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བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའི་སྡེ་སྣོད།

The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva
Chapter 7: The Perfection of Morality

Bodhisatva­piṭaka
འཕགས་པ་བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའི་སྡེ་སྣོད་ཅེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེགས་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།
’phags pa byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod ces bya ba thegs chen po’i mdo
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva”
Ārya­bodhisatva­piṭaka­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra

Toh 56

Degé Kangyur, vol. 40 (dkon brtsegs, kha), folios 225.b–294.a; vol. 41 (dkon brtsegs, ga), folios 1.b–205.b

ᴛʀᴀɴsʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛɪʙᴇᴛᴀɴ ʙʏ
  • Surendrabodhi, Śīlendra, Dharmatāśīla

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Translated by The Norwegian Institute of Palaeography and Historical Philology
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha

First published 2023

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co.

Table of Contents

ti. Title
im. Imprint
co. Contents
s. Summary
ac. Acknowledgements
i. Introduction
tr. The Translation
+ 11 chapters- 11 chapters
1. Chapter 1: The Householder
2. Chapter 2: The Yakṣa Kimbhīra
3. Chapter 3: The Examination of the Bodhisatva
4. Chapter 4: The Inconceivable Tathāgata
5. Chapter 5: Love, Compassion, Empathetic Joy, and Equanimity
6. Chapter 6: The Perfection of Generosity
7. Chapter 7: The Perfection of Morality
8. Chapter 8: The Perfection of Patient Acceptance
9. Chapter 9: The Perfection of Vigor
10. Chapter 10: The Perfection of Meditation
11. Chapter 11: The Perfection of Wisdom
c. Colophon
ab. Abbreviations
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
g. Glossary

s.

Summary

s.­1

In The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, the Buddha describes in detail the views and practices that are to be followed by the bodhisatva, the ideal Mahāyāna practitioner. Through his interactions with human and nonhuman interlocutors, and through stories of various past buddhas, we are led step by step through the topics of renunciation, the mind of awakening, the four immeasurables, and the six perfections. Among the many accounts of past buddhas included in the sūtra, we find the story of the prophecy made by the Buddha Dīpaṅkara to the brahmin Megha about his future attainment of awakening as the Buddha Śākyamuni.


ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.­1

Translation by Prof. Jens Braarvig, Fredrik Liland, and David Welsh. Jens Braarvig directed the translation process and checked the translation against the Sanskrit and Tibetan. Fredrik Liland prepared the Sanskrit and Tibetan editions, translated chapters 1–9 and 11, and prepared the introduction and glossary. David Welsh prepared and translated chapter 10 and was responsible for editing the English. The translators would like to express their gratitude to all those who contributed in various ways to the translation process.

ac.­2

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. The 84000 translation team edited the translation and the introduction, and Laura Goetz copyedited the text. Martina Cotter was in charge of the digital publication process.


The translation of this text has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of Chang Tai Kwang.


i.

Introduction

i.­1

The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva1 is the twelfth and lengthiest among the texts in the Great Heap of Jewels (Mahāratnakūṭa) section of the Tibetan Kangyur, where it makes up nearly an entire volume. It is an extensive presentation of the view and conduct of the bodhisatva, the ideal Mahāyāna practitioner. The title, Bodhisatva­piṭaka, can also be translated as The Basket of the Bodhisatvas, implying that it represents a basket (piṭaka) of teachings separate from the traditional three‍—Sūtra, Vinaya, and Abhidharma‍—distinguishing the path of the bodhisatva from the lesser path of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.


Text Body

The Translation
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra
The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva

1.

Chapter 1: The Householder

[V40] [F.255.b] [B1]


1.­1

[MS.1.b] Homage to all the buddhas and bodhisatvas. Homage to the noble and princely Mañjuśrī.6


1.­2

Thus did I hear at one time. The Lord once spent the rainy season in retreat at Śrāvastī. When the three months had passed, he prepared his mendicant robes, put them on, and started wandering the country again in the company of a large assembly of mendicants, 1,250 strong. The Lord was esteemed, revered, praised, and honored by monks and nuns, laymen and laywomen, by kings and ministers, by various followers of other teachings, by ascetics, brahmins, and householders, and by gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas. The Lord received a great abundance of robes, foodstuffs, bedding and seats, medical supplies, and utensils.


2.

Chapter 2: The Yakṣa Kimbhīra

2.­1

After the Lord had left the five hundred householders in a balanced state of mind on his way to the city, he entered the great city of Rājagṛha with perfect grace.

2.­2

One of the city deities of Rājagṛha was a yakṣa named Kimbhīra. He thought to himself, “In this world, it is extremely rare to encounter anyone who is such a worthy recipient of offerings. We should make offerings to the Lord.”

2.­3

The yakṣa Kimbhīra then presented the Lord with offerings that looked exquisite, smelled exquisite, tasted exquisite, and felt exquisite, and because of his empathy for Kimbhīra, the Lord accepted his offerings. When Kimbhīra had given his offerings to the Lord, cheers of “Wonderful!” arose from a great crowd of sixty-eight thousand yakṣas surrounding Kimbhīra in the sky.


3.

Chapter 3: The Examination of the Bodhisatva

3.­1

The venerable Śāriputra got up from his seat, placed his robe over one shoulder, knelt down on his right knee, joined his hands in reverence, and spoke to the Lord: “I would like to ask the Lord, the tathāgata, arhat, fully accomplished Buddha, for some direction, if the Lord will grant that possibility with an explanation of the question when asked.”

3.­2

The Lord answered the venerable Śāriputra, “You may ask the tathāgata, arhat, fully accomplished Buddha whatever you like, Śāriputra, and I will delight your mind by explaining whatever it is you wish to ask about.”


4.

Chapter 4: The Inconceivable Tathāgata

4.­1

“Now, Śāriputra, a bodhisatva with firm confidence has faith in the inconceivable tathāgata, the arhat, the fully accomplished Buddha, in respect of his ten qualities. He has trust and confidence and does not doubt him, and to an even greater degree he feels pleasure, joy, and satisfaction. What are these ten qualities? He has faith in the inconceivable body of the Tathāgata, he has trust and confidence, and he does not doubt it, and to an even greater degree he feels pleasure, joy, and satisfaction as he produces the concept of it as being truly wondrous and extraordinary. He has great faith, and so forth in the voice of the Tathāgata, as he produces the concept of it as being truly wondrous and extraordinary. [MS.20.b] He has faith in the knowledge of the Tathāgata, his inconceivable tathāgata radiance, his inconceivable tathāgata morality and concentration, his inconceivable magical tathāgata abilities, his inconceivable tathāgata power, his inconceivable tathāgata confidence, his inconceivable great compassion, and his [F.288.b] inconceivable unique buddha qualities, he has trust and confidence and does not doubt it, and to an even greater degree he feels pleasure, joy, and satisfaction as he produces the concept of it as being truly wondrous and extraordinary. He sets forth with vigor, and he does not tire or become discouraged or intimidated in his pursuit of these ten inconceivable, wondrous and extraordinary qualities of the Tathāgata. He is so committed that even if his physical body with its sinews, muscles, skin, and bones were to rot, and even if his flesh and blood were to dry up, his vigor would not fail as long as he had not attained these ten inconceivable, wondrous, and extraordinary qualities of the Tathāgata. In this way, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva with faithful conviction has great faith in the inconceivable, truly wondrous and extraordinary qualities of the Tathāgata. He has trust and confidence and does not doubt it, and to an even greater degree he feels pleasure, joy, and satisfaction.”


5.

Chapter 5: Love, Compassion, Empathetic Joy, and Equanimity

5.­1

“Now, Śāriputra, [F.49.a] the lords, the buddhas, consider a bodhisatva with such firm devotion to be a suitable vessel. They consider him to be a suitable vessel for the cycle of teachings contained within The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva. They consider him to be a suitable vessel for the Buddhist teachings, and they reveal to him the path of the bodhisatva when he approaches them. Therefore, Śāriputra, [MS.54.a] one should understand things by means of this cycle of teachings. The lords, the buddhas, consider a bodhisatva with such firm devotion to be a suitable vessel. They consider him to be a suitable vessel for the cycle of teachings contained within The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva. They consider him to be a suitable vessel for the Buddhist teachings, and they reveal to him the path of the bodhisatva when he approaches them.


6.

Chapter 6: The Perfection of Generosity

6.­1

“Now, Śāriputra, how does one practice the perfections? Śāriputra, there are six perfections that bodhisatvas engage in when they practice the bodhisatva path. What are these six perfections? They are the perfection of generosity, the perfection of morality, the perfection of patient acceptance, the perfection of vigor, the perfection of meditation, and the perfection of wisdom.

6.­2

“What is the perfection of generosity? Śāriputra, the bodhisatva gives support to ascetics, brahmins, and the wretched. He gives food to those in need of food, [F.56.b] drink to those in need of drink. He gives vehicles, clothes, fragrance, garlands, ointments, shelter, utensils, medicine for the sick, light, music, male and female servants, gold, jewels, pearls, gems, conches, crystals, and coral. He gives horses, elephants, chariots, parks, hermitages, sons, daughters, wives, treasure, grain, stocks, storerooms, and all the pleasures enjoyed by the kings of the four continents. He gives all his joys and amusements, and he gives his hands, feet, ears, nose, eyes, head, flesh, blood, marrow, and bone. There is not a single worldly object that he will not part with for those in need.


7.

Chapter 7: The Perfection of Morality

7.­1

“What is the perfection of morality of bodhisatvas, great beings, like? [MS.61.a] How do bodhisatvas conduct themselves when they practice the bodhisatva path? Śāriputra, the conduct of bodhisatvas is good in three ways. What are these three ways? They are good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, and good mental conduct. Now, what does good bodily conduct imply? Śāriputra, good bodily conduct implies that a bodhisatva abstains from taking life, abstains from taking what is not given, and abstains from sexual misconduct. Moreover, Śāriputra, good verbal conduct implies that a bodhisatva abstains from lying and abstains from slander, harsh words, and inane chatter. Finally, good mental conduct implies that a bodhisatva is not covetous, is without malice, and holds right views.

7.­2

“He reflects, ‘What is good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, and good mental conduct?’ He reflects, ‘The acts of the body that should not be carried out are taking life, taking what is not given, and sexual misconduct. This is what is meant by good bodily conduct.’ What about good verbal conduct? He reflects, ‘The verbal acts that should not be carried out are lying, slander, harsh words, and inane chatter. This is what is meant by good verbal conduct.’ What about good mental conduct? He reflects, [F.62.a] ‘The acts of the mind that should not be carried out are being covetous, being malicious, and holding wrong views. This is what is meant by good mental conduct.’

7.­3

“He then investigates whether the abstention from acts of body, speech, or mind can be conceived of. Through sincere investigation he comes to see that it is impossible to conceive of the abstention from acts of body, speech, or mind as being, for example, blue, yellow, red, white, crimson, crystal, or silver. It is not something that can be perceived by the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, or the mind. Why? It does not arise, is not created, does not occur, and is not engaged with; it cannot be understood as being performed by someone. His conclusion will be that morality is not conditioned in any way, and anything that is not conditioned is not something that can be conceived of. Something that cannot be conceived of is not something one can apply oneself to. In this way, he does not focus on the morality of good conduct. In the same way, he does not focus on someone who is moral or on the morality to which he applies himself. When he has seen this, the view of self-entity will not arise in him, as it is the view of self-entity that leads one to be intent on analyzing morality and immorality. When he has seen this, he is thoughtful in his commitments, his observances, his practices, and his responsibilities, as it is through thoughtful conduct that one comes to be known as a moral individual. However, he does not cling to the idea of a self, and he does not cling to the idea of another, so his morality is never given up; his morality remains untarnished. [F.62.b] Clinging to the idea of a self leads to clinging to the idea of morality, but one who does not cling to the idea of a self does not cling to the idea of morality. One who does not cling to the idea of morality does not violate the training, and as they do not violate their training, neither will they violate their morality, although they will still not cling to it. The reason they do not cling to it is that [MS.61.b] they know that all phenomena exist in relation to other phenomena. That which exists in relation to other phenomena has no self, and when there is no self, what is there to cling to?”

7.­4

The Lord then went on to speak these verses:

7.­5
“Maintaining purity of body, purity of speech,
And purity of mind, always keeping his conduct pure,70
Abiding at all times with his discipline pure,
A bodhisatva like this is known as one who is moral.
7.­6
“There are ten wholesome forms of conduct
That the learned bodhisatva will follow.
By avoiding the acts of body, speech, and mind that they proscribe,
The learned one practices morality.
7.­7
“Something that has not been done, that does not occur, and that is not expressed
Has no color, nor indeed any shape.
Something that has neither color nor shape
Is not something that can be conceived. It cannot be apprehended.
7.­8
“As morality, therefore, is always unconditioned and never made up,
It is not something that can be seen by the eye.
Neither can it be perceived by the ear, the nose,
The tongue, the body, or the mind.
7.­9
“What the senses cannot perceive
Cannot possibly inspire compassion.
When he sees pure morality in this way,
He will never cling to the idea of morality.
7.­10
“He will not be conceited, thinking of himself as moral,
And he will not guard his morality with a selfish attitude.
Someone who practices the bodhisatva path maintains his morality
By guarding his morality without having any conception of morality.
7.­11
“One who does not nurture the view of self-entity
Will never tend toward views.
One who holds no views will not be biased,
Arrogantly distinguishing between morality and immorality.
7.­12
“The practice of one who is committed to the Dharma
And adheres to its principles is inconceivable. [F.63.a]
One who is moral has a good foundation and will guard his morality well.
He will be involved with nothing else.
7.­13
“Understanding no self means not clinging to morality‍—
Where there is no self, neither will there be morality.
I say that those who are arrogant about themselves and their morality
Will always be victims of fear.
7.­14
“The one who teaches no self is not conceited about morality.
The one who teaches no self does not rely on morality.
The one who teaches no self does not focus on morality.
The one who teaches no self does not conceptualize morality.
7.­15
“The morality of someone who does not consider himself
To be a moral person is undeteriorated, untarnished.
Where there is no self there is no conception of morality.
This is the profound wisdom of the path of awakening.
7.­16
“The morality of one who has confidence is such
That he will never let his discipline falter.
The morality praised by the noble ones
Does not involve clinging to any idea of any phenomena.
7.­17
“The immature, who are stuck in the idea of a self,
Guard their discipline, thinking they are moral.
But the fruit of their labors will only be
The inability to escape the three lower realms.
7.­18
“Those who have abandoned the idea of a self
Do not entertain notions of I and mine.
They do not consider themselves to be moral,
And they need have no more fear of falling into the lower realms.
7.­19
“One who understands the practice of morality in this way
Will certainly not come to regard anything as immoral.
As no self can be found within the three forms of existence,
Why even look for morality and immorality?
7.­20

“Śāriputra, there are ten attitudes that the bodhisatva who practices morality will adopt. What are these ten attitudes? He adopts an attitude of faith. He adopts an attitude of vigor. He has strong yearning. He trusts in the complexity of actions and the ripening of their fruits. He shows respect to his teachers. He serves his gurus. He is attentive in the presence of his teachers. [MS.62.a] He is fully committed to his search for the Dharma. He has no concern for his body or his life in his pursuit of awakening.71 [F.63.b] These, Śāriputra, are the ten attitudes that the bodhisatva who practices morality will adopt. When he masters these ten practices, he will have perfected wholesome practice.72 What is wholesome practice? It is to follow the three kinds of good conduct, that is to say, good bodily, verbal, and mental conduct. Basing himself on these three kinds of good conduct, the bodhisatva, the great being, applies himself to the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva. This will lead to awakening.”

7.­21

This is the way things are, and concerning it the following verses were recited:

7.­22
“He applies himself to wholesome bodily conduct,
Which is praised by the buddhas,
And he serves the noble ones
From whom he learns.
7.­23
“He shows great respect to those
Who apply themselves to the teaching.
In order to be able to help all sentient beings,
He maintains a loving mind, free of envy.
7.­24
“He guards his speech
And speaks no unfriendly word.
Those who are filled with inspiration
Will never speak a harsh word.
7.­25
“His thoughts are gentle,
And he has no evil desires.
With a mind of love and devotion,
He constantly examines the way things are.
7.­26
“He listens to the Dharma,
The teachings of the Victorious One, with devotion.
One who is devoted to the Dharma
Will quickly attain awakening.
7.­27

“Relying on these ten practices, the bodhisatva applies himself to the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, honoring and serving his teacher to the extent that he would even be willing to give up his water flask.

7.­28

“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva cultivates ten thoughts. What are these ten thoughts? ‘How terribly diseased this body is! Its elements are in constant imbalance, as if ravaged by poison. It is very painful. It is full of flaws. It is full of imbalances, boils, blisters, infections, rashes, wind, bile, and phlegm. It is like a disease. It is like a boil. It is like a thorn. It is like a stream. It is like a wound. [F.64.a] It is unstable, feeble, insubstantial, weak, decrepit, transient, and temporary, and it will end up in the charnel ground. Therefore, I will put this insubstantial body to good use.’

7.­29

“This is the first thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he applies himself to The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, honoring and serving his teacher to the extent that he would even be willing to give up his water flask.”

7.­30

This is what the Lord said. After the Sugata had said this, he, the teacher, continued as follows:

7.­31
“The four elements are in disarray,
Interacting with one another other
As if they were ravaged by a terrible poison,
Bringing about a great deal of disease.
7.­32
“Diseases of the eyes,
Disorders of hearing and taste,
Tooth decay, and infections of the lips‍—
These and other things affect the body.
7.­33
“Disorders, boils, and blisters,
Infections and rashes‍—
These and various other diseases
Affect embodied beings.
7.­34
“This body is like a sickness.
It is like a growing pustule.
This body is a wound, [MS.62.b]
Transient and temporal.
7.­35
“It will meet its end in the charnel ground.
It is impermanent, unstable, and transient.
This body is full of pus,
diseased and ruined.
7.­36
“I will therefore put it to good use,
This body full of pus,
Decaying and transient,
And turn it into the cause of the body of awakening.
7.­37
“By means of this pus-filled body,
Overflowing with pollutants,
The body of awakening,
The inconceivable embodiment of the Dharma, is realized.
7.­38
“There is no other way
I can attain such a body,
Which offers shade from the burning heat
And protects one from the cold.
7.­39
“One’s being will eventually
Be overcome by old age and death.
But one who is able to endure all kinds
Of physical hardships of cold and heat
Can make use of the opportunities of this human state
To attain the supreme body.
7.­40
“I will show reverence
To those in this world who are esteemed gurus [F.64.b]
And put this insubstantial body
To good use.
7.­41

“This then, Śāriputra, is the first thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he applies himself to the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, honoring and serving his teacher to the extent that he would even be willing to give up his water flask.

7.­42

“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva cultivates the following thought: ‘How insubstantial this body is! It is constantly becoming dilapidated, threadbare, and worn out, getting broken or crushed, decaying, and being destroyed.’

7.­43

“Śāriputra, however many pots, large or small, a potter makes, they will all eventually break. In the same way, Śāriputra, this insubstantial body will eventually break. It will break as easily as an unfired pot. Śāriputra, however many leaves, flowers, and fruits may hang on the branches of a tree, they will all eventually fall to the ground. In the same way Śāriputra, this insubstantial body is ready to fall to the ground like ripe fruit. Śāriputra, however many dewdrops hang on the tips of blades of grass, none of them will last very long; they will vanish when the sunlight hits them. In the same way Śāriputra, just like a dewdrop this insubstantial body will not last long. Śāriputra, however much froth may accumulate on the oceans, in rivers, and in streams, it has no substance and is by nature fragile. So it is, Śāriputra, with this insubstantial body. It is by nature fragile, just like froth. Śāriputra, just as raindrops in the sky appear and vanish one after the other, this body, Śāriputra, is insubstantial and fragile by nature, like a raindrop. ‘Therefore, I will put this insubstantial body to good use.’

7.­44

“This is the second thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he applies himself to the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, honoring and serving his teacher to the extent that he would even be willing to give up his water flask.”

7.­45

Then, [F.65.a] in order to clarify this point further, [MS.63.a] the Lord went on to speak these verses:

7.­46
“A potter makes pots
Out of clay
That will all eventually break.
The lives of sentient beings are like this.
7.­47
“Leaves, flowers, and fruit
Hanging on the branches of a tree
Will all find themselves falling to the ground.
The lives of mortals are like this.
7.­48
“Dewdrops on the tips of blades of grass
Will be no more
The instant sunlight hits them.
The lives of mortals are like this.
7.­49
“Just like fragile froth
Accumulating in rivers and streams,
The body is extremely fragile,
Insubstantial, like froth.
7.­50
“Just as raindrops
Appear in the sky
And disappear again just as quickly,
So, too, is this body insubstantial.
7.­51
“Those who conceive of the insubstantial as substantial
And conceive of the substantial as insubstantial
Do not realize what is substantial
And remain stuck in the sphere of mistaken ideas.
7.­52
“Those who understand that the substantial is substantial
And that the insubstantial is insubstantial
Will realize what is substantial
And remain within the sphere of correct ideas.
7.­53
“In order to find out what is substantial,
I will even give up my water flask.
Thinking in this way, he makes good use
Of his insubstantial body.
7.­54

“This, then, Śāriputra, is the second thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he applies himself to the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, honoring and serving his teacher to the extent that he would even be willing to give up his water flask.

7.­55

“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva cultivates the following thought: ‘For a long time I had no spiritual friends. Influenced by evil friends, I was lazy, I had little vigor, I was idle and stupid and held wrong views, and so I did not pay proper attention to making offerings and sacrifices and performing the fire ritual. I thought that there would be no consequences to the good and bad actions I carried out, and I was overcome by temptations. In this way I developed many bad habits, and as a result of these unwholesome habits [F.65.b] I had to endure terrible states of existence. In the preta realm I was not able to rely on those who are worthy of veneration. As a preta I had charcoal for sustenance, and for many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, many hundreds of thousands of years, I did not even hear the word water, much less come in contact with it. In this kind of state, I had no inclination to serve those who are worthy of veneration. Now that I have attained this fortunate state and my motivation is good, I will dedicate my life to those who are worthy of veneration. I will honor the teachers and apply myself to the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, with no concern for my body or my life.’

7.­56

“This is the third thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he honors and serves his teacher to the extent that he will even be willing to give up his water flask.”

7.­57

The Lord then spoke these verses:

7.­58
“A friend to whom you are devoted
Is someone that you serve.
By serving someone again and again,
You will become like them.
7.­59
“Influenced by evil friends,
I abandon friends who bring me benefit,
And I become lazy, with little vigor, [MS.63.b]
Envious, jealous, and false.
7.­60
“Things such as generosity
Have been abandoned completely,
And I will certainly end up
In a terrible state of existence as a preta.
7.­61
“For a long time I will find myself
In a dreadful, shadowy cycle.
Seized by hunger and thirst,
I will suffer incredible pain.
7.­62
“For a great many thousands of years
I will not even hear the word water,
And, having no regard for those who are worthy of veneration,
I will not encounter any opportunities to develop.
7.­63
“The situation in which I now find myself
Is something that is very difficult to attain.
It is through having served my teacher
That I have obtained this fortunate opportunity.
7.­64
“I have abandoned evil friends.
I have met with virtuous friends,
And so with no concern for my body or my life,
I will work toward awakening.
7.­65
“Filled with faith in the teachers,
The gurus, those who are worthy of honor, [F.66.a]
I will honor them and praise them
In order to realize awakening.
7.­66

“This then, Śāriputra, is the third thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he applies himself to the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, honoring and serving his teacher to the extent that he would even be willing to give up his water flask.

7.­67

“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva cultivates the following thought: ‘For a long time I had no spiritual friends. Surrounded by evil friends, I was lazy, I had little vigor, I was idle and stupid, and I had the sort of opinions, the sort of tendencies, and the sort of convictions that led me to believe that it would not be evil, and that there would be no evil consequences, if I injured sentient beings, if I left them crying and wailing as I slapped and beat them, completely enveloped by anger. In this way I developed many bad habits, and as a result of these unwholesome habits I had to endure terrible states of existence. In the realm of animals I was not able to rely upon those who are worthy of veneration, and as a camel, a cow, or a donkey I had to live on grass, be beaten with sticks, suffer fear, work against my will, and be used as a pack animal. In this kind of state I had no inclination to serve those who are worthy of veneration. Now that I have attained this fortunate state, and now that my motivation is good, I will honor the teachers and apply myself to the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, with no concern for my body or my life.’

7.­68

“This is the fourth thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he honors and serves his teacher to the extent that he will even be willing to give up his water flask.”

7.­69

This is the way things are, and concerning it the following verses were recited:

7.­70
“For a long time,
Being ignorant of the noble path,
One ends up as a camel or an ass
And has to undergo great suffering.
7.­71
“As I have gained a human state,
I will act in a virtuous way
In order to attain awakening‍—
This is the way of the wise.
7.­72
“I will apply myself with devotion
To the teachings of the Buddha,
And in order to reach awakening [F.66.b]
I will honor and serve the teachers.
7.­73
“For inconceivable eons in the past,
I have wandered cyclic existence,
Using my senses in pointless ways,
And I did not seek out those who are worthy of veneration.
7.­74
“I abandoned spiritual friends
And constantly relied on evil friends.
Following their teachings,
I have had to endure states of misfortune again and again. [MS.64.a]
7.­75
“I have been responsible for trapping, enslaving, beating,
And killing. As a result of this,
I have been born in the animal realm
And undergone the suffering brought about by my harmful actions.
7.­76
“Having ended up in unfortunate states of existence,
As a camel, a cow, or an ass,
I have been beaten with sticks and put to work,
Without the opportunity to rely on spiritual friends.
7.­77
“I have attained something very rare, a human state.
I have met with spiritual guides, and I am in an ideal place.
Encountering such an opportunity is as difficult and rare
As the example that involves surfacing through a hole.73
7.­78
“I will conduct myself with a noble mind,
Taking care to control my body and speech,
And apply my whole being unwaveringly
In pursuit of spiritual friendship.
7.­79
“My gurus, my teachers, are those
Who bring about the arising of the mind of awakening in me.
They teach the excellent way of supreme awakening,
So I will serve these mentors with love.
7.­80
“With various kinds of ointments,
Various kinds of perfumes and powders,
With piles of fabric and flowers,
I will honor the best of men.
7.­81
“To the buddhas who reside in the ten directions,
Who work for sentient beings, who see the ultimate truth,
Shining with golden radiance,
Whose appearance is unfathomable, I will pay reverence.
7.­82
“Making a lavish offering of worldly objects
To the buddhas, the charioteers of men,
Will purify the path of awakening
And enable me to reach the seat of awakening.
7.­83

“This then, Śāriputra, is the fourth thought the bodhisatva cultivates, [F.67.a] and so he applies himself to the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, honoring and serving his teacher to the extent that he would even be willing to give up his water flask.

7.­84

“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva cultivates the following thought: ‘For a long time I had no spiritual friends. Surrounded by evil friends, I was lazy, I had little vigor, I was idle and stupid, and I had the sort of opinions, the sort of tendencies, and the sort of convictions that led me to believe that even if one were to engage in the wicked acts of piling up the flesh of all sentient beings, and of squeezing the flesh of all living creatures together, no evil would be involved, that no evil would come from that. I believed that even if one were to give all sentient beings enough gifts to fill all the oceans, no good would be involved, that no good would come from that. I believed that even if one were to kill enough sentient beings to fill an ocean, if one were to cut up their bodies, no evil would be involved, that no evil would come from that. Because of these beliefs, I was not able to distinguish between good and evil. Relying on evil ideas and overcome by confusion, I developed many evil, unwholesome habits, and as a result of these unwholesome habits I had to endure terrible lower states of existence, such as hell. In the hell realm I was burned, I swallowed embers, and I experienced only sharp suffering, torture, and destruction, and eventually I died. For many hundreds of thousands of years I did not even hear the word pleasant, much less experience anything pleasant. In this kind of state I had no inclination to serve those who are worthy of veneration. Now that I have attained this fortunate state and my motivation is good, [MS.64.b] I will dedicate my life to those who are worthy of veneration, and I will serve the teachers with no concern for my body, my life or my honor.’ [F.67.b]

7.­85

“This is the fifth thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he applies himself to the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, honoring and serving his teacher to the extent that he would even be willing to give up his water flask.”

7.­86

The Lord then spoke these verses:

7.­87
“Spending time with evil friends,
One ends up being deceived by evil thoughts.
Relying on evil views,
One engages in evil acts.
7.­88
“ ‘No good will come
From satisfying with food and drink
As many beings
As would fit into all the oceans.
7.­89
“ ‘No evil will come
From killing and mutilating
As many beings as would fill
All the oceans.’
7.­90
“Adhering to evil views like these,
Over and over again,
One will be cast into terrible hells
Where nothing but unrelenting heat awaits.
7.­91
“One will be cast into the three lower realms
For thousands of existences,
Having no regard for the perfect Buddha,
Who is a guide for the world.
7.­92
“Now that the excellent one is present in the world,
Now that I have heard his words
And have attained a human existence,
I will act in virtuous ways.
7.­93
“It is difficult to attain the human state.
It is difficult to be born as a mortal man.
It is difficult to hear the true Dharma.
It is difficult to for a buddha to appear.
7.­94
“With difficulty I have become a human being,
A life I cannot be certain to hold on to.
A buddha has arisen,
And I have received teachings from an omniscient victorious one.
7.­95
“Never again will I engage
In evil acts of body, speech, or mind,
The fruits of which
Are intolerable torture.
7.­96
“With my motivation completely pure,
I will engage in excellent acts
Of body, speech, and mind,
Even though such acts are difficult to perform in this world.
7.­97
“I will not go against the commands
Of my esteemed teacher
But will venerate him
In order to realize awakening.
7.­98
“The path for those who are straightforward
Is revealed without any duplicity.
In order to realize awakening, [F.68.a]
I will not engage in any form of deceit.
7.­99
“Thinking in this way,
The bodhisatva who has perfected wisdom and skillful means
Will be ready to give up his water flask
Without a second thought.
7.­100

“This then, Śāriputra, is the fifth thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he applies himself to the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, honoring and serving his teacher to the extent that he would even be willing to give up his water flask.

7.­101

“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva cultivates the following thought: ‘For a long time I had no spiritual friends. Surrounded by evil friends, I was lazy, and so forth, and I had the sort of convictions that led me to believe that acts of homage, salutation, praise, reverence, respect, and honor would not have any consequences. Overcome by conceit, I engaged in much that was unwholesome, and when the fruits of these unwholesome actions ripened, I had to endure cruel states of existence where I had no inclination to serve those who are worthy of veneration. When I took a human existence I became a wretched human being, a poor human being. I became a servant under the rule of others, [MS.65.a] under the rule of beings who were greedy for pleasures of the senses, caught up in pleasures of the senses, who acted in coarse ways and upheld wrong views, whose morality was misguided, whose practice was misguided, and whose views were misguided, who engaged in the three unwholesome roots and the four wrong ways of approaching things, who were clouded by the five obscurations, who had no reverence for the six kinds of gurus, who resorted to the seven kinds of untrue teachings, who were caught up in the eight kinds of mistakes, who were overcome by the nine types of harmful acts, who were following the wrong path and engaging in the ten unwholesome forms of conduct, heading along the road to hell, [F.68.b] who had turned away from the road that leads to the celestial realms, who had abandoned their spiritual friends and fallen into the hands of evil friends, who were under the sway of Māra, who had abandoned wholesome actions, and who were engaging in unwholesome actions. I was terrorized with sticks. I felt the terror of fear and had to act against my will. I was forced to carry loads and had to honor and serve them.74 In this kind of state, I had no inclination to serve those who are worthy of veneration. Now that I have attained this fortunate state, and now that my motivation is good, I will dedicate my life to those who are worthy of veneration and serve the teachers with no concern for my body, my life, or my honor.’

7.­102

“This is the sixth thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he honors and serves his teacher to the extent that he will even be willing to give up his water flask.”

7.­103

Then, to formulate this even more clearly, the Lord spoke these verses:

7.­104
“Throughout a great many oceans of eons,
I have relied upon evil friends with rampant self-conceit,
And although born a human being, I have been a slave
In the stream of cyclic existence for a long time.
7.­105
“With great hardship, I have attained a human body,
A thing that is incredibly difficult to attain,
A wonderfully suitable dwelling place,
And I am in the presence of a buddha‍—such precious opportunities.
7.­106
“The very best of excellent friends
Are those who give instructions on the bodhisatva’s path of training,
Who have fully developed the jewel that is the mind of awakening,
Obtained after many millions of eons.
7.­107
“The body is fragile, impermanent, uncertain,
Like froth or bubbles appearing on water,
An illusion, like a staged play,
A deception, and like images appearing in a dream.
7.­108
“Life is short and ends suddenly‍—
Like clouds or lightning it does not remain.
But even though one’s time is gone in an instant,
One can make good use of this insubstantial life.
7.­109
“Even though he had done his mischief
For inconceivable hundredfold oceans of eons,
When the time came
The proud one of the mountain Mandara was thrown down.75
7.­110
“Completely leaving behind my love for this body [F.69.a]
And having no concern for this life,
I will give up pride, conceit, and arrogance
And honor and serve those who possess good qualities.
7.­111
“Giving up pride, conceit, and arrogance,
I will, in the best possible ways, honor and serve
The gurus who are celebrated as the most excellent in the world,
As well as my mother, my father, and my brother.
7.­112
“Those who help me act in accordance with the practice that leads to awakening
Are bodhisatvas who dwell in supreme awakening.
Therefore, with firm appreciation and respect for them,
I will do my best to honor them.
7.­113
“Those who are proud do not know
That discipline that is free from pride and subdues pride.
I will strike them down with the vajra of knowledge
And bring the mountains of pride and conceit crashing down.
7.­114
“Perfecting the supreme practice that leads to awakening,
I will take my place on the seat of awakening,
And subduing the hostile hosts of māras,
I will liberate beings from the four streams. [MS.65.b]
7.­115
“With a mind filled with love and compassion,
I will be a protector, a defender, and a final refuge
For those human beings in the ten directions who are suffering from afflictions
And who are the victims of their own abhorrent filth.
7.­116
“I will employ the perfection of generosity when it is called for,
Follow the appropriate training set forth by the Buddha of the Śākya clan,76
Become accomplished in the cultivation of patient acceptance
And apply myself with unobstructed vigor.
7.­117
“Having attained the benefits of the perfection of meditation,
Having made use of the opportunity to train the mind well,
Skilled in wisdom and skillful means,
I will respectfully circumambulate all the gurus.
7.­118
“With my merit, strength, and splendor increasing in this way,
With inconceivable mastery of wisdom and knowledge,
Having realized supreme self-mastery,
I offer a bowl that is filled to the brim.
7.­119

“This then, Śāriputra, is the sixth thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he applies himself to The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, honoring and serving his teacher to the extent that he would even be willing to give up his water flask.

7.­120

“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva cultivates the following thought: [F.69.b] ‘For a long time I had no spiritual friends. Surrounded by evil friends, I was lazy, I had little vigor, I was idle and stupid, and I had the sort of opinions, the sort of tendencies, and the sort of convictions that led me to believe that negative actions have no negative consequences, that positive actions have no positive consequences, that mixed actions do not have both negative and positive consequences, and that the consequences of actions that are positive without anything negative would not be positive without anything negative. I did not consult with ascetics and brahmins and ask, “Venerable ones, what is wholesome, and what is unwholesome? What is irreproachable, and what is reproachable? What should one commit oneself to, and what should one not commit oneself to? What should be done, and what should not be done? What will prove to be useless, unhelpful, and bring suffering in the long run? What will prove to be meaningful, helpful, and bring happiness?” Overcome by conceit, I acted in a great many unwholesome ways, and when the fruits of these unwholesome actions ripened, I had to endure miserable states of existence as a human being who had no inclination to serve those who are worthy of veneration. When I took a human existence, I was incapacitated. I had a stutter. I was mute, blind, and deaf, and I could understand neither the meaning of teachings that were well spoken nor of those that were not well spoken. In this kind of state, I had no inclination to serve those who are worthy of veneration. Now that I have attained this fortunate state, with my faculties intact, I will dedicate my life to all those who are worthy of veneration, with no concern for my body or my life. When I am able to distinguish between teachings that are well spoken and those that are not well spoken, I will consult the teachers and ask, “Venerable ones, what is wholesome, and what is unwholesome? What is irreproachable, and what is reproachable? What should one commit oneself to, and what should one not commit oneself to? What should be done, and what should not be done? What actions will lead one to encounter the teachings on the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha? What actions will lead one to encounter the teachings on the bodhisatva?”77 When one inquires in this way, one [F.70.a] will honor and serve one’s teacher, in order to learn The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva. One will maintain the attitude that one wishes to make use of this insubstantial body to attain a substantial body, such that one is even willing to give up one’s water flask.’

7.­121

“This is the seventh thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he honors and serves his teacher to the extent that he will even be willing to give up his water flask.”78

7.­122

This is what the Lord said. After the Sugata had said this, he, the teacher, continued as follows:

7.­123
“I did not seek the benefits of having spiritual friends
For many hundreds of eons.
I did not consult them about the results
Or wholesome and unwholesome, reproachable and irreproachable actions. [MS.66.a]
7.­124
“Under the sway of arrogance,
I ended up as a hell being, among animals, and ruled by Yama.
Relying on friends with evil intentions,
I fell into the lower realms for many eons.
7.­125
“For many thousands of eons I roamed about
In the human realm with my faculties deficient.
I did not know what was wholesome and what was unwholesome,
Or the fruits of reproachable and irreproachable actions.
7.­126
“With great difficulty, I have obtained a human existence
With my faculties intact and my senses sharp.
With the unfavorable states of existence behind me, I have attained a favorable state,
Just like the turtle putting its head through a yoke.
7.­127
“Having pleased those who are like lamps for the world,
I have heard the Victorious One’s teachings, the Dharma that frees one from passion,
And I now have the opportunity to consult the guru of the world
About the results of wholesome and unwholesome actions:
7.­128
“ ‘What becomes of the miser,
And what of one who gives without miserliness?
What becomes of one who is deceitful, greedy, and immoral,
And what of one who unfailingly guards the riches of his moral conduct?
7.­129
“ ‘What becomes of a man who is angry and out of control,
And what of one who does not become angry but has the power of patience?
What becomes of the lazy and restless,
And what of one whose vigor is awakened and whose meditation is joyful?
7.­130
“ ‘What becomes of those who are dull minded and whose understanding is distorted,
And what of the wise who rejoice in the truth of the teachings?
What becomes of one whose attention to the practice that leads to awakening is undivided
And who wholeheartedly strives to do good?
7.­131
“ ‘What becomes of one who has love for all beings without exception,
And what of one who rescues sentient beings from the lower realms?
What happens to one whose joy in the Dharma is ceaseless
And who strives to practice the path to awakening contained in The Collected Teachings? [F.70.b]
7.­132
“ ‘What becomes of one who seeks out the gurus in this world,
Wherever they may dwell in the vast regions in the ten directions?
What of one who pays honor? What of one who acts virtuously?
What of one who does good in every possible way?’ This is what I ask.
7.­133
“As the appropriate time has now come,
I present these questions to the teachers, the gurus.
Being with the gurus, joyfully receiving their instruction,
How can I gladden the hearts of my teachers?
7.­134
“This is the motivation that a son of the Buddha,
Noble minded with power and merit, cultivates.
With strength and the power of the highest knowledge,
He gladly gives away his water flask.
7.­135

“This then, Śāriputra, is the seventh thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and for the sake of The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, he honors and serves his teacher to the extent that he will even be willing to give up his water flask.

7.­136

“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva cultivates the following thought: ‘For a long time I had no spiritual friends. Surrounded by evil friends, I was lazy, I had little vigor, I was idle, and I was dumb. I dismissed those words and statements that were coherent, that related to the Dharma, and that were about emancipation, about what is beyond passion, and about cessation, pacification, complete awakening, asceticism, what is holy, and nirvāṇa. I learned, remembered, recited, and mastered those words and statements that were not coherent, that were not related to the Dharma, that were not about nirvāṇa, and so forth, and that professed ideas such as there being no power, no vigor, no human power, no human strength, no human endeavor, no practice, no endeavor, no endeavor in practice, the idea that there is no cause and no condition that leads to sentient beings’ corruptions, the idea that sentient beings can be corrupted without there being any causes or conditions involved, the idea that there are no causes and no conditions that lead to the purification of sentient beings, [MS.66.b] and the idea that sentient beings can be purified without causes and conditions being involved. [F.71.a] Upholding the view that there are no causes and the view of causal incongruence, I developed many unwholesome habits, and as a result of these unwholesome habits, I had to endure states of existence in which my faculties were deficient. I ended up as a human being with no inclination to serve those who are worthy of veneration. I was born a fool, distracted, incapacitated, dull, crippled, blind, and deaf, and so I lacked the ability to understand, remember, recite, or master those words and expressions that were coherent, that were about nirvāṇa, and so forth. Indeed, in this kind of state, I had no inclination to serve those who are worthy of veneration. So now that I have attained this fortunate state, and so forth, I will, with no concern for my body or my life, strive to learn the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, which contains words and statements that are coherent, that are about cessation, about nirvāṇa, and so forth. I will work to master them, and so forth, and I will honor and serve the teachers. In this way, by learning, remembering, reading, reciting, and venerating the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, this insubstantial body will be employed in a meaningful way, and serve as a foundation for the powers of virtue and knowledge. Motivated to create a firm support for the powers of virtue and knowledge, and to develop a relationship with The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, one honors and serves one’s teacher to the extent that one will even be willing to give up one’s water flask.’

7.­137

“This is the eighth thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he honors and serves his teacher to the extent that he will even be willing to give up his water flask.”

7.­138

This is the way things are, and concerning it the following verses were recited:

7.­139
“The Dharma is what makes good sense.
It is by means of the Dharma that one makes progress on the path
And attains complete cessation.
The Dharma is what contains the essence of the path to nirvāṇa.
7.­140
“I abandoned that Dharma
And took what is useless as my dharma.
I relied upon teachings
That were not coherent. [F.71.b]
7.­141
“ ‘There is no power or vigor.
Human strength does not exist,
Nor does the highest form of exertion.
None of these things can be conceived of.
7.­142
“ ‘There is no Buddha or Dharma,
And likewise there are no mothers or fathers.
The ripening of the fruits of previous
Good and bad actions does not take place.’
7.­143
“These were the sorts of evil views
That I put my trust in again and again.
Because of this, I ended up in the most dreadful
And horrible state of hell for a long time.
7.­144
“Likewise, I took birth as an animal
And in the spirit world governed by Yama.
When I was born as a human being,
I was stupid and lacked the ability to speak.
7.­145
“I was incapacitated and deaf,
Lost, crippled, and confused,
And being ignorant I fell again
Into the terrible hells for a long time.
7.­146
“But now, after a very long time,
I have obtained this magnificent existence
In which I have all my faculties intact‍—
Now is the time for me to exert myself.
7.­147
“Now is the time to exert myself
To that Dharma that is meaningful,
That helps one to approach nirvāṇa,
The path of awakening, awakening itself.
7.­148
“It is exceedingly difficult,
Even in the course of a thousand million eons,
To gain access to that which is most profoundly meaningful,
The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva.
7.­149
“To gain the awakening of a buddha,
I will engage with and master
This and many [MS.67.a]
Of the Buddha’s other inconceivable teachings.
7.­150
“With great reverence
I will serve the teacher,
And this will give me access
To the learning of the buddhas and bodhisatvas.
7.­151
“Having reflected in this way,
The undaunted bodhisatva,
Accomplished in wisdom and skill,
Will even give away his water flask.
7.­152

“This then, Śāriputra, is the eighth thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and for the sake of The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva he honors and serves his teacher to the extent that he will even be willing to give up his water flask.

7.­153

“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva cultivates the following thought: ‘Alas! Sentient beings are completely caught up in meaningless activities and are far too concerned about their bodies and their lives. [F.72.a] When one is engaged with what is meaningful, one will have no concern for one’s body or one’s life. What does being caught up in meaningless activities entail? It is to be concerned about one’s body and one’s life but to have no concern for the Dharma that leads to awakening. It is fostering the idea of ownership by being protective of one’s sense of self, being addicted to rubbing, massaging, bathing, and shampooing one’s body. This is what is meant by ‘being caught up in meaningless activities.’ Likewise, being caught up in meaningless activities is to be concerned about one’s body and one’s life but to have no concern for the Dharma that leads to awakening, fostering the idea of ownership by being protective of one’s wife, sons, daughters, friends, kinsmen, acquaintances, and relatives and being addicted to rubbing, food and drink, and so forth, and to all kinds of objects, pleasures, and possessions. This is what is meant by ‘being caught up in meaningless activities.’ Likewise, it is to foster the idea of ownership by keeping male and female servants, workers, and laborers, ordering them around and keeping them under guard. This is what is meant by ‘being caught up in meaningless activities.’

7.­154

“ ‘What does being engaged with what is meaningful entail? It is to have no concern for one’s body or one’s life and to be solely concerned with the Dharma that leads to awakening, fostering the mind of awakening by guarding one’s physical, verbal, and mental activity. This is what is meant by ‘being engaged with what is meaningful.’

7.­155

“ ‘Likewise, to be engaged with what is meaningful is to have no concern for one’s body or one’s life but to be solely concerned with the Dharma that leads to awakening, fostering the mind of awakening by being fully dedicated to becoming accomplished in the perfections, from generosity to wisdom. This is what is meant by ‘being engaged with what is meaningful.’

7.­156

“ ‘Likewise, to be engaged with what is meaningful is to have no concern for one’s body or one’s life and to be solely concerned with the Dharma that leads to awakening, fostering the mind of awakening by being generous, speaking kindly, acting for the benefit of others, and being consistent. [MS.67.b] This is what is meant by ‘being engaged with what is meaningful.’

7.­157

“ ‘Likewise, to be engaged with what is meaningful is to have no concern for one’s body or one’s life and to be solely concerned with the Dharma that leads to awakening, [F.72.b] fostering the mind of awakening by dedicating oneself to maintaining one’s mindfulness, to proper renunciation, to the foundations of magical abilities, to the faculties, the powers, the factors of awakening, and to making progress on the path. This is what is meant by ‘being engaged with what is meaningful.’

7.­158

“ ‘Likewise, to be engaged with what is meaningful is to have no concern for one’s body or one’s life but to be solely concerned with the Dharma that leads to awakening, fostering the mind of awakening with full dedication toward serving one’s parents and teachers and toward serving, attending, venerating, prostrating to, worshiping, praising, welcoming, and saluting one’s guru and addressing him with respect. This is what is meant by ‘being engaged with what is meaningful.’

7.­159

“ ‘Likewise, to be engaged with what is meaningful is to have no concern for one’s body or one’s life but to be solely concerned with the Dharma that leads to awakening, fostering the mind of awakening by being fully dedicated to serving the Three Jewels. One thinks, “Alas! Completely caught up in meaningless activities, these sentient beings’ sole concern is for their own bodies and their own lives. I must therefore engage with what is meaningful and apply myself to this endeavor with vigor. I will honor and serve my teacher. In this way, this insubstantial body will be used in a meaningful way, and a foundation for the powers of virtue and knowledge will be developed. With the support of the powers of virtue and knowledge, I will be brought closer to the seat of awakening.” ’

7.­160

“This is the ninth thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so for the sake of The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva he honors and serves his teacher to the extent that he will even be willing to give up his water flask.”

7.­161

Then, in order to clarify this further, the Lord spoke these verses:

7.­162
“All immature ordinary beings
Are only concerned with their bodies and their lives.
They are not concerned with what leads to awakening,
And they engage in all kinds of activities.
7.­163
“For their own benefit and that of their wives,
With their sons and daughters in mind,
Ordinary beings greedily
Pursue their meaningless goals. [F.73.a]
7.­164
“The ignorant order their servants,
Workers, and laborers about.
By raising livestock,
They pursue their meaningless goals.
7.­165
“They amass wealth and riches,
But they are not generous, and they do not make good use of it.
Pursuing their meaningless goals,
They become known as guardians of treasure.
7.­166
“This is what ordinary beings are like,
Addicted to pursuing meaningless goals.
Those who have wisdom, the bodhisatvas,
Persevere in their pursuit of what is meaningful.
7.­167
“They have no concern for their bodies or their lives
And are only concerned with what leads to awakening. [MS.68.a]
In all the different activities they carry out,
They are known as those who pursue what is meaningful.
7.­168
“They engage skillfully with generosity,
Morality, patience, vigor,
Meditation, and wisdom.
They are known as those who pursue what is meaningful.
7.­169
“They serve their mothers and their fathers.
They cherish their gurus and their elders.
They serve the Three Jewels,
And they are known as those who pursue what is meaningful.
7.­170
“They have grasped all the teachings
In The Collection of Teachings on the Bodhisatva.
They recite it and elucidate it
And are known as those who pursue what is meaningful.
7.­171
“These meaningful pursuits
Are praised by all the buddhas.
The sons of the Victorious One
Apply themselves to these pursuits with skill.
7.­172
“Having cultivated this thought,
He serves his gurus
With the greatest devotion
And will even be willing to give away his water flask.
7.­173

“This then, Śāriputra, is the ninth thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and for the sake of The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, he honors and serves his teacher to the extent that he will even be willing to give up his water flask.

7.­174

“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva cultivates the following thought: ‘Alas! Sentient beings do not value advice. They dislike their teacher’s instructions and are not able to understand them. What is it they do not understand? They do not understand the riches of the teacher. What are the riches of the teacher? The riches of faith, the riches of morality, the riches of learning, [F.73.b] the riches of conscience and moral sensitivity, the riches of renunciation, and the riches of wisdom‍—these are considered to be the riches of the teacher. Those who do not understand this can be said to be utterly impoverished. I will value the advice I receive and keep an open attitude toward the instructions of the teacher. How is this to be done? The bodhisatva who values advice keeps an open attitude toward the instructions of the teacher and attains understanding. What is it that he understands? He understands the riches of the teacher. What are the riches of the bodhisatva’s teacher? These riches comprise the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva. When the teacher sees that the receptive bodhisatva is able to value his advice, he will give him a detailed explanation of the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva. He will teach it to him, guide him in it, expound it for him, illuminate it for him, instruct him in it, open it up for him, and make it manifest to him. The bodhisatva who gains a firm mastery of The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva completely eliminates poverty and gains understanding‍—the state of a fully accomplished buddha. Having cultivated this thought, I will give meaning to this insubstantial body by valuing the advice I receive and maintaining an open attitude toward the instructions of the teacher. In this way, one honors and serves one’s teacher to the extent that one will even be willing to give up one’s water flask.’

7.­175

“This, Śāriputra, is the tenth thought the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he applies himself to The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, honoring and serving his teacher to the extent that he will even be willing to give up his water flask.”

7.­176

This is what the Lord said. After the Sugata had said this, he, the teacher, continued as follows:

7.­177
“Sentient beings do not value advice.
They are deceitful, cunning, and dishonest.
They dislike their gurus
And do not follow their teaching.
7.­178
“As they do not value advice
And dislike the teachings, [F.74.a]
The riches of the sage
Are not revealed to them.
7.­179
“The riches of faith, the riches of morality,
The riches of conscience and moral sensitivity,
The riches of learning, the riches of renunciation,
And wisdom‍—these are the seven kinds of riches.
7.­180
“These seven kinds of riches
Are inexhaustible treasures,
But they are not revealed
To those who are not worthy recipients.
7.­181
“All those sentient beings
Who are not dishonest, corrupt, or deceitful
But value the teachings and are grateful for them
Are fit to receive the Dharma of the Buddha.
7.­182
“Filled with vigor and enthusiasm
To attain the awakening of a buddha,
They long for the Dharma and devote themselves to it
With no concern for their bodies or their lives.
7.­183
“Seeing that he is fit to receive the teachings [MS.68.b]
And is able to follow the way,
The guides will reveal to him
The indivisibility of the totality of phenomena.
7.­184
“The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva
Is where awakening resides,
And they reveal this treasure,
The essence of the buddhas, in detail.
7.­185
“All phenomena lack self;
They have no attributes and are characterized by emptiness.
They have no life force, they do not change,
They do not proliferate, and they rest nowhere.
7.­186
“All phenomena are by nature
Unborn and without essential characteristics.
They do not arise, they do not develop,
And they are characterized by the fact that they lack attributes.
7.­187
“The self-arisen Victorious One will teach
Those men who are reverent and who value advice,
Who are favorably disposed toward instruction.
He will teach them, through his own experience, the training that is the door to liberation.
7.­188
“They fully embody the riches of faith and the riches of morality,
Of conscience and moral sensitivity, of learning, of renunciation, and of wisdom.
They embody these riches
And reveal to him the treasury of Dharma, these inexhaustible seven.
7.­189
“I will always be reverent, value advice, and be open.
I will always think of my benevolent spiritual friend.
In these ways, I will serve the gurus
In my pursuit of unsurpassed awakening.
7.­190
“Having cultivated these kinds of thoughts,
With the greatest love and compassion,
I will offer an earthenware container
Filled with crystal-clear water to those who are thirsty.
7.­191

“These then, Śāriputra, are the ten thoughts [F.74.b] the bodhisatva cultivates, and so he applies himself to The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, honoring and serving his teacher to the extent that he would even be willing to give up his water flask.

7.­192

“By means of these roots of virtue, such a bodhisatva obtains four things. What are these four things? He is able to quickly understand the teachings on what is wholesome. He praises his teacher. His efforts bear fruit, and he does not regress. Because of the Dharma, he does not allow himself to become disheartened by suffering. These, Śāriputra, are the four things such a bodhisatva obtains in a human existence.

7.­193

“There is a further set of four things he obtains. What are these four things? Having trained a great many beings, he has a firm foundation in the pure Dharma. He establishes hermitages where one can dwell in seclusion and that effectively bring pleasure and joy to a great many beings. He remains joyful day and night. He does not become overwhelmed, and at death he is reborn in a joyful heavenly existence. These, Śāriputra, are the four further things the bodhisatva obtains.

7.­194

“When he is born among the gods he obtains four things. What are these four things? He obtains an elevated seat in the assembly of the gods. His fame in all divine assemblies is such that they think, ‘Whatever he says, we will listen to it and take it to heart.’ He is sought out by Śakra, the lord of the gods, as well as by other divine sons, and he does not need to search for other divine sons whom he can address and whose doubts he can eliminate. He manifests great palaces for their enjoyment. These Śāriputra, are the four things the bodhisatva obtains.

7.­195

“In divine and human existences, he finds hundreds of thousands of immeasurable ways to enter into the Dharma.”

7.­196

The Lord then went on to speak these verses:

7.­197
“He occupies an elevated seat
And is honored by the gods.
Wherever he expounds the Dharma,
The gods give him their attention.
7.­198
“All give him their praise
As a learned one without selfishness. [F.75.a]
Śakra seeks his advice.
His palace is of breathtaking beauty.
7.­199
“When he leaves the divine realm,
He takes on a human existence [MS.69.a]
And becomes a king with great magical powers,
An unselfish king of the entire world.
7.­200
“Leaving the human realm behind,
He returns to the heavens.
Having shown reverence to the gurus,
He does not experience any suffering at all.
7.­201
“These are the four illustrious states
That are always obtained
By one who is undeterred
In his reverence for the gurus.
7.­202
“Giving away his water flask
Out of affection and veneration,
He is worthy of being venerated
By gods, nāgas, and men. [B10]
7.­203

“When he dwells among the gods, there is a further set of four things he obtains. What are these four things? He has knowledge of his accumulation of previously performed actions and of the roots of virtue by means of which he has now attained this rebirth. He knows that wholesome things deteriorate. He knows, too, the rebirth he will take when he passes on from this state of existence. After he has instructed the assembly of the gods in the Dharma, encouraged them in their understanding, engaged them, and delighted them, he passes on from the heavenly realms. These, Śāriputra, are the four further things the bodhisatva obtains.

7.­204

“Moreover, Śāriputra, there is a further set of four things the bodhisatva obtains. What are these four things? When he passes from his divine abode and comes to dwell among human beings, he will possess five noble qualities in his existence as a human being. What are these five noble qualities? He will be born into a noble family, he will be noble in his appearance, he will be noble in his morality, he will be noble in the company of his followers, and he will be noble in the love sentient beings will have for him. These, Śāriputra, are the five noble qualities he obtains.

7.­205

“Moreover, he will possess five qualities of inseparability. What are these five qualities of inseparability? [F.75.b] He is not separated from his friend. He is not separated from his body, as it does not decay rapidly. He is not separated from pleasures. It is impossible for him to become separated from the mind of awakening, and if the Dharma is hard to obtain, he provides the Dharma in abundance. These, Śāriputra, are the five qualities of inseparability he obtains.

7.­206

“Moreover, he will possess five wonder-working abilities. What are these five wonder-working abilities? The first wonder-working ability is that any empty, worn-out container upon which he places his hand becomes filled with jewels. The second wonder-working ability is that he can manifest reservoirs of water that possesses eight qualities for those who are thirsty. The third wonder-working ability is that no external physical harm can befall him, whether it be injuries caused by poison, by weapons, by fire, by water, or by harmful yakṣas. [MS.69.b] The fourth wonder-working ability is that he is not born on the Jambu continent during an age of strife, an age of plague, an age of famine, an age of fire, an age of water, an age of wind, an age of thirst, an age of torment, or an age of yakṣas. During these ages, he will take divine birth, with its pleasures and its strength. He will be exceedingly happy and strong. [F.76.a] The fifth wonder-working ability, Śāriputra, is that as he possesses these roots of virtue, the bodhisatva is not born into unfortunate circumstances. He is not born into the lower realms. It is not possible for him to become entangled in misfortune. Renunciation is quick to spring forth in him.

7.­207

“Moreover, Śāriputra, with these roots of virtue there are four things that he will not lack. What are these four things? When he sees the suffering of sentient beings, the bodhisatva will develop great compassion. Those who are his sons and daughters will have great reverence and respect for him. Even if age takes its toll on him, he will not buckle. The benefits that come from the actions he performs are multiplied a hundredfold, or even two or three hundredfold. These are the four things that the bodhisatva comes to possess and that he will never be without.

7.­208

“Moreover, Śāriputra, with these roots of virtue there are three things that will not carry the bodhisatva away. What are these three things? He will not be carried away by desire, he will not be carried away by anger, and he will not be carried away by confusion. These are the three things that will not carry him away.

7.­209

“Moreover, Śāriputra, with these roots of virtue the bodhisatva obtains four kinds of well-being. What are these four kinds of well-being? He does not become afflicted by long-lasting illness. His joints do not become stiff. He is able to enjoy pleasures. He does not have to suffer the harm that kings or thieves are able to inflict on other sentient beings. These, Śāriputra, are the four types of well-being that the bodhisatva obtains.

7.­210

“Moreover, Śāriputra, with these roots of virtue the bodhisatva gains four weighty positions. What are these four weighty positions? The first weighty position he gains is that he becomes a king of the entire world with a domain that extends in the four directions, a Dharma king in possession of the seven precious implements. The seven precious implements he comes to possess are the precious wheel, the precious elephant, the precious horse, the precious jewel, the precious queen, the precious householder, and the precious minister. [F.76.b] He will have a thousand sons who will be heroic and courageous, whose physical abilities will be supreme, and who will be able to crush the forces of his enemies. He will have four subservient fiefdoms. He will be venerated. All who dwell within his borders‍—astrologers, high officials, guards, counsilors, townspeople, and villagers‍—will venerate him. The second weighty position he gains, Śāriputra, is that he will not in any way be attracted to the five pleasures of the senses. What are the five pleasures of the senses? They are the visual objects conceived of by the eye, [MS.70.a] the sounds conceived of by the ear, the smells conceived of by the nose, the tastes conceived of by the tongue, and the physical sensations conceived of by the body. He will not be attracted to these five pleasures of the senses in any way, and because of his faith he will leave the ordinary household life behind and become a renunciant. He will quickly attain the five superior abilities, and he will be venerated by human and nonhuman beings alike. The third weighty position he gains, Śāriputra, is that wherever he is born he will always have an exceptional intellectual capacity, exceptional wisdom, and exceptional eloquence. He will have the fame of a king. He will be treated in the same way Mahauṣadha was in the past, and he will be awarded a seat of honor within the royal court. The king will honor him, and so will others, such as astrologers, high officials, guards, councilors, townspeople, and villagers. The fourth weighty position he gains, Śāriputra, is that when he reaches the state of an unsurpassed, fully accomplished buddha, [F.77.a] he will surpass and be greater than all other sentient beings: gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, human beings, and nonhuman beings. His morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and insight into the knowledge of liberation will be exceptional. His morality will be exceptionally vast. His concentration, wisdom, liberation, and insight into the knowledge of liberation will be exceptionally vast. These are the four weighty positions he attains.

7.­211

“Śāriputra, these are the kinds of unlimited qualities the bodhisatva comes to possess when he offers his water flask to his preceptors and teachers. For the sake of the Dharma, he follows what he is told to follow and does not go against the advice he receives. Because of these roots of virtue, he then obtains four kinds of possessions. What are these four kinds of possessions? He obtains the possessions of a king, possessions that ordinary men do not obtain. He obtains the possessions of an ascetic. In order to cast off desire, he removes himself, meaning that because of his faith he leaves ordinary household life behind and becomes a renunciant. This is what is called the possession of the Dharma. Moreover, Śāriputra, wherever he takes birth, the bodhisatva is able to recollect all his births, and with this recollection of his previous births, he does not abandon the mind of awakening in these births. This is what is called the possession of recollection. Moreover, Śāriputra, when he reaches the state of an unsurpassed, fully accomplished buddha, he is accompanied and esteemed by the four assemblies. He is accompanied and esteemed by gods, nāgas, gandharvas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, human beings, and nonhuman beings. These are the four kinds of possessions he attains.

7.­212

“Moreover, Śāriputra, whichever teacher he is in the presence of, he receives and remembers verses of the Dharma. If he is told to follow, he follows. [F.77.b] If he is told to go, he goes. He is told what is wholesome and what is unwholesome, what is irreproachable and what is reproachable, what should be relied upon and what should not be relied upon, and so forth. He is told what will, in the long run, prove useless and unhelpful and bring suffering if practiced. He is told what will prove meaningful and helpful and bring happiness if it is done. In accordance with these instructions, he does not then do what is unwholesome but instead relies upon what is wholesome. He is not led astray and does not go against the advice he has received. With these roots of virtue, [MS.70.b] his practice becomes elevated in four ways. In what four ways does his practice become elevated? His practice of morality becomes elevated. His physical appearance becomes elevated. His appearance becomes imposing, and all the parts of his body become perfect. His wisdom becomes great. His wisdom becomes exalted. His wisdom becomes broad. His wisdom becomes vast. His wisdom becomes quick. His wisdom becomes sharp. His wisdom becomes swift. His wisdom becomes deep, and his wisdom becomes penetrating. When his body succumbs, he is reborn in the joyful heavenly realms. These are the four ways in which his practice becomes elevated.

7.­213

“Moreover, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva with these roots of virtue possesses four unobservable qualities. What are these four unobservable qualities? The first unobservable quality he possesses is that his male organ is retracted in a sheath. The second unobservable quality the bodhisatva with these roots of virtue possesses, Śāriputra, is that upon his birth, no one is able to see his crown protrusion. Neither his mother nor his father, nor any other relatives, nor any other sentient beings at all, not gods, nāgas, gandharvas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, human beings, or nonhuman beings, whether their state of mind is pure or not, are able to see the bodhisatva’s crown protrusion. [F.78.a] The third unobservable quality the bodhisatva with these roots of virtue possesses, Śāriputra, is that upon his birth, no one is able to perform the mouth-washing ceremony for him. Neither his mother nor his father, and so forth, nor any human beings or nonhuman beings, whether their state of mind is pure or not, are able to perform the mouth-washing ceremony for him. When they try to perform the mouth-washing ceremony, the entrance of his mouth appears on his feet. Why does this happen? It happens because of the wondrous and extraordinary qualities that this noble being possesses, and because of this noble being’s supreme speech. The fourth unobservable quality the bodhisatva with these roots of virtue possesses, Śāriputra, is that as soon as the bodhisatva is born he is not restricted by anything external. He has a full overview of the regions in the four directions. His knowledge blazes. How does this happen? As the bodhisatva was unwavering in his search for learning in the past, he attained an undeceiving eye, and with this undeceiving eye, which is divine sight of supreme purity that surpasses anything human, the bodhisatva can see all sentient beings in the threefold thousand great thousand worlds, however many they may be. This great knowledge the bodhisatva has obtained is also very swift. With this great knowledge, the bodhisatva is able to know the states of mind of all sentient beings in the three times. How is he able to do this? As the bodhisatva was purposeful in the past, focused, and fully engaged with the teachings, and as he had respect for them, viewing them as medicine, as precious, as difficult to encounter, and as authentic, he became learned, and as a result of this the bodhisatva obtained very swift analytical abilities. With these analytical abilities the bodhisatva is able to examine the morality of all sentient beings, as well as their learning, concentration, wisdom, [F.78.b] liberation, and insight into the knowledge of liberation. He is able to examine their general level of morality, as well as their general level of learning, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and insight into the knowledge of liberation. [MS.71.a] He is able to examine what the effects of the morality of all sentient beings will be, as well as what the effects of their learning, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and insight into the knowledge of liberation will be. He is able to examine how the effects of the morality of all sentient beings becomes greater, as well as how the effects of their learning, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge of liberation become greater. He is able to examine the religious practice, conduct, progress, and effort of all sentient beings. He compares himself with all sentient beings. He compares the morality, learning, and so forth, up to insight into the knowledge of liberation, of all sentient beings with his own. He compares the general level of morality of all sentient beings, as well as their general level of learning, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and insight into the knowledge of liberation, with his own. He compares the effects of all sentient beings’ morality, as well as the effects of their learning, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and insight into the knowledge of liberation, with his own. He compares how the effects of the morality of all sentient beings become greater, and how the effects of their learning, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and insight into the knowledge of liberation become greater with how his own become greater. He takes the religious practice, conduct, progress, and effort of all sentient beings and holds it up against his own merits. He is not able to find anything in all this that can compare to what he possesses. [F.79.a] Even if he searches out those sentient beings who are in the best possible conditions, he is not able to find anyone who can compare to himself. His analytical abilities are so swift, Śāriputra, that the bodhisatva knows instantly what the effects of the ripening of the fruits of previous actions will be. In the blink of an eye, he knows a thousand different aspects of the minds of all sentient beings, and among all of them he is not able find any that compare to himself. He knows that he himself inhabits an exceptional position, and then like a lion, like an elephant, he takes seven uninhibited steps across the ground. He faces the place that is destined to be the seat of his awakening and proclaims, ‘I am supreme in the world. I am foremost in the world. I will put an end to birth, aging, and death. I will liberate sentient beings from the torments of birth, aging, and death. I will provide them with the vastness of the Dharma.’ Śāriputra, as soon as the bodhisatva has spoken these words, their sound carries across the threefold thousand great thousand worlds and are known throughout them. Great earthquakes are felt in the world, and formidable divine drums that cause one’s hair to stand on end resound perpetually. The ground on which the bodhisatva stands, an area the size of a wheel, remains unmoving. All the water in that place remains undisturbed by the wind. His overview of things is complete, and he sees what his own role is, but no sentient being is able to observe that he is an unsurpassed, fully accomplished buddha. These, Śāriputra, are the four unobservable qualities of the bodhisatva. What causes them? He does what his teacher instructs him to do. [F.79.b] If he is told to follow, he follows. If he is told to go, he goes.

7.­214

“With these roots of virtue he obtains four kinds of ease. What are these four kinds of ease? The first kind of ease he obtains is that the teachings of the lords, the buddhas, are in no way lacking, and that the lords, the buddhas’ instructions in the Dharma are not ineffective. The second kind of ease he obtains is that with these roots of virtue the Tathāgata can say, ‘Come, monk!’ he can say, ‘Follow me, monk!’ [MS.71.b] and the bodhisatva will then cut off his hair, don saffron, and take up the alms bowl. The third kind of ease he obtains is that with these roots of virtue, the Tathāgata knows the minds of all beings in the three times. The fourth kind of ease he obtains is that with these roots of virtue, the Tathāgata knows what kind of medicine is appropriate for any sentient being. These are the four kinds of ease. How do they come about? They come about because he offered his water flask to his teachers and preceptors with a strong, well-developed motivation.

7.­215

“Moreover, Śāriputra, with these roots of virtue the bodhisatva obtains four qualities of unassailability. What are these four qualities of unassailability? It is not the case, Śāriputra, that the Tathāgata can be hurt by fire, by weapons, or by poison, or that he can suffer an untimely death by means of any kind of external harm. This is what is impossible. This is not the case. These are the four qualities of unassailability that he obtains.

7.­216

“There is a further set of four qualities of unassailability that he obtains. What are these four qualities of unassailability? It is not the case, Śāriputra, that any sentient being is able to learn even a single word of the Dharma of the Tathāgata that is beyond the sphere of learning. This is what is impossible. This is not the case. It is not the case, and so forth, that any sentient being can identify even a single mental event of the Tathāgata’s that is not concentrated. This is what is impossible. This is not the case. [F.80.a] Śāriputra, the Tathāgata always dwells in concentration. The Tathāgata dwells in love, in compassion, in empathetic joy, and in equanimity. It is not the case, Śāriputra, that any sentient being is able to fully understand the body, the form, and the attributes of the Tathāgata. This is what is impossible. This is not the case. These are the four further qualities of unassailability that he obtains.

7.­217

“Śāriputra, the Tathāgata possesses five immeasurable qualities. What are these five immeasurable qualities? Śāriputra, the morality of the Tathāgata is immeasurable. The concentration, the wisdom, the liberation, and the insight into the knowledge of liberation of the Tathāgata are immeasurable. These, Śāriputra, are the five immeasurable qualities of the Tathāgata.

7.­218

“Śāriputra, he follows when he is instructed to follow, and possessing roots of virtue in this way, he obtains four kinds of unimpeded knowledge. What are these four kinds of unimpeded knowledge? His insight into the knowledge of the lords, the buddhas, of the past is unimpeded and unobstructed. His insight into the knowledge of the lords, the buddhas, of the future is unimpeded and unobstructed. His insight into the knowledge of the lords, the buddhas, of the present is unimpeded and unobstructed. The Tathāgata remains concentrated, and by means of his concentration he has unified knowledge of the three times. The Tathāgata’s knowledge is perfect, and by means of his perfect knowledge he has knowledge of all phenomena, and this knowledge is neither obstructed by nor dependent on anything external. The Tathāgata’s knowledge is inconceivable. As he possesses this inconceivable knowledge, [MS.72.a] the Tathāgata has intimate knowledge of the winds and rain. There is a wind that blows called harmonious [F.80.b] that can be experienced by any sentient being, and this wind rises to a height of three krośas. Above this there blows a wind called cloud wind, and this wind system rises to a height of five krośas. Above this there blows a wind called destroyer, and this is a system of winds that rises to a height of ten yojanas. Above this there blows a wind called free from birth, and this is a system of winds that rises to a height of thirty yojanas. Above this there blows a wind called transcendent, and this is a system of winds that rises to a height of forty yojanas. Śāriputra, the tathāgata, arhat, fully accomplished Buddha is able to know six hundred eighty billion wind systems by relying on wisdom. The final wind system is called all pervasive. It rises to a height of sixty-eight thousand yojanas above the level of where the water element is found on earth, and its height above the ground is sixty-eight thousand yojanas.

7.­219

“Śāriputra, such figures and reckonings characterize the threefold thousand great thousand worlds, and it is here that the tathāgata, arhat, fully accomplished buddha by the name of Mahāskandha presently resides. This is where he dwells and where he is active. He has a lifespan of ten million years. He is accompanied by a great assembly of śrāvakas consisting of three hundred million billion great śrāvakas who are all arhats, who have eliminated the defilements, who are free from vices, who are powerful, and who have reached the very highest level of complete mastery of the mind. He is accompanied by an assembly of a billion great bodhisatvas, great beings, who are accomplished in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, who have a thorough grasp of its meaning, who possess a great ocean of learning and can express the Dharma, who dwell in the state of emptiness, who dwell in the state of freedom from attributes, and who dwell in the state of freedom from aspirations. After his final passing, the true Dharma will last for a thousand years: [F.81.a] ‘One thousand years after my final passing, it, too, will finally pass away.’ His relics will be distributed: ‘As I now pass into final nirvāṇa, my relics are to be distributed.’

7.­220

“Śāriputra, the knowledge of the Tathāgata is unimpeded. There is no measure higher than the knowledge of the Tathāgata. The field of a buddha reaches as far as the winds can travel. Śāriputra, there are worlds to the zenith where there is no tathāgata at present, but in those worlds there are a hundred thousand pratyekabuddhas in the presence of whom living beings are cultivating roots of virtue.

7.­221

“Śāriputra, the Tathāgata relies on knowledge, and hence he fully knows the tathāgatas, [MS.72.b] the arhats, the fully accomplished buddhas, as numerous as the grains of sand in the river Ganges, who are appearing right at this moment. He fully knows the unlimited, innumerable, inconceivable, incomparable, immeasurable tathāgatas, arhats, fully accomplished buddhas, who are appearing in the ten directions at this very moment. He fully knows the buddha fields that are burning, however many they may be.”

7.­222

When the Lord had said this, the venerable Śāriputra then asked him, “Lord, which roots of virtue does the tathāgata, arhat, fully accomplished Buddha possess that provide him with unobscured knowledge?”

7.­223

The Lord answered, “Śāriputra, my powers are complete, and seeing the greatness of the Dharma, I venerate it, and I consider it to be medicine, to be precious, to be difficult to obtain, to be the root of virtue, to be genuine. Taking hold of it with this reverential approach, I master the approach of the Dharma, and as a consequence, Śāriputra, the knowledge of the Tathāgata blazes forth. The Tathāgata comes to know a great many things. The knowledge of the lords, the buddhas, is so supreme that it is uninterrupted, [F.81.b] it is unlimited, it cannot be reckoned, and it is inconceivable, incomparable, and inexpressible.

7.­224

“With the power that comes from following when he is told to follow, the Tathāgata is able to travel across as many buddha fields as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges, and back again, in the blink of an eye. Śāriputra, this confidence that allows me to accumulate learning is what will facilitate swift liberation. My liberation is true liberation. What is it liberation from? It is true liberation from all suffering.

7.­225

“Śāriputra, those who simply hear about these fourfold sets that inspire reverence will reach the following conviction: ‘We will abide by this. We will follow this way. This is what we will stick to, and so we will never again be separated from the Buddha’s teachings.’ Even though they may not remember the exact words and phrases of the discourses containing these instructions, these roots of virtue will still lead them to obtain four things that are generated by wisdom. What are these four things? With wisdom, they will reach great wisdom. With wisdom, they will have the good fortune of seeing and meeting buddhas. With wisdom, they will develop the faith that will lead them to leave ordinary household life behind and become renunciants. With wisdom, they will reach the state of unsurpassed, fully accomplished buddhahood. These are the four things that are generated by wisdom.

7.­226

“They will obtain four things in abundance. What are these four things? They will obtain an abundance of human states of existence. They will obtain an abundance of opportunities to meet a buddha. They will obtain an abundance of faith that will lead them to leave ordinary household life behind and become renunciants. They will obtain the abundance of reaching the state of unsurpassed, fully accomplished buddhahood. These are the four things [MS.73.a] that they will obtain in abundance.

7.­227

“They will attain four states. What are these four states? They will obtain the state of being a universal one. They will become a king of the entire world, they will become Brahmā in the realm of the brahmā gods, they will become Śakra, the lord of the gods, and reaching the state of unsurpassed, fully accomplished buddhahood, [F.82.a] they will obtain mastery of the entirety of the Dharma. They will obtain the power of good reputation. They will obtain insight into the mental abilities of sentient beings. They will know the scope of magical abilities, and their eyesight will be like that of those who dwell in the heavenly realms.”

7.­228

Then, in order to clarify this point further, the Lord spoke these verses:

7.­229
“He is a protector and a guide for the world,
Supreme among all sentient beings.
He knows all modes of healing
That lead one to attain nirvāṇa.
7.­230
“The consequences that come
From him following the advice he received
Are that he will never experience any sort of suffering
And will never fail to value advice.
7.­231
“He easily goes the heavenly realms,
He easily takes human existences,
He easily comes to behold the buddhas,
And he will avoid misfortune.
7.­232
“He becomes wealthy, with great riches,
And he discovers many treasures.
Whatever he lays his hand upon
Fills with all kinds of jewels.
7.­233
“He is surrounded by
Ponds of perfect water with eight qualities.
He will never have to experience pain.
This is the result of being receptive to advice.
7.­234
“He does not become crippled or lame.
His legs do not shrivel up or become bent.
His limbs do not cause him any pain,
Nor do they ever deteriorate.
7.­235
“He does not lack any fingers,
Nor is he hunchbacked or one eyed.
He does not suffer from elephantiasis.
This is the result of being receptive to advice.
7.­236
“His limbs are full and brilliant
And as sturdy as iron.
He is beautiful, attractive,
And elegant, with a bright complexion.
7.­237
“He is venerated by the gods
And honored by human beings.
He is venerated by the nāgas.
This is the grace of being receptive to advice.
7.­238
“Having left the lower realms behind,
He travels to the higher abodes,
And as a man he quickly realizes awakening‍—
This is the result of being receptive to advice.
7.­239
“This man knows the minds
Of all sentient beings fully, [F.82.b]
And so he takes seven steps
And makes a declaration to the world.
7.­240
“His knowledge is supreme.
His wisdom is supreme.
His liberation is supreme.
He is supreme among all sentient beings.
7.­241
“With wisdom, his wisdom is perfected,
And he is firmly established in wisdom and knowledge.
Wisdom, knowledge, and liberation
Are what all buddhas cultivate.
7.­242
“With wisdom the true nature of things becomes known,
And with knowledge what is knowable becomes known.
Nothing is difficult to grasp
For one who possesses wisdom.79
7.­243
“These are the sorts of excellent things
That I have taught you,
But beings with little inclination toward these things
Do not consider them to be of any use.
7.­244
“Oppressed by delusion,
They are foolish and evil.
They become angry and hateful
And develop no respect for the Dharma.
7.­245
“As these beings have little dedication,
They cultivate these sorts of things
And will have no reverence
For one another.
7.­246
“Beings who never have any reverence,
But take joy in the evils of anger,
Will proclaim, with a mind filled with vices:
‘We are honorable ones.’
7.­247
“ ‘Elders’ who are merely old,
‘Elders’ who are just aged and decrepit,
Will say that when the time for death comes,
Their last existence has come to pass.
7.­248
“ ‘Elders’ who are merely old,
‘Elders’ who are just aged and decrepit,
Enjoy offerings befitting an arhat,
But then they fall straight into hell.
7.­249
“Being a moral person is rare enough,
Not to mention becoming an arhat.
One may express faith in constructing a stūpa
And still go to the lower realms.
7.­250

“Śāriputra, the bodhisatva who practices morality in this way [MS.73.b] will honor and serve his teacher for the sake of The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, and he will obtain these sorts of benefits and benefits that are even greater than these‍—that are unlimited, inconceivable and immeasurable. So it is, Śāriputra, that the bodhisatva who bases himself firmly on The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva values advice [F.83.a] and keeps his morality completely pure when he practices the way of the bodhisatva.

7.­251

“What does pure morality imply in this context? Śāriputra, the pure morality of the bodhisatva has ten features. What are these ten features? He does not hurt any sentient being. He does not steal the property of others. He does not desire another’s wife. He does not deceive any sentient being. He does not publicly slander people. He is patient when faced with abuse, and he does not use harsh language. He abstains from idle chatter, and instead he expresses himself coherently. He is not selfish, and so he does not covet others’ wealth. He can patiently endure slanderous speech and does not develop malice. He has no affinity for other gods, and so he is free from wrong views. These, Śāriputra, are the ten features of the pure morality of the bodhisatva.

7.­252

“Śāriputra, there is a further set of ten features of pure morality of the bodhisatva. What are these ten features? He is not attracted to the ignorant, and so his morality does not become impaired. He avoids disadvantageous rebirths, and so his morality does not become broken. He does not become entangled in any disturbing emotions, and so his morality does not become muddled. He is only concerned with strengthening positive qualities, and so his morality remains unsullied. He follows his own instincts, and so his morality remains free. There is nothing for which the wise can criticize him, and so he maintains his reputation for moral purity. He abstains from pursuing any vices, and so his morality remains blameless. He controls his senses, guarding his morality well. He is attentive and mindful, guarding his morality superbly. These, Śāriputra, are ten further features of the pure morality of the bodhisatva.

7.­253

“Śāriputra, there is a further set of ten features of pure morality of the bodhisatva. What are these ten features? As he knows what the appropriate limits are, he maintains the morality of moderation. As he has overcome desire, [F.83.b] he maintains the morality of contentment. As he keeps his body and mind in remote places, he maintains the morality of perseverance. As he despises involvement with worldly matters, he maintains the morality of dwelling in the wilderness. As he is self-reliant in developing roots of virtue, he maintains the morality of ascetic practices and abstinence. As he does not stare at people’s faces, he maintains the morality of delighting in the lineage of the noble ones. As he does not break his promises to gods or men, he maintains the morality of acting in accord with his words. As he is focused on his own mind, he maintains the morality of being aware of his own inadequacies. As he is considerate of the minds of others, he does not think badly of others’ inadequacies. As he does not abandon the methods for bringing people together, he maintains the morality of bringing sentient beings to maturity. These, Śāriputra, are ten further features of the pure morality of the bodhisatva.

7.­254

“Śāriputra, there is a further set of ten features of pure morality of the bodhisatva. What are these ten features? As his mind is not jaded, he maintains the morality of having faith in the Buddha. As he defends the authentic teaching, he maintains the morality of having faith in the Dharma. As he has reverence for the noble assembly, he maintains the morality of having faith in the Saṅgha. As he always keeps his mind directed toward the buddhas and bodhisatvas, he maintains the morality of homage and veneration. As he develops the necessary factors of awakening, he maintains the morality of relying upon a spiritual friend. As he has abandoned all unwholesome forms of conduct, he upholds the morality of ridding oneself of negative influences. As he helps to bring all sentient beings to maturity, he upholds the morality of love. [MS.74.a] As he helps to bring pitiable sentient beings to maturity, he upholds the morality of compassion. As he enjoys and delights in the Dharma, he maintains the morality of empathetic joy. As he has rid himself of attachment and anger, he maintains the morality of equanimity. These, Śāriputra, are ten further features of the pure morality of the bodhisatva.

7.­255

“Śāriputra, [F.84.a] there is a further set of ten features of pure morality of the bodhisatva. What are these ten features? As he helps to bring sentient beings to maturity, he maintains the morality of generosity. As he guards his mind, he maintains the morality of patience. As he does not give up, he maintains the morality of vigor. As he perfects the requirements for meditation, he maintains the morality of meditation. As his thirst for learning about what is fundamental80 is insatiable, he maintains the morality of wisdom. As he studies The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, he maintains the morality of pursuing learning. As he keeps impermanence in mind, he maintains the morality of having no concern for the body. As he maintains an understanding that the mind is like an illusion, he maintains the morality of not trusting in a life force. As his morality is completely pure from the outset, he maintains the morality that is the fulfillment of all intentions. As he dedicates all his morality to awakening, he maintains the morality that connects one with the tathāgatas. These, Śāriputra, are ten further features of the pure morality of the bodhisatva.

7.­256

“Śāriputra, the morality of the bodhisatva is so completely pure that there is no divine or human glory that he does not experience. There is no worldly craft or skill that he does not master, and there are no pleasures or resources that sentient beings possess that he cannot attain. There is no way for ordinary people to come into conflict with him‍—the bodhisatva has no enmity. There is no liar that the bodhisatva does not relate to in good faith. There is no sentient being that he does not consider as having been his mother. There is no sentient being among the different kinds of beings who he does not consider as having been his father. There is no sentient being that will not place their trust in him. There are no conditioned phenomena that he does not consider to be impermanent. [F.84.b] As he sees that this is the way of all conditioned things, the bodhisatva practices the way of the bodhisatva, keeping his morality pure with no concern for his body or his life.”

7.­257

This is what the Lord said. After the Sugata had said this, he, the teacher, continued as follows:

7.­258
“The sound, the features, and the form
Of the Dharma body of the protector
Are not hard to obtain
For those who practice morality.
7.­259
“One will not become blind or deaf,
Crippled or impaired in any way.
One who has embarked on what is pure
Will have a beautiful appearance.
7.­260
“One will have great power, great strength,
And one will shine with the greatest splendor.
One’s wisdom and vigor will be like that of Vāyuna,81
Arousing fear in the evil Māra.
7.­261
“Worshiped by kings,
Honored by gods and nāgas, [MS.74.b]
They eliminate all doubt
And excel in the practice of love.
7.­262
“They master the field of morality
And do not fear dying.
Religious practitioners of great renown
Will not go to the lower realms.
7.­263
“Even in their sleep they watch over
All sentient beings and never grow tired.
They search in all four directions
For genuine teachings.
7.­264
“Those who master the field of morality
Will give away the most precious riches,
Their wives and their own flesh,
In the search for the path of awakening.
7.­265
“They search for the highest Dharma,
The unsurpassed teachings of the Buddha.
They are lords of the world,
Worthy recipients of veneration.
7.­266
“They put up with abuse, criticism,
And all kinds of wicked behavior.
They praise patience.
They are masters of patience.
7.­267
“They act as they speak.
They do not speak falsely,
And when they sit on the seat of awakening
The earth shakes.
7.­268
“They do not doubt the Buddha’s teachings,
And they dispense with other gods,
Never holding anything to be more sacred
Than the Buddha, the Lord. [F.85.a]
7.­269
“The mark of a learned one
Is that he reconciles those
Who use weapons and poison
To hurt one another.
7.­270
“He has no concern for his own welfare,
And he will never abandon sentient beings
Once he has seen their immense suffering,
Even if he has to remain for thousands of millions of eons.
7.­271
“Sentient beings relate to one another thinking,
‘I am friendly when it benefits me.’
Then, when friendliness brings no benefit,
They do not hesitate to kill one another.
7.­272
“ ‘I will fill the Jambu continent,
And even the mighty buddha realms,82
With riches and give it to you‍—
You are my friend whatever happens.’
7.­273
“He remains even minded
Toward all sentient beings,
Even if his major and minor limbs
Are severed with sharp weapons.
7.­274
“For the sake of the Buddha’s teachings,
They defeat the teachings of the immature.
They always maintain pure morality,
And master the true Dharma.
7.­275
“They practice the way of awakening
By engaging with the Dharma and with whatever is in accord with it.
In order to realize awakening,
They will give up the nectar of threefold knowledge.
7.­276
“Remaining within the field of morality,
All the teachings become their training,
And in the world with its gods
The wise accord them honor.
7.­277
“They have no doubts whatsoever about the Dharma,
And they are experts in whatever field may be relevant.
They know the inclinations of sentient beings
And give them verses that please them.
7.­278
“They purify the field of morality
And realize supreme awakening.
Sitting below the supreme tree,
They chase away the evil māras.
7.­279
“Shining with an intense radiance
Equal to the light of the sun and moon,
They become the foremost among sentient beings,
Ascending by means of the eye of wisdom.
7.­280
“They are generous to sentient beings,
Providing answers about the path.
They always speak in a congenial manner
And have no envy whatsoever.
7.­281
“They spontaneously and in abundance
Give themselves and their riches to others,
But not for anything
Will they give up supreme awakening.
7.­282
“Their faith and morality are perfect. [F.85.b]
They have mastered words of truth,
And as they are firm in their practice of morality,
There will be no trickery on their part.
7.­283
“A liar might come their way,
Saying ‘Give me this’ or ‘Do that,’
Even believing it himself,
But they will recognize words of truth.
7.­284
“If he orders everyone to give away
Their robes and their alms bowls, [MS.75.a]
He will not be troubled
If they do not do as he says.
7.­285

“Moreover, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva who keeps his morality pure will view all conditioned things with distaste. He will view all sentient beings as his mother and father. He will view the pleasures of the five senses as worthless. He will view sensory experiences as telling him nothing. Neither agreeable nor disagreeable things will disturb him.

7.­286

“How does he do this? If one reacts to things going well, this might take one’s mind off nirvāṇa. If one reacts to things not going well, this will lead one’s mental disturbances to become even more rampant. Eye consciousness comes about in dependence on eye and form; mental attachment arises and ceases,83 and the dormant tendencies that it has lead one to hold the idea of a thing’s true nature. A mistaken perception leads to a mistaken idea, and one thinks, ‘It is beautiful.’ This is the mistake that is made. Approaching something thinking ‘It is not beautiful’ brings liberation. When liberation occurs, elimination occurs. What is it that is eliminated? Desire is eliminated. Anger is eliminated. Confusion is eliminated. At the same time, there is no elimination of desire, nor is there any elimination of anger or elimination of confusion.84 How can this be so? If when desire is eliminated that desire was considered to be something separate, then the elimination would be something other than that, and desire would be something truly real. Therefore, it is because desire has no reality that it can be eliminated.

7.­287

“So it is, Śāriputra, that desire is created by superficial mental activity and manifests due to conceptualization. Without conceptualization, no mental constructs take place. The abandoning of mental constructs is not something that is real, and that which lacks desire is not something that is real. [F.86.a] Something that is not real does not suffer and does not experience agony, and something that does not experience agony is not real. Something that is not real has no anguish. This is the way of pacification, nirvāṇa, the state of no desire. How is this the case? Nirvāṇa is not something within the mental sphere. It is that which eliminates desire. Thus, the elimination of desire is defined as nirvāṇa. Desire is one thing, and nirvāṇa is another. That which is other is beyond other things. And that which is beyond other things is what the wise seek. In seeking this they do not apprehend an essence. Something that has no essence is hollow. Something that is hollow is void. Something that is void is empty. What is it empty of? It is empty of a self and of ownership, permanence,85 stability, constancy, and any unchangeable phenomena. In the absence of a sentient being there is no life force, and consequently no desire arises, no anger arises, and no confusion arises.

7.­288

“Where then does the reversal of the idea of I or mine, of this is me or this is mine, the grasping at a self or the grasping at ownership, take place? Mental conditioning comes from grasping at ownership. Conditions are created in four ways. What are these four ways? One can be conditioned by the bodily. One can be conditioned by the verbal. One might express oneself using harsh language as a result of a mental process and then go on to inflict physical harm. This is how one comes to hold on to the idea of a self and an other. This conceptual knot, Śāriputra, binds all ordinary, immature beings. Śāriputra, as the bodhisatva comes to understand that this is how distortions arise, he does not accommodate anything like this. Why is this? He sees that this kind of accommodation is a danger, and he thinks, ‘I have no interest in such danger.’ As a consequence of this, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva does not make himself reliant on sentient beings.

7.­289

“In what way, Śāriputra, [F.86.b] does the bodhisatva think of all sentient beings as his mother or his father? [MS.75.b] Śāriputra, it would be hard to come across a sentient being that has not at some point throughout time been one’s mother or one’s father. All sentient beings have been one’s parents. When desire for them arises, one turns it back by thinking of them as one’s mother, and when anger toward them arises one turns it back by thinking of them as one’s father. This then, Śāriputra, is how the bodhisatva should approach all sentient beings.

7.­290

“At one time in the past, Śāriputra, a great many uncountable, innumerable, inconceivable eons ago, a tathāgata, arhat, fully accomplished buddha by the name of Agragaṇin appeared in the world. He was perfect in wisdom and conduct, he was a sugata, a knower of the world, an unsurpassable guide for those who wished to train, a teacher of gods and men, awakened, a lord. He remained in the world for nine hundred million years and had a great following of ninety thousand million billion śrāvakas.

7.­291

“At that time, Śāriputra, a bodhisatva by the name of Smṛtipratilabdha was born into a royal family. He was handsome and pleasant to behold, with an abundance of the most supreme features. At his birth, his mother gave him eighty-four thousand servant girls, his father gave him eighty-four thousand servant girls, his friends, relatives, and kinsmen gave him eighty-four thousand servant girls, and his parents’ relations gave him eighty-four thousand servant girls to accompany him and aid him.

7.­292

“Now, Śāriputra, his father had three palaces made for him: one for the summer, one for the rainy season, and one for the winter. He would reside where the season permitted, and whenever he went from one palace to another, hundreds of thousands of fanfares would accompany him as expressions of honor and reverence. Whenever these instruments were heard, though, the bodhisatva would think only of birth and decay, [F.87.a] and when the music stopped he would reflect on how this sound had come about, where it had come from, why it had stopped, and where it had gone to when it ceased. He was not aware of the passage of night and day; he was only aware of impermanence. He did not take any joy in this music. As he did not take any joy in it, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva Smṛtipratilabdha never became attached to these sounds, even after forty thousand years. Even after forty thousand years, he did not take joy in them. Remaining as a householder, he dwelled in the four meditative states and perfected the five superior abilities. Then, from his dwelling, he created a magical emanation and traveled to the place where the tathāgata, arhat, fully accomplished Buddha Agragaṇin was staying in order to ask the Lord, the tathāgata, arhat, fully accomplished Buddha Agragaṇin, about the reality of roots of virtue.

7.­293

“However, Śāriputra, the Lord, the Tathāgata Agragaṇin, had stated that the occasion for his final nirvāṇa had arrived.

7.­294

“So, when the bodhisatva Smṛtipratilabdha arrived there, in the presence of the one who had by then attained nirvāṇa, he asked, ‘Should we mendicants honor the Tathāgata?’

“The mendicants then answered, ‘Son of good family, the Tathāgata has attained final nirvāṇa.’

7.­295

“Upon hearing [MS.76.a] that Agragaṇin had attained final nirvāṇa, he fell to the earth in tears, and with his face to the ground he spoke these verses:

7.­296
“ ‘He was like a light for the world.
He had attained mastery in all things.
I have been deceiving myself
And have been traveling the road of bewilderment.
7.­297
“ ‘The tathāgatas appear
At intervals of thousands of millions of eons,
And as I have not been able to attend a lord,
Who will be my protector now?
7.­298
“ ‘My mother seems like an enemy to me
For not having told me about the Buddha.
I should have searched for the Tathāgata
The moment I was born. [F.87.b]
7.­299
“ ‘My father seems like an enemy to me,
As he made me engage in pleasures.
I was caught up in them
And did not serve the lord of the world.
7.­300
“ ‘Because of this, I did not hear
The speech of the Tathāgata, which has sixty characteristics.
My life has been an immense failure,
As I have not attended the Buddha.
7.­301
“ ‘He was a tender aid to the world
And had reached perfection in everything that is fundamental.
I, however, have spent my time carelessly
And have not attended the supreme among men.
7.­302
“ ‘Even if a thousand million billion eons were to pass,
It would be exceedingly difficult to encounter a buddha.
Today, as the Sugata has attained nirvāṇa,
I have missed the opportunity to serve him.
7.­303
“ ‘My parents are like enemies to me,
As they did not immediately tell me about the Buddha.
If I had had the good fortune to see the Victorious One,
I would certainly have honored him and listened to his teachings.
7.­304
“ ‘The voice of the Tathāgata has sixty characteristics
With which its sound carries forth,
But I have not had the opportunity to hear his speech today,
As the Victorious One has already passed on.
7.­305
“ ‘It is a great misfortune that I arrived here today,
When nirvāṇa has already been attained,
Leaving me with no opportunity to receive the teachings
That the buddhas of the past have always revealed.’
7.­306

“After this, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva got up and proceeded to the deathbed of the Lord, the Tathāgata, the Arhat Agragaṇin, and in tears he circumambulated the Tathāgata’s deathbed many hundreds and thousands of times. He then took his place to one side and spoke these verses:

7.­307
“ ‘You were truly supreme among sentient beings;
The teachings you gave were true.
Now, for the sake of supreme awakening,
The mind of truth has arisen in me.
7.­308
“ ‘I am not to see the Tathāgata,
The one who speaks truly, the one whose wisdom is great.
I hope, though, that my knowledge may become
Like that of the Victorious One.
7.­309
“ ‘Because I was weak willed in the past,
Because I was ignorant on the side of the māras, [F.88.a]
Remaining as a householder,
I did not attend the most superior of men.
7.­310
“ ‘Because of good deeds performed in the past,
I sought out the Tathāgata.
But you could not impart teachings to me‍—
How terrible is the pain this causes me.
7.­311
“ ‘May the words of truth that I present
In the presence of gods and nāgas
Come to be just as I have spoken them,
If I am able to pursue what is authentic.
7.­312
“ ‘May I become a buddha
In the future, supreme among men,
One who sees what is meaningful, a great elephant,
One who upholds the true teachings.
7.­313
“ ‘May I not be born into unfavorable circumstances
Or have a life governed by sensual distractions.
May I not end up in a female form
Or be bound by the chains of Māra.
7.­314
“ ‘May I always encounter buddhas, [MS.76.b]
So that they can teach me the Dharma directly.
May I have faith when I see them
And attend them faithfully.
7.­315
“ ‘May these words that I have spoken
Come true in exactly this way,
And may this truth establish in me
The same awakening as that of the Buddha.
7.­316
“ ‘Now, as these words have been uttered,
Thousands of millions of gods
Spread fine fabrics on this seat
Where the Tathāgata rests.
7.­317
“ ‘They are gathering in space
In joyful celebration,
And up above they are singing
The praises of the Victorious One.
7.­318
“ ‘The supreme sayings of the one who possesses great magical abilities
Reveal his desire to bring benefit to the world.
The protectors remember the words of the Buddha
And disseminate his supreme teachings.’
7.­319

“After he had spoken these words, he continued with the following verses in order to put the crowd in good spirits:

7.­320
“ ‘It has been prophesied by the supreme among men
That I will become a buddha in this world.
Therefore, follow my example
And honor the Tathāgata.
7.­321
“ ‘How could I possibly fail to have faith in the Buddha,
The inconceivable protector of the world,
Who through his great compassion for me
Has manifested final nirvāṇa?’
7.­322

“With this display of roots of virtue, he presented great offerings to the Tathāgata and worshiped him. [F.88.b] After his death he was reborn in the joyful heavenly realms because of these roots of virtue. For two hundred million eons, he did not fall into the lower realms. For two hundred million eons he never indulged in the pleasures of the senses. Eager for unsurpassed perfect awakening, he served seven thousand buddhas,86 presenting all of them with great offerings and worshiping them. He led a life of purity in every way, and in his final eon, in his final birth, in his final existence, his roots of virtue led him to appear in the world as a tathāgata, arhat, fully accomplished buddha by the name of Sālarāja. He was perfect in wisdom and conduct, and he was a sugata, a knower of the world, an unsurpassable guide for those who wished to train, a teacher of gods and men, awakened, a lord. Śāriputra, the lord Sālarāja lived for two hundred million years. Śāriputra, the tathāgata Sālarāja had two assemblies of śrāvakas: one assembly of śrāvakas consisting of two hundred million mendicants, and one assembly of śrāvakas consisting of forty thousand mendicants. Every one of them was an arhat who had eliminated their defilements, who was free from vices, who had great abilities, and so forth, and who had reached the very highest level of complete mastery of the mind. After his final nirvāṇa, his relics were distributed widely. After his final nirvāṇa, Śāriputra, the authentic teachings of the tathāgata Sālarāja continued for ten thousand years.”

7.­323

The Lord then spoke these verses:

7.­324
“For two hundred million eons
He did not fall into the lower realms.
For two hundred million eons
He was not governed by the pleasures of the senses.
7.­325
“During this time,
Seven thousand buddhas reached nirvāṇa,
And he led a life of purity,
Always yearning for the Dharma. [F.89.a]
7.­326
“Finally, he realized awakening
And became the victorious Sālarāja,
Dwelling in supreme awakening
For thirty thousand years. [MS.77.a]
7.­327
“He realized unsurpassed awakening
For the benefit of all who live,
And for two hundred million eons
He taught the Dharma to living beings.
7.­328
“He had one saṅgha of forty thousand
And another of two hundred million.
All were sages
Who had eliminated the defilements.
7.­329
“After the teacher had attained nirvāṇa,
His relics were widely distributed,
And six hundred thousand million
Stūpas were erected to contain them.
7.­330
“After his nirvāṇa,
His teachings remained for ten thousand years,
And those who heard the Victorious One’s teachings
Could not help but develop faith in them.
7.­331
“Anyone who is learned will entertain no doubts
Once they have heard the teachings of the Buddha.
They will not fall into the lower realms
But quickly reach nirvāṇa.
7.­332

“So, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva whose morality is pure will regard all sentient beings as his parents. Whenever desire arises in his mind, he neutralizes it by thinking of those he desires as his mother. Whenever hostility arises in his mind, he neutralizes it by thinking of those to whom he feels hostile as his father. [B11]

7.­333

“Furthermore, Śāriputra, the bodhisatva whose morality is pure is able to remain unmoved in very unpleasant circumstances. When desire arises, he employs the right kind of mental analysis to deal with the passions. He knows about the passions and what counters the passions. What, then, is a passion, and what counters passions? Passion is said to be the intense attachment to forms that are perceived by the eye. This is what is meant by passion. Moreover, passion is said to be the intense attachment to sounds that are perceived by the ear, as well as the intense attachment to scents that are perceived by the nose, to tastes that are perceived by the tongue, and to physical objects that are perceived by the body. This is what is meant by passion. [F.89.b] With intense attachment comes obsession. With obsession comes involvement. With involvement comes development. With development comes entanglement, and one ends up being deceived by what is false. This, indeed, is how sentient beings are bound by the fetters of deception. They are bound. They are chained. They are shackled.

7.­334

“What is it that binds them? They are bound by the fetters of form. This is what is meant by being bound. They are bound by the fetters of sound, smell, taste, and physical objects. This is what is meant by being bound. What is the fetter of form? It is to provide form with a real identity, investing it with ideas such as a self, a life force, a person, permanence, constancy, durability, substance, wholeness, and solidity. This is what is meant by the fetter of form. What does being bound by the fetter of form entail? It entails investing a great deal in the identity that one has built, and it entails having a selfish love and affection for one’s wife. When one is bound by the fetters of form, one remains focused on satisfying one’s passions, and so one accumulates unwholesome karma. One does not understand the faults of passion. What are the faults of passion? Even though there is no passion in those whose faults have been purified, or passion in faults, still, the faults of passions lead one to the lower states of existence, and so that is what I teach. How is it that the fault of passion leads to the lower states of existence? I assure you, Śāriputra, that there is no evil that someone who is governed by passion will not commit. When the fruits of his actions ripen, [MS.77.b] there is no suffering that he will not have to endure. This is why, Śāriputra, there is no greater enemy in the thousand realms of the world than one’s own wife.

7.­335

“Why is this? Śāriputra, the Tathāgata is knowledgeable, [F.90.a] while all sentient beings remain ignorant. When someone knowledgeable forbids something, then there is good reason for it. When the ignorant grasp after things, that is a mistake. What is it that the ignorant grasp after? They grasp after conditioned things. They grasp after sons, daughters, and wives. This is what they grasp after, and as they are entangled by grasping they are not seized by the noble path. Being caught up in sons, daughters, and wives leads to attachment and craving and is a hindrance to the renunciant life. It is a hindrance to morality, a hindrance to meditation, a hindrance to heaven, and a hindrance to nirvāṇa. Keeping male and female servants and having sons, daughters, and wives is a hindrance to any kind of wholesome practice. Similarly, when one has sons, daughters and wives, one is providing for an enemy, and one is providing for the hell realms, the animal realms, and the spirit world governed by Yama. In short, one is providing for all imaginable unwholesome things. These things are a hindrance to healthy sustenance, and they are a hindrance to seeing the Buddha. Similarly, they are a hindrance to hearing the Dharma, to serving the Saṅgha, to seeing the Buddha and developing faith in him, to hearing the Dharma and developing faith in it, to serving the Saṅgha and developing faith in it, and to encountering favorable conditions. Similarly, they are a hindrance to attaining the riches of faith, the riches of morality, the riches of learning, the riches of wisdom, the riches of renunciation, the riches of modesty, and the riches of self-control. One becomes distrustful when one has wives, sons, and daughters. Likewise, one becomes immoral, stingy, mean, [F.90.b] dull minded, shameless, and immodest when one has wives, sons, and daughters. When one has wives, sons, and daughters, one becomes sick, with boils and pain, one takes hold of the fire element, and one takes hold of a poisonous snake. Living as a householder is like living in a charnel ground. I tell you, the charnel ground of the house is a barren wasteland that steals away everything that brings any benefit. Enjoying wives, sons, and daughters, Śāriputra, is like enjoying a bolt of lightning. It is like enjoying a sharp sword or a seat of molten iron. When one enjoys fragrant flowers, rosaries, and ointments, one is in fact enjoying an iron seat, a garland of iron balls, and an ointment of feces and urine. Keeping a house is like keeping an iron kettle. Someone who keeps male and female servants and workers and laborers is providing for the guardians of hell. Someone who keeps elephants, horses, buffaloes, donkeys, sheep, fowl, and pigs is providing for creatures such as Śyāma and Śabala to be dispatched for a hundred yojanas. Someone who has wives, sons, and daughters is providing for all kinds of suffering, depression, and grief.

7.­336

“Śāriputra, it would be preferable to be surrounded by a glowing, burning, blazing iron plain extending for a thousand yojanas [MS.78.a] than to look from afar upon the wife one has been given by one’s parents, much less embrace her. Why is this? A wife is the root of suffering. A wife is the root of evil. A wife is the root of misfortune. A wife is the root of captivity. A wife is the root of trouble. A wife is the root of rivalry. A wife is the root of blindness. A wife is what causes the destruction of the eye of wisdom. [F.91.a] Having a wife is like being on a plain strewn with burning hot iron and stones. Having a wife is like being under attack. Having a wife is like being overcome by unwise tendencies.

7.­337

“Why is it that we call her a wife, a burden?87 It is because she is the one who is designated as a burden,88 the burden that falls to one, the burden one has to take on, the burden one is stuck with, the burden one has to drag, the burden that affects one emotionally, the burden that brings one pain, the burden on account of which one suffers evils, and the burden that emaciates one. This is why we call her a wife, a burden.

7.­338

“Because they are slaves to desire, sentient beings have to support their wives, and in this way they are oppressed by this burden and seized by this burden, they succumb to this burden, they are weighed down by this burden, they become subject to this burden, they become slaves to this burden, and they have to tend to this burden. This is why we call her a wife, a burden.

7.­339

“Because of their wives, they are not able to get rid of the great burden. What is the burden that they cannot get rid of? It is the five skandhas. What are the five skandhas? They are the skandha of form, the skandha of feeling, the skandha of perception, the skandha of mental conditioning, and the skandha of consciousness. They are not able to get rid of the burden of these five skandhas. This is why she is called a wife, a burden.

7.­340

“Why is she called an old companion? It is because, Śāriputra, she is one’s companion when it comes to ruining morality. She is one’s companion when it comes to ruining good conduct. She is one’s companion when it comes to ruining right view. She is one’s companion in eating and drinking. She is a companion in one’s journey to the hells, to the animal realms, and to the spirit world governed by Yama. She obstructs the wisdom of the noble ones. She is an adversary to the happiness of nirvāṇa. She is one’s companion in bringing together all types of suffering. This is why she is called an old companion.

7.­341

“Why is she called a woman? [F.91.b] It is because she is a seductress, with many faults and full of unending deception, that she is called a woman. Those who are under the sway of a woman have fallen into the hands of Māra. They who have fallen into the hands of Māra are under the sway of the Evil One. The faults of the woman are many, their deceptions unending. Her mind is fickle. Her mind is restless. Her mind is agitated. Her mind is agitated and unsteady. She has a monkey mind, like that of an ape. She is a mistress of deception. This is why she is called a woman.

7.­342

“She is a ‘village of seduction,’89 Śāriputra, a town of seduction, a kingdom of seduction, a marketplace of seduction, a realm of seduction, a land of seduction, an empire of seduction, a region of seduction, a world of seduction, unending seduction, great seduction, immeasurable seduction, inconceivable seduction. This is why she is called a woman.

7.­343

“Therefore, Śāriputra, it is said that those who entertain the fault of passion are destined for the lower states of existence. Śāriputra, just as a [MS.78.b] skilled magician can make you experience any sort of illusion, so can women, Śāriputra, skilled in female deception, take a man captive through his eyes, take a man captive through his ears, take a man captive through his mind, and take control over him. They take control over men through song. They take control over men through dance. They take control over men through laughter. They capture men through crying, coming, going, sitting, lying, sleeping, and all kinds of such things, and they take control over them. Śāriputra, just like a field of fully matured rice can be ravaged by a great thunderstorm, so are women like a thunderstorm ravaging the field of men, destroying everything that is good. All immature ordinary beings are engaging in passions that lead to the lower states of existence when, out of ignorance, they take a wife.

7.­344

“Śāriputra, with his insight into the faults of passion, the learned bodhisatva comes to understand two things. What are these two things? He comes to understand how wretched all immature ordinary people are, [F.92.a] and he comes to understand how honorable all noble beings are. With these two insights he thinks to himself, ‘We shall strive to become honorable men, and not remain wretched. We shall endeavor not to end up in the hell realms, or to end up in the animal realms, or in the spirit world governed by Yama. We shall not engage in immoral behavior. We shall not be influenced by those who are badly behaved. On the contrary, we shall work to develop the distinguished, unsurpassed realization of all phenomena, the knowledge of a buddha. We shall begin to change the way we go about things, and not continue in the same direction. We shall let the lion’s roar resound. We shall not let the jackal’s bark resound. We shall display the strength of the eagle. We shall not be like insects. We shall become good men, and not dishonorable men. We shall keep the diet of honorable men, and not indulge in lesser foods. We shall remain absorbed in the best of meditations, the supreme meditations, the distinguished meditations. We shall remain absorbed in the meditations that lead to the attainment of supreme meditation, and not those meditations that do not lead to the attainment of supreme meditation, or the lesser meditations. We shall enjoy the meditative concentrations of the Buddha, but not the meditative concentrations of the śrāvakas, the pratyekabuddhas, [MS.79.a] or immature ordinary people. We shall meditate without support, not with form as support, or with feeling, perception, mental conditioning, or consciousness as support. We shall not meditate relying on the earth element, or relying on the water element, the fire element, or the wind element. [F.92.b] We shall not meditate with the realm of desire as our aim, or with the realm of form as our aim, or with the formless realm as our aim. We shall not meditate with anything in this world as our aim, or with anything beyond this world as our aim. Anything that can be seen, heard, recollected, thought of, attained, reached, or realized shall not be a support for our meditative concentration. We shall not meditate in a manner that could bring harm to ourselves, to others, or to both ourselves and others. We shall exert ourselves in our search for perfection in the knowledge of a buddha. Enough of this search of mine for pleasure!’

7.­345

“The learned bodhisatva, Śāriputra, then comes to reject four things. What are these four things? He rejects temptation, he rejects existence, he rejects the company of sentient beings who are ungrateful, and he rejects the suffering that comes with engagement in anything that is conditioned. These are the four things he comes to reject.

7.­346

“Śāriputra, even if, in the lower states of existence, the bodhisatva were to set eyes on a woman with perfect features, four things would come to his mind. What are these four things? He would think of her as vile. He would think of her as a precipice. He would think of her as a latrine. He would relate to her as one does to pus. These, Śāriputra, are the four things that would come to the mind of the bodhisatva even if he, in the lower states of existence, were to set eyes on a woman with perfect features. If he were a human being, Śāriputra, a son of good family who had entered the Mahāyāna, and he were to set eyes on a woman with perfect features, four thoughts would certainly come to his mind. What are these four thoughts? He would think of her as vile. He would think of her as a precipice. He would think of her as a latrine. He would relate to her as one does to pus. If, with these considerations in mind, he were still to feel desire, he should then cultivate three thoughts. What are these three thoughts? If she resembles a mother he should think of her as his mother. If she resembles a sister he should think of her as his sister. If she resembles a daughter he should think of her as his daughter. These are the three thoughts he should cultivate.

7.­347

“Śāriputra, [F.93.a] the bodhisatva who absorbs these excellent words of mine will see things in accordance with the way they are presented in the sūtras: ‘It is not easy to encounter a sentient being who has not throughout the extent of time been my mother or my father. All sentient beings have been my parents, and so one is indeed taking one’s mother as one’s wife!’ This is how one should train. This would not be in harmony with the practice of all immature ordinary people, and I would not wish to infringe upon the customs of immature ordinary people.

7.­348

“When one is following a particular course of action and thoughts of desire arise, one should properly investigate the arising of this state of desire to see whether it is visual perception that is the source of this mental event. One should properly investigate whether the desire is located in the eye, reflecting, ‘If my desires were located in the eye, how could the eye be observing the eye? Can an essence perceive its own essence? How could that be? [MS.79.b] There would then be that eye and this eye. That eye would be related to the element, and this eye would be the production of the element. In the context of the production of elements, a real essence cannot desire a real essence, or its own being. Why is this? If that is just the same as this, there is no difference between desiring that and desiring this. All immature ordinary people fail to make this distinction. I, however, wish to be someone who sees distinctions. Why do I wish this? I wish this because someone who wishes for desires is without good qualities.’ ”

7.­349

The Lord then spoke these verses:

7.­350
“There is one thing that is common to everyone‍—
And no one is different in this regard‍—
And that is that the mind of desire
Follows along with the grasping born of superficiality.
7.­351
“How can something come from something,
And how can there be desire for an element?
Phenomena are like logs‍—
There is nothing there to desire.
7.­352
“I have analyzed these things and come to see
That things arise without any reality.
The unreal is what gives rise to desire. [F.93.b]
One cannot find any reality in desire.
7.­353
“Even if one searches in all ten directions,
One cannot find any reality to desire.
It is only by means of misconceptions
That the mind of desire arises.
7.­354

“If one properly investigates how desire arises in the mind in this way, one will take the greatness of my instructions to heart. A master of discourses should be in agreement with the explanations found in the sūtras:

7.­355

“The eye is like a bubble‍—it bursts under strain. A bubble has no self, no being, no life force, no person, no man, no human being, no soul, no one who acts, and no one who experiences. Where then can there be someone filled with desire?90 Who would desire that which is powerless and ineffective?

7.­356

“The eye is like froth on water‍—it has no essential nature. Froth has no self, no being, no life force, no person, no man, no human, no soul, no one who acts, and no one who experiences. Who would desire that which is powerless and ineffective?

7.­357

“The eye is like a mirage‍—it comes about through action, vice, and desire. A mirage has no self, no being, no life force, no person, no man, no human, no soul, no one who acts, and no one who experiences. Who would desire those things that are powerless and ineffective? Where does desire take place?91

7.­358

“The eye is like a plantain tree‍—it has no essential nature. The plantain tree has no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found?

7.­359

“The eye is like an illusion‍—it appears due to trickery. An illusion has no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found?

7.­360

“The eye is like a dream‍—it sees things in a distorted and false manner. A dream has no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found? [F.94.a]

7.­361

“The eye is like an echo‍—it is dependent upon conditions. An echo has no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found?

7.­362

“The eye is like a reflection‍—it is seen through the mirror of karma. A reflection has no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found?

7.­363

“The eye is like a cloud‍—it is ever changing and lacks any essential characteristics. A cloud has no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found?

7.­364

“The eye is like lightning‍—it is gone in an instant. Lightning has no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found?

7.­365

“The eye is like something empty, with no self or ownership. Things that are empty have no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found? [MS.80.a]

7.­366

“The eye is like lifeless matter, like grass, plaster, wood, rock, or a reflection. All phenomena are like lifeless matter, and they have no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found?

7.­367

“The eye is helpless, as if caught in a whirlwind. All phenomena are helpless, and they have no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found?

7.­368

“The eye is worthless, like a heap of pus and excrement. All phenomena are worthless, and they have no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found?

7.­369

“The eye is useless, like something that is worn out, damaged, broken, decayed, and ruined. [F.94.b] All phenomena are useless, and they have no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found?

7.­370

“The eye is like a dried-up well, overcome by age. All phenomena are like dried-up wells, and they have no self, no being, and so forth. Who would desire these things? Where is such desire to be found?

7.­371

“The eye is not something that will last‍—its passing is inevitable. No phenomena will last, and they have no self, no being, no life force, no person, no man, no human, no soul, no one who acts, and no one who experiences. Who would desire those things that are powerless and ineffective, that are dependent upon conditions? Where is such desire to be found?

“One should go through all the outer and inner sense fields in this way.

7.­372

“Śāriputra, the bodhisatva who applies himself correctly in this manner will not be disturbed by passion. This is impossible. He will remain passionless in the face of all phenomena. This, Śāriputra, is the purity of the morality of the bodhisatva, the great being.

7.­373

“Śāriputra, the pure morality of the bodhisatva, the great being, is such that he will not kill any being under any circumstances. He will not harm anything that possesses life. He will not take anything that has not been given to him under any circumstances, even if his life depends on it. He does not steal the property of others. He will not engage in sexual misconduct under any circumstances, even if his life depends on it. He does not lust for the wife of another. He will not tell a lie under any circumstances, even if his life depends on it. He does not violate the trust of any sentient being. He will not condone slanderous remarks among those who are associated with him. Even if his life depended on it, he would still not engage in inane chatter. He measures his words and avoids saying anything irrelevant. He will not [F.95.a] covet another’s possessions, even if his life depends on it. He will not become angry, even if his life depends on it, but will patiently accept harsh and slanderous remarks. He will not adopt wrong views even if his life depends on it. He will go for refuge to the Buddha and will not have recourse to any other divinity.

7.­374

“He maintains his morality unblemished by not striving after any other type of knowledge. He keeps his morality unbroken by avoiding anything that is incompatible with the Dharma. He keeps his morality unadulterated by not associating with wicked people who indulge in vices. He keeps his morality spotless by only promoting wholesome ways of acting. He keeps his morality free by following his own inclinations. He keeps his morality respectful and is not censured by those who are knowledgeable. He preserves his morality by remaining mindful and aware. He keeps his morality irreproachable by not letting any mistakes occur. He safeguards his morality by guarding the doors of the senses. He guards his reputation for pure morality [MS.80.b] because it is in accord with the intent of all the buddhas. He maintains the morality of requiring little by knowing what the proper measures are. He maintains the morality of contentment and easily avoids greed. He maintains the morality of persistence by isolating his body and his mind. He maintains the morality of the hermit by shunning society. He maintains the morality of the tradition of the noble ones by not looking another directly in the face. He maintains the morality of upholding the qualities of a purified one by generating the roots of virtue of a life of self-reliance. He maintains the morality of integrity by not violating his promises to gods and men. He maintains the morality of love through the attitude of not causing harm to any sentient being. He maintains the morality of compassion by being moved by all forms of suffering. He maintains the morality of empathetic joy by delighting in the Dharma and not becoming discouraged. He maintains the morality of equanimity by ridding himself of attachment and aversion. He maintains the morality of examining his own mistakes by clearly discerning his own mind. [F.95.b] He maintains the morality of not seeing faults in others’ mistakes and is considerate of the minds of others. He maintains the morality of bringing sentient beings to maturity through the perfection of generosity. He maintains the morality of guarding himself through the perfection of morality. He maintains the morality of not becoming angry through the perfection of patient acceptance. He maintains the morality of not turning away from the wholesome Dharma through the perfection of vigor. He maintains the morality of perfecting the factors of meditation through the perfection of meditation. He maintains the morality of excellent learning through the perfection of wisdom. He maintains the morality of relying on a spiritual friend and develops the necessary factors of awakening. He maintains the morality of avoiding bad influences by avoiding wicked paths. He maintains the morality of having no concern for his body by applying the idea of impermanence. He maintains the morality of having no concern for his life by not putting his trust in it. He maintains the morality of having no regrets by keeping his intentions perfectly pure. He maintains the morality of being uncontrived by keeping his engagement perfectly pure. He maintains the morality of avoiding burning desire by keeping his sincerity perfectly pure. He maintains the morality of modesty by remaining free from desire. He maintains the morality of unpretentiousness by keeping a low profile. He maintains the morality of not being foolish because of his noble nature. He maintains the morality of discipline through a lack of aggression. He maintains the morality of tranquility by remaining calm. He maintains the morality of being receptive by not being opposed to the statements of the buddhas. He maintains the morality of bringing sentient beings to maturity by not abandoning the methods for bringing people together. He maintains the morality of guarding the Dharma by not letting his resources diminish. The learned bodhisatva’s skandha of morality is like this, Śāriputra, and with it he trains in the way of the bodhisatva.

7.­375

“This, Śāriputra, is the perfection of morality of the bodhisatvas, the great beings, [F.96.a] and when bodhisatvas apply themselves to it in their practice of the way of the bodhisatva, they cannot be overpowered by Māra and his retinue, nor by the gods. They cannot be overpowered by any opponent.”

7.­376

This is the seventh chapter, “The Perfection of Morality.”


8.

Chapter 8: The Perfection of Patient Acceptance

8.­1

“Now, Śāriputra, what is the bodhisatva’s perfection of patient acceptance, by which he wholeheartedly practices the way of the bodhisatva? Śāriputra, the bodhisatva’s patience comes from a natural ability for endurance. He can patiently accept cold and heat, starvation and thirst, wind and scorching heat, [MS.81.a] insects and reptiles, and people speaking to him in unpleasant and unwelcome ways. He is patient with painful sensations that are related to or produced by the physical body and endures them easily, whether they are intense, strong, sharp, life threatening, or deadly.


9.

Chapter 9: The Perfection of Vigor

9.­1

“Now, Śāriputra, what is the bodhisatvas’ perfection of vigor like, the perfection of vigor by means of which bodhisatvas, great beings, practice the way of the bodhisatva and that makes bodhisatvas, great beings, invulnerable to attacks by Māra and his retinue, the gods, and all other opponents?101

9.­2

“Śāriputra, the vigor of the bodhisatva, the great being, is unyielding and involves no concern for his body or his life. When he has cultivated this powerful vigor, he will seek out the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva. He will study it conscientiously, learn it, memorize it, recite it, absorb it, clarify it for others, teach it in great detail, commit it to writing, and preserve it.


10.

Chapter 10: The Perfection of Meditation

10.­1

“What, then, is the bodhisatva’s perfection of meditation like, the perfection of meditation by means of which bodhisatvas, great beings, practice the way of the bodhisatva? Śāriputra, the bodhisatva has left desires behind. He has left evil, unwholesome qualities behind, and he attains and abides in the first meditative state, the state of joy and happiness [F.144.a] that is born from seclusion and that includes conceptualization and deliberation.


11.

Chapter 11: The Perfection of Wisdom

11.­1

“Now, Śāriputra, what is the bodhisatvas’ perfection of wisdom like, the perfection of wisdom by means of which bodhisatvas, great beings, practice the way of the bodhisatva? Śāriputra, the bodhisatva conscientiously studies the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva; he learns it, memorizes it, reads it, absorbs it, clarifies it to others, and teaches it in great detail. When he has conscientiously studied the cycle of teachings contained in The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, when he has learned it, memorized it, read it, clarified it to others, and taught it in great detail, he develops the different aspects of wisdom.


c.

Colophon

c.­1

This was translated into Tibetan by the Indian preceptors Ācārya Surendra, Śīlendra, and Ācārya Dharmatāśīla [F.205.b] and revised according to the later language reform.


ab.

Abbreviations

Akṣ Akṣayamati­nirdeśa­sūtra (Braarvig 1996)
Chi Chinese; see Dh and Xu.
D Degé Kangyur
Dh Chinese translation of the Bodhisatva­piṭaka by Dharmarakṣa 法護 法護 (2) (1018–58 ᴄᴇ), Foshuo dashengpusacangzhengfajing 佛說大乘菩薩藏正法經, in Taishō 316.
MS Sanskrit manuscript of the Bodhisatva­piṭaka (Liland et al., forthcoming).
Q Peking 1737 (Qianlong) Kangyur.
Skt Sanskrit; see MS.
Taishō Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō 大正新修大藏經, Tokyo 1926–34.
Tib Tibetan translation of the Bodhisatva­piṭaka by Surendrabodhi, Śīlendrabodhi, and Dharmatāśīla (9th century ᴄᴇ), ’phags pa byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod ces bya ba thegs chen po’i mdo.
Xu Chinese translation of the Bodhisatva­piṭaka by Xuanzang 玄奘 (645 ᴄᴇ), da pu sa cang jing 大菩薩藏經, in Taishō 310(12).

n.

Notes

n.­1
We prefer to follow the mainstream Buddhist Sanskrit usage of manuscripts and inscriptions by spelling bodhisatva with a single rather than a double t, the latter being a convention of modern editors. See Gouriswar Bhattacharya, “How to Justify the Spelling of the Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Term Bodhisatva?” in From Turfan to Ajanta: Festschrift for Dieter Schlingloff on the Occasion of his Eightieth Birthday, ed. Eli Franco and Monika Zin (Rupandehi: Lumbini International Research Institute, 2010), 2:35–50. Note that this is also the spelling used in Gāndhārī, as well as in Khotanese, Tibetan lexicography, and old Thai documents.
n.­2
Liland et al., forthcoming.
n.­3
In Braarvig and Pagel 2006.
n.­4
Braarvig and Pagel 2006.
n.­5
Liland et al., forthcoming.
n.­6
This homage to Mañjuśrī is only included in MS.
n.­7
This sentence is missing in Tib.
n.­8
According to Tib and Chi, “You do not strike your ankles against each other when you walk.”
n.­70
MS has śuddhavāci, but Tib and Chi agree on śuddhacāri.
n.­71
Xu gives trust in actions and in the ripening of their fruits as two separate points, making it a list of ten.
n.­72
“Practice” here translates dharma (chos).
n.­73
This is probably a reference to the idea that the chances of obtaining a human birth are the same as the chances of a turtle that comes to the surface of the ocean once every hundred years putting its head through a single small yoke floating somewhere in the great oceans of the world. See for example Saṃyutta Nikāya 56.47 and 56.48.
n.­74
The Sanskrit has a negation in this expression, implying that the bodhisatva could not, in that existence, honor and serve those who are worthy of veneration. We follow the Tibetan here, which has no negation, implying that the bodhisatva had to honor and serve the beings who ruled over him.
n.­75
This is probably a reference to the epic battle of the Rāmāyaṇa in which Rāma conquered Rāvaṇa (mānamandara; “the proud one of Mandara”).
n.­76
MS reads śakya­buddha­guṇa­śikṣarakṣanā, which we interpret as śākyabuddha, though Tib (D) has sangs rgyas yon tan bslab pa bslab nus shes.
n.­77
This sentence is missing in MS.
n.­78
This sentence is missing in Tib.
n.­79
This follows Tib. MS says, “For one who does not understand by means of wisdom, everything becomes difficult to grasp.”
n.­80
Skt: śrutamūla and Xu: 聽聞根本 agree on this interpretation, but Tib (D and Q) have thos pa dang tshul khrims, apparently reading śrutaśīla.
n.­81
Skt Vāyuna is missing in Tib.
n.­82
Skt and Tib do not correspond in the previous six verse lines (Skt is missing a line): arthalābhena mitro smi bhāṣaṃte anyamany ime ’ jambūdvipe [narthaṃ(?) s.a] rvvaṃ buddha­kṣetrā varo balo; D: don rnyed na ni mdza’ ’o zhes/ phan tshun du ni rab tu smra/ don ni byed par ma gyur na/ gcig la gcig ni gsod par byed/ ’dzam bu yi ni gling ’di dang / sangs rgyas kyi ni zhing kun tu; Xu: 善友交談論 義利由斯獲 而眾生不求 反更相加害 我以贍部洲 及諸佛國土. This reading follows the Tibetan.
n.­83
Skt: aniruddha; Tib: ’gags pa; Xu: 滅. We follow the Tibetan and Chinese interpretation.
n.­84
This sentence does not occur in Tib but is present in both Skt and Chi.
n.­85
D: mi rtag pa does not occur in Skt.
n.­86
The phrase so tenāntareṇa sapta­buddha­sahasrāṇi ārāgitavān does not appear in the Tibetan.
n.­87
There is a play on words here that cannot be captured in translation, as the Sanskrit word bhāryā can mean both “wife” and “burden.”
n.­88
Skt: bhāra.
n.­89
Skt: māyāgrāma; there is a play on words here in the Sanskrit in that the word for “village of seduction” (māyāgrāma) is similar to the word for “woman” (mātrgrāma). Tib has bu med, indicating that they read mātrgrāma here. The word for seduction can also be translated as “illusion,” with the sense that the woman is a trickster.
n.­90
This sentence does not occur in Tib.
n.­91
This question is not found in Tib.
n.­101
Part of this sentence (D: bdud dang bdud kyi ris kyi lha’i bu rnams dang / de ma yin ba gzhan phas kyi rgol ba thams cad kyis, “to attacks by Māra and his retinue, the gods, and all other opponents”) is not found in MS.

b.

Bibliography

byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod (Bodhisatva­piṭaka). Degé Kangyur, vols. 40–41 (dkon brtsegs, kha–ga), folios 255.b (kha)–205.b (ga).

byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod (Bodhisatva­piṭaka). Peking 1737 (Qianlong) Kangyur, vols. 51–52 (dkon brtsegs, dzi–wi), folios 281.b (dzi)–234.a (wi).

byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod. 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, p. 737–vol. 41, p. 503.

Baums, Stefan et al. “The Bodhisattvapiṭakasūtra in Gāndhārī.” In Buddhist Manuscripts Volume IV, edited by Jens Braarvig et al., 267–82. Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection. Oslo: Hermes, 2016.

Braarvig, Jens. Akṣayamati­nirdeśa­sūtra. 2 vols. Oslo: Solum Forlag, 1996.

Braarvig, Jens, and Ulrich Pagel. “Fragments of the Bodhisattvapiṭakasūtra.” In Buddhist Manuscripts Volume III, edited by Jens Braarvig et al., 11–88. Buddhist Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection. Oslo: Hermes, 2006.

Edgerton, Franklin. Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Grammar and Dictionary. 2 vols. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1953.

Liland, Fredrik et al. Bodhisatva­piṭaka: A Critical Edition. Sanskrit Texts from the Tibetan Autonomous Region (STTAR). Vienna: Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, forthcoming.

Pagel, Ulrich. The Bodhisattvapiṭaka: Its Doctrines, Practices and Their Position in Mahāyāna Literature. Tring: Institute of Buddhist Studies, 1995.

Pedersen, Kusumita Priscilla. “The ‘Dhyāna’ Chapter of the ‘Bodhisattvapiṭaka-sūtra.’ ” PhD diss., Columbia University, 1976.


g.

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.

g.­1

Abhiyaśa

Wylie:
  • grags pa
Tibetan:
  • གྲགས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • abhiyaśa AS

The father of the future buddha Kāruṇika.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 9.­164
g.­2

Abhyudgata

Wylie:
  • mngon par ’phags
Tibetan:
  • མངོན་པར་འཕགས།
Sanskrit:
  • abhyudgata AS

A buddha in the distant past.

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • i.­9
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­203-204
  • 9.­231
  • 9.­243
  • 9.­257
  • 9.­261
  • 9.­263
  • 9.­274
  • g.­345
g.­3

abode of limitless consciousness

Wylie:
  • rnam shes mtha’ yas skye mched
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་ཤེས་མཐའ་ཡས་སྐྱེ་མཆེད།
Sanskrit:
  • vijñānānaṃ­tyāyatana AS

The fifth of the eight liberations.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­228
  • g.­243
g.­7

Ācārya Dharmatāśīla

Wylie:
  • chos nyid tshul khrims
Tibetan:
  • ཆོས་ཉིད་ཚུལ་ཁྲིམས།
Sanskrit:
  • dharmatāśīla

The 9th century Tibetan translator of this text.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • c.­1
g.­8

action

Wylie:
  • las
Tibetan:
  • ལས།
Sanskrit:
  • karma AS

See “karma.”

Located in 82 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­48
  • 1.­69
  • 1.­74-75
  • 1.­81
  • 1.­128
  • 1.­131
  • 1.­163
  • 3.­17
  • 3.­24-25
  • 4.­64
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­93
  • 4.­102
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­138
  • 4.­146-149
  • 4.­151
  • 4.­153-154
  • 4.­156-157
  • 4.­204
  • 4.­224
  • 4.­234
  • 4.­256
  • 4.­260
  • 4.­268
  • 4.­299
  • 4.­302
  • 4.­314
  • 5.­26
  • 6.­4
  • 6.­12
  • 7.­20
  • 7.­55
  • 7.­75
  • 7.­101
  • 7.­120
  • 7.­123
  • 7.­125
  • 7.­127
  • 7.­142
  • 7.­203
  • 7.­207
  • 7.­213
  • 7.­334
  • 7.­348
  • 7.­357
  • 8.­3
  • 8.­55
  • 9.­43
  • 9.­172
  • 9.­180
  • 9.­260
  • 10.­8-9
  • 10.­12
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­24
  • 10.­27
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­95
  • 11.­102-103
  • 11.­106
  • 11.­124
  • 11.­145
  • 11.­149
  • 11.­168
  • 11.­183
  • 11.­329
  • n.­71
  • g.­75
  • g.­248
  • g.­255
  • g.­354
  • g.­374
g.­13

age

Wylie:
  • bskal pa
Tibetan:
  • བསྐལ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • kalpa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A cosmic period of time, sometimes equivalent to the time when a world system appears, exists, and disappears. According to the traditional Abhidharma understanding of cyclical time, a great eon (mahākalpa) is divided into eighty lesser eons. In the course of one great eon, the universe takes form and later disappears. During the first twenty of the lesser eons, the universe is in the process of creation and expansion; during the next twenty it remains; during the third twenty, it is in the process of destruction; and during the last quarter of the cycle, it remains in a state of empty stasis. A fortunate, or good, eon (bhadrakalpa) refers to any eon in which more than one buddha appears.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­206
  • 9.­71
  • 11.­313
g.­15

Agragaṇin

Wylie:
  • mchog gi tshogs can
Tibetan:
  • མཆོག་གི་ཚོགས་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • agragaṇin AS

A buddha in the distant past.

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­290
  • 7.­292-293
  • 7.­295
  • 7.­306
  • g.­318
g.­16

analytical ability

Wylie:
  • so so yang dag par rig pa
Tibetan:
  • སོ་སོ་ཡང་དག་པར་རིག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • pratisamvid AS

May refer to the four analytical abilities, listed here as analytical ability in relation to objects, analytical ability in relation to phenomena, analytical ability in relation to language, and analytical ability in relation to eloquence.

Located in 18 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­15
  • 4.­402
  • 7.­213
  • 9.­14
  • 9.­260
  • 9.­370
  • 11.­2-3
  • 11.­56
  • 11.­71-76
  • 11.­78-80
g.­19

Aniruddha

Wylie:
  • ma ’gags pa
Tibetan:
  • མ་འགགས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • aniruddha AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Lit. “Unobstructed.” One of the ten great śrāvaka disciples, famed for his meditative prowess and superknowledges. He was the Buddha's cousin‍—a son of Amṛtodana, one of the brothers of King Śuddhodana‍—and is often mentioned along with his two brothers Bhadrika and Mahānāma. Some sources also include Ānanda among his brothers.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 11.­285
  • n.­83
g.­21

arhat

Wylie:
  • dgra bcom pa
Tibetan:
  • དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • arhat AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

According to Buddhist tradition, one who is worthy of worship (pūjām arhati), or one who has conquered the enemies, the mental afflictions (kleśa-ari-hata-vat), and reached liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. It is the fourth and highest of the four fruits attainable by śrāvakas. Also used as an epithet of the Buddha.

Located in 108 passages in the translation:

  • i.­11
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­5-6
  • 1.­210-211
  • 1.­214
  • 2.­20
  • 3.­1-2
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­45
  • 4.­47
  • 4.­62-63
  • 4.­65
  • 4.­67
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­97-99
  • 4.­108
  • 4.­112-113
  • 4.­116
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­140
  • 4.­145-146
  • 4.­149
  • 4.­171
  • 4.­423
  • 5.­2-3
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­15-16
  • 7.­218-219
  • 7.­221-222
  • 7.­248-249
  • 7.­290
  • 7.­292
  • 7.­306
  • 7.­322
  • 8.­7-8
  • 9.­6
  • 9.­20
  • 9.­66
  • 9.­77
  • 9.­79
  • 9.­112
  • 9.­114
  • 9.­133-134
  • 9.­136
  • 9.­144
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­166
  • 9.­170
  • 9.­177
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­203-204
  • 9.­231
  • 9.­243
  • 9.­257
  • 9.­274
  • 9.­282
  • 9.­284
  • 9.­286
  • 9.­300
  • 9.­304
  • 9.­312
  • 9.­354
  • 9.­356
  • 9.­362
  • 9.­369-370
  • 9.­372-373
  • 10.­9
  • 11.­99
  • 11.­233-236
  • 11.­241-242
  • 11.­252
  • 11.­255-256
  • 11.­262
  • 11.­273-275
  • 11.­277
  • 11.­281-282
  • 11.­285
  • 11.­296
  • 11.­309
  • 11.­311-312
  • g.­255
g.­23

ascetic

Wylie:
  • dge sbyong
Tibetan:
  • དགེ་སྦྱོང་།
Sanskrit:
  • śramaṇa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A general term applied to spiritual practitioners who live as ascetic mendicants. In Buddhist texts, the term usually refers to Buddhist monastics, but it can also designate a practitioner from other ascetic/monastic spiritual traditions. In this context śramaṇa is often contrasted with the term brāhmaṇa (bram ze), which refers broadly to followers of the Vedic tradition. Any renunciate, not just a Buddhist, could be referred to as a śramaṇa if they were not within the Vedic fold. The epithet Great Śramaṇa is often applied to the Buddha.

Located in 28 passages in the translation:

  • i.­2
  • 1.­2-3
  • 1.­5-6
  • 1.­123
  • 1.­186
  • 2.­76
  • 3.­16
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­97
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­145
  • 4.­159
  • 4.­171
  • 4.­279
  • 4.­281
  • 4.­320
  • 4.­377
  • 4.­423
  • 5.­2
  • 6.­2
  • 7.­120
  • 7.­211
  • 7.­253
  • 9.­179
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­25
g.­26

asura

Wylie:
  • lha ma yin
Tibetan:
  • ལྷ་མ་ཡིན།
Sanskrit:
  • asura AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A type of nonhuman being whose precise status is subject to different views, but is included as one of the six classes of beings in the sixfold classification of realms of rebirth. In the Buddhist context, asuras are powerful beings said to be dominated by envy, ambition, and hostility. They are also known in the pre-Buddhist and pre-Vedic mythologies of India and Iran, and feature prominently in Vedic and post-Vedic Brahmanical mythology, as well as in the Buddhist tradition. In these traditions, asuras are often described as being engaged in interminable conflict with the devas (gods).

Located in 20 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2-3
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­57
  • 2.­76
  • 3.­22
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­97
  • 5.­2
  • 7.­210
  • 9.­93
  • 9.­113
  • 9.­365
  • 9.­367-368
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­12
  • 11.­180
  • 11.­331
  • g.­412
g.­27

attribute

Wylie:
  • mtshan ma
Tibetan:
  • མཚན་མ།
Sanskrit:
  • nimitta AS

Located in 47 passages in the translation:

  • i.­11
  • 1.­161
  • 3.­18
  • 3.­23
  • 3.­32
  • 4.­3
  • 4.­16
  • 4.­25
  • 4.­238
  • 4.­284
  • 4.­309
  • 4.­326
  • 4.­345
  • 4.­348
  • 4.­351
  • 4.­354-356
  • 4.­365
  • 5.­13
  • 7.­185-186
  • 7.­216
  • 7.­219
  • 8.­57-58
  • 8.­60
  • 10.­22
  • 10.­38
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­48
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­72-73
  • 11.­97
  • 11.­112
  • 11.­132-133
  • 11.­158
  • 11.­168
  • 11.­191
  • 11.­195
  • 11.­280-281
  • 11.­283-284
  • g.­371
g.­29

awakened

Wylie:
  • sangs rgyas
Tibetan:
  • སངས་རྒྱས།
Sanskrit:
  • buddha AS

Describes someone who has attained the highest goal of Buddhism. Also rendered here as “buddha.”

Located in 36 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­3
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­111
  • 4.­285
  • 4.­341
  • 4.­369
  • 4.­388
  • 4.­391
  • 5.­2
  • 6.­15-16
  • 6.­25
  • 7.­129
  • 7.­290
  • 7.­322
  • 8.­7-8
  • 9.­77
  • 9.­131
  • 9.­191
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­282
  • 9.­284
  • 9.­289
  • 9.­300
  • 9.­312
  • 9.­354
  • 9.­372
  • 10.­26
  • 11.­33
  • 11.­236
  • 11.­252
  • 11.­302
  • g.­112
  • g.­119
  • g.­365
g.­30

become a renunciant

Wylie:
  • rab tu byung
  • rab byung
  • mngon par byung
Tibetan:
  • རབ་ཏུ་བྱུང་།
  • རབ་བྱུང་།
  • མངོན་པར་བྱུང་།
Sanskrit:
  • pra√vraj AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Sanskrit pravrajyā literally means “going forth,” with the sense of leaving the life of a householder and embracing the life of a renunciant. When the term is applied more technically, it refers to the act of becoming a male novice (śrāmaṇera; dge tshul) or female novice (śrāmaṇerikā; dge tshul ma), this being a first stage leading to full ordination.

Located in 52 passages in the translation:

  • i.­2
  • 1.­10
  • 1.­38
  • 1.­42
  • 1.­49
  • 1.­54
  • 1.­62
  • 1.­70
  • 1.­76
  • 1.­83
  • 1.­91
  • 1.­98-100
  • 1.­104-106
  • 1.­108
  • 1.­110-111
  • 1.­124
  • 1.­165
  • 1.­196
  • 1.­208-209
  • 2.­28
  • 3.­22
  • 7.­210-211
  • 7.­225-226
  • 8.­21
  • 9.­151
  • 9.­192
  • 9.­230
  • 9.­251
  • 9.­256
  • 9.­261
  • 9.­280-282
  • 9.­299
  • 9.­356
  • 9.­363
  • 9.­365
  • 9.­367
  • 9.­371
  • 11.­214
  • 11.­252
  • 11.­266
  • 11.­278
  • 11.­313
g.­37

bodhisatva

Wylie:
  • byang chub sems dpa’
Tibetan:
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ།
Sanskrit:
  • bodhisatva AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A being who is dedicated to the cultivation and fulfilment of the altruistic intention to attain perfect buddhahood, traversing the ten bodhisattva levels (daśabhūmi, sa bcu). Bodhisattvas purposely opt to remain within cyclic existence in order to liberate all sentient beings, instead of simply seeking personal freedom from suffering. In terms of the view, they realize both the selflessness of persons and the selflessness of phenomena.

Located in 443 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­1
  • i.­4-5
  • i.­9
  • i.­11-12
  • 1.­1
  • 2.­7
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­48
  • 2.­64
  • 3.­2
  • 3.­7
  • 3.­10
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­14-16
  • 3.­21
  • 3.­25
  • 3.­28
  • 3.­30
  • 3.­33-34
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­7
  • 4.­14
  • 4.­17
  • 4.­19
  • 4.­29-30
  • 4.­32
  • 4.­43-44
  • 4.­55
  • 4.­62
  • 4.­68
  • 4.­77
  • 4.­80
  • 4.­106-108
  • 4.­116
  • 4.­123-124
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­140
  • 4.­149
  • 4.­162
  • 4.­175
  • 4.­205
  • 4.­211
  • 4.­229
  • 4.­245
  • 4.­257-258
  • 4.­264
  • 4.­269
  • 4.­280-281
  • 4.­283
  • 4.­286
  • 4.­290
  • 4.­304
  • 4.­321
  • 4.­339-340
  • 4.­358
  • 4.­376-377
  • 4.­386
  • 4.­396-398
  • 4.­422
  • 4.­424
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­4-5
  • 5.­7-27
  • 5.­29-30
  • 6.­1-12
  • 6.­14
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­18
  • 6.­33
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­5-6
  • 7.­10
  • 7.­20
  • 7.­27-29
  • 7.­41-42
  • 7.­44
  • 7.­54-56
  • 7.­66-68
  • 7.­83-85
  • 7.­99-102
  • 7.­106
  • 7.­112
  • 7.­119-121
  • 7.­135-137
  • 7.­150-153
  • 7.­160
  • 7.­166
  • 7.­173-175
  • 7.­191-194
  • 7.­203-204
  • 7.­206-211
  • 7.­213-215
  • 7.­219
  • 7.­250-256
  • 7.­285
  • 7.­288-289
  • 7.­291-292
  • 7.­294
  • 7.­306
  • 7.­332-333
  • 7.­344-347
  • 7.­372-375
  • 8.­1-5
  • 8.­11
  • 8.­20
  • 8.­23-24
  • 8.­44
  • 8.­46
  • 8.­50
  • 8.­54-57
  • 8.­61
  • 9.­1-8
  • 9.­10-11
  • 9.­40
  • 9.­164-180
  • 9.­191
  • 9.­194
  • 9.­198
  • 9.­200
  • 9.­263
  • 9.­267
  • 9.­271-272
  • 9.­283-285
  • 9.­300-307
  • 9.­310-311
  • 9.­328
  • 9.­332-333
  • 9.­335
  • 9.­337-339
  • 9.­348-349
  • 9.­351-353
  • 9.­355-356
  • 9.­368
  • 9.­370
  • 9.­372
  • 9.­374-375
  • 10.­1-4
  • 10.­6-29
  • 10.­48
  • 10.­51
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3-4
  • 11.­17-18
  • 11.­25-26
  • 11.­35-36
  • 11.­41-45
  • 11.­47-48
  • 11.­50-56
  • 11.­58
  • 11.­61-66
  • 11.­68-73
  • 11.­80-83
  • 11.­86-87
  • 11.­99
  • 11.­101-104
  • 11.­106
  • 11.­119-122
  • 11.­124-125
  • 11.­128-136
  • 11.­144-145
  • 11.­153-155
  • 11.­160-162
  • 11.­165-168
  • 11.­173-176
  • 11.­178-183
  • 11.­186-187
  • 11.­193-194
  • 11.­196-197
  • 11.­203
  • 11.­217-218
  • 11.­229
  • 11.­231
  • 11.­241
  • 11.­247
  • 11.­252
  • 11.­255
  • 11.­262
  • 11.­280
  • 11.­283-285
  • 11.­310-311
  • 11.­326
  • n.­1
  • n.­74
  • n.­104
  • n.­115
  • g.­67
  • g.­68
  • g.­97
  • g.­200
  • g.­261
  • g.­292
  • g.­313
  • g.­318
  • g.­319
  • g.­324
  • g.­327
  • g.­337
  • g.­341
  • g.­359
  • g.­374
  • g.­391
g.­39

Brahmā

Wylie:
  • tshangs pa
Tibetan:
  • ཚངས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • brahman AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world; he is also considered to be the lord of the Sahā world (our universe). Though not considered a creator god in Buddhism, Brahmā occupies an important place as one of two gods (the other being Indra/Śakra) said to have first exhorted the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. The particular heavens found in the form realm over which Brahmā rules are often some of the most sought-after realms of higher rebirth in Buddhist literature. Since there are many universes or world systems, there are also multiple Brahmās presiding over them. His most frequent epithets are “Lord of the Sahā World” (sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (mahābrahman).

Located in 25 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­121
  • 4.­31
  • 4.­34
  • 4.­70
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­393
  • 5.­7
  • 6.­6
  • 6.­12
  • 7.­227
  • 8.­55
  • 9.­5
  • 9.­203
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­23
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­102
  • 11.­199
  • 11.­325
  • n.­43
  • g.­38
  • g.­43
  • g.­44
  • g.­45
g.­42

brahmā world

Wylie:
  • tshangs pa’i ’jig rten
  • tshangs bcas ’jig rten
Tibetan:
  • ཚངས་པའི་འཇིག་རྟེན།
  • ཚངས་བཅས་འཇིག་རྟེན།
Sanskrit:
  • brahmaloka AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A collective name for the first three heavens of the form realm, which correspond to the first concentration (dhyāna): Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, and Mahābrahmā (also called Brahmapārṣadya). These are ruled over by the god Brahmā. According to some sources, it can also be a general reference to all the heavens in the form realm and formless realm. (Provisional 84000 definition. New definition forthcoming.)

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­22
  • 2.­7
  • 2.­16
  • 7.­227
  • 9.­134
  • 9.­274
  • 9.­281
g.­46

brahmin

Wylie:
  • bram ze
Tibetan:
  • བྲམ་ཟེ།
Sanskrit:
  • brāhmaṇa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A member of the highest of the four castes in Indian society, which is closely associated with religious vocations.

Located in 49 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­11
  • 1.­2-3
  • 2.­76
  • 3.­16
  • 4.­30
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­97
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­145
  • 4.­159
  • 4.­171
  • 4.­279
  • 4.­281
  • 4.­320
  • 4.­377
  • 4.­423
  • 5.­2
  • 6.­2
  • 7.­120
  • 9.­195
  • 10.­20
  • 11.­244
  • 11.­246
  • 11.­257-261
  • 11.­263-265
  • 11.­269-279
  • 11.­281-282
  • g.­70
  • g.­216
  • g.­278
g.­51

cessation

Wylie:
  • ’gog pa
  • ’gag pa
  • zad pa
Tibetan:
  • འགོག་པ།
  • འགག་པ།
  • ཟད་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • nirodha AS
  • kṣaya AS

Located in 25 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­153
  • 1.­169
  • 1.­171
  • 4.­184
  • 4.­225
  • 4.­227-228
  • 4.­356
  • 4.­367
  • 7.­136
  • 7.­139
  • 10.­21
  • 10.­26
  • 10.­28
  • 11.­65
  • 11.­67-70
  • 11.­72
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­149
  • 11.­159
  • g.­245
  • g.­380
g.­54

concentration

Wylie:
  • ting nge ’dzin
Tibetan:
  • ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན།
Sanskrit:
  • samādhi AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In a general sense, samādhi can describe a number of different meditative states. In the Mahāyāna literature, in particular in the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, we find extensive lists of different samādhis, numbering over one hundred.

In a more restricted sense, and when understood as a mental state, samādhi is defined as the one-pointedness of the mind (cittaikāgratā), the ability to remain on the same object over long periods of time. The Drajor Bamponyipa (sgra sbyor bam po gnyis pa) commentary on the Mahāvyutpatti explains the term samādhi as referring to the instrument through which mind and mental states “get collected,” i.e., it is by the force of samādhi that the continuum of mind and mental states becomes collected on a single point of reference without getting distracted.

Located in 100 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­69
  • 1.­73
  • 1.­131
  • 3.­13
  • 3.­32
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­8
  • 4.­14-15
  • 4.­64
  • 4.­80-83
  • 4.­87
  • 4.­98-99
  • 4.­101
  • 4.­103
  • 4.­106
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­189
  • 4.­199
  • 4.­228-229
  • 4.­297
  • 4.­299
  • 4.­311
  • 4.­313-315
  • 4.­317
  • 4.­354
  • 4.­383
  • 4.­389
  • 4.­393-394
  • 4.­409
  • 5.­14
  • 6.­7
  • 6.­9
  • 6.­13
  • 7.­210
  • 7.­213
  • 7.­216-218
  • 9.­5
  • 9.­164
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­5
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­22-23
  • 10.­25
  • 10.­27-28
  • 10.­32-40
  • 10.­42-45
  • 10.­47-48
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­36
  • 11.­48
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­110
  • 11.­130
  • 11.­136
  • 11.­141-142
  • 11.­145
  • 11.­147
  • 11.­153
  • 11.­163
  • 11.­167
  • 11.­171-172
  • 11.­175
  • 11.­179
  • 11.­277
  • 11.­322
  • g.­75
  • g.­91
  • g.­94
  • g.­98
  • g.­248
  • g.­354
  • g.­356
g.­55

conceptualization

Wylie:
  • rnam par rtog pa
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་པར་རྟོག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • vikalpa AS

Thought constructions.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­51
  • 4.­61
  • 4.­104
  • 4.­227
  • 7.­287
  • 9.­342
  • 10.­1-2
  • 10.­50
  • 11.­126
g.­57

consciousness

Wylie:
  • rnam par shes pa
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་པར་ཤེས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • vijñāna AS

The cognizant quality of the mind.

Located in 63 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­138-139
  • 1.­141
  • 1.­151-152
  • 1.­161
  • 1.­164
  • 1.­166-167
  • 1.­170
  • 1.­189
  • 1.­198-200
  • 3.­18
  • 3.­20
  • 3.­26
  • 4.­15-16
  • 4.­48-55
  • 4.­99
  • 4.­173
  • 4.­179-180
  • 4.­224
  • 4.­228
  • 4.­234
  • 4.­345-347
  • 4.­350
  • 4.­353
  • 4.­394
  • 5.­14
  • 7.­286
  • 7.­339
  • 7.­344
  • 9.­345
  • 10.­10
  • 10.­13
  • 11.­49
  • 11.­55-57
  • 11.­59
  • 11.­82
  • 11.­87-93
  • 11.­183
  • 11.­283
  • g.­100
g.­58

corruption

Wylie:
  • kun nas nyon mongs
  • kun nas nyon mongs pa
Tibetan:
  • ཀུན་ནས་ཉོན་མོངས།
  • ཀུན་ནས་ཉོན་མོངས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • saṃkleśa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A term meaning defilement, impurity, and pollution, broadly referring to cognitive and emotional factors that disturb and obscure the mind. As the self-perpetuating process of affliction in the minds of beings, it is a synonym for saṃsāra. It is often paired with its opposite, vyavadāna, meaning “purification.”

Located in 23 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­83
  • 1.­85
  • 1.­90
  • 1.­133
  • 1.­185
  • 4.­161
  • 4.­168
  • 4.­223-224
  • 4.­229
  • 4.­234
  • 7.­136
  • 8.­57-58
  • 9.­334
  • 10.­16
  • 11.­96
  • 11.­124
  • 11.­133
  • 11.­140-141
  • 11.­164
  • n.­147
g.­59

crown protrusion

Wylie:
  • gtsug tor
Tibetan:
  • གཙུག་ཏོར།
Sanskrit:
  • uṣṇīṣa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the thirty-two signs, or major marks, of a great being. In its simplest form it is a pointed shape of the head like a turban (the Sanskrit term, uṣṇīṣa, in fact means “turban”), or more elaborately a dome-shaped extension. The extension is described as having various extraordinary attributes such as emitting and absorbing rays of light or reaching an immense height.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­138
  • 4.­392
  • 6.­12
  • 7.­213
  • 9.­169
g.­60

cyclic existence

Wylie:
  • ’khor ba
Tibetan:
  • འཁོར་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • saṃsāra AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A state of involuntary existence conditioned by afflicted mental states and the imprint of past actions, characterized by suffering in a cycle of life, death, and rebirth. On its reversal, the contrasting state of nirvāṇa is attained, free from suffering and the processes of rebirth.

Located in 35 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­37
  • 1.­39
  • 1.­91
  • 1.­126
  • 1.­134-135
  • 5.­15
  • 5.­18
  • 7.­73
  • 7.­104
  • 8.­3-4
  • 8.­57-58
  • 9.­15
  • 9.­173
  • 10.­26
  • 11.­53
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­60
  • 11.­74
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­96
  • 11.­131
  • 11.­152
  • 11.­168
  • 11.­191
  • 11.­197
  • 11.­203
  • g.­99
  • g.­117
  • g.­186
  • g.­187
  • g.­353
  • g.­355
g.­61

defilements

Wylie:
  • zag pa
Tibetan:
  • ཟག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Literally, “to flow” or “to ooze.” Mental defilements or contaminations that “flow out” toward the objects of cyclic existence, binding us to them. Vasubandhu offers two alternative explanations of this term: “They cause beings to remain (āsayanti) within saṃsāra” and “They flow from the Summit of Existence down to the Avīci hell, out of the six wounds that are the sense fields” (Abhidharma­kośa­bhāṣya 5.40; Pradhan 1967, p. 308). The Summit of Existence (bhavāgra, srid pa’i rtse mo) is the highest point within saṃsāra, while the hell called Avīci (mnar med) is the lowest; the six sense fields (āyatana, skye mched) here refer to the five sense faculties plus the mind, i.e., the six internal sense fields.

Located in 34 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­14
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­267-269
  • 4.­271-274
  • 4.­287-289
  • 4.­336
  • 4.­343
  • 4.­355
  • 5.­2
  • 6.­16
  • 7.­219
  • 7.­322
  • 7.­328
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­173
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­300
  • 9.­354
  • 10.­24
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­48
  • 11.­236
  • g.­112
  • g.­119
  • g.­315
  • g.­356
  • g.­380
g.­65

dharma

Wylie:
  • chos
Tibetan:
  • ཆོས།
Sanskrit:
  • dharma AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term dharma conveys ten different meanings, according to Vasubandhu’s Vyākhyā­yukti. The primary meanings are as follows: the doctrine taught by the Buddha (Dharma); the ultimate reality underlying and expressed through the Buddha’s teaching (Dharma); the trainings that the Buddha’s teaching stipulates (dharmas); the various awakened qualities or attainments acquired through practicing and realizing the Buddha’s teaching (dharmas); qualities or aspects more generally, i.e., phenomena or phenomenal attributes (dharmas); and mental objects (dharmas).

Located in 358 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­3
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­89
  • 1.­96
  • 1.­99
  • 1.­114
  • 1.­116-118
  • 1.­121-124
  • 1.­198
  • 1.­213
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­44
  • 2.­48-49
  • 2.­52
  • 2.­58
  • 2.­62
  • 2.­64
  • 2.­68
  • 2.­74
  • 2.­76
  • 3.­5
  • 3.­15
  • 3.­17
  • 3.­21-22
  • 3.­33
  • 4.­3-4
  • 4.­30
  • 4.­34
  • 4.­42
  • 4.­142-143
  • 4.­148
  • 4.­161
  • 4.­170
  • 4.­174
  • 4.­192
  • 4.­195-198
  • 4.­200
  • 4.­204-205
  • 4.­242
  • 4.­244
  • 4.­248
  • 4.­257
  • 4.­268-269
  • 4.­277
  • 4.­282-283
  • 4.­285
  • 4.­288-289
  • 4.­297
  • 4.­302-303
  • 4.­308-317
  • 4.­323-325
  • 4.­329
  • 4.­334-338
  • 4.­352
  • 4.­355
  • 4.­364
  • 4.­380-391
  • 4.­393
  • 4.­395
  • 4.­397
  • 4.­400
  • 4.­402
  • 4.­408
  • 4.­410
  • 4.­412
  • 4.­420
  • 5.­2-3
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­10-19
  • 5.­22-24
  • 6.­7-9
  • 6.­12
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­27-28
  • 7.­12
  • 7.­20
  • 7.­26
  • 7.­37
  • 7.­93
  • 7.­127
  • 7.­131
  • 7.­136
  • 7.­139-140
  • 7.­142
  • 7.­147
  • 7.­153-159
  • 7.­181-182
  • 7.­188
  • 7.­192-193
  • 7.­195
  • 7.­197
  • 7.­203
  • 7.­205
  • 7.­210-214
  • 7.­216
  • 7.­219
  • 7.­223
  • 7.­227
  • 7.­244
  • 7.­254
  • 7.­265
  • 7.­274-275
  • 7.­277
  • 7.­314
  • 7.­325
  • 7.­327
  • 7.­335
  • 7.­374
  • 8.­5-8
  • 8.­20
  • 9.­15
  • 9.­18
  • 9.­20
  • 9.­30-31
  • 9.­39
  • 9.­41
  • 9.­46
  • 9.­52-54
  • 9.­58-59
  • 9.­61
  • 9.­63
  • 9.­65
  • 9.­67-68
  • 9.­70-71
  • 9.­73-75
  • 9.­80
  • 9.­82
  • 9.­84
  • 9.­100
  • 9.­108
  • 9.­132-133
  • 9.­141-143
  • 9.­149
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­166-167
  • 9.­169-170
  • 9.­173
  • 9.­177-178
  • 9.­186
  • 9.­188-189
  • 9.­192-194
  • 9.­199
  • 9.­224
  • 9.­235
  • 9.­237-238
  • 9.­240
  • 9.­242
  • 9.­261
  • 9.­270
  • 9.­300
  • 9.­303
  • 9.­305-306
  • 9.­310-311
  • 9.­332
  • 9.­339
  • 9.­349
  • 9.­351
  • 9.­354-355
  • 9.­362
  • 9.­364
  • 9.­367
  • 9.­373
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­13
  • 10.­15-16
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­20-21
  • 10.­23-26
  • 10.­34-35
  • 10.­37
  • 10.­42-43
  • 11.­2-3
  • 11.­14-16
  • 11.­22
  • 11.­24
  • 11.­28
  • 11.­30
  • 11.­32-35
  • 11.­38
  • 11.­40
  • 11.­42
  • 11.­48-49
  • 11.­53
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­64
  • 11.­76
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­82-83
  • 11.­85
  • 11.­98-112
  • 11.­116
  • 11.­125
  • 11.­130-131
  • 11.­136
  • 11.­138-140
  • 11.­168
  • 11.­176
  • 11.­195
  • 11.­207
  • 11.­209-210
  • 11.­215
  • 11.­219
  • 11.­223
  • 11.­225-228
  • 11.­230
  • 11.­237
  • 11.­244
  • 11.­285
  • 11.­295
  • 11.­299
  • 11.­301-302
  • 11.­306
  • 11.­313-314
  • 11.­323-324
  • n.­33
  • n.­72
  • n.­117
  • n.­134
  • g.­66
  • g.­95
  • g.­121
  • g.­314
  • g.­375
g.­66

Dharma body

Wylie:
  • chos kyi sku
  • chos sku
Tibetan:
  • ཆོས་ཀྱི་སྐུ།
  • ཆོས་སྐུ།
Sanskrit:
  • dharmakāya AS

In distinction to the rūpakāya, or form body of a buddha, this is the eternal, imperceivable realization of a buddha. In origin it was a term for the presence of the Dharma and has become synonymous with the true nature.

Located in 14 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­258
  • 9.­307
  • 9.­310-312
  • 9.­332-333
  • 9.­335
  • 9.­337-339
  • 9.­342
  • 10.­23
  • 11.­122
g.­69

Dīpaṅkara

Wylie:
  • mar me mdzad
Tibetan:
  • མར་མེ་མཛད།
Sanskrit:
  • dīpaṅkara AS

A previous buddha who gave Śākyamuni the prophecy of his buddhahood.

Located in 32 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­11
  • 9.­312
  • 11.­243
  • 11.­245-247
  • 11.­252
  • 11.­254-257
  • 11.­262-263
  • 11.­265
  • 11.­269-276
  • 11.­278-279
  • 11.­281-282
  • g.­70
  • g.­167
  • g.­216
  • g.­256
  • g.­278
g.­72

divine hearing

Wylie:
  • lha’i rna ba
Tibetan:
  • ལྷའི་རྣ་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • divyaśrotra AS

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • 6.­8
  • 9.­316
  • 10.­6
  • 10.­11-13
  • g.­103
  • g.­315
  • g.­339
g.­73

divine son

Wylie:
  • lha’i bu
Tibetan:
  • ལྷའི་བུ།
Sanskrit:
  • devaputra AS

See “god.”

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­194
  • 9.­164
  • 11.­247
g.­75

eight kinds of mistakes

Wylie:
  • log pa brgyad
Tibetan:
  • ལོག་པ་བརྒྱད།
Sanskrit:
  • aṣṭamithyātva AS

Wrong view, wrong intention, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong concentration.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­101
  • g.­77
g.­76

eight liberations

Wylie:
  • rnam par thar pa brgyad
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་པར་ཐར་པ་བརྒྱད།
Sanskrit:
  • aṣṭavimokṣa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A series of progressively more subtle states of meditative realization or attainment. There are several presentations of these found in the canonical literature. One of the most common is as follows: (1) One observes form while the mind dwells at the level of the form realm. (2) One observes forms externally while discerning formlessness internally. (3) One dwells in the direct experience of the body’s pleasant aspect. (4) One dwells in the realization of the sphere of infinite space by transcending all conceptions of matter, resistance, and diversity. (5) Transcending the sphere of infinite space, one dwells in the realization of the sphere of infinite consciousness. (6) Transcending the sphere of infinite consciousness, one dwells in the realization of the sphere of nothingness. (7) Transcending the sphere of nothingness, one dwells in the realization of the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. (8) Transcending the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception, one dwells in the realization of the cessation of conception and feeling.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­228
  • 9.­164
  • g.­3
  • g.­4
  • g.­5
  • g.­6
  • g.­186
  • g.­187
g.­80

eighteen unique buddha qualities

Wylie:
  • sangs rgyas kyi chos ma ’dres pa bco brgyad rnams
Tibetan:
  • སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་ཆོས་མ་འདྲེས་པ་བཅོ་བརྒྱད་རྣམས།
Sanskrit:
  • aṣṭādaśāveṇikā­buddha­dharma AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Eighteen special features of a buddha’s behavior, realization, activity, and wisdom that are not shared by other beings. They are generally listed as: (1) he never makes a mistake, (2) he is never boisterous, (3) he never forgets, (4) his concentration never falters, (5) he has no notion of distinctness, (6) his equanimity is not due to lack of consideration, (7) his motivation never falters, (8) his endeavor never fails, (9) his mindfulness never falters, (10) he never abandons his concentration, (11) his insight (prajñā) never decreases, (12) his liberation never fails, (13) all his physical actions are preceded and followed by wisdom (jñāna), (14) all his verbal actions are preceded and followed by wisdom, (15) all his mental actions are preceded and followed by wisdom, (16) his wisdom and vision perceive the past without attachment or hindrance, (17) his wisdom and vision perceive the future without attachment or hindrance, and (18) his wisdom and vision perceive the present without attachment or hindrance.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­13
  • 4.­138
  • 4.­377-378
  • 4.­398
  • 4.­423
  • 6.­12
  • 11.­2
  • g.­81
  • g.­389
g.­85

elder

Wylie:
  • gnas brtan
Tibetan:
  • གནས་བརྟན།
Sanskrit:
  • sthavira AS

A monk of seniority within the assembly of the śrāvakas.

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­88
  • 4.­108
  • 4.­110-111
  • 4.­114-115
  • 4.­118
  • 7.­169
  • 7.­247-248
  • 11.­285
g.­86

elements

Wylie:
  • khams
Tibetan:
  • ཁམས།
Sanskrit:
  • dhātu AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In the context of Buddhist philosophy, one way to describe experience in terms of eighteen elements (eye, form, and eye consciousness; ear, sound, and ear consciousness; nose, smell, and nose consciousness; tongue, taste, and tongue consciousness; body, touch, and body consciousness; and mind, mental phenomena, and mind consciousness).

This also refers to the elements of the world, which can be enumerated as four, five, or six. The four elements are earth, water, fire, and air. A fifth, space, is often added, and the sixth is consciousness.

Located in 48 passages in the translation:

  • i.­8
  • 1.­150
  • 1.­163
  • 1.­166
  • 1.­200
  • 4.­15
  • 4.­50
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­172-175
  • 4.­179-181
  • 4.­183
  • 4.­191
  • 4.­353
  • 4.­355-356
  • 7.­28
  • 7.­31
  • 7.­348
  • 9.­334-335
  • 10.­28
  • 11.­56
  • 11.­59
  • 11.­61
  • 11.­72
  • 11.­74
  • 11.­89
  • 11.­101
  • 11.­117
  • 11.­122-123
  • 11.­127
  • 11.­130
  • 11.­157
  • 11.­166
  • 11.­176
  • 11.­195
  • 11.­197
  • 11.­219
  • 11.­283
  • n.­18
  • g.­238
  • g.­356
g.­87

eon

Wylie:
  • bskal pa
Tibetan:
  • བསྐལ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • kalpa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A cosmic period of time, sometimes equivalent to the time when a world system appears, exists, and disappears. According to the traditional Abhidharma understanding of cyclical time, a great eon (mahākalpa) is divided into eighty lesser eons. In the course of one great eon, the universe takes form and later disappears. During the first twenty of the lesser eons, the universe is in the process of creation and expansion; during the next twenty it remains; during the third twenty, it is in the process of destruction; and during the last quarter of the cycle, it remains in a state of empty stasis. A fortunate, or good, eon (bhadrakalpa) refers to any eon in which more than one buddha appears.

Located in 78 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­53
  • 2.­17
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­39
  • 4.­10
  • 4.­19
  • 4.­85
  • 4.­98-99
  • 4.­101
  • 4.­104
  • 4.­115
  • 4.­242
  • 4.­247
  • 4.­250
  • 4.­260
  • 4.­390
  • 4.­396
  • 5.­2
  • 6.­15-16
  • 7.­73
  • 7.­104
  • 7.­106
  • 7.­109
  • 7.­123-125
  • 7.­148
  • 7.­270
  • 7.­290
  • 7.­297
  • 7.­302
  • 7.­322
  • 7.­324
  • 7.­327
  • 8.­13
  • 8.­20
  • 8.­24
  • 8.­36
  • 8.­42
  • 8.­45
  • 9.­48
  • 9.­66
  • 9.­76-77
  • 9.­89
  • 9.­102
  • 9.­117
  • 9.­164-165
  • 9.­170
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­218
  • 9.­256
  • 9.­300
  • 9.­310
  • 9.­312
  • 9.­354
  • 9.­373
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­24
  • 10.­31
  • 11.­236
  • 11.­243
  • 11.­266
  • 11.­275
  • 11.­277
  • 11.­282
  • 11.­287
  • 11.­289
  • 11.­299
  • 11.­309-313
g.­89

Evil One

Wylie:
  • sdig can bdud
Tibetan:
  • སྡིག་ཅན་བདུད།
Sanskrit:
  • pāpīma AS
  • pāpīyat AS

Refers to Māra.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­62
  • 3.­6
  • 7.­341
g.­90

factors of awakening

Wylie:
  • byang chub kyi yan lag
Tibetan:
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་ཡན་ལག
Sanskrit:
  • bodhyaṅga AS

See “seven factors of awakening.”

Located in 15 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­313
  • 5.­21
  • 7.­157
  • 7.­254
  • 7.­374
  • 8.­56
  • 9.­173
  • 10.­23
  • 10.­26
  • 10.­45
  • 11.­2-3
  • 11.­56
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­136
g.­91

faculties

Wylie:
  • dbang po
Tibetan:
  • དབང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • indriya AS

May refer to the sense faculties (sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste, and the mental faculty). May also refer to the “five faculties”: faith, vigor, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.

Located in 52 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­142
  • 3.­23
  • 3.­25
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­188-193
  • 4.­195-201
  • 4.­204
  • 4.­207
  • 4.­215
  • 4.­311
  • 4.­350
  • 4.­388-389
  • 5.­21
  • 7.­120
  • 7.­125-126
  • 7.­136
  • 7.­146
  • 7.­157
  • 9.­169
  • 9.­356
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­13
  • 10.­15-16
  • 10.­26
  • 10.­28
  • 11.­2-3
  • 11.­72
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­167-173
  • 11.­183
  • g.­314
g.­93

final nirvāṇa

Wylie:
  • yongs su mya ngan las ’das pa
Tibetan:
  • ཡོངས་སུ་མྱ་ངན་ལས་འདས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • parinirvāṇa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

This refers to what occurs at the end of an arhat’s or a buddha’s life. When nirvāṇa is attained at awakening, whether as an arhat or buddha, all suffering, afflicted mental states (kleśa), and causal processes (karman) that lead to rebirth and suffering in cyclic existence have ceased, but due to previously accumulated karma, the aggregates of that life remain and must still exhaust themselves. It is only at the end of life that these cease, and since no new aggregates arise, the arhat or buddha is said to attain parinirvāṇa, meaning “complete” or “final” nirvāṇa. This is synonymous with the attainment of nirvāṇa without remainder (anupadhiśeṣanirvāṇa).

According to the Mahāyāna view of a single vehicle (ekayāna), the arhat’s parinirvāṇa at death, despite being so called, is not final. The arhat must still enter the bodhisattva path and reach buddhahood (see Unraveling the Intent, Toh 106, 7.14.) On the other hand, the parinirvāṇa of a buddha, ultimately speaking, should be understood as a display manifested for the benefit of beings; see The Teaching on the Extraordinary Transformation That Is the Miracle of Attaining the Buddha’s Powers (Toh 186), 1.32.

The term parinirvāṇa is also associated specifically with the passing away of the Buddha Śākyamuni, in Kuśinagara, in northern India.

Located in 19 passages in the translation:

  • 6.­16
  • 7.­219
  • 7.­293-295
  • 7.­321-322
  • 9.­8
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­167
  • 9.­304
  • 9.­355
  • 9.­373
  • 10.­26
  • 11.­44
  • 11.­102
  • 11.­312-313
  • g.­67
g.­94

five faculties

Wylie:
  • dbang po lnga
Tibetan:
  • དབང་པོ་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañcendriya AS

Faith, vigor, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. These are the same as the five powers but at a lesser stage of development. See also 11.­168.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 11.­167
  • 11.­173
  • 11.­175
  • 11.­181
  • g.­91
  • g.­98
  • g.­365
g.­96

five obscurations

Wylie:
  • sgrib pa lnga
Tibetan:
  • སྒྲིབ་པ་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañcanivaraṇa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Five impediments to meditation (bsam gtan, dhyāna): sensory desire (’dod pa la ’dun pa, kāmacchanda), ill will (gnod sems, vyāpāda), drowsiness and torpor (rmugs pa dang gnyid, styānamiddha), agitation and regret (rgod pa dang ’gyod pa, auddhatya­kaukṛtya), and doubt (the tshom, vicikitsā).

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 5.­13
  • 7.­101
g.­97

five perfections

Wylie:
  • pha rol tu phyin pa lnga
Tibetan:
  • ཕ་རོལ་ཏུ་ཕྱིན་པ་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañcapāramitā AS

The practice of the bodhisatva, which consists of generosity (dāna), morality (śīla), patient acceptance (kṣānti), vigor (vīrya), meditation (dhyāna).

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 5.­28
  • 11.­189
  • g.­261
g.­98

five powers

Wylie:
  • stobs lnga
Tibetan:
  • སྟོབས་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañcabala AS

Faith, vigor, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. These are the same as the five faculties but at a greater stage of development. See also 11.­175.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 11.­110
  • g.­94
  • g.­265
  • g.­365
g.­100

five skandhas

Wylie:
  • phung po lnga
Tibetan:
  • ཕུང་པོ་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañcaskandha AS

Form, feeling, perception, mental conditioning, and consciousness. At the level of an individual person, the five skandhas refer to the basis upon which the mistaken idea of a self is projected. They are referred to as the “bases for appropriation” (Skt. upādāna) or the “five skandhas of grasping” insofar as all conceptual grasping arises based on these aggregates.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­195
  • 5.­18
  • 7.­339
  • 11.­68
  • 11.­127
  • g.­101
  • g.­317
g.­101

five skandhas of grasping

Wylie:
  • len pa’i phung po lnga
Tibetan:
  • ལེན་པའི་ཕུང་པོ་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañcopādāna­skandha AS

See “five skandhas.”

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­49
  • 11.­88
  • g.­100
g.­103

five superior abilities

Wylie:
  • mngon par shes pa lnga
Tibetan:
  • མངོན་པར་ཤེས་པ་ལྔ།
Sanskrit:
  • pañcābhijñā AS

The five supernatural abilities attained through realization and yogic accomplishment: divine sight, divine hearing, knowledge of the thoughts of others, clear experiential recollection of previous states of existence, and the realization of magical methods.

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­257
  • 7.­210
  • 7.­292
  • 9.­173
  • 10.­6
  • g.­315
g.­104

foundations of magical abilities

Wylie:
  • rdzu ’phrul gyi rkang pa
Tibetan:
  • རྫུ་འཕྲུལ་གྱི་རྐང་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • ṛddhipāda AS

The four foundations of magical abilities are learning, vigor, volition, and investigation. These are among the thirty-seven elements that are conducive to awakening.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­157
  • 9.­173
  • 9.­260
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­26
  • 11.­2-3
  • 11.­80
  • g.­365
g.­105

four assemblies

Wylie:
  • ’khor bzhi
Tibetan:
  • འཁོར་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • catuḥparṣad AS

Monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­211
  • 9.­30
  • 9.­177
g.­106

four continents

Wylie:
  • gling bzhi
Tibetan:
  • གླིང་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • cāturdvīpa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

According to traditional Buddhist cosmology, our universe consists of a central mountain, known as Mount Meru or Sumeru, surrounded by four island continents (dvīpa), one in each of the four cardinal directions. The Abhidharmakośa explains that each of these island continents has a specific shape and is flanked by two smaller subcontinents of similar shape. To the south of Mount Meru is Jambudvīpa, corresponding either to the Indian subcontinent itself or to the known world. It is triangular in shape, and at its center is the place where the buddhas attain awakening. The humans who inhabit Jambudvīpa have a lifespan of one hundred years. To the east is Videha, a semicircular continent inhabited by humans who have a lifespan of two hundred fifty years and are twice as tall as the humans who inhabit Jambudvīpa. To the north is Uttarakuru, a square continent whose inhabitants have a lifespan of a thousand years. To the west is Godānīya, circular in shape, where the lifespan is five hundred years.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­16
  • 6.­2
  • 6.­8
  • 8.­4
g.­108

four foundations of mindfulness

Wylie:
  • dran pa nye bar gzhag pa bzhi
Tibetan:
  • དྲན་པ་ཉེ་བར་གཞག་པ་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • catuḥ­smṛtyupasthāna AS

Using the body to cultivate mindfulness by observing the body, using feelings to cultivate mindfulness by observing feelings, using the mind to cultivate mindfulness by observing the mind, and using phenomena to cultivate mindfulness by observing phenomena. Part of the thirty-seven elements that are conducive to awakening.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 11.­121
  • 11.­135
  • g.­222
  • g.­365
g.­111

four immeasurables

Wylie:
  • tshad med bzhi
Tibetan:
  • ཚད་མེད་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • caturapramāṇa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The meditations on love (maitrī), compassion (karuṇā), joy (muditā), and equanimity (upekṣā), as well as the states of mind and qualities of being that result from their cultivation. They are also called the four abodes of Brahmā (caturbrahmavihāra).

In the Abhidharmakośa, Vasubandhu explains that they are called apramāṇa‍—meaning “infinite” or “limitless”‍—because they take limitless sentient beings as their object, and they generate limitless merit and results. Love is described as the wish that beings be happy, and it acts as an antidote to malice (vyāpāda). Compassion is described as the wish for beings to be free of suffering, and acts as an antidote to harmfulness (vihiṃsā). Joy refers to rejoicing in the happiness beings already have, and it acts as an antidote to dislike or aversion (arati) toward others’ success. Equanimity is considering all beings impartially, without distinctions, and it is the antidote to both attachment to pleasure and to malice (kāmarāgavyāpāda).

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­6
  • 11.­326
  • g.­158
g.­113

four kinds of perfect exertion

Wylie:
  • yang dag par spong ba bzhi
Tibetan:
  • ཡང་དག་པར་སྤོང་བ་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • catur­samyakprahāṇāni AS

Not giving rise to any negativity that has not yet arisen, abandoning those negativities that have arisen, actively giving rise to virtues that have not yet arisen, and causing those virtues that have arisen to increase. Part of the thirty-seven elements that are conducive to awakening.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 11.­26
  • g.­365
g.­115

four meditative states

Wylie:
  • bsam gtan bzhi
Tibetan:
  • བསམ་གཏན་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • caturdhyāna AS

The four levels of meditative absorption of the beings of the form realms.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­292
  • 11.­179
g.­116

four methods for bringing people together

Wylie:
  • bsdu ba’i dngos po bzhi
Tibetan:
  • བསྡུ་བའི་དངོས་པོ་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • catuḥ­saṃgraha­vastu AS

Generosity, pleasant speech, conscientiousness, and egalitarianism. See F.191.b.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • i.­7
  • i.­11
  • 11.­190
  • 11.­218
  • 11.­231
  • 11.­326
  • g.­220
g.­117

four streams

Wylie:
  • chu bo bzhi
Tibetan:
  • ཆུ་བོ་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • —

This refers to the four torrents of cyclic existence, craving, ignorance, and wrong view.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 7.­114
g.­120

four wrong ways of approaching things

Wylie:
  • ’gro bar bya ba ma yin pa’i ’gro ba bzhi
  • ’gro ba ma yin par ’gro ba bzhi
Tibetan:
  • འགྲོ་བར་བྱ་བ་མ་ཡིན་པའི་འགྲོ་བ་བཞི།
  • འགྲོ་བ་མ་ཡིན་པར་འགྲོ་བ་བཞི།
Sanskrit:
  • caturagati­gamana AS

Listed in the Bodhisatva­piṭaka as approaching things with yearning and approaching things with anger, confusion, or fear.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­295
  • 7.­101
g.­122

fully accomplished buddha

Wylie:
  • yang dag par rdzogs pa’i sangs rgyas
Tibetan:
  • ཡང་དག་པར་རྫོགས་པའི་སངས་རྒྱས།
Sanskrit:
  • samyaksam­buddha AS

An epithet of a buddha.

Located in 99 passages in the translation:

  • i.­11
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­5-6
  • 3.­1-2
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­45
  • 4.­47
  • 4.­62-63
  • 4.­65
  • 4.­67
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­97-99
  • 4.­108
  • 4.­112-113
  • 4.­116
  • 4.­140
  • 4.­145-146
  • 4.­149
  • 4.­171
  • 4.­282-284
  • 4.­388
  • 4.­423
  • 5.­2-3
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­15-16
  • 7.­174
  • 7.­210-211
  • 7.­213
  • 7.­218-219
  • 7.­221-222
  • 7.­290
  • 7.­292
  • 7.­322
  • 9.­6
  • 9.­20
  • 9.­66
  • 9.­77
  • 9.­79
  • 9.­112
  • 9.­114
  • 9.­133-134
  • 9.­144
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­166
  • 9.­177
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­203-204
  • 9.­231
  • 9.­243
  • 9.­257
  • 9.­274
  • 9.­282
  • 9.­284
  • 9.­286
  • 9.­300
  • 9.­312
  • 9.­354
  • 9.­356
  • 9.­362
  • 9.­369-370
  • 9.­372
  • 11.­99
  • 11.­196
  • 11.­233-236
  • 11.­241-242
  • 11.­252
  • 11.­256
  • 11.­262
  • 11.­273-275
  • 11.­277
  • 11.­281-282
  • 11.­296
  • 11.­309
  • 11.­311-312
g.­123

gandharva

Wylie:
  • dri za
Tibetan:
  • དྲི་ཟ།
Sanskrit:
  • gandharva AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the skies, sometimes said to inhabit fantastic cities in the clouds, and more specifically to dwell on the eastern slopes of Mount Meru, where they are ruled by the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They are most renowned as celestial musicians who serve the gods. In the Abhidharma, the term is also used to refer to the mental body assumed by sentient beings during the intermediate state between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances (gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning “scent eater.”

Located in 13 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­63
  • 7.­210-211
  • 7.­213
  • 9.­93
  • 9.­113
  • 9.­314
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­12
  • 11.­76
  • 11.­331
g.­124

Ganges

Wylie:
  • gang gA
Tibetan:
  • གང་གཱ།
Sanskrit:
  • gaṅgā AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Gaṅgā, or Ganges in English, is considered to be the most sacred river of India, particularly within the Hindu tradition. It starts in the Himalayas, flows through the northern plains of India, bathing the holy city of Vārāṇasī, and meets the sea at the Bay of Bengal, in Bangladesh. In the sūtras, however, this river is mostly mentioned not for its sacredness but for its abundant sands‍—noticeable still today on its many sandy banks and at its delta‍—which serve as a common metaphor for infinitely large numbers.

According to Buddhist cosmology, as explained in the Abhidharmakośa, it is one of the four rivers that flow from Lake Anavatapta and cross the southern continent of Jambudvīpa‍—the known human world or more specifically the Indian subcontinent.

Located in 27 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­30
  • 2.­32
  • 4.­21
  • 4.­45
  • 4.­47
  • 4.­57
  • 4.­86
  • 4.­93
  • 4.­98
  • 4.­114
  • 4.­116
  • 4.­120
  • 4.­243
  • 4.­250
  • 4.­257
  • 4.­387
  • 5.­5
  • 6.­13
  • 7.­221
  • 7.­224
  • 8.­7-8
  • 8.­20
  • 9.­6
  • 11.­277
  • 11.­287
  • 11.­312
g.­125

garuḍa

Wylie:
  • nam mkha’ lding
Tibetan:
  • ནམ་མཁའ་ལྡིང་།
Sanskrit:
  • garuḍa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Indian mythology, the garuḍa is an eagle-like bird that is regarded as the king of all birds, normally depicted with a sharp, owl-like beak, often holding a snake, and with large and powerful wings. They are traditionally enemies of the nāgas. In the Vedas, they are said to have brought nectar from the heavens to earth. Garuḍa can also be used as a proper name for a king of such creatures.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 2.­6
  • 7.­210-211
  • 7.­213
  • 9.­93
  • 9.­113
  • 10.­12
g.­127

generosity

Wylie:
  • sbyin pa
Tibetan:
  • སྦྱིན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • dāna AS

The first of the six or ten perfections, often explained as the essential starting point and training for the practice of the others.

Located in 59 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­30
  • 2.­42
  • 3.­17
  • 3.­28
  • 4.­20-21
  • 4.­42
  • 4.­126
  • 4.­191
  • 4.­297
  • 4.­393
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­21
  • 5.­28
  • 5.­31
  • 6.­1-4
  • 6.­6
  • 6.­18
  • 6.­20-21
  • 6.­33-34
  • 7.­60
  • 7.­116
  • 7.­155
  • 7.­168
  • 7.­255
  • 7.­374
  • 10.­15-16
  • 10.­22
  • 10.­26
  • 10.­44
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­102
  • 11.­107
  • 11.­119
  • 11.­182
  • 11.­189
  • 11.­197
  • 11.­218-224
  • 11.­226
  • 11.­228-229
  • g.­97
  • g.­116
  • g.­261
  • g.­313
g.­128

god

Wylie:
  • lha
  • lha’i bu
Tibetan:
  • ལྷ།
  • ལྷའི་བུ།
Sanskrit:
  • deva AS
  • devaputra AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In the most general sense the devas‍—the term is cognate with the English divine‍—are a class of celestial beings who frequently appear in Buddhist texts, often at the head of the assemblies of nonhuman beings who attend and celebrate the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni and other buddhas and bodhisattvas. In Buddhist cosmology the devas occupy the highest of the five or six “destinies” (gati) of saṃsāra among which beings take rebirth. The devas reside in the devalokas, “heavens” that traditionally number between twenty-six and twenty-eight and are divided between the desire realm (kāmadhātu), form realm (rūpadhātu), and formless realm (ārūpyadhātu). A being attains rebirth among the devas either through meritorious deeds (in the desire realm) or the attainment of subtle meditative states (in the form and formless realms). While rebirth among the devas is considered favorable, it is ultimately a transitory state from which beings will fall when the conditions that lead to rebirth there are exhausted. Thus, rebirth in the god realms is regarded as a diversion from the spiritual path.

Located in 148 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2-3
  • 1.­8
  • 1.­14
  • 1.­23
  • 1.­33
  • 1.­35
  • 1.­211
  • 2.­6-7
  • 2.­17
  • 2.­57
  • 2.­61
  • 2.­63-66
  • 2.­69-70
  • 2.­72
  • 2.­76
  • 3.­2
  • 3.­9
  • 3.­14
  • 3.­22
  • 4.­30
  • 4.­38
  • 4.­63
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­97
  • 4.­99
  • 4.­116
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­127
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­145
  • 4.­159
  • 4.­171
  • 4.­257
  • 4.­282
  • 4.­287
  • 4.­291
  • 4.­306
  • 4.­312
  • 4.­320
  • 4.­377
  • 4.­381
  • 4.­397
  • 4.­423
  • 5.­2
  • 6.­6
  • 6.­15
  • 7.­194
  • 7.­197
  • 7.­202-203
  • 7.­210-211
  • 7.­213
  • 7.­227
  • 7.­237
  • 7.­251
  • 7.­253
  • 7.­261
  • 7.­268
  • 7.­276
  • 7.­290
  • 7.­311
  • 7.­316
  • 7.­322
  • 7.­374-375
  • 8.­55
  • 8.­61
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­49
  • 9.­77
  • 9.­93
  • 9.­111
  • 9.­113
  • 9.­118
  • 9.­120
  • 9.­122
  • 9.­125
  • 9.­150
  • 9.­156
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­203
  • 9.­223
  • 9.­236
  • 9.­238
  • 9.­240
  • 9.­272
  • 9.­274
  • 9.­279
  • 9.­282
  • 9.­284
  • 9.­300
  • 9.­307
  • 9.­309
  • 9.­312
  • 9.­314
  • 9.­356
  • 9.­358
  • 9.­362-363
  • 9.­365
  • 9.­367-368
  • 10.­12
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­50
  • 11.­76
  • 11.­99
  • 11.­103
  • 11.­124
  • 11.­177
  • 11.­180
  • 11.­199
  • 11.­252
  • 11.­273
  • 11.­285
  • 11.­306
  • 11.­309
  • 11.­314
  • 11.­325
  • 11.­331
  • n.­41
  • n.­101
  • g.­38
  • g.­43
  • g.­44
  • g.­45
  • g.­73
  • g.­99
  • g.­135
  • g.­139
  • g.­140
  • g.­149
  • g.­151
  • g.­204
  • g.­242
  • g.­243
  • g.­337
  • g.­370
  • g.­392
  • g.­395
  • g.­412
g.­130

grasping

Wylie:
  • len pa
Tibetan:
  • ལེན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • upādāna AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

This term, although commonly translated as “appropriation,” also means “grasping” or “clinging,” but it has a particular meaning as the ninth of the twelve links of dependent origination, situated between craving (tṛṣṇā, sred pa) and becoming or existence (bhava, srid pa). In some texts, four types of appropriation (upādāna) are listed: that of desire (rāga), view (dṛṣṭi), rules and observances as paramount (śīla­vrata­parāmarśa), and belief in a self (ātmavāda).

Located in 30 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­141
  • 1.­145-146
  • 1.­169
  • 1.­171
  • 1.­173
  • 1.­178
  • 1.­180-181
  • 3.­18
  • 4.­15
  • 4.­52
  • 4.­224
  • 4.­284
  • 4.­351
  • 4.­391
  • 5.­13
  • 7.­288
  • 7.­335
  • 7.­350
  • 11.­5-6
  • 11.­10
  • 11.­68
  • 11.­91
  • 11.­126
  • 11.­183
  • 11.­195
  • g.­100
  • g.­283
g.­131

great beings

Wylie:
  • sems dpa’ chen po
Tibetan:
  • སེམས་དཔའ་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahāsattva

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term can be understood to mean “great courageous one” or "great hero,” or (from the Sanskrit) simply “great being,” and is almost always found as an epithet of “bodhisattva.” The qualification “great” in this term, according to the majority of canonical definitions, focuses on the generic greatness common to all bodhisattvas, i.e., the greatness implicit in the bodhisattva vow itself in terms of outlook, aspiration, number of beings to be benefited, potential or eventual accomplishments, and so forth. In this sense the mahā- (“great”) is close in its connotations to the mahā- in “Mahāyāna.” While individual bodhisattvas described as mahāsattva may in many cases also be “great” in terms of their level of realization, this is largely coincidental, and in the canonical texts the epithet is not restricted to bodhisattvas at any particular point in their career. Indeed, in a few cases even bodhisattvas whose path has taken a wrong direction are still described as bodhisattva mahāsattva.

Later commentarial writings do nevertheless define the term‍—variably‍—in terms of bodhisattvas having attained a particular level (bhūmi) or realization. The most common qualifying criteria mentioned are attaining the path of seeing, attaining irreversibility (according to its various definitions), or attaining the seventh bhūmi.

Located in 33 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­2
  • 3.­16
  • 4.­68
  • 4.­254
  • 5.­7-8
  • 5.­21
  • 5.­24
  • 5.­27
  • 5.­30
  • 6.­33
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­219
  • 7.­375
  • 8.­61
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­174
  • 9.­176
  • 9.­180
  • 9.­194
  • 9.­198
  • 9.­303
  • 9.­348
  • 9.­351
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­11
  • 10.­14
  • 10.­23
  • 10.­29
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­217
  • 11.­231
  • 11.­241
g.­153

hero

Wylie:
  • dpa’ bo
Tibetan:
  • དཔའ་བོ།
Sanskrit:
  • vīrya AS

An epithet of a buddha, also used in a general sense.

Located in 14 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­33
  • 1.­116
  • 2.­11
  • 2.­54
  • 3.­4-5
  • 3.­12
  • 4.­231
  • 7.­210
  • 9.­5
  • 9.­68
  • 9.­70
  • 10.­33-34
g.­155

householder

Wylie:
  • khyim bdag
Tibetan:
  • ཁྱིམ་བདག
Sanskrit:
  • —

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term is usually used for wealthy lay patrons of the Buddhist community. It also refers to a subdivision of the vaiśya (mercantile) class of traditional Indian society, comprising businessmen, merchants, landowners, and so on.

Located in 93 passages in the translation:

  • i.­2
  • 1.­2
  • 1.­4-5
  • 1.­7-8
  • 1.­10-11
  • 1.­37-38
  • 1.­41-42
  • 1.­48-49
  • 1.­53-54
  • 1.­61-62
  • 1.­69-70
  • 1.­75-76
  • 1.­83
  • 1.­91
  • 1.­101
  • 1.­113
  • 1.­124-141
  • 1.­157-166
  • 1.­168-171
  • 1.­197-200
  • 1.­208
  • 1.­215
  • 2.­1
  • 4.­30
  • 7.­210
  • 7.­292
  • 7.­309
  • 7.­335
  • 9.­38
  • 9.­93
  • 9.­176-180
  • 9.­195
  • 9.­199
  • 9.­202
  • 9.­304
  • 9.­336
  • 9.­366
  • 11.­257
  • 11.­285
  • g.­20
  • g.­172
  • g.­181
  • g.­284
  • g.­296
  • g.­297
  • g.­309
  • g.­345
g.­156

ignorance

Wylie:
  • ma rig pa
Tibetan:
  • མ་རིག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • avidyā AS

The basic misapprehension that propels one to take rebirth in saṃsāra.

Located in 40 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­53
  • 1.­56
  • 1.­91
  • 1.­129
  • 1.­134
  • 1.­141
  • 1.­153-154
  • 1.­156
  • 1.­168-171
  • 3.­18
  • 3.­27
  • 4.­173
  • 4.­206
  • 4.­224
  • 4.­232
  • 4.­284
  • 4.­288
  • 4.­355
  • 4.­394
  • 5.­13
  • 5.­17
  • 7.­343
  • 8.­37
  • 9.­15
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­106
  • 11.­125
  • 11.­164
  • 11.­183-184
  • 11.­195
  • n.­19
  • g.­117
  • g.­376
g.­164

Jambu continent

Wylie:
  • ’dzam bu’i gling
Tibetan:
  • འཛམ་བུའི་གླིང་།
Sanskrit:
  • jambudvīpa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The name of the southern continent in Buddhist cosmology, which can signify either the known human world, or more specifically the Indian subcontinent, literally “the jambu island/continent.” Jambu is the name used for a range of plum-like fruits from trees belonging to the genus Szygium, particularly Szygium jambos and Szygium cumini, and it has commonly been rendered “rose apple,” although “black plum” may be a less misleading term. Among various explanations given for the continent being so named, one (in the Abhidharmakośa) is that a jambu tree grows in its northern mountains beside Lake Anavatapta, mythically considered the source of the four great rivers of India, and that the continent is therefore named from the tree or the fruit. Jambudvīpa has the Vajrāsana at its center and is the only continent upon which buddhas attain awakening.

Located in 13 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­206
  • 7.­272
  • 9.­274
  • 9.­281
  • 9.­313
  • 9.­316
  • 9.­318
  • 9.­321-322
  • 9.­332
  • 9.­362
  • 9.­364
  • 9.­366
g.­170

karma

Wylie:
  • las
Tibetan:
  • ལས།
Sanskrit:
  • karma AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Meaning “action” in its most basic sense, karma is an important concept in Buddhist philosophy as the cumulative force of previous physical, verbal, and mental acts, which determines present experience and will determine future existences.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­163
  • 1.­188
  • 3.­15
  • 7.­334
  • 7.­362
  • 10.­8
  • g.­8
g.­173

Kimbhīra

Wylie:
  • ci ’jigs
Tibetan:
  • ཅི་འཇིགས།
Sanskrit:
  • kimbhīra AS

A yakṣa of Rājagṛha who interacts with the Buddha in chapter 2 of the Bodhisatva­piṭaka.

Located in 14 passages in the translation:

  • i.­3
  • 2.­2-4
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­13
  • 2.­25
  • 2.­45-48
  • 2.­63
  • 2.­81
  • g.­287
g.­175

king of the entire world

Wylie:
  • ’khor los sgyur ba’i rgyal po
Tibetan:
  • འཁོར་ལོས་སྒྱུར་བའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • cakravarttirājya AS
  • cakravarttin AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

An ideal monarch or emperor who, as the result of the merit accumulated in previous lifetimes, rules over a vast realm in accordance with the Dharma. Such a monarch is called a cakravartin because he bears a wheel (cakra) that rolls (vartate) across the earth, bringing all lands and kingdoms under his power. The cakravartin conquers his territory without causing harm, and his activity causes beings to enter the path of wholesome actions. According to Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakośa, just as with the buddhas, only one cakravartin appears in a world system at any given time. They are likewise endowed with the thirty-two major marks of a great being (mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa), but a cakravartin’s marks are outshined by those of a buddha. They possess seven precious objects: the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the wish-fulfilling gem, the queen, the general, and the minister. An illustrative passage about the cakravartin and his possessions can be found in The Play in Full (Toh 95), 3.3–3.13.

Vasubandhu lists four types of cakravartins: (1) the cakravartin with a golden wheel (suvarṇacakravartin) rules over four continents and is invited by lesser kings to be their ruler; (2) the cakravartin with a silver wheel (rūpyacakravartin) rules over three continents and his opponents submit to him as he approaches; (3) the cakravartin with a copper wheel (tāmracakravartin) rules over two continents and his opponents submit themselves after preparing for battle; and (4) the cakravartin with an iron wheel (ayaścakravartin) rules over one continent and his opponents submit themselves after brandishing weapons.

Located in 19 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­16
  • 4.­137
  • 5.­9
  • 6.­12
  • 6.­16
  • 7.­199
  • 7.­210
  • 7.­227
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­274
  • 9.­285
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­20
  • 11.­199
  • 11.­311
  • 11.­325
  • g.­84
  • g.­309
  • g.­367
g.­176

kinnara

Wylie:
  • mi ’am ci
Tibetan:
  • མི་འམ་ཅི།
Sanskrit:
  • kinnara AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings that resemble humans to the degree that their very name‍—which means “is that human?”‍—suggests some confusion as to their divine status. Kinnaras are mythological beings found in both Buddhist and Brahmanical literature, where they are portrayed as creatures half human, half animal. They are often depicted as highly skilled celestial musicians.

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­63
  • 4.­31
  • 7.­210-211
  • 7.­213
  • 9.­93
  • 9.­113
  • 10.­12
  • 11.­76
g.­177

knower of the world

Wylie:
  • ’jig rten mkhyen pa
Tibetan:
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་མཁྱེན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • lokavid AS

An epithet of a buddha.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­3
  • 1.­5
  • 5.­2
  • 6.­15
  • 7.­290
  • 7.­322
  • 9.­77
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­282
  • 9.­284
g.­178

knowledge

Wylie:
  • ye shes
Tibetan:
  • ཡེ་ཤེས།
Sanskrit:
  • —

Located in 238 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­73
  • 1.­182
  • 3.­11-13
  • 3.­17
  • 3.­22
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­9
  • 4.­12
  • 4.­14-15
  • 4.­44-55
  • 4.­58-59
  • 4.­61
  • 4.­64
  • 4.­99
  • 4.­105
  • 4.­124-125
  • 4.­131
  • 4.­138-139
  • 4.­142
  • 4.­144
  • 4.­146
  • 4.­148-149
  • 4.­158
  • 4.­161
  • 4.­174
  • 4.­184-185
  • 4.­189
  • 4.­211
  • 4.­226-227
  • 4.­229
  • 4.­231
  • 4.­242-243
  • 4.­251
  • 4.­256
  • 4.­258
  • 4.­267-269
  • 4.­271-272
  • 4.­274
  • 4.­277
  • 4.­282
  • 4.­287-288
  • 4.­291
  • 4.­305
  • 4.­315
  • 4.­317-318
  • 4.­334
  • 4.­352
  • 4.­356
  • 4.­366
  • 4.­380
  • 4.­382
  • 4.­384-386
  • 4.­388
  • 4.­390-397
  • 4.­416
  • 4.­418
  • 4.­421
  • 5.­21
  • 6.­8-9
  • 6.­18
  • 7.­113
  • 7.­118
  • 7.­134
  • 7.­136
  • 7.­159
  • 7.­203
  • 7.­210
  • 7.­213
  • 7.­217-218
  • 7.­220-223
  • 7.­240-242
  • 7.­308
  • 7.­344
  • 7.­374
  • 8.­6
  • 9.­5
  • 9.­15
  • 9.­30
  • 9.­140-141
  • 9.­170-171
  • 9.­173
  • 9.­198
  • 9.­228
  • 9.­233
  • 9.­255
  • 9.­270
  • 9.­320
  • 9.­335-336
  • 9.­350
  • 10.­6-24
  • 10.­26-27
  • 10.­34
  • 10.­37
  • 10.­43
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­13
  • 11.­29
  • 11.­33
  • 11.­35
  • 11.­48-49
  • 11.­55-56
  • 11.­68
  • 11.­70
  • 11.­72
  • 11.­74-76
  • 11.­79-80
  • 11.­82-83
  • 11.­87-93
  • 11.­102
  • 11.­104-120
  • 11.­125
  • 11.­128
  • 11.­130-131
  • 11.­133
  • 11.­137-139
  • 11.­142
  • 11.­147
  • 11.­157
  • 11.­176
  • 11.­180
  • 11.­191-193
  • 11.­195-197
  • 11.­209
  • 11.­211-212
  • 11.­216
  • 11.­222
  • 11.­224
  • 11.­277
  • 11.­287
  • 11.­296
  • 11.­330
  • n.­42
  • g.­103
  • g.­121
  • g.­315
  • g.­339
  • g.­380
g.­179

krośa

Wylie:
  • rgyang grags
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱང་གྲགས།
Sanskrit:
  • krośa AS

A quarter of a yojana, a distance that could be between one and over two miles. The milestones or kos-stones along the Indian trunk road were just over two miles apart. The Tibetan means “earshot.”

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­68
  • 7.­218
g.­185

learned one

Wylie:
  • mkhas pa
Tibetan:
  • མཁས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • paṇḍita AS

Someone learned in the five major and five minor sciences.

Located in 19 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­9
  • 3.­30
  • 7.­6
  • 7.­198
  • 7.­269
  • 8.­18
  • 9.­8
  • 9.­31-38
  • 9.­41-43
  • 11.­31
g.­186

liberation

Wylie:
  • rnam par grol ba
  • rnam par thar pa
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་པར་གྲོལ་བ།
  • རྣམ་པར་ཐར་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • vimukti AS
  • vimokṣa AS

Liberation from cyclic existence. See “three liberations” and “eight liberations.”

Located in 82 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­69
  • 1.­73
  • 1.­131
  • 1.­136-139
  • 1.­169
  • 1.­171
  • 1.­186
  • 1.­193
  • 2.­56
  • 3.­13
  • 3.­17
  • 3.­25
  • 3.­28
  • 3.­32
  • 4.­8
  • 4.­14-15
  • 4.­40
  • 4.­60
  • 4.­64
  • 4.­143
  • 4.­161
  • 4.­168
  • 4.­196
  • 4.­204-205
  • 4.­225
  • 4.­228
  • 4.­237-238
  • 4.­240
  • 4.­267
  • 4.­276
  • 4.­284
  • 4.­315
  • 4.­317
  • 4.­328-329
  • 4.­331-332
  • 4.­335-336
  • 4.­354
  • 4.­387
  • 4.­391
  • 4.­402
  • 4.­411-412
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­14
  • 6.­9
  • 7.­187
  • 7.­210
  • 7.­213
  • 7.­217
  • 7.­224
  • 7.­240-241
  • 7.­286
  • 9.­15
  • 9.­173
  • 10.­9-10
  • 10.­25
  • 10.­31
  • 11.­45
  • 11.­51
  • 11.­72
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­133
  • 11.­147
  • 11.­180
  • 11.­195
  • 11.­197
  • 11.­203
  • 11.­330
  • g.­119
  • g.­154
  • g.­354
g.­188

life of purity

Wylie:
  • tshangs par spyod pa
Tibetan:
  • ཚངས་པར་སྤྱོད་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • brahmacārin AS

In Mahāyāna understood as pure conduct in the sense of compassion and so on; in other traditions understood as chastity.

Located in 19 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­3
  • 1.­5
  • 2.­29
  • 4.­267
  • 5.­2
  • 7.­322
  • 7.­325
  • 9.­145
  • 9.­151
  • 9.­177
  • 9.­251
  • 9.­256
  • 9.­278
  • 9.­281-283
  • 9.­371
  • 11.­150
  • 11.­278
g.­190

lord

Wylie:
  • bcom ldan ’das
Tibetan:
  • བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས།
Sanskrit:
  • bhagavat AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Buddhist literature, this is an epithet applied to buddhas, most often to Śākyamuni. The Sanskrit term generally means “possessing fortune,” but in specifically Buddhist contexts it implies that a buddha is in possession of six auspicious qualities (bhaga) associated with complete awakening. The Tibetan term‍—where bcom is said to refer to “subduing” the four māras, ldan to “possessing” the great qualities of buddhahood, and ’das to “going beyond” saṃsāra and nirvāṇa‍—possibly reflects the commentarial tradition where the Sanskrit bhagavat is interpreted, in addition, as “one who destroys the four māras.” This is achieved either by reading bhagavat as bhagnavat (“one who broke”), or by tracing the word bhaga to the root √bhañj (“to break”).

Located in 210 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2-5
  • 1.­7-11
  • 1.­26
  • 1.­36-37
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­50
  • 1.­71
  • 1.­77
  • 1.­92
  • 1.­113
  • 1.­115
  • 1.­124-126
  • 1.­135-136
  • 1.­159
  • 1.­172
  • 1.­198
  • 1.­201
  • 1.­208
  • 2.­1-3
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­8
  • 2.­12
  • 2.­45-46
  • 2.­48
  • 2.­59
  • 2.­63
  • 2.­65
  • 2.­75-76
  • 2.­78-80
  • 3.­1-3
  • 3.­10-11
  • 3.­31
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­18
  • 4.­48-49
  • 4.­56
  • 4.­66
  • 4.­83-84
  • 4.­87-88
  • 4.­100
  • 4.­109-111
  • 4.­115
  • 4.­117
  • 4.­141
  • 4.­163
  • 4.­194
  • 4.­212
  • 4.­246
  • 4.­251
  • 4.­259
  • 4.­273
  • 4.­322
  • 4.­359
  • 4.­392
  • 4.­399
  • 5.­6
  • 5.­31
  • 6.­15-16
  • 6.­19
  • 7.­4
  • 7.­30
  • 7.­45
  • 7.­57
  • 7.­86
  • 7.­103
  • 7.­122
  • 7.­161
  • 7.­176
  • 7.­196
  • 7.­222-223
  • 7.­228
  • 7.­257
  • 7.­268
  • 7.­292-293
  • 7.­306
  • 7.­323
  • 7.­349
  • 8.­3
  • 8.­12
  • 8.­25
  • 9.­9
  • 9.­22
  • 9.­44
  • 9.­66
  • 9.­72
  • 9.­79
  • 9.­87
  • 9.­127
  • 9.­133-135
  • 9.­141
  • 9.­144
  • 9.­146
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­175
  • 9.­181
  • 9.­196
  • 9.­203-205
  • 9.­231
  • 9.­243
  • 9.­257
  • 9.­261
  • 9.­263
  • 9.­270
  • 9.­274
  • 9.­285-286
  • 9.­293
  • 9.­299-300
  • 9.­303-304
  • 9.­308
  • 9.­312
  • 9.­332-333
  • 9.­340
  • 9.­354-355
  • 9.­359-361
  • 9.­368-370
  • 9.­372-373
  • 10.­30
  • 11.­9
  • 11.­19
  • 11.­27
  • 11.­37
  • 11.­99
  • 11.­205
  • 11.­233-236
  • 11.­240-242
  • 11.­252-257
  • 11.­262
  • 11.­265
  • 11.­269-276
  • 11.­278-279
  • 11.­281
  • 11.­285-287
  • 11.­295-297
  • 11.­301-305
  • 11.­307-309
  • 11.­316
  • 11.­326
  • 11.­328
  • 11.­331
  • g.­114
g.­192

magical abilities

Wylie:
  • rdzu ’phrul
Tibetan:
  • རྫུ་འཕྲུལ།
Sanskrit:
  • ṛddhi AS

Also rendered here as “magical powers.”

Located in 28 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 2.­63
  • 4.­7
  • 4.­15
  • 4.­45
  • 4.­98
  • 4.­108
  • 4.­111-112
  • 4.­114
  • 4.­116
  • 4.­118
  • 4.­122
  • 7.­227
  • 7.­318
  • 9.­223
  • 9.­312
  • 9.­332
  • 10.­19-21
  • 10.­27
  • 10.­47
  • 11.­257
  • 11.­305
  • 11.­307
  • g.­104
  • g.­194
g.­193

magical powers

Wylie:
  • rdzu ’phrul
Tibetan:
  • རྫུ་འཕྲུལ།
Sanskrit:
  • ṛddhi AS

See “magical abilitites.”

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­76
  • 2.­79-80
  • 4.­104
  • 7.­199
  • g.­192
g.­198

Mahāskandha

Wylie:
  • phung po chen po
Tibetan:
  • ཕུང་པོ་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahāskandha AS

A buddha in the distant past.

Located in 13 passages in the translation:

  • i.­6
  • i.­11
  • 5.­2-3
  • 5.­31
  • 7.­219
  • 11.­233-236
  • g.­401
  • g.­402
  • g.­404
g.­199

Mahauṣadha

Wylie:
  • sman chen po
Tibetan:
  • སྨན་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahauṣadha AS

A minister who was a past life of the Buddha Śākyamuni, his story is told as a jātaka story in the Mahosadhā or Mahāummaga Jātaka, story 546 of the Pali Jātaka collection.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 7.­210
g.­202

mahoraga

Wylie:
  • lto ’phye chen po
Tibetan:
  • ལྟོ་འཕྱེ་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahoraga AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Literally “great serpents,” mahoragas are supernatural beings depicted as large, subterranean beings with human torsos and heads and the lower bodies of serpents. Their movements are said to cause earthquakes, and they make up a class of subterranean geomantic spirits whose movement through the seasons and months of the year is deemed significant for construction projects.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­63
  • 7.­210-211
  • 7.­213
  • 9.­93
  • 10.­12
  • 11.­76
g.­204

Mandara

Wylie:
  • mada ra
Tibetan:
  • མད་ར།
Sanskrit:
  • mandara

Mandara is a mountain that appears in various purāṇas describing the origin of amṛta, the drink of immortality. In these, Mount Mandara is used by the gods as a churning rod to churn the ocean of milk, whereby amṛta is produced.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­109
  • n.­75
g.­206

Mañjuśrī

Wylie:
  • ’jam pa’i dbyangs
Tibetan:
  • འཇམ་པའི་དབྱངས།
Sanskrit:
  • mañjuśrī AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Mañjuśrī is one of the “eight close sons of the Buddha” and a bodhisattva who embodies wisdom. He is a major figure in the Mahāyāna sūtras, appearing often as an interlocutor of the Buddha. In his most well-known iconographic form, he is portrayed bearing the sword of wisdom in his right hand and a volume of the Prajñā­pāramitā­sūtra in his left. To his name, Mañjuśrī, meaning “Gentle and Glorious One,” is often added the epithet Kumārabhūta, “having a youthful form.” He is also called Mañjughoṣa, Mañjusvara, and Pañcaśikha.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­1
  • n.­6
g.­208

Māra

Wylie:
  • bdud
Tibetan:
  • བདུད།
Sanskrit:
  • māra AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Māra, literally “death” or “maker of death,” is the name of the deva who tried to prevent the Buddha from achieving awakening, the name given to the class of beings he leads, and also an impersonal term for the destructive forces that keep beings imprisoned in saṃsāra:

(1) As a deva, Māra is said to be the principal deity in the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations (paranirmitavaśavartin), the highest paradise in the desire realm. He famously attempted to prevent the Buddha’s awakening under the Bodhi tree‍—see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 21.1‍—and later sought many times to thwart the Buddha’s activity. In the sūtras, he often also creates obstacles to the progress of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas. (2) The devas ruled over by Māra are collectively called mārakāyika or mārakāyikadevatā, the “deities of Māra’s family or class.” In general, these māras too do not wish any being to escape from saṃsāra, but can also change their ways and even end up developing faith in the Buddha, as exemplified by Sārthavāha; see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 21.14 and 21.43. (3) The term māra can also be understood as personifying four defects that prevent awakening, called (i) the divine māra (devaputra­māra), which is the distraction of pleasures; (ii) the māra of Death (mṛtyumāra), which is having one’s life interrupted; (iii) the māra of the aggregates (skandhamāra), which is identifying with the five aggregates; and (iv) the māra of the afflictions (kleśamāra), which is being under the sway of the negative emotions of desire, hatred, and ignorance.

Located in 70 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­3
  • 1.­184
  • 2.­76
  • 3.­2
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­14
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­97
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­145
  • 4.­159
  • 4.­171
  • 4.­281
  • 4.­320
  • 4.­377
  • 4.­381
  • 4.­393
  • 4.­423
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­12
  • 7.­101
  • 7.­114
  • 7.­260
  • 7.­278
  • 7.­309
  • 7.­313
  • 7.­341
  • 7.­375
  • 8.­21-22
  • 8.­28
  • 8.­51-52
  • 8.­61
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­7
  • 9.­12
  • 9.­14-15
  • 9.­20-21
  • 9.­29
  • 9.­32
  • 9.­38-39
  • 9.­43
  • 9.­45
  • 9.­55
  • 9.­58
  • 9.­68
  • 9.­76
  • 9.­272
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­23-24
  • 10.­26
  • 10.­35
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­119
  • 11.­134
  • 11.­176
  • 11.­182
  • 11.­197
  • 11.­203
  • n.­97
  • n.­101
  • g.­89
  • g.­114
  • g.­294
g.­213

meditation

Wylie:
  • bsam gtan
Tibetan:
  • བསམ་གཏན།
Sanskrit:
  • dhyāna AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Dhyāna is defined as one-pointed abiding in an undistracted state of mind, free from afflicted mental states. Four states of dhyāna are identified as being conducive to birth within the form realm. In the context of the Mahāyāna, it is the fifth of the six perfections. It is commonly translated as “concentration,” “meditative concentration,” and so on.

Located in 55 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­12
  • 3.­17
  • 3.­28
  • 4.­23
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­191
  • 4.­208
  • 4.­217
  • 4.­239
  • 4.­383
  • 5.­21
  • 5.­28
  • 5.­31
  • 6.­1
  • 7.­117
  • 7.­129
  • 7.­168
  • 7.­255
  • 7.­335
  • 7.­344
  • 7.­374
  • 9.­173
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­5-6
  • 10.­10
  • 10.­15
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­22-23
  • 10.­25-29
  • 10.­31
  • 10.­48
  • 10.­51-52
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­114
  • 11.­119
  • 11.­156
  • 11.­179
  • 11.­182-183
  • 11.­189
  • 11.­197
  • 11.­228
  • g.­49
  • g.­97
  • g.­261
  • g.­313
g.­214

meditative concentration

Wylie:
  • bsam gtan
Tibetan:
  • བསམ་གཏན།
Sanskrit:
  • dhyāna AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Dhyāna is defined as one-pointed abiding in an undistracted state of mind, free from afflicted mental states. Four states of dhyāna are identified as being conducive to birth within the form realm. In the context of the Mahāyāna, it is the fifth of the six perfections. It is commonly translated as “concentration,” “meditative concentration,” and so on.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­417
  • 7.­344
  • 9.­15
  • 10.­22
g.­215

meditative state

Wylie:
  • bsam gtan
Tibetan:
  • བསམ་གཏན།
Sanskrit:
  • dhyāna AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Dhyāna is defined as one-pointed abiding in an undistracted state of mind, free from afflicted mental states. Four states of dhyāna are identified as being conducive to birth within the form realm. In the context of the Mahāyāna, it is the fifth of the six perfections. It is commonly translated as “concentration,” “meditative concentration,” and so on.

Located in 19 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­124
  • 4.­227
  • 4.­240
  • 10.­1-5
  • 10.­27
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­156
  • 11.­179
  • g.­43
  • g.­44
  • g.­45
  • g.­135
  • g.­139
  • g.­140
  • g.­356
g.­216

Megha

Wylie:
  • sprin
Tibetan:
  • སྤྲིན།
Sanskrit:
  • megha AS

A young brahmin during the time of the Buddha Dīpaṅkara, he was past life of the Buddha Śākyamuni in which he received his prophecy of awakening.

Located in 19 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­11
  • 11.­259-261
  • 11.­263-265
  • 11.­269-276
  • 11.­278-279
  • g.­337
g.­217

mendicant

Wylie:
  • dge slong
Tibetan:
  • དགེ་སློང་།
Sanskrit:
  • bhikṣu AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term bhikṣu, often translated as “monk,” refers to the highest among the eight types of prātimokṣa vows that make one part of the Buddhist assembly. The Sanskrit term literally means “beggar” or “mendicant,” referring to the fact that Buddhist monks and nuns‍—like other ascetics of the time‍—subsisted on alms (bhikṣā) begged from the laity.

In the Tibetan tradition, which follows the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a monk follows 253 rules as part of his moral discipline. A nun (bhikṣuṇī; dge slong ma) follows 364 rules. A novice monk (śrāmaṇera; dge tshul) or nun (śrāmaṇerikā; dge tshul ma) follows thirty-six rules of moral discipline (although in other vinaya traditions novices typically follow only ten).

In this text:

Also rendered here as “monk.”

Located in 73 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­181
  • 1.­208-209
  • 1.­211
  • 2.­4-5
  • 2.­36
  • 2.­75
  • 4.­83
  • 4.­87
  • 4.­108-109
  • 4.­111
  • 4.­395
  • 6.­15
  • 7.­294
  • 7.­322
  • 8.­26
  • 9.­21
  • 9.­32-39
  • 9.­41-43
  • 9.­56
  • 9.­78-79
  • 9.­81
  • 9.­84
  • 9.­135
  • 9.­144-147
  • 9.­149-150
  • 9.­198-199
  • 9.­203
  • 9.­207
  • 9.­219
  • 9.­221
  • 9.­261
  • 9.­285
  • 9.­302
  • 9.­304
  • 9.­356-357
  • 9.­360
  • 9.­365
  • 9.­367
  • 9.­372
  • 11.­207
  • 11.­275
  • 11.­302
  • 11.­306
  • 11.­331
  • n.­23
  • g.­14
  • g.­169
  • g.­229
  • g.­239
  • g.­330
  • g.­334
  • g.­414
g.­218

mental conditioning

Wylie:
  • ’du byed
Tibetan:
  • འདུ་བྱེད།
Sanskrit:
  • saṃskāra AS

The reactive patterns of the mind.

Located in 32 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­138
  • 1.­141
  • 1.­152-153
  • 1.­156
  • 1.­164
  • 1.­166
  • 1.­198-200
  • 3.­18
  • 3.­20
  • 3.­26-27
  • 4.­16
  • 4.­49
  • 4.­224
  • 4.­232
  • 4.­350
  • 4.­353
  • 7.­288
  • 7.­339
  • 7.­344
  • 9.­344
  • 11.­49
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­57
  • 11.­88
  • 11.­183-184
  • 11.­283
  • g.­100
g.­220

methods for bringing people together

Wylie:
  • bsdu ba’i dngos po
Tibetan:
  • བསྡུ་བའི་དངོས་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • saṃgrahavastu AS

See “four methods for bringing people together.”

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • 5.­4
  • 7.­253
  • 7.­374
  • 11.­2-3
  • 11.­190
  • 11.­218
  • 11.­231-232
g.­221

mind of awakening

Wylie:
  • byang chub sems
Tibetan:
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས།
Sanskrit:
  • bodhicitta AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In the general Mahāyāna teachings the mind of awakening (bodhicitta) is the intention to attain the complete awakening of a perfect buddha for the sake of all beings. On the level of absolute truth, the mind of awakening is the realization of the awakened state itself.

Located in 28 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­4
  • 3.­10
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­14
  • 5.­8
  • 7.­79
  • 7.­106
  • 7.­154-159
  • 7.­205
  • 7.­211
  • 9.­154
  • 9.­167
  • 9.­172
  • 10.­18
  • 11.­102
  • 11.­110
  • 11.­129
  • 11.­199-200
  • 11.­229
  • 11.­287
  • 11.­289
g.­222

mindfulness

Wylie:
  • dran pa
Tibetan:
  • དྲན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • smṛti AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

This is the faculty that enables the mind to maintain its attention on a referent object, counteracting the arising of forgetfulness, which is a great obstacle to meditative stability. The root smṛ may mean “to recollect” but also simply “to think of.” Broadly speaking, smṛti, commonly translated as “mindfulness,” means to bring something to mind, not necessarily something experienced in a distant past but also something that is experienced in the present, such as the position of one’s body or the breath.

Together with alertness (samprajāna, shes bzhin), it is one of the two indispensable factors for the development of calm abiding (śamatha, zhi gnas).

In this text:

See also “four foundations of mindfulness.”

Located in 58 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­69
  • 1.­73
  • 1.­131
  • 4.­189
  • 4.­199
  • 4.­299
  • 4.­310-311
  • 4.­313-314
  • 5.­21
  • 7.­157
  • 9.­173
  • 9.­365-367
  • 10.­3-4
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­16
  • 10.­23
  • 10.­26
  • 11.­2-3
  • 11.­33-34
  • 11.­72
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­110
  • 11.­121-122
  • 11.­124-125
  • 11.­128-134
  • 11.­136-137
  • 11.­145
  • 11.­152
  • 11.­167
  • 11.­170-171
  • 11.­175
  • 11.­178
  • 11.­201
  • 11.­209
  • g.­75
  • g.­91
  • g.­94
  • g.­98
  • g.­108
  • g.­248
  • g.­354
g.­227

misfortune

Wylie:
  • ngan ’gro
Tibetan:
  • ངན་འགྲོ།
Sanskrit:
  • durgati AS

Rebirth in the three lower realms of hell beings, pretas, and animals.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­178
  • 5.­7
  • 7.­74
  • 7.­206
  • 7.­231
  • 7.­305
  • 7.­336
  • 8.­13
  • 10.­8
  • 10.­12
g.­229

monk

Wylie:
  • dge slong
Tibetan:
  • དགེ་སློང་།
Sanskrit:
  • bhikṣu AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term bhikṣu, often translated as “monk,” refers to the highest among the eight types of prātimokṣa vows that make one part of the Buddhist assembly. The Sanskrit term literally means “beggar” or “mendicant,” referring to the fact that Buddhist monks and nuns‍—like other ascetics of the time‍—subsisted on alms (bhikṣā) begged from the laity.

In the Tibetan tradition, which follows the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a monk follows 253 rules as part of his moral discipline. A nun (bhikṣuṇī; dge slong ma) follows 364 rules. A novice monk (śrāmaṇera; dge tshul) or nun (śrāmaṇerikā; dge tshul ma) follows thirty-six rules of moral discipline (although in other vinaya traditions novices typically follow only ten).

In this text:

Also rendered here as “mendicant.”

Located in 13 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 1.­8
  • 1.­13
  • 1.­52
  • 4.­30
  • 7.­214
  • 9.­30
  • 9.­177
  • 9.­185
  • n.­12
  • g.­85
  • g.­105
  • g.­217
g.­230

morality

Wylie:
  • tshul khrims
Tibetan:
  • ཚུལ་ཁྲིམས།
Sanskrit:
  • śīla AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Morally virtuous or disciplined conduct and the abandonment of morally undisciplined conduct of body, speech, and mind. In a general sense, moral discipline is the cause for rebirth in higher, more favorable states, but it is also foundational to Buddhist practice as one of the three trainings (triśikṣā) and one of the six perfections of a bodhisattva. Often rendered as “ethics,” “discipline,” and “morality.”

Located in 126 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • i.­12
  • 1.­183
  • 1.­185
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­42
  • 3.­12-13
  • 3.­16-17
  • 3.­28
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­7
  • 4.­14-15
  • 4.­22
  • 4.­30
  • 4.­42
  • 4.­64
  • 4.­80-83
  • 4.­85-86
  • 4.­101-102
  • 4.­104
  • 4.­106
  • 4.­191
  • 4.­237
  • 4.­312
  • 4.­317
  • 4.­355
  • 4.­384-385
  • 4.­393
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­21
  • 5.­28
  • 5.­31
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­4
  • 6.­7
  • 6.­9
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­3
  • 7.­6
  • 7.­8-16
  • 7.­19-20
  • 7.­101
  • 7.­168
  • 7.­174
  • 7.­179
  • 7.­188
  • 7.­204
  • 7.­210
  • 7.­212-213
  • 7.­217
  • 7.­250-256
  • 7.­258
  • 7.­262
  • 7.­264
  • 7.­274
  • 7.­276
  • 7.­278
  • 7.­282
  • 7.­285
  • 7.­332-333
  • 7.­335
  • 7.­340
  • 7.­372-376
  • 8.­24
  • 9.­5
  • 9.­8
  • 9.­13
  • 9.­15
  • 9.­30
  • 9.­91
  • 9.­173
  • 9.­177
  • 9.­185
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­15-16
  • 10.­22
  • 10.­26
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­102-103
  • 11.­119
  • 11.­130
  • 11.­147
  • 11.­163
  • 11.­182
  • 11.­189
  • 11.­197
  • 11.­228
  • 11.­322
  • g.­97
  • g.­261
  • g.­307
  • g.­313
g.­237

nāga

Wylie:
  • klu
Tibetan:
  • ཀླུ།
Sanskrit:
  • nāga AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings who live in subterranean aquatic environments, where they guard wealth and sometimes also teachings. Nāgas are associated with serpents and have a snakelike appearance. In Buddhist art and in written accounts, they are regularly portrayed as half human and half snake, and they are also said to have the ability to change into human form. Some nāgas are Dharma protectors, but they can also bring retribution if they are disturbed. They may likewise fight one another, wage war, and destroy the lands of others by causing lightning, hail, and flooding.

Located in 25 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­57
  • 2.­61
  • 2.­69
  • 2.­72
  • 3.­9
  • 7.­202
  • 7.­210-211
  • 7.­213
  • 7.­237
  • 7.­261
  • 7.­311
  • 9.­93
  • 9.­113
  • 9.­156
  • 9.­223
  • 9.­240
  • 9.­314
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­12
  • 10.­38
  • 11.­76
  • g.­370
g.­242

nectar

Wylie:
  • bdud rtsi
Tibetan:
  • བདུད་རྩི།
Sanskrit:
  • amṛta AS

The nectar of the gods that confers immortality.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­97
  • 1.­107
  • 7.­275
  • 9.­128
  • 9.­241
g.­246

nine types of harmful acts

Wylie:
  • gnod pa dgu’i dngos po
Tibetan:
  • གནོད་པ་དགུའི་དངོས་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • navāghātavastu AS

Thinking “I have been treated unjustly” and giving rise to animosity, thinking “I am being treated unjustly” and giving rise to animosity, thinking “I will be treated unjustly” and giving rise to animosity, thinking “my dear ones have been, are being, or will be treated unjustly” and giving rise to animosity, and thinking “my enemy has gained, is gaining, or will gain an advantage” and giving rise to animosity.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­101
  • g.­244
g.­247

nirvāṇa

Wylie:
  • mya ngan las ’das pa
  • mya ngan ’das
Tibetan:
  • མྱ་ངན་ལས་འདས་པ།
  • མྱ་ངན་འདས།
Sanskrit:
  • nirvāṇa AS
  • nirvṛti AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Sanskrit, the term nirvāṇa literally means “extinguishment” and the Tibetan mya ngan las ’das pa literally means “gone beyond sorrow.” As a general term, it refers to the cessation of all suffering, afflicted mental states (kleśa), and causal processes (karman) that lead to rebirth and suffering in cyclic existence, as well as to the state in which all such rebirth and suffering has permanently ceased.

More specifically, three main types of nirvāṇa are identified. (1) The first type of nirvāṇa, called nirvāṇa with remainder (sopadhiśeṣanirvāṇa), is the state in which arhats or buddhas have attained awakening but are still dependent on the conditioned aggregates until their lifespan is exhausted. (2) At the end of life, given that there are no more causes for rebirth, these aggregates cease and no new aggregates arise. What occurs then is called nirvāṇa without remainder ( anupadhiśeṣanirvāṇa), which refers to the unconditioned element (dhātu) of nirvāṇa in which there is no remainder of the aggregates. (3) The Mahāyāna teachings distinguish the final nirvāṇa of buddhas from that of arhats, the nirvāṇa of arhats not being considered ultimate. The buddhas attain what is called nonabiding nirvāṇa (apratiṣṭhitanirvāṇa), which transcends the extremes of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, i.e., existence and peace. This is the nirvāṇa that is the goal of the Mahāyāna path.

Located in 89 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­90
  • 1.­140
  • 1.­157
  • 1.­160
  • 1.­167-171
  • 3.­28
  • 3.­31-32
  • 4.­38
  • 4.­85
  • 4.­99
  • 4.­103
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­173
  • 4.­184
  • 4.­257
  • 4.­263
  • 4.­268
  • 4.­284
  • 4.­315
  • 4.­325
  • 4.­348
  • 4.­357
  • 4.­389
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­15
  • 5.­19
  • 6.­10
  • 6.­14
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­31
  • 7.­136
  • 7.­139
  • 7.­147
  • 7.­229
  • 7.­286-287
  • 7.­294
  • 7.­302
  • 7.­305
  • 7.­325
  • 7.­329-331
  • 7.­335
  • 7.­340
  • 8.­19
  • 8.­23
  • 8.­35
  • 8.­55
  • 8.­57-58
  • 9.­7-8
  • 9.­14
  • 9.­58
  • 9.­67-68
  • 9.­171
  • 9.­332
  • 9.­334
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­22
  • 11.­24
  • 11.­38
  • 11.­40
  • 11.­48
  • 11.­53
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­60
  • 11.­74
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­96
  • 11.­146
  • 11.­151-152
  • 11.­183
  • 11.­203
  • 11.­315
  • 11.­318-319
  • 11.­321
  • 11.­325
  • 11.­329
  • g.­154
g.­248

noble eightfold path

Wylie:
  • ’phags pa’i lam yan lag brgyad
Tibetan:
  • འཕགས་པའི་ལམ་ཡན་ལག་བརྒྱད།
Sanskrit:
  • āryāṣṭāṅga­mārga AS

Right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. See also 11.­145.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­314
  • g.­82
  • g.­250
  • g.­365
g.­249

noble one

Wylie:
  • ’phags pa
  • ’phags
Tibetan:
  • འཕགས་པ།
  • འཕགས།
Sanskrit:
  • ārya AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Sanskrit ārya has the general meaning of a noble person, one of a higher class or caste. In Buddhist literature, depending on the context, it often means specifically one who has gained the realization of the path and is superior for that reason. In particular, it applies to stream enterers, once-returners, non-returners, and worthy ones (arhats) and is also used as an epithet of bodhisattvas. In the five-path system, it refers to someone who has achieved at least the path of seeing (darśanamārga).

Located in 27 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­15
  • 4.­256
  • 4.­283
  • 4.­288
  • 4.­345
  • 4.­365
  • 7.­16
  • 7.­22
  • 7.­253
  • 7.­340
  • 7.­374
  • 9.­292
  • 10.­3
  • 10.­8
  • 10.­10
  • 10.­12-13
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­36
  • 11.­64
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­102
  • 11.­132
  • 11.­150
  • 11.­182
  • 11.­195
  • 11.­210
g.­250

noble path

Wylie:
  • ’phags pa’i lam
Tibetan:
  • འཕགས་པའི་ལམ།
Sanskrit:
  • āryapatha AS
  • āryamārga AS

See “noble eightfold path.”

Located in 14 passages in the translation:

  • i.­8
  • 1.­202
  • 4.­136
  • 5.­7
  • 7.­70
  • 7.­335
  • 9.­8
  • 9.­15
  • 9.­130
  • 10.­9
  • 11.­41
  • 11.­143
  • 11.­151-152
g.­252

nonhuman

Wylie:
  • mi ma yin
Tibetan:
  • མི་མ་ཡིན།
Sanskrit:
  • amanuṣya AS

A spirit.

Located in 14 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­63
  • 3.­9
  • 7.­210-211
  • 7.­213
  • 9.­93
  • 9.­113
  • 9.­314
  • 10.­12
  • 11.­76
  • 11.­295
  • n.­21
g.­253

nun

Wylie:
  • dge slong ma
Tibetan:
  • དགེ་སློང་མ།
Sanskrit:
  • bhikṣuṇī AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term bhikṣuṇī, often translated as “nun,” refers to the highest among the eight types of prātimokṣa vows that make one part of the Buddhist assembly. The Sanskrit term bhikṣu (to which the female grammatical ending ṇī is added) literally means “beggar” or “mendicant,” referring to the fact that Buddhist nuns and monks‍—like other ascetics of the time‍—subsisted on alms (bhikṣā) begged from the laity. In the Tibetan tradition, which follows the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a bhikṣuṇī follows 364 rules and a bhikṣu follows 253 rules as part of their moral discipline.

For the first few years of the Buddha’s teachings in India, there was no ordination for women. It started at the persistent request and display of determination of Mahāprajāpatī, the Buddha’s stepmother and aunt, together with five hundred former wives of men of Kapilavastu, who had themselves become monks. Mahāprajāpatī is thus considered to be the founder of the nun’s order.

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 4.­30
  • 9.­30
  • 9.­177
  • 9.­185
  • g.­105
g.­258

patient acceptance

Wylie:
  • bzod pa
Tibetan:
  • བཟོད་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • kṣānti AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A term meaning acceptance, forbearance, or patience. As the third of the six perfections, patience is classified into three kinds: the capacity to tolerate abuse from sentient beings, to tolerate the hardships of the path to buddhahood, and to tolerate the profound nature of reality. As a term referring to a bodhisattva’s realization, dharmakṣānti (chos la bzod pa) can refer to the ways one becomes “receptive” to the nature of Dharma, and it can be an abbreviation of anutpattikadharmakṣānti, “forbearance for the unborn nature, or nonproduction, of dharmas.”

Located in 39 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­22
  • 4.­42
  • 4.­101
  • 4.­128
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­191
  • 5.­7-8
  • 5.­21
  • 5.­28
  • 5.­31
  • 6.­1
  • 7.­116
  • 7.­374
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­20
  • 8.­54-55
  • 8.­57-59
  • 8.­61-62
  • 10.­15-16
  • 10.­22
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­112
  • 11.­119
  • 11.­182
  • 11.­189
  • 11.­197
  • 11.­228
  • 11.­283
  • g.­97
  • g.­261
  • g.­313
g.­260

perfect in wisdom and conduct

Wylie:
  • rig pa dang zhabs su ldan pa
Tibetan:
  • རིག་པ་དང་ཞབས་སུ་ལྡན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • vidyācaraṇa­sampanna AS

An epithet of a buddha.

Located in 13 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­3
  • 1.­5
  • 5.­2
  • 6.­15-16
  • 7.­290
  • 7.­322
  • 9.­77
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­282
  • 9.­284
  • 9.­300
  • 9.­312
g.­261

perfection

Wylie:
  • pha rol tu phyin pa
Tibetan:
  • ཕ་རོལ་ཏུ་ཕྱིན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • pāramitā AS

The trainings of the bodhisatva path. The five perfections are generosity (dāna), morality (śīla), patient acceptance (kṣānti), vigor (vīrya), meditation (dhyāna). When listed as six, wisdom (prajñā) is included.

Located in 72 passages in the translation:

  • i.­9
  • 4.­21-22
  • 4.­65
  • 4.­67
  • 4.­81-83
  • 4.­85-87
  • 4.­98
  • 4.­112-114
  • 4.­161
  • 5.­4
  • 5.­23
  • 5.­31
  • 6.­1-2
  • 6.­33-34
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­116-117
  • 7.­155
  • 7.­301
  • 7.­344
  • 7.­374-376
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­62
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­301
  • 9.­305-306
  • 9.­333
  • 9.­339
  • 9.­349
  • 9.­352-353
  • 9.­362
  • 9.­374-376
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­6
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­22-23
  • 10.­28-29
  • 10.­48
  • 10.­51-52
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­102
  • 11.­117
  • 11.­153
  • 11.­157
  • 11.­182
  • 11.­189
  • 11.­195
  • 11.­197-198
  • 11.­228
  • 11.­232
  • 11.­327
  • g.­112
  • g.­127
g.­262

perfection of wisdom

Wylie:
  • shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa
Tibetan:
  • ཤེས་རབ་ཀྱི་ཕ་རོལ་ཏུ་ཕྱིན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • prajñā­pāramitā

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The sixth of the six perfections, it refers to the profound understanding of the emptiness of all phenomena, the realization of ultimate reality. It is often personified as a female deity, worshiped as the “Mother of All Buddhas” (sarva­jina­mātā).

Located in 43 passages in the translation:

  • i.­10
  • 4.­65
  • 4.­67
  • 5.­31
  • 6.­1
  • 7.­374
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3-4
  • 11.­17-18
  • 11.­25-26
  • 11.­35-36
  • 11.­47-48
  • 11.­52-56
  • 11.­58
  • 11.­61
  • 11.­70
  • 11.­81
  • 11.­86-87
  • 11.­101
  • 11.­120
  • 11.­135
  • 11.­144
  • 11.­161
  • 11.­166
  • 11.­174
  • 11.­181-182
  • 11.­186
  • 11.­189
  • 11.­193-194
  • 11.­217
  • 11.­228
g.­263

phenomenon

Wylie:
  • chos
Tibetan:
  • ཆོས།
Sanskrit:
  • dharma AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the meanings of the Skt. term dharma. This applies to “phenomena” or “things” in general, and, more specifically, “mental phenomena” which are the object of the mental faculty (manas, yid).

Located in 190 passages in the translation:

  • i.­8
  • i.­11
  • 1.­61-62
  • 1.­130
  • 1.­140
  • 1.­153
  • 1.­157
  • 1.­160-161
  • 1.­164
  • 1.­169
  • 1.­171
  • 1.­176-177
  • 1.­190-193
  • 1.­196-197
  • 1.­200
  • 1.­205
  • 1.­207
  • 3.­2
  • 3.­14
  • 3.­19-20
  • 3.­23
  • 3.­31-32
  • 4.­12
  • 4.­15-16
  • 4.­23
  • 4.­44
  • 4.­51
  • 4.­53
  • 4.­99
  • 4.­173
  • 4.­237
  • 4.­249
  • 4.­268
  • 4.­274-276
  • 4.­284-285
  • 4.­288
  • 4.­292-302
  • 4.­310
  • 4.­313
  • 4.­318
  • 4.­342
  • 4.­344-345
  • 4.­347
  • 4.­349-355
  • 4.­357
  • 4.­364
  • 4.­375
  • 4.­382
  • 4.­384
  • 4.­389-390
  • 4.­394-395
  • 4.­397
  • 4.­409
  • 4.­418
  • 5.­8
  • 5.­27
  • 5.­29
  • 7.­3
  • 7.­16
  • 7.­185-186
  • 7.­218
  • 7.­256
  • 7.­287
  • 7.­344
  • 7.­351
  • 7.­366-372
  • 8.­57
  • 9.­82-83
  • 9.­173
  • 9.­333
  • 9.­339
  • 9.­342-343
  • 10.­10
  • 10.­13
  • 10.­16
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­22-26
  • 10.­33
  • 10.­49
  • 11.­3-8
  • 11.­10-13
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­26
  • 11.­36
  • 11.­44-48
  • 11.­51-53
  • 11.­55-56
  • 11.­59-61
  • 11.­64
  • 11.­71-75
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­92
  • 11.­101
  • 11.­121
  • 11.­126
  • 11.­130
  • 11.­132-134
  • 11.­137
  • 11.­142-143
  • 11.­153
  • 11.­157-158
  • 11.­164
  • 11.­168
  • 11.­183
  • 11.­185
  • 11.­187
  • 11.­193
  • 11.­197
  • 11.­203
  • 11.­224
  • 11.­282-283
  • n.­134
  • g.­16
  • g.­62
  • g.­108
  • g.­112
  • g.­262
  • g.­283
g.­265

powers

Wylie:
  • stobs
Tibetan:
  • སྟོབས།
Sanskrit:
  • bala AS

See “five powers.”

Located in 28 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­15
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­280
  • 5.­21
  • 6.­15-16
  • 7.­136
  • 7.­157
  • 7.­159
  • 7.­223
  • 8.­55
  • 9.­14
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­170
  • 9.­173
  • 9.­312
  • 9.­332
  • 9.­338
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­39
  • 11.­2-3
  • 11.­34
  • 11.­72
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­168
  • 11.­257
  • g.­339
g.­267

pratyekabuddha

Wylie:
  • rang sangs rgyas
  • rang rgyal
Tibetan:
  • རང་སངས་རྒྱས།
  • རང་རྒྱལ།
Sanskrit:
  • pratyekabuddha AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Literally, “buddha for oneself” or “solitary realizer.” Someone who, in his or her last life, attains awakening entirely through their own contemplation, without relying on a teacher. Unlike the awakening of a fully realized buddha (samyaksambuddha), the accomplishment of a pratyeka­buddha is not regarded as final or ultimate. They attain realization of the nature of dependent origination, the selflessness of the person, and a partial realization of the selflessness of phenomena, by observing the suchness of all that arises through interdependence. This is the result of progress in previous lives but, unlike a buddha, they do not have the necessary merit, compassion or motivation to teach others. They are named as “rhinoceros-like” (khaḍgaviṣāṇakalpa) for their preference for staying in solitude or as “congregators” (vargacārin) when their preference is to stay among peers.

Located in 39 passages in the translation:

  • i.­1
  • 2.­7
  • 2.­48
  • 4.­147
  • 4.­155
  • 4.­229
  • 4.­239
  • 4.­244
  • 4.­257
  • 4.­283
  • 4.­391
  • 4.­396-397
  • 4.­411
  • 6.­6
  • 7.­120
  • 7.­220
  • 7.­344
  • 9.­7
  • 9.­169-170
  • 9.­309
  • 9.­349
  • 9.­351
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­12
  • 10.­20-21
  • 10.­24
  • 10.­27
  • 11.­99
  • 11.­102
  • 11.­104
  • 11.­131
  • 11.­134
  • 11.­196
  • 11.­313
  • g.­268
  • g.­377
g.­269

preta

Wylie:
  • yi dwags
  • yi dags
Tibetan:
  • ཡི་དྭགས།
  • ཡི་དགས།
Sanskrit:
  • preta AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the five or six classes of sentient beings, into which beings are born as the karmic fruition of past miserliness. As the term in Sanskrit means “the departed,” they are analogous to the ancestral spirits of Vedic tradition, the pitṛs, who starve without the offerings of descendants. It is also commonly translated as “hungry ghost” or “starving spirit,” as in the Chinese 餓鬼 e gui.

They are sometimes said to reside in the realm of Yama, but are also frequently described as roaming charnel grounds and other inhospitable or frightening places along with piśācas and other such beings. They are particularly known to suffer from great hunger and thirst and the inability to acquire sustenance.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­69
  • 4.­374
  • 7.­55
  • 7.­60
  • 8.­3
  • g.­227
  • g.­372
g.­270

protector of the world

Wylie:
  • ’jig rten mgon po
Tibetan:
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་མགོན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • lokanātha AS

An epithet of a buddha.

Located in 21 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­212
  • 2.­9
  • 2.­49
  • 2.­51
  • 2.­61
  • 2.­66
  • 2.­71
  • 4.­215
  • 6.­6
  • 7.­321
  • 9.­63
  • 9.­110
  • 9.­129
  • 9.­136
  • 9.­141
  • 9.­183
  • 9.­218
  • 9.­262
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­20
  • 11.­216
g.­275

Rājagṛha

Wylie:
  • rgyal po’i khab
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱལ་པོའི་ཁབ།
Sanskrit:
  • rājagṛha AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The ancient capital of Magadha prior to its relocation to Pāṭaliputra during the Mauryan dynasty, Rājagṛha is one of the most important locations in Buddhist history. The literature tells us that the Buddha and his saṅgha spent a considerable amount of time in residence in and around Rājagṛha‍—in nearby places, such as the Vulture Peak Mountain (Gṛdhrakūṭaparvata), a major site of the Mahāyāna sūtras, and the Bamboo Grove (Veṇuvana)‍—enjoying the patronage of King Bimbisāra and then of his son King Ajātaśatru. Rājagṛha is also remembered as the location where the first Buddhist monastic council was held after the Buddha Śākyamuni passed into parinirvāṇa. Now known as Rajgir and located in the modern Indian state of Bihar.

Located in 16 passages in the translation:

  • i.­2-3
  • 1.­4-5
  • 1.­7-8
  • 2.­1-2
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­46-47
  • 11.­295-296
  • g.­22
  • g.­32
  • g.­173
g.­276

rākṣasa

Wylie:
  • srin po
Tibetan:
  • སྲིན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • rākṣasa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings that are often, but certainly not always, considered demonic in the Buddhist tradition. They are often depicted as flesh-eating monsters who haunt frightening places and are ugly and evil-natured with a yearning for human flesh, and who additionally have miraculous powers, such as being able to change their appearance.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­63
  • 7.­211
  • 7.­213
  • 9.­314
  • g.­277
g.­282

recollection

Wylie:
  • dran pa
Tibetan:
  • དྲན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • smṛti AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

This is the faculty that enables the mind to maintain its attention on a referent object, counteracting the arising of forgetfulness, which is a great obstacle to meditative stability. The root smṛ may mean “to recollect” but also simply “to think of.” Broadly speaking, smṛti, commonly translated as “mindfulness,” means to bring something to mind, not necessarily something experienced in a distant past but also something that is experienced in the present, such as the position of one’s body or the breath.

Together with alertness (samprajāna, shes bzhin), it is one of the two indispensable factors for the development of calm abiding (śamatha, zhi gnas).

Located in 15 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­124
  • 4.­242-243
  • 4.­245
  • 4.­256
  • 4.­258
  • 7.­211
  • 9.­273
  • 10.­6
  • 10.­17
  • 10.­37
  • 11.­110
  • n.­42
  • g.­103
  • g.­315
g.­284

renunciant

Wylie:
  • rab tu byung ba
Tibetan:
  • རབ་ཏུ་བྱུང་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • pravrajita AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Sanskrit pravrajyā literally means “going forth,” with the sense of leaving the life of a householder and embracing the life of a renunciant. When the term is applied more technically, it refers to the act of becoming a male novice (śrāmaṇera; dge tshul) or female novice (śrāmaṇerikā; dge tshul ma), this being a first stage leading to full ordination.

Located in 15 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­166
  • 2.­18
  • 3.­28
  • 7.­335
  • 9.­38
  • 9.­124
  • 9.­187
  • 9.­193-194
  • 9.­278
  • 9.­282
  • 9.­295
  • 9.­298-299
  • 11.­215
g.­285

Śabala

Wylie:
  • khra bo
Tibetan:
  • ཁྲ་བོ།
Sanskrit:
  • śabala AS

One of Yama’s two watchdogs.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 7.­335
g.­286

sage

Wylie:
  • thub pa
Tibetan:
  • ཐུབ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • muni AS

An epithet of a buddha.

Located in 16 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­10
  • 2.­11
  • 4.­7
  • 4.­25
  • 4.­35
  • 4.­38
  • 4.­257
  • 4.­327
  • 4.­338
  • 4.­356
  • 7.­178
  • 7.­328
  • 9.­138
  • 9.­362
  • 11.­18
  • g.­18
g.­289

Śakra

Wylie:
  • brgya byin
Tibetan:
  • བརྒྱ་བྱིན།
Sanskrit:
  • śakra AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The lord of the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three (trāyastriṃśa). Alternatively known as Indra, the deity that is called “lord of the gods” dwells on the summit of Mount Sumeru and wields the thunderbolt. The Tibetan translation brgya byin (meaning “one hundred sacrifices”) is based on an etymology that śakra is an abbreviation of śata-kratu, one who has performed a hundred sacrifices. Each world with a central Sumeru has a Śakra. Also known by other names such as Kauśika, Devendra, and Śacipati.

Located in 18 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­70
  • 5.­7
  • 6.­6
  • 6.­12
  • 6.­16
  • 7.­194
  • 7.­198
  • 7.­227
  • 9.­203
  • 9.­312
  • 9.­316
  • 9.­324
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­20
  • n.­43
  • g.­151
  • g.­271
  • g.­288
g.­290

Śākya clan

Wylie:
  • shAkya’i rigs
Tibetan:
  • ཤཱཀྱའི་རིགས།
Sanskrit:
  • śākyakula AS

The clan into which the Buddha was born.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­5
  • 7.­116
g.­291

Śākyamuni

Wylie:
  • shAkya thub pa
Tibetan:
  • ཤཱཀྱ་ཐུབ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • śākyamuni AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

An epithet for the historical Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama: he was a muni (“sage”) from the Śākya clan. He is counted as the fourth of the first four buddhas of the present Good Eon, the other three being Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, and Kāśyapa. He will be followed by Maitreya, the next buddha in this eon.

Located in 21 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­11
  • 9.­66
  • 9.­312
  • 11.­275
  • 11.­277
  • 11.­281-282
  • g.­50
  • g.­69
  • g.­168
  • g.­199
  • g.­212
  • g.­216
  • g.­240
  • g.­274
  • g.­302
  • g.­332
  • g.­337
  • g.­340
  • g.­403
g.­292

Sālarāja

Wylie:
  • sa la’i rgyal po
Tibetan:
  • ས་ལའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • sālarāja AS

A buddha in the distant past, he was previously the bodhisatva Smṛtipratilabdha.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­322
  • 7.­326
g.­295

saṃsāra

Wylie:
  • ’khor ba
Tibetan:
  • འཁོར་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • saṃsāra AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A state of involuntary existence conditioned by afflicted mental states and the imprint of past actions, characterized by suffering in a cycle of life, death, and rebirth. On its reversal, the contrasting state of nirvāṇa is attained, free from suffering and the processes of rebirth.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • i.­2
  • 4.­284
  • 4.­389
  • 9.­165
  • 9.­334
  • g.­156
  • g.­187
g.­298

saṅgha

Wylie:
  • dge ’dun
Tibetan:
  • དགེ་འདུན།
Sanskrit:
  • saṅgha AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Though often specifically reserved for the monastic community, this term can be applied to any of the four Buddhist communities‍—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen‍—as well as to identify the different groups of practitioners, like the community of bodhisattvas or the community of śrāvakas. It is also the third of the Three Jewels (triratna) of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Community.

Located in 20 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­48
  • 3.­21
  • 4.­42
  • 4.­297
  • 4.­312
  • 7.­254
  • 7.­328
  • 7.­335
  • 8.­5-6
  • 9.­108
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­167
  • 9.­356
  • 9.­373
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­18
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­302
  • g.­255
g.­299

Śāriputra

Wylie:
  • shA ri’i bu
Tibetan:
  • ཤཱ་རིའི་བུ།
Sanskrit:
  • śāriputra AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the principal śrāvaka disciples of the Buddha, he was renowned for his discipline and for having been praised by the Buddha as foremost of the wise (often paired with Maudgalyā­yana, who was praised as foremost in the capacity for miraculous powers). His father, Tiṣya, to honor Śāriputra’s mother, Śārikā, named him Śāradvatīputra, or, in its contracted form, Śāriputra, meaning “Śārikā’s Son.”

Located in 524 passages in the translation:

  • i.­4
  • i.­6
  • i.­8
  • 3.­1-3
  • 3.­10-11
  • 3.­14-15
  • 3.­21
  • 3.­24-25
  • 3.­33
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­14
  • 4.­17
  • 4.­29-32
  • 4.­44-49
  • 4.­51
  • 4.­55
  • 4.­62-68
  • 4.­80-82
  • 4.­84-99
  • 4.­106-116
  • 4.­123-134
  • 4.­136
  • 4.­138-140
  • 4.­145-146
  • 4.­148-149
  • 4.­159-160
  • 4.­162
  • 4.­171-173
  • 4.­175
  • 4.­187-189
  • 4.­193
  • 4.­202-203
  • 4.­206-207
  • 4.­211
  • 4.­222-223
  • 4.­226-227
  • 4.­229
  • 4.­241-243
  • 4.­245
  • 4.­255-256
  • 4.­258
  • 4.­266-269
  • 4.­279-282
  • 4.­284
  • 4.­286-287
  • 4.­290-291
  • 4.­302
  • 4.­304-305
  • 4.­317
  • 4.­320-321
  • 4.­339-340
  • 4.­342-356
  • 4.­358
  • 4.­376-398
  • 4.­423-424
  • 5.­1-3
  • 5.­31
  • 6.­1-18
  • 6.­33
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­20
  • 7.­28
  • 7.­41-43
  • 7.­54-55
  • 7.­66-67
  • 7.­83-84
  • 7.­100-101
  • 7.­119-120
  • 7.­135-136
  • 7.­152-153
  • 7.­173-175
  • 7.­191-194
  • 7.­203-213
  • 7.­215-225
  • 7.­250-256
  • 7.­285
  • 7.­287-293
  • 7.­306
  • 7.­322
  • 7.­332-336
  • 7.­340
  • 7.­342-347
  • 7.­372-375
  • 8.­1-5
  • 8.­11
  • 8.­20-24
  • 8.­54-57
  • 8.­61
  • 9.­1-8
  • 9.­14-15
  • 9.­17
  • 9.­19-21
  • 9.­30-43
  • 9.­65
  • 9.­67-71
  • 9.­77-79
  • 9.­86
  • 9.­92-94
  • 9.­97
  • 9.­103
  • 9.­109
  • 9.­112
  • 9.­118
  • 9.­120
  • 9.­122
  • 9.­125
  • 9.­127
  • 9.­133
  • 9.­135
  • 9.­144
  • 9.­157
  • 9.­159
  • 9.­162
  • 9.­164-165
  • 9.­167-172
  • 9.­174-180
  • 9.­194-195
  • 9.­198-201
  • 9.­203-204
  • 9.­206
  • 9.­210
  • 9.­212
  • 9.­226
  • 9.­231
  • 9.­243
  • 9.­263
  • 9.­267
  • 9.­271-273
  • 9.­282-285
  • 9.­301-313
  • 9.­316
  • 9.­319
  • 9.­321
  • 9.­324
  • 9.­332-333
  • 9.­335-339
  • 9.­349-356
  • 9.­362
  • 9.­365
  • 9.­367-371
  • 9.­373-375
  • 10.­1-4
  • 10.­7-24
  • 10.­27-29
  • 11.­1-4
  • 11.­17-18
  • 11.­25-26
  • 11.­35-36
  • 11.­41
  • 11.­47-51
  • 11.­53-56
  • 11.­122
  • 11.­130-136
  • 11.­144
  • 11.­175
  • 11.­194
  • 11.­196
  • 11.­198
  • 11.­204
  • 11.­217
  • 11.­233-238
  • 11.­240-247
  • 11.­252-255
  • 11.­259-260
  • 11.­263
  • 11.­275-276
  • 11.­278-282
  • 11.­284
  • 11.­326
  • 11.­331
g.­303

seat of awakening

Wylie:
  • byang chub kyi snying po
Tibetan:
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་སྙིང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • bodhimaṇḍa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The place where the Buddha Śākyamuni achieved awakening and where every buddha will manifest the attainment of buddhahood. In our world this is understood to be located under the Bodhi tree, the Vajrāsana, in present-day Bodhgaya, India. It can also refer to the state of awakening itself.

Located in 16 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­6
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­408
  • 6.­9
  • 7.­82
  • 7.­114
  • 7.­159
  • 7.­213
  • 7.­267
  • 10.­26
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­102
  • 11.­132
  • 11.­166
  • 11.­182
  • 11.­197
g.­304

self

Wylie:
  • bdag
Tibetan:
  • བདག
Sanskrit:
  • ātman AS

The idea of an autonomous individual.

Located in 109 passages in the translation:

  • i.­12
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­128
  • 1.­136-139
  • 1.­145
  • 1.­154-155
  • 1.­161
  • 1.­163
  • 1.­169
  • 1.­171
  • 3.­18
  • 3.­29
  • 3.­31-32
  • 4.­25
  • 4.­206
  • 4.­261-264
  • 4.­275
  • 4.­298
  • 4.­342
  • 4.­355
  • 4.­372
  • 4.­388
  • 5.­8
  • 5.­10
  • 5.­14
  • 5.­17
  • 5.­21
  • 5.­27
  • 6.­30
  • 7.­3
  • 7.­11
  • 7.­13-15
  • 7.­17-19
  • 7.­104
  • 7.­118
  • 7.­153
  • 7.­185
  • 7.­187
  • 7.­253
  • 7.­287-288
  • 7.­334-335
  • 7.­355-371
  • 7.­374
  • 8.­42
  • 8.­49
  • 9.­78
  • 9.­82
  • 9.­84-85
  • 9.­194
  • 9.­214
  • 9.­228
  • 10.­13
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­23
  • 10.­26
  • 10.­50
  • 11.­48
  • 11.­53
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­57
  • 11.­60
  • 11.­62
  • 11.­72
  • 11.­97
  • 11.­115
  • 11.­122-123
  • 11.­126
  • 11.­133-134
  • 11.­146
  • 11.­157
  • 11.­185
  • 11.­190
  • 11.­195
  • 11.­200
  • g.­100
g.­305

sense field

Wylie:
  • skye mched
Tibetan:
  • སྐྱེ་མཆེད།
Sanskrit:
  • āyatana AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

These can be listed as twelve or as six sense sources (sometimes also called sense fields, bases of cognition, or simply āyatanas).

In the context of epistemology, it is one way of describing experience and the world in terms of twelve sense sources, which can be divided into inner and outer sense sources, namely: (1–2) eye and form, (3–4) ear and sound, (5–6) nose and odor, (7–8) tongue and taste, (9–10) body and touch, (11–12) mind and mental phenomena.

In the context of the twelve links of dependent origination, only six sense sources are mentioned, and they are the inner sense sources (identical to the six faculties) of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

Located in 20 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­143
  • 1.­149
  • 1.­188
  • 4.­15
  • 4.­353
  • 4.­355-356
  • 7.­371
  • 8.­57
  • 9.­334-335
  • 11.­56
  • 11.­62-64
  • 11.­72
  • 11.­90
  • 11.­122
  • 11.­157
  • 11.­283
g.­306

seven factors of awakening

Wylie:
  • byang chub kyi yan lag bdun
Tibetan:
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་ཡན་ལག་བདུན།
Sanskrit:
  • saptabodhyaṅga AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The set of seven factors or aspects that characteristically manifest on the path of seeing: (1) mindfulness (smṛti, dran pa), (2) discrimination between dharmas (dharmapravicaya, chos rab tu rnam ’byed/shes rab), (3) diligence (vīrya, brtson ’grus), (4) joy (prīti, dga’ ba), (5) mental and physical ease (praśrabdhi, shin sbyangs), (6) meditative absorption (samādhi, ting nge ’dzin), and (7) equanimity (upekṣā, btang snyoms).

In this text:

See also 11.­136.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 11.­136
  • 11.­144
  • g.­90
  • g.­365
g.­307

seven kinds of riches

Wylie:
  • nor bdun
Tibetan:
  • ནོར་བདུན།
Sanskrit:
  • saptadhana AS

Listed here as faith, morality, conscience, moral sensitivity, learning, renunciations, and wisdom.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­102
  • 7.­179-180
  • 11.­103
g.­308

seven kinds of untrue teachings

Wylie:
  • dam pa’i chos ma yin pa bdun
Tibetan:
  • དམ་པའི་ཆོས་མ་ཡིན་པ་བདུན།
Sanskrit:
  • saptāsaddharma AS

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 7.­101
g.­309

seven precious implements

Wylie:
  • rin po che sna bdun
Tibetan:
  • རིན་པོ་ཆེ་སྣ་བདུན།
Sanskrit:
  • saptaratna AS

The seven possessions of a king of the entire world: the precious wheel, the precious elephant, the precious horse, the precious jewel, the precious queen, the precious householder, and the precious minister.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­210
  • 11.­237
g.­312

Śīlendra

Wylie:
  • shI len dra bo d+hi
Tibetan:
  • ཤཱི་ལེན་དྲ་བོ་དྷི།
Sanskrit:
  • śīlendrabodhi

An Indian paṇḍita resident in Tibet during the late eighth and early ninth centuries.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • i.­13
  • c.­1
g.­313

six perfections

Wylie:
  • pha rol tu phyin pa drug
Tibetan:
  • ཕ་རོལ་ཏུ་ཕྱིན་པ་དྲུག
Sanskrit:
  • ṣaṭpāramitā AS

The practice of the bodhisatva, which consists of generosity (dāna), morality (śīla), patient acceptance (kṣānti), vigor (vīrya), meditation (dhyāna), and wisdom (prajñā).

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­7
  • 5.­31
  • 6.­1
  • 11.­326
  • g.­262
  • g.­400
g.­317

skandha

Wylie:
  • phung po
Tibetan:
  • ཕུང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • skandha AS

Psychophysical constituents that make up the individual, divided into five group. See “five skandhas.”

Located in 36 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­57
  • 1.­138
  • 1.­142-143
  • 1.­164
  • 1.­166-167
  • 1.­198-200
  • 3.­13
  • 4.­15
  • 4.­49
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­353
  • 4.­355-356
  • 7.­339
  • 7.­374
  • 9.­320
  • 9.­334-335
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­28
  • 11.­55-58
  • 11.­65
  • 11.­72
  • 11.­88
  • 11.­122
  • 11.­157
  • 11.­283
  • g.­100
  • g.­114
g.­318

Smṛtipratilabdha

Wylie:
  • dran pa thob pa
Tibetan:
  • དྲན་པ་ཐོབ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • smṛti­pratilabdha AS

A bodhisatva in the distant past, during the time of the Buddha Agragaṇin.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­291-292
  • 7.­294
  • g.­292
g.­320

spirit world governed by Yama

Wylie:
  • gshin rje’i ’jig rten
Tibetan:
  • གཤིན་རྗེའི་འཇིག་རྟེན།
Sanskrit:
  • yamaloka AS
  • yāmaloka AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The land of the dead ruled over by the Lord of Death. In Buddhism it refers to the preta realm, where beings generally suffer from hunger and thirst, which in traditional Brahmanism is the fate of those departed without descendants to make ancestral offerings.

Located in 15 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­7
  • 4.­127
  • 4.­256
  • 4.­397
  • 5.­11
  • 5.­15
  • 7.­144
  • 7.­335
  • 7.­340
  • 7.­344
  • 8.­3
  • 9.­179
  • 9.­304
  • 9.­307
  • 10.­12
g.­321

śrāvaka

Wylie:
  • nyan thos
Tibetan:
  • ཉན་ཐོས།
Sanskrit:
  • śrāvaka AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Sanskrit term śrāvaka, and the Tibetan nyan thos, both derived from the verb “to hear,” are usually defined as “those who hear the teaching from the Buddha and make it heard to others.” Primarily this refers to those disciples of the Buddha who aspire to attain the state of an arhat seeking their own liberation and nirvāṇa. They are the practitioners of the first turning of the wheel of the Dharma on the four noble truths, who realize the suffering inherent in saṃsāra and focus on understanding that there is no independent self. By conquering afflicted mental states (kleśa), they liberate themselves, attaining first the stage of stream enterers at the path of seeing, followed by the stage of once-returners who will be reborn only one more time, and then the stage of non-returners who will no longer be reborn into the desire realm. The final goal is to become an arhat. These four stages are also known as the “four results of spiritual practice.”

Located in 74 passages in the translation:

  • i.­1
  • 2.­7
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­43
  • 2.­48
  • 4.­108
  • 4.­111-114
  • 4.­118
  • 4.­147
  • 4.­155
  • 4.­201
  • 4.­229
  • 4.­239
  • 4.­244
  • 4.­257
  • 4.­263
  • 4.­272
  • 4.­391
  • 4.­396-397
  • 4.­411
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­8
  • 6.­6
  • 6.­15-16
  • 7.­120
  • 7.­219
  • 7.­290
  • 7.­322
  • 7.­344
  • 9.­7
  • 9.­79
  • 9.­98-102
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­284
  • 9.­300
  • 9.­303
  • 9.­309
  • 9.­349
  • 9.­351
  • 9.­354
  • 9.­369
  • 9.­373
  • 10.­12
  • 10.­20-21
  • 10.­24
  • 10.­27
  • 11.­104
  • 11.­131
  • 11.­134
  • 11.­196
  • 11.­234-236
  • 11.­241-242
  • 11.­256
  • 11.­262
  • 11.­275
  • n.­106
  • g.­71
  • g.­85
  • g.­322
  • g.­377
g.­323

Śrāvastī

Wylie:
  • mnyan yod
Tibetan:
  • མཉན་ཡོད།
Sanskrit:
  • śrāvastī AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

During the life of the Buddha, Śrāvastī was the capital city of the powerful kingdom of Kośala, ruled by King Prasenajit, who became a follower and patron of the Buddha. It was also the hometown of Anāthapiṇḍada, the wealthy patron who first invited the Buddha there, and then offered him a park known as Jetavana, Prince Jeta’s Grove, which became one of the first Buddhist monasteries. The Buddha is said to have spent about twenty-five rainy seasons with his disciples in Śrāvastī, thus it is named as the setting of numerous events and teachings. It is located in present-day Uttar Pradesh in northern India.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­2
g.­324

stage

Wylie:
  • sa
Tibetan:
  • ས།
Sanskrit:
  • bhūmi AS

Eight or ten levels or stages through which the bodhisatva traverses on the journey to complete awakening.

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­48
  • 3.­2
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­14
  • 4.­68
  • 4.­77
g.­326

stūpa

Wylie:
  • mchod rten
Tibetan:
  • མཆོད་རྟེན།
Sanskrit:
  • stūpa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Tibetan translates both stūpa and caitya with the same word, mchod rten, meaning “basis” or “recipient” of “offerings” or “veneration.” Pali: cetiya.

A caitya, although often synonymous with stūpa, can also refer to any site, sanctuary or shrine that is made for veneration, and may or may not contain relics.

A stūpa, literally “heap” or “mound,” is a mounded or circular structure usually containing relics of the Buddha or the masters of the past. It is considered to be a sacred object representing the awakened mind of a buddha, but the symbolism of the stūpa is complex, and its design varies throughout the Buddhist world. Stūpas continue to be erected today as objects of veneration and merit making.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­249
  • 7.­329
  • 9.­271
  • 9.­274
g.­333

sugata

Wylie:
  • bde bar gshegs pa
  • bde gshegs
Tibetan:
  • བདེ་བར་གཤེགས་པ།
  • བདེ་གཤེགས།
Sanskrit:
  • sugata AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the standard epithets of the buddhas. A recurrent explanation offers three different meanings for su- that are meant to show the special qualities of “accomplishment of one’s own purpose” (svārthasampad) for a complete buddha. Thus, the Sugata is “well” gone, as in the expression su-rūpa (“having a good form”); he is gone “in a way that he shall not come back,” as in the expression su-naṣṭa-jvara (“a fever that has utterly gone”); and he has gone “without any remainder” as in the expression su-pūrṇa-ghaṭa (“a pot that is completely full”). According to Buddhaghoṣa, the term means that the way the Buddha went (Skt. gata) is good (Skt. su) and where he went (Skt. gata) is good (Skt. su).

Located in 61 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­3
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­21
  • 1.­23
  • 1.­117
  • 1.­159
  • 1.­208
  • 4.­18-19
  • 4.­23
  • 4.­26
  • 4.­28
  • 4.­59
  • 4.­61
  • 4.­66
  • 4.­83
  • 4.­87
  • 4.­100
  • 4.­109
  • 4.­141
  • 4.­144
  • 4.­152-155
  • 4.­157
  • 4.­194
  • 4.­196
  • 4.­201
  • 4.­213
  • 4.­246
  • 4.­250
  • 4.­254
  • 4.­260
  • 4.­265
  • 4.­277
  • 4.­399
  • 4.­404
  • 4.­416
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­6
  • 6.­15
  • 7.­30
  • 7.­122
  • 7.­176
  • 7.­257
  • 7.­290
  • 7.­302
  • 7.­322
  • 9.­77
  • 9.­136
  • 9.­144
  • 9.­146
  • 9.­175
  • 9.­196
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­225
  • 9.­258
  • 9.­282
  • 9.­284
  • 9.­347
g.­338

superficial mental activity

Wylie:
  • tshul bzhin ma yin pa yid la byed pa
Tibetan:
  • ཚུལ་བཞིན་མ་ཡིན་པ་ཡིད་ལ་བྱེད་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • ayoniśomanasikāra AS

Confused thought processes that lead to misunderstanding.

Located in 7 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­141
  • 1.­154-156
  • 4.­302
  • 4.­355
  • 7.­287
g.­342

Surendra

Wylie:
  • su ren+t+ra bo d+hi
  • su ren+d+ra bo d+hi
Tibetan:
  • སུ་རེནྟྲ་བོ་དྷི།
  • སུ་རེནྡྲ་བོ་དྷི།
Sanskrit:
  • surendrabodhi

Surendrabodhi came to Tibet during reign of King Ralpachen (ral pa can, r. 815–38 ᴄᴇ). He is listed as the translator of forty-three texts and was one of the small group of paṇḍitas responsible for the Mahāvyutpatti Sanskrit–Tibetan dictionary.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • i.­13
  • c.­1
g.­346

Śyāma

Wylie:
  • sre bo
Tibetan:
  • སྲེ་བོ།
Sanskrit:
  • śyāma AS

One of Yama’s two watchdogs.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 7.­335
g.­347

tathāgata

Wylie:
  • de bzhin gshegs pa
Tibetan:
  • དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • tathāgata AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A frequently used synonym for buddha. According to different explanations, it can be read as tathā-gata, literally meaning “one who has thus gone,” or as tathā-āgata, “one who has thus come.” Gata, though literally meaning “gone,” is a past passive participle used to describe a state or condition of existence. Tatha­(tā), often rendered as “suchness” or “thusness,” is the quality or condition of things as they really are, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. Therefore, this epithet is interpreted in different ways, but in general it implies one who has departed in the wake of the buddhas of the past, or one who has manifested the supreme awakening dependent on the reality that does not abide in the two extremes of existence and quiescence. It is also often used as a specific epithet of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

Located in 361 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5-6
  • i.­9
  • i.­11
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­5-6
  • 1.­60
  • 1.­203
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­38
  • 2.­64-65
  • 3.­1-2
  • 3.­13
  • 3.­31
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­14
  • 4.­17
  • 4.­26
  • 4.­29-32
  • 4.­42-48
  • 4.­62-65
  • 4.­67-68
  • 4.­80-83
  • 4.­85-99
  • 4.­106-109
  • 4.­112-116
  • 4.­119
  • 4.­123-125
  • 4.­138-140
  • 4.­145-149
  • 4.­151
  • 4.­159-162
  • 4.­171-173
  • 4.­175
  • 4.­187-193
  • 4.­202-211
  • 4.­221
  • 4.­223-229
  • 4.­241-245
  • 4.­255-258
  • 4.­266-269
  • 4.­279-291
  • 4.­302-306
  • 4.­318-321
  • 4.­323
  • 4.­339-355
  • 4.­357-358
  • 4.­366
  • 4.­376-398
  • 4.­422-425
  • 5.­2-3
  • 5.­22-23
  • 5.­31
  • 6.­8
  • 6.­12-16
  • 7.­214-224
  • 7.­255
  • 7.­290
  • 7.­292-294
  • 7.­297-298
  • 7.­300
  • 7.­304
  • 7.­306
  • 7.­308
  • 7.­310
  • 7.­316
  • 7.­320
  • 7.­322
  • 7.­335
  • 8.­7-8
  • 8.­23
  • 8.­55
  • 9.­6
  • 9.­14
  • 9.­18
  • 9.­20
  • 9.­30
  • 9.­39
  • 9.­43
  • 9.­66
  • 9.­70
  • 9.­77
  • 9.­79
  • 9.­84
  • 9.­112
  • 9.­114
  • 9.­127
  • 9.­133-135
  • 9.­141
  • 9.­144
  • 9.­148
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­166
  • 9.­169-170
  • 9.­177
  • 9.­179
  • 9.­198
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­203-204
  • 9.­231
  • 9.­234
  • 9.­243
  • 9.­257
  • 9.­261
  • 9.­263
  • 9.­274
  • 9.­282
  • 9.­284-286
  • 9.­300
  • 9.­303-305
  • 9.­307
  • 9.­309-310
  • 9.­312
  • 9.­335
  • 9.­349
  • 9.­351
  • 9.­354-356
  • 9.­359-362
  • 9.­367-370
  • 9.­372-374
  • 10.­13
  • 10.­23
  • 10.­27
  • 10.­44
  • 11.­2-3
  • 11.­36
  • 11.­41
  • 11.­46
  • 11.­99
  • 11.­102
  • 11.­122
  • 11.­202
  • 11.­233-236
  • 11.­240-243
  • 11.­252
  • 11.­254-257
  • 11.­262-263
  • 11.­266
  • 11.­269
  • 11.­271-279
  • 11.­281-282
  • 11.­291-292
  • 11.­294
  • 11.­296
  • 11.­309
  • 11.­311-313
  • 11.­315
  • 11.­318
  • 11.­327
  • n.­52
  • n.­115
  • g.­255
  • g.­349
  • g.­380
g.­348

tathāgata power

Wylie:
  • de bzhin gshegs pa’i stobs
Tibetan:
  • དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པའི་སྟོབས།
Sanskrit:
  • —

See “ten powers.”

Located in 15 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­1
  • 4.­124-125
  • 4.­145-146
  • 4.­159
  • 4.­171
  • 4.­187
  • 4.­202
  • 4.­222
  • 4.­241
  • 4.­255
  • 4.­266-267
  • 4.­279
g.­350

teacher

Wylie:
  • ston pa
Tibetan:
  • སྟོན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • śāstṛ AS

An epithet of a buddha.

Located in 96 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­88
  • 1.­109
  • 1.­211
  • 2.­20
  • 2.­49
  • 2.­60
  • 2.­72
  • 4.­18
  • 4.­100
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­141-143
  • 4.­194
  • 4.­214
  • 4.­246
  • 4.­253
  • 4.­276
  • 4.­285
  • 4.­399
  • 4.­406
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­14
  • 5.­22-23
  • 6.­15
  • 7.­20
  • 7.­27
  • 7.­29-30
  • 7.­41
  • 7.­44
  • 7.­54-56
  • 7.­63
  • 7.­65-68
  • 7.­72
  • 7.­79
  • 7.­83-85
  • 7.­97
  • 7.­100-102
  • 7.­119-122
  • 7.­133
  • 7.­135-137
  • 7.­150
  • 7.­152
  • 7.­158-160
  • 7.­173-176
  • 7.­191-192
  • 7.­211-214
  • 7.­250
  • 7.­257
  • 7.­290
  • 7.­322
  • 7.­329
  • 8.­21
  • 9.­39
  • 9.­47
  • 9.­59
  • 9.­77
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­282
  • 9.­284
  • 11.­103-104
  • 11.­107-109
  • 11.­112
  • 11.­180
  • 11.­224
  • 11.­260-261
  • 11.­317
g.­352

teaching

Wylie:
  • chos
Tibetan:
  • ཆོས།
Sanskrit:
  • dharma AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term dharma conveys ten different meanings, according to Vasubandhu’s Vyākhyā­yukti. The primary meanings are as follows: the doctrine taught by the Buddha (Dharma); the ultimate reality underlying and expressed through the Buddha’s teaching (Dharma); the trainings that the Buddha’s teaching stipulates (dharmas); the various awakened qualities or attainments acquired through practicing and realizing the Buddha’s teaching (dharmas); qualities or aspects more generally, i.e., phenomena or phenomenal attributes (dharmas); and mental objects (dharmas).

Located in 179 passages in the translation:

  • i.­1
  • i.­3
  • i.­6
  • i.­9
  • i.­11
  • 1.­2
  • 1.­187
  • 1.­196
  • 2.­20
  • 2.­37-38
  • 2.­40
  • 2.­48
  • 2.­60
  • 2.­67
  • 2.­74
  • 2.­76
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­18
  • 3.­20
  • 3.­22
  • 3.­31
  • 3.­33
  • 4.­30
  • 4.­199-201
  • 4.­204
  • 4.­231
  • 4.­275
  • 4.­382
  • 4.­390
  • 4.­395
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­3
  • 5.­22-23
  • 6.­8
  • 7.­20
  • 7.­23
  • 7.­26-27
  • 7.­41
  • 7.­44
  • 7.­54-55
  • 7.­66-67
  • 7.­72
  • 7.­74
  • 7.­83
  • 7.­85
  • 7.­94
  • 7.­100
  • 7.­120
  • 7.­127
  • 7.­130
  • 7.­136
  • 7.­140
  • 7.­149
  • 7.­170
  • 7.­174
  • 7.­177-178
  • 7.­181
  • 7.­183
  • 7.­192
  • 7.­213-214
  • 7.­225
  • 7.­254
  • 7.­263
  • 7.­265
  • 7.­268
  • 7.­274
  • 7.­276
  • 7.­303
  • 7.­305
  • 7.­307
  • 7.­310
  • 7.­312
  • 7.­318
  • 7.­322
  • 7.­330-331
  • 9.­2-4
  • 9.­6
  • 9.­10-11
  • 9.­14-17
  • 9.­23
  • 9.­26
  • 9.­37
  • 9.­60
  • 9.­62
  • 9.­64-65
  • 9.­68
  • 9.­92
  • 9.­173
  • 9.­244
  • 9.­298
  • 9.­300
  • 9.­304
  • 9.­352-353
  • 9.­356-358
  • 9.­361-363
  • 9.­365
  • 9.­367
  • 9.­374-375
  • 10.­13
  • 10.­20-21
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3-4
  • 11.­8
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­25-26
  • 11.­31-32
  • 11.­36
  • 11.­41-42
  • 11.­47
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­65-66
  • 11.­75
  • 11.­77
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­82-83
  • 11.­85
  • 11.­98-99
  • 11.­102-103
  • 11.­107
  • 11.­112-113
  • 11.­118
  • 11.­130
  • 11.­134
  • 11.­138
  • 11.­168
  • 11.­176
  • 11.­179
  • 11.­197-198
  • 11.­200
  • 11.­204
  • 11.­209
  • 11.­215
  • 11.­226
  • 11.­240
  • 11.­266
  • 11.­280-281
  • 11.­283-285
  • 11.­326
  • 11.­332
  • n.­11
  • n.­43
  • g.­121
g.­356

ten powers

Wylie:
  • stobs bcu
Tibetan:
  • སྟོབས་བཅུ།
Sanskrit:
  • daśabala AS

Ten things that a buddha knows: (1) what is possible and what is impossible, (2) karmic maturation, (3) various elements, (4) various inclinations, (5) levels of ability, (6) every path of travel, (7) the pure and afflicted sides of concentration, meditative states, and absorptions, (8) memory of former abodes, (9) death and rebirth, and (10) that the defilements have been eliminated. These are listed in more detail at F.10.b.

Located in 20 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­123
  • 2.­50
  • 3.­13
  • 4.­27
  • 4.­58
  • 4.­61
  • 4.­85
  • 4.­102-105
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­144
  • 4.­335
  • 4.­338
  • 6.­12
  • 9.­234
  • 10.­36
  • g.­348
  • g.­380
g.­361

ten unwholesome forms of conduct

Wylie:
  • mi dge ba bcu’i las kyi lam
Tibetan:
  • མི་དགེ་བ་བཅུའི་ལས་ཀྱི་ལམ།
Sanskrit:
  • daśākuśala­karmapatha AS

Taking life, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, lying, slander, uttering harsh words, inane chatter, covetousness, maliciousness, and holding wrong views

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­75-76
  • 3.­15
  • 4.­301
  • 4.­332
  • 7.­101
  • g.­360
  • g.­362
  • g.­363
g.­363

ten wholesome forms of conduct

Wylie:
  • dge ba bcu’i las gyi lam
  • las lam bcu po
Tibetan:
  • དགེ་བ་བཅུའི་ལས་གྱི་ལམ།
  • ལས་ལམ་བཅུ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • daśakuśa­lakarmapatha AS

These are the opposite of the ten unwholesome forms of conduct, i.e., refraining from engaging in the ten unwholesome form of conduct and (in some contexts) doing the opposite.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­15
  • 4.­316
  • 5.­16
  • 5.­21
  • 7.­6
  • 9.­330-331
  • 11.­103
  • 11.­127
  • g.­364
g.­365

thirty-seven elements that are conducive to awakening

Wylie:
  • byang chub kyi phyogs kyi chos sum cu rtsa bdun gyi chos rnams
Tibetan:
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་ཕྱོགས་ཀྱི་ཆོས་སུམ་ཅུ་རྩ་བདུན་གྱི་ཆོས་རྣམས།
Sanskrit:
  • saptatriṅśad­bodhi­pakṣika­dharma AS

Thirty-seven practices that lead the practitioner to the awakened state: the four foundations of mindfulness, the four kinds of perfect exertion, the four foundations of magical abilities, the five faculties, the five powers, the noble eightfold path, and the seven factors of awakening.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 11.­83
  • g.­104
  • g.­108
  • g.­113
g.­369

three doors of liberation

Wylie:
  • rnam par thar pa’i sgo gsum
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་པར་ཐར་པའི་སྒོ་གསུམ།
Sanskrit:
  • trivimokṣa­mukha AS

See “three liberations.”

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 9.­173
  • g.­371
g.­370

three forms of existence

Wylie:
  • srid pa gsum
Tibetan:
  • སྲིད་པ་གསུམ།
Sanskrit:
  • tribhava AS

The three realms (desire realm, form realm, and formless realm), or the three levels of existence (subterranean [nāgas], surface [humans], and heavenly [gods]).

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­103
  • 4.­394
  • 7.­19
g.­371

three liberations

Wylie:
  • rnam par thar pa gsum
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་པར་ཐར་པ་གསུམ།
Sanskrit:
  • trivimokṣa AS

Emptiness, being without attributes, and being without aspiration. Also known as the “three doors of liberation.”

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­393
  • g.­186
  • g.­369
g.­372

three lower realms

Wylie:
  • ngan ’gro gsum
Tibetan:
  • ངན་འགྲོ་གསུམ།
Sanskrit:
  • tridurgati AS

The realms of hell beings, pretas, and animals.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­17
  • 7.­91
  • 11.­294
  • g.­227
g.­373

three realms

Wylie:
  • khams gsum
  • khams gsum pa
Tibetan:
  • ཁམས་གསུམ།
  • ཁམས་གསུམ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • traidhātu AS

The desire realm, form realm, and formless realm.

Located in 15 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­19
  • 4.­118
  • 4.­161
  • 4.­168
  • 4.­284
  • 4.­345
  • 5.­18
  • 6.­9
  • 9.­173
  • 10.­26
  • 11.­166
  • 11.­192
  • 11.­195
  • g.­370
  • g.­378
g.­376

three unwholesome roots

Wylie:
  • mi dge ba’i rtsa ba gsum
Tibetan:
  • མི་དགེ་བའི་རྩ་བ་གསུམ།
Sanskrit:
  • tryakuśalamūla AS

Also known as the three poisons, they are passion (lobha, chags pa), aggression (dveṣa, zhe sdang), and ignorance (moha, gti mug).

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 7.­101
g.­380

threefold knowledge

Wylie:
  • rigs gsum
  • gsum rig pa
Tibetan:
  • རིགས་གསུམ།
  • གསུམ་རིག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • trividya AS
  • trividyā AS

The three kinds of knowledge obtained by the Buddha on the night of his enlightenment. These consist of the knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings, the knowledge of past lives, and the knowledge of the cessation of defilements. These are the last three of the ten powers of the tathāgatas.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­275
  • 9.­128
  • 11.­258-259
g.­382

threefold thousand great thousand worlds

Wylie:
  • stong gsum gyi stong chen po’i ’jig rten gyi khams
Tibetan:
  • སྟོང་གསུམ་གྱི་སྟོང་ཆེན་པོའི་འཇིག་རྟེན་གྱི་ཁམས།
Sanskrit:
  • tri­sāhasramahāsāhasra­loka­dhātu AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The largest universe described in Buddhist cosmology. This term, in Abhidharma cosmology, refers to 1,000³ world systems, i.e., 1,000 “dichiliocosms” or “two thousand great thousand world realms” (dvi­sāhasra­mahā­sāhasra­lokadhātu), which are in turn made up of 1,000 first-order world systems, each with its own Mount Sumeru, continents, sun and moon, etc.

Located in 21 passages in the translation:

  • 2.­74
  • 4.­62
  • 4.­64
  • 4.­66
  • 4.­68
  • 4.­85
  • 4.­88
  • 4.­97
  • 4.­112
  • 4.­115-116
  • 4.­257
  • 7.­213
  • 7.­219
  • 9.­4
  • 9.­272
  • 9.­309-310
  • 9.­349
  • 9.­351
  • 10.­20
g.­383

totality of phenomena

Wylie:
  • chos kyi dbyings
Tibetan:
  • ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབྱིངས།
Sanskrit:
  • dharmadhātu AS

Located in 33 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­9
  • 4.­14
  • 4.­16
  • 4.­28
  • 4.­45-46
  • 4.­48
  • 4.­50
  • 4.­61-62
  • 4.­98
  • 4.­257
  • 4.­285
  • 4.­288-289
  • 4.­303
  • 4.­319
  • 4.­348
  • 4.­356
  • 4.­384
  • 4.­394
  • 7.­183
  • 9.­333
  • 10.­13
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­23
  • 10.­25-26
  • 11.­72
  • 11.­74
  • 11.­89
  • 11.­98
  • 11.­133
g.­389

unique buddha qualities

Wylie:
  • sangs rgyas kyi chos ma ’dres pa rnams
Tibetan:
  • སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་ཆོས་མ་འདྲེས་པ་རྣམས།
Sanskrit:
  • āveṇikā­buddha­dharma AS

See “eighteen unique buddha qualities.”

Located in 24 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­15
  • 4.­377
  • 4.­380-398
  • 9.­14
g.­393

vajra

Wylie:
  • rdo rje
Tibetan:
  • རྡོ་རྗེ།
Sanskrit:
  • vajra AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

This term generally indicates indestructibility and stability. In the sūtras, vajra most often refers to the hardest possible physical substance, said to have divine origins. In some scriptures, it is also the name of the all-powerful weapon of Indra, which in turn is crafted from vajra material. In the tantras, the vajra is sometimes a scepter-like ritual implement, but the term can also take on other esoteric meanings.

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­12
  • 4.­96
  • 6.­9
  • 7.­113
  • 9.­333
  • 9.­341
  • 10.­23
  • 10.­39
  • 10.­43
  • 11.­122
  • 11.­182
g.­395

Vāyuna

Wylie:
  • —
Tibetan:
  • —
Sanskrit:
  • vāyuna AS

The god of the wind.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 7.­260
  • n.­81
g.­396

vice

Wylie:
  • kun nas nyon mongs
Tibetan:
  • ཀུན་ནས་ཉོན་མོངས།
Sanskrit:
  • saṃkleśa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A term meaning defilement, impurity, and pollution, broadly referring to cognitive and emotional factors that disturb and obscure the mind. As the self-perpetuating process of affliction in the minds of beings, it is a synonym for saṃsāra. It is often paired with its opposite, vyavadāna, meaning “purification.”

Located in 70 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­66
  • 1.­83
  • 1.­85
  • 1.­163
  • 1.­166
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­17
  • 3.­19
  • 3.­24
  • 4.­14
  • 4.­41
  • 4.­197
  • 4.­214
  • 4.­224
  • 4.­232
  • 4.­268
  • 4.­288
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­12
  • 6.­15-16
  • 7.­219
  • 7.­246
  • 7.­252
  • 7.­322
  • 7.­357
  • 7.­374
  • 8.­53
  • 8.­57-58
  • 9.­43
  • 9.­71
  • 9.­79
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­167
  • 9.­171
  • 9.­173
  • 9.­201
  • 9.­354
  • 10.­5
  • 10.­8
  • 10.­10
  • 10.­16
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­22-23
  • 10.­25
  • 10.­27-28
  • 10.­35
  • 10.­40
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­53
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­95
  • 11.­102
  • 11.­124
  • 11.­133
  • 11.­147
  • 11.­178
  • 11.­191-192
  • 11.­195-196
  • 11.­201
  • 11.­203
  • 11.­236
  • 11.­326
g.­397

victorious one

Wylie:
  • rgyal ba
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱལ་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • jina AS

An epithet of a buddha.

Located in 58 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­4
  • 1.­12
  • 1.­20
  • 1.­89
  • 1.­114
  • 1.­119
  • 2.­53
  • 4.­3
  • 4.­21
  • 4.­23
  • 4.­28
  • 4.­59
  • 4.­61
  • 4.­75
  • 4.­102-103
  • 4.­142
  • 4.­151
  • 4.­158
  • 4.­170
  • 4.­186
  • 4.­249
  • 4.­252
  • 4.­254
  • 4.­260
  • 4.­265
  • 4.­275
  • 4.­277
  • 4.­329
  • 4.­333-335
  • 4.­374
  • 4.­404
  • 4.­419
  • 4.­421
  • 7.­26
  • 7.­94
  • 7.­127
  • 7.­171
  • 7.­187
  • 7.­303-304
  • 7.­308
  • 7.­317
  • 7.­326
  • 7.­330
  • 8.­26
  • 8.­42
  • 9.­68
  • 9.­116
  • 9.­208
  • 9.­258
  • 9.­291
  • 9.­298
  • 10.­37
  • 11.­210-211
g.­400

vigor

Wylie:
  • brtson ’grus
Tibetan:
  • བརྩོན་འགྲུས།
Sanskrit:
  • vīrya AS

One of the six perfections.

Located in 126 passages in the translation:

  • i.­9
  • 1.­87
  • 1.­91
  • 3.­17
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­22
  • 4.­108
  • 4.­112-113
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­129
  • 4.­188-189
  • 4.­191
  • 4.­199
  • 4.­248
  • 4.­311
  • 4.­313
  • 4.­387
  • 4.­393
  • 4.­407
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­20-21
  • 5.­31
  • 6.­1
  • 7.­20
  • 7.­55
  • 7.­59
  • 7.­67
  • 7.­84
  • 7.­116
  • 7.­120
  • 7.­129
  • 7.­136
  • 7.­141
  • 7.­159
  • 7.­168
  • 7.­182
  • 7.­255
  • 7.­260
  • 7.­374
  • 9.­1-5
  • 9.­7-8
  • 9.­10
  • 9.­12-13
  • 9.­15
  • 9.­18-20
  • 9.­31
  • 9.­40
  • 9.­43
  • 9.­65-66
  • 9.­68
  • 9.­165-174
  • 9.­233
  • 9.­268
  • 9.­270
  • 9.­287
  • 9.­295
  • 9.­297-298
  • 9.­301
  • 9.­305-306
  • 9.­333
  • 9.­339
  • 9.­349
  • 9.­352-353
  • 9.­356
  • 9.­358
  • 9.­362
  • 9.­374-376
  • 10.­15-16
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­22
  • 10.­26
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­26
  • 11.­29
  • 11.­32
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­80
  • 11.­83
  • 11.­110
  • 11.­113
  • 11.­119
  • 11.­136
  • 11.­139
  • 11.­165
  • 11.­167
  • 11.­169
  • 11.­175
  • 11.­177
  • 11.­182
  • 11.­189
  • 11.­197
  • 11.­228
  • g.­91
  • g.­94
  • g.­97
  • g.­98
  • g.­104
  • g.­261
  • g.­313
g.­407

water that possesses eight qualities

Wylie:
  • yan lag brgyad dang ldan pa’i chu
Tibetan:
  • ཡན་ལག་བརྒྱད་དང་ལྡན་པའི་ཆུ།
Sanskrit:
  • aṣṭāṅgopetodaka AS
  • aṣṭāṅgopetapānīya AS
  • aṣṭāṅgopetavāri AS

Here listed as water that is soothing, agreeable, mild, clear, not murky, pure, delicious, and not harmful even if enjoyed in excess.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­92
  • 7.­206
  • 9.­114
  • g.­408
g.­408

water with eight qualities

Wylie:
  • yan lag brgyad kyi chu
Tibetan:
  • ཡན་ལག་བརྒྱད་ཀྱི་ཆུ།
Sanskrit:
  • aṣṭāṅgajala AS

See “water that possesses eight qualities.”

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 7.­233
g.­409

wholesome

Wylie:
  • dge ba
Tibetan:
  • དགེ་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • kuśala AS

Proper and conducive to good results.

Located in 64 passages in the translation:

  • 3.­16
  • 3.­33
  • 4.­14
  • 4.­24
  • 4.­135
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­146
  • 4.­161
  • 4.­188
  • 4.­198
  • 4.­252-253
  • 4.­317
  • 4.­325
  • 4.­335-337
  • 4.­354
  • 4.­386
  • 4.­393
  • 4.­406
  • 5.­14
  • 5.­22
  • 5.­27
  • 7.­20
  • 7.­22
  • 7.­101
  • 7.­120
  • 7.­123
  • 7.­125
  • 7.­127
  • 7.­192
  • 7.­203
  • 7.­212
  • 7.­335
  • 7.­374
  • 9.­167
  • 9.­172
  • 9.­174
  • 9.­176
  • 9.­180
  • 9.­194
  • 9.­261
  • 9.­331
  • 10.­12-13
  • 10.­15
  • 10.­28
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­55
  • 11.­63
  • 11.­74
  • 11.­103
  • 11.­108
  • 11.­128
  • 11.­162
  • 11.­165-166
  • 11.­177
  • 11.­179
  • 11.­183
  • 11.­195
  • 11.­197
g.­410

yakṣa

Wylie:
  • gnod sbyin
Tibetan:
  • གནོད་སྦྱིན།
Sanskrit:
  • yakṣa AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings who inhabit forests, mountainous areas, and other natural spaces, or serve as guardians of villages and towns, and may be propitiated for health, wealth, protection, and other boons, or controlled through magic. According to tradition, their homeland is in the north, where they live under the rule of the Great King Vaiśravaṇa.

Several members of this class have been deified as gods of wealth (these include the just-mentioned Vaiśravaṇa) or as bodhisattva generals of yakṣa armies, and have entered the Buddhist pantheon in a variety of forms, including, in tantric Buddhism, those of wrathful deities.

Located in 29 passages in the translation:

  • i.­3
  • 1.­2
  • 1.­8
  • 2.­2-3
  • 2.­5-6
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­19
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­45-46
  • 2.­48
  • 2.­59
  • 2.­63
  • 2.­81
  • 7.­206
  • 7.­210-211
  • 7.­213
  • 8.­3
  • 9.­93
  • 9.­113
  • 9.­314
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­12
  • 11.­76
  • g.­173
  • g.­287
g.­411

Yama

Wylie:
  • gshin rje
Tibetan:
  • གཤིན་རྗེ།
Sanskrit:
  • yama AS
  • yāma AS

The lord of death, the ruler of hell.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­107
  • 7.­124
  • g.­285
  • g.­346
g.­415

yojana

Wylie:
  • dpag tshad
Tibetan:
  • དཔག་ཚད།
Sanskrit:
  • yojana AS

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A measure of distance sometimes translated as “league,” but with varying definitions. The Sanskrit term denotes the distance yoked oxen can travel in a day or before needing to be unyoked. From different canonical sources the distance represented varies between four and ten miles.

Located in 15 passages in the translation:

  • 4.­76
  • 4.­115-116
  • 7.­218
  • 7.­335-336
  • 9.­92
  • 9.­164
  • 9.­257
  • 9.­350
  • 10.­20
  • 11.­102
  • 11.­238
  • 11.­305
  • g.­179
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    84000. The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva (Bodhisatva­piṭaka, byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod, Toh 56). Translated by Norwegian Institute of Palaeography and Historical Philology (PHI). Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024. https://84000.co/translation/toh56/UT22084-040-007-chapter-7.Copy
    84000. The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva (Bodhisatva­piṭaka, byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod, Toh 56). Translated by Norwegian Institute of Palaeography and Historical Philology (PHI), online publication, 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024, 84000.co/translation/toh56/UT22084-040-007-chapter-7.Copy
    84000. (2024) The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva (Bodhisatva­piṭaka, byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod, Toh 56). (Norwegian Institute of Palaeography and Historical Philology (PHI), Trans.). Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. https://84000.co/translation/toh56/UT22084-040-007-chapter-7.Copy

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