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In the Deer Park in Vārāṇasī, Śāriputra, with growing admiration, has become aware of the paradox that the Buddha, despite the inexpressible nature of the the profound truth he had awakened to, skillfully teaches about it using words and ideas that his followers can understand. The Buddha reinforces Śāriputra’s sense of this paradox by describing the Dharma in terms of its emptiness of everything one might think that it could comprise. He places great emphasis on realizing the view of the empty nature of things without apprehending or dwelling on any phenomenon, and uses this perspective to delineate what is meant by the application of mindfulness, what distinguishes a true spiritual friend from a false one, and in particular what constitutes a violation of discipline. Those who do not accept and understand that profound view are committing the greatest violation of discipline, which underlies all others. The Buddha even excludes such people from being considered as his followers or as having his lineage. His dialog with Śāriputra continues on the consequences of monks’ violating their discipline more broadly, and he gives several prophecies about the future decline of the Dharma caused by the misbehavior of monks, and how the lineage (Skt. gotra; Tib. rigs) that leads those who possess it to their awakening may be lost.

The Queen of Incantations: The Great Peahen is one of five texts that together constitute the Pañcarakṣā scriptural collection and has been among the most popular texts used for pragmatic purposes throughout the Mahāyāna Buddhist world. Although its incantations (vidyā) are framed specifically to counteract the deadly effects of poisonous snakebites, it also aims to address the entire range of possible human ailments and diseases contracted through the interference of animals, nonhuman beings, and humoral and environmental imbalances, along with a range of other misfortunes, such as sorcery, losing one’s way, robbery, natural disaster, and criminal punishment, to name but a few. In the text the Buddha Śākyamuni advocates for the invocation of a number of deities within the pantheon of Indian gods and goddesses, including numerous local deities who dwell throughout the subcontinent. He stipulates that just “upholding” or intoning these names along with the mantra formula that accompanies each grouping will hasten the deities to the service of saṅgha members administering to the pragmatic medical needs of their own and surrounding communities.

The Noble Queen of Incantations: The Great Amulet, 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. As its title suggests, The Great Amulet prescribes the use of amulets into which the incantation is physically incorporated. These devices are then worn around the neck or arm, attached to flags, interred in stūpas and funeral pyres, or otherwise used anywhere their presence is deemed beneficial. Wearing or encountering the incantation promises a range of effects, including the prevention and healing of illness, the conception and birth of male offspring, and control over the world of nonhuman spirit entities. The text also protects against consequences of negative deeds, delivering evildoers from negative rebirths and ensuring their place among the gods. The promise of augmenting merit even extends in one passage to an increase of mindfulness and liberation from saṃsāra.

In the Deer Park in Vārāṇasī, Śāriputra, with growing admiration, has become aware of the paradox that the Buddha, despite the inexpressible nature of the the profound truth he had awakened to, skillfully teaches about it using words and ideas that his followers can understand. The Buddha reinforces Śāriputra’s sense of this paradox by describing the Dharma in terms of its emptiness of everything one might think that it could comprise. He places great emphasis on realizing the view of the empty nature of things without apprehending or dwelling on any phenomenon, and uses this perspective to delineate what is meant by the application of mindfulness, what distinguishes a true spiritual friend from a false one, and in particular what constitutes a violation of discipline. Those who do not accept and understand that profound view are committing the greatest violation of discipline, which underlies all others. The Buddha even excludes such people from being considered as his followers or as having his lineage. His dialog with Śāriputra continues on the consequences of monks’ violating their discipline more broadly, and he gives several prophecies about the future decline of the Dharma caused by the misbehavior of monks, and how the lineage (Skt. gotra; Tib. rigs) that leads those who possess it to their awakening may be lost.

The Chapter on Purification narrates the origins of the monastic “confession” ceremony. This ceremony, called Poṣadha in Sanskrit, is the very foundation of monastic life throughout Asia. To this day, monks and nuns gather twice a month for Poṣadha to reaffirm their vows and restore the bonds that knit together the monastic community. This text provides detailed instructions on how to purify mind and monastic discipline through the practice of meditation and the formal Poṣadha confession rite, respectively. Its translation into English will be of great value to non-Tibetan speaking saṅghas who seek to uphold the Buddha’s monastic tradition.

This text is classified as a Yogatantra. In India, this tantra was originally united with the following text in the Kangyur (Toh 488) as a single text. But in the Tibetan Kangyur they are represented as two individual texts, since different teams of translators rendered the two parts into Tibetan at different times. The teacher of the tantra is Vairocana. In this text the Buddha Vairocana first teaches seventeen pure states observed by bodhisattvas as they accomplish the perfection of insight. Next, over twelve chapters, Vairocana emanates a large number of maṇḍalas and he reveals the rituals and practices associated with these awakened environments.

This text is classified as a Yogatantra. In India, this tantra was united with the previous text in the Kangyur (Toh 487) as a single text. But in the Tibetan Kangyur they are represented as two individual texts, since different teams of translators rendered the two parts into Tibetan at different times. The teacher of the tantra is Vairocana but the rituals also focus on the Buddha Vajrasattva. This latter part of the tantra is longer and consists of forty-four chapters that together comprise the second, third, and fourth sections of the larger work. As such, although it is called the “Chapter on Mantras” it covers many additional instructions. First, a lengthy description is given of the benefits that arise from the practice of the perfection of wisdom as taught in the first part of the tantra. In the remainder of the tantra, the Buddha Vajrasattva emanates the maṇḍalas taught earlier in the text and he teaches in great detail about their connected rituals.