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ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན་གྱི་རྒྱལ་པོའི་མདོ།

The King of Samādhis Sūtra
Yaśaḥprabha

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.

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]

38.2

“They should meditate on the strength of patience, rely on patience, and promulgate patience. They should be dedicated to the Dharma, long for the Dharma, possess the Dharma, engage in the Dharma in a way that accords with the Dharma, and apply themselves to making offerings to the buddhas.

38.3

“They should apply themselves to three points. What are the three points? They are ending the kleśas, mastering merit,1339 and generating the roots of goodness out of longing for the wisdom of the buddhas and not out of desire for reaching worldly happiness. Apply yourself to those three points.”1340

38.4

Thereupon the Bhagavān, to explain what this meant, related an account of the past by chanting the following extensive verses to the youth Candraprabha:1341

38.5

“Young man, listen to me as I tell you

How I practiced for thousands of eons.

Seeking this sublime, excellent samādhi,

I made offerings to hundreds of thousands of buddhas. {1}

38.6

“In that way, after countless eons had passed,

As numerous as the grains of sand in a hundred worlds,

When such a number had passed by

There appeared a jina named Gaṇeśvara. {2}

38.7

“There were no fewer than six hundred billion

In the saṅgha of that jina.

All were without ouflows, their kleśas had come to an end,

They had dhyāna, and were established in the eight liberations. {3}

38.8

“At that time the entire surface of this earth

Was pleasant and had good harvests, and no disorder.

All the people were joyful and happy,

And the happiness of humanity was widespread. {4}

38.9

“Everyone possessed the strength of merit.

They were attractive and beloved.

All were rich and possessed much wealth,

And physically they experienced divine pleasures. {5}

38.10

“They were gentle, with good discipline and few kleśas.

They enjoyed1342 the strength of patience and had good features.

They were like devas within the paradises.

They possessed the qualities of correct conduct and understanding. {6}

38.11

“At that time there was a sovereign, [F.146.b]

A king named Varapuṣpasa.

He had no fewer than five hundred sons,

All endowed with mindfulness and realization. {7}

38.12

“That king and his sons offered to the Jina,

To that compassionate one,

Six hundred thousand parks,

All beautified by flowers and fruits,1343 {8}

38.13

“And a hundred thousand various parks

With thousands of walkways, seats, and beds,

And with a trillion Dharma robes

Spread on the ground where they walked and sat. {9}

38.14

“Thus the king with great faith

Presented to that Sugata

In many thousands of ways

Whatever renunciants would enjoy. {10}

38.15

“That king, who followed the path

Of the ten good actions,

Came to see the Guide, accompanied by

A hundred thousand trillion beings. {11}

38.16

“Holding flowers, perfumes, and incense,

Parasols, banners, and musical instruments,

He made offerings to that Jina,

And with his hands in homage sat before him. {12}

38.17

“The thousands of bhikṣus were pleased,

As were the devas, humans, asuras, and yakṣas, wondering,

‘The Jina to whom these offerings were made, will he give a prophecy?

Will this lord of humans teach the Dharma?’ {13}

38.18

“The self-arisen one knew their thoughts

And knew the king’s supreme motivation,

That his aspiration was to the further shore,

And therefore taught him the samādhi of peace. {14}

38.19

“When the Sugata’s voice came forth

The earth and its forests shook.

A rain of flowers fell from the sky

And hundreds of lotuses appeared out of the ground. {15}

38.20

“The Teacher had trained in the words and their meaning,

And the Guide, knowing the king’s thoughts, gave a prophecy.

That lord of men taught the samādhi of peace.

Listen to these words and their meaning. {16}

38.21

“ ‘All existences are nonexistent: they are concepts,

They are insubstantial, they are like mirages and illusions.

They are like lightning and clouds, unstable and empty.1344

All are without a self, without a being, without a soul.1345 {17}

38.22

“ ‘Primordially empty, phenomena do not come. [F.147.a]

They have not come, they are not present, and they have no location.

They are always without essence; they have the nature of an illusion.

They are all pure‍—completely pure like space. {18}

38.23

“ ‘They are neither blue, nor yellow, nor white.

Those are just names, vacuous, with a nature that is just sound.

They are devoid of mind; their nature is not mind.

They are momentary and are devoid of sound. {19}

38.24

“ ‘Words do not go anywhere if spoken.

Words are not diminished if not spoken.

Words do not go in any direction.

Words do not come from anywhere.1346 {20}

38.25

“ ‘Words do not perish, cease, or end,

Whether they are spoken or unspoken.

Words are said to be always unceasing.

Those who know that will be unceasing. {21}

38.26

“ ‘In the past, hundreds of thousands of buddhas

Have taught the Dharma hundreds of thousands of times.

But the Dharma does not cease; words do not cease,

And as there is no arising, there is no cessation. {22}

38.27

“ ‘Those who know the unceasing Dharma

Will always know the unceasing Dharma.

Having taught a hundred thousand sūtras,

They know that the Dharma is devoid of words.1347 {23}

38.28

“ ‘The Dharma that the jinas have taught

Is unceasing and therefore is not seen.

The Dharma is primordially without a self, without a being.

Although1348 it is taught, it does not cease. {24}

38.29

“ ‘The wise teach using all words,

But their minds are not captivated by the words.

All words are like echoes on a mountain,

So therefore never have attachment to words. {25}

38.30

“ ‘The Dharma is taught through illusory words

And all those words cease in that instant.

That which is the characteristic of those words

Is the characteristic that all phenomena have. {26}

38.31

“ ‘All phenomena have no characteristics, are devoid of characteristics;

They all have no characteristics, and are pure of characteristics.

They are always empty, and they are as pure as space.

In brief, they cannot be enumerated. {27}

38.32

“ ‘They are devoid of “composite” or “noncomposite,”

And the sages have no concepts concerning them;

They have arrived at the noncomposite in all the existences of beings

And are always devoid of contrived views. {28}

38.33

“ ‘The one whose mind is at rest in that nature

Is always without desire, anger, and ignorance.

The one who knows phenomena in that way [F.147.b]

Becomes strong with the strength of samādhi. {29}

38.34

“ ‘Just as echoes are created through conditions

In caves, mountains, and canyons,

All that is composite is known to be the same:

The entire world is like an illusion, a mirage. {30}

38.35

“ ‘This samādhi of peace is taught by one

Who has the strength of wisdom, the qualities of the Dharma,

Who with the strength of knowledge has the higher cognitions of the sages,

And who has skill in methods of speech and knows the definitions of words. {31}

38.36

“ ‘The appellations that are spoken are merely appellations;

Within saṃsāra there is no end to be found.

That which was in the past is devoid of characteristics,

And one should be certain that the future is the same. {32}

38.37

“ ‘Through engaging in creating karma

There will be the best and the worst.

Knowing that all things are always empty,

Empty by nature, and that all things are without a self, {33}

38.38

“ ‘The Jina thus teaches the relative Dharma:

Regard the composite and noncomposite in that way.

There truly is no self and no human.

That is the characteristic of all beings. {34}

38.39

“ ‘Good and bad karma are indestructible.

Whatever I have created I will have to experience;

The result of one’s actions cannot be transferred to others.

Nothing is experienced without a cause.1349 {35}

38.40

“ ‘All existences are illusory and powerless,

As insubstantial and insignificant as foam.

They are always empty, like illusions and mirages.1350

They are taught through words, but are devoid of them. {36}

38.41

“ ‘Understand in that way without having pride.

Have correct conduct but without attachment,

With the power of patience have no conceptualization,

And, practicing in that way, rest in equanimity.’ {37}

38.42

“The king understood the Dharma

That was taught by the Jina.

When the king had heard this Dharma from the Jina,

Together with his entourage he took up the training. {38}

38.43

“The king, having heard this samādhi,

Joyous and happy, said these words:

‘This samādhi you have taught is excellent

And I bow down to your feet.’ {39}

38.44

“Eighty thousand beings who were there [F.148.a]

Had heard this excellent nature of phenomena,

This teaching on the ultimate truth,

And attained the acceptance of birthlessness. {40}

38.45

“A person has no origination or cessation,

And likewise these phenomena have always been empty.

When that is known there is no loss,

And the king attained the acceptance of birthlessness. {41}

38.46

“The king1351 renounced his kingdom

And entered homelessness in that Jina’s teaching.

And all five hundred princes, no less,

Followed him into the homeless state. {42}

38.47

“When the king and his princes had entered homelessness,

Many thousands of other beings also at that time

Entered homelessness in the presence of the Sugata,

Seeking to receive the Dharma of that Jina. {43}

38.48

“For a full two thousand years

The Jina taught the Dharma.

And the king, his sons, and the people

Practiced the Dharma for those two thousand years. {44}

38.49

“And then at a later time

The Jina passed into nirvāṇa.

The Jina’s śrāvakas also passed away

And his Dharma became diminished. {45}

38.50

“At that time there was a prince,1352

Puṇyamatin, who had faith and trust.

There was a bhikṣu connected with his family

Who taught to him this samādhi of peace. {46}

38.51

“The bhikṣu was gentle and mild,

Honored by a hundred thousand beings,

Was followed by a billion devas,

And was praised when he came to the city. {47}

38.52

“He had recollection and realization.

He was disciplined and compassionate, and he delighted in correct conduct.

His lovely voice was not harsh but gentle,

And he had attained the power of knowledge of the sensory constituents. {48}

38.53

“That bhikṣu was named Yaśaḥprabha.

He received a billion Dharma robes.

Unable to endure the strength of his merit

A thousand monks became jealous of him. {49}

38.54

“He had the strength of merit and the strength of body,

The strength of wisdom and the strength of miracles,

The strength of correct conduct, the strength of samādhi,

And the strength of the Dharma, and therefore was a superior bhikṣu. {50}

38.55

“He delighted and was beloved by people.

Bhikṣus, upāsakas, and bhikṣuṇīs,

Those beings who had faith in the Jina’s teaching, [F.148.b]

Made offerings to him and honored him. {51}

38.56

“The one who was the king’s son was there,

Puṇyamatin, who had constant faith and trust.

When he knew that many bhikṣus had wickedness in mind,

He became a protector for his teacher. {52}

38.57

“Five hundred thousand people,

Armored and holding swords and clubs,

Constantly surrounded the bhikṣu

Who taught the conduct that is endlessly correct. {53}

38.58

“He taught to his followers the Dharma

That phenomena are empty, with no self and no soul.

Those who were fixated on objects and were attached to a self

Did not approve of the bhikṣu’s teaching. {54}

38.59

“Those bhikṣus rose up and took up weapons,

As they did not approve of emptiness and peace.

They said, ‘What this bhikṣu is teaching is not the Dharma,

It will be meritorious if we kill him.’ {55}

38.60

“The bhikṣu was not afraid when he saw their weapons.

He was aware of the emptiness of phenomena,

That there was no being or man there to be killed,

That these phenomena were as insubstantial as plaster. {56}

38.61

“The bhikṣu placed his hands together upon his head

And spoke these words of homage to the jinas:

‘Through the truth of the emptiness of phenomena

May these weapons become coral tree flowers!’ {57}

38.62

“He possessed the conduct and discipline of the Sage

And as soon as he spoke those words and no others,

The earth and its forests shook

And the weapons became coral tree flowers. {58}

38.63

“At that time, the bhikṣus who believed in objective reality

And who were holding weapons became ill-shaped in body.

They could not approach any nearer

And became frightened and greatly amazed. {59}

38.64

“Those who had faith and trust in the Lord of sages,

Those who delighted in emptiness and peace,

They cried out ‘A la la!’1353 a thousand times,

And presented the bhikṣu with hundreds of lengths of cloth. {60}

38.65

“The bhikṣu had love for them

And said to all the people before him,

‘I will practice bodhisattva conduct

For the sake of those beings who are angry with me.’ {61}

38.66

“Then for no fewer than eighty years

He taught emptiness, the treasure of the jinas.

And the son of the king protected him

From the thousands of bhikṣus who were his adversaries. {62}

38.67

“During that time he was despised,

And his bhikṣus became few in number.

Evil things were heard said about him, [F.149.a]

But the power of his patience never declined.1354 {63}

38.68

“Then at another time he accomplished

A great benefit for hundreds of beings.

He recollected countless Dharma teachings1355

And at that time Puṇyamatin felt great joy.1356 {64}

38.69

“He1357 respectfully honored the bhikṣu

And then Puṇyamatin said to him,

‘No one at all should do anything

That is displeasing to my teacher.’ {65}

38.70

“He1358 replied, ‘Young prince, listen to me.

It is through the power of patience that buddhas appear.

When someone speaks unpleasantly to me,

Toward him I feel a great love.’ {66}

38.71

“I was that bhikṣu Yaśaḥprabha,

Who meditated on patience in previous lives

Throughout a hundred thousand eons.”

Those were the words Bhagavān Śākyamuni spoke. {67}

38.72

“The prince Puṇyamatin, who was

The protector of Bhikṣu Yaśaḥprabha,

Has been my companion in thousands of lifetimes,

And I prophesy that he will be Buddha Maitreya.1359 {68}

38.73

“The one who made offerings to the teacher Gaṇeśvara,

The one who had built a perfect monastery,

The one who was previously known as Varapuṣpasa 1360

Became the Lord of humans Padmottara.1361 {69}

38.74

“In that way, for many endless eons

I held the Dharma of the jinas.

In the past, I accomplished the power of patience.

Young man, having heard this, follow my example. {70}

38.75

“After I have passed into nirvāṇa, in future times

When the Dharma is being destroyed

Bhikṣus will follow the thoughts of tīrthikas

And will forsake my Dharma of peace. {71}

38.76

“They will be arrogant, conceited, wicked, and reckless.

They will associate with sinners and be greedy for food.

They will be attached to their robes and alms bowls, greedy for cloth,

And be devoted to acquisition and forsake the Dharma. {72}

38.77

“They will be aggressive, fierce, and ungrateful.

They will come from vile families, poor families,

Enter homelessness within my teaching

And will reject the Dharma of peace. {73}

38.78

“They will have Māra’s thoughts and will be beings in darkness.

They will be under the power of desire and have strong attachment. [F.149.b]

They will be under the power of ignorance and be ignorant fools,

And they will not delight in the Dharma of emptiness and peace. {74}

38.79

“The bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, and laypeople,

With wicked minds, will be avaricious and stupid.

They will always become overpowered in that way,

And in the later times they will reject enlightenment. {75}

38.80

“Listen, young man, to these my words.

A bhikṣu should always dwell in solitude.

Those who long for peace and emptiness

Should possess this Dharma of the jinas. {76}

38.81

“The one who possesses this samādhi

Has practiced homelessness in my teaching,

Is ordained as a bhikṣu and practices poṣadha,

And eats free of craving, without attachment to food. {77}

38.82

“Forsaking all concern for life and body,

Meditate on emptiness, upon perfect peace.

Meditating with dedication, complete dedication.

Like a deer, live always in the forests. {78}

38.83

“Always make offerings to the jinas 1362

With parasols, banners,1363 and with dwellings.1364

Make offerings to stūpas of the sugatas

And quickly attain this samādhi. {79}

38.84

“Develop the aspiration for the state of enlightenment.

Beautify the stūpas of the sugatas,

Adorning them with gold and covering them with silver,

And have beautiful images from precious materials made. {80}

38.85

“Make a commitment to attain enlightenment

And make all the good offerings that there are in the world,

Of all that is pleasing to devas and humans,

And honor the buddhas with desirable offerings. {81}

38.86

“See as the true nature, too, all the lords of humans;

For within the worlds in all ten directions,

The jinas who are present and those who have passed away

Have come to be buddhas through the true nature. {82}

38.87

“Have the aspiration to be generous to all.

Have pure conduct and a stable mind.

Delight in patience and always delight in kindness,

And know that all phenomena are empty. {83}

38.88

“Develop diligence confidently and fearlessly.

Delight in dhyāna and delight in solitude.

Develop wisdom, completely pure wisdom,

And quickly become compassionate. {84} [F.150.a]

38.89

“Always pacify desire through contemplating ugliness,

Overcome anger with the power of patience,

Overcome ignorance with the power of wisdom,

And attain the enlightenment praised by the jinas. {85}

38.90

“The body has no essence; it is like foam.

It creates suffering, and is putrid and foul smelling.

Know all aggregates to be insubstantial

And quickly attain the highest wisdom. {86}

38.91

“Never hold views that give rise to bad actions:

That there is a self, an individual, and a soul.

Know that all phenomena are empty

And quickly reach the highest enlightenment. {87}

38.92

“Never have yearning for possessions.

Do not be distressed if you do not obtain alms,

Be unmoved by praise or blame,

And be as unshakable as Mount Meru. {88}

38.93

“With veneration seek the Dharma;

Having heard it then become that.

Maintain the conduct of the jinas

And quickly go to the realm of Sukhāvatī. {89}

38.94

“Be even-minded toward all beings.

Do not have likes or dislikes in your mind.

Do not long for gain and fame,

And quickly become a buddha, a lord of sages. {90}

38.95

“Always describe the qualities of the buddhas

Correctly through their definitions,

So that the beings who hear about the qualities will have faith

And you cause them to aspire to the qualities of a buddha. {91}

38.96

“Always venerate your teacher,

Your parents, and similarly all beings.

Do not fall under the power of pride,

And attain the thirty-two signs of a great being. {92}

38.97

“Avoid all crowds without exception,

And always delight in solitude.

Always be pleasant, disciplined, and peaceful.

Be beneficial for yourself and beneficial to other beings. {93}

38.98

“Cultivate kindness and compassion,

And always aspire to rejoicing and equanimity.

Always follow the teaching of the jinas

And quickly become one who benefits the world. {94}

38.99

“Never gain wicked friends;

Have friends who are noble.1365 [F.150.b]

Those who long for emptiness and peace

Are established in the path to supreme enlightenment. {95}

38.100

“Do not train on the level of the śrāvakas,

And do not delight in their practice.

Do not turn your mind away from the buddha qualities

And quickly become a buddha, a lord of jinas. {96}

38.101

“Always speak pure, true words.

Do not speak harshly or tell lies.

Always speak gently and pleasantly

And obtain the speech of the world’s teacher. {97}

38.102

“Do not be concerned with your life and body.

Do not criticize others and praise yourself.

Accomplish your own good qualities

And have equanimity toward the conduct of others. {98}

38.103

“Always delight in the liberations and emptiness.

Do not make prayers for rebirth in the realms of beings.

Abandon all concepts without exception

And always abide in a state without concepts. {99}

38.104

“Reject the extremes at all times.

Do not follow nihilism or eternalism.

Always know that everything is dependent,

And in that way become such a teacher. {100}

38.105

“Reject delighting in the pleasures of desires,

Reject the stains of rigid anger,

Reject all the darkness of ignorance,

And become a lion among men, delighting in peace. {101}

38.106

“Always see that the permanent is impermanent.

Be liberated from the happiness and suffering of all existences.

See that self and purity are nonself and impure.

Meditate and become a lord of men. {102}

38.107

“The jinas, the lamps for the world,

Taught whatever Dharma would be beneficial.

They defeated the armies of the māras

And attained the supreme, highest enlightenment. {103}

38.108

“I have taught the good qualities that there are

And described hundreds of faults.

Reject the faults and practice the qualities.

Then, young man, in this life you will become a buddha.” {104}

38.109

Conclusion of the thirty-eighth chapter, “Yaśaḥprabha.”1366 [B14]

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.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.

n.1339

According to the Sanskrit puṇyabalādhipataye and the Tibetan of the commentary bsod nams kyi dbang du gyur pa. The Tibetan translation of the sūtra has bsod nams kyi zhing du gyur pa (“becoming a field of merit”), which from the context appears to be an error.

n.1340

The prose up to this point does not appear in the Chinese.

n.1341

The Chinese version of this sentence is more detailed.

n.1342

According to the Sanskrit abhirata and the Tibetan dga’ zhing of the Narthang, Coné, Peking, and related Kangyurs. The Degé, Lhasa, and Stok Palace have dpa’ zhing (“heroic”), which may be a scribal corruption of dga’ zhing. but could also mean “were heroic” [with the strength of patience].

n.1343

In the Chinese the last line of this verse is the first line of a verse with three additional lines. The division into verses of this entire passage differs in the Chinese.

n.1344

The Chinese uses the analogies of a wild horse and foam.

n.1345

The commentary explains this verse at great length (18 pages in the Degé Tengyur, from F.239.a.1 to F.248.a.3).

n.1346

This verse is translated according to the Tibetan and accords with the Chinese.

n.1347

The order of this and the preceding verse is reversed in the Chinese.

n.1348

Chinese: “because.”

n.1349

The order of this and the preceding verse is reversed in the Chinese.

n.1350

Chinese: “moon on water.”

n.1351

The Chinese uses the name 善花 (shan hua), which translates Supuṣpa, the name of the bhikṣu in chapter 36, which appears to be a scribal error for 善化 (shan hua, Varapuṣpasa). The first character is the same, while the second characters sound very similar; one is “flower” 花 (hua, the first tone), the other one is “tamable” 化 (hua, the fourth tone): “transformation, transformable, teachable, tamed, tamable.” However, both Varapuṣpasa and Supuṣpa have been prophesied to become Maitreya.

n.1352

Chinese: “At that time King Supuṣpa (in error for Varapuṣpasa) had a son named …”

n.1353

In the Sanskrit, this interjection translated into Tibetan as a la la is actually hūṃ. Hūṃ, though presently associated with seed-syllables and mantras in tantric practice, in this context is clearly an expression of rejoicing. The Chinese has literally, “uttered loud voices and wept aloud.”

n.1354

The order of this and the preceding verse is reversed in Chinese.

n.1355

The Gilgit has “unblemished correct conduct” instead of “countless Dharma teachings.” The Chinese agrees with the Gilgit, but adds “thought” or “motivation.”

n.1356

The Gilgit has “said these words to him” instead of “felt great joy.” Chinese: “even when he went to visit Puṇyamatin.”

n.1357

Chinese: “The king…”

n.1358

Chinese: “The king…”

n.1359

The Sanskrit actually has an alternative version of his name: Maitraka. The Chinese has an alternative name as well, 慈尊 (ci zun), but the Chinese translation does not make a distinction between Maitreya and Maitraka.

n.1360

The Chinese has Supuṣpa, 善花 (shan hua).

n.1361

According to the BHS padumotturu, and the commentary’s pad ma’i mchog. The Tibetan translation of the sūtra has rkang gnyis gtso bo (“Chief of the two-legged”), perhaps translating from a corruption that included padma (“lotus”) becoming pada (“legs”).

n.1362

Chinese: “at the places of the jinas.”

n.1363

The Chinese adds: “flowers and incense.”

n.1364

The Sanskrit is vihāra, but here with its meaning of huts, forest abodes for renunciants. This is absent in the Chinese.

n.1365

According to the Sanskrit udāra and the Chinese. The Tibetan translates this as rgya che (“vast”) according to one of its other meanings.

n.1366

Conclusion of fascicle 9, in the Taisho edition.

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.21

Ānanda

kun dga’ bo

ཀུན་དགའ་བོ།

Ānanda

g.33

Arhat

dgra bcom pa

དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ།

arhat

g.40

Asura

lha ma yin

ལྷ་མ་ཡིན།

asura

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.57

Bhikṣu

dge slong

དགེ་སློང་།

bhikṣu

g.58

Bhikṣuṇī

dge slong ma

དགེ་སློང་མ།

bhikṣuṇī

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.105

Coral tree

man dA ra ba

མན་དཱ་ར་བ།

māndārava

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the five trees of Indra’s paradise, its heavenly flowers often rain down in salutation of the buddhas and bodhisattvas and are said to be very bright and aromatic, gladdening the heart of those who see them. In this world, it is a tree native to India, Erythrina indica or Erythrina variegata, commonly known as the Indian coral tree, mandarava tree, flame tree, and tiger’s claw. In the early spring, before its leaves grow, the tree is fully covered in large flowers, which are rich in nectar and attract many birds. Although the most widespread coral tree has red crimson flowers, the color of the blossoms is not usually mentioned in the sūtras themselves, and it may refer to some other kinds, like the rarer Erythrina indica alba, which boasts white flowers.

g.110

Daśaśataraśmihutārci

nyi ma me’i ’od ’phro can

ཉི་མ་མེའི་འོད་འཕྲོ་ཅན།

Daśaśataraśmihutārci

g.111

Deva

ལྷ།

deva

g.114

Dhāraṇī

gzungs

གཟུངས།

dhāraṇī

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.126

Dhyāna

bsam gtan

བསམ་གཏན།

dhyāna

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.160

Gandharva

dri za

དྲི་ཟ།

gandharva

g.163

Gaṇeśvara

tshogs kyi dbang phyug

ཚོགས་ཀྱི་དབང་ཕྱུག

Gaṇeśvara

g.169

Garuḍa

khyung

ཁྱུང་།

garuḍa

g.176

Good beings

skyes bu dam pa

སྐྱེས་བུ་དམ་པ།

satpuruṣa

g.177

Good Eon

skal pa bzang po

སྐལ་པ་བཟང་པོ།

Bhadrakalpa
Bhadraka

g.179

Gṛdhrakūṭa

rgod kyi phung po

རྒོད་ཀྱི་ཕུང་པོ།

Gṛdhrakūṭa

g.182

Higher cognition

mngon par shes pa

མངོན་པར་ཤེས་པ།

abhijñā

The higher cognitions are listed as either five or six. The first five are: clairvoyance (divine sight), divine hearing, knowing how to manifest miracles, remembering previous lives, knowing what is in the minds of others. A sixth, knowing that all defects have been eliminated, is often added. The first five are attained through dhyāna, and are sometimes described as worldly, as they can be attained to some extent by non-Buddhist yogis; while the sixth is supramundane and attained only by realization‍—by bodhisattvas, or according to some accounts only by buddhas.

The King of Samādhis Sūtra Yaśaḥprabha

Toh 127

The King of Samādhis Sūtra
Yaśaḥprabha