འོད་ཟེར་ཀུན་དུ་བཀྱེ་བ་བསྟན་པ།
The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light
Raśmisamantamuktanirdeśa
འཕགས་པ་འོད་ཟེར་ཀུན་དུ་བཀྱེ་བ་བསྟན་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།
’phags pa ’od zer kun du bkye ba bstan pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo
The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light”
Āryaraśmisamantamuktanirdeśanāmamahāyānasūtra
Toh 55
Degé Kangyur, vol. 40 (dkon brtsegs, kha), folios 195.b–255.b
Imprint
Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2022
Current version v 1.0.9 (2023)
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.
Table of Contents
Summary
Initiated by the questions of the bodhisattva Candraprabhakumārabhūta, The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light consists of a series of teachings related to the lights emitted by awakened beings as manifestations of their spiritual achievements. Amid the display of his miraculous powers, the Buddha describes the specific qualities with which each of those lights is associated, and he repeatedly emphasizes the fact that such lights are a natural expression of the insight into the emptiness of all phenomena. The sūtra is also concerned with general themes such as the qualities required by followers of the Great Vehicle and the practice of generosity.
Acknowledgements
This text was translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. Benjamin Collet-Cassart translated the text from Tibetan into English and wrote the introduction. Andreas Doctor compared the draft translation with the original Tibetan and edited the text. Joie Chen subsequently compared the translation against the Chinese text (Taishō 310) and made further edits to the translation.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The generous sponsorship of 晓培, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.
Introduction
The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light is the eleventh among the forty-nine sūtras included in the Heap of Jewels (Ratnakūṭa) section in the Degé Kangyur. The sūtra presents a series of teachings, composed mainly in verse, that focus on the nature of the lights emitted by awakened beings. Questioned by the bodhisattva Candraprabhakumārabhūta, the Buddha reveals the specific spiritual achievements underlying his manifestation of light rays, and the way those lights manifest to ripen beings with varying spiritual inclinations. As the Buddha displays the magnificence of his miraculous powers to the assemblies in attendance, he repeatedly emphasizes the fact that the lights displayed by the buddhas spontaneously emerge from insight into the emptiness of all phenomena and from the absence of clinging to marks that results from this realization. Besides the doctrine of emptiness, which is expounded at length throughout the text, this discourse also introduces two dhāraṇīs and discusses general themes associated with the Great Vehicle, such as the qualities required to progress on the path, and the importance of the practice of generosity.
The sūtra also presents two brief accounts of previous lives of Candraprabhakumārabhūta—the primary interlocutor of the Buddha—related to past occasions on which he received similar instructions on the lights emitted by awakened beings. In these narratives, he is respectively portrayed as a devoted king who worshiped a past buddha and as a young boy who witnessed the Buddha Dīpaṅkara prophesying the future awakening of the Buddha Śākyamuni. Candraprabhakumārabhūta is often portrayed by Tibetans as a past incarnation of Gampopa (sgam po pa, 1079–1153), the famous physician who established the Kagyü (bka’ brgyud) school of Tibetan Buddhism. He is mentioned in several Great Vehicle sūtras—notably the Samādhirājasūtra1 and the Mahākaruṇāpuṇḍarīkasūtra (Toh 111)—where the Buddha narrates his past lives and makes prophecies about his future lives. Some biographers of Gampopa also cite the Heap of Jewels in this context, and one of them, Norbu Gyenpa (nor bu rgyan pa, 1589–1633), specifically mentions The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light in his biography.2
We have not been able to locate any specific citation from this discourse within the commentarial works of Indian scholars, and to our knowledge this discourse has also not received much attention in modern scholarship. The only exception to this appears to be Garma C.C. Chang’s partial translation from the Chinese in his anthology of translations from the Heap of Jewels collection.3 Only a few of the texts contained in the Heap of Jewels are extant in Sanskrit, and The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light is unfortunately not among them. The Tibetan translation, which we have here rendered into English based on the Degé block print, the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma), and the Stok Palace manuscript, was completed in the early translation period and is listed in the early ninth-century Denkarma (ldan dkar ma) catalog under the alternative title The Noble Accomplishment of Light (’phags pa ’od zer bsgrub pa)4. It is also found under the same title in the Phangthangma ('phang thang ma) catalog, where it is also said to be "incomplete" (sgyur 'phro).5 However, just as with several other sūtras in the Heap of Jewels section, this text might have been translated from Chinese, rather than Sanskrit.6
The Chinese canon contains a single translation of this discourse (Taishō 310[11]),7 which was produced during the early eighth century ᴄᴇ by Bodhiruci (d. 713), a renowned Indian translator who traveled to China and was responsible for the translation of many Sanskrit texts into Chinese, including several from the Heap of Jewels. In general, the sūtra does not bear the marks of being a translation from Chinese to Tibetan (such as the unique vocabulary and style only found in such translations). However, as it is notably missing the standard colophon that usually follows Tibetan translations from the Sanskrit, it is possible that the text does represent an original translation from the Chinese, one that was subsequently passed through editorial codification to bring it into conformity with the standard lexicon and register of the majority of translations from the Sanskrit. For the present translation, we have compared our translation against the entire Chinese text and mentioned significant differences in the notes to the translation. As for whether the Tibetan translation was produced from Chinese or Sanskrit sources, we have been unable to resolve this question conclusively, but future research will hopefully shed more light on the textual history of this sūtra.
Text Body
The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra
The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light
The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light
The Translation
[F.195.b] [B1]
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing in Rājagṛha at Vulture Peak, together with a great saṅgha of five hundred monks who had all attained great independence, eight hundred billion bodhisattva great beings with only one birth remaining and led by Maitreya, and four hundred billion bodhisattva great beings led by Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta.
Present in the retinue at that time was Candraprabhakumārabhūta.9 He had been seated in the assembly, but he now rose from his seat, arranged his shawl over one shoulder,10 knelt on his right knee, and prostrated at the feet of the Blessed One. With his palms respectfully joined together, he asked, “Blessed One, which activities did the Thus-Gone One previously perform to achieve his definitive light, magnetizing light, motivating light, manifesting light, multicolored light, single-colored light, narrow light, vast light, pure light, utterly pure light, stainless light, utterly stainless light, immaculate light, gradually expanding light, bright light, utterly bright light, boundless light, utterly boundless light, [F.196.a] immeasurable light, utterly immeasurable light, unfathomable light, utterly unfathomable light, swift light, utterly swift light, nonabiding light, groundless light, blazing light, illuminating light, inspiring light, light that leads to perfection, unimpeded light, unwavering light, straight light, light that dwells within the infinite, light displaying the marks of form, light displaying the various marks of form, light displaying the immeasurable marks of form, light displaying the characteristics of blue, yellow, red, and white colors, light displaying the characteristics of violet color, light displaying the characteristics of crystalline color, light displaying the characteristics of the sky’s color,11 and other such lights? Each of those various lights is manifested mixed with light rays of five colors, and each of those blue, yellow, red, and white lights are manifested mixed with an infinite number of multicolored light rays.”
The Blessed One12 replied to Candraprabhakumārabhūta13 in verse:
“I have achieved those various lights
Since I have abandoned delusion
Through the causes and conditions
Of inconceivable virtuous actions.
“Furthermore, I dwell on the path of the buddhas
Through a variety of practices,
And I manifest those mixed lights
Through the insight of emptiness and nonaction.
“Although external phenomena
Are empty and selfless,
Beyond actions and thoughts,
They appear with various particular characteristics. [F.196.b]
“The inner body is also
Empty, selfless, and beyond action,14
And yet all kinds of sounds
Manifest from it.
“In the same way, I fulfill the wishes of beings
In accordance with their inclinations,
By manifesting lights of countless colors
Through the power of nonaction.
“Sometimes a single light ray
Produces two colors,
Each displaying
Higher, middle, and lower beams.
“Sometimes a single light ray
Produces three colors,
Each displaying
Higher, middle, and lower beams.
“Sometimes a single light ray
Produces four colors,
Each displaying
Higher, middle, and lower beams.
“Sometimes five colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of pure actions.
“Sometimes six colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of skillful means.
“Sometimes seven colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of virtuous actions.
“Sometimes eight colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of wholesome qualities.
“Sometimes nine colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of the accumulations.
“Sometimes ten colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of generosity.
“Sometimes twenty colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of having guarded discipline.
“Sometimes thirty colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of patience.
“Sometimes forty colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams; [F.197.a]
This is the result of diligence.
“Sometimes fifty colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of concentration.
“Sometimes sixty colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of insight.
“Sometimes seventy colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of love.
“Sometimes eighty colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of compassion.
“Sometimes ninety colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of joy.
“Sometimes a hundred colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of equanimity.
“Sometimes a thousand colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of the display of qualities.15
“Sometimes ten thousand colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of the accumulation of merit.
“Sometimes ten million colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of trust.
“Sometimes twenty million colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of rejoicing.
“Sometimes thirty million colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of pliancy.
“Sometimes forty million colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of reverence toward the Buddha.
“Sometimes fifty million colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of reverence toward the Dharma. [F.197.b]
“Sometimes sixty million colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of reverence toward the Saṅgha.
“Sometimes seventy million colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of respect for discipline.
“Sometimes eighty million colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of respect for concentration.
“Sometimes ninety million colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of affection toward everyone.
“Sometimes a hundred million colors manifest
From a single light ray,
Each displaying higher, middle, and lower beams;
This is the result of carefulness.16
“Furthermore, many light rays radiate
From a single pore;17
I should now tell you the names
Of those various lights.
“I have a light
Called illumination of pure clouds;
It arose from the accumulation
Of boundless roots of virtue.
“In the past, out of sympathy for all beings
Afflicted by various forms of diseases,
I gave them many kinds of medicine and restored their health;
I achieved that light through such causes and conditions.
“I have another light
Called pure eye;
It arose by offering
Lamps to the buddhas.
“I have another light
Called pure ear;
It arose by offering them
Melodious tunes.
“I have another light
Called pure nose;
It arose by offering them
Perfumed water.
“I have another light
Called pure tongue;
It arose by offering them
Delicacies.
“I have another light
Called pure body;
It arose by offering them
Clothing.
“I have another light
Called pure form;
It arose by painting
The forms of the buddhas.
“I have another light
Called pure sound;
It arose by continuously
Praising the Dharma.
“I have another light
Called pure scent;
It arose by continuously
Revering the Saṅgha.
“I have another light
Called pure taste;
It arose by practicing generosity
In accordance with beings’ wishes.
“I have another light
Called pure touch;
It arose by offering
Perfumed ointments.
“I have another light
Called pure phenomena;
It arose by embracing
All phenomena.
“I have another light
Called pure earth;
It arose by sweeping the ground
For the Buddha and the Saṅgha.
“I have another light
Called pure water;
It arose by offering
Springs and wells.
“I have another light
Called pure air;
It arose through the offering
Made by holding fans.
“I have another light
Called pure element;
It arose by continuously
Cultivating love.
“I have another light
Called pure truth;
It arose by permanently
Giving up lying.
“I have another light [F.198.b]
Called pure sound;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the buddhas.
“I have another light
Called pure eloquence;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of retention.
“I have another light
Called harmony;
It arose by settling
Conflicts.
“I have another light
Called blue color;
It arose by offering
Blue lotuses.
“I have another light
Called yellow color;
It arose by offering
Magnolias.
“I have another light
Called red color;
It arose by offering
Pearls.
“I have another light
Called supreme qualities;
It arose by adorning the buddhas
With many types of colors.
“I have another light
Called elephant splendor;
It arose by offering
Elephant flags.
“I have another light
Called king of lions;
It arose by offering
Lion flags.
“I have another light
Called king of bulls;
It arose by offering
Bull flags.
“I have another light
Called pure moon;
It arose by sweeping
The stūpas of buddhas.
“I have another light
Called understanding women;
It arose by abandoning
The features of women.
“I have another light
Called understanding men;
It arose by abandoning
The features of men.
“I have another light
Called vajra strength;
It arose through
Pure knowledge of actions.
“I have another light
Called revealing emptiness;
It arose by teaching
Karmic ripening to the world.
“I have another light
Called true realization;
It arose by abandoning
Wrong views.
“I have another light
Called revealing the Buddha’s words;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the realm of phenomena.
“I have another light
Called abandonment of faults;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of devotion.22
“I have another light
Called illuminating array;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of offering lamps.
“I have another light
Called abandonment of craving;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of absorption and insight.
“I have another light
Called abandonment of habitual patterns;
It arose by abandoning
The knowledge of the past.
“I have another light
Called abandonment of attachment;
It arose by praising
The unborn wisdom.
“I have another light
Called abandonment of transmigration;23
It arose by praising
The wisdom of the exhaustion of defilements.
“I have another light
Called abandonment of dwelling place; [F.199.b]
It arose by praising
The knowledge of suffering.
“I have another light
Called miraculous display of the Buddha;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of miraculous power.24
“I have another light
Called revealing the nonexistence of name-and-form;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the bases of miraculous power.
“I have another light
Called devotion to virtuous friends;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the nature of realization.
“I have another light
Called past limit of the eye;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the past limit of the eye.
“I have another light
Called limit of the exhaustion of the eye;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the exhaustion of the eye.25
“I have another light
Called limit of existence;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the absence of existence.
“I have another light
Called absence of disintegration;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the absence of cessation.26
“I have another light
Called absence of limits;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the absence of limits.
“I have another light
Called absence of marks;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the unconditioned.27
“I have another light
Called unchanging;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the absence of distinction.
“I have another light
Called absence of engagement;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the absence of clinging.
“I have another light
Called absence of origination;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the unborn.
“I have another light
Called absence of birth;
It arose by proclaiming
The praises of the lack of origination.
“I have a light called taming demons
Whose brilliance terrorizes demons.
I have a light called banner of merit;
Those who remember its name will abandon harm.
“I have a light called powerful banner;
Those who remember its name will be free from enmity.
I have a light called peaceful banner;
Those who remember its name will rid themselves of attachment.
“I have a light called banner of concentration;
Those who remember its name will abandon improper conduct.
I have a light called illustrious banner;
Those who remember its name will become famous.29
“I have a light called delightful banner;
Those who remember its name will not suffer from torments.
I have a light called pure restraint;
Those who remember its name will abandon improper discipline.
“I have a light called banner of supreme perfume;
Those who remember its name will be free from impurity.
I have a light called profound Dharma;
Those who remember its name will be free from doubts.
“I have a light called Mount Sumeru;
Those who remember its name will be unshakable.
I have a light called secret conduct;
Those who remember its name will be free from clinging.
“I have a light called liberated conduct;
Those who remember its name will be free from bondage.
I have a light called excellent control;
Those who remember its name will be pliant and gentle.
“I have a light called unmoving;
Those who remember its name will abandon attachment and clinging.
I have a light called total restraint;32
Those who remember its name will observe perfect discipline.
“I have a light called actions of manifold virtues;
Those who remember its name will not be sullied.
I have a light called numerous benefits;
Those who hear its name will rid themselves of negativities.
“I have a light called vision of supreme knowledge;
Those who hear its name will not be deluded.
I have a light called seeking to benefit; [F.200.b]
Those who hear its name will be free from anger.
“I have a light called pleasing the mind;
Those who hear its name will experience happiness.
I have a light called absence of torment;
Those who remember its name will realize emptiness.
“I have a light called absence of essential nature;33
Those who remember its name will transcend concepts.
I have a light called absence of reliance;
Those who remember its name will be unshakable.
“I have a light called freedom from delusion;
Those who remember its name will be free from hesitation.
I have a light called baseless;
Those who remember its name will rid themselves of the darkness of ignorance.
“I have a light called absence of delusion;
Those who remember its name will be free from verbal expression.
I have a light called absence of going;
Those who remember its name will foresee the future.
“I have a light called total limit;
Those who remember its name will know the past.
I have a light called unequaled;
Those who remember its name will realize the absence of defilement.
“I have a light called noble attainment;
Those who remember its name will know what is supreme.
I have a light called stainless;
Those who remember its name will abandon clinging.
“I have a light called abandonment of dust;
Those who remember its name will be free from darkness.
I have a light called absence of craving;
Those who remember its name will give up their reliances.36
“I have a light called supreme victory;37
Those who remember its name will overcome the proponents of opposing views.
I have a light called youthful;
Those who remember its name will accomplish the six actions.
“I have a light called supreme nobility;
Those who remember its name will gain unimpeded insight.
I have a light called swift;
Those who remember its name will become the most accomplished monks.
“I have a light called possessing marks;
Those who remember its name will realize the profound Dharma.
I have a light called absence of marks; [F.201.a]
Those who remember its name will rid themselves of pride.
“I have a light called unborn;
Those who remember its name will reach the absence of attainment.
I have a light called recollecting the Buddha
That is praised by the thus-gone ones.
“By practicing various activities in the presence of many buddhas,
I have attained such a light.
The light rays emanating from the bodies of buddhas
Equal in number all the myriads of particles of dust
“Present in all the countless millions of buddha realms
As numerous as all the grains of sand present in the ocean.
Each of those light rays, as numerous as all those particles,
Is surrounded by many attendants.
“Those light rays manifest as the pure bodies of the thus-gone ones
In all the realms where there is no buddha,
To teach the utterly profound Dharma
And thereby establish beings in the state of forbearance.
“I have a light called Buddha
That causes beings to abide on the path of the buddhas.
I have a light called Dharma
Whose illumination is immaculate and stainless.
“I have a light called Saṅgha
That is praised by the thus-gone ones.
I have a light called purity
That is exalted and hard to find.
“Through their virtuous qualities, those manifold light rays
Tame each of the beings born with corresponding fortunes,
Ripening all those countless millions of retinues
Into awakening.
“I have a light called insight,
And others called discipline, love,
compassion, joy, lamp,
perfumed ointment, and music.
“Those light rays are named
According to their respective activity [F.201.b]
And were perfected by attracting
Countless beings.
“I have a light called foremost39
That is praised by the thus-gone ones
And was perfected
By continuously revering the teachings of the Buddha.
“From all his pores, the Buddha emits light rays40
As numerous as the beings he beholds,
And each of those light rays
Is surrounded by many attendants.
“As he emits those light rays,
The Buddha ripens sentient beings
In accordance with
Their individual inclinations.
“Whoever rejoices and feels inspired
Upon hearing this teaching on those lights
Must already have heard this discourse
From many buddhas in the past.
“I have a light called exalted41
That has eight hundred million attendants;
I achieved this light by offering
One verse of praise to the buddhas in the past.
“I have a light called absence of sorrow
That has eight hundred billion attendants;
I achieved this light by recalling
A single teaching of a thus-gone one.
“I have a light called utmost purity
That has eight hundred million attendants;
I achieved this light
By mastering a single absorption.
“When he first reached awakening,
The assembly that had gathered around him
And to whom he taught the Dharma
Counted eight hundred billion members.
“At that time, in the lands of the great Jambudvīpa,
There was a king called Devoted to Words.42
He had five hundred sons who were handsome,
Beautiful, and pleasant to behold.
“Their father, the king,
Was a majestic and powerful man
Who had sincere faith
In the Three Jewels. [F.202.a]
“Out of reverence,
The king offered to that blessed one
All the most magnificent gardens
That were in his possession.
“All the walkways
That crossed those gardens
Were lined with
Eight hundred million trees:
“Those many trees blossomed during both summer and winter;
Their branches, fruits, and flowers shone with brilliant colors.
The sweetest fragrances arose from them
And perfumed the body of the Thus-Gone One.
“All the monks had a golden color.
They were all sitting in front of those trees.
They had all attained retention
Through great exertion.
“At that time, out of sympathy
For the king, his sons, and the numerous assemblies,
The Thus-Gone One44 taught them
The sūtra on the definitive lights.
“When he heard that sūtra,
The king, overwhelmed with joy,
Proclaimed the praises of the Thus-Gone One
In countless verses.
“That great king also offered the Blessed One
Eight hundred million magnificent bejeweled parasols,
Each of them decorated around its edge
By garlands of wish-fulfilling gems.45
“Every one of them had the value
Of eight hundred million coins made of pure gold from the Jambu River.
Each of those bejeweled parasols was adorned
With tassels made of eight hundred million wish-fulfilling gems.46
“Shining with brilliant colors,
Those wish-fulfilling gems emitted light continuously,
So that there was no distinction
Between day and night.
“Each of those light rays
Illuminated a hundred leagues,
And their light shone brilliantly, [F.202.b]
Eclipsing the sun and the moon.
“The four sides of the precious parasols were ornamented
With lions and eight hundred million jewel tassels,
As well as eight hundred million garlands
Made of precious golden threads.
“Those sublime bejeweled parasols
Were also adorned
With lattices of precious pearls
That intermingled in various ways.
“Those parasols completely covered the gardens,
And they were themselves surmounted by countless lotus parasols47
Formed by various kinds of flowers
Such as jasmine, atimuktaka—also known as mucilinda—
“Udumbara, and blue lotus flowers.
All those parasols were beautified with precious lattices,
And cloths made of golden threads
That formed a covering canopy above.
“Furthermore, eight hundred million bejeweled thrones
Built with sandalwood, supported by legs made of pure gold,
And decorated with eight hundred million
Cushions made of the finest silk48 were set forth.
“At that time, all types of sentient beings—
Up to those residing at the summit of existence—
Had gathered in that place to hear this discourse
From the Thus-Gone One.
“When they heard this discourse,
Were overwhelmed with joy.
“They proclaimed the praises of the Thus-Gone One
In eight thousand verses,49
And all of them made the aspiration
To reach great awakening.
“At that moment, the Thus-Gone One
Knew their thoughts
And prophesied their awakening in these words:
‘In the future, you will accomplish buddhahood.’51
“At that time, upon hearing this discourse that reveals the lights in full,
Also became overwhelmed with joy, gave rise to the mind set on awakening,
And received this prophecy: ‘In the future, you will accomplish buddhahood.’52
“At that time, upon hearing this discourse,
All the eight hundred million nāgas who had gathered there
Also gave rise to the mind set on awakening
And received a prophecy.
“At that time, upon hearing this discourse,
All the eight hundred million garuḍa kings who had gathered there
Observed the five vows
And also received that prophecy.
“At that time, upon hearing this discourse,
All the eight hundred million gandharva kings who had gathered there
Played a hundred thousand musical instruments, making delightful sounds
As offerings to the Blessed One, and also received that prophecy.
“At that time, upon hearing this discourse,
All the hundred million yakṣa kings developed intense faith
In the pure wisdom of the Buddha,
And all of them also received the prophecy of their awakening.
“Candraprabha, you should know that, at that time,
You were the king Devoted to Words,
Who worshiped that blessed one53 with those various offerings;
Do not think that this was someone else.
“You have already heard that sūtra in the past,
And this is the reason why today,
In this place, you once again
Request to hear it.
“Those who teach this discourse in the future
Will be the guardians of my Dharma;
Like leaders guiding many travelers,55
They will be known as guardians of the precious treasure.
“Beings who are honest, pliant, and gentle,
Who continuously strive to serve the buddhas,
Who meditate on selflessness, cultivate love, and develop patience
Will be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who constantly has a nonvirtuous attitude,
Who insatiably hankers after personal gains,
And who has no interest in being disengaged
Will not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who worships the thus-gone ones,
Who properly understands the profound and sacred Dharma,
And who trusts in the genuine wisdom of the buddhas
Will be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is distracted and faithless,
Who repeatedly takes the lives of others, who is hard to tame,
And who is enslaved by all the objects of desire
Will not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always inclined to stay in the wilderness,
Who resides alone with a peaceful mind,
And who is without attachment to gains and friends
Will be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who follows unwholesome friends,
Who destroys their own and others’ virtues,
And who lets their discipline and absorption become greatly corrupted
Will not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone with pure aspirations
Who always examines phenomena with insight
And is guarded by virtuous friends
Will be interested in this discourse. [F.204.a]
“Someone who is strongly attached to the family household,
Who seeks others’ favors by giving flowers and fruits,
And who is dishonest and cunning58
Will not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who always recollects the Buddha’s kindness,
Who yearns for the highest roots of virtue,
And who sincerely59 dedicates their acts to awakening
Will be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who lusts for women and girls60
And always aspires to frolic with women
Who are adorned in all kinds of splendid garments
Will not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone with a deep mindset who has left all dwellings,
Who is not sullied by objects of desire,
And who does not deceive others for the sake of food and drink
Will be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who says to everyone
That it is not a fault to indulge in desires
And who denigrates the buddhas of the three times
Will not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone with constant and firm trust
Who pursues the Dharma persistently
And never becomes weary or disrespectful while doing so
Will be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who craves women,
Who constantly keeps objects of his lust in mind
Without cultivating insight or benefiting others extensively,
Will not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who lives in mountains or forests
And is purified by cultivating insight
Without any desire for the most basic necessities
Will be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always deluded and fails to understand
The past and future limits of the eye
Is bound by the demon of ignorance
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always free from delusion and understands
The past and future limits of the eye
Is liberated from demonic bondage
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always deluded and fails to comprehend
The existence and nonexistence of the eye’s limit
Is bound by the demon of ignorance
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse. [F.204.b]
“Someone who is always free from delusion and understands
The limits of existence and nonexistence of the eye
Is liberated from demonic bondage
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always deluded and does not comprehend
The eye’s characteristics of abiding and disintegration61
Is bound by the demon of ignorance
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always free from delusion and comprehends
The eye’s characteristics of abiding and disintegration
Is liberated from demonic bondage
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“Know that the same applies
To the essential nature of the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, textures, mental phenomena,
Earth, water, fire, and air.
“It also applies to matter, sentient beings, suffering,
The aggregates, the elements, worldly arising, untrue words,
Desire, anger, ignorance, pride, craving, pretense,
Vanity, miserliness, envy, deceit, aggression, and so forth.
“Someone who is always deluded and does not comprehend
The limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Falls into the experience of worldly beings
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always free from delusion and comprehends
The limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Is free from the experience of worldly beings
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always deluded and does not comprehend
The disintegration of the eye
Falls into the experience of worldly beings
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always free from delusion and comprehends
The disintegration of the eye
Is free from the experience of worldly beings
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always deluded and does not comprehend
The disengagement of the eye
Falls into the experience of worldly beings
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always free from delusion and comprehends
The disengagement of the eye
Is free from the experience of worldly beings
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always deluded and does not comprehend
The absence of coming and going of the eye
Falls into the experience of worldly beings [F.205.a]
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is always free from delusion and comprehends
The absence of coming and going of the eye
Is free from the experience of worldly beings
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who does not realize the selflessness of the eye
And is always deluded about the essential nature of its exhaustion
Falls into the experience of worldly beings
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who realizes the selflessness of the eye
And always understands the essential nature of its exhaustion
Is free from the experience of worldly beings
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who does not realize the selflessness of the eye
And is always deluded about the objects of the practice of patience
Falls into the experience of worldly beings
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who realizes the selflessness of the eye
And always understands what objects to accept
Is free from the experience of worldly beings
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who does not realize
The essence of the eye’s exhaustion
Is unable to accomplish nonabiding discipline
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who realizes
The essence of the eye’s exhaustion
Is able to accomplish nonabiding discipline
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who does not realize
The essence of the eye’s exhaustion
Is unable to accomplish undefiled discipline
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who realizes
The essence of the eye’s exhaustion
Is able to accomplish undefiled discipline
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who does not realize
The essence of the eye’s exhaustion
Is unable to accomplish undefiled insight
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who realizes
The essence of the eye’s exhaustion
Is able to accomplish undefiled insight
And will therefore be interested in this discourse. [F.205.b]
“Someone who does not realize the essence of the eye’s exhaustion
Will always be deluded about the eye’s emptiness;
That person will not give rise to the all-retaining wisdom
And will therefore not be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who realizes the essence of the eye’s exhaustion
Will always realize the emptiness of the eye;
That person will give rise to the all-retaining wisdom
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“When someone who realizes the essential nature of the eye’s exhaustion
Accomplishes the all-retaining wisdom,
They accomplish the unsurpassed wisdom free of attachment
And will therefore be interested in this discourse.
“Someone who is not interested in this discourse
And always deluded about the essential nature of the eye’s exhaustion
Will regress from the state of absorption
And thus find it hard to attain unsurpassed wisdom.
“Someone who is strongly interested in this discourse
And realizes the essential nature of the eye’s exhaustion
Will accomplish the state of absorption62
And thus not find it hard to actualize unsurpassed wisdom.
“Someone who realizes the essential nature of the eye’s exhaustion
And clearly understands the characteristic of selflessness
Will always gain trust and freedom from doubts
Upon hearing this Dharma teaching.
“Someone free from laziness who diligently contemplates,
Day and night, the essential nature of the eye’s exhaustion
Will accomplish retention and eloquence
And continuously teach this discourse.
“The qualities derived from contemplating this discourse
Are more exalted than those
Derived from worshiping all the buddhas
By building a hundred thousand stūpas.
“The qualities derived from hearing this discourse
Are more exalted than those
Derived from worshiping the thus-gone ones’ relics
By playing a hundred thousand musical instruments.
“The merit created by honoring this discourse
Is more exalted than the merit
Created by honoring all the sentient beings beheld by the Buddha’s eyes
For countless millions of eons, as if they were thus-gone ones. [F.206.a]
“Someone who memorizes a single four-line verse
From this discourse and teaches it to others
Should be revered
As the most compassionate Victor.
“For a hundred thousand eons in the past,
When I was circling in the three realms,
I served countless buddhas
For the sake of this discourse.
“To master this discourse,
At times I lit countless hundreds of thousands of lamps—
Each of their wicks measuring about a league—
And offered those to the great guides.
“I sometimes worshiped the stūpas of thus-gone ones
With different types of offerings
Such as garlands of magnolias, jasmine, and aśoka flowers,
And banners and parasols.
“In that way, for all those
Hundreds of thousands of eons,
My mind was always free of miserliness
For the sake of this discourse.68 [B2]
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I observed completely pure discipline;
I constantly cultivated absorption and insight
And practiced generosity toward sentient beings.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I never harmed anyone—
Even the vicious ones who threatened me—
Out of my love for them.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I gave satisfaction
To all those who came to ask for favors,
By fulfilling all their wishes.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I ornamented mansions
With garlands of jewels
And offered those to the buddhas.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse, [F.206.b]
I worshiped buddhas
By offering them a variety of jewels
And wish-fulfilling gems.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I always remembered the gracious ones
And venerated every single verse
That I heard from them.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I revered those who were disciplined
And always showed respect for them,
Even when I was walking.
“When I was circling in saṃsāra in the past,
For the sake of this discourse69
I always expressed my gratitude
To those who extended even the slightest favor.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I did not seek personal gain and I did not deprecate the Dharma.
Instead, I developed sympathy
For my relatives and friends, and for all beings.70
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I became learned and eloquent.
I did not cling to phenomena
And had no miserliness regarding the household of friends.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
Whenever a nonvirtuous thought arose in me,
I would never let it develop
But immediately confessed it.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
When I was born as a prince,
I faithfully dedicated and offered to the buddhas
All my gems, perfumed ointments, and fragrant powders.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
Out of sympathy for prisoners,
I took upon myself, as a physical bail,
The many sufferings they experienced.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I renounced the five sense pleasures
And always took the precepts
At the six times of the month.71
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I always cultivated patience
And never gave rise to desirous miserliness,
Even with respect to my wives.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I enriched all destitute beings
By offering them wealth,
So that they could experience happiness.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I always attracted everyone—
Mendicants, brahmins,
And all the various other types of beings.
“In the past, for the sake of this discourse,
I gave generously to those in need,
Always acting as a great benefactor
To benefit all beings. [F.207.a]
“I sometimes fulfilled
The wishes of sentient beings
By giving them flowers and fruits,
Without sending anyone away.72
“When I was practicing generosity in the past,
I constantly maintained an impartial attitude.
Therefore, with a sense of modesty,
I respectfully practiced generosity toward everyone—
“Those endowed with the qualities of discipline,
Those who observed improper discipline, those who had no sense of shame,
And those who had achieved great miraculous power,
As well as all other ordinary beings.
“Since I did not distinguish between high and low
When I was practicing generosity in the past,
I dedicated myself one pointedly to this discourse
Without pursuing afflicted states.
“At times, in some lands,
I annihilated all opposing forces
And subjugated all the nāgas
So that they showered rains in timely ways.
“Candraprabha, you should know that, in the pursuit of this discourse,
I have undergone austerities for countless lifetimes;73
Even if these were described for a hundred thousand eons,
This task would never come to an end.
“Abide by such a conviction and,
In the future, during the final period,
Give rise to genuine recollection
And expound this discourse!
“I clearly see the future
With my buddha eyes;
I know precisely all the various actions
That will occur.
“I also know all the monks who,
In the pursuit of unsurpassed wisdom,
Will teach this discourse with minds filled with faith,
As well as all the directions in which this teaching will take place.74
“I also know all the thoughts and methods of those who,
In the future, during the final period,
Will be interested in this discourse
Upon hearing it.
“I know all the inferior beings
Who will not hear this discourse
And who will therefore denigrate
The teachings of the Dharma.
“I will give a prophecy to all the monks and nuns
Who cry out of heartfelt longing
When they hear this discourse,
And they will behold the supreme victors. [F.207.b]
“Candraprabha, you should know that,
Through my awakened miraculous power,
I know the purity and the impurity of beings’ minds,
And even all their inclinations.75
“I know all the qualities of sentient beings,
Such as those who are always dedicated to peace and isolation,
Dwell in absorptions without any attachment to saṃsāra,
And have permanently abandoned even its habitual patterns.
“I know which sentient beings will, in the future,
Adhere to untrue teachings,
And which ones
Will be devoted to the Buddha.
“Beings who are attached to worldly pleasures
Will not properly grow the seed of the buddhas’ awakening;
Due to such causes and conditions,
Their practices will deteriorate.76
“Candraprabha, those who realize the seed of awakening
Are certain to obtain pure, boundless lights.
Thus, regard each of the causes and conditions related to such lights distinctly;
You should perceive them all through the power of insight.
“Those who abandon unwholesome friends,
Who rely on virtuous friends,
And who guard the purity of their discipline
Will accomplish the lights of the buddhas.
“Guard your senses,
Abandon shamelessness and indecency,
Cultivate virtuous qualities,
And protect sentient beings!
“Stop being involved in conflicts,
Realize emptiness,
And develop erudition and eloquence
Without hankering for personal gain!
“Regard all personal achievements as being like fecal filth
And do not let the purity of your mind
Be defiled by the stains of selfish gains; [F.208.a]
Pursue liberation and you will achieve the unsurpassed goal!
“Accomplish the path of the buddhas,
Regard the Buddha and reality as being similar,
Always set ablaze the great torch of the Dharma,
And illuminate all the worlds!
“Let your mind be unshakable
Like the king of mountains,
And eagerly cultivate patience toward everyone,
Even when you are insulted or beaten!
“Act as a genuine virtuous friend
For the sake of sentient beings,
Abandon all forms of inferior attitude,
And always accomplish pure actions!
“Let your mind be stable,
Teach the unsurpassed Dharma,
And bestow this sacred discourse
On the kindhearted!
“Those who pursue unsurpassed wisdom
Are not afraid of saṃsāra;
Having abandoned negative deeds,
They will gain the most supreme benefits.77
“As an analogy, Candraprabha, you should know
That experts can skillfully handle fire,
To produce various flavors without being burned,
While unskilled dilettantes burn their palms when handling fire.78
“Moreover, the disturbed and crazed mind
Of someone who has been poisoned
Can be cured by the heat of fire.
It is similar for the wise:
“Based on the mind, they see that the mind is empty.
Therefore, although they abide within saṃsāra,
They see—based on the eye—that the eye is empty,
And so they do not cling to the eye.
“Those who understand in that way
Can dwell on the eyes without causing affliction;
If they see that the eye is empty, they will achieve genuine wisdom,
And light rays will therefore manifest.
“If they see that the eye is empty,
They will permanently abandon79 desire.
Due to this absence of desire,
Light rays will manifest.
“What is explained here with respect to desire also applies
To all the other afflictions up to anger,
Ignorance, clinging to “I,” pretense,80
Aggression, miserliness, envy,
“Shamelessness, impatience,
Haughtiness, arrogance, [F.208.b]
Pride, deceit,
Carelessness, dishonesty, and so forth.
“Those who obtain genuine wisdom
Realize the eye to be peace.
Therefore, light rays will manifest
Through this realization.
“Those who have achieved genuine wisdom
Are settled in the way of the buddhas,
And light rays will manifest
On this basis.
“Those who have achieved genuine wisdom
Are settled in the methods of the buddhas,
And light rays will manifest
On this basis.
“I have never heard of or seen
Anyone who has permanently abandoned the obscurations
And accomplished the manifestation of light rays
Without achieving genuine wisdom.
“Those who, after realizing genuine wisdom,
Permanently rid themselves of the harm of the obscurations
And observe this conduct
Will achieve the emanation of light rays.
“Those who pursue the conduct of the victors
And worship the thus-gone ones
After having trained in this discourse
Will achieve genuine wisdom and skillful means.81
“Those who have achieved genuine wisdom82
Should worship the buddhas
To perfect the emanation of light rays
Like fruits in the palms of their hands.
“For those who are deluded
About the selflessness of the eye,
The qualities of spiritual training will decline;
Those persons will not achieve the emanation of light rays.
“It is those who realize
The selflessness of the eye
Who accomplish the qualities of virtuous practice;
Such persons will achieve the emanation of light rays.
“Those who realize the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Will also realize the limit of the arising of the ear.
Realizing the limit of the arising of the ear
Is known as the quality of great virtuous practice.
“Those who do not understand the limit of the eye’s natural state
Will also not understand the limit of the arising of the eye;
Those persons will therefore
Not achieve the emanation of light rays.
“Those who understand the ultimate essence of the eye
Will also understand the limit of the arising of the eye; [F.209.a]
Those persons will therefore
Achieve the emanation of light rays.
“Those who do not properly understand the limit of the eye’s natural state
Will also not properly understand the limit of the arising of the eye;
Those persons will therefore
Not achieve the emanation of light rays.
“Those who properly understand the limit of the eye’s natural state
Will also properly understand the limit of the arising of the eye;
Those persons will therefore
Achieve the emanation of light rays.
“Those who do not directly understand the limit of the eye’s natural state
Will also not directly understand the limit of the arising of the eye;
Those persons will therefore
Not achieve the emanation of light rays.
“Those who directly understand the limit of the eye’s natural state
Will also directly understand the limit of the arising of the eye;
Those persons will therefore
Achieve the emanation of light rays.
“Those who do not properly understand the limit of the eye’s natural state
Will also not fully understand the limit of the arising of the eye;
Those persons will therefore
Not achieve the emanation of light rays.
“Those who properly understand the limit of the eye’s natural state
Will also directly understand the limit of the arising of the eye;
Those persons will therefore
Achieve the emanation of light rays.
“Those who do not properly understand the purity of the eye’s natural state
Will not properly understand the purity of the ear’s natural state;
Those persons will therefore
Not achieve the emanation of light rays.
“Those who properly understand the purity of the eye’s natural state
Will properly realize the purity of the ear’s natural state;
Those persons will therefore
Achieve the emanation of light rays.
“Know that this also applies
To the nose, the tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes,
Textures, and mental phenomena.
“It also applies to the elements of earth, water, fire, and air,
The world, suffering,
Words, names, and so forth.” [F.209.b]
Then the Blessed One said to Candraprabhakumārabhūta, “Noble son, sentient beings dedicated to the Great Vehicle who wish to perfect this emanation of light rays must accomplish eighty types of accumulation of roots of virtue. What are those eighty?83 (1) Protecting and recollecting sentient beings, (2) being free of ill will, (3) guarding the purity of one’s discipline without letting it become corrupted, (4) being completely impartial, (5) being free of deceit, (6) being free of miserliness, (7) being free of envy, (8) being free of lustful thoughts, (9) being free of deceitful thoughts, (10) trusting the sacred discourses of the Great Vehicle, (11) being free of attachment and craving regarding power and arrogance,84 (12) having complete strength of patience, (13) never turning away from one’s aspirations, (14) having a completely pure motivation, (15) staying in the wilderness, (16) not associating with retinues, (17) not being thrilled about personal gains, (18) not being excited about fame, (19) dwelling firmly in the concentrations, (20) displaying the absorption of light rays, (21) sincerely revering those who observe discipline,85 (22) manifesting the noblest attitude toward those who practice pure conduct, (23) venerating the preceptors and teachers out of respect for the Dharma, (24) understanding the meaning of the sūtras, (25) being expert in teaching, (26) not telling lies, (27) maintaining pure motivation, (28) exerting oneself to create roots of virtue, (29) constantly practicing generosity,86 (30) fully understanding the activities of Māra, (31) guarding one’s senses firmly, (32) investigating the words, (33) being expert in the ultimate truth, (34) realizing the individual characteristics of the bodhisattva levels, (35) pursuing inexhaustible form,87 (36) being unconcerned88 about one’s body and life, (37) teaching to the four retinues, [F.210.a] (38) completely interrupting worldly concerns, (39) abandoning the wrong view that denies future existence, (40) abstaining from teaching those who are untrained and show signs of dishonesty, (41) teaching those who wish to train,89 to the best of one’s ability and with discernment, (42) not proclaiming the praises of song and music, (43) not proclaiming the praises of ornaments and provisions, (44) correctly engaging in the truths, (45) possessing excellent erudition, (46) giving up drowsiness,90 (47) exerting oneself in the pursuit of the genuine Dharma, (48) revering the buddhas, (49) giving rise to the mind set on awakening, (50) giving up worldly activities, (51) exerting oneself in the precepts, (52) relying on extraordinary friends out of thirst for the Dharma, (53) untiringly pursuing roots of virtue, (54) being highly interested in monastic ordination, (55) guarding and upholding the Dharma of the buddhas, (56) not engaging in negative actions, (57) having no doubts about the teachings, (58) being skilled in teaching through analogies, (59) revealing and disclosing secrets, (60) tirelessly pursuing great awakening, (61) not forgetting the sūtras one has received, (62) not giving up one’s training, (63) defeating the proponents of opposing views, (64) pursuing the path of renunciation, (65) accomplishing countless activities, (66) gaining certainty about the wisdom of the Dharma, (67) clearly perceiving the principle of causes and results,91 (68) continuously remaining in saṃsāra,92 (69) not being attached to the three realms, (70) giving up pride, (71) teaching the presentation of the antidotes to those who have strong conviction, (72) fully understanding the particular instances of future karmic ripening, (73) properly knowing the past limit, (74) not being dependent on others, [F.210.b] (75) diligently accomplishing the practices of abandonment, and (76) perfecting the arrays of the buddhas’ major and minor marks—those are the eighty types of accumulation.
“Furthermore, Candraprabhakumāra,93 those eighty qualities can be included within five qualities. What are those five? (1) Knowing saṃsāra, (2) knowing nirvāṇa, (3) knowing the exhaustion of afflictions, (4) knowing what is supreme, and (5) knowing the fruition of merit.
“Candraprabhakumāra,94 those five qualities can further be included within two qualities. What are those two? (1) Being adorned with a pure mind and (2) being adorned with a pure appearance.
“Candraprabhakumāra,95 those two qualities can further be included within a single quality. What is this quality? Accomplishing the unimpeded liberation of the thus-gone ones.96
“Furthermore, Candraprabhakumāra, there is another set of eighty qualities, through which one perfects the unimpeded liberation of the thus-gone ones.97 What are those eighty? (1) Being endowed with the accumulation of generosity, (2) being endowed with vast insight, (3) accomplishing pure discipline, (4) being free from the torment of the afflictions, (5) overcoming pride, (6) speaking with soft words, (7) knowing a variety of topics, (8) knowing those who are virtuous friends, (9) dedicating oneself to the Great Vehicle, (10) donning the armor of diligence, (11) taming sentient beings through one’s behavior, (12) eliminating the doubts of those who have fallen into afflicted states, (13) disparaging nonvirtue98 and accomplishing wholesome qualities, (14) not associating with nonvirtuous friends, (15) tirelessly creating roots of virtue, (16) giving rise to the mind set on awakening, [F.211.a] (17) engendering diligence,99 (18) clearly understanding the character of Māra, (19) realizing the truths, (20) worshiping only what is genuine, (21) eliminating doubts,100 (22) constantly wishing to make sentient beings pass beyond suffering, (23) not clinging to existence, (24) expanding the scope of one’s mind, (25) teaching about shortcomings to beings who engage in nonvirtue, (26) completely abandoning desire, anger, and ignorance, (27) not pursuing sense pleasures, (28) ripening sentient beings, (29) building stūpas of thus-gone ones,101 (30) developing one’s reverence toward noble beings, (31) associating with and serving those who are grounded in the Great Vehicle, (32) not praising those who follow the Lower Vehicle, (33) staying far away from those who follow the vehicle of the hearers, (34) overcoming opponents, (35) preparing vast offerings and offering them to the blessed buddhas with a noble attitude, (36) achieving unimpeded wisdom, (37) being endowed with perfect eloquence, (38) teaching the authentic Dharma through a variety of analogies, (39) not contradicting the empty essence, (40) not succumbing to laziness while pursuing the Dharma, (41) teaching the profound meaning, (42) possessing the great power of retention, (43) teaching the Dharma but not clinging to it, (44) propagating the Dharma on a vast scale, (45) insatiably guiding beings, (46) perfecting one’s modes of conduct, (47) being endowed with great majesty,102 (48) being endowed with unimpeded eloquence, (49) being endowed with excellent erudition, (50) not proclaiming the praises of nonvirtuous people, (51) accomplishing virtuous actions, (52) comprehending the aggregates, (53) completely giving up views, (54) realizing the essential nature of causes, (55) transcending the domain of experience, [F.211.b] (56) giving up improper domains, (57) developing intense faith, (58) dwelling on the genuine path, (59) delighting in the Great Vehicle, (60) attracting beings impartially, (61) not being attached to selflessness, (62) not becoming weary about saṃsāra, (63) being dedicated to seeking nirvāṇa, (64) staying in the wilderness because of having few desires, (65) never succumbing to laziness while collecting alms, (66) being content with whatever one gets, (67) giving up shamelessness and indecency, (68) serving the buddhas, (69) staying in the presence of virtuous friends, (70) staying away from those who are not of the same ilk, (71) being sympathetic toward ordinary beings, (72) acting in conformity with sentient beings’ way of behaving, (73) having great faith in the buddhas, (74) abandoning those who are improper vessels, (75) not giving teachings to inappropriate beings, (76) not teaching those who do not ask for it, (77) teaching in a variety of ways to those who ask for it, (78) being disinterested with respect to food, (79) giving continuously and impartially, and (80) giving without holding anything back103— Kumāra, those are the eighty qualities through which one achieves the unimpeded liberation of the thus-gone ones.”104
When he heard that teaching, Candraprabhakumārabhūta became overjoyed and spoke these verses of praise in the presence of the Blessed One:105
“Since the Thus-Gone One knows
The limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
He displays pure wisdom
And is therefore endowed with pure and perfect lights.
“Since the Blessed One
Has benefited sentient beings in the past,
He has perfected pure speech,
And he therefore benefits an infinity of worlds.
“Since the Thus-Gone One knows
The emptiness of the eye,
He has perfected all-comprehending wisdom,
And therefore displays the Thus-Gone One’s infinite lights.
“The Buddha knows the characteristics of the eye,
And those particularities are endless;
Thus, since the names of wisdom are infinite,106
The lights displayed by the Thus-Gone One are infinite.
“Since the Buddha knows
The gateways of the particular words,
He realizes that the eye is empty and beyond words,
And he therefore displays infinite lights.
“Those who contemplate the selflessness of the eye
Will realize that the Buddha speaks the truth,
And they will therefore display the certainty
Of the Thus-Gone One’s lights.107
“Since the Blessed One
Has perfected the most sublime miraculous powers,
He understands the boundless disintegration of the eye,
And he therefore benefits all the worlds.
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Knows the boundless arising of the eye;
May I too, before long,
Know the arising of the eye as the Blessed One108 does!
“In the same way, his knowledge encompasses
The ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, textures, mental phenomena,
Worldly arising, words, names, and so forth.
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Is endowed with the excellent perfection of generosity;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Be endowed with the perfection of generosity!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Is endowed with the excellent perfection of discipline;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Be endowed with the perfection of discipline! [F.212.b]
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Is endowed with the excellent perfection of patience;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Be endowed with the perfection of patience!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Is endowed with the excellent perfection of diligence;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Be endowed with the perfection of diligence!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Is endowed with the excellent perfection of concentration;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Be endowed with the perfection of concentration!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Is endowed with the excellent perfection of insight;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Be endowed with the perfection of insight!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Has attained the excellent and perfect Dharma body;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Attain the perfect Dharma body!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Is endowed with excellent, pure, and infinite forms;109
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Be endowed with pure forms!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Is endowed with an excellent, pure, and limitless mind;110
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Be endowed with a pure mind!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Is endowed with the most excellent and infinite qualities;111
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Be endowed with supreme qualities!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Is endowed with the excellent and boundless physical marks;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Be endowed with the physical marks!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Is endowed with pure and infinite voices;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Be endowed with pure voices!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings, [F.213.a]
Has reached excellent and boundless great miraculous power;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Be endowed with great miraculous power!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Remains in the three realms to guide sentient beings;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Guide sentient beings!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Has transcended the infinite activities of saṃsāra;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Transcend the activities of saṃsāra!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Has transcended the infinite modes of desire;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Transcend the modes of desire!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Has transcended the infinite modes of anger;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Transcend the modes of anger!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Has transcended the infinite modes of ignorance;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Transcend the modes of ignorance!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Has transcended the infinite modes of desire and anger;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Transcend the modes of desire and anger!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Has transcended the infinite modes of anger and ignorance;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Transcend the modes of anger and delusion!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Has transcended the infinite modes of desire and ignorance;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Transcend the modes of desire and delusion!
“The great compassionate one, foremost among human beings,
Has transcended the infinite modes of the joint afflictions;
May I too, before long, in the same way as the Blessed One,
Transcend the modes of the joint afflictions!
“Since he has transcended desire, [F.213.b]
The Guide benefits the entire world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom,
To benefit the world just as the Blessed One does!
“Since he has transcended anger,
The Guide benefits all the world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom,
To benefit the world just as the Blessed One does!
“Since he has transcended ignorance,
The Guide benefits all the world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom,
To benefit the world just as the Blessed One does!
“Since he has transcended desire and anger,
The Guide benefits all the world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom,
To benefit the world just as the Blessed One does!
“Since he has transcended anger and ignorance,
The Guide benefits all the world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom,
To benefit the world just as the Blessed One does!
“Since he has transcended desire and ignorance,
The Guide benefits all the world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom,
To benefit the world just as the Blessed One does!
“Since he has transcended desire, anger, and ignorance,
The Guide benefits all the world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom,
To benefit the world just as the Blessed One does!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One guides all the many gods;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And become a teacher to lead both gods and humans!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One guides all the many groups of nāgas;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And become a teacher to lead both gods and humans!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One guides all the numerous yakṣas;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And become a teacher to lead both gods and humans!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom, [F.214.a]
The Thus-Gone One guides all gandharvas and the countless kumbhāṇḍas
Along with their retinues; may I, too, achieve that wisdom
And become a teacher to lead both gods and humans!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows the true nature of phenomena;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And be free from doubts about that truth!
“Since he knows the limit of the exhaustion of suffering,
The Thus-Gone One benefits all beings;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And be free from doubts about the exhaustion of suffering!
“Since he knows the limit of the exhaustion of causes,
The Thus-Gone One benefits all beings;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And be free from doubts about the exhaustion of causes!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows the activities of the world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And be free from doubts about the activities of the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows what is possible and impossible in the world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows the karmic actions and effects of the world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows the various natures of the world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One knows the actions that lead to all destinations;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!112
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows the various inclinations of worldly beings;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world! [F.214.b]
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One knows all the modes of the faculties;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows the practices of concentration;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows the practices of liberation;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows the practices of equipoise;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows the practices of attainment;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he clearly understands saṃsāra,
The Thus-Gone One knows that saṃsāra arises from the cause of the afflictions;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he clearly knows everything,
The Thus-Gone One is peerless when it comes to benefitting the world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he dwells within states of absorption,
The Thus-Gone One manifests the wisdom of unique methods;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One knows the infinite deeds of previous lives;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows the countless deaths and rebirths;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world! [F.215.a]
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows all the exhaustions of the afflictions;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One has awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One has completely abandoned all afflictions and their habitual patterns;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!113
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One clearly knows the qualities of escaping saṃsāra;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he clearly knows the meaning of the Dharma,
The Thus-Gone One makes countless beings understand;114
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“The Thus-Gone One clearly knows that, by nature,
Phenomena are like illusions, dreams, and mirages;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“The Thus-Gone One clearly knows
The words and expressions of the whole world;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he is endowed with supreme eloquence,
The Thus-Gone One teaches the profound, sacred Dharma;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since his body, speech, and mind are calm,
The Thus-Gone One always acts based on wisdom;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world!
“Since he clearly knows the three times,
The Thus-Gone One is free from clinging, attachment, and impediment;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And benefit all the world! [F.215.b]
“Since he has accomplished discipline, absorption, and insight,
The Thus-Gone One will never regress from those;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And become the most compassionate being in the three realms!
“Since he has accomplished the liberations,115
The Thus-Gone One’s liberated wisdom and realization are irreversible;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And become the most compassionate being in the three realms!
“Since he has accomplished tranquility and insight,116
The Thus-Gone One is unequaled within the worlds of gods and humans;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And become the most compassionate being in the three realms!
“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom,
The Thus-Gone One does not cling to worldly concerns;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And become the most compassionate being in the three realms!
“Since he knows the world,
The Thus-Gone One clearly sees all the various destinies;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And be free from doubts117 about those destinies!
“Since he knows the limits of arising and exhaustion,
The Thus-Gone One is free from delusion about them;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And be free from doubts about the nature of arising and exhaustion!
“Since he knows the limit of complete peace,
The Thus-Gone One is free from delusion about it;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And be free from doubts about that complete peace!
“Since he knows the limit of saṃsāra,
The Thus-Gone One is free from delusion about it;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And be free from doubts about saṃsāra!
“Since he knows the past and future limits,
The Thus-Gone One has attained self-taught wisdom;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And be free from doubts about the past and future limits!
“Since he knows the past and future limits,
The Thus-Gone One does not cling to permanence or discontinuation of the eye;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And be free from doubts about the past and future limits!
“Since he knows the limits of arising and exhaustion,
The Thus-Gone One does not cling to permanence or discontinuation of the eye;
May I, too, achieve that wisdom
And be free from doubts about the nature of arising and exhaustion!
“Those who do not understand the past and future limits
Generate clinging toward objects of desire;
Since the Thus-Gone One clearly knows these,
He does not cling to objects of desire.
“Those who do not understand the limits of existence and nonexistence
Generate clinging toward objects of desire;
Since the Thus-Gone One clearly knows these,
He does not cling to objects of desire.
“Those who do not understand exhaustion and non-exhaustion
Generate clinging toward objects of desire;
Since the Thus-Gone One clearly knows these,
He does not cling to objects of desire.
“Those who do not understand engagement and nonengagement
Generate clinging toward objects of desire;
Since the Thus-Gone One clearly knows these,
He does not cling to objects of desire.
“The same applies to anger, ignorance, aggression,
Pretense, deceit, envy, pride, haughtiness,
Generosity, discipline, patience,
Diligence, concentration, and insight.”
Aware of Candraprabhakumārabhūta’s thoughts, the Blessed One smiled and emitted golden light rays that illuminated countless buddha realms119 and accomplished the benefit of beings within the worldly realms. Then those light rays circumambulated the Blessed One120 three times and vanished into the top of the Thus-Gone One’s head.
At that moment, the bodhisattva Maitreya stood up, draped his shawl over one shoulder,121 knelt on his right knee, and prostrated to the feet of the Blessed One. With his palms respectfully joined together, [F.216.b] he praised the Blessed One and posed some questions with these verses:
“You roar like thunder and like a lion,
Your voice resembles the song of the kalaviṅka bird,
And you beat the great Dharma drums.
Why do you smile?
“You shine more brightly than a thousand suns,
Your voice is immaculate,
And you possess the most amazing qualities.
Why did you emit light?
“You are adorned with generosity, discipline, patience,
Diligence, concentration, and insight.
You have mastered all those perfections.122
Why did you emit light?
“Thus-Gone One, your voice is soft,
You have permanently abandoned harsh words,
And you heal the diseases of sentient beings.
Why did you emit light?
“Great compassionate one, leader of human beings,
You realize that the eye is always empty and void,
And you teach the Dharma to sentient beings
With your pure Brahmā voice.
“The same applies to the ear, the nose, the tongue,
The body, the mind, words, names, and so forth,
Up to the origin,123 cessation,
The path, wisdom, and patience.
“Great compassionate one, leader of human beings,
You realize that the limits of the arising and exhaustion of the eye
And complete peace, as well as saṃsāra,
Are empty and void.
“The same applies to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and textures,
Up to words and names.
“You also teach that dependently arisen phenomena
Are beyond permanence and discontinuation,
And that they are not produced by themselves or by others,
But that they originate from numerous conditions.
“At times, you describe the basis of suffering
Using various explanations.
At times, you praise the light of the buddhas
According to a variety of meanings.
“At times, you teach about the disengagement of phenomena
Using countless words.
At times, you reveal the nonexistence
Of a person, a life principle, a self, and a sentient being.
“Countless buddhas of the past
Have also taught this Dharma
Through hundreds of thousands
Of inconceivable verses.
“The Thus-Gone One teaches [F.217.a]
About qualities, the Dharma, and the natural state,
But he is beyond expressions and things expressed.
Therefore, the Dharma that he expresses is also nonexistent.
“Likewise, all the asuras
Will develop sincere interest,
And countless humans
Will cut through the web of doubt.
“They will realize the nature of desire,
Eradicate anger and ignorance,
And completely abandon
The entire mass of suffering.
“Suffering comes from the proliferation
Of craving, pride,
Ignorance, deceit, and envy;
Ultimately, all those categories are pure.125
“Since the Thus-Gone One clearly knows
The many terms related to every single Dharma teaching,
He delivers countless
Hundreds of thousands of teachings.
“Since he has properly trained in the Dharma
Under countless buddhas,
The words he expresses to teach
Every single Dharma topic are endless.
“Since the Thus-Gone One knows
The many categories of phenomena,
He clearly understands the distinctions pertaining
To initial, intermediate, and concluding statements.
“Since he has learned
All the varieties of different words,
He clearly knows how to teach
The excellent, supreme meanings.
“Since such a completely pure voice
Originates from a collection of causes and conditions,
It does not depend on the tongue alone,
Or on the body and the mind alone.
“The earth has shaken in six ways,
And retinues have gathered from the ten directions.
When they gaze upon the Blessed One, their palms joined,
May their doubts be cleared away!
“The Thus-Gone One realizes
That the limits of the exhaustion and arising of the eye
Are always intrinsically empty and void,
Beyond coming and going.
“He dwells within the very limit of reality,
Beyond abiding and fixation.
Blessed One, your eye is unimpeded,
So I ask you this today:
“Since the Thus-Gone One realizes
That the past and future limits of the eye,
Its exhaustion and its non-exhaustion, as well as saṃsāra, [F.217.b]
Are intrinsically empty and void,
“He brings delight to worldly beings
By revealing the meanings of the Dharma.
Why does the sage, who is endowed
With that melodious voice, smile?
“Blessed One, you realize that the past and future limits,
As well as the eye, are empty and void,
And you are free from concepts and words.
Why do you smile?
“Blessed One, you know that the eye is beyond measure,
And that the various verbal expressions
Are always empty and void by nature.
Why do you smile?
“Blessed One, you clearly know that the limits of exhaustion and arising,
As well as the eye itself, are empty and void,
And you have completely
Abandoned all afflictions.
“You have obtained the wisdom
Of the buddhas’ awakening,
And you have an excellent and supreme renown.
Why do you smile?126
“Blessed One, since you have trained for a long time,
You teach the inconceivable.
You realize the emptiness of the eye,
And you are always stainless and immaculate.
“You know all the countless thoughts
Through a single realization.
As your light rays illuminate the worlds,
What do these omens portend?127
“Great Sage, manifest Buddha,
Exalted leader of human beings,
Since you have eliminated all afflictions,
Your mind is always peaceful and disengaged.
“Thus-Gone One, with your supreme wisdom
You know the limit of the exhaustion of the eye.
Due to what causes and conditions
Do you smile today?
“The same applies to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
The six sense objects, and the four great elements,
Up to words and names.
“Blessed One, you realize that the eye is selfless,
That the ear is impermanent,
And that the nose is empty.
Why do you smile?
“Blessed One, you realize that the tongue is selfless,
That the body is impermanent,
And that the mind is empty.
Why do you smile?
“Blessed One, you realize that forms are selfless,
That sounds are impermanent,
And that scents are empty.
Why do you smile? [F.218.a]
“Blessed One, you realize that tastes are selfless,
That touch is impermanent,
And that mental phenomena are empty.
Why do you smile?
“Blessed One, you realize that earth is selfless,
That water is impermanent,
And that fire is empty.
Why do you smile?
“Blessed One, you realize that air is selfless,
Essences are impermanent,
And material things are empty.
Why do you smile?
“Blessed One, you realize that the world is selfless,
That suffering is impermanent,
And that the aggregates are empty.
Why do you smile?
“Blessed One, you realize that the elements are selfless,
That the world is impermanent,
And that arising is empty.
Why do you smile?
“Blessed One, you realize that sounds are selfless,
That names are impermanent,
And that the path is empty.
Why do you smile?
“Blessed One, you realize that wisdom is selfless,
That disengagement is impermanent,
And that sentient beings are empty.
Why do you smile?
“Blessed One, you realize that any nature lacks inherent nature,
That the self is devoid of self,
And that inclinations are empty.
Why do you smile?
“You see that saṃsāra is selfless,
You know what is permanent and impermanent,
And you realize that nirvāṇa is empty.
Why do you smile?
“Thus-Gone One, your mind is free,
Your renown pervades the entirety of the three realms,
And you are worshiped by all beings,
“The Thus-Gone One realizes
That the limits of the exhaustion
And arising of the eye are void.
Why does he smile?
“All the countless heirs of the buddhas
Have gathered in this retinue.
They were born from the Buddha’s speech
And emanated from the Dharma.
“They have come into the presence of the Blessed One
And respectfully join their palms.
For those who have gathered in this assembly,
I ask you to declare the causes and conditions of this light. [F.218.b]
“Since the Thus-Gone One realizes
That the eye is empty and selfless,
He truly surpasses
All householder practitioners.
“The Thus-Gone One knows
The lack of difference and the sameness of phenomena.
Blessed One, you know this through your insight—128
You do not perceive this through your miraculous powers.
“Blessed One, you realize that the eye is selfless,
That its essence is empty, and that it does not come from or go anywhere—
Your immaculate wisdom is immeasurable.
Why do you smile? [B3]
“Thus-Gone One, your births are totally exhausted,
And you protect all the worlds through your great compassion.
Dharma lord, supreme leader of human beings,
Please tell us why you smile!
“Countless great bodhisattvas
And hosts of majestic gods
Are holding sublime parasols in the sky,
And this great earth has shaken.
“You bring delight impartially to those
Who have accomplished virtuous qualities
For a long time under the thus-gone ones of the past.
Great compassionate leader, please tell us why you smile!
“Those who have worshiped buddhas in the past
Are filled with joy when they hear this teaching.
Great guide, supreme leader of human beings,
Please tell us why you smile!
“Blessed One, you please beings through your manifold teachings,
Your melodious voice resembles the songs of the swan—the king of birds—129
And countless delightful words manifest spontaneously from your mouth.
Please tell us why you emitted light!
“The praises of your agreeable speech are proclaimed
In countless millions of verses,
And you are endowed with the supreme voice of the black Indian cuckoo.130
Please tell us why you emitted light!
“The deep thunder roar by which you teach the Dharma
Resounds throughout countless hundreds of thousands of worlds.
Through your compassion you teach using both harsh and sweet words.
Why did you emit golden light?
“You realize that the occurrence of the eye
Is always empty and void, beyond coming and going,
And groundless, like a mirage or a water bubble.
What are the causes and conditions of your smile?
“Know that the same applies
To the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes, textures, and mental phenomena,
Up to words, names, and so forth.
“Your body is permanent like vajra and indestructible.
It is endowed with a hundred thousand perfect and supreme marks,
And you move your body without any fetters.
Please tell us—what are the causes and conditions of your smile?
“Your calves are round,132 your heels are broad,
And like a lion your abdomen does not bulge—
Your navel is deep, and your waist is broad.
Please tell us—what are the causes and conditions of your smile?
“Your golden body is pure, stainless, and immaculate,
And each hair on your body is deep black,
Perfumed, and curls to the right.
Please tell us—what are the causes and conditions of your smile?
“Your sublime body, perfect and permanently enduring,
Is like the king of trees, the banyan fig.
It is adorned with all qualities,
And your melodious voice pleases your retinues.
“Your shoulders are round, your upper arms are thick and beautiful,133
Your crown protuberance is perfect and coiled clockwise,
You move throughout countless hundreds of thousands of realms,
And you point out to sentient beings the mistaken and the correct paths.
“The fragrance of blue lotus flowers exudes from your mouth,
And your body is pervaded by the scent of sandalwood.
Since you have cultivated love extensively in the past,
Your pure intent is uninterrupted.
“Thus-Gone One, the soles of your feet are even,
And although they touch the ground, they remain unsullied by dust.136
Walking like a lion and an elephant,
You have transcended the entire world.
“You are beautified by the marks of thousand-spoked wheels,
And your sublime light shines brilliantly.
Since you benefit beings through your virtue, [F.219.b]
Whoever sees you is filled with faith.
“Each of your fingers emits a hundred thousand light rays
That illuminate countless buddha realms.
Since you have accomplished so many virtuous practices in the past,
You have achieved those various arrays of excellent marks.
“Your form body is perfect and unequaled,
The marks that beautify your face are magnificent,
And you benefit the world137 through your miraculous powers.
Please tell us why you smile!
“Like a stallion,140 your genitals are hidden and stainless;
The palms of your hands are even and broad,
And your arms reach past your knees.
Amazing and magnificent lion of human beings, please tell us why you smile!
“Innumerable brilliant, soothing, and brightly colored light rays
Radiate from your body.141
Your pure mind is uninterrupted,
And you reveal countless discourses.
“Such qualities will not be accomplished
By those who uphold eternalist or nihilist views.
Only those who have abandoned extreme views
Will swiftly attain the pure body of the blessed ones.142
“Your speech resounds like divine drums and roaring thunder;
It is melodious and clear like the songs of the kalandaka bird143
And endowed with a hundred thousand tunes of divine songs.
Please tell us why you emitted lights!
“Great Guide, by teaching the Dharma through a single teaching,
You interrupt the practices of those who adhere to improper discipline.
Whatever melodious words come from the Thus-Gone One’s mouth
Are profound and amazing!
“Leader of human beings, the light rays emitted from between your eyebrows
Illuminate a hundred thousand buddha realms,
Your sublime eyes have a deep black color,
And the mark of your crown protuberance cannot be seen by the celestial gods.
“Thus-Gone One, your body of perfect qualities
Shines with countless excellent and magnificent colors
And emits the most amazing pure light rays.
Please tell us why you smile!
“Great compassionate one, supreme victor, leader of human beings,
You know the pure intentions of sentient beings,
And you have achieved supreme, unimpeded eloquence.
Please tell us why you smile!
“Since the Thus-Gone One has reached the other shore,
He is perfectly endowed with the three knowledges and the six higher perceptions,
And he displays innumerable pure light rays.
Please tell us why you smile!
“Blessed One, during countless eons in the past,
You worshiped a hundred thousand blessed ones,
And the fruition of such causes is inexhaustible.
Please tell us why you smile!
“Blessed One, since for countless eons in the past
You have dwelled within supreme states of absorption,
You have realized the limits of the arising and exhaustion of the eye.
Please tell us why you smile!
“Great guide, you clearly know
The past, the future, and the present—
Your immaculate wisdom is unimpeded and inconceivable,
Please tell us why you smile!”
At that moment, in front of the numerous retinues, the Blessed One extended his golden hand, placed it on Candraprabhakumārabhūta’s head, and spoke these verses:
“Kumāra, listen carefully!
I now entrust to you
This teaching on awakening—
The sūtra on the manifestation of lights.
“In the future, during the final period
Of the degenerate times,
When the Dharma is about to vanish,
You must reveal it and expound it to sentient beings!
“With my buddha eye, I see and know
All those who, in the future, during the final period,145
Will be interested in this excellent, profound, and sacred sūtra,
As well as all those who will not be interested in it.
“Sentient beings who pursue
The path of awakening
Should constantly recollect the Buddha
And keep this discourse in mind.
“Those whose faith has disappeared,
Who are attracted to distraction,
And who delight in sleeping both day and night
Will not be interested in this discourse. [F.220.b]
“Even if they become renunciants
Under my teachings,
Interest in the qualities of nirvāṇa
Will not arise in them.
“Those fools will squander the gifts of faith,
And even if they hear repeatedly
About the defects associated with conditioned phenomena,
They will cling to worldly concerns, and fear will not arise in them.
“Those fools
Will deprecate the wise ones,
And even if they wear the Dharma robes,
They will be devoid of even the slightest trace of insight.
“Since they will not know the true words
Well-spoken by the Sage,
And even if they hear them, they will not believe in them,
Do not stay in the company of such fools!
“Even if they hear these magnificent teachings,
Joy and devotion will not arise in their minds.
I reproach such individuals;
Though they have a human body, they waste it in meaningless pursuits.
“Those whose minds become filled with joy and devotion
When they hear these profound teachings
Have already met buddhas in the past.
There is thus no doubt that they will reach unsurpassed awakening.
“Fools who are inferior due to their unwholesome views
And sever the life force of insight will forsake awakening;
Therefore, abandon such nonvirtuous friends
And instead attend to the wise ones and revere them!
“All the innumerable defects in all the worlds,
And all sentient beings sinking in the three lower realms,
Originate from the causes and conditions of ignorance and delusion;
Therefore, those who follow their afflictions will not gain freedom.
“Since they forsake the true Dharma
And practice what is contrary to the Dharma,
You should abandon
Those inferior, deluded beings!
“Like a charioteer146 breaking
The axle of his steering wheels,
Sentient beings who engage in nonvirtuous actions
Will be reborn in the hell realms.
“Abusive words always come back to harm
Those who pronounce them, [F.221.a]
Just like a sharp axe that strikes the body
Of the one who wields it.
“Karmic ripening is experienced without fail,
In accordance with the causes and conditions of the actions performed.147
Those who do not understand this will attend to worldly sages,
Thinking they are virtuous friends.
“Then, thinking that those who meditate on emptiness
Realize the unconditioned, they will develop nihilist views;
They will say that the body becomes like a broken pot
And that the mind also ceases to be.
“They will mostly be drawn
To idle gossip,148
And, strongly attached to it,
They will gain no benefits whatsoever.
“The harm caused by poisonous snakes
Will never cause many beings to fall into the lower realms,
But when a fool teaches the Dharma he destroys roots of virtue,
Which causes countless beings to fall into the hell realms.
“You who have gathered in this assembly should consider
That Candraprabhakumāra, who is present here today,
Has worshiped and venerated countless blessed buddhas in the past—
As many as there are grains of sand in the Ganges.
“Since he has pursued unsurpassed wisdom
By meditating in a steadfast manner,
His mind does not dwell
On any of the realms of existence.
“Since he knows that the limit of the arising of the eye
Is always pure,
He has abandoned concepts,
And he is utterly free from clinging.
“He will teach this unsurpassed sūtra
On the manifestation of lights
In order to benefit
Countless sentient beings.
“Since fools are unable to train in this teaching,
They regard genuine spiritual practices as faulty.149
Therefore, stay far away from such fools;
Do not assist them, and do not train in their teachings!
“Since fools are attracted to dispute,
They are unable to earnestly adopt behavior that is free from conflict.
Such beings are utterly devoid of an appropriate mindset,
So do not serve them or proclaim their praise! [F.221.b]
“Since fools are lazy and indolent by nature,
They constantly engage in physical, verbal, and mental nonvirtuous actions;
They therefore completely lack
Pure discipline, insight, and erudition.
“They always think about the objects of their desires,
And they are drawn to distractions;
Regard the families, blood lines,
And bodies of such fools as inferior!
“They are filled with aggression, they do not listen to advice,
And their faces are repulsive;
Even if they are born in virtuous locations,
Their bodies will be vile.
“Since they cling to the notion of self, they are deluded about the true meaning.
Since they lack intelligence, they are unable to understand the diversity of words.
Even if they hear teachings about intrinsic emptiness,
They are not interested in them.
“The thus-gone ones, the blessed ones
Have long ago abandoned all worldly verbal constructs.
Ordinary beings cling and are attached to those,
And so, for as long as they live, they fail to gain understanding and realization.
“Though they might proclaim the praises of discipline,
They do not practice pure conduct.
Though their mouths might teach the Dharma,
Their bodies engage in practices that are contrary to it.
“Though they might teach the Vinaya,
They always behave in ways that are contrary to it.
The Buddha has instructed his disciples
To wear the saffron-colored robes.
“Still, even if those who observe improper discipline
Put on such robes,
It only causes the strength of pride and carelessness
To grow in their minds.150
“When they eat the food that is donated to them with faith,
It is like swallowing burning iron.
In that way, after renouncing their households,
They do not experience sense pleasures,
“Nor do they gain the supreme happiness
Associated with the Dharma of the buddhas.
In this way, they aspire for a variety of experiences
And do not abandon the two extremes.
“None of their interests are pure,
And even when such fools are in a large retinue,
They are like foxes
That have entered a pack of lions.
“Even if you give
Teachings related to peace,
They do not understand or realize
The meaning of suchness and emptiness.
“Even when they take hold of impure objects,
They joyfully hold on to them
As if they were wish-fulfilling gems,
And their minds never let go of them.
“Though such vile beings
Might renounce their households,
Guard their behavior, put on Dharma robes,
And carry alms bowls,
“These are all merely superficial displays,
And so they utterly lack true insight.
Even if they shave their facial hairs,
They do not renounce harmful attitudes.
“Since they follow teachings contrary to virtuous practice
And fall into mistaken views,
The path leading to disengagement and nirvāṇa
Is completely ruined for them.152
“They will not achieve the fruition
Resulting from engaging in virtuous practice,
And so their ignorance and other afflictions
Will not diminish in the slightest.
“While roaming in the cities,
They sing the praise of disengagement.
Due to their lack of intelligence,
Those fools do not understand the genuine path.
“All their aspirations are nonvirtuous;
Even if they stay in the wilderness,
It is not to accomplish the true causes of nirvāṇa,
But out of desire for personal gain.
“Fond of drowsiness and sleep,
They are concerned about their physical well-being
And constantly long
For ways to accomplish that goal.
“Even if they stay in the wilderness for many years,
They adhere to mistaken views,
And so they stray from the path leading to nirvāṇa,
Never obtaining the results of the paths of virtuous practice.
“Since they regress from the genuine view153
And transgress pure discipline,
They always crave fine clothes to adorn their bodies,
And for the happiness of sensual pleasures.
“When they enter cities,
They bear the marks of pride
And do not guard their physical actions,
And so they do not observe pure conduct.
“At times, when they enter cities and roam about,
They boast about their characteristics in these words:
‘You should know that the caves in the wilderness are my home. [F.222.b]
My eyes downcast, I glance upward slowly, walking and stopping serenely.’
“Since they do indeed look like worthy ones,
All the householders say to one another,
‘This monk who stays in the wilderness
Is truly a noble being!’
“At other times, when visitors come to see them
While they stay in the forest, they brag in words such as these:
‘In these jungles I wander day and night’
Or ‘This mat of fresh grass is where I sit.’
“At other times, when they go to cities and enter homes,
They eagerly ask with deception, ‘Are you well?’
Before engaging in frivolous mundane conversations
Related to various topics such as kings and thieves.
“At other times, driven by attachment,
They boast about their own qualities
In various ways
In the presence of women.
“They say, ‘I am a great field of merit for the entire world;
I have renounced my kingdom and become a renunciant,
And now I meditate on the path.
My queen and my children154 have been reborn in the higher realms.’
“Upon hearing those words,
The women are filled with immense respect;
They collect clothes, food, and beverages, which they offer with the words,
‘Venerable, look upon us with compassion—please come to us directly!’155
“Since such people are attached to delicious meals
And do not know their defects,
They are at the mercy of Māra,
Like turtles caught in nets.
“Even while staying in the wilderness,
They are conceited about their achievements,
And they continue to despise and deprecate
Those monks who are diligent.
“Since they repeatedly give rise to attachment
Out of the delusion related to gain and fame,
And since they constantly engage in deceitful actions to sustain themselves,
They repeatedly increase their physical and verbal unwholesome actions.
“For those who completely abandon those faults
On the basis of my teachings
And practice with zeal and conscientiousness,
It will not be difficult to hear156 this teaching.
“For those who are unshaken by worldly concerns
Such as gain, loss, praise, criticism,
Suffering, and happiness,
It will not be difficult to receive this teaching.
“For those who perceive the body as filth,
The aggregates as wounds,
And food as poison for the wounds,
It will not be difficult to receive this teaching.
“For those who do not become haughty
But put on the attire of modesty
Even when they receive fine clothes,
It will not be difficult to receive this teaching.
“For those who are not conceited about their appearance and strength,
Who are not attached to food
But merely eat to sustain their lives,
It will not be difficult to receive this teaching.
“For those who know that the objects of craving are empty
And therefore neither indulge in nor reject pleasures
But always act with the understanding of emptiness and disengagement,
It will not be difficult to receive this teaching.
“For those living alone in the mountains—more than a league away—
Who, while absorbed in equipoise,
Realize the selflessness of conditioned phenomena,
It will not be difficult to receive this teaching.
“For those who accomplish the path of the pure eye
By realizing the characteristics of the limits
Of the exhaustion, arising, and cognition of the eye,
It will not be difficult to receive this teaching.
“The same also applies to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and textures,
Up to words and names.
“You should know that,
In the future,
All the countless monks will be
Either diligent or lazy in those ways.
“You should know that, in those ways,
They will either be virtuous or nonvirtuous friends,
Accomplished or unaccomplished,
Trusting or untrusting.
“You should know that, in those ways, they will be
Either virtuous or nonvirtuous friends
Who accomplish or do not accomplish
The path of the eye’s exhaustion.157
“You should know that, in those ways,
Some will be strongly interested in awakening,
Only to lose interest later,
After one, two, or three months have passed.
“Still, even if the interest
Born upon hearing this teaching [F.223.b]
Declines in some,
They will revive their faith later on.
“Some will not abandon their carelessness
When they hear this teaching;
Instead, they will think,
‘This discourse is not the Buddha’s words!’
“After hearing this teaching,
Some will be caught by Māra;
Even if faith has initially arisen in them,
They will abandon it later on.
“Those who are not interested in the Dharma will pursue falsehood, fame, and gain;
Although they might sing the praises of the lights
Of dhāraṇīs, absorption, and complete comprehension
As they roam through cities and towns, they will not gain true realization.
“Devoid of mindfulness and insight,
Their whole life will be wasted in meaningless pursuits;
And so fall into the Hell of Unceasing Torment, never to be reborn in the higher realms.
“Someone who hears this discourse
And memorizes a single four-line verse from it
Is more exalted than someone who builds
A thousand stūpas in every single moment.
“Someone who hears this discourse
And memorizes160 a single four-line verse from it
Is more exalted than someone who offers
A hundred thousand flower garlands to the stūpas of the buddhas.
“Someone who contemplates this discourse
For just a single moment
Is more exalted than someone who builds
As many bejeweled stūpas as there are grains of sand in the Ganges.
“Someone who contemplates this discourse
For just a single moment
Is more exalted than someone who venerates
Ten million buddha realms by tossing flowers.
“Someone who contemplates this discourse
For just a single moment
Is more exalted than someone who offers
Ten million Dharma robes to the buddhas.
“The buddha eye is pure and superior—
There is nothing that it does not know and see.
Those who are dedicated to this discourse
Will achieve the buddha eye.
“He prophesied that I would become a buddha
Named Śākyamuni,
And that I would teach this discourse
While sitting at the seat of awakening.
“You were a young boy at that time.
When you heard this prophecy,
You became overjoyed and filled with faith. [F.224.a]
With your palms joined, you made this aspiration:
“ ‘When this brahmin child becomes a perfect buddha,
May I become his assistant.
After he passes into nirvāṇa,
May I uphold and guard his collection of teachings!’
“When the Buddha Dīpaṅkara
Taught this discourse on the manifestation of lights,
Both the brahmin son and the young boy
Listened to it carefully and kept it in mind.
“In the past, I once offered blue lotus flowers to that buddha.
You were present at that time, and you made the aspiration
To uphold this discourse during the final period of my teachings
And to propagate it on a vast scale.
“Those who, upon hearing this teaching,
Do not give rise to aversion but hold it,
Keep it in mind, read it, and recite it
Are sublime beings!
“In the future, you should uphold
This teaching that is difficult to hear,
Teach it extensively, and reveal its meaning
To sentient beings!
“In the past,
When the true Dharma was about to disappear,
I also taught this discourse on the manifestation of lights
Extensively to sentient beings.
“Because fools do not accomplish it with determination,
They deprecate it.
Still, when I hear their words,
I do not become angry.
“Instead, I always cultivate patience
And benefit the world.
Since the strength of my patience is perfect,
I am adorned with the major and minor marks.
“Kumāra, you should regard the excellent
And perfect body of the Buddha,
As well as his pure and sublime golden color,
As the outcome of the strength of his patience.
“Countless realms shake
When my feet touch the earth,
Yet no sentient being loses balance;
All this is the outcome of the strength of my patience.
“The hundred thousand light rays
Emitted from each pore of my hair
Illuminate all directions;
All this is the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.
“All the members of my retinues
Have developed gentle minds,
And they revere the Thus-Gone One;
All this is the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.
“All the praises of the Buddha’s qualities
Proclaimed within my great assemblies
With a hundred thousand musical tunes, [F.224.b]
All this is the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.
“A hundred thousand malevolent
And frightening nāga kings
Become pleased when they see the Buddha;
All this is the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.
“Thus-gone ones residing
In countless hundreds of thousands of realms
Are praising my qualities;
All this is the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.
“Hundreds of thousands of mahoragas
And kaṭapūtanas gather together164
And worship me by tossing flowers;
All this is the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.
“Sixty billion beings
Including the yakṣa kings
Come to worship me;
All this is the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.
And kaṭapūtanas168 gather together
And worship me with offerings of flowers and perfumes;
All this is the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.
“Kumāra, you should see
That whoever is touched by the Buddha’s light rays
Becomes freed from suffering and obtains happiness;
All this is the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.
“Samudra and a hundred thousand
Gods of the wind fill the sky
And worship me by showering perfumed rains;
All this is the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.
“A hundred thousand divine retinues
Worship me by tossing divine flowers,
Abandon their cravings, and attend to the buddhas;
All this is the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.
“You also advertise the Buddha’s miraculous power,
Generosity, and discipline,
Causing everyone to hear about them;
Regard this as the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.169
“Everyone gains understanding
Through the words related to the aggregates,
The elements, and the four truths;
All this is the outcome of the strength of my supreme patience.
“Through my miraculous powers, [F.225.a]
The words related to the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
And utter peace, as well as the limit of its arising,
Are heard from the sky.
“Through my miraculous powers,
These words will be heard from the sky:
‘The eye arises from causes and conditions;
It does not come from or go anywhere.’
“Through my miraculous powers,
These words will be heard from the sky:
‘The buddhas are born from
The realization of the eye’s peace.’
“Through my miraculous powers,
These words will be heard from the sky:
‘Since the limit of the exhaustion of the eye is peace,
The buddhas are born from this realization.’
“Through my miraculous powers,
These words will be heard from the sky:
‘Since the limit of the eye is utter peace,
The buddhas are born from this realization.’
“Through my miraculous powers,
These words will be heard from the sky:
‘Since the limit of the arising of the eye is peace,
The buddhas are born from this realization.’
“Through my miraculous powers,
These words will be heard from the sky:
‘Since the transformation of the eye is peace,
The buddhas are born from this realization.’
“Through my miraculous powers,
These words will be heard from the sky:
‘Since the arising of the eye is peace,170
The buddhas are born from this realization.’
“Through my miraculous powers,
These words will be heard from the sky:
‘Since the disengagement of the eye is peace,
The buddhas are born from this realization.’
“The same applies to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, and textures,
Up to words, names, and so forth.
“By extension, this explanation also applies
To desire, anger, ignorance,
Aggression, pretense, envy, deceit,
Arrogance, pride, and so forth.”
When he heard this unique and extraordinary teaching, Candraprabhakumārabhūta was overjoyed. With his palms joined, he said, “Blessed One, if I were to invite the Thus-Gone One and his large retinue for lunch tomorrow, would he consider me with affection and consent to come for the lunch that I will prepare?”171
As he said this, the Blessed One perceived Kumāra’s pure motivation, [F.225.b] and he knew that this would benefit countless sentient beings. So, considering him with affection, he gave his consent by not responding. Candraprabhakumārabhūta then stood up, prostrated at the feet of the Blessed One, circumambulated him three times, and, filled with joy, went back to his home. Together with his retinue, and with the help of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, mahoragas,172 and other beings, he installed a silken marquee at a crossroads near the city of Rājagṛha. That marquee was very tall and wide, and it covered the whole area. It was decorated with symmetrical golden nets, garlands of precious gems, and lion standards, as well as a billion interwoven golden threads. Heaps of garlands of precious flowers in the most magnificent colors were spread on the floor, and innumerable garlands of other flowers, such as magnolia and rosewood flowers, were hung as ornaments, covering the entire interior of the precious marquee as well as the entire assembly. A throne and seats were arranged inside, and a variety of pure and delightful precious fragrant substances, such as pṛkkā,173 dumaca,174 sandalwood, and saffron, were burned. Different kinds of the most excellent mixed incenses were also prepared as offering substances. Fragrant water was sprinkled in all the lanes of the city, and fresh flowers were spread all over the ground. At that time, innumerable goddesses, female asuras, and daughters of Rāhula175 were thrilled and came with the desire to accomplish the cause of awakening, adorning that magnificent great city with their presence.
Once Candraprabhakumārabhūta knew that the entire city had been cleaned and decorated and it was time for the noon meal, he addressed the Blessed One, [F.226.a] “Blessed One, please come to this city in order to heal176 sentient beings!”
The Blessed One arrived at the city with his many retinues, and as soon as he stepped through the city gate, the ground of that great city and countless billions of universes in the ten directions began to shake. At that moment, those who were blind could see, those who were suffering became happy, those who were deaf could hear, those who were ugly became handsome, those who were poor became wealthy, those who were childless had children, those who had no clothes received clothes, those who had no jewels received jewels, those who had no friends gained friends, and those who had no physical ornaments received all kinds of physical ornaments. Upon seeing the Thus-Gone One, many groups of birds such as swans, cranes, parrots, peacocks, and crows became overjoyed and started to sing the most pleasant and sublime songs, which brought immense delight to those who heard them.
Miraculously, the Thus-Gone One also emanated countless magnolia trees, and many hundreds of thousands of sentient beings worshiped the Blessed One by proffering fresh flowers as well as the most fragrant perfumes and strewing them upon him. Many hundreds of thousands of mighty female asuras carried red pearls and sandalwood powders, which they joyfully tossed at the Thus-Gone One. Many asuras and gods were also present in the sky, sheltering the Thus-Gone One by holding bejeweled parasols adorned with gold and silver above his head. Through his miraculous powers, the Blessed One manifested countless hundreds of thousands of sandalwood trees, [F.226.b] golden trees, and trees filled with jeweled vessels and cloths. Those trees were adorned with precious gems and with magnificent blooming flowers and leaves; they all manifested as the result of the collective karmic ripening of countless beings’ merit. Whenever the wind blew, the fragrance of their sublime perfumes pervaded innumerable buddha realms. Countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings also held up flowers at the same time and tossed them upon the Blessed One. Similarly, countless insentient manifestations were also emanated solely through the Thus-Gone One’s miraculous powers. Through his miraculous powers, all beings’ wishes were completely fulfilled in accordance with their individual aspirations.
When the Blessed One arrived in the city, the entire assembly heard extraordinary and inconceivable words of instruction that rang out in the sky, no one knowing where the words came from. In this way, Dharma teachings were uttered in many hundreds of thousands of verses.
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Those who realize the limit of the exhaustion of desire to be empty and void
Will realize reality and achieve awakening.”
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Those who realize the limit of the arising of desire to be empty and void
Will realize reality and achieve awakening.”
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Those who realize the limit of desire to be empty and void
Will realize reality and achieve awakening.”
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Those who realize the peace of desire to be empty and void
Will realize reality and achieve awakening.” [F.227.a]
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Those who realize the cognition of desire177 to be empty and void
Will realize reality and achieve awakening.”
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Those who realize that desire is nonexistent, empty, and void
Will realize reality and achieve awakening.”
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Those who realize that desire is unborn, empty, and void
Will realize reality and achieve awakening.”
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Those who realize the complete cessation of desire to be empty and void
Will realize reality and achieve awakening.”
“The same also applies to anger, ignorance,
Aggression, pretense, miserliness,
Deceit, arrogance, pride, misery,
Suffering, origin, cessation, path,
“Sentient beings, boys, girls, women, men, living creatures,
The six faculties, the six objects, the four great elements,
The world, suffering, the aggregates, the elements,
Worldly arising, words, names, and so forth.”
Through those teachings of the Dharma lord,
All sentient beings were overjoyed,
And, upon hearing them, all the inhabitants of the divine worlds
Formed the wish to follow the vehicle of the Thus-Gone One.
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Since the Blessed One was so dedicated to the strength of generosity,
He reached awakening through the strength of generosity.”
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Since the Blessed One was so dedicated to pure discipline,
He reached awakening through the strength of pure discipline.”
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Since the Blessed One was dedicated to pure patience,
He reached awakening through the strength of that patience.”
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky: [F.227.b]
“Since the Blessed One was dedicated to pure diligence,
He reached awakening through the strength of that diligence.”
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Since the Blessed One was dedicated to pure concentration,
He reached awakening through the strength of that concentration.”
When the Blessed One entered the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Since the Blessed One was dedicated to pure insight,
He reached awakening through the strength of that insight.
“The same also applies to the strengths of miraculous powers,
The higher perceptions, the qualities, the knowledge of past lives,
Skill in means, retention, renown,
Faith in karma and in the branches of dependent origination, learning,
“Harmony with emptiness, peace, complete control,
Expertise in the ultimate limit and voidness, fear, delight, altruism,
Love, compassion, joy, equanimity, acceptance, harmlessness,
The realization of emptiness, the absence of marks, and so forth.”
When the noble master endowed with the ten powers—
The divine lord unmatched in terms of qualities and glory—
Came and walked in this sublime city,
He benefitted sentient beings extensively.
Since they had performed virtuous actions in the three realms in the past,
He caused the various virtues of the gods to increase.
All worldly beings revered him and listened to his teachings,
And everyone was filled with joy.
When the Blessed One came and walked in this sublime city,
The vast ground of the city started to shake.
When they saw the completely pure lights emitted by the Blessed One,
Everyone was amazed and thrilled.
Since the Blessed One came to that city and benefitted beings extensively,
The retinues of gods and humans were delighted,
And beings residing on the earth and in the sky praised him by saying,
“The Blessed One brings the highest happiness to the three realms!”
When the Blessed One placed the wheels of his feet on the ground,
Pure light illuminated the place, amazing everyone.178
The delightful sounds of thoroughbred horses resounded in the city,
And the birds flying in the sky were overjoyed.
Melodious tunes also manifested spontaneously
From the bracelets, anklets, necklaces,
And various other precious ornaments
Of the many faithful maidens, without anyone playing the ornaments.
When the Thus-Gone One came to the city,
Gods and humans joyfully offered him flowers,
And melodious tunes resounded everywhere in the sky,
Bringing delight to countless groups of gods.
Beings with impaired memory had their derangements pacified,
And they began to speak pleasantly to one another.
Pregnant women who were distressed and anxious
Were comforted by the magnificence of those lights.
Undefiled Dharma teachings were expounded
To the modest and humble men and women,
Causing all of them to joyfully give rise to a pure mindset
And to prostrate to the feet of the supreme lord.
Knowing the customs of that land through his wisdom,
The Blessed One benefitted them in accordance with the ways of the world.181
He bestowed the supreme wealth of the Dharma on the bodhisattvas
And gave supreme riches to other sentient beings.
When the Blessed One came to the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Those who crave the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Revere the Buddha.”
When the Blessed One came to the city,
These words resounded in the sky:
“Those who crave the limit of the arising of the eye
Revere the Buddha.182
“Those who crave the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Will develop fearless trust in the Buddha;
Since they perceive the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Their faith will be uninterrupted.
“Those who crave the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Will develop fearless trust in the Dharma;
Since they perceive the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Their faith will be uninterrupted.
“Those who crave the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Will develop fearless trust in the Saṅgha;
Since they perceive the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Their faith will be uninterrupted.
“Those who crave the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Will achieve discipline free from clinging;
Since they perceive the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Their faith will be uninterrupted.
“Those who crave the limit of the exhaustion of the eye [F.228.b]
Will abandon desire that leads to the lower realms;
Since they perceive the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
They will interrupt the stream of desire.
“Those who crave the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Will abandon anger that leads to the lower realms;
Since they perceive the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
They will interrupt the stream of anger.
“Those who crave the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Will abandon ignorance that leads to the lower realms;
Since they perceive the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
They will interrupt the stream of ignorance.
“Those who crave the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Will dwell within awakened wisdom;
Since they perceive the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
The flow of their awakened wisdom will be uninterrupted.
“The same teaching concerning the exhaustion of the eye
Also applies to all the gateways—the limit of the arising of the eye,
Its limit, its cognition, its disengagement, its nonexistence,
Its unborn nature, its peace, and so forth.
“Those who crave the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Will always be free of doubts
And will therefore achieve
The Buddha’s miraculous powers.
“Those who crave the limit of the arising of the eye
Will always be free of doubts
And will therefore achieve
The Buddha’s miraculous powers.
“Those who crave the limit of the eye
Will always be free of doubts
And will therefore achieve
The Buddha’s miraculous powers.
“Those who crave the cognition of the eye
Will always be free of doubts
And will therefore achieve
The Buddha’s miraculous powers.
“Those who crave the disengagement of the eye
Will always be free of doubts
And will therefore achieve
The Buddha’s miraculous powers.
“Those who crave the unborn nature of the eye
Will always be free of doubts
And will therefore achieve
The Buddha’s miraculous powers.
“Those who crave the nonexistence of the eye
Will always be free of doubts
And will therefore achieve
The Buddha’s miraculous powers.
“Those who crave the quiescence of the eye
Will always be free of doubts
And will therefore achieve
The Buddha’s miraculous powers.
“The same also applies to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and textures,
Up to words and names.
“Those who generate the boundless arising of the eye
Generate boundless wisdom;
Since wisdom is boundless,
So too is this Dharma teaching.
“Those who know the boundless exhaustion of the eye
Will be unobscured with regard to the eye [F.229.a]
And will therefore achieve
The unimpeded wisdom of the buddhas.
“The same also applies to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and textures,
Up to words and names.”
When the Blessed One came to the city,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard those words of the Dharma manifested from the sky
And became free of doubts concerning the qualities of the Buddha.
Though desire arose in the minds of some of them,
They were not scared by the Buddha’s wisdom.
Though desire arose in the minds of some of them,
They did not turn away from the Buddha’s qualities.
Though desire arose in the minds of some of them,
They pursued unsurpassed wisdom.
They accomplished the unique qualities
And had no interest in the vehicle of the hearers.
Immature beings might practice concentration,
But since they are attracted to the bliss of concentration,
They will develop manifest pride
And think that they have achieved the fruition of virtuous practice.
Immature beings might practice concentration,
But since they do not understand the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
They will never reach liberation,
Even if they practice for a hundred thousand eons.
They generate attachment
To all forms of rebirth,
But if they were to understand the emptiness of birth itself,
Their vision would become completely pure.
Some might have accomplished the four concentrations,
But if they lack an understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Their concentration will never be pure,
Even after a hundred thousand eons.
Even if they have reached the preparatory absorptions,
They will not achieve an understanding of the limit of exhaustion,
And since they have not understood the attainment of exhaustion,
They will always experience defiled attainment.
Those who cling to perception
Lack an understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of perception,
And since they have not understood the exhaustion of perception,
They will always experience defiled perception.
Those who are attached to the world
Lack an understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the world,
And since they have not understood the limit of the exhaustion of the world,
They will always experience a defiled world.
Those who abide by a defiled mind
Lack an understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the mind,
And since they have not understood the exhaustion of the mind,
They will always experience defiled mind.
Those who dwell on defiled phenomena
Lack an understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of phenomena,
And since they have not understood the exhaustion of phenomena,
They will always experience defiled phenomena.
Even if they abide by ascetic practices,
If they lack an understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Due to this lack of understanding of the eye’s exhaustion
They will not observe genuine ascetic practices.
Even if they wear the saffron-colored robes, [F.229.b]
If they lack the understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Due to this lack of understanding of the eye’s exhaustion
They will not wear the genuine Dharma robes.
Even if they are born within high-class families,
If they lack the understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Due to this lack of understanding of the eye’s exhaustion
They will not belong to pure families.
Even if they possess numerous retinues,
If they lack the understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
They will quickly fall into the lower realms,
And their retinues will be unable to protect them.
Even if they are experts in grammar,
If they lack an understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Due to this lack of understanding of the eye’s exhaustion
They will not fully grasp the field of grammar.183
Even if they are experts in the sciences of craftsmanship,
If they lack an understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Due to this lack of understanding of the eye’s exhaustion
They will not be truly competent in crafts.184
Even if they are experts in many types of inquiries
And can reveal the teachings through a single word,
If they lack an understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Their explanations will not accord with the true meaning.
Even if they learn under scholars,
If they do not know what is secret and what is not,
And if they lack an understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
They will not comprehend this teaching.
Even if they clearly know a variety of verbal expressions,
Worldly theories, and phenomena,
If they lack an understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
It will be as if they have fallen into a thick creeping bush.
Even if they are experts in grammar who teach the signs of virtue and nonvirtue
And have mastered letters, words, language, reading, and recitation,
If they have not understood the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
They will lack an understanding of those topics.185
Even if they are experts in female anatomy, in skillful words of seduction,
Pleasing and soothing their body, and applying various treatments,
If they have not understood the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
They will lack any real understanding of those skills.186
Even if they can teach hundreds of scriptural traditions
Without forgetting a single letter,
If they have not understood the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Their explanations will be meaningless.
Know that the same applies
To the limit of the arising of the eye,
Its limit, and its cognition,
Up to its utter peace.
The same should also be applied to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and textures,
Up to words and names.
Even if they read and recite grammar
While understanding its meaning,
If they have not understood the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Their knowledge will always be inferior.
Even if they recite the basis of authoritative speech
And understand secret mantras,
If they have not understood the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Their knowledge will always be inferior.187
Know that the same applies
To the limit of the arising of the eye,
Its limit, and its cognition,
Up to its utter peace. [F.230.a]
The same should also be applied to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and textures,
Up to words and names. [B4]
When the Blessed One came to the city,
Countless sentient beings
Heard those Dharma words manifested from the sky
And gained an understanding of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye.
When the Blessed One came to the city, countless sentient beings
Heard those Dharma words manifested from the sky
And realized the intrinsic nature of the eye.
Realizing emptiness and selflessness, they all achieved the pure eye.
The same should be applied to everything
From the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and textures,
Up to words and names.
Know that the same also applies
To desire, ignorance, aggression,
Pride, arrogance, and deceit,188
Up to carelessness.
When the Blessed One came to the city,
Countless sentient beings
Heard from the sky
The various names of the Buddha.
Some heard the name
Unequaled One Who Scares Away Desire.
Some heard the name
Benefactor of the World Who Scares Away Anger.
Some heard the name
Tamer of Pride Who Realizes the Nature of Ignorance.
Some heard the name
Great Guide Who Reveals Utter Peace to the World.
Some heard the name
Benefactor of the World Who Reveals Insight.
Some heard the name
Benefactor of Sentient Beings Who Teaches Methods.
Some heard the name
Subjugator of Māra Devoid of Resentment.
Some heard the name
Revealer of Liberation through the Excellent Dharma Scriptures.
Some heard the name
Liberator of Sentient Beings’ Suffering on a Vast Scale.
Some heard the name
Leader of Human Beings Who Liberates the World.
Upon hearing those names, everyone achieved the pure eye.
Everything can be measured—including the vastness of the sky,
The depths of the ocean, and the size of Mount Sumeru—
But the wisdom of the Buddha cannot be fathomed.
For those who have gained certainty about the exhaustion of the eye,
It will not be difficult to achieve the Dharma body, [F.230.b]
And those who have achieved the supreme Dharma body
Will attain the boundless, all-apprehending wisdom.
Those who attain the boundless, all-apprehending wisdom
Will understand the boundless discourses,
And for those who understand the boundless discourses,
It will not be difficult to achieve the Buddha’s miraculous powers.
For those who have gained certainty about the arising of the eye,
It will not be difficult to achieve the Dharma body,
And those who have achieved the supreme Dharma body
Will attain the boundless, all-apprehending wisdom.
Those who attain the boundless, all-apprehending wisdom
Will understand the boundless discourses,
And for those who understand the boundless discourses,
It will not be difficult to achieve the Buddha’s miraculous powers.
The same should be applied to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes, textures, and mental phenomena,
Up to words and names.
Residing in their respective palaces,
The gods joyfully exclaimed to one another,
“Today, the Great Guide has appeared in the world
And benefitted all the gods and humans!”
From their palaces, the retinues of gods residing above the earth
Exclaimed joyfully, filled with faith,
“Today, the Great Guide has appeared in the world; this is excellent!
He has brought happiness to all the world!”
When they heard this, all the gods residing in the sky
Were delighted, and intense faith arose in their minds.
With magnificent melodious voices, they praised the Buddha
And said, “The Guide has come and benefitted the world!”
When they heard this, all the gods of the Heaven of the Four Great Kings
Were delighted, and intense faith arose in their minds.
With magnificent melodious voices, they praised the Buddha
And said, “The Great Guide has come and benefitted the world!”
When they heard this, all the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three
Were delighted, and intense faith arose in their minds. [F.231.a]
With magnificent melodious voices, they proclaimed the praises of the Buddha
And said, “The Great Guide has come and benefitted the world!”
When they heard this, all the gods of the Heaven Free from Strife
Were delighted, and intense faith arose in their minds.
With magnificent melodious voices, they praised the Buddha
And said, “The Great Guide has come and benefitted the world!
“We will give rise to the mind set on awakening
And venerate the unsurpassed wisdom of the Blessed One!189
We will follow the perfect leader of gods and humans
And liberate all sentient beings!”
When they heard this, all the gods of the Heaven of Joy
Were delighted, and intense faith arose in their minds.
With magnificent melodious voices, they praised the Buddha
And said, “The Great Guide has come and benefitted the world!
“After accomplishing the most exalted,
Boundless practices for ten million eons,
The Blessed One has revealed the path of happiness190 to suffering beings.
He has liberated them from saṃsāra and established them in nirvāṇa!”
When they heard this, all the gods of the Heaven of Delighting in Emanations
Were delighted, and intense faith arose in their minds.
With magnificent melodious voices, they praised the Buddha
And said, “The Great Guide has come and benefitted the world!”
When they heard this, all the gods of the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations
Were delighted, and intense faith arose in their minds.
With magnificent melodious voices, they praised the Buddha
And said, “The Great Guide has come and benefitted the world!
“Since the Thus-Gone One has transcended birth and death,
He has defeated many demons and non-Buddhists;
He has perfected unsurpassed awakening
And guided many beings to the other shore!”
When they heard this, all the gods of the Brahmā realms
Were delighted, and intense faith arose in their minds.
With magnificent melodious voices, they praised Buddha
And said, “The Great Guide has come and benefitted the world!”
When they heard those words passing from one group to another,
The gods of the Heaven of Brahmā’s Retinue joyfully exclaimed,
“The Great Guide has come and benefitted the worlds!
Everyone up to the gods of the Peak of Existence heard those words:
“The Buddha has come and benefitted the world!”
As those words resounded everywhere,
The asuras decreased and the gods increased in number.
The houses of the demons became empty,
While the retinues of gods multiplied.
Through the power of fearlessness, all beings overcame their wrong views191
And swiftly reached supreme awakening.
The very moment the gods heard those words,
“The Blessed One has come and benefitted the world,”
They exclaimed, “The Guide of the World is excellent!
He bestows the pure eye on sentient beings!”
When the Blessed One came to the city,
Those who were tormented by desire
Heard instructions on the meditation on impure substances;
Thereby, their desire was pacified and entirely abandoned.
When the Blessed One came to the city,
Those who were tormented by anger
Heard Dharma teachings on love;
Thereby, their anger was pacified and entirely abandoned.
When the Blessed One came to the city,
Those who were tormented by ignorance
Heard Dharma teachings related to insight;
Thereby, their ignorance was pacified and entirely abandoned.
When the Blessed One came to the city,
Those who were tormented by pride
Heard Dharma teachings related to the abandonment of pride;
Thereby, their pride was pacified and entirely abandoned.
When the Blessed One came to the city,
Those who were tormented by envy
Heard Dharma teachings related to the abandonment of envy;
Thereby, their envy was pacified and entirely abandoned.
When the Blessed One came to the city,
Those who were tormented by aggression
Heard Dharma teachings related to the abandonment of aggression;
Thereby, their aggression was pacified and entirely abandoned.
When the Blessed One came to the city,
Those who were tormented by miserliness
Heard Dharma teachings related to the abandonment of miserliness;
Thereby, their miserliness was pacified and entirely abandoned.
By hearing those boundless teachings,
Those who had accomplished disciplined actions
Entered an ocean of erudition
And accomplished the gateway of thorough comprehension.
When they heard those words manifested from the sky,
They worshiped the Buddha with offerings of flowers,
Accomplished exalted qualities,
And displayed the miraculous power of great compassion. [F.232.a]
When they heard those words manifested from the sky,
They proclaimed the most magnificent praises
Of the Blessed One’s body, his birthplace,
His family lineage, and the sound of his speech.
He gave teachings through a variety of miraculous powers,
In accordance with the different sentient beings;
He gave eminent teachings related to the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body,
Forms, sounds, and so forth, as well as the contraction and stretching of the limbs.
Since the Blessed One has transcended the world,
He acts as a torch within the worlds
And manifests many forms;
All these are the Buddha’s miraculous powers.192
He gave different teachings
To those who were suitable vessels and those who were not:193
To those who had never worshiped the buddhas in countless lifetimes,
And to the unruly ones who were hard to tame, he taught about the hell realms.
For those who were deluded about karmic deeds
And indulged in concepts while relying on views,
The Blessed One manifested the words related to
The pacification of views and concepts.
The words related to the essential nature,
Definitive emptiness, the absence of coming and going,
The absence of marks, and complete nonexistence
Were also heard from the sky.
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Also heard from the sky the words of instruction
Related to the eye of flesh and the eye of insight,
Up to the Dharma eye.
Through the Blessed One’s miraculous powers,
The words of instruction related to discipline,
Absorption, insight, liberation, and liberated vision
Were also heard.
Through the manifestation of miraculous displays,
He taught the genuine Dharma
To all sentient beings
Using the appropriate words.194
For those beings who were inspired by
The practices of generosity, discipline, and patience,
He miraculously manifested the words of generosity, discipline, and patience,
In accordance with their inclinations.
Through the Blessed One’s miraculous powers,
He taught accurately and in great detail,
In accordance with sentient beings’ faculties,
And caused them to adopt the teaching, retain it, and teach it.
Through the Blessed One’s miraculous powers, [F.232.b]
They heard teachings related to bondage, liberation, attachment, and aversion,
And related to the characteristics of the particular contexts of the bodhisattva levels.
They also heard teachings related to the bodhisattva levels
And the infinite light rays of wisdom,
As well as teachings related to the abandonment and nonabandonment
Of the afflictions and their latent patterns.
Through the Blessed One’s miraculous powers,
They also heard teachings related to the nature of gods and humans,
And to the various types of rebirth
Caused by different actions and their results.
At times, he emanated women with ornamented bodies
In front of the women present,
And words of instruction related to weariness then resounded in the sky,
Eliminating the desires of all those who heard them.
Through his compassion, he taught the unsurpassed Dharma
To those who—like Śāriputra—
Had developed intense faith,
In accordance with their inclinations.
Idisi vidisi irasu ira aunasi manasi ukhyi anokhyi akhicalamangnaṃye darniṣṭhanimi takani emimantra nihara apure buddhe nire akhichara viyakiriyate akhicharaparamite kalāvahini sarvobiṅ-śiniradhevauna paraśasdate śasta paraśasdata tarasdata bhūmi āmabhara lilabhana śicacidata vivamati cidata-ananta oberahavamitabhūmi nanamkāni akanivibhimidate śariviṣṭha amalanimalā pūlitena raśi ca hahari mamalī bharani tiṣṭha cakṣunirahara udharitapaci antari kutari ketu suketu suparani karani kusumaniyai kakari kakhari upalamūri tiṣṭha ṅarani nāganirahare paraldate ateparayate [F.233.a] anatarabhandhe anataratabhatiśi ca hasiri makhali īnisambhare tiṣṭha sittarani kubhulocate.
And the other guardian kings
Recited the syllables of this mantra of truth
With countless magnificent tunes.
Those limitless tunes manifested
Through the Blessed One’s197 miraculous powers.
Since those miraculous powers were endless,
The teachings, too, were endless.
At times, through the power of those miraculous displays,
The bodies of buddhas turning the Dharma wheel—
Just as the one seen today—
Were manifested in realms devoid of a buddha.
In an inconceivable number of realms,
He displayed countless emanations of himself
That walked seven steps right after being born,
Gave up their kingdoms, renounced the world,
Reached buddhahood on the seat of awakening,
Contemplated the Dharma they had realized,
And turned the Dharma wheel
Before passing into nirvāṇa.
By teaching the Dharma in various ways
Through such miraculous powers,
He caused countless sentient beings
To achieve exalted wisdom.
At that time, surrounded by the retinue of Brahmā,
The great compassionate one
Gave instructions related to the meditation on love,
Thereby causing love to increase.
At that time, surrounded by gods,
The great compassionate one
Taught the four means of attracting disciples,
Thereby causing those four modes of conduct to develop.
At that time, surrounded by nāgas,
The great compassionate one
Gave instructions related to the defects of anger,
Thereby causing anger to be abandoned.
At that time, surrounded by yakṣas,
The great compassionate one
Gave instructions related to the defects of violence,
Thereby causing violence to be abandoned.
At that time, surrounded by asuras,
The great compassionate one
Gave instructions related to the defects of strife
And proclaimed the praises of the cultivation of patience.
At that time, surrounded by a retinue of gandharvas,
The great compassionate one
Proclaimed the praises of the thus-gone ones
With innumerable joyous words.
At that time, surrounded by a retinue of mahoragas,
The great compassionate one
Scorned the Dharma of non-Buddhists
And proclaimed the praises of the excellent scriptures of the blessed ones.
At that time, surrounded by a retinue of demons and rākṣasas,
The great compassionate one
Extensively proclaimed the praises
Of the thus-gone ones’ supreme qualities.
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard teachings related to the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard teachings related to the limit of the arising of the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard teachings related to the limit of the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard teachings related to the cognition of the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard teachings related to the disengagement of the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard teachings related to the unborn nature of the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard teachings related to the nonexistence of the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.198
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard teachings related to the utter peace of the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings [F.234.a]
Heard teachings related to the absence of a self in the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard teachings related to the absence of a person in the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard teachings related to the absence of a sentient being in the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard teachings related to the absence of a life principle in the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.
Through the miraculous displays of the great compassionate one,
A hundred thousand sentient beings
Heard teachings related to the absence of a soul in the eye
And realized the ultimate meaning.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively expressed to sentient beings
His criticism of clinging to the world,199
Causing them to stop generating clinging.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively expressed to sentient beings
His criticism of worldly wealth
And his praises of the unconditioned.200
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively expressed to sentient beings
His criticism of defilement
And his praises of undefiled insight.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively expressed to sentient beings
His criticism of worldly concentration
And his praises of supramundane absorption.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively expressed to sentient beings
His criticism of defiled discipline
And his praises of undefiled precepts.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively described to sentient beings
The faults associated with narrow-mindedness,
And praised the qualities of open-mindedness.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Proclaimed the praises
Of physical discipline
And of undefiled and unsupported mental insight.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one [F.234.b]
Praised the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
The Buddha expressed his criticism
Of those who indulge in and cling to thinking.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively disclosed to sentient beings
The faults associated with the eye’s exhaustion,
And taught them the characteristics of utter peace.
The same should also be applied to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and textures,
Up to words and names.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively described to sentient beings
The countless defects associated
With adulthood and youth.201
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively described to sentient beings
The countless defects of the arrogance
Related to one’s family lineage.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively described to sentient beings
The countless defects associated
With careless enjoyment.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively described to sentient beings
The countless defects associated
With a careless lack of restraint.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively described to sentient beings
The countless defects associated
With physical carelessness.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively described to sentient beings
The countless defects associated
With carelessness with women.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively described to sentient beings
The countless defects associated
With carelessness related to clothing.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively described to sentient beings
The countless defects associated
With carelessness with liquor.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively described to sentient beings
The countless defects associated
With the carelessness of kings.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one [F.235.a]
Extensively described to sentient beings
The countless defects associated
With the arrogance related to one’s discipline.
Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one
Extensively described to sentient beings
The countless defects of the arrogance
Related to one’s insight.
The same applies to the pride related to
Realization, miraculous powers, concentration, and erudition,
To wealth, oration, family, retinues,
Music, singing, eloquence,202 fame, excellence, praise,
Veneration, acquisition, beauty, deceit,
Frivolousness, lack of modesty,
Haughtiness, accomplishment, and pride,
As well as that related to carelessness and desire.
Through his miraculous displays,
The great compassionate one taught
Exalted understandings
To sentient beings with inferior mindsets and mental capacities.
Through his miraculous displays,
The great compassionate one taught
The strength of diligence
To disheartened beings who lacked zeal.
Through his miraculous displays,
The great compassionate one
Gave teachings related to contentment
To sentient beings attached to wealth.
Furthermore, he manifested perfumed chambers,
Flowers, palaces,
And sublime storied mansions,
In addition to emanated buddhas who resided in them.
He also manifested divine maidens
Residing in mansions made of magnolia flowers;
The upper halves of their bodies were visible,
And they worshiped him by holding up garlands of flowers.
He also manifested gods205
Residing in mansions made of blue lotuses;
The upper halves of their bodies were visible,
And they praised the Buddha’s qualities.
He also manifested gods of the Brahmā realms
Residing in palaces made of gold;
Their entire bodies were visible,
And they praised the Buddha with their melodious voices. [F.235.b]
There were also goddesses whose bodies
Were adorned with various ornaments,
And these beautiful words manifested
As their ornaments touched one another:
“Though all conditioned phenomena
Are unstable and changing,
Immature beings, due to their mistaken conceptions,
Do not understand this reality as it is.”
The words that manifested from those ornaments
Came from neither the goddesses’ bodies nor their minds;
They did not come from or go anywhere—
They were beyond directions.
The same should be applied to everything
Up to forms and the mind.
Still, due to their ignorance,
Immature beings will entertain doubts about this.
Since the beautiful words
Manifesting from those various ornaments
Resounded in all the buddha realms,
Countless sentient beings were liberated.
Therefore, you should regard as pure
The Guide’s body and mind—
His self-manifest wisdom
And his body endowed with boundless qualities.206
He has transcended craving’s proliferation,
He is disengaged and faultless,
His mind is purified and free from views,
And he is adorned with the major and minor marks.207
You see how when the Blessed One208
Came to the city,
He walked like a lion,
He moved like a swan and like an elephant,
He fulfilled the wishes of all sentient beings,
He had perfected the most exalted form of merit,
He was adorned with the authentic marks,
And all beings gazed at him insatiably.
You see how since the supreme leader of human beings
Was endowed with great compassion,
The smallest gift offered to him
Caused one to gain immeasurable benefits;
For many hundreds of thousands of eons,
Until the attainment of nirvāṇa,
The karmic ripening of those many sentient beings
Was therefore uninterrupted.
You see how the perfect leader of human beings
Had perfected undefiled discipline,
Causing many sentient beings
To respectfully prostrate to him,
And how numerous divine retinues
Abandoned their palaces
And attended to the Guide,
Without any attachment to playful activities. [F.236.a]
You see how Māra and his hordes
Developed faith in the Blessed One,
Brought forth golden fans,
And arranged them around him.
Five hundred māras
Tossed magnificent divine flowers209
Onto the Thus-Gone One
And pursued unsurpassed wisdom.
Since they had praised and worshiped
Buddhas in the past,
Each of them now became delighted
Upon meeting the Blessed One;
They proclaimed the praises of the Thus-Gone One
With countless eloquent words.
At that time, those māras
Were said to have abandoned cyclic existence.
As soon as they proclaimed the praises of the Blessed One,
They understood the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
And the limit of the arising of the eye,
Up to the characteristics of its utter peace.210
Since they had realized the boundless meanings of the eye—
The eye’s exhaustion and so forth—
They taught them to sentient beings
With skillful words.
Since they did not cling to names and meanings
And had no doubts about them,
They realized that they do not come from or go anywhere,
And that they are beyond adoption and rejection.
Since the nature of words is empty and void,
They realized that words are beyond
Abandonment, adoption, retention,
Reading, recitation, and accomplishment.
This has also been revealed
By the thus-gone ones of the past;
Since they are mere imputations,
They are ultimately inexpressible.
Such intrinsically empty phenomena
They are neither false nor true, but groundless and unsupported;
They eliminate verbal expressions and bring thoughts to utter peace.
Since immature beings are attached to the marks of beings,
They see the Blessed One coming to the city;
Although the Blessed One is completely beyond marks,
Those immature beings entertain mistaken thoughts.
Those who become delighted
When the Blessed One comes to the city
Conceive of marks
And will be tormented.
Those who have transcended conceptual marks
Will not see him coming to the city;
They will reach the insight that is free
From all concepts related to the marks of going and moving. [F.236.b]
Those who perceive the Buddha in terms of marks
See him coming to the city;
They generate concepts
Related to birth and saṃsāric phenomena.
Those who perceive the Buddha in terms of marks
See him as changing;
Since they are tormented,
They are the objects of a wise person’s pity.
Those who view the Dharma as something to be attained
Must also worry that the Dharma will be lost.
Those who perceive the Buddha as taking birth
Experience the suffering of nirvāṇa.
Those who have understood all marks
By training for many eons
Do not conceive of the Buddha coming to the city,
And they do not entertain the notion of nirvāṇa.
Those who realize that the characteristics of the mind are empty
Are dwelling within the domain of the buddhas;
They do not conceive of the Buddha coming to the city,
And they do not entertain the notion of nirvāṇa.
Those who clearly understand in that way
Will behold the buddhas
But realize that their essence is empty;
In the end, they completely transcend birth and cessation.
After practicing austerities for countless eons, the Blessed One
Has realized the empty essence, but immature beings do not understand this.
When the Blessed One came to the city,
He was surrounded by many hundreds of thousands of retinues.
Compared to the merit created by humans and nonhumans
Who make offerings with minds filled with faith,
The merit created by someone who, for a single instant,
Contemplates the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
And realizes the emptiness of its marks
Is more exalted;
No number, fraction, or illustration
Comes close to that merit.
Know that the same applies
To the limit of the arising of the eye,
Its limit, and its cognition,
Up to its utter peace.
The same should also be applied to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and textures,
Up to words and names.
At that time, when the Blessed One
Came to the city, [F.237.a]
The earth started to shake
By the mere fact of his feet touching the ground.
All the mountains
Bowed toward the Blessed One,211
And all the gods and humans came to listen to the Dharma
And worshiped him with reverence.
At that time, when the Blessed One came to the city,
All the countless types of birds—
Parrots, peacocks, and kalaviṅka birds—
Started to play joyfully in the sky.
When they saw the supreme qualities
Of the Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One,
They all started to sing
Various melodious tunes.
When the Blessed One came to the city,
Through his miraculous powers212
All those—among the countless hundreds of thousands of beings present—
Who were blind regained sight,
All those who were deaf could hear,
All those with impaired faculties
Recovered the full functioning of their faculties,
And all those who were suffering became happy.
At that time, when the Blessed One
Came to the city,
These words resounded
In the sky:
“Those who conceive of the Thus-Gone One
In terms of marks cannot be said to worship the Blessed One,
And they do not realize
The nature of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye.
“Those who abandon marks gather the basis of all qualities,213
And so they realize the nature of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye.
Since they will realize the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
They will also comprehend the buddhas’ qualities. [F.237.b]
“With no grasping and obscuration regarding the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
With no maintaining and dwelling on the limit of the arising of the eye,
And free of thinking regarding the disengagement of the eye,
One truly sees the thus-gone ones.
“Those who are free of thoughts regarding the limit of the arising of the eye,
Who are free of mental concepts regarding the limit of the eye,
And who do not express anything regarding the eye’s disintegration
Truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Those who are free of attachment regarding the nonexistence of the eye,
Free of grasping regarding the eye’s unborn nature,
And free of clinging regarding the eye’s utter peace
Truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Since they understand the eye’s exhaustion, they actualize the marks.214
Since they understand the limit of the eye, they ascertain the faculties.
Since they understand the eye’s arising, they reach mastery over their faculties.
Those beings truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Having realized the nonexistence of the eye, they comprehend forms.
Having realized the eye’s disintegration, they discern phenomena.
Having realized the eye’s unborn nature, they accomplish the path.215
Those beings truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Since they genuinely realize the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
They also understand the different types of actions,
And since they understand the different types of actions,
They truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Since they genuinely realize the limit of the arising of the eye,
They also understand the different types of suffering,
And since they understand the different types of suffering, [F.238.a]
They truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Since they genuinely realize the eye’s disintegration,
They also realize the disintegration of suffering,
And since they realize the disintegration of suffering,
They truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Since they genuinely realize the nonexistence of the eye,
They also realize the abandonment of characteristics,
And since they realize the abandonment of characteristics,
They truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Since they genuinely realize the unborn nature of the eye,
They also realize the abandonment of latent patterns,
And since they realize the abandonment of latent patterns,
They truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Furthermore, since they genuinely realize the nonconceptual nature of the eye,216
They also realize the abandonment of obscurations,
And since they realize the abandonment of obscurations,
They truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Furthermore, since they genuinely realize that the eye is beyond words,
They also realize the strength of awakened wisdom,
And since they realize the strength of awakened wisdom,
They truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Furthermore, since they genuinely realize that the eye does not come from anywhere,
They also realize the abandonment of desires,
And since they realize the abandonment of desires,
They truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Furthermore, since they genuinely realize the practice of concentration, [F.238.b]
They also realize the abandonment of afflictions,
And since they realize the abandonment of afflictions,
They truly see the thus-gone ones.
“Similarly, those persons also perfect
The knowledge of the eye’s past limit,
The knowledge of the eye’s lack of abiding,
The knowledge of the eye’s arising,217
“The knowledge of the Buddha’s miraculous powers,
The knowledge of the eye’s inferior character,
The knowledge of the eye’s exalted character,
The knowledge of lower wisdom,
“The knowledge of pure wisdom,
The knowledge of pure discipline,
The knowledge of the physical precepts,
The knowledge of pure sound,
“The knowledge of the verbal precepts,
The knowledge of pure mind,
The knowledge of the particular places of abiding,
The knowledge of mental phenomena,
“The knowledge of mental defects,
The knowledge of pure actions,
The knowledge of the mental precepts,
The knowledge of intellectual shortcomings,
“The knowledge of pure sound,
The knowledge of the various aggregates,
The knowledge of the causes and conditions of the aggregates,
The knowledge of the total knowing of the eye,218
“The knowledge of the source of suffering,
The knowledge of undefiled discipline,
The knowledge of the causes and conditions of discipline,
The knowledge of the causes and conditions of suffering,
“The knowledge of the causes of suffering’s exhaustion,
The knowledge of conditioned phenomena,
And the knowledge of the exhaustion of defilements219—
They perfect all these knowledges.
“Furthermore, they genuinely achieve
Knowledge of the twelve causes and conditions—
Both the knowledge that involves engagement
And the knowledge that does not involve engagement—
“And, likewise, knowledge of marks and the absence of marks,
Knowledge of the conditioned and the unconditioned,
Knowledge of classifications and summaries,
And knowledge of the minds of oneself and others.
“Furthermore, since they genuinely realize
The limit of the exhaustion of the eye, the limit of its arising,
Its limit, its disengagement, its cognition, its nonexistence,
Its unborn nature, and its peace,
“They cause many sentient beings
To achieve pure wisdom, [F.239.a]
Powerful wisdom,
And diligent wisdom.
“Furthermore, they genuinely achieve
The knowledge of sameness and difference,
And the knowledge of the inclinations
Of all sentient beings.
“They also genuinely achieve
The knowledge of the superior inclinations
Of all sentient beings, as well as
The knowledge of the purity of their minds,
“The knowledge of actions and karmic ripening,
The knowledge of the sense faculties and the elements,
The knowledge of mental transformations, the knowledge of insight and dedication,
The knowledge of complete liberation, and the knowledge of supreme eloquence.
“Furthermore, since they genuinely understand
Those sentient beings who are malicious
And show no interest in the Dharma,
They are able to inspire them.
“Since they genuinely realize
The ways things are,
They also achieve the knowledge devoid of laziness
As well as the knowledge of time.220
“Through their miraculous powers,
They also genuinely realize
The knowledge that discriminates phenomena
From the unimpeded wisdom.
“They also genuinely achieve
The knowledge of the vast meaning,
And knowledge associated
With verbal teachings.
“They also genuinely achieve
The knowledge concerning good companions and conducive places,
As well as the knowledge concerning moderation
Related to clothing, food, and beverages.
“Likewise, devoid of physical and mental faults,
And having abandoned exaggeration and denigration,
They also genuinely achieve
The unsurpassed wisdom they pursue.
“Furthermore, through their miraculous powers,
They manifest emanated bodies in the sky.
They thereby ripen hundreds of thousands of beings, [F.239.b]
Bringing everyone great joy with their knowledge of engendering faith.
“They also have the knowledge of trusting and respecting the thus-gone ones,
As well as the knowledge related to inspired accomplishment
Of the Dharma that leads to the abandonment of desire,
And the knowledge of inspired worship of the noble Saṅgha.
“Likewise, they have the knowledge of devoted dedication to great awakening,
The knowledge related to the devoted revelation of the dhāraṇī gateways,
The knowledge that discerns the different inclinations,
The knowledge that realizes the noble absorptions,
“The knowledge that induces certainty
About that which is to be guarded and recollected,
The knowledge that penetrates boundless minds,
The knowledge related to teaching in countless verses,
“The knowledge of understanding and realizing the connection of desire,
The knowledge that prevents one from falling into inferior destinies,
The knowledge that causes one to abandon nonvirtuous friends,
The knowledge that causes one to attend to virtuous friends,
“The knowledge that analyzes questions and answers,
The knowledge that realizes what is possible and what is not,
The knowledge that realizes what is the subject and what is not,
The knowledge that distinguishes what is superior, intermediate, and inferior,
“The knowledge of the conditioned and the unconditioned,
The knowledge of what is material and substantial and what is not,
The knowledge of what is abridged and what is not,222
The knowledge of accomplishment and non-accomplishment,
“The knowledge of the eye and the non-eye,
The knowledge of what is simultaneously present with the eye,223
The knowledge of the particularities of the eye,
And the knowledge of the nature of the eye.
“Those who contemplate the fact
That the causes and conditions of the eye
Are ultimately empty, void, and devoid of self
Will, accordingly, perfect genuine mental absorption without a doubt.
“The persons who realize with certainty and contemplate
The eye’s dependent origination and impermanent character
Will, accordingly, genuinely realize
That the causes and conditions of the eye are ultimately nonexistent.
“The same should be applied
To all the twenty-five phenomena—
From the ear, the nose, the tongue, and the body
Up to words and names.”
Here, I have summarized the amazing displays that were manifested,
By the mere fact of his feet touching the ground,
When the Blessed One came to the city.
To please beings, I will now teach a bit about his qualities.225
At that moment, countless hundreds of thousands of light rays
Radiated from each pore of the guide of gods and humans.
Each of those light rays illuminated countless realms
And performed awakened activity for the sake of numerous beings.
If those who have worshiped buddhas in the past
And practiced generosity and discipline for a long time
Hear about the miraculous displays that were described,
They will be overjoyed and filled with devotion.
If those persons who know that the Buddha’s miraculous powers
Hear about the miraculous displays that were described, [F.240.b]
They will be filled with devotion and amazement.
Since the guide of gods and humans manifested
Such a variety of miraculous displays through his inconceivable powers,
Countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings
Attended to, revered, and worshiped the Thus-Gone One.
Since the leader of gods and humans expounded
Countless hundreds of thousands of discourses through his inconceivable powers,
Many sentient beings, upon hearing them,
Faithfully adopted all those teachings and were overjoyed.
At that time,
When the Blessed One came to the city,
These words resounded in the sky
Through the strength of his miraculous powers:
“By knowing the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Up to its peace and its causes,
Everything is beyond coming and going—
Ultimately empty and void.
“The same should be applied
To all the twenty-five phenomena—
From the ear, the nose, the tongue, and the body
Up to words and names.”
At that time,
When the Blessed One came to the city,
The most sublime melodious voice
Manifested in the sky,
Proclaiming the praises
Of the Thus-Gone One’s various names,
Thereby generating faith and devotion
In the minds of all the members of those great assemblies:
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma King Who Conquers and Pacifies Anger;229
Those who hear that name
Will abandon all their anger.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma King Who Conquers and Pacifies Ignorance;230
Those who hear that name
Will abandon all their ignorance.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma King Who Conquers and Pacifies Pride;231
Those who hear that name
Will abandon all their pride.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma King Who Conquers and Pacifies Aggression;232
Those who hear that name
Will abandon all their aggression.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma King Who Conquers and Pacifies Jealousy;233
Those who hear that name
Will abandon all their jealousy.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma King Who Conquers and Pacifies Views;235
Those who hear that name
Will abandon all views.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma King Who Conquers and Pacifies Concepts;236
Those who hear that name
Will abandon all concepts.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named King of the Genuine and Pure Dharma;
Those who hear that name
Will realize the pure Dharma.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma King Who Understands Actions;
Those who hear that name
Will completely understand all actions.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma King Endowed with Excellent Miraculous Powers;
Those who hear that name
Will perfect the qualities of the miraculous powers.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma King Endowed with the Excellent Perfections;
Those who hear that name
Will master the six perfections.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma King Who Completely Understands Formations;
Those who remember that name
Will completely understand all formations. [F.242.a]
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Holder and Propagator of Immaculate Light;237
Those who hear that name
Will perfect noble rebirths.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is also named Holder of Pristine Bright Light;238
Those who hear that name
Will perfect the most sublime and excellent physical appearance.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is also named Holder of the Light of Pure Bodies;
Those who hear that name
Will perfect noble bodies.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is also named Holder of the Light of Pure Lineage;
Those who hear that name
Will achieve eminent family lineages.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is also named Holder of the Light of Widespread Fame;
Those who hear that name
Will achieve widespread renown.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is also named Holder of Generosity, Discipline,
Patience, Diligence, Concentration, and Insight;
Those who hear those names
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma Lord of Complete Selflessness;
Those who keep that name in mind
Will teach others the meaning of the absence of arising and cessation.
“The lion of human beings who resides now in the world
Is named Dharma Lord Endowed with Pure Vision;
Those who keep that name in mind
Will teach others the meaning of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye.
“The same should be applied to all the twenty-five phenomena—
From the ear, the nose, the tongue, and the body
Up to words and names,
As well as to flower garlands, perfumes, lamps, parasols, and fabrics.” [B5]
At that time, when the Blessed One came to the city,
Through his inconceivable miraculous powers,
The most sublime melodious voice
Manifested in the sky.
As it revealed the various
Activities of the dhāraṇīs,
The great assemblies present
Heard these words:
“These dhāraṇīs cause one to realize all the ultimate modes of phenomena—
From the limit of the exhaustion of the eye, the limit of its arising,
Its limit, its disengagement, and its cognition, up to its peace.
They cause one to realize that, ultimately, everything is pure—
“That which is cultivated through the power of concentration,240
And that which is revealed through the power of insight,
As well as the abandonment of words, expressions,
And language, up to forms and mind.
“They cause one to realize that everything defiled and undefiled,
As well as all welfare and benefit,
Is empty, void,
And ultimately pure.
“They do not cause one to abide or dwell
In any of the realms of existence;
Instead, they cause one to abide, disengaged,
In dhāraṇī and absorption.
“Everything is beyond coming and going—
Not virtuous, nonvirtuous, or neutral.
All marks, such as those that benefit
Oneself and others, are pure.
“Therefore, they cause one not to dwell
On the qualities of a supreme being
Or the qualities of the hearers,
Ordinary beings, or the buddhas.
“They pacify all the acts related to
The limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
The limit of its arising, and its limit,
Up to its peace.
“They cause one to abandon
All arising, non-arising,
Suffering, happiness,
Praise, and criticism.
“Both the realization of all these perfect manifestations
And these empty dhāraṇīs
Cause one to dwell within
The domain of the buddhas;
“They place one firmly within the abode of the buddhas’ display,
Within the buddhas’ miraculous powers,
And within the buddhas’ wisdom.241
They also cause one to dwell within the power
“Of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
Within the power of the limit of the arising of the eye,
And within the power of the limit of the eye, [F.243.b]
Up to the power of its peace.
“The same applies
To all the twenty-five phenomena—
From the ear, the nose, the tongue, and the body
Up to words and names.
“By dwelling in the domain of all the thus-gone ones,
One will cause all worldly beings,
Such as the hosts of asuras,
To abandon their rigid clinging and observe pure conduct.
“One will delight all the countless hundreds of thousands of yakṣas
And all the countless kumbhāṇḍas;
One will also tame and delight all the innumerable
Retinues of gandharvas and rākṣasas.
“Even if the retinues of Brahmā
Attempted to utter their words and express their meaning
With sublime melodious voices,
They would not be able to reveal them.
“They cannot be fathomed
Through any mental states;
They cannot be grasped
Through any mental states.
“These dhāraṇīs cannot be apprehended
By the eyes, or by anything up to the body;
They cannot be apprehended
By the eyes, or by anything up to the domain of the eyes.
“The same applies
To all the twenty-five phenomena—
From the ear, the nose, the tongue, and the body
Up to words and names.
“They cause one to understand all marks—
The fact that the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
The limit of its arising, its limit, and its cognition,
Up to its peace,
“Are devoid of self, being,
Mind, life principle, [F.244.a]
Person, marks, action,
Going, coming, and so forth.
“Furthermore, they cause one to realize
The eye of reality,
The eye accomplished on the basis of Dharma teachings,
The eye of wisdom, the eye of insight,
“The eye of Brahmā, the divine eye,
The eye achieved by being born in the Brahmā realms,
The eye achieved by being born in the god realms,
The eye of the karmic ripening of Brahmā,
“The eye of the karmic ripening of the gods,
The eye arising from the causes of Brahmā,
The eye arising from the causes of the gods,
The eye of divine miraculous powers,
“The eye of divine diligence,
The eye of inferior births,
The eye of noble births,
The eye that relinquishes the world of the lord of death,
The eye associated with torment,
The eye free of torment,
The pure eye, the impure eye,
“The broad eye and the narrow eye,
The eye of the hearer’s vehicle,
The eye of concentration,
The eye of absorption,
“The eye arising from experience,242
The eye arising from perception,
The eye arising from desire,
The eye free from desire,
“The eye arising from causes,
The eye arising from non-causes,
The concurrent eye,
The nonconcurrent eye,
“The eye arising based on the gateways,
The eye not arising from the gateways,
The eye arising from causes and conditions,
The eye arising from the gateway of the cause,
“The eye not made of flesh,
The eye of pure wisdom,
The eye of nonexistence,
And the eye of nonapprehending.
“The same applies
To all the twenty-five phenomena—
From the ear, the nose, the tongue, and the body
Up to words and names.”
Sile male male siddhe aini siṅe kulu niyu kulu neyu kule male kunote alaśi asile sisilete susile sile sile khyivile avile suṭecana dhani mani kani kalate sukale praya śanaṅni anulosikye bilome subhanireśhe aśirile saramaparaphunte paribhahe dharani dheśuciha sudhe acana bhuvogaganaṅ kudpano bhasabhanaṅ panridhuriya niparikanoni manaṃbha suruciṭa pana-ācara abhelaviryapratiṣṭha ha dharini asiṭa loṅibhi.
“These dhāraṇīs have been obtained by the buddhas.
Their great powers are complete, and their insights are infinite;
They cause one to abandon clinging,
And they purify recollection.
“They are formless, beyond coming and going,
Beyond all cardinal and intermediate directions,
Devoid of marks, inexpressible,
And beyond concepts.
“If bodhisattvas accomplish them, they will eventually attain coolness.
Even if each of their words were explained
Through hundreds of billions of verses,
Their scope could never be apprehended.
“They are praised by many noble beings,
And highly revered
By all the numerous assemblies
That are pure and free from clinging.
“Through the power of the virtue
Created by these dhāraṇīs,
Afflictions are completely overcome and pacified,244
And the most excellent benefits245 are gained.
“They lead to qualities and insight as great as a vast ocean,
They cause one to achieve acceptance,
And they cause the mind to be at ease and unshakable.
They are always cultivated by the bodhisattvas and praised by the wise.
“These dhāraṇīs always lead to stainlessness and purity.
Being grounded in genuine wisdom,
They reveal many benefits
And generate joy and faith in many sentient beings.
“They bring great delight
To the countless retinues of yakṣas,
The retinues of kumbhāṇḍas,
And also the rulers of the starving spirits.
“These dhāraṇī mantras
Are utterly peaceful and beyond concepts.
They cause happiness to manifest for all beings
Out of love for them.
“Though they constantly remain within the realms of beings
For hundreds of thousands of eons,
Bringing infinite benefits,
They remain immaculate and unsullied.
“They bring great joy
To countless sentient beings
By revealing the ambrosia-like Dharma
Through hundreds of thousands of verses.
“The lands where these dhāraṇī mantras are found
Remain perpetually free from harm,
Turmoil, diseases,
Suffering, and misery.
“With minds filled with joy,
All sentient beings make the aspiration
That these dhāraṇīs
Constantly remain within their minds.
“If these dhāraṇī mantras
Always remain connected to the body, the mind,
The palate, the mouth, and the lips,
Boundless qualities will be generated.
“If they are held constantly,
Countless qualities will be achieved,
Many sentient beings will benefit,
And everyone will experience joy.
“The doubts of hundreds of thousands of sentient beings
Will be cleared away,
Pride will be overcome,
And boundless qualities will be achieved.
“The wise always contemplate
And persistently accomplish
These dhāraṇī mantras—
These utterly profound and secret teachings.
“Donning the armor of insight,
They completely overcome the afflictions
And develop the qualities of their minds
With great dedication and without feeling weary.
“These glorious and excellent
Dhāraṇī mantras
Cause beings to realize the limits
Of exhaustion, non-exhaustion, arising, and non-arising.
“Since they are adorned
With those various insights,
Hundreds of thousands of thus-gone ones
Revere and worship them.
“These dhāraṇīs
Produce the two feet of knowledge,248
Place one firmly within the supreme absorption,
And cause one to follow the path to awakening;
“They cause one to pursue tranquility and insight
And to realize undefiled insight.
Through the strength of the faculty of deep faith,249
They perfect the two hands.
“They cause one to achieve the two breasts
Through diligence and patience,
And to achieve the characteristics of the crown of the head
Through the perfection of insight.
“By making a thread with those discourses
And using it for the garland of the four individual knowledges,
One will be adorned with all the various unequaled qualities
That were accomplished in the past.
“Since these dhāraṇī mantras
Are endowed with countless excellent qualities,
One will realize all the gateways,
Such as the past and future limits of the eye,
“The limits of its exhaustion and non-exhaustion,
Its arising and non-arising,
Its limit and non-limit,
Its engagement and disengagement,
“Its cognition and noncognition,
Its complete nonexistence, its absence of origination,
Its quiescence, its absence of self, its absence of person,
Its absence of life principle, and its absence of sentient being. [F.246.a]
“The same applies to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
The six sense objects, and the four great elements,
Up to the names produced in the world.250
“The sublime and sacred dhāraṇīs
That were praised earlier
Are endowed with the qualities of complete disengagement,
And they belong to the domain of the buddhas.
“Therefore, the true meaning of these dhāraṇīs
Cannot be expressed in words.
Nevertheless, to accord with worldly beings,
They have been expressed here with imputed words.”
Then, together with his numerous retinues, the Blessed One arrived at the house of Candraprabhakumāra and sat down on the throne that had been prepared for him. When he saw the Blessed One sitting on the throne, Candraprabhakumārabhūta brought the most sublime offering articles and offered them to the Thus-Gone One and his great assemblies. That offering was entirely accomplished through his inconceivable power and the roots of virtue generated by his extraordinary concentration, absorption, and concentration qualities. Since he made that offering not only for himself but in order for all the countless sentient beings to strive for awakening and achieve great benefits, that act of worship was all-pervasive and satisfied everyone.
When the Blessed One had finished his lunch, he said these words to Candraprabhakumārabhūta in front of the numerous retinues: “Kumāra, if noble sons or daughters who follow the Great Vehicle accomplish the accumulation of generosity, they will be endowed with eighty types of eminent qualities.251 What are those eighty? (1) They will ripen sentient beings and attract them with pleasant words. (2) They will perfect the excellent marks. [F.246.b] (3) All their faculties will be complete. (4) They will abandon saṃsāra and actualize nirvāṇa. (5) Their afflictions will be exhausted and they will achieve supreme might. (6) They will be adorned with perfect qualities and buddha realms. (7) Their retinues will be pure. (8) They will be endowed with great majesty. (9) They will be endowed with perfect insight. (10) They will accomplish the most eminent activities. (11) They will perfect unequaled and unsurpassed conduct. (12) They will overcome all latent patterns and develop the omniscient conduct of the thus-gone ones. (13) Their bodies and relics will be worshiped by all worldly beings, hearers, and solitary buddhas. (14) They will tame malevolent beings and therefore generate faith in the rulers of humans, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, garuḍas, and gods of the Brahmā realms. (15) They will have great power. (16) They will adopt, keep in mind, and teach the sūtras, the verses, the prophecies, the aphorisms, the hymns and praises, the biographies, the narratives, the former events, the former births, the extensive teachings, the marvels, and the profound doctrines. (17) They will not succumb to laziness.252 (18) They will be free of miserliness with respect to the Dharma. (19) They will genuinely follow the path of the buddhas. (20) They will be the most eminent beings within the worlds, and their names and appearances will be completely pure. (21) They will actualize the Dharma body. (22) They will achieve fearlessness. (23) They will be endowed with excellent merit. (24) They will outshine non-Buddhists. (25) They will possess the perfect qualities of sublime beings. (26) They will renounce negative forms of conduct. (27) They will have complete trust in the causes of merit and wisdom. [F.247.a] (28) They will gather the qualities of the buddhas.253 (29) They will subjugate many demons. (30) They will have no doubts or hesitations about the true teachings of the Buddha. (31) They will overcome unwholesome desires. (32) They will be endowed with great majesty. (33) They will accomplish the bodhisattva conduct and therefore achieve the extraordinary miraculous powers. (34) They will transcend birth and death. (35) They will ripen sentient beings. (36) They will proclaim the praises of boundless conduct. (37) They will develop all excellent qualities. (38) They will generate enthusiasm in sentient beings.254 (39) They will experience the joy of Dharma. (40) They will accomplish generosity. (41) They will enter the gateway of great wisdom. (42) They will abide in the foremost Dharma.255 (43) They will belong to the definitive family. (44) They will achieve the acceptance of phenomena. (45) They will easily follow the path of the buddhas. Kumāra, if noble sons or daughters accomplish the accumulation of generosity, they will be endowed with and perfect those eighty types of eminent qualities.”
At that moment, the Blessed One spoke these verses:
“I have briefly described here
The eighty supreme benefits
Achieved by the wise bodhisattvas
Who are endowed with the accumulation of generosity.
“I will now teach a little bit
About all the qualities,
Boundless and hard-to-conceive,
That arise on the basis of generosity.
“Those accumulations of generosity
That you have offered with an impartial mind
In the presence of these numerous assemblies
Should be accomplished by all the wise ones.
“The mass of merit accumulated
Through these acts of generosity is inconceivable;
It will cause you to perfect
All the physical adornments of the major and minor marks. [F.247.b]
“All your birthplaces, your family lines,
Your lands, your households,
Your renown, your bodies, and your minds
Will be pure.
“All the divine miraculous displays,
The palaces, the goddesses,
And the pure, unimpeded eloquence
Originate from generosity.
“The buddhas praise
The supreme accumulation of generosity
By proclaiming that it is
The foremost foundation of awakening.
“Diligent bodhisattvas
Who have no doubt about generosity
Accomplish it persistently
And with full conviction.
“If bodhisattvas perfect
The accumulation of merit
With a generous mindset,
They will achieve the awakening of the buddhas.256
“Since they perfect the supreme miraculous powers
Through the strength of generosity,
Even if they cause ten million realms to shake,
Sentient beings will not be harmed.
“The power of the practice of generosity
Induces pure discipline, erudition,
Genuine trust, diligence,
Absorption, and undefiled insight.
“The power of the practice of generosity
The exertions, the bases of miraculous power,
And the abandonment of latent patterns.
“The power of the practice of generosity
Causes the boundless Dharma
To be taught in billions of realms
Through pure and melodious voices.
“By practicing generosity with sincere faith,
One will swiftly achieve the miraculous powers;
In order to perfect those miraculous powers,
One should therefore practice generosity persistently.
“If rulers—like those who play freely
In their sublime palaces257
While surrounded by retinues
Of countless gods and many hundreds of thousands
“Since the persons who practice generosity
Are endowed with perfect great majesty
And have gained mastery over the miraculous powers,
They will attract the kings of the gods.
“All the kumbhāṇḍas and the yakṣas
Will go to them for refuge,
And the gandharvas and their retinues
Will worship them by playing music.
“All bandits will become kind,
All hostile beings will leave for faraway places,
One’s wealth will never decline,
And the storerooms will always be full.
“By practicing generosity,
The supreme accumulations will be perfected,
And, until awakened wisdom is achieved,
They will not engage in the practices of non-Buddhists.
“In that way, those who practice generosity
Will accomplish the path of awakening;
They will never meet nonvirtuous friends
But will gain friends with conducive behaviors.258
“Furthermore, since bodhisattvas
Who gather the accumulation of generosity
Will perfect the inconceivable dhāraṇīs
And insight,
“They will reveal thorough comprehension
Through countless verses.259
Since they will be unimpeded in all respects,
They will not lose the essential meaning.
“They will be firmly dedicated
To the vast attitude set on awakening,
Their discipline will be pure and perfect,
And they will overcome the activities of Māra.
“They will not cling to the five sense pleasures
But will pursue recollection one-pointedly.
Since their minds are constantly free of delusion,
They will not crave sense pleasures.260
“They will genuinely understand
The affliction of anger,
And they will be free of clinging and delusion
With respect to all the domains of experience.
“Those persons will properly understand
All afflictions as well as everything else—
From the defects that arise
From the gathering of causes and conditions, [F.248.b]
Up to the causes
Of the qualities of the buddhas,
The causes of their causes,
And the effects of those causes.
“Since they will clearly understand
The causes of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye,
They will completely abandon delusion
And will not cling to the eye.
“Since they will also clearly understand
The causes of the limit of the arising of the eye,
Its limit, its disengagement,
Its cognition, its nonexistence,
“And its unborn nature,
Up to its quiescence and so forth,
They will completely abandon delusion
And will not cling to the eye.
“They will realize that the expression past limit of the eye
Is a mere imputation
That accords with the world’s conventions,
And that it is therefore, ultimately, completely nonexistent.261
“They will also realize that the expressions
The limit of the arising of the eye,
Its limit, its disengagement, its cognition,
Its complete nonexistence, and its unborn nature,
“Up to its peace,
Are all mere imputations
That accord with the world’s conventions,
And that therefore they, too, are ultimately nonexistent.
“Since they will realize that the expression
Past limit of the eye
Arises from the gathering of causes and conditions,
They will not cling to it at all.
“Since they will realize that the expression
Future limit of the eye
Arises from the gathering of causes and conditions,
They will not cling to it at all.
“Since they will realize that the expressions
The limit of the arising of the eye,
Its limit, its disengagement, its cognition,
Its complete nonexistence, and its unborn nature,
“Up to its peace,
Arise from the gathering
Of causes and conditions,
They will not cling to them at all.
“Since they will realize that the expression
Past limit of the eye
Is intrinsically undefinable,
They will not cling to it at all.
“Since they will realize that the expression
Future limit of the eye
Is intrinsically undefinable, [F.249.a]
They will not cling to it at all.
“Since they will realize
That expressions such as
The limit of the arising of the eye,
Its limit, its disengagement, its cognition,
“Its complete nonexistence, and its unborn nature,
Up to its peace,
Are intrinsically undefinable,
They will not cling to them at all.
“The same should be applied to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
The six sense objects, and the four great elements,
Up to the names produced in the world.262
“Since they realize
That desire and the path of the buddhas
Are intrinsically inseparable,
They will not cling to desire.
“All the paths of the buddhas
Should be pursued on the basis of afflictions.
Those who clearly understand that these are intrinsically inseparable
Will enter the gateway of thorough comprehension.263
“Those who teach that desire is thorough comprehension
And that thorough comprehension is desire,
And clearly understand that they are intrinsically inseparable,
Will train in the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Likewise, those who worship desire
Worship the Buddha,
And since they worship the Buddha,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.264
“Since they realize
That anger and the path of the buddhas
Are intrinsically inseparable,
They will not cling to anger.
“Those who teach that anger is thorough comprehension
And that thorough comprehension is anger,
And clearly understand that they are intrinsically inseparable,
Will train in the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Likewise, those who worship anger
Worship the Buddha,
And since they worship the Buddha,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.265
“Since they realize
That ignorance and the path of the buddhas
Are intrinsically inseparable,
They will not cling to ignorance.
“Those who genuinely realize
The limit of ignorance
Will accomplish the path of the buddhas
And thereby perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who teach that ignorance is thorough comprehension
And that thorough comprehension is ignorance, [F.249.b]
And clearly understand that they are intrinsically inseparable,
Will train in the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the Buddha,
And since they worship the Buddha,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.266
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the Dharma,
And since they worship the Dharma,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.267
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the Saṅgha,
And since they worship the Saṅgha,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.268
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship discipline,
And since they worship discipline,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.269
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship diligence,
And since they worship diligence,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.270
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the buddhas and proclaim their praises,
And since they worship them and proclaim their praises,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.271
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the qualities of the buddhas,
And since they worship the qualities of the buddhas,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.272
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship reality,
And since they worship reality,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.273
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship suchness,
And since they worship suchness,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.274
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the unborn,
And since they worship the unborn,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.275
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the unceasing,
And since they worship the unceasing,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.276
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the boundless,
And since they worship the boundless,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.281
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the three realms,
And since they worship the three realms,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.282
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship disengagement,
And since they worship disengagement,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.283
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship engagement in saṃsāra,
And since they worship engagement in saṃsāra,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.284
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the absence of engagement,
And since they worship the absence of engagement,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.285
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship nonexistence,
And since they worship nonexistence,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.286
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the absence of origination,
And since they worship the absence of origination,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.287
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship peace,
And since they worship peace,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.288
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the absence of coming,
And since they worship the absence of coming,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.289
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the absence of going,
And since they worship the absence of going,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.290
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the conditioned,
And since they worship the conditioned,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.291
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship suffering and so forth,
And since they worship suffering and so forth,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.292
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the knowledge of the origin,
And since they worship the knowledge of the origin,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.294
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the knowledge of cessation,
And since they worship the knowledge of cessation,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.295
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the knowledge of the path,
And since they worship the knowledge of the path,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.296
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the knowledge of the Dharma,
And since they worship the knowledge of the Dharma,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.297
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the knowledge of the subsequent,
And since they worship the knowledge of the subsequent,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.298
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the wisdom of the unborn,
And since they worship the wisdom of the unborn,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.299
“Likewise, those who worship ignorance
Worship the wisdom of exhaustion,
And since they worship the wisdom of exhaustion,
They will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.300
“The same should be applied to all the nine factors—
The exertions,
Then the Blessed One said to Candraprabhakumārabhūta, “Noble son, the followers of the Great Vehicle who wish to accomplish the dhāraṇīs that were revealed earlier should stay away from eighty types of persons.301 What are they? (1) Those who have killed their father, (2) those who have killed their mother,302 (3) those who have killed a worthy one, (4) those who with harmful intent have drawn blood from a thus-gone one,303 (5) those who destroy the harmony of the saṅgha, (6) those who have run away to live as robbers, (7) those with impaired faculties, (8) those with only two sense faculties,304 (9) those who have wrong views, (10) those with wrong intention, (11) those with improper speech, (12) those who follow wrong paths,305 (13) those with wrong livelihood, (14) those with wrong effort, [F.251.a] (15) those with wrong mindfulness, (16) those with wrong absorption, (17) those who do not know what is correct, (18) those who do not know the right time, (19) those who do not know the right amount,306 (20) those who do not know the right path, (21) those who do not know the right measure, (22) those who do not understand self and others, (23) those who have no respect for the Buddha, the Dharma, the Saṅgha, and the precepts, (24) those who do not consider carefulness and the exalted domains to be noble, (25) those who do not know the Dharma,307 (26) those who do not know the Vinaya, (27) those who do not know the precepts, (28) those who do not know heaviness and lightness with respect to wrongdoings, (29) those who do not know what are corrupted and ruined forms of discipline, (30) those who do not know the very subtle and coarse types of conduct, (31) those who do not know future and present actions, (32) those who do not know what are inferior matters, (33) those who proclaim the praises of the hearers’ vehicle and denigrate the Dharma of the thus-gone ones, (34) those who encourage others to accomplish the vehicle of the solitary buddhas, (35) those who are weary of and abandon the true and unsurpassed path,308 (36) those with corrupted discipline, (37) those with perverted views, (38) those with corrupted behavior, (39) those who practice what is not the path, (40) those who profess the view of a self, (41) those who profess the view of a sentient being, (42) those who profess the view of a life principle, (43) those who profess the view of a person, (44) those with inferior motivation who give rise to desire, anger, and ignorance,309 (45) those who adhere to nihilistic views, (46) those who adhere to eternalistic views, (47) those who adhere to the view that everything is void and causeless, (48) those who do not see the existent, (49) those who do not see the nonexistent, (50) those who do not perceive actions, (51) those who do not perceive diligence, (52) those who do not understand actions, (53) those who do understand the causes of actions, (54) those who do not understand karmic ripening, (55) those who do not understand the causes of karmic ripening, (56) those who do not understand the sense faculties, (57) those who do not understand the causes of the sense faculties, (58) those who do not understand the elements, (59) those who do not understand the causes of the elements, (60) those who do not understand liberation, (61) those who do not understand the causes of liberation, (62) those who do not understand the path, (63) those who do not understand the causes of the path, (64) those who do not understand afflictions, (65) those who do not understand the causes of afflictions, (66) those who do not understand generosity, (67) those who do not understand the causes of generosity, (68) those who do not understand the past and future limits, [F.251.b] (69) those who do not understand the causes of the past and future limits, (70) those who do not understand birth and death, (71) those who do not understand the causes of birth and death, (72) those who do not understand the defiled, (73) those who do not understand the causes of the defiled, (74) those who do not understand exhaustion and non-exhaustion, (75) those who do not understand existence and nonexistence, (76) those who do not understand limit and non-limit, (77) those who do not understand disengagement and non- disengagement, (78) those who do not understand cognition and noncognition, (79) those who do not understand the essential nature and that which is not the essential nature, (80) those who do not understand arising and non-arising, and (81) those who do not understand cessation and non-cessation—Kumāra, those noble sons or daughters who wish to accomplish the dhāraṇīs that were revealed earlier should stay away from those eighty types of persons who engage in ways that are contrary to the Dharma.”
Then the Blessed One spoke these verses:
“Those who do not understand
The limit of the arising of the eye and the limit of its exhaustion
Are deluded with respect to thorough comprehension;310
The wise should therefore stay away from them.
“Those who realize that the eye
Is devoid of a self and a sentient being
Abide by thorough comprehension;
The wise should therefore attend to them.
“Those who realize that the eye
Transcends birth, exhaustion, and words
Abide by thorough comprehension;
The wise should therefore attend to them.
“Those who realize that the eye
Is disengagement and nonabiding
Abide by thorough comprehension;
The wise should therefore attend to them.
“Those who realize
That the nature of the eye is nonabiding
Abide by thorough comprehension;
The wise should therefore attend to them.
“Those who realize that the eye
Is beyond engagement and devoid of the characteristics of form
Abide by thorough comprehension;
The wise should therefore attend to them.
“Those who realize that the eye
Is unborn and intrinsically peace
Abide by thorough comprehension;
The wise should therefore attend to them.
“Those who realize that the eye intrinsically lacks the marks of the eye
Are praised by the buddhas, and they realize that the eye is undefinable;
They abide by thorough comprehension, [F.252.a]
So the wise should therefore attend to them.
“Those who realize that the eye intrinsically lacks the marks of the eye
Realize that it is beyond the reach of thoughts, apprehending, and explanations;
They abide by thorough comprehension,
So the wise should therefore attend to them.
“That Dharma is beyond joy
And does not dwell on anger;
Since it is unshakable like the king of mountains,
It cannot be apprehending, even if it is expressed.
“Both thorough comprehension and the self
Do not truly exist;
Since the self is intrinsically empty,
Thorough comprehension is also nonexistent.
“Thorough comprehension is intrinsically empty,
But immature beings consider it something existent.
Since their conceptions are improper,
They do not study, and experience misery.
“Some think that both desire
And thorough comprehension are empty;
Ultimately, however, those two thoughts themselves
Are also completely beyond apprehension.312
“If emptiness is realized to be empty,
Thorough comprehension is also nonexistent,
And everything up to the factors of awakening
And absorption is also empty.
“Those who understand
Thorough comprehension, emptiness,
And everything up to absorption
Will also genuinely understand the eye.
“Those who genuinely realize
The limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The limit of the arising of the eye
Will finally realize
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The limit of the eye
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The disengagement of the eye
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The cognition of the eye
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The peace of the eye
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The limit of the exhaustion of the eye’s transformations
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The limit of the arising of the eye’s transformations
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The limit of the eye’s transformations
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The disengagement of the eye’s transformations
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The cognition of the eye’s transformations
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The nonexistence of the eye’s transformations
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The unborn nature of the eye’s transformations
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who genuinely realize
The peace of the eye’s transformations
Will finally perfect
The gateway of thorough comprehension.
“The same should be applied to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
The six sense objects, and the four great elements,
Up to the names produced in the world.314
“Those who do not adopt or entertain the idea
That the past limit of the eye
Is unchanging and devoid of distinct characteristics
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who do not adopt or entertain the idea
That the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Is unchanging and devoid of distinct characteristics
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who do not adopt or entertain the idea
That the limit of the arising of the eye
Is unchanging and devoid of distinct characteristics
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who do not adopt or entertain the idea
That the limit of the eye
Is unchanging and devoid of distinct characteristics
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who do not adopt or entertain the idea
That the peace of the eye
Is unchanging and devoid of distinct characteristics [F.253.a]
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who do not adopt or entertain the idea
That the cognition of the eye
Is unchanging and devoid of distinct characteristics
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who do not adopt or entertain the idea
That the nonexistence of the eye
Is unchanging and devoid of distinct characteristics
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who do not adopt or entertain the idea
That the unborn nature of the eye
Is unchanging and devoid of distinct characteristics
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who do not adopt or entertain the idea
That the peace of the eye
Is unchanging and devoid of distinct characteristics
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“The same should be applied to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
The six sense objects, and the four great elements,
Up to the names produced in the world.315
“The same should also be applied
With respect to the individual meanings of the sixty-two gateways316—
Desire, anger, ignorance, great pride,
Envy, miserliness, deceit, misery,
“Defects, stains, pain,317 the rivers, wholesome and unwholesome actions,
The absence of arising, the absence of cessation,
The absence of going, the absence of coming,
The unmoving, the undifferentiated,
“That which is beyond going and non-going,
That which is beyond words, that which is beyond apprehending,
That which is beyond origination, that which is beyond engagement,
Improper conceptualization, and so forth.
“Those who understand the highest and lowest instances
Of the past limit of the eye
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who understand the highest and lowest instances
Of the limit of the exhaustion of the eye
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who understand the highest and lowest instances
Of the limit of the arising of the eye
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who understand the highest and lowest instances
Of the limit of the eye
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who understand the highest and lowest instances
Of the disengagement of the eye
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who understand the highest and lowest instances
Of the cognition of the eye
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension. [F.253.b]
“Those who understand the highest and lowest instances
Of the nonexistence of the eye
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who understand the highest and lowest instances
Of the unborn nature of the eye
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who understand the highest and lowest instances
Of the peace of the eye
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Dwell within the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“The same should be applied to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
The six sense objects, and the four great elements,
Up to the names produced in the world.320
“Those who realize that earth is unchanging
Without adopting
Or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who perceive that earth is unborn
And realize this without adopting
Or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who perceive that earth is unceasing
And realize this without adopting
Or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who perceive the cognition of earth
And realize this without adopting
Or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who perceive emancipation related to earth
And realize this without adopting
Or entertaining ideas about it,
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who perceive the absence of wishes related to earth
And realize this without adopting
Or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Those who perceive that earth is nonabiding
And realize this without adopting
Or entertaining ideas about it
Or earth’s other qualities—
“Such as its absence of coming and going,
Its absence of limit and exhaustion,
Its concurrence and nonconcurrence,
Its freedom from the imputation of words and letters,
“Its discernment, its cognition,
Its freedom from improper antidotes,
Its inexpressible nature, its undefinable nature,
Its detached nature, and its groundless nature,
“As well as the applications of mindfulness, the exertions,
The factors of awakening, fearlessness, and the path—
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Since the self is beyond engagement,
Those who realize it in that way
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Since the self is beyond origination,
Those who realize it in that way
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension. [F.254.a]
“Since the self is beyond marks,
Those who realize it in that way
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Since the self is beyond wishes,
Those who realize it in that way
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Since the self is groundless,
Those who realize it in that way
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Since the self is unborn,
Those who realize it in that way
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Since the self is unceasing,
Those who realize it in that way
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Since the self is beyond words,
Those who realize it in that way
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.321
“Since the self is free from words,
Those who realize it in that way
Without adopting or entertaining ideas about it
Will perfect the gateway of thorough comprehension.
“Know that the Guide has skillfully taught
That the eye’s past and future limits
Transcend eternalism and nihilism,
And that its causes and conditions are intrinsically empty.
“Those who conceive of the eye’s characteristics
While teaching the Dharma
Are entertaining false concepts;
Therefore, it cannot be said that they teach the true Dharma.
“Those who conceive of the eye’s characteristics
While contemplating the Dharma
Are entertaining false concepts;
Therefore, it cannot be said that they contemplate the Dharma.
“Those who conceive of the eye’s characteristics
While practicing the Dharma
Are entertaining false concepts;
Therefore, it cannot be said that they practice the Dharma.
“The Buddha always teaches the Dharma directly
To those persons
Who realize the eye’s emptiness
But do not strive for awakening.
“If the eye is not understood,
Forms will not be understood either,
But if the eye is understood,
Forms will also be understood.
“If the eye is understood,
Forms will also be understood,
And if forms are understood,
The eye will also be understood.
“The same should be applied to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
The six sense objects, and the four great elements,
Up to the names produced in the world.322
“Those who conceive of the characteristics of causes
While teaching the Dharma [F.254.b]
Are entertaining false concepts;
Therefore, it cannot be said that they teach the Dharma.
“Those who conceive of the characteristics of results323
While teaching the Dharma
Are entertaining false concepts;
Therefore, it cannot be said that they teach the Dharma.
“Those who conceive of the characteristics of the path
While teaching the Dharma
Are entertaining false concepts;
Therefore, it cannot be said that they teach the Dharma.
“Those who conceive of the characteristics of emptiness
While teaching the Dharma
Are entertaining false concepts;
Therefore, it cannot be said that they teach the Dharma.
“Those who conceive of the accumulations
While teaching the Dharma
Are entertaining false concepts;
Therefore, it cannot be said that they teach the Dharma.
“Those who conceive of material substances
While teaching the Dharma
Are entertaining false concepts;
Therefore, it cannot be said that they teach the Dharma.
“Those who conceive of the eye’s grasping
While teaching the Dharma
Are entertaining false concepts;
Therefore, it cannot be said that they teach the Dharma.
“If the eye is not understood,
Desires will arise,
But if the eye is understood,
Desires will not arise.
“The same should be applied to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
The six sense objects, and the four great elements,
Up to the names produced in the world.324
“Those who do not forsake their commitments
But have realized the empty essence
And have achieved the gateways of absorption
Will teach the Dharma properly.
“Since those who do not forsake their commitments
And have abandoned all notions about the eye
Are free from concepts,
They will teach the Dharma properly.
“Those who do not know that the eye is empty
Are deluded about the eye’s nature.
Because of this lack of comprehension,
They should not teach the Dharma.
“Those who know that the eye is empty
Will understand the eye’s nature.
Because of this comprehension,
They should teach the Dharma.
“Those who do not know that the eye is empty
Are deluded about the nature of words.
Because of this lack of comprehension,
They should not teach the Dharma. [F.255.a]
“Those who know that the eye is empty
Will understand the nature of words.
Because of this comprehension,
They should teach the Dharma.
“Those who do not know that the eye is empty
Are deluded about the nature of letters.
Because of this lack of comprehension,
They should not teach the Dharma.
“Those who know that the eye is empty
Will understand the nature of letters.
Because of this comprehension,
They should teach the Dharma.
“Those who do not know that the eye is empty
Are deluded about the eye’s natures.326
Because of this lack of comprehension,
They should not teach the Dharma.
“Those who know that the eye is empty
Will understand the eye’s natures.327
Because of this comprehension,
They should teach the Dharma.
“Those who do not know that the eye is empty
Are deluded about form’s natures.
Because of this lack of comprehension,
They should not teach the Dharma.
“Those who know that the eye is empty
Will understand form’s natures.
Because of that comprehension,
They should teach the Dharma.
“Those who do not know that the eye is empty
Fixate on and conceive of worldly marks.
They are therefore unable
To tame sentient beings in the appropriate manner.328
“Those who teach the Dharma in assemblies
Without understanding the eye’s existence and nonexistence
Are attached to personal gains;
Therefore no one will adopt their teachings with trust.
“Those who teach the Dharma in assemblies
While understanding the eye’s existence and nonexistence
Are free from clinging;
Everyone will therefore adopt their teachings with trust.
“If those who sit on Dharma thrones
Do not realize that the eye is empty,
Even if they teach using many analogies,
No one will adopt their teachings with trust.
“If those who sit on Dharma thrones
While realizing that the eye is empty
Teach through many analogies,
Everyone will adopt their teachings with trust.
“The same should be applied to the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, the mind,
The six sense objects, and the four great elements,
Up to the names produced in the world.”329
When the Blessed One had spoken, Candraprabhakumārabhūta, the world with all its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, and all the great assemblies rejoiced and praised the words of the Blessed One.
This concludes The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light, [F.255.b] the eleventh of the one hundred thousand sections of the Dharma discourse known as The Noble Great Heap of Jewels.
Notes
See Peter Alan Roberts, trans., The King of Samādhis Sūtra (Toh 127), 2018, where he is called “the youth Candraprabha.”
On this, see Trungram Gyatrul Rinpoche Sherpa 2004, pp. 34–36.
Chang 1983, pp. 191–219.
Denkarma, F.295.b; see also Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, pp. 22-23.
Phangthangma 2003, p. 49.
See Silk 2020, p. 239.
Chuxian guangming hui 出現光明會. For more information on this and related versions of the sūtra, see Lewis R. Lancaster, “K22(11),” The Korean Buddhist Canon.
This homage is absent in the Chinese version.
The Chinese reads a little differently: 會中有一童子名為月光 (“present in the retinue was a young man named Candraprabha”).
The Chinese has 偏袒右肩 (“he exposed his right shoulder”).
In both Chinese and Tibetan, 空 and nam mkha’ can mean “sky” or “all-pervading space.” The Chinese term 虛空, however, is more commonly the latter, and thus the Chinese here, 虛空色相, would translate as “characteristics of the color of vast space.”
The Chinese has 爾時 (“at that time”) here.
The Chinese just has 月光 (“Candraprabha”).
The Chinese version reads 無作 (“without action”).
The Chinese reads 從千功德生 (“This is the result of a thousand qualities”).
Here the Chinese phrasing is 從無放逸生 (“This arises from the lack of carelessness”).
While this trope in Buddhist literature often refers to each of one’s pores, here the Tibetan reads spu khung gcig “a single pore.” This is confirmed by the Chinese, which reads 又從一毛孔，所現諸光明 (“Furthermore, many lights radiate / From a single pore”).
The Chinese supports this reading of the Tibetan: 持火而奉施 (“carrying fire and offering it”).
Here the Chinese reads 剎清淨 (“pure realms”).
The Chinese has 金華 (“Golden flowers”).
Here the Chinese has 能諦觀察 (“The ability to observe the truth”).
The Chinese reads 勝解 (“sublime understanding”).
Here the Chinese has 離諸趣 (“abandonment of the various realms of existence”).
The Chinese adds an extra verse here: 我復有光明，名為超戲論，以讚一切智，由是故得色。 (“I have another light / Called transcending concepts; / It arose by proclaiming / All-encompassing wisdom.”)
Here the Chinese reads 以讚於無盡， 由是故得生。 (“It arose by proclaiming / The praises of inexhaustibility.”)
The Chinese has 滅性 (“the nature of cessation”).
The Chinese reads 我復有光明， 名之為有相， 以讚於無為， 由是故得生。 (“I have another light / Called presence of marks; / It arose by proclaiming / The praises of the unconditioned.”)
Here the Chinese has 法本性 (“the intrinsic nature of phenomena”).
The Chinese has 得稱讚 (“will be praised/extolled”).
Here following the Yongle, Kangxi, Lhasa, and Stok Palace srid pa (“existence”) rather than the Degé sred pa (“craving”). This is confirmed by the Chinese, which has 離諸有 (“abandon all existence”).
The Chinese has 離分別 (“freedom from distinctions”).
Here the Chinese has 善調順 (“proper restraint”).
The Chinese reads 空無性. Depending on whether it is parsed as 空/無性 or 空無/性, it can be read as either “absence of essential nature” or “essence of emptiness,” respectively. The Chinese is more plausibly read in the latter way, since 空無 (lit. “empty and void”) is a compound often meaning the same thing as 空 (“emptiness”). The 無 here also serves a metrical function by adding an extra syllable to the line.
The Chinese has 厭肉身 (“disdain for the physical/corporeal body”).
Here the Tibetan reads yi ge tshig ’bru spong (lit. “abandon syllables and words”). The Chinese reads 離文字. The term 文字 is a compound word that means “language,” but if parsed into two it could potentially mean “language and words” as found in the Tibetan. Here we have opted to translate it simply as “language.”
Here the Tibetan reads ’dzin rten dag spong bar ’gyur, which corresponds to the Chinese 離所依 (“will give up their reliances/that which they rely upon”).
The Chinese reads 最勝上 (“most supreme excellence”).
Here the Chinese has 我有光明名為華 (“I have a light called flower”).
The Chinese has 尊重 (“respect”).
Here the Chinese differs slightly: 一毛孔現若干光 (“From each of his pores, the Buddha emits light rays”).
khyad par ’phags pa. The Chinese has 最勝 (“most supreme”).
The Chinese has 樂聲 (“delighting in sound”).
In the Tibetan, this list includes a tree called pa la pa tra. The Chinese version renders this as 波羅波吒, which is a synonym of 波吒羅. 佛學大辭典, 波吒羅 refers to the tree known as pāṭala or pāṭaliputra. See 佛學大辭典 [Buddhist dictionary], s.v. 波吒羅 and 波吒釐, accessed 1 October, 2021.
The Chinese reads 彼佛 (“that buddha”).
Here the Chinese reads 一一寶蓋，以摩尼珠，於其網間，周匝嚴飾。 (“Each jeweled parasol / Was decorated in its lattice / And around its edges / By garlands of wish-fulfilling gems.”)
The Chinese has 是一一蓋，八十俱胝，摩尼寶珠，以為瓔珞。 (“Each of these parasols / Had eight hundred million / Wish-fulfilling gems / As its ornamentation.”)
The Chinese reads 無量華蓋 (“countless flower parasols”).
Here the Chinese has 繒綵茵褥 (“cushions made of colorful silks”).
The Chinese has 以百千偈 (“In a hundred thousand verses”). Note that the Kangxi version agrees with the Chinese, reading brgya stong rather than brgyad stong as found in the Degé and other versions.
Here the Chinese reads 爾時復有，八十俱胝，大威力天，聞是經已，心生歡喜，發菩提願，於未來世，得斯光明。 (“At that time, there were also / Eight hundred million / Gods of great majestic power / Who upon hearing this discourse / Were overcome with joy / And made the aspiration to reach awakening / And achieve this light.”)
Here the Chinese has 是時如來，知彼意樂，即授其記，當得作佛。 (“At that moment, the Thus-Gone One / Knew their thoughts / And prophesied that / They would become buddhas.”)
The Chinese is very similar but with slight differences: 爾時復有，八十俱胝，釋提桓因，並諸梵眾，聞說如是，現光經典，亦生歡喜，發菩提心，皆得授記，當來作佛。 (“At that time, there were also / Eight hundred million members / Of the retinues of Śakra / And Brahmā / Who upon hearing / This discourse that reveals the lights / Were overcome with joy / And made the aspiration to reach awakening. / All of them received prophecies / That they would become buddhas.”)
The Chinese has 彼如來 (“that thus-gone one”).
The Chinese reads 般涅槃 (“parinirvāṇa”).
The Chinese has 猶如眾商善導師 (“Like the virtuous guides to merchants”).
Here the Chinese reads 末世 (“degenerate age/end time”).
The Chinese reads a little differently here: 當知皆是佛威神，亦由文殊所加護 (“Know that this is [due to] the power of the Buddha, / And the result of Mañjuśrī’s blessings”).
The Chinese has 懷諂曲 (“And who engages in disingenuous flattery”).
Here the Chinese reads 無諂曲 (“without disingenuous flattery”).
chung ma bu mo. The Chinese has 婦女, which is a two-character compound that means “women” rather than “women and girls.”
Translated based on the Narthang, Kangxi, Yongle, Lhasa, and Stok Palace versions, which read mig gnas ’jig pa’i mtshan nyid. This agrees with the Chinese 若人於眼成壞相， 而常迷惑不能了. The Degé reads mi gnas ’jig pa’i mtshan nyid.
The Chinese pluralizes states of absorption here: 彼則成就諸禪定 (“Will accomplish the states of absorption”).
des ni de bzhin gshegs pa rab ston cing. The Chinese matches this curious line: 彼則顯發諸如來 (“That person will clearly reveal all the thus-gone ones”). The sense seems to be that using the wisdom of emitting light, one can reveal the thus-gone ones—and by extension their teachings—to others who previously had been ignorant of them.
The Chinese has 生死中, which literally means “in life and death” but is a general way of saying “in saṃsāra.”
The Chinese states 或施花果諸林苑 (“I sometimes gave them flowers, fruits, and various garden groves”).
Here the Chinese has 或施白象及麒麟 (“Sometimes white elephants and qilins [a type of mythical chimerical beast known also by the Japanese equivalent kirin]”).
The Chinese has 或施瓔珞雜花鬘 (“Sometimes ornaments and garlands of various flowers”).
In the Chinese this stanza reads 如是一一滿百千， 為此經故心無倦。 (“All of these numbered in the hundreds of thousands— / For the sake of this discourse my heart never tired.”)
The Chinese has 我昔為是經， 或處於生死 (“In the past, for the sake of this discourse, / Even if I was dwelling in saṃsāra”).
This reading of the Tibetan is supported by the Chinese: 哀愍於親友， 乃至諸眾生。 (“Instead, I developed sympathy for my relatives and friends, / And for all sentient beings.”)
rtag tu dus drug dag gi tshe/ sdom pa dag ni rab tu blangs. The Tibetan is ambiguous concerning the frequency of the “six times,” whereas the Chinese makes it explicit: 常於月六齋， 受持諸禁戒。 (“And always took the precepts / At the six times of the month.”)
The Chinese has 或蒔於華果， 不令人剪伐， 普施諸眾生， 隨意皆充足。 (“I sometimes planted flowers and trees, / Not allowing anyone to cut them, / But gave them all to sentient beings, / Satisfying all their wishes.”)
Here the Chinese reads 無量劫 (“countless eons”).
The Chinese reads 若有諸比丘， 為求無上智， 能以淨信心， 演說此經典， 是人及方所， 一切皆了知。 (“If there are monks / Who in the pursuit of unsurpassed wisdom / Can with faithful hearts / Teach this discourse, / I will know all / Such people as well as their location.”)
The Chinese has 月光汝當知， 諸佛神通力， 若人意清淨， 或有不清淨， 乃至於信解， 一切皆了知。 (“Candraprabha, you should know that / The miraculous powers of the buddhas / Fully know all those / Who have pure intentions / And those who have impure ones, / As well as those who have faith.”)
The Chinese has 退失諸方便 (“Their skillful means will deteriorate”).
phan yon mchog ni thob par ’gyur. The Chinese has 當得於勝利 (“will gain victory”). 勝利 as a compound simply means “victory.” It only means “supreme benefit” if one takes 勝 and 利 separately.
The Chinese has 譬如明智人， 善能用於火， 成熟種種味， 不為火所燒。 (“As an analogy, an intelligent person / Can skillfully handle fire, / To produce various flavors / And not be burned by the fire.”) Note that after this verse, the Chinese adds another verse that is not found in the Tibetan: 若諸愚癡人， 無有善方便， 將火置於掌， 便為火所燒。 (“But an ignorant fool / Who does not possess skillful means / Would put the fire in their palm / And thus be burned by the fire.”)
The Chinese here reads 滅 (“extinguish”).
The Chinese has 覆惱 (“ill will [mrakṣa] and spite [pradāśa]”).
The Chinese reads 若求最勝行， 當學於此經， 供養諸如來， 得實智方便。 (“Those who seek the supreme conduct / Ought to study this discourse / And make offerings to the thus-gone ones— / Thus they achieve genuine wisdom and skillful means.”)
The first line in the Chinese reads 若修真實智 (“Those who strive for genuine wisdom”).
The text only lists seventy-six types of accumulation. It is not apparent how one might get eighty items from the Chinese list either.
Here the Chinese has 亦不耽愛富貴憍逸 (“not craving or desiring riches or wanton depravity”).
The Chinese has 於有戒者無諂承事 (“not insincerely flattering those who observe discipline”).
The Chinese reads 常行慧施 (“constantly making offerings of wisdom”).
Here following the Yongle and Kangxi versions, which read gzugs rather than gzungs as is found in the Degé and other versions. This reading is supported by the Chinese, which reads 求無盡色 (“pursuing inexhaustible form”).
Translated based on the Kangxi, Yongle, and Stok Palace versions, which read ’phangs pa med pa. The Degé reads phongs pa med pa. The Chinese agrees with the Kangxi, Yongle, and Stok Palace reading: 不惜身命 (“not cherishing one’s body and life”).
The Chinese has 已學 (“those who are already trained”).
Here the Chinese reads 捨離睡眠 (“giving up sleep”).
The Chinese has 明見因果相續輪迴 (“clearly perceiving cyclic existence as the continuation of causes and results”).
The Chinese seems to take this item and the previous one together.
The Chinese has simply 月光 (“Candraprabha”).
The Chinese has 復次月光 (“Furthermore, Candraprabha”).
The Chinese has 復次月光 (“Furthermore, Candraprabha”).
The Chinese has 所謂能成諸佛如來無礙解脫 (“accomplishing the unimpeded liberation of the buddhas and thus-gone ones”).
Here the Chinese reads 能成諸佛如來無礙解脫 (“that can properly accomplish the unimpeded liberation of the buddhas and thus-gone ones”).
The Chinese phrases this in stronger terms: 毀諸不善 (“destroy all nonvirtues”).
The Chinese seems to take this and the previous item together: 發菩提心勇猛精進 (“giving rise to the mind set on awakening with fierce diligence”).
Again the Chinese seems to take this and the previous item together: 真實供養決了無疑 (“making genuine offerings with a determination free of doubt”).
Here the Chinese reads 修治佛塔 (“building and repairing stūpas”).
The Chinese appears to take this and the previous item together: 圓滿諸行有大威德 (“perfecting one’s conduct with great majesty”).
This translation is tentative. Tib. sgo chen po phye nas gtong bar byed pa; Chn. 開門大施. The Buddhist Chinese–Sanskrit Dictionary (ed. Akira Hirakawa) gives this as nirargaḍo mahā-yajño yaṣṭaḥ.
The Chinese has 能得諸佛無礙解脫 (“one achieves the unimpeded liberation of the buddhas”).
Rather than “in the presence of the Blessed One,” the Chinese has 於佛前 (“in the presence of the Buddha”).
The Chinese reads 以知名字無邊故 (“Because they know that the name is endless”).
The last two lines of this verse in Chinese read 以能知佛語真實，出現如來決定光。 (“Because they know the words of the Buddha are true, / They display the Thus-Gone One’s light of certainty.”)
Here the Chinese has 佛 (“Buddha”). In all following iterations of this verse formula, the Chinese reads 佛 and not 世尊 (“Blessed One”).
The Chinese reads 已具無邊清淨色 (“Is endowed with limitless pure forms”).
Here the Chinese has 已具無邊清淨意 (“Is endowed with limitless pure intentions”).
The Chinese has 已具無邊勝功德 (“Is endowed with limitless supreme qualities”).
In the Chinese, most of the verses in this section have as their final line 利益一切諸世間 (“And benefit all the world”), but this particular line is 利益無量諸世間 (“And benefit infinite worlds”).
The Chinese has an additional verse here: 如來具足殊勝智， 了知欲染障菩提， 我亦願成如是智， 利益一切諸世間。 (“Since he is endowed with supreme wisdom, / The Thus-Gone One clearly knows that the stain of desire obstructs awakening; / May I, too, achieve that wisdom / And benefit all the world!”)
Here the Chinese reads 如來善了於法義， 覺悟無量諸眾生 (“Since he clearly knows the meaning of the Dharma, / The Thus-Gone One awakens countless beings”).
The Chinese reads a little differently: 如來善修於解脫 (“Since the Thus-Gone One is well practiced in liberation”).
As above, the Chinese reads 如來善修於正觀 (“Since he is well practiced in proper insight”).
The Chinese here is 無礙 (“unobstructed” or “free from obstructions”). The character 礙 looks a lot like the character 疑, which means “doubt,” so this could be a simple scribal error. However, the CBETA annotations to this text indicate that even though the edited Taishō edition uses the character 礙, three other editions of this text have 疑. So, it is either “unobstructed” or “without doubt,” depending on which reading one follows.
The Chinese has 如來善了轉生邊 (“Since he knows the limits of transmigration”).
The Chinese adds “and limitless”: 其光普照無量無邊諸佛國土 (“light rays that illuminated countless and limitless buddha realms”).
The Chinese has 佛 (“Buddha”).
The Chinese has 偏袒右肩 (“bared his right shoulder”).
The Chinese reads a little differently here: 施戒忍精進，定慧等莊嚴，一切皆圓滿。 (“You have fully perfected / Generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, / Concentration, insight, and other such adornments.”)
The phrase “up to” used in this and subsequent verses indicates the inclusion of an abridged list of terms that would have been familiar to the original audience and was thus not cited in full.
The Chinese reads 最勝法 (“the most supreme Dharma”).
The Chinese differs in organization and terminology: 了知貪自性， 滅壞瞋與癡， 愛慢及無明， 諂嫉并戲論， 乃至苦蘊等， 一切皆捨離， 如是諸句義， 究竟悉清淨。 (“They will realize the nature of desire, / Eradicate anger and stupidity, / And completely abandon / All craving, pride, and ignorance, / Deceit, jealousy, and conceptual proliferation, / And the entire mass of suffering and so forth. / All such categories / Are all fully purified.”)
The Chinese groups these lines together: 佛知盡生邊， 眼性常空寂， 捨離諸煩惱， 證佛菩提智， 具足勝名聞， 何緣現微笑? (“The Buddha knows the limits of exhaustion and arising, / And that the eye is always by nature empty and void. / You have abandoned all afflictions, / Obtained the awakened wisdom of buddhas, / And are endowed with supreme renown. / Why do you smile?”)
Here the Chinese has 無量諸心行， 一念皆了知， 光明照世間， 為是何瑞相? (“All the countless movements of the mind / You comprehend in a single thought. / Your light rays illuminate the worlds— / What do these auspicious omens portend?”)
Here the translation “through your insight” is based on the Stok Palace reading, dgongs pas. The Degé reads dgongs par. In the Chinese, this is 意樂, which is translated several stanzas above as “inclinations,” to match the Tibetan mos pa.
Here the Chinese has 世尊音聲悅眾意， 猶如鴈王聲美妙 (“Blessed One, you please the minds of beings with your voice, / Melodious as the song of the king of swans”).
Tib. ku tsi ra. In the Chinese, this is 拘抧羅, which can refer to the kokila, which may refer to the black Indian cuckoo.
The Chinese diverges from the Tibetan here, with this line reading 為世照明甘露滅 (“In order to illuminate the world, you achieved peace beyond saṃsāra”).
Here the Chinese has 髀膊傭滿足跟長 (“Your thighs and arms are well proportioned and full”).
The Chinese has 修臂傭圓肩妙好 (“Your long arms are well proportioned and round, your shoulders beautiful”).
Here the Chinese reads 齒白無垢如珂雪 (“Your teeth are white and spotless like snow-white jade”).
The Chinese has 鼻脩直 (“and your nose is long and straight”).
如來足下善安平， 隨所履地無窊曲。 (“The Thus-Gone One’s soles are perfectly even, / And are not crooked no matter where they land.”) According to the Buddhist Chinese–Sanskrit Dictionary (ed. Akira Hirakawa), 窊曲 translates vaṅka, which can mean “crookedness.” The Chinese word 窊 means “to curl up,” and 曲 means “crooked.” The idea seems to be that the Buddha’s soles are always stable and flat, so that no matter what ground he walks on, his feet do not tense or curl up.
The Chinese pluralizes this: 諸世間 (“worlds”).
The Chinese has 膊傭平正如鹿王，身不低屈猶師子。 (“Your arms are well proportioned and even, like the king of antelope; / Like a lion, your body does not slouch down.”)
The Chinese reads 出興為世作燈明。 (“You appear in order to be a shining light for the world.”)
Here the Chinese has 馬王 (“the king of horses”).
The Chinese version varies a little here: 從身出現無邊光，妙色寂靜而恒照。 (“From your body emanates boundless light, / Its colors beautiful, peaceful, and perpetually luminous.”)
Here the Chinese has 如來 (“the thus-gone ones”).
Tib. ka lan da ka. In Chinese, the term is 迦蘭陀鴻, which is the transliteration of a bird name, the corresponding Sanskrit being kalandaka or perhaps kalaṇḍaka. Though this term can mean squirrel, it seems here to refer to a type of bird.
Tib. chu shel. The Chinese here is 頗胝寶, equivalent to the Sanskrit sphaṭika, a type of crystal or quartz.
Here the Chinese has 見未來世 (“in the future age”).
Tib. kha lo sgyur ba; Chn. 御者.
Here the Chinese has 不知諸法， 因緣所造， 隨業受報， 無能救者。 (“Those who do not know that all phenomena / Are created through causes and conditions, / And that we experience karmic ripening according to our actions, / Are beyond saving.”)
The Chinese reads 綺飾言辭 (“flowery words”).
Here the Chinese has 愚人不能， 修學是法， 於修行者， 見其過失。 (“Fools are unable to train in this teaching, / For they see faults in those who practice it.”)
The Chinese reads 佛教弟子。著壞色衣，破戒之人，而披此服，增長憍慢， 放逸之心 (“The Buddha has instructed his disciples / To wear the saffron-colored robes. / If those who observe improper discipline / Put on such robes…”).
Here the Chinese reads 為眾稱讚，生貢高心，不念大師，慚愧謙下。 (“When they are praised by everyone, / Their arrogance increases; / They do not recall that the Great Teacher, / Was modest and humble.”)
The Chinese for this stanza reads 墮於倒見，非沙門法。退失寂靜，涅槃之道 (“They fall into mistaken views / And teachings contrary to virtuous practice, / And regress on the path of disengagement and nirvāṇa…”).
The Chinese reads 毀破正見 (“They destroy the genuine view”).
The Chinese has 宮人婇女 (“My wives [concubines] and ladies [courtesans]”).
The Chinese reads 數來我所 (“please come to us time and again”).
Given what follows below, “hear” (thos) could be emended to “receive” (thob). The Chinese says “receive”: 若於我法中， 能離如是過， 勤修不放逸， 得此法非難。 (“For those who abandon these faults / With regard to my teachings / And practice with zeal and conscientiousness, / It will not be difficult to receive this teaching.”)
The Chinese has 於諸根盡道 (“The path of exhaustion of all the faculties”).
Translated based on Stok Palace brjod pa dang ni rtog byed pas. The Degé reads brjod pa dag ni rtogs byed pas. The Chinese has 以分別言說， 誹謗修空者。 (“They denigrate those who are training in emptiness / With conceptual words and statements.”)
The Chinese reads 破戒 (“transgress their discipline”).
The Chinese has 思惟 (“contemplates”).
Instead of “the child of a brahmin” the Chinese simply reads 摩納仙 (māṇava, i.e., “youth”) and thus this portion reads “a youth, / And I…”
For this line the Chinese has 吸人精氣者 (“the spirit eaters”).
The Chinese reads 常慈心敬我 (“Always honor me with loving thoughts”).
The Chinese reads 八千鳩槃荼， 及阿吒嚩迦， 散華供養我， 皆由勝忍力。 (“Eight thousand kumbhāṇḍas / And āṭavikas / Make offerings to me by tossing flowers; / All this is the outcome of the supreme strength of my patience.”)
Tib. shi khyi ba. In Chinese this is 尸棄毘, which can be the name of a type of pleasure god, specifically celestial beings of music that belong to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. The Digital Dictionary of Buddhism states that 尸棄毘 refers to “a deva of music located in the East” (s.v. “尸棄毘,” accessed October 1, 2021).
The Chinese has 鳩槃荼 (“kumbhāṇḍas”).
The Chinese has 汝觀佛神通， 所說施戒聲， 周聞於一切， 皆由勝忍力。 (“You see that the Buddha’s miraculous powers / And the words that he uttered regarding generosity and discipline / Are heard everywhere; / All this is the outcome of the supreme strength of my patience.”)
The Chinese has 眼無生寂靜 (“Since the lack of arising of the eye is peace”).
The Chinese has 我於明日欲請如來并諸大眾，唯願哀愍而受我食。 (“I wish to invite the Thus-Gone One and his great retinue [for a meal] tomorrow. I only hope that he will take pity on me and accept my offer of food.”)
Tib. phyi li ka. This is 畢力迦香 in Chinese, which means an incense made of pṛkkā/spṛkkā.
Tib. du ma tsa. The Chinese is 都摩遮, which does not appear in the Chinese–Sanskrit dictionaries.
The Chinese is more general in its phrasing: 願為利益諸眾生故入是城 (“Please enter the city in order to benefit sentient beings”).
Here the Chinese has 貪流轉 (“the transformation of desire”).
The Chinese has 淨光普照未曾有 (“Pure light radiated all over as never before”).
Here the Chinese reads 聾盲殘缺得諸根， 皆是如來殊勝果。 (“Those who were blind, deaf, or otherwise impaired gained their faculties; / All this was the result of the auspiciousness of the Thus-Gone One.”)
The Chinese has 如來 (“thus-gone ones”).
The phrasing differs a little in the Chinese version: 佛慧善了於他行， 隨順世間作饒益。 (“The Buddha, well versed in the conduct of others, / Benefitted them in accordance with the ways of the world.”)
The Chinese has 世尊當入城， 空中如是說， 若愛眼盡邊， 於佛生淨信。 (“When the Blessed One came to the city, / These words resounded in the sky: / ‘Those who crave the limit of the exhaustion of the eye / Have pure faith in the Buddha.’ ”)
The Chinese has 不知眼盡邊， 非達聲明者。 (“Since they lack understanding of the eye’s exhaustion, / They have not achieved the status of grammarian.”)
The Chinese reads 不知眼盡故， 彼非工巧者。 (“Since they lack understanding of the eye’s exhaustion, / They are not craftsmen.”)
The Chinese has 雖善於聲明， 推步吉凶相， 及文字音韻， 讀誦皆窮了， 不知眼盡邊， 彼等終無智。 (“Even if they are skilled at grammar, / At deducing virtuous and nonvirtuous signs, / And at words and prosody, / And are fully versed in reading and recitation, / Without understanding the limit of the exhaustion of the eye, / They will ultimately be without insight.”)
The Chinese reads 雖明女人相， 邪語令迷惑， 按摩蠲勞法， 祕密之幻術， 不知眼盡邊， 彼等終無智。 (“Even if they know the female marks, / The sinful words that beguile them, / The way to massage and cleanse them, / And secret magic and charms, / Without understanding the exhaustion of the eye, / They will ultimately be without insight.”)
The Chinese has 雖誦四圍陀， 及呪皆通利， 不知眼盡邊， 彼終為下劣。 (“Even if they recite the four Vedas / And are fluent in all the mantras, / Without understanding the limit of the eye’s exhaustion, / They will always be inferior.”)
The list of terms in the Chinese is 貪瞋癡忿慢， 慳嫉誑貢高 (“desire, aggression, ignorance, anger, pride, / Miserliness, jealousy, deceit, arrogance”).
Here the Chinese reads 志求如來無上智 (“And pursue the unsurpassed wisdom of the Thus-Gone One”).
The Chinese has 安隱道 (“the path of peace”).
Here the Chinese reads 以無畏力降邪眾 (“Through the power of fearlessness, evil ones were tamed”).
The Chinese adds an extra verse here: 凡夫樂著色， 為現種種身，隨彼眾生類， 說色無堅固。 (“For ordinary beings attached to form, / He manifested various bodies, / And according to the type of sentient being, / He spoke of the instability of form.”)
The Chinese version differs considerably: 若人多執著， 如來現神力， 隨彼器非器， 為說相違法。 (“For those who have many attachments, / The Thus-Gone One manifests miraculous powers. / According to whether they are suitable vessels or not, / He teaches dialectics [viśeṣaviruddha].”)
Here again the Chinese diverges: 眾生若干種， 如應現神變， 以隨類言音， 演說真實法。 (“There are all sorts of sentient beings, / And the Thus-Gone One manifests appropriate miraculous displays / And uses appropriate words / To teach the genuine Dharma.”)
The Chinese specifies the type of Dharma teachings: 隨彼所愛樂， 聞說聲聞法 (“Heard the hearer teachings / According to their inclinations”).
Tib. be ro ka. In Chinese, this is 毘婁迦, which is the transliteration of Virūḍhaka, one of the Four Great Kings.
The Chinese has 善逝 (“Sugata”).
The order of these two verses is flipped in the Chinese.
Rather than “clinging to the world” the Chinese reads 世智 (“worldly knowledge”).
Here the Chinese has 讚無為功德 (“And his praises of the virtues of the unconditioned”).
The Chinese includes several extra lines of verse here: 大悲現神變， 廣為諸眾生， 生處憍逸者， 示以無邊過。大悲現神變， 廣為諸眾生， 種姓憍逸者， 示以無邊過。 (“Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one / Extensively described to sentient beings / The countless defects of the arrogance / Related to one’s place of birth. / Through his miraculous displays, the great compassionate one / Extensively described to sentient beings / The countless defects of the arrogance / Related to one’s family lineage.”)
The Degé here reads lce rgyang, while the Stok Palace version has lce rkyang. There does not appear to be an obvious corresponding term for this in the Chinese.
The Chinese has 諸天女 (“divine maidens”).
The Chinese has an additional verse here: 又化修羅女， 住摩利華宮，皆現於半身，持花鬘供養。 (“He also manifested asura maidens residing / In mansions made of jasmine flowers; / Half of their body was visible / And they were worshiping him by holding up garlands of flowers.”)
The Chinese here is 諸天女 (“divine maidens”).
The Chinese has 汝等當觀察，導師自然智，無邊功德身，超過愛戲論。 (“Therefore, you should observe that / The Guide’s self-manifest wisdom / And his body endowed with boundless qualities / Transcend the attachment to concepts.”)
Here the Chinese reads 寂靜無諸過，離見治心翳，相好以莊嚴，身意皆清淨。 (“He is disengaged and has no flaws, / And he has abandoned views and cures that which obstructs the mind; / He is adorned by the major and minor marks, / And both his body and mind are pure”).
The Chinese has 佛 (“Buddha”).
The Chinese has 天悅意華 (“mandārava flowers”).
Here the Chinese has 爾時有魔子，名為捨愛者，最初稱讚佛， 能知眼盡邊，亦了眼生邊，乃至寂滅相。 (“At that time, there was a māra / Named The One Who Abandons Craving, / Who was the first to praise the Buddha / And thus could know the limit of the exhaustion of the eye / And understand the limit of the arising of the eye, / Up to the characteristics of its utter peace.”)
The Chinese has 佛 (“Buddha”).
The Chinese has 以佛功德，威神力故 (“Through the Buddha’s merit / And his miraculous powers”).
Translated based on Narthang, Lhasa, and Stok Palace: yon tan gzhi. The Degé reads yon tan bzhi. The Chinese agrees with the Narthang, Lhasa, and Stok Palace reading: 殖眾德本.
Here the Chinese has 知眼盡故，於根修習。 (“Since they understand the eye’s exhaustion, / They train in the faculties.”)
The Chinese reads 於道修習 (“they train in the path”).
The Chinese reads 眼無常性 (“the impermanence of the eye”).
The Chinese has 眼無生智 (“The knowledge of the eye’s non-arising”).
Tib. mig ni yongs shes shes pa. Chn. 眼遍知智.
Here the Chinese has 盡無盡智 (“The knowledge of exhaustion and non-exhaustion”).
The Chinese reads 知時修習，無懈怠智。 (“They achieve the knowledge of timely practice / That is devoid of laziness.”)
The translation here is based on the Stok Palace version: gzungs. The Degé reads gzugs. The Chinese agrees with the Stok Palace reading but overall differs slightly in sense: 又如實知， 於諸無作， 陀羅尼法， 勤修習智。 (“They also genuinely achieve / Knowledge of the determined practice / Of the dhāraṇī teachings / Related to nonaction.”)
Here the Chinese has 攝受之智， 非攝受智 (“The knowledge of influence, the knowledge of noninfluence”).
The Chinese reads 眼共相智 (“The knowledge of the common marks of the eye”).
The entire list of these twenty-five phenomena does not appear in the text.
The Chinese adds 少分功德，普令眾生，聞者歡喜。 (“Whatever meager merit this may have, / May it cause all sentient beings / Who hear it to rejoice.”)
Here the Chinese has 則能降伏，一切邪眾 (“Will be able to overcome / All the hordes of evil beings”).
Tib. ’dod chags gzhom pa dang / /zhi mdzad chos kyi rgyal. The Chinese compound word 摧滅 does not mean “conquer and pacify,” though the two characters separated would mean that. As a single term, it just means “destroy/vanquish/annihilate.” So, the Chinese reads 名為摧滅，貪欲法王 (“Is named Dharma King Who Annihilates Desire”).
As above (see n.228), the Chinese characters 摧滅 should not be split to represent two different meanings: 名為摧滅，瞋恚法王 (“Is named Dharma King Who Annihilates Anger”).
The Chinese translates a little differently: 名生清淨，光明總持 (“Is named Holder of the Bright Light of Pure Birth”).
Here the Chinese has 名色清淨，光明總持 (“Is named Holder of the Bright Light of Pure Form”).
Here the Chinese has 以忍辱力，究竟莊嚴 (“Through the power of patience, they are adorned”).
This line is missing in the Chinese.
The Chinese takes these seven lines together (starting from “Both the realization of all these perfect manifestations…”), and the sense differs in places: 究竟清淨，究竟照明，空陀羅尼，之所解了，此即住佛，所行之處，此即住佛，遊戲之處，此即安住，諸佛神通，此即安住，諸佛智慧。 (“To fully understand the ultimately pure, / The ultimately luminous, / And the dhāraṇīs of emptiness / Is to dwell in / The domain of the buddhas’ activities, / Is to dwell in / The sphere of the buddhas’ displays, / Is to dwell in / The buddhas’ miraculous powers, / And is to dwell in / The buddhas’ wisdom.”)
Here the Chinese has 境界之眼 (“The eye of the sphere of existence [viṣaya]”).
The Chinese includes more here: 爾時世尊，於虛空中，復出無量，微妙音聲，演說殊勝，陀羅尼法。皆是如來，之所變化。陀羅尼曰。 (“At that time, the Blessed One / Again manifested in the sky / Boundless melodious voices / That proclaimed the exalted / Dhāraṇī teachings. / All this is the miraculous manifestation / Of the Thus-Gone One.”)
勝利 is another compound word meaning “victory.” If the characters are divided, then the first means “best” and the second means “benefit,” which we see in the Tibetan. But if translating the Chinese, the two characters should be taken as a unit to mean “victory.”
Here the Chinese reads 往昔無量佛，以清淨意樂，於是陀羅尼，常思惟法性。 (“The countless buddhas of the past, / With the purest trust, / Constantly contemplated reality / Using these dhāraṇīs.”)
Translation based on Stok Palace, which reads rig pa dag gi [Degé: gis] rkang gnyis byed. The Chinese is 如是陀羅尼， 明行為兩足. Since 明行足 is a translation of the Sanskrit vidyācaraṇasaṃpanna, which is an epithet of the Buddha meaning “endowed with knowledges and practices,” the sense is “With these dhāraṇīs, / One will have the two feet, which are knowledge and practice.” It is worth noting that one meaning of the Sanskrit caraṇa is "foot."
Translation based on Stok Palace: rab dad. The Degé reads rab dang.
This translation is tentative. Tib. ’jig rten skye ba’i ming bar du.
The Tibetan text only lists forty-five qualities. In the Chinese version, depending on how the lines are parsed, one could technically count more than forty-five qualities, but certainly not eighty.
Here the Chinese reads 受持演說心無懈惓 (“Their minds are not weary of retaining or teaching [the discourses]”).
The Chinese has 和合佛法 (“They are in accord with the Buddhadharma”).
Here the Chinese reads 慰喻眾生 (“They offer comfort to sentient beings”).
The Chinese has 住於煖法 (“They will abide in the Dharma of heat [i.e., the first part of the path of preparation]”).
The Chinese reads 如是布施心，成就殊勝福，菩薩勤修習，當證佛菩提。 (“This mind of generosity / Accomplishes the accumulation of merit; / Bodhisattvas who train in it diligently / Will achieve the awakening of the buddhas.”)
Here the Chinese has 妙樓閣 (“sublime pavilions”).
The Chinese reads 如是行施人，修習菩提道，不遇惡知識，得同類善友。 (“A person who practices generosity in this way / Will not meet nonvirtuous friends / But rather gain like-minded virtuous friends / While training in the path of awakening.”)
The Chinese has 亦不生貪愛 (“They will also not give rise to greed and desire”).
The Chinese includes an additional verse here: 是人能了知，眼後際言說，隨世假安立，於中無有實。 (“They will realize that the expression ‘future limit of the eye’ / Is a mere imputation / That accords with the world’s conventions / But has no real substance within.”)
This translation is tentative. Tib. ’jig rten skye ba’i ming bar du.
The corresponding Chinese of this verse and the parallel verses that follow can be read in at least two ways that differ from our reading of the Tibetan. In this case, the lines 如是供養貪，即為供養佛，以供養佛故，成就總持門 can be read either to mean “Those who thus make offerings to desire / Are in fact making offerings to the buddhas, / And since they make offerings to the buddhas, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī” or “Those who thus offer up desire / Are in fact making offerings to the buddhas, / And since they make offerings to the buddhas, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.” The ambiguity of the Chinese continues in subsequent parallel passages. We have provided only the first reading in these later examples, though both readings are possible in each case.
The Chinese has 如是供養瞋，亦為供養佛，以供養佛故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the absence of engagement, / And since they make offerings to the absence of engagement, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即為供養佛，以供養佛故，成就總持門。 (“Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the buddhas, / And since they make offerings to the buddhas, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”)
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即為供養法，以供養法故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the Dharma, / And since they make offerings to the Dharma, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即為供養僧，以供養僧故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the Saṅgha, / And since they make offerings to the Saṅgha, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即為供養戒，以供養戒故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to discipline, / And since they make offerings to discipline, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養精進，供養精進故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to diligence, / And since they make offerings to diligence, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養讚歎，供養讚歎故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings of praise, / And since they make offerings of praise, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養佛法，供養佛法故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the qualities of the buddhas, / And since they make offerings to the qualities of the buddhas, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養法性，供養法性故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the nature of phenomena, / And since they make offerings to the nature of phenomena, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養真如，供養真如故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to suchness, / And since they make offerings to suchness, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養無生，供養無生故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the unborn, / And since they make offerings to the unborn, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養無滅，供養無滅故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the unceasing, / And since they make offerings to the unceasing, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
Here the Chinese has 無盡 (“the inexhaustible”).
Here the Chinese has 無盡 (“the inexhaustible”).
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養無盡，供養無盡故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the inexhaustible, / And since they make offerings to the inexhaustible, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養無有，供養無有故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to nonexistence, / And since they make offerings to nonexistence, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養無邊，供養無邊故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to boundlessness, / And since they make offerings to boundlessness, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養三有，供養三有故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the three realms, / And since they make offerings to the three realms, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養寂靜，供養寂靜故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to disengagement, / And since they make offerings to disengagement, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養流轉，以供養轉故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to saṃsāra, / And since they make offerings to saṃsāra, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養無轉，供養無轉故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to nonexistence, / And since they make offerings to nonexistence, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養無有，供養無有故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to nonexistence, / And since they make offerings to nonexistence, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養無起，供養無起故，成就總持門。 (“Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the absence of origination, / And since they make offerings to the absence of origination, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”)
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養寂滅，供養寂滅故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to extinction, / And since they make offerings to extinction, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養不來，供養不來故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the absence of coming, / And since they make offerings to the absence of coming, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養無行，供養無行故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the absence of going, / And since they make offerings to the absence of going, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養有為，供養有為故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the conditioned, / And since they make offerings to the conditioned, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養苦等，以供養苦等，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to suffering and so on, / And since they make offerings to suffering and so on, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養苦智，供養苦智故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the knowledge of suffering, / And since they make offerings to the knowledge of suffering, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養集智，供養集智故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the knowledge of the origin, / And since they make offerings to the knowledge of the origin, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養滅智，供養滅智故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the knowledge of cessation, / And since they make offerings to the knowledge of cessation, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養道智，供養道智故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the knowledge of the path, / And since they make offerings to the knowledge of the path, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養法智，供養法智故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the knowledge of the Dharma, / And since they make offerings to the knowledge of the Dharma, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養類智，供養類智故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the knowledge of the subsequent [anvayajñāna], / And since they make offerings to the knowledge of the subsequent, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，供養無生智，供養無生故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to unborn knowledge, / And since they make offerings to unborn knowledge, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Chinese has 如是供養癡，即供養盡智，供養盡智故，成就總持門。 This could be translated as “Those who thus make offerings to ignorance / Are in fact making offerings to the knowledge of exhaustion, / And since they make offerings to the knowledge of exhaustion, / They accomplish the gateway of dhāraṇī.”
The Tibetan text lists eighty-one types of persons. If we follow the breakdown of the list by the editors of the Chinese text, it comes to exactly eighty.
The Chinese has 害母 (“those who have harmed their mother”).
The Chinese reads 以屠害心出佛身血 (“those who with harmful intent have drawn blood from the body of a buddha”).
Items 7 and 8 are taken as one in the Chinese.
The Chinese has 邪業 (“Those who commit wrong actions”).
The Chinese has 不知法 (“those who do not know the Dharma”). The Yongle version of the Tibetan matches the Chinese.
In the Chinese, this is the same as the phrase that appeared earlier in the list: 不知法. (“those who do not know the Dharma”).
Items 34 and 35 are taken as one in the Chinese.
In the Chinese, this item is divided into two: 志意下劣 (“those with inferior motivation”) and 起貪瞋癡 (“those who give rise to desire, anger, and ignorance”).
The Chinese has 總持 (“retention [dhāraṇī]”), which is repeated in the subsequent verses that read “thorough comprehension.”
Translated based on Narthang, Kangxi, Yongle, Choné, Lithang, Lhasa, and Stok Palace: sems kyis kyang ni phyin mi ’gyur. The Degé reads sems kyis kyang ni phyir mi ’gyur. The Chinese agrees with the Narthang, Kangxi, etc., reading 無有諸方所，亦非心所到 (“It is devoid of sides / And also cannot be attained by the mind”).
Here the Chinese reads 若分別貪性，及以總持空，如是二分別，畢竟不可得。 (“Some differentiate between the nature of desire / And the emptiness of dhāraṇī; / This twofold differentiation / Is ultimately unviable.”)
The Chinese has an additional verse here: 若於眼無生，如實善了知，則於總持門，究竟能成就。 (“Those who genuinely realize / The non-birth/non-arising of the eye / Will finally perfect / The gateway of dhāraṇī.”)
This translation is tentative. Tib. ’jig rten skye ba’i ming bar du.
This translation is tentative. Tib. ’jig rten skye ba’i ming bar du.
It is unclear what “the sixty-two gateways” refers to, but there is a Chinese-language reference to sixty-two gateways in an explanation of commentaries that differentiate the various characteristics of phenomena (法相分別). The explanation cites the Śāriputrābhidharma as one such commentary (a commentary that provides a classification of phenomenal characteristics), and says that the classification is as follows: 以一切法為對象，而作種種的分類。如有見與無見是一類，善與不善及無記是一類。這是論師分別諸法而作的分類法，將種種的分類綜集起來，作為論究一切法的根本。這就是銅鍱部所說的「論母」，說一切有部等所說的「論門」。《舍利弗阿毗曇論》〈非問分‧界品〉，就是屬於這一性質的類集。「界」，是種類的意思。〈界品〉所纂集的︰二法門（分為二類的，其他可以例知）凡三十八門，從色與無色，到有餘涅槃與無餘涅槃止。三法門凡十三門，從善, 不善, 無記起，到三出界止。四法門凡三門，從過去, 未來, 現在, 非過去未來現在起，到欲界繫, 色界繫, 無色界繫, 不繫止。五法門，二門。六法門，四門。七法門，一門。十八法門，一門。總共六十二門。 (“The second category of gateways consists of thirty-eight gateways, from form to formless, up to residual nirvāṇa and nonresidual nirvāṇa; the third category of gateways consists of thirteen gateways, from virtue, nonvirtue, and neutral up to the three realms; the fourth category of gateways consists of three gateways, from past, future, present, non-past, non-future, and non-present, up to the fetters of the desire realm, fetters of the form realm, fetters of the formless realm, and unfettered; the fifth category of gateways consists of two gateways; the sixth category of gateways consists of four gateways; the seventh category of gateways consists of one gateway; and the eighth category of gateways consists of one gateway; for a sum total of sixty-two gateways.”) 《中華佛教百科全書》 Zhonghua Fojiao Baike Quanshu [Chinese Buddhist encyclopedia], s.v. “舍利弗阿毗曇論 [Śāriputrābhidharma],” accessed August 30, 2021.
The Chinese reads 毒箭 (“poisonous arrows”).
The Chinese has 非流 (“the absence of cycling/turning/transmigrating”).
Here the Chinese has 無盡 (“the inexhaustible/boundless”).
This translation is tentative. Tib. ’jig rten skye ba’i ming bar du.
Here the Chinese has 若於我文字，無取無分別，如是了知者，成就總持門。 (“Those who know / Not to adopt or conceptualize / The words used for the self / Will perfect the gateway of dhāraṇī.”)
This translation is tentative. Tib. ’jig rten skye ba’i ming bar du.
The Chinese reads 寂靜相 (“the characteristics of peace”).
This translation is tentative. Tib. ’jig rten skye ba’i ming bar du.
The Chinese has 種種果 (“various results”).
The Chinese reads 亦迷名自性 (“Are deluded about the nature of nominal imputations”).
The Chinese has 即知名自性 (“Will understand the nature of nominal imputations”).
The Chinese includes an additional verse here: 若了眼性空，不依相分別，即能善隨順，調伏諸眾生。 (“Those who know that the eye is empty / Do not rely on the conceptualization of marks; / They are therefore able / To tame sentient beings in the appropriate manner.”)
This translation is tentative. Tib. ’jig rten skye ba’i ming bar du.
Bibliography
’od zer kun du bkye ba bstan pa (Raśmisamantamuktanirdeśa). Toh 55, Degé Kangyur vol. 40 (dkon brtsegs, kha), folios 195.b–255.b.
’od zer kun du bkye ba bstan pa. bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vol. 40, pp. 554–702.
’phags pa ’od zer bsgrub pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. Stok 11.11, Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 36 (dkon brtsegs, kha), folios 289.a–379.a.
snying rje chen po pad+ma dkar po (Mahākaruṇāpuṇḍarīka). Toh 111, Degé Kangyur vol. 50 (mdo sde, cha), folios 56.a–128.b.
ting nge ’dzin gyi rgyal po’i mdo (Samādhirājasūtra). Toh 127, Degé Kangyur vol. 55 (mdo sde, da), folios 1.b–170.b. English translation in Roberts 2018.
Chang, Garma C. C. A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras: Selections from the Mahāratnakūta Sūtra. University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1983.
Chuxian guangming hui 出現光明會. Taishō 310(11). (Translation of Raśmisamantamuktanirdeśa by Bodhiruci).
Denkarma (pho brang stod thang ldan dkar gyi chos kyi ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.
Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lHan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.
Hirakawa, Akira, ed. 佛教漢梵大辭典 [Buddhist Chinese–Sanskrit dictionary]. Tokyo: The Reiyukai, 1997.
《中華佛教百科全書》 Zhonghua Fojiao Baike Quanshu [Chinese Buddhist encyclopedia]. Tainan: 中華佛教百科文獻基金會 [The Chinese Buddhist Encyclopaedic Resources Foundation], 1994.
Phangthangma (dkar chag ʼphang thang ma). Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003.
Robert, Peter Alan, trans. The King of Samādhis Sūtra (Samādhirājasūtra, Toh 127). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2018.
Trungram Gyatrul Rinpoche Sherpa. “Gampopa, the Monk and the Yogi: His Life and Teachings.” PhD diss., Harvard University, 2004.
Silk, Jonathan. “Chinese Sūtras in Tibetan Translation: A Preliminary Survey.” Annual Report of The International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology at Soka University for the Academic Year 2019, vol. XXII, 227–46. Tokyo, 2020.
Glossary
Types of attestation for names and terms of the corresponding source language
AS
Attested in source text
This term is attested in a manuscript used as a source for this translation.
AO
Attested in other text
This term is attested in other manuscripts with a parallel or similar context.
AD
Attested in dictionary
This term is attested in dictionaries matching Tibetan to the corresponding language.
AA
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.
RP
Reconstruction from Tibetan phonetic rendering
This term is a reconstruction based on the Tibetan phonetic rendering of the term.
RS
Reconstruction from Tibetan semantic rendering
This term is a reconstruction based on the semantics of the Tibetan translation.
SU
Source unspecified
This term has been supplied from an unspecified source, which most often is a widely trusted dictionary.
absence of marks
Wylie:
- mtshan ma med pa
Tibetan:
- མཚན་མ་མེད་པ།
Sanskrit:
- animitta
Chinese:
- 無相
absence of wishes
Wylie:
- smon med pa
Tibetan:
- སྨོན་མེད་པ།
Sanskrit:
- apraṇihita
Chinese:
- 無願相
absorption
Wylie:
- ting ’dzin
- ting nge ’dzin
Tibetan:
- ཏིང་འཛིན།
- ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན།
Sanskrit:
- samādhi
Chinese:
- 三昧
- 安住
- 定
- 禪定
- 等持
- 三摩地
affliction
Wylie:
- nyon mongs
Tibetan:
- ཉོན་མོངས།
Sanskrit:
- kleśa
Chinese:
- 煩惱
aggregates
Wylie:
- phung po
Tibetan:
- ཕུང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
- skandha
Chinese:
- 蘊
Ājñātakauṇḍinya
Wylie:
- kun shes kau di n+ya
Tibetan:
- ཀུན་ཤེས་ཀཽ་དི་ནྱ།
Sanskrit:
- ājñātakauṇḍinya
Chinese:
- 憍陳如
Ānanda
Wylie:
- kun dga’
Tibetan:
- ཀུན་དགའ།
Sanskrit:
- ānanda
Chinese:
- 阿難, 阿難陀
Anaṅga
Wylie:
- lus med
Tibetan:
- ལུས་མེད།
Sanskrit:
- anaṅga
Chinese:
- 無身
applications of mindfulness
Wylie:
- dran pa nyer gzhag pa
Tibetan:
- དྲན་པ་ཉེར་གཞག་པ།
Sanskrit:
- smṛtyupasthāna
Chinese:
- 念住
- 念處
asura
Wylie:
- lha ma yin
- lha min
Tibetan:
- ལྷ་མ་ཡིན།
- ལྷ་མིན།
Sanskrit:
- asura
Chinese:
- 阿修羅
bases of miraculous power
Wylie:
- rdzu ’phrul rkang pa
Tibetan:
- རྫུ་འཕྲུལ་རྐང་པ།
Sanskrit:
- ṛddhipāda
Chinese:
- 神足
Brahmā
Wylie:
- tshangs pa
Tibetan:
- ཚངས་པ།
Sanskrit:
- brahmā
Chinese:
- 梵
Brahmā realms
Wylie:
- tshangs pa’i ris
Tibetan:
- ཚངས་པའི་རིས།
Sanskrit:
- brahmākāyika
Chinese:
- 梵天
Candraprabhakumārabhūta
Wylie:
- zla ’od gzhon nur gyur pa
Tibetan:
- ཟླ་འོད་གཞོན་ནུར་གྱུར་པ།
Sanskrit:
- candraprabhakumārabhūta
Chinese:
- 月光童子
concentration
Wylie:
- bsam gtan
Tibetan:
- བསམ་གཏན།
Sanskrit:
- dhyāna
Chinese:
- 禪
Devoted to Words
Wylie:
- sgra la mos
Tibetan:
- སྒྲ་ལ་མོས།
Sanskrit:
- —
Chinese:
- 樂聲
dhāraṇī
Wylie:
- gzungs
Tibetan:
- གཟུངས།
Sanskrit:
- dhāraṇī
Chinese:
- 陀羅尼
Dharma body
Wylie:
- chos sku
Tibetan:
- ཆོས་སྐུ།
Sanskrit:
- dharmakāya
Chinese:
- 法身
Dhṛtarāṣṭra
Wylie:
- yul ’khor srung
Tibetan:
- ཡུལ་འཁོར་སྲུང་།
Sanskrit:
- dhṛtarāṣṭra
Chinese:
- 提頭賴吒
Dīpaṅkara
Wylie:
- mar me mdzad
Tibetan:
- མར་མེ་མཛད།
Sanskrit:
- dīpaṅkara
Chinese:
- 然燈
eightfold path
Wylie:
- yan lag brgyad pa’i lam
Tibetan:
- ཡན་ལག་བརྒྱད་པའི་ལམ།
Sanskrit:
- aṣṭāṅgamārga
Chinese:
- 八道支
elements
Wylie:
- khams
Tibetan:
- ཁམས།
Sanskrit:
- dhātu
Chinese:
- 界
emptiness
Wylie:
- stong pa nyid
Tibetan:
- སྟོང་པ་ཉིད།
Sanskrit:
- śūnyatā
Chinese:
- 空
Exalted
Wylie:
- khyad par ’phags pa
Tibetan:
- ཁྱད་པར་འཕགས་པ།
Sanskrit:
- —
Chinese:
- 最勝
exertions
Wylie:
- yang dag spong ba
Tibetan:
- ཡང་དག་སྤོང་བ།
Sanskrit:
- samyakprahāṇa
Chinese:
- 正斷
factors of awakening
Wylie:
- byang chub yan lag
Tibetan:
- བྱང་ཆུབ་ཡན་ལག
Sanskrit:
- bodhyaṅga
Chinese:
- 菩提分
fearlessness
Wylie:
- mi ’jigs pa
Tibetan:
- མི་འཇིགས་པ།
Sanskrit:
- vaiśāradya
Chinese:
- 無畏力
four concentrations
Wylie:
- bsam gtan bzhi
Tibetan:
- བསམ་གཏན་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
- caturdhyāna
Chinese:
- 四禪
four individual knowledges
Wylie:
- so sor rig bzhi
Tibetan:
- སོ་སོར་རིག་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
- —
Chinese:
- 四辯
four means of attracting disciples
Wylie:
- bsdu ba’i dngos bzhi
Tibetan:
- བསྡུ་བའི་དངོས་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
- catuḥsaṅgrahavastu
Chinese:
- 四攝
four retinues
Wylie:
- ’khor bzhi po
Tibetan:
- འཁོར་བཞི་པོ།
Sanskrit:
- catuḥparṣad
Chinese:
- 四眾
four truths
Wylie:
- bden pa bzhi
Tibetan:
- བདེན་པ་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
- catuḥsatya
Chinese:
- 四諦
Gandhāra
Wylie:
- sa chen ’dzin pa
Tibetan:
- ས་ཆེན་འཛིན་པ།
Sanskrit:
- gandhāra
Chinese:
- 持大地
gandharva
Wylie:
- dri za
Tibetan:
- དྲི་ཟ།
Sanskrit:
- gandharva
Chinese:
- 乾闥婆
Ganges
Wylie:
- gang gA’i klung
- gang gA
Tibetan:
- གང་གཱའི་ཀླུང་།
- གང་གཱ།
Sanskrit:
- gaṅgā
Chinese:
- 恒河
- 恒
garuḍa
Wylie:
- nam mkha’ lding
Tibetan:
- ནམ་མཁའ་ལྡིང་།
Sanskrit:
- garuḍa
Chinese:
- 迦樓羅
hearer
Wylie:
- nyan thos
Tibetan:
- ཉན་ཐོས།
Sanskrit:
- śrāvaka
Chinese:
- 聲聞
Heaven Free from Strife
Wylie:
- ’thab bral
Tibetan:
- འཐབ་བྲལ།
Sanskrit:
- yāma
Chinese:
- 夜摩天
Heaven of Brahmā’s Retinue
Wylie:
- tshangs pa’i ’khor
Tibetan:
- ཚངས་པའི་འཁོར།
Sanskrit:
- brahmaparṣad
Chinese:
- 諸梵眷屬
Heaven of Delighting in Emanations
Wylie:
- ’phrul dga’
Tibetan:
- འཕྲུལ་དགའ།
Sanskrit:
- nirmāṇarati
Chinese:
- 化樂天
Heaven of Joy
Wylie:
- dga’ ldan
Tibetan:
- དགའ་ལྡན།
Sanskrit:
- tuṣita
Chinese:
- 兜率天
Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations
Wylie:
- gzhan ’phrul dbang byed
Tibetan:
- གཞན་འཕྲུལ་དབང་བྱེད།
Sanskrit:
- paranirmitavaśavartin
Chinese:
- 他化天
Heaven of the Four Great Kings
Wylie:
- rgyal chen rigs bzhi
Tibetan:
- རྒྱལ་ཆེན་རིགས་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
- caturmahārājika
Chinese:
- 四王天
Heaven of the Thirty-Three
Wylie:
- sum cu rtsa gsum
Tibetan:
- སུམ་ཅུ་རྩ་གསུམ།
Sanskrit:
- trāyastriṃśa
Chinese:
- 忉利天
- 三十三天
Hell of Unceasing Torment
Wylie:
- mnar med
Tibetan:
- མནར་མེད།
Sanskrit:
- avīci
Chinese:
- 阿鼻獄
- 無間地獄
higher perception
Wylie:
- mngon par shes pa
- mngon shes
Tibetan:
- མངོན་པར་ཤེས་པ།
- མངོན་ཤེས།
Sanskrit:
- abhijñā
Chinese:
- 神通
Jambudvīpa
Wylie:
- ’dzam bu gling
- ’dzam bu yi gling
Tibetan:
- འཛམ་བུ་གླིང་།
- འཛམ་བུ་ཡི་གླིང་།
Sanskrit:
- jambudvīpa
Chinese:
- 閻浮提
Kaphina
Wylie:
- ka pi na
Tibetan:
- ཀ་པི་ན།
Sanskrit:
- kaphina
Chinese:
- 劫賓那
Kāśyapa
Wylie:
- ’od srung
Tibetan:
- འོད་སྲུང་།
Sanskrit:
- kāśyapa
Chinese:
- 迦葉
kaṭapūtana
Wylie:
- lus srul po
Tibetan:
- ལུས་སྲུལ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
- kaṭapūtana
Kumāra
Wylie:
- gzhon nu
Tibetan:
- གཞོན་ནུ།
Sanskrit:
- kumāra
Chinese:
- 童子
kumbhāṇḍa
Wylie:
- grul bum
Tibetan:
- གྲུལ་བུམ།
Sanskrit:
- kumbhāṇḍa
Chinese:
- 鳩槃荼
limit of the arising
Wylie:
- skye ba’i mtha’
Tibetan:
- སྐྱེ་བའི་མཐའ།
Sanskrit:
- —
Chinese:
- 生邊
limit of the exhaustion
Wylie:
- zad pa’i mtha’
Tibetan:
- ཟད་པའི་མཐའ།
Sanskrit:
- —
Chinese:
- 盡邊
limits of the arising and exhaustion
Wylie:
- zad skye ba’i mtha’
- skye mtha’ zad pa’i mtha’
- zad dang skye mtha’
Tibetan:
- ཟད་སྐྱེ་བའི་མཐའ།
- སྐྱེ་མཐའ་ཟད་པའི་མཐའ།
- ཟད་དང་སྐྱེ་མཐའ།
Sanskrit:
- —
Chinese:
- 盡生邊
- 盡生邊際
Mahākāśyapa
Wylie:
- ’od srung chen po
Tibetan:
- འོད་སྲུང་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
- mahākāśyapa
Chinese:
- 摩訶迦葉波
mahoraga
Wylie:
- lto ’phye chen po
Tibetan:
- ལྟོ་འཕྱེ་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
- mahoraga
Chinese:
- 摩睺羅
- 摩睺羅伽
Maitreya
Wylie:
- byams pa
Tibetan:
- བྱམས་པ།
Sanskrit:
- maitreya
Chinese:
- 彌勒
Manavaka
Wylie:
- ma na ba ga
Tibetan:
- མ་ན་བ་ག
Sanskrit:
- manavaka
Chinese:
- 摩那娑伽
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta
Wylie:
- ’jam dpal gzhon nur gyur pa
Tibetan:
- འཇམ་དཔལ་གཞོན་ནུར་གྱུར་པ།
Sanskrit:
- mañjuśrīkumārabhūta
Chinese:
- 文殊師利法王子
Māra
Wylie:
- bdud
Tibetan:
- བདུད།
Sanskrit:
- māra
Chinese:
- 魔
- 魔子
Maudgalyāyana
Wylie:
- maud gal bu
Tibetan:
- མཽད་གལ་བུ།
Sanskrit:
- maudgalyāyana
Chinese:
- 目犍連
- 拘律陀
nāga
Wylie:
- klu
Tibetan:
- ཀླུ།
Sanskrit:
- nāga
Chinese:
- 龍
non-Buddhist
Wylie:
- mu stegs
Tibetan:
- མུ་སྟེགས།
Sanskrit:
- tīrthika
Chinese:
- 外道
Peak of Existence
Wylie:
- srid pa’i rtse mo
Tibetan:
- སྲིད་པའི་རྩེ་མོ།
Sanskrit:
- bhavāgra
Chinese:
- 有頂
powers
Wylie:
- dbang po
Tibetan:
- དབང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
- indriya
Chinese:
- 根
preparatory absorptions
Wylie:
- nyer bsdogs
Tibetan:
- ཉེར་བསྡོགས།
Sanskrit:
- sāmantaka
Chinese:
- 近分定
- 近行定
quiescence
Wylie:
- nye bar zhi ba
Tibetan:
- ཉེ་བར་ཞི་བ།
Sanskrit:
- —
Chinese:
- 寂滅
Rāhula
Wylie:
- sgra gcan zin
Tibetan:
- སྒྲ་གཅན་ཟིན།
Sanskrit:
- rāhula
Chinese:
- 羅怙
Rājagṛha
Wylie:
- rgyal po’i khab
Tibetan:
- རྒྱལ་པོའི་ཁབ།
Sanskrit:
- rājagṛha
Chinese:
- 王舍大城
rākṣasa
Wylie:
- srin po
Tibetan:
- སྲིན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
- rākṣasa
Chinese:
- 羅剎
- 羅叉
Śakra
Wylie:
- brgya byin
Tibetan:
- བརྒྱ་བྱིན།
Sanskrit:
- śakra
Chinese:
- 帝釋
- 釋提桓因
- 釋
Śākyamuni
Wylie:
- shAkya thub pa
Tibetan:
- ཤཱཀྱ་ཐུབ་པ།
Sanskrit:
- śākyamuni
Chinese:
- 釋迦牟尼
Samudra
Wylie:
- sa mu ta
Tibetan:
- ས་མུ་ཏ།
Sanskrit:
- samudra
Chinese:
- 三暮多
Śāriputra
Wylie:
- shA ri’i bu
Tibetan:
- ཤཱ་རིའི་བུ།
Sanskrit:
- śāriputra
Chinese:
- 舍利子
- 舍利弗
sense source
Wylie:
- skye mched
Tibetan:
- སྐྱེ་མཆེད།
Sanskrit:
- āyatana
Chinese:
- 處
six higher perceptions
Wylie:
- mngon shes drug
Tibetan:
- མངོན་ཤེས་དྲུག
Sanskrit:
- ṣaḍabhijñā
Chinese:
- 六通
six perfections
Wylie:
- pha rol phyin drug
Tibetan:
- ཕ་རོལ་ཕྱིན་དྲུག
Sanskrit:
- ṣaṭpāramitā
Chinese:
- 六波羅蜜
solitary buddha
Wylie:
- rang sangs rgyas
- rang rgyal
Tibetan:
- རང་སངས་རྒྱས།
- རང་རྒྱལ།
Sanskrit:
- pratyekabuddha
- pratyekajina
Chinese:
- 辟支佛
starving spirit
Wylie:
- yi dags
- yi dwags
Tibetan:
- ཡི་དགས།
- ཡི་དྭགས།
Sanskrit:
- preta
Chinese:
- 鬼
strengths
Wylie:
- stobs
Tibetan:
- སྟོབས།
Sanskrit:
- bala
Chinese:
- 力
three knowledges
Wylie:
- rig pa gsum
Tibetan:
- རིག་པ་གསུམ།
Sanskrit:
- trividyā
Chinese:
- 三明
three realms
Wylie:
- khams gsum
- srid pa gsum
- srid gsum
Tibetan:
- ཁམས་གསུམ།
- སྲིད་པ་གསུམ།
- སྲིད་གསུམ།
Sanskrit:
- tridhātu
- tribhava
- tribhuvana
Chinese:
- 三界
tranquility and special insight
Wylie:
- zhi gnas lhag mthong
Tibetan:
- ཞི་གནས་ལྷག་མཐོང་།
Sanskrit:
- śamathavipaśyanā
Chinese:
- 止觀
Tumburu
Wylie:
- du mu ru
Tibetan:
- དུ་མུ་རུ།
Sanskrit:
- tumburu
Chinese:
- 兜牟盧
ultimate limit
Wylie:
- yang dag mtha’
Tibetan:
- ཡང་དག་མཐའ།
Sanskrit:
- bhūtakoṭi
Chinese:
- 實際
Vaiśravaṇa
Wylie:
- rnam thos bu
Tibetan:
- རྣམ་ཐོས་བུ།
Sanskrit:
- vaiśravaṇa
Chinese:
- 毘沙門
very limit of reality
Wylie:
- yang dag mtha’
Tibetan:
- ཡང་དག་མཐའ།
Sanskrit:
- bhūtakoṭi
Virūḍhaka
Wylie:
- be ro ka
Tibetan:
- བེ་རོ་ཀ
Sanskrit:
- virūḍhaka
Chinese:
- 毘婁迦
Vulture Peak
Wylie:
- bya rgod phung po’i ri
Tibetan:
- བྱ་རྒོད་ཕུང་པོའི་རི།
Sanskrit:
- gṛdhrakūṭaparvata
Chinese:
- 耆闍崛山
worthy one
Wylie:
- dgra bcom pa
Tibetan:
- དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ།
Sanskrit:
- arhat
Chinese:
- 羅漢
- 阿羅漢
yakṣa
Wylie:
- gnod sbyin
Tibetan:
- གནོད་སྦྱིན།
Sanskrit:
- yakṣa
Chinese:
- 夜叉