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ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན་གྱི་རྒྱལ་པོའི་མདོ།

The King of Samādhis Sūtra
The Buddha’s Smile

Samādhirājasūtra

འཕགས་པ་ཆོས་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱི་རང་བཞིན་མཉམ་པ་ཉིད་རྣམ་པར་སྤྲོས་པ་ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན་གྱི་རྒྱལ་པོ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།

’phags pa chos thams cad kyi rang bzhin mnyam pa nyid rnam par spros pa ting nge ’dzin gyi rgyal po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo

The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The King of Samādhis, the Revealed Equality of the Nature of All Phenomena”

Āryasarvadharmasvabhāvasamatāvipañcitasamādhirājanāmamahāyānasūtra

Toh 127

Degé Kangyur, vol. 55 (mdo sde, da), folios 1.b–170.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 1.45.25 (2022)
Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.17.7

84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha is a global non-profit initiative to translate all the Buddha’s words into modern languages, and to make them available to everyone.

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co.

Summary

s.1

This sūtra, much quoted in later Buddhist writings for its profound statements especially on the nature of emptiness, relates a long teaching given by the Buddha mainly in response to questions put by a young layman, Candraprabha. The samādhi that is the subject of the sūtra, in spite of its name, primarily consists of various aspects of conduct, motivation, and the understanding of emptiness; it is also a way of referring to the sūtra itself. The teaching given in the sūtra is the instruction to be dedicated to the possession and promulgation of the samādhi, and to the necessary conduct of a bodhisattva, which is exemplified by a number of accounts from the Buddha’s previous lives. Most of the teaching takes place on Vulture Peak Mountain, with an interlude recounting the Buddha’s invitation and visit to Candraprabha’s home in Rājagṛha, where he continues to teach Candraprabha before returning to Vulture Peak Mountain. In one subsequent chapter the Buddha responds to a request by Ānanda, and the text concludes with a commitment by Ānanda to maintain this teaching in the future.

ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.1

Translated from the Tibetan, with reference to Sanskrit editions, by Peter Alan Roberts. The Chinese consultant was Ling-Lung Chen. Edited by Emily Bower and Ben Gleason.

This translation has been completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

ac.2

The generous donation of an anonymous donor, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.

Introduction

i.1

The Samādhirājasūtra, or King of Samādhis Sūtra, is one of the earlier Mahāyāna sūtras to appear in India. It contains teachings on emptiness, bodhisattva conduct, and mendicancy, as well as tales of previous lifetimes and prophecies for the future. Its teaching on emptiness is much quoted by such Mādhyamaka masters as Candrakīrti and Śāntideva, as well as in later Buddhist literature.

History of the Sūtra

The Contents

The Translation

Outline

The Translation

The Mahāyāna Sūtra

The King of Samādhis, the Revealed Equality of the Nature of All Phenomena

Chapter 1

The Introduction

[F.1.b] [B1]

1.1

I pay homage to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas.8

1.2

Thus have I heard at one time: The Bhagavān was residing at Vulture Peak Mountain in Rājagṛha together with a great bhikṣu saṅgha of a full hundred thousand bhikṣus, and together with eighty quintillion9 bodhisattvas,10 all of whom had one rebirth remaining, were renowned for their higher cognitions,11 and had gathered there from the worlds in the ten directions; they had complete mastery12 of the dhāraṇīs 13 and sūtras; they satisfied all beings with the gift of the Dharma; they were skilled in speaking of the wisdom of the higher cognitions; they had attained the highest perfection of all the highest perfections; [F.2.a] they were skilled in the knowledge of remaining in all bodhisattva samādhis and samāpattis; they had been praised, extolled, and lauded by all the buddhas;14 they were skilled in miraculously going to all buddha realms; they were skilled in the knowledge of terrifying all māras;15 they were skilled in the correct knowledge of the nature of all phenomena; they were skilled in the knowledge of the higher and lower capabilities of all beings; they were skilled in the knowledge of accomplishing the activity of offering to all the buddhas; they were unstained by any of the worldly concerns; they had perfectly adorned bodies, speech, and minds;16 they wore the armor of great love and great compassion; they had great undiminishing diligence throughout countless eons; they roared the great lion’s roar; they could not be defeated by any opponent;17 they were sealed with nonregression; and they had received the consecration of the Dharma from all buddhas.18 They were the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Meru, Sumeru, Mahāmeru,19 Meruśikharadhara,20 Merupradīparāja, Merukūṭa, Merudhvaja, Merurāja,21 Meruśikharasaṁghaṭṭanarāja,22 Merusvara, Megharāja, Dundubhisvara, Ratnapāṇi,23 Ratnākara, Ratnaketu, Ratnaśikhara, Ratnasaṁbhava, Ratnaprabhāsa, Ratnayaṣṭi, Ratnamudrāhasta, Ratnavyūha, Ratnajāli, Ratnaprabha, Ratnadvīpa, [F.2.b] Ratiṁkara, Dharmavyūha, Vyūharāja, Lakṣaṇasamalaṁkṛta, Svaravyūha, Svaraviśuddhiprabha, Ratnakūṭa, Ratnacūḍa,24 Daśaśataraśmihutārci,25 Jyotirasa, Candrabhānu, Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin, and Śubhakanakaviśuddhiprabha, the bodhisatta mahāsattva Satatamabhayaṁdad,26 and all the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the Good Eon, such as the bodhisattva mahāsattva Ajita,27 and the sixty with incomparable minds,28 such as Mañjuśrī, and the sixteen good beings,29 such as Bhadrapāla,30 and the Four Mahārājas and the other Cāturmahārājakāyika devas, and so on31 up until Brahmā and the other Brahmakāyika devas. In addition there were also devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, who were all illustrious32 and renowned as being very powerful.33

Chapter 2

Śālendrarāja

2.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Young man, I remember that in the past, when I was practicing the conduct of a bodhisattva, I became a cakravartin. I desired this samādhi and I desired to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood. For many hundred thousand quintillions172 of eons on this Vulture Peak Mountain I served, venerated, revered, honored, worshiped, and made offerings to many countless, innumerable tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly enlightened buddhas with the presentation of many hundred thousand quintillions of every kind of jewel, and various kinds of beautiful flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, ointments, powders, parasols, banners, flags, music, musical instruments, flags of victory, and precious monasteries.173

Chapter 3

Praise of the Buddha’s Qualities

3.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Young man, therefore, if bodhisattva mahāsattvas wish to teach the buddha qualities as described by the Tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha, without any loss of meaning or words, and for all their words to come forth as those of the Buddha, then those bodhisattva mahāsattvas, young man, [F.10.a] should, for the sake of all beings, obtain197 this samādhi, understand198 it, preserve it,199 recite it to others,200 promote it,201 proclaim it,202 chant it,203 meditate on it with unadulterated204 meditation, promulgate it,205 and make it widely known to others.206

Chapter 4

Samādhi

4.1

Then the youth Candraprabha [F.12.b] rose from his seat, removed his robe from one shoulder, and, kneeling on his right knee with palms placed together, he bowed toward the Bhagavān and made this request: “If the Bhagavān will give me an opportunity to seek answers to them, I have a few questions for the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha.”

Chapter 5

Ghoṣadatta

5.1

Then the Bhagavān again addressed the youth Candraprabha, saying, “Therefore, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish for this samādhi, and wish to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, should think that they are like someone whose hair and clothes are on fire, and they should cast off father, mother, [F.14.b] son, daughter, family, kinsmen, relatives, kindred, wife, and so on, as if they were fire, throw away all the pleasures of a kingdom as if they were a lump of phlegm, turn toward solitude, and depart from home.

Chapter 6

Cultivating the Samādhi

6.1

The Bhagavān now said to the youth Candraprabha,300 “Therefore, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish for this samādhi, and wish to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, should cultivate this samādhi.

6.2

“Young man, what is the cultivation of this samādhi? [F.18.b] Young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas with a compassionate mind are dedicated to making offerings to the tathāgatas, whether living or passed into nirvāṇa, of Dharma robes, alms, seat and bedding, medicines for when ill, and of monastic utensils, and of flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, ointments, aromatic powders, clothing, parasols, banners, and flags, and of music and musical instruments. They dedicate that root of merit to the attainment of samādhi. They do not make offerings to a tathāgata with the hope for anything at all‍—not with the hope for anything they desire, nor with the hope for any enjoyment, nor with the hope for a higher existence, nor with the hope for followers‍—but do so with the Dharma in mind. They do not even, with that wish, perceive the Tathāgata as the dharmakāya, let alone perceiving him as the rūpakāya.

Chapter 7

The Attainment of Patience

7.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Therefore, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish for this samādhi, and wish to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, should become skilled in the wisdoms of the three kinds of patience. They should know the first patience. They should know the second patience. They should know the third patience. They should become skilled in the differences between the three kinds of patience and skilled in the differences between the wisdoms of the three kinds of patience.

Chapter 8

Buddha Abhāvasamudgata

8.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish for this samādhi, and wish to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, should become skilled in the wisdom of the nonexistent nature of all phenomena.

8.2

“Young man, what is being skilled in the wisdom of the nonexistent nature of all phenomena? Bodhisattva mahāsattvas know that all phenomena have no existence, have no essence, have no attributes, have no characteristics, have no origin, have no cessation, have no words, are empty, are primordial peace, and are pure by nature.

Chapter 9

The Patience of the Profound Dharma

9.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, [F.24.b] “Young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood and liberate all beings from the ocean of existence should hear this king of samādhis, in which the equality of the nature of all phenomena is revealed, which is praised by all the buddhas and is the mother of the tathāgatas. They should obtain it, preserve it, understand it, recite it to others, promote it, proclaim it, chant it, meditate on it with unadulterated meditation, promulgate it, and make it widely known to others.

10.

Chapter 10

The Entry into the City

10.1

The Bhagavān then said to the youth Candraprabha, “Therefore, young man, you should be someone who makes practice essential, and always trains in that way. Why is that? Young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who make practice essential will not even find it difficult to attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, not to mention attaining this samādhi.”

11.

Chapter 11

Becoming a Keeper of the Sūtra

11.1

The Bhagavān came to the street on which was the home of the youth Candraprabha, and soon arrived at the home of the youth Candraprabha. Once he had arrived, he sat on the seat prepared for him. The saṅgha of bodhisattvas and the saṅgha of bhikṣus also sat on the appropriate seats that had been arranged for each of them.

11.2

Then the youth Candraprabha, knowing that the Bhagavān, the saṅgha of bodhisattvas, and the saṅgha of bhikṣus were seated, [F.39.b] himself presented and served a series of great offerings: numerous excellent foods, with hundreds of flavors to savor as they chewed, licked, sucked, and drank.

12.

Chapter 12

The Training According to the Samādhi

12.1

“Young man, those are the qualities and benefits that bodhisattvas who know the nature of all phenomena will have. They will describe the true, excellent qualities of the tathāgatas. They will not falsely say that which is untrue about the tathāgatas. Why is that? It is because they know perfectly that nature, which is the nature through which a tathāgata comes to be.531 They know the infinite qualities of a buddha. Why is that? Young man, the qualities of a buddha are infinite, inconceivable, beyond thought. They cannot be conceived or measured. Why is that? The mind, young man, is taught to be without a nature of its own,532 to be without form.533 Young man, that nature of the mind is also the nature of the qualities of a buddha. That nature of the qualities of a buddha is also the nature of the tathāgatas, and that is the nature of all phenomena.

13.

Chapter 13

The Teaching of the Samādhi

13.1

13.2

“Young man, what is the teaching of this samādhi? It is the true nature of all phenomena; it is equality; it is the absence of inequality; it is devoid of notions; it is devoid of concepts; it is devoid of creation; it is devoid of arising; it is devoid of production; it is devoid of cessation; it is the termination of notions, concepts, and assumptions; it is devoid of an object for the mind; it is devoid of a focus of the mind;547 it is the termination of designations; it is the termination of concepts from analysis; it is the termination of desire, anger, and ignorance; it is without a limited or limitless focus of the mind; it is the termination of any focus of the mind; it is the knowledge of the nature of the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas; it is the state of accomplishing the field of activity that is the performance of the conduct of mindfulness, understanding, comprehension, conscience, and stability; it is the level of freedom from corruptions;548 it is the level of peace; it is the termination of all conceptual elaboration; it is the training of all bodhisattvas; it is the field of activity of all tathāgatas; [F.45.a] and it is the perfection of all good qualities.

14.

Chapter 14

The Buddha’s Smile

14.1

Then the youth Candraprabha rose from his seat, removed his robe from one shoulder, and, kneeling on his right knee, [F.46.b] with palms placed together he bowed toward the Bhagavān and said to him,569 “Bhagavān, it is marvelous that the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha has taught the equality that is the nature of all phenomena, which is the samādhi that all bodhisattvas train in.

14.2

“Bhagavān, it was thus, in this training, that the Bhagavān trained for a long time, and accomplished the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood. Bhagavān, that gives me confidence to speak.570 Sugata, it gives me confidence to speak.”

14.3

The Bhagavān said, “Young man, if you think the time has come, be confident to speak.”

Since the Bhagavān had granted the youth Candraprabha this opportunity, Candraprabha spoke the following verses of praise directly to the Bhagavān.

14.4

“You saw beings tormented by suffering,571

Constantly overpowered by desire and anger,

And developed the aspiration to attain enlightenment:

‘May I become a buddha who liberates beings!’ {1}

14.5

“Hero,572 for many millions of eons, constantly,

You practiced generosity, self-restraint and self-control,

Patience, correct conduct, and similarly diligence,

And your acts of generosity were vast and infinite. {2}

14.6

“Without ever any sadness in your mind

You gave away your legs, arms, and even your life,

And similarly, without attachment you gave away

Gold, silver, sons, wives, and your kingdom. {3}

14.7

“Your conduct was stainless and pure.

You made a gift of yourself without ruining your conduct.

You controlled well your body, speech, and mind.

Sugata who has a self-restrained mind, I pay homage to you. {4}

14.8

“Delighting in patience, residing on the path of patience,

Even though your body was cut into pieces you were not angered;573

Through your meditation on love, milk flowed from you.

Marvelous Sugata, I pay homage to you. {5}

14.9

“You possess the strength of the ten strengths.

With wisdom free of attachment you know all phenomena. [F.47.a]

With compassion, Lord of Dharma, you benefit the world.

Through your kindness you wish to benefit beings. {6}

14.10

“You know emptiness and that there are no such beings,

And likewise you see that the world’s beings have lost that path.

You have realized that the nature of phenomena is selfless

And that though you bring beings to liberation, there is no such liberation. {7}

14.11

“With discrimination you reject all carelessness.

You have conquered the infinite, powerful māras.

Enlightened at buddhahood, you have vast, infinite wisdom.

You teach the supreme Dharma of completely pure peace. {8}

14.12

“The sky with its moon and the stars may fall,

The earth with its mountains and towns may be destroyed,

The element of space may change into something else,

But you will never speak an untrue word. {9}

14.13

“You have seen the suffering of beings

Who take joy in the perception of objects.

You teach the profound peace, emptiness,

In which there is no perception of objects. {10}

14.14

“Great hero, you trained

For countless millions of eons

In the training of nonperception,

And so you are free of error. {11}

14.15

“Just as you have trained in the Dharma,

In that way you teach the Dharma.

Yours is not the level of foolish beings,

And neither is it the level of all the tīrthikas. {12}

14.16

“Those who have the conception of a self,

They are unwise beings who are in error.

You know that phenomena have no self,

And so you are free of any error. {13}

14.17

“You speak the truth, great hero;

You are established in the true Dharma.

Lord, you remain within truth, within veracity,

And you speak words that are true. {14}

14.18

“Your conduct has been true,

Just as you have prayed for.

You have the consequence of that true conduct

And you speak words that are true. {15}

14.19

“You have perfected true conduct.

You have trained in the summit of truth.

You have truly practiced with a true motivation.

I pay homage to you who have true wisdom. {16}

14.20

“There is no equal to your wisdom.

Your words of wisdom illuminate.

You have attained unique wisdom.

I pay homage to you who speak words of wisdom. {17}

14.21

“You have meditated on kindness

And become a friend to all beings. [F.47.b]

You are as unshakable as Sumeru.

You are completely stable and unwavering. {18}

14.22

“Teacher, your following is vast.

You have attracted these followers.

Sugata who has profound wisdom,

Make your voice resound within this assembly. {19}

14.23

“The voice of the Buddha is a lion’s roar.

You walk with the gait of a lion.

You defeat all the tīrthikas

Like a lion defeats jackals. {20}

14.24

“Hero who subdues the unsubdued,

The unsubdued are subdued by you.

They become friends who are reliable,

Inseparable, and pleasant to be with. {21}

14.25

“You see the beings who are suffering

Because they maintain the view of a self.574

You teach the Dharma of no-self

In which there is neither like nor dislike. {22}

14.26

“The foolish who are untrained

Take up the wrong paths.

You show them the path

That the guides have followed. {23}

14.27

“Whoever holds to the concept of a self,

They will remain in suffering.

They do not know selflessness,

Within which there is no suffering. {24}

14.28

“You teach the Dharma with words that are without error.

Lord of the World, you make no error.

You are one who speaks words that are never incorrect.

I pay homage to you, who bring freedom from suffering. {25}

14.29

“In the sky there are many quintillions

Of devas, nāgas, and yakṣas.

They all feel joy in the Guide

When they hear the meaningful words of the Bhagavān. {26}

14.30

“Your words are mild, gentle, and pleasing,

Timely, melodious, appropriate, and beloved.

You have the countless qualities of speech

That benefit and bring liberation to many beings. {27}

14.31

“Countless hundreds of thousands of musical instruments

Are all played melodiously and simultaneously,

But the Sugata with one word eclipses them all

With his unique, divine, beloved voice.575 {28}

14.32

“Avadavats 576 and flocks of birds577 with beautiful songs,

With their beautiful songs that are pleasing to everyone‍—

All of the songs of these many flocks of birds578

Cannot equal a fraction of the Buddha’s speech. {29} [F.48.a]

14.33

“Deva maidens with beautiful voices

And with melodious music and songs,

And the sound of lutes, paṭaha579 drums, bherī drums,580 and conches,

Cannot equal a fraction of the Buddha’s speech.581 {i}

14.34

“The songs of cuckoos, parrots, and mynas,

Of cranes, peacocks, and kinnaras‍—

All these beautiful, melodious sounds

Cannot equal a fraction of the Buddha’s speech.582 {30}

14.35

“Delightful, melodious, beautiful, enjoyable,

Exquisite, peaceful voices singing praises‍—

All such voices singing simultaneously

Are not as delightful as the Tathāgata’s perfect speech. {31}

14.36

“The light from all luminous beings,

From devas,583 humans, kings, and asuras,584

And from all beings in the three existences,

Are eclipsed by one light ray from the Sugata. {32}

14.37

“The Sugata’s body is like a blossomed flower

With the various adornments of all the special signs.

A pure and clear accomplishment of hundreds of merits,

The body of the Jina shines on the entire world. {33}

14.38

“The sound of conches and of paṇavas,585

And the sound of bherī drums 586 and kimpalas587‍—

All those beautiful and delightful sounds

Cannot equal a hundredth of the Buddha’s voice. {34}

14.39

“The sounds of quintillions of musical instruments,

Clear and beautiful voices like those of the devas,588

And the delightful voices of male and female devas 589

Cannot equal a hundredth of the Buddha’s voice.590 {35}

14.40

“Flocks of a multitude of birds‍—cranes, peacocks,

Shelducks, cuckoos, geese, and snipe‍—

May simultaneously sing their songs, but they

Cannot equal a hundredth of the Buddha’s voice.591 {36}

14.41

“The voices of nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, mahoragas,

Devendra,592 Brahmā, and the lords of the devas‍—

All the lovely and beautiful voices in the three existences

Cannot equal a hundredth of the Buddha’s voice. {37}

14.42

“The light of Brahmā and lords of the devas, [117]

The light of the sun and precious jewels,

The many different kinds of light‍—

All those lights are eclipsed by the brilliance of the Jina’s light.593 {38}

14.43

“Your body, speech, and mind are perfectly pure.

The purity of your wisdom is unstained by the three existences. [F.48.b]

Lord of men, you have the wealth of qualities, precious qualities.

Self-arisen one, through all your qualities, you are without equal.” {39}

14.44

In that way the youth spoke those words with great joy,

Praising the one with ten strengths, the speaker of truth.

He said, “By offering to the measureless,594 unquantifiable Buddha

May I also become a buddha like Śākyamuni!” {40}

14.45

Knowing his perfect conduct, the Sugata,

The Lord of humans, the one with wisdom free of attachment, smiled.

Maitreya, the senior son of the one with ten strengths, asked him,

“For what reason did the Guide smile? {41}

14.46

“The earth has shaken in six ways.

The devas and nāgas in the sky are filled with joy.

They are gazing at the Buddha with great delight and happiness.

I pray to the unconquerable Sugata that you elucidate this to them. {42}

14.47

“You have a supreme being’s wisdom,

Which is not the level of the Bhagavān’s śrāvakas.

You who have pure wisdom beyond examples, wise one,

Tell595 us the entire reason, Jina, why you smiled.596 {43}

14.48

“You are the Śākya lion, possessor of the ten strengths, the Guide,

The chief of humans, the one who has reached the perfection of wisdom.597

You have eliminated intractable desire, anger, and ignorance.

To you who shine with intense light, I ask this question: {44}

14.49

“Seeking the supreme, highest enlightenment,

You, the Guide, practiced for millions of eons

As numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges.

For what reason did you show a smile? {45}

14.50

“Seeking the supreme, highest enlightenment,

You, the Teacher, gave away your arms and legs.

You gave away sons, wives, companions, and relations.

Sage, for what reason did you show a smile? {46}

14.51

“You gave away horses, elephants, and chariots,598

Slaves, jewels, silver, and pearls.599

When you practiced the sublime conduct

There were no jewels or wealth that you did not give away. {47}

14.52

“You have the supreme wisdom in the three existences.

You know the conduct of all beings. [F.49.a]

You are skilled in knowing their natures, minds, and aspirations.

For what reason did you smile? {48}

14.53

“Who made the offering to you, best of men?

For whom has vast merit been created?

Who has gained that excellent conduct?

Sage, for what reason did you smile? {49}

14.54

“The earth has shaken in six ways.

Millions of lotuses have appeared on the ground.600

They shine and have millions of excellent petals.

They are the color of gold, beautiful and delightful. {50}

14.55

“Present here are the heart sons of the Jina

Who show the greatest bodhisattva miracles.

Many601 dharmabhāṇakas have gathered here.

Guide, I ask my question for their sake. {51}

14.56

“The sound of bherī drums,602 conches, and gongs,603

Of quintillions of instruments has resounded.

That music was heard coming from the sky,

But compared to that the Sugata’s speech is inconceivable. {52}

14.57

“Many flocks of birds have gathered,

Cranes,604 geese, avadavats,605 and cuckoos.

They have sung their perfect, beautiful songs,

But they do not equal a fraction of the Buddha’s speech. {53}

14.58

“Who in the past with generosity, self-restraint, and self-control

Has served well for many millions of eons?

Who has made offerings to you, supreme among men?

For what reason did you smile? {54}

14.59

“Who in the past, having shown you the greatest veneration,

Asked you, supreme among men, the question,

‘How can I attain the enlightenment of buddhahood?’

For what reason did you smile? {55}

14.60

“Those with the ten strengths in the past,

The sugatas of the present and the future,

And you, supreme among men, know all.

Therefore for the benefit of beings I ask this question. {56}

14.61

“You know the thoughts in the minds of beings

And all beings’ infinite ways of conduct;

You know the aspirations that humans have.

Therefore I ask this question to you, supreme among men. {57}

14.62

“Those who are practicing the supreme conduct,

Who are adept in causes, reasons, and discipline,

They ask, ‘How does one attain the Buddha’s wisdom?’

Therefore, supreme human, I ask this question. {58}

14.63

“There are those who meditate on the field of experience of those with the ten strengths:

The subtle Dharma that is difficult to perceive, [F.49.b]

And emptiness and peace that is unequaled and inconceivable.

For their sake, Guide, I ask you this question. {59}

14.64

“Those who meditate on love and compassion

For all the countless beings in the world,

Without their having the concept of beings‍—

Supreme human, for their sake I ask this question. {60}

14.65

“Those who have inconceivable, unequaled wisdom,

They are never known to have any grasping.

They have reached the perfection of the mind’s field of activity.

Lord, it is for their sake that I ask this question. {61}

14.66

“You have reached the perfection of conduct and wisdom’s qualities.

You have unequaled knowledge of the three times.

You will never make an error.

For what reason did you smile? {62}

14.67

“Śāriputra, Aniruddha, and Kolita,

And the other śrāvakas of the Sugata,

Do not have that wisdom.

It is the unsurpassable field of activity of the buddhas. {63}

14.68

“You have reached the perfection of power over all phenomena.

You have ascended through the practice of the training.

Guide, you have developed compassion.

You who know the ultimate truth, release your voice! {64}

14.69

“You have had, in the past for many millions of eons,

The goal of being the ultimate refuge and protector,

And have inquired, supreme human, with just that intention;

Guide, tell us the result of that today. {65}

14.70

“Yakṣas, rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍas, and guhyakas

Are gazing upon the supreme among humans.

They are all respectful, their palms together in homage,

In order to listen to the elucidation from the great being. {66}

14.71

“Many bodhisattvas with miraculous powers

Have come from millions of buddha realms.

These senior sons, born form the minds of the sugatas,

Are all respectfully present, their palms together in homage. {67}

14.72

“Gandhahasti with millions of bodhisattvas

Has come into your presence from the east,

From the famous world of Akṣobhya’s realm

For this question, Lion of the Śākyas, supreme human. {68}

14.73

“Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta

Have come before you with millions of bodhisattvas

From the supreme realm of Sukhāvatī [F.50.a]

For this question, Lion of the Śākyas, supreme human. {69}

14.74

“In the past for many millions of eons

They have served countless sugatas

As numerous as the sand grains in all the oceans,

Seeking this supreme sublime wisdom. {70}

14.75

“Mañjughoṣa is present, his palms together in homage.

He has been praised and extolled by all the buddhas.

He has reached the perfection of all good qualities

And is renowned throughout the worlds in all directions. {71}

14.76

“They have practiced in millions of buddha realms.

It is very rare to see such beings.

They have the qualities of sons of the buddhas and excellent training,

And are all present, with their palms together respectfully in homage. {72}

14.77

“There is no one here other than worthy recipients.

That is what these wise ones606 are like,

The holders of the Dharma treasures of all teachers.

Guide, release your gentle speech.607 {73}

14.78

“The jinas, the guides, the supreme humans

Have never been seen to smile without a reason.

Grant us your supreme speech, which is like the beat of a drum.

What is the reason that we saw you smile? {74}

14.79

“The supreme beings resound like thunder,608

Geese, cuckoos, peacocks, and swans,609

And they emit the melodious music of the devas.

Liberator of beings, elucidate with your words. {75}

14.80

“You develop kindness, you increase joy,

You teach wisdom, you eliminate ignorance,

You realize the meaning, you expand wisdom,

And you have purified for quintillions of eons. {76}

14.81

“You have realized the nature of things with certainty,

You have taught the meaning in words that end suffering.

You have routed the teachings of all tīrthikas.

You meditate on emptiness, the absence of being, and the absence of a soul. {77}

14.82

“You are adorned by thousands of merits.

You have practiced with hundreds of thousands of buddhas,

Are praised by hundreds of thousands of devas,

And hundreds of thousands of Brahmās pay homage to you. {78}

14.83

“Yakṣas, rākṣasas, and kumbhāṇḍas have faith in you. [F.50.b]

You have liberated nāgas, mahoragas, and garuḍas.

You are constantly without any attachment.

Speak the words610 that are the result of good actions. {79}

14.84

“All the jinas that have passed into nirvāṇa,

Those who will live in the future, and those now present,

You know them all without impediment.

Guide, you are sublime because of all your qualities. {80}

14.85

“This earth that supports beings, with its mountains

And oceans, has been shaken in six ways.

The devas have thrown down flowers from the sky.

There has arisen the beautiful aroma of the incense of the devas. {81}

14.86

“Desire, anger, and darkness of the mind have been completely eliminated.

Conduct has become completely pure and the mind has become completely pure.

There is delight in complete peace, emptiness, and the absence of attributes.

There is the sound of the lion’s roar, the sound of the compassionate ones. {82}

14.87

“You have the confidence of speech, and great renown.

You have perfected wisdom, the wisdom of the jinas.

Compassionate one, there is no one like you in this world.

Tell us, for what reason did you smile? {83}

14.88

“The songs of peacocks, cuckoos, and avadavats,

And likewise the beautiful song of the partridge,611

All those pleasant sounds simultaneously

Do not equal a fraction of the Sugata’s speech. {84}

14.89

“Bherī drums, mṛdaṅgas, and similarly paṇavas;

Conches, flutes, and similarly lutes:

The simultaneous sound of a thousand instruments

Does not equal a fraction of the Sugata’s speech. {85}

14.90

“The divine, sublime sound of thousands of instruments

And the beautiful songs of deva maidens,

The excellent songs that bring delightful sounds to the mind,

Do not equal a fraction of the Sugata’s speech. {86}

14.91

“With one sound you benefit the world

As it resounds to those with different aspirations,

Each person thinking, ‘The Jina is speaking to me.’

For what reason did you smile? {87}

14.92

“The music of the devas and the music of the nāgas,

And also the melodious music of the kinnaras,

Are never able to pacify the kleśas.

The Buddha’s speech always dispels the kleśas. {88}

14.93

“You create joy but not joy in desire.

You create love and not a mind of anger.

You create wisdom and not a mind of stupidity. [F.51.a]

The Buddha’s speech eliminates all stains. {89}

14.94

“The sound of your voice does not go beyond your followers.

It cuts through everyone’s hundreds of doubts.

It is never too quiet nor too loud.

The Sage’s voice teaches everyone equally and easily. {90}

14.95

“This earth with its mountains and forests may perish,

And so may the waters of the ocean.

The moon and the sun may fall to the earth,

But the Jina’s speech will never change. {91}

14.96

“Your voice has all the qualities of pure speech.

Your beautiful voice is a gentle lion’s roar.

Compassionate one, you have the voice of Brahmā.

For what reason did you smile? {92}

14.97

“You know the minds and conduct

Of all the beings in the world,

Those in the past, the future, and the present.

Tell us the reason why you smiled. {93}

14.98

“All of the jinas, the compassionate ones,

They who have reached the perfection of power and wisdom,

The jinas whose faces are like stainless moons,

Have never smiled without a reason. {94}

14.99

“If for millions of eons one were to describe your unequaled qualities,

Which are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,

One would not be able to describe them fully.

Teach us the reason why you smiled.”612 {95}

14.100

Conclusion of the fourteenth chapter, “The Buddha’s Smile.”

15.

Chapter 15

The Elucidation of the Buddha’s Smile

15.1

At that time the Bhagavān spoke these appropriate verses to Bodhisattva Maitreya:

15.2

“This youth, Candraprabha,

Has praised the Buddha with unequaled joy.

He described the unique superior qualities of the buddhas.

All the time he is reciting their praises.613 {1}

15.3

“In this very city of Rājagṛha in the past

He has seen ten thousand million buddhas.

In the presence of all those jinas

He asked about this supreme samādhi of peace. {2}

16.

Chapter 16

The Past

16.1

The Bhagavān then said to the youth Candraprabha, “Young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas thus wish to liberate all beings from all the suffering of existence. They wish to establish beings in the noble, unsurpassable bliss and joy of samādhi. Therefore they should hear this king of samādhis, the revealed equality of the nature of all phenomena, obtain it, understand it, preserve it, recite it to others, promote it, proclaim it, chant it, meditate on it with unadulterated meditation, promulgate it, and make it widely known to others.

17.

Chapter 17

The Entranceway to the Samādhi That Is Taught by Many Buddhas

17.1

When the Bhagavān had finished speaking, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya, who was seated there, in his mind recited this verse to the Bhagavān.637

17.2

“I am going, Tathāgata,638 to the king of mountains,

Gṛdhrakūṭa, which is always the residence of the buddhas.

When I have gone there, lamp of the world,639

I will make inconceivable offerings to you.” {i}

17.3

The Bhagavān knew the thoughts that were in the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya’s mind, and from his own mind sent this verse to the bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya:

18.

Chapter 18

The Entrustment of the Samādhi

18.1

The Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Young man, in that way know that there are four beneficial qualities possessed by bodhisattva mahāsattvas who obtain this samādhi, understand it, preserve it, recite it to others, promote it, proclaim it, chant it, and make it widely known to others.

18.2

“What are those four beneficial qualities? They will be unsurpassable in merit, they will be undefeatable by opponents, they will have unlimited wisdom, and they will have unending confidence of speech.

19.

Chapter 19

The Teaching of the Inconceivable Dharma of the Buddha

19.1

The Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Young man, in that way bodhisattva mahāsattvas, having heard the inconceivable and measureless benefits of the qualities that come from the samādhi, the revealed equality of the nature of all phenomena, through wishing not to be fearful, wishing not to be terrified, and not to be gripped by terror, will become learned in the teaching of the inconceivable Dharma of the Buddha. Aspire to the inconceivable Dharma of the Buddha. Be wise in asking questions about the inconceivable Dharma of the Buddha. Be wise in seeking the inconceivable Dharma of the Buddha. Do not be fearful, do not be terrified, and do not be gripped by terror on hearing the inconceivable Dharma of the Buddha.” [F.67.b]

20.

Chapter 20

Indraketudhvajarāja

20.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Young man, in that way bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish for this Dharma teaching of entering great compassion and wish to attain the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood quickly should rely upon all roots of merit, training, qualities, and completely pure conduct.

20.2

“Bodhisattva mahāsattvas who have few involvements, avoid bad companions, rely on kalyāṇamitras, have an inquiring nature, unrelentingly seek the Dharma, have the Dharma as their goal, desire the Dharma, delight in the Dharma, obtain the Dharma, and practice the Dharma in accord with the Dharma will, young man, develop great compassion for beings and will develop the aspiration for the highest, complete enlightenment.

21.

Chapter 21

The Past

21.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Therefore, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should entertain no misgivings about all the teachings on the root of merits, the training, and the qualities.759 They should have few involvements, avoid bad companions, rely on kalyāṇamitras, have an inquiring nature, unrelentingly seek the Dharma, have the Dharma as their goal, desire the Dharma, delight in the Dharma, obtain the Dharma, and practice the Dharma in accord with the Dharma. They should perceive every buddha and bodhisattva as the teacher. They should with joy and veneration perceive as the teacher the person from whom they hear this Dharma teaching.

22.

Chapter 22

The Teaching on the Body

22.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Therefore, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish for this samādhi, and wish to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, should have no attachment to their life or body. Why is that? Because, young man, beings accomplish bad actions due to attachment to their lives and bodies.783

23.

Chapter 23

The Teaching on the Tathāgata’s Body

23.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Therefore, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish for this samādhi, and wish to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, should not know the Tathāgata to be the rūpakāya.785 Why is that? It is because the Buddha Bhagavān manifests because of the dharmakāya and does not manifest because of the rūpakāya. [F.74.a]

24.

Chapter 24

The Inconceivable Tathāgata

24.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, [F.76.b] “Young man, aspiring bodhisattva mahāsattvas think, ‘How can I make manifest the four discernments? What are these four? They are the discernment of meaning, the discernment of phenomena, the discernment of definitions, and the discernment of eloquence. I shall manifest these four!’ On having this thought, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should obtain this samādhi, understand it, preserve it, recite it to others, promote it, proclaim it, chant it, meditate on it with unadulterated meditation, and make it widely known to others.

25.

Chapter 25

Engaging in Discernment

25.1

“Young man, how do bodhisattva mahāsattvas who practice that discernment of phenomena, who view phenomena as phenomena, attain the highest, complete enlightenment?

“Young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who practice that discernment of phenomena, who view phenomena as phenomena, do not perceive enlightenment as other than form. They do not approach enlightenment as other than form. They do not seek enlightenment as other than form. They do not attain enlightenment as other than form. They do not inspire beings to an enlightenment that is other than form. They do not see a tathāgata as other than form. They see a tathāgata in this way: ‘The Tathāgata is the fearlessness that is the nature of form.’ They do not see the tathāgata as other than form, as other than the nature of form. They do not see the nature of form as other than the tathāgata. The nature of that which is called form and that of the tathāgata are nondual. The bodhisattva mahāsattvas who see in that way are engaging in the discernment of phenomena.

26.

Chapter 26

Rejoicing

26.1

26.2

“Young man, in what way should bodhisattva mahāsattvas be skillful in methods? For that, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas focus their minds upon all beings. Those bodhisattva mahāsattvas rejoice in whatever roots of merit and accumulations of merit all beings have. Three times every day and three times every night they rejoice in whatever roots of merit and accumulations of merit all beings have, and the roots of merit and accumulation of merit that come from their taking omniscience as the focus of their aspiration they donate to all beings.

27.

Chapter 27

The Benefits of Generosity

27.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Young man, as it has been said, ‘Be careful,’ you, young man, should consequently train in that way. Why is that? Because, young man, for bodhisattva mahāsattvas who are careful, the highest, complete enlightenment is not difficult to attain, let alone this samādhi.

27.2

“Young man, in what way should bodhisattva mahāsattvas be careful? For that, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should have perfectly pure conduct. Young man, in what way should bodhisattva mahāsattvas have perfectly pure conduct? For that, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who have perfectly pure conduct, never separating from an all-knowing mind, should practice the six perfections. Listen, for I shall teach you their benefits.

28.

Chapter 28

The Teaching on Correct Conduct

28.1

“Young man, there are ten benefits for bodhisattva mahāsattvas from perfectly pure, correct conduct. What are the ten benefits? They are: [1] they devote890 themselves to wisdom and perfect it; [2] they follow the example of the buddhas; [3] they do not criticize the wise; [4] they do not waver from their vows; [5] they maintain their practice; [6] they turn away891 from saṃsāra; [7] they are led to attain nirvāṇa;892 [8] they live without faults arising; [F.89.a] [9] they attain samādhi; and [10] they will never be poor.893

29.

Chapter 29

Ten Benefits

29.1

“Young man, there are ten benefits for bodhisattva mahāsattvas from maintaining patience and being kind. [F.89.b] What are these ten? They are: [1] they are not burned by fire; [2] they are not slain by weapons; [3] they are not affected by poison; [4] they do not drown in water; [5] the devas protect them; [6] they attain a body adorned by the primary signs of a great being; [7] all the doorways to their rebirth in lower existences are closed; [8] it is not difficult for them to be reborn in the paradise of Brahmā; [9] they are happy day and night; and [10] their physical sensations of comfort and pleasure are never lost.

30.

Chapter 30

Tejaguṇarāja

30.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Therefore, young man, you should train in this way, thinking, ‘I will abandon even the pleasures of the kingship of a divine cakravartin and enter homelessness.’

30.2

“Young man, having entered homelessness you should maintain the disciplines of mendicancy, live in solitude, and develop perfect mildness and patience.

31.

Chapter 31

Benefits

31.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Therefore, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who think, ‘I shall understand the languages of all beings and, knowing their higher or lesser capabilities, I will teach them the Dharma,’ those bodhisattva mahāsattvas should listen to the samādhi, the revealed equality of the nature of all phenomena, learn it, understand it, keep it, recite it to others, promote it, proclaim it, chant it, meditate on it with unadulterated meditation, promulgate it, and make it widely known to others.”

32.

Chapter 32

The Teaching on the Nature of All Phenomena

32.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Therefore, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wonder, ‘How can I know the nature of all phenomena?’ should listen to this samādhi, the revealed equality of the nature of all phenomena, learn it, understand it, keep it, recite it to others, promote it, proclaim it, chant it, meditate on it with unadulterated meditation, promulgate it, and make it widely known to others.”

33.

Chapter 33

The Benefits of Possessing the Sūtra

33.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Therefore, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish to train in purifying1056 the great higher cognition of all phenomena should listen to the samādhi, the revealed equality of the nature of all phenomena, learn it, understand it, keep it, recite it to others, promote it, proclaim it, chant it, meditate on it with unadulterated meditation, promulgate it, and make it widely known to others.1057

34.

Chapter 34

Kṣemadatta

34.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha,1161 “Young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish for this samādhi, and wish to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, should abide in the absence of attributes and be dedicated to making vast offerings to a present tathāgata or to the stūpa of a tathāgata who has passed into nirvāṇa.

35.

Chapter 35

Jñānāvatī

35.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish for this samādhi, and wish to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, should plant roots of merit and apply themselves to practicing generosity through the Dharma or generosity through material things.

35.2

“Those bodhisattva mahāsattvas should dedicate that generosity through four prayers of dedication.

36.

Chapter 36

Supuṣpacandra

36.1

Then at that time Brother Ānanda rose from his seat, [F.125.b] removed his robe from one shoulder, and, kneeling on his right knee, with palms placed together he bowed toward the Bhagavān and made this request: “If the Bhagavān will give me an opportunity to seek answers to them, I have a few questions for the Bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha.”

36.2

The Bhagavān addressed Brother Ānanda, saying, “That is why, Ānanda, I am seated upon this seat. Ask whatever question you wish to the Tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly enlightened Buddha, and I shall gratify you with answers to each and every question you have asked.”

37.

Chapter 37

Teaching the Aggregate of Correct Conduct

37.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Therefore, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood should hear the samādhi, the revealed equality of the nature of all phenomena, should obtain it, study it, keep it, recite it, disseminate it, transmit it, chant it, meditate on it with unadulterated meditation, and in other ways make it widely known. They should also maintain the aggregate of correct conduct.”

38.

Chapter 38

Yaśaḥprabha

38.1

Then the Bhagavān said to the youth Candraprabha, “Therefore, young man, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who wish for these and countless other wonderful1337 and marvelous bodhisattva qualities, and wish to attain quickly the highest, complete enlightenment of perfect buddhahood, should hear this revealed equality of the nature of all phenomena samādhi and obtain it, understand it, preserve it, recite it to others, promote it, proclaim it, chant it, meditate on it with unadulterated meditation, promulgate it,1338 and make it widely known to others. [F.146.a]

39.

Chapter 39

Restraint of the Body, Speech, and Mind

39.1

Then the Bhagavān [F.151.a] said to the youth Candraprabha, “Therefore, young man, you should train by thinking, ‘I shall have self-control through physical restraint.’

39.2

“Young man, what is meant by physical restraint? That which is called ‘physical restraint’ is the physical restraint through which bodhisattva mahāsattvas are free of attachment to all phenomena.

40.

Chapter 40

[Untitled]

40.1

“Young man, what is purity of action? Seeing the three existences as being like a dream and becoming free of desire. Young man, that is purity of action.

40.2

“Young man, what is the transcendence of the mind’s fixation on perceptions? It is knowing that the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas are like illusions, and renouncing them. That is the transcendence of the mind’s fixation on perceptions.

Colophon

c.1

The Indian preceptor Śrīlendrabodhi, and the chief editor Lotsawa Bandé Dharmatāśīla, translated and revised this work. It was later modified and finalized in terms of the new translation.

ab.

Abbreviations

BHS	Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit.
Chinese	Sixth century Chinese translation by Narendrayaśas (see introduction, i.7).
Commentary	Mañjuśrīkīrti (see bibliography).
Gilgit	Sixth to seventh century Sanskrit manuscript (see introduction i.9 and bibliography under Dutt).
Hodgson	Later Nepalese Sanskrit manuscript (see introduction i.9 and bibliography under Dutt).
Matsunami	Matsunami’s Sanskrit edition (see bibliography).
Shastri	Later Nepalese Sanskrit manuscript (see introduction i.9 and bibliography under Dutt).
Vaidya	Vaidya’s Sanskrit edition (see bibliography).

Notes

n.1

According to the BHS vipañcita. The Tibetan translates as rnam par spros pa.

n.2

See Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light, Toh 55 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2022).

n.3

Toh 129, see bibliography.

n.4

Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801–1894) was a linguist, ethnologist, naturalist, and diplomat who lived in Nepal from 1824 to 1844, becoming British Resident; among his many other activities, he studied and collected Sanskrit Buddhist texts. Haraprasad Shastri (1853–1931) was an Indian Sanskrit scholar and historian who visited Nepal several times, also collecting and publishing manuscripts. Both scholars were associated with the Asiatic Society in Kolkata. The Sanskrit edition of the sūtra published by Dutt (as one of a series centered on the Gilgit manuscripts; see bibliography) is not only based on the Gilgit manuscript, but also represents the Hodgson and Shastri manuscripts, which Dutt refers to, respectively, as manuscripts A and B.

n.5

Vibhuticandra; dpal bde mchog gi dkyil ’khor kyi cho ga; Śrī-samvara-maṇḍala-vidhi. Toh 1511, Degé Tengyur, Vol. 22, (rgyud, zha), 322b. 308b–334a.

n.6

The Yogacāra tradition of Asaṅga and his followers has philosophical viewpoints quite distinct from those of the Mādhyamika tradition, of which Candrakīrti was perhaps the most uncompromising proponent.

n.7

The Tibetan of the quote is: nga ’das lo ni nyis stong na / gdong dmar yul du bstan pa ’byung / spyan ras gzigs kyi gdul byar ’gyur / de yi bstan pa’i snyigs ma la / byang chub sems dpa’ seng ge’i sgra / karma pa zhes ba ba ’byung / ting ’dzin dbang thob ’gro ba ’dul / mthong thos dran regs bde la bkod (Rinchen Palzang, p. 650).

n.8

This line of homage, as is customary for Kangyur texts, was added by the Tibetan translators, and therefore does not appear in the Sanskrit or Chinese. The Gilgit Sanskrit manuscript has 12 initial verses, Hodgson 14 verses, and Shastri 43 verses, none of which are in the Tibetan.

n.9

This number depends on whether niyuta is taken to mean “one million,” as in Classical Sanskrit, or “a hundred thousand million,” as is found in BHS. The Tibetan has chosen the latter meaning, translating it as khrag khrig. Therefore the resulting number in Tibetan is “ten million [times] a hundred thousand million times eighty,” i.e., eighty million million million (eighty quintillion in the American or short scale system) (bye ba khrag khrig phrag brgyad bcu, apparently translating koṭiniyutena aśityā). The translation of the commentary by Mañjuśrīkīrti, however, has khrag khrig phrag brgyad bcu: “a hundred thousand million times eighty,” which would be eight million million, i.e., eight trillion. The Vaidya Sanskrit edition has niyutaśatasahasrena aśītyā which would be literally “a hundred thousand million [times] a hundred [times] a thousand times eighty,” which comes to eight hundred thousand million million, i.e., eight hundred thousand trillion. However if niyuta is taken as only one million, this would be eight million million, i.e., eight trillion, which would agree with the resulting number in Mañjuśrīkīrti’s commentary. The Dutt edition of the Gilgit manuscript has aśityā ca bodhisattva-niyutaiḥ and accordingly the translation of Gómez et al. is “eighty million,” where niyuta has presumably been given the value of one million. The Chinese simply transliterates as na-yo-ta. The Chinese tradition gives numerous, widely differing explanations of what this number means.

n.10

In the Chinese the description of the bodhisattvas and the list of names do not appear. The Chinese continues at this point with Ajita.

n.11

According to the BHS abhijñābhijñātair. The Tibetan, translating both abhijña and abhijñāta as mngon par shes pa, has mngon par shes pas mngon par shes pa. However, the translation of the commentary has a preferable translation of the second abhijñāta: rab tu grags pa.

n.12

According to the BHS gatiṃgata. The Tibetan translates as rtogs par khong du chud pa.

n.13

According to the commentary these are not only the dhāraṇī in recited form, but comprise the four kinds of retention (dhāraṇī): the recited dhāraṇī sentences and phrases themselves, the retention of the memory of the words of all teachings given, the retention of the memory of the meaning of these teachings, and the retention of the realization gained through meditation on that meaning.

n.14

According to the Tibetan, though the Sanskrit compound could also be interpreted to mean “who had praised, extolled, and lauded all the buddhas.”

n.15

According to the Tibetan and the commentary. The Sanskrit could also be interpreted, as in Gómez et al., as “knowing all the terrors [that come from] the māras.”

n.16

According to the commentary, this means “adorned by the ten good actions: three of body, four of speech, and three of mind,” or, among the primary and secondary signs of a great being: “the voice of Brahmā, and the mind’s realization of the nature of beings so that they may be guided.”

n.17

According to most Kangyurs, the commentary, and the Sanskrit. The Degé has kyi instead of kyis.

n.18

According to the commentary, this means the bodhisattvas are on the tenth bhūmi, as taught in the Sūtra of the Ten Bhūmis. The ten-bhūmi system does not appear in the Gilgit version or the Chinese but does in the later Sanskrit versions and the Tibetan.

n.19

According to the Sanskrit. Absent from the Tibetan.

n.20

According to the Tibetan lhun po’i rtse mo ’dzin and Matsunami. Vaidya: Meruśikhariṁdhara. Dutt: Meruśikharindhara.

n.21

According to the Tibetan lhun po’i rgyal po and Matsunami. Dutt: Merugāja. Does not appear in Hodgson.

n.22

According to the Tibetan and Matsunami. Dutt: Meruśikhare saṁghaṭṭanarājena. Hodgson: Meruśikhare saṃghaḍanagajena. Shastri: Meruśikhare saṃghaṭanagajena.

n.23

According to the Sanskrit. Absent in the Tibetan.

n.24

According to the Sanskrit. Absent in the Tibetan.

n.25

According to the Tibetan (nyi ma me’i ’od ’phro can) and the Hodgson. The Tibetan takes daśaśataraśmi, “a hundred thousand rays,” as an epithet of the sun and translates it simply as nyi ma (“sun”). Gilgit and Shastri: Daśaśataraśmikṛtārci with huta (“fire,” equivalent to the Tibetan me) replaced by kṛta (“made,” “created”).

n.26

According to the Tibetan and Hodgson. Vaidya: Satatamabhayaṁdadāna. Dutt has both versions.

n.27

Another name for Maitreya, the bodhisattva who will be the fifth buddha of the Good Eon.

n.28

According to the Sanskrit anupamacitta. The Tibetan has dpe med sems dpa’, whereas one would expect dpe med sems pa. The Sūtra of the Samādhi of the Seal of the Wisdom of the Tathāgatas (see bibliography) refers to this group as sems dpa’ dpe med pa, naming two of them: Pramodyarāja (mchog tu dga’ ba’i rgyal po) and Mañjuśrī (Degé Kangyur, vol. 55, F.248.a). The Sūtra of Possessing the Roots of Goodness (see bibliography) refers to byang chub sems dpa’ dpe med pa sems pa (“bodhisattvas with incomparable minds”), with Bhadrapāla being the one that is named (Degé Kangyur, vol. 48, F.48.a). Bhadrapāla is also listed as one of a group of five hundred bodhisattvas in that sūtra (F.22.b).

n.29

This is referencing a group of beings that is listed in the White Lotus of the Good Dharma Sūtra (Degé Kangyur, vol. 67, 2.b). In that sūtra Bhadrapāla is also listed as one of a group of fifty bodhisattvas (F.142.b).

n.30

A bodhisattva who appears prominently in certain sūtras, such as The Samādhi of the Presence of the Buddhas, and perhaps also the merchant of that name who is the principal interlocutor in the Sūtra of the Questions of Bhadrapāla the Merchant (see bibliography).

n.31

This refers to the standard list of god realms beginning with the lowest, that of the Four Mahārājas.

n.32

According to the Sanskrit udārodārair, which repeats udāra. The Tibetan translates as “vast and illustrious.”

n.33

According to the Sanskrit, which uses repetition to state that each one of them has that quality, maheśākhyamaheśākhyair. The Tibetan translates as “very powerful and renowned to be very powerful.”

n.172

Literally, “ten million times a hundred thousand times a hundred thousand million.”

n.173

According to the Sanskrit vihāra. Tibetan: gtsug lag khang. These are equivalents in the Mahāvyutpatti, but gtsug lag khang can also mean “temple” in Tibetan.

n.197

From the Sanskrit udgrahītavya. Tibetan: gzung.

n.198

From the BHS paryavāptavya. Tibetan: kun chub pa.

n.199

From the Sanskrit dhārayitavya. Tibetan: bcang.

n.200

From the Sanskrit vācayitavya. Tibetan: klog.

n.201

From the Sanskrit pravartayitavya. Tibetan: rab tu gdon pa.

n.202

From the Sanskrit uddeṣṭavya. Tibetan: lung mnod par bya.

n.203

From the Sanskrit svādhyātavya. Tibetan: kha ton du bya.

n.204

From the Sanskrit araṇa, which also means “passionless, sinless, without impurity.” This is regularly translated into Tibetan as nyon mongs, which is also used to translate kleśa. Gómez et al. have interpreted it as “being in solitude,” presumably from an edition with araṇya (“solitude”).

n.205

From the Sanskrit bahulīkartavya. Tibetan: mang du bya.

n.206

From the Sanskrit parebhyaśca vistarena saṃprakāśayitavya. Tibetan: gshan dag la yang rgya cher rab tu bstan par bya. This entire list is simplified in the Chinese to three elements: “should recite, uphold / retain, and explain it to others widely.”

n.300

Not in the Gilgit or Chinese.

n.531

From the Sanskrit prabhāvyate. The Tibetan appears to have translated from a manuscript with something like pravbhidyate or prabhedyate (“divide,” “categorize”).

n.532

According to the Sanskrit, the commentary, and the Chinese. The Tibetan translates as “the nature of the mind is without form,” presumably translating from svabhāvam arūpyam as a corruption of niḥsvabhāvam arūpyam.

n.533

The Chinese adds “and cannot be seen.”

n.547

The Sanskrit manasikāra and the Tibetan yid la byed pa can mean, according to context, “fixed attention,” “concentration,” “focused reflection,” etc. The commentary states that the samādhi being devoid of such factors is in relation to mind and thoughts, subject and object, action and object, and so on. The negative of the term (amanasikāra, yid la mi byed pa) was later adapted into the mahāmudrā tradition.

n.548

The BHS term raṇā is synonymous with kleśa, and both are translated into Tibetan as nyon mongs.

n.569

Chinese: “Then the youth Candraprabha said these words to the Bhagavān.”

n.570

According to the Tibetan spobs. The Sanskrit pratibhāti could also mean “elucidates this for me.”

n.571

Chinese: “tormented by sickness, old age, and death.”

n.572

According to the Tibetan dpa’ bo, which appears to have translated from a manuscript that had vīra instead of the Sanskrit vīrye, “with diligence.” Chinese: 善哉, the most common translation of Sanskrit sādhu, (“holy man,” “saint”).

n.573

According to the Sanskrit krudhyase. The Tibetan translates as ’khrugs, which primarily has the meaning of “disturbed.” According to the Mahāvyuttpati this would be a translation of kṣubhyase, meaning “disturbed.” Therefore this may be a translation from a scribal corruption in the Sanskrit.

n.574

According to the Sanskrit and Chinese. The Tibetan has “maintain various views.”

n.575

According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan appears to make this line the voice of devas that are accompanying the music.

n.576

According to the Sanskrit kalaviṅka, translated into Tibetan here as “cuckoo,” even though earlier they were listed separately where kalaviṅka was simply transliterated. The Chinese transliterates as 迦陵頻伽. The avadavat was unknown in Tibet while the cuckoo was very familiar. However, the avadavat is a bird known in North India for its beautiful song.

n.577

The Sanskrit is literally “twice born,” referring to first the egg being laid and then the hatching.

n.578

According to the Tibetan, the Gilgit manuscript, and the Chinese. The later Sanskrit manuscripts from Nepal (the Shastri and Hodgson manuscripts) have here the line about musical instruments‍—conches, drums, and so on‍—that will occur in the next verse in this version. There are two verses in the Tibetan and Gilgit version compared to one in the later Sanskrit manuscripts and the Chinese.

n.579

The Tibetan here translates paṭaha as rdza rnga, which is usually the translation for the mṛḍaṅga drum.

n.580

The Tibetan translation here (rnga bo che) does not make a very strong distinction between the bherī and the earlier muraja drum (rdza rnga chen po). The Chinese has simply “drums” and does not differentiate the two kinds, but also has “three-stringed lutes, lutes, and flutes.”

n.581

This verse is in the Gilgit manuscript and the Tibetan. It does not appear in the later Sanskrit versions. In the Chinese this is a continuation of the previous verse without the line about the deva maidens.

n.582

In the Chinese, this verse is preceded by a verse describing how the songs and music played by the king of the kinnaras cannot compare to the Buddha’s speech. This verse is not found in the Tibetan or Sanskrit.

n.583

In the Sanskrit the synonym sura is used.

n.584

In the Sanskrit the synonym dānu is used. In the Chinese both deva and dānu were translated by the same term.

n.585

According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan translates it as mkhar rnga (“gong”).

n.586

According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan has just rnga (“drums”).

n.587

Unidentified Indian musical instrument. It appears in two lists of instruments in the Lalitavistarasūtra (see The Play in Full 15.39 and 15.67) with a stringed instrument preceding and following it, but some recent Tibetan-English dictionaries have “cymbals.”

n.588

According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit appears to be still describing the music: “delightful, beautiful, and divine.”

n.589

Literally, marutas and apsarases.

n.590

This verse does not appear in the Chinese.

n.591

This verse does not appear in the Chinese.

n.592

Literally, “Lord of the Gods,” another name for Indra / Śakra.

n.593

According to the Tibetan. The Sanskrit has “by the Buddha’s light rays.” The Chinese has “one light ray emitted by the Buddha.”

n.594

According to the Tibetan. Sanskrit: “unequaled.”

n.595

According to the Tibetan and close to the version in Dutt’s “manuscript A” (the Shastri manuscript). Chinese: “requests the Buddha to be compassionate.”

n.596

The Chinese has an extra verse here, requesting a prophecy, which does not appear in the Tibetan or the Sanskrit.

n.597

The Chinese has different epithets.

n.598

From the first half of the Sanskrit compound ratha-pattiya; the meaning of the second half is obscure, as is the Tibetan translation: rta rkang thang. The commentary glosses it as shing rta mchog (“perfect chariots”).

n.599

According to the Tibetan. “Pearls” does not appear in the Sanskrit, but instead, “male and female slaves” (dāsadāsi). The Chinese has “male and female slaves, jewels, pearls, gold, cows, and sheep.”

n.600

The commentary states that these lotuses appear as seats for the bodhisattvas.

n.601

Chinese: “innumerable.”

n.602

According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan has rnga (“drums”) and the Chinese also just has “drums.”

n.603

According to the Tibetan mkhar rnga. Sanskrit: tunava (“flutes”). Chinese: 鐃, similar to “cymbals.”

n.604

From the Sanskrit krauñca. Tibetan: khrung khrung. According to the Mahāvyutpatti, the Tibetan for krauñca is krung krung. See Julia Leslie, A Bird Bereaved: The identity and significance of Vālmīki’s krauñca, for the identification of this bird. Present Sanskrit dictionaries state it is a curlew. However, it is specifically the Sarus crane, which in Sanskrit is also called the sārasa krauñca, which can also be confusing because sārasa, as in this sūtra, is the word for “swan.”

n.605

Chinese: 拘翅 (jue chi), 頻迦 (pin jia), 鵞鶴 (er he). The first two are from the pronunciation of the Sanskrit, and the third is a Chinese name, referring to one kind of crane.

n.606

According to the Tibetan. Sanskrit: “tender ones.” Chinese: “tamed and gentle ones.”

n.607

According to the Sanskrit. The Tibetan could have been interpreted as “speak to Mañjughoṣa,” except for the adverbial particle su. Chinese: 和潤語, “harmonious and gentle speech.”

n.608

Literally in Sanskrit, “sound of the clouds.” Chinese: “thunder” 雷霆.

n.609

Although translated earlier in the text as bzhad (in accord with the Mahāvyutpatti), the Tibetan here simply transliterated sārasa (sa ra sa).

n.610

According to the Tibetan. Vaidya Sanskrit: “You are sublime because of the results of good actions.”

n.611

From the Sanskrit jīvaṃjīva (Tibetan: shang shang te’u). According to the Mahesh Sharma (141), jīvjīva is a pheasant, and jīvaṃjīva (as in Monier-Williams) is the chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar, also known as the Greek partridge). In later times, in China and Tibet this became a legendary half-human bird, or a two-headed bird. The Chinese transliterates: 命命鳥.

n.612

This verse does not appear in the Chinese.

n.613

The Chinese has 47 consecutive verses: the first 16 verses are in chapter 15 of the Tibetan-Sanskrit version and the remaining 31 verses are in chapter 16.

n.637

This entire opening section about Maitreya and his miraculous activities does not appear in the Gilgit manuscript and therefore not in the Vaidya either. The Tibetan follows the version in the Hodgson manuscript.

n.638

According to the Sanskrit, where tathāgata is clearly in the vocative and the verb “to go” is in the first-person singular.

n.639

According to the Tibetan. Sanskrit: “Lamp of the three worlds.”

n.759

According to the Tibetan, in which the verb here is gdon mi za bar bya’o. The Sanskrit of the Hodgson and Shastri manuscripts has “…should depend upon the duties and qualities of the training that is the root of all merit” (śikṣāguṇadharmaniśrita). They also have at this point “…should have pure conduct through depending on roots of merit…” and so on. The Gilgit manuscript chapter is composed only of the verses.

n.783

The Chinese adds: “Therefore, bodhisattvas should know about the dharmakāya and the rūpakāya.” The rest of this chapter does not appear in the Chinese.

n.785

This paragraph does not appear in the Chinese.

n.882

Beginning of fascicle 6 of the Taisho ed., and fascicle 7 of the Song, Yuan, Ming, Gong, and Sheng eds.

n.890

From the BHS anuparivārayati and according to the definition in the commentary. The Tibetan translates with the alternative meaning of “encircling” or “surrounding.” The Gilgit version has pariśodhayati (“purifies”). The Chinese translates this sentence as “They will perfect wisdom of all kinds.” 滿足一切智 (man zu yi qie zhi).

n.891

According to the Sanskrit, the commentary, and most Kangyurs, except for the Degé which has ’byor pa in error for ’byol ba. Chinese: “They abandon all concern about life and death.” 棄捨生死 (qi she sheng si).

n.892

Tibetan: thob par byed pa (“cause to obtain”). Sanskrit: arpayati (see Mahāvyutpatti 7428). Chinese: “They long for the joy of nirvāṇa,” 慕樂涅槃 (mu le nie pan).

n.893

Chinese: “They will not lack faith or wealth,” 不乏信財 (bu fa xin cai).

n.1056

According to the Tibetan byi dor bya ba yongs su sbyang ba. The Sanskrit parikarmadhāraya could be translated as “maintaining or gaining the preparation for.”

n.1057

This paragraph is in a simpler form in the Gilgit and Chinese.

n.1161

In the Gilgit manuscript, the prose is absent from this point until “Young man, in the past…” (34.7).

n.1337

According to the Tibetan. Sanskrit: “immeasurable.”

n.1338

According to the Sanskrit bahulīkartavya. The Tibetan mang du bya, a regular element in this list elsewhere, is missing here.

Bibliography

Tibetan Editions of the Samādhirājasūtra

chos thams cad kyi rang bzhin mnyam pa nyid rnam spros pa ting nge ’dzin gyi rgyal po’i mdo (Sarvadharmasvabhāvasamatāvipañcitasamādhirājasūtra). Toh 127, Degé Kangyur vol. 55 (mdo sde, da), folios 1.a–175.b.

‍—‍—‍—. 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. 55, pp. 3–411.

‍—‍—‍—. Lhasa Kangyur (lha sa bka’ ’gyur) vol. 55 (mdo sde, ta), folios 1.b–269.b.

‍—‍—‍—. Narthang Kangyur (snar thang bka’ ’gyur) vol. 55 (mdo sde, ta), folios 1.b–273.b.

‍—‍—‍—. Shelkar Drima Kangyur (shel mkhar bris ma bka’ ’gyur) vol. 54 (mdo sde, ja), folios 157.a–436.a.

‍—‍—‍—. Stok Palace Kangyur (stog pho brang bris ma bka’ ’gyur) vol. 58 (mdo sde, ja), folios 145.a–405.a.

‍—‍—‍—. Urga Kangyur vol. 55 (mdo sde, da), 1.b–170.a.

Sanskrit Editions of the Samādhirājasūtra

Dutt, Nalinaksha. Gilgit Manuscripts Vol. II, part I. Calcutta: J. C. Sarkhel, 1941. [This Sanskrit edition in three volumes is based on the Gilgit manuscript but also includes and represents the two Nepalese manuscripts of Hodgson and Shastri, see Introduction i.9 and n.4.

‍—‍—‍—. Gilgit Manuscripts Vol. II, part II. Calcutta: J. C. Sarkhel, 1953.

‍—‍—‍—. Gilgit Manuscripts Vol. II, part III. Calcutta: J. C. Sarkhel, 1954.

Matsunami, Seiren (ed.). “Bonbun Gattō Zanma kyō.”.in TDKK [Memoirs of Taisho University, Department of Buddhism and Literature] vol. 60 (1975), pp. 188–244.

‍—‍—‍—. “Bonbun Gattō Zanma kyō.” in TDKK [Memoirs of Taisho University, Department of Buddhism and Literature] vol. 61 (1975), 761–796.

Vaidya, P. L., ed. Samādhirājsūtra. Darbhanga, India: The Mithila Institute of Post-Graduate Studies and Research in Sanskrit Learning, 1961.

Other canonical references

Kangyur

da ltar gyi sangs rgyas mngon sum du bzhugs pa’i ting nge ’dzin gyi mdo (Pratyutpanna-buddha-samukhāsthita-samādhi-sūtra) [The Sūtra, The Samādhi of Being in the Presence of the Buddhas of the Present]. Toh 133, Degé Kangyur vol. 56 (mdo sde, na), folios 1.a–70.b.

dam pa’i chos pad ma dkar po’i mdo (Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra) [The Sūtra of the White Lotus of the Good Dharma]. Toh 113, Degé Kangyur vol. 67 (mdo sde, ja), folios 1.a–180.b. English translation in Roberts 2018.

de bzhin gshegs pa’i ye shes kyi phyag rgya’i ting nge ’dzin gyi mdo (Tathāgata-jñāna-mudrā-samādhi-sūtra) [The Sūtra of the Samādhi of the Seal of the Wisdom of the Tathāgatas]. Toh 131, Degé Kangyur vol. 55 (mdo sde, da), folios 230.b–253.b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2020b.

dge ba’i rtsa ba yongs su ’dzin pa’i mdo (Kuśala-mūla-saparigraha-sūtra) [The Sūtra of Possessing the Roots of Goodness]. Toh 101, Degé Kangyur vol. 48 (mdo sde, nga), folios 1.a–227.b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2020c.

de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi sku gsung thugs kyi gsang chen gsang ba ’dus pa zhe bya ba brtag pa’i rgyal po chen po (Sarva-tathāgata-kāyavākcitta-rahasyo guhyasamāja-nāma-mahā-kalparāja) [The Great King Entitled the Union of the Great Secrets: the Secret of the Body, Speech, and Mind of all the Tathāgatas]. Also known as the Tathāgataguhyaka Sūtra [The Sūtra of the Secret of the Tathāgatas] and the Guhysamaja-tantra. Toh 442, Degé Kangyur vol. 81 (rgyud, ca), folios 90.a–157.b.

gser ’od dam pa mdo sde’i dbang po’i rgyal po’i mdo (Suvarṇa-prabhāsottama-sūtrendrarāja-sūtra) [The Sūtra of the King Who Is the Lord of Sūtras: The Supreme Golden Light]. Toh 556, Degé Kangyur vol. 89 (rgyud, pa), folios 151.b–273.a.

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

sangs rgyas rjes su dran pa (Buddhānusmṛti) [Being Mindful of the Buddha]. Toh 279, Degé Kangyur vol. 68 (mdo sde, ya), folios 55.a-55.b.

rab tu zhi ba rnam par nges pa’i cho ’phrul gyi ting nge ’dzin gyi mdo (Praśanta-viniścaya-prāthihārya-samādhi-sūtra) [The Sūtra of the Absorption of the Miraculous Ascertainment of Peace]. Toh 129, Degé Kangyur vol. 55 (mdo sde, da), folios 174.b–210.b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2020.

rgya cher rol pa’i mdo (Lalitavistara-sūtra) [The Play in Full]. Toh 95, Degé Kangyur vol. 46 (mdo sde, kha), folios 1.b–216.b. English translation in Dharmachakra Translation Committee 2013.

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

sdong po bkod pa (Gaṇḍavyūha) [The Stem Array]. Chapter 45 of the Avataṃsaka, Toh 44-45. Degé Kangyur vols. 37 and 38 (phal chen, ga-a), folios ga 274.b–363.a. English Translation in Roberts 2021a.

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

’od dpag med kyi bkod pa’i mdo (Amitābhavyūhasūtra) [The Array of Amitābha]. Also known as The Longer Sukhāvatīsūtra. Toh 49, Degé Kangyur vol. 39 (dkon brtsegs, ka), folios 237.b-270.a.

’od zer kun du bkye pa’i bstan pa’i mdo (Raśmisamantamuktanirdeśasūtra) [The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light]. Toh 55, Degé Kangur vol. 40 (dkon brtsegs, kha), folios 195.a–255.b.

tshong dpon bzang skyong gyis zhus pa’i mdo (Bhadrapāla-śreṣṭhi-paripṛccha-sūtra) [The Sūtra of the Questions of Bhadrapāla the Merchant]. Toh 83, Degé Kangyur vol. 44 (dkon brtsegs, cha), folios 71.a–94.b.

yang dag par spyod pa’i tshul nam mkha’i mdog gis ’dul ba’i bzod pa’i mdo (Saṃyagacārya-vṛtta-gagana-varṇa-vinaya-kṣānti-sūtra) [The Sūtra on Patience with the Discipline Through Practicing in a Way that is Like The Colour of the Sky]. Toh 263, Degé Kangyur vol. 67 (mdo sde ’a), folios 90.a–209.b.

Tengyur

Candrakīrti. dbu ma la ’jug pa (Madhyamakāvatāra) [Entering the Middle Way]. Toh 3861, Degé Tengyur vol. 102 (dbu ma ’a), folios 201.b–219.a.

‍—‍—‍—. dbu ma rtsa ba’i ’grel pa tshig gsal ba (Mūlamadhyamakavṛttiprasannapadā) [Clear Words: A Commentary on the Root Middle Way]. Toh 3860, Degé Tengyur vol. 102 (dbu ma, ’a), folios 1.a–200.a.

Dārika. ’khor lo sdom pa’i dkyil ’khor gyi cho ga de kho na nyid la ’jug pa (Cakrasaṁvaramaṇḍalavidhitattvāvatāra) [Entering the Truth: A Maṇḍala Rite of Cakrasamvara]. Toh 1430, Degé Tengyur vol. 20 (rgyud ’grel, wa), folios 203.b–219.b.

Kamalaśīla. sgom pa’i rim pa (Bhāvanākrama) [Stages of Meditation]. Toh 3915, 3916, and 3917, Degé Tengyur vol. 110 (dbu ma, ki), folios 22.a–41.b, 41.a–55.b, and 55.b–68.b.

Mañjuśrīkīrti. ’phags pa chos thams cad kyi rang bzhin mnyam pa nyid rnam spros pa ting nge ’dzin gyi rgyal po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo’i ’grel pa grags pa’i phreng ba zhes bya ba (Ārya-sarva-dharma-svabhāva-samatā-vipañcita-samādhi-rāja-nāma-mahāyāna-sūtra-ṭika-kīrti-mālā-nāma) [The Garland of Fame: A Commentary on The Mahāyāna Sūtra Entitled The King of Samādhis: The Revealed Equality of the Nature of All Phenomena]. Toh 4010, Degé Tengyur vol. 117 (mdo ’grel, nyi), folios 1.b–163.b.

‍—‍—‍—. Idem, in 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. 117 (mdo ’grel, nyi), 752–1181.

Prajñākaramati. byang chub kyi spyod pa la ’jug pa’i dka’ ’grel (Bodhisattvacaryāvatārapañjikā) [Commentary on Difficult Points in Entering the Conduct of the Bodhisattvas]. Toh 3872, Degé Tengyur vol. 105 (dbu ma, la), folios 41.b–288.a.

Śāntideva. byang chub sems dpa’i spyod pa la ’jug pa (Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra) [Entering the Conduct of the Bodhisattvas]. Toh 3871, Degé Tengyur vol. 105 (dbu ma, la), folios 1.a–40.a.

‍—‍—‍—. bslab pa kun las btus pa (Śikṣasamuccaya) [Compendium of Training]. Toh 3939, Degé Tengyur vol. 111 (dbu ma, khi), folios 3.a–194.b.

Non-Canonical Tibetan Sources

Gampopa (sgam po pa bsod nams rin chen). dam chos yid bzhin nor bu thar pa rin po che’i rgyan. Kathmandu: Gam-po-pa Library, 2003.

Pekar Sangpo (pad dkar bzang po). bstan pa spyi’i rgyas byed las mdo sde spyi’i rnam bzhag bka’ bsdu ba bzhi pa zhes bya ba’i bstan bcos. Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2006.

Rinchen Palzang (rin chen dpal bzang). mtshur phu dgon gyi dkar chag kun gsal me long. Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 1995.

Tsongkhapa (tsong kha pa). lam rim chen mo. In rje tsong kha pa chen po’i gsung ’bum vol. 8, Zi ling: mtsho sngon mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 1999.

Western Publications

Bailey, D. R. Shackleton. The Śatapañcāśatka of Mātṛceta. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1951.

Cüppers, Cristoph. The IXth Chapter of the Samādhirājasūtra: A Text-Critical Contribution to the Study of Mahāyāna Sūtras. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1990.

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

‍—‍—‍—, trans. (2020a). The Absorption of the Miraculous Ascertainment of Peace (Praśāntaviniścayaprātihāryasamādhi, Toh 129). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

‍—‍—‍—, trans. (2020b). The Absorption of the Thus-Gone One’s Wisdom Seal (Tathāgatajñānamudrāsamādhi, Toh 131). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

‍—‍—‍—, trans. (2020c). Upholding the Roots of Virtue (Kuśalamūlasaṃparigraha, Toh 101). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

‍—‍—‍—, trans. (2022). The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light (Raśmisamantamuktanirdeśa, Toh 55). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

Dimitrov, Dragomir. “Two Female Bodhisattvas in Flesh and Blood,” in Aspects of the Female in Indian Culture. Marburg: Indica et Tibetica, 2004, pp. 3–30.

Gómez, Luis O. and Silk, Jonathan A. Studies in the Literature of the Great Vehicle: Three Mahāyāna Buddhist Texts. Ann Arbor: Collegiate Institute for the Study of Buddhist Literature and Center for South and Southeast Asian Studies, The University of Michigan, 1989.

Leslie, Julia. “A Bird Bereaved: The Identity and Significance of Valmiki’s Krauñcha,” in Journal of Indian Philosophy 26.5 (1998): 455–87.

Régamey, Konstanty. Philosophy in the Samādhirājasūtra. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1990.

Roberts, Peter Alan, trans. (2018). The White Lotus of the Good Dharma (Saddharmapuṇḍarīka, Toh 113). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

‍—‍—‍—, trans. (2021a) The Stem Array (Gaṇḍavyūha, Toh 44-45). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

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

Rockwell, John Jr. Samādhi and Patient Acceptance: Four Chapters of the Samādhirāja-sūtra, Translated from the Sanskrit and Tibetan. M.A. thesis, Naropa Institute, Boulder, Colorado, 1980.

Skilton, Andrew. “Dating the Samādhirāja Sūtra,” In Journal of Indian Philosophy 27: 635–52. Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1999.

Tatz, Mark. “Revelation in Mādhyamika Buddhism: Chapter Eleven of the Samādhirāja-sūtra (On Mastering the Sūtra).” Translated from the Tibetan with commentary. University of Washington, 1972.

Thrangu Rinpoche. King of Samadhi: Commentaries on the Samadhi Raja Sutra and the Song of Lodrö Thaye. Hong Kong, Boudhnath & Århus: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1994.

Glossary

g.1

Ābhāsvara

Ābhāsvara

g.2

Abhāva

dngos po med pa las byung
dngos po med pa las byung ba

དངོས་པོ་མེད་པ་ལས་བྱུང་།
དངོས་པོ་མེད་པ་ལས་བྱུང་བ།

Abhāva
Abhāvasamudgata

g.3

Abhirati

mngon par dga’ ba

མངོན་པར་དགའ་བ།

Abhirati

g.5

Absence of attributes

mtshan ma ma mchis pa
mtshan ma med pa

མཚན་མ་མ་མཆིས་པ།
མཚན་མ་མེད་པ།

animitta

g.9

Aggregate of correct conduct

tshul khrims kyi phung po

ཚུལ་ཁྲིམས་ཀྱི་ཕུང་པོ།

g.12

Ajita

mi pham pa

མི་ཕམ་པ།

Ajita

g.14

Akṣobhya

mi ’khrugs pa

མི་འཁྲུགས་པ།

Akṣobhya

g.21

Ānanda

kun dga’ bo

ཀུན་དགའ་བོ།

Ānanda

g.28

Aniruddha

ma ’gags pa

མ་འགགས་པ།

Aniruddha

g.32

Apsaras

lha mo

ལྷ་མོ།

apsaras

g.33

Arhat

dgra bcom pa

དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ།

arhat

g.40

Asura

lha ma yin

ལྷ་མ་ཡིན།

asura

g.44

Avadavat

ka la ping ka
khu byug

ཀ་ལ་པིང་ཀ
ཁུ་བྱུག

kalaviṅka

g.45

Avalokiteśvara

spyan ras gzigs dbang phyug

སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས་དབང་ཕྱུག

Avalokiteśvara
Avalokita

First appeared as a bodhisattva beside Amitābha in the Sukhāvatī 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 Mahāsamghika 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 is 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 (Toh 116), which emphasized the preeminence of Avalokiteśvara above all buddhas and bodhisattvas and introduced the mantra oṃ maṇipadme hūṃ.

g.48

Āyatana

skye mched

སྐྱེ་མཆེད།

āyatana

g.51

Bandé

ban de

བན་དེ།

(vanda)

g.54

Bhadrapāla

bzang skyong

བཟང་སྐྱོང་།

Bhadrapāla

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Head of the “sixteen excellent men” (ṣoḍaśasatpuruṣa), a group of householder bodhisattvas present in the audience of many sūtras. He appears prominently in certain sūtras, such as The Samādhi of the Presence of the Buddhas (Pratyutpannabuddhasaṃmukhāvasthitasamādhisūtra, Toh 133) and is perhaps also the merchant of the same name who is the principal interlocutor in The Questions of Bhadrapāla the Merchant (Toh 83).

g.56

Bherī drum

rnga chen
rnga bo che

རྔ་ཆེན།
རྔ་བོ་ཆེ།

bherī
bheri

g.57

Bhikṣu

dge slong

དགེ་སློང་།

bhikṣu

g.67

Bhūmi

ས།

bhūmi

g.73

Bodhisattva

byang chub sems dpa’

བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ།

bodhisattva
buddhaputra

g.74

Brahmā

tshangs pa

ཚངས་པ།

Brahmā

g.79

Brahmakāyika

tshangs ris

ཚངས་རིས།

Brahmakāyika

g.91

Brother

tshe dang ldan pa

ཚེ་དང་ལྡན་པ།

ayuśman

g.92

Buddha qualities

sangs rgyas kyi chos

སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་ཆོས།

buddhadharmāḥ

The specific qualities of a buddha; may sometimes be used as a general term, and sometimes referring to sets such as the ten strengths, the four fearlessnesses, the four discernments, the eighteen distinct qualities of a buddha, and so forth; or, more specifically, to another set of eighteen: the ten strengths; the four fearlessnesses; mindfulness of body, speech, and mind; and great compassion.

Alternatively, in the context of this sūtra, see 3.2-3.4.

g.95

Cakravartin

’khor los sgyur ba

འཁོར་ལོས་སྒྱུར་བ།

cakravartin

g.96

Candrabhānu

zla ba’i ’od zer

ཟླ་བའི་འོད་ཟེར།

Candrabhānu

g.97

Candrakīrti

zla ba grags pa

ཟླ་བ་གྲགས་པ།

Candrakīrti

g.99

Candraprabha

zla ’od

ཟླ་འོད།

Candraprabha

g.100

Cāturmahārājakāyika

rgyal po chen po bzhi’i ris

རྒྱལ་པོ་ཆེན་པོ་བཞིའི་རིས།

Cāturmahārājakāyika

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the heavens of Buddhist cosmology, lowest among the six heavens of the desire realm (kāmadhātu, ’dod khams). Dwelling place of the Four Great Kings (Caturmahārāja, rgyal chen bzhi), traditionally located on a terrace of Sumeru, just below the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Each cardinal direction is ruled by one of the Four Great Kings and inhabited by a different class of nonhuman beings as their subjects: in the east, Dhṛtarāṣṭra rules the gandharvas; in the south, Virūḍhaka rules the kumbhāṇḍas; in the west, Virūpākṣa rules the nāgas; and in the north, Vaiśravaṇa rules the yakṣas.

g.110

Daśaśataraśmihutārci

nyi ma me’i ’od ’phro can

ཉི་མ་མེའི་འོད་འཕྲོ་ཅན།

Daśaśataraśmihutārci

g.111

Deva

ལྷ།

deva

g.113

Devendra

lha dbang

ལྷ་དབང་།

Devendra

g.114

Dhāraṇī

gzungs

གཟུངས།

dhāraṇī

g.116

Dharmabhāṇaka

chos smra ba

ཆོས་སྨྲ་བ།

dharmabhāṇaka

g.118

Dharmakāya

chos kyi sku

ཆོས་ཀྱི་སྐུ།

dharmakāya

g.121

Dharmatāśīla

chos nyid tshul khrims

ཆོས་ཉིད་ཚུལ་ཁྲིམས།

Dharmatāśīla

g.122

Dharmavyūha

chos bkod pa

ཆོས་བཀོད་པ།

Dharmavyūha

g.124

Dhātu

khams

ཁམས།

dhātu

g.130

Discernment

so so yang dag par rig pa

སོ་སོ་ཡང་དག་པར་རིག་པ།

pratisaṃvida

g.131

Disciplines of mendicancy

sbyangs pa’i yon tan
sbyangs dag
sbyangs tshul

སྦྱངས་པའི་ཡོན་ཏན།
སྦྱངས་དག
སྦྱངས་ཚུལ།

dhūtaguṇa
dhūta

Ascetic practices that are optional for monks and nuns or undertaken only for a defined time period. They are traditionally listed as being twelve in number: (1) wearing rags (pāṃśukūlika, phyag dar khrod pa), (2) (in the form of only) three religious robes (traicīvarika, chos gos gsum), (3) (coarse in texture as) garments of felt (nāma[n]tika, ’phyings pa pa), (4) eating by alms (paiṇḍapātika, bsod snyoms pa), (5) having a single mat to sit on (aikāsanika, stan gcig pa), (6) not eating after noon (khalu paścād bhaktika, zas phyis mi len pa), (7) living alone in the forest (āraṇyaka, dgon pa pa), (8) living at the base of a tree (vṛkṣamūlika, shing drungs pa), (9) living in the open (ābhyavakāśika, bla gab med pa), (10) frequenting cemeteries (śmāśānika, dur khrod pa), (11) sleeping sitting up (naiṣadika, cog bu pa), and (12) accepting whatever seating position is offered (yāthāsaṃstarika, gzhi ji bzhin pa); this last of the twelve is sometimes interpreted as not omitting any house on the almsround, i.e. regardless of any reception expected. Mahāvyutpatti, 1127-39.

g.138

Dundubhisvara

rnga dbyangs

རྔ་དབྱངས།

Dundubhisvara

g.144

Eloquence

spobs pa

སྤོབས་པ།

pratibhāna

g.145

Emptiness

stong pa nyid

སྟོང་པ་ཉིད།

śūnyatā

g.149

Fearlessness

mi ’jigs pa

མི་འཇིགས་པ།

vaiśaradya

g.158

Gandhahasti

spos kyi glang po che

སྤོས་ཀྱི་གླང་པོ་ཆེ།

Gandhahasti

g.160

Gandharva

dri za

དྲི་ཟ།

gandharva

g.169

Garuḍa

khyung

ཁྱུང་།

garuḍa

The King of Samādhis Sūtra The Buddha’s Smile

Toh 127

The King of Samādhis Sūtra
The Buddha’s Smile