རིན་པོ་ཆེ་ཏོག་གི་གཟུངས།

The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī

Ratnaketudhāraṇī

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འཕགས་པ་འདུས་པ་ཆེན་པོ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་ཏོག་གི་གཟུངས་ཤེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།

’phags pa ’dus pa chen po rin po che tog gi gzungs shes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo

The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī” from the Great Collection

Āryamahāsannipātaratnaketudhāraṇīnāmamahāyānasūtra

Toh 138

Degé Kangyur, vol. 56 (mdo sde, na), folios 187.b–277.b.

Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

First published 2020
Current version v 1.0.11 (2021)
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Summary

s.1

The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī is one of the core texts of the Mahāsannipāta collection of Mahāyāna sūtras that dates back to the formative period of Mahāyāna Buddhism, from the first to the third century ᴄᴇ. Its rich and varied narratives, probably redacted from at least two independent works, recount significant events from the lives, past and present, of the Buddha Śākyamuni and some of his main followers and opponents, both human and nonhuman. At the center of these narratives is the climactic episode from the Buddha’s life when Māra, the personification of spiritual death, sets out to destroy the Buddha and his Dharma. The mythic confrontation between these paragons of light and darkness, and the Buddha’s eventual victory, are related in vivid detail. The main narratives are interwoven with Dharma instructions and interspersed with miraculous events. The text also exemplifies two distinctive sūtra genres, “prophecies” (vyākaraṇa) and “incantations” (dhāraṇī), as it includes, respectively, prophecies of the future attainment of buddhahood by some of the Buddha’s followers and the potent phrases that embody the Buddha’s teachings and are meant to ensure their survival and the thriving of its practitioners.

ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.1

This translation was produced by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the supervision of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Wiesiek Mical translated the extant parts from the Sanskrit and wrote the introduction. Timothy Hinkle compared the translation from the Sanskrit against the Tibetan translation and translated from the Tibetan the parts that are lost in the original Sanskrit.

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

ac.2

The generous sponsorship of Twenty and family, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is gratefully acknowledged. They would like to dedicate their sponsorship to Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche.

Introduction

i.1

The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī presents the dramatic events in the life of the Buddha when Māra attempts to destroy the Buddha, break up the Saṅgha, and annihilate the Dharma, a struggle from which the Buddha eventually emerges victorious. This epic confrontation is told with tremendous verve and poignancy, and features characters, dialogue, and plot twists that rank among the best in Buddhist literature. The narrative starts with its own version of the well-known story of the conversion of two of the Buddha’s most prominent early disciples, Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, and is soon embellished with quaint stories from the past lives of some of the characters, ranging from well-known buddha figures down to (at one time) ordinary human and nonhuman beings. The parts of the narrative that unfold on earth are centered around the city of Rājagṛha, the capital of Magadha. They provide some interesting insight into the everyday life of India at the time, with its division into secular and religious members of society, and vividly capture the experiences that Buddhist monks might have had when going on their daily alms-rounds in the city streets. This is interspersed with lively dialogue that is at once didactic and aesthetically captivating. Especially moving is the conversation that Māra has with his children, when the daughters try to console their distraught father, who bitterly despairs over the impending loss of his realm and the humiliation of seeing his minions, even his own children, desert him, with all the pathos of a broken old man and all the obduracy of a petulant child.

Homage

h.1

[F.187.b] [B1]10 Homage to the thus-gone Splendorous with the Gentle Glow of Light and Fragrance!

h.2

Homage to the one with the melodious voice of Mahābrahmā!

h.3

Having paid homage to him, one should employ the dhāraṇī called unharmed by the assemblies of Māra. May I accomplish the following mantra:11

h.4

Avāme avāme amvare amvare {TK4} parikuñja naṭa naṭa puṣkaravaha jalukha khama khaya ili mili kili mili kīrtipara mudre mudramukhe svāhā! {TK5}

Chapter 1

1.1

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Veṇuvana, at the Kalandakanivāpa, near the city of Rājagṛha, with a great saṅgha of a thousand monks, all of whom were noble ones. They had all exhausted defilements, were free from the afflictions, were powerful, had liberated minds, had liberated insight, were of noble birth, were great elephants,12 had done what needed to be done, had completed their mission, had cast off the burden, had achieved their own welfare, had severed the bonds that tied them to existence, had liberated their minds with genuine knowledge, and had perfected all mental powers. There was also a great saṅgha of ten thousand bodhisattvas, including [F.188.a] {TK6} the princely youth Holder of Meru’s Peak, the princely youth Varuṇamati, the princely youth Sumati, the princely youth Jayamati, the princely youth Jinamati, the princely youth Intelligent Light, the princely youth Intelligent Sky, the princely youth Intelligent Lightning, the princely youth Mañjuśrī, the princely youth Durdharṣa, the princely youth Varuṇa, the princely youth Vimala, the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, and others. Each of these ten thousand bodhisattvas had achieved acceptance, retention, and absorption. {TK7} Each possessed the wisdom that is unobscured by any phenomenon, had equal concern for all beings, had transcended all the domains of Māra, and had entered the domain of all the thus-gone ones. Each was knowledgeable, possessed great love and compassion, and was skilled in means.

Chapter 5

5.1

The millions of māras then thought, “We should adorn the gates of the city through which the Blessed One is to enter, as well as the earth surrounding them, with sublime and magnificent ornaments in the same manner as the gods, nāgas, and yakṣas have adorned the surroundings of the city.”

5.2

With his mind, however, the Blessed One knew the thoughts of the millions of māras,[F.227.a] and he manifested a miracle such that through the twelve gates of the city, twelve blessed buddhas entered the city of Rājagṛha. The millions of māras then, while hovering in the sky, adorned the city gates, the area around them, the city walls, its trees, and the surface of the earth with magical ornaments of the māra realm, as well as countless other magnificent miraculous manifestations set in the finest and most beautiful arrangements. Some of the millions of māras transformed into guises ranging from that of Brahmā to those of great sages. {TK131} From their perch in the sky, they placed various flowers, incense, scented powders, garlands, gold, silver, jewels, and pearls on the windows, ledges, and turrets of the mansions in the city, as well as in the trees. They also cast down a rain of cloth, cotton, linen, and ornaments, played many instruments, and venerated the Blessed One with songs of praise, extolling his qualities. The Blessed One then entered Rājagṛha’s city gates, adorned as they were with a supremely extensive and elevating display made in such a novel, incredible, and miraculous fashion.

Chapter 7

7.1

At that time, a bodhisattva great being called Discriminating Intellect was seated before the blessed, thus-gone [F.250.a] Glorious and Brilliantly Shining Jewel, not far from the blessed, thus-gone Śākyamuni. For a short time he was in the guise of Brahmā, before instantaneously appearing in the form of Māra. He likewise briefly appeared in the forms of Śakra, as well as a lord of the gods in the heavens of Making Use of Others’ Emanations, Delighting in Emanations, Tuṣita, Free from Strife, and the Four Great Kings, as well as in the form of Maheśvara, and also as a yakṣa, an asura, a garuḍa, a kinnara, a mahoraga, a rākṣasa, a preta, a piśāca, a kumbhāṇḍa, a kṣatriya, a brahmin, a vaiśya, a śūdra, a lion, an elephant, a buffalo, and myriad other species of the animal realm. Instantaneously he appeared in the form of a bird, a tree, a mountain, fruit, clothing, bedding, heavy cloth, a vase, ornaments, jewelry, medicinal herbs, and a jewel. Instantaneously he also appeared in the form of a monk, a nun, and a buddha. Instantaneously he appeared in eighty-four different colors, characteristics, shapes, and forms.

Chapter 8

8.1

At that time, the thus-gone Akṣobhya addressed the entire assembly: “Noble children, all of you śakras, brahmās, world protectors, and lords of the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and so forth, as well as human and nonhuman beings, who have arrived here out of faith in the buddhas’ teaching—I will uplift you! It is rare to find such a congregation of the blessed buddhas, bodhisattva great beings, śakras, [F.252.a] brahmās, world protectors, and lords of the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and so forth, as well as human and nonhuman beings! Therefore, now that you have seen this, may those of you who are happy to sustain this sacred Dharma—this Dharma method—and propagate the lineage of the Three Jewels in the future in this buddha field each make an aspiration before the Blessed One.” {TK204}

10.

Chapter 10

10.1

The thus-gone Māndāravagandharoca then addressed the thus-gone Śākyamuni, saying, “In the past, previous thus-gone ones came from their disparate buddha fields and congregated in buddha fields that were afflicted and rife with the five degenerations. They excellently blessed this sacred Dharma method. They defeated billions of māras and gazed upon all beings with the eyes of great love and compassion. They freed them from evil views, lit the lamp of insight, and laid out the peaceful path. They delivered this Dharma discourse, this exposition of the dhāraṇī-seal, including its verbal formula, which is called the terminator of birth based on the essential nature of phenomena in their vajra-like indivisibility. Thus they defeated the black faction and planted the banner of the Dharma. In the same way, right now, so many of us blessed buddhas who live and spend our time in the ten directions have assembled in this buddha field filled with the afflictions and the five degenerations out of our concern for others. We have performed acts such as excellently blessing this Dharma method and so forth, as well as planting the banner of the Dharma. However, Śākyamuni, [F.260.a] after your sun has set, who will reign supreme in this buddha field? Who will uphold this sacred Dharma? {TK230} Who will nurture these Dharma methods? Who will bring beings to maturity? Who will be included in this great assembly? Into whose hands shall I entrust this Dharma discourse?”

13.

Chapter 13

13.1

At this time, all the blessed buddhas displayed the signs of rising and returning472 to their respective buddha fields. At the same moment, the beings of this entire assembly, who were on earth as well as in the sky, shuddered, and so did the entire earth. A rain of flowers poured from the sky, millions of instruments resounded in midair, and all kinds of fragrances of perfume and incense were released. As the entire buddha field filled with light, those in the assembly pressed their hands together. Then Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, asked the thus-gone Mahācandanagandha, “How many roots of virtue, O Blessed One, will those beings accumulate who in the future uphold and preserve this Dharma discourse—who read it, master it, and teach it authentically and extensively to others? How many roots of virtue will those beings accumulate who set it down in writing and uphold it in writing?473 What qualities will they be rewarded with by the blessed buddhas?”

Colophon

c.1

Because of the special merit that I have accumulated when refining, with all my devotion, care, and a joyous mind,

The text of this Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī—the dhāraṇī that removes great fear—

May this entire world obtain in this very moment this Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī

Adorned with words of the Sage’s doctrine, clear in meaning, and resplendent with great qualities!

Tibetan Translators’ Colophon

c.2

This sūtra was translated by the Indian preceptor Śilendrabodhi and the translator-editor Yeshé Dé. It was later standardized in line with the new terminological register.

ab.

Abbreviations

D	Tibetan Degé edition
G	Gilgit manuscript
K	Kurumiya 1978 (page numbers entered in braces, e.g. {K26} denotes page 26)
TK	Kurumiya 1979 (page numbers entered in braces, e.g. {TK26} denotes page 26)

Notes

n.1

Braarvig 1993.

n.2

Kurumiya 1978.

n.3

Denkarma, folio 297.a.4. See also Herrmann-Pfandt (2008), p. 52, no. 91.

n.4

Phangthangma, p. 7 (with abbreviated title ’phags pa rin po che’i tog).

n.5

Interestingly, the catalog of the Narthang Kangyur records the tradition that The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī was first translated into Tibetan by Tönmi Sambhoṭa (thon mi sam+b+ho Ta), the legendary seventh century minister and scholar credited with the development of the Tibetan alphabet during the reign of King Songtsen Gampo (ca. 617–650). See Narthang Catalog, folio 14.a.1, and Skilling 1997, p. 89.

n.6

Lamotte 2001, pp. 1541–42.

n.7

This information is based on a private communiqué from Peter Skilling, who does not recall seeing the feminine form vyākaraṇī in any other sūtra.

n.8

Toh 1-1, 1.233 et seq.; see translation in Miller et al. (2018). The Chapter on Going Forth contains a much longer and more detailed account of the story of Upatiṣya and Kaulita (Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana), but the culmination of their story in their encounter with Aśvajit and meeting with the Buddha is related in the present text with a little more detail, including some verses of which the Vinayavastu account has much briefer equivalents. The main additional element in the story in the present version—the advent of Māra following that meeting with Aśvajit—is of course the narrative theme that ties together all the component parts of The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī.

n.9

Skt. dharmanetrī; Tib. chos kyi tshul.

n.10

The following section, up to “I must make them embrace the view of the evil one” at 1.19, has been translated entirely from the Tib., filling a lengthy lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.11

Because of their magical character, uncertain readings, and the extent of corruption, the Sanskrit dhāraṇī formulae in this text would be impossible to translate in full. Although some individual words and phrases are intelligible, it would be risky to attempt a coherent translation—the alliterations (which possibly are part of the magic), for example, would be impossible to replicate in English. These dhāraṇīs have therefore been quoted throughout the translation in the original Sanskrit, with some editorial emendments that affect mainly word divisions and orthography. These emendments by no means make the Sanskrit text correct or even consistent, and have not been reported in the critical apparatus.

n.12

The Buddha and his hearer disciples are often compared to elephants or “great elephants” (mahānāga).

n.13

Tib. kun tu rgyu ba (Skt. parivrājaka). “Wandering mendicants” is a generic designation for the flourishing communities of mendicants of various religious outlooks who lived as wandering spiritual seekers (śramaṇa) in India during the time of the Buddha. Often, these wandering practitioners of various religious paths would interact with one another and exchange views and practices, such as what we hear about in this scripture.

n.14

The “nectar” seems to be referring to the nectar of the Dharma, i.e., the genuine teachings.

n.15

Tib. gang gi chos read as gang gis chos in accordance with the other instance just above.

n.16

This is an expanded version of the well-known and widely quoted stanza, sometimes called “the essence of dependent arising” (rten ’brel snying po), which, in Sanskrit, reads, ye dharmā hetuprabhavā hetuṃ teṣāṃ tathāgato hy avadat | teṣāṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃvādī mahāśramaṇaḥ. One source of this stanza is found in a parallel version of the present narrative in the Chapter on Going Forth (Pravrajyāvastu) chapter of the Vinayavastu, Toh 1-1, folios 33.a–b (see Miller 1.236). The formula in Sanskrit and Pali has acquired the status of a dhāraṇī and is ubiquitous in Buddhist Asia as a seal at the end of texts, rolled into scrolls in stūpas, or used in rituals (sometimes with oṁ at the beginning and svāhā at the end). See also The Sūtra on Dependent Arising (Toh 212), in which the Buddha explains and recommends its use in the construction of stūpas. It should be noted that there are several quite significantly different renderings of the verse in Tibetan—compare, for example, the version in the present text and the one in Toh 1-1. Unfortunately, this stanza is missing in the available Sanskrit portions of The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī (including the Gilgit manuscript which begins from folio 4.a).

n.17

The thousand monks who used to have matted hair is a reference to the one thousand non-Buddhist mendicants who are said to have converted en masse to the Buddha’s teaching and who, at this early point, made up the Buddha’s entire saṅgha. The thousandfold congregation comprised the five hundred followers of Urubilvā-Kāśyapa and the five hundred followers of his two brothers (who each had 250 followers), all practicing beforehand at different points along the River Nairañjana. This is recounted in the Saṅghabhedavastu chapter of the Vinayavastu (Toh 1-17, folio 56.a et seq.; 84000 translation currently in progress). The implication here is that the Buddha had only recently arrived in Rājagṛha for the first time, at Bimbisāra’s invitation.

n.18

Here begins the translation from the Skt.

n.19

“The view of the evil one” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna). Incidentally, it seems a little odd that Māra refers to himself as the “evil one.”

n.20

The Tib. reads, “What I said before about causes and productive causes is false.”

n.21

Skt. mṛtyu; Tib. ’chi bdag.

n.22

The Tib. reads, “Knowing the supreme teachings that captivate the minds of the wise and terminate the three sufferings, / No one anywhere could shake us from this knowledge.”

n.23

Instead of “owing to the Thus-Gone One . . . the wandering mendicant’s life,” the Tib. has “the wandering mendicant’s life of the Thus-Gone One.”

n.24

“Sickness” has been supplied from the Tib.

n.25

“Five hundred” is missing from the Tib.

n.26

“Stable . . . hard” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.27

“Making a great din” has been supplied from the Tib.

n.28

The Tib. is missing “hundreds.”

n.29

After “expounding the Dharma,” the Tib. adds “while gazing ahead.”

n.30

Here, the Tib. renders the Skt. viśārada, defined in Edgerton’s dictionary as “fearlessness,” as “fearless insight,” which could be more correct.

n.31

The Skt. prefix upa functions as the English “Jr.” Hence Upatiṣya means “Tiṣya, Jr.”

n.32

I.e., the “son of Śāri.”

n.33

The sentence beginning “Some people know me” is absent in the Tib.

n.34

The most complete story of Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana going forth can be found in the Pravrajyāvastu.

n.35

The phrase “who convey,” which fills the lacuna in the Skt. text, has been partially reconstructed from the Tib., which, however, is not very clear (gang dag bstan bcos don spyod mkhas pa rig pa’i pha rol song).

n.36

The phrase “and clear” has been supplied from the Tib., filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.37

The Tib. has, “Your path brings beings to the lower realms and causes them to discover an ocean of suffering.”

n.38

The Tib. has, “What more can you say, O garrulous, reckless liar with the voice of a jackal?”

n.39

The Tib. has, “Why do you try to shake me, you fool, with advice to enter nirvāṇa?”

n.40

The Tib. for this verse is, “Has someone arrived today that upset you?”

n.41

“Why won’t you have fun?” has been supplied from the Tib., filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.42

Tib. “He has the lassos of generosity, yogic discipline, contemplation, aspiration, and compassion. / He brandishes the supreme bow and arrow of emptiness and signlessness. / In accordance with the path to absolute peace and escape from saṃsāra, / He is the teacher of how to repel saṃsāra entirely.”

n.43

The Tib. adds at this point (after a comma) “applying themselves according to the precepts” (cho ga bzhin du zhugs nas).

n.44

The Tib. adds “incense” after “perfume.”

n.45

The phrase “and were overjoyed” has been supplied from the Tib., filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.46

The Tibetan of this half-stanza is unclear. It seems to be “The single eye for beings that dries up all rivers of craving, / Seeing the whole world that lacks eye[sight] . . .”

n.47

The Tibetan of this verse is unclear: byang chub yan lag rin chen dri med nor gsung sgron.

n.48

In the Tib., this verse is “Hasten to the refuge provided by the compassionate one.”

n.49

“Along with their retinues” is missing from the Tib.

n.50

“With their retinues” is missing from the Tib.

n.51

“Became even more enraged” has been supplied from the Chinese (Skt. lacuna; cf. K, p. 14, n. 1).

n.52

“Commoners’ ” is a tentative translation of the Tib. dmangs phal shing (Skt. lacuna).

n.53

“Our sons and legions” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.54

The reading “scorched by fire with flaming tongues” follows the Tibetan. Skt. has only aṅgāreṇa vayaṃ (lacuna), “by embers, we . . .”

n.55

The reading “taken refuge” (supported by the Tib.) has been obtained by emending śaramaṃ in Kurumiya’s edition to śaraṇaṃ.

n.56

“Pulled in by the Dharma hook he casts” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.57

“After being entrusted to me” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna); this is a tentative translation of nga la dpang btsugs nas, assuming that dpang is a misspelling of pang.

n.58

“With his magic” is missing from the Tib.

n.59

Tib. “Then, 1.2 quintillion of Māra’s attendants rose up, stretching upward for 84,000 leagues. They manifested violent magical displays of power and dominion, filling the entire space above the four continents with black clouds, violent black winds, and meteors. They slammed the king of mountains, Sumeru, with their hands, making all four continents shake violently.”

n.60

The Tib. has “conjured up a rain of stones a league in size.”

n.61

The Tib. has, “They also conjured up and released a great rain of swords, clubs, stones, lances, javelins, razors, blades similar to razors, axes, blades similar to axe blades, axe blades, (unclear), and terribly (unclear)—a rain of solid, hard, rough, and sharp objects.”

n.62

The Tib. has “turned into a rain of celestial flowers [such as] blue, pink, and red varieties of lotus, māndārava, and great māndārava.”

n.63

The Tib. adds here, “The land of Aṅga-Magadha was not struck by any of the falling meteors; rather, through his blessings a rain fell.”

n.64

The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The source passage has not been located.

n.65

Literally, “endowed with a cranial protuberance (uṣṇīṣa) that cannot be [fully] seen when looked at.” This alludes to the belief in the wide-ranging powers of the Buddha’s uṣṇīṣa. Since it extends all the way to the realm of gods, thereby enabling the Buddha to control all the realms with his body, its full extent cannot be seen from earth. The Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa elaborates on the powers of the Buddha’s uṣṇīṣa at considerable length. See Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Noble Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī, Toh 543 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2020), 14.2–3 et passim.

n.66

Here the Tib. repeats the entire list as above.

n.67

The Tib. does not mention bowing.

n.68

In the Tib. the number is 20,000, and in the Chinese 22,000.

n.69

“In his presence” is missing from the Tib.

n.70

“Who accomplishes all purposes” is the translation of the Buddha’s name, Siddhārtha.

n.71

The part about causes and results is unclear in both the Skt. and the Tib. The Tib. seems to be saying “cause and result from accumulation.”

n.72

In the Tib., these three verses are,“You destroy, O protector of worlds, the disease of ignorance / Wherein one is caught by the sense objects in existence, / Which are like an illusion, a mirage, or the moon reflected in water.”

n.73

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.74

In the Tib., this verse is “May the flowers we tossed in all directions / Become parasols / Eternally providing happiness, / Floating above the crown of the best of bipeds.”

n.75

The Tib. has “living blessed buddhas.”

n.76

The Tib. is somewhat different; it interprets the Skt. svaramaṇḍala (“lute”) literally as the “maṇḍala of sound,” which gives in translation, “They also heard the speech of the blessed buddhas’ melodious maṇḍalas.”

n.77

Prasāda (“faith”) is translated into the Tib. as “admiration and devotion.”

n.78

Instead of “ten trillion” the Tib. has “one quintillion.”

n.79

“Let alone kill him” is absent from the Skt.

n.80

In this address, the Tib. explicitly includes women; the Skt. just has “noble sons.” The same applies to the next four occurrences of “noble son(s).”

n.81

The Tib. says, “They must not grasp, give up, accept, dwell upon, appropriate, conceive of, or conceptualize any phenomenon, so that when they are training in the perfection of generosity, they do not give up, grasp, accept, appropriate, dwell upon, conceive of, or conceptualize the fruits of generosity.”

n.82

The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The last clause, starting from “when they are training,” should be repeated for all the remaining perfections, up to and including the perfection of insight.

n.83

The Skt. words used here for being, the vital principle, and individual soul or personhood (sattva, jīva, poṣa, and puḍgala respectively) are near synonyms. They denote or imply an individual being or individual existence.

n.84

The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from the corresponding passage above.

n.85

The Tib. has “beings or the realm of beings.”

n.86

The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from the corresponding passage above.

n.87

The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from the corresponding passage above.

n.88

The Tib. has “conceptualize the occurring, remaining, or arising of the causes, conditions, reference points, or the ripening of the fruits of the threefold universe, three times, aggregates, elements, or sense bases.”

n.89

“Void” reflects the Tib. reading; the Skt. has, depending on how the sandhi is resolved, either “separate” or “not separate.”

n.90

“Without characteristics” seems to be listed twice.

n.91

For “neither friendly nor hostile” (which as a translation may be problematic), the Tib. has “not directional, not antidotes.”

n.92

“Appropriation, becoming, and birth” are the ninth through eleventh links in the chain of dependent origination. The Tib., however, has the “birth, craving, and appropriation of beings.”

n.93

“This shore and the other” refers to saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, i.e., conditioned existence and liberation.

n.94

Instead of “rocks,” the Tib. has “charnel ground,” reflecting the reading śmaśānaṃ rather than śmānaṃ.

n.95

The reading “without darkness” (atamas) is supported by the Chinese translation; the Tib., however, reads “indescribable.”

n.96

The Tibetan nyams par yang mi bgyid pa (“not subject to deterioration”) makes better sense in the present context than the Skt. na sāmīcīkaroti (“one does not pay respect”).

n.97

The “students and the adepts” (śaikṣa and aśaikṣa, literally “training” and “no more training”) could be referring to the five Mahāyāna paths.

n.98

The reading “one does not analyze” has been obtained by emending Kurumiya’s vivekanayena to vivekanaye na. The Tib. has “one does not analyze or cling.”

n.99

This statement is equally vague and unclear in the Skt. and in the Tib.

n.100

This statement has been supplied from the Tib. (which happens to be unclear), filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.101

The Tib. seems to be rendering this as, “How should one increase and accumulate all of the ornaments of awakening?”

n.102

Possibly the Sāṅkhya concepts of rajas and tamas are meant here.

n.103

The Tib. omits “all the thus-gone ones.”

n.104

This sentence is very unclear in both the Skt. and the Tib. The Skt. is possibly corrupt.

n.105

The past, present, and future.

n.106

In the Tib., this passage, starting from “It is because all phenomena . . . ,” could be read as, “Since phenomena are of the nature of being devoid of any attachment, they are all without imputation. They constitute the limit of nonarising and nonceasing; the ultimate limit where neither ignorance nor nirvāṇa arise; the ultimate limit where neither space nor nirvāṇa arise; the ultimate limit where all phenomena are inexpressible and in which beings are also inexpressible; the limit where all phenomena are insubstantial; the limit where the three times, the three realms of existence, and all the aggregates are nothing whatsoever; the limit where the three formations are emptiness; and the limit where the phenomenal aggregates, ripened aggregates, and the amassing or diminishing aggregates are insubstantial.”

n.107

In the Tib., the last sentence could be read as, “Bodhisattva great beings attain omniscience when they are fully endowed with the understanding of the facts of emptiness, the ultimate reality, the meaning of the inexpressible, and the truth of all phenomena.”

n.108

This number in the Tib. is 9.2 quintillion.

n.109

It is not clear who “these” twenty thousand bodhisattvas are. Possibly the twenty thousand of Māra’s children mentioned in the previous paragraph, who have now entered the bodhisattva path.

n.110

The Tib. adds “servants” after “harem.”

n.111

Instead of “subtle mind” (sūkṣmamati), the Tib. has “peaceful intellect.”

n.112

This line in the Tib. reads, “Destroyer of the suffering of death, transmigration, sickness, aging, and birth.”

n.113

Instead of “subtle mind” (sūkṣmamati), the Tib. has “peaceful intellect.”

n.114

“Uncaused” is missing from the Tib.

n.115

Instead of “subtle mind” (sūkṣmamati), the Tib. has “peaceful intellect.”

n.116

After “the snares of Māra,” the Tib. adds, “and will be released from his ways.”

n.117

The “single principle” is perhaps the same as the one described above for attaining omniscience.

n.118

The Tib. has “death and transmigration.”

n.119

In the Tib. this verse reads, “Blessed One! How does female birth come about?” The Skt. reading, however, is confirmed by the Chinese.

n.120

“Right here and now” is the Tib. reading. The Skt. seems to be saying, “as it is like space.”

n.121

The Tib. has, “Thus addressed by these noble children.”

n.122

To obtain the reading “It has great magical power,” as found in the Tib., one needs to emend mahārthikā in Kurumiya’s edition to maharddhikā.

n.123

The Tib. list additionally includes asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas.

n.124

The Tib. has “head-anointed kṣatriya king.”

n.125

“ Nonhuman beings” is missing from the Tib.

n.126

It is not completely clear whether it is the ascetic sitting on the throne or whether the text is placed on the throne.

n.127

As before, it is not clear whether it is the ascetic sitting on the throne, or the text is placed on the throne.

n.128

The Skt. text breaks off here (and resumes again at °le hihile down below), as one folio is missing from G. The translation of the missing part has been supplied from the Tib.

n.129

In some Tibetan versions, the narrative about the thus-gone Splendorous continues up to this point, i.e., it is he who is seen at the distance of an arrow shot and then recites the dhāraṇī. The Buddha Śākyamuni then recites the same dhāraṇī as part of his own narrative. In this version, the Buddha possibly replicates, at this stage in the narrative, the actions of the thus-gone Splendorous by making the earth shake, appearing in front of all the beings, and reciting the dhāraṇī himself.

n.130

The first part of the dhāraṇī (up to °le hihile) is based on the reconstruction by Dutt, who reconstructed it on the basis of the Tib. (the original Skt. is absent due to a missing manuscript folio).

n.131

Up to this point the text of this dhāraṇī has been reconstructed by Dutt, and the following part by Kurumiya.

n.132

The last part of the dhāraṇī constitutes a request to have the karma of being reborn as a woman purified and to subsequently acquire male characteristics.

n.133

“And our disenchantment” has been supplied from the Tib.

n.134

“Along with her retinue” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.135

Instead of “thus-gone one,” the Tib. has “monk.”

n.136

The Tib. has “Māra’s tricky and deceptive activity.”

n.137

“And from some the male” is absent from the Tib.

n.138

“To some, birth as a preta; to some, birth as a hell being” has been supplied from the Tib.

n.139

“The ending of birth, death, and transmigration” is based on the Tib. The Skt. could be interpreted as “a high birth from which there is no falling back.”

n.140

“A vow breaker” is omitted in the Tib.

n.141

The expression “in the fruit” (phale) is unclear. It would be natural to take phale as standing for phalayāne (following after the preceding solitary buddha yāne and hearer yāne). The term phalayāna (“fruition vehicle” or “resultant vehicle”) later became applied to the tantric vehicle (tantrayāna).

n.142

The Tib. reads, “thus changing their female sex organs and establishing them in the state of being men.”

n.143

Instead of “near the Thus-Gone One” (tathāgatasyāntike), the Tib. has “about the Thus-Gone One.”

n.144

The list, here abbreviated by the Skt. scribe, is meant to include all the stages of the Buddha’s life.

n.145

The Tib. has “the seat of awakening underneath the Bodhi tree.”

n.146

The Tib. reads, “You should not think that the king Utpalavaktra who did [these things] is someone unknown to you. If you are uncertain, vacillating, or doubtful, do not think that way. Why not? It was I who was at that time the king Utpalavaktra, universal monarch ruling over the four continents.”

n.147

This sentence is not completely clear. The Tib. reads, “It was I who acted as the male power.”

n.148

The Tib. reads, “You should not think that the chief queen Surasundarī who went forth at that time is someone unknown to you. If you are uncertain, vacillating, or doubtful, do not think that way. Why not? It was the bodhisattva great being Maitreya who was at that time the chief queen Surasundarī.”

n.149

The Tib. reads, “O good people, you should not think that the soldier Kumārabhṛta, with his retinue of tens of millions of doubt-filled beings who said unpleasant things about the Buddha, is someone unknown to you. If you are uncertain, vacillating, or doubtful, do not think that way. Why not? It was this very Māra, the evil one, who was at that time the soldier Kumārabhṛta.”

n.150

“Asuras” has been supplied from the Tib.; it is also supported by the Chinese.

n.151

“Overcome with grief” (śokāgāre niṣaṇṇa) has been translated into the Tib. literally as “sitting in the house of grief.”

n.152

“Sahā” is not in the Tib.

n.153

“In order to listen to the Dharma” has been supplied from the Tib.

n.154

In the Tib., this verse reads, “A supreme one, he emanates the threefold existence.”

n.155

“He does not belong anywhere” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.156

“To kill him” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.157

The three feelings are those of those of pleasure, pain, and indifference.

n.158

It is not quite clear what type of social engagements are meant, but the Skt. word used (saṃsarga) could suggest the sexual. The Tib. is vague.

n.159

In the Tib. this verse is longer and a little different: “I will throw terribly sharp vajras, / Spears, swords, and hammers. / When these flaming missiles strike him, / The scion of the Śākyas will be crushed to dust.”

n.160

In the Tib., the last two sentences are, “We will immediately show whatever magical powers we have at our disposal to the monk Gautama. Know that [we will do this].”

n.161

The Tib. reads, “You must engage with him in conversation at great length about many edifying topics.”

n.162

The Tib. has “to dispel their hunger.”

n.163

In the Tib. the last verse reads, “Confused and senseless, they will be scattered by our magical power, running off into different directions.”

n.164

It is indicated in the Skt. text that this last sentence ought to be expanded into the corresponding passage from the section on Venerable Śāriputra above, with the substitution of names.

n.165

This verse in absent in the Skt. text; it has been supplied from the Tib. To preserve the verse numbering as in the Kurumiya edition, no separate number has been given to it here.

n.166

Instead of “fast flows the water,” the Tib. has, “like the swiftly moving, rough water on a steep slope.”

n.167

The expression “likewise, as before” (Skt. peyālam; Tib. de bzhin du sbyar) signifies that the passage “Life passes quickly, my friends; fast flows the water. A naive person doesn’t know this—” is elided and to be repeated in the text that follows (the next three stanzas).

n.168

The translation here follows the Tib. G has “deceits of illusion.”

n.169

The Tib. could be interpreted as, “The ultimate reality is empty and free from all limits.”

n.170

The Skt. of the last two lines is very unclear. The last two lines in the Tib. seem to be, “Being led along through practicing the path of awakening, awakening is found. / It is taught that undeluded reality itself is protected in the Dharma.”

n.171

The Tib. reads instead, “Under the influence of bad friends, we have never heard these teachings before.”

n.172

“Through delusion and ignorance” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.173

A kind of gem, reddish in color (Edgerton).

n.174

The Tib. adds at this point, “Its scent surpassed divine incense. It occurred through world-transcending roots of virtue.”

n.175

Instead of “various stanzas with words rich in meaning,” the Tib. reads, “various words, meaning, and verse.”

n.176

The phrase “has come” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.177

I.e., Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana respectively.

n.178

The Tib. reads, “Upatiṣya and Kaulita, proficient in moral precepts, are guided by [this] teacher. / They are knowledgeable and skilled in many treatises, and their final aim is the Dharma.”

n.179

The “three types” are the instructions in the vināya (disciplinary code), the sūtra (collection of discourses), and the abhidharma (the science of the mind and phenomena).

n.180

The “three stains” are the stains of ignorance, hatred, and greed.

n.181

The phrase “will teach everything today” has been supplied from the Tib.; the Skt. seems to be saying “will now depart.”

n.182

Instead of “reveals,” the Tib. has “sees.”

n.183

“Follow from” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.184

The Tib. has “preacher of the six seeds.” It is not clear what the “six seeds” refers to, possibly the six perfections.

n.185

Instead of “essential teachings” (sāradharma), the Tib. has “transcendent (pha rol) teachings.”

n.186

“He defeats those who live in the city” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.187

It is not clear what the “six supreme goals” (ṣaḍuttamārtha) refers to. Possibly the six perfections.

n.188

The Skt. duranta can mean “leading to a bad end” and “infinite.” This is not reflected in the Tibetan, which we have followed here.

n.189

It is unclear what “signs of the thirteen aspects” refers to.

n.190

This line in the Tib. reads, “For those who are attached to their concepts about form and so on.”

n.191

Instead of “train in behavior” (vinītaceṣṭāḥ),” the Tib. has “curb/discipline their deceit/fickleness.”

n.192

The phrase “without agent and without action” is provided from the Tibetan and Chinese (Skt. lacuna).

n.193

In the Tib., this verse reads, “If those who meditate on all phenomena in this world as empty, / Being without agent and action, / Abandon their wishes, they will reach / Unsurpassed awakening of the sky-like nature.”

n.194

The translation of asama as “out-of-character” is uncertain. The Tib. seems to be saying in this verse something different altogether: “Listen to my words with minds of unchanging [fealty]!”

n.195

The Tib. reads, “He with power and might, whose qualities are totally immaculate, / Lives in this world in order to stabilize beings.”

n.196

Instead of “lotus,” the Tib. has “something sublime” (dam pa).

n.197

The Tib. reads “there is no other supreme refuge.”

n.198

The Tib. reflects the reading vadana (“face”) rather than vacana (“speech,” “words”), the reading of G, which has been adopted here.

n.199

The Tib. reads, “We, [on the other hand,] are scared and terrified.”

n.200

In the Tib., this verse reads, “We should go to see [him] with eagerness and faith, in the city where he’s come.”

n.201

Instead of “devotion,” the Tib. has “enthusiasm.”

n.202

This seems to refer to four kings of the mundane (phal pa), i.e., human, realm as distinct from the four great heavenly kings just mentioned, but we cannot confirm their identities.

n.203

This and the next five items belong to the seven precious emblems of royalty (saptaratna, “seven precious ones”), which comprise a precious wheel, precious wish-granting jewel, precious queen, precious minister, precious elephant, precious general, and precious horse.

n.204

The Tib. has “dangling white ornaments.”

n.205

Tib. “dangling green ornaments.”

n.206

“Strings of pearls” is omitted in the Skt.

n.207

The Tib. has “dangling ornaments.”

n.208

The Tib. reads, “If these beings would just acknowledge [me], I could disturb their minds.”

n.209

“My merit” is missing from the Tib.

n.210

The “fivefold noose” metaphorically refers to the five aggregates (cf. 5.40: “By totally comprehending the five aggregates, one is freed from their noose”).

n.211

The reading “refuge, and defender of the world” is taken from the Tib. The Skt. seems to be saying “refuge from the ways of the world.”

n.212

“Birth” has been supplied from the Tib.

n.213

The reading “O sage” (supported by the Tib.) has been obtained by emending Kurumiya’s reading muner to mune.

n.214

“The greatest and most important being” has been supplied from the Tib., as the Skt. is unclear.

n.215

“Instructions” is not in the Tib.

n.216

Gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas are omitted in the Skt. list.

n.217

Instead of “mounted forces,” the Tib. has “youthful forces.”

n.218

The reading “destruction” is based on G’s saṃkṣyaṃ (unmetrical), read as saṃkṣayaṃ.

n.219

Reading (on the authority of the Tib.) suta˚ (“son”) as muni˚ (“sage”).

n.220

The Tib. reads, “O you who have accomplished the ten strengths.”

n.221

The Tib. reads “each more fierce and cruel than the other.”

n.222

This phrase might not have an English equivalent. “To pull one’s hair” would perhaps be the closest expression in English.

n.223

The Skt. phrase “Give comfort . . . to all those who draw breath” involves a play on words, as the Skt. āśvāsaya (“give them comfort”) literally means “make them breathe freely.”

n.224

“Gifts” here includes the sacrifices of one’s own life and limb for the sake of others.

n.225

Instead of “Cakravāḍa range,” the Tib. has “Mount Meru.”

n.226

The “self-arisen ones” are the thus-gone ones.

n.227

Instead of “absolute truth,” the Tib. has “supreme path.”

n.228

This line is missing from all Tibetan editions. The “great fears,” sometimes the “four great fears,” are probably the fears of death, old age, sickness, and birth.

n.229

This line is missing from all Tibetan editions.

n.230

The translation of the last two lines is based on the Tib., as the Skt. is a little unclear.

n.231

The eight qualities of water are that it is cool, sweet, light, soft, clear, pleasant, wholesome, and soothing.

n.232

“Preaches wherever he travels” is based on the Tib.

n.233

This verse has been translated based on the Tib., as the Skt. is not completely clear.

n.234

A species of aquatic bird; the name madgu (from √majj) suggests submerging or diving.

n.235

In the Tib., the Skt. pratidarśaya is translated as “teach [them] individually.”

n.236

The Tib. is unclear; it seems to be saying, “Should calamity befall the hundred guides.”

n.237

The name Siddhartha (siddhārtha) is here paraphrased as Prāptārtha, which has the same meaning, “one who has accomplished their purpose.”

n.238

The Tib. reads, “I will show the immaculate and authentic path.”

n.239

In the Tib., possibly reflecting a different Skt. reading, this verse is, “I will summon them by a great miracle.”

n.240

The translation of this verse is based on the Tib., as the Skt. is unclear.

n.241

It is not clear what the “sun of death” (mṛtyusūrya) refers to.

n.242

The Tib. adds “fragrant oils” after “garlands.”

n.243

The context and the Chinese translation suggest that they covered the road with these items. G, however, which seems corrupt, suggests that it was the Blessed One.

n.244

The Tib. adds “pearl garlands” after “celestial cloth.”

n.245

The eight qualities of water are that it is cool, sweet, light, soft, clear, pleasant, wholesome, and soothing.

n.246

Instead of “great sage,” the Tib. has “great miracles.”

n.247

The narrative here ties in with verse 3.18 and the preceding paragraph.

n.248

Four folios of the Skt. manuscript are missing at this point. The following text up to the end of verse 4.107 has been translated entirely from the Tib.

n.249

Measurement by fingers (Skt. aṅgulipramāṇa) was used in ancient Indian medical science to divide and measure the individual sections of the body. The basic unit is the breadth of a finger.

n.250

This seems to refer to a distance of four fingers, but it is not clear where the point of reference is.

n.251

This seems to refer to a distance of four fingers, but, again, it is not clear where the point of reference is.

n.252

The point of reference is actually not specified; it could be “from the neck,” “toward the neck,” “up the neck,” etc.

n.253

Again, the point of reference is not specified and the phrase is unclear. The text actually says “the other half finger.”

n.254

Again, the point of reference for this measurement is not specified.

n.255

Again, the point of reference for this measurement is not specified.

n.256

Translation tentative. Tib. myur du bdag khyim zhig par bgyid.

n.257

Again, the point of reference for this measurement is not specified.

n.258

There seems to be some inconsistency here, as, according to verse 4.67, the Buddha himself was born under the constellation Puṣyā.

n.259

Translation tentative. Tib. yang dag dga’ bya drug smra zhing.

n.260

It is unclear what the “three phenomena” refers to, but perhaps to the threefold taxonomy of phenomena, namely the aggregates (skandha), sense bases (āyatana), and elements (dhātu).

n.261

The translation from the Skt. resumes here.

n.262

This paragraph, because of several lacuna in the Skt. text, has been translated based on the Tib. Some parts of it remain unclear.

n.263

The phrase “holding a flower” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.264

The phrase “world with the light from your eye of wisdom” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.265

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.266

The clause “I prostrate to you today” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.267

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.268

“By turning the wheel of the Dharma” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.269

These two lines have been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.270

Instead of the “net of craving,” the Tib. has “ocean of views.”

n.271

“Please tell me, O best of humans” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.272

The translation of this verse is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. text includes a number of lacuna.

n.273

The translation of this verse is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. text includes a number of lacunae.

n.274

The Tib. reads, “May they attain the wisdom of the essential nature that is endowed with the quintessence of the sense faculties.”

n.275

Supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.276

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.277

The last two lines have been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.278

The translation of this verse is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. text includes a number of lacunae.

n.279

The translation of this verse is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. text includes a number of lacunae.

n.280

The translation of this verse is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. text includes a number of lacunae.

n.281

The translation of this verse is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. text includes a number of lacunae.

n.282

The Tib. has “parasol in the sky.”

n.283

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.284

The earth is personified here as the goddess Vasundhurā, which could be either a corruption of vasundharā (“holder of riches”) or a correct variant of her name, meaning “laden (dhurā) with riches.”

n.285

“Bow her head to your feet” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.286

Tib. “trichiliocosm” (Skt. lacuna).

n.287

The translation of the Tib. yid skyo as “moved” is slightly problematic; the corresponding Skt. text is missing.

n.288

The translation of this paragraph is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. includes a number of lacunae.

n.289

The translation of this paragraph is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. includes a number of lacunae.

n.290

The phrase “those beings who were capable of being guided by buddhas” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.291

The phrase “For this occasion, the Blessed One” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.292

The last half-stanza is translated based on the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.293

We cannot provide the location for the next page number (TK129), as the relevant page from our copy of Kurumiya 1979 was missing.

n.294

Two folios of the Sanskrit manuscript are missing at this point (they are missing in the TK edition of the Tibetan canon as well). The missing part has been translated entirely from the Degé edition.

n.295

In some classifications, our impure world is also part of a buddha field. The same may be true for other impure worlds.

n.296

Translation tentative. Tib. rtsig pa med pa.

n.297

What follows is the list of the thirty-seven factors of awakening.

n.298

The Sanskrit page number is repeated, as the Skt. text resumes on the same page after a long lacuna.

n.299

Translation from the Skt. resumes here.

n.300

“And took their seats” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.301

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.302

“I never stop anyone” has been partially supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.303

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.304

The phrase “fivefold noose” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.305

“I am liberated and thus liberate beings” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.306

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.307

“Cast away all your doubts” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.308

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.309

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.310

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.311

The phrase “to cultivate emptiness” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.312

Reading puṣpa˚ (“flowers”) as puṣya˚ (“to be fostered”), against the Tib. reading, which reflects puṣpa˚.

n.313

The translation of this verse is based mainly on the Tib. because of extensive lacunae in the Skt. text.

n.314

It is not obvious what the three stains are, but presumably hatred, desire, and ignorance.

n.315

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.316

The “threefold liberation” is defined differently in different Buddhist systems. Here it most likely means (1) freedom from moral depravities (āsrava), (2) from conditioned existence, and (3) from ignorance.

n.317

The three types of restraint are the restraints of the body, speech, and mind.

n.318

The translation of this verse is based mainly on the Tib. because of extensive lacunae in the Skt. text.

n.319

This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.320

The translation of this and the remaining verses in this section (up to verse 34) is based mainly on the Tib. because of extensive lacunae in the Skt. text.

n.321

Jvara (“fever”) is used here in the sense of mental anguish.

n.322

The translation of this paragraph is partly based on the Tib. because of frequent lacunae in the Skt. text.

n.323

The phrase “Jyotīrasa, the great bodhisattva being” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.324

The phrase “made of the seven precious gems” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.325

The phrase “with hands folded” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.326

This and the following two verses have been translated partly based on the Tib. because of frequent lacunae in the Skt. text.

n.327

From this point up to “the remainder of the aggregates” in chapter 7, the translation has been made entirely from the Tib., as two folios of the Skt. manuscript are missing.

n.328

The translation here is very tentative. Tib. sa ni ’dom do ’phang tsam rdo bdag gis gang bar byas.

n.329

The translation from the Skt. resumes at this point, but still relies heavily, in this and the next paragraphs, on the Tib. because of frequent lacunae in the Skt. text.

n.330

In the Tib., this list reads “weeks, constellations, days, nights, months, fortnights, seasons, and years.”

n.331

The Tib. translates adhiṣṭhāna as “blessing”; in the context of manufacture, though, this should perhaps be taken in its more literal meaning of “supervision.”

n.332

In the Tib., this sentence seems to come after the next.

n.333

This entire paragraph, which describes the exposition that is going to be given, could be read, in the Tib., as a description of the Buddha’s actions instead. The Skt. grammar, however, seems to preclude this interpretation.

n.334

The next few occurrences of this phrase have been shortened to just “this exposition.”

n.335

The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The source passage has not been located.

n.336

The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is meant to be supplied from the identical passage two paragraphs above (5.79), starting with “completely destroys the forces” and ending with “remainder of the aggregates.”

n.337

The Skt. seems to be saying “during the same eon.”

n.338

In the Tib. translation, this paragraph comes before the (previous) paragraph on wind, reflecting the usual order in which the four elements are listed.

n.339

It is unclear what these three predispositions are, but perhaps the predisposition to ignorance, greed, and hatred.

n.340

The passage from “He is able to know anything at all about any being” (just above), up to this point has been supplied from the Tib., filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.341

This paragraph has been translated in part from the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.342

The passage here has been abbreviated by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from the matching passage above.

n.343

The passage here has been abbreviated by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from the matching passage above.

n.344

The passage here has been abbreviated by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from the matching passage above.

n.345

The Skt. word for “throne” is here siṃhāsana (“lion seat”), which can just mean a royal seat or throne, or perhaps a throne supported by lions.

n.346

The last clause, starting from “some directed their minds,” has been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.347

The Tib. reads “who have gathered here from all directions!”

n.348

This line has been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text. It is possible that the phrase “of supreme austerity” is not a description of the bodhisattvas, but of the worthy ones.

n.349

This line has been translated based on the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.350

This line has been translated based on the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.351

Parts of this verse have been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacunae in the Skt. text.

n.352

Parts of this verse have been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacunae in the Skt. text.

n.353

Instead of “skill,” the Tib. has “fearlessness.”

n.354

“Allows escape from all the domains of Māra” has been supplied from the Tib., filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.355

“Brings one to omniscient wisdom, frees one from all fears” has been supplied from the Tib., filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.356

Instead of “demeanor” and “steadfastness,” the Tib. has “realization” and “inspiration.”

n.357

The Tib. here reads “brings on skill in illuminating wisdom.”

n.358

Here the passage has been abbreviated by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from an unidentified location.

n.359

The phrase “beings into contact with charismatic splendor, health, enjoyments, strength” has been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.360

“To defeat all enemies; to ensure good harvests” has been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text.

n.361

Parts of this sentence have been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacunae in the Skt. text.

n.362

Large chunks of this paragraph have been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacunae in the Skt. text.

n.363

The phrase “he placed in the hands of” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.364

The word “remaining” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.365

The passage starting from “Please come to my buddha field” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.366

“Weariness” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.367

“Veiled by the dark veil of ignorance, been thrown into the darkness of afflictions” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.368

The translation of this sentence is based on the Tib. because of a number of lacunae in the Skt. text.

n.369

The part “. . . deserted towns, or charnel grounds. I make my bedding from hemp, sticks, and leaves—rough, stale-smelling, and unpleasant to the touch” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.370

“Donning the armor” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.371

The three types of activity are actions committed with the body, the speech, or the mind. The phrase “with monks” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.372

“Filled with envy” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.373

“Indulging in sex” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.374

“Boldly approach” (parākramanti) is not in the Tib. text.

n.375

The Tib. adds “wild pigs” after “wolves.”

n.376

“My houses, monasteries, and temples” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.377

“Foul odors” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.378

It is not completely clear which blessed buddhas are which, but it seems that Buddha Śākyamuni is now addressing the buddhas who have gathered in his own buddha field and speaks about the buddhas of the past, using them as an example.

n.379

Instead of “to suppress the proclamations of all the hostile preachers of other doctrines,” the Tib. reads “to destroy enemies and obstructers in a fashion that accords with the Dharma.”

n.380

The Tib. adds “asuras” after “yakṣas.”

n.381

“Evil spirits, blind infatuation, bad dreams, and bad omens” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.382

“Contemplation,” “devotion,” and “stability” are absent in the Skt. text; they have been supplied from the Tib.

n.383

The passage is abbreviated here; the source passage is two paragraphs above.

n.384

The word “unobstructed” is not in the source passage.

n.385

In place of “annihilation,” the Tib. has “fearless” (the two are spelled in Tib. almost the same, ’jig and ’jigs respectively).

n.386

“To ensure the continuity of the lineage of the Three Jewels” is missing from the Tib.

n.387

The passage is abbreviated here; the source passage is three paragraphs above.

n.388

The word “unobstructed” is not in the source passage.

n.389

After “the buddhas,” the Tib. adds “and bodhisattvas.”

n.390

The list of the qualities of the dhāraṇī is abbreviated here; the missing part is to be supplied from the similar list(s) elsewhere, but the source passage could not be located.

n.391

It is unclear in what way the domain of the Buddha is filled or made complete.

n.392

The Tib. has “thirty-six times.”

n.393

The Tib. reads, “It is the complete path for those who are accomplishing awakening.”

n.394

The last sentence is missing from the Tib.

n.395

Instead of “body,” the Tib. reads “eye.”

n.396

The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The source passage has not been located; it could be any of the passages above that list the qualities of the dhāraṇī-seal called the terminator of birth . . .”

n.397

The maṇḍala of sound that conveys words (Skt. svaramaṇḍalavāgvyāhāra) seems to be the name of the magical ability to make one’s words heard over a distance without a weakening or distortion of the sound. The phrase “maṇḍala of sound” (svaramaṇḍala) is not completely clear. Our translation here presumes that it is the magical medium that conveys the sound of spoken words over any distance. The other meaning of svaramaṇḍala, that of a “lute,” is unlikely in this context.

n.398

The list has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe; the full list should include the remaining classes of nonhuman beings: gods, nāgas, and so forth. The same should be assumed for other abbreviated lists of nonhuman beings below.

n.399

After “confuse,” the Tib. adds “freeze, befuddle.”

n.400

It is unclear what these three predispositions are, but perhaps the predispositions to ignorance, greed, and hatred. The last part of this sentence, starting from “characterized,” is missing from the Tib.

n.401

In the Tib., the last sentence begins, “If he does not get attached to them, why then do you, sister . . .”

n.402

In the Tib., three categories of persons are mentioned: Dharma teachers, students, and those established in the proper conduct.

n.403

The phrase “reverse their aggressive intentions and take the pledge” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.404

In the Tib., three categories of persons are mentioned: Dharma teachers, students, and those established in the right conduct.

n.405

“These mantras” implies that the above dhāraṇī consists of individual mantras, which is consistent with the structure of this dhāraṇī.

n.406

The Tib. interprets this as going blind; however, the eyeballs bursting or being otherwise destroyed is a common theme in the tantras in similar contexts.

n.407

The list has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe; the full list should include the lords of the remaining classes of nonhuman beings: gods, nāgas, and so forth.

n.408

“The great trichiliocosm” is missing from the Tib.

n.409

The Tib. interprets this as going blind; however, the eyeballs bursting or being otherwise destroyed is a common theme in the tantras in similar contexts.

n.410

From this point onward, certain passages in the source texts have been elided and refer to text that the reader will have to infer. It is not always clear precisely what this text may be, so we have indicated this in the translation by ellipses, rather than supplying the text from other passages.

n.411

Following the parallel with the dry land dwellers, it would seem that the evil aquatic beings would also fall into clefts in the earth (in the bottom of the sea?).

n.412

Instead of “protect,” the Tib. reads “ripen.”

n.413

Everything from this point up to the point indicated by n.422 in chapter 10 has been translated entirely from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.414

Translation tentative. Tib. chos smra ba de’i spobs pa rigs pas nye bar bsgrub par bgyi’o.

n.415

This name seems somewhat dubious.

n.416

The “five points of the body” are here the forehead, the elbows, and the knees.

n.417

Here and in the following, “four hundred and four” translates the Tib. brgya rtsa bzhi, which in itself only means “one hundred and four.” However, given that the number of illnesses enumerated in classical Indian medicine is four hundred and four, we have read the Tib. as a contraction of bzhi brgya rtsa bzhi.

n.418

The total count of these “sets of medicinal treatments” far exceeds the number one thousand and four.

n.419

Here “aroma” tentatively translates snar stsal ba.

n.420

The phrase “to be able to bring beings to maturity by means of employing earth ” has been added to fit the pattern of employing each of the five elements found in this section.

n.421

The Skt. of this mantra, like that of the others in this text, is quite corrupt. Possibly all the occurrences of °vava should be °vaha.

n.422

Translation fom the Skt. resumes here.

n.423

“Throughout the three times” has been supplied from the Tib.

n.424

“And protect it” is absent from the Tib.

n.425

“And protect it” has been supplied from the Tib.

n.426

In the Tib. this list is “hamlets, villages, towns, cities, states, mountain cliffs, royal cities, isolated places . . .”

n.427

Reference is here made to this text—the Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī—one of the Mahāsannipāta sūtras. This reference occurs several times throughout this chapter.

n.428

“Saṃsāra” has been supplied from the Tib.; the Skt. reads “formation.”

n.429

I.e., will be reborn in the realms of Śakra or Brahmā. In place of “as your companions,” the Tib. reads “equal in fortune to you.”

n.430

The Tib. adds “world protectors” after “brahmās. The Chinese, though, supports the Skt.

n.431

The Tib. indicates that the list was abbreviated at this point; the full list should include the lords of the remaining classes of nonhuman beings: gods, nāgas, and so forth.

n.432

In place of “protect . . . and glorify,” the Tib. reads, “teach, care for, and protect.”

n.433

Skt. āvāhayiṣtāmaḥ (“we will cause to move/drive”); Tib. rgyu bar bgyi (“set in motion”).

n.434

“An abundance of water” (augha) is missing from the Tib.

n.435

The Tib. reads “waterfalls, springs, lakes, and ponds.”

n.436

“And [other] crops” is missing from the Tib.

n.437

“We will ensure the longevity that arises from glory and merit” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.438

“And will spurn evil ones” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.439

“Idle curiosity” is the translation of the Skt. kautuka, which is rendered into the Tib. as “entertainment.” Here it probably means chasing after anything that arouses curiosity or is amusing, but not necessarily beneficial.

n.440

The Tib. reads, “We will strive for infinite eons to ensure that this Dharma method is taught authentically.”

n.441

“In order to quell the pain of beings” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.442

“Overwhelmed by the thieves and rogues of the afflictions” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.443

The beginning of this paragraph up to this point the translation relies heavily on the Tib. because of frequent lacunae in the Skt. text; from this point on, up to the words “we will encourage any Dharma teacher” at the end of 11.11, the translation is entirely from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.444

Translation tentative. Tib. bdag dang gzhan gnyi ga’i nyon mongs pa’i las yongs su sbyang ba’am.

n.445

The Skt. of this dhāraṇī is too corrupt to be edited reliably.

n.446

Translation from the Skt. resumes here.

n.447

Missing passages from the Skt. text corresponding to the translated section beginning with “I entrust you with the responsibility . . .” at {K159} to this point have been supplied from the Tib.

n.448

Gaps in this paragraph have been filled in using the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.449

Gaps in this paragraph have been filled in using the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.450

From this point, up to the words “the loss of their magical powers” near the end of 11.18, the translation is mostly from the Tib. (Skt. lacunae).

n.451

Translation from the Skt. resumes here.

n.452

In place of “the waters were stirred,” the Tib. reads “the clouds billowed.”

n.453

The translation of the last sentence is based on the Tib. and the Chinese. The Skt. reads, “Trembled also Māra along with his retinue. However, the gods, the kaṭapūtanas, and the bodhisattvas, who attained acceptance, did not tremble.”

n.454

“The dark faction defeated” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).

n.455

In place of “jackal,” the Tib. reads “goat.”

n.456

In place of “Starlight,” the Tib. reads “Firelight.”

n.457

“Wicked” is missing from the Tib.

n.458

The translation of this sentence is based on the Tib. The Skt. reads, “According to their different inclinations, I establish them in the Three Jewels as non-returners.”

n.459

“Have no faith” is the Tib. reading; the Skt. has “have unshakable faith,” and the Chinese, “have pure faith.”

n.460

The Skt. includes an additional sentence here: “Most [beings] thus fall into the realm of the wicked yakṣas . . . and kaṭapūtanas,” which seems to be an unnecessary reiteration.

n.461

The Skt. has at this position, against the Tib. and the Chinese, the words “O Blessed One!”

n.462

The Tib. reads “gently cause” but omits “gentleness and kindness” later on in this sentence.

n.463

The Tib. reads “gently pacify.”

n.464

Here the Tib. interpretes bhūta not as “being” but as “spirit.”

n.465

The meaning of vajrakhavasarī is unclear. Here it has been translated as vajra-kha-avasarī (“vajra-sky-expanding”); it seems to be translated into the Tib. as inserting thought into the vajra sky.

n.466

“Quotidian through quartan” is a reference to malarial fever that recurs every day, or every second, third, or fourth day.

n.467

“Āṭavaka, the great general of the yakṣas” is missing from both the Tib. and the Chinese.

n.468

“Noble son” is based on the Tib. The Skt. has the plural “noble sons.”

n.469

“Meaning, words, and letters” (arthapadavyañjana) seems to be a stock phrase implying the completeness of the speech conveyed through the maṇḍala of sound that conveys words: this maṇḍala conveys speech on three levels, namely the letters that form words, the words, and the meaning that the words convey.

n.470

The vocative meaning, “O noble son,” has been obtained by restoring the G reading kulaputrebhir (BHS sandhi, kulaputra + ebhir) against the K reading kulaputrair.

n.471

“Are extremely terrifying” is missing from the Tib.

n.472

The reading “returning” was obtained by emending the Skt. gagana to gamana (supported by the Tib. and the Chinese).

n.473

The passage from “who read it . . .” up to this point has been supplied from the Tib.; it is absent in the Skt. text.

n.474

In place of “the [negativity of] the dark age,” the Tib. reads “the turbidity of struggle.”

n.475

The following division into ten has been introduced when translating this list into English and may be different from what was originally intended.

n.476

“You will duly set these beings apart” (nyāyataḥ parīttāḥ) seems to be missing from the Tib.

n.477

The Tib. reads, “You will avert that which is harmful to them.”

n.478

The Tib. reads “faultless memory, intellect, understanding, and eloquence.”

n.479

The “profound acceptance” (gambhirakṣānti) is an abbreviation of the type of kṣānti called “the acceptance that does not fear the profound meaning (i.e., emptiness)” (zab mo’i don la mi skrag pa’i bzod pa).

n.480

It is not clear what the “three things” are, but perhaps the three notions of subject, object, and action.

n.481

“Pure” (śuddha) is supported by the Chinese, but the Tib. reflects the reading kevalam (“only”).

n.482

The following division into ten has been introduced when translating this list into English and may be different from what was originally intended.

n.483

The Tib. reads, “[This buddha field is a product] of the great power of the blessed buddhas.” The Skt. reading is, however, supported by the Chinese.

n.484

The Skt. pratipanna means “who have met with” with the sense perhaps of “who have adopted.” The Tib. reads “who earnestly practice.”

n.485

This verse has been supplied from the Tib. It is absent in the Skt. text.

n.486

It seems that the Buddha is referring to himself.

n.487

This name is reflected in the Tib. and the Chinese translations; the Skt., however, has a shorter version, Virajabalavikrāmin.

Bibliography

Primary literature (manuscripts and editions)

Sanskrit

Dutt, Nalinaksha, ed. Gilgit Manuscripts. Vols. 1–4. Delhi: Sri Satguru Publications, 1984.

Kurumiya, Yenshu, ed. Ratnaketuparivarta: Sanskrit Text. Kyoto: Heirakuji-shoten, 1978.

Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī—the Gilgit manuscript. National Archives of India, New Delhi.

Tibetan

’phags pa ’dus pa rin po che tog gi gzungs shes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. Toh 138, Degé Kangyur vol. 56 (mdo sde, na), folios 187.b–277.b.

’phags pa ’dus pa rin po che tog gi gzungs shes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. 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), 2006–9, vol. 56, pp. 509–734.

Kurumiya, Yenshu, ed. ’Dus Pa Chen Po Rin Po Che Tog Gi Gzungs, ’Dus Pa Chen Po Dkon Mchog Dbal Zes Bya Ba’i Gzungs: being the Tibetan translation of the Ratnaketu Parivarta. Kyoto: Heirakuji-shoten, 1979.

Denkarma (pho brang stod thang ldan[/lhan] dkar gyi chos ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Degé Tengyur vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.

Narthang Catalog (bka’ ’gyur dkar chag ngo mtshar bkod pa rgya mtsho’i lde mig). Narthang Kangyur vol. 102 (dkar chag), folios 1.a–124.a.

Phangthangma (dkar chag ’phang thang ma). Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003.

Translations and secondary literature:

Braarvig, Jens (1993). Akṣayamatinirdeśasūtra. Vol. 2, The Tradition of Imperishability in Buddhist Thought. Oslo: Solum Verlag, 1993.

———(1985). “Dhāraṇī and Pratibhāna: Memory and Eloquence of the Bodhisattvas.” The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 8, no. 1: 17–29. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 1985.

Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lHan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Vienna: Verlag der österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.

Lamotte, Étienne. The Treatise of the Great Virtue of Wisdom of Nāgārjuna (Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra). Translated from the French by Karma Migme Chodron, 2001.

Mak, Bill M. “Ratnaketu-parivarta, Sūryagarbha-parivarta, and Candragarbha-parivarta of Mahāsannipātasūtra (MSN): Indian Jyotiṣa through the lens of Chinese Buddhist Canon.” Paper presented at the World Sanskrit Conference, New Delhi, January 8, 2012.

Miller, Adam Tyler. “The Buddha Said That Buddha Said So: A Translation and Analysis of ‘Pūrvayogaparivarta’ from the Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī Sūtra.” MA thesis. University of Missouri-Columbia, 2013.

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

Negi, J. S. Bod skad daṅ Legs-sbyar gyi tshig mdzod chen mo. Tibetan-Sanskrit Dictionary. Sarnath: Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, 1993.

Skilling, Peter. “From bKa’ bstan bcos to bKa’ ’gyur and bsTan ’gyur.” In Transmission of the Tibetan Canon: Papers Presented at a Panel of the 7th Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies, Graz 1995, edited by Helmut Eimer, 87–111. Vienna: Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1997.

Ui, Hakuju. A catalogue-index of the Tibetan Buddhist canons (Bkaḥ-ḥgyur and Bstan-ḥgyur). Sendai: Tōhoku Imperial University, 1934.

Glossary

g.1

Abhirati

mngon par dga’ ba

མངོན་པར་དགའ་བ།

Abhirati

The celestial realm of the tathāgata Akṣobhya in the east.

g.2

Absorption

ting nge ’dzin

ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན།

samādhi

Stabilized meditative concentration.

g.3

Acceptance

bzod pa

བཟོད་པ།

kṣānti

Intellectual and spiritual readiness to accept certain tenets, such as the nonarising of phenomena or the law of karma. Also translated here as “patience.”

g.4

Acintyamati

blo gros bsam gyis mi khyab pa

བློ་གྲོས་བསམ་གྱིས་མི་ཁྱབ་པ།

Acintyamati

A bodhisattva in the retinue of the Buddha.

g.5

Acts of attracting beings

bsdu ba’i dngos po bzhi

བསྡུ་བའི་དངོས་པོ་བཞི།

saṃgrahavastu

The means of winning over beings; traditionally there are four of them—generosity, kind talk, meaningful action, and impartiality.

g.6

Afflictions

nyon mongs

ཉོན་མོངས།

kleśa

Mental and emotional traits that bind one to saṃsāra; the fundamental three are ignorance, desire, and anger. When the term refers to the fundamental three, it tends to be translated as “the afflictions.”

g.7

Agasti

ri byi

རི་བྱི།

Agasti

One of the māras.

g.8

Aggregate

phung po

ཕུང་པོ།

skandha

See “five aggregates.”

g.9

Airāvaṇa

sa srung

ས་སྲུང་།

Airāvaṇa

The elephant of Indra.

g.10

Akaniṣṭha

’og min

འོག་མིན།

Akaniṣṭha

One of the gods’ realms.

g.11

Akṣayamati

blo gros mi zad pa

བློ་གྲོས་མི་ཟད་པ།

Akṣayamati

A bodhisattva in the retinue of the Buddha.

g.12

Akṣobhya

mi ’khrugs pa

མི་འཁྲུགས་པ།

Akṣobhya

In the Ratnaketudhāraṇī, he is one of the six “directional” tathāgatas.

g.13

Amitāyus

tshe dpag med

ཚེ་དཔག་མེད།

Amitāyus

In the Ratnaketudhāraṇī, he is one of the six “directional” tathāgatas.

g.14

Aṅga-Magadha

ang ga ma ga d+hA

ཨང་ག་མ་ག་དྷཱ།

Aṅgamāgadha

At the time of the Buddha, the countries of Aṅga and Magadha were referred to as a single entity.

g.15

Anurādhā

lha mtshams

ལྷ་མཚམས།

Anurādhā

The name of a lunar asterism. Its chief star is known as Delta Scorpii in the occidental tradition.

g.16

Applications of mindfulness

dran pa nye bar bzhag pa

དྲན་པ་ཉེ་བར་བཞག་པ།

smṛtyupasthāna

See “correct applications of mindfulness.”

g.17

Ārdrā

ལག

Ārdrā

The name of a lunar asterism. Its chief star is known as Alpha Orionis in the occidental tradition.

g.18

Arivijaya

dgra las rnam par rgyal

དགྲ་ལས་རྣམ་པར་རྒྱལ།

Arivijaya

A bodhisattva in the retinue of the Buddha.

g.19

Āśleṣā

skag

སྐག

Āśleṣā

The name of a lunar asterism. Its chief star is known as Alpha Hydrae in the occidental tradition.

g.20

Asura

lha ma yin

ལྷ་མ་ཡིན།

asura

A class of titans or demigods.

g.21

Aśvajit

rta thul

རྟ་ཐུལ།

Aśvajit

One of the five ascetics, the companions of the Buddha during his early practice of austerities.

g.22

Aśvinī

tha skar

ཐ་སྐར།

Aśvinī

The name of a lunar asterism. Its chief star is known as Beta Arietis in the occidental tradition.

g.23

Āṭavaka

’brog gnas

འབྲོག་གནས།

Āṭavaka

One of the five yakṣa generals.

g.24

Awakening

byang chub

བྱང་ཆུབ།

bodhi

I.e., awakening to the reality of phenomena (inner and outer) as they actually are.

g.25

Bālāha

sprin gyi shugs can

སྤྲིན་གྱི་ཤུགས་ཅན།

Bālāha

A mythical horse.

g.26

Bases of supernatural power

rdzu ’phrul gyi rkang pa

རྫུ་འཕྲུལ་གྱི་རྐང་པ།

ṛddhipāda

See “four bases of supernatural power.”

g.27

Becoming

srid pa

སྲིད་པ།

bhava

One of the twelve links of dependent origination.

g.28

Bharaṇī

bra nye

བྲ་ཉེ།

Bharaṇī

The name of a lunar asterism. Its chief star is known as 35 Arietis in the occidental tradition.

g.29

Bhīṣaṇaka

’jigs ’jigs

འཇིགས་འཇིགས།

Bhīṣaṇaka

One of the five yakṣa generals.

g.30

Bhūteśvara

phun sum tshogs pa’i dbang phyug

ཕུན་སུམ་ཚོགས་པའི་དབང་ཕྱུག

Bhūteśvara

One of the great brahmās.

g.31

Black faction

nag po’i phyogs

ནག་པོའི་ཕྱོགས།

kṛṣṇapakṣa

The army, divisions, or factions of Māra, the deity who personifies spiritual death; from Māra’s point of view, this is the “white faction.” Also refers to the dark fortnight of the lunar month.

g.32

Blessed One

bcom ldan ’das

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས།

bhagavat

A title used for the Buddha and other tathāgatas.

g.33

Blissful one

bde bar gshegs pa

བདེ་བར་གཤེགས་པ།

sugata

An epithet for a buddha.

g.34

Blue Light

sngon por snang ba

སྔོན་པོར་སྣང་བ།

(Skt. lacuna)

A buddha field in the future where the bodhisattva Saffron Color attains buddhahood as Precious Light.

g.35

Bodhākṣa

shes mig

ཤེས་མིག

Bodhākṣa

One of the māras.

g.36

Bodhisattva

byang chub sems dpa’

བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ།

bodhisattva

A practitioner who, motivated by altruistic feelings, vows not to enter nirvāṇa until each and every being has been liberated first.

g.37

Brahmā

tshangs pa

ཚངས་པ།

brahmā

A god from any of the realms of Brahmā.

g.38

Brahmā

tshangs pa

ཚངས་པ།

Brahmā

One of the trinity of Hindu gods, a protagonist and ally of the Buddha; when spelled with the lower case, it denotes any god from the multiple worlds of Brahmā.

g.39

Branches of knowledge

rig pa’i gnas

རིག་པའི་གནས།

vidyāsthāna

Traditionally, there are eighteen branches of knowledge; they include the great philosophical systems of India (Sāṅkhya, Yoga, etc.) as well as ordinary sciences and arts, such as arithmetic, medicine, astrology, music, archery, etc.

g.40

Buddha

sangs rgyas

སངས་རྒྱས།

buddha

A fully awakened being; when spelled with a capital letter it refers to the Buddha Śākyamuni, one of the Three Jewels.

g.41

Caitya

mchod rten

མཆོད་རྟེན།

caitya

A structure containing holy relics.

g.42

Cakravāḍa

’khor yug

འཁོར་ཡུག

Cakravāḍa

The name of a mountain range.

g.43

Candra

zla ba

ཟླ་བ།

Candra

The moon personified as a god.

g.44

Candraprabha

zla ’od

ཟླ་འོད།

Candraprabha

A nobleman in the retinue of the Buddha. Also the name of a prophesied buddha.

g.45

Cessation of perception and sensation

’du shes dang tshor ba ’gog pa

འདུ་ཤེས་དང་ཚོར་བ་འགོག་པ།

saṃjñāvedayitanirodha
saṃjñāveditanirodha

An advanced state of meditation corresponding to the ninth anupūrvavihārasamāpatti (the attainment of (nine) successive stages); the state of the eighth vimokṣa (liberation).

g.46

Chinnasrotas

rgyun bcad pa

རྒྱུན་བཅད་པ།

Chinnasrotas

One of the five yakṣa generals.

g.47

Citrā

nag pa

ནག་པ།

Citrā

The name of a lunar asterism. Its chief star is known as Spica (alpha Virginis) in the occidental tradition.

g.48

Concentration

bsam gtan

བསམ་གཏན།

dhyāna

Meditative concentration. Fifth of the six perfections.

g.49

Consciousness

rnam par shes pa

རྣམ་པར་ཤེས་པ།

vijñāna

Fifth of the five aggregates.

g.50

Consecration

dbang bskur ba

དབང་བསྐུར་བ།

abhiṣeka

In the Buddhist context, the ritual of consecration usually involves an initiation or empowerment.

g.51

Correct applications of mindfulness

yang dag pa’i dran pa nye bar bzhag pa

ཡང་དག་པའི་དྲན་པ་ཉེ་བར་བཞག་པ།

samyaksmṛtyupasthāna

This refers to the four types of mindfulness: the mindfulness of the body, sensations, thought, and phenomena.

g.52

Dark age

zad pa’i dus

ཟད་པའི་དུས།

kaliyuga

The most degenerate in the cosmic cycle of five ages.

g.53

Delighting in Emanations

’phrul dga’

འཕྲུལ་དགའ།

Nirmāṇarati

One of the gods’ realms.

g.54

Demonstrator of Consequences

thal ba ston

ཐལ་བ་སྟོན།

(Skt. lacuna)

A bodhisattva who seeks a prophecy from Śākyamuni.

g.55

Dependent origination

rten cing ’brel bar ’byung ba
rten ’brel

རྟེན་ཅིང་འབྲེལ་བར་འབྱུང་བ།
རྟེན་འབྲེལ།

pratītyasamutpāda

The arising of beings explained as a chain of causation involving twelve interdependent links or stages.

g.56

Desire realm

’dod khams

འདོད་ཁམས།

rūpadhātu

One of the three realms of saṃsāra (the other two being the form and formless realms).

g.57

Devadatta

lhas byin

ལྷས་བྱིན།

Devadatta

Cousin, student, and competitor with the Buddha. He is one of the main characters in the stories from the Buddha’s life.

g.58

Dhaniṣṭhā

mon gru

མོན་གྲུ།

Dhaniṣṭhā

The name of a lunar asterism. Its chief star is known as Beta Delphini in the occidental tradition.

g.59

Dhāraṇamati

gzungs kyi blo gros

གཟུངས་ཀྱི་བློ་གྲོས།

Dhāraṇamati

A bodhisattva in the retinue of the Buddha.

g.60

Dhāraṇī

gzungs

གཟུངས།

dhāraṇī

Magical spell, usually a longer one with a specific purpose. Being also the name of a literary genre, this term may refer also to the entire text of the Ratnaketudhāraṇī or a section of text dealing with a particular dhāraṇī.

g.61

Dhāraṇī-seal

gzungs kyi phyag rgya

གཟུངས་ཀྱི་ཕྱག་རྒྱ།

dhāraṇīmudrā

This is another term used for dhāraṇī that is meant to convey, among other meanings, the idea that a dhāraṇī seals or stamps upon the reciter or the targeted phenomenon the nature that it embodies.

g.62

Dharma

chos

ཆོས།

dharma

Quality or phenomenon in a general sense; when spelled with a capital letter it refers to the Buddha’s teaching, one of the Three Jewels.

g.63

Dharma discourse

chos kyi rnam grangs

ཆོས་ཀྱི་རྣམ་གྲངས།

dharmaparyāya

This may refer to the entire text of the Ratnaketudhāraṇī or to a section dealing with a particular dhāraṇī.

g.64

Dharma method

chos kyi tshul

ཆོས་ཀྱི་ཚུལ།

dharmanetrī

The Skt. term, which means “way,” “method,” or “system,” could be interpreted as that which is “conducive” to the Dharma, which “leads” to the Dharma or which “guides” in accordance with the principles of the Dharma. In the Ratnaketudhāraṇī, it variously refers to individual dhāraṇīs, the sections that deal with these dhāraṇīs, or the entire text of the Ratnaketudhāraṇī.

g.65

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

yul ’khor srung

ཡུལ་འཁོར་སྲུང་།

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

One of the Four Great Kings.

g.66

Diligence

brtson ’grus

བརྩོན་འགྲུས།

vīrya

The fourth of the six perfections.

g.67

Discipline

tshul khrims

ཚུལ་ཁྲིམས།

śīla

The second of the six perfections.

g.68

Discriminating Intellect

shin tu rnam par phye ba’i blo gros

ཤིན་ཏུ་རྣམ་པར་ཕྱེ་བའི་བློ་གྲོས།

(Skt. lacuna)

One of the bodhisattvas who received from the Buddha a prophecy of his future awakening.

g.69

Doorway

sgo ldan

སྒོ་ལྡན།

(Skt. lacuna)

A buddha field in the future where the bodhisattva Supreme Wisdom attains buddhahood as the tathāgata Supreme Sun of Bliss.

g.70

Dṛḍhā

gzi brjid che ba

གཟི་བརྗིད་ཆེ་བ།

Dṛḍhā

An earth deity.

g.71

Dṛḍhamati

sra ba’i blo gros

སྲ་བའི་བློ་གྲོས།

Dṛḍhamati

A bodhisattva in the retinue of the Buddha.

g.72

Dundubhisvara

rnga sgra

རྔ་སྒྲ།

Dundubhisvara

In the Ratnaketudhāraṇī, he is one of the six “directional” tathāgatas.

g.73

Durdharṣa

thub dka’

ཐུབ་དཀའ།

Durdharṣa

One of the bodhisattvas in the Buddha’s retinue; also one of the māras.

g.74

Dyutimati

snang ba’i blo gros

སྣང་བའི་བློ་གྲོས།

Dyutimati

The guardian deity of the Buddha’s monastery in Veṇuvana.

g.75

Dyutindharā

’od ’chang

འོད་འཆང་།

Dyutindharā

A tree deity.

g.76

Earth

ས།

Vasundharā

Earth (Tib. sa, Skt. bhūmi) is the Indian goddess representing Mother Earth. She goes by various other names including Vasundharā (“holder of the riches”).

g.77

Earth Holder

sa ’dzin

ས་འཛིན།

(Skt. lacuna)

A bodhisattva who seeks a prophecy from Śākyamuni.

g.78

Eighteen unique qualities of a buddha

sangs rgyas kyi chos ma ’dres pa bco brgyad

སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་ཆོས་མ་འདྲེས་པ་བཅོ་བརྒྱད།

aṣṭādaśāveṇikabuddhadharma

Eighteen special features of a buddha’s behavior, realization, activity, and wisdom that are not shared by other beings.

g.79

Eightfold path

yan lag brgyad lam

ཡན་ལག་བརྒྱད་ལམ།

aṣṭāṅgamārga

Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right absorption.

g.80

Element

khams

ཁམས།

dhātu

Sphere; primary element (such as earth, water, etc.; see “six elements”); sensory “elements” that comprise six types of sense objects, six types of sense faculties, and six sense consciousnesses.

g.81

Exposition

lung bstan

ལུང་བསྟན།

vyākaraṇa

A clear analysis or detailed presentation. Also translated here as “prophecy.”

g.82

Extensive Scent of Flowers

me tog rgyas pa’i dris

མེ་ཏོག་རྒྱས་པའི་དྲིས།

(Skt. lacuna)

A buddha field in the future where the bodhisattva Jyotīrasa attains buddhahood as the tathāgata Immaculate Fragrant Star of Bright Splendor.

g.83

Factors of awakening

byang chub kyi phyogs kyi chos

བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་ཕྱོགས་ཀྱི་ཆོས།

bodhipakṣadharma

Traditionally there are thirty-seven factors conducive to awakening.

g.84

Fetter

kun tu sbyor ba

ཀུན་ཏུ་སྦྱོར་བ།

saṃyojana

Fetters binding one to saṃsāra; they come in groups of three (ignorance, hatred, and desire) or ten.

g.85

Five acts of immediate retribution

mtshams med pa byed pa

མཚམས་མེད་པ་བྱེད་པ།

pañcānantarya

Acts for which one will be reborn in hell immediately after death, without any intervening stages; they are (1) killing one’s master or father, (2) killing one’s mother, (3) killing an arhat, (4) maliciously drawing blood from a buddha, and (5) causing a schism in the saṅgha.

g.86

Five aggregates

phung po lnga

ཕུང་པོ་ལྔ།

pañcaskandha

The five constituents of a living entity: form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness.

g.87

Five degenerations

snyigs ma lnga

སྙིགས་མ་ལྔ།

pañcakaṣāya

Five signs that the later era of an eon has arrived: degenerate views, afflictions, beings, lifespan, and time.

g.88

Flower Mendicant

dge sbyong me tog

དགེ་སྦྱོང་མེ་ཏོག

(Skt. lacuna)

A māra.

g.89

Form

gzugs

གཟུགས།

rāpa

First of the five aggregates.

g.90

Formation

’du byed

འདུ་བྱེད།

saṃskāra

Predispositions; conditioning (as in “conditioned existence”) in general; also the fourth aggregate, that of volition.

g.91

Fortunate Eon

bskal pa bzang po

བསྐལ་པ་བཟང་པོ།

bhadrakalpa

The name of our current eon.

g.92

Four bases of supernatural power

rdzu ’phrul gyi rkang pa gzhi
rdzu ’phrul gyi yul bkod pa bzhi

རྫུ་འཕྲུལ་གྱི་རྐང་པ་གཞི།
རྫུ་འཕྲུལ་གྱི་ཡུལ་བཀོད་པ་བཞི།་

caturṛddhipāda
caturṛddhiviṣaya

These are (1) single-pointed intention, (2) single-pointed thoughts, (3) single-pointed diligence, and (4) single-pointed investigation.

g.93

Four concentrations

bsam gtan bzhi

བསམ་གཏན་བཞི།

caturdhyāna

The four levels of meditative concentration.

g.94

Four errors

phyin ci log bzhi

ཕྱིན་ཅི་ལོག་བཞི།

caturviparyāsa
caturviprayāsa

The four errors are (1) the mistaken belief in permanence, (2) in the self (ātman), (3) in the purity of that which is impure, and (4) that the suffering is pleasurable.

g.95

Four Great Kings

rgyal po chen po bzhi

རྒྱལ་པོ་ཆེན་པོ་བཞི།

caturmahārāja

The powerful nonhuman guardian kings of the four quarters—Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Vaiśravaṇa—who rule, respectively, over kumbhāṇḍas in the south, nāgas in the west, gandharvas in the east, and yakṣas in the north.

g.96

Four māras

bdud bzhi

བདུད་བཞི།

cāturmāra

Personification of the four factors that keep beings in saṃsāra—afflictions, death, aggregates, and pride arising through meditative states.

g.97

Four noble attributes

’phags pa’i rigs bzhi

འཕགས་པའི་རིགས་བཞི།

caturāryavaṃśa

The attributes of a practitioner; the first three are garments, food, and bedding, and the fourth is the dedication to the path of liberation.

g.98

Four rivers

chu bo bzhi

ཆུ་བོ་བཞི།

caturogha
caturaugha

The same as the four āsrava (“outflows” or “contaminants”), namely (1) sensual desire, (2) conditioned existence, (3) wrong views, and (4) ignorance; also refers to birth, old age, sickness, and death.

g.99

Four truths of the noble ones

’phags pa’i bden pa bzhi

འཕགས་པའི་བདེན་པ་བཞི།

caturāryasatya

The truth of suffering, the cause of suffering, the path, and the cessation of suffering.

g.100

Fourfold assembly

’khor bzhi po

འཁོར་བཞི་པོ།

catuḥparṣad

The fourfold assembly comprises monks, nuns, and female and male lay practitioners.

g.101

Free from Strife

’thab bral

འཐབ་བྲལ།

Yāma

One of the gods’ realms.

g.102

Gandharva

dri za

དྲི་ཟ།

gandharva

A class of celestial beings.

g.103

Gaṅgā

gang gA

གང་གཱ

Gaṅgā

The river Ganges.

g.104

Garuḍa

nam mkha’ lding

ནམ་མཁའ་ལྡིང་།

garuḍa

A class of celestial birds with bodies half human and half bird.

g.105

Gautama

gau ta ma

གཽ་ཏ་མ།

Gautama

One of the names of the Buddha, especially during his earlier life as an ascetic.

g.106

Generosity

sbyin pa

སྦྱིན་པ།

dāna

The first of the six perfections.

g.107

Ghoṣavati

dbyangs kyi blo gros

དབྱངས་ཀྱི་བློ་གྲོས།

Ghoṣavati

One of the māras.

g.108

Girikūṭa

ri bo brtsegs

རི་བོ་བརྩེགས།

Girikūṭa

One of the tathāgatas.

g.109

Glorious

snang ba ’chang ba

སྣང་བ་འཆང་བ།

The name of an eon in the past.

g.110

Glorious and Brilliantly Shining Jewel

nor bu ’od ’bar ba dpal

ནོར་བུ་འོད་འབར་བ་དཔལ།

(Skt. lacuna)

One of the tathāgatas.

g.111

God

ལྷ།

deva

A celestial being from the highest realm (in the sixfold division) of saṃsāra.

g.112

Goddess of Glory

dpal gyi lha mo

དཔལ་གྱི་ལྷ་མོ།

(Skt. lacuna)

One of the female bodhisattvas.

g.113

Going forth

rab tu ’byung ba

རབ་ཏུ་འབྱུང་བ།

pravrajati
pravrajyā

Leaving the life of a householder and embracing the life of a wandering, renunciant follower of the Buddha.

g.114

Great brahmā

tshangs pa chen po

ཚངས་པ་ཆེན་པོ།

mahābrahmā

A god from the higher subdivision of the world of Brahmā.

g.115

Hastā

me bzhi

མེ་བཞི།

Hastā

The name of a lunar asterism. Its chief star is known as Delta Corvi in the occidental tradition.

g.116

Hearer

nyan thos

ཉན་ཐོས།

śrāvaka

A disciple of the Buddha; in the Mahāyāna sūtras this term refers to the followers of the Hīnayāna, or the Lesser Vehicle.

g.117

Heart of the Jewel

nor bu’i snying po

ནོར་བུའི་སྙིང་པོ།

(Skt. lacuna)

A buddha field in the future where the bodhisattva Discriminating Intellect attains buddhahood.

g.118

Highly Extolled

rab bsngags pa

རབ་བསྔགས་པ།

A buddha field in the future where the bodhisattva Demonstrator of Consequences attains buddhahood as the tathāgata Lamp of Fire.

g.119

Himalaya Mountains

gangs kyi ri

གངས་ཀྱི་རི།

Himālaya

g.120

Holder of Meru’s Peak

lhun po’i rtse ’dzin

ལྷུན་པོའི་རྩེ་འཛིན།

(Skt. lacuna)

A bodhisattva in the Buddha’s retinue.

g.121

Immaculate Fragrant Star of Bright Splendor

rdul med spos snang skar ma’i dpal

རྡུལ་མེད་སྤོས་སྣང་སྐར་མའི་དཔལ།

(Skt. lacuna)

The name of the buddha that the sage Jyotīrasa will become, according to a prophecy by the Buddha.

g.122

Immaculately Moved by Beings

sems can la g.yo zhing rdul dang bral ba

སེམས་ཅན་ལ་གཡོ་ཞིང་རྡུལ་དང་བྲལ་བ།

(Skt. lacuna)

A bodhisattva who seeks a prophecy from Śākyamuni.

g.123

Insight

shes rab

ཤེས་རབ།

prajñā

Direct gnosis without conceptuality or mental elaboration.

g.124

Intelligent Light

’od kyi blo gros

འོད་ཀྱི་བློ་གྲོས།

(Skt. lacuna)

A bodhisattva in the Buddha’s retinue.

g.125

Intelligent Lightning

glog gi blo gros

གློག་གི་བློ་གྲོས།

(Skt. lacuna)

A bodhisattva in the Buddha’s retinue.

g.126

Intelligent Sky

nam mkha’i blo gros

ནམ་མཁའི་བློ་གྲོས།

(Skt. lacuna)

A bodhisattva in the Buddha’s retinue.

g.127

Jambu

’dzam bu

འཛམ་བུ།

Jambu

The river flowing down Mount Meru.

g.128

Jambudvīpa

’dzam bu’i gling

འཛམ་བུའི་གླིང་།

Jambudvīpa

The southern continent, one of the four comprising our world in Buddhist cosmology.

g.129

Jayamati

rgyal ba’i blo gros

རྒྱལ་བའི་བློ་གྲོས།

Jayamati

A bodhisattva in the Buddha’s retinue; also one of Māra’s sons.

g.130

Jinamati

Jinamati

A bodhisattva in the Buddha’s retinue.

g.131

Jñānaketu

ye shes tog

ཡེ་ཤེས་ཏོག

Jñānaketu

A buddha who comes to Śākyamuni’s buddha field.

g.132

Jñānaraśmirāja

ye shes kyi ’od zer

ཡེ་ཤེས་ཀྱི་འོད་ཟེར།

Jñānaraśmirāja

In the Ratnaketudhāraṇī, he is one of the six “directional” tathāgatas.

g.133

Jñānolka

shes pa’i sgron ma

ཤེས་པའི་སྒྲོན་མ།

Jñānolka

One of the five yakṣa generals.

g.134

Jyeṣṭhā

smron

སྨྲོན།

Jyeṣṭhā

The name of a lunar asterism. Its chief star is known as Antares in the occidental tradition.

g.135

Jyotīrasa

skar ma la dga’ ba

སྐར་མ་ལ་དགའ་བ།

Jyotīrasa

A sage, originally a devotee of Maheśvara.

g.136

Jyotiṣprabha

me ’od

མེ་འོད།

Jyotiṣprabha

One of the māras.

g.137

Jyotivaruṇā

’od zer chu’i lha

འོད་ཟེར་ཆུའི་ལྷ།

Jyotivaruṇā

The guardian deity of the gate at the Buddha’s monastery near Rājagṛha.

g.138

Kakutsunda

’khor ba ’jig

འཁོར་བ་འཇིག

Kakutsunda

One of the tathāgatas.

g.139

Kalandakanivāpa

bya ka lan ta ka

བྱ་ཀ་ལན་ཏ་ཀ

Kalandakanivāpa

Literally, “The Squirrel Feeding Ground,” a location within the Veṇuvana where the Buddha stayed, receiving its name from the many squirrels living there, being fed by humans. It should be noted that Tibetan translations misunderstand the Sanskrit term kalandaka to be a kind of bird (Tib. bya).

g.140

Kanakamuni

gser thub

གསེར་ཐུབ།

Kanakamuni

The second buddha of the Fortunate Eon.

g.141

Karma

ལས།

karman

Activity, action, or karma (karmic accumulation).

g.142

Kāśyapa

’od srung

འོད་སྲུང་།

Kāśyapa

One of the Buddha’s closest hearer disciples; the name of the third buddha of the Fortunate Eon.

g.143

Kaṭapūtana

’byung po
lus srul po

འབྱུང་པོ།
ལུས་སྲུལ་པོ།

kaṭapūtana

A class of demons; a subdivision of the pretas.

g.144

Kaulita

pang nas skyes

པང་ནས་སྐྱེས།

Kaulita

Another name of Maudgalyāyana.

g.145

Kauṇḍinya

kauN+Di n+ya

ཀཽཎྜི་ནྱ།

Kauṇḍinya

The father of Maudgalyāyana.

g.146

Kauṇḍiṇyārcis

kauN+Di n+ya ’od ’phro ba

ཀཽཎྜི་ནྱ་འོད་འཕྲོ་བ།

Kauṇḍiṇyārcis

One of the tathāgatas.

g.147

Kauśika

kau shi ka

ཀཽ་ཤི་ཀ

Kauśika

An epiphet of the god Śakra.

g.148

Kautūhalika

ltad mo can

ལྟད་མོ་ཅན།

Kautūhalika

A bodhisattva in the retinue of the Buddha.

g.149

Khaḍgasoma

ral gri zla ba

རལ་གྲི་ཟླ་བ།

Khaḍgasoma

One of the māras.

g.150

Khagamati

nam mkha’i blo gros

ནམ་མཁའི་བློ་གྲོས།

Khagamati

A nobleman in the retinue of the Buddha.

g.151

Kinnara

mi ’am ci

མི་འམ་ཅི།

kinnara

A class of celestial beings.

g.152

Krakucchanda

’khor ba ’jig

འཁོར་བ་འཇིག

Krakucchanda

The first buddha of the Fortunate Eon.

g.153

Kṛttikā

smin drug

སྨིན་དྲུག

Kṛttikā

The name of a lunar asterism. Its chief star is known as Pleiades in the occidental tradition.

g.154

Kṣatriya

rgyal rigs

རྒྱལ་རིགས།

kṣatriya

The warrior caste (one of the main four Indian castes).

g.155

Kṣititoya

sa chu

ས་ཆུ།

Kṣititoya

One of the māras.

g.156

Kubera

lus ngan po

ལུས་ངན་པོ།

Kubera
Kuvera

A god of wealth, sometimes (as in the Ratnaketudhāraṇī) identified with Vaiśravaṇa, one of the Four Great Kings.

g.157

Kumāra

gzhon nu

གཞོན་ནུ།

Kumāra

Another name of Karttikeya, the god of war.

g.158

Kumārabhṛta

gzhon nu’i tshul

གཞོན་ནུའི་ཚུལ།

Kumārabhṛta

One of the previous incarnations of Māra.

g.159

Kumbhāṇḍa

grul bum

གྲུལ་བུམ།

kumbhāṇḍa

A class of nonhuman beings.

g.160

Kusumadhvaja

me tog gi rgyal mtshan

མེ་ཏོག་གི་རྒྱལ་མཚན།

Kusumadhvaja

One of the tathāgatas.

g.161

Lamp of Fire

me yi sgron ma

མེ་ཡི་སྒྲོན་མ།

(Skt. lacuna)

The bodhisattva Demonstrator of Consequences when he becomes a buddha.

རིན་པོ་ཆེ་ཏོག་གི་གཟུངས།

The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī

Ratna­ketu­dhāraṇī

འཕགས་པ་འདུས་པ་ཆེན་པོ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་ཏོག་གི་གཟུངས་ཤེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།

’phags pa ’dus pa chen po rin po che tog gi gzungs shes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo

The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī” from the Great Collection

Ārya­mahā­sannipāta­ratna­ketu­dhāraṇī­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra

Toh 138

Summary

Acknowledgements

Homage

Colophon

Tibetan Translators’ Colophon

Abbreviations

Notes

Bibliography

Primary literature (manuscripts and editions)

Sanskrit

Tibetan

Translations and secondary literature:

Glossary

Abhirati

1 passage contains this term

Absorption

28 passages contain this term

Acceptance

32 passages contain this term

Acintyamati

1 passage contains this term

Acts of attracting beings

1 passage contains this term

Afflictions

44 passages contain this term

Agasti

3 passages contain this term

Aggregate

21 passages contain this term

Airāvaṇa

1 passage contains this term

Akaniṣṭha

2 passages contain this term

Akṣayamati

1 passage contains this term

Akṣobhya

5 passages contain this term

Amitāyus

6 passages contain this term

Aṅga-Magadha

4 passages contain this term

Anurādhā

1 passage contains this term

Applications of mindfulness

1 passage contains this term

Ārdrā

1 passage contains this term

Arivijaya

1 passage contains this term

Āśleṣā

1 passage contains this term

Asura

35 passages contain this term

Aśvajit

9 passages contain this term

Aśvinī

1 passage contains this term

Āṭavaka

11 passages contain this term

Awakening

111 passages contain this term

Bālāha

1 passage contains this term

Bases of supernatural power

1 passage contains this term

Becoming

4 passages contain this term

Bharaṇī

1 passage contains this term

Bhīṣaṇaka

1 passage contains this term

Bhūteśvara

Ratnaketudhāraṇī

Āryamahāsannipātaratnaketudhāraṇīnāmamahāyānasūtra