• The Collection
  • The Kangyur
  • Discourses
  • General Sūtra Section

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དམ་པའི་ཆོས་པད་མ་དཀར་པོ།

The White Lotus of the Good Dharma
The Past

Saddharma­puṇḍarīka
དམ་པའི་ཆོས་པད་མ་དཀར་པོ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།
dam pa’i chos pad ma dkar po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo
The Mahāyāna Sūtra “The White Lotus of the Good Dharma”
Saddharma­puṇḍarīka­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra
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Toh 113

Degé Kangyur, vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1.b–180.b

Translated by Peter Alan Roberts
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha

First published 2018
Current version v 1.2.12 (2022)
Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.18.4.1

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.

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co.

Table of Contents

ti. Title
im. Imprint
co. Contents
s. Summary
ac. Acknowledgements
i. Introduction
+ 9 sections- 9 sections
· Introduction
· The Lotus Sūtra in India
· The Sūtra in China and Beyond
· The Sūtra in Tibet
· Translations into Western Languages
· This Translation
· Translation of the Title
· Translation of Specific Terms
· Detailed Summary of “The White Lotus of the Good Dharma”
tr. The Translation
+ 27 chapters- 27 chapters
1. The Introduction
2. Skill in Methods
3. The Parable
4. The Aspiration
5. Herbs
6. The Prophecies to the Śrāvakas
7. The Past
8. The Prophecy to the Five Hundred Bhikṣus
9. The Prophecies to Ānanda, Rāhula, and Two Thousand Bhikṣus
10. The Dharmabhāṇakas
11. The Appearance of the Stūpa
12. Resolutions
13. Dwelling in Happiness
14. The Bodhisattvas Emerging Out of the Ground
15. The Lifespan of the Tathāgata
16. The Extent of the Merit
17. Teaching the Merit of Rejoicing
18. The Benefits of the Purity of the Six Āyatanas
19. Sadāparibhūta
20. The Tathāgata’s Miracles
21. Dhāraṇīs
22. The Past of Bhaiṣajyarāja
23. Gadgadasvara
24. Facing Everywhere: The Teaching of the Miracles of Avalokiteśvara
25. The Past of King Śubhavyūha
26. Samantabhadra’s Encouragement
27. The Entrusting
c. Colophon
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
+ 7 sections- 7 sections
· Tibetan Editions of the Sūtra
· Sanskrit Editions of the Sūtra
· Translations of the Sūtra
· Other Kangyur Texts
· Tengyur Texts
· Secondary Tibetan Sources
· Secondary Non-Tibetan Sources
g. Glossary

s.

Summary

s.­1

The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, popularly known as the Lotus Sūtra, is taught by Buddha Śākyamuni on Vulture Peak to an audience that includes bodhisattvas from countless realms, as well as bodhisattvas who emerge from under the ground, from the space below this world. Buddha Prabhūtaratna, who has long since passed into nirvāṇa, appears within a floating stūpa to hear the sūtra, and Śākyamuni enters the stūpa and sits beside him. The Lotus Sūtra is celebrated, particularly in East Asia, for its presentation of crucial elements of the Mahāyāna tradition, such as the doctrine that there is only one yāna, or “vehicle”; the distinction between expedient and definite teachings; and the notion that the Buddha’s life, enlightenment, and parinirvāṇa were simply manifestations of his transcendent buddhahood, while he continues to teach eternally. A recurring theme in the sūtra is its own significance in teaching these points during past and future eons, with many passages in which the Buddha and bodhisattvas such as Samantabhadra describe the great benefits that come from devotion to it, the history of its past devotees, and how it is the Buddha’s ultimate teaching, supreme over all other sūtras.


ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.­1

The White Lotus of the Good Dharma Sūtra was translated from Tibetan with reference to the Sanskrit by Peter Alan Roberts. Ling Lung Chen was the consultant for the Chinese versions. Emily Bower was the project manager and editor. Ben Gleason was the proofreader.

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


ac.­2

The generous sponsorship of May & George Gu, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.


i.

Introduction

Introduction

i.­1

The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, popularly known as the Lotus Sūtra, not only contains one of the fullest expressions of the transcendent nature of the Buddha, but also, through its successive descriptions of astonishing events and its vivid parables, is imbued with a distinctive literary power of its own. The sūtra inspired a devoted following in India, but it is above all in east Asia that it has been particularly popular. There it has been the impetus for a range of exquisite artistic and architectural forms, and indeed, whole traditions of study and practice that thrive to this day. An extensive body of literature, too‍—both scholarly and popular‍—is based upon the sūtra.1

The Lotus Sūtra in India

The Sūtra in China and Beyond

The Sūtra in Tibet

Translations into Western Languages

This Translation

Translation of the Title

Translation of Specific Terms

Detailed Summary of “The White Lotus of the Good Dharma”


The Translation
The Mahāyāna Sūtra
The White Lotus of the Good Dharma

1.
Chapter 1

The Introduction

[B1] [F.1.b]


1.­1

Homage to the buddhas and the bodhisattvas.


1.­2

Thus have I heard at one time.56 The Bhagavān was dwelling on Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha together with a great saṅgha of twelve hundred bhikṣus,57 all of whom were solely arhats whose defilements had ceased; who were without kleśas; who had mastered themselves; who had liberated minds; who had completely liberated wisdom; who were noble beings;58 who were great elephants;59 who had done what had to be done; who had accomplished what had to be accomplished; who had put down their burden; who had reached their goals; who had ended engagement with existence; and who had liberated their minds through true knowledge, had perfectly attained all the powers of the mind, were renowned for their higher knowledge,60 [F.2.a] and were mahāśrāvakas.


2.
Chapter 2

Skill in Methods

2.­1

Then the Bhagavān mindfully and knowingly arose from that samādhi. Having arisen from it, he addressed Brother Śāriputra.99

“Śāriputra, the wisdom of the buddhas, which is profound, difficult to see, and difficult to understand, has been realized by the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas. It is difficult for all śrāvakas and pratyeka­buddhas to know. Why is that? Śāriputra, the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas have served many hundred thousand quintillions of buddhas; they have practiced for the highest, complete enlightenment with many hundred thousand quintillions of buddhas; they have followed them for a long time; they have been diligent; [F.13.a] they have obtained marvelous, amazing Dharma; and they know the Dharma that is difficult to know.


3.
Chapter 3

The Parable

3.­1

Then at that time, Śāriputra felt contented, delighted, elated, and joyful. With happiness and gladness he bowed with palms together toward the Bhagavān. Facing the Bhagavān, gazing solely upon the Bhagavān, he said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, I am astonished and amazed. I am overjoyed to have heard this kind of speech from the Bhagavān.

3.­2

“Why is that? Bhagavān, it is because I have never heard this kind of Dharma from the Bhagavān. When I saw other bodhisattvas and heard the names of the buddhas that those bodhisattvas will become in the future, and yet, still had not heard this kind of Dharma teaching from the Bhagavān, I imagined that I was deprived of that kind of vision of the tathāgatas’ wisdom,169 and was extremely grieved and extremely distressed. [F.25.a]


4.
Chapter 4

The Aspiration

4.­1

Then Brother Subhūti, Brother Mahākātyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, and Mahā­maudgalyāyana, having heard from the Bhagavān this kind of Dharma that they had never heard before, and having heard directly from the Bhagavān the prophecy of Brother Śāriputra’s attainment of the highest, supreme enlightenment, were amazed, astonished, and overjoyed.

At that time they rose from their seats, approached the Bhagavān, uncovered one shoulder, knelt on their right knees, and with palms together in homage to the Bhagavān, looking directly at the Bhagavān, they inclined their bodies, they bowed their bodies, they bowed well, bowed perfectly.


5.
Chapter 5

Herbs

5.­1

Then the Bhagavān said to Brother Mahākāśyapa and the other great sthaviras, “Excellent! Excellent, Kāśyapa! It is excellent, Kāśyapa, that you have praised the true qualities of the Tathāgata. Kāśyapa, those are qualities of the Tathāgata. There are immeasurably and innumerably more than those. It would not be easy to enumerate them entirely even in countless eons.


6.
Chapter 6

The Prophecies to the Śrāvakas

6.­1

When the Bhagavān had finished reciting those verses, he announced to the complete saṅgha of bhikṣus, “Oh bhikṣus! I declare to you,278 I make it known to you, that this śrāvaka bhikṣu of mine, Kāśyapa, will serve three hundred billion buddhas, will venerate them, honor them, make offerings to them, praise them, and respect them.279 He will hold the Dharma of those buddha bhagavāns. [F.55.a] In his last life, in an eon named Mahāvyūha, in a world named Avabhāsaprāptā, he will appear in the world as the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha, the one with perfect wisdom and conduct,280 the sugata, the one who knows the world, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of devas and humans, the buddha, the bhagavān named Raśmiprabhāsa. His lifespan will be twelve intermediate eons. His Dharma will remain for twenty intermediate eons, and the outer form of his Dharma will remain for a further twenty intermediate eons. His buddha realm will be pure and clean, without stones, pebbles, or gravel, without chasms or cliffs, without drains or cesspools.281 It will be flat, pleasant, beautiful, delightful, made of beryl, adorned by jewel trees, divided eightfold like a checkerboard by golden cords,282 and filled with flowers. There will be many hundred thousands of bodhisattvas there. There will be countless hundred thousand quintillions of śrāvakas there. The evil Māra and his followers will not appear there. Even if Māra and Māra’s followers were to appear there they would become dedicated to maintaining the Dharma taught by the bhagavān tathāgata Raśmiprabhāsa.”


7.
Chapter 7

The Past

7.­1

“Bhikṣus, in the past, in a time gone by, beyond and even further beyond the most countless, innumerable, incalculable, unquantifiable, inconceivable asaṃkhyeya eons ago, at that time, in that era, in an eon named Mahārūpa, in a world named Saṃbhavā, there appeared in that world the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha, the one with perfect wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the one who knows the world, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of devas and humans, the buddha, the bhagavān named Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū.

7.­2

“Bhikṣus, how long has it been since that tathāgata appeared? Bhikṣus, it is like this: A man crushes all the earth of the worlds in this realm of a billion worlds into powder. Then that man takes a single smallest particle of dust from those worlds and goes beyond a thousand worlds in the eastern direction and puts it down. Then that man takes a second290 smallest particle of dust, and passing beyond an even further thousand worlds puts down that second291 smallest particle of dust. In that way the man removes the entire element of earth into the eastern direction.

7.­3

“Bhikṣus, what do you think? Is it possible to calculate the end, the furthest extent of those worlds?”

“Bhagavān, it’s impossible.” they answered. “Sugata, it’s impossible.”

7.­4

“Bhikṣus,” continued the Bhagavān, “a mathematician, a great mathematician could calculate the number of the worlds in which particles were placed and the number of those in which a particle was not placed. [F.59.b] However, they could not through their enumeration know the number of the hundred thousands of quintillion of eons that have passed since the bhagavān tathāgata Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū passed into nirvāṇa.

7.­5

“Bhikṣus, there has been such an inconceivable, such an immeasurable length of time since that tathāgata passed into nirvāṇa, but through possessing the power of the vision of a tathāgata’s wisdom, I remember that nirvāṇa as if it were yesterday or today.”

7.­6

Thereupon the Bhagavān recited these verses:

“I remember that many eons ago in the past,
At that time there was a supreme human,
A great muni named Abhi­jñā­jñānābhi­bhū,
A supreme jina who appeared in the world. {1}
7.­7
“If someone were to make into the smallest particles of dust
All the worlds in a realm of a billion worlds,
And were to take from there a single smallest particle,
And having traversed a thousand worlds put it down, {2}
7.­8
“And then were they similarly to deposit a second and a third,
And were they to move all the dust in that way
So that this world realm would become vacant
And all that dust would have been taken away, {3}
7.­9
“Those smallest particles of dust
In those worlds would be uncountable.
If all those dust particles that had been created
Were each to represent a hundred eons, {4}
7.­10
“Even the many countless millions of eons
That all those dust particles represent
Could not convey how many eons have come to an end
Since that sugata passed into nirvāṇa. {5}
7.­11
“That is how long since that guide’s nirvāṇa,
And since his śrāvakas and bodhisattvas thrived.
I remember, through the wisdom of the Tathāgata,
Exactly what occurred as if it were today or yesterday. {6}
7.­12
“Bhikṣus, such is my wisdom,
The limitless wisdom of the Tathāgata.
With my subtle and immaculate memory [F.60.a]
I know many hundreds of eons. {7}
7.­13

“Bhikṣus, the lifespan of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū was fifty-four hundred thousand quintillion eons. Before that bhagavān attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, he went to the sublime, supreme Bodhimaṇḍa. He conquered and defeated the entire army of Māra. Having defeated and conquered it, he thought, ‘I shall attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood.’

7.­14

“While those qualities had not yet manifested, he sat on the Bodhimaṇḍa at the foot of the Bodhi tree for an entire intermediate eon. He sat there for a second intermediate eon but still did not attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood. During a third, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth, a seventh, an eighth, a ninth, and a tenth intermediate eon he sat on the Bodhimaṇḍa at the foot of the Bodhi tree, with legs always crossed, never standing up, with his mind unwavering and his body motionless, but even so, during that time those qualities did not manifest for him.

7.­15

“Bhikṣus, the devas of Trāyastriṃśa erected for that bhagavān, who had come to the sublime, supreme Bodhimaṇḍa, a great lion throne, which was five hundred yojanas high, for the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood. As soon as that bhagavān sat on the Bodhimaṇḍa, the Brahmakāyika devas sent down a rain of flowers up to ten yojanas around the Bodhimaṇḍa, and from the sky a breeze would come that removed all the withering flowers. In that way a rain of flowers fell and fell continuously on the Bhagavān sitting on the Bodhimaṇḍa. [F.60.b] They fell on that bhagavān throughout the entire ten intermediate eons. That rainfall of flowers continued to fall until the nirvāṇa of that bhagavān, being tossed down upon that bhagavān.

7.­16

“The devas of the paradises of the four mahārājas, in order to honor the Bhagavān seated at the sublime, supreme Bodhimaṇḍa, played the divine drums of paradise and played them throughout the entire ten intermediate eons. The delightful divine music continued until the time of the great nirvāṇa of the Bhagavān.

7.­17

“Bhikṣus, after ten intermediate eons had passed, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood. When the Bhagavān was young he had had sixteen sons of his own, and they immediately knew that he had attained buddhahood. The eldest of those sons was named Jñānākara.

7.­18

“Bhikṣus, each of these sixteen young princes enjoyed delightful, captivating, and beautiful amusements of many kinds.

7.­19

“Bhikṣus, when the sixteen young princes knew that the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū had attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, they abandoned their many different kinds of delightful amusements and, encircled and accompanied by their weeping292 mothers and wet nurses, and encircled and accompanied by their grandfather,293 who was the cakravartin king Mahākośa, [F.61.a] the king’s ministers, and many hundred thousands of quintillions of beings, they went to the Bodhimaṇḍa where the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū was seated, in order to serve him, venerate him, honor him, make offerings to him, praise him, and respect him.

7.­20

“When they arrived there, they bowed their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān three times, and with hands together in homage, in front of the Bhagavān they fittingly praised him with these verses:

7.­21
“ ‘You have the six great higher knowledges, you are unsurpassable,
And you have perfected yourself for endless eons,
In order to bring liberation to all beings.
You have fulfilled here your excellent intention. {8}
7.­22
“ ‘You have endured hardship for ten intermediate eons,
Practicing being seated upon one seat.
You have never moved your body,
Hands, or feet, or gone anywhere. {9}
7.­23
“ ‘Your mind is at peace and perfectly stilled,
You are never agitated or disturbed,
You never have any distraction,
You remain in perfect, immaculate peace. {10}
7.­24
“ ‘You have attained this supreme enlightenment
Through goodness, bliss, happiness, and harmlessness.
In that way, this is our good fortune;
Lord of Men, Lion, we increase our virtue. {11}
7.­25
“ ‘All these suffering beings have no protector;
Their eyes gouged out, they are deprived of happiness.
They do not know the path that will end suffering,
And do not have the diligence to attain liberation. {12}
7.­26
“ ‘For a long time they have been increasing lower existences,
And factors depriving them of divine rebirths.
They never hear the words of the Jina
And the entire world is in the darkness of ignorance. {13} [F.61.b]
7.­27
“ ‘Knower of the World, you have attained today
The state of sublime, immaculate peace.
We and the world are in your care.
Protector, we go to you for refuge.’ {14}
7.­28

“Bhikṣus, those sixteen children, young princes, with these verses fittingly praised the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū. They then said, ‘Bhagavān, we request you to teach the Dharma for the benefit and welfare of devas and humans and of the great multitudes of beings. Sugata, we request you to teach the Dharma!’ They thus requested the bhagavān to turn the wheel of the Dharma, and they made a further request through these verses:

7.­29
“ ‘You with the signs of a hundred merits,
Unequaled guide, great rishi, teach the Dharma!
You have attained the superior, highest wisdom.
Teach it to this world and its devas‍— {15}
7.­30
“ ‘Liberate us and these beings!
Teach the wisdom of the tathāgatas
So that we and these beings
Will attain this highest enlightenment. {16}
7.­31
“ ‘You fully comprehend conduct and wisdom;
You know previous motivations and merit
And the aspirations of all beings.
Turn the supreme, unsurpassable wheel!’ {17} [B6]
7.­32

“Bhikṣus, when the bhagavān , the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds in each of the ten directions shook and were filled with a great light. [F.62.a]There were in all those worlds the unfortunate existences in between worlds where there was complete darkness. The moon and sun with their great miraculous power, their great might, and their great brilliance could not with their light illuminate them. They could not with their color bring color there or with their brilliance bring brilliance.294 The great light appeared even in those places. The beings who had been reborn between the worlds saw each other and knew that each other were there and they said, ‘Oh my! There are other beings who have been born here! Oh my! There are other beings who have been born here!’

7.­33

“In all those worlds the paradises and heavenly residences shook in six ways, even as far up as the paradise of Brahmā, and were filled with a great light, which transcended the divine power of the devas.

“Bhikṣus, in that way, at that time, those worlds shook and were filled by a great light.

7.­34

“The airborne palaces of the Brahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds in the east became very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic.

7.­35

“Bhikṣus, those Brahmās wondered, ‘These airborne palaces of the Brahmās have become very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic. Who is this a sign of?’

7.­36

“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds came to each other’s homes295 and spoke with each other.

7.­37

“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmā named Sarva­sattva­trātā [F.62.b]296 spoke these verses to the great assembly of Brahmās:

7.­38
“ ‘Today we are all very happy.
These excellent airborne palaces are shining,
Glorious, bright, and beautiful.
Why has this happened today? {18}
7.­39
“ ‘It will be good to find its meaning.
What deva’s son has been born today?
Through whose power has there appeared
Today this kind of unprecedented event? {19}
7.­40
“ ‘Perhaps a buddha, a king who is lord of humans,
Has appeared in some world today
And, as a sign of that, these splendors
Have shone in the ten directions today.’ {20}
7.­41

“Bhikṣus, then all the Mahābrahmās who lived in those fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds and who had gathered together each entered his own divine Brahmā palace and, holding a basket of divine flowers that was the size of Sumeru, flew in their airborne palaces297 into the four directions.

7.­42

“Bhikṣus, when they went to the west those Mahābrahmās saw in the west the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū, who had come to the sublime, highest Bodhimaṇḍa and was seated on a lion throne at the foot of the Bodhi tree. Before him were assembled devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, who were gazing upon him, and the sixteen young princes, who were requesting him to turn the wheel of the Dharma. When they saw that, they approached the Bhagavān, and bowed their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān many hundreds of thousands of times, and upon the Bhagavān they tossed and scattered flowers from their baskets the size of Sumeru. [F.63.a] They strewed flowers up to a distance of ten yojanas from the Bodhi tree. They offered their divine Brahmā palaces to the Bhagavān, saying, ‘Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, accept these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Sugata, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās.’

7.­43

“Bhikṣus, then those Mahābrahmās each offered to the Bhagavān their own airborne palace, and at that time, in the presence of the Bhagavān, they fittingly praised him with these verses:

7.­44
“ ‘You, the inconceivable, wonderful Jina,
Compassionate, helper of the world, have appeared.
You have been born as Lord, Teacher, and Guru,
And today have taken the ten directions into your care. {21}
7.­45
“ ‘We have come from a total of
Fifty298 quintillion worlds.
We have come to pay homage to the Jina
And have given up our excellent airborne palaces. {22}
7.­46
“ ‘Through the karma we created in the past
We have these brilliant, beautiful airborne palaces.
Accept them out of compassion for us.
Knower of the world, enjoy them in whatever way you wish.’ {23}
7.­47

“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās in the presence of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū fittingly praised him with those verses, and then said to the Bhagavān, ‘Bhagavān, turn the wheel of the Dharma in the world! Bhagavān, teach nirvāṇa! Bhagavān, liberate beings! Bhagavān, take this world into your care! [F.63.b]

7.­48

“ ‘Bhagavān, teach the Dharma to the world including its devas, māras, and brahmakas, to beings including mendicants and brahmins, and to the devas, asuras, and humans. Then there will be benefit for many beings, happiness for many beings, compassion for the world, and welfare, benefit, and happiness for a great multitude of beings, devas, and humans.’

7.­49

“Bhikṣus, then those fifty hundred thousand quintillion Mahābrahmās, speaking as one voice, recited these verses to the Bhagavān:

“ ‘Bhagavān, teach the Dharma!
Supreme human, teach!
With the power of kindness, teach!
Free beings from suffering! {24}
7.­50
“ ‘The Lamp of the World is difficult to find,
Like the flower of a fig tree.
Great hero, you have appeared.
Tathāgata, we supplicate you.’ {25}
7.­51

“Bhikṣus, the Bhagavān gave his assent by saying nothing to the Mahābrahmās.


7.­52

“Bhikṣus, at that time the airborne palaces of the Brahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds in the southeast became very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic.

7.­53

“Bhikṣus, those Brahmās wondered, ‘These airborne palaces of the Brahmās have become very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic. Who is this a sign of?’

“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds came to each other’s homes299 and spoke with each other.

7.­54

“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmā named Adhi­mātra­kāruṇika spoke these verses to the great assembly of Brahmās: [F.64.a]

7.­55
“ ‘Friends, whose omen is this
That has appeared on this day?
Today our airborne palaces are beautified.300 {26}
7.­56
“ ‘Has there come here today
A deva who is endowed with merit?
Is it through his power
That all these airborne palaces have been beautified? {27}
7.­57
“ ‘Or has a buddha, a supreme human
Appeared in this world
And through his power
Our palaces have become like this? {28}
7.­58
“ ‘We should all search together.
This is not something of little importance.
I have never before
Seen an omen such as this. {29}
7.­59
“ ‘We should go into the four directions
And travel through millions of realms.
Clearly in this world today
There will be the appearance of a buddha.’ {30}
7.­60

“Bhikṣus, then all the Mahābrahmās who lived in those fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds and who had gathered together each entered his own divine Brahmā palace and, holding a basket of divine flowers that was the size of Sumeru, flew in their airborne palaces301 into the four directions.

“Bhikṣus, when they went into the west those Mahābrahmās saw in the west the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū, who had come to the sublime, highest Bodhimaṇḍa and was seated on a lion throne at the foot of the Bodhi tree. Before him were assembled devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, who were gazing upon him, and the sixteen young princes, who were requesting him to turn the wheel of the Dharma. When they saw that, they came to the Bhagavān, and bowed their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān many hundreds of thousands of times, [F.64.b] and upon the Bhagavān they threw and scattered flowers from the baskets the size of Sumeru. They strewed flowers up to a distance of ten yojanas from the Bodhi tree.

7.­61

“They offered their divine Brahmā palaces to the bhagavān, saying, ‘Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, accept these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Sugata, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās.’

7.­62

“Bhikṣus, then those Mahābrahmās each offered to the Bhagavān their own airborne palace, and at that time, in the presence of the Bhagavān they fittingly praised him with these verses:

“ ‘Homage to you, the unequaled great rishi.
Deity above deities, with the voice of an avadavat,
Guide of the World and its devas,
We praise you who benefits and is kind to the world. {31}
7.­63
“ ‘Lord, it is wondrous that after a long time,
You have somehow appeared in the world today.
A full eight thousand eons in this world of beings302
Has been devoid of buddhas.303 {32}
7.­64
“ ‘An entire eight thousand304 eons
Has been devoid of a supreme human.
During that time the lower existences have multiplied
And rebirths as devas have diminished. {33}
7.­65
“ ‘Now, through our merit, there has appeared in the world
The compassionate helper, the King of Dharma.
He is our eyes, our recourse, and refuge,305
Our protector, father, and likewise, friend.’ {34}
7.­66

“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās in the presence of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū fittingly praised him with those verses, and then said to the Bhagavān, [F.65.a] ‘Bhagavān, turn the wheel of the Dharma in the world! Bhagavān, teach nirvāṇa! Bhagavān, liberate beings! Bhagavān, take this world into your care!

“ ‘Bhagavān, teach the Dharma to the world including its devas, māras, and brahmakas, to beings including mendicants and brahmins, and to the devas, asuras, and humans. Then there will be benefit for many beings, happiness for many beings, compassion for the world, and welfare, benefit, and happiness for a great multitude of beings, devas, and humans.’

7.­67

“Bhikṣus, then those fifty hundred thousand quintillion Mahābrahmās, speaking as one voice, recited these verses to the Bhagavān:

“ ‘Great Muni, turn the wheel of the Dharma!
Teach the Dharma in the ten directions!
Liberate beings tormented by the phenomena of suffering!
Bring joy and happiness to beings! {35}
7.­68
“ ‘Through hearing that, enlightenment will be attained.
They will go to the realm of the devas,
They will all avoid rebirth as an asura,
And be disciplined, peaceful, and completely happy.’ {36}
7.­69

“Bhikṣus, the Bhagavān gave his assent by saying nothing to the Mahābrahmās.


7.­70

“Bhikṣus, at that time the airborne palaces of the Brahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds in the south became very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic.

7.­71

“Bhikṣus, those Brahmās wondered, ‘These airborne palaces of the Brahmās have become very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic. Who is this a sign of?’ [F.65.b]

“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds came to each other’s homes306 and spoke with each other.

7.­72

“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmā named Sudharma spoke these verses to the great assembly of Brahmās:

“ ‘Friends, for no reason, with no cause,
All our airborne palaces are shining.
This is some sign that has appeared in this world.
We must seek well for the meaning of this. {37}
7.­73
“ ‘No fewer than hundreds of eons have passed
Without such a sign having ever appeared.
Either a deva has been born here
Or a buddha has appeared in this world.’ {38}
7.­74

“Bhikṣus, then all the Mahābrahmās who lived in those fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds and who had gathered together each entered his own divine Brahmā palace and, holding a basket of divine flowers that was the size of Sumeru, flew in their airborne palaces307 into the four directions.

7.­75

“Bhikṣus, when they went into the west those Mahābrahmās saw in the west the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū who had come to the sublime, highest Bodhimaṇḍa and was seated on a lion throne at the foot of the Bodhi tree. Before him were assembled devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans who were gazing upon him, and the sixteen young princes, who were requesting him to turn the wheel of the Dharma. When they saw that they came to the Bhagavān, and bowed their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān many hundreds of thousands of times, and upon the Bhagavān they tossed and scattered flowers from their baskets the size of Sumeru. They strewed flowers up to a distance of ten yojanas from the Bodhi tree. They offered their divine Brahmā palaces to the Bhagavān, saying, ‘Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, accept these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, [F.66.a] enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Sugata, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās.’

7.­76

“Bhikṣus, then those Mahābrahmās each offered to the Bhagavān their own airborne palace, and at that time, in the presence of the Bhagavān, they fittingly praised him with these verses:

“ ‘It is difficult to see the guides.
You have arrived well and have defeated existence’s desires.
After a very long time you are seen today.
After a full hundred eons you have appeared. {39}
7.­77
“ ‘Lord of the World, quench the thirst of beings.
Never seen before, you have somehow appeared.
Just as the fig tree flower is rarely found,
In that way, Guide, you have been seen. {40}
7.­78
“ ‘Guide, these airborne palaces of ours
Today were beautified through your power.
You who see all, please accept them,
And enjoy them out of compassion for us.’ {41}
7.­79

“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās in the presence of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū fittingly praised him with those verses, and then said to the Bhagavān, ‘Bhagavān, turn the wheel of the Dharma in the world! Bhagavān, teach nirvāṇa! Bhagavān, liberate beings! Bhagavān, take this world into your care!

“ ‘Bhagavān, teach the Dharma to the world, including its devas, māras, and brahmakas, to beings including mendicants and brahmins, and to the devas, asuras, and humans. Then there will be benefit for many beings, happiness for many beings, compassion for the world, and welfare, benefit, and happiness for a great multitude of beings, devas, and humans.’ [F.66.b]

7.­80

“Bhikṣus, then those fifty hundred thousand quintillion Mahābrahmās, speaking as one voice, recited these verses to the Bhagavān:

“ ‘Guide, Bhagavān, teach the Dharma!
Turn the wheel of the Dharma!
Beat the drum of the Dharma!
Blow the conch of the Dharma! {42}
7.­81
“ ‘Send down the rain of the Dharma onto the world!
Teach perfectly with your beautiful voice!
Teach the Dharma as we request,
And liberate quintillions of beings!’ {43}
7.­82

“Bhikṣus, the Bhagavān gave his assent by saying nothing to the Mahābrahmās.


7.­83

“The same occurred in the southwest, the same in the west, the same in the northwest, the same in the north, the same in the northeast, and in the downward direction.

7.­84

“Bhikṣus, at that time the airborne palaces of the Brahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds in the upward direction became very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic.

7.­85

“Bhikṣus, those Brahmās wondered, ‘These airborne palaces of the Brahmās have become very beautiful, bright, radiant, glorious, and majestic. Who is this a sign of?’

“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās who were in the fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds came to each other’s homes308 and spoke with each other.

7.­86

“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmā named Śikhin spoke these verses to the great assembly of Brahmās:

“ ‘Friends, what is the reason why this has occurred?
Why have the airborne palaces become brilliant?309
Their majesty, color, and brightness
Have exceptionally increased for what reason? {44}
7.­87
“ ‘We have never seen such a thing as this before.
No one has ever heard of such a thing before.
Today this place has been filled by this light.
What is the cause for this extreme beauty? {45} [F.67.a]
7.­88
“ ‘Perhaps some deva has appeared here
Who is endowed with good karma,
And what has occurred is because of his power.
Or there is the rare appearance of a buddha in this world.’ {46}
7.­89

“Bhikṣus, then all the Mahābrahmās who lived in those fifty hundred thousand quintillion worlds and who had gathered together each entered his own divine Brahmā palace and, holding a basket of divine flowers that was the size of Sumeru, flew in their airborne palaces310 into the four directions.

7.­90

“Bhikṣus, when they went into the west those Mahābrahmās saw in the west the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū, who had come to the sublime, highest Bodhimaṇḍa and was seated on a lion throne at the foot of the Bodhi tree. Before him were assembled devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, who were gazing upon him, and the sixteen young princes, who were requesting him to turn the wheel of the Dharma. When they saw that, they came to the Bhagavān, and bowed their heads to the Bhagavān’s feet, circumambulated the Bhagavān many hundreds of thousands of times, and upon the Bhagavān they threw and scattered flowers from the baskets the size of Sumeru. They strewed flowers up to a distance of ten yojanas from the Bodhi tree. They offered their divine Brahmā palaces to the Bhagavān, saying ‘Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, accept these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Bhagavān, for the sake of showing compassion to us, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās. Sugata, enjoy these airborne palaces of the Brahmās.’

7.­91

“Bhikṣus, then those Mahābrahmās each offered to the Bhagavān their own airborne palace, and at that time, in the presence of the Bhagavān they fittingly praised him with these verses:

“ ‘It is excellent to see the buddhas,
The lords of the worlds, the protectors, [F.67.b]
The buddhas who in these three realms
Liberate beings from their bondage. {47}
7.­92
“ ‘The all-seeing lords of the worlds
See into the ten directions.
They open the door to deathlessness
And liberate many beings. {48}
7.­93
“ ‘In the past there have been
Countless empty eons.
The lords of jinas were not seen
And the ten directions were blind. {49}
7.­94
“ ‘There was an increase in the dreadful hells,
And among the asuras and the animals.
Thousands of millions of beings
Took rebirth among the pretas. {50}
7.­95
“ ‘There was a diminution of rebirths as devas,
And at death beings went to the lower existences.
The Dharma of the buddhas was not heard
And these existences were sinful. {51}
7.­96
“ ‘There was a diminution among all beings
Of the wisdom of the way of pure conduct.
Their happiness was destroyed
And the concept of happiness was lost. {52}
7.­97
“ ‘They performed incorrect practices
And followed that which was not the Dharma.
They were not subdued by a lord of the world
And fell into the lower existences. {53}
7.­98
“ ‘Lamp of the World, you are now seen.
After a long time, you have come.
You, compassionate one, have appeared here
For the sake of all beings. {54}
7.­99
“ ‘You have joyfully and happily attained
The unsurpassable wisdom of the buddhas.
We rejoice in what you have attained,
As does the world and its devas. {55}
7.­100
“ ‘Leader, it is through your power
That our airborne palaces have become magnificent.
Hero, we offer them to you.
Great Muni, accept them. {56}
7.­101
“ ‘Guide, please enjoy them
Out of compassion for us.
And then we and all beings
Will reach the highest enlightenment.’ {57}
7.­102

“Bhikṣus, the Mahābrahmās in the presence of the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū fittingly praised him with those verses, and then said to the Bhagavān, ‘Bhagavān, turn the wheel of the Dharma in the world! [F.68.a] Bhagavān, teach nirvāṇa! Bhagavān, liberate beings! Bhagavān, take this world into your care!

“ ‘Bhagavān, teach the Dharma to the world including its devas, māras, and brahmakas, to beings including mendicants and brahmins, and to the devas, asuras, and humans. Then there will be a benefit for many beings, happiness for many beings, compassion for the world, and welfare, benefit, and happiness for a great multitude of beings, devas, and humans.’

7.­103

“Bhikṣus, those fifty hundred thousand quintillion Mahābrahmās, speaking as one voice, now recited these verses to the Bhagavān:

“ ‘Turn the highest, supreme wheel!
Beat the drum of deathlessness!
Liberate beings from the net of suffering!
Teach the path to nirvāṇa! {58}
7.­104
“ ‘Teach the Dharma that we request!
Take us and this world into your care!
Speak with your beautiful voice
That has been accomplished through billions of eons!’ {59}
7.­105

“Bhikṣus, thereupon the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū, knowing what was requested by the many hundred thousand quintillions of Brahmās and the sixteen young princes, at that time, in accord with Dharma, turned the Dharma wheel that had never been turned by any mendicant, brahmin, deva, māra, or Brahmā in the world:

“ ‘This is suffering. This is the origin of suffering. This is the cessation of suffering. This is the path that leads to the cessation of suffering.’ This was repeated three times so that there were twelve turnings of the Dharma wheel.

7.­106

“ ‘Bhikṣus, in this way, through the factor of ignorance there is formation. Through the factor of formation there is consciousness. [F.68.b] Through the factor of consciousness there is name-and-form. Through the factor of name-and-form there are the six āyatanas. Through the factor of the six āyatanas there is contact. Through the factor of contact there is sensation. Through the factor of sensation there is craving. Through the factor of craving there is grasping. Through the factor of grasping there is becoming. Through the factor of becoming there is birth. Through the factor of birth there is old age, death, misery, wailing, suffering, unhappiness, and disturbance. In that way there arises a great mass of sheer suffering.

7.­107

“ ‘Through the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of formation. Through the cessation of formation there is the cessation of consciousness. Through the cessation of consciousness there is the cessation of name-and-form. Through the cessation of name-and-form there is the cessation of the six āyatanas. Through the cessation of the six āyatanas there is the cessation of contact. Through the cessation of contact there is the cessation of sensation. Through the cessation of sensation there is the cessation of craving. Through the cessation of craving there is the cessation of grasping. Through the cessation of grasping there is the cessation of becoming. Through the cessation of becoming there is the cessation of birth. Through the cessation of birth there is the cessation of old age, death, misery, wailing, suffering, unhappiness, and disturbance. In that way there is the cessation of the great mass of unalloyed suffering.’ In that way he taught dependent origination extensively.

7.­108

“Bhikṣus, in that way the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū turned the Dharma wheel before the world with its devas, māras, and brahmakas, and before the assembly with its mendicants and brahmins.

7.­109

“In that moment, in that instant, sixty hundred thousand quintillion beings became free of grasping and their minds were liberated from the defilements. They all became meditators possessed of the three insights, the six higher knowledges, and the eight liberations.

7.­110

“Bhikṣus, in conclusion, the Bhagavān taught the Dharma a second time, and then he taught the Dharma a third [F.69.a] and a fourth time.

“Bhikṣus, each time the Bhagavān taught the Dharma, as many beings as there are grains of sand in a hundred thousand quintillion Ganges Rivers became free of grasping, and their minds were liberated from the defilements.

7.­111

“Bhikṣus, after that, his śrāvaka saṅgha became innumerable.


7.­112

“Bhikṣus, at that time the sixteen young princes, having faith, together renounced home for homelessness. They all became mendicants who were wise, had clear minds,311 sharp minds,312 were learned, had practiced under hundreds of thousands of buddhas, and were dedicated to the highest, complete enlightenment.

7.­113

“Bhikṣus, the sixteen mendicants said to the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū, ‘Bhagavān, these many thousands of quintillions of the Tathāgata’s śrāvakas have through the Dharma teaching of the Bhagavān accomplished great miraculous abilities, great power, and great might. Bhagavān, that being so, out of compassion give us the teachings that commence with the highest, complete enlightenment, so that we also may be students of the Tathāgata. Bhagavān, our goal is to have the visions of the Tathāgata’s wisdom; Bhagavān, this is evident to you. Bhagavān you know the thoughts of all beings, and you know our thoughts.’

7.­114

“Thereupon, bhikṣus, as soon as they saw that those princes, those young boys, had become renunciants and mendicants, half the retinue of the cakravartin, numbering eighty-four hundred thousand quintillion beings, themselves all became renunciants.

7.­115

“Bhikṣus, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha [F.69.b] Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū knew the aspiration of those mendicants and, after twenty thousand eons had passed, he taught the fourfold assembly that instruction for bodhisattvas possessed by all the buddhas, the great extensive sūtra, the Dharma teaching entitled The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.

“Bhikṣus, at that time the sixteen mendicants acquired, maintained, and understood that teaching of the Bhagavān.

7.­116

“Bhikṣus, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū then gave to the sixteen mendicants the prophecy of their complete enlightenment.

7.­117

“Bhikṣus, śrāvakas aspired to the teaching given by the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū, and the sixteen mendicants and many hundred thousands of quintillions attained freedom from doubt.313

7.­118

“Bhikṣus, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū gave this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma uninterruptedly for a hundred thousand eons. He then entered the temple in order to be alone.

7.­119

“Bhikṣus, the tathāgata stayed alone in the temple in that way for eighty-four thousand eons.


7.­120

“Bhikṣus, the sixteen mendicants, knowing that the Bhagavān was staying in solitude, each set up a Dharma seat, a lion throne, sat upon it, and extensively taught for eighty-four thousand eons this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma to the fourfold assembly. [F.70.a]

7.­121

“Bhikṣus, each mendicant bodhisattva taught as many hundred thousand quintillions of beings as there are grains of sand in sixty Ganges Rivers. They inspired them, brought them joy, and made them retain it, and ripened them for the highest, complete enlightenment.

7.­122

“Bhikṣus, at that time, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū, after eighty-four thousand eons had passed, mindfully and knowingly arose from his samādhi. After the Bhagavān had arisen from his samādhi, he went to where his Dharma seat was. He came to the arranged seat and sat upon it.

7.­123

“Bhikṣus, as soon as the Bhagavān sat on the Dharma seat, he looked upon the gathered assembly and addressed the saṇgha of bhikṣus: ‘Bhikṣus, these sixteen mendicants are amazing, wonderful, and wise; they have been honoring many hundred thousands of quintillions of buddhas, they have been perfectly practicing proper conduct, they have been encouraging beings to receive the wisdom of the buddhas, they have been introducing beings to the wisdom of the buddhas, and they have been teaching the wisdom of the buddhas. Bhikṣus, you must continue to honor these sixteen mendicants. Bhikṣus, those noble sons who follow the Śrāvakayāna, the Pratyeka­buddha­yāna, or the Bodhisattva­yāna, who do not reject or malign the Dharma teaching, will all quickly attain the highest, complete enlightenment. They will all attain the wisdom of the Tathāgata.’

7.­124

“Bhikṣus, those sixteen noble sons taught again and again this Dharma teaching of The White Lotus of the Good Dharma within the teaching of that bhagavān.

“Bhikṣus, each of those bodhisattvas, those sixteen mendicant bodhisattva mahāsattvas, [F.70.b] guided to enlightenment as many hundred thousand quintillions of beings as there are grains of sand in sixty Ganges Rivers. All those beings, in all their lifetimes, became renunciants with those sixteen, gazed upon them, and heard the Dharma from them. They served four hundred thousand million buddhas and some are still serving buddhas.

7.­125

“Bhikṣus, you should aspire to this and comprehend it. Those sixteen young princes who as youths were mendicants who taught the Dharma in the Bhagavān’s teaching all attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, and they are all now present, living, and remaining. In their separate buddha realms in the ten directions they are teaching the Dharma to many hundred thousand quintillions of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas.

7.­126

“Bhikṣus, they are like this: In the eastern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Akṣobhya in the realm named Abhirati and there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Merukūṭa.

“Bhikṣus, in the southeastern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Siṃhaghoṣa and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Siṃhadhvaja.

7.­127

“Bhikṣus, in the southern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Ākāśa­pratiṣṭhita and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Nitya­pari­nirvṛta.

“Bhikṣus, in the southwestern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Indradhvaja and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Brahmadhvaja.

7.­128

“Bhikṣus, in the western direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Amitāyus and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Sarva­loka­dhātū­padra­vodvega­pratyuttīrṇa. [F.71.a]

“Bhikṣus, in the northwestern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Tamāla­patra­candana­gandhābhijña and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Merukalpa.

7.­129

“Bhikṣus, in the northern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Meghasvaradīpa and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Meghasvararāja.

“Bhikṣus, in the northeastern direction there is the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Sarva­loka­bhayacchambhita­tva­vidhvaṃsana­rakara and the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Śākyamuni.

7.­130

“Those sixteen attained the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood in this central world realm named Sahā.

7.­131

“Bhikṣus, those beings who within the teaching of that bhagavān heard the Dharma from us when we were mendicants, from each of us bodhisattvas,314 those hundreds of thousands of beings as numerous as the sand grains in the Ganges River were guided by us toward the highest, complete enlightenment.

“Bhikṣus, they still remain on the level of the śrāvakas but have been ripened for the highest, complete enlightenment. They will in the course of time attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood. Why is that? Bhikṣus, it is because it is difficult to aspire to the wisdom of a tathāgata. [F.71.b]

7.­132

“Bhikṣus, who are those countless hundred thousands of quintillions of beings, who are as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges River, whom I caused to hear the Dharma of omniscience when I was a bodhisattva in the teaching of that bhagavān? Bhikṣus, at that time, on that occasion, you were those beings.

“Bhikṣus, in the future times when I have passed into nirvāṇa, there will be śrāvakas who will hear of the practices of the bodhisattva, but they will not think, ‘We are bodhisattvas.’ They will all have the concept of nirvāṇa, and they will enter into nirvāṇa.

7.­133

“Bhikṣus, however, I will be dwelling in other worlds under other names, and they will be reborn there, seeking the wisdom of the tathāgatas and they will hear, ‘There is only one nirvāṇa of the tathāgatas. There is no second nirvāṇa other than that.’

“Bhikṣus, that practice of the teaching of the Dharma should be known to be the skillful method of the tathāgatas.

7.­134

“Bhikṣus, when a tathāgata sees that the time has come for his passing into nirvāṇa, he sees that his followers are pure, with deep dedication and realization of the Dharma of emptiness,315 and have acquired dhyāna and great dhyāna.

“Bhikṣus, a tathāgata, knowing the time has come, assembles all the bodhisattvas and all the śrāvakas, and then proclaims to them this meaning: ‘Bhikṣus, there is no second yāna or nirvāṇa in this world at all, let alone a third. Bhikṣus, that is the skillful method of the tathāgatas. Seeing that beings have been depraved for a long time, delight in the inferior, and are attached to desires, then, bhikṣus, the tathāgata teaches them nirvāṇa in accordance with their aspirations.’ [F.72.a]


7.­135

“Bhikṣus, it is like this: A group of beings, in order to go to an island of jewels, comes to a jungle that is five hundred yojanas wide. They have a single guide who is wise, bright, clever, intelligent, and has brought many travelers through that difficult jungle.

“That great group of beings becomes tired, exhausted, and frightened. They say, ‘O noble guide, we are tired, exhausted, frightened, and miserable. We are going to turn back. This jungle goes on too far.’

7.­136

“Bhikṣus, the guide who has skill in methods, knowing that the people wish to turn back, thinks, ‘These distressed people must not fail to reach the great island of jewels!’ Then with compassion for them he employs a skillful method. He conjures up in the middle of the jungle a miraculous city that is more than a hundred yojanas, or two hundred yojanas in size. He says to those people, ‘Do not be afraid! Do not turn back! Rest in this great region! Here you may do whatever you wish! There you will rest and attain relief from misery.316 Then the one who has more to accomplish can go on to the great island of jewels.’

“Bhikṣus, those people who entered the jungle are astonished and think, ‘We are freed from the jungle. We will stay here where we have attained relief from misery.’

7.­137

“Bhikṣus, those people enter the miraculous city and believe they have arrived at their destination. They believe they have crossed through the jungle, and they believe they have gained tranquility317 and relief from misery. When the guide knows that they have rested, he causes the miraculous city to vanish. [F.72.b]

“When it has vanished he says to them, ‘This great city was conjured up by me for you to rest in. We are close to the great island of jewels so you beings should go there.’

7.­138

“Bhikṣus, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha is the guide for you and all beings.

“Bhikṣus, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha sees that the great jungle of kleśas is to be left behind, departed from, and abandoned. But if these beings hear only of the wisdom of the buddhas they will be afraid and turn back, thinking, ‘The accomplishment of the wisdom of the buddhas involves many hardships!’ and they will not set out toward it.

7.­139

“The Tathāgata knows the weakness of the aspirations of beings. Just as the guide conjured up a miraculous city for beings to rest in, and when they had rested told them that this was a miraculous city, in that way, bhikṣus, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha employs a great skillful method so that beings may rest. He describes and teaches two levels of intermediate nirvāṇas. Those are the level of the śrāvakas and the level of the pratyeka­buddhas.

7.­140

“Bhikṣus, while the beings are dwelling on those levels, then, bhikṣus, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha says to them, ‘Bhikṣus, you have not done what needs to be done, you have not accomplished what needs to be accomplished! Bhikṣus, you are close to the wisdom of the Tathāgata. Look and see! Understand! That which is your nirvāṇa is not nirvāṇa. Bhikṣus, the three yānas that the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas teach are their skillful method.’ ”

7.­141

Then the Bhagavān taught this in detail through verses: [F.73.a]

“The guide of the world, Abhi­jñā­jñānābhi­bhū
Was seated upon the Bodhimaṇḍa.
For ten full intermediate eons,
He did not attain enlightenment‍—insight into ultimate truth. {60}
7.­142
“Devas, nāgas, asuras, and guhyakas
Were dedicated to making offerings to that Jina.
A rain of flowers rained down there
For the enlightenment and buddhahood of this guide of humans. {61}
7.­143
“They played drums up above in the sky
In order to honor and make offerings to that jina,
And they greatly sorrowed that the Jina
For a long time did not realize the highest state.318 {62}
7.­144
“Then after ten intermediate eons had passed
Bhagavān Anābhibhū attained enlightenment.
At that time, the devas, humans,319 nāgas,320 and asuras
All rejoiced and were overjoyed. {63}
7.­145
“The sixteen young heroes who were the sons
Of that guide of humans, the one wealthy in qualities,
Leading thousands of millions of beings,
Came before the highest Lord of All Humans. {64}
7.­146
“They bowed to the feet of the Guide
And requested him, ‘Lion who is Lord of Humans,
Teach the Dharma! With your excellent speech
Satisfy us who are in this world. {65}
7.­147
“ ‘Great Guide, after a long time your appearance
Is known in the worlds in the ten directions.
There are omens that have aroused beings.
The airborne palaces of the Brahmās have been shaken. {66}
7.­148
“ ‘In the eastern direction five hundred
Thousand million worlds have been shaken.
The supreme airborne palaces of the Brahmās
Have become endowed with extreme brilliance. {67}
7.­149
“ ‘Seeing omens such as these
They have come before the Lord, the Guide of the World,
And they have scattered flowers over the Guide
And offered to you all of their airborne palaces. {68}
7.­150
“ ‘They request you turn the wheel
And praise you through verses.
But, King and Lord of Humans, you are remaining silent,
As if to say, “It is not yet time for me to teach the Dharma.” {69}
7.­151
“ ‘It has been the same in the southern direction
And similarly in the west, below, and in the north,
And the same above and in the intermediate directions, [F.73.b]
And billions of Brahmās have arrived here. {70}
7.­152
“ ‘They have scattered flowers upon the Guide
And bowed to the feet of the Leader.
They have brought to you all their airborne palaces
And have praised you and again supplicated you. {71}
7.­153
“ ‘You with infinite vision, turn the wheel!
In many millions of eons you are difficult to find.
Reveal the power of kindness that you have developed in the past
And open the door to deathlessness.’ {72}
7.­154
“The one with infinite sight knew their request
And taught the Dharma in many ways.
He taught the four truths extensively,
And the dependent origination of all that occurs. {73}
7.­155
“The one with infinite sight explained
Ignorance as the first cause, and the suffering of death:321
‘Know that the death of humans and
All these faults originate from birth.’ {74}
7.­156
“As soon as he taught the Dharma
In infinite various ways,
Eighty quintillion beings who heard it
Quickly reached the level of the śrāvakas. {75}
7.­157
“Then the following second time
That the Jina taught many dharmas,
Beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges
Instantaneously became śrāvakas. {76}
7.­158
“After that, at that time, the saṅgha
Of the world’s guide became innumerable.
Even if you were to count them for a quintillion eons
You would not reach the end of them. {77}
7.­159
“Those sixteen princes,
Who were his own young sons,322
Those mendicants requested the Jina,
‘Guide, teach us the highest Dharma! {78}
7.­160
“ ‘May we become knowers of the world
Just like you, supreme among all beings!323
May all of these beings who exist
Become just like you, the hero with pure sight!’ {79}
7.­161
“The Jina, knowing the aspiration
Of the youths who were his own sons,
Taught the highest, supreme enlightenment
Through many quintillions of parables. {80}
7.­162
“He taught through many thousands of causes, [F.74.a]
Displaying higher knowledge and wisdom.
The Lord of the World taught the true conduct,
Just as is practiced by wise bodhisattvas. {81}
7.­163
“The Bhagavān taught this extensive sūtra,
The White Lotus of the Good Dharma,
Through no fewer than thousands of verses
As numerous as the sand grains of the Ganges. {82}
7.­164
“The Jina, having taught that sūtra,
Entered the temple where the Lord of the World
Contemplated in meditation on one seat
For an entire eighty-four eons. {83}
7.­165
“The mendicants, knowing that the Guide
Was seated in the temple and was not coming out,
Proclaimed to many millions of beings
The immaculate wisdom and peace of this buddhahood. {84}
7.­166
“They each arranged their own throne
And taught upon it this very sūtra,
And in that way fulfilled that role
Within the teaching of that sugata. {85}
7.­167
“Each of those sons of the Sugata
At that time taught beings as numerous
As the sand grains of sixty thousand Ganges
And guided an endless number of beings. {86}
7.­168
“When the Jina had passed into nirvāṇa,
Following their proper conduct,324 they saw millions of buddhas,
And together with those who had listened to them
They made offerings to those supreme humans. {87}
7.­169
“They engaged in conduct that was vast and superior
And attained enlightenment, buddhahood in the ten directions.
Those sixteen sons of the Jina became
Two jinas in each of the directions. {88}
7.­170
“At that time, those who had listened to them
All became the śrāvakas of those jinas,
And attained this enlightenment
In stages through various methods. {89}
7.­171
“I also was one among them
And you all have listened to me.
Therefore you are still my śrāvakas
And using methods I lead you all to this enlightenment. {90}
7.­172
“In that past time there was this cause, this condition,
Because of which I am teaching the Dharma,
And because of which I am leading you to enlightenment.
So, bhikṣus, have no fear in these circumstances. {91} [F.74.b]
7.­173
“If there were a dreadful, terrible jungle
That was uninhabited, with no shelter or refuge,
With many wild beasts and no water
And which was terrifying for the foolish, {92}
7.­174
“And if many thousands of people
Were to enter into that jungle,
And that jungle was uninhabited and long,
A full five hundred yojanas, {93}
7.­175
“And if there were a wealthy, mindful, learned,325
Brave,326 educated, and fearless person
Who was there as their guide
In that terrifying, dreadful jungle, {94}
7.­176
“Those many thousands of beings would become exhausted
And at that time they would say to the guide,
‘Noble sir, we are exhausted and we cannot go on.
It is our wish that we turn back today!’ {95}
7.­177
“He who is wise and who is skilled
Would think of a method by which he might lead them:
‘Alas, all of these foolish persons
Will deprive themselves of the jewels if they turn back. {96}
7.­178
“ ‘I shall today through my miraculous powers
Cause a great city to appear
That is adorned with a billion houses
And beautified by temples and gardens. {97}
7.­179
“ ‘I shall manifest ponds and rivers
Adorned with groves and flowers.
I shall create a beautiful wall and gates,
And men and women without an equal. {98}
7.­180
“ ‘And having manifested all that I shall say to them,
“Do not be afraid, but be happy!
You have now reached this perfect city;
Enter it and quickly fulfill your needs.” ’ {99}
7.­181
“In order that they might gain relief
And that they would not turn back, he says,
‘You have passed through the dreadful jungle
So now be at ease and be happy.’ {100}
7.­182
“When he sees that they are all rested,
He gathers them together327 and says to them,
‘Come here, and listen to what I have to say!
This city is a manifestation of my miraculous powers. {101}
7.­183
“ ‘I had seen that you were exhausted
And this was to prevent your turning back.
This was my skillful method.
Be diligent and proceed to the island!’ {102} [F.75.a]
7.­184
“Bhikṣus, I328 am like that guide‍—
The guide of ten thousand million beings.
See the exhausted beings as those
Who cannot break out through the eggshell of the kleśas. {103}
7.­185
“I thought that for their benefit
I should create this nirvāṇa as a rest.
On the level of the arhat you have accomplished your goal,
Which is the cessation329 of all suffering. {104}
7.­186
“When I see that you are all
Arhats who are upon this level,
Then I gather you all together
And tell you truly what the Dharma is. {105}
7.­187
“When the rishis teach that there are three yānas,
That is the skillful method of the guides.
There is one yāna; there is no second.
Two are taught so that there may be a rest. {106}
7.­188
“Bhikṣus, therefore on this day I declare
That just this is not nirvāṇa.
You must develop a powerful diligence
In order to attain omniscient wisdom. {107}
7.­189
“When you attain omniscient wisdom,
The qualities of a jina, the ten strengths,
And a body that has the thirty-two signs,
Then you will be a buddha, and that is nirvāṇa. {108}
7.­190
“This is the nature of the teaching of the guides:
They teach nirvāṇa so that beings may rest.
Knowing that they have rested in nirvāṇa,
They lead all to omniscient wisdom.” {109}
7.­191

This concludes “The Past,” the seventh chapter of the Dharma teaching of “The White Lotus of the Good Dharma.” [B7]


8.
Chapter 8

The Prophecy to the Five Hundred Bhikṣus

8.­1

Brother Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇī­putra, having heard directly from the Bhagavān about this wisdom insight into skillful methods, about the teachings with implied meaning, and having heard the prophecies made to the great śrāvakas, and having heard of the connections with the past, and having heard of the preeminence of the Bhagavān, was astonished and amazed, without worldly concerns, and filled with delight and joy. Then with great delight and joy and great reverence for the Dharma, he rose from his seat, bowed down to the feet of the Bhagavān, [F.75.b] and thought, “Bhagavān, it is wonderful! Sugata, it is wonderful! The tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas accomplish that which is extremely difficult‍—they teach the Dharma to beings according to the different concerns of the world, through many wisdom insights into skillful methods, and they liberate330 beings attached to this and that.331 Bhagavān, what are we able to do? The Tathāgata is the one who knows our aspirations and our past.”


9.
Chapter 9

The Prophecies to Ānanda, Rāhula, and Two Thousand Bhikṣus

9.­1

At that time, Brother Ānanda thought, “May I obtain a prophecy like these!” Thinking that, contemplating it, and wishing for it, he rose from his seat and bowed down to the Bhagavān’s feet. Brother Rāhula also, thinking, contemplating, and wishing for the same thing, bowed down to the Bhagavān’s feet, and they said, “Bhagavān, may we have such an opportunity! Sugata, may we have such an opportunity! Bhagavān, you are our father, our progenitor, our refuge, our support, and our protector. Bhagavān, we are honored by the world with its devas, humans, and asuras as the sons of the Bhagavān, the attendants of the Bhagavān, and the keepers of the Dharma treasure of the Bhagavān. Therefore, Bhagavān, it would be fitting if the Bhagavān were quickly to give us the prophecy of our attainment of the highest, complete enlightenment.”


10.
Chapter 10

The Dharmabhāṇakas

10.­1

Then the Bhagavān said to the bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyarāja and eighty thousand other bodhisattvas, “Bhaiṣajyarāja, do you see this assembly’s numerous devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and nonhumans, bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas and upāsikās, and followers of the Śrāvakayāna and the Bodhisattva­yāna who have heard this Dharma teaching directly from the Tathāgata?” [F.84.a]


11.
Chapter 11

The Appearance of the Stūpa

11.­1

Then a stūpa made of the seven precious materials arose from the center of the assembly, directly in front of the Bhagavān. It was five hundred yojanas tall and of a corresponding circumference. Having risen up, it remained suspended in the air, bright and beautiful, adorned with five thousand encircling railings358 covered in flowers, and beautified by many thousands of toraṇas, hung with thousands of sacred flags and banners of victory, [F.89.a] hung with thousands of strings of jewels, hung with thousands of streamers and bells, and emitting the aroma of bay leaves and sandalwood. That aroma spread throughout the entire all-containing world. Its crowning parasol reached as high as the palaces in the paradises of the Four Mahārājas. It was made of the seven precious materials, which are gold, silver, beryl, white coral, emerald, red pearl, and chrysoberyl. At the stūpa, devas of the Trāyastriṃśa paradise scattered coral tree and great coral tree flowers on the precious stūpa, bestrewing it with them, and covering it with them.


12.
Chapter 12

Resolutions

12.­1

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja and the bodhisattva mahāsattva Mahāpratibhāna, together with a following of two hundred thousand bodhisattvas, facing the Bhagavān, said, “Bhagavān, have no concern over this matter. Bhagavān, we will teach, we will expound this Dharma teaching to beings after the nirvāṇa of the Tathāgata.

“Bhagavān, in that time beings will be wicked, have few roots of merit, be arrogant, be devoted to gain and honor, engage in roots of demerit, be difficult to guide, have no interest, and be filled with disinterest, but, Bhagavān, we will demonstrate the power of patience and in that time we will teach this sūtra, we will uphold it, we will expound it, we will write it out, we will honor it, we will venerate it, and we will make offerings to it. Bhagavān, we will cast aside body and life and teach this sūtra. Therefore, Bhagavān, have no concern.”


13.
Chapter 13

Dwelling in Happiness

13.­1

Then Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, what these bodhisattva mahāsattvas are resolved to do because of their reverence for the Bhagavān is a difficult task, extremely difficult. Bhagavān, how should these bodhisattva mahāsattvas expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era?”

The Bhagavān said to Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, “Mañjuśrī, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should expound this Dharma teaching in the later times, in a later era, by maintaining four qualities. What are these four?


14.
Chapter 14

The Bodhisattvas Emerging Out of the Ground

14.­1

Then the bodhisattvas who had arrived from other world realms, who were as numerous as the grains of sand in eight Ganges Rivers, stood up in the circle of the assembly, bowed to the Bhagavān with hands together in homage, and said these words:

“Bhagavān, if the Bhagavān will permit us, [F.111.a] after the Tathāgata has passed into nirvāṇa, we too will teach this Dharma teaching in the Sahā world realm. We will read it, write it, and make offerings to it. We shall be dedicated to this Dharma teaching. Bhagavān, teach well this Dharma teaching to us.”


15.
Chapter 15

The Lifespan of the Tathāgata

15.­1

Then the Bhagavān said to the complete assembly of bodhisattvas, “Noble ones, have faith and certainty in the true words that I, the Tathāgata, will speak.”

The Bhagavān said a second time, and a third time, to those bodhisattvas, “Noble ones, have faith and certainty in the true words that I, the Tathāgata, will speak. Noble ones, have faith and certainty in the true words that I, the Tathāgata, will speak.”


16.
Chapter 16

The Extent of the Merit

16.­1

When the teaching of the Tathāgata’s lifespan was taught it benefited innumerable, countless beings. The Bhagavān said at that time to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya, “Ajita, when the Dharma teaching that teaches the Tathāgata’s lifespan was given, a hundred thousand quintillion bodhisattvas, as numerous as the grains of sand in sixty-eight Ganges Rivers, developed receptivity to the birthlessness of phenomena.


17.
Chapter 17

Teaching the Merit of Rejoicing

17.­1

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya asked the Bhagavān, [F.129.a] “Bhagavān, if a noble man or noble woman rejoices after hearing this Dharma teaching explained, how much merit, Bhagavān, does that noble man or noble woman create?” And at that time the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya also addressed to him this verse:

17.­2
“After the nirvāṇa of the great Hero,
How much merit will there be
For someone who listens to this kind of sūtra,
And having heard it, rejoices?” {1}

18.
Chapter 18

The Benefits of the Purity of the Six Āyatanas

18.­1

Then the Bhagavān said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Satata­samitābhiyukta, “If any noble man or noble woman possesses, reads, teaches, or asks questions about this Dharma teaching, that noble man or noble woman will gain eight hundred qualities of the eyes, will gain twelve hundred qualities of the nose, will gain eight hundred qualities of the ears, will gain twelve hundred qualities of the tongue, will gain eight hundred qualities of the body, and will gain twelve hundred qualities of mind.


19.
Chapter 19

Sadāparibhūta

19.­1

Then the Bhagavān said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Mahā­sthāma­prāpta, “Mahā­sthāma­prāpta, you should know that this Dharma teaching is like this: Whoever rejects this Dharma teaching, and scolds, rebukes, and speaks crudely489 and harshly to the bhikṣus, [F.139.b] bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who possess such a sūtra as this, will experience the undesirable result ripening from that, which is that they will be unable to speak words. Whoever possesses such a sūtra as this, reads it, studies it, teaches it, and teaches it extensively to others will have the desirable result ripening from that, which is, as I have said before, that they will attain purified eyes, nose, ears, tongue, body, and mind.


20.
Chapter 20

The Tathāgata’s Miracles

20.­1

Then those hundreds of millions of quintillions of bodhisattvas who had emerged from the ground, as numerous as the atoms in a world realm, placed their hands together in homage and said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, we will teach this Dharma teaching in all the buddha realms where the Tathāgata has passed into nirvāṇa, and in the buddha realms where the Bhagavān will pass into nirvāṇa.


21.
Chapter 21

Dhāraṇīs

21.­1

498Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja rose from his seat, removed his upper robe from one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, [F.147.a] and with his hands together in homage bowed toward the Bhagavān and said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, how much merit will a noble man or noble woman generate by carrying this Dharma teaching The White Lotus of the Good Dharma on their body or making a text of it?”


22.
Chapter 22

The Past of Bhaiṣajyarāja

22.­1

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Nakṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña said to the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, through what cause is the bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja active in this Sahā world realm? Bhagavān, he must have undergone many hundred thousands of quintillions of hardships. I request the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha to speak of just a fraction of what the bodhisattva mahāsattva Bhaiṣajyarāja has practiced, so that those who have heard the Bhagavān‍—the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and nonhumans, and the bodhisattva mahāsattvas who have arrived here from other world realms and these great śrāvakas‍—will all be pleased, delighted, and happy.”


23.
Chapter 23

Gadgadasvara

23.­1

Then at that time the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni emitted light from the ūrṇā hair between his eyebrows, which was a sign of a great being. That light shone throughout hundreds of thousands of quintillions of buddha realms in the east, which were as numerous as the grains of sand in eighteen Ganges Rivers. Beyond those hundreds of thousands of quintillions of buddha realms, which were as numerous as the grains of sand in eighteen Ganges Rivers, there was the world realm named Vairocana­raśmi­prati­maṇḍitā, in which there lived, was present, and remained the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha named Kamala­dala­vimala­nakṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña. He was accompanied and revered by an immeasurably great saṅgha of bodhisattvas. Then the ray of light emitted by the bhagavān tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni from his ūrṇā hair shone at that time throughout the world realm Vairocana­raśmi­prati­maṇḍitā.


24.
Chapter 24

Facing Everywhere: The Teaching of the Miracles of Avalokiteśvara

24.­1

596Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Akṣayamati rose from his seat, removed his upper robe from one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and with his hands together in homage bowed toward the Bhagavān and asked the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, why is the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara called Avalokiteśvara?” [F.164.b]

24.­2

The Bhagavān said to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Akṣayamati, “Noble one, if the hundred thousand quintillion beings in this world who are experiencing suffering were to hear the name of the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara they would all become freed from that mass of suffering.


25.
Chapter 25

The Past of King Śubhavyūha

25.­1

Then the Bhagavān said to the all-inclusive assembly of bodhisattvas, “Noble ones, in the past, in a time gone by, countless eons ago, at that time, in that era, in an eon named Priyadarśana, in a world named Vairocana­raśmi­prati­maṇḍitā, there appeared in that world the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha, the one with perfect wisdom and conduct, the sugata, the one who knows the world’s beings, the unsurpassable guide who tamed beings, the teacher of devas and humans, the buddha, the bhagavān named Jala­dhara­garjita­ghoṣa­susvarana­kṣatra­rāja­saṃkusumitābhi­jña­.


26.
Chapter 26

Samantabhadra’s Encouragement

26.­1

The bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra, leading a following of countless bodhisattva mahāsattvas, and leading a following of countless devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, came from the east, and the realms shook, a rain of lotuses fell, and a hundred thousand quintillion musical instruments played. With the great power of a bodhisattva, with the great manifestations of a bodhisattva, with the great miraculous power of a bodhisattva, with the great majesty636 of a bodhisattva, with the great brilliant magnificence of a bodhisattva, with the great way637 of a bodhisattva, with the great miracles of a bodhisattva, and with the great miraculous manifestation of leading a following638 of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans‍—it was with such an inconceivable miraculous manifestation that the bodhisattva mahāsattva Samantabhadra came to this Sahā world realm.


27.
Chapter 27

The Entrusting

27.­1

Then the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened buddha Śākyamuni [F.179.b] rose from his Dharma seat and manifested the miracle of his right hand taking hold of the right hands of those in the entire gathering of bodhisattvas. At that time he said, “Noble ones, this highest, complete enlightenment that I accomplished after a hundred thousand quintillion asaṃkhyeya eons I place in your hands: I entrust it to you, I present it to you, and I pass it on to you. Noble ones, you should do whatever will make it extensively widespread.”


c.

Colophon

c.­1

Translated, revised, and finalized by the Indian Upādhyāya Surendrabodhi and the chief editor Lotsawa Bandé Nanam Yeshé Dé.


n.

Notes

n.­1
See Jamieson (2002) for a list of the numerous scholarly works.
n.­2
Karashima (2015).
n.­3
Dessein (2009): 36–37.
n.­4
Zhongxin (1997).
n.­5
Karashima (2001).
n.­6
Karashima (2001): 212.
n.­7
Lopez (2016): 21.
n.­8
Deeg (1999).
n.­56
There have been two ways to interpret this traditional beginning of a sūtra, with such Indian masters as Kamalaśīla claiming that both are equally correct. The alternative interpretation is “Thus have I heard: at one time, the Bhagavān…,” and so on. The various arguments, both traditional and modern, for either side are given by Brian Galloway in “Thus have I heard: At one time…,” Indo-Iranian Journal 34, no. 2 (April 1991): 87–104.
n.­57
This figure is from the Sanskrit. The Tibetan in all Kangyurs has twelve thousand, as do the Chinese translations by Kumārajīva (T.262, early fifth century) and by Jñānagupta and Dharmagupta (T.264, early seventh century). The Chinese translation by Dharmarakṣa (T.263, late third century), however, has 1,200 like the Sanskrit, while the other early Chinese translation, which is anonymous, has 42,000 (大比丘眾四萬二千人俱).
n.­58
Sanskrit ājāneya; Tibetan cang shes. Ājāneya was incorrectly defined as meaning “all-knowing” and was translated therefore into Tibetan as cang shes (“all-knowing”). The term ājāneya was primarily used for thoroughbred horses, but was also applied to people in a laudatory sense.
n.­59
This term probably has its origins in being a translation into Sanskrit from the Middle Indic mahānāga, the Sanskrit equivalent of which should have been mahānagna, which has the meaning of “a great champion, a man of distinction and nobility.”
n.­60
According to the BHS abhi­jñatābhijña­ta, where the same word is repeated with different meanings. The Tibetan translates both identically in most Kangyurs as mngon par shes pa mngon par shes pa, and in others such as Degé and Lhasa as mngon par shes pas mngon par shes pa.
n.­99
According to the Sanskrit. Tibetan: Śāridvataputra.
n.­169
According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has “deprived of the scope of wisdom of the tathāgatas, and of the vision of their wisdom.”
n.­278
According to the BHS ārocayāmi. The Tibetan mos par bya could be interpreted as “make you aspire.”
n.­279
According to the Sanskrit. The last two activities are absent from the Tibetan, but when this passage is repeated further on in this chapter they are included in the Tibetan, and so there appears to be an unintended omission here.
n.­280
According to the commentary this refers to the eightfold path, with wisdom being the right view and conduct being the other seven aspects of the path.
n.­281
According to the BHS gūtholigalla. The Tibetan translates obscurely as sme ba (“spots”).
n.­282
See n.­179.
n.­290
According to the Sanskrit. “Second” is absent from the Tibetan.
n.­291
See n.­290.
n.­292
According to the Sanskrit and Chinese.”Weeping” is absent from the Tibetan.
n.­293
According to the Sanskrit āryaka, which the Tibetan (and Burnouf and Kern from the Sanskrit) translates by its alternative meaning, “noble.” The Chinese translates as “grandfather,” which appears to be the intended meaning here, and explains why the sons are called “princes.”
n.­294
According to the Sanskrit and the Yongle, Kangxi, Choné, and Stok Palace Kangyurs. The Degé and the Comparative Edition are missing part of the sentence.
n.­295
The narrative is somewhat obscure at this point. It is evident later in the passage that the Brahmās have gathered in one place, and they also live in palaces that fly, and therefore this may mean that they have gathered together through each having come there in their own home.
n.­296
The Degé Kangyur’s 62b is an accidental printing of 142b and therefore this page is missing in that edition.
n.­297
This phrase is an interpolation to make the meaning clearer. For “airborne palace” (Vimāna), see glossary.
n.­298
According to the Tibetan. Sanskrit: “five quintillion” (five hundred thousand times ten million).
n.­299
See n.­295.
n.­300
The last line of this four-line verse is absent from the Tibetan. According to the Sanskrit (adhimātraṃ yaśasvinaḥ), the last two lines would be, “Today our airborne palaces are beautified / with exceptional splendor.”
n.­301
See n.­297.
n.­302
According to the Sanskrit jīvaloka and the Stok Palace Kangyur ’tsho ba’i ’jig rten. Instead of ’tsho ba, the Degé and most Kangyurs have tshol ba; Choné has tshor ba, and Yongle has tshong ba.
n.­303
According to the Sanskrit. The Chinese appears to have translated the number as a hundred and eighty, as does Burnouf, because of the tricky syntax of this verse: “it has been a hundred and eighty eons since the world has had a buddha.” The Tibetan, even with the above variant reading in the Stok Palace Kangyur, appears corrupt: “A full hundred eons in this world of beings / Has been equal to eighty buddhas.”
n.­304
According to the Vaidya and Wogihara Sanskrit. The Tibetan, and the Burnouf translation from a Hodgson manuscript, have “eighty hundred thousand.”
n.­305
According to the BHS leṇa. The Tibetan translates as gnas.
n.­306
See n.­295.
n.­307
See n.­297.
n.­308
See n.­295.
n.­309
According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan has here translated parisphuṭa as “pervaded.”
n.­310
See n.­297.
n.­311
According to the Tibetan.
n.­312
According to the Tibetan.
n.­313
The Tibetan has interpreted this as “having doubts” and the sixteen mendicants were grouped with the śrāvakas. The question is whether vicikitsa is actually avicikitsa, which in this BHS may simply have the a elided and implied. Dharmarakṣa’s translation into Chinese has “without doubt”; Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation has “having doubt.” Burnouf translates from the Sanskrit as “having doubt,” while Kern translates as “without doubt.” In terms of the logic of the narrative it is here translated as “without doubt.”
n.­314
Sanskrit: bodhi­sattva mahā­sattva.
n.­315
According to the Sanskrit gatiṃgata. The Tibetan repeats this in what appear to be two alternate translations.
n.­316
There is a wordplay here, as the word for “relief from misery” is nirvāṇa.
n.­317
According to one meaning of the Sanskrit śīti. The Tibetan translates as “cool.”
n.­318
According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan translation appears to interpret this as the Jina “sorrowing.”
n.­319
According to the Sanskrit deva manuṣyā and the Lhasa, Narthang, and Stok Palace Kangyurs. Other Kangyurs consulted have lha min (asuras) in error for lha mi (“devas and humans”).
n.­320
The Sanskrit has the synonym bhujaga (“serpent”).
n.­321
According to the Sanskrit, and the Stok Palace and Yongle Kangyurs. Other Kangyurs consulted have bzhi (“four”) in error for ba’i.
n.­322
According to the Tibetan. Sanskrit: “All became mendicants.”
n.­323
According to the Tibetan and Burnouf and, presumably, from jāta. The Vaidya and Wogihara Sanskrit and Kern have “supreme among all jinas.”
n.­324
According to the Sanskrit caritva. The Tibetan has spyan (“eyes”) in error for spyad.
n.­325
According to the Sanskrit vyakta. The Tibetan translates as another of its meanings: “bright.”
n.­326
According to the Tibetan dpa’. Sanskrit: dhīra (“wise”).
n.­327
According to the Sanskrit samānayitvā. The Tibetan translates as “honored them,” a possible alternate meaning.
n.­328
According to the Sanskrit and almost all Kangyurs consulted. The Degé has deng (“today”) instead of nga (“I”).
n.­329
According to the Sanskrit and Chinese. The Tibetan has “realization of suffering,” as does apparently the Hodgson manuscript as Burnouf and Kern translate in that way.
n.­330
According to the Sanskrit pramocayanti and, in part, the Stok Palace Kangyur ’grol ba. The other Tibetan versions consulted have ’grel ba; a Tibetan translation of the causative Sanskrit verb form would more likely be sgrol ba.
n.­331
The syntax is according to the Sanskrit; the Tibetan reverses the order of the sentences.
n.­358
According to the Sanskrit vedikā. The Tibetan translates as stegs bu, “platforms,” Burnouf as “balconies,” and Kern as “terraces.” However, vedikā here refers to the railings in which the toraṇas, or “gateways,” are set. While the vedikās do serve as railings for elevated platforms, which serve as circumambulatory walkways, they also encircle the stūpa on the surrounding flat ground.
n.­489
According to the Tibetan tshogs par mi dbyung ba (“unfit for a gathering”), which will have been a translation of asabhya. The Sanskrit has asatya (“falsely”), which appears to have been the source of the Chinese translation.
n.­498
In the Chinese translation this chapter is later, following the chapter on Avalokiteśvara.
n.­596
“Facing everywhere” in the chapter title is translated according to the Sanskrit samantamukha, which has also became an epithet for the many-faced forms of Avalokiteśvara. The Tibetan translates as kun nas sgo (taking the alternative meaning of “door” from mukha) which could be literally translated as “doors on all sides.” However, in the Mahāvyutpatti we find samanta-spharaṇa-mukha translated as bzhin kun tu khyab pa (“face that pervades everywhere”). Other translations have included “all-sided one” and “all-sidedness.” Burnouf translates as “Celui dont la face regarde de tous les côtés,” correcting his earlier translation based on a misreading of samantamukha as samantasukha (“complete bliss”). The meaning, however translated, refers to Avalokiteśvara regarding all beings.
n.­636
According to the Sanskrit. “Great” is absent from the Tibetan. The Sanskrit mahata bodhi­sattva­māhātmyena manages to keep the two similar words apart.
n.­637
According to the Sanskrit mahatā bodhi­sattvayānena. The Tibetan could be interpreted to mean specifically the mahāyāna.
n.­638
“leading a following” is absent from the Tibetan.

b.

Bibliography

Tibetan Editions of the Sūtra

dam chos padma dkar po’i mdo (Saddharma­puṇḍarīka­sūtra) [The White Lotus of the Good Dharma]. Toh 113, Degé Kangyur, 103 vols. New Delhi: Karmapae Chodhey Gyalwae Sungrab Patrun Khang, 1976–79, vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1a–180b.

‍—‍—‍—. 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), 2006–2009, vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), pp. 3–427.

‍—‍—‍—. Choné Kangyur (co ne bka’ ’gyur). 108 vols. Choné: co ne par khang, 1926, vol. 31 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1–212b.

‍—‍—‍—. Lhasa Kangyur (lha sa bka’ ’gyur). 100 vols. Lhasa: zhol bka’ ’gyur par khang, 1934, vol. 53 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1b–285b.

‍—‍—‍—. Narthang Kangyur (snar thang bka’ ’gyur). 102 vols. Narthang: snar thang par khang, eighteenth century, vol. 53 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1b–281b.

‍—‍—‍—. Stok Palace Kangyur (stog pho brang bris ma bka’ ’gyur). 109 vols. Leh: smad rtsis shes rig dpe mdzod, 1975–80. vol. 67 (mdo sde, ma), folios 1a–270b.

‍—‍—‍—. Urga Kangyur (ur ga bka’ ’gyur). New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1990–94. vol. 51 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1a–180b.

Khangkar, Tsultrim Kelsang (ed.) bod gyur dam pa’i chos padma dkar po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo: Tibetan Translation of Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra. Nyin bod nang rig deb grangs (Japanese and Tibetan Buddhist Culture Series) XI. Kyoto: Tibetan Buddhist Culture Association, 2009.

Sanskrit Editions of the Sūtra

Zhongxin, Jiang. Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Fragments from the Lüshun Museum Collection. Tokyo: Sōka Gakkai, 1997.

Vaidya, P. L. Saddharma­puṇḍarīka­sūtra. Darbhanga: The Mithila Institute of Post-Graduate Studies and Research in Sanskrit Learning, 1960.

Watanabe, Shōkō. Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Manuscripts Found in Gilgit. Tokyo: Reiyukai, 1972–75.

Wogihara, Unrai and Tsuchida, Chikao. Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtram: Romanized and Revised Text of the Bibliotheca Buddhica publication by consulting a Sanskrit Ms. & Tibetan and Chinese translations. Tōkyō: Seigo-Kenkyūkai, 1934–35.

Translations of the Sūtra

Borsig, Margareta von. Lotos-Sutra: Das Große Erleuchtungsbuch des Buddhismus. Freiburg: Herder, 2003.

Burnouf, Eugene. Le lotus de la bonne loi. Paris: L’imprimerie Nationale, 1852.

Hurvitz, Leon. Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma. New York: Columbia University Press, 1976.

Katō, Bunnō. “The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law.” In The Threefold Lotus Sutra, translated by Bunnō Katō, Yoshirō Tamura, and Kōjirō Miyasaka, with revisions by W. E. Soothill, Wilhelm Schiffer, and Pier P. Del Campana, 18–213. New York and Tokyo: Weatherhill and Kosei, 1993.

Kern, H. Saddharma-Puṇḍarīka or the Lotus of the Good Law. Sacred Books of the East XXII. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1884.

Kubo, Tsugunari and Akira Yuyama. The Lotus Sutra. Berkeley: Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research (revised second edition), 2007.

Montgomery, Daniel B. The Lotus Sutra: The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. Tokyo: Nichiren Shu Headquarters, 1991.

Murano, Senchū. The Lotus Sutra: Sutra of the Lotus of the Wonderful Dharma. Hayward, CA: Nichiren Buddhist International Center, 1974.

Reeves, Gene. The Lotus Sutra: A Contemporary Translation of a Buddhist Classic. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2008.

Soothill, W.E. The Lotus of the Wonderful Law, or The Lotus Gospel. Richmond: Curzon Press, 1987.

Watson, Burton. The Lotus Sutra. New York: Columbia University Press, 1993.

Other Kangyur Texts

rgya cher rol pa’i mdo (Lalita­vistara­sūtra, Toh 95. Degé Kangyur vol. 46 (mdo sde, kha), folios 1b–216b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation committee (2013).

ting nge ’dzin gyi rgyal po’i mdo (Samādhi­rāja­sūtra), Toh 127, Degé Kangyur vol. 55 (mdo sde, da), folios 1a–175b. English translation in Roberts (2018).

de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi gsang ba’i mdo (Tathāgata­ghuyaka­sūtra) [The Secret of the Tathāgatas Sūtra]. Toh 443, Degé Kangyur vol. 81 (rgyud, ca), folios 90a–157b.

phal po che’i mdo (Avataṁsaka­sūtra) [A Multitude of Buddhas Sūtra]. Toh 44, Degé Kangyur vols. 35–38 (phal chen, ka–a), folios ka 1a–nga 363a.

lang kar gshegs pa’i mdo (Laṅkā­vatāra­sūtra) [The Entry into Laṅka Sutra]. Toh 107, Degé Kangyur vol. 49 (mdo sde, ca), folios 56a–191b.

shes rab pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa (Aṣṭa­sāhasrikā­prajñā­pāramitā) [The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Verses]. Toh 12, Degé Kangyur vol. 33 (brgyad stong pa, ka), folios 1b–286a.

sa bcu pa’i mdo (Daśa­bhūmika­sūtra) [The Sūtra of the Ten Bhūmis]. Chapter 31, in Toh 44, Degé Kangyur vol. 36 (phal chen, kha), folios 166a–283a. English translation in Roberts (2021).

gser ’od dam pa’i mdo (Su­varṇa­prabhā­sūtra) [The Golden Light Sūtra]. Toh 556, Degé Kangyur vol. 89 (rgyud, pa), folios 151b–273a.

Tengyur Texts

Abhayākaragupta. thub pa’i dgongs pa’i rgyan (Muni­matālaṁkāra). Toh 3903, Degé Tengyur vol. 210 (dbu ma, a), folios 73b–293a.

Asaṅga. theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma’i bstan bcos rnam par bshad pa (Mahāyānottara­tantra­śāstra­vyākhyā). Toh 4025, Degé Tengyur vol. 225 (sems tsam, phi), folios 74b–129a.

Candrakīrti. dbu ma la ’jug pa’i bshad pa (Madhyamakāvatāra­bhāṣya). Toh 3862, Degé Tengyur vol. 204 (dbu ma, ’a), folios 220b–348a.

‍—‍—‍—. byang chub sems dpa’i rnal ’byor spyod pa bzhi brgya pa’i ’grel pa (Bodhi­sattva­yoga­caryā­catuḥ­śataka­ṭīkā) Toh 3865, Degé Tengyur vol. 205 (dbu ma, ya), folios 30b–239a.

Daṃṣṭrāsena, Vasubandhu, or neither. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa ’bum pa dang nyi khri lnga stong pa dang khri brgyad stong pa’i rgya cher bshad pa (Śata­sāhasrikā­pañca­viṁśati­sāhasrika­ṣṭāda­śasāhasrikā­prajñā­pāramitā­bṛhaṭṭīkā). Toh 3808, Degé Tengyur vol. 93 (sher phyin, pha), folios 1a–292b. English translation in Sparham (2022).

Dharmamitra. tshig rab tu gsal ba (Prasphuṭapadā). Toh 3796, Degé Tengyur vol. 87 (sher phyin, nya), folios 1a–110a.

Jānavajra. de bzhin gshegs pa’i snying po’i rgyan (Tathāgata­hṛdayālaṁkāra). Toh 4019, Degé Tengyur vol. 224 (mdo ’grel, pi), folios 1a–310a.

Kamalaśīla. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa bdun brgya pa rgya cher bshad pa (Sapta­śatikā­prajñā­pāramitā­ṭīkā). Toh 3815, Degé Tengyur vol. 95 (sher phyin, ma), folios 89a–178a.

Maitreya-Asaṅga. theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma’i bstan bcos (Mahāyānottara­tantra­śāstra) [A Mahāyāna Treatise on the Supreme Continuum]. Toh 4024, Degé Tengyur vol. 225 (sems tsam, phi), folios 54b–73a.

Nāgārjuna. mdo kun las btus pa (Sūtrasamuccaya). Toh 3934, Degé Tengyur vol. 212 (dbu ma, ki), folios 148b–215a.

Saitsalak (sa’i rtsa lag, Kuiji, Pṛthivībandhu). dam pa’i chos padma dkar po’i ’grel pa. Toh 4017, Degé Tengyur, vol. 120 (mdo ’grel, di), folios 175b–302a.

‍—‍—‍—. dam pa’i chos padma dkar po’i ’grel pa. bstan ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Tengyur], 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). 120 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 1994–2008, vol. 69 (mdo sde, di, vol. 135), pp. 476–826.

Śāntideva. bslab pa kun las btus pa (Śikṣāsamuccaya). Toh 3940, Degé Tengyur vol. 111 (dbu ma, khi), folios 3a–194b.

Vasubandhu. theg pa chen po bsdus pa’i ’grel pa (Mahā­yāna­saṁgraha­bhāṣya). Toh 4050, Degé Tengyur vol. 225 (sems tsam, yi), folios 121b–190a.

Wantsik (wan tshig, Yuan Tso). dgongs pa zab mo nges par ’grel pa (Gambhīra­saṁdhi­nirmocana­sūtra­ṭīkā). Toh 4016, Degé Tengyur vols. 220–22 (mdo ’grel, ti–ti), folios ti 1a–di 175a.

Secondary Tibetan Sources

Lodrö Gyaltsen (blo gros rgyal mtshan). dam chos pad dkar gyi tshig don la gzhan gyi log par rtog pa dgag pa. In Sa skya bka’ ’bum vol. 15, Kathmandu: Sachen International, 2006, folios 469–485.

Butön Rinchen Drup (bu ston rin chen grub). bde bar gshegs pa’i bstan pa’i gsal byed chos kyi ’byung gnas gsung rab rin po che’i mdzod. In The Collected Works of Bu-ston. Edited by Lokesh Chandra from the collections of Raghu Vira. 28 volumes. Zhol bka’ ’gyur par khang edition. New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1965–71, 633–1056.

Changkya Rölpai Dorjé (lcang skya rol pa’i rdo rje). dam chos pad ma dkar po’i kha byang. In lcang skya rol pa’i rdo rje’i gsung ’bum, vol. 5 (ca), Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 2003, folios 525–532.

Pekar Zangpo (pad dkar bzang po). ’phags pa dam chos padma dkar po’i mdo. In mdo sde spyi’i rnam bzhag, Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2006, pp. 187–189.

Secondary Non-Tibetan Sources

Abbott, Terry Rae. “Vasubandhu’s Commentary on the Saddharma­puṇḍarīka­sūtra: A Study of its History and Significance.” PhD diss., University of California at Berkeley, 1985.

Boucher, Daniel. “Dharmarakṣa and the Transmission of Buddhism to China.” Asia Major 19 (2006): 13–37.

Deeg, Max. “The Saṅgha of Devadatta: Fiction and History of a Heresy in the Buddhist Tradition.” Journal of the International College for Advanced Buddhist Studies (March 31, 1999): 195–230.

Dessein, Bart. “The Mahāsāṃghikas and the Origins of Mahāyāna Buddhism: Evidence Provided in the *Abhi­dharma­mahā­vibhāṣa­śāstra.” The Eastern Buddhist 40, no. 1 (2009): 25–61.

Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans. The Play in Full (Lalita­vistara, Toh 95). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2013.

Galloway, Brian. “Thus have I heard: At one time….” Indo-Iranian Journal 34, no. 2 (April 1991): 87–104.

Groner, Paul and Jacqueline I. Stone. “Editors’ Introduction: The Lotus Sutra in Japan.” Japanese Journal of Religious Studies vol. 41, no. 1 (2014): 1–23.

Hanh, Thich Nhat. Peaceful Action, Open Heart: Lessons from the Lotus Sutra. Berkeley: Parallax Press, 2008.

Heirman, Ann. “Yijing’s View on the Bhikṣunīs’ Standard Robes.” Chung-Hwa Buddhist Journal 21 (2008): 145–158.

Hinüber, Oskar von. “A Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra Manuscript from Khotan: The Gift of a Pious Khotanese Family.” Journal of Oriental Studies 24 (2014): 134–156.

‍—‍—‍—. “The Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra at Gilgit: Manuscripts, Worshippers, and Artists.” Journal of Oriental Studies22 (2012): 52–67.

‍—‍—‍—. Bronzes of the Ancient Kingdom of Gilgit and Royal Patronage in Early North-Western India and Pakistan. Online lecture: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2010).

Jamieson, R. C. “Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscripts from Cambridge University Library (Add. 1682 and Add. 1683).” Journal of Oriental Studies 12, no. 6 (2002): 165–173.

Jeffus, Ryusho. Lotus Sutra Practice Guide: 35-Day Practice Outline. Charlotte, NC: Myosho-ji, 2012.

Karashima, Seishi. “Who Composed the Mahāyāna Scriptures?‍—the Mahāsāṃghikas and Vaitulya Scriptures.” ARIRIAB XVIII (2015): 113–162.

‍—‍—‍—. “Some Features of the Language of the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra.” Indo-Iranian Journal 44 (2001): 207–230.

Kim, Young-ho. Tao-sheng’s Commentary on the Lotus Sūtra: A Study and Translation. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1990.

Lancaster, L. R. The Korean Buddhist Canon: A Descriptive Catalogue.

Laufer, Berthold. “Sanskrit Karketana.” Mémoires de la Société de Linguistique 22 (1922): 43–46.

Lopez Jr., Donald S. The Lotus Sutra: A Biography. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2016.

Miller, Robert, et al. The Chapter on Going Forth (Toh 1, ch. 1). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2018.

Mookerji, Radha Kumud. Ancient Indian Education: Brahmanical and Buddhist. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1989.

Reeves, Gene. The Stories of the Lotus Sutra. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2010.

Roberts, Peter Alan, trans. The King of Samādhis Sūtra (Samādhi­rāja­sūtra, Toh 127). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2018.

‍—‍—‍—, trans. The Ten Bhūmis (Daśabhūmika, Toh 44-31). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2021.

Sparham, Gareth, trans. The Long Explanation of the Noble Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand, Twenty-Five Thousand, and Eighteen Thousand Lines (*Ārya­śata­sāhasrikā­pañca­viṃśati­sāhasrikāṣṭā­daśa­sāhasrikā­prajñā­pāramitā­bṛhaṭṭīkā, Toh 3808). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2022.

Schoening, Jeffrey. “Translated Sutra Commentaries in Tibet.” In Tibetan Literature: Studies in Genre, edited by José Cabezón and Roger Jackson, 111–124. Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion, 1996.

Silk, Jonathan Alan. “The Yogācāra Bhikṣu.” In Beiju: Buddhist Studies in Honor of Professor Gadjin M. Nagao, edited by J. Silk, 256–314. Studies in the Buddhist Traditions 3. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1997.

Suguro, Shinjō. Introduction to the Lotus Sutra. Fremont, CA: Jain Publishing Company, 1998.

Tanabe, George J. and Willa Jane Tanabe. The Lotus Sutra in Japanese Culture. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1989.

Teiser, Stephen F. and Jacqueline I. Stone. Readings of the Lotus Sūtra. New York: Columbia University Press, 2009.

Tiantai Lotus Texts. BDK English Tripiṭaka Series. Berkeley, CA: Bukkyō Dendō Kyōkai America, 2013, 93–149.

Tola, Fernando and Carmen Dragonetti. Buddhist Positiveness: Studies on the Lotus Sūtra. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2009.

Winder, Marianne. “Vaidurya.” Studies on Indian Medical History (1987): 85–94.

Yuyama, Akira. A Bibliography of the Sanskrit Texts of the “Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra.” Canberra: Faculty of Asian Studies in Association with Australian National University Press, 1970.

Zengwen, Yang. “Saddharmapundarikasutra in Chinese History and its Significance in the 21st Centry.” Journal of Oriental Studies vol. 10 (2000): 10–20.

Zhongxin, Jiang. Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Fragments from the Lüshun Museum Collection (Tokyo: Sōka Gakkai, 1997).


g.

Glossary

Types of attestation for Sanskrit names and terms

AS

Attested in source text

This term is attested in the Sanskrit manuscript used as a source for this translation.

AO

Attested in other text

This term is attested in other Sanskrit manuscripts of the Kangyur or Tengyur.

AD

Attested in dictionary

This term is attested in Tibetan-Sanskrit dictionaries.

AA

Approximate attestation

The attestation of this name is approximate. It is based on other names where Tibetan-Sanskrit relationship 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

Ābhāsvara

  • ’od gsal
  • འོད་གསལ།
  • ābhāsvara

The highest of the three paradises that are the second dhyāna paradises in the form realm.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 18.­19
  • 18.­54
g.­2

Abhi­jñā­jñānābhi­bhū

  • mngon shes ye shes zil gnon
  • མངོན་ཤེས་ཡེ་ཤེས་ཟིལ་གནོན།
  • abhi­jñā­jñānābhi­bhū

A shorter form of the name of Buddha Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­6
  • 7.­141
g.­3

Abhijñaprāpta

  • mngon par shes thob
  • མངོན་པར་ཤེས་ཐོབ།
  • abhijñaprāpta

A short form of Sāgara­vara­dhara­buddhi­vikrīḍitābhijña, the name that Ānanda will have when he is a buddha.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 9.­8
g.­4

Abhirati

  • mngon par dga’ ba
  • མངོན་པར་དགའ་བ།
  • abhirati

The realm of Buddha Akṣobhya in the east.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­126
  • g.­21
g.­11

Adhi­mātra­kāruṇika

  • rab tu snying rje can
  • རབ་ཏུ་སྙིང་རྗེ་ཅན།
  • adhi­mātra­kāruṇika

A Mahābrahmā in the southeast.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 7.­54
g.­14

airborne palace

  • gzhal med khang
  • གཞལ་མེད་ཁང་།
  • vimāna

Vimāna, translated here as “airborne palace,” can mean a divine chariot or palace, or a combination of the two, as in this translation. These flying palaces of the deities are well known in Indian mythology. Burnouf translates as “chariots”; Kern has “aerial cars.”

42 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­34-35
  • 7.­38
  • 7.­41-43
  • 7.­45-46
  • 7.­52-53
  • 7.­55-56
  • 7.­60-62
  • 7.­70-72
  • 7.­74-76
  • 7.­78
  • 7.­84-86
  • 7.­89-91
  • 7.­100
  • 7.­147-149
  • 7.­152
  • 8.­5
  • 8.­35
  • 15.­29
  • 17.­13
  • 18.­49
  • 18.­53
  • 18.­82
  • n.­297
  • n.­300
g.­16

Ajita

  • ma pham pa
  • མ་ཕམ་པ།
  • ajita

The other name of Maitreya, the bodhisattva who became Śākyamuni’s regent and is prophesied to be the next buddha, the fifth buddha in the fortunate eon. In early Buddhism he appears as the human disciple Maitreya Tiṣya, sent to pay his respects by his teacher. The Buddha gives him the gift of a robe and prophesies he will be the next buddha, while his companion Ajita will be the next cakravartin. As a bodhisattva in the Mahāyāna he has both these names.

40 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­77
  • 1.­79-80
  • 1.­82-83
  • 1.­85-86
  • 1.­88
  • 14.­49
  • 14.­55-56
  • 16.­1
  • 16.­25-27
  • 16.­48-56
  • 16.­59-61
  • 17.­3-8
  • 17.­10-13
  • 17.­15-16
  • g.­235
g.­19

Ākāśa­pratiṣṭhita

  • nam mkha’ la gnas pa
  • ནམ་མཁའ་ལ་གནས་པ།
  • ākāśa­pratiṣṭhita

A buddha in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 7.­127
g.­20

Akṣayamati

  • blo gros mi zad pa
  • བློ་གྲོས་མི་ཟད་པ།
  • akṣayamati

A bodhisattva present at the sūtra’s teaching.

16 passages contain this term:

  • i.­62
  • 1.­4
  • 24.­1-2
  • 24.­9
  • 24.­11-12
  • 24.­14-16
  • 24.­18-19
  • n.­599-600
  • n.­602
  • n.­612
g.­21

Akṣobhya

  • mi ’khrugs pa
  • མི་འཁྲུགས་པ།
  • akṣobhya

The buddha in the eastern realm of Abhirati. A well-known buddha in early Mahāyāna who became the head of one of the five buddha families, the eastern vajra family, in the higher tantras.

3 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­126
  • n.­580
  • g.­4
g.­23

Amitāyus

  • tshe dpag med
  • ཚེ་དཔག་མེད།
  • amitāyus

The Buddha in the western realm of Sukhāvatī. Later and presently better known by his alternative name Amitābha. Not to be confused with the buddha of long life, Aparimitāyus, whose name has been incorrectly back-translated into Sanskrit as Amitāyus also.

6 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­128
  • 22.­35
  • 24.­47
  • 24.­49
  • g.­22
  • g.­403
g.­26

Anābhibhū

  • zil gnon
  • ཟིལ་གནོན།
  • anābhibhū

Short form of Mahābhijñā­jñānābhi­bhū.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 7.­144
g.­27

Ānanda

  • kun dga’ bo
  • ཀུན་དགའ་བོ།
  • ānanda

Buddha Sākyamuni’s cousin, who was his attendant for the last twenty years of his life. He was the subject of criticism and opposition from the monastic community after the Buddha’s passing, but eventually succeeded to the position of the patriarch of Buddhism in India after the passing of the first patriarch, Mahākāśyapa.

20 passages contain this term:

  • i.­47
  • 1.­3
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­3
  • 9.­5-7
  • 9.­13-15
  • 9.­24-26
  • 9.­34
  • g.­3
  • g.­31
  • g.­32
  • g.­246
  • g.­344
  • g.­345
g.­39

arhat

  • dgra bcom pa
  • དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ།
  • arhat

Used as both as an epithet of the Buddha and the final accomplishment of early Buddhism, or the Hīnayāna.

213 passages contain this term:

  • i.­11
  • i.­46
  • i.­55
  • 1.­2
  • 1.­13
  • 1.­71-72
  • 1.­76-77
  • 1.­79-80
  • 1.­84-86
  • 2.­1-3
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­51
  • 2.­53-59
  • 2.­61-64
  • 2.­153
  • 3.­4
  • 3.­29
  • 3.­31
  • 3.­34
  • 3.­54
  • 3.­65
  • 3.­70
  • 3.­74-76
  • 4.­86
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­5-6
  • 5.­8
  • 5.­11
  • 5.­50
  • 5.­57
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­12
  • 6.­19
  • 6.­28
  • 6.­34
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­13
  • 7.­17
  • 7.­19
  • 7.­28
  • 7.­32
  • 7.­42
  • 7.­47
  • 7.­60
  • 7.­66
  • 7.­75
  • 7.­79
  • 7.­90
  • 7.­102
  • 7.­105
  • 7.­108
  • 7.­113
  • 7.­115-118
  • 7.­122
  • 7.­126-129
  • 7.­138-140
  • 7.­185-186
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­4
  • 8.­7
  • 8.­30
  • 8.­45
  • 8.­49
  • 9.­3
  • 9.­5-6
  • 9.­13
  • 9.­17-19
  • 9.­25
  • 10.­5
  • 10.­31
  • 11.­7-8
  • 11.­10
  • 11.­14
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­24-27
  • 11.­61
  • 11.­82-83
  • 12.­5-6
  • 13.­13
  • 13.­60
  • 13.­62-63
  • 14.­5-6
  • 14.­47-48
  • 14.­50
  • 15.­6
  • 16.­8
  • 17.­7
  • 17.­9-11
  • 17.­21
  • 18.­30
  • 19.­2-8
  • 19.­11
  • 19.­13
  • 19.­15
  • 19.­17-18
  • 20.­4-6
  • 20.­8-9
  • 21.­10
  • 22.­1-5
  • 22.­11
  • 22.­13
  • 22.­16-18
  • 22.­29
  • 22.­35
  • 22.­41
  • 23.­1-5
  • 23.­7
  • 23.­9-15
  • 23.­23
  • 23.­25-26
  • 24.­16
  • 25.­1
  • 25.­4
  • 25.­6
  • 25.­9
  • 25.­15
  • 25.­18-20
  • 25.­23-30
  • 26.­2
  • 26.­18
  • 27.­1
  • 27.­4-6
  • n.­246
  • n.­451
  • n.­591
  • g.­45
  • g.­77
  • g.­147
  • g.­182
  • g.­217
  • g.­295
  • g.­357
  • g.­423
g.­41

asaṃkhyeya

  • grangs med pa
  • གྲངས་མེད་པ།
  • asaṃkhyeya

The designation of a measure of time on the scale of eons, literally meaning “incalculable.” The number of years in such an eon differs in various sūtras that give a number. Also, twenty intermediate eons are said to be one incalculable eon, and four incalculable eons are one great eon. In that case those four incalculable eons represent the eons of the creation, presence, destruction, and absence of a world. Buddhas are often described as appearing in a second incalculable eon.

6 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­72
  • 7.­1
  • 19.­2
  • 27.­1-2
  • n.­592
g.­44

asura

  • lha ma yin
  • ལྷ་མ་ཡིན།
  • asura

The asuras are the enemies of the devas, fighting with them for supremacy.

54 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­8
  • 1.­10
  • 1.­13
  • 1.­81
  • 3.­46
  • 5.­5-6
  • 6.­28
  • 7.­42
  • 7.­48
  • 7.­60
  • 7.­66
  • 7.­68
  • 7.­75
  • 7.­79
  • 7.­90
  • 7.­94
  • 7.­102
  • 7.­142
  • 7.­144
  • 9.­1
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­36
  • 11.­6
  • 11.­15
  • 11.­19
  • 11.­21
  • 11.­71
  • 11.­103
  • 13.­81
  • 15.­3
  • 18.­9
  • 18.­17
  • 18.­41
  • 18.­70
  • 18.­81
  • 18.­89
  • 19.­3
  • 20.­2
  • 20.­6
  • 22.­1
  • 22.­3
  • 22.­20
  • 23.­19
  • 24.­16
  • 24.­23
  • 24.­30
  • 26.­1
  • 27.­6
  • n.­319
  • g.­54
  • g.­185
  • g.­316
  • g.­461
g.­47

Avabhāsaprāptā

  • snang ba thob pa
  • སྣང་བ་ཐོབ་པ།
  • avabhāsaprāptā

“Attainment of Light,” the world in which Kāśyapa will become a buddha.

2 passages contain this term:

  • i.­44
  • 6.­1
g.­48

avadavat

  • ka la ping ka
  • ཀ་ལ་པིང་ཀ
  • kalaviṅka

Also called red avadavats, strawberry finches, and kalaviṅka sparrows. Dictionaries have erroneously identified them as cuckoos, and kalaviṅka birds outside India have evolved into a mythical half human bird. The avadavat is a significant bird in the Ganges plain and renowned for its beautiful song.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­62
  • 18.­15
g.­49

Avalokiteśvara

  • spyan ras gzigs dbang phyug
  • སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས་དབང་ཕྱུག
  • avalokiteśvara

First appeared as a bodhisattva beside Amitābha in the Sukhāvati Sūtra. The name has been variously interpreted. In “The lord of Avalokita,” Avalokita has been interpreted as “seeing,” although, as a past passive participle, it is literally “lord of what has been seen.” One of the principal sūtras in the Mahāsāṃghika tradition was the Avalokita Sūtra, which has not been translated into Tibetan, in which the word is a synonym for enlightenment, as it is “that which has been seen” by the buddhas. In the early tantras, he was one of the lords of the three families, as the embodiment of the compassion of the buddhas. The Potalaka Mountain in southern India became important in southern Indian Buddhism as his residence in this world, but Potalaka does not yet feature in the Kāraṇḍa­vyūha Sūtra, which emphasized the premeninence of Avalokiteśvara above all buddhas and bodhisattvas and introduced the mantra oṁ maṇi­padme hūṁ.

50 passages contain this term:

  • i.­27
  • i.­62
  • 1.­4
  • 24.­1-19
  • 24.­22-33
  • 24.­40-44
  • 24.­50-51
  • 24.­53
  • n.­498
  • n.­596
  • n.­600
  • n.­602-603
  • n.­606
  • n.­620
  • g.­154
g.­51

āyatana

  • skye mched
  • སྐྱེ་མཆེད།
  • āyatana

The twelve bases of sensory perception: the six sensory faculties (eyes, nose, ears, tongue, body, and mind), which form in the womb and eventually have contact with the six external bases of sensory perception: form, smell, sound, taste, touch, and mental phenomena.

5 passages contain this term:

  • i.­56
  • 7.­106-107
  • 11.­2
  • 18.­97
g.­55

Bandé

  • ban de
  • བན་དེ།
  • bande

A Middle Indic word derived from the Sanskrit bhadanta. Meaning “venerable one” it is a term of respectful title for Buddhist monks.

1 passage contains this term:

  • c.­1
g.­57

bay leaves

  • ta ma la’i ’dab ma
  • ཏ་མ་ལའི་འདབ་མ།
  • tamālapatra

Cinnamomum tamala, which is specifically the Indian bay leaf. Called tamalpatra in Marathi, and tejpatta in Hindi. The Sanskrit and Marathi means “dark-tree leaves.” Also called Malabar leaves, after the name of the northern area of present-day Kerala in southwest India.

3 passages contain this term:

  • 11.­1
  • 18.­27
  • 18.­32
g.­59

beryl

  • bai dU rya
  • བཻ་དཱུ་རྱ།
  • vaiḍūrya

Although this has often been translated as lapis lazuli, the descriptions and references in the literature, both Sanskrit and Tibetan, match beryl. The Pāli form is veḷuriya. The Prākrit form verulia is the source for the English beryl. This normally refers to the blue or aquamarine beryl, but there are also white, yellow, and green beryls, though green beryl is called “emerald.”

25 passages contain this term:

  • i.­56
  • 1.­97
  • 1.­99
  • 2.­106
  • 3.­30
  • 3.­39
  • 4.­6
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­28
  • 6.­34
  • 9.­5
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­15
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­22
  • 11.­71
  • 13.­61
  • 16.­49
  • 17.­5
  • 18.­76
  • 18.­79
  • 22.­3
  • 24.­3
  • g.­98
  • g.­376
g.­63

bhagavān

  • bcom ldan ’das
  • བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས།
  • bhagavān

“One who has bhaga,” which has many diverse meanings, including good fortune, happiness, and majesty. In the Buddhist context, it means one who has the good fortune of attaining enlightenment.

408 passages contain this term:

  • i.­63
  • 1.­2
  • 1.­9-14
  • 1.­72
  • 1.­79-86
  • 1.­88
  • 1.­126
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­5
  • 2.­26-27
  • 2.­39
  • 2.­41-43
  • 2.­47-50
  • 3.­1-5
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­27
  • 3.­29-30
  • 3.­34
  • 3.­36
  • 3.­45-46
  • 3.­53-54
  • 3.­64-65
  • 3.­77
  • 4.­1-15
  • 4.­20-22
  • 4.­24-32
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­12
  • 5.­30
  • 5.­59-60
  • 5.­70
  • 5.­74
  • 5.­80
  • 6.­1-2
  • 6.­11
  • 6.­19-20
  • 6.­28-29
  • 6.­34-35
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­3-4
  • 7.­6
  • 7.­13
  • 7.­15-17
  • 7.­20
  • 7.­28
  • 7.­32
  • 7.­42-43
  • 7.­47-49
  • 7.­51
  • 7.­60-62
  • 7.­66-67
  • 7.­69
  • 7.­75-76
  • 7.­79-80
  • 7.­82
  • 7.­90-91
  • 7.­102-103
  • 7.­105
  • 7.­108
  • 7.­110
  • 7.­113
  • 7.­115-118
  • 7.­120
  • 7.­122-125
  • 7.­131-132
  • 7.­141
  • 7.­144
  • 7.­163
  • 8.­1-4
  • 8.­7-8
  • 8.­28-30
  • 8.­32
  • 8.­45
  • 8.­47-49
  • 8.­58-59
  • 9.­1-3
  • 9.­5-7
  • 9.­13-14
  • 9.­17-18
  • 9.­20
  • 9.­24-26
  • 9.­31-32
  • 10.­1-2
  • 10.­11
  • 10.­38
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­6-7
  • 11.­9-14
  • 11.­16-17
  • 11.­23-30
  • 11.­44
  • 11.­71
  • 11.­75
  • 11.­84-86
  • 11.­94-95
  • 11.­99-100
  • 11.­104
  • 12.­1-3
  • 12.­5-13
  • 12.­27
  • 13.­1
  • 13.­10
  • 13.­36
  • 13.­53
  • 13.­65
  • 14.­1-3
  • 14.­5
  • 14.­7-8
  • 14.­10-11
  • 14.­13
  • 14.­16-18
  • 14.­47-51
  • 14.­55
  • 14.­57
  • 14.­65-69
  • 14.­75
  • 14.­79
  • 15.­1-3
  • 15.­5-6
  • 15.­17-18
  • 16.­1
  • 16.­7-8
  • 16.­25
  • 16.­28
  • 16.­62
  • 16.­86
  • 17.­1
  • 17.­3
  • 17.­9-10
  • 17.­16-17
  • 18.­1
  • 18.­3
  • 18.­22
  • 18.­31
  • 18.­66-67
  • 18.­79
  • 18.­87
  • 19.­1-6
  • 19.­15
  • 19.­18
  • 19.­22
  • 20.­1-4
  • 20.­6-8
  • 20.­10
  • 21.­1-4
  • 21.­6-8
  • 21.­10-11
  • 21.­13-14
  • 21.­16-18
  • 21.­20
  • 21.­24
  • 22.­1-4
  • 22.­7
  • 22.­9-11
  • 22.­13-14
  • 22.­16-21
  • 22.­35-36
  • 22.­41
  • 23.­1
  • 23.­3-5
  • 23.­7-17
  • 23.­23
  • 23.­25-26
  • 24.­1-2
  • 24.­8-12
  • 24.­14
  • 24.­16
  • 24.­51-52
  • 25.­1
  • 25.­3-4
  • 25.­6
  • 25.­9-11
  • 25.­15
  • 25.­18-20
  • 25.­23-30
  • 26.­2-6
  • 26.­8
  • 26.­10-18
  • 27.­1-2
  • 27.­4-6
  • n.­56
  • n.­219
  • n.­365
  • n.­372
  • n.­591
  • n.­599
g.­64

Bhaiṣajyarāja

  • sman gyi rgyal po
  • སྨན་གྱི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
  • bhaiṣajyarāja

A bodhisattva present at the sūtra’s teaching.

47 passages contain this term:

  • i.­48
  • i.­50
  • i.­59-60
  • i.­63
  • 1.­4
  • 10.­1-10
  • 10.­26-37
  • 12.­1
  • 21.­1-4
  • 21.­7
  • 22.­1
  • 22.­22-23
  • 22.­34-35
  • 22.­37
  • 22.­41-42
  • 23.­3
  • 23.­26
  • 25.­33-34
  • n.­499
g.­69

bhikṣu

  • dge slong
  • དགེ་སློང་།
  • bhikṣu

Fully ordained buddhist monk.

221 passages contain this term:

  • i.­40
  • i.­46-47
  • i.­50
  • i.­63
  • 1.­2-3
  • 1.­10
  • 1.­12-13
  • 1.­23
  • 1.­36
  • 1.­47
  • 1.­81
  • 1.­84-85
  • 1.­111
  • 1.­114
  • 1.­117-118
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­48
  • 2.­62-63
  • 2.­65
  • 2.­152
  • 3.­34
  • 3.­46
  • 3.­53-54
  • 3.­146
  • 3.­151
  • 3.­183
  • 4.­2
  • 6.­1-3
  • 6.­6
  • 6.­19-20
  • 6.­28-29
  • 6.­34
  • 7.­1-5
  • 7.­12-13
  • 7.­15
  • 7.­17-19
  • 7.­28
  • 7.­32-33
  • 7.­35-37
  • 7.­41-43
  • 7.­47
  • 7.­49
  • 7.­51-54
  • 7.­60
  • 7.­62
  • 7.­66-67
  • 7.­69-72
  • 7.­74-76
  • 7.­79-80
  • 7.­82
  • 7.­84-86
  • 7.­89-91
  • 7.­102-103
  • 7.­105-106
  • 7.­108
  • 7.­110-129
  • 7.­131-140
  • 7.­172
  • 7.­184
  • 7.­188
  • 8.­2-8
  • 8.­15
  • 8.­30
  • 8.­49
  • 8.­62
  • 9.­2
  • 9.­7
  • 9.­25
  • 9.­34
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­36
  • 10.­50
  • 11.­7
  • 11.­29-30
  • 11.­59
  • 11.­71
  • 11.­80-84
  • 12.­2
  • 12.­19
  • 12.­21
  • 12.­24
  • 12.­27
  • 13.­4
  • 13.­7
  • 13.­13
  • 13.­23
  • 13.­32
  • 13.­35
  • 13.­39
  • 13.­46
  • 13.­49
  • 13.­59-60
  • 13.­80
  • 15.­7
  • 15.­11
  • 15.­24
  • 16.­53
  • 16.­55
  • 16.­79
  • 17.­3
  • 18.­9
  • 18.­20
  • 18.­55-56
  • 18.­65
  • 19.­1
  • 19.­6-10
  • 19.­12
  • 19.­18
  • 19.­23-24
  • 19.­29-30
  • 20.­2
  • 22.­40
  • 23.­11
  • 23.­18
  • 24.­45
  • 25.­29-30
  • 26.­4-5
  • 26.­8
  • 26.­19-22
  • 26.­24
  • n.­283
  • g.­149
  • g.­219
  • g.­262
  • g.­267
  • g.­406
  • g.­436
  • g.­442
g.­70

bhikṣuṇī

  • dge slong ma
  • དགེ་སློང་མ།
  • bhikṣuṇī

Fully ordained buddhist nun.

48 passages contain this term:

  • i.­50
  • i.­63
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­10
  • 1.­12-13
  • 1.­81
  • 1.­117
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­48
  • 2.­62
  • 2.­65
  • 3.­46
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­36
  • 10.­50
  • 12.­3-4
  • 12.­6-7
  • 12.­9
  • 13.­4
  • 13.­7
  • 13.­14
  • 13.­39
  • 13.­49
  • 13.­60
  • 13.­80
  • 17.­3
  • 18.­65
  • 19.­1
  • 19.­7-10
  • 19.­12
  • 19.­18
  • 19.­20
  • 19.­29-30
  • 20.­2
  • 23.­18
  • 26.­4
  • 26.­8
  • g.­219
  • g.­380
  • g.­493
g.­76

Bodhimaṇḍa

  • byang chub snying po
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་སྙིང་པོ།
  • bodhimaṇḍa

The exact place where every buddha in this world will manifest the attainment of buddhahood. The spot beneath the Bodhi tree in the village presently known as Bodhgaya. Literally “the essence of enlightenment.”

26 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­67
  • 2.­8
  • 2.­29
  • 2.­140
  • 3.­14
  • 3.­133
  • 7.­13-16
  • 7.­19
  • 7.­42
  • 7.­60
  • 7.­75
  • 7.­90
  • 7.­141
  • 13.­89
  • 14.­65
  • 15.­3
  • 16.­45-46
  • 16.­60
  • 20.­9
  • 20.­19
  • 22.­40
  • 26.­20
g.­77

bodhisattva

  • byang chub sems dpa’
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ།
  • bodhisattva

A person who is dedicated not merely to gaining liberation through attaining the state of an arhat, but to becoming a buddha. A name created from the Sanskritization of the middle-Indic bodhisatto, the Sanskrit equivalent of which was bodhisakta, “one who is fixed on enlightenment.”

449 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­10
  • i.­39
  • i.­41-43
  • i.­47-54
  • i.­56-65
  • 1.­1
  • 1.­4
  • 1.­9
  • 1.­12-15
  • 1.­27
  • 1.­36-37
  • 1.­42
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­57
  • 1.­64
  • 1.­67
  • 1.­70
  • 1.­75
  • 1.­78
  • 1.­80
  • 1.­82-86
  • 1.­88
  • 1.­90
  • 1.­102
  • 1.­106
  • 1.­108
  • 1.­115
  • 1.­132
  • 2.­8
  • 2.­10
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­77
  • 2.­95
  • 2.­115
  • 2.­149
  • 2.­158
  • 2.­167
  • 3.­2-3
  • 3.­13
  • 3.­26-29
  • 3.­31-34
  • 3.­40
  • 3.­73
  • 3.­128
  • 3.­133
  • 3.­137
  • 3.­146
  • 4.­3-4
  • 4.­29-31
  • 4.­70
  • 5.­51
  • 5.­59
  • 5.­71
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­8
  • 6.­19
  • 6.­24
  • 6.­28
  • 6.­33-34
  • 6.­42
  • 7.­11
  • 7.­115
  • 7.­121
  • 7.­124-125
  • 7.­131-132
  • 7.­134
  • 7.­162
  • 8.­3-4
  • 8.­7-10
  • 8.­23
  • 8.­35
  • 8.­48
  • 9.­4
  • 9.­9
  • 9.­12-13
  • 9.­25
  • 9.­29
  • 10.­1-2
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­29
  • 10.­31-33
  • 10.­35
  • 10.­57
  • 11.­6-7
  • 11.­9-12
  • 11.­14
  • 11.­24
  • 11.­71
  • 11.­85-89
  • 11.­94
  • 11.­98
  • 11.­101-102
  • 11.­104
  • 12.­1
  • 12.­4-6
  • 12.­10-11
  • 12.­13
  • 13.­1-5
  • 13.­7-10
  • 13.­27
  • 13.­35
  • 13.­49
  • 13.­51-52
  • 13.­56
  • 13.­59-60
  • 13.­63
  • 13.­66
  • 14.­1-11
  • 14.­13-14
  • 14.­16-19
  • 14.­22-23
  • 14.­28
  • 14.­30
  • 14.­33
  • 14.­38
  • 14.­41
  • 14.­43
  • 14.­45-50
  • 14.­55-58
  • 14.­64-67
  • 14.­69
  • 14.­72
  • 14.­75
  • 14.­79-80
  • 15.­1-2
  • 15.­5-6
  • 15.­19
  • 16.­1-9
  • 16.­21
  • 16.­25
  • 16.­30
  • 16.­43
  • 16.­49
  • 16.­57
  • 16.­59
  • 16.­87
  • 17.­1
  • 17.­3
  • 17.­9-10
  • 17.­15
  • 18.­1
  • 18.­9-10
  • 18.­21-22
  • 18.­26
  • 18.­30
  • 18.­35-36
  • 18.­46
  • 18.­52
  • 18.­54-55
  • 18.­57
  • 18.­59
  • 18.­76
  • 18.­78
  • 18.­83
  • 18.­85
  • 19.­1
  • 19.­3
  • 19.­6-11
  • 19.­13-15
  • 19.­18-21
  • 19.­23
  • 19.­27-28
  • 20.­1-4
  • 20.­6
  • 20.­8
  • 20.­16
  • 20.­22-23
  • 21.­1-2
  • 21.­4
  • 21.­7-9
  • 22.­1-11
  • 22.­13-14
  • 22.­16-24
  • 22.­30
  • 22.­35-36
  • 22.­38
  • 22.­41
  • 23.­1-10
  • 23.­13-27
  • 24.­1-17
  • 24.­51
  • 25.­1-2
  • 25.­30-32
  • 26.­1-6
  • 26.­8
  • 26.­10-12
  • 26.­15
  • 26.­18
  • 26.­25
  • 27.­1-2
  • 27.­4
  • 27.­6
  • 27.­9
  • n.­86
  • n.­219-220
  • n.­363
  • n.­412
  • n.­420
  • n.­464
  • n.­490
  • g.­16
  • g.­20
  • g.­28
  • g.­30
  • g.­34
  • g.­49
  • g.­61
  • g.­64
  • g.­65
  • g.­78
  • g.­111
  • g.­124
  • g.­142
  • g.­157
  • g.­220
  • g.­227
  • g.­229
  • g.­231
  • g.­235
  • g.­241
  • g.­242
  • g.­270
  • g.­271
  • g.­282
  • g.­288
  • g.­301
  • g.­302
  • g.­313
  • g.­325
  • g.­330
  • g.­331
  • g.­342
  • g.­354
  • g.­369
  • g.­371
  • g.­375
  • g.­379
  • g.­388
  • g.­390
  • g.­407
  • g.­427
  • g.­449
  • g.­452
  • g.­456
  • g.­481
  • g.­483
  • g.­485
  • g.­492
g.­78

Bodhisattva­yāna

  • byang chub sems dpa’i theg pa
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའི་ཐེག་པ།
  • bodhisattva­yāna

The way or vehicle of the bodhisattvas.

17 passages contain this term:

  • 3.­54
  • 3.­70-71
  • 7.­123
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­32
  • 10.­35
  • 13.­49-50
  • 14.­67-68
  • 22.­23-24
  • 22.­28
  • 22.­31
  • 22.­34
  • 22.­40
g.­79

Brahmā

  • tshangs pa
  • ཚངས་པ།
  • brahmā

The personification of the universal force of Brahman, the deity in the form realm, who was during the Buddha’s time considered the supreme deity and creator of the universe. In the cosmogony of many universes, each with a thousand million worlds, there are many Brahmās.

64 passages contain this term:

  • i.­38
  • i.­45
  • i.­58
  • 1.­6
  • 1.­84
  • 2.­142
  • 3.­27
  • 3.­46
  • 5.­38
  • 7.­33-35
  • 7.­37
  • 7.­41-42
  • 7.­52-54
  • 7.­60-61
  • 7.­70-72
  • 7.­74-75
  • 7.­84-86
  • 7.­89-90
  • 7.­105
  • 7.­147-148
  • 7.­151
  • 11.­53
  • 11.­98
  • 16.­8
  • 16.­17
  • 16.­21
  • 16.­54
  • 16.­64
  • 17.­14
  • 17.­32
  • 18.­19
  • 18.­53
  • 18.­64
  • 18.­74
  • 20.­4
  • 20.­11
  • 22.­19
  • 22.­28
  • 23.­17
  • 24.­12
  • 24.­41
  • 25.­9
  • n.­295
  • n.­627
  • g.­81
  • g.­82
  • g.­83
  • g.­169
  • g.­207
  • g.­277
  • g.­378
g.­80

Brahmadhvaja

  • tshangs pa’i rgyal mtshan