kyi le’u rab ’byam ’khor gyi dkyil ’khor gyi nang du rgya cher sngar bstan pa yin no/ D. This paragraph has been translated mainly from the Tibetan. In the Skt. it begins with “Listen, Mañjuśrī!” The clause “Requested by … in his hand” comes at the end of the paragraph and possibly serves to introduce the verse that follows. The Skt. also includes the phrase “I will [now] teach…” (future tense) which seems to clash with the past tense (“I taught”) of the immediately following section that sums up the previous chapter.

n.1297

sngags kyi zlos pa bstan pa yin/ D. The Tibetan corresponding to the Skt. kathitaṃ mantrajāpinām (“[all this] was taught for/with reference to the mantra reciters”) translates as, “the recitation of mantras has been taught.”

n.1359

From this chapter onward, the chapter numbers are out of step with those in the Tibetan translation. Chapters 18 to 23 in the Sanskrit text are not included in the Tibetan translation of the text and are not translated here.

n.1487

kye kye gza’ dang rgyu skar kyi tshogs rnams khyed cag thams cad nyon cig Tib. “The planets and the nakṣatras” has been supplied from the Tibetan (Skt.: lacunae).

n.1488

sngags dang / rgyud dang / dbang bskur ba dang / dkyil ’khor dang / D. The Tibetan reads the compound mantratantrābhiṣekamaṇḍala as a dvandva that translates as, “the mantra, the tantra, the empowerment, and the maṇḍala.”

n.1489

“Homa” om. Tib.

n.1490

The grammar of this part, starting from “This sovereign,” is not very clear.

n.1491

sems can ma rungs pa thams cad kyang dgag par gyis shig /bstan par gyis shig D. “Restrained/stopped” (roddhavyāni) is omitted in the Tibetan.

n.1521

“Again” om. Tib.

n.1522

“But now only briefly” om. Tib.

n.1523

ras ris kyi tshad rgya che ba’i sbyor ba sgrub pa nyams par ’gyur bas/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “The practice of executing the painting in its extended version has degenerated.”

n.1616

’jam dpal bstan pa ’di ni de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi nor du gyur pa/ chos kyi mdzod ’jig rten pa rnams kyi bsam pa ’bras bu dang bcas pa byed pa’i phyir nor bu rin po che lta bur gyur pa’o/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “This teaching, Mañjuśrī, is the jewel of all the tathāgatas. This treasure chest of Dharma is like a wish fulfilling jewel because it brings the wishes of worldly beings to fruition.”

n.1617

sems can thams cad kyi bsams pa yongs su rdzogs par bya ba’i phyir cho ga bzhin du bzas pa byas na thob pa yin no/ D. The phrase, “will fulfill the wishes of all beings” is based on the Tibetan, which translates as, “Since it can fulfill the wishes of all beings, if one has recited the mantra following the proper procedure, one will attain the result.” Sections of this line are not found in the Skt.

n.1618

“Tathāgata-vidyārājas” must refer to other uṣṇīṣa kings‍—Sitātapatra, Tejorāśi, and so forth.

n.1685

ras ris dang po Tib. In place of “in front of this painting,” the Tibetan has “this first painting.”

n.1686

’di nyid kyi yi ge gcig pa’i snying po’i sngags sam yi ge drug po ma’i mtha’ can khyod kyi sngar bstan pa’i yi ge drug pa’i snying po’am dang po na oM yod pa’i yi ge gcig pa’i ras ris dang po ’di nyid kyi cho gar ’gyur ba ni phyi ma’i dus phyi ma’i tshe na D. It is not clear in the Skt. why the “one-syllable mantra” is mentioned twice and whether it is the same one-syllable mantra or not. The Tibetan translates as, “It will be the ritual of this first painting‍—whether it be this one’s single-syllable heart mantra, the six-syllable mantra ending with ma, your aforementioned six-syllable heart mantra, or the single-syllable mantra with oṃ first‍—that, at a later time in the future … /”

n.1804

’jam dpal khyod kyi sngags dang rgyud dang rig pa’i rgyal po dang ’khor los sgyur ba la sogs pa dang de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi gtsug tor la sogs pa dang sngags thams cad kyi grub pa’i gnas yod de/ Tib. “Tathāgata-uṣṇīṣas,” here and elsewhere in the MMK, refers to the deities called uṣṇīṣa kings. The Tibetan translates as, “Mañjuśrī, there are places where one can accomplish your mantra system, the vidyādhara and cakravartin and the like, all of the tathāgata-uṣṇīṣas and the like, and all mantras.”

n.1805

The word tathāgata has a feminine ending in the Skt. This could be either a corruption or could reflect the gender of vidyā (feminine).

n.1877

rig pa thams cad la ’os pa/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “they are applicable to all vidyās.”

n.1899

A nirdeśa is a type of an explanatory text, usually on religious or philosophical matters.

n.1900

’jam dpal khyod kyi cho ga’i rgyal po chos kyi dbyings kyi mdzod/ de bzhin gshegs pa’i snying po/ chos kyi dbyings kyi rgyu mthun pa’i rjes su spyod pa/ mdo chen po’i mchog /rin po che’i le’u de bzhin gshegs pa’i gsang ba’i mchog rjes su gnang ba/ sngags kyi mchog sgrub pa la rgyu mtshan shes pa dang rtags dang dus gzhan shes pa’i sgrub pa’i thabs rnams nges par bstan cing yang dag par bstan no/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Mañjuśrī, your king of manuals is a treasury of the sphere of phenomena, the essence of the tathāgatas that proceeds in harmony with the sphere of phenomena and is supreme among the great sūtras. This precious chapter definitively and accurately teaches the authorization that is the supreme secret of the tathāgatas, understanding the reason for accomplishing the supreme mantra, and other methods for accomplishing knowledge of signs and times.”

n.2238

khyod kyi phyag rgya D. “Root” is omitted in the Tibetan.

n.2254

sems can thams cad kyi lam du gyur pa yin no/ D. The Tibetan includes an additional line here that translates as, “It has become the path of all beings.” The Tibetan and Skt. diverge at this point (Skt. 37.2.2, D. 276.b.1). The following is a list of the correspondences in material between the Tibetan and Skt. texts following the folio enumeration in the Rockwell Degé Kangyur:

D. 276.b.1–277.a.2 = Skt. 37.10–37.16.
D. 277.a.2–277.a.7 = Skt. 37.2.2–37.4.3 (Skt. 37.4.4–37.5.2 om. Tib.).
D. 277.a.7–277.b.2 = Skt. 37.5.3.4–37.9 (Skt. 37.8 om. Tib.).

The Tibetan text then begins to align again with the Skt. at D. 277.b.2, which corresponds to the material in Skt. 37.17.

n.2456

As becomes clear later in this chapter, the association of the mudrā with whatever deity determines its position in the maṇḍala.

n.2457

’jam dpal mdor na nyon cig phyag rgya’i mtshan nyid dang sngags rnams kyi rgya che ba dang dkyil ’khor gyi cho ga’i mdor bsdus pa dang dam tshig la rjes su ’jug cing phyag rgya’i gnas dang sngags thams cad dang rgyud de dag thams cad la gsang ba dang bcas pa’i dkyil ’khor ni/. The syntax and clause divisions in this paragraph are difficult to ascertain in the Skt., which makes the translation proposed here unreliable. The Tibetan translates as, “Mañjuśrī, listen to this brief explanation. The following is a summary of the features of the mudrās, the extensive mantras, and the maṇḍala procedure, acting in accord with the samaya and the arrangement of the mudrās, all of the mantras, and the maṇḍala that contains what is concealed in all of the tantras.”

n.2458

sngags shes bdag nyid chen po dang / /yon tan kun kyang bstan pa yin/ Tib. The Tibetan syntax is obscure. One possible translation might be, “They also taught about great beings / Who are versed in mantra and all the good qualities.”

n.2485

The chapter number jumps from 38 to 50 here because the chapters from 39 to 49 have been left out as they are missing from the Tibetan translation.

n.2486

“Bowed” om. Tib.

n.2487

de’i cho ga rgya che ba bcom ldan ’das kyi bka’ ma stsal la/ J, K; de’i cho ga rgya che ba bcom ldan ’das kyi bka’ stsal pa/ D. Following J and K, the Tibetan translates as, “the Blessed One has not explained the extensive ritual.”

n.2540

gshin rje’i ’tsho ba mthar byed pa/ Tib. Here the Tibetan translates Vaivasvata following the standard Tibetan translation for Yama.

n.2541

gtsor byed pa byang chub sems dpa’ ’jam dpal gyis smras pa/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “That was taught by the preeminent bodhisattva Mañjuśrī.”

n.2605

“You are exceedingly cruel” om. Tib.

n.2606

’khor ba’i ’ching ba las grol bar ’gyur ro/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “they liberate them from the bonds of cyclic existence.”

n.2758

“From his samādhi” (literally, “from that samādhi”) is probably a reference to the samādhi called the buddha’s blessing through miraculous transformation that the Buddha had entered in 50.4 above, i.e., at the beginning of the Yamāntaka section. This section ended at the conclusion of the previous chapter.

n.2759

The correspondence with the Tib. resumes at this point (the section of text starting from Skt. 52.144a until 53.4a is missing from the Tib.).

n.2760

de nas gzhan yang bshad bya ba/ /sdug bsngal spang zhing bde bya ba/ /sdug bsngal spang zhes bstan pa ni/ /mdor bsdus na ni bzlog pa yin/ D. The Tibetan translation opens chapter 36 (Skt. 53) with this verse, which translates as, “I shall explain further. / The teaching that states, ‘Abandoning suffering / And pursuing happiness is the abandonment / Of suffering’ is, in short, wrong.”

n.2761

“Those who attain awakening on their own,” i.e., the pratyekabuddhas.

n.2762

The Skt. uses the past tense form here, when this obviously ought to be the future.

n.2763

Skt. 53.19a om. Tib.

n.2764

de tshe nub phyogs bltas pa’i mal/ /de yi gnas su ’byung bar ’gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Then I will come to rest / On a bed facing west.” Based on the parallel passage in 53.25 below, the reading apaścime has been emended to apaścimā (“final”). The Tibetan reflects the Sanskrit *paścime.

n.2765

“Described as golden” alludes to the name of the river Hiraṇyavatī (“Rich in Gold”).

n.2766

“Celebration” translates the Skt. maha or mahas, which can also mean “sacrificial oblation” or a religious event that involves such oblation. Possibly a double meaning is intended here, alluding to the cremation of Buddha’s remains.

n.2767

Skt. 53.24 om. Tib.

n.2768

It is not quite clear at which point in his life the Buddha is believed to have taught the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa. It appears, though, that the entire discourse was delivered by the Buddha during his incarnation on Earth as Śākyamuni after he temporarily ascended to the realm of the Pure Abode sometime after turning the wheel of Dharma at Sarnath. The Buddha thus uses the future tense when predicting, just now, his own parinirvāṇa on Earth, but is changing at this point to the past (although it is difficult to tell because of the ambiguous grammar), as he now starts describing his life on Earth that already happened. He will continue to use the past tense until his narrative catches up with the “present” moment. He will then switch to the future once again when referring (in verse 53.56 below) to his forthcoming parinirvāṇa.

n.2769

lus kyi gdung ba’ang yun ring ba/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Mortifying my body for a long time,” reflecting the Sanskrit *cīraṃ (“for a long time”) instead of the extant Skt. cīrṇaṃ (“I practiced”).

n.2770

shes dang shes bya gsal ba ni/ /ngas ni cung zad thob pa med/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “I did not attain the slightest / Clarity regarding knowledge and its object.”

n.2771

The holy fig tree has huge root spurs that can provide a cozy shelter.

n.2772

We have a play on words here, as aśvattha is the name of the tree under which the Buddha attained awakening, and it is also the name of the astrological juncture (the full moon in the month of Āśvina) during which this happened. We also have a figure of speech here, as aśvattha is the name of the tree synonymous with bodhi (the Bodhi tree), and so, by poetic extrapolation, “aśvattha-hood” (which is the expression used in the Sanskrit text) means the state of awakening (bodhi).

n.2773

shing rtsa a shwat+thar ’dug nas/ /sems ni shin tu dang bar gyur/ /bsam gtan dang ni ting ’dzin dang / /der ni brtan pa’ang mngon par ’thob/ /mtshan mo’i mthar ni skye mthar byed/ /der ni snang ba med pa’ang ’thob/ D The Tibetan translate as, “I sat at the base of that aśvattha tree, / And my mind became exceedingly clear. / Then I attained absorption, / Concentration, and stability, / And by the end of the night I brought birth to an end. / At that point I attained the absence of appearances.”

n.2774

Grammatically, tad can refer to him (Māra), or the vighnas, or both.

n.2775

This refers to those that follow the path of either the śrāvakas, the pratyekabuddhas, or the buddha/bodhisattvas.

n.2776

The Skt. narrative switches between the first and the third persons. Here it is all translated in the first person for the sake of consistency.

n.2777

’gro ba lnga la yang dag brten/ D. The Skt. gatiṃ pañcāsunisṛtām (“mode of life,” “existence that depends on the five airs”) is translated into the Tibetan as if it were *pañcagatiṣu niśritānām (“of those who follow the five destinies”). The five vital airs are prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, samāna, and udāna.

n.2778

“The faults” probably refers to the three faults, also called “the three poisons”‍—anger, greed, and ignorance.

n.2779

tshangs pa’i ’khor lo rab tu bskor/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “I turned Brahmā’s wheel,” which is another possible interpretation of the Skt. cakraṃ brāhmyam (“the great wheel”). In fact, a double meaning may be intended here.

n.2780

“The four abodes of Brahmā,” or the four immeasurable states, are immeasurable loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.

n.2781

“Forward and backward movements” refers to the method of analyzing (vyavalokana) the chain of interdependent origination, namely how the arising of each link in the chain leads to the arising of the next link but the non-arising of the first link (ignorance) leads to the non-arising of all the subsequent links.

n.2782

“Having thus turned the wheel” is, in the original text, in verse 53.42 above.

n.2783

This is probably a reference to the “twin miracle” performed at Śrāvastī, followed by the Buddha’s ascent to the realm of the gods.

n.2784

mi yul dag tu rdzu ’phrul ni/ /de tshe yang dag bstan par byas/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Then I perfectly displayed / A miracle in that district.” According to the standard version of the Buddha’s life, the miracle performed at Sāṅkāśya was his descent from heaven. The Tibetan seems to mistranslate saṅkaśye (probably meaning “in Sāṅkāśya”) as a form of *saṃ+kāś or perhaps *sam+pra+kāś, meaning “perfect display.”

n.2785

There seems to be some confusion here about the sequence of events. Possibly the MMK presents here a different version of events in the Buddha’s life, according to which the Buddha descended from heaven not at Sāṅkāśya but “among the people of Agnibhāṇḍa” (unless he descended from heaven twice). It also seems odd that, “having descended from among the gods,” he is again, in the immediately following passage, in the realm of the gods, where he seems to ascend through the different levels, until he arrives (in verse 53.54 below) “above the realm of the Pure Abode,” where he is now speaking to the assembled beings.

n.2786

tshangs sogs brgya byin bcas pa dang / Tib. The Tibetan translates as “Brahmā and the rest including Śakra.” However, in this case “Destroyer of Cities” could be an epithet of Śiva, as Indra has already been mentioned.

n.2787

stong chen po yi ’jig rten gyi/ /khams dang ’dra bar bsams mi khyab/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Just as a great thousandfold / World system is inconceivable.”

n.2788

The plural of “victorious lords” could be honorific and refer to Śākyamuni alone.

n.2789

rdzogs longs spyod pa longs spyod spangs/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Utterly devoid of sense pleasure and enjoyment,” reflecting the Sanskrit *sambhogabhogavarjite instead of the extant Skt. sambhoge bhogavarjite.

n.2790

yang dag mtha’ ni rtogs nas kyang / /chos kyi mtha’ la yang dag gnas/ /sems can kun la snying brtse bar/ /kun gyis yongs su bskor nas gnas/ /lha yi tshogs ni thams cad dang / /’phags dang so so’i skye bo dang / D. This verse is rendered in six lines in the Tibetan and translates as, “Who realize ultimate reality and / Perfectly abide in the ultimate nature of phenomena / Will exhibit compassion and love toward all beings / And be present there surrounded by all of them. / All of the hosts of gods and / Noble and ordinary beings…”

n.2791

sdug bsngal mi rtag stong pa yi/ /bcom ldan de ’di gzims pa yi/ /mthong ba yi ni tha ma ’am/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “The Blessed One lying here / Teaches about suffering and impermanence. / Is this the last time we will see him?”

n.2792

rdzu ’phrul chen po lha yi bu/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Divine sons with great miraculous power,” reflecting the Sanskrit *devaputrā instead of the extant Skt. buddhaputrā.

n.2793

thub pas de ’drar mi ’da’ mdzod/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “May the Sage not pass away like that.”

n.2794

yun ring dus nas brten mdzad pa’i/ /sems can mang po’i don mdzad stsol/ /zhi ba mya ngan ’das lam mam/ /bsam gtan rnam thar bstan du gsol/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Please remain for a long time and / Carry out the benefit of many beings. / Please teach the path to peace or nirvāṇa, / Concentration, and liberation.” In the Skt., the spirits’ plea includes another line of unmetrical text which is, however, unintelligible and is missing from the Tibetan.

n.2795

In this part in the Skt. the grammatical tenses alternate between the perfect, the future, and others. However, they have been converted in this translation to the future, as the Buddha is talking about his “future” nirvāṇa.

n.2796

mi dang mi yi bdag po kun/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “All of the human beings and kings.”

n.2797

gzhan yang shAkya’i rigs skyed pa/ /rdzu ’phrul chen po ’dod chags bral/ /bdag nyid chen po sangs rgyas ni/ /lha yi gnyen gyur pa/ D. The syntax of Skt. 53.78.cdef is not very clear. The Tibetan translates as, “Moreover, scion of the Śākya clan, / You are extremely powerful, devoid of desire, / A great being, a buddha, / And the divine friend of the gods.”

n.2798

chags bral lugs la mkhas pa dang / Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Free from passion and knowledgeable of customs.”

n.2799

skye dang byang chub de bzhin du/ /dam chos ’khor lo sge ba spyod/ /zhi ba yang dag kun gshegs par/ /de bzhin rang rgyal dgra bcom pa/ /mi yi lus la brten nas ni/ /bla med zhi bar gshegs pa yin/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Just as I was born, attained awakening, / Set the virtuous wheel of the holy Dharma in motion, / And will proceed entirely and completely to peace, / So too will the pratyekabuddhas and arhats / Take on a human body and then / Proceed on to unsurpassed peace.”

n.2800

bsil bar gyur cing ’gog par gyur/ Tib. “Cool and not subject to arising” is the description of final nirvāṇa and, by way of a figure of speech, also of the funeral pyre that has cooled and will not burn again. The Tibetan translates as “Cool and ceased,” which reflects the Sanskrit *nirodhaye instead of the extant Skt. nirodaye.

n.2801

mi dang gnod sbyin mkha’ lding bdag D. In place of “ṛṣis,” the Tibetan translates as, “humans.”

n.2802

The meaning of hṛtārtha (“stripped/deprived of wealth/purpose”) is unclear. This bahuvrīhi compound possibly refers to the fact that the grieving beings, having lost the Buddha, lost their most valued thing and/or their purpose.

n.2803

yon tan ldan pa rdzu ’phrul ches/ /phyogs nas thams cad bdag gir byas/ /rang gi gnas su khyer nas ni/ /de tshe mchod pa byed ’gyur zhing / D. The Tibetan translates as, “These great powerful beings with good qualities / From every direction will all claim them as their own. / They will take them to their own realms and / Then make offerings to them.”

n.2804

mchog dang tha mar gnas pa’i / /sems ni dad pa rnam gsum gyis/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Since there are three types of thoughts / Categorized as superior, lesser, or middling.”

n.2805

’jig rten rnam gsum ’gyur ba ni/ /sangs rgyas bse ru dgra bcom thob/ /theg pa rnam gsum ’jig rten gsum/ /rnam gsum yang dag bstan pa yin/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “There are three types of attainment in this world, / That of a Buddha, pratyekabuddha, and arhat. / And three vehicles have been taught / For these three types in this threefold world.” The Tibetan translation of the material in Skt. 53.103d reflects the Sanskrit *samudita instead of the extant the Skt. samoditam.

n.2806

rang rgyal byang chub la brten pa/ /de bzhin ’jig rten ’gyur ba yin/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “There will likewise be those in the world / Who rely upon the awakening of a solitary victor.” The Tibetan reflects the Sanskrit *niśrita (“relying upon”).

n.2807

snying ni mya ngan bcas gyur nas/ D. om. Skt.

n.2808

The wording suggests that it is the Bodhi tree that provides shelter (literally, a “hiding place”). This “hiding place” could be a hollow inside the tree, or a place between the huge root spurs that grow from this tree, or, less likely, a natural cave next to the tree.

n.2809

’og min de bzhin ’jig rten mtha’/ /srid rtse’i ’jig rten khams kyi bar/ /’jig rten ma lus thams cad dang / /stong chen srid pa las byung ba/ Y, K, N, H. The Tibetan translates as, “From the edge of this world in Akaniṣṭha / Up to the world system of the peak of existence, / And all worlds without exception / That arise out of the thousandfold world.”

n.2810

mi dang mi yi bdag po dang / Tib. In the Tibetan, the phrase manujair narādhipaiś cāpi is interpreted not as “human kings,” but as “human beings and kings,” which is grammatically possible, but the hierarchical order in which these beings are listed (from the “powerful gods” to the spirits) makes it unlikely that human beings would be mentioned before kings, here or in other similar passages throughout the text.

n.2811

sangs rgyas nyi ma’i rigs las byung / Tib. “A relative of the sun” is a reference to the solar dynasty of Ikṣvāku, of which the Buddha was a descendant.

n.2812

’chi mas brnangs shing smre sngags ’don/ /sa rnams sgra ni chen pos gang / /ha ha zhes bya’i sgra nyid dang / /rnga bo che yi sgra yang thos/ D. The Tibetan ’chi mas brnangs shing preserves a scribal error that should be emended to mchi mas brnangs shing.

n.2813

thub mchog gzims mal dam pa ni/ /kun nas yongs su bskor bar mthong/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will see the Supreme Sage’s / Fine bed surrounded on all sides,” to remind us that this is still part of Kāśyapa’s vision.

n.2814

de tshe bram ze ’od srung ni/ Tib. In place of “monk,” the Tibetan translates as, “great brahmin.”

n.2815

skye gzhan gyi rjes ’gro ba/ /bdag gis ston pa’i sku mi mthong / Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “As I proceed on to the next rebirth, / I shall no longer see the teacher’s body.”

n.2816

Ajātaśatru murdered his own father.

n.2817

de tshe deyi phug ’ongs nas/ Tib. In place of “house,” the Tibetan translates as, “cave,” reflecting the Sanskrit *guhāṃ instead of the extant Skt. gṛhaṃ.

n.2818

nyan thos chen po gzi brjid che/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “O great splendorous śrāvaka.”

n.2819

der ni sems med brgyal gyur pa/ Tib. The Tibetan is missing the material in Skt. 53.137f and translates as “Then he will fall down unconscious.”

n.2820

de yi tshe na gzon nu ni/ /rdzu ’phrul chen po ’jam pa’i dbyangs/ /dbugs ’byin pa ni byed par ’gyur/ /sems can rjes su gzung ’dod pas/ /’jig rten kun tu rgyu bar gyis/ D. The Tibetan renders this verse in five lines that translate as, “Then, Divine Youth / Extremely powerful Mañjuśrī, / You will offer them comfort. / You will wander the entire world / Out of a desire to care for beings.”

n.2821

de tshe khyod ni ’dug par ’gyur/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as “At that time you will be there.” Skt. 53.139c reads mantra tvam, which translates as, “You, the mantra deity,” but the word “mantra” is not reflected in the Tibetan. The Tibetan reflects the Sanskrit correlative *tadā (or perhaps *tatra or *atra) instead of the extant Skt. mantra.

n.2822

’jig rten kun tu bltas nas ni/ /su zhig sdub bsngal gang las drang / D. The Tibetan translates as, “You will survey the entire world thinking / ‘Who can I deliver from suffering?’ ”

n.2823

gzhon nu zab pa’i blo ldan pa/ /de ltar sa la ’gyel bar gyur/ /’jam dpal gyis ni de yi tshe/ /sa bdag de ni sdug bsngal ba/ D. The Tibetan is missing the first person pronoun from Skt. 53.141a, which is critical to generating a proper translation of this line. The Tibetan also omits the verb (in the form of a future participle) vaśyam or paśyam. If we supply the verb paśyam here instead of vaśyam, then the Tibetan corresponding to Skt. 53.141cd translates as, “At that point Mañjuśrī, you will see / The King in a state of acute suffering.”

n.2824

’jam pa’i dbyangs kyis mi bdag ni/ /rmi lam gnas pa bzhin du mthong / /khyod kyi rdzu ’phrul byin brlabs kyis/ /rgyal pos mya ngan gyis brgyal des/ /de tshe de ni rmi lam du/ /mngon sum byis pa lta bur mthong / D; ’jam pa’i dbyangs kyi mi bdag ni/ /rmi lam gnas pa bzhin du mthong / /khyod kyi rdzu ’phrul byin brlabs kyis/ /rgyal pos mya ngan gyis brgyal des/ /de tshe de ni rmi lam du/ /mngon sum byis pa lta bur mthong / N. The Tibetan translates as, “Mañjuśrī, you will see the king / In a dream-like state, / And, due to the blessing of your miraculous powers, / The king, who is overcome with grief, / Will then have a vision / Of a child appear before him in a dream.” The majority of Tibetan translations of the material corresponding to Skt. 53.143ab indicate that it is Mañjuśrī who sees the king, but in the Skt, it is clear that it is the king who sees Mañjuśrī. Only N preserves a variant that might account for the syntax in Skt. 53.143ab. Still, the Tibetan translators seem to have accounted for their reading in the next verse of the Tibetan translation, in which it is clear that the king sees Mañjuśrī in a dream. Thus, following all of the Tibetan translations of the material corresponding to Skt. 53.143–144ab aside from N, the Tibetan reading suggests that Mañjuśrī first sees the king in a dream state and then is seen by the king in the next verse.

n.2825

de bzhin chos ni rnam par ’phrul/ /byang chub sems dpa’ byis pa’i gzugs/ /sna tshogs rdzu ’phrul bsam mi khyab/ /’jam dpal gyis bstan sems dang byas/ Tib. “As is the special quality of their emanations, / Taking the form of a bodhisattva child, / You, Mañjuśrī, with your various inconceivable magical powers, / Will cause him to reflect upon the teachings.”

n.2826

mdo sde ’gyos pa sel ba ste/ Tib. The meaning of the Skt. sūtra, literally “thread” or “string,” is not clear in this context but possibly suggests that the crimes were committed in an uninterrupted succession. The Tibetan term mdo sde would interpret the term sūtra to refer to the genre of Buddhist literature of the same name, and it suggests the tentative translation, “As in the sūtras, his wicked deeds will be cleared away.”

n.2827

It is not clear how the phrase “in the beginning, in the middle, and at the end” fits with the remainder of the verse. The genitive plural ending suggests that it refers to the buddhas, i.e., “the buddhas [who authored this teaching in] the beginning, the middle, and the end.”

n.2828

sangs rgyas dpa’ bos de gsungs nas/ /’od chen ldan pa ’jam dbyangs la/ /gnas gtsang steng bzhugs de tshe gzigs/ / D. The Tibetan is again a bit obscure and renders this material in three lines that translate as, “After the Buddha, the Hero, said that, / He gazed upon the great radiant one Mañjuśrī, / Who was dwelling above Pure Abode.”

n.2829

rkang gnyis skyil krung bcas nas ’dug D. The Tibetan translates as, “He will take a seat with his legs crossed.”

n.2830

“The late king” is Ajātaśatru’s father, Bimbisāra.

n.2831

rgyal po’i bu ni ’dug par gyur/ /de nas ’od srung ches smras pa/ /nga ni spur sbyong gnas su ’gro/ /mi rnams la ni phan phyir dang / /mchod rten gzugs gnas mchod don du’o/ D. The translation of Ajātaśatru’s speech is uncertain. The Tibetan (where it is Mahākāśyapa speaking to Ajātaśatru) translates as, “The prince took his seat / And Mahākāśyapa addressed him saying, / ‘I will go to the cremation site / In order to benefit people [there] and / To worship the place where his body is interred in a reliquary.’ ” The Skt. bimba (“disk/sphere/orb/dome”) can also mean “image/figure,” which meaning appears to be reflected in the Tibetan. However, the stha (“located”) that follows after caityabimba (“caitya dome/globe”) suggests that bimba here is a locum rather than the image.

n.2832

Skt 53.160ab om. Tib. The translation of these two pādas is uncertain.

n.2833

de nas lam gyi bar ’dug nas/ /’khor ba’i stegs ni rab tu brtan/ J, C. The Tibetan translates as, “He will come to the halfway point on the road / And take shelter at a resting place for travelers.” The Tibetan ’khor ba’i stegs translated here as a “a resting place for travelers” might reflect the Sanskrit *saṃsārasthaḥ (as is conjectured in Jayaswal’s edition of this chapter) meaning literally a “place” (*sthaḥ) for “travelers” (*saṁsāra/saṁcāra).

n.2834

The Skt. mahalla/mahallaka is often used as a term of contempt or ridicule to describe an aging but unruly monk.

n.2835

ji tsam de nas ’ongs gyur pa/ /dge ’dun kun dga’ rar gnas pa’i/ /dge slong rgan zhugs gsar bu ni/ /sdig pa nyid kyis rnam rmongs pas/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “A deluded and sinful / Elderly ordained monk / Living at the monastery / Will see him approaching in the distance.” The verb “see” (mthong nas) is distributed to this verse from the beginning of the next verse.

n.2836

mthong nas rgan zhugs rnam ’khrugs te/ /gang phyir de dang nye bar ’ongs/ /grags pa che zhing skal ba che/ /sems can bdag pa rims nad med/ /bram ze de yi drung lhags nas/ /de tshe rkang gnyis phyag byas nas/ /de la smras pa skal ba che/ /legs ’ongs khyod ni vi phyir byin/ Tib. The Tibetan corresponding to Skt. 53.162–163 is slightly different and translates as, “Seeing him, the elderly monk will get nervous / [And wonder] why should I approach him? / He will come closer to the brahmin / Who is so very famous and fortunate, / A pure being free of disease and illness, / And then, after prostrating at his feet / He will say to him, ‘Fortunate One, / Welcome! Why have you come?’ ”

n.2837

“Of great wisdom” om. Tib.

n.2838

bslab dang bslab min rjes su ston/ Tib. The translation of the last pāda is uncertain. The Tibetan translates as, “Who teaches the learned and the unlearned.”

n.2839

sa rnams dang ni ri rab kyang / Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “The entire earth and even Mount Meru.”

n.2840

skar mda’ dag kyang sa la ltung / D. The Tibetan translates as, “And meteors will fall to earth.”

n.2841

de nas de ni sngags zhes brjod/ /nyan thos rnams kyi rigs las byung / /yi ge hUM de yi yi ge gcig /las rnams ma lus byed cing dge/ Tib. The “family” refers to the Buddha/Tathāgata family. The Tibetan offers a different reading that translates as, “Then he will pronounce the mantra / That comes from the family of the śravakas, / The syllable hūṃ, the One Syllable / That is auspicious and accomplishes all activities.”

n.2842

“He,” as the mantra, is the deity, presumably Lord of Wrath.

n.2843

Skt. 53.180cd om. Tib.

n.2844

’od srung chen po rmad ’byung ba/ /skal ba chen po de mthong nas/ /rdzu ’phrul chen po dge slong rnams/ /thams cad smre sngags ’don du byed/ Y, J, K, C. Following the reading in Y, J, K, and C, the Tibetan translates as, “When they see the miraculous Mahākāśyapa, / The great fortunate one, / The very powerful monks / Will all wail with grief.”

n.2845

“The Magadhan king” refers to Ajātaśatru.

n.2846

sa steng zhi ba’i gzims mal du/ /bas mtha’ dgon par mya ngan ’das/ Tib. “Passed into nirvāṇa” has been supplied from the Tib., filling the lacunae in the Skt.

n.2847

The Skt. dhātu (“element/elemental component”) also means “relic,” or relics that will remain after the cremation. Possibly this meaning is also implied here.

n.2848

thub pa’i sku sbyangs las byung ba’i/ /der ni sku gdung mchod rten byas/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “A body relic caitya will be built there / At the source, the Sage’s funeral pyre.”

n.2849

dge slong kun dga’ bo zhes bya/ /slob pa nga yi bsnyen bkur ba/ /mi yi dam pa mnyes gshin pa/ nga la rtag tu yongs su dad/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “The monk named Ānanda, / A disciple and my attendant, / A dear and distinguished person / Who always has utmost faith in me.”

n.2850

Skt. 53.203ab om. Tib.

n.2851

rdzu ’phrul chen po snying rjes non/ /rna; ’byor chen po ’dod chags bral/ /rdzu ’phrul chen po thub pa’i sras/ /thams cad de bzhin smre bar byed/ D. The Tibetan differs quite a bit from the Skt. here and translates as, “The great powerful one will be overcome with compassion. / The great yogi who is free from desire, / The great powerful one, the Sage’s heir / Will wail just like everyone else.”

n.2852

ma ga d+hA yi grong mchog tu/ /grong khyer bzang po rgyal po khab/ D. The city “referred to as royal” is Rājagṛha. The Tibetan translates as, “To the capital city of Magadhā, / The beautiful city of Rājagṛha.”

n.2853

The reading “lamenting” was obtained by emending palāyinaḥ (“fleeing”) to pralāpinaḥ (“lamenting”).

n.2854

de bzhin rnam pa du ma’i gnas/ /bstan pa bsdu ba’i ched dag tu/ /’dus nas smra ba kun smra ba/ rdzu ’phrul chen po byed par ’gyur/ D. The translation of this Skt. verse is problematic. The Tibetan differs significantly and seems to be a continuation of Mahākāśyapa’s speech. The Tibetan translates as, “ ‘Let us gather in these many various places / To collect the teachings, / And then recite all that can be recited / Great powerful ones.’ ”

n.2855

de bzhin dge bsnyen dge bsnyen ma/ /dus kyi mtha’ la ma zhir ’gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Male and female lay practitioners will have no peace,” probably reflecting the Sanskrit *aśāntā instead of the extant Skt. aśrāddhā.

n.2856

phan tshun skyon ni ’tshol byed cing / D. The Tibetan translates as, “They will seek each other’s faults.”

n.2857

rma ldan skyon ni ma rungs ltar/ /skyon la rtag tu rtog par byed/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “They will bear weapons and inflict harm like wicked people, / And they will obsess about doing harm.”

n.2858

“Free from … karmic traits”; literally, “without karmic influences” (nirāsrava).

n.2859

de nas mkha’ lding klu dang ni/ Tib. “Nāgas” has been supplied from the Tibetan. The Skt. has “gandharvas” in this position, repeated for the second time.

n.2860

gzi brjid chen po gza’ rnams dang / D. The term “planets,” reflecting the Sanskrit *graha, has been supplied from the Tibetan due to the lacunae in the Skt.

n.2861

sku gdung Tib. In place of “body,” the Tibetan translates as, “body relics.”

n.2862

The verb used for blessing, adhi + √ṣṭhā, could also imply that Mahākāśyapa is restoring Ajātaśatru’s legitimacy (in the moral sense) as a king.

n.2863

cha gcig khyod kyis blang bar gyis/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “You will pick up a portion,” where “you” must refer to Mahākāśyapa.

n.2864

rgyal po gzhan ni stogs ldang gyis/ /gzhan dag rab tu khyer bar gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “The other powerful kings / Will take away the rest.” The Tibetan translates the Skt. bhogibhiḥ as rgyal po, which translates as “kings” rather than “snake-like beings.”

n.2865

phan tshun bab col ’khrugs nas ni/ /gcig la gcig gi ’khon byas nas/ /de tshe nam mkhar sku gdung khyer/ rang gi gnas su’ang bzhag par ’gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “They will become agitated and rash toward each other, / And while they are fighting one another / They will transport the relics through the sky / And inter them in their own location.”

n.2866

de tshe thub pa’i nyan thos mchog /dge slong ’od srung chen po de/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Then the monk Mahākāśapa, / The Sage’s preeminent śrāvaka will say.”

n.2867

sems can ’jigs par sngang ba ste/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Appear to terrify beings,” meaning (by the Tibetan reading) that beings appear to now be terrified of the buddhas, pratyekabuddhas, and śrāvakas.

n.2868

de tshe sa las ma phye bar/ /de yi sku gdung blangs nas ni/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Then he will pick up some of the relics / That had not been removed from the ground.”

n.2869

kun la’ang mi rtag ’du shes kyis/ /de na yang ni gnas par gyur/ /snying rjes brlan pa’i sems kyis ni/ /sems can rnams la mya ngan byed/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Even though everything is impermanent because it is compounded, / There is something that yet remains. / His mind overflowing with compassion, / He will grieve for all sentient beings.”

n.2870

shAkya’i skyes mchog bstan pa ni/ /’jig rten dam chos nub pa na/ /bskal pa rnam pa mang por ni/ /yun ring sems can ngu bar ’gyur/ /’di dag dud bzhin mi ’gyur bar/ /’di dag gsung ni bsdu bar bya/ Y. Following the variant in Y, the Tibetan translates as, “When the teaching of the supreme being of the Śākyas, / The holy Dharma, is gone from the world, / Over the course of many eons, / Beings will cry for a long time. / These teachings must not be like smoke. / These words should be collected.” The word for “smoke” (dhūma), synonymous with “destruction,” is also used in the Skt. in place of “chanted” (saṅgātavyam). The Tibetan translates as, “collected,” reflecting the Sanskrit *saṅghātavyam.

n.2871

dpa’ bo de las langs nas ni/ /sems kyi stobs ni nyams pa med/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Then the hero will get up and, / With an unmatched willpower.”

n.2872

“Silks, music, riches” has been supplied from the Tib. (the Skt. lists instead “parasols” for the second time).

n.2873

“Garlands” are listed twice in both the Skt. and the Tib. texts. Banners, bells, and unguents are missing from the Tib. list.

n.2874

’jig rten mchog la mchod pa yis/ /bdag gi dge ba mang po gang / /de bzhin gshegs la mchod pa ’dis/ /bsam gyis mi khyab mchog thog zhog D. The meaning of this verse is unclear. The Tibetan translates as, “By this offering to the most eminent being in the world, / And my virtue, however great, / Due to this offering to the Tathāgata, / May I attain the inconceivable supreme state.”

n.2875

khyod ni bdag gi dbang ’gyur mdzod/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “You must act under my power,” reflecting the Sanskrit *vaśībhūtaḥ instead of the extant Skt. sākṣibhūtaḥ. The Tibetan variant makes little sense given the context.

n.2876

I.e., King Bimbisāra.

n.2877

de tshe shing rta zhon nas byung / Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He climbed onto a chariot and left.” The Tibetan reflects the Sanskrit *ratha (“chariot”) instead of the extant Skt. *rathyā (“road”).

n.2878

sems ni yang dag dad gyur nas/ H; sems ni yang dag dang gyur nas/ D. The BHS grammar of this verse has been interpreted based on the Tibetan translation in H. The rules of classical Skt. wouldn’t allow this interpretation, but the BHS rules do.

n.2879

bse ru lta bur skye ba med/ D. In the Tibetan, the Skt. khaḍgakalpamasambhavaḥ (“appearing exactly as [a rhinoceros]”) is translated as “rhinoceros-like and unarisen.” Among other possibilities, the Tibetan translators may have divided the compound not as kalpama + sambhavaḥ, but as kalpam + asambhavaḥ. For the BHS form kalpama see Edgerton 1970, paragraph 22.13.

n.2880

zhabs bkrus nas ni bshos gsol te/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “We will wash your feet and offer you food.”

n.2881

The “three stains” are ignorance, hatred, and greed.

n.2882

me tog spos sogs sngon ’gro bas/ Tib. The last pāda has been supplied from the Tibetan (Skt. lacunae).

n.2883

khyor bcas chos la dad pa yis/ /de yi rkang pa gnyis la gtugs/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Then, holding the vessel and with faith in the Dharma, / She fell down at his feet.”

n.2884

Literally “player in the dirt” (pāṃsukrīḍanaka), which implies playing in the sand or in direct contact with earth.

n.2885

nyan thos rgyal ba skyob pa la/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Toward a śrāvaka, a victorious protector,” reflecting the Sanskrit *śrāvakajinatāyine instead of the extant Skt. pratyekajinatāyine.

n.2886

A reference to the first Buddhist council at Rājagṛha.

n.2887

sdud par byed/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “collected.”

n.2888

dpa’ bo Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “hero.”

n.2889

gzhon nu khyod ni ’dul byed cing / /zhi ba dam pa ston par ’gyur/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “You, youthful prince, will train / And instruct him in the ultimate peace.”

n.2890

U is the first letter of this king’s name. Possibly he is identified here only by this first letter, because this letter is always the same in all the different version of his name: Udayin, Udayabhadra, Udayana, etc.

n.2891

The time sequence is unclear, but probably the time spent among the pitṛs is an interim period before being reborn as a god.

n.2892

grong khyer stobs ldan mtshan phyed du/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “At midnight, in Balanagara.”

n.2893

rang rgyal skyob pa dag la ni/ Tib. “Victorious” om. Tib.

n.2894

Starting with Nahuṣa, and ending with Aśvatthāman three verses below, is the list of the kings who lived prior to the Buddha Śākyamuni. This section is therefore written in the past tense.

n.2895

rgyal po na hu sha la sogs/ D. It is unclear whether pārthiva is a qualifier of Nahuṣa (as the Tibetan takes it to be) in the meaning of “prince,” or whether it is a proper name (as it is translated here). The alternative translation of this pāda as found in the Tibetan would be, “Are Nahuṣa and the other kings and rulers.” The two names (if pārthiva is also a proper name) are followed by ādayaḥ (“and so forth”), which suggests lines of kings.

n.2896

Skt. 53.310–53.314b om. Tib.

n.2897

“Twice-born” are members of the three higher castes, brahmin, kṣatriya, and vaiśya.

n.2898

The translation of this verse is uncertain, but there is no way to verify it, as this section is omitted in the Tib.

n.2899

It is unclear whether the Skt. pārthiva should be translated as “king” (as it has been here) or taken to be the name Pārthiva, in which case the compound pārthivādayaḥ ought to be translated as “Pārthiva and the others,” meaning perhaps other kings from his lineage or his successors. See n.2895.

n.2900

The Skt. of this half-stanza is incomplete and could not be translated. It also marks the end of the passage that is omitted in the Tib., which picks up again at 53.314c.

n.2901

kha cig nyan thos theg pa la/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Some are on the śrāvaka path.”

n.2902

This pāda has been supplied from the Tibetan (Skt.: lacunae).

n.2903

rgyal po rtsod pa la dga bas/ /gzhan ni tha mar bstan pa yin/ D. The Tibetan syntax is a bit obscure, but these lines likely translate as, “It is said that rival kings who delight / In fighting will have the shortest [lifespans].” It is not possible to confirm the intended syntax for the term gzhan here because this pāda is missing in the Skt. Here gzhan is taken as a translation of the Sanskrit parāḥ, which can mean “rival, opponent, enemy” and read as a modifier for the extant Skt. pārthivā.

n.2904

mtshon reg pas ’chi bar ’gyur/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “They will die by the sword.”

n.2905

“Present,” i.e., contemporary with the Buddha Śākyamuni himself.

n.2906

de bzhin li ts+cha bIr skyes pa’i/ /shAkya’i rigs skyes seng ge dang / D. The Tibetan translates as, “Likewise Siṃha who was born among the Licchāvis / And who was born into the Śākya clan.”

n.2907

The Sanskrit syntax could also be interpreted as “There is the powerful king Śuddhodana, / Also known as Vairāṭa.”

n.2908

nges par byang chub ’dod nas kyang / shi nas zhi ba ’thob par ’gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Be steadfast in their desire for awakening / And attain the peace of nirvāṇa after they die.”

n.2909

nad med ser sna bral ba dang / D. The Tibetan translates as, “Who is free from illness and not stingy.”

n.2910

“Gift of dust” (Skt. pāṃsudāna) refers to an event, described in the Aśokāvadāna, when Āśoka offered in one of his former births a bowl of dust to Śākyamuni, wishing that it was food.

n.2911

rigs ni nges par ’gyur ba dang / /rgyal po nor chen ldan par ’gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “His family line will be secure and / The king will come to possess great wealth.”

n.2912

lha yi ’jig rten shi ’phos nas/ /sa yi ’jig rten ’dir ’ongs gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Then, when you passed away and left the celestial realm, / You came to this earthly realm.”

n.2913

de nas gnod sbyin shing rta grub/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will obtain a yakṣa chariot.”

n.2914

It is unclear whether the plural of “victorious ones” is honorific or actually refers to Śākyamuni and the previous buddhas. It could be the latter, as 53.346 below again uses the plural number for the “lord protectors” to whom the new reliquary stūpas will be dedicated.

n.2915

We have a play on words in the Skt., as dhātu can mean both “relic” and “mineral/element,” and so dhātugarbha, as a description of the earth, can mean at once “receptacle for relics” and “composed of minerals/elements.”

n.2916

de nas gnod sbyin shing rta dang / Tib. The Tibetan translates as “The yakṣa chariot.”

n.2917

Skt. gives Dharmāśoka, a frequent epithet of Aśoka.

n.2918

de bzhin des kyang rig nas ni/ /rgyal po chos ni ston par byed/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “He will remember this and / Teach the dharma of kings.”

n.2919

The group of cakravartin mantra deities seems to be coterminous with or include the uṣṇīṣa deities, such as the eight uṣṇīṣa kings, all of them fully realized buddhas (in contradistinction to mantra deities who are spirits).

n.2920

“The supreme,” as in the threefold division into the supreme, the middling, and the inferior that recurs throughout the MMK. “Supreme” refers to practices aiming at buddhahood.

n.2921

In this passage, the Buddha again refers to kings that came before him.

n.2922

The list of the mantra deities starting here includes several of the eight uṣṇīṣa kings.

n.2923

rgyal po chen po dug chen pa/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “The great king Sagara.”

n.2924

The One Syllable meant here is possibly bhrūṁ, i.e., the mantra of the uṣṇīṣa king simply called Rājoṣṇīṣa or Uṣṇīṣa.

n.2925

nga las nu ni ’jig rten dang / /de bzhin gtsug tor dam pa grub/ D. “Māndhātṛ accomplished the worldly [mantras] / As well as the supreme uṣṇīṣa [mantras].”

n.2926

This could be the Great Hero (an eight-syllable mantra) introduced in 2.17-18.

n.2927

The term “vidyārāja” (“vidyā king”) here refers equally to the deity and its mantra, with an emphasis on the vidyā, i.e., the magical power.

n.2928

de nas stong phrag brgyad cu’i sngags/ /de bzhin yang dag bsgrubs nas ni/ Tib. Eighty thousand or one hundred thousand years was an average lifespan in the first, i.e., the Satya eon. The Tibetan takes these numbers to be the number of times that the kings recited the mantra and translates as, “And they likewise accomplished / Eighty thousand mantra recitations.”

n.2929

This “middle period” still refers to the time before Śākyamuni, when Vārāṇasī was ruled by the dynasty that included Brahmadatta and so forth.

n.2930

The “lotus holder” is presumably Avalokiteśvara, and the family is the Lotus family.

n.2931

de tshe bar ma’i dus dag tu/ /lha mo rdzu ’phrul chen mo dang / /lha rnams kyi ni sngags dang ni/ /pad+ma’i rigs kyi sngags dang ni/ /blon po mi yi gtso bo dang / /sa bdag sa kun bdag po’o/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Then, during the middle period, / There were the mantras of the / Powerful goddesses and gods, / The mantras of the Lotus family, / The ministers who were the highest among the people, / And the kings who were lords of the entire earth.”

n.2932

It is unclear whether this verse is about King Brahmadatta or the deity Lokeśa.

n.2933

The Skt. actually says, “When I attained the state of a buddha,” which, in this context, must refer to the final nirvāṇa.

n.2934

sha za lto ’phye gnod sbyin dang / /rdzu ’phrul chen mo klu rnams kyi dus ngan de tshe tha ma la/ /sngags ni rab tu grub par ’gyur/ D. The Tibetan treats this verse as a list of various mantras and translates as, “During the final debased eon, / The mantras of the piśācas, / Uragas, yakṣas, and / Powerful female nāgas will be effective.”

n.2935

It is not clear whether kumāras and kumārīs are a class of nonhuman beings (cf. MMK 36.26 in another chapter not included in our translation, but appended to chapter 36 in Śāstrī’s edition), or the term refers here to another class that has such forms, e.g. grahas.

n.2936

The Skt. word mukhya suggests that he was either the first Aśoka or the main one of the “Aśoka” kings.

n.2937

Another name of Pāṭaliputra, the ancient capital of Magadha.

n.2938

rgya yi gtso bo zhes bya ba/ D. The Skt. translates as, nīcamukhya (“chief rogue”). The Tibetan, however, translates as, “Chief of Seals,” which suggests the Sanskrit *mudrāmukhya.

n.2939

de dag la ni des nor byin/ D. This pāda has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt.: lacunae).

n.2940

nor ni mang po de dag gis/ /dge ba’i bshes la rab mchod nas/ /de yi nor ni zad par byed/ D. The Tibetan renders these last four lines in three lines that translate as “With their great wealth, they / Will make offerings to a spiritual teacher, / And his wealth will be exhausted.”

n.2941

“The city named after flowers” is Pāṭaliputra.

n.2942

The minister’s name, Vararuci, is mentioned at this point probably because this name (“one eminently fond of pleasure/passion”) ties in with his description here as atirāgin (“one possessed of strong passion or addicted to pleasure/love”).

n.2943

mchog sred ces ni rnam grags pa’i/ /de tshe ’dod chags shas che ’byung / /bud med byas pa’i skyon gyis ni/ /bram ze’i khye’us ’chi ba thob/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Then, the one known as Vararuci / Will experience acute passion. / Due to a crime committed against a woman, / [A number of] brahmin youths will receive a death sentence.”

n.2944

me tog ces bya’i grong khyer gyi/ /mi rnams ’chad pas gnod par byed/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Killing these youths / Of the city by the name Flower will cause problems.”

n.2945

de bzhin lnga bcu rtsa drug go/ Tib. The Tibetan has “fifty-six.”

n.2946

de ni mtshan phyed sad nas ni/ /rgyal srid la ni bu bzhag pa/ /snying po thig le zhes bya ba/ /blon po la sdang byis pa de/ D. This minister, mentioned below, is Cāṇakya. The Tibetan translates as, “Awakening at midnight, he / Will install as king a son / Named Bindusāra, / And as minister a wicked fool.”

n.2947

It is unclear whether this verse and the next are about Candragupta or Bindusāra. The Skt. grammar indicates that it could be the latter, while the Tib. indicates the former. However, as the following verses (starting from 53.414) describe Bindusāra’s birth in the family of Candragupta and his subsequent life on Earth, these two verses could be about Candragupta.

n.2948

nyan thos kyi ni byang chub ’gro/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Will progress to the awakening of a śrāvaka.”

n.2949

bye ma las byas srid gzhan du/ Tib. In place of “Siṃhadatta,” the Tibetan translates as, “out of sand” (i.e., “[he built a caitya] out of sand”).

n.2950

snying po thig le rgyal po yis/ Tib. The name Bindusāra is derived from the Tibetan. The Skt. reads bimbasāra.

n.2951

blo ldan zla ba spas pa yi/ /rgyal po dga’ ba’i rigs su skyes/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will be born into the royal line / Of King Nanda and Candragupta the wise.”

n.2952

byis pa nyid nas rgyal por ’gyur/ /yun mi thung bar bde ba myong / /’jigs med bstan dang yang dag rig /spyi brtsan pa dang snyan par smra/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “After childhood he will become king. / He will demonstrate fearlessness and perfect understanding. / In general, he will be bold and smooth spoken.”

n.2953

khyod nyid kyi ni sngags nyid kyang / /de tshe grub par byed par ’gyur/ Tib. The Skt. grammar of this half-stanza is ambiguous. The Tibetan translates as, “Then he will also accomplish / Your mantra as well.”

n.2954

byis pa’i tshul can sna tshogs gzugs/ /byis pa rnams la mthu dang ldan/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “They will have power over various types / Of foolish beings who practice foolish systems.”

n.2955

gang zhig khyod kyis bstan pa’i sngags/ Tib. This pāda has been supplied from the Tibetan (Skt.: lacunae).

n.2956

The three reigns are those of Candragupta, Bindusāra, and Aśoka.

n.2957

mnar med dmyal bar yang dag ’gro/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will proceed to the Avīci hell.”

n.2958

las gcig sdug bsngal des zad nas/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “After that suffering has exhausted a one of his actions.”

n.2959

“Krodha” probably refers here to the krodha Yamāntaka.

n.2960

The Tibetan does not provide any material for the lacunae in Skt. 53.426b and omits the material in Skt. 53.426d.

n.2961

ji ltar ’dod par nyes bral rnams/ D. The material corresponding to Skt. 53.433e is missing from the Tibetan, rendering this line relatively unintelligible. On its own this final verse of the Tibetan translates as, “As they please, free from fault.”

n.2962

dge ba’i rtsa ba de yi mthus/ /rang rgyal byang chub smon lam btab/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Due to the power of that root of virtue, / He will proclaim his aspiration for the awakening of a pratyekabuddha.”

n.2963

blo ngan Tib. In place of “unhappy rebirths,” the Tibetan translates as, “ill intentions,” reflecting the Sanskrit *durmatiḥ instead of the extant durgatiḥ.

n.2964

nyan thos de ni byang chub thob/ Tib. Here, as elsewhere throughout this chapter, the Tibetan translates as “Attain the awakening of a śrāvaka,” instead of the awakening of a pratyekabuddha.

n.2965

“From this,” i.e., from Cāṇakya’s example.

n.2966

de nas rgyal po dam pa dang / Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “[The mantras] are the supreme monarch.”

n.2967

dbang phyir D. In place of “wealth,” the Tibetan has “power.”

n.2968

ji bzhin yon tan bzang po ni/ /ji lta bzhin du brjod par ’gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “For as long as there are good people / With good qualities, it will be recited.”

n.2969

sgrub dka’i sngags ni rab bsgrub cing / /’jam pa’i dbyangs kyi de bzhin no/ D. The translation of the last two pādas is uncertain. The Tibetan translates as, “He will accomplish a mantra that is difficult to accomplish and / Will be just like Mañjughoṣa.”

n.2970

This is a reference to Rājagṛha, literally “the king’s home.”

n.2971

This seems to be a reference to the Bamboo Grove. The Sanskrit word for grove, ṣaṇḍa, appears in its alternate spelling of khaṇḍa.

n.2972

rab byung bdag nyis chen po de/ /ji bzhin de tshe ’byung bar ’gyur/ /ma khol zhes bya’i brtul zhugs can/ /de ni de tshe ’byung bar ’gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “As a renunciant / He will truly be a great being, / And he will then be known as / The vow holder Mātṛceṭa.”

n.2973

ji bzhin don ni bstod pas mchod/ /rnam pa sna tshogs dpe dag gis/ /’byung po kun la phan pa’i phyir/ /legs par spyod pa rab byed pa’o/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will make offerings with genuine verses of praise. / Using various types of examples, / He will compose them in well-crafted language / For the benefit of all beings.”

n.2974

The “Joyful” is the first bodhisattva level.

n.2975

rig pa rma bya chen mo ni/ Tib. Māyūrī is identified in the Tibetan as Mahāmāyūrī.

n.2976

“Down to every word” (dhātvartham, literally “the meaning of the roots [of speech]”) om. Tib.

n.2977

’jig rten rig pa ston bdag nyid/ /gzhung byed ngang tshul can du ’gyur/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will educate the world / And will be naturally adept at composing texts.”

n.2978

de yi rig pa grub pa ’di/ D. “Vidyā” has been supplied from the Tibetan.

n.2979

dge slong dgra bcom zhes bya ba/ Tib. The name given in the Tibetan reflects the Sanskrit *Arhadbhikṣu, which seems unlikely as a proper name.

n.2980

The “yakṣa” here is Kubera, the god of wealth.

n.2981

de ni sngags don bdag nyid ldan/ /rgyud shes de bzhin mang du thos/ /gnod sbyin sngags ni rab brjod pas/ /de la bum pa bzang po ’grub/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Endowed with the nature and meaning of mantra, / He will be versed in the tantra and very learned. / He will accomplish the pot of fortune / By reciting the yakṣa mantra.”

n.2982

sngon ni ngas ni gang bshad pa’i/ /theg pa chen po’i mdo sde yang / /de yi tshe na bum pa las/ /dka’ thub chen po ’dren par byed/ Tib. The Skt. syntax of “Mahāyāna sūtra” suggests that, rather than this sūtra being drawn from the pot, the story itself was told in this sūtra. However, as the overall grammar of this Skt. verse seems defective, and because the Tibetan version fits the context better, the Tibetan has been adopted here.

n.2983

glegs bam de la des bltas nas/ /de la sngags ni zlos pa na/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “As he looks at that volume / And recites the mantra that it contains,” possibly reflecting the Sanskrit *mantrajāpine instead of the extant Skt. mantrarūpiṇe.

n.2984

tshangs pa ka ba’i mthar gyur par/ /brgya byin sogs bcas dbang phyug che/ /sngags kyis ma bkug ma ’ongs na/ /sngags pa bdag min sngags rgyal min/ Y, J, K, C. The Tibetan translates as, “If this mantra does not summon Brahmā / Down to the lowest being, and / Śakra and the rest along with Maheśvara do not come, / Then I am neither a mantra adept nor a lord of mantra.” Alternately, the last line might be translated as, “Then I am not a mantra adept and this is not the Lord of Mantras.”

n.2985

de nas sngags pa chen po langs/ /brtul zhugs brtan zhing las rnams grub/ /ji ltar sngags ni byas pa yi/ /sbyor ba mthong ba’ rgyu dag kyang / /rkun ma dgug pa de don gtsor/ /sbyor ba rab tu byas par ’gyur/ N. The Tibetan differs significantly from the Skt. here. Following the reading in N, which reflects the Sanskrit *prayogadṛṣṭahetavaḥ instead of the extant prayogākṛṣṭahetavaḥ in Skt. 53.464d, the Tibetan translates as, “Then he will take up the great mantra, / Maintain the observances, and accomplish all of the rites. / Whatever mantra he uses will possess / The manifest causes of that practice, / And he will apply the practice to / His primary goal, summoning the thief.”

n.2986

Skt. 53.468b om. Tib.

n.2987

kun tu yang ni ma mthong gyur/ D. The Skt. form dāsyante is a bit of a mystery. Here it has been translated as “will [not] find” based on the Tibetan translation. Possibly, it should be emended to drakṣyante.

n.2988

This seems to refer to Vajrapāṇi, the father of Mūrdhaṭaka (cf. 2.38-39).

n.2989

bgegs kyi gzugs kyis sngags pa la/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “As a mantra being in the form of a vighna.”

n.2990

’dis ni bdag la ma mchod pas/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “He does not make offerings to me.” However, the Sanskrit *apūjita that is reflected in the Tibetan would be unmetrical.

n.2991

shin tu legs par yang dag bkug Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will perform the summoning rite perfectly,” possibly referring to the next verse.

n.2992

de nas de ni bgegs de yis/ /yi dags rnams la bum pa byin/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Then he will have the vighna / Give the pot to the pretas.”

n.2993

In the Skt., the honorific plural “we.”

n.2994

On this occasion the diminutive form Nandaka is used.

n.2995

bdag nyid chen po byang chub ni/ /bgegs med myur du rnyed dka’ thob/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Free from vighnas, that great being / Will quickly attain that realization so difficult to attain.”

n.2996

rgyl po btsun pa zhes bya ba/ Tib. The Skt. gomimukhya (literally, “the most important of the Gomins”) is unclear. The epithet seems to refer to Puṣyamitra Śuṅga, the founder of the Śuṅga empire. He is called, a few verses down, gomiṣaṇḍa (“the bull of the Gomins”), suggesting, again, a prominent or the most important Gomin. In place of gomimukhya, the Tibetan reflects the reading *gomyākhyā (“by the name of Gomin”).

n.2997

The expression gomiṣaṇḍa (“the bull of the Gomins”), just like gomimukhya above in note at 53.484, is rather unclear.

n.2998

Jayaswal (Jayaswal 1934, p. 19) suggests that the name of this king is Buddhayakṣa, and identifies him with the Kushana king Kadphises I.

n.2999

bdag nyid chen po sems dpa’ la/ /sa yi bdag por don du gnyer/ D. The meaning of this half-stanza is not completely clear. The Tibetan translates as, “He will ask this bodhisattva / Great being to be lord of the earth.”

n.3000

grong khyer sa ni lnga len ’byung / Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will take five cities and lands.”

n.3001

Āvasatha can mean lodgings for pupils or ascetics in particular.

n.3002

lha ldan yul zhes bya ba yi/ Tib. It is not clear whether or not the Tibetan lha ldan yul is actually meant to translate the extant Skt. nepālamaṇḍale here (which is more commonly translated as bal yul, as witnessed in this very work) or if another location was intended. The Tibetan lha ldan yul is also an alternate name for Lhasa (lha sa), the primary city in the central Tibetan province of Ü (dbus).

n.3003

Here, as well as in other places throughout the text, the Skt. bhoga is translated in the Tibetan not as “pleasures,” “enjoyments,” or “comforts,” but as “prosperity” or “wealth.”

n.3004

Skt. 53.503b om. Tib.

n.3005

The term mleccha here, which normally means a foreigner or a tribesman, seems to refer here to the Nepali subjects, as the kings themselves that are listed next are still Licchavi, i.e., not mleccha.

n.3006

kha ba can gnas kla klo’i rgyal/ Tib. “In the snowy land” has been supplied from the Tibetan (Skt.: lacunae).

n.3007

In place of Vṛṣa, the Skt. has Vaviṣa, which could be a metrical adaptation.

n.3008

Skt. 53.506f om. Tib.

n.3009

phyi ma yin Tib. In the Tibetan the Skt. paścima is translated not as “western,” but as “later.” However, the kings listed next are of the “western” Ṭhākurī dynasty, as they ruled out of Nepāla (the Kathmandu Valley) over the western provinces. The Licchavi and Ṭhākurī dynasties ruled together, at that period, from the same place (cf. Jayaswal 1934, p. 21).

n.3010

de ’og lugs ni rnam zhig cing / /phyi rol skye dgus nye bar spyod/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “After that the dynasty will collapse and / [That land] will be served by foreigners.”

n.3011

It is not clear whether mleccha here refers to foreigners, i.e. non-Nepalese, or to the indigenous population.

n.3012

sna tshogs lha dang bram ze dag D. The Tibetan translates as, “Brahmins and various gods.”

n.3013

rgya yul kun la brten pa yi/ D. It appears that in the usage of the MMK, the Skt. cīna refers to Tibet, whereas mahācīna refers to China. The mention of brahmins, though, if Tibet is meant, is puzzling. The phrase cīnaṃ samantataḥ is also ambiguous, as it could mean “over the entire territory of Tibet” or “in the countries surrounding Tibet.” Also, the Skt. cīna is here translated into Tibetan as rgya yul, which is rather vague as it can mean India or China.

n.3014

“The divine youth of great splendor” seems to refer here to Mañjuśrī.

n.3015

The mantra meant here must be the eight-syllable Mañjuśrī mantra given in 2.18, oṁ āḥ dhīra hūṁ khecaraḥ.

n.3016

mi bdag rgyal thabs nyid kyi phyir/ /de ni skal ba mi nyung ’gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “There will be a great deal of good fortune / That will benefit that king and the kingdom” might reflect the Sanskrit *analpabhāga instead of the extant Skt. alpakārya.

n.3017

mchog gi sbyin pa bla na med/ /bsam pa tsam gyis thob pa nyid/ D. Some Skt. readings in the last two verses could be corrupt and the meaning is unclear. The Tibetan translates as, “His supreme generosity will be unsurpassed. / He will obtain things just by wishing for them.”

n.3018

lha ngan phal pa dag dang ni/ /mi yi ’jig rten smos ci dgos/. In the Tib., this half-stanza translates as, “Let alone wicked and mundane deities / And the world of human beings.”

n.3019

shing shun gyon yul ma gtogs pa/ Tib. The Tibetan translation seems to misread the phrase baṣkalodyaṃ sakāpiśam (Baṣkala, Udyāna, and Kāviśa) as *valkalavāsī (“one who is wearing clothes of tree bark”).

n.3020

de ni dpag tshad bsun brgya dang / D. It is not clear whether śatasapta here means “one hundred and seven” or “seven hundred.” In the Tibetan it is translated as the latter.

n.3021

The text does not specify what the number two hundred and seventy-seven thousand refers to; it could be the number of subjects in Turuṣka’s realm, or perhaps his revenue.

n.3022

stong phrag brgyad cu rtsa gcig gi/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “eighty-one thousand.”

n.3023

des kyang sngags ni rab bsgrubs pa/ /sa steng rgyal po’i ched du’o/ /phyogs che dpung ni chen po dang / /rgyal po grags pa chen po ste/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “He will have accomplished the mantra, / To benefit the king on earth. / There will be a great many vassals and a great army, / And the king will have great fame.”

n.3024

gnyen dang rigs dang rgyal pos kyang / /de ni bkur ba nyid du ’gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “He will be revered by his / Friends, family, and other kings.”

n.3025

“Eight thousand” or, possibly, “one thousand and eight.”

n.3026

The Skt. nāga can indicate both a nāga or an elephant. “Elephant” is often the name given to the followers of the Buddha, especially in the context of conflicts arising between the Buddhist and the brahmanical religions. A pun may be intended here with both these meanings implied, that of a nāga and of a (human) Buddhist.

n.3027

A pun may be intended here, as yakṣa can indicate both a yakṣa or a person from the north.

n.3028

de yi tshe na ’byung bar ’gyur/ /de ltar rnam pa mang po bstan/ /sa dag ’jig rten rnam grags pa/ /bstan dang ston par ’gyur ba yin/ D. The Tibetan syntax is obscure, but the Tibetan for this verse might translate as, “Thus it is said that at that time / There will be many types / Of kings who will be known throughout the world, / And they will teach the teachings.”

n.3029

The country of the Lāḍas corresponds to modern Gujarat.

n.3030

Skt. 53.533c om. Tib.

n.3031

grong khyer phyin nas yang dag zhugs/ Tib. The name Vallabhī appears to correspond to the Tibetan grong khyer phyin here.

n.3032

rig pa’i bdag nyid Tib. In place of “will apply himself,” the Tibetan. translates as, “learned in the vidyā,” reflecting the Sanskrit *vidyātmā instead of the extant Skt. yuktātmā.

n.3033

des na de ni sngags kyang grub/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will accomplish the mantra.”

n.3034

de nas de ni yid byung nas/ /rgyal po’i mi la rab khros te/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “After that, as he thought about it, / He became very angry at the king’s servants.”

n.3035

“Supremely happy” is a play on words that involves the realm’s name‍—Tuṣita‍—meaning “happy.”

n.3036

lo ni lnga bcu rtsa lnga dang / /de bzin zla ba lnga ru ’tsho/ /de srid rgyal srig des byas nas/ D. The last three verses of the Tibetan translate as, “He will live for fifty-five years / And five months. / After he has ruled the kingdom for some time.”

n.3037

de yi nu bo brtan zhes bya/ D. Anuja can mean a younger brother (as in the Tibetan), or just anybody younger. If Jayaswal’s identifications of these kings are correct, Dhruva was Capala’s nephew (Jayaswal 1934, p. 24).

n.3038

brtan pa chos ni brtan par ’gyur/ D. There seems to be a figure of speech intended here, as the name Dhruva can mean “firmly holding on.” The Tibetan translates as, “Dhruva will support the Dharma,” and possibly reflects the Sanskrit *dharmasthāvaratāṃ gataḥ (“he became established in the Dharma”). The Tibetan variant doesn’t agree with the next verse, however, where Dhruva is described as “servile, miserable, and foolish.”

n.3039

The Skt. sevaka seems to stand for strīsevaka (“womanizer”). The first pāda, sevakaḥ kṛpaṇo mūrkhaḥ, is similar to the first pāda of the verse 53.622 below, strīvaśaḥ kṛpaṇo mūrkhaḥ (“heartsick fool controlled by women”).

n.3040

sngon ni bkren pa zham ring gyur/ /yul ni la da’i bdag por gyur/ /lhag ma rgyal po thams cad dang / /skye dgu kun kyang zham ring po/ D. To bring the translation closer in meaning to the Tibetan, the Skt. mūrdhāntās (which makes no sense in the context) has been emended to pūrvāntās (“formerly ended”), as the letter p is often confused with m, and so is v with dh. The Tibetan possibly reflects the reading *prajānām tu sevakāḥ (“the servants of the people”). Given this confusion, the translation here is only tentative. The Tibetan translates as, “Those who were previously poor servants / Will become the rulers of the Lāḍa country, / And all of the kings who are left / Will become servants to all the people.”

n.3041

tshul khrims zhes bya rab ’das nas/ /de ni de dag kun gyi sngar/ /sa bdag thams cad ’byung ’gyur ba/ /dpa’ bo rgya mtsho’i pha rol ’gro/ D. The translation of this verse is slightly problematic. The Tibetan translates as, “After Śīla dies, he and / All of the kings that / Came before all of them / Will cross the hero’s ocean.”

n.3042

me tog gzhu dang rgyal po’i bu/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as “And Prince Puṣpadhanus.”

n.3043

dang po’i dang po snga ma dag /ba la’i grong du ’byung ba yin/ /’od ces bya ba stod rnams dang / /de bzhin khyab ’jug ces bya ba/ D. This probably means that the element “prabha” or “viṣṇu” will be part of their names. The term stod rnams in the Tibetan is most likely a scribal error for stong rnams (sahasrāṇi). The Tibetan translates as, “These very first forefathers / Will be born in the city of Vallabhī. / There will be thousands of them / Named either Prabha or Viṣṇu.”

n.3044

ya de ba yi rigs su byung/ Y, K, C; ya nga ba yi rigs su ’byung/ D. The reading ya nga ba in D reflects a common scribal error for ya da ba given the similarities between the Tibetan characters for da and nga. All of the Tibetan witnesses here preserved a proximate rendering of the Skt. Yādava used to indicate the descendants of Yadu..

n.3045

grong dang skye bo gnyen dang bcas/ /drang srong dmod pas gnod gyur pas/ /blo ldan rgyal po med par ’gyur/ /grong khyer chu yis rab tu gang / /de tshe de yi res ldan grong / /rgya mtsho chen pos rab tu gang/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “The town with its citizens and his kin / Will be harmed by a ṛṣi’s curse. / When the wise king is gone / The city will be flooded, and / Then his Vāravatī / Will be flooded by the ocean.”

n.3046

The first dynasty mentioned here is the Scythian Śaka dynasty, which established itself in northwestern India, including Kashmir.

n.3047

nyi shu gcig dang sum cu yi/ /mi yi rgyal por shes byar bya/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Twenty one and thirty / Will be called kings.”

n.3048

“The middle country” is probably part of the “northern area” mentioned above and refers to Madhyadeśa, i.e., roughly to the Gangetic plain.

n.3049

mtha’ yas Tib. Instead of ante (“in the end”) the Tibetan reflects the reading anante, which could have been an attempt to correct the meter.

n.3050

Jayaswal identifies this dynasty as the “Nāga dynasty of the Bhāraśivas,” which ruled Madhyadeśa fom 150 to 348 ᴄᴇ (Jayaswal 1934, p. 26).

n.3051

bdung zhes bya ba ’phrod byed gzhan Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Another Hara named Kunta.”

n.3052

phreng kun Tib. According to Jayaswal, Paṅkti is a corruption of Avanti, which seems to be backed by historical evidence (Jayaswal 1934, p. 27). In the Tibetan Śarva (emended from “Sarva”) and Paṅkti are a single name *Sarvapaṅkti.

n.3053

These eight kings have been identified by Jayaswal as “the Maukharis,” who ruled Madhyadeśa from 550 to 600 ᴄᴇ (Jayaswal 1934, p. 27).

n.3054

dus kun chos lugs rnam par nyams/ /rgyal po de dag dus las ’das/ /des ni bram ze rigs byung ba/ /de tshe longs spyod che nor dang / Tib. It is unclear if viṣṇuprabhavau means “[the two] descended from [the king] Viṣṇu,” or is a dvandva compound with the meaning “Viṣṇu and Prabhava.” The Tibetan differs from the Skt. and translates as, “When they lose control for all time, / Those kings’ time will pass. / One who is born in a brahmin family / At that time will be wealthy and prosperous.” Here the Tibetan term chos lugs translates the Skt. maryāda.

n.3055

bar mthar yi ge dang po b+ha/ /de tshe blon po gnyi ga gtso/ /gnyi ga nor ldan dpal ldan grags/ /bstan pa la ni phan par dga’/ D. In the Tib., this verse translates as, “The middle and the last will begin with Bh. / There will be two chief ministers at that time, and / Both will be known to be wealthy and glorious. / They will delight in benefiting the teachings.”

n.3056

This makes the number of the district’s inhabitants 16,800. Jayaswal, however (Jayaswal 1934, p. 29), isolates the word “three” from this sentence and interprets it as the three kings: (1) Ādityavardhana, (2) either Prabhākaravardhana or Rājyavardhana, and (3) Harṣavardhana, all three of the Śrīkaṇṭḥa-Sthāṇvīśvara dynasty.

n.3057

Jayaswal (Jayaswal 1934, p. 29), again, isolates the name Āditya and takes it to be the name of the king Ādityavardhana.

n.3058

bdun dang brgyad dang de bzhin gsum/ /te tshe dpal mgrin gnas na ’dug /ston pa nyi ma zhes bya ba’i/ /gnas na dbang phyug rab tu gnas/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “There will be seven, eight, and likewise three / Who will reside in Śrīkaṇṭha then. / The teacher known as Āditya / Will live in Sthāneśvara.”

n.3059

According to Jayaswal (Jayaswal 1934, p. 29), the third king whose name begins with H is Harṣavardhana.

n.3060

“Dharma King” most likely refers here to the buddha Śākyamuni.

n.3061

rgyal po dkar dang zla mdzes dang / D. The Skt. phrase śvetasucandraś ca suggests that these are two kings, Śveta and Sucandra. Jayaswal, however, interprets śvetasucandra as a single name on the assumption that śveta is a corruption of svāti; this phrase thus refers to Svātisucandra. In the Tibetan, śvetasucandra is taken to be two different kings, Śveta (rgyal po dkar) and Sucandra (zla mdzes).

n.3062

longs spyod skra bzang skra zhes su/ Tib. The Tibetan suggests that these names could be *Bhogakeśin (longs spyod skra) and *Sukeśin (bzang skra), which would restore the eight-syllable meter.

n.3063

The translation of this verse follows the interpretation found in Jayaswal 1934, p. 30.

n.3064

sangs rgyas dag pa Tib. The Tibetan reflects the variant *Buddha instead of the extant Skt. Budha.

n.3065

The list of kings in this and other verses in this passage is very confusing, without a clear indication of which is the proper name and which is a moniker.

n.3066

mnyam dang legs par ’jam pa dang / Tib. There is no name in the Tibetan matching Mathita. Jayaswal appears to have reconstructed these names from the Tibetan as *Sahita and *Sumañju.

n.3067

Jayaswal was unable to identify Bala; he is also omitted in the Tib.

n.3068

The epithet keśin relates to hair, and thus refers to the two kings mentioned next, whose names relate to hair: “Pulina” suggests horripilating hair and “Sukeśin” fine hair.

n.3069

de ltar ’di dag rgyal po rnams/ /kan tsi pu rar gnas par bstan/ /de bzhin stong phrag rnam grags pa/ /de tshe ’byung bar ’gyur ba yin/ Tib. The Skt. is confused at this point, as it seems to have an extra pāda. The Tibetan translates as, “It is said that these kings / Will reside in the city of Kāñci. / Likewise it was said that there will be / One thousand [kings] at that time.”

n.3070

For metrical reasons, the Skt. uses in place of Mañjughoṣa the synonymous form Mañjubhāṇin.

n.3071

kho ra ’khor yug ko sa la/ D. A part of this pāda has been supplied from the Tibetan (Skt. lacunae).

n.3072

o Da yul gyi mtshams kun na/ / D. The geographic references in this verse are confusing. Jayaswal suggests that the Kāmarūpa line of kings ruled in upper Burma (Jayaswal 1934, p. 32). “Maritime provinces” could refer to countries in southeast Asia and the Indonesian archipelago ruled, at that time, by Indian kings. In the Tibetan, the Skt. phrase udrasandhiṣu (“in the maritime provinces”) is translated as “on the border of the land of Od[r]a,” probably referring to Oḍra.

n.3073

The designation mleccha denotes people outside of brahmanical social order and therefore strongly suggests that they were Buddhists, as is the case here.

n.3074

de nas skyes pa thams cad ni/ Tib. “All the beings” has been supplied from the Tibetan, as some words appear to be missing in the Skt.

n.3075

The Skt. gauḍavardhana could be interpreted as a proper name or, literally, “one who brings prosperity to Gauḍa.”

n.3076

sa bdag mang po rnams mnan nas/ /zho shas ’tsho ba dag tu byas/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “He will overcome many kings and / Turn them into laborers.”

n.3077

The “middle period” seems to refer here to the middle part of the period covered by the prophecy (the prophecy ends in the eighth century ᴄᴇ).

n.3078

“Provide comfort” om. Tib.

n.3079

The king with the initial S is identified by Jayaswal as king Skanda (Jayaswal 1934, p. 33).

n.3080

de yi nu bo byis zhes bya/ Tib. The Tibetan translation of anuja (nu bo) is commonly understood to signify a “younger brother,” which is also a viable interpretation of the Skt. anuja, but might be historically inaccurate in this case.

n.3081

bstan pa ’di la phan zhing dga’/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Will propagate and rejoice in this teaching.”

n.3082

lo ni sum brgya dag tu’ang ’tsho/ /zhag ni sum cur rab byung nas/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “He will live for three hundred years. / He will take a thirty-day ordination, and.”

n.3083

pha rol rgol bas pham byas te/ /de nas rgyal pos rang srog bcad/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will be defeated by a false teacher, / And the king will take his own life.” It is possible to bring the meaning close to the Tibetan by emending the second pāda to °ādhyāpakasampramūrcchitaḥ (“made confused by the teacher, [the king will kill himself]”). It is also possible that the Skt. is corrupt, and the original version was that it was his son who would commit suicide, which would fit perfectly with the second half-stanza.

n.3084

This half-stanza is missing from the Tib.

n.3085

zhag gsum dang ni gcig dag tu/ Tib. The Skt. and the Tibetan translate as, “For three days and one,” which is probably a metri causa.

n.3086

der ni lha rgyal zhes byar ’gyur/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will be known as Devarāja.” Devarāja means “king of gods.”

n.3087

grong khyer ’phags rgyal zhes bya ba/ /de tshe ma la bar skye’o/ Tib. The Skt. translates literally as, “among the nation of Kālavas.” The Tibetan translates as, “Then he will be born among the Malavas / In the city named Ujjayinī.”

n.3088

Vargacārin (“one who mixes with the crowd”) is one of the two types of pratyekabuddhas, the other being khaḍgaviṣāṇakalpa, i.e., the “rhinoceros”-like, solitary type.

n.3089

yid la ni rdzu ’phrul la dad nas/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “His mind convinced of their power.”

n.3090

gzhan gyi dbang gis ’dir yang phyin/ D. The last pāda seems a little strange, but the Tibetan confirms it.

n.3091

de ltar rnam mang sems can dang / /de bzhin phun tshogs rgya che ba/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Thus all manner of beings / Will greatly benefit as well.”

n.3092

go DA nus pa’i ngang tshul can/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “A Gauḍa with strong ethics.”

n.3093

“The king with the initial U was identified by Jayaswal as Budhagupta, who ruled toward the end of the fifth century ᴄᴇ (Jayaswal 1934, p. 39).

n.3094

rgyal po lam ni byed par shes/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Known as one who carries out the path of a king,” possibly reflecting the Sanskrit *mārgadharaḥ instead of the extant Skt. māgadhakaḥ.

n.3095

Jayaswal (Jayaswal 1934, p.43) takes the Skt. word for “twelve,” dvādaśa, to be the name of Candra’s son, Dvādaśāditya. It is difficult to tell if Jayaswal is right or not; the word gaṇanāṃ that follows after dvādaśa suggests that dvādaśa is not a proper name but just a number. However, the word gaṇanāṃ (the meter indicates that it doesn’t belong to this verse) could have been added erroneously by a scribe or a redactor to make sense of dvādaśa as a number.

n.3096

lo rgyad bcas pa dag tu ’tsho/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Will live for eight years.” The Skt. phrase māsaparampara suggests that his remaining life will be counted in months.

n.3097

This king has not been identified by Jayaswal.

n.3098

This king has not been identified by Jayaswal.

n.3099

This king has not been identified by Jayaswal.

n.3100

de dag mang po ston byed cing / /grags dang snyan pa’i don la brtson/ Tib. The meaning of this half-stanza in the Skt. is uncertain as the grammar is unclear. The Tibetan translates as, “He will demonstrate many of these things / And will expend his efforts for the sake of fame and notoriety.”

n.3101

rtag tu cho gar yang dag ldan/ /ka ba nye bar gnas gyur tshe/ Tib. The Tibetan may be corrupt here and translates as, “He will always be engaged in ritual / And his life will be recorded on a pillar.” The translation “recorded on” is only a conjecture for the term nye bar gnas (*upasthita?) here.

n.3102

lo ni sum cu dag dang bdun/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “thirty-seven.”

n.3103

lha rnams dag tu nye bar skyes/ D. “God realms” has been supplied from the Tibetan. The Skt. translates as, “animal realm.”

n.3104

Despite the Skt. tataḥ (“then/next”), we are now, according to Jayaswal (Jayaswal 1934, p. 47), jumping back in time, as the Nāga kings ruled Bengal from the second to the fourth centuries ᴄᴇ. Notwithstanding Jayaswal’s argument, the Skt. could also be interpreted that King Gopālaka will be reborn in the animal realm as the king of the nāgas (cf. verse 53.761 below, where a king is reborn as the king of the nāgas).

n.3105

“Nāga” here suggests the Nāga dynasty of Bengal, rather than a personal name. The word nāga (“elephant”) is also used when referring to Buddhists in the context of struggles between Buddhists and brahmins. Thus the “Nāga king” could simply mean a Buddhist king. The same king and other kings from the same dynasty are treated again in 53.683 and the following verses.

n.3106

brtul zhugs can ni mthur ldan pa/ /sbyin gnas zhes pas dbang yang bskur/ Tib. The translation of this half-stanza has been informed by Jayaswal’s analysis. The Tibetan differs and translates as, “He will be consecrated by a vow holder / With the authority to do so named *Dakṣiṇīya.”

n.3107

ma zhu pas ni rab btab nas/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Being uninvited, he will be attacked.”

n.3108

Jayaswal (Jayaswal 1934, p. 48) identifies Samudra with Samudragupta who ruled Gauḍa and Magadha in the third quarter of the fourth century. If the Sanskrit and the Tibetan texts are correct, though, Jayaswal’s interpretation cannot be right.

n.3109

blo ngan lo ni gsum gyi bar/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “three years.”

n.3110

bab col chen po rab tu byed/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Will do a lot of foolish things.”

n.3111

Jayaswal takes the description in this and the following verses to apply not to Bhasma, but to Samudra.

n.3112

byis par gyur pas ’di nyid sems/ /pha rol din ni de mi sems/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will be a fool who only cares about this life / And does not care about the next life.”

n.3113

kha che’i sgo yi mthar thug bar/ /byang gi phyogs la brten nas ni/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Occupying the northern territory / Up to the gate of Kaśmīra.”

n.3114

bcu gnyis lo dang zla ba lngar/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “For twelve years and five months.”

n.3115

“Onto the ground” om. Tib.

n.3116

mtshan ma tsam zhig de byas nas/ /phyir yang de ni ’byung bar ’gyur/ /bran ze’i gtso bo gnyis kyis ni/ /de dag phan tshun phye nas ni/ D. The Tibetan is obscure and might translate as, “They will make him [ruler] in name only, / And they will be [in power?] again. / The two chief brahmins / Shall then divide [the kingdom?] between themselves.”

n.3117

bdag nyid ngan pa’i rtsod rgyal gyis/ /byis pa’i gtso bo de gnyis pos/ /mi dge’i bshes gnyen la brten nas/ /srog chags mang po rab tu bsad/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Naturally contentious, wicked kings, / Both of those child leaders / Will take unvirtuous spiritual advisors and / Kill many living beings.”

n.3118

gang zhig sngon gyi rgyal pos bkur/ /dpa’ bas nga rgyal byed pa gang / /go Dar skye bo gnas pa dag /thams cad dag ni gsod par rtsom/ D. The exact meaning of this verse is uncertain. The Tibetan is also obscure but might translate as, “Someone will be honored by the former king / Who will act proud due to his valor / And begin killing all of / The people who live in Gauḍa.”

n.3119

ston pa’i gzugs brnyan nyams dga’ ba/ /blo ngan gyis ni ’jig par ’gyur/ /chos kyi stegs ni mi nyung ba/ /rgyal ba rnams kyis sngon bstan pa/ /blo ngan dag gis bsreg ’gyur zhing / /mu stegs rnams ni gsod par dga’/ /de nas de ni khro dang chags/ /mi sdom log pa’i nga rgyal can/ D. The Tibetan for Skt. 53.651–652 translates as, “The fool will destroy / Beloved images of the Buddha. / The many bridges of Dharma / That the victors foretold / Will be burnt by fools, and / He will delight in killing tīrthikas. / Thus he will be a wrathful and lustful person / Who is disloyal and takes pride in wrongdoing.”

n.3120

The king with the initial R is Rājyavardhana.

n.3121

rigs bdag nyid/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “knowledgeable.”

n.3122

“This teaching,” i.e., the Dharma teachings.

n.3123

ston pa’i bstan pa ’di la dad/ /zla ba zhes bya’i rgyal mchog des/ /gcer bu’i rigs gyur rgyal po ni/ /de yang rab tu bsad par gyur/ Y, J, K, C, U, H. The Skt. grammar of this verse seems to indicate that the “king of the Nagna caste” was the just-mentioned Soma (Śaśāṅka?). Soma is later described as a brahmin, and it is not clear what nagnajāti refers to (if Soma is even the referent!); possibly it is used here as a term of contempt. The Skt. yāti tavān has been emended to pātita eva (p is often confused with y in manuscripts). The translation proposed here is far from definitive. The Tibetan translates as, “He will have faith in this teacher’s teaching. / The supreme ruler by the name of Soma / Will kill / The king of the Nagna caste.” The “Nagna caste” could refer to naked (nagna) ascetics, or perhaps to Digambara Jains.

n.3124

The new king with the initial H is Harṣavardhana.

n.3125

bsod nams che ba’i grong mchog song / Tib. The Tibetan translation of Puṇḍra reflects the reading puṇya.

n.3126

rgyal rigs chos la gnas nas ni/ /chos kyi don shes brtser ldan pas/ /de ni nga rgyal khro tshul gyis/ /srog chags mang po gsod byed cing / /sems can gnod pa byed pa dang / /chad pa byed la rab dka’ zhing / D. In the Tibetan the last six pādas appear in a different order and translate as, “He will maintain the duties of a kṣatriya and / Will understand the meaning of the Dharma and be merciful, // Then, out of pride and anger, / He will kill many living beings and / Delight in harming beings / And causing destruction.”

n.3127

kla klo’i rgyal pos rab tu mchod/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Honored by the mleccha king.”

n.3128

This pāda seems to contain a figure of speech. The phrase rājyaharṣa (“joy of kingship”) consists of the short forms of the names of Rājyavardhana and Harṣavardhana, i.e., the R-initialed and H-initialed kings, thus providing the basis for the other interpretation, namely that the task will be accomplished by Rājyavardhana and Harṣavardhana.

n.3129

The narrative of the following verses seems to indicate that the prophecy switches now back to Soma.

n.3130

de yi las kyi mthu yis ni/ D. “Karma” is the Tibetan reading; the Skt., which appears to be corrupt, translates as, “Dharma.”

n.3131

lha mi’i rgyal srid chen po thob/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “He will obtain a vast dominion over gods and humans.”

n.3132

lo ni bcu dang bdun dag dang / Tib. The meaning of this verse is unclear, as it appears to be missing one pāda in both the Skt. and the Tibetan.

n.3133

mi ma yin pas nyen pa yi/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will be afflicted by nonhuman beings,” reflecting the (hypermetrical) Sanskrit *amāṇuṣeṇaiva instead of the extant Skt. māṇuṣeṇaiva.

n.3134

theg pa la ni chags med ’gyur/ Tib. The Skt. of the last two pādas is hypermetrical and corrupt, and the meaning is not completely clear. Of the three (sūtra) vehicles of the hearers, the pratyekabuddhas, and the bodhisattvas, it is probably the last two that imply complete freedom from attachment. In the Tibetan, the last pāda translates as, “They do not have attachment to the vehicles.”

n.3135

Skt. 53.680f om. Tib.

n.3136

de thse thsogs kyi rgyal srid rgyud/ Tib. The Skt. term gaṇarājya (“popular rule”) suggests some form of a republic, or perhaps a king’s rule that enjoys wide popular support.

n.3137

The unedited Skt. reading could suggest that “Mānava” is an epithet or another name of Soma.

n.3138

zla ba brgyad dang zhag lnga dang / /phyed dang gnyis zhag ’das nas ’chi/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “For eight months and five days / And then die over the course of one and a half days.”

n.3139

This and other kings from the same Nāga dynasty have already been mentioned in 53.628 and the following verses.

n.3140

de’i mthar rgyal po ’dug pa ni/ /klu yi rgyal po zhes bya ba/ /go DA’i yul gyi rgyal po ’byung/ Tib. Both the Tibetan and the Sanskrit are missing one pāda, but the Tibetan may provide the material missing in Skt. 53.683a, while the Skt. 53.683b may provide the material missing from the Tibetan translation of the verse. When we combine the two, we can reconstruct the following four-line verse: “The last king of that line / Will be a young boy of the vaiśya caste / Named Nāgarāja / Who will become the king of Gauḍa.”

n.3141

This pāda is very obscure. The caste of the boy’s advisers could be brahmin (dvija)‍—if we emend the reading viśau to dvijau‍—or vaiśya (viś), and the dual ending suggests that there are two of them. The Tibetan seems to corroborate the former.

n.3142

dang por dza ma’i rigs bram ze/ /kun nas rje’u rigs kyis bskor ba’i/ /klu zhes bya ba de yang ’byung / D. This verse appears to be reduced in the Tibetan to just three pādas that translate as, “At first the one called Nāga / Will be completely surrounded by / Brahmins (such as Jama) and vaiśyas.”

n.3143

der ni lo ni lnga dang gcig /rgyal srid kun nas ’khrugs bzhin spyod/ /srog gcod mang po byas nas ni/ /de tshe srog la gnod par byed/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “Then, for six years / There will be unrest everywhere in the kingdom. / Many will lose their lives, / And the living will be traumatized.”

n.3144

bud med gtso bo’i byis pa ni/ D. Jayaswal (Jayaswal 1934, p. 47) takes śiśu to be the name of a Vākāṭaka king. The Tibetan, which does not reflect this interpretation, translates as, “The child of the chief woman.”

n.3145

yid ni skrag par gyur pa yis /shar phyogs yul mi nyams par gyur/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “They will be terrified, and as a result / The people of the east will be defeated.”

n.3146

The king with the initial Bh has been identified by Jayaswal as Bhānugupta (Jayaswal 1934, p. 63).

n.3147

de bu yi ge pra zhes bya/ D. In place of P, the Tib. has Pr.

n.3148

rgyal rigs mchog tu skyes par bstan/ Tib. The Tibetan translates the Skt. agraṇī (“prominent”) as mchog tu skyed pa or “high born.”

n.3149

legs par spyod pas byis par bcing/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “As a child, he will be imprisoned for his behavior.”

n.3150

yi ge ha zhes rgyal chen ni/ D. The translation follows the Tibetan here. In the Skt., his initial is A, but since the king in question is probably Hūṇa (Toramana), H seems more plausible.

n.3151

go DA’i skye bo zhes grags grong / /mu stegs zhes kyang rnam par grags/ /rgyal pos de ni rnam mnan nas/ /stobs chen de ni ’dug par gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “The king named Tīrtha / Will attack the city / Named Gauḍajana, / And his great army will occupy the city.”

n.3152

de tshe bu ni dbang yang bskur/ /byis pa khye’u phug ces pa/ Tib. The boy’s name is Soma (as indicated in the 53.711 below), which means “moon,” so the boy has the name of a planet. Jayaswal identifies this boy as Mihira (mihira can refer to the sun or the moon). The Tibetan, however, reflects the Sanskrit *guha instead of the extant Skt. graha, which it takes to be the proper name Guha.

n.3153

skye ba bye ba phrag dgur ni/ lha yi ’jig rten dag du gyur/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will spend ninety million / Lives in the god realms.”

n.3154

“This king,” i.e., the king with the initial H, first mentioned in 53.695 above, is identified by Jayaswal as Hūṇa (Toramana).

n.3155

chabs ’og rgyal phran gyis bcom pa’i/ /rgyal thabs rnam ’jig ’byung bar ’gyur/ U; chags ’og rgyal phran gyis bcom pa’i/ /rgyal thabs rnam ’jig ’byung bar ’gyur/ D. Following the variant in U, the Tibetan translates as, “Conquered by a vassal kingdom, / The kingdom will be completely destroyed.”

n.3156

rgyal po de ni gdon gyis ’dzin/ Tib. There is a play on words here as the phrase rājā grahacihnitaḥ (“the king designated as a ‘planet’ ”) can also mean “the king showing the symptoms (cihnita) of possession (graha).” Possibly both these meaning are intended at the same time.

n.3157

yi ge pra zhes rgyal rigs ni/ Tib. This kṣatriya, mentioned earlier in 53.698, has been identified by Jayaswal as Prakaṭāditya (Jayaswal 1934, p. 65). In the Tibetan, his initial is given as Pr.

n.3158

yi ge ha yis yongs su mchod/ D. In the Skt., the initial is A. The Tibetan reading H could be correct, though, if Jayaswal is right in identifying this king as Hūṇa (Toramana).

n.3159

sngon gyi las kyis yongs bskul nas/ /rgyal rigs rgyal por ’byung bar ’gyur/ /de nyid las byas byed bcug dang / /rjes su yang ni yi rang byas/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Propelled by karma from a previous life, / That kṣatriya will become king. / That will make him enact his previous karma, / And he will be pleased.”

n.3160

“Kanaka” probably refers to Kanakamuni, one of the past tathāgatas.

n.3161

skyon bral bdag nyid grol ba dang / Tib. Instead of yuktātmā (“wholly engaged/focused”), the Tibetan seems to reflect the Sanskrit *muktātmā (“liberated”).

n.3162

der gnas rnams la yang dag dgongs/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He surveyed the entire area,” which is also possible.

n.3163

byis pa’i spyi bor lag byugs nas/ D. The meaning of the Skt. mūrdhni-m-āsṛjya is unclear. It could perhaps have a figurative meaning of “placing at the head,” i.e., “allowing to be a leader.” The Tibetan translates as, “He rubbed the boy’s head with his hand.”

n.3164

thong shig D. In place of “Let us go,” the Tibetan translates as, “Let us look.”

n.3165

skye bo’i mchog gyur phan ’dod pa/ /de yi lhung bzed blangs nas ni/ D. The translation proposed here presumes that the Skt. agrajite is a shortened form of agrajitendriye. The Tibetan translates as, “That exemplary man who wanted to be helpful / Took his alms bowl and…”

n.3166

gtsug lag khang song zas la spyad/ D. “Went back to his monastery” has been supplied from the Tibetan (Skt.: lacunae).

n.3167

mu stegs rnams la rab dad nas/ /bstan pa la ni de mi mchod/ D. The Tibetan has two additional pādas at this point that translate as, “He was devoted to the heretics and / Did not worship the teachings.”

n.3168

“Bald head” is a derogatory term describing a Buddhist monk.

n.3169

byis pa de yi sems can la/ /de lta bu yi zhe sdang skyes/ /ston pas nye bar bsngags pa yi/ /chos kyi zam pa grags pa dang / /sa steng lha khang mchod rten mchog/ /mu stegs rnams kyis de dag bshig/ /tshong dpon mchog gi bu de la/ /kun nas ’khrug pa’i sems kyang byas/ D. The Tibetan corresponding to Skt. 53.737–738 translates as, “This made the being / Who was that young boy angry as well, / And the famous Bridge of the Dharma / That the teacher had praised / And the earthly monasteries and supreme caityas / Were destroyed by the tīrthikas. / The senior merchant’s son / Was thoroughly disturbed by this.”

n.3170

gnyis pa’i byis pa gang yin de/ /zla ba zhes bya’i rgyal po yin/ /rnam smin de yis mi ’dod pa/ /yun ring sdug bsngal rjes su myong / D. The Tibetan translates as, “The one who was the second child / Was the king Soma. / He will experience undesirable suffering / For a long time due to the maturation [of his karma].”

n.3171

de tshe de tshe de dang der/ Tib. This pāda has been supplied from the Tibetan (Skt.: lacunae).

n.3172

tha ma’i skye ba thob pa na/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “In his final human birth.”

n.3173

This king is the king mentioned earlier with the initial P, identified by Jayaswal as Prakaṭāditya.

n.3174

rgyal po de yi bstan pa nyams/ Tib. This pāda is problematic. The Skt. reading nagnasandhi (“naked joint”) has been tentatively emended to bhagnasandhi (“broken joint”). The Tibetan translates as, “The teaching that king possessed will fade away.”

n.3175

rnam par smin pa’i las de yis/ /byis pa rgyal po’i dbang phyug byed/ /med par rgyal po byed par ’gyur/ /yod pa rab tu ’jig par ’gro/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Due to the maturation of that karma, / The boy will be made king / When he lacks a king’s power to rule, / And what he has will be brought to ruin.”

n.3176

blo grol Y; blo gros D.

n.3177

The P-initialed king is first mentioned in verse 53.693 above.

n.3178

Another name of Vārāṇasī.

n.3179

The Skt. of the first two pādas is clearly corrupt and the meaning unclear. The name Pañcakesarī (“Five Lions”) seems to correspond to the city in Orissa of the same name, where a dynasty called Siṃha (“Lion”) ruled.

n.3180

de ni seng ge lnga zhes bya/ /pham nas rgyal pos gzhan yang pham/ Tib. The first three pādas correspond to two pādas in the Tibetan that translate as, “After the ones called the Five Lions / Are defeated, the other kings will also be defeated.”

n.3181

53.757–759 are translated from the Tibetan, as they are omitted in the Skt.

n.3182

It is unclear who is being referred to by “he,” whether Deva or the P-initialed kṣatriya king, but it is likely to be the latter, as he is mentioned again in verse 53.768 below.

n.3183

Again, it is unclear whether this kṣatriya king is the P-initialed king first mentioned in verse 53.693 above, or a new king called “Born Prosperous” (Abhivardhamānajanma). The Tibetan (from where this and the previous two verses have been supplied) seems to take abhivardhamānajanma as the name of a new king. However, the narrative in this section of the prophecy seems to indicate that “born prosperous” is just an epithet of the P-initialed kṣatriya king, whose section began at verse 53.693 above and will end with verse 53.768 below; this also is the understanding of Jayaswal (Jayaswal 1934, p. 66).

n.3184

Abhivardhamānajanma literally means “one whose birth/life is of increasing prosperity.”

n.3185

It is unclear what the two numbers seven refer to‍—possibly months and days respectively.

n.3186

rdzu ’phrul chen po klu yi rgyal/ /blo ldan dud ’gro’i nang du gnas/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “He will be born in the animal realm / As a wise and powerful nāga king.”

n.3187

Skt. 53.763–764 om. Tib.

n.3188

tshong pa sngags ni grub pa ste/ /ji ltar ’dod pa’i blo byed cing / /de tshe rig pa’i rgyal po dang / /de tshe bde ’gro dag tu gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “The merchant will be a master of mantra. / He will accomplish whatever his mind desires and / Then become a king of the vidyās. / Then he will be in the higher realms.”

n.3189

Each of the three epithets used here, jina (“victor”), sugata, and cakravartin, imply the highest realization of a buddha.

n.3190

de yi tshe na ’khor los gyur/ /sna tshogs rtog ces rgyal por ’gyur/ /de bzhin du ni blo ldan de/ /de tshe rig ’dzin chos kyang ’chad/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Then he will become a cakravartin / King named Citraketu, / And that wise one will / Then teach the vidyādhara dharma.”

n.3191

It is unclear what the two numbers refer to, but possibly months and days.

n.3192

This half-stanza, about him progressing toward awakening, is somewhat at odds with the epithets used earlier‍—jina, sugata, and cakravartin‍—that suggest that he had already attained the highest accomplishment.

n.3193

de yang lo ni gsum dag tu/ /rgyal po’i dbang phyug byas nas ni/ / Tib. Before this pāda, the Tibetan adds another two pādas that translate as, “Moreover, after carrying out the / Sovereign duties of a king for three years.”

n.3194

The Tibetan includes the material in Skt. 53.769d but omits the material in Skt. 53.769c. It then omits the material in Skt. 769ef–53.771.

n.3195

The Skt. anuja can mean “younger brother,” as well as younger relative or person.

n.3196

The phrase rājyavardhana (“[one who brings] prosperity to the kingdom”) is taken by Jayaswal to be a proper name (Jayaswal 1934, p. 66).

n.3197

de yi nu bo yig pa zhes/ /brtul zhugs can du rnam par gnas/ /lo ni gsum dang gcig dag tu/ /rgyal srid yongs su ’phel bar byas/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “His younger brother with the initial P / Will be consecrated as a vow observer. / Over a period of four years / He will make the kingdom prosperous.”

n.3198

This passage, including the preceding verse, is rather unclear. “Both of them” possibly means the V-initialed king and his supervisor. Jayaswal, however, interprets this passage differently, namely that “both of them” refers to the V-initialed king, whom he identifies as Vajra, and his successor Rājyavardhana (Jayaswal 1934, p. 66).

n.3199

de ma thag tu ’khru bas btab/ /’di dag gnyis ga ’chi bar gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Shortly after that they will / Contract dysentery and both die.”

n.3200

“His” seems to refer to the king with the initial V.

n.3201

de’i yang nu bo yig pa zhes/ Tib. In the Tibetan his initial is P.

n.3202

This king, with the initial Dh, has been identified by Jayaswal as the ruler of Magadha, Dharasena IV (Jayaswal 1934, p. 66).

n.3203

de’i yang nu bo rgyal po ni/ Tib. The word “brother” has been supplied from the Tibetan. The Skt. kanyasa suggests either the youngest brother or the youngest son. Jayaswal, however, identifies this king, despite his initial V, as the Magadhan ruler Dhruvasena III. Jayaswal interprets the term kanyasa (“youngest”) as the “youngest uncle,” based on his identification of this king as the youngest of the grand uncles of Dharasena IV (Jayaswal 1934, p. 67).

n.3204

yi ge dza zhes rnam par bsgrags/ D. In the Tibetan his initial is given as J.

n.3205

rta dang shing rta glang po dmag /kun nas gru dang theg pa yis/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “With horses, chariots, war elephants, / Boats, and vehicles in every direction.”

n.3206

de tshe sngon gyi rgyal po de’i/ /bram ze de bzhin shA ga rigs skye/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Then a previous king / Will take birth as a brahmin in a Śāka family.” All of the Tibetan witnesses contain some rendering of the Sanskrit *Śāka instead of the extant Skt. Śākya. They also all indicate that these lines describe a brahmin who is the companion of the kṣatriya king who is the subject of this prophecy. Brahmins, kṣatriyas, and vaiśyas are all technically considered to be “twice-born” or dvija, though brahmins tend to be most closely associated with this title.

n.3207

de tshe dus kyi tha ma la/ /de nyid ’di yi grogs nyid ’gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “At that time, during the debased eon, / He will be this one’s friend.” In the Tibetan the extant Skt. sukhāyatām (sukhāyatam?) is translated as “friend,” possibly reflecting the Sanskrit *sahāyatām.

n.3208

u DI ya na rgyal po che/ D. In place of Gauḍa, the Tibetan translates as, Uḍīyana.

n.3209

u DI yan gyi grong mchog la/ /grong khyer yi ge pa zhes bya/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “In the capital city of Uḍīyana, / A city that begins with the initial P.” Jayaswal suggests that this city could be Vāruṇikā, which corresponds to the modern Deo Barnark in Bihar.

n.3210

der ni de tshe brgyad dag gi/ /gtsug lag khang yang byed par ’gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “He will construct / Eight monasteries there.”

n.3211

This king has been identified by Jayaswal as Yaśovarman of the early eighth century.

n.3212

The “P dynasty” seems to be the Gupta dynasty that begins with King Śrī (Jayaswal 1934, p. 68).

n.3213

des ni bran tshogs rnams bsad nas/ /rang dbang du ni yongs su gyur/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “He will kill the assemblies of ministers, / And then rule on his own.”

n.3214

de yi spun zla gnyis pa ni/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “His second brother.”

n.3215

The person with the initial R has been identified by Jayaswal as the Gupta emperor Viṣṇugupta Candrāditya, earlier in the text referred to as Candra (Jayaswal 1934, p. 71).

n.3216

de nas gzhan yang sa bdag ni/ /de tshe rgyal po bzang po byung / Tib. The meaning of this pāda is unclear. The Skt. śvāda (“dog eater”), if this reading is correct, implies someone of a degraded social status. In place of “dog eater,” the Tibetan reads bzang po, which cannot be a translation of śvāda, as it means “good,” “kind,” etc.

n.3217

gdengs ka che ldan mgyogs par ’gro/ Tib. The Skt. mahābhogin can mean “having a great hood” or “rich in comforts/opulent.” The Tibetan translation reflects the former.

n.3218

There is a play on words here in the Skt., as sphuṭāṭopin can be translated as both “possessing an expanded hood” and “puffed up with pride.”

n.3219

mchog tu ’jigs rungs lus ldan zhing / /de tshe sgra ni drag par sgrogs/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “He will have an extremely frightening body / And will utter a fierce roar.”

n.3220

de la lor ni mi ’dod pa/ D. In the Tibetan the Skt. naiṣṭhika (“inevitable [result]”) is translated as “undesirable [result],” probably being read as na-iṣṭika.

n.3221

sa srung ’jig rten ’phel byed pa/ /’jig rten kun gyis shes pa ste/ /lus can shar phyogs gnas pa yin/ Tib. The Tibetan condenses this material into three pādas that translate as, “These kings who will bring prosperity to the world / And be known throughout the entire world / Will rule over the eastern people.”

n.3222

rgyal po yi ge pa zhes pa’i/ /rgyud rnams rgyud du skyes pa gzhan/ /rgyal rigs dpa’ bo rnam par gnon/ /de bzhin rgya mtsho gsum gyi bdag D. The Tibetan translates as, “Another king will be born in that royal line / Who bears the first initial P. / He will overcome a kṣatriya hero / And likewise [become] lord of the three oceans.”

n.3223

This seems to be about the eight states where one has the freedom to practice the Dharma, and the eight states without this freedom.

n.3224

Jayaswal has identified this king as Kumāragupta III, the late Gupta emperor of the Gauḍa dynasty.

n.3225

The Gopālas are the dynasty better known under the name of Pāla.

n.3226

de bzhin ’od ma’i tshal chen dang / Tib. In place of the “grove of Mahābodhi,” the Tibetan reflects the Sanskrit *veṇuvana, which translates as the “Bamboo Grove.”

n.3227

snying po med pa’i ’bab chu mchog/ Tib. This description of this river in the Skt. is somewhat of a mystery. The Tibetan translates as, “The supreme river Phalgu.” Phalgu is another name for the Nairañjana.

n.3228

Both Tāra and Tārā mean “savior,” the first being masculine and the other feminine.

n.3229

sa bcu thob pa’i bdag po ni/ /gang yang byang chub sems de yang / /sems can rnams ni ’dul byed pa/ /zla ba zhes ni rnam par sgrags/ /rig pa’i rgyal mo rdzu ’phrul che/ /de ni sgrol ma zhes kyang bstan/ /bud med gzugs ’chang lha mo ni/ /’gro ba kun tu rnam par rgyu/ /snying rjes brlan pa’i sems kyis ni/ /sems can rnams la phan don du/ /mi mjed ’jig rten khams gnas nas/ /bud med ming gis ’jug par byed/ /sa bcu la ni rab gnas thob/ /byang chub sems dpa’ rdzu ’phrul che/ D. The Tibetan appears to repeat the material in Skt. 53.816cd, leading it to render the content in Skt. 53.814–816 in fourteen lines instead of twelve. The Tibetan translates as, “A lord who has attained the tenth level, / The bodhisattva who / Tames all beings / Known as Candra // Is also called Tārā, / The very powerful vidyārājñī. / Bearing the form of a woman, the goddess / Wanders all the realms of rebirth. // His mind flowing with compassion, / He remains in the Saha world / And exists nominally as a woman / In order to benefit beings. // He has attained mastery over on tenth level / And is a great powerful bodhisattva.”

n.3230

longs spyod dbang phyug ’phel byed pas/ /’di ni lha mo bsgrub par bya/ /byang chub tshogs kyi ched du ni/ /skyed pa nyid nas brtsam par bya/ Tib. The last pāda is missing in the Skt., and the phrase “Merit and wisdom” supplied here is a conjecture. The Tibetan translates as, “This goddess should be accomplished / In order to increase wealth and power. / For the accumulation of awakening, / One should begin following the generation.” The final two pādas are obscure in the Tibetan as well as the Skt., but they seem to be indicating a bifurcation of rituals to Tārā along the lines of the accumulation of worldly wealth and power and the accumulation of the various factors that lead to awakening. The final pāda in the Tibetan, which is missing in the Skt., might refer to accomplishing the deity Tārā following the generation (skyed nyid nas) of bodhicitta, which would ground the practice in a more soteriological approach.

n.3231

Her being present in the eastern region could also be an allusion to her position in the maṇḍala, where the eastern quarter would likely be occupied by White Tārā.

n.3232

re ba thams cad dga’ rgyas phyir/ Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “To increase happiness and fulfill all hopes.”

n.3233

bdag nyid rnam pa stong dang ni/ Tib. “Five hundred” could be an allusion to the fact that Tārā manifests in seven, eight, twenty-one, or five hundred forms. In place of “five hundred,” the Tibetan has “one thousand.”

n.3234

de bzhin du yang ’grub par ’gyur/ Tib. “Also” reflects the Tibetan reading. The Skt. has “at that time.”

n.3235

dbus kyi yul du de bzhin sngags/ Tib. In place of “ministers” (mantrī, sngags pa), the Tibetan reflects the Sanskrit *mantra (sngags).

n.3236

Skt. 53.830ab om. Tib.

n.3237

dang po’i yi ge sha dang na/ /dang po’i yi ge par yang bstan/ /dang po’i yi ge ba dang e/ /dang po’i yi ge ar yang bstan/ /dang po’i yi ge har bstan te/ /dang po’i yi ge par yang sgrags/ D. The form and content of this list from Skt. 53.829–830 differs in the Tibetan and translates as, “Those who are known by the first initial Ś and N, / One known by the first initial P, / Those with the first initial V and E, / One known by the first initial A, / One known by the first initial H, / And again one with the first initial P.”

n.3238

zla ba’i rigs/ Tib. “Lunar dynasty” is the Tibetan translation of somacihnitaḥ (“marked by the moon”).

n.3239

These three initials are given in the Tib. as J, V, and Dh.

n.3240

dang po’i yi ge dza dang ba/ /dang yig d+ha ni zla ba’i rigs/ /yi ge ha nyid rnam bsgrags dang / /de bzhin yang ni dang po’i a/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “The lunar dynasty with the first initial / J, B, and the initial Dh, / One known by the initial H, / And again the first initial A.”

n.3241

dang po’i yi ge sa la yang / /bud med rigs min ’jig rten sdang / /dang po’i yi ge a dang ma/ /’jig rten rnams la mthu dang ldan/ Tib. This verse also differs slightly in the Tibetan and translates as, “Those with the first initials S and L / Who will not marry and will anger the people, / And those with the first initial A and M / Who will have power over the entire world.” The Tibetan phrase bud med rigs min that is translated here as “who will not marry” (lit. “not joined/endowed with a woman”) reflects the Sanskrit *srtyayuktāḥ in place of the extant Skt. stryākhyayā.

n.3242

de dag bar ma bzang po las/ /khyad par ring dang thung ba yin/ D. It is not clear what the words ucca (“high”) and nīca (“low”) in the Skt. refer to, whether their lifespan (as the context seems to indicate), or their physical height, or perhaps their high and low morals. The Tibetan translates as, “Based on whether they are middling or best, / [Their] particular [lifespan] will be short or long.”

n.3243

The “middle” kings are missing from the enumerations below.

n.3244

dang po’i gtso bo chen po ni/ /rna can rgyal por rab tu bsgrags/ D. The form vṛtsudhāna could be corrupt. Jayaswal takes this to be the name of a king, Vṛtasudhāna. The Tibetan translates as, “The first great leader / Will be known as Karṇarāja.” Here the Tibetan reflects the Sanskrit *Karṇarāja instead of the extant Skt. *Karmarāja.

n.3245

Jayaswal interprets the phrase subhūtir bhūtiḥ as a single name, Subhūtibhūti. This could also be two names, Subhūti and Bhūti, or perhaps “the wealthy (subhūti) Bhūti.”

n.3246

legs byin Tib. In place of the extant Skt. Sudaha, the Tibetan reflects the Sanskrit *Sudatta.

n.3247

Skt. 53.839 om. Tib.

n.3248

This half-stanza is very unclear. The second of the two initials (Th) has been supplied from the Tibetan, as the Skt. just translates as, “of the two letters V.” It is not clear what these letters refer to. Also, the names Subhū and Mṛga could be a single name, but Jayaswal takes them to be two names. It is also uncertain whether this verse is about the future or the past‍—the remainder of the verse seems to indicate that the narrative has now reverted to the time prior to the birth of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

n.3249

tha mar legs ’byor gzhon nu dang / /yi ge ba dang tha gnyis ni/ /yangs pa can du yang dag byung / /gang du thub pa de skyes pa/ ser skya zhes bya’i grong mchog tu/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “The last were prince Subhūti, and / The two with the initials V and Th / Who were in Vaiśālī. / In the place where the Sage was born, / The capital city of Kapilavastu…” Here the Tibetan renders the material in Skt. 53.840 in six verses instead of four.

n.3250

tha mar zas btsang shA ga rigs kyi/ /nyi ma bu ram rigs skyed pa/ /tha mar zas gtsang rnam bsgrags pa/ /shAkya shaAkya’i rnam ’phel byed/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “Śuddho[dana], the last of the Śākya clan, / Was born into the Solar lineage. / Śuddho[dana] is known as the last / Śākya who brought prosperity to the Śākya people.”

n.3251

sems can brtson ’grus chung bar ni/ /’jig rten skyed mchog bstan pa yin/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “The preeminent being taught / Beings with little discipline.”

n.3252

References to the mantras “residing” in Madhyadeśa (or anywhere) reflect the underlying notion that the mantra and the deity are one and the same.

n.3253

rnam pa sna tshogs rtags dang ni/ /rnam pa sna tshogs rgyud dag dang / /rnam pa sna tshogs sbyor bar ldan/ /lus can rnam pa sna tshogs ’grub/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “The various types of signs / And the various types of tantras / With their various applications / Are effective for various types of beings.”

n.3254

The “three times” possibly refers to the three times of the day (or night) that are said to be most suitable for performing rites.

n.3255

rnam pa bzhi ru mtshon pa yi/ /gling dag de bzhin kun tu yang / D. It is unclear if the four groups of islands are meant, or perhaps the four continents with their different four characteristics (caturdhā paricihnitaiḥ). The Tibetan reflects the second option.

n.3256

“With reference to kings” might imply a double meaning that these mantras can be used by the kings and that they also can be used to target the kings, e.g., to remove a bad king or promote a good one.

n.3257

rdzu ’phrul rtse dang rnam ’phrul dang / /’dir ni dus kyi spyod pa’ang bstan/ /sngags kyi bdag nyid sems can gyi/ /’gro ba skye gnas rgyal po’i ming / D. The Skt. syntax of this verse is not very clear, and the Tibetan doesn’t make it any clearer. The Tibetan translates as, “The magical play and emanation as well as / The practices according to time were taught here, / As was the great mantra being, beings’ / Types of rebirth, and the names of kings.”

n.3258

The structure of this section is confusing, with the content and order of the stanzas possibly corrupt. Those that are prophesied next are not kings, but rather politically active “ascetics.” Further on in the prophecy come the “kings,” but, apart from the four great kings who are traditionally referred to as such, they are rather lords of the different classes of beings.

n.3259

’jig rten mig gcig gyur pa yi/ /tub pa’i mchog ni med pa na/ D. The material corresponding to Skt. 53.856ab appears here in the Tibetan translation and translates as, “When the Sage who is the lone / Eye of the world is no more.”

n.3260

rtag tu sngags smra la dad pas/ /bstan pa’i don ni byed par ’gyur/ /de dag gzhon nu bshad par bya/ /rtse gcig yid kyis mnyan par gyis/ D. The material corresponding to Skt. 53.855cd appears at the beginning of this verse in the Tibetan translation, which translates as, “Beings will carry out the goal of the teachings / By devoting themselves to the constant recitation of mantras. / I will teach them, divine youth, / So listen with single-pointed focus.”

n.3261

yi ge ma zhes gzhon nu zhes/ Tib. In place of “one with the initial Ku,” the Tibetan translates as, “Kumāra,” reflecting the Sanskrit *kumāra instead of the extant Skt. kukāra.

n.3262

Jayaswal identifies him, rightly or wrongly, with Nāgārjuna (Jayaswal 1934, p. 75).

n.3263

Skt. 53.861ab om. Tib.

n.3264

Jayaswal identifies this ascetic, rightly or wrongly, with Aśvaghoṣa (Jayaswal 1934, p. 75).

n.3265

The Skt. further describes him as passionate (rāgin), which somehow doesn’t agree with his being an ascetic, at least not in the tantra system espoused in the MMK.

n.3266

The Skt. word for “another,” apara, is taken by Jayaswal to be a proper name, a renunciant by the name of Apara.

n.3267

sing ga la yi grong na gnas/ D. Reading the Skt. saihnikā as saiṃhikā. The “city of lions” refers to Siṃhala.

n.3268

yi ge da dang Tib. The Tibetan has D instead of V.

n.3269

byed par ’gyur bar the tshom med/ /mtshon gyis lus zhig mtho ris ’gro/ D. This line has been translated from the Tibetan. The Skt. seems to translate as, “one who strayed from the path of the Teacher.”

n.3270

It is unclear whether it is “Suṣeṇa” or “Sena” that is meant to be the proper name.

n.3271

de nas yi ge sa dang ka /dang po dag tu brjod pa dang / /de bzhin yi ge ra dang g+ha/ /dang po dag tu rab brjod dang / dang por yi ge ba dang ni/ /legs byin legs de sde zhes bstan/ /sbyin byed byin par byed pa nyid/ /gzhan gyi grub mtha’ sun byed pa/ D. The Tibetan that corresponds to Skt. 53.870cd–871 differs in its content, renders this material in eight verses instead of six, and includes one verse with additional content. The Tibetan translates as, “Then there will be the ones known / By the first initials S and K, and / Likewise the ones known / By the first initials R and Gh, / The ones with the first initials V and *Ni, / Sudatta and **Suṣeṇa who is known as Sena, / And Dattaka and Dāyaka / Who will refute the doctrinal systems of others.”
*This ni is assumed to represent the first initial of a name and not the usual nominative particle, following the pattern already established in this section of verses. It is also quite possible that this is a scribal error for na that has been mistakenly rendered to look like a nominative particle ni in the Tibetan.
** The Tibetan translation of this line is problematic and does not resolve the issue with the Skt. rendering of this line mentioned above.

n.3272

yi ge ba zhes sdom brtson bsgrags/ D. The Tibetan has V instead of C.

n.3273

dang por yi ge ba grags dang / D. The Tibetan translates as, “The one whose name has the first syllable V.”

n.3274

“Direct application” is here a translation of the Skt. abhiyoga. In the context of applying (yoga) the mantras, the prefix abhi possibly implies that the mantras target specific beings, human or otherwise.

n.3275

grags pa ’dzin par shes par bya/ Tib. The translation of the last pāda may be a little problematic. The Skt. kīrtikarāḥ seems to imply that they confer fame on others. The Tibetan translates as, “They will be known as famous supports.” The translation “famous supports” is a rendering of the Tibetan grags pa ’dzin pa, which reflects the Sanskrit *kīrtidharāḥ instead of the extant Skt. kīrtikarāḥ.

n.3276

The six-syllable mantra is probably oṁ vākyeda namaḥ, the main heart mantra of Mañjuśrī.

n.3277

gang phyir dang po gtso bo’i tshig /sems can rnams la phan ’dod pas/ /gzon nus yongs su gsungs gyur pa/ /yi ge drug pa’i sngags kyang zlos/ /cho ga rab ’byam ’di dag las/ /des ni de phan de la bsten/ D. The Tibetan material corresponding to Skt. 53.879cd–880 differs somewhat and translates as, “Which is why one should recite the six-syllable mantra, / The premier and highest verbal utterance / That the divine youth taught / Out of a desire to help beings. / From among these extensive ritual manuals, / He *taught that to benefit them.” The translation “taught” follows the variant bstan in Y, K, N and H. The Tibetan for this particular line is obscure.

n.3278

grags ldan dge ba de las gzhan/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “And the famous Śubha after that.”

n.3279

khyab ’jug Tib. The Tibetan renders the Sanskrit Mādhava using the generic Tibetan translation for the name Viṣṇu.

n.3280

dregs bral dang / D; dreg bral dang / Y, J, K, C. The Tibetan translation might reflect the Sanskrit *gatamadaḥ (which is unmetrical) instead of the extant Skt. namas tadā.

n.3281

de bzhin ka shir skyes pa gzhan/ D. The Tibetan translates as, “[And] likewise other citizens of Kāśī,” reflecting the Sanskrit *kāśījātās instead of the extant Skt. śakajātās. In the last two verses, it is difficult to tell which of these terms are proper names and which are merely epithets.

n.3282

Jayaswal identifies this brahmin as Viṣṇugupta (Jayaswal 1934, p. 76).

n.3283

Another name of Pāṭaliputra, the ancient capital of Magadha.

n.3284

As the next verse makes clear, Krodha (also called Mahākrodha, Krodharāja, etc.) refers here to Yamāntaka.

n.3285

bram ze yi ge dang po a/ D. Jayaswal tentatively identifies this brahmin as Subandhu (Jayaswal 1934, p. 76). The Tibetan gives the initial of this brahmin not as S, but as A.

n.3286

chos don dge ba ldan bdag nyid/ Tib. Because of the meter, the Skt. mantrārtha° should probably be emended to the standard phrase, mantratantrārtha°. Instead of mantrārtha° (literally, the “business” of the mantras), the Tibetan reflects the Sanskrit *dharmārtha° (“Dharma and wealth”).

n.3287

bden par smra zhing dbang po thul/ D. The last pāda has been supplied from the Tibetan. (Skt.: lacunae).

n.3288

de nas mthar ni dang yig sha/ Tib. The Skt. includes the word ante (“at the end”) in this pāda, but it is unclear what it refers to, though possibly that this brahmin’s name will begin and end with Ś.

n.3289

rig pa rjes bzung ma rungs dang / D. The Tibetan translates as, “[He will enthrall] the benevolent and wicked vidyās,” which reflects the Sanskrit *vidyānugrahaduṣṭāṃ instead of the extant Skt. vetāḍagrahaduṣṭāṃ.

n.3290

rnam pa sna tshogs sha za dang / Tib. The Tibetan translates as, “And the various piśācas.”

n.3291

dang po’i yi ge na zhes pa/. The Tibetan translates as, “With the first initial N.”

n.3292

dang yig b+ha ni nor gyi spyan/ /rgyal po rnams ni sngags mchod byed/ D. The Tib. resolves the syntax of this half-stanza differently and translates as, “There will be a treasurer with the initial Bh / Who will perform the offering and mantra for kings.”

n.3293

thog ma bar mthar gtso bo ste/ D. It is unclear what the “beginning, middle, and end” refers to.

n.3294

rang byung sangs rgyas chos kyi rgyal/ D. It is unclear who is here meant by “Dharma king.” It could be the Buddha Śākyamuni, but also Yama or other deities. The Skt. svayambuddha (“self-realized”) suggests Buddha Śākyamuni. The Tibetan seems to confirm this and reflects the Sanskrit *svayambhūbuddha.

n.3295

The “king of the yakṣas” is Kubera.

n.3296

nges pa’i tsher ni Y, K; nges pa’i tshar ni N; nges pa’i tshig ni D.

n.3297

As the singular number alternates in this verse with the plural, it is difficult to tell if this is about the classes of gods, or the chief deity (of the same name) presiding over each of the respective realms.

n.3298

The Tib. cuts off here (F.327.a.7) and picks up again in the next chapter at 54.3. There is no chapter break in the Tibetan text. Possibly the Tibetan translators omitted this section because of the corruptions in the text and dead ends in the content structure.

n.3299

The Skt. actually reads vidyācitraketu, which is hypermetrical and unlikely to be a name. Citraketu, the king of vidyādharas, was also mentioned in verse 53.765 above.

n.3300

The exact meaning of the Skt. tathāhetau (“for the same/similar reason”) is unclear. It could have something to do with the etymology of the names Citraketu and Vemacitri, both of which include the element citra.

n.3301

“Days” are meant here as the personified astrological entities.

n.3302

The Skt. of this verse has been heavily emended to make some sense and the translation should be regarded as tentative.

n.3303

This verse, again, is very unclear and the meaning has been half guessed.

n.3304

The text includes, between the last two pādas, the phrase m-urvyām (“on earth”), which spoils the meter and doesn’t fit the context very well. Therefore, it has been omitted in the translation here.

n.3305

Śākyamuni is using here the plural number referring to himself, or perhaps he includes in the statement also Mañjuśrī and Vajrapāṇi who likewise contributed to the discourse presented in the MMK.

n.3306

“How should I remember them?” means “What should I remember them as?” The direct answer to this question is three verses below, in the very last sentence of this chapter, “You … should … remember [them] as.”

n.3307

“And so forth…” is an instruction telling what Mañjuśrī’s question should include if quoted in full. The text, however, is unclear, and the two sentences in prose included here seem a bit out of place and possibly don’t belong here.

n.3308

The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra is largely in the form of a dialogue between the Buddha and Mañjuśrī, in the course of which the sūtra and its teachings are entrusted to Mañjuśrī.

n.3309

This and the next two verses, up to the end of this chapter, are probably part of the Buddha’s reply to Mañjuśrī’s question, as Mañjuśrī is addressed in the very last sentence (53.923ef) in the second person. The entirety of chapter 54 could also be regarded as part of the Buddha’s reply.

n.3310

There is no chapter break at this point in the Tibetan text.

n.3397

dpal lha btsan po lha btsun pa byang chub ’od kyi bkas/ rgya gar gyi mkhan po dge bsnyen chen po ku mA ra ka la sha dang / sgra sgyur gyi lo ts+tsha ba dge slong shAkya blo gros kyis bsgyur cing zhus te gtan la phab pa’o// //.

Cf. bibliography.

oṁ] B; om. S

māḍe] S; māṇḍe B

bhavanto] B; om. S

mañjuśriyaḥ] B; mañjuśriyasya S

n.3403

°rddhi°] em.; °riddhi° B; °śuddhi° S

n.3404

ārogyaiśvaryaṃ] B; ārogyaiś carya° S

n.3405

°paripūrakāṇi] B; °pāpāripūrakāṇi S

n.3406

te] S; śṛṇu ca sādhu bhagavān iti B

n.4349

paṭalavisarāt] em. (on the authority of the Tib.); paṭalavisaraḥ S

n.4350

°bīja°] em.; °bījam S

n.4427

āmantrayate] em.; āmantrayeta S

n.4498

The MMK text seems to favor the spelling sādhanopayika rather than sādhanopāyika.

n.4509

sādhanopāyikaṃ] em.; sādhakamopayikaṃ S

n.4521

ārabhet] em.; ārabhe S

n.4522

°puṣpānāṃ] conj.; °puṣpāṃ S

n.4723

punar api] em. (supported by D); punar api punar api S

n.4724

tvadīya°] conj. M; tvadīyaṃ S

n.4725

°upacaryā°] em. (M); °opacaryā° S

n.4726

This entire paragraph is missing from A.

n.4727

Here resumes the correspondence with manuscript A.

n.4728

uttiṣṭha] S; tiṣṭha tiṣṭha A

n.4832

°sarvārtha] em. (on the authority of the Tib.); °sarvathā S

n.4907

avalokya] em.; alokya S

n.4908

tadā] em. (on the authority of the Tib.); mudā S

n.4928

°ākṛṣṭavān] em.; °ākṛṣṭavā S

n.4945

From this chapter onward, the chapter numbers here are out of step with those in the Tibetan version. Chapters 18 to 23 are missing from the Tibetan text and have been left out of the Sanskrit edition here.

n.4946

grahān] em.; grahāṇ R; grahaṇ° S

n.4947

°svavākyaṃ] S; °svākṣaṃ R

n.4948

nirdeśayituṃ] S; vavidarśayituṃ R

n.4949

sādhayantu] S; sādhitu R

n.4950

samaye ca tiṣṭhantu bhavantaḥ] R; om. S

n.5305

°vidhānaṃ | na ca] em.; °vidhāna nica S

n.5321

siddhiṃ] em.; siddhiḥ S

n.5366

°akṣareṇa] em.; °ākṣareṇa S

n.5397

saptamaṃ] A; saptamaḥ S

n.5398

yo] S; ye A

n.5399

sādhayiṣyati] A; sādhayiṣyanti S

n.5400

saphalā sukhodayā sukhavipākā] A; saphalāḥ sukhodayāḥ sukhavipākāḥ S

n.5401

°nivāraṇīyā] S; °nivāraṇi A

n.5402

tasya bodhiparāyaṇīyā] S; tasyā vādhiparāyaṇi A

n.5436

sedhiṣyate] conj. (on the authority of the Tib.); 'sya trasyati (unmetrical) S

n.5450

yasyedānīṃ] em.; yasyedānī S

n.5477

samanupraveśaṃ] em.; samanupraveśa° S

n.5487

nirdeśa°] em.; nirdiśa° S

n.5488

°vara°] em. (on the authority of the Tib.); °vadha° S

n.5527

°mantraṃ] em. (on the authority of the Tib.); °tantraṃ S

n.5528

puṇyākāme] em. (on the authority of the Tib.); puṇyakāme S

n.5529

anabhiṣikte] em. (on the authority of the Tib.); avabhiṣikta S

n.5619

saṃyojyaṃ] em.; saṃyojya S

n.5670

Śāstrī, who rendered this paragraph in verse, indicates a missing pāda at this point. The passage, however, seems to be in prose, as corroborated by the Tibetan, with no text missing.

n.5671

sarvatantreṣu] conj. (based on the Tib.); sarvamantreṣu S

n.5679

The number here jumps from 38 to 50 because chapters from 39 to 49 have been left out as they are missing from the Tibetan translation.

n.5691

ādau] A; mahābodhisattvasyādau S

n.5692

bhaya] A; bhayam S

n.5790

vajrapāṇe] em.; vajrapāṇeḥ S

n.6072

°bodhisattvā°] Y; °bodhisattva° S

n.6073

°āvṛhā°] em.; °ātṛhā° S

n.6782

tatrāhaṃ] em.; tatrāha S

n.6783

°vidyādhara°] em.; °vidyādharaḥ S

n.6784

veditavyāḥ] em.; veditavyaḥ S

n.6785

sthāne] em.; sthāno S

n.6786

lekhayiṣyati] em.; likhyati S

n.6787

°cūrṇa°] em. (on the authority of the Tib.); °pūrṇa°

Bibliography

Source Texts (Sanskrit)

Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa. Manuscript in the National Archives, Kathmandu (Bir 157), accession no. 3/303. Microfilmed by NGMPP, reel A 136/11. Bears the title Mañjuśrījñānatantra.

Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa. Manuscript in the National Archives, Kathmandu, accession no. 5/814. Microfilmed by NGMPP, reel A 39/04.

Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa. Manuscript in the National Archives, Kathmandu (Bir 45), accession no. 3/645. Microfilmed by NGMPP, reel A 124/14.

Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa. Manuscript in the Oriental Research Institute and Manuscripts Library, Thiruvananthapuram, accession no. C-2388.

Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa. Manuscript in Tokyo University Library, no. 275 in Matsunami’s catalog (Matsunami 1965).

Śāstrī, T. Gaṇapati, ed. The Āryamañjuśrīmūlakalpa. Vols 1–3. Trivandrum Sanskrit Series 70, 76, and 84. Trivandrum: Superintendent Government Press, 1920–25.

Vaidya, P. L., ed. Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa. Mahāyānasūtrasaṃgraha, Part II. Buddhist Sanskrit Texts 18. Darbhanga: The Mithila Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research in Sanskrit Learning, 1964.

Source Texts (Tibetan)

’jam dpal gyi rtsa ba’i rgyud (Mañjuśrīmūlatantra). Toh. 543, Degé Kangyur vol. 88 (rgyud ’bum, na), folios 105.a–351.a.

’jam dpal gyi rtsa ba’i rgyud (Mañjuśrīmūlatantra). 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), 2006–2009. vol. 88, pp. 354–1051.

ral pa gyen brdzes kyi rtog pa chen po (Tārāmūlakalpa). Toh. 724, Degé Kangyur vol. 93 (rgyud ’bum, tsa), folios 205.b–311.a, continued in vol. 94 (rgyud ’bum, tsha), folios 1.b–200.a.

Secondary Sources

Agrawala, V. S. “The meaning of Kumārī Dvīpa.” Sārdha-Śatābdī: Special Volume of Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bombay (June 1959): 1–5.

Bunce, Fredrick W. Mudrās in Buddhist and Hindu Practices: An Iconographic Consideration. New Delhi: D. K. Printworld, 2005.

Delhey, Martin. (forthcoming). Early Buddhist Tantra: New Light on the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa from Manuscript Evidence. (forthcoming).

Delhey, Martin. (2008). Three unpublished handouts made for the First International Workshop on Early Tantra, Kathmandu, 2008, containing editions of chapters 12, 13, and 51 of the MMK, based on the NAK manuscript accession no. 5/814, reel A 39/04.

Delhey, Martin. (2012). “The Textual Sources of the Mañjuśriyamūlakalpa (Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa), With Special Reference to Its Early Nepalese Witness NGMPP A39/4.” Journal of the Nepal Research Centre Vol. XIV (2012): 55–75.

Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans. The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī (Ratnaketudhāraṇī, Toh 138). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2020.

Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans. (2023). The Queen of Incantations: The Great Peahen (Toh 559). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023.

Edgerton, Franklin. Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Grammar and Dictionary. 2 vols. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1970.

Gray, David B. The Cakrasaṃvara Tantra (The Discourse of Śrī Heruka). A Study and Annotated Translation. New York: American Institute of Buddhist Studies, Columbia University, 2007.

Hartzell, James F. “The Buddhist Sanskrit Tantras: ‘The Samādhi of the Plowed Row.’ ” Pacific World: Journal of the Institute of Buddhist Studies 14 (Fall 2012): 63–178.

Jayaswal, K. P. An Imperial History of India in a Sanskrit Text (c. 700 B.C.–c. 770 A.D.) with a Special Commentary on Later Gupta Period. Lahore: Motilal Banarsidass, 1934.

Matsunaga, Yūkei. “On the date of the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa.” In Tantric and Taoist Studies in Honour of R. A. Stein, edited by M. Strickmann. Vol. 3: Mélanges chinois et bouddhiques 22, 882–894. Brussels: Institut belge des hautes études chinoises, 1985.

Matsunami, Seiren. A Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Tokyo University Library. Tokyo: Suzuki Research Foundation, 1965.

Mical, Wiesiek, and Paul Thomas. “Do Kriyā Tantras Have a Doctrine? ‍— The Case of the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa.” Unpublished manuscipt, 2017. https://ku-np.academia.edu/wiesiekmical.

Przyluski, Jean. “Les Vidyārāja, contribution à l’histoire de la magie dans les sectes Mahāyānistes.” Bulletin de l’École Française d’Extrême-Orient 23 (1923): 301–18.

Roberts, Peter Alan (2018), trans. The King of Samādhis Sūtra (Samādhirājasūtra, Toh 127). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

Roberts, Peter Alan (2021a), trans. The Stem Array (Gaṇḍavyūha, chapter 45 of the Avataṃsakasūtra, Toh 44). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

Roberts, Peter Alan (2021b), trans. The Ten Bhūmis (Daśabhūmika, Toh 44-31). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

Roberts, Peter Alan (2023), trans. The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (1) (Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra, Toh 555). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023.

Saṅkṛtyāyana, Rāhula. “The text of the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa, corrected with the help of the Tibetan text.” In An Imperial History of India in a Sanskrit Text (c. 700 B.C.–c. 770 A.D.) with a Special Commentary on Later Gupta Period by K. P. Jayasawal, addendum 1–75. Lahore: Motilal Banarsidass, 1934.

Wallis, G. Mediating the Power of Buddhas: Ritual in the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2002.

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.

g.1

Ābha

kun nas ’od

ཀུན་ནས་འོད།

ābha

g.2

Ābhāsvara

ābhāsvara

g.3

Ābhāsvara

’od gsal

འོད་གསལ།

ābhāsvara

g.17

Abjaketu

pad+ma ’chang ba

པདྨ་འཆང་བ།

abjaketu

g.20

ācārya

slob dpon

སློབ་དཔོན།

ācārya

g.22

accomplishment

dngos grub

དངོས་གྲུབ།

siddhi

g.25

activity

ལས།

karman

g.30

adept of vidyās

rig ’dzin

རིག་འཛིན།

vidyādhara

g.33

Āditya

nyi ma

ཉི་མ།

āditya

g.37

affliction

nyon mongs

ཉོན་མོངས།

kleśa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The essentially pure nature of mind is obscured and afflicted by various psychological defilements, which destroy the mind’s peace and composure and lead to unwholesome deeds of body, speech, and mind, acting as causes for continued existence in saṃsāra. Included among them are the primary afflictions of desire (rāga), anger (dveṣa), and ignorance (avidyā). It is said that there are eighty-four thousand of these negative mental qualities, for which the eighty-four thousand categories of the Buddha’s teachings serve as the antidote.

Kleśa is also commonly translated as “negative emotions,” “disturbing emotions,” and so on. The Pāli kilesa, Middle Indic kileśa, and Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit kleśa all primarily mean “stain” or “defilement.” The translation “affliction” is a secondary development that derives from the more general (non-Buddhist) classical understanding of √kliś (“to harm,“ “to afflict”). Both meanings are noted by Buddhist commentators.

g.40

Agni

me
me lha

མེ།
མེ་ལྷ།

agni

g.41

Agnibhāṇḍa

ming me thab

མིང་མེ་ཐབ།

agnibhāṇḍa

g.45

Airāvata

airāvata

g.50

Ajātaśatru

ma skyes dgra

མ་སྐྱེས་དགྲ།

ajātaśatru

g.54

Ājita

ājita

g.57

Akaniṣṭha

’og min

འོག་མིན།

akaniṣṭha

g.83

Amitābha

dpag med ’od

དཔག་མེད་འོད།

amitābha

One of the tathāgatas attending the delivery of the MMK.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The buddha of the western buddhafield of Sukhāvatī, where fortunate beings are reborn to make further progress toward spiritual maturity. Amitābha made his great vows to create such a realm when he was a bodhisattva called Dharmākara. In the Pure Land Buddhist tradition, popular in East Asia, aspiring to be reborn in his buddha realm is the main emphasis; in other Mahāyāna traditions, too, it is a widespread practice. For a detailed description of the realm, see The Display of the Pure Land of Sukhāvatī, Toh 115. In some tantras that make reference to the five families he is the tathāgata associated with the lotus family.

Amitābha, “Infinite Light,” is also known in many Indian Buddhist works as Amitāyus, “Infinite Life.” In both East Asian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions he is often conflated with another buddha named “Infinite Life,” Aparimitāyus, or “Infinite Life and Wisdom,”Aparimitāyurjñāna, the shorter version of whose name has also been back-translated from Tibetan into Sanskrit as Amitāyus but who presides over a realm in the zenith. For details on the relation between these buddhas and their names, see The Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra (1) Toh 674, i.9.

g.95

Ānanda

kun dga’ bo

ཀུན་དགའ་བོ།

ānanda

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A major śrāvaka disciple and personal attendant of the Buddha Śākyamuni during the last twenty-five years of his life. He was a cousin of the Buddha (according to the Mahāvastu, he was a son of Śuklodana, one of the brothers of King Śuddhodana, which means he was a brother of Devadatta; other sources say he was a son of Amṛtodana, another brother of King Śuddhodana, which means he would have been a brother of Aniruddha).

Ānanda, having always been in the Buddha’s presence, is said to have memorized all the teachings he heard and is celebrated for having recited all the Buddha’s teachings by memory at the first council of the Buddhist saṅgha, thus preserving the teachings after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa. The phrase “Thus did I hear at one time,” found at the beginning of the sūtras, usually stands for his recitation of the teachings. He became a patriarch after the passing of Mahākāśyapa.

In this text:

One of the śrāvakas attending the delivery of the MMK.

g.125

Andhra

a n+dra

ཨ་ནྡྲ།

andhra

g.126

Aṅga

ang+ga

ཨངྒ།

aṅga

g.134

Aniruddha

ma ’gags pa

མ་འགགས་པ།

aniruddha

g.146

Apramāṇa

apramāṇa

g.147

apsaras

lha’i bu mo
lha’i bud med

ལྷའི་བུ་མོ།
ལྷའི་བུད་མེད།

apsaras

g.148

Aquarius

bum pa

བུམ་པ།

kumbha

g.153

arhat

dgra bcom pa

དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ།

arhat

g.155

Arjuna

arjuna

g.169

Asaṅga

thogs med

ཐོགས་མེད།

asaṅga

g.172

Asipattra

ral gri’i lo ma

རལ་གྲིའི་ལོ་མ།

asipattra

g.175

Aśoka

mya ngan med

མྱ་ངན་མེད།

aśoka

g.180

asura

lha min

ལྷ་མིན།

asura

g.182

asurī

lha min mo

ལྷ་མིན་མོ།

asurī
āsurī

g.185

Aśvatthāman

aśvatthāman

g.187

Atapas

mi gdung ba

མི་གདུང་བ།

atapas

g.188

Aṭaṭa

so tham tham pa

སོ་ཐམ་ཐམ་པ།

aṭaṭa

g.201

Avalokiteśvara

spyan ras gzigs dbang phyug

སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས་དབང་ཕྱུག

avalokiteśvara

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the “eight close sons of the Buddha,” he is also known as the bodhisattva who embodies compassion. In certain tantras, he is also the lord of the three families, where he embodies the compassion of the buddhas. In Tibet, he attained great significance as a special protector of Tibet, and in China, in female form, as Guanyin, the most important bodhisattva in all of East Asia.

In this text:

One of the bodhisattvas attending the delivery of the MMK.

g.203

Avīci

mnar med

མནར་མེད།

avīci

g.207

Avṛha

mi che ba

མི་ཆེ་བ།

avṛha

g.208

awakening

byang chub

བྱང་ཆུབ།

bodhi

g.215

Bala

stobs

སྟོབས།

bala

g.216

Bāla

byis

བྱིས།

bāla

g.217

Bālāka

nag po

ནག་པོ།

bālāka

g.218

Balanagara

grong khyer stobs ldan

གྲོང་ཁྱེར་སྟོབས་ལྡན།

(not in the skt. source of the mmk)

g.225

Bamboo Grove

’od ma’i tshal

འོད་མའི་ཚལ།

veṇuvana

g.227

barbarian

kla klo

ཀླ་ཀློ།

mleccha

g.228

Baṣkala

baṣkala

g.235

Bhagavat

bcom ldan

བཅོམ་ལྡན།

bhagavat

g.241

Bhāgupta

sa srung

ས་སྲུང་།

bhāgupta

g.244

Bhākrama

pha rol gnon

ཕ་རོལ་གནོན།

bhākrama

g.246

Bhānugupta

bhānugupta

g.250

Bharata

rgyas pa

རྒྱས་པ།

bharata

g.252

Bhasma

thal ba

ཐལ་བ།

bhasma

g.255

Bhāsvat

’od ldan

འོད་ལྡན།

bhāsvat

g.257

Bhavadatta

srid pa byin pa

སྲིད་པ་བྱིན་པ།

bhavadatta

g.265

Bhogavatī

longs spyod ldan ma

ལོངས་སྤྱོད་ལྡན་མ།

bhogavatī

g.272

Bhṛkuṭī

khro gnyer ma

ཁྲོ་གཉེར་མ།

bhṛkuṭī

g.276

Bhūbhāsa

sa ’od

ས་འོད།

bhūbhāsa

g.278

bhūta

’byung po

འབྱུང་པོ།

bhūta

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

This term in its broadest sense can refer to any being, whether human, animal, or nonhuman. However, it is often used to refer to a specific class of nonhuman beings, especially when bhūtas are mentioned alongside rākṣasas, piśācas, or pretas. In common with these other kinds of nonhumans, bhūtas are usually depicted with unattractive and misshapen bodies. Like several other classes of nonhuman beings, bhūtas take spontaneous birth. As their leader is traditionally regarded to be Rudra-Śiva (also known by the name Bhūta), with whom they haunt dangerous and wild places, bhūtas are especially prominent in Śaivism, where large sections of certain tantras concentrate on them.

g.288

Bimbisāra

gzugs can snying po

གཟུགས་ཅན་སྙིང་པོ།

bimbisāra

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The king of Magadha and a great patron of the Buddha. His birth coincided with the Buddha’s, and his father, King Mahāpadma, named him “Essence of Gold” after mistakenly attributing the brilliant light that marked the Buddha’s birth to the birth of his son by Queen Bimbī (“Goldie”). Accounts of Bimbisāra’s youth and life can be found in The Chapter on Going Forth (Toh 1-1, Pravrajyāvastu).

King Śreṇya Bimbisāra first met with the Buddha early on, when the latter was the wandering mendicant known as Gautama. Impressed by his conduct, Bimbisāra offered to take Gautama into his court, but Gautama refused, and Bimbisāra wished him success in his quest for awakening and asked him to visit his palace after he had achieved his goal. One account of this episode can be found in the sixteenth chapter of The Play in Full (Toh 95, Lalitavistara). There are other accounts where the two meet earlier on in childhood; several episodes can be found, for example, in The Hundred Deeds (Toh 340, Karmaśataka). Later, after the Buddha’s awakening, Bimbisāra became one of his most famous patrons and donated to the saṅgha the Bamboo Grove, Veṇuvana, at the outskirts of the capital of Magadha, Rājagṛha, where he built residences for the monks. Bimbisāra was imprisoned and killed by his own son, the prince Ajātaśatru, who, influenced by Devadatta, sought to usurp his father’s throne.

g.290

Bindusāra

snying po thig le

སྙིང་པོ་ཐིག་ལེ།

bindusāra

g.292

bodhicitta

byang chub kyi sems

བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་སེམས།

bodhicitta

g.293

bodhisattva

byang chub sems dpa’

བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ།

bodhisattva

g.294

bodhisattva level

byang chub sems dpa’i sa

བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའི་ས།

bodhisattvabhūmi

g.296

Brahmā

tshangs pa

ཚངས་པ།

brahmā

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world; he is also considered to be the lord of the Sahā world (our universe). Though not considered a creator god in Buddhism, Brahmā occupies an important place as one of two gods (the other being Indra/Śakra) said to have first exhorted the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. The particular heavens found in the form realm over which Brahmā rules are often some of the most sought-after realms of higher rebirth in Buddhist literature. Since there are many universes or world systems, there are also multiple Brahmās presiding over them. His most frequent epithets are “Lord of the Sahā World” (sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (mahābrahman).

g.298

Brahmadatta

tshangs pas byin pa

ཚངས་པས་བྱིན་པ།

brahmadatta

g.299

Brahmakāyika

brahmakāyika

g.301

Brahmapurohita

brahmapurohita

g.303

Brahmaputra

lo hi ta

ལོ་ཧི་ཏ།

lauhitī
lauhitya

g.304

brahmarākṣasa

tshangs pa’am srin po

ཚངས་པའམ་སྲིན་པོ།

brahmarākṣasa

g.305

brahmin

bram ze

བྲམ་ཟེ།

brāhmaṇa

g.309

Bṛhatphala

bṛhatphala

g.310

Bridge of the Dharma

chos kyi zam pa

ཆོས་ཀྱི་ཟམ་པ།

dharmasetu

g.311

buddha

sangs rgyas

སངས་རྒྱས།

buddha

g.314

Buddhapakṣa

sangs rgyas phyogs

སངས་རྒྱས་ཕྱོགས།

buddhapakṣa

g.315

Budha

gza’ lhag pa

གཟའ་ལྷག་པ།

budha

g.318

caitya

mchod rten

མཆོད་རྟེན།

caitya

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Tibetan translates both stūpa and caitya with the same word, mchod rten, meaning “basis” or “recipient” of “offerings” or “veneration.” Pali: cetiya.

A caitya, although often synonymous with stūpa, can also refer to any site, sanctuary or shrine that is made for veneration, and may or may not contain relics.

A stūpa, literally “heap” or “mound,” is a mounded or circular structure usually containing relics of the Buddha or the masters of the past. It is considered to be a sacred object representing the awakened mind of a buddha, but the symbolism of the stūpa is complex, and its design varies throughout the Buddhist world. Stūpas continue to be erected today as objects of veneration and merit making.

g.319

cakravartin

’khor los sgyur ba
’khor los sgyur ba’ rgyal po

འཁོར་ལོས་སྒྱུར་བ།
འཁོར་ལོས་སྒྱུར་བའ་རྒྱལ་པོ།

cakravartin

g.320

Cakravartin

’khor los sgyur ba

འཁོར་ལོས་སྒྱུར་བ།

cakravartin

g.324

Cāṇakya

tsa nag kya

ཙ་ནག་ཀྱ།

cāṇakya

g.326

Caṇḍa

gtum po

གཏུམ་པོ།

caṇḍa

g.329

Candra

zla ba

ཟླ་བ།

candra

g.332

Candragupta

zla ba sbas

ཟླ་བ་སྦས།

candragupta

g.334

Candrasama

tsa ma sha

ཙ་མ་ཤ།

candrasama

g.336

Capala

g.yo ba

གཡོ་བ།

capala

g.342

ceṭa

bran
bran pho

བྲན།
བྲན་ཕོ།

ceṭa

g.350

Citra

citra

g.352

Citraketu

sna tshogs tog

སྣ་ཚོགས་ཏོག

citraketu

g.355

clarity of mind

sems dad pa

སེམས་དད་པ།

cittaprasāda

g.356

Cloud of Dharma

dharmamegha

g.358

consecration

dbang

དབང་།

abhiṣeka

g.363

daitya

lha min

ལྷ་མིན།

daitya

g.368

dānava

lha ma yin

ལྷ་མ་ཡིན།

dānava

g.374

dark eon

rtsod pa’i dus

རྩོད་པའི་དུས།

kaliyuga

g.376

Daśānūpa

rgya mtsho bcu

རྒྱ་མཚོ་བཅུ།

daśānūpa

g.377

Daśaratha

daśaratha

g.378

Dāśarathi

dāśarathi

g.380

Dattaka

byin byed

བྱིན་བྱེད།

dattaka

g.381

destiny

’gro ba

འགྲོ་བ།

gati

g.382

Deva

ལྷ།

deva

g.385

Devarāja

lha yi rgyal po

ལྷ་ཡི་རྒྱལ་པོ།

devarāja

g.397

Dhanus

gzhu

གཞུ།

dhanus

g.399

Dhara

spu gri

སྤུ་གྲི།

dhara

g.401

Dharasena

dharasena

g.404

dharmadhātu

chos kyi dbying

ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབྱིང་།

dharmadhātu

g.414

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

yul ’khor bsrung

ཡུལ་འཁོར་བསྲུང་།

dhṛtarāṣṭra

g.416

Dhruva

brtan

བརྟན།

dhruva

g.418

Dhruvasena

dhruvasena

g.420

Dhūma

dud pa

དུད་པ།

dhūma

g.424

Dhundhumāra

dhun du ma ra

དྷུན་དུ་མ་ར།

dhundhumāra

g.433

Dilīpa

di lI pa

དི་ལཱི་པ།

dilīpa

g.436

Dinaka

sbyin par byed pa

སྦྱིན་པར་བྱེད་པ།

dinaka

g.442

divine son

lha’i bu

ལྷའི་བུ།

devaputra

g.443

divine youth

gzhon nu

གཞོན་ནུ།

kumāra

g.448

Droṇa

droṇa

g.450

Druma

ljon pa

ལྗོན་པ།

druma

g.470

dūta

pho nya

ཕོ་ཉ།

dūta

g.471

dūtī

pho nya mo

ཕོ་ཉ་མོ།

dūtī

g.473

Dvādaśa

bcu gnyis

བཅུ་གཉིས།

dvādaśa

g.475

Dvāparayuga

cha gnyis ldan

ཆ་གཉིས་ལྡན།

dvāparayuga

g.485

element

khams

ཁམས།

dhātu

g.486

emblem

phyag rgya

ཕྱག་རྒྱ།

mudrā

g.487

empowerment

dbang

དབང་།

abhiṣeka

g.488

eon

bskal pa

བསྐལ་པ།

kalpa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A cosmic period of time, sometimes equivalent to the time when a world system appears, exists, and disappears. According to the traditional Abhidharma understanding of cyclical time, a great eon (mahākalpa) is divided into eighty lesser eons. In the course of one great eon, the universe takes form and later disappears. During the first twenty of the lesser eons, the universe is in the process of creation and expansion; during the next twenty it remains; during the third twenty, it is in the process of destruction; and during the last quarter of the cycle, it remains in a state of empty stasis. A fortunate, or good, eon (bhadrakalpa) refers to any eon in which more than one buddha appears.

g.495

Flower City

me tog

མེ་ཏོག

pāṭaliputra

g.497

four great kings

rgyal po chen po bzhi

རྒྱལ་པོ་ཆེན་པོ་བཞི།

caturmahārāja

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Four gods who live on the lower slopes (fourth level) of Mount Meru in the eponymous Heaven of the Four Great Kings (Cāturmahārājika, rgyal chen bzhi’i ris) and guard the four cardinal directions. Each is the leader of a nonhuman class of beings living in his realm. They are Dhṛtarāṣṭra, ruling the gandharvas in the east; Virūḍhaka, ruling over the kumbhāṇḍas in the south; Virūpākṣa, ruling the nāgas in the west; and Vaiśravaṇa (also known as Kubera) ruling the yakṣas in the north. Also referred to as Guardians of the World or World Protectors (lokapāla, ’jig rten skyong ba).

g.499

fourfold assembly

’khor rnam pa bzhi

འཁོར་རྣམ་པ་བཞི།

catuḥparṣad

g.507

Gambhīrapakṣa

zab mo’i phyogs

ཟབ་མོའི་ཕྱོགས།

gambhīrapakṣa

g.509

Gaṇaśaṅkara

grong byed bde byed

གྲོང་བྱེད་བདེ་བྱེད།

gaṇaśaṅkara

g.515

gandharva

dri za

དྲི་ཟ།

gandharva

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the skies, sometimes said to inhabit fantastic cities in the clouds, and more specifically to dwell on the eastern slopes of Mount Meru, where they are ruled by the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They are most renowned as celestial musicians who serve the gods. In the Abhidharma, the term is also used to refer to the mental body assumed by sentient beings during the intermediate state between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances (gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning “scent eater.”

g.518

Gaṅgā

sI ta
gang gA

སཱི་ཏ།
གང་གཱ།

gaṅgā

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Gaṅgā, or Ganges in English, is considered to be the most sacred river of India, particularly within the Hindu tradition. It starts in the Himalayas, flows through the northern plains of India, bathing the holy city of Vārāṇasī, and meets the sea at the Bay of Bengal, in Bangladesh. In the sūtras, however, this river is mostly mentioned not for its sacredness but for its abundant sands‍—noticeable still today on its many sandy banks and at its delta‍—which serve as a common metaphor for infinitely large numbers.

According to Buddhist cosmology, as explained in the Abhidharmakośa, it is one of the four rivers that flow from Lake Anavatapta and cross the southern continent of Jambudvīpa‍—the known human world or more specifically the Indian subcontinent.

g.522

garuḍa

nam mkha’ lding

ནམ་མཁའ་ལྡིང་།

garuḍa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Indian mythology, the garuḍa is an eagle-like bird that is regarded as the king of all birds, normally depicted with a sharp, owl-like beak, often holding a snake, and with large and powerful wings. They are traditionally enemies of the nāgas. In the Vedas, they are said to have brought nectar from the heavens to earth. Garuḍa can also be used as a proper name for a king of such creatures.

g.526

Gauḍa

go DA
gau TA

གོ་ཌཱ།
གཽ་ཊཱ།

gauḍa

g.527

Gautama

gau ta ma

གཽ་ཏ་མ།

gautama

g.541

Gomin

btsun pa

བཙུན་པ།

gomin

g.542

Gopa

glang rdzi

གླང་རྫི།

gopa

g.543

Gopāla

sa srung

ས་སྲུང་།

gopāla

g.544

Gopālaka

sa srung

ས་སྲུང་།

gopālaka

g.545

Gopendra

ba lang srung dbang

བ་ལང་སྲུང་དབང་།

gopendra

g.547

Govinda

ba lang rnyed

བ་ལང་རྙེད།

govinda

g.548

graha

gdon
gza’

གདོན།
གཟའ།

graha

g.549

Graha

bza’

བཟའ།

graha

g.554

great eon

bskal pa chen po

བསྐལ་པ་ཆེན་པོ།

mahākalpa

g.557

Great Vehicle

theg pa chen po

ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོ།

mahāyāna

g.563

guhyaka

gsang ba pa

གསང་བ་པ།

guhyaka

g.573

Hahava

kyi hud zer ba so

ཀྱི་ཧུད་ཟེར་བ་སོ།

hahava

g.575

Hālāhala

ha la ha la

ཧ་ལ་ཧ་ལ།

hālāhala

g.576

Hara

’phrog byed

འཕྲོག་བྱེད།

hara

g.579

Harikela

ha ri ki la

ཧ་རི་ཀི་ལ།

harikela

g.584

Hārītī

’phrog ma

འཕྲོག་མ།

hārītī

g.585

Harivara

harivara

g.586

Harṣavardhana

harṣavardhana

g.592

Hayagrīva

rta mgrin

རྟ་མགྲིན།

hayagrīva

g.594

Himalayas

kha ba can

ཁ་བ་ཅན།

himavat

g.596

Hiraṇyagarbha

dbyigs gi snying

དབྱིགས་གི་སྙིང་།

hiraṇyagarbha

g.597

Hiraṇyavatī

chu bo gser dang ldan

ཆུ་བོ་གསེར་དང་ལྡན།

hiraṇyavatī

g.598

homa

sbyin sreg

སྦྱིན་སྲེག

homa

g.599

Hūṇa

hūṇa

g.600

Ikṣvāku

nyi ma bu ram

ཉི་མ་བུ་རམ།

ikṣvāku

g.602

Indra

dbang po

དབང་པོ།

indra

g.605

Indrasena

zla ba’i sde

ཟླ་བའི་སྡེ།

indrasena

g.607

initiation

dbang

དབང་།

abhiṣeka

g.608

intermediate eon

bar gyi bskal pa

བར་གྱི་བསྐལ་པ།

antarakalpa

g.611

Īśāna

dbang ldan

དབང་ལྡན།

īśāna

g.618

Jalendra

chu dbang

ཆུ་དབང་།

jalendra

g.620

Jambhala

dzam bha la

ཛམ་བྷ་ལ།

jambhala

g.622

Jambūdvīpa

’dzam bu’i gling

འཛམ་བུའི་གླིང་།

jambūdvīpa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The name of the southern continent in Buddhist cosmology, which can signify either the known human world, or more specifically the Indian subcontinent, literally “the jambu island/continent.” Jambu is the name used for a range of plum-like fruits from trees belonging to the genus Szygium, particularly Szygium jambos and Szygium cumini, and it has commonly been rendered “rose apple,” although “black plum” may be a less misleading term. Among various explanations given for the continent being so named, one (in the Abhidharmakośa) is that a jambu tree grows in its northern mountains beside Lake Anavatapta, mythically considered the source of the four great rivers of India, and that the continent is therefore named from the tree or the fruit. Jambudvīpa has the Vajrāsana at its center and is the only continent upon which buddhas attain awakening.

g.623

Jangchub O

byang chub ’od

བྱང་ཆུབ་འོད།

(not in the skt. source of the mmk)

g.628

Jaya

rgyal

རྒྱལ།

jaya

g.634

Jayoṣṇīṣa

rgyal ba’i gtsug tor

རྒྱལ་བའི་གཙུག་ཏོར།

jayoṣṇīṣa

g.637

Jiṣṇu

ngang tshul

ངང་ཚུལ།

jihnu

g.660

Kalaśa

gA dA hA ya hi

གཱ་དཱ་ཧཱ་ཡ་ཧི།

kalaśa

g.662

Kālasūtra

thig nag

ཐིག་ནག

kālasūtra

g.663

Kālava

kālava

g.664

Kaliṅga

ka ling ka

ཀ་ལིང་ཀ

kaliṅga

g.665

kaliyuga

rtsod pa’i dus

རྩོད་པའི་དུས།

kaliyuga

g.666

Kamala

kamala

g.671

Kāmarūpa

ka ma ru

ཀ་མ་རུ།

kāmarūpa

g.678

Kanaka

gser

གསེར།

kanaka

g.679

Kanakamuni

gser thub

གསེར་ཐུབ།

kanakamuni

g.682

Kandarpa

’dam gyi rgyal po

འདམ་གྱི་རྒྱལ་པོ།

kandarpa

g.685

Kanya

kanya

g.691

Kapilavastu

ser skya

སེར་སྐྱ།

kapila

g.695

karma

ལས།

karman

g.698

Karmarāja

karmarāja

g.699

Karmaraṅga

ka da raM tsa

ཀ་ད་རཾ་ཙ།

karmaraṅga

g.700

karmic influence

zag pa

ཟག་པ།

āsrava

g.702

karoṭapāṇi

gzhong thogs

གཞོང་ཐོགས།

karoṭapāṇi

g.704

Kārtavīrya

kārtavīrya

g.705

Kārtika

kārtika

g.706

Kārttikeya

smin drug bu

སྨིན་དྲུག་བུ།

kārttikeya

g.709

Kāśī

ga sha
ka shi

ག་ཤ།
ཀ་ཤི།

kāśī

g.710

kaśmala

sdig pa’i sems dang ldan pa

སྡིག་པའི་སེམས་དང་ལྡན་པ།

kaśmala

g.711

Kaśmīra

ka che

ཀ་ཆེ།

kaśmīra

g.712

Kāśyapa

’od srung

འོད་སྲུང་།

kāśyapa

g.719

Kāviśa

mang yul

མང་ཡུལ།

kāviśa

g.723

Keśin

skra

སྐྲ།

keśin

g.726

Keśinī

skra can ma

སྐྲ་ཅན་མ།

keśinī

g.728

Ketu

ཏོག

ketu

g.747

kinnara

mi’am ci

མིའམ་ཅི།

kinnara

g.749

Kīrti

kīrti

g.752

knowledge holder

rig ’dzin

རིག་འཛིན།

vidyādhara

g.754

Kośala

ko sa la

ཀོ་ས་ལ།

kośala

g.760

kravyāda

sha rjen

ཤ་རྗེན།

kravyāda

g.762

kriyā

mdzad pa

མཛད་པ།

kriyā

The Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī Chapter 53

Toh 543

Imprint

Text Body

Published editions

Manuscripts

Tibetan sources

Critical apparatus

The Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī
Chapter 53