The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines
Chapter 29: Different Tīrthika Religious Mendicants
Toh 10
Degé Kangyur, vol. 29 (shes phyin, ka), folios 1.a–300.a; vol. 30 (shes phyin, kha), folios 1.a–304.a; vol. 31 (shes phyin, ga), folios 1.a–206.a
Translated by Gareth Sparham
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2022
Current version v 1.0.13 (2022)
Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.17.7
84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha is a global non-profit initiative to translate all the Buddha’s words into modern languages, and to make them available to everyone.
This work is provided under the protection of a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution - Non-commercial - No-derivatives) 3.0 copyright. It may be copied or printed for fair use, but only with full attribution, and not for commercial advantage or personal compensation. For full details, see the Creative Commons license.
Table of Contents
Summary
The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines is one version of the Long Perfection of Wisdom sūtras that developed in South and South-Central Asia in tandem with the Eight Thousand version, probably during the first five hundred years of the Common Era. It contains many of the passages in the oldest extant Long Perfection of Wisdom text (the Gilgit manuscript in Sanskrit), and is similar in structure to the other versions of the Long Perfection of Wisdom sūtras (the One Hundred Thousand and Twenty-Five Thousand) in Tibetan in the Kangyur. While setting forth the sacred fundamental doctrines of Buddhist practice with veneration, it simultaneously exhorts the reader to reject them as an object of attachment, its recurring message being that all dharmas without exception lack any intrinsic nature.
The sūtra can be divided loosely into three parts: an introductory section that sets the scene, a long central section, and three concluding chapters that consist of two important summaries of the long central section. The first of these (chapter 84) is in verse and also circulates as a separate work called The Verse Summary of the Jewel Qualities (Toh 13). The second summary is in the form of the story of Sadāprarudita and his guru Dharmodgata (chapters 85 and 86), after which the text concludes with the Buddha entrusting the work to his close companion Ānanda.
Acknowledgements
This sūtra was translated by Gareth Sparham under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The Translator’s Acknowledgments
This is a good occasion to remember and thank my friend Nicholas Ribush, who first gave me a copy of Edward Conze’s translation of The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines in 1973. I also thank the Tibetan teachers and students at the Riklam Lobdra in Dharamshala, India, where I began to study the Perfection of Wisdom, for their kindness and patience; Jeffrey Hopkins and Elizabeth Napper, who steered me in the direction of the Perfection of Wisdom and have been very kind to me over the years; and Ashok Aklujkar and others at the University of British Columbia in Canada, who taught me Sanskrit and Indian culture while I was writing my dissertation on Haribhadra’s Perfection of Wisdom commentary. I thank the hermits in the hills above Riklam Lobdra and the many Tibetan scholars and practitioners who encouraged me while I continued working on the Perfection of Wisdom after I graduated from the University of British Columbia. I thank all those who continued to support me as a monk and scholar after the violent death of my friend and mentor toward the end of the millennium. I thank those at the University of Michigan and then at the University of California (Berkeley), particularly Donald Lopez and Jacob Dalton, who enabled me to complete the set of four volumes of translations from Sanskrit of the Perfection of Wisdom commentaries by Haribhadra and Āryavimuktisena and four volumes of the fourteenth-century Tibetan commentary on the Perfection of Wisdom by Tsongkhapa. I thank Gene Smith, who introduced me to 84000. I thank everyone at 84000: Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and the sponsors; the scholars, translators, editors, and technicians; and all the other indispensable people whose work has made this translation of The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines and its accompanying commentary possible.
Around me everything I see would be part of a perfect road if I had better driving skills.Where I was born, where everything is made of concrete, it too is a perfect place.Everyone I have been with, everyone who is near me now, and even those I have forgotten—there is no one who has not helped me.So, I bow to everyone and to the world and ask for patience, and, as a boon, a smile.
Acknowledgment of Sponsors
We gratefully acknowledge the generous sponsorship of Matthew Yizhen Kong, Steven Ye Kong and family; An Zhang, Hannah Zhang, Lucas Zhang, Aiden Zhang, Jinglan Chi, Jingcan Chi, Jinghui Chi and family, Hong Zhang and family; Mao Guirong, Zhang Yikun, Chi Linlin; and Joseph Tse, Patricia Tse and family. Their support has helped make the work on this translation possible.
Chapter 29: Different Tīrthika Religious Mendicants
Then, many different tīrthika religious mendicants intent on criticizing, a hundred of them, specifically approached the Lord to level criticism.
Then it occurred to Śatakratu, head of the gods, to think, “These many different tīrthika religious mendicants intent on criticizing the doctrine, a hundred of them, have specifically approached the Lord to level criticism. I will certainly recite as much of the perfection of wisdom as I have taken up in order that these different tīrthika religious mendicants will not get at all close to the Lord to hinder the teaching of the perfection of wisdom.”
Śatakratu, head of the gods, then recited as much of the perfection of wisdom as he had taken up from the Lord. Then those different tīrthika religious mendicants circumambulated the Lord from afar and, taking the road on which they had arrived, went back the way they approached.
Then it occurred to venerable Śāriputra [F.298.b] to think, “Why have those different tīrthika religious mendicants circumambulated the Lord from afar and, taking the road on which they had arrived, gone back the way they approached?”
The Lord, understanding in his mind the thoughts occurring to venerable Śāriputra, then said to venerable Śāriputra, “Venerable Śāriputra, Śatakratu, head of the gods, focused his thoughts as he habitually does on this perfection of wisdom, and because of that those different tīrthika religious mendicants circumambulated me from afar and, taking the road on which they had arrived, went back the way they approached.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, I do not see any hopeful prospect419 in even one of those different tīrthika religious mendicants. All those different tīrthika religious mendicants decided to come, having taken offense and intent on criticizing, and I do not see anyone among the host of creatures in this world with its celestial beings, its Māras and Brahmās, and its śramaṇas and brahmins who has taken offense at or is intent on criticizing this perfection of wisdom who is capable of approaching. It is impossible.
“And why? Śāriputra, it is because this perfection of wisdom is looked after by all the Cāturmahārājika gods, up to the Akaniṣṭha class of gods, the śrāvakas, those who have set out in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and the bodhisattvas standing in the great billionfold world system. Why? Because they all have issued forth from this perfection of wisdom.
“Furthermore, Śāriputra, it is because this perfection of wisdom is looked after by all the lord buddhas together with their śrāvaka saṅghas, as well as by the pratyekabuddhas, the bodhisattva great beings, and the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, in as many world systems as there are sand particles in the Gaṅgā River in the eastern direction, up to in as many world systems as there are sand particles in the Gaṅgā River [F.299.a] in each of the ten directions. Why? Because they all have issued forth from this perfection of wisdom.”
Then it occurred to Māra the wicked one to think, “The four retinues are seated directly in the presence of the tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete Buddha, and the gods living in the desire realm and the formless realm are seated directly in his presence too. It is certain that from among them he will prophesy the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening of bodhisattva great beings, so I will specifically approach the Lord in order to confuse420 them.”
Then it occurred to Śatakratu, head of the gods, to think, “Hey! Māra the wicked one has magically produced this mass of four-unit forces and wants specifically to approach the Lord. Such a mass of four-unit forces that has been drawn up—this mass of four-unit forces Māra the wicked one has drawn up—is not King Bimbisāra’s. Such a mass of four-unit forces that has been drawn up is not King Prasenajit’s, is not the Śākyas’, and is not the Licchavis’. For a long time Māra the wicked one has been looking for a way and seeking for an opportunity to cause trouble for the Lord. Māra the wicked one has drawn up this mass of four-unit forces with the intention of injuring beings, so I will focus on this perfection of wisdom as I habitually do and, having recollected it, recite it.”
Śatakratu, head of the gods, then focused on this perfection of wisdom as he habitually does, recollected it, and recited it. And to the extent Śatakratu, head of the gods, recited the perfection of wisdom, to that extent Māra the wicked one turned back right on that same road, right through that same gate.
Then those Cāturmahārājika gods and the gods from Akaniṣṭha on down in that retinue magically produced divine flowers, and while arrayed in the sky [F.299.b] they specifically tossed them down on and strewed them over the Lord and made this statement: “For as long as this perfection of wisdom remains among the humans of Jambudvīpa, the tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete Buddha will not disappear, the good Dharma will last for a long time, and the Saṅgha will appear in the world. Similarly, the superiority of the practice of the bodhisattva great beings will be famous in all the buddhafields in the great billionfold world system, and similarly in those in the ten directions, and in whichever region a son of a good family or daughter of a good family has written out and made this perfection of wisdom into a book and borne it in mind, that region will become an awakened place, and the ground where this perfection of wisdom is practiced will have a protector and will be free from gloom. So, let the humans of Jambudvīpa practice this perfection of wisdom for a long time!”
The gods having said this, the Lord then said to Śatakratu, head of the gods, “Exactly so, Kauśika. Kauśika, whichever region, anywhere in this vast world system, where the perfection of wisdom is practiced and where it exists written out in book form is a place that has become awakened, a place with a protector, that will be free from gloom and darkness.”
Then those gods magically produced divine flowers, specifically strewed them over the Lord, and made this statement: “Lord, Māra or the gods of the Māra class cannot find a way to cause trouble to any son of a good family or daughter of a good family who takes up, bears in mind, reads aloud, masters, and properly pays attention to this perfection of wisdom. We too, Lord, will constantly and always guard, protect, and keep safe that son of a good family or daughter of a good family. We will also treat as the Teacher that son of a good family or daughter of a good family421 who takes up, bears in mind, reads aloud, masters, [F.300.a] and properly pays attention to this perfection of wisdom.”
Then Śatakratu, head of the gods, said to the Lord, “Lord, when sons of a good family or daughters of a good family take up, bear in mind, read aloud, master, and properly pay attention to this perfection of wisdom, they will not become endowed with a paltry wholesome root. Those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family will have served all the former victors well. Those sons of a good family or daughters of a good family who take up, up to properly pay attention to this perfection of wisdom will have attended on many buddhas and will have been looked after by spiritual friends. And why? Because the knowledge of all aspects issues forth from this—that is, the perfection of wisdom—and the perfection of wisdom issues forth from this, that is, the knowledge of all aspects. And why? Because the knowledge of all aspects is not one thing and the perfection of wisdom another. Therefore, the knowledge of all aspects and the perfection of wisdom are not two and cannot be divided into two; they have not been broken apart and have not been cut apart.”
Śatakratu, head of the gods, having spoken thus, the Lord then said to him, “Exactly so, Kauśika, exactly so. It is just as you say. The knowledge of all aspects and the perfection of wisdom are not two and cannot be divided into two; they have not been broken apart and have not been cut apart.”
This was the twenty-ninth chapter, “Different Tīrthika Religious Mendicants,” of “The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines.” [V30] [F.1.b] [B23]