The Good Eon
The engendering of the mind of awakening
Toh 94
Degé Kangyur vol. 45 (mdo sde, ka), folios 1.b–340.a
- Vidyākarasiṁha
- Palgyi Yang
- Paltsek
Imprint
Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2022
Current version v 1.1.21 (2024)
Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.25.1
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Table of Contents
Summary
While resting in a park outside the city of Vaiśālī, the Buddha is approached by the bodhisattva Prāmodyarāja, who requests meditation instruction. The Buddha proceeds to give a teaching on a meditative absorption called elucidating the way of all phenomena and subsequently delivers an elaborate discourse on the six perfections. Prāmodyarāja then learns that all the future buddhas of the Good Eon are now present in the Blessed One’s audience of bodhisattvas. Responding to Prāmodyarāja’s request to reveal the names under which these present bodhisattvas will be known as buddhas in the future, the Buddha first lists these names, and then goes on to describe the circumstances surrounding their birth, awakening, and teaching in the world. In the sūtra’s final section, we learn how each of these great bodhisattvas who are on the path to buddhahood first developed the mind of awakening.
Acknowledgements
Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Thomas Doctor produced the translation and Andreas Doctor, Anya Zilman, and Nika Jovic compared the draft translation with the original Tibetan and edited the text. The introduction was written by Thomas Doctor and the 84000 editorial team.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The generous sponsorship of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, Zhou Tian Yu, Chen Yi Qin, Zhou Xun, Zhao Xuan, Chen Kun, and Zhuo Yue, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.
Text Body
The Good Eon
The engendering of the mind of awakening
When the Blessed One had spoken these words, the bodhisattva Prāmodyarāja once more addressed him: “Excellent, O Blessed One, excellent. Now please make clear the identity of the blessed buddhas before whom these blessed buddhas of the Good Eon first gave rise to the mind of awakening. Please also state the roots of virtue that allowed them to venerate those buddhas [F.288.a] and give rise to the mind of awakening.”
In reply, the Blessed One spoke these words to the bodhisattva Prāmodyarāja: “Prāmodyarāja, listen carefully and keep my words in mind; I shall explain.”
“Respected Blessed One, so be it,” answered the bodhisattva Prāmodyarāja and he listened accordingly. Then the Blessed One spoke: