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བསིལ་བའི་ཚལ་ཆེན་པོ།

Great Cool Grove

Mahāśītavanī­sūtra
བསིལ་བའི་ཚལ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།
bsil ba’i tshal chen po’i mdo
The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove

Toh 562

Degé Kangyur, vol. 90 (rgyud ’bum, pha), folios 138.b–150.b

Imprint

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

First published 2023

Current version v 1.0.10 (2025)

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co.

Table of Contents

ti. Title
im. Imprint
co. Contents
s. Summary
ac. Acknowledgements
i. Introduction
tr. The Translation
+ 2 sections- 2 sections
1. Great Cool Grove
c. Colophon
ab. Abbreviations
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
+ 2 sections- 2 sections
· Tibetan Texts
· Secondary Sources
g. Glossary

s.

Summary

s.­1

The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove, one of five texts that constitute the Pañcarakṣā scriptural collection, has been among the most popular texts used for pragmatic purposes throughout the Mahāyāna Buddhist world. This sūtra promises protection for the Buddha’s “four communities”‍—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen‍—against a range of illnesses and obstacles originating from the hosts of spirit entities who reside in remote wilderness retreats. The text centers specifically on threats of illness posed by the capricious spirit world of “nonhumans,” known collectively as grahas or bhūtas, who feed off the vitality, flesh, and blood of members of the Buddhist spiritual community engaging in spiritual practice at those remote hermitages. The sūtra is proclaimed by the Four Great Kings, each of whom reigns over a host of bhūtas, with the goal of quelling the hostile forces who assail those diligently practicing the Buddha’s teachings. Also included are ritual prescriptions for properly performing the sūtra and descriptions of the many benefits that ensue.


ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.­1

Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. The translation was produced by James Gentry, who also wrote the introduction. Andreas Doctor compared the translation with the original Tibetan and edited the text.

ac.­2

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


i.

Introduction

i.­1

The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove is one in a series of five works that are widely popular in the Buddhist world for their power to bring about practical and liberative benefit. In addition to The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove, this set of texts includes Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm (Mahā­sāhasrapramardanī­sūtra, Toh 558),1 The Great Peahen (Mahā­māyūrīvidyā­rājñī, Toh 559),2 The Great Amulet (Mahā­pratisārāvidyā­rājñī, Toh 561),3 and Great Upholder of the Secret Mantra (Mahā­mantrānusāriṇī­sūtra, Toh 563).4 Together these five texts have been apotheosized in the Mahāyāna tradition as five goddesses known collectively as the Pañcarakṣā, or the Five Protectresses. In the Tibetan tradition this collection is known as gzungs chen grwa lnga, the Five Great Dhāraṇīs.

i.­2

Tibetan redactors of Kangyur collections have cataloged these five texts together within the Kriyātantra section of the Collected Tantras (rgyud ’bum) division of the canon. Indeed, these scriptures do contain elements that resonate with standard Kriyātantra practice as understood in Tibet: the use of powerful incantations, an emphasis on external ritual hygiene, the pragmatic application of ritual and mantra, and so forth. Yet, nearly absent from the five dhāraṇī texts are detailed descriptions of the contemplative visualization exercises, specialized ritual gestures (mudrā), elaborate maṇḍala diagrams, and initiation ceremonies typical of full-blown Buddhist tantra. A close perusal of these five texts might then lead the reader to construe them as Mahāyāna texts with a preponderance of elements‍—magical mantra formulas, ritual prescriptions, pragmatic aims, and so forth‍—that developed into a tantric practice tradition with its own unique view, meditation, and conduct. To complicate things further, core features of texts in this collection are rooted in Indian Buddhist traditions that are not specifically esoteric or even explicitly part of the Mahāyāna tradition. The great peahen incantation, for example, appears as a remedy for snakebites in the Mūla­sarvāstivāda­vinayavastu.5 This accords with Gregory Schopen’s general observation, based on inscriptional evidence, that “Dhāraṇī texts were publically [sic] known much earlier and much more widely than the texts we think of as ‘classically’ Mahāyāna.”6

i.­3

It is believed that all five of these texts, and specifically their incantations, provide special protection from a wide range of illnesses and misfortunes for those who memorize, recollect, read, copy, teach, wear, or otherwise come into contact with them. Each text promises protection from specific misfortunes, with considerable overlap witnessed between the texts. Despite the pragmatic thrust of these scriptures, each text also contains numerous allusions to doctrinal notions, the range of effects described therein sometimes, though rarely, extending beyond the pragmatic sphere to include the purification of negative karma, deliverance from the lower realms, and even the attainment of buddhahood.

i.­4

While it seems certain that the five texts each developed independently and were only later combined into the well-known collection, their popularity as a set is attested by their eventual spread from India to Nepal, Tibet, Central Asia, China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, and Indonesia.7 Among the five texts, the status of The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove is perhaps the most ambiguous. The sūtra is listed as one of the “Five Great Dhāraṇīs” in the Denkarma (ldan kar ma), the imperial-period catalog of Tibetan translations, indicating that it was counted among the set as early as the ninth century.8 Similarly, it was also counted among the same set in a ninth-century Tibetan manuscript found at Tabo monastery in Ladakh.9 However, in later Sanskrit Pañcarakṣā collections it was replaced with the similarly titled but otherwise distinct dhāraṇī Great Cool Goddess (Mahāśītavatī).10 Thus, the collection of five dhāraṇīs preserved in the Tibetan canon and recorded in Denkarma catalog as the “Five Great Dhāraṇīs” may represent a “proto-Pañcarakṣā collection” that evolved into the collection that includes the dhāraṇī Great Cool Goddess rather than The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove.11 It is the later arrangement of the Five Great Dhāraṇīs, the set that does not include The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove, that has achieved widespread popularity in the Buddhist world, particularly in Nepal, where numerous versions of the text have been preserved in Sanskrit and vernacular languages into modern times.12

i.­5

The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove takes place in the Cool Grove cremation ground and unfolds as an exchange between the Buddha and the Four Great Kings: Kubera, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Virūḍhaka, and Virūpākṣa. The Four Great Kings deliver the sūtra and teach the incantations it contains, and the Buddha establishes their teaching as authoritative scripture by accepting and rejoicing in their proclamation. After doing so, the Buddha adds the final incantation of the sūtra. The Four Great Kings’ explicit purpose in delivering the sūtra is to protect the Buddha’s four communities and other human beings from the threatening influence of the kings’ own pantheon of capricious, nonhuman servants, known collectively as grahas or bhūtas. Each of the Four Great Kings holds spiritual sovereignty over a cardinal direction and the classes of supernatural beings who reside in them. According to the cosmology presented in the text, the great king Kubera, also called Vaiśravaṇa, dwells in the north, where he presides over primarily yakṣas, but also a host of other supernatural beings including nakṣatras, unmādas, apasmāras, kinnaras, and skandas. The great king Dhṛtarāṣṭra dwells in the east, where he reigns over gandharvas as well as rākṣasas, piśācas, and marutas. The great king Virūḍhaka rules in the south, where his entourage consists mostly of kumbhāṇḍas but also includes pretas and pūtanas. Finally, the great king Virūpākṣa reigns in the west, where his entourage is made up of nāgas as well as garuḍas and guhyakas.

i.­6

The sūtra promises protection specifically for the Buddha’s “four communities”‍—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen‍—against a range of illnesses and obstacles originating from the animosity and ill will of these hosts of supernatural beings. In this text, these beings are said to reside in the vicinity of remote wilderness retreats, where they can feed off the vitality, flesh, and blood of members of the Buddhist spiritual community engaged in spiritual practice there. The negative impact of these supernatural beings is framed in terms of their intrusion upon the human body in the form of illness, danger, and misfortune. Concordantly, the text claims to work precisely by means of “repelling” harmful entities from the bodies of patients, “drawing a boundary” around them, and thereby restoring health and well-being. It is through “receiving, holding, reciting, mastering, and using” the scripture itself that such healing exorcisms are effected. This can be done by patients themselves or by other members of the community on their behalf.

i.­7

The narrative introduction (nidāna; gleng gzhi) traditionally found at the very beginning of a sūtra is here preceded by a series of supplications to the buddhas of the past, prominent monks in the Buddha’s entourage, and the Four Great Kings. This is followed by an entreaty to malevolent and benevolent supernatural beings and an initial incantation formula. This material, which was likely appended to the sūtra by a later compiler, has the effect of transforming the core scripture into a liturgy to be recited in a ritual setting. One such ritual framework is found at the end of the sūtra, following the traditional formula for ending a scripture. This concise ritual instruction was also likely added by a later compiler in order to provide practical instructions for using the sūtra as part of a healing or protective rite.

i.­8

The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove was translated into Tibetan under Tibetan imperial patronage sometime during the first half of the ninth century by a team that included the translator-editor Bandé Yeshé Dé (ca. eighth–ninth centuries) and the Indian scholars Śīlendrabodhi, Jñānasiddhi, and Śākyaprabha. The translation was edited several centuries later by Gö Lotsāwa Shönu Pal (’gos lo tsA ba gzhon nu dpal, 1392–1481), who based his work on a Sanskrit manuscript that had been in the possession of Chak Lotsāwa Chöjé Pal (chag lo tsA ba chos rje dpal, 1197–1263/64). The Stok Palace Kangyur contains yet another recension of Yeshé Dé’s translation in which the mantras were revised by Butön Rinchen Drup (bu ston rin chen grub, 1290–1364) based on two Sanskrit manuscripts from India.13

i.­9

There are no extant Sanskrit versions of The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove, nor are there any known Chinese translations of the sūtra. This English translation is based solely on Tibetan sources, with the Degé version taken as the primary witness. The Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma) of the Degé Kangyur was also consulted, as was the version of the translation recorded in the Stok Palace Kangyur. Additionally, this translation draws upon an early version of the Tibetan translation preserved in the Dunhuang manuscript collection (IOL Tib J 397). This version is generally consistent with the canonical versions, but it does contain variants that clarify some readings. The incantation formulas have been preserved as given in the Degé text, with no attempt made to edit them based on versions of the mantras found in other canonical sources. Some minor orthographic emendations have been made without notation.


Text Body

The Sūtra of
Great Cool Grove

1.

The Translation

[F.138.b]


1.­1

Homage to the Three Jewels.


1.­2
Homage to the glorious Buddha,
The perfectly awakened one, wise about the world,
Who first taught the vidyā-mantras
On the Jambu continent.
1.­3
I also pay homage to all buddhas,
Those present, past,
And yet to come‍—
I go to them all for refuge.
1.­4
Homage to Dīpaṅkara,
Unexcelled turner of the wheel. [F.139.a]
1.­5
Homage to Sarvābhibhū,
Illuminating king of Dharma.
1.­6
Homage to Padmottara,
The renowned omniscient one.
1.­7
Homage to Atyuccagāmin,
The visionary protector.
1.­8
Homage to Yaśottara,
The unexcelled guide.
1.­9
Homage to Kṣemaṅkara,
Who shines like the sun and moon.
1.­10
Homage to Arthadarśin,
Who displays the mirror of Dharma.
1.­11
Homage to the one called Puṣya,
Fearless in the discipline that tames.
1.­12
Homage to Tiṣya,
Replete with the thirty-two supreme marks.
1.­13
Homage to Vipaśyin,
Replete with the glory of perfect awakening.
1.­14
Homage to Śikhin,
Replete with light and radiance.
1.­15
Homage to Viśvabhū,
Revered and renowned.
1.­16
Homage to Krakucchanda,
Destroyer of the hordes of Māra.
1.­17
Homage to Kanakamuni,
The glorious brahmin.
1.­18
Homage to Kāśyapa,
Who loves all beings.
1.­19
Homage to the golden one,
Luminous lion of the Śākyas.
1.­20
And homage to Maitreya,
The compassionate one free of avarice.
1.­21
Having paid homage to all buddhas,
I go to them for refuge.
1.­22
Homage to all buddhas,
Teachers of the Dharma.
1.­23
I pay homage to the Dharma,
Revered by buddhas.
1.­24
Homage to the Saṅgha,
To whom it is greatly beneficial to make offerings.
1.­25
Homage to Śāriputra,
Most insightful among śrāvakas.
1.­26
Homage to Maudgalyāyana,
Supreme among those with miraculous powers.
1.­27
Homage to Kātyāyana,
Fearless in Dharma discourse.
1.­28
Homage to Kāśyapa,
The most ascetic14 among śrāvakas.
1.­29
Homage to Kauṇḍinya, [F.139.b]
Lord among protectors.
1.­30
Homage to Ānanda,
Learned holder of vidyā-mantras.
1.­31
Homage to Kubera, Dhṛtarāṣṭra,
Virūpākṣa, and Virūḍhaka,
The Great Kings
Throughout the four directions.
1.­32
Homage to the twenty-eight
Supreme yakṣa generals.
1.­33
Homage to my parents, preceptor, and teacher,
As well as to the gods.
1.­34
After paying homage to them,
May this vidyā-mantra succeed.
1.­35
May I succeed in the purpose
For which it is enacted.
1.­36
Hostile and harmful nonhumans,
Go elsewhere.
1.­37
Those who wish harm and seek weakness,
Listen to the Teacher’s teaching.
1.­38
All nonhumans,
Benevolent and altruistic,
Gather and be in harmony.
Joyfully listen to me‍—
The words of the guardians of the world
Were rejoiced in by the Teacher.
1.­39

This Great Sūtra of Cool Grove, the great protection of the Four Great Kings, covers all four communities.

1.­40

All you yakṣas, rākṣasas, gandharvas, nāgas, garuḍas, guhyakas, bhūtas, kumbhāṇḍas, pretas, pūtanas, piśācas, asuras, marutas, skandas, mischief makers,15 unmādas, kinnaras, upward movers, wandering beings, covetous ones, evildoers, stealers of vitality, and apasmāras; all intense fevers, one-day fevers, two-day fevers, three-day fevers, and four-day fevers; all humans and nonhumans who are hostile, search for weakness, have malicious intent, and perpetrate violence; all who do not like the teaching of the blessed Buddha, wish to harm it, do not want to benefit it, do not wish it well, and do not want it to succeed or be secure; all who do not like the four communities, [F.140.a] wish to harm them, do not want to benefit them, do not wish them well, and do not want them to succeed or be secure; all who do not like the person with such-and-such a name,16 want to harm them, do not want to benefit them, and do not want them to be well, succeed, or be secure‍—having heard this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove, depart. May you be scared. May you be frightened. May you be terrified. Do not remain here. May the heads of the evil and malicious split into seven pieces.

1.­41

All you yakṣas, rākṣasas, gandharvas, nāgas, garuḍas, guhyakas, bhūtas, kumbhāṇḍas, pretas, pūtanas, piśācas, asuras, marutas, skandas, mischief makers, unmādas, kinnaras, upward movers, wandering beings, covetous ones, evildoers, stealers of vitality, and apasmāras; all intense fevers, one-day fevers, two-day fevers, three-day fevers, and four-day fevers; all humans and nonhumans who are not hostile, do not search for weakness, do not have malicious intent, and do not perpetrate violence; all who like the teaching of the blessed Buddha, want to benefit and assist it, wish it well, and want it to be successful and secure; all who like the person with such-and-such a name, want to benefit and assist them, wish them well, and want them to be successful and secure‍—having heard this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove, remain here. Do not be scared. Do not be frightened. Do not be terrified. Be nothing but fearless. For the benefit, assistance, happiness, and security of the person with such-and-such a name, I will teach and explain this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove. [F.140.b] The Great Sūtra of Cool Grove that protects oneself is as follows:

1.­42

Syād yathedam

khaṭe khaṭe khattyasi palakavaṭe rogabhadrigaṇe hili hili dumate gṛttati ajaṭi kathari masārakalpe samantena caturdiśi yojanaśata ātmarakṣa anatikramaṇi sarva­viheṭhakebhyaḥ namo bhagavate buddhasya siddhyantu mantrapadā daraduvidyā brahmaṇo manadu svāhā

1.­43

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagṛha at the horrific and hair-raising great charnel ground Cool Grove, together with a large monastic assembly of 1,250 monks. The Four Great Kings‍—Kubera, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Virūpākṣa, and Virūḍhaka‍—with their sons, ministers, entourages, retainers, messengers, and servants, appeared at midnight in their majestic glory, arriving in the great charnel ground of Cool Grove with a single intent. Through their natural radiance and power they flooded the place with bright light. They then approached the Blessed One, bowed their heads to his feet, and circumambulated him three times. Then, with palms joined they prostrated only to him and stood to one side. Thus standing to one side, the Four Great Kings praised the Blessed One in verse:

1.­44
“Homage to you, great hero,
Perfectly awakened one, wise about the world.
The gods have not grasped
What you, Gautama, know.”
1.­45

The Four Great Kings then praised the Blessed One with this verse a second and third time:

1.­46
“Homage to you, great hero,
Perfectly awakened one, wise about the world.
The gods have not grasped
What you, Gautama, know.”
1.­47

The Four Great Kings then said to the Blessed One, [F.141.a] “Venerable Blessed One, does this place agree with you? Do you have sustenance? Venerable Blessed One, are you healthy? Are you free of illness? Are you without discomfort? Does nothing harm the Blessed One’s body?

1.­48

“Are there no yakṣas, rākṣasas, gandharvas, nāgas, garuḍas, guhyakas, bhūtas, kumbhāṇḍas, pretas, pūtanas, piśācas, asuras, marutas, skandas, mischief makers, unmādas, kinnaras, upward movers, wandering beings, covetous ones, evildoers, stealers of vitality, or apasmāras, intense fevers, one-day fevers, two-day fevers, three-day fevers, or four-day fevers, or humans or nonhumans who hate the Blessed One, search for weakness, have malicious intent, are harmful toward him, or even have the intention of being harmful?”

1.­49

The Blessed One responded to the Four Great Kings, “I have everything, Great Kings. The place agrees with me, I have sustenance, my health is good, I am free of illness, and I am without discomfort. Great Kings, there is no one harming my body.

1.­50

“Great Kings, I have not seen anyone at all in the world, including gods, māras, and Brahmā; anyone among humans, including mendicants and brahmins; or anyone else among gods and humans who intends to harm the thus-gone, worthy, completely perfect Buddha. Great Kings, it is rather your communities that intend to harm my community.”

1.­51

The Four Great Kings said to the Blessed One, [F.141.b] “Venerable Blessed One, we have been informed of this, thus we have come before the Blessed One to honor you, pay homage, pay respect, and petition the Blessed One in person. Why? Venerable Blessed One, at remote wilderness retreats there are extremely malicious yakṣas, rākṣasas, gandharvas, nāgas, garuḍas, guhyakas, bhūtas, kumbhāṇḍas, pretas, pūtanas, piśācas, asuras, marutas, skandas, mischief makers, unmādas, kinnaras, upward movers, wandering beings, covetous ones, evildoers, stealers of vitality, and apasmāras, intense fevers, one-day fevers, two-day fevers, three-day fevers, and four-day fevers, and humans and nonhumans who are hateful, search for weakness, have malicious intent, and perpetrate violence. The śrāvakas of the venerable Blessed One also dwell at those places, exerting themselves in practice without resting at dawn or dusk. Venerable Blessed One, from the yakṣas and rākṣasas up to those perpetrating violence, there are very few with trust in the Blessed One’s teaching, and there are a great many who lack trust in the Blessed One’s teaching and intend to harm the śrāvakas of the Blessed One who stay in these places, exerting themselves in practice without resting at dawn or dusk. In order to stop them, so that the pernicious yakṣas without trust can gain trust, so that those with trust can increase their trust, and so that the four communities can have well-being, [F.142.a] dwell at ease, and meditate well without exception, was ask you to expound The Great Sūtra of Cool Grove.

1.­52
“We will repel
Hostile nonhumans
Who lack devotion to the Victor’s teaching.
Listen to us, the Four Great Kings.
1.­53
“Once you have heard this great sūtra,
Do not harm humans.
1.­54
“Yakṣas, rākṣasas, nāgas,
Garuḍas, and guhyakas,
Whoever does not wish to be helpful‍—
We repel them all.
1.­55
“The exquisite mansions
Filled with assemblies of gods,
Asuras, marutas, and goddesses
Radiate light like fire.
1.­56
“Made of jewels, they shine brightly,
Just like the sun and moon.
Filled with merit makers,
They shine, devoid of grahas.
1.­57
“Bhūtas, kumbhāṇḍas, rākṣasas,
Pretas, and pūtanas
Who harm humans
Do not see their splendor.
They do not travel to the city
Of the majestic gods.
1.­58
“They will be unable to gather
Where great bhūtas gather.
They have no control, wherever they are,
Over food and drink, not even water.
1.­59
“They will never travel
To the palace of Kubera.
1.­60
“Any bhūtas who do not listen
To the words of the Great Kings
Will have warm blood
Gush swiftly from their mouths.
1.­61
“Boils will appear
On the right sides of their thighs.
They will be killed by disease,
And their yakṣa forms will be revealed.
1.­62
“Whoever transgresses the sūtra
Spoken by the guardians of the world
Will experience every fear,
And their head will split into seven pieces.
1.­63
“Yakṣas who do not listen
To the words of the Great Kings,
And all the bhūtas and rākṣasas there are,
Making up a garland of great evil,
Will be destroyed by a disk of iron,
A weapon with razor-like teeth. [F.142.b]
1.­64
“The glorious Great Kings,
With hard armor and sharp weapons,
Are seated on thrones:
In the east is Dhṛtarāṣṭra,
In the south is Virūḍhaka,
In the west is Virūpākṣa,
And in the north is Kubera.
1.­65
“All around them stand
A host of yakṣas,
Roaming and darting about,
Taking the hideous forms
Of lions and tigers.
1.­66
“Some have elephant forms, some horse forms;
Others have buffalo forms
Or the forms of bears or foxes,
Sheep, wolves, and boars.
Some have drooping ears, others’ are large;
Some have one ear, others many.
1.­67
“They make loud noises, cause fear,
And make the ground tremble.
They are arrayed in the various forms
Of mules, camels, dogs, and others.
1.­68
“The Great King17 of tremendous might
Was transported through the sky
On a divine chariot
To where these yakṣas gathered together.
1.­69
“The lord of yakṣas
Ensures people’s well-being.”
1.­70

Syād yathedam

vakahumule haśiṇa śaśiṇa vanamuhale samuhāle uduhāle samahāle praśamamī rākṣasa amanuṣyā vāremi yakṣaṇi vārāmi pretamabhithai dumanuṣyā masapata hadhamuranan sutiṣyati

1.­71
When this was spoken by the great king Vaiśravaṇa,
Borne on a man18 and accompanied by his army,
A great storm arose,
And the mountains shook.
1.­72
“When the great king Vaiśravaṇa
Stands in his jewel chariot,
The voices of gods and humans resound.
When the Great King arrives,19
Everything catches ablaze.
1.­73
“Rākṣasas, who shapeshift as they please,
Are made to run before him,
Their inhuman forms
Provoking fear and dread.
1.­74
“Huge and unbearably fierce,
They are aggressive and hideous to behold.
They have long body hair and long nails,
And they hold swords and hammers in their hands.
1.­75
“Their copper-colored teeth provoke fear.
They have large snouts, like a camel or tiger. [F.143.a]
Aggressive, their hands are red with blood.
Their limbs are incomplete and their bodies half formed.
1.­76
“Their eyes are yellow and their bodies bright yellow.
They are filthy and have wizened bodies,
Lips of iron, and hair that flows upward.
They strike with dangerous weapons.
1.­77
“They have ears like bows and bloated stomachs,
And they take forms like those of snakes or calves.
They have the bodies of large-bellied pigs,
Big heads, long arms,
And ears and breasts that dangle.
1.­78
“I am surrounded by a host
Of many such yakṣas‍—
A trillion yakṣas,
Each ungrateful to their mother.
I have come to pay homage
Together with this host.
Heroic Gautama, we have come,
Paying devout respect to you.
1.­79
“Ferocious in their aggression and wildness,
With large heads and long hair,
They rob humans, beasts,
And birds of their vitality.
1.­80
“They eat blazing fire and so much more.
Some have one eye, others yellow eyes,
And some have severed noses and ears.
Wounded with many lacerations,
They have no heads, or they have severed heads.
They have hunched bodies, wrinkled faces,
Fire blazing in their eyes, and no feet.
Frightening to humans,
Broad and completely wild,
They roam and dart about accordingly.
1.­81
“I am surrounded by a host
Of many such yakṣas‍—
A trillion yakṣas,
Each with a thief for a mother.
I have come to pay homage
Together with this host.
Heroic Gautama, we have come,
Paying devout respect to you.
1.­82
“A rākṣasī named Chariot
Lives within our realms.
She has ten thousand mighty sons
Who are my servants
And have come to pay homage.
Heroic Gautama, we have come,
Paying devout respect to you.
1.­83
“A rākṣasī named Long Neck [F.143.b]
Lives within our realms,
As do one named Exceedingly Dark,
One named Black Lady,
And one named Pitch Dark.
They pay respect to Gautama.
1.­84
“Those great beings, yakṣas of the earth,
Dwell on the surface of the earth.
Surrounded by this host,
I have come here.
I have come to pay homage,
Together with this host.
Heroic Gautama, we have come,
Paying devout respect to you.
1.­85
“The pretas, yakṣas, and rākṣasas
Who run before me
Have huge bodies, strong and fierce.
Their teeth are large, their stomachs bloated.
Śūrpakas hang20
On their horrific, pendulous ears.
1.­86
“They have a six limbs and hard teeth
That are like saffron-colored hammers.
Their teeth are also jagged and sharp,
Spear-like and terrifying.
1.­87
“They have elephant heads, gourd-like snouts,
Heads like tigers and lions,
Iron teeth, and iron hair.
They instill fear in grahas
1.­88
“They carry iron cudgels
And iron hammers in their hands.
With sharp teeth and long arms,
They take terrifying forms.
They have lips of iron, large heads, and disheveled hair.
They are black with yellow eyes and crooked noses.
They have gourd-like necks and red eyes,
Or one eye, and bloated bellies.
Their lips dangle, and some have only one hand,
Some one foot, and some two feet.
Some have no mouth, or two mouths.
They are ferocious
And terrifying to humans.
1.­89
“They frighten and terrify
With clubs, sticks, and tridents in hand.
Frightening and terrifying,
They strike fear in the grahas,
Causing them to cry out in fear.
They disorient their minds,
Cause madness and stupefaction,
And then steal their vitality.
1.­90
“It is difficult for those who terrify the world
To rely on the Great Powerful One.21
Sixty-four thousand of them
Run before the Great King. [F.144.a]
1.­91
“A trillion yakṣas
Surrounded by a host
Of many such yakṣas
Have come to pay homage.
Heroic Gautama, we have come,
Paying devout respect to you.
1.­92
“There are Viśākha, Pāñcika, Candra,
Lion Army, Oppressor,
Mother’s Gift, Fierce Diligence,
Pūrṇa, Wealth Bearer,
Candana, Supreme Desire,
Motley Army, Taker of Oblations,
Wish-Fulfilling Fortune, Attractive,
Reed Holder, Exceedingly Victorious,
Rich with All Wishes,
Lord Conqueror, Pack Leader,
Son of Fine Gem, Sublimely Perfect,
Supreme Reed of the Earth, Delightful Reed,
Sūciloman, Sublimely Long,
Supreme Hand, Prajāpati,
Reed Thread, Long Spear,
Powerful Knowledge, Gem,
Takṣaka, Mahākāla,
Kambala, Mule,
And Airāvaṇa, the king of nāgas.
1.­93
“The powerful garuḍas,
With massive wings and miraculous powers,
Are supreme among all winged beings.
Traveling in the form of birds,
They cause all the oceans to roil.
1.­94
“Gods, asuras, and gandharvas,
Whether frightening or virtuous,
With or without trust,
Have all come here.
Heroic Gautama, we have come,
Paying devout respect to you.
1.­95
“The yakṣiṇī named Hārītī,
Terrifying and powerful,
And her five hundred sons,
Terrifying and mighty yakṣas,
Are all my servants.
They have come to pay homage.
Heroic Gautama, we have come,
Paying devout respect to you.
1.­96
“All Seeing in Magadha,
Lotus Bearer in Kāśi,
Supreme Victor, who dwells in Vaiśālī,
Yaśodharā who dwells in Malla,
Kumbhīrā22 in Rājagṛha,
Fierce in Kapilavastu,
Wealth, who dwells in Tamala,
And Always Victorious in Mithilā‍—
These eight great mātṛkās23
Are the highest generals of the yakṣas; [F.144.b]
They possess great miraculous power, fortune, and strength.
They have all come with virtuous and devout intentions
To take refuge in the perfect Buddha.”
1.­97
Gathered together with them,
The powerful Great King,
In service to the perfect Buddha’s teaching,
And out of love for humans,
Properly enacted this protection,
Which turns away all yakṣas, bhūtas, pretas,
Hostile grahas, and nonhumans.
1.­98
The king Vaiśravaṇa
Then joined his palms and said:
1.­99
“You have transcended all resentment and fear,
And you are fully liberated and free of defilements.
Heroic Gautama, I have come,
Paying devout respect to you.
1.­100
“All gods, siddhas,
And brahmins pay homage to you.
Six hundred and forty million yakṣas have also come;
Circling from all sides,
They amass with their palms joined.
1.­101
“I am King Vaiśravaṇa,
The guardian of the north.
I will repel all yakṣas, nakṣatras, unmādas,
Apasmāras, kinnaras, skandas,
And intense fevers up through24 four-day fevers
In the vicinity of the world protector.”
1.­102

Syād yathedam

uhaham uhahaṃ mahāham uhamahāhaṃ salamuji ilīmili ilīmili kilīmili ciriṭi ubhi utubhi pitiliye maṭamali manandaye svāhā

1.­103

May the great king Vaiśravaṇa, Kubera, lord of Aḍakavatī, guard this direction.

May he repel yakṣas, nakṣatras, unmādas, apasmāras, kinnaras, upward movers, wandering beings, covetous ones, evildoers, and those who steal vitality.

1.­104

Vāsava, the king of all gods, has come. I pay homage to him. He, too, pays homage to the Blessed One:

1.­105
“Heroic perfect Buddha,
All seeing and all knowing‍—I bow to you. [F.145.a]
I bow to you, perfect hero.
I have come, paying devout respect.”
1.­106
Then the king Dhṛtarāṣṭra,
Joined his palms and said:
1.­107
“I pay homage to the glorious Buddha,
The illuminating king of Dharma.
Heroic Gautama, I have come,
Paying devout respect to you.
1.­108
“That which you know, Gautama,
The gods have not grasped.
1.­109
“Sixty-four thousand rākṣasas,
Terrifying to behold,
Circle from all sides,
Amassing with their palms joined.
1.­110
“I am King Dhṛtarāṣṭra,
The guardian of the east.
I will repel all rākṣasas, piśācas,
Gandharvas, and marutas
In the vicinity of the world protector.”
1.­111

Syād yathedam

atimiṭī khuraṭe phuraṭe mati vimaṭi umaņi akke makke nakke aṭumi vaṭumi mabhe eriṭi piriti svāhā

1.­112

May the great king Dhṛtarāṣṭra guard this direction. May he repel all rākṣasas, pretas, gandharvas, marutas, kinnaras, and those who steal vitality.

1.­113

Vāsava, the king of all gods, has come. I pay homage to him. He, too, pays homage to the Blessed One:

1.­114
“Heroic perfect Buddha,
All seeing and all knowing‍—I bow to you.
I bow to you, perfect hero.
I have come, paying devout respect.”
1.­115
Then the king Virūḍhaka
Joined his palms and said:
1.­116
“Protector and refuge of the world,
Benefactor of all worlds,
Heroic Gautama, I have come,
Paying devout respect to you.
1.­117
“Sixty-four thousand
Kumbhāṇḍas, pretas, and pūtanas
Circle from all sides,
Amassing with their palms joined.
1.­118
“I am King Virūḍhaka,
The guardian of the south. [F.145.b]
I will repel all bhūtas, wandering beings,
Stealers of vitality, kumbhāṇḍas, pretas, and pūtanas
In the vicinity of the world protector.”
1.­119

Syād yathedam

ale ilele kile kilele kupa kupasa sile silele sililili lilililili hihisile mati samuti susumati susususu susumati hiliṣa hiliṣa svāhā

1.­120

May the great king Virūḍhaka guard this direction.

May he repel all kumbhāṇḍas, pretas, pūtanas, bhūtas, wandering beings, and stealers of vitality.

1.­121

Vāsava, the king of all gods, has come. I pay homage to him. He, too, pays homage to the Blessed One:

1.­122
“Heroic perfect Buddha,
All seeing and all knowing‍—I bow to you.
I bow to you, perfect hero.
I have come, paying devout respect.”
1.­123
Then the king Virūpākṣa
Joined his palms and said:
1.­124
“In this world of darkness,
You show the paths of the blessed ones.
Heroic Gautama, I have come,
Paying devout respect to you.
1.­125
“You are like the sun and moon in all worlds,
Powerful like the heart of a jewel.25
Sixty-four thousand nāgas, garuḍas, and guhyakas
Circle from all sides,
Amassing with their palms joined.
1.­126
“I am King Virūpākṣa,
The guardian of the west.
I will repel all nāgas, garuḍas, guhyakas,
And the powerful asura lords
In the vicinity of the world protector.”
1.­127

Syād yathedam

dage dage suvatiye paṭe aṭa kamaṭṭe vima vidama vidadama bhidadamani abhiname gaccha bhūte dala phiye varasura rātra cicile cilililililili svāhā

1.­128

May the great king Virūpākṣa guard this direction. May he repel all nāgas, garuḍas, guhyakas, [F.146.a] asuras, and stealers of vitality.

Vāsava, the king of all gods, has come. I pay homage to him. He, too, pays homage to the Blessed One:

1.­129
“Heroic perfect Buddha,
All seeing and all knowing‍—I bow to you.
I bow to you, perfect hero.
I have come, paying devout respect.”
1.­130

The Four Great Kings then draped their upper robes over one shoulder and knelt on their right knee. Bowing solely to the Blessed One with palms joined, they said the following, unified in sense, phrasing, and tone: “Venerable Blessed One, this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove, the protection of the Four Great Kings, covers all four communities. It repels everything from yakṣas and rākṣasas all the way up to harm doers. It protects, guards, and shields the four communities, ensuring their happiness and well-being so they can dwell at ease.”

1.­131

The Blessed One replied to the Four Great Kings, “Great Kings, you have upheld the great king of vidyā-mantras. I have accepted The Great Sūtra of Cool Grove. Great Kings, to rejoice in The Great Sūtra of Cool Grove, I will, moreover, utter the great king of vidyā-mantras.26 Listen carefully and retain it. I will disclose it now.”

1.­132

“May the Blessed One please do so,” replied the Four Great Kings, and they listened to what the Blessed One said.

1.­133

The Blessed One then opened his robe with his precious right hand and said to the assemblies of bhūtas, “I will reveal it. I will disclose it to the great king Vaiśravaṇa. I will make it comprehensible to everyone.”

1.­134

The blessed, completely perfect Buddha then [F.146.b] spoke the following vidyā-mantra:

1.­135

Syād yathedam

hilī hilī bhisini vakke aharaye tamati tamati tila vakke valītake daritina dadhinada phuṭyi phuphuṭyi guṭyi guguṭyi hijakānti nāmā kāntī svāhā

1.­136

The whole earth shook when the Blessed One uttered this great king of vidyā-mantras.27 All the bhūtas trembled and let out loud gasps of “Alas! Oh no! What misery!”

1.­137

The rākṣasas also said:

1.­138
“Thus does the completely perfect Buddha,
Moved by compassion for all beings,
Use such a vidyā-mantra
To protect against the peril of all bhūtas.”
1.­139
Then, the all-knowing Teacher,
Who has compassion for all sentient beings,
Saw the yakṣas, rākṣasas, gandharvas,
Nāgas, garuḍas, guhyakas,
Bhūtas, wanderers, stealers of vitality,
Kumbhāṇḍas, pretas, pūtanas,
Asuras, kṛtyas, vetālas,
Apasmāras, kinnaras,
Skandas, intense fevers,
Brahmins, rākṣasas,
Unmādas, three-day fevers,
And four-day fevers
Grow afraid, tremble,
And scurry into the ten directions.
Feeling compassion for them,
He uttered this vidyā-mantra:
1.­140

Syād yathedam

hirimakha tirikhakha kaṭamaṭā siddhamahāhatari uṭatani daṭa daṭa datili damatte damatte dhūdhūri dadari daramira kirikīye katavareṇi susumāle svāhā

1.­141

Do not transgress this great mantra, this great vidyā-mantra. Understand perfectly and precisely the Dharma spoken by the Blessed One, or all your bodies will collapse. After you die you will all be born among hell beings who have fallen into lower realms, and you will continue to roam there.

1.­142

When the Four Great Kings heard the Blessed One’s great king of vidyā-mantras,28 [F.147.a] which had never before been heard, they were frightened and anxious. Bristling with uneasiness, they joined their palms and paid homage to the Blessed One. Unified in sense, phrasing, and tone, they said:

1.­143
“Well spoken was the vidyā-mantra
That vanquishes hostile bhūtas.
We must convey a vidyā-mantra
That ensures the well-being of the world of humans.
The following is that vidyā-mantra,
So please pay heed to us, world protector.
1.­144

Syād yathedam

uhuhala kulijiva abhuya masuravela addyā vaddyā addyā vate nadda vaddye marudya marudya vade maruddya phala svāhā

1.­145

“Blessed One, please accept the following, which repels all bhūtas:

1.­146

Syād yathedam

ili ili mili mili kili kili vanara nilapaya bhubhubhura thirū phuphuphura gaśalī raukhadayamala khuli khulivaya svāhā

1.­147

“This king of vidyā-mantras29 establishes a boundary, repels all bhūtas, and accomplishes all aims for one year.”

1.­148

When all the beings from yakṣas, rākṣasas, and gandharvas all the way up to harm doers heard the Blessed One’s great king of vidyā-mantras,30 which had never before been heard, and when they heard the Four Kings’ protection, which had never before been heard, they were frightened and anxious. Bristling with uneasiness, they burrowed deep into the earth. They were compelled to burrow deep. The Blessed One then transformed the ground into vajra,31 so they scurried in the four directions. The Four Great Kings then manifested massive heaps of flames in the four directions, so the beings fled into the sky. Next, the Blessed One transformed the sky into gold. The great king Vaiśravaṇa, guardian of the world, surrounded and attended to by gods and gandharvas, rose up into the sky. To vanquish everyone from yakṣas and rākṣasas up to harm doers, to care for all sentient beings, [F.147.b] to repel all bhūtas, and to guard, protect, and shield the four communities and ensure their happiness and well-being so that they could dwell at ease, he uttered the following vidyā-mantra:

1.­149

Syād yathedam

gimi gimi gimi gimi gini gini gini gini nakhi minakhi niṣa niṣa niṣa uva u diśva diśva vidiśa sarvadiśva adhivati gira visa jani bhumipati ililī ililī kililī kili kililī kili kililī kili kililī kili kililī kili kilili kilili lililili kilili lililililili addhyi naddyi kunaddhyi mahākunaddyi kuladdyi khuladdyi khukhuladdyi mahākhuladdyi hulu hulu lu hulululu hululululu hululululu lu hulululululululululu lu hala hala hili hili laha halu hule iha hule hule uladdyi hile uhahile hila hile hulu hi hulu hulu hulu hulu hule hahahahahaha svāhā

1.­150

May the great king Vaiśravaṇa guard this direction.

Vāsava, the king of all gods, has come. I pay homage to him. He, too, pays homage to the Blessed One:

1.­151
“Heroic perfect Buddha,
All seeing and all knowing‍—I bow to you.
Perfect Buddha, supreme among bipeds,
Endowed with great wisdom‍—I bow to you.
1.­152
“What you know, Gautama,
The gods have not grasped.
I bow to you, perfect hero.
I have come, paying devout respect.”
1.­153

May everyone from yakṣas, rākṣasas, and gandharvas all the way up to harm doers depart from the body of so-and-so,32 which they have inhabited. If they do not quickly depart from so-and-so’s body, they will soon be in grave peril and afflicted with severe illness, which will cause their heads and hearts to split into a hundred pieces, immediately bringing them [F.148.a] many kinds of misery and total ruin.

1.­154

May the grahas of pox, grahas of the dawn, and grahas of shadow quickly depart so-and-so’s body upon hearing this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove. If they do not quickly depart, they will soon be in grave peril and afflicted with severe illness, which will cause their heads and hearts to split into a hundred pieces, immediately bringing them many kinds of misery and total ruin.

1.­155
All those who flit about day and night,
Devouring vitality and blood,
Are forced to cease upon hearing
This well-spoken sūtra propounded.
1.­156
All piśācas, skandas, bodiless beings,
Bhūtas, frightful ones, and pūtanas
Must cease upon hearing
This well-spoken sūtra propounded.
1.­157
All gods, asuras, marutas,
Gandharvas, most eminent grahas,
Bhūtas, piśācas,
Yakṣas, and rākṣasas
Will tremble in confusion
And shiver with fear.
1.­158
All spiteful and harmful grahas
Will fall and be defeated.
The ground will quake,
And loud noises will ring out.
1.­159
When pretas and kumbhāṇḍas
Hear this sūtra,
Which repels spiteful grahas,
They will be struck with grave fear.
1.­160
Those yakṣas who have trust
In the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha
Will be delighted and pleased
And will thoroughly rejoice.
1.­161

The Four Great Kings then descended from the sky and approached the Blessed One. They bowed their heads to the Blessed One‘s feet, joined their palms, and spoke with unified sentiment and phrasing: “Venerable [F.148.b] Blessed One, this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove that is revered by the Four Great Kings guards and protects the four communities and vanquishes all beings from yakṣas and rākṣasas all the way up to harm doers. Venerable Blessed One, since it protects any monk, nun, layman, or laywoman, everyone should receive this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove. They should hold on to it, recite it, and master it. Venerable Blessed One, if no being, from yakṣas and rākṣasas all the way up to harm doers, will so much as dwell near monks, nuns, laymen, or laywomen who receive, hold, recite, and master this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove in order to protect and shield themselves or others, then what harm could they possibly do? If no being, from yakṣas and rākṣasas all the way up to harm doers, can dwell for so much as a night in their vicinity, what need is there to mention remaining there permanently? Venerable Blessed One, when this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove is recited in front of someone harmed by a nonhuman, the person quickly gains happiness and well-being and is free of pain, comfortable, and released from their affliction. The nonhuman cannot return but will immediately depart. Venerable Blessed One, such is the great benefit of this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove.

1.­162

“Venerable Blessed One, devout yakṣa laymen will travel to the abodes of the Four Great Kings and speak the name of any monk, nun, layman, or laywoman who receives, holds, recites, masters, and uses this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove. [F.149.a] They will announce, ‘Four Great Kings, the monk, nun, layman, or laywoman so-and-so is receiving, holding, reciting, mastering, and using this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove in order to protect and shield themself and others.’

1.­163

“Venerable Blessed One, devout yakṣa laymen will travel to the royal palace in Aḍakavatī, where they will also announce this amid all the yakṣas and bhūtas assembled and gathered before the great king Vaiśravaṇa. It will bring joy to those present. Venerable Blessed One, such is the great benefit of this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove.

1.­164

“Venerable Blessed One, any monk, nun, layman, or laywoman who receives, holds, recites, masters, and uses this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove to protect and shield themself and others will practice abstinence. They will not drink alcohol but will observe mindfulness and introspection. They will give up five kinds of food‍—molasses, honey, sesame, meat, and fish. Why? It is only under those circumstances,33 Venerable Blessed One, that beings from yakṣas and rākṣasas all the way up to harm doers can destroy or ceaselessly affect one who receives, holds, recites, masters, and uses this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove. In order to destroy them, this vow must be observed.

1.­165

“Venerable Blessed One, devout yakṣa laymen will please with clothing, food, bedding, cushions, healing medicines, and necessities any monk, nun, layman, or laywoman who receives, holds, recites, masters, and uses this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove. [F.149.b] Venerable Blessed One, such is the great benefit of this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove.

1.­166

“Venerable Blessed One, a non-Buddhist who lacks devotion to the Blessed One’s doctrine and who dislikes it, wants to impair it, does not want to help it, and does not want it to be successful or thrive cannot prevent the success of one who receives, holds, recites, masters, and uses this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove. Rather, nonhuman beings will kill them, cause them various kinds of misery, destroy them, and affect them endlessly. Why? Because they want to harm, do not want to help, and do not want success or well-being for the practitioner. Whoever has such erroneous views is destroyed.

1.­167

“Venerable Blessed One, among all of the protections in the world by which the Four Great Kings protect sentient beings in order to guard, protect, and shield them, this sūtra is supreme, primary, and exalted.”

1.­168

The Four Great Kings then spoke these verses to the Blessed One:

1.­169
“Supreme human,
Even rākṣasas cannot harm
One who is protected
And granted well-being by this sūtra.
1.­170
“Anyone who upholds these sūtras
Perfectly, continuously,
And in their entirety,
Just as taught by the supreme human,
1.­171
“Cannot be harmed
By yakṣas, pretas, bhūtas,
Kumbhāṇḍas, rākṣasas, unmādas,
Wanderers, nāgas, and the like. [F.150.a]
1.­172
“Nonhumans and grahas
Will quickly leave them.
Nothing can affect them,
Nor be able to harm them.”
1.­173
The Four Great Kings said,
“Homage to the Blessed One,”
Then prostrated to his feet
And instantly disappeared.
1.­174

When the night had passed, the Blessed One rose at dawn, took his seat at the front of the monastic assembly, and said to them, “Monks, late last night the Four Great Kings, together with their sons, ministers, entourages, retainers, messengers, and servants, appeared at dusk34 in their majestic glory, arriving at the great charnel ground of Cool Grove with a single intent. Flooding it with their luminosity, Kubera, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Virūpākṣa, and Virūḍhaka approached me, bowed their heads to my feet, and stood to one side. Standing there, the Four Great Kings spoke The Great Sūtra of Cool Grove to me and then departed. You should listen well and keep it in mind. I will explain it.”

1.­175

“Venerable one, please do so,” the monks replied, and they listened as the Blessed One spoke. The Blessed One then explained this Great Sūtra of Cool Grove in detail to the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.

1.­176

Once the Blessed One finished speaking on this, the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen rejoiced, and they praised what he had said.

1.­177

The ritual procedure for this is as follows: A person who eats the three white foods, has bathed well, fasts, observes discipline, and holds vast intention should draw images of the Four Great Kings using realgar or red ocher. [F.150.b] They should make a four-cornered maṇḍala that is replete with all incenses and recite the sūtra before the Buddha throughout the three periods of the day.

1.­178

This concludes “The Great Sūtra of Cool Grove.”


c.

Colophon

c.­1

This was translated and edited by the Indian preceptors Śīlendrabodhi, Jñānasiddhi, and Śākyaprabha and the translator-editor Bandé Yeshé Dé. It was then finalized after revising it based on the new lexicon. Later, Gö Shönu Pal revised it based on a Sanskrit manuscript belonging to Chak Lotsāwa.


ab.

Abbreviations

C Choné Kangyur
H Lhasa (Zhol) Kangyur
J Lithang Kangyur
K Peking Kangxi Kangyur
N Narthang Kangyur
S Stok Palace Kangyur
Y Peking Yongle Kangyur

n.

Notes

n.­1
Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, Toh 558 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2016).
n.­2
Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Queen of Incantations: The Great Peahen , Toh 559 (84000: Translating the Words of the
 Buddha, 2023).
n.­3
Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Great Amulet, Toh 561 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023).
n.­4
Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., Great Upholder of the Secret Mantra (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2016).
n.­5
Pathak 1989, p. 32.
n.­6
Schopen 1989, p. 157.
n.­7
Hidas 2007, p. 189.
n.­8
Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, p. 182.
n.­9
Hidas 2012, p. 24, note 16.
n.­10
Hidas 2012, p. 24, note 16. Likewise, Great Upholder of the Secret Mantra (Mahā­mantrānusāriṇī­sūtra, Toh 563) was replaced in later collections with the similarly titled yet distinct Great Goddess Aligned with Mantra (Ahāmantrānusāriṇī). See Skilling 1992 for a brief discussion of the differences between the Mahāśītavanī­sūtra and the Mahāśītavatī dhāraṇī. A text that closely parallels the dhāraṇī now widely known as Mahāśītavatī was translated into Tibetan under the title Mahā­daṇḍa­dhāraṇī (’phags pa be con chen po zhes bya ba’i gzungs, Toh 606).
n.­11
Hidas 2012, p. 24, note 16.
n.­12
A study of the Pañcarakṣā collection in Nepal can be found in Lewis 2000.
n.­13
This colophon to the Stok Palace seems to omit the full colophon ascribing the translation to Śīlendrabodhi, Jñānasiddhi, Śākyaprabha, and Yeshé Dé. Instead, it states only that Butön revised the mantras: “The great lotsāwa Butön revised the mantras in consultation with two manuscripts from Magadha” (sngags rnams yul dbus kyi rgya dpe gnyis dang bstun nas/ bu ston lo ts+tsha dag par bcos so).
n.­14
Tib. spyangs pa. This is understood as a translation of dhuta, and therefore as a contraction of dhutaguṇa (Tib. spyangs pa’i yon tan), the set of ascetic Buddhist practices for which Kāśyapa was specifically renowned.
n.­15
Tentative for ’tshe rgyu.
n.­16
Tib. ming ’di zhes bya ba. This term indicates that the officiant of the rite described below should here insert the name of the client on whose behalf the rite is being performed.
n.­17
As indicated below, this refers to Vaiśravaṇa.
n.­18
Like many Indic deities, Kubera/Vaiśravaṇa has a specific mount on which he rides. In his case, it is a human man.
n.­19
This translation follows C, H, J, N, and S in reading mchi (“arrive”). Degé reads ’chi (“die”).
n.­20
Tib. slo ma rna la rab tu ’phyang. It is unclear what śūrpa or śūrpaka (slo ma) refers to. It can refer to type of basket used to winnow grain or to a type of nonhuman being. It is possible that the Tibetan locative particle is incorrect and that the Sanskrit equivalent of slo ma rna should have been interpreted as śūrpakarṇa (“basket-like ears”). This term is used to refer to the shape of ears and is often used as an epithet of the elephant-headed god Gaṇeśa.
n.­21
Referring, most likely, to Vaiśravaṇa/Kubera.
n.­22
Here we follow IOL Tib J 397 in reading kum bhī ra. This name is further suggested by the readings ku bhi ra attested in K, Y, N, and S. Degé reads ku be ra.
n.­23
This list of eight mātṛkās appears to be unique to this text. In absence of a Sanskrit witness it is difficult to identify this set of deities with certainty.
n.­24
Tib. de bzhin. The Tibetan term is understood here to indicate the full range of fevers‍—from intense to four-day‍—listed previously in this text.
n.­25
Tib. rin chen snying po. This plausibly translates the Skt. term ratnagarbha, which often refers to the sea, which was believed to contain innumerable jewels. Thus, this line could be interpreted to say, “You are powerful like the sea.”
n.­26
This translation follows IOL Tib J 397, K, Y, N, and S in reading rigs sngags kyi rgyal po chen po. Degé reads rigs sngags kyi rgyal mo chen mo (“the great queen of vidyā-mantras”).
n.­27
This translation follows IOL Tib J 397, N, and S in reading rigs sngags kyi rgyal po chen po. Degé reads rigs sngags kyi rgyal mo chen mo (“the great queen of vidyā-mantras”). IOL Tib J 397 omits chen po.
n.­28
This translation follows C, J, K, Y, N, and S in reading rigs sngags kyi rgyal po chen po. Degé reads rigs sngags kyi rgyal mo chen mo (“the great queen of vidyā-mantras”). The corresponding folio from IOL Tib J 397 has been lost.
n.­29
This translation follows IOL Tib J 397 in reading rigs sngags kyi rgyal po. Degé reads rigs sngags kyi rgyal mo (“the queen of vidyā-mantras”).
n.­30
This translation follows IOL Tib J 397 in reading rigs sngags kyi rgyal po chen po. Degé reads rigs sngags kyi rgyal mo chen mo (“the great queen of vidyā-mantras”).
n.­31
Meaning that he made the ground impenetrable.
n.­32
As above, the Tibetan phrase ming ’di zhes bya ba indicates that the ritual officiant should insert the name of their client here.
n.­33
Meaning only when the prescriptions above are not followed.
n.­34
There is a slight difference in phrasing between this passage and the parallel passage at the beginning of the sūtra. There, the Four Great Kings are said to arrive “at midnight” (nam phyed na). Here they are said to arrive at dusk (nam sros na).

b.

Bibliography

Tibetan Texts

bsil ba’i tshal gyi mdo chen po (Mahāśītavanī­sūtra). Toh 562, Degé Kangyur vol. 90 (rgyud ’bum, pha), folios 138.b–150.b.

bsil ba’i tshal gyi mdo chen po. 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. 90, pp. 421–56.

bsil ba’i tshal gyi mdo chen po. Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 103 (rgyud, na), folios 546.a–561.a.

IOL Tib J 397. British Library, London. Accessed through The International Dunhuang Project: The Silk Road Online.

Denkarma (pho brang stod thang ldan dkar gyi chos kyi ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.

Secondary Sources

Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans. The Queen of Incantations: The Great Peahen (Toh 559). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023.

Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lHan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.

Hidas, Gergely (2007). “Remarks on the Use of the Dhāraṇīs and Mantras of the Mahāpratisarā-Mahāvidyārājñī.” In Indian Languages and Texts through the Ages: Essays of Hungarian Indologists in Honour of Prof. Csaba Töttössy, edited by Csaba Dezső, 187–208. New Delhi: Manohar, 2007.

Hidas, Gergely (2012). Mahāpratisarā-Mahāvidyārājñī: The Great Amulet, Great Queen of Spells; Introduction, Critical Editions and Annotated Translation. Śata-piṭaka Series: Indo-Asian Literatures 636. New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan, 2012.

Lewis, Todd. Popular Buddhist Texts from Nepal: Narratives and Rituals of Newar Buddhism. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2000.

Orzech, Charles D. “Metaphor, Translation, and the Construction of Kingship in The Scripture for Humane Kings and the Mahāmāyūrī Vidyārājñī Sūtra.” Cahiers d’Extrême-Asie 13 (2002): 55–83.

Pathak, Suniti K. “A Dharani-Mantra in the Vinaya-vastu.” Bulletin of Tibetology 25, no. 2 (1989): 31–39.

Schopen, Gregory. “A Verse from the Bhadra­caripranidhana in a 10th Century Inscription Found at Nalanda.” Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 12, no. 1 (1989): 149–57.

Skilling, Peter. “The Rakṣā Literature of the Śrāvakayāna.” Journal of the Pali Text Society 26 (1992): 109–82.

Sørensen, Henrik H. “The Spell of the Great, Golden Peacock Queen: The Origin, Practices, and Lore of an Early Esoteric Buddhist Tradition in China.” Pacific World: Journal of the Institute of Buddhist Studies, n.s., 8 (Fall 2006): 89–123.


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

Aḍakavatī

Wylie:
  • lcang lo can
Tibetan:
  • ལྕང་ལོ་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • aḍakavatī

A city of yakṣas located on Mount Sumeru and ruled by Kubera.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­103
  • 1.­163
g.­2

Airāvaṇa

Wylie:
  • sa srung bu
Tibetan:
  • ས་སྲུང་བུ།
Sanskrit:
  • airāvaṇa

A nāga king.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­3

All Seeing

Wylie:
  • thams cad mthong
Tibetan:
  • ཐམས་ཅད་མཐོང་།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a mātṛkā in Great Cool Grove.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­4

Always Victorious

Wylie:
  • kun tu rgyal
Tibetan:
  • ཀུན་ཏུ་རྒྱལ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a mātṛkā in Great Cool Grove.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­5

Ānanda

Wylie:
  • kun dga’ bo
Tibetan:
  • ཀུན་དགའ་བོ།
Sanskrit:
  • ānanda

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A major śrāvaka disciple and personal attendant of the Buddha Śākyamuni during the last twenty-five years of his life. He was a cousin of the Buddha (according to the Mahāvastu, he was a son of Śuklodana, one of the brothers of King Śuddhodana, which means he was a brother of Devadatta; other sources say he was a son of Amṛtodana, another brother of King Śuddhodana, which means he would have been a brother of Aniruddha).

Ānanda, having always been in the Buddha’s presence, is said to have memorized all the teachings he heard and is celebrated for having recited all the Buddha’s teachings by memory at the first council of the Buddhist saṅgha, thus preserving the teachings after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa. The phrase “Thus did I hear at one time,” found at the beginning of the sūtras, usually stands for his recitation of the teachings. He became a patriarch after the passing of Mahākāśyapa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­30
g.­6

apasmāra

Wylie:
  • brjed byed
Tibetan:
  • བརྗེད་བྱེད།
Sanskrit:
  • apasmāra

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings believed to cause epilepsy, fits, and loss of memory. As their name suggests‍—the Skt. apasmāra literally means “without memory” and the Tib. brjed byed means “causing forgetfulness”‍—they are defined by the condition they cause in affected humans, and the term can refer to any nonhuman being that causes such conditions, whether a bhūta, a piśāca, or other.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­101
  • 1.­103
  • 1.­139
g.­7

Arthadarśin

Wylie:
  • don gzigs
Tibetan:
  • དོན་གཟིགས།
Sanskrit:
  • arthadarśin

A previous buddha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­10
g.­8

asura

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

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 10 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­55
  • 1.­94
  • 1.­126
  • 1.­128
  • 1.­139
  • 1.­157
g.­9

Attractive

Wylie:
  • bzhin bzang
Tibetan:
  • བཞིན་བཟང་།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­10

Atyuccagāmin

Wylie:
  • rab ’thor gshegs
Tibetan:
  • རབ་འཐོར་གཤེགས།
Sanskrit:
  • atyuccagāmin

A previous buddha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­7
g.­11

bhūta

Wylie:
  • ’byung po
Tibetan:
  • འབྱུང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • bhūta

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

This term in its broadest sense can refer to any being, whether human, animal, or nonhuman. However, it is often used to refer to a specific class of nonhuman beings, especially when bhūtas are mentioned alongside rākṣasas, piśācas, or pretas. In common with these other kinds of nonhumans, bhūtas are usually depicted with unattractive and misshapen bodies. Like several other classes of nonhuman beings, bhūtas take spontaneous birth. As their leader is traditionally regarded to be Rudra-Śiva (also known by the name Bhūta), with whom they haunt dangerous and wild places, bhūtas are especially prominent in Śaivism, where large sections of certain tantras concentrate on them.

Located in 25 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­57-58
  • 1.­60
  • 1.­63
  • 1.­97
  • 1.­118
  • 1.­120
  • 1.­133
  • 1.­136
  • 1.­138-139
  • 1.­143
  • 1.­145
  • 1.­147-148
  • 1.­156-157
  • 1.­163
  • 1.­171
g.­12

Black Lady

Wylie:
  • nag mo
Tibetan:
  • ནག་མོ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a rākṣasī.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­83
g.­13

Brahmā

Wylie:
  • tshangs pa
Tibetan:
  • ཚངས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • brahmā

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

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

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­50
g.­14

Candana

Wylie:
  • tsan+dana
Tibetan:
  • ཙནྡན།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­15

Candra

Wylie:
  • zla ba
Tibetan:
  • ཟླ་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • candra

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­16

Chariot

Wylie:
  • shing rta
Tibetan:
  • ཤིང་རྟ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a rākṣasī.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­82
g.­17

Cool Grove

Wylie:
  • bsil ba’i tshal
Tibetan:
  • བསིལ་བའི་ཚལ།
Sanskrit:
  • śītavana

A famous cremation ground near Bodh Gayā.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­174
g.­18

covetous one

Wylie:
  • ’dun pa
Tibetan:
  • འདུན་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

A class of nonhuman beings associated with misfortune and disease.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­103
g.­19

Delightful Reed

Wylie:
  • ’dam bu dga’
Tibetan:
  • འདམ་བུ་དགའ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­20

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Wylie:
  • yul ’khor srung
Tibetan:
  • ཡུལ་འཁོར་སྲུང་།
Sanskrit:
  • dhṛtarāṣṭra

One of the Four Great Kings, he presides over the east and rules over the gandharvas.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­64
  • 1.­106
  • 1.­110
  • 1.­112
  • 1.­174
g.­21

dhutaguṇa

Wylie:
  • spyangs pa’i yon tan
Tibetan:
  • སྤྱངས་པའི་ཡོན་ཏན།
Sanskrit:
  • dhutaguṇa
  • dhūtaguṇa

An optional set of practices that monastics can adopt in order to cultivate greater detachment. The list of practices varies in different sources. Common is a set of thirteen practices, which consist of (1) wearing patched robes made from discarded cloth rather than from cloth donated by laypeople, (2) wearing only three robes, (3) going for alms, (4) not omitting any house while on the alms round, rather than begging only at those houses known to provide good food, (5) eating only what can be eaten in one sitting, (6) eating only food received in the alms bowl, rather than more elaborate meals presented to the saṅgha, (7) refusing more food after indicating one has eaten enough, (8) dwelling in the forest, (9) dwelling at the root of a tree, (10) dwelling in the open air using only a tent made from one’s robes as shelter, (11) dwelling in a charnel ground, (12) being satisfied with whatever dwelling one has; and (13) sleeping in a sitting position, without ever lying down.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • n.­14
g.­22

Dīpaṅkara

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

One of the most renowned of former buddhas.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­4
g.­23

Exceedingly Dark

Wylie:
  • shin tu gnag pa
Tibetan:
  • ཤིན་ཏུ་གནག་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a rākṣasī.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­83
g.­24

Exceedingly Victorious

Wylie:
  • shin tu rgyal
Tibetan:
  • ཤིན་ཏུ་རྒྱལ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­25

Fierce

Wylie:
  • drag po
Tibetan:
  • དྲག་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a mātṛkā in Great Cool Grove.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­26

Fierce Diligence

Wylie:
  • brtson drag po
Tibetan:
  • བརྩོན་དྲག་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­27

four communities

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

The communities of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen that make up the Buddhist spiritual community.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­5-6
  • 1.­39-40
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­130
  • 1.­148
  • 1.­161
g.­28

gandharva

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

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

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

Located in 13 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­94
  • 1.­110
  • 1.­112
  • 1.­139
  • 1.­148
  • 1.­153
  • 1.­157
  • g.­20
g.­29

garuḍa

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

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

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

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­54
  • 1.­93
  • 1.­125-126
  • 1.­128
  • 1.­139
g.­30

Gautama

Wylie:
  • gau tam
Tibetan:
  • གཽ་ཏམ།
Sanskrit:
  • gautama

Family name of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

Located in 16 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­44
  • 1.­46
  • 1.­78
  • 1.­81-84
  • 1.­91
  • 1.­94-95
  • 1.­99
  • 1.­107-108
  • 1.­116
  • 1.­124
  • 1.­152
g.­31

Gem

Wylie:
  • nor bu
Tibetan:
  • ནོར་བུ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­32

graha

Wylie:
  • gdon
Tibetan:
  • གདོན།
Sanskrit:
  • graha

The term graha refers to a class of nonhuman beings who “seize,” possess, or otherwise adversely influence other beings by causing a range of physical and mental afflictions, as well as various kinds of misfortune. The term can also be applied generically to other classes of supernatural beings who have the capacity to adversely affect health and well-being.

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • s.­1
  • i.­5
  • 1.­56
  • 1.­87
  • 1.­89
  • 1.­97
  • 1.­154
  • 1.­157-159
  • 1.­172
g.­33

guhyaka

Wylie:
  • gsang ba pa
Tibetan:
  • གསང་བ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • guhyaka

Another term for a yakṣa, often used to describe them as subjects of Kubera.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­54
  • 1.­125-126
  • 1.­128
  • 1.­139
g.­34

Hārītī

Wylie:
  • ’phrog ma
Tibetan:
  • འཕྲོག་མ།
Sanskrit:
  • hārītī

A yakṣiṇī with hundreds of children that the Buddha converted into a protector of children. In other texts she is considered a rākṣasī.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­95
g.­35

Jambu continent

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

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 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­2
g.­36

Kambala

Wylie:
  • la ba can
Tibetan:
  • ལ་བ་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • kambala

The name of a nāga or yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­37

Kanakamuni

Wylie:
  • gser thub
Tibetan:
  • གསེར་ཐུབ།
Sanskrit:
  • kanakamuni

One of the six buddhas who preceded Śākyamuni in this Fortunate Eon.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­17
g.­38

Kapilavastu

Wylie:
  • ser skya’i gnas
Tibetan:
  • སེར་སྐྱའི་གནས།
Sanskrit:
  • kapilavastu

The capital city of the Śākya kingdom, where the Buddha had grown up as Prince Siddhārtha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­39

Kāśi

Wylie:
  • ka shi ka
Tibetan:
  • ཀ་ཤི་ཀ
Sanskrit:
  • kāśi

Modern-day Vārāṇasī, in Uttar Pradesh.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­40

Kāśyapa

Wylie:
  • ’od srung
Tibetan:
  • འོད་སྲུང་།
Sanskrit:
  • kāśyapa

One of the six buddhas who preceded Śākyamuni in this Fortunate Eon.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­18
g.­41

Kāśyapa

Wylie:
  • ’od srung
Tibetan:
  • འོད་སྲུང་།
Sanskrit:
  • kāśyapa

A senior disciple of the Buddha Śākyamuni, famous for his austere lifestyle. He became the Buddha’s successor on his passing.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­28
  • n.­14
g.­42

Kātyāyana

Wylie:
  • kA t+yA’i bu
Tibetan:
  • ཀཱ་ཏྱཱའི་བུ།
Sanskrit:
  • kātyāyana

One of the ten principal pupils of the Buddha, he was foremost in explaining the Dharma.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­27
g.­43

Kauṇḍinya

Wylie:
  • kauN+Di n+ya
Tibetan:
  • ཀཽཎྜི་ནྱ།
Sanskrit:
  • kauṇḍinya

Counted among the five wandering mendicants (parivrājaka) who initially ridiculed the Buddha’s austerities but later, after the Buddha’s awakening, became some of his first disciples and received his first discourse at Deer Park.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­29
g.­44

kinnara

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

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 9 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­101
  • 1.­103
  • 1.­112
  • 1.­139
g.­45

Krakucchanda

Wylie:
  • log dad sel
Tibetan:
  • ལོག་དད་སེལ།
Sanskrit:
  • krakucchanda

One of the six buddhas who preceded Śākyamuni in this Fortunate Eon.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­16
g.­46

kṛtya

Wylie:
  • gshed byed
Tibetan:
  • གཤེད་བྱེད།
Sanskrit:
  • kṛtya

A class of nonhuman being, often female, who are ritually summoned to perform injurious acts against the target of the rite.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­139
g.­47

Kṣemaṅkara

Wylie:
  • bde mdzad
Tibetan:
  • བདེ་མཛད།
Sanskrit:
  • kṣemaṅkara

A previous buddha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­9
g.­48

Kubera

Wylie:
  • lus ngan
Tibetan:
  • ལུས་ངན།
Sanskrit:
  • kubera

One of the Four Great Kings, he presides over the north and rules over the yakṣas. He is also known as Vaiśravaṇa.

Located in 12 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­59
  • 1.­64
  • 1.­103
  • 1.­174
  • n.­18
  • n.­21
  • g.­1
  • g.­33
  • g.­115
g.­49

kumbhāṇḍa

Wylie:
  • grul bum
Tibetan:
  • གྲུལ་བུམ།
Sanskrit:
  • kumbhāṇḍa

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of dwarf beings subordinate to Virūḍhaka, one of the Four Great Kings, associated with the southern direction. The name uses a play on the word aṇḍa, which means “egg” but is also a euphemism for a testicle. Thus, they are often depicted as having testicles as big as pots (from kumbha, or “pot”).

Located in 13 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­57
  • 1.­117-118
  • 1.­120
  • 1.­139
  • 1.­159
  • 1.­171
  • g.­120
g.­50

Kumbhīrā

Wylie:
  • —
Tibetan:
  • —
Sanskrit:
  • kumbhīrā

The name of a mātṛkā in Great Cool Grove.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­51

Lion Army

Wylie:
  • seng ge sde
Tibetan:
  • སེང་གེ་སྡེ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­52

Long Neck

Wylie:
  • mgrin rings
Tibetan:
  • མགྲིན་རིངས།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a rākṣasī.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­83
g.­53

Long Spear

Wylie:
  • mdung ring
Tibetan:
  • མདུང་རིང་།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­54

Lord Conqueror

Wylie:
  • dbang po rgyal ba
Tibetan:
  • དབང་པོ་རྒྱལ་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­55

Lotus Bearer

Wylie:
  • pad+ma ’chang
Tibetan:
  • པདྨ་འཆང་།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a mātṛkā in Great Cool Grove.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­56

Magadha

Wylie:
  • ma ga d+hA
Tibetan:
  • མ་ག་དྷཱ།
Sanskrit:
  • magadha

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

An ancient Indian kingdom that lay to the south of the Ganges River in what today is the state of Bihar. Magadha was the largest of the sixteen “great states” (mahājanapada) that flourished between the sixth and third centuries ʙᴄᴇ in northern India. During the life of the Buddha Śākyamuni, it was ruled by King Bimbisāra and later by Bimbisāra's son, Ajātaśatru. Its capital was initially Rājagṛha (modern-day Rajgir) but was later moved to Pāṭaliputra (modern-day Patna). Over the centuries, with the expansion of the Magadha’s might, it became the capital of the vast Mauryan empire and seat of the great King Aśoka.

This region is home to many of the most important Buddhist sites, including Bodh Gayā, where the Buddha attained awakening; Vulture Peak (Gṛdhra­kūṭa), where the Buddha bestowed many well-known Mahāyāna sūtras; and the Buddhist university of Nālandā that flourished between the fifth and twelfth centuries ᴄᴇ, among many others.

Located in 4 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­96
  • n.­13
  • g.­59
  • g.­83
g.­57

Mahākāla

Wylie:
  • nag po chen po
Tibetan:
  • ནག་པོ་ཆེན་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • mahākāla

In this text, the name of a yakṣa. The name typically designates an important Buddhist protector deity who is also one of Śiva’s wrathful manifestations.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­58

Maitreya

Wylie:
  • byams pa
Tibetan:
  • བྱམས་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • maitreya

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The bodhisattva Maitreya is an important figure in many Buddhist traditions, where he is unanimously regarded as the buddha of the future era. He is said to currently reside in the heaven of Tuṣita, as Śākyamuni’s regent, where he awaits the proper time to take his final rebirth and become the fifth buddha in the Fortunate Eon, reestablishing the Dharma in this world after the teachings of the current buddha have disappeared. Within the Mahāyāna sūtras, Maitreya is elevated to the same status as other central bodhisattvas such as Mañjuśrī and Avalokiteśvara, and his name appears frequently in sūtras, either as the Buddha’s interlocutor or as a teacher of the Dharma. Maitreya literally means “Loving One.” He is also known as Ajita, meaning “Invincible.”

For more information on Maitreya, see, for example, the introduction to Maitreya’s Setting Out (Toh 198).

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­20
g.­59

Malla

Wylie:
  • gyad yul
Tibetan:
  • གྱད་ཡུལ།
Sanskrit:
  • malla

A kingdom of ancient India situated to the north of Magadha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­60

Māra

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

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 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­16
  • 1.­50
g.­61

maruta

Wylie:
  • rlung lha
Tibetan:
  • རླུང་ལྷ།
Sanskrit:
  • maruta

A god or spirit of wind (usually plural).

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­55
  • 1.­110
  • 1.­112
  • 1.­157
g.­62

mātṛkā

Wylie:
  • ma mo
Tibetan:
  • མ་མོ།
Sanskrit:
  • mātṛkā

Ferocious female deities, often depicted as a group of seven or eight, to which are attributed both dangerous and protective functions.

Located in 10 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­96
  • n.­23
  • g.­3
  • g.­4
  • g.­25
  • g.­50
  • g.­55
  • g.­105
  • g.­125
  • g.­130
g.­63

Maudgalyāyana

Wylie:
  • maud gal bu
Tibetan:
  • མཽད་གལ་བུ།
Sanskrit:
  • maudgalyāyana

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the principal śrāvaka disciples of the Buddha, paired with Śāriputra. He was renowned for his miraculous powers. His family clan was descended from Mudgala, hence his name Maudgalyā­yana, “the son of Mudgala’s descendants.” Respectfully referred to as Mahā­maudgalyā­yana, “Great Maudgalyāyana.”

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­26
g.­64

mendicants and brahmins

Wylie:
  • dge sbyong dang bram ze
Tibetan:
  • དགེ་སྦྱོང་དང་བྲམ་ཟེ།
Sanskrit:
  • śramaṇa­brāhmaṇa

A stock phrase used to refer broadly to two distinct systems of spiritual practice and religious orientation in early India. The term “mendicants” (śramaṇa; dge sbyong) refers to a person who follows religious systems that focus on asceticism, renunciation, and monasticism. Buddhism and Jainism, among numerous other such systems, are considered śramaṇa traditions. The term brahmin refers to a person who follows the Vedic tradition and its correlate religious systems that feature the ritual worship of brahmanical deities within the context of a householder lifestyle.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­50
g.­65

Mithilā

Wylie:
  • mi ti la
Tibetan:
  • མི་ཏི་ལ།
Sanskrit:
  • mithilā

A city in the kingdom of Videha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­66

Mother’s Gift

Wylie:
  • ma la sbyin
Tibetan:
  • མ་ལ་སྦྱིན།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­67

Motley Army

Wylie:
  • sna tshogs sde
Tibetan:
  • སྣ་ཚོགས་སྡེ།
Sanskrit:
  • citrasena

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­68

Mule

Wylie:
  • dre’u
Tibetan:
  • དྲེའུ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­69

nāga

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

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 16 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­54
  • 1.­92
  • 1.­125-126
  • 1.­128
  • 1.­139
  • 1.­171
  • g.­2
  • g.­36
  • g.­107
  • g.­121
g.­70

nakṣatra

Wylie:
  • rgyu skar
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱུ་སྐར།
Sanskrit:
  • nakṣatra

A lunar asterism, often personified as a semidivine being.

Located in 3 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­101
  • 1.­103
g.­71

Oppressor

Wylie:
  • rab gnon
Tibetan:
  • རབ་གནོན།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­72

Pack Leader

Wylie:
  • khyu mchog
Tibetan:
  • ཁྱུ་མཆོག
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­73

Padmottara

Wylie:
  • pad+ma’i bla
Tibetan:
  • པདྨའི་བླ།
Sanskrit:
  • padmottara

A previous buddha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­6
g.­74

Pāñcika

Wylie:
  • lngas rtsen
Tibetan:
  • ལྔས་རྩེན།
Sanskrit:
  • pāñcika

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­75

piśāca

Wylie:
  • sha za
Tibetan:
  • ཤ་ཟ།
Sanskrit:
  • piśāca

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings that, like several other classes of nonhuman beings, take spontaneous birth. Ranking below rākṣasas, they are less powerful and more akin to pretas. They are said to dwell in impure and perilous places, where they feed on impure things, including flesh. This could account for the name piśāca, which possibly derives from √piś, to carve or chop meat, as reflected also in the Tibetan sha za, “meat eater.” They are often described as having an unpleasant appearance, and at times they appear with animal bodies. Some possess the ability to enter the dead bodies of humans, thereby becoming so-called vetāla, to touch whom is fatal.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­110
  • 1.­156-157
  • g.­11
g.­76

Pitch Dark

Wylie:
  • rab gnag
Tibetan:
  • རབ་གནག
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a rākṣasī.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­83
g.­77

Powerful Knowledge

Wylie:
  • rig pa stobs can
Tibetan:
  • རིག་པ་སྟོབས་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­78

Prajāpati

Wylie:
  • skye dgu’i bdag po
Tibetan:
  • སྐྱེ་དགུའི་བདག་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • prajāpati

In this text, the name of a yakṣa. The name typically designates a Vedic deity regarded as an original creator and source of humanity.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­79

preta

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

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. Detailed descriptions of their realm and experience, including a list of the thirty-six classes of pretas, can be found in The Application of Mindfulness of the Sacred Dharma, Toh 287, 2.­1281– 2.1482.

Located in 16 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­57
  • 1.­85
  • 1.­97
  • 1.­112
  • 1.­117-118
  • 1.­120
  • 1.­139
  • 1.­159
  • 1.­171
  • g.­11
g.­80

Pūrṇa

Wylie:
  • gang po
Tibetan:
  • གང་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • pūrṇa

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­81

Puṣya

Wylie:
  • rgyal
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱལ།
Sanskrit:
  • puṣya

A previous buddha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­11
g.­82

pūtana

Wylie:
  • srul po
Tibetan:
  • སྲུལ་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • pūtana

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of disease-causing spirits associated with cemeteries and dead bodies. The name probably derives from the Skt. pūta, “foul-smelling,” as reflected also in the Tib. srul po. The smell is variously described in the texts as resembling that of a billy goat or a crow. The morbid condition caused by the spirit shares its name and comes in various forms, with symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, skin eruptions, and festering wounds, the latter possibly explaining the association with bad smells.

Located in 11 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­57
  • 1.­117-118
  • 1.­120
  • 1.­139
  • 1.­156
g.­83

Rājagṛha

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

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 3 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­43
  • 1.­96
  • g.­56
g.­84

rākṣasa

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

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 26 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­54
  • 1.­57
  • 1.­63
  • 1.­70
  • 1.­73
  • 1.­85
  • 1.­109-110
  • 1.­112
  • 1.­130
  • 1.­137
  • 1.­139
  • 1.­148
  • 1.­153
  • 1.­157
  • 1.­161
  • 1.­164
  • 1.­169
  • 1.­171
  • g.­11
  • g.­85
g.­85

rākṣasī

Wylie:
  • srin mo
Tibetan:
  • སྲིན་མོ།
Sanskrit:
  • rākṣasī

A female rākṣasa.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­82-83
  • g.­12
  • g.­16
  • g.­23
  • g.­34
  • g.­52
  • g.­76
g.­86

realgar

Wylie:
  • ldong ros
Tibetan:
  • ལྡོང་རོས།
Sanskrit:
  • manaḥśilā

A substance used in rites of enthrallment.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­177
g.­87

red ocher

Wylie:
  • btsag
Tibetan:
  • བཙག
Sanskrit:
  • gairika

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­177
g.­88

Reed Holder

Wylie:
  • ’dam bu can
Tibetan:
  • འདམ་བུ་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­89

Reed Thread

Wylie:
  • ’dam bu’i rgyud
Tibetan:
  • འདམ་བུའི་རྒྱུད།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­90

Rich with All Wishes

Wylie:
  • ’dod pa thams cad ’byor pa
Tibetan:
  • འདོད་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་འབྱོར་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­91

Śākya

Wylie:
  • shAkya
Tibetan:
  • ཤཱཀྱ།
Sanskrit:
  • śākya

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Name of the ancient tribe in which the Buddha was born as a prince; their kingdom was based to the east of Kośala, in the foothills near the present-day border of India and Nepal, with Kapilavastu as its capital.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­19
  • g.­38
g.­92

Śāriputra

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

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 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­25
  • g.­63
g.­93

Sarvābhibhū

Wylie:
  • thams cad gnon
Tibetan:
  • ཐམས་ཅད་གནོན།
Sanskrit:
  • sarvābhibhū

A previous buddha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­5
g.­94

siddha

Wylie:
  • grub pa
Tibetan:
  • གྲུབ་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • siddha

A class of nonhuman beings renowned for their magical powers. In this usage, siddhas are not to be confused with the human adepts who bear the same title.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­100
g.­95

Śikhin

Wylie:
  • gtsug tor can
Tibetan:
  • གཙུག་ཏོར་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • śikhin

One of the six buddhas who preceded Śākyamuni in this Fortunate Eon.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­14
g.­96

skanda

Wylie:
  • skem byed
Tibetan:
  • སྐེམ་བྱེད།
Sanskrit:
  • skanda

A class of nonhuman beings associated with disease and misfortune. They are often specifically associated with conditions that afflict children.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­101
  • 1.­139
  • 1.­156
g.­97

Son of Fine Gem

Wylie:
  • nor bu bzang sras
Tibetan:
  • ནོར་བུ་བཟང་སྲས།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­98

śrāvaka

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

A term used specifically for the disciples of the Buddha associated with his early monastic community, and more generally for practitioners of the first turning of the wheel of the Dharma. The term is usually defined as “those who hear the teaching from the Buddha and make it heard to others.”

Located in 6 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­25
  • 1.­28
  • 1.­51
  • g.­5
  • g.­63
  • g.­92
g.­99

Sublimely Long

Wylie:
  • ring bzang
Tibetan:
  • རིང་བཟང་།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­100

Sublimely Perfect

Wylie:
  • rdzogs bzang
Tibetan:
  • རྫོགས་བཟང་།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­101

Sūciloman

Wylie:
  • khab kyi spu can
Tibetan:
  • ཁབ་ཀྱི་སྤུ་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • sūciloman

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­102

Supreme Desire

Wylie:
  • ’dod mchog
Tibetan:
  • འདོད་མཆོག
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­103

Supreme Hand

Wylie:
  • lag mchog
Tibetan:
  • ལག་མཆོག
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­104

Supreme Reed of the Earth

Wylie:
  • ’dam bu sa mchog
Tibetan:
  • འདམ་བུ་ས་མཆོག
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­105

Supreme Victor

Wylie:
  • rgyal mchog
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱལ་མཆོག
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a mātṛkā in Great Cool Grove.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­106

Taker of Oblations

Wylie:
  • gtor ma len
Tibetan:
  • གཏོར་མ་ལེན།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­107

Takṣaka

Wylie:
  • ’jog po
Tibetan:
  • འཇོག་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • takṣaka

A nāga king.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­108

Tamala

Wylie:
  • ta ma la
Tibetan:
  • ཏ་མ་ལ།
Sanskrit:
  • tamala

An unidentified city in ancient India.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­109

thirty-two supreme marks

Wylie:
  • mtshan mchog sum cu rtsa gnyis
Tibetan:
  • མཚན་མཆོག་སུམ་ཅུ་རྩ་གཉིས།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The main identifying physical characteristics of both buddhas and universal monarchs.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­12
g.­110

three white foods

Wylie:
  • zas dkar gsum
Tibetan:
  • ཟས་དཀར་གསུམ།
Sanskrit:
  • triśuklabhukta

Milk, curd, and butter.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­177
g.­111

Tiṣya

Wylie:
  • skar rgyal
Tibetan:
  • སྐར་རྒྱལ།
Sanskrit:
  • tiṣya

A previous buddha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­12
g.­112

unmāda

Wylie:
  • smyo byed
Tibetan:
  • སྨྱོ་བྱེད།
Sanskrit:
  • unmāda

A class of nonhuman beings who cause mental illness.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­101
  • 1.­103
  • 1.­139
  • 1.­171
g.­113

upward mover

Wylie:
  • gyen du rgyu
Tibetan:
  • གྱེན་དུ་རྒྱུ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

A class of nonhuman beings associated with disease and misfortune.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­103
g.­114

Vaiśālī

Wylie:
  • yangs pa can
Tibetan:
  • ཡངས་པ་ཅན།
Sanskrit:
  • vaiśālī

The ancient capital of the Licchavi republican state. It is perhaps most famous as the location where, on different occasions, the Buddha cured a plague, admitted the first nuns into the Buddhist order, was offered a bowl of honey by monkeys, and announced his parinirvāṇa three months prior to his departure.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­115

Vaiśravaṇa

Wylie:
  • rnam thos bu
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་ཐོས་བུ།
Sanskrit:
  • vaiśravaṇa

One of the Four Great Kings, he presides over the north and rules over the yakṣas. He is also known as Kubera.

Located in 14 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­71-72
  • 1.­98
  • 1.­101
  • 1.­103
  • 1.­133
  • 1.­148
  • 1.­150
  • 1.­163
  • n.­17-18
  • n.­21
  • g.­48
g.­116

Vāsava

Wylie:
  • nor lha’i bu
Tibetan:
  • ནོར་ལྷའི་བུ།
Sanskrit:
  • vāsava

An epithet of Indra, lord of the gods.

Located in 5 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­104
  • 1.­113
  • 1.­121
  • 1.­128
  • 1.­150
g.­117

vetāla

Wylie:
  • ro langs
Tibetan:
  • རོ་ལངས།
Sanskrit:
  • vetāla
  • vetāḍa

A class of powerful beings that typically haunt charnel grounds and enter into and animate corpses. Hence, the Tibetan translation means “risen corpse.”

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­139
g.­118

vidyā-mantra

Wylie:
  • rig sngags
Tibetan:
  • རིག་སྔགས།
Sanskrit:
  • vidyāmantra

A sacred utterance or spell made for the purpose of attaining worldly or transcendent benefits.

Located in 18 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­2
  • 1.­30
  • 1.­34
  • 1.­131
  • 1.­134
  • 1.­136
  • 1.­138-139
  • 1.­141-143
  • 1.­147-148
  • n.­26-30
g.­119

Vipaśyin

Wylie:
  • rnam par gzigs
Tibetan:
  • རྣམ་པར་གཟིགས།
Sanskrit:
  • vipaśyin

One of the six buddhas who preceded Śākyamuni in this Fortunate Eon.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­13
g.­120

Virūḍhaka

Wylie:
  • ’phags skyes po
Tibetan:
  • འཕགས་སྐྱེས་པོ།
Sanskrit:
  • virūḍhaka

One of the Four Great Kings, he presides over the south and rules over the kumbhāṇḍas.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­64
  • 1.­115
  • 1.­118
  • 1.­120
  • 1.­174
g.­121

Virūpākṣa

Wylie:
  • mig mi bzang
Tibetan:
  • མིག་མི་བཟང་།
Sanskrit:
  • virūpākṣa

One of the Four Great Kings, he presides over the west and rules over the nāgas.

Located in 8 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­64
  • 1.­123
  • 1.­126
  • 1.­128
  • 1.­174
g.­122

Viśākha

Wylie:
  • sa ga
Tibetan:
  • ས་ག
Sanskrit:
  • viśākha

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­123

Viśvabhū

Wylie:
  • thams cad skyob
Tibetan:
  • ཐམས་ཅད་སྐྱོབ།
Sanskrit:
  • viśvabhū

One of the six buddhas who preceded Śākyamuni in this Fortunate Eon.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­15
g.­124

wandering being

Wylie:
  • rgyu ba
Tibetan:
  • རྒྱུ་བ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

A class of nonhuman beings associated with misfortune and disease.

Located in 9 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­103
  • 1.­118
  • 1.­120
  • 1.­139
  • 1.­171
g.­125

Wealth

Wylie:
  • ’byor pa
Tibetan:
  • འབྱོར་པ།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a mātṛkā in Great Cool Grove.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­126

Wealth Bearer

Wylie:
  • nor ’dzin
Tibetan:
  • ནོར་འཛིན།
Sanskrit:
  • vasudhara

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­127

Wish-Fulfilling Fortune

Wylie:
  • yid bzhin rab ’byor
Tibetan:
  • ཡིད་བཞིན་རབ་འབྱོར།
Sanskrit:
  • —

The name of a yakṣa.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­92
g.­128

yakṣa

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

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 75 passages in the translation:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­32
  • 1.­40-41
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­54
  • 1.­61
  • 1.­63
  • 1.­65
  • 1.­68-69
  • 1.­78
  • 1.­81
  • 1.­84-85
  • 1.­91
  • 1.­95-97
  • 1.­100-101
  • 1.­103
  • 1.­130
  • 1.­139
  • 1.­148
  • 1.­153
  • 1.­157
  • 1.­160-165
  • 1.­171
  • g.­1
  • g.­9
  • g.­14
  • g.­15
  • g.­19
  • g.­24
  • g.­26
  • g.­31
  • g.­33
  • g.­36
  • g.­48
  • g.­51
  • g.­53
  • g.­54
  • g.­57
  • g.­66
  • g.­67
  • g.­68
  • g.­71
  • g.­72
  • g.­74
  • g.­77
  • g.­78
  • g.­80
  • g.­88
  • g.­89
  • g.­90
  • g.­97
  • g.­99
  • g.­100
  • g.­101
  • g.­102
  • g.­103
  • g.­104
  • g.­106
  • g.­115
  • g.­122
  • g.­126
  • g.­127
  • g.­129
g.­129

yakṣiṇī

Wylie:
  • gnod sbyin mo
Tibetan:
  • གནོད་སྦྱིན་མོ།
Sanskrit:
  • yakṣiṇī

A female yakṣa.

Located in 2 passages in the translation:

  • 1.­95
  • g.­34
g.­130

Yaśodharā

Wylie:
  • grags ’dzin
Tibetan:
  • གྲགས་འཛིན།
Sanskrit:
  • yaśodharā

The name of a mātṛkā in Great Cool Grove.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­96
g.­131

Yaśottara

Wylie:
  • grags pa’i bla
Tibetan:
  • གྲགས་པའི་བླ།
Sanskrit:
  • yaśottara

A previous buddha.

Located in 1 passage in the translation:

  • 1.­8
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    Great Cool Grove

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    84000. Great Cool Grove (Mahāśītavanī­sūtra, bsil ba’i tshal chen po, Toh 562). Translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee, online publication, 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2025, 84000.co/translation/toh562.Copy
    84000. (2025) Great Cool Grove (Mahāśītavanī­sūtra, bsil ba’i tshal chen po, Toh 562). (Dharmachakra Translation Committee, Trans.). Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. https://84000.co/translation/toh562.Copy

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